Sunday, January 16, 2022

REMOTE OPTION IS HERE

This was reported by Sue Edelman in the NY Post today.

A remote option is coming back to city schools in response to plunging attendance amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Under a new Department of Education policy, students who don’t show up even though they are not sick or under quarantine won’t be marked absent if they meet with teachers on Zoom office hours and get class materials online.

Students can still be marked present, for instance, if they log onto Google Classroom to view PowerPoint presentations, subject notes and assignments. They can also communicate with teachers via email.

“We’re giving students permission to stay home as long as they are showing some level of participation online,” a Queens teacher told The Post.

“The city is making attendance rates go up.”

The change, quietly posted online Friday and first reported by Gothamist, came a day after Mayor Eric Adams revealed he was willing to negotiate a “temporary remote option” with the teachers’ union. Schools Chancellor David Banks, speaking to a parents’ council the day before, cited “political pressure” among concerns.

After the holiday break on Jan. 3, attendance in DOE schools sunk to 67 percent. On Friday, the attendance was 75 percent. With an enrollment of 938,000 students, that means 234,500 kids missed classes. 

Thoughts?

79 comments:

Anonymous said...

My school instituted this policy the week of December 20. Any student who answers any attendance question in any googleclassroom is considered present for the entire day. We teachers were asked to use googleclassroom and teach in person. There are not enough hours in the day to accomplish this successfully.

I am for a remote option, but it needs to be planned, thought out and teachers dedicated to either in-person or remote.

Anonymous said...

Are they gonna formally get this information out to the city? It seems Edelmans article and our blog are the only people who know. Maybe a DOE press release maybe a press conference maybe a Mulgrew email to members It's already a mess.

Anonymous said...

PREDICTION: A ton of high school kids will not show up to school due to this. Elementary parents will be pissed because there is no "live" teacher present to teach their kids 5 days a week. Adams and Banks are gonna get slaughtered in the press and social media. Ahhh, the shit show never ends!

Disgusted in Queens said...

I have a huge problem with this forced work and so should the UFT. This is what it states on the UFT website about per-session work-

"Throughout the school year, teachers apply for “per-session” activities that are done either before school, after school, on the weekend or holidays, or during the summer. If you apply for and are accepted for such an activity, you are paid at the per-session rate listed in the contract. Selection for most per-session activities is based upon the individual criteria established in each posting, which appear on the DOE website. If the activity you desire is specifically listed in the contract, selection is based upon your meeting the posted qualifications and your seniority in the system."

DEFINITIONS
Per session activity means any activity for which pedagogic employees are paid at an hourly rate, with the exception of activities noted below.


First, The rate of pay is based on me applying for a position. I did not apply or want this extra work. I never agreed to "make myself available." I did not vote or have a say in that. Being this is not a once or twice activity and can most likely continue to occur all year a real over time rate

Second, "making myself available" was supposed to be short term. I know how shitty our union is and can see them agreeing to adding this to our next contract as there is no end in site for covid. I'm sure they will do it for pennies on the dollar and Mulgrew who puts the needs and wants of the people who actually fund his salary dead last.

Third, "we are being forced to work outside of our work hours OR give up our preps or lunches which is not ok either.

Finally, we are being grossly underpaid for forced labor. WHY DOES THE UFT ALLOW THIS? WHY AS A WORKFORCE ARE WE MADE TO ACCEPT A WAGE that is far, far below our hourly rate (take your salary divide by 200 then divide by 7)-

this will give you a close figure of what your straight rate is.

So for example lets take a first year teacher early $61,070 divided by 200(DOE formula for our daily rate=$305.35 then divided again by 7(work hours in a day)$43.62 is hourly rate of a first year teacher with a Bachelors degree only.
A true overtime rate which for the NYPD, FDNY, DSNY, nurses, doctors and just about everyone else is time and a half.
So $43.62 + $21.81=$65.43

Therefore, our per session rate of $54 is even far below the overtime rate of what a first year teacher should be paid.

A top salary teacher earning $128,657 using the same formula above $91.90 hourly with an overtime rate of $137.84.

Most suburban districts have a per session rate which I assume is an average rate for all salary levels between $85-$100 an hour.

Our forced labor per session rate of $54 an hour is far below even a 3rd year teacher with MA + 30 hourly rate should be $55.70 an hour OT rate of $83.55.

This failure of the UFT to ensure a rate of pay for forced labor which is not even equal to an overtime rate of a 1st year teacher to me is unacceptable.

It clearly shows to me that both the UFT and NYC do not value teachers or believe they should be compensated at the same rate for the same job as our peers in the suburbs or our other NYC union brothers and sisters.

Personally, I believe that we, the UFT Teachers as a work force are and facing clear gender discrimination when it comes to the per session rate we are receiving. The UFT is made up of roughly 80-75% females. The mail dominated professions and union members of the DSNY, FDNY, NYPD and NYC transit are paid 1 1/2 times their hourly rate for working extra time.

Disgusted in Queens said...

Continued from 8:42 post Part 2 of my post-It wouldn't let me post together over the cap of words.

We are required to have a masters plus 30 extra credits which we have to pay for. All this education and yet our extra time worked rate is lower than high school only educated workers in these unions.(Yes, I understand some may have gone to college. No, I am not trying to put down these workers as I am sure they are LTAO that they earn more than us and rightfully so)

I believe we have grounds for a discrimination suit based on gender. Mulgrew and Co should use this as a basis for getting us a rate of pay $85-$100 comparable to the suburbs or other city unions. I cannot come up with another reason why our per session rate is so much lower than neighboring districts(even nonaffluent areas pay much more) or why we cannot be paid the same overtime rate as the DSNY or FDNY(two very male dominated unions)

James or anyone else-do you think we could demand to be paid at an hourly rate at least equal to what we earn hourly? This rate of pay is not a choice. The extra work is not a choice. I did not apply to do per session and "make myself available" for $54($53.98) an hour.

Sorry for the long response, just so disgusted.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like independent study. Might work for High Schoolers, but elementary students? They need some type of live instruction, an actual remote class with a teacher. This also has no uniformity, and will end up looking very different in many schools. The City decided to do the least and make it the worst.

Anonymous said...

But attednance doesn't count, the chancellor says.

Why are they committing attendance fraud now?

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a great idea in theory, but it seems like we dug our own graves and gave ourselves more work to do. This will have to be all ironed out by administrators at school. Obviously, the mayor's main goal is just to get attendance figures up.

Anonymous said...

So they should have gone remote for two or three weeks. Now they are fighting the last battle. The DOE is an organization that has stuck with a culture of gross incompetence.

unknown said...

Total joke... so you're in school if you wake up in the morning.

Anonymous said...

I know you all know this, but recording it for posterity: this is not a remote option or an actual remote school.

It is a desperate, flailing attempt to prop up dismal, barely improving in-person attendance stats (which are juked/spiked with at-home kids to begin with)

Anonymous said...

Gender discrimination for sure. I have been saying this over and over and over again for years.

And of course, our salaries should be comparable to those of teachers in the neighboring suburbs. Why not? We have more work than they do. I know people who are teachers in suburbs so I can compare. Plus, I wish I had their salary.

Discriminated against. You bet. We are majority female. Unequal salary and treatment …and I still have 50k in student loans! My sister makes almost as much as me and she has her GED and she only has 10 years in and she works for the city! I have 17 years in. Mostly males in her workplace. They don’t have supervisors who are allowed to breath down their necks like we do. And they have a stronger voice with their union leaders than we do. That’s just the truth. As any firefighter or cop if they have to take the shit that we do on a daily basis.

It make a big difference if you are male…as far as if you are a nyc worker! And if you choose to teach in nyc you will have to scrape by if you are a sole bread winner with this salary.

Discriminated against. Female and city workers…the UFT chooses to ignore this issue. I don’t hear colleagues talking about it.

Guess what…it’s about time…

Anonymous said...

James, how can we follow up,on the excellent points brought up by the blogger on this post about gender pay discrimination?

I think that a suit on this would be hard to dismiss.

Brothers and sisters, listen up. It’s time to start talking to whatever city council members, pro bono attorneys who will listen.

WE HAVE A WINNING CASE HER. Pro bono attorneys, are you listening?

GENDER PAY DISCRIMINATION.

PAY DISCRIMINATION OF TEACHERS WHO WORK IN THE CITY AS OPPOSED TO THE NEIGHBORING SUBURBS

Anonymous said...

Per session rate is the hourly rate that teachers get paid. This is determined by the average salary of all teachers in the system. More new teachers would mean our per session is lower than if we had more veteran teachers. Basically, the per session rate is what the average teacher makes an hour. For new teachers, they are making more when they do per session, for veterans we are actually making less.

Anonymous said...

Disgusted in Queens…I TOTALLY AGREE AND HAVE SAID THIS FOR YEARS!

I usually am met with sighs and feeble nods of agreement by colleagues who look numbed and too psychologically battered by this profession to care.

The discrepancies are immoral and should be illegal.

Will they be negotiated and corrected in the next contract? Will there be a lawsuits?..

The UFT should have gotten us better$ years ago on this point. That they haven’t means they’re don’t give a flying,,,you know what. As long as Mulgrew and co, have their mortgages paid off, they’re not going to take up the fight.

Scumbags!

Anonymous said...

How are parents being notified of this change? Nothing in the NYC rags is stating when this remote option starts, how long it lasts, and what procedures are needed to sign up for it. Hell, when are WE going to get official word of this from the DOE? Oh yeah, where the hell is Mulgrew? Silent as always.

Anonymous said...

Keyword: staff willingness and admin approval

the updated policy says “staff may provide asynchronous remote instruction and Office Hours … to students who are absent for reasons other than those stated above…” based on staff willingness and the approval of their supervisors. These students may also be counted as remotely present for class for attendance purposes.

Anonymous said...

Just a new phase in the criminal mismanagement of the NY city public schools.
Attendance fraud. Send a criminal referral to the department of justice.

Anonymous said...

The schools are run on a thin diet of bureaucratic efficiency gone rancid.
The consequences of this exceedingly thin diet are the very bad educational outcomes which we observe.

This all guarantees a scary future, one fraught with toxic social divisions and civil unrest.

waitingforsupport said...

Hah...they are dropping the decision in your lap so when an investigation happens your license is on the line. @2:22 pm suggests sending a referral to the department of justice. The DOE will probably do it to you if and when they need to. Damn. They really have no respect for their tools i mean staff. Look out for yourself.

waitingforsupport said...

342 is correct IMO

Anonymous said...

All this drama for what? They can use the extended days to post work.then u won't get any extra pay!or let someone who wants extra pay to post a few assignments get paid if u don't want the extra income.it doesn't have to be an observation lesson.just readings and questions, a few videos.it isn't forever.what is the big deal?many veterans want to make lots of per session to pad their pensions even at 54 an hour.its a few hours of work and some bonus money.oll gladly do it. And the parents will be happy.with so much digital content available, it's not a big deal.u don't need to write lesson plans.you can put a video and ask for a written response.im happy if someone wants to join remotely.it shows they want to to participate in my class. I don't get all this whining? No, I am not a shill.
If someone doesn't want the activity, offer it to someone else who will be grateful for per session, which is hard to get right now.

Anonymous said...

Or better yet, let the AP or department head do it! Haha

Anonymous said...

Drama for what? Some of us are actually invested in what we teach and craft lessons to our students’ needs. So yes, it takes time. I’m not whining. I just think that actually delivering quality worth the students time actually takes time and planning. Some may think, no big deal. For some of us, doing a really good job teaching is a big deal.

That is, if you care and not just punching your time card to get a substandard salary.


Let me whine if that’s what you call it. I’m making a difference.

Anonymous said...

I agree with your response to my post.but this not for a full term to replace instruction.of course it isn't ideal.i think of it as back in the days when a student was out for surgery or for a short illness.a friend would pick up the assignments.it isn't classroom teaching.it just helps them to stay on track so they don't fall behind.we are talking about a few days out for a student. Not a month.if a student cates to stay on point, what is so bad about telling them where u are in text or sending copies of worksheets.no it's not like live, but it's a temporary bandaid of respectabilitu.i wouldn't force it on a sick child of course.but the parents will be happy.it shows you care.im saying about the money part.maybe due to the nature of my job, I'm in a different position.but there can be paid positions so that people are not forced and stressed if it is too much.maybe I am just lucky to work in a good situation.

Anonymous said...

4:35, that teacher is just an old degenerate who has checked out already and is just collecting a paycheck. Ignore those toxic bums.

nerd said...

If the students are sitting in front of me, they're my responsibility. That's what I signed up for. Not if front of me, not my problem.

waitingforsupport said...

@435pm... Do you.Integrity is becoming extinct. Your students are lucky to have you as their teacher.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I have a question.
Are teachers allowed to be unmasked during their prep periods.
According to the UFT guidelines it says everyone has to masked at all times.
Please advise.

Anonymous said...

I am not giving up my lunch and I am not doing anything extra after my work hours. I need to watch over my own household.

Anonymous said...

Still no official press release? Maybe it's top secret.

Anonymous said...

Is this how the University of Phoenix started?

Anonymous said...

4:09 that means you'd have to be invited to the classroom? Are you going to grade the work too and provide updates to the teacher so that they can update the gradebook. And what do you mean post videos and a worksheet? Do you know what topic they're on? Your suggestion is ridiculous.

Georgia Lignou said...

I think the problem is bigger than COVID absences, students are responding less and less to what teachers ask them to do. Their attention is very limited. In class they look at you with a blank stare. They are attached to the phones like addicts. It is a serious issue and it will really be a diservice for the students if the DOE uses this as another opportunity to attack the teachers.

Anonymous said...

When are the parents and other residents of nyc protesting the bullshit attendance policy? NEVER. I support the parents. Have yet to hear one complain that their child’s attendance rates or grades are too high. These policies are what nyc votes in every election cycle when they chose their next mayor. I support the voters. They wanted this. They got it.

Anonymous said...

@9:40 The problem is indeed bigger than COVID. It is the 20 years plus of criminal mismanagement of the DOE by incompetent superintendents like Joel Klein and David C. Banks.

The toxic existence is manifest by their role as political stooges who love their pay checks, status and perks, but HATE public school education and HATE the UFT.

This is another sad manifestation of a do nothing incompetent superintendent who assets his autocracy by blaming the UFT. The public schools have been destroyed in the name of privatization. The rise to power of incompetent superintendents is critical to this destructive strategy. In political economic literature , this strategy is often referred to as "creative destruction."

Anonymous said...

New York City restaurants now have stricter requirements than what our southern border does.

Reflect on that one for a moment.

But covid.

Disgusted in Queens said...

4:09-I can't in good faith post random crap and videos for the students. The assignment needs to correspond with what we are covering in class. It will take time to do this. Even if another teacher takes on the responsibility they will need to at the very least have a conversation and ask what we are covering. It will take some time. I get that you are comfortable posting random work but I am not.

Anonymous said...

Think you are on to something with an overtime salary discrimination charge!

Anonymous said...

6:13: According to the DOE and UFT teachers are to remain masked while in the building except during lunch. If you are in a room by yourself, usually it's okay to remove your mask. You have to be careful of snitches though. Usually you know who they are.
9:40: I notice also over the years that kids bring supplies less and less to school. In my school we supply paper, pens and pencils. What happened to the day when everyone had to have a looseleaf notebook?

Anonymous said...

This is not really for instruction. It is only meant to improve attendance rates by faking it. Regardless, we are not permitted to grade based on attendance.
I already have some of my students that attended in person asking if they can stay home and submit work in Google Classroom. What am I supposed to say? Need more guidance on how to answer this question.

Anonymous said...

I am amazed at most of the comments on this blog.

The schools are public babysitting organizations. You are highly paid babysitters, period.
Accept the fact that you are overpaid.

That goes double for the commenters who think they are great teachers.

Anonymous said...

910, this is what ny dems voted for. Enjoy.

Anonymous said...

The DOE and UFT have opted to let Covid rip through the population.
They are part of the democratic party ecosystem of autocracy of stupidity.

Anonymous said...

If you really care aout studnets...We need to turn this around folks. Marriage and real fatherhood. Without them we are headed down. Talk about it.

Anonymous said...

This job is definitely not what I signed up for, however, it’s not that bad.

Key word is it’s a ‘job’. It’s not a calling.

Once you realize it’s a job and we aren’t martyrs, your life becomes better in every aspect.

The ones who play the game and get it are happy.

It’s not my job to chase down kids for work. They’ll do what they will do and that’s that.

You want me to float them 65’s? Ok. Fine. Just don’t give me an attitude when they can’t read at an acceptable level. But that will not happen bc the doe will manipulate stats. And the public will buy into it.



Anonymous said...

MLK: Judge others by the content of their character, NOT the color of their skin.

CRT: Judge others ONLY by the color of their skin.

Grade fraud to prop people up.

Sending them out with no skills.

Nice.

"Teacher"

Disgusted in Queens said...

1:09-I think that the average hourly rate of all UFT teachers is higher than $54. The average has to be much hire. If anyone finds documentation on the average NYC teachers salary, please post it.

I understand senior teachers work per session to increase their pensions. My point is that paying them a fair wage based on their education and experience for the per session, a wage that they should be earning in 2022 is what needs to happen.

We should be earning a rate equal to an overtime rate since this is extra work which we need to do after working a full day. Again, why straight pay for additional work after the work day?

Here are some of the major issues that imply gender discrimination

FDNY, DSNY, NYPD-all get to top pay in 5 years vs teachers 22 years
Tier 4 full pension 20 years not age needed vs 30 years age 55
terminal pay at retirement paid directly after Vs split into 1/3's paid 30 days, 18 months
separation from service and 3 years after retirement

2009/2010 pay raises immediately given made "whole" in Oct 2021 No interest

Vacation pay/OT paid immediately Spring break pay 2020 offered as Vacation
days(which require extra work on our part
because we have to leave sub plans since
the students are not off) no extra pay

There are many more. Think about this-

5 year Sanitation worker earns 5 year UFT teacher who has student
$83,465 loans to pay earns
$64,494-$79,655

Take a look at the DSNY contract

https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/olr/downloads/pdf/collectivebargaining/sanitation-workers-01-20-2019%20-12-27-2022.pdf

DSNY raises 2019-%2.25, %2.50, %3.00 don’t see any 1% there
PAID BREAKS-3 a day (see page 12) totaling 35 minutes, plus a paid lunch-for an 8 hour shift

DSNY are paid for everything extra they do vs “it’s for the children, teachers want to do this, they want to help the children” This accepted reasoning must stop.

Some teachers are so thankful and think “it’s good money” Be Clear it is not what a teacher
Should be paid, it is not an overtime rate. How many teachers need second jobs, have credit card bills, student loans, can’t max tda? AND we are supposed to be professionals with 30 credits beyond a masters degree?

Ask yourself-think about it when teachers are owed money, backpay 2009, spring break pay, raises, payout of sick days the excuse not to pay us right away is always-”the city doesn’t have the money, we would bankrupt the city, we have to help, it’s for the children”

Why do we NEVER hear these reasons when the male dominated union members are due money?
It is 2022. This has to change. It is not acceptable for one set of rules-whether implied or written to apply to this female dominated profession.
This gender bias also applies to our treatment by the city arbitrators. Never ever money to pay us upfront-yet Chaz School Daze repeatedly shared this was untrue and the city had millions in reserves. Why is it always, always, always the female dominated UFT members who are told there is no money. We have the most education which is supposed to get you ahead in life but the least respect. We deserve pay equity.

CHANGE IS NEEDED NOW.

Anonymous said...

Yet again, harming black and brown students.

This MLK Day I’m thinking about the black and brown youth of Chicago and NYC and Philly.

No education. Plenty of violence.

Y’all can talk about honoring Dr. King’s legacy all you want, but the young people are going nowhere in life. We, and politicians, are very much to blame.

Peace and blessings.

Anonymous said...

Why no press release? This seems like a huge story. Earth shaking, sea change moment not even a Mulgrew email.

Anonymous said...

While I was for a remote option, from reading this blog, I can see why the politicians in charge are not doing it.you are all being ridiculous.every suggestion is beaten down and people are accused of being lazy, etc.fuck it, then.just keep things status quo in unsafe buildings.i don't feel sorry any more cuz every suggestion is met with anger.it is clear that people here don't want it to work.why bother.it makes us look awful as professionals.just stay safe and don't complain if you aren't willing to be part of a solution.it is disgusting to read.

waitingforsupport said...

@507am...Charter school numbers are increasing. Do you know why? Ask the parents. Teachers have been bullied by the DOE for a long time. Do you know why? Because too many of them refused to take a stand for the profession. Many teachers tossed in the towel and just passed all students. Blind support of the "company line" affects everyone.

Anonymous said...

So now the big question...when does this option end? It doesn't because there is no set determining factor that says this pandemic is over. Mayor Adams was right to open the schools but wrong to give in to offering this option. Now this option stays with us to the end of the year and if a parent feels the schools are unsafe in Sept '22 then we have to give in again.

Anonymous said...

PAY EQUITY. START OPENING UP OUR MOUTHS…BIG TIME!

Anonymous said...

Sound the alarm.

TO ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN TO OUR OVERWORKED, TIRED AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BC WE ARE MOSTLY FEMALES WORKING IN PREDOMINATELY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES….

GET YOUR BLOWHORN OUT….

SUE EDELMAN, CITY COUNCIL, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEYS, ACLU, UNITED NATIONS, PRO BONO…

NYC TEACHERS HAVE BEEN UNDERPAID FOR DECADES COMPARED TO TEACHERS IN SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS…

WE ARE PAID LESS THAN UNIFORMED…MOSTLY MALE COUNTERPARTs…

Anonymous said...

You know someone at the newspapers? Why don’t they expose THIS…nycdoe teacher pay discrimination….

And the UFT has been sitting with socks in their mouths for decades about it…

Really?

HOW IS THIS NOT A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE?


Speak up brothers and sisters. We have been taking it way too long. I’d like to pay off my mortgage by the time I collect social security…

Anonymous said...

Time to speak, speak, speak up. If enough of us do to the right people, we can’t loose…

Sorry our lame a.. union doesn’t seem to this nyc teacher right to an equitable pay scale matters.

I don’t want smarmy praise by Mulgrew at his supposed DA MEETINGS. These LOVE FESTS are designed to stroke our egos the right way so we put up with the crap we have to.

Pay me what I’m worth, my skills, my education, my investments in this career….

Anonymous said...

Because we are female dominated. Male majority unions would never take it. NEVER


Ok, everyone…WE NEED A LAWSUIT . A BIG ONE TO BLOW THE ROOF OFF THIS HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

LAWYERS OUT THERE?

Anonymous said...

James, let’s contact Heidi about this…

Anonymous said...

Have our students and their parents been alerted?

Disgusted in Queens said...

It's everything

Per Session

Class Size

Danielson

Length of time to get to top salary AND the huge gap in salary longevity step pay

Salary step 15 Ma + 30 pay is $109,852, Step 18 $111,350 Step 20 $122,424, Step 22 $128,657

So essentially a $1,500 pay increase for 3 years more experience? Or $1,500 more over 5 years.

Why not a $2200 increase a year from years 15-20? Again this backed ended payscale is not done to this extent in the suburbs and would not be done to a male dominated union.

This huge gap on the salary scale should not be happening. The increases should occur yearly. We essentially earn $111,350 until a day before 20 years. 20 years! with masters degrees and 30 extra credits.

At 20 years DSNY, FDNY, NYPD are retiring at half pay with plenty of overtime paid at 1 1/2 times their hourly rate.

So many are forced to work at the subpar $53.98 per session rate.

We are an educated, female majority union who need to see equity with the suburbs in these areas, as well as our brothers and sisters in the other city agencies.

We cannot continue to allow gender bias in pay, working conditions-which continue to get worse and worse, job responsibilities and expectations-that the city and administrators keep increasing and increasing.

We must force the city to acknowledge and address these inequities now.

Anonymous said...

The equity brigade posts nonsequitors about pay discrimination by citing irrelevant factors such as the NYPD, FDNY, suburban districts, "surrounding neighborhoods," my this, my that.

A reader's takeaways:

- You have no thinking skills.
- You overpaid for your education that made you not only overcredentialed but entitled.

If, however, you're a troll: good job at parodying loony teachers.

Disgusted in Queens said...

8:29 try to deflect if you wish. Posts like yours are made to keep people from speaking up
and demanding equity.

The clear facts will not change.

It is time for us not to allow people like you to intimidate us.

We deserve equity in pay, safety.

Good trouble is what we need.

Anonymous said...

I demand to be paid as much as Hunter Biden. Equity. Do you people even listen to yourselves? Be the quit in equity. Resign and insist someone else more disadvantaged than you get your job.

Anonymous said...

8:29

Too dumb and too arrogant to notice…

Anonymous said...

Would keeping the remote option available also eliminate suspensions? What if all the students who cause havoc, are violent, disrupt learning, walk hallways, come to school to sell drugs, etc., were forced to go remote? (1) these students would still magically pass and graduate which is what the DOE wants. (2) the in-person teachers and students could teach and learn (3)less money and resources spent on "behavior" issues (4) smaller class sizes (5) allow the do-nothing teachers "teach" the do-nothing students remotely.

I think the UFT and the DOE should consider this remote option for those students who go to school for purposes other than education.

Disgusted in Queens said...

5:02-Hunter Biden is not a NYC union member, He is not a teacher in a NYC Suburb.

No comparison. "Let someone else more disadvantaged take our jobs" This goes along with Mulgrew's-Lucky to have a job comment. This view needs to change. How about the city is very lucky to have us? We are valuable. We deserve pay equity, safer work conditions and respect.

Comments like yours bring further disrespect to our profession and female dominated union.

Why are you so against NYC teachers receiving better working conditions and pay? What is wrong with equity? Are you actually a NYC teacher?

unknown said...

Disgusted in queens... I'd love to get paid more and all, but there are just so many flaws in your arguments. I mean the gender thing is a stretch considering there are alot of males who teach in nyc. Gender discrimination doesn't really hold water there. You're also saying that we need to be paid like our neighbors in Nassau County. We cant really compete with the tax money they get. The localized nature of it makes it much easier to pay higher salaries. Also, the neighbors thing is a slippery slope. Go an hour and a half to Suffolk county... they make more... an hour and a half upstate... they make less. I get your points but I don't think they are sound enough to make a pay difference for us. I think the only hope for a big move in pay is if the shortages get really bad and they cannot attract teachers anymore.

nerd said...

I agreed to teach in person, I did not agree to teach remotely.

Disgusted in Queens said...

unknown-Our union is 80%-75% female. It is a female majority. Elementary schools are still female majority. I do think there is a case for gender bias.

The issue of inequity of our salary steps are designed to result in females earning a smaller pension because of the huge gaps from step 15-Step 20, our need to work 30 years or if lucky enough to be in 25/55.

Females are more likely to take a child care leave which will result in never earning those top tier amounts or earn those for 3-5 years which directly impacts pensions.

Per Session paid if far,far,far below the suburbs. I understand your point about the taxes that are paid in suburbs. Westchester is also paid more.

You don't need to go to Suffolk to see a substainial increase in the per session rate.
Look at Valley Stream High School District, New Hyde Park, Valhalla-all much higher.

We may not get $90-$100 an hour but certainly $75-$80 would be a substantial improvement and closer to our teacher colleague in Westchester and Nassau Counties. 5 year teacher salary being less than a 5 year garbage collector-represents gender salary bias.

Yes, there are male teachers and of course they should be paid more as well. But this is still and always has been a female majority profession and this is why I believe NYC teachers of the UFT are treated as less than the male majority unions.

Anonymous said...

You said it sister!

Anonymous said...

UFT people…who we PAY to advocate for US, take some notes please from Disgusted.

Pompous think-you-know-it all because you have mastered an 11 th grade vocabulary, step aside while the truly intelligent and really brave speak truth to power…

unknown said...

5:50... sure let's see how that gender bias lawsuit works out for us

Anonymous said...

unknown-why don't you direct your sarcasm to the UFT who pay over $1600 a year too. Another disgruntled male teacher?

Anonymous said...

Why all the impenetrable postings about equity, which only reveal your crappy grad degrees?

Instead, just write plainly:

I deserve a raise.

See? That wasn't so hard, was it?

You're welcome.

unknown said...

Umm male but not disgruntled. I enjoy teaching very much. And sarcasm aside it's just silly to start preaching to step aside for the truly intelligent and really brave. Truly intelligent would be to know that a gender bias lawsuit for new york city school teachers not making enough per session is not a lawsuit that will even get picked up by a credible attorney. And btw sure we pay 1600 to uft. Sorry I'm not so entitled that I think I get nothing out of it. Do we have great representation... no... but I'd rather have a union than not.

Anonymous said...

6:16 arrogant and small minded but not totally dumb.

4:54 you are beyond hopeless

“Crappy grad degree” ? Umm. You are really displaying a total lack of depth here. Did you lift that line from some cheap, predictable sitcom script? Ooops, you are probably just reflecting your immature, hollow view of people/places/things off of some stupid and accessible scorecard. What to you constitutes “crappy grad degree?”

And might I add, who cares about where any of us graduated from? The reality is that now, in the present moment, UFT members are getting shitty deals negotiated by the city

I would relish, however, putting your probably mediocre grad degree against mine or many of the people on this blog that you stare down your nose at…ANY.DAY.

But that is so small-minded isn’t it, just like the way you think.

Small talk from, obviously, a very small mind.

Anonymous said...



Who the heck is talking about not having a union?

Legitimate points have been made. And our members are at the short end of the stick. It’s a number game. There are facts that should be examined by an impartial arbitrator.

Keep the put downs to a minimum, please. Let’s try to have a reasonable discussion here. I noticed that many of those on both sides of the argument are resorting to childish retorts.

Anonymous said...

How is it that the press knows about remote learning however when I got to school this past Tuesday the word was what remote learning? You mean to tell me the press finds out about remote learning being inserted before the people who work in the trenches?

The media and politics has gotten way to out of control people. This is becoming a media/political driven society and the media decides what is right, what is wrong, what is racist and what to wear. How does a society break free from this chain of relentless insanity driven by "the media".