NYSUT’s Favorite Local President

Earlier we covered the “secret meetings” between Karen Magee, Mike Mulgrew, and aides for Governor Cuomo.  I mentioned my belief that the NYSUT and UFT ads would not not be pulled from the air any time soon.  As I mentioned, it is important that they at least make it appear as though they are putting up a fight before ultimately capitulating to the governor and sticking us with a worse APPR scheme than we have now.

Still there is one thing that continues to stick in my craw about the entire situation.  It certainly doesn’t surprise me to see him involved, but the presence of Michael Mulgrew at these meetings can’t possibly make any teacher in the state comfortable.  Last spring, in the lead up to the NYSUT elections, Revive NYSUT went out of their way to claim that the UFT held no extra sway over NYSUT’s leadership and that the UFT were simply one of NYSUT’s hundreds of locals.  They scoffed at the notion that the installation of new leaders (other than the UFT/Unity Caucus’ own Andy Pallotta, of course) was a power grab by the UFT leadership.

Yet yesterday we read about Mulgrew being involved in these secret meetings.  Again, this isn’t suprising.  Anyone with even a passing interest in NYSUT understands that the head of the UFT calls the shots in both the UFT and NYSUT.   Mulgrew’s presence in the Cuomo meeting only furthers that notion.  It’s why they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with claiming that he is simply just another local president.  If that were the case there are hundreds of other local presidents they could have called on.  Virtually all of them would have had more classroom experience, and therefore be more in touch with our membership, than Mulgrew.  As a matter of fact, I am sure our very own Beth Dimino, who was busy teaching science last week, would have cleared her schedule to send the governor a message.  Dimino, after all, has some skin in the game, as they say.  She will be evaluated, just as her members will be, by whatever APPR scheme New York’s teachers end up with.  That doesn’t apply to union elites like Mulgrew or Magee.  After all it’s doubtful they have been inside many more classrooms than Cuomo has this year.

Cuomo and Union Elites Meet Secretly- Now What?

These meetings apparently aren’t as secret as the ones that secured double pensions for NYSUT officers, however the NY Daily News reported yesterday that NYSUT’s Karen Magee and the UFT’s Michael “Take my Common Core and I’ll punch you in the face!” Mulgrew have quietly met with aides for Governor Cuomo recently.

Via the Daily News…

Shortly after unveiling ads last week attacking Gov. Cuomo’s education plans, the heads of the city and state teacher unions met with aides to the governor, the Daily News has learned.

City teachers union President Michael Mulgrew and New York State United Teachers President Karen Magee attended the meeting on Friday at the state Capitol.

Sources say the unions during the meeting may have agreed to temporarily pull their attack ads, leaving some insiders to question whether the sides are trying to hammer out some type of agreement on how to move forward.

 

Today the New York Post reported that the unions are not, in fact, pulling the ads…

The union leaders said the talks were not unusual and insisted they were not pulling back on their TV ads and social-media outreach attacking the governor’s proposals to strengthen teacher evaluations, streamline disciplinary hearings and expand charter schools.

“We talk to elected officials all the time,” said UFT spokeswoman Alison Gendar. “We . . . are engaged in the largest grass-roots campaign in recent memory to empower teachers and to protect our students.”

NYSUT rep Carl Korn added its campaign is “accelerating.”

Over at the Perdido Street School blog, Reality-Based Educator has several good posts up already on this topic.  Be sure to head on over and check them out.

Norm Scott of Ed Notes Online warns that a sellout is coming…

Sources say the unions during the meeting may have agreed to temporarily pull their attack ads…
This goes into the category of Mulgrew “threatening” to go to court to enforce the CFE lawsuit over state funding that was “won” 10 years ago. Threatening. Why not wait another 10 years to go to court?
Cuomo puts outrageous demands on the table and the unions put nothing on the table. So they negotiate from where Cuomo started and even if they split the baby — 4 year tenure instead of 5? 35% based on eval instead of 50%? It is  – as Fearless Forecaster often says — a LOSS.

There is a lot to process here.  One publication says the ads may be pulled as part of a deal.  Another publication quotes a NYSUT spokesperson saying that the campaign against Cuomo is being accelerated.  I don’t honestly believe that the ad campaign is being pulled.  I think that even NYSUT and UFT officials know they can’t do that.  They have to at least continue to give the appearance that they are fighting for their members.  Pulling the ads now would be virtually impossible for them to do.  Particularly since it is certain that doing so would only ramp up the anti-Cuomo actions that are being planned and carried out around the state by the rank and file NYSUT members.  Nothing would make NYSUT leadership look as out of touch with the rank and file as calling off a fight while it’s dues paying members ratchet up the intensity of theirs.  Cuomo surely knows this too.

What I think will ultimately happen is that NYSUT will continue to run it’s ads and use it’s #InviteCuomo and #AllKidsNeed hashtags while behind closed doors our surrender is negotiated.  We will end up with an APPR agreement that continues to erode tenure and is worse than what we currently have.  Because it will be somewhat less damaging than the one Cuomo proposed in his budget NYSUT and the UFT will claim “victory!”  Of course a “victory” in which every teacher, student, and community in the state loses out on will ring as the hollowest of “victories.”

This all may very well end up as what  Arthur Goldstein heard a few weeks back.  That an APPR deal was likely done and that it would either raise test scores to 40% of teacher evaluations or give the entire state the awful deal that the city teachers have dealt with for the past couple of years.  Arthur also outlined the likely spin coming from NYSUT and the UFT, that by holding Cuomo off of 50% this is some how a “victory” for our teachers. Via NYC Educator…

I don’t have a lot of time right now, but several sources I trust tell me there is already a deal in place for a new APPR plan. They think it will either be a 40% junk science plan, or that it may be a statewide model based on the NYC plan. The NYC plan, while we in NYC don’t much like it, is a better one than those in a few upstate cities that were poorly negotiated. It is not nearly as good as those many small locals came up with.

…

An agreement could actually still be made to make an NYC-style evaluation statewide, which Mulgrew alluded to at the last DA, or 40% statewide junk science. In either of these scenarios, UFT/ NYSUT could argue that Cuomo wanted 50% and we kept it down to 40.

All of this makes one thing crystal clear.  The one and only weapon left to fight back corporate education deform in New York State is the refusal movement.  Here in Comsewogue last year, where we had in excess of 60% of our students who refused to take the grades 3-8 assessments, very few teachers received growth scores from the state because not enough of their students took the exams.  The message is simple.  If you deprive the APPR machine of the data it needs, the entire evaluation scheme breaks.  It is the last remaining weapon at our disposal and it is the one thing that every New York State teacher should be picking up.

BTF’s Kevin Gibson Thrown Out of Public Board Meeting for Speaking Up

Via Diane Ravitch…

Watch the fascinating video embedded in this blog post from Buffalo, New York. Kevin Gibson, the Secretary of the Buffalo Teachers Federation gets up to speak. Board member Larry Quinn (yes, the same board member who was texting as a high school student was speaking at a recent meeting) waves to a police officer and has Gibson escorted out of the Board room. He was not allowed to speak. Democracy in action. Under what interpretation is a representative of the district’s teachers barred from testifying at a public hearing of the Board of Education?

Here is the video of the incident…


Sean Crowley of the B-LoEdScene adds…

Pay close attention to the body language, the facial contortion and the flicking gesture Quinn gives to the Buffalo cop when he tells him to give Kevin Gibson the hook. It’s as if he’s dusting a scone crumb from his turtleneck. Also of note is that Quinn again tried to deny his actions when confronted by Sandra Tan of The News of all people. Instead he made a weasel run implying that the cop took action on his own. He then follows it up by attacking Tan for reporting on his behavior classifying it as a minor thing. You see, to the Larry Quinns of the world, muzzling public input and curtailing the democratic process in a public meeting to suit your point of view IS a minor thing. All that democratic process crap does is let the little people run around inside the castle and shit everything up for their betters, you see.  And if you weren’t convinced the guy is completely clueless on top of being a pompous ass, he can be heard in a whiny sniveling voice protesting aloud  “I don’t go to their meetings and speak.” No, Lawrence, you’re correct, board members do not attend union meetings and offer their input. But feel free to try. I doubt the cops would throw you out. Only BTF doesn’t serve alcohol at its meetings. 

In lieu of the recall petition, which I am sure is forthcoming, I can only observe that “The Movement” for lack of a better word, is standing on Larry Quinn’s last effing nerve. In any fight there’s the moment where you go for the knockout or go home. I’d say it’s time we jump up and down on that last nerve and send Larry to the showers. You think he’d give you a break? Exactly. 

Heroic Superintendent William Cala

This story, which has made the rounds, tells of a heroic superintendent, William Cala, from Fairport, New York (Western New York) who wrote a letter to his staff in response to Cuomo’s education reform agenda, one that Cala terms an “assault on public education.”  Be sure to read the entire story.  More importantly, read the full text of Cala’s letter below…

Dr. Bill Cala
Superintendent, Fairport Central School District
Good Morning!

This week’s State of the State address by Governor Cuomo was what most of us expected. It was an all-out assault on public education, teachers, children, families and local control. It appears that breaking teachers is his solution to poverty, income inequality and inadequate school funding.

As we have experienced on a first-hand basis over the past few years, the APPR system is indeed a fatally flawed proxy for genuine evaluation done at the local level. The governor’s solution is to up the ante by increasing the tenure period to 5 years and making state test scores 50% of a teacher’s evaluation. Given the already bogus cut score setting process for the state exams, we are assured of a whole new wave of unreliable ratings designed to crush teachers, close schools and open the door to his other “reforms,” such as lifting the cap on charter schools and creating a tax credit for private schools and charters and increasing the amount the state gives charters per pupil. This last item of increasing charter aid is especially interesting as there are no strings attached. The regular public schools will only get an increase in aid if the legislature approves all of his draconian measures mentioned above. Two major studies have demonstrated with great clarity that charters perform worse than public schools and only 17% of charters perform equal or better to publics (CREDO 2013). Apparently, that’s fine….they get increases in spite of their failing performance.

Let’s be clear that the governor’s agenda has nothing to do with what is good for kids. Far from it. It is what is good for his financial supporters: the corporations who are making billions of dollars on the tests, the texts, the technology, the corporate professional development and the data collection, retrieval and distribution. 

As this country gets poorer and poorer and the few get richer and richer the pride of our nation, its public schools, are being disassembled while Bill Gates, The Walton’s, The Koch Brothers, Eli Broad and other scavengers are feasting at the table of greed. 

While the situation may seem hopeless, I believe parents are able to bring this tyranny to a screeching halt. Assessments should be used only for the benefit of students…..nothing else. Last year over 60,000 parents in New York refused the 3-8 tests. This year it is expect that number will triple. The refusal movement will indeed collapse the evaluation system and the governor’s plan to dismantle public education.

Parents will play a critical role. What role will we play? How will we speak out? This is our profession. These are our children. This is our responsibility.

Action and activism takes courage. Last week I spoke of my hero Rosa Parks. Let her courage and actions inspire us. I will close with the wisdom and inspiration of Frederick Douglass.

Where justice is denied; where poverty is enforced; where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress,; rob and degrade them; neither persons nor property will be safe.

Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground.

Time to start plowing.

Peace,
Bill

If that doesn’t inspire you to take action then you might not have a pulse.

Heroic PTA

We have seen organic opt-out movements over the past couple of years from parents in different parts of the state.  We have seen a few heroic teachers, including our very own Beth Dimino, refuse to administer state assessments in the spring.  Now it appears as though PTA’s are stepping up as well.  The Bennett School PTA, located in Shandaken New York, up in the Catskills region is now “encouraging our parent body in grades three to six to refuse the state tests in ELA, math and science this spring.”

Via the Daily Freeman…

Boycott state tests

Dear Editor:

There is growing frustration with the amount of testing our young children are subjected to. I have noticed a significant loss of instruction time, an increased level of stress in the classroom and a poor message to our children about the importance of tests.

The average fourth-grade student is 9 years old and is required by the state Department of Education to prepare for three state exams in the spring: English Language Arts, math and science. These tests total eight days of administration, as well as three to six weeks of test preparation. In total, our children are losing four to six weeks of in-class instruction time per test.

Our children also take ELA and math tests three times a year to monitor their progress. They also take pre- and post-assessment tests in art, music, library, physical education and social studies, totaling 21 standardized tests annually. The numbers are the same for grades three to six, with the exception of the state science test.

It is no wonder we are seeing a loss of hands-on, inquiry-based learning in our classrooms. With the emphasis on math and ELA testing, we are witnessing the erosion of science and social studies from the curriculum.

Excessive testing teaches our children that there is only one right answer in academics and in life. It takes the joy out of learning and minimizes the value and importance of taking a test when it really counts. And it is ruining public education.

As an immediate solution, members of the Bennett School PTA are encouraging our parent body in grades three to six to refuse the state tests in ELA, math and science this spring. These tests are inappropriate for our children, are unfair to our teachers, take away valuable classroom time and are not part of our child’s overall grade or individual assessment.

We intend to send a message to the state.

Heather Roberts, Vice President

Bennett School PTA

Shandaken, N.Y.

This is really great to see.  I hope this starts a trend among local PTA’s in the state!

How to Contribute to NYSAPE Opt-Out Billboards

NYSAPE has started a campaign to purchase “Refuse the Tests” ads on billboards placed strategically around the state.  This fall all PJSTA members reduced their VOTE-COPE contributions to $0 for the year.  Please consider putting some of that savings towards NYSAPE’s very worthy cause.

Via NYSAPE…

Our kids are being hurt by excessive testing that has taken over and replaced learning in our schools. And yet our elected leaders, including Gov. Cuomo, are doubling down on these damaging high-stakes tests.  More than 60,000 kids refused to take the state tests last year.  Help New York State Allies for Public Education, a coalition of more than 50 parent and community groups, pay for billboards in key areas of NY state to urge even more parents to opt their children out of these exams this spring.  Whether you can  donate $5, or $100, please help us reach our goal of $8,500.

Click here to contribute.

APPR Rumors

Our friend Arthur Goldstein, who blogs at NYC Educator, has heard a few rumors regarding a new APPR plan.

Via NYC Educator…

I don’t have a lot of time right now, but several sources I trust tell me there is already a deal in place for a new APPR plan. They think it will either be a 40% junk science plan, or that it may be a statewide model based on the NYC plan. The NYC plan, while we in NYC don’t much like it, is a better one than those in a few upstate cities that were poorly negotiated. It is not nearly as good as those many small locals came up with.

However, a UFT source I also trust tells me that Mulgrew will indeed fight Cuomo’s APPR efforts. Hopefully we’ll know more after Wednesday’s DA. An agreement could be made to make an NYC-style evaluation statewide, or 40% junk science, and UFT could argue that Cuomo wanted 50% and we kept it down to 40.

The problem with UFT leadership is that everything they do is a victory. When we got the UFT transfer plan it was a victory. When we lost it and got the ATR instead that was a victory. Getting artifacts for ratings was a victory, and losing them was a victory. Getting the entire Danielson Framework was a victory and cutting it down to 8 domains was a victory.

So Mike Mulgrew can’t lose, no matter how miserable UFT and NYSUT teachers become. He is King Midas and everything he punches turns to gold.

Both options are better than Cuomo’s proposal.  The NYC-style evaluation would be preferable to a plan in which 40% relies upon state test scores.  Still, as Arthur notes, both are far worse than what the PJSTA currently uses.

Heroic Teacher Jia Lee Once Again Refuses to Administer State Tests

Last year we directed you to the Teachers of Conscience position paper.  Teachers of Conscience, a group of New York City public schools teachers concerned about market-based reforms and the future of public education, was the group referenced by Beth Dimino in her letter to the Comsewogue School District indicating her decision not to administer state assessments this year.  The group includes Jia Lee.  Ms. Lee, of the MORE Caucus, was in Washington DC this week to testify in the U.S. Senate on NCLB.  Lee, who once again will be refusing to administer state tests this year, was articulate and brilliant in her heroic sppech.  Have a watch below.  It’s well worth the five minutes.
http://www.c-span.org/video/standalone/?c4524583