From the trancript:
THE FIRST QUESTION --
IF TODAY WERE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, WOULD IT BE SAFE FOR THE CITY TO REOPEN THE SCHOOLS?
NO.
NO, IT WOULD NOT BE SAFE RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.
No follow up on what the UFT would do if the Union does not get questions answered to the UFT's satisfaction.
The conclusion, again from the transcript:
IN SOME COUNTRIES SCHOOLS NEVER CLOSED AND YET THERE HAS ONLY BEEN A FEW INCIDENCE OF SERIOUS OUTBREAK.
I AM THINKING OF ISRAEL.
ASIDE FROM THAT, THESE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE DOING WELL.
WHAT DO THEY KNOW WE DON'T KNOW AND WHAT CAN WE LEARN?
THEY HAVE A NATIONAL PLAN IN PLACE.
THEY HAVE A NATIONAL PLAN IN PLACE.
THEY HAVE TESTING, CONTACT TRACING, EVERYTHING.
IT IS NOT BEING LEFT UP TO INDIVIDUAL GOVERNORS.
IT'S NOT THAT THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS SAYING GOOD LUCK, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN HANDLED HERE, COMMUNITIES HAVE GOT SCREWED ROYALLY.
IT IS WHAT IT IS.
FORGET THE POLITICS.
THE DAMAGE DONE, THE FACT THIS VIRUS IS RAGING ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.
I WASN'T HAPPY BEING A NEW YORKER IN APRIL, BUT RIGHT NOW I AM HAPPY BEING A NEW YORKER.
THERE WAS A NATIONAL PLAN.
JUST SO BAD BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHEN IS IT COMING BACK, HOW DO WE KEEP IT OUT OF HERE WHEN IT'S IN PENNSYLVANIA.
FLORIDA AND TEXAS, BUT PENNSYLVANIA IS HAVING A ROUGH TIME.
WE HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
WHAT ODDS DO YOU PUT ON THAT SCHOOLS WILL REOPEN IN SEPTEMBER IN A WAY THAT PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND KIDS WILL ALL BE BENEFITED?
*20%. 60% WOULD BE REMOTE.
WE ARE HAVING A FIGHT OVER THE FUNDING.
WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THE CLEANING THINGS WE NEED.
JUST THINK ABOUT THAT.
YOU HAVE A BIG TASK AHEAD.
* I heard 40% which would make sense.
When will the schools order the cleaning supplies and PPE that they need, if ever?
ReplyDeleteWhy give these nonsense-out-of-nowhere percentages whether we open, we are fully remote...?
ReplyDeleteWhy not telling the public what is still missing to open safely? Share clear and specific information about what school buildings are lacking, what staff needs to begin to feel safe, how specifically the school day is supposed to be, what remote will imply, discuss bussing, transitions (arrival, dismissal, use of restrooms) and so many other aspects of school routine.
https://nypost.com/2020/07/25/nyc-principals-union-lists-imperative-questions-on-school-reopening/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=pasteboard_app
ReplyDeleteFace the Nation showed a CBS News Battleground Tracker - What should schools do in the fall? 46 % Remain closed with at home learning; 34% limited reopening; 19% reopen to full classrooms.
ReplyDeleteAm sure the 34% who answered limited reopening would only want it if safe.
If missed it, can check it out on Youtube: "Face The Nation: Gottlieb, Woods, Salvanto" (date: July 26, 2020)
This is similar to the DOE's survey where 25% want only remote; 50% want to have their children attend schools ONLY if schools are safe; 25% want schools open.
We showed a poll a couple of weeks back that had 71% concerned about schools reopening.
ReplyDeleteLet's not hammer Mulgrew for playing things cagey. It's politics stupid. He doesn't have the leeway to go all militant - let the game come to him.
ReplyDeleteThere's no hammering on this post. It is basically informational. That said, what does Mulgrew do if schools aren't ready? CSA is already preparing for a fight. UFT is not.
ReplyDeleteCome in James. I agree with Norm. He’s letting the CSA go front and center. You don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. The longer this goes on the worse and worse the DOE looks. Schools will not be reopening. They’ve waited to long to plan.
DeleteMulgrew is playing poker with the DOE.
Mulgrew hiding behind CSA is lamer than lame Peter. The UFT gains what? Friendship with a deeply unpopular lame duck mayor. Who cares? There is nothing to lose by being militant and it could reassure a large part of the membership that the union is with them.
DeleteIt’s July 26. What’s the point of being militant now? Let the DOE hang themselves, which they are doing right now. Again, why should the UFT show it’s cards now?
DeleteUFT needs to step up so the members know they are going to fight. Letting CSA lead is beyond stupid. The UFT is supposed to be the powerful union. What is the UFT going to do if the DOE opens buildings? File a lawsuit and wait.
DeleteLook how well hiding behind parents worked in March. 75 DOE employees, most UFT, are now dead from COVID-19. Even Mulgrew admits that logic would dictate that some were infected in schools. Had the UFT been proactive in urging members not to enter infected building, lives could have been saved.
By not showing that militancy card now, it will probably not have same impact because CSA is leading the charge but hiding behind CSA will have consequences. Administrators don't need to feel empowered. UFTers do need a boost of union energy for sure.
Hi Norm, Can you think of even one time, in all the years Mulgrew has been UFT President, that he was militant? During the long reign of the master of horror, Bloomberg, Mulgrew didn’t whisper, ‘boo’. If not now, when?
ReplyDeleteNot once. Just behind the scenes lobbying.
ReplyDeleteThe union needs to be militant. It shows that our union will fight for the lives of its members and their families, students and their families. For heaven's sakes, if the union won't fight for this, then ...... The union needs to show it has a pulse.
ReplyDeletePrincipals's union is making it known that the DOE has not provided principals with procedures and safety guidelines. Principals will be the DOE's scapegoat because after all, aren't principal's responsible for their schools?
Chalkbeat NY has the following articles:
ReplyDelete1- "Here’s what NYC classrooms, school buses, and cafeterias might look like this fall, per new state guidelines" - By Christina Veiga July 16, 2020, 8:10pm EDT.
2- "In financial crisis, NYC cut $707M from its education budget. These programs will feel the effects" - By Reema Amin Jul 22, 2020, 8:33pm EDT.
Can find on Youtube:
ReplyDelete1- Today News: "Betsy DeVos Draws Backlash For Her Push To Reopen Schools" | TODAY
Jul 13, 2020 (States that there's a battle over reopening schools and the White House will have guidelines. Also mentioned a CDC file on schools.)
2- CNN: "Teacher shares an emotional warning on schools reopening" - Jul 24, 2020
3- CBSN: "School reopenings will trigger more COVID outbreaks, study finds" - Jul 21, 2020
There is nothing more to watch.
ReplyDeleteMulgrew has already folded like a cheap suit, PERIOD.
I don't trust Mulgrew to fight for us. Who remembers the first Town Hall meeting when he spoke about us losing April break? We knew we lost the week- when questioned about Thursday and Friday, he said we were off, then said, almost under his breath "if they let us have it". I heard it, everyone on the call heard it, and he didn't have the balls to say we had already lost those days, too. He does nothing to instill confidence.
ReplyDeleteWeingarten, when UFT president, got a big salary increase for members. There were also big give backs- ATR pool for example. Weingarten has always been happy to brag about one of those things.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can see from afar, Mulgrew has not gotten any big wins. He was given his position. The presidency was passed from Shanker to Feldman to Weingarten to Mulgrew. Apparently he had a real career as a teacher, so he had nothing to prove unlike his predecessor. Last year, it was reported that he was the most frequent visitor to the governor. So maybe his skill is as a hand holder. But with the high stakes testing from the governor, I’m not sure how that relationship helped teachers. He is not the leader teachers need for the moment. Teachers shouldn’t have to scour the media to find out the union’s position on reopening schools. There is no fire in his belly or under him to act. Unless someone wants to take away his common core.
The basic fact concerning Mulgrew is he doesn’t understand his role. He always comes at everything from a position of weakness, instead of strength. While other union leaders are doing the hammering, he’s cowering. Perhaps, it was all those years under Bloomy. Bloomy totally squashed him at every turn. It was like watching a toddler fight Mike Tyson. OK, we all suffered through that, live and learn - it wasn’t his fault, it was Weingarten’s and she left him holding the bag of shit. Most of us forgave him for what truly wasn’t his fault, but Bloomberg has been gone for years. Instead of instilling some kind of dignity and strength into his position, he has become a sniveling sycophant for deBlasio, Farina and to a lesser degree Carranza. Mulgrew, if you want to support teachers and retirees, you’ve got to man up. Don’t put on a show like you did for Randi Weingarten, screaming you were going to punch anyone in the face if they didn’t like Common Core - tell deBlasio, teachers are not going back into schools in September, because of the overwhelming incompetence of the DOE and his administration to get it right. Tell them they will have to answer your 500 questions. Let deBlasio jump through hoops for your demands. If you present yourself in that manner you’ll never have to worry about people dropping out of the union and losing your precious dues - start focusing on who you truly represent - the rank and file.
ReplyDeleteWhere in the world is Superman?
ReplyDeleteDepends on who you ask - the answers are the Oval Office, Albany, Gracie Mansion or 52 Broadway.
ReplyDeleteNYC DOE buildings will not open in September. No reason to get knickers in a knot.
ReplyDelete