MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          January 5, 2021

Subject:     Superintendent Letter Dated (Incorrectly) December 22, 2020

As we embark together on a new and challenging year, I wanted to thank you for all that you are and have been doing for our students, staff and community… and especially for your solidarity and support.

Our objective remains – providing for safe and healthful conditions in which our students can learn, teachers can teach, and all the staff work safely together.

We have always and will always work together to overcome all challenges and obstacles.

Why? Because we are Buffalo teachers who never give up.

Reopening Safe and Healthful Conditions
Attached (Click Here), please find a copy of the email that was sent to your Delegates and Building Committee members.

We will be sending problems/concerns to the District to have them corrected. If they are not, we will take appropriate legal action.

No names will be used.

Our objective is to ensure the District is put on notice of the problems/concerns so that they can be corrected and our schools are safe.

We will survey the schools/sites again once any teachers return.

Accommodations
As you may have read, the Federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) has expired (December 31, 2020).

We will be working with our State and National affiliates to have the new administration in Washington, DC renew it.

We are working with NYSUT to provide an updated chart of all available accommodations (State and Federal).

There are still other accommodation options available which will be included in the chart.

If you are either denied or have your accommodation ended, please email your Labor Relations Specialist (Click Here) and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please provide a copy of the denial or ending of an accommodation.

NYSUT is already in court challenging a court decision favoring a school district’s denials.

We will obviously also be challenging such callous and unsafe decisions.

School Reopening Plans
Please take the time to review your school’s Phase-In Plans (Click Here) and any details you receive/received.

Forward any issues to your LRS.

District Voluntary COVID Testing Document
The District is developing a voluntary COVID testing document that will allow teachers to volunteer to be tested.

One relevant part that we have seen states, “I understand that the District can not require staff and students to be tested.”

Once it is received, we will send a copy to NYSUT Legal to ensure that it is appropriate and conforms to the law.

We are checking on whether the District’s position that being vaccinated is also voluntary.

Instructional Directive of Administrators
We are receiving copies of directives from building administrators detailing how and when teachers should be teaching. Please advise us of any such “robotic” and detrimental directives.

Perhaps they should provide a demonstration and allow the teacher to evaluate them on how well the students are learning.

Simultaneous Virtual/In Person Instruction
Just how this can provide for a meaningful education is the question.

Once again, we should have administrators demonstrate this for a full day.

We will be checking with other school districts to see what has/hasn’t resulted.

BTF PRESIDENT ISSUES STATEMENT ON MOB VIOLENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

“What we all witnessed in our nation’s capital, which was fomented by the current occupant of the office of the United States President, some of his family members, and some elected members of Congress, was not a protest.

It was a vicious mob attack directed at the heart of our democracy. We will survive, but the scar that this “president” and the others have inflicted with their actions and complicity will forever remain.

Imagine the impact from what our children witnessed and may forever remember.

We have two deadly viral pandemics. One is physical, for which we, hopefully, have a vaccine.

The other deadly pandemic is mental, for which a vaccine must include the rejection of violence, respect for, and seeking to reach out to, and understand one another and, yes, a sense of family and community.

We must have both vaccines if we are to survive as a community and the country we all should cherish”, stated Philip Rumore, President of the Buffalo Teachers Federation.

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          January 11, 2021

Subject:     Vaccinations, Etc.

In response to inquires relating to the attached document (Click Here) from the Erie County Department of Health, the BTF is not a healthcare provider, nor do we have the medical training to administer or coordinate vaccinations for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The procedure should be delineated be the Erie County Department of Health and New York State.

The vaccination of Buffalo teachers should be covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield or New York State. If necessary, you should apply to be excused from attendance to obtain your vaccination.

If there are problems, please email your LRS (Click Here) and copy This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Accommodations
We have sent the District’s latest documents relating to applying for an accommodation to NYSUT Legal.
When we receive a response we will notify you.

In my opinion, it is absurd to ask a physician for this. (Click Here)

School Re-Opening Plans
Your questions concerns will be presented (again) to the District’s Reopening Committee for a written response.

We will be forwarding your responses to the BTF School/Site Health and Safety Assessment Survey to the District as they are completed.

Our number one concern will remain ensuring the safe and healthful conditions for students, teachers, parents, staff and community.

Please stay well and safe. Take no chances.

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          January 14, 2021

Subject:     COVID-19 Updates 

Teachers Being Required to Resubmit Request For an Accommodation

• Under our contract, law and regulations, teachers who have been required to reapply for an accommodation may have a union representative attend any District meeting at which their request for an accommodation will be discussed (click here).

We advise you to notify the District representative as follows:

Please be as advised that as per my legal rights, I request to have a representative of the Buffalo Teachers Federation attend my “10-minute conversation that must be done to support your (my) return.”

Please advise me of the date, time and procedure for said ‘conversation’ so that I have time to secure union representation. Thank you.

Please contact your LRS (click here) to arrange for representation and also send any accommodation denials to them.

• Our Staff will be meeting on Friday, January 15, 2021 to develop responses and legal actions to deal with the District’s callousness. Stay tuned.
  
  
  

Unsafe Return to Buildings

We have compiled an analysis of the BTF School/Site Health and Safety Assessment.

The results from twenty-seven (27) schools present safety and health issues that must be addressed before opening schools. We will be forwarding a copy to you, the Superintendent and the Board of Education once it is completed. Obviously, we will be pursuing legal actions based on the report.

Hopefully, the District (including the Board of Education) will prevent the dangerous reopening of our schools.


PR:ls

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   Dr. Kriner Cash, Superintendent, BPS
                    Members, Buffalo Board of Education

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          January 22, 2021

Subject:     Updated BTF Health and Safety Assessment Resolution Passed by Council of Delegates

In an effort to inform you of health and safety concerns raised by teachers, so that they can be corrected to ensure the safe return of students and staff to the schools/sites, enclosed, please find an updated compilation of serious health and safety issues in schools/sites (Click Here).

Where there are no responses to a question, the teacher could not obtain the information.
This document includes the schools/sites contained in the previous document sent to you on January 15, 2021. At the end is a summary of the document.

The meeting of our Council of Delegates (building/site representatives) lasted from 7:00 pm to approximately 9:45 pm. Almost the entire meeting was devoted to teachers raising serious health and safety concerns relating to the reopening of their schools/sites. There were also concerns relating to educational issues such as insufficient equipment, e.g. computers, charging stations, training for simultaneous in-person/virtual instruction, etc.

Many were concerned that the District had not provided the teachers with a written response to the health and safety concerns they raised in our January 15, 2021 correspondence to you.

Teachers very much want to be with their students; however, they want them to return to schools/sites that provide for their safe return, a return that ensures that every possible precaution has been and will continue to be taken, to ensure that there is no spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus in the schools/sites.

Enclosed, (Click Here) please find a copy of the resolution passed last evening (80 yes, 0 no).

In addition to the above and those previously submitted to the District:

• Some of our “encore teachers” are being told to go from room to room to provide instruction.
• Some physical education teachers whose gymnasiums are being used for storage, meals, classes, etc. are also to go from room to room to provide instruction.
• This exposes them to 50+ students a day.
• Teachers are being told they have to go to multiple sites each day.
• Teachers are being told that they are to supervise the isolation rooms where those suspected of having COVID-19 are being sent.
• Teachers are being told they must take a sick day to obtain the COVID-19 vaccination.
• The Cannon Report in many cases did not take tables, sinks, lab tables, etc. into consideration when making space assessments.
• The Tri-Main Building being open to the public.

We remain committed to working with you to ensure the safe return of our students and staff and to ensure the well-being of our community.

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          January 21, 2021

Subject:     FYI - District Q&A

Please click on the links below to view copies of the FAQ's and Q&A's from the District regarding the February 1, 2021 Re-Opening.

Thank you.

Questions From Principals Meetings with Answers
FAQ and Call Responses

PR:su