Stop La Guardia HS for Arts Principal Lisa Mars From Changing Culture of School

• According to the 2015/16 Department Of Education School Survey:

      - only 25% of LaGuardia's teachers say they trust the principal
      - only 28% of teachers say the principal communicates a clear vision for the school
      - only 32% of teachers say the principal understands how students learn
      - 73% of teachers feel disrespected by the principal

• According to the DOE’s framework for successful schools (which includes 6 categories) LaGuardia continues to decline in areas relating to leadership under Dr. Mars.  In the most recent DOE School Dashboard, Dr. Mars received a stunning 1.76 for Trust and 1.2 for Effective Leadership (the scale is 1.00 - 4.99). LaGuardia is not meeting target in any of the 6 categories!

• Since the arrival of Dr. Mars, there has been an unprecedented exodus of teachers and staff.  This year alone nearly 18% have left. Dr. Mars, who has had little experience in educating artistically talented students, has hired questionable replacements – for example, she replaced the Assistant Principal of Art with a middle school English teacher. 
• The DOE and UFT are both aware of these issues, but have chosen to ignore them.

https://www.change.org/p/school-chancellor-farina-keep-laguardia-a-high-school-for-the-arts

Note how under Farina principals like Lisa Mars at LaGuardia and Monika Garg at Central Park East 1 -- two of the more progressive schools in the city, have attacked the cultures of the schools they were place into. We have a bunch of youngsters, current and grads, from La Guardia in the Rockaway Theatre who have mentioned the problem since Mars took over.

Bring Fame Back to the "Fame" School

	School Chancellor Farina: Keep LaGuardia a High School for the Arts Petition by LaGuardia High · 1,876 supporters

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Or, copy this note and email it to your friends Hello, I just signed the petition, "School Chancellor Farina: Keep LaGuardia a High School for the Arts." I think this is important. Will you sign it too? Here's the link: https://www.change.org/p/school-chancellor-farina-keep-laguardia-a-high-school-for-the-arts Thanks, Norm

Norm in The Wave - Summer Lessons

I aimed at tackling some serious issues in my ed column in The Wave this past week but my hair hurt when I tried to think too hard.

School Scope

Summer Lessons 

http://www.rockawave.com/news/2016-08-12/School_News/School_Scope.html

By Norm Scott 

Friday Aug. 12, 2016

I was going to get into some heavy issues related to race but the summer sun is preventing my brain from processing deep thoughts. So I’ll take a pass until I sort things out.

Despite it being summer, education news continues to flow. NY State test scores were released and as usual there was a lot of controversy over the results with some claims the stats have been juked. My blog has a summary of some of the points made by Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters (tinyurl.com/zahckeo).
Naturally the charter school lobby and their sycophants in the Rupert Murdock-controlled press (Wall St. Journal and NY Post) jumped in to call for more charters, which really juke the stats by tossing kids who get low scores back into public schools. The public is finally waking up to the charter school scam. The NAACP finally called for a ban on new privately managed charters, which most of them are, tinyurl.com/j679tjq. Also see “The great charter school rip-off: Finally, the truth catches up to education “reform” phonies” by Jeff Bryant at Salon (tinyurl.com/qf4792r).

I’ve learned more than a few lessons from being involved in the Rockaway Theatre Company’s production of La Cage Aux Folles, a play that some thought would be a bit too edgy for the Rockaway community (see my Memo from the RTC column). The immensely positive audience reaction from the first weekend almost totally sold out shows belies that thought. The amount of teamwork it takes to put on any play, no less a play of this complexity is enormous. It is not just about the acting, singing, music or choreography but all the other backstage things that must take place like the moveable sets and the amazing costumes – it takes more than a village – it takes an army. The major takeaway for me is the sense of accountability and responsibility everyone has to each other. (I am so nervous that if I am not at my post to move a piece of scenery the entire play will be ruined.)

The presidential election which every day reaches a new level on the bizarro meter teaches us a lesson every five minutes. Democrats who call for Trump to drop out are cutting their own throats. They should pray that Trump stays in the race. I still think it possible we can see someone else running. I fear the other Republicans more than I do Trump. I’m still voting third party at this point though I may give up the ghost and vote for Hillary who I basically see as a center Republicrat. Why are so many billionaires supporting Hillary? Post election I’m hoping to see third and maybe even fourth parties arise to reflect political realities. Bernie Sanders’ people are brewing some kind of post election movement to keep the heat on Hillary if she wins or jump off a cliff if Trump or any Republican wins.

This weekend is the opening of the NYC Fringe Festival at numerous theaters in downtown Manhattan. It is their 20th anniversary. There is a choice of over 200 plays, each performed five times during the two weeks of the festival. Tickets are $18 ($13 for seniors). I’ve been volunteering with them for the past 10 years and get to see quite an unusual selection. Always a fun time
(www.fringenyc.org/).

Norm tries to avoid deep thoughts daily at ednotesonline.org.
 

La Cage Kills in Rockaway Theatre Company Production - The Wave

The biggest thrill of all for many audience members is trying to tell the girls from the boys - and often not succeeding.

[I temporarily removed the lead photo of Les Cagelles backstage until the show's run is over because it was felt by some it gave away genders and one of the ideas is to keep people guessing. It was a wonderful photo and I will restore it next week.]

I've been pretty preoccupied with the RTC recently - I have a few walk-ons in this show and helped build the sets. I'm finding it a lot more fun that battling ed deform. That so many school teachers are involved in the theater generally and in this production makes this an added treat. One of the leads in La Cage is a union president and on the central labor council with Mulgrew. An Assist Princ is one of the dancers as are 3 teachers. The passion and commitment over the past 3 months of all these people, some of whom travel up to 2 hours to get to the theater, has been amazing.

The audience laughs, it cries and whoops it up in cheers and standing ovations. The large cast and crew of the RTC at Fort Tilden's theatre completed the 6th performance of La Cage Aux Folles last night to rave reviews. Some people have come back 3 times or more. They just can't seem to get enough of the show. Every night after the show the cast doesn't seem to want to leave each other, despite some very long trips home. There has been as much bonding on this show as I've ever seen.

Regulars  at all our shows have said this may be the best one yet.
Aside from a great show the social message is delivered with both force and subtlety. Who would have thought even 5 years ago that gay marriage would be legal? 

Still 4 performances to go with a matinee today at 2PM - with proceeds going to the North Shore Animal League which will be there with an adoption van from noon to 6PM.

And performances next Fri, Sat nite at 8 and Sunday at 2. Mostly sold out but if interested email and I'll check.

All photos below by Rob Mintzes

La Cage’ Kills

Memo from the RTC

By Norm Scott

 

The great Chazmond Peacock

“Why isn’t Chaz (Chazmond Peacock) on Broadway?” said a friend of mine on the way out of last Saturday’s performance of La Cage Aux Folles at the Rockaway Theatre Company in Fort Tilden. Having seen Chaz dominate every role he has taken on at the RTC over the past decade, I can only agree. Yet his greatest performance to date may be in the role of Albin/Zaza, a gay drag-queen star at the nightclub known as La Cage Aux Folles. Albin has lived for decades with club owner and master of ceremonies George (a fabulous John Heffernan) and their maid Jacob (the insanely great Matthew Smilardi who steals every scene he/she is in). The couple’s son, Jean-Michel (Frank Caiati, one of the RTC’s major all-around talents over the past 13 years – now all of 30 years old) wants to hide the fact the people who brought him up are gay. His dad isn’t flamboyant and can pass but Albin is a no-no and Jean-Michel wants to hide him away from his fiancée (the wonderful Leigh Dillon) and his future in-laws (RTC top level performers David Risley and Luisa Boyaggi, both of whom have played leads in past productions). The dad is a major anti-gay politician. Add the dancing queens, Les Cagelles, and we are off to the races in very funny and often sad and poignant play.

Producer Susan Jasper writes in the production notes “This is a story about family.” Quoting the play’s book writer, Harvey Fierstein, “What child at some point has not been ashamed to introduce parents to friends? What parent has not wondered ‘Where did we go wrong?’ What marriage has not been tested in these familial flames?” OK, so this family may be a bit unusual but in today’s world not all that unusual.

When the RTC decided to do La Cage…some felt the material might be too edgy for the usual RTC audience which are generally older. Susan Jasper touched on this new direction for the RTC. “For the past 18 years the RTC has made its reputation bringing you the best in family theatrical entertainment… We recently decided it was time to branch out and include some edgier material.”
Based on the reactions of the first three performances last weekend there was nothing to worry about as there were standing ovations and sing-alongs at the end with Les Cagelles getting some of the biggest hands at curtain call, especially when they took off their wigs. As part of the crew and at times part of the on-stage ensemble, I have gotten to see various snatches of the play from different vantage points and also to gauge some of the audience reactions. I found that for some of the audience there was possibly some discomfort in the early part of the play in Act I until Chaz sings his heart out at the end of the act and totally captures the audience who root for Albin the rest of the way and cheer when the family is made whole again at the end. Chaz’ winning over the audience is the key to making them believe in this family and without a superb actor like Chaz who can sing like the star he is the show might sink instead of soaring.

There are a lot more people to mention regarding one of the best productions ever at the RTC. See you next week with more.

http://www.rockawave.com/news/2016-08-12/Community/La_Cage_Kills.html

Jeff Bryant: Is Tim Kaine a Sign Democrats Are Leaving the 'Education Reform Camp?'

....in reviewing Kaine’s education policy chops, what’s in his record may not be as important as what isn’t: the current education establishment’s policy checklist of standardization, high-stakes testing, allowing charter schools to sort students by income and ability, and keeping teachers under the authoritative thumb of test-based evaluations – there’s none of that.... The years progressives have put into organizing, voicing opposition to current education policies, and calling for new directions in education are likely having an effect on “this new Democratic Party” too. No wonder people who’ve enjoyed their cushy places at the top are nervous. --- Jeff Bryant

DFED - Democrats for Education Deform

Hmmm. On the surface there is something I like about Tim Kaine though I don't know much. His wife was Virginia education commissioner and supposedly not a heavy ed deformer. Despite claims that   supporters of Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders have substantially altered how public education is framed in the Democratic Party platform, I don't trust platforms, especially since Randi Weingarten is being given credit for some of the language in the platform. Ed issues were basically absent from any of the debates between Hillary and Bernie.

So I'm pretty disappointed that the pro-Bernie educators has very little impact on him in relation to education issues, which were practically buried in the primaries. As for Hillary -- there this comment from Michael Fiorillo who sent us the Jeff Bryant piece. 

We'll see... I'm inclined to think Hillary will betray us, since as a general rule that's what she does... Michael Fiorillo

Jeff Bryant is a reliable reporter on ed issues, lining up against the ed deformers so I find this an interesting piece.
http://www.alternet.org/education/tim-kaine-education-reform

Is Tim Kaine a Sign Democrats Are Leaving the 'Education Reform Camp?'

Kaine is not a fan of high stakes testing, charter schools, or other pillars of reform orthodoxy.

By Jeff Bryant / Campaign for America's Future

 An education “reform” establishment that has enjoyed the complete support of Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush may be getting nervous.
The policy outline for K-12 education coming from the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign remains vague, but supporters of Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders have substantially altered how public education is framed in the Democratic Party platform, and Clinton has become more strident in her attacks on “for-profit” charter schools and vouchers that allow parents to transfer their children to private schools at taxpayer expense.

At [last month's] Democratic Party National Convention in Philadelphia, experienced reporters from Education Week noticed that although Clinton generally pledges “to pick up the policy baton from President Barack Obama … it’s tough to say how true that will be when it comes to K-12 education.”
A Politico education journalist at the DNC reported that Shavar Jeffries, president of Democrats for Education Reform, a policy group that has gotten used to getting its way in the Obama administration, said, “There was ‘anxiety’ within the education reform movement over the future of [the movement’s] priorities.”

When DFER threw an event at the convention, the EdWeek reporters noted the mood was more about “soul searching” than celebrating.
Clinton’s picking Virginia Senator Tim Kaine for her vice presidential running mate is not apt to ease the “anxiety” or “soul searching” reformers feel.
“To be sure, Kaine is not part of the so-called education reform camp,” writes education reporter Lauren Camera for U.S. News and World Report.
Camera correctly tags New Jersey Senator Cory Booker as someone who would have been more favorable to big supporters of the high-stakes testing and charter school expansions that come with reform orthodoxy. But Kaine’s education record diverges sharply from that.
As a mayor, a governor and a U.S. senator, Kaine has a “hefty education resume,” as Camera writes, which includes support for expanding access to high-quality early learning programs for children from birth to age 5 and increasing access to career and technical education programs and apprenticeships.
Education writers for Politico note Kaine’s work to provide federal student loans for some career education programs, his advocacy for LGBT students’ rights, and his support for improving emergency responses on college campuses and mental health in Virginia following the death of 32 people by gun violence at Virginia Tech in 2007.
But in reviewing Kaine’s education policy chops, what’s in his record may not be as important as what isn’t: the current education establishment’s policy checklist of standardization, high-stakes testing, allowing charter schools to sort students by income and ability, and keeping teachers under the authoritative thumb of test-based evaluations – there’s none of that.
In what may be the most revealing commentary about his education perspectives, an op-ed he wrote for his hometown Richmond paper, Kaine lays out an education agenda of increased personalization, relief from the testing mandates, richer and more varied curriculum, and support and autonomy for experienced teachers. (Hat tip: Bertis Downs.)
Education journalists covering Kaine also never fail to include mention of his wife Anne Holton, who serves as Virginia’s secretary of education. As education journalists at The Washington Post explain, Holton “has worked to reform a standardized testing regime that had been criticized as unnecessarily time-consuming and onerous.”
Holton, the reporters write, has blamed high stakes testing for intensifying the stubborn achievement gap in her state, rather than remedying it as fans of the reform approach say it will.
The article also notes Holton “has opposed the expansion of charter schools and other school-choice measures, and she has pushed for greater investments in public education, including teacher pay raises.”
None of this is what education reformers want to hear.
Kaine and Holton also deserve to be praised for “walking the walk” of progressive schooling by enrolling all their children in the public school system and sending them to racially integrated schools that were majority non-white.
Of course, there’s no guarantee Kaine will influence the education policy direction of a Clinton administration. Nor is this to say Kaine is perfect on education or even the most progressive of possible vice presidential candidates Clinton could have picked.
For instance, Kaine has expressed reluctance to support free universal public higher education, which has become a cornerstone in the populist agenda advocated by Bernie Sanders and his supporters. And as governor, Kaine presided over a period when Virginia made significant cuts to education funding; although, to be fair, this occurred in response to one of the nation’s worst economic calamities in its history.
Also, liberal groups have criticized Kaine for his support of big banks, Wall Street deregulation, and “free trade” – although, he flipped his position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership proposal shortly after becoming the vice presidential nominee.
But none of these factors should veer from the narrative of what is rapidly happening to education policy in the Democratic Party.

As my colleague Dave Johnson explains in his analysis of Tim Kaine’s change of heart on TPP, “Kaine had to change his position” (emphasis mine) on TPP after he was chosen because that’s more reflective of where the Democratic party is going rather than where it’s been.
“This is what happens when people organize and make their voices heard,” Johnson writes. “This is the power of the progressive movement. This is the new Democratic Party.”

The years progressives have put into organizing, voicing opposition to current education policies, and calling for new directions in education are likely having an effect on “this new Democratic Party” too. No wonder people who’ve enjoyed their cushy places at the top are nervous.

Jeff Bryant is director of the Education Opportunity Network, a partnership effort of the Institute for America's Future and the Opportunity to Learn Campaign. He has written extensively about public education policy.

Review: In 'Hillbilly Elegy,' a Tough Love Analysis of the Poor Who Back Trump

The NY Times has an interesting review of a new book by J.D. Vance who emerged from white poverty. The review is fascinating reading with lots of interesting points about the culture he grew up in and that continues to fester, driving so much of the white anger. The left assumes they are driven by racism. Maybe that is a factor but not the only factor. Vance is a conservative so his views can be slotted into the "people must help themselves instead of waiting for the government" but worth reading all the same. The review opens with this selection:

After reading “Hillbilly Elegy,” you can easily understand why. This is a historically peculiar election cycle, boisterously disrupted by outsiders, one of whom found the perfect host body in the Republican Party and became its presidential nominee. An investigation of voter estrangement has never felt more urgent, and we’re certainly not getting one from the lacquered chatterers on the boob tube.

Now, along comes Mr. Vance, offering a compassionate, discerning sociological analysis of the white underclass that has helped drive the politics of rebellion, particularly the ascent of Donald J. Trump. Combining thoughtful inquiry with firsthand experience, Mr. Vance has inadvertently provided a civilized reference guide for an uncivilized election, and he’s done so in a vocabulary intelligible to both Democrats and Republicans.

Imagine that.

On the checklist of modern privilege, Mr. Vance, 31, has the top four in the bag: He is white, male, straight and Protestant.

Review: In 'Hillbilly Elegy,' a Tough Love Analysis of the Poor Who Back Trump

How one Queens high school became a safe haven for children fleeing Central America

A good public school story from Chalkbeat for a change about QIRT at the Far Rockaway HS campus, a school with a great principal. How do I know? Jeff Kaufman, who has rarely seen a good principal in his career, teaches there and he raves about Carl Manalo who came to Jeff's defense when the DOE tried to make Jeff an ATR even after he won when his old vicious principal's attempt to 3020a him last year and insisted that Jeff remain at the school. Jeff now teaches coding at the school and this summer is teaching an AP coding class.

I am considering going over there as a volunteer this fall.

With all the talk about immigrants and refugees, Manalo stands out for the support he gives his students and teachers.

http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2016/08/08/how-one-queens-high-school-became-a-safe-haven-for-children-fleeing-central-america/#.V6vY766x_oi

Jeff is still peripherally involved in union politics and informs me how Unity/UFT is useless in supporting their members. How ironic that they get more protection from their principal than the UFT.

Matt Taibbi on How Democrats Helped Create Trump - Rolling Stone

A Republican Workers' Party?

Democratic incompetence has made the previously unthinkable possible: Republicans are reimagining themselves as a labor party...maybe the next strongman those voters pick to lead them out of the wilderness won't be quite as huge an idiot, or as suicidal a campaigner, as Trump. Sooner or later, failing to deal with these questions is going to come back and bite all of us...

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/a-republican-workers-party-w433295

A must read from Matt Taibbi exposing the complicity of neo-liberal Democrats led by guess who?  the Clintons. If Trump continues to run Hillary wins but what will change? Naomi Klein touches on why:

The Problem With Hillary Clinton Isn't Just Her Corporate Cash. It's Her Corporate Worldview.

By Naomi Klein - April 6th, 2016

Published in The Nation

Have you noticed the billionaires from Warren Buffet to Bloomberg signing on to Clinton?

For Democrats the scariest words they can hear from Trump is "I quit." Because he is their only chance for Hillary to win. I keep saying that Trump scares me the least of any other Republican because he is not a true Republican. If Trump isn't somehow convinced to drop out assume Hillary wins. The Dems congratulate themselves and don't really change while the Republicans rebrand themselves as the workers party. And in 2020 watch out.

Taibbi writes:

Fringe Festival Opens Friday: Old Pal Jack Fry Back with New Show About Einstein

I met Jack Fry (Freiberger) years ago when he did his teacher based play "They Call Me Mr. Fry". I posted about it here and here. Jack was a former teacher who captured many essential truths about the job under NCLB. Now he is back in town with a new show which I am seeing Monday night. I'm also spending some time volunteering for the NYC Fringe festival which is in its 20th year. I've been doing this for many years and it is a chance to see some of the 200 shows downtown over the next 2 weeks at tickets prices of $18 ($13 for seniors.)

Here is info on Jack's show which will be performed 5 times (see below for dates) on the lower east side theater,

Under St. Mark Theater

94 St. Mark Pl.

New York,  NY 10009

Einstein! is the multi-award winning, critically acclaimed solo show by Jack Fry (click here).  Einstein! was just selected as Top 10 Shows to See at the 2016 New York International Fringe Festival (click here).  Additionally, we were recently selected as Pick of the Fringe and Encore Winner at the 2016 Hollywood Fringe Festival.  Jack Fry was also the winner of Best Actor for his portrayal of Albert Einstein chosen by the London Free Press (Ontario) for the International London Fringe Festival, as well as additionally winning other festival picks.  Scroll down for more information.

Website: www.einsteintheplay.com

Trailer: http://einsteintheplay.com/Einstein/Video.html

Written, researched, and performed by Jack Fry, directed by Tom Blomquist 

About the play: 

Einstein!  is a true story based on the recent release of 15,000 documents and years of research that bring to light new information about a younger, "pre-crazy" haired Albert Einstein in Berlin around 1914.  It chronicles his epic and inspirational fight for relativity and for the affections for his10-year old son, Hans Albert.  It's the historical drama that tells the incredible, true story that ushered in our present modern technological age while simultaneously making his hair "crazy".  Jack Fry breathes life into one of the most intriguing icons of all time."

Description:

Albert Einstein comes back from the beyond.  Upset with the way his image has been cheapened and vowing to set the record straight, he tells us the real harrowing story behind general relativity and his struggles as a father.  It's 1914 Berlin, war is breaking out all over Europe, and a 35-year old Einstein is in the battle of his life as he is in the midst of colleagues trying to steal his new theory, an ugly divorce, antisemitism, failing health that threatens his life, isolated for being a pacifist, thoughts of suicide, a huge scientific backlash, and trying to keep the relationship with his son Hans Albert from slipping away from him forever.  Meanwhile, he comes up with a theory that changes the way we live our lives today.

"A very human look at a much mythologized man... compelling and sensitively presented." ~CBC Manitoba

"Fry effectively plays the joy, sadness, determination, and desperation of the man."   ~Winnipeg Free Press

Five Performances Only:

"... funny, touching, and intimate... a triumph...."   ~Huffington Post

Under St. Mark Theater

94 St. Mark Pl.

New York,  NY 10009

Saturday, August 13 @ 2:15pm

Monday, August 15 @ 8:45pm

Friday, August 19 @ 8:00pm

Monday, August 22 @ 2:30pm

Friday, August 26 @ 5:00pm

General Tickets: $18 (CLICK HERE)

WEBSITE: einsteintheplay.com