MORE Than a Score a Week Away and How One Principal is Dealing With Parent Community on Testing

If there is one event I would urge people who don't ususally do these things to attend it is the More Than a Score event next Saturday, Feb. 1. I'll be blogging about it all week until you get sick of hearing about it.

The MORE THAN a SCORE 

event is in one week! 

Please help spread the word at your school and community events by printing out this black and white version of the flyer and distributing. 

Here is the Eventbrite link if you would like to send this announcement via email as well. 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/more-than-a-score-talking-back-to-testing-forum-tickets-9595589667

 

New Yorker Blog features BNS

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2014/01/the-defiant-parents-testings-discontents.html#entry-more

Ravitch wrote:

Rebecca Mead has written a brilliant blog post for “The New Yorker” explaining why parents plan to opt their children out of NewYork’s Common Core testing in 2014.
It Is as succinct an explanation as I have read, and it is vivid because the writer is a parent in a progressive public school that teaches students to think for themselves. The principal of the Brooklyn New School has spoken out against the cruel and unusual demands of the tests but she must comply, by law. The parents, however, have a special interest: their children.

The New Yorker piece is about the work of BNS principal Anna Allanbrook who is a hero to the people opposing high stakes testing.

Janine Sopp from Change the Stakes and a parent at the school sent this out:

I'm sharing this letter as our community takes steps forward, slowly.  There is so much fear in parents about what opting out will mean for their children, even though our administration is very supportive.  See if this is something you may want to adopt or adapt for your community. I'm pasting the script we used when calling below Anna's letter.  I hope you find this helpful.

Here is the letter to the parents and the survey they were asked to fill out. Anna is doing true education of parents about the reality to testing. Of course we always need to point out that BNS is at a higher level of socio-economic than most schools. The case against testing is registering with these folks around the city. The challenge is to break through to the higher poverty districts where parents still see testing as a path to success.

Dear Families:

Many thanks to the one hundred and forty-four parents who completed the survey on testing. We are reading all of your responses and appreciate getting this type of specific and honest feedback. If you didn’t have a chance to do this yet, it’s not too late. You can find the survey at

https://surveymonkey.com/s/BNStestingsurvey.

As we continue this discussion on testing, we want to take a moment to reflect on the three sessions on high stakes testing that occurred last week. We met with parents on Sunday afternoon, Wednesday morning and Thursday evening. On Sunday, fourth grade teacher, Cora, and I joined parents at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange, while on Wednesday, Regina, the Assistant Principal, was also present. Thursday evening, third grade teacher, Diane, was on hand for the discussion. What was most interesting was the difference in each of the sessions. We went from Sunday’s meeting in which there was lots of give and take around the many parent questions on testing to Wednesday’s session where the conversation focused in on the pros and cons of testing for the individual child to Thursday’s discussion, which zeroed in on how big business and politics are benefitting from testing.

At the Thursday presentation, parents really wanted to learn more about Pearson, the British multinational company that currently makes the state tests. Not only does Pearson publish and sell test preparation guidebooks, but they also publish and sell curriculum guides, class workbooks and homework workbooks. As well, Pearson sells guides that families can use if their children don't pass the test, as preparation for the next test.

At http://www.edexcellence.net, a website of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Kathleen Porter-Magee writes, “By developing both the test and curriculum materials, Pearson will basically control the market, regardless of the quality of their materials. After all, if you were a New York principal and learned that Pearson included passages from their curriculum on the state test—the results of which are used to inform everything from student to teacher to school accountability—whose curriculum would you buy?” Pearson also has contracts with universities who often purchase their textbooks. And starting in May, Pearson Education will oversee the evaluation system known as the Teacher Performance Assessment for New York State. It will be Pearson who will review the videos of prospective teachers when they apply for licenses from the state. In 2011, Pearson had net earnings of 1.5 billion dollars in the United States.

In the spring, our fifth grade students finish up their elementary education with a social justice curriculum with the guiding question, “What are you willing to stand up for?” As parents and educators, this is the very question that we could be asking ourselves. If we fundamentally believe that these high stakes exams are wrong for our children, our schools, our cities, and the greater society and if we believe that the data achieved from the tests does not define our children or their teachers, then perhaps we need to ask ourselves, “What are we willing to stand up for?” As Thomas Jefferson said at the time of the Shays Rebellion, “I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing... It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."


All for now,

Anna

I am a parent of a child at PS __________, on _______ Street in __________.  We are planning a series of informational meetings at our school for parents who want to know more about high stakes testing and their options in response to these exams.  One question parents have is about the use of ELA and math test scores and the middle school admissions process.  We are contacting middle schools that our students apply to for answers to these questions, which we will share with parents at our upcoming meetings.

Here are our questions for you:

Do you use state test scores when considering a child for admission to

___________

?  

If you do, how do you handle applications from students who come in without state test scores?  (from private schools, etc)  

How will you handle applications from students who don't have a score because their parents opted them out of the tests and guarantee them the same consideration as students with test scores?

What, if anything, would you ask for from parents or teachers to ensure that an alternative application process will be fully supported?

I'd be glad to talk with you in person if you want to send a phone number.

NYSUT Board Unites on Call for Removal of John King

Oh, wait, did the NYSUT board forget about no confidence in Meryl Tisch and her removal?

Well, they don't seem to disagree on John King. Then what do they disagree on? Bet it starts with a C and ends with an O. I bet there's a lot of political action going on once that bit of business is over. Ahhh, I remember the days when Mulgrew raved about John King and Meryl Tisch.

The resolution will next go to the union’s more than 2,000 delegates at NYSUT’s representative meeting in April. The State Education Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Hmmm. Me thinks those 2000 delegates, 800 of which are Unity, might have a few things on their minds in April.

Mike Antonucci over at EIA today also had some comments over the NYSUT split, thinking it put Randi in a pickle. I think not. It’s Official: Civil War in NYSUT.

http://blog.timesunion.com/schools/2484/2484/

Schools

Education news from the Capital Region and beyond

By Kristen V. Brown | On Twitter

NYSUT issues ‘no confidence’ vote, calls for King’s removal

Posted on January 25, 2014 | By Kristen V. Brown

The state’s largest and most powerful teacher’s union on Saturday issued a declaration of “no confidence” in state Education Commissioner John King, a symbolic but unprecedented gesture calling for King’s removal from his post by the state Board of Regents.

New York State United Teachers’  80-member board of directors unanimously approved the resolution Saturday during the board’s regular meeting.

The resolution states that the board declares “no confidence in the policies of the Commissioner of Education.” Earlier this month, NYSUT president Richard Iannuzzi announced that he would seek the action  in an interview on Time Warner’s “Capital Tonight” program.

NYSUT’s  board also withdrew its support for the state’s new Common Core learning standards “as implemented and interpreted in New York” until the State Education Department “makes major course corrections” and “supports a three-year moratorium on high-stakes consequences from standardized testing.”

“SED’s implementation plan in New York state has failed,” said Iannuzzi in a statement. “The commissioner has pursued policies that repeatedly ignore the voices of parents and educators who have identified problems and called on him to move more thoughtfully.”

NYSUT members have complained that the state has not given adequate guidance on the Common Core teaching standards. They also resent the state’s new system of teacher evaluations that will be based in part on how students perform on standardized tests.

They have called for a three-year moratorium on using test scores for so-called “high-stakes” decisions such as evaluations.

The resolution will next go to the union’s more than 2,000 delegates at NYSUT’s representative meeting in April. The State Education Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
NYSUT said that it will seek the following:

• Completion of all modules, or lessons, aligned with the Common Core and time for educators to review them to ensure they are grade-level appropriate and aligned with classroom practice;
• Better engagement with parents, including listening to their concerns about their children’s needs;
• Additional tools, professional development and resources for teachers to address the needs of diverse learners, including students with disabilities and English language learners;
• Full transparency in state testing, including the release of all test questions, so teachers can use them in improving instruction;
• Postponement of Common Core Regents exams as a graduation requirement;
•  The funding necessary to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve the Common Core standards.  The proposed Executive Budget would leave nearly 70 percent of the state’s school districts with less state aid in 2014-15 than they had in 2009-10; and
• A moratorium, or delay, in the high-stakes consequences for students and teachers from standardized testing to give the State Education Department – and school districts – more time to correctly implement the Common Core.

UPDATE: Education Commissioner John King and state Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch issued a statement Saturday afternoon in response to the NYSUT vote. The statement follows, in entirety:

“Every year more than 140,000 New York students leave high school without the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in college or the workplace. Many are essentially trapped in a lifetime of economic despair. Together with the Board of Regents, the Governor, and legislature, we will make necessary adjustments and modifications to the implementation of the Common Core, but now is not the time to weaken standards for teaching and learning. Our students are counting on us to help them develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life. The higher standards the Common Core sets will help them do just that.”

The State of Politics: UFT Sides With "Insurgents" In NYSUT Power Struggle

If Iannuzzi has to go how about Randi Weingarten? Duhhhh! We told you from Day 1 Pallotta was Mulgrew's tool. I'm putting in a tab up top of the blog where I will keep links from Ed Notes and some other sources as this gets played out.

For those of you who have not following the ed notes coverage of this NYSUT internal struggle, as we predicted from Day 1 Mulgrew has been behind it.

A pointed out Unity controls 40% of the delegates who will vote -- all 800 elected last April despite the fact thousands of people voted for MORE, yet those people get disenfranchised at NYSUT and the AFT.

Pallotta et al also has the support of NYSUT’s former executive vice president, Alan Lubin, who wrote on the REVIVE website:

“Four incumbents say ‘Now is not the time to change leadership.’ That’s an argument used in Union elections since the beginning of time. (Including by me, in the past!). We are past that argument now. The REVIVE NYSUT leaders argue for new approaches, new coalitions, and improved outreach and much more involvement and input from locals across the state to bring NYSUT to a higher level.”

As I wrote recently the "retired" Alan Lubin, who we are told despises Iannuzzi, is up to his ears in this. Yeah, Alan, you guys have been telling us since the beginning of time "now is not the time." If Iannuzzi has to go how about Randi Weingarten?

A point to watch here is:

Also this weekend, a group of some 50 NYSUT local leaders from around the state – basically, everywhere EXCEPT New York City – will be meeting separately at an Albany hotel to discuss their support of Iannuzzi, but also their vision for the future of the union and what it should look like going forward. This group of Iannuzzi backers also has a wesbite: StrongertogetherNYSUT.com.

We know people who will be at this meeting and will report as soon as info comes in.

check the comments

http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2014/01/uft-sides-with-insurgents-in-nysut-power-struggle/

UFT Sides With Insurgents In NYSUT Power Struggle (Updated)

A significant rift has developed between UFT President Mike Mulgrew and NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi, with the downstate teachers union honcho backing a slate of challengers against his statewide counterpart’s leadership team.
Mulgrew announced his support yesterday on the website of “REVIVE NYSUT” – the insurgent arm of the statewide teachers’ union that is challenging Iannuzzi and his allies in a fight for the NYSUT leadership. The opposition slate includes Andy Pallotta, NYSUT’s current executive vice president and a Mulgrew ally.

“We support the REVIVE NYSUT Unity slate,” Mulgrew wrote. “We have heard the voices from locals across the state and agree with their call for change.”

UPDATE: Pallotta is the REVIVE member who is drawing the most attention, due, I believe, to his Bronx roots and his alliance with Mulgrew. But he is seeking re-election to his current post. The presidential candidate challenging Iannuzzi is Karen McGee, a NYSUT Board member and president of the Harrison Association of Teachers in Westchester County.

Pallotta et al also has the support of NYSUT’s former executive vice president, Alan Lubin, who wrote on the REVIVE website:

“Four incumbents say ‘Now is not the time to change leadership.’ That’s an argument used in Union elections since the beginning of time. (Including by me, in the past!). We are past that argument now. The REVIVE NYSUT leaders argue for new approaches, new coalitions, and improved outreach and much more involvement and input from locals across the state to bring NYSUT to a higher level.”

NYSUT’s internal power struggle has been the talk of education blogs for several weeks now, but so far has failed to break through into the mainstream media. The fight recently surfaced when state Education Commissioner John King suggested during a CapTon interview that Iannuzzi’s motive for advancing a “no confidence” vote against the commissioner might be more about problems within his own house and less about unhappiness with the Board of Regents’ implementation of the controversial Common Core curriculum.
Common Core – or, more specifically, its impact on the controversial teacher performance evaluation process (which, by the way, both NYSUT and the UFT signed off on) – is indeed a source of consternation among NYSUT members, especially on Long Island, where opponents have been particularly vocal. This is one of the prime examples offered by the anti-Iannuzzi faction about why the current leadership team needs to go.
But there’s also chatter that what this is really all about is an effort by the UFT to wrest control of its parent union once and for all. This theory is primarily being pushed by the pro-Iannuzzi faction, which thinks Mulgrew, who has a close relationship with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is particularly miffed that Iannuzzi is apparently unwilling to even entertain the possibility of endorsing the governor for re-election this fall.
(Recall that NYSUT remained neutral in the 2010 governor’s race, as did several other unions. Cuomo hasn’t done much since he took office to improve his relationship with much of the labor community. If anything, that relationship has deteriorated, thanks to the passage of Tier 6 and the 2 percent property tax cap, as well as several contentious contract negotiations with public employee unions).
This is the final year of Iannuzzi’s three-year term. Technically speaking, the NYSUT elections take place in April, and since the UFT controls some 40 percent of the vote, the outcome is going to be close.
But the union is holding a board meeting tonight and tomorrow in Albany at which the topic of trying to avoid the coming bloodbath will no doubt be broached. I did reach Iannuzzi this afternoon, and asked if he would consider stepping aside to avoid a fight – epsecially given the fact that this is an important election year in which the union I’m sure wants to play a big role.

“I will be in this until the end,” Iannuzzi replied. “I’ve been part of NYSUT for 40-plus years, and I know what NYSUT is. It’s an organization that has a really delicate balance between New York City and the rest of the state. It won’t be NYSUT if this crowd takes over.”

Neither Pallotta nor Mulgrew has yet returned a call seeking comment.
Also this weekend, a group of some 50 NYSUT local leaders from around the state – basically, everywhere EXCEPT New York City – will be meeting separately at an Albany hotel to discuss their support of Iannuzzi, but also their vision for the future of the union and what it should look like going forward. This group of Iannuzzi backers also has a wesbite: StrongertogetherNYSUT.com.

 The comments section is one-sided anti Iannuzzi so far. But so funny when we know that the "democratic" UFT is behind it. And as I wrote recently the "retired" Alan Lubin, who we are told despises Iannuzzi, is up to his ears in this.

NYC Teachers at PS 8X Jump Into NYSUT Fray

It is time for NYSUT’s locals to unite against the useless behemoth of a local called the UFT and take steps to protect the hardworking teachers of NYS... A group of teachers at PS 8 in the Bronx.

I spoke with Andy this past summer and expressed my frustration with the lack of leadership on tackling Albany and the DOE head on. Andy's a peacemaker.  I'm a fighter... Roseanne McCosh, former chapter leader, PS 8X. 

Roseanne McCosh has been using the info we have been publishing here on the NYSUT story to share with her colleagues at PS 8X. She has been an Ed Notes reader and supporter since she was a chapter leader for many years. She also supported ICE. I'm not sure if I have even met her -- though I do think remember her from the DAs. She told me her school basically supported MORE in the election.

She took this action on her own without prompting -- true rank and file activism. How I wish there were thousands more like Roseanne. If there were we would have a very different union. As she writes below:

On a personal level I have a lot of good things to say about Andy. But this UFT/NYSUT situation ain't personal--- it's business, and I completely disagree with Andy on how vehemently we should be fighting those looking to eliminate teachers' unions and wreak havoc on the day to day conditions under which we must try to teach.

If you are so inclined, write your own school version or just use her template as a way to inform your staff as to what is going on and send a copy to me. One commenter asked for a pdf.

Norm,

I have written a letter to Iannuzzi that some teachers from my school have agreed to sign.  I will see if I can get more signatures next week.  Thus far the teachers below have agreed to my including their name on the Iannuzzi letter and submitting it you you (I described you as a blogger who is keeping us informed on the issue).  You have permission from those below to post this letter with our names if you want to.  ... Roseanne

Dear Mr. Iannuzzi,

As  UFT members we would relish the stranglehold the UFT has on NYSUT if UFT leadership was looking out for the best interests of its active teaching force.  But the sad fact is that they are not.  We have been attacked and abused for far too long by the NYC DOE and those attacks now come from Albany (Governor Cuomo) and Washington DC (Duncan et al).  

Now that the abuse is spreading to local unions, teachers in smaller school districts are starting to wake up and pay attention and make demands on their locals.  The influence that the UFT has on the decisions of NYSUT must be countered. Andrew Cuomo is not a friend to teachers.  Andrew Cuomo isn’t even close to being fair to teachers.  If Michael Mulgrew wants to support Andrew Cuomo, he should do so by writing a personal check.  We are certainly not the only UFT members who feel abandoned by the UFT.  It is time for NYSUT’s locals to unite against the useless behemoth of a local called the UFT and take steps to protect the hardworking teachers of NYS. 

Roseanne McCosh, UFT and NYSUT member

Theresa Miller, UFT and NYSUT member

Lori Matta, UFT and NYSUT member

Michele Bombace, UFT and NYSUT member

Cynthia Pacelli, UFT and NYSUT member

Kristin King, UFT and NYSUT member

Roseanne also sent along this background info in Andy Pallotta whom she likes personally.

I worked with Andy Pallotta when we were both Dist 10 chapter leaders and I continued as chapter leader while he was the Dist 10 rep. I am no longer chapter leader but I was replaced by someone strong and on the right side of the issues.  

On a personal level I have a lot of good things to say about Andy. But this UFT/NYSUT situation ain't personal--- it's business, and I completely disagree with Andy on how vehemently we should be fighting those looking to eliminate teachers' unions and wreak havoc on the day to day conditions under which we must try to teach.  I spoke with Andy this past summer and expressed my frustration with the lack of leadership on tackling Albany and the DOE head on.  Andy's a peacemaker.  I'm a fighter.  We disagree on tactics.  He had a VP from the UFT call me (For the life of me I can't remember her damn name)  and I was given lip service that the UFT was on top of this whole eval system.  I knew I was being placated and ended the conversation noting that time would tell how ahead of all of these issues the UFT would be in the months to come.

 

More NYSUT Internals: Valley Central TA President Supports Iannuzzi

Capital Tonight reports that an NYSUT analysis shows 69% of school districts will be receiving less aid in Cuomo's proposed budget than they got in 2009.... Reality-Based Educator

One hundred and seven (107), approximately 25% of teaching staff positions, have been cut in the past 5 years and it is Governor Cuomo who is primarily responsible for establishing, promoting or continuing the policies that have caused this student neglect..... there is no one I have met in this world that I respect and admire more than Dick Iannuzzi. I often tell my friends and colleagues that I long for a leader that does not have a price-tag on his/her advocacy—one that will do the right thing every time simply because it is the right thing to do. Dick models these criteria wonderfully. He is a leader that I would follow into hell to do battle for what is right because he has proven himself to have a strong moral compass and an effective work ethic in the most difficult political climate that NYS education has ever faced.... Tim Brown, President, Central Valley TA.

I never thought much about NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi, assuming he was a made front man pushed by the local NYC Unity Caucus machine (reminder: there is also a NY state Unity Caucus that does not seem as tightly locked down given the emerging criticisms from the inside.)

But over the last year I began to notice some surprising divergences from the Mulgrew/Randi line on evaluations, common core, NY State Ed, and most importantly, Cuomo. I assumed that given the enormous criticism directed at Iannuzzi from people upset with his agreeing to so much bad stuff, that people were going to either sit out the battle with Andy Pallotta or hold their noses and vote for Dick. But Tim Brown's email certainly has caught my attention. I wonder how many other locals out there are feeling the same and whether they have the ability to cobble together a broad based caucus on the state level. MORE I believe would be ready to assist in any way possible despite out limited resources.

Note this point by RBE at Perdido Street School:

Capital Tonight reports that an NYSUT analysis shows 69% of school districts will be receiving less aid in Cuomo's proposed budget than they got in 2009.

Then  RBE goes on to talk about all the bullshit testing, common core, eval mandates eating up school budgets. Will those districts begin to revolt over a Cuomo endorsement or will Mulgrew be able to keep them in line?

Thus, this fascinating email sent to me by Valley Central TA President Tim Brown with copies of emails he sent to Andy Pallotta months ago - who from what I hear was raised up from District 10 (Bronx) Rep to NYSUT VP and from reports, seems to have gone way beyond the Peter Principle -- now to be renamed the "Andy Principle."

If all this is new to you here are some catch-up pieces in reverse order of publication.

• Internal President's Letters Expose NYSUT Rift and...
• Duking it Out in NYSUT - At the Top
• Strange Bedfellows On Cuomo Team: Eva, DFER and Mi...
• EIA Picks up Our NYSUT Story
• Looming Battle: Mulgrew vs Iannuzzi For NYSUT Lead...

To: Norm Scott

From: Tim Brown, Valley Central TA President

I followed the link to your blog from the “Revive NYSUT Slate Lies” Facebook page and read the letters you posted from some local presidents. Following are two emails I sent to Andy Pallotta, one in October and the other in December, to share my disillusionment with Andy’s support of the IDC (Independent Democratic Caucus) and Governor Cuomo via the “Birthday Bash.” 

It was not my intent to share these emails outside my local union family, but recent events have changed my attitude regarding this. You are welcome to use them in any way you choose and I am certainly not concerned about my name being attached to them. I have the utmost respect for Dick, Maria, Lee and Kathleen. In fact, there is no one I have met in this world that I respect and admire more than Dick Iannuzzi. I often tell my friends and colleagues that I long for a leader that does not have a price-tag on his/her advocacy—one that will do the right thing every time simply because it is the right thing to do. Dick models these criteria wonderfully. He is a leader that I would follow into hell to do battle for what is right because he has proven himself to have a strong moral compass and an effective work ethic in the most difficult political climate that NYS education has ever faced. 

It is sad to note that difficult political times also provide opportunities, on an organizational level, for institutionally ambitious members to attack their own leaders for the purpose of advancing their own career/positions. This type of motivation does not fit the moral or practical parameters of leadership for which I am looking. I am willing to stand up and defend what I know to be correct and desirable and Dick, Maria, Lee and Kathleen are definitely the correct team to be leading NYSUT during this crisis. They have been effective and their motivation is selfless as opposed to ambitiously selfish and opportunistic.

Tim

PS: Feel free to call me. My local's website is vcta.net.

October Email to Pallotta Regarding IDC

>>> "T Brown"  10/29/2013 2:59 PM >>>

To: Andy Pallotta, NYSUT Executive Vice-President

From: Timothy Brown, Valley Central Teachers’ Association President

It is with great frustration that I write regarding the recent article published by Jessica Bakeman titled “NYSUT head says I.D.C. alliance ‘didn’t work,’ gets corrected.” I fail to understand how our head of legislation can fail to see how the I.D.C has been a major obstacle to productive teacher political action? In sharing this article with some of my executive council I received nothing but gasps of shock and dismay that you would publicly defend elected officials that have consistently voted against NYSUT supported legislative issues while publicly siding against your own president who was/is willing to take a stand against these democrats who are in the pockets of senate republicans.

Even if you disagree with your president, although I fail to see how any logical person could in this case, your public statements are damaging and show a lack of concern for NYSUT membership as a whole. I note that the article indicates that I.D.C. members Jeff Klein and Eric Soufer asked you to “clarify” NYSUT’s position. Perhaps it would have been better to have the individual involved, President Richard Iannuzzi, clarify his own words.

The truth and reality for those of us who have had to live with the devastating impact of the I.D.C.’s resistance to our political concerns is a lack of funding that has caused my district to lose approximately 25% of its teaching staff. Valley Central has lost $24 million due to gap elimination. This resulted in the loss of music, art and library at the elementary level and a regression from full to half-day kindergarten. What have these I.D.C. vultures such as David Carlucci gained from their anti-NYSUT voting record? They have gained the loyalty of republicans who have promised no serious republican challenge to I.D.C. members. Now there’s ethics we can all trust… Those of us who are suffering from the I.D.C.’s voting record know the score.

Andy, I hope you will seriously reconsider your support of I.D.C members.

Tim Brown

December Email to Pallotta Regarding Cuomo Birthday

>>> "T Brown" 12/15/2013 9:01 PM >>>

To: Andrew Pallota, NYSUT Executive Vice-President

From: Tim Brown, Valley Central TA President

CC: NYSUT Officers

Re: Governor Cuomo Birthday Celebration

I write to you with serious concerns regarding the monetary support being offered to Governor Andrew Cuomo, perceived by many public school teachers as the number one enemy of public schools and teacher unions. Governor Cuomo’s two percent tax cap combined with his continued use of the Gap Elimination Adjustment has devastated many New York State schools. My school, Valley Central, has lost $24 million due to GEA resulting in the loss of elementary library, music and art, as well as a reduction from full to half day kindergarten. One hundred and seven (107), approximately 25% of teaching staff positions, have been cut in the past 5 years and it is Governor Cuomo who is primarily responsible for establishing, promoting or continuing the policies that have caused this student neglect.

Yet, despite all of this, NYSUT chose to attend a birthday party celebration for a governor that misleads the public by “decrying the influence of money in politics” while simultaneously organizing a birthday bash that, according to bothLittleSis Blog and The Post Standard at Syracuse.com, cost $50,000 per table for the privilege of seeing Billy Joel while adding “to Cuomo’s $28 million campaign chest.” Did NYSUT purchase a table? How much money did we add to Andrew Cuomo’s political war chest?

Several years ago I was part of a Committee of 100 delegation that helped to change an entrenched NYSUT practice that unfairly favored incumbents. It was also decided that candidates must clearly earn our endorsement and, as a result, many elected officials lost our support following the short-sighted and politically motivated Tax-Cap and Tiers V and VI votes in Albany.

I refuse to believe that NYSUT would even entertain discussions regarding an endorsement of Governor Cuomo. Nevertheless, NYSUT is essentially providing a de facto endorsement of Governor Andrew Cuomo by providing him with what I assume is a sinful amount of our VOTE-COPE contributions. I have been successful in my local VOTE-COPE campaign, but it has been necessary to constantly remind my members that NYSUT did not endorse Andrew Cuomo in the last election.

Members have shared articles and photographs from Cuomo’s Birthday Bash Fundraiser placing me in the position of trying to defend NYSUT to my members. According to one of my executive council members, one Facebook photo included a NYSUT ED Director boasting that she had attended this birthday bash. I can only assume that this posting was an implicit endorsement of our Governor. Should I assume that this member was in attendance on our VOTE-COPE dime, so to speak? If so, I find this to be a serious breach of trust. My members and I expect complete transparency with regard to VOTE-COPE expenditures and NYSUT endorsements.

A response would be appreciated.

Tim doesn't report if he received a response from Andy. Most people report they don't receive responses from Mulgrew (as opposed to Randi who would respond to you if you sneezed) so maybe something was added to the water at the UFT since she left.

Danny Dromm Gives Us All a Voice

Can the ed deform world be coming apart any faster? I just loved this piece from Eliza Shapiro at Capital.

Dromm echoes educational philosophy of de Blasio, Fariña

By Eliza Shapiro
4:25 p.m. | Jan. 22, 2014

Daniel Dromm's immediate priorities as the City Council's newly appointed education committee chair reflect the tone of the de Blasio administration: More pre-K, less testing, and a focus on progressive education.
In an interview with Capital on Wednesday afternoon after his appointment, Dromm, a close ally of Melissa Mark-Viverito and a longtime opponent of the Bloomberg administration's education policies, said his philosophy aligns with school chancellor Carmen Fariña's in part because they are both longtime educators.
"During the Bloomberg administration we lost the emphasis on dealing with the whole child, the child being more than just test scores," he said.
Dromm, a member of the Council representing Jackson Heights and Elmhurst since 2009, was a longtime teacher and day care center director.
His appointment was widely expected; last week, before he was appointed, Dromm invited his colleagues in the Council to a hearing on the priorities of education activists opposed to Bloomberg's policies.
Dromm said he will push for a reduced emphasis on testing, improved teacher morale, and reduced class size, among other issues, that drew daylight between his educational philosophy and that of the previous administration's.
Dromm said a focus on the whole child will also require more art, music, physical education and foreign language instruction and options in school, and said that as a teacher he taught social studies by taking his students on relevant field trips and incorporating literature and cultural instruction to enrich curriculum.
Compared to the sports and arts instruction wealthy students in New York's suburbs get, New York City students still lack options, Dromm said. "To me, that is the piece that is missing in the D.O.E.," he said. "It was cut out during the Bloomberg administration because of an emphasis on testing." He added that be believes test scores in general are "valid and important" but are only one part of a student's performance.
Fariña has also emphasized the importance of holistic social studies instruction and, in her limited public comments thus far as chancellor, Fariña has repeatedly said she wants to bring "joy back" to classrooms, an indirect criticism of the previous administration, which had a renewed focus on data accountability, and standardized testing, which Dromm has tacked onto.
Dromm also said he'll focus on "ensuring teachers have a role in the decision making process"; a hallmark of the Bloomberg administration's education agenda was handing a great deal of responsibility over to principals.
Dromm has distinguished himself from his peers by focusing on the need to support and protect LGBTQ students in the city's schools, particularly in high schools.
Dromm, who came out as gay while he was a teacher, said he gets calls from students every day complaining about anti-LGBTQ language in schools.
He said making "high schools a safe environment for all students," not just LGBTQ students, is an immediate priority of his. 
Last week, before he was appointed, Dromm convened a group of his colleagues in the Council and education activists to listen to priorities of his fellow councilmembers.

Internal President's Letters Expose NYSUT Rift and Support for Iannuzzi?

The inaction of the legislative office has forced Dick's hand to move the discussion in our favor. He has twice sued the state (APPR and Tax Cap) and pushed the June 8 rally (despite Andy's opposition).... The leader, as I see it, of this insurrection is E. V. P. Andy Pallotta. ... President, Westchester union local

Unity began as a vehicle to represent all members of the State but in Washington last year it became very obvious that it was functioning as an arm of the UFT....  I stood up at Guerneys and tried to politely tell Andy that I believed now is the time for a united NYSUT attack against the death grip that Cuomo has on NYS education... this is not the time to show the politicians that we are not united... Andy has done nothing to stop Cuomo's tax cap agenda that is killing everyone in the State except the UFT... at least Dick filed the lawsuit..... President of a Long Island local

If you've been following the saga of the split in NYSUT, here is a chapter I've had for a few weeks but never got to publish it. It might -- or might not -- explain a few things. What it does do is indicate there is a growing insurrection outside NYC against the undue influence of Unity Caucus in NYC -- there is also a broader Unity Caucus at the state level that functions fairly loosely compared to the UFT version of Unity. (All it takes is 10 buck to join NYSUT Unity instead of the pint of blood and robotic control of your tongue you get in UFT Unity.)

Here are my previous posts if you need to get up to speed.

• Duking it Out in NYSUT - At the Top
• Strange Bedfellows On Cuomo Team: Eva, DFER and Mi...
• EIA Picks up Our NYSUT Story
• Looming Battle: Mulgrew vs Iannuzzi For NYSUT Lead.

I blotted out most of the names in these communications because I'm not sure I have everyone's permission though I do have permission to publish these emails from the
LONG ISLAND PRESIDENTS' COUNCIL INTRANET.

The following message has been posted to the LIPC Intranet's Discussion Board:

Subject:
Re: LIPC DID YOU KNOW
Date:
1/3/2014 10:37:24 PM
Message from a Long Island union president

I believe that at this time it's important for LIPC members to know that across the State many local presidents are talking about the situation in NYSUT..... I can not abide these "secret" meetings and agendas... I am assuming that you all are just as interested as I am so I'm posting an email from a local President in Westchester... I will continue to post the correspondences that come to me from other areas of the State to keep you all up to date on what's happening... xxxxxx wrote the email below and told me I could include his name... I will only include author's names when they give me permission to do so...

Email from a local President in Westchester

......... Presidents, I have been mulling this communication over for the last several days trying to formulate a sense of my feeling on the issue because I admire both xxxx and yyyyy and agree with both their positions. If this were any other time, I would fully endorse yyyyy's perspective that using this forum to air grievances with leadership would be inappropriate and undermine our unity. The unity that has served us incredibly well over the years. But, these are times unlike any I have seen in my years as a Union leader. 

To remain silent would be to maintain an illusion that we are not on the precipice of a leadership battle in our organization, one with statewide ramifications. 

The leader, as I see it, of this insurrection is E. V. P. Andy Pallotta. 

Clearly we have been a house divided for some time. The legislative office and President have had their issues and it has become clear to me that this internal battle is a mask that Andy has used to cover for his failure to deliver in the legislative arena. The independence that the legislative office has historically had may have worked for Alan Lubin and Tom Hobart, but Alan could consistently deliver for our members. That independence is not working now. Andy has not been using his resources in an effective way he has not been pushing our agenda, they have been silent on the tax cap and ineffective on issues of testing. 

The inaction of the legislative office has forced Dick's hand to move the discussion in our favor. He has twice sued the state (APPR and Tax Cap) and pushed the June 8 rally (despite Andy's opposition). While I may not agree with everything that Dick has done I recognize and respect his commitment to unity and our core purpose. The fact that Andy would be working to undermine the strength of NYSUT at a time when we have so much opportunity to advance our agenda in the legislature speaks volumes to me. So I applaud xxxxx for initiating a discussion none of us will be able to avoid for long.

zzzzz President, zzzzzz Federation of Teachers

On Saturday, January 4, 2014 12:17 PM, a follow-up from Long Island President:

I too would rather have a discussion about this startling news and am hoping that every president will be at Guerneys later this month... but at this time, this forum seems to be the only vehicle for disseminating this information to all LI presidents...

bbbbb you know as well as I do that midnight tonight is the deadline for submitting ones name to Unity for endorsement consideration and your meeting was last night.... Unfortunately, for far too long the Unity Caucus has enjoyed the distinguished honor of being the only caucus with teeth at the RA... many of us paid our $10 to sit in the room and see what was going on... Unity began as a vehicle to represent all members of the State but in Washington last year it became very obvious that it was functioning as an arm of the UFT... I want to believe that you would never allow an endorsement of Cuomo. But you did not stand up at that NYSUT Board meeting and tell Karen Magee that under no circumstances should NYSUT endorse Cuomo... You could have rose and given the room a Ron Smith rendition of, "NYSUT needs to spend all its time and money finding candidates to run and win against Cuomo and his lackeys", but you chose not to.... When I heard that you all were at the Cuomo fundraiser I called Dick... He told me that he was unaware that Andy had reserved a table and that none of the other officers were invited...Dick and Andy may have needed to be at the Cuomo event, but all of the rest of you should have told Andy not to waste our vote cope money to fill Cuomo's war chest... Karen Magee shouldn't have needed a local president to tell her her "giddy" facebook post about the event was inappropriate before she removed the thread from her facebook page... She shouldn't have posted it to begin with and if she's really interested in running for NYSUT President why did she run for rather than retire from the TRS last year.... I stood up at Guerneys and tried to politely tell Andy that I believed now is the time for a united NYSUT attack against the death grip that Cuomo has on NYS education... this is not the time to show the politicians that we are not united... 

Andy has done nothing to stop Cuomo's tax cap agenda that is killing everyone in the State except the UFT... at least Dick filed the lawsuit.... 

Everyone knows that I don't agree with Dick's position on a three year moratorium because I have continuously stated that I believe in a full withdrawal from RTTT and that the common core is crap... with that said, let me be very clear, I will vote for and work to get Dick elected because he did not endorse Cuomo last time and he has stated that he will not support or recommend NYSUT endorse Cuomo in November... as I see it Cuomo, Flanagan, LaValle, King, Obama, et al are our enemies not Dick or Lee or Kathleen!!
below is another letter from an upstate president that is traveling around for everyone to see... the president's name has been removed...

..... fellow presidents,

I chose to send this to everyone for a couple reasons; first, because I raised the MAC question at our Presidents’ meeting and feel we should all have the answer. Given that the Diane Ravich Forum falls on our next meeting and several of us will attend that (forum) rather than our meeting, I chose to copy all. 

Secondly, I’ve listened, for at least the last two years, to very public criticism of NYSUT officers at our meetings and conferences, so with equal deference, I do not understand why you would question me the first time I express my opinion. Lastly, I actually had this note sitting in my draft folder waiting until after the holiday. Given that my teachers and students will return to their classrooms on Thursday still faced with the threat of high stakes testing and the CC roll out nightmare which has been foisted upon us all, I couldn't stand to let any more time tick by. I’ve said nothing in this note that I wouldn’t say at our presidents’ meeting or that I will not say to EVP Pallotta himself, but again I fear that we will not all meet again for quite some time. I believe the time is now and the momentum is on our side for our legislative department to follow through, work with our lawmakers, and deliver the 3 year moratorium. 

Dick has laid out a clear plan and message as to why the moratorium makes sense. The rally and the statewide forums have set the stage, we finally have parents engaged and lawmakers from one end of NY to the other listening; let’s close the deal for our kids and our teachers! On January 3 rd I go to the bargaining table as many of you have done, are doing, or will do shortly and bargaining with this Cap is just one of the issues we all face. The Tax Cap also leaves our members facing layoffs each year and in some schools there is talk of insolvency. Yes, I do want more fire from the legislative department because I do see the fire from Dick and Maria and I want it to be matched by Andy. I agree with you, yyyyy, why go to a rally or participate in a Day of Action if there is to be no follow through? That is exactly why I hit send. That is exactly why I will call Andy’s office by days end. 

Lastly, what rings hollow for me yyyyy, is why so much of our VOTE-COPE dollars would be spent on this Governor, period! Leaving the door open is sending an officer or two and no one else. Making a small contribution also sends the message that we are not happy with him or his policies while still leaving the door open. I do not feel that there is anything wrong with my questioning why so many were sent or questioning who was sent. My fear is that it is about politics. There is an election around the corner and I certainly hope we will not endorse this Governor. 

 If anyone out there has something to add, leave a comment and give me time to get to a computer to moderate as I have to keep all the spam away.

Saturday Jan. 25: Stop and Reverse the Disappearing of Black and Latino Educators in NYC

Sean Ahern has led the efforts to bring this issue to the fore almost since I met him when we helped form ICE 10 years ago. He has moved steadily forward by building coalitions with all the groups named below.

This Saturday the Ad Hoc committee for Teacher Diversity is sponsoring a meeting to address the issue.

If this were only happening in NYC we would be able to look at the local conditions alone. But this is going on nationwide in urban areas where ed deform has reared its ugly head. You know, those people claiming they are involved in the civil rights issue of our times while somehow reducing the numbers people of color who are teaching in the areas that need them the most. Today we saw Boston highlighted:

A decline in the number of black teachers in Boston public schools has put the city in violation of a federal court order, prompting officials to step up efforts to recruit and retain teachers of color.

Officials in Boston seeking black teachers More diversity is recruitment goal; imbalance could bring litigation

Stop and Reverse the Disappearing of Black and Latino Educators in NYC
 

Please come to this important event and distribute the flyer below: 

• Testimonials from those pushed out and shut out
• An update on Gulino vs BOE (lawsuit against the NYS LAST exam)
• What we can do now

Saturday, January 25, 2014

3-5 PM

The Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew’s Parish Hall

520 Clinton Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238 (C train to Clinton/Washington)

A 42% decline in the number of new Black and Latino teachers hired to teach in NYC public schools since 2002 is movement in the wrong direction.

The DOE hires graduates from private universities over those from CUNY and SUNY.

A NYS teacher certification exam is not validated yet disproportionately excludes Black and Latino applicants.

Over 100 public schools have been closed in NYC’s Black and Latino communities.

Mayoral control over the DOE with its $25 billion yearly budget shuts out the voices and accountability to parents – over 80% of whom are Black, Latino and Asian.

Privately run charter schools are given a free ride to crowd existing public schools and to divide parents against parents.

The absence of DOE or mayoral oversight or direction to monitor and promote diversity in the teaching staff provides a cover for growing indifference and hostility to demands for equity.  “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.”

The undermining of teacher tenure, seniority and due process disproportionately impacts Black and Latino teachers, denigrates the teaching profession, inhibits student advocacy and contributes to chaos and demoralization in our public schools.

The disappearing of Black and Latino educators removes the most consistent advocates for a historically accurate, culturally relevant and inclusive curriculum.

Join with educators, parents and community leaders to stop and reverse the disappearing of Black and Latino educators.  Let’s organize for a real change at Tweed and City Hall.

Organized by the Ad Hoc committee for Teacher Diversity

Contact information: Peter Bronson (917) 453-3666, (718) 805-6341 Email:TeacherDiversity@gmail.com

Endorsers (list in formation) Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence, Coalition for Public Education, Movement of Rank and File Educators, National Black Education Agenda, New York Collective of Radical Educators, People Power, Progressive Action Caucus, Teacher’s Unite.

Stop and Reverse the Disappearing of Black and Latino Educators in NYC

Portelos Update - Clear Evidence of support for him

My bad back prevented me from attending recently but this report was sent from two of the MOREistas there observing and some anon comments from what appear to be parents.
 - I was hoping to go today but have to drive a friend to the doctor. And there's another session scheduled for Weds though the snowstorm may kill that.

These are the 2 MOREista retirees who have attended most of the hearings.

Retiree 1 - Jan. 10:

All things considered, it was a *really* good day for the " respondent".

I thought the impeachment of Ms. Cavalleri backfired in the sense that her reappearance had the effect (on me, at least) of underscoring her basic truthfulness. Long story short... she used the wrong word ("lied") in her " private " (Facebook) email when she should have said " I forgot to mention", or "I just realized I left out.... " etc.

This led to a long jumbled cross examination by JS ... kind of reminiscent of the scene from the The Verdict where James Mason badgers the witness about whether or not she understands the legal meaning of the word "perjury". CC , on redirect, got Cavalleri to use the word "dyslexic"... getting it I suppose, into the record". God knows whether or not either hearing officer or JS understand the communication implications of the term but it least it's in the record. I don't know about Ms. Busto, but the only thing I took away from Ms. Cavalleri's appearance was the image of the DOE fiendishly scouring the internet for every and any mention of this case that might conceivably help them win. ( Who exactly does all this....errrrmmm... "research"? The mind boggles.)

Ms. Jesino... parent co-ordinator... was a delight. 10 plus years on the job, kids went to school at I-49, etc. In other words: superb credentials, credibility-wise. Basically she underscored defense version of events from beginning to end. JS tried to impeach her by establishing that she was still friends w. FP's sister. ( She is.) Not clear what she achieved beyond that. Loooooong series of "Isn't it true that..." questions, the answer to all of which were "no." The difficulty is Ms. Jesino seems to take the "WHOLE" truth part of the oath *very* seriously and answers in paragraphs, providing both antecedents to simple facts, as well as their consequences. . Most of the details of which helped the defense narrative. JS kept (I thought) circling and circling, ready to pounce.

Rare moment of levity: Ms. J appended the term "Sweeetie" at the conclusion of a long answer to one of JS's "isn't it true that" questions. JS admonished her and Ms. Busto commented that that was probably the "friendliest" cross-examination response that JS would ever elicit.

Jesino was cool, calm, collected, natural, appealing. And very credible. She was calmly reading a tattered paperback while we were waiting for DOE to come back after lunch break to begin cross exam. (Do they time these "delays" to try to psych the witnesses? If so.. it didn't work.) I stood-up to catch the a glimpse of the cover, saw it, made a mental note to write it down but got distracted and it is lost for all time. It was non-fiction

Retiree 2 - January 10, 2014

Norm,

The former parent coordinator was excellent, so matter of fact and in control while describing just how toxic and inept the the admin is. Said it straight: AP ------- was drunk and disgusting. Parents, students and staff all agreed that AP –––– clothing was revealing and she would gape her legs so folks could see her polka dot underwear. She contradicted emphatically and convincingly all the words that the previous witnesses claimed she said.

     [DOE Legal Slugette] Jordana was at a loss about how to cross examine. At one point [NYSUT Attorney] Chris actually coached her how to phrase a question, which she then used. Clearly she was flustered and unsure of herself. Her attempts to badger the witness failed to throw the witness off. The narrative the DOE has tried to seamlessly orchestrate now looks more like cover-up fiction than some version of reality.

The staff crying to coordinator that they feel they would be retaliated against by administration if they even speak Portelos' name. The SCI investigator Matthew Martucci that told Hill everything that was said about her...

-------

3 Anonymous comments on your post "Francesco Portelos: Teacher Under Assault by Princ...":

I was a member of SLT at IS49 as the title 1 rep. If Ms. Hill didn't like my questions and didn't want to answer them, she would act like a 12yr old and say, "you know ms. wright, i'm really trying to get along with you." if she made a face or disliked any of my questions then she had her puppets chime in and attack me with negative comments and discouraging me from asking or speaking my mind. she demanded 1500 dollars from the title 1 money ASAP. I told her I needed to speak with higher ups and she quoted me again with, u know ms. wright, i'm really trying to get a long with you. and asking me who do I need to speak with and when will I get back to her. I told her Tuesday, which was two days later and she huffed and puffed like she was going to blow me down. when saturday rolled around she sent me an email telling me to disregard her request.


====
I was the title 1 rep and when I asked a question at the PTA meeting about the safe room, I was told at an executive meeting that was set up to intimidate me from asking negative questions in front of parents. I was told by sherina peterkins the so called president of the PTA and the so called leader in charge, Ms. Hill, that I am to stop whatever I am doing and ask ms. hill these questions in her office. that if my question is personal that I am to go to the principal in private. you stupid clowns, my son goes to your school and everything that happened or happens in this school is personal to me. I told them whatever. that if I want to ask a question I will ask it at the PTA.

====
I was harassed by ms. hill's security officers. she had only two black females escorting me around like I was a criminal. everyone else walked in that school with no escorts except me. I called mike riley to complain. it stopped for 2 weeks and started up again. this was all because ms. hill didn't like that I was asking a lot of questions about the budget, the title 1 funds, questioning the CFN and just asking positive questions about the kids' welfare when it came to education. as a title 1 rep I was treated like shit. but I didn't care because I knew that heifer couldn fire me. one time even one of the officers interpreted for me in English back to English. go figure. I have a lot of stories about this piece of shit school

PS 106 Update: Instead of Holding Bloomberg Accountable, NY Post and Eric Cantor Calls For Vouchers

If you tried to write the most bizarre stories you can imagine it is really hard to match the NY Post. Chalkbeat lists loads of NY Post PS 106 stories (see below for links), including Cantor's call for vouchers as the answer to the PS 106 neglect. Cantor says, "Decisions over educating our kids should start at the home with parents."
Well parents at PS 106 did ask for a voucher but to have a school leader who would act in their interests. Cantor wants to remove that choice from those parents.

Then the Post reports how letter after letter was ignored by the Bloomberg run Tweed over the years. Sure, Eric, vouchers. Not support for another Stalag Leadership Academy graduate, people who were encouraged to engage in the kinds of practices Marcella Sills engaged in in an assault on teacher and parent interests.

I charged the Post with withholding this story until Bloomberg was out of office so he and Walcott could walk away free. In Sue Edelman's story I'm printing below there is no seeming attempt to interview the people mentioned -- Supt Lloyd-Bey, Dennis Walcott, Joel Klein, or Bloomberg himself -- or even a call for them to be investigated. Or for Richard Condon to be called to account for starting an investigation NOW.

You want to know why? Because they all were very happy Sills was doing to teachers and parents exactly as she was trained to do in the Leadership Academy-- only she didn't do it with the skill others did.

The Lead Acad principal of my old school PS 147 did exactly the same type of stuff Sills did and she is now a high official at Tweed.

Here is the full Post story on the complaints of teachers - and Ed Notes in 2008 also had complaints of parents too.

Note the headline: City Ignored -- not Bloomberg, Klein, Walcott --

City ignored pleas to ax ‘lunatic’ principal

They knew.
Teachers begged city officials to investigate “School of No” Principal Marcella Sills soon after she started in 2005 — citing her constant tardiness, harassment of staff and extravagant spending on parties while the school lacked books, pencils and paper.
“Get rid of her before it’s too late,” a 2007 letter urged District 27 Superintendent Michelle Lloyd-Bey, who oversees Queens principals.
Letters describe Sills as a tyrant and “rude lunatic administrator” who spurred an exodus of excellent teachers and failed to provide basic student supplies and services while handsomely furnishing her own office and squandering funds on catering and decorations.
“You need to examine Ms. Sills’ inability to lead,” says a 2006 letter from a “concerned teacher” to top Department of Education officials, including Carmen Fariña — now the city’s newly installed chancellor — and then-Chancellor Joel Klein. “Teacher morale is at an all-time low.”
A 2006 letter to Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard Condon — with copies to then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Klein and other officials — said Sills “comes in late on a daily basis” and does not record her absences, but calls staffers at home if they call in sick.

The Post revealed last week that Sills for years has arrived hours late, and often failed to show, school sources said. Over the previous week, Sills missed all but one day.
The Far Rockaway school had no math or English textbooks for the rigorous new Common Core curriculum, no gym or art classes — kids watched movies instead — and no nurse’s office. Kindergartners sit in trailers that reeked of animal urine.
Fariña sent a deputy to inspect the school last week but has not publicly acknowledged any specific problems, citing only “significant room for organizational improvement.”
Last week, kids suddenly had gym and art. Dozens of boxes of books were delivered, including the grade-by-grade series, aimed at parents, starting with “What your Kindergartner Needs to Know.”
Condon has launched a probe.
Former teachers gave The Post 10 letters sent since 2005 to Condon, Klein, Lloyd-Bey, Fariña and former Queens Superintendent Kathleen Cashin — now a member of the state Board of Regents. Most of the letters are anonymous, because the teachers feared retaliation by Sills. Some kept a “harassment log.”
The teachers also showed more than two dozen letters and e-mails to reps at the United Federation of Teachers, including then-President Randi Weingarten, now a national union president, but said even she could not help.
Among the complaints, a 2006 letter to Condon, copied to Bloomberg and DOE officials, says Sills threw an elaborate buffet lunch for staff as a “thank you” but asked teachers to sign forms stating — falsely — that they attended a “professional development” workshop. A spokesman for Condon said last week he had no findings to report.
The letter also describes a “fifth-grade extravaganza,” including a dance at El Caribe banquet space, a Broadway show and dinner at a trendy Manhattan restaurant — at an estimated cost of $24,000. Parents had to cough up $90 each.
It was also alleged Sills used a grant from the Alvin Ailey Dance Studio to pay herself overtime, even as school aides went without OT because the school budget had run out of money.
A 2006 letter to Klein called Sills “vicious,” saying she “humiliated” children who were emotionally disturbed and punished school aides who complained about “unsafe, deplorable conditions” in the cafeteria.
Sills, 48, was a graduate of the DOE’s “Leadership Academy,” which trains principals, and had little teaching experience. Insiders said she lacked literacy skills, noting her invitation to a Nov. 23, 2005, holiday buffet “in honor of my gradutitude” to employees, including “security personel” and “custodially staff members.”
Sills ruled by threats and intimidation, ex-staffers complained. She “yells at a volume that resounds throughout the building, slams doors and uses foul language,” a 2006 letter to Condon claims.
That letter also accuses Sills of racism: “She has hired only black teachers and has targeted white teachers and a secretary.” Many left or were forced out.
One former teacher charged that Sills fabricated several observations, rated her “unsatisfactory” and then forged her signature on the documents.
Another red flag was raised in 2009, when the family of a girl student filed a $2 million negligence suit charging staff failed to stop beatings and a sex assault and that Sills did not report the incidents. The family’s lawyer, Adam Thompson, told The Post the city has yet to produce a single witness for deposition. The city Law Department declined to comment.
The DOE would not answer questions on PS 106 or Sills.

Chalkbeat list of articles.

"School of No"

Teachers at P.S. 106 sent at least 10 letters to city officials since 2005 complaining about Principal Marcella Sills.

• New York Post

Sills spent thousands of dollars sprucing up her office and ordering food for staff functions.

• New York Post

A fifth-grader describes the school's wanting conditions from a student's perspective.

• New York Post

Republican Congressman Eric Cantor says P.S. 106 is evidence that voucher programs are necessary.

• New York Post

After de Blasio stepped in, P.S. 106 pre-K students now have a real classroom with real furniture.

• New York Post

Loretta and Gene Prisco 70th Birthday, Jan. 19, 2013

Photo from the Goldfine/Rashal wedding 2 years ago. Loretta and Gene back row. We all gathered at Gene's memorial on Jan. 5. (video to come)

We all met in the early 70s and have remained a tight group politically and socially since. Gene Prisco's memorial a few weeks ago reminded us of the ties - and Loretta struggles with a very serious illness. Here is something to remember from happier times just a year ago when we celebrated both of their 70th birthdays.

In August 2012 we also gathered for the wedding of their daughter Gabrielle to Ra -- somewhere we have a picture of that too.

A year has passed since this festive event and what has occurred to this amazing family pushes against the boundaries of belief. Excuse the very bad sound and camera work -- I was in the back of a crowded room and using a phone-like camera.

Duking it Out in NYSUT - At the Top

On Saturday evening PJSTA (Port Jefferson Station) President Beth Dimino delivered the following message to the members of the PJSTA… For the record, the PJSTA will NOT endorse a slate of NYSUT Officers, led by Andy Pallotta, that endorse and use our vote cope money to pad Cuomo’s war chest! The PJSTA is leading the charge against this heinous act and will support individuals that oppose Pallotta and Cuomo!.. Beth Dimino, President PJSTA, More on Andy Pallotta

Someone asked me what is the relevance of the battle at the top in NYSUT we have been reporting about for the rank and file teachers in NYC and the state and for MORE as a caucus? Basically not much because this struggle does not involve the rank and file.

Bogs addressing the NYSUT issue:
http://thepjsta.org/
Perdido: More on The UFT/Mulgrew Machinations In The NYSUT

 NYC Educator
On Reviving NYSUT
My posts:

• Strange Bedfellows On Cuomo Team: Eva, DFER and Mi...
• EIA Picks up Our NYSUT Story
• Looming Battle: Mulgrew vs Iannuzzi For NYSUT Lead...

The internal NYSUT election takes place every 3 years at the NYSUT convention which revolves every year to a different location but the UFT leadership makes sure is at the local NY Hilton in election years (2014) so they can make sure all 800 Unity slugs get a free room and meal money at our expense and even a day or 2 off from school. Only delegates elected in their locals throughout the state get to vote and that vote will take place on Saturday, April 5. In the UFT winner-take-all version of democracy MORE gets NO delegates - and Unity even shuts out their buddies in New Action from that gravy train.

The statewide Unity Caucus will meet Friday evening, April 4, to endorse the Unity slate and that outcome is pretty clear -- it will be for the Andy Pallotta slate and not include the Iannuzzi crew which will be left to run on an ad hoc slate of sorts. Call it Un-Unity.



Remember-- this is all about who controls the COPE money going to politicians and Dick put a freeze on how much Andy can spend - mostly on the other Andy. And of course it also seems to be about the Cuomo endorsement -- Mikey and Randi want that little stool at the table -- and all they will get is the kind of stool a dog leaves on the street.

Let's do some analysis for a bit starting with exactly what kinds of local unions are we talking about. Most locals are very small with a few hundred teachers -- think of each town un Long Island and upstate as a separate local.

Then there is the big enchilada - the UFT with at least a third of the NYSUT membership and through that alone it pretty much decides things. Even if there was a coalition forming to fight it there would be enough fear -- think of the Christie story -- to keep even unhappy locals from venturing too far -- except for some very brave small union leaders -- apparently like Beth Dimino of PJSTA. There are others like her I imagine but I'm waiting to hear where they are coming from. Even if they all banded together they would still not have enough delegates to put up their own challenge.

Then come the smaller big cities --- Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers, which if in revolt with the more active smaller locals could create a bit of a stir. I think for instance it Phil Rumore of Buffalo put himself out there as a third choice there might be some shaking of the tree even if the result will be the same. But from what I hear there are no signs yet from the other bigger cities of any action.

And then there is also PSC - Professional Staff Congress -- a nice chunk of more left-leaning people at the city university - CUNY. No idea where they are coming from yet.

Here's the problem. While Iannuzzi has made some movements lately -- probably in response to the attack on him -- many in the state had him lumped with Mulgrew and Andy Pallotta until this all broke. Left with a poor set of choices what do people do? They begin to look at Iannuzzi as the lesser of two evils.

Oh, and then where is Randi on all this? I believe Iannuzzi does not become president of NYSUT without her OK. But we hear she is siding with the Mulgrew camp on this -- just a rumor.

Where all this intrigue has a possible impact is at the AFT Convention in LA this July where we will see more anti-Randi and anti UFT dominance emerge. NYSUT was always a solid block for them in the past but this time we may see some of this fracture play out on the national stage where Chicago will be sending a strong contingent pushing for some pretty heavy hitting resolutions. The battles between Unity and CORE will play out in committee rooms not in the national elections since I can't see Karen Lewis running against Randi. So what we will probably see is a leftish fringe group that will garner almost no support from even others on the left.

Unless... a real anti-Randi broad-based national coalition begins to form that can challenge the national version of Unity, the Progressive Caucus - which anyone can join for 25 bucks -- and I do every time just to be in the same room and laugh at the Unity slugs playing their usual roles.

Given that a batch of us met in Chicago this past summer with well over a hundred people from various social-justice oriented caucuses around the nation, there is a nascent movement forming and Randi is trying to get as far out ahead of it as she can -- thus her recent VAMping.

While MORE has a hell of a lot on its plate just trying to organize here in NYC and a long way to go - and I as a senior adviser keep stressing that -- not to stray too far into every single issue that comes up locally, nationally and internationally, we do think it important that we put some resources into helping build the national movement and if there is a state movement building, help support that too, but never losing site of the prime directive --- build strong school and district level MORE offshoots to challenge Unity at its core while also building the chapter leader and delegate MORE support network to begin to play a bigger role at the DA.

It seems that one of the major MORE strategies will be lots of local happy hours. Urp!

Afterburn
I still have to write about my tough last 2 weeks of time spent dealing with the health care system after I took a bad fall on my back and also have been helping a friend out who has cancer.

But I do want to say that shlepping to a vibrant MORE meeting Saturday with well over 60 people - and so many of them young - and new - certainly perked me up. So much so that today I shlepped out again to go to a joint MORE/Change the Stakes phone banking and button making party at Rosie's place for our big Feb. 1 event which I will tell you about soon. Again, a mixture of people in their 20s, 30s, and me.

Oh, and I also have to tell you that I was asked by the Rockaway Theatre Company to be part of the ensemble (chorus) in How to Succeed in Business.... where I actually sort of dance and pretend to sing and where one of my jobs is to ogle the young and very pretty fellow chorus gals playing the secretaries, who range in age from 15 to 29. Nice work for an almost 69 year old fossil. Bad back, hell. I'd crawl to do some serious ogling.