It is Not Only Bloomberg's Secret Agenda

This article (Bloomberg's Secret Education Agenda) by Marc Epstein has a lot of meat in it. But it is misleading in focusing attention on Bloomberg and not on the national ed deform attack. Before there was a Bloomberg and Klein, there was Mayor Daly and Paul Vallas in Chicago since 1995. Ed Notes began trumpeting the dangers as early as 2001 starting on the day that Randi Weingarten endorsed the concept of mayoral control. She accused me, with much outrage, of calling her a sellout. Hmmm. I also tried to steer the conversation from just focusing on what Klein was doing and onto the full agenda.

Of course, the UFT wanted to focus only on Klein (even often making Bloomberg out to be a good guy who you could deal with. Now, knowing full well the leadership knew what I did about the "agenda" and signed on to whole parts of it, I had to come to the conclusion they were purposely mis-educating the membership as to what is really going on. From there it was easy to jump to "They are collaborators."

"Politicians and Education Carpetbaggers have come to realize that you can fund charter schools like group homes and eliminate your public education payroll, pension, and benefit packages. Their attitude towards public education is "why do it for free when you can make money at it?"

I suspect that the powers that be really don't think they can turn things around and educate kids from horrific social circumstances by firing teachers endlessly. But if they succeed in decoupling public education from government, they'll live quite comfortably ever after. 

The handwriting is on the wall. When the small school initiative fails, Bloomberg or his successor will have an easier job of washing their hands of the system and suggest that not for profit charters take the headache of their hands.

The shell game can't last."

---Excerpt from Jamaica HS teacher Marc Epstein's, Bloomberg's Secret Education Agenda at the Huffington Post.

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 right for news bits.

A Tale of Two Michaels: UFT and Mayor Bloomberg - Who is more undemocratic?

We are waging a two front battle against major powers - the millions of our own union leadership and the billionaire mayor.   

NYC Teacher Seung Ok on NYCEDNEWS listserve:

The NY Post, no friend to the teacher's union, has the following to say about the public relationship between the Mayor and the UFT president, Michael Mulgrew:

"Even though they're often in adversarial positions, Mulgrew has a good relationship with the mayor and the two men rarely clash in public."

"Loeser said the only time Bloomberg spoke to Mulgrew about Black was right before the appointment, when the mayor pointed out that Mulgrew had met her once before.

Mulgrew declined comment.

"Michael Mulgrew and Mayor Bloomberg have private conversations. We do not comment on what might or might not have been said in private conversations that might or might not have happened," a UFT spokesman said."

So the biggest enemy known to public education in New York, and to veteran teachers advocating for what's best for their students has a friend in Michael Mulgrew. No wonder teachers are losing the battle for public opinion. We are waging a two front battle against major powers - the millions of our own union leadership and the billionaire mayor.

On closer inspection the two Michaels seem to have more in common than not. Both run their organizations with the guise of democratic proceedings. It was not democratic for Bloomberg to bribe and coerce his way into a third term.

For those who are unfamiliar with UFT proceedings, let me say that watching it live as a delegate - I imagined this is how so-called democracy is run in countries such as Afghanistan, Russia, and Nigeria.

The UFT has about 3000 delegates, 2200 of whom, can not fit into the small meeting space at 52 Broadway. This is done so that any vote taking place is always dominated by union personnel and Unity party loyalists. They meet for two hours each month and the majority of the time, Mulgrew uses up in the President's speech - which is as long winded as a Sunday sermon. Apparently Mulgrew saves his vehemence against the mayor in these closed meetings.

After that, comes the ceremonial guest speakers, awards, and placards of appreciation to some organization or people (usually a tug-at-the-heart cause that not even the political opposition can help but clap for). In the one year I was attending meetings, these ceremonies included: UFT sending 1000 dollars to the Honduran Teachers Union, the factory strikers at Stella Dora, the NAACP anniversary, a teacher who finally won a grievance for a medical transfer, etc.

Then, finally, when about 20 minutes are left - the floor opens up to the motions that have been already set forth by the Executive Board (sort of like the Senate of the UFT). Good luck trying to get a motion brought forth from the rank and file - because in order for it to be put into next month's New Motions list, it has to be voted on by a majority of those 800 (mostly Unity brethren) sitting at that assembly.

And good luck ever getting to the microphone, because there microphones set up in the aisles. Specifically breaking UFT union and Rules of Order procedure, Michael Mulgrew hand picks who gets to receive roving microphones handed out by, you guessed it, Unity union workers. And they have the ability to shut off any one of those microphones whenever Mulgrew deems it necessary. In most other unions, microphones are set up in each aisle, and the president must address the first member that asks for the floor.

Even if, after all these roadblocks, a member manages to get in a motion to be heard and voted on at that meeting (requiring 2/3 vote), there are further undemocratic hurdles to overcome. Let me give a specific example of an instance where these abuses had important implications.

In the last mayoral election, a member stated a motion for the UFT to support Bill Thompson for mayor. The whole floor was enthused, as evidence by the unanimous clapping in the room - a rare instance of the majority and minority in agreement. After a period of debate, a member asked for the motion to come to a vote.

Again breaking UFT and Rules of Order procedure - Mulgrew stepped into the debate (which is not allowed by the president) and basically took the floor from that member's motion right for a vote. He proceeded to continue the debate by calling on his cabinet to argue against voting for Thompson. After the Unity loyalists basically got the message that Mulgrew wasn't pleased - the eventual vote was unanimous against supporting Bill Thompson.

Now remember the results. Thompson lost by only 5 %. Had only 3 % of the votes shifted, or had not even shown up to vote for the Mayor, public education would be safer today. Had the UFT, sent out its people, like they did for Tony Avella, and mobilized it's full voting membership - we would not be dealing with Mayor Bloomberg.

The main error that both Michaels perpetrate is the notion that they know more than the democratic voice of the populace. And in a little defense of the two Michaels, the problem goes beyond the egos of these two men - but the very system that allows men like this to come into power. It's a problem that democracy has faced since its infancy.

Remember that when the constitution was ratified, only 10 to 16 % of the population (white men with property) were allowed to vote. It's an endless struggle between the interests of the rich and the interests of the majority. Let us remember that this vision of an equitable and free public education is only 60 years old. Like a new democracy, it has to be fought for and nothing is assured. True public education was born of struggle, and nothing short of struggle will keep its ideals alive.

Seung Ok
- Teacher

Bloomberg, Feeling Heat, Reaches Out/What Mayor Bloomberg and the Taliban have in common

From an anounymous source:

The mayor called some community leaders together yesterday for a meeting.  He asked for support for cathie black.  He made promises to get help to their communities.

What Mayor Bloomberg and the Taliban have in common

Then there was this piece from a NYC HS teacher who compares Bloomberg to the Taliban.

I hear all the time from people about how teachers are afraid to speak out. Funny, but I meet a hell of a lot of them who don't seem to be afraid. What is it? A moral imperative that overcomes fear? I don't really know. I was a big mouth but people tell me in these times I couldn't do that. If I couldn't I don't think I would have remained in the system. I feel very lucky to meet so many amazing teachers today that are out there. Seung is one of my favorites. Someone I want in the fox hole with me.

If you ask Mayor Bloomberg or any Taliban member why they are fighting the battles they do - you will hear heartfelt declarations of their ideology.  Invariably they invoke the betterment of the "people".  The Taliban, not trusting that the people know what's good for them, rely on religious police to go around measuring the length of men's beards, and imprisoning any woman caught outside without a male chaperon. 

Likewise, Mayor Bloomberg scoffs at parents who protect neighborhood schools he determines as failures.  On radio shows, he decries these parents as essentially - idiots.  Every year, his progress reports elevate the standard for A's, B's, and C's - thus assuring the closure of many schools. He absolves a democratic board of education, citing instances of corruption, while somehow rationalizing his "donations" to campaigns and foundations to sway votes, as mere charity. 

Fear is the tool that both use to get what they want.   The Taliban made soccer fields into sites for executions against those that broke their laws.  The mayor threatens the closure of schools, the firing of principals, and if he had his way, the mass firing of seasoned teachers.  Fear is such an effective tool that very few of those oppressed actually speak up. 

The societal model they both promote is a two tiered one.  The Taliban sets up one society for men, and another for women.  Men need not face any competition for jobs and schools from women.  Women walk in the shadows, denied all that men enjoy. 

In Bloomberg's world, charter schools and small schools gloss over the needs of English Language Learners, Special Education Students, and low achieving students - and often push them out - whereas public schools do not.  Charter schools get brand new technology and small class sizes  while district schools are forced to teach in cafeterias and overcrowded classrooms.

Ultimately, both have the delusion that they will make society better.  The Taliban will say that rape statistics have decreased - since women are not allowed on the streets alone.  They will say that crime is lower, since more men will keep their jobs not taken by women.  They will point to the fact divorce is almost unheard of- since women don't have the means to strike out on their own.  

Bloomberg's ideal society will be constructed in is own image.   It is a world that does not allow for plumbers, hair dressers, police officers, electricians, auto-mechanics....  And the only measure of success is to end up putting on a suit and looking down on the rest of society.  The Taliban's justification is religion, Bloomberg's justification is his egotistical vision. So what if the "people" have to suffer for the higher ideal of utopia? 

It is no wonder Mayor Bloomberg travels to China and lambasts the elected officials of our beloved yet imperfect democracy.  He could only dream of a communist structure where all his directives concerning sodium, cigarettes and unions were put into practice.  I'm sure the mayor also praises the Chinese system of education as well - where national standardized tests are required to get into middle schools, junior high schools, and high schools. 

The Taliban unleashes their fear through their guns while the mayor unleashes his through his cash.  In Afghanistan, the biggest dog on the block rules, in our land, it's the biggest bank roll.  When the majority of people accept their chains and, one day, even forgets the chains are there, then these visions of utopia will be reality.  

Seung Ok

- Teacher

See below the fold for links to a series of articles on Black & Bloomberg from The Examiner

At the GEM Blog: Video of Bronx Science Protest at Bloomberg's Home

Bronx Science Teachers Tell Bloomberg: Stop Harassment and Abuse

Bloomberg Machine to Run City Until 2225- at the very least

Term limits? Don' need no stickin' term limits. Today's NY Times puff profile on Bloomberg's mate Diana Taylor is practically an announcement that she will run for mayor when his term is over. And when her term is over, Emma will be ready. Add the Unity Caucus lifetime control of the UFT with designated successors and, you see, we do live in a monarchy. Long live the king (and queen).

Norman Siegel Talks to Parent Meeting About the Protest at Bloomberg's Residence

Norman Siegel tells a parent conference sponsored by Class Size Matters in NYC on January 16 about the recent court victory that gives protesters over Mayor Bloomberg's education policies the right to hold a protest on the side of the street (17 East 79th St) where he lives. Amongst a sea of objections, this protest focuses on the unfair and arbitrary closing of schools, the imposition of charter schools into public school buildings and the unfair treatment of public schools by the BloomKlein administration vis a vis charter schools. He lays out the conditions the protesters will be under. If you intend to attend, heed what Siegel says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fF_QyyTYxA

Parent, Student, and Teacher Protesters Win Right to Rally on Bloomberg’s Block

This is all over the internet already (ICE, CAPE, NYC Parents) but I might as well put it up for those too lazy to hit the links. Ed Notes was in the [court] house today trying to take notes as the case proceeded but the brain works faster than the hand and Julie really is becoming an expert press release writer.

I was pretty fascinated by the case preceding ours where a minor Madoff character named Anderson was sentenced to 90 months. He looked sort of old and pathetic and suffers from all kinds of stuff. When his lawyer said he was 64 I got the willies since I'm just 6 weeks shy of turning 65 (gulp). But I do get my half fare card. And senior citizen access to every movie theater. And social security. And hardening of the arteries.

Well, this thing is building, with even some politicians coming (we won't tell the UFT which ones since they would call and try to dissuade them.)

Knock, knock, UFT. Are you home? Ignoring this protest because it's at your buddy Bloomberg's place? That old sham you've been pulling that somehow it's all Klein's fault and Bloomberg is the good guy is wearing a bit thin. Mismanagement my ass. These "mismanagers" have run rings around you. Look within for the true mismanagers.

All along, I thought we were organizing a protest at Bloomberg's place in Bermuda. Had my shorts all ready. Next time.

Oh, and at the meeting at Norman Siegel's office Thursday night, he told the teachers involved they have a lifetime guarantee of his support if the BloomKlein admin makes any attempt at retaliation. Not knowing I was retired, he turned to me and said, "you too." Almost makes me want to go back to work. Almost, I said.

For Immediate Release

January 15, 2010

Contact: Julie Cavanagh, 917-836-6465, juliereed15@hotmail.com

Norman Siegel: 347-907-0867

Herbert Teitelbaum: 518-441-9412

Parent, Student, and Teacher Protesters Win Right to Rally on Bloomberg’s Block

Victory for the first amendment and for those struggling to protect public schools from closures and charter school invasions!

Today, Judge Alvin Hellerstein delivered a ruling granting parent, student, and teacher protesters, who are members of The Emergency Coalition to Stop School Closures, the right to protest on Mayor Bloomberg’s block in New York City. Judge Hellerstein ruled that we live in a democracy, and to the greatest extent possible, we have to find ways to protect our citizens, while not compromising the constitutional rights of others, to demonstrate and express their views. He went on to say that in assessing those values, he found that First Amendment rights support the kind of orderly and peaceful protest the plaintiffs sought to organize. Judge Hellerstein also added that the plaintiffs have the right to a peaceful picket to express their views in relation to important educational policies, particularly the increase in charter schools in the city. Attorneys Norman Siegel and Herbert Tietelbaum successfully argued the case.

“We are very pleased with the Judge’s decision. It is a major win for the right of New Yorkers to peacefully protest including on East 79^th Street where the Mayor resides,” attorney Norman Siegel.

“This is a victory not only for the plaintiffs, but for all who want to express their views to elected representatives,” attorney Herbert Tietelbaum.

“I am proud our efforts were successful and that we can take a stand in front of the city and the mayor to prevent the closing and phasing out of our school. Most of all I am happy we can voice our opinion on the city pushing out students in need in order to make room for charter schools and small schools that are very selective,” Khalilah , student, Maxwell High School.

“I am humbled that a homemaker from Red Hook, Brooklyn can take a stand against City Hall and win. The struggle to save our schools and public education is just beginning. Please join us on January 21^st on the Mayor’s block to send a message that says no, to the expansion of charter schools in schools like my children’s, P.S. 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn. We also say no, to the ill defined school closings that pave the way for more charter schools and continue the dismantling of public education,” Lydia Bellahcene, parent, P.S. 15.

“Today is historic for protesting in the City of New York. I am so proud to stand with the parents and students I serve as we fight not only for our right to organize, but as we advocate to protect and preserve public education in our great city. It is not lost on me as an educator that this decision was made on Martin Luther King’s birthday. His legacy of peaceful and loving activism captures the culture of our school, P.S. 15. It is in this spirit that we bring our voices and concerns to the Mayor’s block in the hopes that there, we will be heard,” Julie Cavanagh, teacher, P.S. 15, “We want to thank, with much admiration and respect, Mr. Siegel, Mr. Tittelbaum and their staff, for their tremendous hard work and their dedication to protecting not only our rights, but the rights of all New Yorkers. I also want to thank the amazing parents and students I am so proud to stand behind and support.”

“The decision reaffirms the rights of citizens to protest on a city sidewalk, and prevents the mayor from turning a public city street into his own private front yard. Furthermore, it will allow parents, students, teachers, and members of the 22 communities affected by school closures to have their voices of discontent heard by the Mayor,” Seung Ok, Teacher, Maxwell High School.

“The right to demonstrate is not a given, it must be fought for, and we must be vigilant,” Gustavo Medina, retired teacher, Jamaica High School.

Parents, students, and teachers will hold their peaceful protest on both the North and South side of Mayor Bloomberg's block; East 79st, between 5th and Madison Avenue on Thursday, January 21st, between 4-6:30 pm. Protesters will meet at 5th avenue, on the southwest park side of the block, which will be the staging area and starting point of the protest. In the event of an appeal from The City of New York, the protest will continue on January 21^st, in compliance with the NYPD.

Media Contacts:

Lydia Bellahcene: lillytigre@yahoo.com, 347-463-9809, PTA PS 15- 718-330-9280

Julie Cavanagh: juliereed15@hotmail.com, 917-836-6465

Seung Ok: possitivelypessimist@gmail.com, 646-244-4468

Norman Siegel: 347-907-0867

Herbert Teitelbaum: 518-441-9412

Khalilah Dickerson- 347-264-4527/lilahmissco@hotmail.com

Richard McDonald- 347-445-3927/mcdonald_richie@yahoo.com

Jan. 21 Rally at Bloomberg Home Update

A recently activated teacher organizing for the Jan. 21 protest at Bloomberg home writes:

Hey Everyone,

I made it to three schools yesterday and put flyers out on several blocks in. But today, at a workshop, [ x] and I spoke to the teachers at the end. Some knew, some did not about what is going on. Everyone left with the web address. A couple said they are alarmed and their schools will be at the mayors' block rally. It felt good to know the message is growing.

Please if you can stop at a school on your way to work and give them the message and the flyer! Momentum is slowly catching on.

Wake up all the schools and teachers you cross.

Mayor’s Critics Sue to Protest Outside His Home

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/critics-of-mayors-school-policies-sue-for-right-to-protest-outside-his-house/

January 13, 2010, 2:03 pm  Updated: 4:24 pm --

By SHARON OTTERMAN
NYTimes CityRoom Blog

A group that opposes charter schools and school closings filed a lawsuit against the city on Tuesday for “unconstitutionally and without any legal basis” denying its request to protest on the sidewalk outside the Upper East Side town house of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The plaintiffs are two students from William H. Maxwell High School in Brooklyn, which is slated to close for poor performance, and a parent and teacher from Public School 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn, an elementary school that shares space with the PAVE Academy Charter School. The city has proposed to allow PAVE to remain in the school for five more years, as it grows to include kindergarten through eighth grade, and teachers and parents at P.S. 15 have been furious.

“Our voices haven’t been heard, so we thought that the best way for the mayor to hear us would be for us to take our voices to his block,” said Julie Cavanagh, a special education teacher at P.S. 15. “There have been rallies at Tweed, and the individual schools, and its been a complete deaf ear.” (The former Tweed courthouse is where the Department of Education’s main offices are located.)

The protesters want to march back and forth along both sides of 79th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues, in single file, on Jan. 21, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mr. Bloomberg lives on the north side of the street. While the New York City police have frequently turned down permits to protest on the north side, in 2003, they allowed a group protesting the closure of firehouses to march on both sides.

The plaintiffs decided to press the issue as a civil rights matter. The suit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District, argues that just as protesters are able to march outside Gracie Mansion, where mayors normally live, so too should they be able to protest outside Mr. Bloomberg’s house, where he conducts political activities like receptions and fund-raisers.

On Tuesday, the Police Department offered a compromise: the protest could proceed on the south side of 79th street, Ms. Cavanagh said. The plaintiffs turned down the offer, saying the city should not be able to pick who protests on the north side.

A lawyer for the city, Gabriel Taussig, said in an e-mailed statement, “The Police Department’s refusal to agree to a demonstration procession on the sidewalk in front of the mayor’s residence and its proposal that the event take place on the street and sidewalk across from the mayor’s residence was a lawful and appropriate accommodation to the protesters’ desire to exercise their First Amendment rights while at the same time assuring that safety and necessary access can be maintained at the mayor’s residence.”

Norman Siegel, the former executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, is representing the protesters, along with Herbert Teitelbaum, the former executive director of the Commission on Public Integrity.

“The larger issue is clear: Can a public sidewalk be transformed into a private enclave because the mayor of New York lives there?” Mr. Siegel said. “The answer is no.”

Mr. Siegel said he expected a ruling from Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on Friday.

Parents, Students, and Teachers Fight for the Right to Protest on the Mayor’s Block

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
NYC

Parents, Students, and Teachers Fight for the Right to Protest on the Mayor’s Block

Today, attorneys Norman Siegel and Herbert Teiteleaum filed papers in United States District Court, Southern District, on behalf of a parent, two students and a teacher who are members of The Emergency Coalition to Stop School Closings, to hold a protest on the Mayor’s block on the Upper East Side on January 21st.

The Emergency Coalition intends to hold a city-wide protest on the Mayor’s block, on January 21, 2010 from 4:00-6:30. Parents, students, and teachers view this as their First Amendment right and vital to have their voices heard regarding the unfair and destructive educational policies being proposed by the NYC Department of Education.

“The Bloomberg Administration is undermining our schools, without any compassion or understanding of how these policies will affect our children. It’s time for parents to stand up and say no! We refuse to take it anymore. Our schools are the lifeblood of our communities, and we will take our voices and our struggle to the Mayor’s block in the hope that there, we will finally be heard,” Lydia Bellahcene, Parent, PS 15, The Patrick F. Daly School, Red Hook, Brooklyn.

“ My school, as well as many of the others that the city wants to close, are doing as well as we can given the continued budget cuts, overcrowding, and the other challenges we face. What we need is more support, smaller classes, and more programs to engage us, not to be closed down and replaced by small schools or charter schools which will make us travel many miles away or exclude us from attending,” Khalilah Dickerson, student, Maxwell High School.

"I feel it's important to rally on the mayor's block, because he needs to hear how students and the community really feels about school closures. Our school has been making progress, so it is wrong to close a school that is improving. The mayor seems to be making decisions without listening to us, the ones he claims to be helping. This is why we want to march on the Mayor’s block - so he can hear our voices loud and clear, " Richard McDonald, student, Maxwell High School.

“The Bloomberg Administration’s current policy of school closings and charter school invasions highlight a clear intent to dismantle public education. Stakeholders from the affected school communities, insist we have the right to protest on the Mayor’s block to prevent our communities from being divided and disenfranchised.” Julie Cavanagh, Teacher PS 15K, Representative from CAPE, Concerned Advocates for Public Education, a parent and teacher coalition at PS 15K.

“The average New Yorker believes that the Mayor has been enacting reforms that better the education of the 1.1 million students in our public school system. By protesting, we want to expose the fact that school closures and the threat of closure have done immense harm to these students' education. Closures have caused the flight of quality teachers from high needs areas, stripped curriculums of all but mindless drilling for high stakes testing, brought corruption in the form of credit recovery and social promotion, and set the way for a two tiered system under charter school disparity.” Seung Ok, Teacher Maxwell High School.

James Eterno, chapter leader at Jamaica HS says: "This administration is closing schools down like they are franchises whose revenue is declining. What they don't realize is that Jamaica HS, like many of these other schools, is an integral part of its community, has had a long tradition of success before Klein was made chancellor, and despite his negative policies, is improving rapidly -- with a 15% increase in graduation rate in recent years. We will advocate for its survival even if we have to take the message to the Mayor's front door."

The Emergency Coalition to Stop School Closings is comprised of dedicated parents, students, and teachers who seek to protect and support NYC public schools from the detrimental policies of the Bloomberg Administration and are demanding that the Department of Education halt school closures and the charter school invasions that are undermining the health of our public education system.

No matter what the court decides, the Coalition intends to go ahead with their plan to protest in Bloomberg’s neighborhood on January 21st, whether on the Mayor’s block or in a nearby location. Protesters will be meeting at 4:00 at 5th Avenue and 79th street on the park side.

Media Contacts:
Lydia Bellahcene: lillytigre@yahoo.com, 347-463-9809, PTA PS 15- 718-330-9280

Khalilah Dickerson- 347-264-4527/lilahmissco@hotmail.com
Richard McDonald- 347-445-3927/mcdonald_richie@yahoo.com
Julie Cavanagh: juliereed15@hotmail.com, 917-836-6465
Seung Ok: possitivelypessimist@gmail.com, 646-244-4468
James Eterno: jeterno@nyc.rr.com , 718-268-0788

Norman Siegel: 347-907-0867

Herberet Teiteleaum: 518-441-9412

###

ICE urges all readers to vote against Bloomberg!

Published at the ICE blogs and web site: UFT Elections 2010, ICE Blog, ICE Web site

ICE Statement on the Nov. 3, 2009 Vote for Mayor

The election on November 3^rd will have lasting consequences for public education and the city. It deserves the attention and involvement of all New Yorkers. The UFT has a long history of candidate endorsements made without any regular process of consultation with the membership and often contrary to members' interests. The decision to sit out the contest between Michael Bloomberg and his opponents speeds us to the brink of more disasters. If appearances are real and the UFT leadership's passive support for the mayor's reelection is a deal for a new UFT contract by deadline, our union is deeply complicit in another landmark defeat for the teaching profession.

Nearly eight years of direct control over the schools have provided Bloomberg with an unchecked opportunity to implement numerous policies premised on distrust and contempt for teachers, students and school communities. Early on with his rush to implement grade retention policy he put the blame on 8-year olds for low reading scores and further worked to make standardized testing a year-round concern. “Weekend, vacations, summer -- time off is a luxury earned, not a right,” he told a radio audience in 2002. Chancellor Klein went to work making testing an obsession for all schools by hanging their fate on it.

His administration accelerated the wholesale closing of neighborhood high schools. Together with a successful assault on teachers' contractual rights this led to the creation of an excess teacher reserve force in the thousands. The result of dozens of school phase-outs deepened the gulf between the two worlds children in New York encounter at the high school level. One consists mostly of large neighborhood or selective schools and is increasingly filled with white and Asian students An entirely different realm awaits black and Latino students consisting mostly of new small schools, stripped of both enrichment programs, IEP services and bilingual programs and plagued with teacher turnover.

The new schools have been staffed with discriminatory hiring through privately-run programs. Just as tens of millions in funding by Bill Gates went to school reorganizations, Eli Broad's millions were used to train principals to see teachers as antagonists. In recent years Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein have extended the agenda of privatized education by embracing charter schools, displaying a marked preference for the chain operators. Their favoritism towards the charters has allowed them to invade neighborhood schools and shrink them.

For educational activists the past eight years have meant not only palpable damage but also lost opportunity for positive and progressive change. The Bloomberg monopoly of power has excluded local participation in decision making, eliminating a common entry into politics by Black and Latino New Yorkers. It has also preempted meaningful discussion around educational goals and policy. What should be the goals of a public education? How can schools do more just provide an exit from the poorest communities? How could schools be part of a collective effort to improve neighborhoods and increase democracy?

Bill Thompson has played an important role as city comptroller in exposing Bloomberg-era fraud and mismanagement. His supporters are waging a spirited fight against a billionaire mayor with lopsidedly less resources. It is difficult to offer Thompson unqualified support when he has thrown support to mayoral control and supports much of the underlying corporate agenda for education. The mayoral race this year also attracted Tony Avella (who Thompson defeated) and Billy Palen who is running as the Green Party candidate. Both advocated a more grassroots response to the current mess and it's a shame Thompson didn't adopt some of their policies in his campaign against the mayor.

Despite these differences anything other than energetic rejection of the Bloomberg monopoly is the wrong choice for our union.

We urge all readers to vote against Bloomberg!

Endorse Thomson Resolution Trashed at DA Fearful UFT Leaders Surrender to Bloombergs’s Reich

Special to Ed Notes

By Philip Nobile

Sometimes union loyalty asks too much. Like heeding the advice of UFT leaders at yesterday’s Delegate Assembly NOT to do the right thing by endorsing our ally Bill Thompson in favor of our enemy Mayor Bloomberg and avoiding his payback in contract negotiations.

Stretching for the offensive historical allusion, President Mulgrew, Political Action Director Egan, and Staff Director Barr told us not to join the Resistance because the Fuehrer might get mad. And the delegates, who originally voted enthusiastically to discuss the endorsement resolution, turned around and cheered Barr’s full throated, morally compromised, debate ending cri to postpone a decision. If things change in the next three weeks, he said, we can bring you back. As if.

Mulgrew telegraphed his Thompson position prior to the debate when he said, “I suspend my emotions” (read conscience) and voiced his mantra, repeated ad nauseam by the non-endorsers, about acting “in the best interest of the membership” and “our job is to protect their well being” … without adding “because a sweeter contract is more important than our integrity,” thus killing his shot at a Profile in Courage Award.

Speaking relentlessly against the resolution, Political Non-Action Director Egan earned the Dick Morris Triangulation Award for ticking off realistic political reasons for icing Thompson—the polls are bad, there’s an eight point gap, the best an endorsement can do is move three points, no winning strategy, other unions back Mayor, negotiations would end, why take the risk. Egan went further to ridicule the highroaders—“It’s not the Alamo. There’s nothing virtuous in falling on our sword.” So don’t fight Santa Anna in City Hall. Mulgrew profusely thanked the Triangulater for justifying surrender.

Speaking boldly for the resolution was a delegate who dared to unleash his emotions: We’re dying with bad data, U-ratings, reassignments, Bloomberg regime is brutal to teachers, to students, Thompson has supported us and he’s not Bloomberg who’s making hay on education. And virtuously falling on candor, the delegate conceded that Thompson would probably lose. Camus would love this guy, but not the Vichyites in the room.

In the end, Barr killed with his let’s-wait argument. “If we endorse Thompson,” he said, negotiations end. Now we are players. We have to do what’s best for the members.”

Contract, contract über Alles.

To understand all is not to forgive all.

Philip Nobile is a former staff writer for Esquire, New York, and the Village Voice. He has been reassigned to Brooklyn’s Chapel St. rubber room for the past two years on two trumped up (he says) corporal punishment complaints. Although OSI substantiated the complaints, to date the DOE has failed file charges.

Note: Ed Notes has not endorsed Thompson due to his refusal to rigorously attack Bloomberg's education record but urges people to vote for him to keep the Bloomberg winning percentage as low as possible. Nobile points to UFT political director Paul Egan's point that a UFT endorsement would at most mean around 3% points for Thompson (now we know the value of all the time and money the UFT spends on endorsements). The closer Thompson comes the weaker Bloomberg would be in the future based on a lower perceived mandate which would weaken him politically. We will add our own thoughts on the DA later.

See James Eterno's report at the ICE blog:

Behind Bloomberg Charter Announcement: Trashing His Own Record on Education

If you haven't gotten the message yet that Bloomberg's main mission has been to dismantle the public education school system, yesterday's announcement on charter schools should have made it loud and clear. But we'll leave that issue for later posts on how the DOE tilts in favor of charters every time.

Out focus of interest here is that Bloomberg has been running on his record on education, with all its lies and distortions. Yet in parsing his major initiative on charter schools, he basically trashes his own record.

Note this piece from the Bloomberg press release on the recent Hoxby study on charter schools, which has been criticized for its lack of academic rigor (here and here.)

Stanford University Professor Caroline M. Hoxby recently released a comprehensive study that found that students who were accepted into charters – who are more likely to come from poor families – performed nearly as well on state math and reading tests as students who attended school in the affluent Westchester suburb of Scarsdale. Professor Hoxby’s research found that it is the charter schools themselves – and not the pool of self-selecting students – that makes the difference. Students who gain admission to a charter school via the randomized lottery perform better than students who participate in the same random lottery, but do not get a seat due to oversubscription

In other words, Bloomberg is bragging about a study that shows kids in schools he doesn't manage do significantly better than in schools he has managed for 7 years. And he is running on that record. Brilliant. And the press will let him get away with it. Shameful.

I put up the entire Bloomberg press release for further parsing at Norms Notes.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES HISTORIC EXPANSION OF NYC’S CHARTER SCHOOLS

Note this:

Partner with NYCHA to Provide Facilities and Property For Charter Schools
With severe overcrowding in so many Bloomberg controlled schools, he never sought a partnership with NYCHA to relieve that situation but is promoting this for charters.

Here is the link to the more thoughtful blog which analyzed the Hoxby study
http://morethoughtful.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-is-gold-standard.html

Related:
A nice touch on Bloomberg's record from themail in DC:

DC's mayoral takeover of the public school system is based on the New York City model advocated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg has repeatedly claimed that changes made under his direction have improved education. But the New York Post reported on September 9 (http://tinyurl.com/yjf5qux) that, “City and state scores on SATs spiraled downward for the fourth straight year, according to new data. Since hitting a peak in 2005, the city's average score on each 800-point section of the SAT has dropped by 13 points in reading, to 435, and by 18 points in math, to 459. Scores on the writing section, which was introduced in 2006, have dropped by six points, to 432.”

The excuse for the drop in performance was racially tinged: “City Department of Education officials said the dramatic drop was fueled by the substantial increase in low-performing students taking the test — particularly black and Hispanic students who may not have considered college in the past.” Education officials hail in increase in minority students taking the test, “

But the same data hailed as a positive trend also highlighted an increase in the achievement gap between whites and their black and Hispanic peers since 2005. That gap has stretched by about 20 points in both math and reading — with whites now scoring an average 108 points higher in math and nearly 100 points higher in reading than minorities.”

On Bloomberg's Plane: Randi in Select Company

Randi caught a ride from the Hamptons with Bloomberg, his girlfriend Diana Taylor, and top aid Kevin Sheekey. Think they were talking contract? One proposal is for ATRs who do not get a job to wipe bird gunk off Bloomberg's planes.



The great David B strikes again. Click to enlarge - check book titles.

And see Gary Babad's GBN News Report.

Was it the Bird? Was it the Plane? No, it was Super-Mayor!

The City Hall Press Conference on Parent Power, Round 1

Reposted:

It was a fun afternoon around Chambers Street yesterday. The press conference at City Hall was a highlight. (Photo from Epoch Times.)

I went over to the press conference at City Hall after spending some time at the David Pakter hearing (what a hoot!) across the street and taped most of the speeches. There was lots of disdain on the faces of DOE people and many reporters (CBS' Marcia Kramer was priceless) as the much disparaged State Senators Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada led the parade in calling for more parent power with a large crowd behind them on the steps of City Hall.

But there were also good speeches by very reputable state senators Shirley Huntley, Bill Perkins and Eric Adams. GEM's Brian Jones and PS 123 parent activist Bill Hargreaves also spoke. I'm working on putting up videos of the non-scoundrels. The Epoch Times has a report with a quote from Brian and a counter quote from the UFT:

Brian Jones, who has been a teacher in Harlem for six years, said that the states’ allocation of funding to create and remodel charter schools is an attempt to privatize education. He is a member of the Grassroots Education Movement (GEM), which seeks to “save our schools from privatization,” said a flier.

Ron Davis of the UFT denied the threat of privatization posed by charter schools by saying that charter schools are public schools that have specialized programs.

The full story is here:
Senators and Parents Protest Mayor’s School Control

City Councilman Charles Barron had a different angle, despite the fact his wife, Assembley woman Inez Barron joined the others:

Barron On Amigos' Mayoral Control Battle: 'A Front' And 'A Fraud

Charles Barron talked to Elizabeth Benjamin at The Daily Politics:

"accused the amigos of trying "to undermine black leadership," adding: "We should have left their behinds over there (with the Republicans)."

"I'm down with stopping mayoral control; I'm not down with Espada and Hiram Monserrate and Kruger and Diaz," Barron continued. "They betrayed the cause for them to go over and try to empower Republicans until they got their little personal agenda satisfied."

"This ain't about mayoral control for them; it's not about decontrol, vacancy decontrol. It's not about the people's agenda. He finally got, Espada, a position he should not have had, and Hiram probably cut some deal somewhere, too. This was never about what they're trying to front about now...It was about Hiram's agenda and Espada's agenda...This is a fraud."

See the video and read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/07/barron-on-amigos-mayoral-contr.html#ixzz0MB2ClOPn

Related:
Wayne Barrett in The Voice on a pending deal - Holy Cow - Debbie Meier was the sticking point!

Fiorillo Takes Weingarten to Task

Michael punches holes in Randi's praise THANKING THE MAYOR for bringing “stability, accountability and cohesion” to the school system. Below is side one of the ICE leaflet handed out at the Delegate Assembly on June 24. The other side consisted of the Kaufman/Eterno blog posts on the pension give away in exchange for the 2 Labor Days (see below for links).


As a Chapter Leader and member of the union’s School Governance Task Force, who proposed an alternative governance system and voted against the final report, I must nevertheless comment on President Weingarten’s contemptuous disregard for the committee’s work and the votes in favor of it.

The Task Force, which met and worked diligently for almost a year-and-a half to fashion a report, came into existence because of the law’s sunset provision and widespread teacher dissatisfaction with mayoral control. It NEVER considered a citywide governance structure whereby the mayor would continue to have a majority of votes on the citywide board. In her op-ed piece in the May 21st issue of the New York Post, apparently written in an effort to impress Rupert Murdoch and other enemies of teachers and public education, Weingarten effectively spat in the faces of the members of the committee that worked on the report, the union’s Executive Board and the Delegate Assembly, which approved it, and the membership, which had some meager hopes of seeing their work lives improved by it.

President Weingarten often speaks of how the Delegate Assembly is the highest policy-making body in the union; I guess it is, except when it isn’t.

Incredibly, President Weingarten, in her defense of the indefensible, has been going around speaking and even THANKING THE MAYOR for bringing “stability, accountability and cohesion” to the school system. This not only rubs salt in the wounds, but adds Orwellian phrasing to the discussion:

STABILITY?
- What about the serial reorganizations?
- What about the epidemic of school closings,certain to increase under a continued mayoral dictatorship?
- What about the loss of seniority rights, the ever-expanding pool of ATRs and rubber room victims who are seeing there professional lives destroyed?
- What about communities that are being pitted against each other by having charter schools placed in public school buildings and receiving preferential treatment and funding?

ACCOUNTABILITY?
- What about the “failing” and closed schools, each of which is a black mark against the competence of this regime? It seems only teachers are accountable for that.
- What about the school bus fiasco? The no-bid contracts? The brazen law-breaking over Special Ed? The game playing over test scores? This regime has acted in total disregard for the rights of children, teachers and parents. And President Weingarten has acted unilaterally to insure its continuation.

COHESION?
- Remember Balanced Literacy? Intimidation and micromanagement over blackboards? Revolving Deputy Chancellors for Instruction? The only cohesion has been in their unrelenting attacks on the working conditions and professionalism of teachers.

By unilaterally turning her back in the wishes of the membership and the activist parents who placed their hope and faith in the UFT’s ability to do something about mayoral dictatorship, Randi Weingarten has insured the continuance of school overcrowding, testing mania, privatization, attacks on tenure and seniority, and the viability of public education in New York City and nationally.

President Weingarten, by enabling Bloomberg and the other oligarchs who seek to profit from the destruction of the public schools, you may have insured another two-year contract and better treatment for yourself in the editorial pages and in corporate boardrooms, but you have in the immediate and long term undermined the Union, its members, students, parents and public schools. That is your legacy as president of the UFT.

Michael Fiorillo
Chapter Leader


Related from the ICE blog

BILLION DOLLAR DAYS OFF

FLIP-FLOP: RANDI OPPOSED TIER V ON JUNE 5th & NOW SHE WANTS IT

What Else Did She Give Away?

Manipulating the Masses

Hi Norm,

Why are they advertising for the hiring of teachers at Achievement First Charter School? That's the school that is encroaching on our building and forcing part of the mess we are in, making teachers move their classrooms. There have been other problems with this school in the building, but this is not the place for that.

Today there were folks outside our school trying to get parents to sign individual forms advocating for mayoral control! My principal immediately asked them to move away from the building and then spoke to the parent coordinator. She wanted her to inform the parents NOT to sign this form. We were so busy watching children, saying our goodbyes and packing that I don't know how long they were around and how many parents, if any signed. The nerve of whoever they were. I wonder if this went on at other schools.

Why We Need to Defend Public Education? The Harlem Success Pro-Charter School Rally

This ad produced by Education Notes for the March 28 conference to save public schools at John Jay College in NYC, is a prime example of the manipulation of the community by charter school advocates. The Harlem Success Schools led by Eva Moskowitz has pushed its way into public school spaces with the support of the NYC Department of Education. The push by Bloomberg and Klein to support charter schools is an admission of their failure to solve the problems that exist in public schools.

Hugo Bloomberg....

...Michael Chavez

Based on Elizabeth Benjamin's post on the Daily News Politics blog (Feb. 18, 2009) in a piece titled Bloomberg: No Connection Between Me and Chavez the Economist Democracy - -heh- heh -- in America blog posted this:

ERIN EINHORN of the New York Daily News deserves some sort of award for this question. Last year Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York, got the city council to repeal the law that prevented him from seeking a third term. This week, Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, won a vote (insofar as the polls there can be trusted) allowing him to run for as many terms in office as he likes. Cue Ms Einhorn:

Q: Mayor, it’s hard to compare New York City to Venezuela but as you know, Hugo Chavez did his second effort - this time sucessful - to extend term limits. You chose to go through City Council. Do you have any second thoughts about this? Do you wish you should have had a chance to take to the...

A: I don’t understand your question. What on Earth do we have to do with Hugo Chavez?

Q: Well, like you, he wanted to extend his term.

A: If you wanted to ask Hugo Chavez, call him up! Maybe he’ll take your call. My suspicion is he doesn’t have press conferences and let people ask questions or if they ask questions, he probably throws them, I don’t know what he does with them...Who knows? (Laughs). I still fail to see a connection.


Mr Chavez doesn't throw too many press conferences, but he does host hours-long radio shows and TV shows where citizens can toss questions at him. No one's suggesting that Mr Bloomberg should do that.

More from Benjamin

Mayor Bloomberg did not take kindly today to a question from the DN's Erin Einhorn about whether he wished he had followed Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's lead and allowed a public term limits vote.

As Erin noted, this was Chavez's second attempt to scrap term limits. After Venezuelans voted down a similar proposal in December 2007, Chavez, who was facing ouster from office in 2012, spent considerable government resources on this second - ultimately successful - effort.

Unlike the first proposal, which would have only applied to the president, the one that passed earlier this week applies to all elected officials (sound familiar?).

Here in New York, opponents of extending term limits are still holding out a slim hope that the courts will force a third public referendum on the subject. But so far, the legal challenge hasn't been going so well.

Despite the efforts of Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Kevin Parker, it doesn't appear a bill that would require a public referendum for any term limits change - even the one Bloomberg signed into law last November - will be brought to the floor in either house in Albany.

This isn't the first time the mayor has been unfavorably compared to Chavez. During the City Council's term limits debate, Councilman Charles Barron urged Bloomberg to "be like Hugo, and let the people decide."

Time to Bring Honest Government to NYC

As the Bloomberg administration has been exposed for it's blatant attempts to subvert basic democratic institutions - buying and bribing politicians and charities in exchange for political support and subverting the entire system of public education to benefit private interests, a call has gone out to find an appropriate candidate on the Democratic side to stand firm for more honest government.

After diligent research, Education Notes has come up with a worthy candidate who will soon be available and looks clean as a hound's tooth compared to Bloomberg - soon to be former Illinois governor Rudy Blogojevich.

With his appointment yesterday of a candidate for the US Senate who is about 1000% more qualified than Bloomberg's favorite, Carolyn Kennedy, Rudy B has exhibited a significantly higher degree of judgement (and honesty) than Bloomberg.

Of course, if Rudy B is not available, there's always Bernie Madoff - who better to have raise money in a budget crunch?

But if Bernie's not available, here's my favorite -


Related from Gary Babad at NYC Public School Parents:

Test Scores Crash, Class Size Soars as Klein Rings Closing Bell

GBN News “Best Headline of 2009” Contest

A Tale of Bloomberg, Wolfson, Caroline - and Randi Too

One of Glover's top clients is the United Federation of Teachers, and Wolfson's move to Bloomberg may be a signal that the union's retreat on the term-limits bill in October will be repeated in the mayoral election, with union president Randi Weingarten, who's often railed against Bloomberg education policies, neutralized or even backing Bloomberg.

The Village Voice

Inside Mayor Bloomberg's Hiring of Hillary Clinton Aide Howard Wolfson