A new union movement starts Saturday, Oct. 16

RSVP IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND!

Saturday, October 16
Rank and File Leadership Program
11am-1pm
Community Resource Exchange, 42 Broadway, 20th Floor

Facilitator: Dr. Lois Weiner, Professor of Education, New Jersey City University
Pushing back on testing, merit pay, charter schools, and de-professionalization of teaching: How can we use teacher unions?

We will share strategies with participants for leading reading groups with colleagues about these issues. Participants will be provided with reading materials to distribute and action steps for organizing teachers in their school building.

Think teachers and families are getting pushed aside in decisions about schools?

Do you want to do more than just attend meetings about education?

We are seeking leaders for two projects:

1) Rank and File Leaders will build a new movement within the UFT for educational and social justice.

2) Right to the City Schools Leaders will build a grassroots campaign that demands real power for teachers, students and parents in our school system.

Monthly sessions for each project will provide information and leadership education.
Each session is free for Teachers Unite members and $5-$10 (sliding scale) for non-members.
Space is limited! Register at http://www.teachersunite.net/register

OCTOBER

Saturday, October 16
Rank and File Leadership Program
11am-1pm
Community Resource Exchange, 42 Broadway, 20th Floor

Facilitator: Dr. Lois Weiner, Professor of Education, New Jersey City University
Pushing back on testing, merit pay, charter schools, and de-professionalization of teaching: How can we use teacher unions?

We will share strategies with participants for leading reading groups with colleagues about these issues. Participants will be provided with reading materials to distribute and action steps for organizing teachers in their school building.


Tuesday, October 19
Right to the City Schools Leadership Program
5:00-7:00PM
Urban Justice Center, 123 William St.

Guest speaker: Leonie Haimson

How has mayoral control impacted your classroom? What does school governance model have to do with the overemphasis on testing and lack of attention to class size?

Participants in this session will help shape the survey that they will use in the research project that gives voice to teachers, parents and students and their experiences under mayoral control of schools. We will review the goals of this research project and the plan for the year in making it happen.

Learn more at: http://teachersunite.net/register

--212-675-4790
http://www.teachersunite.net

Think Teachers Unite is doing great work? We need your support! Please visit http://www.teachersunite.net/signup to become a member or
http://www.teachersunite.net/node/339 to make a donation.

Are you a Chapter Leader, Delegate, or someone who is interested in helping mobilize school staff?

I was at session 4 of Teacher Unite's 4 day teacher activist course today. This was the one session I missed the last time around in May and with Megan Behrent (TJC and ISO) facilitating, it was excellent. Megan explained the philosophy behind current union leadership in the UFT/AFT and in most other unions as the so-called service model of unionism, where the union provides the minimum service to members. This is in contrast to an organizing union that builds a firm base of active rank and file support instead of the passivity leaders, whose major goal is to hold onto power, crave.

Megan explained that since the NYC fiscal crisis of the mid 70's, followed by Regan's dismantling of the air traffic controllers in the early 80's, with only tepid union response in both cases, unions in this country have been on the run as their only strategy is based on the idea that if they are to win anything at all (mostly salary and little in the way of working conditions) it will only be by giving back concessions.

Remember: the UFT was built based on militancy and strikes in the late 50's and early 60's, the roots of their success. New contracts not only had more money, but contained aspects of better working conditions.

All that changed around the early 80's (connection to air traffic controller wipe out?) when Al Shanker started sounding like a partner with the very people hammering teachers.

Three fairly new chapter leaders and at least two delegates attended and they said this was better than any training the union does. Sally should just run the darn thing for the UFT. But then again that would activate the rank and file chapter leaders into viewing themselves as organizers rather than the UFT view of them as disseminators of whatever propaganda that supports the UFT narrow view of the relationship between the leadership and the members.

There were some good lines about UFT officials. "Two 60 year old white guys talking at us and putting on a show with little interest in hearing what we had to say." "My district rep mostly talks at us at district meetings and disseminated material. There is no dialogue.

Ahhh! District reps. The overseers of the plantation. The key people in keeping things and people in line to make sure no militant movement gets started in the teaching ranks. There to deflect and give people who want action busy work so they will eventually get tired and give up.

The people at the course today said they had their eyes opened as we workshopped their school, principal and their own role as chapter leader with suggestions and actions. "The union never does this," was a common refrain.

That is why if you are a chapter leader or delegate or even someone just interested in organizing your chapter, these Teachers Unite monthly sessions are for you.


RANK AND FILE TEACHERS UNITE!

Wednesday, September 2nd, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. (starting promptly!)

Brecht Forum
451 West St. between Bank and Bethune Streets

Are you a Chapter Leader, Delegate, or someone who is interested in helping mobilize school staff?

Join Teachers Unite's third monthly meeting where teachers committed to social justice and human rights share their school stories, organizing strategies, and visions for a UFT that fights for what we believe in.

*SPECIAL CALL: Do you work in a school where the teachers and principal work well together? Wondering what the role of the union could and should be in your small, progressive school? We need your voices too!*

At the September meeting we will:

1. Share best practices for chapter organizing.

2. Talk about the kind of positions we'd like to see the UFT stand for (for those of you wondering: "What's the union got to do with social justice?")

Please let us know if you're coming through: sally@teachersunite.net

Directions:
A, C, E or L to 14th Street & 8th Ave, walk down 8th Ave. to Bethune,
turn right, walk west to the River, turn left.

1, 2, 3 or 9 to 14th Street & 7th Ave, get off at south end of station, walk west on 12th Street to 8th Ave. left to Bethune, turn right, walk west to the River, turn left.
--
212-675-4790
http://www.teachersunite.net

Think Teachers Unite is doing great work? We need your support! Please visit http://www.teachersunite.net/sign up to become a member or http://www.teachersunite.net/node/339 to make a donation.

Are you a new Chapter Leader, Delegate OR someone who is interested in helping mobilize school staff?

Rank-and-File Teachers Unite!

Are you a new Chapter Leader, Delegate, OR someone who is interested in helping mobilize school staff?

Join our first of monthly meetings where teachers share both their school stories and supportive strategies.

1. Assess your school climate
2. Meet with other teachers in similar situations to strategize
3. Share your visions for building a rank-and-file movement

Please let us know if you're coming: sally@teachersunite.net

Teachers Unite!

Wednesday, July 1st, 3-5pm
Brecht Forum (library)
451 West St. between Bank and Bethune Streets


This meeting being organized by Teachers Unite is an extremely important event. While I also recommend the UFT's training for new CLs, it is very narrow. The UFT really doesn't provide support for CLs. The monthly Dist Rep meetings are geared to laying down what they union expects the CL to do for them. There is rarely a sharing of common problems and brainstorming solutions. Or even considering how schools can act together and support each other. To the UFT, each school is an island.

The goal of TU in these and follow-ups is to fill this gap, while including the aspect of dealing with a UFT/Unity caucus that is more focused on maintaining control than on organizing an effective chapter. (An organized chapter is a threat to the Unity machine because then people start looking at their activities.)

With so many teachers contacting us about the overwhelming power of principals, which the UFT/Unity Caucus has sat by and allowed to occur, there is a need to develop a clearer concept of leadership at the school level.

I've learned a lot about these ideas this past year through activities with Teachers Unite, NYCORE, ICE and GEM.

There seem to be three pillars: educate, organize, mobilize.

The educate level is a crucial precursor to effective organizing and is something UFT/Unity doesn't do except on the narrowest grounds. What they do is propagandize. Thus, teachers at the school level are left isolated and without the kind of information they need to function effectively as a chapter. I learned this lesson as a chapter leader in the mid-90's when I put out the chapter newsletter (the precursor to Ed Notes) more and more often until I was doing one more than once a week. I could see the impact in the attendance at meetings (which used to be about giving them info, with little participation). Now they got that info from my newsletters and the meetings were able to focus on school issues. (This was occurring just as the internet was getting reved up and most teachers didn't have email yet so it was hard copy. Nowadays just hit the "send" button and its done, as long as people open the email and read it. I still think hard copy works and the tools should be used together.)

Now, what info to provide? Do you reveal the activities of the union leadership or just feed colleagues the line being tossed out by Unity, which they can read in the NY Teacher or in the numerous propaganda sheets and through visits by union officials? Some people fear that they will be accused of being anti-union if they give their staffs the ICE or Ed Notes point of view.

I disagree. How can they make an informed decision of they don't get various versions of events so they can make up their own minds? Take the recently restored 2 pre Labor Day days in exchange for a massive pension give-back and a Tier 5, which will further divide teachers at the school level and in fact become a hindrance to the ability to organize a chapter to fight back (imagine how newbies will feel about their colleagues who sold them out for these 2 days).

More and more people,whether a chapter leader or not, seem to have taken it upon themselves to send out info they read at Ed Notes or other blogs to their personal lists. I urge people who read Ed Notes to start doing so. Just don't make the email too long. Use snippets and links so they can pick and choose.

Once people are well-informed at the school level - and I mean informed on every aspect of school life that it is possible to share- the next level is organizing for certain actions. Like grievances. Instead of keeping them quiet like the UFT urges, as long as the person is willing to open up, make them a political fight for the staff instead of a battle of one teacher with the principal. Of course that depends on the grievance, but as a principle, I say fight it publicly.

The next step would be mobilizing people when necessary. More on this another time.


No one has the answers, but Teachers Unite has been exploring these ideas and this meeting is a follow-up to an earlier meeting for people interested in running for chapter leader or delegate where we talked about continuing these discussions even for people who didn't run or get elected. I mean you don't have to be a chapter leader or delegate to provide info to people. I have a friend who has been sharing Ed Notes info for years and talking about how the UFT/Unity machine was operating, or the impact of charter schools which his staff wasn't aware of. Finally, he took the plunge and ran for CL. He was opposed by the retiring CL and the principal. But he won overwhelmingly, partly I believe because he has been laying the groundwork for years.

So, if you are free on July 1 from 3-5pm, and feel it is time to do some basic organizing, rsvp to sally@teachersunite.net. (If you forget, still show up.) I will be posting an agenda soon.

Teachers Unite Chapter Leader Support

I'm on the road this week. I'm up in Manchester, NH at FIRST HQ for a robotics conference this week so blogging may be sketchy. Certainly, no graphics.

Monday night was a busy one. There was lots of stuff going on at the PEP meeting at Stuyvesant HS with the anti-mayoral control parent group and others on military recruitment.

I couldn't make it because Teachers Unite was holding its prospective chapter leader training session. Michael Fiorillo (ICE), Megan Behrent (TJC) and I were the old hands answering a wealth of questions from people thinking of running either for CL or Delegate.

If you are running or thinking of running for chapter leader or are involved in supporting a candidate in your school, the discussion was very valuable. We hope to continue meeting and eventually form a meaningful support group for chapter leaders that will be able to link the role of union leader at the school level with the broader issues facing teachers.

There was a lot of meat on the table to chew on and I will try to report on some of it when I get a chance this week to follow up.

Here is one item that came up:

The type of support CLs get from the union varies. The key person is the District Rep. Since Randi killed elections (they used to be elected by the CLs in the district) they are more beholden to the leadership than to the members. But I maintain they were never all that beholden in the first place since they were all in the ruling Unity Caucus, which runs the union as a one party system.

The DR is like an overseer, watching for signs of dissonance. They keep CL from wandering off the reservation. CLs feel very beholden to the DR as they are the major conduit to the UFT and even friends of Ed Notes and ICE often feel wary of handing out our literature. ("My DR will rip me a new a-hole if I pass this out was one comment.")

Monthly District meetings of CL are always well attended, way more than Delegate Assemblies. There the DR passes out the word of what the union needs them to do. You see, the union views CLs as their employees and gophers even though they are chosen by their staffs. Thus, these meetings are filled with "Do Nows" and very few DRs hold full discussions and brainstorming sessions for CLs to help each other with their issues and coordinate a multi-school strategy. The goal is to keep them all isolated and dependent on the DR and the union, not each other.

One thing we pointed out to the attendees was the narrow view the UFT has of the way to deal with many issues in the school. Basically, the advice it to keep things between a teacher under attack and the CL, and not to fight things politically by trying to mobilize fellow teachers and parents where appropriate. Again, isolate the teachers and make them dependent on the CL, thus reinforcing the UFT chain of command and its tight top down control.

Effective Outreach and Organizing

Session 3:

Saturday, May 9, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Description of Session 3:

Do you find that sending mass emails and putting flyers in teacher mailboxes isn?t really yielding the turnout you want? Whether it's organizing your colleagues around a school problem or a community concern, participants in this session will learn strategies and techniques for framing an issue, engaging others, and building support. If you have an idea for a particular issue you want to organize around, there will be opportunities to develop your organizing plan of action.

Saturday, May 9, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Brecht Forum, 451 West St. (betw. Bank and Bethune Streets)

I was there last Saturday and it was great. Going back again this week. The often young, new teacher participants belie the line that these teachers are anti-union or automatically aligned with the ed deformers. -Norm Scott

"The Teacher Activist Course sessions are powerful!
Very useful for organizing and strategizing."
-12th grade teacher, course participant


Session 4:
Who controls the public school system in New York City?: A brief history of the city's schools
Saturday, May 30th, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Breakfast and lunch is included in all sessions.

For full course descriptions and more information, go to:
http://www.teachersunite.net/register

Sliding scale registration fee per session for non-members: $25 - $75

To register, go to: http://www.teachersunite.net/register

Teachers Unite is a membership organization supporting the leadership of NYC public school teachers committed to social justice and activism. By leadership we mean: 1) a deep understanding of the problems faced by educators, students and public school communities,
2) skills to organize a community to build power and make change, and
3) a willingness to take action.

Teacher Activist Course from Teachers Unite

How can we counteract the attacks on public schools and the teacher bashing that goes along with it?

Without a union willing to stand up to this onslaught and in fact a union that is a willing collaborator in so much of the program, a union that accepts the parameters set out by the corporate supported ed deformers, an undemocratic union run by a massive Unity Caucus machine, it will take an active and informed membership.

To accomplish that we need a core of educators that is well informed of the major issues affecting education and a willingness to become part of a core of organizers who will work with people in their schools and beyond to bring a message of true education reform. A message of progressive educators organizing to create a true movement for teacher power.

Besides coming out for the Grassroots Education Movement rally and march from Battery Park past UFT headquarters and up to Tweed on May 14, here is a more programmatic way to get involved from Teachers Unite.


Are you a teacher who asks:

*How can I be both an instructional leader and a teacher activist?

*How do teachers organize with NYC communities for social justice?

*What does the UFT, or a teachers contract, have to do with social justice?

*What is the history of public schools in New York City?

Register today for Teachers Unite's Teacher Activist Course! You can sign up for any combination of Sessions 1, 2, 3 and 4.


For full course descriptions, go to: http://www.teachersunite.net/register

Session 1:
Education Reform, Social Justice and Teachers Unions
Saturday, April 25, 2009, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Session 2:
Organizing to Transform Public Education
Saturday, May 2, 2009, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Session 3:
Effective outreach and organizing
Saturday, May 9, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Session 4:
Who controls the public school system in New York City?
A brief history of the city's schools
Saturday, May 30th, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

For full course descriptions, go to: http://www.teachersunite.net/register

Lunch is included in all sessions.

Free childcare is available for those who request it at least two
weeks in advance of their registered session.

Teacher Activist Course sessions are free for Teachers Unite members.

Sliding scale registration fee per session for non-members: $25 - $75

To register, go to: http://www.teachersunite.net/register

Teachers Unite is a membership organization supporting the leadership of NYC public school teachers committed to social justice and activism.

By leadership we mean:
1) a deep understanding of theproblems faced by educators, students and public school communities,
2) skills to organize a community to build power and make change, and
3) a willingness to take action.


Note, especially to subscribers:
Make sure to check the Ed Notes side panel for daily updates and other important information.

Teachers' Survey Finds that Policing and Excessive Suspensions Undermine Learning, and Teachers Support Human Rights Approaches to Discipline

Teachers Unite's Sally Lee has been working on a teacher survey on the impact of excessive policing and suspensions for some time which was released on October 22.

This can be a complex issue for teachers who work in schools that they perceive to being dangerous. I taught my entire career without police presence in the schools, but that was at the elementary level. We have had intensive discussions at ICE meetings over the years. There are other solutions at all levels and this report presents a comprehensive alternative. Thanks to the Ed Notes supporters and ICE teachers who assisted Teachers Unite in the survey.

Read the press release at Norms Notes and download the report http://www.nesri.org/Teachers_Talk.pdf.

Teachers Unite

This past year I spent as much time working with Teachers Unite as with ICE and I was honored to be asked by Sally Lee to join the steering committee. I'll get into more details on why I think that socially committed teachers who see beyond the classroom can be the core of a progressive reform movement, which absolutely cannot occur without a progressive UFT. Of course, 40 years of waiting to see the UFT change into a progressive union is like watching grass grow. Or golf.

Sally is doing great work in reaching out to many of these teachers (as is NYCORE, which is where I met Sally.) Yesterday, I went to have lunch with one of Sally's contacts, a soon to be 4th year former teaching fellow who is not leaving. While waiting for her at a place in the Village, Sally walked out not knowing that was where we were meeting. "I'm not stalking you," I said, "but while you're here, stay around so you can point out who I'm meeting."

After the intros, Sally left us to talk and I learned a hell of a lot from this wonderfully committed teacher, who is already training new fellows, as we talked about small schools, large schools, teaching reading, special ed, the union, etc.

Boy am I getting an education. Old farts can learn new tricks.

Next year we are planning sessions for newer teachers on union-related issues, like "What are your rights?" (At least we can tell them they basically have none and not to expect much support from the union.) One of the potential themes is navigating the minefield of school and union politics, something they don't teach in Ed 101 or in Teach for America workshops (hey, TFA, I'm available.)

Here is an excerpt from the July TU newsletter. (Read the entire edition at Norm's Notes.) Also check out the Teachers Unite web site.

P.D. You'll Love

Are you a teacher looking to:

· grow as an educational leader?

· play a role in grassroots campaigns for social justice where you work?

· participate in community-based Professional Development?

Teachers Unite will be hosting an open informational meeting August 25th (please check back with Teachers Unite for details) where educators can learn more about our growing work with grassroots activists throughout the city.

Teachers Unite is building a movement of public school teachers who play a critical role in working for social justice. Our members contribute their insight and expertise as educators to grassroots organizing campaigns that demand justice in New York City communities, particularly in schools. Teachers Unite seeks to defend public education by rebuilding the relationship between teachers, students, families and communities as partners building power for social change.

Some examples of how teachers can contribute to community organizations:

· lead a workshop about innovative pedagogy and educational issues
· give an educator's perspective on life within a NYC public school
· provide training around lesson- or workshop-planning, tutoring or other instruction
· conduct outreach to neighborhood colleagues about a community issue

Deborah Meier Nails What Teaching Is All About

Thursday's final forum of the year featured legendary educator Deborah Meier whose every word resonated with the audience, which was large and enthusiastic. From union democracy - yes, great teachers see more importance in unions than getting merit pay - to the lessons of the classroom to being active as a teacher - if you are too afraid to stand up against teaching lies, can you maintain your integrity as a teacher - she covered so much. And her relationship with Diane Ravitch too. I was mesmerized as she articulated so much of how I viewed teaching but have found it hard to express. A true kindred spirit who I hoped to meet up with as a young teacher but never connected with her.

We broke everyone - veteran teachers, new teachers, people studying to be teachers, etc. into groups and the discussions were wonderful. I taped as much of these as I could in addition to Deborah's presentation and will get this inspiring stuff up soon. Deborah left us with a vision of hope in these despairing educational times. So keep an eye out.

WHY DO WE TEACH?

Working with Teachers Unite on educational forums has been amongst the more exciting things I've done this year. Every one of them has been illuminating and insightful and they have attracted a wide variety of teachers and students. In addition to TU's Sally Lee, the TU forum committee is made of up of members of ICE, TJC and independent activists in the UFT, so the Unite in Teachers Unite has real meaning.

I first heard of Deborah Meier in the early 1970's at a time I was struggling with an attempt to try an open classroom style of teaching. There were rumors of a master teacher who was actually doing it in a public school. For progressive teachers looking for new ways, Deborah became almost mythical. I wish I had been able to meet her then, as I gave up the attempt after a year and a half and went back to running my classroom in a traditional way.

I finally got to meet her back last fall at NYU, where Sally and I approached her about speaking at the TU forums. Deborah was on the panel discussing Kahlenberg's "Tough Liberal" book on Shanker. With all the Al gushing going on, Deborah did one of the most effective jobs I've ever heard taking Shanker's policies apart – without rancor. She had been a member of Unity Caucus way back when (she left over the lack of democracy) and a friend of Al's, who introduced her to Diane Ravitch – and their current collaboration as bloggers at Bridging Differences has been extremely popular. So it was clear she had a very good relatinship with Al despite their disagreements.

This last forum of the year should not be missed. And look for more excitement next year as we expand into new areas.

WHY DO WE TEACH?
Revisiting Our Vision of Public Education

Did you want to give back to your community?
Did you want to support your students as leaders?
Did you want to be a part of public education reform?

Join Deborah Meier and Teachers Unite in a discussion about what brought us to teaching, and what we're fighting for now that we're here.

Deborah Meier has spent more than four decades in public education as a teacher, writer and advocate. http://www.deborahmeier.com

This is the final forum in the 2007-2008 series of events where educators relate their experiences in schools to larger political trends. The 2007 - 2008 forums focus on the impact of privatization and the corporate model on classroom life in NYC public schools.

Co-sponsored by National Center for Schools and Communities at Fordham University

Thursday, May 8th, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
McMahon Hall Lounge, Fordham University
155 West 60th Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam)
RSVP: info@teachersunite.net

Closest subways: 1, A, B, C, D

Tuesday: Forum for Teachers and Education Activists

Lois Weiner put together a wonderful presentation at the Education and Labor Conference a few weeks ago. Lois captured our attention when she pointed to a World Bank report stating that teachers and their unions were the major threat to global prosperity. See how events in your classroom are related to the global assault on teachers.

APRIL 15

Tuesday, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Making Schools Work for Poor People?: Joel Klein & the World Bank's Dedication to a Corporate Agenda

A Presentation by Lois Weiner, New Jersey City University, author of "The Global Assault on Teaching, Teachers, and their Unions: Stories for Resistance"

Discussion to follow.

Breathtakingly rapid changes are being made in the NYC schools in the name of equalizing opportunity for poor, minority communities. Services ranging from tutoring to curriculum development to professional development are being privatized; standardized tests have become the sole measure of student and teacher achievement and value; preparation of teachers and
principals is shifting to a fast track model; merit pay is being pushed on teachers, to replace salaries based on experience and education. What's been missing in the debate about these changes is how NYC's experience reflects the footprint of a global project advanced by world financial institutions to transform work and education with it.

Julia Richman Education Complex 317 E. 67th St. (betw. 1st and 2nd Ave.),
6th Floor "Penthouse"

FREE

RSVP at info@teachersunite.net

A Teacher's Dilemma...

... how the DOE/UFT eats its young

Unionizing or Truly Uniting?

A great post at Syntactic Gymnastics.

It was great to see that she got a lot of value out of the Teachers Unite Forum (I think she is referring to Michael Fiorillo's brilliant analysis of privatization.) If she stays in NYC I hope she works with Teachers Unite, ICE and other progressive forces to create a movement for change.

Some excerpts (read the entire piece at http://syntacticgymnastics.blogspot.com/) illustrate the bankruptcy of the UFT leadership from the point of view of a teacher not affiliated with an opposition caucus and fairly new to the system:

I was even a chapter leader for a time. I knew enough to be skeptical of the administration's motives, but I was floored when I realized just how little support I could expect from the UFT. I have reached out to them on numerous occasions, always hoping that something good would come of it, but most of the time, I hear promises from the UFT reps and District Reps that never come to fruition and I just live in fear about the negative consequences.

If the teachers "won't stand up", or so the UFT DR's stance goes, then "what can we do?"

The problem with this logic is that the teachers won't stand up with the UFT if they can't trust the very people who are supposed to be looking out for their interests. The teachers won't stand up when every effort is made by the DOE and the principals to splinter the staff and create a culture of fear. The UFT should have been on the ground, uniting the staffs of these small schools, from the very beginning of all of the reorganizations. They shouldn't be waiting around for the desperate cries for help, only to pass the buck when it's clear the situation is hopeless. The teachers will NOT stand up with the UFT, because the UFT is not ultimately serving their interests lately. I mean, think about it. If the organization itself is top-down (I just learned that the District Reps are appointed by Randi herself!), how could it possibly be serving the interests of the teachers? Yet it's not as if the teachers are scaredy-cats who are all too afraid to do anything. On the contrary, the teachers are much smarter and refuse to align themselves against their own interests. That's why they are not so willing to stand up right now.

SG's great insights reminds me of a conversation I had with a long-time chapter leader and teacher of over 20 years who supports the work of ICE and Ed Notes but insists on remaining under cover – deathly afraid (wrongly, I might add) that when they [admins] come for him/her, the UFT would do what it could to knife him/her in the back if he/she were an open ICE supporter. A bit paranoid, he/she won't listen when I say that the more vocal you are the more protection you get if it is perceived you have allies. (Bully admins and UFT hacks look to pick on the weak and isolated.)

I pointed out that when Shanker, who was viewed as so much more powerful and influential than Weingarten (not true either, by the way, but more on that another time), was in power, the opposition did so much better. The response:

"The union was much stronger then and principals were afraid. With the union being so weak, so many people are paralyzed with fear and afraid to open their mouths about anything, including being critical of Randi."

A year ago, Syntactic Gymnastics wrote:

...after being burned so badly last year for speaking out, and trying so hard to "position" myself well politically this year, I am reluctant to go to the union out of fear. I can't believe I am so intimidated, but honestly, I am not convinced the union would be able to protect me. And I'm not convinced that it would be worth the harassment and intimidation that would probably result.

I love teaching and don't want to quit, but I refuse to be abused like this!

Interesting that such similar feelings come from both vets and newbies.

The impact of the Tweed/UFT collaboration is bridging the gap.

Big Business of Public Education Forum Attracts a Crowd

Updated Friday, Jan. 11

It was standing room only at today's Teachers Unite-sponsored forum on privatization. Speakers Michael Fiorillo and Leonie Haimson wowed the crowd with their knowledge and analysis of the privatization of public schools. Michael concentrated on the historical and broad context, while Leonie focused on the impact of BloomKlein on NYC.

Michael is an ESL teacher and chapter leader at Newcomers HS in Long Island City and Leonie is the founder and director of Class Size Matters and the co-founder of the NYC Public School Parents blog.

The mixed crowd consisted of teachers new to the system and veterans and there was a rousing discussion afterwards with some the fault lines between newbies and vets being exposed. Teachers Unite, under the direction of Sally Lee, will attempt to address some of these issues at future events. (We've talked about holding a "bridging the gap" open discussion at some point.)

Why have these forums (we've held 3 events so far) tempted over 50 teachers to come out on a Thursday afternoon/evening and attracted the interest of some influential people in the ed/political world (look for more fabulous speakers in the future)? Because these crucial discussions are taking place no where else. One of our goals will be to figure out how to include more audience participation as there were still many questions left unanswered and the sense that people would have staid around even longer.

I put together a list of resources for the participants and will post them later.
I videotaped the event and will try to get sections up on the web within the next 2 weeks.

Look for the next forum on big business and privatization on March 27.

Teachers Unite Presents – Jan. 10, 2008

THE BIG BUSINESS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION:
How will we reclaim public schools from privatization?

Thursday, January 10th, 5-7p.m.
Location TBA

Millions of dollars are exchanged between New York City’s Department of Education and private companies. How do these relationships impact our classrooms? What can be done about the seemingly inescapable trend of schools privatization?

Speakers:
Michael Fiorillo, Chapter Leader, Newcomers High School
Leonie Hamison, Executive Director, Class Size Matters

Discussion to follow.

Please RSVP to sally@teachersunite.net

This forum is the third in a series of events where educators can relate their experiences in schools to larger political trends. The 2007-2008 forums focus on the impact of privatization and the corporate model on classroom life in NYC public schools.

Teachers Unite provides leadership opportunities that build ties between educators and community organizers, and political education forums that build an informed teacher constituency. Teachers Unite is an organization for educators who act in solidarity with the communities they serve.

http://www.teachersunite.net

NOTE: See comment #1 as George Schmidt attempts to answer some of Sean's questions.

Sean Ahern raises the following thought-provoking questions:

I had some questions for the Jan 10 forum.

"How will we reclaim public schools from privatization?"

1) What is meant by "privatization" in NYC public schools?

2) Are public assets being sold or given away to private interests? Who's selling and who's buying? Are we talking about ownership or control? Who has lost what as a result of "privatization"?

3) Is it in the interests of the majority of educators and parents to seek a restoration of the old system, with the professional educrats and the UFT leadership back in the catbird seat? If not then what are we seeking to reclaim?

4) Most NYC public schools followed a factory model in the past. What are the differences and similarities between past and present models, between a public school and a privatized one? What do educators and parents and students want that neither past nor present systems provide?

5) Where is privatization coming from? Federal, state, city governments? "A Nation at Risk", NCLB, Put Children First, the Chicago model? Private companies, foundations?

6) Is Mayoral control a necessary component of "privatization"?

7) Do we have testimony from teachers, parents, students, comparing the privatized school with the public school?

8) Does this call to "reclaim public schools from privatization" seek to restore the past, in part or in whole?

9) Who is the "we" that can "reclaim" public schools and who is this "we" reclaiming it for? Does this "we" include the UFT leadership and educrats and pundits who exerted considerable influence over the public schools before privatization became a "seemingly inescapable trend"? Why did that "we" fail to stop "privatization"? What reason is there to believe that this "we" can or should "reclaim" it from the privatizers or that rank and file teachers and parents should be party to any effort to restore the claim of this "we" to control of the public schools? If this "we" includes rank and file teachers and parents of color along with the UFT leadership and leaders and pundits of the educracy such as Diane Ravitch, what changes will be made to empower educators and parents in a new system?

10) Are there any positive effects of privatization or Mayoral control from the standpoint of educators, parents and students that the latter might want to retain after public schools are "reclaimed".

Peace,
Sean