So through this summer and into September the MORE Caucus was advocating for either; a) 100% remote learning or b) a strike so there would be 100% remote learning or c) anything else as long as MORE was seen in a positive manner. None of what they overtly wished for came true. However, they did take credit for the version of remote learning we have now. But remember this for later in this post how they wanted the buildings closed.

This year has been toughest on the students of New York City. I can only speak from my perspective (I am co-teaching remotely in an elementary school). But I see the students in the students who do not have the proper devices, the students in shelters, the students with no structure nor support at home. It is tough and it sucks. 

I see it with my 19 year old son, coming home in March and having no structure and going to online class in his underwear. His grades were not great. There are also students who are thriving in this remote style learning. The boring and binding shackles of the school day are off and they can finally learn at their own pace. 

But what we can not do is to paint a picture with a broad brush. We do not know every story and we can't say because they are white, or they are of color, or because one is a member of this or that social class that X, Y, or Z will happen. 

That is unless we are talking about MORE and what it has become.

Nice. Aren't we trying to get above this MORE? Oh, please MORE, this is wrong and you know it. Want to say whiny little bitches, people that are out of touch, assholes, go right ahead. But this is not right.

We here at SBSB showed this tweet to one of The Crack Team's honorary members. This is what this member had to say; 

"MORE wants all remote which hurts black kids and parents who need work plus shelter kids. But since higher percentage of black parents keep kids home they play the race card that it’s the  white parent demands influencing de Blasio decisions which is partially true as they fear losing white parents" 

Several things pop into my head and the The Crack Team's response.  

MORE is and will always be opportunistic. It's like group narcissism over there. Whatever will benefit MORE in shining that positive blue light upon them that's what matters. They will say something on a Tuesday and contradict what they said the day before.

MORE also still is of the mind set that all people of color (Blacks and Hispanics) all have the same experiences, the same life stories, and the same wants and needs. Depending on your whether you are Puerto Rican or Domincan, African-American or Jamaican. (I can go on and on) Not every one of DOE's minority populations can be painted with the same brush. MORE, thinks they can do it. And their paint keeps missing the canvass. 

Why does MORE still proverbially continue to step in what the dog left behind? A couple of reasons. They are a top down, cult of personality organization. They have eradicated all democratic norms since the infamy of the Purge of 2018. And too many white, liberal, young teachers who teach at small, good schools. 

These younglings are mostly new and non tenured teachers that are in their 20's thinking they know what is best for boys and girls of color even though most of them have never socialized with people of color until they moved to Brooklyn on mommy and daddy's dime. They think they know the urban culture, they think they are down. They act all hip and down, but they're not. You can't be that way when you are shopping for artisanal mayonnaise. As one SBSB group put it, "Spend time in the BoogiedownBronx, and then you can talk!" 

With tweets like the one above how does MORE intend to sell itself as a viable alternative to a Unity run UFT? Yeah, it must be nice for the MORE upper echelon to feel like Jim Jones at a MORE meeting with the younglings sitting in awe. But that is not a way to build a caucus nor would it be a way to run a union. Do teachers that live in Staten Island wants to know or read such tweets? In Westchester? On Long Island? How is MORE showing any teacher it can lead and more importantly, make the right choices and decisions? 

MORE represents .005% of the rank and file with that tweet. They need to start worrying about the entire rank and file. But not to worry. It will never happen.

Black lives matter!

For those who like to claim that BLM is racist, or not caring of other lives, that's bullshit. If we say, "Save the Whales," does this mean that all other sea creatures do not matter? Does promoting breast cancer awareness mean that other cancer do not matter? Of courts not!

Better, where and how does wanting to save black lives, lives that are disproportionately being  snuffed out, be anti-cop? When too many black citizens are being shot and killed for driving while black, for walking while black, or just being black, what should a people do?

I am not anti-cop, anti-law enforcement, etc... There are just some f***** things happening of late. Can one be pro- cop and pro-black. It's simple.

But I won't paint all cops with one broad brush. As teachers we must not. We hate it when we are painted with that broad brush and to do so to any other profession is just morally wrong. The vast, vast majority of cops are good, are hard working, and are there to serve honorably. They don't deserve to be lumped in with the shoot first mentality of those cops that are besmirching the profession.

Say what you will about MORE, but you can know without any shadow of a doubt that MORE is aware that it not only serves it's members but the communities in which we teach in. Both go hand in hand. I differ on some of the tactics, some of the time spent on some of the social issue causes but at not time would I ever doubt anybody at MORE in what they feel in their heart about doing the right thing.

On the other hand we are still stuck with UFT Solidarity "caucus" and it's tone deafness to reality. You see, UFT Solidarity has a new patrón, NYC Council failedf candidate from Queens for the 23rd district, Joe Concannon.

From: Bozo T Clown
Date: July 12, 2016 at 9:12:14 AM EDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: [DTOE] Send school corruption issues to Joe Concannon

Joe Concannon, who is running for City Council in Queens, is collecting school corruption stories. You will remain anonymous and he will take the info to try and remedy from the political angle. See message below.

Joe Concannon, a failed Republican State Senate candidate and current president of the Tea Party-aligned Queens Village Republican Club, is the main organizer of the burgeoning anti-de Blasio protest effort. The retired NYPD captain and former Giuliani advisor is a close ally of Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch. Lynch generated national headlines — and cheers from rank and file cops — when he claimed that de Blasio “has blood on [his] hands” just hours after Ismaaiyl Brinsley murdered Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu.

I really wish I can make this shit up. Sadly, it's all too real.

This past Sunday night, September 6, my phone rings. Who can it be as I walk to the phone. Lo and behold I am getting a phone call from UFT Solidarity. To what honor, I wonder, am I worthy of such a call?

I allow the the call to go to VM for I know that I really don't like the way I sound on recording (Amongst other reasons). Let me hear what the VM says and will make any decisions from there.

I don't get a VM, but I do get a text from UFT Solidarity which reads;

"Hey what's up? Just called you. Seems like you want to tall and get shit off your chest. Call me if you do."

An intriguing possibility. Yes, I wished to sit down and talk but one of us would have to be at the sit down wearing nothing but a Speedo and be subject to a cavity search.

I go on with my evening, go on with my Labor Day and then last night, out of the blue I get another unsolicited text which reads;

"Sucks that it has come to this, but I am suing you (Emphasis mine). I warned you many times."

Dang, just like Alex Forrest UFT Solidarity goes 180 degrees in the other direction.

I was laughing so hard I responded;

"Good luck! I have no idea what you'll get from me but I wish you all the luck in the world and Godspeed."

And this response;

"There are several remedies the judge can order. I guess like everything else time will tell."

Wow! I did not know that UFT Solidarity is an Asia fan.

To top it off a member of MORE got a phone call from UFT Solidarity last night and was told that MORE was going to be sued due to the fact that I was acting in the capacity of MORE.

If I was a follower of UFT Solidarity I would step back and take a good hard look at what I am getting into. There is something seriously askew here and must wonder if the path that I had chosen is the right path.

I doubt these are the values of UFT Solidarity followers.

Sadly, I have to disagree with NYC Educator naming his dog, Julio, to run for UFT president. Yes, Julio is neither a sociopath nor a megalomaniac but aren't those qualities we, the 80,000 members of the UFT, truly looking for in a UFT president?

For those looking for a self centered, self absorbed, sociopath, megalomaniac, "me first", candidate for UFT president I want, nay I must, nominate my cat Sparkles as not only the nominee for MORE, but the presumptive UFT president as well come July 1, 2016.

Sparkles only has two interests in this world. Eating and sleeping. Oh and being UFT president. To get anything she will manipulate anyone, anytime, and anyhow.

When she is hungry she will come up and rub her head in in your hand or against your face. Never mind that she does this while you are sleeping but what does she care. She knows that you will melt for at that moment you think that you are the most important person in her life and you have no problem waking up at 5 AM to pop open that can of Friskies for her.

But don't cross her. For if you do not wake up when she wants you too she will jump up on top of your dresser and start knocking things off until you do wake up and just to be sure you are walking to the kitchen to feed her will nip at your feet as you walk.

Sleeping? That's something you better not mess with her. You come home from a hard day's work or it's bedtime and you want to lie down in bed. You set up the pillows, the blanket, maybe a book you lay down and turn around to do something and you know what? When you turn around there she is lying in your spot--already curled up sleeping-- and your only choice is to move her. But what does she do? She saunters back and bogarts that spot again. Remember, it's all about her.

Sparkles also likes to suck you in by turning on her back and exposing her belly to you. She acts all cute and purrs inviting you to come and rub her belly. But noooooooo. What happens as soon as you give her that belly rub? You will grab your hand and start biting it as she kicks your hand with her back feet. She's so sneaky.

I think what we need as a UFT president is a cat that only has their own intentions at heart. Sparkles is just the cat to lead the UFT for years to come.

Remember, when you UFT ballot comes, vote Sparkles for UFT president. She will be running with the rest of the MORE slate.

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.

First let me share, for those who don't know, that I am a Jew. It seems important in this conversation, but from what I have been reading it is. I am not a Lower Eastside Jew, wait I am. My paternal grandfather and his family first lived on Ave C and 9th St when they first came over in 1903. Eventually they moved to the Bronx and my grandfather was quite active in Tammany Hall. Oh, and during prohibition ran booze down from Canada and after that sold Slivovitz out of the trunk of his Buick that my great grandfather had produced using my 6 year old father and his 8 year old cousin to smash the plums in the bathtub in his apartment on Walton Ave in the Bronx.


I also have some tried and blue Communists in my family. A cousin, the actor Howard Da Silva (He played Louis B Mayer in "Mommie Dearest" and Ben Franklin in "1776") was a Communist and blacklisted by Joe McCarthy.

When my dad's uncle went off to Berkeley in the mid 1920's, it was Howard Da Silva who turned him onto Communism. My great uncle was soon ushered out of the State Department just before WW II, moved to China after the war, fell out of favor with Mao in 1949, and moved to Rome where he lived until his death in 1977.

My great-aunt (My grandfathers sister) said to me about 20 years ago (This coming from a 91 year old short Jewish woman) "I'll kill anyone in the family that doesn't vote for a Democrat."

Oh, before I forget, I lost family in the Holocaust. My maternal grandmother's uncle (As well as her brother in law. He married her sister!) died in the Lødz Ghetto in 1941 along with his wife and his children. His name, Maurcy Trébacz, one of the most famous Jewish-Polish artists of his time.

So, enough of the bromides, M'kay?

But I am not writing to share my life or make my life the center of this blog post, rather I wish to share why I am disappointed with MORE and fear for it's future.

First, there are some very good people with MORE. These people are able to see both sides of the issue and able to listen to others. These people want to see MORE (As do I) be able to overtake Unity and take control of the union. But the perspective is that MORE will much rather deal with this "Social Justice" mantra than deal with the fact that TEACHERS ACROSS THE CITY ARE HURTING AND IN PAIN AND HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN.

Francesco Portelos was arrested and spent 33 hours locked up (And let's not forget this). My story. Christine Rubino. Jeff Storobinsky. ATR's? And let's not forget the countless stories that come into my email and DTOE's each and every day from teachers being harassed, belittled and discontinued.

Where is MORE on this? Not to be seen of nor heard from. Nothing. Nada. Bupkus.

When it was suggested that MORE picket and/or have a presser in front of Sam Pirozzolo's optical store, it was met with an extremely tepid response.  

When I suggested to someone at MORE  that they should have had someone or people picket the 84th precinct when Portelos was arrested (It was known several days in advance of Portelos' pending arrest) the answer I received was. "It will look stupid."

But how did I get to have this audience with such a person? This MORE person called me up, on a SUNDAY, and without even saying, "Hey Pete, this is *******," went into such a tirade, that the senior citizens at the CVS I was at were not only able to hear this tirade and imagine the frothing at the mouth from this person, but were blushing.

Yet, teachers do not get support, yet Con Ed workers do from MORE? Why do ConEd workers on strike get attention and teachers don't? Oh yeah, "Well if we show them support, they will show is the same." A lot of people are still awaiting our blue helmeted brethren.

But MORE has no problem supporting the march of a race baiting, anti-Semite while not supporting the cops and the NYCPBA? Edited for the crazies (IN RED) who forgot what I had written  a week ago: Firstly, what happened in Staten Island was wrong. Do I think that people of color are treated differently by than others my some NYPD officers? Yes. Does this effect the way the community interacts with NYPD? Yes. Should the UFT have supported this march? No way.

The UFT showed it's hypocrisy in supporting the march for the act of one police officer. We as teachers are broad brushed day in and day out by the acts of a very few. We are railed against, beaten down and left on an island without any support. By making this march about the UFT's involvement we have put the 99% of officers of the NYPD who do the right thing in the shoes we don't like being forced to wear by outsiders. And.... The UFT could have showed it's support for the community in other ways than endorsing this march.

We as teachers could have been asked or encouraged to go out into that Staten Island community and found common cause with the citizens. We as teachers have been subject to heavy handed tactics by Tweed and worse, SCI. We, both teachers and the Staten Island community have been affected by the last 20 years in this city of a top down, heavy handed, oligarchy, near police state by our elected officials and those at 1 Police Plaza. Oh yeah, the old, "What have cops done for teachers?" But then what have ConEd workers done for teachers?

When I bring this up on the MORE listserv what happens? I get a phone call, while I'm in Chicago going to a Cubs game, telling me to cool it. This smacks of if not censorship, but rather being told to toe the party line.

I want nothing more (Pardon the pun) to see MORE succeed. But it is trying to be too many things to too many constituencies. MORE must concentrate on the teachers, the schools, the students, and education and only then will the social justice aspect fall into place.

MORE needs to show the same fervor for teachers that are mistreated and shat upon that it shows for others. It needs to be GEOGRAPHICALLY more (Again, pardon the pun) inclusive.

MORE, has a perception issue. It is real and there are a lot of people that feel this way. And this are not pro-unity, pro status quo people. These are people that truly are searching for an alternative and feel that MORE can be that great alternative but these people just have far too many qualms and concerns about MORE.

It's too bad that they don't truly see that.

I have been reading MORE's demands for the new contract and find most of it pretty logical and to the point. But one thing is lacking.

Where is the demand supporting teachers with mental health and substance abuse issues?

We live in a country that;

Major Depression Disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.

Anxiety Disorder affects approximately 40 million American adults ages 18 and older, or about 18.1 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have an anxiety disorder.

Dysthymic Disorder affects approximately 1.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.1, This figure translates to about 3.3 million American adults.

Panic Disorder affects approximately 6 million American adults ages 18 and older, or about 2.7 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have panic disorder.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder affects approximately 7.7 million American adults age 18 and older, or about 3.5 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have PTSD.

Alcohol Abuse; 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems.  

So one has to figure that of almost 80,000 teachers in NYC, that statistically teachers skew towards the general population and fit the above numbers. 

Yet nothing is done. There is no help for teachers, for staff that are facing the above DISEASES. Yes, the above are diseases. The above are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Yet, teachers and staff are left to go it alone. No support, no where to turn for help, and no one to admit it to. We can't even trust who we consider our "best friend" in our schools.

Yeah, we all know the old argument, "We can't let these people near our children." Then if so, any parent suffering with the above diseases should lose their parental rights, no? Or even better, why can the NYPD offer services to its own?

NYPD offers two services that The Crack Team know of. There is the Early Intervention Unit which offers peer intervention and support. For police officers suffering from the disease of alcohol abuse there is what is known as "The Farm," in which police officers are given the chance of rehab.

But, and please this is no attack against police officers, cops carry guns. Not just regular hand guns, but other weapons as well. A cop is your first line of defense or your first line at the criminal justice system. Do not cops carry the burden of "your life is in their hands?" Just as important as the jobs teachers do, and possibly even more so.

Yet we all the pressures over teachers over the last ten years, all the top down pressure put on them, the abuse, mental and physical, where can a teacher turn to? Where is our support system other than being told to "suck it up and deal with it?"

There are too many teachers swimming against the tide, too many teachers who feel isolated, to many teachers that are drowning inside, too many teachers that are crying for support, for a friend, for help starting the next day and nothing is being done.

Teachers are no super heroes. We have real feelings and real emotions. If you prick us, do we not bleed? Or are we supposed to keep our blood inside?

For the UFT and the DOE to work together on this would be groundbreaking. That's why The Crack Team is calling on the MORE caucus to lead the way in adding this onto its contract demands and to bring this up in the next DA.

We are our brothers and sisters keepers.

Come one, come all to the first MORE Happy Hour in the Beautiful Bronx this Friday night, March 8, 2013.

Come with an open mind and hear what we have to say. There will be no hard sell, no commitments asked. But. I guarantee you after you hear the shit I have been through and my colleagues have you will go MORE.

Tell the guys at The Clock Bar Frank Sinatra Jr sent you and get a free glass of wine. j/k

MORE Bronx Happy Hour
Friday, March 8th 4 - 7pm

The Clock Bar, 112 Lincoln Ave., btwn Bruckner Blvd. and 134th St. Just take the 6 train to 138th St-3rd Ave and walk down to Lincoln Ave or hop the Bx15 which stops in front of the bar!
www.morecaucusnyc.org

The UFT Elections are just around the corner, and the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) is running in the elections!  We aim to to build a fighting, democratic union that vigorously defends public education.  Our current leadership squanders our union dues on bloated officer salaries, double pensions, and more.  They depend on back room dealing and compromises which have steadily eroded our working conditions and our students' learning conditions.  Instead we will funnel these squandered resources to mobilize the rank and file fight for a fair contract, against evaluations based on standardized test scores and for quality public education for all students.
Come join us for a discussion about the elections and how to build for MORE.MORE Bronx Happy Hour
Friday, March 8th 4 - 7pm

The Clock Bar, 112 Lincoln Ave., btwn Bruckner Blvd. and 134th St. Just take the 6 train to 138th St-3rd Ave and walk down to Lincoln Ave or hop the Bx15 which stops in front of the bar!

Google Maps
 
www.morecaucusnyc.org

Like Popeye eating a can of spinach, or A-Rod shooting up some HGH, I felt reinvigorated driving home from yesterday's Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) meeting.

I admit I was skeptical about the movement, in fact any movements, and sadly I said as much on these pages. I was wrong, I was mistaken.

As I am heading up the West Side Highway on my way home yesterday afternoon I place a call to a friend of mine who has been an ATR for the last 3 years. I figure that as an ATR he can help distribute MORE flyers to a different school each week. He is a valuable cog.

For the purposes of his anonymity he shall hencforth be known on these pages as Teacher X. The small talk at the beginning of the conversation relating to the new configuration of Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers, and Ron Greschner are omitted.

Me: So the reason I am calling you is to ask what you think of the UFT and Mike Mulgrew

Teacher X: The UFT and Mulgrew can go &*!@# $%$ )*  #$**###!!

Me: Really? Why do you say that?

Teacher X: Because Mulgrew is a #@$(!@@ ###&@ !@!$. The %*&$@^$^$ sold us out and does not care for us. Let's see Bloomberg do what he is doing to teachers with the cops. You would see Lynch on TV so fast blowing a gasket against Bloomberg it would make your head spin. The day after there would be at least 30,000 cops protesting in a rather loud manner at City Hall.

Me: (And I got this idea from Accountable Talk and the MORE blogs) Are you better off now than you were three years ago?

Teacher X: %^&# no!

Me: If you could vote out the current UFT leadership would you?

Teacher X: YES!

Me: Did you know there is a union wide election coming up?

Teacher X: No.

Me: I'm with MORE and we have a great slate of candidates running against the current leadership. Would you consider voting for them?

Teacher X: YES!

Me: If I supply you with flyers can you put the flyers in the teacher's mailboxes at the schools you go to? This is legal but please be sure you only do it before or after school and during your lunch.

Teacher X: YES!

So there we have it. One vote of many more to come. But what is disconcerting, and it is just not with Teacher X, is there is a lack of knowledge amongst the rank and file of not only of an upcoming union wide election, but just any information about the union at all. It's as if the current UFT leadership only wants the rank and file to know what the union decides to let it know.

It won't be like that if the MORE caucus wins. The vibe I have gotten from the meetings of MORE is that not one single person involved is there for their own glory. Each person involved with MORE joined because they all see and understand the sickness that has permeated education in the last ten years and all not only want to take a stand against it but to eradicate the sickness not only from New York City but from all over the United States of America.

MORE wants to give a voice and expects to hear the voice from each and every member of the UFT.  With MORE, decisions that effect the membership won't be agreed upon in a back room and rammed through a compliant DA. Like the New England Town Meetings, all voices will be heard and all voices will be able to vote.

Below is the current flyer that is being distributed by MORE. Print it out. Share it with your colleagues. Talk it up with your colleagues. Post the flyer in every social media site you can think of.

The time is now for change.