Tuesday, August 09, 2022

SCHOOL BUDGET CUTS ARE ON AGAIN AS CITY WINS A ROUND IN COURT (Updated with Attorney Barbieri Statement)

The basics from Twitter on the city's victory in court today:



Statement from Plaintiff's attorney:

106 comments:

Anonymous said...

https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/9/23298996/ny-enrollment-drops-budget-cuts-early-grades-prek-students-parents?_amp=true

Anonymous said...

Was there really any doubt that the political party that controls NY would not get their way?

Anonymous said...

You keep posting these things about buget-

Is $38B not enough?
Why is all this needed when attendance isn't counted?
Who are we teaching if students don't have to attend?
Why all the money if students graduate needing remedial college classes?

Anonymous said...

It’s not the size of the budget in the abstract, it’s where it goes and how it’s used.

You can pour plenty into schools with huge class size issues and likely waste in all in just about every sense.

Hochul, Adams and Banks may have some relief mixed in with the chaos here, the class size issue and chance is being upstaged.

We need people working in earnest to fix the right problems.

Anonymous said...

$38b is way too much. But the cuts should not be made from schools, teachers, and students. With all the waste, redundancy, and useless positions that that DOE has there can be so many cuts made other places that would have zero negative effects. Schools are already underfunded. When you see how schools are losing programs and things that hurt students you realize you can't just say less kids equals less money. It doesn't work like that. You're making bigger classes, losing art, science, music, supplies, you know, things that matter.

Anonymous said...

If the administration and leadership fail to care about the students and seem to want to push charter schools why should we care to fight a loosing battle.

Anonymous said...

Well, first step is awareness. Within and then ultimately without. If society wants things that way, then it’s pretty much done. If not, that’s another story. Knowledge, transparency, communication.

Anonymous said...

Because it's not about the students, its about keeping our union jobs. Thats what it sounds like to me.

Anonymous said...

John Liu

Spoke with @BrianLehrer about why we must teach the truth about Asian American history and why @NYCSchools has a lot to do when it comes to reducing class sizes. Listen:

https://www.wnyc.org/story/the-brian-lehrer-show-2022-08-10/

Anonymous said...

Mayoral control is a farce.

Anonymous said...

We all know that 20% of nyc school budget is dedicated to WASTE, FRAUD and ABUSE.

Anonymous said...

80% of us know that.

Anonymous said...

You should all see how much money is wasted on summer school.

Anonymous said...

Educators of NYC
Is @DOEChancellor on @WBAI right now telling NYers that @NYCSchools is expanding the ARTS when he’s part of administration that is cutting millions of $ and schools getting rid of arts and music programs.

5 Pinocchios.

Anonymous said...

Are we getting teachers choice money?

Anonymous said...

We need more overpriced consultants from other countries to teach us how to be good teachers.

Anonymous said...

Story remains The same.

Hate to break it to some, but each year, the doe is a s$&t show. Is what it is.

This year and this mayor are no different.

Show up, be reliable, smile, pass kids for the most part and don’t be viewed as having a bad attitude and you will get paid and retire well if you’re tier 4.

Tier 6? Get out…now!!!!!!

Dawkins said...

I imagine that all contract negotiations are stalled until the budget is reconciled.
And if I may add my 2 cents to that budget, the city could save a lot of money by rejecting the nonsense of Leader in Me scams. While at it, scale back on Impact Team consultants who waste our time and money on professional development meetings that unpack one standard for several months.

Anonymous said...

Teacher's Choice? any word on it?

or do we have to wait until Aug 29th as well

Anonymous said...

Another year, another shit show. Can we ever go back to work in peace?

Anonymous said...

Um, the contract? He forgot.

Dear Mayor Adams, Chancellor Banks and Department of Education Officials,

As the first day of school approaches, I am writing on behalf of my members to gain clarity about your plans for the city’s schools this year.

The outrageous cuts to the 2022-23 school budget have caused school principals and staff all across the city to scramble. At a time when the DOE is asking us to do more for our students and communities, it’s unbelievable that it is choosing to give us less. After the most difficult years in the city’s recent memory, this is a slap in our face.

Since June, when the budget was passed, the UFT leadership has advocated for the restoration of funds to our schools so they can continue to lead our communities out of the destruction wrought by the pandemic. For months, we have received no clear answers when asking our questions: Why did you cut funds to schools at such a crucial time? Why has the DOE decided to cut school budgets when the DOE budget hasn’t been cut? Where is the money going, if not into schools?

The increased needs of our students and families is undeniable and yet, once again, the DOE has left each school on its own to figure out how to make things happen with no guidance or support.

We were not the only ones questioning your judgment; parents and teachers brought suit against the city and won the initial round, but another ruling has sent the case back to court on Aug. 29. Of course, that is far too late in the game for our schools to plan. It’s beyond disturbing that the city continues to fight rather than accepting the premise that it’s time to rectify a mistake and do what’s best for our students.

We support the Council’s resolution calling for an immediate reversal of the DOE’s reductions to school budgets; calling on the Chancellor to submit updated school budgets to the Panel on Education Policy reflecting the restoration, as well as an accounting of unspent federal stimulus funds; and calling on the Mayor to promptly utilize any unspent and unallocated federal stimulus or other funds and submit a budget modification to the Council to fully restore the DOE’s $469 million in cuts.

Our collective job is to provide the best education we can to our city’s students. How can the city and the Department of Education claim to be doing their best when you are not providing our schools with budgets that are sufficient to maintain their staffing and school programming? How can you expect our schools to plan for an effective year when you have failed to tell principals how much money will be available to them? Why do you believe it’s acceptable to expect more from educators across the city while providing them with less?

Here are some more questions we need answered immediately:

In reference to your determination to appeal a New York Supreme Court judge’s decision to block the city’s budget, isn’t it time for you to listen to the pleas of parents and educators? Shouldn’t you be negotiating with the City Council rather than standing firm against New York City's children?
Will you answer individual schools' budget appeals that have languished, unanswered for months?
What is your timeline for reforming the Fair Student Funding Formula, which has shortchanged students and school communities for years?
My members and I have many other questions as well as we approach Sept. 8. But let’s start with these. We need answers, and we need them now. My members have worked heroically through these last 2 1/2 tumultuous years. We were hoping for an orderly school opening, but that’s clearly not going to happen. UFT members — your employees — and our students and parents deserve better.

Sincerely,

Michael Mulgrew
President, United Federation of Teachers

Jennifer said...

Regarding Teacher's Choice:

Earlier this week, I called the UFT and they did not have any information. I called the DOE Teacher's Choice department and was told that they are still negotiating the allotment but we can start making purchases. I asked if there was anything in writing and was told that there is nothing in writing yet.

Anonymous said...

658,

20 plus years I. The doe. Nothing changes! Don’t like it? Get out. Learn to live w it and enjoy your life.

Anonymous said...

I think we should have the choice to opt in to the teacher's choice money. A lot of us don't use it and it will be a way for the city to save money.

Anonymous said...

Couldn't transfer from a toxic school and had the schools I actually wanted reach out to me....3 of them. Only to not get the job due to budget cuts. Adams is the ABSOLUTE worse if them all.

Anonymous said...

All part of the campaign to drive students from public schools to charter schools. The real deal: parents are looking to leave nyc entirely and doing it more and more.

Anonymous said...

Who needs a raise?

Not Mulgrew, making 300K plus expenses.

Food prices surged 13.1 percent over the last year, the most since 1979.

Anonymous said...

Adams is using a Neo-Bloomberg approach when it comes to the funding of public schools—by simply not listening to parents, teachers and going to court to challenge court decisions. And remember, he appointed a pro-Charter Chancellor along with his campaign promises of at least 3% cutback in each city department. So no matter how inept DeBlasio may have been during his 8 year tenure especially the past few years —well you now have Adams—and you also have an expiring contract and Mulgrew is still at the helm. Good Luck.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday
Michael Elsen-Rooney
Here's the resolution @NYCSpeakerAdams is introducing today, calling on @NYCMayor to propose a budget modification restoring $469m in cuts to school FSF, and in the interim for DOE to "cover any shortfall" and provide more transparency on school budgets: legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDet…

Moose said...

Just a total mess. It's like a prison sentence. Every year seems to become more of a "You can't make this up" routine. I don't know how many contracts I have left. I am in my 12th year. With the inflation colliding with the end of the 2022 contract, this contract potentially could be the most important one I see with the DOE.

- Could there be a buyout for older staff since funding apparently "needs" to be slashed?
- What type of percentage raise are we looking at over the next possible decade? These contracts usually go 7-8 years.
- Are there going to be any givebacks?
- Will we accept a "raise" for working more hours? That's called compensation to those who understand how that works.
- Will we have some permanent Co-Vid/sick rules in our contract? What we have had is pretty good. 2 days off after a Booster, paid time off to care for our children if they are out related to Co-Vid illnesses. Also, paid time off for ourselves without our bank being hurt.

I'm not feeling optimistic considering the DOE has lost a lot of students since the pandemic. This has hurt funding (the point of this blog discussion).

PS: We were given 7 Vacation Days for March 2020. Those are 14 CAR Days, which when turned in become 7 days (i.e. 2 for 1). Those are days at maximum salary when turned in. I will NOT be using them and saving them for what I like to call "a severance package" at retirement.

God Bless and let's enjoy these last few weeks before we go back to the fire-storm we call the DOE.

Anonymous said...

“We have so many students who are going on to college academically malnourished.”

As hundreds of thousands of recent high school graduates head to college this fall, experts worry many are significantly behind academically.

https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-race-and-ethnicity-milwaukee-5ab5394b2513e7136b9b854355770a1a?taid=62f796e1dcbb3b0001c13858&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

Anonymous said...

Moose,

There won't be a buyout, it's too late now.

I would expect a NOT on time raise and contract.

How does 5-6% over 3 years sound?

Anonymous said...

Which is worse?

Funding incompetent DoE 38B or incompetent uft $1600 per person, per year?

https://nypost.com/2022/08/13/parent-leaders-school-david-banks-on-new-hs-admission-rules/amp/

Anonymous said...

As we get no money and a delayed contract again…

In addition to keeping Florida open for business and kids in schools, DeSantis has given teachers' $1,000 annual bonuses and increased funding to combat red tide by 70%, protecting our environment & tourist economy. These are nonpartisan victories, improving FL's quality of life.

Anonymous said...

Fuck DeSantis. He has absolutely no respect for teachers or letting people make their own decisions. He is Trump light. Only a fool would be taken in by a $1,000.

Anonymous said...

You are so right. I think we should get nothing. Or better yet, wait 12 years for a retro raise with no interest. To top it off, we should get 1.3% a year over a 7.5 year time frame. Teachers: the very dumbest.

Anonymous said...

Am I truly the only one who reads this blog who sees THERE IS NO GODDAMN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON UFT MEMBERS QUALITY OF WORK ENVIRONMENT OR SALARY. Seriously, from Koch all the way to Bloomberg to DeBlasio and Adams. From Clinton to Bush to Obama to Trump. From Pataki to Spitzer, to Cuomo to Hochul. They all hate teachers. Obama screwed us big time. And now we’ve alienated most of the parents over school closures. But Ron DeSantis is “Trump light” and therefore evil. The exact same term spit out by cnn, msnbc and WaPo. Spare me. He’s getting my vote in 2024 because Biden, Harris, Mayor Pete and the rest of them have damaged this country enough.

Anonymous said...

7:54, What do you mean we should get nothing? Do you work in Florida? I thought you were fawning over DeSantis and the $1,000 that teachers in Florida are getting? Did they wait 12 years for a retro raise with no interest? What are you even babbling about? Speak for yourself about being the dumbest. You can't even keep up with your own post.

Anonymous said...

9:04 do you always sound so hysterical, and do you think before you scream and shout that anyone is going to listen to you or think you make a good point? But yes, DeSantis is Trump Light and maybe he's referred as that by many the term fits. I know I don't watch those news programs. Nobody cares who you vote for, and I doubt anyone is going to get hysterical over your choices. You get your one little vote, and so do the rest of us. You really should calm down before school starts in a couple of weeks. Bad energy, very bad energy.

Anonymous said...

9:04 you have a few who have said the same thing but I don't think anyone else has been so out of control about it. I wouldn't want you teaching my children.

Anonymous said...

Ron DeSantis
Today, I announced three new proposals for the 2023 Legislative Session that are focused on recruiting more teachers to support our students in the classroom.

We are committed to having the best and brightest in our classrooms educating our students.

Anonymous said...

This is why you all pay dues, so Mulgrew can ignore simple things…

Education Sec. Cardona on teacher shortages: "We have to address this issue head on. We have to make sure that our teachers are getting a competitive salary. Teachers make 20 percent less than college graduates in other professions." https://trib.al/oxfOLqo

Anonymous said...

No, only the nyc teachers would agree to a deal to let the city hold retro pay for 12 years with no interest. Then, only nyc teachers would take barely over 1% per year raises. Then, pay dues, while those dues keep going up and declare victory. Yeah. Smart.

Anonymous said...

3:07 lol @ DeSantis he wants to tell teachers what they can and cannot teach. The best and brightest that will follow him in lockstep.. Some teachers are openly defying. One said children are not the snowflakes he thinks they are. That was hilarious. But he doesn't govern in NY so whats your point?

Anonymous said...

8:32 Are you a teacher? What's your solution? Do you demand and receive a higher raise than anyone else. Did you even try running for UFT President so that you can be the change you want to see? You must like to hear yourself argue because what is the point other than to bash everyone?

Anonymous said...

I want to teach kids that monkeys fly and that the Nazis were the real heroes in WWII. Good thing I teach in ny where no one tells me what I can and cannot teach. Damn that Ron DeSantis. Why can’t I teach what I want in Florida too? Teachers do not decide their own curriculum. Read the DeSantis bill instead of listening to fake news about it.

Anonymous said...

Oh, ok. DeSantis is much worse than the NYC school system which says, as per Banks, attendance is completely irrelevant and students can no show but do the "work" and pass. I tought this was a liberal blog that cared about the 85% minority student body and their future.

Anonymous said...

5:47 you sound ridiculous. Teaching historical truths are not the same as teaching about flying monkeys. What a dumb comparison. This wasn't exactly anything that hasnt been taught in the past. He's trying to censor to pander to right wing racists and snowflakes. I dont need to listen to fake news, and it's funny that a Fox Entertainment viewer would call any other news fake news. I heard what teachers and parents have said.

Anonymous said...

10:39 this blog doesn't care about minorities or their future. You certainly don't. Its just the little smokescreen people like you pull out whenever its convenient. Always pretending you care more about children of color, then people of color themselves. The white knight complex. You want people of color to support an intolerant man who doesn't want black history to be taught? Why don't I try and force you to support Louis Farrakhan?

Anonymous said...

I don't vote for Republicans, ever. Certainly not DeSantis who doesn even have the balls to say the 2020 election wasn't stolen and campaigns for Republicans who publicly claim it was. He's a coward who bullies teachers and parents.

Anonymous said...

10:39 if you say so. Noone else did. What does DeSantis have to do with NYC teachers? Start your own blog

Anonymous said...

Huh? Chancellor Banks says so.

"Grading must be based primarily on content area knowledge and skills and not on non-mastery measures. Schools may not factor attendance into students’ grades or grade students predominantly on participation or preparedness."

That says a lot about a school system with a $38B budget...

Which then sends half the stduents to summer school...

Perhaps because there are zero standards.

Anonymous said...

1247. James ran and got under 10%. Someone always runs and loses by more than a landslide.

When someone says to stop paying dues, James says no and the sheep follow.

When someone suggests a walkout, Mulgrew sayd no and the sheep follow.

When someone says to have grading and attendance and discipline standards, everyone says that too many minority students fail and get suspended.

Whenever there is a contract, it passes. Easily.

Anonymous said...

2:58 people don't follow because they're sheep, they follow because they don't want to walk out or they don't agree with not paying dues. That doesn't make someone a sheep. I haven't heard one person, let everyone, say there shouldn't be attendance and grading standards. In fact everytime people say you should fail them, some will whine how their principals make them, or they're going along to get along.

Maybe people aren't as miserable with the contract, or Mulgrew, as you are. Ever think of that? Excessive paperwork and administration abuse has nothing to do with the contract.

Anonymous said...

I wasn't referring to the attendance policy. I was being facetious about DeSantis. Doesnt matter. He's not NYC Mayor or Governor. Why is he even a topic on this thread?

Anonymous said...

What?? Omg 1247. When has anyone on this blog ever said to not have attendance and discipline standards because too many minorities fail and get suspended. In fact people its usually liberals saying the opposite and say just fail them if they don't show up.

Anonymous said...

Odd that dems in a dem run state and city and union complain about how bad their own contract is and how bad the job is… while saying a Republican Governor is bad. Look in the mirror.

Anonymous said...

7:48 A Republican Governor is irrelevant to my life here in New York. You guys are the ones who keep bringing him up on this blog. Are you mad that we're not fawning over him like you are? But if you insist:

"Gov. Ron DeSantis previously fired Hillsborough County state attorney Andrew Warren, per the report. Why? Because Warren challenged many of the governor’s anti-LGBT laws and supported LGBT youth seeking gender affirming medical care. DeSantis replaced Warren with Susan Lopez who immediately sent out a memo reversing all of the policies her predecessor put in place. One of those included a bike-stop policy long accused of being racist."

"Warren’s office had found that more than 70% of “resisting without violence” cases in Hillsborough that occurred after a pedestrian or bike stop involved Black defendants. Warren also held meetings to discuss his findings with TPD before implementing the policy."

"Lopez’s first plan of action being the reversal of a racist bike-stop policy speaks volumes given the research exposing how Black Hillsborough residents were affected by it. It’s clear that her agenda is the feed in to the systemic racism in the criminal justice system."



Anonymous said...

You want to support him, go right ahead, but don't whine and cry about it when others don't follow suit. DeSantis on education:

"as instruction began in most of Florida this past week, there are other changes that make Lee anxious about the new school year. Contentious laws went into effect during the summer recess that restrict how schools teach topics linked to race and sexual orientation. New avenues were created for parents to sue teachers and challenge instructional materials. Math textbooks have been culled for traces of critical race theory."

"Brandt Robinson, a history teacher at Dunedin High School, believes he has already been the target of some of these surveillance efforts. He said a student registered for his African American history class last year but left a few days later, after which the mother of the student filed an objection with the district based on the syllabus. Robinson said he had to turn over his course materials during a review"

Andrew Spar, the president of the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teacher’s union, said some teachers are quitting the profession instead of operating in this environment. He accused DeSantis and the groups supporting him of contributing to a teaching crisis that has, by the union’s count, left the state short 9,000 educators this fall.

“Why would you accuse teachers of doing things they’re not doing?” Spar asked. “These laws are based on lies. It adds to an overall climate that is turning teachers into villains.”

Anonymous said...

I'm a Democrat, I'm not complaining about how bad my job is or how bad the contract is.

Anonymous said...

There is an excessive paperwork goal we in the contract.

If there is an abusive administrator and the uft isn’t doing anything, what are they worth?

Do you want read the constant complaints here? Are they all by one person?

Anonymous said...

Um, the chancellor, a black democrat, and supposedly an educator, said nothing counts.

Anonymous said...

9:49, from what I've seen a lot of the complaints are from Republicans. Bottom line, they want to get paid but they really don't want to face the students. Those same children of color they're always propping up for a excuse but really don't care anything about.

Anonymous said...

9:50 - Um, what is your point??

Anonymous said...

Florida teacher: "teachers now have to choose between their paycheck or teaching the truth"

Anonymous said...

“I wouldn’t want you teaching my children”. Hahahaha awww I’m just dying to teach your little princes. Please let me. Pretty please. To paraphrase former Obama Ed secretary your kids aren’t as wonderful as you think they are. One dumb insult deserves another.

Anonymous said...

8:11 you think someone with such anger issues should be teaching children? You think this is normal, or sounds stable? It sounds crazy and frankly, maybe you can take that same energy and try and do something about it rather than just screaming at people on a blog. Or take a sedative, or a laxative. Whatever. Seriously, get another job if you're that miserable. Whether you actually scream at the kids or not, you really do emit a bad spirit.

"THERE IS NO GODDAMN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON UFT MEMBERS QUALITY OF WORK ENVIRONMENT OR SALARY. Seriously, from Koch all the way to Bloomberg to DeBlasio and Adams. From Clinton to Bush to Obama to Trump. From Pataki to Spitzer, to Cuomo to Hochul. They all hate teachers. Obama screwed us big time. And now we’ve alienated most of the parents over school closures."

Anonymous said...

8:11 so your conflicts with adults leads you to insult children. I'd say the point was just proven. My children are adults with children of their own but I wouldn't have wanted you anywhere near them either. Very inappropriate person.

Anonymous said...

LOL @ DeSantis committed to having the best and the brightest:

"Florida’s education system is in such a state of total breakdown that DeSantis signed a bill last week directing the state’s Department of Education (DOE) to allow military veterans to receive a temporary five-year teaching certificate while they earn a bachelor’s degree. The legislation, SB 896, allows veterans that are not certified or trained or even possess a college degree to serve as teachers in public schools.

The announcement was met with a deluge of infuriated comments on social media. A spouse of an educator commented on Facebook: “[A] 4-year vet with no actual credentials can start in exactly the same role as my wife who’s been teaching for 8 years AND that vet gets 5 years to teach without any actual expertise in their field. How does that even make sense?”

Anonymous said...

Lol. Have you seen the nyc teachers and paras? Barely proper English-Barely any work ethic.

Anonymous said...

1:05 I hope you’re not a teacher.

Anonymous said...

3:13 <---deflection and projection

Anonymous said...

9:52 Of course I've seen them and they're right here on this board praising Trump and Desantis. Lol. But the issue wasn't NYC teachers, it was the praise being heaped on the anti-teacher DeSantis.

Anonymous said...

907 PM,

Illogical. NYC is almost 9 to 1 dem. The uft is pretty much all dem, as is the doe, as is Banks, as is Adams.

So the fault of everything are the handful of Trump voters.

The doe is failing so badly because of them?

Anonymous said...

Damn that DeSantis.

Crippling inflation. Sky-high energy costs. Ceaseless illegal immigration flooding over an eradicated border. Looting, beating & killing sprees engulfing our cities. Completely avoidable war in Europe. A massive new middle class tax hike.

Media calls this Biden’s winning streak.

Anonymous said...

Well 3:11 you all keep bringing DeSantis up. Why?

Anonymous said...

2:04 What? the comment was "have you seen NYC teachers, barely proper, barely any work ethic". So I responded that yeah, I most certainly have seen them on this board praising DeSantis and Trump, ya know that ones who brag that they don't work. That has nothing to do with your post about Adams and Banks, 9 to 1 Dems in charge, or whatever else you're spewing there. Nobody said anything about the reason for DOE failing. Go sit down somewhere.

Anonymous said...

You forgot stolen classified records, fake electors, dereliction of duty during Jan. 6 and all those who support it

Anonymous said...

DeSantis is a Florida Governor and he is anti-teacher. Why should anyone give a damn about him other than you're trying to use somebody else's blog as a vehicle to push his 2024 election. I'd vote for Cheney before I vote for him.

Anonymous said...

How do you know teachers who don’t work are Republicans? I don’t remember ever seeing anybody say “I’m GOP and a I’m a nyc teacher and I don’t do any work.”

Anonymous said...

Confused. Is Adams pro teacher? De blasio? Banks? Has pro teacher uft President gotten us a good contract since 2010? There isn’t a Republican amongst those listed.

Anonymous said...

8:47 That's a whole 'nother conversation. The topic that was brought up here was DeSantis and that's what was responded to.

Anonymous said...

Well 7:29 I guess one has to have a brain to make that deduction. If someone is complimenting DeSantis, and constantly bashing liberals and "Dems" while also bragging they don't do any work while committing pay fraud, it's safe to say they're not a liberal even if they don't word it exactly as you did. It's probably you.

Anonymous said...

lol. Obama wasn’t even pro teacher.

Anonymous said...

Where did a pro DeSantis person say or brag they don’t do work?

Anonymous said...

You want me to go searching through months of posts to pull it up for you? Guess what? I don't care that you didn't see it or that you're playing stupid. I only care that I saw it.

Anonymous said...

So now we're talking about Obama @9:29. LOL. What the fuck does Obama OR DeSantis have to do with NYC teachers in 2022? You've go to be pretty stupid to not know that DeSantis' agenda is very anti-teacher. I mean he's practically using it as his platform.

Anonymous said...

"Today President Obama will stand with hundreds of educators from across the country to recognize their contributions and celebrate the progress this country has made toward increasing educational opportunity and outcomes for all students since he took office. On National Teacher Appreciation Day, the President will not only honor the National Teacher of the Year, but he will also celebrate remarkable educators across the country who have helped us achieve extraordinary progress over the past seven and a half years.

President Obama recognizes that America’s future is written in our classrooms, and that our teachers and educators deserve our support. That is why, throughout his Administration, the President has not only supported our educators, but also promoted a bold vision for improving our education system to give all students the fair chance they deserve. Today, the White House will underscore the change underway in America’s schools, and announce progress toward reaching the President’s goal of preparing an additional 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers for America’s classrooms by 2021.

The White House is also highlighting new efforts to support great educators. TEACH – a public-private collaboration led by the U.S. Department of Education and Microsoft, with support from organizations including Facebook, College Football Playoff Foundation and MyCollege Options – will launch new commitments to attract a strong teacher workforce. The Department of Education will collaborate with the ASCD, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Foundation Charitable Trust, and Carnegie Corporation of New York in their work to support teacher-led initiatives that strengthen teachers’ professional learning and improve student outcomes. And organizations like Spotify and the College Football Playoff Foundation will launch new efforts to support and encourage great teaching."

James Eterno said...

Obama was not pro teacher. Four words: Race to the Top. Debate off topic and over.

Anonymous said...

Nice James, you let Republicans go on an on and on about DeSantis and Trump, spew racist crap for days, and the minute someone says something positive about Obama, it's off topic and over. You may not have liked "Race to the Top" but that didn't make him anti-teacher. I'm starting to think you're a closet Republican.

"In 2012, the Obama Administration launched a Race to the Top competition at the school district level. Known as Race to the Top – District, this program will invest nearly $400 million in 2012 in schools to create new models to personalize learning for students, so that they can engage their interests and take responsibility for their success."

James Eterno said...

I have never voted Republican. Arne Duncan and Jon King were not pro teacher or public schools. Obama was as bad as Bush on public education. Case closed. This post was about school budget cuts, not Obama. I debated this for years. Not now, please. Biden is actually so far a bit better by the way on Education but that us a debate for another day.

Anonymous said...

It wasn't about DeSantis either but they've been talking about him since Sunday, the 14th. But now it's a problem. Sure.

Anonymous said...


If NBC is saying this…Wow.

NBC’s Chuck Todd: “Americans are angry, they’re disappointed, and they are worried about the future of this country.”

A new NBC poll finds 74% of Americans say the country is on the wrong track.

Anonymous said...

I’m a democrat. Would never vote for a republican.

I believe my job is to pass everyone regardless of merit. I believe that it is not my job to hold people back.

My admin has never said a word.

I have no issues. I’ve passed people with sub 10% attendance. Banks, Porter and Carranza said attendance is irrelevant.

I have very few in class.

I give work. If they never attend, they know they can do it at home.

If it is crappy, it still qualifies for a 65.

If they don’t do an assignment st all. I give no less than a 55., so it’s easy to get to a 65 with makeup work.

I have a no zero policy. I have a no lower than 55 policy, even if a student sleeps through a test.

Anonymous said...

Still waiting to see these racist comments here that people swear exist. They must be invisible to those with common sense. James being attacked from the left. Ouch. I guess James is a racist too. Repent James. I have scheduled your struggle session for 9am tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

1140, james already said it involved people talking about crime stats. He considers that racism. Facts can be tough sometimes.

David said...

10:32,

You are a disgrace. Your admin should be brught up on charges as well.

Anonymous said...

10:32 you sound dumb. Democrats are on this board all the time trying to convince people not to pass kids who don't show up or do the work. Thats when you show up with your hundred excuses for why you can't do that. Whatsamatta boo boo, youre still mad about the vaccine that your "fellow union workers" won't support you on? Hmmmm. Glad to hear it! Chew on it. Makes my day. You're too much of a coward to not be vaccinated tho despite being against it. So you're just rail nothing blog. When's your struggle session? Were you the drama queen who posted that your friends and family thinks youre nuts? Lol

James Eterno said...

12:36, There is a difference between talking about crime which is often off-topic and using downright ugly direct racist language which someone does here often. All this does is waste my time. If you have nothing better to do on an August afternoon, it is kind of sad. I can keep hitting delete if I have to. I would rather go out and have fun with the family. We can always close the comments if it takes up too much time.

Anonymous said...

12:38, you do understand its a Republican doing all that. Or are you really 10:32 talking to yourself again?

Anonymous said...

11:40 Where was James attacked from the left? You must think being called a Republican is a very disgusting thing. He's not a snowflake like you and actually let the comment go through because he knows how to have a conversation like a grown-up. But no, he's not a racist. You are.

Anonymous said...

7:19. @959 James was attacked from the left. Snowflakes melt when reading viewpoints they don’t like. Never attributed that to James. Geesh. Now we have to teach reading comprehension to nyc teachers.

Anonymous said...

10:15 only a snowflake would consider that an attack. The point is it doesn't seem as if he considered the post to be an attack. Clearly you need remedial reading classes.

And nice projection on your part. You are melting over a post, while posting that "snowflakes melt when reading viewpoints they don't like". That's is why you were called a snowflake, you fool.

Anonymous said...

10:15 were you the one who posted that you were profoundly devastated, or some other nonsense because people didn't want to listen to your objections, and that they thought you were insane? Because that's some real snowflake reaction right there. Was that you? Do tell.

Anonymous said...

'Snowflakes melt when reading viewpoints they don't like". I sure hope the person writing this is not a DeSantis supporter because he is all about banning books that have viewpoints he doesn't like. All over the country Republicans are trying to stop the teaching of viewpoints they don't like. They don't even deny the truth of the matter. They just claim it's going to make other people feel bad. Nevermind reading comprehension, how about some common sense and self-awareness.

Anonymous said...

Cont'd: The biggest hypocrites on the planet. So triggered over a post on the blog while supporting the passing of laws that actually institutionalize differing viewpoints.

"In Florida, DeSantis is fighting the good fight against whatever the word "woke" means. He recently signed a not-at-all-ridiculous-sounding law, the Stop WOKE Act. But before all wokeness could be stopped, a federal judge leaned on the First Amendment – the woke-ist part of the U.S. Constitution – to block the state from enforcing part of the law."

"The judge wrote that the law, which bars companies and schools from teaching diversity or history in a way that might unfairly make nonmarginalized people like me feel uncomfortable, violates the First Amendment and includes “a naked viewpoint-based regulation on speech.”

"U.S. District Court Judge Mark E. Walker wrote that Florida had turned “the First Amendment upside down” and is attempting to win an argument “by muzzling its opponents.”