Teachers union election: a look at caucuses and candidates
In part two of a rough guide to the upcoming teachers union elections, here’s a look at the union’s internal party system and who’s running for major positions.
Part of the reason why UFT ballots have the heft of a college acceptance package is that they’re filled with a dizzying number of names. This year, 1,485 candidates are running for about 900 positions.
Most of those positions are for delegates to the conventions held by the national and state union branches, as well as the country’s largest teachers union, the National Eduction Association. But others have a direct influence on how the union is run and where it stands on issues like merit pay, charter schools, and how difficult it is to fire a teacher.
Along with voting for a union president, UFT members also cast their votes for ten officer positions and 78 executive board positions. The executive board, which meets once a month and votes on resolutions, breaks down into 42 “at large” positions held by any UFT member, and 36 positions that are parceled out among elementary (11), middle (5), and high school teachers (6), as well as “functional” employees (14) such as guidance counselors.
Rise & Shine: Frozen school aid may not come until June
- Governor David Paterson said he could delay $2.1 billion in school aid until June. (Legislative Gazette)
- Boy Scouts rallied at City Hall to protest the sale of the city’s only Scout campground. (SI Live)
- A Brooklyn woman is organizing a prom dress giveaway for city high school students. (Daily News)
- Many school districts are agreeing to do more to protect against bullying. (SI Live)
- A former Fortune 500 CEO makes the case for common standards. (Wall Street Journal)
- Richard Cohen wonders why parents don’t get more blame in bullying cases. (Daily News)
- Colorado officials will meet today to decide whether to apply to Race to the Top again. (Denver Post)
- A member of Massachusetts’ first Teach for America class praises the experience. (Boston Globe)
- The Philadelphia Inquirer supports school turnarounds, but warns against relying too much on charters.
- A Boston Globe columnist argues that a lack of money is killing public education.
Remainders: Screaming tabloids hurt NY’s RttT shot, Randi says
- A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research finds weaker teachers leave tough schools.
- Arthur Goldstein asks why the DOE makes old teaching methods new again and forces them on teachers.
- Kim Gittleson posts a round up of the most discussed education studies published last month.
- Carol Boyd, a member of the Coalition for Educational Justice, has a new blog.
- Norm Scott says votes for UFT opposition group New Action have declined since 2001.
- Reflecting on RttT, Weingarten suggests NY’s anti-union print op-eds contributed to the state’s loss.
- District & charter school parents are holding a conference on kindergarten waitlists and overcrowding.
- Parents association members can now serve on citywide and district community education councils.
- A blogger says the test for whether states really care about education is whether they apply for RttT 2.
- Bronx Academy of Promise Charter School staff pose for a photo after joining the union.
- A Nevada school district wants a refund for history textbooks because of how they portray race & gender.
- The Economist interviews former NYC policy analyst and education professor Brian Jacob.
- With the August recess approaching, lawmakers don’t have much time to pass ESEA.
- Andy Smarick counsels Massachusetts on what to do to win RttT.
- And there’s a math contest to select a teacher and student to ring in the NY stock exchange.
