This is not going to be a wordy post. Just want to get right to the point. 

I could go on an on about how Camille Eterno will be there for the members of the UFT. I can write how she has outstanding knowledge of the UFT and all the issues that will encompass being president of the union. That it is a given that Camille will roll her her sleeves and do the hard work necessary to be an effective leader of the union.

But just, if not more importantly,is the type of person Camille is.

Most of my interactions with Camille have been at an ICE meeting at a dinner in Manhattan. Camille is passionate about what issues we face as teachers and the lack of support we get from the UFT. When she speaks, she commands the listeners, but not by being hyperbolic, animated, or any drama. She comes across as serene and cool yet amazingly strong. This is what the UFT is missing and so desperately needs. 

With Camille we can be assured of having a true leader of the UFT. A leader who will be there for the rank and file and we will have a President, not some Overlord. 

I have been blogging for a little over 10 1/2 years now. I didn't expect to be blogging this
long nor did I expect all the good and bad that came with blogging. I just started out thinking I had an original idea (found out after about 24 hours many others had the same idea) and it took off. And here I still am.

One thing that has been constant is that I truly want to help those teachers that feel so alone and helpless in their struggles. I was quite fortunate that I had a fantastic support system during the time of my 3020-a and I want to pay it forward and do whatever I can to help those teachers who feel so alone and abused by the system.

Back in February at the last (Last ever?) ICE meeting, I gave an impassioned plea for ICE to rally around and do whatever it can to help out a teacher. But Norm was right, ICE as presently configured was not set up for that. And that I understand. The MORE Caucus was never truly interested in rolling up its sleeves and getting down on the dirt to help teachers in need. Solidarity? Yeah, they really are passionate about the same thing, and they got a set of balls (I say that in a good way) but I am not crazy about some of their tactics and the "one size fits all" method of help. And of course there are other things.

But I will continue to do whatever I can. And if I don't know the answer, I will find out or do what is necessary. If it warrants an attorney, I will send a teacher to Bryan Glass or Jordan Harlow.

I know how painful and stressful going through a 3020-a is. I learned from Norm Scott and (I don't think I have ever mentioned this name) Patrick Walsh. They talked me off the precipice several times.

The teachers I have talked to, or helped, I have taken , I don't know how to say this. A personal (I am trying hard not to make this seem about me) stake? Living vicariously? Something or other, in their cases, in the outcomes. My support is 100% unconditional. Sometimes it might not have seemed it. There were times, I put myself first (not in a horrible way) and it was not right. But one thing I always thought of, besides giving support, is that I want that teacher protected and to know that God will always see what is right and karma will come and bite those on that wronged them right on their ass.

I have learned much from  these teachers I have supported. Each and every single one of them means something to me.

I don't think I dropped the ball ever, but might have lost a grip for a split second, and for that I am sorry.

MORE is slipping further and further into one person rule, with extra-judicial policies and
penalties, and rule by the few and not the many.

As many might know by now to prominent teachers and activists were retroactively punished and humiliated for going against the norms whims of a few. This led to ICE at first putting out a resolution to suspend support for MORE and then ultimately, after being democratically voted upon, to follow through.

The following landed in my email yesterday. This is what has sadly become of MORE. No dissent. No contradictions. No nothing except conformity. My thoughts will appear in red.

Dear Fellow MOREistas,

As some of you may know, many of the Independent Community of Educators (ICE) were integral members at the formation of MORE along with others. Over the last few years, while everyone has worked hard to organize around issues that have plagued our working conditions, internal tensions have also deepened. There have been some fundamental differences that have taken us back to debating some of our stated values over and over again. Differences in opinion and disagreements are absolutely normal and part of healthy democratic spaces. However, some disagreements have crossed the line to personal attacks and questioning of intentions. It has made it quite difficult to focus on what brought us all together in the first place.

No, there has been ZERO discussion about working conditions. No nothing by MORE. Nada. Bupkus.This argument made here is specious and disingenuous. However, MORE has spent an inordinate amount of time furthering left wing propaganda, anti-Israel and anti-Zionist screeds, and trying to churn up race wars within the UFT. 

Again, how does this benefit the rank and file?

To be fair, we have not had a clear process for when conflicts have become personal between individuals, though efforts have been made. In the last few months, things have come to a head, and ICE issued their decision to withdraw their support of MORE as a group. Some of us, listed below, have come together to respond. This response is an attempt to acknowledge their decision and agree to work amicably together as separate organizations into the future. We want to be clear that the folks here came together organically without any intentions of leaving specific individuals out. (Most of us were at the last few general meetings or worked on a committee. Others expressed their concerns at previous meetings.) 

No. ICE voted to SUSPEND support for MORE, not withdraw. Big difference. 

I, along with a few others, were on the receiving end of a love letter sent by UFT Solidarity last
month. I had just woken up and was in the bathroom as I was reading it. I laughed so hard I fell off the bowl and almost cracked my head open.

So without further ado, the love letter written in full with commentary (In red).

Look, you guys poke fun Yeah, its so easy that I occasionally contact MORE to work together, Occasionally? It's bordering on some type of Fatal Attraction contact but the truth is MORE has fallen short in supporting the individual members. And how has the UFT Solidarity method risen above that? Have any of the 70 odd members of UFT Solidarity who have been discontinued, shat upon, etc... succeeded? Is the support that UFT Solidarity supposedly accorded its members genuine, specific to the member, or just a way for someone to make up for some major Freudian shortcoming? OOOH. We send emails to principals. We've all see how well that has worked. We try to come in and do that work, try is the key word just as we thought you can do the work we don't concentrate on. If you're going to continue mocking us for trying then we will just have to say no to MORE, move forward and up our social justice game. Social justice at UFT Solidarity? It's about chasing a windmills for the benefit of just the one.

Then we won't need to reach out to work as a coalition. Really? Awww, that sucks. Maybe UFT Solidarity should share with its 70 odd members the truth at what really transpired at that ICE meeting in June. 

If I may, a sidebar of what was posted on the super duper secret UFT Solidarity lackey site; http://uftsolidarity.slack.com It's free to join! Prizes are given away every day to the most sycophantic comment.

"The meeting started out tense, because of miscommunication on all sides. There was a lot of confusion as to which group was really represented at the restaurant. Was it ICE or MORE? At the beginning of the meeting several members from the other caucus expressed their distrust of UFT Solidarity and the intentions of Solidarity as a caucus. As the meeting went on and members of all sides were able to voice their personal concerns and feel that they were heard and their voice mattered the tension started to dissipate. As the walls of distrust came down, all caucuses involved were able to move the matter of creating a slate forward in a productive manner. There is still much work to be done, but the meeting was a great first step in the right direction."

There was no confusion, ICE is ICE, MORE is MORE. Walls of distrust never dissipated, in fact if anything they grew. There was no great step. It was dead in the water. Wake up, get over yourselves and enter reality.

The ridiculous conversations that took place below remind me why I created a different group. Yeah yeah, someone is OCD enough to save every little thing. Yeah, there was a internal donnybrook but what group never has one? MORE is like a Jewish family at times and when emotions get high they kvetch and opine loudly but when the dust settles all goes back to normal. I guess this is because MORE is not a top down organization relying on ONE to guide it and make its decisions.

Accept it already. Work with us or don't,Does this mean MORE is either against you and with you? Didn't work for W, why should it work for UFT Solidarity? but using Zucker to take jabs is a poor play.  Hey, that's me! Nobody is using me. Nobody is instructing me. I have stated again, and again, and again why I have taken the path I chose. Please stop and for once listen. 

Zucker remove your ridiculous posts and move forward. Remove? How so. Remove them from where? Is this a request or a demand? I'm telling you this will not go well. Like how? How won't it go well? Like that law suit? I've added your email and number to spam blocker weeks ago so I don't know if I could even see a response. As Herman Munster used to say, "Darn, Darn, Darn!"

 In Yiddish there are two words, schlemiel and schlimazel. The schlemiel is one who spills the soup. The schlimazel is the one who the soup spills on.

UFT Solidarity is the Schlimazel Caucus.

This past Sunday on the ICE Blog, James Eterno wrote a very well thought out and lucid piece on
what he sees for the UFT in 2016.

His crux for the piece, and as he says NYC Educator beat him to it, was how under the renewal schools teachers will be brought to the altar to be sacrificed. That the UFT is basically selling us out.

He talks of an alternate universe in which Mulgrew is ousted;

"...there is a real union leader as president, things would change in a hurry. Besides cleaning house by dismissing most of the loyalty oath signing Unity faithful and opening up union positions to senior, qualified people (like comp time) and having elections for the District Representatives, we would need to change the whole conversation around education as quickly as we can"

One can immediately notice that James did not prophesize that there is a grand mystical plan that he will be the next UFT president nor has he written as if he is entitles to that role. He sees the UFT as something larger than him that the word "I" need not be used.

James goes on to share what he has seen and what needs to be fixed throughout the system. Not once is he electioneering or tooting his own horn. He is laying out the facts as he sees them. Nothing more, nothing less. UFT Solidarity UFT Solidarity UFT Solidarity UFT Solidarity UFT Solidarity

In fact, I disagree with him with the so-called truth commission he advocates. Yeah, it would be nice for it to happen. In fact it should happen, but how to you compel people to come to testify? Will there be subpoena power? Will testimony be under oath? Will immunity be granted?

Truth should have been out by now. Three years ago on these pages I questioned where is the Daniel Ellsberg, the Pentagon Papers of the education world?

But wait a minute. The Crack Team just reminded me of something. How can it be that James writes such a vision when he is nothing more than a chef in a restaurant and not a real star like the owner of said restaurant?

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. 

First, which guide is this so called 5 star restaurant based on? Mobil? Michelin? Zagat? Yelp? TripAdvisor? Inquiring minds want to know.

But who goes to a restaurant because of the manager. No one. We here at SBSB can't think of one reality show that espouses to find the best manager of a restaurant. All the restaurant based reality TV shows are all looking for the best chef. Wouldn't it be better to have a Master Chef instead of someone who isn't even able to be Master of their Domain? 

In fact, we have spoken with one of New York's leading chef's and he has shared his expertise. He told The Crack Team that for a 5 star restaurant, the chef is the most important person, not the manager. 

Anybody can manage a restaurant. Last week driving back and forth through Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York we came across many Arby's. I am sure that at each Arby's the managers were top notch. But no one even goes to Arby's because of who the manager is.

It is easy to manage a restaurant. You hire the people, you seat people, you pay people, but think about it, if your chef sucks ain't nobody coming back to your restaurant unless you have the seniors early bird special or you have the 2 for 1 coupon in the Entertainment book. 

Let's see what job is more difficult. The restaurant manager (Telling the waiter to push the malt wine) or the chef? 

The kitchen and the person who runs the kitchen are what makes a restaurant.  

UPDATE JULY 30, 2015 @12:22 AM THIS JUST IN TO THE SBSB NEWSROOM:

From our NYC leading chef groupie: In fine dining, without a clear vision of the food, and someone to maintain quality and consistency, the reputation sours quickly.

Also food and labor costs are the highest in the business, and the chef is fiscally responsible for controlling them.

People also tend to forgive bad service before bad food  

Several days ago, in what then was a tongue in cheek blog post, we here at SBSB suggested that my cat Sparkles, run for UFT president.

Apparently when we were all asleep Sparkles manages to read that post and sat down with me to discuss the possibility. She has spent the last several days contemplating a run and today decided to sit down with members of The Crack Team to announce her decision and share her policy points.

Here now is the entire "presser" held by Sparkles, with myself offering the translation from cat talk to English, completely unedited.

Sparkles, you called us to your home today telling us you have a major announcement. What is it?

I have decided to throw my hat in the ring and run for president of the UFT

Which caucus nominated you? In fact which caucus are you with?

Careful there bub. I have yet to be nominated. I find it presumptuous to nominate oneself or even influence others to nominate me.

As for which caucus I am aligned with, that would be the MORE caucus. You can say I represent teachers that are cat owners. 

And just what is it you have done for teachers that own cats? 

I have started the UFT Kitty Alliance FB page (Well I didn't start that someone else did), Don't Tread on Teacher Kitty Owners, I have been there for teachers when they need to talk to someone about their kitty coughing up hair balls, I have begun many websites and list servs as well.

And have you engaged in any picketing in favor of teachers that own cats? 

No. Basically it is a waste of time picketing a school with only 8 people and one of those 8 are wearing a Captain Picard uniform. Picketing is all well and good but basically, without community support, or the "real" media involved, you basically look like a bunch of schmucks out there.

It's better to establish a presence within the school to hand out information extolling the caucus, i.e. when are meetings, people to contact, etc... Also to reach out personally to other groups in the community. Picketing, unless you truly narrowly target where you are picketing, such as an unexpected place, makes you look like a bunch of schmucks. 

Now mind you, there are cat owning teachers that have been discontinued, brought up on 3020-a charges, are being harassed, but empty gestures can only raise their level of expectations which in the end will disappoint them.

So all these social media pages have they affected any change within the DOE or the UFT?

You're joking, right?

Why do you expect to be nominated?

I don't. If I do, fine, if I don't fine. Democracy rules. I can honestly tell you there are people more worthy than myself to be UFT president. My owner has listed them here.

Speaking of which, I feel blogs have more (Pardon the pun) influence and more reach, at least the popular ones, such as Ednotes, Chaz, NYC Educator, SBSB, Raging Horse, ICE, DOENUTS, than picketing and all that stuff. The above blogs are what the people read!

Some say that James Eterno will be nominated. What would you do if he is? Will you put up a fight?

I will graciously step aside and support James. Remember, anyone can own a restaurant not everyone can be a 5 star chef and it is the chef that brings in the people to the restaurant.

And on that note James once made me a liver, chicken and cheese påté that was to die for!

If James is not nominated and you are, would you offer James the position of UFT Secretary?

I don't know if James would accept that job. I would like to have James be my closest advisor, much as Clark Clifford had been to many presidents. Anyway I am thinking of having my good friend, Bill the Cat be secretary.

Editors note: It was at this point that Sparkles got distracted by birds flying by the window and then she decided to clean herself. 

And if you are nominated, what can we expect?

You can expect to have someone there to work their butt off for every UFT member there is and I will put in place throughout the entire UFT only those that will put members first. I will not have an ego, I will allow anyone to come to me if they disagree with me and I will not be vindictive, I will not have a hissy fit, and I will be mature with those who are of independent thought.

Last question, what can the rank and file expect from a Sparkles presidency? 

It will be a union run buy the teachers, for the teachers. If I become president, God willing, I will stand before the rank and file a humbled kitty. That all egos will be checked at the door and that each member of the union is as important a cog in the wheel as me or anyone.

Thank you for allowing me this time. I now want to take a nap. Godspeed to all. 

And there you have it. Sparkles threw her hat in the nominating process.

Interesting read today on the ICE blog by James Eterno. James lays the case out very well and makes some very salient points. Most of the comments on the blog supported James as well as some who threw hissy fits.

But James got me thinking. Who else is there--other than any presently declared candidate(s)--that can do the job of UFT president, do it well, do it for the rank and file and not for glory, have the EQ for the job, and truly be able to influence and play nice with those in power?

Actually to tell you the truth I had been asked this last week by a wayward ATR who has been buying packets of Kool-Aid for when the Big Day comes. It was a pleasant enough conversation though the ATR was shocked that on July 1, 2015 (Nine months before the election) there were no other candidates.

So The Crack Team assembled and came up with a list of capable UFT members who can do the job of UFT President better than whom is in office or a candidate for office. Oh, and someone who is not afraid to walk into a school uninvited o stick up for a teacher.

It was a long and arduous 10 minutes for The Crack Team but they decided just in time to be able this afternoon's Judge Faith.

So in no particular order and not saying anyone is better than anyone else here is a list of possible.

Patrick Walsh  Calm and well spoken but won't be afraid to ride his bike up the steps of a school and stick up for a teacher. Besides, old school Irish. We know he will fight the good fight.

Chaz The Blogger Very, very knowledgeable  and knows a lot of people. Speaks to people at the UFT without having to intimidate them.

Norm Scott Uncle Normy. Need anymore be said?

Peter Lamphere NOW, this is someone I know will know will not be one iota hesitant to walk into a school. This is all you need to know about Peter. In my RR this year there was an extreme Right-Wing ideologue who told me that of all the people in the NYCDOE if he was ever in trouble again the one person he would want at his side would be Peter.

Mike Schirtzer Yeah, Mike. I have had differences of opinion but I see things differently. I was so so wrong. 

Julie Cavanagh If you don't know why it is sad.

Arthur Goldstein Very well know. Very well spoken. Many of a lot of respect for him. Has been on the big stage writing guest columns for the Daily News. He is out there. Leads a school of about 2000 teachers. Dislikes Ruben Brosbe.

James Eterno Has run before know how to go about it. Thinks the problems through. Is not rash in decisions.

Camille Eterno I want to apologize for sitting in front of your club sandwich at the diner. I just had a brain fart. But I think you would make a great UFT president.

Mindy Rosier I have never seen someone fight for so many at so many different places. How the heck does she do it? 

Carmine Ragguzi The retired phys ed. teacher from my school. We need a paisan as a union leader.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard No, not really him but the teacher at the last DTOE meeting I had attended that showed up dressed as Picard and had the odor of a Klingon. Hey, this guy can win if he keeps thinking he is Picard.


Fredo Corleone He's smart. He's not dumb like some people say. He just wants something for himself.

Sparkles My cat

My Rubber Room Anyone there would qualify. 

Bruce Springsteen Now there is a true boss. Even though I think he is overrated.

So what we got? 15 names or so? And let's not forget about 79,884 other UFT members out there.

This is yet another story from the files of "You Can't Make This Sh** Up!" A continuing series of the most boneheaded moves from NYCDOE upper echelon.

Today's story is another in the long line of ATR abuse. The ATR (Absent Teacher Reserve) in question is of course a veteran teacher, The Crack Team believes she is over 40, and just wants to do her job. The story is in her words and comments are added by The Crack Team.

The story revolves around how this ATR was late twice by late than 30 minutes and the principal at the school had decided not to just deduct the time from her CAR but rather give her two unexcused absences with the subsequent 2 says of docked pay.

Principal says she has to call legal about my being late 2x payroll Secy put it in as unauthorized absence 29 minutes and says I'm being docked I called the school each time said I was stuck in a construction area on union tpke she not only didn't give me any transportation delay form to fill out she didn't even put it in my car as late instead put it in unauthorized because if you're under 30 minutes total lateness you're okay so I explained this to the principal who said she's calling legal for two lastenesses under 30 minutes and I called she said she wants phone records from me to prove it.......prove this.

 Hasn't there been quite a bit of construction on Union Tpke in Kew Gardens near the Van Wyck of late?

Why not give the transportation delay form? What's the big deal?  But phone records? Why not get the phone records of the school. Surely their bill has numbers of who is calling in. 

I told the principal I would look up my cell phone record..I asked them for the dates..I have one date and the call..the other one I"m not so sure..and I also never knew about a 'transportation delay form'..but if they want to go 'legal' go right ahead. Both latenesses were under 30 minutes.

 These people don't want anyone to know of the OP201 form.

Payroll secretary lambasted me in front of the staff in the office again..screaming..Everyday it's something else with you..I'm like..you really need to chill out..I"m asking you about my timekeeping..you put in 29 minutes as 'unauthorized' absence on my CAR..I showed her the print out..and it blew her feeble mind apart.

Yeah chill out! Here's the thing. The secretaries take on the personality of  the principals. Of course if you come to a school for 5 days you are not into the flow of things there and need to go to the one other person besides the custodian who knows what is happening in the school. 

But how is 29 minutes get you docked for the day??

 But why not got to the CL of the building? Some comments of the CL from time spent in the building.

union rep who I reported to the UFT office for telling me that I'm a 'guest' at his school and he 'doesn't have to represent me'

I had already been ranked out by the UFT chapter chair in the school earlier.

No wonder ATR's need their own chapter. ATR's, reach out to James Eterno for advice and assistance. He is an ATR, ran for delegate at the school he was assigned to and won! He is fighting for the ATR's to have their own functional chapter. He's a real mensch and it'll be good to talk to someone.
  
This stuff has got to stop. The union and it's leadership is enabling this crap.  

For those watching us get screwed yet again in Albany and having Mulgrew crow that it is a victory for teachers, don't wave your angry fist at Unity for they are not alone in the enabling of mayors, governors, principals and testing corporations.

Don't forget the puppet opposition, the hand maidens, the Washington Generals of education labor unions, the New Action Caucus.

But first some background.

Many years ago there was real opposition to Unity (If I am incorrect about anything please let me know). There was [Teachers for a} Just Contract Caucus - tjc and New Action. Mark Schulman of New Action was a VP on the executive board. New Action was picking up steam [ losing steam -- that's why they did it] when Randi Weingarten made a deal with Schulman [in 2003 for the 2004 election]. She had told him that if New Action did not run anyone in opposition to Randi then New Action would be guaranteed the 6 high school seats  on the executive board. Unity didn't run for those seats --
this spurred people to form ICE - including defectors from new action like James Eterno. ICE and TJC combined to win all 6 seats, leaving New Action off the board for first time in a decade. In the next UFT election - 2007 -- Unity put 7 NA people on the Unity line so they could win.
in 2010 and 13 NA got 10 seats on the Unity line Yeah, they were bought off.

The heretic actions of New Action caused a rift and out of the rubble came ICE. New Action became nothing other than a "co-op" opposition to Unity, appearing to be another voice, yet voting and agreeing with Unity in lock step, just as the Washington Generals have been treated by the Harlem Globetrotters all these years.

But the difference between the Washington Generals and New Action is we all know the Generals are there to lose. New Action acts like it is the loyal opposition but in reality is nothing but a bunch of sock puppets.

I have had my disagreements with MORE in the past, but I will give MORE this. That when approached by New Action to work together MORE more or less told NA to take a hike and to come back when their symbiosis with Unity is renounced.

Hey, just look at the New Action blog. See any similarities in their stand and Unity's?

I can not in good conscience support any collaboration with New Action nor should anyone. If you are having a difficult time deciding, take a look at our work conditions, the contract we were subjected to, the state of education. We also have New Action to thank for this.

But you don't have to take just my word. Read Ednotes. Check out NYCEducator, here, here, and here. And Peridio Street School.

New Action is Unity. New Action is not to be trusted.

Vote ICE in upcoming UFT elections. Robert Van Winkle seems to think it is a good idea.