Chilling or Laughable? Is Opt Out Movement Being Viewed as Form of Terrorism?

Illinois launches investigation into opt out students and their teachers...http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-school-testing-season-met-20160306-story.html

This is almost funny. Almost. The greatest threat to the ed deform agenda is clearly the opt out movement.

Speaking of which, TODAY:

Monday Mar 7 @PS 84K - Williamsburg/Greenpoint District 14 Panel on NY State Testing/Opting Out

250 Berry St. - I'll be there.

For more information about Opting Out, visit: optoutnyc.com or nysape.org

In the latest twist on opting out, the state launched an investigation into why so many kids in certain districts skipped state exams last year. The so-called inquiry would include questioning school staff, community members, parents and "even students if appropriate," according to a Feb. 18 letter sent to districts from state schools Superintendent Tony Smith.
The state elaborated on those plans in a Feb. 19 letter to the U.S. Department of Education, saying that "ISBE will also publicize an email address to which individuals can anonymously report information relating to a school district not meeting the 95 percent participation rate." Federal law requires that at least 95 percent of students in schools and districts take both English language arts and math state exams.
ISBE also told the federal government that it would be looking at whether "school personnel improperly influenced a student to refuse to engage in a test," which could be considered unprofessional conduct and lead to disciplinary action against an educator's license. School districts as a whole also could be in trouble if they "chose to exclude or encouraged students not to take PARCC or engaged in other inappropriate conduct," the letter stated.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-school-testing-season-met-20160306-story.html

School Horror Stories Continue in DOE With UFT Support

This is UFT election petition turn-in week in preparation for handing in the petitions to the UFT in time for next week's March 10 due date. Every one of MORE/New Action's 300 candidates requires a petition with at least 100 signatures while the officer slate needs 900. More on the petitions in a follow-up but first I wanted to share some of the conversations I've had with some people dropping off.

A 5th year non-tenured high school teacher with Yet Another Shitty Principal - a YASP - and doesn't expect to get tenure this year either. The backup solution? An application to law school to become a labor lawyer. "I can't commit to the DOE under these circumstances," she said. When I suggested a transfer to a "better" school she said she purposely entered teaching to try to teach in a difficult school and work to change things. Not without tenure she won't.

I told her MORE could certainly use her legal services when she graduates.

Then yesterday afternoon after we finished collating the petitions I dropped by a bar with a friend who came to help. She was meeting up with old colleagues including 2 school secretaries she used to work with. In just a few moments of conversation they laid out the bleak situation for so many secretaries - the work overload, how they are expected to do so much of the work principal offload onto them. One of them retired 2 days ago, not being able to stand it anymore.

Of course in both stories, of which there are so many more, the UFT is complicit. As Emily Giles wrote in the piece I published yesterday:

Mulgrew bases the power of the union on the status of his partnership with de Blasio's administration, rather than on the ability to mobilize the rank and file. The priority of the union leadership, then, is to maintain that relationship at all costs, even when it means jeopardizing the interests of the membership....

ATR Field Supervisors

Coming soon: How one school teams up to support a harassed  ATR - until rotations removes the ATR to go to another school where who knows what will happen.

The teachers are writing letters of support to be used when and if the DOE files 3020a dismissal charges.

Emily Giles - Why was UFT left behind on parental leave?

Mulgrew bases the power of the union on the status of his partnership with de Blasio's administration, rather than on the ability to mobilize the rank and file. The priority of the union leadership, then, is to maintain that relationship at all costs, even when it means jeopardizing the interests of the membership....
......UFT members do not have paid maternity leave—they have the right to take their own sick days. Birth mothers can take six to eight weeks of post-partum leave depending on whether the birth is vaginal or by cesarean section. Those weeks of leave are only paid, though, if the mother has enough stored sick days. If she doesn't, she has to borrow from upcoming years...
....activists in the UFT see parental leave as a right that should be fought for....MORE sees the campaign as an opportunity to organize the rank and file, and build a fight for parental rights with no concessions or givebacks....
..... This is in contrast to UFT President Michael Mulgrew's approach to negotiation, summed up in his statement...
....While it is certainly true that the UFT leadership has tried for years to interest the city in expanding parental benefits, it hasn’t lifted a finger to actually organize a fight for those benefits. In fact, in recent member updates, Mulgrew has done the opposite--strategically lowering member expectations by laying out the number of givebacks that city workers accepted in exchange for their parental leave
.....MORE Candidate for Exec Board at Large,  Emily Giles, http://socialistworker.org/2016/02/22/uft-left-behind-on-parental-leave

Wasn't there a time when unions did not trade away give backs? I mean how did we win any contract when we had nothing to give back? Remember how Unity sold tried to tell us that asking for retro up front would bankrupt the city?

Harry Lirtzman reminds us:

The best jobs creation numbers in NYC history.  More evidence about how we were swindled by all the poor-mouthing during the contract negotiations and the complicity of our leadership.

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20160304/BLOGS01/160309937

Watch how Unity hacks leave comments that we should not look to the past but the future.

Emily Giles lays bare the bankrupt Unity Caucus strategy of low expectations and selling trade-offs as a negotiating tactic by focusing on the issue of parental leave, which should be a right as it is in every civilized nation, as an example.

Emily Giles, a new mom (among a gaggle of MORE new moms), did a wonderful presentation at last Sunday's MORE meeting summarizing the awful parental leave situation in this city and in the nation and especially how bad it is in our own teacher union. I tried to take some notes.

• Bargaining relationship between UFT and DOE. Give back for gain.
• Majority of teachers are women. Many are mothers.
• On one of most important issues to them they get nothing from union dues.
• Have a rally at the DOE with moms bringing babies.
• This is not just about mothers but parents. What about the fathers? What about being given enough space to actually be able to take care of new-born babies? What if the baby gets sick? How do parents deal with that with sick days used up?

Well, anyway, Emily's presentation was so deep I gave up and asked her if she has written about this. And so she has at the Socialist Worker. Emily is a member of the ISO and brings that organization's particular analysis of how our union operates to this piece.

Why was UFT left behind on parental leave?

Emily Giles, a New York City teacher and member of the Movement of Rank and File Educators in the teachers' union, reports on a campaign brewing among the base.

http://socialistworker.org/2016/02/22/uft-left-behind-on-parental-leave

February 22, 2016

 
Members of a New York City teachers' union rank-and-file caucus rally against testing (Movement of Rank and File Educators)
 
ON DECEMBER 22, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio granted paid parental leave to approximately 20,000 non-unionized city workers. The mayor's executive order covers six weeks of paid leave at 100 percent salary for parents who have or adopt a child or take one into foster care.

This left members of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT)--the majority of whom are women--wondering why they don't have the same.

De Blasio's six weeks of paid leave for new parents is a step forward, though it is still paltry and illustrates the dismal state of what's on offer for working-class people in the U.S. But even this qualified victory did not cover the vast number of unionized city workers—transit, teachers, maintenance, postal workers and more.
The mayor made clear that the city is ready to re-open contracts and negotiate paid leave for unionized workers, leaving the ball in the court of unions.

In the case of the UFT, what the union leadership has done since exemplifies its approach to unionism. Rather than take advantage of a clear opening, organize the union’s base and push for parental leave for all UFT members, UFT leaders have taken a wait-and-see approach, cautioning members that any new benefits would inevitably mean concessions.

Activists on the ground have a different strategy. Rosie Frascella, a UFT member and soon-to-be parent, started a Change.org petition calling for the same rights granted to non-unionized workers to be extended to unionized workers. And, says the petition, parental rights should be granted with no givebacks and no concessions.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE CALL for parental leave immediately resonated with UFT members because the current benefit, if it can even be called that, is so deplorable. Within two weeks, the petition had almost 2,000 signatures.

UFT members do not have paid maternity leave—they have the right to take their own sick days. Birth mothers can take six to eight weeks of post-partum leave depending on whether the birth is vaginal or by cesarean section. Those weeks of leave are only paid, though, if the mother has enough stored sick days. If she doesn't, she has to borrow from upcoming years.

Borrowing days means that new mothers often return to work in the negative for sick time. For most union members, it takes years to accrue 30 or more saved sick days. UFT members in their first years of work are certain to need to borrow time against the future or take time off unpaid. And the many pregnant women who require time off before the birth of their child have to dip into their paid sick days before time with their baby even begins.

The UFT considers pregnancy, birth and post-partum recovery and bonding time as a sickness or medical emergency. This "benefit" of being allowed to take one's own sick days is extended only to birth mothers—fathers, partners, adoptive and foster parents are not included.

To add insult to injury, and despite a requirement in the Affordable Care Act for employers to cover breast pumps for new mothers, UFT members' insurance coverage does not include breast pumps or lactation consultation. Not only are new mothers sent back to work after only six weeks of bonding time with their newborns, they are not granted the simple benefit of a breast pump.

In a workforce that is overwhelmingly female and dedicated to caring for children by definition, these maternity "rights" are shameful and don't deserve the name.

The U.S. is one of only four nations in the world that fails to guarantee the right to paid maternity leave.

Private-sector companies like Google, Netflix and even New York's infamous Goldman Sachs bank have caught on and now offer employees parental leave almost on par with countries like Sweden. But sadly, the lack of parental rights for the vast majority of public-sector workers nationwide means that workers who need the benefit the most don't have it. New parents are put in a position of choosing between paying for basic life costs and taking time off to build essential bonds with their child.

New York City does have a recent example of a public-sector union that won parental rights. The Professional Staff Congress (PSC) represents professors, adjuncts, lecturers and other staff at CUNY schools. Under leadership of the New Caucus, the PSC won eight weeks of paid parental leave for all full-time instructional staff in their 2007 contract.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
LIKE THOSE in the PSC, activists in the UFT see parental leave as a right that should be fought for. Frascella's online petition was the first step in what has become an organizing campaign for the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE), a caucus within the UFT. MORE sees the campaign as an opportunity to organize the rank and file, and build a fight for parental rights with no concessions or givebacks.

This is in contrast to UFT President Michael Mulgrew's approach to negotiation, summed up in his statement, "We have been trying for years to interest various city administrations in expanding parental leave, and finally we have a willing partner on an issue that is very important to us. We look forward to negotiating with the administration for an appropriate way to extend and expand parental benefits for our members."

The quote makes clear that Mulgrew bases the power of the union on the status of his partnership with de Blasio's administration, rather than on the ability to mobilize the rank and file. The priority of the union leadership, then, is to maintain that relationship at all costs, even when it means jeopardizing the interests of the membership.

While it is certainly true that the UFT leadership has tried for years to interest the city in expanding parental benefits, it hasn’t lifted a finger to actually organize a fight for those benefits. In fact, in recent member updates, Mulgrew has done the opposite--strategically lowering member expectations by laying out the number of givebacks that city workers accepted in exchange for their parental leave.

The UFT may have dodged a bullet with the recent death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, which likely headed off a conservative decision in the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case that would have stripped public-sector unions of their legal ability to charge representation for non-members. In the long run, however, the service approach to unionism and backroom negotiation strategies will harm the UFT the most.

This strategy of bureaucratic unionism laid the groundwork for the Friedrichs case. Friedrichs is a threat only because an anti-labor ruling would lead to massive numbers of New York City teachers choosing not to pay dues to the UFT--the result of decades of a union model that has taught members that all the union does is provide services and negotiate contracts, and it doesn't do that very well.

The fact that a union that is majority female doesn't even have a semblance of maternity leave rights only serves to illustrate why the membership may not see the value of their union dues.
To stand a fighting chance, the UFT must rebuild its base and our power, one campaign at a time. The fight for paid parental leave represents the type of social justice demand that can do just that—helping to organize the rank and file around a right that affects our membership and the membership of all public-sector unions and our communities.

The hope of real change lies not with the UFT leadership, but with the ability of the rank and file to organize and push for change from the bottom up.

Where a Group of My Former Students Pass the Highest Stakes Test of All - Life

UPDATED WITH PHOTO OF CLASS OF 1979:
Sally Lee made the request and here it is. Your job is to match them up with their current photo. The only one not here is Luis who was moved to another class for the 6th grade - I assume because his scores went up enough to put him in the "one" class.

I can't think of a more fun day than I had on Sunday, getting together with a bunch of former students from my 5th and 6th grade class which graduated in 1979. This is one of the 2 classes I looped with and having most of them for 2 years made things so easy in the 2nd year.

We shared so many memories on Sunday and hearing how their lives turned out 37 years later is an amazing treat for a teacher. Given the poverty of the neighborhood and the dangers they faced and the stories of so many kids lost to the streets, it was heartwarming to see them with jobs and careers and families. And also rising above the poverty so many of them grew up with.

There were a whole bunch who couldn't make this and we are planning on doing it again in the spring or summer. Lavinia (center), whose face is exactly the same as it was in 1979, said she would host.

There is so much I want to say about these students, our 2 year journey together and what I learned about them on Sunday. I just need to think some of this through in more depth. I hadn't seen most of them since they graduated, other than the times they stopped by to see me when they graduated from junior high school or stopped by on open school night. I had some of their family members as well.

One thing that did occur to me ties into testing. I believe that 6th grade 1978-79 school year with these kids may have been one of the best I experienced. This past Sunday night I realized one of the reasons why. Around that time there was a coup d'etat in my school and the principal and assistant principal (who was a big support for me) were deposed by an assistant principal tied to the local political machine who became the principal. I was on her enemy list from the day she came into the school 4 years before and she divided the school into camps. But most important was that she was test-driven along the lines of the current ed deformers and viewed my teaching style as anathema to her total test prep all the time, leading to pressures on teachers that often creates tension with the kids. After that year even though I resisted that pressure as much as I could, I had to adjust for self-preservation and never again felt I had the freedom as a teacher that I had with these kids.

So these "kids" probably saw me in the last best light I had as a classroom teacher, though I did have a few years left through 1985 before I went on sabbatical and leave for 2 years before coming and the principal getting her way in pushing me out of the classroom and into a cluster.

Martina and Herbie.

Star and Martina, friends since they were 5. Star is a manager for Costco in Mass. Martina works in insurance.

Mary and Lavinia - I had Mary's 3 brothers in my classes - we have seen each other over the years. Her hubby and brothers work for the MTA. Mary does childcare. Lavinia works at NYU Medical and we're going to do sushi real soon for lunch.

Herbie was EMS and Luis works in medical field

Milly (on left) works at LIU library

This would not have happened if not for Facebook - grudging thanks to Mark Zuckerberg, who might have learned to be a better coder if he had me as his computer teacher (my 2nd life as a teacher starting in 1987).

Dennis Walcott to Head Queens Libraries - Burn Your Card

At City Council hearings about 6-7 years ago a student testified that, when she asked then-Chancellor Walcott why the library in her school was being shut down, he told her the students didn't need a library. I hope he doesn't feel the same way about the citizens of Queens..... a NYC Parent

This is one of those "How dare they" moments.

Queens residents burn library cards to protest Walcott appointment

Former NYC chancellor Dennis Walcott, who vociferously defended the appointment of Cathy Black who preceded him, had another gig. Running the library system I use on a regular basis. Walcott is your standard apparatchik, a man who will defend any policy no matter how harmful it is.

For 12 years he was Bloomberg's valet (there are other terms I could use but this is a family blog).

Yes, Bloomberg who savaged the library systems in this city with massive budget cuts that forced libraries to cancel Saturday hours, something which the Queens library system has been able to re-institute due to funding by Di Blasio.

I saw Walcott in action at school closings, PEP meetings and other events too many times and the very idea that this guy has anything to do with a service I use regularly will make me want to take a shower every time I take a book out of the library. But then again my wife says that is a good outcome of Walcott's appointment.

UPDATE:
Dennis Walcott, the former chancellor of New York City schools and a Queens native, is the new president and chief executive officer of the Queens Library. New York Times, NY1, DNAinfo

CONTACT
Sharon Lee, press@queensbp.orgpress@queensbp.org
> | 718.286.2640

BOROUGH PRESIDENT KATZ ON SELECTION OF NEW QUEENS LIBRARY PRESIDENT AND CEO

QUEENS, NY – Borough President Melinda Katz stated the following in response to questions about the Queens Library Board of Trustees’ selection of former NYC Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott as the new President and CEO of the Queens Library:

“At its core, the Queens Library exists to serve its educational purpose as a community hub of learning, literacy and culture for millions of families. Queens is grateful to the Board of Trustees for their dedication in convening an extensive search and selection process for the new President and CEO. I have full faith in the direction and future of the Library, and look forward to the great things to come under Dennis’ leadership.”

Hotel Workers from Trump Las Vegas Head to Manhattan’s Trump HQ, Calling on Trump to Negotiate a Contract - March 3 9AM

PRESS ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016

Media Contacts:  Annemarie Strassel, astrassel@unitehere.org, 312-617-0495

Diana Hussein, dhussein@unitehere.org, 313-460-3119

Amid Union Battle, Hotel Workers from Trump Las Vegas Head to Manhattan’s Trump HQ, Calling on Trump to Negotiate a Contract

Workers to Trump: “Make America Great Again – Negotiate a Contract with Us Like Your Company Did with Canadian Employees” 

                                                                                                                

WHAT: Trump International Hotel Las Vegas employees recently won a union election and are inviting Donald Trump to the bargaining table to negotiate a first contract. 

WHEN: Thursday, March 3, 2016, 9:00-10:00am  

WHERE: Trump Tower – 725 5^th Avenue, New York, NY 10022 

WHO: Trump Las Vegas employees, who are members of the Trump Hotel Negotiating Committee, joined by members of UNITE HERE, the union of hospitality workers.

WHY: In December 2015, hundreds of Trump Hotel employees in Las Vegas voted to form a union. Since that time, Trump’s company has refused to honor the results of that election and negotiate a first contract with its employees. 

Now, Trump Las Vegas employees are calling on the world-famous negotiator to make a deal. Last year, Trump’s company negotiated a first contract with hotel workers in Toronto after workers there won a union election. Las Vegas workers say to “Make America Great Again,” Trump should start by negotiating a fair deal with them just like his company did with its Canadian workers. 

In the hopes of catching his ear, Trump Las Vegas workers will follow him on the campaign trail with an appeal to negotiate. Members of the Trump Hotel Negotiating Committee will visit five cities across the U.S. during the March primaries.

VISUALS: Hotel workers in uniform. Signs: “Trump: Make America Great Again – Make a Deal with Us!” 

                                                                                           

Follow the tour online at: #TrumpDeal2016

UNITE HERE represents 270,000 women and men across North America who work in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries. Learn more at www.unitehere.org.

MORE HS Ex Bd Candidate Marcus McArthur - Mulgrew Gave de Blasio Apology Contract for Backing Wrong Horse in Mayoral Election

I had to leave Sunday's MORE event because I had to run to meet up with some former 5th/6th students from 1979, most of whom I hadn't seen in 35 years. (I'll write about this wonderful experience another time.)

I'm glad I got to hang out for the opening panel. I wish the 4 presentations had been filmed.

I'll discuss all the presentations in another blog post but today I want to paraphrase some of the points made by Marcus McArthur, a 6th year teacher and a relative newcomer to MORE.

MORE Panel: Emily Giles, Marcus McArthur, Lauren Cohen, moderator Dan Lupkin, Not seen, August Leppelmeier. Photo by Katie Lapham

Marcus made a particular impression with his comments. That may not be a name you've heard but if MORE/New Action wins the high school executive board seats the UFT leadership will be getting to know Marcus real well. And so will other UFT members.

I've seen Marcus, a teacher at City-As-Schools, at various happy hours but it wasn't until a few weeks ago at a downtown Manhattan happy hour attended by 25 people that I heard him speak and I was blown away by his presentation and crystallization of so much that is going on in so few words. I turned to someone and said, "He could run for UFT president one day."

So when I saw him on the panel at the MORE meeting yesterday I was looking forward to hearing what he had to say and was even more impressed by how he framed things so well.

First up Marcus, a 6-year teacher, talked about the horrors of his first 3 years working for an abusive principal who divided the school into camps - those who gave absolute fealty and those who didn't. As an untenured teacher he was in extreme jeopardy, as were others, some of whom got chopped. Marcus praised the more senior teachers at the school who shielded him and nurtured him. He finally escaped to a safer haven.

Sunday, Marcus presented an idea that I hadn't heard before. That the UFT in trying to be a partner with de Blasio after 12 years of being shut out by Bloomberg - trying to get back their seat/little stool at the table -- and after having bet on the wrong horse with Bill Thompson - without membership support -- offered de Blasio a home town discount on the contract that has turned out to be worse than any other union.

I remember handing out leaflets at the DA vote urging a NO VOTE and Unity people confronting me with "Do you want to bankrupt the city?" Yes, that was the main line we were hearing about why we had to take retro pay the way we did.

As we found out not long after the contract was signed the city had billions in surplus - thanks to our union in part.

Nice stool at the table.

MORE led the battle against the contract and with the new health care stuff coming down, we were ahead of the curve.

Many new people have come to MORE due to that contract.

They are helping fuel the current election campaign. Marcus McArthur is just one such person who has graced MORE with his activism.

Public Support For Reigning in Charter Schools -

• “School choice” ranks last in a list of the biggest concerns voters have for K-12 education, with only 8% listing it as a concern.
• Far more popular than “school choice” or unaccountable charter schools is the concept of community schools, which serve as community hubs, ensuring that every student and their family gets the opportunity to succeed no matter what zip code they live in.

The school choice bullshit which means undermining neighborhood schools and bringing in charter carpetbaggers is wearing thin.

This is progress, though I am waiting for the poll that shows the public supports putting a dagger to the heart of these charter scam-a-lots.

National Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Reigning in Charter Schools

New National Polling Shows Large Majorities of Voters Support Reforms to Address Fraud, Mismanagement, and Poor Academic Performance in Charter Schools

Washington, D.C.—As the number of charter schools continues to rise, few states are paying adequate attention to how to hold these schools accountable to parents, communities, and taxpayers. Now, new poll results released today by In the Public Interest and the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) show that Americans embrace proposals to reform the way charter schools are authorized and managed.

The poll shows overwhelming national support for initiatives to strengthen charter school accountability and transparency, improve teacher training and qualifications, prevent fraud, serve high-need students, and ensure that neighborhood public schools are not adversely affected.

“A severe lack of public oversight and real accountability has created what are essentially two separate school districts in many places, each competing for students and funding,” said Donald Cohen, Executive Director of In the Public Interest. “This is increasing inequality in public education, and these results confirm that parents and communities want to fix that.”

The poll’s key findings include:

•  Overwhelming majorities, as high as 92%, back proposals to strengthen transparency and accountability, improve teacher training and qualifications, implement anti-fraud measures, ensure high-need students are served, and make sure neighborhood public schools are not adversely affected.
• 92% of voters support requiring companies and organizations that manage charter schools to open board meetings to parents and the public.
• 90% of voters support requiring companies and organizations that manage charter schools to release to parents and the public how they spend taxpayer money.
• “School choice” ranks last in a list of the biggest concerns voters have for K-12 education, with only 8% listing it as a concern.
• Far more popular than “school choice” or unaccountable charter schools is the concept of community schools, which serve as community hubs, ensuring that every student and their family gets the opportunity to succeed no matter what zip code they live in.

A statewide poll of Colorado voters showed that 69% rate the quality of education at public schools in their neighborhood excellent or good—an even higher percentage than those that feel that way nationally. Colorado voters also overwhelmingly support proposals to reform the way charter schools are authorized and managed.

The national poll of 1,000 registered voters was conducted by GBA Strategies January 5-11, 2016 on behalf of In the Public Interest and CPD. A memo detailing the poll can be found here. The statewide poll of 500 registered voters in Colorado was conducted January 10-13, 2016. A memo detailing the Colorado poll can be found here.

Kyle Serrette, Director of Education at CPD, said, “State lawmakers have created charter laws without meaningful oversight provisions. The result? Over $100 million in taxpayer dollars have been lost to fraud, waste, or mismanagement by charter officials and over 100 thousand children currently attend charter schools that are failing to meet the needs of children. It’s time for lawmakers to add stronger oversight provisions before more money is lost and more children are enrolled in failing charter schools.”

For more information on the poll results, please contact Jeremy Mohler at jmohler@inthepublicinterest.org or 202-429-5091, or Asya Pikovsky at apikovsky@populardemocracy.org or 207-522-2442.

In the Public Interest is a research and policy center committed to promoting the values, vision, and agenda for the common good and democratic control of public goods and services.

The Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) promotes equity, opportunity, and a dynamic democracy in partnership with innovative base-building organizations, organizing networks and alliances, and progressive unions across the country. CPD builds the strength and capacity of democratic organizations to envision and advance a pro-worker, pro-immigrant, racial justice agenda

###

Correction - Monday Mar 7 @PS 84K - Williamsburg/Greenpoint District 14 Panel on NY State Testing/Opting Out

The oppressive DOE has tried to strangle the opt-out movement here in NYC through misinformation and threats directed at parents and teachers. The brave parent leaders in my old school district are standing up. Tell people about this event. I'm hoping to be there to tape.

Please join parents, teachers, and the Community Education Council for District 14 (CEC14) for a panel discussion on Testing / Opting Out / Refusing the State tests.

Find out why 20% (240,000) of NYState parents refused the NYState Common Core ELA/Math tests last year, and why over 60 NYC DOE schools did not meet their 95% testing threshold. Learn how Opting Out has made a difference in state education policy.

Where and when?  March 7th at 6pm     PS84 Auditorium, 250 Berry Street (between Grand & S1st), Brooklyn.       No RSVP Necessary.

The default setting is for students to take the state tests, but parents have the right to Opt Out.

Whether you Opt OUT by refusing the state tests or Opt IN by having your child take the tests, it’s YOUR choice. You have the right to make your decision for your child based on accurate information.

Please SHARE WIDELY with your friends, your colleagues, and other parents. 

Parent Coordinators have been asked to get this flier invite into every child's backpack in D14 K-8th grades, but sometimes emails get buried under others. Please make sure that your parent coordinator has the flier about the forum and that parents at your school receive this flier too.

For more information about Opting Out, visit: optoutnyc.com or nysape.org

Print and share the flyer with people you know.

#MORE2016 - Randi Believes In Proportional Representation in Democratic Party But Not in Winner Take All UFT

Mrs. Clinton was expected to win 39 of South Carolina’s delegates to Mr. Sanders’s 14... Under party rules, most delegates are awarded proportionally to Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders based on their shares of the vote in congressional districts.... NY Times

How ironic that Democratic Party super delegate Randi Weingarten is part of a system in the many primaries that are not winner take all. After Bernie was routed by almost 50% points yesterday he still gets 14 delegates. Of course many states ARE winner take all, like the UFT.

Let's look at the UFT elections where 750 AFT/NYSUT delegates are up for grabs -- I mean awarded to Unity. In the last election MORE received about the same percentage that Bernie got in South Carolina. If the UFT were run like the Democratic Party, MORE would have gotten about 150 out of the 750 delegates. They got none and will get none in the upcoming election.

Since the majority of the UFT Exec is elected at-large - meaning everyone votes, the winner take all gives Unity all those seats. In a proportional rep world, MORE would have gotten about 20% of those seats.

In some Democratic Party primaries, seats are allocated based on votes in regions. Imagine if we voted by school districts in NYC - the 32 plus the high schools and other special units. Say each gets to choose about 25 delegates based on district voting and they are divided by slate proportions. In strong Unity districts they would pretty much get all or most of the votes. In areas where MORE is stronger, we might get a bigger portion of the delegates. In high schools we would get about 40% to 50%. The outcome would still give Unity an overwhelming majority but not 100%.

Having non-Unity voices at the AFT/NYSUT  and UFT Exec Board would go a long way towards protecting the UFT from the ravages of a Friedrichs ruling. All many people who feel unrepresented by the UFT want is a more democratic operation where they can present their views. If the system is fair and they lose the vote, at least they had the opportunity and can try to win people over.

Unrepresented groups like the ATR would get their voices heard since MORE would include them in the people chosen.

In the delegate assembly, most of the chapter leaders and delegates are elected from the schools. But many come from the functional chapters. The key functional chapter is the rigidly controlled Retiree chapter which elects 300 delegates to the delegate assembly in a winner take all chapter election that took place last May. The Retiree Advocate slate ran against Unity and received I believe in the neighborhood of 25% of the vote. In a proport rep system, the Retiree Advocate should receive 75 delegate positions. They got none.

Imagine if we implemented that system. I and other retirees who stood up to Unity at the DA. Our experience with how they operate and how to counter them would change the nature of the DA -

---one more reason why you will never see proportional representation, unlike in Randi's beloved Democratic Party, come to the UFT.

Robotics: FIRST LEGO League March 12 - Volunteers Needed

If you are free for the day on March 12, you will have a blast volunteering, especially as a judge. And you might want to start this program in your own school next year.

I've been working with NYCFIRST as a volunteer since I retired in 2002. I handle the communications with the teacher/coaches. The area where the kids sit at tables is called the pits and I sit at the front on a desk taking care of any issues and needs of the teams, including doling out participation medals to each child.

If anyone would like to volunteer for the March 12 80-team event at Javits read below. FIRST LEGO League is for ages 9-14 year olds and we have schools from all over the city - public and private taking part in this year's theme Trash Trek. The winner goes to the internationals in St. Louis.

We also have a Junior FIRST Lego league exhibition for 6-9 year olds in the morning. Plus expos.

And at the same time about 70 high schools from around the metro area and from other states and nations will be taking part in a 3 day event (Friday-Sunday) in the big hall.

Farina is coming Sat morning I believe and possibly Mulgrew too - hope that doesn't scare anyone away. There is a lot of corporate support for this event though nothing from the DOE. Maybe this will change, though Uncle Joel used to come too and gave nada.

If you are not interested in volunteering, come down anyway - event is free and open to the public.

I will be handing the pit table in front of where all the FLL schools are based so come say hello.

Email me offlist if you want info. And you can see a list of FLL schools and teams at:

NYCFIRST Update: Teams Going to Championship Round on March 12, 2016

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ed notes online
Date: Sat, Feb 27, 2016 at 10:16 AM
Subject: [NORM'S ROBOTICS] March 12- Vounteers Needed for First LEGO League Championship at Javits
To: normsco@gmail.com

ALL HANDS ON DECK!!!!!!!!!

Last weekend we completed our FLL Qualifiers and THANK YOU for helping us this season.  We now need your help for the GRAND FINALE at Javits, Saturday, March 12^th.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!! Many roles to fill, specifically Judges and Referees….you will be trained if you aren’t already.  Also needed, queuers, scorekeepers, field resetters,  day before set up volunteers, general volunteers, etc.  

WE NEED IT ALL.

We will be conducting Referee & Judge Trainings prior to the main event and I will send those details to the registered volunteers for these roles by end of this week.

Please FEEL in getting your friends and family involved. 

Please see the event information below; sign up and select an event through the Volunteer Information Management System (VIMS) and contact the volunteer coordinators if you have any questions or concerns. For information about the various FIRST programs please click here:  http://www.usfirst.org/

Step 1  - Register in the Volunteer Information Management System (VIMS)

 VIMS can be accessed here: https://my.usfirst.org/FIRSTPortal/Login/VIMS_Login.aspx  

 A VIMS User Guide can be found here in case you need help:   http://www.firstinspires.org/sites/default/files/uploads/resource_library/volunteer/vims-user-guide.pdf

All of our event volunteers need to register with our national volunteer database, as everyone needs to be screened through our Youth Protection Program (http://www.usfirst.org/aboutus/youth-protection-program)

Step 2 - Within VIMS, please select an event (or events) listed below:

(Most events run from 7:30-8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; breakfast and lunch provided)

FIRST Lego League FLL (FLL)

Volunteer Coordinator: Elizabeth Almonte - ealmonte311@gmail.com

 Friday, March 11^th, 2016      -- FLL Citywide SET-UP – Javits Convention Center --- 4pm – 8pm shift

Saturday March 12, 2016 - FLL Citywide Championship - Jacob Javits Convention Center  

  

Friday-Sunday March 11-13, 2016 - Jacob Javits Convention Center - Manhattan

(You can volunteer one, two or all three days.)

A volunteer coordinator will contact you with details once you are assigned to an event!  Please feel free to reach out to them if you have any questions or concerns.

UFT Announces Health Care Changes - Is a HIP in Everyone's Future?

Upon receiving the UFT Welfare fund announcement yesterday about rises in copays, the first comment from my wife, a lifelong health care administrator who understands the ins and outs of healthcare plans, was that they are trying to ultimately force everyone into a HIP-like plan where you have to use their doctors, which would lead to significant savings.

Since we were married close to 45 years ago, my wife has adamantly taken the position of HIP- NO WAY because of the things she saw and heard on her job. The approval process and rigidity of certain aspects of HIP could be strangling.

I seem to remember that when HIP and GHI merged it was supported by and pushed by Randi and the UFT, which I wrote about on Ed Notes in 2008:

Ed Notes Online: Phase Two...GHI/HIP - NYC

Jul 18, 2008 ... GHI/HIP. During the next 4-6 weeks, CAP will ask that every politician in NYC go on record regarding this issue (especially politicians involved ...

Ed Notes Online: Will GHI/HIP Merger and Privatization Raise Costs? Mar 3, 2008 ... Recently, we have been made aware of the dangers of the GHI/HIP merger, which is supported by the UFT and most other unions. Guess what ...

Ed Notes Online: Coalition Against Privatization Protests GHI/HIP ...

May 10, 2008 ... The conversion (privatization) of GHI & HIP will fully expose 4 million people in NY State to the worst effects of this system. A number of ...

The MORE member and candidate who runs the Doenuts blog has been our resident expert in this issue and writes about it today:

Why Are Our Copays Going Up!!???

 

#MORE2016 Multiple Events Today Through Sunday

I can barely keep up with these folks. Today I am hitting 2 MORE afternoon happy hours in Brooklyn and Manhattan and the NYCORE event tonight. Tomorrow I'm taking the day off. Sunday I am going to the Brooklyn MORE meeting but I have to leave early to make an exciting event - a 2PM reunion with my 6th grade students from my 1979 class who are now in their late 40s and older than almost everyone in MORE.

The reason for all this activity is connected with trying to get the petitions for the UFT election completed so we can get on the ballot. I posted earlier, John Elfrank-Dana Calls on Teachers to Help Get MORE on the Ballot.

I have a love-hate relationship with the UFT petition campaigns to get on the ballot every 3 years. This is the 3rd or 4th time I have coordinated the effort for ICE and MORE. I get obsessed with making this work smoothly and getting it done with time to spare. The work keeps me off the street.

This year there is a push to get as many people and schools involved in the campaign. Petitions are due at the UFT on March 10 but since we are coordinating with New Action we need everything in by March 5 when we are putting everything together for the 300 candidates (and still coming in.) We can sign people right up the March 5 to run for AFT delegate - there are 750 positions available.

If you want to circulate the officer petition you have until March 5 when you can drop them off in midtown or mail them to me. Here are the download links:

Front Page:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_4d9Ab0OvD0dm9yVUFuejQ2eGc/view?usp=sharing 

Back Page: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_4d9Ab0OvD0Y1NzVUoyUTdjbmM/view?usp=sharing

What is interesting is the lag time between the petitions and the May 5 ballots being sent out - the vote count will be May 26. This gives the Unity machine time to send out the people whose salaries you pay to sell Mulgrew and also it coincides with getting a retro check. MORE will not be inactive between March 10 and the end of May. MORE will need everyone on board to get info into as many schools as possible and since we don't have any employees we have to try to match the Unity machine.

I am available to come to your school to tell them about MORE if you have a Unity slug come in to your school. Or even if you don't.

Here is the most recent MORE email

It's UFT election petition count-down time! 

There are only 7 school days left before we collect petitions on March 2, and we need 1000 signatures to get our Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates on the ballot. 

Thanks to all of you who have been collecting signatures and hosting petition-signing parties at your school. A special shout-out goes to Arthur Goldstein at Francis Lewis HS, who has already collected over 130 signatures.  Can you beat Arthur? 

It's time to take a tally and see where we stand.  Please reply to this e-mail, by Friday, (tomorrow) with the number of signatures you have collected. 

If you do not have an officer petition and want to get involved, reply with your school address, and we'll get one in the mail to you right away. (We'll need it back by March 2!) If you'd like funding to host a petition signing party (with food!) at your school, let us know that too by replying to this e-mail, and we'll help you plan.

Finally, we have TONS of events this weekend and in the coming weeks.  Come out and get involved at the event(s) closest to you!


FRIDAY Feb 26:
Brooklyn Happy Hour at Abilene Bar
Friday 2/26 3:15pm
442 Court Street
Educators from Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Red Hook, Boerum Hill, and across the city meeting, mingling, and consuming tasty beverages (1st one free!) and food after work on a Friday afternoon.
Facebook link here

Manhattan Downtown Happy Hour, 3:30-7

Professor Thom's

219 2nd Ave, New York, New York 10003

Queens Educator Happy Hour

Readypenny Inn in Jackson Heights, New York

 

MORE meeting/ petition signing

Sunday

at 12 PM - 3 PM

Ps 58 The Carroll

330 Smith St, Brooklyn, New York 11231

 

Uptown Petition Signing and Meeting -RSVP by replying to this email with your file number :-)
Saturday 2/27 12pm-3pm
Gregorio Luperon High School
501 W 165th St @ Amsterdam (1/A/C to 168th) NYC
Library

Tired of how standardized testing is distorting our classrooms and schools?

Want to fight for paid parental leave for city workers?
Do you think our union needs to support opt-out and other movements against education deform?
We need your help to get a member-driven alternative on the ballot in our union elections.

Jia Lee and our top slate of officers needs 900 signatures to get on the ballot, and all of our nearly 300 candidates need 100 signatures each...

Email more@morecaucusnyc.org your name, school and file/EIS # and you can help sign all 300 petitions!
Are you running yourself? Bring your petition...

Come to pick up your election leaflets and plan how to get them into neighboring schools.

Pizza and beverages will be served
email more@morecaucusnyc.org to reserve childcare

Facebook link here

John Elfrank-Dana Calls on Teachers to Help Get MORE on the Ballot

John Elfrank was kind enough to scan and post the officer petition which holds 40 names. We need 900 to get on the ballot but I aim for 1000- 1200 to cover all bases. With most schools being fairly small, we need a lot of people going around a lot of schools to reach that number.

By circulating this petition you are letting people in your school know that an election is coming. It might help get out more votes in the schools when ballots are sent out on March 5.

Here is what John sent out:

Tired of not getting tenure?

Frustrated by gotcha observations?

Angered by more busy work being dumped on you?

Feel the UFT doesn't get it (Mulgrew and Company)?

Do you want to change the UFT leadership?

Let's help the Movement of Rank and File Educators Caucus (MORE) get its candidates on the ballot.

What you can do.
Print out the petition on LEGAL length paper. 

Make it a TWO-SIDED DOCUMENT (not 2 separate pages, copy on the back).

Front Page:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_4d9Ab0OvD0dm9yVUFuejQ2eGc/view?usp=sharing 

Back Page: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_4d9Ab0OvD0Y1NzVUoyUTdjbmM/view?usp=sharing
On your lunch break, before or after school get as many UFT members in your school to sign, ask others on their lunch to get signatures.

Pass off to the other schools in your building their own copy. Share with them this email.

Collect and Mail to Norm Scott by Saturday, MARCH 5:

518 Beach 134 Street, Rockaway Park, NY 11694 

Send me a copy, take a picture of the envelope too if you can.

You need not fill up the sheet. Just get as many UFT member signatures as you can- 5, 10, 20...

Things won't get any better until we change the leadership.

Here's MORE's web site for more on their candidates.

www.morecaucusnyc.org 

In solidarity,

John