Modern School: Steve Conn Suspended From Detroit Teachers Union

Modern School: Steve Conn Suspended From Detroit Teachers Union

Steve Conn Suspended From Detroit Teachers Union

by Michael Dunn

Steve Conn, who continues to maintain that he won the recent presidential election for the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT), has been suspended from the union, along with three of his colleagues. He was suspended for disrupting the swearing in ceremony for his rival, Keith Johnson, who won the contested union election with less than a 100 votes. Hundreds of valid ballots were thrown out in the election, ballots that Conn and many others believe were unjustly invalidated. Conn asked for a recount, lost, and then won his appeal.

The suspension has no effect on Conn’s teaching assignment or pay or benefits. However, i

Gay Agenda or Teaching Tolerance?

by Michael Dunn

In a move that has pissed off religious conservatives, California state senator Mark Leno (Democrat from San Francisco) proposed a bill in December that would require textbooks to include gay history and portray it “in a positive light.” With all the recent media coverage of bullying and gay suicides, the time would seem ripe for this bill. However, homophobic parents and religious leaders are vowing to fight it.

In 2008, a lesbian student at Jesse Bethel High School in Vallejo, California, filed suit with the American Civil Liberties Union accusing the local school district of discrimination. As part of the settlement, administrators recently agreed to show films and assign homework depicting same-sex families, starting with elementary school-aged students.

In November parents and religious leaders attacked the school board for “pushing their gay

Walker Losing Support from Senate Republicans in Wisconsin? | FDL News Desk #wiunion

Walker Losing Support from Senate Republicans in Wisconsin? | FDL News Desk

Walker Losing Support from Senate Republicans in Wisconsin?

by David Dayen

boxed in?

Scott Walker is boxed in. He missed his chance to claim victory when public employee unions agreed to his health care and pension concessions, essentially agreeing to a 7% pay cut. But Walker wanted it all. He wanted the destruction of public unions by eliminating collective bargaining. Nothing less would do.

We know what happened next (though if you want an excellent explainer of how it all transpired, Andy Kroll has you covered). The outcome will either be decided by Senate Democrats, or Senate Republicans. Walker will not move. But it appears his colleagues on the GOP side in the Senate may. Stephen Moore sent out an alarm calltoday:

Conservatives in Wisconsin are getting nervous that three Republican state senators may defect

Corporate funded fascists working hard to defeat American workers | Dailycensored.com

Corporate funded fascists working hard to defeat American workers | Dailycensored.com

Corporate funded fascists working hard to defeat American workers

Written by Danny WeilMediaMar 4, 2011

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The fascists at Fox work non-stop, 24/7 to bring their message of corporate fascism to a bewildered American population. They also work day and night to advise their supplicant coin-operated politicians how to divide and conquer the working class in the interest of corporatiziing the state.

The truth of the matter is that we are beyond neo-liberalism now; the corporations prefer ownership of the ‘state’ rather than ‘managing the state’. The ‘Shock doctrine’ that began with New Orleans, Louisiana after the hurricane has now spread throughout the nation. This is a Pinochet moment.

Fox and Rupert Murdoch along with rightwing radio, so-called Christian radio and TV, and propaganda advisors like Karl Rove, Frank Luntz and

Layoff Notices Go Out in Wisconsin as Walker Approval Plummets | FDL News Desk

Layoff Notices Go Out in Wisconsin as Walker Approval Plummets | FDL News Desk

Layoff Notices Go Out in Wisconsin as Walker Approval Plummets

by David Dayen

(photo: mrbula)

Scott Walker held to his threat of issuing layoff notices to public employees because of the passing of a deadline for the budget reapir bill. The deadline, which concerns a $165 million refinancing scheme that Walker claims he needs time to accomplish, seems bogus to many financial experts who I’ve consulted about this. Basically, bond restructuring doesn’t need four months lead time, which Walker wants here. It’s pretty clear that Walker is using the layoff notices as a tool to pressure unions and the Democratic Senators to finish off the bill.

Behind the Right-Wing Attacks on Collective Bargaining : NEA Today

Behind the Right-Wing Attacks on Collective Bargaining : NEA Today

Behind the Right-Wing Attacks on Collective Bargaining

March 4, 2011 by clong
Filed under Featured News, State News, Top Stories

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by Cindy Long

Despite opposition within its own GOP ranks, and several national polls showing that the public supports collective bargaining, Republicans in Wisconsin, Ohio, and a growing number of other states around the country are determined to strip the rights of public employees under the guise of balancing state budgets.

“We’re staying focused on reducing the cost of government and making Ohio competitive, and the first place to start is with our own budgets,” said Ohio Sen. Shannon Jones, the Republican sponsor of SB5, which eliminates public employee collective bargaining.

But trying to blame public employee salaries and pensions for budget shortfalls is a red herring. Republican-controlled legislatures around the country, from New Hampshire to Arizona to Florida, are

State officials back off Capitol damage claim - JSOnline #WIunion #SolidarityWI

State officials back off Capitol damage claim - JSOnline

State officials back off Capitol damage claim

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By Jason Stein and Sharif Durhams of the Journal Sentinel

March 4, 2011 11:36 a.m. |(260) COMMENTS

Madison — State officials charged with overseeing the state Capitol are now backing away from their estimate that demonstrators did more than $7 million in damage to the building.

"I think that's more of a worst-case scenario," said Jeff Plale, the former Democratic state senator who is now the state facilities administrator. "There are other estimates."

Touring the Capitol Friday morning with state architect Dan Stephans, Plale said he had not immediately observed any damage from demonstrations over Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair bill, though the pair was just starting their tour. Plale said that he didn't believe the state had had any experienced contractor provide the quote on the damages.

Officials said in Dane County court Thursday that the damage could come from tape used for posting

State Rep. in Wisconsin Tackled to the Ground By Police | FDL News Desk

State Rep. in Wisconsin Tackled to the Ground By Police | FDL News Desk

State Rep in Wisconsin Tackled to the Ground by Police

by David Dayen

As I noted last night, a Dane County judge ordered an end to the lockdown tactics of the Capitol Police and the Department of Administration, but also required that the building be shut after hours if no public business is taking place. So this meant that the occupation of the Capitol ended last night, with the final protesters streaming out of the building, to a chorus of “Solidarity Forever,” at 10pm. They left peacefully and triumphantly, secure in the knowledge that they would return today. And indeed, they did return today. The Department of Administration opened the building at 8am with a revised set of procedures. There will be two open entrances and exits, but protesters will be restricted to the ground floor Rotunda area. DOA will restrict sleeping bags, mattresses, guitars and drums, noisemakers, cooking appliances and other items. And taping up signs inside the Capitol is now prohibited, though the signs already up will be returned to the public.

The protests will look very different from what occurred over the past couple weeks. But protesters still have the moral high ground. Look no further for evidence of that than this appalling display last night, when Capitol Policeforcefully tackled State Rep. Nick Milroy (D). The police said they thought he was one of the protesters. In fact,

Dickinson College Students Sit In for New Sexual Assault Policies « Student Activism

Dickinson College Students Sit In for New Sexual Assault Policies « Student Activism

Dickinson College Students Sit In for New Sexual Assault Policies

by Angus Johnston

Two days ago, a group of more than two hundred students at Pennsylvania’s Dickinson College marched on the school’s administration building to protest campus policies on sexual assault.

They’re still there.

The Dickinson activists — a significant fraction of the total student population of the 2400-person campus — are demanding specific changes to the college’s policies, and they’ve already won several concessions. (The college

Activities scheduled for Wisconsin this weekend: Fred Klonsky's blog #wearewi #wiunion

Fred Klonsky's blog

(title unknown)

by Fred Klonsky

Activities scheduled for Wisconsin this weekend:

MADISON
Saturday 3/5/2011 – The Amalgamated Transit Union will gather between 10:30 and 11:00 am at the Inn on the Park (22 S. Carroll St.) to rally at the Capitol
Saturday 3/5/2011 – 12pm
AFSCME march to the capitol at noon. Meet @ Wisconsin St. & the Capitol (by blue AFSCME tent).

Saturday 3/5/2011 – 2 pm
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers rally at the Capitol. The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Building Trades will be grilling free brats and hot dogs on Wisconsin Ave. near the Capitol and will join the rallies.
Sunday 3/6/2011 – 12 Noon Rally
ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THESE RALLIES!
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – — – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -
Saturday 3/12/2011 – 3pm
Rally at the Capitol
MILWAUKEE AREA (Jennissee Volpintesta 262-364-6751) and Peter Drummond (414-333-1606)

Friday, March 4 – 7pm Metropolitan Baptist Church, 1345 W. Burleigh Ave., Milwaukee – Jesse Jackson & Organized Labor event
Saturday, 3/5/2011
Anti-Walker Budget Rally & Visibility – North Shore Park & Ride – I-43 & E. Silver Spring Drive, Glendale – 9am
2nd and 30th Senate District (Julie Heun – 920-904-2005)

Friday – 3/4/2011 – 7 am
Americans for Prosperity Protest – Perkins Restaurant & Bakery – 2800 S. Oneida St. – Green Bay, WI 54303
Friday – 3/4/2011 – 12:30pm
GB Correctional Officers Rally – Green Bay Correctional Institution – Webster Avenue (between C & D Towers)
Monday – 3/7/2011 – 12:30pm
GB Correctional Officers Rally – Green Bay Correctional Institution – Webster Avenue (between C & D Towers)
Sunday – 3/13/2011 @ 5:30pm
Lincoln Reagan Dinner of the Brown County Republicans, Rock Garden Conference Center, 1951 Bond St., Green Bay Contact: Gary Lonzo at (920) 366-1107
10th Senate District (Jim Mangan 715-505-2835)

Saturday – 03/05/2011 – 1:30 p.m.
Americans for Prosperity Protest – Best Western Hudson House – 1616 Crest View Drive – Hudson, WI
12th Senate District (Scott Wright – 920-450-2121)

Friday, 3/4/2011
Americans for Prosperity Protest – Wolff’s Log Cabin Restaurant – 721 W. Kemp Street – Rhinelander, WI 54501 – 4:00 p.m.
13th Senate District (Greg Neil 608-556-9521)

Friday – 03/04/2011 – 6:30am
“Breakfast with Fitz”, Meet at the IAM Labor Hall, 258 Barstow St., Horicon. Contact: Todd Wetzel at (920) 210-7853 Saturday – 03/05/2011 – 6:30am
“Breakfast with Fitz”, Meet at the IAM Labor Hall, 258 Barstow St., Horicon. Contact: Todd Wetzel at (920) 210-7853
Saturday – Lincoln Day Dinner Protest - – 3/5/2011 – Kestrel Ridge Country Club – 900 Avalon Road,Columbus, WI – 4:30 p.m.
Sunday – 03/06/2011 – 6:30am
“Breakfast with Fitz”, Meet at the IAM Labor Hall, 258 Barstow St., Horicon. Contact: Todd Wetzel at (920) 210-7853 Monday – 03/07/2011 – 6:30am
“Breakfast with Fitz”, Meet at the IAM Labor Hall, 258 Barstow St., Horicon. Contact: Todd Wetzel at (920) 210-7853
14th Senate District (Scott Wright 920-450-2121)
Friday, 3/4/2011 – Rep. Fred Clark Listening Sessions
Lake Delton – Kay C. MacKesey Administration Building – 50 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy South – Board Room – 9am-11am
Montello – Marquette County Court House – 77 W. Park St. – Public Safety Room – 12pm-2pm
Portage – Wayne Bartels Middle School – 2505 New Pinery Rd – School Gymnasium – 3:15pm-5:15pm
15th Senate District (Justin Geiger 414-745-4177)
7th Senate District (Mayrose Wegman )

Friday, 03/04/2011 @ 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Juneau County Courthouse, Mauston. Please feel free to invite anyone who opposes the budget repair bill that strips workers of their rights. Learn more at; http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191001420932224
18th Senate District (Skyler Johnston, 573-355-0578)
19th Senate District (Greg Hinds 920-540-2309)

Daily in Menasha — 10am – 5pm
Canvass/call and yard sign assembly; USW District 2 Office
Tuesday, 3/8/11 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Rally – Appleton. Houdini Plaza (corner of College Ave and Appleton St.)
Thursday 3/10/11
Potential Town Hall Meeting

Potential Town Hall Meeting
Menasha
Canvass/calls/and yard sign assembly (until all finished)
USW District 2 office
Monday to Friday 10 am – 5 pm. Hours can be extended. Please respond if there is interest in later hours.
21st Senate District (Justin Geiger 414-745-4177)

Friday, 03/04/2011 @ 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Informational Picket at the intersection of Highways 31 and 20, Racine. People are encouraged to bring megaphones, if you have them. Contact is Trista Serrano (262) 498-5037.
Friday, 03/04/2011 @ 6pm
Faith Forum – Budget Impact on Racine County – 2nd Missionary Baptist Church – 1250 Lathrop Avenue,Racine
22nd Senate District (Justin Geiger 414-745-4177)

Saturday, 3/5/2011 @ 10:00am
Rally & Canvassing – Southern Lakes United Educators Office – 616 Droster Avenue, Burlington, WI
23rd and 31st Senate District (Andy Thompson (715) 456-4113)

Saturday, 03/05/2011 – 10:30 a.m.
Counter-rally at Governor Walker’s AFP-sponsored bus tour – Holiday Inn 2703 Craig Rd – Eau Claire, WI 54701
24th Senate District (Scott Wright 920-450-2121)

Thursday, 03/03/2011 @ 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Rally at the Adams County Courthouse
25th Senate District

Friday – 3/4/2011
Spooner Rally – Corner of River & Main Street – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday 3/5/2011
2:00 p.m. Rally at the Solon Springs post office – 9226 E Main St., Solon Springs
Saturday, 03/05/2011 @ Noon – 2:00pm
Rally, Douglas County Courthouse, Belknap St. & Hammond St., Superior
27th Senate District

Monday, 03/07/2011 @ 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Mount Horeb Public Hearing, Mount Horeb High School Auditorium, 305 S. 8th St. Speaker: Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts (D-79).
32nd Senate District (Tabbitha Norris 502-939-8459)
Saturday, 3/5/2011 5:30 PM
Protest against Americans for Prosperity, Radisson Hotet, 200 Front Street in La Crosse

Monday, 3/7/2011 8:00 AM
Speak with Senator Kapanke, Vernon County Courthouse, 400 Court House Square, Viroqua

Thursday, 3/10/2011 7:30 -9:30 PM
Black River Beach Neighborhood Center, 1433 Rose Street, La Crosse
Other WI Locations

Friday, 3/5/2011 @ 12:30pm
Americans for Prosperity Protest – Plaza Hotel – 201 N. 17th Street – Wausau, WI – 12:30pm

Queens Teacher: How is it people will vote against their own economic interests?

Queens Teacher: How is it people will vote against their own economic interests?

How is it people will vote against their own economic interests?

Maddow: "There are two sides and because the democratic side has inherently the one that has more people in it and this is a democracy and it's one person, one vote. The Republican side, in order to compete with thay has to use money to leverage as many votes as they can because their side represents the interests of fewer people. That's where they

ThinkProgress » EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senator Yanked Off Committee Speaks Out, Was Informed 30 Minutes Before Anti-Union Vote

ThinkProgress » EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senator Yanked Off Committee Speaks Out, Was Informed 30 Minutes Before Anti-Union Vote

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senator Yanked Off Committee Speaks Out, Was Informed 30 Minutes Before Anti-Union Vote

On Wednesday, just moments before a key committee in the Ohio State Senate was to vote on a GOP bill that would effectively dismantle public employees’ right to collectively bargain, the Senate’s Republican leaderreplaced a GOP committee member who opposed the bill with someone who supported it to ensure the measure passed. It was a brazen and nearly unprecedented move, and even more so considering that State Sen. Bill Seitz (R) told ThinkProgress that he is good friends with, and has been roommates for ten years with State Senate President Tom Niehaus, who yanked Seitz off the committee. Indeed, they were sworn in to the state House on the same day and eventually followed each other to the Senate, sharing an apartment in the capital throughout.

In a telephone interview with ThinkProgress yesterday afternoon, Seitz recounted how he was informed of the move by his good friend Niehaus just a half hour before the vote. Seitz, a conservative Republican who proudly noted that he works for a

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's Croissants

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's Croissants

Duncan's Croissants

by Mike Klonsky

I'm really pissed at my friend Arne Duncan. He never even thought to invite me to hisBreakfast With Bloggers over at the DOE. He knows how much I love those croissants and coffee, ordered up fresh from the department commissary. I guess he's not quite ready to reach across the other aisle. That's OK, Arne. I'm patient.

Or maybe the breakfast was one of those Race-To-The-Top-type deals where you have to submit your blog posts in advance. Then Arne could look you right in the eyes, like he did with Arizona's Sen. McCain and Gov. Brewer, and determine who was most deserving of this meal on the taxpayer's dime. (Oops, put your guns away, T-baggers. I may be wrong about that. He probably paid for the croissants with private foundation dollars.)

Anyway, I'm not really grousing or complaining (I got my own coffee & muffins Letitia's in Logan Square). I also got a full report on the eat-in this morning from Edweek's Michelle McNeil and from my favorite teacher/union-bashing blogger, Rick Hess, who probably had only a short cab ride over from his AEI think-tank office. You can

First there was Dumb and Dumber… | Dailycensored.com

First there was Dumb and Dumber… | Dailycensored.com

First there was Dumb and Dumber…

Written by Ken_SayersDaily Journal (Opinion)Mar 4, 2011

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Now we have greed and greedier. I remember when movies were ridiculously inexpensive. In high school, one could take his girlfriend out for movie and a pizza for around twenty dollars. Baseball and football games were more expensive, but were not cost prohibitive. Today, if you are a fan, you have to spend thousands of dollars just to buy a license that lets you buy season tickets that can cost you more than what an automobile used to cost, not that long ago. It is laughable to see football players and owners fighting over who can get a bigger piece of the revenue from the games. They are already making millions and they want more. I think it is time to boycott these crooks who threaten to pull their franchises out if the taxpayers, most of whom cannot even afford tickets, do not build them a brand new place to play. Shut these greedy bast@#*s down.

We still have dumb and dumber, however. We have Rick Scott, in Florida, who says he is all about increasing jobs in Florida. His first real action is to turn down billions of $$$ in federal aid (JOBS) to build a high-speed rail