LIVE BLOGGING FROM MULGREW TOWN HALL (unedited, written on old computer that has some keys that don't work)

When I was patched in, President Mulgrew talked about the great work teachers were doing. He then stated that Governor Cuomo had the right in a state of emergency to keep the schools open during spring break. This was the key time whether this crisis lasts for 6 weeks or 6 months.  He then related that the economy is ruined and there is a huge budget hole in the state. There is additional state funding coming from DC. Mulgrew told Chancellor that remote learning during what would have been spring break should be something different than regular instruction during the break. Teachers and parents need a break.

We are in conversations about making it family engagement. Things like virtual tours. Parents say they are getting way too much work from teachers. Parents said that across the boroughs. Remote learning is crazy but we are getting it done. No training, no support system but we turned the system into a remote learning system. Frontpage story in the NY Times saying how much we're doing. Important that we continue to do that. In the middle of this crisis we are the continuing lifeline for all of these families.

Nurses making great sacrifices. There has to be a real conversation about how we are going to be compensated for this week. There will be a real conversation. Nobody is saying that we are not working at home remotely. We are going to push with the chancellor to make it different for the spring break week. We have to spend time with our families. Getting to some kind of plan on what we will do. On the phone with the medical people, these three weeks are essential as to whether this will be six weeks or six months. We all want to go out. We want to go to the grocery store without having to worry about touching someone. Mulgrew does not think he will shake anyone's hand again.

Nancy Miller, a nurse from Staten Island will be speaking and then AFT President Randi Weingarten will come on to talk about the federal issues. State has a $10 billion hole. City is in bad financial shape according to Comptroller Scott Stringer. Doing this together. Have seen what we have done. Governor made this decision based on public health. We will get through the week and then get through the crisis together.

Mulgrew introduces Nancy Miller. She thanks UFT for getting remote learning going. Detox, operating room and more closed. Hospitals are filled with ventilators. Some patients moved to Albany. This is a crisis. We appreciate the support nurses get from the Federation of Nurses UFT. Thanks UFT for work they are getting from the disaster relief fund. Mulgrew responds that we can't do enough for nurses. Going near a hospital now is surreal. Calls nurses true heroes. Says we would be in much worse shape without nurses. Thanks them three times.

Mulgrew will take questions and comments

First question is from Melrose School. Teacher asks that since they will not be back in schools by April 20, but can teachers go in to pick up resources in buildings?
Mulgrew Answer-Some schools have equipment but for safety reasons DOE doesn't want people to go into buildings. Mulgrew asks if administration is trying to recreate school day.
Teacher answers that we have a flexible schedule. Kids not independent. Working after hours for families. Superintendent wants pacing picked up.
Mulgrew Answer-Parents saying we are doing way too much. Parents want things to be pulled back. Parents saying they have to be there with their children. Having conversations with the chancellor on this. We are hearing from parents that we need to slow down. Parents agree we are doing too much.

Question- Teacher thanks first responders. President alluded to the fact that there will be compensation for working the vacation week.
Answer-Obligation to come up with a compensation package. Something has to happen. Chancellor agreed that he is responsible for having that conversation. Governor put out the executive order on Monday. It caught us by surprise. We are moving to a compensation package but we don't know what it is.

AFT President Randi Weingarten checked in. Mulgrew said he hopes federal lifeline is coming.

Weingarten- She is proud of Mulgrew and our members. No words on probably the worst crisis in the USA since World War II. We are all social distancing. We are flying the plane and building it at the same time. Three things AFT is doing nationally.

1-Randi watched the UFT beg for schools to be closed and then there was engagement. Feb 2 we worked with UFT people but President Trump said this wasn't an issue. Governor Cuomo getting some of the best public health advice. Cuomo is performing the best of the governors.

2-Focus on healthcare providers.

3-Issue about the short term and long term economies. Trying to make sure every teacher, para and food service workers still have a job. Third recovery bill has to be about employment, making sure everyone still has a job. Talking to Senator Schumer and Speaker Pelosi to make sure Title I money comes to schools. We need to be Roosevelt and not Hoover. We need to be Keynsian and not supply side. We got over $1 trillion. The economy has died. Can we ultimately stimulate it by getting people jobs and getting money into state and city coffers. Protect education. Members making AFT and UFT President's job easier by doing the work we are doing. Betsy DeVos giving no advice. Other students limiting high school time to 90 minutes, 60 minutes for middle schools,, a little less for elementary schools. Randi concludes by saying thank you. Says we are the heart and soul. She is grateful.

Mulgrew thanks Randi. Says UFT is her home and she is welcome.

Mulgrew says members can still take religious observance.

Question-D75 Chapter leader asks about religious observance days. Michael Sill answers that April 8 would be a day people would want to take. We are not working April 9 or 10 but people can take Easter Monday or the last two days of Passover. People can go beyond the three personal days and borrow days. We are looking at non attendance (no days taken out of bank) but we are not there yet. Mulgrew comes back to say everything is flexible including days off.

Question-Can't go back to schools. Anyway we can go back to classrooms to create meaningful lessons for students?
Answer- Looking to get protocol in place where people can stay away from each other and still go into schools. Amazing part of this is teachers are looking to get back into schools to see how they can make things better for students.

Question- How will the budget cuts affect us and our students?
Answer-Trying to get a flat budget for maintenance of effort. Our position is schools have to be held safe harmless and central should absorb cuts. After state budget comes city and then federal.

Question-Teaching live with platforms such as Zoom, as lessons have been hacked. What can we do as a union to encourage principals not to use these programs?
Answer-Parents are posting sessions online. It took DOE legal team to come up with rules so parents can't record or distribute what teachers and related service providers are doing. Pull back live stuff but people can use it if they want to. Some are having a ball with this.
Followup-Some are uncomfortable
Answer-We are in student houses. That's good and bad. A month ago, nobody was thinking about this. Now we are becoming experts on the fly.

Question-Teacher in self quarantine. Champion of schools being closed before March 16. Concern that students need schools but the week before when they were talking about sanitizing schools, it was not happening according to CDC standards the week before schools closed. Teacher was reprimanded for making kids wash their hands before they came to classrooms. If we bring people back April 20, we can't jump the gun because we want things back to normal.
Answer-No conversations about opening on April 20. UFT will take legal actions before opening schools. We knew there were cases of COVID-19 but schools were not closing. Taking legal action to make sure there is oversight over the city to make sure they follow the correct rules. Process will be intense about reopening. We must ensure the safety of everyone. Only mayor mentioned opening. Governor's medical advice says that there has to be a strong defense against stopping this so there isn't a recontamination. Need to be safe before reopening. Do legal advocacy and lobbying with parents.
Followup-Wants to be part of group advocating on this issue.

Question-Teachers not expected to provide what is done when we are in buildings. Concerned about observations.
Answer-We are having conversations at the state level about ratings for the year and tenure. In terms of observations, no agreement that says people can be observed remotely. Administrators can join classrooms. Beth Norton is general counsel. She says nothing from DOE on observations. It must be negotiated.

Question-Some parents concerned about grades. No decisions have been made. Is there anything on the table moving forward?
Answer-We will have to have a conversation about norming on a grading policy. Probably out a longer than April 20.
Followup-Union should put out something preemptive.
Answer-Everything has to go through city hall so it has become cumbersome. Things must go through four layers at city hall.
Followup-We should have access to gloves.
Answer-Will note that.

Question-What if the governor wants to suspend summer vacation?
Answer-We are watching that very carefully. April fools joke about that. Parents will support us if that happens.
Followup-What is remote learning supposed to be?
Answer-Building the plane as we're flying in the air. Parents say we're doing too much. Lessons, activities and homework are too much.

Question-Regents, what about the lab hours for science Regents exams? Teachers worried that with remote learning, some students taking it as a vacation. Could Regents be canceled?
Answer-No answer yet. We have to think about graduation requirements. Can't make up lab hours if we don't go back until May 1 or June 1.
Followup-Create virtual programs.
Answer-Will bring up piece with virtual labs to DOE and state.

Question-Social worker asks about tenure.
Answer-DOE originally said no tenure this year. UFT says tenure determinations can still be done this year. Trying to settle this at the state level. Optimistic there.

Question-D75 elementary school says kids need beyond laptops paper and crayons. Can we send art supplies to public school students?
Answer-It's a great idea to give out art supplies. We gave thousands of books to homeless advocates. For spring break week, we should do something about art.

Question-Payroll secretary asks about an outline for secretaries.
Answer-Agreement on student attendance and teacher attendance. Schools having check in period. Teachers will get a form and it asks if you were in attendance for. Form sent to you at a school. Check it. Mike Sill checks in to say it is a school-wide attendance approach. Staff attendance is that on Friday, staff will get an email on Friday and they will check in if they were present or absent each day that week.

Mulgrew-Working on something for secretaries.

Question-Perturbed and overwhelmed because person has no wifi.
Answer-Send an email to UFT to get help.
Followup-What constitutes attendance? What does present mean?
Answer-You were engaged with the students, you were present. Once schedule is set, if you followed it you are present.
Followup-Can kids keep tech?
Answer-Up to DOE but it is a good idea.

Question-Excessing in June or September?
Answer-Excessing rules apply.
Mike Sill-Nothing about the pandemic directly effects excessing.  Reverse seniority order within license. DOE shuffling ATR's around much less than before. It will be a challenge going forward.

Mulgrew-Teletherapy can be done via phone.

Question-Students who are not taking advantage of online learning. We are making phone calls but kids not engaging on the platform. What can be done?
Answer-This is why we changed the attendance taking procedures. Some children who have life challenges while others just not engaging. DOE has to do something beyond telling the schools to do things. Chancellor agreed.

Question-Teaching fellow concerned about certification requirements.
Answer-State will extend period for all different criteria that have to be met for new teachers and other licenses. Deadlines will be extended. All will be held safe harmless.

Question-How many times do we have to reach out to parents for kids not being active?
Answer-DOE has to intervene. Not much teachers and individual schools can do. DOE has other resources to reach out.
Followup-Students partially engaged.
Answer-This is a lot more work than going to school in remote learning. Reach out to the administration to get support to make phone calls while teacher is teaching.
Followup-Parent wants to know about her own child's graduation and a ceremony.
Answer-We don't know.

Thanks everyone. Hopes the DOE doesn't take two more days away. Look to the future, nobody thinks what we have accomplished in the last two weeks would have been possible. Will go down in history. Teachers figured it out. Take time for yourself. Member Assistance Program having group therapy.

Tells people God bless and be safe.

(That's it. Still waiting for a hard question. It sounded like a Delegate Assembly. Any thoughts?)

For anyone who thinks this was free speech and the questions were random, I just heard from three teachers who told me that the questions were screened and if the screener didn't like the question, the member was disconnected.

For example, a special education teacher wanted to know if what Mulgrew said about slowing down was true but an assistant principal wanted much more, what was the teacher supposed to do?