So no real action from the top but I know some Chicago teachers will take individual action - no heavy loyalty oaths.
I'll be posting multiple times today if I have decent wifi - including updates on what I am picking up about the Debbie Poulos story I reported on the other day, a story that got over 4000 views.
If looking for good summaries of Day 1 check out my fellow bloggers who are much younger and have better memories:
AFT Convention 2016 – Day 1
Clinton at AFT--Let's Learn from Public Charter Schools
Who'd have expected Hillary could push "public charter schools" without a whimper from the AFT crowd?
Arthur and Jonathan are tweeting all day so follow them at teacherarthurg and jd2718x.
My more rambling Day 1 comments are here: #AFT100, #AFT16: Waiting for Hillary, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting... and finally she's here
Randi came over to the press area after Hillary's speech yesterday but the national version of Unity - Progressive Caucus - was having a meeting in the hall and it was loud and drowned out what Randi was saying to reporters -- the minor disruption got way too much attention by the few reporters who bothered to hang around and we didn't even bother staying or asking Randi anything.
I found it funny that Progressive Caucus had no security this time when 6 years ago Washington Sanchez and Leroy Barr tried to throw me out when they didn't see my credentials. See my reports from AFT2010.
Heck - I realize how in depth I covered AFT2010 and how lax I am this time.
Anyway, hack to last night - we found Gloria and Lisa and went to the reception where we ate as much crap as we could stuff in - and then hung around the ballroom to chat until they threw us out at 10PM and we caught the shuttle back to the hotel where we all received milk and cookie (delicious but only one each).
MORE has a leaflet to give out which includes the fact that we have no delegates here at all while Unity has numerous retirees - former Unity functionaries. My story on that issue was here: MORE Going to AFT Convention Taxed but not represented - Joining 12,000 Non-Unity Voters.
We got up early, had an early breakfast and Arthur started blogging and tweeting while I twiddled. I went out and found a fedex and made a few hundred copies of the MORE leaflet and also some copies of the Unity leaflet attacking MORE.
Got here with Gloria, Lisa, Gladys and Arthur - picked up some swag - bags and Hillary tee-shirts for my wife. Got to press section - which is in front and off to the left today - Unity stalward Patti Crispino was the Sgt at Arms - interesting how so many Unity people love being Sgt at Arms at these events. I have my theories.
Debate began -PSC's Barbara Bowen amended a reso but I was busy writing this and didn't follow carefully - it caused some controversy - Bowen cowtows to NYSUT Unity in exchange for opportunities to get her political positions into resos at the AFT and NYSUT RAs.
Then a "modest" dues increase of 10cents each year - 10 more cents that the 12,000 non-Unity voters in NYC will be paying to not have representation at the AFT.
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the AFT - and even though the record over this time has not always been progressive -- think of how important it was in 1916 in the midst of a major war and mucho anti-union sentiment. John Dewey was a founder.Lots of good stuff around the race issue. Executive Director of Color of Change is speaking -- and there's a rally and march today at 4PM around the shooting here a few weeks ago.
Am I at a MORE meeting instead of the AFT convention?
As James Eterno always says - it is hard to out social justice Randi - at least on the surface. There are also a hell of a lot of black Unity delegates here who must roll their eyes when white people in MORE run against them as THE social justice caucus.
He is now introducing Patti Crispino as leader of LGBT community - OK - I can say stuff about Patti's history as a Unity --- I won't use the word today in the spirit of the day because I support Patti's efforts in this area. I'm feeling the Unity.
Patti makes a great speech -- and introduces Kimberley Colbert, a St. Paul teacher at the school attended by Philando Castile, whose family Hillary met with yesterday before her speech. Kimberley lays on some heavy stats on the toll on black lives. She tolls through the cities that have had mass shootings as funereal music plays and reps from those cities come to the mics and say the names of the city out loud.
Some real in depth talk of white privilege - heck, is Unity/Progressive Caucus matching MORE on race issues? I think that is great - let them also be the social justice caucus of the UFT and the AFT -- their problem is they don't do the other stuff they should be doing real well - like defending the contract.
Back to business - and lookee here - Racial Equity Reso.
A Chicago teacher wants change in language - calling for actions that go beyond just making a reso. Let's see what happens here.... she is white and talking about race in a passionate manner. Looks like a loner from Chicago ..... can she be connected to BAMN?
Now comes Yvette Felarca (she's not black) - from BAMN - who has run against Randi in the past and is trying to do so again this time -- they call themselves equal opportunity caucus -- outside there were gathering signatures to run a slate against Randi/Progressive caucus - she mentions her caucus and Randi says they don't talk about caucuses - we are one -- if I had had lunch I would spill it --
She supports amendment.
Here comes Randi shill Keith Johnson retired Detroit Fed of T president who joined Randi years ago in the initial sellout - he is obviously going to oppose signalling the Unity horde Randi is opposed to amendment.
Old Unity Jeff Zahler - rises to support original and oppose "actions" because they are not specific -- so as usual they want words but no action -- now debate closed on amendment -- will be overwhelming defeated -- and it IS shot down.
Another black union delegate supports original reso.
Anthony Harmon - also black and UFT local 2 - rises to support reso. We all like Anthony. He served on AFT task force on racial equity.
More people rising -- CTU officer Michael Brunson - who is black rises to add an amendment but out of order -- takes vote to close discussion so Michael doesn't get to make amendment.
Time for lunch break.
But first - special orders of business for this afternoon.
BAMN wants special reso for this afternoon.
Must be printed and available to convention one session before. There will be 3 for afternoon -- endorsement of Hillary, racial justice and the BAMN reso.
Off to lunch - back at 2:30.
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Gotta go make more copies of our leaflet to give out this afternoon as delegates enter.
Afterburn: I have some updates on the Debbie Poulos situation and emerging theories of why she is being moved out of the Brooklyn borough. They had to create a new position for her I hear - and I wonder what the salary will be given that borough reps make some of the top salaries in the UFT hierarchy.
Back later.
9 comments:
Anyone suggest a resolution on "Blue Lives Matter" - given the recent mass murders of our union brethren police in Dallas and Baton Rouge - or is that hopelessly reactionary?
Why don't you post stats on number of black lives lost and number of blue lives lost per year over the past 25 years. If you find the numbers are even close then it is not hopelessly reactionary. You walk down a street and a black guy walks down the street. Who do you think is more likely to get stopped? If you could triple your wealth but had to turn into a black man would you do it?
I'll take that as a 'heck no' on a 'Blue Lives Matter' resolution. Mass shootings of cops in Dallas and Baton Rouge notwithstanding.
When I post numbers of black lives lost should I include those killed by other black men or just those killed by police? I'll do both so we can look at those stats and redefine 'selective outrage'.
Your other questions were really cool.
Start with black guys killed by white people and white guys killed by white people. And do white guys killed by black guys and black guys killed by black guys. Feel free to include lynching numbers over last century. Do you put a higher value on one life over another or are they all equal.
And feel free to answer my question as to whether you'd change places with a rich black man because your answer is at the heart of this debate.
How many blacks are getting ambushed in cold blood? Yeah blue lives matter. One of the Louisiana cops was black.
Why not just answer questions. Do you value blue lived more?
An interesting question. Ambushed by guys trained for combat in US military. Imagine what is lurking right now with thousands of military of all races damaged by war and who knows what can happen.
"Blue Lives Matter' has nothing to do with race. As you might know, cops come in all colors. Just thought you might want to honor them in a gesture of union solidarity. Given the two recent massacres.
(I did note you immediately deflected/defaulted to some sort of a racial death contest. Not everything is race, class, gender you know).
(This is ANON 4:35, 4:50).
Listen. I live on a block with current and former cops and take yoga classes with female cops. I support them all the way and don't automatically assume cops are more racist than teachers. I think most cops like teachers do a good honest job. I
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