Wednesday, June 08, 2022

LIVE BLOGGING FROM JUNE DA (Largely Unedited)

 I got on a little late.

President's Report:

When I got on the call, President Michael Mulgrew was giving a review of the 2021-2022 school year. He talked about the rise of omicron and the change of mayoral administrations. He then mentioned the Albert Shanker Scholarship Award ceremony that was held last night. It was the first time in three years it was live. We do undergraduate and graduate. scholarships.

National

Gun control and national elections are a big deal. Some important cases going before the Supreme Court. This is a busy weekend with the massive gun control rally with a march over the Brooklyn Bridge. There is a book giveaway event in the Rockaways, we are honoring our secretaries, there will be a large contingent at Puerto Rican Day Parade. There is a Soapbox Derby in Brooklyn that was started by a teacher in Staten Island. The teacher who started it was Pat Lockhart.

State Legislature Session

The mayor is not happy. We got some things done. Before mayoral control, mayors didn't want to fund school system and they would blame the Board of Education. It is legally still the Board of Education. Mayors would have to fund system after mayoral control was passed. Assembly and Senate had two bills. They eventually agreed to fixed one-year terms for PEP members. We don't want 23 people on the PEP panel but the new additions are parents which is good. Have attended many PEP meetings. Closing school meetings went until 4:00 am. Now mayor can't fire people who don't vote the way he wants. Also in Albany, mandatory overtime for nurses is a big win for them. 

We got the class size legislation passed. What you did last spring was the foundation for this. Every elected official at the state level who represents NYC knew about it. Lobbying elected officials and it was an ugly fight. Because we built the foundation last spring, we were able to move passed the shenanigans. City said there wasn't space. We showed 90% of schools have space already and more will have it with construction. It will be an investment for the next five years. The city had no plan for the additional $1.3 billion annually that they got from the state. Lower class sizes will cost $200 million a year for five years. What would we rather spend the extra foundation aid on: lower class sizes or more contracts for DOE projects? Give us a few weeks and we can find $1 billion from the DOE. 

We do costing all the time. We had the documents. We used city's own numbers to show they can do this. City is full of crap. Their costing documents had a price for increasing ventilation for every student. We believe the DOE made up a crazy number. We believe they were just lying with numbers. We had documents to get to Legislators. Thanks to Senator John Liu for leading this fight. He agreed this was a funded mandate. Robert Jackson jumped in to squash the city's arguments. The final vote was 59-4 in the Senate. In the Assembly, it was 147-2. This will get up to the Governor's office in July. These votes are veto-proof. Nothing is ever done until it's done. Got back from Germany two weeks ago. 

City

Go to UFT.org/budget. Go on there for Chapter Leaders as we have the projected cut for your particular school. We will tweet and work with City Council to make sure we protect our schools. 350 people looking at their phones. Popular schools will not have students thrown out. We will give those schools exemptions from lower class sizes. We would never hurt these schools. They can have a plan for the future. Tweeting for budgets. 

Preliminary budget in March. The city can adjust when the state budget comes out. State budget is April1, city is July 1. We put out a reaction to the city's preliminary budget calling for $375 million in cuts. State budget came in $1.3 billion over what the city projected because of the increase in foundation aid. DOE didn't adjust when extra state money came in. We also have the extra billions in federal funding. We have had a drop in enrollment in the last ten years and a significant enrollment decline in the last five years. We are down to 820,000. DOE funds per pupil. We used to fund by units. If 3 students need a specialty class, that is not funded in the per pupil formula. We could do a hybrid formula. Principals are apoplectic unless they are in a school that has had an increase in enrollment which has happened. We should be planning for September. The new administration walked into a COVID wave. We don't want to fight on this. 

We worked together on DOE on dyslexia screening. We worked together on the calendar. We need to prepare for notice of excess letters which do not mean you are fired, but might you not have a position in your current school. We want a plan in place. We want to tell parents we have a plan. We want people to have confidence in the schools. This chaos is the worst thing that could be happening in June. We will work with the City Council to make sure there are no cuts to the schools. This is the worst mistake the city could be making. Our work is not done for the year. Find your school budget at UFT/budgets. Budget cuts are all over the place. We need to start working with City Council folks. Many who we helped get into office. Councilmembers are hearing about cuts. DOE support networks are telling principals to maximize class sizes and excess people. We have one more fight for this year. Asks Delegates if they are ready for this? One last thing. 

SBO's going out with the calendar done. 

Global test out of distributive scoring. It is a per session posting. We wasted tens of millions of dollars on distributive scoring. Once a truck with exams got lost in Connecticut. That is the DOE at their best. This administration is giving this a shot.

Universal literacy coaches: new administration understands the value of universal literacy coaches and are going to try to make this happen.

PD tomorrow and on the 28th. Many fights still going on. Thanks Mary Vacarro and district reps. Superintendents are supposed to solve this. We got hundreds of school leaders enlightened on what can be done remotely from home. 

New Congressional and State Senate maps: If an endorsed candidate is in a district that hasn't changed, we don't have to reopen the process. We have two endorsed candidates in certain seats. New districts have no endorsed candidates. We have an interview process. This district is a new congressional seats. Six people came in for interviews. Six we have previously endorsed. 

We take great pride in the pride. Conferences at UFT Headquarters. Danny Dromm Scholarship. He was the first openly gay City Councilmember.

Staff Director's Report:

Saturday book distribution event. School Secretary luncheon. March for gun control going from Brooklyn Bridge to Zaccotti Park. Negotiating Committee meeting June 15. LGBTQ weekend, parade is June 26. UFT benefit on October 10 for Disaster Relief Fund. Sending money to Ukraine for teachers doing heroic work. Thank you for doing the work of the union.

Mulgrew returns to say the resolution on Asian Americans getting done one day after it passed.

Question Period:

Question: D22 person asks: Why are we doing Acadiance testing in grades K-2? It is extra, repetitive paperwork. Testing kids who can read and asking them what letter it is.

Mulgrew Answer: Testphobia is growing. Who is the idiot who thinks this is a good idea? We have had these conversations. Chancellor talking to D75 folks on the last day of school. Some of this is based on Principal's APPR's and Quality Reviews. This is the same thing three times in a row. Dyslexia screening is not just about dyslexia and that is why we support proper screening. Policies have to be about common sense and not the needs of the bureaucracy.

Question: D75 CL says that D75 and 79 not included in funding, is there a list so we can see what is being spent?

Answer: D75 enrollment not as great as others. We've asked and we will figure it out. We have always had a hard time figuring out how D75 allocates funding. You can't have transparency if they can't explain the budget. 

Question: Dyslexia training, all the teachers have to register and many are being waitlisted. Why is this coming so late?

Answer: Email went out earlier. It is a two-hour training. We will help with access if you get us information. We don't have issues with Mayor on this. If we screen every child k-2 this year, then next year we only have to do K.

Question: Safety question, teachers have to figure out how many kids can fit in a closet and how can I barricade a classroom door. What is happening from intruders getting into the front door into schools?

Answer: We met yesterday with a bunch of people from NYPD along with David Banks' brother Phillip who is a deputy mayor. A camera outside the front door and a buzzer. We had to talk about us not being guards. We know in middle and high schools kids open doors for others. We were told every school has been trained on a soft lockdown (only two raise their hands that it's been done). New person Mark Rampasaud who did the Covid Building Response Team is in charge of safety. We are all afraid we are going to have an incident in NY. Was in charge of safety before becoming President. 5-8 texts a day on safety incidents where it used to be one per week. There is a severe violence problem. We have to figure this out. We don't have campuses; by and large our schools are right up against the street. Pilot with 50 schools. We have to do something for the entire system.

Motion Period:

Motion from Exec Bd to extend this year's hybrid DA's for 2022-23 and to make that the first item on the agenda.

746 Yes to 24 No on the phone; Live it is 166 Yes to 12 Non live so that is a combined 96% yes.

VP Janella Hinds moves to change the agenda items DA rules, LGBTQ, Ukraine, Women's Herstory

606 Yes to 50 No 163 Yes to (I didn't get the No votes but overall it was 92% Yes.

Motion to discontinue Apeture (DESSA test) three year contract with a 43-question test and reallocate the funding for this month.

632 Yes to 28 No on phone; Live 155 Yes to 14 No 95 % in favor.

Special Orders of Business

Hybrid DA, Exec Bd member says it was difficult to start but we have seen a huge increase in DA participation. Many Delegates have child care issues so they were able to attend on the phone. This will bring us together.

Matt Driscoll amendment: Full rights for people on the phone including presenting resolution.

Someone speaks against it on grouds that we don't have the technology.

Nick Bacon speaks in favor of the amendment. People on the phone want to present resolutions and amendments because those on the phone don't have full rights and they deserve full rights. 

Janella Hinds speaks in opposition: Technology doesn't allow for business to be done and giving full rights should not be afforded at this time. We have to ensure that it is only DA members. Another Unity Exec Bd member says you can't guarantee internet working. We are not there yet with the technology to make amendments and points of order on the phone. Another exec bd member calls the question on all matters before the house.

437 vote yes to close debate to 87 on the phone and it was 150 to 15 to close debate live.

360 Yes to 267 No on the phone on the amendment but live it is unknown but Mulgrew announces it is 384 Yes to 388 No in totality. Mulgrew comes back to say we have to be able to verify that the person online is who they say they are.

The original resolution vote is  634 Yes to 38 No; 187-18 Live. 

LGBTQ support resolution motivated by Mike Sill. Pat Crispino follows talking about her long history on this subject and how we don't want to go back. Another two speak in favor and then the question is called.

547 Yes to 30 No on the phone; 153 Yes to 3 No live on closing debate.

149 Yes to 6 No live; 541-56 No on the phone.

Ukraine support against the Russian invasion was motivated by a middle school exec bd member. Nobody wants to debate but Mulgrew still calls the question.

Motion to close debate passes 576 to 24.

Yes 541 to No 38 on the phone; 146 Yes to 3 No live. 

Mulgrew thanks everyone and says we have work still to do to protect the schools.

59 comments:

Anonymous said...

So not a peep about people on leave or exemptions?I guess ukraine and gay parade more important than employees

Anonymous said...

Only a dues collector like the uft can have this much success.

Anonymous said...

UKRAINE!!! The corrupt country we have given 50 billion to when dems didn't want 4 billion for a wall. The country with nazis and bio labs. Concerned about lgbtq and trans book readings and gun control?

So sick, mulgrew was up BLM and antifa assholes two more corrupt woke fake organiztions. How sick in the head are you people?

Anonymous said...

Remember who is the AFT leader and what she is doing across the country: https://redstate.com/freedom-foundation/2022/06/08/weingarten-and-the-aft-doom-another-batch-of-candidates-n576278

Run it through the fact-checkers at the DGB (Disinformation Governance Board).

Anonymous said...

5:22 As someone in the LGBTQ community, I resent your comment about the gay parade. It's also not the gay parade anymore. It's the LGBTQ celebration parade. Also, innocent people getting bombed and shot is much more important than people getting exemptions. Also, you didn't capitalize Ukraine. Shows you how much respect you have. You must be an administrator.

Anonymous said...

This person is not an administrator. I believe they are an individual who is making a valid point here. Rightfully so! Where’s the equity? If we want to be part of a free society whose accepting of everyone, why doesn’t the union take care of the teachers who are on leave here at home? Not a mention of these educators at any of the delegate assembly meetings. We’re just sending aid to teachers in Ukraine. That’s great, but take care of your people first. Members of the LGBTQ Community want to be accepted and recognized and those with exemptions want the same. The union has created this division amongst the vaccinated and unvaccinated together with the DOE. Hopefully, teachers who are seeking exemptions will prevail. How would you feel if they took care of the LGBTQ Community in Ukraine and didn’t accept the LGBTQ Community in NY?

Anonymous said...

I'm just saying the writer's tone was offending. I'm sure he wouldn't say, I guess black people or Jews are more important. It always seems the LGBTQ community is the one we can always make jokes about and it's acceptable.

Anonymous said...

fuck ukraine sending 50 billion to Nazis while Americans starve you ought to be ashamed of yourself

Anonymous said...

James, comments are moderated? Maybe you should just remove the comments section.

Anonymous said...

Comments are moderated? Really? Maybe you should just remove the comments section.

James Eterno said...

We considered suspending comments and occasionally when we wear out a topic but we do learn sometimes from people who disagree with us.

It is rather difficult to be too offended by anonymous people who insult other anonymous people.

Anonymous said...

Maybe do a sweep every once in a while. Some things should not stand.

Anonymous said...

"Negotiation Team meets on June 15th". That's it? Mulgrew not saying anything else about the upcoming contract battle? I am terrified about what is going to take place and everyone else should be too. He know a TON about what Adams is gonna ask and Mulgrew is hiding it from us.

Anonymous said...

Ahh yes, people with exemptions forever hiding in their homes. Get back to your buildings when all covid protocols have been removed in schools and the rest of your colleagues have been working in brick and mortar since September. Cut the bs. And for the LGBTQ, shows your tolerance. Hope y’all don’t have any lgbtq students/staff cuz clearly y’all are prejudice. Your bias is showing, can’t hide that any way you try.

Anonymous said...

Not so much offense. Just some things shouldn’t be left to stand, yet you don’t want to feed trolls either.

Anonymous said...

some people are just mad that censorship has not yet extended to every corner of the internet

Anonymous said...

Hate speech, aka speech I hate, needs to be banned asap!
And silence is violence! Or something...
How many municipal employees were fired for not getting jab? In Ukraine I mean ..

Anonymous said...

Brilliant response, James. Thank you for supporting open discourse without coddling triggered adults.

“ It is rather difficult to be too offended by anonymous people who insult other anonymous people.” 100% agree!

The first comment has articulated an important point and consistent flaw with UFT leadership: constant liberal virtue signaling while ignoring basic workers’ rights and demands. What can the UFT honestly do about Ukraine? They can potentially do a lot more to help union members who are on forced leave due to, at this point, useless mandates.

This piece rang very true to me. I support the return of our union brothers and sisters.

https://susandunham.medium.com/what-we-learned-from-hating-the-unvaccinated-fc428fa0732c

James Eterno said...

Can we please keep the focus on the DA?

Anonymous said...

I did focus on the DA and so where is my comment? I thought you were done censoring...

Anonymous said...

I can’t wrap my head around this. The mayor says he wants to help students with dyslexia but he also wants to “cut budgets” at the same time. The money given should be carefully distributed so we can have smaller classrooms and actually make a difference. How can you ensure safety, a proper education, and other necessities for the students with all of push against it?

Anonymous said...

Uft votes for resolutions, they pass. What do they do with that? Is there an action plan fornex: the dessa resolution?

James Eterno said...

Rules still apply. Not sure the comment you are talking about.

Anon2323 said...

The dyslexia training in June is absurd anyways. WE needs funds for our country and we give 50 billion to Ukraine a corrupt slush fund country with nazis, makes sense right?

Wanted to post the worst rated network fake news cnn SO James fact check will approve it since it is the main source for many of you sheep in here.

https://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/19/Dobbs.Sept20/index.html

Why are we giving this much money? cant be to hide Pelosi son Biden son Romney son etc from their mischief?

I agree we should care about national elections and local since they are stolen and we use faulty machines like dominion who have been called out by CNN the pedo network so it def has the stamp of approval.

https://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/19/Dobbs.Sept20/index.html

Anonymous said...

Maybe James should just hand this blog over to a family therapist. UFT members, we are one big dysfunctional family. To my LGTBQ identifying union brother/sister, protecting your lives, rights and dignity is one thing but your cause has become something else. It’s been hijacked along with some other good ideas. I do not want to take a knee. But you go right ahead. I do not want to salute any flag other than the red, white and blue but you go right ahead. Also know this… I do not have to support any of your causes as mine and I don’t have to use your verbiage if I don’t want to. This idea that using the term “gay parade” in a comment clearly about union priorities is triggering is part of the hijacking. The “gay parade” comment, as I took it, was meant to show disgust at our union’s priorities. Salary, benefits, work environment. Not political causes that we don’t necessarily agree on. Also, some of us see the authoritarian regime in Ukraine as no better than the authoritarian regime in Russia and we don’t want the Military Industrial Complex raping any more countries, especially our own. We don’t have to respect ukraine if we don’t want to. Compelled speech is unAmerican. When NYC becomes a hotbed of attacks on LGBTQ residents, let me know. Right now it’s the Asians and the Jews under attack and I don’t want my union giving thought to any of their parades either. Salary, benefits, work environment. Period.

waitingforsupport said...

Yeah let's just focus on "salary benefits and work environment for those who don't even earn their salary because of "self preservation"--it's the good ol American way. Woo hoo. Now where's my brewski

Shelley said...

Not much on the new contract. With inflation running so high you would expect the money we earn might be on the agenda. Nope. Anything but that. Pay your dues to the UFT and keep quiet. Quiet. They are negotiating behind closed doors because it's better for you. Quiet. They will look out for you. Don't worry. Put your faith and trust in the UFT. Not.

Anonymous said...

You changed the subject 2:11. The union fights for causes we ALL believe in. I fight for mine. You fight for yours. That’s how it should be. That’s the way to better salary, benefits, work environment. No distractions unites us and gets us there. No more parades and ribbons and foreign policy. My preference is red wine or a good martini, if you’re buyin’.

Anonymous said...

9:04 that piece should be full page news.it should be in church bulletins and subway cars.

Anonymous said...

Hello all!the issue is not about taking sides in ukraine conflict or gay bashing.the issue is that we pay dues for OUR issues.if people want to become involved in causes and charities of their choosing, that is great.but our dues should be to better working conditions for us.is any group using dues to help us??it is misuse of funds.is it possible to have votes on these things or is this already happening.
Those on exemptions are not home.we ate in buildings.there are a few on accommodation who did take the shot.we want to cone back.for all the vax talk, most staff got covid without the unvaxxed there.much of the time, we weren't allowed in public venues.so you all complied and damaged your immune system and still think it is our fault?Adams respects no city workers.face it! I'm only here because if I leave, my med bills can skyrocket w/o Medicare. People are chill outside if this place.ADAMS DOESNT GET THAT PEOPLE ARE LEAVING BECAUSE OF HIM!

Anonymous said...

6:38 you are biased.we never wanted to leave.in fact, I came to work when I had the choice to stay home In 2020.you guys pushed us our saying u were scared of us. We didn't want to leave.remember this. IT WAS ADAMS AND DIBLADIO WITH ALL THE DOE FOLLOWERS.

Anonymous said...

This blog posts much of the most timely relevant NYC Ed info overall. I don’t see the value of most of the comments in comparison. There’s a give and take in terms of new info from comments and degradation of the blog. People can anonymously rant elsewhere. I don’t think this should be the place. But whatever.

Anonymous said...

Very well said.... I may add we don't have to use your stupid pronouns if I don't want to

Dawkins said...

As always, I fear Mulgrew's "negotiations" will just be continued backdoor deals that made me vote for UFC in the first place.
No comment on Ukraine or my status as an ally to the rainbow flag, but I do cringe whenever I see the term "herstory" for its etymological misnomer.

Anonymous said...

It would be nice if the union supported members with sincerely held religious beliefs who wanted a choice concerning medical treatments. It would be the job of our union to protect its members rather than working with the city to place these employees on an unpaid leave without the option of seeking gainful employment. It would be nice if our union fought for us like the PBA and other unions. Members pay dues to protect our labor rights, especially due process not for the union to accept an unconstitutional arbitration agreement that violates our contract. Our union virtue signals with the current liberal flags but their ultimate job is to protect its workers regardless if they agree with the members religious beliefs or not. They were supposed to look out for UFT members. What they did this year by placing a group of educators on unpaid leave was unprecedented and even when members showed they had sincere beliefs they were terminated. The city and DOE want to destroy the union and loopholes concerning laws that protect educators and children this year they have gotten away with things they have never gotten away with in the past. Our union will defend educators accused of crimes and fight for them to remain on payroll until it is determined they are guilty. The union doesn’t talk about the educators placed on leave without pay because they have dropped the ball, failed those educators and left room for others in the future to be placed on LWOP or terminated simply for not complying with “mandates” or “orders.” WAKE UP PEOPLE!

Anonymous said...

@5:31

The high school teachers must break awy from the UFT and form a new union.
Mulgrew intends to make a bad contract deal and make sure we get low salary increases in exchange for givebacks. Anything less than keeping pace with inflation is bad.

We are down 14% due to inflation during 2021 ans 2022.

Anonymous said...

80% of the UFT active membership did not bother to vote.
So, we have the moron Mulgrew representing us.

Teachers are lazy whiners. NY city's meekest and weakest.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you noncompliers will be back sooner than you think...

https://teachersforchoice.org/2022/06/09/judge-overseeing-lawsuits-on-nyc-vaccine-mandates-owns-pfizer-stock/

I doubt anyone is surprised by this news. Let’s see how Mulgrew responds. Maybe he will have to financially disclose next...

Anonymous said...

Waiting For Support who is retired doesn't think our union should focus on salary, benefits and working conditions because of slackers. In other words she wants us all to suffer in order to punish the slackers among us. Her assumption is if we don't support her causes we must be beer drinking slackers. She's wrong about this as she is most often wrong about everything else.

waitingforsupport said...

6:10 am/1:50 pm writes: "Her assumption is" blah blah blah. You are just a cog remember. You're so fragile. Relax. Have some whatever. You will get whatever the union wants you to have and you will take it.

Anonymous said...

Waiting for support not only wants us all to suffer because of slackers she thinks her teenage mean girl routine will get me to stop pointing it out. I attack your despicable ideas. You call me fragile. I'm an admitted eggshell. Happy now? You still accused all members who want the uft to focus on salaries, benefits and working conditions of being slackers. You constantly attack union members who don't support your causes. Keep name calling. And I'll keep pointing out you've got nothing else but your Regina George playbook.

waitingforsupport said...

@739pm...glad to know that i can still wind you up but maybe you should use all of that bottled up fierceness to stick up for yourself when admin tells you how to behave. It seems like your frustration at being a puppet is misplaced. Now go wait in your corner for more instructions from your boss. Maybe this will make you happier: I collect a lovely pension every month and just returned from a beautiful vacation. Life is AMAZING. Smooches darling. Smile. It makes you feel better.

Anonymous said...

For waiting for support it’s always about power. Who made you feel so powerless that you think everyone has submissive issues? You’re a retiree who works as a consultant and who continually wants to see teachers get fired. Every rank and file teacher knows that you don’t get a retiree consultant job without having to kiss some administrative ass. You are projecting my dear and it’s the truth about yourself that gets you all wound up. Maybe this time you’ll go all in on the Holocaust like you promised. Attack UFT members, attack Jews. Bet you want to keep those smart Asians out of honors programs too. That’s who you are. Keep name calling. Unlike your mama, I can take it. (Spare me the lecture James. Your degenerate friend always starts with insults and then you run to cover it all up with lectures when someone gives it back to her.) The issue was salary, benefits and working conditions. Waiting for support doesn’t want our union to make that a priority. She wants us all held hostage until we support her bullshit causes. Want that raise? Then take a knee. She can’t address any ideas. She just name calls. And then Daddy James lectures the rest of us at some point. Same old story. Your life is AMAZING? Guess what? No one gives a shit. You’re the only one who thinks she has something to prove to strangers. Your ideas about punishing fellow union members are what make you despicable. No amount of name calling will deflect from that.

Anonymous said...

@6:10 hahaha waiting is really annoying, glad someone besides you and anon2323. Life is amazing with her wonderful leader, 6 bucks a gallon and inflation out roof, 50 billion other countries, 80 billion t taliban, life is grand, trump orange an bad, he tweets too much and mainstream media says hes a racist etc. I will listen to them because I am retired have time on my hands and I think Joy Reid is brilliant lol.

Dawkins said...

James--

As one of many who appreciate your constant efforts, I wish there was some way to have two sub-threads for each topic post
1. On topic thoughtful discourse with respectful disagreements to further our mutual goals which also highlight our understanding of contrary perspectives.
2. Immature whiny personal attacks where each person tries to score points with crafted zingers disguised as wit.

This must bring you back to your teaching days when some students would ask questions about the lesson while others were arguing over whose mama was uglier.

Keep going, sir. This blog is still valuable.


James Eterno said...

Hey Dawkins,

Very well said. It is very easy to sit at a keyboard and insult anonymous people online. I can't get too worked up about it but then again, it is not what we hoped for when we kept this blog going after retiring.

If I stop putting silly comments through, I am accused of censorship. If I let them go, I am charged with running a disgusting board. Can't win..

We have tried to be very lenient, to let people vent but we may have to reign it in again.

Anonymous said...

Let’s review this James and Dawkins.
@5:22 pm references a gay parade when venting frustration about union priorities.
8:12 pm LGBTQ member voices offense at the gay parade comment
9:22 pm addresses LGBTQ offense respectfully
9:32 pm LGBTQ member clarifies his/her offense respectfully
Then there’s some fuck Ukraine commentary and calls for censorship. And some on topic commentary.
The next day
@1:50 pm addresses the LGBTQ member respectfully and disagrees making the case that she opposes compulsory speech. Additional commentary on Ukraine and prioritizing salary, benefits, work environment is included. All of this is done respectfully.
2:11 Waiting For Support responds by telling fellow union members they don’t earn their salary and mocking beer drinking Americans and those who believe in the “American Way”
2:29 responds to this that Waiting has changed the subject, offers a suggestion on how to unify UFT members and makes an chiding reference to the “brewski” comment.
Next Day 6:10am uses Waiting’s own words against her and points out she’s wrong and retired.
Waiting Responds “… You are just a cog remember. You're so fragile. Relax. Have some whatever. You will get whatever the union wants you to have and you will take it.”
This is middle school and childish behavior but that’s not really my complaint here. My complaint James and Dawkins is that cries to do something about it only seem to happen AFTER Waiting encounters a commenter who returns fire and hits the target as 6:54 and 8:19 did.
You’re shielding someone who doesn’t seem to want good things for union members, who has called to fire UFT members, who has been anti semitic. I guess my bottom line is if James, Dawkins, anyone else can’t take the heat, maybe you shouldn’t invite Waiting into the kitchen. I don’t want her censored but I don’t want you stopping any backlash that comes her way when she opines on how shitty nyc teachers are while she takes glee in their abuse. Her comments are disgusting and she baits people so when someone who can be equally disgusting goes back at her, you just need to let it play out. Or protect her and censor others, it’s your blog. Just don’t pretend it’s for the greater good when it’s really about protecting Waiting.





James Eterno said...

The difference is if I tell Waiting 4 Support to cool it, it will happen. Some in the anonymous group have few, if any, limits.

I think it helps that Waiting and I have emailed back and forth so we have a working relationship.

Some of you shouldn't fear saying who you are (I mean really, not with fake names and made up emails). Email iceuft@gmail.com.

12:51, You actually reviewed all of those comments. Not sure if I should say thanks for doing that research to make your point or say this blog is not all that important for you to spend time dissecting anonymous comments.

waitingforsupport said...

@1251 you are wayyyy to invested in what I write. Your assessment of what's "respectful" is irrelevant to me. When vitriol is espoused on this blog by you or whoever "anonymous" is, it is disrespectful, code and baiting. However I haven't seen your outrage. It's possible that i just missed your dissertation on their vitriol or maybe you agree with it. I really couldn't care less. I hope you continue to get bothered by me. I respect people who show respect. I just make comments to the posts. Finally since you are now the self appointed resident of what's respectful why don't you review the cowardly ignorant race baiting comments posted by yourself and others. However don't act like a victim when you get called out. When you hit, expect to get hit back. Now if James doesn't want to publish any of my posts im cool with it. It's his blog. Just so you know, I don't know him--never met him. But i respect him. Why am i going to whine about comments on a damn blog. Wtf. With all that is happening in the world, this is what keeps you up at night? Not the grade fraud? Not the so called educators bragging about earning a salary because ahem "that's what the dems want"? Well if you like it, I love it. Now remember: when sh^t talkers post their sh^t, Waiting may or may not come with the blows. It's that simple. Go out and enjoy your life. You sound like you are in need of some happiness.

Dawkins said...

12:51

I appreciate the breakdown, and regret that my complaint seemed one sided.
For what it's worth, I find Waiting's sarcasm extremely grating.
I just prefer a different tone of disagreements. Upon review, I find that my post ironically dipped into the same waters and for that I apologize to both of you.
I wish you and WTS well.

Anonymous said...

There’s Waiting at it again. “Go out and enjoy your life. You sound like you are in need of some happiness.” Can’t attack an idea to save her life so she responds like an angry teen. Salary, benefits and working conditions. What’s UFT leadership doing about the things we all deem important?

waitingforsupport said...

Good morning. Thanks for the shoutouts. Rest up for ahem "work" or whatever you call that thing you do with students. I call it fraud and thievery but whatever. Happy Sunday.

Anonymous said...

Still can’t attack an idea. Still randomly accuses UFT members of being frauds and thieves. The idea being discussed, for anyone distracted by the teenybopper commentary, is that our union can unite us by solely focusing on salary, benefits and working conditions. That’s what started all of this. Salary, benefits and working conditions are important to all UFT members (except one evidently).

Anonymous said...

I know most will say "no chance" so consider it said.
Anyway, with the mayor wanting to cut money from the DOE and seeming to want a way to drop a bunch of us from the payroll, why is there no talk of reviving the buyout that was all set to go? Last times asked, mulgrew was evasive but not dismissive but it seems nobody wants to look foolish for asking about it.
It seems like a dead idea from what feels like forever ago, but there are also several reasons to think the city may want to save money by getting some of us to go away.

waitingforsupport said...

@1205.... are you name calling? Tsk Tsk. The union can unite us all.... are you really this ignorant or just when you're writing/talking?

Anonymous said...

6:45 I think the city would rather force retirement eligible teachers to retire by making them miserable than offer anything.
7:29 Grow up.

waitingforsupport said...

6:11am. Sounds like you have been miserable for quite some time. Did you have to gravel much today?

waitingforsupport said...

*grovel

Anonymous said...

Salary, benefits, working conditions. Agreed. Enough with liberal causes.