I was asked repeatedly on Monday who I would be supporting for mayor. Let's just examine our choices:
Bill deBlasio is endorsed by the UFT even though the Mayor has been an almost complete disaster for teachers. Besides keeping most of the fervently anti-teacher Bloomberg people in place at the DOE, de Blasio gave teachers the worst monetary contract in my thirty-one years in the system while the city has enjoyed a very robust economy leading to healthy surplus revenue. While the Mayor is likely to be reelected, he can do it without my vote.
Republican Nicole Malliotakis is not a viable altnernative on education.
Nicole on charter schools:
A spokesman for her campaign said she is supportive of charters and school choice."
Sounds like a typical Republican which is bad news for teachers.
Her education platform talks about closing schools and replacing them with small schools.
Nicole Malliotakis will re-examine our city’s failing schools to determine which facilities need to close and be replaced with new, smaller schools, with more intensive instruction and a new administration.
Not exactly encouraging.
Bo Dietl is hard to take seriously.
That leaves Reform Party candidate Sal Albanese as the only semi-serious alternative for a protest vote.
The Chief Leader endorsed Sal, for what it's worth, calling for a "vote for character."
That might be enough for me.
Since there is little drama in the mayor's race as de Blasio is way ahead in the latest poll, I hope it doesn't hold down the turnout too much as the UFT is in a broad coalition calling for a NO vote on the Constitutional Convention which is on the back of the ballot. I support the Union's call for a no vote and helped distribute literature.
I just hope there is some type of contract extension immediately after election so I can determine if I choose to resign.
ReplyDeleteScrew a contract extension. We need a better deal, especially if the UFT wants folks to stay as members post Janus. Between now and June. the city and the UFT must end Danielson, reduce observations, and return seniority based transfers, Also, regardless of how the rest of the country is doing, NYC has tons of cash right now. We need a better raise than what we got before. Also, there is all this talk of paid maternity leave that must be addressed. (I am AGAINST paid maternity leave if there are givebacks that must be done by childfree by choice teachers)
ReplyDeleteYou have to be a male.
DeleteI'm opting out of dues until we get what all other NY State teachers get: TWO observations
ReplyDeleteYou think if only half the teachers are in the union we are going to get better working conditions?
ReplyDelete6:18 I wholeheartedly agree!!!
ReplyDeleteMy friend in Westchester just got tenure after 3 years.
ReplyDeleteShe has ONE (1) observation every TWO (2) years.
How's dem apples?
To anonymous 6:18. I whole heartedly agree. In fact from now on I only want my road repair taxes to pay for the roads I drive on. To hell with all those other roads. And while we are talking I refuse to pay any money for homeless shelters, because I've chosen not to be homeless. You know, I don't take the bus so I don't want any of my money going to that either. In fact, I just realized my tax dollars might be going to pay a republican politicians salary. I don't like that, I'm unregistered I shouldn't have to pay towards that. I could go on and on, but I know you won't get my point.
ReplyDelete1:42 the point is on top of your head!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 1:42, that's why I haven't paid taxes in over twenty years and I'm not alone.
ReplyDeleteHey 1:42: Local tax dollars pay for most of the roads you drive on. I am not aware of tax dollars going to homeless shelters. Bus fares are paid for by bus customers. Don't try comparing those things to having a "paid" maternity leave that is actually not "paid" for at all if everybody is loosing sick days in our CAR. That kind of bullshit is the same thing back in 2005 when the UFT got us a "raise" but we ended up working more time for it. Thus it was not a raise. Same thing with "paid" maternity leave. If we are loosing CAR days it sure as hell is not "paid". I got 120 days in my CAR and I hardly ever call in sick. I want to bank as many of my 10 days per year as possible so I can cash them out at retirement. Why should I loose future earning because some teachers want to have kids but I don't not ever will. We all get sick and that is why we all have paid insurance. We DO NOT ALL choose to have kids and as such those who choose not to have kids should not have to pay into it. A fair system would be to set up a buy in where teachers can agree to a reduced salary for a given amount of time. And yes I am male but that does not mean squat. I know tons of fellow female teachers who do not want kids who feel exactly the way I do. This is not a callous mentality. It is a fair and reasonable way to look at the reality of what "paid" maternity leave would look like if NYC gets it's way.
ReplyDeleteHave a baby with your pay - not mine!
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ReplyDeleteFariña and Mulgrew are failures.
ReplyDeleteYes, we know, thats why im quitting at 39 years old.
ReplyDeleteThe comments are again getting out of control. 6:31 went way over the top. No more mysogeny please. We are teachers. Let's act somewhat appropriately. I understand frustration people feel but some of you are insulting many readers who are complaining privately to me.
ReplyDeleteThe comments here are symptomatic of not only the frustration of our working conditions but of also the very union that is supossed to be there to serve us. The UFT has done nothing to help the terror being forced on us from admins, DOE, and "Legal". Now we are all divided on the concept of paid maternity leave which in reality is just going to be a big scam like the 2005 contract where the raises we got were not really raises. You can't blame people for being so pissed right now. Pissed at the DOE, pissed at the UFT, and now pissed at our fellow teachers who might disagree with weather we should all pay for maternity leave even if we are never going to have kids.
ReplyDelete5:36 PM. Someone who does not know the difference between losing and loosing can not be taken seriously.
ReplyDelete