Questions for "The Rally"

It's hard for me to get to rallies or anything much these days. This spring brings three preps -- granted, I wanted them -- and a need to try to get back into optimal physical health.

Therefore, in case I don't get there, here are some important questions:

1) I have heard from reliable sources who have been vigilant enough to find a problem that the Excessed Staffing System isn't quite "working". I mean, that principals don't check the mailboxes at all? Isn't that a violation somehow of this new agreement? What is the UFT doing to encourage them to do this? Putting our own system is not enough. Bluntly, I've gotten responses to jobs which are posted on the ESS when I write to them via Idealist or Craig's List -- places they post the same listing. Why do they avoid the ESS Mailbox?
2) I've heard also that our discounts are not in the system yet -- so a principal who does check on us to see how much we cost can't tell. Someone also said something to me about not all ATR's being discounted, but I couldn't catch the specifics. So, which one of us are Bargain, which are Clearance and which are Regular price? And when can they input this information into the system --- the Excessed Staffing System and generally -- so that principals don't still think I cost a quarter of their budget? Again, I heard it from folks who want this to change -- us pointing it out is to help keep it a UFT priority.

Not only should UFT be making sure this is fixed but GRANTING US A FOUR MONTH EXTENSION on the original year that it was going to take to see if this new discount was "good for children". Because Nov, Dec, Jan and soon February will have gone by with it being broken. There are people in the UFT who have been good enough to follow this and push on this, but we need to be vocal. Even if the system is a lark when it is operational, a broken lark is even more insulting to all of us and must have Klein laughing in his sleep.

I'll try to get there in blue and black -- blue for Tilden, black for Brooklyn Comprehensive. Or maybe I should just wear the suit I wear to interviews -- a light blue shirt underneath dark navy pinstripes. Maybe I should wear a sandwhich board over it for any principals who might be driving by. Or a big hat. Worked for Bella Abzug....

I do want to be hopeful. I don't have a lot of faith in general. The fact that the DOE might be able to get away with having made us an offer it not only didn't carry out, but sabotaged, just makes me feel very abused. We all should feel that way.