PEP Meeting OCCUPIED! A NEW DAY DAWNS!

TONIGHT WE DOCKED THE REAL REFORMERS TO THE OWS AND TO THE 99% AND TIED THE ED DEFORMERS TO THE 1%.

I'll keep updating this post as new reports come in - check the UPDATED date and time to track them.

UPDATED: Thurs. Oct. 27 8:10 AM- REPORTS KEEP COMING IN. I CAN'T GET THIS STUFF UP FAST ENOUGH. LIVE STREAM INTERVIEWS POST MEETING WERE WONDERFUL - LOTS OF NEW PEOPLE INVOLVED.

http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2011/10/last-night-at-pep-we-occupied-doe.html

Epoch Times: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-states/teachers-and-parents-occupy-education-meeting-63296.html

Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/10/26/2011-10-26_school_boss_disrupted.html

Fox News: http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/protesters-shout-down-schools-chancellor-walcott-20111025

A NYPost editorial where we're "thugs"... ha. might be worth a few comments: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/the_thugs_win_again_sIavzdrhUBM3HxPHHY7IxH?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=

Gotham Schools: Walcott opening remarks while People's Mic goes on: http://vimeo.com/31119914

HuffPo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/25/occupy-wall-street-department-of-education_n_1031812.html

Raging Horse Blog: Occupy the Department of Education: Walcott Takes it On the Hop

Anna Philips, NYT:  http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2011/10/25/walcott-event-disrupted-by-protesters/

Great photo by Anna Philips

Report from NY Eye: NEWS: On "Occupy the PEP"

NYCORE VIDEO: http://www.nycore.org/2011/10/10-25-11-occupy-the-pep-video/

NY1 Video from Lindsay Christ: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/education/149635/doe-meeting-disrupted-by--occupy--protesters

A teacher reports:

Hi everyone,

Tonight was the best (non pep) pep ever. The best meeting ever. It was amazing! I have no words. We shut it down, everyone got to talk, voices were heard, the people's mic worked like a charm, basically we rocked it.

The doe is definitely going to spin it but there were literally few people there who weren't there for the occupy the doe action. And we really made something incredible happen. The press was there in mass and everyone who spoke on the mic was truly amazing. I was ao deeply happy. There are no words.

I want to give a more thorough report-back but I don't know what to say! I guess just ask questions and I will answer them... I am having a hard time figuring out how to share the energy of the room. Beautiful.   L

Let's see how the press covers this. Note the important point L makes - that there were only very few people there to actually hear Walcott and Coleman talk. (See Leonie report on who Coleman is).

I couldn't make tonight's possibly historic events but was trying to follow the Tweets. I heard Keith Olbermann mentioned what occurred. Pics below. And for those teachers who are wary of putting their foot in the activist water due to fear of Tweed, there are many teachers in this protest who show no fear. There were 200 people this time. Let's double or triple this at the next

PEP Regular Calendar Panel Meeting11/17/2011 - 6:00 P.M.
The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
35-12 35th Avenue
Queens, NY 11106

Up to now you really couldn't do this without the UFT which while walking out and doing some disruption in the past never tried to stop a meeting cold in its tracks. This protest had no UFT presence - they were marching over the bridge with political slug like Vito Lopez to support OWS. Irony of irony when corrupt politicians like Lopez are part of the problem.

Here is a video from Gotham:

Untitled from Elizabeth Green on Vimeo.

Here is an email about tonight from Leonie:

It was a wonderful evening, something to celebrate and relive. Democracy
lives! For those who missed it, we took over the PEP tonight at Seward Park HS and the entire meeting is being re-broadcast now at http://www.livestream.com/occupynyc

Here is the Gotham Schools report:

mic check

October 25, 2011

Protest derails DOE meeting on curriculum after just minutes

by Rachel Cromidas, at 9:03 pm

The possibility of a public comment session evaporated just moments into tonight’s Panel for Educational Policy meeting, after nearly 200 protesters drowned out Department of Education officials.
The panel had convened for a special meeting about the city’s new curriculum standards. But as Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott and the standards’ architect, David Coleman, took the stage at Seward Park High School, protesters aligned with the Occupy movement launched a chorus of complaints via “the people’s mic.”
“Mic check!” each protester would call out, commanding the attention of his or her compatriots. Then he or she would call out a statement, pausing after every few words so that others could repeat them, amplifying the statement without the help of a microphone.
“The DOE’s priorities! Are all wrong!” one protester shouted. “We would like! There to be a community conversation! a real community conversation! about the people’s priorities!”
“We want our teachers to be paid more,” yelled a 7-year-old, Anais Richard, who attends P.S. 11 in Brooklyn. “If these things are not done, then we won’t be able to be succeeded.” The people’s mic repeated her statement, complete with the misspoken final word.
Walcott delivered his opening remarks over the shouting. At one point, he said, “We appreciate the activism, and we look forward to having you participate in our discussion.”
But when Walcott turned the microphone over to Coleman, the tone shifted. (more…)

I'm putting up a series of tweets from Bryan Jones and NY1's Lindsay Christ which will give you a flavor- read in reverse order

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brainyandbrawny Brian Jones

laid-off school aides were there, chanting "bring the workers back!" #OccupyEdu

2 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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brainyandbrawny Brian Jones

have to leave, sadly. best moments included Walcott walking in and out, not sure what to do while the crowd shouted "SHAME!" #OccupyEdu

2 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

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brainyandbrawny Brian Jones

@GRITlaura yes!

2 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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gothamschools GothamSchools

by brainyandbrawny

200 protesters, including teachers, parents, students, chant in auditorium while Walcott, David Coleman, PEP attend Common Core sessions

2 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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brainyandbrawny Brian Jones

What a moment. This movement, this feeling, is infectious. Very difficult to put this cat back in the bag. #OccupyEdu

2 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

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brainyandbrawny Brian Jones

Amazing, just amazing. The whole room is repeating our speakers, Walcott is drowned out & the police have no idea what to do. #OccupyEdu

2 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

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brainyandbrawny Brian Jones

People's mic has TAKEN OVER THE PEP!! #OccupyEdu

LindseyChrist Lindsey Christ

"Occupy the DOE! Occupy the DOE!" They are now marching out of the building.

1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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LindseyChrist Lindsey Christ

Protester: "This is our PEP meeting. And we hope the next PEP meeting will be ours as well." Chancellor Walcott wouldn't comment on that.

1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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LindseyChrist Lindsey Christ

Meeting tonight was moved to small breakout rooms upstairs. The protesters remain in auditorium, holding their own meeting. #OWS

1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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LindseyChrist Lindsey Christ

Speaker David Coleman was much more hesitant to speak over crowd. He tried then turned to Chancellor. Walcott called general meeting off.

3 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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LindseyChrist Lindsey Christ

As soon as Chancellor began speaking, the crowd began protesting through the "People's Mic". Walcott keeps speaking, through a real mic.

3 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

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LindseyChrist Lindsey Christ

These aren't school safety officers outside tonight's education meeting. Cops with guns and handcuffs. Several officers. No OWS presence yet

Earlier story from Gotham Schools:
NEWS: Discussion of Common Core to compete with human mic tonight

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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.

Chancellor Meeting has been #occupied

The chancellor gave up. We are holding an open MIC CHECK right now.

Watch live:

http://www.livestream.com/occupynyc

Justin Wedes
Educator & Activist
Cheers,
Norm Scott

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

Thursday: See the Film Ed Deformers (and the UFT) Don't Want You to See

Ask your union reps why the UFT leadership is boycotting the most effective response to ed deform yet, a film made by NYC parents and teachers (and UFT members).

Thursday, Oct. 27, 7PM at NYU with a post screening panel with some of the film makers - Julie Cavanagh, Lisa Donlan, Mollie Bruhn and Darren Marelli.

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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.

Using the People's Mic to OCCUPY the DOE

UPDATED WITH MEDiA ADVISORY

How many times have we seen the mics turned off at PEP meetings at the 2 minute mark? Now the audience has a new weapon developed at Occupy Wall St. to have their voices heard. But you need enough people to join in to make it effective. Tuesday is a first test of this tactic but not the last. No matter what happens the message to WalBloom is: WE WILL BE BACK!

Now strictly speaking, this is not a PEP meeting but a Dennis Walcott dog and pony show pushing the Common Standards - another scam that the UFT is salivating over. I won't go into the details here but the main speaker on Tuesday is featured by Leonie on the NYC Parent blog - read it even if you are not going tomorrow:

The Kick-off of "Parents as Partners Week": Who is David Coleman and why should we care?

For Planning Purposes Only:                                                                                                                                         Contact:    Kelley Wolcott  201-344-0382

October 24, 2011                                                                   

MEDIA ADVISORY

After introducing catastrophic budget cuts to education that have left New York City schools overcrowded, under-staffed and sorely lacking in resources – despite an  estimated budget surplus in 2011 of more than $3 billion – Mayor Michael Bloomberg continues his attack on teachers, students and schools.

Educators, parents and other stakeholders fear that the worst cuts – as well as more school closings and inequitable charter school co-locations – lie ahead. The Panel for Educational Policy, which was replaced the elected Board of Education under Bloomberg’s tenure, could combat these cuts, but is dominated by mayoral appointees.

What:              Teachers, students, parents and education advocates from Occupy Wall Street will occupy a meeting of the city’s Panel for Educational Policy, dominated by mayoral appointees, and hold their own democratic meeting on the state of public education in New York City

When:             5:30PM, Tuesday October 25, 2011

                       

Where:           Seward Park High School

                        350 Grand Street

                      New York, NY

Who:               Public school teachers, students, parents, education advocates and activists from Occupy Wall Street.

Here is an announcement from the new Occupy Public Education Committee along with a video demonstrating the People's Mic.

WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OCCUPY THE DOE ACTION ON 
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25th

Seward Park High School

350 Grand Street

Manhattan

(near Williamsburg Bridge)

  

Background

On Tuesday, October 25th, the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) is hosting a meeting where Chancellor Walcott (the 1%) is planning a "conversation on raising standards in the classroom.”  The PEP is an un-elected 13-member body (the majority of whom are appointed by Bloomberg) that makes decisions for the Department of Education. The PEP meetings are open to the public. ALL are welcome.

We, the 99% invite you, educators, parents and students to contribute to the conversation on the table:

How do YOU want public education to change?

What are YOUR “common core standards?”

Contact occupypubliceducation@gmail.com if you have questions, and to let us know that you plan to speak.

To get YOUR voice heard, please review the menu of options and also become familiar with how the people’s PEP will run on Tuesday:

Option A:  Come to the meeting with a prepared statement about why you are participating in this action.

EXAMPLE

I am here because as a parent my voice is not represented on the Panel for Educational Policy. Parents have no vehicle in the decision-making process around the issues affecting their children's education. 

EXAMPLE

I am here because as a teacher I support high standards in the classroom, but excluding teachers from the decision process around implementation of those standards is insulting and undermines my ability to teach to high standards.

EXAMPLE

I am a student and my common core standard is to have curriculum that is driven by critical thinking not test prep so that I can be prepared for college.

From 4:30 - 5:15 there will be an organizing meet at the Seward Park Library at 192 East Broadway to polish our mic check skills and prepare to speak the PEP meeting. At 5:15 we will go to the PEP meeting.

Option B: Arrive at the PEP Meeting - Seward Park High School at 350 Grand Street New York, NY at 5:30 to ensure you get a seat at the meeting. Participate in the Mic Check during the meeting (you'll have plenty of examples during the meeting -- we promise, you'll be able to pick it up!). Remember, this meeting is a public forum. The purpose of these meetings is to exchange ideas. We hope you will come and express your views.

For more information on the people’s mic go to this link to watch a video on how it’s performed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0hxRGBcc6Y

Option C: Don't have a seat? Arrive a little late? Can’t get in for some reason? NO problem! Join us either in front of Seward Park High School (Ludlow entrance), or in the parking lot behind the school (on Broome). If we can't be at either we will go to Seward Park at Essex and Canal.  We will be hosting a teach-in around the issues impacting public education in NYC.

Can’t find us? Call Marcelle at 865 - 898 - 8632 or Kevin at 347-443-4598

Option D: Meet us at Zuccotti Park at 4:45 to march to Seward Park High School. (We are asking for 4 volunteers who would like to march with us -- contact Marcelle @marcellejgood@gmail.com if you love a good march.)

Contact occupypubliceducation@gmail.com if you have questions, and to let us know that you plan to speak.

And here is a nice video on the peoples mic from Rachel Maddow:

http://youtu.be/d0hxRGBcc6Y



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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.

The Agony and the Agony: UFT Delegate Assembly Tackles Danielson

UPDATED: Monday, Oct. 24, 11:30PM

UFT hands the DOE a knife to put to the throats of teachers and claims they won't use it. Or if it is used it is by a "rogue" principal or DOE incompetence. Will UFT support for Danielson Framework of Teaching lead to end of tenure and LIFO? And in addition, teachers are told to spend their own money to buy the Danielson book - sort of like handing someone a shovel to dig their own grave.

Teachers compare Danielson mania to way Workshop model was implemented and misused years ago.

Mulgrew claims the DOE people don't have a clue as to what's going on in the schools. Actions in supporting Danielson Frameworks raise issue as to whether he has a clue.

The report came in from a chapter leader.

In September of 2011, Bloomberg began implementing yet another reform in the NYC public schools. Dennis Walcott, with Bloomberg’s encouragement, has directed principals to use the Charlotte Danielson Framework rubrics as a formative evaluation for teachers. For those who are unfamiliar with educational jargon, a rubric is a grading scale that can be used to give a rating to someone or something. In the current school year, this framework is to be used for support, next year it is to be used to provide evaluations.

As stated before, this is one of many changes that have taken place since Bloomberg began mayoral control of the New York City Public Schools. When Bloomberg first came to be head of the schools, he instituted the city wide use of the workshop model. The workshop model is a 45 minute long lesson set aside for a particular subject. Teachers are expected to execute a series of lessons in that hour, all related to that particular subject. This approach prescribes teacher controlled and rigidly timed short lessons sometimes aimed at the whole class, sometimes a small group. Teachers are expected to race through these workshop models daily, keeping the students under rigid and stifling control, while maintaining a specific and inflexible schedule of activities. Teachers are castigated for any deviation from the confines of the script and actions, letters are placed in teacher’s files, and teachers have been given unsatisfactory ratings, for not implementing every aspect of this top down model. Teachers have even been sent to the ‘rubber room’ for not following this model to its exact specification. For example, within a 45 minute framework, teachers must execute the following: a short ten minute skill lesson with the whole class, followed by another ten minute lesson with five or six students, followed by three five minute visits to individual students. This is to be done with note taking and individual mini lessons, all this while the remaining students are working independently. Finally a class meeting is held at the end of the workshop for another 5-10 minutes. Teachers are expected to create charts, take notes, complete checklists, and collect data about student performance during these workshops. This is done with 25-32 students in the room, and, most frequently, without any assistance.

Now we enter the age of Danielson in New York City. The Danielson model is to be implemented in a supportive, collaborative, non threatening environment of mutual trust. To be highly effective, Danielson states, a teacher should offer students choice in their pathways to learning. She also states that students should raise their own questions and show that they take initiative for their own learning. Danielson states that an observer of teachers should be trained and certified in this fine art, and Danielson says she can provide the training. To date, we are unaware of any NYC principals receiving this training. To initiate the process without these components already in place is to exchange one poor evaluation system for another in the very words of Ms. Danielson herself.

There is a clash between these two approaches. It will take principals with knowledge, experience, and expertise to make the two models work together. Unfortunately, Mr. Bloomberg has not sought out and appointed principals that have the experience, sensitive understanding and knowledge of the classroom to collaborate on the Danielson model. He has replaced many experienced principals with younger, corporate minded supervisors. The senior principals that have remained under Bloomberg have never openly challenged his ideas, and certainly have not been encouraged to bring their experience and expertise to Bloomberg’s table of reforms.

Given the present reality of the Bloomberg/Walcott regime, the Danielson rubrics have already failed in the New York City Public Schools. The prerequisite climate of trust, knowledge, and cooperation inherent to achieving the true goals of the Danielson framework does not exist, precluding any possibility of this transition. Principals are already using Danielson merely as a vehicle to give teachers unsatisfactory ratings, without implementing any of the positive ideas that Danielson has put forth. The focus continues to be on the usual pecking away at details, rather than on true teacher support and improvement. Therefore, the use of Danielson should be tabled at this time. Perhaps, instead, to move forward in the right direction, a rubric should be created for principals that would encourage them to work toward that climate of trust and respect that Danielson aspires to.

When Sam Lazarus (a member of ICE), Chapter Leader of Bryant HS, one of the 30 or so target schools trying out the Danielson system of teacher evaluation, spoke out at the October 19 Delegate Assembly against the resolution being promoted by the UFT leadership I thought I was watching a horror film akin to the Chernobyl disaster, embellished by zombie administrators looking to use what some people consider a potentially useful tool to chew on the livers of living teachers.

Sam, following Academic HS VP Leo Casey's urging the "brudders and sistas" to support the UFT Administration sponsored reso - which affirmed support for Danielson system while admonishing the DOE to stick to what was agreed to - to only use the system in Transformation and Restart schools THIS year - yes it is coming to a school near you soon.

Sam laid out what is happening at Bryant in such graphic terms, some people could be seen wretching in the halls - OK - just a little hyperbole - it was probably the rotten bananas. He told of how the DF could be used to rate teachers poorly and fire them without hearings - an end to LIFO and tenure.  Pretty shocking and something that should call for a looooong discussion within the union.

Of course, in the spirit of UFT democracy, this reso was gotten to with about 2 minutes left in the meeting. After Leo and Sam spoke, Mulgrew, using his seating chart to call on the pre-planned Unity Caucus speakers who would support the reso, got 2 affirmatives before hitting the "call the question" to close debate guy.

Sure it so assuring for the reso to say that the UFT will "defend the integrity of the Danielson Framework of Teaching using all contractual, legal and other means [please tell us some of these] at our disposal to stop its misuse in schools where supervisors are engaged in rogue [see, it's not good guys at the DOE executing a plan] evaluations that violate our members' rights."

So I know you are enjoying a good laugh at how tough the UFT administration will be with the DOE in defending your rights. At the DA a Unity Caucus member who has some knowledge of U-rating hearings told me disgustedly, "Even the hearing officers are asking why the UFT is so weak in defending people."

The reso has lots of whereas' defining all sorts of background. But you can read it for yourself here.
But we do know about the lack of support at the school level when it comes to psycho principals (which we have been reporting on). Imagine giving this tool to one of them, especially when we know that Tweed will support even serial killer grads of the Leadership Academy.

UFT chapter leaders are disgusted and some are resigning, claiming collusion between UFT district reps and their principals against the teachers. Here is an email I received today:

Just wanted to let you know that I will be resigning as Chapter leader of my school shortly due to negligence of the DR by not supporting her chapter leaders. This has been endemic for several years. I could write a book on the grievances the school has but the DR does not want to touch them while also communicating to the principal, exposing confidential matters between myself and members. Several other chapter leaders are just plain fed up. This is the cancer bloggers talk about at the UFT. All major issues are skirted or totally avoided!

So how will/can the UFT protect people from misuse of Danielson? The disconnect between the leadership and At the Sept Chapter Leader meeting Mulgrew was slobbering all over how wonderful Danielson is and selling it to the members and now, this week, Mendel is publically complaining about the principals using it when they are not yet empowered to do so and this has become a point of contention w/ UFT leadership and DOE (even though Mulgrew, Walcott and CSA pres sent out a joint letter telling principals they are not to be using it).

Given what I am hearing from the schools, the UFT Administration may have as little knowledge of what is occurring as the Tweedies. Or a better explanation is that they know exactly what is going on and are choosing to ignore the pleas of the members just as Tweed also knows full well what is going on with so-called rogue administrators and are actually encouraging them.

In her own words: Charlotte Danielson interview:

Let me give you a story of when it’s not done well. I was contacted early on by a large urban district in New Jersey that…had a horrible evaluation system. It was top-down and arbitrary and punitive and sort of “gotcha.” And they developed a new one based on my book, and it was top-down and arbitrary, and punitive. All they did was exchange one set of evaluative criteria for another. They did nothing to change the culture surrounding evaluation. It was very much something done to teachers, an inspection, used to penalize or punish teachers whom the principal didn’t like…[and] I discovered that if I didn’t do something here, my name would get associated with things people hate. So I thought about what it would take to do teacher evaluation well. And I discovered that doing it well means respecting what we know about teacher learning, which has to do with self-assessment, reflection on practice, and professional conversation. 

http://educationnext.org/straight-up-conversation-teacher-eval-guru-charlotte-danielson/

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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.

Fred Konsky Reports on Police Harrasment of NYC Teacher Grade-in

UPDATE: Monday, Oct. 24, 11:50PM
See follow-up:  Using the People's Mic to OCCUPY the DOE on Tuesday, Oct. 25

The use of grade-ins where teachers demonstrate the work they do on off hours to the public at large in public spaces is an important tactic in the school wars. So the story below from Fred Klonsky is disturbing. Here is some background.

Last week I stopped by to touch base with teachers meeting there - what began as a grade-in turned into a meeting planning for action and they decided to focus on the meeting this Tuesday. I was only there for about 10 minutes but they weren't hassled at all.

When we met again on Tuesday we were told by some building security we weren't allowed to sit there. I wrote about the encounter (OCCUPY the PANEL FOR EDUCATIONAL POLICY) and how we were bothered by cops closing gates on us as we went to another space.

Today teachers from NYCORE, Teachers Unite and GEM planned to meet at the red cube across the street from Liberty Square from 1-3PM to do a grade-in and also plan the Occupy PEP action for this Tuesday. I haven't heard any reports of problems but this interesting report from Fred Klonky, visiting from Chicago, may be a sign that Bloomberg is telling the cops to squeeze the spaces people have been using for peaceful assembly and meetings. 

NYPD tells teachers, “No grading papers in public.”

October 23, 2011

by Fred Klonsky

Anne and I are in New York for the weekend to see our kids and grand kids. Plus it is our 35th wedding anniversary. Naturally we want to spend some time at Occupy Wall Street.
Liberty Park is jammed with people. Some have taken up permanent residence in sleeping bags and tents. Hundreds more fill the park every day with signs of one kind or another. There are lots of tourists, reporters and college students who have been assigned to interview the protesters.
There are drum circles, spontaneous dances and the steady flow of speakers whose voices get amplified, not by the banned electronic microphones and loudspeakers, but the technique of the crowd repeating what each speaker says in waves that carry the message to the back of the throngs who are listening.
As we left we stopped by a group of teachers who were doing a grade-in in an open plaza across from the park.
Grade-ins have become common in cities across the country as teachers gather in public spaces to do work that usually gets done at home, off the clock and unrecognized: prepping for classes, grading papers and doing the unending paperwork that the school bureaucracies demand.
Since there was no open space in Liberty Square, this group of teachers gathered across the street. A few minutes later two uniformed New York cops arrived on the scene.
“What’s going on.”
“We’re grading papers.”
“Can’t do that here.”
The cops disappeared for a few minutes and suddenly there were a half-dozen more New York cops.
“Can’t do that here,” they repeated.
“Thank you, officers,” one of the teachers politely said. And the teachers gathered their tests, folding chairs and hand-made cardboard signs and moved across the street, disappearing into the crowd.

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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.

Over 40 People Attend GEM ATR Meeting

NOTE: I started working on my report of the UFT Delegate Assembly which I believe voted to end tenure and LIFO and I will explain why when I get to it but probably not 'till Sunday. Meanwhile read James Eterno's Delegate Assembly Report at the ICE blog. Here is what he wrote about the ATR:

David [Ed Note: Pecoraro -a Unity guy - good for him] from Beach Channel resolved that atrs have a chapter for as long as atrs exist. He explained that atrs have a right to vote. Leroy Barr spoke against it saying said that we do not want to create a permanent chapter for a temporary position. The motion failed but got a great deal of support. Mulgrew acknowledged that voting would be a problem and they would work on it. (I voted for it.)

Reports on the GEM ATR Meeting
While the GEMATR committee had received a bunch of positive RSVPs we also received a batch of regrets due to other commitments. So we set up a table for 10 or so at the Skylight Diner yesterday.
But they just kept coming until we filled half the back of the diner and grew to over 40 people. We actually held a meeting for about an hour in the midst of people still pouring in when I figured we had to order some food. That pretty much turned into each table holding mini-meetings, which worked out so much better than a formal meeting. People were so happy to be able to talk to other people, a sign of the isolation they are facing and also a sign of the failure of the UFT Administration to provide such a forum for them. Or be so adamantly opposed to them having a chapter with elective representatives to deal with the UFT Administration. They claim it codifies ATRs (DUH! Closing schools codifies ATRs) but I feel the real reason is they (and the DOE) want to keep them isolated.

It is clear there is the need for ATRs to get together and we in GEM are happy to provide the mechanism for them to do this. Rough committees were laid out and people were very anxious to meet again. While the travel issue was on the table we still feel the 34th St area is a central location. I stressed that even though we have 80 people on the listserve, that is not enough to make a difference and we must organize a couple of hundred before we can take action. There will be another meeting in November. Meanwhile we will try to get the committees to meet on their own.


Here is a report from ATR - Absolutely Teaching Ready

Last night over 40 ATRs and friends met at the Skyline Diner in Manhattan. Enthusiasm ran high, sometimes too high, as the Diner Management requested us to try to keep our voices down.

We agreed to give life to the ATR committee of GEM, created several committees to publicize our plight, discuss future actions at th e UFT and possible legal recourse for the discrimatory practices against veteran teachers.

Support for a UFT ATR Chapter or Chapters for each borough ran high. Truth is, if Michael Mulgrews figure of 1000 ATRs is correct, 5% of us were there last night! This is an auspicious beginning. One weakness, we need to reach out to get more ATRs to participate, especially Black and Hispanic UFT members who are ATRs. Given the preponderance of people's of color at the borough meetings, this will be critical for our groups success.

There was general agreement with the thrust of ATR GEM literature and the demands in the petition. On this basis, we should move forward to request meetings with UFT leaders on the statistics the Union has collected concerning the age, race demographics of ATRs, numbers hired since June, average length of time in the ATR pool and salaries.

The restraint of last night attendees was indicative of their seriousness. People refrained from talking about their own difficult situations to insure the discussion was more general, enabling us to come to broad areas of agreement.

Several people tied our issue into the broader crises facing the education system like privatization through Charters, school closures and budget cuts. Also singled out was the DOE's overall effort to cheapen and dumb down education for working class children. Others discussed increasing unemployment, budget cuts, the issues raised by the Occupy Wall Street movement and our need to defend teaching.

Absolutely Teaching Ready

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Occupy LAUSD (Unified School District) Changes the Debate

UPDATE: Chicago News Too: Rahm declares war on the unions

 Chicago math and science scores worst ever
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LA Teachers Put Real Reformers on the Offense. Can that happen here in NYC?

From Josa Lara, a teacher activist in LA.

http://tinyurl.com/42r268u

  [Attachment(s) from Jose Lara included below]

Below are the links with news coverage of the Occupy LAUSD Campaign. As you can see every major news station covered the event. We are changing the debate about education funding, school change, and Privatization of Education.  It is time WE take the offense.

I have spent the past two nights at Occupy LAUSD and had some great company from fellow educators. Other than LA School Police try to intimidate us into leaving on the first night (LAPD and School Police personally came to apologize to us the next day), we have had a great time talking about improving the quality of education for our students.

Every night we have had a new group of people join us for our nightly conversations. Some stay until late to support, others have come by to drop off food donations, and others pitch up a tent and stay with us the night. We appreciate all the support we have received.

We are part of a growing movement that is sick and tried of corporate greed that underfunds our schools and pushes school “reform”.  We are part of the 99% who are standing up to Wall Street.

I would like to ask everyone who reads this to please come out for at least a couple of hours after work if you cannot join the Camp-out.  If you can stay the night, even for one night, it would be great!

Lastly, Don’t forget to visit our Facebook, Twitter, and Website for all the latest information:

www.OccupyLAUSD.org

www.twitter.com/OccupyLAUSD

www.facebook.com/OccupyLAUSD

Warmly,

Jose Lara

Social Justice Educator &

Central Area Chair

News for Occupy LAUSD

Maestros acampan frente al LAUSD

La Opinion

http://tinyurl.com/3tesa4n

"Occupy LAUSD" March Hits Downtown LA

NBC LA

http://tinyurl.com/3baw5d5

Hundreds Join "Occupy" Protest at LAUSD Headquarters

Fox 11

http://tinyurl.com/3vbko2k

Occupy movement rallies at L.A. school district headquarters

L.A. Times

http://tinyurl.com/3uyh9mt

Occupy LA Takes On LAUSD

KTLA 5

http://tinyurl.com/3gb8lnt

Occupy L.A., teachers union march on LAUSD HQ

ABC 7

http://tinyurl.com/42r268u

Teachers to join Occupy L.A. protesters

Daily Breeze

http://tinyurl.com/3kbpoaz

Occupy LAUSD Protesters March For Education Funding

Neon Tommy

http://tinyurl.com/3w76z49

Occupy LAUSD Makes It Through the Night, Police Back Down and Let Protesters Stay

LAist

http://tinyurl.com/42ovte7

Teachers, Parents March to 'Occupy LAUSD'

Eagle Rock Patch

http://tinyurl.com/3zs7rvt

Occupy LAUSD Movement Hits the Streets to Demand Education Justice

GOOD Education

http://tinyurl.com/3faay44

Occupy LAUSD

USC Annenberg News

http://tinyurl.com/3q9wzbc

Hundreds March for Occupy LAUSD

LA Progressive

http://tinyurl.com/3rm2l6u

Occupy LAUSD march protests cuts

LA Youth

http://tinyurl.com/3ko9q2r

Occupy L.A. joins teachers and parents to protest education cuts and billionaire reformers.

Democratic Underground

http://tinyurl.com/42wo3nn

Occupy LA Protests LAUSD With Members Of UTLA Teachers Union

Huffington Post

http://tinyurl.com/3pdsyer

Occupy Sacramento: GEM Film in the Belly of the Rhee- Kevin Johnson Beast

Dear GEM

I want to let you know that the Coalition will be screening “Superman Truth” at for Occupy Sacramento Thurs. evening downtown  in Cesar Chavez Park. Mayor Kevin Johnson had said he was going over to parley with the group even though the Council hasn’t allowed them to camp overnight and have been arresting resisters every night.  Johnson has said that he would not vote for an exception to the city’s no camping ordinance, but he volunteered to take a letter for the group to Washington-- blatant attempt to co-opt the group. 

This may turn out to be the most satisfying screening of "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" yet – right up the nose of Michelle Rhee's hubby.

And let me also remind you, today is the 157th consecutive day since the premiere that the UFT has ignored a film made by NYC teachers and parents that calls for real reforms like low class size and defends unions - while screening "American Teacher" which ignores class size and never mentions unions while claiming the major reform we need is to pay teachers more money - oh, of course, for the UFT Administration that makes perfect sense.

And then there was this email for GEM from Melbourne Australia:

I am a student teacher in Melbourne, Australia and I would like to know how Australian public teachers can join your Grassroots Education Movement.  We are struggling with the same issues here of standardized testing overtaking classrooms, and the threat of charter schools opening when public schools are proved to be 'ineffective' due to measurements of student and teacher performance.

We are fortunately not in the throes of threats as serious as in the UK or USA at this stage but Australian government and business always follow the policies of both countries so there is a strong feeling among teachers that this is imminent.

Please advise us how teachers here in Australia like myself can join with your organisation and support a global movement to ensure public schools remain open and opportunities for all children to have a good education survive into the future?

I found your movement in the following link from a Nation of Change interview with Brian Jones:   http://www.nationofchange.org/poverty-problem-efforts-cut-education-funding-expand-standardized-testing-assailed-1314548242

Thank you.

Hmmmm. I see an organizing road trip in my future.

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.

UFT Sends 40 Leftover Sandwiches to Support OWS

In the category of top-down undemocratic unions trying to glom onto a piece of the super democratic OWS action (like matter meeting anti-matter):

Following the lead of parent activists who brought peanut butter sandwiches to OWS a month ago, at edwize Leo Casey brags that among other things, the UFT sent 40 sandwiches left from their conference for charter school educators  to the occupy Wall. St. protesters in Zuccotti Park.

How about sending over the enormous leftovers from UFT Ex Bd meetings? Or maybe a hundred pizzas.  http://goo.gl/BTcZW

And note Brooklyn Dem corrupt boss Vito Lopez, the epitomy of everything OWS is opposed to, organizing a march over Brooklyn Bridge this Tues to show "support"?
Boycott anything that slimy bastard does.

GEM ATR Committee Update: Meeting Today at 5pm

UPDATE: 40 People Attended Meeting at Skylight Diner tonight - details to follow in a Friday AM Post.

REMINDER: MEETING THURSDAY OCT. 20 5PM SKYLIGHT DINER 34TH ST AND 9TH AVE.

This meeting is part of a building effort to organize ATRs into an effective force. While we have reached 80 people on this list, that is far short of the numbers we need to have an impact. I got a lot of interest from chapter leaders and delegates today yesterday at the UFT meeting when I asked people to take a leaflet if they had ATRs in their building. There was a lot of interest and concern, which is a good sign that the message we aimed at from our first phone meeting - to make the non-ATR ed corps aware of the situation you face is getting through.

Keep reporting to us on your daily/weekly experiences. I'm posting on the sidebar of my blog and nycatr is posting the longer pieces.

Here are the links:
NYC ATR - http://nycatr.blogspot.com/

ICEUFT Blog

Chaz's School Daze

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/


Delegate Assembly
I can't give a complete report because I was downstairs handing out our leaflet for most of the meeting.

I did hear Mulgrew say there has been a reduction in ATRs to about a thousand. With a large number of schools slated to be closed - including many middle schools - means there will be no end to the ATR creation process. As the TJC leaflet proclaimed: WE ARE ALL ATRs!

An ATR asked a question and some people felt Mulgrew as nasty to her. The question came up as to how ATRs vote in an election if they are in different schools every week. Leroy Barr spoke against the idea of a chapter. There's more and I spoke to an ATR who was present who promised to give a report one exactly what occurred.

The TJC resolution which we endorsed never got to the floor.
Members of TJC handed out their leaflet and we handed out the generic GEM leaflet.
See jpgs of the leaflets at the end of  this email.

Meeting Prep
We've been getting emails and calls from ATRs interested in what we are doing. Some have previous commitments but want to be kept in the loop.
We are forming an agenda for the meeting. If you have input send it along.
We want the meeting to be productive - how do we grow the group, what impact we could have with higher numbers,
We do not want the meeting to turn into a gripe session about the DOE and the UFT. Or telling of personal stories.

Continue to monitor ICE, NYCATR, Chaz and Ed Notes (I have been putting up comments from ATRs through the day as they come in on the sidebar.)

Legal action
One issue that is expected to come up at the meeting is legal action. This will engender a full discussion of the pros and cons.

We receive this email from an attorney tonight. He could be legit or just looking for business.  We could consider inviting him to a future meeting.
ATR/Attorney has suggestions for GEM ATR agenda

Hey,

I am an ATR and an attorney.

I would like to compliment you on the fine coverage of this scenario on your blogs.

I am unable to attend the ATR meeting, however I thought I would like to add a number of items to the GEM agenda:

1. I read only a few comments on the blogs about the necessity of either obtaining legal representation for the ATR's and/or the filing of an age discrimination complaint.  The age discrimination issue was briefly discussed at one of the borough meetings and was summarily dismissed in the process.  That was the UFT's position, but it is certainly not the in the best interest of the ATR's.

2.  The United States Equal Opportunity Commission  (http://www.eeoc.gov/field/newyork) handles complaints related to civil rights violations, which  including age related and racial discrimination against local govenments and unions.

3. The number of ATR's is not clear, however it would appear that 1000 ATR's could make a payment towards retaining an employment law firm.

4. Time is of the essence in filing legal actions. If legal action is taken against the DOE, there might be only 90 days to file a Notice of Claim against the City.

Finally, it would appear that there is a serious need to obtain contact information for ALL ATR's.  What is being done to organize the entire group?


 RESPONSES TO THE EMAIL:
Souverain: the part about 90 days on an EEOC claim is dubiousI thought it was more like a year or 300 days in NYS

S: Unfortunately, I can't make the meeting tonight but I hope I will be able to attend the next one. I think one issue that needs to be addressed is how the schools using day to day subs in long term positions. Also, how the ATR weekly placements are sending teachers to schools with no vacancies.....




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.

Bringin' the heat! OWS Committee for Public Education Issues Call to Action

Julie Cavanagh, an organizer with the Grassroots Education Movement who will be participating in ODOE, said the OWS message and practices reflect education activists concerns.
“There is no greater representation for the lack of democracy in what’s happening in public education policy right now than the PEP,” said Cavanagh, who works a special education teacher. “It’s a group of people who believe they are accountable to one man as opposed to 1.1 million school children. That’s wrong. We want the representational democracy we’re entitled to.”

Good Gotham Schools article: Inspired by Wall St. protest, activists vow to ‘Occupy the DOE’

Hello all!

Next Tuesday labor groups, community groups, teachers, students, parents and advocates will be occupying the Mayor's Panel for Educational Policy (the former democratically elected Board of
Education). The Panel is a 13 member group that has a eight member majority are appointed by the mayor to rubber stamp the damaging corporate educational "reforms" he is forcing upon public schools.

We, like the 99%, believe that decisions that impact public schools should be made democratically, by the people that are involved in the system such as parents, students, teachers, and administrators. For that reason, we will be holding the first DEMOCRATIC General Assembly for Public Education at the Panel for Educational Policy from 5:30-8pm.

We are calling on all people that believe in the principles of Occupy Wall Street and the 99% to join us in showing the mayor, the chancellor, and the PEP what real democracy looks like. We would love
for you to support us in the struggle to stop the attack on public schools.

When: Tuesday, October 25th @5:30PM
Where: Seward Park High School
350 Grand Street (near Williamsburg Bridge)

In solidarity,
The OWS Committee for Public Education

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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.

OCCUPY the PANEL FOR EDUCATIONAL POLICY

Breaking News: 

• NYC Educators to Occupy PEP and Public Education
• Public Education Advocate Diane Ravitch to Address Protesters at Occupy Wall Street, Link 99% Movement to Better Schools
• OWS Education Committee issues manifesto and call for action

Here is another leaflet to be handed out at the DA today:

NYC educational activists who have been involved in various degrees with Occupy Wall Street started meeting this past Sunday at the red cube across from Liberty Square to being OWS to the public education arena. I briefly stopped by on Sunday and was gratified to see there would be a follow-up yesterday at 5, an almost surreal experience. Here is my account:

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011, 5PM
We sat on the ground in front of the red cube in a circle. As people arrived the circle got bigger. Some people went across the street to see if there were educators or others looking to work in this issue and the circle kept growing. We used mic check to repeat the info as people introduced themselves. Just about every single activist NYC group was in the house.

A security guard of sorts came over to tell us we were on private property - funny but it certainly seems to be a public space - and people have been meeting there regularly - part of the general harassment that has been going on to cut off options for people to meet. So we decided to move to an atrium on Wall Street, some walking holding signs saying: Occupy Public Education and doing some chanting. We were a group of about 50 people - most got to turn up Wall but just as we at the tail end got there the cops closed the gates in our faces not allowing access to Wall Street, turning it into an exit only street for pedestrians. "Walk to the next block," they told us. But as we got to the next block the cops again closed the gate in our faces: "You're not marching on Wall Street," they told us. "Age discrimination," I said - Michael Fiorillo was with me. "We're too old to protest." No dice. "Go to the next block," they said. Figuring they would cut us off again, we headed through the UFT Lobby and down the stairs to the New Street exit where we circled around to the atrium which seemed to have all kinds of meetings going on.

The meeting itself was very impressive for an ad hoc event where many people were meeting for the first time - though I was familiar with most. People took notes and everyone got to speak. The decision was to start a process to take back the DOE by focusing on getting people to the PEP meeting next Tuesday at Seward Park HS. (Look for Tweed to move the meeting to Alaska). The idea is to draw more people into the struggle.

I have to reiterate and emphasize that this quickly thrown together meeting was the most representative of the many activists and ed advocacy groups in the city - it was a who's who. If everyone starts moving on this based on being inspired by OWS that will have a significant impact.

Details will follow over the next few days. If you want to get involved:

Next meetings of  Occupy Public Education (OPE):

• Friday at 6pm at the NYCORE meeting at NYU.

Here's a link to the nycore meeting RSVP for Friday where we will have the breakout session following up. We'll have dinner there, so please RSVP so we can have a headcount.

http://www.nycore.org/2011/10/monthly-meeting-10-21-11/

• Sunday at 3PM at the red cube on Liberty and Broadway - across the street from the protest - meeting might be moved if hassled by cops so get there on time.

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Common Core "author" and ed deformer/profiteer David Coleman will be speaking at the PEP.
@gothamschools: Common Core author David Coleman will speak at Oct. 25 PEP meeting to discuss to parents the new standard, Walcott tells district 7 parents
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Ravitch: Greater equity would prevent education cuts, providing students and schools with vital resources:  Ravitch to introduce NYC parent of student at school in danger of closing

Noted public education expert Diane Ravitch will address protesters at Occupy Wall Street in Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park on Thursday, saying the movement’s push for greater economic equity is essential for better schools. Ravitch will also introduce the parent of a child at a New York City school on the list for potential closure to speak to the crowd.

Ravitch’s rebuke of certain popular education reforms – such as high-stakes testing of students, teachers and schools, as well as corporate-style education policies – have placed her at the forefront of the national education debate. Her views support Occupy Wall Street’s warnings about growing class divisions. For instance, she has said she believes that “The best predictor of low academic performance is poverty.”

Ravitch is Research Professor of Education at New York University, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and was Assistant Secretary of Education and Counselor to Secretary of Education in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Her most recent book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System was a bestseller.

WHEN: Thursday, October 20 – 7:00 PM

WHERE: Zuccotti Park – Downtown Manhattan

WHO: Hundreds of protesters, Diane Ravitch, the parent of a child at a NYC school at risk of closing, and others.

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Valerie Strauss:

Education activists seek to collaborate with Occupy Wall Street

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/education-activists-seek-to-collaborate-with-occupy-wall-street/2011/10/15/gIQAbrDZmL_blog.html?wprss=answer-sheet


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OCCUPY PUBLIC EDUCATION- Leaflet/Reso for DA

GEM is urging delegates at the Delegate Assembly today to meet in front of 52 Broadway after the meeting is adjourned and walk the few blocks as a group to show support for Occupy Wall Street.

Here is the resolution:

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,

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

Here is the leaflet and text if you wish to share:

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

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

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.

Actions at First UFT DA of the Year

There is expected to be some calls at the DA today, which is usually the most well-attended of the year with lots of new chapter leaders and delegates, for actions on ATRs, OWS and probably a whole host of other issues. I'll cover the OWS in a follow-up. First the ATRs:

ATRs
Both GEM and TJC will be handing out leaflets related to the ATR issue.

TJC will be presenting a resolution- see flier below.

GEM is calling on ATRs to attend a meeting tomorrow - Thursday Oct. 20 - at the Skylight Diner (34St and 9th Ave) at 5PM to help build an ATR support group to push for a list of demands to be decided on by the committee. There has been a response from ATRs who have asked to be on the mailing list we have set up and a number of people who said they are coming to the meeting.

Here are jpgs of the leaflets:

Click to enlarge GEM ATR Committee Meeting Oct. 20

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