School Closing Hearing Dates and the Fightback

On Feb. 9 the PEP will vote to close these schools no matter the passion or data or whatever.

People are needed to attend these hearings at the school, to make contact with people at the schools and get people out to the Feb. 9 meeting at Brooklyn Tech.

In addition, there is the question of the status of the 33 turnaround schools if the money disappears though I don't think the DOE can manage to close these schools in time given certain limits. And think of all the ATRs created that they have to pay.

So why bother if the result is predetermined? Let's build the movement so one day they will not be able to get away with it. But numbers are needed.

How is the resistance being organized? The Occupy DOE meetings on Sundays have become a key organizing mechanism. ODOE has shown the potential to bring out enough people to have a real impact.

Next meeting: Sunday Jan. 8. Here is the leaflet which we want to get into the closing schools. Try this link if you want to download it and/or print.

An attempt will be made to hold a large rally and march focused on the school closing and charter co-locations and now, maybe even the turn-arounds. More details as this develops.

What about the UFT? It is not clear what the strategy is. Another law suit? Previous suits did little or nothing to save schools except temporarily since they were based on the DOE not following procedures, which Tweed has made sure to take care of. They will assist schools that show signs of fighting back - possibly by paying for buses to get to the Feb. 9 PEP. But as we found out last month, these buses have to leave at a certain time and many people who signed up to speak don't get a chance.

Will the UFT call out the troops for the Feb. 9 PEP? Will they stage a walkout like they did last year on Feb. 3? 

Now given the reality that the PEP will vote to close the schools, why speak? Since GEM has been doing these events for the past 2 years we have found people want their say, which puts the ODOE people who have experienced years of frustration and might want to try to shut down a meeting in something of a quandary. If we can get people from these closing schools involved we might be able to evolve a strategy that satisfies all.

Mic-check is a powerful tactic - if there are enough people - where the PEP puppets can be overridden and the people who want to speak can get to do so. Again. something to be worked out.

----------------

School	Boro	Hearing	PEP
Legacy School For Integrated Studies  34 West 14th Street New York, NY 10011	M	February 1 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Washington Irving High School 40 Irving Place New York, NY 10003	M	January 31 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Manhattan Theatre Lab High School Building M490 122 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10023	M	January 24at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Samuel Gompers Career And Technical Education  HS 455 Southern Boulevard Bronx, NY 10455	Bx	February 2 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Gateway School For Environment Research and Technology 1980 Lafayette Avenue Bronx, NY 10473	Bx	January 27 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Jane Addams High School For Academic Careers 900 Tinton Avenue Bronx, NY 10456	Bx	January 25 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Grace Dodge Career And Technical Education High School 2474 Crotona Avenue Bronx, NY 10456	Bx	February 3 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Aspire Preparatory Middle School*	Bx
International Arts Business High School – Building K470 600 Kingston Ave Brooklyn NY 11203	B	February 3, at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Academy Of Business And Community Development  141 Macon Street, Brooklyn 11216	B	Jan 31, at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2012
Knowedge and Power Preparatory Academy Middle School--Building K117, 300 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn 11205	B	Jan 24, at 6:00	2/9/2012
P.S. 019 Roberto Clemente* 325 South 3rd St, 11211	B	January 18 at 6:00	2/9/2012
P.S. 022* 433 St. Marks Ave, 11238	B	January 24 at 6:00	2/9/2012
Middle School For The Arts* 790 East New York Ave 11203	B	January 12 at 6:00	2/9/2012
General D. Chappie James Middle School* 76 Riverdale Ave 11212	B	January 23 at 6:00	2/9/2012
J.H.S. 296 The Halsey School*	B
P.S. 215 Lucretia Mott*  535 Briar Place 11691	Q	January 20 at 6:00	2/9/2012
P.S. 014 Cornelius Vanderbilt* 100 Tompkins Ave 10304	SI	January 25 at 6:00	2/9/2012
The Ana Gonzalez Community School 125 Covert St 11027	B	February 1 at 6:00	2/9/2012

Academy for Young Writers
hearing Jan 9 at JHS 50
183 South 3rd Street, Brooklyn 11211 PEP January 18 AND

Brooklyn success Charter 4 co-location at JHS 50 (address above)
hearing Jan 17 PEP Feb. 0

---------
CHICAGO SAME STORY:

Fight School Closings & Turnarounds

CORE-istas:

Please attend the following hearings on school closings and turnaounds. 

 Also, join the Facebook Event and spread the word.

--------------------
Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.