NYC Educator on Unity Caucus and Why MORE

We are going to break the Unity wall and they are going to listen to us inside what they believe to be their house.  In truth, it's not their house.  It's our house. And the time for us to use it is long overdue.... Arthur Goldstein, NYC Educator:  The Only Thing Unity Caucus Is Good At

Arthur has a dynamic piece up today - I was in the midst of writing about a similar topic but let's go with excerpts from Arthur's piece where he talks about the opposition.

Unity Caucus has a monopoly on power, the system is designed to maintain said monopoly, and if something shocking occurs, like an opposition figure winning the vice presidency, the system can be tweaked so that it never happens again. So that's just what they do. And if those annoying New Action folks should keep winning, well, you can always make some deal to have them support the sitting UFT President.
That deal, in fact, has fractured the opposition for years. It was genius on the part of then President Randi Weingarten. A fringe benefit was that those New Action members who didn't approve of the unholy alliance with Unity broke away, and formed another caucus, ICE. ICE actually managed to win a few seats on the UFT executive board until Unity tweaked the system so as to co-endorse New Action rather than fail to oppose them. Now if you were to combine the New Action votes with MORE votes, they would have actually defeated Unity last time.
Of course, there are always contingencies, so Randi Weingarten met with a disaffected teacher, and a week later, voila!, there was yet another caucus. Personally, I don't know or care what the intentions of that teacher were. I have reservations about MORE, but they have people I respect enormously and I will support them this election cycle, as I did the last. With them, there's certainly no coincidental meeting and no deal with Weingarten, Unity, or any person or entity that's made deals counter to the interests of teachers.

More Civil Disobedience: Rahm Emanuel rushed off stage by #FightForDyett protesters

@RahmEmanuel met w/ chants of "blood on your hands" from angry Chicago parents #FightForDyett http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rahm-emanuel-budget-forum-met-0901-20150831-story.html …


CNN Reports
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/02/politics/rahm-emanuel-protesters-school-closings/index.html

Washington (CNN)Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was forced off the stage at a budget hearing Wednesday night by protesters angry over the closing of a Chicago high school.

Halfway through a public budget hearing, protesters began chanting and then a handful jumped up on the stage with Emanuel, according to The Chicago Tribune. Emanuel's security quickly surrounded him and then escorted him backstage. They later canceled the hearing.

Protesters have been on a hunger strike for 17 days trying to keep open Dyett High School in Chicago.

Tribune City Hall reporter Bill Ruthhart tweeted the scene from the room Wednesday night, "Demonstrators continue to take over the room at Mayor Rahm Emanuel's budget hearing. Emanuel remains backstage."

A call for comment to Emanuel's press office was not immediately returned Wednesday night.

Hunger strikers have been protesting the closing of Dyett amid a school consolidation spurred by Chicago budget woes. The school is set to be closed for a year while the city decides what to do next. 

Emanuel was forced into a run-off battle this year with Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, a liberal Democrat backed by the city's poorer residents and minorities who felt shut out by Emanuel. Emanuel, who wielded the support of more moderate Democrats and the business community, bested Garcia 56%-44%.

MORE's Jia Lee Quoted in The Nation: Exploding Rebellion Against Standardized Tests

Jia Lee, a New York City-based special education teacher with the Movement of Rank-and-file Educators caucus of the teachers union (MORE-UFT), sees political designs in Elia’s warnings. She is “in essence implying by her threats,” Lee says via e-mail, that parents’ choice to opt out “will have negative consequences for schools. More specifically, poor children of color are the targets. Since Title I schools are disproportionately Black and Latino.” 
...http://www.thenation.com/article/the-rebellion-against-standardized-tests-is-exploding/

We've been chronicling MOREs popping up all over the place in published articles. The best hope for defeating the onerous impact of the teacher rating system is the growing opt out movement from both left and right. Watch the UFT/AFT/NYSUT leadership be forced to give increasing support to the opt-out movement as the potential for organizing it offers their internal critics locally and nationally. Especially with this being a UFT election year.

By the time you start receiving piles of pro-Mulgrew glossies in your school (and possibly home) mailboxes, he will be positively in love with opt-out -- until the election is over.

MORE's Katie Lapham Takes Her Opt Out Cart to Brooklyn Neighborhoods

Katie,

Beautiful.  Absolutely inspired!  The medium is the message... Fred Smith, Change the Stakes

I love the individual and small group actions people in MORE are taking to build local communities of resistance. Former MORE steering committee member Katie Lapham is on the case. She and her daughter Nora attended the MORE summer series Chapter Leader training workshop. Nora may run for chapter leader - in 2035.

Follow the adventures of @OptOutCart on Twitter. I visit different NYC neighborhoods to share #OptOutNYC info with parents. I want kids to have the freedom to choose their own adventures so I also offer free books to NYC students. On Saturday, I went to a back-to-school event in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Let me know if you hear of other similar events that might interest me. I also welcome book donations... Katie Lapham

Civil Disobedience Against Ed Deform: MORE Supports #FightForDyett – Support the Hunger Strike against School Closings -

On August 17th, a group of 12 parents and community activists in the historic Bronzeville section of Chicago began a hunger strike to preserve the last open enrollment high school in their community.  Their fast, where they have consumed nothing but water and light liquids such as broth, is now in its third week... Daniel Katz, Ph.D. #FightForDyett Puts Parents’ Actual Bodies on the Line for Fully Public Education

I haven't been posting about the remarkable events going on in Chicago surrounding the community led hunger strike against a closing school. There have been so many eloquent postings on blogs, facebook and twitter there is not much I can add.

I know there are teachers under assault in the UFT by ed deform who may think this has nothing to do with them. It does have everything to do with their situation in this national and international privatization of public school systems.

MORE issued a bulletin expressing support for the Dyett parents. I am proud to be associated with the people of MORE who fight the small and big battles for the dignity of teachers, students and parents.

morecaucusnyc

#FightForDyett – Support the Hunger Strike against School Closings - MORE has sent the following letter of solidarity along with a monetary donation to support the Dyett hunger strikers in Chicago. Please post black and whit... 

MORE has sent the following letter of solidarity along with a monetary donation to support the Dyett hunger strikers in Chicago. 

Please post black and white pictures to twitter under the hashtag #FightForDyett to show your solidarity (or email to more@morecaucusnyc.org and we can tweet for you) – below see a few of the MORE members who have done so…



August 28, 2015
The Movement of Rank and File Educators, of the United Federation of Teachers, stand in solidarity with the Dyett Hunger Strikers: Jitu Brown, Prudence Brown, Anna Jones, Jeanette Taylor-Ramaan, Monique Redeaux-Smith, Aisha Wade-Bey, Nelson Soza, Cathy Dale, Robert Jones, Irene Robinson, April Stogner, Marc Kaplan and their entire community. Dyett is all of us.

We support the notion that the Dyett school community has a vision and solutions to preserving their public schools. We support the highest moral and ethical stand of putting their basic needs at the same place as their need for democratic decision making. The action of denying themselves basic sustenance to support life is the height to which they’ve reached in protecting their right to public schools their children deserve. 

As we send our solidarity, we call on those elected to represent their constituents to stand with their community when the only thing they are demanding is their school. 

Representative steering members of the MORE caucus,
John Antush, Lauren Cohen, Peter Lamphere August Leppelmeier, Jia Lee, Dan Lupkin, Megan Moskop, Mike Shirtzer, Kit Wainer

 

Michael Fiorillo on UFT/Unity Leadership

Help the misleaders of our union, who've spent the better part of a generation enabling those who would destroy the union, our rights, and public education itself?
Help them do what? Continue collaborating with Bill Gates and Eli Broad? Help them to continue pushing Common Core and the attendant testing regime on a demoralized, lied-to rank and file?
While there are many smart, honest and decent people in Unity Caucus whom I like and respect, they seem to be as powerless as the rank and file. As for the top leadership, not only would I not help them, but as the good people of Appalachia would say, I wouldn't piss on them if their hearts were on fire.
Let's all work hard to "help" these misleaders into the dustbin of history, where their betrayals will be seen for what they are, and take our union back from willful captives who brag about their collaboration with our enemies.
......Fiorillo response on NYC Educator bog:  Teaching in a Right-to-Work State

NYC Educator phrases things in a different way:

.... we must work to make UFT an organization responsive to those of us who see what's coming. Flawed though our union is, we must work to improve it rather than lie down and watch it be destroyed. As bad as things are, they could be much worse. A lot of us are working to make things better, and I expect to give more detail on that in this space in the coming weeks and months.

Friedrichs can hang over our heads like the Sword of Damocles, but we cannot give up. We cannot become North Carolina. If you think it can't happen here, take a look at Michigan and Wisconsin. No one thought it would happen there either. Because even if we win Friedrichs, that's just cutting one head off the monster. Surely another will grow in its place.

We need to be smarter and quicker than the reformies. Our current leadership has not proven up to the task. One way or another, we are going to help them, whether they like it or not. 

Norm in The Wave: “Little Shop” So Good, I Skipped the Beach

Here is my Wave RTC column from last Friday as the show was getting ready to close.

2015-08-28 / Community
 

“Little Shop” So Good, I Skipped the Beach
Memo from the RTC
By Norm Scott
I watched opening night of the Rockaway Theatre Company production of the musical sci-fi classic Little Shop of Horrors from an extreme front row right position, which was the only spot I could get to film due to the sold-out performance (my usual spot in the booth was occupied).

While I couldn’t see every part of the set, I could easily watch the audience and enjoyed their reactions as much as I enjoyed the show. It was quite gratifying, as a member of Tony Homsey’s set-building crew, to see them break out in applause when the set was revealed. And oh, the spectacular mood lighting by Andrew Woodbridge – and the music directed by Jeff Arzberger - crucial factors in creating the atmosphere.


Most people saw the 1990’s movie with Steve Martin’s memorable performance as the sadistic dentist and missed the play. Seeing it live beats the movie anytime. And John Panepinto’s performance as the dentist doesn’t take second place to Steve Martin.

The audience raved about the Urchins, played by Renee Steadman, Tenna Torres, and Janicke Steadman-Charles, three gals who could be mistaken for The Ronettes – and many of us hope we will be seeing them all again in future RTC productions.

The performance by three such powerful voices – in tandem and solo – is not to be missed. Vocals by Reanna Flemons as Audrey and Donald Gormanly as Seymour didn’t take second place, making this one of the most powerful vocal RTC productions.

RTC regular Fred Grieco as Mr. Mushnick delivers his usual professional level performance in addition to being a tasty treat for one out of control plant. And oh that plant, with master puppeteer Andrew Guzman with voice by RTC newcomer Kyle Benoit-Cartier, who uses his deep and resonant voice to make the kind of demands I often make at home when dinner is not served.

A friend from Long Island, who has become a fan of RTC productions, came with his family to the Saturday matinee and I drove over to say hello. It was a beautiful day and I wanted to get to go to the beach. I’m thinking: Being able to see RTC productions from different angles is a treat, so why not take advantage for a bit? Why not hang out for a while and see the opening from the back of the theater?

Well, a “bit” turned into an hour as I watched the entire ACT I before having to go home beachless - and I would have come back to see the evening performance if we weren’t going out. I’m going back a few times for the final four performances, which included a rare Thursday night performance. I will certainly be at the Sunday matinee closing – I never miss a cast party.

You can see a promotional video on Facebook with the cast produced by LocalTheatreNY.com (which you should subscribe to for news of community and regional theater - why pay those Broadway prices for quality theater?). I also posted the video on my blog: http://ednotesonline.- blogspot.com/2015/08/video-meet-cast-of-rtcs-little-shop-of.html.

For dates, tickets and more information call 718-374-6400.

MORE's Kevin Prosen on Teacher Shortage Reasons - In These Times

The demoralization of the American teacher is leading to the deskilling of their profession, which leads to teacher resignations, which leads to more demoralization, ad infinitum... Kevin Prosen

Great shot at the NY Times' ed-no-nothing Frank Bruni by Kevin Prosen, who is one of the most knowledgeable and effective chapter leaders at a middle school in Queens. He has become a go-to guy in MORE for advice.


http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/18344/the_teacher_shortage_isnt_an_accidentits_the_result_of_corporate_education

‘The Teacher Shortage’ Is No Accident—It’s the Result of Corporate Education Reform Policies

Like much else in the national education debate, panics about teacher shortages seem to be a perennial event.  In a widely discussed article for the New York Times earlier this month, Motoko Rich called attention to sharp drops in enrollment in teacher training programs in California and documented that many districts are relaxing licensure requirements as a result, pushing more and more people into the classroom without full certification or proper training.

“It’s a sad, alarming state of affairs, and it proves that for all our lip service about improving the education of America’s children, we’ve failed to make teaching the draw that it should be, the honor that it must be,” mused Times columnist Frank Bruni.

That Bruni would bemoan such a state of affairs is ironic, as he has used his column over the years to repeatedly argue that teaching is too easy a profession to enter and too easy to keep, and amplified the voice of reformers who want to want to make the profession more precarious. But the reality is that speaking of a “shortage” at all is a kind of ideological dodge; the word calls to mind some accident of nature or the market, when what is actually happening is the logical (if not necessarily intended) result of education reform policies.

“This is an old narrative, the idea that we aren’t producing enough teachers,” says Richard Ingersoll, an educational sociologist at University of Pennsylvania who has written extensively on the subject of teacher shortages. “As soon as you disaggregate the data, you find out claims of shortage are always overgeneralized and exaggerated. It’s always been a minority of schools, and the real factor is turnover in hard to staff schools. It may be true enrollment went down in these programs nationally, but there are so many former teachers in the reserve pool.” In other words, the problem isn’t that too few people entering the profession, but rather that too many are leaving it.

Such high turnover rates are disruptive to school culture and tend to concentrate the least experienced teachers in the poorest school districts. A 2014 paper by Ingersoll and his colleagues shows “45 percent of public school teacher turnover took place in just one quarter of the population of public schools. The data show that high-poverty, high-minority, urban and rural public schools have among the highest rates of turnover.”
“If you look at the shortage areas in terms of subject or what districts are having trouble filling jobs, it’s a shortage of people who are willing to teach for the salary and in the working conditions in certain school districts,” says Lois Weiner, an education professor at New Jersey City University and author of The Future of Our Schools. “It’s not a shortage in every district.  Look at the whitest, wealthiest districts in every state and call up the personnel department, ask if they have a shortage in special ed or bilingual ed. They don’t—in fact, they are turning candidates away.”
Ingersoll says it’s no secret what kind of policies will keep teachers in the classroom.

“The most important thing in retaining teachers, according to the data, is sufficient leeway and autonomy in the classroom,” he says. “If low-performing schools that are sanctioned actually allow teachers more autonomy discretion and leeway, their turnover is no higher than high-performing schools.”

A recent survey by the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association cited by Bruni sheds some light on the state of teacher autonomy and job satisfaction. Only 15% of teachers in the survey strongly agreed with the statement “I am enthusiastic about my profession at this point in my career,” although 89% strongly agreed with such feelings at the start of their career. Seventy-three percent said they were “often stressed,” citing mandated curriculum, large class sizes and standardized testing” as their top everyday stressors in the classroom; 71% said adoption of new initiatives without proper training or professional development were major sources of workplace stress. Among the 30% of teachers who claimed to have felt bullied in the last year, 58% of these identify an administrator or supervisor as the culprit.

Far from granting more autonomy to teachers, we appear to be giving them less.

And such working conditions are taking a toll. Last year, a report from New York’s United Federation of Teachers documented a “teacher exodus” from the city’s schools, with nearly half of teachers leaving within the first six years of their career, either to higher-paying suburban districts or to other careers altogether. A new trend in the New York City, according to the UFT, is a sharp increase in resignations among mid-career teachers—those between six and 15 years of service. These teachers are resigning at three times the rate of 2008. 

One of corporate school reform’s many ironies is that its ideological justifications often yield their opposite. In the name of “raising standards” and holding educators accountable, teachers lose their professional autonomy and face an ever-increasing stream of new mandates. This leads to higher turnover. In order to fill the gaps, licensure rules are relaxed and “supports” are provided for an increasingly amateur workforce—through prefabricated curriculum and assessments. And the cycle starts all over again. The demoralization of the American teacher is leading to the deskilling of their profession, which leads to teacher resignations, which leads to more demoralization, ad infinitum.

Kevin Prosen

Kevin Prosen is a teacher in New York City and chapter leader in the United Federation of Teachers.

 

UFT Organizing 101: Don't Hold A Rally for the Sake of Holding a Rally

If you hold a rally in a forest and no one came did you really hold a rally? A sparsely attended rally doesn't interest the press and in fact hurts the movement. I used to be an advocate of the theory of organizing that says, "Just hold a rally even if only a few people show up" to make your point. Experience has taught me that unless you can guarantee a large enough number to make an impact holding sparsely attended rallies exposes your weakness. And also - have real people at rallies, not fillers. (I have been to some events that were artificially inflated with ringers of sorts.)

I posted on August 12 about the awful Aimee Horowitz who Farina has given more responsibilites instead of giving her the boot:  Aiming at Aimee (Horowitz) (http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2015/08/aiming-at-aimee-horowitz-was-she-worst.html).

There was this comment:Saturday, Aug. 22, 2:33 AM

There is a growing rally outside her office Wednesday August 26th.

Wishful thinking doesn't a movement make. Maybe at 2:33 AM it does.

One of the dividing points between Solidarity and MORE in my opinion was the "shoot from the hip" without thinking of consequences aspect of its leader. Slam any principal without investigating the details. I get it. Solidarity people are new to the opposition movement in the UFT and feel they must do something. Anything. I call it the "get your rocks off so I can feel better that I did something" school. I know this leads from experience: a dead end. But people do need to go through it themselves I guess.

People like me did come from that place at one point but after experiences of failed and inconsequential rallies I have learned.

South Bronx School has been mocking (If UFT Solidarity Has a Rally...Who Cares?) the recent well-advertised Solidarity rally against DOE slug/Supt Aimee Horowitz the other day, which when someone sent me a photo of the 7 people standing there, even surprised me  - in fact, most of these rallies have looked to be the same. That there was an attempt to make a big to do about the exact location of the rally, but that is a distraction.

That is why over the past few years, people have preferred holding a press conference - with a reps and supporters. But showing the ability to bring numbers of people out - and I'm talking in the double or triple digits here - is a demonstration of growing strength. If you are going to ask people give up their valuable time to attend an event they have to have some trust and faith in you and your organization.

Over the years I have been involved in some of these reasonably successful events.

The big rally at Bloomberg's home in January 2011 was major. And there we did make a big to-do when the great attorney Norman Siegel represented us in court trying get us to rally on his block instead of across the street. Julie Cavanagh and Sueng Ok signed the papers, incredibly gutsy for 2 teachers and I was in the room when Siegel looked them in the eyes and said that if the DOE tried to go after them in any way, they had his protection for life.

The GEM rally at City Hall a year later on a massive snow day that still turned out almost 300 people. The buzz on the rally was so great that the UFT paid us $50 for speaking time - Leo Casey was the speaker replacing Michael Mendel who got snowed in. Julie Cavanagh showed her chops in being a major force in making both these events happen, where she showed her ability to reach out to a broader audience beyond teachers - which was just one reason so many people trusted her as MORE's presidential candidate. (Yes, trust is major when putting your faith in someone you support for office.)

In the early days of GEM - roughly May 2009, Angel Gonzalez, myself and others organized a march from Battery Park to the UFT to Tweed. While numbers were disappointing -- probably in the 30s, for a new group it showed we could create and manage an event. GEM also held rallies at Eva Moskowitz invasions of schools in Harlem.

When it comes to abusive principals, while the issue is big for me and others, my feelings that unless a massive organizing campaign goes on in the neighborhood of the schools and there are hard-core commitments to attend, rallies distracts from other work that should be done. I used to target these principals on ed notes but unless I see an uprising from the school community - like there was at John Dewey HS - much of my info was coming from numerous inside people - nothing much gets done. But if the NY Post or Daily News does something, there is some action. So people have taken to working with the NY Post Sue Edelman who does expose these people. A sparsely attended rally doesn't interest Sue. A scandal, especially one exposing the follies of Farina/de Blasio, is preferred. But I am careful with using Sue and the Post because the Post has an agenda. The other day a teacher sent me some hot stuff on his school but is aiming higher than the Post - the NY Times - even though I told him the Times doesn't care even if it finds principals are eating children for lunch.

There is nothing like bombast and bragging and threatening the DOE (and everyone else) with rallies etc. and then showing just how weak you are. Better to stay home and get some sleep.

Newark Teacher: May I live to see the day when Local Control of the schools is restored to the Newark Community

As a member of the Hispanic community, Rodriguez might wish to offer bilingual children of Newark the support necessary and required by law to ensure their academic success... Newark teacher Abigail Shure

Disgraced Chief "Talent" Officer Vanessa Rodriquez, supported by Cerf, assigns teacher who doesn't speak Spanish to teach in bi-lingual class. I think I get it. Give a senior teacher a job she cannot fulfill and then bring her up on charges she is incompetent? Is that the Chris Cerf wait to trim the herd of high-salaried teachers? Here is a report:

Dan Ivers reported on nj.com that the School Advisory Board for the Newark Public Schools (NPS) voted unanimously to fire Chief Talent Officer Vanessa Rodriguez for her alleged role in paying former Assistant Superintendent Tiffany Hardrick $12,115 for sick leave after Hardrick had departed NPS for a job in Arkansas. The Board is also calling for a criminal investigation.  State Superintendent Chris Cerf defended Hardrick claiming that she had made full restitution. Bob Braun posted on his Ledger that Cerf "... called the collection of New York refugees hired by former Superintendent Cami Anderson to be top staff 'spectacular'."
 
I would hate to disagree with my new boss Chris Cerf, but I am siding with the Board on this issue.  Earlier in the week, I received an e-mail from Vanessa Rodriguez granting me a budgeted position as a Bilingual Teacher at Camden Elementary.  I am to disregard previous instructions to report to Camden as an Employee Without Placement (EWP) providing additional support, the role I had filled the previous school year.  I was surprised and dismayed to receive my current placement.  I do not hold Bilingual certification, nor do I speak Spanish, the language that would be required for this position. Pursuant to NJSA 18A: 6-38 et seq. and 18A: 35-15 to 26, teachers of bilingual classes in New Jersey are to hold certification with appropriate endorsements.  I am clearly not qualified to work in this position.  I have twenty-five years of English as a Second Language experience, having taught every grade from pre-k to community college.  The Chief Talent Officer might have taken my lack of preparation into consideration when assigning me to a Bilingual Teacher position. As a member of the Hispanic community, Rodriguez might wish to offer bilingual children of Newark the support necessary and required by law to ensure their academic success.

A colleague has informed me that my new position is a class combining first and second grade bilingual students.  I plan to be there on the first day of school to welcome my new charges as best I can in English.  I would hope that the Board's recommendations for firing Vanessa Rodriguez and launching a criminal investigation would come to fruition.  It is my fervent prayer that Chris Cerf will place his employees in appropriate assignments, rather than delighting in arbitrarily crossing their names off the EWP list.  May I live to see the day when Local Control of the schools is restored to the Newark Community.

The Racist History of the Charter School Movement

• states and localities [in the south in the 60s] enacted “freedom of choice” plans that typically allowed white students to transfer out of desegregated schools, but forced black students to clear numerous administrative hurdles and, not infrequently, withstand harassment from teachers and students if they entered formerly all-white schools. When some segregationists began to acknowledge that separate black and white schools were no longer viable legally, they sought other means to eliminate "undesirables."
• Charter school operators (like health insurers who exclude potentially costly applicants) have developed methods to screen out applicants who are likely to depress overall test scores.... 

.....Alternet

A billboard in the south

Commentary:
Charters have been sold to the black community as a solution. And we have had push back from people in communities whose only option is a weak public school - sometimes this is perception rather than reality. Choice has been the selling point and we point out that the end game will be the disappearance of the public school option altogether except for the kids the charters don't want  - see the re-examination of New Orleans "total charter and no public schools" to pear into the future.

• Salon:  “Reform” makes broken New Orleans schools worse: Race, charters, testing and the real story of education after Katrina--- Jennifer Berkshire (Edushyster blogger).

In essence, the south after "desegregation" ended up with the same dual school system we will see played out here --

But note this point in the article:

In the West and some areas of the South, it appears that charter schools “serve as havens for white flight from public schools,” according to the Civil Rights Project.  

They should include the current Eva Moskowitz Success Academy model in this scenario as she is placing schools in gentrifying areas to attract white and middle class black parents.

There have been a bunch of articles on this topic. This is a good one:
Truthout: Racism and the Charter School Movement: Unveiling the Myths

Another is the article below on the racist history of charters. It has been lurking on my desktop since January. Let's revisit as we come to the end of the dog days of August.

The Racist History of the Charter School Movement - Alternet

Touted as the cure for what ails public education, charter schools have historical roots that are rarely discussed.

By Christopher Bonastia / AlterNet

January 6, 2015

http://www.alternet.org/education/racist-history-charter-school-movement

Glen Ford @Black Agenda: Black Parents Should Opt Their Children Out of High Stakes Testing

Black people desperately need to opt-out of this nightmare... Glen Ford at Black Agenda.

There is no little controversy over the opt out movement when the issue of race is on the table with pointed charges that is is wealthier white people who are opting their kids and thus damaging the black kids whose parents haven't yet (on the whole) jumped into the fray. Since the beginning of standardized testing with IQ tests just over a century ago, children in the most poverty stricken areas have been most negatively affected, as long-time commentator Glen Ford explains that ed deform is about removing the structures of democratic control of school boards - though the reality has been that they never did have control of the schools even before ed deform.

http://blackagendareport.libsyn.com/black-parents-should-opt-their-children-out-of-high-stakes-testing

Black Parents Should Opt Their Children Out of High Stakes Testing

Black Parents Should Opt Their Children Out of High Stakes Testing

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by executive editor Glen Ford

“This is a battle for democracy in public education.”

The movement by parents to opt their children out of high stakes testing is growing by leaps and bounds, but remains largely white and suburban, despite the fact Black folks are the primary targets of the destructive testing regime. Almost two decades ago, the corporate world began pouring millions of dollars into a massive campaign to split the two pillars of the Democratic Party: teachers unions and Black voters. It began as a mainly Republican strategy to divert public funding to private school vouchers – an idea that was never very popular among Black parents. But, corporate Democrats discovered that public education could be privatized even more effectively – and much more profitably – through chartering the schools. Charter schools are a capitalist’s dream, in which the public provides all the money, private companies get rich contracting services, teachers are deprofessionalized and deunionized, and Black parents lose all democratic rights concerning their children’s education.

In one of the great ironies of recent U.S. history, the Democratic Party took the lead in what had begun as a Republican project to vilify teachers and privatize schools in Black neighborhoods. High stakes testing became a weapon guaranteed to fail the students, fail the teachers, fail the neighborhood schools, and fail entire school districts in largely Black cities. Everybody loses except the hedge funds and other billionaire investors in the charter school marketplace. These are the people whose interests President Obama has served for the past six and a half years. Obama became the biggest public school privatizer of all time, wielding executive power to force the states to establish more charter schools or lose federal education funds.

“A scam to destroy any semblance of democracy in inner city schools.”

Studies show that charter schools are not better than public schools, but they are great sources of wealth for big investors, while the public – mostly, the Black inner city public – takes all the risk. But, because Obama is Black, and Democrats are the party pushing hardest for charters, the established civil rights organizations are urging Black people to opt in to the high stakes testing madness. Twelve of these misleadership groups signed a letter in support of high stakes testing, including the national offices of the NAACP and the Urban League.

At root, this is a battle for democracy in public education. The white parents that make up the bulk of the anti-testing movement are accustomed to democracy in their school districts, through active and empowered local school boards. They know their rights, and they exercise them. However, the whole charter school scam is based on destroying any semblance of democracy in inner city schools, many of which are already under the control of the states or strong-mayor forms of government. The testing regime is crafted to make local control of schools an impossibility – forever – and to reduce the teaching staffs of inner city schools to temporary drones, not educators.

Black people desperately need to opt-out of this nightmare.

For Black Agenda Radio, I’m Glen Ford. On the web, find us at BlackAgendaReport.com.

BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.

For Black Agenda Radio, I’m Glen Ford. On the web, find us at BlackAgendaReport.com.

BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.

Click HERE to watch Glen Ford’s informative speech on the Corporate Assault on Public Education.

Direct download: 20150805_gf_OptOutOfTesting.mp3

The Life and Death of an Urban School: New Yorker With James Eterno comment on Closing of Jamaica High School

James Eterno taught social studies at Jamaica from 1986 until it closed, and was also a representative of the United Federation of Teachers. A trim, voluble man in his fifties, he speaks in a rapid-fire cadence and with precisely the accent you’d expect of someone who’d spent all but two years of his life in Queens. Eterno agrees with Joel Klein’s description of the school’s enrollment during its last decade. “We still had plenty of smart kids, but we had many more higher-needs kids, English-language learners,” he told me. Concentrations of high-needs students place a strain on schools, and, Eterno said, “We didn’t get the support. We were not prepared to deal with the changing population.” The tacit belief that large schools were unreformable meant that Jamaica’s sliding numbers looked to some experts like predictable educational failure; to the faculty, those numbers looked like what happens when a school is asked to educate a challenging

Jelani Cobb on right

population without the necessary tools. (This is what George Vecsey was referring to when he wrote about “cooking the books.”) In the battle over the school’s future, many came to see those changing demographics not as happenstance but as a purposeful way of insuring that the creation of small schools in the building would be a fait accompli.

In a way, the protests over school closure are a bookend to the riots that broke out over busing four decades ago.... Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker

I'm sure James said a lot more and will report on the ICE blog. [UPDATE _ so he has: http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/jamaica-high-school-from-great-beyond.html].

Interesting that the only thing James might agree with Joel Klein on is part of the quote. The author is a Jamaica HS grad and provides some excellent background and context.
Is this an examination of school closings policy ala BloomKlein a sign of the worm continuing to turn on ed deform?

The Life and Death of an Urban School

What’s really at stake when a school closes?

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/08/31/class-notes-annals-of-education-jelani-cobb

 

Ohanian on Amazon work conditions as applied by Ed Deformers who want factory-like conditions in schools

Ed Notes addressed the connection between Amazon and ed deform: Amazon Jungle Culture is Ed Deform Ideal for Schools. Susan Ohanian runs on a similar theme.

Susan notes: Readers respond to the NY Times article about the way Amazon treats its workers. Ohanian ties this to what Gates/Business Roundtable/US Department of Education want for public school classrooms. One even recommends reading a little Marx.

These readers respond to the detailed Times article depicting the demanding, competitive environment promoted by Jeff Bezos at Amazon. There is more than a little similarity to the demanding, competitive environment being promoted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Business Roundtable cohorts, and US Department of Education as necessary for selecting the best candidates for teaching in public school.
But of even greater import is the connection to the demanding, competitive environment school deformers want teachers to push onto their students. Whether they call it rigor, 21st century skills, or the means for success in the Global Economy, it is ugly; it is ruthless; it is soul-destroying. And the New York Times editorial board applauds it. 

And who would believe that the New York Times would ever print a letter recommending that maybe technology-savvy go-getters should read a little Marx! 

------http://susanohanian.org/show_letter.php?id=1819

To the editor, New York Times
2015-08-2

Whether or not the management style is as harsh as depicted in Amazon's Bruising, Thrilling Workplace (front page, Aug. 16), the public debate it has sparked is to be celebrated. That Jeff Bezos, Amazon's chief executive, himself has spoken out ( Bezos Says Amazon Has No Room for 'Callous' Acts, Business Day, Aug. 18) is proof that we no longer automatically associate exploitative, fear-driven leadership with strength and vitality in business.

The latest research shows that a bullying management style can yield short-term gains, but sustainable growth is founded on managers who exemplify integrity, inspiration and, above all, kindness. When I studied organizational psychology four decades ago, this idea was dismissed. It is a testament to progress that it is finally getting a fair hearing.
WILLIAM F. BAKER
New York

The writer is president emeritus of WNET, director of the Bernard L. Schwartz Center for Media, Public Policy and Education at Fordham University and the author of Leading With Kindness.

More letters here.

Video: Meet the CAST of RTC's LITTLE SHOP of HORRORS

Ed Notes readers are aware that I have been dividing my time between the usual political activity and the local community theater which plays so much bigger than a community theater. I saw opening night of Little Shop of Horrors on Friday night. Most people saw the movie and not the play - seeing this live beats the movie anytime. In fact RTC put on the play many years ago and this is our own version of a revival.

When Arthur Goldstein brought his family to the Saturday matinee I went over to say hello - but once Act I

The cast

began I couldn't leave. The singing is beyond outstanding, the set which involved as much work as any one I've worked on, gets applause - especially as the stage is turning. And the lighting and mists create a perfect climate for this sci-fi musical. Here is a promo from the amazing cast. (If anyone wants to come, there are performances this Thursday, Friday, Saturday night and a Sunday matinee. (Great for kids of a certain age.) (Email me if you want assistance - I can have them hold tickets for you - I think $18 or $20 a piece - less for seniors - for Broadway quality shows.)

One of the interesting sidelights of the RTC, which has many current and former teachers involved, is how it has been moving towards more diversity, as this cast illustrates.

Here is the promo video with the cast produced by LocalTheatreNY.com which you should subscribe to for news of community and regional theater - why pay those Broadway prices for quality theater?

Meet the CAST of RTC's LITTLE SHOP of HORRORS

NEXT WEEK Only! Just in case you are looking for a spectacular trip to Rockaway followed by a chance to get out of the heat and enjoy a great show!

Some tickets may be available at the door but they are going fast, so don't hesitate. Rockaway Theatre Company in partnership with Gateway National Recreation Area proudly presents:Little Shop of Horrors at Fort Tilden, Queens.

Directed By:  Susan Corning - Musical Director:J  effrey Arzberger. For dates, tickets and more information call (718) 374-6400 or visit their website below (at end of this video)

The Root of All Evil? Picking Apart One of the Biggest Lies in American Politics: “Free Trade”

I was raise in my high school and college economics and history classes (I majored in history and got 3/4 of the way toward on MA before the War and end of the draft for grad students pushed me into teaching) in the 60s on the premise that the Great Depression was exacerbated by protectionism tariffs and restrictions on free trade. Then came the 90s when Clinton helped lead the way to the North American Free Trade Agreement and all hell broke loose.

This article goes back to the founding fathers to give us an alternative view pointing out how what we learn(ed) in school was not straight history. In fact, over the years so much of what I "learned" left out the full monte.

Picking Apart One of the Biggest Lies in American Politics: “Free Trade”

Posted on August 22, 2015 by Yves Smith

 

By Thom Hartmann, an author and nationally syndicated daily talk show host. His newest book is “The Crash of 2016: The Plot to Destroy America — and What We Can Do to Stop It. Originally published at Alternet

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/08/picking-apart-one-of-the-biggest-lies-in-american-politics-free-trade.html

In 1992, Ross Perot won almost 20% of the entire presidential vote on the single issue of stopping so-called “free trade.” Today, several presidential candidates are gaining huge traction with similar opposition to NAFTA, CAFTA, and the upcoming Southern Hemisphere Asian Free Trade Agreement (SHAFTA, now called the Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP).
Time has proven Perot right, and his arguments were consistent with a long history of American industrial success prior to the “free trade” era of the past 30+ years.

Randi/Mulgrew Pal MaryEllen Elia Slammed for Position on Opt-out in Talk to Anti-Union Astroturf E4E

I suppose Ms. Elia felt safe to speak her mind before Educators4Excellence, an astroturf group funded in great part by the Gates Foundation. E4E has made it clear that it thinks accountability testing is just swell.  Or perhaps she believed that it is brave to come into a new state, without having the experience of giving or reviewing even one cycle of testing, and denounce Opt Out and those who support it in front of the press..... Carol Burris

Educators for Excellence, which has guards making sure anyone with another opinion doesn't slip in to one of its events gets UFT/AFT/NYSUT darling Elia to speak before them. What exactly does that say about our union leadership?

Make no mistake about it. Elia is State Ed Commissioner due in part to the influence of our union leaders, who also oppose opt out but try to obfuscate to mislead the rank and file while patting deformers on the back.

With threats against educators who support opt-out, most will be cowed - but not all. Let's see what happens when people like MORE's Jia Lee openly stands up and support parents who opt-out. Will they dare go after her? And watch the UFT wiffle and sniffle if they do.

Watch what happens as MORE runs in the UFT elections -- the UFT/Unity machine  will slam MORE and its attempts to get into schools while E4E attempts to subvert the union by gaining entry into schools will be ignored. I heard this the other day from a chapter leader who had mentioned MORE to a union official who practically held up a devil sign.

Our fellow bloggers have gone to town on Elia but they should not ignore the union connection which goes a long way back to her old Florida Hillsborough arrangement with the AFT and Bill Gates, which was a major keynote at the AFT Bill Gates 2010 convention.

NYC Educator: Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is MaryEllen Elia

I was pretty shocked when NY State Regents unanimously nominated MaryEllen Elia to be NY State Commissioner of Education. For one thing, I had heard Michael Mulgrew speak of the great hope he had in the Regents to modify the new and draconian APPR law. Given that, I was surprised they'd select someone with such enthusiasm for testing, junk science, and all things reformy. It makes me really wonder exactly how much interest (if any) the Regents have in doing the right thing.

Perdido St:

NYSED Commissioner MaryEllen Elia Attacks Parents And Teachers Over Opt Out
Gates Foundation-funded MaryEllen Elia gave the keynote address to Gates Foundation-funded astroturf group Educators4Excellence and attacked parents and teachers who support the Opt Out movement (video below).

Tisch, Elia Warn They Will Go After Educators Who Support Or Encourage The Opt Out Movement...

That warning came after NYSED Commissioner MaryEllen Elia called teachers who support or encourage opt out "unethical." 

Carol Burris

She was very "specific" (her word) that she opposes the Opt Out movement, thinks parents who opt their children out of state tests are "not reasonable," says educators who encourage or even just support the Opt Out movement are "unethical" and is doing everything she can to make sure opt out does not grow next year...... Carol Burris
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/08/21/n-y-schools-commissioner-its-unethical-for-educators-to-support-testing-opt-out-movement/

Little Shop of Horrors Opens Tonight at Rockaway Theatre Company

A quick break from ed politics.

I'm just back from a full day of final stage tuneups for tonight's opening. This stage has been the most work - the details are amazing. Tony and I just to the lumber yard to pick up some more stage junk for Skid Row -- wait till you see what we found. Tonight is sold out but there are tickets available for most other shows - this weekend a Sat and Sun matinee and next Thurs night would be a good bet - email me and I will reserve tickets in your name - $18, $15 for seniors - and free parking at Fort Tilden beach - go in for a swim before or after the show.

Below is my column for last week's Wave which didn't get in and is now in this week's Wave. We'll take what we can get.

The Urchins - wait till you hear these gals belt it out

Little Shop Of Horrors - Opens!

Memo from the RTC 

By Norm Scott 

The WAVE: http://www.rockawave.com/news/2015-08-21/Weekender/Little_Shop_Of_Horrors__Opens.html?pk_campaign=Newsletter

I’ve been hard at work with Rockaway Theatre Company Master Builder Tony Homsey to finish the set in time for the Aug. 21 opening of Little Shop of Horrors. Well, Tony has been hard at work while I mostly watch. From the big stuff - need a stage that can turn 360 degrees?

To the small stuff –need a clock whose hands turn without seeming human involvement? Tony’s got the answer. Need a giant man-eating plant? Well, that’s not Tony’s bailiwick – we just have to make sure he doesn’t wander too close or we’ll never get another stage built.

One problem even Tony can’t seem to solve – or contain - is the explosive excitement and enthusiasm on the part of Director Susan Corning and her cast over this show. We’re really getting worried that the roof may blow off as this tornado of a show heads into the final week of rehearsal.




Susan told me that one of the reasons the cast with many RTC first timers is so extraordinary is that they are such fans of Little Shop and have dreamed of appearing in a production. Here are some of their comments:

Reanna Flemons (Audrey): I love the Rockaway Theatre Company (this is my third summer show I’ve done), the people, the patrons, the production value, their sweet little theater by the beach... I could go on and on! — But what I am most excited about this particular production is the opportunity to play this role again, on a New York stage, and as a grown adult that’s been through theater school! I played Audrey in high school, and it’s such a great memory, but I’ve always wanted to revisit the role. Now I finally get the chance, with a director I adore and a phenomenal cast! Audrey is one of my favorite female characters in musical theaterplus I’m a huge B- movie fan, so this is the perfect kind of musical for me! It will be my pleasure to be eaten by this plant every night!

RTC vet Renee Steadman (Sarah in Guys and Dolls): I play Crystal, one of the street urchins. Crystal is the urchin with the most sass. She always has a snarky comment and a comeback for everything. The Urchins are so much fun to play; they are full of attitude and basically run Skid Row! I am so lucky not only to play this fun character but to be a part of this tremendously talented cast!

Donald Gormanly (Seymour Krelborn): Why I’m excited about this production: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS has been my favorite show since I first saw the musical film in the mid-80s. I was always enamored with Seymour because he is such an unlikely hero. Also, the music in the show is so memorable that it captured my attention from the first song. I also could never resist the plant as an entity, on film and stage. It has been a fabulous time working with the amazing people at RTC.

Fred Grieco (Mr. Mushnik) – RTC vet Susan Corning directed him in Brighton Beach Memoirs: From the first moment I heard RTC was presenting Little Shop of Horrors as part of the 2015 season, I knew I wanted to be part of the show. I auditioned and, happily, was cast as Mr. Mushnik. Yes, it’s great to be in another RTC show (I’ve done five), and yes, it’s great to be working again with this director, and yes, I am surrounded by a beyond talented cast. But the best part is being able to share the stage with the amazing Audrey II, who I haven’t seen since we both studied acting under Lee Strasberg at the Actor’s Studio.

Enough! I’ve given you barely a hint of what’s to come. Now it’s your job to call the RTC hot line 718-374-6400 and get tickets to what is sure to be a sold-out show for its eight performances over ONLY two weekends. Here’s the skinny: Evenings at 8 p.m., Aug. 21, 22, 27 (a rare Thursday night performance), 28 and 29. Matinees at 2 p.m.: Aug. 22 (a Saturday, meaning two performances that day like Broadway matinee days), 23 and closing on the 30th, which means on Aug. 31, I meet Tony at the theater to start taking down the beauty of a set we built and start to build for Plaza Suite (opening Oct. 2). Anyone need a 12 foot wide revolving stage?

For those few who miss Norm’s comments on education this week, check out his scurrilous blog at ednotesonline.com.

MORE on Shill for Ed Deform E4E and Democracy - Talk About Antithetical

A teacher from E4E met with me to discuss the topic of democracy in the UFT.... Like every E4E member he signs a declaration in order to become a member. This is not democratic at all. These few teachers who declare their loyalty to this organization and lobby politicians on their behalf, do not represent the many voices in our school communities... Mike Schirtzer, MORE

Shades of Unity Caucus loyalty oaths. Democracy doesn't exist in E4E so it is interesting that they are trying to show how Unity Caucus and the UFT aren't democratic. Evan and Sidney must check out their own glass house before pointing fingers at the UFT. In fact the Unity leadership and E4E have a lot more in common with each other - on their actual positions.

Does E4E  have the chops to actually put their ideas out there for members to vote on in the upcoming UFT election? They could toss a few million bucks into the election - an interesting concept. I would relish seeing them out there in an election. Imagine their election meetings - closed doors with security guards making sure people sign a loyalty oath before entering.

MORE's Mike Schirtzer was contacted by a teacher who said he wanted to meet with someone from MORE. Mike had no idea this guy was an E4Eer and then addressed every single argument this guy made.

The E4E teacher told me “as a special education teacher he values test scores and can learn about the progress of his students. It should be one of multiple measures, but an important measure”. These thoughts seem to reflect the narrative that have been delivered by politicians and corporate-reformers nationwide, but again we who are in the classroom for a long time must challenge this flawed message.

The E4E guy seemed well-indentioned but seriously misinformed - E4E tries to restrict info to its members to its narrow line - but one would think some of these people would actually be more aware.

Exactly why is E4E trolling around asking about UFT democracy? To feed their union-bashing funders and use that against the UFT when it tries to organize charters? E4E has been pushing their people to get more involved with the union by running for chapter leader or delegate. Some of my friends in schools with them find some of them self-serving. We're hoping that those who stay in the system and don't take tail and run like Evan and Sydney will get what E4E is all about and instead turn their attention to MORE and building a caucus inside the UFT - if E4Eers want to know about democracy MORE is the place.

You can read Mike's entire piece at the MORE blog: E4E and Democracy.

E4E and Democracy by morecaucusnyc

By Mike Schirtzer

UFT Delegate/Teacher Leon M. Goldstein High School-Brooklyn

Hardcore Chapter Leader/Delegate Training Today! (Thurs, 8/20, 4-7pm)

I know I blew this horn yesterday - but even if you are not a CL but want to assist in some way in your school, this is also for you. How to get your colleaugues involved so the entire burden doesn't fall on you? The UFT leadership downplays this because they want all the power and control in the hands of one person so they can manage that person more easily and woo them to the Unity line. They only want people mobilized on certain occasions when they need them - it is always about the issues the leadership wants to push - never about the members' needs. Having a CL who consults and runs a democratic chapter is a threat to the Unity Caucus control.

By the way, have you noticed all these scandals with OSI and how our true champion, Leonie Haimson has been out there exposing them while the UFT leadership has been weak - at best. Too many teachers have told me that when they complained to the union the next thing they knew they were being called into the principal's office- and some found the district rep hanging out with the principal, apparently a pal of some sort.

For at least a a decade, hundreds of less heralded individuals have complained about their unfair treatment by DOE investigators assigned to the OSI. It shouldn’t take news stories repeated over the course of many months, in the NY Times and the Daily News, as happened in Fisher’s case, or in the NY Post, Daily News and WCBS-TV, as in the Dewey credit recovery scandal, for obvious wrongs to students and teachers to be righted by DOE.  

Worse yet, the Chancellor has kept the same incompetent legal staff running the General Counsel’s office, as well as the same officials running the Division of Contracts, which during the Bloomberg administration allowed literally hundreds of millions of dollars to be wasted or stolen from DOE. ......

Read

How the Chancellor and Mayor have allowed DOE's reputation to be sullied by refusing to clean house

Yes, dealing with a corrupt OSI will be on the agenda if people want to deal with it --- go after them if they come after you by telling parents and others about their history - make whatever they do suspect.

 

I believe there are times for total war and people need to know when to use that option and how to use it effectively.

 

Here is the MORE final announcement - though we are planning a fall part 3.

It doesn't matter whether or not you came to Part I, join MORE-UFT on August 20th to add to and hone the tools in your teacher activist tool belt. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, network and socialize with your colleagues, and learn about the nuts and bolts of standing up for students and educators in an educational system gone mad.

Some of the city's most accomplished UFT Chapter Leaders will train you on what you need to know to be a leader within your building and in the city at large, whether you are a new or experienced CL, Delegate, Para Rep, SLT/Consultation Committee member, or just an educator who wants to make a positive impact on your school.

 

THURSDAY, August 20th Hardcore Chapter Leader/Delegates Training

4pm‐7pm
The nuts and bolts of leading your chapter, running chapter meetings, working with parents on PTA/SLTs, and holding consultation meetings.
Newly elected or just looking to develop new skills, this is your opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced and best chapter leaders in NYC. We will help you develop tools for building an active chapter that will work together to strengthen the UFT in your school.

The Dark Horse
17 Murray St. NYC, Near City Hall/Chambers St./WTC
Drink specials: $4 drafts, $6 well drinks & $7 wine