The Official Blog of the Independent Community of Educators, a caucus of the United Federation of Teachers
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
CARDOZO HS PLANS EARLY MORNING PROTEST THURSDAY; PROTEST TODAY
This came from a longtime friend this afternoon:
When they are ready to rebel at Cardozo High School in Eastern Queens, the DOE plan is clearly a mess. Stand up for yourselves and the students everyone.
@DOEchancellor says tonight he's working on a plan to get adjunct CUNY profs, ed majors and grad students to be subs in NYC schools to fill teacher gaps
ATR status will continue. It would need to be completely eliminated - the status of ATR - for all ATR status to be hired. Am yawning with how long it's taking.
Re-opening the schools is reckless and irresponsible. The buildings are not safe. When the schools go fully remote during the next two weeks, DeBlasio and Mulgrew will look like real big time jackasses. They are not leaders. Both Mulgrew and DeBlasio are highly paid clowns.
Susan Edelman @SusanBEdelman · 1m A Brooklyn mom tweeted that her young daughter’s online class was “hijacked” by hackers who flooded the channel with photos of President Trump and hardcore porn, an alleged security breach the DOE said it is probing
I'm Elementary. Former 2 term CL and glad this isn't on me, although I'm trying to help and be supportive of the CL and encourage staff to speak up. Most Elementary are sheep. Less than sheep, they are whiney sheep. Most of their instincts are to find ways to make it work, you know "for the kids." Trying to get them to stand up for themselves, yet alone support colleagues is nearly impossible. Those that are more willing to speak up, usually find themselves unsupported and hung out to dry as their coworkers cower and accept the untenable. Elementary is hopeless, I don't see that ever changing.
I hate to say this but elementary will never have the don’t fuck with me mentality that cops, fireman have. We are lucky to get even a few of that mindset at the upper grade level. It may not be popular to say but it’s the difference between the type of people that goes in uniform and the type of people who are that little school elementary teacher. I am a teacher but of the uniform mind set.
A guilty plea: David Hay, fired as deputy chief of staff to Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, admits he swapped sexually explicit images with a 15-year-old boy while the principal of a Wisconsin high school. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
last night my teaching assignment was changed. this morning my teaching assignment was changed again. at any time in the near future my teaching assignment can change again. I am expected to accept, smile, and adjust my plans. (thread)
this is the type of incompetence and chaotic work situation #NYCDOE teachers have learned to get used to. most of us are just now getting to know what our work will look like for the next... I can’t say year... few weeks? few days? what I mean is we just heard the news—
that despite what we were told — which is that every class would have a remote, a blended, and an in-person teacher, due to an (embarrassingly obvious) staffing shortage that everyone could see by the mayor, there is no one to do cover the classes the way it’s needed.
so here’s where the framing becomes really essential. we were told Blended instruction won’t need to be synchronous, which, in layperson’s language, means the kids learning part-time at home won’t have the support of a teacher, & they are “Not requiring” teachers to engage w/Ss.
imagine all the children working at home on assignments for 2 full days of the week without a teacher available to answer questions, check on them, help or give feedback...
ask yourself how many teachers will be ok with that, knowing those same Ss will be back in their rooms..
in 5 days, and how many teachers will, because they CARE, will end up teaching the in-person group as well as assisting Ss at home. teachers are not required, no, but many will take on this extra responsibility and teach in person and blended.
As for the teachers who refuse, what about those students? What are the implications for the parents who now have unsupervised learners on their hands? At least the fully remote kids will have a full-time teacher. But the blended kids might get a teacher for 2 days of the week.
And for how long? We might be fully remote after 2 weeks. It’s unconscionable that @UFT
@NYCMayor
@DOEChancellor could plan something that had absolutely no way of being implemented and then give up like this, putting all the burden on the most vulnerable, & all at the last min.
It’s a shame that leadership, with all their advisors, all the months of planning, all of the resources and advantages that principals don’t, could not come up with a plan that serves the children dependent on their for their education. An utter moral & administrative failure.
They left principals in the lurch to figure it out. And this is the result. A 3-day week of instruction with 2 full days of homework.
I.S.131 Albert Einstein, Bronx. This morning: email from principal says "someone in the building has tested positive but the DOE has cleared everyone to go in today."
We don't know who tested positive so there is no way to be sure if we were in contact. Someone knows!!!
Texted union rep. He says if we had been exposed we would have been informed by the DOE and affirms the principal's letter. Essentially, "move along,nothing to see here."
I.S.131 Albert Einstein, Bronx. This morning: email from principal says "someone in the building has tested positive but the DOE has cleared everyone to go in today."
We don't know who tested positive so there is no way to be sure if we were in contact. Someone knows!!!
Texted union rep. He says if we had been exposed we would have been informed by the DOE and affirms the principal's letter. Essentially, "move along,nothing to see here."
The incompetence and lies from the Mayor and the Chancellor are just unbelievable. They spew anything they want without a care as to reality.
I think this debacle will lead to an increase in the demand for vouchers.
Parents should demand a refund on their City taxes. Especially those parents who will have no choice but to teach their children at home or hire private teachers/tutors.
Incompetent, unqualified, lying egomaniacs at the helm and New Yorkers just go along like lemmings.
You have to expect the madness. You have to realize that common sense has never and will never win out. I have only known Bloomberg and de blasio and I have never seen them make moves that make schools better.
The choices are to quit or ride it out. Change my program daily. I just do not care. I’ll smile, say ‘yes, boss’ and at 225, I leave and live my life. I had anxiety before I started, but now that I’m here, things are how they are. Same as every year. As long as your principal isn’t a jerk, you will be ok. Trust me. I have worked for ass holes and it’s a relief when they make you an ATR.
The mayor and chancellor are always trying to ‘leave their mark.’ In their minds, they want to eliminate the union.
Yes, our union is weak, but it it still there.
This always has and always will be the main goal at tweed unless a mayor is elected who cuts the fat of what Bloomberg appointed.
I expect at the very last minute deBlasio will concede to go 100% remote. He’s mulling it over now. He’s also testing the waters - if you guys lie down now, the schools will reopen. Keep up the protests. You, not the UFT, are making it happen. After you win turn your attention towards Mulgrew and the UFT.
Someone asked me this morning what the heck was going on with the city schools and the passive UFT. DeBlasio put on a big show yesterday giving up a week’s salary. He expects everyone to share his pain over that one week’s salary. If I had to guess why Mulgrew appears asleep at wheel, I’d say he and deBlasio are in talks to go fully remote, if the UFT will concede to MAJOR healthcare givebacks to help save NYC. Mulgrew would definitely agree, appearing to save teachers from certain death and screwing each and everyone of us.
It is really a shame that diblasio and carranza just didn't decide and say hey lets look at this pandemic in a bigger picture. Lets say a five year perspective. So five years from now we can all look back and review the pandemic and how it affected our lives and livelihoods.
If our fearless leaders look at the issue from a broader perspective they could say OK so for a few months we will all stay safe and work remotely. 2021 offers hope in a vaccination as well as better knowledge and treatment of the disease. Do the math...what is a few months of remote learning in a big picture? The diblasio carranza solutions of keeping the schools open are solutions made in panic mode and not a calm demeanor which says Ok lets look at this from a bigger perspective.
@8:45 PM Bronx ATR... Agree 100%. Focus on what needs to be done. Document everything. Send to media. Speak to Chapter leaders. Once things blow over, concentrate on Unity and Mulgrew.
@10:54... think you are right. On arrival at school we were informed that the entire administration has been quarantined for 14 days. People from the bx superintendents office were sent in to take over admin. Nothing from the union. No deep cleaning taking place.
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Deutsche Bank will let employees stay home until middle of next year.
ReplyDeleteAfter schools started across the country, "The U.S. just recorded the deadliest single day in a month: 1,293 deaths."
ReplyDeleteGod Help us. Where can you go? Not even SD.
ReplyDeleteI still don't see if they have 65 openings, why they are not pulling from the ATR pool? Are they afraid to appoint anyone God forbid.
ReplyDeleteJust curious. Are most protest happening at the HS level? Where are our elementary people?
ReplyDelete@DOEchancellor
ReplyDeletesays tonight he's working on a plan to get adjunct CUNY profs, ed majors and grad students to be subs in NYC schools to fill teacher gaps
Lol. No way adjunct profs are going to take that shitty gig. Where is the UFT to demand every ATR be placed before anyone from the outside is hired?!
ReplyDeleteATR status will continue. It would need to be completely eliminated - the status of ATR - for all ATR status to be hired. Am yawning with how long it's taking.
ReplyDeleteThis is the DOE and UFT fucking around.
That's insulting that ed majors and grad students can just become teachers like that. It shows you the low standards the city has.
ReplyDeleteRe-opening the schools is reckless and irresponsible. The buildings are not safe.
ReplyDeleteWhen the schools go fully remote during the next two weeks, DeBlasio and Mulgrew will look like real big time jackasses. They are not leaders. Both Mulgrew and DeBlasio are highly paid clowns.
ReplyDeleteSusan Edelman
@SusanBEdelman
·
1m
A Brooklyn mom tweeted that her young daughter’s online class was “hijacked” by hackers who flooded the channel with photos of President Trump and hardcore porn, an alleged security breach the DOE said it is probing
Where has the UFT been for 15vyears on the ATR cesspool that they created?
ReplyDeleteI'm Elementary. Former 2 term CL and glad this isn't on me, although I'm trying to help and be supportive of the CL and encourage staff to speak up. Most Elementary are sheep. Less than sheep, they are whiney sheep. Most of their instincts are to find ways to make it work, you know "for the kids." Trying to get them to stand up for themselves, yet alone support colleagues is nearly impossible. Those that are more willing to speak up, usually find themselves unsupported and hung out to dry as their coworkers cower and accept the untenable. Elementary is hopeless, I don't see that ever changing.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say this but elementary will never have the don’t fuck with me mentality that cops, fireman have. We are lucky to get even a few of that mindset at the upper grade level. It may not be popular to say but it’s the difference between the type of people that goes in uniform and the type of people who are that little school elementary teacher. I am a teacher but of the uniform mind set.
DeleteA guilty plea: David Hay, fired as deputy chief of staff to Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, admits he swapped sexually explicit images with a 15-year-old boy while the principal of a Wisconsin high school. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
ReplyDeleteAt some NYC schools, even in-person instruction will be solely online
ReplyDeleteBy Yoav Gonen, THE CITY and Alex Zimmerman Sep 16, 2020, 9:21pm EDT
https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2020/9/16/21440856/online-only-instruction-nyc-schools
Anyone know how Solidarity feels about the ATR pool?
ReplyDeleteA note on what happened in the #DOE today.
ReplyDeletelast night my teaching assignment was changed. this morning my teaching assignment was changed again. at any time in the near future my teaching assignment can change again. I am expected to accept, smile, and adjust my plans. (thread)
this is the type of incompetence and chaotic work situation #NYCDOE teachers have learned to get used to. most of us are just now getting to know what our work will look like for the next... I can’t say year... few weeks? few days?
what I mean is we just heard the news—
that despite what we were told — which is that every class would have a remote, a blended, and an in-person teacher, due to an (embarrassingly obvious) staffing shortage that everyone could see by the mayor, there is no one to do cover the classes the way it’s needed.
so here’s where the framing becomes really essential. we were told Blended instruction won’t need to be synchronous, which, in layperson’s language, means the kids learning part-time at home won’t have the support of a teacher, & they are “Not requiring” teachers to engage w/Ss.
imagine all the children working at home on assignments for 2 full days of the week without a teacher available to answer questions, check on them, help or give feedback...
ask yourself how many teachers will be ok with that, knowing those same Ss will be back in their rooms..
in 5 days, and how many teachers will, because they CARE, will end up teaching the in-person group as well as assisting Ss at home. teachers are not required, no, but many will take on this extra responsibility and teach in person and blended.
As for the teachers who refuse, what about those students? What are the implications for the parents who now have unsupervised learners on their hands? At least the fully remote kids will have a full-time teacher. But the blended kids might get a teacher for 2 days of the week.
And for how long? We might be fully remote after 2 weeks. It’s unconscionable that
@UFT
@NYCMayor
@DOEChancellor
could plan something that had absolutely no way of being implemented and then give up like this, putting all the burden on the most vulnerable, & all at the last min.
It’s a shame that leadership, with all their advisors, all the months of planning, all of the resources and advantages that principals don’t, could not come up with a plan that serves the children dependent on their for their education. An utter moral & administrative failure.
They left principals in the lurch to figure it out. And this is the result. A 3-day week of instruction with 2 full days of homework.
Also, it's likely many kids won't even show up on live days.
ReplyDeleteI.S.131 Albert Einstein, Bronx.
ReplyDeleteThis morning: email from principal says "someone in the building has tested positive but the DOE has cleared everyone to go in today."
We don't know who tested positive so there is no way to be sure if we were in contact.
Someone knows!!!
Texted union rep. He says if we had been exposed we would have been informed by the DOE and affirms the principal's letter. Essentially, "move along,nothing to see here."
WTF ? This is total BS.
I.S.131 Albert Einstein, Bronx.
ReplyDeleteThis morning: email from principal says "someone in the building has tested positive but the DOE has cleared everyone to go in today."
We don't know who tested positive so there is no way to be sure if we were in contact.
Someone knows!!!
Texted union rep. He says if we had been exposed we would have been informed by the DOE and affirms the principal's letter. Essentially, "move along,nothing to see here."
WTF ? This is total BS.
@10:07PM, I agree with you 100%.
ReplyDeleteThe incompetence and lies from the Mayor and the Chancellor are just unbelievable. They spew anything they want without a care as to reality.
I think this debacle will lead to an increase in the demand for vouchers.
Parents should demand a refund on their City taxes. Especially those parents who will have no choice but to teach their children at home or hire private teachers/tutors.
Incompetent, unqualified, lying egomaniacs at the helm and New Yorkers just go along like lemmings.
Just curious: what Would happen if a non-tenured, ready to retire teacher stops paying union dues? Will it affect my pension in anyway?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nicky
Two decades in the doe.
ReplyDeleteYou have to expect the madness. You have to realize that common sense has never and will never win out. I have only known Bloomberg and de blasio and I have never seen them make moves that make schools better.
The choices are to quit or ride it out. Change my program daily. I just do not care. I’ll smile, say ‘yes, boss’ and at 225, I leave and live my life. I had anxiety before I started, but now that I’m here, things are how they are. Same as every year. As long as your principal isn’t a jerk, you will be ok. Trust me. I have worked for ass holes and it’s a relief when they make you an ATR.
The mayor and chancellor are always trying to ‘leave their mark.’ In their minds, they want to eliminate the union.
Yes, our union is weak, but it it still there.
This always has and always will be the main goal at tweed unless a mayor is elected who cuts the fat of what Bloomberg appointed.
maybee the mayor could hire high school students to teach too.
ReplyDeleteI expect at the very last minute deBlasio will concede to go 100% remote. He’s mulling it over now. He’s also testing the waters - if you guys lie down now, the schools will reopen. Keep up the protests. You, not the UFT, are making it happen. After you win turn your attention towards Mulgrew and the UFT.
ReplyDeleteNicky, no, it doesnt change your pension or medical or salary.
ReplyDeleteSomeone asked me this morning what the heck was going on with the city schools and the passive UFT. DeBlasio put on a big show yesterday giving up a week’s salary. He expects everyone to share his pain over that one week’s salary. If I had to guess why Mulgrew appears asleep at wheel, I’d say he and deBlasio are in talks to go fully remote, if the UFT will concede to MAJOR healthcare givebacks to help save NYC. Mulgrew would definitely agree, appearing to save teachers from certain death and screwing each and everyone of us.
ReplyDeleteIt is really a shame that diblasio and carranza just didn't decide and say hey lets look at this pandemic in a bigger picture. Lets say a five year perspective. So five years from now we can all look back and review the pandemic and how it affected our lives and livelihoods.
ReplyDeleteIf our fearless leaders look at the issue from a broader perspective they could say OK so for a few months we will all stay safe and work remotely. 2021 offers hope in a vaccination as well as better knowledge and treatment of the disease. Do the math...what is a few months of remote learning in a big picture? The diblasio carranza solutions of keeping the schools open are solutions made in panic mode and not a calm demeanor which says Ok lets look at this from a bigger perspective.
That someone in the building at IS131 that tested positive—could be the Principal
ReplyDelete@8:45 PM Bronx ATR... Agree 100%. Focus on what needs to be done. Document everything. Send to media. Speak to Chapter leaders. Once things blow over, concentrate on Unity and Mulgrew.
ReplyDelete@10:54... think you are right. On arrival at school we were informed that the entire administration has been quarantined for 14 days. People from the bx superintendents office were sent in to take over admin.
ReplyDeleteNothing from the union. No deep cleaning taking place.