Wednesday, September 09, 2020

COVID-19 BACK IN NYC SCHOOLS; TEACHERS WALK OUT OF OTHER SCHOOLS; BY TONIGHT, IT'S NOW 6 SCHOOLS WITH COVID-19

It didn't take long for COVID-19 to make its comeback in the city school system.

From the NY Daily News:

Two staffers at Brooklyn public schools tested positive for COVID-19 — just a day after teachers and other school employees reported to school buildings to plan classes, the Daily News has learned.

Public School 1 in Sunset Park and Middle School 88 in Park Slope informed staffers of the positive tests on Tuesday, the Education Department confirmed. The schools are both a part of Community School District 15.

We hear there is another case in a different NYC school so unfortunately, we may have to add to this story. How many people were needlessly exposed to the infected individuals because school buildings are open when this work could easily be done remotely? I hope and pray there are no more new cases and the infected people are okay.

The NY Post also covered the story and wrote about a third possible case.

Update: CBS 2 has a news story on filthy conditions in NYC schools where teachers walked out and they also cover the positive COVID-19 tests. Thanks Bronx ATR. 

The scariest part is Michael Mulgrew saying, "Once the students come in, all these things have to click into place." After his sound bite, teachers are cited as asking why they have to be guinea pigs. Please watch for yourself to make sure I heard right.

Two teachers at two different schools in Brooklyn have tested positive for COVID-19. The city is not closing the schools, but giving colleagues the option to work remotely, pending contact tracing. It all comes as staff at other schools walked out, citing unsafe conditions; CBS2's Lisa Rozner reports.

Update 2:

We are now up to 6 schools with known COVID-19 cases. This is on MORE's Twitter:




37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unions must reinvent. For any haters, I was saved from exorbitant medical bills by COPE a union offer which paid literally all my bills when I was hospitalized for nearly 2 months. If I didn't have COPE I would not have been able to recover. We need solidarity in the militant defense of workers rights to due process and not be shut out by a backroom deal.

Anonymous said...

Don't you mean HIP or GHI?

COPE is the UFT's political action fund that is voluntary.

Anonymous said...

Post anonymously:

I just walked into the teacher’s lounge and witnessed 7 teachers sitting around at a table very closely eating lunch with windows and door shut...

Bronx ATR said...

I just watched Channel 2, CBS. Teachers at two schools walked out today over unsafe conditions. It seems many schools are dirty and aren’t prepared for anything but exterminators and an army of Merry Maids. Many clips of roaches and filth. With the smell of Wildcat wiping through the air, Randi flew in on her broom and was as animated as Pinocchio would be if he was thrown into a fire - screaming, flaying her arm and stamping her feet, saying ‘our demands were not met, it should have been done, etc. etc. The camera then cut to her prodigy Michael, who spoke with absolute authority about nothing at all.

Anonymous said...

They tested positive Tuesday??? So probably never even made it to the building on Tuesday. Need to wait and see if they were in buildings first or if they just got results from being tested before they went in.

Bronx ATR said...

Here’s the clip
https://cbsloc.al/32fZ4Pr

Anonymous said...

I work in a trasfer school in Manhattan. NOBODY had their temperature taken today.

Anonymous said...

I think 5:44 means the Union's Catastrophic Medical Coverage. It really is a life-saver and something you can't find anything like at the price ($8 per month) at a non-union job.

Anonymous said...

So many people saying we need to "tolerate" "positive cases". At this point, that's a euphemism. We're talking about the serious illnesses & deaths that are the outcome of the positive cases

Anonymous said...

And this will be NYC next. Thabnks uft. Pay those dues.
A nightmare scenario may be starting to play out. Huge outbreaks at the University of Wisconsin, and now Dane Co. urging school to send the kids home. Pattern we're seeing at colleges throughout country -- could seed next wave https://wkow.com/2020/09/09/dane-county-asks-uw-madison-to-send-undergrads-who-live-in-dorms

Anonymous said...

James, the number of folks who read the blog is a tiny fraction of membership.i wish we could direct our dues where we wanted.how can we campaign and enlighten the others who have no idea they are being fleeced?when is mulgrew up for reelection?I would be w killing to help out.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew is one confused person. He states on television on a piece about teachers walking out of school buildings due to unsafe conditions. Mulgrew states: "This is why we fought so hard to push back the start of school. Did anyone here think that school was ready to start tomorrow? Anyone? On the safety issues? No."
Watch Youtube: 'NYC Teachers Raise Red Flags About Classroom Conditions'
Date: Sep 9, 2020


Didn't Mulgrew state that this was the most aggressive safety plan in the nation and sat with the mayor, chancellor, CSA and DC-37 presidents?

Anonymous said...

Please, when people make comments about conditions at their school please write the name of the school. It is useless information without the name of the school.

James Eterno said...

Thank you 7:48. Those teachers were on channel 2 today. Everyone please come forward and name your schools.

7:27, Not easy for sure on UFT elections.

Anonymous said...

Five schools in two days.
Quote Tweet

MORE-UFT
@MOREcaucusUFT
· 22m
Yet another positive staff #COVID19 case at 186X. Our count, w/ the Frederick Douglass Campus, is 5 @NYCSchools we know of with cases. Again we demand transparency from the DOE @NYCMayor @DOEChancellor @UFT about the safety of our schools. #NotUntilItsSafe #returntoschool2020 twitter.com/BxEU4J/status/…

waitingforsupport said...

5:44 pm...
Say it again. I don't think they heard you in the back. Stay well.

Anonymous said...

SIX SCHOOLS. and all the staff have to quarantine for two weeks. how do you quantify taking fourteen days of people's lives in addition to exposing them to a deadly virus. this is so unfair. teachers are being treated like they're so disposable.

waitingforsupport said...

@7:27 pm
Tell your colleagues and tell them to tell their colleagues about this blog. Spread the news:
The emperor has no clothes. Him is buck naked.

Anonymous said...

Once again, DeBlasio and Carranza are the Co-Captains (with Mulgrew as the Ensign) of a rebuilt Titanic from March —and once again have targeted that same iceberg—and are putting all school staff, children and their families in harm's way.

Anonymous said...

You guys play the role of the passengers not getting into lifeboats.

Anonymous said...

Channel 2 news-Shit show in Cambria Heights School- PS/MS 147Q /811 today

Parents standing on a line(not 6 feet apart)to register children. No temperature checks when they came in.
Children running through halls with no mask-parents not supervising them at registration.

Why are these children allowed in the building?

Told in writing not to use wipes in rooms because have cleaned and need to be saved, only given today nothing yesterday.

Told in writing not to use the new clean student bathrooms-Why would the teachers want to use them? The teachers bathrooms are old, decrepit(holes in ceiling) they have a powerful flush which kicks up water when you flush and HAVE NO TOILET PAPER! Pictures were taken.
Why is this allowed???

Masks and face shields not distributed-however, staff must come in wearing a mask. If needed, see principal everytime you need one!staff not given a supply of masks to use themselves-why?

Custodian still has not used the electromagnetic sprayer-says he needs a special outfit he doesn't have yet. Why?

Only 2 staff members fit in the staff lunchroom at a time.

Stairwells have no outside windows for fresh air yet safety report only mention classrooms.

Union rep knows and needs help-says all will be taken care of before students return- Why not today? Why are we in an unsafe building?

So, now that the school has been identified who is going to change it?

The Mayor and Chancellor don't visit schools that should NOT BE OPEN!

UFT COME TO PS/MS 147Q/811 AND SEE FOR YOURSELF take a walk up ALL VENTLESS/WINDOWLESS STAIRWELLS

P.S. be sure to bring your own mask, face shield and TOILET PAPER.

TeachNY said...

If you’re not eating lunch with them
Who cares?

waitingforsupport said...

Ha! All of that happening? Id take pics. I'd meet with the principal (cellphone recording) to discuss everything you just listed.
My sibling or friend is sending this to the media. Send it to Mulgrew's email too. Gosh darn mess.

Anonymous said...

All valid points being made but I want to reference 5:59's comment. Did these teachers get into the building before receiving their results? If they didn't then testing protocols worked. If they did go before their results were received that is complete failure by the admin to ensure they didnt enter the building if possibly infected and a completely selfish act by these individuals. I hope they didnt go in.

Anonymous said...

It is incredible how little has changed since March.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Waiting for Support. Staff has had enough. Teachers are sharing and reaching out.
This needs to be corrected now.

WorriedATR said...

We need to flood the zone publicly with reports like these, coordinated with CLs, and get people to read this blog. All of these anecdotal accounts need to be catalogued on a spread sheet and published on a double page spread in the Post and Daily News. I know for a fact some read these blogs at DOE and UFT.

WorriedATR said...

We need to flood the zone publicly with reports like these, coordinated with CLs, and get people to read this blog. All of these anecdotal accounts need to be catalogued on a spread sheet and published on a double page spread in the Post and Daily News. I know for a fact some read these blogs at DOE and UFT.

WorriedATR said...

We need to flood the zone publicly with reports like these, coordinated with CLs, and get people to read this blog. All of these anecdotal accounts need to be catalogued on a spread sheet and published on a double page spread in the Post and Daily News. I know for a fact some read these blogs at DOE and UFT.

TJL said...

10;41 yes this is the key point. If these people are even sick (read up on PCR testing and "cycles" if you think positive = sick) they got sick before Tuesday if they got tested and a result by Wednesday, and should not have been in the building.

ed notes online said...

There are 1800 schools. We need to see hundreds protesting. MORE is calling for an action on Monday - let's see how many schools pick up on it. If it is two dozen, that will not scare the UFT or DOE. But 200 - YES.

Tom said...

Obviously this is not going to work without some self-responsibility. Wearing masks, social distancing, and getting tested regularly whether or not it is mandatory. There were people on this blog yelling from the rooftops that we should strike if there wasn't a protocol for testing. Reopening was pushed back, and when some Principals called for negative tests before one could enter the building there was more yelling about tests being forced upon us. Which is it? You can't blame admin because there's a bunch of adults sitting close together, eating lunch, without masks.

Tom said...

You don't want a lot of students in your building, take some time out of your day and commit yourself to contacting parents and providing them with the link for "remote only'. You'd be surprised how many people are so caught up in their lives that they didn't apply or didn't know where to access the form. I sent links to all of my students from last year. When the freshmen return to school for orientation or whatever you have a right to provide them with the information.

Anonymous said...

A school on Staten Island has a positive case as well.

Anonymous said...

2:32: What do you mean you can't blame admin.? Admin. is responsible for all the problems in their schools. Any problems are due to poor leadership - period.

Tom said...

@4:54 -NONSENSE - the guidelines have been issued ad nauseam and this is way beyond school leadership. Grow up, put on a mask, socially distance, and stop putting other people at risk and blaming everyone else. Why tempt fate while whining that the schools are not safe. You want them to post a guard in the teacher's lounge to ensure compliance?


Anonymous said...

I came across this just a few minutes ago...

“IS 230Q had a positive case today. The member learned of her result today, gave that information to her principal, the principal contacted DOH and the superintendent. Since that time NO form letter went to the school community alerting them that there is has been an infected member with COVID-19 in their school today. NO one from a tracing team has been in contact with the member to ask them who they have been in contact with today. It is falling on the individuals of the school community to do the footwork once again. This school community lost a paraprofessional in the spring. I am asking all of you to right now, pick up you phone and call 311 and tell the mayor he has broken his promise of having the procedures and protocols in place that we agreed upon. And then when you are done with that please reach out to members of your school communities and ask them to do the same.  The UFT has reached out to Mayors office to demand that this school be remote tomorrow.”