They got the start date pushed off by weeks. They got 300-some parents to sign a petition. I'm sympathetic to concerns about the 94th Street building, but Silberman? Come on - that building was built in 2011. It's as modern as it comes. Per the latest email, they're demanding an "independent inspection" of that building too. It's total BS.
These snowflake teachers need to give it a rest and get back to work before they lose the sympathy of ALL the parents.
I think it's a measure of how much trust has broken down between CUNY/the admin and the teachers. I agree that complaining about Silberman is a bit rich, but on the other hand, when CUNY keeps insisting that 94th Street is totally safe and there's no concern there either--but no, you can't see the report that says that--I can see why the teachers are no longer willing to take anything at face value.
The teachers would do better to focus on the key issues (eg. 94th St) rather than spreading themselves thinly complaining about everything, but it seems a tad contradictory to say you agree with the safety concerns over 94th St, and then in the same breath, that they need to get back to work (including at 94th Street).
I went to HCHS in the 90s, so I am following the saga with interest. Based on the conditions in the building when I went there, I find it very hard to believe that it is safe during this pandemic.
I'm following the saga as a parent with...horror, I guess. Did you like HCHS? Would you send your own kids there?
@anonymous I enjoyed it, but as posters on other threads have said, a lot of that was the peer group, and for me, the novelty of having peers who also cared about academics and didn't consider me a loser for doing so. (That was a contrast to my ES/6th grade experience.) The teachers when I was there were like teachers anywhere I suspect--some brilliant and inspiring, most competent and doing their best, and a few duds. The physical facility is what it is.
The plan is to have DC apply if they qualify to take the HS test. (We're in Brooklyn so didn't for the ES.) It's definitely not the be-all and end-all for me; I think there are more good public options than there were for my generation, and we could swing private HS if necessary (but would prefer to save the $ for college). But if they get in and want to go, I'd send them.
@a nonymous You seem awfully blasé about the physical facility considering! The teachers emails are making it sound downright terrifying.
DC has only been there one year. Last year most of the teachers were good, one standout, one meh. They certainly seem to think highly of themselves, regardless.
What I like about the school is the emphasis on humanities and arts: DC isn't really a math/science kid and probably wouldn't have been thrilled with Stuy.
I bet Hunter will go fully remote. There's just no way that this is actually happening. I got my child's pod assignment and they grouped the remote kids and the in person kids separately. This is in direct contrast to what Dawn Roy said last week.
I also have half a mind to reply to the latest email from the union and ask them to please remove me from their email list. I didn't ask to be on it, and I am tired of these fucking emails. Maybe they're targeting me because I chose in person, but I don't want any more emails from them.
If the teachers get their way and they go remote for the entire year, I never want to hear another word from that union.
Remote ES parents wanted the pods to be separate so that remote kids wouldn't be streamed into a live class, which wouldn't be helpful at the younger grades.
Also, I'm not sure if it's just me but when I look up the air filters they complain about in that most recent email, they DO have HEPA type filters on them. It's just not the main selling point so it's farther down in the specifications list. I mean ask for the report on the HVAC if you want, but don't make up additional crap that doesn't make sense.
Here are the court documents they have filed. I agree that generally one of the faults with the teachers' case has been the tendency to throw the kitchen sink at the argument rather than focusing on the legitimate points, but from what this says, they're not HEPA filters and that was confirmed by the company that supplies them?
https://www.psc-cuny.org/sites/default/files/HCCS_TRO_9.21.20.pdf
@a nonymous disclosure, I'm a parent at the school so I have the name/model of the units that were bought and looked them up. I can see that the filter on them is a HEPA type that can filter .3 microns which is what MERV 13 filters can do and is what is recommended for Covid 19. I don't know what they asked the company to prove, but someone didn't read further if this is really the unit in question.
@Anonymous Interesting. I'm just an interested alum/observer of the fracas, so I don't have as many details. Given that an external law firm filed the court docs, you'd hope they'd verified the details. Is the model that you were told about this Greentech Pureair 3000 that the court docs are talking about?
If these purifiers/filter whatever are tech that is being used in hospitals and we now don't get it at the school...I'm going to be pissed. https://www.newsbreak.com/news/1532140467422/greentech-environmental-manufactures-critical-surface-and-air-purification-systems-for-caspr-group-ready-for-hospitals-nationwide
But even what you just posted says this has only been tested for effectiveness on hard, non-porous surfaces: "Although not tested specifically against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), CASPR Medik has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2 on hard, nonporous surfaces."There's no evidence that this actually does anything when deployed against the air generally, which I think is their main complaint.
But they still have filters that do what they are asking for. I don't get how that will stand up in court.
@Anonymous I guess that will be decided. A standard Merv13 filter is effective against coronavirus. Their filter isn't confirmed to be effective against covid-19 by their own documentation. it's only been tested against a feline virus. So not sure if it's exactly the same as a Merv 13 hepa filter.