UFT Will Stop Cue Card-ing Council Members

Yesterday, it was revealed that the United Teachers Federation gave City Council cue cards of questions to pose during a Department of Education hearing. The Post's David Seifman writes, "The questions for the Department of Education were sharp and confrontational. The questions for the union were softballs." Councilman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) told Seifman, "You couldn't get by without them handing you a card. It was almost like an admission ticket to the hearing," while Councilman James Oddo (R-Staten Island) said, "I've had people suggest to me ask the commissioner this or ask this witness that. I've never had anybody type up cue cards for me." The Daily News reports, "Nearly half the members of a City Council committee who got cue-card questions from the teachers union at a heated charter school hearing got campaign cash from the labor group." (The Post, in an editorial, also accused the Council of being for sale.) UFT spokesman Ron Davis was apologetic and said, "We certainly don't plan on it happening again." However, good government group Common Cause thought the cue cards were okay, since both sides were heard.

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By Jen Chung in News on April 9, 2009 3:52 PM

Comments [rss]

blablanyc

I'm going to pose as a union member holding up a cue card that says "HANG YOURSELF!"

jaycjay

Criticizing the union for this is misplacing the blame. Just because they handed council members some cards with questions (can't blame them for trying) doesn't mean the members actually had to ask those questions (can blame them for being pawns).

Sleepy

Teacher unions are the worst of them all. They strongly oppose merit-based teacher pay. They care about lining their pockets and giving incompetent teachers lifetime tenure and don't give a shit about education or students.