There are other people home, there are babies, there are other children, and pets that need attending. You don't get a real connection with your students. You really can't work one on one. I can go on. But remember this. There wouldn't be remote teachers if there weren't
remote students. Parents have made the choice that they don't feel the schools are safe for their students. That is their right. And it is our right as teachers that are susceptible to COVID to take the DOE up on its offer to teach from home. Heck, there might be even less remote teachers if the DOE had a real plan back in September.
We don't need the New York Post to fan the flames. We don't need the ignorant politicians and neo-liberals to create shit storms. Worse, we don't need one of our own to knife teachers in the back.
The Crack Team found this tweet by Stephanie Edmonds (@classdisrupti0n) of Bronx Law High School at the Theodore Roosevelt Campus in the Bronx. Let's have a look see.I believe this tweet was on or around December 12.
Wow! So Stephanie agrees that we, I would assume the rank and file of the UFT, are privileged? Privileged how Stephanie? Privileged like having everything handed to us? Privileged having grown up in one of the toniest areas of Fairfield County? Privileged to go to an exclusive boarding school for high school? Please, explain. We don't understand. Most of us were only born with a plastic spork in our mouths. We don't have yachts on Long Island Sound.
As for as I know, I, and every single remote teacher is doing their ACTUAL job. You're doing your ACTUAL job too. You are remote. Are you better than us? Know more than us? We're in the same boat. But I am sure you're still looking down your nose at "the remote teachers."
Denial? Excuses? What am I in denial of? What are other remote teachers in denial of? I'm not denying that this situation is rough for all involved. That it would have been better to have had a plan had its genesis back in March. I, nor my union brothers and sisters, are unable to control the incompetency of Mayor De Blasio and Chancellor Carranza.
Are we (and again to be sure we are talking about remote teachers) making excuses for remote teaching? Stephanie, answer this question. I spoke to a colleague over the weekend I had taught with back in 2003. Our children used to play together. She is remote. Why? Her daughter, the same age as my son, has cancer. When one has cancer the immune system tends to get messed up. My friend sought, and received, an accommodation (thanks to UFT Solidarity and Bryan Glass) so she would not have to worry about being in a school or the Bronx. Avoiding a situation in which she could catch COVID and, God forbid, infect her daughter.
Speaking for myself, I am type 2 diabetic. My BMI is where it should be as is my A1C. But I am 56, and for some weird reason don't wish to die due to COVID. Maybe if I was 30 years old I might think differently. But I am not.
Deflection and blame? Again Stephanie, (check your scorecard, we are still talking about remote teachers) what is it we are deflecting? Explain yourself. Who are we blaming? I've been with the DOE 25 years. There is incompetency all around. I'll blame De Blasio and Carranza. Try your know it all energy on these two dunces.
Yeah, the UFT has been wishy washy and inconsistent, but the mayor and the chancellor are the ultimate fartheads.
You know Stephanie, when I started teaching I was told to keep my mouth shut and my ears open. Sadly, it's been the opposite for you. Perhaps you should concentrate on teaching instead of what you think is a quasi-media empire on You Tube.
Want to curse the union all you want? Go right ahead I'll be there supporting you. But attacking teachers, your union brothers and sisters, your colleagues, on social media that's just wrong. Do it privately.
But what's most disturbing is this attitude you have of knowing it all. You know jack. You are in a situation you never were in before. You think you are "down" with your students? Think about what they are saying about you in Spanish.
Don't think you have cred because you believe you teach in the South Bronx and are the reincarnation of Mr Kotter. You're not. Remember this from September...?
You do not teach in the Boggie Down Bronx unless you teach in the South Bronx. But Damn! There it goes again!! People coming in and changing things!
You're on Fordham Rd. That is not the Boogie Down Bronx.
Lastly, Stephanie, get rid of the phony Bronx accent. You're from the country club set of Connecticut, you should sound like William Buckley.
Would love to hear from remote teachers in the comments section. Please keep it unprofane and professional.
As a proud UFT member, it really hurts seeing a young UFT member attacking her colleagues. Ms. Edmonds is only making trouble for herself and is not winning any allies her.
ReplyDeleteGreat Points but it burns less when you spell it COIVD instead of COVID.
ReplyDeletePeople like Stephanie have been deceived and misled probably their entire lives. She is part of a generation of young people who have been repeatedly told that they are special simply because they exist. This arrogance used to be a common irksome personality trait of teenagers until they matured in their early 20's and realized that they didn't know jack. Now, this arrogance is often found in people in their twenties and thirties; not comprehending that they have done nothing to earn such pomposity!
ReplyDeleteI have been teaching for over 30 years. I started mentoring new teachers about 15 years ago and kept my teaching duties, too. I have worked with a few wonderful, dedicated, hardworking new teachers. I must say, that with my encouragement, quite a few have moved on to teach on Long Island. On the other hand, it has become quite shocking working with the majority of new teachers. Suggestions are often ignored or rejected. "I got this" is a common response from young new teachers when I offer to help lesson planning, curriculum planning, or teaching. Many of the new young teachers do not care to lesson plan or teach very much. They have been brainwashed by their professors, the DOE, and movies that being "friends" with the students is the way to go. They also tend to be super friendly with the administration. I do keep in mind that many of these new teachers attended NYC public schools and are products of the Bloomberg diploma mills. These dummies come from all neighborhoods.
I do think teachers like Stephanie are so blinded by their own arrogance that they do not see the big picture. She should be embarrassed, but she quite the opposite! Well, I am embarrassed for her and the young teachers like her.
When it comes to the NYC DOE, I am pessimistic. Unless there is a drastic change, the entire public school system in NYC will continue to crumble and rot and then Stephanie can become Chancellor and fix everything.
As a proud union member who has been affected by covid, losing my mom because our elected leaders didn’t know their asses from their elbows, how dare she bash us for trying to stay safe at home! Many feel that way because they have not had their lives turned upside down. Instead of creating animosity against each other, we must lift each other up and fight for our rights! Let’s have conversations amongst ourselves to solve the problem, not make it worst!!!!
ReplyDeleteI just watched one of her Youtube videos. She is a total tool.
ReplyDeleteThe DOE can solve this dilemma by permitting families and teachers who prefer to return to the school building full time to do this while simultaneously permitting those families and teachers who prefer to remain remote the chance to do this. Other states like PA have had fully remote cyber charter schools for over 10 years.
ReplyDeleteStop picking on Stephanie, just ask her out already. She is cute.
ReplyDeleteDon't do it Pete! Rumor has it that Steph is packing 9 1/2 inches!
ReplyDeleteDamn, this blog is just one woman hating man’s club. It’s bad enough to continually vilify this teacher, but to imply she’s a man, is really low even for your fans Pete. Now if I wanted to respond in kind, I could say:
ReplyDelete1. That’s nothing Pete couldn’t handle. Or
2. That’s 9 inches more than Pete. Or
3. One, of your manly friends, is jealous Pete.