What Happened to Public Education on Election Night?

The Always Amazing Joanne Barkan Does it Again

Dissent: http://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/what-happened-to-public-education-on-election-night

By Joanne Barkan - November 26, 2012


Barack Obama’s K-12 “reform” policies have brought misery to public schools across the country: more standardized testing, faulty evaluations for teachers based on student test scores, more public schools shut down rather than improved, more privately managed and for-profit charter schools soaking up tax dollars but providing little improvement, more money wasted on unproven computer-based instruction, and more opportunities for private foundations to steer public policy. Obama’s agenda has also fortified a crazy-quilt political coalition on education that stretches from centrist ed-reform functionaries to conservatives aiming to undermine unions and privatize public schools to right-wingers seeking tax dollars for religious charters. Mitt Romney’s education program was worse in only one significant way: Romney also supported vouchers that allow parents to take their per-child public-education funding to private schools, including religious schools.

After the November 6 elections, public school supporters speculated about (hoped for) a change in direction in Obama’s second term. Unfortunately, there’s no reason to expect a shift. By the time Obama launched his first presidential campaign in 2007, he had embraced reform-think. His longtime basketball buddy, über-reformer Arne Duncan, undoubtedly influenced his views. The two met on the court more than twenty years ago. Once Duncan took over as CEO of Chicago Public Schools in 2001, he became Obama’s sounding board on education policy and escort on school visits. It made perfect sense from Obama’s perspective to appoint Duncan Secretary of Education in 2008. And the administration’s signature education program, Race to the Top, perfectly embodies reform-think: it gives states (all of them resource-starved) a chance to compete for grants only if they pledge to adopt a full reform program.

Rumors that Obama might replace Duncan with ultra-extreme reformer Michelle Rhee caused some panic but needn’t have. Obama and Duncan are a team. Duncan announced his desire to stay for a second term in September 2012. Just ten days after the election, in prepared remarks to the Council of Chief State School Officers, he stated that his department’s second-term job would be “to support the bold and transformational reforms at the state and local level that so many of you have pursued during the last four years.” There was also talk that Obama-Duncan might focus more on preschool and higher education, both less controversial than their K-12 agenda. But even if this does pan out, Race to the Top has given the administration’s suite of ill-conceived reforms a life of its own. As seen on election night and as indicated in Duncan’s speech, the main action has moved to the state and local arenas.

The rescue of public education must come from the grassroots, from a coalition led by parents and teachers. Such a movement has been taking shape gradually and gained visibility during the 2012 election cycle. The number of education-related campaigns has increased as ed reformers try to entrench their policies in law. In addition to the familiar battles over school funding, there are votes on charter schools, the content of teacher contracts, vouchers, and union rights (the four largest unions in the United States represent teachers and other public sector workers). Disregarded in the past, elections for school boards and superintendents have become major battles. This year’s education votes were high-profile within individual states, fiercely fought, and outlandishly expensive; some attracted national attention. Public education supporters won some impressive victories and suffered several bitter disappointments. Here is a review of some pivotal votes, who supported what, and why:

Read state by state results at Dissent: http://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/what-happened-to-public-education-on-election-night

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Joanne Barkan is a writer who lives in Manhattan and Truro, Massachusetts. She grew up on the South Side of Chicago where she attended public elementary and high schools.

Rockaway Update: Positively Dystopian

But then I saw a light -- one store still standing seemed to be the HQ of Occupy Sandy with a big green sign saying "Global Warming?"

Monday, November 26, 2012

This is mostly cleaned up now

Sunday morning I felt I was in the final scene of the original Planet of the Apes (spoiler alert) when Charlton Heston, who thinks he has been on another planet, comes upon a wrecked Statue of Liberty and realizes humanity had destroyed itself.

We're a month into post Sandy. I haven't been getting out and about Rockaway much other than basic entering and leaving, with a few side trips to the parking lots where the cars were towed to grab certain items and my license plates. These lots, full of wrecked cars, are on the bay side, so I haven't really seen much of the beach side, though we did take one walk to friends on a beach block and saw some of the devastation to the beach houses around 137/8th St. where the wonderful singer Kenny Vance* who grew up in Belle Harbor, had his beach house totally destroyed.

My friend Susan who lives in a 10 story building facing the ocean on 106th St. left town a few days after Sandy after finding the boardwalk and 4 ft of sand in her lobby. She left us her car. She came home Sunday morning and I picked her up at Laguardia. As we came into Rockaway over the Cross Bay Bridge driving on Shore Front Parkway along the beach I felt like Heston. The concrete skeletons of the support structure the boardwalk had rested on were sticking up like ancient dinosaurs. There seemed to be no beach with the ocean running under the concrete structures.

We turned into the courtyard of the building where loads of cars were parked, along with all kinds of maintenance trucks and a trailer which was probably a boiler. "Drive to the lot behind the building so I can see if my spot is available," Susan said. The lot was full of dead cars mixed with some live ones, some of the cars had clearly floated. The entire Rockaway peninsula is a cemetery for thousands of dead cars. It is almost incomprehensible. Everywhere you do you still see dead cars.

Susan told me to take her car since there was not spot. On the way home I passed more devastation. The stretch of Rockaway Beach Blvd between 116th and 108th street had a few blocks of rubble -- all stores are gone. Looked like another fire had hit them.

But then I saw a light -- one store still standing seemed to be the HQ of Occupy Sandy with a big green sign saying "Global Warming?"

Up for today: Air conditioner guys come to replace the compressor that was hit by the storm. When it was put in 7 years ago I insisted it be raised off the ground --- it was -- 2 ft. Now I'm having the new one hung 8 ft -- I don't care how ugly it looks. Since it is also a heat pump it will give us heat in the main area of our house when/if the electrician comes to run another line to replace the one that was compromised by sea water. But if the plumber comes first to finish installing the boiler that will give us our regular heating system back. Hoping both are done by the end of the week.

Did you know that NY State law says the insur co can't remove your car until the turn your plates in? Tomorrow we pick up our new Honda CRV so I am paying ins for 3 cars even though I already relinquished the titles to the dead ones to Geiko. My first stop will be the DMV and then I go tool shopping with a chain saw my priority. Here's why.

Inundated by Mormons
If I knew I might have considered Mitt. These guys and gals are all over the place. A few stopped by -- father and daughter from Virginia and a guy from Astoria -- they have Mormons in Queens? I took them to my backyard to check out a 20 ft high leaning emerald gold arborvitae, which we planted as a 4 ft shrub almost 30 years ago. "Get a chain saw and cut most of it down to give it a chance to survive" the lead guy said. He seemed to know what he was talking about. I didn't say I would put it on the roof of my car and drive to Canada.

Who knows what lurks inside our walls? 

Mold: that is the fright word you hear all over. A group called Friends of Rockaway which will focus on the Rockaway Park (149-116th St) area is holding Sunday 3PM meetings at St. Francis church, the hub of relief efforts. We went to the meeting yesterday in the warming tent where volunteers were serving food, etc. and heard a mold expert scare us to death. The costs of spraying, washing, etc are high (65 cents a sq ft). Mix bleach or vinegar with water and start spraying. And don't close up those walls for weeks or put insulation in even with winter coming to let the air circulate. Mold spores hate cold. So do I.

*A Kenny Vance storm story I heard. Friends live on 136 on the bay block, 5 blocks away from Vance's former home. They found a box of Vance CDs in prime condition on their lawn and some letters that had floated over from his house --- just a sense of the power of the surge.

I hear The Wave office is reopening today. Yay!

Another Parent Vents at Teach for America

The organization is disorganized, unresponsive and over promises. The worst part is they throw these kids into situations that they will likely fail  .... If you know someone or if your child is considering this, DON'T let them go. There are other ways to teach and help the school system. Please.  ---Parent of TFAer

A TFA parent left this comment today on a March, 2009 post: A Parent Vents At Teach for America --

My daughter is in Teach For America and nothing has changed since this [A Parent Vents At Teach for America] was first written. The program succeeds because they recruit well and once the best of the best leave this program they do good things because they were good to start with, not because they got something from TFA. The organization is disorganized, unresponsive and over promises. The worst part is they throw these kids into situations that they will likely fail in, but they hire kids who won't quit, so they create a significant problem for the students. My daughter is breaking down and will likely need therapy before this is over and I am trying to get her to quit. Such a terrible shame. If you know someone or if your child is considering this, DON'T let them go. There are other ways to teach and help the school system. Please. 

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March 19, 2009

A Parent Vents At Teach for America

Hi D,
I have a friend whose kid just signed up for Teach for America. Wasn't that the program that gave [your daughter S] so much trouble? Care to elaborate? I'm sure they'd be interested in more info. Maybe [S] can write directly to her son. Thanks.
L

Hi L,
Teach for America only has one program, which is for recent college graduates from prestigious universities with no or little educational experience and training. TFA gives them about one month's worth of training, mostly in record keeping, along with room and board, but nothing else. TFA then puts them in an inner city classroom (for which they get an undisclosed fee of about $1,500 to 5,000 from a school district), based on the totally erroneous assumption that high achievers can get by with determination, some mentoring (which in S's case was denied by the elementary school in Brooklyn she was assigned to two days before school began), and taking a few mediocre education courses.

S initiated all types of interventions at the school directly, through Teach for America, through her union, and through an attorney we hired to get Teach for America to intervene at the school to get the mentoring she was entitled to, but TFA told her she was not working hard enough at being a leader. S also attempted to get a transfer to a school which wanted an untrained, uncertified teacher, and TFA flatly refused the request. TFA also refused to provide us a copy of the contract between TFA and their teachers, as well as between TFA and the NYC Department of Education.

TFA also flat out lied to us when they said S would be flown to NYC for placement interviews before her "training" began. They also mislead us to believe that the placements took place during training. Finally, we were upset to find out that there was no compensation to get her to NYC, while she lived in their dorm, and while she was on her own for one month between the end of training. She only got her first pay check in October, which meant she was dependent on us for about a half-year after our first parent's briefing from Teach for America..

We also discovered that because of its foundation supporters and general philosophical outlook, that TFA is fanatically anti-union. They never tell their trainees that they will be in a unionized work force, and their staff even told us in writing that if they were to attend a meeting at S's school with a union rep present, that TFA would fire them from their staff positions!

Later we discovered the work of the foremost scholar on teacher education, Linda Darling Hammond of Stanford (who was Obama's chief education adviser during the transition period). She totally slams Teach for America and told us S's experience was not that unusual. She also is an advocate for serious teacher training, which means getting an MA after graduation instead of five weeks of summer school training.

Bottom line, it was a horrible experience in a horrible program. Your friend's son should turn to a serious program in teacher training.

A few of the articles we got, largely from Prof. Darling-Hammond, are attached. I will also copy an education blogger in NYC, Norm Scott, who published something we wrote about her experience in TFA. He may have more material. Also an old friend, who is now the president of the state Federation of Teachers, may have more thoughts, especially about TFA's strong anti-union outlook.
D

Darling-Hammond article is posted at http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcj5ndsz_28cdp2gbhd
There is also a pdf of a Slate article but only available as a pdf from email.

Leonie Haimson: Educate All Kids Like Sasha and Malia

Obama’s education policies are failing children, except for his own. 

BY Leonie Haimson
 

Rather than follow blindly in the path of privatization and unleashed free-market competition that led to the collapse of our economy, it’s time for Obama to start listening to parents and teachers. Cramming kids into classes of 30 or more and putting them on laptops while supervised by novices will never enhance their creativity or critical thinking skills.

Now that Barack Obama has been re-elected president, it’s time that he start making good on the education issues he emphasized during his campaign. While in speeches and in ads the president seized on Romney’s statement that class size doesn’t matter, the truth is that Obama’s Education Secretary Arne Duncan has dismissed the importance of class size nearly as strongly. Worse yet, Duncan proposes cutting federal funds that districts can use to hire teachers at a time of sharp increases in class size.

While Obama inveighed against “teaching to the test,” his administration has injected even more test prep into our schools by mandating that teachers and schools be evaluated by means of unreliable algorithms based on test scores. His wrong-headed Race to the Top program and No Child Left Behind “waivers” forced districts to adopt punitive policies like school closings and mass teacher firings that further undermine the opportunities of our most at-risk students. His Department of Education has wasted billions by financing the expansion of merit pay, high-stakes testing, online learning, charter schools and Teach for America, none of which has a positive record. The latter program puts earnest young college grads in classrooms with the most at-risk students after only five weeks of training.
Rather than follow blindly in the path of privatization and unleashed free-market competition that led to the collapse of our economy, it’s time for Obama to start listening to the priorities of parents and treating teachers as professionals. Cramming kids into classes of 30 or more and putting them on laptops while supervised by novices will never enhance their creativity or critical thinking skills.

On November 6, voters throughout the country, including in Connecticut, Indiana and Idaho, rejected corporate-style education measures and candidates. In only two states did these policies prevail: Georgia, which approved an appointed state board that can authorize charter schools over the objections of local school boards; and Washington, which will allow charter schools to be instituted for the first time, but where the margin of victory was paper-thin and might still be reversed. In both cases, these pro-charter campaigns were financed primarily by wealthy billionaires like Bill Gates and Alice Walton (of Walmart fame), who outspent their opponents by more than 10 to one. In both cases, their measures were opposed by a coalition of local school boards, state PTAs, teachers unions, civil rights and good government groups, which are becoming increasingly vehement in their resistance to the damaging tide of budget cuts, class-size increases, privatization and high-stakes testing that is overtaking our schools.

Instead of pauperizing, standardizing, digitizing and privatizing education, we know what works to increase opportunities for children. Just witness the sort of education Obama’s own daughters receive: small classes with plenty of personal attention from experienced teachers, a well-rounded education with art, science and music, and little or no standardized testing. By instituting these reforms in the 1970s, Finland was able to turn around its school system and now outranks nearly all other nations in student achievement. If it’s good enough for Malia and Sasha, it should be good enough for inner-city public school students in New York City or Chicago.
Across the country, resistance to corporate-style education is growing in intensity and breadth. The grassroots coalition of parent, teacher and civil rights groups that worked together to win critical battles on November 6 must double down and make our voices heard, so that Obama will understand that he is on the wrong track. It’s not too late to for him to reject the favored policies of billionaires, corporate consultants, testing companies and privateers. These policies defy common sense and research, destroy the morale of teachers, treat our children as data points, and threaten to run our public schools into the ground.

ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Leonie Haimson is a parent advocate and executive director of the New York-based advocacy group Class Size Matters. She is also the editor of the NYC Public School Parent blog and a founder of Parents Across America.

Williamsburg/Greenpt Parents Fight Citizens of the World (Eva's Hubbie)

The Hearing to co-locate "Citizens of the World Charter Schools" in JHS126 is Wed., December 5 at 6pm (5:30 to speak).

PLEASE COME!!!! Enclosed is a version in English and a version in Spanish. PLEASE distribute! Send this to your friends and colleagues and urge them to attend. If there's one event in this district to come to that will help ALL of our schools, this is it.

The sustainability and health of all of our neighborhood public schools are at risk. The only reason the NYC DOE wants to co-locate this school in our district is because we have space in our schools, and the only reason we have space is because we don't have enough children to fill up our schools. NYC is 5% charterized, yet our district already has 29% of our Kindergartners enrolled in charter schools. "Citizens of the World Charter School" will raise that to well over 30% and will severely impact enrollment throughout our schools. "Citizens of the World Charter School" in our district is horrible city planning.

The NYC DOE isn't listening to data, reason, or democracy, so we need to get MORE people to help them hear us.

Rockaway Update: Did Your Jewelry Enjoy the Swim?

Here's a surreal Friday scene:

Being escorted through the corridors of the Chase building at 4 Metrotech in downtown Brooklyn by a Chase employee you recognize from the Rockaway Beach 116th branch (10ft of water in basement, 7 ft on main level that must have penetrated the vault) where you kept your safe deposit box. You are there to pick up the contents that may or not still exist.

You seem to remember having to reach up for the box so maybe you're OK. Your birth certificate is in there. If it got wet how will you know how old you are?

You are led a long way before coming to a big open room on the lower level with racks of safe deposit boxes from your branch all over the place. The bottom 4 or 5 levels are rusted. Yours is safe. You show ID, are asked for your key and you are escorted to a private area where you can look to see if the crown jewels have been tampered with. They are fine, so you wrap everything up and are escorted back out.

The escort is a Rockaway resident. She was at the bank the morning after. With 7 feet of water in the bank during the storm, they had no idea how much was in the vault, so before opening it they told everyone to stand back. Luckily it wasn't full -- only about a foot of water came out.

She tells you all sorts of fun stories that all Rockawayites seem to share, including the one everyone tells of the woman who went to her basement, was cut by glass from a broken window as the surge came in and bled to death. The Chase gal, who has worked for Chase for 37 years, is living in Brooklyn with her boy friend so she has seen all the reports on TV that you have missed. "They don't come close to the real story," she says. She tells about your favorite hardware store, across from a transit police building, that was broken into and vandalized. Interesting factoid: the bank on the beach block wasn't hit as hard as Chase witch was closer to the bay. Every conversation gives you another nugget of info. This one is important. Was it the bay more than the ocean that was the real culprit, especially since your house is only half a block away from the bay?

The night before a friend had told you that the storm sewers were bubbling up hours before high tide and that is water backing up the sewers from the bay. He also told you the bay was higher than the sea wall at the height of the storm. Hmmm. You are hearing stories of people on beach blocks who did not get hit as bad as you --- but that seems to be a minority. You even heard from a friend on the beach block whose truck survived the storm. New theory -- the waves surged and then spread out to the blocks towards the bay which absorbed the water until it met the bay. So some beach block houses which may have been on a higher rise escaped some of the worse damage. Lesson: Build up.

Get some lunch at a french place near metrotech and then head over to Court St for the movie Silver Linings Playbook which you love and develop a crush on jennifer lawrence. Then over to Sheepshead Bay for Thai food where just as you sit down your best Rockaway pals walk in and sit down with you after eating next door. You all continue to share stories even some you may have shared before. Luckily not the one about the lady who bled to death.

----
Saturday update:

Geiko says they can't take the dead cars off policy till you turn in plate to DMV -- NY State law. I have 3 of the 4 plates but my wife's car is pressed up against another and I haven't been able to get the plate off. I've already been there twice with some tools but no luck. I tried the gentleman's way --- trying to get the nuts off. Now it's time to get tough with the little bastard.

This time I take the big crow bar. I find a low angle and start bending the plate until one side gives and it comes loose. Then hit the other side using brute force. It comes loose. I love this crow bar. I may take it everywhere.

Run Like Hell From Common Core Scam Pushed by UFT/AFT and DOE/Deformers

Imagine someone trying to sell you a car with a speedometer but no engine.... Patrick Walsh, Raging Horse Blog

Patrick Walsh nails the common core.

Somehow in the frenzied production of all these Common Core based paraphernalia, both city and state failed to insure the production of the element most essential to the possibility of the Common Core having any kind of real educational success.      Somehow both city and state failed to produce a curriculum.  It is difficult to overestimate how grand a failure this is.

There's a scene in the movie "Lincoln" where he does geometry - If A=B and B=C then A=C -- easy and obvious -- not so easy 2300 years ago.

Let me change the equation: If UFT/AFT promotes common core and the DOE/Obama/ed deformers promote common core then UFT/AFT = DOE/deformers and you better run like hell.

I really don't need to know much more. I have my own simple formula: If the union and the deformers agree then it must be bad. Don't bother me with the details. I'm against it.

Now there's lots of amazing stuff out on common core.

See Susan Ohanian's constant onslaught as in this recent post:

Substance went over the top in illustrating my latest Common Core expose, but alas they are offline at the moment. Here's a more modest presentation:
http://susanohanian.blogspot.com/2012/11/heres-how-common-core-assessments-plan.html

The words are the same. George Schmidt has provided lots more pix--with captions.

I can't remember if I sent this cartoon:
http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_cartoons.php?id=821

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Common-Core Deal in Florida Sparks Legal Feud
Jason Tomassini and Nikhita Venugopal
Education Week
2012-11-14
http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=375

Florida signed a $20 million contract with 'a consulting and software development services company' to build a website planned to prepare teachers and students for the Common Core. Now they are suing each other.

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Middle Schoolers in a Common Core World
Mike Evans
Pearson Always Learning
2012-11-19
http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=374

And when you go through the ratio example you'll see that the Pearson computer whizbang wonder--supplanting old-fashioned textbooks for those who feel the Lorelei call of the global marketplace--produces fish swimming in seaweed.

Here's a good one by Paddy Walsh at Raging Horse with some excerpts below (READ IT ALL HERE).

The Common Core: Putting Corporations First. Always

Except, it seems, when tending to the needs of corporations like Pearson and their  (equally misleadingly named ) Common Core State Standards, currently  being presented to the nation as the panacea to all that ails American education.

Not to mention the millions of dollars to be made in the production and sale of Common Core based tests, Common Core Text books, Common Core guides, and Common Core learning aids and accessories of every conceivable (and inconceivable) kind.

Taking Down Ed Deform -- Blogger Jersey Jazzman on National Thanksgiving Crisis

There are so many juicy tidbits in here, it tastes better than turkey.

Have a Reformy Thanksgiving!

We have a national Thanksgiving crisis.

International comparisons clearly show our turkeys are drier, our mashed potatoes are waterier, and our pumpkins pies have less pumpkin per slice than every other developed country in the world (save Finland). A recent Gates Foundation project, the MET (Measures of Effective Thanksgiving) showed that surveys of students taken at "kids tables" around the country rate Thanksgiving dinners anywhere from "sucks" to "totally sucks" to "can I leave the table now?"

Joel Klein and Condoleezza Rice recently released a report demonstrating that bad Thanksgiving cooking is a threat to our national security. The primary reason is that our Thanksgiving cooks are not focusing on the Common Core of the meal: turkey, gravy, and stuffing. Instead, cooks waste time fussing over green bean casserole. Yes, I agree that green bean casserole is important, but I ask you: will our children ever leave the table college- or career-ready simply on a diet of side dishes?

Read more: http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2012/11/have-reformy-thanksgiving.html?spref=tw
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Rockaway Update: Pilgrim's Progress

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

Much of the block on our end is deserted as people have left to stay in other places, only coming to visit to meet workmen or adjusters. So it is lonely at night. About half the people have remained  -- the couple across the street were featured getting their new boiler going on national NBC news on a report in the wonderful Graybeards group out here -- more on them soon -- great group to send money to.

Where we stand:
Weds -- Electricians back for 2nd time -- put in new sub panel to replace the one in the basement -- I asked them to move it to the garage as high as possible. Since my entire electrical grid is not connected they have to test one line at a time and run new BX cables so it is quite a job. They were there for hours and gave us power to our extension and to one outlet in the bedroom. They ran a line to the basement for the burner so I called Pat the plumber to get on the schedule for next week to finish connecting the burner to all 3 zones.

In the meantime we have the heat exchangers from the air conditioning system working in the bedrooms when needed -- and the cats are smart enough to hang out there.

Right after the electrical guys left Verizon showed up - perfect timing. He changed the damaged stuff and I helped him run a phone cable up to my man cave where the router is too -- by running extension cords up from the garage I now have fios, internet and phone service. Great, as long as I don't trip.

So, it's been a busy few days.

I just love hanging out with people who work with their hands -- plumbers, electricians, etc. The conversations are so different from talking to teachers.
Don't ask me which I prefer.

For many years after I bought my house I tried to save money by doing stuff myself and found out just how hard it is and how skillful and smart you have to be to do it well (I wasn't neither). But I installed my own alarm by wiring the entire house -- all that laid bare and destroyed now --- did low-level carpentry, electrical work (shhhh, don't tell the insurance co)  -- and about to have all of it ripped out and done right, plumbing --- I actually installed most of the heating baseboards in much of my house -- who was that guy who used to solder pipe joints? Around 1986  I hired an amazing guy from Portugal to build a 10x16 ft extension and I was his assistant -- that was 25 years ago -- and it actually held up during the storm.

Well, I am well beyond that now. I'm just hiring people and hoping flood insurance will cover. I'm guessing I already have spent  close to 20 grand or am about to get close and that is without doing the basic reconstruction work which might cost another 20.

Geiko came through big on the car insurance and I told a rep I would dress up in the Gekko costume and do ads for them. We luckily rescued the soaking wet car titles and had to send them in before getting reimbursed. But then they told us to drive to the McDonald's in Howard Beach and look for a Geiko trailor where we could turn them in and voila we walked out with 2 checks for our cars.

The gave me more than what I paid 3 months ago for a new 2012 CRV and we went right over to Andy Feldman at Bay Ridge Honda and bought a new one -- which we had to do because our friend who loaned us a car is coming back Sunday. My wife had a 2003 Accord and first they said 8grand -- which was great. Then they called and said because she had such low mileage they were giving us 10 grand. Amazing.

And then our non-flood insurance adjuster -- we expected nothing since they don't cover floods made a generous offer for some coverage including hot water heater and boiler using the assumption that sewage -- which they do cover -- must have been in our basement up to 2 feet.

Thursday:
Thanks to Cousins Amy, David and their too-quickly grown up children Matt, Stephanie and Rachel (omg, a freshman in college already) for hosting us in Northport, LI for a great TG dinner --- lucky we left before having to watch the Jets. David is a Cowboys fan but he is used to losing so no biggie. Matt was a White House intern this past summer and has a great pic of the group with Michelle Obama with her arm around him. Cool.

And all the little kids -- our grand nieces Jordan (5) and Lexie year and a half), cousins Julie (6) and Mikie (3), all of whom spent hours racing around the house. And kudos to Sister-in-law Val and Bro-in-law Dave, a Romney supporter who said nothing (for a change) for driving back and forth with us -- they were also hit by the storm in the Atlantic Highlands.

Join the 6% Club: Parents Who Opt Out of High Stakes Tests

Parents have the RIGHT to opt their children out of this cycle of madness.
If just 6% of the children per school site were opted out of this grossly over-rated system of assessing students and holding educators accountable, we could begin to have a productive dialogue about more humane and complex systems of assessment and education.

Just saw this video (http://youtu.be/RJ26p7IKAgI) in an email from Janine Sopp. The growing opt-out movement has the best chance to redirect education policy, given the fact the major teacher unions are too frightened to take this issue on --- you know, the "we need to be accountable" crap being pushed by Randi and crew. Just ask her and she will spout back "we need multiple measures" even though we all know only one measure is being used and it is unreliable.




Here is more info from the you tube site:

The high stakes testing fervor which has swept through our public school system has been a national disaster. Not only are these standardized tests flawed, but they have wreaked havoc on the teaching profession, distorting the meaning of "quality education", whilst depriving millions of children of the opportunity to have an enriching engaging educational experience. Curriculum progressively narrows; children are labeled at ever earlier ages in a "uni-dimensional" manner; high school dropout rates are increasing; children from disadvantaged backgrounds are continuing to be the victims of scripted base programs and regimented schedules; state budgets struggle to fund education. All of this, and yet, millions upon millions of tax dollars are being spent to keep the testing-mill going and to purchase a vast variety of boxed curriculae which promise school districts "higher scores".

But, we can stop it.

JOIN THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVEMENT OF THE 21st CENTURY: The 6% CLUB!

"Opt out now! Ask me how!"

More below on Yong Zhao, who was the guest speaker at a GEM/PAA event Oct. 2011 (see videos here and here):

Decoding the UFT Q and A on Makeup Days

Our dear Unity leaders published a handy dandy Q/A chock full of reasons why this move was necessary. Unfortunately, they are all lies. On the bright side, Mr. Talk is here to translate Unity's gobbledegook into plain English for you....

Accountable Talk blog savages Unity: Q and A on Losing Vacation Days to Hurricane Sandy (A MUST READ - SEE SAMPLE BELOW).

I have internet back so expect a deluge bigger than from Sandy -- or Diane Ravitch.

I posted on the make-up day issue: A Debate on Make-Up Days

NYC Educator says in: The Law Is the Law, Says UFT Leadership

However, there is another way to waive the requirement. This, apparently, escaped the attention of whoever wrote the UFT Q and A. The State Legislature can vote to do so, and in fact did so as recently as last year. In fact, on November 1st, they were considering just that.

School districts would face a loss of state aid if they were to have fewer than 180 days of classes. Lawmakers said they would look to modify the law to hold school districts downstate harmless because of the extended school closures caused by the devastation from Sandy.

James Eterno has 2 posts:


WE CAN EASILY MAKE UP THE LOST SANDY TIME WITHOUT LOSING VACATION OR INSTRUCTION

Followed by a response to the UFT Q and A.

I STAND BY MY MATH-
COMMENTARY ON UFT Q & A ON LOST VACATION DAYS
The Union has produced a Question and Answer sheet pertaining to the three days of vacation time that we are surrendering from the midwinter break because we missed days due to super-storm Sandy. The Q and A explains some of our dilemma but not everything.

More details on James' post here:

We posted Arthur Goldstein's great letter which was also posted by MORE.
On Make-Up Days: Dear Mr. Mulgrew


Apparently the make-up days have triggered a beyond fed-up attitude amongst some bloggers. I posted about that here:

RBE: I've Had It. No More Mulgrew: Vote for Change in New York City

One thing you might remember as you work on those 3 vacation days that we won in contract negotiations years ago, they will be in the middle of the UFT election campaign -- ballots go out around March 1 or so.

You might try sharing something like what Unity Must Go sent out to the staff - people do forget so do this often but that Feb week would be a perfect time.

I am a Chapter Leader and fed up with UNITY caucus. I thought I'd share an e-mail I just sent to my Chapter this morning."I’ve had some wonderful conversations around the building about the job our union leadership is doing for us. One party, UNITY, controls our union. Their entire modus operandi appears to be stay in power and spend your dues. If you are tired of the constant lack of apparent foresight, bad decisions and leadership of our union there is only one party to blame, them. There are alternative parties officially recognized by our union. They are made up of rank and file educators tired of the BS. In the last election they garnered over 4,000 votes! You are not alone if you feel helpless against your own union. I encourage you to learn a little something about the alternative parties and their candidates and to consider casting your vote for them in this February’s UFT elections. Maybe, just maybe some good can come from Sandy and real teachers can take back some control of our own destiny rather than sit back and let UNITY sell us out again and again. Here is some information and a few links to help you get started. I encourage you to read this entire e-mail. "I then cut and pasted much of what i have been reading on NYCeducator, Ednotes etc with a little editing. I strongly encourage MORE, ICE & GEM to jump on the anger that's out there towards our union. This is your opportunity now get your message out there.

SAMPLE FROM AT PARSE OF Q/A:

Why did we have to give up part of our midwinter break? There had to be better alternatives.
First of all, we didn’t have the power to negotiate over whether or not to give up days. (We only have 120,000 members and 125 million of your dollars, which means we'd have to do something and cut back on our croissant expenditures to fight this) State law requires that we make up those days. The discussions we had with the DOE were only about which days to use. (We forgot to bring the subject up) The state requires a minimum number of 180 instructional days and this school year, we were close to that minimum given how the holidays fell.(The number of days this year was an act of God. The hurricane was not. Oh, wait...)  If this were last year, when we had 186 days in the school calendar, we would have been able to absorb the lost time. (It would have been a LOT harder to give those days away last year, so we're glad it happened this year) We are dealing with this issue because we have the maximum vacation time in this year’s calendar. (We couldn't even make you work extra PD this June like we did last year!) The union explored every possible option (rolling on our backs with our feet in the air, hoping to get our bellies scratched)

MORE AT: Q and A on Losing Vacation Days to Hurricane Sandy
  

RBE: I've Had It. No More Mulgrew: Vote for Change in New York City

Can you imagine Julie Cavanagh, who is running for UFT President on the MORE slate, selling us out? I can't. ----- Accountable Talk echoed by RBE.

Susan Ohanian reported on Reality-Based Educator's and Accountable Talk's call for an end to Unity's reign with this comment:

NOTE: Although this is written by a New York City teacher who belongs to the United Federation of Teachers, the dominant force in the AFT, it rings true for all teachers across the country--urban teachers in particular.

Michael Mulgrew is president of the UFT.

MORE is Movement of Rank and File Educators, the Social Justice Caucus of the UFT. Julie Cavanagh, a special education teacher, is the co-producer/narrator of the acclaimed The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman. The film was produced by the Grassroots Education Movement, another UFT caucus which tries to make the American Federation of Teachers work for teachers and children.

TDRs are Teacher Data Reports, reports that purportedly show how much progress individual teachers helped students make in reading and math over the course of a year.

ATR refers to teachers who have lost their daily teaching positions but are reassigned to substitute for absent teachers or to perform clerical work.

Just think about CORE in Chicago (Caucus of Rank and File Educators). They took over the AFT union there, gained community support,and have shown the mayor (who controls the school system) that teachers have muscle.

Susan
--------------

Reality-Based Teacher at Perdido Street School

I've had it.

I've had it with the Superstorm Sandy PD Days By Candlelight Michael Mulgrew refused to fight against.

I've had it with the UFT's Race to the Top collaboration that brought us the vaunted new APPR teacher evaluation system (20% state tests/20% city tests/60% Danielson rubric and other assorted nonsense.)

I've had it with the UFT's collaboration with the DOE on the Teacher Data Reports that saw many good teachers smeared in the press.

Sure the UFT "fought" to keep the TDR's from being released to the press, but who agreed to the program in the first place?

And who failed to point out that the TDR's were using a value added methodology with a 52% median margin of error and swings in stability so wide they make Charles Manson seem stable?

I've had it with the ATR agreements the UFT has made with the DOE that sell out my fellow teachers stuck in the ATR pool, sending them to a different school every week in order to destabilize them and make their work lives as difficult as possible.

I've had it with the UFT's promotion of the Danielson evaluation system, the one with the 57 page rubric, as the bestest thing since sliced bread in the way of teacher evaluation.

I've had it with the UFT's refusal to negotiate a contract before Bloomberg's third term, their refusal to get the 4% pattern that all the other unions were granted even as they sat on their hands and made sure Bloomberg got his illegal third term.

I've had it with the UFT's refusal to strategically fight school closures before they happen by pointing out how the DOE sets schools up for failure by cutting financing even as they ratchet up the number of high needs students.

I've had it with the UFT's refusal to fight mayoral control - the system that gives a Little Autocrat sole power over schools, students and teachers.

And those are just the things I can think of off the top of my head.

I know there's whole bunch of other stuff the UFT has done to screw its membership.

I've had it.

It's time for a change.

What next outrage will Michael Mulgrew and his merry UFTsters bring us?

Merit pay?

End of salary steps?

You better you better you bet the UFT will be bringing that home to NYC, just the way Mulgrew's patron Saint Randi of the Collaborative Sisters of Corporate Education Reform has been bringing those to cities all over the nation - from Baltimore to Newark to New Haven to Detroit.

It is time to send the AFT and the UFT leaderships packing.

Let's start with the UFT leadership.

Accountable Talk write the following last night:

Does ANYONE at this point have ANY faith that Unity is going to do anything but sell us out yet again on our next contract? I sure as hell don't.

If you vote for Mulgrew and Unity this March, you have no one to blame but yourself when they sell us out yet again. It's time for a change. I urge everyone to vote for the MORE caucus http://morecaucusnyc.org/.

Can you imagine Julie Cavanagh, who is running for UFT President on the MORE slate, selling us out? I can't.

I sure can imagine Mulgrew doing it--and then sending out his reps to every school to tell us how grateful we should be that we didn't do even worse. The only skill these Unity hacks seem to have is putting lipstick on a pig. They sure as hell can't negotiate.

Get the word out. Vote for MORE. Get rid of Unity.

While you still have a job.

I want to echo AT there.

It's time to rid the UFT of Unity.

I want MORE out of my union.

— Reality-Based Teacher

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

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Please Help E4E Avoid Shame for Low Attendence at Walcott Event - And Free Drinks and Appetizers

E4E keeps sending these invites out in droves. Come on. Don't you want to go hear Walcott drone on about teacher evaluation? Go and ask him and E4E slugs why they support VAM despite 50% inaccuracy?

Really, you better get on this and reserve your seat B4 it's 2 late.
--------------

As we head into the holiday, we want to wish you and yours a happy Thanksgiving.   

Also, before things get hectic, we want to remind you to RSVP for the conversation with Chancellor Walcott about teacher evaluation.  It's just two days after the long weekend so be sure to RSVP and reserve your seat now.

Join us for a discussion with Chancellor Walcott:

Tuesday, November 27, 2012 6:30-8:15PM (Doors open at 6PM, reception to follow event)

Baruch College Conference Center 
55 Lexington Avenue (on the corner of 24th Street)
Accessible via the 6, N, and R trains

http://bit.ly/E4ENov27

Following the conversation with the Chancellor, share your voice with members of the Chancellor's staff in small group conversations.

Afterward, we'll host an opportunity to connect with fellow teachers – drinks and appetizers will be served.

Again, happy Thanksgiving and looking forward to seeing you on November 27th,

Jonathan

Jonathan Schleifer
Executive Director
Educators 4 Excellence-New York


Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

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A Debate on Make-Up Days

Veteran ICEers Kaufman, Fiorillo and Eterno respond to the comment below suggesting kids will benefit from the make-up days. Yes, there is conflict/guilt for some teachers who try to balance between teacher interest and student interest. Frankly, given the BloomKleinCott running of the schools the more time kids are out of schools the better off they are. (Just joking for the humorless out there).

What do I still love about the crew in ICE? No pussyfooting around when it comes to going head to head with the UFT/Unity leadership. A good reason why we keep ICE alive even though no longer an official caucus challenging Unity in elections with most ICE people working in MORE which is still finding its voice and seems more circumspect in the way it addresses Unity. At times there is impatience amongst ICEers with what is purceived as a level of political correctness. But that may be due to the number of vets who have been battling Unity for, in my case, over 40 years. My view is that the new gen of union activists just have to go through the learning process to see the vichy/snakelike/sellouts they are dealing with.

I believe MORE is taking a strong position on this issue by publishing Arthur Goldstein's great letter.

-------

Still no internet and running out of extension cords snaking up from garage so I can't do any formatting.
By the way, Julie, Jack and I had a great experience speaking to a class at Brooklyn College last night - even when Julie handed Jack to me while she went to the restroom - I think the first time I ever held a baby. More on that later.
-------

Initial Comment on make-up days:

we should ask ourselves the following questions:

1) Does this benefit the students?
and 
2) Is this a "principled" question?

For me, I think that having the time in school (if there are not too many teachers missing) will benefit the students and that this is NOT a principled question.

-------
Jeff Kaufman:

I don't know what principled means in this context but this decision and the process used to make the decision must be viewed in a much larger way. First, the membership had no voice….not even a show at the DA in this decision even though it direct affects us.
 
Were alternatives considered…working a few minutes extra?
 
Is there equity with the way Irene was handled?
 
Being from high school, how does this help students? Many will not benefit from making up missed instructions since the courses they are taking this semester will not be the same they are taking next semester.
 
I wonder how much our students will really benefit. Don't we have experience with how extra time has helped (37 ½ minutes?)
 
Obviously I enjoy my vacations and believe it or not use the time for professional development which will not be possible now.
 
Few if any of these considerations were ever made. Rather, just like the DOE decisions are made and we must follow. Nice.
 
Jeff
 
------
Michael Fiorillo

I'm with Jeff on this one. For high school students, the benefits of this  are few to none, since they are not making up time lost this semester.

The students' needs are infinite, so should we be therefore give up all our vacation time - without discussion or consideration of alternatives - for "principled" reasons?

--------
James Eterno

As usual, the UFT gives in without a fight.  The latest giveback is to lose three days from midwinter break this year.

If anyone quotes the state law on this, just tell them we have enough days where we work.  We have too many professional development days.  Some could be turned into instruction and we meet state regulations.  I blogged about it so please comment.

http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/we-can-easily-make-up-lost-sandy-time.html

James

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

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Makeup: Say It Ain't So Mike

Jeez, hold out for something if you're going to cave. The Feb makeup days come a week or so before uft election ballots are sent out. Every one of these days remind people to vote MORE.

Please read these commentaries and feel free to write your own to Mulgrew or your DRs. Links are not hot but you know where to find them.

 
NYC Educator: UFT President Michael Mulgrew Gives Up February Break
 
Perdido Street School: UFT Agrees To Cancel February Break (UPDATED)
 
ICEUFT Blog: WE CAN EASILY MAKE UP THE LOST SANDY TIME WITHOUT LOSING VACATION OR INSTRUCTION
 
Chaz's School Daze: Michael Mulgrew Is A Wuss!
--

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

Detroit, Another Randi Sellout, Comes Back to Haunt and the Detroit Union Election

The union's leaders just filed a lawsuit against the district for laying off 422 teachers who were evaluated under a new system that union leaders allege is unfair.----
Membership is at about 5,000, down from 7,000 in 2010.
----The Detroit News

We have to tie this story to the Newark story since Randi sold both contracts in deals with slimeballs like Cami Anderson. Check the drop in the numbers of Newark teachers fired over "unfair" observations and the total drop in teachers in the system in 2-4 years. I'm betting that the NEW Caucus will give the pro-Randi leadership a run for their money in elections.

There's a whole lot of backstory here but without internet access I can't include links. Search Ed Notes for Steve Conn, who last time lost to Randi pal Kevin Johnson by only 41 votes and then was suspended by Johnson for 7 months - shades of some sleazy former Soviet republic.
Now if you know Steve and his left politics and the fact he was a white guy running against a black man in a majority black membership the close vote last time was a repudiation of Randi and the contract she negotiated (and Newark will be the same - see jersey Jazzman and NEW caucus stuff) and really unimagineable - this election should be fascinating to watch. I wish I could access it but I have some good tape of Steve heckling Randi as she tried to speak at a rally for the Detroit union at the aft convention. Steve is, to say the least, not genteel. Even I felt queezy.

Funny but I end up in similar debates with some of my MORE colleagues who call for being "strategic" in how to criticize the Unity leadership when I think we should strangle them. Maybe we need a bit more Steve Conn in MORE.

And for those of you who say you can't challenge sell-out union leadership if you raise left social justice issues, the 41 vote diff last time and the chicago story belie that. The worse it gets the more radical solutions are put on the table.

-------
November 19, 2012 at 1:00 am

Detroit teachers union to begin voting for officers

·         By Jennifer Chambers

·         The Detroit News

Detroit — The challenger says he will organize a teachers strike if elected, while the incumbent says he is running on a proven record that includes bonuses for teachers and restored retirement benefits during a financial crisis.

Members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers today will begin casting votes to select a president for a two-year term as well as a slate of other officers and an executive board to lead the union at a time of unprecedented upheaval in Detroit Public Schools.

The deadline to vote is Dec. 1.

Incumbent President Keith Johnson is running for re-election to lead the 5,000-member union, which represents teachers, clerical workers and social workers, and others who work among DPS' 100 schools.

Johnson, who took office in 2008 and has been with DPS for 33 years, has battled with emergency managers since 2009 and taken the district to court over pay cuts, retirement benefits and improper layoffs.

The union's leaders just filed a lawsuit against the district for laying off 422 teachers who were evaluated under a new system that union leaders allege is unfair.

Johnson, 57, said he presented a check for $700,000 to DPS this year that reflect savings from negotiated prescription coverage programs.

"Under the most adverse conditions imaginable I have found a way with the people around me to work within the fiscal realities and still find a way to preserve jobs for the moment and salaries and benefits," said Johnson, a former math teacher.

Two years ago, Johnson came within 41 votes of being unseated. Membership is at about 5,000, down from 7,000 in 2010.

Steve Conn, a union dissident, is again challenging for the presidency. Conn said conditions in the schools are deplorable.

"What is going on in the name of reform is destroying the lives of the children in the city, and as teachers we demand what is right. We are going to organize. We want the end of the chaos. We want our jobs, layoffs to be recalled, we want pay and benefits restored," he said.

Conn, 55, a teacher at Cass Technical High School and with the district since 1986, was suspended in 2010 for his behavior at a union meeting at which he tried to thwart a swearing-in ceremony for newly elected union officers.

At the time, the union's executive board held a hearing for Conn, and he was suspended for seven months.

Union officials accused Conn of "physically imposing" himself on members of the union's executive board and David Hecker, president of the American Federation of Teachers-Michigan, during a swearing-in ceremony at the union hall in Detroit. A YouTube video shows Conn shouting at DFT executive board members and Hecker, and knocking papers from their hands as they took their oath.

jchambers@detnews.com

(313) 222-2269

From The Detroit News: http://www.d
Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

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Cuomo's LIPA investigation and Cuomo's LIPA role

I'm all for blaming posturing slimebag Cuomo who makes even Christie look good.

-------------
From Azi Paybarah - Capital New York  

Andrew Cuomo has organized an investigation into how and why the Long Island Power Authority failed in its response to Hurricane Sandy.

There's plenty for the investigators to look at, given how much is wrong with LIPA, including, significantly, the role of Cuomo himself in allowing the state-run utility to exist in such a shambolic state until now.  

The governor is "blatantly pointing them in the wrong direction," warns columnist Nicole Gelinas, by drawing attention to National Grid, the contracted entity that provides the services, rather than to LIPA itself. National Grid, she notes, is an easy target, since it's going to be replaced soon anyway.

Some blame lies with Cuomo, Gelinas argues, because he did not push for changes earlier, and because he allowed LIPA to continue to shoulder debt that lawmakers wanted to hide from the public.

Cuomo's sole appointee to fill one of the "slew" of vacancies on LIPA's board isn't an energy expert, but rather a big contributor to his campaign.

As the Times editorial page puts it today, "allowing such managerial ineptitude to fester [at LIPA] was bound to lead to disaster."

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

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On Make-Up Days: Dear Mr. Mulgrew

The strong letter below touches on numerous issues. After the 68 strike they made up days from x-mas vacation and paid doubletime plus extending the day by 45 minutes until all time was made up. I and a friend already had xmas plans so we didn't work those days and we lost that doubletime pay.

Dear Mr. Mulgrew:
 
I was somewhat dismayed by your letter stating we must make up days in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. I'm a little shocked the union would conclude this without having even consulted rank and file.
 
This, however, is not at all my only concern. First of all, there has been very public talk of relaxing the minimum attendance requirement statewide. We certainly ought to be open to that, and examine our options before simply agreeing to Chancellor Walcott's very public pronouncements. As you pointed out in your letter, we have worked up to 196 days a year and there was never extra compensation for our efforts.
 
My primary concern is for my members, many of whom, like me, have not been able to stay in their homes for over two weeks. We have not, in fact, spent our time off watching Oprah and eating popcorn. Most of my time has been spent frantically calling electricians and plumbers to replace walls, floors and appliances destroyed when six feet of saltwater rampaged through my home. Despite being essentially homeless, like many of my members, I've yet to miss a day this year.
 
Many of my members have already made plans for breaks and are set to lose considerable sums of money if these plans are abruptly altered by mayoral fiat or otherwise. At the last Queens Chapter Leader meeting, I was reminded that article 6C of our Contract lays out the days we are required to report.
 
I certainly hope I did not make an error sharing that information with my members.  Further financial strains on those affected by the storm will not be welcome. As you know, all city employees but educators received raises in excess of 8% between 2008-2010. My members, who have gone four years without a raise, are ill-prepared to take such a hit at this time.
 
In fact, last year we took no snow days at all, and Walcott, in a bizarre but typical DOE aberration from logic, gave us a choice in June of having kids attend or running an SBO for a PD day. My members were quite confused at the prospect of making up a snow day we did not actually use, and have reminded me of this frequently, most recently last Friday.
 
Personally, I'm incredulous the UFT seems to have capitulated to Walcott's demands for more days without any discussion, let alone demands. If Walcott wishes for us to be reasonable, the very least he can offer in return is a contract, with the 8% raise he unconditionally granted all other city employees.
 
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
 
Very truly yours,
 
Arthur Goldstein, UFT Chapter Leader
Francis Lewis High School

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
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Rockaway Update: Small Steps Toward Normalcy - Day 1 of Not Living Out of an ice chest a Real Dinner, Some Heat, Plus Bill Clinton Supposed to Visit Today

Gee, I better run out and get some munchies in case Bill stops by to help haul wet sheetrock.

I'm looking forward to reports of MORE monthly meeting yesterday. If you were there shoot me an email or leave a comment.

Sunday, Nov. 18, 8AM

I want to start by reiterating that we feel in better shape than 99 percent so no one should view anything I say as a real hardship. Not back to normal yet, but far from hardship.

Weekends out here are really wild as the mix of family members, volunteers, contracters, sanitation (the heros of this disaster - and a govt agency to boot), fire, police - both also doing amazing work and the gas (earlier on) and now power trucks - our area from Quebec though I've met guys from indiana, Conn, texas and other places.

A number of people on my block are not staying here at night so by 5pm all goes dead except for the continuing massive sanitation cleanup that goes on all night. The front of my house is loaded once again with a massive heap, this time containing the remnants of sheetrock that got wet - that dreaded mold must be conquered.

Yesterday I ran an extension cord through a hole I cut in the wall back of fridge. Seeing the light go on is a biggie. We dragged the smelly ice chest outside - almost 3 weeks - and I don't know if I wrote this but as the water rushed in on Sandy night I went to the den in almost knee high water to grab it as it floated by.

As expected, Matt the contracter sent 3 of his guys, led by the always amazing Jose, over for the day to pull as many of the walls that got wet. As I pointed out the other day, my house is a special case due to its 4 main levels, each half way up the other. So my basement filling to the top (around 7 feet) also filled the adjoining den, garage, laundry and bath rooms to 56 inches. That's a whole lot of sheet rock (including some in the basement).

When Jose saw the super large crow bar and other demolition tools I bought the night before his eyes lit up because Home Depot was totally out of this stuff.

I've been feeling pretty good physically from the daily manual labor, though eating more than ever. But on this day when there were 3 guys working I was just getting in the way, so I sat this one out, sort of wondering around with nothing much to do.

Then Pat the plumber calls to say his guys were bringing the new boiler to do most of the installation even though there was no power to the basement, only the 4 outlets Ken had left me.

I found a work light I had rescued off our trash heap 2 weeks ago and voila, there basement light for Pat's 2 guys. All 5 guys seemed to know each other from other jobs, so it was a lively day of lots of Spanish with a radio blaring some great music.

A lady came by inviting all of us to eat a few blocks away. Her crew had come from Manhasset. So we all drifted over but on the way there were also various groups set up with feed trucks.

I was honored by a visit from Christine Rubino of Facebook court case fame and her 2 kids as they stopped by to say hello on the way to help out a friend.

Pat and Matt stopped by to check on the work of their crews. This should be a factor when choosing contractors - are they paying attention?

I saw Jose and crew emptying each bag they had filled - his keys had gotten mixed in somehow. I was so impressed at the good humor and the lack of panic as they went about this frustrating task. They went through about half the bags before finding them.

They were done by 4 and the plumbing guys a half hour later. Vera drove in from Brooklyn to say hello. An uber serious gardener, Vera tried to offer some hope but much of it looks dismal. No worries till spring. If we have to start over we will - I'm thinking paving stones. Vera suggested a zen garden. Hmmm. Some sand and a few plants. Sparse looks good now.

We went inside and when I turned on the hot water there was none. And no gas for the stove. I realized the guys had turned them off but forgot to turn them on. Unlike Jose, I panic. My wife had gone to stop n shop to get stuff for our first cooked dinner at home and I also needed a hot shower. Vera and I went down to the dark basement to check it out but we didn't have a clue. I called Pat who sent them back, possibly from staten island and an hour later we were up and running. The first dinner of the new era was delicious.

Shelly and Joel came by for a social call and we traded stories. Theirs of wading across the street at 2AM with other neighbors and pets to a safer house is more interesting. They actually could watch the scary sight of 130th St burning.

By 10pm we were all ready to go to sleep.

Saturday night in Rockaway under the new normality.

-----
Upcoming this week
Sun nite: pray for word fr electrician Ken that he will come.
Lament another Jet embarassment.

Monday; Am visit from regular (not flood) insurance guy. PM- meet julie and jack and go to speak to a class at bklyn college at 6pm

tues- go to location in downtown bklyn to get our safe deposit box stuff which was moved from local ruined bank. Who would have thought of that?

Maybe order car.

Weds; wait for verizon guy
Pm- writing grp - if I go a real sign of normality.

Thurs - despite generous invite fr vera to come to massive TG event in bklyn, we will head out to Northport to wife relatives. Bro and sister in law will come to us first from Sandy Hook with their stories as we drive out together. Lucky I made him take his lionel train set a few months ago though he didn't take some of his other stuff, now residing in a compressed heap of garbage in Riis Park.

Friday - figure out next steps - how to heat spaces with no walls?

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

Education Notes
ednotesonline.blogspot.com

Grassroots Education Movement
gemnyc.org

Education columnist, The Wave
www.rockawave.com

nycfirst robotics
normsrobotics.blogspot.com

Sent from my BlackBerry

Rockaway Report: And the Lord LEPPA Saith: Let there be Some Power, Light and Heat, Though Imperfectly and Thanks God for Frenchmen

Whilst the Lord Verizon saith "No internet, phone or TV until Weds - maybe."

Sat, Nov. 17
BEWARE the 11th Plague: Mold- Green, slimy mold that will crawl inside your walls and cover your face while you sleep.

Well, nothing's simple. Today contractor Matt is supposed to send a demoltion crew to remove lots of walls/sheetrock that were under water. The FEMA guy measured the ground level water line at 56 inches. That's like neck high. All these walls are going to come out ultimately though garage and bathroom will be spared today.

Have crowbar, will travel

Last night we went to Loews to stock up and I spent 20 bucks on the biggest crowbar I could find. I love demolition. Just ask Randi Weingarten. I spent some time yesterday using just a hammer and pry bar to knock into walls. Oh what fun. I'll be doing this all day instead of attending the MORE meeting. I may just give up politics for demolition.

Now for some semi good news. On the Tues morning after Sandy - almost 3 weeks ago going on what seems like 3 months - when I saw that both my electric boxes had been under water - it was clear they had to be replaced. Even if LEPPER had turned on power the next day there was fire danger to turn on the boxes. So I made a smart decision for once - get an electrician to change the boxes ASAP. But Ken, who I met when he did the electrical work installing our split air cond system in May was busy in Howard Beach. I decided to wait for him as long as we didn't have power. Another good move.

Let me say here that the number of decisions to make and the order you make them is crucial to getting back to normalcy - not usually my best thing. But so far I have been lucky.

Going back to the decision to put in the split system, which is also a heat pump, in the bedrooms. My wife resisted. So what that I had to shlep and install window units up and down? I was sick of it.

Plus, I was thinking about having individual heating units for each bedroom esp in the case of a failure of my heating system, which we installed in 1979. (It really pays off sometimes to be a doom and gloom guy.)

We installed similar units on the main level 6 years ago and they worked great. How smart was I to not let them put the compressor on ground level but hang it on the wall about 2 feet up - in case of a flood I said at the time. Big joke now looking at 56 inches of flood and a ruined compressor. But at least I considered it.

So this past May, thinking of Irene last year, I told the AC guys to hang it high. Ugly, obtrusively, 8 feet high on the house. "It looks stupid," my wife said. Heh, heh, heh. Last night as that sucker got us up to 68 degrees it didn't look so ugly. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Ken and his assistant Tom did the wiring back in May. I felt real comfortable with them so I was overjoyed when they said they were coming this past Thursday. With rumors of power coming back any day, even without a replacement burner in place, we'd have the bedroom heat pumps working and hopefully could get the ruined compressor on the other side of the house replaced sooner than a new burner. So far I'm feeling pretty smart.

But Ken takes one look at my basement and sees that all the BX metal sheathed cable running along the ceiling beams had had water covering them - I guess seaweed is a clue. I basically need much of my house rewired - nyc may be the only place in the world where BX is required but the metal also contains electrical fires - supposedly.

Since there's no power, Ken really can't test anything so he disconnects my entire electrical system - but he will replace the box in the garage, hook up the ac/heating unit and give us a few dedicated outlets in the garage to run off extension cords snaked upstairs. And most importantly, he fills out the paperwork for LEPPER, which we hand in at a special trailer on 108th St on Friday morning - 24-48 hrs they tell us.

We are leaving around 5pm to go car hunting and we see 3 power trucks from Quebec on our corner with a bunch of guys in orange suits speaking French and poking at the power lines with 20 foot yellow poles. I go over and point to my house asking when? "518? You have power now." I ask him to come check since I can't tell which is on or off for the circuit breakers. We bring down a coffee grinder - one of the most important appliances we own - and the joy of hearing that buzz sends us into ecstasy.

Actually, for my wife, not as much ecstasy as she felt after picking up that cute French TV reporter earlier in the day. He must have been impressed because he stopped by the house later in the day. But that's a story for another time.

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This just in: Pat the plumber is on the way with the new burner. Hope he brings his mandolin since there is no power to the basement.

Cheers,
Norm Scott

Twitter: normscott1

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