Randi and Gov. Spitzer

“Governor Spitzer’s proposals are a giant step toward keeping his promise to the children of New York to improve the education of all public school students across the state.

“While some details are unknown – and it would not be a surprise that parents and teachers want lowering class sizes in New York City treated equally with universal pre-k -- the differences between the governor’s approach to pay differentials, tenure, accountability and school funding and that of Chancellor Klein are revealing and refreshing. 0f course we would welcome a real lowering of class size below our contractual limits and the caps that are already in place. This is what we have aggressively fought for, and obviously the governor has heard what we have been saying.

“The governor’s approach builds a strong school community while the chancellor’s foster divisiveness. The governor recognizes the value of respecting tenure, but the chancellor would like to blame it for all the ills of the school system. Likewise, the governor understands the value of the lead teacher program and incentives to work at hard-to-staff schools. Some of the chancellor’s proposals would do nothing more than pit teachers against one another and, inevitably, lead to cronyism.

“The governor’s funding proposal will lift all schools rather than robbing Peter to pay Paul and his accountability plan will make everyone responsible – top to bottom, not just principals and teachers.

“We look forward to working with the governor’s team – including the new deputy commissioner, Manuel Rivera, who is an educator’s educator -- and the State Legislature on ways to transform the elements of this proposal into a sound, basic education for every child in New York City.”It goes without saying that we have a closed contract and that anything other than the lowering of class size would have to be negotiated.

Attack of the Clones; or, say NO to New Action

A few years ago, it seemed that New Action was the only opposition caucus to Unity's stranglehold over the UFT. But fifteen years of attrition has resulted in New Action being assimilated into the gluttonous Unity caucus. Yet even today, New Action is still running their people for at-large positions, as well as Executive Board openings. But 8 of their candidates are also on the running on the Unity slate, with 5 guaranteed victory because they are running at-large, where all the Unity retirees get to vote. But it is the New Action high school Executive Board candidates running under Unity that are the ones to watch. Their sole purpose is to oust Kaufman and Eterno, and replace them with New Action suck-ups.

How can this be? How can you run on the slate of the very people that you oppose? Well, perhaps Randi reaches out to you and encourages you to run as an opposition, even though you are not. That would surely be better than the real forces of opposition: UTP/ICE/TJC. Maybe Unity helps you design your message and gives you encouragement in a variety of ways. Perhaps you get a job at UFT headquarters, right along side the people that you would fight against before, and that have nothing but loathing for you now, as then. Maybe Unity can even pay your retirees, along with Unity people, to go to schools to spread the Unity-New Action message.

They are trying to send a message of confusion to the members that may think that New Action is a legitimate opposition. But an opposition usually opposes. New Action, though, holds its caucus meetings at UFT headquarters. They are on the Unity payroll.

Perhaps, like Randi, they are not what they seem.

Another Great Victory

The UFT endorsed Eliot Spitzer because with him 25/55 was virtually a certainty. But his opening speech asked for a longer work day for teachers, as well as a longer work year. Amazingly, Unity/UFT considers this a "victory," because lower class size is also on Spitzer's radar screen. Apparently our union is paid to represent parents and civic leaders. They sure do a poor job of representing us. They get smaller classes; we get more work. So when you're working in July, and the rest of August, at least you'll find only 32 students in you class. But of course, what is good for them is good for us. After all, it's all about the kids. Isn't that what unionism is all about?