Today is August 16. Staff reports to schools on September 9. Students report in exactly four weeks from today. De Blasio is still in denial.Worse, the UFT is silent. Children are being hospitalized and dying. The principals union, CSA has said it is impossible for their to me three feet of social distancing. Delta is raging through the South. The ignorant refuse to get vaccinated. The entitled whitey whites of the Upper  East Side and Artisanal Brooklyn are whining about their entitled babies having to wear masks in school. Meanwhile, regular Joe parents are shitting bricks about returning in September. There were 750k remote students last year.  I predicted, or intimated, at 350k not returning in September. There will be more than that. Social distancing in schools is a joke. So with all this information one begs to know.

WHAT IS THE FUCKING PLAN FOR SEPTEMBER?

This summer there was no social distancing in the school I was in. Students were right on top of one another. Teachers and students on top of one another. Staff on top of one another. No directions. No guidance. No nothing. Masks being worn at half mast. None of those special air filter thingys in the class rooms. I mean there were a few, but very few. Where is the direction from the UFT? Where is the leadership from the DOE?

The parents of the Upper East Side had a rally yesterday on East End Avenue against mandated vaccines in DOE schools. Geez, these parents are so indicative of the population of the  NYCDOE. Same with the parents of Artisanal Brooklyn. How they whine if their precious children will be traumatized by wearing a mask or dare I say it, learning remotely. Oh the horror. Little do they know their precious children's worst day is a great day for a child living in abject poverty. But what do they care? 

My son goes back to college in Thursday. I feel safe because I trust the plan his college has. The college follows through on its plans. The college gives consequences if the plan is not followed. The DOE only pays lip service to it's plan and gets away with it due to the enabling of the UFT. If I were a parent with a child in the NYC schools, I would not, could not, and shan't send my child to school. I would demand a remote option. 

De Blasio is coming for the students of NYC. He plans on killing them. He has an acceptable death rate before he allows remote. One student dying due to De Blasio is on too many. One student, infected because of De Blasio's false pride, is one too many. 

Parents should refuse to send their students to school in September and demand that there is a plan for remote learning. That the lives of NYC students are more important how an incompetent bozo mayor comes across.

 In the September of 1981 Billy Joel released a live album of his more obscure songs, "Songs in the Attic." The release also coincided with the beginning of my senior year. That June in yearbooks across the country, and at least in Westchester County (including my HS girlfriend)chose the following quote from "Say Goodby to Hollywood..."

So many faces in and out of my life/ Some will last /Some will just be now and then/ Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes/ I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again

Its time for goodbye again to yet another school. And there have been so many teachers faces in the last 5 1/2 years I have been an ATR. 

But more importantly, there have been so many students faces. And this year that's all we saw, their faces. 

I know this remote teaching was put together at the last minute. But I have seen and heard a lot of great things. I think there are plenty of students who for the first time got to be heard in a class. There weren't the behavior problems that we have become so accustomed to. Students who have had a hard time in the past staying focused and staying still in an overcrowded classroom were finally able to have the tranquility they have so desperately wanted so they can learn. 

This year I had been with three different classes and worked with fantastic students. I enjoyed so much working with these students in small groups all day which we would never be able to do if we were in person. 

I worked with a few decent teachers and one great teacher, This great teacher worked with miracles with her students. Her students were not only sharp as whip but tech savvy as well. By the way, we are going to have a generation of really tech savvy kids. Starting with next year's third graders. 

But the students of this class responded to their teacher. They did their assignments. There were enthusiastic to learn. They grew! Emotionally and academically. This is something AARP and Danielson can't show. 

But alas, like Shane left little Joey alone I must to ride off into the sunset. 

Boy, do I feel like a schmuck. I tried to thread a needle. It didn't work. The UFT, the union to whom I give $120 of my hard earned money to dropped the ball. And I am about to get screwed for it. 

Now to clear things up, this isn't a blog post against anyone at 52 Broadway or a chapter leader. Let's just say it has more of a local flavor. 

This synchronous vs asynchronous learning is awash in ambiguity. No one really knows it seems what the guidelines are or aren't. We should expect the administrators to be clueless but not the UFT.

Our story begins on February 22 right after this incident (And boy do I have something more to say!!). A teacher was to be out a week, and I was to cover her 4th grade class. OK, no problem. Up to that time I was teaching with two other teachers. We had 27 students or so and we split them up and we went straight from 8:50-Noon. The students had lunch, and we were asynchronous for the rest of the day. Work would be put up on Google Classroom, and we would be available through Dojo, text, email, GC, etc... In fact at a meeting, the principal had no problem with the schedule. 

So on the Feb 22 when my first day with this class I adhered what I knew. I did 179 minutes. I assumed the rest of my day was asynchronous. No, I was told. In the afternoon I was told that I must be sitting in front of the computer with Meets on and to wait for students to come by if they needed help. After 30 minutes of staring at my face and with my thumb up my ass, I decided to give up and plan for the next day.

NO! I was told, and I met with said person to hash out a schedule. I was told that my asynchronous time was to be concurrent whilst on screen whilst the students are doing their independent work on screen. Not only that, after teaching synchronously for 190 minutes that I must meet afterwards in small groups with students. But, I thought, there are only 9 students in the class. Isn't that already a small group?

At this point I decided to contact the local higher up the food chain UFT. I was told that yes, admins can make you do small groups during your asynchronous time. "Wait!" I said. I have already taught 190 minutes. For 4th grade in February it is recommended that synchronous time should be between 150-210 minutes. Aren't I already doing that I ask? No, I am told by the local higher up the food chain UFT. That is recommended only for students. But if it is only recommended for students would not a teachers screen time be equal to the same screen time as the students? Here is the document I get  referred to all the freaking time. Said document appears contradictory to what I was being told. 

While we are at it, I had been under the assumption that remote teachers can set their schedule in consultation with admins. I was told I was incorrect (Someone care to clarify?). But, about 15 minutes ago I came across this.

Working remotely necessitates using time differently from a traditional period by period school day. 

In consultation with school administration, school staff must use professional discretion to determine how to work remotely.

My scheduler foisted my schedule upon me. My schedule gave me periods. One, two, three, and so on. What gives?

So off I go to my local upper echelon UFT. Yes, I am told, asynchronous means working live with small groups. I go to my CL. Nothing against CL, but the CL was getting bad information.

I go way up the food chain. I'm told something completely different. In fact the opposite. That asynchronous means you don't have to be on screen that you just be available. Oh, and that the UFT has been successful in complaints regarding this. 

A light bulb moment!! I go back to the local upper echelon UFT. "Let's file an operational complaint!" I was told to go back to my CL. But the tone I got was less than enthusiastic. I put it off.

But in the meantime, the teacher I was covering came back. She had a routine and I guess a schedule and I followed her lead. She did the reading and the math and I covered the writing. But, we had different schedules. I assumed, because my scheduler never said the schedule was for the remainder of the year that the original was null and void. I must work with my co-teachers schedule.

It made sense. The scheduler had me working in small groups from Noon-1:30, however the students had lunch at Noon. That wouldn't work.

So back to the UFT.

I even went as far as having an exec board member ask Mulgrew to clarify synchronous and asynchronous at the March 22 exec board meeting. No dice. Got a twelve word answer.

Finally Saturday night I got the answer I was looking for. But it was too late. Had a meeting with the scheduler and my CL today (I will get into more details about this another time). If the UFT wish to be proactive this could have been taken care of in February or early March.

Or it could have been taken care of if I was one of the callers picked by Rashard during a DA or town hall. I don't have that kind of juice.

I always say I would rather have a dysfunctional union than no union, and I still stand by that. I still stand by paying dues. But the UFT is still acts in a reactive manor instead of grabbing the bull by the balls and not letting go. I am sure I am not the only teacher looking for clarification about synch and asynch. 

The  UFT works for the rank and file not the other way around. We are the customer. Treat as if we are important. It's amazingly simple.

But I thought what the hell. Sometimes someone that seeks attention needs to be exposed for all to see. 

Last week we shared on these pages what Stephanie Edmonds really thinks of unions and her fellow UFT brothers and sisters. This week we will see what Stephanie Edmonds thinks of the Holocaust and her fellow Jews. 

I first wish to qualify that yes, it has been extremely tough on students the last 10 months. I feel for them immensely. I feel for their parents. In fact, I feel for everyone that has been affected by COVID in one way or another. Mistakes and missteps have been made. But neither do I trust the NYCDOE, DeBlasio, or Cuomo one bit in their plan(s) or guess work.  I have not been happy with the way the UFT has handled things, but at the end of the day I am sticking with my union and my colleagues. 

This tweet is from Stephanie (@classdisrupti0n) from early December (CLICK TO ENLARGE): 

 

 

 

Let's just sit back a moment and let this all sink in. I'll wait. 

OK? Done?

Before getting into the obvious issues with this series of tweets, let's focus on the first line where Stephanie proclaims that she is "standing for all Americans." This little pissant fart in the wind is going to stand for all Americans? With only 1,293 followers on Twitter? Kim Kardashian has 68.6 million. As much as I think Kim is useless and would listen and follow her way before Stephanie. Is Stephanie being hyperbolic or does she have some deranged sense of self?I shan't comment and will leave it for the mental health professionals and those in the psycho-pharmaceutical field to determine. 

Next.

Maybe Stephanie does not realize that over 6 million Jews were murdered during World War II for nothing other than being Jewish (yeah, I know that there were the disabled, gypsies, and gay and lesbians killed but I wish to just focus on what hits home to me).

What is your problem Stephanie? How dare you trivialize the Holocaust! How dare you use what your fellow Jews have gone through to advance your politics. You're not even Jewish! Do you know what it is like to be a Jew? Do you know what it is like to know the history of Jews and the Holocaust? Have you lost any family members to the Holocaust? 

Yeah, what the students are going though sucks. But this is the best we got. People are afraid. Parents are afraid. We have a disease that is out of control. I know people that have died. That have been sick. But people, meaning teachers, are making the best out of a shitty situation and people like you are not helping! You have all this time to tweet, to have a You Tube channel, Instagram, and now, a website that sells merch (CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE)!  Every social media site is dedicated to one thing and one thing only. Yourself and your "brand" You don't give one damn shit about the kids. Think I am wrong? Then stop showing yourself off especially when you are handing out donations and freebies. 

The students that are learning remote, in NYC (except for middle schools and high schools right now), are remote because their parents/guardians decided that's how they want their children educated. Stay the fuck out of their business. Focus on your job, not yourself. 

To compare students who are learning remote to the Holocaust? Are students being thrown into ovens? Are their parents? Are the students being used for medical experiments? Are the students being ripped away from their parents? What kind of sick person makes this comparison? 

What Stephanie wrote is beyond the pale. And if you notice the 3rd tweet when given a chance to walk it make she just doubles down. It's all about Stephanie. For a Jew to compare remote learning to the Holocaust is just wrong.

But I am willing to give Stephanie a chance. Stephanie, feel free to email anytime you want. We can have a Zoom or Google Meets meeting. I will bring along several Holocaust Survivors. If you are the person that you claim to be, you won't have a problem sharing with these Survivors what you are comparing the Holocaust to. Or you are more than welcome to speak through Zoom at Shabbas services at my step-mother's synagogue. Probably won't be any Survivors but I am pretty sure that everyone at the service has at least one family member that was killed in the Holocaust. 

Own your words. Put money where mouth is. And while your contemplating your decision Stephanie, have a look at this Auschwitz video. You should be well aware of this!

About this remote teacher vs in person teacher thing happening, we need to be careful. Being home teaching is not all that it is cracked up to be. 

There are other people home, there are babies, there are other children, and pets that need attending. You don't get a real connection with your students. You really can't work one on one. I can go on. But remember this. There wouldn't be remote teachers if there weren't
remote students. Parents have made the choice that they don't feel the schools are safe for their students. That is their right. And it is our right as teachers that are susceptible to COVID to take the DOE up on its offer to teach from home. Heck, there might be even less remote teachers if the DOE had a real plan back in September. 

We don't need the New York Post to fan the flames. We don't need the ignorant politicians and neo-liberals to create shit storms. Worse, we don't need one of our own to knife teachers in the back.

 We don't need a 4th year non tenured teacher with a fake Bronx accent throwing teachers under the bus.

The Crack Team found this tweet by Stephanie Edmonds (@classdisrupti0n) of Bronx Law High School at the Theodore Roosevelt Campus in the Bronx. Let's have a look see.I believe this tweet was on or around December 12.

Wow! So Stephanie agrees that we, I would assume the rank and file of the UFT, are privileged? Privileged how Stephanie? Privileged like having everything handed to us? Privileged having grown up in one of the toniest areas of Fairfield County? Privileged to go to an exclusive boarding school for high school? Please, explain. We don't understand. Most of us were only born with a plastic spork in our mouths. We don't have yachts on Long Island Sound.

As for as I know, I, and every single remote teacher is doing their ACTUAL job. You're doing your ACTUAL job too. You are remote. Are you better than us? Know more than us? We're in the same boat. But I am sure you're still looking down your nose at "the remote teachers." 

Denial? Excuses? What am I in denial of? What are other remote teachers in denial of? I'm not denying that this situation is rough for all involved. That it would have been better to have had a plan had its genesis back in March. I, nor my union brothers and sisters, are unable to control the incompetency of Mayor De Blasio and Chancellor Carranza.

Are we (and again to be sure we are talking about remote teachers) making excuses for remote teaching? Stephanie, answer this question. I spoke to a colleague over the weekend I had taught with back in 2003. Our children used to play together. She is remote. Why? Her daughter, the same age as my son, has cancer. When one has cancer the immune system tends to get messed up. My friend sought, and received, an accommodation (thanks to UFT Solidarity and Bryan Glass) so she would not have to worry about being in a school or the Bronx. Avoiding a situation in which she could catch COVID and, God forbid, infect her daughter. 

Speaking for myself, I am type 2 diabetic. My BMI is where it should be as is my A1C. But I am 56, and for some weird reason don't wish to die due to COVID. Maybe if I was 30 years old I might think differently. But I am not.

Deflection and blame? Again Stephanie, (check your scorecard, we are still talking about remote teachers) what is it we are deflecting? Explain yourself. Who are we blaming? I've been with the DOE 25 years. There is incompetency all around. I'll blame De Blasio and Carranza. Try your know it all energy on these two dunces.

Yeah, the UFT has been wishy washy and inconsistent, but the mayor and the chancellor are the ultimate fartheads. 

You know Stephanie, when I started teaching I was told to keep my mouth shut and my ears open. Sadly, it's been the opposite for you. Perhaps you should concentrate on teaching instead of what you think is a quasi-media empire on You Tube.

Want to curse the union all you want? Go right ahead I'll be there supporting you. But attacking teachers, your union brothers and sisters, your colleagues, on social media that's just wrong. Do it privately. 

But what's most disturbing is this attitude you have of knowing it all. You know jack. You are in a situation you never were in before. You think you are "down" with your students? Think about what they are saying about you in Spanish. 

Don't think you have cred because you believe you teach in the South Bronx and are the reincarnation of Mr Kotter. You're not. Remember this from September...?

You do not teach in the Boggie Down Bronx unless you teach in the South Bronx. But Damn! There it goes again!! People coming in and changing things!

You're on Fordham Rd. That is not the Boogie Down Bronx. 

Lastly, Stephanie, get rid of the phony Bronx accent. You're from the country club set of Connecticut, you should sound like William Buckley. 

Would love to hear from remote teachers in the comments section. Please keep it unprofane and professional.

In this corner we have remote teachers. In the other corner we have in person teachers. And in the center of the ring we have the New York Post stirring the shit pot and and pitting teachers against one another. 

This story, which myself and The Crack team believe was planted by the DOE starts off, not with a teacher kvetching, but rather a DOE official. Chances are it's some ass kissing,
narcissistic,  incompetent (And if male has some serious physical Freudian shortcomings) administrator with serious people issues.

 Article starts off....

“Teachers who work in-person are all raging right now,” one DOE official said. 

“They’re all pissed because they feel they’re getting the short end of the stick in here everyday getting exposed while people are sitting home in their jammies,” the staffer seethed. 

“I just feel they should be forced to come back [after getting the vaccine]. Right now there’s many people before them that are in direct exposure that should’ve been entitled to receive the vaccine first.”

Who says they are raging? Where is this DOE official getting this from?  If this source is an administrator, are they quoting some pimply face, runny nose newbie teacher whining that they can't boogie down in Manhattan anymore? 

But to say we are all in our jammies? How gauche! In fact, how unoriginal. Claim we're all in our underwear. At least lie that way. But seriously folks. We get up, we get dressed. We eat breakfast. We go to work. My dad worked from home from the time I was in 3rd grade. Not once did was he at his desk or on his phone in his jammies. 

How do you know that there aren't remote teachers that want to come back to work? Duh. But it won't happen as fast as some would like. From what I have read (And I could be wrong) it could be 3-4 weeks before before one is at full immunity. And that's after the second shot! Lest we forget 4 weeks go by between shots. That goes for everyone. 

One Brooklyn teacher said the request to “wait for further guidance” hasn’t stopped remote workers from signing up for the booster. 

“Remote people are already scheduling their appointments, they had the luxury of being home and were able to refresh [the page] and find appointments today,” 

Yeah, it hasn't stopped remote teachers, and it shouldn't have stopped unnamed Brooklyn teacher. As I stated on Sunday a SBSB groupie shared a link with me Saturday night around 9:30. Unnamed Brooklyn teacher had the same opportunity. Unnamed Brooklyn teacher had all day Sunday to sign up. Did unnamed Brooklyn teacher sign up? Nope. 

You want something bad enough you do it. In 2007 my then 6 year old son wanted a Wii for Christmas. I got up at 4 AM and got to Target by 4:45. I wanted to get it bad enough for him. See how it's done? 

The same unnamed Brooklyn teacher continued to whine... “Remote people are already scheduling their appointments, they had the luxury of being home and were able to refresh [the page] and find appointments today,” the teacher, who works in-person, griped to The Post. 

Again, where were you on Saturday night and ALL DAY SUNDAY? There is no one you could have entrusted to sign up for you? This couldn't be done on your lunch? Prep? Whilst on the commode? Excuses and whining is all this unnamed Brooklyn teacher can do.

And lastly, an administrator came up with the whine of the day:

“Wish I could give my spot to my mom who’s [in her 70s],” the administrator said, calling the vaccination system “not organized.”

My 79 year old step mother signed up Sunday and received shot on Monday morning. Enough said. 

The DOE said “employees working remotely have been directed to wait for further guidance.”

We're not waiting for further guidance. Why? We suffer from heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, etc... If we don't have suffer from these, then a loved one we live with suffers from these ailments. We are not doing anything wrong, illegal, or unethical. We are following CDC guidelines which the UFT and the DOE agree upon. For those whining about teachers teaching remotely, do you really think it is that easy? Walk a mile in our shoes before you complain. Oh, and I don't wear my jammies but I usually walk around in socks. Last week I stepped in a big wet hairball deposited by Sparkles.  

And let me add. Any teacher who that is in a building and does have one of the CDC comorbidities, you have the right to go ahead of any able bodied teacher as well.

But in retrospect I think it was the DOE all along that wants the teachers in buildings to get vaccine and the UFT went along with it. Sound familiar? Why spend time and medicine on the sick? Just separate the teachers as we get off the 4 train. Those that can work go to the right, those that can't go to the ovens. 

I have no intention of becoming a statistic. Nor should anyone become a statistic. Whether able bodied or with a susceptibility. I don't want to wind up on this list nor do I want to see any teachers on it as well. I know people on this list. My dear friend Chaz is on this list, and I miss him terribly. 

If you are a remote teacher, or a teacher in a school that is vulnerable, you have every right to get a shot NOW. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones. You are no good to them dead. I was raised to believe that we help our most needy and most vulnerable ahead of ourselves. Doesn't the time call for this? 

This Post article was clearly planted by the DOE to sow division amongst teachers and to discourage remote teachers to get vaccinated soon. Perhaps the DOE is wished us to die off? 

There is enough crap on Twitter and social media, by NYC teachers with fake Bronx accents stabbing remote teachers in the back with wacky theories and what not. 

Oh, it'll help if the UFT gets involved in this. Maybe at tomorrow's DA?

 Oh, I wanted to share my experiences with remote learning, the lack of anyone at my school who is able to remotely (pardon the pun) coherently explain what to do with all this technology we have on our laps, or other issues the UFT is not being proactive about. But then the New York Post rears it's ugly head again and gosh, gee, once again it is time to defend teachers whose actions are taken out of context and maligned. 

Oh, Sue Edelman, I am sad. I thought you was cool. Or getting cool. Or at least
were in the process of leaving the Dark Side. 

On Sunday, November 7, 2020, the Post in an article penned by Edelman uncovered (as one can be certain by the same quality reporting chops and without reproach ethics that the Post has shown towards Hunter Biden) that (HEAVENS TO MURGATROYD!!!) two, yes TWO, teachers appeared to be teaching unconventionally. 

One teacher was caught on camera teaching from the back seat of a car. Or as Edelman "reported"...

“She was teaching class like she normally does, but she was in a car,” the student told The Post, asking to remain anonymous to avoid repercussions. “I was, like, ‘Hey, my teacher’s in a car.’”

But the student did not hear nor know of why the teacher was in the car. Interesting. And neither did Sue Edelman. 

Could it be that the teacher was out for lunch (Sue, is it OK for teachers eat lunch?) and her car broke down? And, being the dedicated teacher she is she went on her phone in an Uber? That certainly is plausible. Or there could be a myriad of other reasons, no? 

Another teacher, according to Sue's "reporting"...

an English teacher "conducted a lesson while reclining in a hammock in his backyard as his own kids played", the student said.

According to the student the teacher ...

"...was in a hammock interacting with his kids during the lesson,”

So the teacher is in a hammock. Prove he was. Interacting with his children? Ages of children? What is context of the interacting? Again Sue, what is the context? Was this teacher contacted? Was the previous teacher contacted? 

Gee Sue, my cat has a colon issue. If she splatters cat doody on the walls, should I just do nothing? I mean I do have a co-teacher. Or should a teacher not do anything if a loved one they live with suddenly starts dying? Or what to do about a crying baby? Or a fire?

Please Sue, don't compare the ethics of NYC teachers to the people at the Post who decide to take a washed up mayor's word on what is on a hard drive. There is a big difference. 

It must have been a slow news day to just out of the blue vilify to teachers for no reason at all. 

Sue, I am disappointed.