Ed Notes Online
#AFT14 Updated - Former Chicago TU Pres Debbie Lynch Calls for Arne Duncan Resignation
Lynch, who was CTU president from 2001-04 and ran and lost in '07 and '10 and is now a delegate from a college, made a special resolution calling for Duncan resignation. This came as a surprise to Randi and pretty much everyone in the house it seems since there was already a planned similar reso, as pointed out by Randi, that she knew about in advance. She suggested they be combined. They are fini
#AFT14 Report - Recaps and Trends
CTU is the outlier in this convention, battle-scarred and ready to fight. The NYC delegation has the numbers to vote them down. ... Diane Ravitch, On AFT Convention..the UFT delegation votes in lockstep, regardless of how the individual members think, and thus the result is foregone... In the Bronx, we know that Gates money broke up our schools, created a mess, and then disappeared. We live the a
AFT Convention 2014 Video: Randi Laugh Riot - on Proposed Anti-Duncan Reso - Let the Members Decide
Saturday, July 12, 2014 I have a stitch in my side from laughing after watching this video. OK. We can stop laughing now and watch the short segment I am putting up on the Duncan censure issue that I taped at Randi's press conference yesterday. (I have more video to post on the common core issue, also with her "let the members decide" - and I taped this moments before the Unity machine s
AFT Convention Update: Chicago CC Reso Goes Down Overwhelmingly in Committee
Voters supporting CTU CC reso stand in support - est 25-30%.Since we were not allowed in, we were watching the Education Issues Committee debate from outside the glass doors. With long lines at the mic, it was clear that Chicago TU people did not have the muscle to win the room over to its anti- common core resolution to counter the Weingarten pro common core - with conditions. Stephen Sawchuk @
Breaking - AFT Rumor - Reso on Duncan Coming? Randi Crit Duncan in Keynote - But Doesn't Go Deep
Just heard rumor that special order of business will be proposed for a reso either calling for resignation or censoring of Arne Duncan is coming from California Teachers Association - NEA crew who have some people here.Keynote still on:Randi just mentioned NYSUT call for State Ed Comm John King resignation - and mentions NEA Duncan reso -- now attacking Duncan but not calling for resignation.Let's
AFT Convention Roundup: Travel Day Part 2 - Common Core, Mulgrew Joins Caputo-Pearl and Lewis on Social Justice Unionism Panel -
See Part 1: LA Confidential: AFT Travel Day, Part 1 See - RBE at Perdido: Is Randi Weingarten REALLY Getting The Message?NYC Educator touches on the AFT Convention: The Myth of the Myth of the Blogger Beast.OK - lots to report in this part 2 of yesterday's activities - I'm writing this up Friday around 10AM while sitting at the press table listening to opening speeches so I will flip back and fort
LA Confidential: AFT Convention Day 1, Part 1
Friday, July 11, 5AM, LA timeDon't expect deep analysis or insights from these reports. Not much time for that. I'm doing them sort of stream of consciousness, diary-like in rough chronological order as the day went. I had lots of conversations with lots of people through the day and want to get them down before they're gone. Luckily my time clock is totally screwed up and I woke up at 3AM - after
JUL 09
Must Read: Democracy and Politics in the UFT, 1976 Ed
In preparation for next week's MORE summer series on the history of caucuses and what we can learn, thanks to Vera Pavone, we have created an online version of the pamphlet we produced almost 40 years ago (minus the graphics). I will have some hard copies with me next week but I urge you to download it and read the 25 page pamphlet to see just how much has remained the same.Some of our suggested c
JUL 08
Child Abuse: NYC Parents Union Plaintifs' Use Their Own Kids for Naked Self-Interest
Did Mona serve the best interests of her own daughter by keeping her in a lousy charter school so she could further her political aims? When Moaning Mona and Sam use their kids for their own political advantage and put them in the public eye in this way can that be termed child abuse? Doing worse to your own kids than any tenured bad teacher could do. Why isn't the press looking at the real story
JUL 07
SI Supt to Kathleen Grimm: Sam (Pirozzolo) is a Fool
.... and this was before Pirozzolo hooked up with Moaning Mona Davids in their rediculous copycat Vergara tenure law suit.A Jan. 2013 email between District 31 (Staten Island) Supt. and Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, over Francesco Portelos' appearance at a Dist. 31 CEC meeting shows just how high up concerns over his actions had reached and explains the willingness of Tweed to spend upwards of
JUL 06
Happy 2nd Birthday to Jack Cavanagh
The funniest point of the day was when Lisa Donlan and her husband JC, very big soccer fans (their son is a top level player) handed Jack his present. The minute he unwrapped it and saw a soccer ball, he forgot all about the other presents and went running off with the ball. I think we have a star for the 2034 World Cup.I was in Prospect Park attending the 2nd birthday party of Jack Cavanagh, son
UFT/Unity Caucus Early History
I'm publishing this chapter on the founding of the UFT and how Shanker consolidated power from the book "City Unions" as prep for the July 16 MORE summer series event on the history of caucuses in the UFT. There is a lot of insight into how Unity has controlled the UFT since its inception. Read it here or download it.CItyUnionsch8yannoUFT by morecaucusnyc
Moaning Mona Davids and Ally Sam Pirozzolo Want Francesco Portelos Fired?
I'm not surprised that CEC 31 (Staten Island) Sam Pirozzolo is in on this as he ignored years of pleas to help students of troubled schools. No doubt he will use this to make another run for office. http://samforassembly.com.... Francesco PortelosMona Sam Pirozzolo should be sued for child neglect-- Ed Notes How ironic. Moaning Mona henchman Sam Pirozzolo has joined her in the Vergara copycat sui
Susan on Sunday
Good reading for a lazy Sunday afternoon from Ohanian. Don't miss the "Famous writers describe their affection for the Common Core" piece.This cartoon offers an overview of today's assaults.Sent from the Q Train in New York Cityhttp://susanohanian.org/cartoon_fetch.php?id=949I just bought the ingredients for lunch for 70 at the Senior Center. Cooking is fun. Shopping is not.Speaking of f
JUL 05
Karen Lewis vs Rahm Emanuel for Mayor?
Lewis, who is African-American, would have powerful appeal to black voters who overwhelmingly disapprove of Emanuel (only 8 percent of them would support him against a challenger)... Daily Beast How much fun would this be? Though I'd rather see Karen run against Randi at the AFT convention next week.Not mentioned is that Karen Lewis is also Jewish, as is Emanuel, and might attract the Jewish vote
Moaning Mona Vergara Copycat Suit Is Also An Attack on Parents and Students Facing Bully Principals
Parent activists are rightfully outraged at Mona Davids' claims that "the NYCPU, is the leading independent voice of New York City public school students and their parents."In fact the very idea of an attack on tenure is an attack on parents and students as much, if not more, than on teachers.Bully, abusive principals, of which there are many, not only abuse teachers but parents and stu