Seattle Schools Community Forum: Strike Updates

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Strike Updates:

Strike Updates

KPLU had this tweet at 6:30 pm:

@kystokes: Campano: She & @SeattleEA exec dir will meet state mediator at 10a, but full team has no plans yet to return to the table. #SPSstrike #waedu

Support for Teachers:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle stands in support of SEA contract proposals and also acknowledges appreciation of School Board Director Sue Peters’ opposition to Superintendent Nyland’s legal threat against Seattle educators; and

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle urges the Seattle School Board to agree to the SEA contract proposals.

From the WestSeattle blog reporting on 34th Dems;  They voted to support SEA and put $500 into strike fund.

From Soup for Teachers Facebook page:

Super good news! Roosevelt students are organizing sandwich making and other goodies for tomorrow, Day 2. They have their own signup genius page and Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/feedtheteachers

Salmon Bay kids are working on a documentary of the strike.

All in all, parents are networking like crazy, working on supporting education and democracy. Kids are getting a big lesson about collective bargaining, democracy and politics. We're getting stronger and energized.


Businesses to thank for their support


- Top Pot donuts

- Starbucks in Fred Meyer on Leary/Starbucks in Wallingford

- The Station coffeeshop on Beacon Hill

- Veraci pizza

- Solid Grounds coffee

- Mighty-O donuts in Tangletown

- Grumpy D in Ballard (use of bathrooms for teachers)

- Safeway in Wedgwood

- Trader Joe's on Capitol Hill


Please thank these businesses for their support of teachers and the schools in their area.



Finally, it was reported to me that Councilman Tim Burgess said at the 36th Dems that he thought Seattle Schools was wrong to vote to authorize legal action against SEA.  I'm quite surprised. 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Strike Updates:

CURMUDGUCATION: Washington Charters and Godwin's Other Law

CURMUDGUCATION: Washington Charters and Godwin's Other Law:

Washington Charters and Godwin's Other Law

Over at the Flypaper, the bloggy wing of Fordham Institute's reformster website, Robin Lake had a point to make about the recent Washington State ruling that found the state's charter law unconstitutional.

I get that she's pissed. Lots of charter-loving folks in Washington are, and on the one hand, I don't blame them-- as I observed before, the court's decision to hold onto the ruling until the Friday before schools were supposed to open was, at a minimum, pretty unkind and inconsiderate of the 1,200 students who thought they were going to start school. On the other hand, the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a reformster group of which Lake is director, might try saving some of that outrage for the many charters across the country that have closed up shop without warning, even in the middle of the school year. But yeah-- it was a sucky way for the Washington court to handle it.

So that's probably why she looked around for a grumpy comparison and landed in the Kremlin. I'm pretty sure this violates Godwin's Lesser-Known Second Law-- when you drag Russian commies into an argument, you're done. If Lake is going to use such over-the-top, ill-fitting analogies, how will she get anyone to take her seriously? Wow, I've never tried concern-trolling before. It's kind of fun. Next time I'm at Wal-Mart, I'm going to look for a Tone Police hat!

So if we can get past the walls of the Kremlin, do we find Lake making a point (or saying things that make the pro-charter position clearer)?

Lake leads with the argument that the court was allowing itself to be jerked around by a 100-year-old law, and goes straight to Why Charters Are Needed Regardless of What the Law Says. She's a CURMUDGUCATION: Washington Charters and Godwin's Other Law:

Washington State [Private] Charters Get Their $14 Million | deutsch29

Washington State [Private] Charters Get Their $14 Million | deutsch29:

Washington State [Private] Charters Get Their $14 Million 

Four day after the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that Washington State charter schools do not qualify as “common” (i.e. public) schools, King5.comreports that the Washington State Charter Association has raised the $14 million from private donors in order to keep the nine charter schools open for a year absent any taxpayer funding.

The nine schools are completely privately funded, yet the media cannot seem to stop referring to the schools as “public” schools. King5.com reporter Janna Hanchard does so (“TACOMA, Wash. — Millions of dollars are being set aside to keep the lights on at public charter schools across the state”), as does Robin Lake of the University of Washington’s Center for Reinventing Public Education (“I guess it’s ironic or something that the only public school that will be open in Seattle tomorrow is a charter school”). However, calling schools that have been barred from receiving public funding “public” schools does not make them so.

The September 04, 2015, Washington State Supreme Court ruling dealt with that issue: Calling charter schools “public” schools does not mean that they are according to the Washington State constitution.

In order to become “common” (i.e., public) schools, Washington State charters would need to answer to an elected school board.

They do not.

Thus, it does not matter if the charters have set up their version of accountability. They need to be held accountable to an elected board to qualify as “common” (i.e., public) schools– and to dip into taxpayer money for their funding.

Of course, the politically-charged battle is on, with the Washington State Charter Washington State [Private] Charters Get Their $14 Million | deutsch29:

Document Based Question for aspiring leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature | BustED Pencils

Document Based Question for aspiring leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature. | BustED Pencils:

Document Based Question for aspiring leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature

Name___________________________ Date_________________

Directions Part 1:

Below are two sets of documents.

1. Describe each document set.
2. Explain the intent of each document set.
3. Compare and contrast the qualifications detailed in each document set.
4. Using evidence from the documents, please select a candidate to chair your state’s education committee.
5. Using evidence please craft a letter to the unqualified candidate explaining the reasons for your decision.

Directions Part 2:

1. Create a world of fantasy.
2. Complete steps 4-5 again except this time select the other candidate.

If you were able to successfully complete the directions in Part 2 please move to the front of the line.  You are obviously capable of ignoring evidence and unable to reason. Therefore your intentions are at the least questionable and at the most destructive. You are ready for a leadership position in Wisconsin politics.

Document Set #1

Document Set #2Document Based Question for aspiring leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature. | BustED Pencils:

Jersey Jazzman: Teaching Children In Dangerous Classrooms: It's How We Roll

Jersey Jazzman: Teaching Children In Dangerous Classrooms: It's How We Roll:

Teaching Children In Dangerous Classrooms: It's How We Roll

A press release came to my email box today from the Newark Teachers Union:

NEWARK, NJ — Abington Ave is a crime scene. Zero planning, even less consideration.

As one parent explained, "My kids came home last week and yesterday in soaking wet shirts from sweating. Abington is worse than most of the schools right now. They are fixing the school's exterior and the  windows are all covered in plastic. These poor kids have ZERO fresh air. They are surviving on fans that the teachers have supplied! The secretaries have AC units in the office and are also unable to use

them because they are covered in plastic and sealed."

God only knows what air they are breathing in at this school. Deputy Superintendents Brad Haggerty and Peter Turnamian have no kids here, so they rejected any suggestions and ordered all schools remain open.

NTU is sending help. Hopefully, the Mayor's office will too.

John M Abeigon

President- Director of Organization

Newark Teachers Union

Meanwhile, in Camden, the aunt of a student at Bonsall Elementary School posts a video (which I can't embed here because it's on Facebook, so click the link to watch) showing how students on the two lower floors are sweltering in classrooms with no air conditioning.

But up on the third floor, it's nice and cool. Why? Because that floor was taken over by the Uncommon charter chain, which somehow allowed the district to magically acquire the funds necessary for the school's renovation. Except somehow, when it came to HVAC needs, the floors housing classrooms for the public district schools didn't get refurbished in

- See more at: http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2015/09/teaching-children-in-dangerous.html#sthash.BmcQJYOf.dpuf

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 9/9/15 #FightForDyett

SPECIAL NITE CAP 

CORPORATE ED REFORM

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Blame the Billionaires, Not the Teachers - Slog - The Stranger

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Charter School Commission preparing to close down | The Columbian

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Malloy playing key role in the effort to unseat Pedro Segarra and install Luke Bronin as Hartford’s Mayor - Wait What?

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First Year of CAASP Results - Year 2015 (CA Dept of Education)

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You are invited to a Community Meeting to support the Seattle educators’ strike | Seattle Education

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Alfie Kohn: Why those annoying ‘helicopter parents’ aren’t so bad after all - The Washington Post

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Washington State Charters Vow to Remain Open Via Private Funding | deutsch29

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Teachers Work For Free In A School District Bled By Charter Schools

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Ensuring teachers have resources on LGBT issues :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet

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How you can support teachers during the Seattle teachers’ strike and other pertinent information #4MyTeacher | Seattle Education

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Data: The Governors Running for President and Their K-12 Records - Education Week

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What makes a public school public? Washington state court finds charter schools unconstitutional - The Washington Post

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IEPs for All—Or Something Else?

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Council Member Sawant » Letter to the Seattle School Board Supporting the Right of Educators to Strike

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by mike simpson / 10h hide  //  save

YESTERDAY

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 9/8/15 #FightForDyett

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by mike simpson / 1d