LIVE BLOGGING FROM NOVEMBER DA (Mostly unedited)

President's Report

When I got on the call, President Michael Mulgrew began was talking about the coat drive for kids in temporary housing. He thanked Rich Mantell, VP Middle Schools.

Class size

UFT over 30 years ago traded money for lower class size but after we decided that it is the city's responsibility. Negotiating committees have decided not to make it a contract demand for lower class sizes. We tried going through the courts and to have a referendum but the mayor threw it off the ballot so we are going through the health code. It is an occupancy issue. City says it will cost $30 billion to build the new schools needed but we have done the research as 84% of the schools have the space available if the City Council bill passes to lower occupancy levels. We will do more to push this bill along with the current City Council or the new one in January.

Federal

Billions of dollars are coming to the city from the federal infrastructure bill. It is good to be negotiating a contract when the economy is growing. Department of Ed couldn't argue with members of chapters in 2018 who were talking to them about what goes on at their worksite. Committee has to be large but manageable. 

State

Governor Murphy thanked UFT retirees for helping get to his reelection in New Jersey. State Democratic party meets in February. State has to finish redistricting before the primary which is scheduled for June. Governor Cathy Hochul from Western New York is a supporter of career and technical education. We have a new VP for Career and Technical schools who is Leo Gordon.Healthcare for city workers negotiated through the Municipal Labor Committee. City workers and federal workers are basically the only ones who have premium-free healthcare. Retirees have healthcare committee. We kept everything we had and added more. In service city workers have to be educated on this. Politicians say we have free healthcare. We pay a lot for that. Contracts for healthcare are up next year. I see the bill at the table at the MLC so I now don't go to certain places. We need committees.

City

Only nine people didn't get the pay for setting up digital classrooms. Too many tests being given in too short a time. City Hall wanted it done before they leave in January for political reasons. Note that mayoral control of the schools sunsets in Albany next year. We don't want more paperwork. File paperwork-operational complaints. We will probably have special ed complaints. Paras under new law will automatically be enrolled in the pension system. Some died and never enrolled in pension system. 1,800 to 3,000 paras not enrolled. They will automatically be enrolled. We were short 2,700 paras after the mandate and shortages. We have got the list of who wants to be para and we have helped to hire over 4,000 paras. 

New mayor coming in. We had 330-350 last year on negotiating committee. We want a bigger one this year. We want members of each chapter itself to be figuring out what they want. We have to train them. There are rules. We have to decide what priorities will be. Chapters should represent the needs of their chapter.

Happy birthday to Leroy Barr. They sign happy birthday.

Staff Director's Report 

Leroy Barr talks about class size campaign to get everyone to sign petition, including parents. Show the collective force we have to show class size is a health issue. We will have informational picketing on this citywide effort to get this once in a generation opportunity to get this done. Middle school division still collecting coats. Helping to fight HIV which we can hopefully conquer.  Toy drive for elementary school division. Thanks everyone for birthday wishes. 

Question period

Question on getting support for instance social workers getting hired and testing

Mulgrew Answer: It was not timed right. Money is still there but the social workers have not all been hired and the tests haven't been done right.

Question: Thanks Mulgrew, chapter leader in district 13 asks about literacy numeracy and SEL tests at the same time.

Answer: Use the operational complaint procedure. DOE keeps moving the deadline back quietly. Mayor announced the date that nobody thought should be announced. Tell administration to slow down and do an operational complaint if you have to.

Question: Can we send a survey to the membership rather than do operationa complaint as members have had it?

Mulgrew: File operational complaints right now. 

Follow up: How can we teach if we are doing these assessments all day?

Answer: File operational complaints and then don't do it if it is extra work.

Question: Can a principal say standards and objectives must be in your lesson plan?

Answer: NO. Move it to the District Rep. Our consultations are going a little weird with people who don't know if they will have a job in a month. Bring it to the DA.

Question: Occupational/physical therapist told they can't visit chapter leader even while she is on the chapter's executive board while other people can go right in.

Answer: People have appointments and Mulgrew will take care of it.

Question: Kids in D75 not wearing masks and COVID cases are ticking up, what can we do? School isn't clean.

Answer: Tell Leroy Barr if school isn't clean. As far as masks, we will work with D75 administration as we want kids wearing masks. Some of our people had to wear gowns, shields, masks and gloves. We had a big fight to close those two schools in Queens last week. One of the schools it was absolutely spread throughout the building. Outside community had no spread. It was all kids. Slight uptick the last week. We want more children vaccinated. Mayor elect Adams at this point believes in a mandate. Adams said we already mandate 7 vaccines so make it 8. Send Leroy Barr information about your school site.

Question Bronx Science Delegate says doctors provide fees for services. Insurance companies are okay with it as long as they get their cut. Market is broken. New York Health Act is in the legislature. UFT has a resolution supporting single payer. Are we going to do this in public?

Answer: We are forming a committee. New York Health Act needs to be passed at a federal level. New York Health Act would cost $4.5 billion. We tax the rich more than anyone else. Money for education would be reduced. Healthcare system should have been designed nationally so everyone can have free healthcare. People have their own agendas and beliefs. We support that but people have to know the ramifications of what happens. We are frustrated with what we have to deal with. That's why we are forming a committee. We will tell hospitals. Knee replacement could cost 476,000 and one could cost $36,000. The $36,000 is a better hospital. If people want to use a union to push their political agenda, there are ramifications. We have a committee.

New Motion Period

Motion to support School Related Professionals. This is for this month so it needs 2/3 vote in favor to go on agenda. 94% Yes, 6% No. Mulgrew says it was 100% live in favor.

Nick Bacon has motion for next month for healthcare plan changes. UFT has a large weighted vote on MLC. Changes to retiree healthcare and putting new members on HIP. This should come to the DA and we should vote here at the DA before we vote at the MLC.

Janella Hinds, VP Academic High Schools says having a healthcare committee will allow us to discuss healthcare so when the MLC has to make decisions, we can make informed decisions. We have never had healthcare votes as a right so we should vote against this motion.

Point of Information: Is there anything in the resolution that stops the committee from being formed?

Answer: No

On the phone, 49% yes and 51% No. More than that inside.

Someone raises a point of order that there should be a count. Mulgrew does not recognize the point of order but asks people to stand but doesn't count votes.(James here: Robert's Rules gives Delegates the right to ask for a count. Just call for a division of the house.)

Many chant hands off healthcare.

Special Orders of Business.

Karen Alford (VP elementary schools) motivates a resolution on lower class sizes. Now is the right time. If we put it in negotiations in the contract, it would cost us money from somewhere else.

A Delegate asks for an amendment to add more including putting it in negotiations for the contract in law and for legal actions. He talks about future actions.

A Delegate argues that the contract is not the right place for lower class sizes. We have a committee to negotiate. Class size should not be there in contract negotiations. 

A Delegate on the phone says teachers are overworked and overextended just like our class size. We don't want this to be a mandatory item. We want it now. 

A chapter leader speaks in favor of the amendment because it allows chapter leaders to enforce class sizes through the grievance process.

A Delegate on the phone opposes the amendment. Says we have a health crisis to lower class sizes. We also have a social emotional crisis. We need lower class sizes. By putting it into the legislative process. it removes pressure at the bargaining table. Members have a voice in the legislative process. 

A Delegate supports the amendment. The amendment is not in conflict with the rest of the resolution. We can get lower class size through legislation or through contract negotiations

A Delegate on the phone says lower class sizes are important contractually or through other means.

A Delegate calls the question on all matters before the house.

Point of Order: This is an important issue asking if the person who spoke previously was on the union payroll. Delegate responds that he is elected and insulted that someone asked this.

82% vote to close debate.

Vote on the amendment to make lower class size into contract negotiations 1was 61% Yes and 39% No.

Mulgrew then does a standup count for those who are live. First the yes vote is counted. Then the no vote by standing up.

The amendment passes!

Vote on the resolution as amended:

Someone asks for a point of information on what the numbers are in the vote. Answer is it will be in minutes (James here: Delegates can ask for a count at the meeting according to Robert's Rules.)

82% vote for the class size resolution as amended.

Next motion is on mayoral control. Daniel Alicea  talks about mayoral control as a crucial issue. He says we have learned that mayoral control is not just another meal but it is mayoral control that has led to major corruption. Anti-democratic system has to be limited with checks and balances or eliminated outright. Mayoral control has stripped authentic engagement from stakeholders.

Mulgrew interrupts to accuse someone of broadcasting the DA to people outside. Says shame on that person. (James again: Anyone on the phone call can broadcast it.) Mulgrew goes on a tirade about how we can't be divided. He says broadcasting has been stopped. Meeting can continue. 

Daniel Alicea continues that Yang and Adams were funded by Wall Street and probably Bloomberg. Man who said 300 in a class now is ok is now mayor. We have to push against mayoral control. We need a new resolution as this one talks about the mayor's race so he withdraws the motion and asks for a new one. Mulgrew accepts the withdrawal.

Next motion on School Safety Agents. The Delegate who made the motion amends it Rich Mantell VP Middle Schools says he is confused and opposes resolution as is. A Delegate from Cardozo says we shouldn't have  safety budget given to the DOE. 

A point of information on what the amendment is. First part is to vote no on transferring control of safety agents to DOE. Second part is for more social workers and guidance counselors to be hired. Mulgrew points out that the UFT is against moving school safety from NYPD to DOE. Maker of the motion says the bill should be amended to not transfer safety agents from NYPD to DOE but wants changes in how SSA's operate and are trained.

A Delegate says principals don't need more control. Keep SSA's with NYPD.

Another Delegate says DOE should not control school safety but even under NYPD, SSA roles need to be reformed.

A social worker speaks in favor of the amendement. Says we need to reform the SSA role but Union should be on right side of justice. 

Mulgrew asks the body if it is okay to continue debate. Mulgrew says we are past automatic adjournment time. If we want to finish the resolution, we have to move on. Someone makes a motion to extend the debate. 

45% yes to extend the debate and 55% No. Debate is closed. 

Mulgrew then asks to call the question on ending debate again. 83% vote to end the debate.

68% vote for the amendment while 32% vote No on the phone. Mulgrew asks for numbers in the building. He calls for another count. Amendment passes.

75% vote for the resolution as amended.

Mulgrew wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

SOME UNITED FOR CHANGE OBJECTIVES

These are some priorities from United for Change, the new coalition formed to run a gains Unity-Mulgrew in the 2022 UFT election.

OPPOSITION CAUCUS GROUPS AND INDEPENDENTS UNITE TO RUN JOINT SLATE AGAINST MULGREW-UNITY IN 2022 UFT ELECTION

We are United for Change! We need a better union!

Many comments have called for us to come together to beat Unity-Mulgrew and we have. Now, we need all of you to join us!

Here is this morning's press advisory:

F25 IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 17, 2021:

United For Change: info@unitedforchange.vote

Annie Tan, teacher: 

Bennett Fischer, retired teacher: 

RANK AND FILE MEMBERS OF THE UFT FORM UMBRELLA SLATE TO CHALLENGE THE CURRENT UNION LEADERS OF THE UNION IN SPRING 2022 UFT ELECTION

New York, New York: Throughout 2020 and 2021, UFT members have watched as their union failed to keep unsafe schools closed, failed to listen to its members, and failed to secure fair pay, benefits, and protections. Late night emails from UFT President Michael Mulgrew with empty rhetoric are commonplace, but classrooms are overcrowded and poorly ventilated, counseling departments are grossly understaffed, schools reopened with the same poor infrastructure, and the healthcare of retirees and new members has been sold to the highest bidder. The COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown has shown that educators need a responsive union leadership that is willing to mobili]e members to improve working and learning conditions.

United for Change, a group of opposition caucuses, activist groups, and individual educators in the United Federation of Teachers is proud to announce a joint-slate coalition to challenge the 60-year reign of the UFT's Unity Caucus in the upcoming 2022 UFT elections. United for Change is composed of school workers who want to see a fundamental shift at the top of their union after entrenched, increasingly undemocratic and unaccountable, single-party control. Coalition organizations include the Movement of Rank-and-File Educators (MORE), UFT Solidarity, New Action-UFT, the Independent Community of Educators (ICE-UFT), Educators of NYC (EONYC), Retiree Advocate-UFT, and a broad swath of new and veteran union activists. The coalition's platform includes calls for:

• Smaller class sizes with enforceable caps negotiated in the UFT contract
•  More student support staff, including counselors, social workers, librarians, nurses & secretaries
•  Fair pay and professional respect for all, including paraprofessionals, therapists, & untenured staff
•  Safe working conditions & safe learning conditions
• More democrac\ within their union and more organi]ing support in chapters & districts
•  A halt to the privatization of public education & healthcare
•  Better healthcare for union members & their families

The joint slate will be announced at the UFT's Delegate Assembly at 52 Broadway on November 17th at 4:30 PM.

Coalition activists at the delegate hall will speak about the new coalition.

Movement of Rank and File member Annie Tan said, "I am inspired by the examples of Chicago and Los Angeles that won many more protections than New York because they have unions that listen to their teachers and members. I'm fighting for a union that will actually listen to us and won't back-door negotiate. As a former Chicago Teachers Union member, I know that we have power in numbers and that our voices matter. We are united for change for a better union that mobilizes our membership. ́

Eric Severson, a member of the Solidarity Caucus said, "UFT Solidarity's logo is 'we have your back.' We believe this new coalition does just this. We believe the union should spend more time listening to member concerns on contracts, working conditions, and job-related concerns, and less time lecturing the members that they serve by defending backroom deals. ́

Bennett Fischer of Retiree Advocate: We spoke about the UFT's role in switching city retirees to a privately administered Medicare Advantage Plan: "As a UFT retiree, I want a union that supports public education, public healthcare, and keeps retiree's Medicare public. I want a better union."

Micheal Shulman of the New Action Caucus added that "Our union has failed us in the fight against COVID, failed to reduce class size, failed to fight to improve our unequal pensions, and failed against abusive administrators. We need a proactive union that fights to improve our working conditions and end our segregated school system. ́

The Independent Community of Educators looks forward to working in the upcoming union election with all of our coalition partners: "We have been aiming for a united opposition to Unity's mismanagement of our union since our founding in 2003. ́

NETWORK FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION SHOWCASES JAMAICA HS'S KYM WALCOTT

Kymberley Walcott is one of the most remarkable students I have ever had the honor of teaching and advising at Jamaica High School. 

Kym did a PSA for the Network for Public Education. It is well worth watching again and again.  Kym now attends St. Johns Law School.

The video is part of a series called Public Voices for Public Schools. Kym's video truly moved me, particularly since my colleagues and I are the teachers she is talking about.

CLASS SIZE FORUM LIVE BLOGGING

 I logged on when Michael Mulgrew was talking about class size. Emily James is also on from UFT.  The third person is Mark Treyger, the Education Chair of the City Council.

Mulgrew speaks and then turns it over to Emily James on the petition. Emily led the petition drive for Paid Parental Leave. She talks about the petition. She shares a link to UFT.org/petition. She then introduces Councilmember Treyger.

Treyger then speaks. He thanks Mulgrew and Emily. Treyger is the sponsor of the bill. He says, why now? City ignored Campaign for Fiscal Equity money. He talks about the difference between the 34 maximum and the difference when he taught at New Utrecht with 28. He said it was so crowded sometimes there were 40 in a class. We are in receipt of billions of dollars from Washington and money from Albany. We looked at the health code for classroom occupancy and it hasn't been looked at since before World War II when tuberculosis was an issue in 1938. Oversize classes a problem for years. School Construction Authority has under five staff part-time looking for space. The SCA doesn't take this seriously. We can't go back. We have to move foward. We looked at the code. We are giving them a five-year period to get this done. Mayor's signature program was UPK. They found away to seat over 70,000 kids in one year. When administration wants to get things done, they move heaven and earth to get it done. His parents were a teacher and a para. Nobody including District 75 being pushed out. The committee will be with stakeholders will make sure this gets done. Task force on compliance plans. Prioritize classroom capacity plans. Language in the bill to let parents go to court. Remedy would be compliance with the law. We have tweaked the original draft to give DOE five years and put in the task force to make sure no child is hurt. This is about public growth. We have to met kids where they are at. Kids living in temporary housing need one-to-one instruction. We have the ability and responsibility to address this and get it to the finish line. Critical negotiations on language. Hoping to get this voted on November 23. Mayor will get 30 days to sign or veto. We are working on having enough people to override if needed. Please sign the petition.

Emily James asks for members to share their stories. Nine year teacher says last year was the best year of teaching because she didn't have 30 students in a class. Full in-person with 11 kids in her class in January. She developed strong relationships with students and their families. 

Another teacher follows who is a kindergarten teacher. Smaller the number, the more enriching the students' experience. She has 16 this year and when compared with the limit of 25, the difference is amazing. Children come in with varied skill levels. 

Mulgrew comments on districts outside of NYC getting a great education with smaller classes last year and this year. Why don't students in NYC get that? It is a safety issue. Two schools closed last week. Don't NYC children deserve what others have outside the city?

Treyger talks about personalized instruction. He says this is an equity issue.

A teacher from the Bronx is next. He says he usually teaches five classes of 30 students.  He can't give students individualized instruction. This year classes are in the teens. It's enjoyable. After the pandemic administration will say we don't have the resources. 

Emily comments on joy of learning with smaller class sizes.

Another teacher is from the Bronx who always has 32 or 31 except for two years. Small groups last year. it shouldn't be a luxury to have 18 or 19. Non-readers SIFE students. During snow days, more learning would go on. 

Mulgrew comments that in the past we were told that it didn't matter the class size as long as there was a quality teacher. This should be the norm with lower class sizes.

11-year teacher chapter leader talks of having 19 in a class last year. He made great relationships last year and he wanted those kids this year. 9 students extra this year. Now he has 28 students which made it considerably harder. Limitations with extra students. Same students but 9 extra. 

Emily responds that it is a great case study.

Mulgrew says we are sharing the petition.

Delegate from Beacon High School is excited about this campaign. Asks if the union has thought about bringing this up through our contract campaign. We are in a position of strength. We mobilized for a strike last year, and got more. Could we mobilize through contract campaign?

Mulgrew says it comes down to negotiating committee. We want to expand negotiating committee. 400 people representing 123,000 members. We want smaller class sizes, but is this the issue we want to lead on. Do we want to do it like this but in a smarter way. Every negotiating committee has discussed this. We have to think about the consequences of a strike because of the Taylor law.

Treyger says we have a three year down payment plan from DC. President signed a hard infrastructure bill but the soft infrastructure bill would free up hundreds of millions of dollars for more teachers to lower class size. This is the right time financially and politically.

3K teacher from Rockaways says some children come to the classroom in kindergarten not ready. Many had never held a pencil or a crayon. As a teacher, wants to make them ready to learn. Volunteered to go to 3K and to get those children ready. Some parents know their children are not ready. Children in pampers and pullups. Children who can barely speak. When we could help 8 students, it was blown out of the water. 3K puts in the foundation. Take into consideration our even younger learners.

First year chapter leader and was on medical leave.Mulgew says DOE sysfuction causing problems in schools. 

First year chapter leader says we should not have to make up for DOE problems. 32 students in first grade.

Mulgrew comments on how city council used to provide funds to keep lower grades at lower class size.

Nine year former chapter leader who has been through arbitration talks about enforcement. Says he has been through arbitration but this needs to be tied to funding.

Treyger says the DOE has to give all of the schools resources. Look at John Dewey HS which was on the verge of closure seven-eight years ago. Dewey has no theater and culinary programs along with new administration so it has 2,400 now. Enforcement will be a report every year. Second, there will be a task force to get compliance. Parents will have the right to sue. They can work with advocates who can sue like they sue to get IEP adhered to. Public report, compliance plan and there is no excuse that there is no money. NY is in receipt of billions of dollars with more on the way.

Mulgrew adds that the UFT would have standing to sue on this. If parents and the union were suing, case law would be established. Much more teeth there with multiple people having standing. City will need a capital plan to increase capacity based on the needs of the community. City must be able to forecast where space will be needed. None of that is happening now. Many ways to do this but citing of schools is done based on politics now.

Treyger adds that since Dewey has recovered from being down to 600 students, other schools in the area are less crowded.

Emily adds that for high school teachers with 34 maximum teaching five classes makes 170 caseload.

Mulgrew says that 170 students means if you spend 2 minutes on each one that means 3.5 hours a night. 

Emily's conclusion is to say there will be a took kit to engage members. They can get City Council members to sign on. Trying to form a subcommittee to meet to come up with further ideas. If bill passes, there will still be issues to be resolved. 

Mulgrew then concludes that there is going to be a fight. We have to thank people who are doing the right thing by sponsoring it and pushing Councilmembers not on board. If bill passes, that is just the start of the fight. It will be attacked. If one good thing can come out of this damn pandemic, this would be it. Thanks Treyger and people on Zoom. 

Treyger concludes by saying powers that be are worried because this will commit money to education for years to come

MY WIFE'S 2021-2022 NYSUT CALENDAR FINALLY ARRIVES; WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR PRINTED UFT CONTRACTS

Just wondering: Have you received your NYSUT planning calendar yet for the 2021-2022 school year? My wife got hers last Thursday. The term started over two months ago. Did the UFT/NYSUT just forget to print these or is the mail to the schools that slow? I am still waiting for my version.

Maybe the calendars are going out of style like the printed UFT Contracts that were last distributed to members in 2007.

Maybe I am just old-school but I believe having a book with some information makes life a little bit easier. The calendars are full of phone numbers and useful facts about the UFT and NYSUT. Sending them in the middle of November makes them kind of outdated as a planning document. Perhaps they are just like phonebooks and they shouldn't bother printing them any longer. 

I know I have complained about the Contract not being printed in the past. A basic function of a union is to distribute its agreements with management to the union members. Not having a printed contract distributed to members is surely a way to make UFTers less interested in figuring out what their rights are. I recall seeing my copy in the mail as a new teacher way back when and just going through it to notice so much that interested me, not just the salary steps. I cannot figure out why the UFT stopped printing the Contract and sending it to all of the members as an absolutely essential document for every UFTer to have. If they are like the yellow pages, then at least incorporate the 2018 Memorandum of Agreement into the Contract and on the main UFT page tell members where they can readily access it.

I may be dating myself here but is having the information online a sufficient substitute for a printed Contract? 

For those wanting to know where to look up the Contract online, the UFT Contracts from 2009-2018 are here.

The 2018 Memorandum of Agreement that as far as I know has not been incorporated into a new Contract is available here. 

Your Chapter Leader should have received your NYSUT calendars. Ask her/him if you never received one.

 

HIGH SCHOOL ZONE OPTION GONE

No more guarantee that a child will get into a high school in their neighborhood. This is from the NY Post:

New York City families are zoned out — of their local high schools.  

The city Department of Education has quietly done away with high-school zoning, which for decades guaranteed students a seat in a school near their home. 

That leaves 8th-graders facing more uncertainty as they try to navigate an increasingly confusing admission system, and dashes some families’ long-standing plans.

What is the grand plan here? 

CORPORATE POWER IS FUELING INFLATION; UNIONS ARE A VERY POPULAR POTENTIAL REMEDY

This post is dedicated to the guy who keeps telling us how the terrible Democrats are the cause of high inflation. You can be on-topic if you want to comment here. 

I have no love for corporate Democrats or really any Republicans. Please read this piece in the Guardian from Robert Reich, Labor Secretary under Bill Clinton. Reich makes the case that lack of competition is largely responsible for fueling high prices as corporate profits are going up during this inflationary period which wouldn't happen if there was real competition. Reich writes:

A major reason for price rises is supply bottlenecks, as Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, has pointed out. He believes they’re temporary, and he’s probably right.

But there’s a deeper structural reason for inflation, one that appears to be growing worse: the economic concentration of the American economy in the hands of a relative few corporate giants with the power to raise prices.

If markets were competitive, companies would keep their prices down in order to prevent competitors from grabbing away customers.

But they’re raising prices even as they rake in record profits. How can this be? They have so much market power they can raise prices with impunity.

Viewed this way, the underlying problem isn’t inflation per se. It’s lack of competition. Corporations are using the excuse of inflation to raise prices and make fatter profits.

In April, Procter & Gamble announced it would start charging more for consumer staples ranging from diapers to toilet paper, citing “rising costs for raw materials, such as resin and pulp, and higher expenses to transport goods”.

But P&G is making huge profits. In the quarter ending 30 September, after some of its price increases went into effect, it reported a whopping 24.7% profit margin. It even spent $3bn during the quarter buying its own stock.

It could raise prices and rake in more money because P&G faces almost no competition. The lion’s share of the market for diapers, to take one example, is controlled by just two companies – P&G and Kimberly-Clark – which roughly coordinate their prices and production. It was hardly a coincidence that Kimberly-Clark announced price increases similar to P&Gs at the same time P&G announced its own price increases.

Or consider another consumer product duopoly – PepsiCo (the parent company of Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Quaker, Tropicana, and other brands), and Coca-Cola. In April, PepsiCo announced it was increasing prices, blaming “higher costs for some ingredients, freight and labor”. Rubbish. The company didn’t have to raise prices. It recorded $3bn in operating profits through September.

If PepsiCo faced tough competition, it could never have gotten away with this. But it doesn’t. To the contrary, it appears to have colluded with Coca-Cola – which, oddly, announced price increases at about the same time as PepsiCo, and has increased its profit margins to 28.9%.

You can see a similar pattern in energy prices. If energy markets were competitive, producers would have quickly ramped up production to create more supply, once it became clear that demand was growing. But they didn’t.

Why not? Industry experts say oil and gas companies saw bigger money in letting prices run higher before producing more supply. They can get away with this because big oil and gas producers don’t operate in a competitive market. They can manipulate supply by coordinating among themselves.

In sum, inflation isn’t driving most of these price increases. Corporate power is driving them.

Business Insider agrees with Reich. They note that profit margins for the third quarter are at 12.9%.

FactSet noted this is the second-highest net profit margin for the index, following only the record-breaking 13.1% margins posted in the second quarter of this year.

This is not what you'd expect to see in an inflationary environment. Rising costs should cut profit margins dramatically — higher bills for materials and labor are supposed to eat away at the bottom line. But in spite of supply shortages and rising wages, pandemic-era Corporate America is still doing just fine — somehow.

No competition! How do we fight back? It would be nice if the government enforced anti-trust laws to reign in large businesses. That is not likely when corporations are major donors for most politicians. What about the government  empowering workers to unionize? This would be quite popular. From Gallup:

Sixty-eight percent of Americans approve of labor unions. Though statistically similar to last year's 65%, the current reading is the highest Gallup has measured since 71% in 1965.

This popularity for unions is across the political spectrum.

Democrats are the most approving of unions. Their latest approval of 90% is the highest it has been in the past two decades and is up seven points since last year. At the same time, Republicans' (47%) and independents' (66%) approval is essentially unchanged. Each partisan group's current approval of unions is more than 20 points higher than its lowest 2001-2020 rating.

The problem is that only 9% of Americans self-identify as union members. The Democrats in the Senate are not showing much inclination to push through the PRO Act which would make it much easier to unionize. The bill is stalled in the Senate as not even all of the Democrats are on board. 

At the end of the day, giant corporations truly rule this country. Stop blaming each other for our problems.

HOW CAN ONE SCHOOL IN A CO-LOCATED BUILDING BE CLOSED FOR COVID WHILE THE OTHERS STAY OPEN?

I don't understand the situation in Far Rockaway at MS 53 Brian Piccolo School that also houses Village Academy and a Success Academy school. Village Academy is being closed due to an outbreak of COVID-19 that has seen 14 students and 2 staff members test positive. What about the other two schools co-located in the building? They remain open.

The Department of Education in their usual wisdom has decided that COVID-19 won't penetrate different schools within the same building. Co-located schools are apparently immune from COVID spread. But don't the co-located schools share the same cafeteria space? Don't they share the same gym? Don't the students get wanded by the same screeners in the morning as they enter school?

This building has had problems with ventilation. A teacher at one of the schools told Gothamist in 2020, "That building is a death trap, as far as ventilation. There's no supply fan, no ventilation unit. No intake or outtake for fresh air. We don't have any air conditioners." It hasn't gotten much better in 2021 but only one school is closed, not all three.

I gather the staff in the two schools that remain open are quite worried this evening as they contemplate going to work in the morning.

If I was in charge of the UFT, I would be at that building first thing in the morning with a certified industrial hygienist who we would demand be admitted to thoroughly examine this building. If we weren't 100% satisfied it was as safe as possible, we would be loudly encouraging UFT members and the kids to stay away.

FAR ROCKAWAY SCHOOL CLOSES FROM COVID

It is now up to three NYC schools closed because of COVID. This is from Chalkbeat:

Village Academy in the Far Rockaway section of Queens will close Thursday after health department officials determined COVID-19 is spreading in the school, according to the education department.

It is the second New York City public school closed this week, and the third closure this school year.

As of Wednesday, city data show there had been nine partial classroom closures at the middle school, which shares a building with other schools. The school reported 14 cases among students over the past week and two among staff, according to state data.

Students will transition to remote learning for the next 10 days and can return to in-person learning on Nov. 22. Any student without a device can pick one up tomorrow at the school.

The co-located schools will remain open.

This building's ventilation issues have been reported by the press.

Here is what one teacher said about the building last year:

"Of all the buildings to go to, they decide to go to a building that was built in 1973 by a modernist architect, and his intent was to have no windows that would distract [students]," one teacher there, who asked not to be named, told Gothamist. "That building is a death trap, as far as ventilation. There's no supply fan, no ventilation unit. No intake or outtake for fresh air. We don't have any air conditioners."

I don't know if the ventilation issues were addressed properly but I am skeptical for sure. I also wonder why only one school in the building is closed. Why not the whole building? I guess the DOE, and probably the UFT, have figured out that the virus only goes to the Village Academy part of the school building. 

NEW PRINCIPAL FINDS LOTS OF WEAPONS IN SCHOOL SAFE

We now have more evidence of how schools sweep things under their carpets; this time the principal was hiding confiscated weapons in a safe. We can reasonably conclude that these weapons were tied to incidents that were never reported.

This is from Selim Algar in the NY Post:

A new Queens principal found a safe stuffed with a stashed cache of knives in his office this week — after prior administrators apparently tucked the weapons away without reporting them.

Michael Borelli, who became head of IS 125 in Long Island City just this year, opened up a safe in the office of his predecessor, Judy Mittler, to insert some petty cash, sources said.

He noticed two shelves — and was shocked to see them filled with a dizzying variety of knives and what appeared to be a gun.

Weapons found in schools are supposed to be immediately reported to school safety agents who eventually hand over the items to the NYPD.

Those items are later included in NYPD weapons seizure tallies that are later made public.

Borelli followed that procedure this week after the startling discovery and school agents alerted their superiors to the arsenal.

“These items should have been reported to school safety — a standard procedure our school leaders are trained to follow,” said Department of Education spokesperson Nathaniel Styer. “The new school leader at this school discovered these items, thoroughly followed proper procedures and immediately turned them over to school safety and this is being thoroughly investigated.”

Some of the weapons appeared to be decades old while others looked far newer, according to sources.

School safety agent union chief Greg Floyd said the find confirms his longstanding charge that administrators don’t report weapons to avoid scrutiny and soften statistics.

“This is an example of what I’ve been saying for years,” Floyd said. “How many other schools have safes that are full of weapons?”

Is anyone surprised by this story? Schools need integrity.

SECOND NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL CLOSES DUE TO COVID; MULGREW KNEW IT WAS UNSAFE

From Gothamist today:

New York City has closed its second public school due to COVID-19, after an outbreak struck P.S. 166 Henry Gradstein in Queens, on the border of Astoria and Long Island City. The elementary school will now go fully remote for ten days.

Parents learned of the closure Tuesday afternoon via an email sent by the school’s principal Jessica Geller. The closure will go into effect Wednesday morning. WNYC/Gothamist contacted the New York City Department of Education for comment.

According to COVID-19 data compiled by the New York State Department of Health, 19 students and 3 staff have tested positive at the school since November 2nd. The uptick brings Henry Gradstein’s total case count for the current school year to 34, meaning its tally has nearly tripled in the last seven days.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew comments:

“This school would have been closed two weeks ago,” under last year’s criteria, said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers. “We know the spread is coming from inside that building.”

If Mulgrew knew the spread was coming from inside the building, why didn't he tell his members and the kids to stay out? 

EDUCATORS OF NYC CHALLENGES UFT LEADERSHIP TO GO FURTHER ON LOWER CLASS SIZES

The UFT is going to make a push for lower class size through a City Council bill that would lower class sizes by changing the health code on the maximum occupancy in a classroom. 

Daniel Alicea, from Educators of NYC, has written an open letter to UFT leadership asking the UFT to go much further than the City Council bill if the Union is really serious about lowering class sizes.  Daniel argues that the UFT should back the City Council bill but also to support a plan to get the money from the Campaign for Fiscal Equity settlement and use it toward lowering class size in the UFT Contract where it would be enforceable. In 2005, the UFT while they were giving away many of our rights, for example creating the Absent Teacher Reserve pool, put a clause in the Contract that said in Article 8L d) that if Campaign for Fiscal Equity money was made available, they would set up a labor-management committee for "a program for the reduction of class size in all grades and divisions."  That funding is here sixteen years later but we are not even demanding that it be used to lower class sizes. Daniel's letter is copied in full below along with his resolution for the November Delegate Assembly on class sizes.

Smaller Class Size, Now - An Open Letter to UFT President Michael Mulgrew and UFT leadership

Dan Alicea

Esteemed:

I am excited about the prospect of our union finally pushing smaller class sizes in a more meaningful way. 

While I believe we may see some gains out of the City Council bill, we admittedly know it’s tenuous at best as shared by leadership, today.

There are also very serious and valid questions in regards to its enforcement. The specter of an entirely new city council and mayor leaves us a very small window, also, in my opinion. Even this mayor has made no commitments to smaller class size. 

We need teeth on this one. Once and for all.

I am asking we all support the following resolution I hope to share at our next delegate assembly. This issue is too iffy in the hands of bureaucrats when not ironclad, as we have seen with the circles CFE litigation put us in for over 20 years.

I’d also add that we already see the city violate other square footage requirements presently with little to no consequence.

We need a full-court press. If we care about this enough, we must fight for it in every single way available to us, legislatively on a state and city level, contractually, in our future collective bargaining, and in rallying our school communities.

Find the resolution attached.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dEuZULUL4rRUkBWGP1iGgydYvvwAVFhW/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116794091680782465221&rtpof=true&sd=true

Please support.

This matters to our children, families, educators, and school communities.

In solidarity,

Daniel Alicea - Special Education teacher/ Delegate, Middle School 53

Resolution to strengthen our commitment to lower class size and hold the NYC DOE accountable for enforcement of class size reduction (working draft)

Whereas: Excessive class sizes have been a consistent problem in NYC public schools for generations; 

Whereas: As of the 2019-20 school year, nearly one third or over 300,000 NYC students were crammed into classes of 30 or more;

Whereas: Reducing class size has been the top priority of NYC public school parents with children in grades K through 12 when asked what changes they would most like to see in their children’s schools, ever since the Department of Education began to administer surveys in 2007; 

Whereas:  According to a  UFT survey, 99% of teachers said that reducing class size would be a “highly effective way” to improve student outcomes, far above any other reform; 

Whereas:  In 2003, in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) lawsuit, NY’s highest court determined that NYC public school class sizes were too large to provide students with their constitutional right to a sound basic education, and yet class sizes have increased since that decision was made, particularly in the early grades; 

Whereas: According to research, reducing class size has proven to be one of the best ways to improve student learning and to lead to better grades and test scores, stronger student engagement, lower disciplinary rates, less teacher attrition, and higher graduation and college-going rates;

Whereas: Given the need for social distancing during the Covid pandemic and stronger academic support to make up for disrupted learning conditions, the need for smaller classes is more evident than ever before;  

Whereas:  NYC will receive an additional $530 million in state Foundation aid as a result of the CFE lawsuit this year, to increase to $1.4 billion annually over three years;

Whereas: A bill has been introduced in the State Legislature, S.6296/ A07447 to renew NYC’s obligation to lower class size in all grades as required by the original Contracts for Excellence law, passed in 2007; 

Whereas:    A bill has been introduced in the NYC Council, Int 2374-2021,  to lower classroom capacity and thus class size, starting in the fall of 2021 to be phased in over three years, 

Whereas:  In the May 2005 contract between the UFT and the DOE, it was agreed that “subject to adequate CFE funding,”  a Labor/Management committee would be formed to look into several issues, among them “a program for the reduction of class size in all grades and divisions.”

Whereas:  According to a 2019 study  of 124 large districts , which included the 100 largest districts in the country and the largest district in each state, the average class size limits were lower in every grade than the contractual class size caps in NYC; 

Whereas:  The class size caps in the UFT contract have not changed in over fifty years; 

Be it Resolved:  That the UFT will demand that the DOE immediately establish a Labor-Management Committee to come up with a plan to lower class size in all grades and divisions, given that the full CFE funding will be provided to NYC over the next three years; 

Be it Resolved: That the UFT will urge the New York State Governor and the Legislature to adopt S.6296 and A07447,  and for the NYC Council to adopt Int 2374-2021;

Be it Resolved:  That the UFT will prioritize this as one of our top demands in upcoming contractual negotiations to align the contractual class size caps with the city’s 2007 state-approved C4E class size goals, including no more than 20 students per class in grades K-3; 23 students per class in grades 4-8; and 25 students in high school, to be phased in over the next four years;

Be it Resolved:  That the UFT officers will report back to the Delegate Assembly each month on the progress made on each of these four goals.

DEMOCRATS IN DC NOT COMING THROUGH FOR EDUCATION THIS FALL

Education is not doing too well in Washington these days.

First, it was the free community college that was supposedly at the top of President Joe Biden's agenda that was cut from his grand spending plans last month.

From NPR:

The Biden administration's program to make community college tuition-free will not become a reality in this round of the president's spending priorities, leaving progressive groups disappointed.

Both progressive and moderate Democrats confirmed to NPR that two free years of community college — a major Biden priority — will likely not make it in a final package of key progressive priorities. 

The latest blow to education from the federal government is that the infrastructure bill just passed by the House of Representatives on Friday won't include spending to upgrade school buildings.

From Diane Ravitch:

Many of the nation’s public schools are in poor physical condition. Since the Great Recession of 2008, states stopped or cut the funding necessary repairs and upgrades. President Biden’s infrastructure plan included $100 billion to upgrade the physical conditions of America’s schools. In the last hours of haggling before the bill was passed, this provision was cut, then eliminated.

To be fair, K-12 schools got money back in the Biden stimulus bill in March but since then we are 0 for 2.

Democrats continually let public school advocates down and then they wonder why many of their potential supporters stay home on Election Day or find an excuse to vote Republican. I have said here over and over how the so-called moderate Democrats are not our friends on so many important issues. Republicans come right out and tell us they hate public schools and especially our unions. Democrats give us lip service and then let us down over and over again.

Ravitch explains the priorities:

States need federal aid to upgrade their schools. We put our money into those things we care most about. Providing healthy and attractive buildings where children learn is not at the top of the list.

I can't wait to see how Michael Mulgrew tries to spin these cuts as a victory for us.

WHAT DID ERIC ADAMS MEAN WHEN HE CALLED DOE AN EMBARASSMENT?

There are all kinds of interpretations of this Eric Adams comment on PIX 11:

Fresh off his election night win, Adams told PIX11 News on Wednesday the Department of Education needs an overhaul that will bring the joy of learning back to the classroom.

“One of the greatest embarrassments in our city is what’s happening with the Department of Education. Great teachers, great educators, but the system is failing,” he said. “We’re spending over $30 billion a year and have children in this city — 65% of Black and brown children never reach proficiency.”

The UFT isn't worried:

Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers union, told PIX11 News on Wednesday he’s looking forward to working with Adams to expand the gifted and talented program and increase the graduation rate through vocational education.

Your take?

UFT SPECIAL EDUCATION RECOVERY SERVICES EMAIL

 More work for teachers approved by your union.

Dear ________,

Our students with disabilities need extra support at the best of times, but the disruption in learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased new needs. The DOE created Special Education Recovery Services (SERS) this school year to help you identify and address the learning gaps of your special education students.

The responsibility for closing those gaps typically falls on the classroom teacher. The purpose of this program is to provide these students with extra academic help while making sure that you do not have sole responsibility for addressing these increased needs.

We recognize that setting up your special education students with a plan to get this support takes time, so the UFT has negotiated time and compensation for the educators who do this extra work.

What are Special Education Recovery Services?

SERS are "specialized instruction and related services in addition to the services outlined in a student's IEP that are available to students with IEPs to close gaps in instruction brought on by disruption in learning due to the pandemic."

Here are the highlights:

• Will be delivered in small groups (six or fewer students) after school or during Saturday programs with transportation provided. Groups receiving services may include students without IEPs.
• Consistent with the flexibility available for academic recovery services, schools can offer blended and/or remote options for Special Education Recovery Services as long as parents — and, in the case of related service providers, supervisors — are included in the decision.
• Will address inadequate progress toward grade-level standards or annual goals or skill deficits
• Will be available beyond the fall based on assessments conducted throughout the fall and winter

Students with IEPs must receive specially designed instruction from a certified special education teacher for the amount of time specified on their individualized recovery plans. Where no licensed or certified special education teacher is available, general education teachers trained or willing to be trained in DOE- approved interventions may be hired to deliver SERS interventions or small-group content-area instruction.

How were students identified for Special Education Recovery Services?

-Students have been identified for Special Education Recovery Services through multiple measures, including the academic screeners of all students in October. They have been placed in priority groups according to need, with students in the highest priority group receiving services first.

-Priority Group 1 (No Progress): Individual recovery plans were developed by Nov. 1. SERS are expected to begin by Dec. 6.

-Priority Group 2 (Insufficient Progress): Individual recovery plans were developed by Nov. 5. SERS must begin as soon as possible, but no later than Dec. 13.

-Priority Group 3 (Progress Made as Anticipated): Individual recovery plans were developed by Nov. 15. Services must begin by no later than Jan. 15.

In District 75, Alternate Assessment students did not participate in the academic screeners. Instead they are being assessed via typical screeners such as Sandi/Fast.

What is the role of a special education case manager in this plan?

-Special education teachers and related service providers, when applicable, may serve as case managers. They are to be paid up to two hours of per-session pay (or the applicable hourly rate) per student to prepare an individualized Special Education Recovery Service notice for each student with an IEP and then add the information to SESIS.

-In order to receive the per-session compensation you deserve, the work on notices must be done outside your regular workday. It is up to you whether you do this work at school outside regular work hours or from home.

-We have worked to ensure that case managers should have a maximum caseload of 30 students. If for any reason a case manager has more than 30 students, the case manager will get help from other members of the IEP team in completing the work.

-Case managers should have completed conversations with families and finalized service plans for Priority 1 and 2 students at this point.

Who is responsible for managing these groups of students going forward?

The School Implementation Team will review and adjust the priority groups. Once the priority groups are established, the case managers or IEP teams will:

-Review the data collected and consider the different Special Education Recovery Services that would be appropriate for students.

-Make outreach to parents on behalf of the IEP team and discuss Special Education Recovery Services at IEP meetings if the due date is approaching or if the parent has requested an IEP meeting.

Develop a Special Education Recovery Services Notice using the template provided on SESIS.

-Continue to monitor students to confirm if they are making sufficient progress.

If you have any questions or concerns related to Special Education Recovery Services, please email us at SpecialEdRecovery@uft.org. Read our Special Education Recovery Service FAQ and check the special education guidance for the 2021-2 school year on the UFT website for more information.

Sincerely,

MaryJo Ginese, VP for Special Education

Mary Vaccaro, VP for Education

I WILL BE FEATURED ON TALK OUT OF SCHOOL SATURDAY AT 1:00 PM ON WBAI (Updated with Link to Archived Show)

 My shameless plug alert blog post.

This is from teacher radio host Daniel Alicea, founder of Educators of NYC.

Here is a link to the archived show. 

LABOR STRIKES BACK AT BERNIE SANDERS.COM TONIGHT AT 8

I am looking forward to hearing Bernie Sanders. Robert Reich, Flight Attendants union President Sara Nelson, and striking workers discuss labor issues this evening.

Update:

I watched the show this evening. The most inspiring part for me was listening to striking workers talk about putting aside political differences for the common goal of improving working conditions for everyone. I hope and pray UFTers will do that soon under different leaders.

Go to Bernie Sanders.com to see the archived program.

STRIKING SCRANTON,PA TEACHERS NEED OUR SUPPORT

 This is from the AFT.

James,

Today, Scranton educators have gone on strike. They have sacrificed for five years because of the fiscal mismanagement of the district and state oversight: Teachers are leaving, positions and services are being cut, and students are being denied resources—all while the district refuses to bargain a fair contract.

Scranton’s schools have been in bad shape for a long time. It was our teachers and school staff who kept the schools and kids afloat for years. And now the state has nearly $60 million in tax-free federal aid, but state bureaucrats and the school board want to continue cutting programs for kids and help for our educators.

That’s why the AFT is asking for our members and supporters across the country to help us show our union family we have their backs by donating to the Scranton Federation of Teachers Strike Solidarity Fund.

It’s time for the state bureaucrats and the school board to change course and reverse the terrible damage done to our children and our schools. So far, the state-imposed financial officer has:

• Cut prekindergarten;
• Cut libraries, music and instructional assistance for special education students;
• Eliminated bus routes;
• Closed Bancroft Elementary School;
• Frozen teacher pay and proposed that educators take on huge healthcare cost increases;
• Canceled healthcare coverage effective Nov. 3, in retaliation against educators for speaking out;
• Sat by as the Republican-led state Legislature refused to fix the enormous wealth gap between rich and poor school districts created by Pennsylvania’s school funding system; and
• Proposed slashing another $7 million from our kids’ education.

The school board and state have starved these schools and ignored the problems for too long. That’s why educators are going on strike to fight for our students and our community. Stand with us.

Let’s show Scranton’s teachers that they have statewide support. We have all supported strikes around the country—from John Deere to Kellogg’s.

Please consider donating to support our members in Scranton and the community they serve.

Together, we can accomplish what is impossible to do alone.

In unity,

Randi Weingarten

AFT President

P.S. You can learn more about the strike by visiting www.schoolsscrantonkidsdeserve.org.

UFT'S LATEST AGREEMENT WITH DOE IS ON SEL TESTS

The latest from President Mulgrew and the UFT negotiator Mike Sill is below. The DOE and UFT managed to agree to add SEL screening tests to teacher responsibilities but the two sides also agreed to limits to when teachers should do it and there is a limit on how many each teacher has to screen.

Dear ______,

We are writing to inform you about the agreement we reached with the Department of Education in impact bargaining over the social-emotional screener.

In our previous discussions with DOE officials, they told us that the screener would consist of a manageable five to seven questions. When the DOE couldn't figure out how to proceed, it went out and purchased an assessment tool with an excessive 43 questions per student.

That decision clearly had an impact on our work lives, which is why we filed for impact bargaining.

We were able to negotiate time during your regular workday for you to complete the DESSA SEL screener — and your ability to do this work off school grounds at your discretion.

The SEL screening should be completed by Saturday, Dec. 4.

If you have already begun or completed this work, you must be given an equal amount of self-directed time, off school grounds if you choose, during the same periods of time as outlined for screeners in the agreement.

Read the full agreement 

 

Agreement highlights

For Screeners

1. School-based staff members who have been assigned to screen students will be given four hours to complete the screening for one class of students plus another 50 minutes for related training.

2. The class may be up to the contractual class-size limit but in no case more than 34 students.

3. Here are the options for when the work can be completed:

Option 1: In schools that use an 80/75-minute model or other 155-minute reconfiguration for professional development, parent engagement and Other Professional Work (OPW), screeners may use a combination of this extended time.

Option 2: In schools that have an SBO and use a 150-minute-per-week model when students are not in attendance, screeners may use a combination of professional development, common planning, Other Professional Work, and/or parent engagement time.

Option 3: In multi-session high schools only, screeners may use a combination of professional development, Circular 6, faculty and department conference time. In lieu of completing this work during Circular 6 assignments, screeners who prefer option #4 below should not be denied.

Option 4: In lieu of using time during the regular workday, if a staff member prefers and the principal agrees, per session can be paid to complete the screenings and the related PD outside school hours.

4. In all the above options, the screener can choose to do this work remotely and off school grounds.

5. In options 1-3, the screener should submit the schedule of this time to the supervisor for approval, which cannot be unreasonably denied.

For SEL Leads:

For school counselors and other UFT members who have been identified as Social Emotional Learning (SEL) leads within their school, we were able to negotiate the following:

1. SEL leads may work remotely on Election Day and complete the first five hours of required training and begin the screening process for their own caseload of students.

2. The DOE will allocate 20 hours of per-session pay for each SEL lead to complete the 13 hours of training plus answer screeners’ questions.

3. In the rare circumstance that a SEL lead is unable to complete some or all of the required work, the lead will inform their direct supervisor and the work may be redistributed.

 

Please ask your chapter leader to file an operational issues complaint if your principal violates this agreement.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at 212-331-6311.

While we all agree about the importance of supporting our students’ social-emotional well-being, we don’t agree with the DOE’s choice of such a time-consuming screener — especially in a year where we are already spread so thin. While we are glad that we were able to carve out time to get this work done, it shouldn’t have been necessary. The adoption of this tool once again shows the DOE’s disconnect with what’s happening in our schools and classrooms this year.

 

Sincerely,

Michael Mulgrew

UFT President

BRYANT HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTER LEADER GEORGIA LIGNOU ON GRADE INFLATION

Guest blogger Georgia Lignou, Chapter Leader, Bryant High School, talks grade inflation and much more.

Grade inflation is the elephant in the room that we all know is there and yet we act surprised when it breaks something. Now that some teachers took the blame for what we all know is systemic abuse, again we act as if this is news. So, the DOE decided to investigate a school, really?  And I am asking.

Do they have the data that proves that year after year we have been promoting students who were not present in class, for most and, many times, the whole year?

Do they know of the Chancellor's regulation saying that attendance is not a reason for failure which is used to blackmail teachers into passing students they never met?

Do they know of the packages students have been completing the very last week of the school year?

Do they know of the two or three "high leverage" "salient" "standard based assignments" that students can complete the very last day of the school year, with the help of a tutor, to pass?

Do they know of the quotas Guidance Counselors need to meet, and how they in turn pressure the teachers?

Do they know of the scholarship meetings with the APs that sound more like "what are you not doing" and the students are failing? Well, teachers have learned that it is better to avoid them.                                                                                                                                      

Do they know why last year graduation rates increased?                                                                                                                           

Do they know that if grades had not been inflated, graduation rate across the city would have been about 20% lower?                                                                                               

 Do they know that we are graduating students who lack basic knowledge and barely know how to write a paragraph?                                                                                           

And finally, do they know what their slogan "failure is not an option" means?

They do know all these and more, but as a proverb says, the fish smells from the head. Really, what did they expect to happen when the standards they set for the schools are not realistic? And to those who will ask, what is the UFT doing? I will say not as much as we should, but remember, it is not the UFT running the system. It is the DOE.