Category: General

Some Recent Links on the NYSUT Election

Norm Scott from Ed Notes Online hears that “some Unity Caucus delegates may bolt and vote Stronger Together.”

Beth Dimino, Arthur Goldstein, and the MORE candidates penned an open letter to NYSUT President Iannuzzi and UFT President Michael Mulgrew requesting either a debate or an open forum in New York City among candidates prior to the election.  Similar events have happened around the state, including Long Island.  Iannuzzi’s response is printed below the letter, Mulgrew has not responded yet.

Arthur Goldstein, candidate opposing Andy Pallotta for Executive Vice President of NYSUT, asks, “Why is there a Revive NYSUT?“

MORE’s Julie Cavanagh, NYSUT Candidate, on MSNBC Last Night

Julie Cavanagh, of MORE was on All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC last night.  You can click here to watch.

Cavanagh, a renowned education activist and an elementary special education teacher in Red Hook, Brooklyn, is also a candidate for an At-Large position on NYSUT’s board of directors in this April’s NYSUT election.  She opposes UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

James Eterno on the Meet the Candidates Forum

Last night in Melville there was a “Meet the Candidates” forum featuring the individuals running for the NYSUT officer positions in April’s election.  There was a strong turnout of teachers and union leaders from around Long Island and some from New York City as well.  The candidates each gave opening and closing statements.  In between they took turns answering questions submitted by the audience.

James Eterno had a really great write up of the evening.  Via the ICEUFT blog…

IANNUZZI’S STRONGR TOGETHER & ARTHUR GOLDSTEIN ARE CROWD FAVORITES AT CANDIDATE FORUM

New York State United Teachers is all of the local non supervisory educator related unions (and some non educator unions) in New York State combined into one statewide union. On April 5, NYSUT will have its first contested election in its history. The election will take place at the NYSUT Representative Assembly.  Only Delegates can vote; the rank and file will be shut out.

To help Delegates make their decision, The Long Island President’s Council hosted a forum last night for candidates for the five NYSUT officer positions. If last night’s crowd reaction was a poll, President Richard Iannuzzi and his Stronger Together slate should breeze to reelection. Andrew Pallotta, who split from Iannuzzi recently to help form Revive NYSUT, was put on his heels most of the night trying to deflect very tough questions and some attacks on his legislative record.  His colleagues, including presidential candidate Karen Magee, looked tentative at times.

Conversely, the four candidates from Stronger Together, led by Iannuzzi, came armed with facts and figures to confidently defend their records and provide a vision for the next three years.

Iannuzzi and the other three officeholders were joined by none other than Arthur Goldstein, Chapter Leader from Francis Lewis High School, aka NYC Educator.  Arthur had a very impressive debate debut as he put his opponent Pallotta, the incumbent officer who defected from Iannuzzi, on the defensive most of the evening by merely emphasizing the awful laws that have been passed in New York the last few years under his watch.  The Executive Vice President is in charge of NYSUT’s political operation and has a big say over which candidates get voluntary COPE money from us.

Arthur and Karen Magee were the only two candidates who played much offense.  Arthur went after Pallotta’s failure as the Executive Vice President.  Pallotta was compelled to answer for the inferior new pension Tier VI, the 2% property tax cap and the horrible Annual Personnel Performance Review (APPR) system.  Pallotta was also questioned about Revive’s possible support for Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The highlight of the evening was when a question was asked about whether or not we should endorse Cuomo’s reelection.  Arthur answered with a definitive no and launched into an attack on the governor’s anti-union, anti-public education, pro-charter school record.

Pallotta, on the other hand, responded to the question by saying that it is not up to him to endorse candidates.  He explained that the Union has a process involving many people and he would let the process play out.  This response did not please the crowd who loudly accused Pallotta of trying to duck the question.  This prompted Pallotta to respond by noting he would not personally be endorsing Cuomo.

Iannuzzi and Magee sparred over the 2% tax cap.  It takes a 60% vote to raise property taxes over 2% and the issue is hurting many NYSUT locals.  Iannuzzi noted this and said he is very proud his team is using the courts to fight the cap.  Magee had criticized the President for waiting two years to file a lawsuit over the cap.  The President responded by pointing out how filing a lawsuit the day after the cap was passed would have been a great public relations move, but it would have ultimately failed as there was no evidence yet to have standing to win in court.  He added by saying our patience gives us a much stronger chance of victory because now we have ample evidence to support a legal claim on how the cap is harmful to education.

The two presidential candidates also disagreed on charter schools with Magee drawing a distinction between private charter schools and public charter schools and basically only criticizing private charter schools while Iannuzzi emphasized how we have to organize charter schools.

On the Stronger Together side, the three other incumbent candidates were Maria Neira, Kathleen Donahue and Lee Cutler.

Neira confidently defended her record of meeting with the State Education Commissioner to make the best of the hand we have been dealt.  The basic theme of Stronger Together was that the legislative part of the NYSUT operation led by Pallotta had failed by allowing terrible laws to pass in the Legislature and then Neira, Iannuzzi and others have sprung into action to negotiate to clean up the mess they have been handed with new laws. (A little revisionist history but it does make the case well for who is more to blame for the shape we are in.)

Secretary Treasurer incumbent Lee Cutler was attacked for a NYSUT deficit but he boldly defended his record by stating how he turned a multi million dollar NYSUT deficit into a projected surplus.  He continually said how he had built up the Union’s non-dues revenue in the last few years. Kathleen Donahue also confidently backed up her own record of achievement with many of the non teachers who are NYSUT members, including Jones Beach Lifeguards.

Revive candidates emphasized how elections are a positive good for a democratic union. Paul Pecorale talked about his Long Island experience while Catalina Fortino pointed out the strength in diversity, talking about her English Language Learner background.  Martin Messner spoke out on how he would involve the locals more in making decisions. Messner also made vague pledges to be transparent.

Messner for some inexplicable reason felt it necessary to mention how he is not a tool of the UFT leadership.  Earlier, Goldstein had talked about how the UFT is run by a closed, invitation only group (NYC Unity Caucus) which forces its members to sign a paper saying they will support the positions of the UFT leadership in public or union forums (the so called Unity loyalty oath).  Arthur added that NYC Unity shuts out people who disagree with policies the UFT supports such as mayoral dictatorship over NYC schools.

Overall, Revive did not look ready for prime time.  If this is the best they can do, then we may be in even more peril than now if they take over NYSUT in April.  The four incumbents in Stronger Together and Arthur Goldstein looked very comfortable up on the stage while Pallotta and his Revived challengers appeared to be overmatched at times.  Pallotta even said running for office in a competitive election gave him a newfound respect for politicians and he no longer likes Twitter.

Since the 800 UFT Delegates to NYSUT all come from NYC Unity and President Michael Mulgrew supports Revive, Revive starts out with a huge advantage as this is around1/3 of the potential electorate.  Judging by last night’s performance, however, Revive looks like they may be taking victory for granted.  They better start campaigning for real or they very well could end up losing. Stronger Together won the evening for sure.

Full Disclosure: I am running in the NYSUT election for an at large Board of Director position.  I am not part of a slate presently.

NYSAPE on School Policies Regarding Test Refusals

Via NYSAPE, of which the PJSTA is a member…

School Policies Regarding Test Refusals in Some NYS Districts Equate to Corporal Punishment for Students

The leaders of the NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE), a coalition of more than 45 parent and educator groups from throughout the state, expressed that a significant number of parents in NYS may file formal “bullying and harassment” reports against a small number of school districts that may enforce policies which force innocent children to sit in silence for long periods of time with nothing to do for several days in a row if the child’s parent refuses to allow the child to participate in very controversial NYS testing. 

In child care settings for school-age children this type of punishment could be considered corporal punishment by forcing “prolonged lack of movement or motion” and could be a violation of regulations under NYS Social Services Law section 309, part 414.9(e).  These child care regulations also state, under part 414.9(b), that “Any discipline used must relate to the child’s action.”  Punishing a child for following the direction of parents does not relate to the action of the child in any way.  The regulations can be found herehttp://ocfs.ny.gov/main/childcare/regs/414_SACC_regs.asp#s9

Under the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), Article 2, Section 11, Part 7(a), harassment and bullying are defined as the creation of a hostile environment that would interfere with a student’s mental or emotional well-being.  Confining a student to a chair for an hour with nothing to do for six days would certainly create a hostile environment which would interfere with a child’s mental or emotional well-being.  The child has done nothing wrong and is being served with a corporal punishment.  Parents will file formal DASA reports against districts that intend to enforce these policies.  It is clearly harassment and bullying on the part of the school administration and school board to try to persuade parents to allow children to participate in NYS testing.  The regulations can be found herehttp://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=$$EDN11$$@TXEDN011+&LIST=LAW+&BROWSER=EXPLORER+&TOKEN=16202154+&TARGET=VIEW

The following school districts have been reported by parents or have publicly said that they will force students to “sit and stare”:  Williamsville Central School District, Lancaster Central School District, Rush-Henrietta Central School District, Horseheads School District and East Meadow School District.

Parent, Jeanette Deutermann, North Bellmore public school parent and founder of Long Island Opt-Out, is fortunate that her children attend a school that allows children to read when the parent refuses participation in NYS testing.  She goes on to say, “There is no reason for school districts to punish innocent children for an informed decision made by their parents for their protection.  The NYS Education Department allows schools to design policies that could let children read a book, or even provide alternative educational activities, if the parent refuses to allow the child to participate in NYS testing.  This has been verified with the Office of Assessment.  It is pure unnecessary bullying on the part of these school districts to impose these punishments on innocent children.”

Parent, Eric Mihelbergel, Ken-Ton public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE says, “School districts are putting principals and teachers in a situation where they must now decide whether to disobey their superiors or disobey DASA Regulations.  This does not make unions very happy, especially when it is completely and easily avoided.”  NYS United Teachers (NYSUT), which consists of 600,000 members, condemns this type of policy. NYSUT President, Dick Iannuzzi, was quoted as saying, “NYSUT strongly condemns the policy of ‘sit and stare’.”  He went on to say, “This is cruel to those students not taking the exam and a distraction and disservice to those who are attempting to complete it.”  Those statements can be found here http://www.nysut.org/news/2014/february/nysut-strongly-condemns-sit-and-stare-policies  NYSUT has recently demanded that the state education department take a stand against this abusive policy.  That article is available herehttp://www.nysut.org/news/nysut-united/issues/2014/march-2014/nysut-demands-sed-take-stand-against-abusive-sit-and-stare-policy-during-testing

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On Binding Delegates

As we creep towards the unprecedented NYSUT election on April 5th much has been made of locals who are committing all of their delegate votes to specific groups of candidates in the election.  We would like to make it clear that this is not how the PJSTA operates.  Our NYSUT/AFT delegates are elected by our rank and file membership in even numbered years.  Those delegates, full-time teachers in our district, are charged with speaking to colleagues, understanding the needs and concerns of our membership and voting in the way that they feel best represents our membership.

PJSTA President Beth Dimino, highly involved on the state level, has been vocal in her support of Arthur Goldstein for Executive Vice-President, the six MORE Caucus candidates for the At-Large Director positions, and the Stronger Together team of Dick Iannuzzi, Maria Neira, Kathleen Donahue, and Lee Cutler for the officer positions they seek.  This does not, however, bind our other two delegates from voting exactly the same way.  While it is certainly possible they do vote this way, the PJSTA leadership does not believe it is democratic to instruct all delegates to vote the same way.

It is encouraging to see that the Yonkers Federation of Teachers is conducting itself in the same way.  Via Capital New York…

Yonkers Federation of Teachers president Patricia Puleo said her union’s delegates are free to decide for themselves who they’ll vote for in April, and she questioned whether new leadership would make a difference in how the state Education Department goes forward with implementation of the Common Core standards. But she recognized that the city’s teachers have grown frustrated.

“People are so upset that they are willing to make whatever changes they can,” Puleo said.

Unfortunately, NYSUT’s largest local, the UFT, does not conduct itself in this way.  UFT elections are run with slates competing against each other.  It is “winner take all”.  Last year, for example, the Unity Caucus, who has run the UFT for half a century and rigged the system in their favor, ran candidates against the opposition caucuses.  The MORE Caucus had significant support in their favor (in excess of 40% at the high school level).  However because they did not have the largest number they ended up with zero of the UFT’s 800 NYSUT delegates.  They literally have no voice at the state and national levels.  In essence it would be as if our country voted either Republican or Democrat in elections.  Winner taking every single position within government, with the winner also allowed to then structure the voting system to benefit them going forward.  It’s insane.

As for this year’s NYSUT election, we know all 800 UFT-Unity Caucus members will vote as they are told to by their leadership.  Posted at the bottom of this post is the invitation for Unity Caucus membership.  You’ll see that it is invite only.  Among the responsibilities…

  • To express criticism of caucus policies within the Caucus;
  • To support the decisions of Caucus / Union leadership in public or Union forums;
  • To support in Union elections only those individuals who are endorsed by the Caucus, and to actively campaign for his / her election;
  • To run for Union office only with the support of the caucus;
  • To serve, if elected to Union office, in a manner consistent with Union / Caucus policies and to give full and faithful service in that office;

In other words, you can only disagree with them in private, you must support them publicly, you must vote for the candidates they endorse, you will only run for an office with their blessing, when in that office you will do as you are told to do.  

It is this arrangement that stifles the voice of rank and file teachers within the UFT, as well as within NYSUT and the AFT.  With the UFT being the largest voice within NYSUT it stifles the voices of teachers across the state as well.  Here’s hoping that more locals across the state will take the lead of Yonkers and release their delegates to vote as they see fit, rather than the top down approach taken by the UFT.

Below is the full Unity Caucus application…

NY Mills, Iannuzzi, Magee

The New York Mills Teachers Association recently passed a resolution asking NYSUT’s Dick Iannuzzi to lead a statewide boycott of the grade 3-8 state assessments.  Here is the full resolution…

RESOLUTION TO BOYCOTT NEW YORK STATE GRADES 3-8 ASSESSMENTS
Tuesday, February 11, 2014

WHEREAS, the New York State Grades 3-8 assessments have proven to be sub-standard, unreliable measurements of student achievement and learning; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Grades 3-8 assessments require unreasonable amounts of testing time (700 minutes each spring), not reflective of best practice pedagogy; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Grades 3-8 assessments interrupt valuable instruction/learning time which can never be replaced or retrieved; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Grades 3-8 assessment contents are not reviewable to use as a guides or supplements to instruction; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Grades 3-8 assessments require the excessive expenditure of tax dollars without providing commensurate educational value, quality test construction, content or design;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the New York Mills Teachers Association calls upon the President of the New York State United Teachers, Richard Iannuzzi, to lead the NYSUT membership in a statewide boycott of the Spring 2014 New York State Grades 3-8 assessments.

We’ll keep an eye out to see if there is a clear response from Iannuzzi.  Additionally we should be looking in a direction other than just Dick Iannuzzi.  Given the way NYSUT elections are run, there stands a very good chance that NYSUT delegates will have elected a new president by the time the state assessments in math are administered.  Given that fact I would think it’s important to know how NYSUT Presidential candidate Karen Magee feels about leading a boycott of state tests.  Should grade 3-8 teachers be preparing to boycott the math assessments if Magee is elected president?  This is a significant question that needs to be answered as NYSUT delegates wade through the rhetoric to make their decisions before voting on April 5th.  Unfortunately it is tough to know pretty much anything that Karen Magee thinks.  She has seemingly entered the Witness Protection Program since declaring her candidacy in mid-January.  It’s an odd tactic for a “grassroots” challenger to take.  Of course when you have the reformy Mike Mulgrew’s curiously immediate endorsement and it’s accompanying 800 delegate votes maybe your best bet is to lay low and allow yourself to be propped up as though this were a scene from Weekend at Bernie’s.  

Karen Magee… is that you?

New Candidates for NYSUT At-Large Director Positions

Today we are excited to announce a team of candidates who will be running for seven of NYSUT’s At-Large Director positions in the upcoming NYSUT election.  We do so only after having given the situation very careful consideration.

Running for these positions allows us to challenge incumbents for the opportunity to sit on NYSUT’s board of directors and affect policy on the statewide level that represents both the needs and desires of the rank and file membership who we represent.  At the same time it allows us to continue the work we are doing in the schools we currently work in and the communities in which they serve.  Our candidates are a diverse collection of working classroom teachers, representing a variety of certifications within our profession and an even greater array of students they serve.

An important part of our decision to announce our candidacy now is that it is after the deadline to seek endorsement from the statewide Unity Caucus.  We want to make it clear that we are not seeking Unity Caucus endorsement as we oppose one party systems that limit democracy within our statewide union.  We believe in an active and informed rank and file.  We believe in true democratic, bottom up, member driven unionism.  We stand for social justice unionism that not only fights for teachers and our working conditions, but simultaneously our students and their learning conditions.

We believe that this declaration is not just the beginning of our candidacy for the positions we seek, but also the beginning of a movement towards a new direction for the statewide union that we all love dearly.

Our candidates for the At-Large Director positions…

  • Beth Dimino, President of the Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association, Middle School Science Teacher

  • Mike Schirtzer, UFT Delegate- MORE Caucus, High School Social Studies Teacher

  • James Eterno- UFT Chapter Leader- MORE Caucus, 2010 candidate for UFT President, High School Social Studies Teacher

  • Lauren Cohen- UFT Delegate- MORE Caucus, 5th Grade General Education Teacher

  • Julie Cavanagh, UFT Chapter Leader- MORE Caucus, 2013 candidate for UFT President, Elementary Special Education Teacher

  • Francesco Portelos, UFT Chapter Leader- MORE Caucus, Intermediate School Science and Technology Teacher

  • Jia Lee, UFT Chapter Leader-MORE Caucus, Earth School Elementary Teacher

How to Jump Start Your Union- NYC Book Party

The Mrs. and I will be attending this along with Beth Dimino.  Any other PJSTA members interested?

Via Labor Notes…

Join us for a discussion of Labor Notes’ new book, How to Jump-Start Your Union: Lessons from the Chicago Teachers, with a presentation from Chicago Teachers Union organizer Matthew Luskin.

How to Jump-Start Your Union tells how activists transformed their union by engaging their co-workers and neighbors and unleashing the smarts of rank-and-file members. Readers will learn how to work with their communities, organize a caucus, run for office, rebuild a stewards network, train new leaders, run a contract campaign, and strike.

Books will be for sale at the event for $15.

For questions, or to RSVP, call (718) 284-4144 or email Samantha@labornotes.org

Comments on the book:

“Labor Notes has done it again! Every unionist should read this book that chronicles how the new leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union organized their members, built strong support with the community, and waged a strike against formidable adversaries. But this book is more—it’s a manual on how all unions can revamp to win justice, with lessons that every union can apply to their own situation.”
—STEVEN ASHBY, professor of labor relations, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

“How to Jump-Start Your Union should be a beacon to all rank-and-file members on how to bring democracy to their locals. It’s a toolkit that shows how good old-fashioned hard work and faith in the membership can empower every frontline worker. The bird’s-eye view of the CORE caucus carefully proves that issues are more important than elections and can serve to unite us. It is never all right to just complain.”
—KAREN LEWIS, president, Chicago Teachers Union

– See more at: http://labornotes.org/events/2014/how-jump-start-your-union-labor-notes-nyc-book-party#sthash.wYcoyRKo.dpuf