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Showing posts with label Monika Garg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monika Garg. Show all posts

Friday, May 12, 2017

CPE1 Chapter Leader Marilyn Martinez CLEARED of ALL CHARGES - Estrella and Garg Should be Removed Immediately for Criminal Act

After a baseless and retaliatory investigation and termination hearing based on trumped up charges, Central Park East 1 teacher (and union chapter chair), Marilyn Martinez, was CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES! This is an extremely rare decision as only 4% of NYC teachers who go through these hearings are fully exonerated. But we need your help to tell the Mayor that the DOE needs to bring Marilyn back to her classroom immediately and that the campaign of harassment against teachers and parents must be stopped.... #Savecpe1 committee, http://www.savecpe1.org
Let's remember that Marilyn was suddenly removed from the classroom by the District 4 Elementary and middle school superintendent: Alexandra Estrella, (212) 348-2873. In an unprecedented move she was brought up on 3020a charges to fire her just a few weeks later which brought out an enormous parent response at her hearings. (And for those NYSUT lawyer bashers, she used one.)

How about that CSA call for the DOE to support yet another lying principal (YALP)? CSA Calls Abusive Principal Garg "an outstanding educator".)  Shame on the so-called union that supports attacks on other union members. The UFT should cut all relations and cooperation with these slugs.

Just think of it -- little kids, some with special needs, suddenly were cut off from the teacher who had given them so much support so early in their school lives -- one of the very best and dedicated teachers you can find -- the kind of teacher who writes 10 page individual analysis and reports for each child in addition to creating a vibrant classroom experience. I consider this a criminal act --- administrative and educational malpractice at the very least.

Also think of those 3 untenured teachers and 4 parents who showed up at the UFT Ex Bd meeting the other night to support Garg and in essence to endorse Garg's actions -- and was greeted with warmth and showered with love by UFT District Rep Servia Silva for engaging in what some termed the act of scabs who made statements attacking their fellow teachers. (From the first time we met with CPE1 teachers 15 months ago they were telling us she was pro-Garg and Estella.) See Arthur's Executive Board Takeaway.

The main complaint of these teachers who were hired by Garg against the vets were that they wouldn't meet with them other than offsite because Marilyn could not be in the school due to the charges. Now there's the union spirit of support. No wonder Garg hired them. 

Apparently Garg, who had lied about having anything to do with Marilyn's removal, was in it up to her ears, secretly taping a parent. Can anyone maintain trust in keeping her as principal? The UFT must call for Garg's immediate removal (and Estella with her) and Marilyn's immediate reinstatement to the classroom as of this Monday.

In the meantime, would we be surprised to see them try to file additional charges against Marilyn to keep her out of the school since her return would throw a serious monkey wrench into the Farina plan to undermine the school?

Parents are asking people to blitz de Blasio with calls today calling for Marilyn's immediate return.

We don't know how quickly she will be reinstated or if they will try to mess with it; at our SLT meeting today, Monika refused to say that she would support her return and looked really angry at idea of her returning.

So we want to get out ahead of it and build public political pressure for her immediate return and an end to the harassment; we're doing another call-in action tomorrow am around it. I know it's really short notice but anything you can do to get the word out would be much appreciated - it made a big difference last week.

Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 7:00 AM 6 comments:
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Labels: #savecpe1, Alexndra Estella, CPE1, Monika Garg, Servia Silva

Monday, May 1, 2017

CPE1 Update: Evil Monika Garg Bans Two Active Parents - Sign Petition to De Blasio

Garg makes mockery of process for dealing with parents and teachers.

Monika Garg

Jen was accused of recording on her cell phone in the school. However, she was not videotaping. Instead, she took photographs of hallways to document the absence of mandated materials about the Department of Education's anti-bullying program. There is no stated policy against filming or taking photographs at the school and many parents have done both. The day after Jen was banned from the school, the mandated materials were finally posted, two months before the end of the school year.

Kaliris was accused of bringing press onto school property without authorization. The person in question was a graduate student who represented herself to Kaliris as conducting a school project. Kaliris arranged to meet with the student offsite but took her to the school briefly when she needed to drop off her son’s glasses. She signed in a presented ID to security. Visitors frequently tour the school. When alerted to concerns about this visitor, Kaliris accompanied the student to the exit.
Petition: https://www.change.org/p/bill-deblasio-let-banned-parents-back-in-their-childrens-school?recruiter=2143683&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink
 
Just woke up at midnight from a 5 hour nap after spending part of Sunday at the big anti ed deformer film shoot. Before I go back to sleep, I wanted to get this lingering story up and running. Not a lot of people get my "evil" designation (I'm considering Naomi Smith, the principal of CPE2, who supports Garg.)

The CPE1 story gets uglier and uglier. Really, you have to question Garg's sanity at this point, given the flimsy excuses for limited access letters, considering that the major purpose of these letters is to address parents who might be physically dangerous to staff. And don't forget the charges against Catlin Preston and Marilyn Martinez, Delegate and Chapter leader at the school. Catlin has been in the rubber room for a year and his hearing completed months ago. Marilyn was yanked from the school in February 2017 before the mid-winter break and brought up on 3020a dismissal charges just weeks after, unheard of in the DOE. The charges against Marilyn (Catlin too) are so flimsy - in her case based on admission of a child to the school - even if she did goof on procedure, when does that lead to 3020a unless there is a political vendetta? When someone talks about teacher tenure, bring up Marilyn, Catlin and Peter Lamphere who got 2 U ratings from the equally evil Rosemarie Jahoda at Bronx HS of Sci -- (I wonder where Jahoda will land next?)

People above Garg's level at the DOE are claiming they didn't know this was going to happen. Does anyone believe that? Does anyone believe that apparatchik principals don't check with DOE legal before making a move? Or Farina, who is very close to getting the Ed Notes "evil" designation herself - (which I may just throw down at her at the May 17 PEP meeting.) Farina has said that the parents at CPE1 must be punished for their outspokenness.

There comes a point where it is clear that what Garg and the DOE are trying to do is make the school such a toxic environment for the kids, that the active parents will pull them out of the school. With the strategy of  driving out the tenured teachers, the school will be left to be run like the DOE wants -- a clone of a charter school.

The alternative at this point may be some kind of boycott with retired and inactive teachers volunteering to work with the kids during the school day offsite. I am ready to join in if called upon.

Here's the skinny from the Save CPE 1 crew.
========
This past week Principal Garg has issued "limited access letters" to two parents who have vocally opposed her, trying to shut down parent voice. Please click on the link and please read the story. Spread the word and help us overturn this decision.

Stop Abusive NYC Principal from Banning Parents


Save CPE 1

Tell the NYC Department of Education and Mayor De Blasio to protect families at Central Park East 1 Elementary School and remove retaliatory bans on parents enacted by Principal Monika Garg 
WHAT HAPPENED?

On April 27, 2017, Jen Roesch was banned indefinitely from her son’s elementary school in East Harlem, NY. On April 28, Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, another parent at the school, was also banned. Each mother received a “limited access letter” signed by Principal Monika Garg. As a result, neither mom is allowed to drop off or pick up her child with the other children at the school. The mothers are also banned from important meetings with teachers and parents and other school events. Other parents at the school fear that they may be next.

WHAT IS A “LIMITED ACCESS LETTER”?
The NYC Department of Education theoretically uses limited access letters to keep out parents who pose a significant security threat in a school; for example, a parent who has threatened or perpetrated violence. However, DNA Info reported that these letters are used to silence and intimidate critics of school administrations, particularly in low-income Black and Latino communities.

WHY JEN AND KALIRIS
Jen and Kaliris have both been outspoken critics of Principal Garg's leadership. They strongly advocated for teachers who were harassed by Ms. Garg. In the last year, Ms. Garg removed two beloved veteran teachers from their classrooms based on trumped-up charges. Jen and Kaliris have also spoken up about the harmful effects on children created by this environment of intimidation and fear. Kaliris is also the elected co-chair of the Parent Association at CPE1 and has supported parents in that capacity.

WHAT ARE THE CHARGES?
Jen
was accused of recording on her cell phone in the school. However, she was not videotaping. Instead, she took photographs of hallways to document the absence of mandated materials about the Department of Education's anti-bullying program. There is no stated policy against filming or taking photographs at the school and many parents have done both. The day after Jen was banned from the school, the mandated materials were finally posted, two months before the end of the school year.

Kaliris was accused of bringing press onto school property without authorization. The person in question was a graduate student who represented herself to Kaliris as conducting a school project. Kaliris arranged to meet with the student offsite but took her to the school briefly when she needed to drop off her son’s glasses. She signed in a presented ID to security. Visitors frequently tour the school. When alerted to concerns about this visitor, Kaliris accompanied the student to the exit.

ARE THESE BANS RETALIATION?
Yes
. Neither parent poses a security threat nor has either mom had previous incidents or warnings. The limited access letters are pure retaliation. There is no right of appeal or due process for parents who receive such letters. There is no end date to the bans; they are indefinite. By targeting two of the most visible critics of the principal, in a way that causes harm to their vulnerable children, these bans have a chilling effect on the majority of families who oppose Garg's leadership.

WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS?The bans will have a heartbreaking effect on two young children with documented special needs. Jen’s 8-year old son has significant anxiety and is currently creating a formal IEP (Individualized Education Program) after having been evaluated and approved for services. An IEP is a legal document that spells out the learning needs of a student with a disability. According to professionals who care for Jen’s son, this punitive ban will increase his fears, are detrimental to his emotional well-being, and will inhibit his ability to learn. When Jen informed Principal Monika Garg of her upcoming IEP meeting, Garg stated that she refused to speak with her and that she was banned from the school.

Kaliris’ 5-year old son also has special needs that are documented on his IEP, including the need for one-to-one paraprofessional support and for undisrupted, predictable routines. These routines include his mother’s practice of bringing him directly to the classroom each morning. He already exhibited distress in response to his teacher’s abrupt, unexplained removal from the school earlier this year. The ban on his mother will compound his distress.

OUR DEMANDS
  • Jen Roesch and Kaliris Salas-Ramirez must be allowed access to their children’s school immediately. 
  • The NYC Department of Education and Mayor Bill De Blasio must stop Principal Monika Garg’s continuing abuse of power and protect CPE1 families from future bans.
  • The NYC Department of Education must address the abusive use of limited access letters by principals. Every parent in NYC must be entitled to immediate due process and the right to appeal when issued a limited access letter.
To find out more about the long-standing and deeper issues that precipitated this latest act of retaliation, please see www.savecpe1.org or find us on Facebook at Save CPE1.

Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 1:45 AM No comments:
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Labels: Carmen Farina, central Park East I, CPE1, Monika Garg

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Mulgrew Promises Action to CPE1 Parents (some with children) Who Flood UFT Ex Bd Meeting

Mike Schirtzer—MORE--Resolves to remove resolution on CPE 1 from table.
No debate.

Voted down on party lines [Unity Party voted it down, only MORE in favor].....  NYC Educator, UFT Executive Board April 24th, 2017 CPE 1 in the House -
CPE1 Parents in shock at Apr 24 UFT Ex Bd as Unity refuses to take reso of support off the table.
In his brief report, Michael Mulgrew promised action on CPE1. We'll wait and see -- the UFT refuses to publicly call for Garg's removal despite the massive accumulation of evidence. Even her own CSA seems to be raising issues -- a rep asked Farina to publicly defend Garg with reasons and all she said was that there was another side. (Some of the real reasons for resisting were laid out in my post last night that personal pique may be playing a role -- Deb Meier, Jane Andrias, Two Former CPE1 Principals Question Farina/DOE on Intentional Destruction.

The UFT Exec Bd meetings, moribund for so many years, have  turned into high drama at times this year as MORE/New Action have teamed with various groups to bring their grievances directly to the UFT Ex Bd meetings, often using a combo of the pre-meeting speaking time for non-EB members and the question and motion period by the MORE/NA high school reps.

Last night was another remarkable event, made so by the largest group of parents yet to show up --- as Arthur wrote after the MORE meeting on Saturday - "I have sat with some of the most intelligent and persuasive people I've ever met, and I'm persuaded that this school was created with a mission that's being perverted by its current leadership." Amen.

As a skeptic about the worth of winning these EB seats - after all, you are speaking to Unity Caucus -  I must say that the MORE/New Action reps have made these meetings worth attending again. Real debate has taken place, which you don't see at Delegate Assemblies. And the leadership has been responding, sometimes in positive ways. Our crew pre-meeting an hour before the EB meeting gets everyone ready - these pre-meetings are open to anyone and there is lots of back and forth.

A key has been Arthur Goldstein's blogging full minutes of the meetings, often within hours, the first time where an open airing is taking place. (This is tedious work and kudoos to Arthur -- I once tried to do it and gave up.)

Another aspect has been doing what ICE began to do a decade ago -- bring various  constituencies to these meetings -- sign up for speaking time and have our people ask pertinent questions or bring up resos -- all turned down, severely modified or tabled by the leadership --- see Arthur's great blog post:  Contrary where he points out that our people have supported almost all Unity resos while they automatically turn down ours -- sort of like the Republicans saying they won't give Obama any victories.

But nothing has galvanized these recent meetings until large numbers of CPE 1 parents began to show up, some with very young children. Now let's say right out that they have been treated with the utmost respect and courtesy by union leaders. The other angle has been bringing current and former CPE1 teachers to sign up for the 10 minute pre-meeting speaking time (parents as non-UFT members don't get to speak). In fact, UFT Secretary Howie Schoor who chairs the meeting gave people 18 minutes to speak yesterday. Howie has shown a lot of sensitivity and flexibility. EB meetings have (mostly) remained civil.

I believe the fact that Mulgrew only shows up to give his report and then leaves has made these meetings more civil. But in response to the CPE1 parents and teachers yesterday, Mulgrew spent some time chatting with them before and after his report. Whether he will take action is up in the air but they were very happy to have some conversations with him. After the meeting Leroy Barr remained to talk to them for some time.

A group of current and former CPE1 parents spoke before the meeting last night and were very effective.

But one of the most unusual was a speech by a teacher from another school who worked under Garg when she was an assistant principal at Pan American HS and repeated a list of admin atrocities. She told me she has proof of every one and I hope to publish some of them. She told me she never speaks in public but once she heard stories about Garg as principal of CPE1 she felt she had to speak out. She had never expected Garg would rise to the level of principal. Before reading what Garg has been doing, she assumed Garg's actions were based on following orders by the horrible Pan American HS principal Minerva Zanca, who by the way is still working in the DOE as a guidance counselor. She said she had to speak out to stop people like Garg.

By the way, at the SLT meeting, Garg said she worked for great Principals and learned a lot -- from Zanca she sure learned how to play the race card and divide people.

Check out Garg's mentor:

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Sues New York City Department Of ...

https://www.justice.gov/.../manhattan-us-attorney-sues-new-york-city-department-edu...


Jun 9, 2016 - ... And Retaliation At Pan American International High School ... States has filed a lawsuitagainst the NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF ...

In Lawsuit, U.S. Says Queens School Discriminated Against 3 Black ...

https://www.nytimes.com/.../in-lawsuit-us-says-queens-school-discriminated-against-3-bl...
Jun 9, 2016 - Pan American International High School, in the Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens, where a federal lawsuit claims that three teachers suffered a ...

Federal lawsuit claims NYC allowed discrimination at Queens high ...

abc7ny.com/education/federal-suit-claims-nyc-allowed...high-school/1378606/


Jun 9, 2016 - It said the discrimination occurred during the 2012-2013 school year at Pan AmericanInternational High School. The lawsuit said the victims ...

Queens principal targeted 3 black teachers for poor reviews - NY Daily ...

www.nydailynews.com/.../queens-principal-targeted-black-teacher-poor-reviews-article-...
Jun 10, 2016 - The civil rights unit Bharara's Manhattan office filed the lawsuit accusing ... Pan AmericanInternational High School in Queens, where Zanca no ...

U.S. Attorney Sues DOE in Alleged Discrimination Case at Queens ...

www.ny1.com/.../u-s--attorney-sues-doe-in-discrimination-case-at-queens-school-.ht...


Jun 10, 2016 - The U.S. Attorney announced a lawsuit against the city education ... and retaliation at Pan American International High School in Elmhurst.

Lawsuit Alleges Queens High School Principal 'Ruthlessly Targeted ...

atlantablackstar.com › National


Jun 9, 2016 - A bombshell lawsuit, released Thursday, reveals the appalling ... teacher” at the Pan American International High School in Queens, New York.

NYC School Discriminated Against Black Teachers: Federal Lawsuit ...

www.nbcnewyork.com/.../NYC-Discrimination-High-School-Black-Teachers-Pan-Am...


Jun 9, 2016 - A New York City School is in big trouble with the Feds. The U.S. Attorney claims in alawsuit that the Pan American International High School in ...

Feds sue DOE over alleged discrimination of black teachers at ...

www.timesledger.com/stories/2016/25/elmhurstsuit_2016_06_17_q.html


Jun 16, 2016 - The school, the Pan American International High School, is in the ... The lawsuit also says allegations Zanca engaged in discrimination and ...

Principal who said black teacher 'looked like a gorilla' sued for ...

nypost.com/.../principal-who-said-black-teacher-looked-like-a-gorilla-sued-for-discri...


Jun 9, 2016 - ... as black teachers at a Queens high school were tormented by a kind of ... black educators at the Pan American International HS in Elmhurst, ...

Feds sue former principal of Elmhurst high school and city for racist ...

qns.com/.../feds-sue-elmhurst-principal-and-the-city-for-allegedly-making-racist-rema...


Jun 9, 2016 - The lawsuit alleges that Minerva Zanca, who led the Pan American International High School at 45-10 94th St. for three years, filed negative ...
Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 8:19 AM No comments:
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Labels: Bill de Blasio, Carmen Farina, central Park East I, CPE1, Debbie Meier, Michael Mulgrew, Minerva Zanca, Monika Garg, UFT

Friday, April 7, 2017

CPE1 Update: Parents Emerge, The Press - WSJ Reporter favored Over NYT, Leonie on SLT Meeting, Breakfast with Parents

The truth is despite all his promises and talk about how unlike Bloomberg, he would listen to parents, our supposedly progressive Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Carmen Farina have been just as high-handed and dismissive of their concerns.... Leonie Haimson on SLT Meeting: https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2017/04/amazing-evening-parents-and-teacher-sit.html


Parents came out an unfurled their banner.
April 7, 2017: 2PM

I'm just back from spending the day so far at CPE1 for the rally and the emerging by the people who spent the night in the auditorium. (See my earlier report --Parents Occupy Auditorium - Central Park East 1 Update: Rally, SLT Meeting and Overnight Stay Surrounded by Police)

I got there at 8:30 and there was a rally in front of the school. They ended occupation and came out for a press conference at around 9:30. I am putting up some brief video excerpts on my FB timeline. Go check them out.

There was some press there this morning - NBC, CBS, NY Times - Kate Taylor was there last night too. There was muttering by some over the disappointing reporting she has done on education in general and on her previous report on CPE1 - like having a link to the website of a principal supporter but not the savecpe1 site. So they don't expect much -- like if 20 people speak against Garg and 5 for she will include a quote from one on each side, thus inferring an equal split.

So it was interesting after the press conf when they went back into the school to meet with YAUDOES - Yet Another Useless DOE Slug -- that someone said to wait outside to speak to Leslie Brody from the Wall St Journal who is a good reporter. How interesting that people seem to mistrust the so-called liberal NY Times and have more faith in Rupert's WSJ.

I'm more skeptical but when Leslie arrived I listened in to her questions and she was the only reporter who really seemed interested in what has made CPE a progressive school -- stuff came out that I wasn't aware of. Now the article she writes will be small and probably won't include much if any of what they said, but at least she asked.

She had already left when the people who spent the night without sleep came out from the meeting and packed up to go home and get some sleep.

I spoke at length to a guy named Bruce, who was a teacher at CPE1 and then the principal at CPE2 who filled me in on some remarkable stuff (his wife still teaches at CPE1). We are same gen and talked about the old days and found we knew lots of people -- he was in Teachers Action Caucus - TAC - which morphed into New Action and we know lots of people in common. He did look so familiar. And after he left I asked his last name and it is Bruce Kanze who I did really know back then. Bruce told me today the essence of the problem is that they just don't trust teachers and CPE1 did - until Monika Garg showed up as an agent from the DOE to destroy them. (I'll go more into this teacher trust issue, especially when I address the CPE2 principal support for Garg.)

A few parents went off to get some breakfast and invited me along. I got some education. One left after an hour. The other and I spent another hour or more talking about so much stuff my head is crammed. I learned so much about the real shit Monica pulled from day 1 and how betrayed parents like this, who moved into the area partially to get into CPE1, are -- also about the political and racial situation around East Harlem (she is white) and so much more beyond the CPE 1 story -- about immigrants and daily panic they feel every day when they wake up - if they can sleep at all- some too sensitive for me to get into.

Oh, the depths of this story. I feel like that reporter for This American Life - the people doing the Serial series - especially the latest must hear S-Town Podcast - shit town https://stownpodcast.org/

Yes, the DOE is Shit-Town in spades --Serial people, come calling if you are looking for a story for next time.

I may have more later tonight or tomorrow morning. I am going to head over to see my Unity slug pals at their little junket at the Hilton on 54th and 6th Ave. It is 3PM and I missed the Stronger Together meeting. Tomorrow I will meet up with Arthur and we will have some fun.

In the meantime, read Leonie's great report on last night's CPE1 SLT Meeting.

https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2017/04/amazing-evening-parents-and-teacher-sit.html

Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 3:27 PM 1 comment:
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Labels: Carmen Farina, central Park East I, CPE1, Debbie Meier, Monika Garg

Parents Occupy Auditorium - Central Park East 1 Update: Rally, SLT Meeting and Overnight Stay Surrounded by Police

Hey Serial at This American Life - have we got a story for you.
rally outside went on all evening - we left at 9PM
We don't expect to be arrested and strategizing- going to do 8am press conference and rally to support the demands of the occupiers
1:26am
The cops straight up said no arrests.
And doe guy said they just want you all to stay in the auditorium
Yeah - they keep coming and counting us:)
We're thinking of playing hide and seek with them
There are literally more cops here than there are of us
The janitor said we were paying his car note because of overtime------ Messages from inside
Breaking: Parents, saying they won't leave until principal Monika Garg is gone, spent the night in the auditorium without being arrested, despite the school being surrounded by enough cops and vans to invade Syria. I posted a video on my FB page showing all the cop cars around.

It was the DOE's call and they decided to not have people arrested. They are a diverse group of parents, though one immigrant had to leave and we know why. I do wonder how this would have been playing out if a group of all black parents did this in Brownsville where no one was watching.

This morning we hear that parents not arrested, spent night in auditorium, rally in front of school at Madison av and 106th st at 8am followed by press Conf at 8:30. I'm going to head over to check it out and offer support. I'll post pics of that later.

Here is the press release:
Parents of NYC Public School Central Park East I, calling for removal of  principal, are occupying their school 

Yesterday afternoon there was an SLT meeting of NYC public school Central Park East I, followed by a rally outside the school. While many demonstrated outside, seven stayed in the school, and are now inside, occupying the school. There is a large group of police at the school but so far the occupiers have not been arrested. 

WHAT: Rally and press conference 

WHERE: Outside Central Park East Elementary School
1573 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, at E. 106th Street, NYC

WHEN: Families are planning a rally for 8 am this morning, followed by a press conference at 8:30 am.
I posted a video of immense police response I shot last night around 9pm. A good night to commit a crime in the 23rd precinct. De Blasio is a progressive when under his watch an authoritarian principal undermines 40 years of a democratically run school by teachers, parents and even students. Clearly that concept is a threat as we are seeing at Townsend Harris hs where students and teachers also has wide latitude before an authoritarian principal mini-trumpet is being fought. The students there sent a message of support yesterday.

When I tried to take photos of the cops themselves they turned away or look at me in a way to make me concerned about my phone. One school safety officer told me I had no right - it was illegal -- to use the phone in the lobby of the school as he took out his phone to use himself. I pushed back and pointed that out (I have some video which I may post later). He later came over and apologized. A cop told me to get his good side. But they are clearly very sensitive on the issue and we have to be careful.

Chapter leader Marilyn Martinez, had to stay camped out all afternoon in the rain and damp across the street since she is still in the rubber room and can't be at the school. There were shouts all day for her to be brought back. Marilyn is a Latina and has her child in the school and is one of the amazing teachers and when she was removed in Feb that seemed to be a final straw -- the Supt did the dirty work for Garg and Farina. From all reports the charges are politically related but Marilyn has been told by the lawyers not to talk specifics.

Back to the beginning
SLT - Garg, center
Where do I start? I guess at one the most remarkable School Leadership Team (SLT) meetings one could imagine. It could be a movie. It was packed with over a 100 people and more kept coming. Included were state Senator Bill Perkins who was recently elected to the city council and Robert Jackson, as well as Leonie Haimson and a whole batch of we MOREs and Leroy Barr from the UFT, our new best friend who loves to hang out with us.

Garg began by reading a statement defending herself - I came in as she was finishing. Most of the SLT seemed to be lined up against her, though there was a very vocal parent on her side and critical of the SaveCPE1 coalition. There were also parents in the audience who supported Garg and also some of the newer teachers, whom Garg characterized as being more afraid of the senior teachers than of her. Now these are people she has brought in herself, one of which at the very least was a friend. Standard operating procedure for these take-over principals -- first rule - divide the staff.

There was a lot of hack and forth as Garg kept trying to place blame on the senior teachers while some of them pointed to the attacks Garg was making on them.

Garg has also divided the parents by pulling the race card -- getting support from some black parents - I will go into the complexities of the race issue in another post. But clearly if you look at the optics, the parents are diverse in an east Harlem community that is going through gentrification. However, CPE1 has been in that community for 40 years and has always tried to maintain a one third, one third, one third mix. But that mix has slipped in recent years as more white parents came into the community. And that is where there some people are exploiting the race issue in their attack on the savecpe1 people. The DOE hierarchy seem to line up on this side and probably the mayor integration initiative may be at play here too. But it is interesting that Bill Perkins and Robert Jackson came to the SLT meeting.

Progressive education is a system used in many elite private schools and as we see with the no-nonsense test-driven charters, some parents don't want that for their kids and there has been some charges that that is a "white" thing. But the key Debbie Meier concept in starting the school was to prove it was appropriate for all children. Remember - East Harlem was far from gentrifying in the 70s.

The SLT meeting got so crowded in the music room, it had to be moved to the auditorium and went on for hours with lots of rancor on both sides, though clearly the sentiment was more anti-Garg than pro. This is more complex than I thought and someone I'm close to told me that someone she respects a lot is opposed to the savecpe1 campaign.

One of the arguments being used is that there were a lot of problems at the school before Garg came. There had been 4 principals. Now the school had always been run basically by teachers and parents, with all key decisions being a partnership, so a hands-off principal has been the rule. Even an incompetent principal or leadership vacuum has not been a bad thing.

Now the savecpe1 people admit there were issues but that an authoritarian principal who makes all decisions is not the answer, though apparently it is for the current and past DOE, which has had a history of sending in authoritarian principals to undermine progressive schools used to power sharing principals. IE -- Brooklyn New School would be in some danger when the current founding principal retires.

The CPE high school principal in the building, Bennett Lieberman, trashed the school and the savecpe1 people and said he supported Garg because she brought leadership, which makes it easier for him to deal with one person instead of conglomeration of people -- yeah, Bennett, democracy is messy.

The principal of Central Park East 2 is also opposing the savecpe1 parents and also spoke last night. So, yes, this is complicated.

I heard last night that Garg ran the open house for new parents on her own without the teachers and other parents, which had been a tradition at the school -- her way of hand-choosing the parents she wanted, I guess.

I mean so much came out at the meeting. There was a professional guy who is connected to one of the parents who sat in filming. Someone could make a film of that meeting alone. Hey Serial at This American Life - have we got a story for you.

Garg basically sat there cool as a cucumber during immense attacks on her, with parents showing how she lied numerous times, contradicting her remarks. One parent told how Garg told her to come to the school because of an incident of her daughter with a teacher, indicating something inappropriate sexually, one of the most beloved teachers in the school. It turned out that Garg had made that up but the teacher, who told his story at the UFT ex bd meeting a few weeks ago, was pulled out into the rubber room a year ago and recently completed his 3020a hearing and is awaiting a decision as he still sits in the rubber room, one of the most talented teachers in the system according to parents -- sure, children first.

The incident occurred not soon after he pushed back against some of Garg's directives. This was a turning point in the school as teachers and parents, who had tried to give Garg a chance, were so shocked they contacted some of us in MORE - since despite what the UFT says -- Manhattan UFT leader Dwayne Clark made the false claim the UFT has been there for them -- then why did they contact us in MORE?

The fact the UFT is doing anything at all at this point is due to the push from our people at the Ex Bd. If you read Arthur's reports (
NYC Educator
Executive Board Takeaway. you will see how the resolution in support of CPE1, basically written by the parents and teachers at the school, with the assistance of New Action's Jonathan Halabi, was tabled by Leroy Barr, who did show up and speak at the SLT last night. (I have video but won't have it up until Sunday.)

Arthur motivated the reso with a fabulous speech. Barr tabled it so they could work behind the scenes with the DOE -- I guess their claims to be doing something were not quite true.

In my 5 minute speech opening Monday's Ex bd meeting I asked why the UFT has been silent for the past year until we brought it up? Don't you have a district rep to tell you what is going on? When the teacher was removed a year ago that should have triggered an sign to the union (I compared it to Munich - shame on me). When the chapter leader was removed a year later that was like the invasion of Poland -- war needs to be declared. A group of CPE1 parents stood up while I spoke and later were joined by about 15 more who stood in the back when Arthur spoke.

Later Dwayne Clark defended the district rep as having been there. I asked the teachers if she did anything, they scoffed - in fact at our earliest meetings a year ago, they indicated that the UFT people seemed more sympathetic to the supt and admin -- not the first time I've heard that.

Well, it is getting late and I have to head over to the school for the rally and press conf. Unfortunately my camera battery is dead and I can't film. I will report later on what happened.

By the way, the NYSUT convention begins today through Sunday and I may stop by later and tomorrow morning where I will repay Arthur for buying me that $14 beer 3 years ago.

Back to you later.

Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 7:36 AM No comments:
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Labels: central Park East I, CPE1, Monika Garg

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Video: Stop Abusive Principals - April 6 - 4:30 PM - Central Park East1 Parents to Issue No Confidence in Principal Monika Garg

Join the battle against abusive administrators - don't just leave comments about how bad things are -- come out and be inspired by these amazing parents who are standing up for their teachers under attack. April 6 at 4:30 PM - 1573 Madison Ave. at 106th St.
 
There is a lot of info in this report. CPE1 is a special progressive
school started by Debbie Meier - who is one of the top educators in the nation - remember that Diane Ravitch and Debbie began doing a sort of blog together to argue their differing views on education. Since the 70s I admired Debbie and thought about how great it would be to teach at her school -- but I felt I didn't have the skillset as a teacher to work in a school like that. So understand, these are very special teachers who take on the challenge of working at CPE1 and t come under assault by a vicious principal is like one of those ice bucket dunkings.
I got to meet Debbie a few times and once interviewed her and her views of children and how they learn were amazing - she then introduced me to the great voice of early childhood education, Nancy Paige Carlson, (Matt Damon's mom).

Debbie is celebrating her 86th birthday on April 6 and asks that we help her by showing up at the CPE 1 rally at 4:30 - or earlier.
1573 Madison Ave. at 106th St.

I'll have more later but what an amazing meeting at the UFT Ex bd last night as 20 CPE1 parents and teachers showed up as MORE/NA presented a reso in support which was tabled by Unity slimebags who ignored what was happening at CPE1 for a year and half until we made them face this issue. They say they will show up this Thursday to make a show of support. But they won't pass a reso.

The reso is at the MORE site:
morecaucusnyc
Reso to Support CPE1- Tabled by UFT Leadership 

Arthur has minutes of the meeting: 

NYC Educator
UFT Executive Board March 27th--We Love CPE1 But Won't Pass Resolution of Support
Here is a great video made by a CPE1 parent:
https://youtu.be/YKFBEHwMON8



Join CPE1 Parents and Teachers As They Say "No Confidence" in Principal

Thursday, April 6th at 4:30pm
Central Park East 1 - 106th  Madison (entrance on Madison)
FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1506717109361942/

CPE 1 parents and teachers have been fighting an abusive principal, Monika Garg, for more than a year. Garg has carried out a campaign of harassment and retaliation against teachers; both the UFT chapter leader and delegate found themselves facing investigations and removed from the classroom after speaking out. Parents say that Garg has caused harm to their children by conducting unnecessary and invasive interviews of very young children, removing trusted teachers without warning, failing to provide support and undermining the school's unique pedagogy. Garg has lost the trust and support of the vast majority of parents and teachers - with more than 70% signing a petition for her removal last year. The DOE's own school survey shows Garg with the lowest level of trust in the whole city and the steepest declines in both parent and teacher satisfaction. Despite appealing to the Chancellor, the Panel for Educational Policy and the Mayor personally, our situation remains unresolved.

Once again, CPE1 parents and teachers are mobilizing to have their voices heard. At the school SLT meeting on April 6th, parents will be presenting a statement of "no confidence" backed by the majority of parents and demanding decisive action to address their concerns. At 4:30pm, parents and teachers will be holding a press conference and rally outside the school in support of those inside the SLT meeting.We need your support! The issues that CPE1 are facing are not unique. All over the city, parents and teachers lack democratic recourse to have their voices heard, while administrators are protected. We have to fight back.

Please note: By law, SLT meetings are open to the public. If you are able to arrive before 4:30pm and join parents and teachers inside the SLT meeting (which starts at 3:30), please sign in and come up to the 2nd Floor art room to join us.

CPE1's principal has to go

Parents and fellow teachers have come to the defense of a victimized educator in the latest battle to shake a New York City elementary school, writes Peter Lamphere.
March 30, 2017
Parents and fellow teachers show their support for a Central Park East 1 educator (Save CPE1)Parents and fellow teachers show their support for a Central Park East 1 educator (Save CPE1)

Read more »
Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 7:53 AM No comments:
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Labels: Bill de Blasio, Carmen Farina, central Park East I, CPE1, Debbie Meier, Monika Garg
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    6 days ago
  • the becoming radical
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    Have You Heard Has a New Website
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    Follow me at Substack
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    A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
    6 years ago
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    11 years ago
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    12 years ago
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The ICE Platform in 2010

ICE balances social justice unionism and trade unionism and sees them as 2 sides of the same coin.

The 2010 ICE platform

Part I: Introduction

Part II: What we confront in public education

Part III: Strategy and tactics for a good contract

Part IV: Learning conditions

Part V: Working conditions, professional autonomy, seniority, salary and benefits

Part VI: For a militant, progressive, democratic UFT

Part VII: ICE supports local neighborhood public schools

Part VIII: A distorted school system

Part IX: Our union and government priorities


Dave Barry End of Year Review -

Very funny.

"The press is free to those who own them."

A.J. Liebling, via George Schmidt.

Public School Shakedown (Our Fave Bloggers In One place)

  • Public School Shakedown
    WELCOME ABOARD! - - The Progressive Magazine is revving up the movement to save our public schools. On this site, we are pulling together education experts, activ...
    11 years ago

NYC Rubber Room Reporter

  • Rubber Room Reporter

UFT Individual Election Results Including Non-Slate

http://db.tt/mBhWMaDW

Paper(work)-thin: I Thought We Were Supposed to be *Teaching*

http://paulvhogan.wordpress.com/2013/02/

UFT Election Vote Comparison: 2004-10

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8qnFCTQLOqoRDdUcmxRdnFQYms/edit

A Personal Historical Perspective

My Path from Ed Notes to MORE Through ICE and GEM ...

Part 1: Ed Notes

Why Karen Lewis Read Ed Notes


"A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

What media call "philanthropy" for the public schools are actually seed monies to establish a private "market" in publicly-financed education - an enterprise worth trillions if successfully penetrated by corporate America. Cory Booker, one of the "New Black Leaders" financed by the filthy rich, is key to creating a "nationwide corporate-managed schools network paid for by public funds but run by private managers.

"Ed Reformers" want to cash in on public education and to control its content and outcome, not improve it. Provide great education? Baby boomers had as close as this country has ever gotten to it when we were growing up. The Ed Reform Movement has no interest in seeing such a well-educated, democratically astute population ever again.

http://blackagendareport.com/content/cory-booker-clear-and-present-threat-public-education

Web Sites We Touch Base With

GothamSchools - Breaking News and Analysis of the NYC Public Schools

Chicago Education, Politics, and Labor Union News - Substance News

Rockaway: The Wave

Homepage: Susan Ohanian Speaks Out (Susan Ohanian Speaks Out)

Williamsburg & Greenpoint Parents: Our Public Schools!

NEW CAUCUS (NEWARK)

History of the UFT Pre-Weingarten Years

This award-winning series of articles by Jack Schierenbeck originally appeared in the New York Teacher in 1996 and 1997.

Naturally, from a certain point of view. But, despite certain biases, Schierenbeck, a great guy, was one of the best NY Teacher reporters so this is worth reading. Jack suffered a debilitating stroke many years ago (I used to get secret donations to ed notes from him through a 3rd source.)

This chapter looks interesting:

Class struggles: The UFT story, part 3

“The schism in the union over radical politics [is] a major reason for stalling the growth of a teacher union for decades.” Revolutionary politics and ideology take center stage, as the original Teachers Union becomes a battlefield, pitting leftist against leftist and splitting the union.
Clarence Taylor's "Reds at the Blackboard" focused on the old Teachers Union which disbanded in 1964 after suffering from anti-left attacks.

Of course for another view, check out the review at New Politics of the Kahlenberg Bio on Shanker by Vera Pavone and me: Albert Shanker: Ruthless Neocon


Effective Union Organizing

A video series put together by Jason Mann from the British Columbia Federation of Teachers about social media and how to use it for effective union organizing.

The first series was called New Media For Union Activists Roadmap and it's still available on-line at:
http://www.newmediabootcamp.ca/welcome/
I watched some of them and need to rewatch as they are loaded with information.

The second series started last week and it's called "Online Campaigning for Union Activists"

You can sign up for this free series at :
http://act.bcfed.ca/online-campaigning-for-union-activists/

Total Pageviews Since July 2009

State of the Union

See my article in depth:
Reforming the UFT is the Prime Directive
Visit the new SOTU blog http://sotuuft.blogspot.com

Must read: The Case for Large High Schools

Susan Crawford turns the parent choice argument on its ear at Schoolbook.

Diane Ravitch: Great new site (warning: satire)

http://www.standillinois.org

A DC teacher's story:

Why the DC Impact system Bloomberg wants NYC schools to emulate caused me to leave teaching -

http://t.co/Wy5wSPgw

Oldie but goodie; Norm mentioned on FAIR Re; Education Nation

http://www.fair.org/blog/2011/09/27/critics-and-questionable-sponsors-at-nbcs-education-nation/

You Don't Have A Choice - Join the Revolt

The Best Among Us: Join the Revolt On Wall Street or Stand On The Wrong Side of History
Chris Hedges

2011-10-02
http://susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php?id=976

Hedges says, There are no excuses left. Either you join the revolt taking place on Wall Street and in the financial districts of other cities across the country or you stand on the wrong side of history.

GEM Teachers and parents OCCUPY DOE- VIDEO FROM OCT 5, 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1cuFUC9iSE&feature=player_embedded

Norm's Message from the Trenches: A Little Bit of Personal History on School Organizing - Part I

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2010/11/school-organizing-little-bit-of.html

I haven't done Part 2 yet but hope to soon.

GEM (Norm) Debates E4E (Sydney) on Teacher Seniority in Costco Mag

Don't sneeze at this one: 8 million copies in print.
http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201108#pg19

MUST READ: How theCorporate Right Divided Blacks from Teachers Unions and Each Other

Friday, June 17, 2011

How the Corporate Right Divided Blacks from Teachers Unions and Each Other

Great Debate in Chicago

http://parentsacrossamerica.org/2011/05/chicago-teacher-debate-on-education-nation/

Class Bias, Class Size and Online Learning

Amazing piece by Leonie Haimson.

Good Article on Value-Added

The Answer Sheet
Leading mathematician debunks ‘value-added’

Ex-Harlem Success Teacher Comments on Eva the Diva

Ex-HSA Teacher has left a new comment on your post "Fear and Loathing at Evil's Harlem Success Empire ...":

I am a former Harlem Success teacher. Not many people who work/worked for her like her very much. I once made the comment that she is very nice when I first was hired. Two of her closest colleague responded immediately almost in unison, "Eve is not nice!" Over time I realized that there was a lot of political games going on. Another colleague once said to me that he was tired of "being part of a political campaign." Sending out 15,000 applications for only 400 seats in a school is reprehensible. The money that paid for those mass mailings could have paid the yearly salary of another teacher not to mention the heartache of all those parents who applied but did not get a spot. She does good work trying to give disadvantaged students a quality public school education but at a great cost to staff AND the school's educational budget! school budget.

GEM's Julie Cavanagh Debates E4E member on NY1 on LIFO and Seniority

http://www.ny1.com/?ArID=134963

Davis Guggenheim Compared to Riefenstahl

“Waiting for Superman" is the second most intellectually dishonest piece of documentary work I have seen. It is surpassed only by Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will," the pro-Hitler propaganda classic, in that regard. Uses personal narratives of adorable children to create narrative suspense that overrides public policy discussion with pure emotion in unscrupulous attack on teachers and their unions, among others

Timothy Tyson
Professor of African American Studies and History
Duke University

A Familiar Voice on Unions

"We must close union offices, confiscate their money and put their leaders in prison. We must reduce workers salaries and take away their right to strike"
- Adolf Hitler, May 2, 1933

How Teaching Experience Makes a Difference

Even as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Michelle Rhee and others around the nation are arguing for experienced teachers to be laid off regardless of seniority, every single study shows teaching experience matters. In fact, the only two observable factors that have been found consistently to lead to higher student achievement are class size and teacher experience, so that it’s ironic that these same individuals are trying to undermine both.
- Leonie Haimson on Parents Across America web site


Full article with charts here.

Outsource our children

The Answer Sheet
Jon Stewart's hysterical defense of teachers

Weingarten/Gates Foundation announce drone-driven teacher evaluation

According to a press release issued by the Gates Foundation, the AFT and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, these three have entered a ground-breaking partnership to evaluate teachers utilizing the drone technology that has revolutionized warfare in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. A bird-size device floats up to 400 feet above a classroom and instantly beams live video of teachers in action to agents at desks at Teacher Quality Inspection Stations established by the AFT and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

When asked if the drones were authorized to drop bombs on teachers who exhibit inadequacy, Chester E. Finn, Jr., president of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, replied, "Don't be ridiculous. Gates money puts other methods at our disposal."

Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.5-million-member American Federation of Teachers said the powerful union has signed on to the drone project...

More at Substance

Rare, undercover footage from a principals’ retreat in Omaha

Principal Training Summit Video

Posted on January 23, 2011 by mrteachbad
http://teachbad.com/2011/01/23/principal-training-summit-video/


My Old Co-Worker and Chapter Leader, David Dow Bentley III, Now a Theater Critic

  • The People's Critic

Teacher Value-Added Data Dumping by Norm Scott

My Article on Teacher Value-Added Data Dumping in ...


The Real Reason Behind Push for Standardized Tests: It's All About the Adults

On standardized testing in our schools

A must read article about the standardized test industry.
Written by an insider who has worked as a test scorer, the article outlines a multinational industry based on an army of temporary workers paid by the piece at $0.30 to $0.70 per test, translated in the need to grade 40 tests per hour to make a $12 salary. The article goes on to show how the companies gauge the grading "results" based on the need to ensure new contracts to continue profiting off of our youth. The original article is from Monthly Review. Here it is on Schools Matter blog.

http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2010/12/on-growing-use-of-corporate-test.html

Rockaway Theatre Company 2010 Highlights- See Norm Act (badly)

Rabbit Hole, Cactus Flower, Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Rockaway Cafe (Halloween review), Odd Couple

http://vimeo.com/19171234

Notice the balding guy in Odd Couple. Not Laurence Olivier.

Did You Attend One of Eva's Harlem Success Academy Soirees for the Rich?

Moskowitz Aims Charters at Wealthy- So Much for Closing the Achievement Gap

You know, let's close that gap for rich kids. Why should their parents pay 30 grand for a private school when the public can foot the bill?

See Gotham Schools report

From Sharon Higgins

Something passed along to me by D. Ravitch.

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-tangled-web-we-weave.html?spref=tw

A must, must, must, must read.

Parallels between America today and Germany in the 1920's and early 30's

"Resentment and obstruction are all the right wing in America have to peddle. Their policies are utterly discredited. Their ideology - even by its own standards - is a sham. They are so bereft of leaders, their de facto leader is a former drug addicted, thrice-divorced radio talk show host. That is literally the best they can muster. But they have built a national franchise inciting the downwardly mobile to blame the government, not the right, for their problems, exactly as Hitler did in the 1920s."

The US Is Facing a Weimar Moment

Published on Sunday, March 15, 2009 by CommonDreams.org

It's Class Size Stupid

Pissed Off Teacher nails the ed deformers

A Howl of a video as our friendly robots talk education

Now playing at Seattle Education
http://seattleducation2010.wordpress.com/2010/10/27/aunty-broad-says-no-on-the-levy/

Thanks to Sharron Higgins

So you Want to Get a PhD in the Humanities?

If you have five minutes to spare, this short cartoon film, "So you Want to Get a PhD in the Humanities?" is both very funny and scary at the same time.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7451115/?ref=nf%C2%A0

Brian Jones on Education Nation Panel with Brill, Rhee, Weingarten, etc.

http://tiny.cc/wf4jh

"Charter Starter": a video spoof

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnrrw5CV3Gw

Sean Corcoran Findings on Value Added Measurement of Teachers Raises Doubts

Wide margins of error, instability on city’s value-added reports

Click above for Elizabeth Green report at Gotham Schools.

Chicago View of Unity/UFT on Charters

After many meetings and debates, the Chicago delegation succeeded in working with the New York United Federation of Teachers, Local 2 (UFT) to push the AFT to take stronger stands on charter school accountability and school closings — though many delegates from Chicago would have liked the language to have been even stronger.

Generally speaking, the New York delegation represented organizing charters as the best model for handling their role in reshaping unions, despite the fact that according to many reports few charter schools in New York have been organized as is the case in Chicago. This logic is the same touted by the Progressive Caucus of the AFT. The few that have been organized are a part of the UFT local though they have separate contracts negotiated with the help of UFT. The Chicago delegation reflection the mindset that allowing new charters to continue to proliferate while attempting to organize existing charters is an end game in which public schools and the union lose.

Jen Johnson, CTU, Local 1 in Substance

Video of Chicago/CORE Deal with UFT/Unity on School Closings at the AFT Convention

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhailiqr4uQ

Ravitch: Why Public Schools Need Democratic Governance

http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v91/docs/k1003rav.pdf

NYC Parent Commission on School Governance

  • Parent Commission - Mayoral Control Recos 2010

More Videos of HSA vs. Mosaic Prep

Harlem Success Academy Vs. Mosiac Prep - Voices of Parents and Teachers

Rose Annette Jiminez and other parents speak at the Harlem Success Academy attempt to expand in Mosaic Academy.

Norm's Article on Seniority in The Indypendent

FIRST PERSON: Teaching Under Assault: Two visions of education clash as Bloomberg prepares to lay off 6,400 teachers

By Norm Scott, in the Jun 2, 2010 issue

After teaching elementary education for 27 years at PS 147 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I was offered a technology job at the district level in 1998.

Surprise: On AOL - Analysis of Closing of Metropolitan Corporate Academy in Brooklyn

I only had time to skim this but looks worth checking out:

Part 1: Did 'Failing' School Get Failed by the System?

Part 2: Champion Debate Team Rejects City's Verdict

Part 3: How Education Reform Can Turn Into a Shell Game

Part 4: When a School Year Ends in Purgatory

Ed Notes Greatest Hits: HSA Rally and Founding of GEM

SEE MY VIDEO ON HARLEM SUCCESS RALLY 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEp7rg_L5JI

Angel Gonzalez and I attended that rally and used the footage to promote our conference on Mar. 28, 2009, which is where the concept of a group like GEM emerged. Until then we had basically been a committee of ICE working with the NYCORE high stakes testing group. The actions of Eva and crew helped spawn GEM. Mommie Dearest!!

I have more video somewhere. I was hoping to get Leni Riefenstahl to edit it but she died. We would have called it "Triumph of the Hedge Fund Operators."


Video - Bill Gates at the AFT: Bringing in a Trojan Horse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Ezri0pVOg


AFT Gates- California teacher chastises Randi for actions at Gates Protests
AFT Gates- Randi chastised for actions by California teacher


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkSSSYQuIcs

Charter School Scandals - from Sharon Higgins

  • CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS
    Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
    11 years ago

Ravitch Debates Charter School Shill James Merriman

On NY1 Video Clip:

http://www.ny1.com/content/118229/story

Diana Senechal on Harlem Children's Zone

Sorry Geoffrey Canada, but failure IS an option, a reality, and even a boon - Diana Senechal

Washington Post Class Struggle
2010-04-09
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=9289

The writer takes a look at the Harlem Children's Zone where failure is not an option but some grades are not mentioned.

Source: Ohanian

Parents Speak Out Against Mayoral Control of Schools at Tweed

Inside Schools has the video scoop.

MUST READ- Leonie on Eva

Haimson on Eva's saturation charter school mailings

An Oldie But Goodie: The Disparity Gap

At the Education Roundtable

Video of Chicago's George Schmidt and CORE Shredding Arne Duncan and the Chicago Corporate Model


Labor Beat video hosted at:
The video is hosted on blip.tv: http://blip.tv/file/2428857

Great Post on Teacher Quality at the Morton School

I'm very tired of the myth that schools are bursting at the seams with apathetic, unskilled, surly, child-hating losers who can't get jobs doing anything else. I recently figured that, counting high school and college where one encounters many teachers in the course of a year, I had well over 100 teachers in my lifetime, and I can only say that one or two truly had no place being in a classroom.

More at: http://themortonschool.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-teachers-stupidright.html

UFT Election Results 2004/07 Compared

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pgxRf3gM4qtyBFmTshSW1fQ&hl=en

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