Republican Oklahoma Teacher to Republican Legislature: This is bigger than party politics

See this Republican teacher lay it on.
Thanks to Jim Horn at Schools Matter for the link. 

https://vimeo.com/263047228



MSNBC_04-03-2018_15.57.27 from Martin Cizmar on Vimeo.

===
Washingtom Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/04/02/teachers-are-walking-out-in-multiple-states-blame-gop-economics/?utm_term=.9a123b2b4d7f&__twitter_impression=true

The Plum Line | Opinion

Teachers are walking out in multiple states. Blame GOP economics.

By Paul Waldman

April 2, 2018 at 1:39 PM

Dear Mr. Mulgrew: The UFT chapter at the High School of Art and Design has been living under distress and oppression for the past two years

Mr. Jason Agosto
UFT Chapter Leader
Art and Design HS


Mr. Michael Mulgrew
President
United Federation of Teachers
52 Broadway
New York, NY, 10004

March 29, 2018

Dear President Mulgrew and UFT Leadership,

The UFT chapter at the High School of Art and Design has been living under distress and oppression for the past two years. On January 25, 2016, Principal Manuel Urena arrived at the High School of Art and Design and his tenure as principal has produced record faculty turnover, constant violations of the UFT contract agreed to by the UFT and the DOE, violations of state and federal labor law, blatant retaliation against leaders of our chapter, and a hostile and unhealthy work environment. It is difficult enough to teach and conduct union activity under the above outlined circumstances, but what has made the situation more challenging is the silence, aloofness, and non-response of the UFT leadership in addressing these matters. Alice O’Neil, our UFT District Representative, is well aware of the issues plaguing our school and has even been a firsthand witness to some of them and yet no meaningful action has been taken by Mrs. O’Neil or UFT leadership to remedy these issues.

The Art and Design chapter presence has been silenced in our school. The threat of swift and brutal retaliation at the hands of Mr. Urena and his administration has made chapter members fearful and hesitant to engage in any union related activity. Jason Agosto, our UFT chapter chair, has been subject to the most blatant retaliation from Mr. Urena in the form of negative observation reports, spurious disciplinary letters based on unfounded accusations, as well as the maligning of his reputation amongst parents on our School Leadership Team. What’s more disheartening, is that the UFT leadership has allowed this treatment of Mr. Agosto to go unchecked as the above mentioned actions have continued to occur on a regular basis for two years. The UFT’s non-response to the abuse and blatant retaliation of Mr. Agosto has emboldened Mr. Urena and he has used the UFT leadership’s silence to further retaliate against other vocal chapter members.

The threat of retaliation by Mr. Urena extends to all functions of the chapter within the school. Chapter members who serve on the School Leadership Team have been silenced because anyone who raises an issue that presents a problem or narrative which contradicts Mr. Urena’s is subject to retaliation in the form of negative observation reports and spurious letters to file. Mrs. O’Neil witnessed Mr. Urena in a threatening tone dismiss chapter concerns about Special Education compliance issues at a November 2, 2017 school leadership meeting but yet there was no follow up to the issue on the part of UFT leadership. The same is true for chapter members who serve on the school security team and the UFT consultation committee. This retaliation has been reported to Mrs. O’Neil and UFT leadership on a number of documented occasions but with no action taken to address it.

The Art and Design chapter’s suspicions of Mr. Urena’s anti-union animus were confirmed when in January 2017, it was revealed that Mr. Urena, through one of his Assistant Principals, attempted to recruit a probationary teacher to report information back to administration that was discussed in a December 2016 chapter meeting. Specifically, the teacher was asked to report who the vocal members of the chapter are, who was leading chapter meetings, and who would replace Mr. Agosto in the event of his removal from his position. This incident exposed Mr. Urena’s intent to retaliate against vocal chapter members and was reported directly to Mrs. O’Neil at one of her visits to our chapter on January 5, 2017 and a follow up letter was sent to President Mulgrew on February 1, 2017 describing the specifics of this ordeal. Even with all of this information being reported directly to UFT officers, no action was taken to address it. It is now the subject of a Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) complaint being litigated at the expense of the chapter leader when NYSUT lawyers refused to take on the case. The hearing this PERB complaint requires has been delayed three times since November 2017.

Mr. Urena has further sought to silence the voice of our chapter by refusing to honor School Based Option (SBO) votes on circular 6 (c6) assignments for teachers. In a consultation committee meeting on May 10, 2017, in the presence of UFT CTE Representative, Jeffrey Bernstein, Mr. Urena stated in a pointed and threatening tone, that he would not honor SBO votes and if we proceed with an SBO, he would put every teacher in meetings during c6 periods on a daily basis not allowing teachers time to plan and grade as the current split c6 assignment affords teachers the time to do. In addition, Mr. Urena further stated that if we were to pursue a grievance to force him to honor the SBO process, he would place teachers in meetings every day for their c6 assignments in response to any pursuit of a grievance. Mrs. O’Neil and Mr. Bernstein sent follow up emails to Mr. Urena on May 12, 2017 but he responded that his,“position was clear” and it was up to the Chapter to decide how we wanted to proceed. Mrs. O’Neil stated that she would address this issue with Superintendent Marisol Rosales. However, there was no follow up and the split c6 menu was enacted with no contractually mandated School Based Option vote to reflect the chapter’s participation and voice in the matter.

Our contractual rights have been been further subverted by Mr. Urena’s refusal to meet with our Chapter’s consultation committee without assistant principals present to serve as his witnesses. The contract makes clear that these meetings are to take place with only the principal and the chapter committee in attendance. District Representative Alice O’Neil advised that if Mr. Urena entered any consultation committee meeting with Assistant Principals joining him, we present Mr. Urena with an agenda and respectfully exit the meeting. We did exactly as Mrs. O’Neil directed us to do in September, October, and November of 2017. Mr. Urena, in turn, responds to our exit from these meetings with snarky quips and feigned ignorance as to why we are exiting the meeting all the while knowingly violating the contractual process for consultation. Mrs. O’Neil stated that she would address this issue with Mr. Urena’s supervisor, Superintendent Marisol Rosales and that monthly consultation committee meetings would resume after that. To date, the UFT has not received any update from these meetings that supposedly addressed this issue with the Superintendent.

Adding insult to injury, Mrs. O’Neil reached out to Chapter leadership in December 2017 stating that she was able to secure a consultation committee meeting with our chapter committee and Mr. Urena without the intrusion of Assistant Principal observers on December 21, 2017 at 2:50pm. On the day of the meeting, Mrs. O’Neil abruptly cancelled the meeting with no explanation. Mrs. O'Neil did send Chapter Leader Jason Agosto a cryptic and vague text message with no explanation for the consultation committee meeting cancellation. These events have further silenced chapter voices as the absence of monthly consultation committee meetings all year has deprived the chapter of our voice on issues such as fiscal and budgetary matters, instructional goals, programming, and how to best serve students while honoring the contract. What’s further disheartening is that Mr. Urena has done all of this because he knows UFT leadership will never hold him accountable for it.

Mrs. O’Neil also informed Mr. Agosto on December 7, 2017 that President Mulgrew would be meeting with Chancellor Farina in the days that followed and that the High School of Art and Design was the only high school on the agenda for that meeting. Mr. Agosto nor any member of Chapter leadership has been given any details on that meeting or even if it happened at all. This is yet another example of the UFT’s failure to advocate for its members and defend our chapter from the onslaught of anti-union animus perpetuated by Mr. Urena.

The inaction by the leadership of the United Federation of Teachers in response to the decimation of our chapter at the hands of Mr. Urena is outrageous and disappointing. It makes an already difficult situation that much worse when union officers who are charged with and paid with member dues to enforce the contract in every school have allowed and even tacitly encouraged these actions. Mrs. O’Neil’s actions on December 21, 2017 showed us that UFT leadership is either incompetent or working in collusion with Superintendent Rosales and Principal Urena to undermine our chapter’s position within our school. Further evidence is the recent photo proudly displayed on the UFT website of one of our teachers receiving the UFT’s CTE Award with Mr. Urena standing confidently among art and CTE teachers projecting a false narrative of a vibrant and active UFT chapter.

The legal ramifications of these actions have caused targeted chapter members to pursue outside legal counsel at our own expense to defend our rights and livelihoods since the UFT is not carrying out their duties to do so. Continued contractual violations occur on a daily basis at the High School of Art and Design and the UFT’s leadership has been complicit in allowing them to occur despite having a consistent documented paper trail attesting to them. We demand a meeting between our chapter’s consultation committee and President Mulgrew to address these issues directly to create the working environment that our chapter members deserve. If the UFT refuses a meeting with President Mulgrew and continues to ignore our plight, we will be forced to pursue a PERB complaint against the UFT for failing to enforce the contract and defend members from anti-union animus at the hands Mr. Urena and his abusive administration.

A copy of this letter is being sent to  online platforms to inform members of your inaction and dereliction of your duties. This letter will also be sent to other labor related media outlets as well as to the other major municipal workers’ unions to express our outrage at the UFT’s ineptitude and corruption to our union brothers and sisters across New York City.

We look forward to your prompt response in addressing the above outlined concerns. If we do not receive a response, we will see you in court for the PERB complaint we will file against the UFT in response.

In Solidarity,

Jason Agosto, Chapter Leader
Andrew Savage. UFT Delegate
Robert Robinson, Chemistry Teacher
George Zicopolus, Math Teacher
Janice Edelman, Art/CTE Teacher
Maya Zabar, English Teacher
Ayoka Cox, Guidance Counselor
Rachel Kaplan, History Teacher

cc:
Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE)
Solidarity Caucus
DC 37
Patrolman’s Benevolent Association
Uniformed Firefighter’s Association
Teamsters Local 831
The Chief-Leader
EdNotes
Francesco Portelos
Jia Lee

MUST READ - Kentucky United We Stand - Teachers in Revolt - Jacobin

..... One thing I’ve laughed about is that the politicians blame the teachers’ union for all these rallies, uprisings, and actions. They’ve vilified the unions. So when the sickouts happened, I hope the legislators shit their pants. Because the sickouts had nothing to do with the union — workers just said enough is enough. The Republicans have been lying to themselves, saying that this is all happening because of the big bad unions. But it’s actually the work of pissed off moms and dads.
.......People need to understand that right now we’re not fighting for anything new — we just want to hold on to what we have. And it’s not just about teachers, it’s about all state employees....
..... We formed Kentucky United We Stand as a grassroots group of state employees — all public employees, not just teachers. The purpose was to unify a bunch of folks who don’t have a real union presence; a lot of public employees don’t have a strong union.... ....Kentucky United We Stand was the main organizer of a rally on November 1 to oppose the plans for a special session. About a thousand people came.
.... When we started our Facebook group, it was consciously for action. We were very clear and upfront from the beginning. If you’re not ready to fight, then this group’s not for you.
 -----

EB: How have you related to the main union, the Kentucky Education Association (KEA)?

NB:  I don’t want to talk bad about the union. The KEA put out a good call to educate the people in our community about the attacks on pensions and schools. And they’ve done a good job of getting people to the capitol every day over last few weeks. We’ve had rolling protests in Frankfurt throughout this whole session.But my biggest reason for starting #120 Strong was that the union leaders haven’t been aggressive enough. Our general message was: “We need to be more aggressive and we need to be united.” We realized that if we didn’t build unity, this struggle wasn’t going to win. 

----

EB:  This is some pretty amazing work that you’ve done. Have you been involved in organizing anything like this before?

NB:  Not really. I’ve never been a labor leader or had any experience organizing on this scale. But my dad is a mineworker and he’s fighting for his pension. I said two years ago that I was going to fight for my dad’s pension, so I started trying to get involved and I started following state issues.Working people, that’s my focus. But I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m a mom, I have a ten-year old. I like to drink beer, have a cigar every so often, and cuss a lot. I’ve been telling everyone in the struggle: This isn’t about me, this is your movement. I just helped open the door. This is a struggle of regular working people. I’m not anything, not a labor organizer. I’m just a mom that got really pissed off — and really tired of getting kicked by the people in power. This movement is what America should be. Nobody is going to change the world for you. If you’re waiting for superman, he’s not showing. You have to be your own hero.

--- Nema Brewer, Kentucky teacher who was a major organizer of the current fightback

Jacobin has some of the best reporting on the red state teacher revolts. Eric Blanc (EB) has done a lot of the reporting. Now I don't know if Nema Brewer was a Trump voter, many of whom voted for him because they just don't trust politicians, Dems or Rep. I wish some of the reporting would explore the politics of some of the strikers.

I've been working on a theory -- that there are Trump people involved in some of these teacher actions -- that the anger that fueled  their Trump votes is also fueling their enough is enough actions as teachers.

“This Is a Struggle of Regular Working People”

An interview with

Nema Brewer

Kentucky schools are shut down today amid a growing grassroots worker rebellion. We spoke with one rank and filer who helped organize the action.

Schools across Kentucky were shut last Friday and will be closed again on Monday as teachers and public employees organized sickouts against cuts to their pensions. Jacobin’s Eric Blanc spoke with Nema Brewer, a school district employee and organizer in Fayette County, about the emergence and development of this powerful movement.

https://jacobinmag.com/2018/04/kentucky-teachers-public-workers-strike-pensions-budget

John Merrow, Former Ed Deform Supporting Journalist, Saw the Light

I used to take PBS ed reporter John Merrow over for some of his awful reporting on Michelle Rhee, New Orleans, a major attack on teachers and their unions in the NY Times (or WSJ) 10 years ago.

Over the past 5 years Merrow has seen the light and has become a warrior against ed deform - as Diane Ravitch did. Here she posts links

John Merrow Questions Rick Hess’s Contrition about the Failure of Reform in D.C.

I posted Rick Hess’s article chastising his fellow reformers for their celebration of D.C.’s “success” as a model, which led to their embarrassment when the falsification of graduation data was revealed.

John Merrow posted a lengthy comment following Hess’s article, which is worth reading. - continue - Merrow

Then in 2013 - he began to look at the Michelle Rhee cheating scandals - Ed Notes reported in May 2013:

John Merrow's Growing Relentlessness on Rhee Cheating Scandal Sparks Rhee Scrutiny

John Merrow has been relentless in connecting the dots in the Michelle Rhee cheating scandal. Remember those glowing reports he did on PBS about Rhee (and Vallas in New Orleans?)

Don't underestimate how important the move of media people like Merrow away from supporting the deformers will prove to be.
Connect these dots to Walcott's almost hysterical response to the mayoral candidates.

I see on Dec. 31 Tweedies burning and shredding documents like they did in the US Saigon embassy on the day before the fall.

The New Republic, which I seem to remember being a cheerleader for ed deform (I may be wrong so check my work) has this:

How Michelle Rhee Misled Education Reform A memoir illustrates what's wrong with her brand of school

I think Merrow's turnaround is pretty remarkable. See some of the things I posted about Merrow in the bad old days to see just how far he's come.

Fred Klonsky on Red State Teacher Revolts - Do Weakened Union Leaderships Lead to Stronger Rank and File Movements?

Unions and collective bargaining are also a means of control and provide labor peace.....

The movement is taking place on Facebook and Twitter. Not in NEA or AFT offices and union meetings. That makes things difficult to control. The Koch Brothers, Governor Rauner and others who are backing Janus may be sorry they ever brought this whole thing up..... .... Fred Klonsky,

“Aunty Em! Aunty Em!” , Fred Klonsky

Will Red State Teacher Revolts influence the Supreme Court in the Janus case? The argument made by unions in the Janus case that they are part of the structure that keeps labor peace may just resonate.

What does that mean for militancy here in NYC where we have the largest and most entrenched union leadership where Unity Caucus can reach out to every single UFT member? We will be the last to strike unless Janus weakens Unity Caucus. How? If 30% leave the UFT that is a massive reduction in incoming dues. The patronage machine and possibly the high salaries that keeps them coming to Unity take a hit and Unity begins to lose some control - and if people in the schools get pissed off enough, who knows? But I'm a realist. There are so many teachers not from here - they can always go home - and so many are younger and without families - the major gripers are the old timers it seems - and they are making over 100 grand. So do I expect militancy from the membership? Not much. Some of my pals in MORE actually think they can help spark militancy. Good luck to that.

But my guess is that the politicians in NYS know better - to make sure Unity is as strong as they can keep it so red state teacher revolts don't happen here.

One more point I will make again and again. Look at the photos of the striking teachers -- very white. And I bet there are a whole batch of militant people branded by the left as "deplorables."  The kind of people my left friends in MORE keep telling me are not activists.

Fred nails important points as an explanation for the red state teacher revolts - they are somewhat freed to engage in wildcat strikes that are illegal because their union leaders have less control. There is not a strong enough union structure to control the members in red states where the teacher unions are weakened.

Posted by

Fred Klonsky on March 31, 2018

“Aunty Em! Aunty Em!”

What do West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona and Kentucky all have in common?

Well, yes. Teachers have all walked off the job in those states, or threatened to, in the last few weeks over lousy pay.
They are all part of what I call the rolling national teacher revolt.
Also, they are all in right-to-work states.

That means teachers have limited bargaining rights and the teachers unions there are not able to require membership in exchange for representation.

Yesterday teachers in Kentucky called in sick and Kentucky schools had to close one day early in advance of Spring break.
In Arizona teachers held what Education Week called an “electrifying rally.”

In the shadows of the State Capitol, thousands of Arizona teachers decked in red demanded Wednesday that their state government pump $1 billion back into the public school system and provide school workers with a 20 percent pay increase. If their demands aren’t met, their leaders said, they’ll stage a statewide strike.

This is not the end of the rolling national teacher revolt. Twenty seven states have right-to-work laws.

And the U.S. Supreme Court is considering the case of Janus. If the Court rules in favor of the plaintiff then all America becomes a collection of 50 right-to-work states.

Fifty states where unions are limited in what they can bargain and cannot require agency fees or membership.

You don’t need a crystal ball to know what’s coming if that happens.

Collective bargaining and union membership result in higher wages and benefits for teachers, better working conditions and teacher voice. That’s good for students and their families too.

Unions and collective bargaining are also a means of control and provide labor peace.

The opposite is what you now see in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona and Kentucky.

Many of the teachers slapped on top of their bright red shirts stickers that reminded the many local TV cameras that a strike is possible. 
For a movement that’s largely taken place on Facebook and Twitter, Wednesday also served as a sort of family reunion where teachers working in far-flung districts met each other in person for the first time. 

The movement is taking place on Facebook and Twitter.
Not in NEA or AFT offices and union meetings.
That makes things difficult to control.

The Koch Brothers, Governor Rauner and others who are backing Janus may be sorry they ever brought this whole thing up.

Commentary on: It’s Oklahoma’s Turn to Strike - Jacobin

Kentucky teachers

.... bad conditions and attacks on working people never lead automatically to mass movements. Political resignation is usually more common than resistance since workers, particularly where labor organizations are weak, tend to search for individual solutions to collective problems. “Until very recently,” says Miller, “Oklahoma teachers have been going without any hope, feeling like nothing could be done to change things. People would say, ‘It is what it is; it’s out of our power.’” In recent years, union-led efforts to reverse the attacks on public services and education have yielded few results in Oklahoma.... Oklahoma unions deserve credit for helping keep the issue of teacher pay and school funding squarely in the public eye over recent years. Yet, as in West Virginia, the initiative for the current movement has mostly come from below...... The fact that Oklahoma, like West Virginia, is a so-called “red state” has obscured the existence of majority support for progressive working-class policies. In the 2016 primaries, Bernie Sanders received more votes than any candidate of either party.

....... Jacobin 

These excerpts offer a lot of food for thought.
One of the major lessons of the teacher revolt in red states is that much of the militarism may be coming from the center/right, not from the left. Not only that, from the photos, the protestors are overwhelmingly white.

I have a theory - and that is based on a lot of guessing - so as more info comes in I may toss this theory away:

That many people who voted for Trump are expressing a form of frustrated outraged militarism. Labor movement people's militancy has been dampened from a weak-kneed union leadership that is often more liberal than they are and these sparks are beginning to fly in these states because their Republican leaderships have just gone too far in cutting education.

Diane Ravitch posted a link to the article from Jacobin (a strong left wing journal) which gives us excellent background on events  in Oklahoma and how things may differ from West Virginia. You might want to see how the Jacobin piece dovetails with the view from Mike Antonucci on the right - How Oklahoma Will Be Different From West Virginia. 

The Jacobin article mentions Oklahoma teacher Larry Cagle and others but never seems to delve into their politics. Are they avoiding dealing with those politics because if the emerging leadership is coming from the non-activist center/right, it may undermine some of the premises so many on the left operate under:

That a left enlightened "vanguard" will lead the workers out of their darkness.

I see a lot of that mentality in MORE, while my sense (from a distance) is that there is a lot of latent militancy in the non-active UFT members, many of whom may leave post-Janus. That the MOREs may find themselves outflanked from the right if the shit every hits the fan here in NYC, which compared to the red states, has a long way to go. You also hear a lot of talk about race in MORE. But when the red state teacher story is told, the race of the teachers is not talked about.

So, where do these militant teachers from Red Trump states come from politically? I imagine they might be more liberal on the whole than others in their state since they are teachers but probably compared to here in NYC there would be Trump supporters, red dog Democrats and probably some liberals.

How about leftists - socialists? Did radical activists play much of a role in WV or currently Oklahoma? Larry Cagle is one of the independent leaders in Oklahoma and very strong in pushing back against the union leaders, who I bet are more liberal than he is. Larry, in his phone call to the Jacobin/DSA/ISO/MORE March 10 event said "Here it's Trump against Trump?"

Would Larry Cagle, who is being lauded as one of the heroes by the left, otherwise be branded a "deplorable?" Would the liberal/left anti-Trumpers even want to talk to him if he was a teacher in NYC?

Now what does this say for the opposition in the UFT to Unity Caucus, the leaders of whom maintain they are more liberal than the mainstream NYC teacher while the main opposition maintains it wants to focus on reaching the activist/left oriented teacher?

Here are excerpts from the Jacobin article - a must read - though always with a critical eye. Read it all at: https://jacobinmag.com/2018/03/oklahoma-teachers-strike-west-virginia

It’s Oklahoma’s Turn to Strike

Three Articles on the New Teacher Rebellion: Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arizona

Teachers in Kentucky shut down school districts with a sickout:

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article207399739.html

Teachers in Oklahoma are going on strike despite getting a 16,000 dollar raise, because the state is still not meeting their demands on school funding:

http://time.com/5220561/oklahoma-teacher-strike-pay-raise-bill/

Teachers in Arizona are prepared to strike:

https://azpbs.org/horizon/2018/03/redfored-organizer-well-strike-if-we-have-to/

Oklahoma approves teacher pay increase but union says it's not enough, walkout still on

State ranks 49th teacher salaries

By: 

·         MADISON PARK, CNN

Posted: Mar 29, 2018 02:16 AM PDT

Updated: Mar 29, 2018 04:11 PM PDT

KFOR via CNN

(CNN) - Oklahoma legislators approved a measure including a $6,100 pay raise for teachers, but the state teacher's union says the bill doesn't go far enough and plans to walk out Monday.

House Bill 1010XX, which was described as "the largest teacher pay raise in the history of the state" passed both the state House and Senate this week. Gov. Mary Fallin signed the bill on Thursday.

"This is a very historic moment in Oklahoma's time," Fallin said of funding measures that included the pay boost. "It was not easy getting here."

For weeks, Oklahoma teachers have been considering a walkout over what they say is their breaking point over pay and education funding. The state ranks 49th in the nation in teacher salaries, according to the National Education Association, in a list that includes Washington, D.C. Mississippi and South Dakota rank lower.

Inspired by the West Virginia strike in which teachers demanded and got a pay raise from state leaders earlier this month, similar efforts have taken off in Oklahoma and Arizona.

The Oklahoma Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union that represents nearly 40,000 members and school personnel, called the passage of the bill "a truly historic moment," but one that remains "incomplete," according to its president, Alicia Priest.

Teachers and school staff will walk off their jobs on Monday and descend on the state Capitol, she said in video comments posted on Facebook.

Oklahoma City Public Schools said all classes and activities are canceled for that day because of the walkout.

"While this is major progress, this investment alone will not undo a decade of neglect," Priest said. "Lawmakers have left funding on the table that could be used immediately to help Oklahoma students."

"This package doesn't overcome shortfall caused by four-day weeks, overcrowded classrooms that deprive kids of the one-on-one attention they need. It's not enough," Priest said. "We must continue to push for more annual funding for our schools to reduce class size and restore more of the 28% of funds they cut from education over the last decade."

The OEA had also called for $10,000 pay raises for teachers over the next three years and $5,000 pay raises for full-time support professionals such as custodians, secretaries, bus drivers and food service workers.

"We asked for $10,000 over three years. This gets us part of the way there, and so we need to have the Legislature guarantee that we are still working to get to that," Priest had told CNN affiliate KFOR.

Arizona teachers: 'I don't want to strike, but I will.'

In Arizona, thousands of teachers and supporters wearing red swarmed the state Capitol on Wednesday, calling for higher pay and better education funding under what they called #REDforED.

The color red was meant to convey their frustration, which they say has reached a crisis level. Teachers have been wearing red shirts every Wednesday and encouraging supporters to do the same, according to the Arizona Education Association, which has 20,000 members who are teachers, counselors, bus drivers and retired educators.

Educators wore stickers reading: "I don't want to strike, but I will." The rally drew about 2,500 people, the Arizona Department of Public Safety told CNN affiliate KNXV.

Arizona Educators United, a coalition of educators, demands a 20% salary increase for teachers, competitive pay for all education support professionals, as well as education funding restored to 2008 levels.

"Our classrooms go without updated textbooks, basic supplies, and technology. We have among the highest class sizes and school counselor loads in the nation, making it difficult to meet the individual needs of our students," the group stated.

Arizona ranks 43rd in the nation in teacher salaries, according to the National Education Association.

Teachers say they are overworked and underpaid. They want better pay and are encouraging each other to organize via social media. They're hoping their very public display of frustration will pressure state leaders, such as Gov. Doug Ducey.

State Sen. John Kavanagh, the Appropriations Committee chairman, told KNXV that tax increases to pay for K-12 education are off the table, as voters have opposed the idea in the past.

 

Ravitch - Kentucky: Teachers Walk Out in Response to Legislators’ Attack on Pensions

The teacher wildfire in Trump territory keeps growing.
I wanted to repost this piece from Diane.

Teachers in many districts in Kentucky closed down public schools in response to the Republican attack on their pensions. 

Schools in eight Kentucky school districts were closed Friday as teachers across the state protested Republican changes to their pension system, CBS News reports.

In Lexington and Louisville — the state's two largest school districts — hundreds of teachers took sick days or refused to show up for work after state lawmakers passed a bill changing the structure of pension benefits for future teachers.

The strike may be hard for reformers and the libertarians in the GOP to understand: the teachers in Kentucky are not striking for themselves but for their profession.

This wildcat strike follows weeks of protest by teachers to the Legislature and the Governor.

CNN says that the legislature pulled a bait-and-switch, dropping the original bill against which teachers were protesting and putting the changes into a bill about sewage services. Was that a direct insult to teachers?

The action in Kentucky follows the wildcat strike in West Virginia and precedes the likely walkout in Oklahoma, scheduled for Monday April 2. Teachers in Oklahoma demand higher pay (pay in Oklahoma is at or near the worst in the nation despite a booming energy industry in the state that gets huge tax breaks).

These strikes and walkouts are happening in states where unions are not strong. In fact, Kentucky,  West Virginia, and Oklahoma are "right to work" states.

Note to reformers: If the Janus decision goes against the unions, you will still have to contend with the power of organized teachers. No matter what law is passed, teachers who are underpaid and disrespected have the power to walk out. There are not enough TFA scabs in the nation to replace them all.

No teachers, no schools.

Kentucky: Teachers Walk Out in Response to Legislators’ Attack on Pensions by dianeravitch

How Oklahoma Will Be Different From West Virginia - EIA, Antonucci

In West Virginia all 55 superintendents and school boards closed schools for the duration of the strike. That isn’t happening in Oklahoma... Mike Antonucci, http://www.eiaonline.com/intercepts/2018/03/27/how-oklahoma-will-be-different-from-west-virginia/
 
With many Oklahoma teachers planning to walk on Monday, we will try to drill down. One thing to point out is that many of the teachers from Oklahoma may have been Trump supporters - especially if you heard Larry Cagle at the Jacobin event. He said here it's Trump people against Trump people. See:
https://www.facebook.com/jacobinmag/videos/2087299477963409/
Tulsa went 65% for Trump.

This is a story played down by all those excitable children on the left who think the same militancy is sweeping everywhere but they don't want to talk about how many of the most militant may fall into their "deplorable" category. This is especially true about my colleagues in NYC who think they see over the rainbow but really don't want to talk to people in the UFT who just might end up being more militant than the rhetorical militancy they lug around with them.

Another one of the major stories on OK is how the grassroots teachers are more militant than the union leaderships in the NEA and AFT, with the AFT being less militant - hey, it's Randi. In an upcoming post tomorrow I will connect some of those dots.

But here Mike Antonucci, a right wing anti-union guy, provides some very useful information on

How Oklahoma Will Be Different From West Virginia

It seems nothing will stop a teacher walkout in Oklahoma next Monday. The state House passed a substantial tax increase to pay for average salary increases of $6,000, but it’s still short of what the unions are asking for. Besides, the strike has a momentum of its own now.

No one is quite sure how long the work stoppage will last, and some school boards have already authorized closures of a week or more. But don’t expect an exact rerun of the West Virginia strike. There are already significant differences.

For one thing, West Virginia is a state with 55 county school districts. Coordination and unity of purpose were relatively easy to achieve. Oklahoma has more than 500 school districts, the vast majority of which employ fewer than 100 teachers.

In West Virginia all 55 superintendents and school boards closed schools for the duration of the strike. That isn’t happening in Oklahoma.

A consortium of school administrator organizations surveyed 264 districts that account for 80 percent of the state’s K-12 enrollment. It found 172 districts will close for at least a day, with 48 of those prepared to close indefinitely.

That leaves 92 districts remaining open, or haven’t decided yet. In at least some of these, the teachers themselves voted against a walkout.

But the amount of participation isn’t the key to success or failure. The previous Oklahoma teacher strike, in 1990, forced the closure of only 143 school districts. It still resulted in a tax increase to fund higher teacher salaries. Coincidentally, that strike was also preceded by a teacher strike in West Virginia.

Even if the amount of participation is down, the amount of dedication may be up. The unions will turn out their members, but as in West Virginia, fewer than half of school employees in Oklahoma belong to a union. The number of non-members who walk out will determine the strength of the strike.

Also, teachers in districts that remain open will have to use personal days in order to join the rallies. Sacrificing pay or a benefit isn’t something the West Virginia teachers had to do.

While the circumstances are different, the result will be the same. Oklahoma teachers will get a big raise. Teacher unions across the country will ride this train as long as it reaches its destination. And as long as the economy is good, it will.

Here are a few articles I posted on Ed Notes recently on OK:

• Oklahoma Teachers Plan a Strike: “Our Children Can...
• NY Times/Dana Goldstein -- Oklahoma Teachers Ready...
• West Virginia, Oklahoma Strike Lessons – Right to....
• Tulsa World editorial: Oklahoma can avoid a statew...

Robert Jackson Challenges IDC Slug Marison Alcantara - Stringer Endorses Him

It's time to get rid of the Independent Democrat Caucus traitors who caucus with the Republicans. Who better than Robert Jackson who has been in the fight for public education for decades.

 www.VoteRobertJackson.com/donate

And we'll always give Scott Stringer an edge because he appointed Patrick Sullivan to the PEP - the only one to stand up to BloomKlein and their hench people - who by the way are embedded all over the nation inside the ed deform movement.

Stringer to Back 2 Candidates Challenging Breakaway Democrats in Albany

A campaign to unseat eight state Democratic senators — members of a renegade group that has helped empower Republicans to rule the Senate in Albany — will receive a significant boost from the city comptroller, Scott M. Stringer.

Mr. Stringer on Thursday will endorse two Democratic challengers trying to topple members of the group, the Independent Democratic Conference, in the September primary.

“When you run for office as a Democrat and caucus with the Republicans, you are not acting like a Democrat.” Mr. Stringer, a Democrat, said in an interview. “This has gone on for too long. I want to break the dam.”

The cooperation of the eight-member body has helped allow Senate Republicans to control the chamber even though they are outnumbered by Democrats.

Mr. Stringer will endorse Robert Jackson, who is challenging Marisol Alcantara in Manhattan, and Jessica Ramos, who is challenging Jose R. Peralta in Queens.

Full article at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/29/nyregion/stringer-idc-senate-democrats-endorsement.html?smid=fb-share

Scott Stringer, the city comptroller, will become the first citywide official to back primary challengers to members of the Independent Democratic Conference.

Here is another message from one of our faves - Janine Sopp:

As you may not have known, it was Robert Jackson who facebook livestreamed our NYCOO press conference on Tuesday. He has been a strong supporter of public education for decades, and standing with parents and students is nothing new for him. What is timely is that he is running for state senate, after his long held position on the city council and serving his community and our city for years. If there was ever a time to throw your support behind a candidate, now is the time. He is running against Marison Alcantara, who caucuses with the IDC, so it is very important to remove her from this position. RJ is someone who can do it! The IDC may have the money, but we have the people power and votes, and having the money will help expand this vote. Please consider giving a donation to RJ's campaign and know that he values the activists who are a part of all these advocacy efforts.

This is my personal pledge, so thank you for letting me share this as someone who believes strongly that the more we can put people with strong characters to do good in these positions, the more likely our views will be taken seriously.

Big news this morning: City Comptroller Scott Stringer, who grew up in the Washington Heights section of this district, represented the Upper West Side portion and has been a leader for reform in Albany and New York City, today endorsed Robert Jackson for State Senate.

Now with the end-of-quarter fundraising deadline Monday, we need every one to step up and keep the momentum going.  Can I count on you Janine to click here and chip in to end Republican control of the State Senate and make Andrea Stewart-Cousins the first woman Senate Majority Leader, breaking up the so-called “three men in a room?” I would not ask if it were not so important, and we cannot do it without your help. We promise not to bother you through the holiday weekend, so if you can, please donate today!
In endorsing Robert, Comptroller Stringer said:

“Robert Jackson is a proven progressive fighter, who has time and again stood up for the people against the powerful.  From his landmark suit to fund our public schools, to fighting for tenants, small businesses and justice, Robert Jackson has fought with integrity, courage and passion for our values and gotten results. Robert understands the diversity of the District and we can count on him to be there, fighting side-by-side with us for the change we so desperately need in Albany. I’m proud to endorse Robert Jackson today and will work hard to help him win.”  

We must defeat the rogue Democrats – the IDC - who continue to put their own perks and power above serving the people. We must fully fund our public schools, pass New York’s single payer health plan, reform our loophole ridden, landlord written rent laws and protect LGBT rights, women’s rights and immigrant rights. And we can do that together.
It doesn’t matter whether you can give a little or a lot. Every donation helps us build our people-powered campaign. In the last filing, we set a state record for the amount of people who were part of it.  We want to keep that momentum going now.

Here is the link: www.VoteRobertJackson.com/donate
We thank all the many people who have already contributed. Your help and support means so much to this campaign and it’s what's going to help us win. 
Very grateful,

Willa Hahn

Jackson for Senate 2018

Finance Director

P.S. If you prefer to mail your check, please send it today to: Jackson for Senate 2018, PO Box 765, New York, NY 10033.

Paid for by Jackson for Senate 2018

Jackson for Senate 2018
P.O. Box 765
New York NY 10033 United States

Opt Out Press Conference: Attacking DOE Propaganda and Lies

...none of the changes the DOE's latest propaganda video brags about would have happened without the action, dedication, and hard work of the Opt Out movement. This video is enraging, our public dollars being used much like the way the charter schools market to us. A big price tag production to push these already expensive tests, while our teachers pay for supplies and parents sell cupcakes for enrichment programs. We are speechless and appalled. (For this, I call BS.) ... Janine Sopp

Janine’s speech is near the end of the livestream. She’s probably too modest to say so, but it was a barn burner.... 
 
Magnificent! I was shaking---over and over--- as I listened to all the great things Janine had to say. Yes Janine's speech was a barn burner---and the rest of you were tremendous too, including the kids! ...

---Comments re: press conf March 27, 2018 at City Hall

Janine Sopp is a lion of the opt out movement. I met her when we premiered our film, The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman in May, 2011. From then on Janine has been unstoppable. Here are her comments to the change the stakes listserve after the press conference: See her speech near the end of the livestream feed.

Janine Sopp, March 27:

Thanks to all of you who made it to City Hall this afternoon, and to those who showed support in other ways. It was quite an adventure getting all the pieces together, and so many of you had a role in making it happen. This was a big undertaking and you were all so fantastic to work with. I feel the need to share my report and my insights:

We had a wonderful turn out of students, parents and teachers, and a strong message from our City Council Education Committee Chair, Mark Treyger along with statements by CM Lander and Dromm. There was not much press, probably due to our 4 pm timing and/or late alert, but Robert Jackson was kind enough to livestream on Facebook. We certainly called out the DOE, and as promised, they updated their FAQ to include a paragraph about opt out. We are being told by our Council Member's office that a hard copy will be sent home in backpack mail. We certainly know tremendous damage has already been done, and their suppression campaign has been effective. For sure, if it weren't for strong activists in our city, nothing would have been done to counter this damage. We are so proud of the children who stood in front of the camera and spoke. I think we need to give them the mic more often!

This needs to be seen far and wide, so please share where you can. We made the point that none of the changes the DOE's latest propaganda video brags about would have happened without the action, dedication, and hard work of the Opt Out movement. This video is enraging, our public dollars being used much like the way the charter schools market to us. A big price tag production to push these already expensive tests, while our teachers pay for supplies and parents sell cupcakes for enrichment programs. We are speechless and appalled. (For this, I call BS.)

We were so proud of our youth for speaking truth to power, for their ability to tell their stories, and for the amazing speakers who addressed not only the issue of testing and parent rights, but issues around equity and whole child education. IMO, whatever happens this year in terms of numbers, we know we are up against some very strong forces who want to see their agenda come into our reality. We are still a small group of organizers in a city that is impossible to cover without a huge team. It's also getting more and more clear to me that our efforts will need to expand beyond opt out and by building alliances with other groups and across a variety of subjects. We have to find a way to bring all these factors into a huge mobilizing effort.

In my most recent conversations on our opt out hotline, I've spoken or met with many parents who express such appreciation to know they have this right. They learn by different means and are willing to take this step, even if they are the only one in their school. They say this information is power, and they are motivated to advocate for their children. I believe opting out and the advocacy around it can be a gateway to further engagement and parent empowerment in schools. These parents I speak with have expressed so much ​about what they observe is happening in education and to their children. They are not unaware, in fact, they are very aware of what is happening, how testing has taken the place of learning, and the ills it creates. And they want better and they want more, and they feel this step is their way to protest. I only wish we could find ways to bring their voices to the forefront. We are beginning to, they are willing to speak out and speak up. I guess this is the part I value more than anything. That families begin to understand they have a voice.

I hope we can find the strength we need to slay this Golliath. Our ​statewide ​ opt out numbers clearly scared the powers that be, and they needed to squash us much like they did Occupy Wall Street. What our youth are doing now, we must support to grow. I look forward to discovering what our next steps will be, as I remember this is a journey.

I didn't expect to write this much, but after today's press conference, the incredible effort that went into the crafting of these points and working alongside such great minds and talented visionaries, I am humbled and needed to share. Don't forget to read the press release below and watch the livestream.)

​It is an inspiration and a motivation! Wishing everyone a wonderful spring break before the tests, and do all you can to keep spreading the word that parent's have the right to refuse. If you need more postcards, give a holler. Hoping to have the new one by the end of this week.

W​hose schools? Our schools!
Best,
Janine 

Public School Students (& a Few Parents) Call Out NYCDOE for Spreading Lies to Suppress Test Refusal; Declare NYS Grade 3-8 Tests Harm Children, Exacerbate Inequities in Schools

Johanna Garcia |  johanna.newyork@gmail.com

Kemala Karmen |  kemala@shoot4education.com

Janine Sopp |  janinesopp@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE

Public School Students (& a Few Parents) Call Out NYCDOE for Spreading Lies to Suppress Test Refusal; Declare NYS Grade 3-8 Tests Harm Children, Exacerbate Inequities in Schools

At the March 23rd meeting of the City Council Education Committee, Council Member Brad Lander described as “disturbing” a change in the NYCDOE testing FAQ, "Whereas last year's [FAQ] let parents know about their right to opt out, the new guide does not include any language about parents’ rights to opt out; it is significantly different.”

Disturbing, but just the latest disregard for parent rights when it comes to test refusal rights.

“Once again, I call upon the NYC Department of Education to inform all parents of their right to opt their children out of high-stakes standardized tests,” said NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm. “These exams, originally intended to assess academic development, are still being used inappropriately by state and federal education departments. Standardized tests were never meant to be used the way in which they are used today. The Department has still not done an adequate job of informing parents of their right to opt out despite the City Council unanimously passing a resolution in 2015 calling on school officials to do just that.”

CM Dromm’s characterization of the tests’ use as inappropriate is correct. Too blunt an instrument to be used diagnostically (60-70% of all students fail, rising to 90+% for special education students, and 95% for English Language Learners) and arriving far too late in the year to be useful for planning instruction, the tests are good primarily for one thing: providing data that Betsy Devos and others can use as cover to legitimize the closing of schools, the purchase of costly and unproven technologies and materials that enrich for-profit testing and publishing companies, and the replacement of public school communities with corporate or privately-controlled education.

“The Department of Education has a responsibility to ensure that parents or guardians are fully informed about the options available regarding their children’s education, including their child’s right to opt out of standardized testing,” said NYC Council Member and Education Committee Chair Mark Treyger. High stakes tests do not holistically measure student and school achievement. The DOE must ensure that our city’s families are informed of their right to opt out, and should work to advance more inclusive and accurate methods of assessing academic progress and school success.”

Because test scores tend to correlate with income, it is no surprise that the schools being closed or the schools doubling down on test prep in a frantic effort to boost scores (because they fear being closed), are schools that serve large numbers of low-income students. The use of the tests, then is not only inappropriate, but discriminatory.  “When the tests are essentially weapons aimed at our schools and our children by federal mandate, I expect our state and city departments of education to do everything they can to stand with us against this onslaught,” said Sharna Tucker, a Brooklyn parent currently studying to be a teacher. “I understand that districts are obligated to administer the tests, but they don’t have to, and shouldn’t be trying to, ‘sell’ us on their supposed virtues with backpacked flyers and deceptive emails. And they definitely should not be withholding or distorting information about our right to refuse the tests, when test refusal is the most effective strategy to shift our schools’ myopic focus away from improving test scores and back to the public good of preparing young people to be curious, engaged citizens,” added Rosemarie Maldonado-Wright.

Johanna Garcia, Washington Heights mother and President of Community Education Council 6, added, “Our local school officials are cowering down to scare tactics from the White House and the state house. Threats of withholding money or other punitive measures are unsubstantiated and even if they were legitimate, we should be acting the same way as when they threaten to pull funding for not cooperating with ICE agents. Otherwise, we lose any remaining sense of autonomy and make it open season on our children's public education and parents' civil liberties.”

The children are listening. “Emma Gonzalez said, ‘Adults like us when we have strong test scores, but they hate us when we have strong opinions,’” said Matilda Seki, a Brooklyn 6th grader. Her twin Eliza, added, “As a student who has been opting out and fighting the state tests for years, I know that it is important for youths to use their voice, and in doing that, make a difference.” Fifth grader Zoe Alperin noted that not everyone knew they could refuse, “It is unfair that I know I have a right to opt out, but kids in other schools don't have the same info.”

We call on the DOE and the Mayor to stop and desist from sharing misinformation about the "ramifications" of opting out. Stop pressuring principals to pressure their parent bodies. Immediately issue a memo to principals and ed staff clarifying--not spinning-- information about test participation, including the distinction for “institutional exclusion” (as opposed to parent-initiated refusal) written into NYS’s ESSA plan.  As is the case in some of our neighboring suburban districts, parent communications should acknowledge a parent’s right to refuse the tests and even provide a simple city-issued form where parents can indicate whether they will have their children participate in or refuse the tests. Work with parents and educators to achieve policies that support public education rather penalize it. Strive to  make classrooms places that empower all our children by encouraging exploration and the asking of questions rather than constricting their paths to the selection of someone else’s “right” answer.

Parents’ voices should be heard and honored when it comes to their children's education.

The voices of teachers and administrators should be honored for advocating authentic student learning; they should  not be pressed into service for top-down policy makers who don’t know or work with our children. Students' voices should be heard and honored when it comes to participating in a rich and engaging learning environment that values who they are and all their talents.  

NYC Opt Out is a loose coalition of NYC parents who are concerned about the impact of high-stakes testing on New York City's schools, children, and teachers. NYC Opt Out represents families in schools all over the city and is 100% volunteer-driven, with no corporate, foundation, or union sponsors. Parent volunteers have paid for flyers and website costs from their own pockets.