Wednesday, December 23, 2020

DIANE RAVITCH, CEA RESPOND TO BIDEN SECRETARY OF EDUCATION PICK

 From Diane Ravitch's blog:

President-Elect Joe Biden selected Dr. Miguel Cardona, Commissioner of Education in Connecticut, to be his administration’s Secretary of Education.

Diane copies the Washington Post article on the selection where they note that the Democrats for Education Reform types won because a progressive educator was not picked for the job.

Ravitch then opines:

So this much is clear. Biden rejected the progressive candidate, Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick. However, Dr. Cardona is not a Broadie, not a DFER favorite, not a member of Jeb Bush’s “Chiefs for Change.” All of this is good news. We know that these fake “reformers” lobbied hard for one of their own. They lost. That’s good news too.

Dr. Cardona has not taken a position on the major issues that define the major education policy battles of the past two decades. He has been critical of excessive testing, but does not oppose the use of standardized testing on principle. He has been critical of test-based evaluation of teachers (a major element of Race to the Top), because he knows that it doesn’t work. 

I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic right now. From the Washington Post story that Ravitch cites, we also learn that one of Cardona and President-Elect Biden's major goals is to open school buildings as fast as possible. That could mean problems. 

The Connecticut Education Association is optimistic. Here's part of their reaction to Cardona's selection:

“Cardona is a Connecticut public school educator who understands the federal role in increasing educational opportunities for all students, seeks teacher voices in collaborative efforts to help improve schools, and recognizes that highly qualified teachers are the greatest asset in public education,” says CEA President Jeff Leake.

And later:

“Throughout the pandemic he has worked closely with education stakeholders to address important issues facing our students, teachers, families, and communities and has ensured all students have access to technology for remote learning,” Leake adds. “He believes teachers need to have a seat at the table in order to develop well-informed education policy. He has always sought out diverse educator voices as experts and welcomed their experience and knowledge on many issues that impact educators and their students.”

Cardona worked alongside educators to address important concerns but many challenging issues remain unresolved. Last spring he waived the 180 school day requirement when the pandemic hit, worked hard to ensure graduating students received the recognition they deserved when schools were forced to close, secured a federal waiver from annual standardized testing, waived teacher evaluation requirements at the end of the last school year, and supported remote work options for teachers unable to teach in-person due to health conditions, quarantine, or childcare issues.

As commissioner, Cardona has brought diverse groups together and welcomed the continuing conversation and sharing of perspectives with education groups including CEA, AFT Connecticut, and the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, while working to address the challenges facing public education in Connecticut.  

75 comments:

  1. Hmmmm.....

    https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=115827897044348&id=103294138297724

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  2. He was picked because he is hispanic

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  3. Randi must be devastated, she was prepared to betray every teacher in the country for her seat at the table. Mulgrew will have to stay as the head of the UFT and LeRoy will have to be patent as well. Lucky us.

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  4. I say give him a chance first. Let's not make judgements. Nobody will be perfect but he definitely sounds better than Devos.

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  5. Yeah, sounds like a bunch of happy employees.

    One in four teachers are considering quitting, according to a new survey. Horace Mann Educators Corporation surveyed 1,240 U.S. educators from K-12 public schools for the report. Roughly 27% say they are considering leaving their job, retiring early or taking a leave of absence because of the pandemic.

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  6. The uft completely abandoned me.

    I am beyond annoyed. My school was shut down a week before all the schools were due to positive cases. I was a little disappointed bc we were all getting into a nice routine but I also completely understood bc COVID-19, duh. But then Dumblasio, CarrASSnza and whomever else, decided that the little ones needed to be back in the building... right after Thanksgiving...you know the holiday where most families get together without social distancing? Yeah, that one. 😒 I agree they need in person instruction, hence I didn't get an accommodation (although my chubby self could have lol) but after Thanksgiving was not the time! 5 days a week now, with even more kids who opted in, plus a few push-ins which make it way over the number of people allowed in the class due to sq footage... but who follows guidelines? The good news? We get tested weekly now, great! Oh well, except the little ones (the ones I teach) and D75 of course. 🙄 So, we get tested in school and my coworker whom I work with very closely tests positive but I don't...yet. That meant quarantine for me bc of prolonged direct exposure. I obviously had to get retested within the 14 days of quarantine and guess who is positive now? Me! Guess who can not celebrate the holidays with their elderly father? Me! Guess who gets to isolate for the entire winter break? Me! And when isolation is over, guess who gets to go directly back into the building? Me!! I am livid and currently HATE everyone who made the decision for the kids to go back after Thanksgiving. My school was only open for 5 days bc of positive cases. In my opinion these numnuts took away my holiday, family, friends, sense of smell/taste and much needed break. I hope they all get coal for Christmas and that's being nice!
    * I am aware that this is a scary situation that I am trying to make light of for my own sanity. I am actually nervous and sad.

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  7. What are we doing TOGETHER as a union about the school buildings we are in with NO testing happening? We were told there would be mandatory testing EVERY week and yet we have schools who haven’t had any testing at all, some who haven’t been tested in weeks, etc. Why are we putting ourselves at risk going into these buildings when they aren’t holding up their end of the deal with mandatory testing every week????

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  8. 10:36: Talk, talk, talk. Teachers always say they want to leave teaching. When push comes to shove though, most don't.

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  9. This pandemic has been a great boon for most thinking teachers who chose to work from home. I don’t know anyone who’s unhappy with it.

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    Replies
    1. Really? People like teaching from home??? Who!?!? I hate it. I don’t know anyone who likes it.

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  10. I am leaving. Just waiting for the vaccine.

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  11. Sounds like Carranza 2.0.

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  12. It could be worse? Is that the best you got?

    Mayor Bill de Blasio
    @NYCMayor
    Today’s #COVID19 indicators:

    • 224 new hospitalizations
    • 2,789 new cases
    • 6.19% positivity rate (7-day avg.)

    We’re not out of the woods. Wear a mask. Practice social distancing. And if you have travel plans: cancel them. It’s a big sacrifice but it’s one we need to make.

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  13. To 10:36 and 11:16–One out of 3 teachers leave within 10 years —pre-Covid days. But remember if DeBlasio doesn’t get funding by September 1, 2021–unfortunately, there could be as many as 8,000 teacher layoffs—and who knows what else at all the other City agencies Let’s see how much pandering to the unions Is done by the 2021mayoral candidates and how much movement is done by the State Legislators—to pass any sort of early retirement incentives.

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  14. 12:54: Yes, and they're easily replaced by dumb newbies.

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  15. ATRs will finally be placed.

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  16. I hope you all like the anti white rhetoric. Miguel Cardona, President-elect Biden’s education secretary nominee, recently oversaw the creation of soon-to-be mandated critical race theory courses for high schoolers in Connecticut.

    Cardona, in his capacity as education commissioner, made Connecticut the first state in the nation to require all high schools to offer courses on African American, Black, Puerto Rican and Latino studies.

    The requirement was implemented by the state’s Board of Education earlier this month under Cardona and Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont.

    Listed under the courses’ learning objectives, the curricula states the goal is to “Analyze how race, power, and privilege influence group access to citizenship, civil rights, and economic power.”

    According to the Connecticut Mirror, the board is hoping that with enough momentum, the courses will go from being a full-year elective to a requirement for all students.

    SEE ALSO

    Joe Biden announces Miguel Cardona as education secretary nominee
    Cardona celebrated the courses being approved by the board, saying in a statement earlier this month, “This curriculum acknowledges that by connecting the story of people of color in the U.S. to the larger story of American history. The fact is that more inclusive, culturally relevant content in classrooms leads to greater student engagement and better outcomes for all.”

    Schools may begin offering the courses in the 2021-2022 academic year, but every school will be required to offer them by fall 2022.

    Cardona has spent his career in public schools and would be expected to fulfill Biden’s sweeping education reforms, including making public college tuition-free for families that earn less than $125,000 annually.

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    Replies
    1. Like Carranza on steroids.

      Listed under the courses’ learning objectives, the curricula states the goal is to “Analyze how race, power, and privilege influence group access to citizenship, civil rights, and economic power.”

      How about analyze how hard work, self motivation, respect for teachers and others, and being a good person are the true keys to success, not what color or race you are.

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    2. If everything is based on race, privilege, etc. then how did Cardona who is a minority and came from poverty rise to the position he is in and at such a record speed? These people really need to get their heads out of their asses and admit the truth.

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  17. UFT? Curious as to why the DOE is not testing kindergarten students… In my building we have two students, totally unrelated, in two separate kindergarten classrooms, they were displaying symptoms of some sort of illness, they were sent home and it turns out that both tested positive for Covid.  which begs me to question and wonder why we are not testing our young students/all students that are in the buildings

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  18. I predict the new boss will be the same as the old boss. Mandate mind numbing pd, enact dumb policies that ensure kids will continue to graduate despite their lack of basic skills, hold teachers accountable for student motivation and achievement, no consequences for assholes who don’t want to learn. Yippee! Can’t wait.

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  19. Yes 513

    See Obama, Tim Scott, Harris, Holder...

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  20. I now have teachers and students ganging up on me because I am the only one to give an honest grade. Happy everyone?

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  21. 3:29 is on top of things and paying attention.
    Get ready to hate your country and apologize for being white. And it doesn't matter if you worked for everything you have in life, if you are white, you are inherently privileged and a racist. Have fun teaching that garbage.

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  22. LOL

    Joe Biden
    It’s long past time we pay teachers what they deserve.

    The work they do is of extreme national importance — and their salaries should reflect that.

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  23. Cocksucker McConell at it again ....

    https://www.pix11.com/news/national/coronavirus/beginning-jan-1-employers-wont-have-to-provide-paid-leave-for-employees-with-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0b9HuXryvjyngsJ0TLcMuTzSu4KBBdUz4NkYZEdB4XPfPeB5s6MB8VuCo

    - Hawk

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  24. So how much of a pay cut are we taking in the contract?

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  25. Thank goodness.
    It's time to reduce the salaries of those who give fraud grades to $0.

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  26. If they havent placed atrs now they never will. And thats ok by me. We atrs have been stepped on and abused. They never consider us for any positions unless its short term. Six more years to go and I dont give a shit. I can be a good yes man and follow orders. Deep inside Im laughing cause the snowflakes are busting their asses.

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  27. https://nypost.com/2020/12/23/schools-can-do-remote-learning-my-charter-school-kids-benefiting-from-it/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=pasteboard_app

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  28. TeachNY, I wrote ‘thinking teachers’.

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    Replies
    1. You meant to write lazy teachers, correct? How can anyone LOVE it?

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  29. Identity politics its 2020, we had a black president its 60 years removed from civil rights, lets stop making excuses for racism maybe families need to work harder and focus on education. Chinese seem to care. My Dad was first generation holocaust survivor and had to learn just like people who come here other areas need to learn.

    haha Joe Biden had 8 years as VP to help salaries and techers just like he had 47 years as a plagiaristic swamp rate who nobody seems to have any answers to what he has done for thic country?

    The whole country should be fuming over this covid bullshit which gives 700 billion plus to other countries! WTFF!!! Pelosi negated TRups 1,200 months ago because she admitted it would be a win for Trump how can anyone back her she def needs to be gone from this earth.

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  30. @10:05- i count agree more.
    Former atr forced placed assignment against my will.
    i'd give anything to go back to the good ole days.
    but yes i do perfer teaching from home.
    the kids that are interested in learning zoom in.
    when they actout other kids do tell them to be quit more often then in person.
    lastly the mute button is a really valuable tool.

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    Replies
    1. Ugh why? Teaching from home is terrible. Thank God this will be over in September.

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  31. Keeping the ATR pool the way it is is admitting that the city has money to waste.

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  32. Thank you uft.
    This Christmas Eve, I got a positive test for COVID. So I'll be quarantined for about the next week.

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  33. From somebody who isnt a teacher...

    Charity is giving something of value that the person wants

    You giving a passing grade and a worthless diploma is not charity. It's a circus and Fraud. But you getting upset about is unhelpful and unnecessary. You aren't unfairly helping anyone by giving them a worthless degree they don't deserve. Again, IT IS WORTHLESS. Google is not hiring them over me and paying them 250k per year because they have a worthless degree. No one cares about it except maybe the recipients who don't yet know how worthless it is.

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  34. I'm 1pm. I opted out today. That was the last straw. Covid Christmas and covid with family. I begged them not to force us in.

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  35. Good luck..

    Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine causing more allergic reactions than expected
    By Yaron SteinbuchDecember 24, 2020 | 7:42am | Updated

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  36. Pos case in student.d75 kid unmasked. .i am a close contact.admin called me, but no communication from situation rm.so if they wait till mon to contact people, others could potentially spread it for 5 days during the holidays. Plus we dont know when the kid got it.he is asymptomatic. Time to go remote.too close for comfort.lets bring covid pos people to Christmas Carol unmasked at mulgrew, diblasio and cuomo homes!spread the love!!

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  37. Well, a few more happy dues members. We should demand change. What a joke.

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  38. I completed the Truama PD for the DOE

    It is ironic that that the DOE is responsible for so much toxic stress.

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  39. I am a stock market investor. There is no precedent that would make one defer retroactive pay for 12 years with no interest or take 1% raises for 11 years or give up 8.25% TDA for nothing.

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  40. Right, because infection rate at 7% across the city and 15% in some areas is no big deal. I'm glad the uft is helping. Money well spent. Amazing you lost the election by 90% when you ran.

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  41. 3:18, Thinking about the 2010 election can always deflate my ego. Happy holidays and stay safe.

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  42. https://nypost.com/2020/12/26/nyc-parents-upset-luck-trumps-merit-in-middle-school-lottery-admissions/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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  43. Nicely done, uft. No wonder the % is so low. Dues well spent.
    Covid-19 tests used by NY schools likely to miss cases of Covid-19 in kids
    Mary B. Pasciak Dec 26, 2020 Updated 2 hrs ago 0

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  44. Better get the most robust testing in the country ready. I'm sure mulgrew is ready.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9088561/Super-infectious-mutant-strain-coronavirus-likely-affect-children-claims-study.html?fbclid=IwAR00gErBeEUbfqSWR9oTVll5fOpxR4I4j1iy_MzdlzZL8OIT-ykA87UosGA

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  45. So we’re simultaneously being told to stay home over Christmas but 6 days later letting thousands of children congregate is ok?
    Quote Tweet
    The Oregonian
    @Oregonian
    · Dec 23
    Oregon schools can decide to reopen starting Jan. 1, Governor Kate Brown says https://trib.al/3aCVkB3

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  46. COVID-19 takes the life of a beloved Pinellas County music teacher
    By Justin MatthewsPublished 2 days agoFloridaFOX 13 News

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  47. Jen Lingeman MD

    I have folks desperate to get tested in NYC. Their experience is 6 hour lines that they are too frail to wait on. Express has crashed. Everyone says NYC's testing is easy; can someone please tell me where the easy, humane, elder-friendly test sites are?

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  48. Nicely done, uft.

    @NYCMayor

    @UFT
    You both wanted to open schools in a pandemic, and you made it happen. It was a major accomplishment in the fall when numbers were all very low. Now in a major surge, with even more increases to come soon, it’s time to think of the reopening win as a chess match.

    Today’s indicators:

    • 191 new hospitalizations
    • 3,015 new cases
    • 7.07% positivity rate (7-day avg.)

    2020 isn’t over yet, and neither is this fight. Get tested, continue social distancing, and keep each other safe

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  49. Any word at all when middle schools will be open for face to face learning?

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  50. The Secretary of Education has about much relevance to the average classroom teacher’s life as the Commissioner of Baseball

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  51. Arne Duncan, Obama's Secretary of Education, had a ton of influence with the horrific Race to the Top. Think how many teachers lost jobs, schools were closed and charters started.Through funding, the federal government can have a huge influence on us locally. Rod Paige with the bogus Texas miracle had a huge impact on us with the disastrous No Child Left Behind.

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  52. And nothing will change.

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  53. It feels weird that we are going to be sending teachers back into classrooms in a little over a week. The vaccine is here. I don't think that any teacher should be expected to enter a classroom until they have been offered the vaccine.

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  54. After working in the doe as a teacher for ten years, If I leave and decide not to return, what am I guaranteed once I hit age 55? ( medical? What percent of my current pay?) Any info helps.

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    Replies
    1. Nothing. You cannot collect on anything until you’re 63 or 65 (somewhere in that age span). You have to resign first, then come back and reenter the system to collect.

      Delete
    2. usual Teach NY has no idea what they are talking about. At 55 with tens service credit you will entitled to 1.66 x 10 - a huge age reduction factor. If you wait to collect at 62 then the age factor goes away so it would be 1.66 x 10 = 16.6 of the average salary of your highest 3 consecutive years. As for health benefits you would be entitled to that but. It sure of the details. You do not have to renter / rehired in the system to collect.

      Delete
    3. You get what you’re entitled to, but not at 55!

      Delete
  55. More happy dues payers. Does anyone ever day anything positive?

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  56. I would like to openly ask the UFT as to the whereabouts of the monies we are owed for giving up our Spring break this past April.

    We, meaning the rank and file, receive zero voluntary updates from the UFT and the only time we get info is if some teacher is lucky enough to get past the guardrails during a town hall or a delegate assembly.

    So UFT, where is our spring break monies. It is now almost a year since we had the spring break rug pulled out from under us, show us the money.

    At the very least, show us, the dues paying members, something concrete, like a paper trail, that we can see so that we know it is moving forward.

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  57. Sounds like when I call out grade fraud. I get in trouble but cant quite figure out what im doing wrong.
    Zhang Zhan, the 37-year-old Chinese lawyer/journalist who exposed the Wuhan's coronavirus outbreak and detained in May, has been jailed for 4 years. She was found guilty of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", a frequent charge against activists.

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  58. Good news...Keep it going, uft. The city's seven-day average coronavirus positivity rate now stands above 7%, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.

    In a tweet Sunday, the mayor said just over 3,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the city Saturday, with 191 people admitted to city hospitals.

    "2020 isn’t over yet, and neither is this fight," de Blasio tweeted. "Get tested, continue social distancing, and keep each other safe."

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  59. Risk happens slowly, then all at once.
    Anyone who still thinks New Yorkers don’t mind high taxes or heavy-handed governance should ponder Tuesday’s population estimates from the US Census Bureau. Residents are voting with their feet — and heading for the exits in record numbers.

    According to a report by the Empire Center’s E.J. McMahon, New York could be on its way “to its first population decline in any decade since the 1970s.” Its headcount fell by a whopping 126,355, or 0.65 percent, to a total of 19,336,776 over the year that ended July 1, the estimates indicate — the biggest drop of any state, both as a percentage and in absolute numbers.

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  60. Serious question Im sure noody willa nswerr. So, sprimng break money, Muilgrew saud negotiate in ocotober. It is now almost january. No way doe pays teachers alone $400M. What are looking at and when will we get it? Next summer? A couple of sick days? A couple hundred bucks instead of the thousands we are each owed?

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  61. Thanks uft. With covid came opt out. Be careful. I have COVID-19. My only risky behavior has been to show up at school each day. I haven’t been around family since school started so at least I know they won’t get it from me. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

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  62. Im so glad mulgrew agreed to that robust testing. Good luck next week.

    A 7% 7-day-avg positivity rate prolly means a horrid 10-12% daily rate.

    Way to go Mayor! Keep fiddlin’ while Rome burns....and you’d think we woulda learned somthin from Nero. Sheeesh.

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  63. Give people their flowers when they can still smell them.

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