Teachers Deserve a Union President That is Good 4 Teachers
The Washington Teachers' Union under the leadership of union president George Parker is in dire straights. Too often Mr. Parker is as petty as they come. A DC teacher I know and longstanding and actively involved union member frequently refers to Mr. Parker as "Petty Eddie." I now understand why.
After a 4/27/09 entry on the DC Wire blog titled 'WTU Veep Sent Back To School,' WTU General Vice President Nathan A. Saunders sent an email to our executive board and board of trustees. I have learned based on reading Nathan's email that teachers' union president George Parker has yet to approve his leave of absence application to continue on in his elected role as the vice president of our union. What's interesting to note is that Parker , an elected official like Mr. Saunders, approved leave of absences for himself and certain members of the WTU staff.
Parker's delay tactic is not uncommon. He often fails to acknowledge board members concerns unless we email American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. It is not uncommon for Parker to also ignore constituents emails, or claim he is just so busy tending to union business that he is unavailable. Parker's latest act is unconscionable.
As a member of the union board of trustees, building representatives for teachers and related school personnel, as well as one who has served on union committees- I have seen first hand Parker's refusal to comply with motions passed by our executive board. He frequently fails to represent teachers in the media as required by our constitution , often doesn't make timely business decisions, fails to communicate, mismanages our union office, regularly cancels board and representative assembly meetings, excludes critical union stakeholders from having input and withholds portions of the truth from our membership. As noted on this blog earlier this year, members of our WTU executive board passed a motion in spring 2008 to seek the assistance of the American Federation of Teachers (our parent organization) due to board members concerns regarding Parker's poor management of our local.
DC teachers continue to complain that our union office under the sole helm of Parker has been ill equipped to respond to members telephone calls, complaints and concerns. With an increase in teacher complaints due to Rhee's 90-day-termination plans, Parker has been unwilling to compromise with board members requests that an administrative assistant is desperately needed for union field representatives. It is common knowledge that many who have been placed on 90 day termination plans by the Rhee administration still lack the promised administrative supports (i.e. helping teacher, etc). Little wonder why chief negotiator Parker couldn't negotiate a teachers union contract with Rhee without the assistance of the AFT.
While it pains me to post this email from WTU V.P. Nathan A. Saunders, I do so because I believe that DC teachers deserve a union president who is willing to act in the best interests of our union members and not like some woman suffering from PMS. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
_________________________________________________________
April 28, 2009
WTU Executive Board and Board of Trustees:
This email is written to inform you that Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson has issued a “report for duty or be terminated” directive to me dated April 20, 2009. Her letter states the reason for this directive is that the official “DCPS leave of absence application” I submitted, is “not sufficient.” She asserts that “proper application” requires a memorandum of agreement signed by the WTU President. I have provided WTU President George Parker with a memorandum of agreement for his signature but, he has not signed it thereby negating my ability to submit the leave of absence application.
Article XVIII (E)(5) states “upon proper application, permanent teaches may be granted a leave of absence without pay for (1) school year to serve as a full time employee of the Union….” Deputy Chancellor Henderson states that WTU President George Parker’s signature is required for DCPS to grant my leave of absence.
In my attempt to secure his signature, he informs me that it may take some time “due to his heavy workload.” (see email attachment)
It is my responsibility to notify you of these matters and request you to demand his immediate action. I can be reached at (202) 213-7081.
Thank You
Nathan A. Saunders
General Vice President
Washington Teachers' Union
490 East L'Enfant Plaza, SW Suite 7200
Washington, DC 20024
nsaunders@wtulocal6.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attachment #1
On Apr 27, 2009, at 7:27 PM, Nasaunders wrote:
George,
As indicated in my previous email to you, on April 24, 2009 I left documents-for your signature- pertaining to my leave of absence from DCPS, with your assistant Herb Thomas. To date, I have not been notified that those documents have been signed by you and ready for pick up.
Please notify me as to the date and time that those documents, with your signature, will be ready for me to pick up from the WTU Office. If there are any other concerns regarding this matter, please advise me of such.
Thank you.
Nathan A. Saunders
General Vice President
Washington Teachers' Union
490 East L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Suite 7200
Washington, DC 20024
On Apr 27, 2009, at 8:03 PM, Randi Weingarten, AFT President wrote:
What needs to be done here ?
Randi
On Apr 27, 2009, at 9:22 PM, George Parker wrote:
Nathan,
I am in receipt of your envelope around 4 pm today left on my desk by Herb Thomas on Friday. I have not had an opportunity to review the information but will do so ASAP given my heavy workload ( preparation for negotiations, placement of excessed teachers, transition to People Soft, 90-day plan, school restructuring, teacher certification notices, etc.). Once I have had an opportunity to review the documents and consult with the WTU attorney, I will get back with you immediately.
In the meantime, if there exists any reason why you feel I should not take reasonable time to review and investigate all documents and information associated with this issue, as well as seek appropriate legal counsel from the WTU attorney, before taking any official action on behalf of the WTU, please provide the reasoning behind such urgency.
As you are aware, leave of absence to work for the union is a collective bargaining issue and how we resolve associated conflicts can possibly become precedent setting for future contract interpretation. Therefore it is critical that we analyze all facts that led to this unfortunate incidence, how to avoid this in the future, and legal options for resolution.
Finally, to date, as WTU President I have received no official notification from you that you have reported for duty as a full-time DCPS ET15 WTU bargaining unit member at Eastern SHS, although rumors are that you reported. Please advise. I will get back to you within the next 72-96 hours.
George Parker
President
Apr 16, 2009
Herald of Truth Award
And the Award Goes To: Bill Myers, Staff Writer for the Washington Examiner"Here's to a real DC journalist dealing with covering the news on public education reform in DC and not sweeping it under the rug. " The Washington Teacher
Although it is reported that DC's Shadd Transition Academy has improved since the beginning of the school year, some are not so happy about Bill Myer's recent DC Examiner coverage which outlines a chronology of horrors in three Examiner articles. As you may recall this special education program was under the direction of Dr. Phyllis Harris, DC Deputy Superintendent for Special Education who was hired by the Rhee administration from Oakland, California. Many soon learned that Dr. Harris had her own share of problems even as an administrator in Oakland public schools. As reported first on The Washington Teacher blog, Dr. Harris allegedly got the boot from the Rhee administraton during the fall of 2008 , according to inside sources.
The Washington Teacher covered a piece titled: "SOS - DC Shadd Center: A Wholly Mess" on October 9, 2008. This entry was a follow up to "NO Special Education Teacher For You." A DC teacher colleague sent me an email regarding some of the problems at this self-contained warehouse for students diagnosed with emotional disturbances. I also talked with other un-named sources. I reported that there was a significant teacher and service provider shortage at Shadd with morale problems and many safety concerns for both students and staff. In addition, sources acknowledged that DC's central office administrative staff were deployed to Shadd due to teacher vacancies . DC teachers also complained that some staff were placed at Shadd outside of their area of certification .
Unfortunately, what many fail to realize is that DC special education centers like Shadd are just the tip of the iceberg with what's wrong in special education in the District of Columbia Public Schools . This year many of Dr. Harris' newly created special education programs even like the one where I work in S.E. were poorly designed from the outset. Not only did many of these programs lack a written model of service delivery, they also lacked the necessary certified special education teachers and related school personnel and the program resources, professional development that came too little too late and out of control students who present discipline and safety issues that contribute to high turnover rates of inadequately trained teachers and para-professional assistants. Many of these newer programs rarely receive the 'promised assistance' from central Office special education managers. Local school principals that house some of these special programs often have to supplement their limited school resources .
Unfortunately, what many fail to realize is that DC special education centers like Shadd are just the tip of the iceberg with what's wrong in special education in the District of Columbia Public Schools . This year many of Dr. Harris' newly created special education programs even like the one where I work in S.E. were poorly designed from the outset. Not only did many of these programs lack a written model of service delivery, they also lacked the necessary certified special education teachers and related school personnel and the program resources, professional development that came too little too late and out of control students who present discipline and safety issues that contribute to high turnover rates of inadequately trained teachers and para-professional assistants. Many of these newer programs rarely receive the 'promised assistance' from central Office special education managers. Local school principals that house some of these special programs often have to supplement their limited school resources .
Here's to DC teachers and related service providers who stayed put in some of the worst special education programs and try to 'wing it' on their own without the resources they need despite Chancellor Rhee's daily regimen of teacher bashing . There is no apology that can compensate our DC parents for the types of atrocities that occurred at Shadd and other special education programs serving the E.D. (emotionally disturbed) population. Here's Bill Myer's most recent April 14th article titled:
Council woman challenges Rhee on special-ed ‘disaster
"An Examiner investigation published Monday revealed a host of problems in the planning and opening of Marion P. Shadd Elementary School in Southeast D.C. A D.C. councilwoman Monday pressed Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee to explain what went wrong in her attempt to create a special school for the city’s most troubled kids.
Mary Cheh, D-Ward 3, said Rhee should give a public explanation for a series of costly failures at the Transition Academy at Shadd Elementary, a refuge school designed to provide intensive therapy for some 175 “emotionally disturbed” teens and young adults. “As they’re experimenting, our kids aren’t getting the services and care they need,” Cheh said. “You may have had a colossal waste of money in a part of the school system that has been wasting money for years.”
An Examiner investigation published Monday revealed a host of problems in the planning and opening of the school. Not enough teachers or staff were hired, the building was considered unsafe and infested with rats, and kids were rushed to emergency rooms in droves thanks to daily, sometimes hourly, riots in the hallways. The school was supposed to be Rhee’s case study in rebuilding the moribund $300 million special education system, which is already subject to two federal consent decrees. Instead, the school system fell further behind as untrained special-ed bureaucrats were thrust into Shadd in a vain effort to keep the peace. By October, a federally appointed monitor was declaring Shadd “a disaster.” A desperate “relaunch” by Rhee’s bureaucrats has calmed things down, but Rhee is still being urged to close the school and start again.
Cheh supported Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s takeover of the $1 billion school system and approved Rhee as chancellor. But she said the revelations at Shadd were a blow to the chancellor’s credibility. “Every time we ask about special ed, we’re told, ‘Trust us. There’s a plan. We’re making progress,’ ” Cheh said. “This undermines all that. They should come forward with an explanation and also say what comes next.” Rhee didn’t respond to requests for comment. " (Posted by The Washington Teacher). Article courtesy of http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/
Apr 10, 2009
Hypocrisy of Mayoral Control
The Mayor Is Out Of Control !
Norm at Ed Notes on Line has an excellent piece on mayoral control titled: Barron, Klein, Spellings, Sharpton Confrontation: New Video by Angel Gonzalez. I wanted to share this with my readers here in Washington, DC. I believe Norm's piece deserves front page billing. Even though the subject of Angel Gonzalez's video is about NY public schools - it sounds eerily familiar to what is happening right here in the District of Columbia Public Schools . I can't say that that NY parents and teachers didn't warn us before DC Mayor Adrian Fenty started down this very slippery slope of mayoral control of our public school system. I encourage you to watch closely this must see video.
There are many similarities of mayoral control of public schools gone bad in NYC and DC. They include: waiving public school superintendent's credentials, pitting charter schools against public schools, blaming teachers, failing to be transparent as promised, disenfranchising parents and other critical stakeholders, dumbing down the curriculum, teaching to the test/creating test taking mills, and blaming schools when they fail after they have not received required funding , etc. For example, when 31 of DC Public Schools did not receive the funding they were due in SY '08-09, DC Schools Chief Financial Officer , Noah Wepman said that it won't happen AGAIN next school year. Oh Really? It's hard to believe this especially when a plan was not immediately developed by Fenty, Rhee or Wepman over 1 year ago and only some adjustments were made. It wasn't until 1 year later after the release of the study by Mary Levy on DC public school funding was featured in the March 28th WaPO article by Bill Turque titled, "Study Questions Disparities in Funding Among Some Schools"did the general public learn that there was such a problem with funding. This is just not acceptable from an 'administration that vowed transparency' to the DC community.
Courtesy of Ed Notes on Line & Angel Gonzalez: "In a brilliant new video, Angel Gonzalez of ICE and the Grassroots Education Movement exposes the hypocrisy of mayoral control and the phony mantra that their critics are all about adults and they are all about children." Here's Angel's introduction :
4-3-09 "Sharpton-Klein National Action Network / Education Equality Project Forum with pro-mayoral control and pro-charter school panelists from across the US. NYC Councilman Charles Barron condemned their privatization of public schools agenda. After protests from the NO Mayoral Control Coalition, Sharpton conceded Barron's address prior to the speeches of the panelists. Barron condemns the profiteering & the educational devastation promulgated by the Bloomberg/Klein Dictatorial Control of public education in NYC. "- Angel Gonzalez (Posted by The Washington Teacher)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntbFiTXD4Og
Norm at Ed Notes on Line has an excellent piece on mayoral control titled: Barron, Klein, Spellings, Sharpton Confrontation: New Video by Angel Gonzalez. I wanted to share this with my readers here in Washington, DC. I believe Norm's piece deserves front page billing. Even though the subject of Angel Gonzalez's video is about NY public schools - it sounds eerily familiar to what is happening right here in the District of Columbia Public Schools . I can't say that that NY parents and teachers didn't warn us before DC Mayor Adrian Fenty started down this very slippery slope of mayoral control of our public school system. I encourage you to watch closely this must see video.
There are many similarities of mayoral control of public schools gone bad in NYC and DC. They include: waiving public school superintendent's credentials, pitting charter schools against public schools, blaming teachers, failing to be transparent as promised, disenfranchising parents and other critical stakeholders, dumbing down the curriculum, teaching to the test/creating test taking mills, and blaming schools when they fail after they have not received required funding , etc. For example, when 31 of DC Public Schools did not receive the funding they were due in SY '08-09, DC Schools Chief Financial Officer , Noah Wepman said that it won't happen AGAIN next school year. Oh Really? It's hard to believe this especially when a plan was not immediately developed by Fenty, Rhee or Wepman over 1 year ago and only some adjustments were made. It wasn't until 1 year later after the release of the study by Mary Levy on DC public school funding was featured in the March 28th WaPO article by Bill Turque titled, "Study Questions Disparities in Funding Among Some Schools"did the general public learn that there was such a problem with funding. This is just not acceptable from an 'administration that vowed transparency' to the DC community.
Courtesy of Ed Notes on Line & Angel Gonzalez: "In a brilliant new video, Angel Gonzalez of ICE and the Grassroots Education Movement exposes the hypocrisy of mayoral control and the phony mantra that their critics are all about adults and they are all about children." Here's Angel's introduction :
4-3-09 "Sharpton-Klein National Action Network / Education Equality Project Forum with pro-mayoral control and pro-charter school panelists from across the US. NYC Councilman Charles Barron condemned their privatization of public schools agenda. After protests from the NO Mayoral Control Coalition, Sharpton conceded Barron's address prior to the speeches of the panelists. Barron condemns the profiteering & the educational devastation promulgated by the Bloomberg/Klein Dictatorial Control of public education in NYC. "- Angel Gonzalez (Posted by The Washington Teacher)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntbFiTXD4Og
Apr 4, 2009
No Money For You DC Teachers !
In article that appeared in the DC Wire on April 3, 2009- the title says it all "No Dough for Teachers in Funding Formula." Just like DC students, DC teachers have been pawns in Rhee's political game and are still being mislead by Chancellor Rhee and her company spokesperson- Dena Iverson. I also blame the Washington Teachers' Union President George Parker, the Chief Negotiator for the predicament DC teachers are presently in as well. Parker created a controversy when he allowed Rhee to present a pay proposal to DC teachers last summer that was not legally feasible and encouraged teachers to believe that they did not have seniority rights. Both Rhee and Parker have all of us "Going In Circles" for these last 20 months like lyrics to the song, "We're an ever rolling wheel without a destination real and we're an ever spinning top, whirling around 'till we drop Oh, but what are we to do ? our
minds are in a whirlpool, give us a little hope - one small thing to cling to
minds are in a whirlpool, give us a little hope - one small thing to cling to
you got us going in circles Oh, around and around we go, going in circles Oh, around and around we go.... going in circles"
It is Parker not Rhee who should have been looking out for the best interests of ALL teacher union members. After all we pay Parker a hefty six figure salary to be our union president and chief negotiator which implies that he is our chief agent and should be adept in labor relations and negotiations, responsible for oversight of the WTU contract negotiation team as well as responsible for the interpretation and application of contract language, negotiations, and implementation of collective bargaining agreements and settlements. Rather than work with the WTU negotiation team in the best interests of DC teachers and related school personnel - Parker chose to meet privately with Rhee and company in order to craft some 'clandestine deal' that even members of the WTU negotiation team have complained that they had minimal input and knew little about. This is a NO-NO in labor negotiations.
WTU Chief Negotiator, George Parker should have first explored with our the WTU law firm- O'Donnell, Schwartz and Anderson whether DC teachers had seniority or not. Had Parker done this, initially he would have been advised that teachers have seniority under the Merit Comprehensive Pay Act and Rhee nor anyone can negotiate, take away these legal statutory rights. Reason being- statutory rights are not contractual and cannot be negotiated in labor negotiations.
Parker should have also determined whether a privately funded contract was feasible for DC teachers who are also District of Columbia Government employees. Had Parker done this - he would have learned that city regulations require before any raises can be guaranteed to city workers- they must first be in the city coffer. Makes sense to me. The reason being- should a private funder (hypothetically speaking) like Bill Gates wake up one morning and decide to withdraw his private funding for teacher raises - then the city still would be required to pay out these hefty raises because of a legal binding contract. Had Parker done his homework, he would have saved all of us a lot of time squabbling over red and green tiers and fantasy pay raises that will never come to fruition . In other words, Parker should never have allowed Rhee to try to convince DC teachers into thinking that teachers do not have seniority. He should not have allowed Rhee to present a pay proposal last summer that wasn't legally feasible in the first place .
Turque's DC Wire piece reveals that there is a proposed 2010 budget for a performance based teacher contract under the per student funding formula. According to William Singer, mayoral budget expert's March 25th email - he stated that the District and other funds will be sufficient to support a compensation structure that is consistent with the Chancellors statements. Here's the catch- Rhee's spokesperson, Dena Iverson states that it ain't so. According to Iverson : "the payroll increases and performance pay system we have proposed are dependent on funding from foundations." Seems like Rhee isn't the only one not listening to DC Government's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Natwar Gandhi.
Where are we in terms of getting closer to a teachers' contract that is good for DC students and fair to DC teachers ? ... We're an ever rolling wheel without a destination real, we're an ever spinning top rolling around to we drop... (posted by The Washington Teacher). Quotes courtesy DC Wire.
Apr 2, 2009
Knock, Knock- Chancellor Rhee, Anybody There ?
It's time for a counter contract proposal from Rhee that's good for students and fair to teachers. This line is taken from the WTU buttons and yard signs recently displayed by teachers, parents, DC and suburban residents.At this point, DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and WTU President, George Parker will enter a little over 20 months and counting of bargaining for a teacher contract here in Washington DC. On January 31, 2009- WTU President George Parker submitted a Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) contract proposal along with the assistance of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) to Chancellor Rhee's office for review. So far no counter proposal from Michelle Rhee. If we believe what we read in the DC Wire, Rhee stated the proposal looked favorable in February. However, in later reports Rhee claimed many of the WTU's contract proposal recommendations as her own. Go figure.
We just passed the two month waiting mark on March 31st. The kind of stalling tactics on display by Rhee seem intentional and could be designed to make DC students, teachers and the WTU wait as long as it takes for Queen Rhee to offer a counter proposal I suppose.
A little birdie told me that Rhee is not talking directly to Parker anymore even though Parker is the WTU's Chief Negotiator. I guess you could call Rhee's technique distance bargaining, bargaining put on hold, bargaining gone on vacation, too busy to bargain, or I'll show you whose in charge bargaining- just to name a few. To me one of the most crucial issues is that these two must communicate with each other and the WTU negotiating team not just through Rhee's subordinates. Leaving the WTU negotiating team out of the loop and demonstrating an unwillingness to collaborate is just no way to conduct labor negotiations .
Rhee continues to toy with us, by suggesting that the hefty privately funded pay raises promised to teachers is still an option despite recent statements to the contrary by Chief Financial Officer (CO) Natwar Gandhi in the news. Mr. Gandhi indicated that the DC government CANNOT GUARANTEE private funding for teacher raises.
Rhee can continue to stall us at the negotiation table. After all Rhee makes well over $275,000 with bonuses and perks. Not to mention that she knows that our union buttocks are in a proverbial sling pending the mayoral appointment and city council confirmation of two long awaited Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) appointees. Even if both sides were to agree to go to impasse- PERB has only 1 member and union cases aren't being heard.
Knock, knock Chancellor Rhee- anybody there ? It's time for a counter offer. Better answer the door- because we're not going away ! (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Mar 29, 2009
The Haves And The Have Nots: The Strange and Unexplained In Rhee's DC Schools Budget
4/8/08 quote from Chancellor Rhee's City Council testimony "Sixty of our schools are either in corrective action or restructuring status for failure to consistently meet AYP. The only humane response to such a number includes a significant financial investment to find out what is going wrong in these schools, and correct it. By adding (increased aid) 4 million to create a school improvement cluster and 7 million increase to support reconstituted schools FY 09 funding will help us identify and correct problems that are blocking student achievement in these schools." On Saturday, the WaPo featured a story- "Study Questions Disparities in Funding Among Some Schools" by reporter Bill Turque." This article was based on a study of 112 DC public schools conducted by Mary Levy, Education Finance Specialist from the Wash. Lawyers Comm. on Civil Rights. Turque's story featured several elementary schools and middle schools to make the illustrations of financial disparities that existed in DC schools '08-09 budget. Shaw middle school at Garnett Patterson received $12, 383 in tax dollars for each of its 257 students while Hart middle school only received $7,128 per pupil for its 619 students. It was noted that both schools have high concentrations of children from low-income families.Typically funding is provided to DC schools based on a per pupil rate between $8,700 and $10,000. Of course some of the funds go to the central office functions and the rest typically get distributed to local schools.
What is significant about Levy's study which by the way came out at the end of last school year is that it revealed that "gaps in support grew substantially over last year.... 31 schools ended up with less money than they were due." It was reported that this funding disparity is due to a failure to adhere to a new funding formula initiated by Rhee at the end of last school year which promised art teachers, librarians, school social workers, etc.
Unfortunately in schools where there are high needs, financial inequities such as those noted in the article adversely impact student achievement. Without the needed funding, schools like Hart faced teacher and staff shortages and over sized classrooms amongst a host of other ills. Of course the ripple effect as we have read about in the news and watched on television are school-wide safety issues, student discipline problems, students being taught by uncertified substitutes, and assaults on teachers. The news about financial disparities is too little too late for this school year. Noah Wepman, DC Schools CFO promises us that these anomalies will now be corrected in the proposed school budget before next school year. You tell me what is wrong with this picture. (Posted by The Washington Teacher). Story courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com , picture courtesy of flicker.com.
Mar 22, 2009
An Answer To A Mother's Prayers
My minister always says if you passed a test then you have a testimony. I am sharing this very personal story because recently I passed a test. One of my favorite biblical passages is aptly titled "For Everything There Is A Season." I have written about it here on my blog before. I hope that none of you will comment negatively on my blog this morning because today I am celebrating . Today is my season, my little boy, Blake (now five years older and a grown young man of 19 years) returned back home to his family of origin.
Blake was abducted from me almost five years ago this year. Many lies were told by a vindictive ex which propelled me into a legal court battle that defied reason. To fight this battle in court it cost me thousands and thousands of dollars and appearances before more than 12 judges . I was willing to pay whatever the cost so that I could continue to have a relationship with my son. Every legal door I opened somehow was closed on me despite the obvious evidence. In one instant of a judge's ruling- it felt like I had lost everything. I remember thinking in the parking lot that day- what is to become of me ? After all I had a full-time job but I also had spent the last 15 years being someones mommy. I imagined- what will I do now ?
I vowed to never become bitter or take out my anger on anyone because of what happened to me. I turned to God for guidance even though I didn't have a strong spiritual connection. I asked the question if not be a mother, what is it that you would have me do ? The answer to this question became my quest. I read the bible over and over again and even purchased many soul searching books. The answer eventually became clear to me symbolically. I was to use my talents to help others in need . I also developed a closer spiritual connection and joined a church.
Somehow many problems have landed conveniently at my doorstep. I use to say out loud- nobody's home, my plate is full, can't you see I 'm busy God ?
I remember thinking, what next? First my cousin Brice asked me to sign legal papers to be his medical power of attorney (MOA). I thought why not, we aren't going to get really sick before we are at least 90. Little did I know within 6 months, Brice was in a coma. Had I really took the time to understand my role as a MOA- I would have never signed onto this job at least not in my right state of mind. I made the decision that Brice would not be taken off a ventilator when the hospital and his grown daughters urged me regularly to pull the plug. I vowed to the hospital that like the legal agreement I signed, they would have to kill me or die trying to prove to me that there is not even a remote chance that Brice could regain consciousness ever. I studied the Internet on ventilator statistics . I became a resident expert on Brice's condition and questioned many of the doctors' questionable practices. They hated me but eventually came around to my way of thinking that there was a possibility that Brice would wake up. I think the medical staff only tolerated me really until one day I came to visit and there Brice was sitting up in bed. He winked at me and mouthed the words I love you. Later he told me this is why I picked you to be the MOA- you are fanatical in everything you do. I responded - I am, I didn't know that. I reasoned had I been a parent I would not been able to assume such a responsibility and help save Brice's life or develop a much closer relationship with him.
Even though I worked with Brice until he got released back home, the sad news is that Brice decided to give up on life without even telling me. He stopped taking his medication and all therapies unbeknownst to me, even though he had come such a long way. I was Brice's biggest cheerleader and he was mine. When I doubted my son would return home, Brice would light into me like I into him when he tried to stop believing that he would get better. I hope Brice is smiling down on me this morning. My only regret is he didn't live to see what he already knew would be.
Next came another challenge, I was asked to run on the union executive board slate on the Hicks/Nicholson campaign. Actually the race was quite close and we lost. I thought that was probably it for me as far as being a union officer. I convinced myself to believe I tried my best and it didn't work out. I had planned to spend some more time being a long earned couch potato. That didn't happen.
Challenge number 3- a colleague asked me to become the WTU Building representative after all she was retiring. I thought- hmmf are you kidding me ? She gave me a litany of reasons why I was the only one and I would be good for this job. At the time we had a lot of issues with one crazy, crazy boss. I knew that it could easily become another full time job. I longed for something to do while I mourned losing Brice. I was swamped with complaints from our members. I wrote emails into the night on members behalf. While I was burning the midnight oil, I enjoyed it immensely and ran 2 more times successfully. I was quite content just being a building rep. Then I was approached about running on another union slate as a board of trustee. I thought perhaps this would be a great opportunity to help our union, teachers and school related staff in a broader capacity. Of course we won and the rest is history. It lead to me writing this blog. Destiny ?
This past Friday, I was given an award titled 'Visionary' by my colleagues and program managers. While some other colleagues were given other awards- somehow the distinction of being a visionary humbled me. I was touched because I think that all that I have done for others was not of my own doing. I truly believe I was destined to be just who I have become. I had to lose my son for a reason so that I could be in this place. What's odd is that while I was just passing time awaiting Blake's return- I really wasn't waiting because I embraced my role and accepted my lot telling myself- it's not your season to be a mother. Time has really flown by fast. I cried through my pain the first 3 years of this ordeal. Sometimes, I didn't know if I was crying for Brice, crying for Blake or crying for myself. Heaven has many of my tears in a bottle to prove this. Little did I know while-I became engrossed in order to save my own sanity I found my true passion- the labor movement, albeit late.
This Saturday night I got a call from my aunt. Blake left of his own volition on Wednesday night from the controlling imprisonment of an alienating father. For those of you who don't know- there is a syndrome called parental alienation syndrome known as PAS where one parent tries to erase the other parent from a child's life by denigrating the other parent and brainwashing the child into a spiral of hatred against the targeted parent. In studies of thousands of custody cases, psychiatrists and psychologists have compared this syndrome to being in a cult. What we know about cults is that the cult leader (the father in this case) tries to deny contact from almost anyone from the outside world. The child complies in order to survive as well as others who reside with the cult leader. It leads to the child's virtual imprisonment and ultimate control by the leader or father in this case. This is what happened to us. After extensive research, PAS support groups, my participation in clinical studies , talks with my lawyers, I have better come to understand this syndrome.
I did not sleep at all last night. In fact I am still up and its 5:30 in the morning. I am not losing sleep for the same reasons that I did in the past. Tonight is the answer to a mother's long awaited prayers. Welcome home Blake! Thank you God- you're awesome ! I love and miss you too Brice- you will always be in my heart. For all of you who stood by me during these difficult times you know who you are and what you have meant to my survival. A 'special thanks' to my family. I thank you for all the times you listened and encouraged me to persevere. The names of my family members have been changed to protect them. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Blake was abducted from me almost five years ago this year. Many lies were told by a vindictive ex which propelled me into a legal court battle that defied reason. To fight this battle in court it cost me thousands and thousands of dollars and appearances before more than 12 judges . I was willing to pay whatever the cost so that I could continue to have a relationship with my son. Every legal door I opened somehow was closed on me despite the obvious evidence. In one instant of a judge's ruling- it felt like I had lost everything. I remember thinking in the parking lot that day- what is to become of me ? After all I had a full-time job but I also had spent the last 15 years being someones mommy. I imagined- what will I do now ?
I vowed to never become bitter or take out my anger on anyone because of what happened to me. I turned to God for guidance even though I didn't have a strong spiritual connection. I asked the question if not be a mother, what is it that you would have me do ? The answer to this question became my quest. I read the bible over and over again and even purchased many soul searching books. The answer eventually became clear to me symbolically. I was to use my talents to help others in need . I also developed a closer spiritual connection and joined a church.
Somehow many problems have landed conveniently at my doorstep. I use to say out loud- nobody's home, my plate is full, can't you see I 'm busy God ?
I remember thinking, what next? First my cousin Brice asked me to sign legal papers to be his medical power of attorney (MOA). I thought why not, we aren't going to get really sick before we are at least 90. Little did I know within 6 months, Brice was in a coma. Had I really took the time to understand my role as a MOA- I would have never signed onto this job at least not in my right state of mind. I made the decision that Brice would not be taken off a ventilator when the hospital and his grown daughters urged me regularly to pull the plug. I vowed to the hospital that like the legal agreement I signed, they would have to kill me or die trying to prove to me that there is not even a remote chance that Brice could regain consciousness ever. I studied the Internet on ventilator statistics . I became a resident expert on Brice's condition and questioned many of the doctors' questionable practices. They hated me but eventually came around to my way of thinking that there was a possibility that Brice would wake up. I think the medical staff only tolerated me really until one day I came to visit and there Brice was sitting up in bed. He winked at me and mouthed the words I love you. Later he told me this is why I picked you to be the MOA- you are fanatical in everything you do. I responded - I am, I didn't know that. I reasoned had I been a parent I would not been able to assume such a responsibility and help save Brice's life or develop a much closer relationship with him.
Even though I worked with Brice until he got released back home, the sad news is that Brice decided to give up on life without even telling me. He stopped taking his medication and all therapies unbeknownst to me, even though he had come such a long way. I was Brice's biggest cheerleader and he was mine. When I doubted my son would return home, Brice would light into me like I into him when he tried to stop believing that he would get better. I hope Brice is smiling down on me this morning. My only regret is he didn't live to see what he already knew would be.
Next came another challenge, I was asked to run on the union executive board slate on the Hicks/Nicholson campaign. Actually the race was quite close and we lost. I thought that was probably it for me as far as being a union officer. I convinced myself to believe I tried my best and it didn't work out. I had planned to spend some more time being a long earned couch potato. That didn't happen.
Challenge number 3- a colleague asked me to become the WTU Building representative after all she was retiring. I thought- hmmf are you kidding me ? She gave me a litany of reasons why I was the only one and I would be good for this job. At the time we had a lot of issues with one crazy, crazy boss. I knew that it could easily become another full time job. I longed for something to do while I mourned losing Brice. I was swamped with complaints from our members. I wrote emails into the night on members behalf. While I was burning the midnight oil, I enjoyed it immensely and ran 2 more times successfully. I was quite content just being a building rep. Then I was approached about running on another union slate as a board of trustee. I thought perhaps this would be a great opportunity to help our union, teachers and school related staff in a broader capacity. Of course we won and the rest is history. It lead to me writing this blog. Destiny ?
This past Friday, I was given an award titled 'Visionary' by my colleagues and program managers. While some other colleagues were given other awards- somehow the distinction of being a visionary humbled me. I was touched because I think that all that I have done for others was not of my own doing. I truly believe I was destined to be just who I have become. I had to lose my son for a reason so that I could be in this place. What's odd is that while I was just passing time awaiting Blake's return- I really wasn't waiting because I embraced my role and accepted my lot telling myself- it's not your season to be a mother. Time has really flown by fast. I cried through my pain the first 3 years of this ordeal. Sometimes, I didn't know if I was crying for Brice, crying for Blake or crying for myself. Heaven has many of my tears in a bottle to prove this. Little did I know while-I became engrossed in order to save my own sanity I found my true passion- the labor movement, albeit late.
This Saturday night I got a call from my aunt. Blake left of his own volition on Wednesday night from the controlling imprisonment of an alienating father. For those of you who don't know- there is a syndrome called parental alienation syndrome known as PAS where one parent tries to erase the other parent from a child's life by denigrating the other parent and brainwashing the child into a spiral of hatred against the targeted parent. In studies of thousands of custody cases, psychiatrists and psychologists have compared this syndrome to being in a cult. What we know about cults is that the cult leader (the father in this case) tries to deny contact from almost anyone from the outside world. The child complies in order to survive as well as others who reside with the cult leader. It leads to the child's virtual imprisonment and ultimate control by the leader or father in this case. This is what happened to us. After extensive research, PAS support groups, my participation in clinical studies , talks with my lawyers, I have better come to understand this syndrome.
I did not sleep at all last night. In fact I am still up and its 5:30 in the morning. I am not losing sleep for the same reasons that I did in the past. Tonight is the answer to a mother's long awaited prayers. Welcome home Blake! Thank you God- you're awesome ! I love and miss you too Brice- you will always be in my heart. For all of you who stood by me during these difficult times you know who you are and what you have meant to my survival. A 'special thanks' to my family. I thank you for all the times you listened and encouraged me to persevere. The names of my family members have been changed to protect them. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Mar 18, 2009
Two Thumbs Down To DC's Ron Brown Principal Darrin Slade
Attached is an open letter that I sent to Chairman Vincent Gray and all DC City Council members on March 13, 2009 regarding Principal Darrin Slade's violations of DC teachers' right to confidentiality in personnel matters. I requested that Chairman Vincent Gray in his oversight role advance this issue to the Office of the Inspector General, Chancellor Rhee, Mayor Fenty, Deputy Mayor Reinoso and other bodies for appropriate sanctions against Slade.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with several Ron Brown teachers who took the bold step of speaking publicly on the record regarding the assaults against not only DC teachers but students as well in the recent WaPo article "DC Teachers Claim Assaults, Face Doubt." So it seems that many teachers just like the Ron Brown teachers and Woodson Academy teachers who were featured are fearful of speaking anonymously and on the record.
Now more than ever threats of placing teachers on 90 day termination plans have been made against teachers even for making referrals for inappropriate student behavior to a host of other issues. Often teachers who make these referrals do so after being placed in impossible classroom situations. Some of these situations include having class sizes ratio's exceeding contractural limits as well as DCMR regulations. Some classes are as high as 41 and upwards ,as well as situations in which some schools like my elementary school are being forced to do mandatory inclusion for ALL students mid-year without regard to students' with disabilities needs., etc. Recently my school was informed that we had to place a student from a residential setting into one of inclusion classrooms despite the fact that this student had an extensive history of assaults and had been recommended by his former school to attend a 'special school'. Had my team and I, as well as the interim principal not protested this- I believe we would have been put in a no-win situation.
Teachers report that Principal Slade like some other DC administrators are engaged in 'covering up the truth' about the level of school violence. I am concerned that a pattern has emerged whereby DC administrators are retaliating against teachers who dare to speak up publicly regarding matters that impact student learning and ultimately have an adverse effect on students, teachers and related school staff. Could it be that these DC principals fear losing their own jobs if word gets back to Chancellor Rhee? Certainly this isn't a stretch because this is just what happened to the former Hart middle school principal when stories about school violence hit the newspaper.
Unfortunately, Principal Slade's efforts to bribe students as reported in the WaPo to give him information at the tune of $100 dollars a pop leads to another dilemma: some innocent students are being implicated while the guilty go free, according to my sources. Bill Turque's article is just the tip of the iceberg regarding school violence here in DC. If you know of issues regarding school violence in DC schools that are not being accurately reported by DC administrators, I implore you to report them before someone gets seriously hurt, be it a student or a teacher. In order to address any problem, we must first acknowledge that there is a problem. While the news coverage has been scant on school violence until recently, I applaud all those who have come to the forefront about city-wide school violence at Cardozo HS, Hart MS, Woodson Academy and Ron Brown MS.
Here's a copy of the letter that I sent to DC Chairman Vincent Gray and DC City Council members last week urging their intervention regarding Principal Slade's inappropriate comments to the press on teachers personnel matters:
Request for Council Intervention Re DCPS Principal's Comments To The Press
3/13/09
Dear Chairman Gray and DC Council members:
I am truly disturbed by the comments made by Mr. Darrin Slade, DCPS Principal @ Ron Brown Middle School in the 3/13/09 Wash. Post article on page A 1. Mr. Slade's comments that teachers in the article are in the process of being terminated seems to be a violation of teachers' rights to confidentiality. One teacher in today's article denies being on a 90 day improvement plan as suggested by Mr. Slade. These comments are also inappropriate and unethical. At no time should a DC administrator openly discuss employee's personnel issues with the press. Principal Slade is also quoted in today's Post as per his school guide as threatening teachers with placement on a 90-day improvement plan instead of helping to provide support to teachers who may be in need of assistance.
It is also troubling that in this same article that two other Woodson Academy teachers who were assaulted had to speak on condition of anonymity because they fear losing their jobs if they spoke negatively in the press about their experiences with school violence. I would like to request that the DC City Council address this issue regarding Mr. Slade's comments in your oversight role of the District of Columbia Public Schools. I hope that you will take the lead to publicly advance this violation to the Office of the Inspector General, the Office of The Chancellor, the Deputy Mayor of Education, the Office of the Mayor and any other appropriate bodies so that it can be properly handled with appropriate sanctions. If Chancellor Michelle Rhee states that her office is unable to provide the names of DC teachers on 90 day plans to the Washington Teachers' Union due to the confidentiality of teachers, how is it that Mr. Slade at his level as a DC principal can discuss teachers' personnel matters openly in the press ?
Certainly in so doing, Mr. Slade as representative of the DC public schools poses a liability to the school system for potential defamation of character. It seems that the District of Columbia Public Schools is headed down a very slippery slope that ultimately will do more harm than good for DC students, teachers, administrators and our school system . Let's hope that Mr. Slade's behavior does not open the door to other DC principals acting in similar fashion.
I along with other DC Public School employees have testified before you on a number of occasions to appeal for your help on a number of fronts. I appreciate that you have held city council hearings to address some of our concerns as it relates to our employment, school violence issues and other matters. I request a timely written response to my request. Thanks for your attention.
Candi Peterson
WTU Board of Trustees
WTU Building Representative/city-wide teachers and related service providers
(Posted by The Washington Teacher)
Request for Council Intervention Re DCPS Principal's Comments To The Press
3/13/09
Dear Chairman Gray and DC Council members:
I am truly disturbed by the comments made by Mr. Darrin Slade, DCPS Principal @ Ron Brown Middle School in the 3/13/09 Wash. Post article on page A 1. Mr. Slade's comments that teachers in the article are in the process of being terminated seems to be a violation of teachers' rights to confidentiality. One teacher in today's article denies being on a 90 day improvement plan as suggested by Mr. Slade. These comments are also inappropriate and unethical. At no time should a DC administrator openly discuss employee's personnel issues with the press. Principal Slade is also quoted in today's Post as per his school guide as threatening teachers with placement on a 90-day improvement plan instead of helping to provide support to teachers who may be in need of assistance.
It is also troubling that in this same article that two other Woodson Academy teachers who were assaulted had to speak on condition of anonymity because they fear losing their jobs if they spoke negatively in the press about their experiences with school violence. I would like to request that the DC City Council address this issue regarding Mr. Slade's comments in your oversight role of the District of Columbia Public Schools. I hope that you will take the lead to publicly advance this violation to the Office of the Inspector General, the Office of The Chancellor, the Deputy Mayor of Education, the Office of the Mayor and any other appropriate bodies so that it can be properly handled with appropriate sanctions. If Chancellor Michelle Rhee states that her office is unable to provide the names of DC teachers on 90 day plans to the Washington Teachers' Union due to the confidentiality of teachers, how is it that Mr. Slade at his level as a DC principal can discuss teachers' personnel matters openly in the press ?
Certainly in so doing, Mr. Slade as representative of the DC public schools poses a liability to the school system for potential defamation of character. It seems that the District of Columbia Public Schools is headed down a very slippery slope that ultimately will do more harm than good for DC students, teachers, administrators and our school system . Let's hope that Mr. Slade's behavior does not open the door to other DC principals acting in similar fashion.
I along with other DC Public School employees have testified before you on a number of occasions to appeal for your help on a number of fronts. I appreciate that you have held city council hearings to address some of our concerns as it relates to our employment, school violence issues and other matters. I request a timely written response to my request. Thanks for your attention.
Candi Peterson
WTU Board of Trustees
WTU Building Representative/city-wide teachers and related service providers
(Posted by The Washington Teacher)
Mar 12, 2009
Inequality in K-12 Public Education
This one's for Chris L. @ A.U.
I think that The Frustrated Teacher said it best on the subject of inequality in education: "There is no quick fix because the problem, whatever the problem is, is not the fault of public education; it's the fault of society to adequately take care of those in need. I think its pretty clear that the "haves" have been having at the expense of the "have-nots" for so long that we are where we are now; a rich/poor society; very little in the middle.The "poor" don't need better schools and teachers, they need better lives !"
On a similar note Public Education Defender made a number of key points about Obama's recent speech on education policy. Public Ed. Defender argues that Obama's plan like that of other well intended politicians will do little to significantly improve education in America. Here's what this teacher blogger said: "... President Obama gave a major speech on education policy. So far, I like him a lot. Who knows whether or not he will have a successful presidency, but he seems to have the potential for greatness. His plan to improve education in America, however, does not inspire me. It's not that I'm disappointed by the things Obama is proposing; it's exactly what I would expect from a good politician who does not really understand what happens in a classroom. It's not that I think the things he is proposing are necessarily bad things. "
"President Obama is endorsing merit pay, that's not a bad thing, but I think it is greatly overrated by its proponents. It might help a little, and I am all for doing whatever it takes to make sure we keep our best teachers, regardless of seniority, and get rid of our worst ones. "
"...America's teachers are often portrayed by our media and elites as being incompetent. This is unfair. There are some lousy teachers out there--no one can deny that--and we should get rid of them. But much of the so-called "bad teaching" is being done by teachers who have been put into impossible classroom situations. Once in a blue moon you might find an incredible teacher who can go into one of those classrooms and turn things around. Those teachers, however, are very rare. If anyone thinks that enough of them can be found to turn around those impossible classroom situations in large cities throughout the nation, they are dreaming. Something has to be done about those classroom situations, and Obama's policies don't. "
I can't help but agree with both of these education bloggers. Somehow I feel that many out there, although well-intended I am sure try to offer simplistic solutions to a very complex problem without considering the research. It seems to me that almost everyone is an 'expert' when it comes to education reform. Many argue that if we just get rid of teacher tenure, fire all of the incompetent teachers, offer merit pay, and get all parents to make their challenging students behave then all of our problems will be solved. All of these solutions seem to be rooted in a "schools only" approach to fixing the problem which is part of the problem.
A look at a Bolder Approach to Education website is quite insightful and is a deliberate effort by leaders from various fields in education, social welfare, housing, and civil rights. Their position statement reveals that ".. research has documented a powerful association between social and economic disadvantage and low student achievement." They argue that our national education policy has been crafted around the expectation that schools alone can offset the full impact of socio-economic status on learning. As an example they cite the No Child Left Behind Law. They support that schools can ameliorate some of the impact of social and economic disadvantage on achievement but not all.
Many including our DC schools chancellor denies that socio-economic status has a significant impact despite what the research states. According to bolder approach : "evidence demonstrates that achievement gaps based on socioeconomic status are present before children even begin formal schooling. What is crucial for all of us is to not get caught into the trap that many of our politicians have which as bolder approach states is a "failure to act on the evidence — in tandem with a schools-only approach — which is a major reason why the association between disadvantage and low student achievement remains so strong. " Check out a bolder approach to education for solutions.
On Tuesday evening, I had the pleasure of a dinner meeting with 17 American University students and their professor from the DC Education Project on the subject of systemic inequities in K-12 education in the District and the nation. Chris L. , sophomore student leader of this group contacted me through my blog to arrange this very delightful evening. Our meeting took place in a Adams- Morgan hostel where several college students prepared all of us an informal dinner of burritos while we dialogued on this very interesting subject. This took me back to my ole' college days which for me offer many fond memories.
What I learned is that these 17 students are part of an alternative spring break project which included visiting DC schools (Janney ES and Hart middle school), meeting with non-profits, a community activist parent - Maria Jones, and Chancellor Rhee and WTU President George Parker, etc. As a public education advocate, I did my best to answer their many well- thought out questions from my vantage point on the subject of systemic inequities. I think that a good starting point for our discussion was their recent visit to a school west of the park and another school east of the river. What a dichotomy ! As I shared with Chris, I look forward to seeing the final outcome of their project. At a time when college students could be enjoying all of the simple pleasures of their spring break- they decided to become a part of an interesting alternative educational experience. I applaud their efforts. I am sure it will provide many life-long academic and personal memories . I believe that we ALL can learn a lot from their project- even President Obama. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
I think that The Frustrated Teacher said it best on the subject of inequality in education: "There is no quick fix because the problem, whatever the problem is, is not the fault of public education; it's the fault of society to adequately take care of those in need. I think its pretty clear that the "haves" have been having at the expense of the "have-nots" for so long that we are where we are now; a rich/poor society; very little in the middle.The "poor" don't need better schools and teachers, they need better lives !"
On a similar note Public Education Defender made a number of key points about Obama's recent speech on education policy. Public Ed. Defender argues that Obama's plan like that of other well intended politicians will do little to significantly improve education in America. Here's what this teacher blogger said: "... President Obama gave a major speech on education policy. So far, I like him a lot. Who knows whether or not he will have a successful presidency, but he seems to have the potential for greatness. His plan to improve education in America, however, does not inspire me. It's not that I'm disappointed by the things Obama is proposing; it's exactly what I would expect from a good politician who does not really understand what happens in a classroom. It's not that I think the things he is proposing are necessarily bad things. "
"President Obama is endorsing merit pay, that's not a bad thing, but I think it is greatly overrated by its proponents. It might help a little, and I am all for doing whatever it takes to make sure we keep our best teachers, regardless of seniority, and get rid of our worst ones. "
"...America's teachers are often portrayed by our media and elites as being incompetent. This is unfair. There are some lousy teachers out there--no one can deny that--and we should get rid of them. But much of the so-called "bad teaching" is being done by teachers who have been put into impossible classroom situations. Once in a blue moon you might find an incredible teacher who can go into one of those classrooms and turn things around. Those teachers, however, are very rare. If anyone thinks that enough of them can be found to turn around those impossible classroom situations in large cities throughout the nation, they are dreaming. Something has to be done about those classroom situations, and Obama's policies don't. "
I can't help but agree with both of these education bloggers. Somehow I feel that many out there, although well-intended I am sure try to offer simplistic solutions to a very complex problem without considering the research. It seems to me that almost everyone is an 'expert' when it comes to education reform. Many argue that if we just get rid of teacher tenure, fire all of the incompetent teachers, offer merit pay, and get all parents to make their challenging students behave then all of our problems will be solved. All of these solutions seem to be rooted in a "schools only" approach to fixing the problem which is part of the problem.
A look at a Bolder Approach to Education website is quite insightful and is a deliberate effort by leaders from various fields in education, social welfare, housing, and civil rights. Their position statement reveals that ".. research has documented a powerful association between social and economic disadvantage and low student achievement." They argue that our national education policy has been crafted around the expectation that schools alone can offset the full impact of socio-economic status on learning. As an example they cite the No Child Left Behind Law. They support that schools can ameliorate some of the impact of social and economic disadvantage on achievement but not all.
Many including our DC schools chancellor denies that socio-economic status has a significant impact despite what the research states. According to bolder approach : "evidence demonstrates that achievement gaps based on socioeconomic status are present before children even begin formal schooling. What is crucial for all of us is to not get caught into the trap that many of our politicians have which as bolder approach states is a "failure to act on the evidence — in tandem with a schools-only approach — which is a major reason why the association between disadvantage and low student achievement remains so strong. " Check out a bolder approach to education for solutions.
On Tuesday evening, I had the pleasure of a dinner meeting with 17 American University students and their professor from the DC Education Project on the subject of systemic inequities in K-12 education in the District and the nation. Chris L. , sophomore student leader of this group contacted me through my blog to arrange this very delightful evening. Our meeting took place in a Adams- Morgan hostel where several college students prepared all of us an informal dinner of burritos while we dialogued on this very interesting subject. This took me back to my ole' college days which for me offer many fond memories.
What I learned is that these 17 students are part of an alternative spring break project which included visiting DC schools (Janney ES and Hart middle school), meeting with non-profits, a community activist parent - Maria Jones, and Chancellor Rhee and WTU President George Parker, etc. As a public education advocate, I did my best to answer their many well- thought out questions from my vantage point on the subject of systemic inequities. I think that a good starting point for our discussion was their recent visit to a school west of the park and another school east of the river. What a dichotomy ! As I shared with Chris, I look forward to seeing the final outcome of their project. At a time when college students could be enjoying all of the simple pleasures of their spring break- they decided to become a part of an interesting alternative educational experience. I applaud their efforts. I am sure it will provide many life-long academic and personal memories . I believe that we ALL can learn a lot from their project- even President Obama. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Mar 5, 2009
Got Any DCPS Inclusion Horror Stories ?
Well I do. The elementary school where I work in S.E. (it begins with a G) started 100% mandatory inclusion for ALL disabled students several weeks ago. Of course without the appropriate staffing or professional development and without regard to the needs of our students with disabilities. The powers that be have advised our staff that this directive has come from above where most of our half-wit directives seem to emanate. Go figure. Nothing in writing-just do it.
Obviously like many others, I 'm troubled by this. We have been advised that all our IEP's will be changed to reflect this new mandatory model. I guess because our school will no longer be able to accommodate mandated hours of specialized instruction. What I have surmised is that our two special education teachers will spend less time with their students than they did before because they will be required to go from classroom to classroom in what has been identified as a co-teaching model. The problem is that we already don't have adequate staffing to meet the needs of our students with disabilities. As I state many times here in the land of DCPS, our school system jumps from one educational bandwagon to another without regard to research based practices and often no forethought, planning, etc.
I would be interested to hear from any of you about what some of you are experiencing in your schools ? Any ideas about the new DCPS inclusion model ? Is it mandatory inclusion for all students where you are ? What do you need for inclusion to be successful at your school? What's on the horizon for next year ? (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Obviously like many others, I 'm troubled by this. We have been advised that all our IEP's will be changed to reflect this new mandatory model. I guess because our school will no longer be able to accommodate mandated hours of specialized instruction. What I have surmised is that our two special education teachers will spend less time with their students than they did before because they will be required to go from classroom to classroom in what has been identified as a co-teaching model. The problem is that we already don't have adequate staffing to meet the needs of our students with disabilities. As I state many times here in the land of DCPS, our school system jumps from one educational bandwagon to another without regard to research based practices and often no forethought, planning, etc.
I would be interested to hear from any of you about what some of you are experiencing in your schools ? Any ideas about the new DCPS inclusion model ? Is it mandatory inclusion for all students where you are ? What do you need for inclusion to be successful at your school? What's on the horizon for next year ? (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Feb 27, 2009
Knock, Knock WTU President George Parker - Anybody There ?
Union transparency is important because it allows workers to make informed decisions about the value of union representation. It also encourages union officials to do the right thing like spend union monies appropriately on union members interests such as grievance issues, member services, bargaining, benefits, and professional development, etc. As a union official whose role involves financial oversight- I have come up against some stumbling blocks with our union president that I am just not willing to remain silent about. I am adamant that the WTU adhere to the necessary 'check and balances' when it comes to financial matters so that we don't repeat the mistakes of our biggest scandal ever- the Bullock administration. Maybe you can help me ?Knock, knock Washington Teachers Union Prez George Parker, anybody there ? Well I guess not because I have sent numerous emails to you and have yet to hear even a whisper. Can anybody, pleeez encourage Mr. Parker to answer my emails. In the advent that any of you should accidentally run into him- could you share my latest email and ask him to respond to me ? After all I am an elected official to the WTU Board of Trustees. Here's my most recent email:
2/24/09
Dear George:
As a WTU Board of Trustee member, I have requested information from you in your official role within the WTU. To date I still have not received an answer or any acknowledgement from the WTU president which is troubling to say the least. Failure to respond to an official written request from an elected union officer is at the very least unethical and may be perceived by our constituents at some later date as an 'intentional desire' on your part to refuse to comply with legitimate requests as well as a failure to adhere to our WTU Constitution and By-Laws.
Be that as it may, I am requesting again that the subject of the 'wire transfer' be placed on the February 26th WTU board agenda. I also would like to request that copies of my four emails be made part of the official record of the WTU. As I have previously requested, I still would like to get answers to the questions that I've posed . I would also like to formally request any and all documents concerning what is being referred to as the 'AFT grant' at the February 24th WTU representative assembly.
Sincerely,
The Washington Teacher (posted by The Washington Teacher)
*some portions of this email were removed
Feb 24, 2009
What's Up With Our Union Contract Proposal ?
Still wondering what's the status of the DC teachers' union contract proposal. So am I. Let's hope this Wednesday's informational session conducted by the WTU will yield more information than the letters sent out to our members. By the way, y'all are invited to attend the WTU contract informational session on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at McKinley Senior High School at 4:30 p.m. AFT Prez Randi Weingarten will be in attendance to 'meet and greet' you and discuss relevant information. The WTU has been delivering flyers to all local schools to promote this Wednesday's event. A lot of union manpower is going into ensuring that union members are aware of this gathering.
My only hope is that the the WTU will unveil some of the important details about what makes this contract proposal different than the last one. Word is that Chancellor Rhee is still suggesting in some of her meetings with DC teachers that the red and green tiers are still on the table.
By the way, the WTU delegate assembly will meet today on Tuesday, February 24th at 4:30 p.m. at McKinley Senior High for its regularly scheduled meeting . Encourage your school building representative or alternate to attend. All other union members are welcome to attend as well .
The WTU Executive Board meeting is suppose to be scheduled this Thursday evening on February 25, 2009 at the WTU Office at 5:30 p.m. The office is located at 490 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Suite 7200 Washington, DC. While I have not received noticed of this meeting to date, I encourage all unionized teachers and providers to come out.
As a WTU Board of Trustee member, I have advanced my written concern to the WTU executive board level regarding how certain 'union wire transfers' were handled by our WTU union officers. While I am not suggesting any impropriety, I am concerned that some WTU practices are not in keeping with motions passed by the executive board as well as good accounting principles. The failure of the WTU to adhere to the necessary checks and balances can lead us down a very slippery slope and cause the WTU to repeat the mistakes of the past. Stay tuned.... (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
My only hope is that the the WTU will unveil some of the important details about what makes this contract proposal different than the last one. Word is that Chancellor Rhee is still suggesting in some of her meetings with DC teachers that the red and green tiers are still on the table.
By the way, the WTU delegate assembly will meet today on Tuesday, February 24th at 4:30 p.m. at McKinley Senior High for its regularly scheduled meeting . Encourage your school building representative or alternate to attend. All other union members are welcome to attend as well .
The WTU Executive Board meeting is suppose to be scheduled this Thursday evening on February 25, 2009 at the WTU Office at 5:30 p.m. The office is located at 490 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Suite 7200 Washington, DC. While I have not received noticed of this meeting to date, I encourage all unionized teachers and providers to come out.
As a WTU Board of Trustee member, I have advanced my written concern to the WTU executive board level regarding how certain 'union wire transfers' were handled by our WTU union officers. While I am not suggesting any impropriety, I am concerned that some WTU practices are not in keeping with motions passed by the executive board as well as good accounting principles. The failure of the WTU to adhere to the necessary checks and balances can lead us down a very slippery slope and cause the WTU to repeat the mistakes of the past. Stay tuned.... (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Feb 19, 2009
It's Your Move Chancellor Rhee !
Everybody's talking about the new WTU/AFT radio ads. These ads which by the way can be heard on www.unitedfordckids.org as well as on various radio shows. I am hearing a lot of negative commentary about these ads about town especially from DC teachers. Marc Fisher took a stab at the ads in his 2/18/09 article titled : "DC Teachers Fire A Pebble At Rhee Media Machine" in typical WaPo style. I couldn't help but laugh... a pebble. Really now Marc, I think you and the Post editorial board could have come up with a better title than that.
As Marc's article suggests - at a time when Rhee is sweetening her Hater Kool-aid from blaming DC teachers to insisting that she does not blame DC teachers anymore- let's get to the heart of this matter. Marc said it quite brilliantly: "Is all this the sign of the union and the chancellor moving toward a resolution, or are these early skirmishes in an all-out war for the future of the public schools in the city? And will Rhee even stick around to see this through?" Your guess is as good as mine.
It's your move, Chancellor Rhee ! (Posted by The Washington Teacher). (Excerpts from http://www.washingtonpost.com/).
As Marc's article suggests - at a time when Rhee is sweetening her Hater Kool-aid from blaming DC teachers to insisting that she does not blame DC teachers anymore- let's get to the heart of this matter. Marc said it quite brilliantly: "Is all this the sign of the union and the chancellor moving toward a resolution, or are these early skirmishes in an all-out war for the future of the public schools in the city? And will Rhee even stick around to see this through?" Your guess is as good as mine.
It's your move, Chancellor Rhee ! (Posted by The Washington Teacher). (Excerpts from http://www.washingtonpost.com/).
Feb 17, 2009
WTU Prez Spends Union Monies On Nonsense
At the February 14th WTU Executive Board meeting- I was saddened to learn that WTU President, George Parker sought a legal opinion on the union's liability for 'freedom of speech' statements made by any of its union officers including the leadership, board members and local school union representatives in the press or on blogs. The title of the legal opinion is 'Potential Liability For Speech.' I would argue that Parker did this in an attempt to try to block other meaningful dialogue about the critical issues that impact teachers. Listening to this legal presentation took away valuable time from other issues that needed to be discussed. It seems to me that Parker's other motive may have been to discourage board members from exercising their right to free speech in the press and on blogs.
Again without any input from the WTU Executive Board, Mr. Parker forged ahead in his typical dictatorial style. As a fiduciary agent of our union, I suspect and am concerned that this legal opinion may have cost our union membership thousands of dollars. What I gleaned from this presentation is that defamation lawsuits can prevail against unions, officers and individuals ONLY IF what members say is intentionally false and causes injury to a person's position within society. The truth is always an absolute defense as it should be. I think this is a no brainer for most of us.
What was even more troubling is that board members were not provided a copy of this legal opinion of which might I add union dues helped to pay for. The real travesty in this is that even if board members wanted to digest this document in its entirety they couldn't because they were requested to return the document to the WTU before leaving which was totally absurd.
I can think of better things that we as a union can spend our funds on like assisting our union members. This certainly is a matter that needs to come before the WTU Representative Assembly. All union members have a 'right to know' what our union dues are spent on and demand accountability from our union president. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Again without any input from the WTU Executive Board, Mr. Parker forged ahead in his typical dictatorial style. As a fiduciary agent of our union, I suspect and am concerned that this legal opinion may have cost our union membership thousands of dollars. What I gleaned from this presentation is that defamation lawsuits can prevail against unions, officers and individuals ONLY IF what members say is intentionally false and causes injury to a person's position within society. The truth is always an absolute defense as it should be. I think this is a no brainer for most of us.
What was even more troubling is that board members were not provided a copy of this legal opinion of which might I add union dues helped to pay for. The real travesty in this is that even if board members wanted to digest this document in its entirety they couldn't because they were requested to return the document to the WTU before leaving which was totally absurd.
I can think of better things that we as a union can spend our funds on like assisting our union members. This certainly is a matter that needs to come before the WTU Representative Assembly. All union members have a 'right to know' what our union dues are spent on and demand accountability from our union president. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Feb 16, 2009
Child Abuse In Chicago Public Schools- A Travesty !
It seems like DC Public Schools isn't the only school system fraught with multiple problems. Based on a investigative report by CBS 2 - corporal punishment cases in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) aren't investigated in a timely manner. The findings of this CBS 2 investigation dating back to September 2008 suggests that even in the cases in which CPS staff were found guilty of corporal punishment, discipline did not match the offense. Many of the students involved were as young as kindergarten through middle school which is a scary thought. Treveon Martin, the 10-year-old Chicago Public School student who was featured in this investigative story expressed how fearful he is now of attending school.
On February 9th, 2009, CBS Reporter Dave Savini and his investigative team reported on an ongoing investigation of the use of corporal punishment in Chicago Public Schools. Savini's investigation revealed that hundreds of Chicago Public School students have alleged being battered (i.e. beaten, whipped, chocked, paddled) by a teacher or an aide, coach, security guard or a principal. In 568 of the 818 reported corporal punishment cases, Chicago Public School Investigators determined that students were telling the truth.
Treveon Martin was featured on CBS as one of 818 Chicago Public School students, since 2003, to allege being battered by a teacher or other staff member. "Treveon Martin, 10, is afraid of a teacher at his school. "I've seen him hit five of them in the classroom," Martin said. Martin says he and others have been hit, grabbed and even struck with a belt. "He's threatened almost all the kids in his classroom," Martin said. He says it happened at Robert Emmet Academy in November but a Chicago Public School investigator didn't talk to him until last week - 70 days after the case was reported, and not until after we started asking questions. "He holded my arms and he picked my body up, and then he just slammed me on the desk," Martin said.
CBS 2 investigators found reports of students who were beaten with broomsticks, whipped with belts, yard sticks, struck with staplers, choked, stomped on and pushed down stairs. A student was paddled by a coach after missing serves. A substitute teacher fractured a student's neck. The majority of cases of staff who were found guilty were only given a slap on the wrist, Savini said.
"CBS 2 informed former Chicago Public School CEO Arne Duncan of our investigative findings shortly before he was promoted to U.S. Secretary of Education. Duncan responded: "If someone hits a student, they are going to be fired. It's very, very simple. " Before heading to Washington, Duncan vowed to take the following action. "Any founded allegation where an adult is hitting a child, hitting a student - they're going to be gone," Duncan said. Savini reported that's not what happened under Duncan's watch.
In response to CBS 2's report- Chicago's Alderman Pat O'Connor who is on the City Council Education Committee promised to have all of the cases re-examined including Treveon Martin's case as well as the incoming Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman. Huberman also promised a further review of how these cases were investigated. (Story courtesy of CBS Broadcasting Inc.) Posted by The Washington Teacher.
Feb 13, 2009
Don't Miss This !
Reminder: The WTU's Executive Board meeting will be held this Saturday, February 14, 2009 @ 9 a.m. at the WTU office located @ 490 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Suite 7200 Washington, DC, telephone # 202-293-8600. Take 7th street South and make a right on Independence Avenue, turn left on L'Enfant Plaza, and the office is mid- way up on your left next to the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel. Free street parking is available on Saturdays. I encourage all WTU members to come out to our monthly board meetings. Hope to see you there. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Feb 11, 2009
DC Students Say "Blood Was Everywhere" In Cardozo High School Rumble
Seems like DC Public schools draft discipline plan just released on February 3rd may be too little too late for Tuesday's brawl at Cardozo Senior High School. On Tuesday, sixteen students were arrested at Cardozo Senior High after a lunchtime melee. AP stories appeared on the Internet on this touchy subject mid-day on school violence and on the evening news and in local newspapers. In a WaPo Wednesday article , Paul Duggan reported that "More than a dozen students at the District's Cardozo High School were injured yesterday and 16 were arrested after a large group of girls began fighting in the basement lunchroom and several smaller fights broke out nearby, police and witnesses said." On the Internet, some students were quoted as saying "blood was everywhere." While it was reported that most of the students injuries were minor, five students required treatment at area hospitals. One 17-year-old student was knocked to the floor and suffered a head injury and was unconscious as a result.
According to D.C. police Cmdr. Brian Jordan of the school security unit "...Evidently there was an incident that occurred after school (Monday) between some of the young ladies, and it spilled over into the school..." All indications are it might have occurred over something as minor as somebody pulling somebody's hair." He said officers assigned to Cardozo called for help about noon after they encountered "a large group of females engaging in just a big fight" in the lunchroom. Patrol cars from across the department's 3rd District converged on the school, in the 1200 block of Clifton Street NW. "As a result of the large fight, several other melees began to erupt" near the lunchroom and on the first floor, Jordan said."
It has been reported that of the 16 students who were arrested, one of the students was charged with misdemeanor assault on a police officer, two with aggravated assault and most of the rest with disorderly conduct. Even though classes resumed after the fights, officials had Cardozo students leave in intervals in order to prevent students from congregating after school was dismissed.
I think many would agree that a strong discipline policy for DC schools is needed sooner than later. What would you include in DC's Discipline Policy ? (Posted by The Washington Teacher). Article courtesy of http://www.washingtonpost.com/
You Are Invited To Be An Active Member Of Our Union: The WTU
This post is prompted by all the b****ing, complaining and constant criticizing that I regularly hear from some teachers and providers about our union. In a word.. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of the critics. Get involved and make a difference if you are that unhappy about the goings-on of your union and leadership. If you are not willing to get involved then I hope you will acknowledge like the age 'old adage states if you are not willing to be a part of the solution then you are most certainly part of the problem.Encourage your WTU Building Representative or BR Alternate to attend this week's WTU Representative Assembly meeting. Request that your BR attend and provide monthly updates to teachers about the representative assembly meetings. According to the email sent out by the WTU, there will be a contract proposal update informational session for all WTU Representative Assembly members this Thursday, February 12th, from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm at McKinley SHS. American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten will be the guest speaker. Also, a contract negotiations informational session for all WTU members is being planned for February 25th. Save the date. Randi Weingarten will also be the guest speaker at this session. Union members who do not receive emails from the WTU, please email Monique Lenoir @ mlenoir@wtulocal6.org or call 202-293-8600 and request that your personal email address be added to the WTU data base.
I encourage all WTU members to attend our executive board meetings on the 2nd Saturdays and the 4th Thursdays of every month. I am extending this invitation to all WTU members as I have done in the past to this Saturday's WTU Executive Board meeting at 9 am at the WTU office located at 490 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Suite 7200, phone # 202-293-8600. I hope to see you there. (Posted By The Washington Teacher).
Feb 7, 2009
DC Teachers Blast Rhee's Meetings !
Yesterday I posted "Rhee Rhee-Acts To Taking a Lashing From DC Teachers". I asked you to weigh in with your comments on the recent meetings conducted by Rhee in response to the January 16th City Council hearings. The response from DC teachers and others was overwhelming with 17 blog posts, to date. These blog posts deserve front page billing. Sounds like most DC teachers who commented here as well as the teachers that I spoke with this week and received emails from view Rhee's efforts as disingenuous. Here's what bloggers said:
Anonymous said... I attended one of the sessions this week and heard about another from a reliable coworker. One of last week's sessions was announced via email to a very selected group of teachers. Most of them were new TFA and DC Teaching Fellows. My colleague attended and said people identified themselves as such when asked for their names and schools. Very few veteran teachers were there, she reported. My coworker found out from a friend and attended, though she didn't receive an email invite. The meeting lasted around 2 hours where Rhee took teachers' questions about supplies, support, a new teacher evaluation, the discipline code and other issues on teachers' minds. It appeared as if Rhee was trying to reach out to new teachers and show them support.This week's meeting had around 50 teachers in attendance, mostly but not entirely veteran (or at least not 20-something)teachers. The first question a teacher asked was the big one. She was brave to do so. The veteran teacher asked Rhee about the perception many DC educators have that her reform efforts want to rid the system of older teachers. All around the room, teachers over 40 were nodding their heads. Rhee blamed the media for putting this perception out there. She said there is no memo or mandate that says that. But it's Rhee's own words and actions that give great credence to the so-called perception and no one challenged her. No one followed up on her preference for TFA, who are recent college grads. She said there was no mandated school quota for the 90day plan. Other topics on teachers' minds were brought up. Again, it appears that Rhee knows she has started off on the wrong foot with DCPS teachers and wants to mend some fences. As for parking, I always park in the street and use the meter. So far, I've been lucky.
Anonymous #2 said... cynic that I am, I suspect that she is taking names at the meeting - literally - to punish or reward or somehow co-opt those in attendance. If you're too outspoken - she'll find a way to get rid of you, or perhaps keep you on as a means of showing she doesn't mind outspoken people, thus encouraging others to speak up, so she can smoke out even more trouble-makers and get rid of THEM. I don't think this is paranoia on my part. I just don't think she's suddenly turning into a good person. I think she's an opportunist.
Kat said... Last week's session invitations were not limited to "new TFA and DCTFs", so please don't propagate that rumor. I've been receiving them from my PD office, and our (non-TFA) teachers received them as well.As for the veteran teacher asking in the 2/4 mtg. about the perception Rhee is trying to rid the system of older teachers, that teacher was, when asked by Rhee, completely unable to provide details about the origin of her impression. The response she gave was very vague and non-specific, and from what I could discern, could be summarized as "other people." Rhee gave her time to think more about it, but an hour later, she still had not responded (I left at 6, so maybe she did come up with something.) Brave, maybe so...but prepared would've gotten her a lot farther in my estimation.And that last explanation -- "If you're too outspoken - she'll find a way to get rid of you, or perhaps keep you on as a means of showing she doesn't mind outspoken people, thus [sic] encouraging others to speak up, so she can smoke out even more trouble-makers and get rid of THEM" -- is the craziest thing I've heard on this topic. Seriously, it ventures into conspiracy theory territory.
Anonymous #3 said... Hi, it's me again - that Anonymous saying crazy things.I already know Rhee's a liar and already know - from listening to council testimony, as well as from talking directly with teachers, that teachers have been targeted for speaking out.Go ahead and think I'm crazy, but remember what I said later when more good people get axed.As for that veteran teacher - you're right, she should have known her source, but Rhee also could have acknowledged the source - her own plan. Just because the teacher didn't know it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It looks like Rhee just used that teacher's lack of knowledge to make her look bad. Also, maybe the teacher was taken aback -- no longer sure it was in Rhee's own plan, when Rhee challenged her. Rhee is much more devious and and disingenuous than the average teacher.
Anonymous #4 said...I am the first anonymous that posted and attended the session on Wednesday evening. I am not paranoid and am the first to denounce conspiracy theories especially regarding DCPS and DC politics in general. But I AGREE WITH the notion that Rhee may well be taking names to get rid of people and I sure don't want to find out the hard way. Why am I posting anonymously if I weren't being cautious? Don't I wish I could use my name, even my blogging name, but know better.As for the meeting last week, I was told that most of the attenders, with the exception of a handful of others, were young, new white teachers, many TFA and DCTF. I didn't say so immediately because I didn't want to put that out there for some of you to jump on. Rhee herself has stated a preference for those teachers (irregardless of race or ethnicity). TFA teachers are by definition in their 20s, as opposed to veteran teachers, who are in their 40s, 50s and even 60s (and many of them excellent, dedicated career educators). I wish I knew the average age of DCPS teachers for purposes of this discussion. I have often heard of 30 year veterans. A 50-year DCPS teacher was recently honored at her church. We have the impression that Rhee wants to get rid of older teachers by reading her own words as reported magazine and newspaper interviews. There is not some media conspiracy out there putting words in Rhee's mouth. For the most part, the media is reporting what she says. And of course most telling are the words in her plan. "...too many of our teachers are not up to the demanding job of educating our youth effectively. Some teachers will be bought out of their contracts." She wants to transition those teachers out and replace them with new TFA types. Who does she want out? Veterans, to be replaced by TFA. Plus her history with TNTP gives support to the theory of what kind of teacher she wants in DCPS, not the ones she has, but new ones she wants to bring in. And thank you Jesus, that my principal recognizes me as a valuable part of our school and that I am not on the 90 day plan.
lodesterre said... I didn't attend the meeting, in large part because I didn't find out about it until it was too late and in part because I have commitments at that time to my students. I never received a notice and I am DCTF. A colleague, who is a veteran teacher, non-TFA/DCTF etc. did attend and I received information from her.What I heard from her was a lot of blaming of the media, i.e. the media did this, the media said that and the media took this out of context. The problem, as stated before, is that her 5 year plan disputes this. She can also be seen in quite a few taped sessions - the Aspen Institute, the Saint-Ex Cafe night, and others - that have been televised several times on cable. Here her words can be heard in context.I found this link on a DC Wire post that quoted a parent in Sacramento (or it might have been a teacher) who had complaints about Rhee's time out there. The letter, mistakes and all, should be read in its entirety - http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/07/02/rhee-hearings-liveblog/ - whether it is a disgruntled teacher or parent what is disturbing, and hard to dismiss, are the similarities between what happened in Sacramento and what is happening now in DC. This letter was dated July 2007, a good year before any of her plans were really put into effect. Most disturbing of all, and I would love to know if this is accurate, were the turnover statistics cited at the end of the post. You have to scroll down to get to this letter but don't pass a couple of other letters that are there as well. One talks about funds and misappropriation and the other is by a DC Teaching Fellow.
Old School DCPS said... BREAKING DCPS NEWS: I just read on the WaPo that Rhee has plans to close 3 ES in SE, including Draper, Webb and Birney. Candi, please set me straight. Did Rhee not say that teachers from closed (and reconstructed) schools will have their positions abolished, that there will be no memo of understanding to automatically place those teachers in vacancies in other schools for SY 09-10, as was done at the beginning of this school year for teachers from closed and restructured schools?
Anonymous #5 said... After a long, hard day at work with my little "ankle biters", all of whom I love, many times in spite of themselves; the last thing I feel like doing is fighting North Capitol Street traffic. We ALL know what a trip to headquarters is like.... I just think it's wonderful that one teacher who responded has never had any problems. Unfortunately, I've literally circled around the block quite a few times, over the years I've been with the system. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you're not. Lucky is more "not", than "often". Ms Rhee might have thought more about visiting every school, on some sort of timed schedule. She's visited some. What happened to the rest of us? It's easier, for her to get to us, than vice-versa. It would show a level of caring and concern for those of us who work long, hard hours, and probably have more to do once we get home. I have spent all of my energy during the day, educating, exhorting, collaborating, chastising, communicating, parenting, small-grouping, writing, testing, reevaluating, fussing, loving, correcting(I'm sure there are more "-ings"....)I am also a National Board Certified Teacher. There may not be any empirical evidence at the present, that directly correlates test score increases to test scores; but you can bet your bottom dollar that the time and effort one puts into this very reflective, and rigorous process, makes a teacher MUCH more aware of his/her practice, and in the long run, that's what matters. If you know better, you do better. Doctors must pass exams for medical school. Lawyers must pass the bar. Every profession has some sort of high-stakes requirement, something that says, to coin President Obama's phrase, "Yes, I(emphasis on I) can!" Should this not be the same for those of us in the "most noble profession"? Ms. Rhee should recognize that. She too, was once a child in school. Who taught her?
Anonymous #6 said...Rhee blaming the media sounds right. she was the media's darling - convincing the sophisticated WaPo editorial board of her magical powers to fix the DC schools simply by remodeling the schools and getting the right teachers in there, and denying any other problems. then the media started to turn on her - I'm sure she sees it this way -- and now it's their fault. She feels betrayed and WATCH OUT when Rhee feels betrayed. However, she doesn't have mayoral control over the media and journalists can't be cowed the way teachers can. Teachers can be fired or leave, or just try to hide. The media wants news - good or bad - and it's too late to make them go away now.
Anonymous #7 said... Rhee was there AT THE TIME this report was filed. Here's a copy. This really points to poor judgment. http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2008/04/15/21/Child_Abuse_Report.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf And to think he could have been around our children running schools. Wow ... There is no way to say he would be fit given the actions in here. I find it hard to believe the previous police report could have been fabricated.
Anonymous #8 said... link to inappropriate allegations for Kevin Johnson http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/893111.html financial deal Rhee's boyfriend cut to get out of trouble WITH A MINOR:http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/951761.html The Bee also obtained a "demand letter" sent by the teen's lawyer to Johnson after the police investigation had concluded. The letter, sent by attorney Kent E. Turley as a precursor to a civil lawsuit, outlined the girl's allegations against the then-Phoenix Suns point guard. Copy of police report on incident: http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2008/04/15/21/Phoenix_Police.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf
And she wanted this person to work with children in DC? WTF? What kind of judgment is that, particularly of a mother with young children?
Anonymous #9 said... here is an article linking Rhee in print to Johnson and his 'organization' http://www.publiceducation.org/nclb_articles/archive/20071114_Nonprofit.asp she was there when the data was allegedly cut and spliced as well as during times where accusations of fiduciary impropriety were hurled: http://www.sthope.org/press_releases/rhee1.pdf an outraged parent/citizen in Sacraremento: http://www.susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=522
Anonymous #10 said... good info: http://blog.edu-cyberpg.com/2008/12/08/THE+MICHELLE+THAT+OBAMA+SHOULD+AVOID.aspx
Anonymous #11 said... Here's the full link (assuming it prints) http://blog.edu-cyberpg.com/2008/12/08/THE+MICHELLE+THAT+OBAMA+SHOULD+AVOID.aspx
or just type in http://blog.edu-cyberpg.com/2008/12/08 and search the December archives. It's a good compilation of news stories and comments on Rhee, most of which I'd already seen. The thing that gets me the most - Rhee trying to shame/bully Obama into supporting her plan or be seen as not supporting black children. The nerve, Michelle, the nerve. he's got a combination of smarts, insight and power that dwarfs anyone you've dealt with up to now and he owes you nothing. Don't think for a minute that you can pull the wool over his eyes.
Anonymous #12 said... Again, I want to direct our focus back to the question of whether Rhee wants to rid DCPS of most of its current teaching staff, many of whom are veterans in their 40s, 50s and 60s. In one of the teachers' meetings in answering a teacher's question, she said it was the media promoting that perception. And again I maintain that Rhee's own words, rather than any media sensationalism or misquote, clearly state her position and intention regarding current DCPS teachers. Looking at the draft of the 5 Year Plan, available on line, under A.Teachers, page 26, the first heading is "Remove poor performers". The second sentence under that heading couldn't be clearer: ..."the overall quality of our teaching corps is unacceptably low." teachers are not imagining that Rhee wants many of us out. Her own words leave no doubt.
Anonymous #13 said... Yep - and she's also made it abundantly clear that she thinks the best arrangement is one in which new grads spend just a few years teaching before moving out of teaching and into educational admin positions. Thus she plans an ongoing system in which there are never any veteran teachers. Do you get it? No one with experience, no one with an organizational memory, no one with anything other than the Rhee "vision" of educational heaven in which teachers have attended a few months of intensive indoctrination and are then sent to the salt mines of the "teachers are everything" mentality that burns people out or sends them fleeing. How nice for the kids.
Anonymous #14 said...I am a DCPS parent. A fascinating read and I thank you. I would like to know, however, why "removing poor performers" as stated in Rhee's plan necessarily equates with "removing veteran teachers" as some of you say Rhee is trying to do - except that to be a poor performer one must have been around for a while in order to exhibit poor performance. Good veteran teachers should have little to worry about, in theory. The stories of good teachers being let go are worrying - but id this the norm or the exception? And is this reform about the teachers? Or the children? (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
Anonymous said... I attended one of the sessions this week and heard about another from a reliable coworker. One of last week's sessions was announced via email to a very selected group of teachers. Most of them were new TFA and DC Teaching Fellows. My colleague attended and said people identified themselves as such when asked for their names and schools. Very few veteran teachers were there, she reported. My coworker found out from a friend and attended, though she didn't receive an email invite. The meeting lasted around 2 hours where Rhee took teachers' questions about supplies, support, a new teacher evaluation, the discipline code and other issues on teachers' minds. It appeared as if Rhee was trying to reach out to new teachers and show them support.This week's meeting had around 50 teachers in attendance, mostly but not entirely veteran (or at least not 20-something)teachers. The first question a teacher asked was the big one. She was brave to do so. The veteran teacher asked Rhee about the perception many DC educators have that her reform efforts want to rid the system of older teachers. All around the room, teachers over 40 were nodding their heads. Rhee blamed the media for putting this perception out there. She said there is no memo or mandate that says that. But it's Rhee's own words and actions that give great credence to the so-called perception and no one challenged her. No one followed up on her preference for TFA, who are recent college grads. She said there was no mandated school quota for the 90day plan. Other topics on teachers' minds were brought up. Again, it appears that Rhee knows she has started off on the wrong foot with DCPS teachers and wants to mend some fences. As for parking, I always park in the street and use the meter. So far, I've been lucky.
Anonymous #2 said... cynic that I am, I suspect that she is taking names at the meeting - literally - to punish or reward or somehow co-opt those in attendance. If you're too outspoken - she'll find a way to get rid of you, or perhaps keep you on as a means of showing she doesn't mind outspoken people, thus encouraging others to speak up, so she can smoke out even more trouble-makers and get rid of THEM. I don't think this is paranoia on my part. I just don't think she's suddenly turning into a good person. I think she's an opportunist.
Kat said... Last week's session invitations were not limited to "new TFA and DCTFs", so please don't propagate that rumor. I've been receiving them from my PD office, and our (non-TFA) teachers received them as well.As for the veteran teacher asking in the 2/4 mtg. about the perception Rhee is trying to rid the system of older teachers, that teacher was, when asked by Rhee, completely unable to provide details about the origin of her impression. The response she gave was very vague and non-specific, and from what I could discern, could be summarized as "other people." Rhee gave her time to think more about it, but an hour later, she still had not responded (I left at 6, so maybe she did come up with something.) Brave, maybe so...but prepared would've gotten her a lot farther in my estimation.And that last explanation -- "If you're too outspoken - she'll find a way to get rid of you, or perhaps keep you on as a means of showing she doesn't mind outspoken people, thus [sic] encouraging others to speak up, so she can smoke out even more trouble-makers and get rid of THEM" -- is the craziest thing I've heard on this topic. Seriously, it ventures into conspiracy theory territory.
Anonymous #3 said... Hi, it's me again - that Anonymous saying crazy things.I already know Rhee's a liar and already know - from listening to council testimony, as well as from talking directly with teachers, that teachers have been targeted for speaking out.Go ahead and think I'm crazy, but remember what I said later when more good people get axed.As for that veteran teacher - you're right, she should have known her source, but Rhee also could have acknowledged the source - her own plan. Just because the teacher didn't know it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It looks like Rhee just used that teacher's lack of knowledge to make her look bad. Also, maybe the teacher was taken aback -- no longer sure it was in Rhee's own plan, when Rhee challenged her. Rhee is much more devious and and disingenuous than the average teacher.
Anonymous #4 said...I am the first anonymous that posted and attended the session on Wednesday evening. I am not paranoid and am the first to denounce conspiracy theories especially regarding DCPS and DC politics in general. But I AGREE WITH the notion that Rhee may well be taking names to get rid of people and I sure don't want to find out the hard way. Why am I posting anonymously if I weren't being cautious? Don't I wish I could use my name, even my blogging name, but know better.As for the meeting last week, I was told that most of the attenders, with the exception of a handful of others, were young, new white teachers, many TFA and DCTF. I didn't say so immediately because I didn't want to put that out there for some of you to jump on. Rhee herself has stated a preference for those teachers (irregardless of race or ethnicity). TFA teachers are by definition in their 20s, as opposed to veteran teachers, who are in their 40s, 50s and even 60s (and many of them excellent, dedicated career educators). I wish I knew the average age of DCPS teachers for purposes of this discussion. I have often heard of 30 year veterans. A 50-year DCPS teacher was recently honored at her church. We have the impression that Rhee wants to get rid of older teachers by reading her own words as reported magazine and newspaper interviews. There is not some media conspiracy out there putting words in Rhee's mouth. For the most part, the media is reporting what she says. And of course most telling are the words in her plan. "...too many of our teachers are not up to the demanding job of educating our youth effectively. Some teachers will be bought out of their contracts." She wants to transition those teachers out and replace them with new TFA types. Who does she want out? Veterans, to be replaced by TFA. Plus her history with TNTP gives support to the theory of what kind of teacher she wants in DCPS, not the ones she has, but new ones she wants to bring in. And thank you Jesus, that my principal recognizes me as a valuable part of our school and that I am not on the 90 day plan.
lodesterre said... I didn't attend the meeting, in large part because I didn't find out about it until it was too late and in part because I have commitments at that time to my students. I never received a notice and I am DCTF. A colleague, who is a veteran teacher, non-TFA/DCTF etc. did attend and I received information from her.What I heard from her was a lot of blaming of the media, i.e. the media did this, the media said that and the media took this out of context. The problem, as stated before, is that her 5 year plan disputes this. She can also be seen in quite a few taped sessions - the Aspen Institute, the Saint-Ex Cafe night, and others - that have been televised several times on cable. Here her words can be heard in context.I found this link on a DC Wire post that quoted a parent in Sacramento (or it might have been a teacher) who had complaints about Rhee's time out there. The letter, mistakes and all, should be read in its entirety - http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/07/02/rhee-hearings-liveblog/ - whether it is a disgruntled teacher or parent what is disturbing, and hard to dismiss, are the similarities between what happened in Sacramento and what is happening now in DC. This letter was dated July 2007, a good year before any of her plans were really put into effect. Most disturbing of all, and I would love to know if this is accurate, were the turnover statistics cited at the end of the post. You have to scroll down to get to this letter but don't pass a couple of other letters that are there as well. One talks about funds and misappropriation and the other is by a DC Teaching Fellow.
Old School DCPS said... BREAKING DCPS NEWS: I just read on the WaPo that Rhee has plans to close 3 ES in SE, including Draper, Webb and Birney. Candi, please set me straight. Did Rhee not say that teachers from closed (and reconstructed) schools will have their positions abolished, that there will be no memo of understanding to automatically place those teachers in vacancies in other schools for SY 09-10, as was done at the beginning of this school year for teachers from closed and restructured schools?
Anonymous #5 said... After a long, hard day at work with my little "ankle biters", all of whom I love, many times in spite of themselves; the last thing I feel like doing is fighting North Capitol Street traffic. We ALL know what a trip to headquarters is like.... I just think it's wonderful that one teacher who responded has never had any problems. Unfortunately, I've literally circled around the block quite a few times, over the years I've been with the system. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you're not. Lucky is more "not", than "often". Ms Rhee might have thought more about visiting every school, on some sort of timed schedule. She's visited some. What happened to the rest of us? It's easier, for her to get to us, than vice-versa. It would show a level of caring and concern for those of us who work long, hard hours, and probably have more to do once we get home. I have spent all of my energy during the day, educating, exhorting, collaborating, chastising, communicating, parenting, small-grouping, writing, testing, reevaluating, fussing, loving, correcting(I'm sure there are more "-ings"....)I am also a National Board Certified Teacher. There may not be any empirical evidence at the present, that directly correlates test score increases to test scores; but you can bet your bottom dollar that the time and effort one puts into this very reflective, and rigorous process, makes a teacher MUCH more aware of his/her practice, and in the long run, that's what matters. If you know better, you do better. Doctors must pass exams for medical school. Lawyers must pass the bar. Every profession has some sort of high-stakes requirement, something that says, to coin President Obama's phrase, "Yes, I(emphasis on I) can!" Should this not be the same for those of us in the "most noble profession"? Ms. Rhee should recognize that. She too, was once a child in school. Who taught her?
Anonymous #6 said...Rhee blaming the media sounds right. she was the media's darling - convincing the sophisticated WaPo editorial board of her magical powers to fix the DC schools simply by remodeling the schools and getting the right teachers in there, and denying any other problems. then the media started to turn on her - I'm sure she sees it this way -- and now it's their fault. She feels betrayed and WATCH OUT when Rhee feels betrayed. However, she doesn't have mayoral control over the media and journalists can't be cowed the way teachers can. Teachers can be fired or leave, or just try to hide. The media wants news - good or bad - and it's too late to make them go away now.
Anonymous #7 said... Rhee was there AT THE TIME this report was filed. Here's a copy. This really points to poor judgment. http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2008/04/15/21/Child_Abuse_Report.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf And to think he could have been around our children running schools. Wow ... There is no way to say he would be fit given the actions in here. I find it hard to believe the previous police report could have been fabricated.
Anonymous #8 said... link to inappropriate allegations for Kevin Johnson http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/893111.html financial deal Rhee's boyfriend cut to get out of trouble WITH A MINOR:http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/951761.html The Bee also obtained a "demand letter" sent by the teen's lawyer to Johnson after the police investigation had concluded. The letter, sent by attorney Kent E. Turley as a precursor to a civil lawsuit, outlined the girl's allegations against the then-Phoenix Suns point guard. Copy of police report on incident: http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2008/04/15/21/Phoenix_Police.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf
And she wanted this person to work with children in DC? WTF? What kind of judgment is that, particularly of a mother with young children?
Anonymous #9 said... here is an article linking Rhee in print to Johnson and his 'organization' http://www.publiceducation.org/nclb_articles/archive/20071114_Nonprofit.asp she was there when the data was allegedly cut and spliced as well as during times where accusations of fiduciary impropriety were hurled: http://www.sthope.org/press_releases/rhee1.pdf an outraged parent/citizen in Sacraremento: http://www.susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=522
Anonymous #10 said... good info: http://blog.edu-cyberpg.com/2008/12/08/THE+MICHELLE+THAT+OBAMA+SHOULD+AVOID.aspx
Anonymous #11 said... Here's the full link (assuming it prints) http://blog.edu-cyberpg.com/2008/12/08/THE+MICHELLE+THAT+OBAMA+SHOULD+AVOID.aspx
or just type in http://blog.edu-cyberpg.com/2008/12/08 and search the December archives. It's a good compilation of news stories and comments on Rhee, most of which I'd already seen. The thing that gets me the most - Rhee trying to shame/bully Obama into supporting her plan or be seen as not supporting black children. The nerve, Michelle, the nerve. he's got a combination of smarts, insight and power that dwarfs anyone you've dealt with up to now and he owes you nothing. Don't think for a minute that you can pull the wool over his eyes.
Anonymous #12 said... Again, I want to direct our focus back to the question of whether Rhee wants to rid DCPS of most of its current teaching staff, many of whom are veterans in their 40s, 50s and 60s. In one of the teachers' meetings in answering a teacher's question, she said it was the media promoting that perception. And again I maintain that Rhee's own words, rather than any media sensationalism or misquote, clearly state her position and intention regarding current DCPS teachers. Looking at the draft of the 5 Year Plan, available on line, under A.Teachers, page 26, the first heading is "Remove poor performers". The second sentence under that heading couldn't be clearer: ..."the overall quality of our teaching corps is unacceptably low." teachers are not imagining that Rhee wants many of us out. Her own words leave no doubt.
Anonymous #13 said... Yep - and she's also made it abundantly clear that she thinks the best arrangement is one in which new grads spend just a few years teaching before moving out of teaching and into educational admin positions. Thus she plans an ongoing system in which there are never any veteran teachers. Do you get it? No one with experience, no one with an organizational memory, no one with anything other than the Rhee "vision" of educational heaven in which teachers have attended a few months of intensive indoctrination and are then sent to the salt mines of the "teachers are everything" mentality that burns people out or sends them fleeing. How nice for the kids.
Anonymous #14 said...I am a DCPS parent. A fascinating read and I thank you. I would like to know, however, why "removing poor performers" as stated in Rhee's plan necessarily equates with "removing veteran teachers" as some of you say Rhee is trying to do - except that to be a poor performer one must have been around for a while in order to exhibit poor performance. Good veteran teachers should have little to worry about, in theory. The stories of good teachers being let go are worrying - but id this the norm or the exception? And is this reform about the teachers? Or the children? (Posted by The Washington Teacher).
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