Sunday, January 30, 2011

Saturday, January 29, 2011

UFTDA Rally - Fix Schools, Don't Close Them!


DEC 15, 2010 City Hall. Watch interviews with the UFT rank and file that pressured the UFT leadership to call this rally held after the Delegate Assembly and was limited to those attendees and staffers.
The UFT did little to mobilize the entire membership. Massive fightback protests starting at each local school and citywide are necessary if we are to win against privatization, schools closings, charters, overcrowding, teach-to-test curricula, merit pay, loss of seniority rights, pension benefits, endless cutbacks, publicized teacher/student data, racist hiring & funding practices, and more that plague our schools.

Help build an effective fightback. Mobilize your UFT chapters, PTA, community groups, students and all activists against the drive to privatize public education services. Defend public education. Join the GEM movement!

CEC3 Hearing for more Moskowitz' Charters in West Side D.3

CEC3 Hearing: More Moskowitz' Charter Invasions
& Privatization of Dist3 Public Schools - Part 2

Unanimously District 3 of the Upper Manhattan West Side community boards, groups & politicians
spoke out against new proposals fir Eva Moskowitz' Charter
co-locations (invasions) and takeover of local public schools.

But this lack of democratic school system processes & contradictions don't phase Ms. Moskowitz.
Eva is a close ally of the Bloomberg administration that dictates, against the majority's will,
privatizating charter policies.
Eva can't be peddling excellent schools, if they are founded on autocratic premises
that FLAGRANTLY DISRESPECT THE WILL OF THE COMMUNITY.

MS. Eva Moskowitz:
How can your schools be excellent
... when you cant teach about the lack of democracy in our school system?
... when you can't teach respect for democratic process?
... when you can't teach about how a mayoral dictatorship controls our school system?
... when you and the mayor disregard and disrespect to the will of the majority?
and then you hypocritically wish to command civility and respect in return?

PRACTICE WHAT YOU WISH TO PREACH: DEMOCRACY, CIVILITY AND RESPECT!






Friday, January 28, 2011

School Closing Protest

1/27/11 City Hall
Rally organized by the Ad Hoc Committee Against School Closings & Charter Takeovers.


Thursday, January 27, 2011

Grassroots education movement-GEM / stop school closings Jan 27th

Sam Coleman, GEM & NYCORE, speaks to crowd of 300 that navigated the 1.5 feet of snow to protest at City Hall unjust policies of school closings, charter takeovers and the privatization of public education. Message: activiate your UFT union at schools across the city to fightback!



Thank you, Brother Radio Rahim of Coalition for Public Education, CPE

Rally On! Blizzard Nor Snow Day Will Stop Parents, Students, Educators, and Community Members From Expressing Their Outrage Over School Closings and Charter Takeovers

Press Advisory                                   

Date:  Thursday, January 27, 2011     
Contact:
Sam Coleman, NYCORE/GEM, Rally Coordinators:  646-354-9362
Angel Gonzalez, GEM, Rally Coordinators:  917-842-0381

Rally On!  Blizzard Nor Snow Day Will Stop Parents, Students, Educators, and Community Members From Expressing Their Outrage Over School Closings and Charter Takeovers.

When and Where:  Today, Thursday, January 27th 4:30 P.M.-6:30 P.M. at Brooklyn Bridge Park, on Centre Street, to the east of the Tweed Courthouse building.

What:  On Thursday, January 27th, parents, students, and teachers across the city will join together at a city-wide rally to protest Mayor Bloomberg’s destructive education policies.  The event will feature Jamaica and Queens Collegiate students performing an abridged performance of "Declassified: The Struggle for Existence [We Used to Eat Lunch Together]" which is a reinterpretation of Antigone and a candid and scathing critique of school reforms.  Parents, students, and educators from schools facing closing and charter takeovers, as well as those who sponsored the event will speak. 

Snow Closings, Yes!  School Closings, No!

Who:  Sponsored by: The Ad Hoc Committee to Stop School Closings and Charter Takeovers, Grassroots Education Movement NYC (GEM), New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE),Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública (CPE-CEP), The Manhattan Local of the Green Party of NY State, Class Size Matters, United Federation of Teachers (UFT)
Endorsing Organizations: Teachers for a Just Contract (TJC), Concerned Advocates for Public Education (CAPE), Independent Community of Educators (ICE), Center For Immigrant Families (CIF), The Puerto Rico Solidarity Network - PRSN NY, People Power Movement,  Renaissance School of the Arts-M377(UFT Chapter), City-Wide Coalition for Education Excellence Now, Black Women Against Urban Youth Violence, Teachers Unite (TU),  South Bronx Community Council, NY with UPR (NY with University of Puerto Rico), Dee Knight, The Independent Workers Movement/Movimiento Independiente de Trabajadores,, District Leader Chris Owens (52nd Assembly District, Brooklyn), Retiree Advocate Caucus-UFT, CUNY Mobilization Network, The Green Party of NY State, Independent Commission on Public Education (ICOPE), Radical Women, Answer Coalition, Community Education Council 1 (CEC1), Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence (BNYEE), New Action/UFT, National Black Education Agenda (NBEA), State Assemblywoman Annette Robinson 56th AD, Youth on the Move (a Program of Mothers on the Move), PACE Network. Roots Revisited, S.E.E.D.S., Inc., The Healing Drum Collective, Batay Ouvriye (Workers' Struggle) Solidarity Network, Assemblywoman Inez Barron, Councilman Charles Barron and Operation P.O.W.E.R., Time Out from Testing, The M.A.NY

Additional Contacts:
Stephane Barile, NYCORE and assisting students who are performing play: 650-218-3352
Crystal King, parent and PA President of PS 114: 347-789-5468
James Eterno, teacher, Jamaica High School: 917-693-5013
Stefanie Siegel, teacher, Paul Robeson High School: 347-721-2152
Muba YaroFulani, parent, CPE: 347-785-3418/347-442-5134
Brenda Walker, parent, CPE:  347-583- 5925
Leonie Haimson, parent and Executive Director, Class Size Matters:  917-435-9329
Edwin Mayorga, doctoral student in urban education at CUNY and NYCORE member:  917.400.6255
Christine Annechino, parent, CEC3:  917 593 4797

###

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Thursday: Major City-Wide Rally to Stop School Closings, Stop Charter Takeovers, Defend Public Education, Say No to Privatization on 1/27/11: Snow Closings- YES, School Closings -NO

Contact:

Sam Coleman, NYCORE/GEM: 646-354-9362

Angel Gonzalez, GEM: 917-842-0381

Major City-Wide Rally to Stop School Closings, Stop Charter Takeovers, Defend Public Education, Say No to Privatization

When and Where: Thursday, January 27th 4:30 P.M.-6:30 P.M. at Brooklyn Bridge Park, on Centre Street, to the east of the Tweed Courthouse building.

What: On Thursday, January 27th, parents, students, and teachers across the city will join together at a city-wide rally to protest Mayor Bloomberg’s destructive education policies. The event will feature Jamaica and Queens Collegiate students performing an abridged performance of "Declassified: The Struggle for Existence [We Used to Eat Lunch Together]" which is a reinterpretation of Antigone and a candid and scathing critique of school reforms. Parents, students, and educators from schools facing closing and charter takeovers, as well as those who sponsored the event will speak.

Who: Sponsored by: The Ad Hoc Committee to Stop School Closings and Charter Takeovers, Grassroots Education Movement NYC (GEM), New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE),Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública (CPE-CEP), The Manhattan Local of the Green Party of NY State, Class Size Matters, United Federation of Teachers (UFT)

Endorsing Organizations: Teachers for a Just Contract (TJC), Concerned Advocates for Public Education (CAPE), Independent Community of Educators (ICE), Center For Immigrant Families (CIF), The Puerto Rico Solidarity Network - PRSN NY, People Power Movement, Renaissance School of the Arts-M377(UFT Chapter), City-Wide Coalition for Education Excellence Now, Black Women Against Urban Youth Violence, Teachers Unite (TU), South Bronx Community Council, NY with UPR (NY with University of Puerto Rico), Dee Knight, The Independent Workers Movement/Movimiento Independiente de Trabajadores,, District Leader Chris Owens (52nd Assembly District, Brooklyn), Retiree Advocate Caucus-UFT, CUNY Mobilization Network, The Green Party of NY State, Independent Commission on Public Education (ICOPE), Radical Women, Answer Coalition, Community Education Council 1 (CEC1), Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence (BNYEE), New Action/UFT, National Black Education Agenda (NBEA), State Assemblywoman Annette Robinson 56th AD, Youth on the Move (a Program of Mothers on the Move), PACE Network. Roots Revisited, S.E.E.D.S., Inc., The Healing Drum Collective, Batay Ouvriye (Workers' Struggle) Solidarity Network, Assemblywoman Inez Barron, Councilman Charles Barron and Operation P.O.W.E.R., Time Out from Testing, The M.A.NY

Additional Contacts:

Stephane Barile, working w/ students performing play and NYCORE: 650-218-3352

Crystal King, Parent and PA President of PS 114: 347-789-5468

James Eterno, Teacher Jamaica High School: 917-693-5013

Stefanie Siegel, Teacher Paul Robeson High School: 347-721-2152

Muba YaroFulan, Parent CPE: 347-785-3418/347-442-5134

Brenda Walker, Parent CPE: 347-583- 5925

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Media Advisory: An Invitation to Cathleen Black: Make the City-wide Rally on January 27th a Stop on Your “Listening Tour”

Press Advisory                                   
Date:  Friday, January 21, 2011     
Contact:
Sam Coleman, Teacher PS 24, NYCORE/GEM:  646-354-9362
Lisa Donlan, President CEC1:  917-848-5873
Julie Cavanagh, Teacher PS 15, GEM/CAPE: 917-836-6465


An Invitation to Cathleen Black:  Make the City-wide Rally on January 27th a Stop on Your “Listening Tour”

School Communities Across the City Launch Fight Backs to Defend Against Public Education Attacks

Who:  Parents, Educators and Students city-wide including members of various schools facing closure and co-locations.  Participating school Communities in January 21st Fight Back Friday include:  PS 24K, PS 15K, Jamaica High School, Dewey High School, Lehman High School, PS 165, Murry Bergtraum, James Baldwin, Humanities Prep, Paul Robeson, The Academy for Environmental Leadership, among others. Endorsers include: Grassroots Education Movement (GEM), CEC1, Concerned Advocates for Public Education (CAPE), Coalition for Public Education (CPE), Youth on the Move (a program of Mothers on the Move), Center for Immigrant Families, and New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCORE).

When:  Friday, January 21st; culminating press conference on the steps of Tweed, 52 Chambers Street, at 4:30 P.M. to cap off the actions by individual school communities throughout the day including “Wearing Black to Take OUR Schools Back.”


What:  On Friday, January 21st, parents, students, and teachers across the city will be taking different actions protesting Mayor Bloomberg’s destructive education policies.  Individual schools will be picketing, signing petitions and letters, and disseminating flyers to spread awareness about school closures, charter takeovers, impending budget cuts, and the damaging effects of mayoral control. The day will culminate with a press conference on the steps of Tweed at 4:30, where Fight Back Friday participants and stakeholders from schools facing closure and co-location will share their concerns.  A public school student will deliver an invitation for the City-Wide Rally to Stop School Closings and Charter Takeovers scheduled for January 27th to Cathleen Black. 
Additional Contacts:
James Eterno, Teacher Jamaica High School: jameseterno@hotmail.com
Stefanie Siegel, Teacher Paul Robeson High School: 347-721-2152
John Yanno, Teacher John Jay Campus:  646-546-6642
Michael Solo, Teacher Dewey High School: 917-750-7510
Jeronimo Maradiaga, Alumni JFK High School: 917-817-9547
Noah Gotbaum, Parent CEC3: 917-658-3213
Muba YaroFulan, Parent CPE: 347-785-3418/347-442-5134
Brenda Walker, Parent CPE:  347-583- 5925
Khem Irby, Parent CEC13: 347-475-7715

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Support The John Jay Campus at the PEP Wednesday, January 19th! Brooklyn Technical High School @ 4:30

Tell Cathleen Black, the PEP, and the Department of Education to Defend Public Education and to Stop the Historic Inequity of Black and Latino Schools.


Images from John Jay Rally 1/11/11

Monday, January 17, 2011

Fight Back Friday!

Wear Black this Friday (1/21) and Take OUR Schools Back!

http://www.fightbackfridays.blogspot.com/

To add your school to the growing list and to recieve a Fight Back Friday toolkit, email capeducation@gmail.com.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Stop School Closings and Charter Takeovers!

Support Paul Robeson High School! Stop School Closings!

Sign their petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveourschoolpaulrobeson/
Come to their Public Hearing on January 21st! Rally at 4:00. Sign up to speak beginning at 5:00. Hearing begins at 6:00.

Support PS 9 and Stop Charter Takeovers!
Sign their petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectps9/
Come to their Public Hearing: Monday January 24th at 6pm at PS9

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Join Parents, Teachers, Students and Community: Defend Public Education


January 2011
Parents, Educators, Community Members, Council Members:
The NYC Department of Education is refusing to help our struggling schools.  Many are being closed.  When schools are closed, other schools in the neighborhood become overcrowded which in turn tends to lower their performance making them targets for closure. Others are being invaded by corporate sponsored, non-union, non-public organizations. Teaching and learning are being crippled by the reliance on standardized tests to make high stakes decisions about students, teachers and schools. We can't sit back any longer and allow the DOE and Mayor Bloomberg to dismantle, destroy and undermine OUR public schools!  Our schools cannot be successful and shine as funds are stripped away and CEOs who have little or no educational background are put in charge.  Parents and teachers are pitted against each other so that we become divided.  Public school students, children of color in the vast majority, are being used to further the goal of privatizing and controlling public education for the benefit of corporate interests.
We need to take back ownership of OUR schools and demand an enriched education for every child in NYC.  No one person or group can do this alone.  There has to be solidarity, cooperation and mutual support among those of us fighting for a truly democratic, equitable and just system of public education.  We may not all agree on all of the issues facing education today, but we can agree that closing schools, "transforming" them or replacing them with charters, in a punitive, uninformed and undemocratic manner, will only result in catastrophe for students.  And we can agree that the business model, which has failed our entire economy, is not the one we should use to run our schools.
Help stop school closings and charter invasions.  Let your voices be heard.  Say no to privatization.  Demand equitable funding and democratic governance for our schools, not closures.  Tell Mayor Bloomberg and the DOE that we will not allow OUR children to be hurt any longer!
Defend public education by joining together in a citywide rally:  
January 27, 2010
4:30 PM
 City Hall Plaza near Brooklyn Bridge  (by the #4,5,6 trains)
Ad Hoc Committee to Stop School Closings & Charter Takeovers
Blog:  http://stopschoolclosings.wordpress.com/

If your organization wishes to endorse this event please send an email to:
Gloria Brandman:  gbran289@aol.com
Contact gemnyc@gmail.com for more information.

NEXT MEETING OF
THE ADHOC COMMITTEE
Tuesday, Jan. 18th, 5 pm. CUNY Graduate Center, 34th street and 5th Ave. Room 5414

Planning meetings are open to all!  Bring colleagues!

Fight Back Friday January 21
PRESS CONFERENCE
4:30 PM Steps of Tweed Building
52 Chambers Street

Sponsors* 


Ad Hoc Committee to Stop School Closings and Charter Takeovers
Class Size Matters
Coalition for Public Education (CPE)
Grassroots Education Movement NYC (GEM)
New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE)
The Manhattan Local of the Green Party of NY State


Endorsers*

Chris Owens/ District Leader/52nd AD
Black Women Against Urban Youth Violence
Concerned Advocates for Public Education (CAPE)
Center For Immigrant Families (CIF)
City Wide Coalition For Educational Excellence Now
Independent Community of Educators (ICE)
NYwithUPR (NY with University of Puerto Rico)
Independent Workers Movement/Movimiento Independiente de Trabajadores
Puerto Rico Solidarity Network - PRSN NY
People Power Movement
Renaissance School of the Arts-M377 (UFT Chapter)
Retiree Advocate Caucus/UFT
South Bronx Community Council
Teachers Unite(TU)
Teachers for a Just Contract (TJC)
(*Lists in Formation)

Monday, January 10, 2011

Fight Back Friday: Wear Black and Take OUR Schools Back!

School Based Actions to Fight the Attacks on Public Education

Friday, January 21st Join Public Schools Across the City to Advocate for Real Reforms that Will Transform our Public Schools.

Press Conference @ 4:30 on the Steps of Tweed (52 Broadway in Manhattan)



Stop the Attacks on Public Education:

• Stop Closing Schools, Fix Them.

• Stop Charter School Co-Locations.

• Stop School-Based Budget Cuts.

• Stop Increases in Class Sizes.

• Stop the Overemphasis on Standardized Assessment: More Teaching, Less Testing.

• Stop Teacher Data Reports Based on Narrow Tests and Faulty Data.

• Stop Ignoring the Voices of Parents, Educators, and Students: More Parent, Educator and Student Empowerment, Not Less.

• Stop the dictatorial governance of our school system: Mayoral Control is Out of Control!

• No Layoffs of Teachers or School Personnel: Reduce the Bureaucracy and Fire the Middle Managers Instead!

Choose one or more issues that are important to your school community and take action:

• Wear black and/or black arm bands

• Hold a rally before or after school

• Craft a form letter or petition on an issue important to your school

• Pass out literature and education material before and after school

___________________________________________________________________

If you, your school, or your school community plan to participate in Fight Back Friday, let us know @ capeducation@gmail.com so that we can include you on our list of participants/endorsers and interactive map as well as provide you with a Fight Back Friday Toolkit! The Toolkit will include literature and educational material, media information, stickers, and sample materials to assist in your school organizing efforts. Visit our Blog @ www.fightbackfridays.blogspot.com, visit and post to our Facebook page @ fightbackfridays, and post and send in your school’s perspectives, testimonials, videos and pictures of Fight Back Actions.

****Fight Back Friday will culminate with a press conference on the steps of Tweed @ 4:30. If your group or a member of your school community (especially if you are a school facing closing or co-location) would like to speak, contact us and we will do our best to accommodate you. Let’s stand up for public education together, and make our voices heard!****

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Stop the School Closings! Join the Rally January 27



*****FORWARD WIDELY******

Join a rally to....

Stop the school closings!
Stop charter takeovers


Defend public education


Say no to privatization

Mayor Bloomberg's Department of Education plans to close 26 more schools this year.  Despite the DOE's claim that these school closings are aimed at reforming schools, they have instead opened the door to privately-run charter schools and have limited school options for those affected.  According to the accounts by parents, students and teachers, DOE policies have had the effect of sabotaging the schools that are slated to be closed, not "fixing" them.

Bloomberg has played a shell game with our most vulnerable children, shuffling them around from closing school to closing school.  This process has disproportionately affected students of color, only serving to further perpetuate a separate and unequal school system in New York City.

In addition to closing schools, the DOE plans to grant more public school space to charter schools through co-locations, undermining public school resources and pitting school communities against each other. 

We demand quality resources and support for our public schools, not closings and privatization!

Join parents, students, teachers and community members at a rally to stop school closings.


January 27 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
City Hall Plaza
Trains:  4, 5, 6, 2, 3, R, A and C

(List in formation)


Sponsored by:
                         
Ad Hoc Committee to Stop School Closings and Charter Takeovers
                                                               Class Size Matters
          Coalition for Public Education (CPE)
Grassroots Education Movement NYC (GEM) 
      New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE)
     Manhattan Local of the Green Party of NY State
United Federation of Teachers


Endorsing Organizations: 

                         


Teachers for a Just Contract (TJC)
Concerned Advocates for Public Education (CAPE)
Independent Community of Educators (ICE)
Center For Immigrant Families (CIF)
Puerto Rico Solidarity Network - PRSN NY
People Power Movement 

Renaissance School of the Arts-M377 (UFT Chapter)
City Wide Coalition For Educational Excellence Now
South Bronx Community Council
Black Women Against Urban Youth Violence
Teachers Unite (TU)
NYwithUPR (NY with University of Puerto Rico)
Independent Workers Movement/Movimiento Independiente de Trabajadores
Chris Owens/ District Leader/52nd AD,
Retiree Advocate Caucus-UFT
CUNY Mobilization Network
 Green Party of NYS
 Independent Commission of Public Education (ICOPE)
Radical Women
Answer Coalition
Community Education Council 1 (CEC 1)
Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence (BNYEE)




















                        
Help plan the protest!  Join the meeting on Monday, January 10 at 5 p.m. in room 5414 of the CUNY Graduate Center, located at 34th Street and 5th Avenue.

Contact
gemnyc@gmail.com for more information.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

School Closing Hearings - 2011

School Hearing Date Pep Vote Level Neighborhood District Boro Address
09X239 URBAN ASSEMBLY ACADEMY FOR HISTORY AND CITIZENSHIP FOR YOUNG MEN, THE 1/20/2011 2/1/2011 High Grand Concourse 9 Bronx  240 E 172nd St (Taft Campus)
Frederick Douglass Academy III (middle school) 1/26/2011 2/3/2011 Middle Morrisania 9 Bronx 3630 3rd Ave
PS 102 - Loretan 1/25/2011 2/3/2011 Elementary Tremont 12 Bronx 1827 Archer Street,
12X262 PERFORMANCE CONSERVATORY HIGH SCHOOL 1/28/2011 2/3/2011 High Claremont Village 12 Bronx 1619 Boston Road
John F. Kennedy High School 1/28/2011 2/3/2011 High Marble Hill Bronx 99 Terrace View Ave
Christopher Columbus High School 1/20/2011 2/3/2011 High Morris Park Bronx 925 Astor Ave
Monroe Academy for Business and Law 1/21/2011 2/1/2011 High Parkchester Bronx 1383 Boynton Ave
New Day Academy 1/14/2011 2/1/2011 High Morrisania Bronx 800 Home Street
School for Community Research and Learning 1/10/2011 2/1/2011 High Soundview (Stevenson Campus) Bronx 1980 Lafayette ave
Global Enterprise High School 1/20/2011 2/3/2011 High Morris Park Bronx 925 Astor Ave
MS 571 1/24/2011 2/3/2011 Middle Bed-Stuy 13 Brooklyn 80 Underhill Avenue
PS 114 - Ryder 1/24/2011 2/3/2011 Elementary Canarsie 18 Brooklyn 1077 Remsen Avenue
PS 260 - Breuckelen 1/25/2011 2/3/2011 Elementary Canarsie 19 Brooklyn 875 Williams Avenue
Public School 332 Elementary Brownsville 23 Brooklyn 51 Christopher Ave
Metropolitan Corporate Academy 1/18/2011 2/1/2011 High Downtown Brooklyn 362 Schermerhorn St
Paul Robeson High School 1/21/2011 2/1/2011 High Crown Heights Brooklyn 150 Albany Ave
Academy of Collaborative Education 1/12/2011 2/1/2011 High? Harlem 5 Manhattan 222 W 134 st
Kappa II 1/11/2011 2/1/2011 Middle Harlem 5 Manhattan 144 E 128th St
IS 195 Roberto Clemente 1/26/2011 2/1/2011 Middle Harlem 5 Manhattan 625 West 133rd Street
Norman Thomas High School 1/21/2011 2/3/2011 High Midtown Manhattan 111 EAST 33 STREET
Academy of Environmental Science High School 1/13/2011 2/1/2011 High E. Harlem Manhattan 410 E 100th St
PS 030 1/27/2011 2/1/2011 Elementary Jamaica 28 Queens

126-10 Bedell St
JamaicaNY 11434

IS 231 Mangetech 2000 1/26/2011 2/1/2011 Middle Rochdale 29 Queens 14500 Springfield Boulevard
Jamaica High School 1/20/2011 2/3/2011 High Jamaica Queens 16701 Gothic Dr
Beach Channel High School 1/13/2011 2/3/2011 High Rockaway Queens 10000 Beach Channel Drive
John Jay Campus (co-location of Millennium 2, a selective public school)  1/11/2011 1/19/2011 Middle/High Park Slope Brooklyn