CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION TO TAKE ACTION WITH CARAVAN PUSHING FOR VIRTUAL SCHOOLS WHILE UFT'S MULGREW DITHERS ON UFT DEMANDS FOR REOPENING SCHOOLS IN NYC

UFT President Michael Mulgrew's Thursday appearance on WNYC should be required listening for UFT members who are concerned about reopening in September. Mulgrew rightly was critical of the city/Department of Education for taking too long to plan for the upcoming school year. Mulgrew talked tough but then backed down when asked about a strike. From our commentary on the program:

Lehrer: Should I take it as a strike threat if the city doesn't prepare sufficiently?

Mulgrew: No, we still have a month to go. I would say a 60% chance we will be fully remote. We don't have the funding. Big fight over the Heroes Act. The virus is raging out of control nationally. Governor was smart by putting in clear unambiguous plans. Need to meet numbers and have a safety plan. If they don't have the safety plan, we will do everything in our power to make sure that a school doesn't open and put children and teachers at risk.

The UFT is not stepping up to demand in no uncertain terms that it is children and UFT member safety above all else, particularly during a pandemic.

Meanwhile out in Chicago, where they have a real teachers union, they are taking action. I received an email yesterday from the Chicago Teachers Union on a safe protest planned for Wednesday.

Join our car caravan for a safe demonstration to demand schools open virtually this fall, for the safety of all.

CTU members miss our students and want to teach them in-person as soon as we can safely. Yet safety for our students, their families and our colleagues comes first. Safety first was our watchword before the pandemic, it’s even more important now. 

Further down, as part of their call for action, they note how the Chicago Public Schools have not been up to the task:

CPS failed to provide even the most basic sanitation before the pandemic. They’ve failed to provide adequate staffing or supports for students with special learning needs, much less adequate supports for students facing a pandemic.

Join this car caravan—safely distant and protected in your car from contamination—to show the board meeting we are united for the safety of our students, their families and the educators who serve them.

Back here in NYC, the best we will get from the UFT is another Mulgrew virtual town hall on Tuesday afternoon. I urge everyone to register and demand to get through the screeners so Mulgrew has to answer some tough questions on reopening. There cannot be a repeat of the delays in the spring which unfortunately was part of the reason why so many UFT members working in schools became infected with COVID-19 and over 70 school based workers passed away due to complications.