Potty Mouth!

Michael Mulgrew, President of the New York City Teachers' Union, attacked the mayor today over gender bias.

Teachers union president Michael Mulgrew took shots at the de Blasio administration on Monday for the second time in two weeks — this time charging city leaders with gender bias over their handling of paid parental leave.

I was very disturbed as I read this New York Post article, forwarded to me by another person, between the UFT prez and the New York City Council whereas Michael Mulgrew said he was "aggravated and pissed off" at the progress of a deal to bring parental leave to every public school  teacher in New York.

He said "pissed off"!!

I want to be clear that this potty mouth is an affront not just to the city council but to every person in the City of New York. It creates an unsafe potty mouth environment for all people who read this potty mouth laden article.  Potty mouth is contagious. And the reporting of potty mouth is the contagion. I can do nothing about the contagion because this and this. But I sure can do something about the potty mouth. 

It makes no difference that the union president was fighting for a basic human right. It makes no difference that the outcome of negations can -finally- bring paid leave to tens of thousands of teachers for years to come. It makes little difference to me that gender rights are being fought for by this *man. Sure, the cause for which he fights is something I feel passionate about.  Absolutely. But the only thing that matters to me right now is this language. And it is the only thing that will matter to me for the foreseeable future.

How dare he! How dare he?

Look. There is plenty of room for personal and political conflict within a place like New York City. We are a democracy, after all. There is absolutely no room, however, for this type of potty mouth language or behavior in our town. No way, mister smarty mouth. Not here.

Now I've thought this through. In order for New York to function, I mean fundamentally, we need a safe space for its residents. Safe from crime and safe from real threats of bodily harm. Sure. But we need to be safe from potty mouth language, too. Think about it. Potty mouth is dangerous! It makes the whole city feel  less safe and, before we resolves this parental leave/fundamental human right thing, we need to talk about the potty mouth. That includes creating a fair and reasonable consequence for Michael Mulgrew's language in the article.

All other work the UFT is doing must stop. Now. This potty mouth languagem now, is the work of the union. Without feeling safe, we simply cannot proceed. Put negotiations on hold. Delay my 2% raise. Suspend my health care benefits if you nust and do.not.negoatiate.a.contract.anymore. Please, UFT, do something about this ... this ...potty mouth!