Politics!

There is serious trouble brewing with the union of New York City public school teachers. We're going into battle with the mayor--who's a media mogul billionaire (thus not afraid of any piddly $2 million ad campaigns from the union). He's shown himself to be a hardass when it comes to contract talks and strikes, so it's very possible that in October we could all be striking.

Bloomberg wants to avoid a contract. He doesn't agree with the raise the union is demanding. That raise is to give city teachers the same salary as teachers on Long Island. Half of city teachers leave NYC in the first five years. Why slug it out in the poor and needy areas of New York, when you can teach at a posh school on the island, and earn 15% more?

Apparently he also thinks teachers should have cafeteria duty again. That, my friends, is absolutely ridiculous.

Or, teach an extra period a day. That means either extending the school day, or giving teachers one less prep a day. In secondary schools, we do not teach more than three periods in a row. That way we can at least pretend to have some sanity.

Assuming nothing changes, I'll be asking you and all your friends and family in the area to NOT vote Bloomberg come November. Please folks, support the teachers--and thus the schools, your children, and the future of New York City.