When I was starting out as an ESL teacher in John Adams High School, most of my students spoke Spanish. There was some kid who used to open my door, which did not lock, every day, yell “Puta madre!” and run away. After months of this, the custodians did not, would not, fix the door.

My friend, a sympathetic and versatile Spanish teacher, said he could fix it. I vividly recall the doorknob, above center. However, my friend had me keep a lookout, insisting we’d both be fired if anyone discovered us making an unauthorized repair. It took him about 15 minutes to fix the lock, and neither of us got fired. (Not yet, anyway.) The doorknob was part of an exhibit, and I’ll come back to it.

Today the UFT Spring Conference was held at the New York Hilton. There was a lot to see and hear. I was glad there were mayoral candidates there. It was more interesting than listening to Mulgrew tell us about all his smart deals. Mulgrew asked the candidates whether they’d work to keep health insurance premium free, but didn’t go into why that was an issue.

It’s an issue because his grand plan—to sell retirees out so as to save the city 600 million a year, forever—has not been working well for him. He’s lost two elections, the city is demanding billions in repayment, and this year Unity is more worried than I’ve ever seen them. He mostly asked the same questions, although he pushed Scott Stringer on his embarrassing turnout last time.

Cuomo was his typical smarmy self, calling Tier 6, which he pushed through while Mulgrew was napping, “ancient history.” Tier 6 teachers, alas, are feeling it now regardless of how ancient it may be. At one point Cuomo said something about getting honest, just for a second, which clearly made it sound as though he were deceiving us the rest of the time. After all, his lips were moving. I really enjoyed watching the other candidates snipe at him.

Mulgrew asked all the candidates whether they’d let Tier 6 members retire at 55, and they all said yes. In fact, to one degree or another, they all agreed with everything he asked them to (and my full notes are below).

Mulgrew, who claims to support retirees, asked no one whether they’d support maintaining retiree health care as it was before he started messing with it. DC37 is pulling endorsements for City Council members who support retirees, and so is UFT. Mulgrew told candidates in great detail about the para bill, and all promised to support it.

The fact that UFT was able to arrange such wide council support for the para bill is significant. It means we could also support 1096, which would protect retirees, but choose not to. (Vote for ABC if you want to change this.)

Mulgrew’s blather on the Taylor Law and collective bargaining affecting retirees is baseless, utter nonsense. He says UFT lawyers insist, but UFT lawyers are fools who threaten me with civil and criminal penalties for the offense of parodying Michael Mulgrew—Like Unity, which prohibits free association, they appear unfamiliar with the First Amendment to the US Constitution. (Maybe they missed that week in law school.)

I grew weary of hearing how every candidate’s mother or father was a teacher. Personally, I don’t believe having a teacher in your family means you know what teaching is. I believe even less that a day hanging out with big shots in a public school somewhere makes you understand what our job entails.

However, in Myrie’s case, his teacher-father, a UFT member, was actually in attendance. I met him, and he really looks quite young to have an adult son. Myrie also spoke in favor of immigrant students, and as someone who’s spent my life serving them, as their advocate, I was quite pleased to hear that. (In fairness, no candidates spoke against them or anything.)

Later on Mulgrew praised the chancellor, the chancellor praised Mulgrew, a few people sang, and they served us rubber chicken. Earlier, there was a room full of all sorts of exhibits from UFT groups, school groups, and various companies. There were free pens, bags, water bottles, cookies, and the much-vaunted UFT Swag Store.

The exhibit that really grabbed my attention, though, was the one with old things from schools. You may recall the red thing below, fondly or otherwise. ABC candidate Jessica Kim told me her teachers used to use them:

The once ubiquitous Delaney Book was used for arranging seats and taking attendance. It’s now kind of quaint. I’m happier taking attendance on my phone, but I feel funny using it as kids are prohibited from using theirs. Full disclosure—I also use my phone as a controller for Keynote presentations (kind of Apple’s response to PowerPoint).

One of the guys at the exhibit said he retired in 1980 (before I even started). He said Delaney Books were once a new thing, and showed me what he used before they were around:

Well, that certainly made me appreciate the Delaney Book, and the attendance app. The app, though, doesn’t easily show you collective absences for any one student. In that respect, the chart above was superior.

Other things used to be better too. To me, the school cafeteria kind of looks like a prison mess, with folding tables and disposable utensils. It’s designed to make cleaning easier, and certainly not in any way to make students comfortable. That wasn’t always the case.

Look at that. Real forks, spoons, plates and cups. It seems entirely likely they also got real food too. Here’s something I’ve never seen, not even when I was in elementary school:

That, my friends, is an electric eraser cleaner. I have no idea how well it worked, but it may have been nice to have around back when chalk was a daily fact of life. I very much prefer whiteboards, and like smartboards even better. My handwriting is awful. Students laugh at it when I write on the board.

In fact, I have handwriting so bad I should have been a doctor. The only thing holding me back is a total lack of qualification or talent for medicine or science. Otherwise, I’d be great. I’ll share one more pic that grabbed my attention.

That’s the American flag, with 48 stars, before Hawaii and Alaska joined us. However, I mostly shared it because I love the dog. Were students allowed to bring dogs to school back then? Were teachers? The only time I ever brought my dogs to school was during Covid, when they were regular fixtures in my dining room/ classroom.

Now I wish Mulgrew had asked the candidates their views on whether dogs belong in classrooms. (For my money, dogs belong everywhere.)

Below are my notes from the mayoral discussions, with apologies to Brad Lander. We missed the first few minutes with him, but the questions, again, were largely the same for all. So were the answers, to one extent or another.

They all love, respect and admire us, they will all fix the bureacracy, they will all give teachers more autonomy, they will all fix our insurance (although perhaps not for retirees, as they were not frigging asked), they will all pay the paras, they will fix mayoral control and be more collaborative, they will all get tough with Trump, and they will all fix Tier 6.

What more could anyone wish to know?

Notes—unedited

We walked in on Brad Lander, minutes after the thing started. Lander said the “architect of Tier 6” is coming. Mulgrew asked about moving retirement age to 55, then about working with MLC for hospitals, and working with city together until getting a national health plan. Lander said he was Tier 4, and wants to do away with Tier 6, find health care saving by working together.

Vanecia Williams spoke of “classroom experience” prerequisite. Said mom was teacher and counselor. Said teachers are responsible for future of city, and would have our back.

Jessica Ramos—asks how she will remain viable, says she’s out there talking to New Yorkers, but one candidate is overpowering race via name recognition. Says she doesn’t have famous name, isn’t rich, attended Queens public schools and kids do as well. Says anything can happen in NYC, but will advocate for NYers voice. Will be ally to UFT, and wants public schools number one school choice.

Mulgrew asks what she learned at school working one day. Says it took her back to elementary, learned in a trailer. Says she spoke to teachers about chronic absenteeism. Says mayor sold us out to protect his own butt. Says parents have hard time bringing kids to school, is cycle of poverty. Will address mental health emergency day one, bring services into classrooms, every sector of lives.

Worked with de Blasio on pre-K, Gets applause for being big fan of community schools. wants to bring everyone up. Vanecia speaks of Tier 6, bringing age to 55. Says she’s been advocating against Tier 6 for 7 years, wants to end it. Tough to recruit. Need an attractive package to recruit the best. Will continue advocacy for teachers and civil servants.

Mulgrew says he doesn’t like mayoral control, wants checks and balances, may go even further. Says mayors used schools for political purposes.

Ramos—vocally critical of mayoral control. As long as mayor isn’t educator, won’t understand experience. Would want to appoint chancellor, PEP ought not to be rubber stamp. Wishes teachers, parents, students have more binding say. UFT should lead new model, and mayoral control should be partner.

Vanecia asks about paraprofessionals being left behind in salary, and para bill. Ramos says she knew paras growing up. Observed an ICT classroom. Paras did great job. Wants to make sure everyone makes a living wage. Supports bill.

Mulgrew speaks of DOE bureaucracy, two new curriculums, says rollout was bad. Last two mayors promised to reorganize DOE as support system for schools and failed. Says too much paperwork, scripted lessons.

Ramos would leave teachers alone. Need support, but Tweed is very top heavy, takes resources away from system. Everyone at Tweed should provide a service. Should help teachers teach to child, as they learn in different ways. Likes current chancellor, Mulgrew agrees. Says she wants to fix what’s broken. Ramos says we need a mayor who listens.

Vanecia speaks of Trump, and how “making America great” has placed a target on our system. How will you stand up”

Ramos says we have to be smart in face of cuts for our most vulnerable. Homeless crisis. Not waiting to be mayor to address it. Has introduced legislation to tabulate every cent that goes to government. We are a donor state. If and when Trump unlawfully removes funding, we would withhold our federal taxes from Washington.

Andrew Cuomo—Mulgrew thanks him for going to school. Tier 6 and charters—more than half public sector workers in Tier 6. Big problem in recruitment. Asks if you’d change age from 63 to 55.

Cuomo thanks us for what we did during Covid. Public ed, under attack from Trump, will get worse. Must attract and keep best teachers. Tier 6 passed 13 years ago, says it’s different now. Says pay teachers real salary, roll back Tier 6, were 2 billion in tax rebates to those who didn’t need it. Pension threat is over. Says he will go back to 55 to help attract best.

Charter schools are a fraction, not what this is about. About saving our city, best ed. in USA so people don’t move out. Invest in education, public school system, better compensation for paras.

Mulgrew says McMahon dropped money into charters, will incentivize them. We will have to deal.

Cuomo says they’re coming to destroy public education. Don’t underestimate Trump. It’s what Trump thinks of next mayor, I have done battle, beaten him during covid, and he knows. Will not be eager to do more rounds with us. Must oppose attack on public education, and if he comes here, will be a fight. He likes fights he can win. Won’t try to push me around.

Vanecia asks about teaching for a day. Says we need to keep admin out of our hair, will make government work better, reorganize bureaucracy working against teacher.

Mulgrew speaks of para vacancies. Speaks of adherence to pattern bargaining. Cuomo says this won’t violate Taylor Law. Cuomo—says he’s not here to protect government, rules, bureaucracy, will do whatever it takes. Has to pay paras competitive salary, need them, have to pay them, make exception to normal rule, will support.

Mayoral control—decisions have hurt us, says V. Would you keep it, ditch it, fix it?

Cuomo supports it. Says it started in Chicago, but knows what he doesn’t know. Is here to support teachers, mayor should do what he needs to to support teachers in class. You tell me what you need, and that’s what I will do.

Mulgrew says last two opposed it until they became mayor, and made bad policy decision. Politics interfere with decision making. UFT says control, but not complete, on policy.

Cuomo—“let’s be honest for a brief second” politics are involved in everything. Would rather have city ed dept deal with own issues than have Albany play politics. Rather we control it. I’m not a teacher. Mom was. 93, still doing mentoring. Would work cooperatively, important to know what I don’t know. Will have board of experts, open to input and you were experts.

V—Trump wants to privatize public education, make cuts, what would you do as they come after union.

C—Everyone says he’s a bully and I’ll stand up. Cuomo knows me. That I can be difficult .Will give him fight of his life. Worked on fed level. Will beat him not only in NY, will out-organize him.

NYC workers have premium free health care. previous mayor worked with us says Mulgrew. We negotiate, hospitals say they’re broke, give execs billions. We had a partner. City gives benefits to institutions. Found a way to save 4 billion dollars. Don;t have a relationship with this admin. would you work with MLC to continue fight?

Cuomo, we need best ed system, best teachers, to attract them compensation, teacher centers, support, and benefit package and health care. We have tremendous leverage to get best care. Says we have tougher job than he does.

Zohran Mandanii—Heard governor talk of Tier 6, says great to see man who created it.

V—Campaign resonated with people looking to make NYC more affordable. says you’ll lower groceries, freeze rent. How?

NYC third most expensive, tied with Zurich. Says millions live in rent stabilized housing. Mayors set rates, appoints members who want to raise rent by 8 percent. We can freeze it. Last mayor did three times. Landlords have seen big increases. Will push seniors out of city.

Municipal owned grocery stores would help. Better than subsidizing corporate supermarkets. Will increase union jobs.

Mulgrew—you said you’d go into a school, weren’t allowed to. City Hall no longer wanted candidates to teach. Was nothing illegal, done correctly, lawyers all over it. Happened because we have mayoral control. What’s your position on that,

Mandani—We have to change it. We can’t have PEP where mayor has full control. Educators and parents must be part of it. Mayor should be leader, not monarch.

V—president wants to be king. What would you do about targets on our back by feds?

ZM—have to remind President we have no kings. Everyone says they’re ready to fight. I’m funded by 21,000 people. Who’s funding other campaigns? I’m in second, Cuomo has super PAC funded by Trump donors. I don’t have to speak to those donors. Will speak to you.

When Republicans want to fight, we show up with bar graph to gunfight. Needs a mayor who will stand up. When attendance dips due to fear of ICE, they need a mayor who will say we will protect every child in the city. Trump will use cuts as leverage. If we want to fight, we need fiscal independence. Should raise taxes on NYers who make over a million by two percent.

Can’t just protect what we have. Have to pass para bill. Have to fill positions. Otherwise we’ll be stuck here. We must deliver.

MM—You are Tier 6 member. We fixed two things, need others. Big one is reducing retirement age. We need to deal with small things too. Will you partner with us?

ZM—feel great about it. Cuomo called Tier 6 ancient history. Not ancient. What’s ancient is his style of governance. Will you fight for working people or wealthy? He chose the latter. You want to retain teachers? You have to have protections of pension. Cannot ask you to sacrifice and wonder why more won’t do it. We will put money back into Tier 6 pockets.

V—Quality premium free health care should be right, not privilege, what will you do to help us?

ZM—Proud to be a partner. Too often we apologize—they are lucky to have us. We pay so much more for health care and get so much less. We will continue to have that and increase benefits.

MM asks about mayoral control. Last two didn’t change it as promised.

ZM—I say same thing in every room. I want to raise taxes of corporations, want to take on Tier 6, we will chart a new course in mayoral control, now is accumulation of power in one seat. I would lead a team, make sure teachers have adequate voice.

As next mayor, I will go into classroom.

Scott Stringer—MM says he participated in school visit. Four years ago UFT endorsed you, gave COPE dollars, worked hard, campaign imploded, what’s different this time?

SS—Elections are about a moment in time. Four years later people are buying what we’re selling. If people had listened to UFT< wouldn’t have most corrupt admin in memory.

When Moskowitz came after us, you picked me to help and we beat her. We took on Spitzer and won. Best candidate to go after pro Tier 6 Cuomo.

V—You were first candidate to go into schools. You didn’t know until 11 PM whether or not you could go, showed up, went to school. Tell us about it.

SS—You are at disadvantage as mayor if you don’t understand what goes on in classrooms. Has been life’s work, mom teacher, am public school kid, have two children in middle school. I know what teachers have to deal with in school system. How does a middle school teacher deal with 100 kids? We have to recognize that you must be successful if our kids are to be successful.

Tier 6—MM says you were involved when it came about. Says people are upset now because was no one in it when you passed it. We have to get 55 and deal with contributions. Will you support us?

SS—We have 40% of teachers leaving system before 5 years. To realize dream of more teachers, not a luxury to dismantle Tier 6. You have my commitment to dismantle Cuomo’s Tier 6. His calling it ancient history one of dumbest things I’ve heard.

V—What will you do to advocate for our rights against Trump, cuts, book bans, threat against our livelihood, and knowledge?

SS—Next mayor has to use experience, strategy and competence. Dealt with him first time, he wants to dismantle social safety net. Will set aside rainy day fund until we win midterm elections. Want to use NYC as symbol of what they can destroy, will keep him out of our business.

MM—Will you support para bill?

SS—Says you, Michael and leadership of UFT think out of the box. Supports you 100%. Making sure our paras can take care of families. Shouts of, “Make it pensionable.”

V—Quality premium health care?

SS—Amazing UFT trustees protected retirement security, union divested from fossil fuels, guns, private prisons, got 9% return on pension fund. Will use my experience, pension fund backbone of economics of this city and country. Will not waiver. Know on day one how to do this.

Shelf lives of governors and mayors shrinking. Adams didn’t have plan. I will get things done first day, first two years.

MM—Last two mayors opposed mayoral control until they became mayor. Instead they harass us, make our lives more difficult. What will you do?

SS—supports mayoral control. I come from you, perspective of being a parent. Important we have one person to make difference in collaboration, not as dictator, who can build infrastructure. As parent, I fear calling DOE, a cesspool of a bureaucracy. Couldn’t get ipads for city during covid until we went there. I will be a collaborator with teachers, break down bureaucracy. Every last dollar should go to supplies, classroom. How can teachers need to buy pens, toilet paper?

Zelnor Myrie—V—In beginning of career, UFT members felt dismissed, after union supported you. We are sensitive to issue of respect. Has this changed.

ZM—thanks everyone. Would not be here if not for UFT. Dad retired school teacher, in room now. I would not have had health care if not for UFT, D17 kid. Very personal. Plan to support teachers. First commercial stars my middle school teacher.

Will repair any miscommunication. Will support.

MM—Tier 6….

ZM—Without question will fix. We do not like it. Mayor has unique opportunity to go to Albany and say enough is enough. Would be proud to work with you to fix.

V—you didn’t get to go into school, asks about mayoral control.

ZM—Unfortunate we didn’t get into classroom, but I have perspective as dad was teacher. Have to empower our teachers to help kids. Had several teachers who did things because they knew who I was, even if unconventional. Support mayoral control, but with partnerships. Important when we have pressure at federal level.

MM—asks about feds and how he will deal.

ZM—Anti NYC for us to get pushed without pushing back. He’s testing us to see how far he can go and who will have courage to stand up. He does not care about NYC, hates things that make us special. My parents were immigrants. Look where we are now, mayor compromised, allowing ICE to run rampant. Will stand NYC tall. I’m a lawyer, thanks to NYC ed,

I read constitution, and we have to go on offense, will utilize tenth amendment, take them to court, stand tall and strong, fight. Have to stand for communities.

V—Chisolm—if no seat at the table, bring folding chair, asks about paras.

ZM—Show me where to sign. Would be wholly supportive. Paras do life saving work, don’t receive respect or gratitude. Lifeline for our teachers, must do right by them.

MM—curriculum rollout fumbled by DOE. Scripted lessons. We like chancellor, who admits things are broken. What are your thoughts?

ZM—Would not have gotten into Brooklyn Tech if middle school teacher hadn’t broken script and helped with test prep. Changed my life. Need to allow space for them to do it.

MM—have heard it before. City claimed to be in special ed compliance. How do you unravel bureaucracy?

ZM—You have to help me get there. Needs UFT support. Government should work for people, not themselves. If we’ve always done it one way that doesn’t work, why would we keep doing it that way?

V—Quality premium free health care…

ZM—Represents city hospital, governor wanted to close it. We will stand up and fight for health care that serves our community, You come here with promise of benefit, must serve as tool to help you stay here. Wants to allow quality of life for all city employees.