UFT President Michael Mulgrew has decided to sue the City to close the schools to protect the health of students and to their families. Already on Friday the school attendance was only 58% and expect that number to go down further this week. In fact, City Comptroller Scott Stringer and the City Council Speaker, Cory Johnson want to close the schools. In addition, Borough President of Queens have told parents to not send their children to school. Finally, Governor Cuomo suggested that the City close the schools but is leaving it up to the Mayor. What a coward!
The Mayor's reluctance to close the schools is because he admitted there is no alternative plan if he closes the schools since the City treats the schools as a place for giving students food and a babysitting service. In reality, students throw out most of the food they obtain in the school cafeteria. However, one would think the Mayor had six years to develop a plan and didn't.
Teachers have suggested a "sickout" on Wednesday but the union leadership has not supported it. Therefore, I see few teachers participating in the sickout and lose two days pay because of the Taylor Law.
I suggest that a large comprehensive high school, like Francis Lewis High School staff all wear surgical masks to school and call the press to cover them. The students are mainly Asian and culturally are susceptible to the influence of their teachers. Obviously, if the staff is wearing masks, how many students will then wear surgical masks, if they show up at all to school.
Francis Lewis High School has 4,557 students and just try moving on the second floor between 4th and 5th periods without touching people (see picture above). Its next to impossible to keep a social distance most of the school day and is a potential breeding ground for various viruses including the cronavirus. Moreover, with Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties closing their schools, how many teachers will actually show up in Queens and the Bronx since their own children need to be supervised. Finally, of the 16 major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, and San Diego who have closed their schools only NYC is increasingly being an exception by keeping their schools open.
Update: Mayor Bill de Blasio has finally succumbed to the overwhelming pressure and is closing New York City schools on Monday and will not reopen until April 20th at the earliest. Teachers must report to school on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for training.
28 comments:
I like how the mayor never said the schools were safe enough to work. He just said we need to keep them open to babysit and feed kids. Also why would we lose 2 days if we call in sick? We have every right to call in sick when we want to. That's why we have 10 sick days.
Chaz..
If schools close for the rest of the year, do we still get paid?
I think Mulgrew should punch DeBlasio in the face.
Pretty sure our salary has been figured into this years budgetso I would say at least up to January 2021 if god forbid it goes that far. To keep that money out of the economy may make situations even worse. So hopefully, but nothing in life is certain. Hell, the world is basically closed and I have to go teach art in a petri dish tomorrow.
Fuckin stupid career politician idiot De Blasio who can't make one dumb decision was finally FORCED to make a decision. He was forced to shut down schools unwittingly. How can someone be so incompetent and dumb? Will go down as dumbest mayor in history of NY and maybe dumbest politician of all time.
@2:53PM - Teachers are still working, but remotely. Yes, will get paid. How does it look that adults are being asked to work remotely, then you see children going to school because de Blasio is so concerned about this and that, that and this..... As mayor he has the power to dictate how to operate the city during this time of crisis. A PANDEMIC. Staff do not report on Friday, right??
Never had respect for Giuliani thinking he was a hero for 9/11. He did what mayors and leaders should do. However, after seeing how Deblasio handled snowstorm 18 inches and now this craziness - I appreciate leaders who can make decisions and plan. This idiot will go down as one of the biggest morons in the history of NY City and leadership.
He sat there not wanting to make a simple decision that every mayor & governor across the country faced and executed. NOT this idiot. Had he planned last week like most normal people planned - we would not be going in and risking our lives.
I wish they had a video of him being forced to make this decision. He probably had a shit fit. Cried like a child and said "but I haven't seen a body yet." "why do teachers get off from work?"
This is the definition of incompetency in leadership. There needs to be a law that goes into effect that says "ONE idiot can't be responsible for big decisions. There needs to be a committee of experts who will make the decision." Clearly, this idiot could not make any decision or plan. SImilar to Trump joking about the virus. Stay safe NYC.
Stay safe Shady...stay safe everyone. We have to come out of this okay. Most of you folks get on my nerve HOWEVER, I wish each of you and your loved ones good health.
Don't expect our raise in May (no chance). Probably be delayed till next May if we are lucky!!!
What does the Chancellor mean by this in his email?
"As a reminder, all staff are required to report and advise supervisors of attendance daily. Daily attendance records are especially critical to plan and respond to COVID-19."
How is this report and advise done? In school on site?
Yes, there should be someone besides the Governor who can override the mayor with certain decisions. I think the remote learning is going to be another doe disaster. How are we going to monitor kids? Are the parents going to be dedicated enough to make kids do their work? We are going to need more parental involvement now than ever. Also what about ENL kids who barely know the language and ISS kids who need paras, etc. etc...
@11:14 raise is automatically calculated...already programmed in the system and money is already set for
Educator lives matter is what this idiot mayor needs to understand. He's already ruined the NY City with his nonsense. Had he planned accordingly like every other mayor and governor we would not be in this week being exposed. End of the day like everything else mayor does not give one shit about one of our lives or students' lives.
Now, last minute we go in and have to prepare half-ass nonsense. No planning for this took place in NY City.
Nassau County school needed one day of PD to discuss remote learning. The city - three days.
so mayor says avoid crowds, trumps says avoid more than 10 people
meanwhile principal wants faculty conference of over 200 staff members
Alert! We just got an email from our chapter leader that said a staff member at Flushing High School tested positive for COvid 19. How many other teachers or students have it? Great idea to make us go to work to learn on-line learning.
to 2:15 pm - If you strike, or even hold a walkout, you are subject to Taylor Law penalties - two days loss of pay for each day of the action.
Back in the seventies there was a joke going around that teachers would. one day, awaken to find that the city was bombed by the Russians and the schools were open! The rule was (and I believe still is)if buses were running then schools were open. What the teachers had to endure to get to work was immaterial.
Once, on a Monday morning after a huge weekend snow storm, Mayor Rudy came on the radio and told people not to drive and stay home a day so that the streets could be cleaned. Of course he added that schools were open. He later defended the openings by saying that, as mayor, he had no control of the schools and closing was up to the Board of Ed. Of course 4 of the 7
B of E board members were Republicans appointed by Rudy.
This guy spends his time on Twitter criticizing the president during a national emergency. I hope we all remember how weak De Blasio's term was, going forward. Don't support a single person he endorses going forward. Make his word be the kiss of death for any politician.
Thanks for keeping us updated Chaz. Your blog has been a godsend in times both good, bad, and now, ugly.
There was an article in the NY Post Monday saying that a librarian in the Queens College library (500 feet from where I used to live, before I escaped NYC) has tested positive for the coronavirus. I called my former neighbor to warn her about the proximity of infection. She bested my story with one of her own: 3 people in her husband's synagogue tested positive. That sent a chill up my spin, both for her and the kids and for me, had I remained there.
The Republican governor of my new state beat Cuomo and Dumblassio by quite a bit of time in closing the schools, restaurants, senior centers, all state buildings for groups of more than 250 people, state offices, etc. In a concise clear statement. I think houses of worship are also closed. He also extended deadlines for state licenses and other documents which would expire during this time, a boon for those trying to get new license plates and such with offices closed. You can make an appointment to go take care of motor vehicles business instead of standing in line with hundreds of people in the room. I called Cuomo's office yesterday to see if HE had done any such intelligent thing. Nope; he was too busy blaming Trump out of one side of his vile mouth and put his hand out for funding with the other.
The mayor here, a typical corrupt bumbling Dem, was still on "Hummeda-hummeda-hummeda-I-love-this-city-hummeda-hummeda", last time I bothered to check. Thank goodness we have a governor who's on the ball.
Does anyone have any predictions about the fate of the school year length? Regents exams? Summer vacation? Summer school? etc. What the union will concede too?
Hey, will CAR days be taken if don't report to work due to coughing? Anybody know?
If this goes past APril 20th I predict regents will be a pass if students are passing in the class. Summer vacation will stay. Summer school will only be in buildings with A/C/
@12:56 PM
What state did you move to? We are looking to leave NYC and would definitely love to move to a state that is better run than NY.
Mulgrew has been useless for a long time.
529...
Yes, you will be docked
A teacher tested positive at my school and they did not tell us. Principal refused to respond to emails until this evening after most of us refused to enter the building today. They said we must report! This is insanity!
5:29 PM. You’re not coming in to work because you think you might be sick and you are wondering if they will make you use your sick days. Is that your question pretty much?
Reno Snow - don't laugh--I moved to suburban Baltimore (NOT the "murder-a-day" inner part of the city one always hears about) because I have been familiar with the city for many years and have a couple of extremely long term friends (40 years and 16 years!) here. They have been indispensable helping me settle in. It also has a significant Orthodox Jewish population and all the synagogues, kosher restaurants, bakeries, Jewish bookstores, etc. that I require to support my lifestyle.
I love the lack of a lot of hi-rise buildings, the lack of alternate day parking, no bumper to bumper trips to the grocery or wherever you need to go as it was in Queens, and appreciate readily available parking wherever I go. I love the sprawling lawns of homes and the towering trees grandly overlooking them. Friends of mine have deer hanging out in their backyards, and you sometimes see foxes. If I drive to the local BJs, I often see turkey vultures aloft and Canada geese in the grass next to the parking lot--no Bloombutt to order their slaughter. There are many nice parks. If you do go to the Inner Harbor, there is the Baltimore Aquarium, which is magnificent, if expensive, and a very nice science museum. And then, the wildlife-filled Eastern Shore is but a couple hours away.
It is utterly enjoyable to have the clerks in stores go way out of their way to be of assistance, endlessly polite as they do it. People smile and say hello on the street. All the usual chain stores are here: Target, Walgreens, Walmart, Home Depot, etc. plus a lot of other stores. Because of Johns Hopkins, the medical care available here is excellent.
You can buy a nice 3 BR home with a large lawn for as little as $350K or a gorgeous huge 5 or 6 BR architectural classic with its own little forest for upwards of a million. There is a nice community center (closed due to virus right now) a few blocks away with fantastic gym facilities and classes. There are many shows put on in the nearby Maryland State Fairgrounds.
It is true that the city is run by incompetent dems who are responsible for the decline of the inner city, but the governor is a Republican and really seems to have handled the coronavirus situation quite ably. Taxes are not as low here as in some other states, but they are certainly lower than NY.
All my friends back in NYC are always remarking that I sound so happy since I moved here and so much more relaxed. I guess that's true, because I am!
They can take out of your CAR for these 3 days if you did not go in, but they cannot discipline you for not going in.
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