Parents Occupy Auditorium - Central Park East 1 Update: Rally, SLT Meeting and Overnight Stay Surrounded by Police

Hey Serial at This American Life - have we got a story for you.

rally outside went on all evening - we left at 9PM

We don't expect to be arrested and strategizing- going to do 8am press conference and rally to support the demands of the occupiers
1:26am

The cops straight up said no arrests.
And doe guy said they just want you all to stay in the auditorium
Yeah - they keep coming and counting us:)
We're thinking of playing hide and seek with them
There are literally more cops here than there are of us
The janitor said we were paying his car note because of overtime------ Messages from inside

Breaking: Parents, saying they won't leave until principal Monika Garg is gone, spent the night in the auditorium without being arrested, despite the school being surrounded by enough cops and vans to invade Syria. I posted a video on my FB page showing all the cop cars around.

It was the DOE's call and they decided to not have people arrested. They are a diverse group of parents, though one immigrant had to leave and we know why. I do wonder how this would have been playing out if a group of all black parents did this in Brownsville where no one was watching.

This morning we hear that parents not arrested, spent night in auditorium, rally in front of school at Madison av and 106th st at 8am followed by press Conf at 8:30. I'm going to head over to check it out and offer support. I'll post pics of that later.

Here is the press release:

Parents of NYC Public School Central Park East I, calling for removal of  principal, are occupying their school 

Yesterday afternoon there was an SLT meeting of NYC public school Central Park East I, followed by a rally outside the school. While many demonstrated outside, seven stayed in the school, and are now inside, occupying the school. There is a large group of police at the school but so far the occupiers have not been arrested. 

WHAT: Rally and press conference 

WHERE: Outside Central Park East Elementary School

1573 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, at E. 106th Street, NYC

WHEN: Families are planning a rally for 8 am this morning, followed by a press conference at 8:30 am.

I posted a video of immense police response I shot last night around 9pm. A good night to commit a crime in the 23rd precinct. De Blasio is a progressive when under his watch an authoritarian principal undermines 40 years of a democratically run school by teachers, parents and even students. Clearly that concept is a threat as we are seeing at Townsend Harris hs where students and teachers also has wide latitude before an authoritarian principal mini-trumpet is being fought. The students there sent a message of support yesterday.

When I tried to take photos of the cops themselves they turned away or look at me in a way to make me concerned about my phone. One school safety officer told me I had no right - it was illegal -- to use the phone in the lobby of the school as he took out his phone to use himself. I pushed back and pointed that out (I have some video which I may post later). He later came over and apologized. A cop told me to get his good side. But they are clearly very sensitive on the issue and we have to be careful.

Chapter leader Marilyn Martinez, had to stay camped out all afternoon in the rain and damp across the street since she is still in the rubber room and can't be at the school. There were shouts all day for her to be brought back. Marilyn is a Latina and has her child in the school and is one of the amazing teachers and when she was removed in Feb that seemed to be a final straw -- the Supt did the dirty work for Garg and Farina. From all reports the charges are politically related but Marilyn has been told by the lawyers not to talk specifics.

Back to the beginning

SLT - Garg, center

Where do I start? I guess at one the most remarkable School Leadership Team (SLT) meetings one could imagine. It could be a movie. It was packed with over a 100 people and more kept coming. Included were state Senator Bill Perkins who was recently elected to the city council and Robert Jackson, as well as Leonie Haimson and a whole batch of we MOREs and Leroy Barr from the UFT, our new best friend who loves to hang out with us.

Garg began by reading a statement defending herself - I came in as she was finishing. Most of the SLT seemed to be lined up against her, though there was a very vocal parent on her side and critical of the SaveCPE1 coalition. There were also parents in the audience who supported Garg and also some of the newer teachers, whom Garg characterized as being more afraid of the senior teachers than of her. Now these are people she has brought in herself, one of which at the very least was a friend. Standard operating procedure for these take-over principals -- first rule - divide the staff.

There was a lot of hack and forth as Garg kept trying to place blame on the senior teachers while some of them pointed to the attacks Garg was making on them.

Garg has also divided the parents by pulling the race card -- getting support from some black parents - I will go into the complexities of the race issue in another post. But clearly if you look at the optics, the parents are diverse in an east Harlem community that is going through gentrification. However, CPE1 has been in that community for 40 years and has always tried to maintain a one third, one third, one third mix. But that mix has slipped in recent years as more white parents came into the community. And that is where there some people are exploiting the race issue in their attack on the savecpe1 people. The DOE hierarchy seem to line up on this side and probably the mayor integration initiative may be at play here too. But it is interesting that Bill Perkins and Robert Jackson came to the SLT meeting.

Progressive education is a system used in many elite private schools and as we see with the no-nonsense test-driven charters, some parents don't want that for their kids and there has been some charges that that is a "white" thing. But the key Debbie Meier concept in starting the school was to prove it was appropriate for all children. Remember - East Harlem was far from gentrifying in the 70s.

The SLT meeting got so crowded in the music room, it had to be moved to the auditorium and went on for hours with lots of rancor on both sides, though clearly the sentiment was more anti-Garg than pro. This is more complex than I thought and someone I'm close to told me that someone she respects a lot is opposed to the savecpe1 campaign.

One of the arguments being used is that there were a lot of problems at the school before Garg came. There had been 4 principals. Now the school had always been run basically by teachers and parents, with all key decisions being a partnership, so a hands-off principal has been the rule. Even an incompetent principal or leadership vacuum has not been a bad thing.

Now the savecpe1 people admit there were issues but that an authoritarian principal who makes all decisions is not the answer, though apparently it is for the current and past DOE, which has had a history of sending in authoritarian principals to undermine progressive schools used to power sharing principals. IE -- Brooklyn New School would be in some danger when the current founding principal retires.

The CPE high school principal in the building, Bennett Lieberman, trashed the school and the savecpe1 people and said he supported Garg because she brought leadership, which makes it easier for him to deal with one person instead of conglomeration of people -- yeah, Bennett, democracy is messy.

The principal of Central Park East 2 is also opposing the savecpe1 parents and also spoke last night. So, yes, this is complicated.

I heard last night that Garg ran the open house for new parents on her own without the teachers and other parents, which had been a tradition at the school -- her way of hand-choosing the parents she wanted, I guess.

I mean so much came out at the meeting. There was a professional guy who is connected to one of the parents who sat in filming. Someone could make a film of that meeting alone. Hey Serial at This American Life - have we got a story for you.

Garg basically sat there cool as a cucumber during immense attacks on her, with parents showing how she lied numerous times, contradicting her remarks. One parent told how Garg told her to come to the school because of an incident of her daughter with a teacher, indicating something inappropriate sexually, one of the most beloved teachers in the school. It turned out that Garg had made that up but the teacher, who told his story at the UFT ex bd meeting a few weeks ago, was pulled out into the rubber room a year ago and recently completed his 3020a hearing and is awaiting a decision as he still sits in the rubber room, one of the most talented teachers in the system according to parents -- sure, children first.

The incident occurred not soon after he pushed back against some of Garg's directives. This was a turning point in the school as teachers and parents, who had tried to give Garg a chance, were so shocked they contacted some of us in MORE - since despite what the UFT says -- Manhattan UFT leader Dwayne Clark made the false claim the UFT has been there for them -- then why did they contact us in MORE?

The fact the UFT is doing anything at all at this point is due to the push from our people at the Ex Bd. If you read Arthur's reports (

NYC Educator

Executive Board Takeaway. you will see how the resolution in support of CPE1, basically written by the parents and teachers at the school, with the assistance of New Action's Jonathan Halabi, was tabled by Leroy Barr, who did show up and speak at the SLT last night. (I have video but won't have it up until Sunday.)

Arthur motivated the reso with a fabulous speech. Barr tabled it so they could work behind the scenes with the DOE -- I guess their claims to be doing something were not quite true.

In my 5 minute speech opening Monday's Ex bd meeting I asked why the UFT has been silent for the past year until we brought it up? Don't you have a district rep to tell you what is going on? When the teacher was removed a year ago that should have triggered an sign to the union (I compared it to Munich - shame on me). When the chapter leader was removed a year later that was like the invasion of Poland -- war needs to be declared. A group of CPE1 parents stood up while I spoke and later were joined by about 15 more who stood in the back when Arthur spoke.

Later Dwayne Clark defended the district rep as having been there. I asked the teachers if she did anything, they scoffed - in fact at our earliest meetings a year ago, they indicated that the UFT people seemed more sympathetic to the supt and admin -- not the first time I've heard that.

Well, it is getting late and I have to head over to the school for the rally and press conf. Unfortunately my camera battery is dead and I can't film. I will report later on what happened.

By the way, the NYSUT convention begins today through Sunday and I may stop by later and tomorrow morning where I will repay Arthur for buying me that $14 beer 3 years ago.

Back to you later.

Memo from the RTC: WARNING: See A Chorus Line at Your Peril

Memo from the RTC: WARNING: See A Chorus Line at Your Peril

By Norm Scott

I have been to three performances of A Chorus Line, the runaway hit sold-out playing its final three performances Friday and Saturday nights, April 7, 8 at the RTC, with a rare Saturday 2PM matinee (no Sunday matinee due to the fact that Rene Steadman is getting married Sunday April 9 and many RTC members will be helping her and her soon-to be hubby celebrate).

I’m going nuts trying to get the songs out of my head. What exactly did I do for love, I keep asking myself? Can I really Do That? like Mike played by Nic Anthony Calabro. I keep trying to remember my good old days in the wonderful At the Ballet.  (Sheila – Avital Asuleen, Bebe – Leigh Dillon, Maggie – Chloe Carlston).

As for the show-stopping Dance: Ten; Looks: Three – watching the amazingly talented Maria Schirripa (Val) do that number resulted in every male in the house having to be hosed down. I had my own Singular Sensation watching her. And how about those Mangano gals? Nicole (Diana) sings What I did for love like a pro and Gabrielle (Kristine) dances like a pro but can’t sing (at least in this show) and demonstrates it in a magnificent Sing duet with her acting hubby Antonio Oliveri (Al), who can sing beautifully.

And who can forget those wonderful stories about growing up by Brian Sadowski (Bobby) a major find last year at the RTC in Follies and as a La Cage dancer, RTC vet James Dalid (Mark) who has his venereal disease cured in church. Anthony Melendez (Paul) was another great find a year ago as a La Cage dancer does a heart rending solo that brings himself and the audience to tears. I knew these 3 guys as dancers but holy crap, they have heavy duty acting chops too.

Newcomer Mai Odaira (Connie) is the third RTC import from Japan and brings comic relief to her role and another newcomer, Chloe Carlston (Maggie) brings yet another great singing voice to the RTC. They are joined by other newcomers Nic Anthony Calabro (Mike), Avital Asuleen (Sheila) and Ashley Ann Jones(Judy) who are all fabulous and make it even more fun to see how much amazing talent is out there and willing to come to Rockaway to perform (check their resumes in the program guide). Hoping to see these guys back again.

Well there are a lot more people I can mention but deadline is past (I’ll try to get one final Chorus Line column with more people next week) and RTC Master Builder Tony Homsey is calling for me to be at the theater for some project to keep us off the street. We start building the set for Rumors on April 12. And by the way, auditions for the summer blockbuster The Producers took place last Sunday and Monday. I didn’t make the cut as one of the old ladies seduced by Bialystok.

Norm shares how what he did for love led to his singular sensations at ednotesonline.com

Randi's Folly, or How We Got Colorado's Teacher-Evaluation Reform Wrong - Education Week

May 6, 2010 -- Denver Post... AFT's Randi Weingarten weighs in
Wednesday’s endorsement of Senate Bill 191 by the American Federation of Teachers did not phase many in Colorado but caused quite a stir around the nation.

Nevertheless, AFT President Randi Weingarten said her organization’s support of the bill shouldn’t come as a surprise.
In January, Weingarten made a speech urging her 1.4 million members to accept a form of teacher evaluation that takes student achievement into account.

In that speech Weingarten called for more frequent and more rigorous evaluations and said she wanted standardized test scores and other measures of student performance to be part of the process.... http://blogs.denverpost.com/coloradoclassroom/2010/05/06/afts-randi-weingarten-weighs-in/318/

Back in 2010, Randi Weingarten, apparently to the surprise of the world -- but not to us here in NYC and other cities on her sellout tour (Newark, Detroit) -- endorsed the Colorado teacher evaluation plan.

Now skip ahead to today's Edweek article with this little nugget:
all of Colorado’s 238 charter schools waived out of the system.

Read this and then go back and read the full article on Randi's endorsement plus these other links to Randi back in 2010. You won't hear a peep of mea culpa from our Unity leaders.

How We Got Colorado's Teacher-Evaluation Reform Wrong

Colorado's missteps on teacher evaluation is a cautionary tale for other states

By Van Schoales

April 4, 2017

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/04/06/how-we-got-colorados-teacher-evaluation-reform-wrong.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news2

Commentary

Back in May 2010, hundreds of the nation’s education foundation, policy, and practice elites were gathered for the NewSchools Venture Fund meeting in Washington to celebrate and learn from the most recent education reform policy victories in my home state of Colorado and across the country.

The opening speeches highlighted the recent passage of Colorado Senate Bill 10-191—a dramatic law which required that 50 percent of a teacher evaluation be based upon student academic growth. This offered a bold new vision for how teachers would be evaluated and whether they would gain or lose tenure based on the merits of their impact on student achievement.

Colorado would be one of several "ground zeros" for reforming teacher evaluation in the country. Many, including myself, thought these new state policies would allow our best teachers to shine. They would finally have useful feedback, be differentiated on an objective scale of effectiveness, and lose tenure if they weren’t performing. Teachers would be treated like other professionals and less like interchangeable widgets.

Colorado’s law and similar ones in other states appeared to be sound, research-backed policy formulated by education reform’s own "whiz kids." We could point to Ivy League research that made a clear case for dramatic changes to the current system. There were large federal incentives, in addition to private philanthropy fueled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, encouraging such changes. And to pass these teacher-evaluation laws, we built a coalition of reform-minded Democrats and Republicans that also included the American Federation of Teachers. Reformers were confident we had a clear mandate.

And yet. Implementation did not live up to the promises.

Colorado Department of Education data released in February show that the distribution of teacher effectiveness in the state looks much as it did before passage of the bill. Eighty-eight percent of Colorado teachers were rated effective or highly effective, 4 percent were partially effective, 7.8 percent of teachers were not rated, and less than 1 percent were deemed ineffective. In other words, we leveraged everything we could and not only didn’t advance teacher effectiveness, we created a massive bureaucracy and alienated many in the field.

What happened?

Video: Stop Abusive Principals - April 6 - 4:30 PM - Central Park East1 Parents to Issue No Confidence in Principal Monika Garg

Join the battle against abusive administrators - don't just leave comments about how bad things are -- come out and be inspired by these amazing parents who are standing up for their teachers under attack. April 6 at 4:30 PM - 1573 Madison Ave. at 106th St.
 
There is a lot of info in this report. CPE1 is a special progressive

school started by Debbie Meier - who is one of the top educators in the nation - remember that Diane Ravitch and Debbie began doing a sort of blog together to argue their differing views on education. Since the 70s I admired Debbie and thought about how great it would be to teach at her school -- but I felt I didn't have the skillset as a teacher to work in a school like that. So understand, these are very special teachers who take on the challenge of working at CPE1 and t come under assault by a vicious principal is like one of those ice bucket dunkings.
I got to meet Debbie a few times and once interviewed her and her views of children and how they learn were amazing - she then introduced me to the great voice of early childhood education, Nancy Paige Carlson, (Matt Damon's mom).

Debbie is celebrating her 86th birthday on April 6 and asks that we help her by showing up at the CPE 1 rally at 4:30 - or earlier.
1573 Madison Ave. at 106th St.

I'll have more later but what an amazing meeting at the UFT Ex bd last night as 20 CPE1 parents and teachers showed up as MORE/NA presented a reso in support which was tabled by Unity slimebags who ignored what was happening at CPE1 for a year and half until we made them face this issue. They say they will show up this Thursday to make a show of support. But they won't pass a reso.

The reso is at the MORE site:

morecaucusnyc

Reso to Support CPE1- Tabled by UFT Leadership 

Arthur has minutes of the meeting: 

NYC Educator

UFT Executive Board March 27th--We Love CPE1 But Won't Pass Resolution of Support
Here is a great video made by a CPE1 parent:
https://youtu.be/YKFBEHwMON8



Join CPE1 Parents and Teachers As They Say "No Confidence" in Principal

Thursday, April 6th at 4:30pm
Central Park East 1 - 106th  Madison (entrance on Madison)
FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1506717109361942/

CPE 1 parents and teachers have been fighting an abusive principal, Monika Garg, for more than a year. Garg has carried out a campaign of harassment and retaliation against teachers; both the UFT chapter leader and delegate found themselves facing investigations and removed from the classroom after speaking out. Parents say that Garg has caused harm to their children by conducting unnecessary and invasive interviews of very young children, removing trusted teachers without warning, failing to provide support and undermining the school's unique pedagogy. Garg has lost the trust and support of the vast majority of parents and teachers - with more than 70% signing a petition for her removal last year. The DOE's own school survey shows Garg with the lowest level of trust in the whole city and the steepest declines in both parent and teacher satisfaction. Despite appealing to the Chancellor, the Panel for Educational Policy and the Mayor personally, our situation remains unresolved.

Once again, CPE1 parents and teachers are mobilizing to have their voices heard. At the school SLT meeting on April 6th, parents will be presenting a statement of "no confidence" backed by the majority of parents and demanding decisive action to address their concerns. At 4:30pm, parents and teachers will be holding a press conference and rally outside the school in support of those inside the SLT meeting.We need your support! The issues that CPE1 are facing are not unique. All over the city, parents and teachers lack democratic recourse to have their voices heard, while administrators are protected. We have to fight back.

Please note: By law, SLT meetings are open to the public. If you are able to arrive before 4:30pm and join parents and teachers inside the SLT meeting (which starts at 3:30), please sign in and come up to the 2nd Floor art room to join us.

CPE1's principal has to go

Parents and fellow teachers have come to the defense of a victimized educator in the latest battle to shake a New York City elementary school, writes Peter Lamphere.

March 30, 2017

Parents and fellow teachers show their support for a Central Park East 1 educator (Save CPE1)

Democrats Russia Obsession: The Road to Status Quo As Even Bernie Accused of Being Putin Plant to Bring Down Hillary

even those who detest Trump with every fiber of their being must see the dangerous endgame implicit in this entire line of thinking. If the Democrats succeed in spreading the idea that straying from the DNC-approved candidate – in either the past or the future – is/was an act of "unwitting" cooperation with the evil Putin regime, then the entire idea of legitimate dissent is going to be in trouble......

To describe Sanders followers as unwitting dupes who departed the true DNC faith because of evil Russian propaganda is both insulting and ridiculous. It's also a testimony to the remarkable capacity for self-deception within the leadership of the Democratic Party

.... Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone

Two reports here about the pitfalls of the Hillary/Obama wing of the Dems desperately chasing down every bit of conspiracy theory, placing its bet on getting Trump impeached so we can get Mike Pence, separating whatever limited strategy Dems have from reality. The NY Times seems part and parcel of this effort to brand the 2016 election outcome as being stolen for Trump by Russia, therefore vindicating the neo-liberal Dem Party center - you see we really would have won with our strategy if not for the 3rd party operatives in the KGB.

Robert Perry has an article (NYT’s ‘Tinfoil Hat’ Conspiracy Theory worth checking out on what he calls the Times' "tinfoil-hat" conspiracy theories. They gave a known lunatic conspiracy theorist Louise Mensch an op-ed opportunity that when examined makes the Times look like the Enquirer.

New Yorkers Call on the Board of Regents to Remove Commissioner MaryEllen Elia for Failure to Protect Children

The MaryEllen Elia experiment in New York has failed. It is time for the Board of Regents to remove Commissioner Elia and substantially change course.... NYSAPE

Don't forget that Elia was Randi's candidate. MORE Exec Bd people next time should ask Unity to support NYSAPE.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 3, 2017

More information contact:

Lisa Rudley; nys.allies@gmail.com

NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) www.nysape.org

For the past five years, hundreds of thousands of parents, from every corner of New York State, have called for meaningful changes to our damaging test-and-punish accountability system, resulting in the largest opt out movement in the nation.

Beware Obama Admin Neo-Libs Running for Office

After his time with Obama, Gupta, 33, set up a network of charter schools in the southern US. 

I gagged when I read this story: Former Obama staffers run for office to protect the progressive policies they built

Ravi Gupta worked as an assistant to David Axelrod during the 2008 election.

You set up charter schools, you don't get the support from defenders of public education.

Gupta was the center of a piece in Campbell Brown's The 74 front journalism: 74 Interview: RePublic Schools’ Ravi Gupta on the Next Frontier of the Education Reform Wars

.@RaviMGupta returns to NYC, reflects on how charter schools will win broader support

.@RaviMGupta: next frontier in reform wars, charter schools serving middle- and upper-class

Nice Ravi -- you guys helped undermine inner city schools, now go after the suburbs.

RePublic also has faced scrutiny from charter school critics on the Metro school board. And in January a group of Nashville parents filed a class-action lawsuit that accused the charter group of violating the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act by sending text messages through a commercial auto-dialing service without their consent, a claim RePublic officials denied.

So Ravi is back here in NYC pushing the line that the Dems must organize to stand against Trump.

“I left that room and started calling Obama colleagues: ‘What are we going to do right now? Not for midterms, not 2020, now’,” Gupta said.
Gupta, with the help of several Obama mates, launched The Arena, an organization that holds summits across the country to teach progressive candidates how to run for office - how to raise money, how to launch social media campaigns. At their first event in Nashville last November, 400 attendees turned up and 150 pledged to run for office in the next five years.

 Message to Ravi Gupta -- neo-lib charter supporters are not progressives.

Ravi Gupta and the center right neo-libs in the Dem party are trying to ice out the Bernie wing. The time may come when there is no choice but to split because 2020 will be the same old thing and charter support is the type of wedge that splits the party -- I mean they might as well join DeVos because the ultimate outcome between Obamaites and DeVos is the end of public education.

Memo from the RTC: A Chorus Line Update - I Won’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me

I'm going back to see it again Saturday night and then again Sunday when Arthur and family are coming.

Memo from the RTC:  A Chorus Line Update - I Won’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me

By Norm Scott

They may have asked Sinatra when he sang those words, but they didn’t ask me.  I need a defibrillator from just watching the show. But I am astounded when people who know me ask if I have a part in A Chorus Line, if they know the show at all.

Do they have a clue that you must be able to sing, act and, most importantly of all, dance, dance, dance until you want to drop and on a scale of 1-10, I am minus 10 in all three categories? I wanted to drop numerous times on opening night just watching the 24-member cast showing their triple threat chops.

I was raving about all these facets to Director Susan Corning at the opening night after show celebration. She reminded me, pointing to choreographer supreme Nicola DePierrro Nellen, that despite the amazing acting and singing, the heart of “A Chorus Line” is dance and that this production’s success relied on the amazing work of Nicola, who also has a part in the show as dance mistress Laurie. Whenever you see it, or if you saw it, just think about all the choreography involved in getting so many people to synchronize. I was taping from right up front, practically on the stage in the corner, and got as close up as you can. It was, like, a perfect production.

I just don’t have the space to talk about all the performances by so many RTC regulars, who are joined by a five newcomers with major roles. Actually, almost every role is major, with each member of the cast getting their time in the sun, which is why the play is so coveted among actors and why reviewing all the performances would take a book. If there is a lead, it is the role of Cassie, played by the superbly gorgeous and talented Catherin Leib, who finally returned to the RTC in last fall’s Toxic Avenger after two years absence while touring with a production company. The director, Zach, is played by Frank Caiati who can do just about anything on and off stage. Both Catherine and Frank, a member of Actors Equity and SAG/AFTRA, have been with the RTC since they were teens, well over a decade ago. Their list of credits is beyond extensive. They have a crucial scene opening Act II that is worth the price of admission, followed by Catherine’s take-your breath away solo.

The fabulous Musical Director Jeff Arzberger leads an 11-member band. I went to the 50^th anniversary of the Zombies on Saturday night and they only have 4 musicians in their band. But the RTC is all about giving Rockaway a major taste of Broadway, baby, and with free parking too. And a 50-50 cash on the barrel, which on opening night netted the winner with almost $500.

I know my two or three regular readers are sick of my raving about every show. But believe it when people leaving opening night are saying, “I can’t believe you guys keep topping yourselves. This is the best one yet.”

The directing tandem of Susan Corning and David Risley, both of whom have been major top-level actors at the RTC in so many shows, deliver a perfect rendition of this complex show, which if not done expertly would be a disaster. 

Hot Yoga Rockaway Beach guru Anita Ruderman, whose word is law, posted this comment on FB:  GO SEE A CHORUS LINE at the RTC in Ft. Tilden. A PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE NOT TO BE MISSED!!! Really UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Here's the link for tickets. I'm serious. Please go see it. :) http://www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org/ticket-reservation-s…/

Anita may sometimes talk in CAPS, but rarely does she write in CAPS.

Norm blogs at ednotesonline.com. NAMASTE!!!

NYSUT split sends vocal opt-out president packing

One of the few media outlets to report on this - though idea assigned to UFT in the article below that opt out movement seriously threatened federal funding is pretty absurd.... Leonie Haimson

http://buffalonews.com/2017/03/27/nysut-split-could-impact-school-reform-effort/

Both Pallotta, Magee’s likely successor, and his ally Michael Mulgrew, the New York City union president, are seen as Cuomo supporters, and were criticized by some teachers for supporting the governor even when he was pushing for a stringent evaluation system.

Leonie found this nugget about the dumping of Karen Magee by Weingarten/Mulgrew. Astute observers knew from the day Magee came out for Opt out that she was in trouble.

I noticed the difference in the role played by Magee at the AFT 2014 convention when she was a big deal compared to the 2016 when she was marginalized. (But so was Mulgrew whose buffoonish behavior was deemed to embarrassing to showcase.) And let's not forget that Magee landed a position with Randi at the AFT as a reward for taking a bullet - by not running.

NYSUT split sends vocal opt-out president packing

• By Tiffany Lankes
• Published Mon, Mar 27, 2017
  

Karen Magee delivered her message in no uncertain terms.

"I am saying that I would urge parents at this point in time to opt out of testing," the New York State United Teachers president said in a 2015 interview on the radio show "Capitol Pressroom."

The remark made Magee among the first high-profile union leaders in the country to explicitly encourage parents to opt their children out of state tests, fueling a movement that ultimately helped force a major shift in the direction of New York’s education system.
It also may have contributed to a rift between Magee and the very people who put her in office. Magee announced last month that she will not pursue a second term, after it became clear she would face two challengers, including one of her fellow officers.

The point in BOLD is a flat out wrong --- Magee didn't fuel any movement -- but what she did do is allow the ed deformers to make that claim -- that the union was behind opt out in order to try to hide its people from being accountable. This line was quickly picked up and used to defile opt out, which is fundamentally a parent-led movement. 

Fred Smith in WAPO: What N.Y. parents should know about 2017 Common Core standardized tests

Four passages that are well above grade level with 6 multiple choice questions most of which require that a student go back into the text and the answer is still difficult to figure out is ridiculous. Kids were twitching. Two of mine cried. I administered to 7 children with reading disabilities. They didn’t stand a chance. It makes me angry. I spent all year inspiring them to feel excited about learning and confident and in 10 minutes NYS made them feel like idiots…. Anonymous, Valerie Strauss piece by our good pal Fred Smith in the Washington Post yesterday.

I assume that anon is a teacher who if found out would be arrested and maybe deported to Kabul for the criminal act of reporting what was on the test.

Strauss:

Fred Smith, a testing specialist and consultant, explains how the state is attempting to persuade parents not to opt-out, and what students face when they sit down to take the exams. Smith is retired as a senior analyst for the New York City public schools and a member of Change the Stakes, a parent advocacy group.

You can read the entire piece at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/03/30/what-n-y-parents-should-know-about-2017-common-core-standardized-tests/?utm_campaign=5b314bf22d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_03_31&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Master%20Mailing%20List&utm_term=.25c26b8e8fd5

Fred is relentless on the testing issue despite the continuous frustrations of the testing regime to undermine the opt-out. But given he has been a statistician for the NY Jets for decades and must attend every home game, this is child's play.

 A few excerpts:

Seeking to turn back the opt-out movement, authorities are promoting a few scripted points to convey the idea that the testing program has been improved for 2017: The number of questions on the exams has been reduced, more teachers have been involved in developing them, and the tests are untimed.

On the surface these seem attractive. But fewer items make less reliable tests. The teachers who were involved reviewed but didn’t write the questions on the tests, which were created by Questar Assessment (which is being purchased by the Educational Testing Service, or ETS). And the removal of time limits means the tests are no longer being conducted under standard conditions, thereby nullifying attempts to measure growth.

Effectively, the results of the 2017 exams cannot be used to make meaningful comparisons over time, though the Education Department says the tests aren’t being changed enough so that comparisons will be valid.

Another selling point the state makes is that while the tests will continue to be given, no teachers or principals will be affected by the results as in the past, when test scores were factored into their evaluations. The state has declared a moratorium on directly linking student test scores to teacher evaluations. This may lull people concerned about the misuse of the tests into accepting their administration because negative consequences have diminished for teachers and principals, but the results can still affect schools, and the scores can be used as an “advisory” evaluation measure for individual educators.

In announcing the improvements, a department spokesperson said, “It’s up to parents to decide if their children should take the tests and we want them to have all the facts so they can make an informed decision.”

Really? There is no information on opting out — or about the field testing of questions, which allows publishers to develop future exams for free by trying out test questions on children — on the one-page document posted on SED’s Engage^ny _, titled “2017 Grades 3-8 New York State Assessments: What Parents Need to Know.”  Evidently, they must know the tests are untimed, shortened, reflective of teacher involvement and will be given in some districts by computer.

Here are some more facts about  field testing on the 2017 exams that parents aren’t being told:

There are two approaches publishers follow to develop questions and determine which should be kept for subsequent exams.  The preferred way is to embed try-out material (reading passages and associated questions) in the test booklets that students are striving to complete.  In theory, students can’t tell which questions are experimental and do not count in scoring their tests from the operational ones that count.  Thus, they should be motivated to do well on the trial items.

PEP Video: Where I Explain the Basics of Farina-ism - plus Rich Mantell, Gloria and Marilena from MORE

In this video (https://youtu.be/kyAyW0sP6gU) I begin to explore the Farina legacy - which I dub "Farina-ism". Oppose parent, teacher and student influence and indeed punish those who dare to resist. You can see Farina-ism in operation at Central Park East 1 where a vicious vendetta against the Debbie Meier founded progressive school is playing out in all its gory details as teachers, parents and students are under attack.

The closing of JHS 145 is a Trump-Devos like attack on the many immigrant and Muslim children who have found a home there. And since Eva Moskowitz, who the day after the PEP vote had her people measuring the space to be vacated by 145, gets to replace them, that is a perfect dovetail of the DeVos privatization plan.

I didn't even get to mention the Townsend Harris story -- there was a parent and student rep who went after Farina over the claim that the student newspaper was reporting fake news.

UFT VP Richard Mantell was the only official UFT rep who spoke -- I saw one or two others early in the meeting but our call for the DA to be adjourned and have masses go to support the school went unheeded. But Rich did a good job and showed some passion about the issue.

MORE's Gloria Brandman who is a special ed expert focused on that issue and Marilena Marchetti nailed the corporate takeover of the school issue.

By the way, MORE had a big turnout to support 145 and CPE -- maybe 15-20 people. We called for the DA to be adjourned a half hour early and go to the PEP with a show of force. I'll report more on the arguments made at the Ex Bd meeting why we couldn't do that because we had so much important business to attend to -- Mulgrew was 17 minutes late to the DA.

Too bad the Unity/UFT leadership didn't get massive numbers of people there in support.

NYSUT Update: Exposing Martin Messner's Mess

Let’s begin with NYSUT’s Form 990, which every tax-exempt organization is required to file annually with the IRS. The most recent one available covers the period September 2014-August 2015. It shows NYSUT with an $18.9 million deficit. It was signed on January 13, 2016 by Martin Messner, NYSUT’s secretary-treasurer.

Three months later, Messner addressed the delegates of the NYSUT representative assembly and told them the union had recorded its “second surplus in a row.” (at the 1:55 mark) He also stated that NYSUT pension fund was 86 percent funded. (at the 2:20 mark) Messner did not address the costs of post-retirement health care.

Less than four months later, NYSUT sent a letter to local affiliate presidents with quite a different story. Though the date on the letter is July 26, 2015, it was actually sent on that date in 2016, as the contents of the letter will confirm. The key details are:

In January of 2016, the NYSUT officers were notified of a looming pension spike for the NYSUT pension system that was extremely high. In late April of 2016, we received a second report from our actuary that was even more damaging and the numbers have reached a point that absent action they could jeopardize the entire organization.

Messner did not inform the delegates of the “looming pension spike” NYSUT was warned about in January, and his rosy forecast for the pension system somehow came crashing down only three weeks after his speech.

Intercepts

NYSUT Can’t Keep Its Stories Straight

Mike Antonucci has continued to cover the NYSUT story we have been reporting about. Here he quotes from our Mike Lillis post:

Michael Lillis is a candidate for the NYSUT presidency, and he told New York City education blogger Norm Scott that his caucus is “aware of the uncertain economic situation within NYSUT, and we have grave concerns that if not addressed properly, this house of cards could come tumbling down, leaving members vulnerable to the worst of the political winds out there.”  

Mike also did a piece about Harry Lirtzman's analysis- NYSUT is a Ponzi Scheme - Harris Lirtzman Analyzes... 
in this follow-up where he points to Harry's background and how that when Harry speaks people should listen:

With elections approaching, activists are taking notice. NYSUT’s officers dismiss critics outside the union, but it’s difficult to marginalize Harris Lirtzman, whose credentials both as a labor advocate and in the financial world are unique and seemingly impeccable.

 

Lirtzman became a New York City teacher late in life, after

Harris Lirtzman in NY Times piece

a long career at Merrill Lynch and the New York City Comptroller’s Office, rising to the position of deputy comptroller for administration. As a teacher, Lirtzman was profiled in The New York Times for blowing the whistle on violations of the state’s special education regulations, charges for which he was ultimately vindicated.

 

Lirtzman has taken a special interest in NYSUT’s finances. In a letter to New York City education blogger Norm Scott, he described its situation bluntly, charging that it used member dues to pay overdue debts.

 

“NYSUT is a Ponzi scheme,” he said. “So long as the cash keeps moving from dues-paying members to NYSUT to the AFT to the UFT and back around it can keep its doors open.”

 

But he suggested that if the flow of dues slows for any reason, the structure collapses. “No one ever suspected that the cash could stop,” he said. “But it will stop and soon.”

 

Lirtzman explained in layman’s terms the two ways to fund a retirement system. “You can either make arrangements to pay for those commitments by funding them over time and investing those funds to earn more money,” he wrote. “Or you can take cash that comes in today from member dues and use it to pay the benefits you owe your current and retired employees. The first way is prudent but can be expensive. The second way can work but only if everything plays out the way you hope.”

 

In this scenario, a Friedrichs-type court action that results in an end to agency fees (paid by non-member teachers who benefit from collective bargaining) or an economic downturn that forces downsizing of school staffs could create a crisis.

 

Lirtzman thinks drastic action is necessary. “We can keep the worst of this from happening if we take the time, now, to understand how badly NYSUT is managed, how terribly our money is being misused and how much we will lose if we don’t act,” he wrote. “I hope that the political strategy [voting out incumbent NYSUT leaders] works in the long run. I’m afraid that we don’t have the long run to find out.”

 

As The New York Times suggested in that profile, “Perhaps it pays to heed Harris Lirtzman.”

  

Video of CPE 1 Parents Hammering Farina for Supporting Principal Monika Garg

We posted this yesterday: UPDATE: Central Park East 1's Monika Garg is the WORST principal in NYC Based on NYCDOE's own criteria

Now here is some video from last week's PEP of parents going for Farina's jugular. Thirteen minutes of heaven. Oh, the joy!

Stories floating around that Farina has always been jealous of CPE founder and McArthur genius award winner Debbie Meier, a true educator who has always been consistent in her putting the interests of children first, unlike Farina. So Farina, before she retires, is making sure Debbie's legacy won't survive.

By the way - saw Marilyn Martinez last night at the UFT Ex bd meeting. She is firm and holding up -- they told her outcome should take 40 days.

https://youtu.be/6EF4F8lBPbo

School Scope: Opt Out of Test Movement is Still Alive Despite Attempts to Kill It

The WAVE -- www.rockawave.com - Publish date: March 31, 2017

School Scope: Opt Out of Test Movement is Still Alive Despite Attempts to Kill It

By Norm Scott

NYC schools chancellor Carmen Farina hates the opt out movement because it so threatens the education establishment which uses testing as a bludgeon. Even if your child aces tests, our claim has been that the process itself is harmful to overall development of children educationally, emotionally and intellectually. Many top performing nations have de-emphasized testing, especially for children under high school age.

Farina and the testing establishment have threatened schools, teachers and parents with all sorts of punishment and sanctions, many of them untrue. Principals at schools with high opt-out rates last year have been pressured to intimidate parents who even ask questions about opt out.

I know you will be reading this at the end of the week that ELA tests were given statewide, but there will be a math test the first week of May but even if your child took the tests and you are a believer in the value of tests I urge you to read this blog by Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters: It's not too late to opt out & more reasons to do so-- including to protect your child's privacy and deny them the data! https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2017/03/countless-reasons-to-opt-out-including.html

A lot of people are not aware that their childlrens’ data is being shared and even sold. “Deny them the data” has become somewhat of a rallying cry.

Consider the points made in the letter to parents below by a parent of three children – and check out the link: Top 10 Reasons to Opt Out - https://vimeo.com/208262836

Dear Parents,

The state tests are coming up. Before your child sits for 6 days worth of standardized state exams please take a few minutes to review the reasons for considering to opt out of these tests.

I am both a parent and an education advocate, and will be opting my two children out of the state exams. Like every parent, I care deeply about my children's education and future. Actually, I care about the quality of every child's education and am concerned about these specific exams undermining public schools' ability to teach to the WHOLE child. The Opt Out movement has proven to be the best way to make systemic changes to public education.

Who else believes children should opt out of the state tests? Leading education experts such as Diane Ravitch, Carol Burris and Leonie Haimson, as well as the parents of 240,000 NYS students who opted out last year. This year, the New York State Teacher's Union (NYSUT) has even taken out billboards to inform parents of their right to opt out of the state tests.

Our children are not standard. They have talents and qualities that these tests will never measure and are not designed to encourage. They measure cramming, access to expensive tutors, and rote learning. None of these qualities are skills that will prepare our children for college and even less so for the real world.

Ultimately, the decision to opt out is yours. But before the kids go to school on Tuesday, take the opportunity to be informed about the movement. Again, please take the time to read through the links below. But just in case you DON'T open the links below, I'll sum it up with this: State exams are driven by politics and corporate greed while your child's learning and potential is a distant priority. A multiple choice test won't teach our kids what it takes to cure cancer or solve world hunger.

Respectfully,

Johanna Garcia

Mom to Aries (3rd gr), Alexa (5th gr.) & Hailey (10th gr.)

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170323/carroll-gardens/opt-out-state-tests-nyc

“Awesome” said Jamaal A. Bowman Founding Principal of Cornerstone Academy for Social Action MS, who shared his own video on testing and opting out. https://youtu.be/J6kNcUDwjE8

Norm never opts out of blogging at ednotesonline.com

UPDATE: Central Park East 1's Monika Garg is the WORST principal in NYC Based on NYCDOE's own criteria

 Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Central Park East 1's Monika Garg is the WORST pri...":

I worked under Garg for two years when she was an AP. She literally turned our school upside down with mismanagement, corruption, bullying and unfair targeting of anyone she didn't like. She acted like an expert in everything when she knew so little about most things. She used her bully-style to make up for the lack of substance. When we found out she was leaving our school (and her awful boss Minerva), many teachers who were planning on leaving decided to stay.

Sign the CPE petition: http://www.savecpe1.org/

The funniest line of the night at the PEP was Farina saying that they do things in the interests of children.

Why does the DOE and UFT coddle bad principals who always get protection. There are so many mini-Trumps in the system who can brag they can kill someone in broad daylight and get away with it. And they do kill teacher careers and children's hopes.
See

Chaz's School Daze:  Anoither Case Of The DOE Double Standard When Disciplining Administrators - Santiago Taveras.
Chapter Leader Marilyn Martinez had her last day of hearing on Friday and will be out of the school at least for a month while waiting for a decision though experienced hands believe no matter the outcome she won't be allowed back at the school. And the UFT will be silent publicly.

Petition update

NYCDOE's own criteria Garg is the WORST principal in NYC

Save CPE1

United States

Mar 27, 2017 — D4 SUPERINTENDENT ALEXANDRA ESTRELLA, WHY ARE YOU SUPPORTING GARG?

GARG’S RECORD AS WORST PRINCIPAL IN NEW YORK CITY:

- Greatest percentage drop in English test scores, citywide*

- Greatest percentage drop in Math test scores, citywide*

- Lowest rating in Trust, citywide**

- Lowest rating for Effective Management, citywide**

- Lowest rating in Tracking Student Academic Progress, Citywide**

- Lowest rating in Awareness of What is Going on in Classrooms, citywide**

In addition to her exploitative use and abuse of students to target teachers, Garg had the greatest drop of nearly every measure for principal performance, citywide.

*Drop from NYS 2015 test scores to 2016 (see Chalkbeat, August 2, 2016)
**NYCDOE School Survey 2016

Please distribute this information widely, and continue to share our petition. Monika Garg must be removed for the safety of our children, the protection of our teachers and the existence of this magical school. #savecpe1

NYSUT Presidential Candidate Michael Lillis Comments on NYSUT Finances

In response to our recent coverage of NYSUT finances -

• Are Dues Arrears Reports Fake News or is Mulgrew's...
• NYSUT is a Ponzi Scheme - Harris Lirtzman Analyzes...

and our concerns that ST Caucus was paying attention, NYSUT ST Caucus presidential candidate sent us this response:

Norm,
Thanks for your reporting on NYSUT budget issues and the upcoming elections. I'd like to give you the heads up on where ST is on the NYSUT budget issue. 

We have been concerned for sometime over NYSUT's finances; this is why we opposed raising the number of officers from four to five, two years ago. There is a lack of confidence in the reporting of the current leadership. At last year’s President’s Conference, Martin Messner’s budget report indicated NYSUT was on a stable financial footing. 

A couple of months later, however, during PSA negotiations, the officers claimed NYSUT was facing a financial crisis. Therefore, leadership’s budget discussions seem to be more about political messaging than they are about guaranteeing NYSUT will be stable in its vision and capability moving forward.

We have two platform positions that deal with NYSUT's financials directly. First, we are proposing reducing the number of officers from five to four. This would be a 20% reduction in officer salaries and expenses. Second, we are proposing reducing officer salaries by 15%. Though these efforts in isolation will not be adequate to restore NYSUT to fiscal stability, they are necessary precursors to any meaningful discussion with NYSUT staff.

We have been clear that any fiscal reorganization within NYSUT requires transparency, shared sacrifice, and shared vision. The current NYSUT leadership lack these, and are simply not up to the task of bringing fiscal order without negative fallout that could impact members. The most recent PSA negotiations are evidence of this.

We must also look at the metro funding rebates. Five of the largest locals in the state are reimbursed 32% of their dues as they decline field services, but they receive additional rebates to bring the total in some cases to 50%. PSA, for example, gets 50% of their dues reimbursed, or at least they did when Dick was President. He did this to prevent them from disaffiliating. We have made many requests to NYSUT to get current reimbursement data, and they have not been forthcoming. Instead, they have referred us only to public disclosure documents.

We must also remember that NYSUT's economic future is not just a fiscal issue. In the near future, members may have the right to refuse dues payments. To protect the organization, we must transform NYSUT to be focused on member advocacy. I've only been at this for a little over twenty years, so I'm not sure what NYSUT was like at its inception, but I believe we have lost our focus. Our advocacy seems to be more about the perception of being power brokers on the state and national levels, and not in representing teachers, aides, bus drivers, and professors. We have ceded control of the conversation to education reformers, and we have failed to correct the record.

If members are going to keep paying dues, they need to see us engaging in fights that have meaning to them. This is probably the most important variable in NYSUT's future.

In short, we are aware of the uncertain economic situation within NYSUT, and we have grave concerns that if not addressed properly, this house of cards could come tumbling down, leaving members vulnerable to the worst of the political winds out there.

Can Trump and Dems Actually Make a Health Plan Deal and Screw Freedom Caucus?

The Freedom Party makes Trump look sane.

Trump would screw anyone to make a deal that would make him look good. Ie. See Nixon goes to China.

Today's Times has an interesting piece. [Trump Becomes Ensnared in Fiery G.O.P. Civil War]

A precedent-flouting president who believes that Washington’s usual rules do not apply to him, Mr. Trump now finds himself shackled by them.

In stopping the repeal of President Barack Obama’s proudest legacy — the Republican Party’s professed priority for the last seven years — from even coming to a vote, the rebellious far right wing out-rebelled Mr. Trump, taking on and defeating the party establishment with which it has long been at war and which he now leads.

Like every one else who has tried to rule a fissured and fractious party, Mr. Trump now faces a wrenching choice: retrenchment or realignment.
Does he cede power to the anti-establishment wing of his party? Or does he seek other pathways to successful governing by throwing away the partisan playbook and courting a coalition with the Democrats, whom he has improbably blamed for his party’s shortcomings?

Imagine this scenario: Trump thinks Freedom caucus is even crazier than he is and wants to get even. He rounds up 30 moderate Republicans and offers Dems a deal. Now Dems would have to admit that Obamacare is massively flawed and not try to defend it -- in other words -- the "fix Obamacare" line will not play. Admit the need to scrap it and start over.

Now comes the tricky part -- call for single payer which of course Trump and Republicans will never do -- but given the polls we see it is popular, especially when we see that we pay double per capita vs single payer plans.

Be like Bernie -- single minded. Criticize Obamacare for not having public option ---

The experience has put Trump in a dealing mode since his own party -- which we know is only expedient -- is so divided -- and the Dems may be holding more cards than we thought possible -- if only they were competent, which is what they are not.

The Dems will defend the past and justify the neo-lib Obama/Clinton agenda -- it is in their DNA -- and in the DNA of the uft.

School Scope: War in the Democratic Party as Bernie Popularity Soars

March 24, 2017
www.rockawave.com

School Scope: War in the Democratic Party as Bernie Popularity Soars

By Norm Scott

Bernie Sanders is the most popular politician in America, by a wide margin of 61% according to a FOX news poll (http://www.businessinsider.com/most-popular-politician-in-the-us-bernie-sanders-fox-news-poll-2017-3) . Yes FOX. Now Bernie is not actually a Democrat but calls himself a Democratic Socialist and at this point there is no such viable party in this nation as there is throughout the world. People tend to conflate social democracy with communism and nothing could be further from the truth. Stalin wiped out social democrats, as have every communist nation because SDs believe in private property, a fundamentally free market economy and regulated capitalism. Scandinavian nations are prime examples. Universal single payer health care is an essential, as is free education. Both of these were basic to Bernie’s program and both ideas seem to be fundamentally off the table to both parties. Don’t expect me to explain Bernie’s enormous popularity as his basic ideas are ignored and in fact often mocked, not only by the right, but by the center and even many liberals.

There is a tendency to place all Democrats into one big lump and declare them all liberal/lefties when in fact there is a wide range of division. The right-center flank of the Democratic Party is pretty much where the mainstream Republican Party was pre-Reagan. The so-called center is now being branded as the Clinton/Obama wing of the party, which includes the party leadership (Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi) while the left of the party is the Bernie wing. Make no mistake about it, war is raging in the party if not openly at this point but behind the scenes and certainly in print.

PEP Pops Video: CPE 1 Teacher Embarrasses Farina Into Silence

CPE 1 Teacher embarrasses Farina. Offers her speaking time to respond to question: What are your reasons for supporting Principal Monika Garg?
Raucous audience goes silent.
So does Farina.

https://youtu.be/pvjXyzZm29Y

Memo From The RTC: Chorus Line is A’Comin’

-->

Memo From The RTC: Chorus Line is A’Comin’

By Norm Scott

Monday night, with the “massive” snow storm beating down on us, I headed over to the Post Theater at Fort Tilden, home of the Rockaway Theatre Company to check out whether the cast of Chorus Line was rehearsing. Also to see what snacks were being served. And mother hen Suzanne Riggs, without a doubt, one of the most thoughtful people on earth, certainly delivered some fine snacks. I almost forgot to check out the rehearsal.