Comments for Raginghorseblog

Comment on Fair Contracts For All Rally by patrickwalsh

patrickwalsh — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:17:59 +0000

Yours is not heresy, Paul. The heretics were running the rally. I don’t blame you for not being there. Keep the faith!

Comment on Fair Contracts For All Rally by paulvhogan

paulvhogan — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:43:20 +0000

Confession: I didn’t go. I know it’s heresy… but I couldn’t see dragging my ass to lower Manhattan for yet another pointless chanting and screaming, UFT leadership-inspired exercise in pointlessness and futility.

What’s happening to teachers in NYC is not going to be appreciably impacted by turning-out to hear speeches by extravagently-compensated, well-connected union leaders who have little interest in ( and NO loyalty to) teaching as a profession in the first place.

There are better ways. I’m not sure that the 18% turnout in the last UFT election means that most people have already figured this out or….much more ominously… don’t know that they even HAVE a union. ( In the latter case, I’m not so sure they’re wrong.) Probably a combination of the two.

I’m not giving up the fight. Just mulling more effective ( I hope) approaches.

Comment on Demoralization and Dejection On Chancellor’s Conference Day by Michael Fiorillo

Michael Fiorillo — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:35:18 +0000

This will fall apart because of it’s unworkability (and probably legal challenges, as well), but there’s a limited amount of consolation to be drawn from that.

First, many teachers will be ground to bits in the interim and, second, if and when it falls apart the same sell-out UFT leadership will be in place to “negotiate” its successor.

Comment on Demoralization and Dejection On Chancellor’s Conference Day by patrickwalsh

patrickwalsh — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:31:33 +0000

I applaud your plan and wish you well with it and I will pass it on to my fellow teachers. You are also right about the lambs to slaughter but let us hope that this is the wake up call that will radicalize many of our fellow teachers. Let us also hope it is not too late. Thanks for writing.

Comment on Demoralization and Dejection On Chancellor’s Conference Day by patrickwalsh

patrickwalsh — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:27:52 +0000

I could not agree more, Mr. Pogue, and I am a chapter leader.

Comment on Demoralization and Dejection On Chancellor’s Conference Day by patrickwalsh

patrickwalsh — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:26:55 +0000

Many intelligent people I know believe this monstrosity will fall under its own weight. Let us hope that is true. Meanwhile, your fears are my fears and we must fight like hell to let the public know what is being done to us and to push our union into doing their job. Thank you for writing. Keep the faith. Right now it is all we have.

Comment on Demoralization and Dejection On Chancellor’s Conference Day by Carol

Carol — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:38:57 +0000

Today, ask how many of your dejected teachers voted in the last UFT election. Then ask how many of them voted for Mike Mulgrew. Then look them straight in the eye and say, “by voting for Mulgrew or not voting at all, you actually agreed to all of this”. His Unity group formed the basis for this back in 2009. If the UFT along with the NYSUT never agreed to go along with Race to the Top, we would not be in this horrible situation. Race to the Top dangled a carrot of money to all the states in America. States that wanted the money had to agree to make changes to their evaluation systems. State teacher unions who were not willing to make changes to their evaluation systems would not be eligible for the money. Bottom line: we got sold out, just like the majority, (But not all, states) A few brave state teacher unions rejected the offer of the money because they new it meant changing the evaluation system.

Comment on Demoralization and Dejection On Chancellor’s Conference Day by Jane Myers

Jane Myers — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:12:58 +0000

Although I appreciate your concern, I must say that we teachers did this to ourselves. We voted Mulgrew into office. Most of us buried our heads in the sand these past years under Bloomberg. When you act like a lamb going off to the slaughter—-well—you get treated like a lamb going off to the slaughter. I too suffered through this training yesterday but my reaction was to make a note each time I thought of a way to use danielson against the school system at large such as my seeking of outside resources for my instruction—-my expensive list of resources and my rationale for their use will be compiled over the summer—-and if not purchased it’s a piece of documentation that the school is interfering with my ability to be highly effective. Read danielson with an eye toward— what must the school do or provide to ensure my students and I have what we need to be effective under the new framework?

Comment on Demoralization and Dejection On Chancellor’s Conference Day by Pogue

Pogue — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:31:44 +0000

It certainly was demoralizing. The UFT can try to spin these evaluations any way they like. The truth is they are too far removed from the classroom to care anymore. The UFT leadership has afforded teachers “punching bag” status to the educational privatizing reformers.

It is currently a broken union.

Comment on Demoralization and Dejection On Chancellor’s Conference Day by a 17 year teacher

a 17 year teacher — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 03:46:46 +0000

What you expressed here was tragedy. I stumbled here because I can’t sleep. Been surfing from blog to blog hoping to find out anything new in regard to this evaluation eventhough I know it better than most – what I am truly trying to find is some ray of hope in it. I feel belittled because I fear the consequences of this evaluation. I am a good teacher like so many countless others in this system. I honestly fear losing my job thus career thus my home thus my the life my husband and I have worked so hard to give our growing children. I mean, this is literally what I have been thinking about in my head for some time now. I too looked into the eyes of the staff I have worked with for many years today as we saw a demonstration via the web. I hated it. I hate the fear this unknown will bring and I hate my union for not doing one thing to help put my honest fears to ease.