How About a UFT Cut-the-Strings, Free-the-Puppets Caucus?
I didn't start out criticizing our Union. I started out with a sincere concern for the current state of affairs in education and the loss of respect among "reformers" for my profession. This will always be my bottom line. I thought my Union would always be with me, but I soon learned this was not the case. I learned that my Union silences its own members who might differ in opinion. I learned that something as simple as questioning the Core might be dangerous to one's career in Unity and it might even get you punched in the face and pushed in the dirt. I learned Unity strikes deals and accepts grants that ultimately seem to put it at odds with so much that I hold dear. And, I learned that a UFT Unity loyalty oath makes a mockery of the fact that teachers teach people to think.
The question naturally arises: What kind of person gladly obeys a UFT Unity loyalty oath and unquestioningly votes as told?
1. People who don't have time to think?
2. People who don't trust their judgment?
3. People who like to follow orders?
4. People who just don't want to know?
5. People with no time or desire to query constituents?
6. People who believe Unity is infallible?
7. People who believe this is the best we can do?
8. People who primarily want to collect union paychecks and double pensions?
9. People who want to hang with a prestigious in-crowd and attend conferences in spiffy settings via the union dues of the people they don't really represent?
10. People who are afraid of being punched in the face and pushed in the dirt?
If there are any people who fit the bill for one to five above, I'm guessing they hope the fact is never publicized.
If there are those who believe that Unity is infallible, then they follow a dogma of blind obedience. It must be awhile since they've looked around. If NYC Educator: How About a UFT Cut-the-Strings, Free-the-Puppets Caucus?: