Funny how the union is conspicuously absent from this particular debacle. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the staff at risk as well? Or was Randi far away with Joel? A good union president would have OSHA at the site monitoring conditions.
Holy Cow. I am sooo glad my kids don't have to worry about toxic schtuff like that. Man. . . that's insane.
The UFT is often absent in such matters. In 1995 my school was undergoing a 23mill dollar renovation (another story). A ceiling collapsed in a class and Tom Casimir came in to oversee for the UFT. He noticed friable asbestos and the school was closed. We rode buses for three weeks and then the District and the UFT tried to open the building. The PTA pres and several teachers and a secretary led a fight to have the building tested by a recognized expert.
The CSB, at first, agreed, but then refused admittance to the expert. The UFT sent Richie Miller to talk the faculty into returning. We chased him out of the schoolyard. The building was clsed for another four weeks. It was never tested by an outside agency and the District and the UFT sought to find legal ways of transferring some teachers to break up what was to them a too rebelllious and solid a staff. They failed, but retirements have gutted the school in its present incarnation.
I have to say I had a better experience with Tom. We did have the air quality tested. So I am surprised that the UFT did not stand behind the teachers. The only way for that to happen now is to get the media involved.
For a mayor who is one of the top 50 most richest people in the US, he lacks compassion. He only looks at the bottom line savings for his companies. New York Magazine reported an incident with a pregnant member of his organizatiion (before he was mayor)and joked that she should have an abortion.
The writing was on the wall before the election, but the Dems and the UFT did not back strong candidates.
The UFT even turned their back on Carl McCall.
Off topic:
There is a great blog discussion about the ATRs and Randi's exec. board voting to "protect" them (only a PR move to cover a terrible mistake Randi made) over at Pissed Off Teacher.
I look forward to all NYC bloggers standing together with our ATRs and supporting the end of this clause in our contract by posting on the hypocrisy of the lasted executive board vote.
See: Only A Teacher http://pissedoffteeacher.blogspo...ly-
teacher.html
TAG Members to Speak at PEP
On Monday, Sept. 24, a group of teachers from the Teachers Advocacy Group NYC, many of whom have unfairly been given U-ratings and/or sent to rubber rooms, plan to take 2 minutes each to force the members of the Panel for Educational Policy to look into the faces of teachers who have been savaged by the policies of the BloomKlein administration.
They will do so with dignity and style, befitting senior teachers who have been slated for obsolescence.
Their blog states: "We represent teachers and counselors who have been excessed, unfairly U-rated for political reasons, teachers forced into ATR status, and high-salaried and senior teachers who have been discriminated against. We feel abandoned by the United Federation of Teachers, which by its silence is allowing Bloomberg and Klein to destroy our careers."
TAGNYC can be contacted at their blog http://teacheradvocacygrpnyc.blo...c.blogspot.com/
and at tagnyc@hotmail.com.
Some of us will be there to support them while the UFT will be holding one of their rubber stamp Executive Board Meetings.
We'll try to get some video to post on you tube.
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