FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13, 2018

More information contact:

Eileen Graham  nys.allies@gmail.com

Lisa Rudley nys.allies@gmail.com

NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE)

Link to Press Release

NYSAPE Calls on Education and Policy Leaders to Break Their Silence; Stand Up for Educational and Racial Justice in Our Public Schools

NYSAPE calls on the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), NYC Department of Education, NYSED, the professional associations representing school administrators, members of the NYS Legislature, and Governor Cuomo to stand with teachers, students, and parents in denouncing all acts of racism, including the recent racist events at NYC schools MS 118 and MS 224, and to call for an immediate commitment to training for ALL current teachers, pre-service teachers, and school administrators in anti-bias, anti-racist, and culturally responsive teaching.

Jamaal Bowman, principal of CASA Middle School said, “I am horrified and outraged by the recent racist acts committed by a teacher at MS 118 and principal at MS 224. I look forward to hearing comments from the UFT, CSA, and NYC DOE, as their silence at the moment is deafening and heartbreaking. As an educator for over 17 years, a principal for 9 years, and a black man my entire life, these recent incidents provide evidence that America’s history of overt racism and oppression continues to manifest itself as covert hatred and implicit bias in our schools.”
Jia Lee, NYC public school teacher and member of Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) added, “Teachers across the city participated in a nationally coordinated Black Lives Matter Week of Action from February 5-11. One of our central demands is to institute Black history and ethnic studies in our curriculum. Teachers, such as Mercedes Liriano, need to have the autonomy to teach culturally relevant curriculum for our students. If my union’s (the UFT) leadership would have supported this demand, teachers would be much further along in making racially conscious and just pedagogy accessible to our students.”

“While our so-called leaders play politics, every day children suffer devastating emotional injury in our classrooms and schools. Sometimes they literally die. It is time for parents, educators, students, and allies to hold our leaders accountable and demand that they denounce and destroy the infrastructure of racism within our schools,” said Marla Kilfoyle, Executive Director of The Badass Teachers Association.

Bianca Tanis, Ulster County public school parent, educator and founding member of NYSAPE said, “Too many students of color are dealing with an oppressive public education system in which they are subjected to under-resourced and segregated schools, over-crowded classrooms, disproportionate suspension rates, and curriculum and instruction that centers whiteness and upholds racist narratives. This is an educational crisis and those who remain silent are complicit.”

“As the parent of a biracial daughter, I know that when the majority of students are black and brown, but the teaching and principal force fail to reflect this demographic, these are hardly isolated situations. Teachers who, in the best interests of their students, go the extra mile to bring in more than standard scripted lessons should be supported, not stifled or shut down. Moreover, we should be looking beyond these separate incidents to the larger issues of systemic racism in our schools: students and schools of color are disproportionately crushed by “test and punish,” “drill and kill” practices that strip them of a rich curriculum, set them up for failure, and pave the way for charter schools to take over their schools,” said Janine Sopp, NYC Opt Out founding member and public school parent.

Eileen Graham, Rochester public school parent and founder of Black Student Leadership said, “What happened in the Bronx happens consistently throughout the state, including Rochester, and it is shameful. We must use our voice, influence and power to deal directly with individuals who attempt to carry on the legacy of bigotry, hatred, and disrespect, and we must continue to be intentional in our fight for black and brown children who have been historically disenfranchised. As a parent, I know that it is important to educate and empower our children through culturally enriching and diverse curriculum. The people demand that our leaders support the needs of our children.”

“As a mother who has long been involved in both education policy and community politics, I am becoming increasingly alarmed at the lack of responsible and diverse cultural and ethnic pedagogy in our public schools. It is especially disheartening in a climate where our most vulnerable children are constantly being bombarded with examples of normalized racism and an education system that is riddled with policies perpetuating the school-to-prison pipeline. There is absolutely no excuse for anything other than to stand up for our children, especially students in targeted populations. It's time to reclaim our children's time and revamp our education policies and practices!” said Johanna Garcia, NYC public school parent and President of Community Education Council of District 6, Manhattan.

“Unlike our counterparts in suburbia, who can apply pressure to, or directly vote out, school board members who ignore their wishes, we parents in New York City are grievously disenfranchised by the system of mayoral control. The anti-democratic suppression of our voices as we advocate for the rights and needs of our children has gone on for far too long, with low-income communities of color left most powerless of all. If we want things to change, we need to return control of our classrooms to those with a stake in the system,” said Kemala Karmen, NYC public school parent and founding member of NYC Opt Out.

Jeanette Deutermann, parent and founder of Long Island Opt Out concludes, “Across the State, supporters of equitable and just public education applaud and stand in solidarity with the courageous teachers, students, and parents who have raised their voices to demand educational and racial justice. We expect our education leaders to do the same.”

NYSAPE is a grassroots coalition with over 50 parent and educator groups across the state.

Another Dist 4 Supt Estrella Disaster Project: Help Us Save Our School! (Vito Marcantonio P.S. 50)

What irony -- A school named after Vito Marcantonio being closed. Read more in the most radical politician in the 20th century,

Rebel in the House: The Life and Times of Vito Marcantonio | John J ...

https://monthlyreview.org/.../rebel-in-the-house-the-life-and-times-of-vito-marcantoni

I'll be there tonight to tape the hearing and support them. I have some interesting info to share about what was done to the school. The MORE-CASCADE group is trying to get to as many hearings as possible. CASCADE stands for: Coalition Against School Closings, Colocations, and Displacement Everywhere - WOW, if I could remember that I wouldn't feel like someone about to hit 73 years old. Or is it 74? 64?

We need your support at the joint public hearing being held to determine the future of P.S. 50. Please join us to help protest the proposed closing of our school. A school that has been around for over 3 generations for some families.

This school has served students, families, and the community alike. Having over 21 partnerships including The Children's Aid Society (after-school, summer camp, and holiday programs), a school-based health clinic (eye exams and dentist on site), Parent Job Net (helping parents, guardians, and family of students, to obtain G.E.D's, jobs, free workshops and classes, etc).

Basing a school on test scores alone is unfair. You don't give up on a school when it is "failing", you show support and do what it takes, as a Superintendent, a Chancellor, a Mayor, to ensure that time, money, and resources are given to the school in the RIGHT way, so that these kids strive and have an equal opportunity, without losing their second home.

I hope that as a community we can come together and prove that we will not go down without a fight. These kids, our kids, deserve our support.

Paul Singer (The Vulture), Eva Moskowitz Success Academy Slimebag Supporter - Paid for Original Steele File

Greg Pallast: Before Hillary paid for a copy, the file was already written for a news front sponsored by Republican billionaire Paul Singer.  Singer: Better known as “The Vulture.” Singer The Vulture, the court should have been told, has a long history of creating what FBI Director James Comey himself called “salacious and unverifiable” files on his enemies. I know.  Because The Vulture created a file on me. And on elected officials worldwide who got in the way of his next billion.  Poisonous garbage – but really effective, deadly garbage.
In 2011, I flew to the Congo and discovered that The Vulture had seized the funds meant to end a cholera epidemic.  I reported on Singer’s deadly capers at the top of the BBC news, on the front page of the Guardian and on Democracy Now!  ---- Read more at: https://mailchi.mp/gregpalast/the-steele-dossier-on-me?e=268df8ffc2 

Pallast's story -- I included it below the break -- actually sort of sides with Devon Nunes, though he calls him a liar  --- it's like the world has been turned upside down --- did I and other left-leaning people ever think the FBI WOULDN'T fabricate stuff?

I and other have mentioned billionaire hedgehog's support for Eva's Folly and Paul Singer in particular. (Google his name and Success Academy). Here is a link to one of my posts back in 2013:

Mike Schirtzer on BLM Reso: A Plea for More Unity in Our Union

I also call on both groups to work together to achieve a common goal: Because Black Lives Do Matter to all of us. Now is not the time for blame or is it the time to scream how things *should* be. Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and get stuff done.... Mike Schirtzer

I asked Mike if this was his official application to join Unity Caucus. I don't agree with some of it but do agree that the black members of Unity are not racist - duh! or mere sellouts. More of my commentary after Mike's piece.

A Plea for More Unity in Our Union

By Mike Schirtzer

UFT Delegate Goldstein HS-Brooklyn

UFT Executive Board member

“We want a union that believes Black Lives Matter”. That is the statement that was published by the MORE caucus of UFT, which I am a member, to be circulated online.

It is also a false statement, one that is unnecessarily inflammatory and unfair.

School Scope: PS/MS 42 Closing Drama – NAACP Jumps into the Fray

I wrote both of these pieces for the Feb. 9 edition of The Wave. I went on the bus with the PS 42 people going to the NAACP press conference Thursday afternoon. They had a spirited group rally in front. A UFT official from the Queens office showed up and somehow we got invited to go in as there as a monthly meeting of the boro pres education advisory council taking place at 6. So the press conf never did take place and will instead take place this Tuesday (Feb. 13) at 5PM at the school before the 6 PM hearing.

As part of the CASCADE group to fight closing schools, we have been attending hearings and offering support. The UFT has shown some activity - Leroy Barr came to PS 42 on Thursday and is supposedly coming to speak on Tuesday - and probably Amy Arundel and others from the Queens office will be there. I can raise issues about what the UFT is not doing but will leave that alone pending the outcome --- there is hope they can play a role in saving the school. If they do I will praise them to the sky.

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School Scope:  PS/MS 42 Closing Drama – NAACP Jumps into the Fray

By Norm Scott

Last week I pointed to the political, not educational, irrationality of closing schools that are viewed to be performing poorly. In this follow up I hope to demonstrate there are other factors than mere educational performance behind the decision to close PS/MS 42. I’m writing this on Feb. 6 so I can’t report on the outcome of the NAACP press conference at Queens Borough Hall on Feb. 8 at 5PM. A bus is leaving from the school at 3:15. Email rvernam66@yahoo.com to reserve a seat. And come to the hearing at the school on Tuesday, Feb. 13. There will be food at 5PM and sign-up to speak at 5:30.  It should be some evening, better than the political battles on cable TV. PS 42/MS 42 community vs. the DOE --- more exciting than the Super Bowl.

[BATs in NYC] Bronx principal probed after creating hostile environment for black teachers, students

I walked past the office on my school and noticed a young black man nervously sitting outside the principal's office. I stopped to chat with him and he said he was assigned to the school as a special ed teacher by the district and was waiting to meet the principal. "Good luck" I said, with just a little rolling of my eyes. I had an Irish woman as principal in a school with about 40% black kids and 60% Hispanic. I believed she had some racist attitudes but would never have thought she was a racist.

Shortly after he was gone - I asked someone what happened and was told she said she didn't need him and sent him back to the district. A few hours later he was back. Once again she sent him back to the district. The next day he was back again, ordered by the district to be placed in a permanent position. He became an integral part of the staff for many years and was very popular. He never created waves and she became very happy with him. I think he was the only black male teacher in my school.

Despite some of her attitudes she did seem to care about kids and also hired a number of black women who were paras in our school when they became teachers. So I present the above story as background for the story below.

I know some of my racism denier readers may be skeptical when they read this. Are they really any different than holocaust deniers?

Bronx principal probed after creating hostile environment for black teachers, students: ‘She’s a racist’

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/racist-principal-bars-black-history-lessons-bronx-school-article-1.3812943

BY Christina Carrega Ben Chapman

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Saturday, February 10, 2018, 8:27 PM

The city is investigating explosive complaints from students and staff at a Bronx school saying their principal barred an English teacher from delving into black-history lessons — and targeted black teachers and students for abuse.
The Department of Education launched the probe after kids and educators leveled the allegations against Intermediate School 224 Principal Patricia Catania, who is white, the Daily News has learned.
The 26-year veteran of city schools remains in her $154,257 post even though students and staffers of color say she’s created a hostile environment since she took the top job at IS 224 in December 2016.
 

 “She’s racist,” said English teacher Mercedes Liriano, 45, who’s worked at the school, where 95% of students are black and Hispanic, for more than a decade. “She’s trying to stop us from teaching our students about their own culture.”
The disturbing allegations — relayed to the Daily News by eight current or former employees and five students — come amid a spate of racially tinged controversies at city schools.
Liriano said she was beginning a class Wednesday when Catania pulled her aside and told her not to give lessons about the famed Harlem Renaissance movement of literature and art in the 1920s.
The order shocked Liriano.
She teaches the Harlem Renaissance, as well as the writings of Frederick Douglass, to her sixth- and seventh-grade students as part of the officially recommended New York state curriculum standards, she noted.
But Catania made clear she had a far different view of what Liriano should be teaching her students, the incensed educator said.
“She said I’m not a social studies teacher so why am I teaching my students about black history?” Liriano said. “Her tone was very harsh, as if I committed a heinous crime.”
 

 Liriano returned to class and continued her lesson in defiance.
“She’s attempting to stop the students from learning about their own history, and she’s denying them the right to learn about where they came from,” Liriano told The News.
The teacher was so shaken by the experience that she discussed it with her colleagues and students, who responded by wearing all black the next day in protest.
About 75% of the school’s 353 pupils participated in the event, which was organized by kids using Snapchat, kids said.
And 71 students signed a petition calling on Catania to allow the lessons in black culture to continue.

Sixth-grader Savannah Villagomez, 11, said she confronted the principal about her double standards on the day of the protest.
“I asked her why we shouldn’t learn about black history?” Villagomez said. “She said we weren’t learning anything, but she didn’t even look at our projects.
“I was angry,” she added. “She doesn’t know our history and she wants to stop it.”
Catania referred a reporter seeking comment to the Education Department.
Doug Cohen, a spokesman for the DOE, who confirmed the investigation was ongoing, said Catania has no prior disciplinary history. Cohen added that some students are getting lessons in black history from other teachers.
“African-American history is an important part of the school’s curriculum,” Cohen said. “Students are currently working on projects related to Black History Month that will be presented and highlighted at the end of February.”
Liriano said she called 311 to file a complaint about the encounter, which she described as the latest in a string of hostile acts by Catania targeting black and Hispanic students and workers.
Several other staffers echoed Liriano’s accusations of hostile actions toward educators of color. A number of middle-schoolers told The News they were targeted as well.
According to Liriano, Catania told other people that black instructors have poor knowledge of their subjects and are only good at controlling classrooms.

IS 224 math teacher Jacinth Scott said she thinks Catania should be canned immediately.
“She’s a racist, based on her actions and what she does,” Scott said. “She doesn’t belong in this school.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton weighed in on the controversy Saturday.
“This is a disgrace and an insult,” Sharpton said. “(IS 224) needs to know we stand with this teacher and we will be there to do whatever we need to do.”
The Rev. Kevin McCall, crisis director at the National Action Network, said Catania should be replaced.
The trouble at IS 224 comes after The News reported other shocking claims of racism and cultural insensitivity in city schools.
Patricia Cummings, a white teacher at Middle School 118 in the Bronx, was pulled from the classroom on Feb. 1 after it was revealed that she made black students lie face-down on the floor — and then stepped on them — as a lesson on slavery.

And white administrators at Christ the King, a Queens Catholic school, angered students, alumni and activists for refusing to allow a black teen named after Malcolm X to put the civil rights leader’s name on his class sweatshirt.

In the wake of those stories, protesters have descended on City Hall calling for expanded anti-bias training and the creation of an office for culturally responsive education within the Education Department.
But so far city officials have declined to add resources to address the issue.

 

Justice in the factory: how Black Lives Matter breathed new life into unions

Justice in the factory: how Black Lives Matter breathed new life into unions
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/10/black-lives-matter-labor-unions-factory-workers-unite?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Another View in the UFT - Feb. 2018 - Family Leave, Class Size, Contract, Attacks on Schools, Black Lives Matter Reso Commentary

The latest edition of our Delegate Assembly newsletter from Mike, James, Arthur and myself. We are Another View in the UFT, in MORE and often in our own schools (except for me of course.)

Distributed a the Feb. DA. If you want a pdf email me at normsco@gmail.com
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• Parental/Family Leave – MORE Holds Rally, UFT Officials Join in 
• Resolution on Class Size Reduction By Arthur Goldstein, James Eterno, Norm Scott

-->School Closings and Consolidations Inspire Teachers, Parents and Students to stand up; UFT must offer more support; Stories of Awful principals and Superintendents; Focus was on District 4 (East Harlem) Superintendent Estrella                     by Norm Scott

Our (Rough) Contract Demands by Mike Schirtzer and MORE/New Action Ex Bd High School Reps

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Is Black Lives Matter Divisive, as Leroy Barr Claims? By Norm Scott

Unity Caucus McCarthy/Trumplike Attack on "Loyal" Opposition

Recent actions by some members of this "not so loyal" opposition are especially disturbing. --- Unity Caucus Leaflet titled "The Loyal Opposition", Feb. 2018

I'm following up on a blog yesterday - Is Black Lives Matter Divisive, as Leroy Barr Claims? where I took issue with the way Leroy Barr presented the union's opposition to the MORE Black Lives Matter Week resolution at the January DA and also the MORE strategy.

But the Unity leaflet attacking MORE at Wednesday's DA requires a response. Arthur has already done a number on the Unity leaflet at NYC Educator.

Arthur points out their utter hypocrisy when they brag about these issues:

I love that they boast of "fair funding for our schools" first, since the so-called Fair Student Funding is nothing of the sort, with schools getting only a percentage of what they're promised. It's also a huge discouraging factor for hiring experienced teachers, and likely is the reason for many being stuck in the ATR.

I'm also fond of the "equity, access and opportunity for all students" because UFT Unity has done absolutely nothing to lower class sizes in over half a century. They boast of sacrifices they made to place class size in the contract and fail to mention that most of them were toddlers or not even born when this monumental sacrifice was made.

When I looked at the Unity leaflet I was immediately reminded of the Trump attack on Democrats and those who didn't stand up to salute and cheer his State of the Union saying they were "traitorous".

This is an age-old attack by authoritarians that claim the outside enemies of a nation - or union - must lead to restrictions on democracy and internal criticism. For Unity it used to be Giuliani, then Bloomberg (de Blasio/Farina despite many of the same policies are our friends and thus above criticism), and now Janus as reasons to dull criticism.

We might as well cancel the 2019 UFT elections.

Perhaps the funniest line was this: Unity/UFT recognizes the value of honest dialogue and internal debate in determining the direction that our union takes on these most important matters.

Right. We've seen so much honest and internal debate in the UFT.

The blow back from the controversial Black Lives Matter Week resolution presented by MORE at the January Delegate Assembly and the consequent media coverage which embarrassed the leadership resulted in an outright attack on the MORE caucus and the public reports Arthur Goldstein issues at the NYC Educator blog.

Now as I will point out in some follow-up articles I even as a member of MORE am also critical of some aspects of how the BLM committee of MORE went about handing this.

One of the first questions to Mulgrew was clearly a Unity plant raising the same issue about sanctity of the Delegate Assembly -- shhhh -- well, how do you report to the members of your school what happened since you are elected by your school?

We know that outside reports that might be embarrassing to the leadership is what they are most concerned about and Arthur's reports followed by his analysis, must gall them. I always used to report on DAs in Ed Notes. But when the mainstream press picks stuff up it drives them nuts. That is what happened with the BLM reso.

Lindsey Christ from NY1 read it there and contacted the UFT to ask for comment, which they refused based on the sanctity of the DA. Linsdey, who I ran into at a press conference we were both covering, told me she laughed and told them it was all over the internet. A smart move would have been to actually go on the record with a response because I think they could have made the case that there are many areas of BLM they would support, but maybe not this specific resolution. Lindsey ended up interviewing me and Jia about Leroy's speech. (http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2018/01/26/black-lives-matter-debate-splits-teachers--union).

By the way - I will give Unity credit for their response to the MORE Family Leave demo by sending down Mel Aaronson and a crew with the UFT banner - especially since NY1 was once again covering. That is a direct outcome of their inept response on the BLM story.

But instead of admitting they could have handled things better, they go on the attack.

For more on the story, see my blog: https://tinyurl.com/y9vh4p7q

MORE response to Unity:
We Want a Union That Believes Black Lives Matter - https://morecaucusnyc.org/2018/02/02/we-want-a-union-that-believes-black-lives-matter/

DoeNuts is not too thrilled by either group:

The Doenuts Blog: BEWARE of those who start fires

https://nycdoenuts.blogspot.com/2018/02/beware-of-those-who-start-fires.html?m=1

Is Black Lives Matter Divisive, as Leroy Barr Claims?

There is a lot of controversy swirling around the MORE resolution at the January DA and the blow back the union is receiving and their response by attacking MORE. I have issues with both the UFT's position and the way MORE has presented the issue and will go into more depth in followups because this issue scratches at flaws in Unity, the UFT and in MORE.

Throughout this debate I feel I have two opposing forces on my shoulders arguing with each other. Yin-Yang.

MORE is claiming repression of debate. Unity is claiming MORE is engaging in dishonest and misleading statements by indicating the union doesn't support BLM when it was really against the MORE reso. But Leroy Barr did not specifically argue about what in the reso was divisive but lumped it all into BLM as being divisive.

Below is a piece I wrote over the weekend for the Another View newsletter I put out with some other MORE members and some who are not very enamored of MORE at this point. At least 2 MORE people whose partners are people of color and UFT members told me their partners oppose the MORE reso. Yet that debate does not take place in MORE at all -- so when MORE declares the UFT only debated the issue for 5 minutes it would be interesting to see MORE debate the fallout and not assume unanimity. There is a meeting Saturday so let's see.

I will add more on upcoming posts as the issue develops.

Read the DoeNuts Blog view by a MORE member:
BEWARE of those who start fires - "Low blows" and "cheap shots" are taken by both parties involved... http://nycdoenuts.blogspot.com/2018/02/beware-of-those-who-start-fires.html
And NYCEducator, another MORE member:
http://nyceducator.com/2018/02/unity-publicly-humiliated-goes-straight.html

Here is my piece.

From Another View Newsletter - Feb. 2018

Is Black Lives Matter Divisive, as Leroy Barr Claims?
By Norm Scott

At the January Delegate Assembly the argument that BLM was divisive and in the time of Janus was a dangerous place to go was the basis of Barr’s and the leadership’s opposition to the MORE-UFT Caucus’ resolution calling on the UFT to support Black Lives Matter week (Feb. 5-11) which educators from a number of NYC schools are participating in. BLM has often been misinterpreted, leading to the perception that it might be divisive. February is Black History month for decades and we recently celebrated Martin Luther King’s birthday. For some people, even UFT members, these events might be divisive and often the reason is race-based. Let’s not act like this doesn’t exist in our own ranks. The job of a union where many of its members are people of color who have been discriminated against, and with a student population that is 80% children of color, is not to duck the issue but to take it on and address why some members question BLM.

As a member of MORE I have questioned the process by which MORE decided to bring the resolution to the DA, given that back in December, Leroy Barr and Janella Hinds, both Black, told a MORE leader that the union would not support the resolution because they considered it divisive. Could some compromise have been worked out? Should MORE have gone to the schools and ask for chapters to back the reso as a way to build more grass roots support? Why did a number of delegates who are Black vote against the reso? Was it solely because many are adhering to the Unity line? All questions worth exploring.

(See the NY1 story on the reso featuring myself and Jia Lee at: http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2018/01/26/black-lives-matter-debate-splits-teachers--union
and MORE response to Barr: https://tinyurl.com/ya6ofavn).

As for Barr’s justifying the union’s position on BLM as analogous to not taking a position during the Vietnam War, if you saw the Ken Burns documentary, or lived through those times as a UFT member there is way more to the story. See my blog: https://tinyurl.com/y9vh4p7q

MORE response: We Want a Union That Believes Black Lives Matter - https://morecaucusnyc.org/2018/02/02/we-want-a-union-that-believes-black-lives-matter/

UFT's Stirling Roberson: Valentine Day Wear Red For Love the Union -

But many will wear red for the blood they've shed to abusive principals, drive-by observations, oversized classes, and union officials who all too often ignore the pleas or help.

Parent leaders and NAACP demand NYC Mayor and Chancellor withdraw the proposal to close PS/MS 42Q

For immediate release
Contact: Kevin Morgan 347-410-3061 or
Queen Makkada 347-456-6518


Parent leaders and NAACP demand NYC Mayor and Chancellor withdraw the proposal to close PS/MS 42Q

On Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, leaders of the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council (CPAC), representing all the PTAs and Parent Associations at NYC public schools, along with the leaders of the Education Council Consortium, representing the elected and appointed members of the Community and Citywide Education Councils, will speak and release letters to Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Farina, demanding that they withdraw the proposal to close PS/MS 42Q.

When: Thursday, February 8th at 5pm

Where: the steps of Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Blvd, Kew Gardens, NY 11424

E4E Stealth Infiltrates UFT Delegate Assembly - with Leadership Cooperation?

Stack of Resos on UFT table

Unlabeled -

UPDATE: The resolution described below never came up at the meeting as there was a 6PM adjournment. No one from E4E handed out the reso but a stack was left on the UFT lit table, which we are always told is a no-no - they say they only want official UFT lit and if we try to leave Ed Notes or MORE lit there we get a hassle or even an attempt to throw the lit away. That is why Randi almost 20 years ago mandated there be a special table for alt lit, a table that wasn't there this month or last month.

E4E has found a new way to finagle itself into teacher confidences - Men teach and Restorative Justice....
Last time out E4E was backing Bloomberg's effort to end "LIFO"  (last in, first out) seniority protections for teachers and offering teachers free drinks at local happy hours.  They didn't get very far with this.  But now they are trying a new tack -

She does the principal’s bidding whenever she can to undermine chapter meetings. This piece, which sounds very much like our principal, just reinforces a number of teachers thinking that the principal is working in concert with E4E.... a teacher at a school about the E4E teacher who was handing out the unlabeled reso at the Jan. DA.

A reso from the floor during the New Motion dealing with restorative justice (RJ) was voted up and will be in the agenda at the

Feb DA tomorrow. This was an unusual occurrence at the DA. Some of us smelled a rat.

Actually I smelled a rat downstairs when I saw a lady I didn't know handing out the reso which looked fairly decent but the paper had no identification as to who or what org was behind it. When I asked her where she was from she was evasive. (apparently she is the person mentioned in the opening comment). The reso talked about some pilot program for RJ in District 18 (Canarsie/East Flatbush).

On the surface, the reso was progressive and pro restorative justice and hard not to support. MORE was trying to use the same New Motion time to bring its Black Lives Matter reso, so since Mulgrew called on this other guy - someone named Michael Loeb from a  school in the Bronx right away and not one Unity person opposed it and it passed immediately, I figured this was a diversionary reso to kill time so MORE would never get to the floor. But it all happened so fast - sort of like scoring too soon in a football game and leaving time for the other team to come back -- and MORE got to do its thing, which has led to some blow back against Unity and also from some quarters against MORE.

It's Who Ya Know - A Brooklyn school on the chopping block will get one more chance to improve

The entire school closing show is a scandal. We are working with the MORE CASCADE group on closing schools to expose the crap. I'll report in follow-ups on other schools that did not get grace from His Mayorship.

A low-performing Brooklyn high school slated for closure is getting a new lease on life.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that the city would give Brooklyn Collegiate: A College Board School a one-year reprieve, citing community pressure.

The small high school in the Brownsville neighborhood was among 14 schools that education department officials recently moved to close after this academic year. Along with eight other schools on the city’s chopping block, Brooklyn Collegiate is part of the mayor’s Renewal program, which attempts to turn around struggling schools by investing extra resources in them and providing additional learning time. Officials also plan to combine another five Renewal schools that enroll very few students.

Read more at: 
https://ny.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2018/02/05/a-brooklyn-school-on-the-chopping-block-will-get-one-more-chance-to-improve/

Class Size Resolution and Video: Workshop on Class Size Lawsuit at Parent Conference

Two items for you in this post. A video of Leonie Haimson and crew - an update on the status of the class size lawsuit. The UFT should back this full-tilt. No one from the UFT was in the room. Or really gives a shit about class size.

Wendy Lecker, Education Law Center

Followed by a proposed class size reso authored mainly by Arthur Goldstein (NYC Educator) with input from James Eterno, myself and we ran it by Leonie Haimson. We were rushed and never put it before MORE steering committee so for now it is being handled by the 4 of us from Another View DA newsletter which is being published for the DA this week.


https://vimeo.com/253376916  



Resolution on Class Size Reduction

By Arthur Goldstein, James Eterno, Norm Scott

• Whereas, the UFT contract has not changed class size limits in fifty years;
• Whereas reducing class size has proven to be one of the best ways to improve student learning, lower teacher attrition rates and disciplinary problems, and narrow achievement and opportunity gaps between racial and economic groups;
• Whereas NYC schools continue to have the largest average class sizes in the state, and NY’s highest court said that our class sizes were too large in our schools to provide students with their constitutional right to a sound basic education;
• Whereas, UFT contractual class size limits continue to be ignored by the DOE;
• Whereas, the DOE uses outlandish “action plans” to address these limits;
• Whereas, the NYC DOE recently reported class sizes have continued to increase this year;
• Whereas, Article 8L in the 2005 Contract called in part for a labor-management committee to discuss lowering class size if Campaign for Fiscal Equity Settlement funding was available;
• Whereas, the 2007 Contracts for Excellence (C4E) law, which settled the CFE case, required NYC to reduce class size in all grades;
• Whereas, the goals for class size in the city’s original C4E plan, approved by the state in the fall of 2007, are for an average of no more than 20 students per class in K-3, 23 in grades 4-8 and 25 in high school core classes;
• Whereas, the Department of Education has flouted this law flagrantly since 2007;
• Whereas, the DOE gets C4E funding that is often not used to reduce class size; be it therefore

• Resolved, that the UFT will make lowering class sizes to the C4E limits of 20 students in a class K-3, 23 in Grades 4-8 and 25 in high school core classes a major collective bargaining goal for the next contract; and be it further
• Resolved, that funding for this class size reduction should not in any way affect monies for contractual raises for UFT members as the DOE is already receiving C4E money to reduce class sizes from the state.

For decades the DOE has ignored class size, especially Carmen Farina who has disparaged the issue, claiming extensive Professional Development was more important. (How much does PD cost?) Unfortunately the leadership has gone along and removed class size from the negotiating table, claiming doing so will cost us raises. In fact every expense on schools other than salary can be viewed as coming out of potential salary. Even the parental leave issue. Yet the salary pattern is seemingly set outside negotiations. It is time to stop letting the leadership use excuses not to address the growing class size issue in contract negotiations.

See the Class Size Matters Workshop video on the C4E case at https:/vimeo.com/253376916

Hallelujah Piece of Shit Astroturf Families For Excellent Schools Closing Down

Fuck FES and good riddance. Jeremiah Kittredge took FES down with him. Read this almost hilarious account of Kittredge's transgressions by a woman who said she could have broken him in half.

For Immediate Release:

Contact:
Julia Watson, Statewide Communications Coordinator, AQE
julia@aqeny.org  

PRESS STATEMENT

Families for Excellent Schools' Closure: The Defeat of Astroturf Education Advocacy 

NEW YORK, NY (February 5, 2018) — The corrupt charter school advocacy group Families for Excellent Schools is closing in part or full following a series of scandals. They were shut down in Massachusetts for corrupt election activities for which they were forced to pay the largest election law fine in Massachusetts state history. Today it has been reported that they are curtailing operations following the firing last week of the Executive Director as a result of an investigation into sexual harassment charges.

"FES is the latest of the astroturf charter school advocates to sputter into irrelevance in New York State, just another group that tried and failed to do any real grassroots parent organizing,” Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director, Alliance for Quality Education. “The only way these groups can generate a crowd of supporters in when large charter school chains shut down their schools and mandate parent participation in rallies. The lack of any real grassroots support is why their corrupt charter school ballot initiative in Massachusetts failed, even after spending $20 million on the campaign. 

"The one thing FES and others have been effective at is influence peddling with politicians, so keep your eyes open because it will not be shocking if the billionaire hedge fund crowd that backed FES moves their money into a new organization."

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** FEBRUARY 5, 2018

New York, NY – Statement from Bryan Lawrence, Board Chair of Families for Excellent Schools:

“This is a sad day for everyone at Families for Excellent Schools. We are very proud of the work we’ve done to help thousands of families stand up for educational opportunity in their communities, and believe our vision of a world where every child has access to an excellent school has never been more important.

Unfortunately, after a series of challenges over the past year and particularly given recent events, we have determined that the support necessary to keep the organization going is not there. We are beginning the process of winding down our work. I want to thank all those who have given their heart and soul to this organization since its inception; I know they will continue to advocate for the families and communities we serve.”

Video: Parental/Family Leave – MORE Holds Rally, UFT Officials Join in

So it was surprising to see the official UFT banner and Mel Aaronson join the rally and march. Mel who began teaching 10 years before me in 1957 -- he could have been my JHS teacher -- had more stamina than me. Most of the participants were too young to even think of asking Mel a pension question.

Yes, it was freezing and my fingers barely could press the RECORD button. But a dozen MOREs warmed up at the Dark Horse afterwards - that gin and tonic took the chill off. And major kudos to Rosy Clark, the point person for MORE on the rally whose strength and leadership was a major factor. I can't tell you how impressed I am when people take responsibility and do it competently. I bet Rosy is a great teacher.

Below is the video followed by an article we have in our new edition of Another View, being released this Weds at the DA. Also a link to a NY1 clip on the rally. NY1 has done 2 stories based on actions by MORE in the past week.



https://vimeo.com/254231831

Parental/Family Leave – MORE Holds Rally, UFT Officials Join in

UFT's Leroy Barr Equates Black Lives Matter and Opposition to Vietnam War

The very first organized demo/rally I took part in was on May 1, 1971 - yes, May Day, to protest the UFT position on the Vietnam War with a group of activist teachers in my District (14 - Williamsburg) -- Yes, I pretty much missed the 60s but had joined a group of teachers in a group that met regularly and out out a newspaper. We had taken the day off and put out a press release and got some coverage and even attracted some teachers we did not know - and later began to work with them.

So when Leroy Barr connected the UFT stance on the Vietnam War to the Black Lives Matters issue I said WTF. (You can see me on NY1 commenting in an interview with Lindsey Christ -
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2018/01/26/black-lives-matter-debate-splits-teachers--union)

There has been some blow back directed at the UFT leadership and Leroy Barr for their opposition to the MORE resolution on Black Lives Matter at the January Delegate Assembly when he termed the movement as divisive. I watched Leroy's speech from the 19th floor and sort of felt for him - a black man, the son of a cop and a teacher, who made a fantastic speech at the 2016 AFT convention - trying to navigate some difficult terrain. This time not such a great speech, especially when he raised the UFT non-position on the Vietnam War because it was so divisive as a comparison to wise UFT policy.

Having recently seen the Ken Burns series which did show how divisive the war was but also showed what a disaster it was an how the government lied again and again. Since I began teaching in 1967 pretty much as an unwoke person who bought much of the bullshit I was subjected to, I can get the point  - to some extent. But when I became woke over the next 3 years I began to understand that the neutrality of the UFT over the divisiveness issue was a red herring to cover UFT leader Al Shanker's outright support for the war and his leading us to back all US warhawk actions. If shanker could have gotten away with it in a very liberal union he would have had us support the war.

I remember challenging Shanker directly at a DA 5 years later over his support for neo-con Henry Jackson for the 1976 presidency, pointing out that a year after the massive budget cuts - undoubtedly connected to the toll of the war - and that we couldn't have guns and butter and Shanker's leading our union to not oppose the massive military expenditures was choosing guns over butter and harming our schools, our union and our working conditions. (Note- we were working under a reduced school schedule, the loss of 2 out of 5 preps a week and 15,000 cuts.)

I recalled those days as Leroy spoke and thought that one of the jobs of a union is to help educate its members, which happened to me due to the people on the left who educated me. We shouldn't wake up in spite of the union.

The same applies to the Black Lives Matter movement, which I will address in Part 2.

Video: Parent Organizing 101 - KidsPac/Class Size Matters Conf Jan. 27, 2018

Two Wonderful stories of parent organizing including Bonnie and Kalmiris of Central Park East 1 fame to remove an abusive and incompetent principal -- who by the way is still working in District 4 and is rumored to be resurfacing in another school. I never get tired of hearing, their story especially since some of us in MORE were so deeply embedded in it. But what do you have to do to rid ourselves of evil vampire principals -- put a stake in their hearts?

Also doing a great presentation was Naila Rosario from Sunset Park, an amazing organizer who started with very little other than trying to get her kid into pre-k and from that experience built a powerhouse.

https://vimeo.com/253303228

Jacobin - The Case Against Cuomo - But UFT WIll Support Him Anyway

The article fails to address Cuomo's support for ed deform.

Andrew Cuomo Is No Progressive

by dianeravitch

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is running for the Democratic nomination in 2020. He presents himself as the anti-Trump, the real progressive. But New York progressives don’t buy it. They know that Cuomo has helped Republicans retain control of the State Senate. The Assembly passes progresssive legislation, and the State Senate kills it.  An”independent” group of Democrats in the senate vote with the GOP.

Cuomo has refused to help his own party. He likes divided government. Cuomo has been dreadful on education issues. He is the champion of charter schools. He has pushed tax credits for religious schools.

Public schools? He doesn’t like them.

To learn more, read this article:

https://jacobinmag.com/2018/01/cuomo-new-york-idc-clinton-resistance

Andrea Gabor on Global Tech: Death of Bloomberg-Era School Roils East Harlem

Andrea has been following the Global Tech merger with PS 7 story and assault on the school by Dist. 4 Supt Alexandra Estrella for a while. Here is her latest which most people have liked though some have disagreed on the praise of Bloomberg at the end.

Death of Bloomberg-Era School Roils East Harlem

January 30, 2018 | by Andrea Gabor

http://www.gothamgazette.com/opinion/7449-death-of-bloomberg-era-school-roils-east-harlem

Astroturf Phony Parent Group Families for Excellent Schools CEO Jeremiah Kittredge fired

O, the joy!
DUHHHHH! Jeremiah Kittredge has been totally inappropriate in so many ways. Another loser pal of Eva Moskowitz, who had no comment. Et Tu Eva?

JEREMIAH KITTREDGE FIRED — POLITICO's Eliza Shapiro : Jeremiah Kittredge, the CEO of the pro-charter school group Families for Excellent Schools, has been fired following an "independent investigation" into "inappropriate behavior toward a non-employee," according to a statement from FES board chair Bryan Lawrence on Wednesday afternoon. A spokesman for the group declined to comment further. The group is one of the best-funded charter advocacy organizations in the country. It received more than $13 million from the Walton Family Foundation between 2014 and 2016 alone. It has become omnipresent in New York over the last several years, and has served as an unofficial lobbying arm for Success Academy, one of the nation's highest-performing and most influential charter school networks.

More links:

Pro-charter school group CEO booted for inappropriate behavior - NY ... www.nydailynews.com/.

Pro-charter school CEO fired over 'inappropriate behavior' accusations ...https://nypost.com/..

And for an analysis of Kittredge's disastrous venture into the Massachusettes charter debate - see (also below the break).

https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2018/01/31/families-for-excellent-schools-ceo-jeremiah-kittredge-fired-after-investigation-into-inappropriate-behavior-229294

Achievement Gaps Within Schools and at Success Academy --Politico Education

"The report also found that gifted and talented public schools have similar results to Success's integrated schools, considering all students must test into those programs."... Politico

In other words, only Gifted and Talented and Success kids have the same narrowing of the achievement gap between races, seen nowhere else in the city, including other charter schools.

At last week's parent conference we heard how Success gets lists from the DOE of kids who took the Gifted and Talented test and then sent out loads of ads addressed to the kids directly. So they try to poach kids from day one who take the test.

This story at Politico has hints of the games Success plays.

Video: Jamaal Bowman at KidsPac/Class Size Matters Parent Conference, Jan. 27, 2018

Jamaal Bowman is always worth listening to. It is rare to find school leaders with vision and understanding of the damage high stakes testing has done and is doing. He even races against the kids in his school - he won a race in the gym wearing his suit and dress shoes. It's a shlep to the Bronx for me but I may take a shot at going up there Monday night, Feb. 5 at 6PM for his BLM week event -  if my old bones can make it. But I am not racing Jamaal.

vimeo.com/253187266

Norm at the PEP - My response after hearing teachers speak up despite fears of retaliation

The Global Tech teachers and students broke my heart. I almost lost it. Well, maybe I did lose it. Here is Vimeo with you tube link below.



You tube: https://youtu.be/hVkXsJuPzmw

Video: Voices of Community Education Council District 3 (Upper West Side) Address Total Lack of Community Engagement and DOE Complicity at PEP

Lack of professionalism and common courtesy on part of the DOE.
Everything was done to minimize community input and family engagement.
DOE hasn't earned our trust.

Going to a PEP where parents, teachers, students and community people show up to talk about being ignored, being ignored by yet another arrogant Farina superintendent, being lied to repeatedly and being used as a prop to give the impression the DOE admin is concerned about them is like watching a horror show in an endless loop.

See the video of 4 CEC 3 members at the Jan. PEP calling out the DOE and Farina administration under de Blasio and if you want to dig further read their astounding letter - all 11 pages detailing the ills of the DOE that will never be fixed even though these parents honestly offer their services. Ending mayoral control is the only answer. At least at the local school boards we knew who to yell at.

CEC 3 letter to DOE -- see full pdf: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/a806f4_f9d8950a31e947cea7c12df1d888da84.pdf



https://vimeo.com/252994409January 22, 2018

Reminder! Parent Action Conference on Saturday

I'm reposting. I'll be there with camera - stop by and say a few words for our little film.

Dear Norman:
Our Parent Action Conference is just a few days away on Saturday, Jan. 27 at the Peck Slip School in lower Manhattan.  Please sign up today if you haven't already!

You can spend the day with fellow parent activists, learn how to advocate for your child and our schools, enjoy a delicious lunch and see a terrific movie; what could be better?

Also, this morning we held a successful press conference along with CPAC and CEC leaders, representing more than one million parents and demanding that the Mayor give parents a voice in selecting a new Chancellor. Watch out for reports on NY1 and the Wall St. Journal.

We're asking for a meeting with the Mayor to discuss how parents can provide input into his decision, to ensure that the next Chancellor has the qualities and qualifications necessary to run the nation's largest public school system and is someone who can truly collaborate with parents. Check out the oped I co-authored with Leonie Haimson in Gotham Gazette on this issue.

Hope to see you Saturday! --
Shino for NYC Kids PAC