Register for TONIGHT (Apr. 14, 2022) 7PM Screening of our movie - "The Inconvenient Truth about Waiting For Superman" followed by a panel discussion - I'm on the panel

One of the highlights of my activist career was being part of the team that made this movie.

A reprise of the Grassroots Education Movement film so many of us worked on ten years ago, much of the material still relevant.

There is panel to discuss the film afterward hosted by Sam Anderson (who had so many great insights in the film) with Sam Coleman, Khem Irnby, Jose Alfaro and myself.

Register at tinyurl.com/4-14-film

Watch this 7 PM screening of "The Inconvenient Truth about Waiting For Superman" followed by a panel discussion including educators and parents who are shown in the documentary and Q & A.

Register at tinyurl.com/4-14-film

Video and Commentary: PEP April 25, 2018 Students Protest Closing Their School, PEP closes it anyway

Students at Crotona Academy: If you close our school we will drop out.
PEP closed the school anyway.

The April 25 PEP was another doozy - Lisa North got home at 2AM. I couldn't stand it anymore and left at around 10:30. Earlier today I posted a piece about speaking to a class at Leon Goldstein about our 2011 film, The Inconvenient Truth About Waiting for Superman. The film opened with students singing: DOE Don't Care About Us.

Clearly. Whether under Bloomberg or de Blasio.

I made this short segment for that class to see that 7 years later nothing has changed. I have 2 and a half hours of video and this is just 5 minutes - only a slice of what happened.

Below the video is a great account of the meeting from the always awesome Leonie Haimson.

https://vimeo.com/267416001

 

Failure of Mayoral control: De Blasio starts yesterday by slandering teachers and the day ends with the closure of yet more schools by his hand-picked panel, despite heartbreaking student pleas 

Where I go back into the classroom - for one hour

Yesterday I spoke to a high school class at Leon Goldstein HS about the movie - The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman - we made in 2010-11 when we were in the Grassroots Education Movement (GEM) - a pre-MORE group that emerged out of the ICEUFT Caucus. At that point we were just beginning to hold secret meetings about a proposed caucus that became MORE.

There is almost too much irony given current conditions between MORE and ICE (ICE SUSPENDS SUPPORT FOR MORE). 
But I'll deal with those issues as I sort them out.

In prep I watched the movie once again and realized a) how freaking good it is - with all the big activists in NYC education in it - and b) how united we were in early 2011 we all were so much together on so many issues.

Maybe everyone should watch the movie together as a reminder.

Mike Schirtzer, a teacher at Goldstein, put me in touch with young colleague, Maurice Blackmon, who invited me. His class watched "Waiting for Superman" and our movie and were asked to come up with question on testing, race, equity, race, class and economic status. And boy did they come up with questions -- questions -- that caused me to have to do a deep dive into so many areas. They asked about tracking, tenure as a way for lazy teachers to escape doing work, charter schools and the union. I made a few critical comments. I learned later that one of the young ladies is the daughter of a top union official. Oooops.

Maurice texted me earlier that today they will hold a debriefing. I hope I pass the test -- but as you all know - I love to talk so if anyone wants to show the movie to their class I'm ready to go.

Review of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For Superman by Jasmine K. | Media Reviews: TEDUC 482, Winter 2015

This just came in -- an excellent summary of the movie we made with some critical comments. One of them points to the lack of student voices, a conscious decision to avoid a sense we were exploiting kids. We probably could have included more of their voices speaking out for their schools at PEP meetings -- we did some of that. In fact we open with student voices at a PEP.

Review of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For Superman by Jasmine K. | Media Reviews: TEDUC 482, Winter 2015 commented on About

A group of New York City public school teachers and parents from the Grassroots Education Movement wrote and produced this …

[…] [1] The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For Superman. A Grassroots Education Movement and Real Reform Studios Production. February 17, 2015, from, http://theinconvenienttruthbehindwaitingforsuperman.com/about/ […]

Mollie Bruhn: Challenging “Waiting for Superman” in Kappan Mag

Our film was not the first nor the only thing to clue people in to the dangers of the corporate reform movement, but “The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman” has proven to be an important piece of the ever-growing pushback and effort to preserve public education... Mollie Bruhn in Kappan on the making of "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman."

This article is available at PDK for the public until end of February:
http://www.kappanmagazine.org/content/95/5/47.full.pdf+html

Watch the film here or click the tab at Ed Notes.

When Mollie isn't writing she has Max read to her.

When the editor of Kappan, the organ of Phi Delta Kappa, an international association of professional educators, contacted GEM/Real Reform Studios last spring about doing an article on the making of "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" many of us were busy with organizing in MORE and Change the Stakes, the two branches that had emerged out of the Grassroots Education Movement - the teacher/UFT oriented MORE and the parent dominated CTS.

There was no time to get back into more film work with Real Reform Studios, especially since two key people, Mollie Bruhn and Darren Marelli were about to have a baby. I offered to start writing the article but as usual got involved with too many things. Once Mollie got settled with new baby Max and also took a child care leave, she picked up the project and did a wonderful job in chronicling the work we did. Mollie is too modest to talk about her enormous impact on shaping the film. Her article captures the great synergy the entire crew developed as we engaged many of the leading people in NYC fighting ed deform in the making of the film.

When we began making the film in August 2010, the deform movement was rising like a rocket. I feel we were amongst the first people out of the box with a powerful deterrent that helped lead the counterattack that has gained so much speed since then.

Kappan has just published Mollie's article.

Challenging “Waiting for Superman”

1. Mollie Bruhn

+ Author Affiliations

1. MOLLIE BRUHN is a kindergarten teacher for the New York City Department of Education and was an editor for “The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman.”

Abstract

A group of New York City public school teachers, angry about the depiction of public schools in ‘Waiting for Superman,” decide to make their own film about the realities of the current education reform movement. They persevered even though they had no budget when they started and lacked a background in filmmaking. ‘The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman’ was released in May 2011 and has proven to be an important piece of the ever growing pushback against corporate education reform. 

You can read it here:
http://www.kappanmagazine.org/content/95/5/47.full.pdf+html

Here are a few pics.

"Waiting for Superman Makes List of Famous Documentaries That Were Shockingly Full of Crap

Waiting for "Superman" -- Charter Schools Kind of Suck, Too

[NOTE: SEE OUR RESPONSE TO WFS HERE]

Read more: http://www.cracked.com/article_20585_6-famous-documentaries-that-were-shockingly-full-crap.html#ixzz2btdYTlUR

The Film:
Waiting for "Superman" is one of those documentaries that made everyone who watched it instantly call their friends and tell them they had to drop everything they're doing and see it right away. Even President Obama declared himself a huge fan.

According to this award-winning film, only 20 to 35 percent of eighth graders in the U.S. read at grade level, an alarming statistic that explains so much of the Internet. It follows a number of families as they try to get into charter schools, which offer a free alternative to the crushing bureaucracy that is killing our public education system. Tragically, not all of the families get in, damning those kids to schools where they'll hopefully at least be taught how to tell when their pimp is cutting their crack with too much baking soda.

s  

The Fallacy:
Waiting for "Superman" was all about improving the country's education, but it's so poorly researched and one-sided that it might actually be making things worse.

Let's start with that "only 20 to 35 percent can read well" statistic: The real number is closer to about 75 percent. Also, you might remember a throwaway line about how only 1 in 5 charter schools performs better than public schools -- yeah, that's sort of a big deal, movie. Thirty-seven percent of charters actually perform worse.

Via Wikipedia
Unfortunately the director went to a charter school, so math isn't his greatest strength.

The film focuses on the charters that perform better, of course, but at least one of those is achieving its results through fishy means. One of the administrators of a school shown in the film, the Harlem Children's Zone, expelled an entire class of children that he feared would throw off his glowing performance statistics. It turns out that when teacher pay and/or school funding is tied to student performance, a model that the film advocates, it opens the door for all kinds of shady shit, including flat-out expelling low-performing students the day before the test to boost their numbers.
In the movie, not getting into a charter school is the worst thing that can happen to a poor family, but studies have shown that school choice itself matters little to a student's success -- shockingly, it's more about how seriously the students themselves and their families take their education. And that ghetto public school might not actually be so bad: According to administrators from Woodside High School, which the film claims only sends a third of its students to college and only graduates 62 percent of them, the film excluded students who go to out-of-state colleges in their statistics, and their graduation rate is more like 92 percent. Shit, being left behind is starting to sound awesome.

GEM ITBWFS Movie Screens at Washington Irving HS Campus as Part of Fightback Against Eva Invasion

A campus wide screening of the the GEM movie on Tuesday, at 3:15 in Room 845.

Planned:  October 18th morning Press Conference.

Ravitch Suggests Dem Convention Screen "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" Instead of "Won't Back Down"

Which film do you think the UFT is boycotting? "Won't Back Down" or "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman"?

What wonderful symmetry! Both the Republican and Democrats showing "Won't Back Down" at their conventions as we reported here (Democrats (and Republicans) to Show Parent Trigger Movie at Convention) and Diane Ravitch reports: You Can See “WBD” at Dem Convention Too.

Now Diane has a great suggestion (though she gets the exact title wrong - which I corrected):

The Film That Should Be Screened at Dem Convention

by dianerav

When the Democrats hold their national convention, this is the film that should be shown:

During the Democratic Convention, I'd like to be invited to a viewing of the documentary, The Inconvenient Truth About Waiting for Superman. I'd like to see a similar panel of Democrats speaking afterward against privatization of our public schools and on behalf of teachers and students.

What a great idea! "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" was produced by teachers and parents in New York City.

It was made by the Grassroots Education Movement, whose symbol is an RR (Real Reformers).

Can anyone out there set up a screening for real Democrats who support public education and oppose privatization?

Here is the invite for "Won't Back Down". If you just happen to be in Charlotte.

http://www.studentsfirst.org/page/s/dnc-signup

Join Us for a Screening of Won't Back Down at the DNC

You and your guests are cordially invited to a pre-screening of Won't Back
Down at the Democratic National Convention sponsored by Democrats for
Education Reform, Parent Revolution and StudentsFirst. The film will be
followed by a panel discussion with Michelle Rhee, Ben Austin, Joe Williams, Mayor Kevin Johnson and others.

Where: EpiCentre Theaters - 210 E. Trade St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Date: September 3, 2012
Time: 1:00 - 3:00pm

Today: Detroit Screening of "Inconvenient Truth Behind WFS" by Branch of National Education Freedom Ride Campaign

The meeting [with USDOE] started with stories from young people and parents of the impact of closings on their neighborhoods and children. Then we discussed the following [with reps from the USDOE]

•    A moratorium on school closings around the country

•    A Nullification of all decisions made to close schools during the past year

Note how people are zeroing in on school closings as the major instrument of ed deform. The actions of these groups led to a meeting with Arne's army. The same group is screening our movie tonight.

Hello and greetings from Detroit MI. We will be screening "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" next Monday, Aug 13 from 6-7 pm at the University of Michigan Detroit Center. Please let me know if you could briefly skype in following the screening to give us an update on NYC.

We would love for you to give us a brief 10-15 minute update on the state of affairs in NYC--what Bloomberg is up to for next year, what you have been doing on the ground with parents and students and teachers.

I am attaching the flyer for our event as well as the National Education Freedom Ride Campaign into Washington DC that we are launching this September with coalition cities to stop school closures and failed corporate reform policies in our cities (Chicago, NYC, Boston, Baltimore, Detroit, Newark, Washington DC, Atlanta, Wichita KS, Kansas City MO,...).

I don't have to tell Ed Notes readers how proud I am to have been part of GEM's Real Reform Studios team that produced "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" which some people have said is the best single response they've seen to ed deform. It has been shown all over the world (except the UFT) and Monday night's showing in Detroit is an exciting event. Some of us are gathering at the Real Reform Studio HQ in Williamsburg to work on our next film and also to attempt to skype right after the film showing is complete. Here is the flier.

Yes, the worm is turning against the ed deformers despite their tricks in producing films that manipulate the public. Waiting for Superman caused such a negative reaction that it made our film popular. The same will happen with the next iteration pushing the parent trigger. (See Substance story: (Won't back down...' is latest Hollywood addition to the 'Waiting for Superman' propaganda trail. Teacher bashing. Union busting. Privatization agenda again on display thanks to Hollywood moguls and brain-dead stars)

One of the exciting aspects of this event is the news in the attachment below of freedom rides recalling the civil rights struggle. Joel Klein used that expression time and again and it was working for awhile. Not people are waking up to the negative impact of ed deform on local communities and beginning to engage in a renewal of the civil rights struggle to battle ed deform. Imagine freedom rides into Washington and around the White House

Dear Supporter/Ally,

We thought you'd be interested in hearing what we've been up to for the last six weeks when many of us began talking to each other via conference call about the impact of school closings in our Cities.  The more we talked, the more we realized that what is devastating our cities individually is not isolated but the result of misguided federal policies supported by many claiming to be school "reformers".  As a result of our ongoing communication, young people, parent leaders, and organizers from seven cities met in Washington DC on July 9th and 10th.  We spent much of the day on the 9th hearing each other's stories, identifying common ground, grappling with federal and state policies, and preparing for a schedule meeting the next day with representatives of President Obama and the US DOE.

While more groups from more cities have been involved, in the room on this day were representatives from:

 [names of groups redacted] 

Leading up to this meeting was a press conference in Chicago on June 21st where we announced the filing of Title VI legal complaints from five cities.  The Title VI complaints allege that school closings are disparately impacting children of color and English Language Learners in our cities.  (see attached press from the event). The Office of Civil Rights of the US DOE is obligated to investigate the complaints in a timely manner.  

In response to our press conference, the US DOE reached out leading to the July 10th meeting with: 

•    Russlyn Ali, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Civil Rights

•    Peter Cunningham, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Outreach

•    and Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President on Education

The meeting started with stories from young people and parents of the impact of closings on their neighborhoods and children. Then we discussed the following

•    A moratorium on school closings around the country

•    A Nullification of all decisions made to close schools during the past year

•    Their participation in a national listening tour organized by our groups

•     National Hearings on the Impact of Federal Education Policies on our Communities

•    Quick Investigation and resolution of our Title VI complaints (filed from Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Newark, NJ; New York City; and Washington, DC)

•    Support for community schools model and sustainable school transformation

•    A meeting with President Obama

While we don't expect that they will agree to all that we asked for, we are expecting more positive results. We are happy to report that already we have  won commitments to expedite the investigation of the Title VI complaints and to participate in grassroots impact tours that we will organize, culminating in federal hearings on the impact of school closings.

This is an extremely productive beginning but it is only a beginning.  We will continue the dialogue with the DOE and Domestic Policy Council staff while at the same time planning our next steps, including coordinated local actions in August and Freedom Rides to Washington, DC in September. 

Please know, we have done this work in these last weeks with little or no resources.  We are driven by our passion for our children, our schools, and our communities.  We need your help to lift up our message and ensure that this misguided policy that so negatively impacts our young people ends.  It must be replaced with sustainable models of school improvement that include our communities in their development.   

Please be in touch with any questions.  We'd welcome the chance to talk with you more about what we hope to achieve in the months ahead.

In struggle,

Ms. Maiyoua Vang

Ms. Helen Moore   

 www.gofundme.com/Help-DETROIT-FREEDOM-RIDE

Chicago Screening of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman Draws Crowd in Chicago

 Little by little we are reaching new batches of people. This photo came in from Al Ramirez, one of the leaders of CORE, the Caucus of Rank and File Educators in Chicago, the same caucus that Karen Lewis is part of. Al is an old pal from the summer of 2009 when I got to hang out with CORE members when running the union was barely a glimmer in their eyes. One year later they were running the union.

Al texted this photo as they were filing in. I think this is being sponsored by a parent/community activist group who have been in touch.

============
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.

GEM Response to Waiting for Superman Available Online Today

Date:  May 19, 2012     

Contact:

Lisa Donlan, Parent and President CEC1:  917-848-5873

Julie Cavanagh, Teacher PS 15, GEM/CAPE: 917-836-6465

Brian Jones, Teacher PS 30, GEM: 646-554-8592

Now online: The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For "Superman"

One year ago, The Grassroots Education Movement premiered a new documentary, written and directed by New York City public school teachers and parents, created in response to Davis Guggenheim’s highly misleading film. Waiting for "Superman" would have audiences believe that free-market competition, standardized tests, destroying teacher unions, and the proliferation of charter schools are just what this country needs to create great public schools.

The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For "Superman" highlights the real-life experiences of public school parents, students and educators to show how these so-called reforms are actually hurting public education. The film discusses the kinds of real reform – inside schools and in our society as a whole  – that we urgently need to genuinely transform education in this country.

Harlem Premiere Featured Special Guest, Diane Ravitch

The film premiere was held May 19^th, 2011 at the Assembly Hall of The Riverside Church in Harlem and featured historian Diane Ravitch as the honored guest. Since then, we have offered the DVD free of charge and encouraged viewers to make their own copies to distribute. Today, an estimated 15,000 copies are in circulation. Requests have come in from all 50 states and 6 continents. Various unions, parent groups, college professors, public libraries and community members have organized screenings all around the country. We’ve also had news of screenings in India, Turkey, England, New Zealand and Australia. Demand has been so great that we are currently working on a Spanish language version of the film.

The full version of the film is now online at vimeo: https://vimeo.com/41994760

Today, on the first anniversary of the premiere, GEM and Real Reform Studios are making the film available online at https://vimeo.com/41994760. We invite everyone to hold screenings, download and burn copies of the movie.

For more information about the film, visit: 

www.waitingforsupermantruth.org

To order an “official” free dvd with the Real Reform Studio logo go to: http://www.waitingforsupermantruth.org/?page_id=343

Catching Up: ATRs, Portelos Story, GEM Film Screens Today in Brooklyn

Dear Taxpayer,
I am very sorry, but apparently I am robbing you. It’s not on purpose though. You pay your taxes and in turn I should educate the students of New York City. I think I was doing a pretty good job for 4.5 years so your money was probably well spent. Today I still get paid with our tax dollars but instead of educating the children in the classroom, I am in the Rubber Room with other educators awaiting charges and an explanation of why we were removed. Most of us sit there for weeks or months without knowing why we are there. So imagine this….we are getting paid, the substitutes covering our classes are getting paid, the investigators investigating our cases are getting paid, the lawyers working against the teacher and for the teacher are getting paid, the arbitrators hearing the cases are getting paid and  all with your tax dollars! Each case may cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of dollars. ----Francesco Portelos, rubber roomed teacher, IS 49 SI

UFT chapter leader Richard Candia, threatened by Portelos' run for chapter leader, sells him and rest of staff out.  --- ed notes, below

These comments finally got me off my duff (An Absence Note) though I'm officially declaring that I am on overload. Too many obligations and too little time. Yes, boys and girls, the older you get the more befuddled you become. I started going through the list of things I have gotten involved in and was frightened. I must be on 12 listserves and have 9000 emails in my inbox from just the past 2 months.

I'm so far behind I don't know what to post first. Still busy with lots of gardening, wife care, other obligations, but here are a few nuggets:

Screening of Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman today in Brooklyn
Date: May 17th
Time: 5-7:30pm
Location: 317 Hoyt Street, Brooklyn NY

I think this is being shown through some DOE network people. Strange. Funny if there are DOE people showing our film while the UFT boycotts.

By the way -- just got a $200 check from the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers Association. Check out their web site: www.ppta.org.nz. And we got $50 from Bank Street. The dough is rolling in as we just manage to balance our costs or producing the dvd and mailing it out. Look for our coming release online on the anniversary of our premiere on May 19.

You can contribute through pay pal if you'd like: http://www.waitingforsupermantruth.org/
Or send a check to Ed Notes Inc, 518 Beach 134 St, Rockaway Park, NY 11694

------------


Gotham posts link to Francesco Portelos Horror Story - but it gets worse as UFT chapter leader Richard Candia, threatened by Portelos' run for chapter leader, sells him and rest of staff out.

Dear Student, Parent, Taxpayer….I’m sorry but I’m trying.

The Francesco Porteles story hopefully will go viral. Read the above link in full to get the full flavor. Lurking behind all this is the perfidious behavior of IS 49 Chapter leader Richard Candia who, his cozy relationship with principal Linda Hill and the threat posed by Portelos' run for chapter leader, conspired to undermine Portelos and assist Hill in harassing his supporters. I will post Candia's shocking email to principal Hill in a special. Is Candia being protected by his Staten Island UFT buddies? There are reports he is a member of Unity Caucus. This is not the first time a person challenging Unity control has been sent to a rubber room with the cooperation of the Unity Caucus machine to keep a possible voice of opposition out of the school (it happened to an ICE member years ago which led to 6 months in the rubber room and the basic destruction of the teacher's career.)

Here is a short selection from Portelos' post and I'll tell you why below:

"On March 16, 2012 I returned to work after being out for 4 days for jury duty. I found my room a mess. My first period back Mrs. Joanne Aguirre and Ms. Sharon Mahabir of CFN 211 walked in with clipboards. Since I always received Satisfactory ratings (even up until December ’11 before budget talks) and students and parents loved my class, they had to try to get me really off guard. The special education students still learned about engineering principles despite the interruptions made by the observers. The 90 minute observation led to my first ever Unsatisfactory in 5 years of teaching. It was very poorly written and anything positive was strategically omitted by Ms. Aguirre.

The DOE henchpeople and the scum at CFN 211 should be investigated. How disappointed was I to see the name  of one of the persecutors, Sharon Mahabir, who like Portelos, was once a dedicated robotics coach who I knew from 10 years ago. So sad to see good people forced to engage in these actions. Sharon is good people who is doing PD for the network. Even Francesco says good things about her.

By every report, AP Joanne Aguirre is scum and should be investigated for her behavior. One thing is clear. They picked on the wrong guy this time. Despite having an 11 month old baby and another on the way, plus 7 years working as en engineer and the promise he can always have his job back, Portelos is ready to take this case to the extreme. We are developing a support network for him since the UFT does little or nothing or even is a minus. Did you know that Portelos was denied the right to go to the school to pick up his property and was told to "make a list." Instead of demanding he have the right to go to the school -- even after everyone is gone to get his property, the UFT Staten Island officials went right along and told him to make a list. If you were in a school for 5 years and told to make a list of your property sight unseen, could you do it?

---------

Marjorie Stamberg at the UFT Delegate Assembly challenges Mulgrew on ATRs

At last night's delegate assembly, I raised the issue of the union's cyncial "solution" to the UFT's disenfranchisment of ATRs in the union elections. Many ATRs had no place to vote in teh union elections as they trudge from school to school on a weekly basis, where they are treated as non-people until they move on the next week. This week-to-week trek was agreed upon by the union and the DOE last spring, as part of the deal that there be no teacher layoffs. Last fall, I and others put forward motions for the ATRs be accorded their full voting rights with their own chapter. We have been fighting for this for several years, and it has always been brushed off with the excuse that their situation is only "temporary."

Last week, the UFT leadership announced a "solution" -- with chapter elections upon us, they decided, ATRs would vote at the school where they are for the week the elections are held. This is outrageous -- how can ATR teachers effectively advocate for their needs when they are "here today, gone tomorrow," and the chapter representatives are not accountable to them.

Yesterday, when I raised this issue in the question period at the delegate assembly, Mulgrew refused to let me get a sentence out, interrupting me, harassing and yelling, "What's your question," "Make it a question," "That's not a question!" Following his lead, a passel of Unity delegates obediently picked up the jeer. Over the din, I was finally able to get out, "My question is, how do you justify this outrageous cynical disenfranchisement of the ATRs' right to vote?" and saying "the ATRs need their own chapter."

Mulgrew answered with a time-honored evasion: The union is in arbitration, he said, because the DOE has not kept to its commitment to place ATRs in open positions, and long-term vacancies. Until this arbitration is settled, the union is doing the "best it can" to give ATRs voting rights. He was silent on the fact that the weekly trek of ATRs is happening with the consent of the UFT leadership, which agreed to it as part of the deal on layoffs last spring.

Don't worry, I will keep on raising this issue. With more schools closing than ever, there will be a huge swelling of the ATR pool next fall. As we all know, "If you're not ATR, you could be soon." The fight for rights of ATR teachers is everyone's fight.

-----
Article on Philly destruction of public ed --- where is the union?
http://www.alternet.org/story/155416/the_remaking_of_philadelphia_public_schools%

3A_privatization_or_bust?page=entire

Aloha - Want to Go to a Screening of GEM Film?

Following up on our Pineapple gate post (Pineapplegate, or The Pineapple That Ate Pearson) comes this delicious story from the land of pineapples where our film will be shown, one screening I would love to attend. In fact I may just go to buy a crate of pineapples to mail to Pearson -- COD which they can afford out of that $32 million NY State paid for the tests. (I scheduled this to post while I'm in a hot yoga class, thirsty and starving and thinking of pineapples and Hawaii.)

Aloha...Warm greetings from hawai`i!  Thanks again so much for sending me a copy of 'the inconvenient truth about waiting for superman'! i'm fired up to show it to my fellow teachers & showing it next week.  letting you know as requested, and if possible, if you could list it on your website please?  here is some info i sent sent out on email- feel free to copy/paste the info you need for a web posting (again, if possible).

You have my gratitude and solidarity,
Pete Doktor
Farrington high school/YHCR chapter rep


Youth, Human &  Civil Rights Committee- HSTA HONOLULU CHAPTER PRESENTS:
"Movie Night" for Teachers&  Community-at-Large featuring:

"THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH BEHIND WAITING FOR SUPERMAN"

HSTA Hawaii State Teachers Association

1200 Ala Kapuna St. Honolulu Hawaii 96819

April 26, 2012

4:30~6 pm

FREE

Open to public; Feel free to bring ohana, colleagues, friends, etc.

Many of you may have seen the film "Waiting for Superman," which was really a propaganda film for corporate private charter schools (as opposed to public charter schools here; quite different!) with a not so hidden agenda to reduce school problems to teacher unions, in the guise of school reform.  Its a front for an older, more insidious ideology/movement to privatize public education, reducing universal education to an "auction model" for quality education access and profiteering.

In response to this larger assault on public education, New York City teachers created this grassroots film exposing this unspoken political-economic agendas...which are driving the current divide-and-conquer crusade around "school reform."  The film is only an hour, but will expose many challenges to the cause of public education and the teaching profession completely ignored by mainstream institutions including government (both parties) and the media; time has been allotted for those who may want to discuss (or decompress) after
the film.

Come see the tsunami that is headed towards Hawai`i from the East Coast to know what's coming, and get a better understanding of the undercurrent in places like Wisconsin.  Its a LOT more than differences on evaluations or tenure...its also a redefining and reducing education to the level of Wall Street/test score numbers, or as Boards of Education nationwide are clarifying their vision of "education:" 'to produce competitors in a global marketplace.'  If you believe education has more noble purposes, such as uplifting human intelligence& potential to advance the quality of life, and transform society to more just, sustainable, life-enhancing communities, you won't want to miss  this documentary.

For more information, trailers, resources, etc. see:
http://www.waitingforsupermantruth.org/
or, Pete_Doktor@notes.k12.hi.us   

GEM's Mollie Bruhn Keynote at Connecticut Educators Association

GEMers Mollie Bruhn and Julie Cavanagh were invited to give the keynote at the Connecticut Educators Association on March 31, 2012.

Mollie posted an account of the CEA event (at Mohican Sun, those lucky dogs) on the Real Reform Studio web site which is named: The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman:

Direct link: Connecticut Education Association Hosts a Screening, 3/31/12

The GEM/RRS team at CEA, March 31

I talk about the amazing Julie all the time but have not talked enough about Mollie, an 8th year Teach for America alum who "gets" it. Mollie (on the right in the pic) is one of the smartest, logical and organized people I've met and played a major role in shaping The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman. One day I'll tell the full story but suffice to say, Darren, Julie and I thought we had a roughly completed film in Feb. 2011 after 6 months of work. Lisa Donlan and Mollie got more involved at that point and took a close look from the outside. Lisa brought her years as a parent activist to the project and Mollie brought another teacher voice. She hadn't been working on the film in the initial stage even though Real Reform Studios is in her apartment but then played a major role in restructuring the film and refining the message. We ended up shooting more footage and rewriting portions of the narrative, along with redoing many of the graphics and research presented in the film (one of its strongest aspects.) 

I can't say enough about the collaborative process we went through in creating the film and how that process worked out so well. We are excited to be starting another film about high stakes testing and will keep you posted. Diane Ravitch was kind enough to give me an hour of her time this morning for an interview and Deb Meier gave me an interview last week.

Here is Mollie's full speech to the CEA, a wonderful affirmation of the concept of the importance of a public school system and how charters undermine that concept.

I am very excited to be here today. I want to start by thanking CEA for having us here and for their wonderful support of our film. Before we see a portion of the film (which you will all get a copy of today), I want to tell you a little about myself--how I became interested in teaching, and how I developed a strong belief in the power and importance of our public education system.

I normally spend my days sharing a classroom with 25 loving, curious, needy, energetic and frequently clumsy 5-year olds. So, it is refreshing to be surrounded today by so many adults. I can be confident here that their won't be any bathroom accidents, any tangled laces or any debates over who has the "best" pencil. Speaking to my Kindergarten students is rarely a challenge, as they tend to think everything I say is just amazing. While I don't expect this audience to be as easy to wow, I do hope that you'll carefully consider the critical topics Julie and I want to discuss with you today.

I am a product of public education. Growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, I attended wonderful public schools from kindergarten through high school. Back then, in the late 80s/early 90s, the educational landscape was relatively simple and easy to navigate. While some families in my community sent their children to private schools, the overwhelming majority stuck with public schools- the public system was well-respected, relatively well-funded and well-run. While I benefited greatly from my public education and worked with many inspirational teachers along the way, I never really contemplated the importance, purpose or relevance of public education in our society.

Then, in 2000 I moved to NYC to attend NYU. Like most college freshman I had no idea what I wanted to study and the idea of even contemplating a career was downright nauseating. But, then I landed a work-study job working as a tutor in a local public school classroom. I had always connected well with children (I'd worked summer jobs at daycares and done a substantial amount of babysitting) but I had never been on the real teaching side of a classroom.

When I began tutoring, I was immediately impressed by the way the classroom teacher commanded the attention of her students. They seemed to be mesmerized with her words and she carried herself with such direction and purpose. I was encouraged by her passion for her work but also saw how demanding and challenging it could be--especially given the diverse group of learners in her classroom. With each visit to her first grade room and with each new interaction with a student, I found myself thinking more and more about moving in a direction that might lead me to be in front of a class one day.

As I continued with my studies I found myself drawn to both philosophy and psychology and, in particular, coursework where we explored the relationship between democracy and education.

I began, for the first time, to really think about public education as a necessary condition for a just, productive and healthy society. Our democracy, as Abraham Lincoln so powerfully put it in 1863, was designed to be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. And the only way a democracy such as this can function is if the people are prepared to participate. I began to see the public education system as the most important democratic institution in our country. What better way to ensure an informed, active public than to provide free public education to all? I began to study the works of celebrated educators like Paulo Freire, John Dewey, Myles Horton and Deborah Meier and was inspired by their collective commitments to using education as a catalyst for social change. I thought, the classroom--that's where it is. That's where the most important work happens, and I want to be there.

By the time graduation rolled around, I was excited to take all of my academic contemplations and put them to actual use in the real world. So, I began searching for a teaching job. I hadn't actually graduated with a teaching certificate as I had focused my studies in Philosophy, psychology and Urban studies. Thus, I found myself unqualified to work for the NYC DOE, but then I came across some job listings for charter schools. I had heard of charter schools but didn't really understand what they were. I knew they called themselves public schools and accepted students by some sort of open lottery. I naively, but enthusiastically, took an assistant teaching job at a brand new charter school. I hoped that I could contribute to the school's vision, make a sizable impact with the students and eventually move on to be a lead teacher.

Like many charter schools, mine was one with an unfortunately inexperienced administrative team. Our principal had only one year of experience and had never actually worked with our schools young kindergarten and 1st grade population. I expected to have a leader who could mentor and guide me, but I found myself stuck trying to figure things out on my own. I asked tough questions, probed for insights and challenged my colleagues to think critically about our work.

As a new school we had many growing pains. One major school-wide issue was classroom management. As is the case with most groups of kindergarteners, we had a wide range of abilities and school readiness. Some students had a difficult time adjusting to the school routines and our overly long school day (730 am to 5 pm). A few of these students continued to struggle as the months went on, and our administrative team actually advised their families to take their children elsewhere to be educated. While our principal did not overtly “kick” any students out of school—he certainly made it clear that our school would no longer be a good fit for these families. This surprised and disappointed me greatly. The genius of our public education system is that everyone is guaranteed an education—no one can be turned away. But, as I learned, in the charter world, the schools were far from public.

As the year went on, I grew more and more frustrated with the environment around me—the discipline system felt harsh and punitive; the school culture seemed to ignore the social needs of young children and the day was much too long for their young minds. I raised concerns in staff meetings and tried to make the best of my situation. Then, one day, my principal called me into his office and without warning informed, me that I was being let go. Just like that. Fired. I had signed a contract with the school, but, like those of most charter schools, the contract made me an at-will employee, basically giving my employer the right to fire me for any reason at any time. When asked for the reason, I was informed, simply, that I “had asked too many questions.” Since I wasn’t a member of a union, like public school teachers are, I was on my own. I had no recourse, no ability to appeal the decision and no one to reach out to.

Initially, I felt heart-broken. While I hadn’t necessarily been happy at the charter school, I had been putting forth unbelievable effort each and every day. Over time, I realized that my hasty dismissal--however unjust--was actually a blessing in disguise. It allowed me to take a step back and examine what I wanted, which was to work in a real public school where I would have the support and backing of a union and have the opportunity to work in tandem with experienced educators. I went back to school and eventually found myself a job teaching Kindergarten at a public school in the South Bronx.

My first year was incredibly challenging. I wish I could stand up here and give you some magical 3-step, no-fail, secret method for being an effective teacher. But, teaching is an art, and it takes on a different form with each individual teacher. The advice I would give to new teachers--and what helped me the most, is to be:
-patient with yourself
-reflective and honest about your practice
-accepting of where your students are--academically, socially and emotionally.

There are often external pressures telling us where our students "should" be and it is easy to transfer that pressure over to our students. Students will show the most growth when we meet them where they are--when we accept them, understand them and nurture them. Now, in my 8th year as an educator, some of my work has gotten easier. My instincts have improved; I've learned to be more flexible; I've found more and more effective ways of delivering lessons. But, the work and the challenge never ends, and I never cease asking myself what I can do better.

While it took me some time to find my way here, I feel very proud to be a public school teacher. Today the landscape of education is rapidly changing, as many in power seem to have lost sight of the purpose of our public education system. We see politicians promoting charter schools and privatization, talking about "choice" and laying blame on our dedicated teaching force. Now may not be the easiest time to be a public school teacher but perhaps it is one of the most important times. Our public education system needs determined individuals who are willing to honor it, support it and defend it. I commend you all for being a part of it and wish you the best of luck in your careers. Believe every day that our work is important. Remember that we change lives every day. And recognize that what we are doing will help ensure, in the words of Lincoln, that "government of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not perish from this earth."

 

While UFT Continues Boycott of GEM Film.....

Are you in essence supporting the UFT boycott by not showing the film to the teachers and parents in your school? Order a copy.

See it at CUNY tomorrow (Weds) eve.

From today's email:

Hi,

We will be showing the movie in Tucson, AZ in March (the 17th) in
partnership with a couple other organizations!  Do you by chance have a
press release about the movie we can use/edit to send out to media?  Any
"blurbs" you have would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Voices For Education

----------
Greetings!

I am the director at a small not-for-profit film society in Fort Wayne,  Indiana.

I have been working with a group of teachers, and we would like to host 2 public screenings of your wonderful film.

We are hoping to do these screenings soon,  as part of some discussions about public education before Diane Ravitch visits our community in early March.

I look forward to working with you.

Fort Wayne Cinema Center

GEM Film Fires Up John Dewey Teachers and Teachers and State Legislators in Albuquerque/ Three NYC Screenings this Weekend

The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman

Lots of screenings in NYC and around the nation, with 3 here in NYC this weekend. Last night I hear between 20 and 30 people viewed the film, including "Battle for Brooklyn" director Michael Galinsky, whose film has been on the short list for an Academy Award nomination. Michael, whose child is in a school that came under Tweed interference has been a promoter of our film and the support and advice of a pro to us amateurs has been inspiring.

My question is why more NYC school-based people who read this blog are not showing the film which seems to have had such a positive impact on teachers under assault?

I was at the picket line at John Dewey this morning and had a great response from the small group of people who stayed after school yesterday to watch our response to WFS. I heard there was a standing ovation from people at a school under severe attack by the ed deform crowd at Tweed that they were inspired. One teacher told me she was hoping to show it to the entire staff during regent week next week.

Of course the UFT continues to snub a film that people say has been the best film response to ed deform and an inspiration for activism. Oh, that's right. The UFT doesn't really want working classroom people active. Only retirees. We made the film that the UFT with all its money should have.

At least some AFT locals are free to hold screenings and here is a great report from two teachers in New Mexico whose local president held a screening and invited 6 state legislators.

They sent this with a $20 check:

My husband and I are both teachers. We saw a viewing early on and wanted a copy of our own. This past week our union had invited members and state legislators to a viewing (it was very well received by all) to which we brought our copy just in case. It happened that our president's copy was scratched so we used ours. It was a rewarding evening. There were six senators and reps there --- we all got fired up.
I have gotten permission from my principal to play it for interested staff and others after school one day. Thank you for making it so readily available.
F and R
Albuquerque public schools
Albuquerque Teachers Federation #1420

There are 3 screenings this weekend and another at 6PM on Thursday at PS 84 in Williamsburg just 2 blocks from MS 50 which held a raucous hearing on Jan. 17 opposing the Moskowitz invasion:

Sat: Jan. 21, noon: Labor Goes to the Movies

Special Saturday Screening of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman-- both films with WFS first so if you saw that go later.

January 21 - 12:00pm ,PSC Union Hall, 61 Broadway, 16th Floor
Please join us for our special back-to-back Saturday screening/discussion on January 21 of Waiting For Superman and The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman. One has received massive publicity and funding to promote charter schools as part of a neoliberal reform. The second one is a local NYC response, made by NYC schoolteachers, exposing the inaccuracy and inequity driving the charter school movement. We will view both films and have a discussion featuring Julie Cavanagh, one of the Inconvenient Truth producers, and PSC's Treasurer and author on the charter school movement, Mike Fabricant.
The screening is sponsored by the PSC and is open to the public.
PSC Union Hall
61 Broadway, 16th Floor
$2 donation
Refreshments served
RSVP Phone Number:
212 354 1252 ex 270
Email Address:
shughes@pscmail.org

Occupy Williamsburg sponsors 2 screenings:
Sunday at 2 and 4PM at Spectacle Theater in Williamsburg
124 South 3rd St. near Bedford Ave.


Sponsored by Community Education Council District 14
Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6PM
PS 84 - 250 Berry Street (between Grand and South 1st).

-------
Tonight: PS 215 School closing hearing in Rockaway at 535 Briar Place.

TODAY: Occupy Brooklyn Charter Schools Teach-In and Film Screening of TITBWFS

Occupy Brooklyn Charter Schools Teach-In

Charter Schools and the Impact on Public Education
Thursday, January 19th 2012
6pm     Occupy Brooklyn General Assembly
7pm     Film Screening: The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman written and directed by NYC public school teachers and parents
8pm     Panel and discussion with NYC educators and parents


The Commons388 Atlantic Avenue (between Hoyt & Bond)
Brooklyn


Refreshments Available
Organized by Occupy Brooklyn’s Education Working Group

www.occupybk.org