The Best Argument Ever Against Francesco Portelos and UFT Solidarity

It is not very often, I would say extremely rare if at all (maybe I had done it once or twice), that
someone left a comment on a post and I made a blog post of it.

It's happening today. Today, on the blog post, "The False Prophecy of UFT Solidarity and Francesco Portelos," left such a lucid, well thought out raison d'être why under any circumstances Portelos and UFT Solidarity should not, and cannot, win the upcoming UFT election, it left The Crack Team in tears which all culminated in a manly and emotional group hug.

The jumping of the UFT Solidarity ship, except for the few ardent, hardcore, mindless drones, will be epic following the UFT elections.

The following has been slightly altered, though not a word was changed.

Any vote for Francisco Portelos is at best a wasted vote since he is unable to gather the momentum to win any election. There is however, a worse case scenario for casting any vote his way. 

Portelos has demonstrated an inability to provide a vision other than one rooted in anger and confrontation. He draws support and resonates with some of the most disgruntled and psychologically unbalanced individuals. As these people serve his ego of being their champion he has created dissonance with those you do not support him through internet attacks of defamation and disparagement laying a large swath of collateral damage. 

 In fact, I would argue that the individuals damaged by his tactics represent a larger population than those he served. Furthermore, Portelos has alienated parents, administrators, and moderate educators with his tweets,blogs and verbalizations. He is the perfect fodder for the growing anti-union sentiment than exist today. He will create a self destructive energy that is counter productive to any sustainable UFT message.

Think of Portelos this way. He is blinded by his anger and ego like a raging bull. And as he charges the red cape in all his fury he has failed to see the sword in the Matadors other hand.

I Got Called to the Principal's Office

On this past Friday, the last day of my 5th week in the school I am assigned to, I got called to the principal's office first thing in the morning.

As usual I arrived to the school about 15 minutes early and received my assignment for the day. I was to cover an absent teacher in a 1st grade ICT class. I said thank you to the secretary and headed downstairs to do my part. I put away my stuff and the students soon started arriving.

This was a breath of fresh air. Up until last Monday I had been covering a 3rd grade class whose teacher had suddenly left on maternity. Though I liked the kids, and the other 3rd grade teachers were quite supportive of me, I was blessed with the roughest 3rd grade class. Not that they were disrespectful to me or getting in fights or running out of the room, it was just they never stopped talking. This, I was told, was why the teacher suddenly left on maternity. She was ordered to bed rest by her doctor.

So has the little 1st graders were entering the room, and giving me that "Who is this guy?" look one of the AP's popped her head in the door and told me the principal wanted to see me in his office to give me an different assignment. OK, no problem I said to myself. I told the other teacher I had to leave and went upstairs to the main office.

As I was walking to the office I passed by the auditorium and saw the principal. I went up to him and said that I heard he needed to see me. He said yes, it was about a new assignment and to meet him upstairs. I told him yes, and went to the main office.

When I got there one of the secretary's told me to have a seat and to wait for him. I sat and wondered if it is just a different assignment why not just tell me then and there and let me be on my way.

Didn't happen.

The more I waited for the principal, the more I started to go over in my head what was "really" happening. My mind was in a swirl of possibilities that seemed all too real at the time.

I started to wonder of I had done something incorrect. The 3rd graders had seen me on the stairs the other day and a few of them gave me fist bumps. Maybe I returned the fist bumps too hard.

Maybe I had not given enough homework and a parent complained.

Maybe I had given too much homework and a parent complained.

Perhaps I had given a Double-Stuffed Oreo to the wrong student who was allergic to Oreos

Or the fact that the Double-Stuffed Oreo was a holiday Oreo with the red creme and I committed a micro-aggression by giving an atheist, or non-Christian a Oreo that obviously was conforming to a Christian celebration and went home crying.


Do I need the CL for the meeting? Is this a trick to tell me that my assignment is being changed just to lull me into some kind of trap? Am I being sent back to the Rubber Room?

All this stuff went through my head, and more.

Worse, I felt my heart racing like it had never done before.

Then, the principal showed. He gave me my new assignment. A 2nd grade ICT class. Whew! Why couldn't he just tell me this when I saw in in the auditorium??

I hate, hate, hate this feeling now that I get every time anyone from above wants to talk to me. I understand the the saying "keep your guard up," but this is ridiculous. I know this is PTSD and I don't want to harp on me. I know there are teachers and others much more worse off than I.

This is no way to go through my, or anyone's, remaining years with the DOE.

It's natural to wonder "what did I do" when you are told to see an admin, I get it. But the swirl I got, I had never gotten something like that before. In the past, I had been able to self-correct, to find that ability to stop and think rationally. I was unable to on Friday.

I had been through both parents dying as well as three dear friends dying within 2 years of each other and never felt this bad before. My wife was sexually abused and has PTSD from that. I feel guilty that something so benign as compared to what she went through has put me in this state. This feeling on Friday went beyond the typical Jewish neurosis.

The DOE must be held accountable for this. Not just for me, but for the others who are in the same position. Just as importantly, the UFT should step up to the plate and be proactive with teachers that are hurting. Yeah, I've been down that road before, there needs to be some union pro-activity.

SBSB Calls for UFT Solidarity Candidate Victor Jordan to Step Down Immediately!!!

As Norm Scott reported, the MORE meeting this past Saturday was awesome. This is a caucus that is a true bottom up democratic caucus without egos and without agendas. All voices are heard.

Maybe that is why UFT Solidarity candidate for Treasurer, Victor Jordan, decided to show up for the meeting.

I was a little late for the start of the meeting. I left White Plains a little after 11 AM and hit some traffic on the way. I missed the beginning of Jia Lee's presentation on evaluations but was riveted by what I caught (Just an aside, this is what the teachers need, a leader that is able to not only articulate the wants and needs of teachers in many methods and styles. One size does not fit all) .

But anyway, as I was signing in I looked to my right and noticed someone else signing in as well. When I turned to look at him and noticed it was Victor Jordan. Yes, the above mentioned Victor Jordan of UFT Solidarity. He looked at me and suddenly, like King Arthur's men in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," ran away thinking I must have been some killer bunny.

Now for full disclosure. I had the pleasure of meeting Victor Jordan last month at Giovanni's on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. UFT Solidarity was having a Lonely Hearts meeting there and like wanting to drive slowly past a car wreck on the Deegan I just had to see it to believe it.

I had attempted to commiserate with Victor, ask him about his qualifications. Whether or not he is a member of the UFT and whether or not he is actually an attorney. He would not share, but shared, or rather inferred, that his resume is a fabrication.

Oh, and I counted the lack of people that showed and this got Francesco Portelos' knickers in a bunch and then got me kicked out. And when I was talking to one of his groupies outside he started to take photos and I shared with him that he is #1.

But I have digressed too much. 

Man did he bolt. But fortune was with me Saturday.

Seeing how there was no food to be had yet, I decided to get a dog with mustard and kraut on the corner. I had the fortuitous luck of riding down the elevator with him. Again, I asked Victor if he is a member of the UFT. He again refused to answer. Curious.

He said he had made a mistake, that he thought he was coming for a workshop of some kind. Now, it was advertised what Jia would be presenting, but why would this dashing, cosmopolitan, yet to be a member of the bar, not a member of the UFT, hack be interested in evaluations? And why would he travel from the outer boroughs to mid-town and suddenly claim that he had "an important meeting to attend to."

Yeah, he was sent to my his Leader. We all know that. But that is still not what is most irksome.

What is irksome it that Victor Jordan has no business being a candidate for UFT office. He is not a dues paying member of the UFT and has no business giving false hope to teachers across the city.

He claims he is receiving a pension, yet as one can see by Victor's resume he started teaching in 1985. That would make Victor  Tier IV. Tier IV does not collect a pension, (that is if Victor is vested. He taught until 1995 and stopped showing up and was soon terminated) until the age of 62. All our sources have shared that Victor is a few years short of collecting a pension. Oh, and there is no way he could have put in for the 55/25.

We here at SBSB are officially calling for Victor Jordan to step aside of a candidate for Treasurer of UFT Solidarity posthaste as well as a thorough investigation by the UFT Solidarity whatever to see how Victor Jordan was vetted and how he slipped through any verification and by what method and by whom that Victor Jordan was chosen.

This is more than Victor Jordan wanting to "play" UFT officer. He is giving false hope to thousands of teachers in New York City.

And just as bad, this shows how unready that UFT Solidarity is for the big time for not properly vetting it's candidates.

The False Prophecy of UFT Solidarity and Francesco Portelos

It's beginning. It's happening right before our eyes. It is coming right out of the mud slinging
handbook. It's what happens when one doesn't have any true confidence within oneself and the only way to make oneself feel bigger is to create their own alternate reality.

One of the followers, lackies, toadies, sycophants, the blind, of UFT Solidarity leader Francesco Portelos, heard the dog whistle when one of Portelos' campaign porn photos was posted on social media and in her own way had to get the ball rolling to belittle Jia Lee.

I heard from some people that Jia Lee had an abusive principal but left her school instead of fighting like myself, @XXXXXX XXXXXXXand my chapter leader @XXXXXXX And Jia was chapter leader at her school. True?

True? I heard? This is like saying,  "I heard Derek Jeter does HGH because he was getting older and wanted a new contract but is it true?"

What set this denizen of Bryant HS off (the dark side is strong there) is this statement from Leader Portelos; 

The next UFT President needs to be badass.

Funny, more on this later on in another posting.

I think knowing if she fought her principal or fled from her school is important dont you think? High stakes testing is one issue but being harassed and bullied by our principals is widespread and forcing teachers to leave the profession in record numbers. Will she run into a burning building or run from it? I think that is a totally legitimate question.

Oh, old padawan, don't let yourself be fooled by one's alternate reality. Jia, will run into a burning building to help a teacher. Jia, will save the teachers. The difference is she will do it with class and style. 

I would like a definitive answer is all. Why is everyone appearing defensive? The answer is no, she battled her principal and defended her teachers or yes, she left. Simple question, simple answer.

Yes, a question from a simple person, but the answer must be from the you are besmirching. One wonders if this Byrant sycophant had so many questions for Jia, why not just contact Jia? 

Portelos chimes in;

....but I don't see why my sycophant (our words) is being interrogated here. It's a valid question. We have brought this very story up before. The school was PS 63 Star Academy and before being chapter leader at Earth School, she was chapter leader there under Mean Darlene Cameron.

Again, Portelos, why not ask Jia. Surely Portelos has had ample opportunity to ask Jia in the countless haranguing emails he has sent her, no? 

The sycophant continues; 

I agree, but I come from a school where horrific things go on in the way of abusing teachers. Speaking up for over use of testing and fighting nclb are all well and good, but what did she do to protect the teachers in her school from an abusive principal? You aren't addressing the question and I have to ask myself why? I need protection in my own school, standardized testing is important but not my very first priority. Did she bring her principal up to the dept of labor, go to bat in every way she could? Yes or no would be nice.

And then we here from the non-UFT members of Solidarity from the Peanut Gallery; 

I agree! How can a teacher push for opt outs if there principal is a tyrant who can discontinue or 3020a them for looking at them wrong? We need a pit bull for UFT President and like you, I know who to vote for.

So Jia can't chew gum and walk at the same time, is that it? She can't advocate for opt outs yet stand up for teachers?  

Oh yes, the Department of Labor trick. How many times as that worked? Didn't work for Dear Leader Portelos. 

The Bryant Sycophant continues; 

And for the record, I have appeared on channel 4 news and in newspaper articles. Francesco has gone to bat for me, called my principal, came to Bryant's rallies. Where has this Jia chick been? She doesn't even know I exist. One thing to say you will do something, another to actually do it.

"This Jia Chick?" That gives us an idea for some MORE fundraising, The "Chicks of MORE" calendar. It'll sell better than the current "Portelos of Solidarity" calendar which comes with 12 seductive poses of Portelos in boudoir settings (what a photoshop opportunity if there was one!). 

What the Bryant Sycophant fails to realize is that Jia testified before Congress. Think, Jia pick up a phone and connect to the powers that be in Washington or Albany. Can Portelos?

As for the Bryant Sycophant. So you been on TV, so you been in the papers? So what. I don't have enough fingers on my hand to count how many those at MORE and those that have been fighting this fight for longer than Portelos has been in education. 

Finally, out of steam, the Bryant Sycophant grasps for straws; 

Has she attended rallies, supported teachers who have been abused and harassed, made ill by their workplace atmosphere? I have been very public with what has happened to me. Why have I not heard from her?

Why haven't you reached out to Jia? Or would you have incurred the wrath of Portelos? 

Rallies? Five people picketing a school does not constitute a rally. It is a a get together. 

To the Bryant Sycophant; think about this. Portelos gets the gig he wanted at IS 49 four years ago, or however long it was, you wouldn't know him. He was living so comfortable inside the colon of Linda Hill he had a big screen TV and a mini-fridge in there. 

And guess what? He still does not care. He care for himself and himself only. You are being played. This is his vendetta against the UFT for not giving him a job. Randi offers him that job he asked for he is not doing anything for you now. 

There are many that are jumping the Solidarity ship after the elections when they see that Portelos is nothing but a paper leader. Stop listening to false prophets with false idea making you worship to his false God. 

Want Jia's attention it is very simple. Email her. Either ask her to assist you, ask her yourself your questions, or just get off the pot.

UFT Solidarity: Francesco Portelos New Source For Don Rickles

At the end of the day I like to unwind with humor on my way home. I feel it is relaxing and a nice
way to decompress.

No Howard Stern though. At the hour I am driving home it is usually what I heard on the drive in that morning so it is nothing new. Besides, the humor I want to hear is those that make themselves the joke. OK, OK, you got me. Yes, yes, I know. Sal and Richard usually make themselves the joke but I want something a little different in the afternoon.

I like to listen for a few minutes to Sean Hannity or Michael Savage just to hear their ignorance, self-importance, and irrelevance. It's even better listening when they praise Demagogue Donald Trump (I really crack up!). Mind you this is not taking away anything from Rush Limbaugh, Mark Simone, and Mark Levin who are all good for a hardy laugh as well. If you think about it, all the forenamed are clowns without the makeup. And much more dangerous. 

But today was different. Today I did not need the radio blowhards to have me doubled over in laughter. No, today's guffaw was courtesy of UFT Solidarity's own Francesco Portelos by an email sent to yours truly.

As many readers of this blog recall, another layer of truth from the Portelos onion was exposed as we followed his haphazard travails at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn last month.

As is our policy here at SBSB we allow anyone to post here with any comment as long as it does contain personal information about anyone nor advocates violence against anyone else. We even allow dissidents of the "Sparkles for President" movement post here. We don't stand on ceremony here nor do we become little whiny poo poo heads when negative commentary about myself, the blog, or people we support are chastised. Nor do we feel the need to block like little whiny poo poo heads when the same happens.

So yesterday, Francesco Portelos, Leader of UFT Solidarity posted and informed me, not directly, but it seems that the lawsuit he promised against me will not materialize. Instead he suggested mediation, (or was it meditation?) with the UFT facilitating.

One rule I live by is "It's not honorable to engage in battle with weaker opponents."

You're post, as well as all your many others, are filled with false statements and ideas you and MORE members have conjured up about me. Regardless, we have more than doubled in size since you began your defamatory crusade this past July.

How about this? Let's engage in meaningful mediation. I'll email mediation@uft.org and you do the same. Then they'll contact both of us for a professional sit down.

In Solidarity,

Just a dad from Staten Island  

Weaker? I don't recall threatening lawsuits, besmirching  others families, haranguing on Facbook those that disagree with MORE or it's affiliates. I have always been of the belief that those who feel confidant in themselves do not need to bully or intimidate others who disagree with them or to do the same to be assured that their followes "toe the line."

But we are proud that UFT Solidarity has doubled in size. But one wonders. How many of these 40 some odd "members" are actually UFT members? Seriously, how many are UFT members that can be involved in voting in UFT elections and how many are sitting on the "Executive Council" of UFT Solidarity and are in decision making roles for UFT members? (is the guy who wore the Captain Picard uniform to the DTOE meeting considered a UFT Solidarity member or is he still with Star Fleet?)

We also take umbrage that it has been inferred that MORE has been behind or directing any posts on this blog concerning the posting of the superabundance of comedic material coming from the UFT Solidarity. Don Rickles wishes he had such sources!

I have digressed, no?

So today's comedy gold which came in an email from Portelos was welcomed.

Ready Peter? You down for this?

In Solidarity,

Francesco A. Portelos
Educator

www.XXXXXX​

UFT Presidential Candidate 2016
www.XXXXXXX

UFT Solidarity Caucus
www.xxxxxxx

​Don't Tread on Educators
www.XXXXX​

ATR Alliance
www.XXXXXXXX

www.XXXXXXXX

"The foundation of every state is the education of its youth." -

 Greek Philosopher Diogenes
   

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "XXXXXXXXXXX" @uft.org

>
Date: Jan 11, 2016 12:25 PM
Subject: RE: Meditation
To: "Francesco Portelos" <mrportelos@gmail.com>
Cc: 

Dear Francesco,

Thank you for your inquiry about the UFT Workplace Dispute Mediation Program.

Since mediation is voluntary and takes place between two parties, we need to hear from the second party in order to continue with the intake process.

Please inform the other party that an outreach to mediation@uft.org is necessary. 

Some people find it easier for the chapter leader or a colleague to pass this information along, rather than do it themselves.

It would be helpful to include the following information:

                Name

                School

                Cell phone

                Email

                Nature of dispute

We look forward to helping you resolve your workplace dispute.

Workplace dispute? This is not a workplace dispute. It's someone's hissy fit. This is about a someone who can't deal with the truth and is attempting, as only a true narcissistic can, to co-opt me, to schmooze me, and to try to neutralize the truth.

Hey, I was all for wanting to put aside issues and work it out. But that was six months ago! I made the offer of talking things out in the diner where Portelos felt the need to throw my 3020-a in my face. I tried several times throughout the summer, through a mutual friend, but it was to no avail.

What is in it for me to go through mediation. Nothing. It's done, get over it. I feel like an ex girlfriend that just can't get rid of her ex. Move one, find someone else!

Besides, anyone who has any conversation that is more than 5 words with Portelos must have it with him if he is butt naked and accedes to a cavity search. And this just doesn't go for me or anyone else that Portelos deems unworthy. I'll bet everything that Portelos records and files away any and all conversations with UFT Solidarity members.

Exactly what is Portelos attempting to elicit? The only one I can think of is laughter, for I have laughed harder than I have in quite a long time since this afternoon.


This would be a good time to suggest that Portelos to look in the mirror, to self examine. But he can't. There is no introspection possible with him. The means justify the ends. There is a swath of destruction in his wake and it doesn't matter to Portelos as long as he gets the adulation, the attention, and the sycophants.

Say what you will about MORE. There are things I disagree with. MORE  has had growing pains and it was not pretty. But MORE has grown and has turned into a caucus with ethics, morals, and a true democratic spirit. No one person is bigger than MORE and MORE can and will survive if those who are running for MORE in the UFT elections are no longer involved. Can the same be said about UFT Solidarity? No.

UFT Solidarity is nothing but one person's vendetta against the UFT and how poorly he was treated by the NYCDOE. Guess what? There are worse instances of teachers being abused by the NYCDOE. It's time the tiny violin has been put away.

Watch what happens in May when the election results are announced. Prediction: Many, many UFT Solidarity members will see that Landru, oops, I meant Portelos was nothing but a false prophet that conned them.

They will finally be free.

UFT Solidarity: Francesco Portelos Trolls Nurses In Hospitals

The Crack Team has come across information concerning Francesco Portelos' forays into his attempts to corner the UFT nurses vote that is just so beneath contempt, but worse, could have put patient's lives in danger.

As was reported here on November 5th as well as on the Portelos blog Portelos ventured into a Staten Island hospital trolling for the nurses vote. Remember that one? The one in which Portelos blew the dog whistle in his own hyperbolic manner that he was to be drummed out of the UFT? From Portelos' blog in which he is being denounced at the UFT exec board meeting...

“…AND I AM APPALLED…THAT SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM WOULD DARE CALL OUR NURSES, DURING WORK HOURS TO PUSH THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA, WHILE THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF SICK PATIENTS, AND PUTTING THOSE PATIENT’S LIVES AT RISK!”

"…the phone calls to the nurses are monitored and recorded. They violated our contract and could now face disciplinary charges. A cease and desist should be ordered and a full investigation by the board!”

The Crack Team has learned more about that night.

Originally we had assumed that Portelos was either; a) having acquired cell phone numbers called the nurses on their cell phones, or b) called the nurses at their stations on the patient floors. We were wrong. It was worse.

Portelos, as always thinking about himself first, attempted to reach out to nurses by calling the Neo-Natal Unit, the ICU, and the Operating Room. Think about it. Two units where the most vulnerable patients in a hospital are were forced to take a back seat to Portelos' ego.

Think about it. Portelos by his actions put patients lives in jeopardy. Yes, only by the grace of God, there were no emergencies, but what could have happened in the few seconds that a nurse took the time to answer a useless phone call from Portelos if a patient flat lined in ICU? If a baby stopped breathing in Neo-Natal? If a nurse preparing to assist a surgeon on an operation was distracted enough to forget an instrument, an instruction, or some other matter of importance?

It would not matter to Portelos as long has he was the center of attention.

Which of course happened a few weeks later at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn.

This time Portelos was brave enough to show his face. Walking down the corridors on the patients floors, or as Portelos wrote in this piece a few weeks after the Staten Island affair;

"One of them directed me to the staffing room for the nurses. I assumed it was something similar to a teacher’s lounge. As a went back-and-forth across the lobby of Lutheran Medical Center, to find the staff lounge..."

But is this true? For what was Portelos actually doing on the patient floors? As Portelos shared;

"I went to visit my grandmother who was recuperating at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn."

The Crack Team has confirmed that there was no grandma at Lutheran that night. Now, grandma might have been across the street at the nursing home, but grandma at Lutheran came from someone's world of make believe.

Walking through patient floors where patients are being cared for put not only the nurses in a vulnerable position but the patients and their loved ones as well. He violated the privacy patients, their families, and their health care providers expect and demand.

But eventually it all came to an end for Portelos;

“Can I help you with something sir? Can we ask your business here?”

“I can’t believe she got security involved. I’m here visiting my grandmother who’s recuperating from hip surgery. I’m also running for president of the United Federation of Teachers. I thought to drop off some flyers since we represent nurses here.” I told them.

“Sir, if we see you here again we’re gonna have to remove you."

See right there you could tell grandma is all fictional.  Two things gave it away. If he was truly there for grandma, security would have asked him to cease and desist and stay with grandma. But there is something more telling. (Seriously, where is the line between fantasy and reality with him?)

Portelos who is so good at sharing every tidbit that he "believes" happened that night at Lutheran never said anything about having to leave grandma that evening. Never added something like, "I couldn't even say goodbye to grandma," or "I asked if I could at least say goodbye to grandma." Quite interesting.

What was the hospital supposed to do? To allow a stranger with no business in the hospital up on the patients floors? Be allowed to walk into private areas of the hospital? There are incidents all the time in hospitals. We live in an age in which hospitals are considered soft targets, baby abductors troll hospitals, crime happens in hospitals. You just can't leisurely walk around a hospital and troll nurses.

Portelos not only put patients lives and health at risk but the careers of nurses as well. The hospital on Staten Island and Lutheran are PRIVATE HOSPITALS and have different work rules ans free speech rules than public hospitals.

Nurses can be disciplined, nurses (As well as the union) can be seen as reckless if there are focusing on the inanity of Portelos instead of their patients.

There is no politicking at private hospital. Patients might be offended if they see a sign, leaflet, etc.., that goes against their belief system. But politicking is not permissible of a private hospital, especially during when nurses are on duty.

Which can make one wonder would Portelos walk into a classroom while a teacher is teaching to spew about himself? Would Portelos call a teacher while that teacher is teaching? Nope and nope.

But, he would call and harangue nurses and staff members to blabber about himself when these people are the ones that are at the front lines of patients lives. Nurses can't be distracted while they are on duty. Their only priority is their patients which of course Portelos fails to realize. 

More and more we see that Portelos has neither the maturity, temperament, nor the skills to be a leader. He chooses to lead by fear and intimidation which are not what anyone wants in a leader.

As you have just read, what is most important his himself and his vendetta against the UFT. Remember this, if Randi got him a gig at the UFT there is no UFT Solidarity.

No matter how it is sliced, Portelos put patients at risk and kept nurses from doing their duty. What more needs to be said. Except..

Portelos > Patients lives.

UFT Solidarity: Francesco Portelos to Be In Anti-Bullying Film

Irony-the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning

Bully- (Noun)  a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people. (Verb-Without Object) to act the bully toward; intimidate; domineer.

What a fun day today turned out to be! I'm not a Jets fan, so no point in me watching the game. I am a Giants fan and to sad to watch Coughlin's last game so I was praying for something to give me some high spirits and/or a laugh today. And I got it. In Facebook. On the Don't Tread on Educators page. Let's have a looksee (Click to enlarge).

The "movie" is called "When Bullies Become Bosses" produced by Brett Culp and  Richard Santiago (link to trailer here) that comes with a website and Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and blog pages as well as an email.

Hey, we here at SBSB fully support the work of Brett and Richard and wish them well and Godspeed in their endeavor! It's just that The Crack Team wishes that they were more informed of things and should be aware that there could be a sub-title to their film...something like, "When Bullies Think They Are Becoming Self-Professed Union Bosses" are something akin to that. 

Before we here at SBSB go on an share what reasonable people but construe as bullying, let's think of this. 

There are far, far, more vile and disgusting stories than Portelos' of bullied teachers in the City of New York. We here at SBSB are officially calling for Portelos to put the tiny violin away. It's time. Or as one SBSB groupie just shared with us here; 

Big ego talking..that Portelos ego. He thinks that if he screams the loudest, he is fierce. So many other teachers who would be better fit for an interview for a documentary. This just feeds his insatiable ego.

Speaking of egos, could a reasonable person safely assume that the persistent haranguing of members of MORE, through texts and emails, is not supposed to be seen as intimidating? Can this in turn be reasonably seen as bullying? Or as Norm Scott has written (not confidential, any and all conversations I share are either with permission or gleamed from comments of my blog); 

It is your leader - the guy you have chosen to run for president who constantly trolls around ICE and MORE - and sends email after email. Why? If you have such a dynamic and influential group go forth and organize people but leave us alone. But your chosen leader can't seem to do that. He is selling you on the idea that if we all don't jump on the bandwagon we can't beat Unity. he is selling you the bridge...He had to show up at the MORE meeting today - and for a group that does nothing the fact that almost 60 people showed on a hot summer afternoon - many of them new and current chapter leaders and delegates who came to get some training and info. That is the kind of work MORE does - and we emphasized chapter leader support for ATRS. Portelos just can't seem to stay away from MORE or ICE. (Was he there to try to poach people who came to MORE for himself?)

Can the administrator of a Facebook page when finally fed up with Portelos' ego and bogarting of said page, not see Portelos as a bully? When said administrator's personal, confidential conversations, with Portelos be made public by Portelos when he had he the administrator toy taken away been seen as bullying? Is this not a mode of intimidation? 

Or when I wrote this piece, "Why I Can't Support UFT Solidarity" in which it is exposed how Portelos bullies not just myself, but Principals as well? What he wrote, could it be safe for me, as well as my family, to assume that I am being bullied when Portelos wrote this fiction and having to use my family against me (Click to enlarge)? 

What about this post, "Is There Solidarity With God," in which the comments kept me laughing my ass off as my wife read them to me driving home from Corning NY (Click to enlarge)?

Is this bullying/intimidation? It is a Portelos fantasy (click to enlarge).

Can the last line of this be considered a threat or intimidation/bullying (click to enlarge)?

Or as Norm Scott wrote on this thread;

I have 75 pages of notes on the Portelos trial and 25 on Peter's. One day I'll write a book. All I'll say here is that at no point at Peter's hearing did I hear one word that would make me think he could be evil. He would never go after someone's family. At the other hearing I heard more than one instance of retaliation against families of people on the "enemies" list, stories that made many of the observers shake their heads. Observers and supporters by the way who mostly came from the ranks of MORE/ICE. How soon people forget. 

Or what shall we say about this blog post, the one in which Portelos feels he must mock James Eterno.? And Portelos subsequently harangued to no end the person who shared this information with me.

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. 

And lest we forget the post, "The UFT Solidarity Circus Comes to Town" (I love that meme I created!) where I am threatened with a lawsuit. As wont a bully to do (Click to enlarge);

Cease and desist? Still, it is the wrong county! Please see my post, "Welcome to White Plains."

Or what about this post, "UFT Solidarity Threatens to Sue Me!",  in which a reasonable person can construe it as intimidation by a bully?

 
And of course, there is more (Click to enlarge)....

OH, I could go on and on but I shan't. I just wanted to share the hits. I can't share what has been confided to me either verbally or through email, due to my own ethics and morals, without gaining prior approval of those who shared with me. I need to look at myself in the mirror.

If these people want to use Portelos in their movie that is their right. I, and others, have every right to disagree with Portelos being used as a victim of bullying for several reasons; 1) In retrospect, what happened to Portelos is pretty benign. It was wrong, but there have been and continue to be, much worse instances of teachers being bullied and victimized; 2) He has, in many others opinions, gone from the bullied to the bullier, and 3) His fight is not about others but has always been about himself.

This is how I feel and many others feel. Portelos is not a leader. He should not, will not, be the leader of the UFT.


 

The Story Behind My Appearance on The Howard Stern Network

 Happy 2016!

So now the cat can be let out of the bag, at least the way I feel since the show is no longer being done and so much to share. My fifteen minutes of fame in the world of Hoard Stern.

Almost two years ago I was an invited guest on "Leiberman Live" hosted by current or former Hoard Stern news team member Jon Leiberman. For those that don't know "Leiberman Live" was a 15 minute topical news show on SiriusXM channel Howard 101 in which a news maker or someone with something to say debates to members of the "Wack Pack." I was to go up against some of the greatest minds ever.

Me and Jon Leiberman

I was hoping against hope that one of the Wack Packers I would be debating would be Eric the Actor. But it was not to be. Since I would appear on a Monday, it meant that High Pitched Erik would be sharing his opinion on that show's topic, Charter Schools.

I reached out to my debate mate Erik on Twitter and we built up a rapport. I found out that he lives i the Bedford Park area of the Bronx and suggested we meet before the show. He said OK, and was even more excited when I suggested we meet for dinner.

Thinking that if we met at a diner Erik would order everything off the menu I decided that it would be best if we went to a place where only one item was offered, Frank Pepe's Pizza in Yonkers. Aside from pizza, only salad was on the menu and I need not worry about Erik ordering that.

I had originally planned on bring my son along with my wife (He was 12 at the time) but changed my mind at the last minute and it was just to be myself, my wife, and Erik. We were to pick him up at his home at 6 PM and hopefully he would fit in the car and limit himself to two medium pies.

As we were just about to leave Erik tweeted me he was stuck on the D train at the Herald Square subway station and would be 30 minutes late. OK. So we waited. And then waited some more as Erik tweeted several times asking for another 30 minutes.

Erik finally tweeted that he was on his way and had one more small request. He asked me to bring $50 so he can pay his cell phone bill. It was at this point I figured meeting and dining with Erik was not worth it and I politely suggested that we do this another time. But he said he was depressed and wanted to do it the following night which I couldn't.

Sadly, Erik must have been hurt for he never appeared in the studio with me that day. Instead I was to debate Wack Packers Sour Shoes and Speech Impediment Man that day regarding Charter Schools.

So for the first time ever, I now present those slightly edited down 15 minutes, down to 11 minutes, of fame for all to hear.

Ba-Ba-Booey. Ta-Ta Toothy. Ma-Ma-Monkey. Fa-Fa-Flunky.