You Won't Believe What Happened to this Teacher

 This story came to the SBSB news desk. This story just happens to come from the same school Lunch Teacher where the ridiculousness happens non-stop. 

Before I continue, I want to emphasize that whenever I blog about a teacher in distress I am sure to receive that teachers permission to do so. Also, I will never name that teacher, nor any teacher. A PSEUDONYM is given to protect said teacher. Some might confuse this with misnaming. It is not. 

Now back to the story. 

Meet Frieda Rabinowitz. She teaches in the same school as the Lunch Teacher. In fact her and the Lunch Teacher co-taught last year. They were a good team. Like Martin and Lewis. Hekyll and Jekyll. Frick and Frack. Lucy and Ethel. Cagney and Lacey. But I digress. 

This year the Dynamic Duo has been separated but not apart. It was arrival time one morning, and Frieda Rabinowitz was heading towards the yard to pick up her class for the 8:00 AM arrival. 

On the way to the yard Frieda walked by the room of the Lunch Teacher and said hello. That was it. Nothing more, nothing less. Little did Frieda Rabinowitz know what was lurking in the hallway. 

Several days later Frieda Rabinowitz was given a two day notice to meet with the "assistant principal" and Frieda's chapter leader. Frieda was perplexed. She was wondering what in the tarnation had she done to warrant such a request. 

The two days came, and Frieda and her chapter leader were in front of the "assistant principal."

What was this horrible, no good, very bad thing that Frieda was summoned for? Frieda was seen by the "assistant principal" at 8:01 AM commiserating with the Lunch Teacher. Never mind the commiseration lasted a nano second and was just to exchange pleasantries. Never mind that each and every clock in the building is not at the correct time. Never mind that there are actually BIGGER CONCERNS to worry about whether or not a teacher is several seconds late getting to the yard. Never mind that he yard is only 10 yards from where Frieda had been commiserating. Never mind that OTHER TEACHERS were still on their way to the yard at 8:01 AM. The "assistant principal"decided to single out Frieda Rabinowitz. 

Oh, did I mention that the "assistant principal" happened to be in the hallway at 8:01 AM, failing to be at her post in the yard at 8:00 AM. Did I mention that the "assistant principal" deemed this professional misconduct on the part of Fried Rabinowitz? YGTBFKM!!!!

Frieda Rabinowitz was doing her commiserating at 7:59 AM. But with all the clocks in all the building having different times how would the "assistant principal" know this? If the "assistant principal"was so sure it was 8:01 AM why were the other teachers not written up? Why was the"assistant principal" not in the yard? 

The Crack Team has some theories. One is that the week before all this mishegoss went down Frieda filed a grievance over a missed prep as IS HER RIGHT! God damn, why do administrators take it so freaking personally when a grievance is filed against them? These are the same people who hide behind the cover of the CSA and would not hesitate to file a grievance if their rights are violated. 

The other theory is that Frieda Rabinowitz has an active PERB case right now. Sadly, the current administration at the school thought nothing better to do than to pour gasoline on the fire. 

I really wish this story could be fiction. But all too often in the DOE it is true. This could not have been handled in a conversation such as....

"Assistant Principal": Hey Frieda. Look, the other day you were talking to the Lunch Teacher and I know you were just saying hi, but please be mindful of the time in the future. I know this has never happened before with you. So just be aware."

Frieda Rabinowitz: Gee, thank you "assistant principal" that was thanks for letting me know. 

They walk off singing kumbaya together.

And scene. 

See? That's leadership. That is how to build comity in the workplace. Think this crap would happen in Scarsdale? Nope. Just because one has a second masters, a title, and a parking spot does not automatically make one a leader. 

Mulgrew's Latest BS

My two cents on this health care thingy. Yes, it has been a while since I have last blogged, but I have

been doing a lot of contemplation. 

 Here's my two cents: Mulgrew is full of shit and we are being played. 

Let me explain.

On October 29 we all received a shrill email from Uncle Mike  telling us that the health care premiums sky is falling...

"The city has dropped a bombshell that puts our premium-free health care in jeopardy. The city’s Office of Labor Relations sent a letter to the head of the Municipal Labor Committee giving the unions notice of its intent to enroll all Medicare‑eligible city retirees in a NYC Medicare Advantage plan and eliminate all other retiree health plans, including GHI SeniorCare. If the unions don’t go along with it, the city has threatened annual health care premiums of roughly $1,500 for all in‑service municipal employees."

Seems like blackmail.

In fact, official UFT Spokesperson Brian Gibbons has shared Mulgrew's the sky is falling shrillery (Which he has been doing ad nauseam on Twitter) (Click photo to enlarge)) ..

The city code that the city wants changed in which Mulgrew is the lead enabler is 12-126. I am not going to go into the details of it. Jonathan Halabi has a great analysis of it on his blog. Check it out here. 

What I will do is opine about Mulgrew's email. 

Mulgrew is full of shit.Trust me, the city did not threaten $1,500 premiums in a vacuum. Mulgrew is in on it. They (The City, Mulgrew, and DC 37) know they are fighting a losing battle to change the code. What better way for the Three Stooges, er, I meant the the three most powerful representatives of the MLC to get the code changed? Fear. Real fear. They know they can't fight the retirees, but now the in service members are being threatened with higher premiums. Members who have 20, 30, 40 years until retirement. Members who can't think that far down the road. 

Our union president who is supposed to be there for the rank and file through thick and thin. Who is supposed to have OUR INTERESTS at the forefront, is yet again is selling us out. Yeah, I know I am preaching to the choir. But this time he is conspiring with the City to use deception, lies, and subterfuge. There is no way, no how Mulgrew and the UFT should be trusted right now with our health care.

What he does not understand is that actually putting the lives of each and every UFT member, and all union members of New York City is serious jeopardy. 

It's once thing to consistently sell us out with our careers. But to toy with peoples lives. Deciding who will live and who will die. Mulgrew went to far this time.