Thursday, October 01, 2020

CHAPTER LEADER QUINN ZANNONI'S STAFF QUARANTINED AND SOME OTHER SECONDARY SCHOOL IN-PERSON OPENING DAY NEWS

Reports I heard on the first day of in person classes for secondary schools included huge class sizes for remote classes, dirty buildings, few live students, severe shortages of teachers, no nurse in one school, kids moving around without masks in another, some high schools all remote, and, inspite of it all, teachers still happy to greet students. 

For my daughter, having students in the middle school building she attends meant very little live interactions for the all remote students, just long diagnostic tests. Kids all got new programs too.

This account from a District 75 Chapter Leader Quinn Zannoni from the comments on yesterday's ICEBLOG post explains why nobody can let up on watching everything closely.

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.

For more on opening day for in-person secondary schools, this is part of a Chalkbeat article:

New Design, like many other high schools across the city, solved their staffing problem by having all their students learn online, even those who show up to the building, as teachers instruct students learning from their homes or from classrooms. One 10th grader decided in the middle of the school day that he no longer wanted to be in the building and was released early after the school called one of his parents, she said. She’s unsure why, but wondered if a rash of technical problems with school-based laptops in the morning was a factor.

In contrast, one of Dorcemus’ more vocal students excitedly told her he was in the building and offered to show her his classroom of five or six others — all while donning a mask.

“I just think it’s not for everybody, and people respond very differently,” Dorcemus said about returning to school.

Students at Stuyvesant High School, which enrolls more than 3,300 students, will also learn online even when they’re inside of the building.

Meril Mousoom, a 16-year-old senior at Stuyvesant who participated in the student rally, preferred to learn from home but chose the blended option so she could receive a MetroCard, which allows students three swipes a day to get to and from school and related activities. She wants to use the MetroCard to travel to multiple paid internships that she hopes will allow her to save up for college.

If you are so inclined, demand remote learning for your entire school based on equitable and fair treatment which you are contractually entitled to. 

Finally, I plead with all of you not to agree to any School Based Option that raises class sizes. 34 is too high already for high schools.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

US President isn't safe but we should go on buses and trains and interact with hundreds of people. We are the fucking dumbest.

Anonymous said...

Moody's downgraded the credit ratings of both New York City and New York state, citing the mounting toll of the pandemic on state and local economies, with sales-tax and income-tax revenues cratering

Anonymous said...

So the president can get this shit virus but NYC teachers and students are exempt according to MulBlasio?

Is someone evil for wishing it on Mulgrew and deBlasio for doing their best to infect teachers and students?

Shelley said...

We all know that members are too busy to keep up with all the changes to our contract and to agreements made and revised. We also know that Admins are trained in union breaking and circumventing the contract and all agreements and that they get an FAQ that instructs them in doing this. We know that most chapter leaders are either Unity people who merely parrot what they are told, more interested in serving themselves and a few in a school by doing the work of Admins, or good and great union people, volunteers, doing a thankless job, but are overburdened and often ill-informed. Thank you James for being a "Chapter Leader" to so many and helping people navigate these difficult months. The advice on the SBO is excellent. Do be careful with the SBO.

Anonymous said...

Yes Shelly James deserves thanks but I'm sick of hearing teachers and every day citizens don't have time to become and stay informed. It's your responsibility as a grown up to be aware of the political landscape and dig deep to find truth often hidden by the media and various spin masters. If you can't find the time, sleep an hour less.

Anonymous said...

Be absent.
"This isn’t just a couple of zip codes in southern Brooklyn anymore. It’s the entire borough," said one attendee. Added another: “They haven’t been this worried since April."

Anonymous said...

MS 80 in the Bronx has a student and para with Covid.

waitingforsupport said...

@4:50 am

Yes someone is evil to wish it on anyone.

Anonymous said...

Can I wish that Mulgrew gets indicted for corruption like those building trades union leaders were?

Anonymous said...

Amazon is patting themselves on their royal back because their infection rate is smaller than in the population as a whole. As if there is anyone in this 19,000+ group who is not a precious person who should not have been infected; who should not have been made a vector for others; who should not be working in a clean and safe environment where (s)he is treasured as a human being.

And the Infector/Commander in Chief President of the United States is the most egregious and most powerful everyone-else-be-damned so-what-if-you-get-this role model of them all.

Mulgrew and deBlasio fit this infamous group too.

Anonymous said...

Blame the system. We don't have enough staff to run the live model. Many schools are teaching their classes remotely whether the kids are home or in school because we don't have enough teachers in the building.

Anonymous said...

Fuck uft and their dues. I push in to 4 classes daily 3 for instructional lunch in the city's biggest hotzone (gravesend) and my building has 3 blended cohorts. That's 12 groups of students I'm exposed to every week. I don't feel safe, and I feel trapped.

Anonymous said...

If people come on here and complain, please follow that up by explaining what you have done to change something. Opt out? Help decertify? Walk out? Fail health screening? Alert the media?

Anonymous said...

I would take a photo of my THREE students whom I don’t teach, miserable with their heads down just waiting for this day to mercifully end, but it’s illegal. So I want you to imagine it and know that that’s what is happening in NYC high schools today.

Anonymous said...

On the first day of in-person school, 900 out of the 3700 students will be doing the in-person blended learning plan.

What was that thing
@NYCMayor
said about 75% of parents want their children in school buildings again?

Anonymous said...

You want not safe?? I am a teacher at FHS in Queens. I was in my classroom when the AP of the English/ESL department yelled at a teacher claiming "it is not my responsibility to make sure teachers wear masks." A teacher complained to the ESL/ELA AP because he concerned because he could not find a room that he could "safely work in" because so many teachers removed their masks during remote learning. Students are starting to put up a fight because they see teachers in rooms with no masks and think they should not have to wear them either. We are also told that student "need time to adjust," and should not be reprimanded for not wearing a mask."

James Eterno said...

2:14, You need to report that the city's School Reopening Plan that was sent to Albany is not being adhered to. That reopening Plan is supposed to have the force of law behind it. Keep us posted and email us at iceuft@gmail.com if you need further assistance. Don't be shy. It is your life and the lives of students and staff.

Anonymous said...

Teachers at my school are still not having their temperatures checked at the door.

James Eterno said...

Document, document, document. Report, report, report.

Anonymous said...

Latest from Carranza, Pre-K 3-4 and D75 students are not subject to random testing, DOE working on a "differentiated", testing plan for those children occupying buildings. "WHY?" Didn't a chapter leader just say in this post that a student in his class, in school tested positive? Now students will not be tested. So, no masks and no testing.
What kind of message does this send to teachers serving NYC Public Schools? What about potential health and safety risks for kids and people just trying to do their job?
Inequities all Around in DOE when it comes to D75 and those who serve.
Do these teachers deserve less safe guards than Gen Ed teachers? Is there hazard pay being offered for putting ones life in danger? Why are D75 employees treated differently than rest of NYC Public Schools?
Remember how there was no plan for D75 at open of S.Y. .
Doubt this will fly with teachers coming in that have kids or vulnerable family at home

Anonymous said...

Student attendance and grading policy?

Anonymous said...

Our regular nurse is not in due to maternity leave and so the imported covering nurse doesn't wear his mask and when confronted says, "It's okay. I feel fine. Asymptomatic people can't spread COVID." Can't make this stuff up.

waitingforsupport said...

Sorry for going off topic:
I hope each person offers a prayer today for our president and everyone who is battling Covid 19 or any challenge.

waitingforsupport said...

@5:00 pm...
I would ask the nurse to take a pic.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Mulgrew.

I’m teaching to remote students only. Making us feel like if we work remotely that we are incapable of giving high quality instruction. From an email today:
“Attached is the request to work remotely if you do not have approved medical accommodations AND you do not have any on-site responsibilities.
If you do not have on-site responsibilities, and wish to continue reporting to the building so that you may provide our students with the highest quality and most visually engaging educational experience, (Smartboards, etc.) you do not need to complete the survey.” And the “survey” asks for a “rationale” for working remotely. How about because my students are all remote or the UFT fought for this right or I want to have less opportunity for exposure to COVID, just to name a few??
I can’t with this kind of bullying language. I don’t need to be in a building to provide high quality instruction. What’s the point of having a union fighting for our rights if we are going to receive demoralizing statements and people feel too manipulated to take advantage of their rights.
I think what actually hinders my ability to provide high quality instruction is when my administration gives up on me or tells me I can’t do it.
Thanks for the rant time. Let’s see what Monday brings...

Anonymous said...

What should a teacher do when a parent interrupts your Zoom class and tell you in front of the students they do not like your teaching strategies (in front of the students)?

Anonymous said...

The reason New York City teachers are so confused and crestfallen is because we have a blunt smoking mayor and his dummy Chancellor running this shitshow. Just think about it, this stoner who is the mayor of New York City, is sitting on his porch of Gracie Mansion every night brainstorming how he can destroy this once great City.

Anon2323 said...

WE have 200 remote out of 350. 6-9 in a class is nice, these kids are so addicted to their cellphones it is beyond scary.

Would not mind this type of schedule for the entire year.

1. I agree that Trump getting Covid should worry everyone that it still there, the good news is the chances of surviving are fantastic.
2. CONTACT SUE EDELMAN AT THE POST IF SCHOOLS ARE BEING NEGLIGENT RANTING ON THE BLOG IS NICE BUT WON'T GET IT DONE!

Anonymous said...

Karma

Anonymous said...

Hehe

waitingforsupport said...

@8:49 pm
I would apologize to the class for the interruption. I would thank the parent and Let them know these are my teaching strategies. I would say that out of respect for the students, the parent should not interrupt the class but can email me to arrange a time to speak. I would then notify the principal in person and then via email.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew openly says why he’s really taking a “stand” on hotspots. Idiot partner BdB is risking it all:

“I don’t want to see all of this work being put at risk because of a small number of zip codes that can basically take our entire school system down."

Anonymous said...

Karma is for idiot teachers refusing to take a stand.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew openly says why he’s really taking a “stand” on hotspots. Idiot partner BdB is risking it all:

“I don’t want to see all of this work being put at risk because of a small number of zip codes that can basically take our entire school system down."