Teacher Union Support For Housing for TFA Scabs in Newark

...we shouldn't create construction jobs at the expense of unionized teacher jobs. ... Jersey Jazzman, July 2013

One of our partners, the AFL-CIO’s Housing Investment Trust, or HIT, which is funded largely by building trades’ pension funds but also by educators’ pension funds, has helped create affordable housing for teachers. Through its subsidiary, Building America, HIT is moving forward on plans to invest in the new teachers’ village in Newark, N.J.... Randi Weingarten at AFT Convention in Detroit, July 2012

There is little doubt that TFA has many ties to Teachers Village, and that many of its corps members will rent apartments there. There is little doubt that the charter schools occupying Teachers Village will not have a unionized staff. And there is little doubt that Teachers Village is yet another step in the charterization of Newark's schools - a process that has led to budget cuts and school closings against the will of parents, students, and the elected yet powerless school board..... despite all this, NTU's leaders have heartily endorsed Teachers Village: a project that will accelerate the growth of charters and the deunionization of Newark's Schools.... Jersey Jazzman, July 2013

Even my pal Michael Fiorillo seemed astounded when he read my earlier posting this morning "Dear Randi" From a Newark Teacher.
With Cami Anderson wanting to lay off 700 tenured teachers and replace them with newbie Teach for America scabs, this story takes on new dimensions, especially with Randi's letter to Chris Christie yesterday - excuse me for a minute while I gag.

I'm back. Really and truly, I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

Beit's got himself one sweet deal, doesn't he? He uses $100 million in tax credits to finance a project in Newark, then lines up a group of charter schools as his business occupants, who will pay their rents with taxpayer funds.

Then, as if that isn't enough, he sets himself up to direct a steady flow of college-educated renters right into his residential units - through TFA! In fact, TFA has a page where prospective "teachers" can figure out their expenses when they move to Newark. By default, rent is listed as $1150: right in the range for units at Teachers Village. There's also a happy-happy neighborhood description on the TFA-Newark website: I don't think a real estate agent could have written one better. ... Jersey Jazzman

My relentless ednotes reporter on the scene in Newark reminded me of this Jersey Jazzman piece from July 2013, where I left my usual "vichy, quisling" comment. Read this one in full and get the full flavor of what we are up against when our own union leaders have the foresight of flea. JJ asks: "Let me ask NTU leadership something: do you think Karen Lewis out in Chicago would have signed off on this plan?"

How the Newark Teachers Union Shot Itself In the Foot

By now, those of us in Jersey are well aware of the construction trade unions' endorsement of Chris Christie, the biggest foe of public worker unions in the Northeast. I guess these supposed "allies" of teachers and cops think Christie's "pro-business" policies will lead to more jobs, even though the evidence suggests Christie is very bad for economic growth and job development.

Whatever: it still stings mightily when, as a teacher, I see my union "brothers and sisters" out there shilling for a man who has done more to take money out of my family's budget than any other politician in the state, and who is gearing up for a run at national office. Weren't we all supposed to be sticking together as a united labor movement? After all, the leaders of New Jersey's public worker unions have happily stood up and endorsed public works programs when they meant creating union construction jobs.

Take, for example, the president of the Newark Teachers Union, Joe Del Grosso [annotation mine]:

Here's Del Grosso supporting the Teachers Village project in Newark that, apparently, created union construction jobs for AFL-CIO members. Keep in mind that the NTU is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, which is, in turn, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. And it was only with the AFL-CIO's support that the developers of Teachers Village could get the New Markets Tax Credits necessary to make this project so lucrative for the big-money boys who financed it.

So it was, of course, perfectly natural that Del Grosso would support a project that would create jobs for AFL-CIO members in the building trades. But his members - the teachers and support staff of the NTU - ought to ask themselves: at what cost?

Normally, I wouldn't think this was a particularly noteworthy story: how TFA chooses to organize itself isn't really a big issue. But then I took a look at who serves on the Advisory Board for TFA-Newark, which will undoubtedly be the hub around which the state-wide TFA is built:

Advisory Board

Ron Beit, Partner and CEO, RBH Management

[...]

Ron Beit - hmm, where have I heard that name before? Oh, yeah, that's right - he's the developer behind Newark's Teachers Village:

Remember the name: Teachers Village. It's a $150 million, mixed-use development that just broke ground with great fanfare in Newark. The idea is that teachers will live in the complex and teach at one of the three charter schools that will occupy the site.

As you might imagine, your taxpayers dollars are funding this experiment:

The project was awarded nearly $40 million in Urban Transit Hub tax credits from the state Economic Development Authority and allocated $60 million in federal New Markets tax credits for the school portion. Other public financing came from the city of Newark, the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, and federal Qualified School Construction Bonds, according to an EDA memo. Private financing came from Goldman Sachs, Prudential Financial Corp., TD Bank and New Jersey Community Capital, Beit said. In the early months of the recession, Beit said, Berggruen’s unwavering commitment to the project — Berggruen said he considers his investment "long-term" — brought everyone else together.

$100 million in tax credits; not too shabby. If anyone tries to convince you that billionaires are interested in charter schools solely out of altruism, point them to this project. Why else do you think the biggest Master of the Universe of them all showed up?

A veritable who’s who of real estate developers, corporate leaders and elected officials gathered this morning to celebrate the groundbreaking of Teachers Village in downtown Newark and mark the start of a major project now underway.

The crowd of more than 200 piled into a tent at the site at the corner of Halsey and William streets, two blocks from the Prudential Center. Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, whose urban investment group helped finance the project, said projects like Teachers Village are exactly the types of opportunities they look for to support economic growth. World famous architect Richard Meier, who was born in Newark and designed the buildings, said the day was “more than a homecoming, it is a dream come true.” The majority of project investors are from New York, including lead developer Ron Beit of RBH Group. [emphasis mine]

I'm going to have a lot to say about this as I keep digging over the next few weeks. For now:

• The apartments in the complex are studios to two-bedrooms that will range from $700 to $1,400 a month. Who do you think will be attracted to this housing: young people just starting out, or older couples with families? So much for experienced teachers working at these charters, although that has always been one of the key points of the charter "movement," hasn't it? Even here in Jersey (thanks, Darcie).

Beit's got himself one sweet deal, doesn't he? He uses $100 million in tax credits to finance a project in Newark, then lines up a group of charter schools as his business occupants, who will pay their rents with taxpayer funds.

Then, as if that isn't enough, he sets himself up to direct a steady flow of college-educated renters right into his residential units - through TFA! In fact, TFA has a page where prospective "teachers" can figure out their expenses when they move to Newark. By default, rent is listed as $1150: right in the range for units at Teachers Village. There's also a happy-happy neighborhood description on the TFA-Newark website: I don't think a real estate agent could have written one better.

This is hardly a new idea: in Baltimore, 70 percent of Miller's Court's residents are TFAers. Again, the financing was helped by New Markets Tax Credits.

Now, I want to be fair: there is no reporting that I have seen that confirms TFA has signed an agreement with Teachers Village akin to the deals they cut in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas. But when you look at the connections TFA has to Newark and Teachers Village, it's clear that a formal deal isn't even necessary:

• The primary developer of Teachers Village, Ron Beit, sits on the board of Teach For America - Newark.
• One of the three charter schools housed at Teachers Village, TEAM Charter School (a KIPP school), is run by Ryan Hill, a 1999 TFA alum (Hill has also been asked back to cheer on new TFA grads).
• KIPP was instrumental in securing supplemental financing for Teachers Village: "With so many Teach For America corps members and alumni involved in TEAM Schools, the broker was eager to help both organizations."
• Another occupant of Teachers Village, Great Oaks Charter School, "strongly encourages" TFA alumni to apply.  
• Cami Anderson, the pro-charter State Superintendent of Newark, is the former Executive Director of TFA-New York and a 1993 TFA alum.
• The Foundation for Newark's Future, fueled by the $100 million grant from Mark Zuckerberg, gave $500,000 to TFA.

There is little doubt that TFA has many ties to Teachers Village, and that many of its corps members will rent apartments there. There is little doubt that the charter schools occupying Teachers Village will not have a unionized staff. And there is little doubt that Teachers Village is yet another step in the charterization of Newark's schools - a process that has led to budget cuts and school closings against the will of parents, students, and the elected yet powerless school board.

Newark Public Schools, under state control for decades, has already announced its intention to layoff staff; NTU leadership walked out of a budget meeting in protest. The unionized teaching jobs in Newark are being converted into non-unionized teaching posts in charters, often filled by TFA corps members.

And yet, despite all this, NTU's leaders have heartily endorsed Teachers Village: a project that will accelerate the growth of charters and the deunionization of Newark's Schools.

Is NTU unaware of what is happening in Chicago? In Philadelphia? That TFA is still pushing to place its members in these cities even as experienced, tenured, unionized teachers are being laid off? That non-unionized charters are an important part of TFA's clientele, with one-third of TFA's recruits placed in charters? Given all this, how does supporting Teachers Village help support NTU members?

As I have said many times before: I am a union guy. AFT-NJ and the NTU know that I am on their team. And I completely understand that when you're part of a larger organization, you sometimes have to do something you don't particularly want to do, if only to show solidarity.

But this, in my humble opinion, goes too far. It's fine to create private-sector construction jobs through public investment; we should do a lot more of that (remember the ARC tunnel, Christie-supporting union members?). But we shouldn't create construction jobs at the expensive of unionized teacher jobs.

Let me ask NTU leadership something: do you think Karen Lewis out in Chicago would have signed off on this plan? Maybe "WWKD?" should be your mantra from now on...

We gotta start thinking about the long game, fellas. I'm just trying to get you to see that.

This blog remains a proud and loyal supporter of AFT-NJ, and the Newark Teachers Union.

"Dear Randi" From a Newark Teacher

...your generosity in donating AFT funds to the Teacher Village being built to house Teach for America novices in Newark could not have come at a better time.... Newark teacher to AFT President Randi Weingarten (satire alert)

See http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-newark-teachers-union-shot-itself.html?m=1

While TFA scabs live in subsidized government housing, real teachers will go into foreclosures.... Teacher in Newark -- no satire here

Diane Ravitch posted a "Dear Chris Christie" letter Randi sent: Randi to Christie: Give the People of Newark Their Schools.

A long-time Newark teacher sent a follow-up "Dear Randi" letter.

Randi Weingarten
President
American Federation of
Teachers
Dear Ms. Weingarten,
You are to be commended for writing a letter to Governor Christie. It is your visionary leadership and the historic contract you were instrumental in negotiating that have brought Newark teachers to the "top of the mountain." Moreover, your generosity in donating AFT funds to the Teacher Village being built to house Teach for America novices in Newark could not have come at a better time. It is inconceivable that you could have had prior knowledge that record numbers of Newark teachers were to be laid off and replaced with Teach for America scabs. Your brilliant strategy of advocacy for weaker tenure protections, subjective evaluations and complicity with those who wish to turn teachers into Walmart employees has played nicely into the hands of your coconspirators Bill Gates and the Walton Foundation. I am grateful to you for your wise stewardship of the AFT and your particular interest in advancing the interests of Newark schoolchildren by having them taught by a revolving door of unqualified teacher impostors. Send my regards to Cami next time you speak to her.
In gratitude,
A Newark Teacher

AFTERBURN
Lots of links on the Newark story.
Chaz did some excellent work:
 http://chaz11.blogspot.com/2014/02/ed-deformer-cami-andersons-one-newark.html?m=1

And lots coming in from the Jersey Boys:
http://bobbraunsledger.com/shame-on-you-cami-anderson/

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2014/02/outrage-cami-anderson-to-newark-who.html?m=1

http://bobbraunsledger.com/bulletin-cami-to-newark-i-wont-show-ever/

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2014/02/newark_teachers_students_protests_districts_layoff_plan.html
 
http://www.nj.com/education/2014/02/newark_schools_chief_warns_of_massive_teacher_layoffs_wants_pink_slips_pegged_to_performance.html

http://www.nj.com/education/2014/02/cami_anderson_newark_schools_superintendent_at_loggerheads_with_school_board.html

Chicago: Saucedo teachers to announce ISAT test boycott!!

Chicago Teacher Union supports action. It is inconceivable that the UFT would do the same.

Big news today of a teacher boycott at one school. More info to come...

http://www.coreteachers.org/4pm-press-conference-saucedo-academy-teachers-to-boycott-isat/

1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 25, 2014

CONTACT:
Sarah Chambers, Special Education Teacher at Saucedo
(Ms. Chambers will be teaching throughout the day and will need to respond to voicemail messages during breaks.)
630.618.9009

TEACHERS REFUSE TO ADMINISTER ISAT AT SAUCEDO SCHOLASTIC ACADEMY
4:00 PM PRESS CONFERENCE
(DETAILS BELOW)
Teachers at Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy this morning, through a secret ballot, voted that they would refuse to administer the Illinois State Achievement Test (ISAT). Every single teacher charged with administering the test voted to boycott it. Saucedo Academy is a Chicago Public School serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th Grade. Beginning next year, the ISAT will no longer be administered. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has said that it would not use the test this year for any of its previous purposes (promotion, entrance to selective enrollment schools or teacher evaluation). Administration of the test is a major intrusion on instruction, disrupting classes at elementary schools for two weeks and taking personnel away from education even longer to administer makeup exams. According to the parent group More Than a Score (morethanascorechicago.org), hundreds of parents throughout the city have submitted letters requesting that their students be opted out of the test this year. At Saucedo Academy, teachers have collected more than 300 opt-out letters and the student council voted to encourage all students to opt out of the exam.

WHO: Parents, students and teachers will address the press.
Spanish speakers will be available to comment on camera.

WHAT: Parents, students and teachers will explain their decision to boycott ISAT at the school and call on others throughout Chicago Public Schools to join them.

WHEN: 4:00 PM TODAY, Tuesday, February 25, 2015

WHERE:   In front of Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy
2850 West 24th Boulevard

Will de Blasio Dump Moskowitz' Ill-Gotten Gains as Eva Throws Tantrum?

The last minute push by Bloomberg to get as many Eva Moskowitz charters into as many neighborhoods as possible reminded me of the American rush to leave Saigon in the waning days of the Vietnam war. Two October PEP meetings were set up to beat the clock and Moskowitz walked away with the biggest bundle. Law suits were filed over one of the final outrages of the Bloomberg administration. Public Advocate Tish James has put hers on hold until the outcome. And apparently Evil has got word that it is not looking good for her. So she is throwing one of her tantrums.

At this moment I don't even care about the other charters. In some ways it would be smart politically for de Blasio to allow many of them to go through and just chop Moskowitz for her avarice and naked political ambition to use kids and parents for her own ends.

Her peeps have given 800K to buy Cuomo, the UFT's buddy - and she is trying to pull any power play she can, including pulling the kids out of school.

Here are reports from Ravitch with links to the Geoff Decker piece on Charter beat.

Eva Moskowitz Plans to Fight Mayor de Blasio in Albany by dianeravitch

Eva Moskowitz, the combative CEO of the Success Academy charter school chain (previously called Harlem Success Academy), anticipates that new Mayor Bill de Blasio may charge rent for her use of public space or may deny some of the co-locations offered in the waning days of the Bloomberg administration. Moskowitz enjoyed preferential treatment when Michael Bloomberg was mayor and had immediate access to Chancellor Joel Klein. Those days are over, as de Blasio has pledged to review all future co-locations and to consult with local communities.

Moskowitz issued a statement promising to take her battle for more schools and more funding to Albany, where she has friends in Legislature and in Governor Cuomo. According to a report by Geoffrey Decker in Chalkbeat, charter advocates--some of whom are on the board of Eva's chain--have contributed more than $800,000 to Cuomo. Eva will bring busloads of students to Albany with her to impress the Legislature, something that no public school would be permitted to do. In addition, a charter advocacy group called Families for Excellent Schools will mount a multi-million dollar TV campaign to block de Blasio's efforts to rein in the charter movement.

The Lies Randi Tells on Twitter

Randi Weingarten ‏@rweingarten 
@beth_dimino @pfh1964-be4 u criticize know the facts-@uft had a rank & file comm including all caucuses & got overwhelming support at DA mtg

While New Action enthusiastically supported the UFT charters, ICE -- if I am not mistaken, a caucus in the UFT, opposed it with Michael Fiorillo leading the charge and in fact speaking against it at the DA. At a charter info meeting Jeff Kaufman, James Eterno and I attended and raised lots of issues related to the UFT charter, including some not-so hard svengali-like predictions. I believe Ed Notes and possibly the ICE blog also published critical comments.

We also talked about how the UFT got the space from Kathy Cashin in District 19 and how that held UFT members in Cashin controlled schools hostage.

Here is the full twitter exchange.

·  Randi Weingarten ‏@rweingarten 

The charter school movement began as a grassroots attempt to improve public ed. It’s become a backdoor for undermining pub ed

Expand

·  Paul Hornstein ‏@pfh1964 

@rweingarten @beth_dimino So why did the UFT start a charter? Makes the union look like hypocrites. Mutes the ability to speak out loud.

Expand

·  Randi Weingarten ‏@rweingarten 

@pfh1964 @beth_dimino -charters were Shanker's ideas..to be incubators not dividers.. they need to be held to same standards

Expand

·  Beth Dimino ‏@beth_dimino 2h

@rweingarten @pfh1964 Charters have become a nightmare for all because uft leadership didn't consider the rest of us or think it through 1st

Expand

·  Randi Weingarten ‏@rweingarten 7m

@beth_dimino @pfh1964-be4 u criticize know the facts-@uft had a rank & file comm including all caucuses & got overwhelming support at DA mtg

A Decade of Cover-up at PS 106: Who Protected Marcella Sills?

My column for The Wave, to be published Feb. 28, 2014.

A Decade of Cover-up at PS 106: Who Protected Marcella Sills?

By Norm Scott

The media seems to be enthralled over Marcella Sills’ magic disappearing act as principal of PS 106 in Far Rockaway ever since the NY Post reported the story a short time after Bill de Blasio and Carmen Fariña took over the running of the school system from the Bloomberg/Walcott/Joel Klein team. Remember, Sills came out of Klein’s Leadership Principal training academy to take over at PS 106 in 2005 when Kathy Cashin was running Region 5. Michelle Lloyd-Bey became District 27 Superintendent not long after.

A Google search reveals many articles and much commentary on the story on my part and others in The Wave and on my blog (Ednotesonline.org – plug, plug) going back at least 6 or 7 years. I contend the extremely pro Bloomberg ed policy NY Post had the story long before they printed it. Why did they wait so long? To protect the Bloomberg administration from having to answer questions. And to dump the story in the lap of their successors, whose policies the Post so adamantly opposes. After the Farina visit to the school people were upset that Sills was not removed immediately. But that’s not the way due process works – both for teachers and principals. Though I really don’t get this due process thing for people who are bosses who have enormous power to affect the lives of students, parents and staff. An investigation was launched by the corrupt Office of Special Commissioner (SCI), which often takes a very long time. With the media scrutiny they came back with a scathing report in record time. Sills must go through a 3020a hearing before she can be terminated (the word the DOE uses.)

Most of the stories in the media don’t scratch the surface when they focus on Sills’ lateness or non-attendance. Actually, Sills was performing a humanitarian act when she didn’t show up because the school was a so much healthier place when she wasn’t there.

But then again, does the media care that Sills destroyed or tried to destroy the careers of so many teachers?  To many in the media, if not for the time card issues, Sills’ driving out those high-salaried lazy incompetent senior teachers would make her a hero. But we do see some exceptions and once the NY Post and reporter Sue Edelman got their teeth into the story they ran with it. (Hey Sue, how about some kudos to The Wave and EdNotes for breaking so much of the story years in advance?)

The Post allowed Patricia Walsh, a  27 year and special education teacher at PS 106 from 2003 to 2009,  to tell the real story. Walsh asks: “Where did the money go? PS 106 received millions in extra school funding to help low-income kids.  It didn’t go to pay for teachers who left and weren’t replaced. It didn’t go to the payroll secretary Sills didn’t have so no one kept track of her absences.”

Every year PS 106 was given over $3000 for library books and that money was diverted with no accountability. Superintendent Michelle Lloyd-Bey was informed year after year.

Walsh puts much of the blame on the Bloomberg/Klein/Walcott administration.

“To show just how clueless and uncaring the administration was — in December 2013, PS 106 received a glowing report. At the time, there was no mandated gym, no special-education teacher (I had left and wasn’t replaced), no books, no art and no extended-day services! Sills opened state exam booklets earlier than allowed and asked teachers to discuss how to read a passage to help students better understand it, which was cheating. When told it was illegal, she had a fit.”

In Atlanta, Superintendent Beverly Hall, a former supervisor in the NYCDOE, and 34 others were indicted in a massive cheating scandal. Sills will be lucky not to go to jail.

Walsh points to common tactics used by bully principals like Sills.

“You were either a friend of Sills or an enemy, and if she didn’t like you, she’d rip you apart in reviews. Retaliation was common. When a teacher signed her name to a letter sent to officials expressing her concerns about educational practices that are adversely affecting children in our school, she was reprimanded for more than one hour by two supervisors from the Department of Education. Teachers learned to remain anonymous.”

The teacher transfer rate grew to 60%. Higher ups were notified and kept protecting Sills.

“Letters began to flood the district office, superintendent’s office, mayor’s office, chancellor’s office, UFT and the special commissioner of investigation just three months after Sills took the leadership position. But rather than addressing our concerns and dealing with the cause, the staff was reprimanded and scolded for not signing individual names. Now see why! Sills strategically targeted and harassed staff.”

You ask where was the union? Helpless at best, or joining the protection racket at worst (UFT District Reps during this period: Marilyn Cooper and Marilyn Manley.) Walsh says, “Meetings, letters, e-mails, reports to the teachers union . . . all proved.. futile. Every letter, every complaint reiterated her absence, lateness, inappropriate interaction with children, parents, staff, even falsification of reviews. Sills was never held accountable.”

In addition to Dist 27 Supt. Lloyd-Bey, Children First (or Last) Network 531’s William Colavito (WColavito@schools.nyc.gov) and Joseph Blaize (JBlaize@schools.nyc.gov) and Cluster 05 leaders Debra Maldonado (718-935-2480) must have their feet held to the fire. And UFT District Reps during this period, Marilyn Cooper and Marilyn Manley.

THIS FRIDAY (Feb. 28)! Meet with NYC Parents Who Are Saying NO! (to high stakes testing)

Meet with NYC Parents Who Are Saying NO!

   

 (Please Share Widely with your friends, PTAs, SLTs, Parent Lists, teachers)

As children and teachers enter the spring “testing season,” parents must decide if we will continue to allow our children to 

support high-stakes testing. There are many ways to resist the tests and demand social justice for all public school students.

Meet with others who choose to refuse and are organizing others to do the same.  

•    Learn what is at stake, ways you can resist and how. 
•    Help educate your school community, organize, mobilize and possibly opt out.
•    Even if you feel like a lone voice, you are not alone!
•    It is time for parents to protect their children and resist by saying NO!


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28
5:30 to 7:30pm
CUNY Graduate Center
365 Fifth Ave, Rm 5409
[corner of 5th Ave & 34th St; entrance on 5th]
Bring photo ID to enter

For more info, visit www.changethestakes.org or email changethestakes@gmail.com

 

How Do We Fight Bully Principals? Thursday, February 27, 5:00pm

Given all the discussion about how to take on bully principals like at the recently exposed "School of No" at PS 106 in the Rockaways, this workshop takes on increased importance. We'll be discussing situations with difficult principals as well as with more cooperative and mixed administrations.  ... MORE Chapter Organizing Committee

You can't do it alone. In a hostile atmosphere building allies within and outside the school community can give you weapons. The MORE Chapter Leader and delegate listserve is a valuable resource. But you also need to sit down with other people to brainstorm strategies and tactics, including the turncoats who support the principal.


I'm sorry I can't make this event as I have lots of ideas. I am hoping MORE begins to use this event as a springboard to find ways to provide a safe space for people in schools with abusive principals to take action.

The UFT not only does little, we hear way too many reports of the UFT actually backing principals with connections behind the scenes. Ask what the UFT in District 27, the Queens office and 52 Broadway did about PS 106 principal Marcella Sills for almost a decade. Since she became principal under Kathy Cashin and the UFT had an alliance with Cashin (ie, UFT charters given space by her).

Will MORE also take on the UFT's lack of support for chapter leaders under the gun in these schools? The buck can't stop at your own school organizing effort. A support group needs to meet regularly, not just at a once in a while training event. If you go to this push for this idea and don't just walk out learning what you need to know.

Overwhelmed by the challenges of organizing in your school?  Want to share ideas with other dedicated, creative chapter leaders and activists?

MORE CHAPTER LEADER ALERT Organize your chapter! Overwhelmed by the challenges of organizing in your school?  Want to share ideas with other dedicated, creative chapter leaders and activists? Come to a workshop on organizing your members to create a more active, involved union chapter.  Discuss organizing challenges with other chapter leaders and strategize creative solutions to build teacher and para power in your school! RSVP to a LABOR NOTES TROUBLEMAKERS ORGANIZING WORKSHOP   What challenges are you facing in your school? Take our Chapter Leader Survey  New Date Thursday, February 27, 5:00pm

TWU Local 100 Offices 195 Montague St., 3rd Fl., Rm C

 

Marcella Sills Was a Humanitarian by Being Absent and Late

The school ran so much better when she wasn't there. Maybe we can start a trend. Have bully and abusive principals just stay home. Let them collect their salaries. A cheap price to pay for improving the school community.

REVIVE UFT : Mulgrew Forms New Group to Ally With MORE, Causing Split in Unity

"Before we can move forward, we must resolve many outstanding issues from those dark years, starting with our working conditions, which are also our students’ learning conditions."... Michael Mulgrew

UFT President Mike Mulgrew is finding so much in common with the MORE caucus he has decided to build an alliance with MORE and is pushing for the rest of Unity Caucus to do the same. Facing internal resistance, Mulgrew has formed an organization, REVIVE UFT, which will run a joint slate with MORE in the 2016 UFT elections. Recognizing that MORE's Julie Cavanagh was the superior candidate in the 20013 elections, Mulgrew will step aside for her in 2016 and replace Andy Pallotta as Exec VP of NYSUT.

Photoshop Note: Thanks to the great Portelos.

Afterburn
Thanks to Chaz over at Chaz's School Daze
for reminding me that at one time I was actually funny - sort of. Chaz has been reporting on the PS 106 story -
Why Is Michelle Lloyd-Bey Still The District 27 Superintendent? - The continuing fallout of the reassignment and eventual removal of *"Leadership Academy Principal" *Marcella Sills has now spotlighted... 

And linked to some of my posts on Ed Notes and Norms Notes. I read this and can't believe I actually wrote this for The Wave.

Tweed Announces Closing of UFT: Will Be Replaced By Six Smaller Unions

Commentary By Norman Scott

Norman Scott Some Wave readers have told me that I should never use satire. But here goes, anyway.
The NYCDOE announced at the Tweed Courthouse that the UFT would be phased out over a 4-year period due to its failure to protect members. Six smaller unions will be opened, each headed by a potential successor to Randi Weingarten. Teachers will have a choice as to which union to join.
The announcement was made by Mayor Bloomberg and Joel Klein with a beaming Randi Weingarten at their side. "We know this closing may surprise some," said Bloomberg, "but we need a union that appears to be representing the members' interests while convincing them our reforms are best for them."
Each union will have a different theme.
Eyeglasses Are US will concentrate on frames with a separate enclosed mini-union focusing on lenses. A sunglass unit will open in 2010, in time for the next union election. "We're saving Armani for that time as it will bring in a lot of votes for Randi," said a UFT spokesperson.
A Dental Plan for You will be a theme-based union that will address issues teachers might have with brushing and flossing. All union members will get a free brush, some floss and a tube of toothpaste. Unity Caucus members will get teeth whitener in theirs.
GHI Joined at the HIP will provide guidance on how to take out loans to pay medical bills that will not be covered by the soon to be merged and privatized GHI and HIP. "Don't' worry," said a union spokesperson. "Randi Weingarten and Artie Pepper will be on the Board at HIP and will be able to find out the lowest interest rates."
Avoiding Grievances will address concerns of teachers who may feel the need to file a grievance. Special counseling will be offered at nominal expense until the urge disappears.
Collaborators UNITE is expected to attract teachers who want to work closely with their administrators. Special departments will be set up covering nodding correctly to express interest while keeping eyes wide open.
Meeting Efficacy will be a mini school to assure that those who choose this option can handle attending meetings and professional development without blinking once.
Head for the Hills will be for the 83 percent of Teach for America teachers who plan to do their 2 years and head for the hills. Special units on writing a book about their experiences and how to become Ed policy wonks will be set up.

What happened to that guy who wrote this? Well, I was inspired enough today to try satire once again.

Anti-testing groups form alliance to bring sanity to education policy

I'm proud to be a member of Change the Stakes, a partner in this national alliance.

Posted in facebook and The Washington Post Answer Sheet.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/21/anti-testing-groups-form-alliance-to-bring-sanity-to-education-policy/

"The founding members of the alliance are the Center for Fair & Open Testing, or FairTest, as well as Parents Across America, United Opt Out, Network for Public Education, and Save Our Schools."

Anti-testing groups form alliance to bring sanity to education policy By Valerie Strauss February 21 at 6:00 am (Bigstock) With resistance to standardized test-obsessed school reform growing around the country, three dozen local, state and national organizations and individuals have now banded together in an alliance to expand efforts to bring sanity to education policy. The alliance, which is called Testing Resistance and Reform Spring, will support a range of public education and mobilizing tactics — including boycotts, opt-out campaigns, rallies and legislation — in its effort to stop the high-stakes use of standardized tests, to reduce the number of standardized exams, and to replace multiple-choice tests with performance-based assessments and school work. The alliance will help activists in different parts of the country connect through a new Web site that offers resources for activists, including fact sheets and guides on how to hold events to get out their message. The emergence of the alliance represents a maturing of the grassroots testing resistance that has been building for several years locally in states , including Texas, Florida, New York and Illinois.  Though many supporters of Barack Obama expected him to end the standardized testing obsession of George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind when Obama was first elected president, many now say that the Obama administration has gone beyond the excesses of NCLB to inappropriately make high-stakes standardized tests the key measure of achievement by students, teachers, principals and schools.

Anti-testing groups form alliance to bring sanity to education policy www.washingtonpost.com The coalition represents a maturing of the anti-testing movement.

Assessment experts say that standardized test scores are not a reliable or valid way to make high stakes decisions about the effectiveness of teachers or the achievement of students, but education policymakers have ignored these warnings for years. This has led to situations that are nothing short of preposterous, such as teachers being evaluated on the test scores of students they never had. Meanwhile, the emphasis on testing has led to an explosion of tests being given to kids; for example, fourth-graders in the Pittsburgh Public Schools have to take 33 standardized tests mandated by the district or state this school year. It is this reality that has fueled the resistance.
The founding members of the alliance are the Center for Fair & Open Testing, or FairTest, as well as Parents Across America, United Opt Out, Network for Public Education, and Save Our Schools.
Prominent educators, activists and bloggers who are partners in the alliance are:
Wayne Au, associate professor, University of Washington
Anthony Cody, teacher, blogger
Nikhil Goyal, student, activist
Jesse Hagopian, teacher, Garfield High School, Seattle, Washington
Deborah Meier
Diane Ravitch
Angela Valenzuela, professor, U-Texas, Austin
George Wood, superintendent, Federal Hocking Local Schools, Stewart, Ohio
Organizations that are alliance partners are:

National 
Coalition for Essential Schools
HispanEduca
K-12 News Network
National Latino/a Education Research and Policy (NLERAP)
Rethinking Schools

State and Local
Change the Stakes (New York)
Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE)
Citizens for Public Schools (Massachussetts)
Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA) (Kentucky)
MecklenburgACTS.org (North Carolina)
More Than a Score (Chicago)
New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE)
Opt Out Orlando (Florida)
Parents United for Responsible Education (Chicago)
ReThinking Testing Midhudson Region (New York)
Social Equality Educators (Seattle)
Students 4 Our School (Denver)
SWside Parents Alliance (Chicago)
Teacher Activist Group – TAG Boston
Texas Center for Education Policy
Time Out from Testing (New York)
Youth Organizers for the Now Generation (YOUNG) (Boston)

In a Nutshell: Why Corporations Want Our Public Schools

Infographic

http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/education-uprising/why-corporations-want-our-public-schools#.UwgK69yQDZY.facebook

Newark Teacher Reports on Ras Baraka Blogger Meeting

Thank you Ras Baraka and "May The Lord protect and defend you."... A Newark Teacher

It speaks volumes about Ras Baraka's true commitment to Newark's children that he has cast these educational tourists aside in favor of those who have made it their life's work to either teach children or understand the dynamics that shape their lives. That alone ought to be enough for the good people of Newark to cast their vote for Baraka.... Jersey Jazzman, Shocking: Baraka Consults Knowledgable People on Education

Pro-public education Newark mayoral candidate Ras Baraka held a unique meeting with bloggers this past week before unveiling his education plan. Jersey Jazzman was there with some excellent analysis:

Baraka  is currently in a two-man race for mayor of Newark; in my view, it's  probably the most interesting political contest in the country between  now and the mid-term Congressional elections (yes, this Jersey boy is  biased). Baraka's opponent, Shavar Jeffries, has become the de facto  choice of the North Jersey political machine -- the same Democrats who  have aligned themselves with Republican Governor Chris Christie.

Ed Notes was invited but since it would cost me a chunk of my pension check to drive over the bridges to get to Jersey,
Ed Notes sent its ace correspondent, a real Newark teacher, to the meeting.

An Exciting Week for a Minor Teacher Blogger

Norm forwarded me an e-mail invitation for education bloggers to meet with Ras Baraka! I submitted a blog sample and I was included in an impressive group that included Bob Braun and Jersey Jazzman. I hit Baraka with some tough questions. I wanted to know what he as mayor could do to end the State of New Jersey's stranglehold on the Newark Public Schools. I posited that getting rid of Cami Anderson would merely result in a replacement Christie puppet. I questioned the usefulness of attendance at Advisory Board meetings taking into consideration that the body is powerless. Baraka is a strident orator reminiscent of the Civil Rights leaders of my youth. His cadences and word choices are mesmerizing. He believes that if stakeholders in the Newark education community and beyond unite and push back, Newark will regain control of the schools and foster democracy. Baraka stated that he invited bloggers because of their support of the suspended principals and the 2 Cedar Street employee that eventually pressured the Star-Ledger to pick up the story. He was hopeful that we would carry his education message to the public. I was honored to be in the illustrious company of those who share my concerns. Thank you Ras Baraka and "May The Lord protect and defend you."

A Newark Teacher

I'll close with one more from Jersey Jazzman.

Bob Braun, who knows Jersey politics better than anyone, puts the mayoral race and Newarks' schools into context:

Newark’s voters won’t be able to stop Gov. Chris Christie’s plan to close and sell off the city’s neighborhood public schools and expand charters unless they elect Ras Baraka mayor. That is not an endorsement. That’s not even an opinion. That’s a fact. Baraka has turned the election into a referendum on Christie’s privatization policies and, if Baraka loses, the governor and his agent in Newark, Cami Anderson, will use his loss as a powerful argument to continue to bulldoze public schools in the city. Even if Baraka wins, it will just be the beginning of the effort to stop selling and closing Newark schools.

Afterburn:
Why am I writing so much about Newark? Because as JJ points out this may be the current epicenter of the battle for public education. Baraka is much more clearly defined than de Blasio was in taking a stand for public ed and is opposed by the forces for ed deform. Watch enormous money pour into Newark to try to defeat Baraka. I may actually spend the big bucks to drive to Jersey one day to lend a hand.
Someone on JJ's blog asked what the teacher union is doing to help Baraka. Good point.

If you are watching the battle over tenure in California, and the cutting of pensions in Detroit, our own little spot of relative protection compared to others, even with de Blasio - who could always turn out to be a one term mayor - is not assured. The current agony over retroactive pay, in the overall context, may prove to be a minor player in the long run scheme of things. They want your high salaried jobs and your pensions. It may take longer here but the trend line is ominous, especially with the state of the union, where the dominant faction in New York State is probably going to take total control of NYSUT based in a large part on their claims that the current leadership is not sucking up enough to the anti-union blood sucking governor.
Be ever alert!

UPDATE:

Attention education fighters:

Please support Newark families and their public schools and by sharing/tweeting these stories on FB, Twitter, etc.  

Support Ras Baraka for Mayor by including #BelieveInNewark and @RasJBaraka.

Bob Braun's Ledger: Newark is the next Wisconsin--only, this time, it's tenure AND bargaining under attack

http://bobbraunsledger.com/cami-asks-state-approval-to-ignore-seniority-in-teacher-layoff/

Jersey Jazzman: Shocking: Baraka Consults Knowledgeable People About Education

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2014/02/shocking-baraka-consults-knowledgable.html

TeacherBiz (S. Jersey teacher Ani McHugh) reports on Baraka's Ed Blueprint for Newark:

http://teacherbiz.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/ras-baraka-i-will-be-the-real-education-mayor/

Helen Gym: Philly parent leader supports Ras Baraka for mayor

https://twitter.com/ParentsUnitedPA/status/435786481777389569

Defeat NJ Bullies: NJEA an embarrassment for NOT endorsing Ras Baraka

https://twitter.com/DefeatNJBullies/status/437210056787255296

Newark Parents United: Endorses Ras Baraka for Mayorhttps://www.facebook.com/ParentsAgainstOneNewark/posts/531330603647696

Newark Student Union & NJ Communities United Endorse Ras Baraka for Mayor

http://www.brickcitylive.com/sponsoredstories/2014/02/18/nj-communities-united-newark-students-union-endorse-ras-baraka/

Newark's Crooks: Cami Goes After ATRs - Wants Tenure Abolished - Asks Cerf for Ruling

Will this be CamiGate3 or 4? I'm losing count. The Three C's -- Cami, Cerf and Cristie -- are aiming a missile at Newark teachers. Hey [NTU leader] Joe Del Grosso and [AFT Pres] Randi Weingarten, how has that contract you raved about not even a year and a half ago worked out?

Bob Braun's Ledger has the gory story:

He [Del Grosso] said he believed Anderson, a former executive director of Teach for America (TFA), is invoking the rule to protect the jobs of many TFA graduates hired by the Newark schools. Under the program, recent college graduates with six weeks of training can be hired to teach, usually in inner-city schools. Although many drop out after an initial two-year term, they do provide schools with cheap, if untrained, labor.....

Cami asks state approval to ignore seniority in teacher layoff 

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Gee, I'm shocked, just shocked, gambling?

Well, let's not pile on over the horrendous policy pushed by our own unions that lead to them going over the cliff. Randi is not an idiot -- she knows full well what the results will be -- she may actually think they can buy time by giving up some rights.

One of my sources has indicated that senior teachers are already being pushed with inordinate demands in an effort to "find something" on them.

Chief among Anderson’s targets apparently are the so-called “employees without placement”—or hundreds of school employees who, for a variety of reasons, have not been assigned to specific schools. Many were caught up in so-called “renew” schools where employees must reapply and be rehired–or not–every year.

Here in NYC we saw how the UFT's signing on to allowing schools to close without placing the teachers has led to the ATR situation. The goal all along was to bring in TFA as replacements and then engage in a public relations and extralegal battle to protect them if layoffs should hit.

“She is totally ignoring not just the idea of tenure but the changes made in the tenure law just enacted. It’s an end run around the new law and frustrates its provisions.”
The new tenure law, pushed through at the height of Gov. Chris Christie’s anti-teacher and anti-union initiatives, gives teachers time to try to overcome poor evaluations in order to avoid the elimination of their tenure.
Not only does the “waiver or equivalency” provision ignore the new tenure law but it also trashes decades-old seniority rules that would allow teachers with seniority to “bump” more junior teachers in the face of what schools call “RIFS”—or reductions in force.

You know those millions the UFT has spent on those commercials? Did you see one word explaining tenure and defending ATRs? Maybe this explains the Revise (Rebury NYSUT) fear of Cuomo -- maybe the thug threatened them that he will go this route too.

Maybe there is some hope.

The plan has provoked stiff opposition from many community members and their cause has been picked by Ras Baraka, a mayoral candidate. His rival, Shavar Jeffries, has supported Anderson.
The controversy has become heated, especially after Anderson suspended five school principals after they criticized her plan and banned a parent leader from his children’s school for posting notices of a meeting that was viewed as critical of “One Newark.”
Earlier this week, a special legislative inquiry began into the way Anderson has handled “One Newark.” State Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Esssex), the co-chairman of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Schools, has said he would ask for subpoena power to conduct a full investigation of the plan.
Del Gross said he expected opposition to the plan when the Newark school board meets Feb. 25 and the state Board of Education  meets March 5.
He also said the union would seek a court injunction against the planned layoffs.

The mayoral race will be a key and it I were a Newark teacher I would get my ass onto any Raz Baraka unburned campaign bus I could. 

 Full story here.

MORE: The Contract NYC Educators Deserve Video

Produced by Dan Lupkin for the MORE media team.

morecaucusnyc

The Contract NYC Educators Deserve Video -

Self-Serving Manhattan Inst Research on Charter Co-Locos Exposed by Bruce Baker

The Manhattan Institute report provides little useful guidance for New York City with respect to the narrow question of whether the city should charge rent to charter operators.... Bruce Baker

How great to have people like Bruce Baker around to expose the sham ideologically tainted research being done by groups like the Manhattan Institute.

You can read Baker's and the MI report from


Contact:
Bruce Baker, (732) 932-7496, x8232, bruce.baker@gse.rutgers.edu
Dan Quinn, (517) 203-2940, dquinn@greatlakescenter.org

Think Twice reviews NYC charter co-location report
Manhattan Institute report provides little useful guidance
EAST LANSING, Mich. (Feb. 20, 2014) – A recent report from the Manhattan Institute examined the potential impact of requiring co-located charter schools to pay rent in NYC.

The report reflects concerns of charter advocates and operators regarding potential policy changes under Bill de Blasio, New York's new mayor. A new academic review of the report finds numerous problems with the report's assumptions and with its poorly documented and oversimplified analyses.

Bruce Baker, Rutgers University, reviewed the brief for the Think Twice think tank review project, published by the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) with funding from the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice.

Should Charter Schools Pay Rent? Implications for Staffing and Growth, by Stephen Eide, claims that charging rent to co-located charters in NYC would have triggered an average budget deficit of 10.7 percent at those schools. The report also proposes that paying rent could cripple the co-located charters' growth in NYC.

Professor Baker finds that the report only presents a handful of poorly documented tables and graphs listing potential budget deficits, speculative layoffs, and average proficiency rates of co-located and non-co-located charter schools. However, the report's greatest weakness is in its assumption that there is no possible downside when resources are transferred from city schools to charter schools.

The report assumes that subsidies benefit charter schools and halting these subsidies harms charters and benefits no one.

More importantly, Baker finds that the report ignores the broader and more complex policy questions of what it takes to manage a balanced and equitable system of schooling options.

In conclusion, Baker states: "The Manhattan Institute report provides little useful guidance for New York City with respect to the narrow question of whether the city should charge rent to charter operators."

Find Bruce Baker's review on the Great Lakes Center website:
http://www.greatlakescenter.org
Find Should Charter Schools Pay Rent?, by Stephen Eide, on the web:
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/
Think Twice, a project of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), provides the public, policymakers, and the press with timely, academically sound reviews of selected publications. The project is made possible with support from the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice.
This review is also found on the NEPC website:
http://nepc.colorado.edu

UFT/NYSUT NYSUT: History of Cozying Up to Anti-union Politicians is not new

How Revive NYSUT lies:

The tax cap was a terrible mistake. NYSUT waiting almost two full years, just two days prior to the expiration date, to file a lawsuit was irresponsible at best and did great harm. We will fight to get rid of the tax cap completely.  

Who was in charge of the NYSUT legislative program? Exec VP Andy Pallotta. Sure, he will NOW fight.

Andy Pallotta, NYSUT Exec VP, cozied up to the awful John Flanagan. Why is the Port Jefferson Station NYSUT local so vehement about opposing the Mulgrew/Pallotta coup and leading the opposition? While not entirely thrilled with the Iannuzzi performance over the last few years, they see the UFT coup as a worse option. The Flanagan story is one aspect -- see links below.

PJSTA was fine when Alan Lubin ran the political operation because they say he was effective (I don't always agree with that assessment). Pallotta has been totally ineffective, doing nothing to oppose the Cuomo property tax freeze which has crippled those locals that depend on that tax to fund education (the overwhelming majority in the state).

That has fueled the enormous pressure by these locals on Iannuzzi, who comes from one of those locals, to put curbs on the ineffective and incompetent Pallotta operation. That curb by Iannuzzi is what inflamed the UFT crowd -- Mulgrew and Weingarten because they controlled the VOTE COPE money since NYSUT was formed. How important an issue is this to the UFT? Al Shanker held the Pallotta position for over a decade as did Lubin, who at one pre-Randi point was viewed as a Shanker successor.

Andy Pallotta? A Bronx District 10 rep (not the head of the UFT Bronx as posted in some press reports) going from that position to replacing the likes of Shanker and Lubin? Clearly a case of the Peter Principle, now to be dubbed the "Andy" principle.

I and my fellow MOREistas do not excuse NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi's actions over his years in office (and his years as a NYSUT VP before that). But now that he seems to have grown a set - (well maybe not a complete set) -- he is being challenged by the same crew led by the Pallotta/Mulgrew/Weingarten team that is critical because Dick is not cozying up to Cuomo. Why is he not cozying up to Cuomo? Let's start with the Property tax. Is Revive (Rebury) NYSUT putting that issue on the table?

But this is not new. We've seen the UFT supporting the most awful politicians since I became active in the early 70s. To me the epitome came when the UFT wouldn't support fellow teacher Gene Prisco when he ran against right winger Vito Fascella for Congress, who ended up leaving in disgrace.

The PJSTA version of Fascella is Flanagan.

Check how Andy Pallotta cozied up to the awful John Flanagan on the PJSTA blog in these posts sent to me by the crew over there.

• This post details the story about Flanagan complaining to NYSUT and the district about Dimino.
• This post tells about Flanagan's top campaign contributor, Rhee's Students First.
• This post is when we held a rally outside Flanagan's office and he cowardly hid inside his office (the one where the Suffolk PAC tried to undermine us).
• This post quotes a great editorial about Flanagan that was behind a paywall.  It does a good job pointing out how he is attached to the reform agenda.
• Finally, this post shows Pallotta cozying up to Flanagan and tells how he used VOTE COPE funds to contribute to Flanagan even though NYSUT voted not to endorse Flanagan.

DOE and SCI Coverup in Investigation of PS 106 Principal Marcella Sills

Only for time cards??? What happened to a financial audit??? Why does [Supt] Lloyd-Bey get away w covering up for her??? This is pure corruption in D27... former PS 106 teacher.

I was just running out when the news broke on CBS. Time cards? She was late? The school ran better when she wasn't there.

The DOE covers up for thug principals who ruin the careers of teachers and run schools like banana republics.

No time for putting up links now - if you want background search ed notes for them.

Exposing Revive Jive: Lola Kelly, East Rochester TA Pres and NEA State Rep

I come not to praise the current leadership of NYSUT but also not to bury it -- Yet. ... EdNotes
 
Before you read this from Lola Kelly, president of East Rochester TA and statewide representative to the National Education Association, note that Michael Mulgrew supported giving John King the power to decide our fate on APPR and even praised his decision. 

Just one more contradiction in a sea of falsehoods being spread by the Revive - or Rebury NYSUT, as NYC Educator has dubbed them.
Also read our pal at

B-LoEdScene Why I Don't Love My Union Options - 

If you are keeping score at home, and truthfully I don't think many teachers here in the Empire State are, NYSUT is in the middle of a significant fission...

B-Lo doesn't have anything to praise Iannuzzi about, but I expect he will have even less praise for the Revive NYSUT Jive when he does his follow-up.

None of us love the alternatives here and our little team of 8 stalwarts running in this election currently as independents (MORE Jumps into NYSUT Fray) and Arthur Goldstein Runs for NYSUT VP Against Pallotta) certainly face some headwinds. Key issue for me: What will be sorted out post-election and how will that affect the future of NYSUT and the AFT?

February 17, 2014

Hello Friends!
I have noticed some inconsistencies in the course of the campaign for the NYSUT executive officers and members of the Board of Directors. Allow me to call them to your attention.

1. The $10,000 table at the Cuomo fundraiser: At the Unity Caucus Steering Committee meeting which followed the January meeting of the Board of Directors, there was much discussion about the reason for the contribution.

Andy Pallotta defended the contribution in pragmatic terms, essentially saying it is necessary to stay connected with elected officials who are as powerful as the Governor. That is a rationale I can accept.

However, here is the contradiction: Andy Pallotta and Michael Mulgrew each emphatically said in three separate speeches, that they did not want to go to the fundraiser, but then Dick wanted to buy a ticket, so Andy went and Michael sent a representative.

So which was it? A pragmatic move that was necessary to keep an open line to a Governor who has the power to help or hurt us, or tickets purchased to keep an eye on Dick?
Why was it necessary to buy a full table at a fundraiser for a governor who has been an enemy of public schools and public school students?

2. The number of Vice President positions: Concern about losing a Vice President who was from upstate New York, who would represent our interests, was clearly and repeatedly articulated at an E.D. 5 and 6 meeting, at which Lee Cutler was the invited speaker. Lee responded by saying that all officers represented members statewide, despite their personal home origins.

So here is the contradiction: All of the members of the Revive slate are from downstate. A number of individuals affiliated with the Revive slate are challenging the incumbents in upstate seats on the Board of Directors. Why didn’t any of them choose to run for a position among the Executive Officers, to ensure an upstate presence among that group?

Hopefully, if the downstate-based members of the Revive slate win, they too will represent all of the members.

3. Complaints about APPR: The campaign has, in part, been about discontent with our APPR plan. In some cases, members seem to indicate that NYSUT could have prevented the implementation of the system of teacher evaluation, as if similar, but even worse plans have not been put in place in states nationwide.

The contradiction: The Commissioner had the authority to impose the percent of our evaluation based on student test scores, and seemed to have been poised to mandate 50% until NYSUT convinced the Legislature to amend the Taylor Law with language that restricted the portion based on standardized test scores to 20% and mandated bargaining for the remainder of the evaluation. Our plan is envied by teachers in other states because many, if not most are burdened with a structure that consigns 50% of their evaluation to the test scores of their students. A few states use a 30% model.

How is NYSUT a failure? Surely any of the teachers in those other states would gladly accept our APPR system.
Thank you for the opportunity to call these inconsistencies to your attention.

- Lola Kelly

Christie Cover Story on Baraka Bus Fire

Here’s the problem. Greedy people don’t mess around. They try to get what they want and if some overly idealistic and uncooperative politician—someone, say, like Ras Baraka—tries to get in the way,  people could get hurt... Bob Braun's Ledger 

We were joking -- sort of -- earlier with our post that I labeled as "satire."

Christie Denies Blowing Up Baraka Campaign Bus - Satire

Bob Braun gets into some details that make we wonder.

 .....observers point out that three of the scandals threatening  the political career of Gov. Chris Christie involve major real estate development projects—in Fort Lee, Hoboken, and New Brunswick. It’s as if the feverish fantasies created by Christie’s people in the US Attorney’s office to snare local Democratic politicians with phony development projects have suddenly become realities–and real opportunities to make Christie’s pals a lot of money. Real estate developers with ties to charter school companies are buying up property in  the city.  Plans by Cami Anderson,  the state-appointed [Newark] schools superintendent, has virtually unlimited power to sell of school-owned property, as she did when she sold the 18^th Avenue School  to the Pink Hula Hoop, a for-profit corporation with close ties to TEAM Charter Schools.

And don't forget CamiGate (AndersonGate: Cami Anderson Last Minute Newark School Closing).

Here is Christie's latest explanation for the bus fire.

I was walking by the bus with a cup of coffee and while adding a pack of sugar I tripped. While falling, I grabbed for something and accidentally twisted off the gas cap of the bus and coffee and sugar spilled in. When I hit ground -- with a thud, matches flew out of my pocket and ignited the bus. I heroically tried to put out the fire by covering the entire bus with my suit jacket but it was too late. I was lucky to escape with his life.

Now I hear he is in Puerto Rico with an alibi.