Thursday, May 17, 2018

MULGREW ACKNOWLEDGES AT MAY DA THAT EVALUATION IS TOXIC

Arthur Goldstein's May Delegate Assembly Report is as usual required reading for anyone who is involved in any way with teaching in New York City. At the DA, UFT President Michael Mulgrew finally admitted that evaluations in NYC are "toxic". What a revelation?

Here are the Minutes from Arthur of part of Mulgrew's President's Report:
NYSUT RA was in Buffalo. Asks if they had a nice time. Seems to be growing solidarity across state. Everyone knows Janus. Bill passed that no one will mandate testing for evaluation. Governor supports. Assembly passed it. Comes down to Senate. NYSUT doing good job with this, wants nothing tied to it. About misuse of test scores. 

Consultation Committee with new chancellor. Says he’s very nice guy. You can be a really nice guy, but taking over that office is another issue. They want to know if we have to renegotiate. Law says we have a year. If moratorium (on using grade 3-8 tests in teacher ratings) lapses and we don’t have law, all teachers 50% standardized test scores. We have to take people out if they don’t vote for this. Whatever happens, it doesn’t matter. In NYC evaluation is toxic because it isn’t being used properly, and it’s getting worse. Members are observed day after they speak up about something, and admin who do that should be fired. Basis of law is about supporting work of people in classrooms. If professional admin perverts and twists it to lord over and beat people, they shouldn’t be allowed near children.

We don’t want to do anything about evaluation until we understand that this needs to stop. Some people are left alone, Some schools do this the right way, and every one of us wants to work in these schools, really talking about craft of education. Then, we have really bad people. Observation and evaluation should not be a benign activity. We should be in secure environment evaluation ourselves and letting others look at it.

Chancellor agreed if that’s what’s going on it’s no good. 


Our UFT President who two months ago said that the NYC evaluation system could "be a model statewide" now admits that it's "toxic" and that it is getting worse. Please don't comment that Mulgrew in February was talking about the choice of what growth model to use and not the observations. The whole system is flawed; the law the UFT and NYSUT are backing will only change what tests are used to evaluate us and won't do anything about Danielson observations. Mulgrew has finally figured out Danielson is not going well in NYC.

How many teachers have had to have their professional reputations and/or livelihoods ruined by Danielson observations before the President of their union finally admits that the observations are being used to get back at people who speak up?

This one sentence really struck me from Arthur's notes of Mulgrew's report: "Basis of law is about supporting work of people in classrooms. If professional admin perverts and twists it to lord over and beat people, they shouldn't be allowed near children."

Welcome to many NYC schools Mr. President! Where have you been the last five years?

I have some sad news for the President: The basis of the law is to fire teachers.

There are hundreds of administrators out there who are using the evaluation system to control teachers and don't give a hoot about improving or supporting instruction. They shouldn't be near children; Mulgrew is right. However one needs to ask:

What has the UFT done to reign them in?

The answer is next to nothing.

How about supporting repealing the evaluation law Mr. Mulgrew and starting from scratch? We have a petition asking for repeal (see right side of page or go here) that over 1,100 have signed and PS 8 has had a rally calling for the end of Danielson now!

Later in his report, Arthur once again cites something Mulgrew says that made me laugh so I didn't start screaming?

 Janus—All working hard. Don’t know what more we can do but will think of it. One to one conversations important. Door knocking has been great. Next piece membership teams. 

Don't know what more we can do?

How about acting like a real labor union leader for a change Mr. President and working for what the vast majority of your members want by getting rid of the evaluation system? That might convince some people to pay union dues to the UFT post Janus.

Here is a suggestion for right now: How about at the very least convincing the new nice guy Chancellor Carrranza to reduce the minimum number of annual observations to two like most of the districts in the rest of the state have? That would be rather easy to ask for now wouldn't it? If he is such a nice guy, maybe we could get those two observations per year in NYC. No need to change the law for that.

46 comments:

waitingforsupport said...

Suggestion: Step aside Mr. Mulgrew to let someone else do the job of supporting NYC educators. That's what you can do.

waitingforsupport said...

Suggestion: Step aside Mr. Mulgrew to let someone else do the job of supporting NYC educators. That's what you can do.

waitingforsupport said...

My colleague haf his license taken by '"$&* rotten administrators and a #$/^&4$ up system. Chancellor have a town hall...to learn about the rogue administrators and rotten school system that's failing and flailing.

Educat said...

So only NOW the U F T admitts that the knife they HANDED to the DOE for teachers to cook up a beautiful lesson is instead being used to carve us up. Slice and dice anyone who doesn't fall into line.
You're telling me leadership didn't have enough saavy to know that this evaluation model could be abused? I don't buy that.

Looks like Janis is doing it's job in getting this corrupt union to start hearing it's members.
Too late for me though.

Anonymous said...

If the Advance Guide says that only one observation must be unannounced, then Mulgrew should demand that only one observation be unannounced. It's a small step. Big steps we need are...Danielson neeeds to go. Tying us to scores needs to go. Roseanne McCosh

Anonymous said...

I thought he said that the evaluation system and common core were the best.

Anonymous said...

The Union likes Principals that retaliate against teachers abusing their power like Dwarka.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew said, "We don't want to do anything on observations until this (treatment of teachers" stops". What does that mean? I hope it does not mean that he is not going to do ANYTHING before September. At a minimum. he MUST get us 2 observations by September. We do not deserve to go one more year with more than 2 observations when NYS law clearly states only 2 observations are required. If we go back to school in September with more than 2 observations, I will put the blame on Mulgrew 100% for his lack of action. He can do this as the new Chancellor seems like a teacher friendly person.

Anonymous said...

We need to start observing teachers 20 times a year,

steve said...

A usual...and? All talk, no action. How about an on time contract with legit raises? If they wants ATRs out, how about a fair buyout? Where is the hardship travel transfer? Where is the seniority transfer? If you guys buy any of this, you are idiots. Kind of like the 77% who voted yes on the worst contract in union history.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew won’t do anything. Only way is if we individually pull dues and specifically give the reason why. Don’t email him - he deletes thousands at a time without reading them. Go down to their castle in the sky (52 Broadway) on peasant open Mike night. - Atlas

RBE said...

Agree with 6:45 AM.

Mulgrew and UFT leadership will do nothing unless there's a large enough exodus from the UFT to force them to do so.

These are empty words Mulgrew is spewing, they mean nothing.

As Roseanne McCosh wrote, Mulgrew could already force the DOE to go by the law and force admins to announce three observations. That the UFT has taken a completely hands-off approach to how districts and individual schools handle observations shows you how little they care.

It's fine and dandy that Mulgrew has gone from calling APPR the bestest thing ever two months ago to terrible today, but unless UFT leadership take concrete steps to rein in insane middle management at the superintendent offices (who are often, though not always, driving the insanity we're seeing from the individual school administrations over observations), nothing changes in our day-to-day work lives. The job will continue to be hell, Danielson driveby stress and LP OCD will continue to rule the day and the health of teachers will continue to be put at risk as teachers try to jump through all the APPR hoops.

Anonymous said...

Where are you people working? I teach at a "bad" school and a subject kids generally dislike but I would never call my job hell. I also get observed all the time and sometimes my AP has kind words and other times they don''t. What's wrong with this? This isn't a rhetorical question or antagonistic. I honestly do not understand.

Anonymous said...

Why is Namita Dwarka still a Principal when she retaliated against veteran teachers who spoke out?

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew did not do anything for the real fighters.

Anonymous said...

The UFT and CSA have known for many years that the observation and evaluation procedure is total BS!

http://source.nysut.org/weblink7/DocView.aspx?id=709

And Danielson is simply more of the same, just packaged differently.

NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer’s attention needs to be directed toward how much money is being wasted on the evaluation and observation procedure Citywide.

Anonymous said...

The Bronx, aka hell.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew and Unity are just worthless. They forgot how to do their job.

Anonymous said...

I’m going to speculate:

1) Perhaps no one, or no group, ever filed a petition with the Chancellor and Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) requesting the filing of Ed. Law § 3020-a charges against her, and then, if they denied or ignored the petition, followed up with an Ed. Law § 310 appeal to the Commissioner of Education appealing such denial or inaction.

2) Perhaps no one, or no group, ever filed a Part 83 moral character complaint against her with the NYS Education Department.

3) Perhaps people or groups restricted their complaints to blog comments in the hopes that “the powers that be” will see them and take action.

Anonymous said...

Even if we only have 2 observations and 1 is unannounced the stress will be the same!!!

Lori Matta

waitingforsupport said...

@ 1:04: your "heaven" is someone else's "hell". I am not concerned with the notion that my AP has not so kind words. I am concerned with being targeted for not inflating grades and not turning a blind eye to the bullsh'# bullying of my older colleagues, to name just two of the hellish activities i have been confronted with. Otherwise everything is simply grand-not.

Anonymous said...

Why are arbitrators hearing cases for termination without a PEP vote. Why is it that the UFT is not enforcing this requiremnt?

Anonymous said...

The 3920A cannot me modified for ATRs only. Unfortunately nobody is keeping an eye on our Union.

Anonymous said...

The union needs to go much further and challenge the DOE’s use of field supervisions at PERB or by filing a lawsuit. How unfair is it to observe a teacher in a classroom of strangers, with no ownership of their grades, and no idea how much rigor to put into a lesson since the ATR has no idea of the students’ academic ability? Do ATRs have any knowledge of IEPs? How can you plan and prepare a lesson successfully without any knowledge of the students? Many experienced teachers are being served termination papers without a vote from the PEP, another violation of the due process. But we have been also rated by someone we never met before, and now a roving Field Supervisor can recommend our termination. There is no oversight over Supervisors who are not acting in good faith. Yet our disconnected union leadership ignores the issues and allows the DOE to run roughshod over the helpless ATR. They are giving a blank check to Supervisors that for the most part are not acting in good faith by modifying the 3020A process for ATRs secretely. ATRs should not be harassed and targeted by Supervisors coming with an agenda. The whole observation process is manipulated to push experienced teachers out. Is this the way that we want to treat our experienced teachers? All ATRs should be back in the classroom, and given regular classes. Should we file a PERB complaint against the Union for denying ATRs the right to have a Chapter Leader, for a change of the 3020A for ATRs without an input from its members, or for allowing secret deals to get rid of ATRs without us voting on it? We also have a rating sheet signed by a rating officer we never met, how is this legal? It just to be signed by the Principal. Where in the contract says what is the role of a Field Supervisor? If we are teachers, why aren't we been evaluated under the same system?
It is a very clear plan well thought by our leaders to thin the herd of ATRs while less experienced teachers get hired.
On whose side is our Union?

Anonymous said...

The UFT and the DOE seem to be working together to let abusive Principals lie on charges to get rid of experienced teachers that speak up.

Anonymous said...

Is the UFT collaborating with the ongoing discrimination against veteran teachers?

Anonymous said...

What about the hardship travel clause, ALREADY IN THE CONTRACT... Why not honored? Especially for long term teachers with good records. Havent we paid our dues? Isnt it time I get a job in my home borough?

Anonymous said...

DEAR UFT...

1) Fight to get rid of Danielson and Advance. NYC teachers should get the same evaluation as the rest of NY state teachers.

2) Fight to get rid of bad administrators. There are HUNDREDS of them. Literally.

3) Fight to get rid of Fair Student Funding. Stop telling veteran teachers to go on the Open Market. The jig is up.

4) Restore 8.25% for TDA. NOT FAIR everyone else has 8.25% and NYC teachers have 7%.

5) Start organizing members when there is an injustice. Why should members take matters into their own hands? This EMBARRASSES you, as a union, to the public when you don't act.

6) Take a stand against incessant testing. You will find allies in the parents. This will be music to their ears. NOT doing so makes you look corrupt and on the wrong side of things.

7) Go into the schools. Ask teachers questions, conduct surveys. District Reps should know the pulse of each school. DRs need to stop heading to the principal's office to hang out with them. How about we go back to DRs being elected as opposed to appointed positions?

8) Ensure members have an actual curriculum to teach. Stop allowing members to have to WRITE curriculum and get resources from the internet, amazon etc. Demand principals provide appropriate books and materials.

9) Fight to get our retro sooner rather than later.

Educationally Yours,

NYC Teacher

Anonymous said...

Im sure they are discussing this today at the spring conference.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, new contract, 8.25 tda, discipline code, fair raises, dont count on it.

Anonymous said...

QUESTION: Mulgrew is doing a lot of "talk" on evaluation right now. How many folks really believe that we will get 2 observations this coming September? I am cautiously optimistic.

Anonymous said...

With all the talk about paid parental, that will get done in some way, so they can say...WE DID IT FOR YOU. They wouldnt put that front page so often if it wasnt getting done. What they wont tell you is how the other 80,000 teachers are paying for it with loss of future salary.

Anonymous said...

They know that most uft members have no idea what a good contract looks like so they can put their bullet points out on all the positives and everyone will vote yes, see the 2014 deal, the worst in uft history, got almost 80%. Most are quite frankly too dumb to even understand, thats why i still get texts asking when the next retro is, what is our new salary, when is the next raise, how much should the retro be...

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew and Fariña have caused a lot of damage to our schools for allowing vindictive Principals to target and retaliate against outspoken older teachers. Mulgrew should be ashamed to call himself an Union leader.

Anonymous said...

Instead,the topic isimplicit bias. An all black student body that has been failing for 40 years. Bias? Facts?

Anonymous said...

Now they do stretching exercises at the spring conference with smiles...as we are being told to suck dick by 19 year old students with 15 arrests and who cant write a sentence. Ok, ill try that Monday

Anonymous said...

As i finish my 10% over 7 years raise. And still wait for 80% of retro from 10 years ago.

Anonymous said...

It's only 75% of the retro you are waiting for. Love, Unity Caucus

Jeff said...

Actually between 75 and 80 percent. The numbers arent even as retro was building until this month.

Anonymous said...

They delayed on purpose the retroactive so people that were fired or died did not get it. What a shameful Union!

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew should get evaluated by the teachers.

Anonymous said...

What a shameful Union!

Anonymous said...

Field Supervisors are handling many underserved Us but Mulgrew is quiet.

Anonymous said...

Only a lawsuit against the Union will make them do their job.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew = playing dumb and not doing his work

Anonymous said...

The manipulation of the obswrvation system is well known and it is being used to push experienced teachers into retirement, but what is surprising is that the UFT does not do anything about it.