LIVE BLOGGING FROM MAY DA

I got in very late but I did hear part of Michael Mulgrew's President's Report:

No calendar yet has been released; we need it to do School Based Options remotely. There is going to be major excessing but that is not a layoff. Rules have to be followed. No word yet on getting an Executive Order to waive APPR ratings this year. If we do not get the Executive Order, that will be very difficult but we will have to figure it out.

Politics: The political director gave instructions on how to get their absentee ballot. Go to city or State Board of Elections, or call local Board of Elections. State Board of Elections tried to cancel presidential primary, ruled unconstitutional. This is being appealed. Arguments coming soon.

Mulgrew back. Endorsements are just a recommendation but in the end, you make your own decision. Tomorrow is the day the 2.5% pay increase goes into effect. It will show up on May 29 pay period. We expect snarky pieces in the NY Post. We have never seen them recommending freezing corporate bonuses. With so many people out of work, we have many two-person working families that are now one person working families.

Review: We need to put our energies to getting the federal fiscal stimulus through. Working on safety to make sure people can get in a school building to close down classrooms. What should we do with staff who should not be going into buildings in the fall for health reasons? Parents concerned for September and now that children are getting sick, parents don't want their kids to go out and get sick. Not sure how to deal with all of this but need to hear from parents. We have to take care of our profession. We are the experts in classroom learning and also remote learning. We will be the experts if there is a hybrid system. We should lead this but we aren't afraid if something doesn't work. We will use our professional judgment and creativity. Not everything will work.

Thanks to Delegates for being on the phone and for telling the country that NYC schools are open.

Staff Director Report:

Leroy Barr wants people to sign petitions on reopening to get the maximum number possible signing. Reminds people to do the census. Next DA is June 17th.

Mulgrew back apologizes for 50 Delegates who can't get through. Mulgrew then talks about the importance of the census.

Question Period:

Question: Have there been conversations on social distance learning? We can't do group learning or share supplies. Have these conversations begun?
Answer: Those conversations have begun from early childhood through the high schools. Have been in contact with other countries that have reopened. Kids at grade school like to hug. High school kids like to pass things back and forth. Groups to discuss hybrid education. Instructional practices will be impacted. Email President if you want to be in the group working on this.

Question: Chapter Leader from the Bronx says he heard the mayor say on the radio that teachers have already been compensated with 4 CAR days for working through spring break. Please clarify?
Answer: We have a written agreement that 4 additional CAR days do not stop us from seeking additional compensation. DC 37 and CSA also have the same agreement. We can go to arbitration if the mayor doesn't follow it.

Question: What happens if my kids don't have the same hours as my school that I am teaching in?
Answer: Must figure out something for families who need childcare. We need facilities in all kinds of different neighborhoods. We understood the need for support centers when we closed school buildings. We need the same thing if we open up schools in September. This is part of the discussion we are having.

Question: Teachers are being tasked with coming up with NX grades for entire schools?
Answer: NX means the student has not mastered enough to move on to the next level. Teachers are not responsible for that student through the next school year. If the student does summer school, then the teacher who teaches summer school can give the student the credit.

Question: Chapter 683 for the summer?
Answer: They are going to have to run it. The question is if it is going to be virtual. Goes against what Betsy De Vos says. City has to make final decisions. We were hoping to have an answer by today about summer school. We have been working on 683. Mayor thinks we have all kinds of time. 683 will run, whether it is virtual or in-person is unknown. NYS starting to open but NYC quite a bit away from opening up. Gut says 683 will be virtual.

Question: Concerned about clerical day that is approaching?
Answer: Clerical and PD days should be used for planning for September. It is hard for a school to plan until we get policy decisions from the city. Chancellor wants planning to take place.

Question: 100 hours requirement. Will that be pushed back due to COVID-19?
Answer: I think that has been sent out that those requirements have been pushed back. We want to make sure that nobody will be harmed in terms of licenses.

Motion Period:

Motion for next month. Resolution for solidarity with postal workers. Support our union brothers and sisters in the postal union. Postal system in danger because of 45.


At this point, I got cut off so I was not privileged to hear everything else. If anyone else wants to fill me in, please contact us.  SORRY.

Update: I heard from HSAS Chapter Leader Jonathan Halabi. He informed me that the support for the postal workers motion will be added to the June DA agenda. It had 96% of the vote.

A motion to suspend SBO and DA remote votes until we know more about who is running them was defeated.

Then there was a motion to prioritize public school special ed reimbursement list 49-50 percent (rounding). That was it for motions directed to the agenda. 

There were two endorsements.  The first passed 92-8.  The second, Brooklyn machine candidate pushed progressive opponents off.  I spoke about the progressive Sandy Nurse.  (Machine candidate used the equivalent of voter suppression).  They won 74-26 .