Sometimes I feel a little mad

Let Vlorbik complain about them lyrics! Pissed Off Teeacher writes that her school has ATRs, but the AP’s are hawking 6th classes.

My comment (click above link to read all comments):

Please approach your Chapter Leader. It is our job as a union to protect our weakest and most vulnerable, and today, that means ATRs first.

Another commenter responds:

Jonathan – you do realize though, that your way of thinking is the exception, rather than the rule….it’s difficult to take [Randi Weingarten] seriously when she created the situation in the first place.

And I respond:

Advocating what is right is not a tactical decision. We just do it. [I discuss an Exec Board resolution, by New Action, adopted by all, calling for a moratorium on hiring new teachers while there were unplaced ATRs] Enough? Absolutely not. But I advocate what’s right, and keep plugging away. The alternative is not an alternative.

(Click “more” to find out what came next –>)

An ICE supporter, on his own blog, writes:

“Unity-New Action types are all aglow with a resolution they’ve made in the executive board proposing that ATR teachers be placed before new teachers are hired. However, without specific contractual amendments, it’s” … “meaningless” … “Monopolistic, amoral, self-serving Unity-New Action can make all the resolutions it likes. Perhaps it’s learned from Mayor Bloomberg that image can yield more political capital than substance.”

Just bear with me for a second. NYCEd is mad because… I asked a teacher to contact her chapter leader? And I instead should have… blamed Randi?

OK. Unity sold us a lousy contract in 2005 that led to hundreds of teachers becoming ATRs. I said it. (No big deal, I said it in 2005, too)

Now is it okay if I encourage teachers to come together and exercise the rights that we still do have?

Their alternative is not an alternative.