WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship

Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson
Candidates for WTU Prez & GVP 2016

By Candi Peterson, WTU Gen. 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.

I’ve watched WTU President Liz Davis’ dictatorial style alienate the Chancellor and poison contract negotiations; deceive and keep the Executive Board in the dark about major financial obligations like the union head quarter’s real estate taxes; and systematically stymie WTU boards and committees with her election obstruction and staff treachery, which is why I want to take a moment to showcase the Peterson/Thompson Slate officers including Dr. Brajendra Sharma, WTU Treasurer candidate and Dee Ward, WTU Secretary candidate.

First, I must address what has transpired during the last week of the campaign. President Davis worried that I will likely torpedo her chances of winning the WTU presidency has dedicated several campaign issues about me, which attack me with lies, distortions and half-truths. Shame on her.

This is the oldest trick in the book to try to sow the seeds of mistrust and doubt by selling, "campaign lies".  One thing is for sure Davis didn’t write her recent campaign newsletter(s). These definitely aren’t her original words. It is clearly ghost authored by someone other than her.

Davis has been less than honest with the rank and file not only about the multiple teachers’ contract proposals but also about her own efforts to stymie the 2015 elections committee elections and 2016 officer elections. On several occasions, Davis’ obstruction has caused the Executive Board to compel her to hold elections and direct her to comply with providing a membership list and guarantee of payment to the independent Ballot company so that elections could be finally scheduled, albeit delayed.

Not to mention, Davis is now making excuses for why the union headquarters is on the July 2016 tax sale auction list and why we still don’t have a contract after her 3-year term as the Chief Contract Negotiator. Someone else is always to blame for Davis' failures.

Davis lacks credibility and when she speaks, it is hard to discern where truth begins and fiction ends. Can you really trust Davis to tell the truth about me, the chancellor, the union or anything for that matter?  

Leadership is built on trust, credibility and integrity. Don’t be fooled by President Davis. You simply can’t trust anything she says. Everything that she reports must be fact-checked.

In order to restore “RESPONSIBLE” governance and financial controls I took over six months to thoroughly vet the following officers and I feel fortunate to have Dr. Brajendra Sharma as Treasurer and Deirdia “Dee” Ward as Recording Secretary, and I would like you to hear in their own words, their vision for joining GeLynn Thompson and me in helping return the WTU to ACCOUNTABLE, COLLABORATIVE; TRANSPARENT new leadership.

Dr. Brajendra Sharma

DR. BRAJENDRA SHARMA

Youth Services Center

“In democratic societies people get the government they deserve. They VOTE for their future governments.

This year provides an opportunity for DCPS teachers to vote for the Union they deserve and desire. So VOTE! And vote for the right team.

I am a candidate for the post of 'Treasurer” in the current Union elections on the Peterson Slate. I have given substantial thought before accepting this offer of 'treasurer'. And I want to affirm that this team will work 'in unison' to get the best CONTRACT possible; and do everything possible to ensure expansion of teacher benefits. 

I feel that I am uniquely qualified and experienced to take over this job and perform it with excellence. My terminal PhD degree is in economics, and one of the three master's degrees I have is in accounting, with specialization in Taxation, so I can assure you that the Executive Board will get regular financial reports and important matters such as paying real estate taxes and avoiding penalties and interest will be a priority under my watch.

I also possess over twenty years of practical experience in the profession as an accountant and treasurer of a variety of non-profit and faith-based organizations. Furthermore, I have the distinct privilege of collecting, accounting and managing all collections at my church since 1992. 

Those who know me well will confirm that my experience is genuine, modus operandi is professional and actions come with full honesty and integrity. So I will also make it a priority to order a forensic audit of the last administration in my first 100 days as Treasurer. 

I am a firstborn of a union leader in his own right. My father was an elected Staff Welfare Officer (Union Officer) in the Northern Railways for over a quarter century until his retirement. Pro-activism is in my blood. 

As your Treasurer, I promise to work tirelessly by keeping your best fiduciary interests in mind and assure to be the proverbial ‘Guardian Cobra’ for the optimum utilization and safeguard of our funds.

I am asking the wonderful DCPS teachers to accept this challenge, take action and VOTE; honor the best team on the Peterson Slate with your valuable vote to care for and guarantee your best interests.” 

Dee Ward

DEE WARD

Wilson High School

“As a DCPS Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher for more than 25 years, I am looking forward to working with Candi Peterson and the WTU. The ability to give an account of what just happened or bear witness to what transpired at a meeting or an event must be done by some one with credibility, professional integrity and transparency – all values that the Peterson/Thompson Slate stand for.

As teacher of business, record keeping and recording is what I do. My reputation for stating the facts accurately, precisely and professionally in both a verbal or written format precedes me.  

In the past under the Davis administration, the Recording Secretary was not given the resources to properly provide audio back-up tapes but I have been reassured that instead of spending valuable union resources on food and trinkets that the position of Recording Secretary will be properly resourced so that a professional and timely set of Executive Board minutes can be kept.

I have also been reassured that the President Candi Peterson will demand the type of collaborative cooperation among Executive Board and Committee members to assure that random changes and revisions to the official actions of the board are not made by unauthorized staff as has been the practice in the past.

There are many things being said about Candi Peterson and you may not care for her straightforward personality, but you must respect her. Candi is a straight shooter who believes in transparency

Respect the fact that she is by the book and follows the contract to the letter of the law. Respect the fact that she follows parliamentary procedures.

Respect the fact that she is transparent about the operations of union business. Respect the fact that she wants the body of teachers to know what is being offered as a contract and make the decision to vote it up or down.

Respect the fact that she has remained professional in her campaigning and has not used her WTU position to campaign through your work email nor hinder the WTU Executive Board or Election Committee in their effort to run a more timely WTU election.

Respect the fact that she has a slate of new faces that is culturally diverse with young innovative teachers. Whatever your issue may be, transparency is the best quality for leadership; put some RESPECT on Candi Peterson.

Vote for Accountability, Collaboration &; Transparency. Vote the Peterson slate.”

CANDI PETERSON

WTU Presidential Candidate

 In closing, will you join us in demanding fundamental change in our union? The Peterson slate has a slate of activists who will stand up for what we know to be right. We always promise to tell you the truth, no matter how painful. That's why we are proud to be running. Vote for a long-needed new direction in our union. Vote Peterson slate. We are #1 on the ballot. 

Ballots are due July 8th. If you don't think your ballots will reach the post office in time, please deliver them to the U.S. Post office on Georgia Avenue NW near Piney Branch Road.

© Candi Peterson, 2016

Why I'm Running for WTU President in 2016

Candi Peterson and GeLynn Thompson
Candidates for WTU President & GVP 2016

By Candi Peterson, Candidate for WTU President 2016

Disclaimer: I AM NOT a member of the current WTU Contract Negotiations team. 

For the first time, my decision to run as President of the Washington Teachers’ Union is rooted in a strong desire to lead our much-beleaguered union to a respectable level of teacher/member representation that embraces and fosters union democracy to the greatest extent possible.  The deterioration of union democracy has imperiled DC educators and WTU members for too many years and is manifest in the loss of job security and dignity, without which, teacher unions'  become obsolete.  Job security is the hallmark of any good union. WTU’s continued path of apathy and passivity is unacceptable if it is to survive as more than a vehicle for high union dues that benefit salaried employees, currently not WTU members, and the AFT, our parent organization.

My years of advocacy and service to WTU, first as a member of the Board of Trustee during the Parker/Saunders’ administration, and as General Vice President for both the Saunders’ and presently, the Davis/Peterson administration, have equipped me with the ability to lead and restore our Local to both sound fiscal and respectable leadership.  To have gone for nearly six years, two administrations and not have negotiated a contract for members, who have worked for more than four years without a pay raise, amplifies the current crisis in WTU leadership.  The membership is the highest authority in the union; thus, to continue on a path of apathy and dysfunction will not evidence the recognition and respect our members deserve and pay for.

Whatever one’s leadership style, whatever one’s temperament, no union leader will be successful using a top-down management strategy; in fact, without shared decision making and meaningful collaboration with its rank-and–file members, the current autocratic style of WTU leadership does not foster the much needed active participation necessary to build a strong union in a time of teacher turnover, bait and switch, disrespect and outright blame, and assault.

To promote the change members seek and need, I have joined forces with a diverse group of old school and new school teachers who like me believe in accountability, collaboration, transparency and social justice unionism.  I announced my candidacy for WTU president in 2015 and became committed to finding a General Vice President and a slate to run in the 2016 WTU elections. (Please see Peterson WTU slate flyer- below).

I have been fortunate to partner with GeLynn Thompson, a graduate of the DC Teaching Fellows, and a special education teacher at Randle Highlands Elementary School who has worked for DC Public Schools for 11 years. GeLynn has worked as a WTU Building Representative for five years and has been a strong advocate for teachers in our schools.  GeLynn is a daughter of the union. Her father was a member of the United Steel Workers (USW) and she and her family witnessed first hand how the USW union helped her father move forward in his job despite suffering from epilepsy.

A career educator, GeLynn is the embodiment of the new educator, deeply committed to union democracy and social justice unionism.  As veteran educators, we must reach back and reclaim all members and bridge the generation gap, whether TFA, teaching fellows or traditionally certified, or otherwise our union will become extinct.

If elected, I expect you to help to keep me honest and in line.  No human being is perfect, or always right; however, if you vote for the Peterson/Thompson team, we commit to promoting and adhering to the following priorities:

The first priority of the Peterson/Thompson slate after four years of failed efforts is to get teachers’ a contract that includes transparency as well as a compensation package that does not exclude teachers’ planning to retire.

We want to cultivate a productive and respectful relationship with DCPS management, adhere to bi-weekly meeting schedule with the Chancellor’s management team, as well as resolve some of our issues at the lowest level possible.

We recognize the importance of fiscal integrity, regular monthly financial updates by our treasurer, open governance and adhering to our proposed budgets and not overspending beyond our means. WTU finances will be open to all members for inspection, debate and discussion.

We want to ensure that each teacher receives an Effective evaluation or higher. It’s easier to help you keep your job then fight to get it back. We will hire three Teacher Center Coordinators and staff to provide differentiated professional development on the Teaching Learning Framework and ensure that all Teacher Centers are fully operational.

We plan to ensure that a new teacher mentoring program is developed by the Chancellor and the WTU President as provided in Article 2 of the WTU Collective Bargaining Agreement. We believe this is long overdue.

We must fully staff WTU Field services to represent members in workplace complaints, all field staff openings will be filled and all qualified rank and file WTU members who apply will be considered. We must also rethink fighting one case at a time. We need a comprehensive legal and political strategy.

We have gone too long and have failed to develop the much-needed partnerships with parents and community. It’s imperative that we develop community coalitions, alongside them we can work collectively for high quality education for students and better working conditions for teachers in all wards and give voice where our less resourced schools have become social experiments.

We believe our union must adhere to our own WTU Constitution and By-Laws. We plan to ensure that the twelve union committees are fully operational and chaired by Executive Board members as required in the WTU Constitution and By-laws. WTU will hold timely elections without interference from WTU administration.

 I know I’m going to be the target of all kinds of personal attacks, but I’ve put my reputation on the line for the last decade as an activist and The Washington Teacher Blogger when no one else would stand up to tyrants like former Chancellor Michelle Rhee. I created this education blog to be a voice for our teacher members.

I’m going to stick to the issues and offer a new type of leadership that offers to Bridge The Gap between the old style of top down – My Way Or The Highway leadership – and get the rank and file re-engaged with our Union.

The Truth Hurts, but we have lost our way, the last two administrations have procrastinated and not gotten the job done and we need to get back on track and get a CONTRACT! Vote Peterson WTU Slate in 2016. Ballots will be mailed in May.

© Candi Peterson, 2016

Vote Peterson WTU Slate 2016 (Scroll down to see 2nd page of flyer)