UFT Exec Board Meeting Notes 3/21/25
President's Report, Election Complaints and Quarrels, Endorsements, Officer Reports
Open Mic Period:
Michael Schulman - Vice Chair of the RTC, The Vice Chair of the RTC took the floor to:
Report on the impactful demonstration held just days prior, on Saturday, March 15th. The focus of this demonstration was to vocally oppose proposed cuts to crucial programs like education, social security, and social services.
He estimated between 75 and 100 UFT members participated. The visual impact of the RTC members was undeniable; they were easily identifiable by their signs and the distinctive t-shirts they wore.
He gave particular credit to the Labor Solidarity Project of the RTC, acknowledging their effective mobilization efforts.
He announced the RTC's participation in the poignant commemoration of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire tragedy, scheduled for March 25th at 11:00 AM. This event, held at the corner of Washington Place and Greene Street.
Norman Scott, a RTC Executive Board member, raised concerns regarding
The upcoming UFT elections and the issue of candidates running on multiple slates. He cited historical precedents, specifically the 2007, 2010, and 2013 elections where individuals ran on both the New Action and Unity slates.
He highlighted the recent ruling by the Election Committee Chair, Carl Cambria, which initially permitted candidates to run on multiple slates and accrue votes from each. He insinuated that Unity, realizing the potential loss of UFT convention seats, pressured the Election Committee (note that Mr. Scott himself is a member of the election committee) to reverse its decision. He specifically criticized Michael Schulman and a Unity member for supporting this reversal, which occurred shortly before the petition deadline.
Scott then stated that the ABC openly allows its members to run on multiple slates, emphasizing their commitment to providing candidates with the opportunity to win UFT seats and challenge the unity. He asserted that ABC would not prevent anyone from running on another slate.
Michael Schulman requested a point of personal privilege to address what he termed the “perverted version of history” presented by the previous speaker.
He defended Carl Cambria’s consistency, clarifying that while Cambria ruled candidates could run on multiple slates, past instances of dual-slate participation were based on mutual agreement between the slates involved. He stated that that no such agreement exists between ABC and Arise. Schulman emphasized his role in past elections, specifically his support for Randi Weingarten and Michael Mulgrew, which were based on agreements between the slates. He stated he wished to correct the misinformation Scott provided. He offered to discuss the issue further with any interested Executive Board members after the meeting.
President’s Report:
Michael Mulgrew began his report by paying tribute to the late Hazel Dukes. He spoke of her as not just an ally, but a dear friend of the UFT, recalling her unwavering support during the union's most challenging times, particularly the clashes with the Bloomberg administration. He spoke to Dukes's deep commitment to educational equity, her fierce opposition to the disparities faced by students in co-located charter schools. A moment of silence followed, honoring both Hazel Dukes and Alfredo Arroyo, a former chapter leader at PS 46 in district 10 in the Bronx.
Mulgrew spoke about UFT's successful Lobby Day last Monday and addressed concerns surrounding proposed pension legislation around which there is a good deal of misinformation being shared about, firmly stating the union's opposition to the legislation. He also mentioned that the trustees would be speaking at a retiree meeting to clarify misinformation.
Mulgrew commended the success of the "Herstory" event held in the Bronx, acknowledging the hard work of Janella and the organizing committee. He also announced the overwhelming popularity of the Para Chapter's Para Fest, which had reached maximum capacity, necessitating the use of the venue's balcony.
Next Mulgrew reported on UFT's mayoral endorsement process and its unique requirement for candidates to spend a day teaching in a New York City public school, emphasizing the importance of firsthand experience if they are seeking the endorsement of the UFT. He noted that all candidates, except the current mayor, had responded to the UFT's invitation. He further described the rules and expectations of the teaching day, ensuring the candidates would experience real school life.
Mulgrew addressed the ongoing federal legislative challenges, highlighting the UFT's active involvement in multiple lawsuits against the administration. He expressed deep concerns about the potential threats to public education, the influence of billionaires on policy decisions, and the administration's apparent goal of promoting complete school choice while silencing teachers' voices. He emphasized the need for continued vigilance and action to protect public education.
Report Period:
Karen Alford, VP of Elementary Schools
Provided an update on the United Community Schools (UCS) program. The UCS program places a community school director in each of its participating schools, with the expectation that these directors, once fully trained, will deliver approximately $600,000 worth of programming, resources, and services to the school. While the program is still in the process of compiling comprehensive figures, the preliminary findings are already astounding.
She highlighted two specific examples: Bronx Writing Academy in District 9, where the community school director has successfully delivered a staggering $3 million in programming and resources within this single school year. At Seth Low the delivered value reached an incredible $6 million during the same period. Karen emphasized the hard work and dedication of these directors, who are clearly making a significant impact on the lives of students and their families. This impactful work has also garnered attention beyond New York City, as officials from the Philadelphia mayor's office, along with teachers, have expressed interest in observing the UCS program firsthand.
Janella Hinds, VP of High Schools reported on
the UFT's recent Herstory celebration, marking the seventh such celebration during Women's History Month. She highlighted the diverse and enriching program. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Shari Davis, who spoke passionately about the importance of activism within unions and its various forms. Victoria Lee also delivered a powerful presentation, focusing on women's pathways to financial freedom, which was received with great enthusiasm.
Mary Vaccaro, VP for Education
Mary gave a detailed update regarding the Department of Education's (DOE) upcoming curriculum changes, emphasizing the UFT's ongoing advocacy. She began by stating that the DOE, after much discussion and pressure from the union, had finally revealed their plans for the math curriculum, revealing the "secret" that New York City Solves would be expanding.
Specifically, nine additional districts, including some District 75 sites, would be given the opportunity to choose from three math curriculums: Illustrative Math, iReady, and Amplify..
However, she identified a major issue: some districts within the affected cohort had already implemented Illustrative Math and would now be forced to switch. Despite the DOE's denial of any such disruptions, Mary cited 12 concrete examples. The affected districts were listed as 5, 6, 8, 17, 22, 25, and 31. She revealed that the DOE had wanted to present a slideshow, but the UFT had declined due to previous inaccuracies. The DOE’s statement that there would be less focus on the curriculum itself, and more focus on teaching, was also refuted. She stated that English language learners and students with disabilities were having issues with the Illustrative Math curriculum.
Mary then transitioned to literacy, announcing that New York City Reads would be expanding into middle school. However, the same nine districts involved in the math curriculum changes would not be part of the initial literacy rollout. Another significant issue was that many schools had already selected HMH for their literacy curriculum and would now be required to switch to EL Expeditionary Learning by the Dept of Ed. K-8 schools would be exempt from this change.
She stressed the importance of members staying informed and communicating with the UFT about any curriculum decisions or irregularities in their districts. She also addressed the issue of progress monitoring, stating that it should only occur in the middle of the year, not weekly or bi-weekly. Any instances of excessive progress monitoring should be reported to district representatives.
Question Period:
Edward Calamia High School Executive Board, inquired about any updates regarding the health care task force. Leroy Barr acknowledged the existence of the task force, confirming that it had indeed been formed and that meetings were scheduled to commence. However, he admitted that he did not have any specific updates to provide at that moment. He assured Edward that information concerning the meeting schedule, format, and other relevant details would be forthcoming and that the information would be shared. He also stated that the high school division would be in touch.
H.S. Division speaker raised a critical concern regarding a budget bill submitted by Governor Hochul. This bill aimed to amend the administrative code of New York City, specifically concerning the amortization of contributions to the New York City employees' retirement. Why was there this apparent lack of awareness among state senators? What concrete actions could be taken to rectify this situation?
Tom Brown, UFT Assistant Treasurer and Trustee on teachers' retirement system explained the trustees' role and the security of the pension system. He stressed that he, Victoria Lee, and Christina McGrath were elected by the membership and had taken a fiduciary oath to protect the pension. He emphasized that the proposed budget bill would not pass without the UFT's support.
He expressed a constant awareness of the responsibility the teacher trustees held for members' financial futures. Brown then addressed the specific question about the bill, reiterating that it would not pass without their support and asking for the members' trust.
He assured members that it was completely well-funded and pur pensions are secure. He also stated that since 1960, since the start of the UFT, the pension has always been protected. He reiterated that the pensions are constitutionally guaranteed and safe. He finished stating that he stood on the shoulders of former trustees and hoped he was making them proud, including Mel Aronson.
Zakkhiyyah Rock brought forward a pressing concern regarding co-located schools. She expressed that her school's population was growing, and she sought guidance on the specific steps needed to reclaim space within their co-located building. She specifically mentioned the Success Academy, indicating that they were co-located with them. In response, it was acknowledged that there were ongoing campaigns to address co-location issues throughout the city. It was stated that a plan of action, or a strategy, would be developed to assist Zakkiyyah in reclaiming space, and that they would have to take it on a case by case basis. The response also indicated that multiple meetings would be necessary to effectively address the situation. The issue was then moved to be discussed at the district level.
Special Order of Business:
Resolution to endorse Victoria Lee for election to the New York City Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) board, with Tom Brown speaking to the endorsement.
Nick Bacon, a member of the high school executive board, rose to express his opposition to the motion to endorse Victoria Lee for the TRS trustee position. He clarified that his objection was not based on any disagreement with Victoria Lee's qualifications or trustworthiness, which he acknowledged. Instead, his concern stemmed from a procedural standpoint.
Bacon argued that endorsing a candidate before the signature collection process was complete and before all potential candidates had been identified could create a "chilling effect" on other qualified UFT members. He proposed that the endorsement should occur after the signature collection period, allowing the UFT to see who had successfully garnered the necessary support.
Bacon reiterated his trust in Victoria Lee and clarified that his concerns about the pension legislation's framing were separate from his procedural objection. He concluded by emphasizing that his sole purpose was to address the timing of the endorsement.
Sean Ramos rose to strongly endorse Victoria Lee for the TRS trustee position, countering the procedural concerns raised by Nick Bacon. He emphasized three key principles that guided his endorsement: experience, integrity, and trust.
Ramos highlighted Victoria Lee's unique qualifications, emphasizing that she had "worked her way up from the bottom." He shared his own experience as a banker-turned-English teacher who was asked to join the TRS board, acknowledging the steep learning curve involved in understanding pension legislation and operations. He credited mentors like Mel Aronson and Tom Brown for guiding him.
He argued that Victoria Lee possessed a comprehensive understanding of the pension system, not only at the "macro" level of legislation and origination, but also at the "micro" level of pension service and member consultation. He stressed that she had performed every job required within the pension system, gaining invaluable firsthand experience.
Ramos concluded by asserting that experience, integrity, and trust were paramount in the union, and that Victoria Lee embodied these qualities, making her the ideal candidate for the TRS trustee position.
Seung Lee highlighted their collaborative work with Victoria Lee as an officer of the Asian American Heritage Committee, emphasizing her diligent work ethic, meticulous organization, and effective communication skills. They witnessed firsthand how Victoria Lee ensured the successful execution of events, paying close attention to every detail.
As the highest-ranking AAPI officer within the UFT, Seung felt a strong sense of responsibility to highlight Victoria Lee's representation of the union and the broader AAPI community and AAPI members across national unions.
The vote was called resulting in a unanimous "aye" and the motion carrying.
Endorsement Process: Vanecia Williams
Candidate Outreach: Candidates seeking UFT endorsement initiate contact.
Questionnaire: Candidates complete a questionnaire.
Interviews: Borough-level political action committees conduct interviews.
Recommendations: Recommendations progress from borough committees to UFT leadership, the Executive Board, and finally the Delegate Assembly.
Support: Endorsed candidates receive "people power" (volunteer support) and "financial power" (campaign contributions).
Mayoral Exception: Mayoral endorsements include a prerequisite and a forum. Public advocate and comptroller races are excluded from forums.
Borough Races: Borough president, district attorney, and city council races follow the standard process.
Proposed Endorsements:
District Attorneys:
Eric Gonzalez (Brooklyn): First Latino DA, focused on equity, responsiveness, and youth initiatives.
Alvin Bragg (Manhattan): First African-American DA, focused on crime reduction and community safety.
City Council:
Smith (CD30): Former teacher and UFT staffer, experienced in labor and education advocacy.
Cliff Hagen (CD51 - Staten Island): Special education teacher, active in local politics, advocating for education, labor, and environmental protection.
Julie Menon (CD5)
Carmen de la Rosa (CD10)
Crystal Hudson (CD35)
Rita Joseph (CD40)
All four are deemed advocates for labor and education. Carmen de la Rosa is the labor chair, and Rita Joseph is the education chair.
Endorsement Discussion:
A member raised a concern that while appreciating the work of the council members being endorsed, some of them had not yet supported a legislative bill to protect Medicare.
The member pointed out that 13 council members had signed off on the bill, which aimed to prevent Medicare enrollees from being defaulted into Medicare Advantage plans.
The member emphasized the importance of considering candidates' stances on healthcare issues during the endorsement process.
The council then voted on the proposed endorsements, the vote was passed.
Election Complaints:
Complaint 1 (Griffin S. Malane):
Alleged misuse of DOE resources for a petition signing event held at the Bayard Rustin Complex after school hours.
The complaint was recommended for dismissal, as the event occurred outside of work hours and involved only petition signing, which aligns with established UFT practice.
Complaint 2 (Sean Rotkowitz):
Alleged improper use of DOE email and facilities by the New Action Caucus.
Christopher Carney, a New Action Caucus member, admitted to sending an email using his DOE account.
He refused to disclose the purpose of a meeting held during lunch periods at IS 51.
The complaint was recommended to be upheld, as the use of DOE emails for campaign purposes is prohibited.
It was also stated that if the meeting held was for campaigning, then that would also be a violation.
Complaint 3
Alleged improper use of UFT newsletter images in campaign materials by A Better Contract.
The complaint was recommended for dismissal, as UFT materials in the public domain are subject to fair use and accessible to all candidates.
All three election complaints were voted on, and the recommendations were passed.