UFT Contract: Roseanne McCosh, PS 8X, Urges Colleagues to Vote NO

Former Unity Caucus member slams UFT leadership and Unity.

Norm---
I wrote the below and it will go into teacher mailboxes. The majority in my school are voting NO and many of them will not attend the union meetings with UFT officials to hear bullshit.  The NO campaign at PS 8 was taken up by many teachers in my school.  It was good to hear people who don't normally voice their opinions talking to others about what a raw deal this is and sending me information and reasons to vote no.  Normally I'm the key person to disseminate information but this time many others jumped on board.  I'm giving my colleagues some final considerations before Unity arrives at our school.  We will vote on the contract on Friday....   Roseanne McCosh, PS8x

Unity slugs have tried to make it seem that only MORE is against the contract and is only taking that position as a cover to attack Unity. I can say that in fact MORE very early on was analyzing the contract and some of us warned not to take an automatic NO position but to hear where people in the schools were coming from. I never expected they would screw up on the money issue and in fact believed they would come up with a winning money package even if the rest of the contract sucked and they would get a slam dunk.

Boy was I wrong. I heard from people I had not heard from in years. MORE was inundated with people who from the first word were opposed -- not MOREistas but independents.  Roseanne was one of them.

Dear UFT Members:

     The UFT is sending a representative to our school today to convince us to vote YES.  This is the job of all who work for the UFT.  No one who works for the UFT is permitted to disagree with the union president.  Our union president (Michael Mulgrew) did not allow for an open debate on the contract at the delegate assembly.  Those of you who attended our last chapter meeting heard Lori (our delegate) speak to what she has witnessed at delegate assemblies—including the one during which the DA passed this contract on to us.  Mulgrew filibustered and did not allow anyone opposed to the contract to have equal time to speak to the audience.  I’ve already given many reasons why we should vote NO.  I will leave you with some final thoughts prior to their arrival:

     

Fear will be instilled as they try to convince us to vote YES.  But do you want to know who’s really afraid?  The UFT Leadership is afraid.  They are afraid that those of us in the trenches will wake up and demand better when they promised NYC that they could corral us in any direction they wanted.  Maybe they can corral the majority----maybe not. Time will tell.  But I’m not interested in being a member of the majority.  I am interested in being an individual who knows when I’m being steamrolled and screwed and who stands up and says, “HELL NO!”  

However, my NO vote isn't really about my personal circumstances at all.  With or without this contract my retirement timeline remains the same and I will retire with a livable income.  I can sincerely say that my short distance to retirement means that this vote means very little to me personally.  A YES vote means my pension will be higher.  I’ll see the same retro as those of you with much longer to go. I’ll just have to wait like everyone else.  I am treated well by our current administration and I have handled difficult administrations in the past without ever bending over for anyone.  My NO vote is a vote for your future--not mine.  

• Health Care: My NO vote is saying that I won’t accept changes to health care that will be made if this contract is approved. Until I see the health care plan to save the BILLIONS Mulgrew promised DeBlasio, I don’t want to hear that there are no givebacks.  I don’t want to HEAR anymore.  I want to SEE a written plan and know exactly how the UFT is planning on saving those billions of dollars.  (see HealthCare Savings section of  the contract which is pasted on the back of this page---BILLIONS in Savings but no details as to HOW). 
• Stronger Union: My NO vote is about the future of a labor union that has become weaker with each passing contract.  My NO vote is my way of saying that all teachers are entitled to due process hearings before their livelihoods are taken away from them.  By selling out the ATRs we are giving up our own job security in the future.  We will be helpless to an abusive principal.
• Playing us for fools: My NO vote is saying DON’T LIE TO US!  Ask [name redacted] from our SBST how she was lied to and was told at a UFT pension workshop that she would get 5% interest on our owed money when the fact is it’s 0%. They lied to all who attended.
• Appropriate Compensation: My NO vote is also saying that teachers should be rewarded for their patience in waiting for delayed increases and retro.  And that reward should be the elimination of extended time.  The last time we showed patience we got February break included in our contract.  This time we get 2 more evening PT conferences and speeches about how lucky we are to have a job and that Bloomberg left the cupboards bare.  Ask the Wall Street execs how their cupboards are doing these days.  The DOW has reached new highs and the rich of NYC are doing quite well.  It is always the working class that is asked to make sacrifices.     (CONTINUED ON BACK)

• Scare Tactics: My NO vote is saying that the UFT will not scare me into compliance.  Let NYPD and FDNY negotiate first if necessary.  They have already said they won’t accept this pattern of delays and retro on retro. The president of SBA (Sergeants Benevolent Assoc) has stated, “I think Mike Mulgrew is out of his mind for doing a deal like that.”   We will do better if we vote NO.  Don’t let the UFT convince you otherwise.  The UFT’s main goal is to not have egg on their face.  Their goal is to corral us as they promised NYC they would.  Enough with fear based decision making from a labor union leadership and membership….it’s embarrassing.   Male dominated unions are not afraid.  Why are we?

H. Healthcare Savings

a.  The UFT and the City/DOE agree the UFT will exercise its best efforts to have the MLC agree to the following:

 i. for fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015), there shall be $400 million in savings on a city- wide basis in health care costs in the NYC health care program.

ii.  for fiscal year 2016 (July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016), there shall be $700 million in savings on a citywide basis in health care costs in the NYC health care program.

iii.  for fiscal year 2017 (July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017), there shall be $1 billion in savings on a citywide basis in health care costs in the NYC health care program.

iv.  for fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018), there shall be $1.3 billion in savings on a citywide basis in health care costs in the NYC health care program.

v.  for every fiscal year thereafter, the savings on a citywide basis in health care costs shall continue on a recurring basis.

vi. The parties agree that the above savings to be achieved on a Citywide basis are a material term of this agreement.

vii.  In the event the MLC does not agree to the above citywide targets, the arbitrator shall determine the UFT’s proportional share of the savings tar get and, absent an agreement by these parties, shall implement the process for the satisfaction of these savings targets.

viii.  Stabilization Fund: (1) Effective July 1, 2014, the Stabilization Fund shall convey $1 billion to the City of New York to be used in support of the pro rata funding of this agreement.

(2) Commencing on July 1, 2014, $200 million from the Stabilization Fund shall be made available per year to pay for ongoing programs (such as $65 welfare fund contribution, PICA payments, budget relief). In the event the MLC does not agree to provide the funds specified in this paragraph, the arbitrator shall determine the UFT’s proportional share of the Stabilization Fund monies required to be paid under this paragraph.

AFTERBURN:

Roseanne was quite insulted when Unity slugs were leaving those comments that MORE was playing politics.

The NO campaign being run in my school is being run by teachers with no affiliation or allegiance to any caucus. We have defined our reasons for voting NO very clearly. It is a campaign against UNITY because Unity is trying to ram this shit down our throats. And rest assured the day MORE or ICE or anyone else wants to ram shit down our throats we will speak out against them as well. PS 8 is comprised of individuals who THINK and vote accordingly....and some of us may very well vote yes....but those of us voting NO have our reasons and our minds will not be changed by spin. Roseanne McCosh PS 8

Irony is that she is a former member of Unity -- and let us not give up on all of them -- she is an example that some will see the light. So I issue a call to Unity Caucus members ready to switch: MORE welcomes you. (We also welcomed New Action early this school year but they have another agenda.)

Protest Cuomo at Dem Convention as de Blasio Nominates Him Today

We just learned that de Blasio will nominate Cuomo today.
http://m.nydailynews.com/news/politics/blaz-set-nominate-cuomo-term-article-1.1799923

Eterno Reports on yesterday's rally which Cuomo tried to get our pals on Long Island to cancel:

(Rallies Scare Cuomo into Meeting with Stronger Together

May 09, 2014)

ICEUFT Blog

LONG ISLAND EDUCATORS PROTEST AGAINST CUOMO IN MELVILLE - 

 

There was a tremendous vibe outside the the State Democratic convention in Melville yesterday as Arthur Goldstein and I joined what looked like thousands of educators from Long Island for a very spirited rally.  Do you think Governor Cuomo is noticing?



Francis Lewis HS's Arthur Goldstein talking to Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association President Beth Dimino along with Rockville Center Principal Carol Burris and her husband (a retired UFT member)!

Unionism looks to be alive and well east of the city.  

Hundreds of Parents to Protest Governor Cuomo's Failed Education Record : Long Island Exchange
http://www.longislandexchange.com/press-releases/hundreds-of-parents-to-protest-governor-cuomos-failed-education-record/

 

 

Newark: Is Cami A Crook?

Sources within the union leadership said Anderson’s contract–up at the end of June–would not be renewed and she would leave in a way that suggested her departure was voluntary.  Those same sources indicated leadership could be passed over to a cooperative arrangement between a state official and a current high-ranking officer within the Newark Public Schools, with the most obvious candidate Roger Leon, currently an assistant schools superintendent.... Bob Braun's Ledger

The Newark story continues to fascinate. Yesterday we reported and posted a video of the student sit-in ( to our last post: Newark Student Union Conducts a Sit-in at The Newark Public Schools Board's Budget Meeting and Cami Walks Out Again!). Today the union leader is saying Supt Cami Anderson will be gone (Is Cami Anderson Out in Newark? ). Today mayor elect Ras Baraka met with Christie..... Hmmmm!

Our pal in Newark pawed through the report of Cami malfeasance (I'm hoping for a perp walk.) and sent in this dispatch:

Kristin Towkanuik President of the Newark Student Union led a sit in at 2  Cedar Street administrative home of the Newark Public Schools. The students demanded to meet with State District Superintendent Cami Anderson and Acting Education Commissioner David Hespe. In less than twenty-four hours, both luminaries have agreed to the demands. What is going on here? The secret is Mayor-elect Ras Baraka spreading his magic dust over the city. Cami and David decided to meet with the students before their chutzpah gets out of hand.

State Senator Ronald Rice sent a letter to Hespe on behalf of the Joint Committee on the Public Schools respectfully requesting an investigation of Anderson's "handling of the administrative and fiscal affairs of the Newark Public Schools." I have been studying this document for hours and I will try to give you a cheat sheet on the information I have gleaned.

The projected deficit for the Newark Public Schools is $53 million. Where did all that money go? Cami gave out generous raises to her BFFs also known as assistant superintendents. They are all making $175,000 per annum. The Chief Talent Officer is only earning $173,975, but the School Business Administrator brings home $189,817. It seems like a lot of dough for shuffling e-mails, but they may have other hidden responsibilities.

Another significant concern is the potential for conflicts of interest in the awarding of contracts and the hiring of consultants. The crux of the matter is the sale of 18th Avenue School to the TEAM Charter Schools operated by KIPP Schools. Sir Walter Scott must have had a look at Cami's machinations when he penned, "Oh what a tangled web we weave."

Let it suffice for me to introduce a few key players. Former Education Commissioner Chris Cerf had previous professional business associations with Tim Carden who resurfaced as the President of Friends of TEAM Schools. The Friends are a 501(c)(3) that conveniently holds all the loans and leases for TEAM. Hannah Richman is the Director and Secretary for the Friends. In this capacity, she directs real estate, finance, acquisition and renovation for TEAM. The question as to Cami's previous professional relationships with this cast of characters is at the heart of the matter. To make matters worse, it is alleged that 18th Avenue School was sold at a below market price with an abbreviated bidding process.

If you guys have any further interest in the details of Cami's entanglements, I am prepared to spend a few more hours studying this document tomorrow night. I presume that it will take Hespe a substantial amount of time to sort through the data. Cami earned $247,500 and a bonus of $32,992 for this year so it is my guess she isn't going anywhere soon. Chris Christie and Tom Moran of The Star Ledger still love her even though she has managed to infuriate nearly everyone else.

A Newark Teacher

Upper Manhattan Parents Protest Space Giveaway to Success While Public School Kids Are Over Capacity

We call upon Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Farina to pull out of the deal to site the Success Academy charter school at the Mother Cabrini educational complex located in District 6.  We urge them to consult with the District 6 parent community and collaboratively determine how to use the Mother Cabrini space for current District 6 students.....

Cuomo and NY State legislature order de Blasio to find space for Eva but not for overcrowded public schools. A press conf was held Weds night.

By the way - the UFT was silent over the charter deal - why are they hiding?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 Contact:           Tory Frye 

                                                                                                            Johanna Garcia

May 21, 2014

 District Six Public School Parents Advocate for Using the

Mother Cabrini Space for Current District Six Student Needs  

Press Conference

When: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 @6:30 PM

Where: Isabella Geriatric Center (515 Audubon Avenue at 191^st Street)

New York City – District 6 public school parents call attention to the inequity and injustice of the city paying the rent of a Success Academy charter school, to be located in the Mother Cabrini educational complex located in District 6, while current District 6 students are educated in trailers, substandard school facilities and overcrowded classrooms, and while numerous District 6 schools are over overcapacity and/or face imminent co-locations that will compromise students’ educations.  The Success Academy charter school in question was never approved for District 6; rather it was originally approved for District 1 and then moved to District 2.  There was no community engagement of any kind with the District 6 parent and neighborhood communities regarding locating a charter school in our district.  District 6 parents are distraught that their children’s needs and their schools’ needs, to improve, expand and flourish, continue to be ignored and hampered, while charter schools are fully supported in expanding and at great expense to the taxpayer.

Gale Brewer, the Manhattan Borough President, writes, “The siting of a Success Academy charter school at the former Mother Cabrini High School is taking place with zero transparency and no public input. For years, families in the community, CEC members from District 6, and education advocates have put in the necessary hours of dialogue to lay the groundwork for Mother Cabrini to successfully transition from a Catholic school to new and much needed public school in the district. Success Academy was never a partner in this effort and to be the recipient of this space is nothing short of a hostile takeover. This sort of opaque decision-making only breeds resentment and creates divisions. New York must do better.”

Evelyn Roman, public school parent and Parent Association President at District Six’s Mott Hall School says, “The Mott Hall School is the highest performing Title I School in District 6.   Despite this, it has been left to languish in a “temporary” building for 27 years.  This building has no cafeteria, using a makeshift one instead, no gym, no library, limited outdoor space (that is currently in violation of building codes), and tiny classrooms.  The current Mott Hall space was never intended for use as a school. Mott Hall parents have been advocating for new and adequate space for over a dozen years to no avail.  It is painful that well-equipped spaces, such as the Mother Cabrini space, have been offered to charter schools, funded by special interests, while our Mott Hall children are once again ignored and the hundreds of students who each year seek to attend Mott Hall are turned away due to lack of space.”

Miriam Aristy-Farer public school parent and President of District 6 Community Education Council (CEC6) notes, “As a District 6 parent and CEC6 president, it was troubling to learn about Success Academy coming to District 6 and Mother Cabrini via the local news, illustrating that there was no public engagement process of any kind. As a parent at a co-located District 6 school, given how quickly this decision was made after the state budget passed, I found myself depressed and asking if we New York City public school parents are actually now worse off than before.  This is very different from the future we envisioned after the Bloomberg era."

Johanna Garcia, a parent whose children attend PS/IS 187 and the Vice-President of the PTA, says, “Speaking on behalf of the PS/IS 187 community, the neighborhood school sitting just a block away from Mother Cabrini, we feel especially betrayed and disappointed in the utter lack of community input in the decision-making process.  In the past seven years, budget cuts to our school alone have exceeded $1.5 million, resulting in the loss of more than twelve teachers and three aides. Our school is bursting at the seams and grossly over capacity. So much so that two years ago, our popular universal pre-kindergarten program was squeezed out due to overcrowding.  The District 6 community deserves and, frankly, was expecting better from the new Administration.”

Yuderka Valdez, IS 52 parent and school leader says: "Earlier this year over 2,000 JHS 52 parents and District 6 community members signed a petition against the co-location of a Career and Technical Education (CTE) high school in the M052 building, when it was first proposed by the Bloomberg administration, because we knew that such a co-location would irreparably damage our children’s school and education.  Now we learn that city will spend tens of millions of dollars to house a charter school in a space that would be perfect for the incoming CTE high school, sparing our school and our students."

Finally, Kari Steeves, District 6 public school parent states, “The parents of Muscota New School, one of 3 progressive elementary schools in District 6, see many needs in our district that will go unaddressed and unfunded, because public money will be directed toward charter space, not public school space. Most urgently for our children, we have identified the need for a progressive middle school in the district to allow students to continue their education within the progressive model. We have expressed this need to our elected parent representatives on the CEC and the District Superintendent.  Rather than supporting this need and others identified by our fellow D6 parents, the city will now pay rent for and renovate space for a Success Academy charter school at the beautiful Mother Cabrini campus, even though there has been no movement within the D6 community to bring a Success Academy charter into the district. Parents at Muscota call on the state to repeal the amendment to the 2014 budget that guarantees publicly funded space to charter schools, which makes clear that the state neither trusts nor cares what local parents want for their children.”

We District Six parents, elected parent leaders, public education advocates, and the elected representatives who support us urge our state representatives to introduce legislation to undo this disastrous policy, which forces the city to house or pay rent for charter schools. We call upon Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Farina to pull out of the deal to site the Success Academy charter school at the Mother Cabrini educational complex located in District 6.  We urge them to consult with the District 6 parent community and collaboratively determine how to use the Mother Cabrini space for current District 6 students. We note that the District 6 Community Education Council recently passed a resolution in opposition to the state budget provisions, urging our state elected leaders to rescind them and calling on the Mayor to work with the community to address the urgent needs of District 6 students, in particular the use of the Mother Cabrini space. All are welcome to join us on Wednesday May 21, 2014, at 6:30 PM at the Isabella Geriatric Center (515 Audubon Avenue) to hear from District 6 public school families affected and support our District 6 public school parents, students, schools, families and communities.

                                 ###################################

Victoria (Tory) Frye
vicnyc@me.com

The Nation on the Save Our Schools May 17 Rally Plus Videos

New York's branch of the movement has been led by the Movement of Rank-and-File Educators (MORE), a rank-and-file reform caucus in the United Federation of Teachers, together with other education advocates and community and labor organizations.... The Nation

See Videos of all speakers at the rally.

Video of Rosie Frascella from MORE/NYCORE - featured in the article.

http://youtu.be/FUxQ83X2Xso



And Brian Jones: http://youtu.be/idKinnd042c

How does MORE attract these amazing people? (It's the food).

How Teachers Are Fighting to Change One of the Most Segregated School Districts in the Country

Michelle Chen on May 21, 2014 - 1:36PM ET

Occupy Education is challenging the policies that systematically leave disadvantaged kids behind (Credit: ChealkbeatNY/Flickr)

http://m.thenation.com/blog/179957-how-teachers-are-fighting-change-one-most-segregated-school-districts-country

School Secretary Responds to Pro-Unity Comment, Calls for a NO Vote

They TOTALLY LEFT US OUT SINCE 2009. This Unity Union is a disgrace. They do not protect us at all.... a school secretary

A new comment on your post "UFT Contract: The "VOTE NO" Caucus Says .......":

To be clear, the secretaries are very upset about this contract. Aids are being given our jobs even though we won this in arbitration. The Chapter Leaders of the schools are aware of this and do nothing. Mulgrew was made aware of this as well as the Secretary Chapter Leader Mona Gonzales. They have not opened up the test in over 5 or 6 years. They have not hired or replaced retiring secretaries in years. The Union is aware of these issue and they do not care or don't do anything to help. We call on our Brother and Sister Union members to vote NO on this contract. We are skilled and educated labor; not robots. We do administrative work that the Administrators should be doing. Our title needs to be changed and no one from the Union addresses that nor addresses us. They have forgotten or ignored us.

a new comment on your post "UFT Contract: Secretaries Ask MORE for Help After ...":

The is what is on the DOE TEACH website for secretaries, lab assistants:
 
Other DOE JobsSchool Secretary and School Laboratory Specialist
 
The New York City Department of Education is currently updating its School Secretary and Lab Specialist application process. At this time, we do not have any examination announcements and we are not accepting paper applications any more. Please keep checking this website for updates.


The following school secretary announcement is for information purposes only.
The following lab specialist announcement is for information purposes only.


Please visit the Careers in NYC Schools page to learn more about current career opportunities within the Department.

In the meantime the was now open. They TOTALLY LEFT US OUT SINCE 2009. This Unity Union is a disgrace. They do not protect us at all.

Pupil Personnel Services SCHOOL COUNSELORS, Social Workers, Psychologists, AND ATTENDANCE TEACHERS

Pupil Personnel Services
Candidates interested in becoming a school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or attendance teacher in the NYC public schools must possess or have completed all requirements for the appropriate New York State certificate. Candidates from out-of-state may be considered provided that they fall within the guidelines for interstate reciprocity as defined on the NY State website. Details of New York State Certification requirements in these various titles can be accessed by clicking here.


Application and Hiring Process
For full-time employment opportunities for the 2014-15 school year, new prospective candidates are required to register and complete the NYCDOE online application which is now open. Instructions will be provided at the registration site.

Since selections for PPS positions take place at the school level, you may research and apply directly to schools in which you have interest after you have completed an online application and received eligibility verification. (The Division of Human Resources does not hold interviews for these positions. Information about our schools is available at schools.nyc.gov.) Candidates who are deemed eligible for Speech and PPS positions through the online pre-screening process will be placed on a list of available and preferred candidates for principals to review. This list will be forwarded to hiring supervisors as requested.

Eligible PPS candidates will be placed in the New Teacher Finder with eligible teachers. This search tool allows principals to post school-based positions and contact candidates, and allows candidates to search for vacancies and apply directly to schools. Please be aware that positions in these areas are extremely limited. Furthermore, these positions typically get posted during the summer months and into the start of the school year.

UFT Contract: Murry Bergtraum Exit Poll - 71 No, 22 Yes

Some lessons from Chapter Leader John Elfrank-Dana's blog.

Mulgrew's Myth

No wonder so many softballs were thrown at President Mulgrew tonight in the seminar. I don't recall a single questions from a high school teacher. Was there one?

I did spot the high school Vice President and a Chapter Leader in the studio audience. But it was one PS question after another. Either way, it would have just been another softball.

Mulgrew opened with his own myth. That the UFT doesn't want a contract that hurts the children we serve. But, this one does! My question of - Why is there nothing about class size reduction in this contract? Which I submitted 15 min before the start on their online form but was not asked. I suppose if I asked - Why is there nothing to reduce the testing of our students in this contract? Or, Why is there nothing to bring back enriched curriculum with arts, music, and electives? I suppose these wouldn't have been asked either.

I have always asked myself, Would I stand for my own children to be educated in this way? With class sizes so large, with high concentrations of high need students, with stripped curricula? This has always been the driving force behind not being able to keep my mouth shut about this system.

Instead of a meaningful discussion we got redundancy; another rehash of Unity contract propaganda. How many times was he asked if retro was paid after one retires? How many references to the career ladder combined with a murky mix of Prose schools?

There should have been a rebuttal afterward from an opposition caucus. But, let's be real. This crowd is so insecure it has to rig everything in advance. There's no way they will allow an intelligent dissenting opinion to penetrate the ditto head culture. They are counting on most of the members to say "F---k it!," Hold their noses and check the "Yes" box.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Send Mulgrew Back to the Bargaining Table - Why I Vote NO

There's money

the press talks of the City Budget Surplus.

I get waiting for the retro, but raises should begin right away. 

Speaking of raises we are talking 18% over 9 years. That's not fair and it sets the bar way too low for our other brother/sister unions who have to follow our pattern.

ATRs deserve full due process. These teachers should be rotated back into a position to become a regular teacher. Why the UFT agrees to keep them in a special category is truly sad. This contract offers them Due Process LITE, expedited firing process. We cannot stand for that.

Enshrining Danielson and MOSL - Anyone who plans on staying more than a couple of years has to take this seriously. This contract does nothing to get rid of evaluating teachers by test scores. The teachers union in Tennessee are getting rid of test score eval. Why can't we?

Backdoor Merit Pay - in the guise of Master Teacher, etc. Undermines solidarity by creating a teacher caste system. 

What's Missing? Class Size Reduction, Guidance Counselor Case Load Reduction, Wrap Around Services for Families, Brining Back Curriculum the children of the 1 percent enjoy: electives, music, art, PE...

We need to do this morally, as professionals who care for those we serve. Our students deserve everything we want for our own children to have in a school. If the parents get behind us, we cannot lose. But, this contract makes us look like defeated patsies. 

Take this opportunity to stand as a proud professional with convictions by saying NO, we and our students deserve better.

In solidarity,

John

John Elfrank-Dana
UFT Chapter Leader
Murry Bergtraum High School

Is Cami Anderson Out in Newark?

Cami Anderson will be leaving.  It is your efforts on Fight Back Fridays, our Mayoral Election efforts, Advisory Board meetings, and other initiatives that have made this possible.  I am very proud of all of our members....
.....Joseph Del Grosso, NTU President

Don't believe it 'till the fat lady sings. Because Del Grosso also says:

It is my strong belief that based on the discussions I have had to this point, Cami Anderson will not be continuing as Superintendent of the Newark Public Schools. I have many other meetings to attend with other stakeholders who are interested in making her departure a reality.  

 I hope this is not magical thinking. But here's hoping Cami Anderson has to do a perp walk.

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past months, there have been numerous rumors of layoffs, school closings, and drastic cuts to the Newark Public Schools budget.  

In preparation for these events, the Newark Teachers Union requested a meeting with Acting Commissioner David Hespe, some six weeks ago.  The meeting took place last Monday afternoon in Trenton.  We went there prepared
with information regarding the misdeeds and mismanagement of funds by Superintendent Cami Anderson.  Acting Commissioner Hespe was very interested in the information that we provided, and says he intends to act on the information expeditiously.  I have been made aware that he or his designees are already in Newark today. 

We also requested meetings with various Assemblymen and Senators, especially those on the Educational Legislative Committees.  Senator Ronald Rice, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Public Schools, sent a detailed letter to
Commissioner Hespe regarding what he perceives as the illegalities and malfeasance that have been taking place at the Newark Public Schools.
 

Attached is a copy of that letter which is also going to the Attorney General and other law enforcement agencies.  

It is my strong belief that based on the discussions I have had to this point, Cami Anderson will not be continuing as Superintendent of the Newark Public Schools. I have many other meetings to attend with other stakeholders who are interested in making her departure a reality.  

I intend to fight for each and every member to retain their jobs and to restore positions such as attendance counselors, parent liaisons, teacher aides and clerks, as well as teachers to the positions that Newark so desperately needs.  We will continue to engage and support likeminded community, parent, and student organizations in this battle to not only end the layoffs and school closings, but to restore Newark to full local control.

Acting Commissioner Hespe has informed me that he intends to make a strong recommendation to the state board of education to return fiscal control to Newark's Board of Education by July 1st.  We must remain diligent in our fight to take back our schools and to restore order and a sense of learning to the educational community of Newark.  I will keep you informed of any new information that develops from my meetings with the Commissioner and
legislators as they transpire.

Cami Anderson will be leaving.  It is your efforts on Fight Back Fridays, our Mayoral Election efforts, Advisory Board meetings, and other initiatives that have made this possible.  I am very proud of all of our members.


In solidarity,

Joe                                     

Joseph Del Grosso                                        

President                                                         

Newark Teachers Union                               

Local 481, AFT/AFL-CIO

P: (973) 643-8430                                             

F: (973) 643-8435                                             

E: ntupres@ntuaft.com                               

NEW Caucus Report: Newark Students Spending the Night

UPDATE: NJ United Students ‏@NJStudents 18m

@rasjbaraka now coming in to see @NewarkStudents #ournewark pic.twitter.com/sYp2n5hnxk

This just in from NEW Caucus - a followup to our last post:

Video: Newark Student Union Conducts a Sit-in at The Newark Public Schools Board's Budget Meeting and Cami Walks Out Again!

As of 11:55 tonight, there are 10 members of the Newark Student Union spending the night at 2 Cedar Street in the room where the Advisory Board holds its business meetings.  

After our small but successful rally this afternoon, the students went upstairs, issued their demands and sat down in the floor in the front of the room.  The demands were:

1)  The immediate resignation of Cami Anderson

2)  An immediate halt to One-Newark

3)  Implementation of Newark Promise (the community driven report created over months and presented Saturday)

4)  A meeting with Anderson and NJ Commissioner of Education David Hespe.  

When they were offered the meeting with Anderson and Hespe, but had the other demands refused, they remained seated and refused to leave.  The meeting was ended, the adults all left, and the students controlled the room.  And they still control the room right now.

This is an INSPIRING example of what human beings can do when they show solidarity with each other and work together to fight injustice imposed by the wealthy and powerful!  A small group of students are literally putting their bodies on the gears of power, and stopping those gears from functioning!  

For we adults - often too afraid to take action even when our own profession, reputations, livelihoods and callings are under attack - this action should show us that it is not acceptable to bury our heads in the sand as public education is destroyed!  We hope this will be a call to action for the many adults who have thus far refused to stand up for themselves, their schools, and their students!

BUT, the students have not eaten much since 6 or 7 pm, and are hungry now.  And, they will be truly hungry in the morning.  AND, they need moral support.  So, if you are at all able and have time in the morning, please help and support these students in any way possible, either materially (food and beverages) or morally (going to 2 Cedar St to show support, or telling friends about their action).  

Please tell friends, family, and colleagues about their fight and their current situation.  They need all the support they can get.  

NEW Caucus stands in solidarity with the Newark Students Union!

In Solidarity,

Newark Education Workers Caucus

(NEW Caucus)

BECOME A MEMBER! CLICK HERE

Facebook.com/NEWCaucus

Twitter.com/NEWCaucus

YouTube.com/user/NEWCaucus

Google Calendar: NewarkEducationWorkersCaucus@gmail.com

Video: Newark Student Union Conducts a Sit-in at The Newark Public Schools Board's Budget Meeting and Cami Walks Out Again!

Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Cami Anderson has got to go.

I hope some of you have been following events in Newark. Students are playing a role. Good thing since no one listens to teachers. How nice to see Cami Anderson walk out again. I think she walks out twice.

UPDATES, May 21, Media Links

Bob Braun's Ledger

Cami wanted disruption–and, last night, she got it - Newark’s school superintendent belongs to that tribe of self-proclaimed and irresponsible school reformers who contend public schools must be “disrupted” b... 

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2014/05/student_protest_forces_school_board_meeting_to_end_early.html 

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/05/20/high-school-students-disrupt-newark-school-advisory-board-meeting/ 

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Newark-Public-Schools-Sit-In-One-Newark-Promise-Cami-Anderson-260068351.html%23 

http://newjersey.news12.com/news/newark-community-rallies-against-superintendent-cami-anderson-and-one-newark-plan-1.8110194

VIDEO:
http://youtu.be/rBCi21i5tjs





Remember, Anderson tried to get a tenure waiver so she can fire any teacher whose shirt she doesn't like but was rebuffed.

The state union - which is NEA while Newark is AFT is going to court over Christie's putting up traffic cones around teacher pensions.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/njea_says_it_will_sue_to_block_christie_

from_cutting_pension_payments.html

Sally Lee on Resorative Justice

This comment from Sally deserves a post of its own. I was arguing in my original post that the contract is the only way to solidify and codify things so the current and future DOE can't as easily shirk issues like discipline. The Dignity in Schools Campaign is asking for full-time Restorative Justice Coordinators in 20 schools -- do you think this might be more useful that the money spend on PD? Guess what Carmen, do all the PD in the world. If there is no system of control in the schools it is like spitting in the wind. And let's look at it this way -- PD is not only about curriculum. It is about how a teacher can deal with a class beyond curriculum - and how to deal with some kids who are having difficulty in that environment. So let's look at a Restorative Justice coordinator as a variation of PD.


Sally Lee has left a new comment on your post "UFT Contract - What's Missing - How About Discipl...":

Thanks for the shout-out Norm! Just so your readers are clear: Teachers Unite is the only educator organization in the Dignity in Schools Campaign-New York (DSC-NY).

The DSC-NY, a youth-led coalition, has been meeting with DOE to discuss the need to mandate guidance interventions before suspensions, provide trainings to staff, and end suspensions for defying or disobeying authority—a minor misbehavior that is the second most common reason for suspensions and, as you can imagine, results in an alarming disproportionate punishment of Black and Latino students as well as those with disabilities.

TU’s presence in those meetings has been consistent, but always in a supporting role to young people of color. Dozens of our members, all UFT members, have participated in the campaign’s planning as well as the campaign’s discussions with DOE and UFT staff. I say this to be clear that “Sally and the gang” doesn’t really sum it up! I actually have never been to these meetings with officials, not only because I like to rush home to my young sons at the end of the day, but because it’s important that UFT members are the ones voicing their support of DSC-NY demands—and imploring UFT staff, who are accountable to the membership, to come around on this issue as an authentic ally to the youth who are most impacted by the racial injustice of policing and harsh punishment.

Also, there is a campaign demand that is particularly close to Teachers Unite’s heart for the very reasons you mention in your post. DSC-NY is calling on the DOE to fully fund and support implementation of the following five key elements of school-wide restorative practices starting at 20 schools this September:

1. A Full-time Position of Restorative Coordinator, with the sole focus of coordinating a positive, restorative climate and approach to discipline at the school, including overseeing implementation of the other four key elements below (in the case of campus schools where multiple small schools share the same building, the budget should allow for one coordinator per school, not one per campus).

2. A School-wide Strategic Plan with participation of all school stakeholders that integrates pre-existing behavior-related strategies, such as Fairness Committees, conflict resolution, peer mediation and peer mentoring, into a restorative framework and set of values, and integrates that framework into existing school structures, such as advisory periods, town hall meetings, after school programs, and School Leadership Teams.

3. Ongoing Training for All Stakeholders, including faculty, counselors and other school employees, School Safety Agents, and a core group of student and parent leaders who can develop the skills to train their peers.

4. Youth and Parent Leadership in the process of planning and implementing restorative practices in school, such as forming Student Leadership Councils, engaging students and parents to be a part of trainings for school staff, and engaging students in producing videos, skits, posters and other materials to promote restorative approaches among their peers.

5. Systematic Collection and Monitoring of Data in collaboration with administrators, faculty, students and parents to develop a common set of indicators and protocols for collecting data to help understand the implementation and results of restorative practices in the pilot schools.

You can read more about how we outline this kind of whole school support, and examples of it in action, in our case study found here: http://www.dignityinschools.org/files/DSC-NY_CaseStudy_2013.pdf

We are promoting and supporting the philosophy and practice of restorative justice school by school, because we know while it’s important to have support for these shifts come from the top—nothing’s going to work unless the rank-and-file educators, parents and students are making changes from the ground up. I invite your readers who are UFT members to join us at TU in order to augment the voices of educators speaking out against the damaging and racist impact of punitive discipline policies.

UFT Contract: The "VOTE NO" Caucus Says .......

They're flying in from all over the place. I'm assuming you're reading the great stuff over at the MORE blog.

We are better off with the old contract until we can get a better one. Vote NO on the UFT Contract Offer!!

Have you noticed that every new contract that has been imposed on us UFT members over the past two decades has more give-backs than improvements. This contract is no exception. Moreover, the top brass of the union continually manages to shove the new contracts down our throats with no discussion either in the chapters or even in the Delegates Assembly. Now we are being told that if we reject this rotten offer we will only make things worse because we can’t get anything better and we will have to “go to the end of the line” of unions negotiating with the City. However, the real truth is that things will get worse if we approve this deal. While it is true that a few people may get a few crumbs from this contract, for the vast majority it is a lose-lose deal. Here are three good reasons to VOTE NO:

1. The back pay totalling $3.4 million will be paid for by health care cuts that must be accepted all city workers. !  “If the other unions agree to similar health care savings, the spending cuts realized would total $3.4 billion, officials said — the same amount as the teachers’ union’s back pay.”

2. If this contract is approved teachers and staff of TWO HUNDRED (200) schools will find that they will NOT be covered by certain contract provisions and protections that the rest of us have.! “And in an effort to encourage innovation in areas like hiring and scheduling, 200 schools would be eligible to apply for exemptions from city and union regulations.”

3. The Department of Education wants to get rid of senior teachers and create a system of new teachers, who are paid less and can be forced to do anything, i.e., grovel, to keep their job, because they will have no tenure rights  The UFT--”our” union--has gone along with this plan. The first major move against job protection happened two contracts ago with the elimination of seniority transfer rights  originally established, not to give senior teachers privileges over junior teachers but to protect teachers and staff from arbitrariness and favoritism on the part of the principals so we didn’t have to grovel for our positions and could function with dignity. With this gone, senior teachers are targeted for “U” ratings so as to get rid of them because they cost more than a newer teacher.

Another consequence of getting rid of seniority transfer rights has been the creation of ATRs, the Absent Teachers Reserve. Most of the 1,500 ATRs are senior teachers who were not “selected” for rehiring by principals when some of the more than 160 schools were closed and new, smaller schools took their place. These senior teachers were not selected because they cost more than newer teachers, a consideration that has become critical since school principals now have their own, limited budget, a change implemented at the same time that seniority transfer rights were eliminated. These teachers are left with no permanent assignment. The DOE (and the UFT officials) evidently anticipate that that ATR’s will become demoralized and disgusted and quit--”disappear.”  But many have not given up.

Therefore, this new contract will open a new offensive to get rid of these teachers. Principals would be asked to fill vacancies with teachers from the [ATR] pool, but they could dismiss them as soon as one day into the job.  This is a gross violation of all that we have won in the way of protections of our rights and jobs against arbitrary or mean-spirited principals since the union was organized. Under the proposed agreement, schools would be asked to hire those teachers for vacancies starting in October, but principals would be given the power to remove the teachers if they performed poorly. If a teacher were twice rejected, the city would be allowed to begin the firing process.

We must say NO to this “streamlined” firing scheme!!

DO YOU NEED OTHER REASONS TO VOTE NO???

Then here are the reasons to vote NO raised by the MORE Caucus in the  UFT:

“The raises do not keep up with the cost of living. 18% over 9 years is less than the rate of

inflation. In short, our real earnings will be less at the end of this contract than they

were at the beginning.

• We don’t get the original 8% raises until 2018 and we won’t get all the retro pay until

2020. Other city workers got their two 4% raises already and continue to earn them

each year. We will get them only in small increments beginning in 2015.  

• Only minor changes to the teacher evaluation system: We are still being evaluated

based on student standardized test scores.  

• This contract does not include reductions in class size.

• The contract introduces individual merit pay. The creation of Ambassador, Model, and

Master teacher categories will divide our members and encourage us to compete

against each other rather than collaborate with each other.

Tell the UFT officials to go back and get a good contract for us, one that strengthens our power and improves our living standard and protects us from nasty principals and not one that weakens our power and lessens our protections.”

Vote NO !!!!!

The “VOTE NO!!” Caucus

Video: Carmen Farina at CEC 2 Town Hall

I was asked to tape this event at the brand new building housing PS 59 and HS of Music and Art - by CEC 2 head, the always amazing Shino Tawikawa - see the wonderful well-deserved tribute to Shino at the end. [Something went wrong with my camera and I didn't get Carmen's opening speech - but the entire 45 minute Q&A is here.]

It was certainly insightful to see an adoring public gush over Carmen, who was part of the fabric of District 2 for so many years.

Leonie Haimson -- the 2nd speaker - didn't gush but instead asked some hard questions about class size. 

What was clear was a genuine delight in the new tone at Tweed - throughout the meeting people talked about how open and cooperative the new DOE was with parents.

So how ironic to see Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, the Grim Reaper of Closing Schools under Bloomberg, sitting there grinning like a Cheshire Cat as her years of work were in essence being trashed. Some symbol of change. I have so much video of her staring - grimly - as students, parents and teachers pleaded to keep their schools open while she justified every single despicable act of the BloomKleinCott administrations.

But other than that note, there is no question that for some parents the change from Bloomberg is astounding -- and this is a caveat -- District 2 is wealthy and engaged - as is District 15 in Brooklyn.

It was a shlep for me to leave lovely Rockaway and take the subway to get up to 56th Street - on the night of the Rangers game - but I got back in time to see the 3rd period - and I've been such bad luck over the years - it is best if I don't watch it all. (My pals banned me from watching the 7th game Stanley Cup victory game with them 20 years ago.) But if Shino asked me to climb Mt. Everest I would - well, maybe not that one.

Upon leaving the meeting I caught the elevator and there was Carmen with her crew going up. It was a slow elevator so I had time to negotiate a new version of the contract with Carmen on the way up -- class sizes of 20, ATRs permanently assigned to schools, mechanisms for teachers to deal with abusive principals, and a few more bucks.

https://vimeo.com/95847737



Here is an excerpt of Leonie on class size and Carmen's response.

http://youtu.be/kGuRBrtgqYI