Democrats Russia Obsession: The Road to Status Quo As Even Bernie Accused of Being Putin Plant to Bring Down Hillary

even those who detest Trump with every fiber of their being must see the dangerous endgame implicit in this entire line of thinking. If the Democrats succeed in spreading the idea that straying from the DNC-approved candidate – in either the past or the future – is/was an act of "unwitting" cooperation with the evil Putin regime, then the entire idea of legitimate dissent is going to be in trouble......

To describe Sanders followers as unwitting dupes who departed the true DNC faith because of evil Russian propaganda is both insulting and ridiculous. It's also a testimony to the remarkable capacity for self-deception within the leadership of the Democratic Party

.... Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone

Two reports here about the pitfalls of the Hillary/Obama wing of the Dems desperately chasing down every bit of conspiracy theory, placing its bet on getting Trump impeached so we can get Mike Pence, separating whatever limited strategy Dems have from reality. The NY Times seems part and parcel of this effort to brand the 2016 election outcome as being stolen for Trump by Russia, therefore vindicating the neo-liberal Dem Party center - you see we really would have won with our strategy if not for the 3rd party operatives in the KGB.

Robert Perry has an article (NYT’s ‘Tinfoil Hat’ Conspiracy Theory worth checking out on what he calls the Times' "tinfoil-hat" conspiracy theories. They gave a known lunatic conspiracy theorist Louise Mensch an op-ed opportunity that when examined makes the Times look like the Enquirer.

New Yorkers Call on the Board of Regents to Remove Commissioner MaryEllen Elia for Failure to Protect Children

The MaryEllen Elia experiment in New York has failed. It is time for the Board of Regents to remove Commissioner Elia and substantially change course.... NYSAPE

Don't forget that Elia was Randi's candidate. MORE Exec Bd people next time should ask Unity to support NYSAPE.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 3, 2017

More information contact:

Lisa Rudley; nys.allies@gmail.com

NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) www.nysape.org

For the past five years, hundreds of thousands of parents, from every corner of New York State, have called for meaningful changes to our damaging test-and-punish accountability system, resulting in the largest opt out movement in the nation.

Beware Obama Admin Neo-Libs Running for Office

After his time with Obama, Gupta, 33, set up a network of charter schools in the southern US. 

I gagged when I read this story: Former Obama staffers run for office to protect the progressive policies they built

Ravi Gupta worked as an assistant to David Axelrod during the 2008 election.

You set up charter schools, you don't get the support from defenders of public education.

Gupta was the center of a piece in Campbell Brown's The 74 front journalism: 74 Interview: RePublic Schools’ Ravi Gupta on the Next Frontier of the Education Reform Wars

.@RaviMGupta returns to NYC, reflects on how charter schools will win broader support

.@RaviMGupta: next frontier in reform wars, charter schools serving middle- and upper-class

Nice Ravi -- you guys helped undermine inner city schools, now go after the suburbs.

RePublic also has faced scrutiny from charter school critics on the Metro school board. And in January a group of Nashville parents filed a class-action lawsuit that accused the charter group of violating the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act by sending text messages through a commercial auto-dialing service without their consent, a claim RePublic officials denied.

So Ravi is back here in NYC pushing the line that the Dems must organize to stand against Trump.

“I left that room and started calling Obama colleagues: ‘What are we going to do right now? Not for midterms, not 2020, now’,” Gupta said.
Gupta, with the help of several Obama mates, launched The Arena, an organization that holds summits across the country to teach progressive candidates how to run for office - how to raise money, how to launch social media campaigns. At their first event in Nashville last November, 400 attendees turned up and 150 pledged to run for office in the next five years.

 Message to Ravi Gupta -- neo-lib charter supporters are not progressives.

Ravi Gupta and the center right neo-libs in the Dem party are trying to ice out the Bernie wing. The time may come when there is no choice but to split because 2020 will be the same old thing and charter support is the type of wedge that splits the party -- I mean they might as well join DeVos because the ultimate outcome between Obamaites and DeVos is the end of public education.

Memo from the RTC: A Chorus Line Update - I Won’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me

I'm going back to see it again Saturday night and then again Sunday when Arthur and family are coming.

Memo from the RTC:  A Chorus Line Update - I Won’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me

By Norm Scott

They may have asked Sinatra when he sang those words, but they didn’t ask me.  I need a defibrillator from just watching the show. But I am astounded when people who know me ask if I have a part in A Chorus Line, if they know the show at all.

Do they have a clue that you must be able to sing, act and, most importantly of all, dance, dance, dance until you want to drop and on a scale of 1-10, I am minus 10 in all three categories? I wanted to drop numerous times on opening night just watching the 24-member cast showing their triple threat chops.

I was raving about all these facets to Director Susan Corning at the opening night after show celebration. She reminded me, pointing to choreographer supreme Nicola DePierrro Nellen, that despite the amazing acting and singing, the heart of “A Chorus Line” is dance and that this production’s success relied on the amazing work of Nicola, who also has a part in the show as dance mistress Laurie. Whenever you see it, or if you saw it, just think about all the choreography involved in getting so many people to synchronize. I was taping from right up front, practically on the stage in the corner, and got as close up as you can. It was, like, a perfect production.

I just don’t have the space to talk about all the performances by so many RTC regulars, who are joined by a five newcomers with major roles. Actually, almost every role is major, with each member of the cast getting their time in the sun, which is why the play is so coveted among actors and why reviewing all the performances would take a book. If there is a lead, it is the role of Cassie, played by the superbly gorgeous and talented Catherin Leib, who finally returned to the RTC in last fall’s Toxic Avenger after two years absence while touring with a production company. The director, Zach, is played by Frank Caiati who can do just about anything on and off stage. Both Catherine and Frank, a member of Actors Equity and SAG/AFTRA, have been with the RTC since they were teens, well over a decade ago. Their list of credits is beyond extensive. They have a crucial scene opening Act II that is worth the price of admission, followed by Catherine’s take-your breath away solo.

The fabulous Musical Director Jeff Arzberger leads an 11-member band. I went to the 50^th anniversary of the Zombies on Saturday night and they only have 4 musicians in their band. But the RTC is all about giving Rockaway a major taste of Broadway, baby, and with free parking too. And a 50-50 cash on the barrel, which on opening night netted the winner with almost $500.

I know my two or three regular readers are sick of my raving about every show. But believe it when people leaving opening night are saying, “I can’t believe you guys keep topping yourselves. This is the best one yet.”

The directing tandem of Susan Corning and David Risley, both of whom have been major top-level actors at the RTC in so many shows, deliver a perfect rendition of this complex show, which if not done expertly would be a disaster. 

Hot Yoga Rockaway Beach guru Anita Ruderman, whose word is law, posted this comment on FB:  GO SEE A CHORUS LINE at the RTC in Ft. Tilden. A PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE NOT TO BE MISSED!!! Really UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Here's the link for tickets. I'm serious. Please go see it. :) http://www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org/ticket-reservation-s…/

Anita may sometimes talk in CAPS, but rarely does she write in CAPS.

Norm blogs at ednotesonline.com. NAMASTE!!!

NYSUT split sends vocal opt-out president packing

One of the few media outlets to report on this - though idea assigned to UFT in the article below that opt out movement seriously threatened federal funding is pretty absurd.... Leonie Haimson

http://buffalonews.com/2017/03/27/nysut-split-could-impact-school-reform-effort/

Both Pallotta, Magee’s likely successor, and his ally Michael Mulgrew, the New York City union president, are seen as Cuomo supporters, and were criticized by some teachers for supporting the governor even when he was pushing for a stringent evaluation system.

Leonie found this nugget about the dumping of Karen Magee by Weingarten/Mulgrew. Astute observers knew from the day Magee came out for Opt out that she was in trouble.

I noticed the difference in the role played by Magee at the AFT 2014 convention when she was a big deal compared to the 2016 when she was marginalized. (But so was Mulgrew whose buffoonish behavior was deemed to embarrassing to showcase.) And let's not forget that Magee landed a position with Randi at the AFT as a reward for taking a bullet - by not running.

NYSUT split sends vocal opt-out president packing

• By Tiffany Lankes
• Published Mon, Mar 27, 2017
  

Karen Magee delivered her message in no uncertain terms.

"I am saying that I would urge parents at this point in time to opt out of testing," the New York State United Teachers president said in a 2015 interview on the radio show "Capitol Pressroom."

The remark made Magee among the first high-profile union leaders in the country to explicitly encourage parents to opt their children out of state tests, fueling a movement that ultimately helped force a major shift in the direction of New York’s education system.
It also may have contributed to a rift between Magee and the very people who put her in office. Magee announced last month that she will not pursue a second term, after it became clear she would face two challengers, including one of her fellow officers.

The point in BOLD is a flat out wrong --- Magee didn't fuel any movement -- but what she did do is allow the ed deformers to make that claim -- that the union was behind opt out in order to try to hide its people from being accountable. This line was quickly picked up and used to defile opt out, which is fundamentally a parent-led movement. 

Fred Smith in WAPO: What N.Y. parents should know about 2017 Common Core standardized tests

Four passages that are well above grade level with 6 multiple choice questions most of which require that a student go back into the text and the answer is still difficult to figure out is ridiculous. Kids were twitching. Two of mine cried. I administered to 7 children with reading disabilities. They didn’t stand a chance. It makes me angry. I spent all year inspiring them to feel excited about learning and confident and in 10 minutes NYS made them feel like idiots…. Anonymous, Valerie Strauss piece by our good pal Fred Smith in the Washington Post yesterday.

I assume that anon is a teacher who if found out would be arrested and maybe deported to Kabul for the criminal act of reporting what was on the test.

Strauss:

Fred Smith, a testing specialist and consultant, explains how the state is attempting to persuade parents not to opt-out, and what students face when they sit down to take the exams. Smith is retired as a senior analyst for the New York City public schools and a member of Change the Stakes, a parent advocacy group.

You can read the entire piece at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/03/30/what-n-y-parents-should-know-about-2017-common-core-standardized-tests/?utm_campaign=5b314bf22d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_03_31&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Master%20Mailing%20List&utm_term=.25c26b8e8fd5

Fred is relentless on the testing issue despite the continuous frustrations of the testing regime to undermine the opt-out. But given he has been a statistician for the NY Jets for decades and must attend every home game, this is child's play.

 A few excerpts:

Seeking to turn back the opt-out movement, authorities are promoting a few scripted points to convey the idea that the testing program has been improved for 2017: The number of questions on the exams has been reduced, more teachers have been involved in developing them, and the tests are untimed.

On the surface these seem attractive. But fewer items make less reliable tests. The teachers who were involved reviewed but didn’t write the questions on the tests, which were created by Questar Assessment (which is being purchased by the Educational Testing Service, or ETS). And the removal of time limits means the tests are no longer being conducted under standard conditions, thereby nullifying attempts to measure growth.

Effectively, the results of the 2017 exams cannot be used to make meaningful comparisons over time, though the Education Department says the tests aren’t being changed enough so that comparisons will be valid.

Another selling point the state makes is that while the tests will continue to be given, no teachers or principals will be affected by the results as in the past, when test scores were factored into their evaluations. The state has declared a moratorium on directly linking student test scores to teacher evaluations. This may lull people concerned about the misuse of the tests into accepting their administration because negative consequences have diminished for teachers and principals, but the results can still affect schools, and the scores can be used as an “advisory” evaluation measure for individual educators.

In announcing the improvements, a department spokesperson said, “It’s up to parents to decide if their children should take the tests and we want them to have all the facts so they can make an informed decision.”

Really? There is no information on opting out — or about the field testing of questions, which allows publishers to develop future exams for free by trying out test questions on children — on the one-page document posted on SED’s Engage^ny _, titled “2017 Grades 3-8 New York State Assessments: What Parents Need to Know.”  Evidently, they must know the tests are untimed, shortened, reflective of teacher involvement and will be given in some districts by computer.

Here are some more facts about  field testing on the 2017 exams that parents aren’t being told:

There are two approaches publishers follow to develop questions and determine which should be kept for subsequent exams.  The preferred way is to embed try-out material (reading passages and associated questions) in the test booklets that students are striving to complete.  In theory, students can’t tell which questions are experimental and do not count in scoring their tests from the operational ones that count.  Thus, they should be motivated to do well on the trial items.

PEP Video: Where I Explain the Basics of Farina-ism - plus Rich Mantell, Gloria and Marilena from MORE

In this video (https://youtu.be/kyAyW0sP6gU) I begin to explore the Farina legacy - which I dub "Farina-ism". Oppose parent, teacher and student influence and indeed punish those who dare to resist. You can see Farina-ism in operation at Central Park East 1 where a vicious vendetta against the Debbie Meier founded progressive school is playing out in all its gory details as teachers, parents and students are under attack.

The closing of JHS 145 is a Trump-Devos like attack on the many immigrant and Muslim children who have found a home there. And since Eva Moskowitz, who the day after the PEP vote had her people measuring the space to be vacated by 145, gets to replace them, that is a perfect dovetail of the DeVos privatization plan.

I didn't even get to mention the Townsend Harris story -- there was a parent and student rep who went after Farina over the claim that the student newspaper was reporting fake news.

UFT VP Richard Mantell was the only official UFT rep who spoke -- I saw one or two others early in the meeting but our call for the DA to be adjourned and have masses go to support the school went unheeded. But Rich did a good job and showed some passion about the issue.

MORE's Gloria Brandman who is a special ed expert focused on that issue and Marilena Marchetti nailed the corporate takeover of the school issue.

By the way, MORE had a big turnout to support 145 and CPE -- maybe 15-20 people. We called for the DA to be adjourned a half hour early and go to the PEP with a show of force. I'll report more on the arguments made at the Ex Bd meeting why we couldn't do that because we had so much important business to attend to -- Mulgrew was 17 minutes late to the DA.

Too bad the Unity/UFT leadership didn't get massive numbers of people there in support.

NYSUT Update: Exposing Martin Messner's Mess

Let’s begin with NYSUT’s Form 990, which every tax-exempt organization is required to file annually with the IRS. The most recent one available covers the period September 2014-August 2015. It shows NYSUT with an $18.9 million deficit. It was signed on January 13, 2016 by Martin Messner, NYSUT’s secretary-treasurer.

Three months later, Messner addressed the delegates of the NYSUT representative assembly and told them the union had recorded its “second surplus in a row.” (at the 1:55 mark) He also stated that NYSUT pension fund was 86 percent funded. (at the 2:20 mark) Messner did not address the costs of post-retirement health care.

Less than four months later, NYSUT sent a letter to local affiliate presidents with quite a different story. Though the date on the letter is July 26, 2015, it was actually sent on that date in 2016, as the contents of the letter will confirm. The key details are:

In January of 2016, the NYSUT officers were notified of a looming pension spike for the NYSUT pension system that was extremely high. In late April of 2016, we received a second report from our actuary that was even more damaging and the numbers have reached a point that absent action they could jeopardize the entire organization.

Messner did not inform the delegates of the “looming pension spike” NYSUT was warned about in January, and his rosy forecast for the pension system somehow came crashing down only three weeks after his speech.

Intercepts

NYSUT Can’t Keep Its Stories Straight

Mike Antonucci has continued to cover the NYSUT story we have been reporting about. Here he quotes from our Mike Lillis post:

Michael Lillis is a candidate for the NYSUT presidency, and he told New York City education blogger Norm Scott that his caucus is “aware of the uncertain economic situation within NYSUT, and we have grave concerns that if not addressed properly, this house of cards could come tumbling down, leaving members vulnerable to the worst of the political winds out there.”  

Mike also did a piece about Harry Lirtzman's analysis- NYSUT is a Ponzi Scheme - Harris Lirtzman Analyzes... 
in this follow-up where he points to Harry's background and how that when Harry speaks people should listen:

With elections approaching, activists are taking notice. NYSUT’s officers dismiss critics outside the union, but it’s difficult to marginalize Harris Lirtzman, whose credentials both as a labor advocate and in the financial world are unique and seemingly impeccable.

 

Lirtzman became a New York City teacher late in life, after

Harris Lirtzman in NY Times piece

a long career at Merrill Lynch and the New York City Comptroller’s Office, rising to the position of deputy comptroller for administration. As a teacher, Lirtzman was profiled in The New York Times for blowing the whistle on violations of the state’s special education regulations, charges for which he was ultimately vindicated.

 

Lirtzman has taken a special interest in NYSUT’s finances. In a letter to New York City education blogger Norm Scott, he described its situation bluntly, charging that it used member dues to pay overdue debts.

 

“NYSUT is a Ponzi scheme,” he said. “So long as the cash keeps moving from dues-paying members to NYSUT to the AFT to the UFT and back around it can keep its doors open.”

 

But he suggested that if the flow of dues slows for any reason, the structure collapses. “No one ever suspected that the cash could stop,” he said. “But it will stop and soon.”

 

Lirtzman explained in layman’s terms the two ways to fund a retirement system. “You can either make arrangements to pay for those commitments by funding them over time and investing those funds to earn more money,” he wrote. “Or you can take cash that comes in today from member dues and use it to pay the benefits you owe your current and retired employees. The first way is prudent but can be expensive. The second way can work but only if everything plays out the way you hope.”

 

In this scenario, a Friedrichs-type court action that results in an end to agency fees (paid by non-member teachers who benefit from collective bargaining) or an economic downturn that forces downsizing of school staffs could create a crisis.

 

Lirtzman thinks drastic action is necessary. “We can keep the worst of this from happening if we take the time, now, to understand how badly NYSUT is managed, how terribly our money is being misused and how much we will lose if we don’t act,” he wrote. “I hope that the political strategy [voting out incumbent NYSUT leaders] works in the long run. I’m afraid that we don’t have the long run to find out.”

 

As The New York Times suggested in that profile, “Perhaps it pays to heed Harris Lirtzman.”

  

Video of CPE 1 Parents Hammering Farina for Supporting Principal Monika Garg

We posted this yesterday: UPDATE: Central Park East 1's Monika Garg is the WORST principal in NYC Based on NYCDOE's own criteria

Now here is some video from last week's PEP of parents going for Farina's jugular. Thirteen minutes of heaven. Oh, the joy!

Stories floating around that Farina has always been jealous of CPE founder and McArthur genius award winner Debbie Meier, a true educator who has always been consistent in her putting the interests of children first, unlike Farina. So Farina, before she retires, is making sure Debbie's legacy won't survive.

By the way - saw Marilyn Martinez last night at the UFT Ex bd meeting. She is firm and holding up -- they told her outcome should take 40 days.

https://youtu.be/6EF4F8lBPbo

School Scope: Opt Out of Test Movement is Still Alive Despite Attempts to Kill It

The WAVE -- www.rockawave.com - Publish date: March 31, 2017

School Scope: Opt Out of Test Movement is Still Alive Despite Attempts to Kill It

By Norm Scott

NYC schools chancellor Carmen Farina hates the opt out movement because it so threatens the education establishment which uses testing as a bludgeon. Even if your child aces tests, our claim has been that the process itself is harmful to overall development of children educationally, emotionally and intellectually. Many top performing nations have de-emphasized testing, especially for children under high school age.

Farina and the testing establishment have threatened schools, teachers and parents with all sorts of punishment and sanctions, many of them untrue. Principals at schools with high opt-out rates last year have been pressured to intimidate parents who even ask questions about opt out.

I know you will be reading this at the end of the week that ELA tests were given statewide, but there will be a math test the first week of May but even if your child took the tests and you are a believer in the value of tests I urge you to read this blog by Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters: It's not too late to opt out & more reasons to do so-- including to protect your child's privacy and deny them the data! https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2017/03/countless-reasons-to-opt-out-including.html

A lot of people are not aware that their childlrens’ data is being shared and even sold. “Deny them the data” has become somewhat of a rallying cry.

Consider the points made in the letter to parents below by a parent of three children – and check out the link: Top 10 Reasons to Opt Out - https://vimeo.com/208262836

Dear Parents,

The state tests are coming up. Before your child sits for 6 days worth of standardized state exams please take a few minutes to review the reasons for considering to opt out of these tests.

I am both a parent and an education advocate, and will be opting my two children out of the state exams. Like every parent, I care deeply about my children's education and future. Actually, I care about the quality of every child's education and am concerned about these specific exams undermining public schools' ability to teach to the WHOLE child. The Opt Out movement has proven to be the best way to make systemic changes to public education.

Who else believes children should opt out of the state tests? Leading education experts such as Diane Ravitch, Carol Burris and Leonie Haimson, as well as the parents of 240,000 NYS students who opted out last year. This year, the New York State Teacher's Union (NYSUT) has even taken out billboards to inform parents of their right to opt out of the state tests.

Our children are not standard. They have talents and qualities that these tests will never measure and are not designed to encourage. They measure cramming, access to expensive tutors, and rote learning. None of these qualities are skills that will prepare our children for college and even less so for the real world.

Ultimately, the decision to opt out is yours. But before the kids go to school on Tuesday, take the opportunity to be informed about the movement. Again, please take the time to read through the links below. But just in case you DON'T open the links below, I'll sum it up with this: State exams are driven by politics and corporate greed while your child's learning and potential is a distant priority. A multiple choice test won't teach our kids what it takes to cure cancer or solve world hunger.

Respectfully,

Johanna Garcia

Mom to Aries (3rd gr), Alexa (5th gr.) & Hailey (10th gr.)

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170323/carroll-gardens/opt-out-state-tests-nyc

“Awesome” said Jamaal A. Bowman Founding Principal of Cornerstone Academy for Social Action MS, who shared his own video on testing and opting out. https://youtu.be/J6kNcUDwjE8

Norm never opts out of blogging at ednotesonline.com

UPDATE: Central Park East 1's Monika Garg is the WORST principal in NYC Based on NYCDOE's own criteria

 Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Central Park East 1's Monika Garg is the WORST pri...":

I worked under Garg for two years when she was an AP. She literally turned our school upside down with mismanagement, corruption, bullying and unfair targeting of anyone she didn't like. She acted like an expert in everything when she knew so little about most things. She used her bully-style to make up for the lack of substance. When we found out she was leaving our school (and her awful boss Minerva), many teachers who were planning on leaving decided to stay.

Sign the CPE petition: http://www.savecpe1.org/

The funniest line of the night at the PEP was Farina saying that they do things in the interests of children.

Why does the DOE and UFT coddle bad principals who always get protection. There are so many mini-Trumps in the system who can brag they can kill someone in broad daylight and get away with it. And they do kill teacher careers and children's hopes.
See

Chaz's School Daze:  Anoither Case Of The DOE Double Standard When Disciplining Administrators - Santiago Taveras.
Chapter Leader Marilyn Martinez had her last day of hearing on Friday and will be out of the school at least for a month while waiting for a decision though experienced hands believe no matter the outcome she won't be allowed back at the school. And the UFT will be silent publicly.

Petition update

NYCDOE's own criteria Garg is the WORST principal in NYC

Save CPE1

United States

Mar 27, 2017 — D4 SUPERINTENDENT ALEXANDRA ESTRELLA, WHY ARE YOU SUPPORTING GARG?

GARG’S RECORD AS WORST PRINCIPAL IN NEW YORK CITY:

- Greatest percentage drop in English test scores, citywide*

- Greatest percentage drop in Math test scores, citywide*

- Lowest rating in Trust, citywide**

- Lowest rating for Effective Management, citywide**

- Lowest rating in Tracking Student Academic Progress, Citywide**

- Lowest rating in Awareness of What is Going on in Classrooms, citywide**

In addition to her exploitative use and abuse of students to target teachers, Garg had the greatest drop of nearly every measure for principal performance, citywide.

*Drop from NYS 2015 test scores to 2016 (see Chalkbeat, August 2, 2016)
**NYCDOE School Survey 2016

Please distribute this information widely, and continue to share our petition. Monika Garg must be removed for the safety of our children, the protection of our teachers and the existence of this magical school. #savecpe1

NYSUT Presidential Candidate Michael Lillis Comments on NYSUT Finances

In response to our recent coverage of NYSUT finances -

• Are Dues Arrears Reports Fake News or is Mulgrew's...
• NYSUT is a Ponzi Scheme - Harris Lirtzman Analyzes...

and our concerns that ST Caucus was paying attention, NYSUT ST Caucus presidential candidate sent us this response:

Norm,
Thanks for your reporting on NYSUT budget issues and the upcoming elections. I'd like to give you the heads up on where ST is on the NYSUT budget issue. 

We have been concerned for sometime over NYSUT's finances; this is why we opposed raising the number of officers from four to five, two years ago. There is a lack of confidence in the reporting of the current leadership. At last year’s President’s Conference, Martin Messner’s budget report indicated NYSUT was on a stable financial footing. 

A couple of months later, however, during PSA negotiations, the officers claimed NYSUT was facing a financial crisis. Therefore, leadership’s budget discussions seem to be more about political messaging than they are about guaranteeing NYSUT will be stable in its vision and capability moving forward.

We have two platform positions that deal with NYSUT's financials directly. First, we are proposing reducing the number of officers from five to four. This would be a 20% reduction in officer salaries and expenses. Second, we are proposing reducing officer salaries by 15%. Though these efforts in isolation will not be adequate to restore NYSUT to fiscal stability, they are necessary precursors to any meaningful discussion with NYSUT staff.

We have been clear that any fiscal reorganization within NYSUT requires transparency, shared sacrifice, and shared vision. The current NYSUT leadership lack these, and are simply not up to the task of bringing fiscal order without negative fallout that could impact members. The most recent PSA negotiations are evidence of this.

We must also look at the metro funding rebates. Five of the largest locals in the state are reimbursed 32% of their dues as they decline field services, but they receive additional rebates to bring the total in some cases to 50%. PSA, for example, gets 50% of their dues reimbursed, or at least they did when Dick was President. He did this to prevent them from disaffiliating. We have made many requests to NYSUT to get current reimbursement data, and they have not been forthcoming. Instead, they have referred us only to public disclosure documents.

We must also remember that NYSUT's economic future is not just a fiscal issue. In the near future, members may have the right to refuse dues payments. To protect the organization, we must transform NYSUT to be focused on member advocacy. I've only been at this for a little over twenty years, so I'm not sure what NYSUT was like at its inception, but I believe we have lost our focus. Our advocacy seems to be more about the perception of being power brokers on the state and national levels, and not in representing teachers, aides, bus drivers, and professors. We have ceded control of the conversation to education reformers, and we have failed to correct the record.

If members are going to keep paying dues, they need to see us engaging in fights that have meaning to them. This is probably the most important variable in NYSUT's future.

In short, we are aware of the uncertain economic situation within NYSUT, and we have grave concerns that if not addressed properly, this house of cards could come tumbling down, leaving members vulnerable to the worst of the political winds out there.

Can Trump and Dems Actually Make a Health Plan Deal and Screw Freedom Caucus?

The Freedom Party makes Trump look sane.

Trump would screw anyone to make a deal that would make him look good. Ie. See Nixon goes to China.

Today's Times has an interesting piece. [Trump Becomes Ensnared in Fiery G.O.P. Civil War]

A precedent-flouting president who believes that Washington’s usual rules do not apply to him, Mr. Trump now finds himself shackled by them.

In stopping the repeal of President Barack Obama’s proudest legacy — the Republican Party’s professed priority for the last seven years — from even coming to a vote, the rebellious far right wing out-rebelled Mr. Trump, taking on and defeating the party establishment with which it has long been at war and which he now leads.

Like every one else who has tried to rule a fissured and fractious party, Mr. Trump now faces a wrenching choice: retrenchment or realignment.
Does he cede power to the anti-establishment wing of his party? Or does he seek other pathways to successful governing by throwing away the partisan playbook and courting a coalition with the Democrats, whom he has improbably blamed for his party’s shortcomings?

Imagine this scenario: Trump thinks Freedom caucus is even crazier than he is and wants to get even. He rounds up 30 moderate Republicans and offers Dems a deal. Now Dems would have to admit that Obamacare is massively flawed and not try to defend it -- in other words -- the "fix Obamacare" line will not play. Admit the need to scrap it and start over.

Now comes the tricky part -- call for single payer which of course Trump and Republicans will never do -- but given the polls we see it is popular, especially when we see that we pay double per capita vs single payer plans.

Be like Bernie -- single minded. Criticize Obamacare for not having public option ---

The experience has put Trump in a dealing mode since his own party -- which we know is only expedient -- is so divided -- and the Dems may be holding more cards than we thought possible -- if only they were competent, which is what they are not.

The Dems will defend the past and justify the neo-lib Obama/Clinton agenda -- it is in their DNA -- and in the DNA of the uft.

School Scope: War in the Democratic Party as Bernie Popularity Soars

March 24, 2017
www.rockawave.com

School Scope: War in the Democratic Party as Bernie Popularity Soars

By Norm Scott

Bernie Sanders is the most popular politician in America, by a wide margin of 61% according to a FOX news poll (http://www.businessinsider.com/most-popular-politician-in-the-us-bernie-sanders-fox-news-poll-2017-3) . Yes FOX. Now Bernie is not actually a Democrat but calls himself a Democratic Socialist and at this point there is no such viable party in this nation as there is throughout the world. People tend to conflate social democracy with communism and nothing could be further from the truth. Stalin wiped out social democrats, as have every communist nation because SDs believe in private property, a fundamentally free market economy and regulated capitalism. Scandinavian nations are prime examples. Universal single payer health care is an essential, as is free education. Both of these were basic to Bernie’s program and both ideas seem to be fundamentally off the table to both parties. Don’t expect me to explain Bernie’s enormous popularity as his basic ideas are ignored and in fact often mocked, not only by the right, but by the center and even many liberals.

There is a tendency to place all Democrats into one big lump and declare them all liberal/lefties when in fact there is a wide range of division. The right-center flank of the Democratic Party is pretty much where the mainstream Republican Party was pre-Reagan. The so-called center is now being branded as the Clinton/Obama wing of the party, which includes the party leadership (Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi) while the left of the party is the Bernie wing. Make no mistake about it, war is raging in the party if not openly at this point but behind the scenes and certainly in print.

PEP Pops Video: CPE 1 Teacher Embarrasses Farina Into Silence

CPE 1 Teacher embarrasses Farina. Offers her speaking time to respond to question: What are your reasons for supporting Principal Monika Garg?
Raucous audience goes silent.
So does Farina.

https://youtu.be/pvjXyzZm29Y

Memo From The RTC: Chorus Line is A’Comin’

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Memo From The RTC: Chorus Line is A’Comin’

By Norm Scott

Monday night, with the “massive” snow storm beating down on us, I headed over to the Post Theater at Fort Tilden, home of the Rockaway Theatre Company to check out whether the cast of Chorus Line was rehearsing. Also to see what snacks were being served. And mother hen Suzanne Riggs, without a doubt, one of the most thoughtful people on earth, certainly delivered some fine snacks. I almost forgot to check out the rehearsal.

PEP Pix - CPE 1 Parent(s) Savage Farina and PEP

I've got a batch of videos and pix from Wednesday night's raucous meeting reminding us of the good old days of BloomKlein. There were 2 themes at the meeting -- the closing of the schools with JHS 145 the feature and in the latter part of the meeting, the CPE 1 parents who come to meeting after meeting ---  this time they came with banners.

Here is just one 3 minute video of parent outrage. More to come. (Excuse the bad camera work as I became so involved I became a cheerleader -- lucky I don't do this for a living.

https://youtu.be/tA8uTE6l8Kg

Warning to Steve Bannon: BloomKlein Deconstructed the NYCDOE/UFT Administrative State - But Built Their a New One

Before I start, News of the Day: 
Last night we saw the NYCDOE administrative state standing on democracy and the people. Same old PEP as under BloomKlein-- words cannot describe last night's PEP meeting -- or we have described them for many years since BloomKlein days so you know the drill of closing schools and ignoring the public. So JHS 145 and the other -- done. Another charter hs - from the slimes at New Visions -- coming on to the Beach Channel campus to join zillions of other high schools -- The Charter Pestilence Hits Beach Channel Campus: ... - I had forgotten this was on the agenda and I should have spoken against it -- and the CPE1 people putting on a display month after month and raking Farina and the DOE over the coals as being liars and basically, criminals.

Now on to my theme of the day which I thought about during some of the low moments of the meeting last night, which ended around 10PM.

If Steve Bannon called for deconstructing the NYCDOE administrative state would we object? Well, actually that's sort of been done before.

-  Joel Klein/Mike Bloomberg took over the old Board of Education in 2002 with the same fervor and intent as Steve Bannon -- to wreck the administrative state of the BOE, which included its partner since the early 70s -- the UFT. And to a great extent they succeeded --- literally wiped out a massive number of people on every level --  and don't forget -- Klein disrupted -- his words --- multiple times.

It was the Trump-like equivalent we are seeing today -- the utter daily outrages of BloomKlein was shock and awe -- and the UFT was like the press today -- it didn't know which way to turn as they took away their privileged status as insiders.

It was also shock and awe to the many parent and community groups that had relations with the old BOE -- suddenly they were dealing with the same kind of people we see Trump installing today -- Michelle Rhee, John White -- Leonie can unroll a  massive list of these people.

Klein built another admin state to take its place -- and remember -- Farina was one of the remnants of that old admin state and managed to hang on for a few years -- until Klein et al dumped her (despite her revisionist claims that she left on her own) -- insiders tell me that she was told "she didn't have the skill set for the job" -- she still doesn't by the way. Can you imagine how the arrogant Farina reacted to that?

Then de Blasio takes over and brings Farina back - and she basically leaves the Klein/Walcott admin state in place -- other than to give superintendents more power -- and I remember how some of our allies said that was a good thing -- until you realize just what a collection of slugs and thugs these supt are ---

And then there is the UFT, which has wormed its way back into the administrative DOE state. Despite the claims to support JHS 145 being kept open and the sending of an officer to speak at the meeting, every other action of the union is to support Farina/de Blasio and that includes CPE1 and, yes, Townsend Harris.

I'm gonna stop right now or I'll need to start drinking before noon.

Closing JHS 145: Farina Will Ignore State Law on Zoned Schools

Asked about the issue following a budget hearing Tuesday, Fariña denied the local education council had a role to play in the closure of JHS 145. “There are no zoning lines being eliminated and every school is choice there,” she told reporters. “Parents will be given three to four options of other schools they can apply to.”....

NY Post Public Advocate: City’s plan to close Bronx school is illegal

Yoav Gonen has a report at the NY Post. I love it -- a potential confrontation between Farina/de Blasio and Letitia James.

Typical Farina mimicking her former boss Joel Klein in the arrogant attitude of shutting community and parents out, especially when it comes to closing a bedrock school.

So for now I assume the PEP tonight will go ahead and vote to close JHS 145  -- Assume 4 votes - the boroughs - against with Staten Island voting to close. we might see some of the di Blasio appointments break ranks but not enough unless some of them react to the crowd, which will boo the hell out of them.

In a letter to Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña, James objected to the proposed closure of six schools — but said JHS 145 in The Bronx was of greatest concern because of the legal issues.
“We are particularly concerned about the proposal to close JHS 145, since it is a zoned middle school and should not be closed without a vote of Community Education Council in District 9,” James wrote. “This vote has not occurred.”

Yoav reported before the CEC vote last night which I reported on late last night - Community Education Council, District 9, Bronx Votes 7-1 Against Closing JHS 145 - A zoned school--- actually 8-1.

In 2009, then-Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and the NYCLU teamed up with parents to sue the DOE over a similar bypass of local community education councils, which have few powers other than drawing school zoning lines.

Given this history, the next step would be for James or the UFT to sue.

So maybe the fact of this overwhelming vote, the charges that will be made tonight that the Far/deB and PEP are executing the DeVos/Trump privatization plan when they turn more public space over to Eva Moskowitz, will nudge a few PEPers into line.

Here is more of the Post piece- note that the list of issues reported somehow leaves out that when the DOE gave space to Eva that split the school and finished off JHS 145, which was hardest hit by the charter.

http://nypost.com/2017/03/22/public-advocate-citys-plan-to-close-bronx-school-is-illegal/

The city Department of Education is breaking state law by moving to shutter one of its struggling Bronx Renewal Schools without a vote from the local education board, Public Advocate Letitia James charged Tuesday.

A decision to close JHS 145 and the five other schools will be made Wednesday by the 13-member citywide Panel for Educational Policy — a majority of whom were appointed by Mayor de Blasio.

Asked about the issue following a budget hearing Tuesday, Fariña denied the local education council had a role to play in the closure of JHS 145.

“There are no zoning lines being eliminated and every school is choice there,” she told reporters. “Parents will be given three to four options of other schools they can apply to.”

Parents and education advocates have pinned the failings of JHS 145 on the city’s Renewal Schools program — which they say didn’t come through with promised resources or support.
They say the school lacks needed bilingual teachers and a science lab, while a planned health clinic has yet to open at the site.
At the budget hearing, the DOE for the first time detailed the program’s costs, which are roughly $188 million in the current school year.

This includes $108 million allocated directly to schools and $40 million earmarked for community based organizations.
Providing a director of school renewal for each of the 86 schools still in the program was pegged at $7 million.

Central Park East I Parents and Community WILL BE THERE at Tonight's PEP in Support of Marilyn Martinez and the School

Parents and supporters flood Hearing Waiting Room to Support Chapter Leader Marilyn Martinez at her hearing, March 10, 2017

why is the DOE expending so many resources in keeping this incompetent, despised and heartless principal in place? And why are our children being made to pay the price for this decision?

Jen Roesch... parent

If you know me, you know that I have been part of an 18-month battle against an abusive principal at our son's progressive, East Harlem school, Central Park East 1. We've had the majority of our best, most veteran teachers forced out over the last year and two (the union chapter leader and delegate) have been placed under investigation in an attempt to remove them from teaching.