“Hands off Our Schools”: UFT Delegate Assembly Summary, Analysis, and Minutes 2/12/25

Summary/Analysis

• Last night, ARISE’s presidential candidate, Olivia Swisher, was the highlight of the evening after motivating the “hands off our schools” resolution about mobilizing to fight back against the Trump administration’s attacks on public education. See appendix for the full reso text.
• It wasn’t easy to get onto the agenda – typical of Unity during an election year, we saw a mostly scripted event. Olivia’s resolution only got on after another ARISE speaker made a parliamentary motion to extend. 
• If memory serves, the only other opposition speaker who got called on was Gloria Brandman, who asked a critical question about why Mulgrew’s name appeared on recent MLC documents suggesting support for Medicare Advantage. The question was posed with clear reference to the fact that it is now DA policy that any healthcare decisions we vote on must be made at the DA – and that Mulgrew himself has indicated he is now against Medicare Advantage. Mulgrew stated that he did not sign the document, his name was just on the letterhead because of his position in the MLC, pointing out that the UFT is in disagreement with the MLC on matters relating to MAP. Of course, such a narrative sidesteps some very different recent history in which the UFT’s representatives on the MLC were instrumental in previous moves to MAP. There’s reasons why there’s a lack of trust in the Retired Teachers Chapter (RTC) when it comes to their healthcare. But, we’ll see how this pans out, and I think it’s good that retired member delegates are keeping vigilant. Indeed, some comments Mulgrew made don’t bode well about upcoming healthcare changes. For instance, he urged people not to join the upcoming UFT healthcare committee if they have a ‘political agenda,’ and we all know how all-encompassing that term is when Mulgrew uses it. It tends to apply to anyone in a caucus that isn’t Unity. The best way to stop healthcare changes before they start remains voting for ARISE.
• Mulgrew’s filibustering was such that, if you’re short on time, I recommend reading the executive board minutes instead of the DA minutes. That much-shorter meeting was just two days ago and the minutes contain much of the same information, despite being a fraction of the length. A few exceptions include discussions about the frightening situation in Utah regarding the potential end of collective bargaining there, talks about ICT teachers being mis-used to fill coverages when teachers are out, and a brief discussion of Lobby Day/Tier 6. And if you’re going for more detail in general, see below.

Unofficial Minutes follow. Thank you to another fellow NAC member who wrote them.

Mulgrew – President’s Report

Paraprofessional campaign:

Significant increase in para representatives on school consultation teams. 

“Respect Check for Paras” Bill – Waiting for bill to get through bill drafting. The bill says that paras have been unduly harmed with 20+ years of pattern bargaining. Need to narrow the gap. The only way the City will let you fix para pay is if other workers pay. It has to stop. If this legislation touched any of the terms, conditions, rights of collective bargaining, it would be deemed illegal. We believe the City will try to say the bill is illegal. 

Number of people signing para pay petition has increased. Will put pressure on City council members. If it were pensionable, it would be part of collective bargaining and would be illegal. Not the only union in this position. Everyone dealing with pattern bargaining. Using this to build leverage to change pattern bargaining rules. We’ve spent millions over the years trying to overturn pattern bargaining rules. We’re the first union to try this, set this precedent. 

Immigration/ICE

Can’t enter school without a judicial warrant unless you’re local law enforcement. Adams was asked a direct question about whether ICE agents can enter school buildings. Adams did not directly answer it. In the state of NY, every child has right to basic, free education. Attendance is down in schools with large immigrant populations. Last Thursday night, the Mayor sent out a memo saying, “If you feel threatened, let them (ICE) through.” Mayor making our jobs harder. Causing undue harm. Friday, lawyers from the state called City Hall and NYCDOE and made sure schools were still following proper procedures. Get the necessary information to all parents, guardians, students, and families. Not one single confirmed act of an ICE agent trying to get into a NYC school. 

Class Size

Moving forward. By this time next year, more than half of the classes in NYC will be in compliance with the class size law. Waiting to see how much money we get from the state. If we can fund all the applications that came in, we would be at 80% compliance. Half of Foundation Aid for New York will be designated for class size. 

Special Education

We’re trying to solve the biggest problem – number 1 issue is whether there are enough ICT teachers. If an ICT teacher (or anyone) is absent, the first person they pick is an ICT teacher because they don’t want to pay for a sub. Put this on your next consultation: What is the plan when anyone is out? If the plan is to move ICT teachers, tell them that can’t be the plan. There are plenty of subs. Ask them what the substitute plan for your school is.

Federal issues (Executive Orders)

1. Utah is about to lose their right to collectively bargain. Specifically teachers. Bill is on their governor’s desk. You cannot take your union for granted.

2. Racial indoctrination in K-12. All Florida. State is in control of the public school system.

3. Expanding Educational Freedom: Vouchers – charters are afraid of this

4. Protecting American People Against Invasion: Talking about NYC, Chicago, LA. If you want to be a sanctuary city, federal funding being removed

5. Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports

6. Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism: All about the word “Other.” All official forms must say Male or Female. That’s it. No other.

7. Department of Education – I understand if you want to fight to keep US DOE. Major piece of why they want to dismantle it is all about funding. We need to make sure the priority focus is in the right place. Follow the money. IDEA, Title 1, 2, 3. That’s what we have to make sure is maintained first and foremost. Priority at all times. US DOE brought in to manage those programs. They’re going to try to diminish those programs. Will try to block grant those programs. Block grants make each state apply through grant process to get that money. They choose which states get the grants. Lawsuits ready to go for all these things. The big piece is we know who votes on these things. Two senators and congressional delegation from your state. That’s where we have to put the pressure. We need to visit with every congressional representative from the state of NY. Are you going to vote for or against it? When you go back to where you live and where you represent, the most important thing is their local public school. This is a yes or no question. Where do you stand? It’s just a matter of time before we get to unions and their rights to function. Can’t get rid of unions. Gonna try to tie them up. Will try to distract us. Not against being more efficient like Musk says. We are against him having all of our personal information. 

Lobby Day – Monday, March 10th. Can also attend virtually.

State Issues

1. Fix Tier 6. Need to get school funding up. Gonna be one of only unions pushing to fix Tier 6. Legislators elected in last 10 years in Albany are in Tier 6. Big one is push for age 55.

2. Cell Phone Ban. There are people who are opposed to this. Not going to be easy. This cannot become a burden upon the teachers or staff in the building. Must be done when students come in and when they leave. If it’s going to cost the school money, it can’t come out of their budget. School Superintendents Association is against the cell phone ban because it requires work and some parents will be upset. Cell phones cause major damage and disrupt instruction.

City issues

1. Massive political change. Charges against the Mayor have been dismissed. Trying to push the president’s agenda. Still don’t know who’s running.

2. City Council change in leadership. Counterbalance to the Mayor. A good (and important) thing for us.

3. Comptroller’s position also open. Comptroller fought with us against Bloomberg when he was in his office.

4. Massive change in City government is an opportunity for us to set the agenda. Everyone that ran for Mayor last time said DOE sucks. We need to tell them what we want. We need curriculum implementation – we need training and practice before new curriculum rollout. We need HR at DOE. We call HR Connect, get put on hold for hours, then they just tell us to call the union. Lot of interviewing needed to vet potential candidates. Union members can volunteer. You must live or work in the district to be part of the vetting process.

Union issues

Putting together a healthcare committee. Volunteer an hour and a half on a monthly basis. First learn the basics about healthcare. Must learn how everything works. Once done, all healthcare issues will be brought through our committee. Outside experts will be brought in as needed. Committee will make recommendations to the DA to vote.

$4,000 stipend for hearing aids every 3 years instead of $1,500.

Leroy Barr – Secretary’s Report

HS Awards Nomination

CTE Awards Ceremony 2/26

Lunar New Year Banquet on 2/28

Muslim Educators Committee on 3/7

HERstory Celebration on 3/15

School Counselor’s Conference on 3/22

Para Luncheon at Hilton

Next DA on 3/19.

Question Period

1. CL from Edward R. Murrow HS: Over last couple of months, we’ve heard funds being hidden from our Welfare Fund. Welfare Fund has helped me. Please explain and give clarity to the propaganda of money being hidden.

MM: People can ask questions. We’re a union welfare fund. Every penny we receive and spend is publicly documented. Under scrutiny at all times. NY Post likes to read this. Presentation on this at the Retired Chapters meeting this week. Always striving to get benefits to a better place. People say we have money in reserves. We spend $500 million/year give or take a bit. Very clear that our goal is to not deny a drug. Many drugs created by AI are not covered. Technically experimental. Once no longer experimental, prices go way up. We pay for a lot of drugs that no other union is covering. Stop saying hidden money. It’s all publicly reported. Trying to mislead people.

2. Gloria Brandman, Retirees Chapter: You are the Vice Chair of the Municipal Labor Committee. Why was a letter with your name on it trying to force retirees into Medicare Advantage plan sent to the City Council,  against the wishes of the Retirees’ Chapter?

MM: UFT is against the rest of MLC in terms of putting retirees into MA. Remember what was said earlier. Bills cannot touch collective bargaining. Bill as written clearly touches collective bargaining agreements. I have engaged in what you’re asking.

3. District 24 CL: You mentioned Utah legislature in your report earlier. What can we do to protect our union more?

MM: When you go to Lobby Day, we’ll have technical stuff on priorities. Are you prepared to act if the federal govt prepares to do something to diminish our rights as union workers? Need to ask that of everyone. Sooner we get that in their head, better off we’ll be. Not taking money from Titles this year. Union created through State law. The State is the final legal authority for its school system – not the federal govt. 

4. CL at a Dual Language School: Want to organize a Know Your Rights training for parents/families. Pushback from admin. Legally speaking, is there an issue for me as CL doing this? Better virtual or in person?

MM: You as a CL can present info. But there are organizations in our resource guides that can help you. You can only cause problems for yourself if you give legal advice. Strongly recommend reaching out to one of the resource groups to help you do this. They have the ability to answer legal questions that you do not.

Motions directed to the agenda

Resolutions for next month’s agenda: 

1. Reclaiming unused space from co-located charter schools 

Vote: Yes 930, No: 15 (virtual) Yes: 399, No: 2 (in-person). Reso passes with 99%

2. Support for Respect Check Bill for Paraprofessionals 

Vote: Yes: 828 No: 41 (virtual) Yes: 400 No: 4 (in-person). Reso passes with 97%

3. Hands off our schools – Protect teachers, students, public education from attacks

Vote: Yes: 628 No: 192 (virtual) Yes: 275 No: 131 (in-person) – on this month’s agenda

AGENDA ITEM #1 – OBSERVATIONS FOR TENURED TEACHERS RETURNING FROM LEAVE

WHEREAS, according to DOE guidelines, the number of observations for tenured teachers is determined based on their prior ratings as follows

• HE in the prior year: minimum of two informal observations
• E in the prior year and HE, E or S in the year before that: minimum of two informal observations
• E in the prior year and D, I or U in the year before that: minimum of three informal observations
• E in the prior year and No Rating in the year before that: minimum of one informal and one
• formal observation
• D in the prior year: minimum of one formal and three informal observations
• I in the prior year: minimum of one formal and four informal observations
• No Rating in the prior year: minimum of one formal and three informal observations; and

WHEREAS, tenured teachers who are on a leave of absence for a year do not receive a rating, which then places them in the category to receive additional observations (three informal and one formal) upon their return; and

WHEREAS, this practice disproportionately impacts teachers on leave for reasons such as child care, line of duty, restoration of health, among other approved leaves; and

WHEREAS, it is inequitable to change the number of observations for teachers based on circumstances such as having a child or recovering from an injury sustained while working; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the UFT will advocate for tenured teachers who receive a “No Rating” due to their leave of absence to have their observation requirements determined based on their most recent full-year rating (within the prior three years) rather than arbitrarily increasing their minimum number of observations.

Yes: 745 No: 44 (virtual) Yes: 386 No: 23 (in-person). 95% Reso passes.

Time ran out before other resos could be voted on. 

Appendix

“HANDS OFF OUR SCHOOLS” RESOLUTION 

WHEREAS the UFT has always defended our students and their right to a quality public education,  

WHEREAS, the federal government has threatened Title I school funding to districts like New York City for the curriculum choices made in schools and

WHEREAS, the threatened elimination of the U.S. Department of Education would endanger access to financial aid for millions of students and would hobble the federal oversight of special education as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, and

WHEREAS, the illegal firing of an National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member has paralyzed that agency’s ability to enforce labor protections, and multiple labor unions for the federal workforce have filed lawsuits to protect their right for undue termination under federal labor law, and 

WHEREAS, these  attacks on public sector unions and collective bargaining that play a crucial role in advocating for fair wages, safe working conditions, and equitable treatment for educators and all workers, students, families, and communities; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Justice department has changed longstanding federal policy to permit immigration raids in schools, hospitals and churches, and 

WHEREAS, the federal administration has also threatened funding from school districts like ours that allow students to compete on athletic teams matching their gender identity, therefore be it 

RESOLVED that the UFT initiate coordination, collaboration, member-to-member education and dialogue, and other joint initiatives with AFT and NEA local and national bodies to defeat these attacks, and therefore be it further

RESOLVED the UFT will actively support and encourage the resistance of our labor siblings, with the knowledge that if their protections are weakened or ignored, ours could be next,

RESOLVED the UFT encourage school based committees of members to engage in political mobilization to defend public education, immigrant students and teachers, and trans and gender-non-conforming students and teachers, against these attacks, and therefore be it further

RESOLVED that the UFT mobilize its members and call on its labor and community allies for an escalating campaign of actions under the slogan “Hands Off Our Schools” that will include color days at schools to show solidarity, flyerings directed at communities and parents, local community rallies/press conferences with allied groups, and pickets at federal offices, and therefore be it further

RESOLVED that this campaign will culminate in a series of actions with congressional electeds to demonstrate that New Yorkers stand with the public education system against these attacks.