It's December. The ballots for the upcoming UFT election will be sent out in April (Maybe this will be when we get our 2020 spring break pay?). Anecdotally The Crack Team is hearing many more rumblings and anti-Mulgrew fervor than in past elections. This could be a sign. The coalition needs to be ready. If
and when there is a changeover, there needs to be a plan.

The Crack Team and myself have spent the better part of today spitballing some ideas on how the coalition can show how it will be a true union, how it will be there for the rank and file, and how the UFT will governed and run for and by the rank and file. 

1. 100% Openness 

Can you imagine not watching Congress on C-Span? Not watching your local village, town, or city government on your local cable access channel? You can't. But if you are not a UFT delegate you are shit out of luck. Unless you schlep to 52 Broadway and watch a grainy feed on TV in a little cold room. 

In this day and age there is ZERO REASON for the UFT Delegate Assembly to be held in secret. The first thing the new ruling coalition must do is make the DA accessible for all! Live stream it across several platforms. Have the minutes of all DA's posted, as well as archived, on the UFT website as soon as possible.The same goes with the executive board. In fact, those who need to speak before the exec board should not be forced to come into lower Manhattan. Speakers can easily participate thorough video or streaming. Heck, even an email can be read into the record. 

Remember, a more participatory union is a STRONGER union. 

2. Voting

All voting at the DA and exec board will be done using technology. A simple add on to the UFT app will back this possible. We here at SBSB are darn sure there is enough bandwidth to go around at 52 Broadway to go around.

The same goes for union wide elections. There is no reason that union wide elections can't be done from one's UFT app or on the website. Mulgrew blustered at the DA on Monday about electronic balloting...

Electronic voting sounds great but how do we make sure it survives challenge. NLRB has frowned upon this. 

Yeah. Sure. Right.  Please if the UFT wanted to it could and would.

3. Avoid Cleaning House for the Sake of It

There are a lot of good, strong people working in the borough offices and at 52 Broadway. Find these people. Keep these people. 

4. Vote on Everything

Any change to the contract or to working conditions or if the DOE wishes to give us Zwieback in the morning it must be voted on by the entire rank and file and not approved by a few people. It's that simple. 

5. District and Borough Reps Must Be Elected

This goes without saying. The question is who does the electing? The chapter leaders are all members? 

6. Travel

There is one DA a month plus two exec board meetings a month. Why must both be limited to Lower Manhattan. Take the show out on the road. Why? Because participation is a good thing.

7. No Loyalty Oaths or Perks

If a CL is not a member of United for Change or any of it's member caucuses that CL still gets to spend the weekend in the Rye Town Hilton (It's been shut down for a year so wherever it is in the future) or gets to go to the AFT thingy, or is treated with the same respect that we would want.

8. No More Creamed Fish at Executive Board Meetings

It's gross. It makes Hank from The Crack Team puke. Please. This must end. 

9. The New UFT President Must Visit the Boroughs

How freaking difficult is it for Mulgrew to spend a week each month visiting the borough offices and having town hall meeting. There are five days in a work week and five boroughs. It works. And please, no per-ordained questions. 

10. Never, Ever Say "Doing God's Work"

This is a pet peeve of The Crack Team. We're not doing God's work. God (if there is one or one that cares about the DOE) can do God's work. In the opinion of The Crack Team ,this remark is patronizing, condescending, and reeks of desperation as well as empty nothingness. 

And last, but not least...

11. ALWAYS BE THERE FOR THE MEMBERS

It goes without saying. Don't really need to elaborate. 

I am sure in the coming weeks and months myself and The Crack Team will come up with more ideas. Right now we are awaiting seeing the Bronx inundated with yard signs on all off ramps.

I'm supposed to be with my high school friends right now. Right now I am in a hotel room in Schenectady spending the weekend at the Rivers Casino. But I was checking the blogs and came across James Eterno's ICE blog. I was reading about the disaster Mulgrew had at Wednesday's Delegate Assembly meeting and
decided to take the laptop out. 

Since I am no longer a delegate, I now have to hear about things through the blogs or second hand. From what I have read it is about time something like this happened. 

Back in 2019 I wrote how to make the DA more transparent and more inclusive. Two ideas that I had were to allow live streaming of the DA to all members. There are many platforms available and at not really much cost. Well, that seemed to have happened Wednesday when someone, somewhere transmitted the live DA to opponents in front of 52 Broadway. Good. About time. But the dirty little secret is; this has been happening for some time, especially the last 18 months when the DA's were phone based.

Oh yeah. The UFT will say, "Anyone can watch." Sure, anyone can. If they schlep down to 52 Broadway and then whisked off to a cold room with a live feed off of a shit poor monitor. The time is now to make all DAs available on the UFT website, Facebook, Twitter, and wherever else possible. Want us to sign in with logins we use to go on UFT website, fine. There are methods to keep non members out. 

As for the voting? I love the voting system that is used by phone. It's awesome. True democracy. The ability for delegates to not fear reprisals. However, one should wonder if the union knows how someone  voted by phone number. 

It's time for the delegate assembly to enter the 21st century. The UFT has an app, let delegates vote by using the UFT app. I can get a high school student to help the UFT add such abilities. In fact, the same high school student can also help the UFT add any possible bandwidth it might need.  

Is this damaging to Unity in the long run? No, not really. It might change some people's minds. Those who stay on top of what is going on with the UFT. Delegates, bloggers, people who read the blogs, other activists, but that is not enough to cause a major disruption. The people who already give a shit are out there. Be they on Facebook, Twitter, or some other social media. 

How do you reach the apathetic or the ignorant? No one has come up with the answer. I think I have and I tried. I tried in 2016 but was brushed aside with "we have memes." The memes being read by the same people that already share the same views. Nothing is better than campaigning in an echo chamber. 

A few weeks ago in my school we had an election for a vacant delegate position. I threw my hat in at the last minute. Someone ran against me, a teacher that has been at the school for several years. I have been at the school since September. I lost. I got six votes. The other person got 13 votes. Twenty people voted in a school with almost 100 UFT members. No one cared nor did anyone really know what a delegate does or why a delegate is important. Why? Many, many young and new teachers. Will these teachers be voting come the spring when the get their ballots at home? Will they take the time to not only fill out the ballots but to mail the ballots as well? 

How to get to the apathetic? They need to know there is a choice and a reason to vote. They need to be identified. Think of multi level marketing (This is the only idea I am sharing). Each person speaks to ten people. Talk to their needs. Listen to their needs. MAKE THE MESSAGES to their needs. This is why the Democrats are losing the rural areas. They don't talk to nor do they listen to the needs of other voters outside of their own bubble. This has been the problem for the last several elections by some. Some refuse to get out of their comfort zone.

There must be a recognizable name at the head of the ticket. A name that is known and has experience advocating for the rank and file as well has had run in previous elections. A veteran teacher. A teacher that has been through the ups and downs of the DOE. A teacher that has been on national TV, not once, but several times. 

Unity will be very, very hard to beat. But to even put a sizeable dent will take more than just leafleting schools. It will take rolling up the sleeves and thinking outside the box. But sadly, I am seeing some want to cut off their noses to spite their faces and refuse to play with others. Those others who know how to fight. Know how to roll up their sleeves. And those that really and truly want to win.

Thank you. There is a $5 blackjack table awaiting me.

So we are almost at the end of the year and it is safe to say that no one has had an official observation or evaluation as of yet. Yes, administrators can pop in on teachers either virtually or in person any time they wish to. I welcome such informal "pop ins." This virtual teaching is new to all of us and I would welcome a second set of eyes and ears. This is what observations
should be about. Helping a teacher grow. 

But of course, using APPR in these times is like trying to fit a round peg into a too small square hole. There is no way to measure student progress. The Regents have been canceled and there is no way, no how that there will be standardized testing this year. So what to do?

Look to our union and its leadership for direction and for having our backs unconditionally. 

WTF did I just say? I think the cleaning solution emanating from the kitchen is affecting my brain. 

At the DA of December 16 Mike Mulgrew was asked what is going on with observations.

His response started off well...

There are no observations, and there is no APPR. State has said will be done through collective bargaining. DOE wants to use S and U system. 

OK, what is wrong with that? The state has shown wisdom and left it up to each district and it's bargaining partner to come to an agreement. That's how it should be. As for the S or U, yes it can be manipulated, but I'll accept it. 

Numbers tell us that's not great. When you use authentic student learning, not standardized testing, teachers are better off. 

Describe actual student learning instead of standardized testing. How then are we better off? What about the rest of the crap teachers who fall under APPR are subject to? That can be easily manipulated. And what numbers are we talking about? Specifics please. 

We get thousands of Us because people had fights with admin

Yeah, and thousands of ineffectives and  developings because people had fights with admins. Best way to end shitty observations and evaluations at the hands of admins? Start making them accountable for lying, cheating, and bullshitting on evaluations. 

We want to figure out a baseline of authentic learning, only for this year. Will only be used this year. None at this point.

So we are, or rather, the UFT along with the DOE will figure out what is authentic learning? Is there a baseline to figure out how to get a baseline of what authentic learning is? Is it not possible that authentic learning will look different in classes which are face to face than remote? Or even devices used in remote learning? For instance, I am sure the students at an elementary school in Riverdale have all the latest laptops with all the bells, whistles, and doo dads. The students in the South Bronx are stuck with shitty, shitty iPads. 

May finish by early January

A deal might be in place by the end of January? Will teachers be allowed to have any input? Will teachers be allowed to vote on such a deal? 

But say if there is a deal. With February coming next what with it being a short month and a vacation to boot, evaluations probably won't commence until March. Is that fair to the hard working teachers to have their careers and livelihoods judged for such a short amount of teaching? It'll be less than eighty instructional days to judge teachers on some makeshift, never before tried evaluation system. Geez, it might be longer than March for the first observations. Administrators will have to be trained, no? 

And what is the rush to have this by the end of January? The DOE wants it? FUCK THEM! How often do we want something and the DOE slow walks it, takes their sweet ass time? Let's turn the tables. Slow walk this. Wait until May to come to an agreement. 

We also need protocols, with people demanding things from online classrooms.

Good answer. We do need protocols. We need guardrails. What are they going to be?

We have silliness of demands they get access as a teacher into my classroom. What that tells me is admin is incompetent. If it's a school program, they have access and don't know how to run their own programs.

And these silly demands can creep into an evaluation agreement. This is what keeps teachers up at night. That incompetent admins that will put into practice a makeshift, never before tried evaluation system. Teachers really don't  trust the UFT not to cave to the DOE's whims. 

Let's do something different. Agree with the DOE and CSA that it is verkakte out there and try something new. No observations or evaluations. Let's think outside the box. Let's have true collaboration for the remainder of the year. Teachers and admins we can get together and sing Kumbaya and work together as a team to do what's right for the students and the communities of our schools. 

Know what the UFT can do? Be transparent. Why can't the UFT share with us along every step of the way the process of it's negotiations with the DOE? Why wait for a once a month meeting in which only by the grace of luck, someone asks Mulgrew a question about observations and evaluations?

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.

 

 I am so not into today's Delegate Assembly. I usually sign up right away, but I am getting bored with the
same old same old. Besides I am kind of fed up.

Back in October's town hall, I asked a fairly innocuous  question...

"Is there a transcript of the arbitration hearing concerning our retro check and if so, when will it be made available to rank and file."

I received an email back from "John." In the email he shared with me that he is  following up with those that were involved and will get back to me. The email was sent on October 20. Today is December 16. 

I again asked the question at last month's town hall. As of today I did not get an email back.

I get it. I am not going to get picked to ask a question in a town hall or a DA? I don't genuflect. I am not a member of Unity. I am not a chapter leader. But at least have the decency to not only email me back but to answer my question honestly. 

So I am typing this and listening to the DA at the same time. I pressed zero as soon as I answered the call for the DA and spoke to Michael who took my question and was going to relay it. I am waiting.

What is the UFT hiding? If there isn't a transcript, let me know. If there is a transcript why can't I or any other member of the rank and see it? Doesn't the UFT wish for transparency? Transparency would easily do away with any rumors, innuendoes, and accusations that are going around concerning the leadership of the UFT. 

I'll make it easy for the UFT. I'll agree to go to a private room at 52 Broadway with other Unity people. Let me read the transcript without taking notes. Heck, I'll leave my phone at the security desk in the lobby. Better,  I'll strip down to my rather fashionable boxer briefs to assure there is no monkey business. 

If there is a transcript, I'd rather deal with the UFT in knowing if there is one and actually being able to read it. I guess the other method would be filing a FOIL request with the city and asking for it that way. I'm sure I can find someone, somewhere, in a different caucus other than Unity to file the FOIL request.

What's bothering me, what got me going about seeing the transcript is something Mulgrew said at the October DA which raised my eyebrow...

...and then on October 2 I asked for confirmation they were processing payment. Asked again.

 He knew something was up on October 2. Twelve days before we were told we would not be getting our retro monies on  October 15. There is no reason we could not have gotten a heads up sooner. This is what makes members question the UFT. This is what makes the rank and file nuts. 

By the way, the question portion of the DA has ended. My questions wasn't chosen. What a shocker.

Let's try this again. Is there or isn't there a transcript of the arbitration concerning the retro monies? A simple yes or no will suffice.

I have been a UFT delegate for about a year now. In fact my first meeting was the
"emergency meeting" that was held when the new contract was agreed upon. I think I went to that a little headstrong and spoke when I should've listened, but everything is a learning curve.

But one thing I would like to see is the Delegate Assembly meetings become much, much, more transparent to the rank and file. The DA is for all intents and purposes is like Congress, right? Wait, bad example. Is like the New England Town meeting? Help.

Yes, any rank and file member off the street can come to a DA meeting and observe. But one can only observe in an inhospitable room on the 19th floor with through closed circuit TV, with a grainy analog picture. In this day and age should there not be at least a clear digital picture?

Why isn't the Delegate Assembly streamed live? The UFT website and app, Facebook, Periscope, and Twitter (Am I leaving anything out?), can all be used to show the UFT in action but more importantly get more teachers involved in the process as well as giving the rank and file more ownership. Where would we be as citizens without C-Span if Congress was allowed to operate without cameras? Yeah, poor example.

The voting process can use tweaking. When a resolution is voted on delegates hold aloft their voting cards. Nothing is counted. That's hard. What's easy is to say something passes by proclamation by just seeing a lot of cards being held up.

The UFT has an app. Can there not be a delegates only section on the app? And in this delegates only section delegates would be able to vote yay or nay on any resolution? This can be done. Heck, I have seen it done with lesser technology. This way, each vote would be secret as well as have an accurate count.

Lastly, why do I as a delegate get an advanced copy of the topics of each Delegate Assembly? Why must the rank and file be in the dark? Again, the outlets for the UFT to share the DA agenda with the rank and file are limitless. It's time this agenda was shared ahead of time (Click to enlarge if need be).



Yeah, it's nice to support the Hurricane Dorian victims and to raise the awareness of the 2020 census. I get it. I have no problem with the resolution supporting the UAW in their strike. But again, the point is being missed.

Where are the bread and butter issues and issues that effect the communities? What's going on with hiring ATRs permanently? What about abusive administrators? Useless chapter leaders? Lack of school nurses? Bus issues? Gifted and Talented? Specialized high schools? Retaining UFT members (I know I am leaving plenty off)? If there were a clothing drive for Dorian victims I would do what I could. If someone was needed to go door to door to raise awareness of the census, I would. But first things must be first. And that is simply our teachers, our communities, and our union and other unions.

The UFT has been taking baby steps. First with the app, and of course, with the concierge service. Let's have full transparency. It's time.

I have been a delegate to the UFT Delegate Assembly since October. To tell you the truth, it's pretty boring. One good thing is getting to go to Zabar's once a month. I park my car on West End Ave and take the train down from 79th St.

So during the resolution part of this past DA, the MORE Caucus, yet again, shows how completely out of touch they are with reality and the rank and file.

There was the typical stuff, all good mind you, supporting LA teachers, museum workers, and of course the federal workers. But then Dermott Myrie of the MORE Caucus had to open his mouth with his reso for, yep you guessed it, support of Black Lives Matter.

From Arthur's blog...

"UFT should support as part of action for cultural institutions. We should implement restorative justice, have ethnic studies. Week of action February 4-8. We have to rebuild union from bottom up. Resolved UFT will make demands on DOE to undo systemic racism"

OK. There are problems in the NYCDOE. There are problems across this country with people of color being targeted by the police. I support what BLM is trying to do. I do have a problem with BLM concerning it's stance towards Israel. But someone must speak out against how people of color are continually harassed by law enforcement and yes, BLM does give a voice to those who need it most.

BUT, the UFT Delegate Assembly is not the place for it.

Again, the MORE Caucus, as it is presently configured, must be there first and foremost for the rank and file of the UFT. This is no gray area. This is an absolute. Yet, the MORE Caucus repeatedly doesn't get it, or worse, doesn't give a shit. I tend to lean towards the latter.

Time and time again the MORE Caucus, particularly the de facto leaders of the MORE Caucus (Dermott Myrie is one), seem to just seek the approval and acceptance of the International Socialist Organization. Don't think for a moment that the ISO is not the puppet master when it comes the MORE Caucus. Orders are given, acquiescence is shown.

Is the MORE Caucus running a full slate? Doubtful. Yes, there are officers running but two are of these are fully controlled and aligned with the ISO, most are no names, and then you have Oswald Cobblepot. One officer though, does have their shit together.

Exec boards? Who? Last The Crack Team has heard the MORE Caucus is just planning to seek seats on the at-large exec board. That's a lot of seats to fill for a caucus that is shrinking faster than George Costanza after he left the cold pool.

Though, the MORE Caucus does have a selling point. Desperate for people to run on their ticket it has been reported back to the The Crack Team that the main selling point the MORE Caucus uses on people sitting on the fence is basically, "The troublemakers are no longer part of the MORE Caucus."

I guess the MORE Caucus considers anyone who speaks their mind, doesn't toe the official party line, and speak out against ex post facto "executions of character" a trouble maker. As one of those trouble makers who stood up against those who characters were being assassinated and for speaking out against rules made up on the fly I am proud.

A pee wee football team as a better chance of beating the Patriots in next week's Super Bowl than does the MORE Caucus have in beating Unity in the upcoming UFT election.

It is time for those who are running the MORE Caucus and those who are culpable in it's desecration to slither away and not be heard from again. It's time for the grown ups to clean up the mess.

The MORE Caucus is at it again. Well, really the de facto leader of the MORE Caucus and his sidekick, but they are the faces of what is left of the MORE Caucus and one can't really see either without thinking of the MORE Caucus so ipso facto.

At last night's UFT Delegate Assembly, there was some old putz handing out what some considered anti-Semitic literature entitled, "Why the UFT Should Not Partner With the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) on Anti-Racist Initiatives." This was due to a resolution that was to be voted on last night (and ultimately passed)...

"Resolution to unite with orgs against toxic political atmosphere. Supports. News stories horrible, frequent, don’t want it to become norm. Sacred spaces, of religion, and schools under attack. Don’t even want to talk about 45’s role. Let us stand against all kinds of discrimination and with orgs that speak out against it." 

So the UFT wished to join with the ADL in this battle. Gee, why not? But come to think of it, what timing it was to show some people's true colors in passing this literature.
I mean just about six weeks after 11 Jews were slaughtered in their own synagogue in Pittsburgh while praying and celebrating a new life.
But six weeks later many are still awaiting to hear an official statement from the MORE Caucus condemning this barbaric act. I guess no one should be holding their breath, right?

Enough of that. Let's get into the flyer, as well as the accusations thrown, that was being handed out in front of 52 Broadway last night. Apologies to one MORE Caucus member for my rejoinders.

I'm getting tired of this Israel/Jew bashing from the MORE Caucus. First, it absolutely has ZERO to do with anything that the 75k+ members of the UFT want or need. Secondly, I have the same disdain for those from the right that continue to sycophantically support Israel. Both the MORE Caucus and it polar opposites on the Right don't have a clue in what they are talking about nor the good grace and knowledge on when to keep their moths shut and when to open them.

Has the ADL done some not good things? Yes! Has it done a lot of good things? Yes! But has the MORE Caucus, whilst looking at the world in it's ISO hazed glasses, fails to see, as does the Rightists in this country, is that there is something called nuance.

noun: nuance; plural noun: nuances

1.

a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound.

I despise the Israeli government and Bibi with a passion. I KNOW the Settlements are illegal and wish it would stop. Israel is so far from its roots and it's core beliefs now I am saddened.

But I shall not back down from Israel's right to exist and to defend itself. And I shall not back away from my belief that Palestine should have a state. But, it takes two to tango and I know for a fact that Israel has done much more tangoing.

Can those in charge of the MORE Caucus have this kind of nuance and thinking when it comes to other matters? Such as BLM, cops, Unity, capitalism, or dare I say...MORE Caucus members that disagree with the "ideals" of some fruity little ISO club? 

Not only was handing out the flyer and the motion to amend not working with the ADL done in the wrong place, at the wrong time (Many teachers are Jews!!!), but it shows yet again, that the needs and wants of the rank and file are way down the list of those at the MORE Caucus.