Monday, September 20, 2021

MULGREW SHOULD LEAD A WALKOUT OF ALL UNSAFE CLASSROOMS (Updated with Mulgrew Email)

Please listen very carefully to UFT President Michael Mulgrew's interview with Bridget Quinn on the 1010 WINS Newsline from this morning. Itook notes:

Mulgrew starts by saying he is happy with the mayor's new policy to test for COVID weekly but Mulgrew blasted the new policy not to quarantine elementary school students (whole classes) if there was a positive case in a classroom. Mulgrew acknowledged that Delta is dangerous for kids who don't yet have access to a vaccine but soon could and he says there was a ten-day quarantine if there was a positive case but now the mayor is saying as long as the children were always three feet apart and they have well-fitted masks on that only the child who tests positive would have to quarantine and the rest of the students would stay in place. He then added that the UFT does not agree with that at all. 

Bridget Quinn then asks Mulgrew what he thinks should happen with those kids who should be quarantined. Mulgrew responds by saying we want as minimal disruption as possible but we have to balance that with the safety for our students. He adds that last year COVID wasn't that big an issue with our younger students and if they did get it, it wasn't causing many problems unless there was an underlying condition. If we were a suburban district, we could guarantee that children were always 3 feet apart and there were never close contacts. We can't do that in NYC. We are the largest school system and we are very crowded. We don't agree with this change and there is no plan.

Quinn asks for clarification on whether they should quarantine. Mulgrew answers that the kids need to be quarantined. Quinn then responds that the mayor says he is following CDC guidelines. Mulgrew answers that the CDC guidelines are for most school systems but that NYC is unlike most systems because of its huge size and because it is very crowded.  Last week the mayor was touting how he was better than everybody else because he was doing more than the CDC guidelines. 

Quinn then asks: "What do you do now on the quarantine issue?"

Mulgrew replies that we are a union; we represent the teachers and many of the staff members in the school buildings. Our constant struggle throughout the pandemic is to keep the entire school community safe. We'll be working with the parents; we'll be working with the principals and the principal's union just trying to monitor this as best as we can because the mayor announced something today and there is no plan on how do we ensure that everyone has a well-fitted mask on. He asks: "Do you know what a well-fitted mask is?" Quinn answers that she does. She then adds that some kids will show up with the cloth masks that aren't really great and don't have a great fit so they could be exposed that way. Mulgrew interjects that there are many schools that cannot adhere to the 3-feet guidelines and they have exceptions. Are they part of this?  They then talk about the remote option and P.S 79 being closed. Mulgrew says thousands are already being taught remotely. P.S. 79 was the first school where we have definitive evidence that the spread was from inside the building. He claims we didn't have that last year.


Mulgrew's response to this dangerous policy change is as lame as we've come to expect. His outrage may be real but his solution to use the parents and the CSA to shield him shows how weak he is. 

What he should have said was if there is a positive case in an elementary school classroom, we are going to scream as loud as we can that the classroom is not safe and we urge everyone in the class to stay home and quarantine for ten days. We'll teach the children remotely to minimize the chance of a huge COVID spread in a school building.

What is so difficult about standing up for the health and safety of the kids and UFTers and not looking to hide behind the parents and the principals' union? He would have plenty of support if he would just lead here. 

Update:

Mulgrew's latest email. He is calling for an email campaign to the mayor. It is a start.

Dear __________,


Ever since the mayor announced in late August that the city planned to only do biweekly COVID testing this school year, the UFT has been prodding the city to hire more testing teams to continue the weekly testing that kept our school communities safe last school year. 

This morning, the mayor finally acquiesced and announced that starting on Sept. 27, the city will begin weekly testing in all schools — elementary, middle and high school.

The mayor also announced a change in quarantine policy for schools based on current CDC guidance. Under this new policy, which would also take effect on Sept. 27, students who are masked and three feet apart will NOT have to be quarantined if a positive COVID case is reported in their class.

We understand the need for consistent in-person learning for our students, especially after such a tumultuous year and a half. However, our school system,  the largest in the nation, faces a unique set of challenges that the mayor — in his typical fashion — has not thought through in his rush to announce a new policy. He needs to have a plan and do the work surrounding this policy to ensure that our students can be kept safe. 

The mayor continues to demonstrate that he does not know what it’s like inside our schools. But you do. He should have consulted with us — the people doing the work. We urge you to direct your questions about the new quarantine policy to him and demand that he answer them. 

Here are just a few of the MANY questions we are demanding the city answer before Sept. 27:

  • Does the new quarantine policy apply to classrooms that are not able to adhere to the 3-foot rule? 
  • Does it apply to cafeterias where students either don’t have pre-assigned socially-distanced seats or don’t stay in them?
  • What’s the procedure for teachers to report when students aren't wearing their masks correctly?
  • Will our members be asked by the test-and-trace team if their students consistently and correctly wore their masks?  Will the  test-and-trace teams return to schools three days after a known exposure and retest all students in that class?
  • Will full classrooms ever be closed? If so, what will be the criteria for closing them?
  • Will parents and families still be notified of positive cases in their school or their child’s class? 
  • Will parents have the option to quarantine their children if they wish when their child’s classmate tests positive for COVID but their child isn’t considered a “close contact”?

Hold the mayor accountable by emailing him your questions at Bdeblasio@cityhall.nyc.gov and cc: the union at quarantinequestions@uft.org. (Please note, this email address should not be used to send your school-related issues to the union.)

To report issues to the UFT directly regarding 3-foot distancing and mask policies related to quarantine, call 212-331-6311

We are prepared to do what we must to keep our schools safe, and together we will demand that the city does its part. 

Sincerely,

Michael Mulgrew's Signature

Michael Mulgrew

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like Lydia has covid. All the symptoms. When are all of you gonna wake up? Opt out. Walk out. Enough.

Anonymous said...

How bad would it be without without the strongest union in the world?

So the trade off for weekly testing is to allow unvaxxed children to remain in classrooms with positive cases? We’re dealing with eugenicists.

Anonymous said...

Who is Lydia?

Anonymous said...

Shut this shit show down now. Let's walk out demask and breathe.

Anonymous said...

I almost threw up in my mouth when Mulgrew wrote,
"He [the mayor] should have consulted with us — the people doing the work."
How many times has Mulgrew made a critical decision in back room meetings without rank and file input?
Oblivious to his own disgrace.

nerd said...

It is an election year for Mulgrew. He’s gotta look good in front of the membership even if it’s been obvious for a long time that it’s time for a change in leadership

Anonymous said...

It is getting really bad, I predict tomorrow will be even worse:

Situation Room Summary
Confirmed Positive COVID Cases: September 20, 2021 as of 6 PM
Total Students Staff
299 226 73
Confirmed Cumulative Positive COVID Cases: September 13, 2021 - September 20, 2021 at 6 PM
Total Students Staff
1,274 817 457

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew DOES NOT look good in front of the membership. He looks like a complete asshole and it is obvious to pretty much every teacher that I know. I hope and pray my fellow elementary teachers will finally pull their collective heads out of the sand and vote for once. (And hope that they vote Mulgrew out!)

Anonymous said...

How can you be sure the kids always kept 3 feet from the infected person and the kids were wearing their masks properly? Remember it's only 3 feet when possible. Will doubt go in favor of quarantining?

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew is not oblivious. He's part of the elite club. Teachers are peasants who should shut up and follow their different set of rules. And keep paying dues.

Anonymous said...

Time to publish the stats on this blog every day. Give us the ammo to go after public officials beside mayor as well as MM. Will throw up if I see/hear another ad with MP and Dr. C. Time for him to speak up forcefully for what is medically sound or move on!

Anonymous said...

Lydia is the leader of Solidarity.

Anonymous said...

Lydia does not have covid.

Anonymous said...

Oh—I thought it was the Lydia from one of Groucho’s old tunes.

Anonymous said...

Heard a news report that 25% of all new nationwide Covid cases are ages 5 thru 12. It’s inevitable that more children in NYC will test positive—but hopefully not get ill. The big question will be whether or not parents will trust the Pfizer children’s vaccine come late October.

Mulgrew has been President for almost 12 years. This is not a lifetime position. It’s time for a change. Send him a message come next spring—by voting him out.

In a related Covid issue—it’s hard to believe that more professional athletes have not tested positive. There have been pockets of NBA players, baseball players and some soccer players that missed time this past year due to testing positive or not following Covid protocols.

However, did every NFL player get their mandated vaccines? NFL players can still test positive even with the vaccine-and football teams can forfeit games if too many players aren’t available—even though they did get vaccinated.
I just get the feeling that all professional sports team—from this point going forward—are going to hide any positive findings as long as the individual is asymptotic—which sort of suggests that the city will hide positive Covid data that could present potential school closure issues.
There will be cheating and of lot of looking the other way—if it’s not already happening.

Anonymous said...

Said she had lost sense of taste and smell, sore throat...sounds like it to me.

Anonymous said...

Positive means nothing - how many are sick? If you’re not going to quarantine why test at all?? How about we follow the old fashioned rule? If you’re sick, stay home! Update for current times - add in get tested We are living in Alice in Wonderland world

Anonymous said...

Federal gov gave billions of dollars to schools to open safely, why didn't MM fights to reduce class size and hire more teachers to staff the additional classes?
How is it safe for a teacher and students to be in classes of 36+1 teacher, 35+3 teachers, and 34+2 teachers?
Impossible to physically distance...

Anonymous said...

This is all so crazy! There is no easy answer for any scenario. DeBlasio wants to use our kids as an experiment and teachers too. Didn't we do this in March 2020?
Mr. Mulgrew, Sir, we have contractual right to guaranteed safe working conditions for those you represent. (The Teachers!) The D.O.E. must guarantee safe schools for the children we serve. We all work to serve our families to the best of our ability. I query, are our working conditions safe under these self proclaimed safe work rules? When will you hear the cries of concern from the membership in the trenches?
I don't want to die or be hospitalized because I am vaccinated and contract COVID-19 due to unsafe working conditions. Teachers will have to pay hospital bills, not the DOE. ( and we know how that goes... overcharged for things others get free)
You mentioned NYC Public schools are like no other in NY. We are so over populated and over crowded there is no way possible to adhere to a 3 foot distance rule anywhere. You know this, where is your voice? Your voice is not loud enough, deceiving the trusting parent who believe their child is safe, The teachers are safe.

Anonymous said...

https://www.microcovid.org/?distance=tenFt&duration=480&interaction=oneTime&personCount=34&riskProfile=contact10&scenarioName=60minShoppingCrowded&setting=filtered&subLocation=US_36005&theirMask=thin&theirVaccine=vaccinated&topLocation=US_36&voice=loud&yourMask=surgical&yourVaccineDoses=2&yourVaccineType=pfizer

So roughly a 0.3% chance in a crowded hs with little regard for distancing?

Anonymous said...

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/after-altercation-at-restaurant-black-lives-matter-claims-nyc-vaccine-mandate-is-being-weaponized/

Where the hell have you been this whole time, BLM ? Please visit schools next. No unvaccinated parents allowed in school buildings.

Anonymous said...

From BLM NYC co-founder:

“Seventy-two percent of black people in this city from ages 18 to 44 are unvaccinated. So what is going to stop the Gestapo, I mean the NYPD, from rounding up black people, from snatching them off the train, off the bus?” she added.

Chivona Newsome suggested that if these incidents continue, Black Lives Matter could revolt to exact justice like it did after George Floyd’s death.

“We’re putting this city on notice, that your mandate will not be another racist social-distance practice. Black people are not going to stand by, or you will see another uprising. And that is not a threat; that is a promise,” she said. “The vaccination passport is not a free passport to racism.”

Anonymous said...

So the only way a classroom will close is if every student in the room gets covid. This mayor is a joke. Our union leader doesnt have any muscle to tell this mayor off. None of these students are three feet apart. We should all take pictures and send them to the newspapers.

Anonymous said...

Mikey Mulgoo better think fast. Keeping unvaccinated exposed students in school is a recipe for disaster. Waiting until they test positive is too late. Students will keep spreading this to other kids and families. Teachers don't want to bring this home to their families.

No vax should mean quarantine!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Check out this filing by State Senator John Liu, cosponsor Robert Jackson: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S7381



Anonymous said...

LOL @ 8:43 - oooh Stop the presses, BLM has spoken. BLM is credible all of a sudden. You have no scruples - you'll just go whichever way the wind blows. Not to say that BLM is not credible, but you're so disingenuous.

nerd said...

Keep in mind that we don't technically have a contract; we have a "memorandum of agreement" that is only pages long. Whatever goes on behind closed doors is not in the best interest of teachers/

Anonymous said...

You need a vaccine card to go in a restaurant-but it is perfectly legit to have anyone and everyone crowfed into a school cafeteria??how so?
If thete was remote option, it would alleviate overcrowfing.

Anonymous said...

Will teachers be terminated for not taking the experimental drug?

Anonymous said...

No.not right away.
placed in leave

Anonymous said...

11:19 So BLM is credible but they’re wrong about this particular protest?? BLM is correct in their assertion that vaccine passports are racist?? You really didn’t say anything other than 8:43 is disingenuous which has absolutely nothing to do with BLM’s credibility. Are vaccine passports racist? Or is BLM wrong? Is BLM credible on this issue. I’ve never found BLM credible but vaccine passports are inherently anti black-American because they’re unAmerican. The validity of my opinion is irrelevant to my opinion on BLM. Accusations of disingenuousness don’t invalidate a thing 8:43 posted. 8:43’s motives are irrelevant to the debate.

Anonymous said...

@2:10...8:43 is that you? Because you sound like the same racist who was going around blaming black and brown people for the low vaccine numbers and then you accused liberals of encouraging the police to attack black people over passports. SO WHAT if BLM took that position. The police arrested the women over an allegation of assault. Yes, they took a white woman's word over a black person. Big surprise. That has NOTHING to do with vaccine mandates. But nice try.

Anonymous said...

Hahahaha "I've never found BLM crefible but on this...". My point exactly. You think passportd are anti-black and unAmerican? Who cares? I DONT.

Anonymous said...

Leader Newsome of BLM is not vaccinated and thats why he's in such a tizzy about it. He wants al vaccine requirements to end. LOLOLOLOLOL. Imagine all the BLM causes one can support and you pick the nutty one because youre a like minded nutjob LOLOL

Anonymous said...

"I’ve never found BLM credible but vaccine passports are inherently anti black-American because they’re unAmerican. The validity of my opinion is irrelevant to my opinion on BLM"

What the fuck does this even mean? You don't have a good opinion of BLM but you're using them as a source? Someone's motives most certainly are relevant to the debate. Who the fuck are you? The arbiter on what is or isn't relevant to a debate?

Anonymous said...

4:03 The victim was Asian, not white. You’re the racist who sees white perpetrators everywhere.
Anti mandate people don’t “blame” any unvaccinated for anything. That’s your job.

Anonymous said...

What does it mean 10:42? It means that I am capable of agreeing or disagreeing with an opinion one issue at a time. If Kamala Harris tells me that cigarettes are bad for my health, I don’t light up and tell Kamala cigarettes are healthy just because I don’t like Kamala and don’t find her overall to be credible. BLM is not a credible organization but I agree with them on this issue. Are you not capable of understanding complex ideas?

Anonymous said...

11:01 LOL @ you thinking you're so complex. Your previous post was not complex, it was gibberish.

Good for you but didnt you ask "so BLM is credible but theyre wrong about this protest"? Would it be your white privilege that makes you think only you can agree/disageee on a particular issue? I'm capable of discerning flaming hyoocrites who are disingenuous in their arguments and who try to latch onto others they usually despise to further their own wacky causes. BLM is a credible organization but I disagree with them on this issue. Do you understand that?

Anonymous said...

@7:08. Now she's the victim? I thought she was the instigator according to BLM. But OK - the police will accept ANYONE else's word over a black and brown person. Is that better? Anti-mandate people certainly do blame everyone. You're whining all over these blogs blaming Mulgrew, DeBlasio, Liberals, Progressives, black and brown people. You dont blame anyone? Bwahahahaha

waitingforsupport said...

@11:19pm ...
Last year there were so many comments about BLM being thugs terrorists looters,etc. Now some of the same commenters want BLM to "act up". Horrible. This is the hypocrisy that I speak of. Educators need to unify and walk out if they believe schools are not safe. Stop pontificating on a blog. BLM isn't your shield.

Anonymous said...

The sole purpose of blogs and comments is to pontificate. No comments here wanting BLM to act up. BLM and Trump voters are both against vaccine passports. Deal with it.

12:01 only racists assign color to privilege

Anonymous said...

3:56 Keep trying. BLM and Trump voters being against mandates is supposed to bother me? Why should I give a fuck? The mandates are moving ahead. And plenty of Comservatives who dont have their head up Trump's colon and Liberals support it. You deal with that.

You don't pontificate snowflake, you regurgitate and bloviate. LOL.

Anonymous said...

3:56 Only a racist would think that BLM is the spokesperson on vaccines. Aren't racists always saying they're a terrorist group? So you support what right-wingers consider to be a terrorist group when they take your side on an issue? Nice.

It's so funny to see people so mad about a vaccine mandate. There was a woman at work literally crying that it was not fair. A grown woman with 5 children to support crying about possibly losing her job because of a vaccine. Crazytown. They've convinced themselves that they're the last holdouts of a forced vaccine when many people were climbing over each other, and waiting for hours to get a vaccine, before anything was mandated.

Anonymous said...

Nope. Don’t support BLM. But do think they are correct in rejecting vaccine mandates. Nuanced thinking escapes the progressive minds here. BLM says the sun rises in the east but since I don’t support them they must be wrong about that. BLM is the “spokesperson” for BLM. BLM also happens to agree with Trump supporters on rejecting vaccine passports. Fuck Donald Trump. But I still agree with him on rejecting vaccine passports. See how it works? I assess the idea, not the person with the idea. Fuck Donald Trump but yeah Donny you’re 100% right about our southern border. Donny’s a dick but his policies are good. Now get your head out of Biden’s colon.

Anonymous said...

"A majority of voters support mandatory coronavirus vaccines and indoor mask-wearing requirements, according to a new Morning Consult/POLITICO poll that shows opposition to the requirements is chiefly limited to Republicans.

The survey also found that about half of all voters blame the new wave of infections that have sent numbers spiking equally on the unvaccinated and on political leaders opposed to mask-wearing and social-distancing mandates. About one-fifth of voters said neither is responsible; 14 percent blamed the unvaccinated solely and another 7 percent targeted the politicians."

Anonymous said...

waitingforsupport yes, they're trying to use BLM as their shield. Someone posted elsewhere that it was what they needed. Cowards who can't make any gains on their stance, on their own, and want to hide behind black and brown people.

Anonymous said...

7:43 ahaha you can't even come up with your own insults or slogans. LOL. Your head is so far up your OWN ass. Fuck Trump but you agree with him on all his policies. You're a fucking clown and your head *is* far up his colon. You, and other Trump supporters agree with BLM on vaccine mandates? Big fucking deal. You don't support them, don't send them money, don't march with them, discredit them every chance you get, so they couldn't give a shit that you agree or disagree with them on this. Now you want to put your head up BLM's ass by pretending they're your new best friend. They see right through racists like you and don't need you. Seems like you are looking for them to save your azz on this mandate issue. You're a non-motherfucking factor. The fact that they are on "Trump supporters" side on this is just going to ensure that they fall flat on their face with this. Oh well, it happens to the best of them time and again.

Anonymous said...

BLM doesn’t give a shit that they agree with Trump supporters but it drives you freedom hating nyc libs crazy. Hahahahaha That’s what’s so fun about it.

Anonymous said...

1:03 - thats because you're delusional and have to make up shit in that empty skull of yours to feel good. A sad existence that you project onto others. Your irrational posts proves that it is you going crazy, like your wild imaginings of people being dragged out while you beg liberals to take up your cause. Mandates are coming down whether you and BLM like it or not. You can barely get into a NYC restaurant but there you are having a fake chuckle at your own imaginary scenarios. Laugh's on you moron. LOL

Anonymous said...

1:03's faux concern, or rather her obsession, for the black community is comical. She/It, lol, thinks that everyone else is as easily triggered as she is because that's what she does. She's the only one who obsessed over one mask comment and she is the one bringing up BLM yet she projects that everyone else is crazy over it. "Boo hoo BLM made a statement" ROFLMAO. Many more black groups are holding vaccine outreach and making sure the black community has access. All the whining and crying and accomplished nothing because the axman cometh on the 27th. Laugh then psycho. LOL.

Anonymous said...

@1:03 "That’s what’s so fun about it"? You're supposed to be an adult being paid to teach? You sound like a silly teenage girl. Embarrassing.

Anonymous said...

4:53 How many UFT members targeted for firing by progressive UFT members is acceptable? For me the answer is zero. You’re okay with exposing teacher mask slips and firing teachers for mask slips. You’re in favor of the doe snitch culture because you ARE the doe snitch culture, progressives.

Anonymous said...

6:59 you should be fired. Get it? YOU. I'm all in favor of it. Absolutely, positively. You're a liar and you're committing fraud on the students and taxpayers. No sane and decent person is going to support your bullshit no matter how much you go around this blog trying to make it about a mask. You're a cowardly rat who sits in your Admin's comfy chair for a pat on your head. Psycho.