Parents and Educators Reject the Tests, the Scores and Corporate Agenda of NYSED & Pearson

Fred Smith, a test specialist formerly with the NYC Department of Education (DOE) stated, “The State Education Department took a half-step by releasing 50 percent of the English and math questions from the April 2014 exams. It was a half-step not just because it falls halfway short of full disclosure, but also because SED fails to provide data at its disposal that would enable objective evaluation of the questions, each of which is a brick in the wall of the testing program.”   

Where is our union - UFT/NYSUT/AFT? Just the other day, NYSUT Puppet President Karen Magee led a phony tearing up the Pearson contract event. I'll let Arthur over at NYC Educator make the case: NYSUT Takes a Stand. Or Is it a Sit?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  August 14, 2014

More information contact:

Eric Mihelbergel (716) 553-1123; nys.allies@gmail.com

Lisa Rudley (917) 414-9190; nys.allies@gmail.com

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

Parents and Educators Reject the Tests, the Scores and Corporate Agenda of NYSED & Pearson

Today Commissioner John King and Chancellor Merryl Tisch released the test scores of the state exams in 3-8^th grades, showing that, more than 68% of the state’s students were judged not proficient in English Language Arts (ELA) and more than 64% not proficient in Math.  The overall results were largely flat with little to no change year over year with only small gains and drops for specific demographic groups. 

Members of the New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE), a coalition of more than 50 parent and educator advocacy groups, challenge the quality of the tests, the accuracy of the scores, and the motives of those who have manufactured these results.  This past spring, NYSAPE estimated that at least 44,000 students had opted out of the state exams; today the Commissioner admitted that the number was as large as 60,000 compared to 10,000 in 2013.

As the growing problems with New York's excessive and speculative testing reforms are exposed, parents across the state are outraged and calling for an overhaul at the state education department.

Lisa Rudley, Westchester county public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE said, “Though Commissioner John King assured us that the new Common Core state tests would be a much better reflection of the skills students will need for ‘college and career’ success with the release of 50% of the questions last week, we learned what educators were forbidden by law from telling us:  these were flawed tests, riddled with vague questions, inappropriate reading passages and multiple product placements. In its new Pearson contract signed amidst a financial crisis, NYSED doubled annual spending on testing and even worse, eliminated the transparency of the previous McGraw-Hill contract.  Where is the management from NYSED and the oversight from the Board of Regents?"

Dr. Carol Burris, principal of South Side High School on Long Island said, "Considering the more than $28 million taxpayer investment in curriculum modules, this paltry increase in scores is one more indication of the ineffectiveness of State Education Department's reforms, and the inappropriateness of the Common Core tests. Parents should take heart in knowing that the ‘college readiness‘ proficiency scores have no connection with reality. My high school and many other well-resourced high schools in NY have proven records of preparing students for college success that are no way connected to the state's newest measure of proficiency."

Eric Mihelbergel, Erie County public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE said, "If the released questions are this bad, you have to wonder how much worse the other half were.  I have no confidence in the results released today. Parents now demand new leadership for a Board of Regents and Commissioner of Education who repeatedly fail to adequately respond to their legitimate concerns.”

“Many of the multiple choice questions required up to five steps and compelled 8 year olds to flip back forth between numbered paragraphs. The question becomes more of a measure of attention, memory and test taking skills rather than their deep understanding of a text. The commissioner has stated that education should not be about test prep, but these tricky assessments all but ensure that test prep will continue -- to the detriment of real learning,” said Bianca Tanis, an Ulster County public school parent and special education teacher.

Jeanette Deutermann, Nassau County public school parent and founder of Long Opt Out said, “This past spring, 55,000 to 60,000 New York State students were spared from yet another year of test scores that were designed to show a large majority of failures. The number of opt outs will steadily grow until NYSED takes the concerns of parents seriously and makes the necessary changes to our children's excessive high stakes testing regimen. High stakes testing and the Regents Agenda have hijacked our classrooms, and every day more parents become aware of how they too must protect their children from these harmful policies.”

Jessica McNair, Oneida County public school parent and educator notes, "Until the NYSED acknowledges that these developmentally inappropriate exams take time away from instruction, cost taxpayers, and set kids up to fail -- in an attempt to perpetuate the false narrative of Governor Cuomo’s ‘death penalty’ for schools -- parents will continue to refuse to allow their children to participate in these state tests.”

“The test content was not sufficiently disclosed and there was no quality assurance or mechanism for parents or educators to obtain valuable feedback. The bottom line is that students are getting hurt, money is being wasted and precious time is being spent on high stakes testing at the expense of more meaningful instruction. The system surrounding the NYS testing program is dysfunctional to say the least,” said Anna Shah, Dutchess County public school parent.

Fred Smith, a test specialist formerly with the NYC Department of Education (DOE) stated, “The State Education Department took a half-step by releasing 50 percent of the English and math questions from the April 2014 exams. It was a half-step not just because it falls halfway short of full disclosure, but also because SED fails to provide data at its disposal that would enable objective evaluation of the questions, each of which is a brick in the wall of the testing program.”     

“Like many other parents, I see how flawed the tests are as a measure of learning, and fear for all those millions of students who are told, unjustly, and at an early age, they aren’t ‘college and career ready’. These tests which ask our children to prove the existence of Big Foot and expose them to numerous and inappropriate product placements are the furthest from rigor one could imagine.  I question the motives of the bureaucrats and the testing companies who are forcing these inappropriate exams onto our children – to try to prove to the public that our schools and children are failing, so they can better pursue their privatization agenda and the outsourcing of education into corporate hands,” said Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters.

###

#AFT14 Video - Sarah Chambers and The Speech that Triggered Mulgrew "Punch in Face" Comments

Common Core Debate - Sarah Chambers, Michelle Gunderson vs Michael Mulgrew - Note how Mulgrew was set up at the mic to follow Sarah Chamber's speech. Not a coincidence. Another UFT leader, Leroy Barr (not included in this video) was set up at the mic following Mulgrew - also not a coincidence. Unity Caucus uses placeholders at strategic mics as a way to control the debate.



The battle between NYC and Chicago: Providing context for the common core debate at the AFT14 convention

The Chicago Teachers Union, (CTU), suffering almost 2 decades of ed deform based on testing regimens and corporate takeovers of education, has become one of the most militant voices in opposition. They view the common core standards as another plank in this takeover.

The New York City union, the UFT, has collaborated on many of the issues the CTU has opposed, including the common core. The UFT supports the CC but complains it was implemented poorly. They call for support (resolution 2) but with what they term "accountability."

UFT President Michael Mulgrew's speech during the debate has received wide notice for its "punch in the face" comment. Immediately preceding his speech, CTU's Sarah Chambers made a strong speech opposing the CC, pointing to the damage the rigid testing regimen that goes with it has done to the children of Chicago.

Following Mulgrew's response, I added CTU's Michelle Gunderson's words?

Norm Scott

Julie Cavanagh on Common Core in Daily News, Major Contrast to Mulgrew

Julie Cavanagh won't punch you in the face if you support common core as she makes a clear and concise statement in her article in the DN that is way more powerful than what we hear coming out of our union leaders.

As Mulgrew's opponent in 2013 election she is quite a contrast to Mulgrew as she makes similar points Chicago teachers made at the AFT convention in that debate on the floor and in committee where Unity slugs used thug tactics.

• AFT Convention Update: Chicago CC Reso Goes Down O...Posted Fri 5PM
• #AFT14 Report - Common Core Debate - Epic Battle B...

You heard none of Julie's points made at the convention by even one of the 800 Unity Caucus loyalty-oath pledged delegates who were elected in that winner take all election, thus disenfranchising the thousands of teachers who agree with Julie. The use of the Unity horde to distort and tilt and control the common core debate on the city, state and national levels is what has allowed the ed deform movement to gain such a strong foothold. Leo Casey's attempt to brand CC opponents as tea party influenced is one example (video). Leo can be assured that Julie is no tea party advocate, as he full well knows since he knows Julie.

That is why I put time into building MORE in the belly of the UFT/Unity Caucus beast. Because nothing will change with the unions unless we make those changes here in NYC. And Ed Deform cannot be defeated until the teacher unions become more Chicago-like -- willing to spit in the face of the deformers and use their resources in organizing opposition. Having powerhouses like Julie Cavanagh committed to this goal makes the work

Cavanagh: Common Core testing creates a narrative of failure

Last year, our students were assessed for the first time according to the new standards. State Education Department officials predicted a steep drop, and scores plummeted. This year, small gains were predicted, and that’s what happened, to the astonishment of no one.

BY Julie Cavanagh

SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Friday, August 15, 2014, 1:32 AM

Siegel.Jefferson Julie Cavanagh (center) is a special education teacher and chapter leader at Public School 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Four years ago, a group tied to testing and publishing companies, and bankrolled with Bill and Melinda Gates’ money, brought us the Common Core Learning Standards.
Cash-strapped states that wanted to win federal Race to the Top dollars had to adopt the standards, and more than 40 states, including New York, did so.
Last year, our students were assessed for the first time according to the new standards. State Education Department officials predicted a steep drop, and scores plummeted. This year, small gains were predicted, and that’s what happened, to the astonishment of no one.
Predictions are easy to make when you define what constitutes proficiency.
There will be an attempt from all factions to spin the results: The state will say the reform agenda is working, the city will argue the scores show the need for pre-K, and charter schools will claim they show their importance as high-quality alternatives.
Let’s get off the hamster wheel.

Siegel.Jefferson 

The truth is, these tests were designed to create a narrative of failure, and the trends are not so different from those we saw on the old tests: we are failing our children with special needs, our English language learners, our children who live in poverty, and a disproportionate number of black and Latino pupils.

It is no surprise that the results mirror the struggles and deep flaws in our society. Of course, the goal was never to actually fix our schools — there are no profits in doing that. There are no profits in providing small class sizes, experienced educators and services like counseling, tutoring and family support — proven reforms that would benefit all students.
Instead, the focus is on unproven standards and the tests that supposedly measure our student’s competency — written by the very people who profit from their use.

Julie Cavanagh is a special education teacher and chapter leader at Public School 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn .

Michelle Rhee Joins Scotts Miracle-Gro, Adding More Manure to the Pile - Teachers Call for Boycott

I've had to inform my wife that she will have to find other ways next year to fertilize her veggie patch, most likely with night soil.

“I’ve always wanted to switch to natural fertilizer – so long Miracle-Gro,” an Indiana teachers union president wrote. A math teacher in Illinois said he’s disappointed that he doesn’t buy Scotts products, “Because it means my boycott will not cost them money.” “No more miracle grow for me! Teachers boycott Miracle Grow!!” wrote a music teacher in Georgia.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. after the company appointed school-reformer Michelle Rhee to its board, but Scotts is standing behind its new director.

After the Marysville-based company appointed the former head of Washington, D.C., schools this week, teachers from across the country have left comments on the story pledging not to buy Scotts’ lawn-and-garden products....

Rhee's role will be to duct tape all products that are returned.

It’s important to note that no teachers unions have said they’ll boycott Scotts.

I'd like to see our union call for boycotts when top-level ed deformer slimebags are involved.

Full story here. Thanks to Jeff Kaufman for posting.

NYSUT Double Switch Game Leads One Parent to State the proverbial WTF?

They did a big press op shredding the Pearson exams last week and today they say "The vast majority of questions do appear to be age- and developmentally appropriate."... NYC Parent.

Oh, you mean Karen Magee and cohorts did one thing on one day and the opposite on the next? I'm shocked, just shocked.

Oh, NYSUT, NYSUT Revivalists,
Is there no end to your perfidy?
(See Eterno at ICE: STATE UNION WON'T OPPOSE CUOMO).

Teacher Diversity Petition

MORE is helping sponsor this action of the work of the Teacher Diversity Committee, an independent group of teachers affiliated with MORE.

Anyone who has been around for a while knows that Sean Ahern (who was one of the founders - co-conspirators) of ICE) has been relentless in his pursuit of this issue over the past decade. I think we all learned a lesson when Sean took things to a new level by calling meetings around the issue and reaching out to all corners of the education landscape. Bit by bit the committee has attracted a diverse group of people who have been working with Sean. Below are some of the fruits of their labors. Please sign.

Increase Teacher Diversity in New York City

August 14, 2014 — Leave a comment

Sign the petition here

Petition by Teacher Diversity Committee

To be delivered to Carmen Fariña and The New York City Panel for Educational Policy

Since the 2001-2002 academic year, there has been a 57.4% decrease in the number of Black teachers hired by the New York City Department of Education, and a 22.9% increase for white teachers hired during this same period of time. We ask Chancellor Fariña and the Panel for Education Policy to:
• Make a policy statement that acknowledges the value of teacher diversity and the lack of such diversity in New York City public schools.
• Centrally monitor the racial demographic of hiring and firing in NYC public and charter schools. In public school data reports include the racial profile for the teachers and administrators in each school as is currently done for the students.
• Raise the percentage of Black and Latino teachers hired in the system overall, with a special focus on raising the percentage of male teachers in those groups.
• Raise the percentage of persons of color in the NYC Teaching Fellows program to more closely match the NYC student body demographic. Make public the number and racial demographic of NYC Teaching Fellows hired.
• Settle Gulino vs. Board of Education, in which a recent court ruling found that the NY State LAST certification exam was not validated yet was used in 2002 to dismiss thousands of NYC teachers who were disproportionately Black and Latino.
• Invest in a clear and distinct paraprofessional-to-teacher career path that offers qualified applicants provisional teaching licenses while completing graduate degree requirements and subsidizes both undergraduate and graduate tuition at CUNY and SUNY

PETITION BACKGROUND

In a school system that is 67.5% Black and Latino (as of 2012 – 13), the 34% combined percentage of Black and Latino teachers in the system is disappointing at best.
This lack of diversity reinforces already existing practices of segregation and leaves out diverse cultural perspectives that inform curriculum, pedagogy and practice. It also shortchanges our students by replicating and reinforcing false societal structures that devalue the contribution and perspectives of non-dominant racial and cultural groups.

Full Link and to sign http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/increase-teacher-diversity?source=c.tw&r_by=1921406

 

 

When Mulgrew Won't Punch Someone in the Face: Breaking NYS Charter School Cap Will Doom Public School System and Unions

Will the UFT/NYSUT leadership oppose this with every bone in their body - witness the silence over the Cuomo charter giveaway law last spring. But the UFT/NYSUT leaders will challenge those who oppose the common core.

Leonie Haimson comments:

If the de Blasio administration doesn’t oppose this with every bone in their bodies we are doomed.

Moskowitz] is sitting on a goldmine, and would make a great advocate to make the case for lifting the cap," said Rees, whose group recently appointed Moskowitz to its "charter hall of fame." A spokeswoman for Moskowitz declined to comment.
Devora Kaye, a Department of Education spokeswoman, said "as we work to support all children and educators, we look forward to collaborating with all community stakeholders." ... Leonie Haimson

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/08/8550463/new-york-charter-sector-prepares-fight-over-limits

Also available on Norms Notes. 

Paralysis

I'm having a very interesting problem. I, as everyone else, am under a bombardment of heavy exploding shells loaded not with shrapnel, but with information. Information which explodes in my mind, branching off into threads of thought processes, any of which could lead to a blog. So many threads that I can't make decisions on what to write about. Thus, paralysis.

I always heard that as you get older, you lose your ability to concentrate - to focus - a shorter attention span - increasing attention deficit disorder.

Well, Hello aging.

I write great blogs - in my head while sitting on my porch or on the subway - most forgotten by the time I force myself to sit down at the computer.

At yesterday's MORE event on the lessons of Chicago, there were so many threads of interest, I started threads of 20 blogs in my head - mostly forgotten by now, especially after a great post-meeting dinner in Chinatown with Michael Fiorillo and Patrick Walsh.

I begin writing multiple threads - and as I read the wonderful stuff from fellow bloggers, different strands open up and I save a partially written blog as a draft. An hour later something else comes up and I begin another round of partially written blogs. Right now I have a 1000 drafts. I need to locate a delete button.

My solution is to avoid - head out to the porch and write another great blog post - in my mind.

I would do a blog post now but I'm off to a more pleasurable experience - two and a half hours of dental work on my root canal.

Mel Levy

I just wanted to inform you Mel Levy head of TA Engineers union died this week.  He is a huge loss for all unions because he had a voice and was fearless.  It would be nice if the UFT would acknowledge him for all he has done for the city.  
Barbra Nahoum

The Case for Tenure: South Bronx School Tells His Story

There are so many personal stories out there about teachers under assault, while principals get off scot free no matter what they do. Peter Zucker tells his story.
http://www.southbronxschool.com/2014/08/my-own-story-why-teachers-so.html

One of the Campbell Brown parents has a kid at PS 106 in Rockaway where the principal, Marcella Sills, was exposed on many grounds and is not in the rubber room (no time now - google her). Campbell Brown and that parent blame the tenured teacher. "nuff said.

Breaking: NY State Ed Department Releases 2014 Test Results (Fred Smith Parody)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York State Education Department Releases April 2014 Test Results:

Students Statewide Make Progress Meeting Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS)

Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch and State Education Commissioner John King, Jr. announced gains in English and math this year.

They made the announcement outside Kipp Tech Valley Charter School in Albany.  Consistent with the aims of Common Core, the school web site says Kipp “opened its doors with the promise that hard work would lead to academic success and the road to college.”

Core-aligned assessments were initiated in 2013.  The 2014 tests provide the first chance to weigh student performance against the Common Core baseline established in 2013.  The percentage deemed proficient this spring was higher in English and math for grades 3-8 combined.

The CCLS are integral to the Regents Reform Agenda to develop the critical thinking and analytic skills of students and deeper understanding of math.  More rigorous tests identify which students are ready for college and careers and which will need academic help to succeed after high school.

Tisch said, "These results vindicate New York’s efforts to aggressively implement higher standards, more accurate assessments, a more content rich curriculum and a teacher evaluation system to support teaching excellence."  She noted that teachers, principals and superintendents worked extraordinarily hard to launch the Common Core.

King said, “This work for college- and career-readiness, citizenship-readiness, helping students be prepared when they get to college, so they don't end up in remedial courses—this is ultimately a patriotic endeavor.” 

In a departure from past practice, the Department is not providing information on overall changes in percentages or scale score comparisons with previous results.  Deputy Commissioner Ken Wagner explained that the decision was made because of the upset caused last year by releasing results that appeared to show a large decline in performance.  Unfortunately, the public took this negative progress to mean that schools were failing, although students faced very demanding assessments.

As the core-aligned exams were being rolled out, the Chancellor and Commissioner were reassured by a panel of privately-funded Regents Research Fellows and outside testing experts that the instruments were properly developed and valid.

The 2014 data show gains by minorities, English Language Learners, students with disabilities and districts in all need/resource categories.  Each Big 5 city also improved, as New York City outpaced the others.

Wagner added several points about the 2013 and 2014 exams:

·   Data processing was completed in June, enabling SED to analyze and release the results in 27% fewer days this year.
·   The 2013 Technical Report has just been posted.  It will allow researchers to study the quality of last year’s foundational Core exams.  While this is more than a year after the test was given, SED wanted the information to be accurate and provide a “transparent baseline.”
·   A year ago, to calm parents who felt the tests were too long, he did an item analysis concluding that students had enough time to finish the exams. Parts of it will appear in the 2013 Report. 
·   Nevertheless, the 2014 tests were shortened. This concession is contrary to SED belief that having more items lets a wider range of performance indicators be tested at varying degrees of difficulty.
·   Revealing all items would expose embedded field test items, precluding their use on future exams. But SED has posted more items online this year despite concern that disclosure encourages too much time to be spent on test preparation.
·   While some objections to giving students stand-alone field tests in June may have merit, this approach is a necessary, if less than ideal, complement to embedding items.
·   Kentucky, the first state to administer core-aligned testing in 2011, saw a 2% rise in reading and math proficiency the next year.

The Commissioner acknowledged how perplexed he and the Chancellor are, knowing that after No Child Left Behind, the “tragic achievement gap” persists.

King said we are still in a transitional mode and do not know the precise course testing will take over the next few years as our standards evolve into multi-state standards.  There will be continuity, however, because Pearson will remain the test developer after its five-year contract expires in 2015.

In reflecting on the work being done here, Kentucky Education Commissioner Dr. Terry Holliday said, “New York has shown great leadership in raising the bar on student outcomes to the level of college- and career-readiness.”

The Chancellor reminded New Yorkers that “since the idea of the Common Core began to take hold in 2010, there have been signs of positive movement—evidence that pursuing the Core was wise—in spite of a few growing pains.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

union predicts "slight rise" in test scores this year

http://ny.chalkbeat.org/2014/08/08/uft-predicts-small-gains-ahead-of-next-weeks-test-score-release/#.U-jR-2P3UQt

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/city-students-math-reading-test-scores-teachers-union-estimates-article-1.1897661

see also Fred Smith on unusually high no. of “clunkers” on 2013 exams

http://www.citylimits.org/conversations/265/testing-and-transparency
Reasons behind Fred Smith parody - see below the break

Common Core: Gary Stern on Manipulating Test Outcomes Through Cut Scores

Maria Baldassarre Hopkins hit the nail on the head: "There are ways to make the numbers do what you want them to do." There was nothing democratic about the way the Common Core was written and forced on the schools. This story will get uglier and uglier as corporate politicos use their manipulated message of failing public schools as a diversion from the real issue of poverty. Reminder: Here's how the New York Times editorial board gushed over the first round of New York's Common Core testing... Ohanian Comment at newspaper site

I disagree with panelists who they believe that once teachers are trained, scores will substantially rise. They will not... Carol Burris

"A small shift in the cut scores means a dramatic difference in the number of students at different levels," said David Dickerson, an associate professor of mathematics at SUNY Cortland who took part. .... Teachers and college professors on the cut-score panel were paid $175 per day, and all panelists were reimbursed for expenses. — Gary Stern, The Journal News

Susan O has been pumping stuff out the past few days and I'm finding it hard to keep up. Take it easy on us old guys Susan. And you're taking away my beach time.

You don't see Mulgrew wanting to punch people in the face over stuff like this. I do and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=733

(Also see another Susan piece I posted at Norms Notes on New Leaders, New Schools Scams - Another Ed Deform Crook).

Common Core: Who's on track for college and who is not?

Carol Corbett Burris, Principal at South Side High School, Comment:
Gary, thank you for doing this reporting. You are remarkable for your willingness to follow up on stories that are important and difficult to cover. The college readiness information that was shared with the group came from a NYSED sponsored study that said SAT scores which when combined equal a 1630 indicate "college readiness". Nationally, 32% of all seniors get that score. It is no surprise that 33% were proficient on the tests. That standard is needlessly high.

I disagree with panelists who they believe that once teachers are trained, scores will substantially rise. They will not.

Teacher Comment:
The most important statement in this article is that the tests by Pearson were incredibly bad. They were, and continue to be, terrible. My third graders took a reading test where it has been confirmed the stories they had to read and respond to were on a fifth-sixth grade reading level. How does that do anything but frustrate children? These tests are invalid in my opinion and that of most educators. They cannot give useful information about what our children can and cannot do. We need to speak up and demand fair testing. Imagine if as an adult you prepare for the LSAT to take the bar exam (which is shorter in duration than the 3rd grade tests BTW) and when you show up to take the test you have been given the MCAT instead and when you don't do well you are labeled as lacking proficiency in the subject matter. That is what is being done to our children. We must end this pointless, endless testing.

"There are ways to make the numbers do what you want them to do."--Maria Baldassarre Hopkins, assistant professor of education at Nazareth College in Rochester

by Gary Stern, gstern@lohud.com

Within weeks, the state Education Department will release results from the second round of new math and English tests, and tens of thousands of parents will again try to decipher the state's 1-4 scoring system.

How does the state determine the crucial break between a 2, which means that a student is not quite proficient in, say, fifth-grade math, and a 3, which signifies that he or she is on track for college?

These scoring scales were set last summer by a group of 95 educators that the state gathered at a hotel in Troy for several days. Teachers, administrators and college professors from across New York signed confidentiality agreements and were given the task of setting the cuts between 1 and 2, 2 and 3, and 3 and 4 for the new tests. But the scores would be widely questioned and even ridiculed after one-third of New York students were deemed to be on pace.

Revised With Vichy Notes - #AFT 14 Video - Leo Casey At the Bat - Don't Let Tea Party Seduce You From Supporting Wonderful Common Core

No one seems to care why progressives are against the Common Core.  ... Susan Ohanian

UPDATE: I'm reposting Leo's speech at the AFT where he brands common core opponents as tea party influenced after reading Susan Ohanian's comments on the Bobby Jindal/ John White battle in Louisiana. Leo comes down on the side of White, the ghoul of closing schools here in NYC under Joel Klein.

My posting of the Mulgrew "punch in the mouth" speech has caused a lot of comment, as much about the issue he chose to get "livid"" about. Certainly he is not angry about the numbers of discontinued teachers, or the political assault on teachers by principals who are members of the CSA, the UFT's pals.

One of the themes I have tried to prove over the years, even to most of my colleagues in the opposition movement, is that our union leaders are not on our side - that they are collaborators with a Vichy mentality - that they are in many ways hired hands - akin to agents - whose job is to manage the members and make sure the course of the union never veers towards the kind of militancy that might in any way threaten the power structure - a dirty deal for rank and file. And for those who say "sue them" for running their scams, I point out that the courts are part of that power structure, with judges coming from the same ranks.

Here are Susan's comments on the article in the AP, followed by my original post.

Dispute over Common Core gets personal
Ohanian Comment: Governor Jindal's opposition to the Common Core is likely based in his eying a Presidential run in 2016. Conservative opposition to the Common Core was fed by an overreach by President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan when they equired states that wanted to apply for federal Race to the Top funds to either adopt the standards or adopt comparable ones that would be judged "college- and career-ready."
No one seems to care why progressives are against the Common Core.
by Melinda Deslatte, Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- The clash over whether Louisiana's public schools should teach to the Common Core education standards has devolved into a bitter public feud that will have one-time political friends sitting on opposite sides of courtrooms.
Dueling lawsuits have been filed. An ethics complaint is in the works. Contracts are being audited. Accusations have been lodged of illegal behavior, ethical impropriety and political pandering.
And while the attacks grow more personal, major questions about the educational path of the state's public schools remain unanswered with students returning to classrooms in the next two weeks.
The upheaval started in June, when Gov. Bobby Jindal issued executive orders seeking to undermine use of Common Core and its associated testing.
The Common Core standards are grade-by-grade benchmarks of what students should learn in English and math. They have been adopted by more than 40 states and were once championed by Louisiana's Republican governor.
Supporters of the standards praise them as a better method for preparing students for college and careers after high school. Critics say the standards are untested, raise privacy concerns about data-sharing and damage state autonomy.
Jindal now opposes Common Core as a federal intrusion into local education, echoing the concerns raised by tea party groups around the nation.
But while the governor changed his mind on the standards, a majority of members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, or BESE, still support Common Core, along with Jindal's hand-picked state education superintendent, John White.
State lawmakers also refused to jettison Louisiana's use of the standards earlier this year.
When Jindal suspended the testing contracts, he said the education department didn't follow state procurement law and needed to seek competitive bids for the work. But he also said the move would help to get "Louisiana out of the Common Core."
White and BESE President Chas Roemer said the governor overstepped his legal authority.
Roemer accused Jindal of trying to govern by executive fiat and of changing his position on Common Core to bolster his support from conservative organizations for a possible 2016 presidential bid.
Education groups and business organizations that once were allied with Jindal accused him of political gamesmanship and misuse of his oversight of state contracts. Jindal's Division of Administration accused White, his department and BESE of refusing to follow state contracting laws and a pattern of possible contracting improprieties.
Seventeen state lawmakers who oppose Common Core - but who couldn't persuade their colleagues to shelve the standards - filed a lawsuit alleging the state education board and the education department didn't follow state law in enacting the standards.
Parents, teachers and organizations who support Common Core filed a lawsuit of their own, claiming Jindal's violated the Louisiana Constitution by meddling in education policy that should be decided by the Legislature and implemented by BESE. The education board has joined in that lawsuit, with even two of Jindal's board appointees agreeing to sue the governor.
Hearings for both lawsuits are scheduled for mid-August.
Outside the actions in District Court, Common Core opponents also say they intend to file an ethics complaint against White and several BESE members, raising questions about conflicts of interest and ties to organizations that they say hold "undue influence" in education policy.
BESE member and Common Core critic Jane Smith, the only Jindal appointee to vote against suing the governor, posted a message on Facebook talking of planned audits and alleging ethics violations in the Department of Education.
White issued a letter a few days later, saying he felt he was being personally attacked with suggestions of "unfounded malfeasance" within his office. He defended his support of Common Core and testing aligned with the standards, outlined how he's reimbursed for travel expenses and speeches to outside groups and said he's notified the ethics board of each transaction.
The nonpartisan Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, a government watchdog organization, said the situation has reached a "crisis level" and blamed the governor for causing the educational chaos.
Whether the feud is rooted in education policy or politics, there doesn't appear to be a quick resolution on the horizon for those most affected by its consequences: Louisiana schoolchildren.
___
EDITOR'S NOTE: Melinda Deslatte covers the Louisiana Capitol for The Associated Press.
— Melinda Deslatte Associated Press
August 03, 2014

This may be worse than Mulgrew's speech. Immediately after his speech, Leo went right to the Mendacino vinyards to pick grapes.

Gypsy Pics - One Last Time

Farmhands - only pic on this page I didn't take

I am a hoarder - never throw anything away - so I have these pics on my hard drive and want to delete them to make room. So, I just use Ed Notes as a dumping ground. What other purpose does it have?

I set up the camera and let it roll when I went backstage

The orchestra pit

Chowsie played by Nick

Baby June

Louise - growing up

Chinese restaurant scene

Baby June grownup

June and Louise sing about Mama getting married

Louise and Tacoma finale

Everything's Coming up Mama Roses

The Torreadoras

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Not this way

Who cares if she can play the trumpet?

Boy, they gotta gimmick

Go out and strip, girl

Cast party - Franky (right) and John with prop for Godspell

Catherine with gift for Director Susan

John after dancing

Vergara Update: Chetty, Chetty Gets Banged, Banged in Teachers College Refute

Over the last decade, teacher evaluation based on value-added models (VAMs) has become central to the public debate over education policy. In this commentary, we critique and deconstruct the arguments proposed by the authors of a highly publicized study that linked teacher value-added models to students’ long-run outcomes, Chetty et al. (2014, forthcoming), in their response to the American Statistical Association statement on VAMs. We draw on recent academic literature to support our counter-arguments along main points of contention: causality of VAM estimates, transparency of VAMs, effect of non-random sorting of students on VAM estimates and sensitivity of VAMs to model specification... TC Record

How nice to see Raj Chetty, who was a witness against the teachers in the California case, taken down. Do you think someone will call for him to lose tenure due to shoddy research?

Chetty is one of those hired hand research thugs from Harvard who "proved" that teacher quality based on VAM can affect a child's lifetime earnings. Of course their (purposely) shoddy work is coming apart at the seams.

As Ravitch wrote in June:

Chetty and Friends Stand by their VAM

June 2, 2014 //

118

The American Statistical Association released a brief report on value-added assessment that was devastating to its advocates. ASA said it was not taking sides, but then set out some caveats that left VAM with no credibility. Can a school district judge teacher quality by the test scores of his or her students? ASA wrote this: “VAMs are generally based on standardized test scores, and do not directly measure potential teacher contributions toward other student outcomes.

I imagine hitman lawyer for Campbell Brown, David Boies, will be smart enough not to use Chetty in the NY case. Someone even suggested Chetty, given testimony along the lines of "if only California had better tenure laws as good as NY", be called for our side. But union lawyers have often proved to be dumber than dirt, so don't expect a rigorous defense of tenure. In fact, look for them to plead that they will figure out ways to help get rid of teachers, continuing a long tradition, as Eterno points out over at ICE, where our own union has helped weaken the tenure laws (LETTER TO PROTECT TENURE FROM PEOPLE WHO WEAKENED IT).
Like, does anyone think it is only 3 years when half the people get extended, sometimes for more than one year (I recently met a guy who was in his 7th year as a teacher and only got it by getting away from the witch who was his principal.

Read the report below the break.

George Schmidt on HISTORY AND HISTORY'S DISTORTIONS

Chicago's George Schmidt is one of the founders of CORE, involved in the CTU for decades and an activist against high stakes testing long before that issue came on anyone's radar -- he was fired as a teacher for publishing the horrible CASE tests - which were discontinued after his expose. His newspaper, Substance, has been a force in Chicago schools for almost 4 decades. I learned about the existence of CORE from its earliest days from reading Substance. And so did many Chicago teachers.

Next Wed, MORE will be holding a "Lessons of Chicago" event - for about the 4th time. Unless I bring it up, there is no mention that there was actually a widely distributed newspaper promoting CORE as one of the factors in their success, it has not come up before and probably won't again. George, though a leftist, is not always perceived as being on the politically correct side of the left.

There is even a reading list for the MORE event. I haven't read them, but I bet none of the readings even mention Substance and its role as one of the lessons caucuses should learn from Chicago. I'm not even sure if they mention the key lesson - the ground game CORE built that penetrated 75% or more of the schools - and even how they built that ground game. (See below George's statement for the resources for Weds.)

5. HISTORY AND HISTORY'S DISTORTIONS. As you know, I've long been rabid about people who distort history to fit their own prejudices or narratives. As the character says in The Wire: "If you got enough money, you can be any story you want." The problem is that working class people don't have the time to go around and gather different "viewpoints" to figure out where the truth is -- and to model what they do next. I have shared lots of examples of this. That's why I haven't (yet) reviewed all of the books and articles that have been published since the Chicago Teachers Strike of 2012. Basically, each in its own way is trying to hijack a history that we helped make (beginning decades ago in some cases) and bend it for the working class leaders of the new century in one direction or another. I personally realize that the ruling class's control over "narrative" is more destructive, but having helped in a few major historical events, I know from experience how important it is that we tell our stories ourselves. So that's also what will continue into the future, just as we have throughout the past.

One of the most obnoxious and dangerous things about historiography is when people limit their sources to get the viewpoint they want. A writer who clips Catalyst and Chicago's corporate media to learn about the history of Chicago's resistance -- of which the Chicago Teachers Strike of 2012 is a central part -- is distorting history, not writing it. A write who ignores the role of Substance in the resistance to corporate "reform" back in the 1990s and high stakes testing as early as 1997 and 1998 is also falsifying history. Boycotts of the poisonous tests didn't begin in Seattle in 2012 no matter now many people proclaim a sectarian version of reality. And there are many other examples...

Thanks.

I'll be talking with you as possible and see many of you next week.

George Schmidt, Editor 

Join us for a discussion with Annie Tan, CORE Activist

Wednesday, August 13th, 4pm-7pm

The Dark Horse, 17 Murray St. NYC

Near City Hall, Chambers St, WTC, $5 Drafts & Well Drinks

How to Jump-Start Your Union: Lessons from the Chicago Teachers, A Labor Notes book, available from MORE $15 solidarity price)

Strike for America, by Micah Utrecht available in hard copy or ebook from:  versobooks.com/books/1569-strike-for-america

For a short introductions, please check out “Uncommon Core,” by Micah Utrecht atjacobinmag.com/2014/03/uncommon-core-chicago-teachers-union/ or “Creating a New Model of a Social Union: CORE and the Chicago Teachers Union” by Robert Barlett at monthlyreview.org/2013/06/01/creating-a-new-model-of-a-social-union/

Re Mulgrew #AFT14 "Punch" Video: What I Told NY Daily News Reporter Steven Rex Brown

Oh, those Martians, who made stops in Seattle and Los Angeles to pick up Gates and Broad before heading for Washington DC to pick up their pal Randi. Conspiracy theories? Who me when there are so few grounds?

I told Brown flat out that I full well knew that the Daily News has an agenda in its interest in the video - to paint Mulgrew and the union as thugs as part of its anti-union bias. He didn't contradict me or even pretend that wasn't the intention. I could tell by his questions how they were going to shape the story.

I rarely trust reporters, particularly from the tabloids. So when Steven Rex Brown, who unfortunately works with that snake, Ben Chapman, asked me to call him today about the Mulgrew AFT video I posted, I did so because he wanted some context. And I gave him plenty of context, especially on this point of derision of CC critics by Mulgrew:

“I’ve heard the stories about how Eli Broad, Bill Gates, Joel Klein and a flying saucer full of Martians designed these things to brainwash us all,” said Mulgrew, mocking critics who deride Common Core as being imposed by billionaires and corporate bigwigs.

Oh, those Martians, who made stops in Seattle and Los Angeles to pick up Gates and Broad before heading for Washington DC to pick up their pal Randi. Conspiracy theories? Who me when there are so few grounds?

I told Brown how the UFT had accepted a million dollar donation from Broad for its charter school and how Broad backed the Al Shanker bio. And how Gates has funneled money to the AFT/UFT to support the common core. And oh that invite to the AFT 2010 convention.  "Do you think Mulgrew looked sort of desperate in the video," I asked Brown? "Yes," he said. "Why do you think he might be desperate? Is it possible there is loads of money somehow involved and in danger?" I always start with "follow the money."

I told Brown flat out that I full well knew that the Daily News has an agenda in its interest in the video - to paint Mulgrew and the union as thugs as part of its anti-union bias. He didn't contradict me or even pretend that wasn't the intention. I could tell by his questions how they were going to shape the story.

I told him:
"If you watch Mulgrew's defense of the common core you will see you guys are on the same side -- all the press supports the common core too. You should be cheering Mulgrew instead of attacking him."

I said my interest in posting the video is in defending the union and making it a better union by exposing the links of our union leaders to groups supporting the common core as a way to rally the rank and file to rise up and turn our union into a fighting union while his paper had nefarious reasons. As long as we were clear on where we each were coming from.

Remember the backdrop to Mulgrew's speech. The day before, Unity did a bum rush to push the Chicago people out of their seats near the microphones and reports of that left them with some egg on their faces. (Leroy Barr had pushed Sarah Chambers). And right before Mulgrew spoke it was Sarah and other CTU teachers who were very strong. So Mulgrew was doing this in some context.

Here is what I posted on July 13:

Gloria in visitor's section just texted - Unity are positioning themselves now near mikes....  Common Core debate begins

[Common Core] will die no matter what the AFT does because, frankly, it doesn’t matter.... Ravitch

UFT throw heavy hitters Mulgrew, Barr - while CORE uses their rank and file -  who are more than capable of holding their own. This is not to say that others around the nation are on the Randi team. So far only Chicago people are opposing the AFT/UFT reso.

UPDATE: See Chicago - reasons to oppose common core.

And this pic of Sarah in a Unity sandwich (though that may be NYSUT Pres Karen Magee, who is Unity clone) with hack Stuart Kaplan behind her, probably holding a bigger shot's spot or to call the question.

Anyway -
So when asked me how I felt about Mulgrew's demeanor I must have disappointed Brown when I said Mulgrew's demeanor is fine with me. I only wish he was like in defending teachers when instead his so-called anger (I forgot to tell Brown it was an act) was really being directed at classroom teachers who opposed the common fore.

I said I want that fighting spirit in a union leader (I certainly prefer Mulgrew's style to the insipid Randi's). But Mulgrew is using a phony fighting spirit on the side of the corporate interests who are pushing the common core instead of using it to defend classroom teachers. I urged him to watch the 2 classroom teachers who followed Mulgrew, Barr and Magee where they talked about the CC being tied to corporate interests, with the last speaker pointing out how it is copywrited.

Brown read back the quote he was going to use and it sounded good to me. I told him if it comes out that way (which I didn't believe it would - and it really didn't) I would get him a birthday present. I don't think so.

The Staten Island native’s fighting words left other teachers feeling insulted, however. “His style is not attacking the real enemies of teachers. He’s attacking the teachers trying to defend their children in the classroom!” said Norm Scott, a retired elementary school teacher living in Rockaway, Queens, who recorded the video and posted it to his Ed Notes blog.

 Brown had asked me about Mulgrew's demeanor, which I am fine with, not insulted. But the rest of the quote looks good to me.

Oh, and when I told him I had a lot more unpublished footage he said he would talk to people about buying it. "Sorry I said, not interested." Ah, the benefits of being a Tier 1 retiree.

More videos of heroic Chicago teachers who spoke before and after Mulgrew.

Postscript
People are telling me that the streamed video of the AFT convention seems to be missing the Mulgrew speech. I don't want to accuse them of playing the Richard Nixon card and deleting it.

Another point. Someone asked me how it worked out that Mulgrew and Barr spoke right after another -- these guys are big shots - do they have to race to the mic and stand in line? Surrogate Unity Caucus slugs do that work for them - they grab a spot at the mics and move aside for the biggies when strategically it is time for them to speak.

#AFT14 Convention Video - Common Core Debate - Mulgrew is Going to Punch Someone in the Face

Has anyone speaking against the common core said they don't WANT standards? .... Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater? The baby is in the bath water... Pia Payne-Shannon, Minneapolis Teacher opposing common core in rousing speech at AFT convention

I extracted a 12 minute sliver from over an hour debate including the Mike Mulgrew "punch you in the face" line. Followed by Leroy Barr and new NYSUT President Karen Magee (see Randi's face as she qvells at her coup) - I didn't include all of Magee's - yada, yada, yada. I put in 2 speeches of a Chicago teacher and a rousing rebuttal from a Minneapolis teacher.

It was union leadership pushing common core vs classroom teachers opposing. I still have a load of great speeches, mostly from Chicago, which I'll put up tomorrow.

More Gypsy Pics and Vids

They just keep popping up on facebook and I can't resist posting. I may be pessimistic long-term, but optimistic short-term.

Here is a unique view of NYC teachers Steve Ryan and Kim Simek, video by Frank Verderame from the wings. They are both powerhouses, even though they often hang out with Mike Schirtzer.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr30IbliDqE&feature=youtu.be

I never got to take my pic with Caroline the cow. But Catherine is a pretty good substitute.

And Louisa too

John emerges from the front end of the cow to meet his pals