Memo From The RTC: The Road to “Godspell”

Nora Meyers, Kim Simek, Frank Caiati, Gabrielle Mangano,  Jeff and Heather Arzsberger

Published in The Wave, August 22, 2014.


Memo From The RTC: The Road to “Godspell”
By Norm Scott, with Frank Caiati

Under the direction of master builder Tony Homsey, the set for the RTC production of Godspell, opening Sept. 12, is almost complete (with a lot of painting still to be done). Choreographer Gabrielle Mangano, who teaches dance and choreography for the RTC's Young Adult's Workshop, emailed, “It is going to be a very powerful show. I think it will shock a lot of people. The talent within both the production crew and cast is unparalleled to any show I've worked on and I've been apart of the RTC for 12 years.” One actor told me that Gabrielle’s choreography requires the cast to do all sorts of stunts and acrobatics. “She’s kicking our ass, but it is one of the most exciting shows I’ve been in.”

When I stopped by the theater on Saturday, Director Frank Caiati was working with Tony to install the brick walls on the set. I couldn’t resist hanging around to work with them. Frank, 28, was my acting teacher and I would never have had the nerve to be in a show without his encouragement. When I first met Frank, it was his acting that blew me away. Then came his directing of a number of shows and then we find out he is a master set designer too.

Frank is putting together an original concept for the play. It will take place outside a factory. The set is built to simulate that environment. There is a massive, what I’ll appropriately term, given the subject of the show, “stairway to heaven.” And all kinds of interesting structures on stage – ladders, a loading dock, and more.

Frank has put together a top-level creative team. In addition to Gabrielle, Jeff and Heather Arzberger as musical directors, Kim Simek, just off her triumph as Louise in Gypsy, is the Assistant Director, and the always essential Nora Meyers as the Stage Manager. They all are teachers in the NYC public schools (other than Gabrielle). [See photo - from left to right - Nora, Kim, Frank, Gabrielle, Jeff, Heather].

I asked Frank for his thoughts on the show and he responded in this email.

The show is composed of various musical parables from The Gospel According to Matthew. Jesus recruits a group of followers and teaches them various lessons through song and dance. Toward the end of the second act, the show begins to follow a more linear narrative as Jesus is betrayed by Judas and eventually crucified.

Godspell appeals to me as a director because of the unique way it mixes high-energy contemporary musical theatre with moments of quiet poignancy. The show is basic storytelling at its best, at times even involving a few audience members in the process!

The Godspell cast and creative team all sincerely LOVE this show. That kind of energy and dedication is infectious at rehearsals.

What makes Godspell so unique is that the script is open to the director's interpretation and concept of the material. The playwright demands that the show feel industrial, citing the original 1970's staging which utilized a minimal set and a chain-link fence. Our production embraces this industrial feel with a highly detailed and realistic warehouse set that boasts Broadway-caliber lighting and special effects. Regarding costume design, the original production utilized a clownish/hippie type wardrobe, while our Godspell costume design focuses on quirky colorful costumes with a steampunk/ industrial edge.

Right now we are busy in the throes of production. The set is being painted, lighting designs are being created, custom sound designs are being recorded, costumes are being pulled from our vast stock and getting fitted to the actors, staging and choreography is being taught in full swing, and music is being perfected.

Why should people come to Godspell? It is a fun, emotional, and deeply impactful piece of the theatre. No matter your personal beliefs, Godspell transcends religion and addresses timeless themes of love, loyalty, trust, and peace. The "renewal" theme of Godspell is especially apropos to our Rockaway community post-Sandy.

Godspell boasts an eclectic rock score by Stephen Schwartz, composer of Broadway's Wicked and Pippin. Audiences will be delighted to hear familiar songs, "Day by Day", "Bless the Lord My Soul", and "Beautiful City."

Godspell runs at the Rockaway Theatre Company Sept. 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 at 8:00pm and Sept. 14, 21, 28 at 2:00pm. Tickets can be ordered by calling 718-374-6400 or by visiting www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org

More Charter Scandals

FBI Tracks Charter Schools

There's been a flood of local news stories in recent months about FBI raids on charter schools all over the country.

From Pittsburgh to Baton Rouge, from Hartford to Cincinnati to Albuquerque, FBI agents have been busting into schools, carting off documents, and making arrests leading to high-profile indictments.
"The troubled Hartford charter school operator FUSE was dealt another blow Friday when FBI agents served it with subpoenas to a grand jury that is examining the group's operations. When two Courant reporters arrived at FUSE offices on Asylum Hill on Friday morning, minutes after the FBI's visit, they saw a woman feeding sheaves of documents into a shredder." --The Hartford Courant, July 18, 2014
- See more at:
http://www.progressive.org/news/2014/08/187821/fbi-tracks-charter-schools

Why Charter Schools Have High Teacher Turnover

Near the top of the turnover chart is the Success Academies system led by former Councilwoman Eva Moskowitz. With 22 schools and 10 new schools opening in August 2014, it is the city's largest charter chain. In Harlem Success Academies 1-4, the only schools for which the state posted turnover data, more than half of all teachers left the schools ahead of the 2013-14 school year. In one school, three out of four teachers departed......
Cultivating excellent teachers and retaining them in the profession are paramount goals, shared by a bevy of bedfellows usually at odds in the education-reform debate, from teachers unions to charter-school champions like the Gates, Walton and Broad foundations. But according to data from the New York State Department of Education, charter schools in New York City lose far more teachers every year than their traditional school counterparts. In some schools, more than half of faculty "turn over" from one school year to the next, according to NYSED school report cards.....City Limits

Let me get this straight. Teacher retention correlates to good schools. The propaganda mill claims Moskowitz Success Academy are the best in the city. Yet they have the highest attrition rates. Something is fishy in the state of Denmark - or something like that.

The article below makes the point:
Teacher attrition rates=bad for students and schools when you constantly have new, inexperienced teachers and principals. Information on current attrition numbers is unavailable. Tweed doesn't keep records on Charters and Charters are not available to comment.

Sure they don't keep records or don't want to keep records to give charters cover. Charters are only available to comment when they have phony research reports to promote. Reality doesn't bite charters.

Why Charter Schools Have High Teacher Turnover

Helen Zelon

Posted:  08/20/2014 11:19 AM

  

 

The Indypendent: What's A Cop To Do? - Update from Upstate, urban and unhappy

I had to move this piece (the Indy story plus my comments) to Norms Notes because the html was causing the side bar to disappear. In doing so the following comment was lost.

In my ZIP code (urban, upstate, poor, renters, Section 8, black goes without saying) the police respond in one of two ways. Not at all, or in force. "In force" means a minimum of 2 squad cars and an SUV full of who knows what. The police always wear kevlar and never walk the street; they are always in the car. Exactly zero police officers live in my ZIP code. They don't walk here, don't live here, don't interact here unless there's a big enough report to warrant sending multiple squad cars. They are outsiders, every one, and they cringe when they come inside. We don't know them and they don't know us - it's no wonder we have dehumanized each other.

Ultimately, the excessive use of force is almost certainly linked to fear. They fear us. They fear our streets, they fear the people who sit on the stoops, watching. They fear we will shoot them dead where they stand, and why? Is it because police are routinely shot at here? No police officer has ever been shot at in my ZIP code, excepting the no-knock battering ram drug bust where the resident shot at an officer who just broke into his bedroom. My kids play on these streets, but a trained police officer is afraid to walk them?

Of course, since the police have a reputation for being... ungentle, we pretty much fear the police as well. We fear getting slammed to the ground, getting our head busted on the roof of the squad car on our way to the back seat, getting a baton to the back of the knee when we don't kneel fast enough. We fear being pre-judged as criminals simply because we live in a crappy demographic, because we're black, because we're Section 8, because crack bags are on our sidewalks and trash is everywhere among the boarded up houses.

We fear them and they fear us. The difference is they have the full power of the state to order us off the street and they aren't afraid to use it. Which of us is justified in our fear?

Upstate, urban and unhappy 

Approval Expected for ISIS Charter School Application to SUNY, Cuomo Demands Coloco Space from deBlasio

We are overjoyed at this proposal since we expect tenured teachers will be beheaded.... Mona Davids, Campbell Brown

We are pro school choice... Eva Moskowitz

The final solution on the lack of teacher quality issue... Students First 

Oh, I could go on, but ambition flags when it's a beautiful day outside.

George Schmidt on Karen Lewis for Mayor - and More; Randi Offers Karen a million bucks if she runs

AFT President Randi Weingarten said she'd give $1 million to Chicago teachers union chief Karen Lewis if she ran against Mayor Rahm Emanuel....Chicago Sun-Times

The cynic in me says, what better way to get rid of a potential rival? A million bucks will be a drop in the bucket against Rahm but Randi is a genius. A win-win for her no matter what the outcome.

The intriguing Chicago mayoral race can be unique. Instead of the union relying on the usual Democratic slugs, they decide to run their own candidates. The union has 5 people running for Alderman.

George Schmidt, as usual, has great foresight and raises issues like "What if we win?" When we were in LA he talked about how if Karen won she would have to negotiate a new contract with her successor, most likely Jesse Sharkey.

When the national social justice caucuses met in Chicago a few weeks ago, George asked them to talk about how a union caucus wins power and how do they keep it. They were interested in more general stuff, not the nuts and bolts, it seems.

Here George raises the idea that 'WINNING' WILL JUST BE THE BEGINNING.

I was skeptical when Karen first began letting us know that she was seriously considering running for mayor. I'm not now. It's a continuation of what we've been doing in a new political era. But just as "winning" the 2010 (and 2013) CTU elections were only a beginning, so too will that be. Rahm will spend millions of dollars to re-elect himself in February 2015 and lose because his reality has failed and his frauds have been exposed in a democracy. His billionaire supporters will spend tens of millions of dollars attacking Karen (especially) and the rest of us (indirectly and in some cases directly). And yet, as Karen noted Tuesday, when people in Chicago are voting, they vote by community, precinct and ward -- not on the basis of some silly Hollywood scripting like "Chicagoland" on CNN.

And then the challenges will get even more great.

Thanks for helping me remain a part of this more than 50 years after the first time I was arrested for "social justice" work...

RAHM'S WEAKNESSES. As usual, The "Mayor's Press Office" is wasting taxpayer money promoting Rahm. This morning's media event ("no media availability") takes place at the West Ridge Nature Preserve, 5601 N. Western, at 11:30. Rahm's press announcement says that he will be announcing a "major nature investment." Even "nature" bows to Rahm's versions of reality. Did you notice how everything he does is an 'investment'? The man's mind is trapped in that narrowest of boxes, Wall Street, and he really is a mental cripple because of it. I'm going to try to let you know, every day, where Rahm's people say he will be. He has always stalled until the last minutes these announcements.

George Schmidt

Sellout Fever: Newly Elected Revile - er - Revise NYSUT Officers Get Special Pension Deal From Cuomo, Klein and Skelos

NYSUT is proud to announce the first pension enhancement since 2000. After a long string of pension setbacks our legislative office has finally “turned the tide” and won a remarkable benefit for some of our most needy members....
Despite overseeing the creation of Tier V and Tier VI NYSUT First VP Andy Pallotta was undaunted and insisted we take this fight on. When asked why he was so slow to put out a statement (it was signed by the Governor into law July, 22) regarding this huge victory he humbly pointed out that he has been remarkably busy working with Senators, Klein and Skelos on their endorsements....
                           (Satirical) press release....

NYSUT Sellout Fever not yet under control

Sellout Fever, running rampant through the "new" NYSUT leadership, is turning into a worse epidemic than Ebola. A team from NIH wearing hazmat suits has been called to Albany.

NYSUT officers got their pals, Klein and Skelos, to pass this law giving them leaves of absences at full pay, all of it pensionable, and get Cuomo to sign it at the speed of light - for the NY State legislature.

1. INTRODUCEDJun 9, 2014
2. PASSED ASSEMBLYJun 19, 2014
3. PASSED SENATEJun 20, 2014
4. SIGNED INTO LAWJul 22, 2014

A 10019

AN ACT to amend chapter 675 of the laws of 1984 relating to providing fringe benefits for certain employees of school districts and boards of cooperative educational services, in relation to leaves of absence...

Oh, who may these "certain employees" be?

The salary paid shall be the salary the employee would have earned and received had THE EMPLOYEE remained in service in the position

A. 10019 2

1 which THE EMPLOYEE held as a full time employee at the time
2 THE EMPLOYEE was first elected as an elective officer, prior to the granting of the leave of absence based on the salary schedule in effect for the negotiating unit during each year of the leave of absence.
This act shall take effect immediately.

Why the newly elected NYSUT officers - of course, this is a priority matter. They will now get their full salary they from their old local (with pension credits) while they are state officers in NYSUT - the union reimburses their locals, but may not be asked too if the NYSUT state leadership sells out at a fast enough clip.

The law can be read in full here -

http://openstates.org/ny/bills/2013-2014/A10019/ -- if you have the stomach.

The NYSUT leaders also failed to announce this news at recent state meetings, and given passing any legislation at all would call for a victory party, there are some thoughts Karen Magee, Andy Palotta, and gang were pulling a coverup.

WARNING: SATIRE ALERT, SATIRE ALERT

Some anonymous oppositionists in NYSUT took umbrage and wrote this satirical press release with this intro:

The REVIVE team has actually had some success they just have not been transparent about it. They managed to get a pension enhancement bill http://openstates.org/ny/bills/2013-2014/A10019/ signed into law on July 22. The quotes and press release above are fake, but the law is real.

Press Release Press Release Press Release Press Release

August 20, 2014,

Albany, NY: NYSUT is proud to announce the first pension enhancement since 2000. After a long string of pension setbacks our legislative office has finally “turned the tide” and won a remarkable benefit for some of our most needy members.

Despite overseeing the creation of Tier V and Tier VI NYSUT First VP Andy Pallotta was undaunted and insisted we take this fight on. When asked why he was so slow to put out a statement (it was signed by the Governor into law July, 22) regarding this huge victory he humbly pointed out that he has been remarkably busy working with Senators, Klein and Skelos on their endorsements. He additionally wanted to credit the NYSUT legislative team and all of the new Officers for how quickly they were able to get this done.

When asked for a comment NYSUT President, Karen Magee said “This is what we campaigned on. We took a tough stand with the Governor and we demanded he do the right thing for these NYSUT members. That strategy really paid off here.” The new law allows, up to four, members of NYSUT who are on leave from their teaching positions and are elected Officers of NYSUT to continue to accrue time in the NYSTRS, if NYSUT reimburses the district for the Officer’s salary. Since NYSUT has it’s own pension plan for Officers this amounts to a legislative fix to allow for “double dipping”. When asked to comment President Magee said “ As a trustee to the NYSTRS I have witnessed the benefit of great pensions. If you can gain time in two systems simultaneously, all the better”.

If you are wondering if this new pension enhancement will help you in retirement, call the NYSTRS and see if you have the following name;

Karen Magee

Paul Percorale

Martin Messner

Some serious follow-up questions with my comments in [].

-What did Jeff Klein receive to get this into the senate? [UFT Endorsement].

-What did Dean Skelos receive to get his members to vote for it? [I can't imagine - a pony?]

-What did Andrew Cuomo get to sign it? [NYSUT neutrality].

-As a matter of principle shouldn't the officers of NYSUT refuse a pension deal until the Tier v and vi members are taken care of?

-Shouldn't a NYSUT officer resign their teaching position to gain independence from their home district? They need to serve all locals equally, we should not have to check and see that their district did not get more aid in order to keep the board and Superintendent willing to extend the leave. When you are a statewide officer you cannot have two masters!

-Who authorized the legislative department to push for this (It was not done at the RA or Bd of Directors Meetings)?

-Who wrote the legislation?

-Does NYC have comparable legislation in their retirement system?

-If this is good policy why doesn't it apply to the employee's retirement system, if an SRP became an officer shouldn't they be allowed to benefit?

----------
Some more commentary from the ether:

Much was made last year by the REVIVE campaign that NYSUT needed to make itself much more grass roots oriented and reflective of the needs of the rank and file teachers.

The REVIVE slate campaigned on:

• opposition to the common core
• opposition to Cuomo
• the need for greater transparency in the union.

The last month has shown just how disingenuous those arguments were. We now see that the new slate of officers are running NYSUT in a way that many feared. Rather than a revival this was the old guard (Randi and Unity Leadership) reclaiming control of the union's power to do it's unique bidding, membership be damned.

At the AFT convention we saw how Karen Magee when given a chance to oppose the common core, instead fought passionately to defend it. Including a nonsensical claim that without the common core we would have no standards at all. This absurdity flies in the face of the history that New York has had in developing standards.

The next campaign promise was to oppose Cuomo, instead all they have produced is tough talk about Cuomo when talking to NYSUT members but when it comes to actually opposing Cuomo there is silence. Twice in the last month we could have endorsed a candidate, Zephyr Teachout, that will stand against testing abuse and for school funding fairness. The REVIVE team marginalized the voice of teachers by remaining silent.

The reasonable question would be, Why? After so many legislative and policy failures at the hands of Andrew Cuomo, why wouldn't NYSUT take a proactive stand like our brothers and sisters in PEF.

Police and Teachers, Their Unions and the March

There is so much to write about the relationship between UFT, the PBA, Mulgrew and Lynch, and the rank and file teachers and cops. So much to write that I have trouble sorting it all out. I have no personal issues with the police I have run into through my lifetime. But then again I am not black. 

I do have a problem with Patrick Lynch's assault on Mulgrew for a lack of union solidarity. I can't seem to recall any solidarity on Lynch's part towards teachers - or even other unions. Thus his attack on Mulgrew, to the glee of the NY Post, was a little over the top.

“Mulgrew knows that the UFT is under siege from all sides, and this is purely an attempt to distract attention from that mounting criticism,” Lynch wrote, referring to the union’s chronic battles over teacher tenure and charter schools as well as the “substandard” contract Mulgrew recently negotiated for his membership.

Lynch is right about the substandard contract, but how about this comment?

“How would he like it if police officers lined up with the activists who oppose his efforts to shield bad teachers and undermine effective charter schools?” Lynch fumed.

Hey Lynch, I call this lining up with ed deform. In fact, since we haven't had a word of support over the years of attacks on teachers, in essence lining up with these so-called "activists"  like Campbell Brown, is exactly what you've been doing with your silence.

Inside MORE, there has been a week-long debate about how to deal with the rally, the UFT role in it, the undemocratic nature of decision-making in the UFT, the role of Al Sharpton, and so much MORE. Julie Cavanagh written a personal and remarkable statement on the issue at the MORE blog: For Deion.

I won't get into the weeds on the internals at this point but will point out that MORE debates these issues. Inside Unity Caucus there is no debate. Just a thousand or more lemmings who will follow whatever Mulgrew tells them to do. And if he reversed himself tomorrow and said the march was not a good thing, they would all change course and march off whatever cliff he tells them to match off of. And Leo Casey would jump in to make the case for either side.

Afterburn
The Unity lemmings cheered Bill Gates at the 2010 convention and booed the people walking out. When told to reverse course by 2012 when Ravitch took the slot Gates had occupied 2 years before, no problem for Unity.

Here is the video we put together with David Bellel on Unity lemmings.
BillGates at the AFT - 1984




I have such antipathy for Al Sharpton that I have a problem taking part in something he is leading. That the UFT has been funneling money to his organizations all these years does not make me happy. I stopped watching MSNBC when they gave Sharpton his own show.

Which reminds me of the joke my right-wing brother in law once told me.
Standing in front of you is Sharpton, Hitler and Stalin. You have a gun with only 2 bullets. Which ones do you shoot?
Answer: shoot Sharpton twice.

The Trouble With Frank Bruni

How far are we from the day when Whoopi, Campbell and the rest of the ed deform crowd flat out blame the death of Michael Brown on bad teachers?

Joining the anti-teacher fray is former NY Times food writer Frank Bruni, another clueless NY Times columnist writing on education (see David Brooks, Thomas Friedman, Joe Nocera, Brent Staples, and even one bad column from the great Paul Krugman).

I think we need VAM for food columnists. How about basing it on how many calories you gain? 

I was going to do my own assault on Bruni yesterday, but, always a day behind and a dollar short, Arthur Goldstein and Lois Weiner have said it all.

Another argument bigots favor is, "I'm not a bigot. I know some of those people." And waddya know, Johnston has teachers in his family. So he must be totally objective. And Bruni writes for the NY Times. So he must also be objective, with no ax to grind whatsoever. Doubtless it's mere coincidence that he was a guest at the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Campbell Brown, and that he failed to disclose it.... full piece at NYC Educator

Lois Weiner, writing at New Politics, sends an

An open letter to Frank Bruni about tenure for NYC teachers

Dear Frank Bruni,
            I enjoyed your restaurant reviews in the NY Times. Reading your descriptions of the food and ambiance allowed me to experience vicariously many restaurants. We seem to have a similar sensibility -- about food.  You seemed not to allow  restaurant publicity and PR to influence your ratings or judgment, maybe because you know good food and the restaurant business thoroughly enough so that you could see through hype.
            But that’s not the case in your columns on educational issues, in particular your analysis of tenure, which reads like the talking points from Teach for America and Students First, groups funded by billionaires who aim to transform schooling in ways they think best - that is, best for them and profits.... An open letter to Frank Bruni about tenure for NYC teachers.


           

Commentary on Cavanagh Students - Campbell Brown and Mona Davids Want Her Fired

You can have a conversation with Julie Cavanagh on any topic but nothing lights her up more than talking about her students, two of whom are heading off to college. Julie has taught special needs children and what a joy to see these kids break out of that mold. Read her email (Julie Cavanagh Former Students Head For College - Help Them Out) and head over to GoFundMe to help them out at Herkimer College, a SUNY school upstate.

I know I'm taking some privilege in turning this appeal for funding into a political message and Julie will probably be pissed at me, but I can't help it.

There is little that makes a teacher happier than seeing former students on the right track, especially elementary school teachers like Julie Cavanagh who see these outcomes years later. (Seeing my former 10-11 year old students as adults with their own children is one of the fruits of teaching younger kids - some of my favorite stuff on Facebook.)

Julie doesn't go deep into the support that she and her husband have been willing to provide her former students - Julie has always pointed out - and did so in our film - that one of her teachers helped find a college for her - Indiana U - and drove her out there almost 20 years ago. And Julie and Glenn are paying it back by doing the same with these students this week. But Julie is careful to point out she is no heroic teacher taking over the lives of these students, telling me "they came to us with a the plan and the school, we just helped cross the t's and dot the i's."

Think about how the parents of these kids feel. There must be some joy at seeing the kids going to college, but also some apprehension given recent events in Staten Island and Missouri. Will some cop in a small town upstate get the wrong idea? Teachers (and especially police), need to also think like social workers and and we need to have deep conversations about what our students face and how we as educators have a role and a responsibility in fighting for racial, social and economic justice.

Which forces me to make this point - which I will over and over again. Kids of color face more danger from bad police than from tenured teachers. Where is the Moaning Mona Davids and Campbell Brown lawsuits to hold police and their unions, which stand up for anything cops do, accountable?

Teachers like Julie continuously put themselves at risk with their activism on so many levels. As was pointed out in my post yesterday about parents supporting teacher tenure - Why Parent Leaders Should Join Court Intervention in Support of Tenure.

I remember when Jeff Kaufman in 2005 helped out one of his students at Rikers by smuggling college prep materials into him and Jeff then spent months in the rubber room and would have been fired if the Moaning Mona and Brown suits are successful.

If we had a union that really wanted to defend tenure they would be making these cases every single day - even threaten to punch people in the face for daring to put people like Jeff and Julie in jeopardy.

I have such outrage at these bogus lawsuits, but especially at self-serving Moaning Mona Davids, who was befriended by Julie and knows as well as anyone the kinds of risks Julie took over the years to stand up for students, parents and teachers - like signing on as one of 2 teachers (the fab Seung Ok was the other) in the suit to hold a demo at Bloomberg's house, which Moaning Mona was happy to support. (And then blew up a year of Julie's work when she vindictively destroyed our film's website - I wonder how much she tried to extort from the ed deformers for doing that.)

Does anyone think it impossible under certain conditions (outspoken teacher as target) to be brought up on charges by a vindictive principal for taking former students into her car, even if to college - also note the Jeff Kaufman/Rikers story above? And how many teachers are so fearful of consequences of not having tenure that they will think twice before getting involved?

Yet Moaning Mona wants to put the protections teachers like Julie and Jeff have in danger.

Campbell Brown may be a slug but Moaning Mona Davids should not be able to look at herself in the mirror.

UFT 101: Why Does Our Teachers Union Matter? - Weds Aug. 20, 4PM

Some of us in MORE are talking about a new teacher support group where we pair vets - especially retirees who might have the time - with newbies. (If you are a retiree or even currently teaching who might be interested, email me at normsco@gmail.com).

I am somewhat surprised at how many people - and not just the usual suspects -- have been coming out to the summer series. There have even been a bunch of newly minted Teaching Fellows who are about to begin teaching. Oh, did we have stuff to tell them. Like they need to know how to navigate the political minefield of school politics. Where does the chapter leader stand in relation to the principal? A buddy and lackey who will repeat anything to say and thereby get you on the shit list and possible discontinued? Some lessons in how to bow and scrape with dignity until you get tenure. If you CL is Unity, handing out MORE lit may get you hung - ask us so we can look up your CL to see if one of the 800 who go to conventions.

But this is more than for new members.

UFT 101: Why Does Our Teachers Union Matter?

by morecaucusnyc

A plea for union democracy

Our last summer series event of 2014 is Wednesday 8/20/14

Dark Horse Pub

17 Murray St NYC

Facebook invite here

UFT 101: Why Does Our Teachers' Union Matter?

Are you entering the teaching profession or new to NYC schools? Are you wondering what the teacher union is all about and what it means to you and your students? Is it something you should be active in? Do educators, parents and students share common interests? Can unions be vehicles for social justice? Meet with new and veteran teachers to discuss these questions and more in this introduction to teacher unionism.

This promises to be a fun, interactive meeting where you can meet educators that are just coming into the school system, some going into their second year, and experienced educators too!

Save the date, our first general meeting of the new school year will be Saturday Sept. 13th in Manhattan. Check back here for more information on this and meetings/happy hours in neighborhoods across NYC.

Arkansas University Charter School Productivity Report -- Indefensible

An academic review finds the claims made by the report rest on shaky ground and suffer from multiple sources of invalidity, rendering the report useless. Nothing in the report provides any guidance for educators or policymakers ... Think Twice think tank review project of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), with funding from the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice.

Shouldn't there be calls for the bogus University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform (DER) to lose accreditation for tainted and biased research?

When the Great Lakes Center sent out the original report the other day, I didn't even bother to read it, knowing the source and the bias (paid for by ed deformers).

The GLC does some great followups with their "Think Twice" exposures. So glad to see this one.

Charter School Productivity Report, Recommendations Indefensible

Contact: Gene V. Glass, (480) 294-1120, gene.glass@asu.edu Dan Quinn, (517) 203-2940, dquinn@greatlakescenter.org Charter School Productivity Report, Recommendations Indefensible Nothing in the report provides any guidance for educators or policymakers EAST LANSING, Mich. (August 19, 2014) – A recent report from the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform (DER) on charter school productivity claims superiority of charter schools in producing achievement per dollar invested. The report, the third in a series of reports, asserts charter schools are more effective in producing achievement on standardized tests and are also less costly per pupil than traditional public schools. An academic review finds the claims made by the report rest on shaky ground and suffer from multiple sources of invalidity, rendering the report useless. Gene V. Glass, Regents' Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University, reviewed The Productivity of Public Charter Schools for the Think Twice think tank review project of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), with funding from the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice. The report utilizes findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and "revenues received" to support that charter schools spend less per pupil than traditional public schools and produce achievement as good or superior to that of traditional public schools. In his review, Glass found the report inaccurately utilizes NAEP test results while discounting the fact that demographic differences between the two sectors are highly correlated with NAEP performance. In short, Glass says, "The sector with the higher percentage of poor pupils scores lower on the NAEP test." Additionally, Glass also finds that the assessment of expenditures is based on questionable data, leaving readers with little evidence on which to base any valid conclusions. In his conclusion, Glass says, "The report continues a program of advocacy research that will be cited by supporters of the charter school movement." Despite its many shortcomings, charter school supporters will attempt to utilize the report for an expansion of funding for charter schools. Read his full review at: http://www.greatlakescenter.org Find The Productivity of Charter Schools on the web: http://www.uaedreform.org/the-productivity-of-public-charter-schools/ Think Twice, a project of the National Education Policy Center, provides the public, policymakers and the press with timely, academically sound reviews of selected publications. The project is made possible by funding from the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice. The review can also be found on the NEPC website: http://nepc.colorado.edu - ### -

Why Parent Leaders Should Join Court Intervention in Support of Tenure

Some folks should take some time and school parents and leaders in the history of NYC and schools.  Political cronyism was rampant in NYC during the early part of the last century. This politicization of jobs and schools resulted in chaos each time a new administration came into being.  Teachers were fired wholesale unless they belonged to the right political part AND to the right political club within the party.  We are setting ourselves up for a repeat of the early 20th Century job for votes governance that ended with corruption probes and arrests.... a NYC parent

If you are interested pl fill out form below and email to aschwartz@afjlaw.com thanks Leonie

Why Parent Leaders Should Join

Court Intervention in Support of Tenure

Julie Cavanagh Former Students Head For College - Help Them Out

Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues:

Two of my (in some cases for those receiving this, "our") former students are heading to college next week!  

Sterling Baker and Devine Fludd attended PS 15 and I had the privilege to teach and learn with them for two years (and additionally have remained in each other's lives ever since then... Sterling calls me every year on my birthday and even called me on my wedding day :) ). We will drive up to Herkimer College next Wednesday, almost 18 years to the day that one of my high school teachers drove me to college.  

Sterling and Devine have not only endured but thrived in the face of monumental challenges in their lives and have created this opportunity for themselves with little support and minimal resources.

Sterling will be studying Sports and Recreation Management with the goal of transferring to a physical therapy program in two years.  He will also be playing basketball.

Devine will be studying Communication Arts:  Music Industry Marketing and Management.  Devine is a talented artist and poet and wants to work in the music industry.

We created a Go Fund me page for each of them to help with transitional expenses (they will each be living on their own for the first time and furnishing a dorm room is expensive!), books and supplies, traveling back to Brooklyn when their dorms are closed and other incidental needs that arise in college.  Both men have been working for the last year and will work in college, but will also need additional support.  

Please donate if you can and share where you see fit.  All money raised will be well managed and go directly to their college needs (and I don't mean Friday night pizza!).

http://www.gofundme.com/c2l9xg  Sterling's Go Fund Me page

http://www.gofundme.com/cte3yc  Devine's Go Fund Me page

Thank you!

Warmly,

Julie

Inside Colocation - Success Academy Charter Misuse of Space Exposed

...some of Success’ classrooms have remained empty for entire years, not a single classroom in the building’s public schools has been “underutilized” in the eleven years I’ve been in this building. .. Inside Colocation blog

This teacher blogs sporadically but when he/she does it is worth reminding everyone of the perfidy of the Eva Moskowitz's operation. Here are the June and August posts. Note the maps and the fragmentation of the public schools in order to keep Eva's space intact - and "clean" from contamination by public school teachers and students. What is the future of this school building looking ahead? Total occupation by Success, with the public schools moved or eliminated.

Inside Colocation

The public school where I've been teaching for over ten years has been "colocated" by a Success Academy charter school. Most people don't know what a colocation looks like, or how it impacts the existing school community. I've been maintaining this blog since Success first moved in to document the process. 

Entering the third year of co-location, you can see that International has lost space and is spread widely throughout the building, evidencing many grueling classroom moves. Global has also lost considerable space, while Success now occupies space on two floors. While some of Success’ classrooms have remained empty for entire years, not a single classroom in the building’s public schools has been “underutilized” in the eleven years I’ve been in this building.

Aug. 16 2014

As of Thursday, the final day of the school year, our school lost five more classrooms to the charter school, despite our ever-increasing enrollment of students. Teachers packed up their classrooms in boxes. They have fingers crossed that everything makes it to their new rooms ok, as many supplies were lost on the previous move. Renovations were scheduled to begin first thing Friday morning, and I’m sure as of this moment, they are already well underway. These rooms, which have served our school for over a decade, will be utterly transformed by September, using a combination of taxpayer and corporate funds.

Danny Dromm, NYC City Council and Former Teacher, Takes a Stand Against Charter Expansion

"We are being oversaturated with charter schools," said Tesa Wilson, president Community Education Council in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. "It's tax dollars being poured into a black hole with no accountibility."
City Council Daniel Dromm (D-Queens), who heads the city Education Committee, said the city has no control over the charter schools even though they are given $13,000 per student. An investigation into harsh discipline, rigged admissions and other allegations needs to be completed, reads a letter the committee will send to the state... NYDN

When I went out for dinner with Michael Fiorillo and Patrick Walsh the other night after the MORE "Lessons of Chicago" event, we ran into one of the few politicians we trust, Danny Drumm - Patrick made sure to thank him for his work. I was reminded I had this DN piece to report on from a few weeks ago. With Moskowitz asking for 14 more schools to build her political machine, this is an important initiative. The UFT is silent but for all we know they are working behind the scenes so as not to appear to be spearheading this, though that strategy is a joke, given that any words of criticism towards charters is seen as union inspired. Even people like me have been lumped in. So why not just come out there firing and use your resources to support Drumm? We know that we are heading for a war over lifting the state charter cap and we know where Cuomo will stand.

Now we know SUNY is a scumbag operation and will approve any charter that comes across the table, so this letter by 10 NYC Council members will go ignored. But imagine of there was an organization capable of organizing thousands of people to march on SUNY - after all there are so many schools inundated with charters, I think it possible. The UFT has its fingers in just about every community organization out there and they won't make a move without them.

(And let me drop this in, given the lessons of Chicago. That city has independent community groups not connected to the union for decades. So when we hear that part of CORE's success in organizing its run to take over the union was due to social justice community work, we do not face that comparable situation here in NYC.)

City Council committee puts the brakes on charter school expansion due to lack of oversight

A City Council committee has come out swinging against a slew of city charter schools set to open in 2015 and beyond, saying they are poorly regulated and their expansion should be halted.

Ten City Council members who make up the Education Committee signed a letter urging the State University of New York to stop the planned schools.
“We oppose any further expansion of charter schools,” reads the letter that will be sent Thursday to SUNY. “Hold off on authorizing new charter schools until you address the lack of oversight and accountability.”

Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools are not managed by the city, but instead must seek permission to open from SUNY or the state Board of Regents.
Education Committee Chairman Daniel Dromm (D-Queens) said the city has no control over charter schools, even though the city must pay them more than $13,000 for each student they enroll.

“The city has to pay for privately run, unaccountable charter schools,” said Dromm.

Dromm and the others who signed the letter ask SUNY officials to investigate harsh discipline, teacher and student attrition, rigged admissions and other allegations.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/city-council-committee-halts-charter-school-expansion-article-1.1886588#ixzz3AeKpLqPi

UFT Endorses Espaillat Over Robert Jackson

That chickenshit union is SICK... An activist

Has there been any politician more supportive of teachers and parents than Robert Jackson?

Here is one view of a parent/activist.

After Cuomo endorsed Espaillat, so did the UFT, which probably also played a large role in getting the Working Families Party to endorse Cuomo.

That chickenshit union is SICK.

They are destroying parent support for it on issues of teacher evaluation and tenure, as parents can rightly say that the union cares more about its members wages than about issues of direct concern to parents such as class size and availability of resources, which were the centerpieces of the Campaign For Fiscal Equity initiated 20 year ago by Robert Jackson, who as a State Senator would be an impediment to the Education Deform movement spearheaded by Cuomo, and supported by Espaillat.

Parents and Educators Reject the Tests, the Scores and Corporate Agenda of NYSED & Pearson

Fred Smith, a test specialist formerly with the NYC Department of Education (DOE) stated, “The State Education Department took a half-step by releasing 50 percent of the English and math questions from the April 2014 exams. It was a half-step not just because it falls halfway short of full disclosure, but also because SED fails to provide data at its disposal that would enable objective evaluation of the questions, each of which is a brick in the wall of the testing program.”   

Where is our union - UFT/NYSUT/AFT? Just the other day, NYSUT Puppet President Karen Magee led a phony tearing up the Pearson contract event. I'll let Arthur over at NYC Educator make the case: NYSUT Takes a Stand. Or Is it a Sit?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  August 14, 2014

More information contact:

Eric Mihelbergel (716) 553-1123; nys.allies@gmail.com

Lisa Rudley (917) 414-9190; nys.allies@gmail.com

NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) www.nysape.org

Parents and Educators Reject the Tests, the Scores and Corporate Agenda of NYSED & Pearson

Today Commissioner John King and Chancellor Merryl Tisch released the test scores of the state exams in 3-8^th grades, showing that, more than 68% of the state’s students were judged not proficient in English Language Arts (ELA) and more than 64% not proficient in Math.  The overall results were largely flat with little to no change year over year with only small gains and drops for specific demographic groups. 

Members of the New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE), a coalition of more than 50 parent and educator advocacy groups, challenge the quality of the tests, the accuracy of the scores, and the motives of those who have manufactured these results.  This past spring, NYSAPE estimated that at least 44,000 students had opted out of the state exams; today the Commissioner admitted that the number was as large as 60,000 compared to 10,000 in 2013.

As the growing problems with New York's excessive and speculative testing reforms are exposed, parents across the state are outraged and calling for an overhaul at the state education department.

Lisa Rudley, Westchester county public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE said, “Though Commissioner John King assured us that the new Common Core state tests would be a much better reflection of the skills students will need for ‘college and career’ success with the release of 50% of the questions last week, we learned what educators were forbidden by law from telling us:  these were flawed tests, riddled with vague questions, inappropriate reading passages and multiple product placements. In its new Pearson contract signed amidst a financial crisis, NYSED doubled annual spending on testing and even worse, eliminated the transparency of the previous McGraw-Hill contract.  Where is the management from NYSED and the oversight from the Board of Regents?"

Dr. Carol Burris, principal of South Side High School on Long Island said, "Considering the more than $28 million taxpayer investment in curriculum modules, this paltry increase in scores is one more indication of the ineffectiveness of State Education Department's reforms, and the inappropriateness of the Common Core tests. Parents should take heart in knowing that the ‘college readiness‘ proficiency scores have no connection with reality. My high school and many other well-resourced high schools in NY have proven records of preparing students for college success that are no way connected to the state's newest measure of proficiency."

Eric Mihelbergel, Erie County public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE said, "If the released questions are this bad, you have to wonder how much worse the other half were.  I have no confidence in the results released today. Parents now demand new leadership for a Board of Regents and Commissioner of Education who repeatedly fail to adequately respond to their legitimate concerns.”

“Many of the multiple choice questions required up to five steps and compelled 8 year olds to flip back forth between numbered paragraphs. The question becomes more of a measure of attention, memory and test taking skills rather than their deep understanding of a text. The commissioner has stated that education should not be about test prep, but these tricky assessments all but ensure that test prep will continue -- to the detriment of real learning,” said Bianca Tanis, an Ulster County public school parent and special education teacher.

Jeanette Deutermann, Nassau County public school parent and founder of Long Opt Out said, “This past spring, 55,000 to 60,000 New York State students were spared from yet another year of test scores that were designed to show a large majority of failures. The number of opt outs will steadily grow until NYSED takes the concerns of parents seriously and makes the necessary changes to our children's excessive high stakes testing regimen. High stakes testing and the Regents Agenda have hijacked our classrooms, and every day more parents become aware of how they too must protect their children from these harmful policies.”

Jessica McNair, Oneida County public school parent and educator notes, "Until the NYSED acknowledges that these developmentally inappropriate exams take time away from instruction, cost taxpayers, and set kids up to fail -- in an attempt to perpetuate the false narrative of Governor Cuomo’s ‘death penalty’ for schools -- parents will continue to refuse to allow their children to participate in these state tests.”

“The test content was not sufficiently disclosed and there was no quality assurance or mechanism for parents or educators to obtain valuable feedback. The bottom line is that students are getting hurt, money is being wasted and precious time is being spent on high stakes testing at the expense of more meaningful instruction. The system surrounding the NYS testing program is dysfunctional to say the least,” said Anna Shah, Dutchess County public school parent.

Fred Smith, a test specialist formerly with the NYC Department of Education (DOE) stated, “The State Education Department took a half-step by releasing 50 percent of the English and math questions from the April 2014 exams. It was a half-step not just because it falls halfway short of full disclosure, but also because SED fails to provide data at its disposal that would enable objective evaluation of the questions, each of which is a brick in the wall of the testing program.”     

“Like many other parents, I see how flawed the tests are as a measure of learning, and fear for all those millions of students who are told, unjustly, and at an early age, they aren’t ‘college and career ready’. These tests which ask our children to prove the existence of Big Foot and expose them to numerous and inappropriate product placements are the furthest from rigor one could imagine.  I question the motives of the bureaucrats and the testing companies who are forcing these inappropriate exams onto our children – to try to prove to the public that our schools and children are failing, so they can better pursue their privatization agenda and the outsourcing of education into corporate hands,” said Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters.

###

#AFT14 Video - Sarah Chambers and The Speech that Triggered Mulgrew "Punch in Face" Comments

Common Core Debate - Sarah Chambers, Michelle Gunderson vs Michael Mulgrew - Note how Mulgrew was set up at the mic to follow Sarah Chamber's speech. Not a coincidence. Another UFT leader, Leroy Barr (not included in this video) was set up at the mic following Mulgrew - also not a coincidence. Unity Caucus uses placeholders at strategic mics as a way to control the debate.



The battle between NYC and Chicago: Providing context for the common core debate at the AFT14 convention

The Chicago Teachers Union, (CTU), suffering almost 2 decades of ed deform based on testing regimens and corporate takeovers of education, has become one of the most militant voices in opposition. They view the common core standards as another plank in this takeover.

The New York City union, the UFT, has collaborated on many of the issues the CTU has opposed, including the common core. The UFT supports the CC but complains it was implemented poorly. They call for support (resolution 2) but with what they term "accountability."

UFT President Michael Mulgrew's speech during the debate has received wide notice for its "punch in the face" comment. Immediately preceding his speech, CTU's Sarah Chambers made a strong speech opposing the CC, pointing to the damage the rigid testing regimen that goes with it has done to the children of Chicago.

Following Mulgrew's response, I added CTU's Michelle Gunderson's words?

Norm Scott

Julie Cavanagh on Common Core in Daily News, Major Contrast to Mulgrew

Julie Cavanagh won't punch you in the face if you support common core as she makes a clear and concise statement in her article in the DN that is way more powerful than what we hear coming out of our union leaders.

As Mulgrew's opponent in 2013 election she is quite a contrast to Mulgrew as she makes similar points Chicago teachers made at the AFT convention in that debate on the floor and in committee where Unity slugs used thug tactics.

• AFT Convention Update: Chicago CC Reso Goes Down O...Posted Fri 5PM
• #AFT14 Report - Common Core Debate - Epic Battle B...

You heard none of Julie's points made at the convention by even one of the 800 Unity Caucus loyalty-oath pledged delegates who were elected in that winner take all election, thus disenfranchising the thousands of teachers who agree with Julie. The use of the Unity horde to distort and tilt and control the common core debate on the city, state and national levels is what has allowed the ed deform movement to gain such a strong foothold. Leo Casey's attempt to brand CC opponents as tea party influenced is one example (video). Leo can be assured that Julie is no tea party advocate, as he full well knows since he knows Julie.

That is why I put time into building MORE in the belly of the UFT/Unity Caucus beast. Because nothing will change with the unions unless we make those changes here in NYC. And Ed Deform cannot be defeated until the teacher unions become more Chicago-like -- willing to spit in the face of the deformers and use their resources in organizing opposition. Having powerhouses like Julie Cavanagh committed to this goal makes the work

Cavanagh: Common Core testing creates a narrative of failure

Last year, our students were assessed for the first time according to the new standards. State Education Department officials predicted a steep drop, and scores plummeted. This year, small gains were predicted, and that’s what happened, to the astonishment of no one.

BY Julie Cavanagh

SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Friday, August 15, 2014, 1:32 AM

Siegel.Jefferson Julie Cavanagh (center) is a special education teacher and chapter leader at Public School 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Four years ago, a group tied to testing and publishing companies, and bankrolled with Bill and Melinda Gates’ money, brought us the Common Core Learning Standards.
Cash-strapped states that wanted to win federal Race to the Top dollars had to adopt the standards, and more than 40 states, including New York, did so.
Last year, our students were assessed for the first time according to the new standards. State Education Department officials predicted a steep drop, and scores plummeted. This year, small gains were predicted, and that’s what happened, to the astonishment of no one.
Predictions are easy to make when you define what constitutes proficiency.
There will be an attempt from all factions to spin the results: The state will say the reform agenda is working, the city will argue the scores show the need for pre-K, and charter schools will claim they show their importance as high-quality alternatives.
Let’s get off the hamster wheel.

Siegel.Jefferson 

The truth is, these tests were designed to create a narrative of failure, and the trends are not so different from those we saw on the old tests: we are failing our children with special needs, our English language learners, our children who live in poverty, and a disproportionate number of black and Latino pupils.

It is no surprise that the results mirror the struggles and deep flaws in our society. Of course, the goal was never to actually fix our schools — there are no profits in doing that. There are no profits in providing small class sizes, experienced educators and services like counseling, tutoring and family support — proven reforms that would benefit all students.
Instead, the focus is on unproven standards and the tests that supposedly measure our student’s competency — written by the very people who profit from their use.

Julie Cavanagh is a special education teacher and chapter leader at Public School 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn .