Francesco Portelos followed up and the UFT claimed I never responded to their reply. I didn't respond because I never received it.
The UFT's answer to our election protest that Absent Teacher Reserves and Leave Replacement Teachers are disenfranchised and not being given an equal opportunity to serve in the Delegate Assembly is that they have picked Staff Director Leroy Barr to make a report and present it to the Executive Board.
No disrespect to Mr. Barr, but since he was one of the people who was meeting with me and emailing me on the issue of ATR representation last fall and he has already rejected the idea of an ATR Chapter, it looks like he has a conflict of interest. He certainly is not neutral.
The leadership of the union has also relegated us to speaking during the open microphone segment before the meeting so we will not get a chance to present our protest beyond the letter we sent. To put it another way, we will have no opportunity to respond to whatever Leroy Barr says which you can bet won't be favorable.
Some of you may be thinking that this sounds worse than a Step I grievance where a teacher or other UFT member makes an argument to a principal about something they did and the principal just rejects it. The UFT policy is not as fair because at least the member gets to argue his/her case before the principal.
Election protests were handled a little differently when Randi Weingarten was president of the UFT. In those days, the people involved in a complaint were given the opportunity to state their case by asking and answering questions after the UFT did an investigation where they talked to all the parties involved.
You are all thinking "Kangaroo Court" by now. Maybe I'll be surprised and be proven wrong here.
Leroy Barr is Unity's cleaner-in-chief whom Mulgrew trots out to do his dirty work whenever needed.
ReplyDeleteTwo examples: (1) When I protested the attempted destruction of my ATR contact list by erstwhile Brooklyn Borough Rep Howie Schoor at the Brooklyn Borough meeting in 2012, Mulgrew assigned Barr to investigate (i.e., whitewash). "I am looking into the issue you have raised and will let you know of my findings," he emailed me the following on December 4. Six days later, he closed the case: "I have spoken to the relevant parties. It is my finding that the issue raised was a miscommunication. I am satisfied that this fully addresses the issue, and we now consider this an internal personnel matter."
(2) After six unavailing requests directed to my Brooklyn DR Bill Kalogeras regarding the fate of Mulgrew’s proposed but purely fantasy Truth Commission, Barr barged into the matter last week. Herewith our email exchange:
LB: Please let me know any concerns you have. Thank you.
PN: What's the problem? All I want to know for now is whether the Truth Commission is on or off. What so hard about that? Despite months of pestering I couldn't get Bill to give me an answer? Can I count on you?
LB: Again, I invite you to send me your concerns. There's no need to continue to question Mr. Kalogeras on this matter. PN: My concern is that neither you nor Bill nor Debbie [Poulos, Brooklyn BR] will tell me whether Mulgrew's Truth Commission is on or off. What's the big secret? Don't members have a right to know the truth about the Truth Commission? LB: Please understand that I do not intend to go back and forth with you either. I've asked you to share your concerns or truths you need us to address and you have not. This will be our last email to you on this matter absent any new facts. Have a great weekend.
PN: My concern is that neither you nor Bill nor Debbie [Poulos, Brooklyn BR] will tell me whether Mulgrew's Truth Commission is on or off. What's the big secret? Don't members have a right to know the truth about the Truth Commission?
LB: Please understand that I do not intend to go back and forth with you either. I've asked you to share your concerns or truths you need us to address and you have not. This will be our last email to you on this matter absent any new facts. Have a great weekend.
What an enlightened exchange.
ReplyDeleteLeroy Barr?! The same guy who spoke so eloquently (LOL) about us not needing a chapter! Why bother? It doesn't even give the appearance of objectivity. ATRs need to go there and voice their needs and dissatisfaction.
ReplyDeletePlease come along.
ReplyDelete