Wednesday, September 02, 2020

LIVE BLOGGING FROM SEPTEMBER TOWN HALL

 I got in late as the phone lines were busy. Mulgrew was already speaking. He gave our plan to the mayor who tried to make it about us. UFT protecting parents, students and communities. We scheduled strike authorization for Monday night and then there was a realization from City Hall that we were very serious. Mayor asked how we can go on strike? We said we need a plan that meets all of our criteria and outside experts have to agree that the plan is good for the schools and the community.

Monday night, we asked the Executive Board to continue to negotiate and to bring a strike authorization on Tuesday if necessary. Yesterday, at 9:45 am we weren't done but by 10:15 am NYC has a Covid-19 plan that has the most safeguards of any school system in the country. We need relief if there is a violation in hours. The agreement is part of a safety plan filed with the State Education Department. We can go into court and ask for a temporary restraining order to close a school.  We're all afraid and nobody wants to go on strike when we are facing layoffs. Road ahead is bumpy. We have chosen to go down that road. Hundreds and hundreds of school meetings talking about going on strike. We are not going to let what happened in March happen ever again. Schools are opening for staff on Tuesday. We pushed back the start of the school year for the kids. Mayor didn't want to do mandatory testing. This is serious stuff about understanding how important we are to our students and their families but also understand how much they think about us. We all gotta keep each other safe.

A lot of people are not really comfortable going back to work. First time I walked around the City, I did't want to. If you don't have those feelings, you are insane. We have to trust each other and have each other's backs. There's a lot of work but it's good work. DOE and City Hall are scrambling left and right. No PPE, school building will be closed. Somebody has to see the evidence. Emails not enough. We are going to every school. 100 people have gone to over 1,400 schools. No masks, call us up. Hotline is set up. We will send someone directly to the building. That school is getting PPE or everyone's going home. Ventilation reports have to go to Chapter Leader. Other supplies being checked. Nothing moves unless everything is in place. Must be social distancing on Tuesday, not only if the kids are in the building. No meetings jamming people in the library. Building Response Team always around. They have a clear responsibility. Everything in terms of Covid has to be in place. Soap in the bathroom every day. Does the custodian have equipment to do deep cleaning every night? There has to be an isolation room; there has to be a nurse. Building Response Team has to work these things out. 

Instructional plan is the other piece. Remote only teachers, in person teacher in the classroom all day and blended remote teacher who teaches the kids who go to school a couple of times a week but are at home the other days. Teachers have to meet. Schools have an educational platform, scope and sequence where people are coordinating. We need this time at the beginning of the school year. 9/16-18, we need time to make sure the tech and translation services are working. We need to figure out problems in households. 

Mandated testing program. We proposed everyone being tested but doctors said it was only good for three days. We want a mandatory program in every school. We have to be fastidious if someone has any symptoms. Have symptoms and say it's a cold, no, go get a test. If a school is in a zip code with a higher rate of COVID, flood the school with testing. That is how you catch the asymptomatic people. Need a scientific representative sample. Testing is mandated. We need permission slips from parents. Someone who refuses to be tested, they can't come to school. We need to sign the permission slips as do principals. It is like what we sign at the doctor's office. If UFTer says no they refuse to be tested, person goes on a leave and keeps medical benefits. Everybody is in this together. 

This is a union. We don't all agree. We made a pact and we have what we had to have.

Facing layoff issue. We got everything we needed now. If we disagree on whether a school should open, we can go to Albany or court. Recession is real. Downtown Manhattan, many signs for space for lease. Federal government has failed. We have specific money for COVID. Major problem. Set a path but it's like a lesson, it takes twists and turns. We have to watch out for each other. The last thing we want is for anyone to lose their job. Greatest challenge we have is safety. Phenomenal agreement but words mean nothing unless we make it real in each and every school. There will be challenges. There will be administrators who think they know what's best. Not a grievance process, call the UFT. We now have the authority to make sure we are making each other safe. Period at the beginning of the year to see that we get things done. We don't go into the building if the city is not complying with a document that they sent to the State. 

This is one of the most difficult times most of us have ever been through. Our school system got hit harder by COVID than anybody else. Schools should have been closed earlier. This is personal to us. It's not the mayor's schools system. It's the children of NY and the people who work in the system. Paraprofessionals, therapists, secretaries. It's all of our school system. It becomes yours when you dedicate your lives to it. We are the ones who makes sure it stays safe. It will be all of us. The authority to do it is in our hands. I'm so sorry for what we went through. It's up to us to take care of each other and take care of the children of this city. Nobody takes care of the children of the city better than we do. 

Thanks to all. We have always been there for each other and for the children of the city. 

Questions:

Question-Paraprofessional in jeopardy of being excessed. Nothing told to us about roles?

Answer-We are dramatically short of staff. There will be work. Many paras passed away. Nobody back then understood what was going on back then. Medical, scientific side much more knowledge. Distance hugs paras. Paras did great reaching out in the spring. IEPs still in effect. We got paras backs.

Question-Calendar? What concessions did you make? You gave spring break up last year.

Answer-Spring break and retro were not given up. There are no concessions. Calendar will be coming out. Flexibility with SED and Board of Regents. We should have enough instructional time without touching breaks. Going to arbitration over spring break and already got 4 CAR days.

Question-Every school will have PPE. What is the list of what we need?

Answer-We have an agreed upon checklist that Chapter Leader should have. We could send out the approved list of supplies that have to be in the building. Must be approved masks. Doctors frowning on bandanas because face covering has to be fitted around nose and mouth. It all has to be in place. 30 day supply in every school. Schools should be resupplied every week. We will learn about burn rate the first week children are in schools.

Question-Can remote teachers go into buildings for supplies?

Answer-We will get clarification on that. 

Question-Smaller classes, principal said school is short staffed. Remote teachers will be handling classes of 68.

Answer-Some of 2020 just sucked. Understands principals ignore some DOE gobbledygook. DOE is in process of redeploying any staff that doesn't have a responsibility for keeping schools going. People in offices being redeployed to schools. Many substitutes. Over 500 special ed teachers hired. Tell DR

Question-What is a threshold for calling a strike if DOE doesn't meet our demands?

Answer-We can go to SED, governor or court if a school doesn't do the right thing. We are not breaking the Taylor Law. School goes to remote. No longer grievance. No need to put everyone at risk when we have a clear way to protect ourselves.

Question-Thanks Mulgrew. How does outdoor learning work?

Answer-Brought it up three months ago. City wasn't interested in it and then suddenly two weeks ago they are interested and told principals to figure it out. We will check if principals submitted a plan. Some parents want it. We are going to have to wait and see. Safety people will check outdoor places also. Doing it in two weeks is crazy. What if people are sleeping under the tent? Who is responsible for putting up the tent? Liability issues.

Question-If we go to layoff, how are the decisions on who gets laid off?

Answer-It's citywide reverse seniority by title. Intense meeting at City Hall with Municipal Labor Committee to get City borrowing authority from Albany. Layoff notices did not go out on Monday as scheduled but we have some real problems. Strategies we are working on. 

Question-District 75 buildings are they safe to return to school?

Answer-D75 is way behind. Leadership said they had it handled but they do not. This is a major focus. Sup't said everything is handled but it wasn't. We have the authority to keep ourselves safe now. A whole lot of work going on now. Thanks for what you do.

Question-Time frame, was two weeks enough time to get things in place? Why isn't more effort placed on on families going all remote?

Answer-We have had checklist on what should be in school for months. Procedures in schools we have had for a month too. Testing is what's holding things up. We have been telling them that over 70% of instruction will be remote this school year. Learning platforms we are looking at. DOE has 36 page documents that say nothing. We need platforms that work and have to do team approach that works. Teachers figured it out from March to June. People from Tweed have never done remote but teachers have.

Question-Update on buyout?

Answer-It all starts in Albany. That would give savings to the City. No guarantee. I don't know what the date would be. All unions working on it. Look for a buyout for folks and we would have to restaff. Pay more at the end as opposed to when you start which is as it should be.

Question-In person 10 students, 34 for remote, blended can be up to 68 students?

Answer-New position: Academic Content Specialist. Blended Remote Teacher will be working with Academic Content Specialists posting materials and doing prep and instructional and assessment materials into platform. Blended Remote Teacher will not have to prepare. Blended Remote Teacher can do small group instruction. No huge groups on video feed. All of that prep work will be preloaded into platform. 

Question-Related Services?

Answer-Still working with DOE on what happens with in person sessions and remote sessions. Changing own PPE between sessions is not done. Speech Therapists will get shields. Related services piece is not finished at this point. DOE suddenly talking about compliance before they used to say they can't be in compliance. 

Question-If we share a building, how many are tested?

Answer-Scientists would say it is the building. Charter schools in DOE buildings must follow rules.

Question-Secretary in building told she has to work with students?

Answer-Take that to District Rep. Principals have never been given guidance on what they can and can't do. Must have plexiglass in offices and at security desk.

Question-Working remotely in a new grade. Can she get teaching guides?

Answer-Must give access to remote teachers. Educational platform has to work. Remote teachers work from home. Because of the large number of students who are remote, we need more people to teach remote. 

 Question-Medical accommodation, will there be an extension after the December 31 expiration?

Answer-Go back to doctor and get an extension as long as you still have the medical condition.

Mulgrew apologises for people who couldn't get on due to phone problems.

Question-Observations, are we using Danielson?

Answer-We have not gotten to it yet. State has moved back Next Generation Learning Standards. Sorry we don't have evaluations figured out yet. Give us a couple of weeks.

Question: Thanks Mulgrew, teacher going into building, if I am forced to quarantine, do those days go against my CAR?

Answer: No, you are protected. We are one of the few districts in the country that has that protection. 

Labor Day Weekend bittersweet for all of us.  We're all here together. We did a great job taking care of our kids in remote. We did a great job getting ready to take care of each other in buildings. It will be tough; but we will rise to the occasion. We will watch out for each other. We all have to be on the same page. Thank you for being on the call and for what you've done and are about to do. God bless you. We will have the biggest party ever when COVID is gone. God bless you all. 

78 comments:

  1. We know why mulgrew was talking tough days ago, because he was scamming us.

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  2. Mulgrew sounds like the president when he says "We can now say that NYC has the greatest reopening plan in the country."

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  3. There was never a strike threat. Mulgrew was never going to jail, never risking dues or his salary. You are fools if you believe that there was ever any chance. It was personal, but then we go back to the same situation?

    LOL.
    Teachers' Union President Said Disagreements With City Were 'Personal' After Deaths

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  4. Mulgrew: no one is ever going to agree in a union. Some people are really happy, others are mad we're not going on strike. We have a lot of work to do. If schools don't have everything they need they won't open.

    But no vote by 150k members?

    That is not what dues are for

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  5. The .00001 percent if people who opted out look smart. Mulgrew is now talking about reading the names of all the colleagues who died. What a shame. What a scam. What a sham.

    As he puts us in the same position. A mask will only do so much for that many hours traveling on mass transit and in buildings and around that many other people.

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  6. Yup, words mean nothing ... right from the horse’s mouth. Mulgrew never even considered a strike and won’t consider it when deBlasio and Carranza start hiding the numbers of teachers who catch Covid 19.

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  7. Mulgrew: we closed down schools in March (yes, w/ our sickout threat, not thru the UFT lawsuit), we lost people (yes, after
    @NYCMayor
    kept schools open & UFT belatedly supported closing schools March 13th). "We are the ones who make sure schools stay safe.

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  8. when asked about concessions, woman gets cut off.

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  9. Wow. LOL. He gets a questions he doesnt like and cuts the woman off who asked about retro and spring break being lost.

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  10. Schools should already send out permission slips to parents via electronic means to get it back faster

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  11. Striking COMPLETELY off the table. Now we're just enforcing the backroom deal.

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  12. About outdoor teaching...

    A Violent August in N.Y.C.: Shootings Double, and Murder Is Up by 50%
    The city recorded 242 shootings in August, up from 91 last year, continuing a summer spike in gun violence that has become an issue in the presidential race.

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  13. I wonder why All these teachers asking on each call about a buyout, it's a really sad state about our teaching profession: we'll have an educational crisis on our hands soon

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  14. If they're saying they may be layoffs, how are they hiring new people?

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  15. If its such a phenomenal agreement how come we can't see it?

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  16. .@rweingarten: AFT members know frequent & unmitigated exposure to to #COVID19 can be deadly. I've had too many conversations with AFT members' families after they've died, & I implore you to reconsider placing educators and school staff as part of phase 2. #VaccineFramework

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  17. Mulgrew we don't believe you have our backs and that our union will keep us safe. Too many questions about what happens if the school doesn't meet the checklist, w/o the reports, and whether schools will be closed if we're waiting on unsafe conditions lawsuit. #UFTTownHall

    Mulgrew shut down any possibility of a strike. Looks like rank-and-file members will take it into their own hands if they face unsafe school conditions. Keep organizing, everyone, at your school chapters and buildings. We'll have to be the ones to keep us safe

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    Replies
    1. @5:05...
      You sound smart. The DOE gave you the playbook i.e. "when to stay home" policy. So, use it. Stay safe folks

      Delete
  18. Let me get this straight, the mayor didn't want to force us to do these tests, and Mulgrew insisted on it? What's next? Will Mulgrew insist the City forces us all to teach 6 classes instead of it being voluntary? Instead of the City offering PDs on Saturday, will Mulgrew insist we all must work on the weekend?

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  19. Soooooo glad I planned to resign before I knew about covid.

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  20. We can speculate and even argue over what Mulgrew’s real intentions are. BUT one thing is certain. 9 out of 10 of the largest school districts in the country have started fully remote. That is what NYC should be doing, that is what the UFT should be fighting for or willing to strike over. It has not happened. This is a complete and utter failure and it is unacceptable.

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  21. Disobey your lord and master, Michael Mulgrew, and take to the streets to demand the schools go fully remote. If it saves only one life, and it will (and it may be your’s), it will be worth it.

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  22. Paramus nj just moved to remote for the next 2 months.

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  23. Mulgrew did not want to push for fully remote for two reasons: 1) He does not want to piss off the mayor. 2) He is afraid that tons of teachers would get laid off/replaced with "educational content specialists" who would not be dues payers. This would mean less money for him and his cronies.

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  24. The frame to Mulgrew's presentation was that NY, nationally, is exceptional, and that we must try to open.

    NYers, apparently, disagree

    62% of NYers believe full reopening of schools runs too great a risk; 32% believe it can be done safely.

    66% of NYers believe colleges should only deliver remote education and not bring students back to the campus, compared to 27% who believe it's safe to do so.

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  25. This is going to be a colossal Sh*t Show. Way beyond what is usual for an opening. I'm a veteran, but I must admit I have anxiety about next week.

    By the way the teacher that asked the second question was a little hostile, but she did get him on the record saying there were "no concessions" regarding make-up days or giving up the retro for the delayed opening. Good job!

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  26. Of course, they did not take my question on scheduling and PE, where high schools should have 4 core classes than go home do PE remotely considering gyms are still closed basically in NYC. The operator did not put me through.

    Last 4 townhalls all lollipop pussy foot questions and praise. Sept8-10th should be handled virtually especially since many teachers are home for remote anyways.

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  27. I really can't understand why we didn't just start with remote!!! NYC WILL FEEL IT IN THE FUTURE!!! THEY WILL BE BEGGING FOR TEACHERS!!! HOW DO YOU EXPECT CURRENT TEACHERS TO GO OUT AND SAY WOW TEACHING FOR NYC IS GREAT!! THIS WAS THE DARKNESS COMING TO LIGHT!! BLACK HEARTS REVEALED!

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  28. Get off your stupid asses and wildcat you stupid fools. Are you expecting Mulgrew to keep you safe? Fuggetaboutit.

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  29. @6:19 sooooo what if she was a little hostile, the tit sucker mulgrew can handle it and deserves it. She got him to say that. Everything else was bowing to the master of bullshit.

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  30. He also confirmed 68 in a class but with no preparation. That will be the preferred model for the DOE. Good luck.

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  31. 6:09, What does it matter what Mulgrew says? Like his word means anything.

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  32. Nothing about eating in class. He also skirted the layoff question. People have a right to know.

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  33. I know some of you were hell bent on striking. I agree, the CITY's reopening plan is horrible. Hybrid is beyond stupid. To be clear, I wanted: All Remote Start . I would not have crossed a picket line, BUT, I thought a strike during a pandemic/ economic depression- when 30,000 teacher got medical accommodations - was absolutely stupid!

    Isn't it true that this agreement does codify some important points that could be used to close all schools or at least the diseased schools?

    NO PPE - b/c city & state don't have the money?? - Very real short term possibility, maybe even long term -especially if Trump gets reelected - schools might have to close just because of this. -Also, when numbers go up PPE will be in short supply again - schools will close.

    Student Refusal to get tested, means student go remote... for this might make more parents choose remote.

    Teachers can get a priority test - Practically impossible to get a TEST back in February or March.

    In March, people were sick; people were positive and DOE did not report - now, positive cases have to be disclosed and the contact tracing gets activated - Again this did not exist- now it does... This system is going to result in a lot of people quarantined, classrooms & schools shut down.

    No Nurse - school can get shut down.

    3% positive - now it is a written agreement - not just Mayor's word - schools get closed down.

    Many will say: so what? It is not enough. Ok, but it is not nothing either.

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  34. “We think sending kids to school outside is the dumbest thing in the world” an NYPD detective warned.

    Spike in daytime shootings has NYC parents on edge over outdoor classrooms https://nypost.com/2020/09/02/daytime-shootings-have-nyc-parents-on-edge-over-outdoor-classrooms/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons via @nypmetro

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  35. Student refusal wont be known for months.

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  36. I saw it with my own eyes 18 months ago. At Delmonico's, an establishment I frequent, I saw Carranza and Mulgrew hugging and yucking it up at the bar before adjourning to the dining room to partake in succulent steaks and all the trimmings. It was "teacher appreciation" day, 2019. They were hugging, kisses on the cheek and, at that moment I saw the sham. Ostensibly, the Chancellor was treating Mulgrew for a dinner due to the occasion.
    They probably didn't know that a lowly "grunt", (btw, I really am) would frequent such a fine establishment.
    Well, I do. I specifically asked my friend, who was on "the stick" not to make introductions. She seemed perplexed at first, but then God bless her Macedonian smarts, comprehended why.
    Hope Delmonico's opens in the near future so I can watch these two commiserate over adult beverages again.
    Semper Fi!
    Paddy

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    Replies
    1. Lol. The quail joint in Albany is closed too. I went by to visit the infamous spot a few weeks ago. Depressing, there are parts of Albany that look a hundred time worse than the worst parts of the Bronx or Brooklyn. A teen age girl knocked on my car window at 10 o’clock on a Sunday morning and tried to sell me $20 worth of crack. I thought it was 1985 all over again. It’s not just NYC that is disintegrating rapidly, Cuomo - look out your window.

      Delete
    2. Bronx ATR, didn't they turn that to a Fairfield suites? Places like Jack's Oyster House and the prime steakhouse must be getting killed. Hopefully the college students can keep Pearl Street afloat.
      When I moved in my stuff to my school a bum was passed out piss drunk in a discarded teacher chair in the middle of the sidewalk. Some other was sleeping on cardboard by the entrance. This was in the middle of the day.
      I hope the people scared of the virus don't try to teach outside they'll have drunk bums taking a whizz and bullets whizzing by.

      Delete
  37. Does anyone have any idea how ESL is supposed to work this year?

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  38. We are open but trs and uft and 65 court are closed?

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  39. Every single bit of criticism previously directed at
    @NYCMayor
    and
    @DOEChancellor
    on school reopening now also fully belongs to
    @UFT
    and Mulgrew/
    @UFTUnity
    . They are now 100% co-owners of this dangerous, crazy, garbage “plan.”

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  40. Why are they looking at layoffs before a buyout? Pink slips were supposed to go out Monday? They never said layoffs were imminent. They said it was possible. WTF?

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  41. Trunp trying to defund NYC due to anarchy and police defunding.

    Good luck with those budgets.

    Didnt mulgrew and carranza say no open schools without more funding?

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  42. The DOE is transitioning you from high stakes testing to high stakes experimentation.
    We will see how long this unethical experiment lasts.

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  43. No comment from James on the agreement? Wonder why.

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    Replies
    1. I am trying to provide information, help take care of the family, and answer a ton of emails, texts and calls. My position has not changed that we need to go full remote as the safest option. I will write commentary as soon as I have the time to do it properly.

      Delete
    2. 8:13, I am trying to provide information, help take care of the family, and answer a ton of emails, texts and calls. My position has not changed that we need to go full remote as the safest option. I will write commentary as soon as I have the time to do it properly.

      Delete
  44. "We are not breaking the Taylor Law."

    --Mulgrew, President UFT

    The law, the NY Law, that some here think unimportant to this struggle, is sure breaking us.

    Maybe it's a bit more important than precedents set in other states.

    Maybe.

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  45. Next election give Mulgrew what he gave us and our families: a smile, a wink wink and a hard, swift kick in the ARCE

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  46. But we lose days from the sick bank if we just stay home. How is that helpful?

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  47. We all know what the union is about.We have to be strong ourselves. We cannot let any principal break any rules. We see it, we report it. It also means no staying late or doing extra favors. The union doesnt care but we do. There is no plan. Make it up as you go along. I have been a member of other unions but this is the worst. Im not make fun of this situation but im considering upping my life insurance.

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  48. Yeah, even if you use all 10 on the first 10 days, then what?

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  49. Mulgrew doesnt care about dues. What he cares about is the 500,000 plus job he will get when he leaves the DOE. I hope he reads theses blogs. You been selling us out for years.

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  50. Since we are being forced to work in what we know as a unsafe environment then we need to take action. We as teachers must hold everyone in our school accountable that does not follow the guidlines. No more being afraid of abusive principals. You teachers out there know who you are. The ones that kiss ass and do whatever the principle ask of you. No more. Follow the contract to the t. If you cannot do this then dont come on here and bitch.

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  51. 9:19, how do you ensure safe travel on public transportation? How do make sure no breath from someone else gets into your nose in a building?

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    Replies
    1. @ 10:02 pm
      How?
      Try suiting up. Double mask. Hazmat suit. Tape 6 ft around your desk. Bleach and water spray bottle solution on your desk. Open windows. Report EVERYTHING.Document EVERYTHING. If woman, man, child, other aren't wearing a mask properly: back away and call parents, the union and the Media because the entire school has been compromised. Email your admin too. Report what you saw, who else saw it, the time, location. Take off 2 days due to a slight cough "after the incident". Make sure your CL is informed in writing about the incident THE SAME DAY. Also email your CL about your "slight cough" and how you don't want it taken from your CAR. Document Document Document. In the future they may give the CAR days back of you can show documented proof of the incident. Look out for yourself

      Delete
  52. Unless it is covid, you lose the days.

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  53. How dare Mulgrew exploit the death of
    @UFT
    members to glorify sending school employees back to work in unsafe buildings next week with no testing program in place and siding with
    @NYCMayor
    who was directly responsible for so many of those deaths.

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  54. I'll bet you anything that the more elite the school, the safer it will be because the kids and parents speak up there. I'm sure Stuyvesant and Townsend Harris have twice the PPE than other schools. Squeaky wheels get the oil.

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  55. I was a delegate at that DA and I opposed this plan. I oppose plans that are shoved through the DA with no opportunity to digest details with our chapters. I oppose deals where delegates and CLs, not to mention membership, had no true opportunity to influence demands

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    Replies
    1. I agree on the principle here.

      However would you all have been happy as clams if the DA rammed through a strike without details and without a membership vote?

      Delete
  56. Fuck the uft. They lost my $1600 today.

    The #DOE is 82% women...and yet MEN are making all the decisions about school reopenings that will greatly impact WOMEN...NYCMayor DOEChancellor and MichaelMulgrew are all men.” - as stated multiple times

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  57. So, Blast called the bluff and that's it. Complete opacity. No due process as a group. Now it's members duty to safeguard safety. Nice passing of the buck. Reads like a rambling mess. Life is a tale told by an idiot signifying nothing. W.S. However, this will not be a tragic-comedy. May God protect us: everyone.

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  58. I read in the minutes that they’re still figuring out observations, lol. Probably by September. I cannot wait to see how observations play out....crazy!

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  59. TeachNY,
    You’re oblivious about everything. The last thing you should be worrying about is observations.

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  60. Cuomo put on a big show against Trump. He wants Moskowitz to get the schools, this will guarantee it. Layoffs in October.

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  61. wow anyone worried about observations is psychotic or has a terrible admin. That is the least of the concerns right now.

    If even 1 teacher dies, Mulgrew, the chancellor, the mayor will pay. If we do not, come together if that happens we never will.

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  62. I agree that observations are the last thing we need to worry about. This whole thing is going to be so convoluted and chilling that whatever observations are done will just be done for the sake of getting them done. This whole experiment and that is what it is - an experiment - only works if teachers make it happen. No assistant principal or principal will lay into a teacher who is trying their best in these times. "Trying their best" the keywords.

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  63. How can they do observations fairly when 1 out of 5 teachers is teaching remotely?

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  64. 10:12. You either work in a very high functioning school or don’t teach at all. There are and have been many ap’s that I have seen in my career that would give out bad observations in ANY CONDITIONS. I had a colleague who got observed the day after coming back from his father passing. And got bad numbers. There are psycho Ap’s out there if you have never had one count your blessings.

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  65. Observations? LOL! Admin can come in and teach and show us how it should be done. I dont think so.

    I am worried about the layoffs, as that was not even addressed or was brushed off. I thought it was about safety and the livelihoods.

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    Replies
    1. And I do think observations still matter-a bad observation can come back to haunt you in your career. We know the consequences. Who wants to be on a TIP? I’m sure there will be PLENTY of things that the admin will be obsessed with this year (our planning with the remote teacher, following the curriculum the city gives us, etc...).
      But yes-the top concern should be layoffs....how do we protect those 9,000? What can be done ? What are the options?

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  66. Observations come and go. In the end, it's your overall that really matters for the ratings. If you get on a TIP, then document everything, if tenured, get into the PIP program offered from UFT/DOE. If admin is really going after people this year, then they must really have nothing else to do. Like everyone is struggling, come on!

    For the layoffs: salary freezes, start having people to pay for their shitty GHI healthcare, force people that have the years and age to retire (retirement incentive), get rid of the bureaucracy from Central (not sure why we have exec supers now, waste of space and money, in addition to managers for each borough district for each initiative, stop all the initiatives for now), force place ATRs into remaining opened positions, stop with the hiring of newbies, cancel contracts with consultants, not sure why the city loves these when we have people within the system that know much more than these companies....watch them open a Tier VII.... Borrowing money from the state isn't going to help, it is just putting a bandaid in the wound. Not fair that 9K layoffs come from teachers. My anxiety is up the roof. Now I understand why my coworkers take happy pills!

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  67. From what I heard, an admin can come into your room and observe you anytime or any condition, but until we sign the agreement about what kind of observations we want, they can't write up anything or put anything on advance. Nothing can go in our file until we sign.

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  68. It was all an act and I was able to detect it. Did my due diligence while the shit show continued and applied for a medical accommodation. Approved.

    Mulgrew went from saying that all staff and students must be tested to this watered down random monthly testing to begin in approximately a month.

    Hope the rank and file join the union again and vote Unity out collectively. It's the only way. Would have respected Mulgrew if he were honest and stated he was open to perhaps other possibilities/options, but to have a press conference with medical experts to say that all staff and students must be tested before schools can reopen to this random testing is truly disrespectful. Mulgrew paraded as if all of UFT's demands had to be met. Did not trust the show at all.

    Am sure UFT reps that are in the schools for a limited time to then go to the UFT building have all applied for a medical accommodation.

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