The New York State United Teachers made their political endorsements for Congress and the New York State Legislature last week.
I am somewhat surprised that NYSUT is backing members of the Independent Democratic Conference who go along with the Republicans to make up the Senate majority that has worked to hurt the public schools, teachers and students.
In a NYSUT article about the endorsements, here is how the leadership described the process:
NYSUT Executive Vice President Andrew Pallotta said the NYSUT endorsement process "is truly a grassroots, organic process, with PAC members and local presidents surveying their own members in their own communities about who they wished to see NYSUT support in this year's elctions," Pallotta said. "Those candidates who earned NYSUT's endorsement have won the backing in their home communities."
This statement about this being a "grassroots, organic process" seems odd as I also received two Facebook postings from Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association's President Beth Dimino which directly contradict Pallotta's explanation of the process.
From Beth Dimino
NYSUT members-this is important.
NYSUT members...
It's important for you to know that Tuesday, in the Long Island room, presidents voted to NOT endorse Flanagan, LaValle and Marcellino. We did this because these three men have consistently voted against public schools, teachers and students. We presented candidates for NYSUT to endorse who are running in the election this November against these three incumbents. INSTEAD...The NYSUT Board of Directors overturned our recommendations and decided to allow NYSUT to endorse LaValle. Further, Andy Pallotta brought Senator Flanagan into the Board of Directors meeting to influence their vote. Your NYSUT contributions paid for this BS! Only in NYSUT Folks, only in NYSUT.
Here is a follow-up message from Beth:
Just some additional information NYSUT Members...
You have true friends in the BOD room. The Suffolk PAC and Suffolk BOD Members fought like crazy to get a NO Endorsement for Flanagan, Marcellino and LaValle. I stood and fought with them in the President's room and other BOD Members reported back to me that they fought valiantly in the PAC and BOD rooms. So you ask: How was the regional decision made by the Presidents from that region, made by the PAC from that region, made by the BOD Members from that region overturned? Well, Folks, NYSUT is run by the largest five locals in the state. They don't have to listen to any of the other locals because they have the votes to overturn the regions. What does that mean for you and I? We have NO VOICE on the Statewide level or the NATIONAL level, and that is precisely why NOT one member of the PJSTA contributes to vote cope.
The leaders of NYSUT and AFT count on this advantage every time they spend our money, change our resolutions, have relationships with the deformers, and make decisions the rank and file DO NOT agree with!
The only way to change this is for every local to send a delegate to the RA this April so we can vote the bums out!
To be clear, NYSUT did not endorse the anti-teacher Republican Senate head John Flanagan (2nd District) or Long Island Senator Carl Marcellino (5th District). They are staying neutral in these races but by not endorsing their opponents, they are in effect giving them an unofficial nod.
For historical examples of this, see the UFT not opposing Mayor Bloomberg's opponent Bill Thompson in 2009 or NYSUT not endorsing Zephyr Teachout in the 2014 Democratic Primary for governor against Andrew Cuomo. Union neutrality is not really being neutral.
We are stuck paying dues to the UFT, the largest local in NYSUT and the AFT. In the UFT, as we have explained, there is zero real accountability.
44 comments:
Fun thing to bring up the next time we are told to beg for more COPE money. Even better ask Paul Egan were the money goes. There is no accountability for COPE spending
Black #Milwaukee cop shoots a black man who was pointing a gun at him.THIS is a problem? Like spoiled children who've been appeased to often
Keep listening to the UFT, keep voting Democrat. Never ending poverty and crime...
St Louis-run by Democrats
Baltimore-run by Democrats
Chicago-run by Democrats
#Milwaukee-run by Democrats
If only we could find a pattern...
#BlackLivesMatter rioters target whites: "They beating up all the white people." #Milwaukee
Sounds like September 8. Get ready for all the abuse NYC teachers...
Sounds like my school in Brooklyn...Gang stuff all over the place, but of course schools have never been safer and better...He refers to him as a “Blood,” and uses hashtags referencing the “Trill Vill Gang.” The dead man named “Syville/Savill Smith” is pictured with a rifle.
A reverse image search shows the picture exists nowhere else on the web, indicating it is original.
You won’t hear this stuff from the lying mainstream media. Keep the GotNews mission alive: donate at GotNews.com/donate or send tips to editor@gotnews.com
Rocaine, presumably the dead criminal’s gangbanger brother, is calling for “cups” and “gallons” of blood from police officers.
Right, and less suspensions!
Who do we endorse if we want the discipline code written to our liking and enforced?
So let's vote for someone who attacks teachers and their unions. Flanagan is a Republican.
Republicans hate us. Democrats hate us a little less. Neither side is our friend.
The bigots are back. Where is the Unity person to tell us how wonderful they have made things.
Not bigotry, it mirrors the problems in NYC schools, and where they originate.
Let's vote Republican. We can have Scott Walker like in Wisconsin where we could lose collective bargaining rights. Let's go right to work like Michigan or most Republican states. See a pattern here.
I think the pattern in the country is far worse, more welfare, more food stamps, more crime, more criminals getting backing from the likes of de Blasio and Obama...Did you ever think criminals would be right and cops would be wrong, even when the criminal was a career felon with 50 arrests, and all we would hear about is that there are too many people in jail and we should relax laws, just like we relaxed the discipline code?
And we dont need Scott Walker, he union screws us quite well, see the 2014 contract.
What was stated above about Milwaukee is fact. Criminal with illegal gun evading arrest. Then black Samaritans destroy the city in the criminals honor. Where is Obama?
What about Gillibrand?
Anyway, I agree, it's time to vote them out, they are going against our interests again and again.
NYSUT will continue to ignore Long Island Presidents until we take real action. WHAT you may ask.? End participation in VOTE COPE and start our own PAC and let's start having disaffiliation votes. If your not willing to do that send your check every month and accept that our state federation does not represent the interests of members in Nassau and Suffolk counties
Voting Republican is insane for public employees. Our 2014 contract was bad but nothing like what we could expect under a Scott Walker. He ended collective bargaining for teachers. The resulting pay and benefit cuts have been steep. They don't want tougher discipline codes. They want to privatize public education by showing public schools are failing. This is from an earlier Republican platform:
"Shrink federal programs into five flexible grants.
Allow federal dollars to follow children to the school of their choice.
Expand choice by increasing the number of charter schools, and expanding education savings accounts."
From the current platform: "Rigid tenure systems should be replaced with a merit-based approach in order to attract the best talent to the classroom."
On expanding so called school choice, Republicans are for it "especially … innovative financing mechanisms that make options available to all children: education savings accounts (ESAs), vouchers, and tuition tax credits.”
Do we want more charter schools and the government to pay for private schools while we lose our tenure? These are not viable options.
Obama has embraced some of the Republican agenda on education but the Republicans are not looking to help public schools or teachers or unions.
One more point: In NYC in 1993 when we looked at out of control crime, the UFT decided to abandon David Dinkins. The result was 8 years of Giuliani and 12 of Bloomberg. Are teachers better off now? Hardly. We had a bunch of comments here about teaching in the nineties and how we could shut the door and basically be left alone. The war against teachers was just starting back under Giuliani. We got 0% pay increases and calls for the mayor to take over the system. Then, the first charter school law was passed so the drain of students began. We then inexplicably gave the system over to Bloomberg and the war on teachers exploded; de Blasio and Farina are just continuing it.
If we vote in a Christine Quinn or another right wing Democrat or Republican, do you think things are going to improve? Think big picture.
What about societal issues, democrats seem to love this crime, AND THEN BLAME THE COPS. This is at least partly why we see what we see in schools. The ones who get shot are the same as the students we have, no respect, long arrest record, belief they could do whatever they want, single parent home, poverty, etc. And guess what, if you look at the closing and failing schools, same demographic. They arent arrested because of racism, they are arrested because they commit crime more, same for suspensions, same for failing grades. De blasio said suspensions are unfair because blacks get suspended more...Duh, they break the rules more...Repubs arent that liberal...
Didnt we get 9% interest on a loan, as opposed to the 0 we are getting now? You know they weaken the discipline code every year. You know cell phones are out of control. You know Guiliani did a good job cleaning up crime. You know suspensions have dropped, not because nobody breaks rules but because we simply dont suspend. You know nobody puts anything into OORS anymore. you know grad rates ae uo because we just pass everybody, and/or free grades via credit recovery, seat time, POM school, etc. Want more of this?
Check the daily news today. Obama wants to put low income people, with free money they are getting, into higher income areas. Great, bring the crime and poverty to nice neighborhoods, wiith taxes the workers paid in the first place. More free rides...
We got 9% interest on a loan we made to Dinkins in 1991. We loaned the city part of our raise that beat the DC37 pattern at the time by 1.5%. Look it up. In exchange for our loan, we got the February week off, an ironclad no layoff agreement, a retirement incentive unlike any other and we didn't have to return to work if we took a sabbatical. In other words, one could retire straight from sabbatical. We got the money back when Giuliani was mayor.
Let's not repeat the mistakes of the past by using the so called anti-crime agenda to vote for our own demise. I am not arguing in favor of de Blasio's discipline policies. I am supporting self preservation.
And look where self preservation got us, school system, to the objective teacher, has never been worse, 1% raise a year for 7 years, retro 12 years late with no interest, deferred raises, Danielson, ATR field supervisors, and never more on food stamps and all types of welfare, and never more crime...And its all my fault.
And almost $60 per check in dues
12 years of Bloomberg's war on us with Cuomo and Obama thrown in. De Blasio has just continued it. I am no shill for the Democratic Party. That said, the law and order gang is only going to make things worse by closing schools and blaming teachers. Only answer is to be a militant union. UFT is incapable of that nor do I think leadership wants it.
Don't blame this blog for size of raises or loan until 2020. We helped lead the vote no fight.
I dont blame this blog. I just think our situation is shit. As is the situation in the country, as stated above. Criminals rules, let them all out of jail. Blame the cops, blame the teachers. Like Sheriff Clark said, fix the ghetto...
I agree the situation is downright awful. I think your proposed solution would make it worse. You might want to put some blame on the corporate welfare queens.
I remember the union got a great contract from Dinkins and then the union refused to support his re-election. Giuliani was no fool- why should he support teachers when teachers stabbed the last mayor in the back? Remember when Giuliani wanted to blow up the Board of Ed?
Lots of kids have records from discretionary charges. If they are white, there is no charge, but if not white, there is a charge. That is a fact.
I think one of the worst things about the "new" system that developed from Bloomberg-the mayor who wouldn't leave- is that out of classroom jobs dried up. No more ed evaluators, less district jobs, and bringing people from the outside through the "academy" to be principals and asst. principals. Not everyone is cut out for 25-30 years in the classroom. I made some career detours myself. Closing off those paths didn't allow people to grow and be their best selves.
And if the union leadership is not doing their job and fighting for you-vote them out.
I can't believe some of the right wing comments here. Go listen to Michael Savage. This is not a right wing blog.
David A. Clarke, Jr.Verified account
@SheriffClarke
Failed Democrat Progressive liberal urban policies create ghettos like Milwaukee that erupt into violence at the most inane provocation.
Value system crash. Tribal behavior leads to the law of the jungle. Culturally dysfunctional underclass behavior.
Sounds like the public schools
Bigot - man strikes again. The down side to free speech.
Let's privatize it so we can all get fired. Great idea Republicans.
Bigot? That was a quote from a black sheriff.
Always seeing color everywhere.
The real bigots are the ones that continue the policies of liberislism. You are a fool my friend and keep defending the wonderful students. You are such a liberal fool it's no wonder our country is shit!!! Or should I say crap. I don't want to offend anyone. Our country is doomed. By the way I love Clarke from Milwaukee.
Anon 5:27 is a fool if I ever read one. This is an open blog for all to express and exercise free speech. I realize some liberals want to only hear the policies they believe in. I enjoy reading the many points of view and would hate to read only what I believe in. Our country is at a crossroads with 2 candidates for president that will continue to polarize the masses. The civil war is coming please be prepared my fellow educators. God Help Us All! That's right secular liberalism killed God years ago.
Those right wing fools are the reason we never get anywhere in our profession. They totally agree with the people who want to privatize our profession. The fact that they work for the government is hypocrisy of the highest order. Why don't you get a job in the private sector instead of coming from the suburbs to the Bronx to get paid working with kids you hate?
It's about more than our profession my anon 7:46 fool. And once again us right wing fools don't hate the kids we teach but the 50 yrs of failed liberal policies that have created government dependency. We feel sorry and have sympathy for the kids that are stuck in the cycle of dysfunctional families and the government policies of enabling. God Bless You my friend.
You are a hypocrite. Quit and get off the government payroll and work for the private sector you so love. In case you haven't noticed, since 1980 Republicans have been in office a good part of the time and have controlled Congress too.
God bless you too.
Reaganomics is so liberal.
Why should I quit working for the government. I'm not against government I'm against the corrupt govt.
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