James Eterno Cooks Up a Recipe

This past Sunday on the ICE Blog, James Eterno wrote a very well thought out and lucid piece on
what he sees for the UFT in 2016.

His crux for the piece, and as he says NYC Educator beat him to it, was how under the renewal schools teachers will be brought to the altar to be sacrificed. That the UFT is basically selling us out.

He talks of an alternate universe in which Mulgrew is ousted;

"...there is a real union leader as president, things would change in a hurry. Besides cleaning house by dismissing most of the loyalty oath signing Unity faithful and opening up union positions to senior, qualified people (like comp time) and having elections for the District Representatives, we would need to change the whole conversation around education as quickly as we can"

One can immediately notice that James did not prophesize that there is a grand mystical plan that he will be the next UFT president nor has he written as if he is entitles to that role. He sees the UFT as something larger than him that the word "I" need not be used.

James goes on to share what he has seen and what needs to be fixed throughout the system. Not once is he electioneering or tooting his own horn. He is laying out the facts as he sees them. Nothing more, nothing less. UFT Solidarity UFT Solidarity UFT Solidarity UFT Solidarity UFT Solidarity

In fact, I disagree with him with the so-called truth commission he advocates. Yeah, it would be nice for it to happen. In fact it should happen, but how to you compel people to come to testify? Will there be subpoena power? Will testimony be under oath? Will immunity be granted?

Truth should have been out by now. Three years ago on these pages I questioned where is the Daniel Ellsberg, the Pentagon Papers of the education world?

But wait a minute. The Crack Team just reminded me of something. How can it be that James writes such a vision when he is nothing more than a chef in a restaurant and not a real star like the owner of said restaurant?

To catch those who don't understand what is being said,  XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX has claimed that James Eterno is nothing more than a chef, probably a failed chef at that when what we need as a union is one who manages a 5 star restaurant. XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX believes that only such a manager can right the sinking ship of the UFT. But questions persist. 

First, which guide is this so called 5 star restaurant based on? Mobil? Michelin? Zagat? Yelp? TripAdvisor? Inquiring minds want to know.

But who goes to a restaurant because of the manager. No one. We here at SBSB can't think of one reality show that espouses to find the best manager of a restaurant. All the restaurant based reality TV shows are all looking for the best chef. Wouldn't it be better to have a Master Chef instead of someone who isn't even able to be Master of their Domain? 

In fact, we have spoken with one of New York's leading chef's and he has shared his expertise. He told The Crack Team that for a 5 star restaurant, the chef is the most important person, not the manager. 

Anybody can manage a restaurant. Last week driving back and forth through Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York we came across many Arby's. I am sure that at each Arby's the managers were top notch. But no one even goes to Arby's because of who the manager is.

It is easy to manage a restaurant. You hire the people, you seat people, you pay people, but think about it, if your chef sucks ain't nobody coming back to your restaurant unless you have the seniors early bird special or you have the 2 for 1 coupon in the Entertainment book. 

Let's see what job is more difficult. The restaurant manager (Telling the waiter to push the malt wine) or the chef? 

The kitchen and the person who runs the kitchen are what makes a restaurant.  

UPDATE JULY 30, 2015 @12:22 AM THIS JUST IN TO THE SBSB NEWSROOM:

From our NYC leading chef groupie: In fine dining, without a clear vision of the food, and someone to maintain quality and consistency, the reputation sours quickly.

Also food and labor costs are the highest in the business, and the chef is fiscally responsible for controlling them.

People also tend to forgive bad service before bad food