Revolt Brewing in NEA As Van Roekel Does a Randi, EIA on NEA Convention

The info coming from the NEA RA is nuts! They want teachers to pay 3 bucks to support the common core (!!??) and check out what D. Van R [NEA Pres] said about "Quality" vs collective bargaining here.  --- MORE member in an email

"There is growing internal discord over the direction of the union – or at least the perceived direction of the union – by those who oppose Common Core, Race to the Top, and a lot of other things going on in public education. They believe NEA is selling out to corporate reform." ... Mike Antonucci at EIA

With the NEA national convention beginning tomorrow (as it does every July 4th) in Atlanta, the national unions' caving in to ed deform is coming front and center in debates -- and in union elections (see recent Newark and Washington).

I extracted the DVR comments from Fred Klonsky's post. Read it and weep as DVR tries to out Randi Randi.

That with the defeat of collective bargaining in states like Michigan and Wisconsin, the NEA will focus less on those kind of issues and focus more on issues of teaching quality, particularly the implementation of the Common Core.
He was quite aggressive in his advocacy of the Common Core, throwing down the challenge to those on the Right and the Left who have been critical of it. DVR said that if you have nothing better to offer, step back.
Putting aside the content for a moment, I found his tone incredibly belligerent.

Posted on facebook:

Teachers Laugh

2:52pm Jul 1

Call the NEA at 202-833-4000. When you get through, press 6 to talk to a person . . http://preaprez.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/quality-control-at-the-nea-ra/ Tell Pres. Van Roekel this is not acceptable and to resign. "That with the defeat of collective bargaining in states like Michigan and Wisconsin, the NEA will focus less on those kind of issues and focus more on issues of teaching quality, particularly the implementation of the Common Core." - D. Van Roekel

See Raging Horse with a great piece on the NEA:

Raginghorseblog

Bill Gates Continues To Purchase Major Teacher Unions and At Discount Rates -
Below, as he often does, Mike Antonucci gets right to the core. He will be  reporting daily from Atlanta -- I've been reading his NEA reports for many years and they are really inside stuff with good analysis -- as long as you don't forget Mike is anti-union  -- but doesn't fudge facts.

Subscribe to EIA Intercepts if you want to get the daily updates on NEA doings.

Away to Atlanta

---

Away to Atlanta

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 09:28 AM PDT

Heading out today to attend the National Education Association Representative Assembly and will post my first item from Atlanta tomorrow evening.

There is growing internal discord over the direction of the union – or at least the perceived direction of the union – by those who oppose Common Core, Race to the Top, and a lot of other things going on in public education. They believe NEA is selling out to corporate reform.

They have evidence to support that position, but on the other hand I recall a pretty big speech last year about “social justice patriots,” which seemed to promise a new, Karen Lewis-style approach to union issues. So I’m a little confused about where NEA thinks it is going and am hoping for a little clarity this week.

These arguments inside the union aren’t new, of course, but in the fat years they were papered over. Now they have become crucial due to collective bargaining restrictions and falling membership. The Wisconsin Education Association Council provides an illustration.

Each state affiliate sends delegates to the NEA convention based on its membership numbers. Back in 2005, WEAC was proud to announce that it had sent more than 300 members to the convention as delegates. This year, WEAC announced it was sending about 175.

So the internal direction issue is further complicated by what effect it will have on membership numbers and member activism. What excites your cadres might turn off your rank-and-file. The debate itself could lead to more members participating in union matters, or it could neutralize them and make them unwilling to get involved in that can of worms.

Dennis Van Roekel is about to enter his final year as NEA president. This might also be a factor. Heir-apparent Lily Eskelsen Garcia is a much more dynamic and media-savvy individual and may have an entirely different approach when she accedes to the presidency in September 2014. There’s at least the possibility that whatever is decided this week will be relatively short-lived.

In the meantime, relax and enjoy this first week of July. I’ll certainly let you know if the NEA delegates decide to disband and form the world’s largest racing centipede at the Peachtree Road Race.
 

Exploring Implications of Washington DC Union Election

 “It was a referendum on many fronts,” said Saunders, who received 380 votes to Davis’s 459. “They want more aggressive change than what I was dishing out.” ...Nathan Saunders, defeated Presidential candidate.

We commented on the election the other day (Candi is Dandy as Her Slate Wins Washington DC Union Election Runoff With Saunders).

Interesting how Saunders characterizes "change." Change from Randi-model union of collaboration on sell-out contracts that offer money to buy givebacks towards one of resistance: see Chicago, Newark. Too bad I can't include NYC here. Is it the conditions here that stymies any opposition or are there things a group like MORE should be doing that it is not? I'm torn between both thoughts and want to explore this at the MORE retreat at the end of the month.

Below is an article with some interesting analysis.

Saunders was elected in 2010 after accusing then-WTU President George Parker of being too cozy with management. In office, Saunders sought to strike a cooperative relationship with Henderson, an approach he said was necessary to stay relevant and push for teachers’ interests at a time of nonunionized charter schools’ quick growth.

Having gotten to hang out with Nathan and Candi and be very impressed, we cheered their election at the time (sorry too busy to find all the links but if interested check the archives by searching the blog.) So it took very little time for Saunders to change his tune and play Randi's song. I was astounded.

In recent weeks, Saunders said he was close to finalizing a contract that would include salary increases and provisions that would allow for longer school days and a longer school year. Henderson supports those provisions.

Saunders said negotiations over that contract will fall to Davis, who said she would not comment on how she plans to proceed until she sees the pending contract language.

Davis said one of her first priorities will be to reverse Saunders’s agreement to change the terms of early retirement for teachers who lose their jobs because of budget cuts or school closures.

I would point out that the vote totals are so low there is not much in the way of organizing the winning people have to work with. Note how the constitution calls for the new leadership to take control by July1 but that is being ignored. In the last contract Randi and the AFT intervened in postponing the election that eventually put Saunders in power so Randi could use the old corrupt leadership to get a contract done before a newer supposedly more militant leader could take control. Boy would the worm turn if it is now Saunders who gets to hold on to power to get a new contract done, though his statement seems to negate that.

Of interest is the impact nationally on both the AFT and NEA, both complicit in the ed deform agenda. If I get to it later I'll post some good stuff on the NEA convention currently going on in Atlanta. In the meantime read Raging Horse (Bill Gates Continues To Purchase Major Teacher Unions and At Discount Rates).

Nathan Saunders, D.C. teachers union president, defeated in runoff election

By Emma Brown, Published: July 2 E-mail the writer

Washington Teachers’ Union members voted Monday evening to unseat their incumbent president in favor of a candidate who promised to more forcefully challenge school system management.

Veteran teacher and WTU activist Elizabeth Davis defeated Nathan Saunders with 55 percent of the vote in what both candidates said would be a game-changing election for the union, which is negotiating a new contract.

President of D.C. teachers’ union is defeated in runoff election

Emma Brown JUL 2

Elizabeth Davis beats Nathan Saunders in what both are calling a game-changer for the union.

“It was a referendum on many fronts,” said Saunders, who received 380 votes to Davis’s 459. “They want more aggressive change than what I was dishing out.”

Davis’s running mate, Candi Peterson, was also victorious Monday in her bid to serve as the union’s general vice president, a position she held under Saunders until they had a falling out in 2011 and Peterson was forced out. Peterson, a social worker, writes a blog that has been fiercely critical of Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson and her predecessor, Michelle A. Rhee.

It is not clear when Davis and Peterson will take over: They say immediately, citing union bylaws, but the WTU elections committee has said it won’t happen until Aug. 1.

In recent weeks, Saunders said he was close to finalizing a contract that would include salary increases and provisions that would allow for longer school days and a longer school year. Henderson supports those provisions.

Saunders said negotiations over that contract will fall to Davis, who said she would not comment on how she plans to proceed until she sees the pending contract language.

Davis said one of her first priorities will be to reverse Saunders’s agreement to change the terms of early retirement for teachers who lose their jobs because of budget cuts or school closures. That agreement with the school system, signed in December, shortchanges veteran teachers, Davis said.

“I hope that Chancellor Henderson will understand that the relationship with the union will have to change in some respects,” she said.

Henderson said in a statement that Saunders had been a “valued partner” and “great advocate for both teachers and students.” She offered congratulations to Davis and said she looked forward to working closely together.

Saunders was elected in 2010 after accusing then-WTU President George Parker of being too cozy with management. In office, Saunders sought to strike a cooperative relationship with Henderson, an approach he said was necessary to stay relevant and push for teachers’ interests at a time of nonunionized charter schools’ quick growth.

Davis, a longtime WTU activist, said Saunders ignored teachers who wanted a stronger voice pushing back against some of Henderson’s decisions, including her closure of 15 schools and her use of “reconstitution,” in which all teachers at a school must reapply for their jobs.

“We do not plan to be a roadblock to school reform or play to the stereotype of a union that blocks improvements, but we do not plan to be silent” on such issues, Davis said.

Davis added that teachers want more input in running the union and a stronger voice in shaping issues that affect teaching and learning, including curriculum, instruction and school climate.

“Teachers want the WTU to be less controlled by one person and more engaged with the full range of issues impacting teachers, students and schools,” she said. “We campaigned on a platform that said the union can be much better.”

Coming Soon to a State Near You: Another Attack on Unions with Right to Work Suits

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld mandatory union fees in the past, but supporters of the new lawsuit point to language in last year's Knox v. SEIU calling fees "a form of compelled speech... that imposes a significant infringement on First Amendment rights." ... From article below on threat to California teacher unions

The declining participation [in elections] is both a product and a symptom of our union’s weakness. More importantly, it poses an existential threat to the future of the UFT.... An attack from a Tea-Party dominated legislature is unlikely in blue New York. However, a decertification drive from “reform” groups such as Educators For Excellence or Children First is a possibility. Can we be certain that the 82% of active members who don’t care who our union president is will vote to continue paying $100 per month in union dues if given the choice not to? .... Kit Wainer on MORE blog 

Thanks to Jeff Kaufman for this. This is a sign of things to come, maybe even here in NYC. With a conservative anti-union Supreme Court I can see the day where unions are basically wiped out. I have even heard from anti-Unity people supporting the end of compulsory union dues as a way to kill the undemocratic nature of the union. That is true but it would also kill the patient.

But can't you see that with 82% of classroom teachers not giving a crap about voting in the elections, an appeal to get rid of the over thousand dollar yearly dues, especially to newer teachers at low salaries would work?

People in MORE have been worried enough about this issue to open internal discussions. Kit Wainer posted an excellent analysis at the MORE blog. Here is Kit's conclusion:

The Unity leadership has turned off the membership and that may soon pose a serious crisis for the UFT as a whole. As some MORE members have pointed out, by acquiescing to the new evaluation procedure, Mulgrew has negotiated contractual concessions without anything in return — not even a contract. Invariably, the state and the city will want more in the very near future and the UFT leaders no longer have the ability (assuming they had the desire) to mobilize the membership to defend what rights we still have. Worse still, the 18% turnout among active members in the 2013 UFT election is a signal that the membership’s lack of investment in the UFT has now reached crisis proportions. This opens the possibility of a direct challenge to the very existence of the UFT. In the national climate of declining union membership and state legislatures moving to eliminate collective bargaining in historic union strongholds such as Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, to ignore the possibility of an assault on our collective bargaining rights would be foolish. An attack from a Tea-Party dominated legislature is unlikely in blue New York. However, a decertification drive from “reform” groups such as Educators For Excellence or Children First is a possibility. Can we be certain that the 82% of active members who don’t care who our union president is will vote to continue paying $100 per month in union dues if given the choice not to? By failing to mobilize our members for the kind of fight we should be waging in this political climate the Mulgrew regime is endangering the very union it leads. That is nothing short of grotesque dereliction of duty.

I'm sure this is an astroturf type thing like Parent Trigger backed by the same people.

California teachers suing to end mandatory union dues

Los Angeles - Ten teachers and the Christian Educators Association International have filed a lawsuit in California to stop the practice of teacher's unions collecting dues from non-members. 

Filed on April 30, 2013 in United States District Court for the Central District of California by the Center for Individual Rights, the lawsuit names the California Teachers Association (CTA), the National Education Association (NEA), ten local affiliated unions and local school officials as defendants. 

At the heart of the lawsuit is the concept of the "agency shop." The agency shop is a contractual agreement between an employer and a union in which the employer is free to hire both union and non-union workers. No employee will be forced to join the union, but the union may collect a payment from non-union employees to help finance the cost of collective bargaining. This payment is called the "agency fee." 

In 1988 the Supreme Court placed limits on the agency fee, ruling in Communications Workers of America v. Beck that non-union workers could not be forced to contribute to politica l causes. They must be permitted to "opt out" of political activity.

The lawsuit filed by the Center for Individual rights, Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, challenges the constitutionality of California's agency shop law. It contends that the agency fee forces non-union teachers to subsidize "expenditures and collective-bargaining activities are contrary to Plaintiffs’ personal interests and political beliefs." 

In compliance with the 1988 Beck decision, California teachers may officially "opt out" of paying fees to support the Union's political activities. The p laintiffs in the lawsuit claim the "opt out" process is difficult and intimidating.

In an interview with Courthouse News Service in May, California Teachers Association spokesman Frank Wells called the lawsuit "another baseless attack on the concept of agency fees." 

He defended the opt-out process, saying that teachers were mailed a form each year and simply asked to return it. 

"There's not a lot of hoops that they have to jump through," he said.

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld mandatory union fees in the past, but supporters of the new lawsuit point to language in last year's Knox v. SEIU calling fees "a form of compelled speech... that imposes a significant infringement on First Amendment rights."

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/353560#ixzz2XyIe2gCx

Candi is Dandy as Her Slate Wins Washington DC Union Election Runoff With Saunders

Another election result not favorable for Randi Weingarten. While Nathan Saunders was a critic of Randi's sellout contract deal with Michelle Rhee years ago, he seems to have walked over the line since being elected as President of the DC union -- though this feeling comes from instinct rather than hard facts. He certainly didn't bring a sense of democracy to the DC union.

See Afterburn for background on the break between former allies Peterson and Saunders.

Candi Peterson reports on her blog.

http://thewashingtonteacher.blogspot.com/

Jul 1, 2013

Washington Teachers' Union President Nathan Saunders Loses Run Off Election to Davis

Davis(right) Slate wins WTU 2013 Run Off Election.

By Candi Peterson

Washington Teachers Union President, Nathan A. Saunders loses to Elizabeth Davis (known as Liz) in the July 1, 2013 WTU Run Off Election. With Saunders defeat by a margin of 459 to 380, Saunders was forced from his union post. Saunders narrowly defeated Davis in a first round balloting of the WTU election last month, but failed to win a 51% majority which led to a run off election between the two top candidates.

 In addition, Candi Peterson, former WTU General Vice Preisdent who was summarily dismissed by Saunders in 2011 before her term expired paired up with the Davis slate, in a bid for election to her former post. Peterson defeated her opposition, Keith Spinner by a margin of 470 to 360 in the WTU Run Off.

According to the WTU Constitution and by-Laws, the winners are due to take office on July 1st. More details will be forthcoming.

Afterburn

I've known Candi Peterson through blogging and from various conferences for many years. Candi was the chief blogger opposing Michelle Rhee from the day Rhee took over as Superintendent, risking her career. When a conference of various activists opposing ed deform was brewing in LA in July 2009 and they were looking for someone from Washington I put them in touch with Candi who came to that conference which included a big crew from Chicago's CORE and from the LA T Union plus people from San Francisco and Seattle, plus of course Sally Lee (Teachers Unite), Megan Behrent (TJC), and myself (GEM/ICE).

Candi attended that conference with Nathan Saunders who was a dissident VP at the Washington TU who was fired by the president George Parker who has since become an ed deform slug. They decided to run for office in the next union election and in fact won that race.

Thus when we met again in the summer of 2011 in Chicago (this time I was with Julie Cavanagh, Lisa Donlan, Gloria Brandman and Angel Gonzalez), they were in charge of the DC union. On our last day we hung out in a restaurant with Nathan and Candi and were all having a great time. But a short time later there was a major dispute between them and Saunders "fired" Peterson, forcing her back to working in a school. Her powerful blog had not been as active while she was a union official so she tried to resurrect it.

I'm hazy on the rest of the story but today's report is a happy result for Candi and the hard work she has always been doing to defend the educators in Washington.

Joel Klein Teaching Resume: Sept/Oct 1968 During Teacher Strike - Was Klein a Scab?

Klein went into teaching for the draft deferment (like I did). Did Joel Klein ever teach at all? In Bloomberg's waiver plea 2002 letter to State Ed Commissioner Richard Mills, Bloomberg used Klein's supposed teaching experience in NYC public schools in 1968 as record of his qualifications. In fact the schools were mostly closed during those 2 months due to the 68 strike. Did Klein break the strike and actually teach? I asked him a few times to share his experience (he ignored the question) since we both came out of that 6 week training period which so clearly inadequately prepared us to teach and if anything should have made him wary of a TFA like program. In fact I am more and more sure that Klein never really taught at all and if he did it had to be as a strike breaker during the strike when the few schools that were open had few kids. He had no real experience at all and clearly ran as soon as he could. Note how the particular school is not mentioned to cover his tracks.

The entire 7 page Bloomberg letter and Klein resume is available here.
Below are the relevant excerpts.

Bloomberg letter to Mills where he uses 1969, wrong year for the teacher strike.

 From Klein resume:

Afterburn
I was in the same program the year before (it was called Intensive Teacher Training Program - ITTP - and we received 10 free credits from NYU for the elementary school division (middle school math got 8) and it lasted a few years from 66-69 --- as far as I saw all men from all over the nation -- the grad school deferments were ended so this was often a desperate crew. Many left as soon as they could -- I in fact replaced a guy in my first regular teaching classroom gig from Columbia Law School who got some other deferment and left in mid-year -- Jan. '69. Yes, Klein and I were separated at birth, growing up in similar backgrounds at the same time except he went the way of the devil.

The Onion: Progressive Charter School Doesn’t Have Students

You know the anti-ed deform message is getting through when The Onion does a story like this. And how much fun they use the name Forest Gates Academy.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/progressive-charter-school-doesnt-have-students,33009/

Progressive Charter School Doesn’t Have Students

News in Brief • education • News • ISSUE 49•26 • Jul 1, 2013

ATLANTA—One year into its founding as the purported “bold next step in education reform,” administrators on Monday sang the praises of Forest Gates Academy, a progressive new charter school that practices an innovative philosophy of not admitting any students. “We’ve done something here at Forest Gates that is truly special, combining modern, cutting-edge pedagogical methods with a refreshingly non-pupil-centric approach,” said academy president Diane Blanchard, who claimed that the experimental school boasts state-of-the-art facilities, a diverse and challenging syllabus, absolutely zero students, a world-class library, and the highest faculty-student ratio in the nation. “Thanks to our groundbreaking methods, we’ve established a structured yet free-thinking environment where the student is taken out of the equation entirely, and in fact is not allowed on school property. And the results, we think, speak for themselves.” According to its budgetary records, Forest Gates has so far received approximately $80 million in public funding from the state of Georgia

MEDIA ALERT: Queens Teachers Warned DOE Officials of Abusive Principal Minerva Zanca, Demand Action

Why should the DOE and press worry about a trifling item like racism by a principal? If a principal murdered a teacher and was found holding a bloody knife Walcott and Queens HS Supt Juan Mendez, who like Walcott has always been such full of bullshit, would cover for the principal.

Sign the petition and spread the word.

--- MEDIA ALERT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, July 1, 2013  ---

Queens Teachers Warned DOE Officials of Abusive Principal, Demand Action

Contact:
Peter Lamphere – peter.lamphere@gmail.com
United Federation of Teachers Chapter Leader
Pan American International High School, Elmhurst, Queens

Kevin Powell – kevin@kevinpowell.net

Community Activist, President of BK Nation
Teachers and staff at a Queens high school have asked for a local superintendent to step in to repair an abusive work environment.

The school was recently shaken by allegations that principal Minerva Zanca fired African American teachers, saying on one occasion that a teacher “looked like a gorilla in a sweater with nappy hair” and asking about another “did you see his big lips quivering?” [tinyurl.com/QnsRacistComments]

An online petition for removal of the principal has received over 1,000 signatures. [tinyurl.com/QnsPrincipalPetition]

These are not the first reports of difficulty with the new principal. In early June the faculty wrote a formal letter to Superintendent Juan Méndez requesting support in what they described as “an abusive environment and culture of fear in the school.” [tinyurl.com/QnsTchrLetter].

Teachers say that they are “often punished, humiliated or belittled in front of their colleagues when a simple conversation would have sufficed.”
The letter, also addressed to Children First Network Cyndi Kerr and Internationals Network Leader Claire Sylvan (two administrators who support the school’s functioning), was approved by consensus after a number of union chapter meetings.

In the letter staff noted that they attempted to have “discussions with Ms. Zanca about trying to work together to find a proactive and productive solution for everyone.” When this effort failed, they were left with no other option than to appeal to her supervisors.

“We have received no response from our request to DOE officials for intervention to help address the toxic environment,” said Peter Lamphere, the local UFT representative. “Our students and their parents deserve better than to be left stranded while their school community is dismantled by an abusive administrator.”

At least 15 of 38 staff in the seven-year-old school have left or are planning to transfer this coming school year, many due to the hostile and threatening environment created by Ms. Zanca.


Afterburn
Note that MORE's Peter Lamphere is the chapter leader. This was the school the UFT found for Peter when they parachuted him out of Bronx HS of Science where the vicious Valerie Reidy, now retiring - Valerie Reidy, Ding Dong - U rated him twice for - well -- being chapter leader. Yes, that is the UFT response. Go after our chapter leaders and rather than fight this basic attack on the union, we will get the guy out of your hair.

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Drive-by Superintendent Paul Vallas, YOU'RE OUT!!!!!!!!

Now is the time for history to be clarified, all the way back to the days when Bill Clinton was promoting corporate "school reform" by praising Vallas in two State of the Union addresses and all this mayoral control nonsense began.... George Schmidt 

Hunter College president Jennifer Raab called Vallas "arguably the most experienced superintendent in the country."  ... Susan Ohanian

Finally, someone with the guts to toss Vallas, who jumped from Chicago to Philly to New Orleans -- call him the bed bug of ed deform --- out on his ass as bogus Superintendent of Bridgeport schools.

Ravitch has been reporting on the story almost minute by minute:

Here is a report on Vallas’ time in Philadelphia.
Vallas launched the nation’s most extensive experiment in privatization, which was evaluated by the RAND Corporation.
Here is RAND’s report on Vallas’ foray into the “diverse provider model.”

What Happened at Vallas’ Trial

When the trial was conducted of whether Paul Vallas had the necessary credentials to serve as superintendent of schools in Bridgeport, the attorney for the plaintiffs said he was a “drive-by superintendent.” The state commissioner of education Stefan Pryor, who picked Vallas, said he was impressed by his work in New Orleans, where he oversaw the near total privatization of the public schools. The linked article describes testimony taken during the trial, which culminated in the judge’s decision that Vallas did not have the legally required credentials and should be removed.

Ed Notes has been exposing Vallas since 2000 - due to the info coming in from George Schmidt, who was personally fired and banned from teaching in the Chicago schools by Vallas for publishing the useless and deformed CASE tests in Substance. George is smiling today:

I just finished reading and loving Susan Ohanian's article about how Paul Vallas has been ruled unqualified to be the superintendent in Bridgeport Connecticut by a court. We've posted the article at substancenews.net. Now is the time for history to be clarified, all the way back to the days when Bill Clinton was promoting corporate "school reform" by praising Vallas in two State of the Union addresses and all this mayoral control nonsense began. Vallas was always a fraud. But there is now a two decades history of his frauds that will have to be turned into a book about how such frauds came into power. I'm thinking of calling mine "Corporate tyrants and corporate tyranny in our public schools from Paul G. Vallas to Barbara Byrd Bennett." One of the joys of editing Susan's article about the latest Vallas flap was going through some of the available record, including the corruption Vallas presided over in Philadelphia and the fulsome nonsense published in praise of Vallas by corporate shills like Alexander Russo (whose stories read like he has a crush on Vallas). ....Schmidt

Here is Susan's piece
http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=4356&section=Article

Paul Vallas! Power Point proof of leadership abilities? Social promotion and grade inflation?... Connecticut Superior Court Judge Orders Vallas Removed from Superintendency of Bridgeport publlc schools.

Susan Ohanian - June 28, 2013
 
Seventeen years after he was plucked from the obscurity of his post as budget director for Chicago's mayor (then Richard M. Daley) to become the first "Chief Executive Officer" of a large urban public school district, former Chicago (and Philadelphia, and New Orleans, and now Bridgeport) schools chief Paul Vallas has finally been ruled unqualified to be the superintendent of a major American school district. A Connecticut judge ruled on June 28 that Vallas did not have the credentials under Connecticut law to be in charge of the Bridgeport schools and that a quickie course (and a flurry of papers quickly graded "A" by a local university administrator) did not constitute the fulfillment of the requirements under Connecticut law. I find the blatant, arrogant disregard for rules fascinating. 

One of the more memorable whines Paul Vallas emitted when he was challenged for not complying with Connecticut law before he became Superintendent of the 30,000-student Bridgeport public schools (at a salary of more than a quarter million dollars a year) was to compare himself to Michael Jordan. Vallas whined when challenged about his education credentials that Connecticut wouldn't require Michael Jordan to get certified to coach high school basketball, unabashedly comparing himself to the Chicago legend. So far, no report has gotten a quote from Michael Jordan, who has NOT gone around the USA telling people, "I am the Paul Vallas of the NBA!"This whole case rests on whether one independent course constitutes a program. You've got the Dean of the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut testifying for the plaintiff against Vallas and the "Director, Executive Leadership Program, Department of Educational Leadership" at the same university on Paul Vallas's side. The latter did not exactly make a case for his own leadership acumen. 

To sum it up in a word: Pathetic. 

This comes only a little more than a month after Hunter College president Jennifer Raab called Vallas "arguably the most experienced superintendent in the country." [CUNY Institute for Education Policy at Roosevelt House. The Institute has landed: Coleman, King, Robinson, Steiner, and Vallas discuss the future of education at CIEP launch event] This event was May 9 in New York City — when Vallas was busy writing the six papers described below. And we don't know the schedule of his consultancy gig: [In August 2012, the Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners voted to enter into a contract with Paul Vallas and VOYAGER Learning, (a subsidiary of Cambium Education, Inc.), to turnaround fifteen Indianapolis schools. The price tag of which is $6 million a year for three years, the total amount not to exceed $18.1 million.] Vallas Turnaround System. Who was minding the store in Bridgeport? Writing the papers, speaking in New York . . . Who was minding the store in Bridgeport? 

Maybe Vallas should have invited his Hunter College fan to go to Bridgeport Superior Court to speak for him. June 28, 2013 — Superior Court, Judicial District of Fairfield at Bridgeport, CT. Judge Barbara Bellis ruled that Paul Vallas, who was approved Monday as superintendent of schools by the Bridgeport Board of Education, did not complete a school leadership program as required by law. In the Superior Court Judicial District of Fairfield at Bridgeport, Judge Barbara Bellis offers a Memorandum of Decision, June 28, 2013 that answers the pressing question "When is a college course a course and when is it a program?" We get a close-up look at what appears to be a bunco game played by then-acting superintendent of Bridgeport Schools Paul Vallas and University of Connecticut Director, Executive Leadership Program, Department of Educational Leadership, Robert Villanova. The Judge's decision includes a whole lot of nitpickiing about a course of study required by the state of Connecticut for Vallas to be granted certification:

In St. Louis, teachers union plays role in getting rid of bad teachers

The "bad" teacher syndrome is one of the lynchpins of ed deform. Call it a version of Stop and Frisk or the War on Terrorism where you taint entire population to root out a few. Given the overall assault on all teachers, for the union to go along with this is tantamount to -- well I'll say it again -- Vichy.

The unions should instead make it clear that all professions have people with problems -- police, lawyers, doctors, etc -- but no where else is the witch hunt going on that with union cooperation gives unfettered power to our enemies. Shame on them and especially to a clear Randi-ite, AFT Local 420 vice president Ray Cummings for playing their game.


http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/in-st-louis-teachers-union-plays-role-in-getting-rid/article_cb99132d-6930-5450-81b4-7b3f3ebdfa59.html

Newark Teacher Union Election News UPDATED

Unfortunately, President Del Grosso was not in attendance [at the swearing in] , so the date could not be set. ... NEW Caucus report

....the Newark contract deal was celebrated by Republican Governor Chris Christie and by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who called the deal “a system of the future” and an example “that collective bargaining really works.” In contrast, Rippey [Del Grosso's opponent] told The Nation that the deal “basically is a complete capitulation to the corporate agenda.” ... The Nation

Shamelessly currying favor with Cory Booker and Chris Christie, Weingarten used the national union's resources to push Newark teachers and kids under the bus. In this election of officers, NTU members pushed back. But don't be surprised if Weingarten sees the handwriting on the wall and tries to make nice with New Visions.... Quite an accomplishment for a caucus that really began to pick up steam only after AFT President Randi Weingarten used the national union's organizers to push acceptance of contract that strips Newark education workers of their most basic rights as professionals and workers......Lois Wiener, New Politics

Let's watch this one play out with a president who won by only 9 votes (with 40 going to a 3rd party candidate) while New Visions controls the Exec Bd. Keep in mind that Newark is one of the only New Jersey AFT affiliated locals, which given Randi's work in negotiating the contract might lead to some interesting national repercussions.

The Nation has a piece on this belle weather teacher union election :

Newark Union Head Barely Wins Re-Election After Zuckerberg-Donation-Funded Reform Plan | The Nation

And Ed Notes has been reporting over the last week:

• Analysis from the Right: EIA's Antonucci on Newark...
• NEW Caucus Shakes the Union Election Tree in Newar...
   

Lois Weiner at New Politics has a piece:


From NEW Caucus:

On Friday new Executive Board members (also known as Vice-Presidents) were sworn in at the NTU hall!

THANKS to all who came out to see this important moment and show support for the newly elected VP's.  It was a great show of solidarity and positivity within the Newark Teachers Union!  

2 major pieces of information about what happened at the meeting:

1)  For the first time in at least 16 years, there are Vice-Presidents who are not members of Joe Del Grosso's SAC slate.  17 (of 18 elected) NEW Vision slate candidates were sworn in.  It was a great moment for democracy in the Newark Teachers Union.  

2)  Newly sworn in NEW Vision slate members requested the date for the  July Executive Board meeting.  The NTU By-Laws require that the Executive- Board meet monthly at the call of the President. Unfortunately, President Del Grosso was not in attendance, so the date could not be set.  We were assured by Eugene Liss, the NTU attorney, that the secretary would pass the request on to the President so that he can set a date for the meeting in late July.

     NEW Caucus will send out the date the moment we know it.  

     BUT, even more significant, and despite the fact that this was officially a full membership meeting, the quorum of Executive Board members in attendance proposed and voted on two motions that may begin the process of democratizing the Executive Board and encouraging membership interest in the workings of the Board.  

     Below are the two motions, BOTH OF WHICH WERE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY by the quorum of Vice-Presidents in attendance.  Both were read proposed by VP Al Moussab.  

     I move that the President create a calendar of monthly Executive Board meetings and quarterly general membership meetings for the 2013-2014 school year that will be emailed to all NTU members as well as uploaded on the NTU website and placed on all NTU bulletin boards in every school by the first day of school.  

     I move that all Executive Board meeting minutes as well as general membership meeting

minutes are emailed to all NTU members as well as uploaded on the NTU website for all 

members to access within 2 days after the meeting.  

It now remains for President Del Grosso to thoroughly implement these 2 motions.  The newly elected Vice-Presidents will work hard throughout the summer to ensure the July meeting takes place, and that these 2 motions are implemented completely.

In Solidarity,

Newark Education Workers Caucus

(NEW Caucus)

NewarkEducationWorkersCaucus.com

862-367-9211 

Facebook.com/NEWCaucus

Twitter.com/NEWCaucus

YouTube.com/user/NEWCaucus

Google Calendar: NewarkEducationWorkersCaucus@gmail.com

Positive winds of change in Newark NJ public schools

Lois Weiner

June 30, 2013

A reform caucus in the Newark Teachers Union (NTU)  made remarkable gains in the union election that ended on Friday.  Out of about 3000 members eligible to vote, 1200 NTU members cast their ballots.  (Sadly, that proportion is about par for US unions.) The New Visions candidate for President lost by only 9 votes to the long-time chief, Joe Del Grosso, who will now serve his 10th two-year term.  New Visions won 18 of 29 slots on the Executive Board, giving this vibrant, multi-racial slate of reformers a majority. Quite an accomplishment for a caucus that really began to pick up steam only after AFT President Randi Weingarten used the national union's organizers to push acceptance of contract that strips Newark education workers of their most basic rights as professionals and workers.  Shamelessly currying favor with Cory Booker and Chris Christie, Weingarten used the national union's resources to push Newark teachers and kids under the bus. In this election of officers, NTU members pushed back. But don't be surprised if Weingarten sees the handwriting on the wall and tries to make nice with New Visions. Still, I'm confident New Visions won't be snookered. This savvy group of activists are building the union at the school site, working with parents and students, democratizing the union to "give Newark students schools they deserve." New Visions understands that the future of their union - and public education - requires a different kind of teacher unionism - and union leadership.  And they're poised to provide it.

The Nation article:

Loretta Prisco: A View from the First Row

  In a Data Driven System, Why Isn’t the DOE Looking at Their Own Data? Can’t See the Forest for the Trees!

The Mayor through his minions, Klein, Black (remember her?), and Walcott have done everything from reorganizing the system to reorganizing it yet again, from firing teachers to hiring newbies and excessing them, to training new principals without teaching experience and rating their schools “F”,  to closing schools and reopening new ones and closing them, to cooking the books in ways that might even top the skills of an Enron bookkeeper, and have still not be able to raise reading and math scores.  Yet the answer is waiting right under their noses.  Hey guys, you claim to be data driven, just look at the data – it sits there waiting for you! Why even a lowly teacher like me can see it!

1.    The schools that have the highest percentage of students in the free lunch program tend to have the students who also perform the lowest on standardized tests.  Don’t you see the connection here? Free lunch = low scores! Suggestion lifted straight from the data:  To improve reading and math achievement, just do away with the free lunch program. Voila!  Join the high scoring schools with fewer free lunch kids. And save the Feds all that money they spend on breakfast and lunch for a bunch of ungrateful kids who do nothing but whine about the food.

2.     Our kids go to school for 10 months, for 6 hours and 57 ½ minutes. Those who are have not done well on standardized tests aren’t promoted, are mandated to go to summer school for 15 days (and some will be absent for some of those days), 3 hours a day, be retested and most will have their scores go up and pass the grade.  So we take the most challenging students and do in 15 days what cannot be done in 10 months with double the daily time. See the connection here? 10 months = failure on tests.  15 days = success on tests.  Hey! Cancel 10 month school and mandate a 15 day school for all students.  Imagine what the most successful students will be capable of achieving in 15 days!  Kids whine about going to school anyway – ask them, they hate school.  We are not teaching art, music and offering gym anyway in year round school as schools are focused on test prep.  So what are they missing? Give the schools to charters, which is what the DOE really wants to do anyway.  And save all that money.

Take a sniff – the solutions are right under your noses!

Norm in The Wave: Education News You Can’t Live Without

I was going to use the final column to review the bad and ugly (there was little good) of education coverage, but with the start of summer vacation for my teacher readers I decided to pass.  But I did write a newsy story on a Stop and Frisk march held last Saturday in Rockaway organized by Josmar Trujillo, one of the very interesting people I've met out here. More about the march and Josmar in a follow-up piece later or tomorrow.

Education News You Can’t Live Without
By Norm Scott
Published Friday, June 28, 2013

It’s a lie. You can live without it and so can I. It’s that time again – the last School Scope column of the school year. And it’s been quite a year for Rockaway schools. The Wave has done a good job of chronicling the struggles and recoveries so I won’t belabor the point, but let’s hope summertime makes the livin’ easy for all our schools, especially those that have suffered draconian and outrageous cuts by the Bloomberg administration.

There have been quite a few changes at The Wave itself. Howie is out, Kevin is in, I’m on a word count limit, and I have to climb this long flight of stairs if I want to complain.

As editor, Howie made the paper one of the only voices in the media resisting the Bloomberg reforms. He made the politics of education a key focus of Wave reporting with great insights into the successes and disasters going on in the school system. In case you didn’t notice, I am an ed policy wonk – duh – and have too much information for my tiny brain to contain. Trying to share even a fraction of it with readers has at times been unmanageable.

The Wave was out in front on so many push button issues in education, especially when they started closing schools in Rockaway. The School Scope column under Howie’s stewardship was the reason I started reading The Wave in the first place over 20 years ago. Or is it thirty? Having worked as a teacher in Rockaway, Howie knew the ins and outs of District 27 and every Rockaway school. When Howie retired from the school system to take a full-time job at The Wave as managing editor he asked me to take over school commentary, giving me the made up title of “education editor” and issuing me press credentials, which I have used to gain entry to press sections not only here in NYC but at events all over the nation. I waved my WAVE press pass at Joel Klein press conferences, American Federation of Teachers conventions in Seattle and Detroit, teacher street demonstrations in Chicago, entry to the press tent at NBC’s Education Nation and a large rally to defend public schools in Washington DC. Plus all that jousting with DOE security when I cover Panel for Education Policy meetings. When I introduce myself as education editor of The Wave people seem impressed. And then they ask, “What is that?”

Having taught and been politically active in District 14 in Williamsburg, I realized I could never duplicate Howie’s great reporting on local schools. So I have focused critiques on the national and the local Bloomberg-led movement to reform schools, which I branded as “ed deform,” and how the local UFT and national AFT were responding – actually aiding and abetting the deforms in so many ways. I have pointed the columns at people who work in the schools and might have some idea of what I’m talking about. But even some of my teacher friends often say, “Wha?”

I’ve been doing this column roughly twice a month for the past 8 years. Or is it 9? Wait, I’ll check the archives. Ooops. Out to sea. With all the things that happened, the loss of those wonderful binders with 130 years of Rockaway history makes me very sad, especially since I had procrastinated over writing a novel using those archives for research. One more reason to just lay in the sun and do nothing. Which I intend to do once I hit the SEND button.

In fact I intended this final column of the school year to be a summary of key stories in education over the year, especially the new teacher evaluation system. I, and everyone else in Rockaway, have had a few distractions, so at times it was hard to focus on external events. There are so many stories, if I wrote about all of them this column would have OCCUPIED this edition. Kevin has pretty much given me the OK to write anytime there is a story to write about, even if outside the education sphere, so I may pop back up during the summer. Otherwise have a great one and see you back in the fall.

In the meantime you can follow the fall of civilization on my blog ednotesonline.org.

http://www.rockawave.com/news/2013-06-28/Columnists/School_Scope.html

Eva Moskowitz Takes Control of StudentsFirstNY With Jenny Sedlis Move

From DAY ONE of the Moskowitz path of destruction, Jenny Sedlis has been at her side attached at the hip, making up whatever lies were necessary to push the evil Success machine. So making Jenny

head of StudentsFirstNY to replace the slime bag Micah Lasher, who jumps from place to place like a bedbug, is a sign that Eva wants to solidify her influence with the next mayor whoever he/she may be.

Jenny can be a nervous sort, dependent on Eva's approval that when things go wrong you get the impression it ain't pretty. I have heard stories about Jenny using hysterics to try to turn away negative stories about Eva and Success, knowing she will get blamed. So it will be interesting to watch how Jenny in charge operates -- but we know she is really not in charge.

I first met Jenny Sedlis at the end of the 2009 school year at a rally GEM supported outside PS 123 in Harlem, another Eva take-over target. She claimed she was an ed notes reader --- monitoring even the blogs for negative Eva stuff, of which Ed Notes is proud to have lead the way. Over the years we have had some nice chats at Gotham Schools parties and at confrontations with the Success machine. I think she really believes that ed deform crap. I know people who despise her for her shilliness but as you know I am not a hater and when we see each other we sometimes hug ---- (she is better than Joel Klein to hug). The thinking must be that using charm might moderate some hostility. It doesn't work but I always love to joust with the Success Stepford crew, though I find some of the parents interesting to talk to.

At one hearing in district 14 the vehemence against Success was so intense as she spoke she looked rocked. (I have some good tape of that -- I almost felt sorry for her.) She started sending surrogates to do her dirty work.
Hey, I have an idea: Jenny Sedlis for next chancellor.

Here is the WSJ article:

StudentsFirstNY, a pro-charter school organization that launched with a bang a year ago and then stalled, has signaled it is ready to jump back into New York City politics, hiring the top lieutenant of a polarizing charter chain.

Jenny Sedlis, who helped former City Council Member Eva Moskowitz build Success Academy Charter Schools, will start in September as the new executive director, the group plans to announce Friday. Officials said this would show they weren't going to sit out the mayor's race.

"This is a launching of a pretty important new beginning, especially with the mayor's race in full swing," said Ms. Moskowitz, a StudentsFirstNY board member.

The group had said it could raise about $10 million and would put its stamp on the mayoral contest, but it has yet to take action. Ms. Sedlis said it is still unclear whether the group will make an endorsement in the mayoral primary or the general election, though she said there would be roughly the same amount of money on the table.

Until now, the 30-year-old Ms. Sedlis has been Ms. Moskowitz's right-hand woman, running ground battles for the Success Academy chain, which consistently posts high test scores but draws a backlash when it opens a new school. "I'm pretty battle-tested," Ms. Sedlis said. "I'm not going to shy away from a fight that's going to take place."

StudentsFirstNY turned heads a year ago when it launched as the New York partner of the national advocacy group founded by former Washington, D.C., schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, a pioneer in the movement known as education reform.

At the helm was Micah Lasher, a former lobbyist for Mayor Michael Bloomberg who promised to put pressure on elected officials and provide an alternative source of cash and support for politicians afraid of breaking with the United Federation of Teachers. Another board member is former city schools chancellor Joel Klein, who now works for News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal.

In the fall, StudentsFirstNY made enacting tougher teacher evaluations its top priority, running advertisements urging the city and the teachers union to negotiate a resolution. It hosted parent meetings explaining the importance of new evaluations and ran social-media campaigns to draw attention to the issue. And in January, it released a report about the proliferation of poorly rated teachers in the city's lowest-income schools.

Pro-union groups fought back, recruiting elected officials to pledge to reject money from the organization. Many said they wouldn't take money—regardless of whether it was offered to begin with. For instance, mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, the city's public advocate, has said he wouldn't take money from the group. (StudentsFirstNY has said it wouldn't offer him any.)

UFT President Michael Mulgrew said StudentsFirstNY's was already having an effect on the mayoral race: Candidates think "what they need to do is stay away from them."

Mr. Lasher left in March to work for Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, leaving the group leaderless just when the mayoral race started to pick up steam. Mr. Lasher declined to comment.

"It was disappointing, just because the thing was getting under way, but such is life," Ms. Moskowitz said.

In Ms. Sedlis, the group has someone who comes alive when talking about the specifics of education policies, and someone who isn't just a fighter, but also one who has spent years building schools and walking in and out of classrooms.

Though she said the organization's priorities weren't set, she personally is in favor of changing teacher certification to make sure educators are better prepared to step foot in the classroom, and she supports something known as "parent trigger," a concept that allows parents to take over a public school. Perhaps most importantly, she said she cared about a new teachers contract, which the next mayor will negotiate.

"There are so many provisions of the contract people don't talk about," she said. "So much of why [Success Academy] is successful is because we have the flexibility to orient the school around the needs of children."

Please sign petition to fire principal who called teachers “big lipped,” “nappy haired,” and “gorillas”

From Peter Lamphere who is chapter leader at this school. Let's see now, a principal gives teachers U ratings because they are black. Hmmmm, what will Tweedies do? Back the principal of course. Tweed does support racist apartheid doesn't it? Nelson Mandela would get a U rating and Walcott would bring him up on 3020a charges.

Please consider signing this petition support these teachers who have been victims of racist harassment and asking for the DOE to comply with its own anti-discrimination policy.

http://www.change.org/petitions/nyc-chancellor-dennis-walcott-city-councilwoman-julissa-ferreras-help-us-terminate-principal-minerva-zanca-of-pan-american-international-high-school

If you have media contacts, please share this story with them - we are trying to build up pressure on DOE. Check out the TV interview and press release below.

TV interview with New York teachers who say principal called them “big lipped,” “nappy haired,” and “gorillas”: http://tinyurl.com/q3k3g2a

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Contact:

Kevin Powell

 kevin@kevinpowell.net

Queens, NY Principal Minerva Zanca calls African American teachers "big lipped," "nappy haired," and "gorillas"

Two teachers that were preparing for tenure this year were denied and subsequently fired by a principal that referred to them as "having big lips" and "nappy hair." John Flanagan, a Spanish Language teacher, and Heather Hightower, an ESL-Science teacher, were the targets of these remarks by Minerva Zanca, principal of Pan American International High School in Elmhurst, Queens, New York.

These two teachers, as well as tenured Theatre teacher Lisa-Erika James, have filed a discrimination claim against Principal Minerva Zanca within the Department of Education-Office of Equal Opportunity-for poor performance ratings and undue budget cuts that they feel were racially motivated.

Assistant Principal Anthony Riccardo, who is also filing a harassment claim against Ms. Zanca, uncovered these comments in a written statement that discloses, in vivid detail, the targeting of these three teachers over the course of the 2012-2013 school year. In Post-Observation Conferences with Mr. Riccardo, Zanca states that Ms. Hightower "looked like a gorilla in a sweater with nappy hair" and asked, "Did you see his big lips quivering?" in reference to Mr. Flanagan.

"It is not only important to have high standards for our public school teachers," says Kevin Powell, President of BK Nation. "But we must also support the good ones, like these teachers, who are completely dedicated to their young people. I find it unacceptable that a principal can engage in this kind of conduct without any repercussions. We are not going to stop until due justice and process is served here. We are calling on the school district and the DOE to review this matter thoroughly, to deal with the facts fairly, and to make it clear that racial bias and mistreatment of teachers in any form is not tolerated in New York City. We are also specifically asking for the support of City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras, who has a working relationship with Principal Zanca since the school is in her district, and for her to condemn this racist and abusive behavior and to stand with us in pushing for an investigation and justice."

The New York City Department of Education's Chancellor's Regulation A830 is a strict anti-discrimination policy that protects its employees from discrimination based on race/color/ethnicity/gender and sexual orientation. The three teachers feel their Civil Rights have been violated and in return are pursuing their complaint in the hopes of getting their jobs back. Ms. James is asking that Ms. Zanca be held fully accountable in compliance with the Chancellor's Regulations. Ms. James states "It is deeply disappointing that Ms. Zanca has made such hurtful racial epithets and is allowed to run a school where many of the children are of Afro-Latino descent." There are currently no African American teachers left at the school.

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