Minutes—approved
President is not here.
Staff Director’s Report—LeRoy Barr—CL training this weekend. Following weekend is counselor conference. EB march 11 DA March 20.
Answer period for past questions.
Schoor—AFT endorsement—Mulgrew said AFT Exec. Council allowing locals to do as they wish, After Super Tuesday may be AFT endorsement.
Bronx plan—Rich Mantel—Schools chosen based on survey results, about trust, collaboration, looked at test results, school retention. Spoke to DRs and determined which schools were good fit. We selected hard to staff areas, schools struggling with high teacher turnovers, mostly Bronx and Brooklyn.
Questions
Arthur Goldstein—Every week I read about another charter school that shed 60-80% of its students and boasts of a 100% college acceptance rates. All the students the charters give up come to us. Coming from the most overcrowded school in the city, this grieves me deeply. Even worse, charter schools have a form to request more space. My school will not have an annex for years, and even when it does, after we blow up those awful trailers, it’s unlikely we’ll net enough space to preclude the use of half classrooms, like the one I’m in, or windowless classrooms with inferior air quality, like the ones my colleagues are in.
When is the chancellor going to arrange that kids in public schools, the ones that follow his regulations and stuff, will have the same expectation of and right to sufficient space as kids in Moskowitz Academies?
Schoor—Haven’t answered that question because we have consultation with chancellor on Friday. Chancellor has been attacking some of the charters. Was angry about attacks on public schools. Hopefully will have answer for next answer period.
Jonathan Halabi—School diversity advisory group had recommendations. Hoping we could hear about report and UFT reaction, and lack of proposals for high schools.
Janella Hinds—UFT participated in this committee. I was rep. Was an agenda set aside—over next few weeks UFT members will pick it apart and give a member reaction. Some of us may say report doesn’t go far enough—tough to come to consensus that pleases everyone. Work informed and led by students. Want to see how DOE reacts.
Mike Schirtzer—You said AFT allows locals to work on own. What does that mean for UFT?
Schoor—Don’t know—will be on next answer period. When we have a process we will let everyone know.
Schirtzer—Does it mean we will endorse?
Schoor—We don’t have authority—will recommend.
Schirtzer—Forest Hills High School—As UFT members how can we support them?
Schoor—They came last year. We were involved. LeRoy was there last year and is going again tomorrow. We will put out press statement today or tomorrow. We have 90% vote of no confidence. We will have a plan of action.
Reports from districts—
Janella Hinds—Asks that everyone save March 31—Second Herstory celebration. Invites all to 52 Broadway to honor women who built labor movement.
Legislative report—Schoor—March 18 Lobby Day—Must register by March 4. If they don’t show up they have to let us know. Tomorrow is vote. We have not endorsed.
Election report—Amy Arundell—Several documents with recommendations. We need to find new ways to encourage turnout, like robocalls. No collection of ballots or exchange of bagels for ballots.
Schoor—We have to err on side of caution. Were 22 complaints from one caucus, and two instances of CL collection ballots. Unacceptable.
Halabi—Complaints didn’t have merit. Went to AFT and DOL. I understand about pizza and dollars for ballots. Bundling seems like good idea. Lawyers say no to everything. Risk averse. I think we can stand on we won this. Maybe CL shouldn’t handle them, but bundling was effective. We shouldn’t listen to lawyers. We survived this claim
Mary McCarrol—Why couldn’t we stand in front of a mailbox and have members cast in front. Bagel at mailbox.
Eliu Lara—When we educate people they respond.
LeRoy Barr—Next meeting people can think of creative ways to get members to vote. We need to protect the process. Just because you’ve always done it doesn’t mean we’re protecting the process as best we can. Maybe there are things we haven’t thought of yet. Bring these back to our next meeting.
Schirtzer—Since documents are dos and don’ts why don’t we expand it. Add document based on suggestions. You can feed people at chapter meeting and inform people.
Question called.
Schoor—We will vote. Election committee will vote on which petitions are acceptable and we will vote on that.
Passes
Resolution honoring UFT founder Ray Frankel—
George Altomari—There are a lot of things you see in people. Some people do that and more. You hardly even see them. But Ray Frankel was a person who did as much as anyone in the union. When you devote a lifetime to a cause, you have something special. Lots of people saw her in different roles. Ran elections for years. Without her work, you wonder where we would be. She was meticulous about her work. Everyone believed in her honesty. She was there at the very beginning. She always gave more than she received. You could always rely on her. Represented the best of us.
Schoor—She was CL of Art and Design. My mom was secretary. Always asked after her. Always concerned about people after they left, every union member.
LeRoy Barr—I had opportunity to work with her closely. One of first on our wall downstairs. Was always there behind scenes making sure things were running. Dedicated her entire life. Working up until last 2 or three months. Was voice that said you can’t do it this way, you have to do it that way. She added to me, making sure we didn’t just get it done, but got it done right. We are the beneficiaries of her life. Bur for her, we probably wouldn’t be sitting here today.
Approved unanimously.
We are adjourned 6:47
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