Congrats, Chaz - and I say this as someone who refused to march in Staten Island because of Sharpton's presence - you're now officially identified with the gentrification/White Backlash wing of the UFT and teaching profession.... I hope you continue to feel the same crush on your NYPD "union brothers and sisters" if/when one of them is called upon to investigate/arrest you, based upon the claims of some vindictive Principal or student. See how much "solidarity" they show you then... Michael Fiorillo
On Tuesday Wear Blue To Support Our Fellow Union Members In The NYPD. - Outside of our union leadership, the ultra-leftist elite, and racial arsonists, there is a groundswell of support for the police ..Instead of calling for wearing blue how about calling for police to get PD like teachers are forced into so they learn how to treat people who are agitated, or mentally ill in a manner we teachers are expected to treat people - because when we don't, expect someone in blue to cuff you and take you away.
Well if people are going to get ridiculous, so am I. So much for the MORE bashing crowd for supposedly not defending teachers - so quick to jump on the NYPD bandwagon. Show me one time Patrick Lynch and the PBA has come to the defense of any teacher? Exactly who put Portelos in jail for 30 hours? Did Lynch say a word?
I left this comment on the blog:
Your friends the police came to my old school when the principal trumped up a bogus charge on a teacher who in sitting a girl who ran out of the room repeatedly in her seat - yes 5 cops in the middle of the day - they didn't even look at the child - took the teacher out in handcuffs and didn't release her till the middle of the night - when she called me - a social justice guy - for help - and yes, me a social justice guy did help - arranging press for her and taking her to ex bd meetings. In essence you are attacking me and defending the cops who will arrest your ass in a minute. Ask Patrick Lynch if he did one thing to defend teachers who are under assault. It is we social justice people who believe in the defense of people wronged - teachers, students and parents and yes, people who are choked to death. I wonder if it was one of your students who was lying dead in the street if you would feel the same way. Instead of wearing blue wear handcuffs.I've heard all kinds of excuses for excessive police response. "They vus just following orders" - I thought the Nurenberg trials took care of that issue.
I guess I was scarred politically by racist police early on when I and a young female vista worker were coming out of a community school board meeting c. 1971 where the District 14 community, with 95% of the kids being black and brown, rallied against a school board controlled 7 out of 9 seats by whites, including 3 from the Satmir Hasidic sect - they had such interest in the public schooling of black and brown kids.
A cop car slowly drove by and slowed down - "N-gg-r lover" they called to us. I would have said something but I might have ended up choked. So I grinned and bore it. And if they had choked me the PBA would have defended them to the hilt. And if I had gotten their badge numbers and reported them for the slur do you think much of anything would have happened to them?
Maybe things have changed. But maybe not. A neighbor, an Irish woman and former teacher in her 70s just a week or two ago was talking about the arrogant young cops she has run into when her car or her daughter's car has been stopped. "They have no respect," she said. "They think their uniform gives them the power to do anything and treat people anyway they want."
Instead of calling for wearing blue how about calling for police to get PD like teachers are forced into so they learn how to treat people who are agitated, or mentally ill in a manner we teachers are expected to treat people - because when we don't, expect someone in blue to cuff you and take you away.
Yes I have met some good, friendly cops. But there are too many stories for me to jump on the NYPD bandwagon - just like I would never jump on the Council of Supervisor (CSA) bandwagon as another union we have to support.
Go ahead and march for union solidarity with other unions - and other than one time I believe when the PBA joined in - they will be absent.
But when Campbell Brown comes after police version of tenure I will be there to support their due process, which by the way, MORE did in its statement (The March for Justice and Unity) and got slammed for doing that from the ultra-left (The Left and Right Attacks MORE on Garner March Po....).
Since I discovered today that right wing MORE bashers are claiming not to be aware of the slashing at MORE from the left, here is one example:
MORE’s response has been the strangest kind of talking out of both sides of your mouth. MORE promotes photos of a handful of MORE people at the march while at the same time giving credence to the concern that a police officer, who has yet to be even arrested or charged with a crime, should be given “due process.” What?! I don’t understand the logic of saying MORE supports the the fight for racial justice while writing such nonsense. I think it is one thing to engage in a debate and discussion within a democratic organization. But then the organization needs to take a position. MORE has not taken a position. Therefore, you side with the police by default.After writing this blog I default the default.
I guess bashing a fellow rank and file union is acceptable in your world but not mine.
ReplyDeleteI imagine you think that some of the rhetoric used about MORE is NOT bashing rank and file teachers for their political beliefs? I may not agree with all of them but I do not belittle them. I may be too libertarian for you -
DeleteOkay, this is just confusing. I can't tell who is writing what. And the colors are not helping.
ReplyDeletered is usually identified - stuff I don't write.
DeleteTeacher against teacher. This cannot be good. This country is on high alert, so lets
ReplyDeleteThe teachers who wore those shirts did NOT do it when class was in session, nor should they. But they expressed their support and the only reason it got into the papers, and if this isn't true, please correct me, is because Mulgrew heard about it and sent out an email. Not sure if it was a mass email or only to that school. But the bottom line is that we all dress appropriately for school and don't bring our personal beliefs to the classroom.
Teachers are being vilified, and frankly the union has done very little about that. And that should be our concern.
Frankly I am angry with all teachers for not getting out the vote for Teachout (where the hell are those blogs??) and putting a man in office who ordered an attack on OWS when the head of the State police did not think it a necessary action. Cuomo threatened him with his job if he didn't follow orders.
I am angry at a mayor who promised he would be a friend to the public schools just gave Eva 4 more new co-locations and is now working closely with Rhee's ex husband.
There are so many things we can find common ground on to be angry about. We all need to take a deep breath and
see how deBlasio and the force follow through. Until then, everyone needs to allow the process to happen because this city is on high alert. And today (9-11) of all days is a time to reflect and say on prayer for world peace.