If the teachers at the convention had any idea how much money Gates has put into developing non-unionized charter schools

There has been much ado about something over the Gates appearance at the AFT convention, which Ed Notes covered along with Chicago-based Substance (more than a little bit of fun hanging with George Schmidt for 5 days - and it was an honor to have one of the newly elected CTU officers tell me we are two of a kind. Here is a link to a piece on the Substance site a few days before the convention

Praising New Orleans for busting the New Orleans union. Attacking Houston public schools while praising KIPP's anti-union charter schools... Why should this man address the AFT convention Friday? Bill Gates in his own words in a June 29, 2010 Chicago speech

By John Kugler - July 6th, 2010

Two weeks before his scheduled speech to the national convention of the American Federation of Teachers, billionaire Bill Gates was in Chicago to address the The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org). The meeting, . . . More

Read the other pieces as they come up at Substance.


Sharon Higgins (The Perimeter Primate), who came through long distance from Oakland to help prep the Gates leaflet - Bill Gates- Vulture Philanthropist: A Trojan Horse in the AFT Hours (download the pdf.) at the AFT convention sent this comment. Let's point out that Sharon is NOT a teacher (for those ed deformers who think only rank and file teachers are critical) but an activist parent who has been so supportive. Sharon had cut out about a third of my usual verbiage. We may send her all our leaflets to knock off the wordiness. (The leaflet did get quoted by a right-wing think tank. (Gates Leaflet Makes News.)

The Perimeter Primate has left a new comment on your post "AFT Gates- California teacher chastises Randi for ...":

If the teachers at the convention had any idea how much money Gates has put into developing non-unionized charter schools, and that his vision includes an extreme reduction in the membership -- and power -- of their union, they might not have been so willing to cheer for him.

But like most Americans who aren't studying what is really going on, I'm sure 99.9% of the teachers were uninformed and clueless. They behaved like the people they are: typical Americans who were super-excited to see a famous celebrity. Seeing Bill Gates in person was the thrilling part of the convention that they later told their families about.

As an urban public school parent, supporter of teachers, and pro-public school activist, I believe that the larger concerns the resisters have are perfectly valid and deserve to be acknowledged and discussed -- at a venue other than in blogs. The opponents of today's "ed reform" desire to be heard but are constantly being ign ored and shut out. They aren't wealthy enough to pay Charlie Rose to do a five-part series on their side of the story, like Eli Broad can.

Just because the resisters are fewer in number at this time, does not make their concerns any less valid; I suspect they are going to turn out to have been the bellwether.

Bill Gates is an unelected individual who has been manipulating public policy from behind the scenes by making use of his extreme wealth. His lack of willingness to engage in a transparent, public debate with people who oppose what he is doing -- and who do have legitimate opinions, concerns, as well as data and historical accounts to present -- is what makes it necessary for the resisters to react in a loud and angry way.

It appears to me that Weingarten is aiding and abetting Gates' undemocratic ways.

If Bill Gates is truly interested in doing what's best for America's public school future, he should purchase one hour of pr imetime airtime and present a show featuring himself debate Diane Ravitch.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

There is a lot more stuff flying about Gates' appearance. NYC Educator has been doing one superb piece after another - go look at them all over the last 10 days or so. Here is a goodie:
Technical Difficulties and another on the Randi/Unity/AFT slavish bowing to Gates: We're Havin' a Party. There are many teacher comments of outrage at Randi's actions.

Nate G a member of CORE/Chicago tweeted that Randi did some comparison to Gandi to justify Gates appearance at the Illinois state breakfast: Twitter feed on Gates appearance at AFT convention

Leonie did a powerful piece at Huffington: most dangerous man in America.

And followed up on her listserve with:suggestion for all and question to teacher re Gates' comments

Gary B. laid waste to Gates and the DOE with humor at the NYC Parent blog: The Eleventh Agent

And of course there's the great David B photoshop job that captures the essense with Randi (Eve) tempting Adam (AFT teachers) with the Gates apple. - Randi the Temptress.

Prepare yourself. Parse the language of Gates, even in this speech which he moderated somewhat for the audience. Gates' end game is to tie your salaries to the performance of your kids.
Go forth and read it all. Everything you can. Prepare yourself to battle the Unity machine scum who will invade your schools and will justify the entire scenario. Pass around the videos I made to your colleagues. I still think our union leaders are the real Trojan Horses.

The Underbelly: Teacher Pay Linked to Student Evaluations

"If I were a veteran teacher in Hillsborough, I would take to the hills, now!" Leonie Haimson


There was much talk and excitement post Gates speech about Bill Gates and the AFT Innovation Fund. Hillsborough was a major point of contact - or attack. Read Leonie's post carefully to see where this is headed. Pay scales based on the results on tests. It is worth checking out Valerie Strauss' posts at WaPo.


I also have some links to Ed Week and EIA from AFT and NEA - though as always, EIA is anti-union and Ed Week's Sawchuk has to be parsed.

My huffington post piece has been reprinted by Valerie Strauss and is in her WaPost blog today:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/teachers/bill-gates-troubling-involveme.html

please go there and leave a comment!

See also in today's Post the article below; which sort of proves my point.

Since January 2008, more than 250 Gates grants have targeted causes such as charter schools, testing research, data systems, science and math education and common academic standards...

Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who has recruited some key aides from the charity, described the foundation as "one of many stakeholders really interested in seeing things get better. I appreciate their commitment and stick-to-itiveness. They're in this for the long haul."

So the Gates foundation is one of the key stakeholders; but where are public school parents? Nowhere to be found.

The Wapost reporter goes into length about the new Gates-supported teacher eval system in Hillsborough:

Every year, teachers here will be evaluated on a formula based on student achievement gains (40 percent), principal observation (30 percent) and peer observation (30 percent). By 2013, a four-tier pay scale will take effect that will reward high performers regardless of their academic degrees or years of experience -- a major break from precedent. Veteran teachers will be allowed to remain in the seniority-based pay scale or opt into the new one. New teachers will not have a choice and will be subject to more rigorous scrutiny before gaining tenure.

I predict the system will be totally unreliable; as based 40% on test score gains, (which fluctuate wildly from year to year, and are reliant on many factors out of the teachers' control. ) Only 30% will be based on peer evaluation, by full time teacher"evaluators" expert in using "data", and none on the views of parents and/or students, who obviously don't count in these people's minds.

And as all merit pay schemes have shown so far, it will be an awful waste of money and probably wreck morale as 20 year veterans will see their incomes slide up and down.

Also see this, not from this piece but another; http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/tenured-or-not-hillsborough-targets-weak-teachers/1083411

"Hillsborough officials told the foundation they expected to fire at least 5 percent of the district's 8,500 tenured teachers each year for low performance, once a new evaluation system is established. ....With more precise evaluations, they predicted rating at least 15 percent of all teachers as "performing well below expectations" and in need of further support or dismissal."

If I were a veteran teacher in Hillsborough, I would take to the hills, now!

Leonie Haimson

Gary Babad - The Eleventh Agent

Gary hits another home run. He left out the 12th agent, a certain union leader.

July 12, 2010 (GBN News): Ten Russians recently deported from the US for spying were apparently not the only such agents living here undercover. GBN News has learned that at least one more Russian plant remains in this country but was not publicly exposed.

According to Russian intelligence sources, the eleventh agent is a high profile American billionaire philanthropist. The sources, who go by the pseudonyms Boris and Natasha, told GBN News that this individual had been secretly placed in the US during the Soviet era. His mission was to amass an immense fortune, then use it to undermine the American way of life. Even after the fall of the Soviets, he continued to fulfill that role, using billions from his charitable foundation to destroy the US public education system by promoting unproven, radical educational “reforms” like replacing public schools with charter schools, and sabotaging the careers of experienced teachers by basing their evaluations on questionable data such as students’ test scores.

More at The Eleventh Agent

Randi the Temptress

I popped up in bed early this morning with this Adam and Eve vision.
A short time after an email to David Bellel, he delivers a beaut.


David also did the Eva M as a tapeworm eating schools from within - George Schmidt came up with that at dinner last night.
Another idea - the famous Apple commercial from the 1984 Super Bowl where the screen is smashed. We redo it with a teacher from a group like CORE in Chicago racing towards a screen of Gates speaking to the AFT. Those drones all have Unity signs all over them. Any film makers willing to take on this challenge?
Sharing ideas with colleagues from around the nation made this trip worthwhile plus the continuing contact. We met a bunch of these people last year in LA. Now talk of meeting someplace next summer.
Shutting down for some boat rides in Seattle. We'll be on red eye tonight.

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

AFT Gates- Randi chastised for actions by California teacher



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

Breaking into the Progressive Caucus

July 12, 2010

When I attended the AFT convention in Washington in 2004 with Loretta and Gene Prisco we were surprised when we heard that membership in the Progressive Caucus, the national version of Unity Caucus, was open to all. We joined and were able to attend the first meeting and see how they going to manipulate the rest of the convention. No one said anything to us about being there.

Thus, when I got to Seattle, I asked if that was still the policy and was told it was - all I had to do was pay $20 and I was in. So when Unity hack Washington Sanchez saw me and came over to challenge my right to be there, I was mildly surprised.

"How did you get in here? You have no right to be here," he said. He asked me to show credentials.
"What right do you have to ask me for credentials," I said?
"I am a member of this caucus and have the right."
"No you don't. Only officials have the right."
"You're saying I'm nothing," he whined. "Is that what you are saying?"
"In your case you are nothing."
He walked off in a huff.
I knew that Sanchez was a low level (and low life) do nothing Queens special rep who people I know complain often about his arrogance and incompetence - a guy who as a full-time union employee has no qualms about booing and hooting at opposition speakers at UFT delegate assemblies while on union time. HE would have no clue about national caucus policies. He would follow orders to march off a cliff.

Two minutes later he reappeared with UFT Staff Director Leroy Barr.
I expected Leroy as a top union official to know the rules.
"You have to leave," Leroy said. I just sat there. "You have to be a member to be here."
"I got in didn't I? Only members can get in."
"Come on Norm, we can do this inside or outside. Come outside and talk."
I didn't move.
"Then show me credentials."
"Who are you? Are you an official here? Why should I show you credentials?"
He and Sanchez walked off in a huff. Two minutes they were back with a Sergeant at arms. I showed her my credentials. "You are a visitor and not a delegate," she said. "I don't know if you can be here."
"I asked that question when I paid my $20 and they assured me it was OK or why else would I pay?"
She said she would check. She never came back.

I moved to the back of the room. Whispers. People pointing. Lots of hostile stares. Some friendly nods and a few nice words.
Michael Mendel stopped by to chat. As usual we talked sports. He said, "You are really topping yourself being here, Norm. I really don't care, but you really aren't supposed to be here." I told him the open policy and he seemed truly surprised.
Then retiring UFT grievance head Howard Solomon. "Why are you here? This is a private meeting." Not in a nice way.
Then UFT middle school VP Richard Farkas: "Norm, does this give you reciprocity to attend Unity Caucus meetings?" Rich at least seemed to be having fun with this.
Finally, I get slapped on the shoulder.
It was Randi: "Norman, I see you joined the caucus. You must miss me."
Randi also seemed surprised that I could be there.
"I think you miss me more," I said. "I joined because you finally convinced me. Best 20 bucks I ever spent."

So with the top UFT officials either unaware or not expecting someone to take advantage of a loophole in Progressive Caucus policy, don't be surprised to see that policy modified in Detroit in 2012. And other policies like restrictions on the movement of visitors like they have done at the DA.

I realized that this is the first AFT convention that Randi has run - she was elected in 2008 at the end of the convention. Given her history of taking what was an undemocratically run UFT and doubling the lack of democracy in such a way as to make Al Shanker look like a paragon of free thought, expect an even higher level of tightening in the future.

Unity Caucus and Democracy

It is one thing to spend two hours a month at a UFT Delegate Assembly with the Unity Caucus horde. It is quite another to spend 4 days surrounded by them and their allies from around the nation.

One of the Chicago/CORE crew told me: After spending days dealing with these assholes I completely understand and sympathize with what you New York guys face.

One correspondent said: I am still trying to get a mental picture of a DA on steroids but all I see is Randi with extremely large muscles.

He's almost right about the muscles. Randi came up huge for her side, so much so that even her opponents were impressed. She had been looking a bit shopworn and a bit bored in New York but she was as confident and relaxed as I've ever seen her.

The master of manipulation had every base covered. She was tireless, running to breakfasts to meet with state delegations and then most of the day running the sessions - with 8 mics to call on, it could have been confusing. But nothing seemed to deter her or dampen her spirits.

Given all of this, nothing has changed in terms the policies of the AFT which have gotten so much press for Randi the last few days while leaving her membership behind

So at down times it sets one to thinking about the essence of democracy.

Time and again, we heard Unity Caucus people talk about how democratic the process is at the AFT and in the Progressive Caucus (the national version of Unity). When I attended the Progressive Caucus meeting we heard about how decisions are made in the caucus. Jeff Zahler and Peter Goodman made those points publicly. The more you are a one-party system; the more you talk about democracy. How funny that this is the first AFT contested election since 1974 (the Progressive Caucus won with about 95% of the vote).

So let's see how these decisions were made.

Unity issues marching orders weeks ago
A few weeks before the AFT convention, UFT leaders convened a meeting of the 800 delegates elected in the March election to get them ready. The meeting took place at 52 Broadway. This was not a meeting for the delegates to have an open discussion and debate the virtues of the resolutions that would come up. No, it was a meeting to dictate to 800 people how they would be required to vote based on decisions made by the top of UFT/AFT officialdom.

With well over 200 of the delegates being new, there was some level of surprise. They knew they signed a paper that they would adhere to caucus discipline on decisions made. But some of them didn't know they would have absolutely zero say in how these decisions were made.

Staff director Leroy Barr gave them training on how to use Robert's Rules to assure control over meetings. Leroy kept getting it wrong and had to be corrected numerous times, but no matter.

Jeff Zahler, who has a lot to do with running the caucus - and the national version of Unity - the Progressive Caucus - harangued them with the fact that for the first time since 1974 there would be a slate running against them. This was serious he told them even though those in the know understand it was not. We know they just don't want to win but they want to win with a 100% so as to make sure an opposition never gets traction and remains dispirited. (Remember that Zahler had Unity spend a fortune to red bait ICE-TJC pres candidate Kit Wainer in the 2007 election even though they were assured of an overwhelming victory. And he got up at the DA to brag about it.)

The big prep at this meeting was for the teacher evaluation reso #5 that caused so much comment.

During the debate over a reso titled "Keep Supernaturalism out of the Science Curriculum." The resolves declare supernaturalism is not a scientific endeavor and inappropriate for inclusion in science curriculums, affirms the teaching of evolution and opposes the teaching of creationism and intelligent design. At the Progressive caucus meeting it became clear they were not supporting the reso. The word "supernaturalism" seemed to bother them. Unity's Jackie Bennett who usually makes sense didn't in this case. I told her I was surprised - I didn't catch everything in her response, but it was something about how this was a democratic body. I laughed and repeated the story about the Unity Caucus prep meeting, telling her "Jackie, one day we must have a discussion about the essence of democracy." [I wasn't allowed into the committee meeting that dealt with this the next day so I didn't hear the debate there but the recommendation of the committee was non-concurrence.]


Democratic centralism is when a party or caucus exerts discipline - all members must follow every decision made even if they disagree. That is the way Unity runs.

Now I can live with that because a group has the right to make its own rules. If you don't like the policies then leave. But at least if there is democracy operating you can make the case that you have a fair shot to convince people and if you lose you lose.

But Unity internally itself is not run as a democracy. People at the top decide and issue orders. There is no real debate or when there is it is minimal. No one wants to get up and disagree even if they don't.

The higher ups don't worry and feel free to banter. Talk to Unity secret dissidents - yes there are some. "The watch us and who we are seen talking to," say some of the low level people who are paranoid about losing their privileges. Yes, there is paranoia both ways.

"So what," you might ask? "This is a private body that people can or cannot join. If they choose to be a member of Unity they must think they are getting something for it no matter how it runs."

I beg to differ. This is the body that has run the UFT and AFT since the 1960's in basically a one party system. If Unity had open discussions in a democratic manner instead of slavishly following the policies decided on by a tiny oligopoly, even if they followed democratic centralism, the union would be a better place. Instead we see most follow any policy without thought and also some extremely bright people turning and twisting to adjust their thinking to the party line. If it changes, they change. We know that there are more Unity people than one would think who object to the policies of cooperation with the Gates/Broad world. But they are left to leave anonymous comments on blogs or whisper as they pass by, "You are doing God's work."

This 1984ish type scenario is what has dragged our union deep into the muck of ed deform.

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

Who is the real Trojan Horse?

Here is a rough video of low quality I put together very quickly. First a small demo outside before the speech, then Randi's intro of Gates to rousing cheers, the most vociferous from most of the 800 Unity Caucus people who were there on our dues, the walkout to Unity led jeers and the song na-na-hey-hey-goodbye, selections from Gates' speech with some commentary from me, and the final demo outside as people left. Here is the direct link if it is slow loading:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Ezri0pVOg

An Ex-Unity Caucus Member Issues a Warning

"The UFT/AFT has caved to this educationally unsound pressure time and time again and need to be stopped. We should be following Diane Ravitch and the NEA, not a union that has consistently worked with power to sell out the students and teachers, the majority of whom live in poverty, of New York City."

An ex- Unity Caucus chapter leader

I encourage you to stop the AFT leadership from continuing to follow Bloomberg, Duncan and the major media outlets down the wrong education reform path. AFT/UFT leadership has always demonstrated a willingness to sell out the membership and students of color for their own personal gain and success.

I write to you today not as a disgruntled ex Unity delegate but as an educator who’s first and foremost concern has always been to ensure that poor Black students receive the same education and opportunities as students of means. I am glad that I do not have to ignore what I know to be right to support UFT leadership and follow my team leader as delegates were told on in June. Make no mistake about it, as a UFT/Unity delegate, there is no voting other than the way one is told to vote. The UFT/Unity delegation works very hard to get their way on everything at the conventions. By packing the committees with their people and having a contingent of delegates ready to line the microphones, it is an orchestrated effort to enforce their way. Trust when I say delegates follow along for many reasons, none related to education or any common sense education reform. Now they are poised to lead us further down the path of the quick fix in education which will allow the achievement gap to flourish not close.

Since taking control of public schools in New York City, Bloomberg has had one goal in mind. He wants his legacy to be the man who solved the problems in public education, specifically closing the achievement gap between Black and White. He had only 8 years to accomplish his goal he set out on quick fixes, not once doing what was necessary to truly close the achievement gap. He identified teachers as the problem, and in turn, closed large high schools, created test requirements for promotion and advocated for charter schools. Now with an additional four years in office he has been given the opportunity to continue and influence more people.

Any rational educator in NYC knows his tests are the new word for social promotion. One can score a Level 2, enough for promotion to the next grade without even reading a question on the 6th grade ELA and 7th grade Math Exams. Yet UFT leadership has stood beside Bloomberg and declared social promotion has ended.

To truly close the achievement gap Bloomberg and his followers would have to acknowledge poverty and those disadvantages associated with it that affect children’s ability to learn. Children in poverty enter school far behind in their exposure to reading and language than their advantaged counterparts. These deficiencies persist throughout their lives in public school as schools have traditionally not provided the necessary resources to bring children of poverty to the level of their peers in the early grades. To remediate for this, in elementary school, would require the kind of tax money; no urban district has yet been willing to spend.

We come to this point today where many states have passed legislation tying test scores to teacher evaluation. Now the AFT wants to officially make it union policy to support this. There are 2 major problems with this.

The first is when administrators/teachers are rated or paid based on test scores and credit accumulation they will reach those goals by any means necessary, as I have seen firsthand for many years. The second problem is the way in which the UFT justifies their actions. The UFT says that the observation/evaluation system is broken. They negotiated the rules yet somehow it is not working.

It is not working because the UFT have allowed Bloomberg/Klein to run roughshod over our contract specifically Article 21D. I requested information from the Department of Education (DOE) under the Freedom of Information Law, as to the amount of U-Ratings for the past 30 years and how many were sustained and overruled. I expected to see a huge increase in both U-Ratings and the number sustained under Bloomberg/Klein. It is unfortunate that the DOE has yet to find the information from May when I made the request.

It is also unfortunate that the UFT has also failed to secure this information. Despite the UFT Delegate Assembly passing a resolution regarding U-Rating appeals in 2007 the UFT has never followed through. The resolution says they will seek applicable data from the DOE, canvas members and analyze the information. I have not seen any evidence this was done. Email to UFT officials went unanswered.

If the UFT were to admit the contractual language has been abrogated they would have to do something. By ignoring the fact that our U-Rating appeals under Bloomberg/Klein have been sustained at an unprecedented rate, they have perfect justification for their resolution on testing and teacher evaluation. They may continue to convince the membership the system does not work and therefore having a percentage of your evaluation based on tests is a great advance. I have seen firsthand the tyranny of the observation and rating system under Bloomberg/Klein, carefully orchestrated under the guise of supervisory discretion. I am a chapter leader and I have received U-Ratings and according to the UFT I should be happy that 40% of my evaluation will be based on test scores? Oh and with new categories instead of just Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.

I want what I have always wanted since setting foot into my first urban public high school 12 years ago. Essentially to provide students in poverty with the education and tools they need and to guarantee they have the same education and opportunity I had in my public school experience. Mostly I would like to see public education live up to its responsibilities to educate all equally. In ten years in the south Bronx I have not seen it, nor have I seen Bloomberg or Duncan suggest they will do anything to secure this right. I have seen each blame teachers and advocate for tests as measurement of student progress and more incendiary, teacher effectiveness.

The UFT/AFT has caved to this educationally unsound pressure time and time again and need to be stopped. We should be following Diane Ravitch and the NEA, not a union that has consistently worked with power to sell out the students and teachers, the majority of whom live in poverty, of New York City.

Updated Again: AFT Update - and Gates as the Most Dangerous Man in America

Update 2: July 11, 1am PST

The morning session is over and we are pre-Gates, but this came in from Leonie Haimson:

Hope its not too late to create a buzz at Seattle…please share!

The most dangerous man in America is taking the stage at the AFT conference in Seattle today:

Watch out, America! You have nothing to lose but your public school system, at the hands of the richest man in the country who, like a spoiled child carelessly playing with toys, breaks one after another.

check it out at

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leonie-haimson/the-most-dangerous-man-in_b_641832.htm

Key debates on educational issues
[I have video of it all so won't go into tremendous detail.]

The most controversial issues on education were up for debate this morning. Reso # 5 on teacher evaluation was supposed to be the most contentious. Randi/Unity prepared carefully. A few weeks ago the Unity delegation met in NY and were told this was the crucial reso and were prepared to manipulate in committee and at the floor debate.

Chicago vs NYC was a key background. Chicago/CORE people were a little taken aback at some of the tactics used at the committee meetings on Thursday. At the main sessions one CORE/CTU teacher after another were the key people standing up to Unity/Progressive Caucus, telling of the experience of being in the belly of the Duncan/Daly beast.

Today on Reso 5 the mics were packed with Progressive Caucus people until Randi pulled the democracy issue and "allowed" 2 people - CTUers it turned out - to speak against some of the language that they said opened up teachers to attacks. But then the question was called as we always see in NYC.

Chicago and NYC cooperate
On the closing schools reso we saw a different scenario. A UFTer/Unity got up to amend the reso and everything she said was on the mark. The next speaker was from Chicago/CORE - local 1 - and thanked local 2 for working with them to strengthen the reso. Both speeches were very powerful.

I spoke to CORE people after and apparently there were some intense negotiations between the two big powerhouse locals to find some common ground. And they did.

What is playing out here is a baptism of the Chicago group just a few days after taking power in the union. I have been very impressed with the number of quality people. One after another you speak to are articulate and educated on so many issues. CORE clearly has done a great job of educating, organizing and mobilizing. In two years at Detroit they will be prepared.

But that won't stop Randi from trying to coopt them, something she is so good at doing.

To be continued

------
Everyone wants part of the GEM banner - well, not everyone

Speaking of co-opting. New Action's Jonathan Halabi is here. Now don't get into a snit. New Action did not get delegate positions. He is here as college prof delegate - PSC. As some of you know he is not my favorite person for his constant ICE bashing - he was even overheard doing it in a bar the other night. You know, "the ICE opposes everything mantra" - like mayoral control, merit pay, measuring teachers by data - stuff like that. Stuff that the UFT has supported.

When there was discussion about the Gates protest today and people talked about holding up the GEM banner, there are reports Halabi balked, saying GEM was sectarian or something like that. Ridiculous. Though GEM has many ICE people in it, it has attracted people from every active group in the UFT. Not New Action of course. GEM has not been active within the UFT very much and is not a caucus, one of the reasons so many ICE people who feel there is a need for a broader movement than just a caucus have jumped on board. New Action on the other hand sticks to the narrowest of issues and does little more than function as a completely owned subsidiary of Unity.

In defense of ICE/GEM
Pretty ironic that Lisa North and Gloria Brandman, two key ICE people have been amongst the leaders of the the AFT P&J committee which Halabi has been hanging around. And they have been on the UFT Peace and Justice Committee. And the UFTers to stop the war.

Other ICEer/GEMers: Fiorillo is one of most respected voices out there. As is John Lawhead. Julie Woodward has been relentless in holding the UFT's feet to the fire. Arthur Goldstein is chapter leader of the second largest school in the city and is one of the leading voices in defense of teachers with his columns at Gotham Schools. Eterno and Kaufman have been enormously respected for their strength and knowledge of the contract. And John Elfrank chapter leader of Murray Bergtraum. And the retirees: Ellen Fox, Loretta and Gene Prisco, Vera Pavone who co-wrote the review of the Kahlenberg book with me - and she did most of the work. It's late. I'm sure I'm forgetting people. Jeez! The nerve to disparage the work of these people.

How else have we been able to build alliances with just about every group in the city - teachers and community activists? From NYCORE to Teachers Unite to TJC. And parent groups around the city. People I meet here from all over the nation know our work and want to stay in touch. Ed Notes received over 2000 hits in the last 3 days alone.

We have links nationwide. Chicago CORE are allies and we've been spending time with them. Karen Lewis know our work. And the Washington DC crew with Candi Peterson and Nathan Saunders who are here. Detroit called us when they were taking action. LA people are in touch. We linked to a group in Philly on this trip. Now, quick - name New Action activists who have done anything close to this work.

Who do they call? GEM
Halabi may carp about ICE and GEM but he and New Action have been invisible while GEM/ICEers have been at numerous charter school co-location and school closing meetings supporting teachers and parents and building alliances. When they need support they call us. And we have been there for them.


Well, anyway, given all this, today he impressed me - for about 2 minutes. He got up to speak against a reso that everyone supported. It had language on credit recovery and some other issues and he was nervous but extremely articulate. I will get the video up when I can (I am very backed up on the videos). What he said is important to us in NYC.

And he did put up a very good piece critical of Weingarten on the first convention day.
AFT Convention in Seattle Day 1

Maybe there's some hope for some people in New Action. I respect and like New Action's Arjun Janah who today wrote a great poem about Bill Gates which I will post.

After burn
I was hanging with Stephen Sawchuk today and we had some good chats. I really didn't know his work 'till this week but I will take a closer look.

He was chosen to do a private interview with Gates post-speech. We talked about what he would ask and I am looking forward to seeing what he writes. Meanwhile follow his posts at: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/


I got to watch his computer while he went to meet with Gates. Maybe next time we switch and I interview Gates- hear that Janet Bass (who as AFT press chief was extremely gracious throughout the week- in case you didn't know I am here as press for The Wave - I think there is a Rockaway somewhere in the Pacific Northwest).

While I was baby sitting his computer I ended up in the midst of what looked suspiciously like a Unity Caucus meeting about voting in the AFT elections. I wasn't asked to leave as almost everyone was gracious - only Sandi March was nasty - but what do you expect? I was extremely pleased when Alan Lubin came over to say hello. Alan is one of the most respected union officials I have met. He was once Dist 32 rep and then Brooklyn boro chief. He is VP of NYSUT for quite a while. I had heard he was ill but he looked great. He just retired. No matter how much we all disagreed politically, Alan was always a mensch, never making things personal, always with a quip. It is funny but many of the old guard Unity people do not look at this as war. But I find many of the Unity relative newbies are rabid.


From two observers, one of them associated with the Chicago Teachers Union Twitter feed on Gates appearance at AFT convention

Reports from Seattle Locals

We've run into some Seattle activists and they are posting reports of the Duncan confrontation yesterday. First a bunch of us met at Wild Ginger restaurant a few blocks from here - about 50 people. Another group led by the Detroit teachers and BAMN - the people running against Randi's Progressive Caucus - organized a bus to go to Aviation HS and confronted Duncan. He met with them for a half hour. This action alone makes them look more qualified than the Randi bunch.

Since we were prepping for the AFTP&J meeting on education at 4:30 (Randi extended the general session from 4:30 to well after 5 and we could have gone with BAMN) we went back to the hall. I asked Steve Conn later if they had video and he said someone did so we are waiting. (I tell all groups not to do anything without getting some video.) Here are some reports. Make sure to check out the web links.

7/9/10
Report from Seattle teacher Bob Murphy

I got to Wild Ginger at appx. 11:45.

I. I saw City Council Member Tim Burgess stroll up, he saw my sign and we chatted quickly - he frequents the 36th LD Dems - so I chewed his ear off about the reform stuff
(1. I'll do anything for kids anytime anywhere)
2. my school is over 60% FRL,
3. MY KIDS NEED, I need, MY KIDS NEED, HELP -- not powerpoints, not consultants, NOT consultants, NOT powerpoints...)

He mentioned he was there for Arne ("opps!" I think he thought, real quick!)

II. Some woman was texting & she's a Detroit teacher, & she asked me if I was the Arne protest - I gave here the cliff notes of all known information, she texted some people, more people showed up ...

III. some guy Norm Scott from NYC was there, as were some other teachers from NYC, he was doing video stuff for them ... (he is on the "to:" line)

IV. MORE people showed up, some people who are good at chants were making up chants for Arne's lunch - there were about 30? 40? 50? of us in front of Wild Ginger ...

V. people left to go to Aviation High,

VI. many / some of the people are with the AFT Peace and Justice Caucus,

There is a meeting of their caucus TODAY from 4:30 to 6:30 i

the caucus is http://www.aftpeaceandjusticecaucus.org/

VII. there was talk of doing some something tomorrow when the great Gates delivers from the throne - I do NOT know what, when, where, how,who ...

I presume it will NOT be singing his praises...??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf0vJiyeLIo

a. I am going to go to this afternoon's thing at 4:30

VIII. Personal Note - you can say a lot of things about New Yorkers, and, as a Red Sox fan and son of Massachusetts I'll never defend them, BUT - these people know how to get stuff done.

Bob.

Report from Seattle parent activist Dora Taylor

And yes, the Chicago, Oakland and Detroit teachers know how to organize. On the other hand, they have all been through this for a few years now and see what is happening to the students. They are frustrated and beyond mad.

As Karen Lewis, the Chicago Union President, said last night, this "rotting" of our public school system has to stop first in Chicago where it began and from there continue throughout the country.

She's an awesome speaker by the way.

Anyway, that will all be on my post.

Dora

Architecture 101
http://archforkids.blogspot.com/

Seattle Education 2010
http://seattle-ed.blogspot.com/

and our new website
Seattle Education 2010
http://seattleducation2010.wordpress.com/

Edweek Gets Schooled at the AFT

Reporter Steven Sawchuk has an interesting report on the caucuses at the AFT. It's pretty good but he is a little off base on some of it. We had a short chat before I had to leave and I tried to leave a comment on his blog but had some problems. So I'll touch on some of what I know here.

First, there's this from Sawchuk:

"Like any other union, the AFT is a democratic, political organization." I don't blame any reporter for making this mistake because they don't know the infighting that goes on. But the AFT is no a democratic organization. Name an organization that has not had a contested election in 36 years? I mean Iran is more democratic. Kim il Jung uses the AFT manual for political control. And never forget – Al Shanker had the bomb before either of them.

Now those of us who have been at Delegate Assemblies for years know the drill. But the Chicago people at their first convention are getting a rude awakening. First at the committee meetings yesterday and then on the floor today where the massive numbers of NYC delegates from Unity Caucus had a total plan for eliminating any resos or amendments they didn't like. Or rather Ms. Micromanagement Randi didn't like (there's no democracy in Unityville either).

They have specific people assigned to each area - even the designated "I call the question on all matters before the body" to stifle debate. There was one guy yesterday named Steven Kaplan I believe who was so thrilled at how he carried out his assignment he leaped in the air (I have to find that video). I mean it is not every day that you get to call the question in front a national audience.

So at last night's CORE party so many people were talking about the "machine". They were really shocked that Unity - Progressive Caucus nationally - of which I am now a proud member for the year - till they change the rules next time in Detroit to make sure I am not - would bother to go to so much trouble given the reality that they wouldn't lose many things even if they let democracty play itself out. I heard the expression "dirty politics" more than once. To us in NYC it's not dirty - it's institutional.

Second point with Sawchuck

But there's also a group called the AFT Peace and Justice Caucus. Though admittedly much smaller than the Progressive Caucus, it is not at all happy with the idea of teacher evaluation scores based even partly on student test scores. "Evaluation & Pay Based on Test Scores? ARE YOU ANGRY? Many AFT locals have agreed to teacher evaluation plans based on unreliable student test scores," a flier some of its caucus members have been handing out reads. It is also, apparently, unhappy that the union is welcoming Bill Gates this Saturday to the convention, deeming it "A Trojan Horse in the AFT House."

Nice plug for our side, though my GEM/ICE pals Gloria and Lisa are very active in P&J I have been bombarding them all week with questions that I won't repeat publicly. Sawchuk says:

the Peace and Justice Caucus got a boost recently with the election of Karen Lewis in Chicago. She emerged out of a group there that shares philosophical similarities with the Peace and Justice Caucus

He is right there but then he found out that Karen Lewis has joined the Progressive Caucus - but there are some interesting reasons which I have on background which I will share with Sawchuk and maybe you tomorrow.

Sawchuck closes with:

CLARIFICATION: I should have stated earlier that the Peace and Justice Caucus, unlike the Progressive one, is not actually a political caucus. It is, however, closely aligned to a new political caucus called "By Any Means Necessary" that is going to try to run a different slate of candidates in tomorrow's elections.

Now this one is tricky. There are many Progressive Labor people in AFTP&J and I don't think the vibes between PL and BAMN are all too cool. I could tell when we had the demo against Arne Duncan at a restaurant at noon today and BAMN sent a message that their chartered bus to Duncan's next appearance was leaving. Not one PLer budged and I saw a few sour faces. I started exploring the differences tonight at the all hands on deck party at the Sheraton where all the players are in the room but am not sure what will be on and off the record.

Now I think P&J people may vote against Weingarten but I detect some ambivalence about BAMN but don't know enough to figure it all out.

Getting late - gotta get up early to hear the candidate speeches which will take place starting at 8:30. BAMN was forced by the Unity machine to be up first to make sure no delegates can hear them. Democracy anyone?

-------
After burn
We hung with some Unity people today and heard a funny. When they were being whipped up into a frenzy at a meeting a few weeks ago to prepare for this convention by Jeff Zahler one of the things that came up was, "Can Randi come back to NY if she loses the election?" Now we know that this is not possible but it seemed Unity Caucus members were being driven to work hard for the Progressive Caucus slate by being threatened with Randi's return if she should lose.

Or maybe she would just go back to the classroom and put in another 6 months.

I can see her coming ashore now. Now there's a turn of the screw.

Still Sleepy in Seattle

Before heading back to the convention floor here is a brief summary of this morning's events.

Randi was running her first AFT convention - she was elected 2 years ago but the incumbent ran it - so this was a UFT Delegate Assembly on steroids. Imagine instead of listening to Randi for an hour and a half you has to sit there for 3 days. Oy!

Just as I got in Randi started dancing. Aw shucks, Randi, I didn't know you felt that way. But it turned out the AFT has added more members to be sold out. Watch the video see if you can spot some old Unity friends.



Then it was off to Wild Ginger restaurant to protest Arne Duncan's lunch with Senator Patti Murray and others. We had a rousing crew and I got some footage but unfortunately my mic failed and I lost most of the sound. So I won't bother to put any of it up. Mic is fixed for the AFT P&J meeting this afternoon where I am supposed to speak about conditions in NY for 5 minutes. It should only take 30 seconds.

Randi showed a video supposedly about how the affilates were fighting back (smart of course) around the nation. But of course it was all about Randi. Randi goes to California. Randi goes to Florida. Randi goes to Detroit (where the next AFT convention will take place in 2 years - can't wait to see how many Unity slugs want to opt out of that gig.) Remember how many pics of Randi in the NY Teacher? This was new age video with her all over 3 screens. Oh, yes, the local unions had a few shots of them. Then every local in the video got up to thank Randi.

Missing? Washington DC where Randi cancelled the union election and Chicago. Behind the scenes Randi is doing what she does best - trying to woo a potential opposition group with political offers - this is playing out right now in the floor so I have to get over there.

I'll have more in this space later on some observations.

--------
The Bill Gates leaflet is finished. Shortened and sweetened by Sharon Higgins. Thanks for input to Susan Ohanian, Leonie Haimson, Diane Ravitch's wonderful quotes, Lisa North, Gloria Brandman, NYC Educator, Gandi, and Homer.

Bill Gates: Vulture Philanthropist

Eva Moskowitz Wants Your School

I heard from the chapter leader at PS 123 the other day. They stopped the illegally run hearing on space utilization on June 18. I know first hand about the impact on the school when they had to drop out of the robotics program last year due to factors related to the HSA invasion.

Hey! If you're a teacher in NYC and free Monday afternoon/evening, there is no excuse for you not to go up to Harlem at 4:30 to support the PS 123 community at this public hearing over the invasion of their school by Evil Moskowitz' Harlem Success Academy. I won't be back in time but send reports on what happened. Anyone with a video camera should get footage for the day when a serious documentary maker decides to do a film telling the side of the resistance against the ed deformers.

Just talk to the teachers in CORE from Chicago as I did extensively last night and they are practically screaming for other teachers to take action NOW and not allow to happen to them what happened to Chicago teachers who have suffered under the catastrophe of 15 years of mayoral control. I will write more about that later. Here is a plea from Concerned Educators Network UFT and the Coalition for Public Education.

We are forwarding this information for the purpose of alerting you about the Charter attacks on Public Schools. If your school is not a target of a charter invasion, it may soon be. There is a deliberate and aggressive campaign by Klein/Bloomberg to push charter schools into Public School buildings with a vengeance. They may succeed in their draconian plans if we passively allow them. We are calling on all educators to use their time off to come and support PS 123M to stave off the Eva Moskowitz plan to continue her Harlem Success Academy invasion of space at the Public School building. It's a gesture of solidarity. An Injury to one is an injury to all!

In Solidarity,

CENUFT

Friends,

Our embattled Sisters & Brothers at PS123 need you. Come out on Monday @ 4:30pm.

It's the mandated state hearing on the impact of the invasion on the PS123 facilities. Dept of Mis-Education (DoM-E) has tried to have this when nobody is around.

Support the students, parents, educators and staff. They are struggling for educational equity.
They demand respect and to get their lab, library, classrooms and bathroom back.

" RESIST as Bloomklein, DoM-E & Moscowitz continue the charter school invasion."

For Info Call: 646-262-9052

-- CPE-CEP Outreach

PUBLIC HEARING AT PS 123

State mandated Facilities Hearing

Monday, July 12, 2010

4:30 pm

In the Auditorium

301 West 140 Street,

Bet. 8th Ave. & Edgecomb Ave.

A train to 145 St.

2,3,or 10 bus to 140 St.

Randi is Shocked

"My past and present right in front of me." — Randi Weingarten upon seeing me as a reporter at her post-speech press conference today.

She must think I'm a stalker following my appearance at the Progressive Caucus meeting the other night when she stopped by to tell me how overjoyed she was that I joined the caucus — I told her she had finally convinced me and it was really the best 20 bucks I've spent so far.

People are still hounding me for the story of how they tried to throw me out but I can't get to it now. A UFT VP really got a kick out of my being there and wanted to know if I now had reciprocity to attend Unity Caucus meetings. "Only if I can tape them," I said. A high level union official told me to see him when I was ready to join Unity. Bye-bye ICE. I really want to be told how to vote and learn how to manipulate Roberts Rules. Today Randi asked at the press availability, "When did you get your press pass?" "10 years ago when I started covering you," I said. Actually more like 15 years. I'm a Randiologist specializing in deciphering her lingo as PR. George Schmidt and I got to ask her some questions and I taped the whole thing.

---------------
Just back from a Chicago party. Did they get a lesson in Unity control in their committee meetings. I had been telling them about Unity control and today they saw it first hand.

Today was a busy day. We worked on some leaflets all morning for the AFT Peace and Justice caucus. My assignment was to handle the flier for the Gates appearance on Saturday. As usual I had diarrhea of the pen and filled up 2 sides. I sent it to Sharon Higgins in Oakland this morning and she chopped off 500 words. Wish I can send her my belly. Sharon did a great job and with just a little more modification we just finished it. And yes we are going with the Trojan Horse theme. Funny how many other people are also doing stuff with that idea though some think Randi is the real Trojan Horse.

Being backed up with the leaflet this morning I got to the convention hall just as Antonia Cortese was introducing Randi. George Schmidt had staked out a good end spot at the press table and I just got my video camera set up as Randi began. But I didn't tape it all. Now, if you read my previous post you know what I was expecting with some embellishments. While the speech before the Progressive Caucus was about 15 minutes, this one was about an hour. There are lot of comments on the speech both nationally and locally. To some it was very impressive. To those of us used to the rhetoric it was just more of the same.

I'll give you one brief example. Randi talked about 360 degree accountability. For a second I thought she was talking about global warming. OK, let's everyone be accountable, even that slime of a Leadership Academy principal you have. Now here is where she made a good point — theoretically. She said part of a principal's evaluation should be based on teacher turnover. Well, isn't that interesting since in her decade of running the UFT that never once came up. I mean that is so obvious that one would think the NY Teacher would post those schools that had large turnover on a consistent basis. But they didn't. And they won't do much more now. I see the speech as the a PR opportunity and nothing more.

One of the guys working on the P&J committee is also running a convention web site and he has some good stuff up there. Here are a few comments on the speech:

Like the Vichy policeman in "Casablanca" who was "shocked, shocked" at gambling going on in the casino, AFT President Randi Weingarten can't believe that a U.S. President that the AFT supported could applaud the mass firing of 89 teachers. She starts four paragraphs "I never thought ..."

Who is she kidding? She knew what Arne Duncan did in Chicago. Did she think he would change his spots. Why doesn't she demand Duncan go? Labor poured enough money and sweat into the Obama campaign to make the demand.

He has the speech up at Randi is Shocked or you can get it and weep at:

The complete text of Weingarten's speech will be available at http://www.aft.org/convention2010speech.

Coming up tomorrow are a few Duncan demos as he breezes into town and the P&J session at 4:40 where I am supposed to speak. I want to get video of Dunkin Donuts but may miss one of the demos. The Detroit crew from BAMN has chartered a bus to get people to the demo furthest away. The early one is near here. At the Chicago party tonight some people from Seattle were there and donated a bunch of oaktag and markers and some people had a ball making signs.

Off to bed. More in the AM. Wait a minute. It is the am. 1am. snore.

---------
After burn: More analysis of the speech

http://socialistworker.org/2010/07/09/teachers-at-a-crossroads

Teachers unions at the crossroads

Lee Sustar reports from the American Federation of Teachers convention in Seattle.

I finally met Lee at the Chi party and at the press conf with Randi. Lots for us to talk about.

Randi Tries Out Her Big Speech -then goes back to drawing board to make it tougher on Obama/Duncan

UPDATED: July 8 11:15am, PST

Randi is feeling the heat and it's not just from the weather

Seattle, July 8, 7am, pst
(This post will be updated through this morning so check back later)

Part 1
It's supposed to get hot here in Seattle today with temps reaching 90, but it may get even hotter at the convention hall with the opening session of the AFT today.

Randi was burning the midnight oil last night polishing her big keynote speech due to be delivered around 11am this morning. She gave a preview to the Progressive Caucus (the national version of Unity) meeting, which I joined for $20 so I could attend – and therein lies a tale with Randi herself coming over to give me a love tap.

The reaction must have been that she was not tough enough on Obama/Duncan — and she certainly wasn't. The anger of teachers at them is so palpable. So reports surfaced while we were hanging with the Chicago Teachers CORE people at the Hard Rock Cafe last night that Randi was reshaping parts of her speech to make it look like she was tougher on Obama/Duncan. Yawn.

NEA's president Dennis Von Roekel came out strong a few days ago (Teachers Union Chief Blasts Obama Administration's Education Policies Teachers Union Chief Blasts Obama Administration's Education Policies though Susan Ohanian calls it "Too little too late - This is the same union that told its members not to sign the petition against NCLB. Their argument was they needed a seat at the table."

But it is Chicago's new president Karen Lewis (who I met last night) who is getting raves for her acceptance speech last week when she took over the CTU on July 1. Ana Philips has a great piece over at Gotham on this speech: Chicago’s aggressive, new union leader introduces herself.

Lewis' speech is not to be missed. Ana writes:

If anyone wondered what the union backlash to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s leadership would be like, watch this state of the union address by Chicago’s newly elected teachers union president.....Led by Weingarten, the national branch of the union has taken a softer approach to its relationship with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. And in New York, we’ve yet to hear rhetoric like Lewis’s from union president Michael Mulgrew.

Oooh! Nice dart from Ana. By the way, there has not been a Mulgrew sighting here yet. He must be up in Randi's room ironing her clothes.

One comment:

Do you believe this…..Ms. Lewis did not use any buzz words! there was no mention of robust, of invigorated, of forward thinking, of a new paradigm. I bet she was never schooled by McKinsey. Hallelujah….someone who talks intelligently, who like a real person, wants to improve our education system for our children. Now that’s an innovation

Leonie Haimson said:

“Our opponents have deep pockets and shallow morals.” I like that line!

Heh, heh, heh - you don't have to look far here in Seattle to find union officials with shallow morals and deep pockets.

So yes Randi IS feeling some heat. She even went to dinner with the Chicago new leadership last week. One of them told me "she really loves you." How nice to see Randi misses me. We did speak yesterday after her speech and I really do miss her - so much material.

So one would have expected her speech to try to compete in the anti-Obama/Duncan rhetoric. But it didn't and that is why I expect her to act tougher - and I mean act - in today's version.

When the Progressive Caucus nominated her and she got up to accept- she said she would just say a few words - sure Randi - you and a few words are incompatible.

The Unity crew - remember though they dominate the room this is still a national caucus - gave her a rousing standing ovation before and after the speech. Many of them in private conversations say how happy they are to have Mulgrew - a real teacher. But there are those shallow morals, you know.

Randi looked good - tanned and maybe a little thinner - as she took the podium. She was wearing - how the hell would I remember what she was wearing - this is not a fashion report. Besides I was too busy fending off Unity hacks.

Before the speech a contact told me that the AFT hired Michael Powell as their new messager - a guy who shapes the message after polling to see what resonates. Powell was involved in the disastrous and short lived Harold Ford Jr. campaign in NY recently. Ford dropped more than a few ed deform crums in his brief stint. Maybe Powell is really the AFT's new massager to rub Randi's back when she is tired. At any rate their polling - internal and external showed that the way they shape their defense of teachers is crucial to the response of the public.

So - here it is - the grand theme - FIGHT SMART.

Now we all know what that means. A way to rationalize all the givebacks the AFT/UFT has agreed to.

After talking about the hot weather, Randi began by saying: "Those of us who have been in the trenches for a long time..."

Huh? What trench has she been in?

"...you have seen hot all year."

Oh, I get it - a funny.

"We are finding things we have never seen - even from a Democratic president - telling us we don't have a right to exist- no voice, no retirement security..."

That's about as tough as she got. She continued with, "Why are we upset? Not a surprise. Members are mad." Sure, real members as opposed to the Unity hacks are mad at her.

"They didn't sign up for a world where we would be demonized and scapegoated, where even if you have no U ratings every single teacher would be fired."

She was referring to Central Falls, RI, which she is claiming credit for saving all the teacher jobs. Unity hack supremo Jeff Zahler stressed that point before Randi's speech.

Randi continued:
"It is easy to vent against people we supported for a long time. Now all of a sudden they have gone from liking us to not liking us." At that point I was getting cramps.

"Look at the economy." Oh that one is coming. Like the ed deformers weren't attacking teachers in Chicago and beyond in the mid nineties when the economy was booming - except in NYC where in 1995 Randi went along with the Mayor Giuliani line the city had no money and she negotiated a 5 year contract with a two year wage freeze, only to see the city have a billion dollar surplus a year later. Yeah, that economy.

"When we say we need more taxes or deserve retirement security - part of the social contract - we worked for low wages - they want to bring us down. Our strategy - yes - fighting back hard [oh when did she fight back hard] and fighting smart.
There it is - the big strategy laid out for us to wonder at. Or wander at. Or wender at.

PART 2:
She went on - "Fighting Smart lifts all boats - trade unions are not anchors of privilege but beacons of hope. We have a harder job than ever. We have to call out the demonizers no matter who they are..."

AND HERE COMES THE BIGGIE, FOLKS -

"EVEN IF THEY ARE THE PRESIDENT OR THE VICE PRESIDENT."

So there, Ana Philips. How dare you say Randi I mild compared to Karen Lewis or Diane Ravitch.

Now back to the pablum:

"You went into this [teaching] in the first place to create a greater good."

Come on Randi - some of us went into teaching so we didn't have to go to Vietnam. Let's be honest here. Teaching is also a job. We can do it well but also not have it be a calling.

"The reason we have a full opposition slate against us - instead of national taking a step back..." [what does she mean by a step back?] "we rolled up our sleeves and helped those on the front lines - Central Falls, Detroit, Cincinatti, California ..."

We are getting a geography lesson - but Randi seems to have forgotten Washington DC and her best friend Michelle Rhee who along with New Teacher Project Tim Daly have a love affair with Randi.

Then she goes into the screwing - oops - the saving of Detroit - you know where Randi helped broker a deal where teachers gave up money to save jobs. How the city was going to go bankrupt, etc, etc, etc.

She ended with the usual screech that got everyone to their feet - we will see better days ahead you know. Well, maybe when we have more Chicago-like revolts.

NY Times' Sam Dillon Misses the Mark

Obama was hiding at the hotel during the AFT convention in Chicago pretending to be out of town but George Schmidt had proof he was there. I'll leave it to Susan to take down Dillon and the Times:

http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_atrocities.php?id=3995

Teachers' Union Shuns Obama Aides at Convention

Ohanian Comment: This reporter is wrong. Presidential Candidate Obama did not address the AFT conventioneers in Chicago two years ago in person. Although he was in Chicago the night before, he avoided addressing the conventioneers in person, just as he'd avoided NEA convention goers, choosing to appear via video. And although he promised Higher standards; More money for NCLB; Merit pay (“teachers…who consistently excel in the classroom”); and although he asserted that "You teachers", not parent income, is the single most important factor in determining a child's achievement, he received a standing ovation.

I would point out that, seated in the second row, I remained seated.

One can only wonder what "change" NEA president Dennis Van Roekel could possibly have been hoping for. Since his Senatorial days, Obama's education platform, fashioned by the Center for American Progress, has always been aligned with that of the Business Roundtable.

All that said, this is a disgusting article. Look at who Dillon calls on for "expertise" in union matters: Chester Finn and the head of the New Teacher Project.

Typically, about 30 percent of TNTP’s annual revenue comes from the support of leading philanthropies, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Arnold Family Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, theCarnegie Corporation of New York, and the Charles & Helen Schwab Foundation.

Chair of the Board of Directors of TNTP is Kati Haycock of Education Trust. Other members include: John D. Arnold (Arnold Family Foundation), Chris Bierly (Bain & Co.), Christopher Cross (Cross & Joftis, whose clients include Gates & Broad & Walton Family Foundations), Daniel Keating, Wendy Kopp (teach for America), Julie Mikuta (New School Venture Fund), Dr. C. Kent McGuire (Temple University), John Simpson (Stupski Foundation), Dr. Uri Treisman (University of Texas, Austin)

Last Minute Pitch for LeBron - Gary nails it again

July 8, 2010 (GBN News): The LeBron James saga took an unexpected turn today when, in a desperate attempt to bounce back from a mediocre season, the New York City Department of Education made a last minute push to lure the free agent star to the DOE. GBN News has learned that Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg hosted Mr. James last night at the Mayor’s posh East Side home. In an hour long Powerpoint presentation prepared by the DOE publicity department, he was shown how by playing ball with the DOE, he can realize his dream of making a billion dollars far faster than by merely playing for an NBA team.

Mr. James was reportedly wowed by the Powerpoint, which went through the myriad of ways that big money can be made through an association with the DOE. While he found possibilities such as no bid computer consulting contracts and vending machine deals very appealing, he was said to have been particularly impressed by the fortune that can be made in charter schools alone.

MORE AT

Last Minute Pitch for LeBron

Truly Sleepless in Seattle

July 7, 2010

Diane Ravitch, who received the NEA Friend of Education award, electrified the Representative Assembly Tuesday with an impassioned call for the defense of public education and the teaching profession. There is a video but it didn't run for me. http://www.nea.org/grants/40241.htm

The NEA strong stand on Obama/Duncan and RTTT will put pressure on the AFT this week. They passed some very good resos which I will link to later. Don't forget- Ravitch was at the NEA and won't be at the AFT. Not a rift but there may be some tension there. See NEA press release about Ravitch. Diane Ravitch receives NEA’s Friend of Education Award.

Here is my report from last night.

July 6, 2010

Jeez, this place is beginning to crawl with teachers. "What's going on," asked a pretty hip guy who runs an very interesting and eclectic bookstore on the lower level of the Pike Place Market? "Everyone who's been coming in here seems to be a teacher." I told him about the AFT convention. He went on to tell me how he hated school and most of his teachers were awful. "But you run a book store," I said. "Yeah, funny, my mom always says that it is strange given by history with school." We had a nice chat about the Seattle schools, most of which he seemed to have attended - unwillingly - at one time or another.

I intend to stop by a few times to browse and if you're in town give him the business instead of the big chains. Wait a minute, I am getting my Nora Ephron/Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks films mixed up. The battle of the small bookstore vs big chain didn't take place in Seattle while the sleepless houseboat thingy did. (By the way, if you are a fan of "The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo" read Ephron's wonderful takeoff in last week's New Yorker.)

I took an early morning flight out on Tuesday and we arrived an hour early at 10:30am local time. I saw a bunch of UFT people on the flight (I recognized Maureen Salter and Betty Zohar), along with retired John F. Kennedy teacher Carolyn Eubanks, here with a contingent from Progressive Labor. She experienced the wonderful Anthony Rotunno (A DOE Favored Principal Takes A Hit - Way too Late) at Kennedy so there was joy in her Mudville over his recent travails.

I had a little time to settle in, grab my new video camera and check out the scene - which meant eating my way through the city. I must have eaten 5 times yesterday. Lisa North (GEM/ICE) came in last night and Gloria Brandman is due tonight. George Schmidt and the Chicago crew are due today. Gloria, Lisa and I are staying at the Homewood Suites a short distance from the convention center and it is very impressive - a full kitchen and free breakfast and a dinner reception almost every night - I think I may be able to eat 10 times a day. I hope no one is sitting next to me on the way home on the Monday night red eye.

There will be some activity from the AFT Peace and Justice group which is where Lisa and Gloria will be putting their efforts.

Given the NEA "no confidence" vote in RTTT this past weekend I imagine the Randi rhetoric will fly showing just how tough she will be. I expect lots of people to break out in gales of laughter. Even some Unity people might have to hide their faces. This is going to be pretty funny considering how just about everyone you talk to in Unity trashes Randi as they gush, "Mulgrew is so different. He is a real teacher." Sure. A year ago they would be telling you how smart Randi was. If Jack the Ripper ran the union they would talk about how clean and shiny he keeps his knives.

One retired Unity person was throwing this at a friend who told her about the teacher evaluation based on test score agreement Mulgrew agreed to. "Terrible they would do that," she responded. By "they" she meant BloomKlein. Somehow Unity people have the ability to make their leader disappear from anything bad that they agree too. Or maybe they think BloomKlein are using water boarding.

By the way, we heard Arne Duncan will be in town on Friday afternoon for another event. Would Randi dare to bring him in to address convention? I am betting not as there is so much teacher anger out there his reception would not be pretty.





Here is one place you WON'T find me this week.

LIFO

Updated 7am, Pacific time

Over at Eduwonk there was an interesting debate over LIFO based on the Rotherham analysis of the Obey amendment. A key step in the ed deform movement is to go after salary structure based on years of service and LIFO. Someone asked for a defense of LIFO. (See the piece I wrote with John Tarleton for the Indypendent.) While many of us have some issues with a strict LIFO policy, even if we think about it 'till our brains smoke, given the way so many principals operate, I haven't seen a plan that makes more sense in the long run.

Sort of like when people get frustrated with how inefficient and messy democratic systems can be (certainly NOT the UFT/AFT which is both undemocratic and inefficient) the response is often "show me a better alternative."

(This paragraph updated)
Miss Eyre over at NYC Educator touches on the issue in: Why Should It Be Easy to Fire Someone? I like to point out when a relatively young teacher who entered the system under BloomKlein writes a piece like this. Though Miss Eyre was a Teaching Fellow I believe and not Teach for America, one of the reasons TFA wants to get their people out of the classroom ASAP is to keep them from turning into Miss Eyre.

Here John Thompson takes a crack on the LIFO and tenure aspect of the argument in a comment on the Rotherham post:

Here’s my #1 argument for reforming LIFO, but still protecting seniority. Tenure in universities protects free speech. Without tenure, public school teachers immediately lose the bulk of their power in arguing against policies that impose educational malpractice. I was just watching the video of Brad Jupp at the Ed Sector, and even he who I respect so highly, said that we must accept a world where reform leaders want to just staff schools with “their type of teachers” and train them in their way. Too many in the reform camp just want an educational monoculture. Not all, but many in the reform camp want to drive Baby Boomers out of the profession. Economics is only part of it. Mostly they don’t want the voices of experience distracting from their vision. But economics is a factor, too, and its intertwined with their vision thing. In schools we constantly hear complaints that veteran teachers don’t embrace Smartboards or whatever. Principals of turnaround schools often get rid of older teachers, not because of their lack of effectiveness, but because they aren’t unreservedly on board with the new paradigm. So, you can get rid of dissent and high salaries at the same time.

Too many reformers see that as a win win for them. But often veteran teachers are cautious because they – unlike the young reformers – have seen the same reforms tried and failed over and over under different names.

If I could persuade you on one point, it would be this. The single best way to improve schools would be to think ahead, plan, and stop making the same old errors. It is much better to avoid a mistake than to clean up afterwards.

And point #2, teachers want to teach. The best way to recruit and retain teaching talent is to create learning cultures that respect teachers’ voices as well as the full humanity of students. The best way to drive off talent is to perpetuate this standardized testing madness.