UFT Executive Board Minutes 9/9/24

Summary/Notes: Last night was the first UFT executive board of the 2024-2025 school year. This will be the last year that the current 102 executive board members, elected in the 2022 citywide UFT election, will serve their posts (except for those who are re-elected of course). A new election is to take place this year that will determine who serves as officers, executive board members, and as delegates for the 2025-26, 2026-27, and 2027-28 school years. New Action leadership has been in discussions with other caucus groups and independents about running together in a coalition, with no official decisions made just yet. We will update NAC membership on more of the specifics as we meet, with the first NAC general meeting to be held this year on October 9^th at 5:00 PM (save the date). In the meantime, please consider filling out this survey and sending it to your entire UFT chapter to encourage your members do the same. Members of the tentative coalition are seeking information to help build our platform and identify activists who would like to help with that campaign.

There were a lot of reports and questions tonight, so a summary is not going to do justice to the meeting and I do encourage reading everything below. However, you’ll see content about events and organizing for the Kamala Harris campaign, some successes in the fight for 3k/prek, the establishment of various committees (including one about virtual instruction and one about the future of our schools post-Regents), the usual curriculum issues (especially for teachers using mandated curriculum but in grades for which the official mandate doesn’t extend), class size reduction progress, and progress with the dental RFP.

However, despite how long the meeting went tonight, one couldn’t help but feel like they were in more of a Unity meeting talking to its own members than a meeting really about running our union. As an example, Janella Hinds and Michael Mulgrew both seemed to stress thanking staffers for their work at the Labor Day parade rather than regular everyday members who volunteered their time to be there. It’s not that there’s not a reason to thank staffers, it’s about what it says when it’s staffers (essentially all Unity) who are seemingly thanked above regular members (majority not Unity). Then there were the fights. Despite some populist rhetoric from Mulgrew about problems with the curriculum, when it came down to it, we heard from Mary Vacarro about getting curriculum workbooks from warehouses and working to get support for curriculum rather than fighting to not have curriculum mandates in the first place. One of Mulgrew’s most telling remarks was about how they didn’t trust the DOE on a given subject (air conditioning), so they tried to get the law changed instead. Sure, lobbying to change a law is a strategy, but should it be THE strategy? Union fights seem like they have been relegated to COPE spending, PD support, and petitions – tools yes, but not the most effective union tools.

Don’t get me wrong, there was work done here tonight – but not enough of the updates and conversation indicated a fighting union.

One place I did have some optimism was around the committees being formed around union matters. I’m particularly interested in the committee about ‘post-Regents’ high schools. We need to be a part of that conversation, and be prepared to really do the work to make sure we’re heard. Otherwise, high school teachers could end up managing and grading hundreds of complicated portfolios for the State on top of their caseloads, all while dealing with MOSLs tied to tests that students no longer have an interest in performing well on. If that is not managed well, we can only imagine what the results will be. But who will be invited to the committees? Opposition was notably excluded from the healthcare committees last time around, and it’s unclear how UFT leadership will fill these ones. Hopefully there will be an open call that allows in independents and members from various caucuses, not just Unity.

Unofficial minutes follow.

Minutes: Minutes approved (see appendix at bottom for those official approved minutes).

Legislative Report:

Liz Perez – On behalf of Vanecia Wilson, reporting – debate watch party tomorrow 9/10 from 7:00 – 11:00 PM. Button making, poster making, political bingo, swag. At 9:00 watch the debate and have our comments throughout. Phone banking for upcoming borough election. Coordinating with AFT, buses to Pennsylvania. As info comes out, hope people can come out and do door knocking.

President’s Report:

Mike Mulgrew: Some significant losses for the union. Stand in a moment of silence for people who passed away. Moment of silence observed.

Great Labor Day. Massive UFT crowd. Lots of fun, especially staff who made everything work. Weather. Had a ball marching up 5^th avenue.

Heard report on elections, will get more into that. AFL-CIO, coordinating. PA became important state. She wins PA becomes president. He loses he can’t be. Let’s just get PA. First bus on the 20^th. Lots of phone banking.

 Donno what to say about administration right now in NY. Admin gets in trouble like that – DOE is biggest bureaucracy, one of, that we know of. They see a crisis like this and will really do nothing. Have to stay on top and continue to push at them. Hear all speculation. All sorts of rumors, but not helpful for us overall in making sure that the DOE is at least trying to get things done. Too much to do. Big issue we have to deal with this year is class size. Video played from ABC – shows school in Jackson Heights, IS 145, which already reduced class sizes ahead of state mandate for 6^th grade. 7 and 8^th right behind. By sep has to be 20, k -3, 4-8: 23, hs: 25. Mulgrew says reducing class sizes should be possible. 600 schools with space. UFT president Mulgrew says 40% of classrooms already in compliance, but still work to do be done.

He got everything right except one thing – it’s not a mandate, it’s the law. We’d all want to work at this school, but spent a couple of months talking to parents, came up with a plan. Did it for all classes, even electives. ICT dropped with correct ratios. Couldn’t do 7^th and 8^th because kids wanted to stay with their friends (stay together as move up).

What this school learned we’re trying to use to teach others. We always find more space in a school building. He even used these this space to recruit more kids – they actually EXPANDED as students came to a school where they knew they’d have low class sizes.

COVID days. City said they’d put out a memo – removing everyone who had COVID would have to take it out of their sick days. Anything precautionary should stay home. They have backed off “until further notice.” Papers are prepared.

Throughout the summer, various committees working, made up of everyone – virtual committee, prek committee, class size committee, regents committee (state is going to add new types of assessments that would be equal to what we currently have in terms of rigor – we want major input on that). Prek, we believe in this case that we’ve won that fight – but still more to do. Ran great campaign, public on our side. A lot of damage done when person ran it; a lot has to be brought back to where they were when this administration took over.

Gonna get hotter again by the end of the week. For years, we’ve been trying to figure out how to get spaces with children cool. We had cool schools legislation in City Council. Oct. they said program is done and everyone is cool now. Because we knew where everyone was going…passed through assembly. Passed I believe with 98 percent bill, so veto proof. Don’t trust DOE to do this, so we went to get the law changed. Every child in school has to be cool. Once temp hits certain number mitigations have to happen. Want to know where the spaces are that don’t have AC so that the minute the bill is signed, we can get to work on it. Wanna get moving on this quickly.

National election is all our focus right now. Schools opened rather smoothly. Didn’t see any bussing issues in press. Really about new math curriculum – teachers have been clear they don’t like it, not scaffolded properly – 13 lessons on stats to start, just crazy. Gonna keep moving, seen stories in press.

Great contract, but people need to know how to use it – will be a focus.

Reports from officers

Janella Hinds: Express gratitude to everyone able to join us on Saturday (labor day parade). Echo Michael in thanking staff at UFT, who made sure everything set for everyone. Virtual learning member engagement is one of the committees. Inviting members who are teaching or interested in teaching virtual classrooms. Been a couple of years since we’ve done it. Invitation out. Feel free to reach out to team high schools. Sep 24 meeting.

Mary Jo Ginese: Two provisions for SPED in new contract – 1 a SPED committee selected by CL; other piece is professional learning in every school so everyone on same page. Third time trained trainer today, CLs and principals to attend together because will turnkey together. Made more interactive. Good attendance but not every school there. However, by Friday, principals expected to let central know about.

Mary Vacarro: Really fun day, being obnoxious; really hard time, because were told HS would receive no support for any curriculum except Algebra 1. Arguing that, another meeting. Schools that HMH, EL, Wit and Wisdom, k-5, will get complete support/workshops. Anything in Algebra 1 in 9^th grade will also get complete support. 8^th graders in one of the 9 districts doing IM illustrative math for Algebra will only get support from outside vendors. Developed a process. People shouldn’t need to make copies of complete workbooks – they’re in warehouses. Same thing for those who did not get books from H and H. One good piece of news is that the books are there.

On Saturday, wellness day. We’ll see, there’s going to be a weight training class.

Leo Gordon: Common denominator here – DOE and problems. Many just got email that won’t be getting Adobe Suites anymore; just found out all students work is gone. Just got off phone with IIT, not gone, though I have seen it is. Assured me that it will be restored by end of business tomorrow. Also said that after restored, no longer being funded citywide, which means CTE schools will have to pay for them themselves.

Last year I mentioned CTE awards would be Feb. 14, but that’s the Friday before a break, so we have to reschedule.

Also in charge of post-Regents committee. Need input from everyone, so we will be searching for stakeholders to have voices heard, as we transition to world without Regents requirement. In 2019, CTE went through this process, using that knowledge and experience to give more knowledge so it’s done with us not to us by the DOE.

Michael Sill: Welcome back. DOE distributed over 100 million dollars for class size reduction in most asinine way possible, using C4E funding formula, basically student needs aggregated, comes up with money needed to go to each school. Some schools got 2k for class size reduction. Others got .5 million dollars, but because uses aggregate need, it was schools that had lots of students – tends to be schools without space for class size reduction, so using money for teacher salaries, but not reducing class sizes at all. So what we came up for at a CAT team meeting…this is what we need to reduce class sizes at our school. End of September supposed to be a training for school communities to see how this will work. Class size committee. Using that committee, so that schools through the school leadership team can apply for the class size dollars. We want schools to be able collaborate with school communities to get this funding out.

Teachers’ choice is still a thing. DOE was waiting for a final head count – expect to be close to what it was last year, hope to have out by end of this week.

Karen Alford (prek/3k): DOE didn’t just make these changes, our advocacy that got them there. So when we started this campaign last spring at early childhood conference, 40,000 people signed on; how dare you take money out of early childhood and not have seats for our students. Some people stay in NYC because of these programs, knowing they’re there while they’re at work. Showing up at rallies. That’s why you’ve seen the DOE change course. Now, we will have 43,500 seats for 3k alone. SPED seats also added. Students do come into school system at 3 with IEPs and need seats. Need more. Gave us some money back but not all of us. Need seats that make sense for parents. We registered 1500 new members. New hires that have become new members. Make sure that you’re greeting these folks in your schools, getting them membership cards. Had every department of UFT repped at new teacher week. We took the stage and folks were all in their seats because they wanted to hear what we had to say. When you go back to your schools, make sure you’re talking to these folks and encouraging them to be involved.

Geof Sorkin: healthcare committee has two focuses, communication and education. Saw that when we were the first to get info out about MSK – Anthem negotiations. When you get that info out, you’ll see videos about how to get healthcare videos.

Questions:

Teresa Bellow: Representing 3k and prek. Happy to hear there are updates for youngest learners in the city, first two days for prek and 3k were full days, sets tone. Screaming and crying prolonged. Didn’t need to be this way. Word staggered schedule appears 11 times on handbook. Curious if it’s possible to have staggered schedule return for 2025.

Karen Alford: have said to new people that we need a guarantee that this will not happen and still waiting to hear what that guarantee is. Districts and schools are lined up to start a petition now so it doesn’t continue into next year. Rally if we need to.

George Geiss: calendar on Monday. Everyone is freaking out that there might be a day before Christmas we have to come in. Anything we can do (make it snow?).

LeRoy Barr: some wonderful work, in conversation about what that day might look like.

Sean Rockowitz: This calendar has 181 days, gotten DOWN to 181 days, so Dec. 23 makes no sense, and we’ll do what we can to get that changed.

Ed Calamia: Good evening. Last year we talked about a surplus in a welfare fund. Any motion toward improving member benefits.

New puppy, expensive veterinary bills. Can we negotiate to have pet benefits onto our healthcare?

LeRoy Barr: Love that question.

Geof Sorkin: NYSUT and AFT does offer pet insurance. Worth calling if nothing else than to cost it out. Welfare fund benefits – sit tight, waiting on a lot of stuff. A number of different things, plotting out. Year of health benefits for welfare fund – cool things coming.

Luli Rodriguez: Members want to bring back commuter ride share that you had before COVID. People would be happy.

Mike Sill: I’ll get back to you on this…not talking about transit checks?

Some talk inaudible off mic.

Mike Sill: not sure.

Luli Rodriguez: were able to use benefits on rideshare apps.

Mike Sill: thanks.

LeRoy Barr: we’ll look into it.

Z. Rock: if a school is collocated with a charter, can they request space back for class size.

LeRoy Barr: speak to DR, get us involved.

Mike Sill: a couple school communities we’ve spoken to, not only collocated, but down the block. Like one success (so called) academy bleeding enrollment from kicking out kids and not bringing in enough, and another school trying to expand. Part is getting change in Albany. Space issues – need to take back that space.

Luli Rodriguez: COVID, like for them to consider, no windows. Ventilation not great.

LeRoy Barr: not clear on question.

Luli Rodriguez: sorry, didn’t think it out. Can UFT fight for COVID-19 sick days, since some schools have no windows and ventilation not greatest.

LeRoy Barr: if the current policy changes again?

Nick Bacon: Teacher came to me today. He and his wife had lost two children in miscarriages. Discovered that we don’t have bereavement time for miscarriages. So, two questions: (1) what are we doing or can we do to start the process of changing that policy, so both men and women who lose children to miscarriages aren’t stuck using CAR days to greave the loss; and (2) are there or can there be support groups made for men and women in the UFT who experience miscarriages?

Mike Sill: specific requirements for bereavement which are so heartless, don’t even care to get into them. When we have brought this issue, we have been able to get bereavement. Can reach out to DOE – not changing rule because can’t get on their own (bereavement definition same for everyone). But DOE will often give out instructions to secretary to give a bereavement day.

Barr: for second part of question, reach out to MAP.

Reports from districts

Name missed: labor day Caribbean festival, carnival music was alright, snacks giving out. Nice day to be out. Nicely mentored by Rashad and LeRoy. Speaking of coming out. Nice events coming out.

Shawn Ramos: In August, organized backpack giveaway in Port Richmond, one of our underserved communities. Ways to make it bigger, serve communities better.

Servia Silva: Family day is Sep. 21 and want to invite to Harlem, 120^th street. Always a biobus, firetruck. Wonderful.

Hispanic affairs committee chair: starting kickoff (half sep/half oct.) of Hispanic Heritage month, so kicking off on Sep 20 at Queens UFT (118-35 Queens Blvd, 8^th floor). Film about a fashion designer. Spanish will be translation. Free https://cvent.me/8ebzwR

DeShana Barker: June 15, had second annual UFT family day. 1,428 attendees on a Saturday. Out of that 394 were UFT members. Loving event, light hearted. A lot of fun. Also, MAP there. Sorkin and Usatch there. Pensions. Student debt. Breast cancer info. Had people from Bronx, SI, Brooklyn come to Garden City, Long Island. If you have children, even if you don’t, come. Next year gonna try to get Mulgrew or Barr to sing.

Geof Sorkin: promised body that I would provide regular reports on dental RFP. Collected data on claims utilization, so had to look back a decade, now at our consultants at Segal, digesting it, and will come back to us with suggestions. Kick off with them tomorrow, but want to know what else is there throughout the country.

Rashad Brown: Sep. 25, wellness committee having online meeting. Multilingual committee having conference on Sep. 28, online

George Geiss: news from district 30, Adventureland on Saturday, 11AM on Sep 14^th, 45 bucks a person, inclusive of food. Contact DR, Ashley R.

Class size: my principal made priority to lower class size, going to try to get to 7^th middle of the year, IS145 almost completely following. Just have to push our principals to shuffle stuff.

Adjourned.

Appendix: Approved official minutes.

Executive Board Minutes

June 10, 2024

Present:      S. Abrams, Adika, Aklu, Alford, Alexander, Aromando, Artis, Atkinson, Ayrovainen, Bacon, Barr, Bello, Bennett, Bongiovanni,  R. Brown, T. Brown, Calamia, Cambria, Castro, Colvin, Conaboy, Crinigan, Crispino, Diakite, DiBenedetto, Eaddy, Espert, Friedman, Garcia, Ginese, Highland, Hill, Hinds, Jallot, Josaphat, Kazansky, S. Lee, V. Lee, Mantell, Mejia, Mulgrew, C. Murphy, T. Murphy, Nanay, Nobles, Polite, Poulos, Rock, D. Rodriguez, L. Rodriguez, Romero-Lee, Rosier-Rayburn, Ruiz, Rzonca, Sandau, Santos, Sarabia, Shapiro, Sill, Sorkin, Thompson, Usatch, Vaccaro, Webb-Geddes, Weinerman, Williams, Williams-Crawford, Yon.

Excused:     Almonte, Anastasiou, Arroyo, Arundell, Barker, Bart, Coppola, Destin, Franks, Gaglione, Geist, Goldman, Gordon, Harmon, Hughes, Khalid, Kuzar, Lozupone, Miller, Negron, Peña, Pender, Perez, Ramos, Reed, Robbins, Rogers, Rotkowitz, Schirtzer, Silva, Surpris, Tindal, Waltzer, Wilks-Duplan.

Secretary Barr announced that this will be a closed meeting.

A moment of silence was held for Marjorie Stamberg, delegate to Pathways to Teaching.

The following minutes were approved:  Executive Board minutes of June 3, 2024, Executive Board

minutes by email of June 4, 2024, AdCom and Executive Board minutes by email of June 7, 2024.

Secretary Barr thanked everyone for allowing him to chair and guide the body through discussions and debates in a respectful manner.  We may not always agree but we have conducted these meetings in a respectful way that allows us to cover the business at hand while expressing multiple views on any given topic so that ultimately, we can do what we have been elected to do which is to serve our members.  On behalf of the officers and membership thank you for serving in this capacity.

The meeting was then held in executive session.

Respectfully submitted,

LeRoy Barr

Secretary

UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

52 Broadway

New York City 10004

AdCom Minutes

June 14, 2024

Present:      Alford, Barr, Brown, Ginese, Goldman, Gordon, Hinds, Lee, Mantell, Mulgrew, Sill, Vaccaro.

Motion:       To approve the stipend for the NEA RA Convention in Philadelphia, PA from July 1-7, 2024 for transportation, meals and incidentals at a cost of $915 per delegate.

                                            Carried

Motion:       To send 20 Paraprofessionals to the 46^th Annual NYSUT School-Related Professionals Leadership Conference on October 25-27, 2023, in Albany, NY at a cost of $945 per person.

                                            Carried

Motion:       To adjourn

                                            Carried

Respectfully submitted,

LeRoy Barr

Secretary

UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

52 Broadway

New York City 10004

AdCom Minutes

June 21, 2024

Present:      Alford, Barr, Brown, Ginese, Goldman, Gordon, Hinds, Lee, Mantell, Mulgrew, Sill, Vaccaro.

Motion:       To send 10 members to the SOMOS Conference in San Juan, PR, on November 6-10, 2024 at a cost of $3,475 per person.

                                            Carried

Motion:       To adjourn.

                                            Carried

Respectfully submitted,

LeRoy Barr

Secretary

UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

52 Broadway

New York City 10004

Ad Com Minutes

September 6, 2024

Present:      Alford, Barr, Brown, Ginese, Goldman, Gordon, Hinds, Lee, Mantell, Mulgrew, Sill, Vaccaro.

Motion:       To send 4 members to the Micron Pilot on July 15-18, 2024, in East Syracuse, NY at a cost of $300 per person.

                                            Carried

Motion:       To send 2 members to the Hearing on Foundation Aid Rockefeller Institute on August 13-14, 2024 in Guilderland City, NY at a cost of $205 per person.

Motion:       To send 2 members to the monthly NYS Education Department Board of Regents meetings on September 9, October 7, November 4, December 9, January 13, February 10, March 10, April 7, May 5, June 9 and July 14 in Albany, NY, at a total cost of $7,000 per person.

                                            Carried

Motion:       To adjourn

                                            Carried

Respectfully submitted,

LeRoy Barr

Secretary