Defending Our Teachers

I recently joined many other elected officials, labor leaders and grassroots activists in demanding that Mayor Bloomberg apologize for outrageous comments he made during his January 4 radio show comparing the United Federation of Teachers to the National Rifle Association.  Coming three weeks after the senseless killings in Newtown, CT, such an offensive comparison not only vilifies New York City teachers, but also mocks the work they do every day to educate, uplift and protect our children. Further, they are particularly inappropriate given the fact that the UFT was among the first organizations to provide counseling and assistance to the teachers and staff of Newtown after the tragedy.