MEMORANDUM
Memo To: All Buffalo Teachers
From: Philip Rumore, President, BTF
Date: December 1, 2020
Subject: Changing Marks, Legal and Other Updates
Principals Changing Marks
We have been informed that principals are again changing students’/teachers’ grades. If this is being done at your school, please advise your LRS (Click Here) and advise the principal, in writing (email), that you would like the reasons for said change(s) in writing. If you wish, you can advise the administrator that you have been advised by BTF to do so.
Grading Policy
We have sent another correspondence to the Superintendent and Board regarding the grading policy (Click Here). We have heard that some changes were made in answer to our November 24, 2020 correspondence (Click Here).
Perhaps there will be real teacher input from all teachers and responses before they impose a new grading policy. Oops... Forgot where we are!
Legal/Grievance Updates
We are still awaiting a decision from the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) regarding the District’s refusal to agree to ground rules and its delaying entering into negotiations.
We have filed an improper practice (IP) with PERB regarding the District’s lack of adherence to our grievance process.
We will also be back before PERB regarding “regressive bargaining” (reducing the cost of a package of offers).
We have filed court documents regarding forcing teachers to enter buildings and not giving teachers school safety information.
We will be in court regarding Art/Music cuts.
Grievances have been filed regarding:
- APPR’s – We have not agreed to virtual observations.
- Refusal to provide teachers with the equipment and “hot spots” they need to provide instruction.
- The use of multiple “gradebooks”, attendance reports, lesson plans, etc.
Notification of COVID-19 Issues in Schools/Sites
While some teachers have reported that they were notified within a day or two of a COVID-19 issue in their school/site, others have not.
Please advise us if you have not been so notified (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
New COVID-19 Testing in Schools/Sites
We will send the most recent testing guidelines when they are received. Remember, they sometimes change daily.
Even at testing 20%/month, how Buffalo will accomplish this is still unknown.
Teachers, students, parents, staff and community well-being have to remain our number one concern as we work to ensure that our students are provided with the finest education possible.
Note: The District has apparently ordered 2 “walkthrough” temperature monitors per school.
They apparently read temperatures as people walk by them.
According to some NYSUT teachers from two Districts in which they are being used, they, according to their nurses, work as well as the handheld ones.
We will see.
Parents Raising Issues Relating to Teachers with Principals
We have heard that some administrators are confronting teachers with complaints from parents relating to what they have observed during virtual instruction. If this has or does happen, advise your LRS.
Concerns
Once again, please include your name and school on all correspondence so we can contact you.
The Labor Relations Specialists working with each school/site is attached (Click Here).
Please stay well. Take no chances.
PR:su