I really wish I can make this shit up. Sadly, it's all too real.
This past Sunday night, September 6, my phone rings. Who can it be as I walk to the phone. Lo and behold I am getting a phone call from UFT Solidarity. To what honor, I wonder, am I worthy of such a call?
I allow the the call to go to VM for I know that I really don't like the way I sound on recording (Amongst other reasons). Let me hear what the VM says and will make any decisions from there.
I don't get a VM, but I do get a text from UFT Solidarity which reads;
"Hey what's up? Just called you. Seems like you want to tall and get shit off your chest. Call me if you do."
An intriguing possibility. Yes, I wished to sit down and talk but one of us would have to be at the sit down wearing nothing but a Speedo and be subject to a cavity search.
I go on with my evening, go on with my Labor Day and then last night, out of the blue I get another unsolicited text which reads;
"Sucks that it has come to this, but I am suing you (Emphasis mine). I warned you many times."
Dang, just like Alex Forrest UFT Solidarity goes 180 degrees in the other direction.
I was laughing so hard I responded;
"Good luck! I have no idea what you'll get from me but I wish you all the luck in the world and Godspeed."
And this response;
"There are several remedies the judge can order. I guess like everything else time will tell."
To top it off a member of MORE got a phone call from UFT Solidarity last night and was told that MORE was going to be sued due to the fact that I was acting in the capacity of MORE.
If I was a follower of UFT Solidarity I would step back and take a good hard look at what I am getting into. There is something seriously askew here and must wonder if the path that I had chosen is the right path.
I doubt these are the values of UFT Solidarity followers.
I have got less than 48 hours of having my health benefits. We went to Westchester Social Services on
Friday and were approved for only $115 a month in Food Stamps and are waiting to find out about Medicaid.
My son got approved for free lunch and I have my Unemployment appeal hearing on Wednesday. In the last week or so I have sent out about 10 resumes to charter school and private employers. Nothing yet. Putting in an application with a tutoring service tomorrow. I spoke with director, she is keen on hiring me but we'll see.
What about the two other charges The Ratt came up with?
You will laugh.
As previously mentioned I had The Ratt's class usually the last period of the day at 1:50.
One day, and this happened often with The Ratt, she brought her class early to my classroom. The teacher of the class before me would pick up her class either at 1:50 on the dot and with The Ratt's class waiting for 5 minutes already I had to deal with a class that was already fidgety.
On this day, the teacher was classy enough to pick up her class several minutes early, about 1:47 PM. I had three minutes.
Unfortunately, The Ratt brought her class early and just as the other class had finished filing out, The Ratt started to walk away from the class.
Dang, I thought to myself, I needed that three minutes (FYI, DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D of PS 154 in the Bronx never had any grace time between periods. Not even a minute. I always wondered why.) to run down to teacher's lounge and get some peanuts. I had plenty of time.
I needed those peanuts. I had not eaten since breakfast that day and it was late. I could feel (Can't explain, but if you are diabetic you can tell) blood sugar getting low. I needed the peanuts and The Ratt brought her class early!
I asked The Ratt if she can just stay with the class for no more than two minutes, that I will be back by 1:50.
"Nooooo," The Ratt squealed, "I won't have a full prep."
I explained that I am diabetic and that I need to get something into my system. The Ratt did not care.
I turned to a 5th grade teacher bathrooming his class, "Can you watch The Ratt's class for me so I can get peanuts. I am diabetic and I asked her and she said she would not."
At this point The Ratt let out a loud, whiny, "WHY ARE YOU TELLING HIM MY BUSINESS?" shrill in front of the 5th grade class and her class. And I was the one crapped on. The Ratt claimed I did not talk to her in a professional manner.
If I didn't why was there no supporting anecdotal from the 5th grade teacher? Why did DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D of PS 154 in the Bronx take her word for it? And yes, I got a letter in the file.
Here is a another one involving The Ratt.
A week or so after this incident I had to get keys from her for extended day. I spent 15 minutes looking all over the school for The Ratt. Announcements were made and there was no response.
I finally located her in the computer room. All I said when I saw her was, "Oh there you are, I have been looking all over for you."
In her whiny shrilly voice I got it again, '"WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO ME SO UNPROFESSIONALLY? STOP!!!"
Yep, I got a letter in the file as well. In fact she said this in a room full of student whilst sitting between two teachers. Where was anecdotals from students and the two teachers? Again, I got written up for this. Only her word was good enough.
What comes around goes around. The Ratt fell out of favor so quickly. Just was removed from the colon of DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D of PS 154 in the Bronx.
But The Ratt is teaching in best community possible. The Ratt can be celebrated in 2020.
The following comes as no surprise to us here at SBSB. The rumors were flying for over a year, but we have confirmed that UFT Solidarity met with AFT president Rand Weingarten early in 2014 seeking employment in the UFT, ostensibly becoming a member of the Unity Caucus. The same caucus that has brought us Mike Mulgrew.
For some time, and we knew here at SBSB, UFT Solidarity met with Randi in Manhattan but were never given a reason why. Rumors abounded. The biggest rumor was that UFT Solidarity was asked to start a stalking horse caucus as a way to siphon off votes from MORE which would entail a a splitting of the opposition vote giving Unity yet another victory.
Lately The Crack Team had heard some rumors that the above was untrue, that the meeting was initiated by UFT Solidarity. The Crack Team was sent out into the field to find out more (Pardon the pun).
"You miss the point. Unity is laughing at the Portelos spectacle - they
know he is nuts but are happy to be using him to divide the opposition.
They even brag privately how Solidarity is doing their work for them -
and they also spill the beans that Portelos was asking Unity for a job
and when he didn't get it he figured he could win favor by creating a
caucus that could prevent MORE from winning executive board seats. Is
that what the meeting with Randi was about? Play the tape."
Yes, interesting, but even more interesting was trying to curry favor with Unity by splitting the vote and this must explain the near schoolgirl crush that UFT Solidarity laid on New Action.
UFT Solidarity replied to this comment that left many scratching their heads;
Randi asked me "Are you interested in building a bridge back to the UFT?
" I told her the UFT won't take me in, like you said above, so "I'm
building my own bridge." At that point I sent her the link for
Solidarity. Her response was actually "Wait, let me try one more thing and have a convo with Mike." Randi sought out UFT Solidarity without clearing this with Mulgrew? Seems strange.
Stranger is why would Randi seek out UFT Solidarity and not anyone from MORE (Not that they would have gone to the meeting) like anyone of at least 50 people I can think of.
Also interesting is that since this meeting occurred in early in 2014 how could Randi have seen the Solidarity website if the website came online in April of this year (According to whois.net) and the Solidarity Facebook page came online in September 2014.
"Remember how you asked me why you couldn't run in their slate in
addition to the more slate in 2013 and I told you you had to choose? So
there you were ready to run on a slate with mulgrew at the head of the
ticket just 2 years ago. You were hoping you could grab one of those
unity new action exec be seats even if it meant selling out to mulgrew.
But neither unity or new action wanted you for the exec bd and I pushed
for you for the more exec bd slate. And you got on the ballot without
bringing in any signatures on the petition"
So is it not natural to question the motives behind UFT Solidarity? Is this so called caucus for the teachers and by the teachers, or is it someone's way to get back at all those who have scorned UFT Solidarity. It is starting to look like the latter, as if a boyfriend had been dumped by a girl and this is just nothing more than a tantrum?
Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few at UFT Solidarity or is it about one person in the ultimate con job leading people off the cliff?
The followers of UFT Solidarity need to snap out of it and really start asking questions.
Last night when I wrote of the constant barrage of UFT Solidarity's fanboi love letters to MORE there had been one comment that was deleted but luckily it was already saved in the SBSB archives;
"Hey Zucker, since you can't stop thinking about us, here is another photograph for you. This was the updated one. (See link just below)
I
mean what I said though. I wouldn't want you teaching my kids. Part of
my campaign will be to make sure I'm not running a platform that states
"Protect everyone."There are people who shouldn't be teaching.
The
fact that you spend so much time researching, trolling and writing,
while you're unemployed adds to to the sadness. That's what it
is...pathetic sadness. Loneliness...a void that can't be filled by a
hundred anti-Solidarity posts.
No secret. Read what we write...We are doing things. Take notes."
So there we have it, it is official. UFT Solidarity will pick and choose which teachers to help, protect, and to ensure their due process. One can not but be saddened and see the correlation between UFT Solidarity and Animal Farm.
....the reality is you are cynical man who is actually a detriment to the movement.
Norm a detriment? Wow! I just can't say enough about Norm and what he means to me and to others. Norm got me through my 3020-a, without him I don't know what would have happened. My wife is so enamored by Norm she wanted to adopt him. I have disagreed with Norm many a time. We had a big brouhaha over a year ago. But Norm is wise. Norm has been fighting for over 40 years. He knows when to use the hammer and when to use the chisel.
Do you know that since we have been turning up the heat on Aimee Horowitz, that they took away all her Staten Island schools? Do you know that we have initiated investigations on her and her principals? This is known as a fact? This can be proved that UFT Solidarity alone initiated this? Or can it just be a coincidence? Or that she had schools taken away due to having to focus all her attention on the Reform schools?
You speak a big game on your blog Norm and when you are surrounded by your people,
Never noticed that. I have noticed this from UFT Solidarity. Like one big group of people with Freudian shortcomings
Michele Hen stated that her proposal for MORE to send members to 3020- termination hears was turned down. Is this true?
Yeah, this is the poster child for the voice of reason.
At 4:04 PM it was so said; Norm, you and Peter Zucker are going to love Solidarity's "Rally of
One" initiative then. We'll be sending as little as one person to
leaflet outside a troubled school. We'll send you pictures to post.
So what? One is what UFT Solidarity can muster up having only 70-75 some odd members.
At 5:14 it was blabbed; ....you have the audacity to spend time
writing a blog how 8 Solidarity members rallied against abusive Aimee
Horowitz. This after we rallied outside Richmond Hill, William Bryant
and Tweed in just the last several months. You have some nerve.
And what were the numbers? 8? 12? Those numbers are not a rally. It's just a bunch of people walking around with signs.
So there you have it. UFT Solidarity the Schlimazel Caucus.
I, along with a few others, were on the receiving end of a love letter sent by UFT Solidarity last
month. I had just woken up and was in the bathroom as I was reading it. I laughed so hard I fell off the bowl and almost cracked my head open.
So without further ado, the love letter written in full with commentary (In red).
Look, you guys poke fun Yeah, its so easy that I occasionally contact MORE to work together, Occasionally? It's bordering on some type of Fatal Attraction contact but the truth is MORE has fallen short in supporting the individual members. And how has the UFT Solidarity method risen above that?Have any of the 70 odd members of UFT Solidarity who have been discontinued, shat upon, etc... succeeded? Is the support that UFT Solidarity supposedly accorded its members genuine, specific to the member, or just a way for someone to make up for some major Freudian shortcoming?OOOH. We send emails to principals. We've all see how well that has worked. We try to come in and do that work, try is the key word just as we thought you can do the work we don't concentrate on. If you're going to continue mocking us for trying then we will just have to say no to MORE, move forward and up our social justice game. Social justice at UFT Solidarity?It's about chasing a windmills for the benefit of just the one.
Then we won't need to reach out to work as a coalition. Really? Awww, that sucks. Maybe UFT Solidarity should share with its 70 odd members the truth at what really transpired at that ICE meeting in June.
If I may, a sidebar of what was posted on the super duper secret UFT Solidarity lackey site; http://uftsolidarity.slack.com It's free to join! Prizes are given away every day to the most sycophantic comment.
"The meeting started out tense, because of
miscommunication on all sides. There was a lot of confusion as to which
group was really represented at the restaurant. Was it ICE or MORE? At
the beginning of the meeting several members from the other caucus
expressed their distrust of UFT Solidarity and the intentions of Solidarity
as a caucus. As the meeting went on and members of all sides were able
to voice their personal concerns and feel that they were heard and their
voice mattered the tension started to dissipate. As the walls of
distrust came down, all caucuses involved were able to move the matter
of creating a slate forward in a productive manner. There is still much
work to be done, but the meeting was a great first step in the right
direction."
There was no confusion, ICE is ICE, MORE is MORE. Walls of distrust never dissipated, in fact if anything they grew. There was no great step. It was dead in the water. Wake up, get over yourselves and enter reality.
The ridiculous conversations that took place below remind me why I created a different group. Yeah yeah, someone is OCD enough to save every little thing.Yeah, there was a internal donnybrook but what group never has one? MORE is like a Jewish family at times and when emotions get high they kvetch and opine loudly but when the dust settles all goes back to normal. I guess this is because MORE is not a top down organization relying on ONE to guide it and make its decisions.
Accept it already. Work with us or don't,Does this mean MORE is either against you and with you? Didn't work for W, why should it work for UFT Solidarity? but using Zucker to take jabs is a poor play. Hey, that's me! Nobody is using me. Nobody is instructing me. I have stated again, and again, and again why I have taken the path I chose. Please stop and for once listen.
Zucker remove your ridiculous posts and move forward. Remove? How so. Remove them from where? Is this a request or a demand? I'm telling you this will not go well. Like how? How won't it go well?Like that law suit? I've added your email and number to spam blocker weeks ago so I don't know if I could even see a response. As Herman Munster used to say, "Darn, Darn, Darn!"
In Yiddish there are two words, schlemiel and schlimazel. The schlemiel is one who spills the soup. The schlimazel is the one who the soup spills on.
On Saturday I got the notice for my NYS Unemployment appeal hearing (September 9, 9:45 AM 250 Schermerhorn St in Brooklyn). I attempted to have the NYU Law School Unemployment Action Center represent me (Can't school just started). I spent all day yesterday sending resumes to charters (YUCK!). I have a week left on my health benefits and Welfare Fund. Turned in the application for my son to have free or reduced lunch. And tomorrow, going into White Plains to Westchester County Social Services to apply for food stamps and Medicaid.
It's tough. My wife is on disability due to severe back issues (She will eventually need a fusion from L3 up to thoracic area of spine) and I am going to have to stop looking at charters for a job and start just accepting anything. I do have some income. I am tutoring at a chain tutoring center but the hours are shaky and the pay is not that much. But I shall prevail.
In my rejection of Unemployment benefits the NYS Dept. of Labor said that I...
"...should have known that my actions could've have led to a suspension."
Of course, they don't know the entire story.
When I picked up my file the other day to see what the DOE had written in their response to as why I should not get UI, one thing stuck out at me among many;
"...he failed to be at his assigned post..."
Wow. Yeah, that is what I one of the charges were and it was sustained;
"Respondent neglected his professional duties in that he failed to be at his assigned post in May 16, 2013."
Who made this allegation about me? Another teacher. A Ratt. Of course if I too had lived in the colon of DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D. of PS 154 in the Bronx I would have been, at the most, taken aside and talked it out.
The story of this Ratt and how this Ratt came about to stabbing yours truly in the back (Several times that year) is somewhat long, but for brevity I shall hit on the high points.
In 2011-12 school year I was SAVE room teacher. The Ratt always would come and tell me how much The Ratt would love to have my job. So when preference sheets came around, guess what? Nice, huh? I have never ever put down for a position on the preference sheet for myself what another colleague wanted or had. Especially if that colleague had done a lot for me in the past.
When school started in September of 2012 I realized that The Ratt is plutonium and to stay far away from The Ratt. I decided that there was to be no communication between The Ratt and myself except for professional matters.
On May 16, a Thursday, The Ratt (Who at this time was no longer the SAVE room teacher but replaced a spec. ed teacher that had been targeted by DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D. of PS 154 in the Bronx) was informed, as was I, that I would be covering The Ratt's class the last period of the day at 1:50 PM until 2:35 PM.
The class before had been picked up at 1:49 PM and I got things ready and then waited in the doorway for the arrival of The Ratt's special ed 3/4 class. When the clock hit 1:50 the class had yet to arrive.
The clock soon hit 1:55 PM. No class. 2 PM. No class. I peered down the hall way looking at The Ratt's classroom. The door was closed and the lights were off. I has assumed that the class was late coming from a mass prep in the auditorium (This would happen when teachers had PD).
At about 2:08 or so I felt the urge, a bad urge, to relieve myself (Metformin tends to do this). As I was taking care of business, over the PA it was announced for me to call the main office. I ended what I was doing and ran down there.
The school secretary, who is a wonderful person, told me that The Ratt called whining that I had never shown up to The Ratt's class for the coverage. I was puzzled. All cluster positions at PS 154 that year the classes CAME to the teachers, not the other way around. The Ratt was well aware of this being that I had her class two other days of the week.
I finally show up at 2:10 or so and the hell and whining I got from The Ratt was too much. Knowing how far inside the colon of DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D. of PS 154 in the Bronx The Ratt was ensconced I decided to err o the side of caution.
I apologized profusely. I told The Ratt that I would make up the 15 minutes on my lunch time or a prep. The whining was incessant, "I lost my prep time." I really tried to make good. But to no avail.
This charge was sustained based on the secretary's testimony. The Ratt had never shown.
A month later on National Write-Up Day (I received about 5 letters to the file on one day) I found out that The Ratt did what The Ratt did. Ratted me out.
This is ironic considering all that I had done for The Ratt in the past:
Gave The Ratt rides home into Manhattan. Under a previous administration I listened and supported The Ratt has The Ratt was whining and crying was going on that that administration was targeting and harassing The Ratt. In 2010 when our school got a grant through Play Study Win to have Metro Soccer come into the school and start a soccer team for the 4th and 5th graders to celebrate the 2010 World Cup (The kids practiced for a month to play in a tournament as Costa Rica to play in an all day tournament at Floyd Bennett Field) we (Myself and the phys ed teacher) allowed The Ratt to particpate. We also put up with The Ratt fawning all over the representative from Metro Soccer for 6 weeks. The Ratt was invited to come to MLS offices with us. The Ratt was involved in a traffic accident in which The Ratt was injured. The Ratt was in need of an attorney I gave The Ratt the number of our personal attorney and The Ratt was on the phone for an hour with him and never retained him. Nor was The Ratt charged for the consultation ($500). When the entire school, save for a select few, would endlessly badmouth The Ratt, I stuck up for The Ratt.
And how am I repaid? By The Ratt finding the most little petty POS thing The Ratt can think of and being nothing more than a Ratt.
Hey but I am in good company. That special ed teacher The Ratt took over for? The Ratt was planted into his room by DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D. of PS 154 in the Bronx into that class about two months before he got 3020-a charges. The Ratt was supposed to "help out" but it was really The Ratt reporting back from what The Crack Team was told.
But Karma came. The 2013-14 school year DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D. of PS 154 turned on The Ratt. The Ratt was cast out of the colon of DR Alison Coviello; Principal and Ed.D. of PS 154 into the cold cruel world. The whining and crying were back. The Ratt left PS 154 after that year and now The Ratt is an activist for teachers rights. BARF!
