Did You Know?

Response to Coach Spinner

By: Candi Peterson, WTU General Vice President

Statements or expressions of opinions herein 'do not' represent the views or official positions of DCPS, AFT, Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) or its members. Views are my own. 

The recent emails you have received about me from Coach Spinner are accusations, half-truths and lies intended to mislead teachers as we approach union election season 2016. Coach Spinner continues to be a “campaign surrogate” for former president, Nathan Saunders. Remember they ran together and lost in 2013.  It seems dishonesty is a normal part of any election cycle.

I have prided myself as an excellent communicator and have expressed my views about public education and our union for the past 8-½ years as The Washington Teacher education blogger starting during the Michelle Rhee era. I welcome you to check out my blog @ http://thewashingtonteacher.blogspot.com/

I’m compelled to respond to many of the half truths and lies that have been written about me as well as rumors that are spreading around.

DID YOU KNOW?

Allegation: Peterson’s “lack of negotiation experience and inability to lead has created the poor state of affairs of the WTU.”

Response:

As the WTU General Vice President (GVP), I AM NOT A MEMBER OF THE WTU CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS TEAM. The members of the Contract team are: Elizabeth Davis, Chief Negotiator, Rob Weil, AFT, Jason Edwards, AFT, Chris Bergfalk, Thomson ES,  Janice Brown, Speech Pathologist, Alicia Hunter, Wilson SHS, Mark Montgomery, Plummer ES, Signe Nelson, Whittier EC, and Michael White, Neval Thomas ES.

The union President is the Chief Negotiator of the WTU Contract.  This is one of the primary duties of the WTU President,  to secure a contract during his/her three-year term.

The last union president to secure teachers a contract was George Parker in 2010. Former President Saunders DID NOT secure a contract in his term during 2010-2013, and neither has President Elizabeth Davis, to date. Coach Spinner was on the WTU Executive Board during 2010-2013 when Nathan Saunders was in office, a fact he left out of his blog.

DID YOU KNOW?

Allegation: “How can our union have solidarity when two people most responsible for solidarity are constantly fighting?”

Response:

This is an out and out lie. While I have philosophical differences with President Davis, I am not constantly fighting with her. In fact, due to the demands of representing teachers, many times I only see President Davis in passing. We have had disagreements within our Executive Board meetings as this is the proper forum to hash out and air differences of opinion in order to set policy. This does not carry over to our day-to-day-work.

Solidarity was not one of the platform issues that the Davis/Peterson administration ran on and it’s a false issue as the General Vice President (GVP) plays an important governance oversight role on the WTU board.

DID YOU KNOW?

Allegation: “Maybe she (Peterson) just hopes teachers are not aware of her part in the WTU failure. Maybe she just hopes teachers forget that her job includes helping the WTU President.”

Response: When requested, I have undertaken all initiatives and tasks assigned by President Davis.

The roles and responsibilities of the General Vice President (GVP) are delineated in the WTU Constitution, Article  VIII, and Section 2:

A. Perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.
B. Oversee and assist the building representatives in their duties.
C. Supervise the field representatives and other employees as designated by the President.

D. Co-sign checks and other financial documents in the absence of the President or the Treasurer and serve as a fiduciary of the Union. The General Vice-President shall be

bonded and such expense shall be borne by the Union.
E. Perform all the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
F. Complete the un-expired term of the president should the office become vacant. G. Convene the Elections Committee.

Unfortunately, in my elected role- I have been marginalized once again and the majority of my constitutional duties have been assigned to Ms. Egbufor, WTU Chief of Staff.

DID YOU KNOW?

As the General Vice President I was forced to file a complaint due to unfair labor practices. I did not want to file another complaint against WTU; however, in good conscience, I had no choice because I am not a victim. Last summer, the WTU Executive Board passed a motion during July, 2015 to stop President Davis from willfully interfering with the duties of the General Vice President (GVP) ; however, to date-President Davis has refused to  honor that motion.

Subsequently, I filed an unfair labor practice with the Public Employee Relations Board (known as PERB) against WTU and President Davis for marginalizing my elected duties as General Vice President (GVP), as well as, failure of the WTU President to hold timely elections of the WTU Elections Committee and unauthorized payment of union funds.

The reason the orderly convening of the elections committee is critical, without them teachers will not be able to vote on a contract or hold union elections of officers in 2016. The elections committee elections should have been held in May 2015. WTU elections are eight months overdue.
DID YOU KNOW? That due to the poor staff management and morale, there has been wholesale turnover in key WTU staff positions that has required the General Vice President to function as a de-facto field representative?

When four of our Field Representatives resigned in June 2014, I filled in as WTU Filed Representative covering 40 + schools. Given that Field Services Department is still understaffed, I continue to serve in a dual role as Field Representative even though that is not part of my constitutionally mandated duties.

DID YOU KNOW?

Allegation: Peterson “deliberately undermined three WTU presidents (Parker, Saunders and now Davis) all the while crying the victim.

Response: I am an advocate for teachers and have stood up to corruption within our union and DCPS. I previously served on the Board of Trustees under the Parker/Saunders administration. As a result of my effectiveness as a committed WTU board member and advocate for teachers, Nathan Saunders asked me to run with him on his slate in 2010 as General Vice President (GVP). We both worked to defeat Parker and won in 2010. Coach Spinner was also elected on our then Executive Board. 

Soon after the successful election of Saunders/Peterson, former President Saunders ‘summarily dismissed’ me (fired me without due process) from WTU in September 2011 and requested that Chancellor Henderson  illegally revoke my leave of absence from DCPS. As a result, I had no choice but to return to DCPS. Subsequently, I filed for arbitration against WTU and won my case on September 24,  2012. 

Arbitrator Stanley Mazaroff ruled:

“This legally unstoppable action taken by Saunders was not cured by the similar action orchestrated by Saunders and taken during the following week by the Executive Board, Under the Constitution & By-Laws, the Executive Board’s authority to discharge or otherwise discipline employees did not extend to union officers. Article V of the By-Laws expressly provides that the authority to terminate employees shall not apply to officers of the union. This exclusion recognizes the fundamental differences between union employees and elected officers. In the important democratic values that are embedded in the WTU Constitution. Elected officers, like Peterson are voted into office by secret ballot of membership, and they can only be removed in other words recalled by petition signed by 30 percent of the membership. Thus, neither the president nor the executive board had the authority to under the union’s Constitution & By-Laws to override the will of the WTU membership and or dismiss through termination, Peterson’s salary and authority, to constructively discharge Peterson.”

Saunders refused to reinstate me into office as GVP despite my legal victory. His actions were illegally SANCTIONED by our then Executive Board (including Spinner) and this cost the union thousands of dollars. These actions also stole the vote of members who elected me into office.

For 2 ½ years, I have tried to work with President Davis. I have attempted to try to resolve problems internally rather than externally.  

DID YOU KNOW?

Allegation: “When 28 Social Workers appealed to her (Peterson) for assistance to save their jobs, she failed them. They were all fired by DCPS in June 2015. Any WTU leadership without her has a chance of succeeding for teachers. Union solidarity is important and she has demonstrated the WTU cannot have any with her. “

Response: Twenty-eight (28) social workers were not fired from DCPS.  The social workers’ case was assigned by President Davis to WTU Field Rep. Consultant, Charles Moore. The President has the discretion to make assignments to staff. WTU has filed a grievance on behalf of DCPS social workers that were fired as well as filed a complaint with the Public Employee Relations Board. Their case is pending a hearing.

DID YOU KNOW?

Allegation: “ It is crystal clear that a lack of credibility and character on the part of the Davis/Peterson team has led to the erosion of WTU’s credibility. When we are finally presented a contract proposal, we must go through it with a fine toothcomb. I doubt there will be any proposals at this late date. Members cannot unquestionably trust Davis or Peterson given their track record and leadership dynamics.”

Response:  The goal of the Spinner/Saunders campaign is to discredit me. I stand on my record. When I came into office, the union was broke and we inherited enormous debt and a 'white elephant' office building with a 5 million dollars in mortgage loans that required WTU to get a co-signer to keep the property. Our parent organization, AFT co-signed the loan and then designated WTU as a “local in crisis.”

Unfortunately, the office of the General Vice President (GVP) does not give me the power to over-ride any decisions made by the President. I AM NOT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. As an Executive Board member, I have 1 vote on our board. Just like a teacher in a school, if the principal makes unwise decisions, teachers do not have the power to overturn their actions.

While I may have not spoken out publicly for the past 2-½ years, I have spoken up internally and have been a voice for teachers on the Executive Board, as well as in our schools.

DID YOU KNOW?

Allegation: We must vote for competent and proven leadership that can deliver. Vote for leadership that will be honest, open-minded and forward thinking. We need leadership that can solve problems and make decisions that will improve our working conditions. New leadership must have a finger on the pulse of the members while being respected by DCPS and the educational community.

Response:  There is nothing NEW about Coach Spinner and Nathan Saunders. Former President Saunders was the union president from 2010-2013 and General Vice President for two terms. He did not get teachers a contract. Saunders did not prove to be honest, open minded or forward thinking. Coach Spinner was part of the former Executive Board under Saunders. Both have been Missing in Action (MIA) since they lost the last election in 2013.

© Candi Peterson, 2016

Longer School Day & Longer School Year Up Ahead for DC Public Schools Teachers & Students!

By Candi Peterson
Vote Davis Slate for WTU
 Liz Davis /Candi Peterson
WTU Can Be Better!

Earlier in March 2013, DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced to the Washington Examiner newspaper that she was seeking to implement a longer school day and a longer school year. According to a schools spokesperson, DCPS was not ready to release the details at that time since contract negotiations were ongoing with the Washington Teachers' Union (WTU).

On June 11, Confirmation of Chancellor Henderson's plans to lengthen the time DC students and teachers spend in school came when she announced to the City Council Round Table on Public Education, "A LONGER SCHOOL DAY and YEAR IN THE COMING YEAR, WILL SOON TO BE MADE PUBLIC." 

So it seems the details of Henderson's plans as well as information on teacher raises will be revealed in the upcoming Washington Teachers' Union Tentative Agreement (T.A.). It's a shame that WTU's President Saunders failed to mention in his Sunday, June 16 robo call to union members the longer school day/school year, but instead emphasized teacher raises.   The timing of the release of the WTU Tentative Agreement is no coincidence as the news of a longer school day and school year is not the kind of news teachers and school staff want to hear. Saunders knows better than anyone that this kind of news could propel some union members to cast their vote against the WTU Presidential incumbent.

Some union members believe that the Tentative Agreement will be released to teachers after the WTU Run Off Presidential election, which is currently underway.WTU Run Off ballots arrived in teachers' mailboxes at the end of last week.

Be on the look out for a Tentative Agreement. Let a word to the wise be your guide. Before you vote, read the agreement in its entirety, and ask for explanations of anything that you don't fully understand.   Remember the devil is in the details.

© Candi Peterson 2013

It's Official - I'm Running in the WTU elections!

Liz & Candi

Written By Candi Peterson

"Together, We Are Better!" Liz Davis/Candi Peterson

Good afternoon to all of you. It's official on April 30, 2013- I declared my candidacy for Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) General Vice President again. This time, I am running on the Elizabeth Davis (known as Liz) slate. It's an opportunity for a new start, for new beginnings- a time to take stock of where we've been, where we stand and how much needs to be done for DC teachers and school personnel.

Nothing is more important to me than advocating for teachers/school personnel, students and our schools. I have always been in the forefront of education advocacy and public education reform. My running mate, Liz Davis has always stood for great student-centered teaching, advocating for better teaching and learning conditions, saving our public schools and representing union members' rights. We both stand firmly against the privatization of public education and support a participatory union membership that is inclusive, not a dictatorship. Our styles are similar in that we both are great leaders, good listeners and try to build consensus. We offer transparency and ethical leadership - like I have so often demonstrated in my union leadership and my writings on my education blog; The Washington Teacher, which became an online voice for DC teachers and school personnel during the Michelle Rhee regime.

It pains me to say that life as we all know and love in our public schools – is in danger – and has been for some time. In DC and throughout the US, teachers have become an endangered species. This revolving door of our teacher and principal workforce under both the Rhee and Henderson administration has harmed students, compromised their ability to achieve, sent our public schools into further decline and led to a diminishing enrollment.  

I hope you will join us by supporting the Davis slate in the upcoming WTU elections. It's an exciting and important journey- offering teachers a change in union leadership and doing what needs to be done for the future, our future. We welcome all members and hope to add to our family of followers and welcome every one's ideas. We support our younger colleagues and older veterans because we believe that together, we are better. Pitting the old vs. the young isn't in any of our best interests, particularly our students. 

Let me close by saying that when only a few do better – at the expense of everybody else – well, all of us pay the price. We want so much more and plan to tell you about our plans in the very near future. 

I have missed writing The Washington Teacher blog and I have missed you as well. I do plan to get back to writing about many of the issues that we continue to face in public education. So long for now.

In Solidarity,

Candi Peterson (AKA The Washington Teacher blogger)

© Candi Peterson 2013

Finding Alternatives to DCPS Furloughs!

By Candi Peterson

The Balanced Budget Furlough Emergency Act of 2011 which calls for furloughs of DC government employees has caught the attention of all of us. Budget cuts have been no stranger to the District of Columbia public schools (DCPS). Teachers, school personnel and students have often had to bear the brunt of administrator over-spending. In fiscal year 2010, under the Rhee/Henderson administration, 266 educators were wrongfully terminated allegedly due to a budget deficit they didn’t help create.

Displeased with the emergency legislation that only reduces costs through emergency furloughing, WTU Executive Board passed a motion authorizing the union leadership to identify other alternatives that would avoid the need for furloughs. WTU agreed to compile your ideas on how we could achieve long-term cost savings in our public schools. Listed below are many of your recommendations from posts and emails we have received, thus far :

Alternatives to Furloughs

Allow employees to donate sick days in lieu of furlough days

Conduct a forensic audit of DCPS to identify waste/fraud

Close excess schools

Cut back on AP courses and enrollments

Cut printing costs of IMPACT evaluation booklets

Cut the following non-instructional teacher work days:

February 18 – Professional Development day

February 28- Parent Conference day –( this is less desirable than the May 16 Parent Conference day)

March 18 – Professional Development day

May 16 - Parent Conference Day

Discontinue non-essential testing of students

Don't add more International Baccalaureate Programs

Eliminate July 4 as a furlough day as teachers/school personnel are in a non-pay status

Eliminate Master Educators’ positions and relegate teacher/school personnel evaluations to principals and/or managers/supervisors

Eliminate perks for management, such as iPhone voice and data plans

Eliminate Teach For America contract and hire outright

Eliminate the partnership between Anacostia SHS and Friendship. We don’t need to pay the salaries of additional administrative staff

Eliminate the August professional development day for teachers/school personnel

End credit recovery

End school one day early when students aren’t in school

Furlough on professional development days, not holidays which will reduce savings in the form of energy costs and closed buildings

Increase computer usage versus excessive paper usage in schools, stop massive copying and worksheets

Place a moratorium on administrator bonus pay

Put an end to DCPS contracts that aren’t justified

Reduce the # of administrative positions in central office

Reduce the # of DC BAS tests given

Reduce the amount of administrative salaries in central office by setting a cap on six figure salaries

Reduce costs through energy savings (i.e. get thermostats on radiators, reduce excessive heat and AC, put hand air-dryers in bathrooms)

Reduce DCPS Executive staff salaries

Reduce Pre-K to half day

Reduce the # of Instructional Coach positions per school

Reduce the # of newly acquired Instructional Superintendent positions

Reduce the # of Special Education Program Manager positions (from 3 per discipline to 1 per discipline)

Reduce out of control spending in the special education budget

Rent out underutilized schools

Review money spent on consultants and organizations (i.e. Kaplan) and cut costs

Stop excessive meetings for DCPS staff at alternative locations by promoting video conferencing

Use vacant school buildings instead of renting space for government administrative offices

Work four- 10 hour days

The WTU will be forwarding all of your ideas to Mayor Gray for consideration. Thanks for your input.

© Candi Peterson 2013

Parker's Last Acts Of Desperation - Happy Thanksgiving!

Update: WTU Run-off Election Ballot Count will take place today, November 30, 2010 @ 4:30 pm @ AFT headquarters.

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence and WTU Candidate for General Vice President/Saunders slate

In the first Washington Teachers Union (WTU) election, two out of three teachers voted against WTU "holdover" President George Parker whose constitutional term ended June 30, 2010. Since those results were tallied, the Liz Davis/Emily Washington slate and Chris and Ben Bergfalk slate endorsed the Nathan Saunders slate of which I am a part. Parker’s loss to Saunders has brought out the worst in him. On the final leg of the WTU race, Parker's last acts of desperation reveal an underbelly of petulance, lies, small minded mean spiritedness and pure hate.

The Parker campaign conducted mass robo-calling using union resources which include repeated reminders about dental benefits and promises of meetings with teachers and another survey on IMPACT under the guise of conducting union business. Of late Parker has distributed hundreds of pamphlets to schools that instill fear that a vote for Nathan Saunders will result in our union going backwards neglecting the fact that for the last six years under Parker's leadership, WTU members democratic rights have been destroyed and teachers due process rights have been trampled along with the loss of 1,000 teacher jobs by an out of control Rhee administration.

Parker in his hate literature has alleged spurious, false and exaggerated allegations about Nathan Saunders work history and has left out pertinent details regarding an American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Executive Council investigation that resulted in an AFT order for Parker and the WTU Executive board to approve Saunders leave of absence and back pay forthwith. If we are to go down this road, then the obvious question is: How should these treasonous acts of Parker subverting the WTU Constitution as well as his refusal to comply with an AFT September 17, 2010 order from our parent organization be handled ? Further, how much is Parker paid in salary, how much salary should he (Parker) forgo by his refusal to have union membership and representative assembly meetings over the past year, his refusal to hold a timely union election last May as required by the WTU Constitution and his refusal to comply with the AFT Order ?

Parker's campaign has become an abomination, hell-bent on victory no matter the cost to teachers and school personnel. Hollow promises, empty promises, and more absurd promises have been made to union members. Parker will meet with teachers, provide edible treats and salacious lies while guaranteeing teachers higher impact scores and better working conditions if they promise to vote for him. Parker's latest campaign trick is offering to pick up union members ballots from their homes during the Thanksgiving season.

Unfortunately Parker has no track record short of his devaluation of teacher employment rights by the concessions he has already made. The contract tidbits don’t pay the mortgage, put food on the table and clothe the kids when you have been terminated from your job. We do know our union is in pretty bad shape with mass teacher terminations, unfair IMPACT evaluations running amuck, related stress and low morale. The truth is that things can only get better with Nathan Saunders Slate, not worse.

Hastily called meetings after hastily called meetings, email after email, robo call after robo call, negative campaign ads after negative campaign ads - some say Parker has reached the bottom of the barrel and gone over the edge. These last ugly acts of desperation by Parker are a disgrace and insult to every WTU member. What is the proper response to Parker's campaign negativity? Do you want to see more negativity from "holdover president" Parker in this Thanksgiving season? Tell me what you think!

By the way- Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Washington Teachers' Union Election Tampering: Time To Impeach George Parker?

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence

The email below was written by an elected member of our elections committee condemning Washington Teachers' Union President George Parker and his failure to hold union membership meetings as promised and required under the WTU Constitution and by-laws. Thomas O'Rourke who also is a teacher and building representative at Roosevelt Senior High School notes that the elections committees efforts to conduct our teachers' union elections have been impeded by President George Parker's failure to turn over the necessary documents (i.e. membership lists and nominating petitions). Tom's correspondence reiterates what Claudette Carson, WTU Elections chairperson has been saying all along that Parker's refusal to cooperate with the elections committee has effectively cancelled this years scheduled election (due to be held in May, rescheduled by AFT to June) and will prolong his (Parker's) term in office beyond June 30, 2010 which O'Rourke notes is a theft of our union resources. Tom states that Parker deserves impeachment which I believe is a constitutional remedy for dictators like Parker. He (O'Rourke) demands an immediate convocation of a trial committee to be formed to address the crimes Parker has committed and believes that his email will fall on deaf ears by Parker as it's his style to ignore the requests of union members.

I can only imagine that our American Federation of Teachers' national union President Randi Weingarten and Al Squire, AFT representative will continue to duck their 'proverbial heads' in the sand all the while taking our close to a million dollars in dues monies claiming they don't want to get involved in local matters. Does O'Rourke's email speak for you? Should we save our union and impeach George Parker ? Do we need to take this matter to court or is time to do both? All I know is that in the words of an ole' school Gladys Knight song: It's Time For You To Go Now- Parker that is! Read the email below and share your thoughts.

June 16, 2010

George Parker, (Copied to AFT President Randi Weingarten, Al Squire-AFT )

"You have either forgotten to call a General Membership Meeting this month or never intended to do so, in which case you were lying to us (again) at the last delegate meeting. Your cynical manipulation and trampling of union democracy and worker tradition is both sad and disgusting and is directly responsible for the continuing decline of this union. In addition, your blockage of the election committee's duty to stage an election for officers, thus prolonging your term in office is theft of union resources -- unless you take no salary between the official end of your term and installation of either yourself or a new slate -- for which you will be held accountable. You deserve impeachment for these crimes against our union, conviction of said crimes, removal from office, ouster from this union and any and all working class organizations, and to be forever seen as an agent of management and traitor to the cause of the unionism.

I am thoroughly disgusted with your crimes and -*demand a convocation of a trial committee to specifically address these charges against you*. I know that, given the great amount of power under this Constitution you have, you will likely ignore this email and go on about your way, but know this: I, and others will make it our business to let the entire membership know of your nefarious conduct, your lack of accountability or even shame, and your cynical lies. I demand your immediate action on this demand of a trial committee or your resignation in which case, your final, official action shall be to turn over the necessary information to the election committee so that a democratic election be held immediately."

Thomas O'Rourke

Elections Committee member

Building Representative

Roosevelt HS

Battle For 'Change In WTU' Kicks Off As Told By Loose Lips

We Can Do Better

Washington City Paper writer, Mike DeBonis who features a column known as 'Loose Lips' reports this week on the Washington Teachers' Union upcoming 2010 election. Nathan Saunders', WTU General V.P's campaign for the Washington Teachers Union (WTU) top slot as union president is spotlighted in this article. DeBonis speculates in his coverage that 'yours truly' will run on Saunders' slate. While this has yet to be confirmed, DeBonis mischaracterizes me as a 'special ed. aide' and I plan to request a retraction of this inaccurate statement. Debonis credits The Washington Teacher blog as a reliable source of information, however, I disagree with his choice of adjectives used to describe the spirit and purpose of this blog. Had DeBonis taken the time to consult with me, perhaps he would not have missed the mark on my position and would have more accurately depicted The Washington Teacher blog. Be that as it may, here's 'Loose Lips' column in its entirety.

Update: I received an email from DeBonis today making the correction to his earlier release and have noted the corrections here. I am only including excerpts of his article. Please read the Washington City Paper to see the article in its entirety. Here's the article link (click on underlined words):

Battling for the Top Spot at the Washington Teachers' Union

Rancor in the WTU ranks threatens to explode in upcoming election

By Mike DeBonis
Posted: February 17, 2010

"News flash: It’s campaign season, and there’s a big-time election coming. The fate of our city is at stake—it’s a race that stands to impact big-time issues: education reform, relations with the city workforce, ongoing financial pressures. No, LL does not speak of the mayoral race. What’s he’s talking about here is the presidency of the Washington Teachers’ Union.

An internecine battle that’s been brewing for the better part of three years is threatening to explode this spring, as WTU President George Parker runs for a third term as chief of the high-profile union. His only declared opposition thus far is Nathan Saunders, who has spent both of Parker’s terms as general vice president, a post that, in recent years, Saunders has used to assail Parkers’ leadership at near every turn.

If you thought relations between the mayor and D.C. Council are bad, they’ve got nothing on the rancor within the WTU executive ranks. As Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee has embarked on her mission to overhaul the D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) in no small part by improving the quality of teaching, Saunders has repeatedly sought to undercut Parker.....“I’m of the ilk that a union represents its members’ interest, not as a communications funnel for management’s interest,” he says by way of slamming Parker......

Teachers have been working without a contract since October 2007, and since Rhee made it plain early on that she planned to make big-time changes in contractual terms a cornerstone of her tenure, negotiations repeatedly broke down to the point that a third-party mediator—former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke—was brought in last year to seal a deal. In recent weeks, both Parker and Rhee have said that they are very close to reaching an agreement—statements that have Saunders and others wondering: What are they waiting for?........

Elizabeth Davis, a longtime WTU activist who ran unsuccessfully against Parker and Saunders back in 2004, says that without a contract in place, “It gives the impression to members that you have a chief negotiator who can’t negotiate a good deal for teachers.”

In 2008, Parker badly misread his constituency when word of a two-tier “red and green” teacher-compensation system leaked. Teachers who were willing to give up their job security—the work rules typically referred to as “tenure”—could see their pay rise by 50 percent or more, an amount unheard of in the teaching realm. But if Parker thought that teachers would jump at the chance for a massive raise, he was wrong.

In an unforgettable moment, Parker polled thousands of teachers assembled at the Washington Convention Center for an August 2008 “Welcome Back” event. With Rhee behind him on the dais, he asked teachers to raise their hands if they liked the red-and-green proposal; the teachers, with boos and hisses, made it clear that they weren’t down with the tiers, all but killing the proposal. .......

Saunders says he’s in the process of putting together a slate. He says he’s looking for “teachers that embody a certain amount of values…equality, freedom, fairness, integrity, responsibility, and security.” Rumors have it that Saunders has tapped Candi Peterson, a firebrand social worker who runs a blog, the Washington Teacher, that is a reliable source of anti-Rhee invective and rabble-rousing. Saunders declines to knock down the rumors: “I want Candi Peterson in a significant role. We haven’t come to terms on that.” .........

The mechanics of a union election don’t much resemble those of a council or mayoral race. The politicking is done mostly via mailers and signs posted in teacher lounges. Candidates can make the rounds to the 140-plus DCPS facilities, but pressing flesh with time-strapped teachers can be a tall order........Saunders says he hopes to have a victory wrapped up as early as possible—hopefully before too late in the summer, because he has other ambitions. “I want the WTU to play a significant role in the mayoral election,” he says. “By prolonging this into September, we aren’t a factor in the Fenty election, and if we aren’t a factor, then we’re guaranteed Rhee again.” .........

Posted by The Washington Teacher, featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence, article written by Mike DeBonis, Wash. City Paper, photograph taken by Darrow Montgomery.