Chaz
Eric Chasanoff blogged. About New York City schools. About Queens schools. About high schools. About pensions. About teaching science. About being in the ATR pool. About the UFT. About the Department of Education. About the issues that teachers face.
Eric was dedicated to his students and the profession and his colleagues. He blogged because it was important, because he had a message, because these things mattered. When the interests of teachers were at stake, he was not afraid of stirring up trouble. For Chaz, right was right.
Our blogs started around the same time. The 2005 UFT – DoE contract had awful concessions, and blogs were new, and a bunch of us got pulled in at the same time. I think he was the first who acknowledged by presence.
I remember when I first met Eric, he ran up to me in a diner on the west side. “Jonathan!” He knew me. But I looked confused. “It’s Eric!” Still confused. We had been reading each other’s blogs for five years. And I didn’t know his first name. Hard to recognize him without his light blue background. Even lately, when I went to e-mail him, I type Chaz and wonder why nothing pops up. Happened 3 days ago, when I wrote him, concerned because he hadn’t blogged in a week.
Eric and I often agreed, and often disagreed. But we respected each other. When the UFT leadership refused to create an ATR chapter, and I was on the Exec Board, we had back and forth over what we could get them to agree to. He was not satisfied with what I got passed, nor should he have been. But he did help shape what we got. Just last year I was honored to get his endorsement in the last UFT election.
The universe of active NYC Public School teacher/bloggers is shifting, and not very big. Eric was a major part of it, for over a decade. I mourn his passing. He will be missed.
Chaz’s School Daze 2006 – 2020
JD2718 
Rest in power, Chaz.
He was, I believe, the first teacher/blogger (union politics) to engage with me when I started.
Amazingly dedicated. He will be missed.
We all started together – I remember that diner ATR meeting. I think that was the first time I met him too. I also didn’t know his real name. He was anonymous for many years and was brave when he went public. Way too young and he will be sorely missed.
Chaz’s information was so much better than what I ever received from the UFT.
His blog, along with this blog and James’s blog have always provided me with more valuable information than what principals and the union have provided.
RIP Chaz.