TODAY: Come to the 1st MORE meeting of 2013!

Movement of Rank & File Educators

Weekly Update #41 - January 24th, 2013

Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Upcoming: General Mtg Sat 1.26    12-3pm / 224 w 29th 14 fl Democracy & Dignity In Education Forum     Sat 2.23 / 3-5pm    365 5th Ave. rm 5414 Planning/Election Cmte     Mon 2.4.13    Cosi - 55 Broad St. General Mtg Sat 2.9.13 Planning/Election Cmte        Thurs 2.21.13

Come to the 1st MORE meeting of 2013! 12:00-3:00pm, Saturday Jan 26th 2013 224 West 29th St. btwn 7/8ave NYC 14th floor During the recent evaluation negotiations, MORE fought for democracy within OUR union. MORE believes that members should have direct input into all major decisions. Evaluations are just one of many issues MORE is organizing around: closing schools, forced co-locations, over-testing and underfunding, ATRs, denial of tenure, mounds of paper-work, Danielson, common core, special ed violations, and the continued attempt to destroy unions (as in the current school bus strike)…. The time is now! Come build a positive alternative that challenges the UFT/Unity Caucus leadership. Join us at our general meeting Saturday 1/26.  We will discuss why we have been successful in growing this democratic movement and what our strategies will be moving forward. Come find out how to work with MORE in the upcoming UFT elections… including opportunities to run, petition for signatures, leaflet, and raise funds. There will also be an opportunity to discuss proposals for an elected MORE leadership body - reply to this email for details, or to join our discussion list. If you have sold raffle tickets bring money and/or unsold tickets to meeting, please contact us if you can't make it.

Solidarity with the Bus Driver's Strike! MORE proudly supports the Drivers, Matron-Attendant Escorts, and Mechanics of Local ATU 1181-1061 as their strike enters its second week to. They are fighting to protect their jobs as well as the safety of the students they drive to school. We implore the Mayor to bargain in good faith to ensure that our students continue to ride to school in safe buses with trained professionals.  We, the teachers of these students, demand no less! Check out Parents for Improved School Transportation for more info. Reply to this email for picket line locations to visit and show solidarity.   Call the Mayor’s Office at 1-888-833-7428 and Sign The Petition Today.   Important Updates Seattle Superintendant threatens test-boycotting teachers with suspensions. [Call or Email Supt. Banda - (206) 252-0180] Teacher Editorial: Why Seattle Teachers are boycotting the test. Jacobin Magazine on Lean Production in Education A Potent Mix of Politics: MORE and the Evaluation Negotiations Karen Lewis in Rethinking Schools Video on How to Defend Unions What happened in the evaluation deal?   While we applaud the UFT leadership for standing their ground, the MORE Caucus has no intention of giving up the fight to prevent our teachers and students from being given over to the standardized testing regime. We know there will be efforts in the future to convert our schools into low-level thinking factories and our teachers into low-skilled, low-paid bureaucratic functionaries. So, why did the evaluation deal fall through? Read MORE's post-mortem on the deal... Check out the new redesigned MoreCaucusNYC.org