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Showing posts with label UFT/Unity Caucus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UFT/Unity Caucus. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Beware of Unity & MORE, UFT! They ALL claim to be 'member-driven'. Part 1 - UFT Proud

An ABC supporter opines on this anonymous blog. (It's not me writing this stuff - too much research work for lazy me to do.)

Tuesday April 1 - and this post is not an April Fool Joke

I am tired of the caucus control of our union. This is our union. We need a better contract.

They ALL claim to be 'member-driven'. But can you truly be member-driven while forcing your own personal politics and personal agendas on union members? - Part 1

Do Mulgrew, Weingarten, and their Unity caucus really think they speak for us all? Who do they represent and speak for? Doesn't member-driven mean we have a say?


 
Beware of Unity & MORE, UFT!
Mar 18, 2025
 
https://uftproud.substack.com/p/they-all-claim-to-be-member-driven 


Beware Stock Illustrations – 65,361 Beware Stock Illustrations, Vectors &  Clipart - Dreamstime

Can Michael Mulgrew, Randi Weingarten and their Unity caucus separate personal politics and personal agendas with leading our union?

Do they even bother to ask us what we think when they act on our behalf?

Umm. No.

Here are just some recent examples that they don’t give a darn about our diverse views, nor do they bother to get our input before they act on our behalf.


  1. Congestion Pricing - Mulgrew decided he’s against congestion pricing, therefore, the UFT is against it. He never polled us. We never spoke about or debated this issue at a UFT delegate assembly or UFT executive board. Like the dictator he is, he used our dues to file a lawsuit without our consent.

    Maybe he has a point about how it affects working class folks? Maybe he’s ignoring the body of environmental studies that prove him wrong? Maybe some of us agreed with him regarding congestion pricing. Yet, we also know just as many of us didn’t. Either way, he didn’t care to ask because he doesn’t think he has to.


  1. Israel/Gaza - This is an issue that has many strong, passionate, polarizing and personal positions among Americans and our union members, alike. Despite the inherent dissension this issue inevitably brings, Unity decided they would pass several geopolitical resolutions locally and nationally without speaking to members, first. Why bother, right?

    Even when some in Unity pushed back behind closed doors about the need to make sure that any stated position included our union’s diversity of voices, or that perhaps a press statement might be better, they didn’t care to ask or include members in the discussion before writing and forcing through geo-political resolutions with limited debate.

    As some know, Unity doesn’t just control our local union but Randi Weingarten leads Unity’s equivalent in our national union, the American Federation of Teachers.

    Did Randi or Unity poll teachers on a national level if the union should have a “Ceasefire Resolution”, condemn Netanyahu, or that the union must support a “two-state solution”? Nope.

    Ask most on the various sides of the Israel-Gaza issue and sufficed to say that the majority these days may likely not support a “two-state” solution. Some of us are not even sure our unions need to have a union position on geopolitical issues.

    One AFT delegate, Amy Lesser, from Los Angeles, holds a view many others in our union have expressed. She stated in a recent interview:

    “We are not international politicians,” she said. “And there is no foreign government that has any interest in what the teachers union or any labor union has to say about how they should function. . . . So the entire purpose behind these motions and these resolutions is that they generate a hostile teaching environment and learning environment for students.”

    Nonetheless, Unity didn’t bother to ask you or me, once again. They voted as a bloc in Houston, Texas, in the summer of 2024, for a “two-state solution” because of their oath that binds Unity delegates to vote for whatever the caucus leadership decides.


  2. Divesting our pensions and union assets from Musk’s Tesla? - We all know that Randi and Unity are tied to the hip of the establishment Democrat machine. They may try to appear to be neutral but those of us who attend delegate assemblies heard when Mulgrew included us as part of the DNC’s operations. He blurred the lines with the DNC when he spoke about ‘WE’ will be door knocking and campaigning for the Harris for President campaign in Pennsylvania.

     
    Who can forget Randi and the UFT making public endorsements of Kamala Harris the minute front page news shared that Biden would no longer be running and Kamala had declared her candidacy before rank and file AFT delegates voted on the matter? They boasted about being the first union to endorse Kamala while unions like the Teamsters deliberated and polled all of their members. Teamsters did the unimaginable in Unity circles these days — they made no endorsement.

    Now that Harris lost the presidential election handily and Trump has included Elon Musk in his administration, Randi is really mad and obsessed about losing to the will of the American people, Trump and Musk. She dedicates a lot of her time and effort these days in a Twitter/X war with Elon and has gone as far as asking that pension and asset managers divest from Musk’s Tesla company.

    It seems that her personal politics and petty partisan online bickering now affect our financial bottom lines, too? Randi, have you reflected about why so much of the working class isn’t voting for your side these days?

  3. The New York Health Act - Here’s a little secret Unity doesn’t want you to know. Retirees, take heed. Our union’s official position according to our highest-deliberative body is that the UFT SUPPORTS of the New York Health Act.


    Did you know that Unity is actually behind writing, motivating and passing the two UFT resolutions that affirm the union’s official support for the New York Health Act? They have a really crazy way of gaslighting us to deflect from their own deeds.

    In 2015, most of the left and even centrist Democrats were staunchly behind Bernie’s Medicare for All. For a season, it was politically cool and fashionable to support single-payer universal healthcare. Following the political headwinds of the day, Unity wrote and passed a resolution in support of NYHA that seeks to a create a single payer healthcare system for all in New York.

    In May of 2015, the former Unity-UFT Secretary, Emil Pietromonaco, can be found here motivating the Unity crafted UFT resolution in support of the New York Health Act. It passed overwhelmingly by the Unity dominated executive board. Shortly after, it passed overwhelmingly in their rubber stamp, Unity dominated delegate assembly.

Another Unity inspired reso in 2017 that affirmed our union stance on the New York Health Act was motivated by current UFT secretary, LeRoy Barr. It too passed overwhelmingly in the Unity-dominated exec board and delegate assembly.

So what changed? Why did Unity waffle on its own stance on the New York Health Act? Did they see the light? Did they finally realize it may affect retiree Medicare? Or did they have a “come to Jesus'“ moment as to how to fund it? No, the Biden-Harris campaign for President in 2020 changed the DNC’s views on single-payer universal healthcare, at least for now.

The 2020 Biden campaign may have still supported a path to universal healthcare but it also believed it could become a reality through privatization — rejecting a single payer option exclusively. We see this in his stated campaign positions.

We also see the AFT and Randi abandon its hardline single payer stance from the Bernie days and fall in line with the Biden-Harris privatized insurance plus public option view.

The Uniry-led AFT passed a resolution during the pandemic changing labor’s long held position regarding univeral healthcare with a single payer option to supporting the possibility of achieving it with “private insurance with a public option.”

Circa 2020, the current union leadership pulled back on its own single-payer healthcare position, despite their own resolutions in support of NYHA, and they began to publish contradictory anti-NYHA messaging on our union web pages. Mulgrew openly attacked the will of the union’s deliberative bodies and blamed union activists, except it strangely was their own Unity caucus machinations.

In this insider, establishment political see-saw game, they didn’t ask you or me. Their flip-flop regarding the New York Health Act wasn’t because they sought input from the membership. It had more to do with the Big Healthcare lobbyists having the ear of the Biden Administration while it fiercely lobbied in states that were considering a single-payer option or a public option.

So maybe they just changed their minds? So why not use the executive board and delegate assembly to change the union stance on NYHA?

These days they have no guarantees in ramming things through the DA because of their shrinking majority and why should they if Mulgrew can do whatever he wants without consent, even if the consent is performative.

Did they realize how it would impact their control of the Welfare Fund? Maybe. We also can’t discount Mulgrew’s dance with the City to achieve health care cost savings in exchange for retro raises and the bill that came due in 2018 . Or that he created a Medicare Advantage plan that sought to force Medicare eligible retirees into it to pay for his givebacks.

To Cuomo or Not to Cuomo?

A test of Unity’s disdain and mistrust of members will be on display during this pivotal upcoming mayoral election. Will Unity actually poll us for our desired endorsement picks as to who should be the next mayor of NYC? Would they bother to share the poll results with us? Already Unity apologists are making a case for disgraced, former Governor Andrew Cuomo who has a marred history steeped in anti public education and anti-union policies, creating Tier 6, and multiple allegations of sexual harassment of 13 women. Mulgrew already has shown his cards and thinks Cuomo is worthy of our consideration.

And still our voices and input don’t matter to Unity in our union’s political decisions. Member-driven? Not in 60 years. Not ever.

Member-divisive. Yes.


Up next: If a MORE-dominated ARISE coalition is elected, can it genuinely be MEMBER-DRIVEN?

Can MORE caucus and its political front groups, like Educators for Palestine, separate their own personal politics and personal agendas from leading our union?


We need new leadership that’s committed to being member-led, member-centered and MEMBERS FIRST. That’s why I’m voting for the A Better Contract slate. Caucuses like Unity and MORE only pursue their own self-preservation. While ABC believes in genuine member voice and referenda — no more decisions on big issues like political endorsements without bringing it to the membership, first.


  • A Casino in Queens or Time Square? - Most of us still don’t understand why he used the weight of the union or had union officers at public hearings fighting in this casino bidding war among the city’s billionaires as to whose project should be approved by the City. Mulgrew decided that he was firmly with Team Billionaire Steve Cohen and that Queens residents deserve a new casino in their backyard— not in a business district like Time Square. Mulgrew’s close ties to chief lobbyist, Louis Cholden-Brown, for Cohen’s casino empire bidding operation raises a lot of eyebrows. Should our union be involved in this? Were we consulted or briefed? Ha!


  • Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 9:59 AM 1 comment:
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    Labels: A Better Contract, ABC, ARISE, MORE Caucus, UFT, UFT Election 2025, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Saturday, March 22, 2025

    Why Won't ARISE Consent to Allow Candidates to Run on ABC? Unity Caucus and ARISE Unite to Help Unity Win AFT Delegates

    NOTE - this blog post represents only my views and not those of ABC. But I am pissed off!

    It's very simple and we can still do this: All ARISE has to do is say YES to allowing its AFT candidates to run with ABC.

    So, why did ARISE put a roadblock on its candidates who want to run on the ABC slate, giving the Unity leadership an excuse to prevent these candidates from winning? Why did Unity agree with ARISE? ABC has agreed publicly to allow ARISE candidates to run. Why won't ARISE do the same? The say they want a formal agreement as New Action had with Unity for over a decade. Should we wear tuxedos?

    New Action/Unity sign agreement for 2007, 2010 and 2013 elections

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    March 22, 2025

    I've been too busy the past week to address the important issue of how Unity and ARISE united to keep people from running on multiple slates, an increasing level of ARISE focusing its attacks on ABC.  Petitions were due last Monday, RTC Meeting Tuesday, DA Wednesday, R&R Thursday. Finally, I've had room to breathe. 

    Back in December I offered a leader of MORE an idea of how to run two slates and win a control of the exec bd and adcom. Cross endorse enough candidates (not all so as to leave room for organizing new people) - all AFT, 3 each for Adcom which would give us 6 out of 12, a majority of the divisional and at large exec bd. The idea was turned down because if we won how would we govern the UFT? I said we'd figure it out -- let's win first. But I question whether elements of the ARISE coalition really want to win and are focused on not letting ABC win. 

    My backup plan was to encourage AFT candidates to run on both slates. 

    I spoke to a few candidates who did sign up for both slates and if forced to choose they say they will choose ABC.

    Here is a detailed account on how Unity Caucus and ARISE united in a way to help Unity maintain their monopoly of AFT delegate seats. 

    First a brief date by date summary:

    Read more »
    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 12:16 PM 10 comments:
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    Labels: A Better Contract, ABC, ARISE, UFT, UFT Election 2025, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Friday, March 14, 2025

    How ‘A Better Contract’ Candidates Delivered for NYC Math Teachers: Racquel Blair McPherson, UFT Vice President of Education Candidate – A Better Contract!

     I met Rachel a few weeks ago and she has been a delight. A chapter leader in a large school building with multiple schools, she has been a tiger with the petitioning campaign.
     
     

     

    Real Change Comes from Real Organizing: How ‘A Better Contract’ Candidates Delivered for NYC Math Teachers

    By Racquel Blair McPherson, UFT Vice President of Education Candidate – A Better Contract!

    Mar 13, 2025
     
    https://open.substack.com/pub/uftmembers/p/real-change-comes-from-real-organizing?r=hbbt4&utm_medium=ios 
     
     

    This school year, NYC’s high school math teachers have been forced to implement the DOE’s citywide rollout of Illustrative Math Algebra I — a rigid, scripted program that strips educators of autonomy and deprives students of meaningful instruction.

    Let’s begin with a distinction that matters: this is not a curriculum.

    Curriculum is adaptable, aligned to standards, and developed with students and educators in mind. What the DOE has forced into classrooms is a purchased program — scripted, inflexible, fundamentally out of sync with the needs of our students, and costing millions of dollars. Yet, despite repeated concerns from educators and school communities, the DOE didn’t pause to listen or adjust.

    They didn’t have to. To my knowledge, the UFT wasn’t paying much attention.

    Last year’s pilot revealed glaring problems:

    • Misalignment to Regents

    • Impossible pacing that left no room for remediation

    • Assessment overload

    • A top-down approach that prohibited teacher judgment or supplementation

    Instead of using this feedback to rework the approach, the DOE doubled down — expanding IM citywide, even as student performance fell. Meanwhile, UFT leadership stood by while teachers were micromanaged, frustrated, and actively seeking support. Members weren’t just raising concerns — they were looking for their union to fight back.

    That work wasn’t initiated by leadership. It was wrested from inaction by rank-and-file organizing. I was one of the educators asked to participate, as was Katie Anskat, our candidate for Treasurer. Alongside full-time classroom teachers from across the city, all of us currently teaching IM Algebra I, we spent a week reworking the scope and sequence for Units 5–8. With support from the highly skilled professionals at the UFT Teacher Center, we created Regents-aligned guidance, realistic pacing, and tools grounded in classroom realities.

    And when the DOE ignored the work? When UFT leadership refused to share the letter we wrote to accompany it — a professional, student-centered statement outlining the necessary instructional flexibility? We kept pushing.

    💥 Today, that advocacy forced a breakthrough.

    On March 12, 2025, the DOE released updated NYC Solves Algebra I materials. And make no mistake: they reflect the very work we created and fought to have recognized.

    Included in the update:

    • ✅ A “Pacing at a Glance” document that frames the pacing guide as support, not mandate

    • ✅ Deprioritized lessons to allow time for reinforcement and Regents alignment

    • ✅ A full-course mapping to NY Next Gen and Regents standards

    • ✅ Revised unit overviews including “Misconceptions” and “Things to Remember” — drawn directly from our work

    • ✅ Focus activities recommended by the UFT now built into the guides

    • ✅ Updated implementation guidance that finally acknowledges teachers as decision-makers in instruction

    This didn’t happen because the DOE had a change of heart. It happened because we didn’t stop. It happened because educators — including candidates running with A Better Contract! — pushed relentlessly for the DOE to recognize our professional expertise and the UFT to fight for it to be respected and implemented.

    But let’s not confuse this with a full fix.

    Here’s what’s still missing:

    🟡 No clear directive to principals requiring them to implement these changes

    🟡 No removal of outdated implementation checklists still being used in classroom walkthroughs

    🟡 No public acknowledgment or accountability for the DOE’s original rollout failures

    🟡 And still, no recognition from UFT leadership of the teachers who made this progress possible

    This was a step forward — but only because educators kept the pressure on. Without enforcement and clear messaging, these new materials risk becoming another optional PDF that gets ignored while rigid compliance continues in schools.

    As your next UFT Vice President of Education, I will:

    • 🧭 Demand that the DOE provide real curriculum — a coherent, flexible scope and sequence, not just a contract with a vendor

    • 🚦 Ensure that teachers are in the driver’s seat, making the professional decisions that impact student learning

    • 📢 Elevate and defend member-created solutions

    • 💥 Back the UFT Teacher Center with organizing strength — so their work isn’t undermined, buried, or ignored

    Katie Anskat and I joined with our math colleagues to get this work done. We stepped up because our students and our colleagues needed us to. When educators come together, they make an impact.

    And that’s exactly how we’ll lead.

    Let’s win a better contract — and a better union.


    Thanks for reading A BETTER CONTRACT - UFT MEMBERS! This post is public so feel free to share it.

    Share


    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 8:43 AM 1 comment:
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    Labels: A Better Contract, ABC, ARISE, UFT, UFT Election 2025, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Thursday, March 6, 2025

    Hey Retirees - Ask Amy at Tuesday, March 11 Zoom - 7PM

    You will never see Mulgrew doing this. This meeting is also open to any UFT member - but focus will be on retiree issues up front.

    Listen to Amy on retirees: https://abettercontract.org/p/podcast-listen-to-amy-speak-about


    Arthur is hosting and I am running shotgun backup.

     
     
    Hi retirees,

    We are holding a Zoom meeting this coming Tuesday, March 11th, from 7 to 8 PM. Amy will be joining us. 

    We very much hope you will not only attend, but also tell your friends to come. 

    Thank you again for your activism and dedication. We very much appreciate it. 

    Arthur
     
     

     
    https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/lNW72b6lRR-6eSd1HWhCMQ#/registration 
     
     
    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 9:20 AM No comments:
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    Labels: A Better Contract, ABC, ARISE, UFT, UFT Election 2025, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Sunday, March 2, 2025

    UFT Election Committee: Candidates Can Run on multiple slates - as has happened in the past

    I kept getting asked the same question by some people who want to run on more than one slate. ABC has been open to anyone who wants to run for AFT/NYSUT Delegate on the ABC even if running on another slate. I don't get why there was ambivalence over that issue -- in fact I put that idea forth months ago to a leader of MORE as a way to run two slates against Unity and still win but there was little interest. But anyone who wants to take a shot at possibly winning as an AFT/NYSUT convention delegate and break the Unity monopoly, try to sign up to run with ABC and any other slate you are running on.

    When I was asked I kept pointing to the years that New Action candidates were elected to the UFT Exec Bd by running on the Unity slate and their own slate. But for some reason, this history seems to have disappeared from the memory banks because members of their coalition are told they are not sure. 

    At Thursday's UFT Election Committee meeting it was reaffirmed that you can run on more than one slate and reap the total votes you get on all slates. Go to this link and fill it out. And if you do, email me to let me know as I have to send you a blank petition for you to sign and return to me. normsco@gmail.com. 

    Don't worry about getting the required 100 signatures as ABC has been and will be holding petition signing parties this week. Here is the Wednesday Brooklyn link: tinyurl.com/abc-2025-03-05. Friday Bayside link: tinyurl.com/abc-03-07-2025.


     

     Convention Delegate Form

     


     

    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 8:22 AM No comments:
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    Labels: A Better Contract, ABC, ARISE, UFT, UFT Election 2025, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Friday, February 7, 2025

    ABC - Able, Buttkicking, Creative Running To Win Against Unity - Attend Feb. 11 Meet the Candidates - Arthur on How ABC Will Run the UFT

     There were people who did not believe ABC could organize a slate for the election. Come to the Feb. 11 meet the candidates to find out.

    ABC is following up on its successful zoom organizing events with a meet the candidates event this Tuesday at 7PM. Last Tuesday over 100 people attended the elementary school zoom focused on issues specifically related to that oft neglected division.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Today's piece by Arthur delves into some detail on how ABC would run the union. It is an important piece and here are a few excerpts.
     
    • ABC knows union power comes from members. It’s imperative we work toward member empowerment. We’re in this together. We stand together, we fight together, and we win together. Our first message is for Michael Mulgrew:
    • We don’t work for union leaders—union leaders work for us.

    • When ABC wins, we will no longer use our citywide union power as a vehicle to demean health insurance. Moving backward will no longer be a priority for the United Federation of Teachers (let alone something we seek to drag our brother and sister unionists into). As far as we’re concerned, organizing to make things worse is anti-union.
    • When members call UFT, they don’t want to press buttons and hope to get connected to someone. Nor do they want to be on hold for 20 minutes. ABC believes it’s our job to be responsive to member needs. Like you, we hate hearing, “Your call is important to us,” particularly when a non-response indicates otherwise. When you call UFT, you will speak to a living, breathing person, not a pre-recorded, computer-driven robot.  
    • ABC will actively support legislation that retains the health care members have been promised in retirement. There are currently bills to protect retirees in both city and state legislatures. We will not only lobby for their passage, but we will also support the organizations that brought them. We will do the same for legislation that protects in service members.
    • When ABC wins, UFT boots on the ground will mean members actually showing up to work for and demand what we want and need. These days, it amounts to a dozen paid staffers showing up here or there. Years of Unity indifference to members have resulted in years of member indifference to union. That won’t happen immediately, but needs to change.
    • For really important issues, like money and health care, we will show up en masse and let people know who we are and what we demand. We will grow our union into the activist organization we need to be. Again, when papers talk of the “powerful teachers union,” it needs to mean something.
    • We will use union resources, including COPE, union lawyers, and UFT boots on the ground to support our causes.
    • The caucus model has failed us, and continues to fail us.

    • Unity has misled and betrayed us for years. They do this as though it’s their birthright, and barely bother to hide it anymore. They think they own our union hall, and if anyone else finds their way in, they build literal walls around them.
    • We’ve had 60 years of minority rule and outlandish palace intrigue. ABC has a better vision.
    • We are not a caucus, and will not demand loyalty to caucus. We represent UFT members, not some pre-determined philosophy that may or may not be representative. Member voice will guide us as we move forward.
    • We are not indulging in some last-gasp attempt to rationalize our existence. We are not a stalking horse for some mysterious, arcane philosophy. We don’t require an elite and self-indulgent steering committee controlling everything and everyone. We formed our platform by surveying members, and we’ll continue doing that as we move forward.
    • As UFT members, we’re looking to wake up the sleeping giant that is our great union, the United Federation of Teachers. That means empowerment and inclusion, not lip service and ignoring those who elected and worked with us.

    Read the entire piece

    Easy as ABC

    Let's amplify member voice.

    Arthur Goldstein
    Feb 07, 2025

    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 2:39 PM No comments:
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    Labels: A Better Contract, ABC, ARISE, MORE, New Action/UFT, UFT, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Monday, February 3, 2025

    Elementary School Organizing Zoom Call for A BETTER CONTRACT, Tuesday, February 4 at 7 PM

    Elementary school has been a relative strength for Unity Caucus in UFT elections. In 2022, UFC received about 33%, and that was its highest percentage in a long time and while the numbers didn't change for the oppo since 2016, Unity dropped by over 1000. ABC is trying a different approach for the elementary schools and trying to create a network in new outposts. An elementary committee has been formed and is holding an event. If you are in an elementary school or know someone register here: tinyurl.com/abcuftes.


    A special shout out to our hardworking Elementary School educators!

    You’re invited to our ES Organizing Zoom Call to join us in the fight for A BETTER CONTRACT.  It will take place on Tuesday, February 4 at 7 PM, via Zoom.

    To register use the QR code or go to: tinyurl.com/abcuftes

    We will discuss the critical issues in elementary schools today, including working conditions such as micromanagement, over-testing, the freedom to teach, scripted curriculum, being paid for our time and more!

    With 2025 kicking into high gear, it’s time to get back to it! Our union proud, union strong, grassroots movement of working educators and retirees continues to grow and capture the imagination and heart of our beloved union.

    Tell all of your colleagues, also. We hope to see you there!

    https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14rcV2NVHU/?mibextid=wwXIfr 

     

    My analysis from the 2022 elections is relevant:

    we missed a big opportunity as Unity dropped under 5k and we didn't even match 2016. I thought UFC had more outreach in elementary but if we did the GOTV didn't work. I got indications early on with the lack of contention in UFC by the caucuses for Elem Ex bd positions that there was not a sense of winning and when we struggled with petitions early on in that division, I pretty much gave up on winning this division.
    34K elem ballots were sent out -- a lot of places to mine in the future. The oppos has a lot of work to do in elementary school. My suggestion: Choose a few key districts where UFC people have decent elem numbers and expand their networks with a local outreach program. Otherwise 2025 will be the same.

    So there is a need for a new strategy to tap into those 34k potential voters. I do not believe the oppo can win whether one or two slates without reaching deep into the elementary schools where the bulk of teachers are.

    In this chart note the 20 year drop in Unity votes.


    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 8:51 AM No comments:
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    Labels: A Better Contract, ABC, UFT, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Thursday, October 10, 2024

    The Chosen: UFT Spends Your Dues Sending People to Conferences

    Below is the spending voted on by Unity Caucus controlled AdCom and rubber stamped by the Unity exec bd, many of whom I am sure have benefited by being amongst The Chosen. This is from a recent UFT Exec Bd meeting which takes place every two weeks and each meeting is loaded with these junkets.
     
    Before I get to the nitty gritty numbers, let me state I am not against a union sending reps to important conferences. Of course, define "important". The question is who are the people going and how do they get chosen? I see this as another one of the perks they hand out to keep people loyal. 
    Motion:       To send 4 members to the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. 61st National Convention on October 9-13, 2024, in Baltimore, MD at a cost of $2,159 per person.
    4x2,159 - about $8636. (cause I'm too lazy)  Carried
     
    Motion:       To send 4 members to the NAACP’s 88th Annual New York State Conference on October 11-13, 2024, in Armonk, NY at a cost of $1,058 per person.
    4x1,058 - about $4232   Carried
     
    Motion:       To send 4 members to the CASEL Social & Emotional Learning Exchange Conference on November 12-14, 2024, in Chicago, IL at a cost of 2,305 per person.
    4x2305 - $9220 Carried

    Motion:       To send 4 members to the New York State Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NYSTESOL) Conference on November 14-16, 2024, in Rochester, NY at a cost of 1,635 per person. 
    4x1635 -- $6540 Carried
     
    Motion:       To send 5 members to the ACTE’s Career Tech Vision Conference on December 4-7, 2024, in San Antonio, TX, at a cost of $2,660 per person.
    5x2660 --- $13000
     
    Total for this round = c. $42,000 of your dues money. Amen.
     
     
    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 10:39 PM No comments:
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    Labels: junkets, perks, UFT, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Tuesday, September 17, 2024

    Mulgrew Does Teeth - Finally Using some of the $800 million UFT Welfare Fund Surplus

    Word from inside the asylum at 52 is that UFT election mania has taken priority and every trick in the book is being tried. In some cases there will be benefits and here may be one.
     
    After opposing a reso at the DA calling for using some of the massive surplus to improve
    the awful dental benefits that narrowly was defeated last spring after they argued against it, but facing the massive defeats in chapter elections and facing potential defeat in upcoming UFT elections, the Mulgrew administration is responding with some changes, but I bet few will be happy. EONYC provides the history, demonstrating elections have consequences -- sometimes in our favor. So think about that when UFT elections come up next May.
     
    Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024
     
    From @educatorsofnyc
    1. Revelations that the UFTWF is now sitting on over 800 million dollars. A bloated fund that seems to be growing exponentially since 2014 as city unions have agreed to take hundreds of millions from the city’s health stabilization fund for their own welfare funds. Not what the stabilization fund was designed for and causing other healthcare services to diminish, as a result. https://jd2718.org/2024/03/28/uft-welfare-fund-nest-egg-bigger-than-most-nests/ 
     
    2. Pressure internally from concerned UFT rank and file delegates and activists publicly asking why top leaders are hoarding millions when many of our benefits, especially dental, are being diminished — affecting reimbursements and numbers of providers leaving the network. 
     
    3. After an overwhelming rebuke by UFT retirees who voted out Mulgrew’s administrative Unity caucus out of power from their chapter’s leadership because of his support behind forcing them into predatory, inferior Medicare Advantage … the much-maligned Mulgrew is now reeling and seeking to pander as he faces a tsunami of discontent in an union election year that could mean his Unity caucus is finally toppled after 60 years of unilateral control. 
     
    4. After Mulgrew and his henchman, Goeff Sorkin of the WF, told us that the existing money in the fund was needed to cover out of control prescription drug costs and as a reserve fund if there is litigation against the city over healthcare… today their “best welfare fund in the country” will get a reboot. Let’s wait and see what they bring with them today. https://cityandstateny.com/politics/2024/06/after-rebuff-retirees-ufts-mulgrew-bails-medicare-advantage/397572/


    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 12:02 PM 1 comment:
    Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
    Labels: Michael Mulgrew, UFT dental plan, UFT/Unity Caucus

    Wednesday, September 11, 2024

    Elections Have Consequences: PR Blitz to Breathe Life Into Mulgrew, Make UFT More Responsive (finally), Unity Tries to Avert Defeat

    Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024

    The recent Unity major losses in elections has created a sense of panic in the upper halls of the UFT, and some shake-ups. At the AFT convention in Houston in July Staff Director LeRoy Barr lectured the staff, blaming them and absolving leadership, telling them the opposition was well organized and coming for their jobs and they better start campaigning immediately. 


    Calling the opposition well organized shows how much LeRoy doesn't know - but I actually have faith that LeRoy knows the opposition real well and was just blowing smoke to scare the staff into worrying about their jobs. (Don't worry boys and girls, those who actually do their jobs instead of being Unity shills will be safe if the oppo wins.)

    So, the best thing Mulgrew has going for him is the state of opposition. But expect a Unity full court press- like this:

    Need someone to talk to? We're here


    I think of the Reagan comment about government and we're here to help. After decades of not helping,  Unity lost an election and now wants to help? But do they even remember how?

    Mulgrew never takes responsibility and puts blames on others

    Mulgrew supposedly reamed out the staff before school started and shook up the hierarchy. Anthony Harmon is off to NYSUT and Ellie Engler has been brought back to be co-staff Director in his place. Where does that put LeRoy Barr? Probably not in the dog house with Mulgrew's dog, but Mulgrew may have ordered him to get rid of his cat if he has one so as not to come on a certain VP candidate's radar. Is Mulgrew blaming LeRoy or his cat for the recent big election losses? Mike Sill, who I like (the kiss of death) has moved into something or other. Insiders say morale has sunk at 52 where people see these moves as moving deck chairs. 

    At a staff meeting, staff actually received copies of the Labor Notes, "Secrets of a Successful Organizer," a bible on the left, especially in MORE where for years I sat through bouts of the same Labor Notes training where we were told to keep a tally sheet of our staff, something I managed to figure out on my own in the 1970s. After all that training I didn't notice an enormous uptick in organized schools in the last election, but if you want to see a preview of the lessons your beloved UFT rep will bring to your chapter, see the list at the end of this article - and even read up to prep for their visit -- and be ready for How to Be a Good Listener.

    See how well they listen to you and how they tell you they can really do nothing about your principal.

    So what irony that Unity is trying to emulate the "successful" organizing of MORE,  a caucus in its 14th year of existence and not in a position to run head to head against Unity - and never will be no matter how much Labor Notes training they undergo. 

    Thus MORE may be forced against its will to work with other caucuses and groups in a potentially winnable year, though I imagine from my last days in MORE when I pushed back against those who wanted to run not to win that there is still a faction that either wants to run alone (the Greta Garbo group) or not run at all. The latter is ironic since I was one of the few voices in MORE's first election in 2013 urging MORE not to waste resources on running and use the time to build its infrastructure as a new caucus, one of the many battles I lost in MORE. In the decade since, MORE did build infrastructure, but given the size of the school system, it's still a blip. Maybe next decade. 

    What's left of UFC? New Action and Retiree Advocate and maybe MORE which is still deciding

    The other main strands of the opposition is a resurgent New Action back from the 2019 dead and the new king of the hill, Retiree Advocate, whose victory and 300 delegates are game changers in the UFT. They may be the heart of the oppo movement this year. I will have a lot more to say in about a week on where the election movement stands at this point.

    ICE is an open end discussion group -- a listserve and a dormant blog - but we did zoom Sunday night to discuss the state of the UFT election. Always a great and eclectic group of people that ICE attracts. I always come away from an ICE event feeling better -- a reason to keep us getting together where we hear some of the smartest analysis.

    Solidarity is trying to make a claim but has internal battles and I maintain without the force of Lydia's personality and leadership it can't be more than bit player -- but watch the squawks of some of them claiming equality with the other caucuses. Squawk away since one of the requirements may be for caucuses to show they are legit by showing at least 25 CL and delegates as proof they have people who can get elected in their own schools.

    So fundamentally, the hope from the UFC coalition from the 2022 election would have opposition infrastructure in place for this election died soon after the election ended when MORE lost interest and the rest of the group drifted. That UFC in essence died is the best friend Unity has in its chance of winning as those wanting to defeat Unity were set back to ground zero. 

    Unity will flood the schools with staff offering to help and Mulgrew promos, but will that help or hurt?

    Unity relies on a chain of command -- central - borough- district - school Unity and associated CL to get the message to members. Even in the 2022 UFT election, the Unity vote totals dropped as most rolled their eyes at the glossy flyers. The problem for the oppo was that the members also generally rolled their eyes at them too. The goal for the oppo this time is to turn those lonely eyes to them if they expect to win. And to vastly expand he base from the usual caucus suspects. I ruminated on this point on Aug. 7:

    • What it will take to Change the Leadership in the 2025 UFT Election? Build it and they will come, and if they don't come be very worried

    Expect many visits from your District and borough special reps. But also expect most people to yawn. There are weak links in this chain - some clueless Dist reps and most importantly, a waning loyalty at the school level from the Unity faithful. Seeing the possibility of the opposition actually winning next year, some in Unity "light," as they are known, may be rethinking their options. Why not give up your paltry after school patronage job and sign up with the oppo to get an early foothold?

    The weakest link in Unity is still Mulgrew himself.

    Reports from UFT Chapter Leader training, Aug 28:

    It was like a bad PD, person after person talking and I zoned out;
    they meant well but they lost the new people like me....
    Mulgrew’s rambling about cell phones. It’s not coherent - but maybe that’s because I’m starving. Now he’s talking about “we don’t always go Democrat in fact maybe we will vote Republican one day.” Now he's talking what why it's not that big of a deal if they get rid of the Dept of Ed at the federal level...Aside from the minor detail of civil rights being violated all over the nation, what could go wrong? Thinks ranked choice voting is stupid and dangerous... Elizabeth Perez gave him this big intro and said “he has squirrels in his head” and I can’t stop laughing.... Squirrels in his head would explain a lot. Sounds even worse than RFK Jr.'s brainworm.... Michael droned on and on and talked about how a high percentage of teachers get cancer. The whole thing was awful. And then asked who wants time for questions? No one raised their hand. Who wants to leave? The whole room...MM is the Manchurian Candidate
    Oy! Mulgrew so Trumpian and is fundamentally a Republican, so I'm not surprised -- he probably wished he had been invited to the Republican convention. By the way -- while the AFT and NYSUT have geared up to back the Dem ticket, the usual UFT political operation has been dormant until recently.

    At one point people believed Mulgrew might be replaced. In the last election two years ago they hid Mulgrew with no photos of him on their leaflets (in contrast to the 2019 election when his photo was all over the place). Then came the disaster of last spring's chapter elections - we know the para and retiree results, but have little data on the school levels -- how many Unity were replaced? How many activist CL and Del were elected? I hear MORE caucus claimes over 100.

    If Mulgrew were to be replaced that would have happened already to give the new person some serious time as an incumbent, so that train has left the station. Some think he would take something in the AFT but he's a fish out of water there. And besides, Unity doesn't have a very big bench. Like who can replace him? See if you can come up with potential replacements.

    Here are some promos for Mulgrew for your joy of reading.

    From congestion pricing to Medicare Advantage, the politically nimble leader of the teachers union seems to always come out on top, Bob Hennelly, City and State.... WTF

     

    How about this puff piece from City & State?

    Michael Mulgrew: “Shrewd Political Instincts and a Willingness to Pivot”

    Class politics

    * United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew’s political flexibility has enabled him to almost always come out on top when it comes to the most contentious issues facing his members, from the pitched battle between retirees and the city over Medicare Advantage plans to the ongoing debate over congestion pricing.

     


    Peter Goodman,  minister of propaganda for unity reprinted the article on The Wire, prompting this response: 
    reads like an article in The Onion. The "shrewd political instincts" of Michael Mulgrew delivered us a sub-inflation contract (aka pay cuts), an all-out attempt to move municipal employees into a for-profit Medicare Advantage Plan, and an impending watered-down healthcare plan for in-service UFT members. In May 2025 we need to vote Unity caucus and its CEO, Michael Mulgrew, out of office.
     
     What next? Mulgrew for Mt. Rushmore?
     
    Arthur has been doing a daily hit on Unity and Mulgrew. 
    Here is his latest:

    What Union Does: In stark contrast to what Unity does

    You should subscribe. And a few oldies but goodies:
     

    UFT Unity's Rehabilitation Campaign

    City and State paints a fawning, thoroughly incomplete portrait of Boss Mulgrew.

    Arthur Goldstein
    Aug 26, 2024

    Unity Thinks They Own Our Union

    They don't, and this must change.

    Arthur Goldstein
    Aug 29, 2024

    Unity Prohibits a Dangerous Sign At the Labor Day Parade

    Bennett Fischer, newly elected RTC Chapter Leader, had been working for weeks to get signs printed for the RTC. He had to get them approved here. He had to get them approved there. They had to be this size, not that size. You have to make sure this person knows about it. Also, don’t tell that person until that person knows. Red tape galore... On Friday, UFT Snowflake-in-Chief Michael Mulgrew told Bennett that the signs would not be acceptable. He contended all signage must be on message with the Central Labor Council's theme for the parade. So the RTC, the leadership of which was elected on the basis of opposition to Medicare Advantage, was blocked from expressing what we stand for.

    Prompting this comment from Sean Ahern:

    The RTC’s program to defend Medicare was blocked by UFT leadership at the rally. I think the RTC chapter will have to be more forceful in the future. It was like Unity is the Principal who just says no to the chapter leader who is representing the members grievance. Where is the pushback? I hope a plan for the Oct DA will not be so quiescent. 

    Secrets of a Successful Organizer Handouts

    We've made all the handouts and exercises from our best-selling book Secrets of a Successful Organizer available for download. Feel free to print them out and share them with your co-workers or use in your next union meeting. Disponible en español.

    Read more »
    Posted by Norm @ ed notes online at 12:37 PM No comments:
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    Labels: MORE Caucus, New Action/UFT, Retiree Advocate/UFT, UFT, UFT/Unity Caucus
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    Chalkbeat

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    Serial: UFT 2014 Contract Vote Lessons

    UFT Contract Vote Lessons: Number 1- Unity DID NOT STEAL THE VOTE

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    http://www.ctunet.com/quest-center/research/text/CTU-Common-Core-Position-Paper.pdf

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    The ICE Platform in 2010

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

    The 2010 ICE platform

    Part I: Introduction

    Part II: What we confront in public education

    Part III: Strategy and tactics for a good contract

    Part IV: Learning conditions

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

    Part VI: For a militant, progressive, democratic UFT

    Part VII: ICE supports local neighborhood public schools

    Part VIII: A distorted school system

    Part IX: Our union and government priorities


    Dave Barry End of Year Review -

    Very funny.

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

    A.J. Liebling, via George Schmidt.

    Public School Shakedown (Our Fave Bloggers In One place)

    • Public School Shakedown
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      11 years ago

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    • Rubber Room Reporter

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    http://db.tt/mBhWMaDW

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

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

    UFT Election Vote Comparison: 2004-10

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

    A Personal Historical Perspective

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

    Part 1: Ed Notes

    Why Karen Lewis Read Ed Notes


    "A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

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

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

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

    Web Sites We Touch Base With

    GothamSchools - Breaking News and Analysis of the NYC Public Schools

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

    Rockaway: The Wave

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

    Williamsburg & Greenpoint Parents: Our Public Schools!

    NEW CAUCUS (NEWARK)

    History of the UFT Pre-Weingarten Years

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

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

    This chapter looks interesting:

    Class struggles: The UFT story, part 3

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

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


    Effective Union Organizing

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

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

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

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

    Total Pageviews Since July 2009

    11,153,765

    State of the Union

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

    Must read: The Case for Large High Schools

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

    Diane Ravitch: Great new site (warning: satire)

    http://www.standillinois.org

    A DC teacher's story:

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

    http://t.co/Wy5wSPgw

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

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

    You Don't Have A Choice - Join the Revolt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Friday, June 17, 2011

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

    Great Debate in Chicago

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

    Class Bias, Class Size and Online Learning

    Amazing piece by Leonie Haimson.

    Good Article on Value-Added

    The Answer Sheet
    Leading mathematician debunks ‘value-added’

    Ex-Harlem Success Teacher Comments on Eva the Diva

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

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

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

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

    Davis Guggenheim Compared to Riefenstahl

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

    Timothy Tyson
    Professor of African American Studies and History
    Duke University

    A Familiar Voice on Unions

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

    How Teaching Experience Makes a Difference

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


    Full article with charts here.

    Outsource our children

    The Answer Sheet
    Jon Stewart's hysterical defense of teachers

    Weingarten/Gates Foundation announce drone-driven teacher evaluation

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

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

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

    More at Substance

    Rare, undercover footage from a principals’ retreat in Omaha

    Principal Training Summit Video

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


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

    • The People's Critic

    Teacher Value-Added Data Dumping by Norm Scott

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


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

    On standardized testing in our schools

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

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

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

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

    http://vimeo.com/19171234

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

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

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

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

    See Gotham Schools report

    From Sharon Higgins

    Something passed along to me by D. Ravitch.

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

    A must, must, must, must read.

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

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

    The US Is Facing a Weimar Moment

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

    It's Class Size Stupid

    Pissed Off Teacher nails the ed deformers

    A Howl of a video as our friendly robots talk education

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

    Thanks to Sharron Higgins

    So you Want to Get a PhD in the Humanities?

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

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

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

    http://tiny.cc/wf4jh

    "Charter Starter": a video spoof

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnrrw5CV3Gw

    Sean Corcoran Findings on Value Added Measurement of Teachers Raises Doubts

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

    Click above for Elizabeth Green report at Gotham Schools.

    Chicago View of Unity/UFT on Charters

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

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

    Jen Johnson, CTU, Local 1 in Substance

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

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

    Ravitch: Why Public Schools Need Democratic Governance

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

    NYC Parent Commission on School Governance

    • Parent Commission - Mayoral Control Recos 2010

    More Videos of HSA vs. Mosaic Prep

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

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

    Norm's Article on Seniority in The Indypendent

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

    By Norm Scott, in the Jun 2, 2010 issue

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

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

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

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

    Part 2: Champion Debate Team Rejects City's Verdict

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

    Part 4: When a School Year Ends in Purgatory

    Ed Notes Greatest Hits: HSA Rally and Founding of GEM

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

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

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


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

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


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


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

    Charter School Scandals - from Sharon Higgins

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

    Ravitch Debates Charter School Shill James Merriman

    On NY1 Video Clip:

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

    Diana Senechal on Harlem Children's Zone

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

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

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

    Source: Ohanian

    Parents Speak Out Against Mayoral Control of Schools at Tweed

    Inside Schools has the video scoop.

    MUST READ- Leonie on Eva

    Haimson on Eva's saturation charter school mailings

    An Oldie But Goodie: The Disparity Gap

    At the Education Roundtable

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


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

    Great Post on Teacher Quality at the Morton School

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

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

    UFT Election Results 2004/07 Compared

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

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