Students Not Scores Public Education Forumhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHmyEg-1ib0&feature=youtu.be
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Video: Jia Lee, etc at Long Island Testing Forum, March 7, 2015
Students Not Scores Public Education Forumhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHmyEg-1ib0&feature=youtu.be
Video: Opt In/Opt Out Forum at PS 261 -
One of the most effective panels on Opt-our and testing I've seen.
Carol Burris, Anna Allanbrook, Rosa Perez-Rivera, Sam Coleman, Jeannette Deutermann -- with Brian Jones moderating.
Between them and the Q/A a lot of ground was covered.
A separate video for each speaker plus the Q&A.
Note - the Carol Burris Q&A is included in her segment.
https://vimeo.com/121427733
https://vimeo.com/121428438
https://vimeo.com/121427729
https://vimeo.com/121427731
https://vimeo.com/121427728
https://vimeo.com/121427727
Carol Burris, Anna Allanbrook, Rosa Perez-Rivera, Sam Coleman, Jeannette Deutermann -- with Brian Jones moderating.
Between them and the Q/A a lot of ground was covered.
A separate video for each speaker plus the Q&A.
Note - the Carol Burris Q&A is included in her segment.
https://vimeo.com/121427733
https://vimeo.com/121428438
https://vimeo.com/121427729
https://vimeo.com/121427731
https://vimeo.com/121427728
https://vimeo.com/121427727
Christie Uses Union to Tout Pres Creds - Is NJEA Still Playing Footsie with Christie?
While I love the NJEA anti-testing commercials, avreport of the Christie speech last night makes you want to smack yourself - or an NJEA official in the head.
NJ.Com reports:
NJ.Com reports:
Gov. Chris Christie isn't done touting his newly established working relationship with New Jersey's largest teachers' union. Less than two weeks after declaring in the Garden State during his annual budget address that the New Jersey Education Association "reached an unprecedented accord" aimed at tackling the state's pension woes, Christie touted the partnership - which the union criticized for being "overstated" - with a national audience. The governor, speaking tonight to about 600 Republicans in the presidential battleground state of Florida, trumpeted his new relationship with the NJEA. "If you can really believe it, we have been negotiating with the teachers' union for months to solve our pension and health benefits problem once and for all," Christie said.Christie is dead to rights. Why even have a conversation with this slug? Some comments on Bob Braun's Ledger:
John Dewey HS Update: Principal Kathleen Elvin as Captain Queeg + New blog focused on schools fighting abusive principals
The stories out of John Dewey HS in Brooklyn are getting more and more bizarre as Elvin heads into "rolling steel balls" andIT'S A MADHOUSE, A MADHOUSE! As a new teacher at Dewey I am in constant fear of being rated poorly. I am in constant fear that I did not carry out the Do Now to Ms. Evin's liking. I am in constant fear that my enthusiasm for teaching will be sucked completely out of me. I am so sad and frightened... Comment on ed notes post: "No Change of Tone at John Dewey HS
Elvin: Has madness struck?
 |
| Should be posted outside school for new teachers |
Can't you imagine Elvin testifying at her own 3020a hearing if she is brought up on charges, which she should be but won't because Tweed/Farina protects all principals unless they are proven serial killers, and even then I'm not too sure.
(If anyone knows how to superimpose Elvin onto Bogart, please do so and contact me.)
My post on the situation at Dewey in at the end of the 2014 school year has gotten over 200 comments and they still keep coming.
Dewey has one of the highest number of ineffective rated teachers by Elvin while at the same time she claims enormous success due to fraudulent credit recovery schemes. Red flag anyone?
Here are the latest comments:
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "No Change of Tone at John Dewey HS: Principal Kat...":
Elvin doesn't belong in a school setting anymore. Because learning is such a positive experience enhancing the lives of teachers who give and those who are there to benefit from teachers who know so much and want to give to students, it requires a special type of person to promote a positive professional learning environment. A person such as this likes teachers, knows how to gently encourage them to grow and wants them to grow and find themselves as teachers. This isn't the experience at Dewey. There is not much positive about Elvin. She's full of hatred, resentment, poor judgement, and she never stops criticizing most teachers. She sees herself as an authority on everything and her squad of AP's goes along thinking that everything they do is highly effective also. Most, with the exception of the Math AP, are disconnected from students. Elvin herself has little to do with any of the students. She's now asking that teachers offer learning lunches for the students. She sees all staff as her slaves and seems to want to deplete them of all energy. Elvin, the authority on how learning takes place, should teach a class again or stay home. Her AP's should teach classes also. Many are poor teachers themselves and definitely don't teach as well as some of the more experienced educators in the school. We're listening. Elvin is despised by young and old as well. Each new AP who shows up at the school becomes a tool of destruction for her, targeting teachers, ambushing them, reporting back to Elvin what was and was not done. Elvin will search for evidence on you in your garbage pail. The entire school knows all that she does to damage teachers. What does any of this accomplish?------
For anyone who was aware of the fraudulent credit practices promoted at Dewey by Elvin and her WPrep group, it's hoped that the many,many individuals who reported this fraud to OSI, to Albany, and to the DOE will see something done about it. At this time it is still occurring. Make no mistake, those of you who set up these programs, Elvin will point a finger at you to save herself when the time comes. You know who you are.
Oh! Given the number of comments that come in when I focus on a school, I'm setting up a simple blog for people to post about their schools, which will be listed on the sidebar. I need at least a few teachers from a school to corroborate the stories.
I recently met with a group of teachers from a school in Brooklyn and we brainstormed some plans for them to organize resistance in the schools. I will be available to meet in Brooklyn, lower Manhattan and parts of Queens - after school at a local diner.
The blog will be called Schools Needing Assistance Project - SNAP. More to come.
Friday, March 6, 2015
How Unity caucus controls the UFT/NYSUT/AFT - An Analysis
Updated -
Arthur Goldstein at NYC Educator has a piece today - Weingarten Supports Hochul, Hochul Thanks Her by Supporting Moskowitz.
Randi Weingarten's made robo-calls for NYS Lt. Gov Kathy Hochul, who made a slug appearance in front of the Moskowitz rally. I had a piece on this the other day- Demand Accountability From UFT/AFT/NYSUT/Unity Caucus..., as did RBE at Perdido St., Time To Ask Randi Weingarten About The Kathy Hochul Robocalls Again.
Arthur raises some essential questions regarding the continuous bad policy decisions being made by the union time and again.
Michael Fiorillo has a piece in the upcoming High School Voice newsletter on Unity control which we will try to get into as many high schools as possible (email me if you are willing to distribute.)
The real problem is not just a small oligarchic leadership who sit in offices but the loyalists in Unity caucus who are actually in schools, many as chapter leaders, and still force feed the Unity line to the people they supposedly represent. Note the comments of people like Unity supporters Paula Washington and John Marvel on blog posts critical of the union as examples - loyalists rushing to rearrange the deck chairs.
You need to look at the institutions the union sets up and controls that extend their control into the schools.
If you attend one of the 50 district and functional chapter meetings which are aimed at chapter leaders, you will find a room dominated by Unity and controlled by the Unity person running the meeting. I know MORE CLs who feel there is little headway to be made with these people. In only one district I know of have MORE and other independent CLs been getting to a point of critical mass where their voices are being heard.
People focus way to much on the elections every 3 years. The really important elections take place this May and June for CLs.
[MORE chapter leader election workshops on March 14 at CUNY.]
Even if independents get elected, they are often pulled into the orbit of the union-employed District Rep and also union training weekends where they are shown the advantages of joining Unity - and many do right away. Then they are told the opposition is poison, radicals, crazies, etc. And they spread the word in their schools if someone asks about the opposition.
One of our new people had a friend who basically knows nothing about the union with disparaging remarks about MORE, which astounded this person. Where did she get that from? It is the Unity Caucus rank and file who are fed the line and pass it on.
Co-opting the opposition is another tactic. They target certain people. They never give up on people other than people like Arthur, James Eterno, Jeff Kaufman and myself.
Many of the newer activists in MORE are being approached by union officials, if not outright offers to join "you will rise quickly in the union" but also more subtle -- we hear you, let's work together, join our working committees, etc. I call this "defanging" the opposition. Hey, it worked with New Action so effectively.
And for people who got involved with a group like MORE only recently, it can be heady stuff being approached with offers to give them a voice. Especially when Mulgrew himself is doing this - as Randi did with me for so many years - and yes, I admit fully to buying it for a long time. So I am not blaming them for being enticed. I can't tell you how many people who used to distribute Ed Notes from 1998-2003 ended up being co-opted into Unity -- I usually know that happened when they suddenly stopped saying hello to me at the DA -- though they are more friendly at AFT conventions in other cities.
Call them incompetent on policy but in this venture of control they are as good as it can get -- the Unity of Chicago was incompetent and that opened the way for CORE. Unity will make sure that never happens here.
Pogue made this excellent comment on Arthur's piece.
I've been putting forward the Vichy-like-collaborationist theory for some time. I don't mean to compare them to Nazi sympathizers but with the kind of thinking that would get a significant group of probably decent people in France to think that a cooperating Vichy was better than the Resistance - which by the way was left wing -- and that is a story for another time given that ANY opposition will always have a left wing because, well, that is where activists and organizers are likely to come from.
One of the major tactics of Unity is the indoctrinate its people that the opposition are oddballs leftists to scare people who might venture into that camp. That MORE has been attracting a broader range of people is a threat to Unity and thus Unity woos them to try to winnow down the opposition to the extent they can be more easily branded.
What disturbs me is when our friends get all riled up when they hear some left rhetoric and end up, unwittingly, enforcing the Unity plan.
Randi Weingarten's made robo-calls for NYS Lt. Gov Kathy Hochul, who made a slug appearance in front of the Moskowitz rally. I had a piece on this the other day- Demand Accountability From UFT/AFT/NYSUT/Unity Caucus..., as did RBE at Perdido St., Time To Ask Randi Weingarten About The Kathy Hochul Robocalls Again.
Arthur raises some essential questions regarding the continuous bad policy decisions being made by the union time and again.....How many times do we need to fall on our asses before someone in leadership gets tired? How much inexcusable nonsense do working teachers need to experience before someone says enough?I'm apparently not able to articulate a clear explanation for the WHY behind the UFT's actions -- and let's make it clear, Unity Caucus, being the largest block in NYSUT and the AFT, controls both those organizations. So for those who try to make it seem Mulgrew is not Weingarten, that is just blowing smoke. All style and no substance in the difference.
......
when are we gonna learn from our mistakes? How many times are we gonna kowtow to people who hate us and everything we stand for just so they can crap all over us? I guess there's some logic to this, but my mind just can't get around it. Norm Scott regularly posts explanations, but even after he explains it I don't understand.
Michael Fiorillo has a piece in the upcoming High School Voice newsletter on Unity control which we will try to get into as many high schools as possible (email me if you are willing to distribute.)
 |
| Chaz blog |
The real problem is not just a small oligarchic leadership who sit in offices but the loyalists in Unity caucus who are actually in schools, many as chapter leaders, and still force feed the Unity line to the people they supposedly represent. Note the comments of people like Unity supporters Paula Washington and John Marvel on blog posts critical of the union as examples - loyalists rushing to rearrange the deck chairs.
You need to look at the institutions the union sets up and controls that extend their control into the schools.
If you attend one of the 50 district and functional chapter meetings which are aimed at chapter leaders, you will find a room dominated by Unity and controlled by the Unity person running the meeting. I know MORE CLs who feel there is little headway to be made with these people. In only one district I know of have MORE and other independent CLs been getting to a point of critical mass where their voices are being heard.
People focus way to much on the elections every 3 years. The really important elections take place this May and June for CLs.
[MORE chapter leader election workshops on March 14 at CUNY.]
Even if independents get elected, they are often pulled into the orbit of the union-employed District Rep and also union training weekends where they are shown the advantages of joining Unity - and many do right away. Then they are told the opposition is poison, radicals, crazies, etc. And they spread the word in their schools if someone asks about the opposition.
 |
| NYC Educator blog |
One of our new people had a friend who basically knows nothing about the union with disparaging remarks about MORE, which astounded this person. Where did she get that from? It is the Unity Caucus rank and file who are fed the line and pass it on.
Co-opting the opposition is another tactic. They target certain people. They never give up on people other than people like Arthur, James Eterno, Jeff Kaufman and myself.
Many of the newer activists in MORE are being approached by union officials, if not outright offers to join "you will rise quickly in the union" but also more subtle -- we hear you, let's work together, join our working committees, etc. I call this "defanging" the opposition. Hey, it worked with New Action so effectively.
And for people who got involved with a group like MORE only recently, it can be heady stuff being approached with offers to give them a voice. Especially when Mulgrew himself is doing this - as Randi did with me for so many years - and yes, I admit fully to buying it for a long time. So I am not blaming them for being enticed. I can't tell you how many people who used to distribute Ed Notes from 1998-2003 ended up being co-opted into Unity -- I usually know that happened when they suddenly stopped saying hello to me at the DA -- though they are more friendly at AFT conventions in other cities.
Call them incompetent on policy but in this venture of control they are as good as it can get -- the Unity of Chicago was incompetent and that opened the way for CORE. Unity will make sure that never happens here.
Pogue made this excellent comment on Arthur's piece.
I've been putting forward the Vichy-like-collaborationist theory for some time. I don't mean to compare them to Nazi sympathizers but with the kind of thinking that would get a significant group of probably decent people in France to think that a cooperating Vichy was better than the Resistance - which by the way was left wing -- and that is a story for another time given that ANY opposition will always have a left wing because, well, that is where activists and organizers are likely to come from.
One of the major tactics of Unity is the indoctrinate its people that the opposition are oddballs leftists to scare people who might venture into that camp. That MORE has been attracting a broader range of people is a threat to Unity and thus Unity woos them to try to winnow down the opposition to the extent they can be more easily branded.
What disturbs me is when our friends get all riled up when they hear some left rhetoric and end up, unwittingly, enforcing the Unity plan.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Susan Ohanian Tweets at Randi re: Opting Out
Today, in a conversation about opting out, I Tweeted:
AFT/NEA refuse to learn from their own members.
Randi Weingarten replied:
@susanoha @MSGunderson @drloisweiner @TeachSolidarity @teachertomo @lapham_katie @NUTonline
-our members opinions differ widely on this
So I Tweeted this:
When Tests Fail: Opt Out wp.me/p556RL-R via @TroyLaRaviere
KUDOS!
@CTULocal1 Response?
@rweingarten response?
@NationalPTA response?
So far: No response from any of them. You can read Roy LaRaviere's declaration in the posts below.
Cartoons:
A Talent for Reading Backwards... http://susanohanian.org/cartoon_fetch.php?id=999
NY Times Editorial Board http://susanohanian.org/cartoon_fetch.php?id=998
NO! http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_cartoons.php?id=1076
Incredibly Sexy Standards Developer Dies, Smothered by Dictionaries http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_news.php?id=833
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When Tests Fail: Opt Out
Troy LaRaviere
blog 2015-03-05 http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=786
A Chicago principal supports--and promotes--opting out of PARCC.
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Achieve Is Buying Teacher Lessons to Beef Up Their Common Core Vault
Susan Ohanian
blog
2015-03-03 http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=785
This item raises the question: Is there anybody left who won't sell out for the almighty dollar?
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Thousands of students in New Jersey opt out of controversial PAARC tests
Anthony Johnson
WABC
2015-03-02 http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=784
According to this report, Middlesex County had a 30% opt out rate. But the state ed commissioner reports a 'good day.'
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Educator's refusal to give PARCC called into question by district
Eric Gorski with Ohanian comment
Denver Post
2015-03-01 http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=783
Shabby article about Peggy Robertson's opt-out provokes HUGE outpouring of support.
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Bringing a Daughter Back From the Brink With Poems
Betsy MacWhinney
New York Times
2015-02-26 http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=782
It is impossible to read this lovely piece about finding the right words for one's child without reflecting on the insanity of the Common Core pronouncements about what reading matter is 'informative.'
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As Common Core Testing Is Ushered In, Parents and Students Opt Out
Elizabeth A. Harris with Ohanian Comment
New York Times
2015-03-02 http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=780
The article seems to indicate growing opposition to Common Core testing, and the NYT picks of comments reveals something else.
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‘Live with Kelly and Michael’ Top Teacher is quitting: I can’t ‘drill ‘em and kill ‘em’
Valerie Strauss
Wshington Post Answer Sheet
2015-02-23 http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=776
Teachers have to decide.
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Anti-Anecdotalism
Nicholas G. Carr
This Idea Must Die: ed. John Brockman
2015-02-25 http://susanohanian.org/data.php?id=581
The author speaks to the importance of anecdote.
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Calculus
Andrew Lih
2015-02-26 http://susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php?id=1206
A professor challenges the position of calculus as a hazing ritual.
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Change Comes from Children
Mike Martin
2015-01-20 http://susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php?id=1203
Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr., and the young people who kept marching.
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To the editor
Stephen Krashen
Chicago Tribune
2015-03-04 http://susanohanian.org/show_letter.php?id=1750
Krashen letter affirms that parents are doing the right thing in opting out and that no research supports this irresponsible testing.
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To the editor
Stephen Krashen
Los Angeles Times
2015-02-28 http://susanohanian.org/show_letter.php?id=1749
Krashen refutes claims that NCLB test score gains were due to better test-prep. He shows they never happened. And look at who's making the claims.
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To the editor
Nancy Papas
New York Times
2015-02-28 http://susanohanian.org/show_letter.php?id=1748
In response to dreadful New York Times editorial on the need for testing, this letter has a great summing up line: Students can't thrive at school if they must concentrate on surviving the outside world.
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To the editor
Evelyn Slockbower
New York Times
2015-02-28 http://susanohanian.org/show_letter.php?id=1747
Since the New York Times wouldn't even let me post an online comment about the dreadful editorial, I'm especially happy to see this letter.
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To the editor
Stephen Krashen, USC Professor Emeritus
Substance
2015-02-26 http://susanohanian.org/show_letter.php?id=1746
Krashen correctly labels online testing: A huge and ever-growing boondoggle that bleeds money from schools.
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Are These the 8 Worst PowerPoints the Government Has Ever Produced?
AJ Vicens
Mother Jones
2015-02-26 http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1931
New Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has ordered military commanders to ditch PowerPoint. Mother Jones shows why.
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iPads in School -- Not Even if Free
Thomas Ultican
blog
2015-03-01 http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1930
A physics/math teacher offers experienced argument against i-pad in class.
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The impact of one trip to the public library: Making books available may be the best incentive for reading.
Francisco Ramos and Stephen Krashen
The Reading Teacher
0000-00-00 http://susanohanian.org/show_research.php?id=568
While our current ed reformers argue about how many kids can dance to the tune of the Business Roundtable, Achieve, Inc., US Department of Education, and their allies, this short paper offers a simple idea for getting kids to read: Give them ready access to books of their choice.
Family for Excellent Schools tries to tell skeptical press: It was a ‘civic field trip’
This may be their very biggest "civics" lesson, you can diddle the media only so much.....
Article and video of Kittredge of FES claiming lots
of district public schools participated in their charter rally
& there were 13,000 who came, arousing incredulity among reporters:
It was a ‘civic field trip’ – Lots of reporters scoffing at this on
twitter.
You have to watch the video at the bottom of the Capital Confidential article.
A comment on the NYCEdNews listserve:
It was only a matter of tie before the world discovered a new bloviator, another O'Reilly, another Maestro. And this may be their very biggest "civics" lesson, you can diddle the media only so much.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Thanks for all the birthday wishes as I exited my 60s
March 4, 2015 - Post-Birthday
I have no easy way to thank all the people who messaged on facebook, texted, emailed and called - especially former students from the early 80s, including Maria Crespo from Sydney, Australia. I would have invited all of you to the birthday bash - if there was one. My wife actually threatened to throw one but I balked. She insisted doing it 20 years ago for my 50th and that was more than enough -- Joel is still mad for not being invited (shhhh - I'm making believe for his sake we didn't really have that wild party yesterday.)
I went to the gym on my birthday and when the machine asked for my age it was the first time I entered "70." The good thing is that I don't need as high a pulse rate to be rated "fit." Can't wait for 80.
Since I was a boy, my mom would get me a custard-filled eclair on my birthday, which my wife continued yesterday. In case you can't see, there IS whipped cream on my nose. (Wish my tongue were longer.)
She also bought me a shower radio in an effort to get me to shower more than once a month. (No photos of that gruesome sight.)
Then she took me out to Gato for a fabulous meal, including this pasta dish. We even took some leftovers home - very rare for me to leave anything on the plate.
When we started out at 5PM the weather was awful but on the way home it was just raining.
And when we got home there was this piece of fiction:
And then this morning, back to work on the house, where I will attempt to install a GFI in my garage.
I thought the weather would be bad today so I could stay home. But it is was not terrible and I had a busy day of attending a 3020a hearing and then was off to the PS 261 opt-out forum with my video camera - and what an amazing forum. Video will be up tomorrow.
I have no easy way to thank all the people who messaged on facebook, texted, emailed and called - especially former students from the early 80s, including Maria Crespo from Sydney, Australia. I would have invited all of you to the birthday bash - if there was one. My wife actually threatened to throw one but I balked. She insisted doing it 20 years ago for my 50th and that was more than enough -- Joel is still mad for not being invited (shhhh - I'm making believe for his sake we didn't really have that wild party yesterday.)
I went to the gym on my birthday and when the machine asked for my age it was the first time I entered "70." The good thing is that I don't need as high a pulse rate to be rated "fit." Can't wait for 80.
Since I was a boy, my mom would get me a custard-filled eclair on my birthday, which my wife continued yesterday. In case you can't see, there IS whipped cream on my nose. (Wish my tongue were longer.)
She also bought me a shower radio in an effort to get me to shower more than once a month. (No photos of that gruesome sight.)
Then she took me out to Gato for a fabulous meal, including this pasta dish. We even took some leftovers home - very rare for me to leave anything on the plate.
When we started out at 5PM the weather was awful but on the way home it was just raining.
And when we got home there was this piece of fiction:
And then this morning, back to work on the house, where I will attempt to install a GFI in my garage.
I thought the weather would be bad today so I could stay home. But it is was not terrible and I had a busy day of attending a 3020a hearing and then was off to the PS 261 opt-out forum with my video camera - and what an amazing forum. Video will be up tomorrow.
Review of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For Superman by Jasmine K. | Media Reviews: TEDUC 482, Winter 2015
This just came in -- an excellent summary of the movie we made with some critical comments. One of them points to the lack of student voices, a conscious decision to avoid a sense we were exploiting kids. We probably could have included more of their voices speaking out for their schools at PEP meetings -- we did some of that. In fact we open with student voices at a PEP.
Review of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For Superman by Jasmine K. | Media Reviews: TEDUC 482, Winter 2015 commented on About
A group of New York City public school teachers and parents from the Grassroots Education Movement wrote and produced this …
[…] [1] The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For Superman. A Grassroots Education Movement and Real Reform Studios Production. February 17, 2015, from, http://theinconvenienttruthbehindwaitingforsuperman.com/about/ […]
6:30 p.m.—Fariña takes part in an Educators 4 Excellence discussion about Common Core and special education. Scholastic Auditorium, 557 Broadway, Manhattan
An indefensible act by Farina.Does anything change from the Bloomberg admin, recognizing the E4E ed deform shills? I guess money talks.
MORE Chapter Leader Patrick Walsh comments:
What's changing is the ground beneath our feet as as absurdities like E$E are given ever more credibility and become more and more institutionalized. An indefensible act by Farina.
Farina should be at the PS 261K event at 6:30 today, where educators like Carol Burris will be headlining a panel discussion, along with MOREs Sam Coleman and Brian Jones.
Demand Accountability From UFT/AFT/NYSUT/Unity Caucus leaders for continuous bad decisions on charters, fightback against Cuomo, etc.
When do people hold the union leadership accountable?
In the meantime -- nice to see NYC Educator and RBE hammering away.
Thus we see in the midst of this crisis with Cuomo, some UFT members holding back their support over the union's "Who Me?"
The charter school disaster is just one of many less-publicized ones -- every single one of which had the endorsement of the entire Unity Caucus membership, with various levels of enthusiasm. People like commenters on this and other blogs like Paula Washington and John Marvel, who seem so silent on the charter question.
IF
the UFT were a democratic organization where Unity Caucus endorses 100%
of the Ex Bd seats and every one of the 800 UFT members supposedly
representing the NYC teachers at NYSUT and AFT conventions and cheering and supporting every single position they are told to take.
There comes a time when the UFT must put a reform package for the way the UFT operates on the table before there can be trust.
And as for AQE -- someone show me anything other than minor divergence from UFT policy.
I see my colleagues in MORE joining in the anti-Cuomo campaign with enthusiasm even though in their schools they are putting out a broader message on testing, common core, charters and other issues the leadership wants to avoid putting on the table.
There is a sense amongst the opponents to Unity that they must temper their criticisms in times like these. I don't agree. I think now is the time to say - we will support union defense issues but tie that to demands for internal reform.
I'll come back to this issue in an upcoming post.
In the meantime -- nice to see NYC Educator and RBE hammering away.
And for more on the charter blow-up -- not from UFT friendly sources by the way - Brent Staples at the Times is an ed deform slug but makes a few interesting points about UFT incompetence when it came time to running a school. It goes way beyond that. I don't ever accuse them of incompetence when it comes to manipulating and managing the membership.
charter accountability
The UFT Charter School met just one of its 38 academic goals last year, even as it struggled to serve a sufficient number of at-risk students, an analysis by the school’s authorizer shows.
Meanwhile, critics say the school's failure is either evidence that the UFT neglected the school or was simply incapable of running a high-functioning one.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
NYC Principals Lie and Threaten Over Opt-Out Should be Reported to UFT and DOE
We had a staff meeting. We were told that we would not be protected, (and in a roundabout way, we were told we would be reported) if we in any way encouraged parents to opt their kids out of the test. The following reasons were given:This teacher cannot go to her union for help even if the principal makes it up.
1. It's completely illegal. It is against State law for students not to take NYS exams.
2. We would be killing our own MOSLs, as the kids who tend to opt out of the test are those who are likely to get higher scores.
3. We do not accept opt-out letters, as opting out doesn't exist.
Jia Lee:
It's very much a tipping point. Those who are fearful of losing their grip (trickling top down) will make false threats. Any teacher has first amendment rights to speak out as a concerned citizen. The teacher in another state whose principal is threatening her job is fighting back, and her lawyer made a statement to that effect.
All over the state, different districts are sending out a range of messages depending on their level of support, just as there is a range of support amongst schools in our city. Two principals are coming to my school on Thursday to state that they will not even look at test scores for admissions. Several admins emailed me after my testimony to applaud my call to action.When the threats start, that's how we know this movement is having an impact. It's important to know that now is the time to develop a critical mass. Francesca, if you know of even one parent who you can connect me to, hit me up. I'll do the work.
A teacher responds:
I simply want to point out that there are still many schools at which the administration will actively go after teachers for "misconduct" for speaking to parents directly about this. I agree that it shows fear in the face of an impactful movement. But as we know from the voting down of a resolution at our recent DA, even our own union will not actively support it, and I think that is unacceptable.
Mike SchirtzerThank you for sharing the pulse of many of the schools out there. These are the lies we need to shine the light on. The CTS FAQ is about ready to share and addresses every lie your admin is claiming to be true. Your union is another story. When enough parents turn the time and opt out, they will have to recognize it as a real movement to address. What happened today in NJ is certainly going to ripple accross the river to NYC. If you've not seen this yet, this is Governor Christie's alma mater:Teacher letters are hitting the pages of the news and I hope you see this as a sign that the voices of teachers is getting out more than ever. I hope many of you will attend the Opt Out forum on Wednesday in Brooklyn and will also attend forums in D6 if you are in upper Manhattan. Attending forums with parents is the best way to solidify this relationship and bring these ideas back to your school. Find a parent you CAN turn to with information. Simply share with them CtS or NYC Opt Out. There is a movement afoot and those in charge may not want to surrender.
NYSUT have said they will defend teachers who speak out, but the reality is we have been subject to years of unchecked power of principals to do as they may in NYC, making teachers' lives miserable. Most teachers will not go against their principals.
From NYSUT
We recognize that many members have strong feelings about this issue. Teachers are trying to reconcile their own roles as public school educators, private citizens and as parents too. As an organization, NYSUT has been clear that students should not be subjected to over-testing or burdened with field tests that are conducted for the main purpose of benefitting test makers. We are on record supporting districts that choose to opt out of field tests. NYSUT fully supports a parents’ right to choose what is best for their child – including parents who are teachers. Additional action is recommended at the local level.
- Members should feel comfortable in exercising their right to speak out against the overemphasis and misuse of standardized tests.
- NYSUT will defend teachers against disciplinary action if a district pursues 3020-a charges.
- Students should not be subject to harmful ―sit and stare‖ policies. Encourage the district to work with stakeholders to develop appropriate policies for students who choose to opt out.
- Ensure that there are processes in place to track students who refuse part of an assessment and teachers of these students are notified.
The Pen is Mightier... blog: Andy, Sandy and Friends
This post is so FUNNY! Amongst my favorite lines:
News Corporation CEO and Walking Dead extra Rupert Murdoch....
News Corporation CEO and Walking Dead extra Rupert Murdoch....
Andy, Sandy and Friends
Here are the key graphics.UFT Charter School Disaster Will Continue to Undermine the Battle for Public Education
And while the children will be going to the better performing district 19 schools now, what of the teachers? Do they become ATRs like teachers at other closing schools if they can't get a job on the open market? Or will the UFT give them favorable treatment and work behind the scenes to get them placed, so unlike their turning their backs on the entire ATR community? This one bears watching.
UFT/Unity Caucus members should walk around with bags over their heads.
The UFT charter experiment was a big success - for the charter school lobby and their co-locations helped undermine the public schools just as any charter has done. Just the very idea of a charter was wrong but to actually not go find a building not in a public school made this a double disaster.
The school’s dismal experience neatly contradicts much of the union’s overheated rhetoric about the supposed ills and evils of charter schools... Errol LewisHell yes. Just how much does it contradict the rhetoric? Let us count the ways.
That’s a far cry from the promises made in 2005 by the UFT’s then-president, Randi Weingarten. “Our charter schools will be leaders in scholastic innovation and the perfect environment for the UFT to demonstrate that its educational priorities work,” Weingarten said in a statement announcing a $1 million grant from the Broad Foundation to help launch the school.Wait, let me get this straight. The leading charter proponent in the world - the BROAD FOUNDATION -- knowing the outcomes of the union experiment will help his cause, brilliantly invests a pittance for him to undermine the union position for all time.
We posted about the charter school over the weekend (UFT Closes Charter: UFT Charter Created Wrecked Co...)
Errol Lewis in the Daily News has an interesting piece (Why the UFT’s charter school flunked) pointing to just how much more of a disaster this will continue to turn out to be.
The school’s dismal experience neatly contradicts much of the union’s overheated rhetoric about the supposed ills and evils of charter schools. The announcement came on Friday afternoon — a time that savvy political players often choose to dump bad news, in hopes that the focus of news organizations and the public might drift away over the weekend.One of the questions I asked Aminda Gentile at the UFT charter info event over a decade ago was whether they would offer a different, progressive curriculum instead of playing the test score game and her answer was that given the evaluation rules they must go along -- they should have walked away right there -- after all -- my original pro-charter idea in the late 90s was based on offering a rich learning environment free of the testing culture. Once I realized that that concept would not work within the context of our schools I gave up the idea. So when the UFT failure is measured by test scores alone but still ....
Start with the 670 children cast adrift by the closure. Most will be reassigned to other schools in District 19, some after spending years in a school consistently rated in the bottom ranks of academic performance citywide.WTF - they didn't even do better than District 19, one of the poorest in the city. And then there is this:
In 2013, only 4% of the school’s eighth-graders ranked as proficient on math exams - the third worst performance of any charter school — compared with 29.6% for district schools citywide, according to the New York City Charter School Center. In English, the school came in dead last among city charters, with only 3% of the kids ranked as proficient.
While students in the school’s upper grades have done much better, the lower grades had worse numbers than its home District 19.
The poor performance can’t be blamed on a high percentage of special-education or English Language Learner students. As the Daily News reported in 2010, only 9% of the school’s students were in special education (compared with 13% for District 19) and only 1% were English Language Learners (compared with 14% for the district).You mean they were pulling an Eva Moskowitz all along?
And then this:
Staff and management clashed repeatedly over everything from a scarcity of school supplies to a shocking finding that corporal punishment had been used 10 times.Actually, only 10 times in 10 years compared to who know what goes on in most charters. But still....
Here is another damaging point that undermines the union positions on so many other issues:
The UFT’s swipe at the Bloomberg administration for promoting inexperienced school leaders finds an echo in the UFT’s under-prepared, hand-picked principals.We do think that Michelle Bodden did stabilize the elementary school, but there was the disaster of the middle school which was moved out of Gershwin MS and into another building. (I have to find those video tapes I have of those hearings.)
Weingarten’s first choice to lead the elementary school was a union staffer who had never run a school before; she resigned within three years. Ditto for an upper school principal who also had never run a school (and who also resigned after three years).
Ultimately, the school had five principals in seven years, and the chaos helped doom the institution.
“When you have leaders coming in and out, they’re not able to really get their vision across. It certainly impacted our school,” is how the situation was described to the education website Chalkbeat by Sheila Evans-Tranumn, an ex-education official hired to oversee the charter.
the debacle should be studied closely, and remembered the next time union officials denigrate the contributions of charter schools. All of this is worth keeping in mind as the union gears up its perennial attacks on charter schools as part of some sinister scheme to undermine public education. Many of the union’s frequently-used attacks on charters look different when applied to their own experiment. There were no “hedge fund billionaires” who did the damage here. Nor was it hard-driving educational pioneers of rival charter schools who mismanaged the UFT’s school.Billionaire Eli Broad did plenty of damage with his investment.
NY State Ed Dept Gives Permission to de Blasio/Farina to Close Schools for a Rally if 180 Days is Met
---- but they will never have the guts to do it.
Closing the some schools or taking a massive infusion of schools on a field trip for tomorrow's March 4 rally day has been a theme of mine since Eva announced she was closing schools and forcing the teachers - at our expense - to go up to Albany. You see, the argument that private money is covering the costs is specious. They may pay for the buses and other incidentals. But the teacher salaries are paid by us and this is theft of service.
Now if only someone - like the UFT - had the balls to sue them on those grounds.
NYSUT LETTER ON SUCCESS RALLY—Capital’s Jessica Bakeman: “In a letter to state leaders, New York State United Teachers questioned Success Academy's plan to close its 32 schools on Wednesday, when students, parents and advocates will instead attend a rally in Albany. ‘If schools boards and superintendents in the state's nearly 700 school districts also wish to close en masse for a day and transport thousands of their students, parents and staff to Albany to lobby for additional state funding, would that be permissible?’ the union wrote in the letter to Cuomo, Board of Regents chancellor Merryl Tisch and acting education commissioner Elizabeth Berlin.” http://bit.ly/1F3i92M
—Later, education department spokesman Dennis Tompkins responded: “State law requires schools, including charter schools, to be in session for not less than 180 days a year,” he said in a statement. “As long as that requirement is met, local school officials, including both those in school districts and charter schools, have discretion to determine the days in which schools are in session.”
And then there is this from Perdido:
Closing the some schools or taking a massive infusion of schools on a field trip for tomorrow's March 4 rally day has been a theme of mine since Eva announced she was closing schools and forcing the teachers - at our expense - to go up to Albany. You see, the argument that private money is covering the costs is specious. They may pay for the buses and other incidentals. But the teacher salaries are paid by us and this is theft of service.
Now if only someone - like the UFT - had the balls to sue them on those grounds.
NYSUT LETTER ON SUCCESS RALLY—Capital’s Jessica Bakeman: “In a letter to state leaders, New York State United Teachers questioned Success Academy's plan to close its 32 schools on Wednesday, when students, parents and advocates will instead attend a rally in Albany. ‘If schools boards and superintendents in the state's nearly 700 school districts also wish to close en masse for a day and transport thousands of their students, parents and staff to Albany to lobby for additional state funding, would that be permissible?’ the union wrote in the letter to Cuomo, Board of Regents chancellor Merryl Tisch and acting education commissioner Elizabeth Berlin.” http://bit.ly/1F3i92M
—Later, education department spokesman Dennis Tompkins responded: “State law requires schools, including charter schools, to be in session for not less than 180 days a year,” he said in a statement. “As long as that requirement is met, local school officials, including both those in school districts and charter schools, have discretion to determine the days in which schools are in session.”
And then there is this from Perdido:
Cuomo Spokesman: The More You Protest, The Worse It Will Get For You
Monday, March 2, 2015
Former Chapter Leader Balks at UFT Plans
Many are jumping on board the UFT program because the threat from the Cuomo assault looks so real. Whenever it's over -- win, lose or draw, the UFT top-down undemocratic one-party system continues. One teacher is not buying it.I will not participate in this sham. It is a sham because our union---the one we pay more than $100 per month to--- is fighting to restore budget cuts instead of fighting this bullshit eval system (current or proposed).... The union leadership is failing us miserably and I will not participate in a dog and pony show so the UFT can pretend it's doing something that is meaningful for us..... Former Unity Caucus chapter leader
My chapter leader sent us an email informing us of the UFT's goal to get all schools involved in individual school rallies. She let us know that she will not participate but wanted to keep us informed and left it up to us if someone else wanted to organize it. I responded and replied to all members she emailed.
My response: I've marched. I've rallied. I've handed out flyers. I've volunteered to make phone calls for Election Day. But I will not participate in this sham. It is a sham because our union---the one we pay more than $100 per month to--- is fighting to restore budget cuts instead of fighting this bullshit eval system (current or proposed). Instead of collecting anecdotal evidence on the factors beyond your control that affect student progress, and hiring the best legal team in NY to file suit, Mulgrew et al are fighting for money for the schools. Money for what? Money for all those outside consultants to evaluate you? Money for the software firms to collect our data dumps? Do you really think any increase in school funds will benefit you or your class in any meaningful way? Every new teacher is mandated to pay the same amount of union dues as the rest of us so Mulgrew doesn't care if we all get fired and are replaced year after year---the union coffers will still be full of the money taken from teachers. The union leadership is failing us miserably and I will not participate in a dog and pony show so the UFT can pretend it's doing something that is meaningful for us. It would be more powerful for every teacher to let their elected officials know that if they back Cuomo on anything he wants---even if it's erecting a statue in a park---they will not have your vote next election cycle. It is also important to let NYSUT president Karen Magee know that Mulgrew does not speak for you. The UFT controls NYSUT. We are the largest local in NYSUT so Mulgrew is calling the shots for Magee. Until Mulgrew takes our concerns seriously, you shouldn't do a damn thing he asks of you.
Two MORE's plus Carol Burris - and others on Panel as Brooklyn Parents and Teachers Lead Opt Out, Weds at PS 261K
What can teachers do in their schools to starve the testing beast that gives the Cuomo- deform crowd their ammo? The UFT won't do it because they are in favor of PARCC and testing even if it ends up screwing the members, so it is up to the rank and file to infiltrate info into their schools and into the hands of parents (but always be cautious.)
This is a big week for pushing the opt-out movement. Michael Elliot released a video (The Other PARCC - Parents Advocating Refusal on High-Stakes Testing) on refusing the PARCC yesterday in New Jersey, where the tests were to begin today but may have been delayed by the snow.
MORE's partner in many endeavors, Change the Stakes, created NYC-specific refusal letters this year. Attached are Word versions in English and Spanish. Here are the links:
https://changethestakes.wordpress.com/testing-info/how-to-opt-out-of-state-standardized-tests/sample-opt-out-letter/
https://changethestakes.wordpress.com/testing-info/how-to-opt-out-of-state-standardized-tests/sample-opt-out-letter-spanish/
And on Weds there is a forum at PS 261K where MORE's Marissa Torres is chapter leader and MORE's Sam Coleman and Brian Jones are on the panel. (I can't resist - where are the other so-called UFT caucuses in terms of organizing, agitating, etc other than being key-board warriors? - By the way -- 45 teachers and parents showed up to the MORE meeting on Saturday.)
Janine Sopp posted this link: NYS Testing info presentation 2_3_2015.pdf (This power point presentation is worth viewing and sharing. It helps
explain the flawed and invalid nature of high stakes testing. Please
share with you community and arm yourself with the answers to those who
believe these tests do something worth the time, energy, chaos and money
we are forces to endure.)
Next time your UFT rep or Mulgrew comes around telling you how important testing is, refer to this.
And finally - for now -- NYSAPE's versions of above for the state.
This is a big week for pushing the opt-out movement. Michael Elliot released a video (The Other PARCC - Parents Advocating Refusal on High-Stakes Testing) on refusing the PARCC yesterday in New Jersey, where the tests were to begin today but may have been delayed by the snow.
MORE's partner in many endeavors, Change the Stakes, created NYC-specific refusal letters this year. Attached are Word versions in English and Spanish. Here are the links:
https://changethestakes.
https://changethestakes.
And on Weds there is a forum at PS 261K where MORE's Marissa Torres is chapter leader and MORE's Sam Coleman and Brian Jones are on the panel. (I can't resist - where are the other so-called UFT caucuses in terms of organizing, agitating, etc other than being key-board warriors? - By the way -- 45 teachers and parents showed up to the MORE meeting on Saturday.)
Next time your UFT rep or Mulgrew comes around telling you how important testing is, refer to this.
And finally - for now -- NYSAPE's versions of above for the state.
Hi All,
Attached
is NYSAPE’s factsheet and sample refusal letter. We are also finishing
up a Fact vs. Myth document (longer than the factsheet) that I will
share soon. Below is information on Assemblyman James Tedisco’s bill on
requiring schools to inform parents their right to refuse the 3-8 CC
tests.
Tedisco: New “Common Core Parental Refusal Act” to Inform Parents of Their Rights
POSTED BY JIM TEDISCO 20PC ON FEBRUARY 25, 2015 · FLAG
Assemblyman
introduces legislation to ensure schools notify parents they can refuse
to have their children in grades 3-8 participate in controversial
Common Core state standardized tests
Assemblyman
Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville), who was the top vote getter in the
Assembly on the Stop Common Core ballot line in 2014, today announced
new legislation he is introducing, the “Common Core Parental Refusal
Act” to require that school districts notify parents of their rights to
refuse to have their children in grades 3-8 participate in the Common
Core standardized tests.
Both
parents and teachers have expressed concern over the over-testing of
children in New York in regards to how the new Common Core standards are
being applied along with the high stakes associated with the results of
such tests. Chief among those complaints is that teachers are being
forced to spend an inordinate amount of class time “teaching to the
test” instead of engaging students in true learning.
In 2014 alone, parents of 60,000 students refused New York State Common Core tests.
Tedisco’s
bill provides a notification for schools to send to parents informing
them of their right to refuse to have their children take the Common
Core tests along with a response form that parents can complete and
return to the schools. These notices can be sent via email, letter or
home with children in their school bags.
The
legislation protects school districts and individual schools from
having state aid withheld or any other punitive measures by the state.
The bill protects teachers from being penalized due to a lack of student
participation or performance on the exams. It also ensures that
students are not punished or rewarded for their participation or lack
thereof in the exams and would set-aside alternate study activities for
those who refuse the tests so they are not forced to “sit and stare” in
the same room as their peers who are taking the tests.
“We need to bring common sense to Common Core because New York is
wasting a lot of time and money counting things that don’t count. Too
much time and effort is being spent needlessly stressing children out to
prepare for these Common Core standardized tests which are of
questionable value instead of focusing on supporting teachers so they
can do their job and teach children the truly important essentials. ”
said Tedisco, a former public school special education teacher and
guidance counselor.
“Perhaps the best kept secret in state government is that parents have a
right to refuse to have their children take the Common Core
standardized tests if they desire without fear of reprisal against their
kids, teachers or schools. It’s long past time, that those who should
have had a say in the implementation of Common Core at the onset in this
representative democracy have their say now in defense of their
parental rights as it relates to their children’s educational best
interests,” said Tedisco.
Link to the bill: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gq73m70d5k1216v/Assemblyman%20Jim%20Tedisco%20-%20Common%20Core%20Parental%20Refusal%20Act.pdf?dl=0
Sunday, March 1, 2015
The (White) Face of Eva Moskowitz Success Charters
Clearly meant to recruit White middle class kids on the upper East side.
Let's bury the sham of claiming they are trying to reach poor kids.
Let's bury the sham of claiming they are trying to reach poor kids.
The Other PARCC - Parents Advocating Refusal on High-Stakes Testing
A video with the voices of parents by Michael Elliot from nLightn Media and many leading groups critical of high stakes testing as sponsors, many from New Jersey. Starring:
Refuse the PARCC from nLightn Media
Synopsis:
Parents gathered from many different communities in New Jersey to make a short film to voice their concerns and share their stories about the effects that the implementation of CCSS and the PARCC tests were having on their children, teachers, schools and lives.
Link
https://vimeo.com/120619448 unlocks at 5pm EST
Filmmaker: Michael Elliot editme55@me.com
Grassroots support: Montclair Cares About Schools (MCAS) montclaircaresaboutschools@gmail.com
Michael Elliot is a New York film editor who started working with MCAS some months ago on the idea of doing a refusal piece borne from the NJ anti-testing movement.
The film, “The Other PARCC: Parents Advocating Refusal on High Stakes Testing,” is the result.
In just a few short minutes, Michael manages to present the continuum of concerns that move parents to Refuse high stakes testing.
This film truly was a labor of love.
All of Michael’s time, film and use of equipment were donated by him.
Filming was done in an MCAS member’s basement, and MCAS members
reached out to find the people who appear in the film.
Those people, parents and students, gave their time and shared their stories out of a deep need to speak the truth from both suburban and urban perspectives, from diverse ethnicities, genders and ages.
The resulting film is beautiful, informative and moving.
It has grown outside of it’s Jersey roots and speaks such a shared language that national groups and bloggers are joining NJ groups and bloggers and are quickly coming together in a plan to release the film at 5pm Sunday 3/1/15, after our premiere.
About Michael Elliot
Michael currently works as a film editor for FluidNY in advertising with 25 years of experience in commercials, feature narrative and documentaries. He has made films for Change the Stakes and Parent Voices NY.
His work for Montclair Cares About Schools (MCAS) was done as a result of his experiences with his own children and test refusal, and his belief that Test Refusal is the strongest way for parents to push back against Corporate Education Reform, and needs a strong presence in social media content.
Working with a borrowed camera and a few lights, he tries to help make the voices of Parents, Teachers and Activists heard.
About Montclair Cares About Schools
MCAS was founded by parents and community members in May 2013. Since that time, the work of MCAS has inspired 36 other Cares About Schools Groups and counting.
MCAS is dedicated to maintaining strong, integrated, equitable and excellent public schools, where excellence is achieved through an education that engenders creative thinking, in-depth understanding, and the questioning, independent spirit necessary for democracy.
MCAS is concerned with a number of issues that significantly impact Montclair students, schools and taxpayers, including:
the dangerous and growing emphasis on standardized state tests
the narrowing of curriculum in the service of raising test scores
the need for genuine and robust community dialogue about our schools
the need for transparency about district spending and policies
racial disparities in enrollment in advanced academic courses and special education
the need for reasonable class sizes at all grade levels
MCAS works to encourage and provide a platform for community dialogue about research, trends, and best practices for strengthening and maintaining public schools. All children benefit from schools with rich curriculums, collaborative school environments that engender trust among educators and parents, and project-based learning that goes beyond the narrow scope of standardized tests.
MCAS runs a popular Facebook page, holds public forums and parent meetings, and speaks regularly at Board of Education meetings to encourage policies that will benefit Montclair students and schools.
The PARCC Testing begins tomorrow, and the children of New Jersey and all over the country begin struggling through these assessments. The question must be asked by parents everywhere, how long will it take and how much damage will be done, before this ill fated reform agenda is defeated. How long?https://vimeo.com/120619448
Please watch the film, comment and like and share... Lets make our voices, the voices of parents, teachers and children, heard.
Refuse the PARCC from nLightn Media
Synopsis:
Parents gathered from many different communities in New Jersey to make a short film to voice their concerns and share their stories about the effects that the implementation of CCSS and the PARCC tests were having on their children, teachers, schools and lives.
Link
https://vimeo.com/120619448 unlocks at 5pm EST
Filmmaker: Michael Elliot editme55@me.com
Grassroots support: Montclair Cares About Schools (MCAS) montclaircaresaboutschools@gmail.com
Michael Elliot is a New York film editor who started working with MCAS some months ago on the idea of doing a refusal piece borne from the NJ anti-testing movement.
The film, “The Other PARCC: Parents Advocating Refusal on High Stakes Testing,” is the result.
In just a few short minutes, Michael manages to present the continuum of concerns that move parents to Refuse high stakes testing.
This film truly was a labor of love.
All of Michael’s time, film and use of equipment were donated by him.
Filming was done in an MCAS member’s basement, and MCAS members
reached out to find the people who appear in the film.
Those people, parents and students, gave their time and shared their stories out of a deep need to speak the truth from both suburban and urban perspectives, from diverse ethnicities, genders and ages.
The resulting film is beautiful, informative and moving.
It has grown outside of it’s Jersey roots and speaks such a shared language that national groups and bloggers are joining NJ groups and bloggers and are quickly coming together in a plan to release the film at 5pm Sunday 3/1/15, after our premiere.
About Michael Elliot
Michael currently works as a film editor for FluidNY in advertising with 25 years of experience in commercials, feature narrative and documentaries. He has made films for Change the Stakes and Parent Voices NY.
His work for Montclair Cares About Schools (MCAS) was done as a result of his experiences with his own children and test refusal, and his belief that Test Refusal is the strongest way for parents to push back against Corporate Education Reform, and needs a strong presence in social media content.
Working with a borrowed camera and a few lights, he tries to help make the voices of Parents, Teachers and Activists heard.
About Montclair Cares About Schools
MCAS was founded by parents and community members in May 2013. Since that time, the work of MCAS has inspired 36 other Cares About Schools Groups and counting.
MCAS is dedicated to maintaining strong, integrated, equitable and excellent public schools, where excellence is achieved through an education that engenders creative thinking, in-depth understanding, and the questioning, independent spirit necessary for democracy.
MCAS is concerned with a number of issues that significantly impact Montclair students, schools and taxpayers, including:
the dangerous and growing emphasis on standardized state tests
the narrowing of curriculum in the service of raising test scores
the need for genuine and robust community dialogue about our schools
the need for transparency about district spending and policies
racial disparities in enrollment in advanced academic courses and special education
the need for reasonable class sizes at all grade levels
MCAS works to encourage and provide a platform for community dialogue about research, trends, and best practices for strengthening and maintaining public schools. All children benefit from schools with rich curriculums, collaborative school environments that engender trust among educators and parents, and project-based learning that goes beyond the narrow scope of standardized tests.
MCAS runs a popular Facebook page, holds public forums and parent meetings, and speaks regularly at Board of Education meetings to encourage policies that will benefit Montclair students and schools.
New Action Tries to Rewrite History, Distorts Story on UFT Charter While Some Brag About "Working" With NA
The UFT charter school came up for a vote at the Executive Board during a time period between 2003 and 2004 when opposition caucus New Action was solidifying their alliance with the dominant Unity Caucus. New Action's high school "opposition" representatives started going with the Unity party line on just about every topic. The exceptions were my close friend to this day Ed Beller and me however on the subject of the UFT starting a charter school, Ed was with the leadership. Therefore, I was alone so UFT President Randi Weingarten was poised to ridicule me. .... James EternoIn response to my post on the historical context of the UFT charter and New Action's support for the charter, a prominent member of New Action posted this:
I was at all meetings related to the UFT charter - the info meeting, the Ex Bd vote and the DA where Michael Fiorillo from ICE spoke and we handed out a leaflet I believe. James Eterno's memory corresponds to mine and contradicts the New Action fiction. He responded on the ICE blog with his personal account. DEMISE OF UFT CHARTER SCHOOL REMINDS ME OF MY OPPOSITION TO ITS FOUNDING.Norm claims that New Action supported the charter. He provides nothing in writing, since there was nothing. Rather, he refers to an anecdote of one vote by one individual, acting on his own. In fact, Scott overlooks years of New Action literature in opposition to charters, preferring his alternate "anecdote as history." This method of attack says more about Scott than about anything else.
James was still on the UFT Exec Bd as a high school rep on the New Action slate elected in 2001 but he and Ellen Fox had already been pushed out of New Action for not going along with the cowtowing to Randi.
James Eterno continues:
I recall vividly being called on after the usual Unity [AND NEW ACTION] sycophants praised the charter school. I spoke out against the UFT running a charter school because we would have difficulty publicly opposing the expansion of charter schools if the union was running one and money would be siphoned away from an already cash strapped public school system to charters. Randi stopped me in mid-sentence that evening and argued that I was making an argument against private school vouchers and not charter schools but I stuck to my position.I seem to remember Mike Shulman going over to the other New Action Executive Board members telling them Randi didn't want any opposition on this and to remain quiet. Luckily, he had no control over James.
More from James:
After our debate, I was the lone no vote. A UFT charter school was a no-win proposition. If it succeeded, the press would see it as a victory for charter schools. If it did not work out, it would be seen as union failure. That's what is occurring now. Being opposed to all charter schools on principle, not just some we don't like, is a position I am quite honored to have stood up for as a lone wolf at the UFT Executive Board.New Action claims to oppose charter. They have been on the Executive Board for almost a decade. Where are their efforts to raise the issue at the EB and the DA if they are opposed to charters? Where are they at the co-location hearings? Did they make a stand when the UFT/Unity leadership capitulated to Cuomo last year when he pushed through the charter support plan that undercut De Blasio? Show me one resolution or public protest they have raised.
Mike Schirtzer, who was in diapers when the UFT charter was on the agenda (he was a late bloomer) posted this response to the New Action whine:
Yes, all your support of Mulgrew, begging for ex bd seats, and all those resolutions really show commitment to fighting charters. I was at countless co-location/charter hearing, I must have missed New Action.
Now, here's the funniest thing. The leader of a new caucus is actually bragging about working together with New Action as a major way to distinguish the caucus from MORE (which refuses to work with New Action until it renounces its deal with Unity). As Mike has pointed out, Weingarten and Mulgrew were at the top of the New Action slate as their presidential candidate, as recently as 2 years ago and Mulgrew will head their ticket in the 2016 elections.
Working with New Action = endorsing Mulgrew, no matter what language is being used to cover this up.
Afterthought
My personal break with a guy to whom I gave supreme support came over his insistence that New Action must be worked with in contradiction to the entire history of that caucus over the past dozen years and MORE's established policy that it would only work with New Action when its deal with Unity ended. A constant barrage of emails to MORE steering over this issue that has continued to this day and a willingness to break up the opposition to Unity. The alliance with New Action and in essence Unity, is designed to make sure Unity controls 100% of the Exec Bd seats in next year's elections by keeping New Action on and MORE shut out. No matter what you hear, that is the bottom line.
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