What Randi will Suggest at the Oct 30th "Rubber Room" Meeting

TAGNYC is becoming an effective internal lobbying group in the UFT on rubber room, ATR, and U-rated issues. Their demo at the DA on Weds. made a point and may become a regular event at DA's if they feel the UFT does not respond adequately. Read their report of the demo here.

The next day they get a visit from SWAT team member Jim Calahan bearing a list of things Randi will suggest at the RR meeting called for Oct. 30. Most times people bow down and say "Thank you Randi for receiving us. We'll be quiet while you try to work your magic," not realizing she forgot all about them about 10 seconds after the meeting. What I love about the gang in TAGNYC is that they don't take the bull and came up with their own demands. Read them at their blog.

There is no question TAGNYC makes the UFT hierarchy extremely uncomfortable. But they must remain vigilant at any attempts to deflect their militancy with words not backed up by actions. From my experience, that is all they will get: words.

I want to point out at this point that people like Jeff Kaufman, James Eterno and myself (yes, I'll pat myself on the back) kept hammering the UFT leadership on rubber room issues for the past 3 years at Executive Board meetings (giving lie to the New Action rubber stamps who mutter that ICE did nothing on the Executive Board) and asking people from rubber rooms to join us at the meetings to make their voices known. Now they are a regular presence.

TAGNYC is taking things to the next step. The UFT leadership is scared to death at the potential of this group. Yes, the demo was small. But that was intentional as they wanted to make a point. Does anyone doubt that if TAGNYC put out a call far and wide for ATR's, RR's and unfairly U-rated to come to a demo at a UFT Delegate Assembly, they could stop traffic on Broadway. As I've said before, there is often more palpable anger at the UFT than at the DOE, who just act naturally - like swine.

Reports of all too many arrogant, nasty UFT reps who look at people like they are guilty, come in all the time. Maybe it's time to out these people. Randi sees the threat. Thus the SWAT team of Calahan, Combier and Isaac. I may have differences with some of these people, but one thing they can do is talk to people the right way. So for what it's worth, consider them a plus.

ICE's Woodlass (also a member of TAGNYC) spent the entire summer bombarding Weingarten and other UFT officials on the ATR issue, exposing many of their inactions on this blog, and now on her own blog (http://underassault.blogspot.com/). Her relentless pursuit seems to have woken them up. Woodlass demanded they take some action and that are - or making it look like they are.

Randi apologizes at the DA for not giving the RR and ATR issues attention earlier. No one ever said she isn't extremely good at doing this kind of thing. But is it good enough? Now she will hold a meeting of RR people, the first time all of them will be together in the same room.

The UFT modus operendi is to keep people apart so they can't organize, so this meeting is somewhat of an act of desperation and signs of the effectiveness of the activities of people in TAGNYC and other advocates. UFT thinking: Better to get them in your room before they hold their own meeting without you and grow even stronger. I just hope TAGNYC won't be deflected and will continue to organize and grow as this issue will not go away and the UFT will forget about them the minute the pressure is off.

Here is part of TAGNYC's reports on their blog:

TAGNYC mounted a very successful demonstration in front of the UFT headquarters. Posters bearing slogans like "UFT, WHERE ARE YOU", "SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN', "ATRS- DUMPING GROUND FOR TENURED TEACHERS" were on prominent display. Approximately 600 flyers (our position paper) were distributed.

Our message UFT Defend Our Rights was made loudly and clearly. The reason for yesterday's rally can be found on our blog. The statement of reason ends with the sentence:

This is why TAG is marchig knowing full well that Bloomberg-Klein is our enemy but wondering who and where are our friends.

You can read what Randi will "demand" of the DOE at the TAGNYC blog. Maybe she'll get something, not as much due to her demands, but the increasingly sympathetic exposure on the issue in the mainstream press, an embarrassment to Tweed. The question I urge people to raise at the meeting: What is the UFT willing to do to back up it's demands? Demonstrations? Law suits? Press conferences?

Just saying you demand means nothing as people never know the shell game behind the scenes. Just look at the merit pay October surprise sprung on the delegates on Weds. We do know that the UFT will never make a real stand - they might get some concessions, pass on the rest and trumpet it as a great victory.

Dispatch - The Movie

Some people at the Delegate Assembly, where I gave out the final monthly print edition of Education Notes, seemed worried. What would I do with with so much time on my hands? With robotics, movies and other projects, no problem.

I've been working for almost a year as a producer/editor/videographer on a film called "Dispatch" about a cab company in Rockaway. We are close to the final cut and we're planning test screenings on Nov. 3rd and 8th at Fort Tilden in Rockaway to gauge reactions to fine tune it. Email for details if interested.

The idea came from retired NYC teacher Bob Sarnoff, a man of many talents. This is his third film. Currently, a version of his "Irish Ropes" about a boxing club in Rockaway featuring middle weight John Duddy, which I also worked on, is playing on the MSG network.

My partner in NorMark productions is the very talented Mark Rosenhaft (optician and co-proprietor of Central Vision Care on Central Ave. in Cedarhurst - plug, plug, plug).

Working with such talented people (what do I do? - order the pizzas), I had a lot of fun and hope to do a lot more film work. Hmmm. Maybe a film about collaboration in education. Or how teachers will work their buns off for merit pay.

You can view the "Dispatch" trailer at http://www.dispatchthemovie.blogspot.com/

Poster by Mark Rosenhaft

Joe Torre Rejects Merit Pay

With Joe Torre out of a job after leaving a potential $8 million incentive laden offer on the table by the NY Yankees, he has been asked to accept the job of UFT President in case Randi Weingarten relinquishes the position when she becomes president of the AFT this July. After a few minutes consideration, Torre rejected the UFT, unwilling to have any association with an organization that accepts any semblance of pay for performance.


In other news, the UFT announced a performance for pay plan for UFT borough staff. The borough office that wins the most grievances will be offered a large bonus to be split among all employees who are members of Unity Caucus.


Gary Babad at GBN News reports at the NYC Public SchoolParents blog that schools will be given 3 choices on how to divide the bonus money (excepts):

1. Teachers who spend all day on test prep will receive more money than those who waste their students’ time with unrelated activities such as art, music, and social studies.

2. During assembly period, teachers will break open the piñata and each will keep all he or she can scoop up.

3. A committee consisting of the Principal, a designee appointed by the Principal, and two UFT members will travel to Atlantic City and try to double the award.

Read it all here.

UFT Opts Out

Agent Scott Boras reported today his client, the United Federation of Teachers, has opted out of the fight for better working conditions and the battle against high stakes testing, among many other issues too numerous to enumerate. However, they have opted in on the total collaboration and capitulation of just about any principles of unionism.


Boras' other client

Merit Pay Has Arrived

Updated 10/18/07 8am
Check Jeff Kaufman and James Eterno's extensive report on the ICE blog where they also cover details of the pension agreement. In a future post I will focus on the UFT hypocrisy on high stakes testing and how the task force spent a year meeting, issue a report on the evils of high stakes testing and then strikes a deal which codifies the very opposite. What was the task force all about? PR for the members.

Come to the open ICE meeting Friday, Oct. 19 at 4:30 at Murray Bergtraum HS.
These issues will be discussed in depth with the goal of publishing an analysis.


The Teacher View

by Michal Fiorillo Chapter Leader, Newcomers High School posted to ICE-mail

At this afternoon's Delegate Assembly, Randi once again demonstrated her tactical brilliance in manipulating and jamming the members she purportedly represents, while conducting strategically catastrophic negotiations for those same members. Coupling a 55-25 pension deal - which must be passed by the state legislature to go into effect - with school-wide merit pay will provide for immediate division among members in the schools, while benefiting an ever-diminishing number of teachers who can somehow survive their middle and senior professional years without being U'd, ATR'ed, Rubber Roomed and disposed of.

Couching this agreement with Bloomberg as a firewall that will prevent individual merit pay from coming to NYC, Randi has negotiated a plan that enshrines and institutionalizes high-stakes tests, provides incentives for cheating and gaming the exams, and places schools that refuse to participate in greater danger of being closed or reorganized. It also mandates private funding of the merit-pay process, increasing the de facto privatization, of policy if not management, being facilitated in New York City by the UFT.

Today's DA was a disgraceful episode, in which a fundamental trade union ethic - equal pay for equal work - was pitted against another apple pie union demand, pension improvement. But for someone like me, a ten year teacher who still has memories of a pre-Business Model system, reaching twenty years seems more and more like a mirage. Sure, Randi can claim that she's gotten more money, but ever fewer of us will live to see it. After all, these people think the schools can be staffed with a combination of upscale Peace Corps/Missionary resume polishers and foreign temps.

While I had to bitterly marvel at her mastery of the dark arts, the meeting was yet another demoralizing UFT spectacle. Nevertheless, I plan to go work tomorrow and teach, and begin to educate my colleagues to reject this blood money deal.


The Parent View

Leonie Haimson in a post to the nyceducationnews listserve:

See the new $20 million program of teacher merit pay announced today, based on school “performance” which in this case means test scores.

First the administration insists on paying bonuses to principals for high test scores, then paying kids for high test scores, now paying teachers for high test scores. This year the $20 million will be paid for by Broad and Robertson foundations and the NYC Partnership; next year it will cost double and will come from our tax money – or even worse, our children’s CFE dividend.

This system of rewards will not be fair to teachers – whose disparities in working conditions, overcrowding and unequal class sizes are not being addressed, or taken into account anywhere in the so-called accountability system. Thus they will be denied a level playing field to succeed; just as our kids are deprived of an equal chance to learn. Not to mention that one year’s test results are completely unreliable, statistically speaking.

Already too many of our schools are test prep factories—this will make it even worse. My son’s 4^th grade class started w/ test prep and filling in multiple choice practice tests the second week of school, even though our school already has some of the highest scores in the city. Why? To raise those scores even higher.

The worst part of this horrid proposal is that the UFT got Quinn and Thompson – two likely candidates to be our next Mayor – to buy into it. I suppose the teachers at least will get to retire early as part of the deal; the kids – and their parents – will get further screwed – possibly for years to come.

For why this system of rewards will be unfair – and counterproductive for our neediest students -- see the blog entry from Sept. 4 here:

Ten reasons to distrust the new accountability system

http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2007/09/ten-reasons-to-distrust-new.html

“For all these reasons and more, the new accountability initiative [and this new system of bonuses] may work to impoverish all of our students and schools – while punishing those who need our help the most.”

Leonie Haimson

Executive Director

Class Size Matters

Unity Gives Itself a Raise – With New Action Support

Updated Tues, Oct. 16, 9pm

New Action joined in with Unity at Monday's UFT Exec. Bd. meeting in voting the same raise for UFT staff as teachers receive. The vote was unanimous with the 8 New Action Ex Bd members going along for the ride. The entire process took about 15 seconds. Now all Unity hacks can make mid 6 figure salaries to go along with their double pensions.

Last time Jeff and James put up a fierce fight. No more fights, with the rubber stamp New Action joining in on the Unity follies. Giving people employed by the union these raises gives them a vested interest in pushing for contracts that will feather their nests as opposed to fighting for better working conditions like reducing class size or eliminating potty patrol.

The desperation with which they fought for the 2005 contract certainly reinforces this view. Especially since they make so much higher salaries than rank and file teachers, so their percentage increase makes the gap between the UFT hierarchy and the members grow. Add the fact that they make up almost the entire Exec. Bd and dominate the Delegate Assembly, and you have a prescription for the disaster that has hit the NYC teaching corps.

Read NYC Educator's report on the election of Leo Casey as High School VP, defeating the token New Action candidate Jonathan Halabi, who actually puts out some good ideas for union reform on his blog, but is silent when it comes to open advocacy at Delegate Assemblies and Executive Board meetings. Reminds me of how the UFT puts out a report on high stakes testing and does nothing about it.

By joining with the non-critical New Action instead of trying to build a real opposition, reformers like Halabi make a choice to accept crumbs from the union leadership rather then help build a true movement for change.

Leo Casey Redux
Speaking of Casey's election as HS VP (which he coveted in 2002 when he was passed over)

Ed Notes reported in the Fall 2002 edition (the first 16 page tabloid we printed):

(NOTE: How New Action leader Mike Shulman was screwed back then but seems to have figured out how to worm his way into UFT officialdom - the ole "If you can't beat 'em" ploy.)

Fall 2002
New HS VP leads to sighs of relief in UFT High Schools
Frank Volpicella’s promotion from Brooklyn HS district rep to the Academic HS VP, despite the sham election at the Sept. 9 Exec Bd. meeting (he won 75-5 over New Action James Eterno despite the fact that the NA/PAC slate won the majority of votes of high school teachers in the last election) has led a number of union observers to breathe a sigh of relief that the ever popular Leo Casey was passed over for the job. Casey, who had been Randi Weingarten’s chapter leader during her 10 minutes of teaching at Clara Barton HS, is currently a UFT full time field rep. doing research into the extent of mouse droppings at union headquarters. Rumor is he won’t get the HS VP position until he has finished counting all the turds at 260 Park Ave. South.


High School VP Election Exposes Lack of Democracy in UFT

fall 2002

When John Soldini retired as Vice President of the Academic High Schools, the UFT Executive Board held an election on Sept. 9 to choose his replacement. Brooklyn HS District Rep. Frank Volpicella was the Unity nominated candidate (which means he was hand chosen by Randi Weingarten.) James Eterno was supported by New Action and PAC. When the votes were counted, Volpicella won by a count of 75-5. With such an overwhelming victory you’d get the impression that the sentiment of high school teachers would be overwhelmingly for Volpicella. You’d be wrong. If a popular election was held in the high schools, Eterno would win by a significant margin.

In the last UFT election in the spring of 2001 HS teachers voted for the NA/PAC slate by a 54% margin. (The opposition also won the Academic HS vote in the ‘95, ‘97, ‘99, ‘01 election.) Yet NA/PAC only has 6 Executive Board seats. Unity owns the rest. Unity also controls the HS vice presidency even though their candidate loses the vote among HS teachers. How can this discrepancy be explained? Sit down boys and girls and let us regale you with:

THE BALLAD OF AT- LARGE VOTING

Prior to 1995, divisional vice presidents were elected only by their constituents. Elementary teachers voted for their veep. Junior High Schools voted for their veep. Ditto High Schools.

Thousands of academic HS teachers are disenfranchised
The opposition began to win HS Exec. Bd. seats back in the 80’s which culminated in Mike Shulman actually winning the HS Veep election in 1985 and becoming the first (and only) non-Unity member of the ruling Administrative committee (the Adcom). This so shocked Unity, they forced one of the UFT’s founding fathers George Altomare to retire for daring to lose. Unity’s new candidate John Soldini recaptured the Veep position in the next election. In 1991, Shulman narrowly lost to Soldini (by about 100 votes) while NA won all HS Exec. Bd. seats. The Unity braintrust cast about for a way to prevent this from happening again. The had their chance when they narrowly recaptured all the Exec. Bd. seats in the ‘93 election. They rammed through a constitutional amendment where the divisional vice presidents were elected by the entire membership rather than the members of their own division. This is known as at-large voting. Thus, retired teachers and paras and elementary teachers and Junior High Schools teachers and guidance counselors, etc., etc., get to vote for the academic HS Veep and Unity gets to keep a monopoly on the Adcom. (Follow all this? don’t worry, we’ll repeat it in future editions of Ed. Notes.)

That is how Eterno’s 5 votes (1 NA member has left teaching) out of 80 cast at the Exec. Bd. meeting on Sept. 9 is so misleading and so unfair to high school teachers. And this is one way Unity Caucus controls the entire machinery of the UFT.

If Gore really won, then Eterno really won
It’s pretty funny to hear Randi Weingarten often joke that Al Gore really won the presidential election. Well the next time she does, tell her that James Eterno also really won the election for HS Veep.

Running a union and maintaining control is simple:
When the opposition gets close to winning or actually wins, just change the rules.


Report from the AFT 2002 Convention: Anti-War Resolution Defeated

Leo Casey of the United Federation of Teachers countered: "If ever there was a just war, this war is just."

Reported by EIA's Mike Antonucci

A group of delegates led by the contingent from the Professional Staff Congress of the City University of New York attempted to substitute its anti-war Resolution 46 for the moderately pro-war Resolution 49 submitted by the AFT Executive Council. Though the AFT leadership was outmaneuvered at the microphones by the anti-war group, the substitute motion was rejected and Resolution 49 was approved by about a three-fourths vote.
The adopted Resolution 49 offers support for the war on terrorism, with appropriate caveats about civil liberties and the use of force. The biggest complaint of the anti-war crowd was this sentence: "We support the use of the wide range of powers at the country's disposal to eradicate this threat to our people, our liberty and our children's future." Tania Kappner of Oakland argued that this was a "blank check for Bush" to conduct all future wars.

But Leo Casey of the United Federation of Teachers countered: "If ever there was a just war, this war is just."

(Ed. Note: Leo Casey is the UFT’s foreign policy director.)

Go Baltimore - More Alonso

DB has been tracking events in Baltimore where Klein Klone Andres Alonso seems to be meeting a bit of resistance from a union that did not think "it is all breathtakenly possible."*

DB comments: "The union has some balls in baltimore and so does the city council,"

What Alonso needs is a 30 person public relations team.

Baltimore Sun

Council eyes resolution to back teachers over impasse

October 16, 2007

A dispute between the Baltimore Teachers Union and the chief of the city school system spilled into the City Council last night with the introduction of a nonbinding resolution supporting the union in the impasse. Read more...

*Randi Weingarten's comment when BloomKlein announced Children First (read Last).

Weds: Protest for Teachers' Rights

TAG has put out a call for teachers to join us in a demonstration to tell Randi that the UFT is here to support and defend the right of teachers to be the competent professionals that we are.

We will bring this message to the Delegate Assembly:

October 17, 2007
UFT HQ: 52 Broadway, Manhattan
3:30 - 6:00p.m.

Media attention is now on the Rubber Rooms. That is good but TAG wants attention on the reasons why the Rubber Rooms are so full: Bloomberg-Klein's empowerment of administrators to remove teachers by unfair U-ratings, tossing them thereby into the Rubber Rooms.

We want media attention on the plight of the ATRs. Why are there ATRs when the City is hiring thousands of new teachers?

We want media attention on how the new funding formula is creating the ATR situation and the elimination of senior/experienced teachers.

We want media attention on the plight of the whistle blower.

We want media attention on the fact the the UFT has done nothing to stop this harassment of teachers until the "sexy" issue of the Rubber Rooms exploded.

This demonstration wants answers from the UFT.

Why aren't you representing us?

The UFT "SWAT" Team and the Rubber Room

So we are alive!!!! – message from teacher in the Bronx Rubber Room (full message at the bottom of this post.

Pictures sent to Ed Notes by cell phone from Queens Rubber Room

"One thing was clear after talking to people in the RR: the overwhelming majority were as angry at the UFT as they were at the DOE, feeling the UFT had abandoned them."

This was what I told Elizabeth Green who reports in today's NY Sun article about how Randi Weingarten is going to take action on the rubber rooms. [I posted the article at Norms Notes.] The article highlights the new SWAT team Weingarten has put together. The team, is reportedly headed by recently hired "Betsy Combier and two unnamed NY Teacher reporters."

They are long-time NY Teacher reporter Jim Callahan and retired teacher Ron Isaac. I am very familiar with all three members, having known all of them for a number of years. I'll have more to say about these particulars at another time.

I am quoted in the article in this paragraph:

Ms. Weingarten's promise to ramp up pressure on the issue of rubber rooms comes as she is facing more pressure to act from inside her union and beyond. Factions have formed within the union to fight on behalf of teachers in rubber rooms, making suggestions ranging from hiring more staff to defend teachers to issuing subpoenas of state agencies on their behalf. One group, the Teacher Advocacy Group, plans to picket the union's Lower Manhattan headquarters Wednesday following a delegate assembly meeting, a retired teacher who is advising the group, Norman Scott, said. The group will carry signs charging that the union has "dropped the ball" on protecting teachers.

Green got some of the gist of what I told her, though I did not identify myself as an advisor to TAG, who have proven themselves perfectly capable of acting on their own. My point has been that the UFT, instead of automatically doing what a union should do – exert a rigorous defense of its members' rights without being concerned over their guilt or innocence – is more concerned about being slammed by the press over defending people who may be guilty than in protecting the rights of the innocent. In the past, the innocent have been treated like collateral damage.

Years ago, Jeff Kaufman and I began raising the situation of the rubber rooms at UFT executive Board meetings. After Jeff's tenure in the rubber room, he began to invite people he met to come to the meetings and use the 10 minutes of free speaking time to raise the issues. After a while, not a meeting passed without some people from rubber rooms present to remind the UFT leadership of their plight, often to deaf ears. At some point, Betsy Combier began attending meetings (even though not a UFT member) with some people she was working with. Callahan and Isaac were also present but never said anything.

When Jeff Kaufman raised a motion in June 2006 calling on the UFT to hire paralegals to conduct an investigation on the part of the teacher being charged instead of leaving this important step in the hands of a biased unit of the DOE, Randi Weingarten categorically rejected it, something I pointed out to Green.

After hearing of people spending months in the RR for minor charges and often being exonerated (allegations of an inappropriate comment or throwing a kid out of the room -- things every teacher does at some point) -- I raised the issue about why people had to sit for so long without having their case expedited and called for the UFT to offer those teachers who wanted their cases heard quickly an opportunity to do so. Randi Weingarten responded that surveys showed that most people did not want to rush through the process and even though the contract had time limits, their violation caused no great sense of "let's file a grievance."

She might have been right on this as some friends who had spent time in the RR gave me a sense of the total devastation this caused them and even those exonerated would never teach the same way. There were harges that conditions are purposely set up to break them psychologically and many are gunshy about returning to work, with some comparing the RR to gulags. Recent press reports confirm these conditions. Many began developing a rubber room mentality -- feelings of unity and support of each other surfaced as they told their stories.

As I said in the opening: One thing was clear after talking to people in the RR: the overwhelming majority were as angry at the UFT as they were at the DOE, feeling the UFT had abandoned them.

I raised this issue to Elizabeth Green and pointed to the increasing organizing efforts of RR people, as evidenced by TAGNYC, a group that goes beyond just RR people but included UFT'ers under attack by administrators and ATR's. Because of past inaction by the UFT, the very thing that created outside advocates like Betsy Combier, internal lobby groups are springing up, as people understand the UFT has a narrow range of interests, one of which is to undercut any move to militant organizing. Thus, the UFT tries to deal with individual cases, not groups.

Whereas many RR people were happy to see Betsy, now that she is on the UFT payroll, some refer to her as a "spy for Randi." It will take a long time to overcome the mistrust created by the UFT officials' attitude towards people.

I told Green that I viewed the SWAT team in this light – as a response. And maybe some good will come of it. But I also view it as an attempt to deflect militant organizing – damage control. The members of the SWAT team have assured me they will not allow this to happen. We'll see. Talk in the article about a law suit, even internal UFT legal sources say it is not a reality. See the lawsuit as a threat to the DOE (you can guffaw at that) or as a way to deflect. "See us file a lawsuit, now go away. See lawsuit sit in a drawer, joining the supposed senior teacher discrimination law suit."

What does Jeff Kaufman think of the actions of the UFT? Green says:

Some in the union ridiculed Ms. Weingarten's push for compromise, saying it will not resolve what they described as the UFT's failure to provide teachers in rubber rooms with strong legal representation. "They need people that have some kind of understanding and background in employment investigations. They have nothing," a teacher who was placed in a rubber room and who is also a lawyer, Jeffrey Kaufman, said.

Report from the Bronx rubber room (Sept 29)
Norm... the Rubber room in the Bronx has been very active
We were told that Randi wanted to meet with us - the meeting will be arranged in the near future- expect good numbers

First day of "back to school" we were introduced to Marlene Siegal (remember her?) as the Coordinator of 501 Courtlandt-
She entered each room with the (male) gang of five - distributing a leaflet containing the rules of governance. These "new" and "old" rules included no computers, no beach chairs, no roaming in the hallways, no refrig..., no microwave- issuance of time cards and time clocks- issuance of a "bathroom" passes and an escort(if exiting the 4th floor) and on and on

We called our "Bronx is Burning" UFT office and requested an immediate response to the 2007 Police State at 501
We wanted to know why Jose Vargas approved this? aka Ms. Siegals' testimony
The meeting did not include Jose Vargas- instead he sent his apologies and Rodney Grubiak and a few others (6).
At the meeting Rodney handed out the 1990s memo from the Chancellor indicating the elimination of timeclocks.
And the chanc. regs on the definition of "school staff"
We are considered "other" based on our offsite location-according to the Bronx UFT personnel.

The question was asked regarding "Age Discrimination", "Retaliation" (I am Harassed) and ATRs.

Rodney told Rep. X to "WRITE THAT DOWN" -simply stating "If you want" to speak to us about your individual cases we will be more than happy to assist you-
We replied- We are "one"- a collective unit of experienced teachers who are being harassed ... look at the quality and quantity.

Next UFT meeting included Jim Callahan and no Jose. Callagan and the other gentleman (sorry -forgot the name) were so effective. - They spoke to us-not at us - We really needed a good dose of reassurance and optimism.
[Ed. Note: Nice work by the UFT reps here and a legit function of the SWAT team.]

This time Rodney was less abrasive.
He acknowledged "our" importance- mentioned Randi 5X (why is loyalty so selective...when he thinks it is in his best interest)- reminding us that the fight against injustice would "remain" vigilant wanting to remain "a positive focal point" -he continued talking... stating that he would always be responsive -and Rodney better have a "damn good" reason for not calling you- as he enthusiastically handed out the "b-cards."

Immediately a teacher raised her hand and said "Mr. Grubiak" I have been calling you since last year- left you "a lot" of messages- (I have it all recorded) and I keep calling you and you have never responded- What is your reason? He said ...let me give you my card- she said " do not bother I have you "on speed dial"- Then...another shouted what is the "damn good reason" for losing my papers-jeopardizing my career- for failure to respond to the charges (to the State).

We were and continue to be vocal and active in "our" phone call blitz efforts to the Bronx.
The numbers as of Friday were 127 and growing ( because of age discrimination and retaliation).

We are currently under the direct supervision of a "supervisor"- who has an office on the 4th floor.

A reporter from the Post tried to interview several teachers- we put the word out -nobody talked to the Post. We were concerned about the "spin"-at the POST.

The Daily News is currently interviewing a few of our members-

So we are alive!!!!
The NEA, the elections, Randi's comments/declarations at the Executive Board-followed by the article in the NY Teacher, the DOE and its monitoring closely agenda, the Councilwoman who will take a stand (Rubber room)and the involvements of Parents- we are active- of course watching closely.

Merit Pay, the UFT, TJC, and NCLB

At one point I did not understand how the UFT and Weingarten could support merit pay in any form. But after reading the Kahlenberg book on Al Shanker, it all makes sense. For those who think Randi has taken the union in a different direction than Shanker, take a look at the book and you will see just about all of the union's current policies in there from the early 80's on.

The UFT is against the individual merit pay provision in NCLB but will accept (even if they don't say so openly) building merit pay as not being as onerous. Sure. The UFT/AFT should be calling for the total abolition of NCLB, which has been so onerous to teachers, students and parents. But much of the NCLB law could have been written by Shanker.

I spent months in 2002 trying to get a resolution at the DA urging a fight against all forms of merit pay but was stonewalled by Weingarten. That frustrating experience gave me an insight into where she was really coming from and led to a break with her that moved me to change direction from trying to use friendly persuasion on Randi to open opposition.

Marian Swerdlow and others in TJC were totally supportive of my efforts at the time despite being mildly critical of Ed Notes for trying to play ball with Randi for the 5 previous years. They were so right.

My bone to pick with this resolution is that if there would be a nationwide demo, it should address the core issues of joining with others around the nation to fight against reauthorization of the entire NCLB Act and not limit it to such a narrow focus as merit pay. But this is a specificly targeted resolution that also addresses the building merit pay issue and if passed (snowball in hell territory here) it could be expanded in the future. Urge your reps to support it at Weds. DA. If they are Unity Caucus, ask them to explain why they are opposed.

To be presented at the UFT Delegate Assembly, Oct. 17 by Teachers for a Just Contract.

THE UFT MUST LAUNCH A REAL FIGHT AGAINST MERIT PAY
The reauthorized No Child Left Behind Act is heading towards the inclusion of a provision forcing school districts to implement individual merit pay to teachers as a condition for receiving important federal funding. Individual merit pay is not only intrinsically unfair, the competition among colleagues it engenders destroys our ability to act together as a union. It is also destructive to the mutually helpful cooperation that goes on among teachers all the time: comparing and sharing experiences, methods, lesson plans, etc. (School based merit pay is equally unfair and carries its own set of problems as well.) What this would mean is that part of the pay package we negotiate, instead of going to across the board raises, would be dedicated to this unfair and destructive scheme.

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Weingarten and the union leadership have no credible plan to protect us from this threat. Teachers for a Just Contract will be proposing an effective launch for a serious campaign to defeat this threat at the Delegate Assembly on Wednesday, October 17, by proposing the resolution below. It calls for a nationwide demonstration by teachers in Washington D.C., to publicize the dangers of merit pay to education, and put our representatives - Democrats and Republicans alike - that we will take this fight to the mat.

Resolution Against Using the Threat of Defunding Schools to Impose Merit Pay

Whereas: Merit pay is intrinsically unfair and detrimental to professionalism and union solidarity among teachers;

Whereas: Any provision of federal law making Title I funding to a district conditional upon its imposition of pay for performance (a.k.a.merit pay), whether individual or school-based, as measured by testing, as proposed for the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Law, virtually imposes this unfair scheme on nearly all of our nation's teachers;

Whereas: We cannot depend upon writing letters and lobbying Senators and Congresspersons to be enough to stop this strong and serious threat to our students, our profession and our unions;

Whereas: holding mass demonstrations in the nation's capital has proven an effective tool for pressuring Congress and winning public support for past social causes, including peace, civil rights and women's rights;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the UFT will initiate, organize and build among our sister teacher union locals a nation wide demonstration and protest, to be held in Washington, D.C., at the earliest optimal date for the dual purpose of focusing public attention on our powerful arguments against merit pay based on testing, and demonstrating to our elected representatives the strength and resolve of our opposition to this provision.

Chapter Leader Fights Back Against Paperwork

I received this from an elem school Chapter Leader. Some might say this will have no impact. Maybe not. But a proactive chapter leader has an impact. The key here is to publish this agenda throughout the school in advance (I used to start by giving it to the principal 2 days before the meeting and ask if she had any concerns for me to bring up.) Follow up with circulating the responses of the principal, including where there is no response. I also liked to have as many people at the Consultation Committee meetings as I could get away with, from all levels of the school -- para, teachers from different grades, cluster, secretary, etc. Not always easy but I used to sign the entire staff up in September for at least one meeting a year while holding the coveted UFT calendar in my hand (that was before electronic devices) . We always had a nice group at each meeting. Bribery works. Maybe try a cookie too.

If you have suggestions email me or comment here.

Norm,

Here is my agenda for Consultation Committee. It was created as a way to fight back against the ridiculous amount of paperwork required of classroom teachers. Please share it with any chapter leader who is interested. If anyone has more suggestions for me, I welcome them. Thanks.

1. “Mandated” Paper Work

• Redundancy
• Excessive
• No consultation with teachers

2. Computers in classroom not set up

In light of the paperwork that is deemed excessive and redundant by staff members yet “mandated” by administration, we must take time to review all “mandates” and adhere to them as well.

3. SAVE Room (Mandated by NYS Law – failure to comply will result in complaints filed with appropriate agencies in NYS)

4. Student Removal Process (Mandated by NYS Law as well as Teachers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement with the City of NY)

• Violent students: such students will be immediately sent to the principal (or her designee) and students may not be returned to class until the principal has a conference with each teacher. Reminder: when such students are sent to the principals office they must be supervised by someone other than a secretary)
• Removal of students that substantially disrupt the education process: Principal must respond to teachers request in a reasonable amount of time.

5. Security:

• Must be present at open doors at all times
• Teachers are coming in early and staying late with no security to protect them

6. Adequate Supplies (Article 7R – Teachers’ Contract)

• Staples, pens, pencils, post its (needed for writers’ workshop)
• Paper (for rubrics and process statements)
• Chalk or dry erase markers
• Plastic sheets for overhead projector
• All necessary materials needed for all bulletin boards
• Copy of NYS standards for each teacher to adequately prepare her lessons

7. Organization of a Pupil Personnel Team as “mandated” by Chancellor’s Reg A -443.

8. New Teacher Mentoring: Who’s accountable for explaining EClass? With so many new early grade teachers…. why were mentors unfamiliar with EClass or “workshop” model hired to help train?

9. Tutoring: ALL teachers must participate in tutoring. Why were some teachers allowed to arrange their schedule as to avoid the tutorial period at the end of the day?

Nailing BloomKlein's Ass to the Wall

Leonie Haimson posted this on her nyceducationnews listserve yesterday (Friday). Read her and her band of merry men (and women) on the NYC Public School Parent blog.

Andy Wolf wrote a good column [Friday] on how the students accepted at the small schools compared to the large are very different, putting in question the administration’s claims of improving graduation rates by closing down the large schools and replacing them with small ones. He credits these findings to a recent Eduwonkette column and an earlier one on the UFT blog by Leo Casey from March 2007 here. Both were good analyses, and it’s good that this issue is finally receiving the attention it deserves, but it is long overdue.

Leonie points to some background material she has posted in the past:

In November 2005 I presented [a report] to the PEP and the UPA here: http://www.classsizematters.org/smallschoolsreport.html

Many of my observations were based on a report by Policy Studies Associates completed in March 2005, suppressed for many months by New Visions, and then leaked to the NY Times in Nov. 2005 – which had many of the same findings and facts and more, based upon background student data gotten directly from DOE.

The PSA report examined not just the new schools placed in Evander but throughout the Bronx. It also showed how the creation of the small schools had led to worse conditions and more overcrowding for all those students left behind in the large schools.

Here is an excerpt of the summary that I presented in Nov. 2005: http://www.classsizematters.org/smallschoolsreport.html

“By gaining access to student records, the analysis substantiates what DOE officials have long denied – that these schools recruit students with better scores, attendance, and overall records than the population from which they are drawn. See for example the recent NYC Partnership report -- which misleadingly compares NCHS students to the average student citywide.

As the Policy Studies report points out, "These citywide comparisons are of only limited usefulness, since [this] initiative is intended to improve education opportunities and outcomes for students who might otherwise attend some of the city's most troubled high schools." Thus their evaluation properly compares the earlier records of students at the new small schools to those attending neighboring or host comprehensive high schools.

The students at the small schools had eighth grade math and reading scores significantly higher than their peers in the comparison schools; and 97% of them had been promoted in the prior year, compared with only 59% of the students at the comparison schools. They had better attendance records (91% compared to 81%), and were less likely to have been suspended. They were much less likely to need special education services. Only six percent of Bronx NCHS students had IEPs, compared with 25% at the comparison schools; and none of the NCHS special education students had the most serious disabilities.

Indeed, teachers at the new small schools praised their principals for "recruiting more high-performing students".

I also pointed out that these schools did appear to be doing a better job keeping their students engaged – something ignored by the recent exposes – but not because of the small size of the schools, but primarily because of their smaller classes:

While the students attending small schools maintained their previously good attendance, even the subset of students who previously had good attendance who enrolled at the larger high schools experienced a 10% drop in attendance in 9th grade. And while 6% of NCHS students transferred schools, and 10% were discharged from the system entirely, the transfer rate among incoming students at the larger schools was 14% and the discharge rate was 20% -- showing that more than a third of these students departed from the larger schools each year. …

Why were the new small schools more successful at keeping their students engaged? Students reported that their teachers were able to know them well, give them individualized instruction and help, and provide lots of attention in and out of class. As one pointed out, "the teachers I have had at other schools never knew me." While class sizes at the larger high schools average 30 students or more, class sizes at most of the new small schools were between 13 and 20 students, as pointed out by the first year evaluation. 9 The fact that these schools provided much smaller classes was noted by students themselves in surveys as their most valuable quality.10 As a result, “Teachers listen to you and get your opinion.” “In a normal high school, they don’t talk to you when you have a problem. They don’t care.” Another student said, “Slipping through the cracks? Not at this school!” Indeed, without smaller classes it's hard to see how these schools could succeed in their mission at all. …

And what about the majority of New York City students, who will continue to attend our larger high schools?

In the recent New Visions interim report, there is a timeline in which by 2010, "innovative educational methods from NYC's small high schools" are supposed to "improve teaching and learning at the city's traditional high schools." 12 This is critical, since even if its ambitious goal is achieved of 200 new smaller schools, fully two thirds of NYC students will continue to attend larger high schools.

As the class size in the small schools appear to be their most successful elements, without a plan to eventually provide smaller classes and more individualized instruction to all high school students, it is difficult to see how this will ever occur. “

My more recent City Council testimony is here Feb. 16 2007 here, with updated info on how the new small schools not only exclude our neediest students, but also provide them w/ smaller classes -- and how the city has no plan to deal w/ the increasing inequities of the system it has created.

Today's Quickies

October 12, 2007

Getting High on High Stakes

Initial report. I'll be posting updates and pics of the conference as more reports come in and we look at the video.

Despite the awful weather, about 60 people, mostly from the NYC school system, attended yesterday's HIGH STAKES: How the Testing Craze Leaves NYC Children Behind forum at Fordham.

Great work by Teachers Unite's Sally Lee in organizing this event and the events to follow. There will be 4 this year, plus possibly some other activities.

Many groups were there - Jane Hirshman from "Time Out From testing", Seth Rader from NYCORE and others I can't remember now. There's obviously lots of activity out there by a number of teachers active on all sorts of issues. It is interesting that to most of them, the UFT is not a factor. Leo Casey was there from the UFT scoping things out but did not speak.

Speakers Stan Karp (Rethinking Schools) and Ann Cook (The Urban Academy) focused on different aspects of the testing craze. Stan talked about the national impact of NCLB and what can be done to fight it. Ann focused on the NYC and NY State angle. I taped both talks and at some point we will make them available when we figure out how to do that effectively.

But the urgent message is to do something right now by contacting all political reps at all levels. Ann made the point that in NY State and NYC, they have gone way beyond what NCLB requires. At the state level the State ed dept and commissioner Richard Mills are the culprits. Mills is appointed by the state board of regents. They are basically chosen by the State Assembly where Shelly Silver has the basic power.

ICE's Lisa North presented a positive view of the work the UFT did last year in putting out a high stakes testing report and called on them to do more. I didn't say anything negative (for a change) as a courtesy to Ann Cook, who has a very good relationship with the UFT).


THE UFT and Testing

The UFT made a big show of putting together a pretty good testing report after a year of meetings and then does nothing in terms of getting some state ed reform by using some muscle with Silver. A perfect demonstration that the UFT refuses to spend any political capital for real reform. Was the entire testing committee and report (led by Aminda Gentile, who handled it all with style) just a show? "See, we're with you teachers when you complain about how testing has affected you in the classroom but we will do nothing to force change." Let me give them the benefit of the doubt at this point and watch to see if there's any action on pressing for massive reform of the state ed dept (like how about refusing to accredit a Chancellor with no ed background.)

Save the date for the next forum: Dec. 6 on privatization, location to be announced

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA SALLY


ICE and the Forum
The forum organizing committee has reps from ICE, TJC, and others. These events are an opportunity for many progressive forces for change to work together. And a willingness to work with the UFT, as opposed to being just critical.

A core group of ICE'ers were involved from the beginning and it was a pleasure working on this, as opposed to spending our time on the details of caucus politics. ICE has always had a dual core of people interested in ed/politics and I have been in both wings. My feeling is that ICE shifted too far towards the internal UFT political infighting, maybe because of the activity of our reps on the UFT Executive Board. Now that there is no opposition on the Board, it allows some of us to focus on how the big issues affect teachers.

The political caucus wing of ICE will still be active in keeping the feet of the UFT leadership to the fire and I will remain active in that area. TJC will also be doing the same and we look forward to more cooperative endeavors with them.


Return to Evander High
By ANDREW WOLF
The New York Sun - October 12, 2007
http://www.nysun.com/article/64462
Wolfe echos the words of eduwonkette and Leo Casey on the Evander small school sham. These figures unearthed by eduwonkette sum it up:

"In August of 2005, the New York Times highlighted the "success" of one, Bronx Lab.
Eduwonkette took a closer look at Bronx Lab's data, noting that "46.6% of their kids were proficient in reading and 52.7% in math when they walked in the door, while Evander's entering students passed at rates of only 11.1% in reading and 12.8% in math."

Randi Weingarten Discusses Her Life as a Lesbian Labor Leader in the Gay City News.

This is an excellent story. While many people in the UFT knew about Randi's situation, gay teachers wondered why Randi was never public. It is a breakthrough even today when such a powerful labor leader, set to move to the national stage with the potential to run the entire labor movement in the USA, comes out publicly.

Teaching in NYC has always attracted a number of gay people. There were many openly gay teachers in my small elementary school and there was a great community of people working together, disproving the insane craziness of the right over the impact of gay teachers.

While Education Notes and others opposed to Randi have been extremely critical over many positions taken in the UFT, I am sure there is total support for her on this issue. Any attempt by the anti-Randi right wing in the UFT (yes, it's minuscule, but it does exist) will be met with resounding denunciations by all of us. She should know that we understand this was not an easy thing to do, even in these times, and we feel real good for her.

Of course I can't resist getting in one little dig. How can the UFT ever support vicious anti-gay candidates like Noach Dear? I'm sure the UFT PR machine will explain it. Discount that there is a factor involved that Randi did not want to allow her personal situation to influence UFT endorsements because the UFT under Sandy Feldman also supported right wing anti gay candidates.


UFT Endorsements
"They [right wing candidates] may want gays removed from the classroom, but were strong on the eyeglass plan," my buddy Gene Prisco always likes to say about the UFT's weird endorsement strategy. Gene should know. When he ran against right wing, anti-union Vito Fosella for Congress, the UFT didn't endorse Gene, who was associated with the opposition.

You know the UFT philosophy since Shanker times -- better in bed with right wing anti-union people than dead with lefty 100% pro-union people like Gene.


Former Teacher/Chapter Leader for Obama
Diane Smith has been in touch. Good luck if she thinks the UFT will not go for Hillary. I personally have not decided, but in the UFT world of fait accompli, it's worth a look at Obama.
Diane writes:

We are canvassing for change on Saturday in Long Beach-please do join us,let me know if you can make it-it would be great to see you, and of course bring friends.We need this guy and this guy needs US-- and really that's all we need is-each other!!!
Peace

Students for Barack Obama

Diane can be reached at: nofaltanada3@hotmail.com

Video:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid901176777/bclid900740939/bctid1183193192

Today's Quickies

October 11, 2007 (updated 12 pm)

Reminder that today is the High Stakes Forum at Fordham at 6PM. It's pretty well booked but if you are in the area, check in (see details in post below.) I am doing the videography, so SMILE!

Baltimore teachers are calling for the resignation of Supt. Andres Alonso just 2 months after he left Tweed to fly on his own. The day he got the job we predicted problems with the teachers union. Of course he appointed a general to help him run things. (Do a search of this blog to read the Alonso stories.) Alonso seems to be at a big disadvantage compared to Klein. He actually is facing a non-collaborationist union with some spine. Follow their actions at http://md.aft.org/btu/. As an AFT local expect them to be advised by their new president next July that collaboration is the way to go with old UFT pal Andres. I posted the article from the Baltimore Sun on Norms Notes.

Baltimore teachers stood up to Alonso's bullshit almost from day one while the UFT praised and sucked up to Klein. People in Baltimore are already raising governance issues that led to Alonso being appointed with a general as an assistant.

When Klein was appointed we heard nothing from the UFT but praise and when Children First was announced, Randi's "It's all breathlessly possible." Even at this time there has been no call for Klein's resignation or a vote of no confidence which about 98% of the teaching staff (and a hell of a lot of principals and even admins above them) would sign on to.


The Bronx High School of Science "Quack" story has been humming as the mainstream press seems to be getting involved after our post a few days ago. It has been interesting following the postings of the kids at the school as some seniors worry about revenge by school administrators and guidance counselors in relation to getting into college while others talk about leaving their legacy so future generations do not forget the "quacking" story. One former student commented that his favorite Reidy quote was "Asians speak Asian." The animosity towards Reidy by the kids seems to be more intense than that of teachers. And I received an email from a parent leader that indicates many of them feel the same. WOW! Reidy has united parents, teachers and students.

Call it for the revenge of Bob Drake, the untenured PhD chemistry teacher who Principal Valerie Reidy hounded out of the system. Drake enjoys a job at a public school in Conn. at mucho times the salary. THANK YOU, VALERIE REIDY! Betsy Combier has a bunch of stuff on Drake and Science on her parentadvocates web site. The cartoon from the Riverdale Review, which has done a number of stories on the case, was posted by the students on facebook. Andy Wolfe in the NY Sun did a piece in May 2005 and we should see some articles today or tomorrow in some the NY Dailies. And check out the blog of a former student here.


I posted an old but very worthwhile piece by Lois Weiner on Albert Shanker's Legacy on norms notes. Lois is a former NYC teacher and UFT delegate and she fleshed out some of the missing pieces in Kahlenberg's recent book - 10 years ago. I guess Kahlenberg somehow missed talking to people like Lois or citing her work. I'll revert to the old standby "I'm shocked, shocked to find out there's gambling going on here." Look for the Shanker apologists to start counter attacking. Kahlenberg will be appearing on a symposium with Diane Ravitch (closely tied to Shanker) and Debbie Meier (who if I remember correctly was a critic) at NYU at the end of October. I'm hoping to attend.

Lois recruited Bruce Markens and me to review the Kahlenberg book for New Politics. Lois also wrote a wonderful piece on neoliberalism in 2003 and education which illuminates many connections between the actions of the Democrats, BloomKlein, Gates, Broad, Weingarten (posted on the norms notes blog recently.) I am 2/3 through the book and it is must reading to get a full picture of what is going on today. Personally, I do not take the black and white (partially a joke if you know Shanker's views on race & quotas) view of Shanker and am finding a lot to agree with - in theory. But when you put it all in context, the angle changes. I'm still sorting it all out and hope to meet with Bruce and Lois (who I've never met) next week.


Did you see the Time-Warner full-page ad on the back page of the NY Times metro section lauding their award to five outstanding principals in NYC? Money that could have gone to help teachers and kids. But maybe the Times gave a big discount for a promotion of BloomKlein.

Fear Mongerers Are Us

The Unity Caucus/UFT leadership has accused Ed Notes and ICE of fear mongering.

Can you think of anything that has occurred in recent years for NYC teachers to be fearful of?

Considering what has occurred in the NYC schools since 2002, fear mongering is the way to go. It alerts teachers to the potential damage that can be done by the union itself and indeed may serve to keep them honest and unable to as easily sneak stuff by as was done in the '05 contract. I still believe the '06 contract would have been much worse if not for the fear mongering.

If fear mongering makes teachers more vigilant of the actions of the UFT leadership, then let's monger away.

And if you happen to have any fish around......

Note: See comment by Woodlass in the Chicago Rules post below.