Lisa Donlan and Norm Scott on WBAI- Weds., June 15, 10PM

REMINDER: Lisa Donlan and I will be heading over to WBAI after the Skinny Awards dinner:

Ethics on the Air

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 – 10 pm

WBAI – 99.5 FM and live on:stream.WBAI.org

NYC SCHOOLS - VIEWPOINTS OF A TEACHER AND A PARENT

with Norm Scott, publisher of Education Notes
and Lisa Donlan, president of Community Education Council 1

Join co-hosts Dr. Terry Perlin and Andra Miller for a conversation with a retired teacher and a parent advocate about what's wrong with city public schools and how they can be improved.

Our guests' experience include 30 years of teaching elementary school in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn (retired 2002),
years of advocating education reform including an occasional critique of union policy -- and a PTA presidency with close-in observation of administrative policies and how they affected teaching and learning, setting the stage for "each school for itself."

Mark your calendar and be sure to tune in.

For past programs go to: nysec.org/new-york/wbai-ethics-on-the-air

Just Another Demo but Bloombergville Sleep-In Takes it up a Notch

Bloombergville Sleep-in Updates: http://bloombergvillenow.org/

Click: BLOOMBERGVILLE NOW! – 24/7 LIVE COVERAGE


GEM/NYCORE Sam Coleman,  6th from right below, on Democracy Now:

Sam Coleman: "So, I’m here today to let the city council know, to let the mayor know, that these budget cuts and the layoffs that they’re proposing are totally unacceptable. I teach in a low-income neighborhood, mostly immigrants, and my school is going to lose funding. That’s going to eliminate after school programs, going to eliminate art programs, going to eliminate materials that we badly need, as well as teachers getting excessed or laid off. And my message to the mayor is very simple: you can find the money. There are many, many, many wealthy New Yorkers who do not pay enough taxes, and the revenue is there, the money is there. And our schools need the money, and you cannot balance this budget on the backs of our children or our parents or our teachers."

The Fight Back Friday Crew

So we gathered outside the UFT Brooklyn Borough office - in the rain for the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Thank goodness it's next to the Marriott so I got to use the bathroom and change into my "Education Mayor, Really" super tee-shirt. Boy was it annoyingly humid. They ran out of rain slickers but umbrellas worked. Really, who was there? It was like a Delegate Assembly without the bananas. Mostly Unity Caucus people as far as I could tell- which is what the union can count on. And of course most of the UFT non-Unity activists. We all really have to stop meeting like this.

For us, events like this are a good time to get together with other activists for chats about politics. I'm in a never ending debate with many of the gang over how we view the UFT. My point of view seems to be in the minority.

I personally found the entire event a JAD - Just Another Demo. But it was great to connect up with the gang - see the photo. Many of these guys are the future.

A bunch of people were/are sleeping in. Here is a report from the field.


Bloombergville Continues: Speakout/Rally against Budget Cuts Wednesday at 7!

*** Please Forward Widely ***

...The first night of Bloombergville was great! After it stopped raining (and the cops started harassing us), we moved across the street and set up camp on Centre Street east of City Hall. There are around 100 of us here, the weather is perfect and it's been an exciting, inspiring night.

But we're not done! Some of us will be staying here during the day to maintain the encampment and we will be re-assembling in full force at 7 pm on Centre Street east of City Hall to have a speakout rally and another night of sleeping out and protesting the budget cuts. We need your help to make it even bigger and better than tonight! The Rude Mechanical Orchestra will be here and will provide some musical entertainment for us. Even if you can't sleep out, come for the rally, tell your friends, and spread it on Facebook

(http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=154974931237705) and Twitter

(#bloombergville). And check out the awesome Bloombergville blog,


http://bloombergvillenow.org/


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

Video of Fight Back Friday Press Conf at Christine Quinn Office as Post Cards Delivered

Below is the video I shot at the PC but soon after we heard this:

"We have to fight like hell to make sure Quinn has no chance of becoming Mayor. At least she says she is holding strong to layoffs, all be it while throwing seniority rules under the bus."

----Comment from a teacher after reading article with these comments: 

As for how to conduct teacher layoffs, should they be necessary, Quinn said that selecting instructors for dismissal solely through seniority, rather than on teacher effectiveness, is plainly nuts. Bloomberg had pleaded with Albany to end the so-called last in, first out system, but Albany told him to take a hike.
"Having a system that is based exclusively on seniority does not make any sense," Quinn said.
She also backed the concept of letting go teachers who are paid to do nothing because they were excessed from positions and have been unable to find new jobs in the school system.
Quinn said they should be removed from the payroll after they have had a fair chance to look for work - perhaps after a year, certainly after two.

I would have delivered more than postcards. Quinn is a Bloomberg sucking slug. Today's Times
Unions Weighing New Plan to Avert Teacher Layoffs has an article about how her influence is growing and she is the leading candidate for mayor. UGH!

Fight Back Friday

Press Conference at City Council President Christine Quinn's Office

June 10, 2011 

On June 10, 2011 parents and teachers held a press conference in front of NYC City Council President Christine Quinn's mid-town office to deliver post cards calling for no cuts to education. This was the culminating event of a Fight Back Friday with schools around the city participating.

Quinn, the leading candidate for mayor who has backed Bloomberg came out against following seniority for layoffs.


http://youtu.be/OEGfptIQY4s

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn understands hard budget choices she, Mayor Bloomberg must make

Editorials
Friday, June 10th 2011, 4:00 AM

Corkery/News

Are Leadership Academy Grads Trained to Go After Chapter Leaders? Are UFT District and Special Reps Trained to Ignore Pleas for Help?

It's as if the UFT are afraid to act. I don't understand this. They seem to have simply ceased fighting back and accept whatever these insane principals say and work from there -- as far as you can work from there. You know, like a boxer who lays down on the mat before the opening bell.   --- a UFT Chapter Leader under attack by a Leadership Academy Principal

Before I begin, here are notes for tomorrow's events  - Wednesday, June 15 - A busy day:

4PM: UFT Delegate Assembly

6PM: Leonie Haimson honors James Eterno and Julie Cavanagh at the Skinny (not Broad) Awards. Sorry, all sold out. But you can read all about it: Get the Skinny From Leonie. I will be there to tape it. And yes, I'll include the footage from the UFT honorees.

10PM: Lisa Donlan and Norm Scott on WBAI- Weds., June 15...
Yes, you can hear my raw Brooklyn dulcet tones on WBAI as Lisa and I borrow Gov. Christie's helicopter to head over to the radio station to talk about - what am I talking about again?

Another big rally and march is planned today over the Brooklyn Bridge by the UFT and I and all the activists in the various groups will be there - GEM, Teachers Unite, ICE, TJC, NYCORE and the Fight Back Friday coalition. March over the bridge with other Fight Back Friday Schools!! Tuesday, 4pm

Add this to the UFT/NAACP law suit on closing schools and readers and critics of my usual stand on the UFT as Vichy might ask: Norm, what's the beef?

Well, this stuff is macro and I am still not sure they won't sell out - check out this morning's story to see where I was going on that issue. Powerful Voices of Parents and Teachers Condemn Separate and Unequal at Press Conference

But this is about micro, not macro. Sort of like the "you can reduce crime by stopping graffiti" argument. Stop the attacks on chapter leaders before doing the big stuff.

If you've been following my series of articles on the UFT abandoning the fight to protect chapter leaders under assault -  Did UFT Undermine Chapter Leader at MS 216Q by Sending in Incompetent Rep to Hold SBO Vote? other than to tell them to hush it up and promising to try to parachute them out of harm's way - and what kind of message does that leave to the chapter members who had elected them and now feel that fighting an abusive principal is useless - you can tell that at at the root level the union is in trouble.

Now it is funny that when I was a Delegate in the late 90's there were stories of a principal abusing a chapter leader and I used Ed Notes to put forth a resolution calling for more protections for CLs. The leadership adamantly opposed it and the Unity clones went along - it got only a handful of votes. Maybe that will give you a clue to my pissed off attitude at Unity and the leadership. I mean, this was years before BloomKlein and the Leadership Academy.

I was recently contacted by another chapter leader who is under attack. My first question was:
Is your principal a Leadership Academy grad? Of course. The pattern is clear that there is some training going on on how to attack the union at the school level. The union is not offering any counter measures on how to fight back. My advice to many prospective chapter leaders with an unfriendly principal (even friendly principals often quickly turn unfriendly when confronted) is to tread very carefully. No matter what the union promises in terms of protection they just won't and can't do it.

The CL wrote back

Yes there is a pattern.  The other pattern is the UFT doing next to nothing to protect its own soldiers -- on whom the entire union depends -- after they surrender thousands of hours of labor and put their careers and families at risk . It's unreal. It's as if the UFT are afraid to act. I don't understand this. They seem to have simply ceased fighting back and accept whatever these insane principals say and work from there -- as far as you can work from there. You know, like a boxer who lays down on the mat before the opening bell. Surely, it wasn't always like this, no ? I mean, under these conditions who would be a chapter leader ? For what ? To lose your job for a union that will not protect you ?


It's insane. And pathetic.


But I'm mystified. What is the benefit to UFT to do next to nothing when you see some of your hardest working CL's thrown to the dogs ? I simply don't understand.  If this continues the UFT will wind up with no chapter leaders -- or worse still, plenty of chapter leaders and every single one of them working for the principal.


I am equally mystified by the entire issue of Bloomberg's Leadership Academy -- as well as the nationally based Broad's version. How are these ridiculous places accredited ? They are worse than University of Phoenix. How are they even legal ? Has any one looked into the legality of this ? Maybe it's time for a lawsuit.


To be sure, every Leadership Academy idiot is trained to divide and conquer and undermine the union.

What is my answer? Complicated and I'll try to address this further another time. But if your prime directive is to hold onto power and there is no force out there threatening your power, why do anything? The other angle is the wish to be a partner in ed deform and being too militant will endanger that. Also - if you are too militant some people might start asking more questions about the state of democracy in the UFT and how one party has held overwhelming power for a half century.


Add On:
Another issue is the number of people being denied tenure and forced into an extension - 9 out of 10 in one school, 4 out of 6 in another. Many are so distraught they are just up and leaving - that is why I think there will be many more vacancies than people expect. See this blog post by Tales of a Sweet Girl on this issue. I will blog about it soon.
http://talesofasweetgirl.blogspot.com/2011/06/i-am-not-going-to-blow-50amp-but-80amp.html 

Powerful Voices of Parents and Teachers Condemn Separate and Unequal at Press Conference

I put up notice of yesterday's press conference at Tweed (New York City Parents and Community Stakeholders To Convene Press Conference Supporting NAACP Lawsuit) and taped the entire event. It's a long video and I will start cutting it up into individual statements but I wanted to get the entire raw video up for those who have the time to see it - cull some of the quotes for your own articles. Video is on Vimeo with this description:

Parents and teachers gather on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse (NYCDOE HQ) to support the NAACP/UFT lawsuit on school closings and to announce their own suit. Interesting how reports are surfacing that a deal between the DOE and NAACP/UFT may be in the works that will allow them to close the schools. If there is such a deal it will have to be a sellout even if on the surface the DOE promises to do A, B and C. We know this only gives them cover and I would brand any deal a sellout since every single settlement with the DOE has turned sour. Remember last year's settlement on closing schools?

http://vimeo.com/25070672


Parent, Teacher Voices Support NAACP/UFT and Condemn Separate and Unequal from Grassroots Education Movement on Vimeo.

Parents and teachers gather on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse (NYCDOE HQ) to support the NAACP/UFT lawsuit on school closings and to announce their own suit. Interesting how reports are surfacing that a deal between the DOE and NAACP/UFT may be in the works that will allow them to close the schools. If there is such a deal it will have to be a sellout even if on the surface the DOE promises to do A, B and C. We know this only gives them cover and I would brand any deal a sellout since every single settlement with the DOE has turned sour. Remember last year's settlement on closing schools?


Here is part of the Gotham Schools reports on the issue:

Parent group says it will file separate suit challenging closures

by Geoffrey Decker

More litigation could be targeted at Tweed’s plans to close struggling schools, even as one lawsuit seems to be headed toward an amicable settlement.

Make sure to read about the "amicable" settlement. I view it as the NAACP and UFT feeling the heat and instead of standing firm are blinking. Gotham continues:

The New York City Parents Union announced this afternoon that it plans to file a separate lawsuit against the Department of Education, charging that its policy of closing low-performing schools and co-locating charter schools in district space was illegal. The lawsuit, according to the announcement, would effectively stop all school closure and co-locations from moving forward.
“We, the public school parents, challenge the cynical chicanery of Chancellor Walcott and the DOE. We reject the privatization agenda supported by Mayor Bloomberg and his appointees. Our children deserve the best education and a supportive administration, and we will fight for all children to receive equal access to a quality education,” the statement said.
The lawsuit would also seek to reverse charter school co-locations because they aren’t charged market rent for space in district school buildings. (more…)

So with all the carping you will see about Mona Davids looking for publicity, this law suit can't do any harm.

March over the bridge with other Fight Back Friday Schools!! Tuesday, 4pm

Fight Back Friday Coverage :

http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/the-education-mayor-some-local-schools-think-not-4


http://eastvillage.thelocal.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/park-protest-over-teacher-layoff-plan/

If you or folks you know are marching over the bridge and plan to meet at Brooklyn UFT Office . . . (335 Adams street, 2,3,4,5 to borough hall, A,C,F, R to Jay street/metro tech) 

 . . .Come march with the Fight Back Friday Banner!!   4PM!!!

Then meet up with other FBF schools and grassroots teacher groups at the corner of Chambers and Center, 4:30.

Over 50 schools have participated over the last few months!  

Show your support for grassroots, school based organizing of teachers, students and parents!!!

That is what Fight Back Friday is all about!!

Check out Pictures and videos of some of the actions from last Friday

Sam,

for the FIght Back Friday Committee

Video from Lehman HS, Bronx    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb6aORwHHLs

  

PS 157

Lyons School

 

Graduating (former struggling) Student Voices Opinion on Beach Channel HS

Here are a series of comments left by chilenkon, a student who just graduated after what looks like years of struggle (note the change in point of view from blaming the school to taking some responsibility). BCHS is a school the DOE is trying to close but is part of the NAACP/UFT suit. I live in Rockaway Beach, a barrier penninsula that is not easily accessible. This is my local neighborhood school and its closing forces students to do a lot of traveling to mainland schools, putting the most at-risk, non-motivated students in a precarious situation. Stories like these are part of the underlying reasons for the law suit. I will be at the press conference today supporting the NAACP (New York City Parents and Community Stakeholders To Convene Press Conference Supporting NAACP Lawsuit).

chilenkon has made a comment on Beach Channel High School:

well, am a recent graduate at BCHS class of jan 2011....to tell u the truth i dnt think this school should be closing... i call this school a 2nd chance school, why?..because i should've been graduated in '08 from FRHS....in '08 i just began to start doing good at Far Rock and when i was 4 credits away from graduating from FR they slam the doors on me saying they cnt give me the classes i needed...

 believe it or not once they said that i though that i was gonna end up on the streets with no diploma, no shot on going to college, work on a low paid wage flipping burgers or w.e..... i been judging this school all my life thinking it was a bad school i always said that the teachers, guidance, and staffs are just like from FR....

.but i was wrong BCHS i believe the 2nd baddest school, welcomed me with open arms and helped me with what i was supposed to do.. in '10 i gave up on this school thinking i should take the easy step and went for my G.E.D. after all that i felt like i gave up 2 easy only being 4 credits away and BC didnt gave up on me....they still had all my info and i came back to the school..and wit having almost 20 staff members behind my back pushin me to get through, i have successfully graduated.......

hopefully the DOE or BOE see this comment, and see that this school does its best to have a better graduation % rate (it is upto the students if they want it or not)..its a great school.....like a quote i read ''dnt judge a book by its cover'' so i say....dnt judge BC from the outside or from what the papers say or the graduation % rate is, give it a chance like they gave me the chance to be successful


You can reply to this comment by visiting the comments page.

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

New York City Parents and Community Stakeholders To Convene Press Conference Supporting NAACP Lawsuit

NYC Parents Union Press Conference

Time: Monday, June 13 · 5:30pm - 6:00pm
Location: DOE Headquarters, 52 Chambers

WHAT: Parents, Students & Educators Press Conference in support of the lawsuit to stop school closings & inequitable charter school co-locations

WHO: NYC Parents Union, Coalition for Public Education, Alliance for Quality Education, Concerned Advocates for Public Education, Grassroots Education Movement and New York Communities for Change

WHY: We believe every child must have equal access to a quality education. Separate and Unequal facilities are unacceptable and foster divisiveness in our communities.

WHEN: Monday, June 13 at 5:30PM

WHERE: Department of Education Headquarters, 52 Chambers Street

Rhee-Action

Got this from Leonie Haimson and Parents Across America.

If you haven’t already seen this today, Michelle Rhee played a role in passing an anti-union bill in Tennessee. She co-authored an op-ed with Former Republican Senate Leader Bill Frist. The bill is pretty broad and eliminates collective bargaining for teachers.  Rhee’s ex-husband, whom she is close to, was recently appointed by the Governor as the state commissioner of education.  This is her bill and should be seen/exposed as such. This is a good chance to review Rhee’s record on the national stage for the last six months.

Although Michelle Rhee has gained fame for her tenure as a DC School Chancellor under Democratic Mayor Adrien Fenty, her record and policy positions are very right wing. Since her resignation as Chancellor, she has travelled the country appearing with Republican Governors and advocating for anti-union policies. She has also been nominated for right wing awards and embroiled in local scandals. Here is a rundown of some of her recent activity:

Wisconsin – Republican Governor Scott Walker ignited the current anti-union push with a budget that cut state worker pay, eliminated collective bargaining rights for public employees, and contained other measures to weaken unions.

·         Rhee appeared on Fox News in support of Walkers plan to limit bargaining rights for teachers.
o   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KEpMMA8j3o
o   http://www.alternet.org/story/150183/reactionary_'education_refomers'_fenty_and_rhee_support_scott_walker's_attack_on_teachers
·         Rhee appeared on a local news channel where she said that teachers losing their right to collective bargaining is the beginning of something very important.
o   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6waSfhkN9Dc

[NOTE: Rhee's organization is now disavowing her Walker support but here is an item from Diane Ravitch:

Rhee has been standing by the side of every Tea Party governor as they cut the budget for public education, stripped teachers of any job protection, and expanded vouchers and charters. So far as I know, she does not deny accepting an award, with Scott Walker, from the far-right, anti-public school group called American Federation for Children.

Ohio – Republican Governor John Kasich pushed through SB 5, which is expected to face a ballot referendum. The bill severely limits collective bargaining rights for public employees, including teachers.

·         Rhee’s organization, Student’s First, lobbied on behalf of the bill.
o   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/24/michelle-rhee-ohio-teachers-bill_n_866252.html
o   http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/26/978992/-Rhees-Students-First-lobbied-on-OhiosSB5?via=blog_616729
·         Rhee appeared with Governor Kasich for a screening of the debunked “documentary” Waiting for Superman
o   http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/03/29/dc-education-reformer-to-join-kasich-for-documentary-screening.html?sid=101
o   http://www.rheefirst.com/?page_id=978
o   http://blog.cleveland.com/letters/2011/05/john_kasich_michelle_rhee_push.html
o   http://www.examiner.com/government-in-columbus/kasich-rhee-movie-night-latest-scene-epic-battle-of-public-private-schools#ixzz1MoUaHLhW

Florida – Republican Governor Rick Scott’s anti union policies have tanked his approval rating. Recent polls have shown him to be the least popular governor in the country. One of Scott’s first actions was to appoint Rhee and advisor for education policy. She has also teamed with former Republican Governor Jeb Bush on education issues.

·         Rhee advises Rick Scott
o   http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-12-02/news/os-scott-education-transition-team-1220101202_1_transition-team-world-of-education-reform-charter-schools-usa
o   http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/michelle-rhee-cozies-rick-scott-ardent-scho
o   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-thompson/the-michelle-rheejeb-bush_b_807157.html

New Jersey – Republican Governor Chris Christie made overtures to Rhee after she quit as DC School Chancellor. She has also expressed support for his budget cutting policies.

·         Christie woos Rhee
o   http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/christie_woos_ex_dc_ed_big_rq9UBBoSz1jKn2nSjSRnRM
·         Rhee appeared on Fox News to support Christie’s budget cuts
o   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK88nd9uLUs

Indiana – Republican Governor Mitch Daniels joined forces with Michelle Rhee to support a school voucher bill.

·         Rhee appears at a rally for the voucher bill.
o   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU_A6guPN7o
o   http://www.edchoice.org/Newsroom/News/Indiana-House-Passes-Nation-s-Largest-Voucher-Bill-as-1-000-Gather-Supporting-School-Choice.aspx
·         Rhee’s appearance at the rally coincides with a cheating scandal in DC
o   http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110330/BLOGS13/110339960/1002/LOCAL

Nevada – Republican Governor Brian Sandoval recently met with Rhee and she supports his education policies.

·         Rhee states: "I feel very, very strongly that on the policy side the governor is absolutely pushing the right (education) agenda and the right set of policies that have the ability to create the right foundation and to put the state on a different trajectory moving forward."
o   http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/former-d-c-chancellor-michelle-rhee-pushing-for-big-changes-to-schools-122793333.html

Right Wing Awards – Rhee has been nominated for right wing awards for her fairly partisan, anti-union efforts.

·         Rhee was nominated for an award by the Sam Adams Alliance. The two other nominees were Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and anti-gay Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
o   http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2011/04/01/local-girl-makes-good/
o   http://www.samadamsalliance.org/programs/sammies/the-finalists.aspx
·         The right wing American Federation for Children hosted a policy summit in DC, where they gave awards to Michelle Rhee, Scott Walker and Pennsylvania Republican Governor Tom Corbett. AFC is AFC is a Koch and Devos funded organization focusing on school vouchers
o   http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/09/974560/-Hundreds-protest-Walker,-Corbett,-and-Rhee-at-DeVos-funded-policy-summit

Cheating scandal – In the midst of her crusade against teachers, Rhee was embroiled in a cheating scandal. USA Today released a report stating that many DC public schools has abnormally high wrong to right erasures on standardized tests. Rhee was aware of the problem but declined to act.

·         Rhee embroiled in scandal
o   http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2011-03-28-1Aschooltesting28_CV_N.htm?csp=34news
o   http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2011/04/rick_scott_education_adviser_michelle_rhee_cheating_scandal.php
·         Local groups called for an investigation
o   http://www.change.org/petitions/end-the-test-driven-culture-of-dc-public-schools-2

Film Screening in Vegas as Part of SOS March Weekend in July

Can't make it to Washington for the Save Our Schools march on July 30? Got to Vegas instead.

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

More on Friday Protests at Lyons School and Lehman HS

I posted pics last night from 2 rallies. Here is a followup from a GEMer who was present on the arrest of a teacher for writing on a mailbox with chalk.

I didn't know who the teacher was.  I was caddy corner so i don't know if he was cuffed, but I think not.  He was taken in a car to the 90th Pct.  The principal immediately went over to the police stattion.  She was out rallying too. Then the head honcho officer spoke with some folks and said he was going to find out what happened and explained the rules of demonstrating to the group that was left.  Many others went to the precinct.  The group was given a warning by a detective who was going around in a car.  They were not blocking the street or traffic.  In fact cars were honking in agreement.  Anyway I think this teacher wrote on the mailbox with chalk and then erased it.  Well they were on him as if he committed a crime.  it seems like harassment.  The head officer seemed to think he was going to be held and then let go.  We will know by Monday what happened unless you have an e-mail of someone from Lyons to inquire.  The group was well organized and calm, but needless to say very upset.  We joined them because the school is across the street from my house. This school could lose quite a few teachers because of the cuts and it would devastate them.

Lehman HS follow-up
Here are some excerpts from a wonderful email from a former student of Fordam's Dr. Mark Naison who was a major speaker at the rally at Lehman. It was her first rally. I've been on a listserve with Mark and he is one powerful voice against Ed Deform and for Real Reform. I really have to start blogging some of his posts.

Hi Dr N

It was good to see you this afternoon at the UFT-organized Rally against Budget Cuts at Lehman HS- The coverage from News 12 Bronx is up online as well -

http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=283880&position=1&news_type=news

Although I'm not a NYC public school teacher, it was important to me to attend because of what I learned from your Senior Values Seminar several years ago  - never let others stand alone.  Support isn't about large and grand gestures, but its in the simple human camaraderie of not letting anyone stand up alone-

The most memorable parts of the rally, aside from the much-welcomed passing shower to cool the marchers down, was when a Fire Truck and later a Con Edison Service truck assed by honking their horns! The firemen, who are also facing severe budget cuts, were enthusiastically throwing their hands in the air cheering along with us.  Although I was a bit hesitant at first (since this was my first rally), the longer I marched the more I found it to be "really exciting" as you put it.

You mentioned that there was another rally taking place this afternoon in downtown Brooklyn with public school professionals from all around the borough. Although the size and scope of that rally surpasses the gathering this afternoon at Lehman, what's most impressive was to see the positive response from the community. I don't consider myself to be a social justice activist, but this was a small step to add a voice in my community. As I mentioned, I'm not a public school teacher, I'm not an alumna of Lehman HS, and I'm not a member of a union. But I have friends, family and colleagues that are public school teachers and I am the product and beneficiary of the NYC public education system - it is these people with whom I stand beside in this fight.  I believe that we are in the midst of a challenging time, a time when traditions, values, and systems are being tested and re-evaluated.

Although the conversation and policies are shifting towards a more corporate nature with focus on business efficiency and returns on investment, I believe that my Fordham education instilled in me that the pursuit of excellence should never come at the expense of respect for humanity and ethics.  You're right that the education system has become distilled into performance measurements, exams, bonuses, and new investments in charters - but there is still the possibility of making it right. Education is about service - service to the students, no matter what age, gender, ability, religion, socioeconomic standing, parental education background of the student.

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

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

Pics From Fightback Friday at Lyons School/Cops Arrive Over Teacher Writing With Chalk/Pics From Lehman HS Rally

I got back at noon from my 3 day trip to FIRST HQ in New Hampshire for the annual robotics conference just in time to head into the city for the Fight Back Friday press conference at City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's 30th St. offices (video will be up tomorrow). There were lots of activities going on simultaneously. Here are pics from 2 locations:

The Lyons School (East Williamsburg - actually at the old IS 49 building a few blocks from where I taught. As these pics came into the Blackberrys there were rumors a teacher was arrested for writing in chalk on the sidewalk mailbox (and erasing it).  (there goes Skelly and other chalk-driven memories of childhood.)
 
Pics below the fold

My Expose - HSA - Part 2

A Teacher in EvaLand- Part 1

PART 2
After the mingling, we were finally introduced to Ms. Eva Moskowitz for a question and answering session. She was introduced by one of her associates before coming out and speaking to her prospective employees. Ms. Moskowitz gave a little dossier on her life. She was born and raised in District 5 and clearly stated that the schools were bad then as they are now. She is married with 3 children and  once her children started school, she became concerned about the schooling for her children  I was not actually writing so much down at this point. I did not want to look so conspicuous.
Since Ms. Moskowitz was looking for schools for her children,  she decided to make a network to create a system for other children (but we've heard this before). Ms. Moskowitz told everyone  that it irritates her to no end when the media describes her organization as a test- prep factory or sweat shop factory for high test scores. Ms. Moskowitz said, 'This is slander, how dare they say that?" She also told everyone  that teachers unions do not like her (gee, I wonder why). Ms. Moskowitz also gets pissed (she actually used the word pissed) when teachers and administrators start speak in Edu-speak. She can't understand why a teacher has to teach a child to say, "Lets make a text to text connection. Ms. Moskowitz doesn't understand why the child can not learn to say, "This story reminds me of a time or  of another book....".


My Commentary: BELOW THE FOLD

A Teacher in EvaLand- Part 1

by Anonymous


I would like to share my experience from the Harlem Success Academy Recruitment Hiring Fair at Eva Moskowitz's headquarters. First of all, I received an invitation to Ms. Moskowitz' Recruitment Event from a head hunter at Execu Search. (This particular headhunter found my name and profile on Linkedin).

  After my experience at 310 Lenox Avenue (Eva Moscowitz's headquarters), John Dewey is probably rolling over in his grave if he witnessed what was said and observed at the recruitment event. I was also extremely offended in how Eva used the word 'Sped' to describe  special needs students. As a teacher and as an individual who has a disability, I find this offensive. Also as a parent, I would not want my child in a school setting  where administrators and teachers call children 'sped' kids.  Second, her headquarters looks extremely sterile and cold, all white, blue and orange with a modern appearance. There are many cubicles with HR assistants working all over the second floor of her office. (Ms. Moskowitz has the entire second floor in the building for her network).

When I first arrived at HSA Headquarters, I was greeted by the receptionist who gave me my ID tag and was then escorted into the small conference room. In the conference room, there were already prospective employees (teachers, administrators). We were getting ready to watch the HSA  promo video.  The promo video involved many statistics about Ms. Moskowitz's network about HSA, for example:
MORE BELOW THE FOLD

Press Release 6/10/11: School Communities Across the City to Participate in Fight Back Friday, The City Council Must Hold Bloomberg Accountable

PRESS RELEASE

Date:  Friday, June 10, 2011     

Contact:

Sam Coleman, Teacher, PS 24, NYCORE/GEM:  646-354-9362

Lisa Donlan, Parent, President CEC1:  917-848-5873

School Communities Across the City to Participate in Fight Back Friday

The City Council must hold Bloomberg and the DOE Accountable: 

No school-based budget cuts and no educator lay-offs!

Cut middle and upper management, outside contracts, technology, legal and public relations budgets,  the charter school budget, which is set to increase by $139 million next year, and a portion of the monies spent on standardized high-stakes testing instead.

On Friday, June 10^th, school communities across the city will take differentiated actions to protest Mayor Bloomberg’s destructive education policies, including the elimination of 6,000 teaching positions, 4,700 through lay-offs.  Individual schools will hold rallies, sign postcards directed at City Council representatives, disseminate flyers to spread awareness about where Mr. Bloomberg’s spending priorities lie, and they will wear black to, “take our schools back” as well as stickers proclaiming the Real Reforms our Mayor should be fighting for.

According to Yelena Siwinski PS 193, “will be protesting the destructive practices of the New York City Department of Education including the proposed layoffs of thousands of teachers (in addition to failure to replace teachers lost through attrition), the inadequate funding for intervention services for students, after school programs, and arts programs and the narrowing of the curriculum through increased emphasis on testing.  We will be handing out literature and having informational picketing on Friday, June 10th and June 17th.  Our action on June 17th will also include forming a human chain around our school building.”

Educators at the Pan American International High School have been taking their anger at Mayor Bloomberg's impending layoffs out into their Elmhurst neighborhood, asking parents and other community members to sign postcards against Bloomberg's budget.  "Response from parents has been amazing," said Math teacher Peter Lamphere, "They really understand the impact that reduced services and higher class sizes will have on their students, especially for the English Language Learners we serve.  Despite Bloomberg's comments to the contrary, these parents very much understand what it takes to provide a good education for their children, and that means they know we need the resources that the Mayor would like to cut."

Representatives from at least ten of the participating schools will visit Christine Quinn’s office located at 30^th Street between 7^th and 8^th Avenues at 5:00 PM on Friday.  Parents and educators will deliver some of the more than 5,000 postcards collected at city-wide Fight Back Fridays over the last three weeks and will hold a press conference demanding the City Council reject any budget that includes  further cuts to school-based budgets and teacher lay-offs.

“We are participating in Fight Back Friday because the Mayor's proposed budget cuts will directly hit the most vulnerable New Yorkers while millionaires continue to profit,” said Ariela Rothstein, Teacher at East Brooklyn Community High School.  “Some of our school's greatest teachers could lose their jobs to the severe detriment of my students. My job is on the line just as I am seriously considering a long career in teaching.  The political maneuvering around lay-offs is damaging to our children and could mean that I and more than 4,000 educators cannot stay in the profession.  Given the steady increases in class sizes over the last nine years and the high teacher attrition rates, lay-offs should be off the table if we really want to put children first.”

Joanna Rich from PS 503 continued, "Our school community is participating in Fight Back Friday because the budget cuts would derail so many of our efforts to provide the children in this neighborhood with a rigorous and thorough elementary education. Under the proposed budget, PS 503 would lose over ten percent of its teaching staff, all of whom have been teaching for at least three years. These layoffs are unnecessary, and threaten to diminish the intervention and enrichment opportunities we currently provide our students."

$350 Million dollars is needed to prevent educator lay-offs and prevent disastrous consequences for our children including increased class sizes and loss of programming.  Mayor Bloomberg’s budget allocates $700 million for charter schools, $542 million in new technology, and hundreds of millions on testing. Parents, educators, children, and community members stand united in demanding our City Council reject the Mayor’s budget and call on Mr. Bloomberg to stop wasting our money and start to prioritize public education and local community public schools.  Added Steve Quester, “The mayor continues to prioritize tax breaks for Wall Street while class sizes balloon all over the city. At our school, we have a full-inclusion program in which 25% of the students are dyslexic, while 2/3 of our Reading Department is on the mayor's layoff list. How does Bloomberg dare call himself 'The Education Mayor'?”

Fight Back Friday began just over a year ago as a campaign effort to bring to life school-community-based education, organization and mobilization.  According to Michael Solo, a teacher at John Dewey High School, “Fight Back Fridays allow teachers, parents and students  to have a voice in the pushback against the ongoing attack against public education. The John Dewey High School community is greatly concerned with the continued attacks against our schools, our students, our colleagues in the teaching profession, and our unions. John Dewey’s basic premise, that a quality education is necessary to perpetuate our democracy, is under attack. Mayor Bloomberg’s threat of budget cuts and teacher layoffs is unnecessary and unfair. They say budget cuts, we say fight back !”

Sam Coleman, whose school held the first ever Fight Back Friday and launched the city-wide campaign concluded, “Fight Back Friday is about people power.  The time has come for us to collectively say, "Enough!"  Our children deserve the same quality education that Bloomberg chose for his daughters.  We must come together and demand equitable and just learning conditions for all children.  This begins with prioritizing the school budget to reflect an emphasis on teaching and learning rather than a budget that favors millionaires and billionaires and overemphasizes testing and technology.”

Additional Contacts:

Steve Quester, Teacher, PS 372:  347-683-6188

Ariela Rothstein, Teacher, East Brooklyn Community High School, 781-412-4084

Yelena Siwinski, Teacher, PS 193, 917-628-3588

Liza Campbell, Teacher, Academy for Environmental Leadership, 518-852-2337

Joanna Rich, Teacher, PS 503, 973-632-2476                                                                                                                                                             Michael Solo, Teacher, John Dewey High School, 917 750-7510                                                                                                                                 Peter Lamphere, Teacher, Pan American International High School, 917-969-5658

Some Fight Back Friday participants include: 

El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice, Brooklyn

Felisa Rincon de Gautier Inst. of Law & Public Policy HS Bronx

PS 15, Brooklyn

PS 157, Brooklyn

Academy for Environmental Leadership, Brooklyn

East Brooklyn Community High School in Canarsie, Brooklyn

Pan American International HS - Elmhurst Queens

Sunset Park High School, Brooklyn

PS 306, Queens

PS 69, Queens

PS 503, Brooklyn

Facing History, Manhattan

Lehman High School, Bronx

MS 136, Brooklyn

PS 94, Brooklyn

PS 193, Brooklyn

Green School Brooklyn

Goldstein High School, Brooklyn

Lyons School, Brooklyn

PS 3, Brooklyn

PS 307, Brooklyn

Bronx international HS, Bronx

James Baldwin High School, Manhattan

Humanities Prep, Manhattan

PS 261, Brooklyn

International School, Prospect heights, Brooklyn

Neighborhood School, Manhattan

Earth School, Manhattan

Children's Workshop School, Manhattan

John Dewey High School Brooklyn

Brooklyn New School

PS 24, Brooklyn

PS 368, Manhattan

Bronx International High School, Morris Campus

IS 218, East New York

Endorsers include: Grassroots Education Movement (GEM), Teachers Unite (TU), People Power Movement (PPM), Teachers for a Just Contract (TJC), New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCORE), Concerned Advocates for Public Education (CAPE), Independent Community of Educators (ICE)

 ---------------------------

For Immediate Release: June 6, 2011

Media Advisory

Contact: Anne Looser Herbert H. Lehman High School, UFT Chapter Leader (718) 904-4292 annelooser@gmail.com

HERBERT H. LEHMAN HIGH SCHOOL TO RALLY AGAINST BUDGET CUTS

Herbert H. Lehman High School has a long tradition of excellence. Within just this academic year, students have earned 7.2 million dollars in scholarship money, and teachers have been featured nationally and internationally despite an “F” rating from the NYC Department of Education.

Bronx, New York—over the last several years New York City cut funding to school dramatically. Lehman High School has lost approximately 6 million dollars over the course of the last 3 years. The NYC Council is proposing budget cuts that will continue to slash our programs – the very programs that have produced national and international recognition.

Speakers will include Dr. Mark Naison, Fordham University Professor and Bronx Historian and Council Member James Vacca.

What: Speakers:

When: Where:

A Rally to Support Lehman High School Dr. Mark Naison, Fordham University Council Member James Vacca, District 13 Friday, June 10, 2011 at 3:00 pm

3000 East Tremont, Bronx, NY 10461

Teacher Confronts Walcott On Class Size and Charters at CEC Meeting: Walcott Doesn't Know Class Size Limits

Dennis Walcott wasn't laughing after Yelena's questions

Here is a perfect case for seniority rules and tenure. Yelena Siwinski, a teacher, chapter leader and member of the Independent Community of Educators (ICE) feels free to challenge Dennis Walcott, her ultimate boss at a public meeting over class size and charter schools. And boy does she challenge him. (Funny how I've met so many tenured, "safe" teachers over the years who were afraid to stand up for even the simplest things.) Isn't it time for more teachers like Yelena to go the public events that Walcott and other Tweedies go to and challenge them? Now I know that every attempt is made to keep this from happening - like the E4E tactic of handing out index cards for questions so they get to choose. I believe when the people running events try to protect public officials from having to face the music, more aggressive actions are necessary. By the way, where is the UFT in making these challenges? 


Here is Yelena's report she wrote up last night after the meeting.

I walked into a moderately attended CEC 22 meeting where Walcott spoke for a few minutes with the usual rhetoric which I couldn't even write down because it was so meaningless.  Then came time for questions and answers.  The first woman asked about charter schools and how could we give public schools equal money.  Walcott said that he was trying to calm down the divisiveness between charter schools and public schools and that he believed parents should have a choice and charter could be  more flexible since many of them weren't unionized, etc. etc.  He said that the UFT law suit just brought all that up again. 

Walcott talks bupkis

He also mentioned that charters shared the building equitably and that they used the BUP (Building Utilization Plan) to decide where the charters could go. There was another person before me and then it was my turn.  First I mentioned that I had been to the CDEC meeting last week and had shown a portion of the film "The Inconvenient..." and that I would be back in September to show the film in its entirety.  I said that it was produced by the Grassroots Education Movement and that it would be good for the chancellor to view it because he wasn't telling all the facts such as the BUP doesn't take into account all the services the children are mandated and that kids were receiving them in hallways, closets, and stairwells.  Also equity might seem like 50-50 between the charter and the public school but there might be 300 kids in the charter and 600 kids in the public school.  I told the audience to find out the facts that went beyond the smooth rhetoric they were being told.

Then I mentioned that I had 2 college educated daughters and that the chancellor had mentioned that we need to get our kids "college ready".  I said that one of the main questions that are asked when looking at college was how big the class sizes were.  At a good college it is usually 1:16 or 1:18 but definitely less than 1:20.  By now I was really addressing the audience.  Then I stressed that this was for an 18, 19 20 year old and that we have 5 year olds with bigger class sizes!  Then I mentioned that Walcott was recently asked the class size limits and that he didn't know them.  I asked if he could tell them to us now.  He proceeded to harp on when he had been asked the question. I actually forgot but knew that I had read it recently and that the point was what was his answer today. 

He refused to answer saying that if I was going to make a statement I should be able to tell him when. I looked at the audience and pointed out that he was not answering my question.  Since he kept going on I said that I might as well sit down since I wasn't going to get an answer.  I sat down and he called me up again saying that we should finish.  I came up again and he struggled to answer and asked me if I knew the limits.  I said  of course I did since I was a chapter leader.  He wanted me to tell him and I said that he leads our school system and that he should know them and that if he couldn't even tell us that then how could we trust him.  He then struggled and said that the class size limit for kindergarten was 23.  I told him he was wrong and sat down.

Great work Yelena! This is after TWO city council hearings when Walcott was asked what the class size limits were and he could not answer the question. What a travesty!

Leonie Haimson

Walcott then, Walcott now.

 

When he was head of the NYC Urban League, he sued over disparate racial impact of MTA fare increases -- Years later, when he was Deputy Mayor for Bloomberg, and the UFT sued over disparate racial impact of laying off paraprofessionals in the schools, he said it was divisive to bring race into the matter.

 

When he was head of the Urban League, he AND the NAACP pushed Chancellor Rudy Crew to use the Discovery Program to help kids who just missed the cut-off on the test for admission to Stuyvesant and Bronx Science to get another chance at passing, in order to increase diversity at those schools.  Now that the schools stopped using the program, and, as reported in a recent 3-part newspaper joint series by the Amsterdam News and the Manhattan Media weeklies, Black and Latino enrollment has declined at the schools, and he is the Chancellor working for Bloomberg, he responded to the series by saying that bringing back the program would do absolutely nothing to increase diversity of enrollment.

 

And now, he says,  his one-time ally in pushing for change in the schools, the NAACP, is divisive because they are suing over separate-but-unequal co-locations and closing of schools serving high-minority populations.  I bet he would have been part of the lawsuit if he were operating the way he used to.

More oped trash in the Daily news re the NAACP trying to tear them down, this from Walcott.  Separate and unequal indeed. 

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