Why Peninsula Prep is Closing: What Times Article Left Out

The politics behind closing a "C" rated school that claims to outperform 9 out of 10 schools in the area. Scandal-plagued politicians connected to school may have spurred closing to forestall future embarrassment over how political connections helped get the charter school. Did Walcott, who comes from a part of Queens where he would be well aware of the activities of these politicians, decide to cut the cord before more scandals emerge? Does Walcott know something will come out soon?

Today's front page article in the NY Times on the closing of Peninsula Prep Charter School in Rockaway might leave some people scratching their heads given the fact that up to now a serial killer who wanted a charter from Joel Klein, who was the authorizer, could get one. A charter school would have to be outrageous in its actions - like Williamburg/Believe Charters (Williamsburg/Believe Charter with Slimeball Leader Eddie Negron - Charter Revoked) which we wrote about the other day or Ross Global run by celebrity/socialite Courntey Sales Ross in the past (Ross Global Charter to be Closed Along with 11).

For the first time, New York City is closing a charter school for the offense of simply being mediocre.

The announcement this week that the city planned to shut Peninsula Preparatory Charter School, a seven-year-old elementary school in Far Rockaway, Queens, was unusual by any definition. Since 2004, the city has closed only a few of its 142 charters that have opened — schools that are publicly financed but privately managed, and are a source of competition for traditional schools.

But as more of the city’s charter schools have matured, reaching the five-year renewal mark, the Education Department has become increasingly impatient with weak-performing ones. With the closing of Peninsula Prep, which had received a grade of C on each of its last four progress reports, Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott seemed to be signaling that the city’s 136 charters will now be held to a higher standard.

And increasing scrutiny of New York charter schools could have widespread implications, prompting a wider conversation across the country about what the bar for closing should be, and how much charter schools should be expected to outperform public schools.

More unusual, the Times piece left out the fact that State Senator Malcolm Smith was the founder of the school and despite denials of still having connections to the school, people in Rockaway believe his influence is still felt. (I saw a tweet from one reporter the day the closing was announced that Smith had given the school a $100,000 in earmarks and speculated about the fate of those funds.) What does happen to this money --- I say give it to PS 215 in Far Rockaway which the DOE is trying to close despite starving the school of resources.

I emailed Anna Philips who wrote the piece and she pointed me to her Schoolbook article the other day where she wrote:

Opened in 2004, Peninsula Preparatory Charter School was founded by State Senator Malcolm A. Smith, who served as a board member until 2006. Another Queens politician, Rep. Gregory Meeks, was also a member of the elementary school’s board.

Despite its political connections, Peninsula Prep struggled from the outset. Originally located in a Far Rockaway middle school, it moved into a complex of trailers near a large real estate development owned by one of Mr. Smith’s campaign donors, leaving its students without a gym or playground. For the last three years, it has received C’s on its progress reports from the city.

But what the article doesn't say is that both Smith and Meeks have been embroiled in scandal, with the Times ( State Sen. Malcolm Smith Tied To Scandal-Scarred Charity)
doing a major piece on Smith in October 2010 (see below the fold for entire article which makes no mention of the Smith connection to PP Charter) which opens with this:

St. Sen. Malcolm Smith

Federal prosecutors are investigating a nonprofit group founded by Mr. Smith. They subpoenaed records in February 2010 from his office detailing funds he has directed to community groups over the last decade. Some of the group's employees were also Mr. Smith's aides in Albany.

The article paints a picture of a failed businessman and a shady politician. The staff of an embattled Queens nonprofit overlaps closely with the payroll of state Sen. Malcolm Smith, one of the charity's founders. At least four workers at the New Direction Local Development Group—which is under federal investigation and allegedly fleeced Hurricane Katrina victims out of about $30,000 raised on their behalf—have also worked for Smith at a time when the politician gave the organization about $56,000 in state funds.

Yet Smith was shown political favor by allowing him to open up a charter school. I thought it interesting at the time that this article made no mention of the charter school connection. And the fact that both articles by Anna made no mention of the Smith scandals make the paranoid in me work overtime. But if you click the Malcolm Smith link in Anna's Schoolbook piece it takes you to the Times article about the scandal. Anna is a meticulous reporter and makes it her business to know everything there is to know about education in this city. Having to click to make that connection makes me think that the NY Times editors were concerned about making the obvious connection to scandal in an article about the charter. Why mention Smith (which I view as Anna's way of leading the dog to the bone) without openly mentioning the scandals?

Smith's pal Gregory Meeks, who was on the PPrep Board, Congressman from the east end of Rockaway is also under scrutiny. Meeks was mentioned the other day (Edul Ahmad Accused of Defrauding Guyanese Immigrants)
(See below for a few quick hits from a google search on Meeks.)

I agree with Anna's speculation that charters will get closer scrutiny to try to stop the growing scandals that in the long-run threaten the charter school movement. Given that most of these schools perform no better than public schools and many perform worse, the question of why create a dual system with wasted resources will continue to be raised. Thus you see charter school slugs who make a living off charter schools -- people like Michael Duffy and James Merriman -- quoted in Anna's article.

I feel that Peninsula Prep Charter is a special case for closing and not necessarily a sign of closer scrutiny due to the scandals engrossing Smith and Meeks (and their mentor Floyd Flake, whose scandalous behavior was also profiled in the NY Times -

Deal Shows How Floyd Flake Can Gain From Ministry - NYTimes.com

www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/nyregion/18flake.html?pagewanted...

Jun 17, 2010 – The Rev. Floyd Flake, an influential New York pastor, had a role as both seller and buyer of church-owned buildings.

REV FLOYD FLAKEGATE - VJ MACHIAVELLI-THE VOICE OF THE ...

vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com/2011/.../welcome-to-rev-floyd-flakegate...

Oct 9, 2011 – Posted:2:04 AM, October 9, 2011. New York political kingmaker and religious leader Floyd Flake rakes in the cash -- and leaves wreckage ...

Dennis Walcott is from a corner of Queens where he knows full-well these politicians. I would bet he is not happy about these scandals and is sensitive to how they may come back to bite Tweed in terms of authorizing a charter school controlled by these guys.

So in my mind these are the politics behind closing a charter school that under normal conditions would not face closing.

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By the way, Peninsula Prep had it's own record of tossing kids as you can see in this piece in the local Rockaway paper The Wave (where I write a column):

The Wave Reports: Peninsula Prep Academy Charter Tosses 5-Year ...

ednotesonline.blogspot.com/.../wave-reports-peninsula-prep-academ...

Apr 9, 2011 – The motto of the Peninsula Preparatory Academy charter school on Beach 111 ....

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Parent at PPA writes to Leonie
But to be fair, here is an email from a parent at the school sent to Leonie Haimson pointing to the conflcit this school is causing:

I am a follower and supporter of your work for a very long time. However, the last few years my child has gone to a charter school which (while being in contradiction with many of my political and philosophical views on education) have put me into a much more pragmatic position especially with the conditions of where I live, Rockaway. And while I still support your fight for public education on the long term an imminent problem has arisen for myself and 340 other families out here in Queens: our school's charter has not been renewed and it will close at the conclusion of the school year. This means that the children will be pushed into their zoned schools in Far Rockaway and Arverne, NY where 9/10 schools performed WORSE than our school that is being closed down. This, of course, using the same dreaded standards that the DOE used to justify our school's closure, in essence telling our community that PPA wasn't good enough but the inferior (by their standards) and underfunded local public schools will now have to take in 341 new students. Obviously this will affect class size and student-teacher ratio as well for the local schools.

I'm reaching out to you in desperation to see if you could put me in contact with any local activists that could join forces with our parents in protesting, picketing and shaming the DOE for this move. The parents feel betrayed and we have sensed that our best bet is to get outside of the system. I think that although the charter issue may be different than those of traditional public schools, we all face challenges from the same failed policies.

I too am conflicted about working with this parent but I think it would be the right thing to do even Mona Davids sent a rep out to meet with the charter to assist them but they weren't interested.

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1. Congressman Gregory Meeks Admits He's Been Subpoenaed ...

   blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2010/04/congressman_gre.php

   Apr 15, 2010 – Things are getting so bad for scandal-plagued Queens Democratic congressman Gregory Meeks that he had to acknowledge on the House ...

2. Meeks passes the bucks on scandal (video) - New York Post

   www.nypost.com/.../meeks_passes_the_bucks_on_scandal_...

   Mar 16, 2010 – Gregory Meeks ended weeks of dodging yesterday, taking to TV to insist he's in the dark about ... Meeks passes the bucks on scandal (video) ...

3. US Cricket Team ensnared in Queens scandal involving Meeks ...

   www.nypost.com/.../in_sticky_wicket_MCWvLcM7JPkoKN7nOoKf...

   Dec 25, 2011 – A Queens scandal that threatens to engulf Rep. Gregory Meeks has an unusual collateral victim — the US Cricket Team.

4. New York Papers Scrutinize Meeks Loan Scandal Figure | National ...

   nlpc.org/stories/2010/07/.../new-york-papers-scrutinize-meeks-‘frien...

   Jul 21, 2010 – New York Papers Scrutinize Meeks Loan Scandal Figure ... Gregory Meeks (D-NY), is today scrutinized by the New York Times and New York ...

5. The Last Tradition: Democrat Gregory Meeks Changes Story on ...

   thelasttradition.blogspot.com/.../democrat-gregory-meeks-changes-st...

   Mar 15, 2010 – Gregory Meeks claimed that "every dime" raised by a charity he ... It's the biggest scandal the legacy media purposely does not report. Why do ...

6. Meeks Scandal Impacts US Cricket Team | www.rockawave.com ...

   www.rockawave.com/.../Meeks_Scandal_Impacts_US_Cricket_Team...

   Meeks Scandal Impacts US Cricket Team. 2011-12-30 / Top Stories. By Howard Schwach. Congressman Gregory Meeks has been enmeshed in scandal for ...

7. U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks Passes The Bucks On Scandal - Hip Hop ...

   hiphoprepublican.com/.../us-rep-gregory-meeks-passes-the-bucks-on...

   Mar 18, 2010 – Embattled U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) ended weeks of dodging yesterday, taking to TV to insist he's in the dark about the gone-missing ...

8. Gregory W. Meeks News - The New York Times

   topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/.../gregory_w_meeks/index.html

   ... W. Meeks. Commentary and archival information about Gregory W. Meeks from The New York Times. ... N.Y. Senate Leader Tied to Figure in Loan Scandal ...

NY Times piece on Smith below

How Did Educators 4 Excellence Gain Access to Official DOE Teacher Emails?

There is but one conclusion that can be drawn from the NYC Department of Education’s last minute walk out of negotiations over a teacher evaluation system for 33 schools placed in the Transformation and Restart models: it was always Tweed’s intention to refuse to enter into an agreement for teacher evaluations.  -- Leo Casey at Edwize

I don't often read Edwize but Leo Casey has an excellent piece exposing the sham of Tweed's game-playing on evaluations and lays the blame right on them (though as always I never thought the UFT should have given even a wedge on teacher evaluations given we're dealing with snakes --- though I hate to insult the snakes).

Teachers at some of the 33 SIG schools have been getting emails from the 5th Columnists* at E4E at their official DOE email addresses. Reminds me of the handover of Tweed's handing over private parent info to Eva Moskowitz's Success Charter to help them recruit. It's almost funny how groups like GEM have warned people not to use DOE emails for political purposes since that would give the DOE an opportunity to go after them. I guess it's Katy bar the door now that E4E has broken the barrier of misuse of official DOE emails. So if you ever get hassled if you happen to blast out an email to colleagues here is your precedent.

I would go beyond and if you get such an email maybe lodge a complaint about misuse of DOE emails. Or better yet call E4E's Lauren Goldberg at 212-279-8510 ex. 18 to tell her what you think of this blatant political opportunism of making it look like the DOE was not responsible.

E4E which purports to have teacher interests at heart is exposed by this fact from Leo's post:

why is a 90% rate of principals recommending tenure, at the end of probation “a joke,” but a 99.5% rate of turning down U ratings appeal perfectly acceptable?

 Yes, we are the 99.5% that loses U-ratings appeals.

Funding cuts to John Dewey
______________________________

__
From: Lauren Goldberg [mailto:lgoldberg@educators4excellence.org]
Sent: Mon 1/9/2012 6:19 PM
To: [teacher at John Dewey HS]  (21K540)
Subject: Funding cuts to John Dewey

Dear ------ ,

I'm reaching out because I came across your name on a staff list from John Dewey. [trans- thanks Dennis for stopping by our office with the list]

I am reaching out to your staff because the School Improvement Grant funding from the state is in jeopardy. This is because the DOE and UFT cannot agree on teacher evaluations. Teachers at several of the 33 schools have written an open letter to Chancellor Walcott and President Mulgrew to urge them to come to an agreement [trans. but we won't criticize our meal tickets for walking out of negotiations] and allow the SIG funding to be restored. We are helping them to get the word out. [sure, we are helping THEM - as if THEM materialized out of nowhere].

You can read and sign the letter at www.restoresigfunding.com .

Please let me know if there is anyone else from John Dewey that I could reach out to.

Thank you for your daily work in the classroom, and for standing up for your students and your profession.

Best,

Lauren

Lgoldberg@educators4excellence.org, Outreach Director, Educators 4 Excellence, 212-279-8510 ex. 18

I'll close with this from Leo:

one conclusion is inescapable: Mayor Bloomberg decided that he had no intention of negotiating in good faith with the UFT over the subject of teacher evaluations. The plan was always to blow up the negotiations required by law, with a strategy of then trying to pressure Albany to change the teacher evaluation law and allow the DOE to continue its kangaroo court U rating appeal process. From the beginning of this process, he and his devotees at Tweed were acting in bad faith.

Read In Bad Faith at Edwize

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_column

Principal Reveals Impact of Cost of an Experienced Teacher

Woo, who has led the school of nearly 1,100 students for over two decades, said having experienced teachers such as Cannistraci has unfortunately hamstrung P.S. 130 during a time of budget cuts. Because the city bills schools for their teachers’ real salaries, having a staff that earns an average $82,000 a year means there is less to spend on non-salary costs.

 Class size jump poses new challenge for a successful school
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Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

Community Board 1 Takes Stand Against Moskowitz Invasion

Eva Moskowitz is one of the greatest organizing tools we've had. The school closings and charter insertion policies of the ed deformers are galvanizing long-dormant communities around the city. (I was at an intense meeting in Far Rockaway last night over the closing of PS 215 that drew a large crowd of teachers and parents and the Queens UFT political action people - I'll report on that later.)

This came in from Pat Dobosz who works and resides in Dist. 14 in Williamsburg.

CB 1 in Williamsburg/Greenpoint voted for a proposal today, presented by its Education Committee, taking a stand against Eva Moskowitz's Success Academy coming into JHS 50. It also voted for a proposal telling the DOE that the community wants direct input into what is going to be happening at PS 19 BEFORE any phase out takes place. The president of the committee will be sending me a copy of the resolutions and I will forward them. We all know that Eva gets what she wants, but it's important that our CB has taken a stand on our schools, something that has not happened in at least 20 years. (The other schools that she has invaded in our school district are not in CB 1, but CB 3). next month they will be dealing with Williamsburg charter and the two other Believe schools.

Also tomorrow and Thursday, the committee will be meeting with parents from both schools in preparation for the upcoming hearings on January 17 (JHS 50) and January 18 (PS 19). I will also forward those times when I receive them (I believe they are at 6 PM).

Janine, a former D. 14 parent, commented:

Bravo to CB1!
I suppose we can thank Eva and the charter movement (and all other privatizing entities out there) for helping us (finally) build back our communities. A silver lining, perhaps?

Potential Law Suit against Success Academy in Cobble Hill

This Friday, January 13th at 5:30pm there is an IMPORTANT MEETING for District 15 parents interested in being plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the placement of the Cobble Hill Success Academy in District 15. Lawyers will be there to discuss the legal arguments and what is involved in being a plaintiff. The meeting will be held at 2-4 Nevins Street in downtown Brooklyn, on the 2nd floor.

All are welcome to come, ask questions, and sign up to be involved.

Please call 203.313.2479 with any questions.

Breaking: Williamsburg/Believe Charter with Slimeball Leader Eddie Negron - Charter Revoked

UPDATED: 9:30PM

NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/01/09/city-seeks-to-close-two-charter-schools/

Gotham School: City moves to close two charter schools, citing mismanagement

RED FLAG ALERT!

 Most of the charges center on founder Eddie Calderon-Melendez, who earned $478,000 last year as the CEO of the Believe Charter Network, which has run Williamsburg and two other high schools.

That's rights folks - Almost half a million for Eddie - but you know he's doing it for the kids.

Here is my comment at Gotham:

What a joke. They're still giving Eddie a month to clean up his act?

Like, did they find out yesterday about Eddie? Ed Notes has been following this story for years. We broke the story of the $100 bounty they were offering kids if they brought in a sucker -- er recruit --- years ago. In the comment section teachers were screaming out in outrage but also in fear of Eddie and his thuggish behavior. He once threatened Susan Ohanian with a "visit" because she had mentioned his poodle business. In the corporate ed deform world it is ok for Eddie to make almost half a million while scamming us taxpayers for years.

Where are John King and Merryl Tisch who are quick to condemn people who fight to keep their schools open as "supporting failure" while a school that clearly was engaging in shady tactics for years was allowed to continue. Eddie's charter should have been revoked before the ink was dry.

As for Penninsula Prep out here in Rockaway where even the sea breezes coudn't wash away the smell of scandal from St Sen Malcolm Smith's equivalent of Rosemary's baby. How about those earmarks he got for the school he founded? I bet they don't end up in a public school in Rockaway. How about giving it to PS 215 which they are closing?

 3:30

Unconfirmed - from good source in District 14:

Lindsey Christ at NY1 confirms and also ads Rockaway's Penninsula Prep - a school founded by NY State Senator Malcolm Smith - talk about conficts of interest even though he claims not to have anything to do with the school. I do hope someone in the media digs into how these schools were founded on the use of political pull.

No time to put up links but use the "search blog" function to find scads of articles we've done on Eddie the Slime. This is the charter that pushed the teacher out of the library at IS 126 after she renovated it. We actually shot a bunch of footage for The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman in front of this charter to highlight the corrupt charter practices but we decided we didn't have room in the film to get into that aspect.

Believe North & Believe South are chartered through the State Education Department (SED ---- where have you been all these years Merryl Tisch, John King, etc?

Watch these clowns take credit for closing down the charter despite waiting for years and letting children's education be destroyed for years. Message to Merryl, who challenges parents at closing schools who fight to keep their schools open with "you are supporting failing schools" - with a reframing: Merry Merryl, why are you supporting failing school policies?

Also confirmed by Mona Davids at New York Charter Parents Association (NYCPA)

NYCPA warned parents about this charter just as we have about others that have been shut down.  Parents have been disrespected, students' IEP's violated, staff harassed for speaking up for students for many years and the DOE's charter office did nothing. Then NYCPA broke the story on the new buidling the Believe Network, the Charter Management Organization (CMO), which runs Williamsburg, Believe North & Believe South High School, couldn't pay AND signed a 30 year lease when charters are renewed every 5 years. Believe North & Believe South are chartered through the State Education Department (SED).  Those schools and Believe Network are under investigation by the State Attorney General's office too.  NYCPA talked about the corruption of the board, the intermingling and incestuous releationship between board members of the three schools and the CMO. DOE should have stepped in a long time ago.  As usual they do nothing until the stench of corruption, mismanagement and cronyism, reaches outside of the DOE office to other agencies. This is why we are pushing charter parents be allowed under law to fire school leaders and replace their boards if they're mismanaging the schools.  If 51% of parents vote to remove leadership, the parents can bring in new leaders and reconstitute the board. We have good charters and bad charters just as we good public schools and bad public schools.  Parents be vigilant, attend your board meetings, request monthly copies of your school's financial reports, get a copy of your school's charter and by-lays.  Protect your children's education, hold your charter accountable and ensure they're doing right by your children. Best regards.

Here are a few quick links from a quick search on the web for background:

Walcott to Principal: You are OK if you don't talk about your penis to female staffers (again)!

“I’m not going to remove him [Principal John Chase], but he knows he cannot have any similar type of comments. He is on a very strict line as far as his behavior,” said Walcott, who added that some school staffers want Chase to remain in his post.  Daily News

Our pal South Bronx School has been on the Chase case promoting the rally tomorrow. Rally Against Bronxdale Principal John Chase Jr 1/10/2012

When: January 10 @ 3 30 PM until dark

Where: Columbus Campus; 925 Astor Ave. - Bronx 10469

Speakers; Councilman Jimmy Vacca, the office of State Senator Jeff Klein, several U.F.T. chapter leaders from the campus, and the office of Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera.

Other groups;  the N.O.W. Network (National Organization of Women) and local community groups, and  The Bronx U.F.T.

I wonder how Walcott would react if his teacher/daughter had been spoken to that way? And if a teacher should dare mention the word "penis" or "blow job" - suspension without pay and fired.

Retired Bronx HS UFT District Rep Lynne Winderbaum points to the double standard and in a post on the NYCEdNews listserve asks:

What is wrong with Dennis Walcott?

Following the deplorable moral standards of his predecessors under Bloomberg, Dennis Walcott staunchly asserts that he will not remove principal John Chase from his leadership position at Bronxdale High School.

I have represented teachers for many years as a UFT chapter leader and district representative. Given the unique position of teachers, the role model status we have, and the damage we can do if we display immoral behavior in front of children, there has been no tolerance for remaining in a classroom under even an allegation of misconduct. Teachers are removed pending adjudication to err on the side of protection. The Department of Education does not see the equivalence in protecting staff and students from misbehaving principals however.

This article in yesterday’s Daily News focuses on his b--- j-- comment regarding the copy machine but omits his inappropriate comments made to female employees for which he has already been found guilty. Perhaps if his own wife were subjected to comments about her breasts by her boss Walcott might take it more seriously? But this is only a secretary and he doesn’t even know her. It is much more important to stand tough in protecting the job of a principal.

And as far as school staffers wanting him to remain in his post, his entire teaching staff consists of eight untenured teachers (another good argument for tenure). They can be fired for any reason at any time while on probation. So their position must be taken with a grain of salt until they can speak without fear of consequences. Teachers should stand against sexual harassment in the workplace even if the victims are secretaries or paraprofessionals--all union members and all human beings.

And since when do chancellors, including Walcott, care if staffers want accused workers to remain in their jobs? When 400 people marched outside Roosevelt High School in support of teacher Raqnel James, a respected and beloved tenured teacher, the Department of Education stood idly by as she was shipped to the rubber room and arrested. The principal, Iris Blige, created the charges to have her removed from the school after she took the principal’s friend to court for unpaid rent. It cost James three years of salary and legal battles until finally being found “not guilty” last month in a trial. Clearly, hundreds of staffers wanted this innocent teacher to remain in her job but the DOE was unmoved. And this is just an egregious example. There are many schools where good teachers face charges and the staff supports them. Suddenly, in this case of a foul-mouthed sexual harasser, who happens to be the school leader, Dennis Walcott feels that staff “support” should outweigh the finding of guilt and the suffering of his victims?

Easy answer. Excusing principals’ bad behavior is policy. This is the Department of Education that ignored years of allegations of sexual misconduct by Richard Bost, former principal of Fordham Leadership Academy, who was also found guilty of abusing a secretary and guilty of giving $7000 of school money to his AP. Finally, after committing unwanted sexual advances against a parent, Sen. Jeffrey Klein’s office got involved and he was removed.

This is the Department of Education that supports Valerie Reidy after charges of supervisory harassment were upheld by an arbitrator, a well-documented mass-exodus of excellent teachers from Bronx High School of Science, and many demonstrations--the most recent on January 5--asked for her removal. This is the Department of Education that keeps Barbara Kirkweg, of Bronx Aerospace in place after several investigations into grade changing and loss of all Air Force funding due to a finding of misappropriation. This is the Department of Education that failed to conclude investigations into Anthony Rotunno until the state comptroller found him guilty of misusing $90,000 of school money and then he resigned. This is the Department of Education that retains Iris Blige as principal of Fordham High School for the Arts despite the false charges against Raqnel James and the finding of guilt by the Office of Special Investigations into pre-determining the unsatisfactory ratings of teachers she did not like before she observed their teaching. She was fined a mere $7500 for abusing her authority and left in place. The protection of principals is paramount and appears to be the unwavering policy of the Department of Education. It is again time to fight back against this policy and demand the removal of John Chase.

What’s wrong with Dennis Walcott? 

Sir Ken Robinson - Blowing Up Standardized Testing and Common Core Standards -the Linchpins of Ed Deform

11 minutes of magic.

JOIN WITH THE FIGHT AGAINST HIGH STAKES TESTING 
Wed. JAN. 11 5:30PM

GEM HIGH STAKES TESTING COMMITTEE
I was at a meeting Friday called by Noah Gotbaum to discuss actions we can take to battle school closings and charter co-locations. Many of the stake-holders were in the room, including the UFT and their allies the Coalition for Educational Justice(CEJ) and the Alliance for Educational Quality (AQE), along with groups like CPE, GEM, and other activists, including students from some closing schools - at least 40 or more coming out at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon. (And at least 40-50 came out for the Occupy DOE meeting Sunday afternoon - mostly different from Friday). Pretty impressive and a sign the reaction to ed deform is brewing all over the city and the nation - see Chicago (Activists Turn the Tables at Chicago Closing School Hearing).

Patrick Walsh, a chapter leader from Harlem in a co-located school with Moskowitz' Success Academy which has helped drive him into activism, spoke early in the Friday meeting, pointing high stakes standardized testing as the ultimate culprit that must be defeated. (NOTE: Not that there shouldn't be testing but they shouldn't be the major determiner of student progress, teacher jobs and the life or death of a neighborhood school).

I know this has been around for a while but I was reminded today of this Sir Ken Robinson animate video viewed by over 6 million people in an email from Paul Thomas who I met in Reefton, New Zealand on my recent trip. Paul is a former government official who retired and came to Reefton, which was a dying gold mining town and he has almost single-handedly turned it around by starting a variety of businesses. We got to talking education and he said some wonderful things which I have video of but just no time (am I retired or what?) to work on it. He was impressed by this video and promised to send me the link.

This animate was adapted from a talk given at the RSA by Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education and creativity expert and recipient of the RSA's Benjamin Franklin award. (For more information on Sir Ken's work visit: http://www.sirkenrobinson.com).

Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Education Paradigms 

http://youtu.be/zDZFcDGpL4U

JOIN WITH THE FIGHT AGAINST HIGH STAKES TESTING 
Wed. JAN. 11 5:30PM

GEM HIGH STAKES TESTING COMMITTEE 

There is a lot of activity going on and we've been doing some great work in the past few months. The truth about testing pamphlet is pretty much ready to go to the printer (come Wednesday if you want to provide last edits!) and the new opt-out petition (sign it here!)  is up and running. Woo! We're working on the workshop geared towards parents which should be ready to go soon as well, and we can hopefully start getting into schools and CECs soon. But there is so much work to be done, and neat ideas have been bouncing around. Want to do flash mobs? Build for a city-wide student walk out on a regents testing day in the spring? Lots to discuss and plan. Don't miss Wednesday's meeting at the CUNY graduate center, 5:30 pm in room 5414.

PS... sign the petition! 

See Fred Smith in the Washington Post:

Putting New York’s testing program on trial

By Valerie Strauss

This was written by Fred Smith, a retired New York City Board of Education senior analyst who worked for the city public school system in test research and development. In this post he writes about New York state’s standardized testing program for students. Though his comments are specific to New York, the same types of problems are prevalent in other states as well.


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Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

Activists Turn the Tables at Chicago Closing School Hearing

Below is a great report via Mike Klonsky of how Mayor Rahmbo "hired" 200 people to control a closing school hearing. But they turned around and began to support the 200 activists opposing the closing of the school.

Report from hearing on the closing of Crane High School

Hearing on Chicago school closing. (M. Ritter)

Unreal event tonight.

Donald Fraynd was the MC and Jesse Ruiz of the Board was present. Around 200 rental protesters were bused in [by the mayor's people]. They didn't know why they were there but all said they got paid. Around 200 Crane supporters: community allies, students, alums, staff, etc. 

Crane Coalition prepared a Power Point presentation -- but were told we could not present it... so after the initial Board presentation 10-15 Crane presenters engaged in civil disobedience and stood at the mike, made a statement about presenting the power point and stood silent. This was extremely effective as our crew and even the rental protesters began to shout together: Show the power point!!! This went speaker after speaker for 20-30 minutes. Jesse Ruiz and CPS didn't know what to do. Finally they relented and let us show our stuff that refuted tons of CPS data. The place erupted as we began to win the hearts and minds of the bused in folks. CPS looked confused and worried.

It gets better: At that point the public officials walk in together. Sen. Annazette Collins, Alderman Burnett, Congressman Davis, Fmr Alderman Ed Smith, and Alderman Fioretti (wearing a Crane Varsity Letterman's Jacket - the place goes nuts for this). They speak one by one stating their position supporting Crane staying open and opposed to phase out!

They tell CPS - listen to the people. Congressman Davis was more on the neutral side but he said his job was to listen to the people and he said the people were demanding Crane to stay open. The bussed in people are either silent or on our side. A good number of current and former students, parents and community reps speak.

After that person after person tell CPS - "Don't phase out Crane." 8 p.m.comes and CPS high tails it outta there. Round 1 victory.

Martin (Marty) L. Ritter

That is why we need increasing bodies of people to create a force of opposition (I'm about to head over to 60 Wall St. for the Occupy DOE meeting at 2PM). ODOE is one of our hopes here in NYC because unlike Chicago, we have to do it with tenuous and hesitant support from the UFT leadership, which will dip its toe in the water -- get buses, etc.- but put in little political capital and boots on the ground.

Note this comment I cut from an email -

The militancy this year is at a much higher level and there is a powerful partnership between the Chicago Teachers Union and parent groups not seen elsewhere in the US (or in Chicago). ---anonymous report from Chicago

The action in Chicago after 16 years of ed deform/mayoral control has excited people here in NYC. Could it happen here? Maybe. But the crucial difference between Chicago and here is the approach of the teachers union. Chicago has a reform/progressive/social justice oriented recently elected group (CORE) running the union. In NYC we have a 50 year-old one party (Unity Caucus) dominated union which controls every single seat on the UFT Executive Board and has the power to pack every Delegate Assembly to control the vote - and will do so again at the Jan. 18 DA to push through a constitutional amendment that will increase the power of retirees to control the fate of the union.

Think: could we see a day where the UFT/Unity leadership would support an occupation of Bloomberg's office? (Chicago Parents Hold Day 2 of Sit-in at Mayor Emanuel's Office)

So for those hoping for a Chicago hope, I say "Nope" - not until there is a significant movement for democratization and change in the UFT.

Substance reports:

We Are The People Who Will Save Our Schools is a new YouTube video produced by Labor Beat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFAOJsBxAxY 

This video begins with Professor of Education Pauline Lipman (University of Illinois-Chicago) briefly recapping the plans hatched a decade ago in Chicago to replace public schools with private charter schools. Then Chicago Public Schools head Arne Duncan implemented those plans (Renaissance 2010) so obediently that President Obama picked him to do the same thing to every school system in the country.


So Chicago's growing uprising against these deepening attacks against public education has national importance. Here is a battalion of voices from the communities and the teachers union, all exposing the constantly changing, Kafkaesque rules for evaluating school turn-arounds and closings. The counter-attack from the working people in the city is energized and spreading, and is on a collision course with the 1% who want to take away their children's futures. Includes comments from Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, teachers and parents from targeted school communities. Length - 24:40.

Check out this article by one of my Chicago pals who is working for the union:
Where is the debate? Kenzo Shibata challenges corporate schools reformers on Huffington Post

A more general report on Chicago from an email:

Chicago education struggles are back in the news -- on a higher level. CPS proposes to close or hand over to a corporate turnaround group 19 neighborhood schools in African American and Latino communities. The struggle against school closings this year is more fierce and more political and is invoking the spirit of the civil rights movement. At this moment parents and teachers and community members from the Bronzeville area are in their 3rd day of a sit-in/occupation at the mayor's office.

In Dec. teachers, members of the CTU, parents, and supporters including occupy Chicago slept out in front of the school bd all nite (it was raining and cold) and then packed the school bd meeting, took it over with a mic check, and shut down the meeting. Videos of that meeting went viral nationally. See below.

This is a big story because Chicago is the model for Duncan's national agenda of closing neighborhood schools and opening charters or turning neighborhood schools over to private operator "turn-around specialists." The militancy this year is at a much higher level and there is a powerful partnership between the Chicago Teachers Union and parent groups not seen elsewhere in the US (or in Chicago).

The most organized group is the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization which has brought a real civil rights flavor to this movement. they are leading the occupation at the mayor's office. Their community has born the effects of school closings and disinvestment since 2004. They developed a plan with teachers and parents and academic experts over the last 18 months to transform their schools. Instead of considering this plan, CPS announced that they would close 3 of the schools. KOCO has requested multiple meetings with the mayor to discuss their plan but has been totally ignored.

I also want to remind you that the mayor appoints Chicago's BD of Ed which is dominated by corporate CEOs and finance capitalists (the President was the CEO of the Chicago BD of Trade) -- summary of BD attached.

Below are links to video's and media accounts to give you a sense of what is happening. There is going to be a showdown around this and I hope DM can cover it. It will make a difference not only in Chicago but to the education movement nationally.

labor beat  24 minute video Shut Down at Board Meeting Dec. 14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAiDwPf7G8E

Dec. 13 Save our Schools Rally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbRKZk-yYw0&feature=youtu.be

Mic check shuts down School Bd. Mtg Dec. 14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoIsdXkVzVg

Stop the Hit list!  Teach in at King HS, Dec. 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPyiW-XQfQc

Checkout good print media, and there is much TV footage on the web:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/9440216-418/protesters-take-over-chicago-school-board-meeting.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-crowds-gather-to-protest-cps-school-closures-and-turnaround-projects-20111214,0,10496.story

Protesters disrupt Chicago Board of Education meeting
http://www.wbez.org/story/protesters-disrupt-chicago-board-education-meeting-94896

For more info: contact Jitu Brown or Jay Travis at the Kenwood Oakland
Community Organization  jitubrown@yahoo.com  jhatayn@yahoo.com
 

And  one more from NYC based activist/videomaker Jaisal Noor on a piece he did for Democracy Now in Chicago in the fall 2010 http://www.democracynow.org/2010/10/21/chicago_parents_occupy_elementary_school_building
 
 =========
Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

Fred Arcoleo - Ten Years Later After Stroke at 38

I'm posting a newsletter from Fred Arcoleo, a musician and a high school chapter leader in Washington Hts. Fred tells a remarkable story of his stroke at the age of 38 ten years ago. I got to know Fred before his stroke through distributing Ed Notes at the Delegate Assembly. Fred distributed Ed Notes to the 4 schools in his building.

A little background
Fred attended a meeting I called I think in the spring or fall of 2001. I can pin the date because it was pre- Fred's stroke. I had (finally) come to the realization after 4-5 years of trying to work with Randi Weingarten hoping she would bring a new democratic vision to the UFT, that the quest was hopeless. Given that the opposition parties were getting nowhere, I decided to try to get reps from all of them plus the independents I had met through Ed Notes together to see if a strong run could be made at Unity. The major groups were New Action (which was the biggest group by far), Progressive Action Caucus - PAC (focused on people who has license problems) and Teachers for a Just Contract - TJC (not really a caucus at the time). There was lots of tension between the official groups but I hoped that independents like Fred could infuse new blood into the opposition and function as a sort of glue.

While there was some hope at that meeting - though New Action clearly had little interest since they viewed themselves as the big boy in the room and didn't have to work with anyone. At a follow-up meeting things fell apart between TJC and PAC and I ended the quest. I was frustrated that these groups couldn't seem to make a dent. Other independents like Fred seemed to feel the same.

A year later I begin to think about getting just the independents (the people who wouldn't join a caucus for a variety of reasons) together and that led to the founding of the Independent Community of Educators (ICE) in late 2003. Sounds crazy maybe to add another group to the mix but given people like Fred I figured at the very least issues would be raised that the other groups were refusing to address (mayoral control, high stakes testing, the growing cancer of ed deform).

One day in 2002 when I dropped by Fred's school I found out he was out due to a stroke. What a shock - and a warning to everyone that this can happen no matter what your age. Fred's full recovery took some time and since then he has focused on his music.

On my last visit to my doctor, in an effort to get me to take Lipitor due to my cholesterol levels, he said, "I don't care if you die" (GEE THANKS DOC) "but am more worried about you having a stroke." Scary, but I'm still not taking it. Maybe Fred's story below will spur me on to get those numbers in line.

And make sure to check out Fred's appearances and his CD "Seeds."

HAPPY 2012! Welcome to the 2nd installment of the RALLY FOLK! NEWSLETTER. _______________________ OCCUPYING this month's newsletter: VIRILITY & MORTALITY FIRST ANNUAL GROUNDHOG DAY EXTRAVAGANZA! FRED'S POETRY IN NEW “POETRY OF YOGA” BOOK FRED ON THE RADIO! ______________________________ 1. VIRILITY & MORTALITY Ten years ago today I had a stroke at 38 years old. I was taking a routine 5-mile run from the Upper West Side back home to Washington Heights when I started to feel odd. In those days, I’d go to political meetings downtown and run home with my shoulder bag and notebook under my arm. “I think I might need to slow down,” I told myself at first. Funny, I thought: I've never said that to myself while running. Then, a couple of minutes later: “I think I’m going to fall down.” Next thing I know, I’m looking up from the tar in the middle of 178th & Broadway at an oncoming car with its emergency flashers (I had apparently drifted into the road from the sidewalk). I raised my arms to get up, but my legs didn’t respond. A man appropriately named Angel ran into the street and lifted me, brought me to the curb and called an ambulance, but when the cops came to check it out and asked me how I was, the cottony mush that came out of my mouth convinced me in my otherwise lucid state that they’d surely think I was just drunk, so I rubber-banded to them that I was ok. I sat for a few minutes on the curb, got up and walked home, stopping at first to pick up some photos (which kept slipping out of my left hand, along with my keys, along the way). I initially thought it was because I hadn’t eaten breakfast and “overdid it,” as I usually did. It wasn’t until the next morning that “stroke” even entered my mind and then only slowly. People my age have strokes? I had no idea. “I don’t know how you walked in here,” the emergency room doctor said after my CAT Scan.   Ten years later, I’m almost completely recovered. My left arm, hand, & fingers aren’t quite the same, and an old neck injury came back to haunt me and remind me of my mortality, but all in all I am a very lucky man.   This month my friends and I will be putting on a show--on Friday the 13th no less (!!) (see sidebar)--to celebrate both our virility and our mortality. Won’t you join us?   2. Coming in February . . .  We've just confirmed the 1st Annual Groundhog Day Extravaganza! THURS. FEB. 2, 8-10 pm Le Chéile Café & Artspace  839 W. 181st St., Washington Heights (corner of Cabrini Blvd.) A or 1 train to 181st St. (212) 740-3111 http://lecheilenyc.com/wp/cafe I wanted to be right in my dear-own neighborhood to celebrate my adopted holiday, Groundhog Day: rebirth, the heroic journey, & a desperate hankering for spring! Featuring Demetrius Daniel, Amy Soucy, other neighborhood luminaries (special guests both human & animal) & prizes for the season! And of course, a kick-ass live version of my song "Groundhog Day"! http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_6971315 3. FRED'S POETRY IN NEW "POETRY OF YOGA" BOOK! I'm proud one of my poems, "Stillness,"  has been selected for inclusion of part one of a two-volume set of poetry of yoga, the brainchild of HawaH, founder of the educational and community service organization One Common Unity (http://onecommonunity.org). You can preview and order the book on http://thepoetryofyoga.com, where you can also hear an audio clip of my poem featured on the front page! If you're in the area, come to the NYC Book Launch event and hear me recite the poem and sing with Amy Soucy (see sidebar). : ) 4. FRED ON THE RADIO!   Sun. Jan. 29, 8 PM WTBQ, 1110 AM, 93.5 FM I’m proud to have been invited to feature at the weekly Hootenanny Café Mini-Concert, hosted by Folk DJ Jon Stein of Hudson Valley’s WTBQ out of Warwick, NY. You can also listen live at http://www.wtbq.com.   AND FINALLY... If you haven't already, LISTEN TO "SEEDS"! Just visit http://reverbnation.com/fredarcoleo and you can hear entire tracks from "SEEDS," plus a few live videos (including a new song, "We Are the Ones") GET THE CD! RALLY FOLK MUSIC IS NOT FOR SALE! It's true that for now, online copies of the CD are only available "for sale," but when I get my own website, I plan on creating a pay-what-you-can format to encourage people to LISTEN TO MUSIC FIRST, then contribute what you can afford. For now, simply send me an email with your address and I'll send you your own copy. Listen to the music and send me what you can in return.  STAY TUNED/GET IN TOUCH! I'd love to hear from you. If you know of a place or event where I can play, or would like to write a review of "SEEDS," tell me what you think of the songs, or if you just want to say hi, please do it now, while you're thinking about it! ; ) "One day we're moving mountains another day sinking in sand dizzy with demands of history but in the long run                                          made to stand"

JANUARY SHOWS! WED. JAN. 11th, 8-9:30 pm The Poetry of Yoga Book Launch! Jivamukti Yoga Center (with Amy Soucy!) 841 Broadway, 2nd floor New York, NY 10003 (212) 353-0214 Book launch for The Poetry of Yoga, a two-volume set of poems selected by artist and organizer HawaH  (http://onecommonunity.org) and including contributions from many giants of yoga, including Sharon Gannon, Krishna Das, Douglas Brooks, Rod Stryker, Shiva Rea, Leza Lowitz, Climbing Poetree, & many more! Hosted by Sharon Gannon. I'll be sharing my poetry from the book and singing joyfully with my friend & fellow yogi, Amy! For more event details, see http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com/fms/index.html FRIDAY THE 13th! 8-11 pm "A Stroke of Luck" Starving Artist Café  (with Amy Soucy!) 249 City Island Ave., Bronx, NY 10464 (718) 885-3779 “Cryptogenic”—cause unknown—is what they told me ten years ago after I had my stroke. STROKE??! But I was in perfect health. What better time to commemorate the tenth anniversary of this freak event but on (Lucky) Friday the 13th? LUCKY to be alive!  Join my friends Amy Soucy, Buddy Coughlin, Jim Harrison and myself as we celebrate the joy, fragility, resilience, AND LUCK of life. We’ll be singing songs of rebirth, second chances, & survival, and all-around rocking the evening. Come & celebrate with us! Musicians, bring your instruments and play a song!    “Life is a daring adventure, or nothing.” – Helen Keller (http://www.starvingartistonline.com/) (hopstop it! http://hopstop.com) FRI.-SUN. JAN. 27-29 People's Music Network Winter Gathering Friday Concert: Lawrence High School Performing Arts Center 70-72 North Parish Rd., Lawrence, MA Saturday & Sunday Gathering: Lawrence Senior Center 155 Haverhill St., Lawrence, MA  Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Bread and Roses Strike.  more details at http://peoplesmusic.org

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Ravitch/Rubinstein Savage Study On Long-Term Teacher Impact

Diane Ravitch on NYCEDNEWS listserve:

I don't understand why NY Times gives such breathless, admiring treatment to a study that has not been peer reviewed.
I have a few questions.
How were they able to generate value-added measures for 2.5 million students over a 20-year period when no district was collecting value-added data? This was probably generated from NYC data, given the large number of students.


More important, perhaps, how were they able to gain access to individuals' income? And how were they able to match test scores, teachers' names, and income over a 20 year period?
Did they include selective schools?
Did they account for pupil mobility?
I hope peer reviewers will explore these issues.
Meanwhile, I am astounded that economists would confidently conclude that it's best to start firing more teachers sooner rather than later.

Value- added be damned: Study in NY Times an political hit job
I do not know one teacher who thought that their impact on student test scores would affect their lifetime earnings. So how nice/sad to find out in the front page NY Times Friday article that my teaching contributed to the long term high/low incomes of my former students, thus having a positive/negative impact on the US economy.

The great Gary Rubinstein (who daily proves that Teach for America CAN produce amazing teachers) chimes in with a powerful piece (The ‘three great teacher’ study — finally laid to rest) - a must read:

The New York Times​ story frustrated me since I know that value-added does not correlate with future student income. Value-added does not correlate with teacher quality. Value-added doesn’t correlate with principal evaluations. It doesn’t correlate with anything including, as I’ll demonstrate in this post, with itself.

Don need no stinkin' research
They should have used my school on Bushwick Ave. where most teachers spent their careers there despite teaching in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. Classes were grouped homogeneously by reading scores, we often rotated from top to middle (when there was a middle) to bottom class - except when the principal wanted to reward the pets with the top class year after year.

I could do the study for them using my own students. When I had top classes with better readers - even though they were all free lunch these kids often came from more 2 parent homes with someone working - from anecdotal evidence I can say that my teaching helped the American economy move forward. When I taught the bottom class, alas, my efforts helped sink America - including causing a rise in the prison population. (One Thanksgiving I got a call from 2 former students in the same cell block. They told me there were 9 former students from my school there with them.)

Now I was a special case in that the principals didn't care for my style of teaching which did not focus on test scores - yes Virginia, from my earliest days of teaching in the last 60's test scores DID count for administrators and teachers - I didn't totally ignore prepping kids but did not make it the main focus like lots of other teachers did. And they wanted to put the teachers who could produce the highest scores - by hook or crook - in the top class.

Thus I only had top classes - which is funny since we often only had 2 in the grade - twice - and the 2nd time I had to really fight for that class with a principal who hated me - she even diluted the top scores by making it the only heterogeneous class in the school (along with my colleague in the other class) - students from those classes that I run into or hear about are doing quite well. I would pat myself on the back but I had little to do with it. But go ahead and blame me for the kids who died on the streets or went to prison. I'll take the hit.

Questions from Josh Karan on the NYEDNEWS Listserve:

I would like to see more analysis and commentary on the anecdotal experience of some of the long time educators who posted on this article that they believe standardized tests are necessary to evaluate student progress, and that without them students of limited English language, of poverty, and facing racial discrimination would continue to be left behind.

Some of the educators who left comments to the alternet article admit that school funding is critical, and I expect that they would agree that class size reduction is also critical. They also try to distinguish between the tests themselves and the way they are used.
Still they believe that these tests are a valuable tool for measuring basic competency in math and english, which too many of our students never obtain.

In my experience, when my daughter attended a "progressive" elementary school 15 years ago, prior to the extensive utilization of tests that are employed now, the outcomes for students who did not enter kindergarten with the same verbal fluency that my daughter did was that they never participated in class to the same extent and graduated to what were considered lower performing middle schools, which may or may not have prepared them for higher level academic work. Anecdotally I perceived that they were never challenged with rigor.

The front page NY Times article of yesterday, citing a study that purports long term gain in both academics and life for students whose test scores increased over time is also something I would like to read more commentary on from professional educators of the Time Out From Testing/Fair Test orientation.

Josh

Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

Bloomberg Orders Private Army (NYPD) to Declare War on the Press and the Occupy Movement

Published Jan. 6, 2011 in The Wave www.rockawave.com

by Norm Scott

Do you know of a drug operation in your neighborhood and want it cleaned out? Contact City Hall and tell them there are protestors connected with the Occupy movement and “Voila,” they will be removed. And if you happen to be a reporter, photographer or video maker covering just about any Occupy event, don’t be surprised if you are harassed, bullied or threatened with having your press pass revoked.

Mayor Bloomberg, who bragged recently that he has his own private army, has been using that army in a vendetta against those who exercise their rights of peaceful protest and assembly and those who cover it. But do we expect anything less from someone who flaunts his wealth and power at every turn? Is now a good time to repeat the David Letterman line – “Since the death of Kim Il Jong the only tiny tyrant left is Mayor Bloomberg.”

What surprises me is how the right, which claims to abhor government intervention and control over people’s lives (unless it comes to who you can marry, what you can smoke, and all the other social issues they want government to enforce), is so supportive of increasing restrictions on civil liberties, which includes Obama’s signing a law that suspends basic civil liberties guaranteed by that old Constitution people on the right claim to love so much – which just might explain the appeal of Ron Paul in whose campaign elements of the left and right come together. But I digress.

While I have been generally supportive of the Occupy movements, I’ve been particularly interested in the branch I have been working with – Occupy the DOE (Department of Education) a group formed to focus on NYC education issues. ODOE is beginning to get attention given that the minions of Bloomberg/Klein/Walcott have occupied the NYC public schools for almost a decade and have shut out the voices of parents and teachers while the schools have been opened up to privatizers looking to make a buck. Or in the case of people like billionaires Bill Gates and Eli Broad, looking to gain control of education policy – largely successful given the support the Obama administration has given to the ed deform agenda.

Now I’m a very minor player but have been attending various meetings in lower Manhattan with Occupy DOE. There has been a persistent level of attempted interference on the part of the Bloomberg administration, often in conjunction with people controlling spaces that are supposed to be public to curtail people from meeting. Many groups have been meeting on Sundays at the atrium at 60 Wall Street but often find themselves on the street after last minute announcements of “closed for cleaning” and often end up in coffee shops even though as many as 40 people have attended these meetings.

Let me point out that I’ve also been generally supportive of the rank and file police and almost every single contact I’ve has with police officers has been positive – until the past 3 months since the Occupy movement began. Teachers and police officers have a lot in common. In addition to being unionized public service employees working for the city, teachers spend a whole bunch of time doing policing in their schools, whether it be classroom management, patrolling the halls, or doing lunchroom and cafeteria duty. In the few encounters I’ve had with police where it was clear I was a teacher, I found some sense of recognition of this commonality. Thus, I've never viewed police as an enemy but as fellow public workers and members of the same class - ergo - the 99%.

But recent encounters with some police over the Occupy movement have not been positive. It seems that some officers take anything to do with Occupy as a personal affront and get some glee out of hassling people. I had my own minor wrestling match with some of the overwhelming security at the December 14 Panel for Educational Policy meeting where the press was more hassled than I've seen in almost a decade of covering PEP meetings. On one side of the auditorium, the video press was penned in behind metal grates while on the other side I was standing inside a white square for the press (the first time I had seen that) but leaving when there was something to cover in the auditorium and was continually warned, even threatened with being ordered to leave. When I asked what has changed, a security guy in charge said, “Occupy” and as I was standing there two security guys came over and penned us in on 3 sides. There was a look of intense satisfaction on their faces. The enemy (the press) was vanquished.

The ODOE people walked out en masse and I heard one female cop say, "Now they'll engage in civil disobedience outside" when nothing of the sort was occurring. It was sad see a rank and file cop view the people as “they” – she must be a would-be 1 percenter.

NYC teacher: "When a public body meeting to talk about our schools has to do so under armed guard what does that say about your policies? No matter how many police you bring here that's a sign of your unpopularity." (You can view Brian’s speech at www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPiNqcKSDm4).

The next big battle at the PEP will be on February 9 where Bloomberg’s puppets on the panel will vote to close 25 schools no matter how vocal and passionate the opposition. Occupy DOE will meet at the atrium at 60 Wall St. Sunday Jan. 8 at 2PM to plan some PEP actions – come on down (alt. space if it’s closed for “cleaning” is – shhh, don’t tell the NYPD – is Stir Café, 32 Broadway).

Expect a large police presence at the Feb. 9 at Brooklyn Tech HS. While I understand that rank and file police have to follow orders, I hope there is some understanding that students, teachers and parents whose voices have been shut out for a decade have reached a level of frustration where actions more than having your 2 minute say that is ignored are necessary to force changes in policy (and they may include civil disobedience). Message to police: Yes, do your job. Follow orders. But history has proven that following orders is no excuse when the orders lead to curtailing basic rights. Remember the context – in this case a meeting that will shutter neighborhood schools and turn students and teachers into nomads. And never believe you are part of the 1% because one day as part of the general attack on public workers, they will come for you and your pensions.

I put together a video demonstrating the police presence including them penning me in at the Dec. 14 PEP: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa-OQGuMXhI

Video of Bronx Science Jan. 5 Protest Against Vicious Valerie Reidy

 UPDATED with new version of video: Friday, Jan. 6, 10:45AM

NOTICE TO BS STUDENTS: VALERIE REIDY AND HER MINIONS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO RETALIATE AGAINST STUDENTS WHO EXERCISE FUNDAMENTAL CIVIL RIGHTS. CONTACT ED NOTES IF YOU EXPERIENCE THAT AND WE WILL PUBLICIZE YOUR STORY IF YOU WISH.

Here are some reports from the Anti-Reidy Rally. Read them all at Schoolbook link below.

I cringe every time I hear a parent say their child will be attending Bronx Science next year. I sadden every time a college professor, colleague, or supervisor smiles when I mention being a Bronx Science alumni, praising it for it history as a school of talented and gifted young adults. I let them know how I feel. I feel cheated of an experience that warrants that praise.--- Jordan Bonet

Paula Walzer

As a parent I would like to point out the consequences of teachers leaving for those who stay--the students. Mrs. Reidy says she feels very good about the people she's hired. Well, I don't. She only hires young inexperienced untenured teachers, who, no matter how well intentioned, are still learning how to do their jobs.

Bronx Science Alumni Protest video by Angel Gonzalez, GEM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByQrkU6CExg

 

Schoolbook links - read amazing comments from mostly current and former students.

Rally Against Bronx Science Principal, This Time By Students and Alumni

What's your take on the turnover at Bronx High School of Science?

===============
Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

State of The UNION: Sat. Feb. 4

Public education is under attack! 

Stand up, fight back!

As educators we are strongest when our voices are united. 
That is what a UNION is for. 
The UNION makes us strong.

For far too long the leadership of our union, the United Federation of Teachers,
along with the national American Federation of Teachers, have been silent, thrown up minimal defenses too little too late, and have even collaborated in the assault on our profession, our students and their families.

It is time to re-imagine our teachers’ union.

Imagine. . .

A union with true democracy.

A union where members’ concerns, ideas and opinions form the union identity.

A union that works to educate, organize and mobilize its members in support of public education,
our careers as professionals, and our students, their families and communities.

A union that works to end mayoral control and other racist policies
that have removed the voice of educators and parents from decision making.

A union that works with individual schools to recruit and train chapter leaders and delegates who share this vision.

A union that supports Chapter Leaders in struggles with administrations and in their work to educate and organize members.

Join rank and file union members 
and their parent and community allies at 
The State of the UNION Conference

Come meet other UFT members who want a new kind of union

Learn about the history and functioning of the UFT in workshops facilitated by rank and file members, union delegates,
and fellow teachers

Workshops include: 

UFT 101: Introduction to the UFT
Organizing 101: parents and teachers working together--a vision for a community oriented teacher union
The UFT past and present
What is social justice unionism?
What happened to Brown vs. Board of Education: resegregation of our schools
The disappearing Black and Latino Teacher and the deprofessionalization of Teaching
What's the 1% want with our schools? (Privatization 101)
Mayoral Control vs. A People's Board of Education
Building your chapter: how do you organize at the school level?
Federal, State and local policy and our schools
What does democracy in our union look like?
Strategy and tactics: after Occupy Wall Street, what’s next for our movement?
Teacher evaluations and transformation schools

Saturday, February 4th, 2012 
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
at The Graduate Center for Worker Education
25 Broadway, 7th Floor, NYC 
Directions:  http://workereducation.org/contact-us
Find us on Facebook: State of the Union 


Please register online for the State of the Union Conference: http://stateoftheunionconference.eventbrite.com


$10 pre-registration 
$15 at the door

Scholarships available, please email stateoftheunionfeb4@gmail.com 

For childcare services at the conference please email Peter Lamphere at peter.lamphere@gmail.com

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