E4E is an unethical undemocratic group, to say the least ...
The dishonest slimebags at Educators 4 Excellence are at it again. After sending out plea after plea for people to come to see Walcott spout his nonsense today -- you know, part of the pressure to get the UFT to agree to enslavement and send the diminishing E4E teachers back to their schools to lobby for the DOE, they withdraw the invites of people who might actually raise a question with Walcott-- like why promote the use of VAM when it has a 50% failure rate?
This was sent by one of our contacts:
From S. Braithwaite - Monday, Nov. 26
Gloria from MORE added:So It seems I was just uninvited from the talk with the Chancellor tomorrow. I was actually CALLED at home by Jonathan Schleifer, the executive director of E4E!We had a somewhat spirited discussion about why I couldn’t/shouldn’t attend. :-} I highlighted the fundamentally undemocratic nature of their policy for the event and how this wasn’t really a conversation about evaluation but a chance for the chancellor to be told what he wanted to hear. Basically his argument was that the event was ONLY for members of E4E and based on my previous email I wasn’t really a “member” even though I had signed their pledge. Side bar - after attending one of their events in the past (free movie screening) they kept emailing me trying to get me to go to lunch with their folks. After initially ignoring them, I finally responded that I wasn’t interested as based on what I had seen of their organization of was highly suspicious of their motives.I find this really remarkable and extremely telling about the organization and how fragile they are politically. I’m definitely adding this to the scrap book.Please if anyone is going let me know if you identify non-E4E members in attendance at the event. I painted him into a corner on that point, and he alleged that only E4E members would be in attendance.
I was uninvited to the free showing of "Won't Back Down" 30 minutes prior to movie time via a telephone call. The guy (forgot name) said they were overbooked and since I was not a member, I could not attend. This despite the fact that I had signed up on-line without needing to be a member. E4E is an unethical, undemocratic group, to say the least.
Gloria
E4E is also working its magic in LA
E4E in LA
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Hello folks,
The group Educators 4 Excellence may have recently contacted you in regards to teacher lunch-ins, “thank you” breakfasts, or education Galas. I think it is important for folks to know that E4E is not a UTLA endorsed organization and it has no affiliation with UTLA. If they are on campus it is at the will of Santee Administration and/or other teachers at Santee with Admin permission. Lastly, this group platform is in direct contradiction with longstanding UTLA positions. After researching this group, you will see their platform will: 1. Destroy hard earn seniority rights 2. Link students test scores to teacher evaluation 3. Merit –pay 4. School “choice” aka Charter Schools etc.. Lastly, you may have been invited by E4E to a “Gala” that will be hosted by none other than School Board President, Monica Garcia. The same Monica Garcia that has approved school giveaways, teacher witch hunts, furlough days, etc.. She is no friend to Public Education. I am not sure how each of you feels on these issues, but please make sure you read up on and know what these “non-profit” reform groups are about and enjoy the bagels they bring in the morning. It is all on the Educators for Excellence Website: http://educators4excellence. Warmly, Jose Lara Social Justice Educator/Chair UTLA Central Area
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I was there last night. There were few dissenting opinions, though a couple teachers did sound a challenging tone. Mostly, however, the conversation dealt with the Danielson rubric, specifics of the pilot rollout, and administrator training.
ReplyDeleteAbsent was any discussion of the value-added component of teacher evaluations, which E4E puts front and center in their mission statement. At the start of the event, in fact, E4E Executive Director Jonathan Schleifer stated, from the E4E declaration, that "a holistic and equitable evaluation system that incorporates value-added measures" was "critical" to the movement. That didn't stop further speakers, including Walcott and deputy chancellor Dave Weiner, from ignoring the issue entirely.
There were question and answer sessions afterwards. In the one I sat in (headed by Weiner), the deputy chancellor essentially directed the course of the conversation by elucidating what he thought were the "sticking points" in ongoing negotiations. Somehow, once again, VAM did not come up.
The seemingly conspiratorial silence on VAM made the event feel like a way of showing support for the most controversial aspects of coming evaluations by purposefully avoiding them. Overall, the event had the tone of a press conference or publicity event. In that regard, it was certainly a success.
S. Braithwaite: I am not a member of E4E. Sorry you were excluded; the organization doesn't feel particularly democratic.
I attended the event as well and am not a member. I was at the discussion group wiener as well and then followed up by going to the bar to talk to them in person. I shared my experiences with abusive administrators and test tampering. They said the kinks need to be worked out and the pilot schools show great success. The kool aid was delicious.
ReplyDeleteI've written about the event here: http://commonal.tumblr.com/post/36809345728/educators-for-excellences-almost-quiet-war-for
ReplyDeletexcellent report. Thanks for link. Love being called anti ed reform blog -though I prefer ed deform.
DeleteThe E$Es just don't get it because they have not been teaching for more than 15 years to understand the subtle but yet constant abuse by administrators. They need to take off those rose-colored lenses and see that no one is immuned from an abusive administrator. If they think that their VAM is slamming-good one year and assume that it will be good each and every year, then they deserve the "ineffective" rating they will get if the teacher evaluation is put into place. They are only pushing the teacher evaluation to see veteran teachers u-rated, fired, and replaced with temporary, two-four year teachers who want to move up the ed field and out of the classroom as soon as possible. Shame on them! They never had intention of teaching as a career. They have started a teaching class warfare within a class.
ReplyDelete