At the end of a school year the pedagogical staff is assessed, for teachers the Matrix, for supervisors the Principal Performance Review and for the Chancellor, well ChatCPT says the mayor with input from the Panel for Educational Priorities, a majority of whom are appointed by the mayor. In elementary, 6-8, 6-12 and 9–12 schools parents, teachers andContinue reading “How Would You Rate the Chancellor?”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Hail to King Zohran
Since the founding fathers politics has been run by the machine, meaning the power brokers within the party. Neighborhood political clubs, captains on every block, candidates selected in the proverbial smoke-filled room dominated the political landscape. With the SCOTUS Citizens Unlimited decision the landscape began to change, unlimited “independent expenditures” flooded campaigns with dollars. The shadowyContinue reading “Hail to King Zohran”
June 23rd Democratic Primary: Your Vote Matters and Activism is Essential
Let’s begin with a stand up and shout moment watch the Robert de Niro speech, you’ll love it and on an ominous note, Paul Krugman asks whether we are living in the repetition of a point in history, So in a real sense we are living in the midst of a reenactment of the decline and fallContinue reading “June 23rd Democratic Primary: Your Vote Matters and Activism is Essential”
Does the Race of a Teacher Impact Student Outcomes? Is Supporting Black Teaching Candidates Discriminatory?
The NY Daily News reports, The Trump administration is investigating the City University of New York over allegations of racial discrimination, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday. The agency’s civil rights arm said it received reports alleging CUNY’s Black Male Initiative gives preference to some students over others on the basis of race. “Race can neverContinue reading “Does the Race of a Teacher Impact Student Outcomes? Is Supporting Black Teaching Candidates Discriminatory?”
Engaging the UFT Membership in the Upcoming Contract Negotiations
The current UFT Contract ends 11/28/27; however, the terms and conditions of the current contract remain in full force and effect until the successor contract is ratified. In NYS public employee labor agreements, aka, contracts, don’t expire, they just designate a date to negotiate the next agrement. Prior to the Taylor Law contracts did expire andContinue reading “Engaging the UFT Membership in the Upcoming Contract Negotiations”
Mayor Mamdani: Time to Begin the Proces of Rebuilding the NYC School System
Over the years I’ve probably been in countless schools, sort of a participant observer, and have been appalled by the lack of leadership. Too many school leaders spend most of their time in their office, never teaching a class, chancellors, we’ve had six in the twelve years, more interested in spinning dud magic bullets. TooContinue reading “Mayor Mamdani: Time to Begin the Proces of Rebuilding the NYC School System”
I am Proud to Be a Member of Unity
There are almost 200,000 UFT members, active teachers, paraprofessionals, school secretaries, speech therapists, nurses, unionized charter schools, etc., and retired teachers. When teachers retire they are no longer covered by the collective bargaining agreement the UFT actively supports retirees, they vote in union elections, have their own chapter within the union and retirees participate inContinue reading “I am Proud to Be a Member of Unity”
Why Are We So Contentious? Lessons from Madison and Hamilton
“AMONG the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction. The friend of popular governments never finds himself so much alarmed for their character and fate, as when he contemplates their propensity to this dangerous vice. HeContinue reading “Why Are We So Contentious? Lessons from Madison and Hamilton”
Is the Mayor Planning to Defund the Affinity District Partner Organizations?
The NYS budget cycle is April 1 to March 31, if the governor/legislatures fail to reach an agreement the legislature passes a “continuing resolution” to keep the state solvent, meaning the ability to pay bills and pay state employees. Cuomo prided himself on timely budgets, each of Governor Hochel’s budgets has been late and thisContinue reading “Is the Mayor Planning to Defund the Affinity District Partner Organizations?”
A Primer: Who Manages Our Pensions? How Does the System Work?
In the last Constitutional Convention, in 1938, the phase “…public employee pensions may not be diminished or impaired,” was added to the State Constitution. Changing the constitution requires votes in both houses of the state legislatures in two consecutive sessions followed by a statewide referendum of voters. In other words our pensions are secured by theContinue reading “A Primer: Who Manages Our Pensions? How Does the System Work?”
