Fred Arcoleo - Ten Years Later After Stroke at 38

I'm posting a newsletter from Fred Arcoleo, a musician and a high school chapter leader in Washington Hts. Fred tells a remarkable story of his stroke at the age of 38 ten years ago. I got to know Fred before his stroke through distributing Ed Notes at the Delegate Assembly. Fred distributed Ed Notes to the 4 schools in his building.

A little background
Fred attended a meeting I called I think in the spring or fall of 2001. I can pin the date because it was pre- Fred's stroke. I had (finally) come to the realization after 4-5 years of trying to work with Randi Weingarten hoping she would bring a new democratic vision to the UFT, that the quest was hopeless. Given that the opposition parties were getting nowhere, I decided to try to get reps from all of them plus the independents I had met through Ed Notes together to see if a strong run could be made at Unity. The major groups were New Action (which was the biggest group by far), Progressive Action Caucus - PAC (focused on people who has license problems) and Teachers for a Just Contract - TJC (not really a caucus at the time). There was lots of tension between the official groups but I hoped that independents like Fred could infuse new blood into the opposition and function as a sort of glue.

While there was some hope at that meeting - though New Action clearly had little interest since they viewed themselves as the big boy in the room and didn't have to work with anyone. At a follow-up meeting things fell apart between TJC and PAC and I ended the quest. I was frustrated that these groups couldn't seem to make a dent. Other independents like Fred seemed to feel the same.

A year later I begin to think about getting just the independents (the people who wouldn't join a caucus for a variety of reasons) together and that led to the founding of the Independent Community of Educators (ICE) in late 2003. Sounds crazy maybe to add another group to the mix but given people like Fred I figured at the very least issues would be raised that the other groups were refusing to address (mayoral control, high stakes testing, the growing cancer of ed deform).

One day in 2002 when I dropped by Fred's school I found out he was out due to a stroke. What a shock - and a warning to everyone that this can happen no matter what your age. Fred's full recovery took some time and since then he has focused on his music.

On my last visit to my doctor, in an effort to get me to take Lipitor due to my cholesterol levels, he said, "I don't care if you die" (GEE THANKS DOC) "but am more worried about you having a stroke." Scary, but I'm still not taking it. Maybe Fred's story below will spur me on to get those numbers in line.

And make sure to check out Fred's appearances and his CD "Seeds."

HAPPY 2012! Welcome to the 2nd installment of the RALLY FOLK! NEWSLETTER. _______________________ OCCUPYING this month's newsletter: VIRILITY & MORTALITY FIRST ANNUAL GROUNDHOG DAY EXTRAVAGANZA! FRED'S POETRY IN NEW “POETRY OF YOGA” BOOK FRED ON THE RADIO! ______________________________ 1. VIRILITY & MORTALITY Ten years ago today I had a stroke at 38 years old. I was taking a routine 5-mile run from the Upper West Side back home to Washington Heights when I started to feel odd. In those days, I’d go to political meetings downtown and run home with my shoulder bag and notebook under my arm. “I think I might need to slow down,” I told myself at first. Funny, I thought: I've never said that to myself while running. Then, a couple of minutes later: “I think I’m going to fall down.” Next thing I know, I’m looking up from the tar in the middle of 178th & Broadway at an oncoming car with its emergency flashers (I had apparently drifted into the road from the sidewalk). I raised my arms to get up, but my legs didn’t respond. A man appropriately named Angel ran into the street and lifted me, brought me to the curb and called an ambulance, but when the cops came to check it out and asked me how I was, the cottony mush that came out of my mouth convinced me in my otherwise lucid state that they’d surely think I was just drunk, so I rubber-banded to them that I was ok. I sat for a few minutes on the curb, got up and walked home, stopping at first to pick up some photos (which kept slipping out of my left hand, along with my keys, along the way). I initially thought it was because I hadn’t eaten breakfast and “overdid it,” as I usually did. It wasn’t until the next morning that “stroke” even entered my mind and then only slowly. People my age have strokes? I had no idea. “I don’t know how you walked in here,” the emergency room doctor said after my CAT Scan.   Ten years later, I’m almost completely recovered. My left arm, hand, & fingers aren’t quite the same, and an old neck injury came back to haunt me and remind me of my mortality, but all in all I am a very lucky man.   This month my friends and I will be putting on a show--on Friday the 13th no less (!!) (see sidebar)--to celebrate both our virility and our mortality. Won’t you join us?   2. Coming in February . . .  We've just confirmed the 1st Annual Groundhog Day Extravaganza! THURS. FEB. 2, 8-10 pm Le Chéile Café & Artspace  839 W. 181st St., Washington Heights (corner of Cabrini Blvd.) A or 1 train to 181st St. (212) 740-3111 http://lecheilenyc.com/wp/cafe I wanted to be right in my dear-own neighborhood to celebrate my adopted holiday, Groundhog Day: rebirth, the heroic journey, & a desperate hankering for spring! Featuring Demetrius Daniel, Amy Soucy, other neighborhood luminaries (special guests both human & animal) & prizes for the season! And of course, a kick-ass live version of my song "Groundhog Day"! http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_6971315 3. FRED'S POETRY IN NEW "POETRY OF YOGA" BOOK! I'm proud one of my poems, "Stillness,"  has been selected for inclusion of part one of a two-volume set of poetry of yoga, the brainchild of HawaH, founder of the educational and community service organization One Common Unity (http://onecommonunity.org). You can preview and order the book on http://thepoetryofyoga.com, where you can also hear an audio clip of my poem featured on the front page! If you're in the area, come to the NYC Book Launch event and hear me recite the poem and sing with Amy Soucy (see sidebar). : ) 4. FRED ON THE RADIO!   Sun. Jan. 29, 8 PM WTBQ, 1110 AM, 93.5 FM I’m proud to have been invited to feature at the weekly Hootenanny Café Mini-Concert, hosted by Folk DJ Jon Stein of Hudson Valley’s WTBQ out of Warwick, NY. You can also listen live at http://www.wtbq.com.   AND FINALLY... If you haven't already, LISTEN TO "SEEDS"! Just visit http://reverbnation.com/fredarcoleo and you can hear entire tracks from "SEEDS," plus a few live videos (including a new song, "We Are the Ones") GET THE CD! RALLY FOLK MUSIC IS NOT FOR SALE! It's true that for now, online copies of the CD are only available "for sale," but when I get my own website, I plan on creating a pay-what-you-can format to encourage people to LISTEN TO MUSIC FIRST, then contribute what you can afford. For now, simply send me an email with your address and I'll send you your own copy. Listen to the music and send me what you can in return.  STAY TUNED/GET IN TOUCH! I'd love to hear from you. If you know of a place or event where I can play, or would like to write a review of "SEEDS," tell me what you think of the songs, or if you just want to say hi, please do it now, while you're thinking about it! ; ) "One day we're moving mountains another day sinking in sand dizzy with demands of history but in the long run                                          made to stand"

JANUARY SHOWS! WED. JAN. 11th, 8-9:30 pm The Poetry of Yoga Book Launch! Jivamukti Yoga Center (with Amy Soucy!) 841 Broadway, 2nd floor New York, NY 10003 (212) 353-0214 Book launch for The Poetry of Yoga, a two-volume set of poems selected by artist and organizer HawaH  (http://onecommonunity.org) and including contributions from many giants of yoga, including Sharon Gannon, Krishna Das, Douglas Brooks, Rod Stryker, Shiva Rea, Leza Lowitz, Climbing Poetree, & many more! Hosted by Sharon Gannon. I'll be sharing my poetry from the book and singing joyfully with my friend & fellow yogi, Amy! For more event details, see http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com/fms/index.html FRIDAY THE 13th! 8-11 pm "A Stroke of Luck" Starving Artist Café  (with Amy Soucy!) 249 City Island Ave., Bronx, NY 10464 (718) 885-3779 “Cryptogenic”—cause unknown—is what they told me ten years ago after I had my stroke. STROKE??! But I was in perfect health. What better time to commemorate the tenth anniversary of this freak event but on (Lucky) Friday the 13th? LUCKY to be alive!  Join my friends Amy Soucy, Buddy Coughlin, Jim Harrison and myself as we celebrate the joy, fragility, resilience, AND LUCK of life. We’ll be singing songs of rebirth, second chances, & survival, and all-around rocking the evening. Come & celebrate with us! Musicians, bring your instruments and play a song!    “Life is a daring adventure, or nothing.” – Helen Keller (http://www.starvingartistonline.com/) (hopstop it! http://hopstop.com) FRI.-SUN. JAN. 27-29 People's Music Network Winter Gathering Friday Concert: Lawrence High School Performing Arts Center 70-72 North Parish Rd., Lawrence, MA Saturday & Sunday Gathering: Lawrence Senior Center 155 Haverhill St., Lawrence, MA  Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Bread and Roses Strike.  more details at http://peoplesmusic.org

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Ravitch/Rubinstein Savage Study On Long-Term Teacher Impact

Diane Ravitch on NYCEDNEWS listserve:

I don't understand why NY Times gives such breathless, admiring treatment to a study that has not been peer reviewed.
I have a few questions.
How were they able to generate value-added measures for 2.5 million students over a 20-year period when no district was collecting value-added data? This was probably generated from NYC data, given the large number of students.


More important, perhaps, how were they able to gain access to individuals' income? And how were they able to match test scores, teachers' names, and income over a 20 year period?
Did they include selective schools?
Did they account for pupil mobility?
I hope peer reviewers will explore these issues.
Meanwhile, I am astounded that economists would confidently conclude that it's best to start firing more teachers sooner rather than later.

Value- added be damned: Study in NY Times an political hit job
I do not know one teacher who thought that their impact on student test scores would affect their lifetime earnings. So how nice/sad to find out in the front page NY Times Friday article that my teaching contributed to the long term high/low incomes of my former students, thus having a positive/negative impact on the US economy.

The great Gary Rubinstein (who daily proves that Teach for America CAN produce amazing teachers) chimes in with a powerful piece (The ‘three great teacher’ study — finally laid to rest) - a must read:

The New York Times​ story frustrated me since I know that value-added does not correlate with future student income. Value-added does not correlate with teacher quality. Value-added doesn’t correlate with principal evaluations. It doesn’t correlate with anything including, as I’ll demonstrate in this post, with itself.

Don need no stinkin' research
They should have used my school on Bushwick Ave. where most teachers spent their careers there despite teaching in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. Classes were grouped homogeneously by reading scores, we often rotated from top to middle (when there was a middle) to bottom class - except when the principal wanted to reward the pets with the top class year after year.

I could do the study for them using my own students. When I had top classes with better readers - even though they were all free lunch these kids often came from more 2 parent homes with someone working - from anecdotal evidence I can say that my teaching helped the American economy move forward. When I taught the bottom class, alas, my efforts helped sink America - including causing a rise in the prison population. (One Thanksgiving I got a call from 2 former students in the same cell block. They told me there were 9 former students from my school there with them.)

Now I was a special case in that the principals didn't care for my style of teaching which did not focus on test scores - yes Virginia, from my earliest days of teaching in the last 60's test scores DID count for administrators and teachers - I didn't totally ignore prepping kids but did not make it the main focus like lots of other teachers did. And they wanted to put the teachers who could produce the highest scores - by hook or crook - in the top class.

Thus I only had top classes - which is funny since we often only had 2 in the grade - twice - and the 2nd time I had to really fight for that class with a principal who hated me - she even diluted the top scores by making it the only heterogeneous class in the school (along with my colleague in the other class) - students from those classes that I run into or hear about are doing quite well. I would pat myself on the back but I had little to do with it. But go ahead and blame me for the kids who died on the streets or went to prison. I'll take the hit.

Questions from Josh Karan on the NYEDNEWS Listserve:

I would like to see more analysis and commentary on the anecdotal experience of some of the long time educators who posted on this article that they believe standardized tests are necessary to evaluate student progress, and that without them students of limited English language, of poverty, and facing racial discrimination would continue to be left behind.

Some of the educators who left comments to the alternet article admit that school funding is critical, and I expect that they would agree that class size reduction is also critical. They also try to distinguish between the tests themselves and the way they are used.
Still they believe that these tests are a valuable tool for measuring basic competency in math and english, which too many of our students never obtain.

In my experience, when my daughter attended a "progressive" elementary school 15 years ago, prior to the extensive utilization of tests that are employed now, the outcomes for students who did not enter kindergarten with the same verbal fluency that my daughter did was that they never participated in class to the same extent and graduated to what were considered lower performing middle schools, which may or may not have prepared them for higher level academic work. Anecdotally I perceived that they were never challenged with rigor.

The front page NY Times article of yesterday, citing a study that purports long term gain in both academics and life for students whose test scores increased over time is also something I would like to read more commentary on from professional educators of the Time Out From Testing/Fair Test orientation.

Josh

Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

Bloomberg Orders Private Army (NYPD) to Declare War on the Press and the Occupy Movement

Published Jan. 6, 2011 in The Wave www.rockawave.com

by Norm Scott

Do you know of a drug operation in your neighborhood and want it cleaned out? Contact City Hall and tell them there are protestors connected with the Occupy movement and “Voila,” they will be removed. And if you happen to be a reporter, photographer or video maker covering just about any Occupy event, don’t be surprised if you are harassed, bullied or threatened with having your press pass revoked.

Mayor Bloomberg, who bragged recently that he has his own private army, has been using that army in a vendetta against those who exercise their rights of peaceful protest and assembly and those who cover it. But do we expect anything less from someone who flaunts his wealth and power at every turn? Is now a good time to repeat the David Letterman line – “Since the death of Kim Il Jong the only tiny tyrant left is Mayor Bloomberg.”

What surprises me is how the right, which claims to abhor government intervention and control over people’s lives (unless it comes to who you can marry, what you can smoke, and all the other social issues they want government to enforce), is so supportive of increasing restrictions on civil liberties, which includes Obama’s signing a law that suspends basic civil liberties guaranteed by that old Constitution people on the right claim to love so much – which just might explain the appeal of Ron Paul in whose campaign elements of the left and right come together. But I digress.

While I have been generally supportive of the Occupy movements, I’ve been particularly interested in the branch I have been working with – Occupy the DOE (Department of Education) a group formed to focus on NYC education issues. ODOE is beginning to get attention given that the minions of Bloomberg/Klein/Walcott have occupied the NYC public schools for almost a decade and have shut out the voices of parents and teachers while the schools have been opened up to privatizers looking to make a buck. Or in the case of people like billionaires Bill Gates and Eli Broad, looking to gain control of education policy – largely successful given the support the Obama administration has given to the ed deform agenda.

Now I’m a very minor player but have been attending various meetings in lower Manhattan with Occupy DOE. There has been a persistent level of attempted interference on the part of the Bloomberg administration, often in conjunction with people controlling spaces that are supposed to be public to curtail people from meeting. Many groups have been meeting on Sundays at the atrium at 60 Wall Street but often find themselves on the street after last minute announcements of “closed for cleaning” and often end up in coffee shops even though as many as 40 people have attended these meetings.

Let me point out that I’ve also been generally supportive of the rank and file police and almost every single contact I’ve has with police officers has been positive – until the past 3 months since the Occupy movement began. Teachers and police officers have a lot in common. In addition to being unionized public service employees working for the city, teachers spend a whole bunch of time doing policing in their schools, whether it be classroom management, patrolling the halls, or doing lunchroom and cafeteria duty. In the few encounters I’ve had with police where it was clear I was a teacher, I found some sense of recognition of this commonality. Thus, I've never viewed police as an enemy but as fellow public workers and members of the same class - ergo - the 99%.

But recent encounters with some police over the Occupy movement have not been positive. It seems that some officers take anything to do with Occupy as a personal affront and get some glee out of hassling people. I had my own minor wrestling match with some of the overwhelming security at the December 14 Panel for Educational Policy meeting where the press was more hassled than I've seen in almost a decade of covering PEP meetings. On one side of the auditorium, the video press was penned in behind metal grates while on the other side I was standing inside a white square for the press (the first time I had seen that) but leaving when there was something to cover in the auditorium and was continually warned, even threatened with being ordered to leave. When I asked what has changed, a security guy in charge said, “Occupy” and as I was standing there two security guys came over and penned us in on 3 sides. There was a look of intense satisfaction on their faces. The enemy (the press) was vanquished.

The ODOE people walked out en masse and I heard one female cop say, "Now they'll engage in civil disobedience outside" when nothing of the sort was occurring. It was sad see a rank and file cop view the people as “they” – she must be a would-be 1 percenter.

NYC teacher: "When a public body meeting to talk about our schools has to do so under armed guard what does that say about your policies? No matter how many police you bring here that's a sign of your unpopularity." (You can view Brian’s speech at www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPiNqcKSDm4).

The next big battle at the PEP will be on February 9 where Bloomberg’s puppets on the panel will vote to close 25 schools no matter how vocal and passionate the opposition. Occupy DOE will meet at the atrium at 60 Wall St. Sunday Jan. 8 at 2PM to plan some PEP actions – come on down (alt. space if it’s closed for “cleaning” is – shhh, don’t tell the NYPD – is Stir Café, 32 Broadway).

Expect a large police presence at the Feb. 9 at Brooklyn Tech HS. While I understand that rank and file police have to follow orders, I hope there is some understanding that students, teachers and parents whose voices have been shut out for a decade have reached a level of frustration where actions more than having your 2 minute say that is ignored are necessary to force changes in policy (and they may include civil disobedience). Message to police: Yes, do your job. Follow orders. But history has proven that following orders is no excuse when the orders lead to curtailing basic rights. Remember the context – in this case a meeting that will shutter neighborhood schools and turn students and teachers into nomads. And never believe you are part of the 1% because one day as part of the general attack on public workers, they will come for you and your pensions.

I put together a video demonstrating the police presence including them penning me in at the Dec. 14 PEP: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa-OQGuMXhI

Video of Bronx Science Jan. 5 Protest Against Vicious Valerie Reidy

 UPDATED with new version of video: Friday, Jan. 6, 10:45AM

NOTICE TO BS STUDENTS: VALERIE REIDY AND HER MINIONS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO RETALIATE AGAINST STUDENTS WHO EXERCISE FUNDAMENTAL CIVIL RIGHTS. CONTACT ED NOTES IF YOU EXPERIENCE THAT AND WE WILL PUBLICIZE YOUR STORY IF YOU WISH.

Here are some reports from the Anti-Reidy Rally. Read them all at Schoolbook link below.

I cringe every time I hear a parent say their child will be attending Bronx Science next year. I sadden every time a college professor, colleague, or supervisor smiles when I mention being a Bronx Science alumni, praising it for it history as a school of talented and gifted young adults. I let them know how I feel. I feel cheated of an experience that warrants that praise.--- Jordan Bonet

Paula Walzer

As a parent I would like to point out the consequences of teachers leaving for those who stay--the students. Mrs. Reidy says she feels very good about the people she's hired. Well, I don't. She only hires young inexperienced untenured teachers, who, no matter how well intentioned, are still learning how to do their jobs.

Bronx Science Alumni Protest video by Angel Gonzalez, GEM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByQrkU6CExg

 

Schoolbook links - read amazing comments from mostly current and former students.

Rally Against Bronx Science Principal, This Time By Students and Alumni

What's your take on the turnover at Bronx High School of Science?

===============
Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

State of The UNION: Sat. Feb. 4

Public education is under attack! 

Stand up, fight back!

As educators we are strongest when our voices are united. 
That is what a UNION is for. 
The UNION makes us strong.

For far too long the leadership of our union, the United Federation of Teachers,
along with the national American Federation of Teachers, have been silent, thrown up minimal defenses too little too late, and have even collaborated in the assault on our profession, our students and their families.

It is time to re-imagine our teachers’ union.

Imagine. . .

A union with true democracy.

A union where members’ concerns, ideas and opinions form the union identity.

A union that works to educate, organize and mobilize its members in support of public education,
our careers as professionals, and our students, their families and communities.

A union that works to end mayoral control and other racist policies
that have removed the voice of educators and parents from decision making.

A union that works with individual schools to recruit and train chapter leaders and delegates who share this vision.

A union that supports Chapter Leaders in struggles with administrations and in their work to educate and organize members.

Join rank and file union members 
and their parent and community allies at 
The State of the UNION Conference

Come meet other UFT members who want a new kind of union

Learn about the history and functioning of the UFT in workshops facilitated by rank and file members, union delegates,
and fellow teachers

Workshops include: 

UFT 101: Introduction to the UFT
Organizing 101: parents and teachers working together--a vision for a community oriented teacher union
The UFT past and present
What is social justice unionism?
What happened to Brown vs. Board of Education: resegregation of our schools
The disappearing Black and Latino Teacher and the deprofessionalization of Teaching
What's the 1% want with our schools? (Privatization 101)
Mayoral Control vs. A People's Board of Education
Building your chapter: how do you organize at the school level?
Federal, State and local policy and our schools
What does democracy in our union look like?
Strategy and tactics: after Occupy Wall Street, what’s next for our movement?
Teacher evaluations and transformation schools

Saturday, February 4th, 2012 
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
at The Graduate Center for Worker Education
25 Broadway, 7th Floor, NYC 
Directions:  http://workereducation.org/contact-us
Find us on Facebook: State of the Union 


Please register online for the State of the Union Conference: http://stateoftheunionconference.eventbrite.com


$10 pre-registration 
$15 at the door

Scholarships available, please email stateoftheunionfeb4@gmail.com 

For childcare services at the conference please email Peter Lamphere at peter.lamphere@gmail.com

__._,_.___

Chicago Hope: Chicago Parents Hold Day 2 of Sit-in at Mayor Emanuel's Office

UPDATED: 10:30AM - See Chicago Teachers Union Report
Video:

Parents, teachers, and community leaders hold sit in at City Hall from Chicago Teachers Union on Vimeo.


TODAY: Reminder - Bronx Science Rally Against Principal Reidy - Had Enough BS, Bronx Science? We're Going to Help ...

I was at a meeting the other day and said, "We are 5 or more years behind Chicago here in NYC. Watch what is going on there to see the future here."

They had mayoral control/ed deform since 1995. The union has been under worse attack than in NYC dropping from 40 to 30 thousand members and the teachers took a chance by electing CORE, a caucus in existence for 2 years to run the union. Parent/teacher alliances have grown and here below is a result.

The fact that after 16 years, during which failed managers like Paul Vallas (who has ruined multiple school systems since) and Arne Duncan who does even worse damage nationally) the results have been dismal. (In another post I will talk about some major differences between Chicago and NYC but see below for a sign of the times.)


Here is a news video: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=8490652 

mikeklonsky 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Chicago mayor stars in right-wing, anti-public school video bit.ly/xMzOfu

Gotham reports: An annual report on waste in Chicago schools found millions of dollars in improper spending. (Tribune)

Here is the press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2012

MEDIA ALERT

Chicagoans Keep Heat on Mayor Emanuel!!!

Chicago Parents Continue to Sit-in at City Hall for a Second Day Refusing to Be Ignored by Chicago Board of Education & Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resist failed school reform policies in Black and Latino neighborhoods, and call for support of community-based model

What do do about new Bloomberg PEP Puppet Judy Bergtraum

How sad. With that family history.

Has Bloomberg closed Murray Bergtraum yet?

How will Judy vote when he decides to close Edith Bergtraum?

Wait, wait, don't tell me.

...Diane Ravitch

She was at the last meeting and voted the Bloomberg party line. She did not speak. No questions or comments. I can't see how she was well informed enough to even vote. With the current governance model it doesn't really matter what qualifications his appointees have.  ---Non-Puppet Patrick Sullivan

And if the school boards become extinct?
"I’ll find some other way to get involved," Bergtraum promised.

NOTE: Not that she thinks it bad for school boards to become extinct.

Background: Bloomberg Puppet (and possible crook) Joe Chan Resigns from PEP

How to treat new Bloomberg PEP appointee Judy Bergtraum, a former teacher (now a lawyer) and the daughter of Murray and Edith, both teachers who had schools named after them? Some people are calling on escalated personal attacks (including home and business demos) to hold the puppets who vote whatever Bloomberg wants accountable.

Not that all reports on Judy Bergtraum are bad. Here is Leonie's report.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

News flash! The mayor appoints someone qualified to sit on the Panel for Educational Policy!

I am surprised that the DOE has not yet released any biographical information for Judy Bergtraum, the new member of the Panel for Educational Policy, whose appointment was announced several weeks ago.  She is from a well-known and educationally prominent Queens family, and until recently, was a Community Education Council member and president from District 25. 

Her mother was Edith Bergtraum, a teacher at Public School 143 in Corona for 25 years, who was also member of Community School Board District 25 in 1974 for 19 years. After her death, an elementary school in Queens (PS 165 in District 25) was renamed in Edith's memory.

Her father was Murry Bergtraum, who was a member of the NYC Board of Education from 1969-1973, first as its VP and then its president until his death in 1973.  He also has a school named after him: Murry Bergtraum HS for Business Careers in lower Manhattan, site of several loud and contentious PEP meetings.

Judy is a former teacher who became a lawyer, has worked in city government, was a school board member and then CEC member & president, and now is Deputy to the Vice Chancellor of the Office of Facilities Planning, Construction and Management at CUNY.

Unlike most of the mayoral appointees to the PEP, she has a long-standing interest and experience in public education. She appears to be the most qualified mayoral appointee to the PEP since it was established.  

A short interview with her in the Queens Tribune from several years ago is here; her professional resume is here. Her email is Judy.bergtraum@mail.cuny.edu

And this from someone who has worked with her:

What I can say about Judy Bergtraum is she is devoted to helping schools and education. As President of the Community School Board and the the appointee to the CEC she was effective and objective for the most part. I hope that on the PEP she considers things the same way as if it were D25. we worked very well together as she knew the parent factor was key to success. She is organized and is not afraid to go outside the box. Hopefully things have not changed that much.

Jane

Maybe there are miracles but if I get a chance at a PEP I think I will ask Judy directly if she has any idea what Bloomberg's minions have done to destroy the fabric of education at the school named in her dad's memory. She ought to have a chat with Chapter Leader John Elfrank. When the day comes as Diane Ravitch says above, will she vote Murry Bergtraum as a school out of existence like so many of the other large schools?

 Queens Tribune: http://www.queenstribune.com/archives/featurearchive/feature99/20/index.html

Judy on-Duty

Judy Bergtraum had very little choice but to get involved with education. It’s in her blood. "Both of my parents have had schools named after them. PS 165 in Flushing (Bergtraum’s alma mater) is called the Edith K. Bergtraum school, and there’s a high school in Manhattan named after my father," Bergtraum said.

After graduating from Forest Hills High School, Bergtraum (naturally) pursued a teaching career, instructing both regular and special education. But educators, she soon realized, were not the people making important educational decisions. Administrators were.

"I was once told by a prominent political figure that as a female, if I wanted to work in government, one way I could do it was to become an attorney. What he meant was that women, who don’t really have a leg up in government, can gain equal footing with an attorney’s title."

Now a law school graduate, Bergtraum says she has "the best of both worlds." She got that government job, serving as Deputy Commissioner for Deputy Citywide Administrative Services for the City of New York, and continues to work for children as a member of School Board District 25, for which she ran again as an incumbent on May 18.

And if the school boards become extinct?

"I’ll find some other way to get involved," Bergtraum promised. 

==================
Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

Antonucci on AFT/NEA merger

UPDATED: 11:30PM

Interesting post from Mike at EIA.
Now that NEA made nice with TFA and already endorsed Obama they are in ed deform camp with Randi who will officially endorse Obama at AFT convention in Detroit in late July. Obama will toss out a few banal words on how bad testing is to keep troops in line and Unity Caucus clones will eat it up.
With both national unions trying to show how much they want ed deform instead of real reform rank and file teachers are fighting a 2 front war.
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Wishful Thinking or Inside Poop?

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:02 AM PST

Former NEA executive director John Wilson lists this among his predictions for 2012:

The National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers will begin merger talks as they realize it is in the best interest of sustainability and power as well as an efficient use of members’ dues dollars.

Ever since the failed national merger attempt in 1998 there has been little desire by the national unions to revisit the issue. In fact, the formal structures created to grease the skids for future merger proposals have since dwindled and died.
So it would take a significant change in the environment for merger to gain any traction. However, the recent wars over public sector collective bargaining might be exactly the change that would spur such movement. That’s what makes me wonder if Wilson’s prediction is more than just his personal hope and actually reflects a new sentiment in the NEA camp.
You’ll notice the reasons Wilson cites for merger talks: sustainability, power and efficient budgets. Those are a departure from the 1998 arguments and are more likely to resonate with state affiliates on the political and financial ropes.
I’ll believe it when I see it, but a new merger effort is no longer out of the question.

NYCORE Inquiry to Action Groups

Our friends at NYCORE as usual are doing great work. I took an ItAG on labor organizing a few years ago and learned a lot. If you have the time and find something that interests you these are invaluable - plus you connect up with some amazing young teacher/activists. As one no longer teaching some of these don't work for me but if I can find the time I would jump at #4. #1 too given that so many teachers talk about the violence kids face and you could walk out with some improved skills in dealing with that issue.

New York Collective of Radical Educators’

Inquiry to Action Groups (ItAGs) 2012 

REGISTER TODAY @ www.nycore.org!

The New York Collective of Radical Educators is pleased to offer an opportunity for teachers to build community and develop as activists.  Educators will participate in Inquiry to Action Groups linking social justice issues with classroom practice. Small groups will meet weekly (for a total of six, two-hour sessions plus a kick-off and possible conference workshop) between January and March to share experiences, respond to readings, exchange ideas and develop plans of action.

1. No Justice, No Peace: Creating a Culture of Peace Through Nonviolence EducationCountless lesson plans have been created to help young people 
identify bullying as a form of violence. Yet so often our attempts to teach peaceful conflict resolution in the classroom ignore the structural violence that many of our students and their families face on a daily basis.  In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” So can we hope to teach peace in the 
presence of injustice? 


This is an ItAG specifically for educators who work with
 elementary school children.  Participants will examine the various forms of violence that overtly and covertly manifest themselves in daily life. We will explore the philosophies of practitioners of nonviolence including Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez, and discuss how to introduce and break down these concepts to even the youngest of learners.  Our goal
 is to develop curriculum that goes beyond anti-bullying to help students identify the pervasiveness of violence and the power of nonviolence.

Facilitators: Karla Tobar is a fourth grade bilingual teacher in the
 Bronx. She is a 2011 Ahimsa Center Fellow, an experience that sparked her interest in nonviolence education.  Alanna Howe is in her seventh year of teaching in New York City
 Public Schools.  She is currently teaching 5th grade at a dual immersion school in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn.

Location: TBD
Dates: Tuesdays from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Kick off on 1/27; sessions following on1/31, 2/7, 2/14, 2/28, 3/6, and 3/13.


2. Re-Imagining the Identity of Special Education
What is "Special Education"?  Good question!!
This ItAG seeks to redefine, reinvigorate, and re-imagine what it means for us (educators, service providers, family members) and our students to be a part of the Special Education SYSTEM (roar...). Through the sharing of stories, critical readings/discussions, and transformational art (yes, you might get dirty!) we will collectively re-imagine and recreate the World of Special Education.  

Facilitators: Margrit Pittman-Polletta is a Brooklyn native and early childhood Special Education teacher at PS 24 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.  Emily Clark is not a Brooklyn native.  She teaches ninth grade English at Manhattan High School, a District 75 high school, in Manhattan.

Location: Manhattan High School, 317 West 52nd Street (Between 8th and 9th Aves), Manhattan
Dates: Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 pm. Kick off on1/27; sessions following on 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 3/1, 3/8, and 3/15.


3. Write On!: Writing for Social JusticeThis ItAG will explore what it means to write for social justice.  Participants will engage in writing activities as both writers and teachers of writing. Participants will discuss standards, literacies, and definitions of social justice in relationship to writing as an educational, artistic, and social act.  Ultimately, our goal is to develop strategies, insights, models, and tools that enrich our teaching practice.

Facilitators: Ama Codjoe is the poetry-teaching artist with A.C.T.I.O.N. (a social justice and arts program) and the co-facilitator for the Social Justice Pedagogy Team at DreamYard Project in the Bronx.  Chrissy Williams is a high school English instructor at Arturo A. Schomburg Satellite Academy in the Bronx.

Location: UIME, 2090 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard. 8th Floor.
Dates: Thursdays from 5:30-7:30pm. Kick off on 1/27; sessions following on 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 3/1, 3/8, and 3/15.

4) Public Education for the 99%
The Occupy movement has taken over the country! This ItAG will begin by exploring public education from the vantage point of the 1% (What's Wall Street got to do with our schools?) and end by re-imagining what public education will look like when democratically run by the 99%. The ItAG will collaborate with members of Occupy the Department of Education (DOE), Occupy Wall Street (OWS), and will be action oriented throughout the process.

Facilitators:  Alba Lamar is a third grade teacher in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.  She is a member of NYCoRE and a member of Occupy the DOE.  Leia Petty is a high school counselor in Bushwick, a member of Occupy the DOE and a contributor to www.socialistworker.org.

Location: The Atrium at 60 Wall Street
Dates: Sundays at 12pm (noon). Kick off on 1/27; sessions following on 1/29, 2/5, 2/12 2/26, 3/4, and 3/11.


5) Pipeline Pedagogy
The School to Prison Pipeline is a system of policies and practices within the DOE and the NYPD that push young people away from schools, into the streets, and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Also known as School Pushout, these policies disproportionately affect youth of color, youth with special needs, and youth from low-income families. In these sessions we’ll explore the origins of the pipeline in New York City, what pushout looks like today, and ways in which stakeholders including parents, teachers, administrators and students might work together to help dismantle the system that is depriving the most vulnerable youth populations of a quality education.

Facilitators: Wazina Zondon is a social justice-minded educator and NYCoRE member. She currently teaches sex ed to 8th graders in downtown Brooklyn. Angela Jones is the Coordinator of the School to Prison Pipeline Project at the New York Civil Liberties Union. Her work focuses on improving school safety policies and putting an end to the path that leads students away from schools and toward the juvenile and criminal justice systems.

Location: TBD
Dates: Mondays from 6:00-8:00pm. Kick off on 1/27; sessions following on 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/27, 3/5, and 3/12.


ItAG Kick Off Meeting
A general kick-off meeting for all ItAG participants will be held Friday, January 27th, 6:00– 8:00 p.m. at NYU, Pless Hall @ 82 Washington Square East (between Greene and Washington Square Park). 3rd floor Lounge. Dinner provided. (Call Ariana @ 917.270.7901 if you have trouble finding the location).

RegistrationThe registration fee is $30. Multiple teachers from the same school can register together for the same ItAG for a reduced rate of $25 each.  This will cover the cost of materials and support NYCoRE’s ongoing work.  More info available at www.nycore.org.

To register, visit www.nycore.org

Registration closes Wednesday, January 25th

Questions? Email natalia@nycore.org or ariana@nycore.org

Bloomberg Puppet Joe Chan Resigns from PEP

One of the arguments for mayoral control of the school system was that it would enable City Hall to cut out the corruption which flourished within the Board of Education. What wasn't said then was that control would also enable City Hall to let the corrupters it favored into the school system to replace those it didn't.--- comment on the NYCEdNews Listserve.

This was posted by Patrick Sullivan, Manhattan PEP non-puppet rep:

Joe Chan has resigned from the Panel for Educational Policy. Chan was a former Bloomberg administration official and recently head of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership where he was the subject of a NY State Attorney General's Investigation.

In her September Report Card column for the Brooklyn Rail, journalist Liza Featherstone noted Chan's questionable credentials for his school board role:

He has been investigated by the state attorney general for misuse of city funding for using city money to lobby city officials, which is, under state law, not allowed. As the New York Times reported in 2009, Chan spent $200,000 on lobbying for the Atlantic Yards construction. Neither the DBP nor the attorney general’s office will say whether this investigation is still ongoing, but “Report Card” assumes that if it had been cheerfully resolved, either body would be happy to tell us so. (Of course, since the DBP was created by Bloomberg to advance Bloomberg’s agenda, it matters only slightly whether or not the DBP “lobbied” anyone.) Given this historically casual relationship to public funds, it’s particularly rich that as head of the PEP committee that oversees DOE contracts, Chan decided it no longer needed to meet.

The original NY Times article concerning the investigation can be found here.

Chan has been replaced by Judy Bergtraum. No biographical information has been provided by the Bloomberg Administration.

People have been suggesting for years that people opposed to Bloomberg ed deform  turn their focus on these appointees individually to make things hot for these puppets. Maybe Occupy DOE will take on this project.

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Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

Had Enough BS, Bronx Science? We're Going to Help Stop It.

UPDATED: Wed. Jan. 4, 11PM

 To many observers his handling of the situation at Bronx Science was a classic indication of what can happen when people with little experience running schools control them. Faculty and parents disputed Levy’s notion that a scientist would be the best pick for the job.

Gail Robinson Tweet on corporate slug/chancellor/Sharpton bagman Harold Levy responsibility for BS disaster: As the situation at Bronx HS of Science gets ever more acrimonious, some background on how it began. bit.ly/nFH6Xy

This was dropped through the transom. And I hear this is not coming from teachers. Did I tell the story behind the audio of my speech at the PEP on Dec. 14 (which you can access on the side panel) where I accused Walcott of being a phony, claiming the DOE wanted quality teachers when they want to fire superb math teacher Peter Lamphere, a fugitive of Valerie Reidy who was parachuted out of BS to a safe haven while the DOE still supports Reidy?

When I originally posted the audio it was of poor. So I get an email from someone I did not know with an audio file of my 2 minutes lifted off the audio of the meeting at the DOE web site. Who was this person? A parent at Bronx Science. So anti-Reidy feelings runs through parents, students, alumni, some of whom are involved in this action on Thursday.

I don't know if current students are willing to risk a Reidy demonstration of "democracy" where students who express their opinions are treated like they were in a gulag. I've mentioned this before but years ago I was contacted by a student who was accused of pulling up a cartoon from Ed Notes that disparaged Reidy. He was threatened with expulsion despite denying it and his parents had to take a day off from work and he was suspended. A few years later when he was elected to student council Reidy had him thrown off. No wonder she wiped out the social studies department - they clearly can't teach history where the word "democracy" is mentioned.

Background:  Search the blog with "Reidy" for multiple articles. Here is one.


Comment 3 from a student:

I'm a student at this school. Perhaps I lack insight on school curriculum, DOE regulations and maybe just plain sense. However I can say one thing, most students at the school agree that most of their favorite and best teachers left the school. These teachers loved what they teach and how they teach it. They may have not always stuck to the "standard" teaching processes but their students always became well educated and informed in the subject. I believe one of the problems is simply that there is really no set way of teaching and Ms. Reidy needs to understand that. I admire her "formula for success" but it is simply to restrictive and inappropriate for a school of such a high standing.
-PANcakes

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Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

Labor Goes To the Movies Jan. 21 in NYC and May in Turkey: Screening of "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman

2011: Huzzah Huzzah "Incnvenient Truth behnd Waitng for Superman”-- documentry made by NYC teachers shown in evry state w/ no promotional $$  --Tweet from  susanoha Susan Ohanian

UFT continues boycott of GEM film
They love the GEM-made movie all over the world - including New Zealand and Turkey - except at the UFT which continues to boycott what many consider the most effective case made against the ed deformers. But then again, maybe, just maybe, the UFT doesn't want the case against ed deform made effectively.

I know, I know. Even many of my friends who are critical of the UFT look at me with cross eyes when I claim the UFT/Unity Caucus/AFT leadership is often on the other side of the line with one foot in the ed deform camp. But the boycott of our film, which if the leadership really wanted to educate the members and should show it at the Delegate Assembly, is a perfect example.

Atlanta

Dear Friends,
I was unable to attend our local showing in Atlanta of Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman, but I just got to watch my own copy… 
Just superb, folks. I’m making copies for friends teaching in departments of education, for public school teacher friends, and anyone else I can think of.  And I’m trying to figure out a way to legitimately use it in my first-year composition classes at Morehouse. And more. I’m busted financially, but I want to at least send you a tiny thank you. Million thanks for your work, your voices. --- Cindy

New York: Jan. 19: Park Slope - details on request.

New York: Jan. 21

The ITBWFS will be shown by the PSC as part of its Labor Goes To the Movies series on Sat. Jan 21 along with Waiting for Superman.


http://www.psc-cuny.org/calendar/labor-goes-movies-3


Labor Goes to the Movies
January 21, 2012 - 12:00pm


Special Screening and Discussion of Waiting for Superman and the documentary it inspired, The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman.


Waiting for Superman (Davis Guggenheim, USA, 2010)
From the director of An Inconvenient Truth, the most galvanizing film of last year attempted to explain the causes and effects of the failing US schools system. Although the director has claimed that he did not intend to create a pro-charter, anti-union bias, the film highlights the work of charter school and privatization advocates. These “heroes” blame ineffective teachers and their unions for preventing reform. The critical and popular acclaim for this film has sparked widespread discussion about education reform, as well as a counterpoint documentary. Come see why the American Federation of Teachers called Waiting for Superman “scathing” and “potentially dangerous” to US teachers.


The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman (Julie Cavanagh, Darren Marelli, Norm Scott, Mollie Bruhn, Lisa Donlan, USA, 2011)


In response to the criticisms in the popular Waiting for Superman, a group of public school teachers and education activists proposed a different set of problems and solutions to the US education crisis. The result is a counter-narrative suggesting that low-budgets, lack of teacher support, standardized testing, systemic poverty and myriad other factors are to blame for drop-out rates and low scores. The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman challenges the common misperceptions and offers feasible solutions for students in New York City and the rest of the country.


Email Address: shughes@pscmail.org
Location Name: PSC-CUNY office
Address: 61 Broadway, 16th Floor

Turkey: Laborfest

Hello,
I am writing you on behalf of the Organising Committee of the VII. International Labour Film and Video Festival in Turkey.

Our Labor  Film festival is an enterance-free and prize-free festival that has been screening approximately 50 films around 25 countries each year.
You can find information about the first year's activities in an article at this link:
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2006/zeltzer230506.html

We would like to screen  your film  called "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman " during our festival in May 2012 in Turkey.
We need you permission and DVD copy.

Kind Regards,
Coordinator
Önder Özdemir

New Zealand

Hi all
Just seen your video on YouTube and want to say I really enjoy the
discourse you are creating. It is scary times in New Zealand. We had a
recent election and are under a National (centre-right wing) government again. Days after they won they announced that they want to start creating charter schools. They will begin in Christchurch (our quake stricken city) and South Auckland (poor area of Auckland). This rhetoric was not present during their campaigning. I don't know what will happen but we are going to fight against it if we can. Keep up the good work.
Kylie

Just survived my first year of teaching

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Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

School Closing Hearing Dates and the Fightback

On Feb. 9 the PEP will vote to close these schools no matter the passion or data or whatever.

People are needed to attend these hearings at the school, to make contact with people at the schools and get people out to the Feb. 9 meeting at Brooklyn Tech.

In addition, there is the question of the status of the 33 turnaround schools if the money disappears though I don't think the DOE can manage to close these schools in time given certain limits. And think of all the ATRs created that they have to pay.

So why bother if the result is predetermined? Let's build the movement so one day they will not be able to get away with it. But numbers are needed.

How is the resistance being organized? The Occupy DOE meetings on Sundays have become a key organizing mechanism. ODOE has shown the potential to bring out enough people to have a real impact.

Next meeting: Sunday Jan. 8. Here is the leaflet which we want to get into the closing schools. Try this link if you want to download it and/or print.

An attempt will be made to hold a large rally and march focused on the school closing and charter co-locations and now, maybe even the turn-arounds. More details as this develops.

What about the UFT? It is not clear what the strategy is. Another law suit? Previous suits did little or nothing to save schools except temporarily since they were based on the DOE not following procedures, which Tweed has made sure to take care of. They will assist schools that show signs of fighting back - possibly by paying for buses to get to the Feb. 9 PEP. But as we found out last month, these buses have to leave at a certain time and many people who signed up to speak don't get a chance.

Will the UFT call out the troops for the Feb. 9 PEP? Will they stage a walkout like they did last year on Feb. 3? 

Now given the reality that the PEP will vote to close the schools, why speak? Since GEM has been doing these events for the past 2 years we have found people want their say, which puts the ODOE people who have experienced years of frustration and might want to try to shut down a meeting in something of a quandary. If we can get people from these closing schools involved we might be able to evolve a strategy that satisfies all.

Mic-check is a powerful tactic - if there are enough people - where the PEP puppets can be overridden and the people who want to speak can get to do so. Again. something to be worked out.

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School	Boro	Hearing	PEP
Legacy School For Integrated Studies  34 West 14th Street New York, NY 10011	M	February 1 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Washington Irving High School 40 Irving Place New York, NY 10003	M	January 31 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Manhattan Theatre Lab High School Building M490 122 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10023	M	January 24at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Samuel Gompers Career And Technical Education  HS 455 Southern Boulevard Bronx, NY 10455	Bx	February 2 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Gateway School For Environment Research and Technology 1980 Lafayette Avenue Bronx, NY 10473	Bx	January 27 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Jane Addams High School For Academic Careers 900 Tinton Avenue Bronx, NY 10456	Bx	January 25 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Grace Dodge Career And Technical Education High School 2474 Crotona Avenue Bronx, NY 10456	Bx	February 3 at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Aspire Preparatory Middle School*	Bx
International Arts Business High School – Building K470 600 Kingston Ave Brooklyn NY 11203	B	February 3, at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2011
Academy Of Business And Community Development  141 Macon Street, Brooklyn 11216	B	Jan 31, at 6:00 p.m.	2/9/2012
Knowedge and Power Preparatory Academy Middle School--Building K117, 300 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn 11205	B	Jan 24, at 6:00	2/9/2012
P.S. 019 Roberto Clemente* 325 South 3rd St, 11211	B	January 18 at 6:00	2/9/2012
P.S. 022* 433 St. Marks Ave, 11238	B	January 24 at 6:00	2/9/2012
Middle School For The Arts* 790 East New York Ave 11203	B	January 12 at 6:00	2/9/2012
General D. Chappie James Middle School* 76 Riverdale Ave 11212	B	January 23 at 6:00	2/9/2012
J.H.S. 296 The Halsey School*	B
P.S. 215 Lucretia Mott*  535 Briar Place 11691	Q	January 20 at 6:00	2/9/2012
P.S. 014 Cornelius Vanderbilt* 100 Tompkins Ave 10304	SI	January 25 at 6:00	2/9/2012
The Ana Gonzalez Community School 125 Covert St 11027	B	February 1 at 6:00	2/9/2012

Academy for Young Writers
hearing Jan 9 at JHS 50
183 South 3rd Street, Brooklyn 11211 PEP January 18 AND

Brooklyn success Charter 4 co-location at JHS 50 (address above)
hearing Jan 17 PEP Feb. 0

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CHICAGO SAME STORY:

Fight School Closings & Turnarounds

CORE-istas:

Please attend the following hearings on school closings and turnaounds. 

 Also, join the Facebook Event and spread the word.

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Check out Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.