Questions Planned for Tonight’s UFT Exec Board

Tonight’s Exec Board is Closed to UFT Members

It’s called “Executive Session.” It’s a measure normally reserved for financial reports, reports on misconduct, election reports. I don’t know if regular members will ever learn why tonight was closed.

Usually there are minutes of UFT Exec boards. Not formal minutes. When I was a member there was a stenographer. Maybe there still is. But the leadership does not produce detailed minutes, as far as I know. No, for good minutes we look to James Eterno on the ICE blog and Nick Bacon on the New Action blog.

But not tonight. Unity declared tonight’s meeting “executive session” and so the meetings are closed and the proceedings won’t be reported.

However, we know that the seven opposition people had two resolutions ready. One was on finding alternate revenue sources, so that the city doesn’t have to screw over our retirees’ health care. The other was on combatting abusive administrators. Nick published both resolutions BEFORE the MEETING on the New Action site.

Also, no one has to be there to know that LeRoy Barr gave a staff director’s report. He probably talked about Teacher Union Day where I got my certificate (though he won’t mention that). And Mulgrew will give a president’s report. He should talk about health care, and how the retirees are kicking his butt with the City Council (though he won’t be so honest).

But I sat with the seven members of the Exec board who were elected from the high schools. And I know what questions they planned to ask. I’m not sure if they had the chance, closed session, heavy-handed leadership, bureaucratic obstacles to speaking, but they were going to try.

Questions Planned for Tonight’s UFT Exec Board

1. Does each district rep maintain a list of the worst problem principals in their district. What are our plans to act on those?

2. Why did the Mulgrew “bombshell” letter launching a campaign on amending Section 12-126 of the City Administrative code not go to the Exec board first? It’s a big move, involving resources and money. There clearly was time.

3. What is our exit strategy if the amendment to 12-126 does not pass?