Sunday, August 3, 2008

Lifeguard Controversy


Today's NY Times' front page Metro story by Corey Kilgannon on Peter Stein who heads the lifeguards' union, relates to a story in Ed Notes (Is the Parks Dept Racist?) on the way the Parks Dept. places lifeguards in Rockaway - lots of them in the wealthy west end, many less in the poorer east end.

Stein was a NYC teacher, as is Janet Flash, his current nemesis. We met with Stein in the 70's when he expressed some interest, briefly, in the opposition to Unity Caucus, but then he moved quickly into the city-wide union hierarchy.

Kilgannon has done some great stories on Rockaway over the years.

Here are some photos I took on Labor Day last year. This used to be the traditional day teachers were at their most depressed, but thanks to the UFT, they were already back at work for two days by then. The UFT does it's best to improve the mental state of teachers - "See, we won a great victory in the 2005 contract. No more depression Labor Day."

But in these pictures, you will see some teachers, after having attended 2 days of PD, trying to decide whether to just swim out to sea as an alternative to going in the next day.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Stein never taught a single class as a PE teacher at IS 223. He and his cronies had no show jobs including his wife. The principal was the Vice Pres of the CSA. Also, he tripled dipped but they never brought charges against that. Vinnie Grippo went after him from Dist 20. An interesting note, Marvin Reiskin now head of UFT COPE Committee,was back in the 80's DR for Dist 20, was Stein's great buddy, but that changed later on. Stein should be in jail I am certain the charges by Ms Fash are true, we wish her good luck. Stein use to live in the Five Town area in case some of the families of the drowning victums wish to look him up.

Anonymous said...

Check out the August 5th NY Daily News Queens section. Another expose of the problem facing Rockaway Beach and the life guard travesty created by the Parks Dept honchos led by Peter Stein