Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington Advisory: House Education Committee to HoldHearing on Challenges and Successes in Urban Education Reform
Mayors and superintendents of NYC, DC, Chicago and Atlanta Schools to Hold Press Availability before Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, July 17, the House Education and Labor Committee will hear from mayors and school superintendents of major U.S. cities, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Atlanta, at a hearing on their challenges and successes in working to improve public schools.
Just before the hearing, at 9:15 a.m., U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the Committee, will hold a press availability with the mayors, superintendents, and other lawmakers.
WHAT: House Education Committee to Hold Hearing on “Mayor and Superintendent Partnerships in Education: Closing the Achievement Gap,” preceded by a press availability
WHO: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, New York City
Chancellor Joel I. Klein, New York City Public Schools
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, District of Columbia
Chancellor Michelle Rhee, DC Public Schools
Arne Duncan, Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Public Schools
Beverly L. Hall, Superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools
WHEN: Thursday, July 17, 2008
9:15 a.m. EDT press availability; 10:00 a.m. EDT hearing
WHERE: Press Availability and Hearing:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
NOTES FOR PLANNING PURPOSES: Please note that due to limited seating, reporters are encouraged to reserve seats through the Press Office. Only credentialed members of the news media will be permitted to take photographs and use seating reserved for the news media. Television crews planning to attend the hearing or the press availability should notify the committee in advance by calling Rachel Racusen at 202-226-0853 or emailing rachel.racusen@mail.house.gov.
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Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
How would he know what the challenges of teaching in an urban environment are? How much time has he spent in a classroom or a school?
Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
He's spent less time in the classroom than I have and now he's lobbying for my job. You saw what a bang-up job I've been doing; just you wait.
Go ahead, elect his basketball-buddy. Enjoy your "change."
Go ahead, elect his basketball-buddy. Enjoy your "change."
Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 8:06 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
I was in Washington today and at the Rayburn lobbying with 5 other National Board Certified Teachers lobbying the Illinois delegation about increasing funding, having teachers help formalize educational policy and opening a dialogue between our legislators and educators. Hill Day is sponsored by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards and Arne Duncan knew we were in town. Do you think anyone is his office bothered to call or acknowledge our existence???
Brothers and Sisters - we are irrelevant and replaceable as far as he's concerned. His counterpart in DC, a Teach For America Alum (2 whole years in a classroom, but she knows how to do everything) already told the press she will fire 20% of the teaching staff without due process.
This is the direction of the "powers that be" and if we don't get, up, stand up and fight this we're doomed!we will fade away into oblivion.
Brothers and Sisters - we are irrelevant and replaceable as far as he's concerned. His counterpart in DC, a Teach For America Alum (2 whole years in a classroom, but she knows how to do everything) already told the press she will fire 20% of the teaching staff without due process.
This is the direction of the "powers that be" and if we don't get, up, stand up and fight this we're doomed!we will fade away into oblivion.
Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 9:48 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Just wanted you to know that I tried to post to the next thread up and got a 404 error.
Hope that helps get it fixed.
Hope that helps get it fixed.
Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Mr. Duncan's prepared speech was pretty dry and full of...ahem...mischaracterizations.
Did the committee members question these people after they read their prepared remarks?
Arne is still repeating that lie about CPS ending social promotion. No, they didn't. In the high schools, we are still getting kids every year who simply cannot read anywhere near grade level.
The turnaround schools program has been successful? Huh? First of all, didn't it just start? He says "same kids, different teachers, new educational leadership" lead to great results. I'd like to see the proof to back that up.
And I love the line about how our HS students are "outgaining" kids in Illinois and the nation on the ACT. He means that our kids are so far behind, that they've been able to make the biggest numerical increases on the tests; but they're still behind the state and the nation. Outgaining!
Isn't lying to Congress a jailable offense?
Did the committee members question these people after they read their prepared remarks?
Arne is still repeating that lie about CPS ending social promotion. No, they didn't. In the high schools, we are still getting kids every year who simply cannot read anywhere near grade level.
The turnaround schools program has been successful? Huh? First of all, didn't it just start? He says "same kids, different teachers, new educational leadership" lead to great results. I'd like to see the proof to back that up.
And I love the line about how our HS students are "outgaining" kids in Illinois and the nation on the ACT. He means that our kids are so far behind, that they've been able to make the biggest numerical increases on the tests; but they're still behind the state and the nation. Outgaining!
Isn't lying to Congress a jailable offense?
Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 2:37 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
"We are one of the few districts in the country that has shut down underperforming schools and replaced the entire school staff. This turnaround school strategy has taken some of our lowest-performing schools and doubled or tripled test scores within a few years. Same kids – different teachers – new leadership and a new educational approach – and the results are dramatic..." (Arne's testimony to the House Education Committee)
When citing Arne's lies, I always enjoy quoting him directly, whether it is about budget, charter schools, or something like "turnaround." Of all the lies in Arne's speech to the House Education Committee, my favorite was that one above, about how "turnaround" has "doubled or tripled" test scores.
But when you are dealing in a totalitarian structure (mayoral dictatorship), you can say just about anything you want.
Also a favorite of mine is the mandatory hymn to the glories of mayoral control: "This is the kind of bold reform that would not be possible without the strong support of the Mayor and local elected officials..." (Again, Arne yesterday).
George Miller was one of the main architects of No Child Left Behind. If you think anyone from Miller's staff is going to challenge the lies that Miller is promoting, you're not understanding what's going on here.
Just about every paragraph in Arne's carefully spun text is either a lie (like that statement about "turnaround") or a carefully worded distortion of history (the stuff about "ending social promotion" and other stuff from that hymn to Daleyism).
We'll deconstruct it later, in more detail, if we decide to.
But the best way to deal with liars like Arne Duncan is to assume that every word they say in public is a lie, then pick out the ones you want to focus on.
For months I've asked him for the "waiting list" for Whitney Young and the other magnet high schools. At Englewood the day he went over the latest "RFP" announcement, he said at the press conference "I'll get back to you on that..."
Of course, he still hasn't done so.
If we're comparing real public schools to charters in Chicago and using the existence of some secret "waiting list" as a measure of something meaningful in education, then we should at least compare the "waiting list" from Whitney Young, Payton, Jones, Lindblom, Lane Tech, King, and Brooks with the charter high schools. Of, to put the question another way: how many parents would sent their children to "Perspectives Calumet" rather than to Lindblom or King (same part of town)?
Another slick and greasy lie from Arne: the charter school "waiting list."
That's enough iterations of the lies for one morning. There are other things to do.
When citing Arne's lies, I always enjoy quoting him directly, whether it is about budget, charter schools, or something like "turnaround." Of all the lies in Arne's speech to the House Education Committee, my favorite was that one above, about how "turnaround" has "doubled or tripled" test scores.
But when you are dealing in a totalitarian structure (mayoral dictatorship), you can say just about anything you want.
Also a favorite of mine is the mandatory hymn to the glories of mayoral control: "This is the kind of bold reform that would not be possible without the strong support of the Mayor and local elected officials..." (Again, Arne yesterday).
George Miller was one of the main architects of No Child Left Behind. If you think anyone from Miller's staff is going to challenge the lies that Miller is promoting, you're not understanding what's going on here.
Just about every paragraph in Arne's carefully spun text is either a lie (like that statement about "turnaround") or a carefully worded distortion of history (the stuff about "ending social promotion" and other stuff from that hymn to Daleyism).
We'll deconstruct it later, in more detail, if we decide to.
But the best way to deal with liars like Arne Duncan is to assume that every word they say in public is a lie, then pick out the ones you want to focus on.
For months I've asked him for the "waiting list" for Whitney Young and the other magnet high schools. At Englewood the day he went over the latest "RFP" announcement, he said at the press conference "I'll get back to you on that..."
Of course, he still hasn't done so.
If we're comparing real public schools to charters in Chicago and using the existence of some secret "waiting list" as a measure of something meaningful in education, then we should at least compare the "waiting list" from Whitney Young, Payton, Jones, Lindblom, Lane Tech, King, and Brooks with the charter high schools. Of, to put the question another way: how many parents would sent their children to "Perspectives Calumet" rather than to Lindblom or King (same part of town)?
Another slick and greasy lie from Arne: the charter school "waiting list."
That's enough iterations of the lies for one morning. There are other things to do.
Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 8:18 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
If I remember correctly, the main reason Chico and Vallas were removed by the mayor was because Debbie Lynch defeated Tom Reece. If I had to make a prediction, the same will happen to Duncan when Stewart loses. Lets see how much the CPS will help Stewart get re-elected. That is if she is not forced to resign before then, which I predict is very likely.
Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 9:03 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
I think CPS and the Mayor will work very hard to get Marilyn re-elected because they have never had a better friend. She consistently puts their interests above those of teachers and other staff. I hope that she leaves office before the election but I also hope that it is without her pension. She has gotten enough money off the backs of teachers and we should not be supporting her for the rest of her life.
Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Please repeat:
The schools belong in the firm grasp of the hands of teachers.
Let's try it again.
The schools belong in the firm grasp of the hands of teachers.
Let's try it again.
Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
"...His counterpart in DC, a Teach For America Alum (2 whole years in a classroom, but she knows how to do everything) already told the press she will fire 20% of the teaching staff without due process.
This is the direction of the "powers that be" and if we don't get, up, stand up and fight this we're doomed!we will fade away into oblivion."
- WBEZ this morning aired a merit-pay story about that DC lady. I thought the reporter asked her some really good questions, but then the reporter just swallowed the answers she got. So, unless you're a listener who knows the real deal about what could happen w/ merit pay, you might just agree that the lady is a wiz!
This is the direction of the "powers that be" and if we don't get, up, stand up and fight this we're doomed!we will fade away into oblivion."
- WBEZ this morning aired a merit-pay story about that DC lady. I thought the reporter asked her some really good questions, but then the reporter just swallowed the answers she got. So, unless you're a listener who knows the real deal about what could happen w/ merit pay, you might just agree that the lady is a wiz!
Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Based on your training would you say that Mr. Duncan's lisp would qualify him as speech language impaired? I was wondering when he was attending Lab school was he also recieving SPL at the local public school? Most of what he says is understandable, but other things seem well not decipherable. The not decipherable statements seem to have to do with words such as pedagogy, curiculum, and coherence. He does fine with words like standards, guns, and da Mayor.
Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 2:25 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
I agree, Mr. Duncan does not have oral presentation skills. I'm sure the teachers in this system could point out a lot of his faults. He seems to want to impress people with the incompetence of CPS teachers, yet he doesn't emphasize how the new turn around schools will get much needed resources, that the previous teachers did'nt have. I wonder is there an incentive for displacing current teachers and replacing them with new teachers from all over the country. Like a real estate kick back for housing the new teachers. If Marilyn Stewart resigns who will replace her? Who is qualified to negociate a teacher friendly contract with CPS? We can't afford another mistake in leadership, we need a proactive rather than reactive union !! Or we as members of CTU are headed for extinction, As far as the Mayor is concerned, he is not supporting Chicago Education systems, I never understood why he opposed free CTA for seniors, most of them can't even use public transportation for medical reasons. There is a lot of insensitivity in government and administrators. Guess which schools are closing next spring?
Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 5:14 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
"...'I know this is hard for you to hear Chairman [George] Miller, but we need national standards and national assessments,' Klein said..." (U.S. News report on the testimony of Klein, Rhee, and Duncan last week).
Who is the "we" in this sentence? The purpose of bringing together three incompetent non-educators who are currently dictators over three of the nation's largest public schools systems was to recycle talking points from corporate America as "news". And, probably, to beat up on Rep. Miller, who has begun to listen to the vast opposition to No Child Left Behind from his California constituents. (Remember: a year ago, Miller was vowing to reauthorize "No Child." A massive outpouring against it, including in Miller's own back yard, got to the point where even Miller had second thoughts...).
No parents testified at Miller's hearings.
There was no testimony from people who've been victims of the Business Roundtable's "mayoral control" model and have already dumped it because of the massive corruption and incompetence it brings to school governance (e.g., Philadelphia, which dumped Paul Vallas).
There was no testimony from big cities that rejected the mayoral control model (Los Angeles).
And there was certainly no testimony from teachers or representatives of teachers.
The only thing Michelle Rhee, Arne Duncan and Joel Klein have in common is that they are all incompetent school admiinistrators with virtually no real world classroom or public school administrative experience (please don't give me that stuff about Rhee in Baltimore until you ask what her TFA missionary years were really like).
They are creations of the Business Roundtable and the "standards" crowd who have no business in the teaching business except for the craziness we've just survived. They are privatization and innovation and union busting wierdos, to be factual. Each of them has explicitly gone around teacher bashing and union busting.
So the point of their all ganging up on George Miller and the House committee was to recycle their nonsense talking points via outfits like "U.S. News and World Report" on behalf of more standards (and more mayoral dictatorships?).
So Klein said it most directly, while Arne, as usual, mumbled his lines. Arne's comment about how "ridiculous" it is to have 50 state standards in a federal democracy based on separation of powers is the thing that is ridiculous. But, then, so is the claim that a "CEO" (or "Chancellor" in the case of Klein) should be the best person to run an urban school system.
Who is the "we" in this sentence? The purpose of bringing together three incompetent non-educators who are currently dictators over three of the nation's largest public schools systems was to recycle talking points from corporate America as "news". And, probably, to beat up on Rep. Miller, who has begun to listen to the vast opposition to No Child Left Behind from his California constituents. (Remember: a year ago, Miller was vowing to reauthorize "No Child." A massive outpouring against it, including in Miller's own back yard, got to the point where even Miller had second thoughts...).
No parents testified at Miller's hearings.
There was no testimony from people who've been victims of the Business Roundtable's "mayoral control" model and have already dumped it because of the massive corruption and incompetence it brings to school governance (e.g., Philadelphia, which dumped Paul Vallas).
There was no testimony from big cities that rejected the mayoral control model (Los Angeles).
And there was certainly no testimony from teachers or representatives of teachers.
The only thing Michelle Rhee, Arne Duncan and Joel Klein have in common is that they are all incompetent school admiinistrators with virtually no real world classroom or public school administrative experience (please don't give me that stuff about Rhee in Baltimore until you ask what her TFA missionary years were really like).
They are creations of the Business Roundtable and the "standards" crowd who have no business in the teaching business except for the craziness we've just survived. They are privatization and innovation and union busting wierdos, to be factual. Each of them has explicitly gone around teacher bashing and union busting.
So the point of their all ganging up on George Miller and the House committee was to recycle their nonsense talking points via outfits like "U.S. News and World Report" on behalf of more standards (and more mayoral dictatorships?).
So Klein said it most directly, while Arne, as usual, mumbled his lines. Arne's comment about how "ridiculous" it is to have 50 state standards in a federal democracy based on separation of powers is the thing that is ridiculous. But, then, so is the claim that a "CEO" (or "Chancellor" in the case of Klein) should be the best person to run an urban school system.
Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 8:44 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
"they [Duncan, Rhee and Klein] are all incompetent school admiinistrators [sic] with virtually no real world classroom or public school administrative experience (please don't give me that stuff about Rhee in Baltimore until you ask what her TFA missionary years were really like)."
George Schmidt
George, can you clarify this statement for us please? Are you saying that TFA teachers do not experience being in a "real world classroom"? Are we to assume that you have asked Michelle Rhee about her TFA years and have determined that she has no "real world classroom" experience? If so, what is your criteria for determining the authenticity of "real world classroom" experience?
For someone who accuses others of "teacher-bashing" all the time, it seems that you are engaging in the same thing with TFA teachers who may have entered the profession differently than most, but are still teachers, in many cases are union members, and in all cases are dedicated to teaching students.
George Schmidt
George, can you clarify this statement for us please? Are you saying that TFA teachers do not experience being in a "real world classroom"? Are we to assume that you have asked Michelle Rhee about her TFA years and have determined that she has no "real world classroom" experience? If so, what is your criteria for determining the authenticity of "real world classroom" experience?
For someone who accuses others of "teacher-bashing" all the time, it seems that you are engaging in the same thing with TFA teachers who may have entered the profession differently than most, but are still teachers, in many cases are union members, and in all cases are dedicated to teaching students.
Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 9:56 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
I know this is a site to voice opinions on everything and anything, however some of you are over the top. Educator is dead wrong about Rhee and Klein. They are truly two very talented senior management educators. I say this because I know them personally. Neither is anti-AFT, however both are in this for children and sometimes there is a clash because of values.
Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Lying has become a national pasttime to accomplish corrupt goals. The person in D.C. who wants to fire 20% of the teaching staff withour due process. She should be fired by the teachers union in her state for being anti-teacher, premeditating hostile and adversarial acts to deny the pursuit of happiness among teachers in her state. I believe we have more power as a union than we know how to use. Corrupt administrators are responsible for most of the problems in failing schools. I am witnessing a school that is being ruined by an administrator who turns a blind eye to people he hired, while they lie, and undermine the progress in a school,(his gang) he turns one teacher against another by giving the title of" teacher leader," to people who have not proved themselves able to lead themselves. He stereotypes people, and his logical reasoning is out to lunch! Eventually the hard working teachers will be driven out , by inexperienced liars.
Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 1:11 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
John, please reread my comment. I was merely quoting George Schmidt and asking for clarification on his comments.
Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 6:44 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
The union has to make a decision. Either it provides support/encourage retirement for bad teachers or it protects them no matter what and loses credibility. Everyone says that it is an easy process to fire a bad tenured teacher but it isn't. It's a lot of work for an administrator. I am all for real accountability in my profession.
Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 11:48 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Teacher (6:44pm) Either [CTU] provides support/encourage retirement for bad teachers or it protects them no matter what and loses credibility.
That is a false dichotomy and a straw man all in one.
The Union's role is not to protect bad teachers. It is, however, the Union's role to protect due process. Very simply, it can achieve the latter quite effectively without doing the former.
A common misconception is that the Union has foisted tenure upon the Board of Education. Not so. CPS and CTU mutually agree on the terms of tenure. In any case, it is not job protection. It is merely a process by which veteran teachers may be removed. Nothing more, nothing less. If CPS felt it too difficult to remove teachers, surely they would seek to formally eliminate tenure in the collective bargaining agreement. Obviously, that hasn't happened. As it stands, CPS has had no trouble removing veteran, tenured teachers over the last several years. Just this year, in fact, they fired hundreds of tenured teachers at half a dozen or so schools - all the while completely ignoring and circumventing the tenure process to which they so recently agreed. And CTU makes not a peep. The Union's complicity and failure to enforce the Agreement (yes, it is an agreement) is what causes CTU to lose credibility.
Tenure does not eliminate accountability. In fact, it encourages accountability by designating specific steps to be followed when defining, and firing, a poor educator. Want to fire a teacher? Simple - follow the rules in the Agreement. Anyone that thinks it is difficult to do is misinformed. It is the Union's duty and responsibility to abide by and defend the Agreement between the Board and CTU, just as it is the Board's duty and responsibility to abide by and defend that same Agreement. Simple dismissal of a teacher at the whim of any administrator does not amount to accountability in this profession or any other.
That is a false dichotomy and a straw man all in one.
The Union's role is not to protect bad teachers. It is, however, the Union's role to protect due process. Very simply, it can achieve the latter quite effectively without doing the former.
A common misconception is that the Union has foisted tenure upon the Board of Education. Not so. CPS and CTU mutually agree on the terms of tenure. In any case, it is not job protection. It is merely a process by which veteran teachers may be removed. Nothing more, nothing less. If CPS felt it too difficult to remove teachers, surely they would seek to formally eliminate tenure in the collective bargaining agreement. Obviously, that hasn't happened. As it stands, CPS has had no trouble removing veteran, tenured teachers over the last several years. Just this year, in fact, they fired hundreds of tenured teachers at half a dozen or so schools - all the while completely ignoring and circumventing the tenure process to which they so recently agreed. And CTU makes not a peep. The Union's complicity and failure to enforce the Agreement (yes, it is an agreement) is what causes CTU to lose credibility.
Tenure does not eliminate accountability. In fact, it encourages accountability by designating specific steps to be followed when defining, and firing, a poor educator. Want to fire a teacher? Simple - follow the rules in the Agreement. Anyone that thinks it is difficult to do is misinformed. It is the Union's duty and responsibility to abide by and defend the Agreement between the Board and CTU, just as it is the Board's duty and responsibility to abide by and defend that same Agreement. Simple dismissal of a teacher at the whim of any administrator does not amount to accountability in this profession or any other.
Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 12:24 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
I would clarify that tenured teachers dissmissal is governed by the Illinois School Code.It is a legal provision.The Agreement can not interfere with the state laws.
CTU does not provide enough support for employees of the CPS.Remember,teachers pay dues in exchange for a fair representation.
The role of the Union is to protect the job security.It is a primary responsibilities of all Unions.
If you failed to do so,Mrs President you are going to be a traitor,therefore you should not be a member of the Union.
Sellout is not an option.
CTU does not provide enough support for employees of the CPS.Remember,teachers pay dues in exchange for a fair representation.
The role of the Union is to protect the job security.It is a primary responsibilities of all Unions.
If you failed to do so,Mrs President you are going to be a traitor,therefore you should not be a member of the Union.
Sellout is not an option.
Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 6:29 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Michelle Rhee has two years classroom teaching experience. Joel Klein and Arne Duncan have none. Only in the context of the decade of teachers bashing and corporate propaganda that we've just survived could anyone claim that these three are qualified to be the chiefs of large urban schools system. They are the creations of more than a decade of corporate "school reform" and the well-financed entities that have been furthering corporate "school reform." And they all owe their education jobs to the fact that they perform according to a well-rehearsed corporate script, which includes privatization, union busting, and teacher bashing.
Each exists because over the past 15 years -- beginning in Chicago -- corporate America has destroyed any semblance of democracy in most large urban school districts and replaced what little democracy there was with the Mayoral Control model of "school reform." This model was foisted on large urban schools systems, usually following some Shock Doctrine financial attacks (or, in the case of Katrina in New Orleans, a tragedy).
My main point about their testimony in D.C. last week was that it was corporate "school reform" boilerplate. They were there to push the Party Line and they did. Duncan did it by lying wildly (among other claims, that stuff about "turnaround" schools going "up" "two or three" times -- without footnotes, context, or any examination).
Klein is still pushing "smalls schools" and "schools within a school" as part of corporate reform in New York City. That will end soon, and Klein will move towards something like "turnaround".
TFA is an attack on urban teachers and teaching, a rich kids' missionary project that has now proclaimed its aim -- change "governance" by training a new generation of executives. But TFA is another topic entirely. Rhee is just the most dramatic example of its mindlessness, and how closely tied it is to the Business Roundtable (and other corporate) school takeover models.
Like Duncan, she's also into firing mostly black teachers, something that gets left out of the quickie narrative about streamlining the process to get rid of "bad teachers." In Chicago, must of that process has already been completed, with Paul Vallas and Arne Duncan having reduced the number of "bad teachers" (meaning, in both cases, black teachers) and gotten away with it.
Prior to the late 1980s and the 1990s, there would have been massive protests (sometimes led by the unions) against this stuff, and the people who did it (including Klein, Rhee, and Duncan) would have faced large numbers of protesters calling them racists and proving it by the numbers. But this is now.
Each exists because over the past 15 years -- beginning in Chicago -- corporate America has destroyed any semblance of democracy in most large urban school districts and replaced what little democracy there was with the Mayoral Control model of "school reform." This model was foisted on large urban schools systems, usually following some Shock Doctrine financial attacks (or, in the case of Katrina in New Orleans, a tragedy).
My main point about their testimony in D.C. last week was that it was corporate "school reform" boilerplate. They were there to push the Party Line and they did. Duncan did it by lying wildly (among other claims, that stuff about "turnaround" schools going "up" "two or three" times -- without footnotes, context, or any examination).
Klein is still pushing "smalls schools" and "schools within a school" as part of corporate reform in New York City. That will end soon, and Klein will move towards something like "turnaround".
TFA is an attack on urban teachers and teaching, a rich kids' missionary project that has now proclaimed its aim -- change "governance" by training a new generation of executives. But TFA is another topic entirely. Rhee is just the most dramatic example of its mindlessness, and how closely tied it is to the Business Roundtable (and other corporate) school takeover models.
Like Duncan, she's also into firing mostly black teachers, something that gets left out of the quickie narrative about streamlining the process to get rid of "bad teachers." In Chicago, must of that process has already been completed, with Paul Vallas and Arne Duncan having reduced the number of "bad teachers" (meaning, in both cases, black teachers) and gotten away with it.
Prior to the late 1980s and the 1990s, there would have been massive protests (sometimes led by the unions) against this stuff, and the people who did it (including Klein, Rhee, and Duncan) would have faced large numbers of protesters calling them racists and proving it by the numbers. But this is now.
Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Did Arne take an LSC parent member, teacher, student to DC with him to see how the system works?
Arne did not answer the question on NBC 5 City Desk several Sunday's ago and you can see it on www.nbc5.com/citydesk and the question was is Presidential Candidate Barack Hussein Obama going to make you the next U.S. Secretary of Education and Arne did not answer it. Told you all many moons ago.
Arne did not answer the question on NBC 5 City Desk several Sunday's ago and you can see it on www.nbc5.com/citydesk and the question was is Presidential Candidate Barack Hussein Obama going to make you the next U.S. Secretary of Education and Arne did not answer it. Told you all many moons ago.
Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 7:17 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Why can't we veteran teachers file a class action suit against CPS for age discrimimation? We do not need the union to do it do we?
Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
No, you don't need the Union but you need to find an attorney willing to take the case. I think it would be great if you can do it. I wish someone had done it when Spalding closed because almost all of us were veteran teachers.
Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 8:46 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Is it possible to get a survey going on this site to find out how many veteren teachers have not found jobs after being displaced by CPS ...say in the last four years? I think we could even go back further but I think four years would be a good start. Maybe George Schmidt could give some insight on this topic. I would be happy to design it with some help from others. I am getting quite good with quantitative research.
Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 9:12 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Bee,
I would be happy to help you with the project too. It's something I am very interested in esp. since a close friend of mine died of depression last Dec. after not being able to find work.
I would be happy to help you with the project too. It's something I am very interested in esp. since a close friend of mine died of depression last Dec. after not being able to find work.
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 2:41 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Sometimes, Duncan's activities and blather are simply to distract people from serious stuff that's going on.
Why hasn't there been any media reporting on the major Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision on special education in Chicago's public schools. Hasn't it been three days (or more) since the decision, and didn't CPS lose hugely after spending more than a half million dollars trying to reverse the IDEA and allow it to dump all the special education kids into the community elementary schools and the neighborhood high schools?
Who wants to bet that the next thing CPS will try to do is simply ignore the court's recent decision?
Why hasn't there been any media reporting on the major Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision on special education in Chicago's public schools. Hasn't it been three days (or more) since the decision, and didn't CPS lose hugely after spending more than a half million dollars trying to reverse the IDEA and allow it to dump all the special education kids into the community elementary schools and the neighborhood high schools?
Who wants to bet that the next thing CPS will try to do is simply ignore the court's recent decision?
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 2:45 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
To be more precise:
"No. 07-2084
"COREY H. et al., on behalf of a class of similarly situated persons, Plaintiffs-Appellees,
v.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, Defendant-Appellant.
____________
"Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. No. 92 C 3409—Robert W. Gettleman, Judge.
____________
"ARGUED FEBRUARY 19, 2008—DECIDED JULY 17, 2008
____________
"Before MANION, KANNE, and TINDER, Circuit Judges.
KANNE, Circuit Judge. In what is the latest chapter of the
long-running Corey H. litigation, the Board of Education
of the City of Chicago (“the Chicago Board”) appeals an
order that the district court entered in its role of overseeing
the ten-year-old civil consent decree that lies at the heart
of this case. The Board presents no justiciable argument,
however, so we dismiss its appeal..."
You can easily Google to the full opinion by going to the Seventh Circuit Website.
"No. 07-2084
"COREY H. et al., on behalf of a class of similarly situated persons, Plaintiffs-Appellees,
v.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, Defendant-Appellant.
____________
"Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. No. 92 C 3409—Robert W. Gettleman, Judge.
____________
"ARGUED FEBRUARY 19, 2008—DECIDED JULY 17, 2008
____________
"Before MANION, KANNE, and TINDER, Circuit Judges.
KANNE, Circuit Judge. In what is the latest chapter of the
long-running Corey H. litigation, the Board of Education
of the City of Chicago (“the Chicago Board”) appeals an
order that the district court entered in its role of overseeing
the ten-year-old civil consent decree that lies at the heart
of this case. The Board presents no justiciable argument,
however, so we dismiss its appeal..."
You can easily Google to the full opinion by going to the Seventh Circuit Website.
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 8:56 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
George, as always, thanks for keeping us informed. CPS never learns and keeps thinking that they can change history if they keep butting their heads against a wall (seems to me like something that I was taught when I took classes in alcoholism counseling). I wonder if there is a correlation?!
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 9:39 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
What exactly does this ruling mean for the special education students and teacher?
Will this have an impact on Education Connection?
Why was it filed?
I did go on the site mentioned in George Schmidt's post but all I found was a summary.
Will this have an impact on Education Connection?
Why was it filed?
I did go on the site mentioned in George Schmidt's post but all I found was a summary.
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Yes, I went to the site too and can't get much information. I have the same questions listed above. George, can you give us any more information?
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
"Who wants to bet that the next thing CPS will try to do is simply ignore the court's recent decision?"
How will we know if CPS is ignoring the decision? (Especially if it's not covered by reporters?)
How will we know if CPS is ignoring the decision? (Especially if it's not covered by reporters?)
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 1:28 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Just so you know, the 20% of teachers who are being let go by Rhee in DC are being let go because they lack appropriate certification. This isn't for no reason - the teachers are not certified to be in their positions. Take a second to educate yourselves people. Our children (and the children of DC) need good, certified educators.
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Would you be able to answer the above mentioned concerns regarding ther ecent Corey H. decision?
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 3:09 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
The CPS appealed what was commonly called the "benchmark" decision relating to the percentage of disabled students any regular CPS school (this decision does not apply to schools like Montefiore, Near North Special Ed. Center, South Side Occupational H.S. which are not regular schools) can have in it, i.e. 20% unless CPS can show why it can not reduce the number of these students in the school.
I attended the oral arguments before the 7th Cir on this issue and was very involved in the Benchmark decision itself that CPS appealed when I worked for the Court Monitor's Office. Really what the 7th Cir told CPS is that they had to submit a wavier proposal for each regular school that had over 20% students with disabilities or I guess a corrective action plan in the situation CPS believes it can reduce the numbers of students with disabilities attending a particular school.
The exact rule CPS was appealing read as follows:
"The maximum percentage of students with disabilities attending
any CPS Elementary or High School on June 1, 2005 will be no
greater than 20% of the total school population. The CPS will be
required to consider any school with 49% or more of its enrollment
composed by students with disabilities as a separate school and all
IEPs of students with disabilities in attendance at these schools
must reflect this. The ISBE may grant waivers to schools from the targets established above. A rationale for any waiver granted must be provided to the Monitor and the plaintiffs."
According to the CPS appeal brief the rule would impact 87 schools.
Rod Estvan
Access Living
I attended the oral arguments before the 7th Cir on this issue and was very involved in the Benchmark decision itself that CPS appealed when I worked for the Court Monitor's Office. Really what the 7th Cir told CPS is that they had to submit a wavier proposal for each regular school that had over 20% students with disabilities or I guess a corrective action plan in the situation CPS believes it can reduce the numbers of students with disabilities attending a particular school.
The exact rule CPS was appealing read as follows:
"The maximum percentage of students with disabilities attending
any CPS Elementary or High School on June 1, 2005 will be no
greater than 20% of the total school population. The CPS will be
required to consider any school with 49% or more of its enrollment
composed by students with disabilities as a separate school and all
IEPs of students with disabilities in attendance at these schools
must reflect this. The ISBE may grant waivers to schools from the targets established above. A rationale for any waiver granted must be provided to the Monitor and the plaintiffs."
According to the CPS appeal brief the rule would impact 87 schools.
Rod Estvan
Access Living
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
I remember meeting you at an Education Connection meeting years ago. You, unlike most of the OSS CPS personnel, appeared to be knowledgeable and not full of guano. I am sorry you no longer work for CPS. We need people like you in special education.
Thanks for the clarification. We, the special education teachers, get litttle or no information from CPS so we are forced to glean whatever information from this very needed blog.
Thanks for the clarification. We, the special education teachers, get litttle or no information from CPS so we are forced to glean whatever information from this very needed blog.
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
Is there a list of what schools the court ruling would impact (the 87)? Also, do they have to present a plan for correcting the problem like schools have to when Corey H. monitors come out?
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
I do not recall seeing the complete list of 87 schools in the CPS brief, maybe it was in an appendix or something. I am guessing but I would suppose the Corey H. plaintiffs, CPS, ISBE, and the Corey H. Monitor will have to have numerous discussions over how to proceed at this point.
I do not see students with disabilities being moved in mass from any schools as a solution. The District Court Judge in the case, Robert Gettleman, has made it clear on the record that is not an option. My guess is there are going to be some schools which CPS can make a very good case for getting a wavier. These would be schools where most of the disabled population comes from the intake area. The CPS school Nancy Jefferson because it is located in a youth detention center really can not do much about its percentage of disabled students and would likely get a wavier. There are other more complex schools which have cluster programs where big percentages of the students with disabilities are bused in.
The CPS basically argued in its appeal that these more complex schools could not have fewer students with disabilities because there was no where else to put these programs, it could be expensive, and might violate IEPs. The plantiffs and the Monitor in their briefs indicated in some of these more complex schools there needed to be reduced placements into cluster programs and a greater geographical distribution of these cluster programs in more schools.
As some of you know Access Living opposed the boundary change for Andersen School at the CPS hearings this year. One reason we opposed this was because it had numerous cluster programs, it was a reasonable high performing school for its students with disabilities, and was below the 20% barrier with 18.5% students with IEPs.
There are even Charter Schools that have a problem in this area. For example Nobel Street Charter Maroon campus in June 2008 had 21.5% disabled students while Nobel Street's main campus had only 15%.
I honestly do not see how the schools themselves can fix the admissions issues posed by the 7th ruling, really it is the CPS as a district that places out of area disabled students in elementary school cluster programs. High Schools also have some cluster placements, but the issues are somewhat different I think. I suspect nothing will happen fast at any rate. The Court process in a civil class action case like this does not move fast.
By the way I would also guess CPS, the plaintiffs, maybe even the Monitor may read this blog. So if any teachers and parents have great thoughts on how to deal with this issue please post them.
Rod Estvan
Access Living
I do not see students with disabilities being moved in mass from any schools as a solution. The District Court Judge in the case, Robert Gettleman, has made it clear on the record that is not an option. My guess is there are going to be some schools which CPS can make a very good case for getting a wavier. These would be schools where most of the disabled population comes from the intake area. The CPS school Nancy Jefferson because it is located in a youth detention center really can not do much about its percentage of disabled students and would likely get a wavier. There are other more complex schools which have cluster programs where big percentages of the students with disabilities are bused in.
The CPS basically argued in its appeal that these more complex schools could not have fewer students with disabilities because there was no where else to put these programs, it could be expensive, and might violate IEPs. The plantiffs and the Monitor in their briefs indicated in some of these more complex schools there needed to be reduced placements into cluster programs and a greater geographical distribution of these cluster programs in more schools.
As some of you know Access Living opposed the boundary change for Andersen School at the CPS hearings this year. One reason we opposed this was because it had numerous cluster programs, it was a reasonable high performing school for its students with disabilities, and was below the 20% barrier with 18.5% students with IEPs.
There are even Charter Schools that have a problem in this area. For example Nobel Street Charter Maroon campus in June 2008 had 21.5% disabled students while Nobel Street's main campus had only 15%.
I honestly do not see how the schools themselves can fix the admissions issues posed by the 7th ruling, really it is the CPS as a district that places out of area disabled students in elementary school cluster programs. High Schools also have some cluster placements, but the issues are somewhat different I think. I suspect nothing will happen fast at any rate. The Court process in a civil class action case like this does not move fast.
By the way I would also guess CPS, the plaintiffs, maybe even the Monitor may read this blog. So if any teachers and parents have great thoughts on how to deal with this issue please post them.
Rod Estvan
Access Living
Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
I am at a school with an autism classroom. These children are severe and profound and are self-contained. We have other students with autism who are in the inclusion program and are doing great. These children are very disruptive and the teachers and students in the rooms around them are disturbed by the constant noise.
The teacher and the aides are continually getting hit or kicked. Some of these students need to be carried out when we have a fire drill. Some are in diapers and do not have a private washroom.
Although the teacher and the aides do an awesome job with them I am wondering why CPS does not build centers for these students? That way they could be as loud as they need to be, have lots of space for quiet time or just extra space to ride bikes or play with large balls. We are an overcrowded school without any space. This just does not seem to be a good situation for all concerned.
The teacher and the aides are continually getting hit or kicked. Some of these students need to be carried out when we have a fire drill. Some are in diapers and do not have a private washroom.
Although the teacher and the aides do an awesome job with them I am wondering why CPS does not build centers for these students? That way they could be as loud as they need to be, have lots of space for quiet time or just extra space to ride bikes or play with large balls. We are an overcrowded school without any space. This just does not seem to be a good situation for all concerned.
Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Mr. Duncan Goes To Washington
My understanding is that the new CPS contract school called the Hope School which will be located in the old Spaulding Site will have a significant focus on autism. It is also my understanding the school will take autistic students only from the region in which it is located. This school will not be a seperate, for disabled students only school, it will have a regular education contract school operated by Victory School Inc. in the same building.
Legally under the Corey H. decision CPS is not prohibited from opening seperate public schools for students with autism. However, for each child CPS wants to place in such a seperate school they must be able to demonstrate why the child can not be in a mixed school. The fact that these students are disruptive to the overall environment may not be adequate to reach the standard for such a placement.
Now if students have self injurious behaviors, are non-verbal, they certainly would met the current standard for a seperate placement. Currently CPS is out placing these students in programs such as Easter Seals’ Autism Therapeutic School Chicago located in Chicago at 1939 W. 13th street and other non-public programs. The City of Chicago actually donated $3.5 million dollars of land to Easter Seals for the new school so one has to assume CPS intends on tutioning out CPS students to the school. That school will have room for 160 students.
So I think it is not likely CPS will be opening any public seperate schools for students with autism.
Rod Estvan
Access Living
Legally under the Corey H. decision CPS is not prohibited from opening seperate public schools for students with autism. However, for each child CPS wants to place in such a seperate school they must be able to demonstrate why the child can not be in a mixed school. The fact that these students are disruptive to the overall environment may not be adequate to reach the standard for such a placement.
Now if students have self injurious behaviors, are non-verbal, they certainly would met the current standard for a seperate placement. Currently CPS is out placing these students in programs such as Easter Seals’ Autism Therapeutic School Chicago located in Chicago at 1939 W. 13th street and other non-public programs. The City of Chicago actually donated $3.5 million dollars of land to Easter Seals for the new school so one has to assume CPS intends on tutioning out CPS students to the school. That school will have room for 160 students.
So I think it is not likely CPS will be opening any public seperate schools for students with autism.
Rod Estvan
Access Living
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