The Department of Education has pulled the plug on David Morrison as principal of Hillcrest High School. Our source on the inside tells us Morrison was a decent guy who was well liked by a good portion of the staff. Hillcrest was Jamaica High School's sister school and we used to marvel how they managed to graduate almost everyone with basically the same population that we had.
It turns out Hillcrest was pushing the kids through to graduation with bogus classes that didn't even have teachers. That was substantiated by the DOE but since when did passing kids through any means necessary land a principal in trouble? Evidence we have seen from the DOE is that passing everyone is encouraged.
As for the lawsuit for sexual harassment filed against the English Assistant Principal who was allegedly rewarding female staffers for sleeping with him, the AP has been tenured and continues in his job while the suit continues in court. That sounds like the DOE we all know.
Who did Morrison tick off?
So, are we assuming 12/23 is 100% a work day?
ReplyDeleteGood question. It was said the uft, in july, was going to try to figure it out with the state. I assume we are working since nothing has changed yet. I agree, it is tough to plan a vaction like this when things may change. I also agree, we now lose Saturday, Sunday and Monday, which is a huge precantage of the time off. But, thats the uft for ya.
ReplyDeleteDid you expect the uft or city to have any respect or any courtesy? Dont worry, we have 4 snow days we wont use.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to do something about the 23rd, you need to file a past practices grievance. I’ve heard it said that Mulgrew signed off on the calendar so he cannot grieve it. But, that is a rumor, one that sounds false because the union does not negotiate the calendar. All it takes is one person to initiate the grievance. So, have at it!
ReplyDeleteThe UFT controls the grievance process after Step I so they would never take it to arbitration. The UFT is consulted on the calendar and I believe the union has to sign off on something like this as agreeing to open schools on December 23 when it falls on a Monday is a change to the working conditions which is contractually banned under Article 20 unless there is consultation and negotiation with the union. Mulgrew's explanation that it was the State Ed Department that compelled the change for December 23 does not hold up because there are four snow days built into the calendar so clearly there was sufficient instructional time.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Mary Ellen Elia put out an emergency memo on July 10th which allows for waivers. I vaguely remember a discussion that this would happen, and that the waivers were targeting upstate districts, but, not us. Though I don’t remember why. Am I misremembering what Mulgrew said at the DA? Or, is this actually entirely new, and would NYC qualify?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/719p12a5.pdf
July 10? It is August 19. When will this get resolved. I guess we lose again. This is why the uft is not worth my dues.
ReplyDeleteYou give us a better alternative then. I have shown with ample evidence (Wisconsin, Michigan, etc.) that when unions are weakened through members leaving, working conditions and salaries worsen. If you want to keep making the same comment here, please provide some concrete evidence on how all of us, not just you, will improve our salaries and working conditions if individual members stop paying dues.
ReplyDeleteAnd you keep saying the same thing as well, and nothing ever improves or changes. We get abused and disrespected. Raises get smaller. Mulgrew is laughing at us, as is the city. Im asking you, since I believe the only thing we can do is pull dues...What is another option? And dont say we can band together, that has never and will never happen. That is the job of our leadership, to protect us and get better contarcts every few years. I can only look myself in the mirror. I can only say I will no longer contribute to my own demise. I will no longer pay Mulgrew $300k a year as I get ripped to shreds daily.
ReplyDeleteI call that view very self centered. I am asking if you can provide me with any evidence, any at all, where union workers abandon the union in droves and then do better in terms of salary or working conditions. You give no evidence because there is none unless you can form an alternative union. Union workers do better than non union in comparable jobs. That is reality.
ReplyDeleteUnion leadership is accountable to membership. Why should Mulgrew do anything to buck the status quo if we don't force him to? If people leave, we are just an even weaker union, more at the mercy of the city-DOE. The city and Mulgrew are laughing at us because we don't come together and demand change. For recent examples where it has happened successfully, see Los Angeles teachers or West Virginia teachers.
Ok, so lets strike. A few problems, it is too late, contract now doesnt end till 2022. Nobody would do it. Mulgrew would never authorize. And you also did not give an example of how things are good because we have the uft, other than buy saying it would be worse without. You also said we dont demand change. Ok, so lets demand it. Tons are unhappy. I dont see anybody demanding. Again, nothing will change, all I can do is not contribute my $62 per check. They took my enough for enough years.
ReplyDeletePlease, do you think we are making over $120,000 a year without a union? Let's talk benefits too. Find me teachers who make this kind of money without a union. I am not calling for a strike now. We are totally unprepared. We need to organize for collective action. It can work. Look at the successful no confidence votes in various schools against certain principals. We have power that most of us choose not to fully utilize. It is collective power.
ReplyDelete@3:27, who cares what Mulgrew will authorize. Almost every strike that was ever done came from the grassroots. Even in Chicago, Karen Lewis had to be overruled in order to be put on track for a strike. Still, a strike would be stupid for the 23rd; you are being as melodramatic as a moody teenager. I’m just humoring your line of thinking to point out that the real reason action no longer happens in our local is because of apathetic defeatists like you, anon 3:27. You’re comments are depressing as hell. It’s like some guy whining, “life sucks. Everyone always does me wrong. I’m going to prove it by jabbing myself in my eye. Everyone should I’ve themselves in the eye, too.” Bro. Stop polluting our union. Seriously. Did you stop paying, or not? If so, then fuck off and stop posting on here. You’re now a scab and you no longer get to pollute the places where *unionists* deliberate. You’re dirty, lowdown, and pessimistic. No matter what you think of Mulgrew, *you* are way worse!
ReplyDelete