Thursday, March 21, 2013

DA REPORT: PERSONAL ATTACKS INSTEAD OF DEBATE ON SCHOOL GOVERNANCE; UNITY VOTES NO TO UFT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DEBATE


It is the middle of the UFT election season and I am running on the MORE slate so this is clearly a Delegate Assembly report from my perspective. With that said, I don’t think any fair minded person would be proud of what happened at the March 20, 2013 Delegate Assembly during the discussion on mayoral control. UFT President Michael Mulgrew, and his followers in the Unity Caucus, didn't want to discuss their School Governance Report much but rather tried to engage in personal attacks against two people on the UFT School Governance Committee who opposed it. Unity also voted down a presidential candidates' debate.  No surprise there as they wouldn't dare risk having Mulgrew debate Julie Cavanagh from MORE.


SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
The only controversial item on the DA agenda was a School Governance Report being presented by the School Governance Committee.  Back in 2009, this same committee issued a report to reform mayoral control of the schools by limiting the power of the mayor over the schools in several ways. That Committee was chaired by Special Education Vice President Carmen Alvarez and Staten Island Borough Representative Emil Pietromonaco. In 2013, they came together again to basically dust off the old report and update it a little.  The UFT is calling for some checks and balances but a continuation of mayoral control of the schools.

In Mulgrew’s Presidents' Report, he basically motivated the resolution to accept the School Governance Report by saying that if the report was to be accepted by the Legislature, it would take away three of the mayor’s votes on the Panel for Educational Policy, leaving him/her with five members, instead of the current eight, while the Borough Presidents would retain their five members. The other three would come from the Comptroller, City Council Speaker and the Public Advocate so the PEP would remain at thirteen members. The mayor would need to convince two panel members  he/she did not appoint that his policy is right for it to be approved. The UFT calls this a check on mayoral control.

There were other minor tweaks such as giving School Leadership Teams a greater say in choosing candidates for principal’s positions, no waivers for education requirements for Chancellors, fixed terms for PEP members and Superintendents, and a mandate that Community Education Councils approve all school co-locations. 

I would call it mayoral control light as it would pretty much take us back to the 1996 law that limited the power of the old school boards. In those days the mayor appointed two members to the Board of Education and the borough Presidents appointed the other five.  Therefore, the mayor's appointees had to persuade two other Board members to approve a policy. That is the same number he/she would have to convince under the new UFT proposal.  

My own opinion is that this better than what we have now but it does not nearly go far enough in creating a democratic school governance system.  I don't understand why we have never had a democratically elected central school board in NYC.  I also cannot fathom why the UFT would endorse letting the School Leadership Team pick three finalists for principal positions and then let the Chancellor pick from them.  That is so similar to the old system when the C-30 Committee chose five candidates for principal positions and then the Superintendent picked two and then the Chancellor made the final decision.  The system was so easy to manipulate (people would drop out until the person the Superintendent wanted was the only one left even if the C-30 Committee at the school rejected an applicant).  When I was on the UFT Executive Board, I introduced a resolution to form a UFT committee to reform this system because the supervisory selection process was a joke. The resolution passed and I served on the Supervisory Selection Committee. I recall that we called for elected leaders in that report. Now we want to go back to a form of the system we called a joke back in 1998.

Yes the School Governance Committee is proposing an improvement from what there is now but it isn't that much better.  Why doesn't the UFT ever ask for everything we could possibly want and then settle for a few gains instead of starting out asking for only a little and then getting next to nothing?

Mulgrew in his report emphasized that the Governance Committee worked hard and volunteered their time.  He also said that mayoral control should not equal mayoral dictatorship. 


Later in the meeting, the resolution to accept the report came to the floor.  A Unity person spoke and then someone tried to quickly end the debate. To his credit Mulgrew didn't allow this and asked if someone would like to speak against the report. Gloria Brandman from the MORE caucus rose to oppose it.  She said that the tweaks in the report would not change much as it would still be mayoral control.  She stated that all the mayor would have to do is buy off two politicians and then he has his dictatorship back (Staten Island’s representative on the PEP usually votes with the current mayor as does the City Council Speaker on many issues so it might not be too difficult for the mayor to keep a majority.) Gloria asked for a democratic system of governance run by communities, parents and educators.

This would have been a routine discussion and the Unity majority could have put their rubber stamp on the report but Gloria said something that apparently Mulgrew did not like. She stated that Mulgrew erroneously reported that the vote to approve the report by the committee was unanimous. Gloria said she was present at the early March meeting and as she remembers it, she voted against the report. Being a fair and decent person, she stated that perhaps it was possible that the chairs did not see her hand raised when she voted no. That is why she was correcting the record at the DA.

Mulgrew responded by saying this was serious. He wanted to know if the committee made a mistake so he asked the people on the committee to speak to see if they saw a no vote. The majority Unity caucus committee members, who sign an oath to support the Unity leadership in union and public forums, jumped at the low hanging fruit. They put their hands in the air to obtain the floor and were recognized by the president and one one by one they declared that they did not see anyone vote against the report in committee, thus attacking Gloria who at this point was asking for a point of personal privilege since she was now essentially being called a liar.

Mulgrew refused to recognize Gloria but instead let the Unity faithful continue their attack. MORE’s Peter Lamphere called for a Point of Information and asked if Mulgrew was aware that Joan Seedorf was also on the committee and voted no. Mulgrew would not recognize this and instead called on another Unity person to say that nobody voted against the report. At this point it was becoming ridiculous as Gloria was again trying to be recognized and nobody was discussing the substance of the report so I raised a Point of Order to scream out that I was not going to allow the personal attacks to continue. Mulgrew would not permit me to make the Point of Order and called me out of order. He then told Delegates that they should confine their remarks to the School Governance Report so I basically was able to get what I was asking for. Soon thereafter, the usual Unity majority rubber stamped the report.


MOTION FOR PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE FAILS
Mike Shirtzer from MORE made a motion that there should be a UFT presidential candidates' debate that should be live streamed between New Action-Unity’s Michael Mulgrew and MORE’s Julie Cavanagh sometime between now and April 10. Since this motion was for this month, no discussion was allowed but the Unity majority overwhelmingly defeated it. (I guess they are afraid of Mulgrew debating Julie.  Having seen both Julie and Mulgrew in action on numerous occasions, I can understand why Unity is afraid of a debate.)


PRESIDENTS’ REPORT
Besides the School governance Report, President Mulgrew updated the delegates on a number of issues.

ALBANY-STATE BUDGET
Mulgrew declared it is the best budget in a decade proving that our lobby day efforts and our political action have done wonders. There will be an increase of around $800 million in state aid.


FACT FINDING FOR CONTRACT
Mulgrew said the UFT wants the report as soon as possible. The City strategy is to stretch out the process. May 6 is the first hearing date; we are in the process of scoping now. The mayor does not want the report to be part of the campaign for who his successor will be.

SESIS
Mulgrew told Delegates that the UFT has gone back to the arbitrator for the fourth time. DOE owes us money. The time has been extended to March 22, 2013 for when people must be paid for work done on SESIS during non-school time. While the President does not want members to be insubordinate, he says if members are asked to do work outside of regular time, they must abide and then call and email the UFT that they can’t do the work during the regular day.  DOE must also start paying the back pay for work done on non-school time by the April 15 pay period. The arbitrator said all titles deserve time to do this and the DOE must start the impact bargaining he called for in his award.

CURRICULUM
Mulgrew stated that the DOE is finally acknowledging we deserve a curriculum after 11 years. DOE also agrees we should not be doing Units of Study. City is paying Pearson and McGraw Hill for curriculum we have never seen. All are expecting test scores to plummet. Mulgrew wants to know how 48 states can use Common Core but how can we do it without a curriculum?

ENDORSEMENTS
Mulgrew thanked volunteers who are working on political endorsements. He said the Political Action Department makes recommendations to the officers and then it goes to the Executive Board and finally the DA. He stated that we have done 150 interviews.

On the mayor’s race, he said that some unions are pushing not endorsing in the Democratic Primary but the mayor’s race is more important to us than other city unions. Mulgrew then called for debate in the DA in April about the mayor’s race. He concluded this section by noting that we are the only big city teacher union that has avoided layoffs in this economic downturn.

Let me see if I have this right: Yes we should debate who we want for mayor but not debate who should be UFT President. That says all I need to know about Unity Caucus.


STAFF DIRECTORS’ REPORT
Staff Director Leroy Barr gave a number of dates for UFT functions including a rally against gun violence.


QUESTION PERIOD
Question about state budget impact on the classroom
Mulgrew answer: Mayor looking for 9 year contracts and making future co-locations already. It is difficult to get state money actually into the schools. City budget could be a tough one. We must talk to parents about test score drop when it inevitably happens.

Question about if Chancellor Dennis Walcott and his deputies will stay beyond January 1, 2014 when there is a new mayor
Answer: New mayor will choose the Chancellor. Transition and structure will have to be discussed.


Question about evaluation negotiations
Answer: It’s all games now. We have to see the language in the state budget law. Nobody expects much from talks now.

Next was the aforementioned motion on a presidential debate and the School Governance Committee Report resolution. The MORE people left after the governance business as many were going to the Panel for Educational Policy to support schools that were being closed or subject to co-location.


UFT ENDORSED CANDIDATES

New York City Council
Manhattan 05--Micah Kellner
Bronx 14—Fernando Cabrera
Bronx 16—Vanessa Gibson
Queens 27—Daneek Miller
Queens 29—Karen Kowlowitz
Queens 31—Elizabeth Crowley
Brooklyn 37—Raphael Espinal
Brooklyn 43—Vincent Gentile
Brooklyn 46—Alan Maisel
Staten Island 51—Vincent Ignizio

All candidates are Democrats except for Ignizio who is a Republican

I was not around for the vote on these endorsements or any other regular agenda items but I assume they all passed.

After this month’s fiasco with the way the governance discussion was handled, I am beginning to finally think that maybe my friends are right and there is no reason to go to the DA as it is pretty much an affront to democracy. It looks like what the French writer Alex de Tocqville once called "The tyranny of the majority" in his famous book Democracy in America.

79 comments:

Anonymous said...

On a somewhat related note: An Eduscabs for Excellence (E$E) member placed a stack of flyers on my school's front office desk sometime today. I'm going all out detective to find out if it was placed from an outside source or they were planted by an internal stooge. Anybody else have this happen today? My guess is they are going full throttle to get a new evaluation "deal" approved with Bloomberg's grace asasp.

Anonymous said...

When asked, she admitted that she did not attend the last meeting when the vote took place. You do realize that hundreds of people witnessed her lying.

Anonymous said...

In what scenario could it possibly benefit Mulgrew's position to debate anyone? This has nothing to do with being afraid of a particular candidate or issue. MORE has the equivalent political weight of the Rent is Too Damn High Party, without the entertainment quotient. Why would any candidate with huge support seek to debate a fringe group?

Anonymous said...

The fact that the above two "anonymous" commentators have felt it necessary to point out that there is no reason why Mulgrew would debate a llittle fringe group says it all.

Me thinks thee doth protest too much.

Bottom line is that most members have had it with unity.
They know that there is a black hole where our $1200 give or take in union dues per year goes and we get no true backing. Getting the word out about choices is the issue.

Very sad. A microcosm of our society at the present time.

Anonymous said...

Should Mulgrew debate E4E too?

Anonymous said...

Anon. 10:11 - Actually, it was one person who commented on a "fringe" group and debating, me. Unless a comment was deleted? The other commenter merely pointed out that the MORE person on the governance committee was being disingenuous at best. She changed her story more than once in front of the entire DA.

ed notes online said...

Mulgrew went to E4E his natural ally as did Leo Casey. So it shows you where Unity and E4E both line up -- E4E would endorse Mulgrew over MORE since they both believe in the same evaluation deal and support mayoral control.

ed notes online said...

Fact is that Gloria and Joan as ICE people too were opposed to the governance plan (remember - the one that Randi scrapped on her own) and were opposed to this one too. Of course Unity would make a big deal over 2 votes against since in your version of democracy anything less than 100% is taboo.

Anonymous said...

Seems the MORE person who claimed a dissenting vote was not being factual about actually attending the meeting.

Question James, I've been looking for your presidential candidate at the DA for the past several months. I wanted to ask her a question about her platform. I haven't seen her at the DAs, why hasn't your MORE presidential candidate/chapter leader been attending the Delegate Assemblies?

THE MORE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DOES NOT REGULARLY ATTEND THE MONTHLY DELEGATE ASSEMBLIES, WHY???????

Anonymous said...

I predict MORE excuses in...

3...

2...

1...

Anonymous said...

So the Delegate Assembly has no right to order a debate of the UFT political candidates and MORE criticizes the delegates for voting against the resolution?

So the MORE candidate doesn'regularly attend DAs or speak at them, and MORE thinks that's good?

So the MORE folks purposely lie to the assembly claiming they voted against the Governance proposal at a meeting they didn't attend, or didn't comprehend, or "let Peter speak for me, because he wasn't there but I was...I think...and I think I voted no on something?"

This is typical of MORE. All talk. All double talk. All idealism. Light on the brain. All lies. No solutions, no direction, and no vision.

Funny how a CL who is MORE and spoke about ATRs at a DA accusing the union of selling them out was complaining to me about the ATRs in a very unbrotherly way. NICE!!!

Want hypocrites with no brains, no guts, two faced, and delusional?

Go ahead for the Red Shirts!



James Eterno said...

Question dear Unity folks: Why did Randi Weingarten participate in presidential debates in 1998 and 2001? In those debates were candidates from PAC: a caucus that got less than 5% of the vote.

Anonymous said...

Ask Randi.

Anonymous said...

At least she wasn't afraid to debate, unlike the current president.

Anonymous said...

You don't get two bites at the vote. When the unanimous vote was taken at the committee ALL hands were up. Perhaps Gloria thought it was a good platform but caught some flack from her caucus. How does it make sense to vote for it and propose a dissenting opinion at the delegate assembly. Why not have another member of the caucus speak against it? I feel sorry for Gloria to have put herself in an embarrassing position . She is a dedicated activist. Perhaps organizing and discipline training would work well for more. The uft or ctu could offer the training.

Anonymous said...

Question for dear James, why doesn't your MORE presidential candidate/current chapter leader attend the DAs?

Unknown said...

Ossie Davis once said that the best advice is a good example. With that said I think every time someone from More offers their opinions, the best example they show is why Unity is the only choice when it comes to the UFT. It is clear the objective of More is to only disrupt and disengage the body as it continues to stand up against Bloomberg and his house of horrors. Additionally, when a leader has no followers then they are simply out for a walk. So I have to ask Julie, how often do you take walks?
Noel

Anonymous said...

5 Questions for MORE's presidential candidate Julie Cavanagh:

1. How long have you been a Chapter Leader?

2. What is your Delegate Assembly attendance rate for that time?

3. Do you stand with your brothers and sisters at the annual NYC Labor Day parade? Since becoming a CL what is your attendance rate for that event?

4. How many grievances have you filed during your time as CL?

5. As many CLs do, have you been trained by the UFT to do rating appeals and arbitrations for other members? Have you volunteered your time to represent others in those capacities?

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

What a pity a hand wasn't counted when the person didn't stick around for the vote. Just like you didn't stick around for the vote at the DA. I guess MORE supporters are LESS involved than they claim.
You were rather infamous for walking out on votes on executive board too. Oh, remind your friend Norm of the deal you made with Randi to get on exec board in the first place!

Anonymous said...

Julie?? Who is this? Why would the president of the UFT entertain a debate with someone who doesn't show to any functions? How about you show yourself JULIE?

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this real enlightenment of the situation. MORE really knows how to get things done!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Gloria Brandman might be the nicest, hardest working person in the world, but if she doesn't know whether she was at a meeting or whether she voted on something, I wouldn't want her as part of MORE UFT leadership or even representing me at a grievance hearing.

Anonymous said...

Stay classy MOREon!

Anonymous said...

Seriously, I hope everything is ok with her baby, but, how often does that happen? And, would it be a valid excuse to blow off the mayor with?

Anonymous said...

Unity Hacks!!!

Why should anyone go to the DA? I read these reports every month and it's basically the same nightmare over and over again:

Mulgrew talks and talks and talks and talks and talks saying how great he and UFT are. He must be in love with the sound of his voice or is repeating his subliminal messages learned during his sleep recorded messages.

After an hour of listening to his nonsense, then we are treated to Leroy Barr announcing the dates for the next time we can hear Mulgrew preach to his faithful how great he is.

After Barr, the Unity Gang all raise their cards so they can tell Mulgrew how great he is prior to asking their embarrassingly ignorant questions. This resembles more of a CULT than a Union Meeting.

Then there is a new motion period. At this time some delegate from some weird left wing organization raises a motion to support Fidel Castro or Raul Castro. Then, the Unity Gang, once again raises their cards to say how our union leadership is not fooled by the radicals within or ranks.

People in the schools would not believe what goes on. After this, the regular motions follow and they are usually things like supporting daylight savings. You have to respect the people who can sit through this farce every month and sustain the ability to not commit suicide.

Going after Julie and anyone else that does not attend the CULT like meetings shows that some of the Unity Flatterers here are in need of skilled professionals that may successfully reverse brain washing.

James Eterno said...

Kids google me and are directed to this blog. I have to delete comments that are profane in nature. A little decorum folks please. We are educators.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, I forgot to say something.

Mulgrew is a coward by not debating Julie.

Anonymous said...

Why should the President of the UFT debate Julie?

Because a true leader of the UFT, should demonstrate the ability to debate all topics with other candidates.

What is he afraid of?

How do you ask about Julie, who is this?

Is this not America? The home of the free, the brave and the home of anyone willing to run for public office.

As I recall, Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush Sr., Reagan, Carter and JFK all found time to debate while running for President of The United States of America.

We can't possibly be intimating that Mulgrew is more important than the President of the US?







Anonymous said...

By the way,

Julie was not there yesterday because her baby (son) was sick.

You guys should rescind all your extremely insensitive insults.

You should be wishing the baby well. Show some character.

Anonymous said...

To the 5:46pm comment:

Seriously, are you that stupid?

When a child is under a year old and ill, I think you can reschedule a meeting with the mayor. Even the mayor would have more sense.

It's hard to believe that you have anything to do with education and children.

I feel extremely sorry for any child in your class.

I hope you are not a parent.

Anonymous said...

After going to many nonsensical, windy DAs and witnessing not very much happen, ever, I've taken to reading your sharp reports. It takes much less time than driving to Manhattan, and saves me over 20 bucks on parking each month.

I want to thank you, James Eterno, from the bottom of my heart, for attending these things and giving such a clear picture of what happens, so that I don't have to.

Anonymous said...

Seems like fair questions, willl Julie answer these...


5 Questions for MORE's presidential candidate Julie Cavanagh:

1. How long have you been a Chapter Leader?

2. What is your Delegate Assembly attendance rate for that time?

3. Do you stand with your brothers and sisters at the annual NYC Labor Day parade? Since becoming a CL what is your attendance rate for that event?

4. How many grievances have you filed during your time as CL?

5. As many CLs do, have you been trained by the UFT to do rating appeals and arbitrations for other members? Have you volunteered your time to represent others in those capacities?

Anonymous said...

And what about the month before? And the month before that?

Jeff A said...

Responding to the five questions comment:

1. Will someone make or second a motion to have the Delegate Assembly attendance rate of all chapter leaders and delegates freely available to all the members?

2. Why is it important to register at the Labor Day Parade?

3. Amount of grievances filed is a reflection of what exactly? an inept administration, a lack of cooperation amongst the admin and uft, or genuine problems. Remember, being correct and being what the leadership thinks is winnable are two entirely different things.

4. Trained by the UFT means what exactly? It would be eye-opening to see what members thought of their “representation” at these hearings.

5. What does any of this have to do with being able to run a Union? Is this your litmus test?

If it means that much to you, “anonymous”, could you tell us Randi's record on those issues while she was actually a teacher?

Anonymous said...

1. Not everyone is running for UFT president.

2. To show solidarity and build relations with other NYC unions.

3. Shows commitment in representing other members as well as familiarity with a basic labor procedure.

4. Again, shows exceptional extra commitment and familiarity with more complex procedures.

5. See all my responses above. Yes, it is a litmus test to show involvement, understanding, and commitment. We keep hearing MORE and MORE talk (pun intended). Talk is talk, action is action.

Anonymous said...

Has MORE's candidate, Brian Jones, been attending the DAs?

Anonymous said...

Really? People who have sought elected positions in their schools shouldn't feel a responsibility to attend the most important monthly union meetings in order to be able disseminate direct information to their staff?

Some of your own MORE people, like James (who, to his credit, has impeccable DA attendance) would probably disagree with you there.

Anonymous said...

Not words, actions are important.

Arthur Goldstein said...

I have to say I am disgusted by the petty and personal attacks against a young mother on this forum. It's not all that hard to attend the DA.

It's pretty hard to get pro-teacher pieces published in the Daily News. Julie's done that. It's pretty hard to be brilliant and articulate enough to narrate a film. Julie's done that too.

I've met Julie, and I knew right away how smart she was. I'm very sorry some small-minded individuals have decided to target her.

There are many chapter leaders who can go to the DA and cheer as we partner up with Bill Gates and set up teachers to be vilified in the pages of the NY Post. There are many who can rationalize things like mayoral control or the unconscionable fashion in which we treat ATR teachers. Personally, I'd prefer they stop attending the DA altogether and wake up to precisely what this new junk science evaluation system will mean for working teachers.

There are few as poised and articulate as Julie Cavanagh. There are some things that can't be learned, that can't be taught, and innate brilliance is one of them. I'm not seeing much of that here.

Shame on all of you anonymous cowards who attack her.



Anonymous said...

Seriously, are you that stupid?

Many others are in the same situation raising young children. Julie's situation is far from unique.

The difference is that she's running for the grueling, time consuming position of UFT president. That's pretty much being on call 24-7. Maybe she shouldn't be pursuing this right now.

Does MORE extend any consideration to Mulgrew's personal life? Of course not. Double standard here.

Anonymous said...

Arthur, stop being a wordy blowhard and twisting what is being said. Nobody is attacking a young mother. People are questioning your candidate's commitment. Don't shoot for sympathy and stop trying to play the victim card. People have a right to know about the level of commitment exhibit by the slate MORE would seek to elect.

Arthur Goldstein said...

I don't recall saying anything whatsoever about Mulgrew's personal life, about which I know absolutely nothing, but feel free to correct me if I missed that. My point was more about the juvenile level of discourse here, to wit, things like anonymous internet voices asking things like, "Are you that stupid?"

I hope that clears up any confusion on your part.

Arthur Goldstein said...

"People are questioning your candidate's commitment."

In fact, I don't recall saying Julie was my candidate. Did I miss something? Please correct me if I did. And thank you for your clever comment,"wordy blowhard."

It's certainly inspiring to imagine people with your unique wit making decisions about our union.

Anonymous said...

I'm a teacher just like you, Arthur. My influence in making union decisions is the exact same as yours (that is, if you attend the meetings like I do).

I choose to embrace my native Queens gruffness and call it like I see it. You choose to try to impress and subjugate with words. Different sides of the same coin.

Arthur Goldstein said...

Frankly, your inability to engage in civil discussion suggests you are not a teacher remotely like me.

But you have a nice day anyway.

Anonymous said...

I'm not. I believe in actions over words.

Have a lovely weekend.

Anonymous said...

Best description of a DA I have seen by anonymous 6:00 pm Friday. A cult indeed.

Anonymous said...

Bizarre. Simply bizarre that someone from MORE would compare their own union's delegate assembly to a cult.

Then again you have some MORE people running for UFT leadership who proudly proclaim that they're communist. Weird lot of you. With a bizarre take on the world.

Anonymous said...

Actions like Mulgrew doing nothing to get us a contract in four years.

the moth said...

Sure, you're an "average" teacher who keeps track of Julie's attendance at DAs and UFT weekend training events where one can eat and drink themselves silly at our dues' expense. You are the average teachers who seems to attend every function. And maybe have access to grievances Julie may or not may have filed. And the fact that you refer to the waste of time DA as an important meeting shows you are a Unity slug.

Arthur reps one of the largest schools in the city with one of the highest numbers of members and instead of attending these useless DAs he puts his energies into repping the people who elected him while you spend your time repping the Unity line over the interests of the members. If you don't attend the DA are you afraid they will take away one of your perks?

If it looks like a slug and writes like a slug, it is a slug.

ed notes online said...

And Shanker and Feldman were socialists - right wing socialists, but socialists. Nice McCarthyist red baiting.

And you keep track of Brian Jones attendance -- he is locked out because he is not currently a delegate but on child care leave. That's 2 attacks on parents of young children. Just like principals going after mothers coming back from child care leave with higher salaries while the UFT doesn't defend them.

ed notes online said...

Let's see now, Julie wiped the floor with an E4E in defending LIFO which Mulgrew doesn't seem to be able to do but he does attend an E4E meeting.
Check out the video of Julie on NY1 -- and I have video tape of Ravitch, Edie Shanker and Leonie Haimson applauding Julie while she spoke.
And then there's Julie debating KIPP's founder Mike Weinberg in Costco mag (Circ 8 million) over charter schools while Mulgrew defends co-locating the UFT charter in IS 292. Some record you guys have.

Next time you attend a Queens chapter leader meeting why don't you call Arthur a blowhard to his face?

ed notes online said...

Here is the Julie E4E video debate -- if you have the nerve to watch it. https://vimeo.com/61814925

ed notes online said...

Here are just a few Julie credits:

Video:

http://vimeo.com/41994760 (The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman)

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/up-with-chris-hayes/49051032#49051032

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/134963/ny1-online—-last-in—first-out—debate-on—inside-city-hall—3-3-11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKFOUt1W384 (Bronx Talk)

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4350208/film-analyzes-education-system-failures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frIajrQfgUo (Community Board 12 panel to discuss charter schools.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnpaO_NjAw&feature=related (Deny Waiver for Cathy Black Rally)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qglFL2HGBSo (PEP meeting, January 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0F16OS7wIY (Bloomberg Protest)

Articles:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-cavanagh/

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/test-scores-article-1.1032155#ixzz1oAAeqZvb
http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201208#pg1

http://labornotes.org/blogs/2011/09/sending-nbcs-education-nation-back-school

http://labornotes.org/2011/01/billionaires-school-reform-what-it-means-teachers-and-students

http://labornotes.org/blogs/2011/02/nyc-mayors-school-closings-snow-job-not-fooling-anyone

http://www.publicsectorinc.com/online_debates/2011/08/the-parent-trigger-a-positive-step-or-a-distraction-for-improving-our-public-schools.html
http://thechiefleader.com/news/news_of_the_week/activists-still-seeing-red-over-black-uft-softens/article_1877aea6-016f-11e0-99ef-0017a4a78c22.html?mode=image&photo=1

Radio:

http://education-radio.blogspot.com/2012/03/charter-schools-great-scam-of-our-time.html

http://education-radio.blogspot.com/2011/09/exposing-mythology-of-education-reform.html
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bronx-teacher/2011/05/11/the-mind-of-a-bronx-teacher

ed notes online said...

Questions for Unity slug:

1. How long was Randi a Chapter Leader?

2. How long did Randi teach for?

Oops- Julie already quadruples randi's total time in the classroom.

How many grievances did Randi file during her time as CL?

Sorry I forgot. She wasn't a CL.

Was Randi traine to do rating appeals and arbitrations for other members?

Did Randi or Mulgrew, as Julie did time and again. offer to travel all over the city helping schools put together kits to fightback against charter co-locos?

Oh so sorry, almost forgot about the 2 UFT charter co-locos which Mulgrew voted for and defends.

And don't try that "randi's gone" crap on us. You were with her all the way on every single thing. As was Mulgarten.

Anonymous said...

Yes, you are right. UFT training events are a non stop party of gluttony. I'm surprised you haven't mentioned the orgies and the vomitorium too.

If it talks and walks like a jaded curmudgeon, indeed, it probably is.

Anonymous said...

My vote goes to Julie for being smart enough NOT to waste her time attending Delegate Assemblies where there are over 3000 delegates but the meeting is held on a room that holds 850 while some have to watch on Tv screens. What a farce. And the fact that over 2000 other delegates join Julie in not attending the cult meeting is a sign of some sense in the union.

Anonymous said...

You know you've uncovered a truth when Norm's panties get in a bunch. Look at his posts above; diversions, displacement, surliness. Poor old Norm.

Anonymous said...

Or lack of commitment.

ed notes online said...

But you do support the UFT charter invasion and undermining of a public school don't you? That is the truth. And you support mayoral control. That is the truth. But go ahead and use personal attack to avoid responding on the issues that show Unity has led the union to the edge of the cliff.

Anonymous said...

Norm, I don't see anyone attacking them for being parents. Do you ever read what you write or does it just flow freely in angry fashion?

ed notes online said...

Still doing your research on how long Randi was a chapter leader? Or a teacher? Can you point us to some videos or articles of Mulgrew defending LIFO or challenging charters?

ed notes online said...

If flows freely when faced with idiots. Julie and Brian, parents of young children are questioned about not attending the DA. Julie has attended every DA this year except when she had child sickness or childcare issues and Brian is on childcare leave. Looks like an attack on parents of young children to me. As a matter of fact quite a few MORE people have very young children and are trying to balance working, parenting and activism, so shame on the slug for attacking their commitment.

Anonymous said...

Unity hack asks Julie a series of questions and when Norm asks the same questions pointing out that Randi had much less qualifications than Julie that becomes "diversion" and "displacement." Talk about truth or lack of.

Anonymous said...

Randi once complimented Ed Notes giving you delusions of grandeur. Maybe you thought you'd be the editor of the NY Teacher by now? Ever since, you've been a malcontent with a vendetta. Pretty pathetic indeed.

Anonymous said...

Not just failure to attend the DA, failure to attend a whole lot of union/labor events.

Anonymous said...

Unless your "unity hack" is really Mulgrew, Randi, or someone else from the upper echelons of the UFT or DOE, how do you expect them to answer specifics about Randi's teaching history?

Yes, it does sound like those questions are a diversion.

Anonymous said...

Norm- You are not a math teacher for sure. Randi had six months in the classroom and Julie has twelve years. That is much more than qudruple the time. Also, our Unity supporter has not pointed out that when Mulgrew was Chapter Leader, he had a guidance counselor as a teacher delegate. Totally against UFT rules. Why don't you look this up?

Anonymous said...

"Some of your own MORE people, like James (who, to his credit, has impeccable DA attendance)."
James may be a masochist. So, you are the official attendance compiler of opposition members. James is late at times because he is teaching and thus misses some of the golden words of the president report. Do you mark him late on your sheet?

ed notes online said...

Ah, here we have it. First you say "Randi once complimented Ed Notes giving you delusions of grandeur" meaning you were there for that compliment circa 1999-2000 followed by "Unless your "unity hack" is really Mulgrew, Randi, or someone else from the upper echelons of the UFT or DOE, how do you expect them to answer specifics about Randi's teaching history?"
Well, here you have been a Unity slug for a long time and ed notes, which you seem to read religiously, published Randi's teaching history numerous times.
Simple math of if A=B and B=C, then A=C. Meaning- you are high enough in the Unity echelon to know all these details over decades.
As for the NY Teacher editor, you are confusing me with Ron Isaac, another winner you are paying 60 grand a year not to write for the NY Teacher.
Hey, do you think there weren't offers to join Unity and sell out my colleagues? Randi was a master at that -- see one New Action.

Anonymous said...

Although I am not a member of Unity, MORE or ICE, I am in fact a UFT member who will be voting for Julie.

The MORE platform stands behind teachers. Show me one instance where UNITY stood with teachers since the sell out of the '05 contract and the biggest sell out was the approval of the state's teacher eval plan where 40% will equal 100% after the 2nd year. Then there's the biggest sellout of all--standing behind mayoral control not once but twice.

I wonder if one Unity person here can tell me why it was a good thing to support Bloomberg and support the end of excessing and the beginning of the horrendous ATR status instead???

UNITY just wants power and control. I as a paying dues member should also have power, yet I have no power in voting on any evaluation deal. Other unions across the country do allow their rank and file to vote. UNITY under Randi has caused more teacher firings across the country. It has backed charters and co-locations, it has embraced VAM's junk science and welcomed Gates into the fold.

Julie has proved herself. Have any UNITY hacks here seen her debate of NY1 with E4E? Have any of you seen her on MSNBC showing support for Chicago teachers? Have any of you seen how articulate she is on the issues?

Julie is a real teacher and a good one at that. She will make an excellent choice for UFT president.

Anonymous said...

You MOREons are fabricating an attack on your candidates for being parents. The attack was on their lack of experience and commitment.

Is this a taste of what MORE UFT leadership would look like, twisting issues and playing false victim cards? Seems dumb and immature.

Anonymous said...

Does Julie have help (husband) at home or is she a single parent? I wouldn't ask such a personal question usually but you guys are offering it as an excuse. By the way I have seen Julie speak and she is very well spoken. One must wonder though how dedicated or available she would be to do the job if she can't make it to a DA, which is scheduled way in advance. I have young children, my wife watches them when I am at the DA and she knows short of my children or her being in the hospital I will not miss it.

Anonymous said...

That's a lot of links! I've been a delegate or chapter leader for almost 20 years, has she ever spoken at the DA?

James Eterno said...

8:27: Please stop this line of attack. It is embarrassing to have to read. Attendance at or speaking at DA's is a non-issue and has nothing to do with whether someone can lead the UFT.

The DA is a rubber stamp body dominated by people who sign a paper saying they will support the positions of the leadership of their Unity caucus. Almost everything has been predetermined.

I wish more of my friends would be there as it might change the nature of the DA but attendance at such meetings has no relationship to one's commitment to trade unionism. As someone who attends regularly, I still have enormous respect for friends like Jeff Kaufman, John Elfrank, Arhur Goldstein and oh yeah, my wife, who all think the DA is generally a waste of time and read my reports which confirm their view.

Why don't you talk about Mulgrew and Julie's positions on issues that impact our members such as evaluation based on junk science, placing ATRS, democratic school governance, class sizes, mobilizing our members, etc...?

Raving Lunatic said...

As the mother of a young child, your wife should attend the DA every month because that is the most important thing a UFT member does. If she had an ounce of dedication, she'd be there every month voting for whatever we tell her to. That's the way we roll.