A vos amies...

Betsy Combier is accusing UFT Solidarity Caucus of “mobbing”, and on her online blog has characterized certain members individually, and collectively, myself included, as a “mob” and as “terrorists” without substantiation or proof of such.

The question one might ask is, really? Why?

On the closed Facebook ATR Support Group, unprovoked by any member of that group or by any member of UFT Solidarity, Betsy posted an allegation stating, to paraphrase, that anyone associated with UFT Solidarity is in danger of being targeted by the DOE. 

When challenged to prove these allegations, a groundswell of online flaming arose on that thread in the closed ATR Support Group. 

At no time did the author of this posting, Betsy, respond to or answer any requests for her to substantiate these allegations. 

In the meantime the administrator of the group piled on and when Francesco Portelos responded to the allegations, all hell broke loose.

Anyone associated with Solidarity, posting a refutation of, or challenging the allegations, was removed from this closed group.

A new ATR Alliance closed group was formed. 

At this point one would imagine this would all die down. Tempers flared, people said their piece, and there was a parting of the ways.

ATR Support Group, and ATR Alliance, serve differing, albeit overlapping, concerns and interests.

There is no problem with multiple groups deciding how they wish to communicate, share, and support their respective members.

Unfortunately, Betsy Combier, who is neither a teacher, an ATR, a UFT member, a lawyer, or to our knowledge, a bonafide paralegal, has taken it upon herself to attack UFT Solidarity on her blog and on Facebook.

She is accusing UFT Solidarity of “mobbing” when any of us have responded to her blog post and have asked her to cease and desist, which is ironic, as the “mobbing” has and continues to occur from her end along with those who are in agreement with and loyal to her.

She uses her influence, connections with Randi Weingarten, and her knowledge of individuals’ confidential information to control, manipulate, and threaten teachers who are vulnerable and at risk of losing their professions.

I ask at this time that Betsy Combier stop her accusations and threats of legal action against individual members of UFT Solidarity, and of the Caucus as a group, who have neither attacked nor provoked these threats nor are libel for any supposed “damages” to her “profession”.

I ask that she remove our images, names, and unproven allegations citing us individually and collectively, from her blog post(s) and to cease and desist from future blog postings that name any of us, use our images, accuse us or allege unproven malfeasance, or threaten legal action(s) against any of us, individually or collectively.