Another View in the UFT - Feb. 2018 - Family Leave, Class Size, Contract, Attacks on Schools, Black Lives Matter Reso Commentary

The latest edition of our Delegate Assembly newsletter from Mike, James, Arthur and myself. We are Another View in the UFT, in MORE and often in our own schools (except for me of course.)

Distributed a the Feb. DA. If you want a pdf email me at normsco@gmail.com
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• Parental/Family Leave – MORE Holds Rally, UFT Officials Join in 
• Resolution on Class Size Reduction By Arthur Goldstein, James Eterno, Norm Scott

-->School Closings and Consolidations Inspire Teachers, Parents and Students to stand up; UFT must offer more support; Stories of Awful principals and Superintendents; Focus was on District 4 (East Harlem) Superintendent Estrella                     by Norm Scott

Our (Rough) Contract Demands by Mike Schirtzer and MORE/New Action Ex Bd High School Reps

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Is Black Lives Matter Divisive, as Leroy Barr Claims? By Norm Scott

Unity Caucus McCarthy/Trumplike Attack on "Loyal" Opposition

Recent actions by some members of this "not so loyal" opposition are especially disturbing. --- Unity Caucus Leaflet titled "The Loyal Opposition", Feb. 2018

I'm following up on a blog yesterday - Is Black Lives Matter Divisive, as Leroy Barr Claims? where I took issue with the way Leroy Barr presented the union's opposition to the MORE Black Lives Matter Week resolution at the January DA and also the MORE strategy.

But the Unity leaflet attacking MORE at Wednesday's DA requires a response. Arthur has already done a number on the Unity leaflet at NYC Educator.

Arthur points out their utter hypocrisy when they brag about these issues:

I love that they boast of "fair funding for our schools" first, since the so-called Fair Student Funding is nothing of the sort, with schools getting only a percentage of what they're promised. It's also a huge discouraging factor for hiring experienced teachers, and likely is the reason for many being stuck in the ATR.

I'm also fond of the "equity, access and opportunity for all students" because UFT Unity has done absolutely nothing to lower class sizes in over half a century. They boast of sacrifices they made to place class size in the contract and fail to mention that most of them were toddlers or not even born when this monumental sacrifice was made.

When I looked at the Unity leaflet I was immediately reminded of the Trump attack on Democrats and those who didn't stand up to salute and cheer his State of the Union saying they were "traitorous".

This is an age-old attack by authoritarians that claim the outside enemies of a nation - or union - must lead to restrictions on democracy and internal criticism. For Unity it used to be Giuliani, then Bloomberg (de Blasio/Farina despite many of the same policies are our friends and thus above criticism), and now Janus as reasons to dull criticism.

We might as well cancel the 2019 UFT elections.

Perhaps the funniest line was this: Unity/UFT recognizes the value of honest dialogue and internal debate in determining the direction that our union takes on these most important matters.

Right. We've seen so much honest and internal debate in the UFT.

The blow back from the controversial Black Lives Matter Week resolution presented by MORE at the January Delegate Assembly and the consequent media coverage which embarrassed the leadership resulted in an outright attack on the MORE caucus and the public reports Arthur Goldstein issues at the NYC Educator blog.

Now as I will point out in some follow-up articles I even as a member of MORE am also critical of some aspects of how the BLM committee of MORE went about handing this.

One of the first questions to Mulgrew was clearly a Unity plant raising the same issue about sanctity of the Delegate Assembly -- shhhh -- well, how do you report to the members of your school what happened since you are elected by your school?

We know that outside reports that might be embarrassing to the leadership is what they are most concerned about and Arthur's reports followed by his analysis, must gall them. I always used to report on DAs in Ed Notes. But when the mainstream press picks stuff up it drives them nuts. That is what happened with the BLM reso.

Lindsey Christ from NY1 read it there and contacted the UFT to ask for comment, which they refused based on the sanctity of the DA. Linsdey, who I ran into at a press conference we were both covering, told me she laughed and told them it was all over the internet. A smart move would have been to actually go on the record with a response because I think they could have made the case that there are many areas of BLM they would support, but maybe not this specific resolution. Lindsey ended up interviewing me and Jia about Leroy's speech. (http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2018/01/26/black-lives-matter-debate-splits-teachers--union).

By the way - I will give Unity credit for their response to the MORE Family Leave demo by sending down Mel Aaronson and a crew with the UFT banner - especially since NY1 was once again covering. That is a direct outcome of their inept response on the BLM story.

But instead of admitting they could have handled things better, they go on the attack.

For more on the story, see my blog: https://tinyurl.com/y9vh4p7q

MORE response to Unity:
We Want a Union That Believes Black Lives Matter - https://morecaucusnyc.org/2018/02/02/we-want-a-union-that-believes-black-lives-matter/

DoeNuts is not too thrilled by either group:

The Doenuts Blog: BEWARE of those who start fires

https://nycdoenuts.blogspot.com/2018/02/beware-of-those-who-start-fires.html?m=1

Is Black Lives Matter Divisive, as Leroy Barr Claims?

There is a lot of controversy swirling around the MORE resolution at the January DA and the blow back the union is receiving and their response by attacking MORE. I have issues with both the UFT's position and the way MORE has presented the issue and will go into more depth in followups because this issue scratches at flaws in Unity, the UFT and in MORE.

Throughout this debate I feel I have two opposing forces on my shoulders arguing with each other. Yin-Yang.

MORE is claiming repression of debate. Unity is claiming MORE is engaging in dishonest and misleading statements by indicating the union doesn't support BLM when it was really against the MORE reso. But Leroy Barr did not specifically argue about what in the reso was divisive but lumped it all into BLM as being divisive.

Below is a piece I wrote over the weekend for the Another View newsletter I put out with some other MORE members and some who are not very enamored of MORE at this point. At least 2 MORE people whose partners are people of color and UFT members told me their partners oppose the MORE reso. Yet that debate does not take place in MORE at all -- so when MORE declares the UFT only debated the issue for 5 minutes it would be interesting to see MORE debate the fallout and not assume unanimity. There is a meeting Saturday so let's see.

I will add more on upcoming posts as the issue develops.

Read the DoeNuts Blog view by a MORE member:
BEWARE of those who start fires - "Low blows" and "cheap shots" are taken by both parties involved... http://nycdoenuts.blogspot.com/2018/02/beware-of-those-who-start-fires.html
And NYCEducator, another MORE member:
http://nyceducator.com/2018/02/unity-publicly-humiliated-goes-straight.html

Here is my piece.

From Another View Newsletter - Feb. 2018

Is Black Lives Matter Divisive, as Leroy Barr Claims?
By Norm Scott

At the January Delegate Assembly the argument that BLM was divisive and in the time of Janus was a dangerous place to go was the basis of Barr’s and the leadership’s opposition to the MORE-UFT Caucus’ resolution calling on the UFT to support Black Lives Matter week (Feb. 5-11) which educators from a number of NYC schools are participating in. BLM has often been misinterpreted, leading to the perception that it might be divisive. February is Black History month for decades and we recently celebrated Martin Luther King’s birthday. For some people, even UFT members, these events might be divisive and often the reason is race-based. Let’s not act like this doesn’t exist in our own ranks. The job of a union where many of its members are people of color who have been discriminated against, and with a student population that is 80% children of color, is not to duck the issue but to take it on and address why some members question BLM.

As a member of MORE I have questioned the process by which MORE decided to bring the resolution to the DA, given that back in December, Leroy Barr and Janella Hinds, both Black, told a MORE leader that the union would not support the resolution because they considered it divisive. Could some compromise have been worked out? Should MORE have gone to the schools and ask for chapters to back the reso as a way to build more grass roots support? Why did a number of delegates who are Black vote against the reso? Was it solely because many are adhering to the Unity line? All questions worth exploring.

(See the NY1 story on the reso featuring myself and Jia Lee at: http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2018/01/26/black-lives-matter-debate-splits-teachers--union
and MORE response to Barr: https://tinyurl.com/ya6ofavn).

As for Barr’s justifying the union’s position on BLM as analogous to not taking a position during the Vietnam War, if you saw the Ken Burns documentary, or lived through those times as a UFT member there is way more to the story. See my blog: https://tinyurl.com/y9vh4p7q

MORE response: We Want a Union That Believes Black Lives Matter - https://morecaucusnyc.org/2018/02/02/we-want-a-union-that-believes-black-lives-matter/

UFT's Stirling Roberson: Valentine Day Wear Red For Love the Union -

But many will wear red for the blood they've shed to abusive principals, drive-by observations, oversized classes, and union officials who all too often ignore the pleas or help.

Parent leaders and NAACP demand NYC Mayor and Chancellor withdraw the proposal to close PS/MS 42Q

For immediate release
Contact: Kevin Morgan 347-410-3061 or
Queen Makkada 347-456-6518


Parent leaders and NAACP demand NYC Mayor and Chancellor withdraw the proposal to close PS/MS 42Q

On Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, leaders of the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council (CPAC), representing all the PTAs and Parent Associations at NYC public schools, along with the leaders of the Education Council Consortium, representing the elected and appointed members of the Community and Citywide Education Councils, will speak and release letters to Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Farina, demanding that they withdraw the proposal to close PS/MS 42Q.

When: Thursday, February 8th at 5pm

Where: the steps of Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Blvd, Kew Gardens, NY 11424

E4E Stealth Infiltrates UFT Delegate Assembly - with Leadership Cooperation?

Stack of Resos on UFT table

Unlabeled -

UPDATE: The resolution described below never came up at the meeting as there was a 6PM adjournment. No one from E4E handed out the reso but a stack was left on the UFT lit table, which we are always told is a no-no - they say they only want official UFT lit and if we try to leave Ed Notes or MORE lit there we get a hassle or even an attempt to throw the lit away. That is why Randi almost 20 years ago mandated there be a special table for alt lit, a table that wasn't there this month or last month.

E4E has found a new way to finagle itself into teacher confidences - Men teach and Restorative Justice....
Last time out E4E was backing Bloomberg's effort to end "LIFO"  (last in, first out) seniority protections for teachers and offering teachers free drinks at local happy hours.  They didn't get very far with this.  But now they are trying a new tack -

She does the principal’s bidding whenever she can to undermine chapter meetings. This piece, which sounds very much like our principal, just reinforces a number of teachers thinking that the principal is working in concert with E4E.... a teacher at a school about the E4E teacher who was handing out the unlabeled reso at the Jan. DA.

A reso from the floor during the New Motion dealing with restorative justice (RJ) was voted up and will be in the agenda at the

Feb DA tomorrow. This was an unusual occurrence at the DA. Some of us smelled a rat.

Actually I smelled a rat downstairs when I saw a lady I didn't know handing out the reso which looked fairly decent but the paper had no identification as to who or what org was behind it. When I asked her where she was from she was evasive. (apparently she is the person mentioned in the opening comment). The reso talked about some pilot program for RJ in District 18 (Canarsie/East Flatbush).

On the surface, the reso was progressive and pro restorative justice and hard not to support. MORE was trying to use the same New Motion time to bring its Black Lives Matter reso, so since Mulgrew called on this other guy - someone named Michael Loeb from a  school in the Bronx right away and not one Unity person opposed it and it passed immediately, I figured this was a diversionary reso to kill time so MORE would never get to the floor. But it all happened so fast - sort of like scoring too soon in a football game and leaving time for the other team to come back -- and MORE got to do its thing, which has led to some blow back against Unity and also from some quarters against MORE.

It's Who Ya Know - A Brooklyn school on the chopping block will get one more chance to improve

The entire school closing show is a scandal. We are working with the MORE CASCADE group on closing schools to expose the crap. I'll report in follow-ups on other schools that did not get grace from His Mayorship.

A low-performing Brooklyn high school slated for closure is getting a new lease on life.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that the city would give Brooklyn Collegiate: A College Board School a one-year reprieve, citing community pressure.

The small high school in the Brownsville neighborhood was among 14 schools that education department officials recently moved to close after this academic year. Along with eight other schools on the city’s chopping block, Brooklyn Collegiate is part of the mayor’s Renewal program, which attempts to turn around struggling schools by investing extra resources in them and providing additional learning time. Officials also plan to combine another five Renewal schools that enroll very few students.

Read more at: 
https://ny.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2018/02/05/a-brooklyn-school-on-the-chopping-block-will-get-one-more-chance-to-improve/

Class Size Resolution and Video: Workshop on Class Size Lawsuit at Parent Conference

Two items for you in this post. A video of Leonie Haimson and crew - an update on the status of the class size lawsuit. The UFT should back this full-tilt. No one from the UFT was in the room. Or really gives a shit about class size.

Wendy Lecker, Education Law Center

Followed by a proposed class size reso authored mainly by Arthur Goldstein (NYC Educator) with input from James Eterno, myself and we ran it by Leonie Haimson. We were rushed and never put it before MORE steering committee so for now it is being handled by the 4 of us from Another View DA newsletter which is being published for the DA this week.


https://vimeo.com/253376916  



Resolution on Class Size Reduction

By Arthur Goldstein, James Eterno, Norm Scott

• Whereas, the UFT contract has not changed class size limits in fifty years;
• Whereas reducing class size has proven to be one of the best ways to improve student learning, lower teacher attrition rates and disciplinary problems, and narrow achievement and opportunity gaps between racial and economic groups;
• Whereas NYC schools continue to have the largest average class sizes in the state, and NY’s highest court said that our class sizes were too large in our schools to provide students with their constitutional right to a sound basic education;
• Whereas, UFT contractual class size limits continue to be ignored by the DOE;
• Whereas, the DOE uses outlandish “action plans” to address these limits;
• Whereas, the NYC DOE recently reported class sizes have continued to increase this year;
• Whereas, Article 8L in the 2005 Contract called in part for a labor-management committee to discuss lowering class size if Campaign for Fiscal Equity Settlement funding was available;
• Whereas, the 2007 Contracts for Excellence (C4E) law, which settled the CFE case, required NYC to reduce class size in all grades;
• Whereas, the goals for class size in the city’s original C4E plan, approved by the state in the fall of 2007, are for an average of no more than 20 students per class in K-3, 23 in grades 4-8 and 25 in high school core classes;
• Whereas, the Department of Education has flouted this law flagrantly since 2007;
• Whereas, the DOE gets C4E funding that is often not used to reduce class size; be it therefore

• Resolved, that the UFT will make lowering class sizes to the C4E limits of 20 students in a class K-3, 23 in Grades 4-8 and 25 in high school core classes a major collective bargaining goal for the next contract; and be it further
• Resolved, that funding for this class size reduction should not in any way affect monies for contractual raises for UFT members as the DOE is already receiving C4E money to reduce class sizes from the state.

For decades the DOE has ignored class size, especially Carmen Farina who has disparaged the issue, claiming extensive Professional Development was more important. (How much does PD cost?) Unfortunately the leadership has gone along and removed class size from the negotiating table, claiming doing so will cost us raises. In fact every expense on schools other than salary can be viewed as coming out of potential salary. Even the parental leave issue. Yet the salary pattern is seemingly set outside negotiations. It is time to stop letting the leadership use excuses not to address the growing class size issue in contract negotiations.

See the Class Size Matters Workshop video on the C4E case at https:/vimeo.com/253376916

Hallelujah Piece of Shit Astroturf Families For Excellent Schools Closing Down

Fuck FES and good riddance. Jeremiah Kittredge took FES down with him. Read this almost hilarious account of Kittredge's transgressions by a woman who said she could have broken him in half.

For Immediate Release:

Contact:
Julia Watson, Statewide Communications Coordinator, AQE
julia@aqeny.org  

PRESS STATEMENT

Families for Excellent Schools' Closure: The Defeat of Astroturf Education Advocacy 

NEW YORK, NY (February 5, 2018) — The corrupt charter school advocacy group Families for Excellent Schools is closing in part or full following a series of scandals. They were shut down in Massachusetts for corrupt election activities for which they were forced to pay the largest election law fine in Massachusetts state history. Today it has been reported that they are curtailing operations following the firing last week of the Executive Director as a result of an investigation into sexual harassment charges.

"FES is the latest of the astroturf charter school advocates to sputter into irrelevance in New York State, just another group that tried and failed to do any real grassroots parent organizing,” Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director, Alliance for Quality Education. “The only way these groups can generate a crowd of supporters in when large charter school chains shut down their schools and mandate parent participation in rallies. The lack of any real grassroots support is why their corrupt charter school ballot initiative in Massachusetts failed, even after spending $20 million on the campaign. 

"The one thing FES and others have been effective at is influence peddling with politicians, so keep your eyes open because it will not be shocking if the billionaire hedge fund crowd that backed FES moves their money into a new organization."

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** FEBRUARY 5, 2018

New York, NY – Statement from Bryan Lawrence, Board Chair of Families for Excellent Schools:

“This is a sad day for everyone at Families for Excellent Schools. We are very proud of the work we’ve done to help thousands of families stand up for educational opportunity in their communities, and believe our vision of a world where every child has access to an excellent school has never been more important.

Unfortunately, after a series of challenges over the past year and particularly given recent events, we have determined that the support necessary to keep the organization going is not there. We are beginning the process of winding down our work. I want to thank all those who have given their heart and soul to this organization since its inception; I know they will continue to advocate for the families and communities we serve.”

Video: Parental/Family Leave – MORE Holds Rally, UFT Officials Join in

So it was surprising to see the official UFT banner and Mel Aaronson join the rally and march. Mel who began teaching 10 years before me in 1957 -- he could have been my JHS teacher -- had more stamina than me. Most of the participants were too young to even think of asking Mel a pension question.

Yes, it was freezing and my fingers barely could press the RECORD button. But a dozen MOREs warmed up at the Dark Horse afterwards - that gin and tonic took the chill off. And major kudos to Rosy Clark, the point person for MORE on the rally whose strength and leadership was a major factor. I can't tell you how impressed I am when people take responsibility and do it competently. I bet Rosy is a great teacher.

Below is the video followed by an article we have in our new edition of Another View, being released this Weds at the DA. Also a link to a NY1 clip on the rally. NY1 has done 2 stories based on actions by MORE in the past week.



https://vimeo.com/254231831

Parental/Family Leave – MORE Holds Rally, UFT Officials Join in

UFT's Leroy Barr Equates Black Lives Matter and Opposition to Vietnam War

The very first organized demo/rally I took part in was on May 1, 1971 - yes, May Day, to protest the UFT position on the Vietnam War with a group of activist teachers in my District (14 - Williamsburg) -- Yes, I pretty much missed the 60s but had joined a group of teachers in a group that met regularly and out out a newspaper. We had taken the day off and put out a press release and got some coverage and even attracted some teachers we did not know - and later began to work with them.

So when Leroy Barr connected the UFT stance on the Vietnam War to the Black Lives Matters issue I said WTF. (You can see me on NY1 commenting in an interview with Lindsey Christ -
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2018/01/26/black-lives-matter-debate-splits-teachers--union)

There has been some blow back directed at the UFT leadership and Leroy Barr for their opposition to the MORE resolution on Black Lives Matter at the January Delegate Assembly when he termed the movement as divisive. I watched Leroy's speech from the 19th floor and sort of felt for him - a black man, the son of a cop and a teacher, who made a fantastic speech at the 2016 AFT convention - trying to navigate some difficult terrain. This time not such a great speech, especially when he raised the UFT non-position on the Vietnam War because it was so divisive as a comparison to wise UFT policy.

Having recently seen the Ken Burns series which did show how divisive the war was but also showed what a disaster it was an how the government lied again and again. Since I began teaching in 1967 pretty much as an unwoke person who bought much of the bullshit I was subjected to, I can get the point  - to some extent. But when I became woke over the next 3 years I began to understand that the neutrality of the UFT over the divisiveness issue was a red herring to cover UFT leader Al Shanker's outright support for the war and his leading us to back all US warhawk actions. If shanker could have gotten away with it in a very liberal union he would have had us support the war.

I remember challenging Shanker directly at a DA 5 years later over his support for neo-con Henry Jackson for the 1976 presidency, pointing out that a year after the massive budget cuts - undoubtedly connected to the toll of the war - and that we couldn't have guns and butter and Shanker's leading our union to not oppose the massive military expenditures was choosing guns over butter and harming our schools, our union and our working conditions. (Note- we were working under a reduced school schedule, the loss of 2 out of 5 preps a week and 15,000 cuts.)

I recalled those days as Leroy spoke and thought that one of the jobs of a union is to help educate its members, which happened to me due to the people on the left who educated me. We shouldn't wake up in spite of the union.

The same applies to the Black Lives Matter movement, which I will address in Part 2.

Video: Parent Organizing 101 - KidsPac/Class Size Matters Conf Jan. 27, 2018

Two Wonderful stories of parent organizing including Bonnie and Kalmiris of Central Park East 1 fame to remove an abusive and incompetent principal -- who by the way is still working in District 4 and is rumored to be resurfacing in another school. I never get tired of hearing, their story especially since some of us in MORE were so deeply embedded in it. But what do you have to do to rid ourselves of evil vampire principals -- put a stake in their hearts?

Also doing a great presentation was Naila Rosario from Sunset Park, an amazing organizer who started with very little other than trying to get her kid into pre-k and from that experience built a powerhouse.

https://vimeo.com/253303228

Jacobin - The Case Against Cuomo - But UFT WIll Support Him Anyway

The article fails to address Cuomo's support for ed deform.

Andrew Cuomo Is No Progressive

by dianeravitch

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is running for the Democratic nomination in 2020. He presents himself as the anti-Trump, the real progressive. But New York progressives don’t buy it. They know that Cuomo has helped Republicans retain control of the State Senate. The Assembly passes progresssive legislation, and the State Senate kills it.  An”independent” group of Democrats in the senate vote with the GOP.

Cuomo has refused to help his own party. He likes divided government. Cuomo has been dreadful on education issues. He is the champion of charter schools. He has pushed tax credits for religious schools.

Public schools? He doesn’t like them.

To learn more, read this article:

https://jacobinmag.com/2018/01/cuomo-new-york-idc-clinton-resistance

Andrea Gabor on Global Tech: Death of Bloomberg-Era School Roils East Harlem

Andrea has been following the Global Tech merger with PS 7 story and assault on the school by Dist. 4 Supt Alexandra Estrella for a while. Here is her latest which most people have liked though some have disagreed on the praise of Bloomberg at the end.

Death of Bloomberg-Era School Roils East Harlem

January 30, 2018 | by Andrea Gabor

http://www.gothamgazette.com/opinion/7449-death-of-bloomberg-era-school-roils-east-harlem

Astroturf Phony Parent Group Families for Excellent Schools CEO Jeremiah Kittredge fired

O, the joy!
DUHHHHH! Jeremiah Kittredge has been totally inappropriate in so many ways. Another loser pal of Eva Moskowitz, who had no comment. Et Tu Eva?

JEREMIAH KITTREDGE FIRED — POLITICO's Eliza Shapiro : Jeremiah Kittredge, the CEO of the pro-charter school group Families for Excellent Schools, has been fired following an "independent investigation" into "inappropriate behavior toward a non-employee," according to a statement from FES board chair Bryan Lawrence on Wednesday afternoon. A spokesman for the group declined to comment further. The group is one of the best-funded charter advocacy organizations in the country. It received more than $13 million from the Walton Family Foundation between 2014 and 2016 alone. It has become omnipresent in New York over the last several years, and has served as an unofficial lobbying arm for Success Academy, one of the nation's highest-performing and most influential charter school networks.

More links:

Pro-charter school group CEO booted for inappropriate behavior - NY ... www.nydailynews.com/.

Pro-charter school CEO fired over 'inappropriate behavior' accusations ...https://nypost.com/..

And for an analysis of Kittredge's disastrous venture into the Massachusettes charter debate - see (also below the break).

https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2018/01/31/families-for-excellent-schools-ceo-jeremiah-kittredge-fired-after-investigation-into-inappropriate-behavior-229294

Achievement Gaps Within Schools and at Success Academy --Politico Education

"The report also found that gifted and talented public schools have similar results to Success's integrated schools, considering all students must test into those programs."... Politico

In other words, only Gifted and Talented and Success kids have the same narrowing of the achievement gap between races, seen nowhere else in the city, including other charter schools.

At last week's parent conference we heard how Success gets lists from the DOE of kids who took the Gifted and Talented test and then sent out loads of ads addressed to the kids directly. So they try to poach kids from day one who take the test.

This story at Politico has hints of the games Success plays.

Video: Jamaal Bowman at KidsPac/Class Size Matters Parent Conference, Jan. 27, 2018

Jamaal Bowman is always worth listening to. It is rare to find school leaders with vision and understanding of the damage high stakes testing has done and is doing. He even races against the kids in his school - he won a race in the gym wearing his suit and dress shoes. It's a shlep to the Bronx for me but I may take a shot at going up there Monday night, Feb. 5 at 6PM for his BLM week event -  if my old bones can make it. But I am not racing Jamaal.

vimeo.com/253187266

Norm at the PEP - My response after hearing teachers speak up despite fears of retaliation

The Global Tech teachers and students broke my heart. I almost lost it. Well, maybe I did lose it. Here is Vimeo with you tube link below.



You tube: https://youtu.be/hVkXsJuPzmw

Video: Voices of Community Education Council District 3 (Upper West Side) Address Total Lack of Community Engagement and DOE Complicity at PEP

Lack of professionalism and common courtesy on part of the DOE.
Everything was done to minimize community input and family engagement.
DOE hasn't earned our trust.

Going to a PEP where parents, teachers, students and community people show up to talk about being ignored, being ignored by yet another arrogant Farina superintendent, being lied to repeatedly and being used as a prop to give the impression the DOE admin is concerned about them is like watching a horror show in an endless loop.

See the video of 4 CEC 3 members at the Jan. PEP calling out the DOE and Farina administration under de Blasio and if you want to dig further read their astounding letter - all 11 pages detailing the ills of the DOE that will never be fixed even though these parents honestly offer their services. Ending mayoral control is the only answer. At least at the local school boards we knew who to yell at.

CEC 3 letter to DOE -- see full pdf: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/a806f4_f9d8950a31e947cea7c12df1d888da84.pdf



https://vimeo.com/252994409January 22, 2018

Reminder! Parent Action Conference on Saturday

I'm reposting. I'll be there with camera - stop by and say a few words for our little film.

Dear Norman:
Our Parent Action Conference is just a few days away on Saturday, Jan. 27 at the Peck Slip School in lower Manhattan.  Please sign up today if you haven't already!

You can spend the day with fellow parent activists, learn how to advocate for your child and our schools, enjoy a delicious lunch and see a terrific movie; what could be better?

Also, this morning we held a successful press conference along with CPAC and CEC leaders, representing more than one million parents and demanding that the Mayor give parents a voice in selecting a new Chancellor. Watch out for reports on NY1 and the Wall St. Journal.

We're asking for a meeting with the Mayor to discuss how parents can provide input into his decision, to ensure that the next Chancellor has the qualities and qualifications necessary to run the nation's largest public school system and is someone who can truly collaborate with parents. Check out the oped I co-authored with Leonie Haimson in Gotham Gazette on this issue.

Hope to see you Saturday! --
Shino for NYC Kids PAC

Press Coverage of Parent Demands for Input On Chancellor, Exposing De Blasio

See the complete Video of press conf at Ed Notes:
Video: Parents demand NYC Mayor de Blasio Include ...

Reports from Leonie:

See video of De Blasio saying we need a public vetting for Chancellor when he first ran for office

Lindsey Christ (@LindseyChrist)

1/24/18, 12:04 PM

"A serious, serious public screening" is what @NYCMayor said in 2012 should happen with a Chancellor search. Now he says search will be secretive. We found the video of his 2012 comments. WATCH: pic.twitter.com/AuNDVYzxWt

NYC Public School Parents

News & video of  press conference, where NYC parent leaders demand a voice in selecting the next Chancellor, and the mayor's response (so far) -

Good story from LIndsay Christ who dug up the footage where de Blasio was running for mayor and promised to do a public vetting process.

http://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2018/01/24/parents-demand-mayor-include-them-in-new-schools-chancellor-search

School-board heads want input on new chancellor - NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/school-board-heads-input-new-chancellor-article-1.3775431

School Scope: DOE Decisions on Shutting Down Schools Political, Not Educational

Publishing date: Friday, Jan. 26, 2018

School Scope:  DOE Decisions on Shutting Down Schools Political, Not Educational

By Norm Scott

I reported on the magnificent PS 42 closing school info session in a recent column (the hearing is Feb. 13 at the school and I urge anyone who actually reads this column to come see how a school fights back) and followed up by attending the IS 53 session (not as exuberant but still significant – their hearing in Feb. 7 which I cannot attend) the next night where I had a chance to join the students, teachers and parents who defended the school in speaking. Many valid points were made at both schools about the seeming arbitrary nature of  the decisions to close down schools that are branded as “failing” whereas the criteria being used seem to be moving targets with the outcomes influenced more by political than educational issues.

Charters coveting space is often a factor, as is gentrification, both seeming to be operating factors in the decision to close the two Rockaway schools. In 12 years Bloomberg and his Chancellor agents Joel Klein and Dennis Walcott (yes the same guy running Queens libraries -   one of the political outrages since his boss Bloomberg did more harm to the library systems of this city than any mayor in decades) closed 150 schools and opened scads of new ones, with some of them ending up on failing lists. De Blasio and Chancellor Farina promised something better. While the numbers of closings are far less, they still have the same negative impact on micro communities.

The so-called “Renewal” schools – those branded as failing but given three years to improve – have come under severe attack by the forces of privatization funded by numerous hedge fund billionaires who would like to see entire public school systems turn into non-union privatized charters drinking at the trough of public money. They did that in New Orleans to disastrous effect. Trump Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has used her billions to create another disaster in the state of Michigan while nearby Ohio suffers one charter scandal after another. Well, actually so does Arizona, California, Florida  – well I could go on but I will spare you the dirt. If interested, Google “charter school scandals” and watch the stuff spill out of your screen, like this lovely headline from the May 8, 2017 edition of Business Insider, “Are charter schools the new Enron scandal?” Oh, what fun!

You might see commercials from an astroturf group like Families for Excellent Schools – FES – I refer to them as FEH!!!! They are oh so concerned with the poor children in these renewal schools and also love to attack the teachers who are forced to reapply for their jobs or else get tossed into the permanent substitute ATR pool. Of course let’s blame the teachers, as if the people running the DOE from the top to middle management have played no role. No one’s head rolls for putting in lousy administrators to run schools or the many awful Superintendents appointed under Farina who are supposed to supervise them. I watched District 27 Supt. Mary Barton sit there stone-faced at both Rockaway hearings while children and parents pleaded for their schools.

Last week I taped an amazing event in East Harlem (District 4) – not the outright closing but the combination of two schools in one building – an elementary school, PS 7 and Global Tech Prep, a middle school. GTP was set up as a special school focused on tech in the very poor East Harlem community. The founding principal left and a teacher trusted by everyone in the school was supposed to take over to continue the vision of the school. But last April he was denied tenure and left – he is now at Harvard – and chaos reigned. Thus Farina and her Dist. 4 Supt agent of destruction, Alexandra Estrella, doomed both schools to a death spiral so they could execute a naked power play. I have loads of videos on my blog of the remarkable students challenging the DOE reps at a hearing and calling them “monsters.” Monsters indeed!

If you still think these decisions are educational and not political, check this out. Some renewal schools have been rescued and are now in a program called “RISE.” JHS 80 in the Bronx is one such school spared the ax despite repeated reports that its principal, Emmanuel Polanco, is a horror story but is being protected. Sue Edelman, one of the top education reporters in the city despite working for the often despicable NY Post, reported that JHS 80  “is an educational hellhole. Despite receiving millions in extra dollars and services, the 655-student Norwood school suffers from out-of-control students, filthy, unsafe conditions and thuggish administrators who try to keep the horrors under wraps, insiders have told authorities.” ... NY Post, Jan. 6, 2018.

Sue is by the way the niece of my former next door neighbor, Jean Mirkin, of Mirkin Vision Care fame on Beach 116^th St. So Sue comes from good genes. Or Jeans.

Norm’s genes are always on display at his blog, ednotesonline.com.

Video Global Tech: Teachers and Parents Stand Up to DOE Plus Statements of Support to be Read at PEP

You reap what you sow and [pointing at Estrella] you are going to reap what you sow  ---- Global Tech teacher

Here are comments from a couple of parents talking about the impact of Global Tech on their children and some amazing teachers. These teachers are not only eloquent but brave. It's funny how we read so many anonymous comments on the blogs where teachers say how fearful they are. Not these teachers.

I saw Estrella pass a note to the guy next to her when Kayla Hamilton was speaking pointing out her name. I called out - vendetta? When I told Kayla the story she said, "What else is new?"

One reason we are taking aim at Estrella at the UFT to force them to take action and stop the collusion between her and District 4 rep Servia Silva.



https://vimeo.com/252572151

Here are the letters of support from a retired principal and DOE coach and the president of Southern New Hampshire University.

Video: Supporting Global Tech at Today's PEP, CPE1 Will Be in the House and More Student, Teacher Voices

Part 2 of the awesome student voices - (Part 1 is here). OMG - some of the most amazing students comments - lead off by this girl - a Muslim immigrant from Africa who just blows us away -- but one after another - all 5 of them -- heartrending stories of how Global Tech staff and fellow students became their family. A kid bullied in his old school, a girl from the  projects whose brother was shot, a girl who behaved so badly she was tossed out of class regularly, a kid whose family was dysfunctional but Global Tech got her through it.

And some disdain for the DOE.
MUST SEE 11 minutes.

After viewing read the comments by founding principal Chrystina Russell being read tonight at the PEP which will vote to merge the schools no matter what these students, some of whom will be there tonight, along with their former teachers (their video will be going up later).

https://vimeo.com/252525790



=====

The DOE notes that teachers left for "professional" reasons. If escaping unethical behavior, bullying, intimidation, and educational professionalism is what the DOE calls "professional" reasons, the organization is in a very sad state. Estrella as a leader has not only destroyed the education of the students at GTP, she's also damaged the teachers that worked so hard to get the results GTP does. ... founding Principal Chrystina Russell

The UFT response to these attacks has been -- well, problematical - and I will address that in a follow-up post tomorrow based on a resolution we brought to the UFT Ex Bd this past Monday when District 4 rep Servia Silva, a pal of Supt Estrella, pretty much used the same argument the DOE used by saying none of the teachers - almost all replacements for those who left or were pushed out -- didn't oppose the merger.

The MORE CASCADE committee is meeting at 4:30 to strategize for the meeting.

Dear PEP, 

It's a bit ironic to write you for a vote on a merger that has already happened. Writing almost makes me feel ashamed--as if I'm a cog pretending the DOE's process of public transparency, comments, and voting are real. PEP, please be aware that you are voting on a merger that has already occurred under the guise of, "sharing best practices." This is a false process. The merger has happened with zero community input. 

At the beginning of this school year, the school offices and classes were combined into one. The technology that was so well utilized at GTP was spread across the school and now has no management to enable the students to use the technology. Violence has grown in the school, with an increased need for police presence. Folks from the superintendent's office have to cover classes because of this merger that happened before you're voting tonight. Most devastating has been the impact on students with IEPs. GTP had 40% special education students, and they are now sitting in combined PS 7 classes, with several 12:1 students in general education classes. Their needs aren't being met, all because Alex Estrella wants to march forward with the orders given to consolidate without any consideration of what's best for children. As a former bilingual special education teacher, I find this reprehensible. 

Since the merger has already happened at the beginning of this school year, completely violating the due process rights of the community, there's a chance to understand what you're voting on--the school is already merged and has resulted in:

• Disarray and violence
• IEP needs not being met
• Parental dissatisfaction
• Low staff morale and feelings of disempowerment by both PS 7 and GTP staff
• A low-quality learning environment that disrespects the students that need it most--those of color and with disabilities. 
• Classrooms without teachers

The DOE itself comments: 

"The NYCDOE recognizes that students from Global Technology and P.S. 7 are combined in some classes due to teaching vacancies. The administrative teams at Global Technology and P.S. 7 are actively searching for candidates to fill the current special education vacancies to ensure that all students’ mandates are met." 

This is clear evidence that the DOE knows students with special education needs are not receiving the services mandated by their IEPs. WHY are there vacancies? Because when the GTP community would not agree with Estrella's attempts to merge the school in 2015-2016. From there, she terrorized the award-winning teacher and principal of the school. 

This was all to put into motion to merge the schools. And now that she's terrorized staff and combined the schools, special education students are paying the price. This is despicable. 

The DOE notes that teachers left for "professional" reasons. If escaping unethical behavior, bullying, intimidation, and educational professionalism is what the DOE calls "professional" reasons, the organization is in a very sad state. Estrella as a leader has not only destroyed the education of the students at GTP, she's also damaged the teachers that worked so hard to get the results GTP does. 

"The DOE commends the work of Superintendent Estrella". Is this with the exception of when she sold her house to a teacher and got fined 3k by the DOE? The DOE COMMENDS this kind of decision making? It's the same neurons she used to decide to sell a house to a teacher that were used to terrorize all teachers so that she force this merger, thereby special education needs are not being met. This is NOT commendable. What kind of standards is the DOE using these days? This is despicable--the students of East Harlem need and deserve better. While Estrella is a terrible leader, the DOE is the real culprit in this case, given that they support such substandard leadership. 

The comments note: "Issac Newtown" is a technology-based school in response to the community's concerns that GTP is the only tech-based option in the district. If the technological environment of Isaac Newton is the standard of what's acceptable for poor black and brown kids these days, then there's no question why there's such a deep digital divide. Never, ever would Isaac Newton be considered to meet the standards of wealthy children in this city or any city. I am truly offended and insulted that the DOE would have the audacity to claim that Isacc Newton meets the technological learning needs of the students of East Harlem. Once again, the DOE is showing through its actions in this merger a deep disrespect of a low-income community of color. Let it be known, undoubtedly, that closing GTP is taking the only high-quality technological school option. Pretending there's a substitute is a lie and shows blatant disrespect of the kind of education the students of East Harlem deserve. 

Given that GTP is the only tech-based option and served students with special needs well, the DOE needs to explain why it is being combined with PS 7, rather than PS 7's middle school being combined with GTP. There has been no reasoning or evidence provided as to why this hasn't been considered, nor has the isolated data of both middle schools been analyzed. 

The proposal notes that, "GTP can benefit from Hunter". GTP has ALWAYS had many programs: PENCIL, softball, Stuyvesant Prep, previous collaborations with Hunter, Citizen Schools, private business supports, track, etc. Any programs that have been removed from GTP are because of Estrella. To pretend this is about bringing resources to GTP when the school has been stripped under Estrella's leadership shows yet again a deep disrespect of disempowered low income students of color. 

Last, the public comments neglect to include the fact that Ann Weiner and Jacqueline Pryce-Harvey also put in requests to have their comments read at the hearing. Their requests were not honored. The record should reflect that they were not given access to speak at this event, and the options offered by the office of accessibility were not given at the hearing. 

PEP, the process in front of you is a facade. The merger has already happened, and the puppetry is in this voting. Stand up for the students of East Harlem. They deserve better. 

Best,

Chrystina Russell

Video: Parents demand NYC Mayor de Blasio Include Them in Chancellor Selection

https://vimeo.com/252420954

This press release and photos of this morning’s press conference are posted here: https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2018/01/parent-leaders-demand-nyc-mayor-give.html

For immediate release: January 23, 2018

For more information: Leonie Haimson, leoniehaimson@gmail.com;

Parent leaders demand NYC Mayor give parents a voice in choice of a new schools Chancellor

On Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, leaders of the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council (CPAC), representing all the PTAs and Parent Associations in NYC public schools, along with the leaders of the Education Council Consortium, representing the elected and appointed members of the Community and Citywide Education Councils, along with about 30 other parent leaders,  gathered on the steps of Tweed Courthouse, the NYC Department of Education headquarters.  As representatives of more than one million public school parents, they demanded that Mayor de Blasio implement a transparent selection process for a new Chancellor, and give parents a voice in this process, as he promised to do when he first ran for Mayor, instead of the quiet, internal decision that he currently plans.

 If there is a public vetting that includes the input of parents and community members, the likelihood will be that the next Chancellor will work well with parents and be responsive to their concerns.  As the first step in devising this process, they asked to meet with the Mayor as soon as possible.

Jessamyn Lee, the Co-Chair of the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory said: “The Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council (CPAC) urges Mayor de Blasio to honor Chancellor Farina's commitment to parent engagement by including parents in the selection of the new Schools Chancellor. We are partners in the education of our children. The city trusts parents to participate as partners in the hiring of our school principals and local superintendents. The 1.1 million students in our school system are wholly disenfranchised, represented only by the voices and activism of their parents. For the Mayor to deny parents the opportunity to represent the interests of our children in this critical decision is to ignore the voices of our most vulnerable, underrepresented New Yorkers. CPAC insists that parents be included in the hiring of the Department of Education's new leader. “

Shino Tanikawa, the President of NYC Kids PAC and Co-Chair  of the Education Council Consortium said, “I sincerely hope the Mayor considers an open and public selection process that includes parent leaders.  This is an opportunity to ensure that the next Chancellor has the qualities and qualifications necessary to run the nation's largest public school system and is someone who can truly collaborate with all stakeholders including parents.”

NeQuan McLean, Co-Chair of the Education Council Consortium said: “The next chancellor will need to address the challenge of ‘separate is not equal’ in NYC’s highly segregated school system.  NYC students deserve a chancellor who will work to stop the well- documented harm done to the majority of students who attend our public schools. These students are children with disabilities, English Language Learners and children from economically disadvantaged communities. They are our most vulnerable students with the most to gain as educated and career-ready citizens. Our next chancellor needs to be a champion for these children and all children in our public school system.”

Marco Batistella, Co-Chair of CPAC,  Pam Stewart of the Citywide Council of Special Education, Eduardo Hernandez of the Community Education Council in District 8, Nancy Northrup of the Queens High School Presidents Council, and many other parent leaders explained why it was critical for parents to have a real voice in the selection process, to ensure that the next Chancellor will be successful in collaborating with parents for the benefit of  NYC children. 

For more information, see the CPAC letter here:  https://tinyurl.com/y8r5y7pu ; 

ECC letter here: https://tinyurl.com/y739q5yk

Video: Global Tech Students Defend School - Part 1

I'm putting up roughly 10 minute segments of students and will follow with teachers and parents from the remarkable hearing last week. Wednesday they are going to do it again at the PEP.

https://vimeo.com/252226798

Parent Groups Demand Voice in Next Chancellor Selection; React to Data Breach; SCA Audit

I have two stories sent out by Leonie Haimson. Tuesday morning there is 10AM press conference at Tweed. Leonie asked me to come and tape it so I will have some video up, hopefully by Tuesday night or Wed morning. Wed night I am taping the PEP meeting and Saturday taping the parent conference. I will post reports.

Linda Lyon’s film will go live SUNDAY JAN 21 @noon EST/10 AM MST

Are you fired up and ready to spread the word? Michael Elliott  and Kemala Karmen have been producing a series of short films for NPE. I was at part of the shoot in April and it was so professionally done. That a high level film maker and editor like Michael is willing to do this shows his commitment to defending public education.

The goal is to make them go viral and there is a social media strategy that can make this happen. See the guide below and also the quick things you can do if you can't handle the details of the guide.

https://vimeo.com/223903294

Hi friends,

Founding Principal Dr. Chrystina Russell comments at Global Tech hearing Focuses in Supt Estrella Violations

Since Estrella forced out the Principal and Assistant Principal of GTP, and then terrorized the teachers by denying them all tenure despite excellent performance records and recommendations from school leadership that they be given tenure, the school has fallen into disarray. This can all be traced to Estrella’s leadership moves.  ..... Chrystine Russell

Here is a fun 6 minutes. Dr. Russell is abroad and sent in a statement (see below for the text) that trashes Estrella's leadership and ties in Farina too. She apparently has the right to have her statement read at the hearing by the presiding officer -- meaning Supt Estrella. How much fun to have Estrella reading her own trashing. Well--- I'll let you see how it turns out.

Dr. Chrystina Russell comments to be read at hearing by Superintendent Estrella (as specific as an option by Michael Castelblanco from Accessibility on 1/18/2018 via email)

With the likely support of former NYC Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina and other senior leaders, the superintendent of East Harlem’s District 4, Alex Estrella has moved forward with the merger of two public schools, Global Tech Prep (M406) and PS/MS007.

Superintendent Estrella, with the support of the DOE, has violated the procedural rights of the East Harlem community, effectively merging the schools together in the 2017 portion of the 2017-18 school year. Her proposal, which was not scheduled for a hearing until January 18, 2018 and for voting on the 24th of this month, has already been enacted without consulting the community. This shows a deep disrespect from Estrella and anyone who supports her at the DOE on the procedural rights of the community, as well as a willingness to take advantage of a low-income community of color that may have limited time and means to organize, let alone access to the truth that a merger up for consideration has already occurred.

Global Tech Prep, which at one point reached the 98th percentile citywide for achievement while serving nearly 40% special education students has been dismantled by the superintendent, who started on her merger plan at the end of the 2016-2017 school year. The school is the district’s only technology-based middle school (skills sorely needed in today’s modern world, especially with a documented digital divide between the profile of students served in East Harlem versus those in wealthier districts). The rights of the community to have a quality special education option, as well as a technologically based school have been yanked by the superintendent’s actions. This has occurred with zero community consultation. It also lead to multiple violations of the rights of some of our city's most vulnerable students--those with special education needs. There are countless IEPs not adhered to now that the merger has occurred and both schools are in disarray.

Since Estrella forced out the Principal and Assistant Principal of GTP, and then terrorized the teachers by denying them all tenure despite excellent performance records and recommendations from school leadership that they be given tenure, the school has fallen into disarray. This can all be traced to Estrella’s leadership moves. Her leadership has also caused significant disruption in the PS 7 community. Currently, the teachers at PS 7 are trying to rally against Estrella by not approving her selected principal by voting “no” in the C30 process, even though this makes them fearful for their jobs given her track record of removing anyone who doesn’t agree with her tactics.

A merger may not necessarily be wrong (although in the eyes of many it is a travesty). However, a merger occurring in the 2017-18 school year with no community consultation (and a proposal being presented to the community for the 2018-2019 school year AFTER the merger has already happened) is a gross insult to the intelligence and rights of the community to be consulted before schools in their district.

Superintendent Estrella, can you please give us an answer for the multiple parents who have contacted us about their child's IEP not being met since you illegally merged the schools without following procedural rights? Additionally, why choose to so blatantly deny the rights of a community that needs you most to be heard? Why must you abuse your power by not only terrorizing teachers and staff but also disenfranchising those that need a good education most--students of color with disabilities? Superintendent Estrella, if you can't follow the simple rules of how to sell your house without a founded conflict of interest, how can you be trusted to make a decision on which of our schools to keep opened or closed? As a public school educator for over 10 years with a doctorate of urban education policy, I can confidently say your leadership is one of the grossest violations of professional conduct I've ever witnessed. Our students, families, and communities deserve better.