Moaning Mona Moaning and Video: Mona Davids 2009 Racist Rant Against Julie Cavanagh and PS 15 Teachers

Moaning Mona is moaning again - this time about Campbell Brown not working with her  and her law firm leaving Mona high and dry. Read the joyful news here:

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/08/law-firm-supporting-new-york-parents-union-quits-parents-blame-bullying-by-campbell-browns-education-reform-group.html#.VAH-iHu_RWY.facebook

NYC Parents Union ‏@NYCParentsUnion

Campbell Brown does not speak for #DAVIDSvNY We are INDEPENDENT, GRASSROOTS PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS who can speak and advocate for OUR children

Moaning Mona won't back down when there's a chance for a payday - she once told me she doesn't swallow - one of her favorite vulgar expressions. That was over my questioning her support for the vicious anti-teacher movie, "Won't Back Down," one of the biggest box-office failures even with a top cast. I assume the producers didn't come across with the green stuff because Moaning Mona stopped talking about the movie.

I always knew that you would see the marks on Mona's head from the 10-foot poles - that Campbell Brown wouldn't touch the toxic, backstabbing Mona - even Brown has one scruple.

So let me take you back to 5 years ago to show you a video I've been saving. Here was a post from the PS 15K group, CAPE:

We had to share this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1R_b4VOnI4 from our friends over at GEM of Mona Davids, president of charter school parents association, and from the Bronx (even though she came to apparently criticize teachers for speaking when they do not live in Red Hook), whose given charge is to go into other people's communities and try to divide parents and teachers.... CAPE, Sept. 2009

I posted on ed notes in July:

• Moaning Mona Vergara Copycat Suit Is Also An Attac...
• Dissecting Moaning Mona Davids

When the teachers of PS 15 in Red Hook showed up weekend after weekend to help the victims of Sandy, many of whom were students at the school, did anyone notice Mona Davids there?... Ed Notes, July 7, 2014

I was reminded of this video when I was in Prospect Park in July attending the 2nd birthday party of Jack Cavanagh, son of Julie and Glenn, along with other teachers from PS 15 whom Mona attacked so viciously in this video from 2009, using her standard race-baiting language.

Julie had invited parents of children in her class and I spoke to one. Julie teaches special needs kids of the highest order. I spoke to one of the parents who just raved about this tenured teacher who has been able to stand up for children, parents and teachers and her school time and again -- because she is tenured. His child has been in Julie's class for the past 3 years, with one more to go. "What happens with middle school," I asked, knowing that leaving Julie must be causing some anxiety. "Whatever she says," he said pointing to Julie. "All the parents trust whatever she says. She has already started looking for the best options for us." There are principals out there who would resent Julie's advocacy and without the tenure protections she would be at risk.

Note in the video how Moaning Mona makes the bogus claim that she represents the parents and ALL charter school parents through her now defunct organization. And then she attacks the teachers as being carpetbaggers even though she herself floated down to Red Hook Brooklyn from Co-op City in the Bronx. It wasn't long after that Moaning Mona Davids found herself in a battle with the people running the charter school her daughter attended and changed her tune - for a while.

So next time you run into Moaning Mona, hopefully not with your vehicle, ask her why she wants to get Julie fired for her advocacy for her kids?

Here is the full Sept. 2009 post on the CAPE blog, less than 2 months after first meeting Julie. It was our support for her and her school's battle that began to cement our personal and organizational relationship - something that groups active in the UFT should never forget.

Concerned Advocates for Public Education

Monday, September 21, 2009

We had to share this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1R_b4VOnI4 from our friends over at GEM of Mona Davids, president of charter school parents association, and from the Bronx (even though she came to apparently criticize teachers for speaking when they do not live in Red Hook), whose given charge is to go into other people's communities and try to divide parents and teachers... won't work here. Just about everything she said was erroneous or divisive. We can yell too... the difference is we have facts on our side and we are a untied front. Why would anyone try to silence teacher voices, who would know better the negative impact on OUR children (that's right our children- parents' children, teachers' children) during the school day than them? Wouldn't it be disturbing if teachers weren't united with parents and speaking up? If you want a blow by blow account, see the Gotham Schools comments below in the article about our struggle: http://gothamschools.org/2009/09/18/red-hook-charter-paves-way-out-of-ps-15-but-cant-say-when/

Click on our GEM and EdNotes links for more information and video... Thanks and a big shout out to NORM!!!!

Posted by Concerned Advocates at 8:07 PM

NYC Parents Union Plaintiffs' Use Their Own Kids for Naked Self-Interest

Did Mona serve the best interests of her own daughter by keeping her in a lousy charter school so she could further her political aims? When Moaning Mona and Sam use their kids for their own political advantage and put them in the public eye in this way can that be termed child abuse? Doing worse to your own kids than any tenured bad teacher could do.

Why isn't the press looking at the real story behind Mona Davids and her antics? So many long-time ed reporters either roll their eyes or break into outright laughter when Mona Davids' name comes up. All know she is just a PR hound.

What can one say when people like Mona Davids and Sam Pirozzollo use their own kids for blatant political purposes? I focus on these two (and not the other parents who I consider being duped by Mona) because these two know better. But I also consider Sam Mona's dupe - or just a dope.

But especially Mona, who I once knew well - she understands that Bloomberg put in numerous bully principals who run rampant over the rights of parents, students and teachers -- yet she is suing to give more power to these principals so they can fire any teacher they don't like and then run over parents even more.

That is what makes this suit worse than Campbell Brown and Vergara - it is people who know how the NYC system works and are cynically trying to use this suit for personal gain -- the idea is trying to draw funding.

One must ask why they were so willing to put their children in the eye of the storm given there is so little to gain for their kids? We know that Mona's daughter was accepted to Brooklyn Tech (but chose not to go there) so charges that she was negatively affected by tenured teachers is irrelevant. Mona's son is too young for him to have been impacted. I don't know about Sam's kids but I would imagine if their test scores were made public we might find that the impact of their (probably mostly tenured) teachers would not be negative.

This is not the first time Mona has used her own children to promote her interests. She had her daughter in a charter school that she told us was pretty bad but didn't want to pull her out because that would negate her claims to be leading charter school parents. Did Mona serve the best interests of her own daughter by keeping her in a lousy charter school so she could further her political aims?

When her daughter went to a public high school (loaded with tenured teachers) she had to switch from calling herself a charter school parent org and created the faux NYC Parents Union. Ask Mona to call her "people" out and see how many actually show. That is why she issues press releases since few people will touch her even with a 10 foot pole (you can see the mark on her forehead from all those poles. )


But the press loves to use Mona for their political purposes even though reporters know all about her games. Al Baker at The Times seemed to get it in his story but people like Ben Chapman at The News salivates whenever he can use Mona. As he did over the Portelos tweets.

The Daily News and NY Post jumped on Francesco Portelos tweets trying to make a point about the so-called parents union's kids. We know that when you survive years of harassment trying to protect yourself, and the kids and teachers in your school you can get emotional when people like Moaning Mona Davids and Sam Pirozzolo are advocating for your being fired before you ever got to defend yourself. So it is understandable that survivors like Portelos will strike out.

RBE at Perdido defends him: How Is This Tweet Harassment?

Once you put your children into the public sphere in this manner they will have to be examined in public to see just how "damaged" they have been by their tenured teachers. To me, given that they full well know their own kids are successful in school, that verges on child abuse.

I don't place blame on the parents, other than Sam,  Mona is using in her suit -- they will learn in due time what it means to lie down with a snake like Mona.

When Moaning Mona and Sam use their kids for their own political advantage and put them in the public eye in this way can that be termed child abuse?

Here are some of Portelos' tweets from yesterday.

Francesco Portelos 2 hours ago

"Izaiyah, Ms. Oke said, has been acting out in school, throwing tantrums and harming himself and other students. He was recently given a diagnosis of a mood disorder."
Unfortunate story, but child is now a plaintiff in the teacher tenure lawsuit. Teacher's fault? Mother Escapes Abuse, Only to End Up in Shelters With Her Weary Son http://ow.ly/yQeCM

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Francesco Portelos 9 hours ago

Did Franklin have a sub par education at PS 69 Sam? Was Ms. Silva an incompetent teacher that should be fired?
In Our Schools: PS 69 students write their hero, Army Spc. James Lee, wounded in Afghanistanhttp://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/post_772.html

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Francesco Portelos 10 hours ago

Hey Sam, I'm an ATR and I teach. I taught over 1,000 Staten Island students in 6 different schools since May. Ask the administration and staff at PS 4, PS 6, PS 35, PS 38, PS 54 and IS 24 how I "didn't" teach. Yes, I don't have to do lesson plans, but you can't paint everyone with one wide brush. Drop the lawsuit. I know you want to use this for another run in politics, but you are going about it wrong and using your kids as pawns.

Are there people who shouldn't be teaching? Yes and they should go. Tenure is not a job for life, but allows for due process. I spoke up in December 2011 and January 2012 and was attacked by Principal Linda Hill of IS 49 and former Superintendent Erminia Claudio. Hill made $40,000 in overtime, including days she was sick and while working a second program. Claudio's signature was missing from from every single document.

They spent 826 days and over $600,000 to try and fire me. I came to you at the CEC several times and sent over 50 emails to you. Safety issues...ignored...theft of services..ignored.

Today is 892 days that the investigation on IS 49 and double dipping is open. Must be those lousy and lazy teachers.

Ignored Misconduct http://protectportelos.org/all-down-hill/

I wonder what your kid's past and present teachers are thinking, If you are reading this teachers, please email me at mrportelos@gmail.com

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Francesco Portelos 10 hours ago

It's sickening that it is mostly Staten Island parents behind this frivolous law suit.

Fellow parents, you NEED us teachers to be protected. See what happened to me after I spoke up for your children and your tax dollars. http://protectportelos.org/a-case-for-tenure/

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Francesco Portelos 10 hours ago

You have to love the fact that three of the plaintiff's mother called her children's teachers "wonderful" two years ago and is now suing. Angela Peralta, who I am sure is a great mother, just pushed her daughters onto the front line of the wrong battle.

PolarExpressions 1 day ago

Wow. After reading that website, I fear for my child's teachers even more. I WILL consider joining the PTA, though. My son & his school deserve my collaboration, not my litigation.

SI Supt to Kathleen Grimm: Sam (Pirozzolo) is a Fool

.... and this was before Pirozzolo hooked up with Moaning Mona Davids in their rediculous copycat Vergara tenure law suit.

A Jan. 2013 email between District 31 (Staten Island) Supt. and Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, over Francesco Portelos' appearance at a Dist. 31 CEC meeting shows just how high up concerns over his actions had reached and explains the willingness of Tweed to spend upwards of half a million bucks to get rid of him. A joyous sidelight of the email is the Supt. referring to CEC member Pirozzolo as a "fool."

How nice to see Grimm, the Grim Reaper of Closing Schools, continuing to enjoy her status after being kept on by Farina as Deputy Chancellor -- sort of like promoting Nazi prison guards after the war.

Moaning Mona Davids and Ally Sam Pirozzolo Want Francesco Portelos Fired?

I'm not surprised that CEC 31 (Staten Island) Sam Pirozzolo is in on this as he ignored years of pleas to help students of troubled schools. No doubt he will use this to make another run for office. http://samforassembly.com.... Francesco Portelos

Mona and Sam Pirozzolo should be sued for child neglect-- Ed Notes  

Updated:
How ironic. Moaning Mona henchman Sam Pirozzolo has joined her in the Vergara copycat suit here in New York City. Did Sam (or Mona) every think of bringing a law suit over the half million dollars the DOE wasted in trying to fire Francesco Portelos? Did they consider suing over the destruction of the technology and robotics program at IS 49, possibly the poorest school (poorest run by Principal Linda Hill) on Staten Island? And have you heard one peep from them over this outrage? 77% Of The Race To The Top Award Money In NYC Went To Pay For Consultants, Central Office Work, And Support Staff

Sam Pirozzolo is making blatant use of his own kids (as is Mona) who I assume attend schools in Staten Island and apparently have received an awful education because of their tenured teachers. Did Sam speak up at CEC meetings and talk about that lousy education at what were apparently lousy Staten Island schools, probably with the highest numbers of tenured teachers of any borough in the city? Gee, I hope Sam's kids can read after suffering all those tenured teachers.

Hey, Sam, show you are a good parent -- there are those charter school options, where there are NO tenured teachers (have fun). If Sam were a responsible parent he would remove his kids immediately from having contact with those horrible tenured teachers. He should be sued for child abuse - by his own kids.

Sam – YOU ARE ON THE CEC, which is supposed to support students and parents. I know, I know Sam, you've got more ambitious things to do than REALLY helping kids and parents at schools like IS 49 (while you ignored Portelos' pleas for help).

Ahhh, I remember Mona putting her daughter in a charter school to get out of the clutches of those public school teachers with tenure and then complaining about how poorly the charter school was run. Then she bragged how her daughter had been accepted to Brooklyn Tech, a school just loaded with tenured teachers. She ended up sending her to Laguardia HS, also loaded with tenured teachers.

Moaning Mona was perfectly happy to put her child in the specialized schools despite their tenured teachers. She could always try Success or KIPP where she wouldn't have that problem. After all, she is now suing over the "lousy education" her daughter has received - in I guess both the charter school with no tenured teachers and at the public school with tenured teachers.

I just can't wait to see Sam and Mona respond to these questions when the case gets to court. If it ever gets to court -- as I pointed out in my previous pieces, I see this as a trolling suit to get some PR and pray the big money boys come across with some bucks.

And where is the press asking these very questions? (Hear me Chalkbeat?)

Previous Ed Notes posts on Moaning Mona Davids:

• Moaning Mona Vergara Copycat Suit Is Also An Attac...
• Dissecting Moaning Mona Davids

Moaning Mona Vergara Copycat Suit Is Also An Attack on Parents and Students Facing Bully Principals

Parent activists are rightfully outraged at Mona Davids' claims that  "the NYCPU, is the leading independent voice of New York City public school students and their parents."

In fact the very idea of an attack on tenure is an attack on parents and students as much, if not more, than on teachers.

Bully, abusive principals, of which there are many, not only abuse teachers but parents and students too. It is often the teachers protected by tenure who build alliances with parents in their schools who are savaged by these principals.

These Principals hunger for the attack on tenure to be successful so they can shut down all voices of dissent in the schools. Think of people like the teachers who could stand up against the assault on PS 15 by Bloomberg and the charter lobby, an assault Mona Davids in one of her earliest incarnations, gleefully joined in. Or James Eterno's brave defense of the doomed Jamaica HS. Or teachers like Francesco Portelos whose tenure protected him against 2 years of attack, until he ultimately prevailed after the DOE spent almost half a million dollars trying to terminate him and failed. Or the teacher in Queens under assault by a psychotic principal who was causing harm to students through financial and other irregularities who worked with parents to organize the resistance until the principal resigned. That teacher would have been gone in an instant if suits like these prevail.

Mona Davids' claims to be defending students and parents are blatant lies and distortions and should be exposed as such.

And let us not forget that Mona Davids eagerly participated (and was of invaluable assistance) in the making of the film, The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman, one of the strongest defenses of tenure - going way beyond anything the UFT has done.

Just another flip-flop on her part in the pursuit of self-interest.

 See: Dissecting Moaning Mona Davids

Dissecting Moaning Mona Davids

Moaning Mona Davids has switched sides more times than a tennis ball.... and burned more bridges than the retreating German army..... Ed Notes

Local 372 President Santos Crespo Jr. fired [Mona] Davids in December, then sued her in January, claiming she failed to turn over passwords to databases containing confidential information about the union’s members and its contacts.... NY Post, Feb. 10, 2014

Just 3 years ago Mona Davids supported and took part in a film that took a strong pro-tenure stand for teachers. She even paid for and set up the web site for that film but destroyed the site when she decided to switch sides (once again) in an attempt to cover her tracks.... Ed Notes

Mona Davids is a virus... Anonymous teacher

The news that self-serving Moaning Mona Davids, hoping  to get a piece of the hedge fund ed deform anti-tenure action, has filed a Vergara copycat suit over teacher tenure, has spurred me to dredge up this blog post that's been lurking in draft mode for many months. I hadn't bothered  because the idea that anyone actually takes Moaning Mona Davids seriously causes me constant amusement as to just how naive so many people are. Her press release regarding the suit is laugh out loud reading.

I'd like to see if this law suit has any real financial backing. Mona may just be trolling, knowing full well there will be a well-financed suit coming. Her hope is to get her pitiful attempt combined with others. If you had a choice between Moaning Mona Davids and Crappy Campbell Brown, both desperate to use the teacher bashing issue in an attempt to remain relevant, who would you choose? Hmmmmm.  Let's see if there are any ed deform funders out there will to take a chance on venturing forth into a Moaning Mona minefield loaded with IEDs. Today's NY Times piece indicates that this is a trolling law suit looking for publicity.

Education reform groups, some of them supported by Wall Street philanthropists, are expected to support a wave of Vergara-inspired suits. Ms. Davids contended that her suit was different because it was not being bankrolled by outside interests.

However, Ms. Davids said she expected that if multiple cases were to be filed, they would eventually be lumped together by the courts.

Sure, not bankrolled by outside interests because they are too smart to get involved in Moaning Mona's shenanigans. Her main hope is to have hers combined with the heavy hitters and pick up a few crumbs on the way.

About a year ago I also laughed myself silly when I heard DC 37 Local 372 had stepped in it by hiring Mona Davids, who we nicknamed "Moaning Mona" after she made anti-teacher racially tinged comments at various meetings in 2009 - before seemingly switching sides. But more on all that in future posts.

Self-serving Moaning Mona Davids as Local 372 Political Director -- to help stop Anthony Weiner's mayoralty campaign? Really, Comedy Central material.

I was tempted to post some of my Mona files at the time, but, knowing there would be some delicious stuff to come - that Mona would find a way to alienate everyone, I decided to sit back and watch things play out. And so they did. I don't want to call Local 372 leader Santos Crespo dumb for even letting Mona anywhere near the union's confidential information. But.... anyone who shares a password with Moaning Mona should be examined by a doctor.

“Davids exhibited an attitude of spite, anger and refusal to follow directions,” Crespo said in a court affidavit. In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Crespo also suggested Davids engaged in “commercial piracy” by refusing to hand over passwords linking to the union’s proprietary databases.... NY Post

I'm shocked, just shocked that the always self-serving Moaning Mona Davids would engage in such activities. Concerns about parents and children are in the back of her plate. In fact, not even on the plate.

The entire NY Post article below the break.

Oh, if anyone has time on their hands, go check the financials of the NYC Parents Union --

And a blast from the past featuring Moaning Mona:

...https://groups.yahoo.com/group/nyceducationnews/message/17324 Oct 23, 2009 -

I'm posting a letter from a teacher at the Patrick Daly School (PS 15) in Red Hook, Brooklyn to "Moaning" Mona Davids, self-proclaimed ...

Supporters of Parent Trigger Film "Won't Back Down" Come Under Attack

Over the years, the teachers’ unions have indeed guarded tenure protections and last-in-first-out layoff practices to a zealous degree that could at times seem indifferent to the welfare of schoolchildren. “We bear a lot of responsibility for this,” Weingarten told me in a phone interview on Friday. “We were focused — as unions are — on fairness and not as much on quality.”  -- Frank Bruni on "Won't Back Down" in NY Times

There she goes again. Randi straddling the line instead of using an opportunity to educate the press and the public about what is really going on.

Given my history of frustration with the union and my own maverick tendencies, the idea of teachers and parents voting to overturn the bureaucracy is appealing. In fact, in the late 90s I went to Randi Weingarten and proposed the UFT set up a charter school support system for teachers to work with parents to take over NYC schools one school at a time saying, "The people running the schools are just awful and we will never make progress until we have some control of the system." She responded, "You're probably right, but how can we trust....." and she stopped there. I know she was thinking, "How can we trust just any teachers?"

I had been so frustrated at the joint union and district oppression in my district and if there were a genuine trigger movement I might have gone that way too. I want to stress right here that the film does show a teacher fighting back and I will see the film before saying it out and out sucks.

But we always have to put films like "Won't Back Down" in context. Who is backing it? The same "Waiting for Superman" gang. The parent trigger concept in the hands of the people pushing it is extremely dangerous. And of course the union is evil in the film. But then again how often to I feel that way from the other side of the fence about our own union after fighting the Unity machine for over 40 years?

I will give the film credit for waking up some of our colleagues to the dangers while our union leadership seems to be asleep at the wheel. Or worse, collaborating on the other side, but not collaborating enough according to DFER and right wingers. Which makes my point -- why collaborate at all and not go all out?

The Frank Bruni article in today's New York Time about "Won't Back Down" made some interesting points about  unions and how they are vilified for not being willing to give when in fact Randi has been the gift that keeps giving. My response to Bruni would be how tenure protects kids and how the alternative is so much worse --- why doesn't he touch on the states where there is no tenure or effective union? Why doesn't Randi hammer this home in every interview and every tweet? Because you know my feelings: she is a neo-liberal lawyer with serious ed deform tendencies, not a teacher.

Here is a comment on the Bruni piece from Leonie Haimson:

As usual, treats this as solely a battle between union and “reformers”, and interviews Micah Lasher and Joe Williams. Dreadful piece. Micah Lasher claims “Democratic executives say “‘I’ve devoted all the resources I can, why can’t I get better results with the resources I have?’” With the largest class sizes in 13 years? Go leave a comment and tweet him at @frankbruni; he also has a Facebook page. He writes: I invite you to visit my blog, follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/frankbruni and join me on Facebook. Please DO!
Teachers on the Defensive - NYTimes.com - http://goo.gl/LNo7l

Diane Ravitch on the Bruni column. Here's an excerpt:

I am not going to write anything substantive about the movie celebrating the so-called "parent trigger" until I have seen it.

But the stories about it continue to miss the point about  why parents and teachers think it is a corporate-conceived and corporate-driven idea, for the benefit of corporate charter chains. Why not mention the Florida parents' fight to stop this so-called "parent empowerment"? If it really empowered parents, why did parents oppose it?

Here is the latest example. Frank Bruni, usually a thoughtful writer, has an article in today's New York Times. He sees the movie as part of the ongoing (and at least partially justified) critique of teachers unions. He never mentions that the two states that enthusiastically endorsed parent trigger laws (after California did it first, during the Schwarzenegger years), are right-to-work states, Texas and Mississippi. Nor did he mention the role of the rightwing group ALEC in promoting the trigger idea as a way to hasten the privatization of public education.

Diane links to another critique by Larry Ferlazzo, a prolific blogger and Sacramento teacher, calls Williams on his line about finding and rewarding the best teachers.

More from Diane: A Parent’s Letter to Frank Bruni of the New York Times
--------

Save Our Schools Takes a Stand

Here is the 6 page document they produced regarding the film and the Teachers Rock concert. You can download it here.

Press Release Teachers Rock Documents

--------

Mona Davids jumps on the movie bandwagon

In this war we are in those who try to straddle the line don't make friends on either side. See one Randi Weingarten. Thus, some activists in NYC were disappointed to learn that Mona Davids of the NYC Parents Union has jumped on the bandwagon with her support of the film. The press release from Parents Unions in 4 states used the ed deform buzz words (adults and children to define which side you are on:

 putting aside politics and adult self-interests by putting children first

Words that could come right from the pages of Joel Klein and Michelle Rhee.

Tne NYC Parent Union press release with links to the movie FB and Twitter feeds. (Note the WBD FB page is censoring comments.)

Now, Mona has been an ally over the past few years and had a role in our film criticizing charters despite her being a charter supporter. I can't even tell you how much help she was and she has taken flack for her support of the film.

She had gotten off to a pretty bad start when I first met her in the summer and fall of 2009 when she supported Joel Klein and then showed up from her Bronx home at a hearing at PS 15 over PAVE charter school in Red Hook Brooklyn to charge the teachers at the school with being interlopers from outside the neighborhood. I dubbed her "Moaning Mona." Some of the videos I shot were pretty funny.

But Mona began reaching out early in 2010 and over the years everyone made nice despite differences and I began to refer to her as "Magnificent Mona." And she has been a stalwart lining up with anti-corporate ed deformers on many issues, including helping lead the assault on the Cathie Black chancellor case.

Now I should point out that Mona has been pushing her own version of a parent trigger law here in NY State, which has caused some people to take issue with. But as I say, in the overall context of her work, many of us didn't get our underwear in a knot over it.

But her signing onto the film did bother me and some others. I feel that by supporting this film at this time of a general assault on unions and public education by the right, Mona's support for the film puts her in the public perception on the wrong side of the line. Here is a comment from someone associated with the national Save Our Schools Movement -- a person who doesn't know Mona or her work:

We MUST do all we can to fight this. Note the name of the group, "Parent's Union." Someone said at at our meeting that the right wing is taking over our terminology, so no one knows who is on what side.

Mona's hard work being branded by someone in SOS as a right wing front group which is not true. Another parent wrote:

Has she suddenly flipped sides? She quite publicly tweeted her thanks to Campbell Brown as well.

That is the danger Mona faces in linking the NYC Parents Union with a film being pushed by the right wing, DFER and all the other ed deformers. Emails have been flying around about this behind the scenes and there is a renewed wariness about Mona and her motives. I'll wait and see and give her the benefit of the doubt, for now. It might be fun to see her at the premiere of the film on Sept. 28 if we manage to hold some protest rally over the message of the film.

Mona and I had a bit of a testy interchange yesterday over her support for the film after I asked her if "Moaning Mona" was returning. She said she wanted people to see the film and make up their own minds. Hey, Diane Ravitch is also saying she won't comment on the film until she sees it. But I pointed out this point from her press release:

The “Won’t Back Down” movie displays a beautiful partnership between parents, teachers and the community to improve a low performing school.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

FAQ re the movie “Won’t Back Down” and the Parent Trigger 

 

Oh, the Irony: Deny Black Waiver Post Dec. 23 hearing comments of parents and lawyers

At the end of the hearing on Dec. 23 I did short interviews with some of the participants. Below is about 4 minutes of irony given the outcome.

The full video coverage - see for yourself what went on in front of the judge and decide if he made a good legal decision or was it politically tainted. Read the judge's decision:
SupremeCourtDecisionOnWaiver_101230.pdf

Part of a series of videos.
28 minute Norman Siegel presentation: http://vimeo.com/18152230
State Attorney General and City Corp Council defense of Black - so you can see just how lame it is. http://vimeo.com/18154003
Roger Wareham presentation: http://vimeo.com/18162396
Eric Snyder presentation: http://vimeo.com/18169037
Rebuttals from all sides: http://vimeo.com/18169854
 
Post-hearing reactions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX2YGKw4DOI

Parental Choice: Mona Davids Responds to Michael Benjamin

"I am tired of hearing folks say parental choice but not telling parents that you give up your parental and civil rights and your mouth is duct taped when you enter most charters by the folks like Walton who hijacked it."   - Mona Davids, President NY Charter Parents Association

While many of us consider Mona Davids a strong ally in the struggle against the ed deformers she deserted less than a year ago, many of us oppose the political use of "parent choice" in the push for charters because we understand the end game is the takedown of the public school system with the result that there will ultimately be no choice - sort of like the "choice" you have between Republicans and Democrats. One day we wil convince Mona that we can fight for real choice and variety of programs within the public schools as Lisa Donlan has often pointed out she helped put into effect on the old District 1 (lower east side) school board.

But here, her nuanced response to outgoing State Assemblyman Michael Benjamin, who hopes to fuel his career with charter school supporterd funding, is worth noting. Benjamin's performance at the Bill Perkins charter school hearings last March was fairly obnoxious, especially when he questionned Mulgrew who stood up to him fairly well. I have some tape of that which if I ever get time I will dig out.

Dear Ms. Davids -

I'm on the Host Committee for BAEO's Symposium 2011. I am helping to raise $50K so we can have the best possible Parental Choice Symposium in the NY/NJ Metro area. The symposium will be held March 3-5, 2011 in Jersey City, NJ. (See details below.) A number of charter schools from the 79 AD have been invited to participate. I hope you will assist me in making sure NY parents learn about education reform and how it enhances parental choice. Please consider responding to the appeal below and support BAEO's 2011 Symposium.

Michael Benjamin
Member of Assembly (thru 12/31)

Mona replies

Huh?? I think Mr. Benjamin must have forgotten when he refused to let me speak on his panel at his charter education workshop last February. Heard it was a blast with CPE unexpectedly rocking up for that workshop.

Never heard of this org but see they received Walton funding.

So, they just target black families for charters. Hmmm.

Since I'm persona non grata in charterland for not knowing my place, having the audacity to expect accountability and transparency, parent rights, independent pa/pta's, student rights, qualified and certified teachers, compliance with iep's and IDEA etc.---- all those things black parents should not expect, this may be of interest to others...

I'm all for school choice, I help parents who want to go to charters and those being pushed out but want to stay anyway. I don't want anyone telling me where I can or cannot send my child.

However, I am tired of hearing folks say parental choice but not telling parents that you give up your parental and civil rights and your mouth is duct taped when you enter most charters by the folks like Walton who hijacked it.

Like working for Walmart, you have no rights once you accept the job...guess it's better to start training those black children now while in school so that by the time they're adults, they'll know their place and be great Walmart workers.

Hey BAEO, what about doing a workshop on sped rights or parent rights in charters? Even better, a workshop on charter law and parental rights in a non-profit education corporation.

It's time for parents to make educated choices on education, be transparent and explain what a non-profit education corporation is.

Best,
Mona Davids

Afterburn
Read Larry Cuban at Valerie Staruss' The Answer Sheet

By Larry Cuban
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and top policymakers have promoted and funded small urban high schools for nearly a decade. Then Bill Gates said in his 2009 Annual Letter that while these small urban high schools had accomplished much for students they had largely failed to improve academic achievement. No more big bucks for this initiative. No other foundation executives or federal/state officials, all of whom had tripped over themselves in hailing small urban high schools, said "Oops!"
Ditto for charter schools. Policy elites across both political parties for the past decade have promoted charter schools to offer urban parents and their children choices they would not have in district regular schools. A 15-state study concluded that, indeed, 17 percent of charters offered “superior educational opportunities for their students.” Nearly half of the charters, however, differed little from regular public school “options,” and here is the kicker: 37 percent of the charters “deliver learning results that are significantly worse than their students would have realized had they remained in traditional public schools.”
Continue reading this post »

OPEN EMAIL: Violation of General Municipal Law & Open Meetings Law by NYC DOE Authorized Charter Schools [2nd Request]

Charter school parent Magnificent Mona Davids has been on the case. Today the Daily News reported that Evil Moskowitz wrote her uncle Joel a letter telling him to order the public schools to allow taping of meetings (which I agree with) so that her expensive video crews (using money taken from the mouths of public school kids) can chronicle events for possibly another bullshit Waiting for Superman type film. Mona wrote Uncle Joel a letter asking him to make sure we can tape charter school meetings (oh, what fun). It was her second letter after the first one 3 weeks ago went unanswered. Sorry, Mona, Joel is just not your uncle. Mona commented:

In today's Daily News (see below), there is an article that reports you sent out a notice to all Community Education Councils at Eva Moskowitz's request informing them that their meetings are subject to Open Meetings Law and can be videotaped and recorded.  I would like to know why you have complied with Ms. Moskowitz's request but have not complied with my request for the same notification but to charter leaders and their boards.  I would hate to think that Ms. Moskowitz's request is more important than my request.  It makes me feel like a second class citizen.  Is a charter school leader more important than a charter parent?

Check Norms Notes for Mona's letter: 

OPEN EMAIL: Violation of General Municipal Law & Open Meetings Law by NYC DOE Authorized Charter Schools [2nd Request]

So the DOE finally did respond this morning - nothing like a little bit of embarrassing bad pub to get them off their asses:

Dear Ms. Davids,

We have received your email communication and we are working on crafting communication to our charters regarding requirements for Open Meeting Laws.

Aaron Listhaus
Chief Academic Officer | Charter Schools Office
NYC Department of Education| Room 413
Phone: 212.374.6883 | Fax: 212.374.5581 

 Mona tossed this back:

Charters are touted for their accountability. Where's the accountability in ensuring they follow the law?

It's beginning to seem like charters are above the law with their enablers being the authorizers who are supposed oversee them. Fiscal mismanagement - that's okay; corruption - that's okay; violating your charter - that's okay; violating Ed Law - that's okay; violating IDEA - that's okay; not serving Special Needs and ELL's - that's okay; violating Title 1 - that's okay; violating the charter schools act - that's okay; violating charter parents' civil rights - that's okay; abusing children - that's okay; nepotism - that's okay; ultimately destroying communities - that's okay...

It's not just DoE authorized charters violating the law but also Regents and SUNY CSI authorized charters as well. Charters funded with public money but privately managed are apparently above the law and not accountable to the public.

This is very wrong and not what charters were originally envisioned to become.

PS 15 Teacher Calls on "Moaning" Mona Davids, Self-Proclaimed President of the NY Charter Parents Association, to Apologize for Race Baiting Remarks

I'm posting a letter from a teacher at the Patrick Daly School (PS 15) in Red Hook, Brooklyn to "Moaning" Mona Davids, self-proclaimed president of the NY Charter Parents Association over the outrageous comments she made at Gotham Schools blog where she tried to pull the divisive race card. (These "Parent Associations" are often funded by the same philanthropists backing the privatization movement. See the work of the Perimeter Primate cited at the end of this posting.)

It is worth checking out all the comments on the Sept. 18 posting at Gotham.

Davids apparently created an organization, got an office on Water St. in Brooklyn, and made herself president. Nice work if you can get it.

On Sept. 17, Davids came down from her perch in Co-op City in the Bronx to make an appearance at the Dist. CEC 15 meeting in Red Hook Brooklyn to castigate the teachers for coming into Red Hook from outside the neighborhood. You can't make this stuff up, but I have the video of Moaning Mona's speech on you tube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1R_b4VOnI4.


Long-time PS 15 teacher calls for Davids to apologize for her remarks:

Ms. Davids:

I am a teacher at The Patrick F. Daly School in Red Hook, Brooklyn. I am writing in response to the comments Ms.Davids made at the CEC meeting which was held at PS 15 on September 17th, and also to the comments she wrote on the blog at Gotham Schools (Here is an excerpt from that blog entry):

“Every teacher that spoke last night was white, did not live in the community and at the end of the night got into their cars and left… The PS15 teachers who all got into their cars last night and drove out of the community are the ones who need to get out of PS15.”


Ms. Davids…How dare you say that I am not a part of the Red Hook Community. I have supported the children of the Red Hook Community for over 15 years.

I have worked with the Red Hook Community to teach its children both academically and morally. I have joyfully given my time and energy to guide my students to reach their personal potential and goals. I have collaborated with parents to help each child perform to their best and mature in an ethical manner. I have made myself available to my students and their families in order to work together to this end. My students have grown and I have delighted in their progress.

I have grieved with the Red Hook Community when a student in my class was killed in a snowplow incident over a weekend. I have counseled my students and helped them cope with the death of a classmate. I have taught my students to focus on the positive aspects of a person when their life is ended and to celebrate their life, while also experiencing the sadness of their death.

I have celebrated with the Red Hook Community at many functions. I have shared food with them at our annual Thanksgiving dinner. I have laughed with them at the after school's annual Halloween festival. I have been entertained with them at the multitude of performances both by our band and chorus, and by our after school program. I have attended softball games of my students in the Red Hook ball fields. I have used the facilities of the Red Hook library and I frequent various Red Hook establishments. And…..I travel by the Red Hook Buses … not by a car.

I have been on network television on The Oprah Winfrey Show with the Red Hook Community. Due to the efforts of my class, every student in our school received a generous gift certificate and hundreds of students and family members were treated to a Knicks game. I attended that game also, with other members of the Red Hook Community and…I took the subway…not a car.

You focused on “color” in your remarks, Ms.Davids. What color am I? I am a multitude of colors Ms.Davids. My life has been touched by every person I have encountered in this lifetime Ms. Davids. I am a kaleidoscope of colors and mirrors, reflecting the connections I have created by my ability to see people AS people….NOT as a statistic….and most definitely, Ms.Davids….MOST DEFINITELY…..NOT as a “color”.

By the way, Ms.Davids…I am the person who approached you after the CEC meeting and told you how your comments affected me. You did not offer an apology then Ms. Davids. I am requesting one now. I am requesting an apology from you for ALL of the teachers and staff who give so much to the Red Hook Community on a daily basis. You chastised us for defending our school We must be praised for defending our school, for in defending our school, we are standing up for our students. What better tribute to their students can teachers give?

Ms. L.Pantuliano Teacher-The Patrick F. Daly School, PS15 Brooklyn


Related
Michael Fiorillo commented at Gotham Schools about Davids:

...a quick bit of research shows that she is the head of Azania Holdings, which is describes itself as involved in "business development," "strategic investment," "marketing" and "branding." Which is exactly what the push for charters is all about. Azania Holding focuses on South Africa, which has endured the widespread privatization of public resources that is one of the hallmarks of neo-liberalism. Some people recognize a great business opportunity when they it, I
guess, and are investing accordingly.

CAPE also commented on Davids' business connections to the Bloomberg administration:

This Bronx parent advocate has way deeper ties to the Bloomberg Administration and the business world than her role as President of Charter School Parents Association, or she, reveals. We love how this article states that she just decided to start this group up, and mentions nothing about the money and support behind her, let alone her business dealings. It reminds us of the new trend in politics; astroturf movements as opposed to true grassroots movements. Here is a woman, who came from the Bronx into Red Hook to scream at a crowd of concerned educators and parents and tried to divide them with racial undertones and vicious attacks on teachers. This same woman runs a company that is the only bridge to new development in South Africa and NYC, which the Bloomberg Administration is seeking investment with. Let us be clear, the goals of business investment and commerce between the United States, specifically NYC, and African nations is a good one; what is questionable is the ties and connections and the 'back-scratching' nature of it all; not to mention the fact that Mona presents herself as a neighborhood parent advocate, which apparently according to her, white people and teachers can't be, when really she is a very savvy, very organized, very funded, and very connected business woman. This is certainly does not negate her role as an active parent, we just ask for truth and transparency. When one hides or misrepresents who they are or what their interests are, it makes you wonder... http://www.nypost.com/p/news/regional/charter_ex_foe_convert_YZQHtDqzj6elkmTclMxefM

Sharon Higgins at the Perimeter Primate wrote about the "creation" of charter school parent organizations. Here is an excerpt:

Maria Guadalupe Mena of Garfield High School "Community members stated they were offered monetary compensation [by Green Dot] in exchange for their signature on a petition."


The Parent Revolution group Ms. Mena refers to is also known as the Los Angeles Parents Union, and is a descendant of a Green Dot “project” called the Small Schools Alliance.

The 2007 Form 990 for the Broad Foundation shows that it gave $75,000 to
the Small Schools Alliance, “To match SEIU funds to support the launch of the Los Angeles Parents Union.” Broad also gave $75,000 directly to the Los Angeles Parents Union (aka The Parent Revolution”) to support its business plan. It’s almost certain that more Broad contributions will show up for 2008; when I get access to those records I’ll let you know. Incidentally, Broad directly gave $1,210,040 to Green Dot Public Schools in 2007. Green Dot is Steve Barr's charter management organization which took over LA's Locke High School and brought an armed security force to campus.


I believe the money supplied by Broad is what would be paying for the propaganda (leaflets, on-air spots, websites, etc), to make it seem like the movement is being generated by "the people," when in fact it is a carefully planned, targeted marketing campaign.

So this is how it works.

Green Dot invents an organization called Small Schools Alliance (“SSA”). Then Eli Broad gives that organization some money to give birth to another organization they will call the Los Angeles Parents Union (aka The Parent Revolution). Then Broad delivers another chunk of money directly to support the business plan of that secondary organization (LAPU/Parent Revolution). This is probably not the only money the organizations have received; there's a strong likelihood other pro-charter "philanthropists" are making huge contributions, too.


Sharon's full piece is at:
http://perimeterprimate.blogspot.com/2009/10/whats-going-on-in-la-elis-cake.html