Join Me and Other MOREistas This Saturday at MORE Brunch

REMINDER FOR SAT. at 11:30AM to join us for brunch and meet the MOREistas growing corps of members.

Here's a good sign with this message just in: MORE is looking for a space for our general meetings as we have outgrown the space we have been using.
 
But we will have to pay for this space. So for $20 you get a good meal, (and I think MORE may be a tax free deal now) and good company.

Do I have to tell you if you are a NYC teacher that the only way to have a chance to turn the tide of ed deform is to capture leadership of the UFT/AFT. Now that may be a long march I may not live to see but the first step is building a viable democratically run alternative with a MORE rep in as many schools as possible. Let me emphasize "democratic." If we could win power by being like Unity I would say "no thank you."

Been reluctant to attend a MORE meeting because you are all meeting out? Here is you chance to rub elbows - and noses if you prefer - with an entire gaggle of MOREistas in this fund raiser. As you know, we are not e4e getting money from Bill Gates. Or the UFT with its $200 million budget.

And we have a great new project -- MORE Stuff in Your Mailbox -- a new newspaper being distributed to schools all over the city (you can sign up as a distributor for your school at the MORE website -- and I'll hand deliver them to you -- if you treat me to a school lunch). Yes, Virginia, we have to pay to print those suckers and you can help by attending this lunch -- and if you can't come support it anyway.

Sean Ahern, a master chef and cooking teacher, has been heading the project. Sean was one of the first people who contacted me in 2002/3 when I went citywide with Ed Notes and we quickly became good friends. He was one of the key people in helping form ICE and has jumped into the work of MORE with enthusiasm.

When I met Sean, he was in the early stages of his 3rd career - teaching. He began as a transit worker, inspecting tracks. Walking over an icy bridge he decided it was time to switch careers and he became a chef, working with Eli Zabar and others. Then he went on to offer his services and skills to the kids of the New York City school system, as needed a service in vocational training as can be found.

Not only will you be helping MORE but you will get a great meal as Sean is joined by another cooking teacher, Michael Lynch. And you also will get a chance to meet the great new generation of activists working with MORE like Julie Cavanagh, Rosie Frascella, Mike Schirtzer, and a slew of others -- yes I will be playing the part of grandpa.

The closest subway stop is Washington/Clinton on the C line. Or go to the Barclay Center on Atlantic Ave and walk about 10 minutes.

MORE Brunch – Saturday, October 5th

September 29, 2013 — Leave a comment

Two experienced NYC chef/educators, Michael Lynch and Sean Ahern will be preparing a delicious and affordable Brunch (vegetarian and vegan options included) all homemade and from  the highest quality ingredients and professionally prepared.  We have trained many of NYC most talented students who are now working in some of the top restaurants in the city.  

The proceeds will go to help the Movement of Rank and File Educators with its organizing efforts in the coming year.  Teacher singer songwriters of note, Fred Arcoleo and Patrick Walsh will entertain you. MORE’s Presidential Candidate Julie Cavanagh and other leaders will be in attendance.  A great morning awaits you.  Invite co workers, friends and family for a relaxing and enjoyable saturday brunch.  Its a fun crowd. 

Make your reservation today:

http://morebrunch.eventbrite.com/

Parent Calls for Support of Oct. 9 "Win Back Wednesday"

Janine Sopp issues a call to her network. There are links to the Toolkit prepared by MORE for use in your schools, plus a great video prepared by MORE Media. The day will culminate with a rally outside the UFT Delegate Assembly (52 Broadway) on Oct. 9 at 4PM with a focus on the evaluation system the UFT leadership is pushing. If only the usual suspects are there they will be ignored.

The game will change when the day comes that we see hundreds of people with connection to hundreds of schools outside the DA putting pressure on the UFT leadership. (I still have to tell you my story of the Sept. emergency DA and the crap Unity tried to pull on distribution of lit.)

I know people -internally and externally who are critics of MORE for not coming up with an alternative system of evaluation. That is an issue for further discussion, though frankly, given there is no real way to judge a teacher's work through the use of data, maybe what we had (S or U - maybe add a middle rating like I) was the best way -- though I would create an independent investigative unit to take a close look at abusive principals who target certain people for political or economic reasons.

In Ravitch's "Reign of Error" she points to a question asked of many foreign educators: "What do you do about a bad teacher? Answer: We help them. Q: And if they are not improving? A: We help them some more. And if that doesn't work we help them find another profession." Actually, if they are basically competent in some ways but can't seem to manage the classroom situation, there must be some position in the ed structure for them.

Here is Janine.

Greetings Fellow Parents, Teachers and Friends,

As most of you know, we are facing a new year in our children's schools where standardized tests will have even higher stakes attached to them.  Because NYS has created a teacher evaluation system that is tied to the tests our children are mandated to take, we expect an even higher level of stress throughout the year.  With the implementation of the Common Core Standards and the creation of new tests that have not been fully aligned yet, and are often poorly designed, our kids will be used somewhat as guinea pigs, but the stakes are too high for this kind of experimentation.  Even our youngest students, in K-2, will be subjected to these measures and we will see the quality of teaching deteriorate under these circumstances.  

If you find all of this troubling and feel you have no power over what is happening, you are wrong. Now more than ever, parents are taking charge of their children's educational destiny and saying NO. At a time when we are choosing a new mayor to lead our schools in a new direction, we actually have more influence than we may realize.  We have the power to vote, we have the right to opt out, we have a voice that needs to be heard and many organizations with which to organize.  

Whether you are a parent, a teacher, an administrator, a student or a concerned citizen, you can show your support by joining others who are actively working toward shifting the conversation and the direction of education, the runaway train that needs us to step on the brakes.

Attached is an incredible tool kit, created to help your schools organize for a day of action to kick off "Win Back Wednesdays" on October 9.  Please share this tool kit with your school leaders, PTA, SLT, PAC, your families, teachers and administration.  There are ideas for actions, small and large, to support the empowerment of our students and our schools.  Know that there is a state wide movement to end the use of high stakes standardized testing and it's punitive effects.  Adding your voice, your action, will help grow the movement to make the shift to a more balanced, holistic approach to our children's education and give our children the schools they deserve.

Feel free to post photos of your actions to Change the Stakes and MORE Facebook pages.  Check out and share this Win Back Wednesday video.

 Want to learn more, come to Brooklyn for one or both of these events.

With regards,

--
Janine

october9thtoolkit.docx
626K   View   Download  

More Labels UPPER CASE without template.pdf 1514K   View   Download

oct 9th stickers simple and spanish.docx 14K   View   Download

Why MORE?

Speaking with you the day before meeting with my principal was very helpful. It allowed me to better register what really is, as Julie has stated, "clear as mud." The UFT selected part of our committee was the only prepared party at the the table. The principal and her supervisors were unprepared and relied on our take and interpretation of the choices to be made. We advised that our school trigger the default model for the local MOSL. The principal agreed. Could not have done this without MORE support and Julie's wonderful ability to break down the entire task before us so that we could choose between the "noose or the sword."
Thanks for everything.

Ahhh! The smell of Democracy and open and diverse discussion. Our pals running the UFT should try it sometime. MORE did the hard work the UFT leadership would not do in analyzing the impact of the new world of evaluation.

If it wasn't for Julie and others dissecting this nonsense (Julie Cavanagh Analyzes Teacher Evaluation Options...) I would be totally clueless.  I couldn't get our DR to come to our school to explain this to us. She kept saying, "If you attended our spring info sessions you'd know..." BS, we know this thing was far from finished then.  MORE was there for me and my chapter with information and discussion. The petition will be circulated tomorrow. .. High School chapter leader

MORE activists and their supporters have been on the case. MORE members comment on the work of MORE on the evaluation.

Thank GOD for MORE and my brothers and sisters here I walked into school knowing more than anyone, including my administration, on how to explain the ridiculous "advance."

There is no one to turn before I joined MORE and here we are educating, helping, supporting each other. Its awesome, I'm happy to have each other. I always feel disconnected at UFT DA's. There is no solidarity, no personal connections. Next time you walk into a MORE meeting take a look at the smiles, laughter, embrace of each other. This is what a union meeting ought to be, this what we do.

The meetings and discussion over email and in person, blog posts, summer series, have done for me what my union was supposed to do. Everyone I know is turning to MORE for advice and push back against this asinine system.

We are here, we are answering questions, we have a petition, newsletter, and a day of action on 10/9 to fight this. Our union leadership sends out an email meant to do nothing but appease....

Thanks to MORE I'm able to be a better leader, organizer, and more importantly than ANYTHING I'm a better teacher. Frankly MORE meetings do more for my pedagogy than any DOE PD ever has ever.....

Usually I go to services for the high holy days, as I did yesterday and the 3 or 4 hardcore retired Unity folks make every effort to avoid me, although they're good friends with my mom. Well they couldn't run to me fast enough at Rosh shashona services. They wanted to know all about the new eval system, how bad it is, and one even said they saw our petition and it's awesome (he never acknowledged before that I was in UFT/MORE). This made me feel like we accomplished something, very little, but something....

Thanks so much to everyone else who shared advice, links and asked great questions, wrote emails posts, brought interesting things to meeting. And the Change The Stakes/High Stakes Testing crew for explaining how we ought to tell parents that this is wrong, the eval crew for writing a POWERFUL petition. I am more convinced than ever that WE are the union....

There is no one to turn before I joined MORE and here we are educating, helping, supporting each other. Its awesome, I'm happy to have each other. I always feel disconnected at UFT DA's. There is no solidarity, no personal connections. Next time you walk into a MORE meeting take a look at the smiles, laughter, embrace of each other. This is what a union meeting ought to be, this what we do....

"What MORE should do" is where I say, WE are MORE, every member can have a voice and put into what we do. That's what keeps me going and able to start the school year with a hope that would, otherwise, not be possible. Recently, colleagues from my last school called me because of my affiliation with MORE and NOT the Unity District Chapter Leader to ask about the evals. So, that's a huge sign of success for everyone here....

Julie Cavanagh Analyzes Teacher Evaluation Options

If only our current union leadership could communicate to teachers how best to protect themselves in what is going to be a very challenging and dangerous school year for everybody - students, teachers and administrators - as well as Julie Cavanagh does. ....Perdido Street School blog

Decide to get involved:  I am convinced the overwhelming majority of educators, after navigating this evaluation system, will be moved to action.  Do not get discouraged; do not believe we cannot affect change.  Whether you donate, sign a petition, attend a rally, come to a meeting, run for office, or join an organization-- the time is now to stand up and fight the tidal wave of attacks on public education.... Julie Cavanagh

Julie has spent a lot of time this summer learning the ins and outs of this mess. She shares her thoughts in this post on the MORE blog which I am cross posting.

This is not only about Julie's wonderful work in breaking all this down but also expresses Julie's philosophy of working together which so attracts people.

Make decisions based on what will bring you together:  do not allow these decisions to divide you.  Stand in solidarity together, take care of each other, and do what benefits students and teachers collectively.

This is important stuff to working teachers but for people like me the details give me a headache. But if you want clarity, read this all the way through. Julie's piece should actually be a pamphlet.

The Noose or The Sword: Choosing Your Evaluation

by morecaucusnyc

Analysis and Guidance Regarding Teacher Evaluation Choices and Decisions

By Julie Cavanagh PS15k Chapter Leader

I have yet to meet a parent, teacher or student from a school community who tells me they believe the new teacher evaluation system being implemented in NYC is a good thing, for anyone.  It seems most people understand this system is nothing more than another cog in the wheel of a machine with one clear purpose:  the destruction of our public education system.  This system and the accountability and testing measures and movement preceding it, reduce our students, our teachers and our schools to numbers and data, dehumanizing our schools and our profession. 

There is a growing movement that says, “Don’t feed the beast! Deny the data!” My heart lies with this sentiment, but in terms of the teacher evaluation framework, it may not be the right one.  Let me be clear, this system is irrevocably flawed, and the illusion of choice is no choice at all.  But while the system is fundamentally flawed and hurts our schools and profession, we can choose to participate in order to mitigate the damage to individual teacher jobs as well as our schools and students.

MORE members and allies have received multiple requests for guidance and analysis concerning the decisions UFT members and local committees must make regarding the teacher evaluation system.  Below I attempt to lay out, as I see them, the pros and cons of the choices individual teachers and school-based evaluation committees must make in the coming weeks.  This is by no means complete and it would be immensely helpful if folks offer their additional comments, analysis, and suggestions in the comment section!

The Lay of the Land

There are basically three “paths” to journey on as you make decisions as an individual UFT member and as a committee:

Unity Caucus Will Never Apologize...

... for bragging about closing rubber rooms when they didn't. Someone sent a graphic of a Unity button. Rubber room prisoner of war Francesco Portelos took the idea and ran with it. (Maybe if the Unity leadership can get him out of the rubber room they brag about closing down in their ads, he wouldn't have as much time to do these projects.

I'm not sure it this is an officially approved MORE ad but feel free to use it as you want. 

==============
The opinions expressed on EdNotesOnline are solely those of Norm Scott and are not to be taken as official positions (though Unity Caucus/New Action slugs will try to paint them that way) of any of the groups or organizations Norm works with: ICE, GEM, MORE, Change the Stakes, NYCORE, FIRST Lego League NYC, Rockaway Theatre Co., Active Aging, The Wave, Aliens on Earth, etc.

MORE at CUNY Today and James Eterno Reports on MORE At NYCORE

I have some video and will put it up by tomorrow. See you if you can make it today at CUNY at 3pm to hear Lois Weiner, Francesco Portelos, Harris Lirtsman and Brian Jones moderating. We don't often get to see and hear Camille Eterno so last night was a real pleasure for those who haven't seen her laser-like focus on teacher rights and working conditions. What an interesting blend of activists from social justice to trade union issues with Michael Fiorillo's ability to forge them all into a coherent whole.

As I was watching last night I was thinking that Julie and Brian are elementary school teachers, a division that has often been marginalized in UFT elections, at least from an activist mode. Julie is the first elementary school teacher  -- and special ed teacher - to run for President in UFT history. Brian has always taught elementary school.

The gap between elementary school and high school teaching experience is very large and as an elementary school teacher myself, with such close contact to the community and parents, you bring a different perspective. Which is often why you hear elementary school people spend so much time talking about kids and parents while high school people often focus on the contract. I know, I know, a wide generalization, but that is how I've seen it.

The opposition in the UFT has always had some disdain for elementary school teachers -- until ICE, that is. In 2002 I attended an Ex Bd meeting of New Action and the co-chair seemed astounded I was an elementary school teacher and practically blurted out, "But you seem so smart..." Well, the people I worked with are amongst the smartest and toughest people I have ever met. As Debbie Meier has said, teaching kindergarten was the most intellectual challenging thing she ever did.

MORE OFFICER CANDIDATES TOGETHER AT NYCORE MEETING

Last night downtown Manhattan had a chance to see and hear four MORE candidates for top UFT offices speak at a public forum.  To say the least, they were at the top of their game.

UFT Presidential candidate Julie Cavanagh, Secretary candidate Brian Jones, Treasurer nominee Camille Eterno and Assistant Secretary nominee Michael Fiorello addressed a number of union and public education concerns and then they fielded questions from the audience at a NYCORE meeting.  Issues covered included bloated union officer salaries and double pensions which leads to our leadership being out of touch with the membership, the history of the UFT, how to stop principals from abusing the UFT contract, what a member driven union would look like in practice, how destructive closing schools is for communities, privatization of education both here and abroad and many others.

A main theme is that now the UFT has a top-down bureaucratic structure that does not work for the benefit of the membership or the schools.  If MORE is elected, the pyramid will be inverted with the members put into the driver's seat. The recent activism of the Chicago teachers can serve as a model.

I hope to see these four and other MORE candidates in action again.  I was sitting in the audience imagining a debate between MORE"S top candidates and the UFT's current leaders from the Unity Caucus. I couldn't think of a bigger mismatch.  I can see why Unity's President Mulgrew and company would never want a debate. I think we should have several.

Today is part 2 of the activist weekend at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Movement of Rank & File Educators Weekly Update #44 - February 22nd, 2013

Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Upcoming: Democracy & Dignity in Education  Sat., Feb. 23 3:00-5:00 PM 365 5th Ave., Rm. 5414 Planning/Election Committee Mon., Mar. 4 5:00 PM Cosi (55 Broad St.) General Meeting Sat., March 9 12:00-3:00 PM 224 W. 29th St., 14th Fl. Planning/Election Committee Thurs., Mar. 21 5:00 PM Cosi (55 Broad St.) General Meeting Sat., April 13 General Meeting Sat., May 18 Dignity and Democracy in Education:   A Public Forum About Blowing the Whistle on the Culture of Fear and Corruption in NYC Public Schools Saturday, February 23rd 3:00 to 5:00pm CUNY Graduate Center 365 5th Ave., Rm. 5414 (@ 34th St.) Photo ID Required Panelists include: Lois Weiner, Ed.D. scholar-activist; author of The Future of Our Schools: Teacher Unions and Social Justice; Professor of Education at New Jersey City University  Francesco Portelos - S.T.E.M. teacher; UFT Chapter Leader and whistleblower; "rubber roomed" for exposing alleged financial corruption of school administration Harris Lirtzman - former Special Education/mathematics teacher charged with "employee misconduct" after reporting misadministration of his school's special education program Moderated by: Brian Jones - teacher and co-narrator of the film "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" (http://vimeo.com/41994760) Pizza will be served afterwards to all those who stay to help with petition signing and MORE's election effort. Make sure to bring any and all signed petitions to the event! THIS IS A FREE EVENT - BUT PLEASE BRING YOUR CHECKBOOK TO MAKE A DONATION TO MORE'S ELECTION EFFORTS Come hear speakers from MORE's UFT election slate, help circulate our petition for a membership vote on the evaluation system, and join the movement! Click links to RSVP Friday, March 1 4:00pm-7:00pm The Harp Irish Pub 7710 3rd Ave (btwn 77th & 78th Sts.) Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Queens: TODAY, February 22 4:00pm-7:00pm Terrazza 7 Cafe  40-19 Gleane St. Elmhurst, NY (7 Train to 82nd St.) *************** Friday, March 1  5:00pm-7:00pm Nancy’s Restaurant 255-41 Jericho Turnpike (near Little Neck Parkway) Floral Park, Queens Find out what you can do to get out the vote! Check out MORE'slatest blog post and find out how to help mobilize UFT members to vote. Reply to this email to become part of MORE's discussion listserv. Also, our message has crept into the Ivy League! Check out this Yale student on why we should "Just Say No" to Charter Schools Help Distribute Literature for MORE! Volunteers needed help distributing campaign literature at your school and schools nearby. Reply to this email or check our website... Fundraising Skills? MORE Needs Help Raising Money Please reply to this email if you would be interested in helping to organize fundraising events during the election season

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How UFT District Reps Undermine Democracy. VOTE MORE

The District Rep was pushing the Unity ballet too telling people how can they just vote for the entire unity party by checking the box. -- report from a teacher

Yes, the Unity/UFT hacks are out pushing their drugs on union time and on our dues. Here was a District Rep while on the UFT dole (at well over a 100 grand a year) pushing Unity Caucus during an ostensible meeting on the wonders of the evaluation system. My feeling is they must be getting a bit nervous when they are willing to so openly violate labor law, which can lead to a charge in front of PERB for misuse of union dues for open politicking.


As I've been saying, unless there is someone in the school actively pushing back, they can get away with this crap. But the teacher/reporter, while possibly not confronting the DR, was not buying any of it, a sign they will be having some problems selling whatever they agree to.

The UFT person from my district came to my school and wanted to talk to us about the new evaluation system... saying how great it was because Mulgrew fought so hard for it... and it really pissed me off because doesn't the union care what the members think? Why is the district rep personally visiting buildings to hype up a crappy eval system when we dont even have a contract? She was saying oh and the test scores are only 20% and Mulgrew worked so hard to do this... and then she is doing backflips over Danielson and how great it is, when it is being misused.

This report is representative of why there are no elections for District Reps, the main agents --- the middle men and women between the top-level union and the chapter leaders.

Want to do something about this? Hand out the first MORE election leaflet in your school which will be available for downloading later in the day from the MORE web site. Or you can email me for a copy. Or you can have us send or deliver a batch if you don't print them yourselves.

Ballots go our early April so there will be a school by school battle with a focus on the eval system and MORE is outgunned and outspent and also has to battle on a 2 front war with every New Action vote going to Mulgrew. What do you think Mulgrew will do with a big "mandate?"

 

Feb. 4, 2013 Blogging Team Goes Head to Head With Unity Caucus

UFT Elections: MORE vs Unity/New Action

The UFT election goes into full swing starting this Weds. Tonight's Ex Bd meeting (where I may get a bite to eat) will ratify the procedures. Petitions will be available on Weds. Feb. 6 before the Delegate Assembly, after which Unity Caucus is holding a 6:30 meeting at Fashion Industries HS so they all can get their petitions signed. MORE is working on its own plans -- and you are invited to help.

Well, with the election season, comes the Unity defense.

Have you checked out the MORE blog recently (Morecaucusnyc)?

Some of our city's top bloggers have volunteered their time to work with MORE and the writing has been fantabulous. I am supposed to be part of this crew but I have a very tough time trying to write in the voice of an organization instead of my own voice.

I know that MORE positions don't perfectly align with Ed Notes so changing tone is a chore I have not mastered. Yes, I am an attack dog and Unity slugs and hacks try to paint MORE as a subsidiary of Ed Notes. Unity people can't conceive that everyone in a group does not speak with one voice.

When our crew write official MORE pieces they go through a process where the Steering Committee (totally open to anyone in MORE) gets 24 hours to edit and approve before publishing. I bet my stuff will never pass muster since after 42 years of seeing Unity inaction it is hard to modify my venom. Really, I have a hard time giving them credit for anything. But I am on the extreme end, along with some of my colleagues in ICE who are also on the older end of the spectrum and know how Unity operates. I haven't yet convinced many of my colleagues in MORE that Unity is Vichy. Many in ICE are also with MORE but maintains an independent voice on the ICE blog. The more MORE younger gen of activists see Unity in operation close up and personal the MORE they will see the frustration of trusting them in any way. The reaction by some young uns to the early Unity attempts to suppress our lit is a sign.

Anyway, I now have the attention span of a flea. Given that all these bloggers are actually working while I laze away the days makes them even MORE awesome.

Check out the MORE blog you will see Unity flacks appearing to argue their case. Some of it is really funny in their convoluted arguments.

Bloggers have been out there analyzing the Unity position.

Assailed Teacher takes their arguments apart:

SEVEN WAYS TO DEFEND UFT LEADERSHIP

NYCDOENuts hits Unity from another angle:

Wow, Is It UFT Election Season or What? Unity Attacks

And NYC Educator uses his deft scalpel:
It's Election Season

Then there is Leo Casey who can't stay away despite supposedly moving to Washington to work for Randi at the AFT. There is no point in my going into all the details of the back and forth -- just follow the links.

Reality-Based Educator takes on the task:

Leo Casey Explains Collective Bargaining To Us

As I said, the bloggers at MORE have done some great work. Here is an awesome piece of work from one of the 4 Horsemen (3 if you subtract me) who took on the task of writing this in a MORE media/blogging committee conference call at noon on Saturday and sent back this piece in almost polished form a few hours later. We were all blown away by the work put into this.

Morecaucusnyc

DOES MICHAEL MULGREW BELIEVE THAT OUR TEACHERS’ WORKING CONDITIONS ARE OUR STUDENTS’ LEARNING CONDITIONS?

Teachers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions. This has been MORE’s stance since our inception. We understand that there is a relationship between the erosion of our rights as workers and the erosion of quality education in our city over the past 10 years.

A few days ago, on the UFT website, Michael Mulgrew used our slogan in a piece defending his actions in the ongoing battle over teacher evaluations in New York State. Unfortunately, using our slogan is not the same as believing it. His actions surrounding the evaluation controversy cast serious doubt on whether he considers the learning conditions of our students at all, let alone the working conditions of the teachers he is paid to represent.
By examining the origins of this evaluation fiasco we can see just how much Mulgrew, along with the rest of our union’s leadership, take into consideration our students’ learning conditions. What we consider a fundamental belief is clearly nothing more than an empty slogan to the ruling Unity caucus.

 Read MORE...

And one more from NYC Educator

UFT--Champion of Junk Science

Parents Support MORE Too

Yes Virginia, building a social justice caucus aligned with parents is part of the game plan. MORE is forging parent and even college student liaison groups -- there was quite a nice crew at the MORE meeting on Saturday -- the MORE counterforce to the phony no-nothing Student First anti-teacher crew from Columbia. Here is a great letter sent out from parent activist Janine Sopp.

Dear Parents, Teachers and Friends,

You may already know about the Movement of Rank and File Educators, a new caucus of progressive educators who will be running in the 2013 UFT elections. As a parent working on issues of high stakes testing, increasing class sizes, charter school invasions and budget cuts, it thrills me to see another option and new energy stir within the teachers in our schools. Watching the events unfold in Chicago a few months ago and now in Seattle, our teachers can make a tremendous difference in changing the landscape of our public schools, especially in the face of those who seek to create systems that will unfairly rate our teachers, our schools and our children.

I am reaching out to see who would be willing to distribute the MORE leaflet in your school, placing them in the mailboxes of mailboxes of teachers, paras, secretaries, guidance counselors and anyone else who might like to know about this. Some of you are connected to a larger network and in this case could be very helpful to this grassroots effort to share this information. Please consider helping by distributing to your contacts. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to do and would help get the word out with this very important opportunity. Simply email me back with the school(s) you are connected to and I will find out if this school is in need of a distributor. I will find the best way to get the leaflets to you. Your support is greatly appreciated. Feel free to visit MORE's website to learn more, and help spread the word, morecaucusnyc.org/.

Thanks and hope to see you soon. Below, the specifics from MORE.
Janine


Dear friends,

The Movement of Rank and File Educators is running in the 2013 UFT elections. We are very excited about our prospects but our task ahead is daunting. We need your help! Can you help us distribute campaign literature in schools in Brooklyn? It will help us if you can put our campaign literature in the mailboxes in your school. It will help even more if you can put campaign literature in other schools nearby. Finally, if you can get friends or co-workers to help us that will be a great help too!

If you are able to help please reply to this email. If you know of specific schools to which you can get campaign literature please let me know. If you just know of a zip code or district within which you can help let me know that and I'll let you know which schools we still need covered.

Thanks again,

Kit Wainer
KitWainer@yahoo.com

MORE Rally Video and Photos at UFT DA, Jan. 17

Some Ed Deformers at actually pitting the militant MOREs vs the E4E slugs, claiming they are a majority.

even if it angers younger, more reform-minded teachers who are the majority of rank-and-file members and seek high-quality evaluations 

Count the numbers of younger MORE (real) reform-minded teachers in the video.

See full dumb statement below pics.



Posted at: http://youtu.be/-EmpYubKraQ

A few photos (thanks to Pat Dobosz)

More MORE Videos - Chants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQn1ZWY5Lnw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFzWD0iOaaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xtjfd1zQ0chttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNY2q8nAEU8

On TV:

ABC: MORE Elem school VEEP Candidate Sam Coleman, PS 24K

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=8957466

CBS: MORE Elem Ex Bd candidate and CL Jia Lee with gang from Earth School
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8202344

Dropout Nation

the most-radical of traditionalists within the rank-and-file want a leader who resembles Mulgrew’s colleague in Chicago, the infamous Karen Lewis; blowing off a deal with the district appeals to both Baby Boomers (who may not want to be subjected to performance management under which objective student test score growth on Empire State tests account for between 20 percent and 40 percent of evaluations), and more-militant retirees (who made up 39 percent of the votes in the AFT local’s last election four years ago. The fact that Mulgrew gets to score a victory of sorts against the outgoing Big Apple mayor (even if it angers younger, more reform-minded teachers who are the majority of rank-and-file members and seek high-quality evaluations)

MORE: Rally to Demand a Member-Wide Vote this Thursday at the UFT

This was posted at MORE on Jan. 14 and below that is the downloadable leaflet on scribd (when it is up and running) if you want to share it with people in your school.

You can read the Jan. 12 MORE post here: MORE Statement on the Pending Evaluation Agreement Between the DOE and the UFT


I will be at the rally early with leaflets for people to give out and any help would be appreciated. And then there is the after DA event at a local bar where we will drown our sorrows or celebrate our joy.

Rally to Demand a Member-Wide Vote this Thursday at the UFT

Join MORE this Thursday to demand a member wide vote on our new evaluation system at 52 Broadway NYC UFT Headquarters on Thursday 1/17 beginning at 3:30 for a rally before the Delegate Assembly (DA). All educators and concerned citizens are encouraged to come and have their voices heard.

The indications are very strong the UFT leadership will reach an evaluation agreement with the Department of Education in just a few days and present it the Delegate Assembly without membership input nor education around finer aspects of the deal.This agreement will radically change our working conditions and our students’ learning conditions without any input from the almost 76,000 teachers of the United Federation of Teachers. This is outrageous!We will send out a digital version of our flier soon-please sign up to email below. We will have copies at DA for distribution starting at 3:30. Bring signs, fliers, poster-oak tag, markers, clipboards, and pens, we will need volunteers to gather names, emails, and phone #’s All UFT chapter leader and delegate should Vote NO so that they can bring back the agreement to their chapters for a full vote.

Stay up to date with the latest details by joining our email list by request at more@morecaucusnyc.org or follow us at Twitter.com @morecaucusnyc

Tags: MORE, Movement of Rank and File Educators, social justice unionism, teacher evaluations, UFT

http://www.scribd.com/doc/120466125/The-Movement-of-Rank-and-File-Educators-urges-you-to-vote-NO-on-the-proposed-teacher-evaluation-plan

The Movement of Rank and File Educators urges you to vote NO on the proposed teacher evaluation plan by morecaucusnyc

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The opinions expressed on EdNotesOnline are solely those of Norm Scott and are not to be taken as official positions (though Unity Caucus/New Action slugs will try to paint them that way) of any of the groups or organizations Norm works with: ICE, GEM, MORE, Change the Stakes, NYCORE, FIRST Lego League NYC, Rockaway Theatre Co., Active Aging, The Wave, Aliens on Earth, etc.

MORE Memo: Was the SESIS Decision a Victory?

A great sign for MORE Media, led by its intrepid leader Mike Schirtzer, is the newly constituted MORE Response Team with the 4 bloggers of the Apocalypse leading the way to help put together the MORE statement on SESIS.

Read a great post at DOENUTS that pretty much says what I would.

How, exactly, is winning the right to force teachers into overtime a good thing? Because that happened with this 'victory'....the arbitration process went on for two long years before it was finally "resolved". How exactly is it a victory if I get to abuse you for two long years without being stopped?

Actually, I wouldn't call for 20,000 teachers to march but give me 5000 teachers, parents and special ed kids marching and that changes the game. I also would at least explore job actions -- let the UFT be creative -- look at the Chicago crew and how they are constantly on the offensive.

And, YES, I want my pound of flesh.
A pet peeve over the last 40 years has been the UFT's cavaliere, "Do what they say and file a grievance." So I have to eat the crap and even if I win there is no loss for the supervisor who knowingly violated the contract figured a) most likely I would lose and 2) even if I won nothing happens to them for violating the contract. That was why the groups I was with in the 70s called for penalties for administrators when you win.

I also take issue with the non-proactive use of legal mechanisms that slowly wind their way through the system. This is a fight that should have been taken to the public as doing harm to kids given that teachers had little time to manage this broken system incompetently implemented. I would gladly have congratulated the UFT for spending millions of dollars on commercials.

The MORE statement below, while congratulating the union leaders on winning the money, goes further into what I would classify as a social justice angle by framing the issue more broadly than the focus on money. Look at the impact on teachers and kids.

Yes, the right thing should be that workers get paid overtime for this labor, however, money was never the issue. It was the forced labor that we had to do on our own time IN ADDITION TO the other tasks we have always done largely after school hours including lesson planning and IEP writing (which takes more time on SESIS then on prior paper IEP's). If we gain additional workers to do the data entry tasks required by SESIS, that would be a victory because it would allow more time for intervention and counseling with students.

Here is the MORE statement with a link

MORE congratulates the UFT for the financial compensation they’ve earned our Special Education colleagues across the city. The SESIS case is another example of UFT leadership pursuing the same bureaucratic, top-down strategy it always pursues. Sometimes that strategy yields small victories. Nonetheless, because of this strategy the UFT is losing the war on several fronts.

First, the UFT did not involve rank and file members in this effort any more than it normally does. It issued surveys and asked chapter leaders to report abuses to district representatives. The UFT compiled the survey data and used it as evidence in the arbitration case. Members were not organized to respond collectively or actively in any way. There were no membership meetings, no mobilizations, no involvement of members in strategy discussions. The UFT strategy was purely legalistic and involved only the grievance department, some officers, and some lawyers. And this time they won  an arbitration case. Can we expect more cases against the DOE: Teachers are currently being evaluated with the Danielson Rubric, educators are being compelled to spend hours upon hours writing curriculum in the form of Common Core Units of Study and are grading on Acuity well into the night, high school teachers are being forced to change schools during Regents Week, creating traveling and childcare hazards for our colleagues all across the city.

Many special education workers including Related Service Providers, SETSS Teachers, Psychologists, Social Workers, and Guidance Counselors have been forced to do excessive amounts of Data Entry work. This is certainly not in our contract.

Continue reading at MORE blog →

Other blogs on this issue:

James and Jeff at ICE: WILL SESIS VICTORY BE A TURNAROUND MOMENT FOR DOE/UFT?

[For those who want to know how the ICE blog can congratulate the UFT while I disagree, we are all free agents -- note the word "Independent".]

Chaz (Why My Union Is Important)  where I left a few comments regarding the social justice angle. My tactical take is that if teachers only scream about not getting paid it feeds into the ed deform attack on teachers and unions and public education (see, our charter school teachers will stay up all night doing this for no money -- when in fact my sources say all too many charter schools just ignore IEP type work knowing there is no penalty) and gun-shy passive UFT.

If I were running things I would have held rallies with teachers, parents and kids and do what they did in Chicago -- demand more people to do the work as the MORE response points out --- it is not about money for us but about the kids.

Now I know this offends traditional unionists but we live in a different world now where the very institutions teachers work in and the unions are under severe assault. And our "products" are not widgets or cars so let's now compare ourselves to auto workers. Teacher unions need to unlock the door to parent activism.

In fact, MORE is working with some parents to establish some kind of kindred parent group. And at a recent meeting with 5 MOREs every single one of them have kids under the age of 4 -- except me, unless you count Bernie and Penny --- YES, teachers are parents too. Wish I took a picture.

All of these MOREs are going to send their kids to a public school and that is a theme MORE will develop over time.

MORE Press Release: Weingarten "Bar-like Exam" Proposal is Shortsighted

I was thrilled when Randi proposed going to a bar to pick up your teaching license, then MORE busts my bubble. Here's one to ya Julie, who has been involved in a twitter battle over this issue with Weingarten and Leo Casey. Julie sent this link to an important case that Jeff Kaufman turned up: NYC discriminated against black, Latino teachers which I will write a full history in a post this weekend. Ed Notes from 1997 on and ICE when it formed in late 2003 supported these teachers. The UFT didn't. What's coming next? Teachers have to take a recertification test every so many years -- treat them like old fogy drivers needing retesting? You know, prove you are up with the new times, like knowing all the new ed jargon, a crucial sign of a good teacher.

For Immediate Release
December 5, 2012
 
Contact:  media@morecaucusnyc.org
            
 
                             
Randi Weingarten "Bar-like Exam" Proposal is Shortsighted
 
Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers President and former United Federation of Teachers President, has been talking up a proposal that would require a national certification exam for teachers, much like the bar requirement for lawyers.  The proposal, which she first raised at the Aspen Institute, has received much attention, especially from the corporate reform crowd, who support it.
 
"It is shocking that our national union leader is proposing a national high stakes exam for educators, while at the same time leading a national campaign supposedly against the overuse of high stakes testing for students," said Julie Cavanagh, NYC teacher and UFT presidential candidate with MORE caucus.  "What we know about these kinds of exams is that they sort, deter, and discriminate.  Unfortunately, Weingarten's proposal reinforces the teacher quality problem myth and the idea that high stakes standardized tests can promote high quality teaching and learning."
 
Cavanagh continued, "Instead, we need proposals that offer authentic solutions for attracting and retaining quality, experienced educators.  We know that, apart from class size, the most important in-school factor that positively impacts student achievement is teacher experience.  That experience cannot be predicted or captured in any test score."
 
"Standardized exams tend to be racially biased," said Brian Jones, MORE's candidate for UFT Secretary. Jones added, "Over the last several years we have seen a sharp decline in the number of Black and Latino/a educators in New York City, Chicago, and across the country.  Our union leadership should be proposing alternatives that assist in the recruitment and support of Black and Latino/a educators, and historically speaking, standardized tests are better instruments of exclusion than inclusion."
 
"Exams such as the bar are useless when it comes to ensuring preparation for the work force. Randi of all people should know this since she passed the bar and has described it as meaningless and irrelevant," said Kit Wainer, Executive Board candidate with MORE caucus.  Wainer furthered noted, "Beyond issues of validity and bias, we know what these types of exams measure:  how much one prepares for the exam.  There is no evidence to show an exam such as the one Randi is proposing will in any way help to better prepare teachers; testing doesn't produce or impact positive outcomes, they simply make some people a lot of money."
 
MORE caucus, The Movement of Rank and File Educators, stands firmly against a national exam for teachers and stands for policies we know will actually help our profession and the children we serve:  smaller class sizes, more rigorous and fully funded lead teacher programs, as well as mentoring and support to develop and retain experienced educators, especially in the first three years of teaching. 

Vincent Wojsnis on "Why I Joined the MORE Caucus, UFT"

Vincent points to an interesting trend: people who up to now stayed out of union internal politics believes he can not longer sit on the fence. He has not only joined MORE but become an active participant in building the organization, a key component if MORE is to grow.

Why I Joined the MORE Caucus, UFT by Vincent Wojsnis

Anyone who knows me knows that among the things I really care about are teaching social studies and working for the United Federation of Teachers*. I am a New York City teacher but I am also a union activist and for me, the struggle to defend public education and trade unionism are one and the same. As a teacher, I believe a good, free public education, available to all, is a goal worth fighting for. I also realize that belonging to a strong union allows me to advocate for my students as well as for our members. 

I've been a chapter leader, a delegate, an arbitration advocate. In 2009 I joined other UFT members to help organize teachers for the AFT in Texas. My union activity was recognized by the union leadership later that year when I was received a Trachtenberg Award as well as a UFT Partnership Award that I shared with my former principal. I am proud of it all. The roots of my activism began when the NYC Department of Education decided to close my former school, MS 399 in the Bronx, a school where I worked for nearly a decade. From that point on, I decided that I would "fight back" by doing what I could to build this union. 

Until recently, however, to anyone who'd ask me to which caucus I belonged I would simply say, "UFT." So-called "in fighting" within the union, it seemed to me, was factional and counter-productive. I no longer feel that way. The extreme agenda advanced by the so-called "education reform movement" and our union leadership's weak (often questionable) response to it has made me a partisan. Earlier this year, concerned over the direction that the union leadership was taking both in New York and nationally, a group of UFT members joined together and formed the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) as an alternative caucus within the UFT. I joined the MORE Caucus because I believe that union has to go in a different direction. 

For more than fifty years the majority Unity Caucus has controlled the UFT leadership. And while it is true that under Unity, the union has won significant rights and benefits for our members, the unprecedented, persistent assault on our union by the right wing in both major political parties has led to an erosion of those rights and benefits. Their so-called "reforms" include attacks on tenure, seniority and the right to due process. They have sought to undermine our pensions. Their new evaluation process overwhelmingly and unfairly relies on data derived from standardized test scores. 

The MORE Caucus calls for fair and improved contract, without givebacks, that protects and preserves our rights and benefits. We are calling for a union-wide discussion and vote on any agreement on a new teacher evaluation process. We reject any agreement that would include a test-based evaluation. Moreover, we believe that the fight for a fair contract begins now by mobilizing our members and not solely relying on the courts or waiting for a new administration to take office.

 The so-called "reformers" have cynically misrepresented their efforts by proclaiming that it is all in "best interests of children," but nothing could be further from the truth. Their so-called "reforms" would increase in class sizes, where no child would get the kind of attention they deserve. Their special education reforms have reduced services for those students who most need them. By placing a disproportionate emphasis on reading and math scores they have narrowed the curriculum by eliminating or greatly reducing a curriculum that includes social studies, the arts, physical education and extra-curricular activities. 

As the social justice caucus of the UFT, MORE stands with our communities against the corporate takeover of our public schools. We oppose the theft of public space and resources by privately-run charter schools co-located in public school buildings. We call for an end to high-stake testing and the restoration of a broad and robust curriculum. We advocate for our students by demanding smaller class sizes and that every child with special needs receive the services that they need and deserve. 

Mayoral control under Michael Bloomberg has been a disaster for NYC children. How obscene is it for the mayor to undermine the very school system he was entrusted to protect? Though it has sought to modify the state law that gives the mayor total control of the public schools, under Unity, the current UFT leadership supports mayoral control of the public schools. As a former District Rep once told me, "mayoral control was here to stay because no mayor would give up that much power." If it has proven anything, after more than a decade of mayoral control under Bloomberg, it is that it is too much power to be held by one mayor. Yet, in school districts across the country, school boards are still elected by members of the community for candidates (mostly parents) who seek to have a voice in education policy. This is particularly true in affluent, suburban, mostly white school districts. Meanwhile, school districts in big cities (New York, Chicago, Detroit, etc.) have been placed under control either by the mayor or an "educational management organizations" made up of business people with little or no stake in the schools they govern. Are not parents of urban, less affluent communities of color entitled to the same rights as affluent suburban communities? 

I joined MORE because MORE calls for an end to mayoral control of the public schools and the restoration of popular control through democratically elected school boards. 

Under mayoral control hundreds of qualified teachers have had to re-apply for jobs they've already had. Through school closings, the elimination of programs and a narrowing of the curriculum, these teachers have been placed on the Absent Teacher Reserve. The difficulties many have had finding permanent positions have had less to do with their qualifications and more to do with their age, their salaries and whether or not they are tenured. 

The mayor, the chancellor and media have maligned these colleagues as "bad teachers" and "overpaid subs." Anyone of us could be an "ATR" tomorrow. A union resolution passed last spring called for providing assistance and training to help excessed teachers but the resolution fell far short of resolving the real problem which is the current system that keeps qualified teachers in a kind of institutional "limbo." There is no reason that any qualified teacher should remain in excess especially when there are positions available in any school. 

I joined MORE because MORE calls for an end of the so-called "free market" system that is the ATR along with the creation of a sub-class of teachers whose rights are routinely violated as a result. 

To achieve these goals we deserve a union that is democratic and transparent. We intend to fight for these goals by running our own candidates in the upcoming UFT elections in the spring. These are the main reasons I joined the MORE Caucus. I urge you to join us and support our candidates and platform. To learn more about MORE go to the following links: 

http://morecaucusnyc.org/mission-statement/

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/new-uft-evaluation/

 I also recommend you see the film, The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman - Now Online at: http://gemnyc.org/our-film/

Fraternally, 

Vincent C. Wojsnis, UFT Chapter Leader, Antonia Pantoja Prep. Academy