Sam Anderson sent this out to a listserve after the hand wringing over the desertion by the politicians on mayoral control. Surprised? Not me. Just follow the big campaign contributors who support Bloomberg hook, line and sinker. BloomKlein opponents were seduced by the idea they could rely on them. Politicians respond to only one thing: people in the streets, boots on the ground. See Iran, circa 2009. Build it and they will come.
Scrambling at the last second to find a "middle ground" on a matter that does not have a "middle ground" with a bunch of clueless hustling politicians is a disastrous waste of time.
We have to face it: We lost this battle. Let's assess, regroup and mobilize a mass movement of parents, students and educators for 2014-15. Our mass mobilizing/organizing work may bring a powerful Movement before 2014, but that should be our ultimate goal... given that that a final
bill will have about a 6 or 7 year window of operation.
After all these years of arguing, mobilizing, informing and organizing among thousands of progressive parents, educators and students to envision and fight for a more democratic form of governance and education for NYC public schools, we wind up scurrying about with exhausting energy trying to patchwork a weak ass legislation that will haunt us from June 30, 2009 onward.
My suggestion: IMMEDIATELY drop all negotiation and dialoguing with ALL elected officials and let them flip flop on their own without our legitimizing "progressive credentials."
If you don't know by now: "We Got Better Things To Do!"
In Struggle,
Sam Anderson
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