ICE Nominates Marilyn

Beckford For President

PAC joins in endorsement
The Independent Community of Educators (ICE) unanimously
chosen Marilyn Beckford, chapter leader of Hillcrest high school
in Queens, as its presidential candidate to challenge Randi Wein-
garten in the mid-March UFT elections. The Progressive Action
Caucus (PAC) added their unanimous support at a meeting held
on Jan. 17.
Beckford, a grandmother, has four children. Her 15 year old
twins are currently attending NYC high
schools (Brooklyn Tech and BSGE).
One of her older daughters recently
graduated from the U. of Penn. law
school. A Rockaway resident, she was
active as a parent when her children
attended schools in District 27.
Before she became a teacher
Beckford was a production editor in
publishing, working with a number of
authors including Margaret Walker and
tennis great Arthur Ashe.
Beckford has been at Hillcrest
for 15 years. An English teacher, she
was a dean for six years and wrote
the school`s detention code. She believes the fate of the union
depends on strong chapters and she has organized a number of
committees in the school that meet regularly.
As chapter leader, Beckford publishes a chapter newsletter
every week called The Hillcrest Herald. (See excerpts below.)
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Vol. 7 No. 3 VOTE ICE/PAC IN THE UFT ELECTIONS March/April 2004
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ICE Update (See platform on pages 7-10)
The Independent Community of Educators (ICE)
has been joined by the Progressive Action Caucus
(PAC) to run a joint slate in the UFT elections. ICE,
afhliated with Ed. Notes, began meeting in late Octo-
ber and has held regular Friday meetings attended
by over forty people. Former New Action members
have been instrumental in ICE`s formation.
Circulation: 25,000 and growing like a fungus
Have Union, Will Grovel for Contract
Beckford, a grandmother, has four children. Her 15 year old
The Hillcrest Herald
by Marilyn Beckford
February 2, 2004
Both teaching and parenting are multi-tasking activities that
require dedication and skill. Too bad the same cannot be said
for 'politricking.
News of Two Weeks: 'UFT Members E-mail Chancellor
'City Council Safety Hearings
The Chancellor in a letter
in the New York Teacher
(Jan. 14) made a request
for UFT members to E-
mail him regarding the
DOE`s reorganization of
the NYC school system.
His letter dated Jan. 6, referred to the UFT members outnum-
bering him 80,000 to 1. The Chancellor contends that 'we
(DOE) need the beneft of your (UFT members) wisdom and
support. He, however, does not believe our aptitudes and
abilities are worthy of compensation. His insistence to the end
that collective bargaining should be left directly to the union
leadership and himself (both lawyers and non-teachers) is a
signal of the membership`s true situation.
WHEN SHOULD THE UFT
MEMBERSHIP EXPECT TO
COME UNDER COMPLETE
MAYORAL CONTROL?
---Marilyn Beckford
Yes, this is a union president who is going to talk
about removing teachers who should not be teaching.
And I do that without hesitation, because this a union
that is not about just keeping people. We are about
keeping qualifed people....I want you all to know that
I fully briefed Joel Klein last night on this speech
because I want to do in every way possible what I can
to extend my hand in partnership, and my members'
hands in partnership.'
----Randi Weingarten in speech to business leaders.
IS THIS THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP WE
WANT RUNNING THE UFT?
Bloomberg and Klein would answer a resounding
YES.
From the NY Times:
Chancellor Klein's response was enthusiastic. I think
she has some very positive, constructive proposals,'
he said, adding that he looked forward to working out
the details in formal contract talks....
Ms. Weingarten's public effort to reach out to the
Bloomberg administration and Schools Chancellor
Joel I. Klein seemed to signal a thaw after months of
icy relations with the city, a state of affairs that had
begun to draw criticism from the business and non-
proft communities.
Ah Yes! These are the people Randi Weingarten is
catering to, more concerned with how she is perceived
by them than in mounting a militant defense of teach-
ers. After all, there`s got to be life after being a union
leader and that life certainly doesn`t include teaching
in the NY City school system.
Again from the Times:
Weingarten called for expanding a program for
troubled teachers.'
Want to hear about troubled teachers? Read Mi-
chael Winerip`s searing Jan. 28, 2004 column in the
NY Times about how the principal of Brooklyn Tech
harassed 3 'troubled teachers right out of the school.
Only one problem; they were gifted teachers. Teachers
the UFT couldn`t, or wouldn`t, defend.
One of these teachers, Alice Alcala, has writ-
ten a telling letter in which she responds to former
colleagues critical of her cooperation with Winerip:
' I agreed to do this article because of the sellout by
Randi Weingarten concerning 'U ratings. ...The issue
isn`t about Tech anymore. The issue is about all of us,
all over the city. lt is open season on teachers especial-
ly older ones. (Read the full text on page 12).
Alice, don`t you know the solution to these prob-
lems is having a UFT leader who extends her and her
members` hands in partnership with Bloom and Klein?
Why not just call them BloomWeinKlein?
Voters Beware Voters Beware ::
Continued page 2 Continued page 2
90 Day Improvment Plan for Teacher Union
Presidents. See back page.
Page 2 March/April 2004
Education Notes
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Cartoonists ENK, Quag
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Thanks to all the people who have assisted in the production and
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Special thanks to the people of ICE. Thanks also to the people who
have sent in subscriptions and contributions.
Editorial policy: other than the jokes on page 15, if it`s not signed
or attributed to some source, then the editor wrote it. Unless you
really hate it. In that case assume the author was anonymous or a
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In This Edition
Beckford is ICE candidate 1
Have Union, WiII GroveI 1
ENK cartoon 1
Ex-NACers Desert New Action 3
Unity: Just another rubber stamp 4
ICE candidates do Q&A ICE candidates do Q&A ICE candidates do Q&A 5-6
ICE Candidates number 233 7
ICE PIatform 8-10
Oppose 3rd Grade Gates 11
Greg PaIast exposes Bush on NCLB 12
AIice AIcaIa on BrookIyn Tech 12
Ed. Notes HotIine heIps paras 12
Ron Isaac: Pieces of My Heart 13
Organizing Weak Chapters 13
Norm Scott: EarIy Teaching Days 14
Jokes 15
UFT Ieaders have 90 days to improve 16
Sign up for Ed. Notes Mailing Lists
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fows in through email which we pass back out to our respective lists. One
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The greatest danger to our wellbeing is to not
have an opposing voice raised to the present ex-
ecutive board.
Email to Ed. Notes
It is time to admit that
public education operates
like a planned economy.
It's a bureaucratic system
where everybody's role is
spelled out in advance,
and there are few incen-
tives for innovation and
productivity. It's not a
surprise when a school
system doesn't improve.
It more resembles a Com-
munist economy than our
own market economy.'
----Albert Shanker
The City Council Safety hearings refect the truth about safety in the hands of the police department.
Police Commissioner Kelly said 'we don`t have the information technology to produce safety data for
individual schools. Yet, John Feinblatt, the City`s Justice Coordinator, said that two-thirds of the City`s
schools had no safety problems at all. How would Mr. Feinblatt know this since the Police Department
in charge of school safety, since 1998, does not have computerized data that can be effectively sent to
the Education Department?
Parents, UFT members, and the public need to wake up!
The NY Teacher of Jan. 14, 2004 showed a photo of a police van parked in front of a school and the
headline 'Mayor Finally Gets Serious About Safety. The Mayor`s declaration that he will put a police-
man beside every student if he has to is frightening, to say the least, in a City where there is no signed
agreement between the DOE, the UFT, the CSA and the police department. The public should be con-
cerned about illegal alliances carried on under their very noses by public offcials sworn to uphold the
law. It was the UFT leadership who supported the Governor who spent 11 million dollars on lawyers to
do NYC children out of their rights under FAPE. The same UFT leadership supported centralization of
the Board under the Mayor and present Chancellor. The UFT leadership now supports safety with a po-
lice department that admits that it does not have the capability or the training of its offcers to deal with
children. It is indeed 'Children First. Children are the frst victims of public offcials and union leaders
who have forgotten what it means to be a child.
The big question of the week is: WHEN SHOULD THE UFT MEMBERSHIP EXPECT TO
COME UNDER COMPLETE MAYORAL CONTROL?
Inside Education: A View From The Front-Line
by Phyllis C. Murray
To the editor:
Re: Police are not the answer
Fifty years after the Brown v. the Board of Education, the New York
City public schools are still virtually segregated. Housing is also segre-
gated. This is done through economics. Minorities AKA the poor, rest at
the bottom rung of the economic ladder. The poor attend schools together
in the poorer neighborhoods. For decades the poorer neighborhoods have
been known for their failing schools, high crime rates, uncertifed teach-
ers and inadequate services. Case in point: one guidance counselor for
hundreds of students.
Teachers in these inner city schools are always struggling to get the ne-
cessities for their schools. When lobbying in Albany does not help, many
teachers are forced to take out-of-pocket monies to create the proper
classroom environments for their students. Many teachers pull out all
stops in a frantic attempt to get the job done. But despite their efforts, the
schools become as poor as the neighborhoods they serve.
These impoverished schools are placed on the bottom of a list for
repairs, for renovation, and for restoration. Crumbling ceilings, walls,
foor tiles, become the daily realities for students and teachers year after
year. Mice, roaches, and et al. become a part of the classroom setting even
when lessons are unrelated to science. And sadly, both students and teach-
ers become caught in the crossfre on the streets and in the schools as
crime unabated makes daily inroads wherever it can. These communities
appear to be virtually red lined. Nothing good comes in; anything good,
leaves...which includes the most gifted and talented students & teach-
ers as well as art, music and physical education. Few politicians or city
government offcials visit these schools. Benign neglect becomes their
mantra.
Surely 'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. said Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Lest we forget, institutionalized racism is not a
myth. It is the day-to-day reality for many. Surely it must be evident that
we cannot build a strong foundation for this great Nation on a founda-
tion of misery for any one of its citizens. There is more work to be done!
Brown vs the Board of Education was merely a beginning. We must press
on!!
PS/MS 75X
Fifty years after the Brown v. the Board of Education, the New York
Teachers in these inner city schools are always struggling to get the ne-
These impoverished schools are placed on the bottom of a list for
Surely 'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. said Dr.
Marilyn Beckford continued from page 1 Marilyn Beckford continued from page 1
Will Next Issue Be
Ed. Notes` last?
With this edition, our sev-
enth since we went to a full
newspaper tabloid format in
Sept. 2002, we approach the
end of a two year commit-
ment to put out an alterna-
tive point of view to the
New York Teacher. Our aim
has been to provide people
working in the NYC school
system with the informa-
tion they need to make
rational decisions about
critical issues facing them.
While the response has been
enthusiastic, we had hoped
that we would get a higher
level of fnancial support
than we have. The goal
was to have schools that
regularly receive Ed. Notes
take up a collection at union
meetings to help support the
effort. While individuals
have been very supportive,
that school-wide effort has
not been forthcoming and
has made us question the
value of Ed. Notes in this
format. Unless contribu-
tions increase substantially,
the May/June issue may be
the last as we shift to a less
expensive electronic format.
March/April 2004 Education Notes Page 3
The January edition oI (G1RWHV reported extensively on the 'arrangement between Randi
Weingarten`s Unity Caucus and the major opposition party New Action. Former New
Action member and UFT Executive Board member James Eterno, now running under the
ICE banner, wrote in his page 1 article:
Retiree Advocate Disafhliates from New Action
The Retiree Advocate is a group of retirees of afflated with NAC for 20 years. Some members, after
learning of the deal with Weingarten not to run a candidate against her., recently voted to disaffliate from
New Action. The Exec. Bd of NAC sent a letter to each member of the Retiree Advocate (12/26/03). Here
are some excerpts:
Retiree Advocate Members Respond:
An Open Letter to
New Action
(Excerpts)
I am writing to inform you that I will not be supporting your
merger with Unity. I joined NAC years ago believing that
the 'good fght for labor unions is the only way to make
life decent for workers in America. If you look around, all
the good things that workers have come from the unions`
struggle. Hearing Ms. Weingarten call someone a 'socialist
because he believes in equal pay for equal work and reading
your support of her leaves me no option but to question your
motives for supporting a union leader who has no insight into
this important history. Union work is hard, and it takes years to
get success. Coming from a union family and being the third
generation, I realize that even my lifetime is short in the fght.
Unity offering NAC or any UFT members part-time
union work is a small gain. It really is a pay-off to keep quiet.
Please look at the votes that go to the union every three
years. Unity wins because retirees vote. Most of the older
retirees are on Tier I and had the best benefts. What do they
know about the real day of a teacher anymore? They are not
voting with good conscience, and if they were working today
would be as angry as the average teacher.
What is most upsetting is your comment that your
chances of winning the presidency are next to zero. It shows
you have taken the gloves off. You will possess no power in
this merger. Ms. Weingarten runs the union from the top down.
Are you sure you can really spearhead the agenda in the UFT
without holding the powers at the top responsible?
Peace,
Janelle Barabash, Delegate, Midwood HS
Janelle Barabash is a long-time New Action member who is
running for Executive Board with ICE.
New Action Faces Desertions New Action Faces Desertions
Word of Sellout to Unity Spreads Word of Sellout to Unity Spreads
"A deal between the two main caucuses (political
parties) has been reached. Aew Action has agreed
not to run a candidate for president against Randi
Weingarten in next spring's UF1 Election but
they will run a slate for other positions. How
can a political party (AAC) run in an election
and not run for the top ofpce? Would any citizen
vote for the Democratic Party's Jice Presidential
candidate next year if the Democrats decided not
to run a candidate for president against Bush, but
a Democrat ran for JP? If AAC is not opposing
Randi, why run at all? What will be their slogan?
:Randi and Aew Action. Perfect 1ogether.' Anyone
who votes for AAC will be voting for a fraudulent
opposition and essentially supporting Weingarten.
In return for not running against Weingarten,
Randi's Unity Caucus has agreed to open up part-
time union jobs for Aew Action (AAC) members
and to not run candidates against AAC's six
High School Executive Board candidates in the
upcoming election. Unity also agreed to have an
organizing committee that includes AAC members
to organize weak chapters and to have a bipartisan
UF1 Action Committee formulate an action
plan. Finally, Unity will support a change to the
UF1 Constitution to allow a caucus to replace its
UF1 Executive Board members if seats become
vacant between elections. 1hese cosmetic changes
will not exactly alter the Union's fundamentally
undemocratic structure."
High School Teachers Face High School Teachers Face
Unusual Choice: ICE/PAC and Unusual Choice: ICE/PAC and
TJC Vs. New Action TJC Vs. New Action
Battle for High School Executive Board Battle for High School Executive Board
Seats Crucial Seats Crucial
It was with shock and dismay that we heard of the decision of Retiree Advocate to disassociate itself
from New Action/UFT. What has been the reason for this drastic action? A positive relationship of more
than 20 years was terminated without any opportunity for discussion. Our relationship with the present
UFT leadership can best be described as responsible' opposition. Unity's response to New Action is no
longer knee-jerk opposition. Our proposals get a fair hearing. We believe that this relationship benefts the
members. It also allows New Action/UFT to make a legitimate claim of leadership within the UFT as we
continue to drive the union's agenda. New Action's inuence with the leadership could be very benefcial to
Shock and dismay were exactly the feel-
ings some of us had when we heard that you
had decided to sell out for a few positions and
some part time jobs.
Your drastic action precipitated a direct
reaction!
Your paternalistic and insulting attitude
is the same one expressed to us by Tom Pappas
at the RTC meetings so perhaps it is only ft-
ting that you wind up partnered with the Unity
Caucus.... If New Action were ... concerned
about its members it would have initiated dis-
cussions about such a serious decision instead
of assuming that it would have no effect on its
members. New Action should have been aware
that such a precipitous action might cause
disaffliation.
It is inconceivable to us that after a solid
twenty year relationship you would take such
action without even giving the Retiree Advo-
cate the beneft of sharing your ideas with us.
Many of the 'unprecedented and mas-
sive attacks on our union were exacerbated
by erroneous decisions made by our union
leadership. The union`s support for Pataki,
willingness to engage Bloomberg and assist
him in taking over education in NYC, discuss-
ing trading salary increases that would be tied
to productivity and a failure to maintain a
democratic atmosphere in our union have made
the voices of those who attack us even more
forceful.
There is a big difference between attack-
ing Weingarten and continuing to maintain a
group that offers an alternative to the current
leadership. Your description of your behavior
as, 'responsible opposition, ' is self-serving
and shows a lack of concern for what is really
best for our membership.
Unity should respond fairly to all the
UFT members not just to those who made a
deal. A true opposition group should maintain
its independence so that it can attempt to en-
courage the UFT to adopt a more progressive
agenda.
The disaffliation from New Action offers
hope for a fair and democratic union in the fu-
ture and not one that is burdened by back room
deals that serve only those who beneft and not
the entire membership. It will also allow us to
recruit new members who seek a more activ-
ist, progressive union and give hope to those
retirees who share our ideals.
This letter only represents the opinions of
the individual signatories and not those of the
Retiree Advocate.
Sincerely,
Peter Bronson*
Maurice Kaufmann
Page 4 Education Notes March/April 2004
Rubber Stamps and YES PeopIe GaIore:
Where's the beef?
Weingarten turns Unity into a rubber stamp
The UFT may have a democratic facade, but actually operates as a top
down institution only marginally dealing with the everyday concerns of its
members. Theoretically, the membership controls the UFT. It does elect the
offcers, the executive board and their own chapter leaders and delegates. (Unfortunately, only about 35%
of in service members bother to return their ballots in union-wide elections.) But through indifference, or
members placing undue faith in those who are elected, a vast self-serving bureaucracy has evolved----a
bureaucracy largely concerned with perpetuating itself in offce through a well-oiled patronage and pubic
relations apparatus.
Domination by one person is an old tradition in the UFT, a tradition that was established with the power
of founding father Albert Shanker. Over the years, we have pointed out how the AdCom (consisting of the
eleven offcers, all of whom owe allegiance to Weingarten) and the Executive Board are rubber stamps, as
is the Delegate Assembly (Ed. Notes, Jan. 04). Then exactly where and how is UFT policy made? Where
do ideas get debated and hashed out? Who are the people advising UFT leaders in the making of so many
decisions that often seem bizarre, to say the least? (Ahem! Promoting the concept of mayoral control,
charter schools, letting each school negotiate its own contracts, etc.) Without a process of open debate,
surrounded by YES men and woman, the UFT leadership ends up with a bad decision-making process.
No one can hold a candle to
Randi Weingarten when it
comes to public relations
81,7<
&DXFXV
Unity Chapter Chair Leaders:
Who do they love?
Unity Caucus discipline can be most onerous at the school level
where many Unity chapter leaders, owing their main loyalty to the
Caucus rather than to the members they were elected to represent,
have to defend sometimes ludicrous policies to their staffs. Thus,
UC Chapter Leaders, who were once exhorting their staffs to stop the
Pataki menace, had to plug the Pataki candidacy (and his John Dewey
Award) years later. Flip-fops on BloomKlein (remember Weingarten`s
'it is all so breathlessly possible statement), local school boards, etc.,
continue.
UC CL`s are at their most collaborative when a school is closing. Since
UFT policy basically supports the closing of 'failing schools, UC CL`s at UFT policy basically supports the closing of 'failing schools, UC CL`s at
these schools are caught between the idea of mobilizing their members to
fght what is often an unfair judgement and supporting UFT policy. They
are often tepid when teachers are left out of the design process or have
their rights trampled upon as they are sent hither and yon. One thing can
be sure: the UC CL`s will be well taken care of. (Well, maybe not as well
under BloomKlein, one of Unity`s motivations to get back in their good
graces.)
Recently we have noticed a shift as UC CL`s have been increasingly
dissatisfied with the policies of a leadership that promotes mayoral
control, high stakes testing for 3rd-graders, using the union to help
remove 'struggling teachers, failed political endorsements, advocating
each school negotiate its own contract, etc., etc., etc. They have quietly
begun to express their displeasure at what is going on in the schools. They
are still Gung -Ho to elect a new mayor. But now, who knows? (Don`t be
shocked to see Bloomberg get the John Dewey Award.)
Weingarten is selling the idea she was not wrong about mayoral
control, she just got the wrong mayor. Many UC CL`s are not buying it.
Being school-based they know full well the dangers of having political
control of the system pass to someone new every four years and know
education should be in the hands of educators not politicians. Or union
leaders with the mentality of a corporate lawyer. If the effort to defeat leaders with the mentality of a corporate lawyer. If the effort to defeat
Bloomberg turns into a disaster it just might be 'Katie bar the door. More
and more UC rank & fle know that Weingarten has been a disaster for the
union and ultimately for their caucus, since basic decisions fow from the
PR department rather than from the experience of teachers.
As restiveness of UC rank & fle grows, can they force changes at the
top? We bet not, since Caucus control is wound tighter than a drum, and
Weingarten has put loyalists in all the key positions of the union. If an
effective opposition comes together and shows signs it can actually win an
election, don`t be surprised to see progressive UC people jump ship.
Elaine Siegel gets it. . . . . .
Elaine Siegel, appointed by Weingarten to head the election committee, was
chairing an Exec. Bd. discussion on the elections. When I raised my hand to
speak she turned to look for Weingarten to ask if it was OK. Someone joked
that she should just make the decision herself. She spat back: ' I know who
signs my paychecks, the most open and honest statement we have heard
as to why the exec. bd. is a rubber stamp. Siegel then denied my request on
the grounds I wasn`t an exec. bd. member. Good point. Except for the fact the grounds I wasn`t an exec. bd. member. Good point. Except for the fact
that just minutes before she called on New Action leader Michael Shulman,
also not an exec. bd. member. She made the decision without feeling she
had to ask Weingarten`s permission, more proof that Unity now views New
Action as part of them Action as part of them. Exec. bd. members holding union jobs makes them
beholden to UFT leaders and takes away their ability to make decisions in
the interests of the members. This is why the high school election for exec.
Bd. where opposition caucuses are opposing Unity supported New Action
is so crucial. VOTE ICE/PAC.
. . . . . and so does Michelle Bodden
When Julie Woodward, a former chapter leader now at a different school,
asked Elementary schools Vice President Michelle Bodden if she could
attend a chapter leader elementary school meeting. Bodden responded:
Dear Julie, Dear Julie,
Unfortunately, you cannot attend the meeting on February 9th. The
meeting is for current chapter leaders only, so the chapter leader of
your school is invited. I hope they will attend so that they can bring your school is invited. I hope they will attend so that they can bring
you the most up to date information. you the most up to date information.
Michelle Bodden Michelle Bodden
So much for getting people involved. The fact that any UFT mem-
ber can attend an exec. bd. meeting (how long before they close these
meetings?) makes Bodden`s decision to limit attendance at an elem CL
meeting ridiculous. Bodden also knows who signs her paychecks.
Note: Julie has been active in ICE and is running for elem. ex. bd. on the
ICE/PAC slate. VOTE ICE/PAC.
Unity Caucus
Some believe that real policy is made in Unity
Caucus, a completely top-down pseudo-democratic
organization, where once a decision is made everyone
must go along and support that decision. Thus, all
Unity Caucus members throughout the union are
silenced as debate is precluded in the official
bodies of the union: the AdCom, the Executive
Board, the Delegate
Assembly, at district
rep. meetings and
even in the schools
themselves with a
Unity chapter leader.
By all reports Unity
Caucus itself doesn`t
really engage in
open debate. The
leadership lays
down the law and
Caucus members go
along (Caucus rules
prohibit any public
criticism of UFT
policy). A perfect example was Randi Weingarten`s
'announcement of the deal with New Action at
a Unity Caucus meeting, surprising a number of
Caucus members, many of whom had looked with
disdain at New Action. Unity Caucus members
(some of the most knowledgeable and dedicated
unionists), often make valid points in private
conversations but are heard only when they act as
parrots of UFT policy. Unity Caucus joins all the
other UFT organs as just another rubber stamp.
People join Unity for a number of reasons.
Naively, some think they will help infuence policy.
Most join to become part of a vast patronage
machine of part-time and full-time union jobs,
fueled by union dues. A full-time union job (with
its additional pension) is the holy grail and many UC
members practically grovel in front of Weingarten
at exec. bd. meetings, to the point where even she
is embarrassed.
When former quasi-opposition New Action
exec. bd. members brought up a resolution to
have union jobs posted for all union members
to apply, Unity members of the exec. bd. buried
the resolution, claiming personnel matters are the
business of the AdCom. Now that New Action will
be offered jobs they are suddenly not as concerned
with this feature. There are only so many jobs to
go around and some Unity Caucus members are
disgruntled, but not enough to cause them to show
much independence. The major ideological glue in
Unity Caucus is holding onto power.
Political Action
One leg of UFT policy is made is in the political/
COPE arena where working with politicians is
a cornerstone. While we are not opposed to the
concept of unions using COPE political action we
are opposed to the cynical way UFT leaders have
used it.
The vast PR machine
The other leg of policy is made in the PR department.
There was a time when the UFT leadership/Unity
Caucus seemed to be ruled by a common ideology,
forged by the common experience of building a
union. Randi Weingarten was the frst UFT leader
who didn`t come out of that common experience and
initially there was internal opposition, especially
from a number of district reps ( a possible
explanation for Weingarten`s attempts to eliminate
elections for that position). But the old guard has
mostly retired and Weingarten has consolidated
her control.
UFT policy increasingly became based on
The 3 P`s: public relations, politics and political
correctness. Weingarten, characterized unfatteringly
by some as 'Clintonesque, also feel your pain, the
4th P. The important thing to her is to make things
look good no matter how bad it stinks below the
surface. Just like the old Board of Ed., the current
DOE, or most politicians. Create Hollywood movie
sets where you see only the facade of buildings with
nothing behind them. Potemkin Villages. Having
minions always ready to tell you how lovely your
new clothes are doesn`t hurt.
Appearance over reality
The most important advisors and creators of UFT
policy reside in the massive and very expensive
Public Relations Department (rumors of a $3
million cost that is buried in the LM-2 reports under
'Consultant Fees.) There is where policy is really
decided. The PR department + a UFT President who
is a lawyer and not a teacher (Randi Weingarten
taught full-time for about 6 months to legitimize her
presidency) = a union more interested in spin than
in results. As for prinscipeles? They don`t know
how to spell the word. Thus, policy shifts with the
perception of how it will play out to the public, the
membership and the press, even if the members get
hurt by that policy. Standards, high stakes testing,
teacher certifcation, discipline in chaotic schools,
mayoral control, support for politicians who will
sell us out, the perpetuation of the myth that all
children can learn equally, etc., are calculated to
make a certain impression on the public without
regard to the interests of the membership. When
reporters are around, the entire PR corps looks like
dogs in heat as they spin, spin, spin. They truly
believe they are spinning straw into gold. They
don`t have a clue.
The UFT is the only body capable of saving public
education. But the leadership fddles with public
relations and politics while the schools burn.
March/April 2004 Education Notes Page 5
Q: 'What if you had trust, fairness and
collaboration substitute for lock-step
rules? Except for things like salaries,
pensions, medical, safety, due process and
things covered by law, maybe virtually
everything else should be negotiable.
Can you describe some of the work rules
at stake in negotiations? How would the
elimination of these rules affect teach-
ers and support staff, in and out of the
workplace?
A: Well, the glib answer is that you
wouldn`t have the NYC public school
system as currently constituted or envi-
sioned by its managers. A more serious
answer regarding the danger of this path
is that it presupposes on Randi`s part a
degree of equality and mutuality between
staff and administration that rarely exists.
In reality, this process would play out
with principals alternately hoodwinking,
browbeating/intimidating and bribing the
teachers in the affected schools. There
would be a lot of talk about how the
school is a 'family - yes, with the prin-
cipal as all-knowing mommy or daddy,
and the teachers as children who must
be indulged (read patronized)/guided/
disciplined - which would be very diff-
cult for teachers in the individual schools
to contend with in the absence of recourse
to the master contract. The reality is that,
by and large, our UFT chapters are not
particularly well informed or organized,
are often made up of inexperienced
teachers who are juggling an exhausting,
diffcult job, certifcation requirements,
ever-changing administrative mandates.
And the needs of their neglected lives
outside of school. It would be extremely
diffcult for young teachers, who it`s
fair to say are likely to predominate at
the 'experimental schools, to avoid the
minefelds that principal`s, in consultation
with the central DOE, would be laying for
them. Teachers often need to be able to
refer to the master contract - the 'big, bad
union - in order to sidestep or mitigate
the retribution that will surely follow if
the principal feels that resistance is com-
ing directly from the chapter.
Q: Can you describe some of the work
rules at stake in negotiations? How would
the elimination of these rules affect teach-
ers and support staff, in and out of the
workplace?
Weingarten said she`d sacrifce work rules
in exchange for teachers having greater
say in their schools-- does this seem
possible? How, or why not? What are the
upsides/downsides to having principals
negotiate work rules for their individual
schools?
A: As for some of the work rules that are
at stake here, off the top of my head:
- Length of the school day: Weingar-
ten has already sold off the one compara-
tive advantage that NYC teachers had
with their local suburban counterparts, the
(offcial) 6 hour and twenty minute work-
day. This was done in very manipulative
fashion, being pitched to the membership
as a 'raise, rather than as a pro-rata ex-
change of time for money (for which, by
the way, mayoral control of the schools, a
total catastrophe for teachers, was part of
the package).
- Consecutive classes taught: there
is currently a limit regarding how many
consecutive classes a teacher is required
to teach. Randi`s proposal would make
it very diffcult for individual chapters to
hold the line on this.
- Building assignments: the current
contract gives teachers the ability to avoid
assignments such as lunchroom duty, pot-
ty patrol, etc. While principal`s are often
able to successfully intimidate teachers to
opt out of this, it would become far more
diffcult if the system were to be function-
ing with constellations of 'thin contracts.
Loss of these work rule protections, even
in a limited number of schools, would
lead to strong downward pressure upon
teachers system wide. That is precisely
why management has praised Randi for
this: it sets up a self-reinforcing 'race
to the bottom. The reality is that the
needs of our students are infnite, and
teachers` sense of responsibility and
idealism is frequently manipulated: we
are constantly being implored to 'think
about the children- as if it`s something
we have to be reminded of. Yet we are
the only ones who are expected to make
these all-encompassing sacrifces, never
our employer, or editorialists, academics,
mayors, legislators, business leaders. This
is a point that Randi never seems to make,
and her willingness to casually trade away
our protections shows her profound lack
of understanding of this dynamic.
Q: Additionally, it has been reported that
Weingarten wants to make it easier for
principals to fre 'poorly-performing
teachers-- what are your thoughts on this?
A: Regarding, Randi`s willingness to
expedite the removal of 'poorly-perform-
ing ' teachers, this is another appalling
suggestion that goes against the very
foundations of unionism: that the union
has unambiguous legal requirement to
represent and fght for the members when
management seeks to remove them. Her
proposal would attenuate that responsi-
bility, and essentially set the union up as
a third party between the member and
management, putting the union in the po-
sition of 'suggesting that the teacher fnd
another line of work. How dare she even
entertain such an idea when the system
is currently being run by non-educators
whose 'poor performance, now that it is
done in the name of effciency and busi-
ness standards, is being largely hidden
from the public.
Q: An article published in Education
Notes earlier last year documents Wein-
garten`s lack of teaching experience-- do
you think Weingarten understands what
work rules mean to teachers? Why or why
not?
A: Yes, I think that without a doubt it
leads her to minimize the effects of her
proposals. I also think that her initial legal
experience in corporate law, coming to
labor law later, affects her world view in
ways she does not perceive and which is
clearly not cool to bring up in public. I
think it is one reason why she is so quick
to sell-off parts of the contract.
Q: What types of implications do UFT
contract negotiations have for teachers
outside of New York?
A: It seems increasingly critical. Here in
NYC, teachers are facing a coalition of
elites who, after more than a generation
of neglect, have recently decided that
education is 'important. That is, it is
important as one of the last bastions of the
public sector still to be deregulated and
later privatized, it is important as a place
to discipline the workforce, it is important
as a place to create docile and compliant
future workers, with the system structur-
ally producing the favored few and the
neglected, over-policed many.
Q: How did you frst get involved with
ICE? What attracted you to ICE?
A: I have been an independent critic of
the UFT leadership for a while, in my
capacity as an elected Delegate at my
school. I maintained my independence
largely for reasons of temperament, but
also because I was unimpressed by the
opposition put forward by the New Ac-
tion caucus, However, I now feel that the
moral purity of an independent position is
a luxury that I/we can no longer afford. In
my small way, I feel that I have to try to
help formulate and organize a movement
that will attempt to save public educa-
tion and teacher unionism. I was attracted
to ICE because it is largely made up of
people with an independent, non-dogmat-
ic spirit, a spirit that is willing to question
its assumptions, and that hopes to BE the
changes that it proposes.
Addendum:
A clarifcaton/elaboration: in reference to
the 'thin contracts, work rule changes
and streamlining of the dismissal pro-
cedure, Randi has essentially couched
all of these issues in terms of 'calling
management`s bluff. Taken at her word,
this means that she is making tactical
overtures that she knows will be stomped
to pieces by management`s clumsy over-
reaching. She claimed credit for that in
regard to the thin contracts issue: she of-
fered 100-150 schools, Klein immediately
demanded that it apply to all, and Randi
then said that her offer was off the table.
Likewise with expedited dismissal. She
has presented this to the membership in
two ways: to include additional fund-
ing for the Peer Intervention Program,
which provides mentoring and guidance
to experienced teachers who are hav-
ing trouble, or are accused of the same,
in the classroom. She is also telling us
that the expedited dismissal procedure is
conditional upon streamlining the entire
grievance procedure, which is currently in
danger of seizing up, due to Bloomberg/
Klein`s policy of violating the contract at
every opportunity.
In this way, Randi is able to skillfully
cover herself on the occasions when the
membership is roused to indignation. The
problem for us, however, is the lingering
fear that 'concession end of the bargain
will reappear at the negotiating table, and
the call their bluff rhetoric will disap-
pear in the thick vapors of 'the best we
could do, 'times are tough, and 'we
prevented them from doing far worse.
Michael Fiorillo is an ESL and English teacher at Newcomers High School in
Long Island City in his seventh year of teaching. He has been a Delegate for
six years and stood up against the extended day at the contract ratifcation DA
in June, 2002. Before he started teaching (which he loves and is proud to do in
NYC), he was a business rep and organizer for Local 802, AFM, the musicians
here in NYC. He represented Club Date (wedding, Bar Mitzvah and Society
orchestras), as well as symphonic musicians, mostly freelancers who worked
in orchestras such as the American Symphony Orchestra, American Compos-
ers Orchestra, The Brooklyn Philharmonic, etc. He handled grievances, worked
with orchestra committees, negotiated contracts with small employers, was
the lead organizer in getting an 802 contract for the Westchester Symphony
Orchestra, which was achieved as a result of a strike, among many other duties.
Before that he worked a bartender, carpenter/cabinetmaker, housepainter, con-
struction laborer, slaugtherhouse laborer, bicycle messenger, among other jobs.
Q&A To ICE Candidates Q&A To ICE Candidates Q&A To ICE Candidates Q&A To ICE Candidates
William Johnson, an editor at Labor Notes William Johnson, an editor at Labor Notes William Johnson, an editor at , a Detroit based newspaper that reports on labor news, sent us some questions related to the growing
opposition movement in the UFT and the formation of ICE as a consequence. He received responses from some of the ICE candidates. On this page,
Michael Fiorillo, ICE candidate for Treasurer of the UFT, responds. John Lawhead, ICE candidate for Assistant Secretary, responds on page six.
About Michael Fiorillo....ICE/PAC Candidate for Treasurer
Page 6 Education Notes March/April 2004
John Lawhead On Q&A.....
John Lawhead has been an ESL teacher at Bushwick High School in Brooklyn for the
past eight years. Before that he worked as an adult educator, teaching literacy and
ESL in Brooklyn and Manhattan. He`s been an educational activist, outspoken on
local and national issues, especially on high-stakes testing. He`s written articles about
high-stakes testing for the Chicago-based Substance and Ed. Notes and is a founding
member of ACTNOW, a national organization opposed to high-stakes testing.
As a teacher activist he joined a picket against the 2001 state governor`s Educa-
tion Summit in Palisades, N.Y. and there met an interesting collection of activists from
other states. Another highlight of his public opposition was a letter writing campaign
in support of a teacher at Bushwick who had refused to score the state`s Social Stud-
ies exam. He supported the only legal challenge to the regents exams so far, which
was brought (unsuccessfully) by the Consortium of Performance Assessment Schools,
by submitting an affdavit in which he detailed the ill effects of the regents regime for
Bushwick.
Last year, after learning that his own school would be phased out and replaced
with small schools, he helped organize a community coalition to demand community
input in the decisions about the reorganization. The coalition, which included church
and community activists, sponsored several public forums and met numerous times
with representatives of the Department of Education. 'So we didn`t accomplish much
of what we set out to do, says Lawhead, 'beyond discovering that Michelle Cahill
and Robert Hughes are habitual liars. Cahill is the Chancellor`s special counsel and
Hughes is President of New Visions for Public Education. 'One might have guessed
that from their titles, he adds wryly.
Q: Can you describe some of the work
rules at stake in negotiations? How would
the elimination of these rules affect
teachers and support staff, in and out of
the workplace?
A: The work rules also protect the
kids. The best example is limits on class
size. I had large classes last year. I was
teaching 160-70 students. Several classes
exceeded the limit under the contract,
which is 34 students. One had to be
grieved six weeks into the semester. Two
classes also violated state regulations
because of the way they were funded.
However, the administration stuck with
a different interpretation of the law. I
called a district administrator and he
agreed with my view and told me I could
'write to Albany. What kind of enforce-
ment is that?
In the high schools the rules insure
that teachers don`t have to teach more
than three periods in a row and have no
more than three 'preps ( differen types
of courses). I was given four preps
throughout my frst year as a teacher, and
not knowing the rules couldn`t resist it.
These are rules that keep the workload
manageable for teachers. There should
probably be more rules protecting the
kids more directly because when they`re
abused it falls back on us.
Q: Additionally, it has been reported that
Weingarten wants to make it easier for
principals to fre 'poorly-performing
teachers-- what are your thoughts on this?
A: The UFT leadership is in a different
world from the classroom teachers. Randi
Weingarten speaks the same language as
corporate executives and media pundits.
Standards must be tougher. Teachers
must be tougher on students. Schools
must be accountable for their test scores.
And, of course, we can be neatly divided
into 'good and 'bad teachers. The
emphasis on weeding out the bad teach-
ers provides Bloomberg and Klein with a
way to sow fear into the atmosphere and
control everyone better.
It also serves Weingarten. She uses
the 'teacher quality issue to demand
higher salaries. The promise of more
money has been an easier ticket to popu-
larity than convincing anyone she knows
what it`s like to be a teacher.
I`ve been a good teacher and a bad
one in the course of the same morning.
When I was mentoring new teachers I
attended a series of workshops run bythe
Board of Ed. The philosophy was one
of nonjudgmental support. Let`s all im-
prove together. I`ve never heard anything
so enlightened from the UFT. I don`t
trust the union to help evaluate teachers,
as Randi recently offered.
Q: Weingarten said she`d sacrifce work
rules in exchange for teachers having
greater say in their schools-- does this
seem possible? How, or why not?
A: There have been various city-wide
schemes for giving teachers a voice in
school-level decisionmaking. Since 1998
New York state law has required
that schools have School Leadership
Teams comprised of UFT rep, staff reps,
parents and students. It`s widely per-
ceived as a rubber stamp. The UFTnever
put its clout behind the plan.
Weingarten`s offer was for a lim-
ited experiment of 100 schools (if I recall
correctly). Where`s the plan to give
teachers a say in the rest of the system?
There defnitely needs to be teachers
involved in local planning and school
accountability. I just don`t think she
believes it, given her support for mayor
control and top-down school reform.
Q: What are the upsides/downsides to
having principals negotiate work rules for
their individual schools?
A: I`ve had no experience with this. I
wonder, frst of all, who would have the
time to negotiate a meaningful contract
in each school? Would it be a work-
ing document or just something formal
to have? The trend of the Bloomberg
regime has been to give principals more
control of budgets as a way of cutting
functions in the central administration.
Eventually they`d like to have contract-
ing for (privatized) services. I`d be inter-
ested to know if school-specifc contracts
are done anywhere.
Q: An article published in Education
Notes earlier last year documents Wein-
garten`s lack of teaching experience-- do
you think Weingartenunderstands what
work rules mean to teachers? Why or
why not?
A: Whatever she understands or doesn`t
understand she puts many of the concerns
of teachers below the UFT leadership`s
interest in power and infuence. It would
be hard for her not to know something
about the importance of the work rules.
The union is actively enforcing them. I
think she felt outmatched by the city and
was grasping at straws, backing a limited
form of a plan that she fgured would fail
anyway.
Q: How did you frst get involved with
ICE? What attracted you to ICE?
A: I met Norm Scott through Ed Notes
which he distributed in my school. Norm
brought people he knew together in late
October. The main attraction was the
willingness to address a lot issues at
once, whether it was educational con-
cerns, the larger picture, the political
role of the UFT, or the need for a more
democratic union. I found the approach
appealing because the opposition in the
UFT has been way too narrowly fo-
cussed. They typically pick a few issues
that they think will mobilize the most
people, and harp on that without any
comprehensive perspective.
Q: Do you believe ICE will be able to
sustain itself as a reform group/caucus?
Why or why not?
A:Running an election campaign presents
a bunch of immediate goals and hurdles
that take attention away from long term
goals. Some grassroots people wonder
why we`re spending so much time and
energy on an election. The whole culture
of the union needs to be changed, starting
at the school level.
I think most people in ICE see it as a
useful forum, a way to publicly challenge
Weingarten`s ability to support damag-
ing policies in the name of teachers.
Besides that, an opportunity came when
the largest opposition caucus (NAC)
was coopted. More people are talking to
one another than before. Hopefully the
pressure of the election time frame won`t
cause people to burn out, but you`re right
in raising the question. It`s a big concern.
Q: What are your expectations for the
upcoming elections? Your hopes?
A: It really a long shot to win anything
more than a few seats on the executive
board. My hope is that a large group
of union activists can forge a common
purpose and perspective and show good
commitment and courage to a very de-
moralized rank and fle. Who knows?
About John Lawhead....ICE/PAC Candidate for Assistant Secretary
LEAVE NO THIRD GRADER BEHIND!
Teachers, Students, Parents and all People for Educational Justice!
Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein have a plan to hold back all 3rd grade children who fail their city-wide exams! The plan may cost up to $150 million and could hold back
as many as 15,000 children (NYT)!
- This policy will be most harmful to students of color, low-income children, and English Language Learners.
- Holding back a student before the 8th grade drastically increases their chances of dropping out before graduating high school.
- High stakes tests shifts the blame of educational failure on students rather than on a system in which unequal funding and resources has inadequately prepared them.
- Harcourt and CTB-McGraw, the NYC test-making companies themselves, have claimed that test scores alone should not be used in isolation to make decisions about retention.
- It undermines quality education by forcing teaching to the test and compromising innovative or progressive pedagogy.
Sponsored by NYCoRE- New York Collective of Radical Educators: Contact: nycore2003@yahoo.com or 917.400.7964
Policy, the bogus rubber stamp committee set up by BloomKlein.
Look for reports in the next Ed. Notes and in email.
March/April 2004 Education Notes Page 7
,QGHSHQGHQW&RPPXQLW\RI(GXFDWRUV
T
he Independent Community of
Educators (ICE) started meet-
ing this fall and has engaged in
an intense discussion on the state of our
union and the NYC schools. One of the
frst questions we tackled: With the per-
ception that the UFT, and unions in gen-
eral, are under attack, do we accept Randi
Weingarten`s rationale that in these times
of trouble the opposition must mute its
criticisms of her? (New Action, the major
opposition caucus until now, bought
this line and will run a slate without a
presidential candidate in the current UFT
elections.) We answered with a resound-
ing NO!
In one of the most diffcult times
in the history of the UFT and of unionism
in this city and indeed, the nation, with a
union leadership that has not just failed
to deliver, but has been a major contribu-
tor to the current crisis UFT members are
facing through its support for mayoral
control, we have chosen to come together
for these elections. While we are all
united as members of the union against
the attacks from a corporate mentality,
the leadership`s 40-year record of stifing
voices of dissent has weakened our union.
Thus, we speak up to make the union
stronger! Our aim? To provide an oppor-
tunity for any UFT member who is critical
of the UFT leadership to get involved.
One of our major goals is to bring the
entire opposition movement together
through this election process and beyond.
What unites us? The sense that
we can be both strong trade unionists
and strong educators. The sense, that by
its very nature a school is a mini-com-
munity, and everyone who works in one,
from teachers to social workers to paras to
secretaries to custodial workers - all union
members who work there - have some
role in the education of children. We aim
to provide a voice for all UFT members,
in particular the classroom teacher, often
the most neglected by the people manag-
ing the schools and by the union leader-
ship. They bear the brunt of the work and
the blame when things don`t go well.
It is through grass roots move- It is through grass roots move- It
ments such as this that individuals become
empowered and active in shaping the
roles of the institutions and the people
working and learning within them. Our
union, when it is truly ours instead of in
the hands of a narrow band of misguided
and self-interested union leaders, and with
greater participation of its members, can
be the instrument for positive change that
will insure better working conditions for
its members and better learning conditions
for the children.
We have attracted a band of inde-
pendent outspoken UFT members with
a variety of viewpoints on many issues
and an intention to fnd solutions through
consensus. Included are a number of
independent chapter leaders and del-
egates who have declared a willingness to
become a resource for all UFT members
can go to for advice and assistance. Work-
ing together in an open and democratic
manner, in an extremely short amount of
time, we came up with a set of principles,
published in the January edition of Ed.
Notes. We have further refned them and
present them on pages 8-10. These prin-
ciples are a work in progress and will be
modifed as new voices are heard.
New Action members opposed to
the deal with Unity were instrumental in
getting ICE organized and their campaign
experience in elections has been invalu-
able.
The Progressive Action Caucus,
which has devoted many years of struggle
to the issue of unfair teacher licensing,
has agreed with much of ICEs platform
and has joined the campaign to run a joint
slate, to be known as ICE/PAC.
On this page we present the 11
Offcer and the 78 Executive Board candi-
dates who have are running with ICE/
PAC. A number of them are chapter lead-
ers and delegates (note the (CL) and (D)
designations. An additional 144 people are
running for AFT/NYSUT delegates.
Ofhcers
President MariIyn Beckford HiIIcrest HS (CL)
Treasurer Treasurer Treasurer MichaeI FioriIIo Newcomers HS (D)
Assist. Treasurer Jeff Jeff Jeff Garrison PS 91K (CL)
Secretary JacqueIine Garnett PS 284K (CL)
Assist. Sect'y John Lawhead Bushwick HS
VP/Acad. HS Kit Wainer Leon GoIdstein HS (CL)
VP EIem. SchIs Louise Warren PS 94X (CL)
VP MiddIe SchIs Sharon Sivakoff JHS 126K (CL)
VP VocationaI HS GIenn Tepper Jane Addams Voc.
VP SpeciaI Ed Harvey Rosenberg Park West HS
VP At-Large Norman Scott Retired (Former CL)
Ofhcers make up the AdCom
Executive Board High Schools* Executive Board High Schools*
Arthur CoIen FDR (CL)
James Eterno Jamaica (CL)
Barbara KapIan-HaIper Forest HiIIs (CL)
Jeff Kaufman IsIand Academy (CL)
EIIen Schweitzer Stuyvesant (CL)
Larry TayIor Art & Design (CL)
*OnIy HS. teachers vote for these candidates
Executive Board MiddIe SchooIs*
Troy Brookins 126K
EIisha Byers 126K
Ron Isaac 189Q (CL)
Gregory MurieI 254X
GaiI Rosenberg 126K
*OnIy MS teachers vote for these candidates
Executive Board MiddIe SchooIs*
Executive Board EIem. SchooIs*
HaIey ArchibaId PS 147K
NichoIas GaIasso PS 84K
Barbara GIasser PS 206Q
Mary Hoffman PS 147K (DeI)
CharIes Johnson PS 124M
Louise McCray PS 132X (DeI)
Dorothea McDonaId PS 123M (CL)
Lisa North PS 3K (DeI)
Joan Seedorff 063M (CL)
AntoneIIa VitaIe 147K
JuIie Woodward 124M (Former CL)
*OnIy eIem. teachers vote for these candidates
Executive Board EIem. SchooIs*
*OnIy eIem. teachers vote for these candidates
Executive Board FunctionaI*
Nadia AIkow Guidance CounseIor
Ernest CIark Para
CharIes Cromartie Para
Nancy Dereksen SociaI Worker
Joseph Fritz Para
CharIes Garcia Para
David Greene AduIt Ed.
ArIene Hector SchooI PsychoIogist
Robert O'HandIey SociaI Worker
Deborah PoIeshuck Speech Teacher
AIfred Rowe Para
LioneI Scott SchooI PsychoIogist
Victor Victor Victor Treschan Guidance CounseIor
JuIiette UceIIi SociaI Worker
*OnIy funct. (non-teachers) vote for these candidates
ArIene
AIfred
Victor
Executive Board At-Large* (42) Executive Board At-Large* (42)
An additional 144 ICE/PAC candidates are running for AFT/NYSUT Delegate An additional 144 ICE/PAC candidates are running for AFT/NYSUT Delegate
VOTING
New Action is not running a candidate for
president and Unity is not running high school
executive board candidates. A vote for New
Action is a vote for Weingarten/Unity.
Please vote the ICE/PAC slate if you agree with the platform.
High school teachers will see no Unity Executive Board can-
didates on the high school ballot due to the deal between New
Action and Unity, so it is crucial for high school teachers to vote
against New Action in order to elect a slate of high school Execu-
tive Board members that will be independent of Unity.
The Ballot
ICE/PAC
New Action
TJC
Unity
Gladys Sotomayor Gladys Sotomayor Gladys Sotomayor Eunice Lindenberg Dave Poleshuck (D)
Michelle Macklin Audrey Bishop (former D) Gustavo Medina
Carolyn Eubanks (D) Ellen Fox (former CC) Joan Heymont (former D)
Jonathan Lessuck (former CC) John Lewis (former D) Barbara Frazier (CC)
Jerry Salak David Temple Marilyn Vogt-Downey (D)
Barbara Cohen (D) John Korber John Korber John Korber Ethel Mogielnicki
Elizabeth Paradise Anthony Cordero (formerCC) Susan Epstein (former CC)
Sheila Rashal Gary Pelosi Marc Pessin (former CC)
Tom Siracuse (former D) Adan Vasquez (former D) Al Zucker (D)
HectorHolguin(former CC) Paul Baizerman (former CC) Chris Asch (D)
Merry Tucker (form D) ra Goldfne (former CC) Peter Bronson
Ella Markens (former CC) Eugene Prisco (former D) Vera Pavone
Janelle Barabash Charles Carman (D) Tom Maher (CC)
Joseph Swiatek Shannon Ham (former CC) Amy Rikic
Page 8 Education Notes March/April 2004
The I CE PLATFORM. . . . . .
A CONTRACT THAT SAYS NO
TO LOWER EXPECTATIONS
BUILD ACTIVE,
DEMOCRATIC CHAPTERS
It`s no surprise that school security is
making all the headlines. It`s a major
concern for staff, students and par-
ents, and at the same time Bloomberg
and Weingarten use it to play politics.
Our mayor and UFT president have
presented themselves as saving the
day through their plan to send teams
of uniformed, armed police into the
'most dangerous schools in the
city. While this plan may appeal to
many teachers and students who feel
vulnerable and helpless in the face of
an escalating breakdown of discipline
and constant threat of danger, it fails
to address the years of neglect and
poor policy toward troubled students
that have led to our present circum-
stances. Since the quick-fx remedies
by themselves can create additional
problems, our school system must
address both our immediate concerns
and their fundamental causes.
Emphasis should be on preventing
problems rather than reacting to a
never-ending series of emergencies.
Within our schools we must cre-
ate and maintain calm, peaceful and
mutually respectful classroom en-
vironments with clearly spelled-out
consequences and alternatives for
disruptive students. School discipline
efforts should focus on those chil-
dren with a history of problems, and
schools must be given the resources
they need to deal with the needs these
children have. This includes sup-
portive services and small classes,
especially for children who cannot
function in a regular classroom set-
ting. Although these measures are
costly they will pay off in the long
run by giving children the academic
and social skills they need to succeed
in school.
Consequences to children for their
inappropriate, disruptive, potentially
harmful and dangerous behavior must
be effective. If the consequences are
too little, too late, destructive behav-
ior will not be deterred. If the conse-
quences are too severe, school staff
will want to minimize the problems
and not report incidents.
Law enforcement measures should
be viewed as a sometimes necessary
but last resort and only in response to
actual criminal activity. If there is un-
warranted, widespread criminalization
of student behavior, this will not only
mark student lives but will exacerbate
an already faulty and underfunded
approach which doesn`t address the
roots of the problem.
Within a generally accepted citywide
framework, school committees of
teachers, supervisors, parents, and
students should come to a consensus
concerning the rules and procedures
and in-school structures that are
appropriate for each school. The
citywide framework itself should
be based on input from these school
committees. The recommendations
of these committees should refect
an honest assessment of practices
that have worked and failed in each
school. In addition, the Department
of Education should undertake a
thorough effort to research successful
programs throughout the country.
The shuffing of children with low
achievement levels and a history of
poor behavior from school to school
and their increased concentration
in certain schools, the inadequate
number of staff (guidance counselors
and deans) to deal with problems, the
intimidation of teachers through the
use of the redefned corporal punish-
ment rule (which is often abused by
principals against teachers they don`t
like), and the tearing down of the
suspension structure, coupled with the
total ineffectiveness of the in-house
suspension program has exacerbated
the problems of discipline and secu-
rity in many schools.
The DOE and school administrations
must be responsible for discipline
and security in the schools. School
suspensions, rather than in-house
suspensions must be restored for all
principal`s suspensions. But the key
is to deal with the children at an early
age before attitudes and behavior
have developed to the point where
they are much more diffcult to deal
with. If funds are allocated for staff
and programs that focus on prevent-
ing problems in the early grades, if
needy and troubled children are given
the appropriate services and placed
in smaller classes and, if necessary,
alternate educational settings as they
progress through the system, we
believe that there will be a marked
change in the atmosphere and security
of all our schools.
SECURITY IN THE SCHOOLS
No gains based on givebacks or productivity.
No paying for the contract by gutting or weakening the contract.
Across-the-board raises and COLAs.
No Layoffs.
Enforceable class size limits that promote learning with smaller classes for
children with special needs and problems.
A broadened grievance procedure that allows for more areas for chapter, multi-
school and regional grievances, and disciplinary action against principals and
regional supervisors who repeatedly violate the contract.
Since 1975, the union leadership in collaboration with the Board of Ed and DOE
has given up contractual rights and other benefts in order to pay for so-called
raises. (Most recently, we see our union leaders giving up health benefts--higher
co-pays worth hundreds of millions of dollars.) In addition, the contract has many
loopholes (e.g. class size) and gray areas (e.g. teacher decision-making in the
classroom). The contract must be a living, not a paper document, that insures
proper working/learning conditions in addition to provisions required for our
protection.
All members should be encouraged to participate.
Monthly chapter meetings should be encouraged, so that members can
participate in and feel supported by the structure and presence of the union
in the school.
Chapter committees to involve and activate members in chapter/school deci-
sion-making (examples, parent liaison committee, consultation committee,
executive board representative committee).
Organized chapters are vital for information sharing, decision-making and
for building for actions. Leaets, chapter newsletters and email can be used
in campaigns to support grievances within a school and in support of other
schools. Activities can include letter writing and email, holding meetings
with other chapters in the region, leaeting the community and building
alliances with parents and community members. In this way chapters can
work towards building school- and regional-wide actions and ultimately for
a citywide strike, if and when necessary.
A MESSAGE TO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS A MESSAGE TO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS A MESSAGE TO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS A MESSAGE TO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS
SCHOOL CANDIDATES AGAINST THE NEW ACTION/UNITY ALLIANCE. SCHOOL CANDIDATES AGAINST THE NEW ACTION/UNITY ALLIANCE. SCHOOL CANDIDATES AGAINST THE NEW ACTION/UNITY ALLIANCE. SCHOOL CANDIDATES AGAINST THE NEW ACTION/UNITY ALLIANCE. SCHOOL CANDIDATES AGAINST THE NEW ACTION/UNITY ALLIANCE.
March/April 2004 Education Notes Page 9
A POLITICAL STRATEGY TO
GET US WHAT WE NEED
. . . . . . I N A NUTSHELL
IMPROVE TEACHING/LEARNING CONDITIONS
We need a union leadership that
understands the relationship between
teaching and learning conditions and
challenges the DOE as it pits the
needs of teachers against students.
Our union must fght for:
Lower class sizes--small classes
are the underpinning of an effective
classroom and are especially crucial
where children have low perfor-
mance levels and special needs.
- Reduce non-essential out-of-class-
room positions which contribute to
large class size because they divert
money for pedagogical personnel
away from the classroom. Individual
school chapters should make the
determination about which positions
are eliminated.
- Contractually mandated class size
limits comparable to other districts in
the tri-state region.
- No class size loopholes and no
excuses in overcrowded buildings
where classroom teacher-student
ratio can still be lowered.
An end to micromanagement and to
mandated programming and school
organization.
- Basic trust in the professionalism
and knowledge of teachers. The cur-
rent school 'reform is premised on a
distrust of teachers.
- End the DOE model of one-size-
fts-all packaged programs which
place enormous restrictions on a
teacher=s ability to service the needs
of individual students.
Music and art as part of the cur-
riculum in schools at all levels--a
minimum of one year at each level.
Foreign language as part of the cur-
riculum in middle schools and high
schools--(a minimum of two years at
each level.
An end to the misuse of city- and
state-wide tests, which increasingly
distort the curricula and misrepresent
true academic performance.
- Children do not learn more when
they are subjected to extended peri-
ods of teaching to the test.
- Teachers must play a primary role
in judging student levels and prog-
ress from elementary school through
high school.
- Students should have the opportu-
nity to demonstrate their learning in a
variety of ways.
A strategy to help troubled students
that involves the collaboration of
teachers, other school staff and
parents.
- Children who are too troubled to
maintain themselves in a regular
class must be provided with ap-
propriate professional supportive
systems and smaller classes.
- The DOE must provide alterna-
tive settings and adequate support
for those students who are making
little progress and whose extremely
disruptive behavior prevents them
from learning, keeps the class from
functioning, and represents a danger
to other students and staff.
Fairness in licensing and evaluating
teachers. The misuse of testing can
be as unjust for teachers as it is for
students.
- Those exams that do not give a fair
measurement of who is or can be a
good teacher should be eliminated.
- Teachers who have earned satisfac-
tory evaluations for 5 years and have
met all other requirements should not
be denied a license if they have not
been able to pass the LAST exam.
- The UFT should seek an appren-
ticeship program for the training and
licensure of new teachers.
Staff development that is meaningful,
based on teacher need, and includes
the input of teachers.
Fully funded adult education pro-
grams.
- An expansion of the existing
programs in content and number of
courses available.
- Adult education must take into ac-
count the needs of parents and com-
munity members.
A challenge to all schemes to destroy
public education by diverting money
to private schools through vouchers,
to DOE-funded charter schools, or
by hiring private companies to run
schools.
Criteria for COPE endorsement
should take into account a candidat`s
record on a wide variety of economic
and social issues. Our union should
not support politicians who give us a
few crumbs and then become invisible
when we need them for important
battles. Unity Caucus has endorsed
politicians who would not support
equitable funding for education in
New York City, but who do support
the anti-labor provisions of the Taylor
Law. An end to the UF`s policy
of automatically re-endorsing an
incumbent regardless of how much
more qualifed an opponent is.
COPE must not be used as a substitute
for building a strong and organized
union from the chapter level up.
Nor should it be a substitute for
chapter-wide actions, city-wide
demonstrations, and strikes.
Build alliances with parents,
community, community organizations
and other municipal workers around
common demands and interests,
including lower class size, better
learning conditions, elimination
of high stakes testing, and more
guidance and other needed services
in the schools, free tuition at CUNY,
better health care and transportation
services, higher minimum wage,
affordable housing, defense of social
security and Medicare, and the right
to organize.
Our struggle for better schools is
part and parcel of the more general
struggle for the improvement of all
services that affect the people of New
York City. Instead of promoting unity,
President Weingarten has misused her
leadership of the Municipal Labor
Council to foster divisions between
unions by fghting over a fxed and
smaller pie. Competition between
municipal unions has weakened
all of us and has led to fghts over
which vital service is seen as more
important.
AN ALTERNATIVE
VISION OF FUNDING
PRIORITIES
Our union leaders do not challenge the myth that there isn`t enough money
in our country to fully fund education and other needed services. At the
same time Unity Caucus uses its power within the UFT, NYSUT, the AFT,
and the AFL-CIO to rubber-stamp the federal government`s support for
high military budgets, giveaways to corporations and the bleeding of our
state and municipal fnances. It is time for our union to reevaluate its posi-
tion on taxation and government spending and join with other unions and
municipal labor councils that are calling for:
1. The repeal of tax cuts for the wealthy and the reinstitution of progres-
sive tax codes that can help fund education, health care and other necessary
social programs.
2. A reexamination of our nation`s policies regarding national defense and
foreign policy with the aim of reducing the military budgets, and curtailing
the fow of tens of billions of tax dollars to defense contractors. Our union
must be an active voice in insisting that national security is also dependent
on universal access to quality education, health care, housing and employ-
ment at a living wage.
Here in New York City and New York State our union must demand:
A reinstatement of the Stock Transfer Tax.
Elimination of tax abatements to wealthy corporate and real estate interests.
Page 10 Education Notes March/April 2004
Independent Community of Educators (ICE)
Name __________________________________
School or other agency____________ Level: Elem__ IS/JHS__ HS__ Functional__ Ret.__
District/Region _____________ Phone_____________________
Address __________________________________________ Email ____________________
I would like to distribute literature_____ Number of copies__________
I would like to contribute ______ Amount________
I am not ready to get involved, but put me on your mailing list_______
ICE, 775 East 19th St. Brooklyn, NY 11230
Phone: 917-992-3734
Email: VOTEICE@aol.com
Resolution Opposing Curriculum Based Pay Scales
(Passed at an ICE meeting.)
RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers will not
endorse, sponsor, volunteer, identify with or negotiate an increase
in pay for teachers in 'shortage area licenses.
A MORE DEMOCRATIC UNION
Some of the key structural changes
needed to bring greater democracy to
our union so that the membership can
decide what their union should stand
for:
Divisional Elections for Divisional
Vice Presidents. For example, high
school members alone should vote for
high school V.P.
Retirees should not vote for UFT of-
fcers, who are responsible for negoti-
ating the contract for active members,
but should vote for three teacher
members of the Teachers= Retirement
System Board.
District Representatives (a full time
UFT position to support the chapter
leaders and members in a district)
should be elected by all the members
of a district.
At large UFT Executive Board Seats
should be apportioned based on pro-
portional representation.
UFT Delegates to the AFT and
NYSUT Conventions should be ap-
portioned based upon proportional
representation.
All full and part time union jobs (non-
elected) that are for UFT members
who work for the Department of Edu-
cation should be posted in the schools.
The senior qualifed candidate should
be hired.
Every issue of the NY Teacher should
be opened to opposing viewpoints.
Meet the President meetings held
during UFT Election years should be
Meet the Candidates= Forums.
All caucuses (political parties) who
have met requirements to run in an
election should be able to mail at least
one piece of literature to all the mem-
bers at union expense during election
time.
There should be an open microphone
at all Union meetings.
UFT committees (special education,
high school, middle school, etc.)
should vote on proposals presented at
their meetings, with the understanding
that such proposals shall be forwarded
to both the executive board and the
DA.
When an elected position becomes
available in the middle of a term, there
should be a special election by all
eligible members. This would include
offcers, District Representatives and
chapter leader positions from func-
tional chapters.
Make the delegate assembly a legisla-
tive body where offcers and executive
board members have limits on how
long they can speak.
There should be a majority rather than
a 2/3 vote required to put motions on
the current delegate assembly agenda.
Limit the total percentage of retiree
delegates at the delegate assembly.
ICE Takes A Stand.....
ICE opposes the Bloomberg/Klein mandatory holdover policy for
3rd graders (endorsed by Randi Weingarten)
ICE opposes differential pay scales and any merit pay
ICE is in favor of the NY Teacher printing opposing points of view.
Most Functional Chapters Abandoned by Unity
ICE Chaper Leader Support Network
Do you have questions regarding the contract or any other UFT_related
issues? Contact the Independent Communtiy of Educators chapter leader
support network, where over forty current and former chapter leaders will
provide their expert advice.
VOTE ICE/PAC
March/April 2004 Education Notes Page 11
By Norman Scott, with John Law-
head and Loretta Prisco
There are so many issues popping up on the
education agenda it is getting hard to keep
up with them. It is like standing on a busy
street corner watching cars slam into each
other as your head keeps spinning around
like Linda Blair`s did in 'The Exorcist.
The proposal to end social promotion (the
practice of passing kids on to the next grade
to keep them with their age group) by the
BloomKlein administration at the DOE
would retain third graders based on a their
test scores. There would be no input from
teachers or any educational profession-
als, people who might make decisions that
would beneft the child. A similar policy for
third graders having to take a test called the
FCAT in Florida has been a fasco.
Some say the policy makes sense. Why pass
children to the next grade if they are having
trouble reading? Leave them there until they
can read like their peers. But I have this
vision of 15 year olds eventually sitting at
little 3rd grade desks and driving to school
when in the 6th grade. (Maybe the Mayor
will get lucky and they`ll drop out before
they get that old. Think of how much money
can be saved!). Naturally I`m being face-
tious here since students are not left back
more than twice and they will be socially
promoted anyway if they continue to fail.
I also have a vision of scores of 3rd graders
vomiting in the halls over the high stakes
nature of this test. In Florida I bet they have
barf bags lining the halls.
I loved Howard Schwack`s explanation in
last week`s Wave as to the real reason for
this plan. Schwack says that the 4th grade
tests will be used to hold the DOE/Mayor
accountable. By holding back the lowest
performing readers in the 3rd grade the 4th
grade test scores will soar, as will Bloom-
berg`s success in the very area by which
we are being asked to judge him. The next
mayoral election can become a referendum
on the massive changes he made to the edu-
cation system. If we hold back the expected
20% of the bottom scoring third graders, 4th
grade scores automatically go up just in time
for the next Mayoral election. DUH!
It all plays out pretty well for UFT presi-
dent Randi Weingarten who enthusiastically
endorsed Bloomberg`s plan as she gears up
for playing a suck-up role that will readmit
her into the halls of power at the DOE from
which BloomKlein banished her. (This
readmission will allow her to bargain away
pieces of the contract behind closed doors
while making deals for whatever crumbs
she can get.) Well, she almost supports the
plan. With reservations. Like, as long as the
DOE provides the held-back children with
resources. Ha! She didn`t just fall off a tur-
nip truck as she plays the 'cover your ass
game. Everyone knows these resources will
only be minimally allocated - never materi-
alizing as in the past. The kids will be held
back in the same size classes with children
a year younger and might get pulled out or
pushed into some extra reading once a day.
Why would a union leader who has com-
plained vehemently that the BloomKlein
changes have removed decision making
from the hands of teachers endorse a plan
that totally removes the promotion decision
from---- the hands of teachers? Should a
teachers` union leader point out that reten-
tion policy is an educational decision and
is best made by the professionals who are
closest to the child? But what do you expect
when you are trying to play 'Let`s make a
deal?
Some cynics think that the 20% of the kids
left back will require more teachers, which
will lead to more union dues paid into union
coffers, with a resulting teacher shortage
that will allow the UFT to call for higher
salaries. In other words, is this just another
job creation program for the union? I`m
not convinced this is the reasoning behind
Weingarten`s support for the Mayor`s plan
and there may be more complex issues
involved. Weingarten has her own union
election to face this March. So let`s give this
one a Semi---DUH!
In spite of the BloomKlein/Weingarten
support for the testing policy in the face of a
tremendous amount of research that shows
children left back show little improvement,
a number of educators have been rising to
oppose the third grade gates program. The
failure of the 4th grade gates program under
Chancellor Macciarola in the 80`s has often
been sighted. (All I remember of that pro-
gram is that most teachers avoided teaching
what was known as 'The Gates Class like
the plague.) Here are some excerpts from a
letter being sent to the Mayor from teachers
and parents.
After reviewing the many con-
trolled studies of grade retention, the
National Academy of Sciences report
concluded that: 'Low performing students
who have been retained in kindergarten or
primary grades lose ground both aca-
demically and socially relative to similar
students who have been promoted.
Several large scale studies of
retention have found that these policies
are counterproductive. A meta-analysis of
63 controlled studies found 54 that were
negative, with only 9 positive. The author
concluded that '[o]n average, retained
children are worse off than their promoted
counterparts on both personal-adjustment
and academic outcomes.
After controlling for student
background and academic achievement,
a longitudinal study of more than 12,000
students concluded that being held back
before the 8th grade increased the likeli-
hood of dropping out by the 12th grade by
more than 200%. Furthermore, 'students
who were held back before the 8th grade
were more than four times as likely as
students who were not held back to not
complete high school or receive a GED
six years later.
Why quibble with such things as research?
There are elections coming.
(From The Wave: Jan. 31, 2004,
www.rockawave.com)
By Loretta Prisco
Of course, 12 years of school should produce a graduate who is educated, em-
ployable and ready to contribute to society. We have failed in that mission - but
holding over children, as recommended by the Department of Education`s 3rd
grade retention policy will not secure it.
It is we, families, schools, religious organizations, government on all levels,
and social service agencies, who have failed children - not they who have failed
us. We have not equipped our children with the tools, resources and support to
be successful. We haven`t addressed class size, overcrowded schools, teacher
preparedness, inadequate resources, poverty and its` concomitant ills that impact
on learning. All known causes of poor school performance.
Third grade retention based on a standardized reading test score is nothing more
than pure and unadulterated punishment - bitter medicine without any healing
properties. Personally, in 40 years as an educator, at many levels and in many
places, I have never met a child who comes to school not wanting to learn, nor
one who will not work if he or she believed that success was at the end of the
journey. I have met children too disabled to learn and those who have given up
after repeated failure. Retention as an antidote?
Retention is denounced by research. In 54 out of 63 large, controlled studies,
retention was found not only to be a failure, but, in fact, children who were held
over did worse. The holdover Gates policy in New York City in the 1980`s was a
proven costly error. Why do we continue to make the same foolish mistakes and
expect a different outcome? Even the testing companies, benefciaries of millions
of dollars in contracts, claim that scores alone should not be used to make deci-
sions about retention.
Most children thrown into the sea of failure fnd it impossible to be rescued.
How many of us would continue to try to accomplish something, as much as we
might want it, if we experienced failure, day after day, year after year?
The solution is early prevention and intervention. First grade teachers can easily
identify struggling students. Massive doses of intervention - one-to-one instruc-
tion, small class sizes, support during the summer, and family intervention by
social service agencies is needed for those identifed. Support should continue,
with promotion, into the second grade. Why must we holdover a child to give
the support necessary?
If we are serious about our educating our young, policy should fow from re-
search, made in consultation with trained teachers, and removed from the politi-
cal arena.
UFT leaders should not be going along with educational policy that is wrong-
headed, mean-spirited, and misguided. Why are we on the side of the fence that
says retention damages children?
SLAMMING THE GATES ON THIRD GRADERS SLAMMING THE GATES ON THIRD GRADERS SLAMMING THE GATES ON THIRD GRADERS SLAMMING THE GATES ON THIRD GRADERS SLAMMING THE GATES ON THIRD GRADERS SLAMMING THE GATES ON THIRD GRADERS
Two Wrong Solutions
by AFT President Sandra Feldman, October 1997 (excerpts)
http://www.aft.org/stand/previous/1997/1097.html for full article
Last January President Clinton announced a new national education goal:
Every child will read well by the end of third grade. Frankly, I was embarrassed.
Why does the president of the wealthiest, greatest nation in the world have to
make universal third-grade literacy a national goal?
... too many of our poor children---leave third grade without being able to read
well. AFT members have been telling us that one reason for this shameful situa-
tion is social promotion--the policy of passing students on to the next grade even
though they have not mastered the current year`s work.
....[T]eachers--the ones who really know the students--seldom make the fnal
decision about promotions. The last word belongs to the principals. And they
may hesitate to fail students because they don`t want the school to look bad or
they fear pressure from parents or because they have no educational options
available.
Those opposed to social promotion often think the answer is simple: Hold
back unprepared students until they`re ready. This policy, called retention,
sounds tough and sensible--and if I had no other choice, I`d choose
retention over social promotion. But if you consider retention to be a brave
new idea that will force students to measure up, you`re in for a surprise. We
found that retention is as common in our schools as social promotion.
The truth is, both policies are mechanical responses to an educational
problem....What`s the solution? It`s neither social promotion nor retention. It`s
making sure that all our kids get the commonsense and basic things they need to
be successful at learning.
An AFT report is online at http://www.aft.org/edissues/socialpromotion/
mainfram.htm
Page 12 Education Notes March/April 2004
The Ed. Not e s Hot l i ne I n Ope r at i on
Go ahead, George, and lie to me.
Lie to my dog. Lie to my sister.
But don`t you ever lie to my kids.
Deep into your State of the Siege
lecture tonight, long after sensible
adults had turned off the tube or
kicked in the screen, you came af-
ter our children. 'By passing the
No Child Left Behind Act, you
said, 'We are regularly testing ev-
ery child ... and making sure they
have better options when schools
are not performing.
You said it ... and then that little
tongue came out; that weird way
you stick your tongue out between
your lips like the little kid who
knows he`s fbbing. Like a snake
licking a rat. I saw that snakey
tongue dart out and I thought, 'He
knows.
And what you know, Mr. Bush, is
this: you`ve ordered this testing to
hunt down, identify and target for
destruction the hopes of millions
of children you fnd too expensive,
too heavy a burden, to educate.
Here`s how No Child Left Behind
and your tests work in the class-
rooms of Houston and Chicago.
Millions of 8 year olds are given
lists of words and phrases. They
try to read. Then they are graded,
like USDA beef: some prime,
some OK, many failed.
Once the kids are stamped and
sorted, the parents of the marked
children ask for you to fll your
tantalizing promise, to 'make sure
they have better options when
schools are not performing.
But there is no 'better option,
is there, Mr. Bush? Where`s the
money for the better schools to
take in the kids getting crushed in
cash-poor districts? Where`s the
open door to the suburban cam-
puses with the big green lawns for
the dark kids with the test-score
mark of Cain?
And if I bring up the race of the
kids with the low score, don`t get
all snippy with me, telling me your
program is color blind. We know
the color of the kids left behind;
and it`s not the color of the kids
you went to school with at Philips
Andover Academy.
You know and I know that the test-
ing is a con. There is no 'better
option at the other end. The cash
went to end the inheritance tax,
that special program to give every
millionaire`s son another million.
But you`ll tell me, you took tests
as a youth. I know you did. And
you scored on the Air Guard fight
test 25 out of 100, one point above
too dumb to fy. But you zoomed
past the other would-be fyboys.
They were stamped, 'Ready for
Nam.
And you took a test to get into
Yale. And though your pet rock
scored a wee bit higher than you,
your grandpa on the Yale board
provided the 'better option
which got you in.
Here in New York City, your edu-
cational Taliban, led by Republi-
can Mayor Michael Bloomberg,
has issued an edict to test the
third-graders. Winnow out the
chaff - the kids stamped failed`
- and throw them back, exactly
where they started, to repeat the
same failed program another year.
The ugly little irony is this: the
core of No Child Left Behind is
that failing children will be left
behind another year. And another
year and another year.
You know and I know that this
is not an educational opportunity
program - because you offer no
opportunities, no hope, no plan,
no funding. Rather, it is the new
Republican social Darwinism,
educational eugenics: identify the
nation`s loser-class early on. Trap
them, then train them cheap.
No Child Left Behind is of one
piece with the tax cuts for the
rich, the energy laws for the insid-
ers, the oil wars for the well-off.
Someone has to care for the privi-
leged. No society can have win-
ners without lots of losers - but
drug-free, functional and cheaply
maintained.
And so we have No Child Left Be-
hind - to provide the new worker
drones that will clean the toilets
at the Yale Alumni Club, punch
the cash registers color-coded for
illiterates, and pamper the winner-
class on the higher foors of the
new economic order.
Greg Palast is author of, The
Best Democracy Money Can
Buy,' which has returned this
week to the New York Times
bestseller list. View Palast's
writings for Harper's, The Guard-
ian (UK) and BBC television at
www.GregPalast.com.
You can also see this article on-
line: http://www.gregpalast.com/
detail.cfm?artid=310&frm=eml
ED. NOTE: Teachers, parents and
academics have come together to
fght against the evil doer perpe-
trators of NCLB and the 3rd grade
retention policy. Join them!
NO CHILD'S BEHIND LEFT: The New
Educational Eugenics In George
Bush's State of the Union by Greg Palast
On Jan. 11, 2004 we received this request from a
teacher in Manhattan:
Do you know anything about this onetime para
rating as part of the NoChildLeftBehind crap?
Two of our paras got a 'U rating on one or more
parts of their review. these were not overall 'U
ratings, but only one aspect of the ratings.
The problems I have heard are:
1. This is a permanent, one shot, deal. This cannot
be changed in the future, unlike our observations,
where we can improve in the future.
2. This seems arbitrary since no para was told
what, how, when and why they were being re-
viewed. (I may be wrong on this, but the review
was complete news to me)
3. There was no rubric on what they were being
judged on.
4. On the review it says that all 'U ratings should
have back up materials supporting that decision
sent to the DOE, should the paras have a right to
see that material?
5. Can a para grieve/contest this rating?
Where was our union, including the para reps
when this happened, since I can fnd nothng about
it on 'our uft website
Ed. Notes immediately forwarded these questions
to our hotline of chapter leaders and delegates.
Practically within minutes, we were bombarded
with helpful hints, which we forwarded to our cor-
respondent.
On Jan. 17 we received the following email:
Success!!! Thank you for your quick mobiliza-
tion of support. All of the paraprofessionals at my
school that received 'U ratings had them
rescinded. We have some strong willed peoplewho
pushed the chapter leader to move on this.
Our chapter leader refected the comment, 'IF
THE RATING ISN`T U IN THE ENDGAME IT
DOESN`T HURT - THE PARAS GET GRAND-
FATHERED IN. IF THERE IS AN OVERALL U
RATING, THAT IS A PROBLEM. The problem
with that view is that if a person is unfairly rated
we have a responsibility as a union to protect
them. Especially in our case where the ratings
were changed without too much trouble, which
leads me to believe that they were arbitrary to be-
gin with. This is the system we have and we need
to be vigilant to prevent these arbitrary judgments
to work their way into all schoolwide decisions.
This is also the frst time I have been involved in
a rating dilemma, so I may not have the long view
or endgame strategy that some have.
Again thanks to everyone who wrote to me with
suggestions and support. I hope in the future I can
repay in kind.
JOIN THE ED. NOTES HOTLINE!!!
EMAIL: NORSCOTCAOL.COM
Alice Alcala, one of the leading teachers of Shakespeare in the school system, was one of three teachers
profled (Todd Friedman and Louise Maher-Johnson were the others) in Michael Winerip's searing
column (Jan. 28, 2004) about the Brooklyn Tech principal and his harassment of teachers. Alcala. who
saw her program destroyed, received mixed support from her colleagues and was criticized by some
for dragging Tech throught the mud.' Now teaching at Murray Bergtraum HS, here is her response:
Dear Everyone:
As one of the teachers who was written about in
the article I`d like to add my own voice to this
discussion. I did not leave Tech 'embittered.
I left Tech terrifed. As for Todd [Friedman]
and Louise [Maher-Johnson], I speak to them
frequently, and I do not fnd them embittered.
Saddened mainly, perhaps more by the reactions
of their colleagues than by the actions of the
Administration.
Unfortunately, this situation is hap-
pening all over the city. I agreed to
do this article because of the sell out
by Randi Weingarten concerning 'U
ratings.
When the article came our I received a lot of
feedback.Many people identifed with the harass-
ment. Teachers have told me that the article will
be posted on bulletin boards in other schools.
The issue isn`t about Tech anymore. The issue
is about all of us, all over the city. lt is open
season on teachers especially older ones. The
salary of one older teacher can be used to hire
two younger teachers. Administrators are being
directed to go after older teachers.
Testing is being used as a way of destroying
good big schools like the one I`m in now, dis-
mantling the union, and privatizing education.
After all, why spend public money on schools
when all the jobs can be outsourced to India and
China?
Someone asked earlier, 'Why is the article
focusing on Tech? The answer is that if it could
happen at Tech, it could happen anywhere to
anywhere and to anyone. And it is.
The Administration at Tech is hurting Tech. I
want to make that perfectly clear. Louise, Todd,
and I did not dismantle or fail to initiate pro-
grams. Louise, Todd and I did not put letters in
peoples` fles, change the curriculum,
dispense u ratings, yell at teachers
in front of students, trump up false
charges, or ask teachers to spy on their
colleages. We did not cancel trips or
refuse to grant permission for them.
We just brought these practices out in
the open.
So I suggest that your anger at us may be mis-
placed.
And I leave you with a question: Is it fair to
all the truely wonderful kids at Tech who were
my students and all the fne teachers who were
my colleagues to have to 'adjust to such
pernicious.conditions?
All the best,
Alice
Read Winerip's column: http:/ www.nytimes.com/
2004/01/28/education/28educate.html
Or email: norscot@aol.com
Former Brooklyn Tech Teacher Responds
I agreed to do this
article because
of the sell out by
Randi Weingarten
concerning 'U
ratings.
March/April 2004 Education Notes Page 13
The Aztec and Mayan civilizations, adored by multicul-
turalists, have passed on their legacy of human sacrifce
to an unlikely benefciary: Columbia University Teachers
College. The difference is that this time, children`s hearts
and minds are on an agenda, not a menu. It is an agenda
based on the cult of 'progressivism. Its altar is the chop-
ping block of a losing and soon-to-be lost generation.
The College has a tradition of being on the razor`s edge
of anti-tradition. They discredit any educational method
or priority that has worked in the past. Spelling tests
are opposed because they are said to intimidate, do not
relate to experience, and produce a distaste for language.
The same effect is produced by correcting inaccuracies
in punctuation, sentence structure, grammar, and usage.
Teachers are forbidden from correcting errors with red
ink, because that color is subliminally suggestive of the
spilling of blood. It is punitive. Are urban kids really
made of such delicate tissue? Yet teachers spend much
time, abetted by computers, performing radical gram-
matical surgery on their students` work, just in case the
school is to receive distinguished visitors who need to be
impressed.
Dictionaries are not found in 'progressive classrooms
where there is an 'enriched learning environment. Dic-
tionaries have become road kill. Children fear touching
them. New teachers, raised on 'whole language, where
rules are not taught because they are dull and stifing, are
often as poor spellers as their classroom scholars.. They
too were products of 'inventive spelling, which means
that any guesstimated spelling of a word is as valid as
the so-called 'correct spelling. A child may spell 'enuf
with no intercession. The 'progressives rave that med-
dling with his arrangement of letters may trigger deep
inner conficts in him and the world will lose what was a
potential conqueror of cancer. Enough!
The Teachers College view is that teachers must not dom-
inate the lesson in the way that a symphonic conductor
produces great music with gifted individuals. Every child
should be his own conductor and his own orchestra. The
music of all knowledge is stored within him, imprinted
from conception, and released at just the right time as the
result of independent self-discovery. The gurus should
muster the courage to distinguish intellectual training
from laissez-faire toilet training.
In past centuries, when scientifc ignorance was excus-
able, it was believed that a fully-formed though minia-
ture person crouched in every human reproductive cell.
With much the same outlook, the Columbia professors
see DaVinci, on his mark and ready, in every gang
member. They are all renaissance prodigies. The only
infuence that can sabotage the liberation of their inherent
genius is a teacher who is the master of his classroom.
All kids are natural learners who somehow are sterilized
by direct teaching. The Columbia-endorsed teacher is no
more than a tutor to thirty or more students, facilitating
their courtship of wisdom. The 'chalk and talk approach
is heresy to their doctrine. The thought of superior knowl-
edge being embodied in an adult is considered barbaric.
The imposition, or even subtle and unexercised hint of
adult authority is toxic to learning and an infringement
on childhood, they aver. Teachers who are the masters of
their own classroom are the only infuence that can sabo-
tage the springing of infnite potential in every child.
The prima donnas decry all memorization as tyranny that
puts 'product over 'process. They do not accept that
their philosophy may not be universally workable. It is,
they swear, the only path to educational heaven. Com-
putation skills are hardly introduced, much less stressed.
Calculators are used for the simplest arithmetic. Learning
multiplication tables, dates of world wars, or Shake-
speare`s lines 'by heart is considered worse than frivo-
lous. Athletes, physicians, opera stars, airplane pilots,
and most of us have endured drudgery and repetition
in eventually triumphant pursuit of a worthy goal. The
scientists who landed our men safely on the moon were
not raised on 'feel-goodism, and did what traditionalists
now in the underground, whispering, call 'R.W. ('Real
Work). Hard study is a rite of passage. The world is not
a Teachers College-inspired classroom. And the school of
life is not pseudo education. Yet they rule. It is an 'acid
reign.
There are children who fourish in the new ideological
dictatorship, but they do so despite, not because of it.
They have bypassed the hapless system on whose rosters
they nominally appear. They are mostly foreign-born,
and are essentially 'home-educated, though not 'home-
schooled. They attend weekend and evening private
schools in addition, and are trained in the attitudes that
are producing an astonishing and increasing percentage
of America`s professional class.
It doesn`t matter whether the Columbia propaganda min-
isters have talked themselves into sincerely embracing
their expressed views or actually believed them before
they were expressed. What matters is that our children are
going to bed starved by ignorance.
Ron teaches English and has been chapter leader for 12
years at JHS 189 in Queens. Ed Notes has been ambiva-
lent about the controversy over the chalk and talk style
vs. the Columbia TU philosophy. Defenders of TU, some
of whom approached us at a recent DA to make the point
that Lucy Caulkins was not really part of the TU philoso-
phy, should come to the fore and answer Isaac and other
critics like Andy Wolf and Sol Stern.
Pie Piece of My Heart by Ron Isaac
Education Notes Urged UFT Leaders to Organize Chapters In 1999 (Ed Notes Feb. 1999, DA)
There were a lot of rumblings from the el e men ta ry schools over the implementa-
tion of ECLAS, an ear ly child hood in di vid u al ized as sess ment program. A great deal of
pressure was put on teach ers to give up lunch and prep time to handle these tests. Where
this wasn`t so, many teachers were under self-imposed pressure to do the test the right
way, which to them meant giving up prep and lunch time. So what`s a union to do?
Telling teachers to 'FILE A GRIEVANCE is just not enough. The UFT did
try to stop the worst abus es. But there are a lot of forces working here:
Teachers who are unlicensed and untenured can not fle griev anc es and ex pect
to keep their jobs. And there are a lot of peo ple in this category.
More secure teachers who can fle grievances don`t do so because there are
more subtle repercussions than los ing a job such as getting bad class, bad sched ules,
bad room assignments, etc. Plus there are attempts to make people feel guilty. You all
know the act. Prin ci pals sud den ly start talking about 'professionalism, usu al ly right
after they`ve shown the behavior of a 5 year old. In ter est ing ly, you get the 'guilt trip
act from the bet ter, more humane su per vi sors. The dogs just go for your throat.
There are teachers who willingly give up their time to do something like ECLAS
because they want to see things done the right way and not leave the im ple men ta tion to
an often incompetent administration. A great number of teachers give their time to help
manage schools because they don`t want to work in an awful en vi ron ment. This attitude
is often our greatest weakness as a union. But just as often, it is our greatest strength.
So, what is the union to do besides fle griev anc es and ap ply pressure at the
central and district lev els? The answer is to help organize chapters and districts
where the union does not function effectively. And sad to say, there are many places
where this is true. This is not to imply that the fault solely lies with the chapter leaders,
(though sellout chapter leaders have not been unheard of.) The union re lies on chapter
leaders and puts a lot of time and money into their training. But chapter leaders are under
the same kinds of pres sures as all the other teachers in a school. Sometimes under more
pres sure. Chapter lead ers who aggressively defend their members often pay a heavy
price. Our union must look at ways to help sup port chapter leaders in their efforts to
organize. Here are some sug ges tions in the form of a resolution:
RESOLVED: The UFT will hire retired chapter leaders in a non par ti san (not only
Unity Caucus) way and as sign them to schools and dis tricts (not their own), where they
will work with chap ters.
RESOLVED: The UFT will work to change the grievance pro ce dure in the next contract
in a way that will offer members an al ter na tive to school ini ti at ed griev anc es.
MOTION DEFEATED
Opposed by the leadership and defeated overwhelmingly by Unity
Caucus Votes
LESSON FROM ABOVE: DON'T TRUST THE UNION LEADERSHIP AND THEIR
FRIENDS FROM NEW ACTION
Page 14 Education Notes March/April 2004
'I have the answer to the problems with
security and violence in the schools, my
friend Al said recently. 'Caning. Al will
tell you the number one problem in the
schools is the lack of respect kids have
for the teachers. To Al, there is a war
going on and the children are the enemy.
If children are the enemy, then teaching
has certainly become hell. I spent most
of my time in the classroom basically
enjoying the kids. Have things changed
that much over the years? It makes me
think back to the days of yesteryear.
I entered the school system in 1967 as
an elementary school teacher. I had just
completed a six-week summer course to
become a teacher through the Intensive
Teacher training Program (ITTP), sort
of a precursor to the Teaching Fellows
program. Filled with hundreds of men
who were getting a draft deferment from
the Vietnam War, this program pumped
the schools with new teachers, especially
flling the elementary schools with men.
Because of the new contract with the
UFT which put in class size limits and
brought an infux of money, the schools
were flled with new teachers. My school
must have had 10-15 newbies.
In spite of a pretty good administration,
my school was having lots of problems
managing the kids and a number of
classes were on the verge of being out
of control. It was immediately clear that
many of them were the ones with the
new teachers. (Possibly a lesson and a
contributing factor in today`s problems?)
Many of us had an incredibly diffcult
time managing children. Initially, we
tried to be nice guys. The kids ran all
over us. With little management skills,
some teachers resorted to using muscle
on the toughest kids. Sometimes it
worked. For a while, at least.
Luckily, I was assigned to cover differ-
ent classes every day (I was an above
quota teacher-a permanent sub as-
signed to one school-a great idea for
today`s schools). I was scared to death of
having to manage my own class, which I
knew I would fail miserably at since my
6 weeks of training hadn`t prepared me
to have any idea what to do. This way I
could start over every day with another
class. Over time I basically fgured out
what I had to do to keep order even if I
didn`t fgure out how to teach. And make
no mistake, keeping order was what the
powers that be (administrators) were
interested in. Teachers who kept order
were good teachers. Those who didn`t
were bad teachers. Plain and simple.
Teachers who never bothered adminis-
trators with their problems were ac-
corded the highest respect and were left
alone to do whatever they wanted in the
classroom. I admired these teachers im-
mensely and hoped fervently to emulate
them. The year and a half of subbing in
the same school prepared me to at least
do that. Or so I thought.
By February 1969, bored with subbing,
I volunteered to take over a class from
a teacher, an Ivy League lawyer who
had gotten a good draft number and
was leaving as fast as he could. I myself
intended to leave teaching at the end of
the school year to go back to graduate
school but fgured I might as well try do
some real teaching while I was there.
This was Class 4-8 out of 9 classes on
the grade with kids much older than
the average 4th graders. Some of them
may have been 12 (going on 30). Low
performing children with a number of
disciplinary problems, class 4-8 had
been raising havoc in the school and
the assistant principal, a tough ornery
guy named Norman Jehrenberg (who
inspired fear, and sometimes loathing,
from both children and teachers) was
very leery of giving me the class. My
performance up to that time had not
exactly been stellar. But there was a new
principal who liked me and he insisted
and Jehrenberg backed down.
This entire scenario was taking place
in the aftermath of the three month 68
strike and we were working a longer day
(I believe from 8:10-3:15) to make up
for the time lost during the strike. (Simi-
larities between then and now abound.)
The weather was brutal, cold with snow
all over the place and I had developed
a bad cold and a hacking cough that
all new teachers in elementary schools
seem to get in their early years. (Of
course, from then on they are immune to
everything that can be thrown at them,
including Ebola virus.) Someone should
have smacked some sense into me right
then and there.
The very frst day with the class I con-
fronted Jose, the most diffcult problem,
by grabbing him by the shirt, putting him
up against the wall and threatening him.
This was one of the only techniques I
really knew how to use. He only became
more hostile and wary but it may have
given a brief pause to his tough 'I`m a
punk act. It gave me an initial, though
temporary, advantage while I got my
'sea legs. Later I found out he was
threatened like that every day at home,
so why would my puny threat work
other than for a very short time? Clearly,
I would have to get to him another way.
By the end of the frst week I was reel-
ing. The class was still disorderly and
hostile and we seemed to be involved
in the kind of student-teacher war that
Al talks about. Jehrenberg asked me if I
was sure I wanted to do this and offered
to put the other above quota teacher in
the class while offering me easy street
for the rest of the year school. 'Give me
another week, I said, seriously consid-
ering taking him up on his offer.
The second week began much like the
frst. With the streets flled with snow,
there were enough kids absent to relieve
some of the pressure. Toward the end of
the week I was lining the kids up to take
them to gym. There were three or four
big, seemingly tough girls in the class
who had been shooting me glares of hos-
tility since I had taken over. As we lined
up Sandra and Carmen smiled tentatively
at me and began to chat. As we walked
through the halls we continued to talk,
breaching the teacher/student barrier that
had existed. Other children joined in. It
was a little noisy, but I didn`t care. When
I picked them up 45 minutes later there
was a change in atmosphere as both the
class and I relaxed a little.
That walk through the halls was a key
event. The tentative relationship I forged
with the girls quickly began to grow.
Sandra and Carmen were the real leaders
of the class and everyone, even Jose, fell
in line. (Ultimately, I fgured out other
ways than putting him up against a wall
to reach him and he ended up becoming
one of my trusted monitors.) By the end
of the week things were much better. I
began to see the children as individuals
and not as some mob out to get me.
From then on discipline was relatively
easy. As they began to trust me the mask
of hostility fell. I, in turn, began to trust
them and relaxed some of the rigid
controls.
Dr. Jehrenberg became a rock. He was
one of the most effective administrators I
ever met. If he believed you were putting
in the effort he was always there for you.
(You can probably count the number of
such administrators in today`s` schools
on your fngers without even having to
take your shoes off.) He always came
to remove a child within 10 minutes of
a call. It got to the point where I merely
had to take out the paper to send for him
and I would see a change in behavior.
One of the diffcult children, Maria,
told me constantly how much she hated
me. One day I started to write a note to
Jehrenberg to have her removed for a
while. 'Stop! she said. 'I`ll behave. I
want to stay. 'But I thought you hated
me, I said. 'I do hate you, she said,
'but I like the class.
With the class under control, all I had to
do was learn how to teach. This turned
out to be much harder than learning
how to manage a class and I never quite
fgured out how to do this effectively
enough to satisfy me through 16 years of
teaching in the self-contained classroom.
Getting a handle on teaching 4th graders
who were reading at a 2nd grade level or
below was a hard mountain to climb and
many of the new teachers spent hours
arguing how one could do it, or even if it
were at all possible.
Jehrenberg was also a rock when it came
to teaching me how to teach, the true
role AP`s should play but rarely do today
(mainly because so many of them have
done so little teaching). Once, I was
having trouble teaching a math concept.
He asked for my lesson plan, reworked
it, and came in to do the lesson for me.
(What are the chances of this EVER
happening in today`s schools?)
One day in May I told the class that
if they lined up nicely after lunch we
would take a walk over the Williamsburg
Bridge. This was my frst trip with a
class alone and I was very nervous.
When I entered the yard Jehrenberg was
racing around to all the teachers pointing
to my class with pride. There they were,
in the most perfect line I had ever seen
before (or since).
We walked over the bridge that
afternoon. The children were so happy
and excited. Children who didn`t get
along felt a sense of bonding. I was just
as excited as they were and in future
years always made sure to take my
classes on lots of trips. (I hear the ability
to take trips has been made so diffcult
in today`s` 'progressive DOE as to
practically constitute a ban for many
teachers, particularly those not in early
childhood.)
As you can guess, I didn`t leave teaching
as I had intended and ended up spending
35 years in the NYC school system.
That walk through the hall was a turning
point in making me a teacher. That class
became a clinic for me as I learned more
lessons about teaching from the children
than I did in any education course. Who
would have thought that a conversation
with a few 4th grade girls in the back of
a line would lead to a career that I never
intended to enter?
If I were coming into the school system
today, what would my experience have
been? I couldn`t spontaneously take an
informal trip over the bridge because
I would have to round up numbers of
other adults to go along. The school
administration would probably deny
permission arguing we should be
practicing for some test. Region and
school administrators would be hassling
me for not sitting in my rocker on the
carpet and I would be reprimanded
for walking through the halls with a
noisy class. Carmen and Sandra might
have kept snarling at me because they
wouldn`t want their friends to see them
sucking up to the teacher. My calls
to an AP to remove a child would be
laughed at. If my calls were answered,
when the AP came in to remove Maria
she would refuse to leave and curse us
both out. I would be charged me with
abuse for grabbing Jose by the shirt
and the administration would send me
downtown to sit in a rubber room. If I
didn`t end up in jail I would be back in
graduate school studying history. And I
would say to my friend Al who claims
that caning is a solution to security in
the schools: Sure! If applied to the
'educrats and politicians making
educational policy.
This article appeared as a 2 part series
in The Wave' (www.rockawave.com)
on Jan. 2 and Jan. 16, 2004.
EDUCATION
CORNER
Teaching in Today`s Schools: Have things changed that much? by Norman Scott
March/April 2004 Education Notes Page 15
,17(51(7086,1*6
We take credit for none of the material that appears on this page as we present material in incredibly
bad taste culled from the daily inux of email. Just one sign of the information highway gone amuck.
Subject: Airport Warning!
At New York`s Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public
school teacher was arrested trying to board a fight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor,
a setsquare, a slide rule, and a calculator.
At a morning press conference, Attorney general John Ashcroft said he believes the man
is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying
weapons of math instruction.
'Al-gebra is a fearsome cult,, Ashcroft said. 'They desire average solutions by means
and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret
code names like 'x and 'y and refer to themselves as 'unknowns, but we have determined
they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every coun-
try.
'As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, there are 3 sides to every triangle,
Ashcroft declared.
When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, 'If God had wanted us to
have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fngers and toes.
'I am gratifed that our government has given us a sine that it is intent on protracting us
from these math-dogs who are willing to disintegrate us with calculus disregard. Murky stat-
isticians love to infict plane on every sphere of infuence, the President said, adding: 'Under
the circumferences, we must differentiate their root, make our point, and
draw the line.
President Bush warned, 'These weapons of math instruction have the potential to deci-
mal everything in their math on a scalene never before seen unless we become exponents of a
Higher Power and begin to factor-in random facts of vertex.
Attorney General Ashcroft said, 'As our Great Leader would say, read my ellipse. Here
is one principle he is uncertainty of: though they continue to multiply, their days are numbered
as the hypotenuse tightens around their necks.
Dear Deserving Rich Guy,
I`m really sorry to hear that things haven`t been working out at Bear Stea-
rns, Merrill Lynch, Arthur Anderson, Enron or wherever you`ve been working
lately. We`d try to help by shoveling some more tax breaks at your companies
and paying you big bucks to keep the offce open, but it just doesn`t seem to be
helping.
So we have a new plan. I`ve recently acquired the New York City school
system in a hostile takeover, and am able to offer you a position matching your
qualifcations. Actually, it`s ideal for you. It pays from $100,000 on up through
the roof, doesn`t require any knowledge of education, and has a title and respon-
sibilities so undefned that no one can tell you what it really is. Even better, you`ll
be coming in to an organization that has such a bad reputation that your lack of
skill or knowledge will not stop you from blaming your problems on everyone
who was there before! People say I don`t really have a well-thought-out plan to
reorganize the schools. Hah! I think this is a great plan!
There is a down side to this, though. I`m sorry to have to tell you this, but
you will have to deal with one of the really unpleasant aspects of working in City
government-children. One of the main problems in the school system-perhaps
you will fnd a solution to it-is that the schools are full of children. These an-
noying personnel unfortunately cannot be fred or transferred to other positions.
They come to the buildings, expecting an education (what gall!) that will let them
someday hope to be employed, if we can fnd some jobs after we`ve taken care of
you and yours and me and mine. They are not neat and clean, many of them are
hungry, and all of them expect help from teachers, paras, guidance counselors,
school aides, custodians and what have you.
Perhaps you will want to take this as your mission: to fnd a way to elimi-
nate this constantly-demanding expensive nuisance and their parents. Perhaps we
could shift the actual operations of the Department of Education offshore, and
keep only nice neat, clean offces with impressive titles and carpets on the foor
here in New York. In the meantime, should you be puzzled by any of the endless
new offces and positions I`m creating between the command center and where
the rubber hits the road, please understand that I must provide for thousands of
other people like yourself who have grown accustomed to high station, and for
whom saving education is now the only job open. Please be assured that your po-
sition and salary are safe; I`ll lay off as many of the undeserving as necessary to
pay you; after all, they are used to wondering where next month`s rent is coming
from, and will be glad to sacrifce themselves to save you any unnecessary pain.
Remember, if at any time you need my direct help, you can reach me in my
offce at City Hall. Or in Aspen. Or in Bermuda. Or in Paris. Keep on trying.
Sincerely,
Michael Bloomberg
Commander in Thief
Mad politician disease Capitol Hill outbreak
traced to tainted campaign contributions
by Will Durst, WorkingForChange.com 01.06.04
Federal authorities said on Friday it could take weeks or months to trace the source of
contamination for the U.S. Congressman diagnosed with the nation`s frst case of Mad Politi-
cian Disease.
According to experts, interrogation of the partisan committee that counseled the tainted
member of Congress, who was quarantined at an unknown location for security reasons on Dec.
9, will be crucial to determining how many public servants have been exposed to Mad Politi-
cian Disease and as well as projecting how far disease may have spread. The illness, a degen-
erative and debilitating ailment known as conscientious spongiform encephalopathy, causes
politicians to accept any money thrown their way, forgoing any and all ethical considerations.
The incubation period is believed be as long as 1.5 two-year terms, and can most commonly be
traced back to a single exposure to an corrupt contribution.
Since the contamination of the corrupted Congressman was discovered late in his second
term, epidemiologists from the CDC believe he was probably infected by accepting tainted
contributions at an early state in his career -- contributions that could have also been accepted
by other unsuspecting elected offcials or facilitated by aides acting as carriers who may have
moved on to other offcials` staffs or committee posts within the Capitol building.
Continued delay in pinpointing the source of the corrupt contribution would most likely
bolster the growing number of calls for a national system to track political funding. But as a
practical matter, regardless of whether the source of the dubious donation is found, federal
offcials are coming under increasing pressure to step up regulation and testing. According to
at least one senior source on the Hill, this will possibly include ear tagging, a measure that has
remained on the books but hasn`t been enforced since Reconstruction.
Regulators already face calls to eliminate all oil and tobacco monies from the political
food supply, and insurance and pharmaceutical-linked contributions are sure to be next in the
wake of Medicare legislation giveaways. Grassroots groups indicate escalating demands might
include mandatory testing of brain cells from U.S. Representatives that demonstrate symptoms
of nervous conditions when questioned at citizen forums, or, as was the case with the 'Downer
politician in Washington, an inability to stand for anything other than the National Anthem.
'If we`re lucky, we could know something within a matter of a day or two, said Dr.
Depak Phillips, Dean of the University of Virginia`s School of Politics in a conference call
with reporters on Monday. 'Hopefully, this will speed the momentum for a national identifca-
tion system, enabling us to isolate the corrupted campaign consultants responsible for the frst
recognized outbreak of Mad Politician Disease in the U.S. But Phillips also cautioned, 'Even
if the dirty dollars of Consultant One can be found, it is not necessarily going to be possible to
fgure out who bought the lunch that led to its infection. Imagine yourself a politician and trying
to remember what money you accepted 4 years ago. That`s not really the kind of thing these
people keep accurate records on.
Through a Bush administration spokesperson, the White House claimed the Mad Politi-
cian Scare is an isolated incident infated for political purposes by the enemies of freedom, and
predicted the source will eventually be traced to a batch of bad PAC money originating from an
non-proft animal rights group based in Canada.
Will Durst thinks the term non-proft animal rights group is redundant. To read more Will Durst
satire, see theWill Durst archive.
Subject: No Child Left Behind
Reacting to Federal Guidelines, the state of Florida, which has been high-
lighted as a role model for student testing by the Bush Administration`s
Department of Education has released the following memo:
In response to President Bush`s Federal No Child Left Behind Act, stu-
dents will have to pass it to be promoted to the next grade level. It will be
uniformly adopted by all the states, thus illuminating Florida to a glorious
front runner position in education, it will be called: the Federal Arithmetic
and Reading Test (FART).
All students who cannot pass a FART in the second grade will be retested
in grades 3-5 until such a time as they are capable of achieving a FART
score of 80%. If a student does not successfully FART by grade 5, that
student shall be placed in a separate English program, the Special Mastery
Elective for Learning language (SMELL).
If with this increased SMELL program the student cannot pass the required
FART, he or she can graduate to middle school by taking a one-semester
course in Comprehensive Reading and Arithmetic Preparation (CRAP).
If by age fourteen the student cannot FART, SMELL or CRAP, he will earn
his promotion in an intensive one-week seminar This is the Preparatory
Reading for Unprepared Nationally Exempted Students (PRUNES).
It is the opinion of the Florida Department of Public Instruction that an
intensive week of PRUNES will enable any student to FART, SMELL or
CRAP.
This revised provision of the student-testing component of the House Bill
110 should help clear the air.
Page 16 Education Notes March/April 2004
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90 Day Improvment Plan
for Teacher Union Presidents
Education Notes has announced a 90 day intervention program to counsel Teacher
Union Presidents. An intensive schedule of regular teaching will be instituted where
teacher union presidents in need of rehabilitation will teach fve periods a day for more
than six months so they can see frst hand what their members do on a regular basis.
They will also receive bio-feedback treatments to remove any identifcation they have
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Yes, this is an editor of an opposition newspaper who is going to talk about removing
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selling vacant offce space in UFT-owned buildings, head of public relations at the
Department of Education.
In Next Edition
of Ed. Notes:
Weingarten Agrees
to Tier 12 and 38
year longevity.
Claims huge victory
for UFT negotiating
tactics.
UFT Leaders Declare
Class Size Victory: Held
Class Sizes Under Sixty.
Are we talking harrassment here?
by Julie Woodward
If you have the stomach for it, Read Michael Winerip`s
article 'Principal`s War Leads to a Teacher Exodus
in the NY Times (1/28/04) about how 'a determined
principal has many ways to force out teachers - even if
they have stellar records. This was at Brooklyn Tech,
which he says has been plagued by management problems
for a while now. The principal, Dr. Lee D. MacCaskill,
repeatedly canceled popular programs and student
activities, and teachers who had always received positive
or excellent ratings on observations but who were critical
of him as an administrator suddenly started to get U`s.
One of these teachers is Alice Alcala, who Winerip calls
'one of the most respected Shakespeare teachers in the
city. . . . [She won] a $10,000 grant, bringing the Royal
National Theater of Britain to do student workshops and
spending Saturdays preparing her classes to do their own
performances. But she spoke out against the principal.
When he tried killing her Shakespeare program, she went
over his head to the central administration and got it
reinstated.
Let`s be clear about this. Winerip exposes a situation
that is being repeated all over the city in many different
forms, and it`s very nasty stuff. For example, teachers in
some schools are being excessed in the name of making
more time available for math and literacy, but how can we
be sure? Maybe the principal now has a convenient way
removing oppositional voices in the school, particularly
outspoken chapter leaders. And how much have we read
about these individual cases in the NY Teacher or heard
about them at the DA? The answer is Not Much. And
we don`t think we`ve heard of any case where the union
leadership has actually stepped in to fght for the jobs of
these teachers. (See page 12 for a letter from Alice Alcala,
oneof the teachers harrased at Tech.
[Winerip`s article can be read in full on Susan Ohanian`s
website www.susanohanian.org, which is becoming
a national treasure for its ability to collect and make
available the many articles that appear in local papers
across the country that expose high-stakes testing, the
NCLB legislation, and other campaigns in the new War
Against Public Education.]
Julie, a former middle school chaper leader, teaches
music in a Manhattan school.
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