First kudos to Mike Mulgrew. He knows when to talk a tough game as he did on NY1 last week. Yeah, he shows he is "there for the members," that he actually his doing something. But as usual, he folds like a cheap suit from the Johnny Carson Collection that used to be sold exclusively by Sears. 

I was driving over the Tappan Zee Bridge this afternoon when I heard word of the latest failing by Mulgrew. I shook my head and contemplated driving into the Hudson River. I thought better that I control the means of my demise rather than my union that is supposed to protect all its members in the schools and me. However, I changed my mind. I mean, who then would be able to blog about this complete and utter shirking of leadership and responsibility?

Not me. I can't do this. This plan, that I heard over WCBS 880 and later read in a personalized email sent by our leader, has so many obvious flaws and leaves so many questions unanswered. I was aghast and just speechless. The Crack Team and I have decided to ask my neighbor's 8 year old son Timmy to rebuke Mulgrew. Take it away Timmy. 

The staff of the Situation Room will double in size, making it bigger than ever before and able to handle the current surge.

Bigger doesn't mean better. How long will it take to get to the numbers that will make the Situation Room effective? What are the qualifications to be employed by the Situation Room? What is the pay? Are Situation Room employees employed by the DOE are by outside contractors? Who is in charge of the Situation Room? Are there any medical doctors employed? Consulted with? Shouldn't the UFT President Mike Mulgrew share this with the rank and file? 

The city will double in-school PCR testing in every school every week. These tests will now include both vaccinated and unvaccinated students as well as staff. The city will make another push to get parents to consent for their child to be tested regardless of vaccination status.

Big deal! Will this be testing anybody, anytime? Why test every other week? What happens if the shit hits the fan (My daddy says this all the time!)when during a week of non testing? Will teachers be allowed to be tested whenever? Will students be mandated to be tested without a parents permission?  Details please, Mike Mulgrew!

Close contacts and classmates of positive cases will now have immediate access to two at-home rapid tests that they can take to monitor themselves for the days after exposure. 

This has so many flaws that I can't believe that I, just a child of 8, can see this, but Dear Leader Mike Mulgrew can't.  

Schools reopen January 3 inn a city where their are shortages of materials and every conceivable item for teachers and students. Why should we believe that next Monday there will be over 1 million test kits available for every student and employee in DOE? 

Who and what determines a close contact? Read what Pete wrote on Sunday. What happens if there is a false negative? How does one know if there is a false negative? Are schools to rely on the honor system of parents? Can you imagine if a student tests positive and yet is asymptomatic? Is it possible that a parent will not keep the child home but rather send the child to school? What if there is a choice between work and keeping a child home? What if the parent loses the test kit? 

But I keep coming back to this being a logistics issue. The DOE can't be trusted to do jack. How can the DOE be trusted to keep its word not only on getting test kits to everyone?  And at the same time keep its word on the Situation Room and the in school testing? 

There you have it. Timmy the 8 year old is able to take apart the agreement Mulgrew agreed to with the city. Let's look at the rest of Mulgrews email. 

Thanks to all of us working together to tell the city we will not accept unsafe schools

Bullocks. We are not working together nor Mulgrew for us. Mulgrew has a flush and is folding to de Blasio, Hochul, and Adams who each are holding just a pair. Besides, how can it be us when not one working stiff teacher has been consulted? 

We, as educators, are always prepared to do our jobs.

We are, Mulgrew still isn't.

The real issue is whether the city can do its job — ensuring that ample testing is available in every school and an improved Situation Room is actually in place by next week.

Timmy addressed these issues. He knows the real deal. Mulgrew doesn't.

We will continue to work through this week to advocate for you and our school communities and will update you on all the details of the new safety program before Jan. 3.

OMG! I laughed so hard reading this that I inhaled a Cheeto and had an accident. 

 Who remembers Trixie the teacher? For those who don't remember, Trixie was the teacher that had sanitizer splashed in her eye and is teaching nuclear fission for grades K-2 without any coaching or anything from higher ups. Caught up? Good. Because the news gets nuttier. In fact so nutty, the news falls under the auspices of "This Shit Can't Be Made Up!"

Trixie teaches at the Speed Racer School. It is a K-5 school with a lot of students and teachers in the building. Whilst out caroling on Thursday with other teachers from her school Trixie found out news that made her so aghast, so upset that she puked.

For several days of last week (The days before break), an entire grade at the Speed Racer School was on quarantine. That includes the students, the teachers, the paras, and any wayward cucarachas. All students and their families, the teachers, the paras, and any wayward cucarachas were all notified. 

NOBODY ELSE IN THE SCHOOL WAS NOTIFIED!

No, I am not making this up. 

"B-b-b-ut we did contact tracing," Trixie was told.

Yes Trixie was told that. But is contact tracing 100% effective? What happens if someone doesn't remember being near someone. Or someone is in the stall going #2 and someone else is at the urinal going #1? They are both in the same bathroom. How would the those at the stall and the urinal know who is in the bathroom with them? 

How would someone remember if they were just passing someone in the hallway? Or on the stairs? Or sitting together in the auditorium? Or, outside the building walking in?

Trixie is freaking out! She has health issues to begin with. But there are loved ones at home who are seriously immune-compromised.  Yes, Trixie and her loved ones are all vaccinated as well as having had boosters. But there is nothing guaranteed in this world except death and taxes.Wait, there is one more thing that is guaranteed: Mulgrew and the UFT leading from behind and not being proactive!

I'm not giving Mulgrew or the UFT and thumbs up, kudos, or job well done for last weeks email and presentation on NY1. It's all to little too late.

As much as a loath PBA President Patrick Lynch he would have the balls to tell his members to stay home. 

Trixie shouldn't be upset with her school administration. She should be upset with the DOE, the Situation  Room and the UFT.

But, the DOE and the Situation Room is not there for the teachers well being. They are not supposed to give a damn about us. However, at the very least the UFT is, at the very least, supposed to feign interest in its members well being. 

When Trixie came and shared this story with myself and The Crack Team we sat there incredulous. Yes, none of us expected the DOE to do anything? But the silence coming from the UFT on  this quarantine has been deafening as well as mind numbing. Of course the UFT knows about this shut down! How couldn't they? Why didn't the UFT notify the members of Trixie's school? And by the UFT, we want to know why 52 Broadway was silent, not the borough office. This falls upon those downtown to make sure are mitigation is being done right, to ensure there is social distancing, mask wearing, etc.. and to inform and allay concerns of the members as well as the parents. And what happens? NOTHING! BUPKUS! STUGOTS!

A kid with head lice or strep throat a note goes home. Head lice or strep are easily treatable and cured. COVID and Omicron it's "If we don't say it out loud or if we bury our head in the sand it'll go away."

How difficult is it for the UFT to lead?

 Mulgrew's mouthpiece is silent on Twitter. Mulgrew is silent. De Blasio blabbers away with stupidity. People will get sick. Some will die. Paraphrasing my favorite De Blasio comment: "We're not going to shut down, we're just going to get a shitload of vaccines in people." Jeez.

There is a surge going on right now with COVID and this Omicron variant. De Blasio has less than two weeks left and doesn't care anymore and has his sights on a some warped quixotic fixation on Albany. Mulgrew, I'm confused. Isn't he supposed to be there for the rank and file? According to him, we are doing "God's work." Would not God be upset with Mike if teachers doing His (God, not Mulgrew. Though I am sure Mulgrew conflates this) work start getting infected and dying off? 

 I saw this on FOX5 news about and hour ago. Does this mean anything to Mulgrew? 

 

But right now, as of today,  Mulgrew has abdicated any leadership in this almost two year old crisis and has literally buried his head in the sand.

Maybe Mulgrew has forgotten about the scores of deaths of UFT members in the last two years due to COVID?

Maybe Mulgrew has forgotten about the mental and physical health crisis that is affecting the rank and file as well as the communities?

Maybe Mulgrew has forgotten that many UFT members live with a non UFT member that have weak immune systems?

Maybe Mulgrew has forgotten that many students are not getting vaccines. 

Maybe Mulgrew has forgotten that the schools are overcrowded, not properly ventilated, zero mitigation happening, zero hand sanitizer and masks, nothing, bupkus?

Maybe Mulgrew has forgotten that everyone is unique and that each person's body reacts differently to infection?

Maybe Mulgrew does not realize that one death, one hospitalization, is one too many and not in any way acceptable? 

Maybe Mulgrew has doesn't realize that while those who are vaccinated and/or have a booster if they get infected the repercussions will be much less. Thatthe infected are still carriers and can infect others.

Maybe Mulgrew doesn't realize that while reports show that Omicron is less virulent that shit happens? 

Does Mulgrew realize that there are teachers afraid to show for school tomorrow? 

Does Mulgrew care?

Where is Mulgrew? 

The answers: Not a bit and elsewhere.

Having said that, it is time to segue into what the UFT would be like in the hands of of a responsive caucus.  Click on link and find out how United for Change would respond to a crisis. Adults back in the room and control hopefully come July 1.

Camille Eterno has been nominated to run for UFT president. I have the utmost of respect for Camille. She will be there for the members.

 I am so happy I heard about Stephanie Edmond's attention seeking interview on CNN after it had aired. I would've reacted like Luke Fuchs. Fortunately, I watched the video whilst on the bike at Planet Fitness. However, I did scream out, "What a fucking idiot!" 

One thing she has said (In addition to the myriad of whacky things she has blabbered) when asked by CNN's Alisyn Camerota is if she had "taught her final class," Stephanie replied...

 "I just finished a class. I still have one more"

Let's get this straight. Stephanie was being interviewed in her classroom, during her prep, while still on the clock? This is allowable? I recall back in 2012 when admins were trying to find out if I was blogging during the school day. Someone thought they could get me for stealing time. What should it be called what Stephanie did? Prep time is for PREPARING. Not for the flowing of crocodile tears on CNN. 

At :45 Stephanie claims that...

 "she has a deeply held religious objection that this goes against my faith. Betrayal of my faith in God and for that reason I decided not to (get vaccinated)"

I've been Jewish since day I was born. I can't think of anywhere in Judaism where it says thou shalt not receive COVID-19 vaccine. Let's see what Chabad has to say. One thing that stands out is...

"Assuming that vaccinating when there is a high risk of catching a disease is similar to fleeing from an epidemic, then it’s mandatory for you to do it, and others can be compelled to do so as well."

We here at SBSB would all bet our collective salaries that Setphanie's son has had all his MANDATORY vaccinations to enter school. We would also hazard to be that Stephanie does not keep kosher. She enjoys mixing meat with dairy. She doesn't honor Shabbas (As we can see from her prolific tweeting from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) She enjoys shrimp on the barbie and doesn't have separate plates and stove for Passover. In other words, Stephanie picks and chooses what she wants to follow in Judaism as a matter of convenience when it suits her needs. 

The Crack Team has since learned that Stephanie did put in for a religious objection accommodation to get vaccinated and was shot down. It is being appealed and it is pretty safe to say that she'll be shot down again. 

Growing up privileged in Fairfield County and attending an exclusive boarding school Stephanie has probably experienced entitlement. That daddy has always given to her what she wants when she wants it. That is not how the real world works. 

Camerota finally asks at 1:34 what we here at SBSB have been asking, "Where in Judaism does it say that you can't be vaccinated?" 

Stephanie's reply...

"Judaism is not a monolith, like all religions(WTF?) I'm a history teacher. Even a basic look at history will show us that people of the same religious fate do not always agree."

Yes, that is true. I agree. Yes, there are many edicts, laws from all religions that its adherents don't follow.  But again, there is nothing in Jewish law against vaccine or MANDATED VACCINES!

"And while in Judaism there is no specific tenant"

And you wonder why she got denied her accommodation. SHE JUST ADMITTED SHE'S FULL OF SHIT!

"We can look to it (Judaism) for guidance."

Again, there is nothing in Judaism about Vaccines!!!!!!

"This is the decision I have come to between me and God"

Puke!

She starts to shed the crocodile tears about leaving. Blah, blah, she's crying about leaving her students. Well, if her students were so important she would sacrifice her well being for them. She would have risked everything for her students. But she hasn't. In fact one member of The Crack Team believes that she is vaxxed. And I believe that member of The Crack Team is correct.

Why? She wants to be a martyr. She is building her brand. She considers herself an "educelebrity." She does not care about her students, her school, nor the community. Whatever she can do to promote herself is all that matters.

To use Judaism as a crutch and worse to misinterpret what Jewish law says is just vile. She is the stereotype of Jews that got 6 million of us slaughtered.  I wish I could denounce my Judaism. I am far from a perfect Jew but I try. I don't use it as a crutch or use it for ill gotten means. 

I feel so filthy right now having listened to this woman that I need to find myself a Mikveh. 

But seriously. Stephanie. Please. Seek help.

 

 Where has Stephanie Edmonds been? When we last saw Stephanie was April and I exposed her on You Tube. Then she went pfft. Like a fart into the wind. 

Both of her Twitter accounts have been deactivated. Her Facebook page as well as her Instagram page
have vanished. Heck, her You Tube channel has had no new content since April. Nowhere was Stephanie to be found on any social media or for that matter, any media whatsoever. Heck, Stephanie isn't building her brand. Remember, she labeled her self an "educelebrity."

Many have speculated that after my historic smack down of her back in April she turned tail and ran with her tail between her legs. Maybe. What would we do without Stephanie? 

Well, rest assured, she resurfaced this week. It makes sense. Where there is a camera or a microphone, Stephanie will find it. Oh, and of course, she would come across like a total idiot.

Earlier this week CBS 2 News found Stephanie, or should we say Stephanie found them, and she blabbered away (Link to Story. Link to Video). 

Stephanie, I am sad to report, is leaving the DOE. Read:

This is the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life, but I feel like it’s an important one,” said Bronx history teacher Stephanie Edmonds.

Edmonds says she fought hard for schools to reopen last year, so students could get a better education. But now, she’ll have to say goodbye to those she’s mentored the past six years.

“I will not be coerced into inserting something into my body that does not fall in line with my religious faith,” Edmonds said.

Saddest decision? She spent last year HAMMERING teachers who chose to teach remotely because they, we, had underlying health conditions! She claimed we abandoned out students and SHE now decides to change her tune and abandons her students? She's so full of shit. 

Remember this tweet...? 

Inserting something into her body that does not fall into line with her religious faith? What faith? She's fucking Jewish. There is nowhere in the Talmud, the Torah, or anywhere where it says that vaccines are forbidden. Orthodox rabbis consider vaccinations a moral obligation. 

One wonders how much she takes her religion seriously if she had got pregnant while not married. Don't most religions have issues with having something inserted into oneself if not married? 

Hey, but she can do what she wants to do. It's her right. As one super SBSB groupie said, "It's Stephanie's right to be an idiot." Yes it is her right, and she does it so easily. 

But what does Stephanie care? Daddy makes shit loads of money. Stephanie can always return home to Connecticut's Gold Coast for shelter, for food, for money. Daddy will help with the rent, the car, the bills. Mommy will help with the child rearing. Stephanie is a child of privilege. But good riddance to her. Maybe she'll drop that fake Bronx accent and go with something more suited for the Gold Coast. But like in the Bronx where the students saw through her facade the Goyem will never accept her and see though her as well. 

Stephanie is the ultimate schlimazel.

My dad always said that pharmacists know more than doctors. I do know that my pharmacist is on the ball. 

Early this year, or late last year I had a conversation with him on when we will see this COVID crap end. He basically explained the virus has to run its course. The worst of the virus killed and with the dead the
virus was buried as well. Soon the virus has to find a new host but with most people being vaccinated the virus has to go elsewhere. To the unvaccinated. And who are mostly unvaccinated? The children. And that is where it is winding up.

He and I had the same conversation about a week or so ago but he added something. Winter hasn't come yet. 

Here are the numbers thus far:

 Yeah, winter isn't here yet, and these numbers aren't good. I know of several schools in my district haven't shared one iota of any information concerning class closures. Heck, have parents of these schools been notified?

But why hasn't staff been notified? How do we know if a class closure is due to a student or a staff member? Of course if it is a student in a single elementary class most of the teachers in the school have probably yet to have contact with that student. What if it is a teacher? Staff members interact, should not all staff be made aware? Hey, what about cluster teachers? Shouldn't they know? Anyway, the ENTIRE school community should know! WHY AREN'T STAFF MEMBERS BEING INFORMED OF CLASS CLOSURES???

This mayor is wreaking havoc with the lives of students, the community, and staff members. All he cares about his keeping the perception of him being in charge and not caving into the UFT and the communities of NYC. He is pandering to the UWS and Brooklyn whitey white parents. Why? He needs their money and support for when he runs for governor next year. 

But meanwhile students and staff members are going to get sick and some are going to die. Worse, people in the communities of the students and the staff members will get sick, and some are going to die. Mayor De Blasio will have blood on his hands. 

A teacher without knowing there is an outbreak in their school can get infected if vaccinated. That infection can be asymptomatic or not. That same teacher can bring the infection into their home and into their community. Infecting people who are not vaccinated and people who are vaccinated and/or have suppressed immune systems. 

To the best of my knowledge, there is zero (None, nada, bupkus!) 3 feet distancing whether in the hallways or in the classrooms. To the best of my knowledge, there are class sizes with 36 students, 34 students and many others that size. To the best of my knowledge, the schools are not being cleaned with the same rigor and attention they were before the summer.

What is the UFT going to do about this? The time for a job action is now. How about this? All teachers gather outside the school 45 minutes before arrival and pass out informational literature concerning our incompetent mayor. Then to top it off, we all walk in 5 minutes before our contractual time. I'm just spitballing here, OK?

Something must be done on UFT's part. 

As for De Blasio. There will be a death. I hope I am wrong. The blood will be on his hands. Sadly, he won't give a shit.

Oh joy, we walk into Death tomorrow. Three feet? What does that mean? Yeah, it's one yard or 36 inches. But what does it mean? In elementary school, is there no more mini lessons from the carpet? How do we conference with students? What are the guidelines in cafeterias? 

Must windows be open? What about these so called air purifiers? Word on the street is they are useless. 

Are schools supposed to be providing masks? Hand sanitizers? How can 10 percent of a school be tested every other week and there be a proper tally of who is safe or not? 

Who can answer these questions and more? One would think that in each school there would be a meeting led by the chapter leader in which concern and issues would be addressed. From my experience this has yet to happen. Several SBSB groupies have shared with The Crack Team that they do not know of any meeting with their chapter leaders concerning COVID safety. 

Worse, a friend of mine shared with me that she had called the UFT COVID hotline (or whatever it is called) and was hold an inordinate amount of time and just finally gave up. 

So what to do? Thanks to UFT Solidarity, we have somewhere to go. Read on...

Happy Night Before School!

This school year will be nearly unlike any we have ever experienced as UFT members. Now more than ever, UFT Solidarity needs all our members engaged and activated as activists and unionists in our schools. We have to power to protect each other and hold the UFT accountable.


Please make sure you and your chapter leader are familiar with the UFT's PPE Hotline. Ask your building rep, like NOW, if they've been in contact with the custodian, administration, and UFT regarding mandated PPE shipments to your building. If not, call the PPE Hotline immediately and make sure EVERY staff member in your school knows to wait outside your school until the UFT rep on the hotline gives the green light.


The UFT PPE Hotline is: 212-701-9677. 


Work with your colleagues and do your due diligence this week to document conditions in your buildings. Your video and camera applications will be your best friends. When in doubt, email your borough safety reps AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Then, submit a Google Form documenting conditions in your school. If the form does not work, email us at [email protected].


Make sure you follow our newly updated COVID Action Kit. This is well worth the read! 

Also, we are pleased to introduce our newly renovated UFT Solidarity website! Our website is now located at www.solidarityuft.org. Please share this website with your colleagues and, when you can, explore its features.  Our updated Toolkit and our Getting Involved Page are two must-read sections!

Finally, please mark your calendars for our Council Meeting on September 22nd and General Member Meeting on September 29th. You should have received Google Calendar invites. Look for a new email about these events next week.


Union means coming together as one, in solidarity. Let's boldly lead, let's boldly enforce the rules, let's boldly fight like heck for the living.





In Solidarity,

The UFT Solidarity Council

 I am due one more retro payment this October. I was suspended in October 2015 which for reasons unknown to me I was classified as on "leave." So everything was pushed back for me. This goes for others who were on leave then. Which leads me to this question:

If I, or others, due retro in October, were to die due to the irresponsibility of the DOE and enabling of the UFT with the Delta surge, will the heirs receive the retro?

What is the acceptable number of deaths of staff and/or students for the DOE due to the Delta Variant?  Are staff more expandable than students? 

To paraphrase Colonel Trautman from First Blood,  "Will there be enough body bags?"

Has the DOE thought to have portable refrigerated morgues outside the schools to collect the dead bodies? 

On August 19, my son's college had ZERO active COVID cases. Today it the college has 22 active cases amongst students. And his college has a real plan! It's not a plan that was put together at the last minute. I trust his college's plan. I do not trust the crud put out by the DOE and enabled by the UFT.

How can we keep three feet distance in dirty, filthy, rat infested, crud infested, overcrowded school buildings? 

How many students are staying home on September 13? 200k? 250k? 500k? Does De Blasio have a plan for all these no shows? Will there be retribution upon the parents of all these no shows? I know if I lived in the city I would not send my child to school. It would like sending a child to their death. 

Why is De Blasio being such a dick? He's caving for the whitey white, entitled, smug, sniff their own fart Brooklyn and Upper West Side crowd. De Blasio has his eye on running for governor next year and he needs these parents on his side. Not just to vote for him, but to give him money as well. 

De Blasio is that self-unaware that he still thinks he was somewhat successful in running for president in 2020. His ego, his thirst for power is going to kill staff, and worst, the children of New York City.

There will come a day, and this day will be soon that a staff member or a child will die. Let's hope that appropriate legal action is taken against the DOE and any of its enablers. 

 

We here at SBSB, along with The Crack Team, wish to give a belated thank you and thumbs up for Mike Mulgrew taking the suggestion from Monday's blog for a UFT Town hall for September 2 from 2-3:30 PM EDT. Though better late than never, I for one have had to change my tee time. Maybe I can squeeze in nine holes after the town hall. 

And as I have written in the past,  I will praise Mulgrew when it's appropriate we also give Mulgrew a proverbial thumbs up for once again reading these pages and finally coming out of hiding to led and sharing with the world the (hopefully tentative) safety agreement with the DOE. 

Many questions abound, Let's take a look at some of the highlights.

 Physical Distancing in Schools

The DOE will follow the CDC recommendation to maintain at least 3 feet between students within classrooms. When it is not possible to maintain 3 feet in a given school, the DOE advises layering multiple other prevention strategies. During meal service, schools will use outdoor spaces and additional spaces in school buildings where possible.

Does this mean 3 feet between the teacher and a student? How will this be enforced? This summer I did not see any effort to follow the three foot rule. As for a school that does not have enough space to maintain the three foot rule, what is layering? Will classrooms have a tier of desks? Multi-level classrooms? Tell us more! Are there schematics of this layering thingy for us to see?

As for meals, will meals be served outside when it is raining? Or snowing, or cold? Will students be forced to eat meals in bathrooms? Closets? Hallways?

COVID Testing

Every school will have 10 percent of unvaccinated individuals who have submitted consent for testing in their school population tested biweekly. Students and staff who are fully vaccinated are not required to be tested.

What happen if no one submits consent. And why only 10 percent? Why not everyone? You know how testing can be less invasive and quicker? Spit test. Twice a week. Spit into a bag. Results come back in less than 24 hours. 

Another problem is the Whiny Whitey Whites of Brooklyn, and the UWS are demanding that asymptomatic students must not be tested. Well how do we know who is asymptomatic? Duh. Watch out for these elitist and entitled types. 

Remote Instruction

The mayor has finally acknowledged the need for virtual instruction for medically fragile children and for those in quarantine, something we have maintained was necessary since last spring.

What about for those children that parents just don't want to send to school because they don't want their children to be dead children? Back in June I predicted 350k students staying home. It's going to be more I think. What then is the plan? 

Let's hope that in next week's town hall there is more information given. I am very interested in knowing what are the protocols for schools that do not follow safety measures properly. I am giving up a round of golf.

 

As teachers we kind of expect that Mayor De Blasio will not only lead students to their death, but have the same feelings about teachers as well. I get it. De Blasio doesn't care.

On the other hand, where has Uncle Mike Mulgrew been? Except for a few mass emails this summer and
a town hall on August 3 Uncle Mike has been surprisingly silent about schools reopening September 13. That's less than three weeks away.

Now, I can be wrong. Perhaps Uncle Mike is deep within the bowels of 52 Broadway formulating a plan of safety in the "UFT War room." Whilst erstwhile right hand man and golfing buddy LeRoy Barr. Yeah, I know. But anything is possible. 

But reports are coming into the SBSB newsroom that the Chicago Teachers Union is demanding a safety plan from Chicago Public Schools.

Less than a week before the start of Chicago Public Schools classes, the CTU is still negotiating with the district on a COVID safety plan.
In a morning news conference Monday, Chicago Teachers Union members said it's still not safe to go back to the classroom with students and staff as the delta variant continues to spread.

And what do we get from Uncle Mulgrew? In the email of August 23, we get...

With the Delta variant continuing to spread and Pfizer just announcing the full FDA approval of its vaccine, the city believes that those eligible for the vaccine must do their part to help keep our children safe.

I got no problem with mandating vaccinations. But getting everyone vaccinated takes time. Now that the Pfizer vaccine is about to be officially approved with Moderna soon to be, what not mandate for students 12+ as well?  

But, wait a moment. What bout keeping the teachers safe? Asymptomatic carriers will be walking among us possibly infecting those who are already vaccinated. These teachers can bringit home to those who are more at risk. What about the teachers and their families? Does Uncle Mike care? 

...so we know that as a union we have already done our part to help the city to beat this virus and protect our schools. 

Why is it upon us to protect the schools? Why isn't it upon the DOE and the city to protect ALL stakeholders? What is de Blasio's plan? The DOE's plan? Why isn't Uncle Mike pushing for one?

And I don't just mean a remote option. There is mask wearing. What happens if a student refuses to wear a mask? Testing. What if a teacher tests positive, does that teacher lose CAR days? What about clusters who see multiple classes? If three students test positive, but the students are all in three separate classes, does the cluster quarantine and if so does not lose CAR days? Where are the answers? 

What is the plan if there is no remote option and 500k don't show up September 13? Then what? How many teachers getting infected and/or dying is acceptable to the UFT?  One? Twenty? One hundred? 

It is time for another town hall post haste. We basically have next week to do it. The following week is Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah.  

Rank and file is demanding answers now. It is time for Mulgrew to make an appearance.

 Today is August 16. Staff reports to schools on September 9. Students report in exactly four weeks from today. De Blasio is still in denial.Worse, the UFT is silent. Children are being hospitalized and dying. The principals union, CSA has said it is impossible for their to me three feet of social distancing. Delta is raging through the South. The ignorant refuse to get vaccinated. The entitled whitey whites of the Upper  East Side and Artisanal Brooklyn are whining about their entitled babies having to wear masks in school. Meanwhile, regular Joe parents are shitting bricks about returning in September. There were 750k remote students last year.  I predicted, or intimated, at 350k not returning in September. There will be more than that. Social distancing in schools is a joke. So with all this information one begs to know.

WHAT IS THE FUCKING PLAN FOR SEPTEMBER?

This summer there was no social distancing in the school I was in. Students were right on top of one another. Teachers and students on top of one another. Staff on top of one another. No directions. No guidance. No nothing. Masks being worn at half mast. None of those special air filter thingys in the class rooms. I mean there were a few, but very few. Where is the direction from the UFT? Where is the leadership from the DOE?

The parents of the Upper East Side had a rally yesterday on East End Avenue against mandated vaccines in DOE schools. Geez, these parents are so indicative of the population of the  NYCDOE. Same with the parents of Artisanal Brooklyn. How they whine if their precious children will be traumatized by wearing a mask or dare I say it, learning remotely. Oh the horror. Little do they know their precious children's worst day is a great day for a child living in abject poverty. But what do they care? 

My son goes back to college in Thursday. I feel safe because I trust the plan his college has. The college follows through on its plans. The college gives consequences if the plan is not followed. The DOE only pays lip service to it's plan and gets away with it due to the enabling of the UFT. If I were a parent with a child in the NYC schools, I would not, could not, and shan't send my child to school. I would demand a remote option. 

De Blasio is coming for the students of NYC. He plans on killing them. He has an acceptable death rate before he allows remote. One student dying due to De Blasio is on too many. One student, infected because of De Blasio's false pride, is one too many. 

Parents should refuse to send their students to school in September and demand that there is a plan for remote learning. That the lives of NYC students are more important how an incompetent bozo mayor comes across.

But I thought what the hell. Sometimes someone that seeks attention needs to be exposed for all to see. 

Last week we shared on these pages what Stephanie Edmonds really thinks of unions and her fellow UFT brothers and sisters. This week we will see what Stephanie Edmonds thinks of the Holocaust and her fellow Jews. 

I first wish to qualify that yes, it has been extremely tough on students the last 10 months. I feel for them immensely. I feel for their parents. In fact, I feel for everyone that has been affected by COVID in one way or another. Mistakes and missteps have been made. But neither do I trust the NYCDOE, DeBlasio, or Cuomo one bit in their plan(s) or guess work.  I have not been happy with the way the UFT has handled things, but at the end of the day I am sticking with my union and my colleagues. 

This tweet is from Stephanie (@classdisrupti0n) from early December (CLICK TO ENLARGE): 

 

 

 

Let's just sit back a moment and let this all sink in. I'll wait. 

OK? Done?

Before getting into the obvious issues with this series of tweets, let's focus on the first line where Stephanie proclaims that she is "standing for all Americans." This little pissant fart in the wind is going to stand for all Americans? With only 1,293 followers on Twitter? Kim Kardashian has 68.6 million. As much as I think Kim is useless and would listen and follow her way before Stephanie. Is Stephanie being hyperbolic or does she have some deranged sense of self?I shan't comment and will leave it for the mental health professionals and those in the psycho-pharmaceutical field to determine. 

Next.

Maybe Stephanie does not realize that over 6 million Jews were murdered during World War II for nothing other than being Jewish (yeah, I know that there were the disabled, gypsies, and gay and lesbians killed but I wish to just focus on what hits home to me).

What is your problem Stephanie? How dare you trivialize the Holocaust! How dare you use what your fellow Jews have gone through to advance your politics. You're not even Jewish! Do you know what it is like to be a Jew? Do you know what it is like to know the history of Jews and the Holocaust? Have you lost any family members to the Holocaust? 

Yeah, what the students are going though sucks. But this is the best we got. People are afraid. Parents are afraid. We have a disease that is out of control. I know people that have died. That have been sick. But people, meaning teachers, are making the best out of a shitty situation and people like you are not helping! You have all this time to tweet, to have a You Tube channel, Instagram, and now, a website that sells merch (CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE)!  Every social media site is dedicated to one thing and one thing only. Yourself and your "brand" You don't give one damn shit about the kids. Think I am wrong? Then stop showing yourself off especially when you are handing out donations and freebies. 

The students that are learning remote, in NYC (except for middle schools and high schools right now), are remote because their parents/guardians decided that's how they want their children educated. Stay the fuck out of their business. Focus on your job, not yourself. 

To compare students who are learning remote to the Holocaust? Are students being thrown into ovens? Are their parents? Are the students being used for medical experiments? Are the students being ripped away from their parents? What kind of sick person makes this comparison? 

What Stephanie wrote is beyond the pale. And if you notice the 3rd tweet when given a chance to walk it make she just doubles down. It's all about Stephanie. For a Jew to compare remote learning to the Holocaust is just wrong.

But I am willing to give Stephanie a chance. Stephanie, feel free to email anytime you want. We can have a Zoom or Google Meets meeting. I will bring along several Holocaust Survivors. If you are the person that you claim to be, you won't have a problem sharing with these Survivors what you are comparing the Holocaust to. Or you are more than welcome to speak through Zoom at Shabbas services at my step-mother's synagogue. Probably won't be any Survivors but I am pretty sure that everyone at the service has at least one family member that was killed in the Holocaust. 

Own your words. Put money where mouth is. And while your contemplating your decision Stephanie, have a look at this Auschwitz video. You should be well aware of this!

Yay! There was a delegate assembly yesterday. I was smart. I didn't try to ask any questions. But the pattern persists. Most, if not all, of those asking the questions tend to be chapter leaders.

But during Mulgrew's opening remarks he briefly touched on the state of the evaluation negotiations. Same as last month and nothing new.

"We have to have an evaluation system done by this month, but we are getting nowhere with the DOE. People with the DOE we are negotiating with are in la-la land. We need a scientifically tested system to work with. DOE asking for ridiculous things. Our committee has met. There has to be a MOSL. We have to figure that out."

The Crack Team has gone ahead and figured out a way to solve this problem. If the UFT decides to use what is known as The Crack Team Official Evaluation and Pro-Am© Teacher Evaluation Method. We here at SBSB ask for a small honorarium and the promise, to sponsor a golf outing this coming on a Monday in August at Winged Foot. 

Yes, we understand that in complicated times that deciding on an evaluation that must include MOSL can be complicated. So many factors are factored in.

Should teachers of remote learning be evaluated the same as in person teachers and vice versa? 

Is there an impact on students in schools that are closed, then opened, then closed, then opened, then closed? Does this not inhibit student learning?

What of remote students? Would a remote teacher get extra points for students having to learn on this piece of shit iPad minis vs students that have a laptop or a desktop? Does this not inhibit student learning?

Whilst on the subject of remote teachers, what of students with crappy internet connections? Does this not inhibit student learning?

For in person teachers, the lack of any real human contact and students sitting at their desks all gosh darn long day, how does that affect student learning?

What about fear? The fear that a loved one or themselves can come down with COVID does this not inhibit student learning?

I mean I can go on and on but I shan't. There are just too many ways that student learning is inhibited this school year.

And how once a system is in place would admins that are supposed to evaluate us be trained and properly competent to evaluate us? 

And since this evaluation system be in place by the end of January, observations will not start until March at the earliest. Is that fair?

Here is The Crack Team's plan. Simple and very inexpensive.

If on the day the administrator comes to observe, if every student in class, be it in person or remote, has a heartbeat, the teacher gets an S and a happy face sticker. This is the fairest method. 

Just an analogy, a poor one. Can Trevor Bauer be properly judged and warrant a $36 million a year contract off of his 2020 season of 11 starts? No. 

The Crack Team and myself will be awaiting word from the UFT.

About this remote teacher vs in person teacher thing happening, we need to be careful. Being home teaching is not all that it is cracked up to be. 

There are other people home, there are babies, there are other children, and pets that need attending. You don't get a real connection with your students. You really can't work one on one. I can go on. But remember this. There wouldn't be remote teachers if there weren't
remote students. Parents have made the choice that they don't feel the schools are safe for their students. That is their right. And it is our right as teachers that are susceptible to COVID to take the DOE up on its offer to teach from home. Heck, there might be even less remote teachers if the DOE had a real plan back in September. 

We don't need the New York Post to fan the flames. We don't need the ignorant politicians and neo-liberals to create shit storms. Worse, we don't need one of our own to knife teachers in the back.

 We don't need a 4th year non tenured teacher with a fake Bronx accent throwing teachers under the bus.

The Crack Team found this tweet by Stephanie Edmonds (@classdisrupti0n) of Bronx Law High School at the Theodore Roosevelt Campus in the Bronx. Let's have a look see.I believe this tweet was on or around December 12.

Wow! So Stephanie agrees that we, I would assume the rank and file of the UFT, are privileged? Privileged how Stephanie? Privileged like having everything handed to us? Privileged having grown up in one of the toniest areas of Fairfield County? Privileged to go to an exclusive boarding school for high school? Please, explain. We don't understand. Most of us were only born with a plastic spork in our mouths. We don't have yachts on Long Island Sound.

As for as I know, I, and every single remote teacher is doing their ACTUAL job. You're doing your ACTUAL job too. You are remote. Are you better than us? Know more than us? We're in the same boat. But I am sure you're still looking down your nose at "the remote teachers." 

Denial? Excuses? What am I in denial of? What are other remote teachers in denial of? I'm not denying that this situation is rough for all involved. That it would have been better to have had a plan had its genesis back in March. I, nor my union brothers and sisters, are unable to control the incompetency of Mayor De Blasio and Chancellor Carranza.

Are we (and again to be sure we are talking about remote teachers) making excuses for remote teaching? Stephanie, answer this question. I spoke to a colleague over the weekend I had taught with back in 2003. Our children used to play together. She is remote. Why? Her daughter, the same age as my son, has cancer. When one has cancer the immune system tends to get messed up. My friend sought, and received, an accommodation (thanks to UFT Solidarity and Bryan Glass) so she would not have to worry about being in a school or the Bronx. Avoiding a situation in which she could catch COVID and, God forbid, infect her daughter. 

Speaking for myself, I am type 2 diabetic. My BMI is where it should be as is my A1C. But I am 56, and for some weird reason don't wish to die due to COVID. Maybe if I was 30 years old I might think differently. But I am not.

Deflection and blame? Again Stephanie, (check your scorecard, we are still talking about remote teachers) what is it we are deflecting? Explain yourself. Who are we blaming? I've been with the DOE 25 years. There is incompetency all around. I'll blame De Blasio and Carranza. Try your know it all energy on these two dunces.

Yeah, the UFT has been wishy washy and inconsistent, but the mayor and the chancellor are the ultimate fartheads. 

You know Stephanie, when I started teaching I was told to keep my mouth shut and my ears open. Sadly, it's been the opposite for you. Perhaps you should concentrate on teaching instead of what you think is a quasi-media empire on You Tube.

Want to curse the union all you want? Go right ahead I'll be there supporting you. But attacking teachers, your union brothers and sisters, your colleagues, on social media that's just wrong. Do it privately. 

But what's most disturbing is this attitude you have of knowing it all. You know jack. You are in a situation you never were in before. You think you are "down" with your students? Think about what they are saying about you in Spanish. 

Don't think you have cred because you believe you teach in the South Bronx and are the reincarnation of Mr Kotter. You're not. Remember this from September...?

You do not teach in the Boggie Down Bronx unless you teach in the South Bronx. But Damn! There it goes again!! People coming in and changing things!

You're on Fordham Rd. That is not the Boogie Down Bronx. 

Lastly, Stephanie, get rid of the phony Bronx accent. You're from the country club set of Connecticut, you should sound like William Buckley. 

Would love to hear from remote teachers in the comments section. Please keep it unprofane and professional.

 Sometime last night during my binge watching of Family Guy I got a text from one of the many SBSB groupies. It was shared with me that sign up is available for those who qualifyunder group 1B for the COVID vaccination (I'll post the link at the end of this post).

Finally! This vaccination process, at least in NY State is taking too long. Cuomo has to control it. Why not use all 62 NYS county health departments. Less control for Cuomo one would hazard to guess. Heck, in 1947 NYC vaccinated about 6 million people for smallpox in about a month. Why can't this be done again? 

So for the last week or so we here at SBSB have been hearing rumors that teachers have been moved into 1B and that vaccinations are imminent. Thanks to DeBlaso for finally showing some balls to Cuomo that day has come starting tomorrow. But the rollout has not been exactly smooth. 

This morning on 880 WCBS I heard the tail end of an interview with Mulgrew in which I heard...

"Teachers who are in the classroom will be given priority"

That was a "whatcha talking about Willis" moment for me. It was time to roll up the sleeves. 

I reached out to the SBSB groupie as well as someone in the UFT. I got some decent clarification from the UFT.

If you signed up on the link provided last night with NYCHHC you are still good to go. You don't have to wait for the UFT to do it for you.

You do not need to be a NYC resident to use the NYCHHC link. I am getting my shot at 3rd Ave and 174th St. 

I'm also hearing that each individual must schedule the second shot themselves, but that just doesn't make sense. But waiting to hear confirmation. More likely at wherever you get your shot they will schedule for you.

The UFT has scheduled a paid release time for the vaccination. 

And finally, and this is what is bothersome: That according to Mulgrew's email today members working in school will get priority. But according to what I was told "if you are 1B you won't be turned away." Just those in buildings will kind of have a head start. 

I really must take umbrage. I mean the infection rate nearing 10 percent. With the buildings still open the DOE, and seemingly, the UFT has no issue with such a high rate of infection. Originally the threshold for shutting down the buildings was to be 3 percent. All of the sudden someone gives a shit about the teachers in the building ? Mind you, I am not besmirching these teachers. They are doing a fantastic job under the circumstances and we should support them. But they're mostly healthy. Chances are they do not have a morbidity.

The priority should be those with a morbidity. Whether it is a member or a member's loved one that they live with. These people are the most vulnerable and susceptible to dying.

Right now the way the UFT and DOE are prioritizing the healthy sounds a wee bit like Eugenics with a smile. "Let's take care of the healthy first. As for the weak and the sickly? If we get to them, we'll get to them." Maybe I am being hyperbolic but come on. Talk about wanting to thin the herd, the teachers on accommodation are the most vulnerable.

One more thing. People are getting their underwear into too much of a bunch over the video of the UFT nurse getting vaccinated. Big fucking deal. She's got more guts than Trump. Look at it this way, she's demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the vaccination. Too many anti-vaxxers out there. Let her set an example. Get your undies out of shape for the priority list and other real shit.

Now for the Health and Hospitals link. CLICK HERE  If you see nothing keep coming back. It's like you are getting tickets for opening day on Tivk. If you don't live in NYC check with your doctor, your provider, your local department of health. Be aggressive and be proactive. Most of all be safe and stay healthy. 

Not wanting to sound like a broken record, I shall forego mentioning how I have been patiently waiting for several months as to whether or not a transcript exists of the October arbitration meeting/hearing concerning our retro.

Instead, I would like to openly ask the UFT as to the whereabouts of the monies we are owed for giving up our Spring break this past April. 

We, meaning the rank and file, receive zero voluntary updates from the UFT and the only time we get info is if some teacher is lucky enough to get past the guardrails during a town hall or a delegate assembly. 

So UFT, where is our spring break monies. It is now almost a year since we had the spring break rug pulled out from under us, show us the money.

At the very least, show us, the dues paying members, something concrete, like a paper trail, that we can see so that we know it is moving forward. 

Thanks to Arthur Goldstein and his blog NYCEducator, exec boards meetings, town halls, and DA's are now archived. The Crack Team found three instances of the S word mentioned.

There was the most recent DA of December 16, 2020...

"...City has given notice that tomorrow is an instructional day. Last year they forced us to report during spring break. We had a ruling that remote is instructional and when we're out of COVID our first act will be to seek compensation."

The town hall of October 15, 2020...

Q: What about medical accommodations after December 31st and any updates on Spring Break?  

M: When arbitration is back up, we will move forward on Spring Break. Medical accommodations are based on a medical condition. We would have to do another one in Jan. Same documentation and everything.

Town Hall of September 2, 2020...

"...Dealing with the craziness that included Spring break which still needs to be dealt with."

 So many questions. Let's start with the DA from December. The statement does going to arbitration to seek compensation pertain to NYC school not closing during a major snowstorm? Or is this being lumped in with our missing of spring break? Why when COVID is over will the UFT wait to seek compensation? Why not now? 3020-a hearings are going on. The DOE doesn't seem to want to wait until "COVID is over to ruin a teacher's life. Why must the DOE wait to go to arbitration? 

For the answer President Mulgrew gave at the town hall of October 15, again, it seems that arbitration is now back up. Where in the pipeline is our monies? How long does the process take? 

But just six weeks earlier we were told that the craziness of Spring break still needs to be dealt with. So where in the process of recovering our monies, were we on September 2? 

This is a trust issue. There are too many stories too often. Worse, there is no transparency. Why can't the rank and file be privy to the process? Why can't we verify the process is happening? For instance, yes, the transcript of the arbitration hearing about our retro. 

Two instances that show a disdain for reality have troubled me. One of the many reasons why teachers take the spoken word from the UFT with a grain of salt. One was an answer to a question Mulgrew gave back at the town hall in November. He was asked when is the DOE sending out emails that accommodations were good until the end of the school year. And before I go on, it was a good thing the UFT did in getting those accommodations extended without getting a second's doctor's note. I'll give credit where credit is due.

The teacher was rightly concerned. It was November 23, and she had yet to hear back. However, I did at the time of the town hall. Mulgrew replied that it takes time and that the DOE sends emails out in batches going in alphabetical order. Z is for Zucker. Z is the last letter in the alphabet. I go last. But I got my email. This is making an answer up as you go along. 

The same crap happened at this month's DA. Mulgrew was asked something about the vaccine and when and how teachers will receive it. He rambled on for a few minutes, seemingly making it up as he went along. 

 I mean come on! I was texting back and forth with a member of The Crack Team in both instances. We both couldn't believe our ears.

This then becomes a credibility problem. I would rather hear, "I don't have any fucking idea," or at the very least put someone else on to answer the question or say "I will find out."

Meanwhile, where is our Spring break monies? Give us a real update. I'm owed about $4,500 and would like to have it. We don't want days added to our CAR. We don't want comp time. We want cold hard cash. Preferably, through direct deposit.

 

For those that have lived in a cave for the last 24 hours, Solidarity, led by Lydia Howrilka here) who did not have underlying medical conditions but lived in fear for those they lived one did. and represented in court by über teacher lawyer Bryan Glass won a Temporary Restraining Order for the five plaintiffs (Read decision

What happens next? The TRO only pertains to the five plaintiffs and expires on Monday, September 21. Plus, the Corporation Counsel according to a source is not appealing the TRO, and the judge in the case is welcoming affidavits for other teachers who feel that they are in the same situation as the original five plaintiffs. Email Bryan Glass for more information. Immediately. Affidavits must be in no later than 6 PM EDT Thursday, September 17.

No on to bigger and sadder things.

The UFT, the Unity part of the UFT, could have had this victory. I saw this decision coming and not just because Bryan Glass is the attorney. It made sense. Five teachers, all with loved ones with Centers for Disease Control underlying conditions. A mayor and a schools chancellor that day in and day out not only spew inane contradictory blabber out of their mouths but have time and time again shown that the only reason to re-open school building is that each need to know that all is OK in the phallus department for them.

What does the UFT do? Does it play offense? Not exactly. They were playing what Warner Wolf termed the Giants offense back in the late 70's. The UFT was playing a "prevent offense." The UFT just didn't want to punch the ball into the end zone. They could've. The had the resources to. They just didn't want to.

Yes, Mike Mulgrew for most of August was talking strike. "Wow," some people said, "Mulgrew is being proactive." But striking would not have been a good idea. I laid down why a strike would not have worked two weeks ago. But seeking injunctive relief in keeping schools closed would have been a winner.

One of the advantages in going to court, the city and the DOE would be have not only been forced to lay out their re-opening plans but would have been forced to defend contradictory, ever changing, and unsafe reopening. The city and the DOE would be defending the indefensible. The UFT, on the other hand would show that only the union had the safety and welfare of the students, the school communities, and yes, the teachers as a priority.

With winning in court and keeping the school from reopening the UFT is letting the judge make the decision. The UFT won't have the public perception of turning it's backs on our most vulnerable. The UFT could've had the city and DOE as the villains, as the ones that are usurping education and the re-opening.

The UFT could have had their own plan for 100% remote learning which as of this evening, 9:01 PM EDT on September 15, 2020, the DOE hasn't figured out.

But with a strike, there is always the threat of scabs. Not so with a court ruling. With a court ruling no risk of 2 for 1, or losing automatic checkoff. Teachers would still get paid. The UFT would have had hand. They could've negotiated from a position of strength. The clock is running out for the UFT to proudly take its gonads show them off to the rank and file.

In the mean time the latest I heard is 55 teachers testing positive for COVID. In several schools the teachers are refusing to enter the buildings, photos on Facebook and Twitter of mold in classrooms, schmutz on vents, windows that open have an inch, and too many schools with not enough PPE. Hey, how is that agreement going so far?

And lest we forget the numbers are going up for students who are doing full remote and the DOE is still 10k teachers short.


Time for 52 Broadway to bring in the big guns, and act in a big way.

A strike would have been financially difficult for me as I am sure it would have been for many others. A strike shouldn't be called for all willy nilly like one caucus keeps on calling
for. People have financial obligations as well as familial obligations. The vast majority of us don't live in a fantasy bubble and/or have mommy and daddy to fall back on to maintain one's hipster Brooklyn lifestyle.

Having said that, I would have voted for a strike and supported a strike. I think the UFT was hasty in calling for a strike. In my opinion, they should have done like Solidarity and sought injunctive relief in the courts first. I don't see how they would have not prevailed in court and in all probability we would have gotten a much better deal.

But a strike would have been difficult for several reasons. And I am not talking about the loss of pay, the loss of dues check off, loss of tenure. Not to mention, possibly the two interpretations (UFT vs DOE) of a strike is allowed due to safety reasons.

How do we picket? Imagine we are on strike. We are on strike due to a concern of getting COVID-19. We don't want to be in crowded and unclean places with a lot of people. Right? Guess what? That's what basically a picket line is. Crowded. Some of the schools that will be picketed the areas are not healthy. How then can we justify picketing if we justify not being in the school buildings? Yes, I understand there is a difference. With picketing everyone will be socially distant, wearing masks, and be outside. But that's reality. People don't care about reality. They care only about perception. But if there is a way to picket remotely, I am all for that.

So say there is no picketing. At least with picketing you can keep tabs on who crosses the line and discourage those that are thinking of it. But picketing or no picketing, what's to keep a one from crossing the line remotely or even know if a someone is crossing the line remotely? The numbers crossing the line could be too great for those on strike to have any impact.

Lastly, and this is most important, the past knowledge of the labor movement in those, (I'm just choosing a random age) under 35 is not there the way it is for those my age and maybe ten to fifteen years younger.

My step mother was a teacher and an AP. All her friends were educators. I heard all the stories of 1968 and 1975. I heard all the time from one of her friends who told me, "You schmucks have given back everything we fought for!"  He was right. But I listened. I learned from her friends. Even as a kid we knew people who were in unions, who fought for their rights. Then, when I started teaching in 1995, there were plenty of teachers left from the sixties and seventies who imparted their experiences. Where are types those today?

But these young ones. These non-tenured fresh teachers, will they sacrifice? Even the teachers that are tenured but have less time in, will they? What about the ass kissers every building seems to have about a good half dozen of? Will they sacrifice?

I do believe those younglings from that other caucus will support a strike. I'll give credit them credit for that. But there will be many who cross ranks that are too new, too ignorant, too scared, and don't have mommy and daddy to fall back on. Plus, that Brooklyn lifestyle is tough to give up. The alternative is moving to Yonkers

Let me get this straight. Teachers are to report to their buildings on September 8. On September 16, teachers go home and all 1 million students start online. This of course and many other surprises were shared with us in a very personal email by UFT Presidenté Mike

Mulgrew. Blended learning starts September 21.

The teachers that report (And at press time neither Mulgrew nor the personal letter mentions if teachers with accommodations must report to buildings ) on September 8 which is 4 business, or school days away. Will all teachers go into the buildings already tested for COVID? Should they? Many colleges won't allow anyone in dorms before students are tested and the results come back.

Some schools have 300 staff members. Some have more, some have a lot less. Would any of the upper crust of the UFT go to a party with that many people? But yet it is safe for teachers and other staff? How do we know that? I'm sure that the DOE will have a report for each school, but how do we know it is honest and accurate? What this sounds like is that teachers once again with be the canaries in the cage and if a few die so be it and the DOE but save a few bucks.

What will be done for the 3 days of of total remote learning? How was 3 days selected? Is this an arbitrary number? Then to sow confusion even more, the "blended learning," will begin September 21. How? With whom?

Oh yeah, I have been hearing that the 6 days teachers are in the school buildings there will be intense PD on blended learning. I'm sure the DOE will go to the files of, "Making It Up as We Go Along." Where will such PD be done in a school building? Who can actually give the PD?

The UFT announcement said...

...The city has also agreed to a robust program of repeated random sampling and COVID-19 testing of adults and students present in schools. This new testing program is one of the major pieces that medical experts told us we needed. A blind representative sample, composed of 10% to 20% of all students and adults from every school, will be selected each month for COVID-19 testing.

OK, this is all well and shitty. But what about September 8. Nothing against my fellow teachers but how do we know there won't be any teachers who have COVID? Shouldn't all teachers be tested before they return on September 8? What about staff that is already in the buildings today? Have they been tested?If not, why haven't they?

There is plenty of time to get every single DOE employee tested in time for September 8. The UFT and DOE could've announced a joint plan to send staff for FREE to City MD or any hospital, etc... for testing and have the results back by Tuesday.

But only testing 10-20% of students and adults? Explain what this means? I am not a statistician, but how can there be accuracy of any infections, symptomatic or asymptomatic? Is the plan still for parents to take their children's temperature each and every morning? The same parents who send their kids to school with green snot running out of their noses? The same parents who send their kids to school with a 102 degree fever?

I know I've been saying that school would not open up on September 10. But this agreement is like putting lipstick on Bill De Blasio. It's still sucks. The UFT had the mayor and the DOE by the balls and they let go.

My son goes to Ithaca College, and I trusted their plan more than I did the DOE's. Classes were to begin online this week with students moving in over the course of September. Eventually, all students would be on campus by October 5 when in person, hybrid, and remote classes would begin. Students when the come to campus would be tested and isolated in their dorm room for 24 hours. If and when their roommate shows, the same for the roommate however they would be isolated in a hotel room for 24 hours. Dorms were to be restricted to only those that live in that dorm. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it had more thought put into it and I believe those who put it together were genuine. The mayor and DOE can't get their heads together to save their lives. And now it seems the UFT capitulated.

What should the UFT have agreed to?

A completely independent authority should have tested the buildings.

All data for each school, be it cleanliness, PPE stock, etc... should be posted daily on each schools DOE webpage.

Planning and PD for blended and/or remote learning should have begun in March, but at the very least the first two week of September.

All students and staff must be tested before their first day in a building.

Total remote learning beginning No later than September 28 and no earlier than September 21.

Starting October 5, bring students back in a scaffolded manner every two weeks. First grades Pre-3 to 1st, 2nd to 4th, 5th to 6th, 7th to 8th, and lastly all high school students. This would have been safe and with much, much less chaos. But I keep getting this feeling that DeB and Carranza are trying to placate the parents of the UWS and Brooklyn.

As for the UFT. Dang, you had them by the balls. You really did. The UFT should have gone to court first. I am not a lawyer, but I do not see how the DOE would have prevailed in court. A strike is messy. With a strike, especially now, it would be difficult to keep others united and from crossing the picket line. But that is a story for another blog post.

I don't know if Solidarity's cause of seeking injunctive relief is moot now. That's a question better left for super lawyer Bryan Glass. I'd like to see it go forward. However, it might create a shit storm. One can't hep but question the timing of the announcement today and the fact Solidarity filed today.

Word of advice to the UFT. Next time you have a mayor and/or the chancellor by the proverbial scrotal sac, don't let go. In fact, hold them and give a good squeeze every now and then to let those whose scrotum you're holding that you are still there and mean business.