MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          September 21, 2020

Subject:     Updates

You aren’t now and never do receive the acknowledgement and thanks you deserve and earn.

The stress of:

• Using programs and procedures that fail and of which you have been inadequately (if at all) trained.
• Doing your best spending many hours before and after “school” to reach out to your students and their parents.  
• Having students without proper equipment and internet connections.
• Dealing with the unrealistic demands of administrators and City Hall.
• Getting little, if any, support from administrators and City Hall.
• Not receiving necessary supplies, equipment, etc.
• and much, much more

Yet, in the interest of your students, you persevere. We all know why -

Because you are teachers.

Please take a moment to allow yourself to reflect on and appreciate all that you do and to allow for the feeling of pride, satisfaction and hope to be felt. You deserve that and much, much more.

COURT UPDATE

Our virtual court hearing is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 2020 at 2:00 pm. You will hear from us and no doubt hear the results of Judge Sedita’s decision via the media. We have included the many issues you have forwarded to us, as well as a copy of the District’s memo directing principals not to talk to teachers relating to serious safety and health issues in your school/site. It’s nice to know how much the District cares about our and our students’ well-being.

Remember, we are asking for the court to prevent the District from mandating teachers’ attendance at schools/sites until such time as an arbitrator decides on our grievance relating to safe and healthful conditions and also the education of our students.

Once all parties agree that a school/site provides safe and healthful conditions for teachers now and our students in the future, if a teacher wants to utilize their building/site, that’s fine.

However, we will take no chances.

BTF SCHOOL/SITE SAFETY AND HEALTH ASSESSMENT

Thank you for finding the time to complete our Safety Assessment. We know you are enduring very stressful and difficult times.

Although the District has directed that principals should not provide you with information relating to the safe and healthful conditions in your school/site, you can continue to report them to us as often as circumstances warrant.

ACCESS TO TEACHERS’ LESSONS/CLASSES

We are working with several teachers to develop procedures in an attempt to protect access to teachers’ lessons/classes.

Stay Tuned.

TEACHER EVALUATION (APPR)

Although administrators have agreed to be evaluated virtually, we have not. Any such (unlikely) agreement would require a modification of our APPR agreement and a vote of the Executive Committee and Council of Delegates. As always, any such vote would require your input and if necessary, your vote. My recommendation is that if there is such a document, it will be voted on by all members in addition to the Council of Delegates and Executive Committee.

VIRTUAL MEETINGS/VOTING

Obviously, we must codify the ability to meet and vote electronically/virtually. Our BTF constitution should be amended to allow for this.

This amendment/addition is being prepared and will be presented to the Executive Committee and Council of Delegates.

We will be working with our State Affiliate, NYSUT, to set up procedures to facilitate such school/BTF meetings.  

BTF OFFICE HOURS

The BTF office is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm except for Friday. On Fridays, our office (Headquarters) closes at 2:30 so that it can be sprayed (sanitized).

Our secretaries are reporting to the office on a rotating basis unless they have been granted an accommodation to work at home to ensure their well-being.

You can always contact the Labor Relations Specialist (LRS) assigned to your school (Click Here)

If you are coming to Headquarters, if possible, please make an appointment or call ahead.

Your temperature will be taken at the door.

Masks and sanitizing wipes are available for you and our staff’s safety.

Please stay well. Take no chances.

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          September 24, 2020

Subject:     Judge's Decision

As, unfortunately anticipated, Judge Sedita ruled against our motion to prevent the District from forcing teachers now and students in the future from risking their lives in unsafe and unhealthy conditions in our schools. The District stated that no one in the schools has come down with the virus as proof of their position. We will not wait until someone dies to prove our schools are unsafe.

We will proceed with the grievance to arbitration and of course appeal his decision.

We will be filing legal papers on another issue next week.

Stay Tuned.

We will continue to fight and never give up until our schools are safe for you and our students.

Please stay well. Take no chances.

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          September 23, 2020

Subject:     Updates

As per the BTF Constitution and By-Laws, the following change was approved by the Executive Committee. It will be forwarded to the BTF Council of Delegates and by this email is being posted (Click Here). It does not change any other sections and procedures contained in the Constitution and By-Laws.

We have scheduled a virtual Council of Delegates meeting for Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 7:00 pm at which time we will vote on it, discuss the many other issues confronting us, as well as actions we are taking to address them.

A separate correspondence with instructions will be sent to members of the Council of Delegates.

Multiple Lesson Plans
The BTF contract states, XI, P., “Teachers shall not be required to make two different sets of lesson plans for the same preparation to be submitted regularly to members of the administration” (pg. 23).

If you believe you are being required to do so, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the details.

We will be grieving this.

Student Attendance
The BTF contract states, X, P., “Teachers shall only be required to maintain one attendance form, as per present practice” (pg. 19).

If you are being required to maintain attendance in a way different from what you had been prior to the implementation of virtual instruction, please email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the details.

We will be grieving this.

Overages
The Overage Claim for the 2020-2021 school year is now available on our website, www.btfny.org (Click Here). It can be found under Member Information. Be sure to print and keep your Attendance Register from Infinite Campus. Claims may be submitted after the first semester ends. Please contact you LRS for assistance in submitting the claim (Click Here).

Please stay well. Take no Chances.

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          September 29, 2020

Subject:     Updates

BTF School /Site Health and Safety Assessment – Please Update
You have no doubt read and heard via the media that, according to the District, the schools/sites are all being sanitized and that all the school safety issues have been corrected.

We are hearing otherwise.

While I know that you are under tremendous pressure and being buried by much meaningless documentation, we would appreciate you taking the time to update the BTF School/Site Health and Safety Assessment. If you can complete it by Monday, October 5, 2020, that would be great. Any time after that will be fine. (Click Here)

We will, as we have, be using the information in our appeal, arbitration and other legal actions.

The photos and other information you have been sending will continue to be used. Thank you for taking the time to send it.

We will also be fighting the District’s directive to principals to not cooperate with teachers seeking information relating to the safe and healthful conditions in their buildings.

Many principals have been cooperative with their staff with this and other issues. That is real leadership. Unfortunately, many are not working cooperatively with their staff and are causing additional stress and problems.

Hiding COVID-19?
We continue to hear from schools/sites that they have not been informed of COVID cases related to their school/site.

Recently, a teacher working in a school was identified as having COVID-19.

Whether the teacher contracted it at school or not is not the issue.

Even if the teacher had contracted it or did not believe they had contracted it at the school, the staff and parents (when students return) should, within privacy guidelines, be notified that a person at the school/site has been identified with the virus.

The District, to avoid being accused of hiding the occurrence and instilling distrust, should notify staff and parents (especially when students are back) of the occurrence and that all precautions and procedures have been taken to ensure safety. Transparency breeds trust and confidence. Withholding information breeds anger and distrust.

Please notify us of any similar incidents by emailing, lThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please stay well. Take no chances.

PR:su