Many who read this blog or know me, know that I am not a "union shill," nor even a "union goon." If the UFT does something I disagree with, I will speak my mind. If the UFT does something I agree with, my mind will be spoken.

In my opinion, the UFT has been inconsistent in how it reaches out to and supports the rank and file. And chances are I am not the only one that feels that way.

I stayed with the UFT because a union that is not fully functioning is better than no union at all. Those that left, they have no right to bitch and complain anymore. Those on the outside have never had a right to complain about the UFT, and I will defend the UFT against anyone who wished to denigrate it. Just like in Animal House.

That being said, there is a cancer out there. A non-UFT member, trying to sow discord amongst the rank and file, and worse, trolling closed Facebook NYC teacher groups. All the while not only publishing teachers words (That they believe are private), but their names as well all over Twitter, without permission nor knowledge. The account (NYC Public School Comments) and handle (@NYCSchooIs) (very inventive Chris uses an I instead of an L) run by disgruntled former teacher Christopher Vasquez has been bringing a lot of anxiety to these people, who are mostly women, and whose comments are reasonably expected are being shared amongst friends and confidantes.

Now I will give Chris some props. He does want better schools. But his logic, graphs, and conclusions come across as convoluted and per-determined to fit his hypothesis.

So who is Christopher Vasquez? Chris used to be with the DOE and soon went to Mount Vernon High School from where he was terminated in 2018 for causing a lockout. Let's look at some highlights.

According to News 12...

The Mount Vernon school district was on lockout as a safety precaution Tuesday over a disgruntled employee, according to the district.

In a statement, a district spokesperson said that they were made aware over the weekend of a number of concerning statements made on social media by a disgruntled employee that were emailed to staff members.

Chris Vasquez reached out to News 12 saying he's the reason for the lockout. Vasquez, a science teacher, says he alerted Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Hamilton about corruption from inside school. Dr. Hamilton then sent Vasquez a letter ordering him to go on paid leave.

Vasquez alleges a teacher is selling food to students, and in one case, that a teacher pushed a student into the window for not paying for a bag of chips, causing him to bleed.

So the corruption at the school (And mind you this is not the only blog post on Chris. More is to come) was a teacher selling food and another teacher pushing a student into a window.

Let's look at some things. One, the teachers selling food. That's all the information we have, or for that matter, anyone. Was there a food drive? Was this for charity? What are the details?

Secondly, the teacher who pushed a student into the window causing him to bleed. Where is the proof? I'm not saying this did not happen and if it did happen the way Chris claims then the teachers should face all available penalties. But according to News 12...

Vasquez then shared his concerns by posting comments on social media and emailing the staff about what he says he's witnessed.

But if there were truly an assault, where just post on social media? Why not go to the Mount Vernon Police? If he didn't trust MVPD then go to the Westchester District Attorney. He could have gone to the Journal News in both instances.

But from this News 12 article and others The Crack Team has come across Christopher Vasquez has no problem, no guilt, no feeling about throwing a colleague under the bus if it serves a purpose for himself.

And that is what he has been and continues to do on Facebook. Taking comments of teachers, mostly female, and using their comments to fit his narrative. He has already caused plenty of consternation, anxiety, and yes, even some fear.

Christopher Vasquez is about himself it appears. He has no qualms on who he damages or hurts. Give this guy a wide berth.

I turned 55 two weeks ago today. Along with the receding hairline comes a lot of thinking.
Thinking of one's mortality, where one has been and where one is going. Trying to eliminate the phrase "should have," and thinking of all the people that have come and gone from our lives.

Too often I want to re-connect with people who for lack of a better phrase have made up the story of my life. One regret I have always had came right came in late 1982. I was 18 and I reached out to the speech therapist I had seen from the age of four until I was in 3rd grade. I had wanted to show him the fruits of his hard work and that except for the slight lisp (the braces were what really curtailed it) that I talked fine.

Sadly, my mother died about a week before I was supposed to see him and I never even to notify him that I wasn't coming. I never called back. Never changed the date. He died in 2001.

About a month ago I found out that my 1st grade girlfriend had passed away. She was my age. Heart attack. We were friends on Facebook; we communicated, but she wasn't at any of the last two reunions nor did we see nor speak on the phone or whatever. The last time I saw her was over 30 years ago at the Fountain Diner in Hartsdale, NY.

Having said all this, I was saddened to hear about another long lost friend who died last week at the age of 53. Trish Rukeyser Lewis I knew as a camper and a counselor at Camp Sloane in Lakeville, CT, between 1977 and 1984. I was closer to her sister Jill (who was only there as a camper), and in fact Jill and I stayed in touch. Maybe until the mid 80's thereabouts.

I had heard that Trish was a teacher over the years from mutual friends and even recall hearing that she was battling cancer in the 90's. But I did not know the extent of the type of teacher she was. And you know what? I wasn't surprised.

This is from the New Paltz NY school district webpage (click to enlarge)...

I get home lat night from my 2nd job around 6 PM or so and see a notification that someone has posted on my Facebook page. It came from a Facebook "friend" "Raise Paras Pay," which surely can be one of Francesco Portelos' "independent" fronts.

All that was posted was one of Portelos' campaign flers that mainly accentuated himself amongst the other serfs of Solidarity. I thanked the person who had made the posting and of course was thankful that I was afforded a good laugh. I tagged Mindy Rosier and we both chuckled.

As I was examining this Facebook page, I came across a posting by "Raise Paras Pay" which was very, very disturbing. At worst it was pure unadulterated Islamaphobia and at best it was pure hate speech.

"When do we get the Catholic Holiday videos?"

Who exaclty wrote this, The Crack Team does not know. We do know that Portelos is friends with this person and surely has accepted support from this person. It again shows that those associated with Portelos have no compunction to take out their anger at religions other than those affiliated with the Christian faith.

Have we forgotten this? The post with the "dog whistle."

Here's what is bothersome to us here at SBSB. The above Facebook posting had been up for over a month now and Portelos, he who wishes to be a leader, had done nothing advocate it's removal nor even show his disdain in the comments section. Not until yesterday when I exposed the para did the shame fear of getting caught finally have the post removed.

Are we saying that Portelos directly condones such a insensitive comment as made by "Raise Paras Pay?" No. In our opinion Portelos is culpable by being silent. For not using his authority as a leader of UFT Solidarity (Remember, he is advocating higher pay for paras) for not speaking up or suggesting the post be removed immediately.

Weren't the citizens who lived near the camps just as culpable during the Holocaust while Jews were thrown into the ovens, the stench of rotting corpses, and the ashes of their bodies came down as if they were snow upon the villages that surrounded the camps? Their silence spoke volumes as well.

We here at SBSB are asking, nay, demanding that as someone that wants to lead teachers that Francesco Portelos repudiate the person who wrote this post as well as immediately disassociate himself from this Facebook "friend" post-haste.

This kind of speech should not be tolerated by anyone, at anytime. Especially from someone that claims to be a leader.

Remember when we were children and would play make believe? Or wish we were someone else? Or pretend we were someone else?

When I was 6 I had a kiddie Mets uniform (I wasn't yet a Yankees fan. I was a year removed from living in Flushing). I remember wearing it along with my dad's black dress socks and pretending I was Art Shamsky.

There is a photo somewhere of me when I was about 4 years old dressed up in my dad's suit and dress shoes pretending I was going to work.

When I was 8 years old my family and I went on a trip to Washington, DC. We met with our then congressman, Peter Peyser. He gave us a quick tour of the Capitol Building and showed us the vice president's ceremonial office. My dad took a photo of me sitting in the chair pretending to be Spiro Agnew.

When I was a little older and playing wiffle ball in my friend's backyard I would do a mean imitation of Bobby Murcer's batting stance.

When the 1973 baseball season opened and Thurman Munson was sporting a mustache for the first time I knew I had to have one when I was old enough. Sure enough I grew one in high school.

Heck, I had a friend who told me that he had tunnels in his house which led all the way to the Concord Road School in Ardsley. But he was only 7 years old when he told me.


But remember, these are all done as a child. Fantasy and make believe and imitation is part of the growth process. When we become adults, the days of fantasy and make believe should end.

So when one goes to a UFT function honoring retirees and can't but help make it about oneself, one must wonder where one is coming from and why.

Hey, want to go up to the podium and satisfy some primal Freudian shortcomings, fine go ahead, play make believe. But the continued desperate need for self delusion and adulation by the naive sycophantic minority by posting the photo on Facebook, well...it's weird. Really, really weird (Click to enlarge).

It's time to remove oneself from fantasy land.

It's not going to happen. Ever.