If only the gym teacher were a principal. If her was then he could be incompetent, a sexual harasser, insert his tallywhacker into copy machines, put relatives on payroll, steal, commit perjury, force people to attend their own church, recruit teachers for bible study in the library, and do whatever and not lose their jobs. Better, nine times out of ten they get removed to a cushy desk job at Tweed.

But gym teacher Brett Belsky played 20 minutes of Fortnite with two students and he lost his job. All Brett wanted to do was to make a personal connection with a couple of troubled students and give them an incentive to due better in gym. His heart was in the right place. There was nothing nefarious.

Now, is Fortnite social media? The Crack Team reach out to the only person who could answer this question, my 17 year old son. My son when asked if Fortnite is considered social media unequivocally exclaimed, "Fuck no!" He then went back to playing Madden online with his friend who is several miles away.

Facebook is social media. Twitter is. So is what's left of Myspace.

How is playing 20 minutes of Fortnite any different Belsky played catch with the students after school? Or if he saw the students in the corner bodega after school and bought each of them a Coke as reward or incentive to do better in school? Hell, we bribe kids every day with the promise of some prize or tchotchke every day. What Belsky did was no different.

But SCI got involved.They found cause the Belsky did not follow the DOE's own social media guidelines. But not only is there anything in the guidelines pertaining to online gaming, the guidelines only mention social media of which Fortnite is not!!

But for some reason the arbitrator decided that teacher with a spotless record for all of his eight years in the DOE must be terminated. That the way to deal with a mistake. Screw over someone's life.

Belsky did make a mistake. There was no malice and children weren't endangered. His heart and soul were in the right place. In a 3020-a hearing the arbitrator does and must look to see if the teacher's conduct can be changed and if there is remorse. I doubt very much that Belsky contradicted this.

To make matters worse, SCI has come out and...

suggested that the DOE clarify its employee “Social Media Guidelines” to make clear that teacher-student gaming is out of bounds.

So now the guidelines need clarifying? It goes to show that the guidelines were already vague when it comes to gaming. How can someone get fired if his investigators are already agreeing that the "rules" were not clear?

The arbitrator, in this case was arbitrary and capricious. Brett Belsky deserves a fair hearing and his job back.

Wonder why ATRs won't go that extra mile or try with all their heart to stay under the radar?

Read on.

An ATR in Queens, and is currently assigned to a middle school, that has had the proverbial DOE bus driven over her several times and suffers from PTSD was given the dreaded white envelope one day in January. It wasn't an envelope filled with fifty dollar bills but rather the "48 hour notice" meeting and to bring along a union rep.

For the next 48 hours, the ATR spent most of the day, both at home and in school, barfing her brains due to the effects of the PTSD and the 48 hours of not knowing what the hell was going on.

The ATR did have the presence of mind to bypass the school's chapter leader and turned instead to her district leader (we here at SBSB highly recommend this route for ATRs unless you have a real all-star as a chapter leader) to represent her in the meeting with the AP.

The day of the meeting came. This is what she was accused of...

Early in January a student meandered into her class along with the proverbial chip on her shoulder happened to be in a feisty mood that period. It so happens that this young lady was looking for an argument and who better to start it with than this ATR who was covering a class.

When the ATR refused to take the bait this student went to plan B. This student then called her a "racist bitch," "you're not my teacher," and the usual early teen anger that spews forth from an early teens mouth

Still, the ATR retained her poise and composure as if she had learned at the footsteps of Emily Post.

The student, ever so frustrated took her anger to the dean and claimed that the ATR purposely hit her in the face with a textbook. This is what precipitated the meeting with the ATR and her AP.

What the ATR did was place four textbooks at the middle of each table for the students to distribute to themselves. At no time were any textbooks or students in danger.

Of the 30 kids in the class, nine wrote statements and only two corroborated what the student claimed. The student and her best friend.

Praise be to some higher deity (be it God or Mulgrew) that this ATR didn't suck down a bottle of Xanax with a glass of vodka or that the students of her class had her back.

Were there any consequences befallen upon this student for taking her tongue and telling a lie? Of course not. Even if the AP or principal wished to there is nothing in the NYCDOE discipline code saying lying and being dishonest is wrong. And just as an aside, nowhere does it say that admins that lie are doing bad. Only teachers. Go figure.

What to do? The Crack Team suggests that this teacher and any and all teachers in the future that are falsely accused by a student is to take them to court. Hire Bryan Glass and sue the parents.Hell, represent yourself if you don't want to hire Bryan. Let the parents pay for their own lawyers or if they fail to show you get a summary judgement.

But thanks to the last 15 years of hatred of teachers in the media, of politicians, and nationwide, students have learned that teachers make inviting targets.

One more thing, OSI and the AP know before hand that the kid is full of shit, Yet they let it drag on. Name them in the lawsuit as well.

This story might seem trite, but it is true, and worse, it shows the true colors of one of the de facto leaders of the MORE Caucus (no, it is not Myrie). Let's call this person Paul LaRue for arguments sake.

Last February we had a meeting, a changing of the guard if you will, of the incoming steering committee members (of which I was a member of) and the outgoing members as well as other MORE members to witness the last peaceful change of steering. The meeting was at the CUNY Graduate Center of 5th Ave, and it went pretty well. None of the incoming members were able to portend the coup that in my opinion Paul LaRue was plotting that day.

After the meeting had ended we decided to head across 34th St to were some socialist organization or some organization was holding a rally for the striking West Virginia teachers. We all decided to go. I was curious to see what this was all about and I wanted to show support for the teachers of West Virginia even though I could only stay a short time.

So there we are meandering west on 34th St, about 8-10 (maybe a few less) of us. Some walking alone, some walking with others and talking. But we were spread out and I was towards the back in engaged in conversation and Paul LaRue was up front walking solo. Paul LaRue was maybe about 5 feet ahead of me and the others I was commiserating with.

Suddenly, and without provocation, a homeless man jumped out in front of our little pedestrian caravan. Just as Paul LaRue got within earshot the homeless man asked for money. I don't recall if it was for spare change of a few dollars, but it was for some currency. However, I did hear the homeless man even though I was a few feet behind Paul LaRue. And, I wasn't the only one that heard the pleas emanating from this man who was down on his luck, someone else had.

What I saw next I must say I was aghast and sickened. Paul LaRue looked down and continued walking past this homeless man as if he were invisible, didn't exist, or worse, just some annoying noise of the city that one must ignore.

As for myself and the person I, was walking and talking with, we heard the man and acknowledged him as well. Not only did we spare him some money but gave him a couple of smokes as well. I don't know if this man was more grateful for the smokes or the money.

But the sight of Paul LaRue just completely ignoring this man was sad. This is a man who time after time espouses the socialism, which as I see it is to for sure help those who are most down on their luck, but instead acts as if he is Scrooge McDuck, the world's most capitalist duck.

I guess the homeless man couldn't help Paul LaRue advance in the ISO hierarchy or make Paul LaRue shine brighter at that very moment. Maybe if there were cameras and microphones Paul LaRue would have at least put a crowbar into his wallet and give the man a shiny new dime.

This just continues the two faceness, the hypocrisy of the MORE Caucus leadership, notably, when these sanctimonious actions emanate from the double headed ruling de facto junta of the MORE Caucus.

But on the other hand, should we be shocked at the actions of Paul LaRue? The homeless man was treated just as the rank and file are treated by the MORE Caucus. Nothing more than an annoying noise that can be ignored and at worst, tolerated. West Virginia teachers? Supporting that helps your ISO score. Helping the OT/PT/s yeah that help, but only when there's a self-serving opportunity.

Is it not time for the good people of the MORE Caucus to rise up and overthrow the de facto leadership of the MORE Caucus? Why not? Rules seem to have no place at the MORE Caucus and people can create rules as they go along, no? Perhaps when the MORE Caucus has much less votes than it did in 2016 will the masses have their eyes opened.

One thing that scares me (among many things) about Donald Trump is is total blind support for Israel. I put him in the same boat as others of the Far Right sharing Trump's near sycophantic support for Israel. I take their support with a grain of salt and don't trust those on the right to do the right thing by Israel as well as Jews in the US and around the world.

Why? One reason is there true agenda. For many on the Far Right, in particular the far out crazy Evangelicals, their support of Israel is there for one reason. To eventually see the destruction of Israel and for the second coming of their Lord and savior Jeebus to come reign over the world again and send the heretics like the Jews to hell where they really believe we belong. They paint themselves as supporters of Israel and Jews but in reality they are not. Their support for Israel is purely about themselves and their agenda.

Then there are the crazy Right Wing politicians who are just too stupid to form any clear basis of an opinion of Israel and Jews but go along with what the crazy Evangelicals believe because they are just too sycophantic and dumb to form their own opinions.

Then there is Trump and is ilk. Again they go along with the Right Wing politicians (and a former HS social studies teacher of mine) and are seen among Jews but have been known from time to time to share their bigotry of Jews publicly. But they enjoy showing that they are attuned to Israel and the Jews.

Are these people anti-Semitic? Maybe. At best they're just using Israel and Jews for their own dirty work. But there is one thing that I do know.

All the above that I mentioned are no friends of Israel nor Jews. They think they are, but they are not. In fact if anything, these types are nothing but shameful opportunists who along with some token Jews by their side continuously bogart their way into matters they truly have no real altruistic concern over.

So enough of this. And now for something completely different. Or maybe not.

The MORE Caucus team photo has just come out.

I have been a delegate to the UFT Delegate Assembly since October. To tell you the truth, it's pretty boring. One good thing is getting to go to Zabar's once a month. I park my car on West End Ave and take the train down from 79th St.

So during the resolution part of this past DA, the MORE Caucus, yet again, shows how completely out of touch they are with reality and the rank and file.

There was the typical stuff, all good mind you, supporting LA teachers, museum workers, and of course the federal workers. But then Dermott Myrie of the MORE Caucus had to open his mouth with his reso for, yep you guessed it, support of Black Lives Matter.

From Arthur's blog...

"UFT should support as part of action for cultural institutions. We should implement restorative justice, have ethnic studies. Week of action February 4-8. We have to rebuild union from bottom up. Resolved UFT will make demands on DOE to undo systemic racism"

OK. There are problems in the NYCDOE. There are problems across this country with people of color being targeted by the police. I support what BLM is trying to do. I do have a problem with BLM concerning it's stance towards Israel. But someone must speak out against how people of color are continually harassed by law enforcement and yes, BLM does give a voice to those who need it most.

BUT, the UFT Delegate Assembly is not the place for it.

Again, the MORE Caucus, as it is presently configured, must be there first and foremost for the rank and file of the UFT. This is no gray area. This is an absolute. Yet, the MORE Caucus repeatedly doesn't get it, or worse, doesn't give a shit. I tend to lean towards the latter.

Time and time again the MORE Caucus, particularly the de facto leaders of the MORE Caucus (Dermott Myrie is one), seem to just seek the approval and acceptance of the International Socialist Organization. Don't think for a moment that the ISO is not the puppet master when it comes the MORE Caucus. Orders are given, acquiescence is shown.

Is the MORE Caucus running a full slate? Doubtful. Yes, there are officers running but two are of these are fully controlled and aligned with the ISO, most are no names, and then you have Oswald Cobblepot. One officer though, does have their shit together.

Exec boards? Who? Last The Crack Team has heard the MORE Caucus is just planning to seek seats on the at-large exec board. That's a lot of seats to fill for a caucus that is shrinking faster than George Costanza after he left the cold pool.

Though, the MORE Caucus does have a selling point. Desperate for people to run on their ticket it has been reported back to the The Crack Team that the main selling point the MORE Caucus uses on people sitting on the fence is basically, "The troublemakers are no longer part of the MORE Caucus."

I guess the MORE Caucus considers anyone who speaks their mind, doesn't toe the official party line, and speak out against ex post facto "executions of character" a trouble maker. As one of those trouble makers who stood up against those who characters were being assassinated and for speaking out against rules made up on the fly I am proud.

A pee wee football team as a better chance of beating the Patriots in next week's Super Bowl than does the MORE Caucus have in beating Unity in the upcoming UFT election.

It is time for those who are running the MORE Caucus and those who are culpable in it's desecration to slither away and not be heard from again. It's time for the grown ups to clean up the mess.

As was previously speculated  on these pages, and confirmed all within the last week (here, here, here,and here) Arthur Goldstein and Mike Schirtzer are running with the Unity slate for HS executive board. But that's not all. There's more exciting news!

The intrepid Crack Team has also found out that Mindy Rosier is also running on the Unity slate for the elementary executive board. What you may ask does all three have in common? Yes, they were all members of what remains of the MORE Caucus, with Arthur and Mike currently on the exec board as part of the MORE/New Action Slate.

Know what this reminds me of?  Way back in the 70's when Charlie Finley, the owner of the Oakland A's, was too cheap and stupid to keep Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, and Gene Tenance and thought that replacing them with Mitchell Paige, Wayne Gross, and Jim Tyrone would suffice.

I have no qualms nor apprehensions about the kind of job or impact that Arthur, Mike, and Mindy can and will do. Ethically they are above reproach. Do not think for one minute they are selling out. All three have said (And I know this to be true) that they will retain their independence. I am grateful that Arthur will still be there to record and share what happens during each executive board meeting, that Mike will hold Unity's feet to the proverbial fire, and that Mindy will work her ass off like no one for the rank and file morning, noon, and night.

I was planning on boycotting this year's UFT elections. I am unable to vote for Arthur and Mike, but able to for Mindy. Mindy has my vote. And seeing who New Action runs, thus far Mindy has my only vote.

The Crack Team and myself wholeheartedly endorse Arthur, Mike, and Mindy.

The DOE is still at it.

Whimsically destroying lives and careers.

It doesn't matter if you are about to become a parent for the first time ever. "Fuck that shit!," the DOE thinks. You are about to experience the birth of a person you have partaken in giving life to. So what if you have to worry how you are going  to take care of that baby.

You are the sole person with the health coverage, and a child is being born? Again the DOE says "Fuck that shit!," as you ponder if you and the baby will be covered for the birth and for the pediatrician visits in the future.

You gave up your career, rolled up your sleeves and not only earned a bachelor's degree but a masters as well. What do we hear from the DOE? "Fuck that shit!"

Walked into some "Kafkaseque" that in all your time of student teaching you couldn't even imagine? Well to the DOE that is "tough shit!"

As the wheels of the bus trample over you once, twice, three times and more? That DOE driver behind the wheel of the bus says, "Deal with the fucking tire tracks."

That new car you wanted? Yeah, it was supposed to be an SUV, but you went for practicality and that suburban look as you recently dropped bucks on a minivan. "Fuck you," will say  the DOE buyer when you sell it at a loss.

The white house with the white picket fence that is a dead ringer for the house that Wally and Beaver lived in that you planned on?  "Ain't going to fucking happen," says the DOE realtor.

"Hey, where is my mentor?" you ask. "Mentor? You don't need no fucking mentors," the DOE blabbers. "We're the DOE and we own your ass. We have the power to ruin your life at the snap of a finger."

This is where you have to tell them to fuck themselves and plant your feet firmly in the ground. It seems dark. It seems hopeless. But stay strong.

Remember, "fuck them!"