Edweek Gets Schooled at the AFT
Reporter Steven Sawchuk has an interesting report on the caucuses at the AFT. It's pretty good but he is a little off base on some of it. We had a short chat before I had to leave and I tried to leave a comment on his blog but had some problems. So I'll touch on some of what I know here.
First, there's this from Sawchuk:
"Like any other union, the AFT is a democratic, political organization." I don't blame any reporter for making this mistake because they don't know the infighting that goes on. But the AFT is no a democratic organization. Name an organization that has not had a contested election in 36 years? I mean Iran is more democratic. Kim il Jung uses the AFT manual for political control. And never forget – AlShanker had the bomb before either of them.
Now those of us who have been at Delegate Assemblies for years know the drill. But the Chicago people at their first convention are getting a rude awakening. First at the committee meetings yesterday and then on the floor today where the massive numbers of NYC delegates from Unity Caucus had a total plan for eliminating any resos or amendments they didn't like. Or rather Ms. Micromanagement Randi didn't like (there's no democracy in Unityville either).
They have specific people assigned to each area - even the designated "I call the question on all matters before the body" to stifle debate. There was one guy yesterday named Steven Kaplan I believe who was so thrilled at how he carried out his assignment he leaped in the air (I have to find that video). I mean it is not every day that you get to call the question in front a national audience.
First, there's this from Sawchuk:
"Like any other union, the AFT is a democratic, political organization." I don't blame any reporter for making this mistake because they don't know the infighting that goes on. But the AFT is no a democratic organization. Name an organization that has not had a contested election in 36 years? I mean Iran is more democratic. Kim il Jung uses the AFT manual for political control. And never forget – AlShanker had the bomb before either of them.
Now those of us who have been at Delegate Assemblies for years know the drill. But the Chicago people at their first convention are getting a rude awakening. First at the committee meetings yesterday and then on the floor today where the massive numbers of NYC delegates from Unity Caucus had a total plan for eliminating any resos or amendments they didn't like. Or rather Ms. Micromanagement Randi didn't like (there's no democracy in Unityville either).
They have specific people assigned to each area - even the designated "I call the question on all matters before the body" to stifle debate. There was one guy yesterday named Steven Kaplan I believe who was so thrilled at how he carried out his assignment he leaped in the air (I have to find that video). I mean it is not every day that you get to call the question in front a national audience.
