tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81283925892837454052024-03-21T16:43:44.923-04:00Concerned Advocates for Public EducationParents and Educators Working Together to Protect and Preserve Public Education.
contact us at: capeducation@gmail.comConcerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-27091225477863183032012-11-09T17:09:00.001-05:002012-11-09T17:18:49.245-05:00Hurricane Relief for PS 15, The Patrick F Daly SchoolAs you may know the PS 15K Red Hook Community has been hit hard by
Hurricane Sandy. Many of our families and several of our staff members
have been displaced, have lost a tremendous amount, and our school has
suffered losses including the contents of our basement and various
planned fundraising opportunities due to our temporary relocation.<br />
<br />
We
appreciate all of those who have reached out to us and those who have
already shown tremendous generosity whether it has been through sharing
your time, talent or treasure. We are committed to continuing to
provide our families with not only excellent educational opportunity but
also a community center where staff and parents together work to meet
the needs of our children.<br />
<br />
There are several ways you can help support the PS 15 Community. For those who wish to help, here's how:<br />
<br />
1.
Financial donations can be made via check made out to: The PS 15
School Fund (write in the subject line: Hurricane Relief) and send to:
<br />
PS 15, The Patrick F Daly School<br />
71 Sullivan Street<br />
C/O: Parent Coordinator, Juanita Laboy<br />
Brooklyn, NY 11232<br />
*Financial
donations will be used to support our hardest hit families through gift
cards and specific purchases to replace items lost due to flooding and
financial hardship due to the storm<br />
<br />
2. In kind donations can be
made on a week by week basis. Check capeducation@blogspot.com for the
latest lists and updates. For the week of November 12th-16th donations
can be dropped off at 27 Huntington Street, The Red Hook Community
School, to the Principal, Ms. Peggy Wyns-Madison or Parent Coordinator
Juanita Laboy. <br />
<br />
Current donations needed for families include:<br />
-Thermal Underwear for children and adults<br />
-Sensitive skin dry skin relief such as Johnson and Johnson's dry relief gel<br />
-Flashlights and Lanterns<br />
-AA, C, and D batteries<br />
-Hand Sanitizer<br />
-Water<br />
-Socks for children and adults<br />
-Underwear for children and adults<br />
-Baby care items<br />
-Gift cards for Target or other easily accessible locations where families can independently meet their needs<br />
-Wet Wipes<br />
-Cleaning supplies and paper towels<br />
-Dry/non-perishable foods<br />
-Winter items for adults and children<br />
-Bookbags<br />
<br />
Current donations needed for the school:<br />
-Tissues<br />
-Hand Sanitizer<br />
-Snacks (no peanuts please)<br />
-Paper Towels<br />
-Cleaning Wipes<br />
-Copy Paper<br />
-Chart Paper<br />
-Notebooks<br />
<br />
3. Information for PS 15 staff impacted by the storm will be forthcoming (we have set up a bank account and are in the process of setting up a separate location for those donations as well as a paypal account. For more information email: msirotniak@yahoo.com and alevdervish@earthlink.net<br />
<br />
Thank you again for your support and for thinking of the families and staff at PS 15!Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-52921171078341861482011-10-04T06:11:00.000-04:002011-10-04T06:11:32.405-04:00It's Time to Change the Stakes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We all know high-stakes testing has gotten out of control, and the effects have been devastating. In the age of globalization and national discussions of "competitiveness" </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">we must be challenging the idea that schooling should be constant test preparation</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Our former Chancellor, Joel Klein, once said that there's nothing wrong with test prep: “If that’s what test prep is about, teaching people to read and understand paragraphs, that’s what I think education is about.” But we know that when schools become test prep factories, especially for low-income students, we as a society have failed in our promise of a quality education for all. And as long as the stakes on these tests remain high, the disastrous consequences will continue.<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Join us for an evening with Dr. Yong Zhao...</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<br />
Yong Zhao is one of the most eloquent critics of the high cost of high-stakes testing and an expert on the Chinese educational system. He argues persuasively that the greatest strength of the United States education system has been the cultivation of creativity: “To be creative is to be different. Creative people often have ideas, behaviors, beliefs, and lifestyles that deviate from the norm, and from tradition. How these people and their ideas are treated by others has a defining effect on creativity and indeed on different social groups.” He argues that our current focus on tests moves us in a different direction that is already spelling disastrous consequences for students' well-being as well as for our society as a whole.<br />
<br />
Zhao is the Presidential Chair and Associate Dean for Global Education at the University of Oregon, where he also serves as the director of the Center for Advanced Technology in Education (CATE). For more information visit: </span><a href="http://zhaolearning.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://zhaolearning.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">October 12, 2011<br />
<br />
Location: I.S. 89<br />
201 Warren Street <br />
New York, NY 10282<br />
<br />
Time: 6:30-8:30 PM</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sponsored by: Class Size Matters, Grassroots Education Movement, I.S. 89 PTA, Parents Across America, Time-Out From Testing</span></b></span></div></span>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-1379068359539458862011-06-20T18:46:00.000-04:002011-06-20T18:46:27.508-04:00Please come and show your support against destructive school closings and charter co-locations!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">WHAT: Parents and school leaders gather to support the UFT/NAACP Lawsuit</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">WHEN: Tuesday, June 21 at 1:15p.m.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">WHERE: The plaza across the street from Manhattan State Supreme Court,</span><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=60+Centre+st.,+nyc&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&gl=us&z=16"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">60 Centre Street</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> New York,NY</span>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-20543510653962443342011-06-12T22:03:00.000-04:002011-06-12T22:03:01.784-04:00PARENTS, STUDENTS & EDUCATORS JOIN US IN STANDING UP FOR A QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL OUR CHILDRENNew York City Parents & Community Stakeholders To Convene Press Conference<br />
Supporting NAACP Lawsuit<br />
<br />
WHAT: Parents, Students & Educators Press Conference in support of the<br />
lawsuit to stop school closings & inequitable charter school co-locations<br />
<br />
WHO: NYC Parents Union, Coalition for Public Education, Alliance for<br />
Quality Education, Concerned Advocates for Public Education, Grassroots<br />
Education Movement and New York Communities for Change<br />
<br />
WHY: We believe every child must have equal access to a quality<br />
education. Separate and Unequal facilities are unacceptable and foster<br />
divisiveness in our communities.<br />
<br />
WHEN: Monday, June 13 at 5:30PM<br />
<br />
WHERE: Department of Education Headquarters, 52 Chambers Street<br />
<br />
<br />
Contacts:<br />
Muba Yarofulani, NYC Parents Union, (347) 785-3418<br />
Mariama Sanoh, NYC Parents Union, (646) 498-7628<br />
Faye Hodge, NYC Parents Union, (917) 566-6202<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
###<br />
<br />
WWW.NYCPARENTSUNION.ORGConcerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-62139464533928248602011-05-31T17:53:00.000-04:002011-05-31T17:53:42.602-04:00From Our Friends at Class Size Matters:Welcome back from the Memorial Day weekend; I hope you had a nice break. In the next few weeks, it will be decided whether NYC will lose 6,000 teaching positions next year, which would cause your child to suffer from huge increases in class size. This is when the negotiations over the budget get serious. Here are five easy steps to take to fight back against these unconscionable cuts:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Tomorrow, Wed. June 1 at 9 AM at City Hall, Council Member Robert Jackson will be holding a press conference to protest these cuts; please join us, along with the other elected officials, parents and advocates.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Later in the day, at 5 PM, a safety net will be strung across Broadway, near City Hall, and then cut, to symbolize how the mayor’s budget would eliminate the safety net for millions of New Yorkers. Please come if you can and show your support.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Our NEW<a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-mayor-bloomberg-and-nyc-council-not-to-cut-our-schools-and-classrooms"> petition</a> opposing these cuts is up and running. Please sign it, even if you signed an earlier one – it automatically sends a message in your name to Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn and Finance Chair Recchia, saying that we cannot afford to lose a single teacher next year. This is especially important, as in many districts, our school population is growing fast. Add your own personal story if you can.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
4. This year, our “Skinny” awards are being given to four teacher-warriors, Jackie Bennett, Julie Cavanagh, James Eterno and Christine Rowland, all fighting to save NYC schools; this is a very hard time for teachers, being constantly attacked by this administration as well as nationally by the corporate reformers who have hijacked education policy. Check out our Facebook page, and leave a comment in appreciation of one of these teachers, or any other teacher of your choice.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
5. Please come to the Class Size Matters dinner on June 15, co-hosted by Diane Ravitch, Patrick Sullivan, and others, where we will give out the “Skinny” awards; click here for more information and to buy a ticket. Or simply consider contributing a tax-deductible donation to Class Size Matters; we need all your support to do battle against the damaging tide of budget cuts and the other dangerous policies eroding our children’s schools.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Finally, many petitions have been launched in opposition to the mayor’s budget cuts, but not all of them talk about saving the 6,000 teaching positions that would be lost if his budget is adopted. Some only talk about preventing 4100 teacher layoffs – while still allowing 2,000 positions to be eliminated through attrition. But if we lose 2,000 teaching positions, that means hundreds of thousands of children will still be subjected to larger class sizes next year. That’s why we have to fight to preserve every one of these 6,000 positions. Make sure that the petition you sign addresses this critical need.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Leonie Haimson<br />
<br />
Executive Director<br />
<br />
Class Size MattersConcerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-12825555347845728292011-05-17T17:29:00.000-04:002011-05-17T17:29:11.028-04:00Fight Back Friday! Stand Up For Public Educatio<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 22.0pt;"><b>NO CUTS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NO LAYOFFS!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600"
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margin-top:.9pt;width:94.65pt;height:117pt;z-index:1;visibility:visible'> <v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/alevdervish/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="LexmarkAIOScan1"/> <v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/> </v:shape><![endif]--><span style="height: 117px; left: 0px; margin-left: 414px; margin-top: 1px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 95px; z-index: 0;"></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 20.0pt;"><b>Friday, May 20<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Join Public Schools Across the City </b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 21pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Let your voice be heard: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 19px;"><b>sign a post card, call your city council member</b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 14pt;"><b>get involved at: <a href="http://www.fightbackfridays.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #7a2e20; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">www.fightbackfridays.blogspot.com</span></a></b></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 14pt;">/<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 22.0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">or e-mail <span style="color: #2368c5;"><a href="mailto:sam@nycore.org">sam@nycore.org</a> </span>for a toolkit</span></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Wide Latin"; font-size: 22.0pt;"><b>WANTED:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Wide Latin"; font-size: 22.0pt;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$350 Million<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 18.0pt;">To save <b>6,000 </b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 18.0pt;">teaching positions, <b>4,700 </b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 18.0pt;">through lay-offs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Wide Latin"; font-size: 22.0pt;"><b>Billions FOUND…<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Bloomberg’s Budget Spends:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;">More than $700 million in 2011-2012 on charter schools<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;">$542 million in new technology <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Hundreds of millions on testing</span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Cost of layoffs for our students: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dramatic class size increase<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Less safe schools<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Less help for struggling students<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Less time for teacher/parent communication</span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Did you know?</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small surcharge for city earners making $175,000 or more would yield $450 million in revenue. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(Independent Budget Office, City of New York).</span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Tell Bloomberg and the DOE to <i>stop</i></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 16.0pt;"> wasting our money <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 16.0pt;">and <i>start</i></span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 16.0pt;"> prioritizing education!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Make the wealthy and the banks pay their fair share!</span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 21.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="color: #2368c5;"></span> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Sponsored by the Fight Back Friday Committee <o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>(CAPE, ICE, GEM, NYCoRE, PPM, TJC, TU)</b></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-33212935972675157662011-04-27T22:06:00.001-04:002011-04-27T22:06:49.372-04:00Lots of Protesting Budget Cuts this Month! Here is the first one (please also keep in mind the big rally on 5/12 at Wall Street and Fight Back Friday 5/20!)STOP SCHOOL BUDGET CUTS!<br />
<br />
<br />
Because of Mayor Bloomberg’s cuts, our schools have<br />
<br />
already suffered:<br />
<br />
• Higher class sizes<br />
<br />
• Fewer after school programs<br />
<br />
• Cuts in basic educational supplies and services<br />
<br />
Now the state legislature has made further cuts, and Mayor<br />
<br />
Bloomberg is calling for layoffs.<br />
<br />
Both the Mayor and State Senator Marty Golden oppose<br />
<br />
renewal of a Millionaire’s Tax which could add $700 million<br />
<br />
dollars this year and $4 billion dollars the following year,<br />
<br />
eliminating the need for any more cuts or layoffs!<br />
<br />
Get involved in our campaign against budget<br />
<br />
cuts.<br />
<br />
See how on the reverse side!<br />
<br />
Join us for a rally outside<br />
<br />
State Senator Marty Golden’s office<br />
<br />
Friday, May 6th @ 4 PM<br />
<br />
7408 5th Avenue (bet. 74th and 75th<br />
<br />
Street)<br />
<br />
Budget Cuts Hurt Our Schools<br />
<br />
Take Action Now<br />
<br />
• www.facebook.com/Budgetcutshurtourschools<br />
<br />
Join our Facebook page for updates about future rallies.<br />
<br />
• www.votesmart.org Type in your address in the top<br />
<br />
white search box, Contact your local politicians and<br />
<br />
let them know cutting our children’s education is<br />
<br />
cutting their future and that is unacceptable!<br />
<br />
• Call 311 and leave a message for Mayor Bloomberg<br />
<br />
explaining how budget cuts hurt our children<br />
<br />
• For more ways to get involved email us at<br />
<br />
psuftogether22@gmail.comConcerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-50658217425786364572011-03-25T20:28:00.001-04:002011-03-26T00:41:18.836-04:00The Blackboard Awards Celebrate TeachersFor those of you who wish to nominate your favorite teacher, please read this letter from Peter Hintz and click this link to directly nominate: <a href="http://www.blackboardawards.com/">http://www.blackboardawards.com/</a><br />
<br />
In a time where attacks on teachers seem endless, it would be nice to support our dedicated educators!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"></div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">Dear Concerned Advocates for Public Education,</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"> My name is Peter Hintz and I'm writing on behalf of Manhattan Media and Eric Messinger, the editor of New York Family. We're currently promoting the Blackboard Awards (www.blackboardawards.com), which honors local teachers from all educational communities—public, private, charter, and parochial—and all grade levels, from nursery school through high school. The awards recognize outstanding, dedicated teachers from throughout the five boroughs, and enable them to share the honor with their school community. The deadline for nominations is March 31, after which the selected teachers will be honored in a special gala ceremony on June 6 at Fordham University Law School, attended by leading educators, politicians, and other local dignitaries. The schools’ reputations benefit from every faculty member who is a Blackboard Award recipient, which is something we publicize and welcome the schools to do as well.</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"> This process starts with parents—our most reliable resource in nominating teachers, and an area in which we feel your blog could really help our cause. Your select readership of educators and parents who are actively involved in their school community is perfectly suited for the Blackboard Awards, and we could really use help spreading the word. While we have contacted nearly every school in the area, we would like to be able to reach parents who are not necessarily involved in the PTA, SLT, or other official organizations, but would still like to recognize the wonderful teachers who make such a big difference in the lives of their children.</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"> If you could find a way to place a link to the Blackboard Awards website into one of your blog posts, tweets, Facebook pages, or mention the awards in any capacity, it would have a huge impact on the number of nominations because so many parents follow your blog. It would help a great number of local teachers get the recognition they deserve, and help a great number of parents to show their gratitude. Any support that you can offer would be hugely appreciated, and would certainly help us reach a record number of nominations this year. Please don't hesitate to contact me or Eric (emessinger@manhattanmedia.com) about any questions you may have, and thank you so much for your time.</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">All the best,</div><div style="font: 13px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">Peter Hintz</div><div><br />
</div><br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-10947640529396281552011-03-08T20:53:00.000-05:002011-03-08T20:53:56.126-05:00Left Forum: Friday, March 18th - Sunday, March 20thConsider Registering for the Left Forum and Check Out Two Panels Featuring Friends of CAPE!<br />
<br />
3/19: Showing GEM's film, "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman", which features parents and an educator from CAPE<br />
Session 1: 10:00-11:50<br />
Panelists: Brian Jones, Leonie Haimson, Monda Davids, Sam Anderson, and Julie Cavanagh<br />
<br />
3/19: Building Resistance in NYC to the Neoliberal Restructuring of Public Education<br />
Session 4: 5:00-6:50<br />
Panelists: Jitu Weusi, John Tarleton, Leonie Haimson, Sally Lee, and Julie Cavanagh<br />
<br />
Full Left Forum Schedule Here: <a href="http://www.leftforum.org/2011/full-schedule">http://www.leftforum.org/2011/full-schedule</a><br />
There are many great panels concerning the fight for public education!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvvIJBFILxl95OgJ3cz1GTxj_2zo9z2IN5jtXBXBlUIZWH61-i7_3F2Pw9nvae7raUDIusyrCZXOVOsP_Jt8YXQCgGMA3BVZdpkY072luQL1412PfLq5C589afIMmvKoVZ54mJ1GE74g/s1600/Left_Forum_Printable_Conference_Flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvvIJBFILxl95OgJ3cz1GTxj_2zo9z2IN5jtXBXBlUIZWH61-i7_3F2Pw9nvae7raUDIusyrCZXOVOsP_Jt8YXQCgGMA3BVZdpkY072luQL1412PfLq5C589afIMmvKoVZ54mJ1GE74g/s320/Left_Forum_Printable_Conference_Flyer.jpg" width="320" /></a>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-87319491058547544692011-02-27T20:56:00.001-05:002011-02-27T21:07:01.852-05:00Take Action!There are so many attacks facing public schools and educators right now, it is hard to know how you can help and take action. <br />
<br />
Here are a few simple things you can do:<br />
<br />
1. Sign the petitions to the right to support teachers and seniority rights and to say no to state budget cuts.<br />
Also, if you have been teaching five years or less, sign this form letter <a href="http://bit.ly/eCXaC8">http://bit.ly/eCXaC8</a> to support seniority rights.<br />
<br />
2. Visit ourschoolsnyc.gov to keep updated and sign their latest petition calling for an investigation into the DOE's intentional undermining of NYC public schools: <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/request-for-investigations-of-nycdoe-for-violating-students-civil-rights-educational-neglect">http://www.change.org/petitions/request-for-investigations-of-nycdoe-for-violating-students-civil-rights-educational-neglect</a>.<br />
<br />
3. Keep up to date with the latest events, including an upcoming Fight Back Friday in March, on the right hand side of this blog and at <a href="http://www.grassrootseducationmovement.blogspot.com/">http://www.grassrootseducationmovement.blogspot.com/</a>. Join GEM at their next General Meeting in March, Date TBA.<br />
<br />
4. Sign-up for a house party showing of GEM's film "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman"... all of those who sign-up to host a house party are entered in a raffle to recieve a phone call and have a conversation with Diane Ravitch. Email: <a href="mailto:gemnyc@gmail.com">gemnyc@gmail.com</a> for more information.<br />
<br />
5. Join Parents Across America's mailing list. PAA is an exciting new group uniting parents across the country in support of public education and public school teachers. Visit: <a href="http://parentsacrossamerica.org/">http://parentsacrossamerica.org/</a>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-722442725598124622011-01-27T10:52:00.002-05:002011-01-27T10:52:55.078-05:00Rally On! Blizzard Nor Snow Day Will Stop Parents, Students, Educators, and Community Members From Expressing Their Outrage Over School Closings and Charter Takeovers.When and Where: Today, Thursday, January 27th 4:30 P.M.-6:30 P.M. at Brooklyn Bridge Park, on Centre Street, to the east of the Tweed Courthouse building.<br />
<br />
What: On Thursday, January 27th, parents, students, and teachers across the city will join together at a city-wide rally to protest Mayor Bloomberg’s destructive education policies. The event will feature an abridged performance of "Declassified: The Struggle for Existence [We Used to Eat Lunch Together]", a reinterpretation of Antigone and a candid and scathing critique of school reforms written by students from Jamaica High School and Queens Collegiate. Parents, students, and educators from schools facing closing and charter takeovers, as well as those who sponsored the event will speak.<br />
<br />
Snow Closings, Yes! School Closings, No!<br />
<br />
Who: Sponsored by: The Ad Hoc Committee to Stop School Closings and Charter Takeovers, Grassroots Education Movement NYC (GEM), New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE),Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública (CPE-CEP), The Manhattan Local of the Green Party of NY State, Class Size Matters, United Federation of Teachers (UFT)<br />
Endorsing Organizations: Teachers for a Just Contract (TJC), Concerned Advocates for Public Education (CAPE), Independent Community of Educators (ICE), Center For Immigrant Families (CIF), The Puerto Rico Solidarity Network - PRSN NY, People Power Movement, Renaissance School of the Arts-M377(UFT Chapter), City-Wide Coalition for Education Excellence Now, Black Women Against Urban Youth Violence, Teachers Unite (TU), South Bronx Community Council, NY with UPR (NY with University of Puerto Rico), Dee Knight, The Independent Workers Movement/Movimiento Independiente de Trabajadores,, District Leader Chris Owens (52nd Assembly District, Brooklyn), Retiree Advocate Caucus-UFT, CUNY Mobilization Network, The Green Party of NY State, Independent Commission on Public Education (ICOPE), Radical Women, Answer Coalition, Community Education Council 1 (CEC1), Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence (BNYEE), New Action/UFT, National Black Education Agenda (NBEA), State Assemblywoman Annette Robinson 56th AD, Youth on the Move (a Program of Mothers on the Move), PACE Network. Roots Revisited, S.E.E.D.S., Inc., The Healing Drum Collective, Batay Ouvriye (Workers' Struggle) Solidarity Network, Assemblywoman Inez Barron, Councilman Charles Barron and Operation P.O.W.E.R., Time Out from Testing, The M.A.NY<br />
<br />
Additional Contacts:<br />
Stephane Barile, NYCORE and assisting students who are performing play: 650-218-3352<br />
Brian Pickett, teacher at Queensborough Community College who worked with students performers: bpickett@brooklyn.cuny.edu, 718-614-4891<br />
Crystal King, parent and PA President of PS 114: 347-789-5468<br />
James Eterno, teacher, Jamaica High School: 917-693-5013<br />
Stefanie Siegel, teacher, Paul Robeson High School: 347-721-2152<br />
Muba YaroFulani, parent, CPE: 347-785-3418/347-442-5134<br />
Brenda Walker, parent, CPE: 347-583- 5925<br />
Leonie Haimson, parent and Executive Director, Class Size Matters: 917-435-9329<br />
Edwin Mayorga, doctoral student in urban education at CUNY and NYCORE member: 917.400.6255<br />
Christine Annechino, parent, CEC3: 917 593 4797Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-51049664225141240062011-01-13T21:31:00.000-05:002011-01-13T21:31:05.639-05:00Closing OUR Public Schools to Replace Them With Private Education Corporations... The Plan is More Clear Than Ever Before!If you question the Fight Back over the Drive to Privatize, simply examine what has happened to, and what is being planned for PS 114. This is a school that has faced unconscionable neglect by the DOE and has been set up for failure. Why, well apparently to essentially replace it with a charter school. Replacing an elementary school with a charter school is illegal. What the DOE is doing here clearly is a thinly veiled attack not only on PS 114, not only on our public schools, but on the regulatory and legal system that provides oversight and the ability for communities and the citizens of those communities to have any say in what happens in their community. The community education council is the only body that has zoning authority over elementary schools... the DOE is clearly trying to castrate that authority. As Patrick Sullivan said a few months ago, it is like watching a show called The Death of Democracy.<br />
<br />
History PS 114 has faced: <a href="http://gothamschools.org/2011/01/06/saddled-with-old-debts-a-brooklyn-school-blames-decline-on-cuts/">http://gothamschools.org/2011/01/06/saddled-with-old-debts-a-brooklyn-school-blames-decline-on-cuts/</a><br />
<br />
New plans for PS 114 after it is closed against the wishes of the community: <a href="http://gothamschools.org/2011/01/13/in-a-first-new-charter-to-absorb-students-leaving-closing-school/">http://gothamschools.org/2011/01/13/in-a-first-new-charter-to-absorb-students-leaving-closing-school/</a><br />
<br />
Public Notice for PS 114 closure including public hearing and public comment information: <a href="http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/CDF11959-252C-4EA1-8F27-73F2E65A2091/96573/PEP_Notice_PS114_revised_final.pdf">http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/CDF11959-252C-4EA1-8F27-73F2E65A2091/96573/PEP_Notice_PS114_revised_final.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This response and analysis from Noah Gotbaum, CEC3:<br />
<br />
The DOE was enjoined from doing the exact same thing - including claiming charter preference admissions for kids in the closed district school - at PS 241 in Harlem. The DOE was trying to close down 241 in March 2009 to make way for Harlem Success IV. A law suit was filed against the closing by the Public Advocate, the UFT, CEC3, and parents which maintained that in closing down the only district school in the zone, the DOE was unilaterally changing zoning lines and thereby usurping the CEC’s legislated zoning powers. <br />
<br />
<br />
See the Gotham Schools article below.<br />
<a href="http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/02/doe-dropping-school-closure-plan-that-drew-uft-parent-lawsuit/">http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/02/doe-dropping-school-closure-plan-that-drew-uft-parent-lawsuit/</a><br />
<br />
The suit never went to court as the DOE backed down, but then tried to achieve the same closure ends by harassing and starving PS 241. Immediately after dropping the plan Klein sent a letter to prospective and attending 241 parents urging them to choose another school, and removed 241’s feeder pre-K program and closed their middle school. <br />
<br />
241 survives today but continues under siege from Harlem Success IV and the DOE. Earlier this year HSA IV expanded by 175 kids although only authorized in their charter to expand by 125. To make room for these additional HSA classes, the DOE took the three ground floor 241 classrooms next to the principal’s office, gave them to Muscovite’s kids, and moved the 241 kids into three basement rooms next to the school boiler with improper ventilation and egress, including into a converted food service room.<br />
<br />
When questioned about the space allocation by Assemblymember Danny O’Donnell, Deputy Mayor Walcott claimed that the Building Council (ie. Principals) all agreed as per the law. However CEC3 has a letter protesting the move by a member of that Council.<br />
<br />
Time to Fight Back!! Wear Black and Take OUR Schools Back: January 21st is Fight Back Friday. <br />
Wear black, join the press conference on the steps of Tweed at 4:30 and join the City-Wide Rally at City Hall on the Brooklyn Bridge side (Centre Street) on January 27th from 4:30-6:30!Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-2876580444814926252011-01-13T19:39:00.000-05:002011-01-13T19:39:42.855-05:00<strong>Fight Back Friday: Wear Black and Take OUR Schools Back... </strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0cD5T1UE3EvqwG-PA0ktPMVqgfe8bD-aWdEmm8LPbMOKSP0kaGD4KauVnx9_ez1zLIeNRvvduLa2xoBdF_ngjDlJIGA0G-8ghF1TP4EHnw6GNV5eNF9p3PBuCrv6Oi6qVKsLqyOYVeE/s1600/LexmarkAIOScan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="height: 173px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 129px;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0cD5T1UE3EvqwG-PA0ktPMVqgfe8bD-aWdEmm8LPbMOKSP0kaGD4KauVnx9_ez1zLIeNRvvduLa2xoBdF_ngjDlJIGA0G-8ghF1TP4EHnw6GNV5eNF9p3PBuCrv6Oi6qVKsLqyOYVeE/s200/LexmarkAIOScan1.jpg" width="134" /></a> <div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong> Stand UP for Public Education!</strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Januray 21st!</strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Stop the Attacks on Public Education:</strong><strong></strong></div><br />
<br />
• Stop Closing Schools, Fix Them.<br />
<br />
• Stop Charter School Co-Locations.<br />
<br />
• Stop School-Based Budget Cuts.<br />
<br />
• Stop Increases in Class Sizes.<br />
<br />
• Stop the Overemphasis on Standardized Assessment: More Teaching, Less Testing.<br />
<br />
• Stop Teacher Data Reports Based on Narrow Tests and Faulty Data.<br />
<br />
• Stop Ignoring the Voices of Parents, Educators, and Students: More Parent, Educator and Student Empowerment, Not Less.<br />
<br />
• Stop the dictatorial governance of our school system: Mayoral Control is Out of Control!<br />
<br />
• No Layoffs of Teachers or School Personnel: Reduce the Bureaucracy and Fire the Middle Managers Instead!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Email your school, group, or community's participation or endorsement @ <a href="mailto:capeducation@gmail.com">capeducation@gmail.com</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Meet us on the steps of Tweed @ 4:30 for a Press Conference!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-64628774181952209352011-01-10T20:47:00.002-05:002011-01-10T20:47:25.028-05:00Class Size Matters!Today the Manhattan Borough president’s office released the results of a survey to which over 1000 education stakeholders responded, including parents, teachers and principals. As a group they confirmed that class size and school overcrowding remained their greatest concern.<br />
<br />
Reducing class size is the top priority of parents, year after year, on the DOE’s own parent surveys. And yet class sizes have risen sharply the last three years, and now in the early grades are larger than they have been at any time in more than a decade.<br />
<br />
Cathie Black said she intends to take the concerns of parents seriously. She also sent her own children to schools where class sizes average 12 students per class. <br />
<br />
Research is clear that class size is a major determinant in a child’s success in school and in later life. This is especially true for poor and minority children, who benefit twice as much from small classes.<br />
<br />
If Cathie Black cares about improving opportunities for NYC children, and narrowing the achievement gap, she will make absolutely certain that class sizes do not further increase under her watch.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Leonie Haimson<br />
<br />
Executive Director<br />
<br />
Class Size MattersConcerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-23059544097711311302011-01-07T18:25:00.000-05:002011-01-07T18:25:43.663-05:00The Busine$$ of Education<!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment--> <br />
For the past eight and a half years Joel Klein served as chancellor of New York City schools, and in this time the New York City Board of Education was transformed, or better put, dismantled. It was re-branded The Department of Education, and reorganized four times. Each re-organization fueled a business-like metamorphosis, with a larger administrative staff complete with titles like “Executive Director,” and divisions like that of “Talent, Labor and Innovation” with a much diminished emphasis on actual pedagogy. As he proudly carried out Mayor Bloomberg’s twisted education reform agenda, the Department of Education’s support for community public schools faded as Mr. Klein championed charter schools and test scores as the hallmarks of his reign. Millions of dollars were spent on a computerized system called ARIS that allows teachers to view the test scores of their students in a myriad of ways. Another pet project Klein rolled out was the “School of One” which is described as “leveraging technology to play a more essential role in planning instruction” but more closely resembles a glorified video professor. As he begins his new job heading Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp to, as Mr. Klein stated in a recent press conference, "put them in the burgeoning and dynamic education marketplace," one must wonder if he was merely using his position as School Chancellor as market research for his new job, where he reportedly stands to make <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0424131320110104">4.5 million dollars</a> this year. Especially since Mr. Murdoch (who considers education a <a href="http://www.blogger.com/://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/murdoch-buys-education-technol.html">"$500 billion dollar sector”</a>) has since acquired the businesses that developed ARIS and the School of One. Halliburton anyone? <br />
We are living in a plutocracy where the privileged few are making decisions for the rest of us. The business of education is currently a popular endeavor for hedge fund profiteers and other out of touch affluent members of corporate society. They want to profit off of our children and our schools under the guise of so-called school reform. We must stand up together and proclaim that our children and our schools are not for sale. We must call for an end to Mayoral Control, a governance concept that has clearly gone out of control, and we must fight for democracy, transparency, and social justice in our school system. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> Join parents, students, teachers and</div><div style="text-align: center;"> community members at a rally to stop school closings!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">January 27 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.</div><div style="text-align: center;">City Hall Plaza</div>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-77750062606249288062011-01-06T21:37:00.000-05:002011-01-06T21:37:20.684-05:00This is criminal!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<h4><a href="http://gothamschools.org/2011/01/06/saddled-with-old-debts-a-brooklyn-school-blames-decline-on-cuts/" target="_blank">Left with old debts, a Brooklyn school blames decline on cuts</a></h4><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="ecxbyline">by <a href="http://gothamschools.org/author/anna-phillips/" target="_blank" title="Posts by Anna Phillips">Anna Phillips</a></span></div>When a Brooklyn elementary school principal sunk her school nearly $180,000 in debt and was <a href="http://gothamschools.org/2010/07/21/report-principal-foundered-for-years-before-being-removed/" target="_blank">eventually removed</a> from her post, teachers expected a fresh start.<br />
Instead, they experienced the city’s typical solution for bankrupt schools: a payment plan.<br />
P.S. 114 in Canarsie, Brooklyn was given four years to repay the city. Now that the city plans to begin closing the school next year, the teachers union, parents, and teachers are blaming the school’s decline on the debt left by a principal they asked the city to fire. City officials are calling this claim is unfair, since other schools manage to pay the city back while keeping their test scores up.<br />
City schools can easily overspend if they don’t factor budget cuts and enrollment decreases into their spending plans. When this happens, the city doesn’t eat the loss and give the school a clean slate the next year. Instead, schools are put on payment plans in which they’re given several years to pay the city back. A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said some schools emerge from this process unscathed, while others struggle with painful cuts.<br />
P.S. 114 falls in the second category. In the last year, its students’ test scores have dropped. About 35 percent of its students tested proficient on the reading test, compared to 53 percent citywide. And 34 percent passed the math test, whereas citywide, that number was 61 percent. The low scores earned the school a D on its annual progress report and a spot on the city’s closure list.<br />
According to DOE officials, former principal Maria Pena-Herrera — who was removed in 2009 — racked up debts by refusing to make any spending cuts. When the city cut the school’s budget by $78,000 in 2008, Pena-Herrera kept spending money and hiring extra assistant principals. When the school’s enrollment dropped by 46 students and the budget shrank further, she still didn’t make cuts.<br />
The city gave P.S. 114 four years to return the funding at about $45,000 per year — a milder per-year cut than the school would have had to deal with if Pena-Herrera had lessened spending in 2008.<br />
Two years and two principals later, P.S. 114 has shed teachers and tutoring programs in order to pay the city back. The school asked for and received a reprieve last year, meaning that this year it has to pay back about $70,000. Now that the city plans to close the school, some teachers and parents are blaming students’ low test scores on the cuts.<br />
“We have no funding for academic intervention services, none for professional development, for after school programs, and by the end of last year we couldn’t even pay for substitutes teachers,” said Maria Shalbinski, the school’s chapter leader.<br />
Shalbinski said that the school’s current principal Charmaine Luke excessed two guidance counselors and six teachers — one from each grade level — and increased class sizes in order to keep spending down. Luke refused a request for comment.<br />
Earlier this week, while Chancellor Cathie Black was touring schools in each of the five boroughs, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew went to P.S. 114. He said the school shouldn’t have to pay Pena-Herrera’s debt when, for years, teachers and parents petitioned the city for her removal.<br />
“It’s one of the clearest examples I’ve ever seen of the DOE’s incompetence in managing a school building,” he said. “Instead of the DOE being accountable, they’re now blaming the school.”<br />
If the city wins approval for P.S. 114’s closure, the school will not enroll students in kindergarten, first, or second grade next year. The city plans to open a district school and a charter school in the building.Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-53012360578554379652011-01-04T06:12:00.000-05:002011-01-04T06:12:35.037-05:00Join parents, students, teachers and community members at a rally to stop school closings and co-locations!.Join a rally to....<br />
Stop the school closings!<br />
Stop charter invasions<br />
Defend public education<br />
Say no to privatization<br />
<br />
<br />
Mayor Bloomberg's Department of Education plans to close 26 more schools this year. Despite the DOE's claim that these school closings are aimed at reforming schools, they have instead opened the door to privately-run charter schools and have limited school options for those affected. According to the accounts by parents, students and teachers, DOE policies have had the effect of sabotaging the schools that are slated to be closed, not "fixing" them.<br />
<br />
Bloomberg has played a shell game with our most vulnerable children, shuffling them around from closing school to closing school. This process has disproportionately affected students of color, only serving to further perpetuate a separate and unequal school system in New York City.<br />
<br />
In addition to closing schools, the DOE plans to grant more public school space to charter schools through co-locations, undermining public school resources and pitting school communities against each other. <br />
<br />
We demand quality resources and support for our public schools, not closings and privatization!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
January 27 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.<br />
City Hall Plaza<br />
Trains: 4, 5, 6, 2, 3, R, A and C<br />
Sponsored by the Ad Hoc Committee to Stop School Closings and Charter Invasions<br />
<br />
Endorsing Organizations: Grassroots Education Movement (GEM) <br />
New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE)<br />
Green Party of New York<br />
Class Size Matters<br />
Concerned Advocates for Public Education (CAPE)<br />
Independent Community of Educators (ICE)<br />
<br />
Help plan the protest! Join the meeting on Wednesday, January 5 at 5 p.m. in room 5414 of the CUNY Graduate Center, located at 34th Street and 5th Avenue<br />
<br />
Contact gemnyc@gmail.com for more information.Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-55006665210402883962010-12-02T22:30:00.002-05:002010-12-02T22:30:29.398-05:00Red Thursday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiOXG4U2Xgf3_sVWKsXEr-jjOaTbm1divoKFUawT15uMf3FwdEXxNs_3tg2SIIOE7rPVYwQ4wrXFQOGway0ki_QQJhzCQPvklUzL27Zb-cdww7piHXhofz-XYmEdbOuLDyyIwnPIO1tA/s1600/Tweed+Rally+C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiOXG4U2Xgf3_sVWKsXEr-jjOaTbm1divoKFUawT15uMf3FwdEXxNs_3tg2SIIOE7rPVYwQ4wrXFQOGway0ki_QQJhzCQPvklUzL27Zb-cdww7piHXhofz-XYmEdbOuLDyyIwnPIO1tA/s320/Tweed+Rally+C.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoBHuUbR2gN_W5MR1muPQXAeXes3xFmTeBwBH4xBvuERVb_J5zZFnJFlnylDmqUcLb7y1dIlPWQ1U1mIoLT9iuzLVYmYUXGbaWliqjxh5mtb0JASa36rstzql7mWEQKQxbu6EOt3MMcs/s1600/Tweed+Rally+E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoBHuUbR2gN_W5MR1muPQXAeXes3xFmTeBwBH4xBvuERVb_J5zZFnJFlnylDmqUcLb7y1dIlPWQ1U1mIoLT9iuzLVYmYUXGbaWliqjxh5mtb0JASa36rstzql7mWEQKQxbu6EOt3MMcs/s320/Tweed+Rally+E.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-39151128872420771562010-11-29T21:47:00.001-05:002010-11-29T21:52:01.164-05:00Parents and Educators See Red!Parents and Educators To Challenge Steiner’s Approval<br />
of Cathleen Black as NYC Schools Chancellor<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday</b>:<br />
<br />
Who: Deny Waiver Coalition<br />
What: Parents speak out against and announce challenge to Steiner's waiver decision<br />
Where: Steps of Tweed Courthouse, 52 Chambers St.<br />
When: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 4 PM<br />
<br />
<b>Thursday:</b><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Parents demand a rigorous and transparent search within and outside of New York City for the best possible public education leader for the job. We seek an experienced and enlightened educator who sees our kids as more than test-taking widgets, our public schools as important community centers in need of investment rather than assets to be opened and closed a till, and our parents and teachers as vital partners in our children's education rather than as competitors to the corporate leaders who run our public schools! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">WHEN:</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">TIME:</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4:00PM</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">WHERE: </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">TWEED, DOE HEADQUARTERS</span><br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Trains – 4,5,6,N,R,J to City Hall</span><br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 2,3 to Park Place</span><br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> A,C,E to Chambers Street</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">MAYOR BLOOMBERG SAYS HE WANTS CATHIE BLACK BECAUSE SHE KNOWS HOW TO CUT BUDGETS AND IS A “CLOSER”. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A CLOSER TO:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CLOSE YOUR SCHOOL, TERMINATE TEACHERS & SUPPORT STAFF</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CLOSE YOUR ENRICHMENT AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">PARENTS, STUDENTS & TEACHERS <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">WEAR RED ON THURSDAY</span></b> IN PROTEST AND JOIN US AT OUR RALLY TO DEMAND AN EDUCATOR WHO:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">HAS EDUCATION EXPERIENCE</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">BELIEVES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FOR MORE INFO:<br />
GO TO WWW.DENYWAIVER.COM<br />
Email: info@denywaiver.com<br />
Call:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Chris Owens, 718-514-4874<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Noah Gotbaum, 917-658-3213<br />
Mona Davids, 917-340-8987<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div><br />
</div></span><br />
<div><br />
</div>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-11661654994625138312010-11-28T00:01:00.000-05:002010-11-28T00:01:07.620-05:00Come tomorrow and speak out against the waiver deal made over this holiday weekend with the clear intent of silencing parent and community voices!<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: arial black,sans-serif;">P R E S S A D V I S O R Y</span><br />
</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;">Who: Deny Waiver Coalition</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;">What: Parents speak out against the deal to grant a waiver for Cathleen Black</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;">Where: Steps of Tweed Courthouse, 52 Chambers Street, NY, NY</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;">When: November 28, 2010 (Sunday) at 2:00 PM</span></span></b></span><br />
<div style="color: #cc0000;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;">Contacts:</span></span></b></span></i></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;">Chris Owens: 718-514-4874 646-450-3552</span></span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mona Davids: 917-340-8987 <a href="mailto:info@denywaiver.com">info@denywaiver.com</a></span></span></span></b>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-38023981485714122382010-11-26T16:35:00.000-05:002010-11-26T16:35:37.577-05:00Students and Parents are Losing Resources!Budget cuts continue to destroy valuable services to our students! We are sharing the following press release from United New York Early Intervention Providers.<br />
<br />
<br />
Nearly 8 months ago, NYS Early Intervention through the office of DOH Commissioner Richard Daines, embarked on a mission to dismantle NYS Early Intervention in the name of fiscal responsibility. Small agencies were closed, home-based independent contractors, the front-line of NYS Early Intervention, were met with a 10-20% rate decrease and, now the children of early intervention, the children with developmental disabilities are no longer receiving the services that they are eligible for through IDEA Part C.<br />
<br />
On April 15th of this year, fifteen days after the directive was issued to reduce rates, the United New York Early Intervention Providers (UNYEIP) and Parents As Partners (UNYEIPAP) coalitions whose members include Speech, Physical, and Occupational Therapists, ABA Teachers, Special Educators, Nutritionists, Social Workers, Psychologists, Vision Therapists, parents and caregivers, and other supportive professionals (attorneys, physicians, compensation analysts, academicians, accountants) was founded. Now 700 strong, we are working with attorneys, unions, legislators, professional organizations to enable change and initiate the restoration of services for our children and their families, to return equity, and to initiate the focus on true evidence-based practice.<br />
<br />
In the name of fiscal blindness and led by committees and decision-makers with little to no active, current hands-on experience, the DOH has established guidelines that have forced small business entrepreneurships to close their doors across the state, that have increased standards for eligibility and thus left many children and families with no other options. New cases for interventionists are few and far between and those that are realized are accompanied by non-therapeutic mandates. Essentially, in their efforts to achieve fiscal austerity, the NYS DOH has limited and dissolved the most precious of jobs – home-based early intervention. Is this in keeping with President Obama's Federal Stimulus Plan and ARRA whose primary goal is to preserve and create jobs? NO!<br />
<br />
It was Governor Mario Cuomo, who on September 17, 1992, signed the Early Intervention Bill (Chapter 428 of the Laws of 1992), landmark legislation. Can we count on his son to renew this commitment to infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities or delays? For more information, please call Leslie Grubler at 347 853 4241 or email at UnitedNYEIProviders@yahoo.com.<br />
_____________________________________<br />
<br />
Kindly refer to the webpage at http://UnitedNYEIProviders.weebly.com for additional information and membership information. If you are either a parent of a child who has received early intervention or is currently receiving early intervention or a provider of services in any discipline, join us.<br />
<br />
I have also provided a link to our Petition for your easy access: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/To-Preserve-and-Protect-NYS-Early-Intervention/<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
<br />
Leslie Grubler MA, CCC-SLP, TSHH<br />
Founding Director, UNYEIP/UNYEIPAPConcerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-15637132359131703802010-11-21T19:09:00.000-05:002010-11-21T19:09:54.497-05:00It's still called the Department of EDUCATION isn't it?Dear Commissioner Steiner:<br />
<br />
CAPE, Concerned Advocates for Public Education is an advocacy organization representative of the parents and educators at PS 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn, an elementary school that is outperforming 95% of all elementary schools in New York City. Ours in one of the first groups of its kind that bridges the divide between parents and educators for the purposes of accessing their united voice to inform and influence education policy, of which they are the true stakeholders, but are all too often ignored. <br />
<br />
CAPE strongly opposes the appointment of Cathleen Black as the Chancellor of New York City’s public education system. Not only was this nomination made hastily and in secret by a Mayor who has ignored our voices over the last eight years; she is unqualified for the job. Mayoral Control has been a destructive force here in New York City. It has been a gateway for a privileged few to gain access to our children’s schools often molding them in an image that they would not accept for their own children. It is time to bring democracy back to the governance of our schools here in New York City. Mayoral Control was not meant to be a dictatorship, there was and is an expectation that any elected official would be responsive to the communities they serve.<br />
<br />
We have no illusions that the appointment of someone with zero experience or credentials in education is anything but another step in an agenda to undermine public education. We demand a qualified chancellor with a record of service to public education that can be publically judged. The law requires it. And our children deserve it.<br />
<br />
Respectfully yours,<br />
Concerned Advocates for Public Education<br />
Parents and Educators Working Together to Protect and Preserve Public EducationConcerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-19842312783005928642010-11-14T19:17:00.000-05:002010-11-14T19:17:20.989-05:00Civil Rights Leaders Call For Fairness in NYC Chancellor AppointmentWatch below for coverage of today's press conference demanding a transparent process in the appointment of our children's Chancellor...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLLWiAfJ8c" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0068cf;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLLWiAfJ8c</span></a>Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-37655535705543694742010-11-13T17:16:00.000-05:002010-11-13T17:16:30.623-05:00Stop the Drive to Privatize! More than 8 Years of Bloomberg Arrogance and Failure Must End. Take a Stand!The appointment of Cathie Black as chancellor, someone with no qualifications for the job, is a critical important turning point in the history of the Bloomberg administration. Why? <br />
<br />
<br />
It has provoked a firestorm of controversy, with the rest of the city waking up to the way in which the mayor's uses his money, power and influence to disregard the normal rules of civil conduct. This editorial in El Diario is good example of the widespread disgust.This citywide moment of clarity has occurred previously only two times before: when Bloomberg fired three members of the PEP who disagreed with him right before a critical vote, and when he announced his intention to overturn term limits. <br />
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Parents and education advocates have long known and their kids have long suffered from the way in which the mayor behaves as though the public schools are his personal fiefdom to do with whatever he wants, regardless of what research shows and how parents, educators, and the advocacy community feel. Finally, New Yorkers as a whole are realizing the damage represented by his autocratic behavior. It is a critical moment of time that we must act on immediately, by joining together to reject this appointment and the abuse of power it represents.<br />
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How?<br />
1. First sign onto the letter below, written by civil rights attorney Norman Siegel and Michael Meyers, director of the NY Civil Rights Coalition, and join us in a press conference tomorrow, Sunday Nov.14 in front of Tweed. The letter clearly shows how the mayor's selection of Black, done in secrecy and without any public process, is inconsistent with the principles of equal employment which have governed candidate searches in the public and private sector for more than three decades -- to ensure that qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds were fully considered before making a final choice. <br />
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If you'd like to sign onto this letter, just send your name and any affiliation you like to classsizematters@gmail.com before 10 AM tomorrow morning. And please join us tomorrow, Sunday at Tweed at 1 PM; bring your kids if you can!<br />
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2. Then sign the NYC Kids PAC petition at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2fmstgt">http://tinyurl.com/2fmstgt</a><br />
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Even if you've signed onto other petitions already, please sign this one as it doesn't just sit there, it automatically sends messages to all the key education policymakers in Albany, including Commissioner Steiner, who will make the final decision as to whether to approve Ms. Black's waiver. As of this morning, it has nearly 1200 signatures, and had generated over 10,000 emails to Albany in 2 1/2 days.<br />
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3. Attend the PEP meeting Tuesday night at Brooklyn Tech and make your voice heard! Come at 5:30 PM to sign up to speak; and join the movement in opposition to the mayor's abuse of power. For directions, go to http://tinyurl.com/2998gq7<br />
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And please forward this message to others who care about NYC children and the future of our schools.<br />
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The letter from Norman Siegel and Michael Meyers follows.<br />
thanks,<br />
Leonie Haimson<br />
Class Size Matters<br />
124 Waverly Pl.<br />
New York, NY 10011<br />
212-674-7320<br />
<a href="mailto:classsizematters@gmail.com%20www.classsizematters.org">mailto:classsizematters@gmail.com%20www.classsizematters.org</a><br />
OPEN LETTER TO NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER DAVID STEINER IN OPPOSITION TO A WAIVER FOR CATHLEEN P. BLACK <br />
November 12, 2010<br />
<br />
Hon. David Steiner<br />
<br />
Commissioner of Education<br />
<br />
New York State Education Department<br />
<br />
89 Washington Avenue<br />
<br />
Albany, New York 12234<br />
<br />
Dear Commissioner Steiner:<br />
<br />
We the undersigned concerned citizens, parents of public school students, and current and former public school students and teachers of New York City are outraged by the recent action of Mayor Michael Bloomberg in announcing his choice for the next Chancellor of the New York City Public Schools, one Cathleen P. Black, without even having conducted a public search for the best qualified candidates. It is shocking to us that his choice, Ms. Black, appears to lack not only teaching experience but is lacking any of the educational credentials and qualifications for the appointment to the major post of a school superintendent in New York State. <br />
Because the leader of the New York City Schools is critical to the raising of academic achievement levels of our children, and because we believe in equal opportunity as the best process for recruiting and evaluating competitive candidates for a job that deserves excellence—consistent with your own efforts to raise standards for teachers, staff and students—we respectfully and strongly urge you to hold the Mayor’s appointee to the standards and qualifications set out in the statute for school superintendents. Accordingly, we urge that you deny the City’s anticipated request on behalf of Ms. Cathleen Black for a waiver from these qualifications. <br />
We stress the impropriety of there being no public search whatsoever for this top educator’s position. On the very day and at the very hour that incumbent Chancellor Joel Klein’s resignation was announced, Mayor Bloomberg announced Mr. Klein’s successor. Hence, there was no opening that was advertised; no recruitment period for applications; and no equal opportunity process for qualified candidates of any race and both genders to apply and to be considered for this top educational post. <br />
The fact that Mayor Bloomberg did not undertake a public search in accordance with equal employment opportunity principles in itself raises significant public policy issues, as well as the specter of cronyism. How can it be that the position of leader of one of the nation’s largest school systems can be filled in such a cavalier manner—without any kind of notice or recruitment period for the consideration of capable and talented individuals—persons who are educators, who have the statutory qualifications and certification, and the requisite experience and skills to understand the best practices of pedagogy? The school superintendent for the New York City School District should have knowledge of curriculum and instruction and assessment, as well as extensive teaching experience. <br />
At a time our school children deserve only the best qualified people at the top of the school system and throughout the ranks of the teaching, supervisory and administrative staff of our public schools, at a time minority group children in particular are not performing at grade levels much less with proficiency in core subjects, and at a time this city is mired in disputes as to the accuracy of testing data and about appropriate educational strategies, it is especially important that we have someone at the helm who can deal with these issues with expertise and authority.<br />
Given that the city school system is rank with systemic segregation by race and ethnicity—and Mayoral control has been sharply criticized for inattentiveness to due process, and for refusing to provide for meaningful parental involvement in decisions affecting the welfare of their children, it is even more necessary for the citizens and parents of New York City to be confident that the next Schools Chancellor is the most capable and qualified person available for the job, and that the process was open to all segments of the population and not just a crony of the Mayor. <br />
In these circumstances, and because we are shocked and appalled that no public search for qualified candidates was even conducted, we urge you to reject the City of New York’s request for a waiver for Ms. Black, thereby forcing the City to conduct a real search and to consider diverse candidates for this top educational post. That is how you got your job—and it is how the next Schools Chancellor—whoever he or she may be—should and must earn this City’s top educator’s post. <br />
A nationwide search for capable candidates will undoubtedly produce qualified persons worthy of meeting the challenges of reforming the New York City public school system and capable of bringing into existence a system of high expectations and achievement for students, teachers, and staff. Excellence has to be the standard for all “stakeholders” in our school system—students, teachers, their supervisors, administrators, and school superintendents alike. <br />
We urge you to do the right thing; reject the waiver request and give clear instructions and guidance to the City of New York that you will not consider candidates for this post that have not been recruited and vetted through a genuine search process in which all qualified applicants may be considered and evaluated on their merits.<br />
SIGNED:<br />
Norman Siegel, civil rights attorney<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Michael Meyers, Director , NY Civil Rights Coalition<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Leonie Haimson, Executive Director, Class Size Matters and NYC public school parent<br />
<br />
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(add your name here)Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128392589283745405.post-69375854651996820162010-11-12T19:31:00.000-05:002010-11-12T19:31:09.299-05:00Doubt It!In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, a member of the organization Save Our Schools is quoted in reference to Cathleen Black, the mayor's choice to replace Joel Klein as school chancellor this January. It seems her discussion with the reporter was not accurately reported and much of the context left out. CAPE supports the work of Save Our Schools (SOS), most importantly the fight against high-stakes testing. However, we do not agree to give Ms. Black "the benefit of the doubt." The members of CAPE reject Cathleen Black as a valid or even reasonable choice for our new chancellor and in no way see her as an ally. We have no illusions that the appointment of someone with zero experience or credentials in education is anything but another step in an agenda to undermine public education. We demand a qualified chancellor with a record of service to public education that can be publically judged. The law requires it. And our children deserve it.Concerned Advocateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12272277938920529078noreply@blogger.com0