DAY & NIGHT

And why it is so important to vote today for David Kazansky for TRS Trustee.

Last night, ABC received a thoughtful message from Thomas Hasler, a distinguished teacher, proud unionist and 17-year UFT Chapter Leader at International High School at Union Square. Thomas attended ABC’s TRS Election Town Hall this past Monday evening, as well as the official UFT Town Hall for Chapter Leaders that was held yesterday afternoon. Here are his thoughts:

The difference between Monday night’s ABC Town Hall hosted by Amy Arundell, a true leader, and David Kazanksy, the candidate for TRS Trustee, was in stark contrast to yesterday’s “Town Hall” hosted by President Mulgrew and the official UFT. The difference could not have been more like DAY and NIGHT. At ABC’s Town Hall on Monday, members were allowed to ask questions on their own in an open forum. At Mulgrew’s meeting yesterday, it was the OPPOSITE.

First of all, only UFT Chapter Leaders were invited to Mulgrew’s meeting; and most disturbingly, none of us were allowed to speak directly. We were only able to submit questions in writing and apparently only some of them were then read and shared. UFT leadership seemed to be really scared that someone would have pointed out that David Kazansky is by far the better candidate. David has served on the TRS Board before, for 9 years, and he is independent. Instead of letting chapter leaders talk and ask questions DIRECTLY, UFT leadership at Mulgrew’s meeting read questions that FELT screened and chosen in advance. Over 80% of the answers to those questions were, “You should email that question to the TRS election email address.” Could they not have anticipated at least some of the questions and got clarification before? This was then followed by UFT Secretary Michael Sill coming on-screen to repeat the name of the UFT’s “official” candidate numerous times and saying it was the UFT Delegate Assembly that chose to nominate this candidate and not Michael Mulgrew, which is technically true, but we were not given a choice of candidates to nominate. Another thing: Chapter Leaders were told to send a picture of the election tally sheet from their school to their UFT District Rep. This seems like an attempt to pressure UFT chapters to vote a certain way. Or it could be interpreted this way. Of course we won’t participate in that in my school, but the inappropriateness of it baffles me.

The presenters at yesterday’s UFT town hall didn’t even read the question that I had submitted, which really was quite a soft question. I had asked what UFT leadership plans to do with the TRS Trustee election process going forward, so that we as a union can advocate for a better way to vote in future TRS elections. Not only was there NO ANSWER from UFT leadership. My question was NOT READ and my voice was NOT HEARD.

At yesterday’s UFT town hall, had there been a chance for me to get on the microphone again like I did at the UFT Delegate Assembly back in January, this is what I would have asked: “How does rank and file UFT membership hold our own UFT leadership accountable to serve us and support us? If it wasn’t for the caring leadership of Amy Arundell, David Kazansky and their fellow unionists at ABC, we would have barely known anything about this election. Have you abdicated your responsibility to serve your UFT membership? While of course the TRS Trustee Election is a DOE-run election, UFT Chapter Leaders and UFT members on the ground were scrambling for a week to find out information and figure things out; and then the official UFT holds a town hall just a few hours before the actual voting starts on May 13. That’s not serving the membership of our union, that is ABANDONING the membership. Thank God the movement led by ABC, Amy Arundell, David Kazansky and many more is growing quickly. This TRS election is a wakeup call for many members to see that we desperately need new leadership that works with membership and allows a voice.”

Let’s hope for an upset victory today. Whatever the outcome - as Amy said Monday night, we are building this movement stronger and stronger. David Kazansky ran a highly professional campaign that was very impressive. He deserves to win this race hands-down, and he laid the groundwork for much more to come inside our Union. There are so many talented leaders in ABC that inspire. Amy Arundell, David Kazansky and the team of ABC inspire a new generation of rank and file members by listening to us, by giving us voice, by embracing our concerns. Mulgrew’s leadership feels stale and insecure in comparison, micromanaged and controlled. Members don’t fall for this type of leadership anymore.

Democracy worked in Hungary. It will work within our Union as well. I am hopeful. Vote today for David Kazansky and GET OUT THE VOTE in your schools. Ask your colleagues to stay for the election. Ask them to vote.