We Get Mail: An Adult Ed Teacher Asks: Where is the union?

The DOE lawyers who surround Mills in the consultation room postpone, delay and cancel. We expect that. What we don't expect is the UFT leadership's complicity in dragging its feet...

The email below is in response to the recent post:  Adult Ed Superintendent Rose Marie Mills targeted veteran teachers over age and they sue - UFT Mum.

Another article in the NY Post just came out about Rose Marie Mills, the Superintendent of Adult Education. The DOE just had to pay out $ 362,000 for a disability discrimination lawsuit for an employee at the Office of Adult and Continuing Ed (OACE). Every time an article comes out the question from elected officials and the press is, " Where is the union?"

Last year we had 28 U rated teachers. Mulgrew told us at an emergency meeting he called in October that he was not aware of the "severity of the issues in OACE " and that the UFT would be actively involved in the adult ed issues by having LeRoy Barr and Dwayne Clark attend our consultation meetings.

Rather than a help, they have been more of a hindrance. This year we have 29 teachers " trending towards " a U rating. This is more than last year. The rate of adult education teachers receiving a U rating is 20% and seems to be rising. This high rate of U rated teachers is because Mills demands it from her principals. She was heard telling her principals, " I want blood!" We keep asking ourselves, " Where is the union?"

With the UFT's help this year, we have only had TWO consultations this entire year, one in March and one in April! The DOE lawyers who surround Mills in the consultation room postpone, delay and cancel. We expect that. What we don't expect is the UFT leadership's complicity in dragging its feet. Rather than being outraged that we have only had two consultations they go along with it. It is in our contract. Are they grieving it? No! The question we keep asking ourselves is " Where is the union?"

For SIX long years we have had to deal with an abusive superintendent who has hired inexperienced and fearful administrators to carry out her anti-teacher tyranny. She has driven out almost all of our seasoned experienced full time adult education teachers. All along we have agitated and met with the UFT leadership pleading with them to do something. We are still asking ourselves, " Where is the union?"

Even though we have consistently publicized our issues at the UFT Executive board meetings and written countless letters to Mulgrew we feel that our union has not responded in an effective way. Isn't the union supposed to protect its members and stand up for its members' rights? Most of our chapter members have given up hope. Some have taken their concerns to city and state elected officials and to the press since the union has been so lifeless and unhelpful.

As these elected officials listen, in horror, to the stories about what has been happening in adult education they always ask, "Where is the union?" Mike Mulgrew, if you ever come out of that big curtain you are behind, I would like to pose a question to you. Mike, when I am asked, " Where is the union?" what do I say?

Signed,

A sick and tired adult ed teacher on behalf all the other sick and tired teachers, the forced to retire teachers and the fired teachers

Just take this one point:

• Mulgrew told us at an emergency meeting he called in October that he was not aware of the "severity of the issues in OACE "
• For SIX long years we have had to deal with an abusive superintendent 

 We know that these issues have been brought to the UFT leadership time and again over 6 years.

Here's the story: Mulgrew is putting his eggs in playing ball with DOE admin and allowing the DOE to run rampant over the rights of teachers.
 
Afterburn
See a similar attack on the vet teachers at Forest Hills that I posted yesterday morning -- more on that story and what happened at the Ex Bd meeting later.

Abusive Principal Ben Sherman: Forest Hills HS Teachers Issue Declaration of Independence