tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post10530570075426421..comments2024-03-26T11:07:03.496-04:00Comments on Ed Notes Online: The Left and Right Attacks MORE on Garner March Position: I'm Shocked, There Are Social Democrats in MOREed notes onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-15033075315031375812019-05-04T00:33:14.907-04:002019-05-04T00:33:14.907-04:00UFT did absolutely nothing for me when I was a tea...UFT did absolutely nothing for me when I was a teacher in the NYC public school system. Infact, they, along with DOE powers that be went out of their way to insult me and make me as uncomfortabke as humanly possible when I had a broken leg (in 3 places), blindness in one eye and stuck me in one of the worst schools in the Bronx on the 5th floor with no elevator to boot! Thank god I left and am now a very successful teacher in California! Resession Proof Jobs!!!https://www.blogger.com/profile/09285562832121065688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-41672960045462994292014-08-29T02:35:05.616-04:002014-08-29T02:35:05.616-04:00UNITY is about patronage jobs and second pensions ...UNITY is about patronage jobs and second pensions (that delicate issue that they take umbrage at people raising). <br /><br />That's why people crawl on their belly for UNITY. They have that jackpot dream of getting that second -pensionable- job at UFT offices. That's why it's hard to compete with UNITY. Just imagine if that court decision on pensions went badly. Then, you'd see Mulgrew, screaming, a la "punch them in the face" about protecting pensions. For that, UNITY would organize a mass mobilization.<br /><br />Double pensions now, double pensions tomorrow, double pensions forever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-34798972708101914942014-08-28T19:15:31.948-04:002014-08-28T19:15:31.948-04:00Your question exposes the entire sham of UFT suppo...Your question exposes the entire sham of UFT support "at the top". They never asked their members to go so they didn't. They knew the leadership didn't care if they went. That is the loyalty oath in spades. If they ordered them to go to the Brooklyn Bridge at midnight they would be there.ed notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-90185272381569008612014-08-28T18:29:07.380-04:002014-08-28T18:29:07.380-04:00If UNITY caucus oath is so powerful, Norm, why wer...If UNITY caucus oath is so powerful, Norm, why were there so few of them at the march?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-52222953579545904582014-08-26T16:38:48.374-04:002014-08-26T16:38:48.374-04:00Oh, this is AWESOME!!! Now that it's over, I j...Oh, this is AWESOME!!! Now that it's over, I just wanted to lay out one assertion. I was part of the group that felt MORE shouldn't make any statement on this at all (although I also feel MORE has to work on its processes but that's much more of a long term thing). I felt so, not so much because of internal union opportunism, but because I didn't feel the caucus would benefit very much from the statement at all.<br /><br /><br />Let's face it, MORE's real aims are for a more just society. Those aims include a city without the terrible effects of the American version (the worst type there is, IMO) of racism in our school and beyond. But a moment isn't made important just because everyone is watching and I felt that MORE's other work -in supporting the TDC's petition for a more diverse teaching corps in NYC (here http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/increase-teacher-diversity?source=c.tw&r_by=1921406 ) or for supporting a system without an overabundance of testing (which fosters real learning and would produce a whole generation of real learners) for instance- was far FAR more important than just making this one statement about the march. Sure, these other things aren't always a sexy as supporting a march at a crucial moment, certainly they won't grab as much attention, but they are at the very core of what it means to bring change -real change- to our schools. <br /><br />Whats more is that MANY of these same people who were offended by MORE's (IMO) tepid written support during this tense, even charged period of time, are the very same people who would support us in things like an end to segregated schools, or a more diverse teacher core or an end to the testing regime (just saying they're MORE's allies during other efforts that aim for the same goals). <br /><br />I always felt that MORE lead the way on the discussion of bringing change. Making a statement after MM acted didn't exactly show MORE as the leaders they are on these issues (that's not a knock or a criticism or an accusation of being followers..not at all .. .I'm just saying it didn't show the caucus to be the leaders that they've been). I know that if any group of teachers decided to hold a forum on what 'White Privilege" is (here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_privilege or this right here http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-broadbent/a-mothers-white-privilege_b_5698263.html ) and how it effected our city's school children and their families, it would be MORE. I know that if any group of teachers were to call-out school segregation and bring attention to it and how it could (surprisingly easy) end here NYC, it would be MORE. And what the group (IMHO) does best -call attention to genuinely crucial issues that not many people are not paying enough attention to and offer solutions for them- weren't really able to be called to the forefront with regard to this march. I'm just saying we're at our best when we're all thinking, in detail, about solutions, and the very moment these long held tensions are erupting may not have been the best time. I hope this makes sense and explains things in a thoughtful, non offensive way. <br /><br />One more thing (about democracy AND supporting Saturday's effort): actions, of course, speak louder than words. Julie Cavanaugh's piece about her student, was an act that I feel demonstrated something very important: That a member of our caucus is able to share a profoundly touching experience that fit the moment. That MORE would published her piece on their blog was a profound demonstration of support of all of our united points AND of democracy within the caucus. I'm (still) not so sure what MORE had to do beyond that in order to demonstrate their support but I am glad that the historic moment is over and we can all get back to the work of thinking about bringing real change. nycurbanednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-19564496669144966882014-08-25T18:53:11.360-04:002014-08-25T18:53:11.360-04:00This is a very good piece Norm. I do not understan...This is a very good piece Norm. I do not understand the love affair some teachers have with the police. All they need to do is be on the receiving end of an ugly investigation or an unconstitutional search of their personal effects to change their tunes. While the police have seen their protections increased (to the point of impunity it seems), teachers have had their protections destroyed. Where have the police been all along? Arresting strikers and viciously "investigating" and arresting innocent teachers.<br /><br />The police are not our friends. They are the friends of the elite and the 1%. <br /><br />I agree with some MOREistas that there is a certain amount of dog whistle and overt racism within the UFT that is disquieting to say the least. What do you do with those types of people? You can denounce them, yell at them, accuse them of being racists, the whole nine yards and make absolutely no headway. Any caucus who wants to win must engage those people. That does not mean bowing to racism. That means TEACHING them why certain things are racist and why certain things are hurtful. Sometimes I feel like the only TEACHER around who sees that TEACHING is not just something you do in a classroom with kids but in life with everyone you meet. If you had a racist student in your class, would you point and yell "racist"? No, you would engage them and try to show them a better way.<br /><br />This requires patience. Building a viable caucus requires patience. Some people are not patient. Some people are downright petulant and immature. Sometimes I wonder if these more doctrinaire leftists (and I say this as a self-identified Democratic Socialist) are not DOE or UFT plants to make sure that viable opposition groups are gassed in their cradles. <br /><br />Just because you have happened to pick up an idea at a certain period in your life does not make it unconditionally true. A mature mind can tolerate hearing alternative, even abhorrent, points of view without blowing their stack. These authoritarian-loving cop worshipers and these mad-at-mommy leftists who compete with each other over who has more social justice cred will be the death of us. Assailed Thttp://theassailedteacher.com/noreply@blogger.com