We put this information out there twice in the last few days but it is worth repeating for secondary school UFTers. School is opening tomorrow for in-person learning in the middle and high schools in the midst of an alarming spike in neighborhoods throughout the city that are having rising infection rates of COVID-19. It's up to you if you want to be there in person.
If you do not pass the daily health screening test, you are mandated to stay home. If it is COVID-19 symptoms, you can stay home for two weeks, even if it isn't COVID-19, without any days taken from your Cumulative Absence Reserve.
Please note you can take the days with COVID-19 symptoms that can be as simple as a runny nose causing you to lose some sense of smell. In addition, if God forbid you later come down with COVID-19, you are still covered without any loss of CAR days. (You can telework)
If the NYC positivity rate goes above 3% for a week, you won't be able to use those ten free days because the system will go all remote. Go get a telemedicine medical note if you are a worrier.
If you are waiting for Michael Mulgrew to look out for your health, you are most likely going to be waiting a while. When Mulgrew talks these days, I usually shake my head or scream out loud in disgust.
I put out the theory on Saturday that many UFTers have been beaten down so much by the hostile DOE and their own dues first union so they have been rendered incapable of fighting back. We termed it mass learned helplessness. Former UFT Vice President Carmen Alvarez used to term rank and file lack of resistance to the DOE "Battered Staff Syndrome." She of course only blamed the DOE. I feel the UFT is a big part of the problem. We need to restructure our union representation so that it serves the rank and file as its main objective, not itself.
It is a personal decision on entering school buildings. If you believe the DOE-UFT reports are legitimate and that your building is safe, then by all means go in. If you think you have to be there for the children, they are in most cases probably safer at home. Still, we truly respect everyone's dedication whether working in person or remotely.
44 comments:
I was told by my payroll secretary and admin that you can only stay home without any days taken from your Cumulative Absence Reserve IF AND ONLY IF you end up testing positive for COVID-19. If you do not test positive, then there goes your CAR.
How tragic that working people must resort to these individual actions to protect their health, their families, and their communities whilst simultaneously risking their incomes and benefits. Some are willing to take the risk, others are not, many are waiting to see what happens. Sitting on the fence may be the most dangerous course of action but this is not a new psychological disorder or conditioned response to a Pavlovian government. the UFT and the DOE are pushing selfcare. Take care of yourself. But this is not what is needed. We need to take care of all of us, but all parties have normalized the condition of workers by advocating individual actions. To blame the workers for their anxiety and fear and show them how they, only as individuals may use the system to fins a temporary reprieve from the onslaught is counterproductive. There is no social malaise infecting the workers. Working people were abandoned by governments, by all parties, and all representatives in all negotiations, including unions, long before Covid, and decades before most of the teachers now working and paying dues to the UFT were members of the workforce. While one can, as James has here, point to small victories here and there, paraded out by the unions as grand successes, the unions are concession negotiators now and are, and have been, weakening the leverage of members for decades.
The only hope is in the collective and organized resistance of the workers but the workers will only, individually, and sporadically, sick-out a day here, there. This is counterproductive. Advocating for individual actions is counterproductive.
And who knows about these methods of individual action? Those who read this blog? Those who read other blogs and facebook and tweet? When only a few have this knowledge and act on it, it weakens solidarity.
Where be our union?
Be prepared to repeat after Mulgrew: "No Butter and half a loaf is better than none."
That is not what the policy says but I will look into what you are saying.
So did I earn my retro pay today from 10 years ago? Will have to wait a couple of days to see if it is in our next check or is Mulgrew going to give us the bad news before we can see our pay stubs!!
Get real, james. How many time you gonna say it. They will just walk into the petri dish. And pay dues.
Sill said just get a note from doctor saying you had the symptoms and you ate good.
1155 comment. Do we blame 1155 for being a fool or being unable to read? Do we blame the uft for not explaining and enforcing? Did 1155 get the answer in writing from the uft? Is the principal a liar? Opt out or decertify?
"You all sat at the table with them folks all summer long, making deals in the back rooms and ignoring the front lines....and NOW there’s no confidence?”said Shannon Waithe referring to the UFT and CSA at tonight's PEP
I feel wrong and complicit for going in to teach students today. This isn’t right and isn’t safe. It’s so discouraging to have your employer and union not take this shit seriously. I’m ready to leave education if this bs continues.
Those clowns, ie. J. Hinds, in the UFT keep touting Black Lives Matter, while sitting by and letting teachers go into these crappy old high schools with teens that take showers once a month. Hey Hinds, Black Lives do matter, but what about teachers’ lives? Do teachers’ lives matter? Teachers are paying your salary, not the BLM movement. How about working for teachers and being outspoken about our lives? The high school situation will push the NYC numbers up so quickly that we will all be quarantined in three weeks.
mayor just said how wonderful school is today, then goes on to talk about all the outbreaks in NYC. Mulgrew-Silent. Sheep-go to work.
I failed the health screen after going in 1 day, havent returned yet, have lost zero CAR days.
Hope uft does some photo ops at the hospitals and cemeteries when people sicken and die from contracting covid19 because you reopened schools.
Shelley and James, you hope? Schools has started. People are going in. Students are supposed to show today. Teachers are now on week 3 or 4. When will they stop?
This is to 11:55 and anyone else that is taking days. This is what it says on the September 2 memo that we copied on our September 3 post:
"I Excused Leave at Full Pay
The following categories of employees will be eligible for excused leave at full pay without a charge to leave balance:
a. An employee who has a documented positive COVID-19 test shall be able to take excused leave at full pay until the employee is cleared to return to work.
The following categories of employees will be eligible for excused leave at full pay for up to two (2) work weeks without charge to leave balances if they are unable to telework. Employees are limited to a total of up to two (2) work weeks of such excused leave, even if employees have multiple or repeat qualifying circumstances. After an employee has used the maximum amount of two work weeks of qualifying circumstances, any additional leave that the employee may need will be charged to leave balances. In the event that an employee in a category below subsequently receives documentation of a positive COVID-19 test, that employee shall be eligible for excused leave at full pay as described above.
b. An employee who is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, but who has not tested positive for COVID-19, may take an excused leave at full pay for up to two (2) work weeks. Such employees must not report to work other than telework for ten (10) days after symptoms started or for three (3) days after any fever has stopped, whenever is longer."
That is all taken from the DOE personnel memo that we posted on September 3. There are other categories too. We advise you to show the memo to the payroll secretary who seems to only be reading Ia.
https://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/2020/09/know-your-rights-on-covid-19-sick-time.html
Basically had to ignore the 5 students in the room because of the 28-30 on zoom. Kids quiet and on devices...no real interaction. I thought this wasn't allowed.
It is allowed if you voluntarily agree to it. Tell us the school, please.
https://nypost.com/2020/10/01/first-nyc-school-closes-for-extended-period-due-to-coronavirus/
First NYC school closes for extended period due to coronavirus
https://nypost.com/2020/10/01/teachers-union-chief-threatens-legal-action-if-de-blasio-shuts-schools/
Teachers union chief threatens legal action against de Blasio over coronavirus spike
John F. Kennedy in Elmhurst closed until Oct. 13th due to two unlinked coronavirus cases.
Students are back in schools all across the city, taking "mask breaks" and having "instructional lunches" in classrooms.
Meanwhile, infection spikes are widening across the city, from 6 initial clusters to 10.
And that's BEFORE mayor reopened schools for his "legacy."
A teacher in an unknown high school tweeted a photo of his period 1 class where nobody showed up. Check out The Post.
something seriously wrong with the mayor....just close the fregan schools what is the big deal....this guy had me totally fooled let me tell ya as i voted for him but then again after bloomberg any living breathing human being seemed like the right choice after bloomberg but diblasio is just fighting with himself not listening to anyone but soon enough when cuomo comes to town the party will be shut down at city hall...jeez louise take a chill pill diblas....close the schools go remote what the heck to you care anyway you not a teacher.....only in america can you have a mayor who went on a honeymooon in cuba with the sandinisters
Just got told as a full remote teacher
I can work from home once or twice per week, per my UFT rep
Sounds very different from the announcement last week
Wtf???
Just some unbiased updates from my own day as a cluster. Had 3 classes that had lunch periods today. Rules are simple when I am there:
-I am teaching or showing educational video when lunch goes on.
-When eating there is no talking, commenting or asking of questions unless the mask goes back on.
-Students have been very accommodating with following those rules, social distance rules in class and covid prevention rules in general.
I am also one of the schools in the cluster areas. Numbers are dropping as far as in person goes. Doing my part as safely as possible. Still worried about it. I know I'll catch flak from those saying don't go in but I am and so far so good.
In support of a legal action if
@NYCMayor
de Blasio doesn't close down schools in spiking zip codes, AND we know this unsafe situation happened because
@UFT
- United Federation of Teachers President Mulgrew negotiated an unsafe deal in the 1st place.
Teachers union chief threatens legal action against de Blasio over coronavirus spike
https://nypost.com/2020/10/01/teachers-union-chief-threatens-legal-action-if-de-blasio-shuts-schools/
28 students showed up to a nyc high school today to be warehoused in a room for 6 hours of silently looking at tablets. These students made the mistake of not staying home, where they would be able to engage remotely with virtual classes and their classmates
It was awful. I say this not for me and my situation. we are in HS “pods”. The kids who came in, sat for 6 straight hours in a computer. Imagine back to your first day of HS.. so excited. Most by the end looked so demoralized and I felt my heart breaking for them.
Can anyone even name a school?
Look at agreement again. Prinicpal had the right to keep up to 20 percent of remote teachers in school daily just in case they are needed for something else.
Hundreds of schools agreed to teach remotely from school. Students join the remote class from home or in the classroom on their device or device provided as they Entered the building.
This way, teachers do not have to collaborate in the stupid triad model that the union thought was a great idea... Let me tell you something, very few teachers work well together.. Now you want them to work with 2 people? Lol teachers will agree to anything to avoid that.
So you don't need school names, the vast Majority of High schools are doing this because a. Remote numbers are over 70 percent b. No way teachers collaborating with 2 other teachers per class. C. Principals agree to let them teach remotely in the room so they have students covered in all rooms.
Our union is the biggest joke in the country right now.
No,no,no 4:32, our members who put up with this shit are the biggest joke in the country right now. Mulgrew is laughing at all of you. #decertify the UFT.
Remember when they swore everyone demanded in person? Hearing from multiple HS principals that many students will be opting for full remote after today due to severe staff shortages. In some schools, all counselors are out on medical leave in addition to teachers. No in-person instruction & no in-person counseling available either.
According to CBA If you are supervising students you are not to be doing remote on the computer. Don’t let them double dip you like that. - Hawk
Not true. This is directly from NYCDOE Covid 19 Timekeeping:
Thank you for the follow up. Please see the below information regarding the health screenings. We have bolded information specific to your questions.
If an employee fails the health screening for their response to the following questions, they should be sent home and directed to get tested. They will be cleared to return once they provide a note from doctor. If remote work is available and they are well enough to perform it, the supervisor has discretion to allow them to do so.
1. Have you experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever of 100.0 degrees F or greater, a new cough, new loss of taste or smell or shortness of breath within the past 10 days?
2. In the past 10 days, have you gotten a positive result from a COVID-19 test that tested saliva or used a nose or throat swab? (not a blood test)
If they fail for the following questions, they should be sent home and told to isolate. They will not be required to get tested but will be required to quarantine.
3. To the best of your knowledge, in the past 14 days, have you been in close contact (within 6 feet for at least 10 minutes) with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 or who has or had symptoms of COVID-19?
4. Have you traveled internationally or from a state with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 per the New York State Travel Advisory in the past 14 days?
If the employee is denied entry based on their responses to the abovementioned questions, they can be paid using the QCV codes. If they have been given remote work, there is no need to utilize the QCV code since they will be working. Supervisors reserve the right to request follow-up documentation if there is a question about the reasonableness of the time taken or other concerns.
Not much in person at TRS.
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70 percent remote
30 percent blended
50 percent of blended students came in today. Other 50 percent opted for remote. Of the 50 percent that came, I'd say 25 percent of them will be switching to remote after today.
Sooooo pretty much will be at about 90 percent remote.
Waste of time and resources
Students in front of screens all day is teachers' (and admins') fault. No one is making you do that. Teach the kids who took the time and effort to actually show up.
I had between 67 and 83% attendance today but like others mentioned the % of students who chose remote is quite high, well over the 60% Mulgrew said for HS. Also 12 kids discharged, 10 of them to private schools or moved out of the City.
Regarding the virus spikes: "The city should strongly consider shutting down all of those schools in those zip codes” Mulgrew said. “The last thing we need to do is have our whole city shut down again because of a lack of courage to do the right thing & the smart thing.”
An incompetent person who is in a position of leadership will usually surround himself with equally incompetent people so as not to be discovered as inept. Thus we have Mayor deBlasio With his brilliant pick of Carranza as Chancellor for NYC schools. Two complete dolts who couldn't manage a flea circus and here we all are suffering these two fools.
And if that weren't enough this idiot de Blasio is doing to the city what he is doing to NYC schools. Screwing them so bad it will take a decade to straighten it out
I'm not going to lie...today was like a dream come true. I wish we could continue to have small class sizes. What if hybrid learning is the only way to have small class sizes?
75 Morton in district 2 has teachers teaching full classes—in person and remote simultaneously. CL is not doing a SBO. CL does not have a teaching assignment and instead is doing AP duties while real APs are working remote and on leave. Thus, chapter feels powerless.
6:50: So why is everyone crying teacher shortage? We may end up with a surplus which means pink slips will start to fly. Last in, first out!
I had a student in my class test positive today. We're are all quarantined for 14 days now. The majority of my students have medically fragile guardians at home -- all of my students have severe disabilities -- and those care takers are the bedrock of their lives.
If you're just returning now (I'm D75 and I've been back two weeks) and are feeling hopeful that things work out, consider when you get caught off guard and find out a student had been in your class for multiple days with asymptomatic infection. Try to avoid the rosy thinking -- it's really not safe and we're placing our students' at incredible risk.
Makes sense. Trump proves your point
had one first grader show up for in person learning and 18 remotely. We had 13 out of 300 in our building today.
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