Wednesday, May 6th

 

    Every passing day seems more and more surreal. I have a friend who used to say when asked about his day - ‘Same shit, different day’ ; now he says - ‘Different shit, same day’. Sorry for the vulgarity, but you get my point. I haven’t felt like this since I jumped out of the ATR pool. Like then every day seems the same. Like then I don’t trust those I should. Like then it feels as if there’s another hidden agenda being played out. Like then I feel like a pawn in a chess game. I haven’t verbalized that feeling until now. I think it was the shock of Chaz’s passing. Those daily routines, especially under times of stress, can be very comforting. Chaz was both that and empowering. I noticed he hadn’t written in a while and there were no comments - which was very unusual. Upon reading of his passing, I felt a shift. An end of an era. Most of my ATR buddies have retired. Teacher friends are all getting out for good in June. ‘For good’ Finally and for their own well being. What happens when there’s no one left that remembers teachers have rights and that teaching is a profession?
   
     Chaz was loathed by some in both the UFT and DOE, for keeping us informed of our rights. I remember a meeting in which an ATR called out a UFT rep on the true number of ATRs and rotations: “False! Where did you hear that? , “Chaz’s blog”, “What?! You believe a blogger over your own Union?!”  I sure did, and he never steered me wrong. I also remember an ATR refusing a principal’s demand to sub in a different school for the day. The ATR refused, citing Chaz’s blog. The principal called the Chapter Leader (who didn’t know the rule) and the DOE (which didn’t know the rule). Both said it was ridiculous to follow a blogger’s assertion over a principal’s demand, but the ATR rightfully stood his ground. That ATR was me. I also remember friends calling me from a school in which teachers were being assaulted daily. This was before I was blogging and I contacted Chaz. Chaz did a expose on the school and the UFT finally became involved and the principal was removed. Chaz and blogging was not something the UFT and DOE had anticipated.  During the Bloomberg regime there was a  campaign of divide and conquer. The schools were broken up, teacher cafeterias and lounges closed and everything that was once shared became isolated.  Veteran teachers were  primarily targeted for their institutional memory, rather than their salary. Salaries became a means in which to rid the system of the institutional memory via Fair Student Funding.The evidence  was the DOE started replacing veteran teachers with new teachers and had to pay both salaries. The UFT became a silent partner of the DOE, as their precious dues were doubled with the new hires. Divide and conquer in all its glory. I suppose they figured no one would realize it. How would they? Everyone was isolated in their classroom; if they were lucky enough to have one, and all these new teachers didn’t know better. Chaz changed all that. He became a resource.  He became a font for our institutional memory. He was the bee that stung.

     Chaz is gone. Many of us are no longer teaching. Teaching and the UFT have become frightening caricatures of what they once were. We can remember and hope for better days or we can do as Chaz did - fight for them. May G-d bless Chaz and his family.