Peter Lamphere: New York takes on Common Core

UNFORTUNATELY, THE New York State United Teachers actually has a mixed record on Common Core. Led by its largest affiliate, New York City's United Federation of Teachers (UFT), the union officially supports the Common Core, but disagrees with the implementation that has occurred, calling for a three-year moratorium on high-stakes consequences to teachers and students for the new tests, so that they can be "properly aligned" with the standards.
A variety of suburban teachers locals have taken much stronger positions than the state teachers union--and, even more importantly, organized their members to attend these hearings en masse. Many teachers seem to have also come independently.... Peter Lamphere in the Socialist Worker

A great update from Peter posted on the Socialist Worker site.

NYSUT and the NEA: Historical Background, Part 1

People have been telling me they are confused about what is really going on in the NYSUT split. To better understand what is happening in NYSUT some of the history might help. Much of the info comes from WikiPedia, plus whatever memory I have left.

This is a long one, so hang in there if you can. But I bet if you do things will be a little clearer. I will follow up with a Part 2.

First up in the series is the relationship between the AFT and the NEA in NY State back to the late 60s/early 70s.
 The reason this is important? The AFT locals were mostly based in the cities while the NEA were the smaller locals.

Thus the historical roots of the Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association goes back to the NEA. Therein lies some of the roots of the split going on today  - the divergent interests between the non-property tax based city ed funding vs the property tax needed to fund smaller locals. And Cuomo's property tax cap is killing them, thus their strong anti Cuomo position, one of the roots of the NYSUT split today.

Here is some important history as a backdrop to the formation of NYSUT from wikipedia. 

1961: The UFT was formed when Shanker's party won an election over the NEA and the old Teachers Union.

Despite a battle royale with the National Education Association (NEA), an infusion of cash by the AFT and the AFL-CIO enabled the UFT to win the December 16, 1961, election with 61.8 percent of the votes.... Wiki

Wiki goes into detail on the relationship over the years.

The NEA's state operation, the New York State Teachers Association (NYSTA), had been dominated by administrators until 1965, when they were excluded from membership.

The AFT's state affiliate, the Empire State Federation of Teachers, was very small. Shanker urged changes on the AFT state affiliate. The organization was renamed the New York State Federation of Teachers in the 1960s and the United Teachers of New York in 1971. That same year, Shanker was elected president of UTNY.

1971: To be clear. In 1971 Shanker was president of both the UFT and the renamed state AFT, UTNY - United Teachers of NY - I remember at the time thinking, "what an awful name -- sounds like a rash."

In 1971, Shanker and newly elected NYSTA [NEA] president Thomas Hobart entered into formal merger negotiations. The merger agreement was signed March 30, 1972. Hobart was elected president and Shanker executive vice president. Other offices included: Dan Sanders, first vice president; Antonia Cortese, second vice president; and Ed Rodgers, secretary-treasurer.

OK, So in 1971 we have the newly formed NYSUT with Hobart from the NEA as President and Shanker in the key Executive VP, which I recently found out was a sort of co-presidency with Shanker (and any Exec VP controlling the VOTE COPE political operation.) Sanders was from the UFT and Rogers and Cortese from the NEA - which over the years has morphed into: UFT gets Exec VP and another VP, upstate and Long Island get the Presidency and the other 2 positions. On the surface it looked like UFT was in the minority but we see today what happens when they feel they are losing control.

1974: Shanker becomes president of the AFT  tossing his former mentor, Dave Selden, into the junk heap. (I was there in Toronto for that and even got to ask the new President a question at the open mic). Then trouble with the NEA, which I as part of the opposition witnessed first hand. Note: Shanker now pres of UFT, AFT and Exec VP of NYSUT.

Soon after Shanker was elected in 1974 the NEA reached out to some of us in the opposition in the UFT and they took about 15 of us out to an expensive Indian restaurant (Gaylord's I think it was called). They were not happy with the merger engineered by their guy, Tom Hobart and Al Shanker, the elephant in the room. Nothing came of that since we were not going to get into dual unionism by setting up our own NEA outpost inside the UFT. Tensions never entirely disappeared.

Back to wiki:

NYSUT and UTNY had sought and won approval for the merger from both parent unions. But tensions with the NEA quickly became apparent. Hobart and Shanker began promoting a merger between the NEA and AFT at NEA meetings, an effort which met with a hostile response. NEA leadership began to isolate NYSUT officers and delegates at conventions and other meetings. The NEA staff, working through the UniServ system (which provides services to NEA local unions), began to actively turn other state and local NEA members against the merged union.

Shanker wanted to merge the NEA and AFT nationally and this was a major threat to the larger NEA given that Shanker would accept nothing less than the leadership of a merged organization -- and if that didn't happen he would use the Unity machine and undemocratic tactics to seize control. The very idea of Shanker in the NEA, which had term limits, was a deal killer. In fact it wasn't until Shanker died in 1997 that even the hint of merger talks resumed, though those eventually died too.

Sidetrack: What is happening today is a sort of end run around the national NEA by merging at the individual state levels. Wisconsin was the latest. For those who say Randi has her eyes on replacing Arne Duncan I would have argued that she wanted to head a merged AFT/NEA union. But I don't see that happening. But as pointed out below, the max number of merged states is 6 and Wisconsin is the 6th. The NEA ain't making the same mistake they made in the early 70's.

So given my 1974 story, the NEA became more aggressive in NY State but no match for Shanker. And note how Shanker responded: By pulling NYSUT out of the NEA.

In 1976, the NEA undertook an 'image enhancement' campaign in New York state. NYSUT officials saw this as a propaganda effort designed to undermine the merged union.

At the NYSUT convention in New York City that same year, delegates argued over the merits of the disaffiliation resolution. Shanker then delivered a powerhouse speech which galvanized the delegates. The delegates responded by passing a resolution that disaffiliated NYSUT from NEA.

Shanker and Hobart had, however, ignored a key provision in the merger agreement approved by both NEA and AFT. It stated that disaffiliation from either national group—within a five-year period of the 1972 merger—would obligate NYSUT to pay "liquidated damages" to the national organization from which NYSUT disaffiliated. NYSUT was ultimately required to pay NEA a multi-million dollar settlement.

This is the essence of Shanker and the Unity Caucus he set up -- outright undemocratic acts and whatever else you want to call it. Basically merged with the bigger NEA in NY State, absorbed them into the AFT and then dumped the NEA nationally.

Wiki again:

NEA responded to the disaffiliation move by setting up a rival state organization, the New York Education Association/New York NYEA. The NEA believed that many NYSUT locals—with at least 50,000 members—would leave the organization. While many locals did disaffiliate from NYSUT, a few soon rejoined. Over the next quarter-century NYEA's membership stagnated, while NYSUT's exploded thanks to its leaders' decision to recruit members outside the field of education.

1976: So now we are back to 2 teacher NY state orgs: Big AFT - NYSUT, small NEA - NYEA. Shanker had effectively swiped most of the NEA locals in the state and turned them into the AFT. Say what you will, the guy was Machiavellian brilliant. Let's also point out that by controlling the largest contingent of teachers in the AFT by far, Shanker was guaranteed the presidency for life -- which is exactly how it turned out. (Same for his successor in the UFT and AFT, Sandy Feldman, who basically died in office.)

Let's jump ahead to 2006:

On May 5, 2006, NYSUT voted to merge with the NEA/NY, the renamed NYEA. The 35,000-member NYEA had approved the merger agreement on April 29, 2006. [1] The merger became effective on September 1, 2006, and the newly merged union is now jointly affiliated with both the NEA and AFT.

So now we were back to where we were around 1976. A merged NEA/AFT in NYSUT. Wiki continues:

The AFT has long sought merger with the NEA on a national level. But acrimonious relationships between the two unions on the local level and AFT's insistence on what NEA and its affiliates consider undemocratic practices—as well as AFT's insistence upon affiliation with the AFL-CIO—have proven significant obstacles. Among AFT's "undemocratic" practices are its abolition of the secret ballot—its requirement that delegates to its convention vote for officers by roll-call ballot, identifying their choices and their names in writing.... The unions also agreed to support local- and state-level mergers where appropriate. Three other states have merged AFT-NEA affiliates: Florida, Minnesota and Montana. Among local mergers is that in Wichita, Kansas, long a battleground for the two national unions, and Los Angeles. Combined, the merged units represent 197,000 members. The NEA has 2.7 million members, while the AFT has 1.3 million. With the NYSUT merger, 681,000 members of the AFT (or about 52 percent) now belong to NEA.

So until Mike Antonucci from EIA explained this I didn't get a few things. Here is Mike's recent post on the Wisconsin merger. Read on if you haven't had enough yet because there are national implications on the merger issue:

NEA May Change Rules After Wisconsin Merger

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 09:30 AM PST

It has been so long since the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers attempted to merge it is easy to forget all the details of the policies and documents that were created in its aftermath. But one tiny item from those days may soon affect how future union affiliates approach merger.

After national merger went down to defeat at the 1998 NEA Representative Assembly, the delegates established guidelines to allow consenting NEA and AFT state affiliates to merge. These guidelines were incorporated into NEA’s by-laws and occasionally amended. One provision gave the nine-member Executive Committee the authority to approve state-level mergers.

However, as I reported and buried deep in this July 12, 1999 EIA Communiqué:

The guidelines limit the number of merged state affiliates to six. After that number, each merger will have to be approved by a vote of the Board of Directors. An effort to require a vote of the Representative Assembly for additional mergers was defeated on the floor of the assembly.

The upcoming merger between the NEA and AFT affiliates in Wisconsin will be the sixth one, so the authority for approving a hypothetical seventh merger would fall on the Board of Directors. By itself, this change might lead to a little more debate, but not much change in the result. Still, once delegates and activists start reviewing the merger guidelines, other issues may have to be addressed.

As they currently stand, NEA’s by-laws divide dues money and delegate representation according to a complicated formula based on each affiliate’s membership numbers before they merged. For example, when North Dakota merged, 81 percent of the members had belonged to the NEA affiliate. So NEA gets 81 percent of North Dakota’s national dues and AFT gets 19 percent. In New York, NEA only gets 8 percent.

Wait! When there is membership growth of more than three percent within a merged state, the dues from those additional members get split 50-50 between NEA and AFT.
This is already messy, particularly when an NEA national policy may affect 382,000 members in New York, of whom only 32,000 are represented at the RA. What happens when there are 10 or 12 merged affiliates?

The last thing NEA wants is another merger debate, so my guess is the union will try to maintain the status quo as much as possible and hope that the board – which, unlike the Executive Committee, has representatives from all six merged affiliates – will not rock the boat. What happens next will depend on whether other state affiliates will be driven by membership losses to try the merger route.

I asked Mike to explain why only 32,000  and only 8% for NYSUT rep in NEA:

As you know, when state affiliates merge the normal practice is to allow AFT to deal with the AFT locals, and NEA to deal with the NEA locals (the Tornillo thing a prime example). However, when NEA national makes a policy, it’s supposed to apply equally to all of its affiliates - NYSUT included.

I only bring it up because it’s NEA policy to support Common Core, and it’s NYSUT’s policy to oppose it. Now they’ve papered it over with the “implementation” thing, but it does illustrate that NEA national is a factor in New York, and could be a greater factor under the right circumstances.

But NYSUT doesn’t get to influence those national policies according to its weight. It does so according the old NEA New York weight. I’m not suggesting that NYSUT should get more representation than the NEA dues they pay would warrant, but it shows the limits of the merger guidelines as they currently exist.

I’m also looking forward to the day when the 3 million member NEA merges with the 1.5 million member AFT, and they have to explain to the press how they only have 3.8 million combined members.

In other words, the NEA was smart enough this time not to allow the massive Unity behemoth into its den. 

 

Mike often points out that the AFT numbers especially are bogus -- lots and lots of retirees from NY included.

Well, I hope I've wiped you out and you can take a long nap - or continue the one you began on the 3rd paragraph.

Look for Part 2 when I recover.

What's it All About, Jenny? StudentsFirstNY Leader On What Common Core is Really About

Jenny Sedlis, executive director of the group StudentsFirstNY, which lobbies for tougher teacher standards, said the Regents' decision weakened teacher evaluations. "They've given ineffective teachers an out clause," she said, adding it sends a message to school districts: "Don't even try and terminate any ineffective teachers."... Wall Street Journal on NY Regent delay on common core.

I always loved Jenny when she was Eva's mouth piece at Success. We used to have some great chats. In her current job as head of StudentFirstNY she probably has to wipe off the slime on a regular basis. Or maybe she lets the layers build up.

I appreciate that she laid out what the entire ed deform movement is about. Except for that part like they really give a shit about effective or ineffective teachers. Come om Jenny, by now even you know it's all bullshit (and if you don't I feel sorry for you). But I guess a job is a job.

Staten Island FIRST LEGO League Robotics Qualifier

Francesco Portelos coordinated the Staten Island Robotics Qualifier this past Saturday for the second year in a row.

See:
 http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/solutions_to_real-world_proble.html#comments

I've been working as a volunteer with FIRST since I retired in 2002 and as we kept growing through the years we were forced to set up borough events with the 80 finalists going on to the NYC finals at the Javits Convention Center on April 5. The winner of that goes to the national/international tournament.

Running a tournament is a major task and there is no little irony in that Portelos can't walk into his own school but can enter a NYC school to run a tournament.

Long before Francesco Portelos' troubles with the principal and the DOE began I met him when he was the co-coach of the IS 49 robotics team. The team at IS 49 originated way back when I got involved with FIRST robotics in 2002 with a long-time math teacher as the coach. She showed up every year with a well-prepped team. Francesco began working with her and when she retired (or pushed by Principal Linda Hill) he became the regular coach.

Since he was removed from the school in , IS 49 has not been able to field a team. Think of that -- the principal's and the DOE's vendetta has killed a decade old program.

In March 2012, I was handling registration at the 80 team finals at the Javits Convention Center, about 2 months before Portelos was removed. It was a Sunday and he was there. He showed me an article in that day's NY Post about him and the school. It was written by Sue Edelman. I thought it was not a really fair article and I called Sue that morning to inform her that Portelos was with his kids on a Sunday and not so gently suggested that the Post should run a photo of him coaching robotics on a Sunday instead of their usual shady looking photos designed to make a teacher look like a perp.

Portelos told me that the week before he was removed a student came up to him and said "Mr. Portelos...you made me want to be an engineer." Portelos says now that's a mission accomplished.

Portelos was an NYU/Poly trained Engineer for 7 years before he became a middle school STEM teacher and robotics coach. His team won many awards including First Place in NYC for Robot Design.

This past Saturday a successful robotics qualifier and this upcoming Wednesday the 21st day of his termination hearing. That's the life of a concerned citizen who dared to question budget and misconduct. 

See article: Solutions to real-world problems showcased at First Lego League competition on Staten Island.

Story. http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/solutions_to_real-world_proble.html#comments

For a list of the teams going on to the finals at Javits:

Staten Island Tournament Results - all teams listed go on to Javits Finals April 5, 2014

Breaking: Arthur Goldstein Runs for NYSUT VP Against Unity's Andy Pallotta

This, ladies and gentleman, is an example of true grassroots unionism.  A rank and file teacher, who has been in his classroom teaching today, finding an avenue to make his voice heard.  Bottom up, member driven unionism at it’s finest. 

Posted on the Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association blog. I've been telling reporters calling about our coverage of this story that there are surprises coming. Maybe a few more to come.  When is the last time Andy Pallotta was in a classroom as a full-time teacher? (and please let's not count the one period a day when he was District 10 (Bronx) rep.)

Arthur Goldstein Shakes Up the NYSUT Election Scene

Posted on February 10, 2014 by thepjsta

Arthur Goldstein

We have learned this afternoon that Arthur Goldstein, who has been referred to by none other than Diane Ravitch as “NYC’s best teacher-blogger” is throwing his hat into the NYSUT election ring with the intention of running against incumbent Executive Vice President Andrew Pallotta. 

Pallotta, who curiously thought all NYSUT officers but himself needed to be changed, recently cobbled together the “Revive NYSUT” slate to challenge the other incumbent officers.  Coincidentally, I am sure, he made sure to leave himself in a position he believed would be uncontested.  Now, however, he will have a contested election on his hands against a very qualified candidate.

Goldstein will be familiar to readers of this blog as the author of the blog NYC Educator where he has been blogging about education since 2005.  It is a blog we frequently have referenced on this site.  Additionally he has written articles about education for the Huffington Post (see here) and the Daily News, among other publications.  Goldstein works as an ESL teacher at Francis Lewis High School in Queens where he is also a UFT chapter leader. 

Those of you on Twitter may very well be familiar with him as he is a frequent participant in education related topics under the handle @TeacherArthurG.  Be sure to give him a follow if you don’t already.  While a member of the UFT, Goldstein has been outspoken in his criticism of the Unity Caucus leadership of his local.

Via his guest post on our blog, “Reviving Unionism”…

It’s funny to hear people in NYSUT complaining about democracy. I’m chapter leader of one of the largest schools in NYC, and neither I nor anyone in my school gets to vote or participate at all in NYSUT or AFT. Though I’ve been elected twice, that means nothing. The only way a city teacher gets to be part of NYSUT is to be part of Unity, an invitation-only caucus that has run the union for over 50 years. I’ve never been invited.
The reason for that, I suppose, is my public point of view. I’ve been published in the Daily News, at Huffington Post, at Gotham Schools, on Schoolbook, on multiple blogs, and in local Queens newspapers taking positions contrary to those of UFT leadership. For example, I wrote a column labeling mayoral control mayoral dictatorship. Though giving Michael Bloomberg absolute power was a bad idea, the UFT supported it. After he used it to close schools all over the city, aiding no one but privatizers, we supported it again.
I also oppose value-added ratings for teachers, since they have no basis in science, and since great teachers have lost jobs as a result.  I can’t support Common Core, no matter how many millions of dollars Bill Gates pours into it, as I don’t believe it helps the students we serve when we fail most of them and use said failure to label working teachers as defective. Brilliant education historian Diane Ravitch shares my positions, and it’s ironic to be excluded from not only UFT, but also NYSUT and AFT for the crime of sharing her opinions.

It appears as though Goldstein will now circumvent the lack of a Unity Caucus invitation as he attempts to have his voice heard in his state union.

This, ladies and gentleman, is an example of true grassroots unionism.  A rank and file teacher, who has been in his classroom teaching today, finding an avenue to make his voice heard.  Bottom up, member driven unionism at it’s finest.

Goldstein will now give NYSUT delegates a very appealing alternative to Andrew Pallotta, who has seen Tiers 5 and 6, along with the tax cap on his watch. 

Goldstein’s frequent and harsh criticism of Andy Cuomo also stands in stark contrast to Pallotta who used $10,000 in VOTE COPE funds to secure a table for his Revive NYSUT cronies at Cuomo’s birthday party.

We will have more on this situation as it unfolds and as we move closer to April’s NYSUT election.

The Closer: Murry Bergtraum Principal Lottie Almonte Pushout Program Would Help Moskowitz Takeover

De Blasio/Farina MUST reverse the Success invasion of Bergtraum immediately.

Was Lottie making space for Eva Moskowitz's Success Charter? The NY Post had an article on the so-called "Blended Learning" program. Chalkbeat reports:

Troubled Murry Bergtraum High School's "blended learning" program has 475 students registered for classes with one teacher.

• New York Post

We wrote about Bergtraum a year and a half ago:

Ed Notes Online: Death Watch for Murry Bergtraum

Jul 22, 2012

Given the report below from a teacher in the know on Lottie Almonte, Bergtraum, one of the few large schools remaining in Manhattan becomes a clear target. By the way, watch the end game here -- charter networks like Eva's ..

Of course we were right.

Of course don't expect the Post to go near the real issue: Bloomberg's attempt to vacate the school for the Eva charter occupation. Note the Post headline:

‘Fail factory’ teacher churns through 475 students per year

The label this a "scam". Exactly whose scam is this?

Sure, blame the teacher, the school or whatever. We all knew when she was appointed that Lottie Almonte, who has not succeeded on previous assignments, was put in as a closer, as so many principals have been before her in other schools.

The October PEP sanctioning of the Evil invasion of Bergtraum should be at the top of the list of Farina reversals.

The DOE did a lot of underhanded stuff to try to keep kids from going there - but many more came in September than expected -- many over the counter -- and we know that those kids need the most services. Instead they get Blended Learning, credit recovery on steroids. Just a way to push almost 500 kids out of the school as soon as possible.

Here is a video I shot at the pre-PEP hearing at the school. Chapter leader and MORE member John Elfrank-Dana is the first speech. At the very least watch that segment.

https://vimeo.com/77126813

Baltimore Teacher Union Follows Unity Caucus Script in Attempt to Suppress Opposition Voices

The Baltimore Teacher’s union has demanded exclusive rights to teachers’ interdepartmental emails and mailboxes in a new contract with the district to be ratified Thursday, the Baltimore Sun reports

Other than some Unity slug chapter leaders here in NYC who claim only they should be able to use the mailboxes, the UFT leadership, while possibly egging them on behind the scenes, has never tried to pull this fast one.

There are some elements of the Portelos case here in that he was given a letter for the file by the principal for communicating with UFT members through the web portal he created and owned.

Baltimore teachers believe new union contract is designed to silence dissenters

5:17 PM 02/06/2014

The Baltimore Teacher’s union has demanded exclusive rights to teachers’ interdepartmental emails and mailboxes in a new contract with the district to be ratified Thursday, the Baltimore Sun reports.

City teachers are upset about the clause and believe it is an attempt to silence and disempower dissenters. Local teacher Kris Sieloff said the clause is a clear First Amendment violation.

“The limitation of communication is really disturbing,” Sieloff told the Sun.

Another teacher, Mike Pesa, said the clause is “nothing less than a gag rule designed to silence any opposition from rank-and-file members of the union.”

Under the clause, ”Individuals and organizations other than the union shall not be permitted to use the school system’s interdepartmental mail and email facilities, or the right of distribution of materials to teachers’ mailboxes.”

Marietta English, president of the Baltimore Teacher’s Union, said the clause is not intended to silence teachers, but to ensure the union’s message gets out.

“Today, [how you communicate] isn’t even relevant because everybody tweets and blogs,” English said, according to the Sun. “More people blog and Facebook more than anything. If you want to communicate, you can communicate. I don’t see how we can stop you, when you have every means of communicating today.”

The contract was announced last week after months of negotiations, and teachers will have until Thursday to review the contract before they are expected to vote. The old contract expires Friday.

Corey Gaber, one of many teachers unhappy with the quick turnaround, said the union is not genuinely attempting to listen to its members.

“If you value what your members think about something, then you give them an opportunity to consider the new contract, provide feedback, make changes if necessary, and then vote on it,” Gaber told the Sun.

The three-year contract will otherwise maintain key elements of the current contract. Teacher’s would be given a small stipend this month if it’s ratified, and a one percent raise annually through 2016. They would also keep their health insurance.

New Jersey Teachers Challenge Tom Moran/Newark Star-Ledger Integrity

Mr. Moran: You repeatedly parrot [Cami]  Anderson's talking points, which is shoddy journalism at its best... Newark teacher.

The Star-Ledger’s passionate, public love affair with Cami Anderson is now sliding into political porn. .. Bob Braun

CamiGate heats up.

My Dear Mr. Moran,

I admire your unwavering support for State Superintendent Anderson. However, as a journalist, it would behoove you to examine the issues in Newark from different vantage points. How many Newark Public School students, parents, teachers, administrators have you interviewed? You repeatedly parrot Anderson's talking points, which is shoddy journalism at its best. Anderson and her crew are targeting veteran teachers with extensive academic backgrounds and years of service to the community. They are being replaced with Teach for America novices, most of whom are well intentioned. They are experimenting with teaching at the expense of Newark Public School students. Few of them are committed to a teaching career. Children in Newark like their counterparts elsewhere need the support of adults who serve as constants in their lives. Anderson and other "reformers" across the country are attempting to turn teachers into minimum wage Walmart workers. Mr. Moran, I implore you to visit Newark Public Schools and engage community stakeholders in discourse. I for one am tired of reading your shallow diatribes in The Star-Ledger.

A Newark Teacher

Jersey Jazzman

No Credibility Left For Tom Moran and the Star-Ledger Editorial Board - *UPDATE BELOW* Many of you will be surprised to hear this, but I'm actually starting to feel sorry for Tom Moran, Editorial Page Editor of the *Star-Ledger... 

Bob Braun's Ledger

Star-Ledger to Cami Anderson: Be mine, Valentine! - The Star-Ledger’s passionate, public love affair with Cami Anderson is now sliding into political porn. The newspaper’s latest editorial is a gushing, em... 

UFT Dues Structure: Regressive for Everyone But Retirees

As to the calculated rate for teachers and other inservice groups, why should it be aligned to the salary of a near maximum teacher (i.e. 8B, L20) instead of being a percentage of a person's actual salary?... As to the pass throughs from the state and national unions, they are voted on at their respective conventions without direct membership approval. 

Not the last point -- a chunk of the dues is passed on to the AFT and NYSUT and the dues we pay here is decided by those Unity Caucus dominated conventions.

I know there are people saying that NYSUT stuff I've been writing about is irrelevant to our struggles to organize the rank and file and that teachers in the schools don't know or care about NYSUT. Ask them to check the pockets as a way to introduce the issue.

A retiree sent this historical note

Hi Norm,
This link (http://www.uft.org/our-rights/uft-dues) is to UFT's description of its dues structure. As you can see, there has not been a membership referendum on dues since 1982 and no modification in the calculation of dues has been voted on by the Delegate Assembly since 1999. Of particular note is not only the automatic nature of dues increases, but how they are calculated and how pass throughs from NYSUT and the AFT are also part of an automatic increase regimen. As to the calculated rate for teachers and other inservice groups, why should it be aligned to the salary of a near maximum teacher (i.e. 8B, L20) instead of being a percentage of a person's actual salary? In real terms, the dues paid by a teacher this year of slightly more than $1,200 is a much bigger (and unfair) hit on a beginning teacher in the $45,000 or so range than the maximum teacher approaching $100,000. 

And, in case you were not aware of it, retirees pay dues proportionate to their retirement income i.e. at the modest rate of .4 of one percent. As to the passthroughs from the state and national unions, they are voted on at their respective conventions without direct membership approval. 

Here is the simple point: even though the delegate assembly is still heavy Unity dominated and would vote for WW III if told too, at the very least each and every dues increase should be voted on. And Yes, the dues for working members should be based on a progressive not a regressive structure, as it is for retirees.

Newark Update: Cami Anderson Closes Schools While Still Engaging in Chris Christie-Like Thug Tactics

Newark parent leader arrested, jailed, after criticizing state plan to close schools....

UPDATE: 

Newark public school parents vs Cami Anderson

Inbox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyuzLudsYok&feature=youtu.be

Before we get to that story there is this from a Newark teacher:

Inclement Weather - Schools Closed February 5, 2014

In the interest of the safety of our students, and due to hazardous weather conditions, all Newark Public Schools are CLOSED on Wednesday, February 5, 2014. All events, meetings and after school programs are also canceled. The NPS central office will be open at 10:00AM with a delayed opening for staff.

In a stunning reversal, Anderson bowed to community pressure and announced closure of Newark Public Schools in advance of storm. At 10:49 Tuesday night, I received a text message from my friend at another school, "Just got call no school tom." I immediately texted back, "Is this a joke? It is not on website." In a matter of minutes, the closure was posted on the website. At 11:24 I received my robocall. What happened Cami? Did you read Braun, Jersey Jazzman and Ed Notes, or did the Star Ledger your staunch supporter do you in? Have you miraculously gained an appreciation for the safety of the lives of the children and adults impacted by your decisions? Did Christie call you to say, "Please Cami! I have enough headaches!" Did Cerf. send you an e-mail? Was it Devine intervention? We are One Newark, but perhaps not in the manner the "reformers" intended.

 All the blogs mentioned above reported the previous "closing" of Newark schools in the snow storm before last at around 8AM in the morning in what looked like political retaliation against teacher resistance.

Here are some links to my posts which link to the others.

• AndersonGate - Cami Anderson Uses Chris Christie L...
• AndersonGate: Cami Anderson Last Minute Newark Sch...

==
Now to the arrest. First this comment on the Braun blog:

Alicia Malave
Newark community we have to stand together otherwise we are submitting to their agenda. Every resource is being used against the community. The superintendent refers to our kids as a danger on the streets where they live, the teachers are ineffective according to the standardized tests that do not measure the real improvements in the schools. Principals are penalized for speaking up. The police is being used in numbers during Advisory Board meetings. Even when school members announce that they will drive around Cedar Street and honk their horns in protest of the principals’ suspension the police blocked the access to Cedar St. and officers were walking up and down the block. Now this arrest without a clear cause. They are stripping this community of what is rightfully ours. Taking our schools, selling our buildings, using our students as bargaining chips but we have the right to protest, the right to have an education that is provided by highly qualified teachers and the right to run our schools. People of Newark is time to stand up and demand what is ours.

http://bobbraunsledger.com/newark-parent-leader-arrested-jailed-after-criticizing-state-plan-to-close-schools/

And the story below the break.

Newark parent leader arrested, jailed, after criticizing state plan to close schools.

A parent leader who criticized the “One Newark” plan pushed by state school superintendent Cami Anderson was arrested yesterday  on charges he assaulted a central office administrator. Daryn Martin, president of the Parent Teacher Organization at the Ivy Hill School, was charged with ”aggravated assault” but released on his own recognizance. If convicted, he faces three to five years in jail.

Martin,  a deacon for he New Hope Baptist Church in Jersey City, said he was called by a Newark police detective and asked to come to headquarters to sign a formal complaint. He had earlier filed a criminal complaint against Tiffany Hardrick, an assistant school superintendent, but the detective said he did not have the right address on the form.  It apparently was a ruse to get Martin to come to police headquarters so he could be arrested. When he arrived shortly before 2:30 pm, he was confronted by a detective who told him:
“Here’s the deal, Mr. Martin. The simple assault charge against you has been elevated to aggravated assault because she is a public official.”
Martin said, “What charge? There’s no charge against me.” Despite his protests, he was handcuffed and fingerprinted. The police took a mug shot and swabbed his cheek for DNA samples. Then he was placed in a cell with two other inmates.
Robert Pickett of West Orange, Martin’s lawyer, said his client’s arrest amounted to “intimidation.” Martin was a vocal critic of plans by state-appointed superintendent Cami Anderson to close, transfer to charters or otherwise “repurpose” nearly half of the city’s public schools.
Martin had  appeared at a Trenton press conference called by state Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) when Rice introduced legislation aimed at blocking the closing of neighborhood schools in Newark and other cities.
“We intend to fight these charges aggressively,” Pickett said. “Mr. Martin will not be intimidated.”
Simple assault charges are automatically elevated to a much more serious crime if the victim is a public official, including a school employee.
Martin’s troubles with Anderson began Jan. 15 when he posted notices of a PTO meeting at the Ivy Hill School. Later, he witnessed Hardrick and another central office administrator, Gary Beidleman, tearing down the notices, which had been approved by school principal Lisa Brown.
Martin said that, when he demanded they stop, Hardrick pushed him twice. He later filed a police complaint against Hardrick but, two days later,  he was banned from entering the school his two children attend. The letter notifying him of the ban accused him of pushing Hardrick and Beidleman although a  report filed by a school security officer about the incident mentioned no pushing.  At the time, neither Newark police nor the school administration would say whether any charges had been pressed against Martin.
Martin then joined a federal law suit filed by five school principals against Anderson, charging she violated their First Amendment rights. The principals were suspended after speaking about the “One Newark” plan at a community forum. After widespread community outrage, the five were taken off suspension. Brown did not speak at the forum but was apparently suspended for supporting Martin.
“This takes the fight against Anderson to a whole new level,” Martin said after his release from jail last night. “I am not going to stop speaking out against what she is doing to the children of Newark.”
Pickett said he  believed the school district was “trying to paint my client as a bad guy to help their defense against the federal suit.” The attorney said their action “just increased the potential damages against them.”
Martin insisted he had no idea he would be arrested when he was lured  to police headquarters.  He said  detectives spoke to him but did not read him his Miranda rights that direct him to remain silent if he faced arrest. He also said he was never brought before a judge to give his side of what happened.
“It was a set up,” he said. Martin accused the police of working with the school board to created a “massive cover-up” of the circumstances of his arrest.
Martin said he had never been arrested before.
Martin, a union organizer for 1199J, National Union of Hosital and Health Care Workers, said he was “sorry” he had cost the taxpayers money because he was fed a prison meal of franks and beans, a bottle of water, and oatmeal cookies. Just as a bus came to take inmates to the county jail, he said, he was told he could go home.

Today they closed schools - http://www.nps.k12.nj.us/site/default.aspx?PageID=1

Inside Buffalo: More Rumors on Rumore (Phil)

Even those trying to follow the NYSUT soap opera are emailing asking me wtf is going on because I seem to be nothing more than confusing them. But that is my job. Here is another dispatch from a credible source on the Buffalo Teachers Federation leader Phil Rumore's relationship with Dick Iannuzzi and why Rumore is leaning toward the Revive NYSUT/Mulgrew/UFT slate, which if you read some of my posts (Buffalo's Rumore Taking Stand in NYSUT Split? and  Is Iannuzzi Toast?) makes no sense given that when Rumore led Buffalo teachers in resisting the crap with no outward support from Mulgrew or Iannuzzi.

So Rumore is pissed at Iannuzzi for reasons pointed out in this comment:

When the NYSUT Representative Assembly met a few years ago in Buffalo the Buffalo Teachers Union walked out when commissioner King spoke to the assembly. President Iannnuzzi specifically told the delegates not to join in with our 'Brothers and Sisters" from Buffalo as they walked out. The commissioner had made some very harsh cuts to their education funding and the BTU wanted no part of King. Here is a reason for the lack of support for Iannuzzi.

This points to other political issues between them:

Another reason Phil Rumore is pissed at Slick Dick stems from a little power play Iannuzzi pulled on an endorsement here for a state senate candidate last time they ran. Rumore wanted to give it to Betty Jean Grant, a local party hack and hanger on, and Dick for whatever reason, possibly the intervention of a particluar WNY apparatchik named Steve Pidgeon was interested in endorsing Tim Kennedy, a South Buffalo party hack and up and coming hanger on. [SEE Links below]

From what union HQ insiders tell me the protocol is to allow the local President to make the call but for whatever reason Ianuzzi stuck it to Rumore and they threw their support to Kennedy. I wonder if it's somehow a payback for BTF people led by Rumore walking out on King as he took the podium here at whatver the NYSUT event was. 

Iannuzzi openly begged members not to support Phil, BTF and walking out on John. So it appears to boil down to a Game of Egos once again. Phil is horrifyingly uninformed on issues and didn't even seem to know anything about TFA when it was proposed they invade our schools last year. He also happens to be personal pals with Robert Wilmers the CEO of M&T Bank who not only paid the stipend for TFA to come here but also paid for the search that brought us the most disastrous and devastating Super Buffalo has ever seen in the form of one James Williams. 

When someone mentioned Wilmers at a BTF gathering as an enemy of city schools Phil became testy and said to lay off because he and Wilmers were buddies. It's time for Phil to ride into the sunset but he has been very careful not to groom a successor. I am glad you mentioned his sudden interest in the NYSUT race. He knows he doesn't like Dick and I fear that's as far as his rigor goes in the debate. 

======

It is also worth publishing this comment:

Excellent forwarding Yonkers Federation of Teachers president Patricia Puleo said her union's delegates are free to decide for themselves who they'll vote for in April, and she questioned whether new leadership would make a difference in how the state Education Department goes forward with implementation of the Common Core standards. But she recognized that the city's teachers have grown frustrated. “People are so upset that they are willing to make whatever changes they can,” Puleo said. Kevin Ahern, president of the Syracuse Teachers Association, said his delegates aren't sure how they'll vote. “We have to do what is best for our local, and we are waiting until we have thoroughly discussed where both slates are at in terms of what will work best for us in the long term,” Ahern said. Thanks a lot with great wishing on The Battle for NYSUT: Ebbs and Flows 

 ====

And finally, little more background on the Rumore/Iannuzzi Grant/Kennedy flap below the break called: Noose tightening around Kennedy
:

Teachers Unite Sat. Feb 8: Restorative Justice and Teacher Unions: What are the connections?

I believe in the Restorative Justice model as an alternative to discipline models in schools. Teachers Unite is showing it can work.

People accuse me of living in a dream world - I've never supported suspending kids or placing all the blame on kids for problems in schools. You know the argument -- "if I could just get rid of the scumbags, as one teacher" recently told me. I'm not interested in blaming kids who are mostly victims. Believe me, I was as frustrated as anyone at times. I felt lucky that I was able to get over most conflicts with kids and restart the relationship. Generally I didn't have lots of trouble with kids but then again I didn't teach in the current climate so I do understand. I recently heard an NPR BBC broadcast talking about world-wide complainst about student behavior and where many commentors pushed for caning. I think RJ is a better choice.

Also a great chance to hear/see via Skype LATU Presidential candidate Alex Caputo-Pearl and Arlene Inouye who is currently serving in an elected position in the union and is running again. I believe there are 9 people running for President. The election is this month.

Teachers Unite did an excellent workshop on Restorative Justice at the More Than a Test Score conference last Saturday.

Restorative Justice and Teacher Unions: 

What are the connections?

 

How can organizing around restorative practices & social justice relate to union work at your school site?

 

A panel & discussion with Union Power Caucus of

United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)

 

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Noon-2pm EST

 

Teachers College

525 W. 120th Street, NYC

1 | A | B | C | D to 125th St.

 

Facilitated by Dr. Lois Weiner, author, The Future of our Schools  

with panelists via Skype:

Alex Caputo-Pearl, Union Power Caucus Candidate for UTLA President

&

Arlene Inouye, Union Power Caucus Candidate for UTLA Treasurer

 

Hosted by Teachers Unite and Endorsed by the New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE) and the Movement of Rank & File Educators (MORE)

 

RSVP: anna@teachersunite.net

And on Facebook

The Battle for NYSUT: Iannuzzi was made in 2005 and unmade in 2014 - By the same people

It's like they just found any warm body to run for president of a 600,000 member union... NYSUT member on Karen Magee

...it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance for any one of NYSUT’s nearly half-million members to make a leadership run. Oh, except the endorsement of NYSUT’s dominant internal caucus has already gone to sitting vice president Richard Iannuzzi, ensuring his election. Better luck in 2037! ... Mike Antonucci, March 21, 2005, EIA

Nine years ago Mike was referring to the ending of Tom Hobart's 32 year run as NYSUT President, figuring as a conservative estimate Iannuzzi would get a similar run. Guess not, even though the fat lady hasn't sung.

In his post today Mike joins me in pinning Randi to the wall on her supposed "neutrality" which she heralds in tweet after tweet. He may be coming from one political direction and me from another but we both can see through the fog.

A NYSUT member sent in this comment:

The Revive people have been defending Randi like crazy... and now she is coming to their rescue as well.  Mike Mulgrew and Randi Weingarten... grassroots unionism at it's best!

[Ed Note: During the 2013 UFT election whenever we brought up Randi, knowing how unpopular she was with so many teachers, the Unity slugs left comments like, "Who's Randi?"] Back to my NYSUT commenter:

The last line of the article is one Karen Magee should pay attention to [Iannuzzi was made in 2005 and unmade in 2014. By the same people.]  Of course that is assuming she has a pulse.  Nobody has heard anything from here.  Not a word.  I haven't seen a quote in any article, on any blog, she has a dormant Twitter account, etc.  It's like they just found any warm body to run for president of a 600,000 member union...

I'm waiting for an update as to whether Karen Magee has a pulse. But I think we were saying the same thing about Iannucci in 2005. We knew that Exec VP Alan Lubin was really running NYSUT then. What has happened is that the pressure on the unions to cave to RTTT and all the crap that comes with it has created these rifts and tensions.

The 2 Iannuzzi theories are:
1. Facing reality he moved towards resistance as a political move to gain whatever support he could. But if he should win he would go back to being his same old compromised self.

2. He could have gone along with whatever Mulgrew and Randi wanted -- endorses Cuomo, etc. and not faced a challenge. He moved because there was real pressure on him from around the state and he was caught in the middle and increasingly moved away from the UFT pressure. I believe he probably tried to find some way of working things out with Mulgrew -- hard to believe he wouldn't -- but Revive NYSUT killed any chance of that once hostilities were in the open. Now totally freed from the UFT he is going where he could never go before.

Iannuzzi would have a puncher's chance of winning if Phil Rumore comes to his senses and realizes that even though Iannuzzi may have acted somewhat dickish when Buffalo resisted the pressure, Mulgrew was totally absent in support. I certainly didn't see anything coming out of the UFT supporting the Buffalo teachers. Rumore's complaints about Iannuzzi look downright "playing the winning hand" given his savvy and understanding that Revive NYSUT would not resist the Tisch/King/Cuomo axis.

Rumore should move from leaning towards Revive to neutral and watch how this plays out. If he and the other big cities joined with the 100 or more local presidents to create a block that will not support Cuomo, they have an outside chance of pulling this off. But even if they lose, they form a considerable block in NYSUT to counter the UFT me, me, me attitude on the state and national level.

And if Iannuzzi should win who would own him? Mulgrew or people like Rumore who "made" him this time?

Afterburn:

Here is a PJSTA blog post of interest regarding Andy Pallotta who is seen hobnobbing with anti-teacher ed deformer John Flanagan. Andy Pallotta and Reformy John Flanagan. (photo on right).

And below the break is the complete EIA piece.

Change the Stakes' Fred Smith Infiltrates Super Bowl Press Box, Little Mermaid and MORE

During NY Jet games I text my fellow Jet fans "turning point" -- usually with the Jets losing and often all too early in the game. Super Bowl night I texted "Turning Point" - after the first play.

Saturday, at the MORE Than a Test Score awesome event organized by the amazing crew from MORE and Change the Stakes, testing guru Fred Smith pulled me aside and showed me his Media Access pass for the press box at the Super Bowl.

Red Hot Chili Pepper Fred Smith and friends at Super Bowl

Fred is a statistician who works for the NY Jets at their home games and this led to his actually getting paid to be at the Super Bowl. A dream job to many football fans. But Fred took it further, as the photo shoes. "I told them I was a Red Hot Chili Pepper," Fred emailed.

I gave up the game and joined my wife in watching her favorite program, Downton Abbey, which had the 2nd highest rating to the game. Lady Mary was doing much better than the Broncos. I couldn't make it through Sherlock Holmes which requires a level of alertness I am not longer capable of.
-----

I want to write a separate blog post on the wonderful MORE/Change the Stakes event on Saturday which drew 150 people. While so many people did so much to put this together, the leadership of Jia Lee deserves much recognition. To remind you of the power of organizing, especially around testing, Jia came to an event we held on the eval system in April 2012 and jumped into the work of MORE and Change the Stakes with gusto. She is one of those game-changers -- and a chapter leader to boot. I taped some of her remarks and will put that up with the more in-depth blog post.
------

The Rockaway Theatre Company just completed 2 weeks of a wonderful production of "The Little Mermaid" directed by Susan Corning and my former acting teacher, Frank Chiati. The performers ranged in age from 5-18 and were amazing. There is so much young talent out there they had to use 2 casts. Last week I taped the "green" cast and Friday I wanted to tape the "blue" cast but I screwed up the time and got there in the middle of Act I. I hand-held the camera for the rest of Act 1 while shooting from the production booth. I was able to set up for Act II and took this pic at the end. Check out those wonderful costumes.

------
As a newly-minted chorus member in the upcoming production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," I am desperately trying to remember even one song and get that coordinated with the dance steps. Oy! Rehearsals are almost every night of the weekdays and then the set has to be built - I am part of the set construction crew -- and in fact should be heading over to the theater soon to see if that is happening today. Last night's rehearsal was cancelled and we were told to be there by plane, train or snow plow tonight.

 

AndersonGate - Cami Anderson Uses Chris Christie Lane Closure Tactics in Snow Day Late School Closures

Newark Supt. Cami Anderson, who helped destroy the District 79 program here in NYC when she was Joel Klein's agent of destruction, is quickly turning into Michelle Rhee junior. Diane Ravitch points out today (Is Chris Christie’s Newark Superintendent Shaping the Mayoral Race?)
as to how Anderson is affecting the race for Newark Mayor just as Rhee was responsible for the loss of her patron in Wash. DC. Note that both are Teach for America alum and indicative of the destructive and insidious role that organization has played in national education politics.

Yesterday we reported that Cami "botched" the closing of Newark schools. Now new information is coming in that there was some intention behind the "blotching." Signs point to Cami Anderson following the Chris Christie retaliation script.

Here are facts from a teacher viewpoint:

• All schools in Essex county were deemed closed and early notification was implemented: except for Newark.
• State run school districts were closed and early notification was implemented:  except Newark.
• Charters in Newark, which are districts within the district and receive 90% of school funding per student capita, were closed and early notification was implemented.
• Sub finder was down so teachers could not call in absent. If a teacher was absent they would be written up because sub finder could not be utilized.
• Many teachers live far and were on the road by 5 or 6. State, County and city roads were unsafe, not attended to.
• Many were in schools by 8AM and many teachers still did not receive a call even as late as 8AM. Most got their call AFTER we clocked in and signed in.
• Some teachers got dropped off only to find out that they had no ride home.
• Teachers were told to head back home because the building was closing.
• Truthfully, these are very serious administrative errors.

This teacher is being kind. Administrative "error" or intentionally aimed at teachers despite co-lateral damage to children and parents?

Anyone for lane closure comparisons?

-------------------
See Bob Braun: Cami Anderson must resign!
See Jersey Jazzman:  Jersey Jazzman:

State-Run Newark Schools Blow Snow Closings Again -

State-Run Newark Schools Blow Snow Closings Again

State-Run Newark Schools Blow Snow Closings Again

State-Run Newark Schools Blow Snow Closings Again

tate-Run Newark Schools Blow Snow Closings Again

State-Run Newark Schools Blow Snow Closings Again

State-Run Newark Schools Blow Snow Closings Again

Afterburn: Another teacher comments.

I was lucky enough not to be injured, but was I upset. I risked my safety for my job just to find out minutes before arriving at my school that the district was closed. As upset as I was (and still am) at her total disregard for student and staff safety, I cannot say I am surprised. This is from a vindictive woman with no conscience whose total purpose is to profit corporations with public school money who send the more challenging students back to the public schools beginning after the October 15th count.
Cami filed a waver to of employees who have some because she may have to pay them more than a beginning salary (If a teacher is of poor quality, he/she can be gotten rid of by poor evaluations, so don't let her fool you into thinking this is about keeping the good ones). Cami does not care about poor minority children at all. It is about lining the pockets of the corporations just like her good buddy Christie.

Below the break is the Ravitch blog post.

Randi Position on NYSUT Revealed in Interview

Randi Weingarten ‏@rweingarten 

@perdidostschool-...if the divisiveness wasn't so sad, the blog post would be a fun piece of fiction to read cc: @NormScott1

Thus Randi tweeted in response to PerdidoStSchool when he posted my contention that she is behind the entire thing. She contended the AFT was neutral -- note she said AFT not her -- parsing, as usual.

So read this selection from a Capital Pro article and you decide which side Randi is on:

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers and a former president of U.F.T., disputed Iannuzzi's argument at a union rally in Albany last week. She said she will not endorse a candidate in the election, which she called “divisive.” [ED NOTE: Exactly who is the incumbent here and who is being divisive?]
“There is no U.F.T. president I know, including myself, who ever would want to take over NYSUT,” she said. “And so, when that becomes the argument, that means that this has become not about the issues.
“It's not about a U.F.T. takeover,” she continued. “No U.F.T. president would ever want that. It is about different slates with a different sense of how to move the state union forward, and they have a right to make their arguments. They have a right to make their case, and then the people at the convention have a right to make their decision.”

This is the same Randi who bought off the opposition in 2003 so they would not run a candidate against her and had her Unity Caucus attack ICE as her successor had them attack MORE for "being divisive" for criticizing the Unity led leadership.

Read the comments below from Andy Pallotta. Let's see now, Andy goes from being District 10 Rep -- a mid-level UFT/Unity Caucus functionary to NYSUT VP under Randi's watch as UFT President before she went to the AFT. Does anyone think he just decided that on his own? Does anyone think he is making this move on his own?

Check out this criticism of Iannuzzi --

For example, critics have argued Iannuzzi's push for a vote of no confidence against Education Commissioner John King came too late and was in reaction to the upcoming contested election.

This is the RBE argument that in this world up is down when we hear Mulgrew praise King to death but not supports the argument that Iannuzzi should have called for no confidence earlier. Has Mulgrew put forth such a resolution to the UFT? Call me when he does.

As I tweeted back to Randi -- we have observed the UFT/NYSUT/AFT machine in action for over 40 years and that top-down control set up by Shanker to Feldman to Weingarten to Mulgrew has not changed one iota. The UFT tail wags the NYSUT dog and that combination wags the AFT. Why she and Mulgrew would decide to blow up NYSUT over Cuomo is beyond me.

Full Capital article below the break.

Help The State Assembly Choose New Regents Who Oppose High-Stakes Testing

Remember, NYS Regents is headed by Merryl Tisch and they hired John King etc -- so if the 4 candidates win it limits her power and control -- By the way, the Staten Island candidate is Mike Reilly, a retired cop and pro true reform on education. Looking for a write in candidate for mayor and getting a pro-Reilly email I wrote in his name. Hope he wins this one -- remember, the state legislature votes, with Shelley Silver being the major power player.


Diane Ravitch’s blog

The New York State legislature will shortly decide which candidates, among more than twenty applicants, will be appointed to four Regents positions. There are four candidates who have made a firm commitment to oppose high stakes testing and would bring excellent experience. 

Here is the press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  January 31, 2014

More information contact:

Eric Mihelbergel ; nys.allies@gmail.com

Lisa Rudley ; nys.allies@gmail.com

NYS Allies for Public Education www.nysape.org

NYS Allies for Public Education Endorses Full Slate of Candidates for the Board of Regents

New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE), a coalition of 45 organizations from around the state, is endorsing a full slate of four candidates for the New York State Board of Regents:  Audrey Marie Baker, Dr. Carol Mikoda, Michael Reilly, and Helen “Regina” Rose.  The Board of Regents sets education policy for the state and appoints the State Education Commissioner.   Four Regents will be selected by the State Legislature in March and the interviews of more than 20 candidates will take place on February 4^th and 11^th at the Capitol Building in the Assembly Parlor.   NYSAPE is urging all citizens to contact their representatives and ask them to be a part of this interviewing and nominating process.

“At a time of unprecedented public opposition to the agenda pursued by Commissioner King, we are confident that these four candidates will thoughtfully respond to and address the concerns of parents and educators.  These highly qualified candidates will steer the state in a new direction -- strengthening our schools, rather than undermining them,” said Jeanette Deutermann, Nassau County public school parent and founder of Long Island Opt-Out (of tests) group.

The candidates, if approved, would replace all of the incumbents whose tenure expires this March:  Regents James Cottrell, Christine Cea, James Jackson, and Wade Norwood. All four incumbents have been unresponsive to the concerns of parents and have expressed little or no opposition to the policies pursued by Commissioner John King and Chancellor Merryl Tisch.

Audrey Marie Baker was a teacher, principal and administrator in the NYC public school system for over thirty-five years, with expertise in the area of special education.  Ms. Baker is applying for one of the at-large seats on the Regents.  She holds over 14 licenses and certifications in education. In response to our survey she wrote, “As a career educator, I hold myself accountable to the parents and students of NYS.” She pledges to survey parents to ascertain their concerns, and to meet regularly with key community stakeholders.  She supports a moratorium on high stakes Common Core exams, and an independent study of the standards by a panel of experts in education and developmental psychology.  Ms. Baker’s resume and survey responses can be viewed here www.nysape.org/audrey-marie-baker-survey-results-and-resume.html

Dr. Carol Mikoda holds a doctorate in Educational Theory and Practice, with a specialty in teaching writing.  She has taught at the middle school, high school and college level, for over thirty years.  Dr. Mikoda is applying for one of the two at-large seats on the Regents.  Dr. Mikoda advocates for literacy instruction that engages students even as it builds reading and writing skills. She is concerned about the over-emphasis on the reading of informational texts, which is part of the Common Core.  She is also deeply committed to ensuring that all students receive a quality education.  “I strongly support a move to step away entirely from the Common Core Learning Standards. Before the advent of Common Core Learning Standards, New York State already operated with some of the best standards in the nation, and did not need to look outside for guidance.” Dr. Mikoda’s resume and survey responses can be viewed here www.nysape.org/carol-mikoda-survey-results-and-resume.html 

Helen “Regina” Rose is applying to represent District III Region (Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster Counties).  Ms. Rose is a former special education teacher with over twenty years of experience, and was a member of the Kinderhook Board of Education for six years. She has a grandchild in the public schools and has been a strong and vocal advocate for all students, especially those with disabilities.  In response to the NYSAPE survey, Rose wrote, “I cannot understand how our entire public education system is being treated as an experiment – they are building the plane in the air.  We cannot allow a generation of children to be used as guinea pigs.”  Ms. Rose’s resume and survey responses can be viewed here www.nysape.org/regina-rose-survey-results-and-resume.html

Mike Reilly is applying to fill the District XIII seat on Staten Island.  Mr. Reilly, a former police officer, has been a respected community leader for many years.  His three children attend the Staten Island public schools.  Since 2009, Reilly has served as a member of the district’s Community Education Council and sits on the Board of Managers of the Staten Island YMCA. He supports a moratorium on high-stakes, Common Core testing and opposes the disclosure of personal student data to inBloom Inc. or other vendors without parental consent. Presently, no member of the Board of Regents has a child in our public schools.  Mr. Reilly would bring a needed parent perspective. Mr. Reilly’s resume and survey responses can be viewed here www.nysape.org/michael-reilly-survey-results-and-resume.html

In a spirit of transparency, NYS Allies for Public Education sent its survey www.nysape.org/regents-candidate-information.html via certified mail and email to Regents Cea, Cottrell, Jackson and Norwood in early December 2013, asking them to clarify their positions on a variety of key education issues.  To date, not one of the incumbents completed the survey or responded to our request.

Upon hearing about the current Regents failure to respond, Chris Tanis, a New Paltz parent said, “Clearly, the four incumbents do not understand that they have an obligation to be accountable to the public and to clearly express their views on the current policies that have aroused such opposition among parents and other community members. The fact that they refused to respond to the NYSAPE survey – and more importantly have ignored the public outrage over the policies pursued by the State Education Department -- makes a strong case for the need for new leadership.”

Although members of the Board of Regents are selected by the Legislature, they have traditionally kept their seats on the board until they choose to resign or retire. While the appointment process has escaped public scrutiny in the past, this year NYSAPE id urging parents, educators and concerned constituents to call on their Assembly Members and State Senators to nominate and vote for candidates who will work to reverse the current, disastrous reforms.

On February 4^th and 11^th, the chairs of the Assembly Education and Higher Education Committees, Assembly Members Catherine Nolan and Deborah Glick, will conduct in-person interviews of the candidates along with other members of the Assembly.  In March, the full Legislature will vote on candidates pre-selected by its members, predominantly those in the Assembly.

According to Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters: “In recent months, there has been an unprecedented outpouring of concern and criticism directed at the agenda being implemented by Commissioner King – including the sharing of personal student data with inBloom Inc., without parental consent.  Eight states have pulled out of inBloom or put their data-sharing plans on hold because of parent protest and opposition --but not New York. We need new Regents who will be responsive to the need to protect student privacy.”

In a recent editorial in Newsday, principals Carol Burris and John Murphy noted “The time has come for the public to insist that the appointment of Regents be more than pro forma. The fate of a generation of students is at stake.”

The New York State legislature will shortly decide which candidates, among more than twenty applicants, will be appointed to four Regents positions.  

There are four candidates who have made a firm commitment to oppose high stakes testing and would bring excellent experience.  You can read about these candidates here: http://www.nysape.org/nysape-endorses-full-slate-of-candidates-for-the-board-of-regents.html.

 Please take the time to email your state senator or assembly member, and insist that they actively participate in the interview and selection process. Let them know that you support: Mike Reilly, Regina Rose, Audrey Baker and Dr. Carol Mikoda.  You will find a sample email below.

Here is an easy way to access your senator and assembly person’s contact information:

Find your Assembly Member: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/

Find your Senator:  http://www.nysenate.gov/senators

If you have the time, also contact Speaker Sheldon Silver, and Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan. We are hearing that keeping incumbents is “tradition”. This is not an acceptable response in a democracy.

Thank you for your efforts on behalf of our students. The sample email follows.  

Sample email

 

Dear      :

On February 4, and then again on February 11, Assemblywomen Nolan and Glick will lead interviews for four positions on the Board of Regents.  It is my understanding that there are many candidates for these positions. 

I am writing to let you know that I do not believe the four incumbents, Regents Cea, Jackson, Cotrell and Norwood, should be reappointed.   We need Regents who are actively engaged with parents and communities and who listen to educators who know our children best. 

As your constituent, I am asking that you attend those interviews.  I also ask for your support of the following three candidates:  Michael Reilly, Regina Rose, Dr. Carol Mikado and Audrey Baker.  All four candidates know that our children are more than a number or a data point.  As Regent Board members these candidates will fight for authentic and quality education for all children in New York State. 

Thank you.  I look forward to watching your participation in the interview process.

Sincerely,