Bergtraum Admin Targets Former CL John Elfrank-Dana After Return from Serious Illness

I am back after 6 months on medical leave. The Compliance Clerks (formerly known and principal and dept. AP) have wasted no time in investigating (formerly known as

observation) my classroom- 6 times in the past 5 weeks. All drop-ins. Superintendent was in one, principal in a couple, principal's mentor in another and AP in the rest.

Since new teachers hired to replace senior teachers run out of the system pay the same dues, the UFT doubles its money as two teachers paying the same amount of dues each at the bottom rate can be hired.  ....John Elfrank-Dana

I was over at John's school (Murry Bergtraum HS) to drop off MORE newsletters for his staff. John was out for quite a while with an illness and is now back. He talked about the regressive UFT dues structure that harms newbies with a harsh dues payment - not prorated based on salary. Everyone pays the same dues. Thus both the DOE and the UFT have a vested interest in abandoning higher earning senior teachers.

Maybe with Friedrichs hanging over the heads of the union it is time for a change in dues structure.

Below is John's report on the MORE listserve where he also endorses Jia Lee and MORE, making this point:

I think they have the most democratic form of organization and also have a strong leader in Jia Lee. We need a democratic union for a start.

Yes we do need a democratic union. John, an ICEer from the early days, was in on the MORE experiment from the start about 5 years ago. Neither of us have always been happy with the progress - democracy is so messy - but the only alternative to Unity. I'll get into some of the messy aspects and track the progress in future posts.

John Elfrank-Dana

I am back after 6 months on medical leave. The Compliance Clerks (formerly known and principal and dept. AP) have wasted no time in investigating (formerly known as observation) my classroom- 6 times in the past 5 weeks. All drop-ins. Superintendent was in one, principal in a couple, principal's mentor in another and AP in the rest.

I suppose I should be grateful they are here to help. But, that's not the case. The new model, hence the term Compliance Clerk, is just to evaluate; to determine who they can run out. I got this from the principal's mentor last year in a meeting, and it's the only explanation that makes sense. When I said the principal and AP have very little experience and subject matter expertise, nor do they even teach a class, it is obvious they have zero capacity to lead by example. He said that's not what they are here to do. The new model makes them just a kind of Compliance Clerk (my interpretation). It's valid, and I respect the mentor's honesty. But, that's not the impression they give.

Since they are not here to help, I won't waste my time with the illusion of due diligence in the form of feedback meetings, pre-formal observations, etc. Why participate in a fraud? This new model may not have hit your school but it will eventually. It's bad for the administrators too. Imagine being put into a situation where you are pretending to lead but cannot?

And speaking of Illusions; the UFT plays its part too. They have put in place an appeals process and the APPR complaint form to give the members the feeling like they have recourse for unfair evaluations. I have been a chapter leader for 9 years and have yet to see an appeal reverse a decision more than once out of dozens of cases, or an APPR complaint have any kind of impact. If I am wrong let the UFT publish its statistics on rating reversals as a result of their appeals process. But, don't hold your breath.

The grievance process is the same illusion. Yes, you can file a grievance, let's say for illegally excessing your newly elected chapter leader (a true case a Murry Bergtraum). You file a grievance, it goes to Step 1 after a week when you meet with the principal. He/She always upholds their decision. You escalate to Step 2 if the UFT agrees. If they do you wait a month or more for a step 2. They did in this case. During the step 2 the principal brushed off the call in the Step 2 process and you have to reschedule. This was back in November. Still waiting... Maybe by August the step 2 will happen. Then the UFT, if the past is any guide, will reject going to arbitration when they find out they lose at step 2 (which is assuredly the case). The result: Murry Bergtraum High School has no union representation. The first time in over nearly 40 years.

Score 1 for the Compliance Clerks. Score 1 for the UFT? Since new teachers hired to replace senior teachers run out of the system pay the same dues, the UFT doubles its money as two teachers paying the same amount of dues each at the bottom rate can be hired.

Do you think it needs to change? There's a UFT election this spring. Tell your colleagues not to throw their ballot in the garbage for a change. The vast majority do. Mulgrew was elected by retirees (why he campaigns in Boca Raton, Fl.). There are good people running against the Mulgrew/Unity old guard. MORE and Solidarity. While I know Francesco Portelos as a courageous fighter, I am endorsing MORE as I think they have the most democratic form of organization and also have a strong leader in Jia Lee. We need a democratic union for a start.

Happy Holiday and In Solidarity!

Often Acting in Place of the UFT, Class Size Matters Deserves Our Support

Hey, if Friedrichs comes in against the unions, even though I advocate staying in the undemocratic UFT and paying dues, maybe people should shoot a share over to Leonie Haimson who tirelessly runs Class Size Matters (CSM) to advocate for the children, parents and teachers of this city. She consistently stood up to the BloomKlein admin and continues to stand up to the De Blasina admin, especially on its horrendous record on class size, which Carmen Farina, who ran a school on the upper east side, doesn't think is very important.

Leonie in Oz

But why wait to send CSM money when you can get a tax deductions right now? Leonie does what the UFT should be doing - exposing the gaps in ed policy in the DOE and State Ed Dept.

I view Leonie as our Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. sq

Or Super Girl.

(Any photoshoppers out there?)

I loved her latest post on her blog she writes about how the DOE insisted on giving a contract to the crooks at Custom Computer Specialists, 
who apparently have dirty pictures of the entire de Blasio and Farina administration. 

How Class Size Matters helped the city save $727 million, and our plea to the Mayor how to use these funds to give an early Xmas present to NYC kids

This is a priceless account of either outright stupidity by the Farina administration or if not that, and even worse, outright duplicity.

 Then there's this account of her intern's attempt to speak at a hearing.

Miho's Attempt to Speak Before the City Planning Commission about the need to build schools along with more housing

The following was written by Miho Watabe, Class Size Matters' research and outreach consultant.  The testimony she would have given on this issue follows her account of  how she was prevented from testifying in person. If you'd like to submit comments to the City Planning Commission, you can do so by emailing them at AHOUSING@planning.nyc.gov ; please copy Carl Weisbrod, chair of the Commission at cweisbrod@planning.nyc.gov as well as the Mayor at bdeblasio@cityhall.nyc.gov
And here is the call for putting your 2 cents - or more - into the pot to keep CSM and Leonie going strong. She has even offered to work on a new movie with the Real Reform Studio Team exposing the charter school scam. Does this woman ever sleep?

2015 year in review: Please give to Class Size Matters to keep us going strong! 

 

Information You Can Use in Your Chapter

My post the other day, UFT Politics: Activists and Organizers Are Not the Same Thing, addressed the issue of activists and organizers and how the tripod on the masthead of ednotes - EDUCATE, ORGANIZE, MOBILIZE - are key markers.

 Then last night, along comes this from Julie Neusner who I don't really know well but I am impressed with her work. The newsletter below is mostly education but also a bit of organizing outside school with colleagues, turning a happy hour into something MORE. I like how she links comments from Mulgrew at the DA with articles of interest on the same topic, plus some editorial comments.

DECEMBER UNION NEWSLETTER

Dear UFT members, 

Happy holidays! 

Thanks again to everyone who came out last month for the UFT happy hour. It was great to be together and to connect with union members from other schools. Hopefully we will do it again soon.

Some of you had the opportunity to meet friends from the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) caucus. Let me know if you’re interested in learning more about the caucus or getting involved. 

Below are some UFT news highlights from the month. 

Have a happy and relaxing break! 

- Julie

Things Mulgrew spoke about at the December Delegate Assembly:

NO MORE FEDERAL MANDATE TO USE STATE TEST SCORES TO EVALUATE TEACHERS!

This is huge. Last week, Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act banning the use of the federal government to mandate the use of common core standards as well as the use of student test scores to evaluate teachers. The use of tests will hopefully shift away from “test and punish” and will instead be used as a tool to assess and help students. Also, he says the government will begin offering incentives to schools that offer art and music.

http://www.uft.org/press-releases/uft-response-signing-essa-and-cuomos-common-core-task-force-findings

However, local measures will still factor in to teachers’ evaluation scores (for us, the DRP for reading. I’m not sure about math.) The process of administration’s ratings will remain the same. 

Hopefully Common Core will be phased out too. 

Cuomo’s Common Core Task Force, charged earlier this year with investigating the effectiveness of the rollout of Common Core standards, released its report this month advising a 4-year moratorium on the use of state test growth scores to evaluate teachers and students and an overhaul of the common core standards. Mulgrew says that the state will work with educators to develop its own developmentally-appropriate standards with a particular focus on fair standards for students with disabilities and for english language learners.  

Politicians on both sides have been opposing Common Core for quite some time. Here’s an article from the Atlantic this week about it. http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/12/what-happened-to-the-common-core-debate/421305/

—> Thank you, Opt-Out Movement 

This reexamination of the role of standardized testing in our schools is a huge step in the right direction and was likely influenced heavily by the Opt-Out movement—the collective refusal of students and parents to sit for state tests which was driven by union member and parent activism, which gained substantial traction last year. (Mulgrew didn’t mention this). See last spring's New York Times coverage of this massive action: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/21/nyregion/opt-out-movement-against-common-core-testing-grows-in-new-york-state.html?_r=0

In this post, 2016 UFT presidential candidate Jia Lee explains how the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 doesn’t do enough to reduce standardized testing and continues to prioritize private interests. http://morecaucusnyc.org/2015/12/09/the-disturbing-action-alert-from-michael-mulgrew/#more-4405

Success Academy will shorten its school days due to staff and student exhaustion

Apparently teachers don’t like working from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm and the network has had substantial employee turnover every year. 

More: http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2015/12/8585699/success-academy-plans-shorten-school-day

Many schools’ ICT classes are out of compliance 

The UFT conducted a survey of chapter leaders indicating that misuse of the ICT setting is widespread and a majority of schools reported that at least some aspects of their ICT programs are out of compliance. The UFT will spend the next season investigating and addressing compliance issues. 

Lots of breakfasts are wasted.

Apparently 70% of school breakfasts are thrown away, and students are often being served poor-quality or spoiled food. The UFT is pressuring the DOE to address the problem and find a way to make sure students are provided with high-quality breakfasts. 

In other union news:

"Over time, 'right to work’ laws destroy unions. That's their real purpose."

We’re all still freaking out about Friedrich’s— the SCOTUS case I’ve mentioned before with the potential to turn all states into “right to work” states.  If you’re still wondering why this prospect is so scary for all of us,  read this. It explains the issues created by free-riders and the way right to work legislation drives down wages and reduces rights and working conditions for all workers.

www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/14160-whats-wrong-with-the-right-to-work

Chicago teachers might strike again

Teachers in Chicago are threatening to strike amidst new austerity measures that could result in either a 5th of the unionized teaching staff being laid off or else massive pay cuts. They are advocating for less standardized testing. This article discusses the role of the union as an extension of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as the need-- with a potentially devastating Friedrich’s decision looming-- for unions nationwide to follow Chicago’s model and organize to take direct action. 

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/34092-impending-teachers-strike-in-chicago-adds-power-to-nationwide-debates-on-inequality-and-racism

The Empire Strike Back - NEA Battles to Regain Control of Memphis Teacher Union - EIA Report

NEA Concedes Memphis Secession, Immediately Affiliates Competing Local. The 4,500-member Memphis-Shelby County Education Association (MSCEA) recently departed the loving embrace of the Tennessee Education Association and NEA and went its own way.... Intercepts, Dec• 21•15

When locals try to leave nationals it ain't over till it's over.
Mike Antonucci has a report on the Memphis Teacher Association which voted to disaffiliate from the national NEA, with the NEA empire striking back by setting up a competing union. [The AFT can never come in and try to swipe a former NEA local as there is an agreement over turf wars.]

(Mike's comments indented and in red).

The size of the local and margin of victory for disaffiliation kept it safe from a national or state takeover.

Size matters
A reference to the tendency of the NEA and especially the AFT to try to stop people from leaving by declaring the disaffiliation vote invalid, invading their offices with thugs and taking over the local. [See Randi Invades Detroit]. Size matters I guess.

It was a relatively simple matter to set up a rival local, elect (?) officers for it, rent office space, put up a web site, and begin raiding the incumbent local for members. NEA lent organizing support and had its general counsel send a cease-and-desist letter to MSCEA, claiming only NEA affiliates may use the designation “education association.”

Ahhh, if they leave just set up a competing union down the block. Imagine the Teamsters came into NYC and tried to get people to sign disaffiliation cards from the UFT. And imagine if UFT members voted against the Unity leadership and tried to make the Teamsters their bargaining agent.

I'm not advocating for this though I hear a hell of a lot of disgusted pro-union/anti Unity people doing a lot of thinking about that given the total lock on the door to even a share of power in the UFT.

Now this point Mike makes is interesting:

If Tennessee were an agency fee state, that would be the end of the story. Memphis teachers would be able to remain in or join NEA, but they would still be obligated to financially support MSCEA, the exclusive representative. A separate organization would be out of the question, which is why you never see NEA and AFT locals in the same school district in agency fee states.

In other words, a rebel union wanting to disaffiliate, if in an agency fee state like NY, would still get the fees even if someone left and joined another union, which of course we all might face if Friedrichs wins. I can't even begin to predict what might happen here in NYC if that happens.

Mike says not being in an agency fee state actually favors the nationals in cases where a rebel leaves because they can just go in and raid the rebels for  members - maybe offer pizza parties like E4E - and each union would get only their portion of the fees.

There is irony for you -- Friedrichs would work in the favor of the nationals in NY State in cases of disaffiliation.

Here's the rest of Mike's piece which is worth reading:

NEA Concedes Memphis Secession, Immediately Affiliates Competing Local

And here are some old pieces on other cases of disaffiliation and how the AFT responded:

If At First You Don’t Secede…

By Mike Antonucci Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on If At First You Don’t Secede…

I wonder if anyone has researched the history of unions leaving unions. There are some meaty stories, from Change to Win leaving the AFL-CIO, to FMPR in Puerto Rico, to more recent instances like UHPA in Hawaii, and failed attempts in places like Dearborn, Wicomico County, Modesto and Oregon. We have a couple of new […]

Read the rest of this entry »

AFT Troops Topple Another Local Affiliate

By Mike Antonucci Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on AFT Troops Topple Another Local Affiliate

Let’s face it, the National Education Association is a bunch of amateurs when it comes to dropping the hammer on an uppity affiliate. The national office of the American Federation of Teachers simply won’t tolerate any talk of local affiliates abandoning the reservation and making their own way. AFT has a long tradition of staging […]

Read the rest of this entry »

 

 

Ed Deform Partners: Farina (and UFT?) Promote E4E - an Alternative to MORE?

A district PD held in B'klyn for special ed teachers hosted a speaker from E4E and at least one teacher I know reports that her AP was distributing E4E materials and encouraging teachers to join. She reported this to her C/L who in turn passed the info on to the District Rep but neither seemed particularly concerned. I imagine this sort of stuff will mushroom in the event that the ruling in the Friedrichs case goes against public sector unions. Yet Mulgrew and Co continue to sing the praises of their new found 'partnership" with DiBlasio and Farina.---- email to MORE Discussion list

The partnership between E4E and the DOE continues from the Bloomberg years, but this time with UFT support I suspect. Behind the scenes is an alliance between E4E and the UFT/Unity leadership as E4E has modified (and hidden) its anti-union rhetoric. Like taking a position against Friedrichs (see below).

Why does E4E oppose Friedrichs? My guess is the Gates and more liberal funders want to keep Quisling unions like the UFT alive - as long as they

don't go rogue, Chicago style. And MORE poses the bigger long-term threat than E4E - if it makes headway.

Remember - both take money from a common benefactor - Bill Gates - and probably many others.

My guess is that because E4E is not directly challenging Unity in an election, they see the promotion of E4E as a much better alternative to groups like MORE since both groups have shown they can attract a younger generation of teachers, especially those interested in social justice work.

If an E4E ran against a MORE in a chapter leader election, guess who Unity would support?

For me, over the past 4 years or so, the influx of younger teachers into the opposition has been a major change in UFT politics since the 70s. As teachers age out toward the end of their careers, the long-term prospects of engaging in a battle for the ground game in Unity is not attractive. It is the older gen of people who are opposed to Unity who are more impatient than the younger ones who have long careers ahead. E4E offers a policy directed diversion from active opposition to the leadership - in essence, a partnership - which explains "She reported this to her C/L who in turn passed the info on to the District Rep but neither seemed particularly concerned".


Evan Stone to e4e membership: [TFA Evan spent 3 years at most teaching] before getting the E4E gig. I mean, why actually teach children when you don't have to?]

In just a few weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments in a case that has the potential to disrupt the relationship between teachers and their union-which is why I wanted you to know where E4E stands and how you can learn more.  Join me on Tuesday, January 5 at 7:00 p.m. EST for a national telephone town hall to learn more about this case. In the case, Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association (CTA), ten public school teachers are arguing they should not have to pay "fair share" or "agency" fees, even though they benefit from the collective bargaining and rights those fees pay to establish and protect. This is an attack on our unions and would threaten their ability to protect and serve all teachers. That's why E4E stands with our unions in opposing this case. Here's what you need to know: First, our teacher members like you drive all E4E positions. In a recent poll of over 1,000 E4E teachers, educators support paying fair share fees by a rate of more than three-to-one and said that all teachers should contribute to the cost of the benefits we receive. Second, unions are a critical voice for teachers to elevate the profession and improve outcomes and conditions for our students. A ruling against our unions is a ruling against the collective voice of teachers. Even though E4E doesn't always agree with our unions on every policy question, we deeply believe in the right to organize and collectively bargain, and that all teachers benefit from the work of the union. It has long been E4E teachers' and our organization's stance to be both pro-union and pro-change at the same time. By working through our unions, we can elevate teaching and create lasting changes in our public schools that will benefit all students-but only if we show up and participate. As someone who believes in empowering and informing educators, I'm inviting you to a special opportunity to get the facts about this case, and find out what you can do to ensure your voice is heard. Join me for a call on Tuesday, January 5 at 7:00 p.m. EST to learn more about this case. In our poll, many of you said you wanted to learn more about this case, and what it could mean for your union and your profession. By taking just an hour to join this call, you can get the facts you need to be a resource for your colleagues and an advocate for teachers in your district and beyond. RSVP now: I'm in I hope you have a restful winter break, and I am looking forward to helping you elevate your voice in the new year. Thanks, Evan Stone Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer Educators 4 Excellence P.S. To help you learn more about the case, we've put together a new webpage that explains how we developed our stance on this case, how this case could affect teaching, and more-I hope you'll check it out.

UFT Politics: Activists and Organizers Are Not the Same Thing

If you notice the Ed Notes masthead, I use 3 key words: Educate, Organize,

Mobilize - in that specific order. Unless there are extraordinary circumstances, mobilizing people to act is impossible without engaging in educating - or as I prefer - informing people on a regular basis of what the issues are.

That process leads to the very difficult organizing stage -- building structures that last. Look at recent articles on Trump and Ted Cruz in Iowa.
Donald Trump Campaign Lags in Mobilizing Iowa Caucus Voters

---

Strong in Polls, Yet Trump Lags On the Ground -

Cruz has a ground game while Trump skips directly to mobilizing and I believe Cruz will trump Trump.

But on to the UFT and attempts to build a ground game in opposition to Unity. Many people I meet consider themselves activists and I often find that many activists are poor as organizers. They often avoid the education and organizing aspects of the tripod on a regular basis.

What is needed is a small army of organizers to build that ground game. And to my mind that hasn't happened yet which is why I can predict that the very idea of defeating Unity is fiction. Unity has a ground game over the past 50 years. Even now they have started the election campaign by sending their full-timers into schools to ostensibly do "presentations". Of course having the advantage of using our dues to pay people to do that is quite an advantage.

One thing I learned from our colleagues in Chicago - they not only were activists but also organizers and built a ground game fairly quickly with contacts and supporters in the majority of schools. At times I feel there are too many activists and not enough organizers here.

I get to observe the actions of a lot of people in the UFT, on all sides of the fence. Many people in the opposition movement to the UFT leadership brand themselves as activists. They are ready to act on a number of issues. How do they "act"? They go to meetings and support rallies. They are often so busy they don't have time to be organizers.

Some confuse activism with organizing. They are not the same thing. 

I am always interested in how organizers and activists relate to their colleagues in different ways and how they are viewed by their colleagues. I'm especially interested in the people who become chapter leaders where they get to lead an entire school as a union leader.

Are they organizers or activists?

I deal with a lot of people who feel lost when they take on the role of chapter leader. The job is hard enough but especially hard for people who view themselves as activists who feel they have to use their role as chapter leader to bring their personal  political viewpoints or the viewpoints of other organizations they belong to to the people who elected them.

This is tricky ground when (and if) you declare to your colleagues where you stand and which groups you work with. I say "if" because the key is when one runs were they open and above board with the members or hide some of their affiliations for fear they would lose votes.

The key role for a chapter leader is as an organizer engaging in education and organizing - don't even think about mobilizing - and also building relationships with colleagues and especially in elementary schools, parents and even beyond to the community. This is not easy for overwhelmed teachers who take on the role of chapter leader.

The UFT leadership actually views CLs as their tools and employees to do their selling of the Unity line disguised as UFT policy. The monthly district rep meetings are loaded with "things to do" for them, often leading to little time to do the educating and organizing.

It is the rare CL who sees beyond the UFT crap while also defending the members and working politically to make sure they get the support of the UFT.

Next: How do activists and organizers differ in UFT caucuses?

Video - NYC Principal Jamaal Bowman Defies Gag Rule on Opt Out - High Stakes Testing and the Black Community: Just Say No!

Jamaal Bowman has become a leading voice, for the opt out movement, along with MORE UFT Presidential candidate Jia Lee, who often partners with him. See the video below.

Here is the blurb posted on the Your Black Education (YBE) network on you tube

Standardized tests? Principal Jamaal Bowman says 'Know your rights'. President Obama recently spoke out against excessive standardized testing. The POTUS claimed that this issue, "takes the joy out of teaching and learning, both for them (teachers) and for the students". Long before Obama's declaration, Jamaal Bowman, Founding Principal of CASA (Cornerstone Academy for Social Action) in Bronx, NY, has been advocate for student and parent rights and the movement to opt out of standardized tests to promote more holistic approaches to assessment of student learning. Bowman speaks with YBE about the impact of standardized tests on Black and Brown students and offers his advice to their parents.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6kNcUDwjE8&feature=youtu.be

ESSA/COTH - Chop Off Teacher Heads

Installed in every public school under ESSA

One can only love the term “Every Student Succeeds Act” and its supplemental act –COTH - if every student doesn’t succeed: Chop Off Teacher Heads – unless the teacher happens to be a charter school teacher.

Forgot to post my Dec. 11 Wave column.

School Scope:
ESSA/ESEA - UFT Support of Revised Fed Ed Bill is Misguided
By Norm Scott

The ESEA Act (Elementary/ Secondary Educational Act) was initially part of a civil rights package passed in the 60s under Lyndon Johnson to counter southern racist schools systems that shortchanged schools with black kids.

Fordham College Professor Mark Naison writes in a blog post titled, “Why ESEA Must Be Fought by People on the Left as Well as on the Right”:

“There was a time when you needed the power of the federal government to counteract local tyrannies shaped by racist electoral practices and corporate control of local governments No more. Today, it is the federal government which is controlled lock stock and barrel by large corporations, insuring that any federal policy will contribute to their enrichment and an expansion of their power. A defense of federal power is no longer a "progressive" position. In education, it has led to disastrous consequences ranging from the mindless impositions of test driven curricula and assessments, to the destruction and privatization of public education in many of the nation's cities.”

While I oppose the new version, now called ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), I also am wary of turning things over to “local” control which really means the states, which are mostly right-wing anti-union, anti-government and pro-privatization. Even our own so-called progressive state has a governor who supports all of the above and a corrupt state legislature where even our own local Rockaway reps will jump at any chance to funnel money out of our public schools into private schools, where they often send their own children.

Bloggers opposing ESSA were out in force with titles like: ESSA--Now Less Crappy than Before, ECAA Would set the country back more than a half century, The Good News: ESEA Will Bring an Era of Open Rebellion, ESEA Will Mean 50 Fronts in the War Against Corporate Education Reform. And one blogger renamed it: Say NO to ECAA (Escalating Charter Assistance Act). And make no mistake about it – privately managed charters will flourish under ESSA.

Mandating federal money for services into poverty schools, often termed Title 1, was an attempt to level the playing field. I always taught in a Title 1 school and we received certain support services for push-in and pull-out programs, many of which had little impact because school administrators often had so little imagination or will to attack the real problems. They often misused the Title 1 people as school and even personal servants. (I once saw our ESL teacher on her knees dusting shelves in the principal’s office.)

Well, anyway, ESEA had a lot of flaws. But things only get worse in the world of education deform. First came the No Child Left Behind under President Bush in 2004, a bi-partisan bill that Ted Kennedy was behind, as were out national and state teacher unions, who were given a little stool at the table to have “input”. So they went out and sold it. I am proud that my self-published newsletter joined others around the nation and took a stand against NCLB as being a horror story, which Education Week called “universally despised.”

Then came Obama and his Education Secretary, Arne Duncan who doubled down on NCLB with Race To The Top (RTTT) which tied student test scores to rating teachers using formulas called Value Added Method (VAM), which an April 2014 Washington Post article titled “Statisticians slam popular teacher evaluation method” exposed the sham of VAM. RTTT was a fundamental assault on public schools and favored charters and a general privatization movement and also included massive amount of testing and enormous amounts of money going to consultants and testing companies.

While teacher union leadership kept their heads in the sand, opting for any money from RTTT no matter how tainted the public reacted – or at least parents reacted with a growing opt-out of the tests movement with the epicenter being in NY State where 220,000 students opted out, 20% of the total. Long Island is the epicenter of the epicenter. In New Jersey, 120,000 student opted out.

Suddenly even slime ball politicians like Gov. Cuomo, who has been pushing so hard to attack teachers and tie student test scores to their jobs, noticed and is now backing off, a temporary retreat aimed at killing the opt-out movement because so many parents listed the tying in of scores to teacher ratings as the number one reason for opting out. Make no mistake about it. With the teacher union leadership sucking up to the alter of ed deform, the major friend teachers have are the parents leading the opt-out movement. No wonder the ed deformers and our own union leaders are so opposed to opt-out.

One can only love the term “Every Student Succeeds Act” and its supplemental act –COTH - if every student doesn’t succeed: Chop Off Teacher Heads – unless the teacher happens to be a charter school teacher.

Norm blogs at ednotesonline.com.

Michael Elliot: No Threat Left Behind: New York City Stifles Opt Out

No Threat Left Behind: New York City Stifles Opt Out

 Michael Elliot 

Film Editor, Director at FluidNY and public school parent in Brooklyn NY

 Co-Writer Kemala Karmen
Deputy Director, Co Founder NYC Public

With more than 200,000 students -- or nearly 1 in 5 of all eligible test takers--refusing to sit for annual standardized tests, New York State made headlines last spring for leading the nation in sheer number of opt outs. The parent-led opt out movement worked hard to get those numbers, getting an unexpected boost from voters disgusted by Governor Andrew Cuomo's hubristic overreach in pushing the Education Transformation Act of 2015. (The legislation proposed that as much as fifty percent of a teacher's evaluation would hinge on test score "growth.")  However, if you take even the tiniest of peeks at the distribution of those opt out numbers, one thing will immediately become apparent: New York City, with a test refusal rate of only 1.4%, is not keeping up with the pack. Why? What's going on?

As parents of New York City public school children, we can tell you. And it's not pretty. Whether you are a parent in a "high performing" school with plenty of middle and upper class children or a parent with a child in a "low performing" school with a population weighed down by the stresses of poverty, there is a powerful deterrent custom-made for you when it comes to making the decision of whether or not to allow a child to take the tests.

The most dire of threats, school closure, falls heavily on the city's 94 Renewal Schools.  These schools, which serve predominantly low-income, minority, and immigrant communities, receive the "Renewal" designation largely due to their poor showing on state tests. (Graduation rates come into play for high schools.) When the de Blasio/Fariña administration introduced the Renewal Program, which is supposed to pump resources into struggling schools, it was positioned as an alternative to the unpopular school closure policy favored by Bloomberg/Klein. But a school can only be removed from the program through an improvement in test scores--on the same disastrous state tests that have been roundly criticized by parents, teachers, administrators, and now, even Governor Cuomo's own Common Core Task Force.  Parents are scared of losing their schools completely, whether to charterization or state receivership, and the test-based exit criteria pressures them into seeing testing as essential for school survival. In an effort to raise those scores come hell or high water, children who need so much more than drill-and-test are fed the narrowest test-prep workbook curriculum.

The gravest impediment to opt out that the NYC Department of Education hangs over the heads of parents and children in other communities is the middle school and high school admissions process. Unlike elsewhere in the state, New York City has a complicated, and medical-school-competitive, admissions model. (The comparison to medical school is no exaggeration; New York hired the same team who designed the system that matches medical school students to residencies to design the system that matches teenage students to high schools.) Although state law now precludes test scores from being the sole or primary factor in a school's admission formula, the city still sends student scores to the receiving institutions. This makes parents distrust even those schools who say they don't consider test scores at all. After all, if the score is right there in front of the admissions team, what's to stop them from looking and using it to make shorthand determinations about the student? Moreover, admissions rules seem to be constantly changing and no one knows what the future will bring. Currently, in all but a few instances, only 4th grade and 7th grade scores are used, respectively, for middle school and high school admissions, but will the rules change? Every principal will tell you there's no way to know. Getting into the school that is a good match for your child is on the minds of parents from the moment their children hit the 3rd grade, so the fear around this issue is enough to make any parent pause--and to make many of them think, well, even if only 4th grade counts, to be safe, I probably should have my 8 year old take the third grade test as practice. Ditto, the 5th and 6th grade tests, because 7th grade is the admissions ticket. As for 8th grade, that's practice for the new, more stringent, high school Regents exams. There are no avenues for discussion here. In many districts, there is no neighborhood middle school that you can fall back on, and few zoned high schools remain. It's school roulette, and the NYCDOE holds all the cards.

In much of the state, parents were motivated to opt out because they wanted to protect their beloved teachers. They reasoned that refusing the tests would mean there would be no spurious data for test-based teacher evaluations. (Note: No parent we know is saying, "Don't evaluate our teachers"--just don't evaluate them via this discredited test-based model.) But here in the city, Chancellor Fariña has stated that growth in test scores should weigh 30% or more in teacher evaluations. Indeed, in some ways the city has outdone the state in tying scores to evaluation: the state sets a threshold of 16 scores before it assigns a teacher rating; in the city a mere 6 scores is considered a sufficient sample for both the state and local "measures." Six scores is three students taking both the English and Math exams. Imagine: a teacher may have a classroom of 32 kids (the contractual limit for elementary school), but have the lion's share of their evaluation based on how three children perform. This understandably makes teachers nervous about who those three children might be and families may feel that burden as they weigh test refusal.

Finally, a gag order threat hangs over teachers and principals.  They are not allowed to speak to parents about opt out.  They can offer no insight into the tests themselves, they cannot advise you if the tests are inappropriate for your child, they can only ask you what you want to do.  In many instances teachers and administrators don't have accurate information themselves on the viability of opt out, so they repeat the lines given them by the NYCDOE: Take the tests!  There is a crackdown going on right now to try and strangle the New York City opt out community entirely.  Teachers and principals are threatened with being labeled insubordinate if they speak the truth about testing.  If they make any attempt to protect children from the abuses of these tests, their careers hang in the balance.  This goes for principals as well as teachers.  Watch as Anita Skop, Superintendent of Schools in Brooklyn's District 15, clearly following Chancellor's orders, explains to parents that under no circumstances should teachers or principals speak with parents about their concerns regarding the tests. 

There are no protections here, no local school board or activist union to shield teachers and parents from the wrath of city government.  Cross the line and there can be consequences, albeit vague and opaque in nature.  And all of this is coming from the allegedly progressive, education-savvy Mayor Bill de Blasio and his handpicked Chancellor Carmen Fariña. Parents are being denied their rights, educators are being silenced, and it's the kids who suffer.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-elliot/no-threat-left-behind-new-york-city-stifles-opt-out_b_8814024.html?fb_action_ids=10208600467273646&fb_action_types=og.likes

School Scope: Did Cuomo Blink on Testing? NYCDOE Gag Order on Teachers Over Opt Out?

Submitted for publication Dec. 18, 2015 in The Wave (www.rockawave.com).


School Scope: Did Cuomo Blink on Testing? NYCDOE Gag Order on Teachers Over Opt Out?
By Norm Scott

When 220,000 children, 20% of all students in New York State, didn’t take the tests last spring, the highest percentage of any state in the nation, politicians like Governor Cuomo take notice.

Did Cuomo blink over his draconian teacher evaluation policies when facing a growing parent opt out movement over the extreme testing policies in New York State? Well, the UFT leadership is crowing that Cuomo backed down, taking an undeserved victory lap since it was the actions of parents, not the UFT, that is making waves. In fact, the UFT/Unity Caucus leadership has opposed the opt-out movement and urges teachers to stay out of it.

UFT President Mulgrew crowed in yet another triumphant email (they’re also taking credit for the current warm weather) claiming, “Governor Cuomo's Common Core Task Force issued its report. “In essence, the task force report urges a fundamental reset of education policy in New York State, including a four-year ban on the use of state growth scores to evaluate both teachers and students.”

Not so fast, boys and girls. Some bloggers actually read the Cuomo task force report. Sullio, who writes “The Pen is Mightier Than the Person” blog led with this headline:

Don't be Fooled by Cuomo's Mea Culpa on Testing
“As New York Governor Andrew Cuomo pretends to listen to parents and teachers, he hopes they don't know how to read. Buried at the bottom of a recent press release announcing the ‘recommendations’ of his education task farce is proof that Cuomo is open to changing nothing:
‘The Education Transformation Act of 2015 will remain in place, and no new legislation is required to implement the recommendations of the report, including recommendations regarding the transition period for consequences for students and teachers. During the transition, the 18 percent of teachers whose performance is measured, in part, by Common Core tests will use different local measures approved by the state, similar to the measures already being used by the majority of teachers.’ Yes, tests will still count for 50% of a teacher's evaluation….everything else in the Lobbyist for the Student's (Cuomo) infamous Education Transformation Act remains, including receivership and weakened due process rights. As Cuomo maintains, the law will not change. The test is still king.” Read Sullio’s full post: sullio.blogspot.com/2015/12/dont-be-fooled-by-cuomos-mea-culpa-on.html.

Cuomo, trying to undermine an opt out movement which is partially fueled by parents’ objections to having their children’s teachers judged by test scores, is pulling a bait and switch by calling for a moratorium on “using state tests” to judge teachers but leaving other measures in place.

Opt Out, the Teachers’ and Parents’ Best Friend
Clearly, the opt out movement has become a major threat and with testing season coming in the spring, it will be interesting to see if the movement keeps expanding around the state, but more importantly, here in the city, which has had a much lower opt out rate, due in large part to repressive policies of the NYCDOE and a complicit UFT. On December 9, I attended a testing forum in District 15 (Park Slope and Sunset Park) which had the largest number of opt outs in the city last year. District Superintendent Anita Skop declared that teachers would be violating the law if they discussed opt out and the negative aspects of the testing all the time program with parents, equating discussing opt out with parents as being political. Parents in the audience objected. Filmmaker Michael Elliot captured the moment: https://vimeo.com/148527338.
Change the Stakes, the leading opt out parent movement here in the city (full disclosure – I am on the steering committee), issued a statement.

IS TESTING EDUCATIONAL OR POLITICAL?

In a grassroots effort, more than 1,000 parents whose children attend 228 schools (in every borough and in 31 of the city’s 32 school districts) signed a letter (attached) asking for a meeting with NYC’s Mayor and Chancellor to discuss their concerns about the absence of free and open dialogue around high-stakes testing in city schools, their request for engagement yielded no response.

Now, in an indication of the NYCDOE’s true regard for parents and parent rights, a superintendent has been caught on videotape telling families at a public forum that their children’s teachers and principals cannot share their honest and expert opinions of the state’s standardized testing program. The superintendent claimed that such speech would be “political,” and therefore prohibited by the state since educators are public employees.

“To form my own opinions about the state tests,” said Tim Dubnau, a District 15 parent who attended the panel, “I need to hear what my children’s principal and teachers think. They know my kids, and they have actual on-the-ground experience seeing how testing affects children and what goes on in the classroom.”

Parent Kemala Karmen sees this as a failure of the NYCDOE to prioritize the interests of children and their families. “By silencing educators, the NYCDOE and NYSED are making a conscious choice to deny parents information. If not, why did the de Blasio/Farina DOE refuse to amend the 'Parents’ Bill of Rights' to include the right of test refusal, even though the City Council voted unanimously in Spring 2015 to insert right to opt out language in the bill?” District 15 parent Johanna Perez makes clear why this omission is so crucial, “My sister was the only one in her Bronx school who had even heard of opt out--and that was only because I told her about the movement to opt out in her niece’s D15 school. Many parents, especially those in communities of color, aren’t even aware that they have a right to refuse!”

When a superintendent of schools says that teachers, as representatives of the state, cannot talk about the educational value of the tests that they administer to children, we have to question who exactly is being political. When Chancellor Farina and Mayor de Blasio define a conversation between parents and teachers about an educational matter as political, parents feel disregarded, and children lose.

Mulgrew Punches Himself in the Face as he Celebrates End of Common Core

Report from December UFT Delegate Assembly:

Mulgrew took total credit for the improvements in the new federal education bill lessening the impact of testing as well as the recent report from the Cuomo commission.  I couldn't stand it, and yelled out, 'What about the opt-out movement"....he did not respond, besides being "upset" that someone had not followed the meeting procedures by calling out.  A few people around me did smile and nod their heads in agreement. 

Also he was taking "credit" for NY state not using the Common Core Standards going forward.  Wait, Wasn't I at the AFT convention and heard him say he would punch someone in the face if they took his Common Core away???.... Lisa North, MORE

 I hope Mulgrew's face is healing after punching himself for taking away his common core - see video below.

Mike Antonucci reported on the confrontation between what he calls the militants in the union (Chicago, etc) and the capitulators (my word) to ed deform:

The militant wing is mostly hostile to CCSS, seeing the standards as part and parcel of the corporate education-reform agenda. The establishment wing has been forced to triangulate by defending the standards but attacking the way they have been implemented.
The split between the two factions was illustrated at the 2014 AFT Convention. The delegation from Chicago introduced a resolution to place the AFT in full opposition to CCSS, but it was handily defeated in committee, a committee dominated by New York City’s United Federation of Teachers, the backbone of the AFT’s establishment wing.
Instead, AFT delegates passed a resolution stating the union would “continue to support the promise of CCSS, provided that a set of essential conditions, structures and resources are in place.”...

.....The War Within

#AFT14 Video - Sarah Chambers and The Speech that Triggered Mulgrew "Punch in Face"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSv34FPBIB8

Michael Mulgrew defends Common Core: 'You sick people ...

www.nydailynews.com/.../michael-mulgrew-defends-commo..... 

Michael Mulgrew defends Common Core: 'You sick people ...
www.nydailynews.com/.../michael-mulgrew-defends-commo...
Daily News
Aug 8, 2014 - Teachers union honcho Michael Mulgrew 

unleashed a venomous screed directed at anyone who would dare 
threaten his beloved Common Core agenda. 

... “And I’m going to punch you in the face and push you in the dirt
 because this is the teachers’!”. 

... United Federation of Teachers ...

Edwize Donates its Body to Mad Science

A perfect resting spot for an organization that believes in junk science like VAM

...if NYC Educator hadn’t posted about it who would have even known Edwize was gone?"... EIA, Not With a Bang, Or Even a Whimper

A top-down union, uncomfortable with anything but command-and-control, will likely never succeed in cyberspace...." .... Journal of Labor Research on the union’s experiments in cyberspace, cited by EIA Intercepts

NYC Educator reported on the late, unlamented and unnoticed death of the UFT's blog, Edwize (RIP Edwize).

Mike Antonucci connects some more dots at EIA and opens with a real knee slapper:

Remember Edwize? It was a blog started by the United Federation of Teachers in 2005 as an effort to engage the then-burgeoning education reform blogosphere on equal terms.
 
One of the first posts informed us “that teacher unions are democratic institutions, and that we consider dissent a necessary component of democratic conversation.”

 We have to stop for a minute and clutch our sides as we laugh our heads off. Mike continues:

Actual dissenters didn’t find this to be the case and thanks to one of them – NYC Educator – we learned that sometime in the last few months Edwize was shut down.

Of course various forms of social media have largely supplanted blogs as interactive methods of communication, but if NYC Educator hadn’t posted about it who would have even known Edwize was gone?

Teacher unions’ use of the Internet has much improved over the years (remember OWL.org?) AFT president Randi Weingarten has been tweeting 1,000 times a month for five years and has 53,000 followers. But they still fail to fully embrace two-way communication with their own members – a problem that predates blogs, Twitter and Facebook.

Well, you can read about this on the blogs every day - and as there is a UFT Delegate Assembly on Wednesday I'm looking forward to more of this:



Mike hits on some interesting aspects of top-down unionism and how it is threatened by bottom up that touch home:

Back in 2002, three NEA staffers wrote an article for the Journal of Labor Research on the union’s experiments in cyberspace. They concluded, “With modern cyber software, in short, content creation can be decentralized and democratized. Members can be empowered. But first, of course, members need to be trusted. A top-down union, comfortable with command-and-control internal information-sharing processes, might be unnerved by this prospect. A top-down union, uncomfortable with anything but command-and-control, will likely never succeed in cyberspace.”

And so it has come to pass as they predicted.

At the time, I felt this was an encouraging view, but didn’t go far enough.

Sigh. All NEA can think about is how cyberspace will help it get members to do something. Completely unexamined (perhaps even unimagined) is what if cyberspace helps members to get NEA to do something? What if members share internal information not previously filtered through the communications staff? What if they decide to support or reject legislation not included in the union’s legislative program? What if they become unhappy meeting once a year in a group of 9,000 and would prefer a different arrangement? A membership truly engaged in NEA’s workings might make it a stronger union, but it would be a fundamentally different union from the one that exists now, and in ways utterly unpredictable to those who hope to harness that power.

WOW! Mike gets the essence of bottom up unionism in ways that even some of our allies don't. He ends with this point linking to the social justice union movements.

Even 13 years later we haven’t reached that point, but we’re closer to it than we have ever been.

Note Mike's links to many of our pals. He is the only ed reporter to actually notice things brewing underneath. And that's something coming from a guy funded by anti-union forces. I can't imagine what he will write if that vision of the NEA ever came to pass in the UFT/NYSUT/AFT, but boy would I love live to see it.

NYCDOE Gag Order - Political Repression at the DOE - District Supt. Claims Teachers Who Discuss Opt Out Violate Law: Must See Michael Elliot Video

Is MORE UFT Presidential candidate Jia Lee violating state, city and DOE laws by talking opt out? Come and get her.

Michael Elliot made this brilliant 3 minute extract of the District 15 Town Hall Testing event we attended on December 9 with panelists Carol Burris, Kathy Cashin, Jennifer Jennings, Dist. 15 Supt Anita Skopp and a principal and Assistant principal - see my pre-report here.

Skop claimed it was against the law for teachers to share political views with parents or students, equating opt out with political views  - with former NY State principal of the year Carol Burris who has been talking opt out for years, sitting a few seats away.

• [See Carol's latest WAPO blog on The Cuomo Common Core report: hint, more hype than relief.
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/12/14/how-far-will-n-y-gov-cuomo-really-go-in-overhauling-common-core/]

One of our ace opt-out parents Janine Sopp pointed this out from the audience - how come Carol does it? Another parent called out  to say how can Skop equate a discussion with parents on the quality and impact of tests and pointing out they did have the option to opt out with endorsing political candidates, pointing out that was as much an educational issue as talking about homework. See Skop's lame response in Michael's video. (I have video of the entire event and will get off my ass and post unedited versions of each panel member -- Carol Burris is just dynamite and Cashin was pretty good too -- and made sure to give Change the Stakes' Fred Smith some recognition.)

Cashin did point out that Skop was part of a chain of command linked to Farina and de Blasio - so though the buck stops there, let's not let Skop off the hook with the "I was only following orders excuse" excuse which so many people under Joel Klein claim now.

And what will the UFT tell you about these outrageous claims to muzzle teachers?

Arthur Goldstein has a few words for them at NYC Educator:

You Can Fool Some of the People Some of the Time, but You Can't Fool Opt-Out NY

Even as UFT leadership breaks out the champagne over NY State's largely meaningless Common Core recommendations, Governor Cuomo ought to keep worrying. Because the fact is UFT leadership has played virtually no part in opt-out. They've delayed and prevented meaningful resolutions, and backed up reformy claims that aid would be withheld if not enough kids took tests that Cuomo himself called meaningless, except for rating teachers.

Arthur closes with the reason MORE chose the leading teacher voice for opt-out, Jia Lee, for its presidential candidate to run against Mulgrew.

We need to take a stand with the opt-out movement, a true grassroots movement fueled by truth, passion and a desire to do what's right for our children. If Michael Mulgrew and his loyalty-oath signing sycophants are unwilling or unable to do the right thing, they should move over and endorse opt-out activist Jia Lee for UFT President. 

If you are a teacher without a union to protect you, get on your knees and thank an opt out parent for defending you.

https://vimeo.com/148527338




Also see Alan Singer:

Opt-Out Campaign Must Continue

www.huffingtonpost.com

The parent and teacher campaign to have children opt-out of high-stakes Common Core aligned testing is remarkably successful.

Wonderful Video - Seen Them Opting Out on Broadway - Alan Schwartz - The Bald Piano Man

-- Or how teachers' asses are being saved by the parent opt out movement.
"The unions didn't accomplish this. Parental anger at an arrogant state executive forced the change. To the power of parents everywhere."

Brilliant lyrics and performance by Alan C. Schwartz, The Bald Piano Man, December 11, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/alan.c.schwartz.3/videos/10153748881142889/

A Billy Joel parody reboot to celebrate Andrew's Cuomo's humbling about face on high-stakes testing. The unions didn't...
Posted by Alan C. Schwartz on Friday, December 11, 2015

Some of my high school friends tell me that teachers in their schools couldn't care less about the opt out movement because most high school students don't opt out of regents and other tests. But high school teachers have been swept up in the outcomes of the existential threat opt out presents to the ed deformers. Witness Cuomo's (temporary) retreat in an effort to cut the legs out of opt-out. Don't be fooled. Every teacher should do what they can (without getting into trouble with their admins) to spread news of opt out. Ie. contact Change the Stakes to have someone stand outside your school with leaflets at dismissal.

UFT Election Update: Take the Long March

There are so many comments out there on FB and blogs about how important it is to get rid of Mulgrew - and there is no time to waste.

They are so wrong to focus on Mulgrew rather than the Unity machine, which has been around for 55 years with only 4 leaders. But the important thing to note is that the machine endures while leaders don't - both Al and Sandy died way too young which seems to be the reason leadership changes - Sandy followed Al to the AFT and Randi followed Sandy when she died and the assumption is that when Randi leaves for greener pastures (we do wish her good health) Mulgew will move up to her place and someone is now sitting at the UFT who will be the next Mulgrew - and after a short honeymoon where things don't change, there will be desperate calls to get rid of Mr./Ms. X. I mean, who ever heard of Mulgrew until Randi chose him as her successor when it became clear that she would be leaving the UFT for the AFT -- only Shanker tried to do both jobs as president for a decade from 1974-1985 -- and no one else can get away with that today. So there will be a new UFT president at some point in the future. Just not this year.

The point is - focus on the machine, not the person at the top. And to beat the machine you cannot use drones from the air - or the internet/social media/blogs etc. Ground troops are needed to root out the rot at the school and district levels. That is a long view and teachers nearer to retirement don't have the time or patience to fight that ground game. So they often scream and rant and call for shortcuts - like let's sue them - over anything.

Hopefully, the 20, 30 and 40 something activists and organizers are willing to build a ground game and endure the trials and tribulations of doing so.

UFT elections are just temperature checks of where the ground game is at. And over the past 25 years, the ground game has been a zero-sum game with slight ebbs and flows, even as caucuses come and go.

The UFT Election Committee
Each election a committee is formed and each caucus is invited to send a rep. Not much is decided by the committee, other than setting election time tables and rules. But if there is a dispute, the committee decides and since Unity stacks it, we know how they will decide - like let's say every retiree vote is lost in the mail and MORE wins - Unity will go to the committee to protest the election - that procedures they set up themselves were somehow violated. If stacked courts must decide, so be it.

Amy Arundell chairs the UFT election committee and overall I would say that most people in the opposition find her one of the positive forces in Unity to deal with. I reported on who is on the committee (How Many Unity Slugs Does it Take to Run an election) and that in my estimation the election process would begin at the January DA based on the historic timetable before the last election, which was pushed back to February in 2013 due to the effects of hurricane Sandy. If the early Jan. scenario is followed ballots will go go out in March, if the latter February timetable, in April - which will include one week off for the holidays, thereby taking away some important campaigning time for the opposition to Unity Caucus. Ballots should be counted in late April-early May or mid-late May depending on when petitions are officially released.

What is important about the time frame is that from the day petitions are made available until the day ballots are counted, sometime in April or May, is that any UFT member can go into any school and put election materials in the mailboxes.

The standard campaign tactic is for every slate to race around to as many schools as possible stuffing 40 or 50 thousand leaflets into boxes, which apparently few bother to read - based on the election turnout. Some say the reason is these leaflets sucked - I don't agree - they may have sucked but I think people just dump stuff out of their boxes and even if they read the leaflets the election is irrelevant to most.

Unity will stuff 4 different glossy ads into every mailbox in the city, using their Unity Caucus machine and their full-time employees like District reps where they don't have people. Yet their vote totals are also abysmal.

MORE cannot reach every school and I contend that if it could stuff every box it wouldn't change very much.

The key is having people in the schools on the ground. But wait, you say. Unity has that and still can't get out the vote. And that is an interesting point.

Given the votes the opposition has gotten in the past, I estimate that a lot of them are coming from schools with MORE/ICE/GEM (and New Action from 1991-2001) people who are respected and work hard to tell people about the election. There just aren't enough of them - yet.

This time Unity will put lots of money into getting votes that they deem favorable to them out. They will send people into schools where MORE has strength to try to siphon off what they can and Unity CLs will be adopting some of E4E tactics - treating the staff to pizza parties for those who bring in the ballots for a mass vote.

By the way, each slate running does get a 2-page spread in the NY Teacher, which apparently few bother to read.

Next time I will tell you why much of this effort is a waste of time - unless it fits into a long-term strategy - which hopefully is a framework MORE is operating within - though there are times I am not so sure.

The key is for a caucus to establish a regular communication network reaching out to hundreds of schools, not just for the elections, but on a regular basis at the very least every 2 months throughout the year.