Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Bill De Blasio Praises New York City Teachers

The UFT officially endorsed Bill de Blasio today. 

Here is what de Blasio said about teachers at that announcement:

"I just want to say humanly, personally, Charlaine and I have just the deepest appreciation for the dozens and dozens of teachers who took Chiara and Dante by the hand over the last 14 years and supported them, uplifted them, were there for them in so many ways," he said at the union's headquarters near City Hall. "We have had an extraordinary experience as parents seeing just how good the teachers of this city are."

Dunno how long that tone will last, but it's nice to see a politician running for office who isn't denigrating teachers or scapegoating them for all the ills of the public school system.

Bloomberg, Obama, Cuomo - can you imagine any of those guys saying anything like this?

8 comments:

  1. I am thrilled that the UFT is finally supporting a candidate that I can get behind. I don't doubt DeBlasio's sincerity for a moment. I remember him being at a PEP meeting in Brooklyn Tech quite a few years ago and he definitely was there to help stop the DOE from closing public schools. I've also seen him several times at UFT marches/rallies as well as in photos on the steps of City Hall protesting Bloomberg's school policies.

    WHEN he becomes Mayor, I hope he chooses Diane Ravitch or Patrick Sullivan as his Schools Chancellor.

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    1. I temper my enthusiasm with the thought that the tabloids will be out to get him from day one and will put a lot of pressure on him to keep the old policies in place. Will he buckle under that barrage?

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  2. The NYTimes ran an article (and once again decided not to elicit comments)really a PR piece on the success of Bloomberg's ed agenda.

    Here is a sample of what the NYTimes is pushing when it comes to de Blasio: The Democratic nominee, Bill de Blasio favors undoing much of the Bloomberg administration’s centerpiece educational policies by slowing the growth of charter schools and ending, for at least a year, the practice of closing low-performing schools. The Republican candidate, Joseph J. Lhota, has defended the mayor’s record on education and wants to expand the number of charter schools.

    On the other hand, the Times just verified what de Blasio has been saying all along. The census report shows that we are living a tale of 2 cities.

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    1. Once Bloomberg goes, these papers are going to start running nostalgia pieces about how wonderful the system was under Bloomberg. They'll probably do the same for the city at large. Nothing but p.r., of course.

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  3. If that's what Joe Lhotta said....he's either an idiot...or a liar....just like the guy who's leaving office...Guess who Im voting for...?

    Some love...from anyone these days for teachers...is a welcome change...

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    1. Lhota loves Bloomberg's education reforms, yes. More charters, more closures, more tests, merit pay, etc.

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  4. The reading level for the new york post and the ny daily news is somewhere around 4th grade level so no matter what they print it does not matter people cannot comprehend anywasy

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  5. Anyone who works in the system will tell you that they truly are sick and tired of bloomys agenda which is whatever he wants with no input from teaches or parents. This is where the difference is between diblasio and dictator bloomberg. Diblasio shows people respect and bloomberg thinks he is this know it all just because he has money. I guess if anyone has lot of money they are considered to be a genius and know everything about everything right?

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