Here is an informal agenda from Norm Scott: (material in parentheses is from me)
1- Janus and the UFT -- how to be critical without supporting the right wing?
2-Is the opposition being put in the same position as New Action was in 2003? (New Action did not run against Unity for UFT president in 2004, endorsed Randi Weingarten in 2007, and endorsed Mulgrew for president in 2010 and 2013. In exchange, Unity did not run against NAC high school executive board candidates in 2004 [they lost] and Unity gave NAC some executive board seats in 2007, 2010 and 2013. Reason for alliance was union was under attack from Michael Bloomberg and Joel Klein so NAC felt we had to come together.)
3- Report on meeting with New Action (members) over UFT elections.
4-I (Norm) present once again the case for not running in UFT 2019 elections: If you do the same thing for 25 years and get the same result why keep doing it unless you can expect a different outcome this time? Can we?(Norm has made the case not to run in every election since 2010 but has been outvoted and then worked hard on each election campaign petitioning, writing and leafleting).
5- The general state of the opposition.
6-The AFT convention shows same old same old.
What Lois Weiner has been writing about -- can UCORE and other social justice caucuses be the game changer?
What Lois Weiner has been writing about -- can UCORE and other social justice caucuses be the game changer?
If you want something added, just email us and it will certainly be considered. Maybe we can see a new face or two.
17 comments:
All Hail ICE (gotta think about changing the name though), and the good food and friendly people at the Skylight Diner !
Just curious if attending would be interpreted by Norm as "supporting the left wing"?
As a former liberal/progressive/sj advocate, I wouldn't want to misrepresent my attitudes and affiliation.
Thanks for info. Cheers.
No, come and tell us what you think, whether it is right, left, center or apolitical.
Or anti union?
As long as you are a NYC teacher, or other UFT represented title, we should hear from you.
This is Big Mike and I’m shocked you would have an openly anti-union meeting! I’m coming with my food taster LeRoy. I know you will try to poison me and not in the same way that you have with your acolytes!
I would like to explore this at the meeting? What would the union have to do in terms of reforms to make even the critics tell people enthusiastically to stay rather than holding our noses and telling them how any union is better than none?
For those who complain about the bad principals - one of my solutions is to have effective and responsive District reps who pick up the ball in schools under attack -- maybe bring in a team. How to get to good district reps? Make them accountable to the members in the district through elections. James is for CL electing them. I'm not committed to that because when they did elect they were all Unity except for Bruce Markens. I'd like to give CLs a major voice but I would also look to some election in the district by the members which would get them involved.
I think some form of proportional rep on the EX BD And AFT and NYSUT - which would make all the effort in running in the election somewhat worthwhile.
One way of pushing Unity is to not run I believe is to push for an election boycott -- bring those retiree votes into the majority to expose them.
Probably no one will still give a shit but why not take that shot?
An election boycott would hardly be noticed. Unity would love it. Less work for them to not have to bother with election. Their only fear is empire being threatened and I don't see that coming. How many will actually opt out?
Three responses so far on email from some different folks. Ok, it is a start but not nearly enough. Some who comment here are truly all talk. I would enjoy hearing from people by name on email even if you cannot make a meeting.
How was the crappy meeting of yours today? How many more people do you plan to brainwash with your nonsense, James.
Blind leading the blind. You need retire James from this ICE "club" of yours.
Decent meeting today. Just leaving. Nobody being brainwashed, certainly not by me. ICE is very open. You clearly know nothing about me or the group.
Is there such a thing as a black father?
6:09PM - James Eterno is a gift because he informs educators. Lead yourself back to where you came from. Don't read this blog; you will not be missed.
I am too afraid and/or paranoid of getting involved publicly. For example, I just found out this week that I will be teaching a different course in the fall than the one I have been teaching for the last few years. This means hours, weeks and months of lesson plans, unit plans, project plans, learning the standards, creating formative and summative assessments, etc. Did my admins find out that I am commenting on this blog? Is my move in retaliation for my push back last school year? We were not told in June what we would be teaching in September so everyone just assumed the program would stay the same. Our CL didn't think it was a big issue that the teachers were not informed of what they were teaching.
I think there are many of us who would present ourselves if we really felt supported by the UFT.
Most Principals don’t know if they are coming or going. Almost none of them read this blog. So you need not be paranoid.
I would file a re-organization grievance immediately on the first day of school. Done correctly they work, have teeth and are expedited.
I am thankful for all the hard work James does for teachers. I disagree with some of his opinions and he has even removed some of my comments but you can’t deny his passion for making teachers aware of their rights and the faults of our union. God bless
Thank you for the kind words 7:41. I recognize your style. I only censor when comments go over the top or hijack the posts. I have been put into no win situations for allowing what many feel are anti-student comments to stay. I go out of my way to be fair to a wide range of political views.
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