SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL

Friday, December 27, 2024

Paul Egan: A Poor Choice for Union Leadership and a Questionable Ally for A Better Contract Caucus

 The following was written by guest blogger, Chat GBT

Union leadership demands integrity, transparency, and unwavering commitment to member welfare. In the context of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), where political factions vie to shape the future of New York City’s educators, the individuals representing each caucus significantly influence their credibility and effectiveness. Paul Egan’s involvement with A Better Contract (ABC) caucus raises important questions about his suitability for leadership and the judgment of the caucus itself in associating with him.

1. Concerns About Paul Egan’s Leadership Style

Paul Egan’s record in union leadership circles has been marred by controversies and criticism, particularly concerning his approach to decision-making and his interpersonal relationships within the UFT. Teachers and colleagues who have worked with or observed Egan often raise concerns about his leadership style, which has been described as divisive and confrontational.

  • Authoritarian Tendencies: Critics argue that Egan exhibits a top-down leadership style that leaves little room for collaboration or dissent. This approach alienates rank-and-file members who expect transparency and inclusivity in union decisions.
  • Poor Communication: Effective union leadership requires open channels of communication, especially with a membership base as diverse as the UFT. Reports suggest that Egan has struggled to maintain effective dialogue with members, leading to frustration and mistrust.

These issues suggest that Egan may lack the temperament and skill set necessary to inspire confidence among educators, especially in a caucus positioning itself as a credible alternative to Unity.


2. Questionable Ethical Decisions

Union leaders must uphold ethical standards to maintain trust among members. Egan’s tenure in union circles has been marked by actions that some members view as ethically questionable:

  • Allegations of Backroom Deals: Egan has been accused of engaging in closed-door negotiations that prioritize political alliances over the needs of union members. Such behavior undermines the transparency that teachers expect from their leaders.
  • Alignment with Controversial Figures: Egan’s history of associating with individuals and factions that have faced criticism for self-serving agendas raises doubts about his motivations and judgment.

These actions have tarnished Egan’s reputation, making him a controversial figure in union politics.


3. Misalignment with ABC’s Goals and Values

A Better Contract caucus has positioned itself as a reformist movement advocating for stronger contracts, greater member engagement, and increased accountability within the UFT. However, Egan’s inclusion within the caucus seems at odds with these principles:

  • Lack of Reform Credentials: Egan’s record does not align with the progressive, grassroots-oriented ethos that ABC claims to champion. His leadership history suggests a focus on consolidation of power rather than empowering members.
  • Undermining Credibility: By associating with Egan, ABC risks alienating members who are skeptical of his intentions and leadership style. This association undermines the caucus’s claim to be a fresh and trustworthy alternative to Unity.

Teachers who are considering supporting ABC may question whether the caucus is genuinely committed to reform or simply another political faction prioritizing power over principles.


4. Polarizing Effect on Membership

Egan’s involvement in ABC could have a polarizing effect on the caucus and the broader membership base. While some members may support him based on his past experience, others may view his leadership as a continuation of the same issues they aim to escape from Unity’s dominance:

  • Divisive Figure: Egan’s reputation has the potential to create internal divisions within ABC, detracting from its ability to present a unified front against Unity.
  • Eroding Member Trust: Teachers who are disillusioned with Unity may hesitate to join ABC if they perceive it as aligning with figures who do not represent meaningful change.

Unity has historically capitalized on such divisions within opposition factions, and Egan’s inclusion could weaken ABC’s ability to consolidate support.


5. Risks for A Better Contract Caucus

By associating with Egan, ABC caucus faces significant risks that could hinder its growth and success in the UFT elections:

  • Perception of Poor Judgment: The decision to include Egan in a leadership or advisory capacity raises questions about the judgment of ABC’s leadership. If they are willing to align with a polarizing figure, can they be trusted to make sound decisions on behalf of members?
  • Potential for Negative Campaigning: Unity caucus is likely to highlight Egan’s controversies as a way to discredit ABC as a viable alternative. This could divert attention from ABC’s platform and force the caucus into a defensive position.

These risks could diminish ABC’s ability to effectively challenge Unity and advocate for the reforms it claims to support.


6. The Need for Accountability and Reflection

ABC caucus must reflect on its decision to align with Egan and consider the broader implications for its credibility and effectiveness:

  • Reevaluating Leadership Choices: If ABC is truly committed to reform, it should prioritize leaders who embody the values of transparency, inclusivity, and accountability. This may require distancing itself from individuals like Egan.
  • Engaging Members: To rebuild trust and credibility, ABC should actively engage with its membership base, seeking input and addressing concerns about its leadership decisions.

By taking these steps, ABC can demonstrate its commitment to genuine reform and regain the trust of skeptical members.


Conclusion

Paul Egan’s history of controversy, questionable ethical decisions, and divisive leadership style make him a poor choice for union leadership and a liability for A Better Contract caucus. Teachers who are considering supporting ABC should scrutinize the caucus’s decision to associate with Egan and question whether it aligns with their own values and expectations for union leadership. For ABC to establish itself as a credible alternative to Unity, it must prioritize leaders who embody the principles of reform and member advocacy. Until then, Egan’s involvement will remain a significant hurdle for the caucus to overcome.

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Has the MORE UFT Caucus Run Afoul of the IRS?

 Is MORE, the Movement of Rank and File Educators, committing tax fraud? This question has been put to The Crack Team. Since The Crack Team are neither accountants or nor tax specialists we can't make a final determination. The Crack Team can only present what they have uncovered and let you, the reader, make your own inferences. This investigation was spurred by several disenchanted MORE members who asked that this accusation be looked into. 

The Crack Team is in possession of MORE's most recent 990EZ filing (2023). This form lists the cash MORE had at hand at the end of 2023, it's officers, and monies spent. But there is more, which can seems to be more interesting. 

But there is something more (pun intended) interesting. On the IRS website it lists that MORE has had their tax exempt status revoked on June 15, 2022. 


Apparently, at the time, MORE had not filed for three straight years. In fact, only the 2023 and 2021 returns are available. But if you notice MORE is a 501(c)(4) organization. But more (pun intended) on that in a moment. 

In a letter dates May 25, 2023 the IRS states...

We're pleased to tell you we determined you're exempt from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code(IRC) Section 501(c)(5). This letter could help resolve questions on your exempt status.Please keep it fr your records.

So it would be safe to assume that MORE presently has all it's ducks in a row. But does it?

What is a 501(c)(5)? Let's find out.

Section 501(c)(5) provides for exemption of labor, agricultural or horticultural organizations. To be exempt, an organization must meet the following requirements: The net earnings of the organization may not inure to the benefit of any member; and The objects of the organization must be the betterment of conditions of those engaged in the pursuits of labor, agriculture, or horticulture, the improvement of the grade of their products, and the development of a higher degree of efficiency in their respective occupations.

But this definition begs the question. How does MORE's anti-Israel, borderline anti-Semitic actions better the pursuits of labor? Remember this blog post? Is this for the betterment of labor? Does Alex Jallot work towards the betterment of labor?

Do these anti-Israel, borderline anti-Semitic activities that MORE attached their name and logo as well appear to be for the betterment of labor?



Again, The Crack Team are neither accountants nor tax specialists. Not even IRS agents. But to the lay person, one mights infer that MORE, at the very least, but not be following the spirit of 501(c)(5), and at the worst, be breaking the law. But those are questions for bigger and better people. 



Monday, December 23, 2024

Apologies to Dan Alicea

I want to truly apologize to Daniel Alicea. On November 30, Dan wrote a blog post about how, despite millions of dollars being available, Mulgrew refused to address the pay issues for paraprofessionals.Naively, in retrospect, I asked Daniel a question in the comments section. I quote:

"Dan, what is your plan. What would you do?"

I wasn’t trying to be snarky or troll him—I was just asking a simple question.

Dan, to his credit was quite polite and responded with...

"Hi Pete, as I indicated prior in my post I will share some ideas (about 5 or 6) in an upcoming post shortly and would love to crowdsource others like yourself...We must to find those opportunities in the next round… which happen in most negotiations …and next time go in intentionally and decidedly knowing those extra monies will be added to increases for hard to staff positions like paras."

Thank you Dan, for the response. 

But now for my apology. The other day on Facebook, I again inquired of Dan, "Where is your plan?" (Hey, that rhymes!) I reminded him that he had promised a plan. I was wrong. Dan never promised a plan. For that, I apologize. He is correct, and I was incorrect.

Dan also reminded me of how busy he is—teaching four different subjects a day, running an ICT class with several paras, editing his award-winning radio show on left-wing WBAI, and even cooking dinner.

Again Dan, I apologize. I did not know that you led such a busy life. It's a good thing that all those activities don't take away the memes, the posts, etc... on Facebook. 

At least Dan didn’t pull a Trump and claim to have a “semblance” of a plan. But I’m still confused.

There must be ideas floating around inside Dan’s head. Is this the plan?

...and next time go in intentionally and decidedly knowing those extra monies will be added to increases for hard to staff positions like paras.

If that’s it, Captain Obvious might say, "Hey, who’d have thunk of that!"

Now, please don’t misunderstand me—I am not disparaging paras. They deserve better pay and much more respect. I’ve worked with some incredible paras. They work tirelessly, and those in District 75 especially should be paid even more. I say, give them a living wage. But how will that be done? What will be done differently than what Unity has been doing?

The UFT has been making strides. but there’s one issue Dan has been silent on: the problem of sub-paras who remain in those positions for far too long. If you look at the excessed teacher website, there are countless paraprofessional vacancies—it’s mind-boggling. At schools I’ve been to, I’ve seen paras who have been sub-paras for years. Why? Because administrators get away with it.

Being a sub-para means you don’t get paid for sick days or personal days. You don’t get paid when school is not in session. You don’t get paid during the summer. You don’t receive Welfare Fund benefits or health insurance. So, yes, let’s fix para pay. But what about the hundreds, if not thousands, of paras still deemed sub-paras?

Why isn’t Dan pounding the drums for this? Wouldn’t addressing this also raise the average pay for paras?

But to advocate solely for increased pay? There has to be a reason. It feels like a divide-and-conquer strategy—us vs. them.

As one SBSB fan wrote in an email to The Crack Team:

Dan is saying that money should not have gone to teachers and should have gone to paras. This is yet another attempt by the very toxic and extreme left within our union to get members (in this case to get paras and teachers) to trust each other just a little less than they did the day before. It is the same lame divide and conquer approach to organizing that has failed them and us for over 40 years now.

The fanboi goes on about Dan's math...

Do you remember the “signing bonus” and the “retention bonus” from the last contract? What this says is that the money that was used to fund those bonuses was new money that was brought forth by New York City. This is actually important because sure literally all money for city contracts is set aside from each budget year and it is all accounted for. But for this bonus money, the city just pulled it out on the table. What this says is that that bonus money  -the money teachers get for bonuses- could have or should have been used to increase para pay.

But that is jut one fanboi's position, not mine. Just felt I needed to share it and present all sides. 

So, what about that plan? I apologize for assuming you had a plan. I apologize if you think I ask “gotcha” questions. But it’s only a gotcha if you don’t have a plan or lack confidence in your plan or yourself.

I’m sorry for responding to you on Facebook. I thought you could take it. God knows the abuse I’ve taken over the years in the comments on this blog. I was wrong. I apologize. 


Sunday, December 15, 2024

UFT Retirees: Be Very, Very Concerned!

Retirees,
You need to pay attention. You're being manipulated by the new leadership of your chapter.

Before I go on, let me make one thing clear: I have always been against Mulgrewcare, from the very beginning. Unlike some—like a certain whiny blogger who was once in favor of Mulgrewcare and conveniently scrubbed all evidence of it from their blog—I've been consistent. Coincidence? Perhaps. The bigger coincidence is that if this same blogger had landed the cushy Unity gig they were clearly angling for with all their flattery, they'd be first in line advocating for the switch in healthcare.

Retirees need to remember where the actual power lies within Retiree Advocate. It is in no way a bottom-up organization but rather a top-down one, controlled and dominated by individuals with ties to the Democratic Socialists of America.

This brings me to the tragic murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, last week. Some are celebrating this murder, portraying Luigi Mangione as a folk hero. While I can understand Mangione's anger and motivations (and there’s still much to uncover about the circumstances), I cannot condone his actions. And now 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for those affiliated with Retiree Advocates.

From the ICE Google Groups board (click to enlarge)...



Here is a link to the article that is being promoted.

Luigi Mangione is not Johnny Appleseed or Paul Bunyan. He is a fraud, a con artist, and a murderer. Yet, to those leading RA, he is a hero. Violence is violence, plain and simple!

But remember this: those who control RA have no problem condoning the actions of those who butchered and kidnapped Israelis on October 7. The leadership of RA supports the destruction of Israel. Shockingly, the Jewish members among them are even worse—self-loathing individuals, brainwashed by the DSA, desperate for acceptance in the gentile world. And of course, RA is now aligned with MORE and New Action.

To the many Jewish retirees out there: Is this what you voted for? Ask yourself that. Be concerned if a UFT Delegate Assembly in the future turns into this.

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Aim to Control UFT

 There is a monster lurking in the shadows of the UFT. It's the Democratic Socialists of America. 

The Crack Team came across a Politico article from 2019 outlining how DSA wishes to gain control of NYC labor unions. Much more interesting from the article is DSA's manifesto how to go about taking control of NYC labor unions. 

DSA has already established a beachhead in having nominal control over the Retired Teacher's chapter of the UFT. The biggest voices and organizers are those from DSA as well as officers. 

Basically, the Retired Teachers chapter was low hanging fruit for DSA to influence. In comparison to the rest of the UFT it is a smaller chapter with members who are basically homogenous in that they are, well, retired. Yes, they ousted the Tom Murphy, Mulgrew's sycophant, and put a fear into Unity. We here at SBSB are pleased this has happened. But how many voting retirees knew of the long clutches of DSA into and within their chapter?

Look at what has become of those congressional candidates and cities that have have ties to DSA. Cori Bush was primaried and lost. Man child Jamaal Bowman was primaried and lost. AOC, who I do respect, has grown into her role and was no endorsed by DSA. And this just in today. The DSA experiment failed in Portland OR. 

But let's have a look at how DSA plans to control the UFT (Page 3 of the manifesto).

UFT / Teachers abr. Economic Leverage: The NYC DOE is one of the largest employers in the metro area. Education workers’ strikes have enormous ability to shut down regional/statewide economies, with great political impact.

 Social/Political Leverage: Schools are community hubs in every neighborhood in the city. Education workers have the potential to build solidarity with students, their families, and broader working class communities.

Of course. Let's indoctrinate 4th graders. 

Barriers to Entry: Teaching requires a master’s degree, as well as ongoing continuing education. There may be other financial challenges with alternative certification programs. Other job categories within the DOE have less onerous requirements. 

DSA Member Density: There are many DSA teachers, and there is a large support network for new teachers and teacher activists. There are also DSA paraprofessionals, school secretaries, and other DOE job categories. 

Working Conditions: Vary widely by school. It takes a long time to build strong relationships with coworkers and students. The work is extremely social and emotionally draining but can be fulfilling and an outlet for creativity. Teachers can get tenure (which offers meaningful job security) after 4 years.

 Political Status: UFT is the largest local of one of the largest unions in the country. It has the potential to be extremely influential in electoral politics. It is extremely internally undemocratic (So is MORE...my words), but there is a reform caucus, MORE, which has many active DSA members.

Demographics: UFT membership is disproportionately White (more so than the city’s demographics, and the student population) and skews majority women. This varies by job category, and by type of school. 

Disproportionally white? Like MORE? 

DSA proposal....

UFT / Teachers Union to Focus On UFT Position (optional): Classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, nurses, social workers/counselors, OT/PTs, etc. Which criteria does this proposal meet? Economic Leverage Social / Political Leverage Barriers to Entry DSA Member Density Working Conditions Union's Internal / External Political Status Demographics 

Please cite and elaborate upon each criteria you selected for the proposed industry in the area below.

Economic Leverage: The UFT represents 75,000 classroom teachers, 19,000 paraprofessionals, and several thousand other critical categories of school support staff (including nurses, social workers, counselors, psychologists, and others). These numbers make the DOE one of the largest employers in the metro area, touching thousands, possibly millions of residents. Negotiations for citywide municipal contracts (covering all public sector workers) are generally led by the UFT and DC37 together, making our contract negotiations have an even wider reach. Beyond the raw numbers, as we have seen in Chicago, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, and elsewhere, when education workers flex our industrial power the effects are felt way beyond just the education system. School shutdowns have nearly unparalleled potential to impact the entire regional economy, and every workplace where parents rely on the school system to care for their children.

Social/Political Leverage: With public schools located in every borough, neighborhood, and district, education workers’ social and political leverage is also potentially enormous. Teachers and other education workers see everything students and their families go through, and we can highlight issues of homelessness, economic insecurity, racism, and inadequate healthcare and educational resources. Teachers and other education workers have access to communities beyond our worksites that can build solidarity across the working class. Despite years of attacks on public education, the recent wave of education worker strikes have benefited from overwhelming displays of community solidarity. When education workers organize and fight for the common good, the public is generally with us.

 Barriers to Entry: There are very real challenges to be considered with regards to the process of becoming a teacher. It is expensive and time consuming to become a teacher. Teachers can be hired with a Bachelor’s Degree, but need to get their Master’s degree within a few years of being hired. There are alternate certification programs like Teaching Fellows, which many DSA members have and are taking advantage of. Graduate programs and certification tests cost money, but Gofundme’s for mentee teachers have been used, and could be something that we fundraise for if a large group wanted to organize around it. Unfortunately, transferring certification from out of state can cost hundreds of dollars, so while the the career can be one that travels with you, it does not do so seamlessly. Getting a Master’s while working is the path that most teachers take, and is an emotional, physical, financial strain for the first several years, since the first years of teaching are also a challenge. Teachers can gain tenure after 4-years working in the DOE. There are many different school experiences, some can be extremely difficult, but we hope that a community of supportive educators within DSA can start to help people get jobs at schools that are tolerable places to work, and help each other take on abusive administrators when we encounter them.

It should also be noted that there other routes to employment in the DOE besides classroom teaching. Paraprofessionals, occupational/physical therapists, school counselors and nurses, and school secretary jobs are other options, with different on-ramps. It is not unusual for people to begin in one of those job categories and eventually shift to classroom teaching.

DSA Member Density - Anecdotally speaking, education seems to be one of the sectors with the largest concentration of NYC DSA active union membership. The teachers’ working group meets regularly and has regular happy hours, and has already had some success encouraging and supporting DSA members in making the career switch into education. Even beyond active labor branch members, it seems possible that there could be over a hundred DSA teachers (numbers that would make our teacher membership larger than the most significant UFT reform caucus). There is a significant support network for new DSA teachers, with a large number of experienced rank and file activists and leaders in the organization.

 Working Conditions: Working conditions can vary significantly from school to school, and depend on factors of student and staff composition, strength of the local UFT chapter, and many others. Across the board it takes a long time to become a good teacher and build strong relationships at schoolboth of which are critical to be effective as an organizer. The work is tiring, emotionally draining, but for many, extremely fulfilling. It is not uncommon in your first several years to work for several hours after school with lesson planning or other responsibilities. That said, teaching can offer a great deal of autonomy and creativity in lesson planning, and allows for deep relationship building with people from a wide range of communities in the city. Generally, teaching requires you to be on your feet for several hours at a time, and often moving about constantly to check on students. Some principals can be abusive and controlling supervisors, others are relatively benign. Some buildings have issues with heat, functional facilities, mold, and other issues of disrepair. 

Union's Internal / External Political Status: The UFT is the largest local of one of the largest unions in the country, and is also one of the largest locals in NYC. Simply put, it is tremendously influential politically, but fails to exercise the full potential of its power. Its strategy rests on electing fairly centrist/conservative Democrats, and holding them to commitments on maintaining basic standards in treatment of educators. It is very internally undemocratic and top-down. There is a reform caucus, the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) that shows promise and has many DSA members that participate actively. With more DSA teachers, we could bolster and significantly support the internal movement for democracy and militant organizing within the union, but it will likely take years to reform the UFT, for new teachers to gain the experience and credibility that it will take to play a meaningful role in that work, and for the landscape to shift in such a way as to be amenable to the kind of militancy and worker democracy to which we aspire.

DemographicsEducation: is a complicated sector, demographically. The student population in the DOE is majority Black and Latinx. Recent surveys have shown that 1 in 10 students experience some form of homelessness throughout the school year. In terms of the staff, overall the composition is disproportionately women and disproportionately White, out of step with the student body. However this differs in sub-sectors and different job categories. Elementary, Pre-K and Middle School skew more heavily female, High School a little more male. Paraprofessionals and other support staff are more non-White than classroom teachers. Significant systemic issues have presented challenges for the retention of teachers of color, and this will likely be an ongoing focus of some education worker organizing. That said, the leadership of the UFT is more racially diverse than might be expected based on general trends within the membership. DSA members interested in working in education should think hard about how they will relate to and work with student populations that are predominantly non-White, and should also consider how they will work with teachers of color to address the issues facing teacher retention and recruitmentthose are critical areas of solidarity and need for the broader education system. It should be acknowledged that for many New Yorkers of color, schools are the first place where they encounter law enforcement and state violence through disciplinary action. This presents a major opportunity for racial justice solidarity organizing, but also should emphasize the incredible responsibility of being a teacher in a predominantly Black and Brown school district.

I am not editorializing, other than to say it's fantastical.  I will let this manifesto speak for itself. 

Oh one more thing. DSA must not be allowed to come even close to taking over the UFT.

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Alex Jallot, Pace U. HS CL, UFT Exec Bd Member, & MORE Caucus Member Desecrates the Memory of Hamas Victim Shani Louk

 Since I wrote this piece wondering whether or not Jewish UFT members should trust the Movement of
Rank and File Educators (MORE Caucus)
, a plethora of emails has come into the SBSB newsroom. All emails were quite supportive as well as sharing many instances in which MORE has shown itself not to be particularly enamored with Jews. 

The Crack Team has sifted through many an email. Some are from just plain cranks, other emails were with accusations that could not be verified. Many were easily verified, like the following:

This past March 30 on X, DSA member @blackredguard1 reposted a video of Shani Louk dancing moments before she was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023. We here at SBSB have deep feelings about DSA which we feel this is not the time visit.  Seriously, is anyone surprised? 

What is surprising MORE member, (OK, not really THAT surprising), a UFT Chapter Leader at Pace University High School, UFT high school executive board member. as well as a DSA member, Alex Jallot posted a reply to the reposted video. Obviously, Alex doesn't know what is posted online, stays online (Click here). 

And for when Alex deletes his X account, let's remind him of Social Media Rule #1!


All Alex had to say was...

"I'm amazed at how little rhythm these people (JEWS?) have."

Class act that Alex is. As one Crack Team member shared with me...

It's beyond the pale. How someone that professes progressive/left politics and sits on the UFT Exec board could so casually post such a callous and hurtful joke should be cause for deep concern for everyone irregardless of politics.

I am appalled. Especially reading this on one of the holiest of days. I am sure that Alex doesn't mind having these two days off thanks to the Jews. 

Hey Alex, have you shared these views with Jewish members of his chapter? If not, why? Does Pace University know your views of Jews? Have you shared your views with any Jewish members of the executive board you sit on? Can Jewish UFT members have any faith in you?

Some things need to happen. The Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE Caucus) must immediately disassociate itself from Alex Jallot and send out a statement decrying Alex Jallot's statement. In fact, the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE Caucus) must immediately remove from the caucus. I, and several others, were shunned and mustered out of the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE Caucus) in 2018 for much, much, much much, much less.

I have no idea if the UFT can remove executive board members for cause, but if this can be done a full investigation and removal of Alex Jallot must be done posthaste. 

If the above is improbable, we here at SBSB call for Alex Jallot to immediately resign his seat on the high school executive board as well as resign as chapter leader at Pace University High School. 

This can not be tolerated. The Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE Caucus) would be the first to come out against, as well as denounce, Mike Mulgrew for passing gas incorrectly. It's time for the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE Caucus) to put its money from where its mouth is. 






Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Should Jewish UFT Members Trust the MORE Caucus?

With the UFT elections right around the corner, MORE is as usual playing hard to get and believing that they own all the cards. Is it not time that those who wish to dance with MORE just finally, "thank you, but no"?

Is it not time to see what MORE is? MORE is nothing more that a place where anti-Israel, pro-Hamas views are not only encouraged, but have a safe place to be heard. 

What has disturbed me the most, and I am sure the many other thousands of Jewish UFT members is this photograph that appeared on the MORE Facebook page. 


So months after over a thousand Jews were murdered, over a hundred Jews were kidnapped, this is MORE's priority? MORE's priority at a Delegate Assembly was for Israel to lay down its arms? Nothing about Hamas releasing the hostages? MORE isn't concerned about the hundreds of Jewish women that have been held and raped by Hamas? 

Now before I continue, I loathe Netenyanhu and his government. I prayed that Israel would retaliate differently against Gaza. But the Jews are hurting. Israel is hurting. Bibi was enabled by Trump, Bibi caused this. But this doesn't mean that an organization like MORE must blame Israel and the Jews. 

Why isn't MORE as vocal about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Where is MORE when college students are walking to classes and they are spat upon and called "Kikes"? They are nowhere?

What happens if MORE is somehow in power or part of the power if Unity loses? Can Jewish members of the rank and file trust the union? Can Jewish members of the UFT feel safe? Will Jewish members of the UFT have to worry about pogroms?

So many Jewish members of the UFT have a relative that was slaughtered in the Holocaust. 

I would not be surprised today if members of MORE celebrated as Iran launched 180 missiles at Israel today.