Leonie Defends Class Size Reduction - Like the UFT Won't While Liu Rejects New Teacher Project Contract

UPDATED: Friday, March 11, 7AM

NYC Comptroller John Liu causes much joy in Mudville today with his rejection of the phony New Teacher Project 20 million smacker contract - to recruit new teachers - in the midst of the threat to layoff 4500 and lose another 1800 by attrition. Now Tim Daly may have to work for a living. And Andy Jacob too. Hey, guys, try teaching. In Wisconsin.

See NY Times article here. (Good to see you back safe from Cairo Sharon). And more links:
(GothamSchools, Post, Daily News)

Remember Liu's predecessor? Some guy who ended up running for mayor against Bloomberg? A guy who we later found out was Bloomberg's choice to run against him? A guy whose wife got lots of money goodies from Bloomberg for her museum? A guy who NEVER rejected these phony contracts?

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While the UFT/AFT plays footsie with Bill Gates, Leonie goes into his own back yard and calls him out. Hey chickie, come out an play with Leonie:

1.    I will be on Seattle Public radio 94.9 FM tomorrow Friday March 11 at 3:40 ET (12:40 PT) debating class size.  

They are trying to find someone from the Gates foundation to debate me (but finding it hard).  This is Bill Gates’ hometown.

Listen live online and please call in!  http://www.kuow.org/conversation  with Ross Reynolds.

Live Call–in: 206.543.KUOW (800.289.KUOW); Email: conversation@kuow.org

2. For what Bill Gates said recently about class size (later echoed by Arne Duncan) check out my Huff Post column:  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leonie-haimson/arne-duncan-and-bill-gate_b_829094.html
 

For what the Seattle Times reported about Gates’ hypocrisy on this issue, click here:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2014437975_danny09.html

Check out what students themselves said about class size on the NYT blog here: http://nyti.ms/g57JcR 

3.For my class size debate on Tuesday on the NPR Diane Rehm show, along with Diane Ravitch and Eric Hanushek, star of Waiting for Superman, see

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-03-08/class-size-and-student-achievement

Thanks,

Leonie Haimson

Executive Director

Class Size Matters

ON ANOTHER FRONT -

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LIU STATEMENT ON DOE CONTRACT REJECTION

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NEW YORK, NY – City Comptroller John C. Liu stated the following in response to inquiries about his rejection of a $20 million teacher recruitment contract for the Department of Education (DOE):

“Twenty million dollars to recruit teachers as the DOE insists on laying off thousands of teachers seems curious at best,” said Comptroller Liu.

The five-year contract, with the “New Teacher Project,” was submitted in early February. The DOE was seeking the contract to “recruit, select, train and provide job search support to non-traditional candidates to become public school teachers.”

The contract submission comes at a time when agencies are being asked to cut services, including the DOE’s plan to lay off 4,600 teachers.