Synopsis/Analysis:

This month’s Delegate Assembly started off with Michael Mulgrew asking for a moment of remembrance for UFT members that have passed recently. After which, he launched into his report, which took nearly an hour. Mulgrew highlighted the midterm elections coming up on the federal level, the UFT’s lobbying day and the issues we’re beginning to see with the mayor’s new budget. He also spoke about upcoming contract negotiations and possible changes with the city’s COVID policies.

When he and Staff Director Barr were done with their reports, the question period began. Being that Mulgrew’s report typically takes up half of the meeting -- leaving little time for the rest of the agenda -- Camille Eterno, UFT presidential candidate of the United For Change slate, called a point of order to ask that the president make no report.

Mulgrew quickly interrupted her to rule that she was out of order. Many of those in the crowd at the DA, chanted, “Let her speak!” Mulgrew then checked with the parliamentarian to see if she was in fact out of order to bring this point up at this time in the meeting. Mulgrew then stated he was actually asking the parliamentarian if Eterno was allowed to say that she was the leader of the UFC slate. He continued to go on about how this agenda was made through the diplomatic process of the delegate assembly and that it must be followed. As this exchange went on, nearly the entire executive board rose up in support of Mulgrew. This back-and-forth took up the entire question period, which Mulgrew essentially blamed on Eterno.

This debate is one of many attempts the United For Change slate has been making at delegate assemblies, especially as of late, to highlight the undemocratic way meetings are being held. But it’s clear there are still many members who are not ready to move away from the “business as usual” approach of Mulgrew and the Unity caucus.

As the meeting continued, Mulgrew made several comments about not being able to get the work of the union done, due to delegates trying to understand what the rules are for making sure people are heard for and against resolutions. It had become clear that people were not being called on in a democratic way. After this, two resolutions were passed before the meeting adjourned.

Delegate Assembly - February 16, 2022

• Meeting Agenda and Proposed Resolutions
• Resolution on Nature of DA

INDEX

President’s Report:

Staff Director’s Report: LeRoy Barr

Question Period 

Motion Period

Motions to be added to the agenda:

Resolutions - Debate & Voting

President’s Report: 

Started at 4:17. Before we get started, we have had 3 folks who are dedicated to this union who have passed recently. Queens Borough Office District Rep Lowell Wayne, Michael Levine, another DR. Edward Hines - CL. Stand for a moment of silence. 

Mulgrew’s Welcome: 

Happy belated valentines day. Can tell there is a lot of energy in the room tonight. There are two days left before break. Lots of things we’re doing right now, need to make lots of announcements

Federal Politics: 

Everything is being swallowed up by midterm elections. There is a group of people working on the possibility of putting a small package together for build back better. Lots of folks really - we feel strongly about this - want to get climate change stuff through. You all see it on the news - 

State Politics: 

• • Doing things differently - now that the lines have been drawn [district gerrymandering] will there be court challenges? Yes, whatever. This means that the legislature will move quickly because primaries are in june. Asked Cassie Prugh political director to move up lobbying efforts. Gut is telling me things are moving quickly. Most of the budget issues will be resolved before the end of march. Monday, March 7th will begin lobby week. We’ve always only had lobby day - we’re having a full week instead this year. 
    • Going to get on a bus and meet in a big room in Albany - have not invited the governor in a long time. They need to see our strength is out there. Capital is closed to everyone who isn’t an elected official. 
    • Will do a RA-RA (???). Begin that at the start of lobby week. Asking PACs to also be there at the start of lobby week - we don’t want to say we have to do it on this day - we want a uft presence in the capital, virtually for the entire week. 
    • On the money side, I've reported this to you all already. Contract for excellence, foundation aid - fully funded. Usually the number one issue. 
    • Mayoral control is up - our position is we can’t keep this vision of mayoral control
      • Mayor’s PEP panel nomination is head of SUNY Charter Board. 
      • We don’t want to go back to the school board model - should be a set of checks and balances. 
      • Every mayor has always used mayoral control for political purposes - e.g. standardized testing for everything, how we handled covid. We want a mayoral control system but one with checks and balances. 
      • Lobbying - you’ll always get this response - if we change that, then it’s not mayoral control. That’s crap! We’re the only city in the US who has this version of mayoral control - what the rest all have in common are checks and balances. Do not accept that for an answer. 
      • Will do lobbying for the whole week - the idea is that from march 7 - friday, there [will be] a uft presence [when] lobbying state officials 

• June primaries 
• • It’s endorsement season. At the state and federal level not at the city level - well there is a special election that will have low voter turnout [at the city level] 
  • Endorsement process - people have asked me why did nysed [he meant NYSUT] endorse the governor - it’s a simple thing, at the local level we have our procedures: whatever the district is, we get teachers from there and interview candidates, and they come up with a recommendation of who to endorse. Happened last time in the mayoral election. 
  • Statewide - endorsements come from the executive board. Once the attorney general said she would remain, it was put forth that we endorse Kathy Hochul - at the AFT level, they will ask the locals / state union membership - but the eboard votes on it. 
  • There will be lots of challenges that we anticipate. 
  • State senate - worked hard on this for years. We got the majority, then we lost it, and then were stuck - republicans who we were friends with at some point - decided to take education funds and allocate toward a privatized agenda. 
  • Is there a word to describe state politics? It’s a toxic system to say the least. 
  • As always, be prepared - I am not endorsing the current state of politics. We do know one thing - elections absolutely make a difference. 

City Politics:

• Mayor announced the preliminary city budget today - just like at the state level, this is important for us - because we are nearing the end of our contract. Majority of unions right now - their contracts have expired already or will expire. We expire on september 13. So good news is - nyc has a record reserve of 6.15 billion dollars. More good news - they did a projection of revenue. Nyc exceeded revenue projection by 2 billion dollars. Wall street had a phenomenal year - and despite all the yelling and screaming by certain people, it turns out the wealth tax didn’t force people to leave. 
• Bad things - budget has scheduled labor raises to be 0 and 2nd year to be 0. That’s a problem. All raises will be based upon efficiencies and work increase productivities. Now, this is not new. That’s what every mayor does. So we need to have to take all this into consideration - you can’t say the city is broke when we blew past our revenue projection by 2 billion. 
• Now it starts - this is why the negotiating committee will have its first meeting by the end of march. Will need to be done in-person - you can figure out why. This room is not big enough for over 400 people. We’re looking at a couple of venues right now, and then we’ll start the negotiating committee. Hopefully, by the time we start negotiations, covid will be over and we can all be together. 
• Say this at every DA - the key of NYC is the pattern - have to go through an arbitrator to get your contract approved. Once you go to an arbitrator - they will work what’s inside the pattern DC37 - we all negotiated at the same time. This time, a whole bunch of unions haven’t even received their last contract. So we’re looking very carefully - will the city set a pattern before negotiations start.
• We all put pressure on each other as union leadership. So that’s why it’s important we get our negotiating committee in - I get asked all the time how we decide how much of a raise do we ask for? We get asked, why did you settle for 3% and didn’t ask for 10%? How do you know we didn’t? We did ask for 10! We’ll probably ask for more this time - inflation is at 7.25%! 
• We have to work this out - individual chapters have to come up with their own demands. So this is the contract from 1962 - it’s cute. For those of you not in the room, it’s about a quarter of the size of cliff notes. Covered from july 1962 to june 30 1963. Top salary was 60k for a seasoned teacher. 
• This is the latest contract we put into print. People try to use the fact our contract is longer as a negative. There is a story behind everything in the latest contract - the decisions that had to be made - this is bare bones - excessing, salary, can only remain a union as long as you accept anyone who tries to be in the union. That was part of the history of why we never became a union - fighting factions. Lots of things that go into contracts - work rules, voice, mentoring - when these folks were negotiating, they knew they had to get a contract done. Lots of decisions to be made in the negotiating committee. Big decisions that affect all of us and individual chapter decisions. Work has become so complicated, the world is changing around us. Lots for people to understand. Chapters have to have their own understanding - and come to the negotiations committee. 
• For those of you who asked - we’re finalizing now - there will be between 4 and 500 members of the negotiating committee. Will have that meeting at the end of march. 
• 3 things i want to cover right now - 
  • Vacation days 
    • Back to arbitrator - approximately 4k members who were in negative car balance during spring break 2020. And while the award from the arbitrator did not speak to it, the DOE decided since people had negative balances, they were not entitled to vacation days. We said that wasn’t the right decision - going back to arbitration. We know the arbitrator agrees with us.
    • Piece of that award ensures that every member received the full value of work they put in. 
    • Our argument was that once we established the car day is not equivalent to a vacation day. [it did not matter how many CAR days someone had - they should still get their vacation days]. The majority of folks with negative car balance is because they did this horrible thing and decided to have a family - and the other [situation] is folks who had a medical crisis. 
    • Last day of spring break, april 17 2020, anyone who had a negative car balance on that day needed to be made whole by the city of ny. 
    • Will send results of arbitration to membership when they are ready.
  • One shot 
    • You’re all the leaders, I know people have strong opinions on that matter. Back to contracts, everything in here we pay for and fight for. So it doesn’t matter if you believe in vaccination, I have members writing to me, you gave up my rights by allowing the vaccine mandate. An individual does have rights - you cannot say a tenured teacher can be terminated because they refused a vaccine order. 
    • If you make this into an at-will employment agreement, they have established this foothold to harm anyone whether you believe or don’t believe in vaccines
    • You can never allow that precedent to be set. We’re all adults, we make our own decisions. 
    • As soon as the doe tells us, we have a group of members that have provided evidence of receiving the first shot but have not provided evidence of the second shot. We’re assuming they’ll set a deadline - we’ll be calling / doing outreach to each member. We want them to remain employed. We know we have problems with subs. We will be contacting members to say that you have not provided the doe with evidence, and if that is a mistake, here is how you can provide that evidence. 
    • Decision from the DOE and deadline coming in the next few weeks - 
    • On the DOE itself - having lots of conversations with the chancellor. We want the DOE to become a support system for our schools or stay away from us, and we want smaller class sizes. 
    • We also need to know what they want to do - the other mayor wanted universal pre-k. This mayor cares a lot about dyslexia. Waiting to see where they want to go at this point - they keep saying they want the school system to serve the schools. 
    • When it comes to negotiations, I want to use this as an example - a couple of weeks ago, we got into a negotiation with the visiting nurse service. These are not the people we negotiate with, but we got through. We’re in a really ugly negotiation right now with NYU. The ugliest yet. Just think about - these are the same people we were banging pots for at 7pm. Where the hospitals ran commercials about brave hero nurses. Now in disgusting negotiation. Their biggest focus right now is their working conditions. They’re short staffed all the time. The hospital lost 300 nurses, we discussed that for months. They told us they hired 200 nurses, which was not enough. 
    • Asking people in the room - how many people here have filed a grievance? 30 hands in here. We’ve filed 2,000 grievances this year at NYU - about staffing shortages and working conditions. We can’t settle for them offering us money - they don’t care about the profession, only their profits. 
    • In 2 days what happens - vacation. (Comments on how February is always low energy.) On february 28, we go into march - how many days off do we have in march? 0. I know. We’ll never give the Irish the attention they deserve. We’re heading into standardized tests, sbo season, calendar, preference sheets. What we’re doing right now, we’re having a focus group of chapter leaders. We started the chapter leader hub. We have a group of CLs tell us what they wanted in the CL hub - we want that to be up and running for you by april 1. It’s for you, the CL for your chapter. All of your paperwork, calendars, preference sheets, grievances, sbos - can keep track of all this paperwork you do in one place. 
    • Many schools in September don’t follow what is voted on from the spring - keeping SBOs in the CL hub will allow people to know what should be happening. 
    • Group of 50 CLs are giving their input and designing the CL hub. 
    • All trainings, handbooks, searchable contracts, a knowledge base which a lot of you don’t know what it is (they are FAQs for the uft) will be included on the cl hub 

COVID: 

• Positivity rates: .433 is where the school community is at right now, citywide. 
• Adults / staff is at .05
• Spoke to our doctors - some optimism that we may be getting to the end of it. Need to be vigilant until the end 
• Mask policy - there is a big rush since nj made the announcement - people are asking me when nyc is doing it. Do we want to take the masks off? Yes. but we want to do it in a prudent manner, also. 
• Everyone is sick of it, but no one wants to be sick or die. So for us, what we’ll do is continue working with the city. I’m assuming outdoor activity, we can remove the masks, but then it’s up to us to remind folks to put the mask back on when coming into the building. 
• We got hit with the wave first before everyone else, which is actually a good thing, so a good place to vacation is here. 
• Everyone has test kits to test themselves after break - breaks don’t work out so well with covid 
• Attendance policy has been updated to mark students present if they are participating in remote learning due to a positive covid test
  • BUT not if they are home not due to covid - report to the UFT if your school is making you mark students present who are not home due to covid
• Big problem with salary department of DOE - 
  • Substitute teacher work and per session work - some folks are not getting their payment. Need to grieve this with the union/doe
  • DOE claims they didn’t realize there was an issue even though this is happening to hundreds of people 
  • A lot of this is relevant to per session and attendance - like the covid leave policy - so we are moving on that one. 
• Spring conferences - May 21 
  • Move forward - there will be a series of in-person chapter leader trainings. Moving away from hybrid system, moving toward going away overnight. Somebody’s clapping. [were they???] Have to limit - our old place the rye hilton is now some sort of healthcare facility. We have a number of different hotels instead. Will need to limit the number of people who can come.
  • Will also have a functional weekend. 
  • Those who we couldn’t fit in for the first time will be automatically rolled into the list for the second weekend. 
  • Went up last week for the national association of bilingual educators - will have to limit the spring conference to 1,000 people. It’s an important year. This is the tape of the 1963 spring conference dewey award speech - from Dr. MLK - this is the 60th anniversary of that dewey award. Will do something to commemorate that - we’ve got to get back [to in person trainings]
  • Last announcement - effective March 1, we are increasing optical benefit from $125 to $175 dollars. Hearing aid benefit - increasing by $500. 
  • Annual retiree option - rider benefit will increase (from UFT’s website: This year’s reimbursement has been enhanced up to $840, up from a maximum of $780, for retirees whose Optional Rider or health plan deduction was in effect for all of 2021)

Staff Director’s Report: LeRoy Barr

• Tomorrow we have the conclusion of the BHM film series, showing about the Honorable Marcus Messiah Garvey 
• Discussion afterwards happening as well 
• Women’s History Month is coming up 
• March 3rd - Screening of Pushout (about the criminalization of Black girls in public schools) hosted by VPs Karen Alford and Janella Hinds
  • Author of the book Monique Morris will be with us
  • Herstory Celebration 
• March 17th - a film screened Private Violence, will be screened as well 
• Academic high school town hall taking place March 1st
• Chapter Leader trainings coming up
  • March 5th, March 6th
  • Part 4: March 26th 27th 
• Functional weekend - March 17
• CTE awards - March 15th (UFT central, all floors); in person only 
• Early Childhood Conference - March 19th (hybrid) 
• Elementary Town Hall on March 22nd 
• 18th Annual school counselor’s conference on March 12th (9-12:30 PM)
  • School Counselors: “Emotional First Responders”
•  Election petitions due this Friday
• Next DA: March 23rd

Question Period (5:04 - 5:25)

Mulgrew shouts out Christine Tewskbury - basically kept a school together during a 2 year harassment case and kicked the principal's butt all over the place (lots of applause). To keep your staff together for two years! 

M: Point of order during question period? Oh OK. 

Camille Eterno, Veritas Academy, Leader of United for Change Caucus: Calling for a point of order. Strictly speaking, [to have a] purely deliberative assembly, officers should make no report [citing Robert’s Rules] — Mulgrew interrupted to rule Eterno out of order — crowd chants let her speak. Mulgrew rules her out of order for saying she is a candidate which he qualifies as her campaigning at the DA. 

Mulgrew: This agenda includes a resolution of how we must run the DA - agenda has been approved, so we need to stick to this agenda.

Eterno appeals the ruling of the chair. 

Mulgrew: OK. Waiting for the parliamentarian. She called a point of order, I ruled her out of order, we’re now calling for a parliamentarian. Everyone online - the parliamentarian is reading. 

Someone tries to second - M says it’s not time for that yet. 

M: Appeal to the ruling of the chair. Rashad are you there? Hope you had a nice valentine’s day. Hold on.

Point of information - just wanted to ask the chair, is it our policy that we can declare positions based on candidacy for uft elections? We do not bring election issues to this floor. 

Camille: “That was not the point of order”

M: Parliamentary inquiry is a combination of things. Throughout history, people have always thought it was automatic to follow. The uft has made this agenda. This is required for us to follow. The chair does not have the authority to change what the uft has already voted on to be the agenda. A simple fact. The beginning of Robert's Rules will tell you, you can adapt the rules to do what you need to do. 

Leroy Barr - in certain parties, appealing of the ruling of the chair is a debatable issue. This is a body that is based on tradition, whether you like them or you don’t. Now this is coming up in February…this happens to coincide with other things taking place in this Union. The history of this Union is not just based on these 5 months, or this year…it goes back 20 years, 30 years, or even longer. We can change that if the body wants to do so. 

I’ve been a delegate for over 25 years, and to say the democratically elected officers who have been delegates for over 25 years cannot make a report is against the history of this union (Lots of chanting and yelling) I am the UFT secretary, Leroy Barr. 

M: We are here to get information, and find out how to support our chapters. 

Camille: I will speak for it. I will continue on page 19 on Roberts Rules…the chair's defense is saying this is how it’s always been done. This is basically filibuster. We are a union of mostly women. Are we going to let the men on the stage tell us we can’t let our voices be heard? (Mulgrew orders the microphone taken away from the speaker.)

Let her speak (chanting) 

M: When you cross the line you’re going to get called out of order. You want to make speeches, do it outside. This is the body to “do the work.” If you’re not going to do the work, allow us to get the work done. There are close to 2000 people online. 

Camille Eterno calls for another point of order - to appeal the ruling of the chair: Are you afraid of views that don’t agree with yours? Are you afraid of letting the voice of a woman be heard? Are you afraid of letting us say what we have to say? (Mulgrew keeps interrupting and calling her out of order and says that she is disrupting the assembly). You talked for over an hour. The secretary spoke for another 15 minutes. You leave very little time for the members to say what they want to say. Let us speak! (Chants of letting her speak. Mulgrew is yelling over her and “apologizing” to those online. In the room, many UFT staffers shouting, “Let Us Work” 

Camille Eterno: Out of respect to another sister I will allow her to speak. 

Mulgrew says he thought better of the members of this union and calls on her to give up her microphone. 

Camille Eterno: All you have to do is to let us speak

(Debate) 

Mike SIll, Eboard: Look, it’s not just that it’s tradition - [the agenda] has been voted on democratically. But those of us who are here every month, we care about tradition. If someone just showed up this month, of course they don’t value our traditions! 

Delegate: (No name provided #1): I’ve been a member of this union, this year marks my 30th year..I am embarrassed by the way we are conducting ourselves in this forum…we are here to do work. We have different belief systems, but we are here to do the work. 

Exec Board Member (No name provided #2): I am coming here and I am frustrated every week. The same resolutions are on the agenda and we don’t move them. There are members of our school who rely on us to come here and get the job done. Whether you’re a man or woman, it doesn’t matter. You’re wasting our time. Move the agenda and get through the resolutions - and that’s why we are here. 

M: We just finished the debate on the challenge to the chair. We have to vote on whether we want the debate to stop. (Vote yes, stop, or no, keep going) Vote yes - calling the question (to stop debate) 

M: Raw numbers: 786 yes. 279 no, debate has been called. Sorry if anyone else came here to ask a question today because we’re way past time for the question period. Send it to me, I'll answer it. Way past time. 

Voting on challenge of the chair - called to question - Rashad - all those who wish to uphold the chair's ruling, press Yes. All those who want to challenge, vote no. Mulgrew grumbling about being way past question time right now. 

Results: 

765 Yes, 153 No

Live - In Person: 122 yes, 31 no. 83% yes. 887 - 184. Ruling of the chair upheld. (Applause). 

M: Parliamentary Inquiry, we have already done the ruling of the chair, starting motion period. If there is anything you wish to challenge, you may. Oh there is a point of information.

Ilona Nanay, Delegate at Mt. Hall V in the Bronx, District 12

Point of information: would like to know how the agenda is set. (M interrupts and tells Ilona to give her name, with an attitude. Ilona responds, I don’t know why you need to take that tone with me) 10 minutes for a motion period does not seem like enough time to do that work, so can we reduce the president’s and director’s report so there is more time for motions.

M: So you're asking how we can extend the motions period?

Voices of opposition that M is misinterpreting the point of information. 

M: We’re going to move forward with the motion period.

Motion Period (5: 

Speaker (did not catch name)

Motivate - Commemorate women’s history month

M: For this month; not debatable, need a ⅔ vote to put it on this month’s agenda 

Phone vote: To add to agenda, 1 for yes, 3 for no

In-room vote: To add to agenda, A for yes, C for no

Results: 

Phone: 611 yes, 192 no

In-room: (inaudible)

Total: 937 yes, 218 no

Resolution placed on this month’s agenda. Mulgrew grumbling about not getting any work done. 

Question: Nick Bacon, HS of Law and Public Service, CL

What are the rules for making sure people are heard for and against resolutions? The minutes reflect that people’s voices are not being heard - we just heard this when Camille Eterno was speaking, there were people inside and outside unity that weren’t given a chance to speak - Mulgrew interrupts. 

M: If you bring that to this floor you will be ruled out of order

Geraldo Maldonado, M575 

Motion to move decorum resolution up from 6 to 3. M: That’s funny. G: I believe it’s timely. M: You need a second. People yelled they seconded. M: Restates motion. 

M: If you want to do this right now, it is not debatable. There’s been a motion to take resolution #6 and make it resolution #6 (the decorum resolution) for this month’s agenda. This will require a ⅔ vote. 

Results (requires ⅔ vote)

Phone: 450 yes, 296 no

In-room: (unclear, but just under ⅔).

Total: 63% - it does not pass. Requires ⅔

Peter A-L tries to speak but Mulgrew rules Peter A-L out of order: You can’t just jump up and yell motion to suspend the rules. I am correct on that - if you want to suspend, it’s up to the chair to recognize that. I think everyone here wants to get the work done. 

Motions to be added to the agenda:

Resolutions - Debate & Voting

Resolution #1: 

Tom Brown, Assistant Treasurer, Teacher Member of TRS Retirement Board, Nominating Debra Penny to Retirement Board. Speaking incredibly slowly.

Resolution Text: 

AGENDA ITEM #1 – RESOLUTION ENDORSING DEBRA PENNY FOR RE-ELECTION TO THE NYC TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT BOARD 

WHEREAS, Debra Penny has performed in an outstanding manner in her position as Teacher-Member of the Teachers’ Retirement Board of the City of New York, and 

WHEREAS, Debra Penny has the confidence and support of the Teacher-Members of the Teachers’ Retirement Board of the City of New York, Thomas Brown and David Kazansky; therefore let it be 

RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers endorse Debra Penny for re-election as a TeacherMember of the Teachers’ Retirement Board of the City of New York for a three-year term beginning in 2022.

[seconds]

M: floor is open for debate

David Kazansky, Eboard at large, wants to throw full support behind everything Tom just said. 

Peter A-L - motion to suspend the rules. [People grumbling.] M rules it out of order. 

P: When would a motion be in order? 

M: I know you think you have an understanding of what you’re trying to do, and I am telling you, you do not. We are moving forward with this resolution, and then we’ll do the next one. I looked into this, because I am a teacher, and you can’t just yell you are suspending the rules every month. Again, you’re out of order. I want it to be known, I called on you. You chose not to debate this motion. 

P: Can the parliamentarian clarify when it’s in order? 

M: You are grossly out of order. Do you wish to speak in favor or against the motion? You’ve chosen not to do either, so you’re done for now. 

Peter: I’d like to oppose the ruling of the chair. [jeering] 

Anthony Harmon, Eboard. Everything discussed should be related to information at hand. Everything else is out of order. 

M: Thank you, I already know it’s out of order. 

(name) Call to question motion, seconded. M: Let’s do this first - 

Rashad - starts voting on closing the debate.

M: Voting yes: voting to close debate, voting no: want debate to continue 

Results:

Phone: 746 yes, 66 no. M: hmm v popular to close the debate online.

In-Room: 48 yes, 5 no

Total: 894 yes, 71 no

Motion to close debate passes

Voting on Resolution 1

Results:

Phone: 784 yes, 30 no

In-Room: inaudible

Total: 922 yes, 40 no

Resolution to Endorse Deborah Penny for TRS board passes

Janella Hinds - Vice President of Academic High School

References Gabby Petitio, Kanye West, local crime, also quotes All About Love. Seconded.

AGENDA ITEM #2 - RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ERADICATING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE 

WHEREAS, there are thousands of (often unreported) incidents of domestic violence and intimate partner violence every day in New York City; and

WHEREAS, with more than 1.1 million students, New York City is the largest K-12 public school system in the United States with many of its students affected by domestic violence and intimate partner violence; and 

WHEREAS, domestic violence and intimate partner violence have resulted in countless occurrences of physical, emotional and psychological harm and even death in New York City; and 

WHEREAS, 12.1% of high school students in New York State reported having been physically hurt (excluding sexual violence) by a significant other in just the past year and 11.8% reported experience sexual dating violence; and 

WHEREAS, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced some form of physical violence by a significant other; and 

WHEREAS, countless numbers of students and educators fall victim to domestic violence and intimate partner violence; and 

WHEREAS, a variety of conditions caused by the ongoing pandemic have resulted in increased rates of domestic violence and intimate partner violence; and 

WHEREAS, domestic violence and intimate partner violence have myriad negative effects on individual victims, family units, communities and young people; and 

WHEREAS, in October 2021, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and announced an additional $6.5 million in funding that will allow state licensed service providers to offer survivors of domestic violence and their families with options for assistance and support; and 

WHEREAS, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia already offer training to educators on domestic violence indicators and interventions, and such training in New York City public schools would ensure that New York City adheres to best educational practices for ending domestic violence and intimate partner violence; therefore be it 

RESOLVED, that the UFT will work with the City of New York and local coalition partners to educate young people, UFT members and New Yorkers at large about the dangers of domestic violence and intimate partner violence and to offer resources to combat, prevent and eliminate these violent incidents in the future; and be it further 

RESOLVED, that the UFT will disseminate to its members and other educators information and resources to fight and end domestic violence and intimate partner violence; and be it further 

RESOLVED that the UFT will provide members, caregivers, students and others with opportunities designed to help recognize and eradicate domestic violence (including, but not limited to learning warning signs, forms of domestic violence, patterns and interventions to eliminate domestic abuse, teen dating violence and intimate partner violence); and be it further 

RESOLVED that the UFT will work with the DOE to identify and assist students who are victims of domestic violence or live in households where incidents of domestic violence and intimate partner violence occur; and be it further 

RESOLVED, that the UFT will continue to work with the UFT Member Assistance Program and other dedicated personnel to offer counseling and other resources to assist victims of domestic violence and intimate partner violence and to work to eradicate domestic violence and intimate partner violence in the future.

Terrian Reeves, Edward Murrow HS

Rises in support. Victims of abuse often feel silenced. 

Marie-Louise Baker, MS/HS368 in the bronx. Rises in support. References a statistic about dv.

Call to question motion - to close debate. 

Voting to close debate on resolution 2

Phone: 722 yes, 32 no

In-Room:148 yes, 2 no

Total: 860 yes, 38 no

Motion to close debate passes.

Voting in favor / against resolution

Phone: 747 yes, 16 no

In-Room: 148 yes, 2 no

Total: 895 yes, 18 no

Motion in support of eradicating domestic violence passes.

M: We are past automatic adjournment time. DA ended at 6:06.