Oh geez, it's coming up to that time. The UFT elections. Here we go again.

ICE has been meeting contemplating whether or not to run in the upcoming UFT elections. Recently members of Solidarity have reached out to us hoping to form a joint slate. Most of us, including myself, were amiable to this.

At one meeting, speaking only for myself, I took the position that for any "joint slate" to move forward that Portelos cannot be involved at all, though I left room open for something for him running downslate. Even him politicking for the election did not sit well for me. But I was open. One pre-condition was for Portelos to actually show up at an ICE meeting and eat crow, mend fences, and be a mensch. But curiously, each meeting in which we were told he will be there something always came up for him at the last minute.

But the more things change the more the stay the same.

Here we go again with alternative facts and whining. I'm not well informed about Portelos' accusation about Shulman to comment. I do know that Portelos did creepily show up at his house in 2016 to whine about not getting his way. But Mike, remember this. New York State has the Castle Doctrine. But I digress. As for the second paragraph, it will be revisited later on in this post.

But bashing Arthur Goldstein? Come on. I have had my disagreements with Arthur. But to accuse him of wanting to be a Unity hack, come on.

If there is an offer for Arthur to join with Unity for HS executive board, it's fine by me and if he doesn't want to, again, it is fine by me. In fact, I hope if he is offered he takes them up on it. With Arthur on exec board I am sure he'll keep Unity's feet to the fire and teachers will continue to have a voice. Portelos, Arthur has something you want. Actually two things you want and will never have, Being on the exec board and integrity.


And being a hypocrite. Portelos, come with me down memory lane (click here).

"You miss the point. Unity is laughing at the Portelos spectacle - they know he is nuts but are happy to be using him to divide the opposition. They even brag privately how Solidarity is doing their work for them - and they also spill the beans that Portelos was asking Unity for a job and when he didn't get it he figured he could win favor by creating a caucus that could prevent MORE from winning executive board seats. Is that what the meeting with Randi was about? Play the tape."

No onto the second paragraph and this little whine from Portelos...


It is you. It is always about you. That's the way you want it. Yes, we heard the right things. "Portelos is not involved," "Portelos is too busy," "Yada, yada, yada..." But face facts. You are the face and heartbeat of Solidarity. And you love it. But even if it is not true this is the perception others have. Remember, there is no such thing as reality only perception. 

I spoke to a revered member of NA a while back. Under no circumstances will this person work with Solidarity as long as you are involved. There are many who share the same thoughts at MORE and several with ICE. Are you noticing a pattern? 

Portelos, if you truly, truly care about the welfare of teachers everywhere perhaps it is time you fall on your sword? Divest yourself of Solidarity. Ride off into the sunset and let those who are not seeking fame and glory take the reins. You have some good people at Solidarity, it's time to set them free. You are the one holding back Solidarity.

Is this about you, or is it about the teachers? 

This post is not an attempt at a reconciliation, nor am I looking for any gain. I just want to state what I feel. My opinion about something that happened to Francesco Portelos.

I have always felt that those who I have written about in what some might call a negative manner that if they do something right, or get screwed, I have no problem writing about them in a positive manner. I have done this with with Mulgrew, and I am sure I have done it with others.

To refresh. In June 2016 Portelos wrote a blog post outlining grade changing at DeWitt Clinton High School that seemed to be condoned, if not spearheaded by Principal Santiago Taveras. In June of 2016 Portelos posted copies of scores, grade changes, etc... I will not link directly to the page, just to the the UFT Solidarity site. Yes, names were redacted, but in my honest opinion not enough information was redacted. There was too much identifying clues,scores, teachers, etc... that if someone wanted to put real effort and roll u there sleeves a person can find out who is who.

I think he was wrong. I discussed this with a follow blogger and he agreed with me. But our conversation soon turned to what the DOE did.

To the best of my knowledge and from what I heard through the grapvine Portelos had a meeting with OSI concerning this breach if student records in or around October 2016. From the best of my knowledge he received a disciplinary letter concerning the incident in March of this year. Three months past the date of the meeting with OSI.

According to UFT Contract, Article 2, Section A, paragraph 1, it is stated....

However, an incident which has not been reduced to writing within three months of its occurrence, exclusive of the summer vacation period, may not later be added to the file...

This is grievable. This is wrong. I know exactly what this is like. In 2007 my principal wrote me up June for something that had occurred in January. We grieved it and before the hearing started the AP who came to the Chambers St told the hearing officer that they were not going to fight it. It was dismissed. My hunch tells me that the DOE did not want to set precedence.

This is winnable by Portelos. I heard he might go article 75, but I think he should grieve this. They screwed up and this is not winnable by DOE.

I might be missing some thing here and there in this post. I can be wrong about some thing. But 3 months is 3 months anyway you slice it.

But again, no student records or anything identifiable concerning students on a blog. I know another blogger who go a bit in hot water for this.

That's why when I write about students I give them Jewish names like Shlomo Rabinowitz. Avi Klein. What's the chance of a student in South Bronx having those names.

Oh Portelos is at it again, giving false hope from a false prophet clown.

On November 29, 2016 Portelos shared this post on memyselfandI,com giving the illusion that the arcane method of bulletin boards was about to be resolved. You know the rubrics, nice little motes on post-its, all that kind of fun stuff.

Sadly, and I can't blame teachers, especially those who do not know the truth about Portelos, that this is a light that is at the end of the tunnel. There is no resolution as of yet to this asinine bulletin board system.

Sadly, there are those that take the word of a scheister. Those that are desperate to feed into one's ego of self-aggrandizement. The truth is out there, and a modicum of truth does not even begin with Portelos.

The Crack Team came across this from several UFT members deep within 52 Broadway. There is no resolution on the bulletin boards. The UFT is confident that there shall be, but in the meantime we have to deal with the crappy system. For now.

Yes, the current evaluation system makes no mention of bulletin boards as something to be evaluated and/or observed. And yes, principals are sticking with this until otherwise noted make teachers city wide pull out their hair like Larry.

So when a teacher who in a state of distress and finds such an irresponsible, lack of substance blog post, of course they will lock on to it without knowing full well about the source of such a post.

As of today, April 5, 2017, nothing has changed. The UFT I have been assured is working on this bulletin board matter as we speak.

No yes, if a teacher does not do the bulletin board the suggested way and gets written up for it, that teacher can and should file a grievance post haste. But the problem, at least as we see it here at SBSB is that until a ruling comes down in favor of the UFT the problem is there is no iron clad agreement/precedence which in the opinion of The Crack Team will only harm the teacher more.

This is why I am going to lay my cards on the table and ask around about Portelos, ask about what Portelos has actually accomplished and like you would for a doctor who tells you need a procedure, get a 2nd and 3rd opinion, preferably from a grown up.

Sometimes adults can infuse help and reality. Remember, consider your sources.

If I am wrong with anything, or missed something, I will correct post-haste.

One thing that keeps me going is my somewhat belief in God. I go back and forth quite a bit. I have never been an atheist, but I have been, or at least have had, a foot in the agnostic camp at times.

I have in the past dabbled with Mormonism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Christian Science, and I think once, Christianity. I even considered Judaism an ethnicity and not a religion and would claim that my religion is eclectic. A little from column A, column B, and so on.

My wife, who is much more attuned to God and spirituality than I, during my 3020-a would tell me that God will see what is right and put me in my right place. It kind of worked, but the logical side of me had a tough time with that kind of belief at times.

But I believe that when all is said and done with this election that MORE/New Action did all they can do to be in the right place at the right time when the results are announced to be in the place that MORE should be.

Now I am not saying that there is some type of deity behind MORE/New Action rather I am pointing out the Humanistic wind blowing into the sails of MORE /New Action how everyone associated with MORE/New Action as comported themselves throughout this vigorous campaigning to have a union that works for the stake holders instead of the other way around. Win, lose, or partial win, MORE/New Action has ever tried to intimidate or use subterfuge.

The following has been sitting on the desk of The Crack Team for about a week. We have had many discussions, workshops, all night benders on whether or not to share this. After many a ballot tonight (54 to be exact!) we finally got a majority to approve the sharing of our find (Click if you need to enlarge).

The above is an email that UFT Solidarity presidential candidate sent to Scott Boswell, the American Arbitration Association's Director of Elections, last week in effect a poor attempt at intimidation and an even a poorer attempt to start looking for, as well as blaming, scapegoats if and when Francesco Portelos is not elected UFT president as he has so vociferously has promised.

Let's give Portelos the benefit of the doubt for a moment and believe he is not trying to find a Straw Man for his failure, OK? Just my sending this email, just the intimidating tone in the email, is at best rude, but at worst, extremely unethical.


But this is par for the course with Portelos. Intimidation and bullying is all he knows. Think about it, we do want someone as UFT president that fights for the teachers, for the students, and for the communities. But do we want someone whose first inclination is to burn bridges right out of the chute? God forbid if that happens. It'll be another 3 years of nothing and spinning our wheels.

But there is something more happening here and The Crack Team is aware of other Straw Man methods that the followers of Portelos are using. When one fails as a leader, find a scapegoat.


Portelos has put whatever it is of his reputation on the line with these elections and he is now flailing for excuses at what is coming down the pike. What better why to divert attention from his what he did not do than find somewhere else to shine the light?

Fortunately, there has been chattering that the Straw Man will not work with a growing number at UFT Solidarity save the truly indoctrinated.

What we need at the UFT is level headed thinkers that are have the emotional maturity to be in charge. We can't replace what we have with the same thing.

Think about it.

Oh, Francesco Portelos is at it again. Crossing that line between reality and Portelos reality. Soon the two reality's will merge and as mentioned on Star Trek, or Back to the Future, time will cease to be. Or something like that.

As mentioned on these pages on February 21 Portelos had a vast increase of usage of his app for parents to use to opt their child out of state tests. In just 72 hours, the app had gone from 400 parents accessing and using the app to 500 parents. Supposedly. he just got caught with knickers down not being able to keep up with his story.

So it makes one wonder, question, and wish to verify when this claim comes in the email this morning;

WOW! Almost 3,000 mommies and daddies, as well as guardians, signed up to use this groundbreaking app in just 16 days! How could this be?

The Crack Team did some research. The Crack Team Googled several variants of "Opt Out New York State/Long Island/New York City/Western New York" (Here, here, here, and here) and not once did the Portelos thingy appear on either the first or second pages of Google.

Only when we Google the name of the app, or website, or whatever, "opt them out" does the website or app or whatever appear in the search results and not even as the top hit.

So The Crack Team decided to check some of the leading website/groups that are actually doing something about being in the forefront of the Opt Out movement in New York State. We checked NYSAPE, NYC Opt Out, United Opt Out, Western New Yorkers for Public Education, and found not a link to the website/app or henceforth known as the Portelos Thingy. Even checking the NYC Opt Out Facebook page there are only two mentions, March 1, and  November 10, of the Portelos Thingy with no comments or no likes.

We need check the Long Island Opt Out page and did find a mention on February 26 how the Portelos Thingy has 700 parents, and one yesterday. But again, something is giving off a bad odor in Denmark.

Are these over 3,300 parents real? Conjured up in Portelos' mind? The pieces of the puzzle don't fit so a visit to the Portelos Thingy was in order.

The Crack Team nailed it. It's so easy. One does not have to fill out any fields. Just click on the "Preview refusal letter" and a preview will appear. Click the "Create Opt-Out Email," and presto! The counter goes up one.  Do it enough times over the course of several weeks and playing with the Portelos Thingy enough suddenly gives it the appearance of being much bigger than it really is.

The numbers, The Crack Team believe, are a phfallacy. Someone, as usual, is trying to make something that is tiny seem to appear bigger than it really is.

I'm really confused I don't know what to do.

I'm in a grumpy mood today. Vacation is over and I am hitting a new school tomorrow. I needed a pick me up, something to get me laughing.

I decided to head on over to the UFT Solidarity Facebook page for some humor and boy did I find it but it left me so confused.


UFT Solidarity was having a happy hour/recruitment drive for all it's followers and future devotees on February 12. But something strange occurred. Not many people showed up.

In fact by the looks of things Abe Vigoda and Bozo showed. Well, not really. There is a policy here not to show the faces of UFT members so we decided to redact those mugs with Mr Vigoda and Mr The Clown.



Notice anything strange? Other than Abe Vigoda's face and the fact that he can't possibly be in Brooklyn because he is dead?

Yeah, all of the pictured (See original) are UFT Solidarity members as well as the officers running and hoping (PRAYING?) to get on the ballot. As we can see with the looks on Abe Vigoda's face this was not a very happy hour.

We here at SBSB have heard that UFT Solidarity is growing exponentially through the roof that UFT members are clamoring across the city to get some of that UFT Solidarity action and mojo.

Could it be that we heard wrong? We are so confused. The number of parents opting out through UFT Solidarity are mind boggling!!!

Just a little over a week ago on the UFT Solidarity Facebook page this was posted;


Four hundred parents is quite a lot. But just three days later it was reported on the ICE blog by Francesco Portelos himself (In what many are calling a major meltdown) that 100 more (Pardon the pun!) parents have signed onto the UFT Solidarity Opt-Out Nebulizer special thingy thing (Click to enlarge).


WOW! A 25 percent increase in just 72 hours. Using that math as well as pattern, and I am no math major, in 9 days that would equate to over 200 more parents signing up on the Special Super Duper UFT Opt Out Thingy. Wouldn't it? Let's do the math. What are today's numbers? Should be over 700 hundred, no? Ringo, Drum roll please.......





Dang. Still 500 members. We will give Portelos some kudos to sticking to his new story, but demerits on the reality his story entails.

This is just par for the course with Portelos and UFT Solidarity ends. The creation of their own reality in which their truth differs what from is happening around them. Those affiliated with Portelos and UFT Solidarity, it is not too late to break free and open your eyes. Think it out. Where does truth and make believe become the same? We here at SBSB understand that you might be scared to leave seeing what Portelos has done to others who have dared to question him.


To those on the fence and thinking about following UFT Solidarity, be wary, keep your guard up. As you can see above not many people care, or in particular, know about UFT Solidarity. You need to not only do what is best for yourself but for that teacher coming in after you. UFT Solidarity is not the way.

It can't be the way when it relies on one person, one mind to lead it and to make decisions. It can't be the way when people are too frightened to speak up and it certainly can't be the way when their is misinformation and fuzzy math.

A UFT caucus should not be dependent on any one personality, it should be dependent on it's members, it's ideas, it's principles,  and it's humanity.

Sadly, UFT Solidarity comes up empty time and time again. 

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.

In the past I have started off a blog post using a quote from Rush, or made use of a Star Trek quote somewhere in a post. For those who still have one foot in living in their parents basement as do I, this is your lucky day. I am using quotes from both a Rush (War Paint from 1989's Presto CD) song and from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Please bear with me, the point will soon be evident. 

"All puffed up with vanity/We see hear what we want to see hear"

"....but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target"

Both lines fit Portelos better than his trousers do!

 As many know, Jia Lee, MORE/New Action candidate for UFT president appeared with me on my quite rudimentary Internet radio show this past Thursday. In the issue of being fair I extended an invitation to UFT Solidarity Leader Francesco Portelos to appear as well. His reaction is here;

First, thanks to Portelos for choosing me to help him pass the time on his drive to Albany. I usually choose music, or Howard Stern, but I am honored that he chose me. But to address his well thought out, lucid points.

One, can we stop living almost three years in the past? I was not close to MORE nor Jia at the time, and I don't know if Jia knew much about me. But who cares? Obviously Portelos. It's 2016 gosh darn it!

But then Portelos blabbers asking me how it felt when Jia said;

"...back when rubber rooms existed."

Yeah, Jia said that, and if you listen at about the 6:26 mark, I corrected her.

But unlike Portelos, I (And the vast, vast majority of grown ups), not only have the cognitive ability to know when people actually make a mistake as to misspeaking, but I (as well as the vast, vast majority of grown ups), before I post something on social media always seek to verify what I am about to post lest I get caught holding my you-know-what in my hands like Portelos has for the gazillionth time.

If Portelos only had A) a better sound system in his car, B) Was able to clearly hear Jia's voice past all the voices in his head telling him how great he believes he is, or C) Taken the Taconic to Albany instead of the Thruway (less road noise) he would have heard Jia correcting herself just (LISTEN HERE!!) before I did.

To Jia, please accept my apologies for not originally hearing what you had said. For this transgression, and the shame it has brought upon my family, I offer you a pair of Neil Peart autographed drumsticks in return. Use them in good health (its a Jewish thing. You get new underwear, that is what is said)!

But why you might ask, is this pertinent to you, John and Jane Q. Schoolteacher? Because Portelos is screaming for attention help. He wants to debate Jia. He his desperate.

But there are some many Portelos' comedic acts to share on these pages, we have to wait for another day to discuss the debate.

But one last thing.

Why hasn't Portelos sent the same request for a debate to Unity? Why just MORE? As it is written on the UFT Solidarity website, Unity is invited to debate as well. Yet strangely, no invitation to Unity has been forthcoming as of press time.

The Crack Team, along with our Crack Team Consigliere, Tom Hagen, discussed whether or not MORE should entertain such a request. One thing popped into everyone's minds.

Let's see Portelos and his minions get 900 REAL (Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Clark Kent are not, nor have ever been, UFT members!) signatures on the petition first. Yes, a daunting task, but perhaps Portelos can get some signatures in exchange for some entertainment? What is it he does well??

Hmmm...dropping his pants, again and again, and again.

It is not very often, I would say extremely rare if at all (maybe I had done it once or twice), that
someone left a comment on a post and I made a blog post of it.

It's happening today. Today, on the blog post, "The False Prophecy of UFT Solidarity and Francesco Portelos," left such a lucid, well thought out raison d'être why under any circumstances Portelos and UFT Solidarity should not, and cannot, win the upcoming UFT election, it left The Crack Team in tears which all culminated in a manly and emotional group hug.

The jumping of the UFT Solidarity ship, except for the few ardent, hardcore, mindless drones, will be epic following the UFT elections.

The following has been slightly altered, though not a word was changed.

Any vote for Francisco Portelos is at best a wasted vote since he is unable to gather the momentum to win any election. There is however, a worse case scenario for casting any vote his way. 

Portelos has demonstrated an inability to provide a vision other than one rooted in anger and confrontation. He draws support and resonates with some of the most disgruntled and psychologically unbalanced individuals. As these people serve his ego of being their champion he has created dissonance with those you do not support him through internet attacks of defamation and disparagement laying a large swath of collateral damage. 

 In fact, I would argue that the individuals damaged by his tactics represent a larger population than those he served. Furthermore, Portelos has alienated parents, administrators, and moderate educators with his tweets,blogs and verbalizations. He is the perfect fodder for the growing anti-union sentiment than exist today. He will create a self destructive energy that is counter productive to any sustainable UFT message.

Think of Portelos this way. He is blinded by his anger and ego like a raging bull. And as he charges the red cape in all his fury he has failed to see the sword in the Matadors other hand.

As Norm Scott reported, the MORE meeting this past Saturday was awesome. This is a caucus that is a true bottom up democratic caucus without egos and without agendas. All voices are heard.

Maybe that is why UFT Solidarity candidate for Treasurer, Victor Jordan, decided to show up for the meeting.

I was a little late for the start of the meeting. I left White Plains a little after 11 AM and hit some traffic on the way. I missed the beginning of Jia Lee's presentation on evaluations but was riveted by what I caught (Just an aside, this is what the teachers need, a leader that is able to not only articulate the wants and needs of teachers in many methods and styles. One size does not fit all) .

But anyway, as I was signing in I looked to my right and noticed someone else signing in as well. When I turned to look at him and noticed it was Victor Jordan. Yes, the above mentioned Victor Jordan of UFT Solidarity. He looked at me and suddenly, like King Arthur's men in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," ran away thinking I must have been some killer bunny.

Now for full disclosure. I had the pleasure of meeting Victor Jordan last month at Giovanni's on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. UFT Solidarity was having a Lonely Hearts meeting there and like wanting to drive slowly past a car wreck on the Deegan I just had to see it to believe it.

I had attempted to commiserate with Victor, ask him about his qualifications. Whether or not he is a member of the UFT and whether or not he is actually an attorney. He would not share, but shared, or rather inferred, that his resume is a fabrication.

Oh, and I counted the lack of people that showed and this got Francesco Portelos' knickers in a bunch and then got me kicked out. And when I was talking to one of his groupies outside he started to take photos and I shared with him that he is #1.

But I have digressed too much. 

Man did he bolt. But fortune was with me Saturday.

Seeing how there was no food to be had yet, I decided to get a dog with mustard and kraut on the corner. I had the fortuitous luck of riding down the elevator with him. Again, I asked Victor if he is a member of the UFT. He again refused to answer. Curious.

He said he had made a mistake, that he thought he was coming for a workshop of some kind. Now, it was advertised what Jia would be presenting, but why would this dashing, cosmopolitan, yet to be a member of the bar, not a member of the UFT, hack be interested in evaluations? And why would he travel from the outer boroughs to mid-town and suddenly claim that he had "an important meeting to attend to."

Yeah, he was sent to my his Leader. We all know that. But that is still not what is most irksome.

What is irksome it that Victor Jordan has no business being a candidate for UFT office. He is not a dues paying member of the UFT and has no business giving false hope to teachers across the city.

He claims he is receiving a pension, yet as one can see by Victor's resume he started teaching in 1985. That would make Victor  Tier IV. Tier IV does not collect a pension, (that is if Victor is vested. He taught until 1995 and stopped showing up and was soon terminated) until the age of 62. All our sources have shared that Victor is a few years short of collecting a pension. Oh, and there is no way he could have put in for the 55/25.

We here at SBSB are officially calling for Victor Jordan to step aside of a candidate for Treasurer of UFT Solidarity posthaste as well as a thorough investigation by the UFT Solidarity whatever to see how Victor Jordan was vetted and how he slipped through any verification and by what method and by whom that Victor Jordan was chosen.

This is more than Victor Jordan wanting to "play" UFT officer. He is giving false hope to thousands of teachers in New York City.

And just as bad, this shows how unready that UFT Solidarity is for the big time for not properly vetting it's candidates.

It's beginning. It's happening right before our eyes. It is coming right out of the mud slinging
handbook. It's what happens when one doesn't have any true confidence within oneself and the only way to make oneself feel bigger is to create their own alternate reality.

One of the followers, lackies, toadies, sycophants, the blind, of UFT Solidarity leader Francesco Portelos, heard the dog whistle when one of Portelos' campaign porn photos was posted on social media and in her own way had to get the ball rolling to belittle Jia Lee.

I heard from some people that Jia Lee had an abusive principal but left her school instead of fighting like myself, @XXXXXX XXXXXXXand my chapter leader @XXXXXXX And Jia was chapter leader at her school. True?

True? I heard? This is like saying,  "I heard Derek Jeter does HGH because he was getting older and wanted a new contract but is it true?"

What set this denizen of Bryant HS off (the dark side is strong there) is this statement from Leader Portelos; 

The next UFT President needs to be badass.

Funny, more on this later on in another posting.

I think knowing if she fought her principal or fled from her school is important dont you think? High stakes testing is one issue but being harassed and bullied by our principals is widespread and forcing teachers to leave the profession in record numbers. Will she run into a burning building or run from it? I think that is a totally legitimate question.

Oh, old padawan, don't let yourself be fooled by one's alternate reality. Jia, will run into a burning building to help a teacher. Jia, will save the teachers. The difference is she will do it with class and style. 

I would like a definitive answer is all. Why is everyone appearing defensive? The answer is no, she battled her principal and defended her teachers or yes, she left. Simple question, simple answer.

Yes, a question from a simple person, but the answer must be from the you are besmirching. One wonders if this Byrant sycophant had so many questions for Jia, why not just contact Jia? 

Portelos chimes in;

....but I don't see why my sycophant (our words) is being interrogated here. It's a valid question. We have brought this very story up before. The school was PS 63 Star Academy and before being chapter leader at Earth School, she was chapter leader there under Mean Darlene Cameron.

Again, Portelos, why not ask Jia. Surely Portelos has had ample opportunity to ask Jia in the countless haranguing emails he has sent her, no? 

The sycophant continues; 

I agree, but I come from a school where horrific things go on in the way of abusing teachers. Speaking up for over use of testing and fighting nclb are all well and good, but what did she do to protect the teachers in her school from an abusive principal? You aren't addressing the question and I have to ask myself why? I need protection in my own school, standardized testing is important but not my very first priority. Did she bring her principal up to the dept of labor, go to bat in every way she could? Yes or no would be nice.

And then we here from the non-UFT members of Solidarity from the Peanut Gallery; 

I agree! How can a teacher push for opt outs if there principal is a tyrant who can discontinue or 3020a them for looking at them wrong? We need a pit bull for UFT President and like you, I know who to vote for.

So Jia can't chew gum and walk at the same time, is that it? She can't advocate for opt outs yet stand up for teachers?  

Oh yes, the Department of Labor trick. How many times as that worked? Didn't work for Dear Leader Portelos. 

The Bryant Sycophant continues; 

And for the record, I have appeared on channel 4 news and in newspaper articles. Francesco has gone to bat for me, called my principal, came to Bryant's rallies. Where has this Jia chick been? She doesn't even know I exist. One thing to say you will do something, another to actually do it.

"This Jia Chick?" That gives us an idea for some MORE fundraising, The "Chicks of MORE" calendar. It'll sell better than the current "Portelos of Solidarity" calendar which comes with 12 seductive poses of Portelos in boudoir settings (what a photoshop opportunity if there was one!). 

What the Bryant Sycophant fails to realize is that Jia testified before Congress. Think, Jia pick up a phone and connect to the powers that be in Washington or Albany. Can Portelos?

As for the Bryant Sycophant. So you been on TV, so you been in the papers? So what. I don't have enough fingers on my hand to count how many those at MORE and those that have been fighting this fight for longer than Portelos has been in education. 

Finally, out of steam, the Bryant Sycophant grasps for straws; 

Has she attended rallies, supported teachers who have been abused and harassed, made ill by their workplace atmosphere? I have been very public with what has happened to me. Why have I not heard from her?

Why haven't you reached out to Jia? Or would you have incurred the wrath of Portelos? 

Rallies? Five people picketing a school does not constitute a rally. It is a a get together. 

To the Bryant Sycophant; think about this. Portelos gets the gig he wanted at IS 49 four years ago, or however long it was, you wouldn't know him. He was living so comfortable inside the colon of Linda Hill he had a big screen TV and a mini-fridge in there. 

And guess what? He still does not care. He care for himself and himself only. You are being played. This is his vendetta against the UFT for not giving him a job. Randi offers him that job he asked for he is not doing anything for you now. 

There are many that are jumping the Solidarity ship after the elections when they see that Portelos is nothing but a paper leader. Stop listening to false prophets with false idea making you worship to his false God. 

Want Jia's attention it is very simple. Email her. Either ask her to assist you, ask her yourself your questions, or just get off the pot.

At the end of the day I like to unwind with humor on my way home. I feel it is relaxing and a nice
way to decompress.

No Howard Stern though. At the hour I am driving home it is usually what I heard on the drive in that morning so it is nothing new. Besides, the humor I want to hear is those that make themselves the joke. OK, OK, you got me. Yes, yes, I know. Sal and Richard usually make themselves the joke but I want something a little different in the afternoon.
I like to listen for a few minutes to Sean Hannity or Michael Savage just to hear their ignorance, self-importance, and irrelevance. It's even better listening when they praise Demagogue Donald Trump (I really crack up!). Mind you this is not taking away anything from Rush Limbaugh, Mark Simone, and Mark Levin who are all good for a hardy laugh as well. If you think about it, all the forenamed are clowns without the makeup. And much more dangerous. 

But today was different. Today I did not need the radio blowhards to have me doubled over in laughter. No, today's guffaw was courtesy of UFT Solidarity's own Francesco Portelos by an email sent to yours truly.

As many readers of this blog recall, another layer of truth from the Portelos onion was exposed as we followed his haphazard travails at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn last month.

As is our policy here at SBSB we allow anyone to post here with any comment as long as it does contain personal information about anyone nor advocates violence against anyone else. We even allow dissidents of the "Sparkles for President" movement post here. We don't stand on ceremony here nor do we become little whiny poo poo heads when negative commentary about myself, the blog, or people we support are chastised. Nor do we feel the need to block like little whiny poo poo heads when the same happens.

So yesterday, Francesco Portelos, Leader of UFT Solidarity posted and informed me, not directly, but it seems that the lawsuit he promised against me will not materialize. Instead he suggested mediation, (or was it meditation?) with the UFT facilitating.

One rule I live by is "It's not honorable to engage in battle with weaker opponents."

You're post, as well as all your many others, are filled with false statements and ideas you and MORE members have conjured up about me. Regardless, we have more than doubled in size since you began your defamatory crusade this past July.

How about this? Let's engage in meaningful mediation. I'll email [email protected] and you do the same. Then they'll contact both of us for a professional sit down.

In Solidarity,

Just a dad from Staten Island  

Weaker? I don't recall threatening lawsuits, besmirching  others families, haranguing on Facbook those that disagree with MORE or it's affiliates. I have always been of the belief that those who feel confidant in themselves do not need to bully or intimidate others who disagree with them or to do the same to be assured that their followes "toe the line."

But we are proud that UFT Solidarity has doubled in size. But one wonders. How many of these 40 some odd "members" are actually UFT members? Seriously, how many are UFT members that can be involved in voting in UFT elections and how many are sitting on the "Executive Council" of UFT Solidarity and are in decision making roles for UFT members? (is the guy who wore the Captain Picard uniform to the DTOE meeting considered a UFT Solidarity member or is he still with Star Fleet?)

We also take umbrage that it has been inferred that MORE has been behind or directing any posts on this blog concerning the posting of the superabundance of comedic material coming from the UFT Solidarity. Don Rickles wishes he had such sources!

I have digressed, no?

So today's comedy gold which came in an email from Portelos was welcomed.

Ready Peter? You down for this?

In Solidarity,

Francesco A. Portelos
Educator

www.XXXXXX​

UFT Presidential Candidate 2016
www.XXXXXXX

UFT Solidarity Caucus
www.xxxxxxx

​Don't Tread on Educators
www.XXXXX​

ATR Alliance
www.XXXXXXXX

www.XXXXXXXX

"The foundation of every state is the education of its youth." -

 Greek Philosopher Diogenes
   

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "XXXXXXXXXXX" @uft.org

>
Date: Jan 11, 2016 12:25 PM
Subject: RE: Meditation
To: "Francesco Portelos" <[email protected]>
Cc: 


Workplace dispute? This is not a workplace dispute. It's someone's hissy fit. This is about a someone who can't deal with the truth and is attempting, as only a true narcissistic can, to co-opt me, to schmooze me, and to try to neutralize the truth.

Hey, I was all for wanting to put aside issues and work it out. But that was six months ago! I made the offer of talking things out in the diner where Portelos felt the need to throw my 3020-a in my face. I tried several times throughout the summer, through a mutual friend, but it was to no avail.

What is in it for me to go through mediation. Nothing. It's done, get over it. I feel like an ex girlfriend that just can't get rid of her ex. Move one, find someone else!

Besides, anyone who has any conversation that is more than 5 words with Portelos must have it with him if he is butt naked and accedes to a cavity search. And this just doesn't go for me or anyone else that Portelos deems unworthy. I'll bet everything that Portelos records and files away any and all conversations with UFT Solidarity members.

Exactly what is Portelos attempting to elicit? The only one I can think of is laughter, for I have laughed harder than I have in quite a long time since this afternoon.


This would be a good time to suggest that Portelos to look in the mirror, to self examine. But he can't. There is no introspection possible with him. The means justify the ends. There is a swath of destruction in his wake and it doesn't matter to Portelos as long as he gets the adulation, the attention, and the sycophants.

Say what you will about MORE. There are things I disagree with. MORE  has had growing pains and it was not pretty. But MORE has grown and has turned into a caucus with ethics, morals, and a true democratic spirit. No one person is bigger than MORE and MORE can and will survive if those who are running for MORE in the UFT elections are no longer involved. Can the same be said about UFT Solidarity? No.

UFT Solidarity is nothing but one person's vendetta against the UFT and how poorly he was treated by the NYCDOE. Guess what? There are worse instances of teachers being abused by the NYCDOE. It's time the tiny violin has been put away.

Watch what happens in May when the election results are announced. Prediction: Many, many UFT Solidarity members will see that Landru, oops, I meant Portelos was nothing but a false prophet that conned them.

They will finally be free.

The Crack Team has come across information concerning Francesco Portelos' forays into his attempts to corner the UFT nurses vote that is just so beneath contempt, but worse, could have put patient's lives in danger.

As was reported here on November 5th as well as on the Portelos blog Portelos ventured into a Staten Island hospital trolling for the nurses vote. Remember that one? The one in which Portelos blew the dog whistle in his own hyperbolic manner that he was to be drummed out of the UFT? From Portelos' blog in which he is being denounced at the UFT exec board meeting...

“…AND I AM APPALLED…THAT SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM WOULD DARE CALL OUR NURSES, DURING WORK HOURS TO PUSH THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA, WHILE THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF SICK PATIENTS, AND PUTTING THOSE PATIENT’S LIVES AT RISK!”

"…the phone calls to the nurses are monitored and recorded. They violated our contract and could now face disciplinary charges. A cease and desist should be ordered and a full investigation by the board!”

The Crack Team has learned more about that night.

Originally we had assumed that Portelos was either; a) having acquired cell phone numbers called the nurses on their cell phones, or b) called the nurses at their stations on the patient floors. We were wrong. It was worse.

Portelos, as always thinking about himself first, attempted to reach out to nurses by calling the Neo-Natal Unit, the ICU, and the Operating Room. Think about it. Two units where the most vulnerable patients in a hospital are were forced to take a back seat to Portelos' ego.

Think about it. Portelos by his actions put patients lives in jeopardy. Yes, only by the grace of God, there were no emergencies, but what could have happened in the few seconds that a nurse took the time to answer a useless phone call from Portelos if a patient flat lined in ICU? If a baby stopped breathing in Neo-Natal? If a nurse preparing to assist a surgeon on an operation was distracted enough to forget an instrument, an instruction, or some other matter of importance?

It would not matter to Portelos as long has he was the center of attention.

Which of course happened a few weeks later at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn.

This time Portelos was brave enough to show his face. Walking down the corridors on the patients floors, or as Portelos wrote in this piece a few weeks after the Staten Island affair;

"One of them directed me to the staffing room for the nurses. I assumed it was something similar to a teacher’s lounge. As a went back-and-forth across the lobby of Lutheran Medical Center, to find the staff lounge..."

But is this true? For what was Portelos actually doing on the patient floors? As Portelos shared;

"I went to visit my grandmother who was recuperating at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn."

The Crack Team has confirmed that there was no grandma at Lutheran that night. Now, grandma might have been across the street at the nursing home, but grandma at Lutheran came from someone's world of make believe.

Walking through patient floors where patients are being cared for put not only the nurses in a vulnerable position but the patients and their loved ones as well. He violated the privacy patients, their families, and their health care providers expect and demand.

But eventually it all came to an end for Portelos;

“Can I help you with something sir? Can we ask your business here?”

“I can’t believe she got security involved. I’m here visiting my grandmother who’s recuperating from hip surgery. I’m also running for president of the United Federation of Teachers. I thought to drop off some flyers since we represent nurses here.” I told them.

“Sir, if we see you here again we’re gonna have to remove you."

See right there you could tell grandma is all fictional.  Two things gave it away. If he was truly there for grandma, security would have asked him to cease and desist and stay with grandma. But there is something more telling. (Seriously, where is the line between fantasy and reality with him?)

Portelos who is so good at sharing every tidbit that he "believes" happened that night at Lutheran never said anything about having to leave grandma that evening. Never added something like, "I couldn't even say goodbye to grandma," or "I asked if I could at least say goodbye to grandma." Quite interesting.

What was the hospital supposed to do? To allow a stranger with no business in the hospital up on the patients floors? Be allowed to walk into private areas of the hospital? There are incidents all the time in hospitals. We live in an age in which hospitals are considered soft targets, baby abductors troll hospitals, crime happens in hospitals. You just can't leisurely walk around a hospital and troll nurses.

Portelos not only put patients lives and health at risk but the careers of nurses as well. The hospital on Staten Island and Lutheran are PRIVATE HOSPITALS and have different work rules ans free speech rules than public hospitals.

Nurses can be disciplined, nurses (As well as the union) can be seen as reckless if there are focusing on the inanity of Portelos instead of their patients.

There is no politicking at private hospital. Patients might be offended if they see a sign, leaflet, etc.., that goes against their belief system. But politicking is not permissible of a private hospital, especially during when nurses are on duty.

Which can make one wonder would Portelos walk into a classroom while a teacher is teaching to spew about himself? Would Portelos call a teacher while that teacher is teaching? Nope and nope.

But, he would call and harangue nurses and staff members to blabber about himself when these people are the ones that are at the front lines of patients lives. Nurses can't be distracted while they are on duty. Their only priority is their patients which of course Portelos fails to realize. 

More and more we see that Portelos has neither the maturity, temperament, nor the skills to be a leader. He chooses to lead by fear and intimidation which are not what anyone wants in a leader.

As you have just read, what is most important his himself and his vendetta against the UFT. Remember this, if Randi got him a gig at the UFT there is no UFT Solidarity.

No matter how it is sliced, Portelos put patients at risk and kept nurses from doing their duty. What more needs to be said. Except..

Portelos > Patients lives.

Irony-the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning

Bully- (Noun)  a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people. (Verb-Without Object) to act the bully toward; intimidate; domineer.

What a fun day today turned out to be! I'm not a Jets fan, so no point in me watching the game. I am a Giants fan and to sad to watch Coughlin's last game so I was praying for something to give me some high spirits and/or a laugh today. And I got it. In Facebook. On the Don't Tread on Educators page. Let's have a looksee (Click to enlarge).




The "movie" is called "When Bullies Become Bosses" produced by Brett Culp and  Richard Santiago (link to trailer here) that comes with a website and Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and blog pages as well as an email.

Hey, we here at SBSB fully support the work of Brett and Richard and wish them well and Godspeed in their endeavor! It's just that The Crack Team wishes that they were more informed of things and should be aware that there could be a sub-title to their film...something like, "When Bullies Think They Are Becoming Self-Professed Union Bosses" are something akin to that. 

Before we here at SBSB go on an share what reasonable people but construe as bullying, let's think of this. 

There are far, far, more vile and disgusting stories than Portelos' of bullied teachers in the City of New York. We here at SBSB are officially calling for Portelos to put the tiny violin away. It's time. Or as one SBSB groupie just shared with us here; 

Big ego talking..that Portelos ego. He thinks that if he screams the loudest, he is fierce. So many other teachers who would be better fit for an interview for a documentary. This just feeds his insatiable ego.

Speaking of egos, could a reasonable person safely assume that the persistent haranguing of members of MORE, through texts and emails, is not supposed to be seen as intimidating? Can this in turn be reasonably seen as bullying? Or as Norm Scott has written (not confidential, any and all conversations I share are either with permission or gleamed from comments of my blog); 

It is your leader - the guy you have chosen to run for president who constantly trolls around ICE and MORE - and sends email after email. Why? If you have such a dynamic and influential group go forth and organize people but leave us alone. But your chosen leader can't seem to do that. He is selling you on the idea that if we all don't jump on the bandwagon we can't beat Unity. he is selling you the bridge...He had to show up at the MORE meeting today - and for a group that does nothing the fact that almost 60 people showed on a hot summer afternoon - many of them new and current chapter leaders and delegates who came to get some training and info. That is the kind of work MORE does - and we emphasized chapter leader support for ATRS. Portelos just can't seem to stay away from MORE or ICE. (Was he there to try to poach people who came to MORE for himself?)

Can the administrator of a Facebook page when finally fed up with Portelos' ego and bogarting of said page, not see Portelos as a bully? When said administrator's personal, confidential conversations, with Portelos be made public by Portelos when he had he the administrator toy taken away been seen as bullying? Is this not a mode of intimidation? 

Or when I wrote this piece, "Why I Can't Support UFT Solidarity" in which it is exposed how Portelos bullies not just myself, but Principals as well? What he wrote, could it be safe for me, as well as my family, to assume that I am being bullied when Portelos wrote this fiction and having to use my family against me (Click to enlarge)? 


What about this post, "Is There Solidarity With God," in which the comments kept me laughing my ass off as my wife read them to me driving home from Corning NY (Click to enlarge)?

Is this bullying/intimidation? It is a Portelos fantasy (click to enlarge).
Can the last line of this be considered a threat or intimidation/bullying (click to enlarge)?
Or as Norm Scott wrote on this thread;

I have 75 pages of notes on the Portelos trial and 25 on Peter's. One day I'll write a book. All I'll say here is that at no point at Peter's hearing did I hear one word that would make me think he could be evil. He would never go after someone's family. At the other hearing I heard more than one instance of retaliation against families of people on the "enemies" list, stories that made many of the observers shake their heads. Observers and supporters by the way who mostly came from the ranks of MORE/ICE. How soon people forget. 

Or what shall we say about this blog post, the one in which Portelos feels he must mock James Eterno.? And Portelos subsequently harangued to no end the person who shared this information with me.

To catch those who don't understand what is being said,  XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX has claimed that James Eterno is nothing more than a chef, probably a failed chef at that when what we need as a union is one who manages a 5 star restaurant. XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX believes that only such a manager can right the sinking ship of the UFT. But questions persist. 

And lest we forget the post, "The UFT Solidarity Circus Comes to Town" (I love that meme I created!) where I am threatened with a lawsuit. As wont a bully to do (Click to enlarge);





Cease and desist? Still, it is the wrong county! Please see my post, "Welcome to White Plains."

Or what about this post, "UFT Solidarity Threatens to Sue Me!",  in which a reasonable person can construe it as intimidation by a bully?


 
And of course, there is more (Click to enlarge)....
OH, I could go on and on but I shan't. I just wanted to share the hits. I can't share what has been confided to me either verbally or through email, due to my own ethics and morals, without gaining prior approval of those who shared with me. I need to look at myself in the mirror.

If these people want to use Portelos in their movie that is their right. I, and others, have every right to disagree with Portelos being used as a victim of bullying for several reasons; 1) In retrospect, what happened to Portelos is pretty benign. It was wrong, but there have been and continue to be, much worse instances of teachers being bullied and victimized; 2) He has, in many others opinions, gone from the bullied to the bullier, and 3) His fight is not about others but has always been about himself.

This is how I feel and many others feel. Portelos is not a leader. He should not, will not, be the leader of the UFT.