Comments on: The UFT (NYC teachers’ union): how do we get the city to be proactive about bed bugs? http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/ bed bug news, information, activism, and support Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:05:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: More on the New York City schools and bed bugs | bedbugger http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2093 More on the New York City schools and bed bugs | bedbugger Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:50:21 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2093 [...] guess the NYCDoE doesn’t read Bedbugger. Because we keep telling them that if you see bed bugs on a person or their stuff, it does not mean the bedbugs rode in off [...] [...] guess the NYCDoE doesn’t read Bedbugger. Because we keep telling them that if you see bed bugs on a person or their stuff, it does not mean the bedbugs rode in off [...]

]]> By: hopelessnomo' http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1218 hopelessnomo' Fri, 16 Mar 2007 14:42:47 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1218 Schools should be spreading information to parents on what to do, what to look for, they are perfect for that role. Why are they covering this up instead? Schools should be spreading information to parents on what to do, what to look for, they are perfect for that role. Why are they covering this up instead?

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1217 nobugsonme Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:46:52 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1217 Michelle, This is a serious problem. Parents' associations and teachers need to organize, or schools are just going to be a conduit for spreading more and more infestations. Let us know if we can help you. Michelle,
This is a serious problem. Parents’ associations and teachers need to organize, or schools are just going to be a conduit for spreading more and more infestations.
Let us know if we can help you.

]]> By: michelle http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1216 michelle Fri, 16 Mar 2007 01:13:26 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1216 My school nurse calls them "insect bites" and "let's leave it at that" My principal is trying to tell me they might be flea bites. Yea right! I've had two kids in my class tell me they have had to throw out their mattresses and have had to get their homes treated. Yet, the rest of the parents in the class are told NOTHING. They should be outraged their kids are sitting in a room where at least two kids have infested homes. But, because one can't be "bagged" in school - THEY DON'T EXIST, RIGHT - isn't that what we're being brainwashed into believing? My school nurse calls them “insect bites” and “let’s leave it at that” My principal is trying to tell me they might be flea bites. Yea right! I’ve had two kids in my class tell me they have had to throw out their mattresses and have had to get their homes treated. Yet, the rest of the parents in the class are told NOTHING. They should be outraged their kids are sitting in a room where at least two kids have infested homes. But, because one can’t be “bagged” in school - THEY DON’T EXIST, RIGHT - isn’t that what we’re being brainwashed into believing?

]]> By: Bugalina http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1214 Bugalina Tue, 06 Feb 2007 15:35:06 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1214 Ms. Engler, I don't know if you were looking for any practical advice on what you could do personally. You could start to put your handbag into a large ziplock, the new ones have double zippers, you should advoid hanging your coat with others, you could also put it into a large ziplock. You could keep a spray bottle of Kleen Free in your car, and spray down your shoes upon entering your car, this is a contact enzyme killer...imho , preventative measures are a good thing to do, esp. in environments where the finding of bed bugs is documented. But be prepared for setting off alarms....remember, bed bugs can be transported on the personal belongings of employees and students...obviously if a student is showing up with bites on the exposed parts of their skin ie faces, and arms, there should be protocols to follow. Bottom line is that the schools are going to have to deal with this issue soon...they cannot go on pretending that it will not negatively effect the entire school environment. Bugalina Ms. Engler, I don’t know if you were looking for any practical advice on what you could do personally. You could start to put your handbag into a large ziplock, the new ones have double zippers, you should advoid hanging your coat with others, you could also put it into a large ziplock. You could keep a spray bottle of Kleen Free in your car, and spray down your shoes upon entering your car, this is a contact enzyme killer…imho , preventative measures are a good thing to do, esp. in environments where the finding of bed bugs is documented. But be prepared for setting off alarms….remember, bed bugs can be transported on the personal belongings of employees and students…obviously if a student is showing up with bites on the exposed parts of their skin ie faces, and arms, there should be protocols to follow. Bottom line is that the schools are going to have to deal with this issue soon…they cannot go on pretending that it will not negatively effect the entire school environment. Bugalina

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1215 nobugsonme Tue, 06 Feb 2007 02:19:45 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/02/05/the-uft-nyc-teachers-union-how-do-we-get-the-city-to-be-proactive-about-bed-bugs/#comment-1215 Some early responses (moved here): Bugalina // Feb 5th 2007 at 9:05 am The Board of Education is in denial..because the bed bug situation is not easily solved with a “lice shampoo", so they know they have a problem on their hands. A big problem. Head lice come from home , as to all communicable diseases, or in this case, communicable bug, that should not allow the Bd. of Ed. to put their heads in the sand, so to speak. I suggest you get professional advice ie. a labor law attorney. Ms. Friedman's Op. Ed. speaks to the reality that bed bug extermination is very costly, both mentally and financially, and until someone finds a solution, running the risk of reinfestation is a terrible weight to bear. There must be an attorney who can help. You need to know your rights. ------- parakeets // Feb 5th 2007 at 1:13 pm Bedbugs are a blame game. Landlords blame tenants. Tenants blame hotels. Hotels blame guests. It goes on and on. So I’m not surprised that parents blame the schools and schools blame the homes. While the city, and the schools, and parents and boards of health are passing the buck, children are being bitten. When it comes to our children, the buck stops here. Who stands up for the child being bitten? If there are bedbugs in the greater school community, why isn't the school a conduit for information and a child-centered advocate? Shame on our schools. Shame on our cities. In some ways, bedbugs are just a slower, more insidious Katrina-type governmental failure of leadership. Where are our leaders? If our schools are silent, we have failed as a society. ------- jessinchicago // Feb 5th 2007 at 8:56 pm I have a (sad) feeling that once the teachers, then prinicpals, then nurses and social workers and then, eventually, BOE members themselves start taking the bedbugs home with them and dealing with their own infestations, things will begin to change. I think you all have a big reason to be upset, because you're ALL at risk. Even you, Ellie! Thing is, it doesn't really matter who's bringing them into the schools- Bonnie Friedman is a perfect example of a PROFESSOR who had bedbugs. How does anyone know the teachers aren't harboring them in coats and bags they bring from home? It could be teachers, it could be students- it could be both. Doesn't matter. With the size of the epidemic, we're never going to know who brought bedbugs anywhere, ever. No, what matters is education and carefully planned and coordinated extermination efforts in schools and in affected homes. We're all going to have to work together in the end to stop this epidemic. It's going to take a city-wide (and eventually, federal) government regulated plan- like the one San Francisco has adopted as a code of public health. New York is so behind in this game right now, and I think big groups- like your union, Ellie- need to start making quite a fuss. I'm with Bugalina- I'd talk with an attorney. Doesn't your union have attorneys available to you? Good luck and God bless you for reaching out for help. Jess Some early responses (moved here):

Bugalina // Feb 5th 2007 at 9:05 am

The Board of Education is in denial..because the bed bug situation is not easily solved with a “lice shampoo”, so they know they have a problem on their hands. A big problem. Head lice come from home , as to all communicable diseases, or in this case, communicable bug, that should not allow the Bd. of Ed. to put their heads in the sand, so to speak. I suggest you get professional advice ie. a labor law attorney. Ms. Friedman’s Op. Ed. speaks to the reality that bed bug extermination is very costly, both mentally and financially, and until someone finds a solution, running the risk of reinfestation is a terrible weight to bear. There must be an attorney who can help. You need to know your rights.
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parakeets // Feb 5th 2007 at 1:13 pm

Bedbugs are a blame game. Landlords blame tenants. Tenants blame hotels. Hotels blame guests. It goes on and on. So I’m not surprised that parents blame the schools and schools blame the homes. While the city, and the schools, and parents and boards of health are passing the buck, children are being bitten. When it comes to our children, the buck stops here. Who stands up for the child being bitten?

If there are bedbugs in the greater school community, why isn’t the school a conduit for information and a child-centered advocate? Shame on our schools. Shame on our cities. In some ways, bedbugs are just a slower, more insidious Katrina-type governmental failure of leadership. Where are our leaders? If our schools are silent, we have failed as a society.
——-

jessinchicago // Feb 5th 2007 at 8:56 pm

I have a (sad) feeling that once the teachers, then prinicpals, then nurses and social workers and then, eventually, BOE members themselves start taking the bedbugs home with them and dealing with their own infestations, things will begin to change.

I think you all have a big reason to be upset, because you’re ALL at risk. Even you, Ellie! Thing is, it doesn’t really matter who’s bringing them into the schools- Bonnie Friedman is a perfect example of a PROFESSOR who had bedbugs. How does anyone know the teachers aren’t harboring them in coats and bags they bring from home? It could be teachers, it could be students- it could be both. Doesn’t matter. With the size of the epidemic, we’re never going to know who brought bedbugs anywhere, ever. No, what matters is education and carefully planned and coordinated extermination efforts in schools and in affected homes.

We’re all going to have to work together in the end to stop this epidemic. It’s going to take a city-wide (and eventually, federal) government regulated plan- like the one San Francisco has adopted as a code of public health. New York is so behind in this game right now, and I think big groups- like your union, Ellie- need to start making quite a fuss.

I’m with Bugalina- I’d talk with an attorney. Doesn’t your union have attorneys available to you?

Good luck and God bless you for reaching out for help.

Jess

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