Will Smickle be smiling after Tuesday primary?

Let's hope not. Harlem State Senator Bill Perkins is being punished by the Hedge Hogs for calling for more oversight of charters. Note below that Gotham Schools financial backer Ken Hirsch chipped in. And Governor Patterson endorsed Smickle. The charter school lobby has become one of the major threats to public education in this nation and the Perkins/Smickle primary is the epicenter.

I usually don't get involved with politicians but since last summer when I went up with GEM to defend PS 123 and other Harlem schools from the Evil Moskowitz invasions, I began to run into Perkins' people. Then Perkins' assistants (all of whom were incredibly impressive) started meeting with some of the GEM and CPE people in weekly meetings and he stopped by to chat quite often.

I filmed most of his charter school hearings in March and was actually the last speaker at 9pm. If there is one politician you contribute to, Bill Perkins should be the one. I may even go up there on Tuesday to see if I can help out.

Upper West Side (Manhattan for non-New Yorkers) parent activist Noah Gotbaum will be hosting an event for Perkins at his apartment tomorrow (Sunday). See below.

One of our sources sent this in:

Perkins also publicly said Paterson should resign after it was revealed that he called the girlfriend of his aide to talk her out of filing domestic violence charges. 

Paterson, Wright and many in the Harlem establishment were angry at Perkins for saying Paterson should not have interfered or worse yet cover up a possible domestic violence crime.

Smikle is desperate. After he loses on Tuesday, he should put in an application to start a charter. Zero investment, guaranteed revenue source and he'll make more money.  Be interesting to see if all his funders will be as supportive when he tries to sit at their table and have a slice of their charter pie.

Charter lobby last hour contributions to Smikle.  Petry's wife and Gotham Schools funder, Ken Hirsh. I guess they'll be contributing even more money in the next few days so that Smikle can pay off Wright, democratic clubs and other politicians after he loses on Tuesday.

Keith Wright is a Harlem Dem leader who is supporting Smickle.

A81115	FRIENDS OF BASIL SMIKLE FOR NEW YORK STATE SENATE	09-SEP-10	KAREN PETRY 260 W. 72ND ST. NEW YORK, NY 10023	$3,000.00
A81115	FRIENDS OF BASIL SMIKLE FOR NEW YORK STATE SENATE	09-SEP-10	KENNETH HIRSH 114 W. 13TH ST. NEW YORK, NY 10011	$2,500.00

Articles published Friday re Perkins/Smikle race and others funded by the charter lobby.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/nyregion/11charter.html

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/Albany/20100911/204/3361

 

TO ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE LISTSERVE EDUCATION WARRIORS: PLEASE JOIN US THIS SUNDAY AND/OR CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION ON THE LINK BELOW IF YOU CAN’T BE THERE. THANKS!  NOAH

Dear Friend,

This coming Sunday, September 12 I will be hosting a fundraising brunch at my home for our State Senator, Bill Perkins.  Bill Perkins has been a great State Senator; one who never backs down in his fight for basic justice, equality and helping those who need it most.  Bill has been especially effective in the area of education, fighting against school overcrowding, consistently promoting increased parental rights, and constantly reminding the City and State education authorities that ALL of our kids deserve a great education – including English Language Learners, transitional and homeless kids, kids with Special Needs, the 97% of our kids who don’t attend charter schools.  In the face of fierce opposition from the Charter School lobby – who are the primary funders of Bill’s opponent - Bill effectively led the fight for increased transparency and oversight for all of our schools, and for a level playing field and fair resource allocation for our public schools.

Bill also led the fight in the State Senate for the law to reform our public authorities like the MTA, and to take their operations out of the shadows, making sure their finances are scrutinized and that they are serving the people. He sponsored the new clean air law to reduce the sulfur content of home heating oil that will make it easier for New Yorkers with respiratory conditions to breathe, and it will help reduce acid rain. And Bill Perkins has been a voice for change in Albany – immediately calling for the ouster of Hiram Monserrate and working to bring new leadership following last summer’s Senate gridlock. You can find out more at his web site www.BillPerkins.org.

Bill Perkins has put together a broad based grassroots campaign that has earned the support of leaders like Jerry Nadler, Scott Stringer, Danny O’Donnell, Linda Rosenthal, Bill Thompson, Bob Jackson, Inez Dickens and important groups representing environmentalists, tenants, parents, the disabled, health care workers, teachers and leading voices for reform.

I hope you will join me Sunday for an informal bagel brunch -- two days before this Tuesday’s primary -- and help to make sure Bill has what he needs to get his message out in these crucial final days.  Here are the details:

Sunday, September 12, 2010,  12 – 2 pm

At the home of Noah E Gotbaum, 27 West 86^th Street, #7A (Between Central Park West and Columbus)

To RSVP and donate: http://www.billperkins.org/events/Gotbaum

 

Thanks so much!  Hope to see you on Sunday.  And if you can’t make it I hope you will consider making a donation.

All best,

Noah

Parent Richard Barr says:

For lots of years I organized the lobbying trips to the City and State electeds who represented School District 3 for our Presidents' Council.  Bill, as a Councilmember and then a Senator, always listened carefully, (as some others also did) but beyond that, engaged us in dialogue and offered opinions about how we might be effective in advocating for our issues, and attended District meetings in school auditoriums, sometimes arguing with the District Sup't. when he thought a school he represented was being treated unfairly.  (Back in the good old days when District offices had some decision-making authority).  His level of engagement seemed genuine and often went beyond that of many of his peers.

Afterburn
Riddle of the day:
Why does Smickle wake up in the middle of the night screaming EEP, EEP, EEP?

CPE Convention Thoughts

Aug. 29, 2010, 7am

Background info: Coalition for Public Education (CPE) Convention Sat. Aug. 28

It seems I just rolled in from the day's events yesterday and in a sense that is almost true. I decided to drive into Manhattan for some crazy reason and had loads of trouble finding a place to park. I almost gave up and pulled into a lot but luckily asked how much for the day. "$47," I was told and I pulled right back out. I finally found a spot on some place called Herbert St. and had a long walk back to Barclay St. for the convention. But what a pleasant walk along Greenwich St. on a wonderful sunny day, past numerous restaurants with sidewalk cafes.

I got to the DC 37 building around 11:30 while Assemblywoman Inez Barron (wife of Councilman Charles) was speaking. As usual she makes so much sense it makes your hair hurt. She was a teacher and principal and besides all her political insights I find her analysis of the curriculum that is being forced down teachers and students throats in Test Prep, USA very enlightening. Barron has a vision of how students should learn and how a school should work. I also loved what she said about discipline. Talking about some of the insane "gotcha" policies today, she said, "We did what we had to do," she said. "But first we made sure the parents were on board."

Bill Perkins makes an appearance 

Harlem State Senator Bill Pekins, who held hearings on the abuse of charter schools (I taped about 7 hours) and has become the leading target of charter schools, hedge fund millionaires and the NY Post, was there in the afternoon. They dug up someone named Basil Smickle to run against Perkins. Read my posts of last week on Smickle campaign contributions from hedgehog funders:

NY Post's Carl Campanile underestimated Smikle's charter lobby contributions
NY Post's Carl Campanile Discovers Dem Who Opposes Perkins, Ignores Hedge Contributions

Perkins is not popular in parts of Harlem for complex reasons, so he is not a shoo-in. And he does have flaws. But if he loses to Smickle no politician will stand up against the charter school lobby and Eva Moskowitz, who is using her charter school parents as shock troops against Perkins, will be the big winner.  So, if there is one campaign you contribute to make it Perkins. And if you have time, check in with his campaign and volunteer. Tired and busy - just think of Evil Moskowitz and Joel Klein gloating. Or just look at this picture - again and again. Some Perkins links: here and Mona Davids endorsement  and here. [I'll be doing more on the Perkins/Smickle race soon.)


There was mucho schmoozing going on all day. Some of the GEM film crew were there doing interviews for the film we are doing. I interviewed Sam Anderson of the CPE and Black Educators, who way too many people are not aware of. I don't know him personally and have only had limited contact with Sam but he is always so incredibly articulate and knowledgeable I can talk to him forever. But he had duties to take care of for the convention so we only had a brief interview. I am going to meet him in Brooklyn and he is going to give me a tour around the public school that is being closed and also the new charter school going up nearby to replace it.

Then I spoke to Harlem parent activist Bill Hargraves. See Bill in action leading a walkout at a Harlem Success Academy so-called public hearing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7bb1OrfbAE. Bill always drops loads of goodies.

Finally, I managed to corale Magnificent Mona Davids, the charter school parent activist who has been demanding parent rights. She had some important things to say. So much great footage, so little time. (Her endorsement of Perkins made news.)

I was on an afternoon panel with Leonie Haimson, Special ed parent activist Patricial Connelly and the legendary Jitu Weusi of 1968 strike fame (and beyond). This part of the CPE event will need a separate post.

Outside Schmooze
As often happens, the follow-up to these events often turns out as interesting as the event itself. A large group gathered outside towards the end - around 4:30 - and just kept chatting. It seems ed activist are so wrapped up they can't stop. Lots of fun talking about the security we will face at the upcoming PEP meeting on Monday night (at LaGuardia HS near Lincoln Center.)

We finally broke up and I was walking with 2 parent activists (who shall remain nameless). They said they were getting something to eat and I who can't miss a meal hogged my way in. It was around 5pm.

When we left the diner at 8PM we had laughed our way through salads and burgers and some fabulous sharing of info. Boy do I get gossip, but of course they would have to kill me if I spilled.

I wasn't through yet it seems. I got a call from my wife's 20-something cousins who were taking the ferry from New Jersey to meet some of their cousins in Chinatown. So after a long walk to my car, I spent a half hour stuck in traffic getting there. Luckily one of the parents came along so we could continue to plot - 3 hours just isn't enough, you know. I finally connected with my relatives around 9pm. Their 5 cousins from Florida, Long Island and Manhattan joined us.

So now I wsa surrounded by 7 twenty somethings with platter after platter of delicious food coming out. There were 2 teachers amongst them, one of them at a private school in Manhattan, so there was some ed talk, but mostly sports- thank goodness.

"Didn't you just eat," some of you might ask? Never stopped me - notice my belly when you see me. But at least I didn't join them at the follow-up half-nighter in a bar.

I rolled home at 11pm when my wife reminded me I had to go feed my friend's cat.

No matter how hard I tried, Oreo wouldn't discuss ed deform.

AFTER BURN
As always, there were a batch of GEM and ICE people at the CPE - I counted at least 7-  to show support. GEM and Ed Notes shared a quarter page ad in the CPE journal. There is some irony in that at least one of the active CPE folk is connected to New Action, which as usual had no presence. At one point this past year before the UFT election there was some unfriendly fire directed at James Eterno.
New Action head Michael Shulman was later invited to speak to a CPE meeting, part of the Unity/New Action campaign to disparage ICE. It was something I was not happy that the CPE allowed this underhanded stuff to take place at the time and still am wary of that element of the CPE. I don't hold it against the CPE, but I hope the hypocrisy is noted.

Double Burn
I have to miss my acting class this morning. One of my frat brothers' daughters is getting married at 11:30 in Long Island. Last week I auditioned for one of the card playing roles in The Odd Couple at the Rockaway Theatre Co's December production.

I originally was going to go for Murray the cop but he seemed too affable.

When I read the part of the nasty, sarcastic, wise cracking Speed, I said "Eureka."

NY Post's Carl Campanile underestimated Smikle's charter lobby contributions

If you read my last post last Saturday night about NY Post reporter Carl Campanile's distorted reporting on the Bill Perkins/Basil Smikle NY State Senate primary, here is some more info that has come in over the transom from our readers.


UPDATE FROM KEN LIBBY:

Kenneth Libby has left a new comment on your post "NY Post's Carl Campanile underestimated Smikle's c...":

This provides a bit more info on Basil's donors:

http://dferwatch.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/basils-backers-mainly-charter-supporters-and-some-real-estate-moguls/

He's taken in about $160,000 in donations. A bit over $100,000 comes from hedge fund/charter backers. Another $25k or so comes from real estate folks.

-Ken

For our new readers, Perkins held hearings on charter schools and the hedge fund/charter school crowd got upset. So they dug up Smikle to run against Perkins.

A couple of points on Smikle fundraising:

According to the Wall Street Journal analysis,

"More than half of Mr. Smikle's contributions came from pro-charter donors."

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703720504575377701262805436.html

Below is a listing of $105,000 in Smikle contributions, all with Charter School and Real Estate connections.

Smikle has reported contributions from less than 10 people who live in the district, totalling $4,100.

ACKMAN, WILLIAM A 1 W 81ST ST NEW YORK, NY 10023	6,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
BUCK, CHRISTOPHE E 14 EAST 90TH ST NEW YORK, NY 10128	6,000.00	CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER , BIG CONTRIBUTOR TO CHARTER SCHOOLS
CURRY, ELIZABETH 499 PARK AVE NEW YORK, NY 10022	6,000.00	MOTHER OF BOYKIN CURRY HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
CURRY IV, RAVENEL B 106 CENTRAL PARK SOUTH NEW YORK, NY 10019	6,000.00	SON OF ELIZABETH CURRY HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DFER MEMBER
DAVIS, ANTHONY 257 W 17TH ST NEW YORK, NY 10011	5,000.00	ATTORNEY CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DFER BOARD MEMBER
FELDSTEIN, ANDREW T 20 TOMPKINS ROAD SCARSDALE, NY 10583	6,000.00	ATTORNEY CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
GREENBLATT, JOEL 245 MIDDLE NECK ROAD SANDS POINT, NY 11050	4,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DFER BOARD OF ADVISERS
GRIFFIN, AMY M INFORMATION REQUESTED ,	6,000.00	WIFE OF JOHN A. GRIFFIN, BILLIONAIRE AND PRESIDENT OF BLUE RIDGE CAPITAL HEDGE FUND, FORMERLY OF TIGER MANAGEMENT, JULIAN ROBERTSON’S HEDGE FUND.  BIG SUPPORTER OF CHARTER SCHOOLS THROUGH THE AMY AND JOHN GRIFFIN FOUNDATION.
HADAR, ERIC 770 LEXINGTON AVE NEW YORK, NY 10065	5,000.00	REAL ESTATE TYCOON VERY INTERESTED IN HARLEM REAL ESTATE AND PROPERTY IN MANHATTAN SUPPORTER OF COLUMBIA USING EMINENT DOMAIN
LEDLEY, CHARLES H 3 AVERY STREET BOSTON, MA 02111	5,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DFER BOARD MEMBER
LEWINSOHN, JONATHAN 2211 BROADWAY NEW YORK, NY 10024	3,000.00	LAWYER AND WORKS FOR HEDGE FUND. CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
LEWIS, EDWARD INFORMATION REQUESTED ,	6,000.00	CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF HARLEM VILLAGE ACADEMIES CHARTER SCHOOLS.
MAYER, RAFAEL 1175 PARK AVE NEW YORK, NY 10128	5,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DFER BOARD
NOVOGRATZ, MICHAEL E 1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS NEW YORK, NY 10505	6,000.00	HEDGE FUND BILLIONAIRE DFER BOARD OF ADVISERS
PETRY, JOHN 260 W 72ND ST NEW YORK, NY 10023	6,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DFER BOARD OF ADVISERS; ERN BOARD
PITTELMAN, CAROLE 1385 YORK AVE NEW YORK, NY 10021	5,000.00	REAL ESTATE TYCOON
ROBBINS, LARRY 767 5TH AVE NEW YORK, NY 10153	5,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
ROSENSTEIN, AARON N INFORMATION REQUESTED ,	3,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
SACKLER, JONATHAN D 1 STAMFORD FORUM STAMFORD, CT 06901	5,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE BOARD MEMBER OF ACHIEVEMENT FIRST CHAIN OF CHARTERS FATHER OF MADELEINE SACKLER, MAKER OF PRO-CHARTER FILM, THE LOTTERY
WEPSIC, ERIC KARL 255 W 84TH ST NEW YORK, NY 10024	6,000.00	HEDGE FUND MILLIONAIRE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
Total Contributions:	105,000.00	ALL BUT $10,000 FROM CHARTER SCHOOL LOBBY/SUPPORTERS