Saturday, October 6, 2012

NYC Teacher Patrick Walsh Takes Down Won't Back Down

www.raginghorse.wordpres
Won't Back Down:  The Latest Volley from the Corporate Industrial Complex ( Hollywood Division) 

Produced by Walden Films, the same people who created the scene -staging anti teacher "documentary", Waiting for Superman, Won't Back Down is a   multi-million dollar, star studded commercial for something called the Parent Trigger legislation.  The Parent Trigger is a mechanism created ostensibly   to empower parents by making it preposterously easy for them to turn a public school into a charter school. (Once a charter school, it is currently impossible to revert back to a public school regardless of how poorly the school performs.) But,  as one of the major obstacles to parents actually pulling the Parent Trigger are teacher unions, Won't Back Down is a full-length attack on teacher unions that is nothing less than mendacious and slanderous.  In point of fact, Won't Back Down nothing less than a public relations equivalent of a bullet to the union's brain.

Despite the presence of first-rate actors, the movie as movie is insulting and offensive on every conceivable level.  But that does not mean it will not be effective.  Won't Back Down is a tearjerker in which the jerked tears are meant not to allow the audience to get in touch with their inner Oprah but to inform political opinions and inspire political actions of a decidedly undemocratic strain. It is designed to turn parents against teachers by tricking them into believing that the sole reason their child is struggling is because he or she   has   a "bad teacher ";  their  only hope for their children's future is aligning themselves with union busting privatizing billionaires. Won't Back Down is meant to turn teachers against themselves.

Won't Back Down  is a morality play pitting a fiery but  good working class parent against her daughter's lousy  or even  evil teachers and their  oppressive   union  which seems somehow to dictate a deadening curriculum, casts a melancholy cloud over everything    and most egregiously forbids teachers from working with their students after school.  The plot runs as follows: Jamie Fitzgerald (Maggie Gyllenhaal) a feisty Pittsburg single mom with two jobs, rightfully disgusted by the horrific education her dyslectic daughter is receiving in the nightmarish Adams Elementary School, stumbles upon a little used and littler known parent empowerment law strikingly similar to the Parent Trigger.  Desperate to get her daughter the education she deserves, Jamie attempts to enlist both parents and teachers in signing the petition to create a new if utterly undefined school where parents "get a say in what gets taught and how."   The only certainty is that it will would be non-union.  At first, scornfully rebuked by both parties, especially the self absorbed and frightfully unlikable  teachers (save one),  she is also contemptuously dismissed  by the honchos of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Jamie won't back down.  She gains a confederate among the teaching staff in Nona Alberts ( Viola Davis)  and soldiers on. In time – very little time, actually – she  somehow    convinces not only the previously reluctant parent body, but, after a night of drinking and Texas Two Stepping, the previously hostile teachers who are magically  transformed and as happy as dolphins to surrender all rights and benefits for a school "for teachers who want to teach" and "is about the kids."   In a final absurdity, after the Pennsylvania school board, because of a single faulty mathematical equation, turns down Jamie's petition, Jamie convinces the board to reconsider by revealing that the equation was wrong because, she, like her daughter, is also dyslexic. Somehow this disclosure moves the board to hold a second and public vote.     (Don't ask.)  In the end 'because something must be done" the board approves Jamie's ' new school, and there is much rock and roll and weeping for joy in Pittsburgh.  The final scene shows Jamie's dyslexic daughter Mylia  who  was struggling to read in the film's grim opening scene, miraculously  reading fluently in a bright beautiful class room filed with happy  and well mannered children.  
 
Like all effective propaganda Won't back Down deals in broad strokes, traffics in heros and villains and aims to bypass rational argument, truth, and nuance, and appeals straight to the emotions. Writer Brian Hill and director Daniel Barnz know how to do this kind of thing, are good at it and leave nothing to chance.  At no point in Won't Back Down does one hear the words  "charter school" or "privatization" or "billionaire" or "ALEC"   or "union busting."  There is not hint a of the effects of Obama's insidious and deliberately destabilizing and astoundingly undemocratic Race to the Top, no mention of ballooning class sizes or idiotic, degrading effects on education systems based increasingly on standardized tests.  You will listen in vain for any  to the various Captain Ahab's – Gates, Broad and Co, -- who have been allowed to hijack the public school Pequot and sail it in almost any damn direction  they please for  years now, unbeknownst  to the public at large. 

What one does hear, again and again are recitations from the catechism of the corporate reformers.  For a special kick in the pants, they often come from the mouths of teachers.

Hence, as if channeling Mike Bloomberg, one hears teacher Breena Harper (Rosie Perez) plaintively inquire, " What other profession guarantees a job for life after two years? "   (Answer: none, including the teaching profession.)   Echoing one of the holy writs of Teach For America, Jamie dismisses the horrific and myriad realties of poverty with a single pithy and solipsistic declaration: "I don't need 10,000 studies about poverty.  I know poverty sucks and my kid can't read. "  At another moment Jamie dismisses any option other than the trigger by declaring, "The whole system is broken.  It's dead!"

Character after character speak as if they are but ventriloquists for the hidden masters behind the curtain.  

And that, as they say, is that. 

All one needs to know about what is wrong with the American public school system and unionized teachers can be easily discerned from the opening scene in which Malia, Jamie's pretty dyslexic  daughter, stands in the center of a bleak , depressing classroom (all classrooms are bleak  and depressing ) trying and failing to sound out a word on a  filthy blackboard (all blackboards are filthy.) While her classmates openly ridicule the child,  her overweight, miserable excuse for a teacher plays with her cell phone, too lazy and indifferent to even raise her eyes and look at the poor girl.

And it gets worse.  Much worse.   In short order we learn from a fellow teacher (Perez again ) that despite having the lowest test scores in Adam's Elementary, the union contract demands that  Ms. Cellphone is the school's highest paid teacher. Hill and Barnz are not finished with Ms. Cellphone, however.  Before the film is over this monster will lock little Malia  in a disgusting broom closet  --  a vicious,  cruel  and  criminal act  for which any teacher in this country would and should lose their  job – for needing to use the bathroom.  She is  only freed from her captivity by the unexpected arrival of Jamie.   Does this act lead to Ms. Cellphone  being arrested, led out of   school in handcuffs and pictured on the 6:00 news ?  Hardly. No one other than Jamie even seems to notice. There are no consequences.  Such is life in our public school system. By the films end, long after her colleagues have incomprehensively jettisoned their union in favor of a building a new school that favors   the radical ideas of reading Shakespeare and having field trips  ( what on earth were they doing in that school  before hand ? ) , the cruel, criminal Ms. Cellphone remains gainfully employed if the  only teacher from Adams Elementary to stick with the union.  Get the connection? If not, you   are not paying attention.  

As the slanderous treatment of teacher unions is not merely central to the political agenda of this preposterous film but to the success of the corporate campaign to hijack and privatize public education, it is impossible to believe that they are the results of lazy research or poor writing or poetic license.   Won't Back Down is a work that is consciously dishonest, never more so than in its depiction of teacher unions.  Consider the fact that character after character, teachers included, bemoan the contractual agreement cited again and again in the film that forbids teachers to stay after school and work with kids.  Consider the fact the union's reaction to Jamie's increasingly successful campaign to remake the school is to try and bribe her by paying her child's tuition to a spectacularly beautiful private school.   Consider how the whole defeated, miserable filthy atmosphere of Adam's Elementary is somehow the result of the union and its "600 page contract,  "; a contract that   which puts the interests of teachers ahead of the interests of students, refusing in the sloganeering drone   of Mike Bloomberg and Michelle Rhee and so many other corporate reformers, to "put kids first.  Always."     In works of fiction, such conceits fall under the rubric of poetic license.  In politics they are called plausible deniability. Won't Back Down is politics masquerading as poetry.    

The Parent Trigger legislature as depicted in the film bears as close a relationship to truth as does Won't Back Downs treatment of unions:  That is to say, none. Like all of the corporate reform mechanisms, the Parent Trigger is the brainchild of a third party with vested interests in privatizing schools and plugged by a phony grassroots organization funded by billionaires. Unlike the mythology its cynical creators have manufactured,  the Trigger is the labor, not of a handful of grassroots parents rising up to demand better schools for their kids but rather the brainchild of one Ben Austin, a policy consultant for a charter school organization in Los Angeles. 

The Trigger mandates that a school be closed, its staff fired and the building   turned over to a charter school corporation if 51% of parents can be persuaded to sign a petition.   It is a reckless, wildly undemocratic and foolish idea and one that would have died on the vine if it were truly the fruit of the grass roots movement its adherents claim it to be.  It would have been strangled to death if it actually led to anything vaguely approximating parental empowerment in schools which is among the last things Corporate Education Industrial Complex wants or would ever allow.   

Austin went on to form the organization Parent Revolution whose sole reason for existence is to promote the Parent Trigger, across the USA of A.

Parent Revolution, ostensibly   an organization built to empower parents, is  another in a seemingly endless line of billionaire backed phony grass roots front groups that help do the dirty work -- especially the dividing and conquering -- necessary for the absolute triumph of the Corporate Reform Industrial Complex. 

The parent revolutionaries of Parent Revolution are bankrolled by  some of the most reactionary entities in America, including the Walton Family Foundation, the Heartland Institute and the extremely secretive American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) that is always busy helping corporate America propose and   draft legislation for states across the country, all of them salivating over the privatization of the public school  system.
 
As yet the Trigger has only been implemented twice, both times in California, both times leading to very negative results: bad schools, divided communities, nothing delivered.  But no matter. Such realities are meaningless in the rarified world of the Corporate Reform Industrial Complex where, after   almost a decade of complete dominance over schools from coast to coast, they are still whining about the " status quo " as if it were someone other than themselves.     

Won't Back Down may well be a seminal product in American history as it is a popular film that exists solely as a vehicle for a political agenda.  Its purpose is to put a union busting privatizing law on the map, make inroads into the American psyche, further undermine confidence in our school system, and further demonize unions and teachers.    And this explains the almost presidential style public relations campaign the film 's promoters have led for the past mouth or so from coast to coast including events at both the Democratic and Republican conventions.  There may be others, but I, for one, know of no other film that so nakedly and shamelessly served a political agenda.  That the film is a commercial for the Trigger is not even disguised.  Consider the following from Michelle Rhee's StudentfirstNewyork.org, she who publicly vowed to raise a billion dollars to destroy teacher unions. 

"For too long, parents of students in failing schools have been stuck without options. Not any more. 

A new reform called "parent trigger" is giving parents a tool to take charge of persistently failing schools and turn them around. Under parent trigger, a majority of parents can petition for real, transformative changes for their school. Seven states already have some form of parent trigger laws on the books, and more than 70% voters say they support them.

 These reforms haven't come to New York – yet – but they have made it to the big screen. A new film, Won't Back Down, opening Friday highlights a parent and a teacher – played by Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis – who team up to turn around their failing school.

Won't Back Down tells an invigorating story of parents, teachers and concerned citizens working together for the good of the students. We're trying to make that happen in New York – we need your help, and we need you to see this movie to see the possibilities."

Or this: 
Last week, StudentsFirstNY hosted a screening of the new film Won't Back Down.

There was a lot of clapping, cheering and crying. But mostly, there was a lot of energy in the theater. Parents from across New York were inspired and motivated, ready to demand transformative education reforms for their children.


After the movie, I met a single mother from Crown Heights, Brooklyn. She was so excited that there was finally a neighborhood organizing effort that gave her a voice. 

This was a mother who was engaged – a mother who works late nights and who wants a better education for her son than the one she received. She wants choice. She wants a good school with great teachers. She wants what I want for my own daughter – what we all want as parents.

We're working for that mom, and for the moms and dads across New York who want a great education for their children

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

The real purpose of Won't Back Down  is to utterly malign if not destroy the reputation of the single institution standing in the way of a complete corporate takeover of public education: teacher unions.  Just as the Philip Morris Company once admitted in a confidential memo that cigarette were nothing more than " nicotine delivery systems, "even as the head of the company swore under oath that nicotine contributes to the pleasure of smoking, Won't Back Down was created as a kind of "corporate education delivery system ", even as its publicists babble on about empowering parents, freedom parents and school choice.

Its toxins, lies, distortions, and simplistic solutions to the complex and deeply human problems of educating our nation's children depicted in Won't Back Down are meant to enter into the blood stream of every American who sees it without them even knowing it.  Images are powerful weapons, that much the more in an increasingly a-literate, image- based society.  It is not unreasonable to assume that for millions of Americans the perception of schools, teachers and unions will be to some degree formed by this film.  That, in any case, is the purpose of the work.

 The fusion of corporate culture and corporate agendas that Won't Back Down epitomizes is deeply disturbing.  I fear that at the level it is practiced in this film  it is something new in the American experience.       

 Let us hope that many see it for what it is.    Let us work to make sure they do. 

 
 

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

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Rutgers Teacher Under Construction Blogs About Education Nation

Student Stephanie Rivera has very quickly made a name for herself battling ed deform. Here "Teacher Under Construction" blog post:

Education Nation Summit and Won’t Back Down and Protest

She has pics of the "Won't Back Down Protest" -- note the bald guy in the MORE tee.

Friday, October 5, 2012

TONIGHT! March for Dignity in Schools - Stop student Push-outs

TONIGHT at 6:30pm, the Dignity in Schools Campaign-NY will be holding a vigil and marching over the Brooklyn Bridge to raise awareness about student pushout and the criminalization of students in NYC schools as part of the National Dignity in Schools Week of Action. Join us!

Stand as allies with students and parents in demanding that the DOE support positive, school-wide approaches to discipline that uphold students' human right to education.

Bring students, families, colleagues--all are welcome!

RSVP: anna@teachersunite.net
And call 646.707.4006 if you're lost

At 6:30 meet on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge at Cadman Plaza East and Prospect Street. 
The nearest trains are the A/C to High St. or the F to York. 

#WOA2012
#Solutionsnotsuspensions
#dignityinschools

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

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Today:  Chapter Leader & Delegate Happy Hour, 4:30pm

More worthwhile than most of the training by the Uft/Unity Caucus narrowcast view of how to function as a union leader at the school level. Experienced and new ch ldrs and delgts mingle with much shared knowledge at these informal sessions. The listserve has been wonderful with people like Eterno, Wainer, Elfrank-Dana, Markens, Kaufman, Lamphere sharing.
So come on down. Or at the very least join the listserve: more@morecaucusnyc.org

I think I goofed the other day and posted this as thursday so my apologies if you were drinking alone yesterday - but come back today.

**** Please Forward Widely **** 
Chapter Leader & Delegate Happy Hour

Are you a chapter leader or delegate (or know someone who is) and want to get advice and strategize with others? Want to build a strong, active chapter but not sure what that would entail? Or are you not currently in a union position at your school but just interested in UFT structure, chapters in general, the responsibilities of chapter leaders and delegates, etc?

Here is a chance to connect with other folks who are Chapter Leaders, Delegates, or just thoughtful union members to compare notes, get advice, and talk about how we can build stronger chapters.
 
 
Friday, October 5, 4:30pm
at The Grey Dog - 242 w. 16th st. betw. 7th and 8th (1/2/3/A/C/E to 14th or L to 8th Ave)


Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

KIPP Schools? No thanks we’re kiwis - Ed Deform Comes to NZ, Group Slams KIPP's Feinberg

This was received on through Diane on Sept. 27. Was hoping to make the meeting - I could have east to west time - goes backward.

This is a great site so check it out:
http://qpec.xleco.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=189&Itemid=214

Here are a few nuggets:

KIPP SCHOOLS PUBLIC MEETING IN CHRISTCHURCH TONIGHT!!!

The charter-mongers
Tonight, Mike Feinberg will speak at a public meeting in Christchurch about the amazing success of his KIPP schools. The ‘Knowledge is Power Programme’ runs 125 schools across the US enrolling 40,000 students. It was mentioned by John Banks as the kind of programme to be encouraged here.
Feinberg’s visit has been funded by the Aotearoa Foundation, which is the local arm of the right wing USA-based Robertson Foundation. The philosophy of this new breed of ‘philanthrocapitalist’ is to use corporate giving to influence government policy, in particular towards the privatisation of public goods such as education. There is therefore a hidden agenda underlying this visit.
After 20 years of charter schools and thousands of new schools opened, the overall position of American schools on international league tables should have improved dramatically if the policy had been successful. It has not, and the USA is many places below New Zealand schools on scores of literacy, numeracy and science.
KIPP claims excellent results for its students. With a school day from 7.30am to 5pm, and several hours compulsory, supervised homework each night, plus half a day on Saturday, there is certainly plenty of time for learning. The emphasis is on learning to pass standardised tests, and on good behaviour. Concern has been expressed about the boot-camp mentality. One researcher, Howard Berlak, noted the following:
When I was there children who followed all the rules were given points that could be exchanged for goodies at the school store. Those who resisted the rules or were slackers wore a large sign pinned to their clothes labelled "miscreant." Miscreants sat apart from the others at all times including lunch, were denied recess and participation in all other school projects and events.. . . . I've spent many years in schools. This one felt like a humane, low security prison or something resembling a locked-down drug rehab program for adolescents…
The dropout rate is high. Children who fail standardised tests at each year level are kept back, and many leave and return to the public system. Thus unsuccessful students are weeded out early. The dropout rate before Year 9 (age 13) is around 30%, compared to 6% at public schools.
Most of the teachers are young and lack experience. Many are graduates of the ‘Teach for America’ programme which fast-tracks teacher education. The dropout rate is very high. Typically, they leave after two years, because they work unsustainably long hours (up to 70 or 80 hours a week is common) on relatively low pay. They burn out. 

KIPP schools are very well resourced with government funding and tens of millions of dollars in corporate donations. The average public school child in the US attracts eleven thousand dollars, while the KIPP schools have per capita funding of $18,000.
In his visit so far, Mike Feinberg has been surprisingly muted about the stated success of his schools. He says they are not a silver bullet but another ‘choice’ for parents. This is a very revealing statement, as the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, is also using the ‘no silver bullet’ analogy, as has the Secretary for Education, Lesley Longstone, the head of the now-rebranded Business Roundtable and the head of the charter schools NZ initiative Catherine Isaacs. This feels like subtle political management to me.
Those living in Christchurch might ask the question why, if choice is so good, it is being reduced here through proposed school closure or merger. Is this a dastardly plot to soften us up for charter schools? Are we being prepared for a new menu of ‘choice’ in education here?   Is the Christchurch rebuild going to be used to import new models of privatised education into the city?
Choice, by itself, does not raise educational standards. I am highly suspicious of models of assertive discipline in schools that treat children in ways that none of us, as parents, would treat our own.
The National Standards data released this week has revealed for all to see (teachers have always known it) that there are big educational and social gaps between our children. But is the upshot of that the need to enrol poor kids in school boot camp? Isn’t that a little dire? And does it work, anyway?
In recent years the Ministry of Education and low-decile schools have worked tirelessly to overcome the educational gaps. Here in Christchurch there are some fabulous low-decile schools and teachers that break their backs to help their students. I do not believe that the KIPP model, or charter schools generally, offer anything better for us. Not a silver bullet indeed – rather a shotgun that will fragment our high quality public education system.
Mike Feinberg will speak at 6.30 Wednesday night at Undercroft, basement of University of Canterbury main library, James Height Building

KIPP Schools? No thanks we’re kiwis

Media Release - 19 September 2012

Wealthy “philanthro-capitalist” Julian Robertson has brought Mike Feinberg from the KIPP (Knowledge is Power) charter school programme to New Zealand to promote charter schools and prepare the way for the privatisation of public education.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Palast Slams Obama on Debate

Mr. President, if you can't explain why you are the Commander-in-Chief in this class war against the billionaire bandits attempting to seize our government, then get off the horse and let someone in the saddle who can ride.----greg palast

Glad I was far, far away and missed this one.
-----------
What the hell happened?

Thursday, October 4, 2012
by Greg Palast for The Mudflats.net

What the hell happened?  Did Barack have a fight with Michelle? Was it nicotine withdrawal?  Do really rich guys just scare you, Mr. Obama?
 
Dear Mr. President:  As a journalist I don't take partisan sides, but I do take America's side.  And as Commander-in-Chief, you simply cannot fall asleep in the saddle.
 
I mean Commander-in-Chief in the Class War.  The war of the billionaires against the rest of us.
 
You were asked, "What is the role of government?"
 
You seemed stumped.  Lost.
 
Well, here's three, Mr. President:
Issue Social Security checks. Checks for cash money.  Not some bullshit voucher.
Save General Motors and Motor City.
Kill Osama.
Maybe you should have written those on your palm.  

When Mr. PBS Bumblebrain asked you the difference between your views and Gov. Romney's on Social Security, you said, "You know, I suspect that, on Social Security, we've got a somewhat similar position."
 
Really, Mr. President, REALLY?
 
Romney says that if you're 38 or 54, it doesn't matter that you've paid into Medicare and Social Security all your life, you don't get the insurance you paid for.  You get some stinking voucher, some coupon that says, "Here's a hundred bucks kid, go buy a gold watch."
 
Who exactly is going to take a voucher to provide health insurance to a 72-year-old with asthma, in a walker and prostate problems?  
 
Governor Romney said, with that smirky, smarmy grin, "I'd assume I'd rather have a private [health] plan."  Gee, Mr. Romney, could you give me the number of your insurance company and tell them to take my "voucher"?
 
Mr. President, you gabbled on about the Cleveland Medical Clinic and its "best practices."  Who the hell cares, Mr. President?  There are people bleeding out here, LITERALLY BLEEDING, who now can get health coverage because of ObamaCare.  For all its failings, it saves lives, saves homes from foreclosure caused by insane medical bills – only recently, the number one cause of foreclosures in America.
 
Can't you even defend the one thing that's worth a damn and has your name on it?
 
Romney's wife has MS.  That's sad.  But what's tragic is that there are millions in America with MS who couldn't get insurance because they have this prior condition—and are not married to an investment banker demi-billionaire.
 
I don't care that you couldn't seem to defend yourself tonight, Mr. President.  That's a Democratic Party headache.  What I resent, what gets me furious and angry, is that you didn't defend ME.  Me and my family.
 
When Romney says he defends small business, let me tell you, I have a small business.  I don't need a tax break – hell, like most small businesses, we don't make money.  We need health insurance.  We need government loans.  
 
When Romney says government never does anything cheaper than the private sector, Mr. President, don't you know that it was government mortgage agencies that funded America's middle class homeownership? That's what government did – and licked Hitler to boot.
 
When mortgages were privatized, we were thrown at the mercy of the Banksters.  
 
(And why the hell did you, Mr. Obama, bring up that right-wing canard that banks just gave out mortgages to people who couldn't afford them – blaming sub-prime predatory mortgage crimes on the victims. Sounds like you agree that 47% of Americans are leeches.)
 
Maybe it's true that you, Mr. President, are actually just a hollow man, a creation of PR consultants and rich donors, a Ken-doll of repeating lines about "Hope," "change" and "this country thrives when the middle class thrives."
 
The truth is, you were ready to raise the retirement age for Social Security and cut back-room deals with drug companies. Maybe in the end, progressive policies are just a marketing niche you've found to cover aimless ambition and a yearning to compromise.  
 
If someone drilled a hole in you, could we blow in and play you like a flute?  Or is there some substance, some hard core of principal that couldn't break out tonight because it was imprisoned by advisors who told you to play it safe, play it in a coma?
 
Mr. President, if you can't explain why you are the Commander-in-Chief in this class war against the billionaire bandits attempting to seize our government, then get off the horse and let someone in the saddle who can ride.
 
Greg Palast is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, Armed Madhouse and Vultures' Picnic.

Palast's brand new NYT bestseller Billionaires & Ballot Bandits: How to Steal an Election in 9 Easy Steps, is available from Barnes & Noble, Amazon or Indie Bound and on the NOOK and Kindle.

Author's proceeds from the book go to the not-for-profit Palast Investigative Fund for reporting on voter protection issues.

Donate and can get a signed copy of the book or make a contribution of any amount to support our work.

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

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MORE's Fred Arcoleo Serenades Chicago Teachers

Fred, a former Chapter Leader and currently a delegate sent this to the MORE discussion list:
I was honored to be able to sing one of my songs for the Chicago teachers while I was in Chicago during the last days of the strike. They were taking a break from the picket line and intensely discussing the contract offer. You'll see me with my brand-new MORE T-shirt and hear at the end of the song how I talk about MORE and what we're trying to do. One of the teachers caught it on video and sent it to me. 
I had the honor of visiting Chicago teacher strikers this weekend and spent the day at the picket line outside Carson Elementary School in Chicago. During a later discussion about the strike, I played this song, "We Are the Ones," dedicating it to the strikers and their valiant efforts to combat attacks on students and teachers nation(world)wide. Thanks to Kwan Fong, a teacher at Carson, for taking the video.

http://youtu.be/no-9HNJKSgo

I hope to make music part of our movement!




Here's how to connect to Fred's work.

Fred Arcoleo
Rally Folk Records, NYC

Oh, won't you "like" my music on Facebook? Fred Arcoleo Music. Most of my CD is here for listening.

Award Winner! 2012 Connecticut Folk Festival Song Competition
"Don McLean meets Phil Ochs." - Pat Lamanna, People's Music Network

Fred's first, award-winning CD, "SEEDS"
17 tracks of revolutionary rally folk! Alive and growing at...
http://www.reverbnation.com:80/fredarcoleo
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/FredArcoleo
Also on iTunes and Amazon

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The Portelos Case: A Basic Rights Issue of Our Time

Tell Walcott he's full of bullshit when he claims he wants quality teachers. Start with 2 names: Portelos and Lamphere. Where's the press on these stories of political persecution?

From James C:
The plight of Mr. Portelos is another example of retaliation by a vindictive principal. In addition, the former Chapter Leader was working against Mr. Portelos as the principal's confidant.
 
 Mr. Portelos' wows began after he contacted me about School Leadership Team issues in Dec. 2011. It was clear that his SLT Team, of which he was a member, was not in compliance with CR A-655 and State Educational Law.It was a Team of untrained members dominated by the Principal.When he learned about what the Team role was, he began asking about school budget and CEP issues that weren't being done by the SLT in a collaborative manner. The attacks were fast and furious. Additional conflicts also developed that resulted in charges being made against him. In addition,the principal is being investigated for financial discrepancies regarding her per session activity.
  Despite being removed from the school (you can read about the fifteen absurd charges on his website), the staff elected him Chapter Leader last June. However, he is not allowed to enter the school, which hinders him from conducting UFT business. He is also not allowed to attend SLT meetings.The DOE has not formally charged him as of yet but has banished him to a "rubber room" in their District Office in Ozone Park ( He lives in Staten Island). He and the few other teachers that are there are isolated from each other.In addition, he is not allowed to use his computer.
 
  Mr. Portelos has a federal lawsuit against the DOE which you can also read about on his site.The Judge recently refused the DOE's attempt to dismiss the case.
 
 I admire Mr. Portelos for refusing to let the DOE destroy his career without a fight and for publicizing all the underhanded actions of the principal and DOE.
 
 There have been two or three articles in the NY Post about this matter.
 
 If anyone can be of assistance to Mr. Portelos, you would be involved in a worthy cause in helping to vindicate a quality teacher while sending a message to principals and the DOE that they will not be allowed to get away with this shameful behavior against teachers..  
J.C. 

Leonie picks up the case from Francesco:
 
From: Leonie Haimson <leonie@att.net>
To: nyceducationnews <nyceducationnews@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wed, Oct 3, 2012 3:54 pm
Subject: [nyceducationnews] Portelos' plight: Squeezed into a paragraph

 
From: Mr. Portelos [mailto:mrportelos@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2012 3:48 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Squeezed into a paragraph
 
I managed to squeeze the story into a paragraph, but with links.
 
 My name is Francesco Alexander Portelos. I am a parent and educator of Staten Island's North Shore. I was teaching technology at Berta Dreyfus IS 49 for 5 years after I left a 7 year career in the Environmental Engineering/Inspection field. My record, as a teacher and school community member, was stellar. After I became a new father in the community, my focus transcended past my praised classroom and I looked at the issues at the school as a whole. A school that my son would be going to in just 10 short years. As I brought attention to matters, such as discipline, budget and school goals, a hostile work environment was suddenly created around me. Principal Linda V. Hill began calling me a "hindrance to the community" and questioning my classroom instruction that was previously praised. It did not stop me as I knew something was going on and I pushed forward starting investigations on potential financial misconduct and educational neglect. I submitted the allegations on January 26, 2012. Starting on January 30, 2012 18 allegations were made against me, 3 disciplinary letters were placed in my file in just 10 days, I received my first unsatisfactory classroom observation and I was ultimately removed from school on April 26, 2012. I now sit in exile, at an empty cubicle (Rubber Room), 20 miles away at 8201 Rockaway Blvd waiting. Waiting for what? The investigations on the administrators back at Berta Dreyfus 49? The in vestigations on me? My Federal lawsuit? The completion of the 50th Anniversary Celebration?
Now if you have time, and a bowl of popcorn, read the more detailed version of the saga… http://protectportelos.wordpress.com/the-story/

 
--
-Mr. Portelos
IS 49 UFT Chapter Leader
Parent
Educator
Protectportelos.org
Mrportelos.com
 
"In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." -Martin Luther King Jr.
 
Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

Winerip pulled off NY Times ed beat still finds a way

My guess Winerip pulled by ny times was to make sale attractive to Bloomberg.

Leonie writes:
Mike Winerip is back (in a new boomer column, alas not specifically about education). He's writing about the courage of anti-testing dissenter Barbara Madeloni
 
http://shar.es/5sJbo
 
Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

Feeney and Burris: APPR Update

These are the principals you want to work for. They are the same people Leo Casey attacked for being self-serving. You decide.


Here is a link to a half hour interview I did with Carol Burris in her office:
https://vimeo.com/41595569

Here is some video of Sean Feeney at a high stakes testing forum at the Brooklyn New School
Part 1 https://vimeo.com/38901880
Part 2 https://vimeo.com/38919400

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "New York Principals"
Date: 26 Sep 2012 18:50:15 -0700
Subject: NY Principals APPR Update: 26 September 12
Dear Friends:
You are receiving this message because you have indicated your support for the New York State Principals' Open Letter Regarding the NYS APPR Legislation (http://www.newyorkprincipals.org/). We thank you for your support and would like to provide you with an update on activities since this new school year began. As always, the most recent version of the APPR Position paper (with all signatures) is available at: http://www.newyorkprincipals.org/appr-paper. Given that the paper with signatures is over 142 pages long, we have also created a separate link for the four-page paper alone.
As of the beginning of this new school year, over 1510 New York State principals have signed the letter: that's over one-third of all principals in NYS! We have nearly 7100 total supporters right now. Be sure to check out our website for the most current information.
Some articles to consider:
1) APPR and Teacher Scores
The year began with many New York State teachers and principals receiving "student growth scores" from our State Education Department. A cursory look at the research reveals all of the problems and damages related to attempts to provide such scores; quite frankly, it is shocking that they are still being used and considered!
Sean wrote a piece about Ashley, a star teacher in his school who received a very low score from the state. You can read his piece at: http://wapo.st/NqleD2
2) The New York Times and the Chicago Teachers Strike
Many readers of the New York Times were startled to read its "Chicago Teachers' Folly" editorial published on September 11th. Clearly, the editorial page is welcome to its opinion; what was surprising was the rationale for its position and its lack of any attempt to cite research to back its views.
Fortunately, Carol and Diane Ravitch wrote a response to this editorial. Be sure to read this piece on Diane's terrific blog: http://wp.me/p2odLa-22k
3) Voice Your Concerns about Changes to Teacher Education
In the previous update, I wrote about the situation involving Professor Barbara Madeloni from UMass. Some of our university colleagues are organizing a pushback against the impact the policies of NCLB and RTTT are having on teacher education. The changes being imposed are altering the teacher education programs created by professionals with experience. The bottom line is that Pearson Corporation, not teacher education professors, will have final say in certifying teachers; and teacher education programs will be assessed, in part, on the basis of the test scores of the students of their graduates. Please read the linked petition for details and please consider signing, writing to officials and sharing: https://sites.google.com/site/educatorsconcerned/
4) Would Your Principal Send Home this Letter?
One of our New York colleagues (and early supporter of our Position Paper), sent home a parent letter that has received a lot of attention recently. You can read Dr. Sternberg's letter through the following link (be sure to explore the SchoolLeadership2.0 website after you read it): http://goo.gl/sCl82

Have a terrific end of the week!

Sean and Carol

---
scfeeney@newyorkprincipals.org

Principal, The Wheatley School
Old Westbury, NY  11568
follow my blog: http://www.thewheatleyway.org
follow me on Twitter: @scfeeney

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Where's the Value-Added? WBD worst opening weekend EVER for movie in wide release

Is there a rubber room for truly incompetent film directors? ---Fred Smith
  
Despite the millions spent promoting the film by CBS, NBC, advance screenings by the distributor (Murdoch), and through TV ads (by producer Anschutz), "Won't Back Down" had the WORST opening for ANY film in wide release (2500+ theaters) in at least thirty years, or since data is available.   
 
http://shar.es/5sj06

Leonie Haimson

Steve Koss:
So then, according to the strict accountability measures so beloved of the ed deformers, we should see:

a. At least one studio executive fired for earning such an obvious "F" on his/her movie Report Card;
b. At least one script writer demoted to copyist;
c. A director removed from movie-making responsibility and placed instead in a senior studio management position (a la standard DOE practice);
d. At least one studio executive blasting the Screen Actors Guild and the related movie industry unions for placing their self-interest ahead of the entertainment enjoyment of the American public and calling for elimination of unions from the film industry;
e. The entire movie cast fired from their positions with the requirement that they must apply to be rehired at half their prior pay; and 
f. Rush Limbaugh publicly calling Maggie Gyllenhaal a "slut." 

Sorry, that last one wasn't serious. 

Steve Koss (Mathman)

Fred Smith writes:
Mathman, you nailed it.
 
Seems like we should also expect a few of the backers and mega-talents who made We Won't Back Down to move up.  If they can't get another film gig, they can always be tapped as school leaders. Michael B. DeMillions can surely find openings for them.
 
The less gifted among them can be put on some high school's audio/visual squad (I'm dating myself) where they can learn their craft.
 
Is there a rubber room for truly incompetent film directors?  Or an Oscar category for outstandingly bad movies? 


Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

TEP: Hey, Buddy, Wanna Teach for 125 Grand? Maybe Not

Yikes!  TEP still hiring, one month into the school year! ---Susan C

Where's 60 Minutes and NY Times with follow-up stories after such glowing stories when TEP started?

Remember- teachers in the ed deform myth do it for money. One would think they should be breaking down the doors of Zeke's castle - er - trailer.

Remember a year ago at Education Nation at the premiere of American Teacher celebrated Zeke and TEP, which had lured a Harvard grad teacher away from Jersey who ended up being a low rated teacher based on flawed val-added? Not her fault in the real reform world but if u jump at the money u take a hit.

Meanwhile Jamie Fidler the real hero of AM Teacher is still teaching in a pub school in bklyn and is part of the MORE activist community which not only celebrates all teachers but joins in the social justice battle against poverty.

Susan C. sent this to nycednews:

Yikes!  TEP still hiring, one month into the school year!  Must be doubling up classes after all! Either that, or hiring lots of subs at way-below $125,000/yr. rate, one would assume.  Who gets to pocket the difference?

Open Teaching Positions (Below):
TEP is currently accepting applications for the open teaching positions listed below. While TEP has filled the majority of its teaching positions, we are looking to bolster our current staff by adding teachers in the subject areas listed below.

Social Studies Teacher
English Language Arts Teacher
Special Education Teacher [Learn more about Special Ed Positions]
Mathematics Teacher
Science Teacher
Physical Education Teacher [Learn about PE Positions]
Music Teacher – All music positions have been filled. [Learn more about Music Positions]
_________

From: Leonie Haimson

Video of Cenk Uygur from Current TV on WBD propaganda film & producer Philip Anschutz; nice!
 
http://shar.es/5sUT2
 
Including interview clip of Pam Grundy of Mecklenburg Acts
 
Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

TEP: Hey, Buddy, Wanna Teach for 125 Grand? Maybe Not

Yikes!  TEP still hiring, one month into the school year! ---Susan C

Where's 60 Minutes and NY Times with follow-up stories after such glowing stories when TEP started?

Remember- teachers in the ed deform myth do it for money. One would think they should be breaking down the doors of Zeke's castle - er - trailer.

Remember a year ago at Education Nation at the premiere of American Teacher celebrated Zeke and TEP, which had lured a Harvard grad teacher away from Jersey who ended up being a low rated teacher based on flawed val-added? Not her fault in the real reform world but if u jump at the money u take a hit.

Meanwhile Jamie Fidler the real hero of AM Teacher is still teaching in a pub school in bklyn and is part of the MORE activist community which not only celebrates all teachers but joins in the social justice battle against poverty.

Susan C. sent this to nycednews:

Yikes!  TEP still hiring, one month into the school year!  Must be doubling up classes after all! Either that, or hiring lots of subs at way-below $125,000/yr. rate, one would assume.  Who gets to pocket the difference?

Open Teaching Positions (Below):
TEP is currently accepting applications for the open teaching positions listed below. While TEP has filled the majority of its teaching positions, we are looking to bolster our current staff by adding teachers in the subject areas listed below.

Social Studies Teacher
English Language Arts Teacher
Special Education Teacher [Learn more about Special Ed Positions]
Mathematics Teacher
Science Teacher
Physical Education Teacher [Learn about PE Positions]
Music Teacher – All music positions have been filled. [Learn more about Music Positions]
_________

From: Leonie Haimson

Video of Cenk Uygur from Current TV on WBD propaganda film & producer Philip Anschutz; nice!
 
http://shar.es/5sUT2
 
Including interview clip of Pam Grundy of Mecklenburg Acts
 
Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

Students aren't guinea pigs

The parent anti-testing movement grows. I have lots of stuff to post on pearson field tests from Fred Smith and our chgange the stakes listserve and will try to do so soon.
In the meantime check out our change the stakes blog.

Albany Times Union letter re field testing

Letter: Students aren't guinea pigs

To the editor

Published 7:58 p.m., Saturday, September 29, 2012

Recently, I received a memorandum from the state Education Department informing school districts that students must participate in an additional round of field tests this fall.

For those unfamiliar with field tests, let me explain: The Education Department has a $32 million contract with Pearson to design its state standardized tests. To do that, Pearson embeds "field test" questions in the test given each spring. Students in grades 3-8 take tests over three days, three hours each day, in English/language arts and math for a total of 18 hours over two weeks.

These new field tests are separate, stand-alone tests that will be given to the same students this fall. In other words, our children are being used as virtual guinea pigs by Pearson to develop the state tests.

When I inquired whether an "opt out" clause would be offered to parents so they could allow their children to be excused from the field tests, I was informed by Ken Wagner, deputy education commissioner, there isn't one. This bothers me as an educator and as a parent of four children.

Perhaps I will take the lead of Dr. John King, state education commissioner, whose children won't be in a school where this field testing will occur because they go to private school. Maybe I'll keep my children home.

Actually, I may be on to something. I did a little research, and it appears I am far from the only critic of Pearson, the "high stakes testing" or the use of our children. Groups like "Change the Stakes" and "ParentVoicesNY" are speaking out and boycotting these tests.

In a recent commentary by Dr. King ("Give students their moment," Sept. 5), he writes of the so-called "education reform agenda" including teacher evaluations and the Common Core Standards: "These changes will be felt in every classroom in the state." This statement is not true, as private schools are not subject to these mandates and are therefore exempt. Besides the obvious hypocrisy, it seems patently unethical to not allow an "opt out" clause for the field tests being foisted upon students attending public schools.

TIM FARLEY

Kinderhook


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Letter-Students-aren-t-guinea-pigs-3905545.php#ixzz280BQRymK

----------------- 
Help spread the word.

The Niagara Regional PTA passed an emergency resolution to submit at the New York State PTA convention this fall. The resolution, see link below, calls for  a move away from 3-8 testing and the elimination of teacher and principal evaluation by test scores. Press release attached.  If local PTAs would support this resolution and send out press releases about it, it would be huge.


Link to the Resolution:
http://roundtheinkwell.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/ptaresolution2.pdf


This is the link to the press release
http://roundtheinkwell.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/nrptapressrelease-1.pdf

A great article that refers to the resolution:
New teacher evaluations start to hurt students

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/new-teacher-evaluations-start-to-hurt-students/2012/09/29/f6d1b038-0aa6-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_blog.html#pagebreak



Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

Chapter Leader / Delegate Happy Hour - Friday October 5th at the Grey Dog near Union Square


**** Please Forward Widely **** 
Chapter Leader & Delegate Happy Hour
Inline image 1Are you a chapter leader or delegate (or know someone who is) and want to get advice and strategize with others? Want to build a strong, active chapter but not sure what that would entail? Or are you not currently in a union position at your school but just interested in UFT structure, chapters in general, the responsibilities of chapter leaders and delegates, etc?

Here is a chance to connect with other folks who are Chapter Leaders, Delegates, or just thoughtful union members to compare notes, get advice, and talk about how we can build stronger chapters.
 

Friday, October 5, 4:30pm
at The Grey Dog - 242 w. 16th st. betw. 7th and 8th (1/2/3/A/C/E to 14th or L to 8th Ave)

Rhee’s Teacher Evaluation Program Bombs in DC

Diane Ravitch reported this a few days ago. Worth keeping in the news. Note how Rhee on Education Nation or NPR is not asked about any of this or allowed to slide if it does come up.
This is a stunning article about the teacher evaluation system that Michelle Rhee put in place in the District of Columbia. The article was written by Ben Nuckols of the Associated Press. He is not usually an education writer, but he dug deeper than many education writers.
Rhee fired about 1,000 teachers during her time as chancellor.
Since her evaluation system was put into place, 400 teachers have been fired.
Since the evaluation system was put into place, the federal test scores for the District went flat.
Some teachers get big bonuses. One teacher, at the end of the article, says she is rated “highly effective” and she turned down the bonus.
As Mary Levy, a long-time analyst of the DC school system, says in the article: We have gone from a system where almost no one was terminated, no matter how bad, to the other extreme, where good teachers as well as bad are terminated,” said Mary Levy, an attorney and a longtime analyst of city education policy. “The latter is probably more damaging due to the stress and demoralization it causes.”

Advocates of merit pay and test-based evaluation claim that it will strengthen the teaching profession because teachers will be drawn to the chance to earn a big bonus or higher salary.
This isn’t happening. As the article says, “But many teachers aren’t sticking around long enough to enjoy the higher salaries. The district has one of the highest teacher turnover rates in the nation. Half of new teachers leave the system after 2 years, according to Levy’s analysis, compared with about one-third nationwide. Levy recently began examining individual schools and found two-year turnover rates as high as 94 percent at one elementary school and 66 percent at a high school.
Tim Daly of the New Teacher Project, founded by Rhee, says it is too soon to judge the evaluation system. Give it 5 to 10 years, he says.
Question: Why are we foisting on the entire nation a method that has not been proven successful anywhere? Why not give it 5-10 years and see what happens before making it a national mandate, imposed by state legislatures at the behest of the Race to the Top?

Monday, October 1, 2012

Critics and audiences agree: "Won't Back Down" a tremendous flop; Stop Co-location at PS 202K


Per the NY Times "Arts Beat" column's weekend wrap-up of the national movie box office results:

Walden Media’s “Won’t Back Down,” an education reform drama starring Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal, bombed, selling about $2.7 million in tickets in wide release.

Sometimes there IS a little justice in the world. Really a shame that two such respectable actresses could fall for such propagandist claptrap, and judging from the critics, incredibly poorly written to boot.

Steve Koss
---------
As I wrote on the blog today, the film made an unbelievably low $82 per screening in its opening weekend.

NYC Public School Parents Critics and audiences agree: "Won't Back Down" a tremendous flop 

Only question is how long Murdoch and Anschutz can keep it going; esp since Anschutz also owns regal cinemas, the largest movie theater chain in nation.

Leonie Haimson

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

HELP! Co-Location at Public School 202

Public School 202
982 Hegeman Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11208

SAVE OUR SCHOOL!!

STOP

CO-LOCATION of a Charter School in PS/IS 202
Your Voice Needs to be Heard!

Emergency Parent Meeting

Monday, October 1, 2012
3:00 P.M.
Auditorium
Please forward to all to attend!  Thank you!

Counterpunch: The Meaning of the Chicago Teachers Strike

Cowardly and complicit union leaders—American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten being exhibit A—have gone along with this BS until blaming the teachers has become the default position of much of the country....The CTU now had a leadership and program not willing to play ball with the Democratic Party or the union bureaucracy....
This union leadership knew the first step in their counteroffensive was to engage their rank-and-file. They went school by school and teacher by teacher, to involve them in their union....they valued input from the ranks.  Next, they went to the communities. They were there when the parents protested for a library in the Pilsen neighborhood and they were there to protest every school closing that came up. They were on the offensive. This leadership also understood the importance of solidarity. I remember marching behind their banner in Madison. They were there for UNITE-HERE, they solidarized with the postal workers, they solidarized with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) workers.
.......
don’t confuse the strike with the contract. The strike was an overwhelming huge victory which I will explain. The contract, on the other hand, is a small victory for the teachers. In another period, it would have to be portrayed as a major concession. But, we are not in another period, rather, we are in a period of deep neoliberal attacks.
....
By the 1990s they had the private sector union movement small enough to drown in Grover Norquist’s bathtub. The labor union bureaucracy didn’t want to live to fight another day, but merely to stay on life support.
By this time phase three was in full assault mode. Go after the last bastion—the public sector.
....
The wealthy class never reconciled itself to the Progressive Era, The New Deal, or the Great Society. These were times of gains for us and, therefore, as they viewed it, losses for them.  --- Guy Miller

What a great analysis by Guy Miller. He nails what made the CTU strong -- a class conscious leadership willing to stand up to the ruling class. You know this sounds radical. Well, our union leaders have made the word "strike" a dirty word. I was in Chicago with a bunch of GEM folks in July 2009 with about 200 other union activists from around the nation. We held a march and rally and visited one bank after another that had been raping the Chicago schools. Know your real enemy.



What Really Happened in Chicago

by GUY MILLER
First, there was Madison, a welcome flash of lightning awakening us from the long, quiet night of labor passivity. The events came fast and hard and thousands flowed into the capital square and were ready for a showdown.
But, with a vacuum of street leadership, it only took a few weeks for the Democratic Party and the union bureaucracy to channel this potential energy into a moribund recall Governor Walker effort.

Half a year later came the Occupy Movement, involving tens of thousands of new activists, in a brave stand against Wall Street’s plan of austerity for us, and profits for them. Again, lack of leadership and direction slowed this movement to a crawl and provided an opening for the forces of repression to step in.

Building on these fight-backs, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) was preparing to confront Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his billionaire cronies in a fight for public education. I was a participant in the Chicago Teachers Solidarity Campaign, an organization formed to support the CTU during the strike, and these are some of my observations.

To begin with, don’t confuse the strike with the contract. The strike was an overwhelming huge victory which I will explain. The contract, on the other hand, is a small victory for the teachers. In another period, it would have to be portrayed as a major concession. But, we are not in another period, rather, we are in a period of deep neoliberal attacks.

We are in a world where the rich class has had its way for over thirty years, with a working class and trade union movement so timid and on the defensive that all they seem to want is to hide and not be noticed. A trade union movement, whose answer to every question is to cling to the outside of a lifeboat with “Democratic Party” stenciled across its bow. There they cling, frightened of sharks, dehydration and drowning.

Since the middle of the 1970s, a very organized and coordinated attack has come down on the working people of this country. Phase one was to establish a narrative of greedy workers and put-upon management. Phase two was to begin chipping away at the private sector unions. Here, of course, they had a couple of advantages—outsourcing and downsizing.
Slowly, they either moved jobs out of the North to the South or sent them overseas, or forced those remaining industries to accept less and less.

By the 1990s they had the private sector union movement small enough to drown in Grover Norquist’s bathtub. The labor union bureaucracy didn’t want to live to fight another day, but merely to stay on life support.
By this time phase three was in full assault mode. Go after the last bastion—the public sector.

At the same time, they increased the ideological fight against “big government.” The wealthy class never reconciled itself to the Progressive Era, The New Deal, or the Great Society. These were times of gains for us and, therefore, as they viewed it, losses for them. They regrouped, no longer willing to tolerate interference with their heightened need to accumulate capital in this long period of increased international competition.

The public sector seemed to be as easy pickings as did the private sector. Again, the wealthy class didn’t try to be a python and absorb the whole meal at once.

Instead, they initiated an ideological campaign backed by think tanks, foundations, and the media. Here, the lynchpin was, and is, the teachers’ unions across the country.

It is not an accident that the richest of the rich have been in the forefront of this narrative of failing schools, failing kids and failing teachers.
Start with Bill Gates, who has moved from mosquito nets to charter schools, testing and union busting as his idee fixe.

Next the Walton Family, who never saw a union they didn’t want to bust. The Kochs. The Pritzkers. Almost all the hedge fund managers, bankers and other CEOs are united in their hatred for public education.

Here, it must be pointed out that both the Democrats and Republicans have bought into this “reform” story. Arne Duncan, Rahm Emanuel, and Barack Obama buy totally into this approach, and they ain’t Sarah Palin.

Over the last ten years or so these people have had their way. Cowardly and complicit union leaders—American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten being exhibit A—have gone along with this BS until blaming the teachers has become the default position of much of the country.

No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top are two sides of the same coin. Flip that coin and the problem is—the teachers. Not poverty. Not lack of childcare. Not crumbling infrastructure or adequate funding, just greedy teachers and their obstructionist unions.

No one, nowhere, has challenged this vicious cycle. Then along comes the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (CORE) victory, electing Karen Lewis to the CTU presidency in 2010, and with it a whole new ballgame.

The CTU now had a leadership and program not willing to play ball with the Democratic Party or the union bureaucracy. This is a leadership with many experienced class struggle people who understand what must be done—Say no to Rahm. Say no to the Gates and Say no to the Pritzkers. Say no to a corporate agenda for the schools. Say no to a vision of the future where children are drones taught just enough to become cogs in their machine.

This union leadership knew the first step in their counteroffensive was to engage their rank-and-file. They went school by school and teacher by teacher, to involve them in their union. Unlike the Vaughn and Stewart union administrations before it, they valued input from the ranks.

Next, they went to the communities. They were there when the parents protested for a library in the Pilsen neighborhood and they were there to protest every school closing that came up. They were on the offensive.
This leadership also understood the importance of solidarity. I remember marching behind their banner in Madison. They were there for UNITE-HERE, they solidarized with the postal workers, they solidarized with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) workers.

This leadership kept the membership mobilized. Town Hall meetings. Mass demonstrations at the Auditorium Theater. Labor Day rallies. And more. They did not run and hide.

This leadership fought against racism. They stood for ending the disproportionate firing of African Americans teachers. This leadership stood for libraries, smaller class sizes, art teachers, music teachers, gym teachers, nurses and counselors.

When Rahm and his arrogant school board came with their one-sided proposals and their insulting refusal on the four percent raise, they thought they could roll right over the CTU and have their way.

After all, didn’t Rahm get his way as Obama’s-Chief-of-Staff ? Didn’t he get his way as Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee? Antiwar Democrats? Irrelevant. Progressives? Fucking retards. Yes, he had his way until he ran into Karen Lewis and the class-conscious leadership of the CTU.

The CTU stayed visible. The CTU engaged allies; other unions, the community and students (the Voices of Youth high school students were really inspiring). They did not fold up at the first sign of adversity.
So my evaluation is—the strike was a huge success. It serves as a template and a model of how to fight the seemingly invincible juggernaut. The juggernaut that thinks it controls the future.

Long Live the CTU! Long Live solidarity!

Guy Miller is a 66-year-old native Chicagoan. He worked for 38 years as a switchman on the Chicago Northwestern and Union Pacific Railroads, a proud member of local 577 of the United Transportation Union before retiring in 2008. Currently, he works in a Chicago supermarket and is a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 881.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Won't Back Down II: The Sequel

Charter Manager: Oh, Jamie, I'm sorry to tell you this, but all you did with the trigger was force a change. No one said you would have any say in what that change would be. No one made clear who would make the decisions about how the school would be structured or who would run it. No one had a procedure to appoint a board of directors. I'm sorry Jamie, but when you allowed this school to be converted to a charter, you gave up many of your rights as both a taxpayer and as a parent.

Jamie: Well, I'll go the local school board! They'll force this charter school to have parental involvement!


Geoffrey: My dear Jamie, you didn't think this through, did you? Charter schools offer you "choice"; they do NOT offer you "involvement." If you don't like the way we do things at KSSA, you can "choose" to leave;
that's what school "choice" is all about. But your local district, even though it must give us money to run the school, has no say in how we run the school. We are, in effect, our own district now.
Hilarious must read as Jersey Jazzman skewers KIPP and WBD.

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2012/09/wont-back-down-ii-sequel.html?spref=tw

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UPDATE FROM LEONIE:

Illuminating radio show from Education Radio: the Truth about #parent trigger http://shar.es/5pc0k

It’s longish but well worth listening to.  Includes interviews w/several parent activists incl. me; most fascinating interview w/ CA parent telling what really happened in Adelanto where parents were tricked into signing petition by Parent Revolution who told them, among other things, it called for cleaner bathrooms! 

When they learned the truth, parents weren’t allowed by the judge to take their signatures back.  Any law that calls for radical changes to be made through signing petitions alone is one that cannot be supported, no matter what it calls for.

My interview was done over the summer before I’d seen the movie; I regret that I said that I’d heard it was well-written etc. when this is far from the truth.  I was unfortunately relying on 2nd hand accounts.  Lesson learned: never comment on the quality of anything until you’ve seen it yourself!

Leonie Haimson
Executive Director
Class Size Matters

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

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

Planned:  October 18th morning Press Conference.

Lisa Featherstone Reviews "Won't Back Down" at Dissent

“Be the change you want to see!” Jamie crows to a throng of cheering parents—but democracy is the enemy. Getting rid of representative government and calling in a private entity to handle things, in our current Opposite Day political moment, represents a glorious triumph of people power. The “parent trigger” invites parents to use their vote to give up their vote—that is, to be enormously powerful for one short moment of direct democracy, which they will use to dispose, in the long run, with the “public” part of public school, and thus with any actual power over their children’s education.----Liza Featherstone, a real, not fictional, NYC public school parent.
according to data from National Center for Education Statistics, there is no correlation between teacher dismissal rates and union membership. In Massachusetts, where almost all public school teachers belong to a union, the firing rate for experienced teachers is nearly twice that in North Carolina, where just 2.3 percent of the teaching force is unionized.
Oh Liza, those pesky facts just get in the way of the message.

"Empowerment" Against Democracy: Tinseltown and the Teachers' Unions



“You know those mothers who lift one-ton trucks off their babies?” says Jamie Fitzpatrick, a working-class mom (played Maggie Gyllenhall), in a confrontation with a corrupt union rep in Daniel Barnz’s edu-drama, Won’t Back Down. “They’re nothing compared to me.”
It’s a “you-go-girl” moment. But real moms can’t lift trucks. And just about everything in this movie is as wildly fantastical as that image.

Fed up with her daughter’s horrible public school, Jamie learns about a law that allows parents and teachers to “take over” a failing school. Against the odds, she organizes the powerless and wins over the naysayers. The movie is inspired by real-life “parent trigger” laws, which are pushed by right-wing groups like ALEC, but backed with equal enthusiasm by progressive urban mayors nationwide. The laws allow a charter takeover if 50 percent of the parents agree to it. Charter schools are mostly non-union, and democratically elected officials have little control over them.

Won’t Back Down is liberal Hollywood’s second blast of gas on what was once a bugbear of the Right: the badness of public schools and teachers’ unions, and the magic bullet of hope offered by privatization. The first was Davis Guggenheim’s documentary Waiting for Superman. Barnz’s movie, featuring great actresses Viola Davis and Gyllenhall, is far more watchable than Guggenheim’s, but the fantasy world it inhabits is exactly the same. Its release, just on the heels of the Chicago teachers’ strike, feels eerily timely, as its anti-union talking points are just the same as those of Rahm Emanuel and the monied interests of Chicago.

The film’s presentation of the social context is heartbreakingly accurate—poor kids like Jamie’s daughter, Malia, don’t get the education they deserve. But otherwise, the movie presents a Mad Tea Party view of urban education, and of social change itself. In Won’t Back Down, and in the bipartisan neoliberal fairytale that passes for education reform, teachers and parents are good, but the institutions that represent them—unions, the state—are bad. “Empowerment” is desirable, even ecstatic—“Be the change you want to see!” Jamie crows to a throng of cheering parents—but democracy is the enemy. Getting rid of representative government and calling in a private entity to handle things, in our current Opposite Day political moment, represents a glorious triumph of people power. The “parent trigger” invites parents to use their vote to give up their vote—that is, to be enormously powerful for one short moment of direct democracy, which they will use to dispose, in the long run, with the “public” part of public school, and thus with any actual power over their children’s education.

Jamie leads the fictional takeover because her daughter, who is dyslexic, can’t read. Yet not a word is said in the movie about the need for more services and teachers for special needs kids. The school is depicted as depressing and shabby—what about the need for more resources? What about all the extra support poor children need? We see kids acting out and falling asleep in class—where are the social workers to help those kids?
Never mind those wonky details. The problem, we’re repeatedly led to believe, is the teachers’ union. But if unions were to blame for failing schools, wouldn’t unionized public schools in Princeton or Scarsdale also suck?

Hollywood hasn’t been known to let logic get in the way of a good story, and neither do education reformers. Facts are similarly irrelevant. In the movie, Malia’s teacher—a repellent timeserver who locks the little girl in a closet as punishment—can’t be fired because of the union. There are more than a few problems with this scenario. Outside of Tinseltown and the corporate reform imaginary, union members do get fired. In fact, according to data from National Center for Education Statistics, there is no correlation between teacher dismissal rates and union membership. In Massachusetts, where almost all public school teachers belong to a union, the firing rate for experienced teachers is nearly twice that in North Carolina, where just 2.3 percent of the teaching force is unionized.

Despite scapegoating teachers’ unions, Won’t Back Down is not an anti-teacher movie. Most of the teacher characters—especially Nona, played by Viola Davis—are heroic. That’s because one of the film’s messages is that busting teachers’ unions is better for teachers. In one scene, a meeting to discuss the possible takeover, Nona argues that losing the union will be worth it, “because we’ll be able to teach the way we want.” (The movie is vague on Nona’s pedagogy and why the union prevents it. In real life, charter teachers certainly don’t have any more control over curriculum than public school teachers do.) It is a ruling-class wet dream: workers who are happy to help destroy their own institutions. By giving up the organization through which they wield power, the fictional teachers reason, they will gain more power.

We have wandered deep into the swamp of Upsidedownlandia. Yet the same paradox colors the film’s view of parent power. The movie celebrates parents rising up and taking control of their children’s education—in order to rid themselves of all representation. Though the film does not discuss such pesky governance matters, a “takeover,” in real life, usually means that the school is run by a private organization with limited accountability to the public. While the state does decide ultimately which charters to shut down, there is no oversight by the school board, nor the city government, and certainly not the parents.

Of course, democracy and its institutions are horribly flawed. But to conclude that, therefore, dictatorship would be empowering is just weird. It’s not the first time that idea has been presented in film. Daniel Barnz is no Leni Riefenstahl, of course—he’s not as skilled a filmmaker, and there’s nothing racist or hateful in this movie—but the emotional experience of Won’t Back Down is, for the viewer, not unlike that of the best propaganda. As we cheer for Jamie and Nona, we are rooting against ourselves, against our own capacity for self-governance.

Liza Featherstone is a contributing writer to the Nation. She also writes about education for Al Jazeera English and Newsday, as well as the Brooklyn Rail, where she is the author of the “Report Card” column.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Portelos Won't Back Down

Dear parents/guardians of IS 49,
    This email list originated back when I was the STEM teacher of your children during the 2011-2012 school year. I apologize if you are receiving this in error. Please reply and I will take you off future mailings.

     Most of you know that I was removed as your child's teacher, 157 days ago, after I raised questions pertaining to how money was spent at Berta Dreyfus IS 49. For months they attacked me at school and in the media. They went after my colleagues and made your children's learning environment a hostile setting. What they didn't plan on was going up against the worst opponent... a intelligent, resourceful and very upset parent. The worst part for them is that I have a backbone of steel and no matter how many DOE officials, DOE lawyers and administrators they put up against me my convictions to help this community are unwavering. 

     After beating me down, causing me stress beyond belief and sending me 20 miles away to an empty cubicle in Queens I have picked up more speed and momentum that anyone could have imagined. I uncovered horrible financial misconduct that directly affected your children and have been sharing the play by play saga online at www.protecportelos.org <http://www.protecportelos.org> . I shared allegations,pictures and video of a staff member mishandling students <http://protectportelos.wordpress.com/warrengate-files/> . I have a federal lawsuit, smalls claims law suit for the personal items they won't return to me and a NY State PERB complaint. I've been fighting alone, but I have been fighting big.

Now for the next phase....YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR FAMILIES. www.occupywarrenstreet.org <http://www.occupywarrenstreet.org>

    Instead of repeating everything that I have listed on the site, please see the new site that has been set up for this new movement. I'm not sure I can change the community alone. Please view site and if you agree share and share again. I can assure you that what has been happening at Dreyfus 49 over the years would not have been allowed in some other neighborhoods. Are our children not worth the fight? If we don't fight now, we can fight in a year if they decide to close and still lose as we did in PS 14.

    I have a 16 month old and my wife is about to give birth to my second son soon. We have approximately 10 years before they attend Berta Dreyfus and change takes time. Currently Berta Dreyfus is ranked 939th out of 1,124 middle schools in NY state. That is unacceptable! NYC DOE has a budget of $24 billion dollars and if they will it they can do anything to fix a school. 

Please see www.occupywarrenstreet.org <http://www.occupywarrenstreet.org> and attend the first meeting on October 8, 2012 at 8PM
Vanderbilt Avenue Moravian Church YMCA center
285 Vanderbilt Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10304
Tel: (718) 447-2966

Sincerely,--
-Francesco Portelos
Parent
Educator
Protectportelos.org <http://Protectportelos.org>
Mrportelos.com <http://Mrportelos.com>