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. 

 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.

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.

 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. 

 

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!

 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. 

 We are hearing the word "victory" bandied about quite a bit, in the last several days since Friday's arbitration hearing. The UFT is claiming victory for defending our earned retro pay that is owed us from 2009-2014. Yes, I am happy that we will be getting it. Though not quite as happy receiving two payments as opposed to one. This is a victory for the city and a loss for the UFT and the rank and file. De Blasio knew exactly what he was doing. 

It was no coincidence that DeB notified the city a week before our we would have received our retro. DeB and the city knew over the summer they were going to try to pull this off. But if they announced it in the summer there would have been talks first. Talks drag on. That would not have benefited the city. 

What to do? Take advantage of the clause in the MOA that anything concerning the retro would go straight to arbitration. Yes, the rank and file should be grateful that the UFT made the clause was part of the MOA. But guess what? That clause was taken advantage of by the city as well. In fact they were hoping for it to be invoked. They got their wish.

Why did the city wish to go to arbitration? Think of this old saying; "You never know how a jury will rule." In this case, an arbitrator. The city had nothing to lose, the UFT everything to lose. There's already a doo-doo storm (The Crack Team had informed me that in the last blog post there were too many naughty words) over the retro being split in two payments. Imagine what would happen if the arbitrator found for the city? 

pyrrhic the UFT was forced to negotiate from a defensive posture. It had no choice but, and for lack of a better word, to cave. James Eterno made a good point on his blog that the arbitrator did not decide this. But rather,  the case was settled between the parties. It was a consent degree. The city had Mulgrew by his proverbial goodies (Again, no naughty words). 

I do disagree slightly with James about that if we didn't get our entire payment in full we should have gone right to court. Again, using the old adage, there is no assurance how a judge would rule. But that's a chance we would have had to take. 

The city wanted something in return, and they got it. After my initial shock on hearing the news Thursday night I figured that out. But what did the city want? My guess was that we would have to furlough 5 days. I was wrong. But no one gets something for nothing. And it is always the UFT giving something for nothing. 

This stunt the city pulled never would have been attempted with the cops, the firefighters, sanitation workers, corrections officers, or any other city union. Again and again the teachers and the UFT are used to go #2 on (again, no naughty words). 

There are many teacher's that adjusted their TDA's and now are screwed. There are many teachers that were counting on this check to catch up on bills and now are screwed. But again, the perception is WE DON'T MATTER. 

This is nothing but a pyrrhic win by the UFT and they are backslapping themselves whilst sipping champagne. This was a gimme putt an inch from the hole.  

What should be done? Openness to begin with. Make public the transcript between the parties and the arbitrator. Put it up on the UFT website. We should demand it. Show us proof there was some negotiations. Show us proof what the UFT had to offer and/or say. Same with the city. These time demand clear candor on the part of the UFT. It is time. 

And the UFT must answer these questions post haste: 1)What is the status of the upcoming per session retro pay and, 2)what of those that are in my situation that will still be owed a payment in October 2021? 

I am really getting tired of this shit with the retro pay. How can such a simple thing

be so fucked up? 

I was suspended in 2015 when the first payment went out. Of course I found out that suspended meant technically "on leave" so I was to get nothing. In 2016 there was to be no retro pay for anyone, some type of religious and/or spiritual retro leap year. For 2017, I was all excited because I was told that since I did not get retro in 2015 my retro check would be doubled. This info coming from several within the UFT. Nope. I just got 12 1/2%. Same in 2018, but my check was short by $700 or so because the DOE claimed they overpaid me the previous year. I did a payroll grievance and never really saw definitive proof. This year, well, we know how we are getting fucked for 2020. And this is not supposed to be my last payment. I still have a payment next year.

My 2018 Per Session retro check never came. Why you ask? Because even though I got a per session retro check the previous year, when I called per session payroll they shared with me that I had not worked per session between 2009-2014. But, I implored the crazy person I was talking to, if this were true how then did I get per session last year? On the day of the grievance, they realized they were wrong (I really wish there were a faceplam emoji on this dang blogger).

But enough of me.

So now it has come to this. Something so simple to handle became a shitstorm. Every union in the city got a lump sum retro check except the UFT. Of course, that is how the universe is supposed to work. Other unions get over on the city we take it up the ass day after fucking day. 

But why do we have to give back in this time of need? What about the NYPD? 

Did you know that each and every non-disability retired member of the NYPD, and the FDNY receives a Christmas bonus of $12k? Why, you ask? 

Let's go to Staten Island Live and find out...

The payment emerged from an agreement made between union and city leaders in 1968 at a time when the city was trying to increase its investment return of pension funds by diversifying portfolios.

Wait, there is more. A report by the non-partisan Citizens Budget Commission says these so called bonuses weaken the pension plans of of all city employees. In fact CBC Vice President Maria Doulis says...

“Phasing out or eliminating the VSF should be part of the mayor and City Council’s agenda in Albany next year,”

Think how much money the city can save? Yet, the rank and file cop will never have his or her "perks" cut. Because God forbid someone says something or does something bad against the cops. Mind you, I am not denouncing police nor for defunding the police. I'm just pointing out unfairness/

But if a FDNY or NYPD member retires in their mid 40's they can be collection for over forty years. Can't the NYPD or FDNY share the pain? Of course not, their union presidents would go batshit crazy!!!!!!

NYPD officers also receive almost $1k a year, $980 in uniform allowance. For a few shirts and pants? And black Skechers? Every uniform cop? Or is this every cop, including detectives? What about a cop that is a house mouse? He or she is never getting the uniform dirty. Can't that be reduced during this time of need? Our Teacher's Choice money is always fucked with. Why not fuck with NYPD's uniform allowance? Aren't materials for our students just as important as nice looking uniforms for cops? Besides a lot of cops still live with their mommies so mom can clean and press the uniforms to keep it looking nice. Mommy can clean the donut stains.

NYPD officers also receive $2k in January and July for holiday pay. Why not not give it out this January and this past July? Can't the cops of New York City take one for the team? 

Cops are still getting their overtime? Heck, guess what? In a few short weeks NYPD will be on 12 hour shifts. Every day. Where is our overtime?

But as I was writing this just about 10 minutes ago at 6:01 PM EDT I found that the UFT and the city reached agreement. 50% in October, 50% in July, no layoffs, 3% raise in May.

 Back to our regularly scheduled program.

If De Blasio really wished to save money within the DOE? Stop with the waste. Stop with elementary schools with enrollment under 500 students have multiple AP's. Across the board 20% pay cuts for all non union sycophantic wastes of human life that work at Tweed. Two coaches or whatever they are called per school. There are too many schools that are top heavy with positions filled by those that suckle at the sphincter of the principal. Shit the school I am at has 2 principals, about 4 or 5 useless coaches as well as a useless UFT center person. Go figure.

Time for the De Blasio to grow a set of balls with the NYPD. Make cuts to their perks. Not permanent of course, but temporary. Teachers are just as important, but in a different way, than cops. At least we don't kill people of color. 

And while we are at it. Where the frig is my pay for giving up my spring vacation? I figure that is about $4500 I am missing out on. Yeah, I know. The cops gave up their days off and vacations in July when they went to 12 shifts, 7 days a week. But they were getting OVERTIME. It helps.

Lastly, my dad used to tell me that no one can take advantage of you unless you give them permission. Think about it. We and the UFT keep getting fucked. We give the UFT permission. The UFT gives De Blasio permission. Time we do the fucking.

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.

I pray this doesn't happen. But it just might if Mayor Twiddle Dumb and Chancellor Twiddle Dumber don't get their heads out of each others asses. A child can die. Yes, teachers can die. But the NYCDOE doesn't care about teachers. The less of us the better for them. But a student dying? Due to the negligence of reopening schools? This will be a stain of blood on the hands of the mayor and the chancellor. I hope they are prepared for a news report like the

following.

Mr and Mrs Schlomo Rabinowitz announce the passing of their son, 8 year old Throckmorton from COVID-19 this past Wednesday, November 18, 2020. 

Throckmorton was a 3rd grade student at PS 2112 in Queens. He loved school. He was so happy to return to school this past September 10 and was happy to being with his friends again. 

Throckmorton loved math and science and especially to write stories. He was a loving older brother to Harvey age 4 and Gertrude 4 months. He was a vivacious reader and loved to play baseball and watch Sponge Bob. He wanted to play for the New York Mets when he grew up and when Pete Alonso heard of his illness not only hit two home runs for him in a game, but visited him in the hospital. 

Throckmorton was part of routine testing for COVID-19 at PS 21

12 and on September 17, five days after his test, results came back positive. His parents were curious because both the chancellor and the mayor had assured the school community that everything was to be done to keep schools sanitized and for students to be socially distant. Other parents did not know of Throckmorton's positive test for 10 days. SCI is looking into this due to the fact their is a suspicion that the principal of his school as well as the district superintendent kept the test results secret. 

At first it seemed that Throckmorton was asymptomatic. But soon Throckmorton developed COVID-19 symptoms around October 1 and slipped into a coma from which he never awoke. 

Mayor DeBlasio and Chancellor Carranza have both spoken of their with memories of things their press people told them to say Throckmorton. Throckmorton's teacher is beside herself and has gone into hiding. She is standing by the family. 

This is, of course fiction. Please, I am not making light of this or anybody's challenge with theirs or a family member's battle with COVID-19, but this can happen with DeBlasio and Carranza in charge. Will these two be able to sleep at night? Sadly, yes. But this can happen. And it won't happen if two men put aside their pride. 

Nationwide about 406k children have contracted COVID-19. The death rate is .06%. That's 2,400 children dead. That's 2,400 too many. But go ahead and open the school Mayor DeBlasio, Chancellor Carranza. Let the blood be on your hands.

 I still don't think the school buildings are opening September 10. Yes, the UFT threatened astrike and/or job action (sick out). I don't think it will get to that point either. But that is a story for another blog post. 

 But Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber are completely fucking this so called grand reopening up and  losing allies along the way. They have painted themselves into a corner and either too stupid, too incompetent, or just thick headed to see that the ship is sinking around them. That they can only save themselves. Or have someone save them.

That person, Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber believed was to swoop down from above and save their sorry asses is Governor Andy Cuomo. Governor Cuomo in their little minds was to be there Dark Knight and force the UFT to have teachers report. Guess what? It ain't going to happen. 

Today, on the Today Show, and according to the Post, Cuomo...

..said he had his “fingers crossed” that Big Apple schools are ready to open safely — but admitted he is not sure he’d send his own kids to one in the city.

“I would have a lot of questions,” Cuomo admitted on the “Today” show when asked if he would send his children to New York City public schools amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“This is a risky proposition no matter how you do it, let’s be honest. We’ve seen schools open — we’ve seen colleges open — and get into trouble in one week. So there’s a lot of questions to answer,” he said.

Asked how confident he was that they were actually ready to reopen, he said, “Fingers crossed on all of this.”

Governor Cuomo knows it's over for Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber. He's prepping them. Or prepping us. But he's getting the bus ready. He's throwing both under. He won't have their incompetence sully his already sullied hands. 

The question is, does Cuomo do this bus throwing publicly, or in private? Let's hope and pray that it is a nice public throwing under the bus. I think this was his plan all along. 

Or, and I just thought of this. Will DeBlasio suck up enough to put the entire blame on Carranza and drive the bus? Either way, someone is going under that bus.

 The following came into the SBSB newsroom earlier in the week. It is a letter and petition directed to our dear governor requesting that he stop the insanity and inanity, as well as De Blasio's and Carranza's incompetence to keep schools from opening on September 10. 

This letter and petition were created by Marisa Wagner and Tracy LaGrassa, both biology teachers, both with PhD's, both with real life educational experiences, at Bronx Science High School. Who do you think we should listen to? These two dolts, or Drs Wagner and LaGrassa? Both deserve all the kudos.

The Crack Team and myself have read this many times over and we like what we read. This letter and petition obviously is the results of people with brains, foresight and most importantly not named Carranza or De Blasio. You can tell the authors put more time and work into their letter how to reopen the schools than Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber have.

Please sign the petition. And please use the hashtags on Twitter, #notuntilitssafe and #followthescience. 

I still don't believe schools will open on September 10.

Dear Governor Cuomo,                                                          

 

As teachers in the New York City public school system, we are proud of how New York, under your leadership, has handled the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. You and your advisors have made public health decisions based on the science. You advocated for and procured what was needed for the medical community. You spoke frankly to the public about what was happening and what had to be done, and, together, we flattened the curve. You are now guiding us through a cautious, phased reopening of the state, adjusting criteria as needed. All of this is toward ensuring that the curve stays flattened. Your leadership during this crisis has helped to ensure our safety, despite the lingering presence of SARS-CoV-2 in our local communities and the increasing prevalence of the virus in states to our south and west.

 

We now ask that you take that same cautious approach, informed by the best science available, as we consider how to safely reopen our schools. We all want to return to the normalcy of in person learning; HOWEVER, we feel it is irresponsible to reopen our school buildings to children in any capacity until it can be done safely, for the sake of the health of our children, our staff, our families, and New York. We have serious concerns about how we can accomplish this in the NYC public school system with over 1 million students at over 1,600 schools, and in light of impending budget cuts, in time for buildings to reopen in September. Once outbreaks begin to happen in the schools, a second wave of COVID-19 in NYC seems inevitable.

 

Based on the best science available, what needs to be done NOW to make our schools safe to reopen in the age of COVID-19?

 

We MUST have a robust testing and contact tracing system in place that includes frequent testing of ALL students and staff, multiple times per week.1 As more data are collected concerning SARS-CoV-2 and children, the evidence is increasingly clear that children of all ages are capable of contracting and transmitting the virus as well as adults do.2 Upwards of 50% of virus transmission happens pre-symptomatically, from infected individuals who have not yet experienced symptoms.3 Viral transmission happens from asymptomatic individuals, those who are infected but never experience symptoms.4 This evidence informs us that temperature checks and self-reporting of symptoms are ineffective measures to prevent virus spread.

 

If we cannot identify infected pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in our school communities, there most certainly will be outbreaks that will contribute to community spread throughout the city. Pooled PCR testing to detect viral RNA, recently FDA-approved, could be performed a minimum of twice per week on all cohorts within a school.5 Rapid, inexpensive antigen-based tests for virus present in saliva, akin to home pregnancy tests, could be done at home each day to determine whether or not it is safe for that student or staff member to go to school. Such tests exist but there has not been a push for licensing, manufacturing and distribution.6 We are in this for the long haul, until we achieve the protective herd immunity needed to keep our community safe. We have every confidence that we will eventually have successful vaccines to help us to reach that herd immunity more quickly, but we cannot wait. Frequent testing with rapid turnaround time for all students and staff in the schools needs to be implemented NOW and we would be proud to see New York take the lead on this.

 

Our physical buildings must be made safe. Although most viral transmission happens via larger respiratory droplets and is mitigated by 6 feet physical distancing and wearing masks, there is evidence of transmission via aerosols, smaller droplets that remain in the air longer and can accumulate in rooms with poor ventilation. Thus HVAC systems need to be inspected and upgraded as needed for sufficient air exchange rates in classrooms and offices.7 Cleaning supplies, soap, paper towels, hand sanitizer and the like must be kept in plentiful supply to reduce viral transmission via contact with surfaces. PPE such as masks and gloves must be made available. We need a means to enforce PPE use and proper physical distancing at all times of the day, including arrival, travel to classrooms, lunch, and dismissal.

 

Given the current lack of widespread use of SARS-CoV-2 tests that allow sufficient monitoring of our school communities, as well as budget cuts that will make funding all of the necessary safety measures nearly impossible, we have zero confidence that schools can be safely opened by September. Please make the right decision now. Let us begin the school year with 100% remote learning. Let teachers focus on making remote learning engaging and effective for all our students. Let us invest resources and creativity in making the necessary technology available to all NYC students. This is especially important because remote instruction will continue to be an essential component of education until the pandemic is over.

Once a robust test and trace system is implemented in all schools and all physical buildings are safe, and assuming that COVID-19 cases remain at their current low rate in NYC, then a phased return of students to their schools for physically distanced, 6-feet-apart learning can be considered. To accommodate this phased return under the current budget conditions, the safety measures put forth above should be applied in a way that prioritizes first bringing back the students who need in person learning the most.8 

Younger children (e.g., grades K-8) as well as older students who require in person services should be part of the first phase. Younger children are more susceptible to learning loss, need interaction with peers and their teachers for social-emotional development, and need home supervision to benefit from remote learning.9 Many parents of younger children rely on their children being in school to allow them to work.

 

High school students should be the last to be phased in for school reopening. High schoolers require less parental supervision and can do well with 100% remote learning. In addition, in NYC, while most primary and middle schools are neighborhood schools, requiring a short commute such as a walk to school, most high schoolers travel longer distances, often between boroughs, each day to get to school. Given their longer times on public transportation and their inherently larger social and in-school networks, high school age students have the potential to contribute the most to increased citywide community spread and will be more difficult to contact trace as compared to younger children.

 

Governor Cuomo, we urge you to lead us through a safe ’20-’21 school year for all New Yorkers. We fear for the health of our students, ourselves, and all of our families. We do not want to have to mourn the loss of any more members of our school and home communities due to COVID-19. We do not want to see any more members of our school and home communities suffer permanent organ damage and chronic disability due to COVID-19.10 We want to see the curve in NYC and New York remain flattened.

Respectfully,

New York City Public School Teachers

***

Marisa Wagner, Ph.D. - Biology Teacher, Bronx High School of Science

Tracy LaGrassa, Ph.D. - Biology Teacher, Bronx High School of Science

 

References: 

1. Need for frequent, inexpensive testing with rapid turnaround time

• TWiV 640: Test often, fast turnaround, with Michael Mina | This Week in Virology (Listen from 0:00 to 48:00)
• Test sensitivity is secondary to frequency and turnaround time for COVID-19 surveillance
• SARS-CoV-2 Screening Strategies to Permit the Safe Reopening of College Campuses in the United States
• Radical shift in COVID-19 testing strategy needed to reopen schools and businesses, researchers say
• Failing the Coronavirus-Testing Test, interview with Michael Mina in Harvard Magazine

2. Children contract and transmit SARS-CoV-2

• Age-Related Differences in Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 Levels in Patients With Mild to Moderate COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Infection Among Attendees of an... 
• Contact Tracing during Coronavirus Disease Outbreak, South Korea, 2020
• A large COVID-19 outbreak in a high school 10 days after schools' reopening, Israel, May 2020

3. Pre-symptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2

• Presymptomatic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 — Singapore, January 23 …
• The implications of silent transmission for the control of COVID-19 outbreaks 

4. Asymptomatic spread of  SARS-CoV-2

•  SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Serologic Responses from a Sample ...

 

5. Pooled RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA is FDA-approved

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes First Diagnostic Test for Screening of People Without Known or Suspected COVID-19 Infection

6. Rapid at home antigen tests exist and are sensitive enough to detect transmissible virus

• TWiV 640: Test often, fast turnaround, with Michael Mina | This Week in Virology (Listen from 0:00 to 48:00)
• Opinion | Coronavirus Testing the Cheap, Simple Way
• TWiV 648: Life is for learning, with Daniel Griffin | This Week in Virology (Listen from 2:30 to 17:20)

7. Aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV2

• Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The world should face the reality
• The airborne lifetime of small speech droplets and their potential importance in SARS-CoV-2 transmission
• Opinion | Yes, the Coronavirus Is in the Air,

8. Alternative NYC plans for phased re-opening, prioritizing younger grades first

• Jumaane D. Williams, NYC Public Advocate, White paper on reopening schools, July 27, 2020 
• Mark Treyger, City Council Member, NYC, Chair of the Committee on Education, "Public Health Data Needs to Guide the Safe Reopening of Our Schools" accessed 8/4/20

9. Younger children need in person learning more than older children

• Reopening Primary Schools during the Pandemic,

10. COVID-19 morbidity for even mild cases

• From "brain fog" to heart damage, COVID-19's lingering problems alarm scientists