Written and edited by Norm Scott:
EDUCATE! ORGANIZE!! MOBILIZE!!!
Three pillars of The Resistance – providing information on current ed issues, organizing activities around fighting for public education in NYC and beyond and exposing the motives behind the education deformers. We link up with bands of resisters. Nothing will change unless WE ALL GET INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE!
Nothing says "We don't value you or your time" like summoning chapter
leaders to an all-day, unpaid training during their vacation, where
95-99% of what's presented is the same info that's been presented for
the last 5-10 years. The training could be useful for first-year chapter
leaders or someone who hasn't attended in years. For everyone else, it
should be a "Here's what's new" email or 15-30 minute asynchronous video
presentation. -- former Unity member
I
was fired too in June from being a UFT Teacher Center district coach
for absolutely no reason. Directly by racist VP Mary Vaccaro As was one
of my district coach colleagues. So there are probably more firings than
you are aware....anon comment
Thursday Aug. 28, 2025
The NYT had an article about Washington residents responding to the Trump takeover by jeering federal agents. The guy who threw that sandwich is a hero to people.
And also note the people at CDC who quit in protest of the firing. Enough is enough is a sign.
I bring this story up in the context of the Mulgrew firings having a similar impact on people - instead of it's intended attempt to scare people. Certainly many full-time employees are frightened. But that won't keep them from being resentful and acting in ways that will not help the Mulgrew gang.
Last week I wrote about the revolt in District 30 over the firing of Dist Rep Ashley Rzonca that has gotten more views than I've had in years:
Tuesday night I attended a NY Public Library comedy night for teachers with some D. 30 folks and heard about this boycott. (The four comedians were very funny.)
Many D30 CLs decided to take an action and not show up. We registered and cancelled and when asked why we were cancelling we wrote our thoughts....
Leah, who was also fired in June and has led the resistance has a video:
Think about it. If she hadn't been fired she might have not felt as free to do this level of organizing. A smart leadership would realize that. I hear that a few D. 30 CLs did show up but the vast majority did not. Imagine what the chosen replacement for Ashley Rzonca will be facing. The part-time job holders inside Unity may be feeling it just ain't worth it to work in a toxic environment.
Don't forget that the ABC coalition included a number of Unity people who had had enough. Keep an eye on how the Mulgrew gang see keeping the 14%ers in ARISE alive as the standard opposition to counter the rise of ABC. (I will have more to say about that growing alliance - NAC/Unity alliance 2.0? Fact is the Unity defectors will head to ABC before setting foot in ARISE.)
I cam across this anonymous post (we think we have guessed the author) from inside the caucus. While some of my colleagues mock anonymity, I do not. Stay inside the tent publicly but back ABC privately. There's a home for you. I'll let that person do the speaking here to give you a sense of internal disaffection as he/she focuses on the hypocrisy of attacking DSA in January as an enemy within the UFT - and exposing the attack was more about fear of Marianne.
Before
I ever worked for the UFT, I was teaching in a NYC school and I’ll tell
you this much, even my students back then would have seen through
what’s happening right now.
In January, Unity leadership
told us that Arise was basically DSA/MORE with a new name. They handed
out a flyer at the Delegate Assembly warning members about “outside
agendas,” saying Arise was nothing more than DSA and MORE rebranded, and
that we had to protect the union from infiltration. That was supposed
to be the line, protect Unity, protect the union, don’t let outsiders
run the show. Unity writes on the issue here DSA=MORE=ARISE?
Fast
forward six months, and what do we see? Unity leadership looking like
it is cutting deals with the very same people we told members to stay
away from. This “Educators for Zohran” group is stacked with Arise folks
who already lost in the UFT elections. Zohran himself hardly ever shows
up. Instead, it is Jamaal Bowman hogging the spotlight, turning the
whole thing into his personal comeback tour.
And right in the
middle of it all? Briget Rein. Our own City Council liaison. The same
Briget Rein who lobbied against the retiree bill and half ass pushed the
para bill, fully knowing it never would happen. The same Briget Rein
who is supposed to be safeguarding UFT’s political interests at City
Hall is now shoulder to shoulder with Arise at their events. How does
that square with what we told members in January?
Meanwhile,
inside the union, leadership is losing its grip. Members are
frustrated, angry, and demanding more. Instead of listening, leadership
responded by axing a bunch of people tied to ABC, people who, like it or
not, had respect in the schools. A couple are even what I would call
friends. We were told this was about “unity and discipline,” but to the
rank and file it looks like fear and desperation, cleaning house because
Unity no longer knows how to hold the membership together.
And
then there is the endorsement. In July, the DA voted to endorse Zohran
Mamdani. Anyone who has ever sat in a DA run-through with Mulgrew
beforehand knows he never wanted Mamdani. So what changed? Mamdani’s
campaign did not even bother to put UFT on their endorsement page for
almost six weeks, which tells you everything about where we really
stand.
So what are we left with? A union leadership that tells us
one thing in January, does another in July, and by August has Briget
Rein smiling alongside Arise like nothing ever happened. It feels like
some bargain was struck somewhere, and the cost was our credibility.
I
have been Unity my whole career. But this does not feel like leadership
anymore. It feels like scrambling, cutting deals, and abandoning our
own principles. And members in schools see it, they see the
contradictions the same way my NYC students would have.
If Unity keeps going down this road, it will not be Arise or ABC that brings us down. We will do it to ourselves.
You probably haven't noticed. I am not doing too much writing lately. Damn cell phone and internet distractions. I seem to do anything to avoid sitting down and writing. Is it the sitting down or the writing? I can't stand and write. Or I can't stand writing.
My recent writer's block has delayed my commenting on the firings, a
cleansing by Unity Caucus of its perceived dis-loyalists. Mulgrew and
crew, when faced with waning popularity, instead of trying to fix it,
resort to fear and loathing tactics to try to cow potential opposition
into silence and obedience. It might work for some but over time these
tactics alienate people in and outside the club. The attacks on Amy Arundell, going back
years, brought enough people into ABC to make it a viable opposition. The Pissgate story (I hold the actual proof and when I next get back to writing will cover it as the hired lawyer has been asking me for it) has spread far and wide -- even a DOE guy I know with no interest in the union brought it up to me.
As with all authoritarian entities, whether on a national or union level, loyalty becomes more obsessive as the pitchforks coming for the leadership multiply.
A 54% "victory" is getting dangerously close. Rather than look to the reasons for losses of support, authoritarians put the blame on disloyal insiders. Oh, if only they had stuffed more mail boxes with Unity leaflets. Or browbeat people to vote Unity. People who just do their jobs without emphasizing their loyalty become suspect. The most partisan people are the least competent. And incompetents just turn more people off. In the campaign I worked with current and former Unity people who were attacked viciously by certain union officials, which just energized them for the ABC campaign.
Over the years I've joked that Putin uses Unity Caucus as a model for authoritarianism. And Trump certainly seems to be following the same path of loyalty above all over competence - taking it to an extreme. Arthur's latest goes into some detail in comparing Mulgrew/Unity to Trump: Separated at Birth: Mulgrew and Trump--the GOP and Unity .
I always include "Unity" tied to Mulgrew because I think some people make the mistake as seeing the problem mainly as Mulgrew and if there would be a different leader it would be Ok for Unity to control the UFT for over 60 years. And not just to control the UFT, but to fundamentally shut out all opposing voices. Unity with 54% of the vote controls 100% of the Exec Bd and uses its staff to pack the Delegate Assemblies and dominate the amount of time alternate voices get raised. Even at the July 9 Mamdani endorsement, the officers and Mulgrew got to dominate the time, with a few known supportive "oppo" voices included. I think only one or two people were allowed to voice disagreement. This situation has existed in my 58 years of UFT membership through 4 presidents. (Think of that for a minute).
But one area Unity has never seemed to go, at least publicly, has been public mass firings over perceived disloyalty. The recent firings of 6 and then we hear 2 or more and the demotions and warnings issued is a new wrinkle designed to inspire fear (and I bet more than a bit of loathing) inside the Unity tent. Not only won't it work, but it will inspire more internal resentment and opposition.
In particular, the firing of popular District 30 rep Ashley Rzonca has led to a mini - and maybe a soon to be major - revolt of chapter leaders, parent groups, and even politicians. And we might see this revolt spread deeper into schools beyond the chapter leaders.
I attended two events this summer for Ashley, a rally in July attended by over 50 supporters and one last week (Justice for Ashley) as a number of chapter leaders and supporters
attended the event organized and sponsored by the Community Education
Parents, which is striking to see this level of support for a union rep.
I'd bet most CEC's have no contact or idea who the District Rep is.
Ashley apparently threw herself into all aspects of what a district rep
should be doing.
Attendees,
at a bar on restaurant row on Ditmars Blvd, were asked to write letters
of support to local politicians and UFT officials. Imagine city council
people calling for the reinstatement of a UFT district rep. Unheard of.
I had some interesting conversations.
A chapter leader leans over and whispers, "I voted for ABC." A colleague sitting at the same table later tells me if he had spoken to her before the election he wouldn't
have voted for Mulgrew.
The CL told me she did not want to influence her chapter on how to vote. Too bad. Unity people do that all the time. It was great that she voted for ABC but if she had shared the reasons with her staff, I'd bet the school would have gone ABC. Next time I bet she will be more active. And therein lies the major error Mulgrew is making in firing competent and popular staff.
There were a number of chapter leaders at this event who have the capability of bringing their schools into the battle. Now what if Mulgrew changed his mind and rehired Ashley? Would all be forgotten? I'd bet the damage to Unity, in what was a loyal Unity district, will not go away. There are over 40 elementary and middle schools in D. 30.
I do want to make it clear that these people are fired from the UFT jobs and have the right to return to their old school and those not eligible for retirement are doing so. And guess what they will do when they return? Hide in fear of Mulgrew? Or organize - and hopefully with ABC.
Of course the big enchilada in the original June 27th firings was Amy Arundell who ran against Mulgrew. It is not clear what Amy will do now - go back to a school or retire. Either way, she seems up for the coming battles. Would Amy be a force in the retired teacher chapter?
Arthur wrote about the initial firings in June:
Michael Mulgrew went on a revenge spree last week, and his Unity
ducklings got in line right behind him. He fired a bunch of people who
supported ABC. The most egregious of these firings, for my money, was
that of Migda Rodriquez. Migda won office by a 3-1 margin, and
paraprofessionals expressed overwhelming support for her. ... Unity to Paras--Go Screw Yourselves, Arthur Goldstein, Posting after the June 26 firings.
We
heard of more (unnamed) firings at the UFT late last week, more examples of the panic at 52
Broadway over the rise of ABC and the fall of ARISE, the traditional
and favored opposition. You'll note that there has been little or no support for the fired Unity people coming out of ARISE, some of whom attacked ABC for even aligning with ex-Unity, even claiming that ABC was on the Mulgrew payroll as a way to split the opposition. Purity over Trying to Win.
My recent writers block has delayed my commenting on the firings, a cleansing by Unity Caucus of its perceived dis-loyalists. Mulgrew and
crew, when faced with waning popularity, instead of trying to fix it,
resort to fear and loathing tactics to try to cow potential internal opposition
into silence and obedience. It might work for most in Unity but over time these
tactics alienate people inside the club. The attacks on Amy, going back
years, brought enough people into ABC to make it a viable opposition. Look for more to come, either openly or surrepticiously. Depends on how badly they need to hold onto their part time job.
Arthur commented again recently on the initial firings:
On June 27th, King Mulgrew and company relieved five full-time employees
of their duties: Amy Arundell, Ashley Rzonca, Migda Rodriguez, Hector
Ruiz, and, we have learned, the 5th staffer is David Kazansky....
WTF! David Kazansky? David was pushed out of his Teacher Retirement System job after 9 years. Many of us considered him the best of the 3 TRS reps -- a good reason for Mulgrew to dump him. Too competent. Did he ask too many questions? Or question private equity? One day we have to get the real story.
He was replaced by someone who rose to a new level of Unity incompetence, as we witnessed at an RTC meeting where she refused to answer questions and then refused to give up the mic. David landed on his feet by being given a job with the AFT working out of the UFT offices. That was the job he was fired from. Randi Weingarten was technically his boss. The UFT paid his salary. But Randi cannot escape her complicity in the firing.
Caucuses Purge
If
anyone in Unity didn't notice the drop to 54% and the energized ABC
campaign infused with Unity refugees, they are fooling themselves.
Repression, fear-mongering and cleansing engenders resistance. As someone "cleansed" from MORE, I know all about purges. The election proved that purity-based caucuses tend to stagnate.
There are many angles to this Unity purge - a few who ran with ABC and a few who ran with Unity. Arthur in his post addressed the outrageous firing of para Migda Ridriguez, who did run with ABC. Another para, Hector Diaz, Jr who ran with Unity and won an exec bd and AFT/NYSUT rep seat was also fired. Of the original 6 who were fired in June, 3 ran with ABC and 3 ran with Unity. But none of them tried to pee on Amy's photo in a urinal.
The brewing revolt inside UFT District 30 in Astoria is being led by Rzonca supporters with social media influencer and D30 CL Leah Lin, who ran for elementary VP on the ABC slate. Now here is an interesting fact. Rzonca ran on the Unity slate and was elected to the UFT Exec Bd as well as an AFT/NYSUT rep. (Fired para Hector Ruiz, JR also ran on the Unity slate for ex bd and AFT/NYSUT. Kazansky also ran and won for AFT/NYSUT).
What is the common thread in the firings? Certainly not doing a bad job. How about some level of proximity to Amy Arundell?
Leah Lin, as a Unity CL in Ashley's D. 30, defected to ABC and might be one reason Rzonca was fired for failing to use the Unity Caucus whip to keep Leah in line. A district rep who would have tried to scare Leah would be the Mulgrew ideal. Scare Leah? In the roughly 7 months I've known her, no one scares Leah.
So the result of the firings is that Ashley and Leah, two top-level organizers, have teamed up with other D. 30 CL and other teachers to fight back.
One of the most interesting angles in this battle is the involvement of parents through the D 30 Education council. There were officers of the CEC and other parents at the event on Tuesday as they wrote letters to local officials while teachers wrote letters to union officials.
Check out this article on the July 22 rally for Ashley.
Community Education Council 30
(CEC 30) has called on the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) to
reinstate Ashley Rzonca after the union representative for Community
School District 30 was dismissed from her position earlier in the year
for what the CEC describes as “political” reasons.
CEC 30, which represents dozens of schools across western Queens, has launched a petition
calling for Rzonca to be reinstated, drawing more than 570 signature
from local teachers and parents. The Council also staged a rally on July
22 calling on UFT to reinstate both Rzonca to her previous position.
Note: DOZENS OF SCHOOLS.
The UFT has issued a call for a new district rep -- I hope Ashley applied and a smart UFT leadership would reverse itself but Smart and Mulgrew are antonyms. I pity the next District rep.
====
I began to write up the July 22 demo.
Impressive turnout at the July 22 demo at UFT Queens office.
They came by Ubbas, Subways, Automobiles and even AirTrain from JFK.
I was very impressed by the turnout and the impending revolt inside
District 30 (Astoria, Jackson Hts). I saw some Unity people there who I
never would have expected to see. Many are chapter leaders.
I
enjoy taking public transportation more than driving at this point and enjoyed the
trip with the Airtrain to Jamaica where I changed to the E for a few
stops.
I gave up at that point since Arthur covered it so well.
I haven't been doing too much writing - Writers block? Maybe. Actually I have too much I want to write about and end up chasing my tail trying to decide what to write and how to organize it. But I also want to read and watch TV and do stuff. I've been busy. With the UFT stuff in a lull and gardening at a low ebb, I should be doing more blogging. The past 3 months have been loaded with stuff to write about. But I didn't and now am in the weeds. I had to review my calendar because I tend to forget what I did the day before. And I tend to lose track. Did this or that happen yesterday or 2 months ago? So I am going to record in this space what I remember over the past few months so I can check what happened. Looking at this calendar I think I need a rest.
Thursday, August 7, 2025 - Things I should (have) (and may) (and maybe did) write about.
Let me go back to June so I can remind myself -
May 29 through June 1 was the UFT election count - That was an experience I should have written more about. I admit I was surprised at the ABC 32 vs ARISE 14%. I thought it would have been closer. But also disappointed in finishing 22% behind Unity's 54%. I thought ABC would drag more votes out of Unity but didn't see us getting more than 36-38%. If ARISE or ABC didn't run, leaving one slate, I think Unity would still have won, but ABC would have given them a run. Now some in ARISE are admitting they never expected to win and believed ABC would do better than them. So why did they run? It's in their genes (See Sidney Sweeney) and some of them just may do it again next time.
Unity and ARISE seemed to align on criticism of ABC- clearly viewed as a threat. ABC has no formal structure -- but it looks like ABC will continue in some form. The ARISE coalition of 3 caucuses needs to do some deep thinking. How would be break up that 14%? MORE is the biggest in school faction - so give them 10%. NAC is still mostly retirees and also occupies RA - so the 3k votes is worth about 3% while the NAC in school output looks minimal. Give NAC 1%. I heard some inside resistance in MORE to the alliance with NAC -- a poor fit they said -- but they were more interested in RA's potential to bring retiree votes. And they didn't. So where does that put the ARISE coalition? The MORE brain trust would see some kind of alliance with ABC would be more fruitful - and in Sept. 2024 some MORES told us there were dozens who would be willing to run with ABC but internal issues forced them to look elsewhere. My guess is ABC wants no formal alliances with caucuses but would be open to any individuals. There have been some reachouts and also some informal talks between individuals I hear. My sense is that the ARISE people are in denial about ABC -- they did well because of social media, or they cheated - when the reality was ABC actually had real people in the schools who organized while ARISE relied on leafleting mail boxes. I wrote about the election:
I have a lot more to say on this issue, but not now.
June 4-7 trip upstate to celebrate our 54th anniversary - and taking the first road trip with my new Subaru Forester hybrid. Had a great time on the road and in Skaneateles at a place that mimicked Monet's Giverny garden with it's own bridge over the water lily pond.
June 9 - Take down the set at Rockaway Theatre Company and start work on the set for Sweet Charity which opened July 25th. One weekend left for a great show.
June 11 DA - Pissgate -- the attack on Amy Arundel is still reverberating. I have the only proof - I started a blog but never got back to it. Katie did: Misogyny at the UFT Delegate Assembly by Katie Anskat.
June 14 -The lawyer for firm hired by UFT to investigate PissGate calls and asks me for what I know - and also for my photo -- there might be finger prints. Word is Unity is in denial and passing rumors that someone in ABC did it - I heard that premise from someone in ARISE --- like there is no one in Unity capable? I told lawyer there were only 350 people there and no more than half were men - they must do prostrate exams. I'm just glad I used paper towels to remove the photo - and here's an interesting tidbit -- the guy from MORE who found it threw it in the garbage and LeRoy Barr was texted at 5:12. I was told to go in and check and found another one at 6:06.
June 17, 18 - Dentist and Urologist appointments. Not at same time, luckily.
June 20 - Summer Solstice - Yoga in Times Square -- I try to do this every year. And we get a free mat. Nothing like yoga with hundreds. I hit a pastry place after on 42nd for my favorite eclair.
June 21 - Beatles tribute band Fab Faux at the Paramount on Long Island -- loved the show but not the venue - but for sure we had a good meal at dinner.
Monday July 16 - A tour of Fraunces Tavern with the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association Preservation and Design committee. I'd never been to the museum - and we followed up with lunch. An eating establishment since 1719 - Washington's fave and he used to get take out delivered by DoorDash.
June 27 - ABC Celebrates End of School Year June 27 - ABC meets in a restaurant/bar in Battery Park City - the last hurrah for the school year as people do their summer thing - the feeling was UP even though that is how we found out 6 people had been fired, including Amy who was at this party, as was just fired District 30 Rep Ashley Rzonka, one of the most competent DRs. I started some blogs on pissgate and the firings but they are still not complete.
July 1 - That night a party on the roof of my building. Nice to meet the neighbors -- 36 floors so nice rooftop views.
July 2 - eye doctor at NYU/ - still 20-20 vision but first signs of Age Related Macular with signs of Drusen.
July 5 - My fave podcaster, Mike Duncan, on Lafayette at Fraunces Tavern -- plus other historians -- all afternoon. I bought some books and Duncan signed. Getting to downtown on a Saturday has a certain vibe.
July 8 - DA to back Mamdani - I wrote 3 items based on the fact I support Mamdani but felt the rush and process would lead to so much pushback it wouldn't help and might hurt. I felt time was needed to get into the schools in September and get into the debate. Arthur comes from the same place I did and wrote: The Zohran Endorsement, and ABC - Here's what we'd do differently.
But want to do more on how Unity and ARISE were oh so united while ABC raised objections to the process. I'm looking for an opportunity to volunteer but with the campaign directly.
That night hung out with some of the ABC crew in a bar with lots of new faces from District 30. Did the Mulgrew purge create new activists?
July 9 - Gastro Doctor - -- getting ready for upcoming endoscopy and colonoscopy in August.
July 10 - some ladies from the Murray Hill Preservation committee take the ferry out to visit - we do lunch at The Wharf. I like having friends in Manhattan and walking the streets run into people I know.
Nothing much happened between July 11-20 -- Oh, I finished work on some decking and power washed the deck and my patio -- I love power washing and how dirt just disappears. My concrete porch was so dark I forget it was pink. And my wife's nagging on the wood railings looking so bad as stopped -- she will find something else.
July 22 - Great rally for fired D. 30 Rep Rzonca in front of the UFT Queens office with over 50 teachers, parents, students and friends. Super impressive turnout. Another blog I began but didn't finish.
July 23-27 - lots of prep needed for the tours I'm running on the weekend.
July 23 - Lunch with former student at an Albanian Restaurant on E. 31 St. I subjected her to some of my upcoming MH tour. We connected back in November after 30 years - the last time I saw her she had been 12. We are friends now and it is a pleasure to know her.
Evening - attended an AI workshop at the home on East 38th St that Abe Lincoln's granddaughter lived for 20 years. The 5 story house was built around 1900 and is gorgeous. Back home early enough to work on the tour.
July 24 - Did my Gym and Swim in my building and then Went to the Met to see Sargent in Parisexhibit -- stimulated by his portrait of Gladys Russell on The Guilded Age -- where does fiction end and reality begin? No, the Met doesn't have that portrait. But has this famous one.
I learned a lot about Sargent who had American expat parents and was born and raised in Italy.
July 25 - 2 doc appointments - endocrinologist at MSK Koch (UGH) Center and delicate urological procedure. I've gotten used to young nurses doing procedures. Her fiance is starting a teaching job in NYCDOE in September. Good luck to him.
July 26 - 27 Tours. I prepped to give my two days tours (Norm Does the JULY WALKING TOUR OF MURRAY HILL). The Murray Hill Neighborhood is running these weekend tours at the end of every month through the fall.
People pay for these so even though I am a volunteer, I wanted to make sure they don't feel cheated. I had 9 people on Saturday when we covered the southern tier of landmarked buildings and one of the guys I know from the union came in with his wife and we went to lunch after -- and Sunday I had 4 people - it was cloudy with rain threatened but we survived.
Back to Rockaway that afternoon. I missed my first Rockaway Theatre Company opening night on Friday the 26th of Sweet Charity.
July 28 - dinner with the RTC set construction crew.
July 31 - Cardiologist -- one body part that's working. Picked up at ferry. Lunch at The Wharf with Carol.
Aug. 1 and 2 - Sweet Charity at RTC. Great performances including a great actress who happens to work at 52 Broadway. I will be on duty for all 4 performances on the final weekend for video. Your last chance to see it.
Aug. 3 - 3 hour cruise around Manhattan on Circle Line with the group from Shorewalkers. Took ferry in the morning and back to Rockaway at 6:30.
Aug. 5 - Back to MSK to get my port flushed. Then walked over to The Met for more art. Damn my knee started bothering me. At night went to Night Out Against Crime at Dag Hammarskjöld plaza and hung with Murray Hill group. Police served burgers and franks. Lots of politicians, showed, like this one.
On leaving I took campaign lit for the local city council Dem candidate from a young lady and we got into an interesting chat on politics and Mamdani. She works at a local college doing political stats and is working in this campaign to get some experience - I think she will be looking for a job in politics. She's American/Japanese and grew up in Manhattan. When I told her I backed Mamdani she opened up that she is volunteering for him. When I said I was a DSA member she said she is too and opened up about her politics. We had a great conversation and then my friend who is also Japanese came by and I introduced them.
Aug. 6 - Gym and swim in the morning, breakfast out and back to Rockaway.
Aug. 7 - hey, that's today. I finished putting this together and now need a nap.
Tuesday night I attended a NY Public Library comedy night for teachers with some D. 30 folks and heard about this boycott. (The four comedians were very funny.)
