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I've been feeling a lot of emotions after watching @DrMarkSchlissel’s video last night explaining the injunction, so I thought I’d do a little translating and fact-checking to make myself feel better!
. @DrMarkSchlissel: “Hello. These are difficult and turbulent times, so it’s important for our community to come together and move forward. So, I wanted to speak to you directly about an action that the University took today and why.”
Translation: "Things are not going like we wanted and so I’m here to spread more misinformation and fear to help our cause. Oh, also we’re suing our grad students. YOLO.”
Facts: @UMich admins use the word “community” or “culture of care” to describe the individuals they have endangered for economic gain. Difficult & turbulent times indeed, but would be less so if they put their money where their mouth is and actually honored the U’s mission.
. @DrMarkSchlissel: "Following the announcement that GEO will continue to strike and not teach for at least 5 more days, I made the very difficult decision to seek help from the courts so that we can resume all of our remote and in-person classes.”
T: “I am misrepresenting GEO’s continued strike so that their actions seem selfish and ridiculous. We are taking them to court for no one’s benefit but our own. This decision was only difficult in that now we have to try to make it sound like a good decision.”
GEO members voted to authorize the strike through Friday, but that doesn’t mean we would have continued the strike all 5 days if the University gave us an offer we chose to accept. This blatant misrepresentation is part of the U’s continued smear campaign against us and our goals
. @DrMarkSchlissel: "We welcome the opportunity to discuss the issues that GEO has raised. The University’s offer to continue talks remains open.”
T: "We're happy to appear open to talk so that GEO stops striking & we can keep ignoring their demands, offering consolation meetings/task groups & tying them up in bureaucratic red tape. We don’t actually care about listening or this semester wouldn’t have happened at all.”
GEO has been attempting to speak to various @UMich admin since May and yet we are ignored or dismissed. This is a blatant attempt to paint us as unreasonable and themselves as victims, but their “offers” to talk have been useless at best and lies at the worst. #UMMakesUsSick
. @DrMarkSchlissel: "What we can't welcome is the profound disruption 2 the education we promised 2 our undergrad students. We want our great classes 2 continue, our students 2 learn without interference, & we don’t want anyone 2 feel threatened simply for wanting 2 go 2 class.”
T: "Ur cutting our profits & making us look bad. We aren't be giving these students a safe environment, but ur the true monsters 4 advocating 4 a better future. Our undergrads r 2 easily led astray & can't think 4 themselves, so we must make you stop b4 u revolutionize them all.”
Many grad students have worked hard to keep their undergrads informed & 2 mitigate any harm/anxiety they might be feeling, but we also believe they can think for themselves & see the lies @UMich has been spreading. They deserve a safe educational environment!
. @DrMarkSchlissel: "Going to the court was our only choice after learning that the strike would continue. Our core mission is to educate, that is why we’re here."
T: “We are backed into a corner and fighting like the rabid mice cowards we are. We want student and alumni money and that requires continuing to pretend we are a school and not simply a business run by corporate greed.”
. @UMich does not care about our education experience except insofar as it brings in more students and revenue. If they cared about our education, Rackham wouldn’t have a smaller budget than DPSS.
. @DrMarkSchlissel: "The issues raised are very important, and we’re committed to addressing them. But we can’t do it at the expense of our students’ education. We need our classes to be in session while we work out our differences together. Thank you.”
T: “If we force the strike to end, we'll make a cursory attempt to acknowledge these ‘differences’ & business will continue as usual, except we'll have stripped grad students of their only voice. Corporate wealth over student health - Papa Schliss out!”
If we end our strike now, we will lose all our momentum and possibly our union. Do not let these scare tactics work! Allies, we need you now more than ever! Members, keep fighting the good fight! #StrikeForSafeCampus #UMMakesUsSick
