Over the weekend, teachers at Hunter College Campus Schools who are represented by the Professional Staff Congress, not the UFT, voted overwhelmingly to authorize a safety strike.
The story is at Patch:
UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Tuesday's planned reopening of the Hunter College Campus Schools for in-person classes was thrown further into question over the weekend as teachers voted to authorize a strike over safety concerns in the main school building, and a state judge ruled that the school could not force teachers to return unless new air filters were installed in classrooms.
Let's be very fair here. Much of what the Hunter College K-12 people are demanding the UFT has already gotten the Department of Education to agree to for the other k-12 schools in NYC such as random COVID-19 testing of students and staff and independent air testing of each classroom. However, what is being reported to me is that what the DOE agrees to and what happens in reality are two different things.
For example, protocols after there is a positive test in a building are for immediate contact tracing and a deep cleaning of the school. When UFTers tell me about confirmed cases in their schools, they laugh when I ask if protocols are now being followed. Is the UFT threatening safety strikes chapter by chapter? No, they make a phone call and the Superintendent assures them protocols will be followed. Or, I have heard the DOE has said the COVID-19 case hasn't yet been confirmed. Are UFTers lying about positive tests?
There is little trust of the DOE, not much trust in the UFT either on this blog.
My advice that I will repeat again: Please don't enter a school building if you don't feel it is safe. I know it is difficult to stand up to administrators who have enormous power over your livelihood but your health is more important than anything.
For the record, PSC also demanded HEPA filters for Hunter College High School. CUNY said they installed them. The union disagreed and went to court to make sure they were installed. PSC may not be perfect by any means, but they are acting like a real union.
Not us. We pay dues for nothing. Then we pay Bryan Glass when we already pay dues for a uft lawyer.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, did I miss the uft response?
ReplyDeleteNY COVID-19 infection rate hits highest level since mid-July
By Kate SheehySeptember 28, 2020 | 12:28pm
The response is for you to go in and get sick while UFT offices stay closed. Decertify now and start over.
ReplyDeleteRandi Weingarten
ReplyDelete@rweingarten
Very bad news!!!Cuomo announces sharp increase in coronavirus positive test results in New York and 2.6% hot spot in Brooklyn
Only the sheep keep paying dues and keep going in.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to the UFT 50 point checklist?
ReplyDeleteNYC near 2% positive rate yesterday.
ReplyDeleteGreat week to reopen in-person schools and indoor dining. Good luck this week.
Wow. Watch out.
ReplyDeleteGov Cuomo is saying 17% of those tested in zip code 11219 have come back covid-19 positive
Is this on the dues payer uft checklist? Ten zip codes account for 25% of yesterday's new cases.
ReplyDeleteNYS will immediately make available 200 rapid testing machines and staff to these high infection rate zip codes.
When we see clusters, we will jump in immediately and increase testing and compliance.
Brooklyn teachers, tell the uft you aren't showing up this week.
ReplyDeleteNEWS:
@NYGovCuomo
said that a high concentration of coronavirus cases is clustered in a few ZIP codes. They are:
Rockland 10977, 30%
Rockland 10952, 20%
Orange 10950, 20%
Kings 11219, 17%
Kings 11210, 11%
Kings 11204 9%
Kings 11230 9%
Queens 11367, 6%
Are the schools being closed in these areas?
ReplyDeleteNope. Closed? Lol. Closed by who? Mulgrew said everything is safe.
ReplyDeleteProbably not.
ReplyDeletewhen deBlasio was asked if he would close elementary schools in areas with high infection rate he said "most kids in elementary schools don't come from that neighborhood" liar liar pants on fire
ReplyDeleteLol.
ReplyDeleteNew from DOE: 48% of NYC families have opted for fully-virtual learning (a 2 percentage point increase since last week). Elementary, middle, and high schools are set to open for in-person classes this week.
De Blasio repeatedly claimed that 75% want to send their children to in-person classes based on a pretty flawed reading of a DOE survey
Wonder whether a more honest effort to understand parent preferences might have affected the city's planning
So of the 50% left who "DEMANDED" in person learning, how many are showing up to school? 2%? 5%? What a scam.
ReplyDelete3:32 has an interesting point. Is there a sizable % who didn't answer the survey who just won't show up? Kids w/disconnected phones, 40+ absences, etc.?We'll see this week in the high schools. I also think if it is "good", there is a chance that will dwindle when students find it boring to be separated, unable to leave for lunch, mostly in the same room, etc.
DeleteMonsey, Kiryas Joel, Borough Park. What do these places have in common?
ReplyDeleteNot picking on anyone (especially on a holy day); rather, pointing out that unless you work in a yeshiva, it's not relevant.
well what about the kids from that area that attend other elementary schools?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure he will find a way to deflate the infection rate percentages just as he finds a way to inflate the graduate rate percentages.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget also kids can opt to do full remote anytime during the school year so that number is surely going to go up when they find out all the additional rules they will have to follow in school.
ReplyDeleteJames, you’re right. The PSC did act like a real union. My wife teaches mathematics at Hunter College High School and is on the chapter executive board. They have been busy all summer challenging the administration, reaching out to hundreds of parents, voting no confidence in the administration and organizing a successful strike authorization vote.
ReplyDeleteAny word on Spring break 2020 compensation?
ReplyDeleteAny word on Election Day? - Students are full remote. Do staff have to work on this day? Is there PD on this day?
Election day is full instructional day.
ReplyDeletespring break-never
ReplyDeleteelection day-full teaching day
but according to Mulgrew we can work Election day from home.
ReplyDelete