SOS Connected Ed Deformers to Wall Street as Real Reformers Create Ties to OWS

TODAY AT 5PM

Come one, come all: parents, student, teachers, counselors, community members, school aides, the 99%:

OCCUPY Public Education!!

Help us shape an Agenda for the 99% to present to Chancellor Wolcott (the 1%) at the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) on October 25th. 

Next planning meeting: How should we present this agenda at the PEP?

Tuesday Oct. 18 @5PM @ Red Cube (Across Broadway from Occupy Wall Street)

I'm heading over there soon with a prototype of a leaflet I'm working on (see below).

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Interesting read:  Occupy Wall Street’s ‘Political Disobedience’

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In the GEM film, "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" (all mention of which has been banned by the UFT Administration) we have a clip of Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis making this link: "They brought down the economy and now they want to impose their failed business model on the public schools?"

I've been trying to get a handle on the links between what the ed deformers have been doing to the public school systems of this nation and what the Wall Street (not physical but a state of mind) crowd has done to the economy of this nation.


SOS: 8000 educators occupied Washington on July 30
There are people who will say OWS really began in Wisconsin - and it probably did. But I don't want the role of the Save Our Schools march which occupied Washington on July 30 and took place simultaneously in many cities to go unrecognized. Actually, a few hundred people made a 4 day event out of SOS making decisions at meetings in as democratic a manner as possible. Well-known educators like Debbie Meier and Jonathan Kozol did not just do drop-in speeches and leave, but you could find them almost every day taking part in meetings.

In all the talk of the lack of clear lines of leadership in OWS, we can also say that though there were leaders in SOS - you need some people to get things started - they also tended to try to back off as much as possible and let the democratic process take over- which I find interesting given seeming willingness of top-down hierarchical unions to support OWS. (I exempt the Chicago Teachers Union for now because of the commitment to make that a democratic union with an active membership - see my previous post - What OWS Support Reso Will the UFT Delegate Assembly Pass Tomorrow as Chicago Teaches Union Supports OWS?)

SOS was not a one shot event and is working to become sustainable - and remember how principled they were, refusing to meet with Obama on the eve of the march. I bet something will happen again next summer if not before - they are working to tie into OWS calling for a joint action this spring.

Here is the text of the proposed leaflet:

The 1% SAY: PRIVATIZE EVERYTHING

The 99% SAY: OCCUPY EVERYTHING

As the Occupy Wall Street movement continues to grow, the response from the movement’s targets has gradually changed: contemptuous dismissal has been replaced by whining. (A reader of my blog suggests that we start calling our ruling class the “kvetchocracy.”) The modern lords of finance look at the protesters and ask, Don’t they understand what we’ve done for the U.S. economy? The answer is: yes, many of the protesters do understand what Wall Street and more generally the nation’s economic elite have done for us. And that’s why they’re protesting. --Paul Krugman, Oct. 17, NY Times

The public schools of this nation have already been occupied by the same forces OWS are protesting - the Billionaire's Boys Club -  Gates, Broad, the Walton Foundation have bought public education policy to push their agenda of ed deform. Corporate greed and manipulation have force-fed their failed policies on the public ed system throughout the nation. Not only have they occupied the schools publicly but they have occupied the minds and souls of educators with their distorted market-based view of education.

If you are a teacher or other education worker in an urban setting, you see the impact every single day. 

·       Closing down public schools and replacing them with non-unionized charter schools

·       Using high stakes standardize tests turning children into data points, data that has been manipulated for political purposes.

·       Ignoring most of what educators really do.

·       Replacing experienced educators with a transient teaching corps that will never stay long enough to receive a pension as they destabilize and deskill the teaching profession, turning us and our students into corporate widgets.

·       They make us eat the gruel of high stakes tests and data manipulation leading to forced closure of schools, charter co-locations. And a government whether led by Republicans or Democrats that sign on to The Plan to undermine and privatize public education.

·       The corporate masters have bought off both political parties, especially in ed. Can we have   leaders much worse than Obama/Duncan?

·       They attack teachers unions basic hard won collective bargaining rights and tenure. They want to turn every state into Mississippi.

·       They have broken what little was working in the political process.

All we have left is that: We are the 99%.

The 1% says: Deregulate the public school system

The 99% says: Take our schools back

It is time for the real reformers to reoccupy our public education systems.

Occupy Everything

LET'S MARCH TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OWS- MEET OUTSIDE AT ADJOURNMENT

Whereas the UFT helped organize and participated in the Labor and Community March in Support of Occupy Wall Street  on Oct 5^th, and continues to show logistical and moral support

Be it Resolved that at adjournment of this meeting,   delegates at this Assembly meet in front of the building  and march together to Zuccotti Park to show our continuing  support and solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.

Grassroots Education Movement - gemnyc.org, gemnyc@gmail.com

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Here's a great, short video that shows how the General Assembly direct democracy/consensus/decision making process works with the Occupy Wall Street:folks.  These details are generally not covered by the mass media.  Also, note the viewers' comments. Consensus (Direct Democracy @ Occupy Wall Street) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6dtD8RnGaRQ

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Before "Occupy Wall Street"
Notes on Prior New York City Protests Against Economic Crises

A brand new feature on the Gotham Center website!

It's well known that – for more than two centuries – Wall Street has been repeatedly swept by financial panics, and that the American economy has repeatedly crumpled into recession or depression. It's less well known that virtually each collapse has been met by outraged protest, particularly in New York City, Wall Street's home town.

Historian and Gotham Center founder Mike Wallace puts the current surge of popular anger into historical perspective, discussing the crises and protests of 1792, 1837, 1857, 1874, and 1930. While there are no “lessons” to be learned here -- history never does repeat itself -- it might nevertheless be interesting for Occupy Wall Street participants and supporters to know that our anger and actions are not novel, but rather the latest in a long line of opposition to the inequitable workings of our economic system.

Enjoy!

www.gothamcenter.org

What OWS Support Reso Will the UFT Delegate Assembly Pass Tomorrow as Chicago Teaches Union Supports OWS?

With a UFT Delegate Assembly tomorrow - Weds. Oct. 19 - taking place barely steps from the epicenter of Occupy Wall Street, it will be interesting to see exactly where they stand. We do know the UFT is providing logistical support by donating storage space and there was a call from inside the UFT last Thursday night for people to come out Friday morning to defend the park - I heard there was even a meeting at UFT HQ.

I am working on a leaflet for GEM that will call on the DA to march over to the park en masse after adjournment in a show of support. Here's hoping that reso won't be necessary and that the UFT Administration will take as strong an action as the CTU.

Would the UFT which focuses so much of its attention on political lobbying endorse this point?

Whereas the basic message behind Occupy Chicago is that the current political system only works for 1% of the population.

CTU Resolution to Support “Occupy Chicago”

Whereas the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, the national parent union to Chicago Teachers Union officially endorsed the national “occupation” movement “Occupy Wall Street.”

Whereas, Occupy Chicago’s mission statement states, “Occupy Chicago is here to fight corporate abuse of American democracy in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world.”

Whereas Chicago Teachers Union is currently campaigning to return corporate tax breaks to fund schools.

Whereas, Occupy Chicago’s mission statement states, “Occupy Chicago reassures its members and the public that we are a social movement dedicated to nonviolent action.”

Whereas the basic message behind Occupy Chicago is that the current political system only works for 1% of the population.

Whereas Chicago Teachers Union represents teachers, paraprofessional and school related staff and school clinicians who work with and are members of the other 99% of Americans who have experienced cuts in their pay through the Board’s reneging of 4% contractual raises.

Whereas many Chicago Teachers Union members and the families they serve have had their homes foreclosed by the same banks that gamed the political system to receive trillions in bailouts of which they were held unaccountable.

Whereas testing corporations rob our schools of crucial instructional time while profiting off our students and taxpayers.

Whereas: Chicago Teachers Union members have suffered the gradual decline of teaching and learning conditions as the 1% has successful dictated more and more of the direction of education in our classrooms, schools, district and nation.

Therefore, be it resolved, that the Chicago Teachers Union endorses the Occupy Chicago campaign.

Resolved, Chicago Teachers Union will maintain a presence at the occupation site through the organizing department and information from the occupation will be disseminated through Chicago Teachers Union’s communications including, but not limited to website, social media, and Chicago Union Teacher, the official publication of Chicago Teachers Union.

Resolved, resolve: Chicago Teachers Union will support the production and dissemination of lesson plans and materials to educate and empower interested parents and students to occupy and retake our schools and public spaces.

I'll follow up later with a draft of the leaflet we're working on.

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

A Former Student Surprise Visit at GEM Film

Last update: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 2PM

We were waiting for people to arrive at the screening of the GEM film "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" on Friday evening. It was still early when a stunning woman walked in. She smiled at me. I'm at the age when a stunning woman smiles at me I turn around to see who she is really smiling at. But she walked right up to me and said, "You know who I am, don't you? I work in the area and I saw this advertised on Facebook and I thought I'd drop by." I realized she was Maria, my former 4th grade student from 1982-83 when she was 9 or 10 years old. The last time I had seen her was when she was 17 and a student at Stuyvesant. (I did not have many students who went on the Stuyvesant.)

I'm the one with glasses

Maria had contacted me a few years ago with a wonderful email telling me that on the eve of her older daughter entering school she had thought most about my class and what an impact it had on her. We had tried to get together over the years but it never happened. So this surprise visit was quite a treat.

We got to reminisce about Maria's wonderful father, a somewhat elderly gentleman to have such a young child - he carried himself with enormous dignity. He delivered her to school in the morning and was there almost every day at dismissal. He was totally involved in her education, being particularly proud of Maria's abilities in math. But she was also a top-level reader - a perfect student all around but also with a big personality. He lived into his 90's and died a few years ago.

I have to say that I often had/have doubts about myself as a teacher. Even though I know the data munching nuts are wrong I was still tied into that world as far back as the 80s - due to a principal who pushed the testing craze down our throats - at times used to doubt if my somewhat alternative teaching style fit those trends. Those doubts eventually drove me out of the self-contained classroom I had loved so much. My last class graduated in 1985.

Accountability is viewed in such a narrow frame. But to me the highest level of accountability comes from former students and/or their parents, especially those students with children of their own. Believe me, they could offer me merit pay but I would rate a few good words from this constituency as the highest level of being held accountable. So as I introduced Maria around to my GEM colleagues she said stuff about me as a teacher that practically made me blush - and kvell. I won't repeat them - not out of modesty - but I was so overwhelmed I can't even remember what she said.

Interestingly, Maria was from the same class that produced the actor Ernie Silva whose one man play I have written about. And I've received some other communications from students in that class. It was one of the two top classes I taught - the other one from 1975 also had many students keep in touch - I attended 3 weddings over the years. There is some important ideas to explore on the vastly different experience teachers faced in the old system (and I bet it still goes on) of grouping kids by reading scores to set up classes and the impact that has on both teachers and students. I didn't want those classes all the time - I liked dealing with the struggling kids - but I fought for my contractual right to get those classes every so often, arguing that teachers need to see some success to keep up their spirits and morale. While the bottom classes were rewarding,  there were too many drug deaths, teen pregnancies, and calls from jail to give one a balanced view of the world.

Thanks for making it a special evening Maria.

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Monday, October 17th - Anti-Privatization Action & Support for Puerto Rico Teachers at NYC Department Education

Protest Arne Duncan visit to privatize schools in Puerto Rico

I met Angel Gonzalez through his work with the FMPR (Puerto Rico) support group when he came to ICE for support. He told me when he retired he would join me - sure I thought, I've heard THAT one before. But true to his word, he did. We teamed up to help form what turned into GEM in Jan. 2009. For me, Angel brought a level of activism I had not known before - ICE seemed much more a group into educating while GEM has been touching the other 2 pillars - organize and mobilize - and it has been a great partnership for 2 retirees.

Angel is great friends with the union president Rafael Feliciano, who had the guts to pull the 40,000 teachers out of the AFT in 2003 and Raffie has been a great friend of GEM.

Unfortunately, tomorrow is our annual family birthday outing with our young cousins to Peter Lugers so I will not make the event. I hope some of you, especially if you are checking out OWS, get on over there to support the struggle in PR.

P R E S S  A D V I S O R Y

FMPR Support Committee – NY

fmprsupportny@hotmail.com

Contacts:  Angel Gonzalez (718) 601-4901                        Frank Velgara  (718) 601-4751

CHARTER SCHOOL OPPONENTS JOIN SUPPORTERS OF PUERTO RICO’S TEACHERS’ UNION TO BRING ANTI-PRIVATIZATION MESSAGE TO BLOOMBERS’ EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Manhattan, NYC – On Monday afternoon, October 17th , teachers, labor, religous, community activists and Occupy Wall Street supporters will be at Mayor Bloombergs’ NYC Education Department in response  to the call for support by  the Teachers’ Union of Puerto Rico (FMPR) against charter schools and Privatization of the public schools system.

The FMPR is protesting the visit to Puerto Rico of U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, to attend an “Education Summit” from October 17-18.   This visit by the education tzar of the Obama Administration was convened to increase support for the federal No Child Left Behind policies that have promoted thousands of layoffs, school closings and school privatization with charter schools in Puerto Rico and throughout the United States.

The Teachers’ Union of Puerto Rico (FMPR) has been the target of intense repression by the Puerto Rican government, including police brutality, the illegal elimination of dues deduction by the union and the revocation for life of the leaves of absence from work without pay for teachers.

The Monday demonstration will also denounce the anti-democratic privatization policies at the federal, state and city level that continue to cripple public school education for the children of working famlies and the assault on the rights of teachers and other school employees in New York City.  This protest is part of ongoing campaigns and actions by anti-charter privatization groups throughout the U.S. and by NYC based education, community and labor activists.

WHEN:           MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2011

WHERE:         NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

                     52 Chambers Street @ Broadway y Centre Street, Manhattan

TIME:            5:00 P.M.

CONTACT:     FMPRSUPPORTNY@HOTMAIL.COM

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Create Ties Between OWS and Attack on Ed Deformers

UPDATED: Oct. 16, 8AM

Occupy the PEP! Occupy the DoE!! Occupy Mayoral Control! 

"Mayoral Control = Authoritarianism and Tyranny by the 1%"

Mark Naison: Occupy The Public Schools? Will ‘Occupy Wall Street’ Trigger A Movement to Reclaim Our Schools From Test Driven Pedagogy

I know there are a lot of teachers working with the OWS crowd - there is even a Grade-In planned at the orange cube today from 12-3. But we are just beginning to see some connections being made between the bankers and corporations and the role played by leading ed deformers, who have taken over our urban public school system. Today I spent the day at the Trial of Bloomberg and his cronies just blocks from Liberty Square and many participants were anxious to get over there. But the trains have have not quite met yet - but we're working on it. Maybe a march from the Delegate Assembly this Weds when it ends at 6PM up the few blocks to OWS to show support.

I really have so much to report but so little time. The movie showing Friday night went really well and the discussion afterwards was packed full of ideas - really the kind of debate that should be taking place on education. I'll write a more extensive report later.

The event with Dr. Yong Zhao on Oct. 12 that GEM co-sponsored with other groups provided valuable insights into why "It's time to change the stakes" - our slogan for the campaign. He was a fabulous speaker - and also very funny. I  put the entire event up on vimeo - first his speech and then the Q/A. Really worth viewing if you have some time.

As the opt-out movement grows (and let's tie the high stakes testing to corporate greed due to how much money is to be made) - and it will grow - we will begin to see threats and intimidation against parents and children - and teachers who support it. But just like OWS, it may become too big to control. One of our aims here is to tie the ed deformers into the general attack on Wall Street banks, not a tough sell. The Real Reform crew here is already talking about some targets for marches and rallies. Half-Whitney Tilson is near the top of my list.

Peg, an Opt-out of testing parent activist says:

Teach at Your Occupy Movement Today. End Wall Street Occupation of Public Schools.

I have never been so excited to teach a class in my life.  I head down to Occupy Denver tomorrow  - class starting at 1:30 p.m. – to begin to share information on how to end Wall Street Occupation of our public schools.

Peg's blog has this message at the top of the side panel:

United Opt Out National

End High Stakes Testing. Save and Improve our Public Schools.

 

Here is a chart from MucketyMap showing the interlocking directorate of corporate control

Finally, here is a wonderful video showing "this is what democracy looks like" at OWS. Thnaks to Bob G. for this message:

Here's a great, short video that shows how the General Assembly direct democracy/consensus/decision making process works with the Occupy Wall Street:folks.  These details are generally not covered by the mass media.  Also, note the viewers' comments.

Consensus (Direct Democracy @ Occupy Wall Street) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6dtD8RnGaRQ

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

Ohanian on Democrat Perfidy

The White House Road to Wall Street Wealth and Power...

NOTE: Go to the url below and read this at Substance. You won't want to miss the great cartoons that go with it.

by Susan Ohanian, who votes in every election but admits that the last major party candidate she voted for was Jimmy Carter

In a Salon.com piece titled "Can OWS be turned into a Democratic Party movement," Glenn Greenwald describes disreputable Center for American Progress John Podesta's attempt to organize (and coopt) Occupy Wallstreet protests across the country. Greenwald also offers this reminder to those with short political memories:

Rahm Emanuel "earned" $18 million in three years in the private sector. Sure. When Rahm Emanuel -- who had made $16 million in three years as an investment banker after leaving the Clinton White House -- left as Obama’s Chief of Staff to run for Mayor of Chicago, Obama chose as his replacement Bill Daley, who at the time was serving as JP Morgan's Midwest Chairman and a director of Boeing. Shortly after Obama's star director of Office of Management and Budget, Peter Orszag, left the administration, he became a top executive at Citigroup. The DCCC, recently headed by Emanuel and now feigning support for the protests, is characterized by little other than a strategy of supporting corporatist, Wall-Street-revering "Blue Dog" Democrats as a way of consolidating power.

Greenwald details other Obama appointees and asks the rhetorical question, "Does CAP and the DCCC really believe that most of the protesters are motivated -- or can be motivated -- to turn themselves into a get-out-the-vote machine for Obama’s re-election and the empowerment of Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party?

Greenwald nails the issue: "As Naomi Klein explained after speaking to the protesters, the reason they are out on the street rather than working for the DNC or OFA is precisely because they concluded that electoral politics or working for either party will not address the issues motivating them; part of what they’re protesting is the Democratic Party."

Do you get it, NEA? Get it, AFT?

A question more and more former Obama fans are asking: Is he now a war criminal? Part of what we're protesting is the Democratic Party. Don't blame the Republicans for Race to the Top and the Common Core State Curriculum Standards and Assessments. The Obama/Duncan mandate is the natural heir of the Bill Clinton/Business Roundtable machinations started in the late 1980ies.

Listen up: No more free pass in the voting booth, Democrats. We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more.


— Susan Ohanian
SubstanceNews.net

2011-10-13

http://substancenews.net/articles.php?page=2702&section=Article

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

NYC Public Education Crimes Trial, Sat. Oct 15th

REMINDER: FREE SCREENING FRIDAY OCT. 14: THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH BEHIND WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

THE CAMPAIGN TO PUT A STAKE THROUGH THE HEART OF MAYORAL CONTROL BEGINS SATURDAY!

Spread the Word. Come out. Offer Testimony. Get others involved. Participate in deciding critical 'next steps' in ending mayoral control (dictatorship), and in transforming public education.

NYC Public Education Crimes Trial, Sat. Oct 15th   DC37 Bldg  125 Barclay Street  9a-6p  

2, 3, trains to Chambers St. or Park Place; 

A & C trains to Chambers St.

www.forpubliced.org

www.forpubliced.blogspot.com

212-362-6021

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Occupy Everything - School Scope Column in The Wave

My education column in The Wave this week. www.rockawave.com

Occupy Everything

by Norm Scott

The occupation of Wall Street movement, inspired in many ways by the democratic movements in the Middle East and which is spreading nationwide is much more of a state of mind than the symbolic nature of the physical act itself. I view it as an attempt to reoccupy both physical and metaphysical spaces we have been losing.

We've seen almost every aspect of our lives occupied by the policies of people who control this society – let's dub them for the sake of argument, the "1%".  (We'll call the rest of us the "99%".) From the viewpoint of educators the privatizers - the corporate free enterprisers (Bill Gates/Eli Broad) led by hedge fund operators - have occupied our public schools with charters and consultants looking to make a buck off the backs of our children. The 1% have occupied our classrooms with untested "solutions" that end up being destructive - in fact former chancellor even dubbed his policies "creative destruction" - except they have not very creative. They have occupied every single urban household with children in public schools with their threats to destroy their neighborhood schools (see Beach Channel and Far Rockaway HS) if the children don't perform on standardized tests. The 1% has occupied the minds of 3rd graders driven to tears over the pressure. And they are expanding their occupation to the minds of 4 year olds. (Occupying the womb of pregnant women is coming - but we won't go there.) And teachers, principals - in fact everyone involved in education – have been occupied as thoroughly as the population was in the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Success is measured not in the way a child grows in so many ways but in a data point. Schools now have assistant principals - in charge of data. Data munching zombies stalk the halls of almost every public school in America. Of course, the 1% that can afford progressive private schools has made sure the occupation doesn't touch their own children or the schools they attend.

I've been over to a few Occupy Wall Street (OWS) events over the past few weeks. OWS, attracting massive media coverage, has gone from a small group of little noticed people to an international sensation in just a few short weeks. All it seemed to take was a few cops overreacting with images going viral on you tube. Now every newscast leads with news of what the occupiers are doing.

Initial press reports were skeptical and mocking. As the interest and attention grew – Liberty/Zucotti Park has become a major tourist attraction in addition to attracting celebrities and politicians – the media has been going crazy over their inability to identify and target leaders by picking apart every negative thing they could find so as to brand OWS. (Ironically, just as I was finishing up this piece, NPR's Brian Lehrer had on one of the "leaders" a teacher and acquaintance of mine.)

As it became clear that the organizers were doing this intentionally to protect the movement, the respect by the media for a group that is media savvy has grown. The Oct. 10 business section of the NY Times had two relatively positive articles on OWS, including a great piece on the slick newspaper they produce. And the attacks by the Republicans and FOX News have only given OWS more cache with the beleaguered forces of the center-left.

Then came the attacks because there are no specific demands or no end game. I listened in to a reporter interviewing a guy named Brendan Burke who was so articulate. He stressed that there should be no end game - demands decided on my a few people but that in the process of building a democratic movement, ideas and demands would emerge. This concept of participatory democracy in a nation where the democratic process has been hijacked by the 1% seems astounding to the press.

Brendan also stressed this is not a movement of the left or the right but a patriotic attempt to take back the country - really more of a classic American revolution tea party movement than the right wing tea party movement itself which is backed by the 1%.

I have to laugh when the critics of OWS start talking about how the protesters have to get involved in the political process - go to Albany and Washington. Excuse me for a few while I try to control my hysterical laughter. So they mean the most dysfunctional and corrupt state legislature in the nation? And Washington? You mean the Washington of our own Anthony Weiner, Gregory Meeks - and have you been reading about our former rep Floyd Flake? Oh, and our new tea party 1 percenter Bob Turner? I can only imagine what's going on in the rest of the nation. Oh, I don't have to. Sure, I want to participate in a political process that gives me a choice between David Weprin and Bob Turner. Our president and his education secretary Arne Duncan have been among the chief occupiers of our schools with their Race To The Top.

I was down at OWS for 4 hours on Sunday afternoon with my video camera. The walls of the park were lined with people holding up every kind of sign you can imagine, sort of like the Union Square market where you can shop for the type of bread you are interested in. The public walking by, including tourists would stop to chat and I recorded some of these conversations. This continuing dialogue (aside from the constant pounding of every type of drum you can imagine) is one of he most fascinating aspects of OWS. It is a constant town hall meeting in small groups - in addition to the much larger general assemblies in the park where people pass on the speeches in short chunks like the game of "telephone" and then vote by waggling their fingers. Really, if you haven't gone down to take a look it is a must see.

The fact that so many people involved in OWS have denounced the broken political system as unworthy of their participation has not stopped some politicians, particularly democrats, from dipping their toe in the water - but not being able to control OWS, very gingerly. The assumption that OWS is automatically pro-Obama and can be used to counter the tea party is a big mistake. While Obama may have inspired many of these young activists in 2008, they are severely disappointed in his capitulation to the Republicans. The liberal/left have been viciously critical of Obama but if they stick to the process have nowhere to go.

I jumped into a mini-debate on this very issue and a young lady from Holland was arguing the case that OWS must move into the political process to be effective. "How can they compete with the Koch brothers in buying politicians," I asked? "You have the powers of numbers," she said. Not a bad answer. Well, the 99% will have to activate and inspire large numbers to impact on the normal political process. In the meantime, political action will have to take place in the streets.

The unions have also dipped their toe into the water in various degrees, with the UFT coming late to the party. The NY Times touched on the quandary facing top-down hierarchical unions touching base with a flat-based democratically based model so antithetical to the way a union like the UFT operates – sort of like matter meeting anti-matter. I guess I don't have to tell regular readers of this column my view of the UFT and my new motto: Occupy The UFT.

Occupy Wall St. Alert

BREAKING NEWS FROM #OWS ORGANIZERS. STILL CALL 732-674-2624 FOR QUESTIONS
*************
Tell Bloomberg: Don't Foreclose the Occupation.

NEED MASS TURN-OUT, SHOW UP AT MIDNIGHT, NOT 6 A.M.

This is an emergency situation. Please take a minute to read this, and please take action and spread the word far and wide.

Occupy Wall Street is gaining momentum, with occupation actions now happening in cities across the world.

But last night Mayor Bloomberg and the NYPD notified Occupy Wall Street participants about plans to “clean the park”—the site of the Wall Street protests—tomorrow starting at 7am. "Cleaning" was used as a pretext to shut down “Bloombergville” a few months back, and to shut down peaceful occupations elsewhere.

Bloomberg says that the park will be open for public usage following the cleaning, but with a notable caveat: Occupy Wall Street participants must follow the “rules”.

NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has said that they will move in to clear us and we will not be allowed to take sleeping bags, tarps, personal items or gear back into the park.

This is it—this is their attempt to shut down #OWS for good.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION

1) Call 311 (or +1 (212) NEW-YORK if you're out of town) and tell Bloomberg to support our right to assemble and to not interfere with #OWS.

2) Come to #OWS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT to defend the occupation from eviction.

For those of you who plan to help us hold our ground—which we hope will be all of you—make sure you understand the possible consequences. Be prepared to not get much sleep. Be prepared for possible arrest. Make sure your items are together and ready to go (or already out of the park.) We are pursuing all possible strategies; this is a message of solidarity.

FREE SCREENING FRIDAY OCT. 14: THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH BEHIND WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

Whether you saw or did not see our movie come on by Friday eve for a screening and panel discussion including Brian Jones and Jamie Fidler who both teach at PS 261 in Brooklyn. Brian is one of the narrators of our film and Jamie is featured in the new movie American Teacher* (and steals the movie).

We also just got in a shipment of 25 posters like the one below that we will be offering for sale.

Here is what we posted in the gemnyc.org web site:

It has been ONE YEAR since the premiere of Davis Guggenheim’s documentary, WAITING FOR SUPERMAN was released in NYC.

A slick, emotionally-charged advertisement for charter schools, SUPERMAN was promoted relentlessly by the corporate media… and flopped at the box-office.

But did you know that a group of NYC public school teachers and parents produced their OWN film in response?

This new documentary, created with NO BUDGET AT ALL, tells another side to the story — the side of public school parents, teachers and students who are fighting for REAL reform.

THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH BEHIND WAITING FOR SUPERMAN was released last spring and has already been screened in all 50 United States and on 6 continents — without a SINGLE MENTION in the mainstream media!

Please join us for a SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY SCREENING IN NYC:

ON Friday, October 14th
AT 6 pm
The Community Church of New York
40 East 35th Street
New York, NY 10016

THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH BEHIND WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

with Guest Speaker:
Jamie Fidler, Brooklyn educator featured in the new film, American Teacher*

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For more information about the film, visit: www.waitingforsupermantruth.org

Sponsored by the Grassroots Education Movement www.gemnyc.org

We are grateful to those of you that have already ordered a free copy of THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH BEHIND WAITING FOR SUPERMAN, and followed up with a donation to help us defray duplication and shipping costs.

We hope that you continue to share the film with others that face the very same concerns and issues addressed in the movie by holding local screenings and teach-ins in your school community or locale.

*American Teacher is listed for identification purposes only

How Steve Brill Manufactured a Fictional Teacher

Patrick Walsh, Chapter Leader at PS 149 in Harlem, a school co-located with an Eva Moskowitz Harlem Success Academy school, exposes one of the numerous distortions in the Steve Brill "Class Warfare" book. Of course that wouldn't stop our national union leader Randi Weingarten who is so praised in Brill's book, from holding a book party for him at her home ( Weingarten Holds Book Party for Steve Brill ...).

Patrick is writing to hedge fund major dome ed deformer Half-Whitney Tilson.

The Fourth Grade Teacher Who Does Not Exist

Dear Mr. Tilson,

A couple of days ago I was given a copy of S. Brill’s Class Warfare, a book I find as astoundingly unethical as Davis Guggenheim weepy propaganda film, Waiting for  Superman. There are many things I find lazy, cheap and grossly offensive about S. Brill’s reportage but none more than his description of the PS 149 fourth grade teacher with his  feet on the desk bellowing on mindlessly about the days of the week to his  18 students that you and your  friend G. Rubenstein found so instructive and revealing in a blog post of August 29.

In the post your friend wants Brill to ask Principal I. A. Harper to identify the fellow.

Brill, as you might recall, refuses and suggests instead that either you or Rubenstein do so as both the teacher and Harper are “public officials.”

There was a good reason Brill dodged your question:  the fourth grade teacher fourth grade teacher with his  feet on the desk bellowing on mindlessly about the days of the week to his  18 students doesn’t exist.  I know.  I am the chapter leader at the school and there has not been a male fourth grade teacher there for all the years I’ve worked there. Nor is there any possibility that Brill could have simply confused grades. There was only one goateed teacher at 149 at that time and he would have never engaged in such behavior, placed his feet on a desk and bellowed about anything. Nor would he have had anything to do with the fourth grade. Nor does he wear sweat shirts and jeans.  What Brill saw was a substitute teacher. He also saw an opportunity to make union teachers look like slobs which, evidently he could not pass up despite the fact that is was based on pure nonsense.

Most lazy and most unethical, would you not agree?  And deeply offensive to the colleagues I see exhausting themselves for our children day after day after day.

That a person like Harper would “ seem to know exactly whom” Brill was referring to is also rich.  Tell your friend Rubenstein not to bother asking Harper about the phantom’s (worthless) value added metrics not merely because they don’t exist but because Harper

was demoted and sent packing – but not before she demoralized the entire faculty and drove out a third who could not get away from her fast enough.

There are many things in Brill’s book that will be exposed as something other than what Brill claims they are.   Perhaps you’ll read of them.

Sincerely,

Patrick Walsh

Chapter Leader PS/ MS 149

Harlem, New York

CORRECTION: Operation #Wallstcleanup Rally/March Friday AM

Dear friends,

Can you help donate used/new cleaning equipment to our camp Thusday Oct. 13?

Here's the plan

Operation #wallstcleanup

All day Thursday campers/supporters should reach out to friends/family/anyone to donate or purchase brooms, mops, squeegees, dust pans, garbage bags, and any other cleaning supplies to be collected at sanitation. The sanitation committee should move full-speed ahead on purchase of bins allocated by consensus at GA.

After General Assembly on Thursday, we'll have a full-camp cleanup session. Sanitation can coordinate, and anyone who is available will help with the massive community effort!

March Friday with mops and brooms

Then on Friday morning, we'll awake and position ourselves with our brooms and mops in a human chain around the park, linked at the arms. If NYPD attempts to enter, we'll peacefully/non-violently stand our ground and those who are willing will get arrested. 

Afterwards, we'll march with brooms and mops to Wall Street to do a massive #wallstcleanup march, where the real mess is!

Teachers Told to Dumpster Dive to Build Class Library

UPDATE: Read Marjorie Stamberg report of Manhattan ATR meeting of Oct. 11:
NYC ATR:  No Bright Lights at Manhattan UFT-ATR Meeting
 

The Best of Times and the Worst of Times

by former ATR "Life in Limbo," whose work usually appears at NYCATR blog. But there is so much incoming over there, we are picking up the extra load.

It was during the monthly department meeting – you know, the one where they take away a prep period, promising to have you out in fifteen minutes because they know how busy you are, but then some colleague or other has to go and ask a question or make a comment that gets the meeting off track and you end up sitting there in the library (which really should be renamed the “Meeting Room” because there is no librarian and the only time anyone ever goes into it is for some meeting or other) for the whole period anyway, and you can’t make up the time because you got slapped with a coverage on your other prep and therefore must add the work you planned to do today onto the pile that already sits on your desk.

You all with me here? Of course you are.

So were discussing the latest mandate from the Ivory Tower: That ALL students must read a self-selected book from the leveled classroom library for the first twenty minutes of every Literacy block. Seems like an easy enough task, right? However, there is one small glitch when it comes to my classroom library.

I don’t have one.

My classroom was not an actual classroom last year, and therefore did not come with the usual amenities that one generally finds in a classroom, like, say, a classroom library. I made this clear to my Assistant Principal when the little “How to Level Your Library” memo came around, and was told that she would see what she could do, and that was the end of it. So now this directive comes from on high and a couple of us who are without classroom libraries ask what we should do. Know what the response was? We were told to scour garage sales, Freecycle, and public library used book sales for cheap or free books and to realize that the books would need to be replenished regularly because, “You know if you lend four books, you will only maybe get two back and that’s just how it goes”. Then, it was actually suggested, by an administrator, that we should “even consider driving around the neighborhood the night before trash pickup and see if anyone is throwing away any books”. So apparently, dumpster-diving has been slipped into our list of professional responsibilities while we weren’t looking!

Now let me be clear – I have, on occasion, found books at yard sales, gotten free books from friends with kids, and otherwise come upon books that I have added to my classroom library, most of which were lost, vandalized, stolen, or loaned to students who did not return them. What I resent, however, is the expectation that I will spend my free time on this, and do this to the extent that I MUST DUMPSTER-DIVE the ENTIRE classroom library and not just supplement what I am given as the opportunity arises. In the absence of even the Teacher’s Choice pittance being taken away and the fact that I am expected to spend my own money on this and to just expect that the books will be stolen and need to be replenished, I am appalled and indignant. On top of the dumpster-diving suggestion, we without libraries were basically fed the “NO EXCUSES!!” line – you are accountable for your students reading a book from the classroom library you do not have, and that’s just how it is.

Little did I know that the extent of the irony here would reveal itself hours later in a most unexpected way.

That afternoon at my kids’ dance studio, I took a walk with another parent to get a latte. Her son graduated last year from a closing middle school less than ten minutes from my current school. Her younger children still attend the elementary school on the same campus as the closing school, and she spends a lot of time volunteering there in between her shifts at work. She told me that she was leaving the elementary school after a meeting and decided to cut through the middle school yard on the way to her car. She was shocked by what she saw.

There were people from the new schools in the building who were literally slicing open cartons of brand-new books that were obviously delivered to the building recently – the boxes included textbooks, workbooks, trade (library) books, etc. They were then taking the bundles of NEW books in the cartons and THROWING THEM IN THE DUMPSTER! Brand new books, still in their shrink-wrap! So my friend went over and asked them why they were throwing out CARTONS of BRAND-NEW BOOKS. Their response was that these books had been delivered to the OLD school, the one that is phasing out, and were stored in THEIR closets and storage rooms. They said they were with the NEW schools and really didn’t need or want anything that was from the old school, especially since they “Have enough money that we don’t have to take other people’s leftovers”. They went on to say that they needed to throw the books out because they had “truckloads” of new books and supplies that were coming and the needed the space to put it all.

Apparently the shiny new schools that have Tweed’s Seal of Approval are swimming in cash to the point where they can afford to throw away pallets of new books just because they were ordered by someone else.

I, however, work in an old-fashioned district school in a low-income area, and therefore, am reduced to dumpster-diving.

It truly is the best of times, and the worst of times. A seven minute drive changes everything.

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

Weds. Oct.12 - GEM High Stakes Testing Committee Working to Change the Stakes

"However, like the missile gap, the so-called learning gap is a myth.  The fear has been founded on misinformation and misperceptions.

Some have traced the root of all evil in the assault on public education as the misuse of testing - actually high stakes testing. In other words, no one is against the use of tests but the use of these narrow tests as sole judge of the success or failure of students. teachers, schools and school systems. We would also point to the awesome costs of not only the tests, but the prep materials and the entire monitoring apparatus. You can populate a small city with the accountability (everyone accountable but the people at the top) crew at Tweed - along with all the consultants.

GEM began a high stakes testing committee this past July and before long was partnering with other groups like Time Out for Testing, Class Size Matters and Parents Across America using the theme "It's Time to Change the Stakes." Getting the renowned Dr. Yong Zhao to speak at our event kicking off the campaign is a coup of the highest order. If you can make this you won't be disappointed. (I'm hoping Diane Ravitch shows up for this -  not far fetched as she is in town.)

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

ATR "Teaching Nomad" Slams UFT Borough Meeting

This report came in over the transom. No equivocation here about whether the UFT Administration is on the side of the ATRs. And how about that "fair and balanced" vote at the June DA? 7 Unity speakers for and we had to fight to get one speaker against. James Eterno was denied the opportunity. Even when Unity has a stacked deck it is not good enough. They are for some reason worried that if their own rank and file heard serious arguments they might waver.

Report of Bronx ATR Meeting
by Teaching Nomad

Attending the ATR meeting at the Bronx UFT on Monday did nothing but confirm the UFT is not on the side of ATR’s. From the way in which they spoke to us and the stories they told I am certain the ATR group is being set up to fail by both the DOE and the UFT.

Amy Arundell led the meeting for the UFT except when the members became too much to handle, LeRoy Barr stepped in. He mainly told us that we had to maintain civility if we were to get this critical information Amy had to us. He also reminded us many times that we must do this in an orderly way. A few times, after admonishing us, he would “answer” a question.

In one instance he explained that this agreement was voted on by our chapter leaders at the Delegate Assembly, where “there is a conversation, a debate back and forth before voting”. And he reminded us this was not an ATR agreement it was a layoff agreement. At the time of this agreement the Mayor had not succeeded in his attempt to get rid of LIFO. I highly doubt he was going to go through with the layoffs of newly hired teachers. There was no need for an ATR agreement unless the UFT holds the same beliefs about our group as the DOE does. LeRoy told us at the meeting how the DOE feels about us. He said, “They (DOE) think you are worthless and you don’t teach”. It would seem to me the UFT agrees. The Delegate Assembly is not a democratic body. Unity members outnumber any other caucus, however they vote, they win. They are told what to say and how to vote. One only votes their conscience at their own peril.

The most insidious thing about this agreement is the idea of mutual consent. The DOE will soon have data that they will take public that proves ATR’s must be fired because no one will hire them. I can stay in a school more than a week if the principal and I both want this. If either one of us does not agree, I must move on. If schools have no vacancies what is to stop principals from just taking a new ATR each week? With a whole new office created at Tweed to deal with the ATR assignments, they can log data on who is rejected by principals. After twenty weeks they will argue this person should be fired, no one wants them to work in their school. It is the perfect justification for what they have been arguing for years. It’s downright frightening to think that either the UFT leadership is not bright enough to have seen this before agreeing or that they did and agreed anyway.

The UFT seems to think that principals will be able to see ‘what is out there’ and will suddenly start filling vacancies. These so called vacancies do not exist in the numbers there are of ATR’s. One look at the DOE website for excessed staff will show you this. This week there were not more than 50 positions for high schools.

The UFT has helped to create this large group of people without permanent positions. They are now trying to sell us on the grand scheme of our demise. If you are an ATR sign up at (gemnyc@gmail.com) and join us on Thursday Oct. 20 at the Skylight Diner (34th St and 9th Ave - across from B&H) at 5pm.

Teacher Sue also slams UFT at Staten Island meeting - Twice

Teacher Sue, who recently reported on the UFT's meeting for ATR teachers in Staten Island, sent in the following comments. As you'll see, her name is Sue and she means to sue. -- The ATR Follies

Staten Island ATR meeting another sham and a fraud and a phony facade

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

Occupying Wall Street

There was so much of interest to write about and video but it's late and the video will take a few hours to load into the computer, I'm just going to touch on one thing. As I walked around I came across numerous conversations on so many issues, especially between stalwarts and visitors, many of them tourists. It was like a mini town hall meeting every few feet. I eavesdropped on a bunch of them and if the noise didn't drown out the sound these conversations should be fascinating.

I did get to harass the FOX news team which set up a special broadcast area across the street, yelling about how much smirking over the rabble they would be doing and how fair and balanced they wouldn't be. I found out later I was harassing Geraldo Rivera.

 I also came across a lone teacher who brought his work down to grade with this sign:

The saddest sign we saw was a parent from Philadelphia who lost her son in the first days of the war in Iraq.

One message that I kept hearing was that "We are patriots, loyal Americans and surprisingly non-partisan, That Occupy Wall St. is NOT the left counter to the Tea Party but is more open-ended. I asked it Tea Partiers would be welcome and heard, "Yes." So come on down.

Tomorrow I hear teachers and parents are coming down with kids:

Children's delegation at occupy Wall Street for Columbus day

Families and people who who love them! Can you think of a better way to talk about the meaning of Columbus day with our Children than a day of art and sign making at Occupy Wall Street? Who would like to meet up there on Monday? Kid friendly time of 10:30 - 1 or whenever is best for you? Posters, paints, snacks, and I am sure we can borrow a drum or two! Please forward to whomever you wish!

Here are some more photo from today:

I blew this one up due to the astounding numbers

Some familiar faces

Another account of today comes from Patrick Walsh who we hung with:

Raginghorseblog:  Sunday at Occupying Wall Street

Photos from Wednesday's march are at the Fight Back Friday site:

Occupy Wall Street (Rally & March) - 10/5/11

Photographs From The Occupy Wall Street (Rally & March) - 10/5/11

https://picasaweb.google.com/113455396360021548056/OccupyWallStreetRallyMarchOctober52011?authkey=Gv1sRgCP7t4_-Gv7Tz7gE

And GEM's Darren Marelli made an excellent video at: NYC Public School Parents

Which New Yorkers have the best interests of working people and children at heart?
 
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Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.