Full speech from Jesus "Chuy" Garcia from primary night - Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago Teachers Union | Full speech from Jesus "Chuy" Garcia from primary night:

Full speech from Jesus "Chuy" Garcia from primary night

BY CHICAGOFORCHUY.COM  |  02/24/2015

Nobody thought we'd be here tonight.

They wrote us off …said we didn’t have a chance …said we didn’t have any money …while they spent millions attacking us.

Well …we’re still standing.

We’re still running

And we’re going to win.

Today we the people have spoken…

…not the people with the money and the power and the connections…

…not the giant corporations …the big money special interests …the hedge funds and Hollywood celebrities who’ve poured tens of millions into the Mayor’s campaign.

They’ve had their say for too long.

They’ve had their way for too long.

But today, the rest of us had something to say ...the bus drivers …train operators ... police officers and emergency responders …students …health care workers …retirees, block club leaders… community organizers… teachers …working moms and working dads …the people who make this great city great …we have something to say…

We have something to say to all those big corporations and special interests who’ve spent all those millions to install their own Mayor:

We want a change.

There have been ten thousand shootings in Chicago in the last four years …and it’s just wrong for our children to have to dodge bullets on their way to school.

That’s going to change …and we’re going to change it …together.

It’s wrong for the Mayor to cut our police …and then use the money to give corporations one hundred million dollars in tax breaks.

That’s going to change ...and we’re going to change it …together.

It’s wrong for the Mayor to cut our neighborhood schools …but then pass out tens of millions in giveaways to his cronies and campaign contributors.

That’s going to change ...and we’re going to change it …together.

This city deserves a Mayor who will put people first, not big money special interests.

I will be that Mayor.

This city needs a Mayor who will listen to people …the people who get up every day, work hard, pay their bills, and want nothing more than a good job, a safe neighborhood for their family and a good school for their kids.

You are the people who really make this city work …each and every one of you.

I will not forget you.  And I will listen to you.

I will be your Mayor.

Want to know who this campaign is for?

It’s for Erika Wozniak, one lone 5^th grade teacher.

She’s been teaching for 11 years now.  She’s devoted her life to our kids.

Well, Erika told me about one of her favorite students, a little girl …smart as a whip… who loved her friends …loved her teachers …loved her school.

One day, that little girl’s parents came in and told Erika they had to move to the suburbs.

Why?  Because she was squeezed into a classroom with 35 other kids and it just wasn’t fair.

That little girl left Chicago.  Her parents left Chicago.

And it wasn’t just Erika’s loss.

It was Chicago’s loss.

It was our loss.

We’ve lost over two hundred thousand people in Chicago since the turn of the century.

Two hundred thousand.

People like Erika’s 5^th grade student …whose parents didn’t want her stuffed into an overcrowded classroom.

People all over this city who’ve gotten tired of the daily sound of gunfire echoing down their streets …in their parks …on their playgrounds.

When I was younger I remember reading the words of a famous civil rights leader.

Her name was Fannie Lou Hamer.

You know what she said?

“I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Well, today, a majority of the people of Chicago said with one loud voice: we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.

We are going to build a new Chicago …a Chicago that works for everyone …a Chicago that people want move to …not run away from.

Chicago’s going to change …and starting six weeks from tonight …we’re going to change it …together.

There are some people I want to thank tonight, starting with my wife, Evelyn

(Acknowledgements)

We’ve got six weeks of hard work ahead of us …and believe me these big money interests are going to throw everything they’ve got at us.  They run this town and they’re not going to give up easy.

But we’re going to fight …and we’re going to work …and we’re going to win.

We’re going to change this city …together.

ChicagoforChuy.com

It's official—we are going to a runoff! - Jesus "Chuy" Garcia for Mayor of Chicago

It's official—we are going to a runoff! - Jesus "Chuy" Garcia for Mayor of Chicago:

It's official—we are going to a runoff!

Tuesday, February 24, 2015 | News

 

Tonight's victory is all about you—the staff, the volunteers, the donors, the supporters, the voters,  all those who care about Chicago.

It's a runoff! Let's get ready!

People like you braved the winter to knock on thousands of doors. People like you made phone calls and greeted commuters each morning to spread the word about this movement. People like you turned out to vote and forced this election into a head-to-head runoff with a Mayor backed by huge corporate interests and the national party establishment.

Now, we have six weeks to win City Hall and build an administration based on transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness.

But we’ll need your help.

We have nine field offices to staff and supply and we’ll need to get on television and radio as much as we can afford over the next six weeks.

You can help build the momentum to the April 7th election in the following ways:

• Donate. If $1000 people gave $100 tonight, we could start running a new television ad this week.
• Volunteer. We’ll need to make tens of thousands of voter contacts in the next six weeks.
• Connect. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Let's build a better Chicago together. Let's win again in April!

Click here to go to Jesus "Chuy" Garcia for Mayor of Chicago  Website

Big Education Ape: Chicago Inc. Rahm Emanuel Dances for Corporate Money - Vote for Chuy!!! http://bit.ly/1AaLZT1

HR 5: Student Success Act and Common Core | deutsch29

HR 5: Student Success Act and Common Core | deutsch29:



HR 5: Student Success Act and Common Core

 On February 22, 2015, I wrote a post in which I examined the testing language of the first 50 pages of HR 5, the Student Success Act (SSA), which the House will vote on soon (likely Friday, February 27, 2015) as a possible reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

The full text of the bill can be found here:  student_success_act_text.

In this post, I would like to consider one additional component of the 597-page SSA– that which explicitly concerns the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Note that my examination of SSA’s anti-CCSS language does not constitute my endorsement of SSA.

Below is the SSA language expressly prohibiting the US Secretary of Education from requiring states to have “common” standards, including (by name) the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (pages 51-52):

(j) VOLUNTARY PARTNERSHIPS.—A State may  enter into a voluntary partnership with another State to develop and implement the academic standards and assessments required under this section, except that the Secretary shall not, either directly or indirectly, attempt to influence, incentivize, or coerce State—

      (1) adoption of the Common Core State Standards developed under the Common Core State Standards Initiative, any other academic standards common to a significant number of States, or assessments tied to such standards; or

    (2) participation in any such partnerships.

(k) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this part shall be construed to prescribe the use of the academic assessments described in this part for student promotion or graduation purposes.

This language regarding CCSS is not surprising coming from a Republican-dominated House. The Republican-dominated American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) HR 5: Student Success Act and Common Core | deutsch29:

Election Day: Mayor Rahm Emanuel to face Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia in April runoff election | abc7chicago.com

Election Day: Mayor Rahm Emanuel to face Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia in April runoff election | abc7chicago.com:

ELECTION DAY: MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL TO FACE JESUS 'CHUY' GARCIA IN APRIL RUNOFF ELECTION

By Charles Thomas and Paul Meincke

Updated 4 mins ago

CHICAGO (WLS) --

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will face Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia in a runoff election in April.

The former White House chief of staff easily led the five-way race in Tuesday's contest. However, because he failed to get more than 50 percent, he and Garcia will run against each other in April for the job.

CLICK HERE to get the latest Election Results from ABC7 Eyewitness News after the polls close at 7 PM.

Chicago voters will also elected a city clerk, city treasurer and the aldermen in each of the the city's 50 wards, but the mayoral election was the main event. Despite the cold weather and reports of low voter turnout earlier on Tuesday, Rahm Emanuel took nothing for granted.

"You always have on Election Day butterflies and that continues to be that way," Emanuel said.

The mayor's lunch with Secretary of State Jesse White, City Clerk Susana Mendoza and Congressman Luis Gutierrez was a photo op to showcase support from black and Latino political leaders.

"It's not about personality contests. It's about getting things done for the people of Chicago," Mendoza said.

Earlier, the mayor joined the phone bank in the predominantly African American 8th Ward.

"He's going to do OK. His numbers are up. I think he's over the 50th percentile," said 8th Ward Ald. Michelle Harris.

The mayor's difficulty with black voters appeared to persist in the nearby 21st Ward, but the turnout here might help the incumbent.

"People are not talking too favorably about the mayor," said Doris Lewis-Brooks, candidate for alderman. "The numbers that I'm getting, they're kind of low."

Despite his incumbency, money and endorsements, a weekend poll showed Emanuel closer, but still short of a 50 percent plus one majority. He was asked if he'd been humbled by the tougher-than-expected campaign.

"I got three teenagers at home and a wife. Don't worry about humble," Emanuel said.

EMANUEL'S CHALLENGERS VIE FOR RUNOFF 

Election Day was a cold day in what will most probably be the coldest February ever in Chicago. It's not the kind of day that Emanuel's challengers would have preferred, but none of the four is abandoning the quest for a runoff. They all want to sink the idea of 50 plus one, and each proclaims that he is the one who'll do it - but forcing a runoff means your supporters have to vote.

When Garcia and his wife went to cast their ballots Tuesday in the Lawndale neighborhood, they were the only voters in their polling place. But it was mid-morning, not necessarily an accurate snapshot of turnout where Garcia must have it.

"A lot of our most reliable voters vote after working. We are a working class community, and that is our greatest strength," Garcia said.

Garcia says he has an army of 4,000 volunteers, and by day's end, the numbers will say "runoff."

"Hi, I'm Dr. Willie Wilson, may I shake your hand?" Wilson said.

Handshakes are a political staple, but Willie Wilson wasn't keen on lunchtime intrusion, so he made it a point to ask first. Wilson is distressed at what he contends are voting irregularities in some polling places, but he too predicts victory.

"I feel good about it. It's my first time in the election so obviously we're gonna think positive about it. We feel good," Wilson said.

Turnout was light when another candidate, Walls, cast his ballot Tuesday morning on the city's West Side. The same was true for Fioretti, who feels good about his campaign's 70,000 "live" calls over the weekend, but not so good about the weather, which he calls an "incumbent's protection".

"I'm very worried about the cold weather. It's impacting everywhere we've gone," Fioretti said.

Join ABC7 at 7 p.m. Tuesday for comprehensive Election Night coverage on "Eyewitness News on The U." We'll have live updates on ABC7 throughout the evening, followed by "Eyewitness News at 10."

You can also follow results on the ABC7 Chicago news app on the ABC 7 Chicago Facebook page, on Twitter @ABC7Chicago and on ABC7Chicago.com/Politics.

Election Day: Mayor Rahm Emanuel to face Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia in April runoff election | abc7chicago.com:

Nothing to show for the pain inflicted on Newark’s children | Bob Braun's Ledger

Nothing to show for the pain inflicted on Newark’s children | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Nothing to show for the pain inflicted on Newark’s children

Cami Anderson–Failure is success

This much is true about Newark’s schools: Change–its proponents call it “reform”– has been painful. Painful to parents and children who must negotiate traveling long distances to new schools in strange neighborhoods and dealing with changes in curriculum, testing, procedures, and individualized education plans (IEPS). Painful to teachers and administrators, hundreds of whom have lost their jobs or been assigned to tasks for which they are unsuited and unlicensed. The pain was predicted– Mayor Cory Booker said the pain and disruption might last years–and that has happened. Even state-appointed schools superintendent Cami Anderson and her  supporters concede “reform” would not come without hurt. The question is: Has all this pain resulted in progress for Newark’s children? The answer is no.

A  report compiled by the Alliance for Newark Public Schools reveals that so-called “Renew Schools,”  city schools singled out for special attention–Anderson would call it “reform”–not only did not  produce the student progress she predicted–but, in fact, lagged behind schools throughout New Jersey whose students have the same socio-economic and racial characteristics.

So, after 20 years of state control and four years of experimentation by Anderson,  the best the state-run Newark school administration has to offer fails in comparison to schools in the poorest school districts throughout New Jersey.

“This report…revealed that, with respect to 2013-2014 academic performance, all seven (7) Newark, New Jersey, Renew Schools significantly lagged or lagged their peer schools across the state.

“In the area of student growth performance, six (6) Renew Schools lagged or siginifically lagged their peer schools…”

The analysis also shows that Newark has failed to meet its promised academic progress targets established as a condition for the granting by the federal Nothing to show for the pain inflicted on Newark’s children | Bob Braun's Ledger:

Montel Williams: "Just Let Teachers Teach!" - Living in Dialogue

Montel Williams: "Just Let Teachers Teach!" - Living in Dialogue:



Montel Williams: "Just Let Teachers Teach!" 

 By Anthony Cody.

Last week as I was tweeting in support of the Newark Students Union occupation of their state-appointed administrator’s office, I was surprised to see a familiar name joining the chorus of support for these young activists. Montel Williams was right in there, tweeting his own support, and retweeting messages of solidarity with the occupation. So when I was asked by the National School Boards Association if I would like to interview Mr. Williams, and Thomas J. Gentzel, the NSBA’s Executive Director on Public Schools, I was happy to send questions, which were posed and answered in this video.

Click here to watch the Interview with Montel Williams and Thomas J. Gentzel.

What experiences of your own have shaped your desire to support public education?

Montel Williams: This has been a lifetime of support for public schools, because I am a product of the public school system. I am a product of busing. I grew up in a little enclave outside of Baltimore, Maryland – a little area called Glen Burnie, which was Cedar Hill. I would not be where I am today without the hard work of my teachers, the school board at the time. The foundation of my success was built at Andover High School. And because of that, I want to make sure that we ensure that every child in this country has that same opportunity.

Thomas J. Gentzel: In every community in this country, there are doctors, lawyers, they run the body shop in town, they have all these businesses – almost all of them came through the public school system. So having a strong school system is absolutely vital to making sure this country remains strong in the future.

Many parents and students are concerned these days about the way that testing seems to have taken over the mission of our schools. What do you think about the amount of tests and the way these tests are being used?

Montel Williams: This whole idea that one size fits all – will end up fitting none. The idea that we can just test test test test and teach our children how to be lemmings and rote memorize things is not going to lead to a successful, educated workforce. We’ve got to have a big conversation about this – and we are. The National School Boards Association is having that conversation. People think this edict is coming from them. In fact, they are the ones responding to their community, trying to incorporate their ideas. The NSBA is saying we need to change this idea of trying to make kids regurgitate, and instead, make people process and learn.

Thomas J. Gentzel:  This is a big issue for us, and I should point out, our organization is a private non-profit – we are not a government agency. We are representing these local officials who are typically unpaid folks Montel Williams: "Just Let Teachers Teach!" - Living in Dialogue:

The school to prison pipeline, explained - Vox

The school to prison pipeline, explained - Vox:



The school to prison pipeline, explained

Updated by Libby Nelson and Dara Lind on February 24, 2015, 12:40 p.m. ET

A police officer handcuffs a small child during a demonstration. Lyn Alweis/Denver Post via Getty

 Juvenile crime rates are plummeting, and the number of Americans in juvenile detention has dropped. One report shows the juvenile incarceration rate dropped 41 percent between 1995 and 2010.

But school discipline policies are moving in the opposite direction: out-of-school suspensions have increased about 10 percent since 2000. They have more than doubled since the 1970s. Black students are three times more likely to be suspended or expelled than white students,according to the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, and research in Texas found students who have been suspended are more likely to be held back a grade and drop out of school entirely. Those facts has led to concern among some people, including the Obama administration, that schools are suspending students too much and need to find other ways to discipline them.

The reason the difference between juvenile detention and school discipline is so surprising — and the reason school discipline is seen as a growing concern — is that the two are connected, leading civil-rights advocates to talk about a "school-to-prison pipeline." Especially for older students, trouble at school can lead to their first contact with the criminal justice system. And in many cases, schools themselves are the ones pushing students into the juvenile justice system — often by having students arrested at school.

Here's how the current state of school discipline developed and why some districts and federal officials are working to change the status quo.

1) Concerns about crime led schools to adopt 'zero tolerance' policies

A Chicago police officer escorts a child to school. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune)

In the 1970s, keeping students out of school as a punishment was relatively rare: fewer than 4 percent of students were suspended in 1973, according to an analysis of Education Department data by the Southern Poverty Law Center. But growing concern about crime and violence in schools led states and districts to adopt policies that required students to be suspended.

The Gun-Free Schools Act, passed in 1994, mandated a yearlong out-of-school suspension for any student caught bringing a weapon to school. And as states began adopting these zero-tolerance policies, the number of suspensions and expulsions increased. The suspension rate for all students has nearly doubled since the 1970s, and has increased even more for black and Hispanic students.

Zero-tolerance policies have been widely criticized when schools have interpreted "weapon" very broadly, expelling students for making guns with their fingers or chewing a Pop-Tart into a gun shape or bringing a camping fork for Cub Scouts to class.

But they're not the only reason schools suspended students more frequently. At the same time as zero-tolerance policies for violence were growing, school districts adopted their own version The school to prison pipeline, explained - Vox:

The biggest losers in the No Child Left Behind rewrite #NOonHR5 #ESEA @EdWorkforce

The biggest losers in the No Child Left Behind rewrite - The Hechinger Report:



The biggest losers in the No Child Left Behind rewrite

Rural school districts and states with large, rural populations are poised to lose a disproportionate amount of funding and opportunities to innovate under a bill proposed by House Republicans, according to a report by the Obama administration.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spoke at an on-the-record breakfast with reporters Monday morning to further detail his concerns with the bill, which would rewrite No Child Left Behind, the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Duncan and the White House have been vocal opponents to the proposed bill, which faces a House vote on Friday.

One of the major sticking points of rewrite is the proposed amount of spending, which a White House report released this month referred to as “effectively locking in sequestration-era cuts for the rest of the decade.” The bill would cap spending on ESEA at $800 million lower than 2012 and according to the report, would allocate $7 billion less in Title I funds over six years than President Obama’s budget.

“If you look at the numbers its a pretty devastating portrait of what this thing might do,” Duncan said in reference to the White House report, which also details the amount of funding that individual school districts are expected to lose as a result of the cuts.

The recent White House report mostly focused on large, urban districts like the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Chicago Public School District, which are poised to lose more than $80 million and $64 million respectively, or about 24 percent of their 2014 estimated Title I allocations. New data related to the White House report released Tuesday found that many of these large school districts poised to lose funding serve largely black or Hispanic populations.

But according to the previous report, some rural districts will lose even higher percentages of their Title I funding. Nationwide, nearly 50 percent of school districts are small and rural, and 20 percent of students in the country attend those schools. Rural schools are also serving an increasing number of low-income and minority students, according to the Rural School and Community Trust.

In Mississippi, where more than 56 percent of students attend rural schools, Title I funding could be cut by $7 million, with the largest cuts taking place in five high-poverty Mississippi Delta districts. The Delta’s Coahoma County School District, for instance, would see a 50 percent reduction of its Title I funding. In Alaska, the rural Iditarod Area School District would see a nearly 63 percent decrease in funding. Hatch Valley Municipal Schools in New Mexico is estimated to see a nearly 44 percent decrease.

Supporters of the bill say it the rewrite is needed to curtail the federal government’s role in education. The bill repeals certain aspects of ESEA, such as requirements for how much states and school districts must spend before receiving federal funding, and eliminating more than 65 federal education programs. “Continuing to leave students, The biggest losers in the No Child Left Behind rewrite - The Hechinger Report:

Tell Congress: Vote NO on H.R. 5 – The Student Success Act

Newark Students Union-The Legacy of Cami Anderson #OccupyNPS #OurNewark

Why did we occupy Newark Public Schools headquarters for four days last week? Hear directly from our fellow students in this video featuring many of the leaders of the Newark Students Union!

JOIN US in demanding the Resignation of Cami Anderson by signing the petition here: MoveOn Petitions - PETITION FOR THE RESIGNATION OF CAMI ANDERSON http://bit.ly/1LMvt0z

Three Days and Nights in Newark: Tanaisa Brown Tells of the Newark Student Union’s Three Day Occupation http://bit.ly/1LCPhT9

 

Big Education Ape: The Amazing Students of the Newark Student Union - These Kids Rock! #OccupyNPS #OurNewark http://bit.ly/1JwIXij

Separating Fact & Fiction: What You Need to Know About Charter Schools | National Education Policy Center

Review of Separating Fact & Fiction | National Education Policy Center:

Separating Fact & Fiction: What You Need to Know About Charter Schools

Gary Miron, William J. Mathis, Kevin G. Welner

February 23, 2015

Press Release →

The irony of a recent report from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is that it purports to “separate fact from fiction” about charter schools. Unfortunately, in addressing 21 “myths,” it embraces fiction whenever useful to push advocacy goals, thus perpetuating its own myths and fictions about charter schools. Since it relies overwhelmingly on other advocacy documents, it does not give a balanced or thorough examination of any of the 21 “myths.” But the exercise provides a useful opportunity for this review to walk through the various claims and succinctly address each. Among the areas addressed are the financial equality of charter schools, lower teacher qualifications, student selection demographics, academic outcomes, segregation, and innovation. While the NAPCS report itself may provide only sound-bite fodder for advocates, we hope that the two documents combined—report plus review—offer an overview of issues that does advance comprehensive understanding.

Check it Out Here Review of Separating Fact & Fiction | National Education Policy Center:

The rise of public education and why we're losing it today - Liberation News

The rise of public education and why we're losing it today - Liberation News:

The rise of public education and why we’re losing it today

Public education has developed since the days of the one-room schoolhouse.

In January 2002, President George W. Bush signed No Child Left Behind. NCLB requires states to develop assessments (standardized testing) to measure skills in order to receive federal funding.

No Child Left Behind began the hysteria of “high stakes testing.” The result meant the private sector could access federal funds which were previously unavailable to them. Pearson publishing and McGraw Hill made record profits in the years following NCLB as a result of the sale of standardized tests, new curricula and homeschooling options aimed at passing the new state tests.

Since January of this year, U.S. senators have been debating the options in a bill to revise No Child Left Behind. Congress has been unable to compromise on what needs to change. Some senators like Republican Lamar Alexanderpropose more leeway on testing. Democrat Patty Murray stresses the need for annual assessments in order to keep low- performing students from “falling through the cracks.” Both the Senate and the House anticipate having bills on the floor in the coming weeks.

All of this begs the question, “why is all this happening?” Why the constant efforts to restructure and undercut public education?

Every few years, there is a new “reform” craze that promises to turn around “low-performing schools” but never a reflection on why the last one failed. Why are so many politicians on both sides of the aisle quick to come together to attack teachers and undermine public education?

What will it really take to close the achievement gap?

The organization of the public school system, and teachers’ rights in particular, has become a convenient scapegoat for the economic problems of capitalism: inequality, stagnant low wages, unemployment, declining global “competitiveness,” and so on. If politicians want better schools and schooling, they could show that by providing the resources necessary to improve them. If they want to motivate our students to learn, they would launch massive jobs programs and infrastructure projects to serve and upgrade oppressed communities. They would make a job at a living wage a basic right, along with access to free higher education. They would end the school-to-prison pipeline that criminalizes youth.

In other words, they would make massive investments to drastically The rise of public education and why we're losing it today - Liberation News:

Tell Congress: Vote NO on H.R. 5 – The Student Success Act