Candi Peterson, Candidate for WTU General Vice President & blogger in residence Most voters agree that the Saunders slate is the best team for the job. Liz Davis , Emily Washington, Chris and Ben Bergfalk have given their personal endorsement to our slate. We won round 1 in the WTU elections. The election rules require the winner receive 51% of the vote. We need your vote again to win your vote in round 2 in the election run-off.
Recent events have created an atmosphere of instability and lack of respect previously unknown to DC teachers and school personnel. WTU "Hold Over" President Parker has failed to protect teachers jobs and secure teacher respect. The following factors threaten DC teachers and school personnel:
Unfair Impact Evaluations (i.e 737 teachers/school personnel were rated minimally effective, therefore subject to termination at the end of this school year). WTU hold over official says Impact Evaluations are not my fault.
Approximately 550 Highly Effective teachers are now vulnerable because their due process rights were traded for bonus pay.
In an October 29, 2010 DC Superior Court hearing, the 266 wrongfully terminated teachers were abandoned when the Parker supervised WTU legal counsel made no legal arguments for reinstatement, back pay and pain and suffering.
In the upcoming runoff election, some of the important considerations for voters must be due process rights, job security and teacher respect.
Vote Saunders Slate in the runoff election- mail your ballot immediately
Nathan Saunders and Candi Peterson have been working for teachers all along!
22 comments:
That is awesome that they endorsed you guys big!!
there is concern that Saunders = wild man looking for some kind o retribution and payback. bad for students and teachers would be result.
all hopes on candi to keep him out trouble. concern whether that is possible.
Im not really sure what what you are talking about anonymous 11:45. I would take my chances with Nathan Saunders as the WTU prez over Hold over Parker anyday. Your comment about a wild man sounds like a dig to me unfortunately.
I think teachers are already in trouble particularly with the problems with unfair IMPACT evaluations, highly effective teachers did not have the option to get their bonus pay without giving up job protections. If Rhee & Parker think that highly effective teachers should be recognized then one wonders why they created these deals to get rid of them. Makes no sense .This year many more teachers will be fired and have not received the support to which they are entitled to improve.
Im voting for Saunders slate because Parker doesn't have what it takes to lead the WTU. I know because I sat across from him for almost 3 years on the WTU board while Parker sat back and refused to stand up for teachers in the media while Rhee slaughtered us constantly nationwide in the press amongst a host of other ills I have written about on this blog.
The Saunders team has my vote. Go Nathan, go Candi! Thanks for representing.
Please, please, who is eligible to vote?
WTU members who were on the DCPS payroll as of June 30, 2010 are eligible to vote.
That means new teachers hired at the start of this SY aren't eligible to vote. This includes the ones Parker spoke to at the new teacher orientation in August.
full dues paying members are eligible to vote including those who started working this year.
Candi,
Congrats on the Elizabeth Davis/Emily Washington endorsement!
Even though the Bergfalk Brothers only received 30 something votes, have you all talked to them as well. A nod from one of them would be great and go a long way towards being inclusive of all voices-no matter how small.
To Anon at 11:45am,
Don't know what you mean about retribution and payback.....but Saunders could have had this already if he had taken the deal Parker offered him several weeks ago, "We'll put you back on the WTU payroll, under certain conditions..... Parker said"
Saunders said no to the conditions of keeping his eyes closed, ears covered and mouth shut and is still teaching high school social studies.
Saunders has had his observations under IMPACT and says that he knows first hand what teachers are dealing with....
So, to anon at 11:45am...keep your concerns to yourself...I'd rather have a wild man than a chicken george!
From the trenches of a Bronx NYC teacher, I wish you guys the best!
You got my vote in solidarity.
Good Luck. Say good-bye Hold-over Parker; your days are numbered.
For the last three (3) years, George has sold out the WTU. Clearly, George supported Rhee's Red and Green Tier Proposal. On the other hand, George allowed Rhee to fire 266 WTU Educators without any due process. Frankly, George never challenged Rhee's Impact Evaluation Instrument before he signed his name on the WTU Tentative Agreement. It is obvious that GEORGE is DONE!!! DC Voters spoke loudly and clearly to vote "FENTY and RHEE OUT" of DCPS!! It's time for the WTU Membership to vote "GEORGE OUT" of the WTU!! The WTU membership needs a strong voice at the table and the Saunders Team will revitalize integrity, respect and rights for all WTU members. Kudos to Liz and Emily for endorsing the Saunders Slate. WTU Members Need to Step Up to the Plate and Vote for the Saunders Slate!! Your Job does depend on it!! Enough is Enough!! George MUST GO!!
anon. at 11:45 says: thanks for the elaboration.
Regarding the WTU contract, what is hard to understand is why the contract is much criticized now when an overwhelming majority approved it just a few mos. ago. And there was 1-2 years of negotiations during which teachers might have learned what was developing and made their wishes or unhappiness known to union or management.
Some large number of parents and other grown-up citizens must wonder what the teachers were thinking.
They also might wonder, probably all over the city, about what is up with the teachers in general.
Tops to Liz and Emily. They have made a very wise decision. Parker is not working in the best interest of all teachers. Parker is done. Lets close the casket on his butt.
Hi Candi,
Is it true that an ET-15's IMPACT score cannot be influenced/determined by the score of another ET-15?
A few of us are trying to figure out if our IMPACT evaluation is even legal given that 30% of our final rating depends on other ET-15s.
Please see the article in the Post today re "Effective teachers being in the most affluent wards of the city". The article misses the point that overall it is easier to rate as effective if you work in an affluent school rather than one in a poorer or more troubled neighborhood. As always it blames teachers, and does not mention the fact that the best schools also attract the best principals. Equality and equitable sharing of resources is something the union needs to focus on. If we are keeping IMPACT in needs to take the school environment into consideration and the effectiveness of the principals.
Candi, From the trenches here in the Bronx, I am very leery about the AAA mailing out all the ballots. I don't trust them especially since they have covert ties to Randi. Your caucus is the opposition to many of Randi's reforms and hidden agenda. Your caucus should check in with all the members to make sure that they have their ballots and those members, who support you, should inform you when they mail their ballots to AAA. You and Saunders are a threat to the reforms (or deforms) that Parker implemented, as per Randi's directives. Parker was nothing else but a puppet. You are a force to contend with where you and Karen Lewis are no longer the "status-quo" union members. Our profession is at stake. You manage to get Fenty voted out of office, which lead to the stepping-down of Michelle Rhee, the Queen of Mismanagement Rheeforms, and now you have the opportunity to kick Parker to the curb for holding hostage his position of union president. Candi, I am still shocked that in our democratic society someone in his capacity would do something so shameful and disgraceful as what Parker did in public. The AFT should have immediately removed him. Period. Good Luck to you guys! A win for your caucus is a win for a new union paradigm shift across the nation.
Yyyyyeeeaaa!!!! I have prayed for you and Nathan's leadership in your next capacity! You are the bombshell girlfriend!
I just received my ballot and walked it to the blue box!!! I put a black X in the box that I feel very comfortable with (GO SAUNDERS-PETERSON). I challenge all of the Saunders' and Peterson's
camp to encourage someone who you know that did not vote in the last election. Almost all the non-voters I know continue to complain about the current WTU leadership, soooooo..VOTE!!!!!!!
George the "Low LIFE" Parker and DCPS are at it again. This time holding a meeting for IC at Logan on Friday from 1:30 to 3:30 PM. This meeting was sanctioned by DCPS--I thought it was illegal to conduct union activities during working hours.
DCPS and Mr. Low Life are so desperate, a scheduled PD for ICs has been cut short so these ICs can make the meeting at Logan.
Can DCPS employees be forced to attend a UNION MEETING.
Anonymous @ 2:21- This is inappropriate and should no happen as union business should NOT BE conducted during instructional time. I would encourage you to file a written complaint to the Interim Chancellor Kaya Henderson as well as to your direct supervisor and save a hard copy for your file.
If you are being directed to attend this meeting by your supervisor- then you have no choice but to attend given that the meeting is being held during work hours.
Is Nathan Saunders back in the classroom or was he fully restored to his post as the union General Vice President?
Thank you.
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