Well, weren’t the United Federation of Teachers and New York State United Teachers clever! Instead of backing veteran state Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose), whom they have supported for many years, they backed a lightweight with no proven track record in education: Tony Avella.
In Padavan’s 38 years, he garnered a proven record — winning funding year after year and passing maintenance of effort legislation to make sure education dollars were spent on education, and when the teachers’ union needed help when cuts were threatened, it ran to Padavan, who always came through.
Now that it looks like the Republicans are going to retake the majority in the Senate, a freshman senator from the minority party will have absolutely no clout to help city schools get the funding they need. If the UFT had been capable of any longterm political planning, it would have backed Padavan and kept a friend who would have held a leadership position. Just think of the great things he could have done for our schoolchildren and teachers.
Thanks, guys. You have to get up pretty early in the morning to fool the UFT and NYSUT — about 2 in the afternoon! And to think this union is supposed to represent teachers like me.
Cindy Leahy
Jamaica
