One of the reasons I chose to be on steering back in the halcyon days of MORE was I did not think that MORE had done, nor was doing, enough to help teachers in who were having difficulty.
I thought, and others had as well, that MORE turned it's attention to too many of these irrelevant issues that just didn't affect teachers in any way. When it comes down to it teachers want bread and butter issues. They want to know when and if that next pay check is coming, will there be food on the table to feed my family, will I be able to put my kids through college. Will they have a job come September?
MORE showed no inclination to grab the real issues by the proverbial balls and lo and behold, this is why we are where we are now. Or why MORE was up in Ithaca trying to find itself.
The Crack Team has been pouring over the MORE retreat notes from their August retreat in Ithaca and many things (Which will be shared on these pages in the upcoming weeks) caught The Crack Team's eyes. One came from a session entitles, "Vision and Mission."
The question put forth to the standing room only crowd of 12 is...
...Role of a caucus in our union how do we imagine our caucus moving the union/acting within the union structure as a whole? What should our approach to the Unity leadership be?OK, fair enough. Good question or topic, or whatever it is called. So there was a good response from someone.
Some caucus have set up a grievance hotline – that’s effective – direct response to people. Sometimes you can help them directly, other times help them think about organizing on an issue.Not bad. Very lucid and well thought out. Something like this is what I had been pushing for with MORE but sadly, they were disinterested. Kudos!
One response to the above caught our eyes here at SBSB.
The response is from Mike Stivers. He teaches at Millennium High School in Park Slope. For those that do not know about MHS in Park Slope, it is a ...
...a small, selective school with strong academics and a friendly vibe.That's just super.
So Mike Stivers responded...
MORE is not a consulting space. We can’t drop everything and help everyone who comes inWhat are you talkin' about
But Mike, that is real organizing. Rolling up your sleeves, getting your fingernails dirty, getting in the much and organizing and helping people. The very people you claim to want to help.
My 9th grade Algebra teacher Mr Tina would say when faced with an easy problem, "That's a piece of Entenmann's" or "It's a Twinkie." Both terms for "piece of cake." Millennium High School is an Entenmann's Cheese Danish Twist. Try some real organizing. Come to the South Bronx or try Boys and Girls High School. Leave Omega House and try Delta!
Can't drop everything? I have many a time when a teacher in need as contacted me. And I have a wife and a son. And Sparkles the Cat. Why can't you?
6 comments:
A teacher friend in frantic mode contacted me this morning. I dropped everything. What would Stiver recommend?
I voted for MORE a while back but now they seem like a bunch of social justice warriors with a commie vibe. I actually hope Portellos runs for UFT prez again this time around. Love him or hate him, at least the SOLIDARITY crew gives a shit about the rank and file.
@4:22 Mike is a dick. But what would Mike do?Buy broiled free range ethically slaughtered and PETA approved chicken, mix it with artisanal mayo, all the while sipping cola made at Brooklyn Soda Works smug as he contemplates how grateful mankind should be happy that he walks on Earth.
He sounds like an Ayn Rand type.
This is future of the union?
Aren't you the elitist? Stivers is talking about ideas. You are talking about movies. You claim to know the state so well, but you probably are sitting in your shorts at home reading this right now and making [insert whatever issue] a big deal. Ithaca is also in upstate NY. You act like its in a different state, and that MORE teachers are insane. The banishment was just a suspension, but I guess we know who really is touchy. Also can you please quote Churchill and the founding fathers a little more? #DumbAss
That said, I do agree with comments on budgeting. Is it true they used caucus funds for this? #ShowMeTheMoney #FollowTheMoney
Actually I’m wearing khakis and watching Star Trek: Voyager.
Ithaca is different. There are jobs. The downtown isn’t dead. It’s super liberal.
As for the suspensions three people were kicked of steering and the listservs. Seems like banishment to me. But again, this was done ex post facto. Why doesn’t this bother you?
I’m using Stivers own words. Perhaps he shouldn’t have said what he said.
Where am I talking about movies? I’m just stating that some aspects of Animal House are analogous to what MORE has become. We know who the Greg Marmalard is of MORE. Who is the Doug Neidermyer?
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