Jesse Jackson's latest comment will just show you how low this guy can really go. Remember his Hymie Town remark? That was quickly forgotten. The man is nothing more than an absolute bigot.
I would have had more respect for Sen. Obama if he would have totally cut ties with the Reverend Jackson.
Is Sen. Obama really talking down to black people when he tells them about paternal responsibility? Methinks not. The senator should be applauded for that. As for Rev. Jackson, he continues the myth of George Kingfish Stevens of Amos and Andy fame. By his actions, he continues the myth of African Americans as shiftless, lazy people. The black community ought to retire the Rev. Jackson from public life. Perhaps, he could write a book or go on a lecture circuit with Louis Farrahkhan. The two of them richly deserve each other.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Optimum Online Webmail
The greatest laugh is hearing that new commercial for our children to seek out free lunches during the summer. I wonder if the person in the commercial has children in the New York City school system. The lunch food is absolutely atrocious. The odor especially from frankfurters and beans can knock you out.
You're much better off bringing your own food.
How do I know this? As a retired N.Y.C. schoolteacher, I spent many an hour on cafeteria duty thanks to our lovely UFT contract that allowed this. For those of you who say so what,? let me explain: Do doctors patrol the hallways of hospitals? Do lawyers patrol the corridors in the courts? You want the teaching profession to be regarded as just that- a profession! Great, now treat pedagogues in a professional manner.
Getting back to the food in the cafeteria, as I stated, it's absolutely awful. Perhaps, if it were kosher, we'd be far better off. No wonder there have always been food fights in the cafeteria.
How nice if our UFT leadership as well as the CSA spent some time in the cafeteria to get a first hand view of conditions there. The mayor and the chancellor could do the same thing. Snow will probably fall in August first.
You're much better off bringing your own food.
How do I know this? As a retired N.Y.C. schoolteacher, I spent many an hour on cafeteria duty thanks to our lovely UFT contract that allowed this. For those of you who say so what,? let me explain: Do doctors patrol the hallways of hospitals? Do lawyers patrol the corridors in the courts? You want the teaching profession to be regarded as just that- a profession! Great, now treat pedagogues in a professional manner.
Getting back to the food in the cafeteria, as I stated, it's absolutely awful. Perhaps, if it were kosher, we'd be far better off. No wonder there have always been food fights in the cafeteria.
How nice if our UFT leadership as well as the CSA spent some time in the cafeteria to get a first hand view of conditions there. The mayor and the chancellor could do the same thing. Snow will probably fall in August first.
Friday, July 4, 2008
No Supervisory Exams
Teachers are required to be duly licensed. This is correct.
Why not the same for assistant and principals? Why should they get these cushy jobs and enjoy a lifetime out of the classroom without taking an examination for it? Isn't that unfair?
When was the last time that the UFT and CSA hierarchies were actually in the classroom teaching?
All supervisory personnel should be required to teach. This means not taking the best classes and leaving regular teachers all the leftovers. This applies to Chancellor Klein, Kathleen Grimm and others at the board. I would love to see their classroom skills, or lack of them. When they leave their current cushy jobs, let them start teaching in one of our many SURR schools under the current unbearable conditions that they have helped to create.
Why not the same for assistant and principals? Why should they get these cushy jobs and enjoy a lifetime out of the classroom without taking an examination for it? Isn't that unfair?
When was the last time that the UFT and CSA hierarchies were actually in the classroom teaching?
All supervisory personnel should be required to teach. This means not taking the best classes and leaving regular teachers all the leftovers. This applies to Chancellor Klein, Kathleen Grimm and others at the board. I would love to see their classroom skills, or lack of them. When they leave their current cushy jobs, let them start teaching in one of our many SURR schools under the current unbearable conditions that they have helped to create.
The Academy for Principals
What a school system! It just gets worse and worse.
For years we had assistant principals and principals supervising teachers in subject areas that they themselves never taught. How can you fairly evaluate a teacher if you never taught that subject?
It tales between 5-10 years to develop as a good classroom teacher. Nowadays, we make you an instant supervisor. You attend the Academy for Principals and presto you become a supervisor. There are no exams to take. Go to the academy and make the right contacts and you're heading a school. What a disgrace.
Thank the Lord that I retired. I would resent taking orders from someone who never or rarely taught. What could I and others possibly learn from such a person?
I heard of one story where a 24 year old person was made a principal of a high school. This person was asking teachers in the school what a shelter drill is.
The UFT should encourage teachers to challenge unsatisfactory observations if it can be shown that the person who observed you never taught that particular subject. Mr. Klein and his fellow gang of incompetents want accountability. This is a perfect example.
For years we had assistant principals and principals supervising teachers in subject areas that they themselves never taught. How can you fairly evaluate a teacher if you never taught that subject?
It tales between 5-10 years to develop as a good classroom teacher. Nowadays, we make you an instant supervisor. You attend the Academy for Principals and presto you become a supervisor. There are no exams to take. Go to the academy and make the right contacts and you're heading a school. What a disgrace.
Thank the Lord that I retired. I would resent taking orders from someone who never or rarely taught. What could I and others possibly learn from such a person?
I heard of one story where a 24 year old person was made a principal of a high school. This person was asking teachers in the school what a shelter drill is.
The UFT should encourage teachers to challenge unsatisfactory observations if it can be shown that the person who observed you never taught that particular subject. Mr. Klein and his fellow gang of incompetents want accountability. This is a perfect example.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Klein Time
It's time for Chancellor Klein to return to classroom teaching. After all, the Chancellor taught for 6 months before fleeing to a career in law. How did he do as a teacher? Did anyone ever bother to see his file?
The Chancellor and those who agree with what he has done to the New York City school system, they should be made to teach in one of our many SURR schools.
The 2005 UFT contract is the biggest disaster. In 1968 and 1975 teachers struck for improvements in their working conditions and for the right to be treated as professionals. We can never forget the one day strike in 1961 when teachers walked for dignity as well.
In 2005 the union gave up extremely hard fought gains. It was my pleasure to have been on the picket lines in 1975 and as a student teacher observer in the 1968 walkout.
How do you give up seniority rights? How do you give up the right to grieve letters? How do you allow pedagogues to be made to return to cafeteria and hallway duty? Former Chancellor Crew could not get over the fact that teachers were subjected to this demeaning form of work. Teachers are there to teach. It's bad enough that teachers have to be social workers, psychiatrists and psychologists since parents do not do their jobs.
The Chancellor and those who agree with what he has done to the New York City school system, they should be made to teach in one of our many SURR schools.
The 2005 UFT contract is the biggest disaster. In 1968 and 1975 teachers struck for improvements in their working conditions and for the right to be treated as professionals. We can never forget the one day strike in 1961 when teachers walked for dignity as well.
In 2005 the union gave up extremely hard fought gains. It was my pleasure to have been on the picket lines in 1975 and as a student teacher observer in the 1968 walkout.
How do you give up seniority rights? How do you give up the right to grieve letters? How do you allow pedagogues to be made to return to cafeteria and hallway duty? Former Chancellor Crew could not get over the fact that teachers were subjected to this demeaning form of work. Teachers are there to teach. It's bad enough that teachers have to be social workers, psychiatrists and psychologists since parents do not do their jobs.
The School System's Dirty Little Secret
The public is not being made aware of the treacherous conditions created by those in charge of the New York City school system.
As a result of their school population decreasing, too many teachers have been excessed. This is not the fault of the teachers. This has happened to dedicated teachers teaching for many years. The newspapers and Chancellor Joel Klein are trying to blame these people for incompetence and threatening to terminate their employment all together. Currently, under the present UFT contract, this can't be done. Who knows what will happen when this contract expires?
Instead of using these teachers in classrooms to lower class registers, the teachers are being relegated to substitute status. This is demeaning to the teacher. These people did not get master's degrees to do substitute teaching.
Why did this happen? The city is taking advantage of the miserable 2005 teachers' contract that did away with seniority.
Parents should be demanding that these teachers be returned to regular duty and not harassed by school officials for being unable to find teaching positions. The system created this problem. Now, it's time to remedy it fairly.
As a result of their school population decreasing, too many teachers have been excessed. This is not the fault of the teachers. This has happened to dedicated teachers teaching for many years. The newspapers and Chancellor Joel Klein are trying to blame these people for incompetence and threatening to terminate their employment all together. Currently, under the present UFT contract, this can't be done. Who knows what will happen when this contract expires?
Instead of using these teachers in classrooms to lower class registers, the teachers are being relegated to substitute status. This is demeaning to the teacher. These people did not get master's degrees to do substitute teaching.
Why did this happen? The city is taking advantage of the miserable 2005 teachers' contract that did away with seniority.
Parents should be demanding that these teachers be returned to regular duty and not harassed by school officials for being unable to find teaching positions. The system created this problem. Now, it's time to remedy it fairly.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Victory for the Landlords
Look how quiet it has become since the Rent Guidelines Board socked it to tenants last week. What a sneaky thing to do with that guaranteed $45 or $85 increase for so called lower-paying tenants.
How much more do tenants have to endure in cockroach infested buildings? No landlord should receive any increase whatsoever if he or she has violations in his or her building.
Both landlords and tenants must be required to open their books for inspection. Increases should not be automatic.
As always, our mayor remains silent in this matter. Is this to placate his real estate cronies?
The city council yells and screams and then is very quiet.
The Rent is Too Damn High Party needs to be replaced with a more vigorous group. Tenants could conceivably form an important voting block in the next mayoral election.
At least there is some good news for tenants. Gov. Paterson has a rent controlled apartment and Joe Bruno, a pro-landlord, anti-tenant State Senator is retiring. It's about time. Remember how Sen. Bruno and former Gov. Pataki were screaming that rent control and rent stabilization were dead in 1998?
Fair market rents? Nonsense. Look what happened in Boston when there was rent deregulation. Within a period of time, rents had to be regulated due to the ever greedy landlord.
By the way, tenants in rent controlled and rent stabilized buildings should take advantage of the law that allows for a free paint job every 3 years. Most tenants don't take advantage of this and our landlords are saving plenty of money.
The time has long gone when we used to read of landlords abandoning their buildings. Nonsense. The real estate market is very lucrative today and our greedy landlords know this. They're still making money despite their protests.
Years ago city workers were asked to have 0% increases in their contracts. Landlords should step up to the plate and do the same.
How much more do tenants have to endure in cockroach infested buildings? No landlord should receive any increase whatsoever if he or she has violations in his or her building.
Both landlords and tenants must be required to open their books for inspection. Increases should not be automatic.
As always, our mayor remains silent in this matter. Is this to placate his real estate cronies?
The city council yells and screams and then is very quiet.
The Rent is Too Damn High Party needs to be replaced with a more vigorous group. Tenants could conceivably form an important voting block in the next mayoral election.
At least there is some good news for tenants. Gov. Paterson has a rent controlled apartment and Joe Bruno, a pro-landlord, anti-tenant State Senator is retiring. It's about time. Remember how Sen. Bruno and former Gov. Pataki were screaming that rent control and rent stabilization were dead in 1998?
Fair market rents? Nonsense. Look what happened in Boston when there was rent deregulation. Within a period of time, rents had to be regulated due to the ever greedy landlord.
By the way, tenants in rent controlled and rent stabilized buildings should take advantage of the law that allows for a free paint job every 3 years. Most tenants don't take advantage of this and our landlords are saving plenty of money.
The time has long gone when we used to read of landlords abandoning their buildings. Nonsense. The real estate market is very lucrative today and our greedy landlords know this. They're still making money despite their protests.
Years ago city workers were asked to have 0% increases in their contracts. Landlords should step up to the plate and do the same.
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