DC Teacher Contract 4% Percent Offer Revealed- WTU Prez Davis Finally Comes Clean!

WTU Prez Liz Davis reveals 4% Teacher contract offer

This article recounts information shared by Cardozo Education Campus teachers with Malcolm Lewis Barnes, independent free-lance journalist shortly after attending a recent meeting with WTU President Liz Davis. Disclaimer: Mr. Barnes is also the campaign manager for the Candi Peterson WTU slate 2016.

By Malcolm Lewis Barnes

According to several confirmed sources who attended a May 25th school wide meeting at Cardozo Education Campus, when pressed for answers WashingtonTeachers' Union President Liz Davis admitted that she turned down a 4 percent (4%) offer that was on the table during last year's teacher contract negotiations.

An impatient group of over 40 Cardozo teachers were present last Wednesday who had just attended an afternoon monthly faculty meeting and were later joined by WTU President Davis. Davis declared during the meeting that the 1% raise that Chancellor Kaya Henderson offered was ‘unacceptable.’ Davis revealed at the meeting that late in 2013, there was a four percent offer on the table that she turned down because the chancellor was just beginning to press her initiative on the extended school year.

“Four percent is better than no percent,” said Grace Cooke-Thomas, a special education teacher at Cardozo Education Campus as she expressed her exasperation about the fact that the Chancellor was able to push through the extended school year with nearly a dozen schools, mainly east of the river in wards 7 and 8.

Davis indicated that she didn’t bring the four percent offer to anyone’s attention because she didn’t think it was worth discussing because the WTU  didn’t accept it in light of the extended school year issues being discussed across the board rather than at selected low performing schools.

During the meeting, Cardozo teachers demanded to know, “Where was the transparency? Why were only certain schools being targeted for rallies to bring attention to the 1% offer? And most important, why wasn’t Davis playing a more effective role as a union leader instead of expecting teachers to take to the streets in support of her failed effort to get a contract?’

The Cardozo teachers’ group just got tired of President Davis beating around the bush about contract negotiations and they asked her directly to disclose what’s actually in the contract that she claims she is negotiating.

“I’m a bit frustrated and I’ve seen teachers lose their jobs. I hear a lot of talk but nothing is being done. Teachers don’t want to march and hold rallies because they are being bullied by principals and are afraid of reprisal”, said Ms. Cooke-Thomas.

When Davis suggested that a survey be conducted, the Cardozo staff lost their patience and the group asked to see a draft of the contract that Davis claims she is working on. They demanded to know exactly what was put on the table. Davis declined to provide this information, citing confidentiality

Jody Coates, a special education teacher at Cardozo EC recalled, “I sat with Davis as a member of the WTU Executive Board and I don’t remember Davis ever saying anything about the 4% offer.”

During the meeting, it was reported that majority of teachers became frustrated and irate that the 4% offer was never brought to their attention. Davis was described as defensive and an attempt to rescue her from the heat by a representative of the American Federation of Teachers’ staffer, Allison Crawford was reportedly unsuccessful.

At one point in the meeting, President Davis asked one participant to “shut up” and accused her of being rude. That was followed by a barrage of complaints as teachers demanded to know what action was being taken to get a contract and that Davis should take charge. “I’ve contacted you on a number of occasions and it took you over a month to get back to me,” said Ms. Ball. “You want us to be out front in the rally, but we are asking you to take charge,” said Ms. Cooke-Thomas.

When a key member of the WTU teacher contract negotiations team and Davis 2016 slate candidate for Member at Large, Signe Nelson was asked to get her read on what had historically been on the negotiating table before the contract negotiations team were summarily dismissed and Davis took charge of all negotiations herself, the familiar theme of “blame the Chancellor” rang out.

“Kaya had no intention of negotiating in good faith”, said Ms. Nelson as she went on to deny that Davis ever owned up to the 4% offer. “It’s about changing the narrative that ineffective teachers are the problem. And I’m not confident that will change” concluded Ms. Nelson who seems to represent the defeatist sentiment of the Davis slate that is not optimistic that a contract can get done under any circumstances!

It is not surprising that Chancellor Henderson referred to the state of negotiations, “as the old fashioned way” in her April 21st DCPS budget hearing testimony before DC City Council Education Chair David Grosso.

And the Cardozo teachers’ wondered why Davis was going out of her way on the eve of the WTU elections to rally support, when she couldn’t get a contract done and turned down attractive offers that have been on the table since 2013!

In addition, Cardozo teachers’ felt that Davis’ repeated requests to rally and protest at area schools was falling on deaf ears and that she had not been honest about the Wilson and downtown rally at Thomson elementary school, which were teacher led and mainly by her fellow slate members and supporters in an attempt to salvage her flagging prospects for re-election as her three year term is quickly coming to an end with no contract in sight.

Davis included the following argument in a February 2016 WTU Newsletter: “The mediator demanded that both DCPS and the WTU negotiations teams complete proposals for all contract articles by the close of business on February 24th. 

Now that all proposals have been completed, in an effort to speed up negotiations, we agreed to meet with DCPS without the teachers after the chancellor said providing release time for the teachers on our team was a deterrent to meeting five days a week. 

As negotiations became testy and the mediator could not bring the sides together, Davis dismissed the teacher members of the negotiating team and went solo using the excuse that the Chancellor wouldn’t allow teachers special leave to participate in a 5-day a week negotiation meetings which were unrealistic and a sign of how desperate the Davis contract negotiating position was at that time.

Davis went on to claim in that same February newsletter that, “DCPS's priorities for the new contract include an extended school year.”

"These decisions, and other contract language proposed by DCPS, would stifle your voice and participation in local school decision-making. Our contract team is determined not to let that happen”.

“It’s not about taking sides at this point, it’s about what’s right. I just don’t see Davis' vision and I don’t believe after three years of seeing her operate as WTU President that she has the knowledge of union logistics. She talks a good game and she’s good on the soapbox, but at last week’s meeting it was kicked out from under her! We simply want a contract”, said WTU Executive Board member Jody Coates.


© 2016 Malcolm Lewis Barnes

Rebuilding DC Teachers' Trust Through Transparency

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.

Disclaimer: I am not a member of the WTU Contract Negotiations team.

One of the main problems we as a union have endured over the past nine years with past and current Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) presidents'- is that our leaders’ have not effectively made the switch from "classroom teachers" to union leaders.

Without "vision" or a "strategic plan" beyond their own advancement, they all seemed unable to act in the collective best interest of teachers', once they got elected. It is going to require strategic and substantive short and long-term plans, including the "collective wisdom of members", to "rebuild and re-purpose," if the WTU is to survive.

Effective union leaders must first communicate a clear vision and a strategy to the "rank and file" from the outset. Without a plan, we are like pilots flying by the seats of our pants. Certainly a lack of direction and focus can’t help get teachers’ a union contract; improve teachers’ working conditions, students’ learning outcomes, or the state of public education in general. A plan for rebuilding the union has first to be communicated with sufficient input and buy-in from members.

One of the insights I have gleaned as an active and involved union member – is that our leaders sometimes are their own worst enemy. For starters, collaboration, direct communication and transparency with one’s own management team, members of the Executive Board and rank and file are crucial if a union president is going to achieve any measure of success.

I have learned that if you do not have a "bond of trust" with union members who can help you succeed, then any plans you may have will come to a screeching halt, without a base of support.

Of course, if we are going to rebuild, we must first recognize, understand and accept that the membership is the highest authority in the union. However, if the "rank and file" membership remains passive and apathetic, the union will remain dormant. Of course, it's understandable why our members haven't been fully engaged for some time now. The union hasn't done the hard work needed to get members to want to be involved. The most powerful tool to first "rebuild trust" is simply being open and honest, even when it is painful. Above all else, we must be transparent in all of our communications with members. Not that fake kind of transparency.

Especially when times are tough, we cannot wait until our ship is sinking to let members know that we are in trouble. That is when members most need to hear from union leadership. If open, honest and transparent, an effective union president will work to engender confidence and  empower members to start helping the union overcome challenges through ongoing strategic intervention, not last minute reactive maneuvers.

Allow me to be clear! The WTU PRESIDENT MUST also cultivate a working relationship with DCPS management. As your union president, it will be my responsibility to ensure that happens, not yours as the rank and file, not the media. I must and will devise a way to keep the lines of communication open with Chancellor Henderson and her management team.

That’s why I have included the following as some of the Top Ten campaign platform priorities : [1] a strategic approach to getting contract negotiations done; [2] restoring a member-driven union that respects the rank and file; and [3] open communication with the rank and file that emphasizes transparency, accountability and collaboration with our stakeholders.

In the next week or two you should be receiving your WTU 2016 ballot at your home mailing address. As a candidate for WTU President in 2016,  I am asking for your vote for the Peterson slate so that we can begin rebuilding your trust through transparency, restore our union and get teachers' a negotiated contract after 4 long years! Vote the Peterson slate for next WTU leadership team.

Please take a look at our Peterson slate flyer of "old school and new school" leadership team members, as well as,  our our 10 point campaign priorities on the reverse side below. Flyers are being delivered to schools and placed in teachers' mailboxes.

© Candi Peterson, 2016

Peterson 2016 WTU Slate by saveourcounselors

Coming Soon To A School Near You: DC Mayor Announces Extended School Year

Written By, Candi Peterson, WTU General Vice PresidentStatements 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. Before it was officially announced, The Washington Teacher blog was the first to break the report of DC Public Schools plans to extend the school year on Thursday, January 28, 2016 in SE middle schools. Click on The Washington Teacher in red to see details of my January 28, 2016 story: The Washington TeacherNow there is official confirmation of DCPS' plans. According to the Mayor's public schedule- Mayor Muriel Bowser and Chancellor Kaya Henderson will announce their extended school year at several DC Public Schools for the 2016-17 school year at 11 am. Others in attendance include: Council member David Grosso, Committee on Education Chair, Charlotte Butler, Principal of Hart Middle School, and Natalie Hubbard, Principal of Raymond Education Campus. The event will be held at Hart Middle School which is located at 601 Mississippi Avenue, SE.According to the press release, this event is being held during Education week in a "week-long effort to highlight how the District is accelerating the pace of school reform and creating pathways to the middle class for District residents." The reasons given in Mayor Bowser's press release for extending the school year point to un-named research which states that "time away from school during the summer contributes to the achievement gap. Providing more time for instruction not only increases time for reading and math, it also provides students more time to explore art, music, foreign language, and other interests.  School districts across the country that have implemented extended year have seen significant gains among their student bodies." It's likely that these extended day programs will be provided in Wards 7 and 8  where many of the lowest performing schools are located.With little to show but incremental movement in standardized test scores as behavioral problems spill out onto the METRO transportation system from troubled DCPS middle schoolers, the Bowser administration now attempts to ram an extended school year down the throats of DCPS teachers without input from stakeholders as WTU President Elizabeth Davis continues to struggle to get teachers' a contract after 2 1/2 years. (last WTU contract expired 9/2012).Mayor Bowser also announced another education initiative earlier this year to open an ALL BOYS school that is slated to open next school year in 2016-17. Education critics view these as political band-aids and gimmicks designed  to fool the public that this administration will raise student achievement and close the achievement gap.Stay tuned for more details........
© Candi Peterson, 2016

A Guide to Interpreting WTU-DCPS Contract Talks

Written 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. 

For the record, I am not a member of the WTU contract negotiations team. Like you are, I am a  concerned union member. 

From where I sit, it’s not looking good for the negotiations between WTU and DCPS. Let’s just say negotiations aren’t dead, but negotiations seem to have broken off with WTU and members of the Chancellor’s team.

DCPS teachers are complaining because the last contract expired in 2012, and three years later, they still are without a contract. Having gone this long without a contract, it’s understandable why many teachers’ see no real end in sight.

In reaction to teachers’ concerns about not having a contract, WTU recently released a contract update on October 19, 2015; titled WTU-DCPS Contract Talks FAQs. My analysis here is an attempt to provide educators a guide in interpreting WTU-DCPS contract talks. The WTU FAQ sheet reveals:

“WTU President Elizabeth Davis and our negotiators are committed to reaching a new agreement by the end of December. In order to accomplish this, the WTU will direct its focus to engaging in full-time contract negotiations. We’re pushing hard towards that goal….”

We must ask if President Davis is recommending full time contract negotiations, is this a viable option given that most of the members on the negotiating team are  either full-time principals on the chancellor’s team or full-time teachers on the WTU team? Is it likely that DCPS would agree to this when this proposal would require that teachers and principals on both sides would have to abandon their schools/classes for an extended period of time?  Is the end of December 2015 a realistic time frame for the completion of a tentative agreement?  It seems highly unlikely unless Davis has a tentative agreement tucked away in her hip pocket. When did both sides-WTU and DCPS last meet? Was it during last school year (14-15) ?

The WTU FAQ sheet gives the following responses regarding Why negotiations

are taking so long?

“Bargaining can be a long and complicated process particularly when there are significant issues to be resolved. The talks have now stretched over two administrations. The former administration had offered proposals that would have lowered the professionalism and undercut the voice of teachers….

Your bargaining team drafted new proposals that would move us in a better direction …. Time and again, the school district has appeared to take the slow play approach to bargaining. We repeatedly proposed full time negotiations everyday-DCPS said no. We proposed meetings over the summer-DCPS said no. Back in January, we requested the financial and programmatic data essential to informed negotiations nearly 10 months later, we are still waiting. DCPS says it agrees with the goal of finishing by the end of the year, and we are hopeful DCPS actions in the future will represent a real commitment to this aim.

WTU and DCPS shared their respective proposals, and it was clear that we were far apart on some major issues; including protected planning time, class size, supplies and support.”

It’s a given that contract negotiations can be long and complicated and have spanned  two administrations under Saunders and now Davis. This is not news. This explanation  focuses on what former President Saunders’ administration offered in his contract proposal. What this explanation doesn’t tell us why President Davis has been unable to secure a tentative agreement in two years and three months in office?

 It would seem logical to me that both sides would disagree on the major issues cited above. Isn’t that the whole point of negotiations that there has to be give and take on both sides in order to reach a compromise?

There’s got to be more than just disagreements about when to hold contract meeting talks with DCPS.

What are the difficulties in communication on both sides?  Isn’t it true that previous contract teams didn’t meet full time or during summers yet negotiated a tentative agreement? The WTU FAQ sheet suggests that WTU proposed a 2015-16 contract negotiations schedule yet “DCPS said no.”  So are we to believe that the weekly dates printed in the WTU yearly 15-16 calendar  beginning September 10, 2015 and ending June 20, 2016 were all rejected by DCPS?

What does Davis mean when she states the school District has appeared to take the slow play approach to bargaining? The word ‘appears’ is the operative word in this sentence. It certainly conflicts with Davis’ earlier statements that the Chancellor and her team were refusing to meet.  As members, we deserve to hear the whole story not just some ‘talking points’ crafted to quell member dissension. Inquiring minds want to know the details.

What are our priorities?  The WTU FAQ sheet lists the following as priorities:

"Educational resources, expansion of the community schools concept, mutual consent alternative, time and tools and salary and benefits."

We all agree that resources, planning time, salary and benefits are givens in most contracts. But let’s cut to the chase. What else besides a mutual consent alternative is among WTU’s top key priorities? For starters, how is WTU approaching DCPS’ desire to extend the school day? Is extended day a non-negotiable item for WTU?  Has WTU resigned not to discuss this issue with management?

Where are we now? The WTU FAQ sheet says:

"We are in the early stages of mediation process that began when DCPS asked-and WTU agreed- to seek the help of a mediator. President Davis has met several times with the proposed mediator, and hopefully with the agreement of DCPS, we will soon begin full time negotiations."

What is the conflict that led to a mediator being considered by DCPS?  Has WTU presented their choices for a mediator to DCPS? If so, when? If not, why not?

What’s next? The WTU FAQ sheet indicates:

"….. Transparency has been a guiding principle for your bargaining team. We have tried to make sure you have accurate, real time information on our negotiations. Over the next few weeks, your WTU leaders, district representatives and building representatives want to have conversations with as many members as possible…..”

I certainly hope transparency will be the new flavor of the day and is not just some promise of empty rhetoric.  So far the lack of transparency has not been the trademark of WTU Chief Negotiator Elizabeth Davis. After two plus years of negotiations, we are long overdue for regular updates.

We cannot remain complacent when it comes to teacher contract negotiations like many teachers did during the 2010 sellout contract negotiated by former WTU President George Parker and AFT President Randi Weingarten. What I hope to show here in this article  is that we must learn to interpret political double-speak because oftentimes we are given only partial truths, albeit from elected leaders. Feel free to use some of my questions posted here as a guide when asking questions about WTU contract talks.

On Tuesday, November 10th we will hold our next WTU Representative Assembly meeting at McKinley SHS @ 430 pm where teacher contract talks will be the subject on the agenda. Come prepared to ask the tough questions for which you want answers. Hope to see you there.

© Candi Peterson, 2015

Principal Bullying in DC Public Schools: Our Hidden Little Secret

Principal Bullying in DC Public Schools

By Candi Peterson, WTU General Vice President

A great deal of attention has been given to bullying in schools since the inception of Bullying Prevention month which was first initiated in 2006. According to the American Psychological Association, "40% to 80% of school-age children experience bullying at some point during their school careers."

Many say that bullying in our schools has reached epidemic proportions, but what many don’t under- stand is that bullying is not limited to just students.

Just last year at Largo Public High School former employees filed legal action against Principal Angelique Simpson-Marcus stating that she routinely belittled, berated teachers and staff and made inappropriate comments about white teachers.

A former Largo High School English teacher, Jon Everhart won a discrimination case and was awarded $350,000 by a US District Court jury. Other teachers filed similar claims citing they were fired for supporting Mr. Everhart.

Despite this court victory, Principal Simpson-Marcus remained the administrator at Largo High School and the Board of Education continued to defend this principal as an effective leader. No surprise there.

A 2014 National Survey on workplace bullying defined bullying as repeated mistreatment; and abusive conduct that is: threatening, humiliating, or intimidating, work sabotage, or verbal abuse. This is consistent with the definition used in the Healthy Workplace Bill.

Even with this high threshold, workplace bullying remains an American epidemic. Bullied individuals pay dearly with the loss of their economic livelihood to stop it. In the absence of legal prohibitions against it, employers are failing to take responsibility for its prevention and correction.

As the Washington Teachers' Union (WTU)  General Vice President, I hear countless stories of DC Public Schools teachers being bullied by their own local school principals. Like spousal abuse, this is our dirty little secret.

The extent to which our teachers suffer at the hands of cruel administrators is a hidden fact of school life.  AT TES Connect, an education website based in the UK, reports that one out of three teachers says he or she has experienced bullying at work.

Some of the workplace bullying complaints that have been alleged right here on our doorsteps have occurred at Jefferson MS, Lafayette ES, Orr ES (2014), Truesdell EC, Watkins ES (2014), and West EC. Out of all of the complaints I have received on workplace bullying; only one teacher was willing to come forward. 

Not unlike the School Board in Prince George's County Public Schools, our central office district administrators often look the other way and decry that they won't investigate unless teachers come forward individually to make complaints directly to them.

Why would teachers come forward especially when there is an imbalance of power between them and their perpetrator principal? Many teachers that I speak to feel that if they come forward they will loose their jobs or will have their Impact performance evaluations lowered by retaliatory administrators.

Last year a former DCPS teacher from one of our elementary schools launched an anonymous survey among her teacher colleagues and provided data that showed that 71% of the teachers would leave the school if a comparable job was available elsewhere due to workplace bullying.

When this information was presented by WTU to our district central office requesting an investigation into the complaints, DCPS refused to investigate the allegations and only agreed to speak to the principal.

R. March, a former 41 year educator summed it up this way- "The role of the principal is too often seen as one of monarchy by those who attain the rank. To these bullies, their school is their fiefdom and they behave accordingly. The public schools system is a perfect structure for the proliferation of the tyrant."

One might ask what is the affect on students when workplace bullying goes unchecked? Many of our teachers quit or voluntarily transfer to other schools, which contributes to the high turnover/teacher churn in many of our schools.

Teacher churn contributes to the lack of stability in our schools and contributes to lower student achievement.DC Public Schools administrators should treat principal/administrator bullying as a serious threat.

Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center states on their blog, "It behooves school leadership to protect the entire educational community from bullying-teachers included."

If you know of a workplace bullying story in DC Public Schools, please feel free to share it with me @ thewashingtonteacher@gmail.com  Confidentiality assured.

- © Candi Peterson 2015

Orr Parents Call "May Day"

East of the River DC News (Reposted)

But Two Schools of Thought Emerge

By

Virginia Avniel Spatz

Orr parents protest Orr Principal Niyeka Wilson

Parents and students demonstrate outside Orr Elementary in Ward 8, May 1

“May Day!” was the call at Orr Elementary School on May 1. Orr parents, concerned about school leadership and facilities, say they'd gone through channels for months before taking to the street. Community members first addressed Principal Niyeka Wilson, followed by the instructional superintendent and DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. They testified to the DC Council and brought concerns directly to Councilmember David Catania, chair of the Education Committee and candidate for mayor.
“We're at the point now where we need the public's help,” says parent Laila Patrick, who helped organize Orr's “May Day,” complete with signs, petitions, and drums. “DCPS and Kaya Henderson and Niyeka Wilson need to face the music.”

Some parents, however, were surprised and disturbed by the focus of the demonstration. Nearly everyone agrees that Orr, one of the last “open plan” schools in the District, is way overdue for modernization. Not everyone agrees about the leadership needed to envision a new facility.

Overdue Modernization
Orr, 2200 Minnesota Avenue, SE, is one of the last unmodernized DCPS schools. “Open plan” designs, without classroom walls, were meant to allow flexibility. But the design also means noise and distractions. Orr continues to suffer these drawbacks, as modernization funds were withdrawn year after year, leading some to believe that the school is secretly slated for closure or repurposing.

“The school community is justifiably frustrated with the continued delay of the modernization, a modernization that is badly needed in the Councilmember's view,” says Catania spokesperson Brendan Williams-Kief. Catania visited the school, following the mayor's defunding of renovations yet again, and is now “exploring ways to ensure that the renovations occur in a timely fashion.”

After protest, $39 million in modernization funds were restored. Allyson Criner Brown, manager of the Tellin' Stories Project which partners with Orr on parent engagement, says her organization expected to begin focusing on plans for the new building. Instead, parents raised leadership issues as a priority.

“She's Talking About All of Us”
“I believe everything falls in place if you have a principal, that great leadership role, supporting us and representing us,” parent DaVita Robinson told the Education Town Hall radio program, a few hours before the May Day action. “If you have a principal who believes in the children and the teachers, then you'll have good morale, great teachers, great students, and the school being modernized.”

“Under [Wilson's] watch some of our best teachers, who have been there for years, [and are now] getting horrible evaluations, are planning on leaving....Under her watch our community is falling apart,” parent Isaiah Lyles said in recent testimony to the DC Council. “We assume she's busy because no one ever sees her. My daughter still doesn’t even know who the principal is, and it’s April.”

Cervantes Thomas, another Orr parent, told the Council about a Facebook comment Wilson posted demeaning the school community. “She talked about the parent as if she were nothing...”

The principal apologized and met with families, says DCPS spokesperson Melissa Salmanowitz. But some community members saw no contrition or understanding.

“We told her that when she talks about a parent in our school she’s not just talking about them, she’s talking about all of us, especially our children,” Thomas's testimony said. “How can you run a school if you believe the people learning are inferior to you?”

“Feeling Her Way In”
Tameka Young, who is active with her nieces and nephews at Orr, finds Wilson “respectful” and “down to earth.”

Young describes Wilson bringing one niece, whose behavioral issues had disrupted the classroom, into her office, telling the child: “I have work to do, and you have work to do,” and suggesting a 25-minute “power nap.” When Young arrived on the scene, her niece was asleep amid drawing materials in the principal's office; the strategy worked, and the child returned to her classroom.

“I have to tell you that, growing up, I would never have thought to go to my principal's office when I was having a bad day,” Young adds. “My niece does.”

Speaking of bad days, Young believes that everyone has them. “We're all human, and it seems to me that Ms. Wilson is being persecuted for having feelings.”

Similarly, Chicola Simmons, who has five children from pre-K to fourth grade at Orr, says, “I didn't take [the Facebook message] personal. A person has every right to say whatever she wants, as long as they don't do my children wrong.”

And Wilson has never done her children wrong. “She could be a little more active with the children,” Simmons adds. “But she's trying to feel her way in...Everyone was so used to [long-time principal] Miss Edwards who was with us forever.”

Two Schools of Orr Thought

Simmons, like many at Orr, is most concerned that the school “keep the programs that they have – the garden club, music, art gallery...that the children really, really like, and it's very beneficial.”

Patrick and Robinson told the Education Town Hall that budget decisions and the principal's leadership put treasured staff, activities, and partnerships, like that with the Washington Ballet, at risk. Salmanowitz says this is not true.

In addition, Wilson drew criticism for moving a special education teacher into a windowless, steel-doored space. DCPS insists that the space is an office not used by students. But parents, teachers, and others report “the vault” is regularly used for special education students, since their teacher was relocated there, and that students fear it.

When Candi Peterson, Vice-President of the Washington Teacher's Union, called the space “a classroom” in her blog, earlier this year, Salmanowitz demanded a correction. Instead, Peterson published pictures documenting student use and accused DCPS of a cover up. Catania declared student use of the space “completely unacceptable.”

Criner Brown, whose organization has partnered with Orr since 2010 and “seen parent engagement grow exponentially” in those years, has watched parents take their concerns to the Council, through DCPS channels, and to the street.

“There is an impressive community at the school among the parents, staff, and collaborators that looks out for the well-being of the children,” Criner Brown explains. “Therefore, it is not surprising to us [that parents are speaking up about] the dramatic changes by the leadership that have had a negative impact on teaching and learning, including cuts to the music program, curtailing field trips...parents are speaking up and taking action about decisions they see impacting not only their own children, but all students at the school.”

But there are still at least two schools of thought among those speaking up:

Robinson is among those who consider “the vault” part of the evidence that Wilson “doesn't support her teachers or her students” and should be replaced. According to this group, leadership issues must be resolved before modernization planning can begin.
Young draws a different “vault” conclusion: “I've never even heard of it. But if they're using it, it's because of the way the school is shaped. The building needs to be replaced.”

David Holmes, of the Ward 8 Education Council, says his group “cannot say yea or nay” on any specific complaint but hopes to mediate a resolution.

Mayor Vincent Gray and Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry did not respond to requests for comment. Per DCPS policy, Ms. Wilson re-redirected a query to the Chancellor's communication office.

Contact Teaching for Change, 202-588-7204 or teachingforchange.org, for information about the Tellin' Stories Project at Orr Elementary. Virginia Spatz serves as feature reporter for the Education Town Hall on We Act Radio, educationtownhall.org.

DCPS Networking Event for DC Teachers & Service Providers

By Candi Peterson

 

 

 

Please be advised that DCPS is hosting an event open to all current WTU members who are interested in learning about some of the new initiatives in DCPS’ Targeted 40 or Middle Grades schools (only those schools will be represented, but all WTU members are welcome).

 

The event will feature two simultaneous panels on these topics, and open networking time. Please Save the date for DCPS Hiring Fairs during May 20, May 29, June 7, June 25,  and July  10 and July 21.The locations will be announced at a later date. Please share this email with WTU teachers and service providers in your schools.

 WTU just received notice of Wednesday’s event. Sorry for any inconvenience.

 DCPS Networking Event for Targeted 40 and Middle Grades

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

5:30 – 7:30 pm (Candidates should arrive by 5:30pm)

Kelly Miller Middle School
301 49^th St. NE
Washington, DC 20019

Orr Parents Tell Councilmember Catania: Our Children Deserve Classrooms

By Candi Peterson

 I've covered the story about Orr elementary school  in SE Washington, DC since I visited and learned of special needs students being taught in a vault and a music classroom with 42 students, much to my horror back in January 2014. I attempted to no avail to get the mainstream media including Bruce Johnson to cover this story. I even posted photos of the Vault classroom but Chancellor Henderson told Bruce Johnson there was absolutely no validity to my claims despite photos and my actual live reporting that I stood inside the vault classroom. Certainly there's no denying that I am a newsworthy credible source dating back to the Michelle Rhee days. Afterall I my blog received note worthy mention in Michelle Rhee's book, The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes on The Nations Worst District.

Here's an update on a recent meeting parents held with Councilmember David Catania, and also chairman of the Education Committee and mayoral hopeful. Allyson Criner Brown, Associate Director of Teaching for Change who works with the parents of Orr in a partnership and advocates for modernization of the school wrote me the following email about the meeting with Mr. Catania: " Hi Candi, We had a very good meeting with David Catania. Parents took him on a tour of the building and I asked the teacher of the vault classroom to leave the Masterlock key so we could take him into the vault. He and his staff were stunned. We had about 30 parents that evening, plus kids and staff. Maybe 80 people or so in all. His staff said they'd never seen turnout like that in Ward 8. The principal welcomed Catania before leaving. We alerted his staff about our concerns with the principal but we didn't address them that night. Parents noticed Principal Wilson didn't make arrangements so she could stay for the meeting. Have a great weekend, I'll be in touch.-Allyson"

Too Bad Principal Niyeka Wilson couldn't stay for the meeting. Shame on her.

Cross posted from Teaching for Change:

 Orr (DCPS) parents invited David Catania, Councilmember and chair of the Education Committee, to hear their stories and tour the building which badly needs modernization. Nearly 30 parents attended with their children, along with teachers and members of the local community. Parents expressed their concerns about the safety of the playground; stagnant air and poor natural lighting; places where the building is crumbling; and, most significantly, the open floor plan (in which there are no walls separating classrooms or hallways). The modernization was slated to begin eight years ago but has been delayed every year since.

Teaching for Change, a partner with the Orr Parent Center, helped plan and facilitate the event which featured parent leaders. A father talked about how his three-year old daughter wandered off from her classroom in her first week of school and could not be found for nearly an hour. “Where could she have gone if her classroom had walls and a door?” he asked the Councilmember. A teacher discussed how the open-space classrooms presents enormous challenges for himself and others, particularly where classrooms are separated only by a rolling chalkboard or less. A mother shared that her daughter’s asthma flares up so badly that she and the school have a plan for her daughter to be moved from the third floor to the first floor when she has episodes. Another mother shared how the school had not only wrapped itself around her son in Kindergarten, but also supported her; she recently earned her GED after getting information and support from Orr’s well-known Parent Center.

The consistent theme among parents and teachers was their love for the school and the staff, but yet the urgent need for the school to be modernized. Councilmember Catania thanked the parents for sharing their stories and pledged to be a champion for Orr’s modernization.

Read more about this story here “No Place to Hide: Orr Elementary Needs Modernization Now!”
More photos.

---

Teaching for Change has been a community partner of Orr Elementary since 2010. Our work with parents at Orr is funded through generous grants from The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, and an anonymous foundation.

DCPS IS Violating the Law!

Dear Members of the WTU Bargaining Unit:

 It has come to our attention that DCPS has disseminated a survey to members of our bargaining unit asking among other things, whether you approve or disapprove of extending the school day by one hour next year.

 WTU is the sole and exclusive bargaining representative for the purpose of negotiating all matters related to rates of pay, wages, benefits, hours of employment and working conditions for all employees in the WTU bargaining unit.  It is an unfair labor practice for DCPS, any employee in a management position in DCPS or any member of the WTU bargaining unit to violate the bargaining rights granted by law under collective bargaining. (View Article 1 on PAGE 8 of the WTU Collective Bargaining Agreement).

If you are asked to complete a survey, it is necessary that you do the following immediately:

 1.  If the question pertains to any of the above, write in "subject to collective   bargaining".

2.  Record who asked you to complete the survey and the date and approximate time.

3.  Keep careful records of any acts of intimidation, coercion, or threats to solicit a particular response to items in the survey.

4.   Notify your WTU Field Specialist immediately with your information by calling:  202-293-8600 and forward all surveys to our attention.

 Educators in the WTU bargaining unit are law abiding members.  Demonstrate this to others.

In Solidarity,

Candi Peterson
WTU General Vice President