tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-297350962024-03-13T06:55:16.709-11:00Dr. Homeslice"Unabashedly Pro-Union" --Mike Antonucci of the EIA.
I'm a teacher and I'm involved in my union. I highlight teacher union happenings all around the United States, including grievances, contract negotiations, elections and strikes. Contact me at drhomeslice (at) hotmail.comDr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.comBlogger356125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-83140886191873319182010-06-20T07:46:00.002-11:002010-06-20T07:47:34.413-11:00Dr. Homeslice has changed schools.Not necessarily schools. But blog hosting sites. You can find me over at <a href="http://drhomeslice.wordpress.com/">wordpress</a>. Bookmark it; I won't be coming back here often, and I won't be posting here.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-48726883155319983892009-07-01T06:47:00.002-11:002009-07-01T06:51:43.755-11:00NEA RA 2009!Well folks, I'm here in beautiful, sunny San Diego. Hum is buzzing, things are happening and people are registering. I don't expect much (if any talk) at the RA publicly about what's going on with ISTA.<br /><br />I will say this: if there is malfeasance involved with what happened over there, those responsible should face the consequences of their actions.<br /><br />I would like to publicly thank NEA for stepping in and showing what Solidarity is about-- a threat to one is a threat to all. If ISTA was my state affiliate, I would expect the same thing. They've had to raise dues and also lay off state staffers, but they have a very capably person at the help, from Massachusetts, I believe.<br /><br />Remember, you can follow me on Twitter, @drhomeslice is me.<br /><br />I'm ready to do some good work for the union. I might even introduce myself to Mike Antonucci too. Never say never, I've been thinking about doing it for 3 years now.<br /><br />Off to do good work!Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-34000829506387578912009-06-24T02:50:00.005-11:002009-06-24T04:05:24.229-11:00Negotiations Misconceptions Quelled 101Having been involved in contract negotiations and the bargaining process now for a number of years with my local, I'd like to share my thoughts about negotiating a contract. We are going to be back at the bargaining table come this fall, so it's been on my mind as of late.<br /><br /><strong>Contracts are rarely imposed.</strong><br />Despite the fact that the media and the public and some education "reformers" would have you believe that the teachers' unions force contracts down the throats of the poor hapless school board administrators and elected representatives, <em>that is just not the case</em>.<br /><br />In many cases (and at least in my state) both sides have to agree for something to go into the contract. If they don't agree, it just doesn't make the cut. Very rarely do the original negotiations demands (or ideas or whatever you call them) of either side make the contract in their original form. There's give and take on both sides; there always will be if there is <em>good faith bargaining on both sides.</em><br /><em></em><br /><strong>Closed-door negotiations must be agreed to by both sides.</strong><br />A <a href="http://www.eiaonline.com/intercepts/2009/06/15/closed-door-bargaining-and-the-union-padlock/">recent post </a>on Mike <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Antonucci's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">EIA</span> Intercepts blog got me thinking about this. The post, "Closed-door bargaining and the union padlock" struck me as a bit biased-- go figure. The type of negotiations that you enter into must be agreed to by both parties; neither one can force it on the other side.<br /><br /><strong>Union members can provide input prior to the beginning of negotiations.</strong><br />On the union side, members of a local have the opportunity to provide input into what they'd like to see in the next contract. Some locals do surveys, or meetings, or face-to-face "town hall" type sessions. The bargaining committee ideally should carry those ideas/desires into the negotiations sessions. Does it always work? No, but that's how it should work.<br /><br /><strong>The taxpaying public can provide input prior to the beginning of negotiations.</strong><br />On the board/administration side, the people finance the system with their taxes, and vote their board members in and out. They have the ability to contact their elected official (just like the union members within their organization) and express their concerns. The school board member may or may not be sitting at the table; perhaps they have hired an attorney to do that for them, but the option for public input is there prior to the "inking of the deal".<br /><br /><strong>The media ALWAYS provides input prior to, during and after negotiations.</strong><br />Let us not forget that the local media always has the option of adding their two cents at any given time. How? Op-eds, editorials, articles, letters to the editor are all published at strategic times in negotiations that can sway public opinion one way or the other, to say nothing of blogs, TV, radio, Twitter and the like.<br /><br /><strong>When you hear specifics about negotiations it's generally because they're going badly.</strong><br />Closed-door negotiations benefit the process because each side can negotiate in good faith without having to worry about the other side trying to influence the process by their actions outside of the room. When one (or both sides) feel that the other is not negotiating in good faith, that is generally when the rumbles and the rhetoric begins.<br /><br /><strong>Tentative agreements are that: tentative.</strong><br />A TA is simply a pause in the process, a holding pattern, if you will. It is a formal acknowledgement by both sides in bargaining that they think they have reached a middle ground on the issues that are important to them, and would like to take it back to their constituents for approval or disapproval.<br /><br />Traditionally, the unions go first with a ratification vote. Depending on the size of the local, it could be in the school cafeteria, or it could be a mail-in or phone-in vote: all locals are different. Ultimately, the members have the option to accept or reject what has been brought to them in a democratic fashion.<br /><br /><strong>There is a bit of "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">strategery</span>" involved in unions bringing a TA to members.</strong><br />A complaint that has registered before with me on the Internet is that teachers' unions "spring" the TA on their members with no notice and then expect them to vote on it. There's no ifs ands or buts around it-- that's how it happens. The reason is simple. My dues dollars to my local and state affiliate pay for the negotiations activities that ultimately results in some kind of a TA. I should be able to see it first without anyone else (media, public) being to see or comment on it.<br /><br />If the teachers' union meetings are face-to-face and run correctly, there can be debate, and teachers can vote it down. They cannot, however, amend or modify a TA. If teachers vote it down, that sends the message to the bargaining committee that the membership isn't satisfied with what is in the TA and they need to go back to the table. If the members are satisfied and the TA is ratified, then it will go to the school board for their vote.<br /><br /><strong>The tax-paying public has time to register their opinions and sentiments with their duly elected officials before they commit public tax dollars towards ratifying a new contract.</strong><br />At this point, there is usually a pause in the process-- perhaps a week, two weeks or even as much as a month, depending on when the teachers vote on a contract and the next school board meeting happens. This is the built-in time where the media reports on the contents of the TA, and analyzes what's in there, editorializing all the way home. Members of the public can comment and have time to contact their school board members to express their opinions.<br /><br />If the school board members adopt the contract, then both parties have a mutual agreement and it becomes a binding legal document.<br /><br />Get it? <em>Mutual agreement</em>.<br /><br />Thank you, drive through.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-15208265576477421702009-06-22T04:35:00.003-11:002009-06-22T04:38:06.996-11:00NEA RA and Twitter.Haven't posted in a while, but wanted to let anyone and everyone know I'll be at the NEA RA. I'd be interested in meeting up with folks at some point.<br /><br />I'll also be tweeting from the RA, and my twitter account is: drhomeslice<br /><br />So email me at drhomeslice <at> hotmail +dot+ com or just do an @reply on twitter, and we'll meet up.<br /><br />See you in 'Diego!Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-63822819362116732492009-03-24T09:58:00.002-11:002009-03-24T10:00:10.289-11:00In Support of Educational NationalismDoesn’t that sound dangerous, “Educational Nationalism”? Doesn’t it create a mental picture of hordes of goose-stepping brainwashed soldierly-type devotees saluting some kind of icon while running over a lesser country?<br /><br />It should be us, minus the goose-stepping and brainless stuff. Oh, and we shouldn’t run over any country. Ever. That’s not nice. Just ask France, it seems to happen to them every 22.5 years or so.<br /><br />Seriously, I think this is a great time to have some national content standards. I’ve thought this way for a while. Why do we have 50 different versions of what is and what is not acceptable? Just think about it, America is the land of freedom—our students can fail (or pass) 50 different ways! 52 if you count Guam and DC.<br /><br />Quickly put, this is an aftereffect of the global economy. Since trade barriers are for the most part lowering across the world, the best jobs will go where the best-educated people are, regardless of political boundaries. Trade is becoming more and more regional, yet we rise or fall as a nation.<br /><br />We must get national standards, quickly, sensibly and civilly. Yes, yes, I know, there are many people who will say that national standards will “redefine the role of the federal government in education and transfer the locus of power from the local school districts to DC”. I don’t know about that. Yes, there are political implications, but I’m not really worried about that. That’s why I pay union dues.<br /><br />But, it used to be that when I taught my kids, I’d warn them about the people in a different zip code that were competing for their slot in a local college-- now they’re competing with people in other countries. Same thing goes for jobs.<br /><br />I remember a teacher when I was in high school that everyone wanted to get for a certain subject. Teacher A, quite frankly, wasn’t a good teacher; in fact, they were the opposite. Everyone wanted to take A’s class simply because they were easy. Everyone who came in, stayed for the whole class, didn’t cause problems and smiled at the teacher a couple of times a week got an “A”.<br /><br />The other teacher in that subject was mean, and rigorous but fair. Teacher B made you work until your brains came out of your nose. Unluckily (at the time) got teacher B. I whined and whined, but neither my Principal or my Counselor changed the schedule. I didn’t get an A, but I did master the material and concepts contained within the class.<br /><br />After graduation, my classmates who had teacher A came back from their first quarter of college overwhelmed in the subject; many had D’s, some had failed. I had earned (through blood sweat and tears) a B.<br /><br />Do you want our students to be held to teacher A or teacher B’s standards?<br />Our students don’t compete as Californians, New Yorkers or Rhode Islanders—they compete in the global marketplace as Americans.<br /><br />America needs national content standards.<br /><br />Yesterday.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-6014965362538522942009-01-04T09:16:00.003-11:002009-01-04T09:50:07.035-11:00T&A<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5ny_uoRI8Y8/SWEcDOgkowI/AAAAAAAAAEY/0AAnI5eYLi0/s1600-h/patton_flag.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287538279269573378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 257px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5ny_uoRI8Y8/SWEcDOgkowI/AAAAAAAAAEY/0AAnI5eYLi0/s320/patton_flag.jpg" border="0" /></a> Hang on, hang on there.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Don't get all upset on me now, I'm not talking about what you think I'm talking about. Shame on you.</div><br /><div>Actually, I'm talking about <strong>transparency</strong> and <strong>accountability</strong>; they seem to be the new buzzwords in this recession-filled time of awe and economic wonder. In education, too-- and what should be transparent and accountable? Data!</div><br /><div>I had some free time lately, and I picked up a copy of "A Byte in/at/of The Apple", the new Fordham Foundation's ode to data. You might be wondering "Why, Doc? Why would you do such a thing?"</div><br /><div>I direct you to a classic American movie, 1970's <em>Patton</em>. In it, when General George S. Patton is routing Rommel in the deserts of Africa he yells at the top of his lungs "Rommel, you magnificent bastard, I read your book!" This underscores the fact that Rommel, brilliant tactician that he is, wrote a book about his tactics, which aforementioned American general read and adapted his tactics to, thereby routing the "Desert Fox". Whether or not Patton actually said something like that, I don't know, but it is a memorable quote. </div><div> </div><div>So I figured I'd do the same thing, make like Patton and read Fordham's book. It's uh, a data-filled book.</div><br /><div>You spend a lot of time looking at that word, data; it appears there 2,375 times through the 154 page book, an average of slightly more than 23 times <em>per page</em>. By contrast, the word union appears just 17 times, and only 16 of those refer to the teacher's organized labor movement. Accountability shows up 78 times, transparency 17. Teacher shows up 436 times, administrator 43 times, management 184, and principal shows up 57 times. No, I didn't count 'em, Adobe has a nifty search function.</div><div> </div><div>The best and most intriguing part of this book? The student data backpack. Summarized quickly, whoever wrote the essay (they're piecemeal parts combined into one book) about it, suggested that school districts (in essence) should create virtual student data backpacks; every bit of data on a student that educational folks have does in there: grades, attendance, standardized test scores, aggregate data about strength and weaknesses across state and perhaps national (gasp) academic standards.</div><div> </div><div>This data backpack would be kind of tied in to a social-networking, web 2.0 type of "thing". It's interactive, so parents can find opportunities for their students (extended learning opportunities, other education settings, etc) and interact with other parents and educators and such.</div><div> </div><div>I have to say that I like the idea...to an extent. I think that records and important individual student datasets need to be accessible to teachers. Whether it's district assessments, state achievement tests or other testing data, that's a good thing. I remember back in the day when I started, when you wanted to find something out about a kid, you had to catch a secretary when they weren't busy to pull something up on their DOS based system that was slower than molasses on a winter day or thumb through stacks of yellowing manilla envelopes in the stuffy, moldy school records room until you forgot what (or who) you were looking for and just gave up.</div><div> </div><div>They're also right that there are few opportunities to catch appropriate data for mobile kids and families in an urban setting; I can't tell you how many times I get a bad phone number when I go by an office printout. </div><div> </div><div>This piece doesn't take into account several things, the first being the digital divide, especially in my school system, an urban one. More and more of my students' families have computers with internet access each year (perhaps 40% or so now) but generally the kids are much more savvy with it than the parents are. </div><div> </div><div>The thing I don't like about this essay is the postulation that parents in the future could "send" their records to a school and that would be the official act of enrolling a student (aside from answering a few other questions when you enroll). I think, in the educational landscape of things, that you need to "kick the tires" before you buy. Just clicking a button to change you student's education placement strikes me as convenient and easy, but not necessarily the best idea.</div><div> </div><div>Also, there are just 17 mentions of the word security throughout the WHOLE BOOK. Who is to safeguard this information? Local districts? The state? The federal government? What happens if someone hacks into a database? Can you buy new SAT scores online, like you can buy someone's credit card numbers? I don't know. Interesting stuff, but still science fiction....</div><div> </div><div>"Checker you magificent bastard, I read your book!"</div>Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-7544670774426436442008-12-01T13:59:00.002-11:002008-12-01T13:59:52.656-11:00What I wouldn't give.......to be at the UFT DA right now.<br /><br />So what do you folks think? Is this resolution too extreme?Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-18071936000806602272008-12-01T13:53:00.001-11:002008-12-01T13:56:27.971-11:00Doc Challenges Jay Matthews....<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CPHILHA%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family:georgia;">In a column that came out today, WaPo’s “genius-in-residence” self-styled education guru Jay Matthews explained what you need to do to jump-start a chronically failing urban school system, illustrated by one school principal at </span><st1:place style="font-family: georgia;" st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Shaw</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Middle School</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family:georgia;">. For the folks that have a lot of things to do (or email to read, in the case of Michelle Rhee), I’ve boiled it down to what I think are the key points. I have conveniently added my commentary as well.</span> <p style="font-family:georgia;"></p><blockquote>(Principal Brian Bettes) eliminated homeroom periods and recess as wastes of time, instituted daily teacher training and told some instructors that they wouldn't last the school year if he didn't see enough energy in their classrooms. </blockquote><p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">Physical activity, physical fitness—waste of time! Burning off energy that could come out the wrong way in classrooms—pshaw! Why engage in exercise when you can drill and kill? Daily teacher training—I call that MY JOB. I learn something new every day; I learn how to handle different types of students, different types of situations every single day, and I learn from my successes and my mistakes. Oh yes, the motivation by fear thing shows love, and family, and caring, and why am I standing on plastic? (Reference to Lethal Weapon 2).</p> <p face="georgia"></p><blockquote>That's not all. The 41-year-old former <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Montgomery+County+%28Maryland%29?tid=informline">Montgomery County</a> middle school assistant principal said he wanted a school full of ambitious, young teachers "before they were jaded." So he hired just two with more than five years of experience. </blockquote><p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">I hate this—new teachers are great, they youth and boundless love and energy but they don’t know anything! They learn from everything they do; I’ve met teachers two weeks in that were jaded. Young teachers won’t save the world unless they have experienced veterans to learn from.</p> <p face="georgia"></p><blockquote>He also visited scores of students and parents before school started, asking them, among other things, how they felt about a white man running a school where all of the students were black or Hispanic. </blockquote><p></p> <p face="georgia"><span style="font-style: italic;">I don’t care who you are—that’s freakin’ cool.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p face="georgia"></p><blockquote>What he is attempting looks similar to what successful public charter schools have done: aggressively recruiting young, enthusiastic teachers, dropping anything that gets in the way of learning, letting everyone know that he or she will be judged on performance and developing strong relations among staff, students and parents. </blockquote><p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I can’t stand it—young teachers are great, but give props to the veterans!</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;"></p><blockquote>Students and parents told Betts that many teachers they knew at Shaw and Garnet-Patterson didn't care about them. "Nothing that I have ever seen trumps personal relationships at this level," Betts said. "The kids in this building who can be absolutely horrible in one person's class can be angelic in another because they have formed a relationship with that teacher." </blockquote><p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">You know, he’s right.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;"></p><blockquote>A young teacher from <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Jersey</st1:place></st1:state> named <i>Meredith Leonard</i> was hired after saying: "Every kid can learn, and we all say that, but what is missing is the last part of the sentence: Every kid can learn given the motivation, given the supports, given the expectations. I will be motivating my kids, I will be giving my kids the support and I will be expecting them to do it." </blockquote><p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Good answer, I’d hire her too.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;"></p><blockquote>Many more applicants, including experienced teachers, blamed the bad test scores on undereducated parents and impoverished homes and suggested that those social ailments would be hard to cure. They weren't hired. Betts is happy to be left with an eager and optimistic staff. Still, he does not have much time to prove that he and Rhee are right about this, with me and everyone else watching. </blockquote><p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">Mm…nope. If your students’ parents are undereducated, that doesn’t make things any easier as the teacher. If your student’ parents come from poverty and they’re wondering where their next out of school meal’s coming from, or don’t know where they’re going to spend the night, well sorry, but those concerns trump any standardized test multiple choice question. </p> <p style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;">Good teaching can’t fill a hungry belly, but it is a ticket to better times.</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;">You know Jay, come to my school. Do my job for a day and I'll do yours, but you can’t do mine.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-11360320773532311472008-11-18T16:12:00.002-11:002008-11-18T16:34:02.981-11:00Of Rhee, DC, Fenty and Randi.Wow.<br /><br />Whole lotta crazy stuff going on in DC, huh?<br /><br />Rhee wants to basically get rid of tenure, throw a whole bunch of money at the teachers and see if they jump for it. Kind of reminds me of the satirical "volunteers step forward" bit and then everyone but a few people actually end up stepping backward.<br /><br />You know, I'm one for reform. I like it, I think that things need to change in American education. The thing is that <em>change cannot be brought by one side; nor can it be forced by one side</em>. That's not change....that's uh, I don't even know.<br /><br />If the union (any union) comes into negotiations and wants to do something, but can't get the district to agree it doesn't happen. You don't hear about that though, do you? You don't hear about the innovative ideas that teacher unions bring to the table that don't make it through bargaining.<br /><br />In my opinion, the most innovative ideas that get press are <em>the ones that don't happen</em>, that don't get negotiated into a contract, and almost always their collective idealistic deaths are blamed on the teachers' unions and the union leaders.<br /><br />You have to meet halfway folks-- you can't just say "Hey you, come over here". That just isn't good-faith bargaining.<br /><br />Now, I've got to tell you what Rhee is doing is admirable-- that is, trying to make the DC schools better for the kids. What is <em>not</em> admirable is how she's trying to break the union with her red/green plan. I think tenure and seniority are important-- but so is being fair. She ain't being fair.<br /><br />I can see it now...perhaps the WaPo, perhaps Fordham's Flypaper....perhaps even the Republicrats over at DFER/RFER, whatever they're called.<br /><br />"Teacher union leader blocking significant reforms," says the headline. "Those fat-cat teacher union leaders just want more money," said blogger Wonkish EdType, "less accountability and fewer students in the classrooms of their teachers, so they can put more teachers in the classroom, have more members in their bargaining unit, collect more money for their teacher union PACS to elect more pro-labor politicians until they lower the teacher/ student ration from where it is to 1:1 and then there will be more teachers, and then you know, they'll elect one of those teachers as the the President of the United States or something and then American education will never change. Damn those teacher unions!"<br /><br />Ahh, yes. How many years to retirement?Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-6692984995466317652008-11-12T16:20:00.008-11:002008-11-12T16:29:16.881-11:00EIA To Shift Watchdog Focus Away From Teacher Unions<em>Note: This is satire. That means it's not real.</em><br /><br />(Satire Wire News Reports) In a move that caught education policy wonks throughout the blogosphere by surprise, Education Intelligence Agency (EIA) founder, President and CEO Mike Antonnuci announced late yesterday that the teacher-union watchdog group would move away from its traditionally skeptical view of education-sector organized labor to making sure all students went to every class with a pencil or pen to write with.<br /><br />“With the recent win by President-elect Obama,” said Antonucci, “and the increased Democratic composition of the House and Senate and the resulting after effects to the education establishment, it is clear that no one is listening to me when it comes to what I have to say regarding the NEA, AFT or teachers’ unions in general. I think by shifting my focus away from organized labor and doing my utmost to make sure that all of the students in the United States go to their classes with a pen or pencil, I’ll be helping to make sure that no children are left behind.”<br /><br />An accomplished writer and noted military historian, Antonucci began covering the education beat in 1993, shifting his efforts to teacher-union surveillance shortly after the beginning of President Bill Clinton’s second term in June of 1997. EIA is a one-man for-profit research firm that promises anonymity unless a client specifically agrees to waive it, leading to rampant speculation about the group’s funders and clients.<br /><br />“Those were the days,” says Antonucci, reminiscing about the beginning of the group. “Everything was so new. I remember I started EIA only about four months after NEA President Bob Chase’s ‘New Unionism’ speech at the National Press Club. You know, that speech was my call to arms. It really opened my eyes and made me see teachers, their unions and their union leaders for how they really were.”<br /><br />“Things are different now,” adds Antonucci. “My ‘Intercepts’ email used to go out to over 4,000 people…now, well, I can’t tell you how many it goes out to because it’s confidential.”<br /><br />Multiple anonymous sources agreed with the ideological change in climate, but maintained that there were multiple reasons the one-man research group changed its focus from unions to unfettered writing utensil access for all students.<br /><br />“Antonucci has always done a good job of being thorough in this research and publications, but his output was never at a high volume,” said one high-ranking source, speaking under the condition of anonymity. “When the Fordham Foundation opened up their ‘Flypaper’ blog and started putting out between 20 and 50 posts a day over the same anti-union issues, it kind of seemed to take the wind out of his sails.”<br /><br />Others familiar with the situation disagreed, chalking it up to a case of “Solidarinosis”.<br /><br />“Mike was spending too much time involved with union ideas and concepts,” said another anonymous source. “He worked super long hours poring over data, statistics and tables of all things union. I think it rubbed off on him. (Antonucci) started to feel as if the hard work he was doing for EIA wasn’t being truly appreciated by the management. He confronted the management with demands, and the management turned him down.”<br /><br />When asked why Antonucci would confront himself with demands when he is the founder and only employee of the organization, the anonymous source simply replied, “This is a satire piece. None of this is true, and it’s supposed to be funny. So there.”Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-49861577211636247802008-09-05T18:42:00.007-11:002008-09-05T18:58:41.565-11:00Little Puffy Edublog Tag Clouds.Yeah, so it's been a while since I've been on here. Whoops. Most everyone is familiar with tag clouds, I hope. Basically, it's a web 2.0 visual representation of more commonly occuring tags or meta data. There's a web app called <a href="http://tagcrowd.com/">TagCrowd</a> that allows you to select an url, upload a file or paste your own text to custom-make your own tag cloud. It's fun. I figured I would run it on a<br />couple of blogs I read, but don't necessarily respect.<br /><br />First, the anti-union, Mike Antonucci:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5ny_uoRI8Y8/SMIZpFmCL5I/AAAAAAAAADU/dLOWNFmg808/s1600-h/antonucci+cloud.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5ny_uoRI8Y8/SMIZpFmCL5I/AAAAAAAAADU/dLOWNFmg808/s400/antonucci+cloud.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242781109879713682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Notice above, that the word "student" does not make it into the cloud.<br /><br />Now Eduwonk, following below....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5ny_uoRI8Y8/SMIaKLYAsBI/AAAAAAAAADc/UsCoufaslKY/s1600-h/eduwonkcloud.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5ny_uoRI8Y8/SMIaKLYAsBI/AAAAAAAAADc/UsCoufaslKY/s400/eduwonkcloud.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242781678367191058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Obama still beats out McCain, almost a ratio of 2-1. I'll take those odds come november 4th. Notice that in the cloud, the tags teachers and students fall behind schools.<br /><br />Below, the center of idiocy, the Fordham Foundation's Flypaper blog.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5ny_uoRI8Y8/SMIbQmH0JtI/AAAAAAAAADk/YBqsuVJkWP4/s1600-h/flypapertagcloud.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5ny_uoRI8Y8/SMIbQmH0JtI/AAAAAAAAADk/YBqsuVJkWP4/s400/flypapertagcloud.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242782888137860818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Hey, Liam and Mike and Checker-- if students are so important (as you constantly put out there with everything you folks do, 'cause according to <span style="font-style: italic;">you </span>it's all about the kids) then why do the tags children, child and student come after unions in the cloud? What about McCain? Are you folks McCain supporters?<br /><br />So, what does everyone else think?Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-62714701929791365352008-07-13T14:51:00.002-11:002008-07-13T14:56:36.984-11:00I'm such a news release whore......but I'll fully admit it.<br /><br />AFT has recently approved a resolution at it's delegate assembly (or whatever its called) supporting the Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) program. Way to go!<br /><br />For the unitiated, PAR was pioneered in Toledo, Ohio, by the Toledo Federation of Teachers (TFT). Dal Lawrence was President at the time (now Fran Lawrence is President) and it was a groundbreaking initiative. No one else was doing it-- now PAR has spread across the country. My national, NEA, grudgingly approved it at one point or another.<br /><br />The point is this:<br /><br />Quite frankly, new teachers (especially millenials) need guidance and mentoring...especially from more senior teachers...PAR is the avenue to make this happen.<br /><br />I remember meeting Dal at one point and asking him what Shanker had said about PAR...he had never met Shanker until that point and he supported what he did. The executive council or board or whatever (I don't remember, I'm NEA) was a little more miserly in their support.<br /><br />PAR needs to be in every district...it's worth the investment. Teachers mentoring teachers is the way to go!<br /><br />Yea AFT!Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-21970285591558600692008-07-02T03:44:00.003-11:002008-07-02T03:46:01.082-11:00At The NEA RA....Hasn't started yet, but Bylaw Amendment 1a will be a doozy, that is offering membership to private Pre and K-12 schools. It's been split, so it will be in two parts. The Pre-K part might pass, but I think the other part will go down hard.<br /><br />Word is Obama will only be addressing us by video feed, this is not good for former Hillary supporters.<br /><br />I don't think I can Gabcast for whatever reason, it doesn't seem to go through. Hopefully I will get a chance to post a blog entry occasionally.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-19641504795272366762008-06-25T10:10:00.004-11:002008-06-25T22:07:30.898-11:00I'll Be Gabcasting From the NEA RA!Howdy folks, just a quick note to let you know I'll be Gabcasting from the NEA RA, just like I did last year. For the uninitiated, Gabcasting is when you do audio blog posts. Posts will start the 30th and run through the 6th. Heck, I might even go over and introduce myself to Mike Antonucci....<br /><br />Update....I don't think it's going to happen, I'm having issues with my Gabcasts being uploaded to my blog. Perhaps I'll just type them in.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-63519019604488827302008-06-21T17:19:00.002-11:002008-06-21T17:38:17.643-11:00Is a child really more than a test score?That's the line I'm going to be hearing in about two weeks at the NEA annual meeting; "A child is more than a test score".<br /><br />I have to wonder, if they are truly, really more than a test score.<br /><br />Case in point-- one of my former students, who, according to my ethics when it comes to this blog, shall remain nameless. Their situation is not unique; I've encountered it several times before.<br /><br />Student X is completely unmotivated, yet grasps the subject matter for one of two reasons; either they've gotten it before in another class from another teacher, or they are interested enough in what I've been teaching so that they have shown a real aptitude on quizzes and tests (which I give too damn many of).<br /><br />Throughout the year, they have been as lazy as the day is long, sloughing off homework assignments, coming late to class, cutting class and so on and so forth.<br /><br />When the state standardized tests are given and the results have been returned, they pass. Not just pass, but pass with flying colors. Yet they fail miserably each and every quarter they're my student. At the end of the year, they have no mathematical snowball's chance in hell of passing (I average final grades based on percentage, not a 4.0 scale).<br /><br />But keep in mind they've passed....the standardized test administered by the state for my subject. The only thing administrators in my district (or state) cannot fudge to get this kid to walk across the stage for their graduation. Which, by the way, won't happen for another two years.<br /><br />So what do I do? Do I pass them? Do I fail them? Sure, they've answered questions about the subject matter in class and dazzled me (and astounded their classmates) with their brilliance, but that isn't the Puritanical work ethic that diplomas are made of, is it? I mean, I could pass them for my class, but would that devalue their diploma? Or the diploma of the countless others before and after them?<br /><br />I remember being pulled aside by one of the senior teachers in my building, the chapter chair, actually. Keep in mind I teach in an urban district, and my students have about 1,678,456 more issues that they deal with than a suburban kid. I know this because I grew up in a suburban district. <br /><br />My first year of teaching, there was a student who was a senior that failed me. Hard. I didn't fill out the paperwork to notify the central office that they were going to fail my course (one required for graduation) in time. I was a new teacher, so shoot me.<br /><br />The CC pulled me aside and asked me about the student. I gave the lengthy details. They asked me:<br /><br />"Are you going to be the stopper for this kid?"<br /><br />I said 'What do you mean?'.<br /><br />"Well," said the CC, "this kid has already made it through 11 or 12 years of school. They've successfully navigated around gangs, family problems, neighborhood issues and the like."<br /><br />"I don't see what you're getting at." I said to the CC.<br /><br />"The fact that they could fail your class would deny them a diploma. They're going to face other stoppers in life.<br /><br />"Are you going to be their stopper?" I was asked by the CC.<br /><br />I thought about it for a quick second and replied "No". The grade was changed and the kid graduated.<br /><br />When I was entering grades at the end of the school year, I came upon student X. Failed my class each and every quarter, yet still passed the state exam with flying colors, and I asked myself-- <br /><br />"Am I going to be the stopper?"<br /><br />I said no. Student X passed.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-11836236419139771082008-06-20T13:57:00.003-11:002008-06-20T13:58:35.055-11:00Major Fight At Fordham Foundation....Insiders tell me that Coby and Liam got into a heated argument. Checker walked in, and the rest of the Fordham crew took sides....it was not pretty. Check out the video below for footage of the incident.<br /><br /><object width="464" height="392"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.break.com/NTIxNzQz"></param><embed src="http://embed.break.com/NTIxNzQz" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="464" height="392"></embed></object><br><font size=1><a href="http://view.break.com/521743">http://view.break.com/521743</a> - Watch more <a href="http://www.break.com/">free videos</a></font>Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-8018269756014706392008-06-18T13:48:00.010-11:002008-06-18T14:42:59.383-11:00Fordham's Liam Julian Causes Nationwide Teacher Union Revolution<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.happynovisad.co.yu/slike/Moda/vesti/revolution_fist.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.happynovisad.co.yu/slike/Moda/vesti/revolution_fist.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Liam Julian over at Flypaper jumps all over Diane Ravitch, a Fordham Board member who stepped up to defend teachers' unions.<br /><br />Ravitch wrote:<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">I find myself getting really annoyed when people rage against the teachers’ unions, because they are the organized voice of most of the people who work in schools. The same people who vilify the teachers’ unions never complain about the influence of businesses or foundations, both of which try to steer the public schools by the power of the purse.</blockquote>To which Julian responded:<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">What business mostly wants: results-based education, standards, accountability, innovative management, choice, educational markets. What unions mostly want: more money, more teachers (smaller classes), less testing, less focus on educational outcomes. Oversimplification? Slightly (it is a blog post, after all). But mostly true.</blockquote>To which I write:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What business mostly expects: lower bottom lines, numbers/scores/indicators of achievement yesterday, market-based solutions for a non-market "industry", business solutions that don't take into account the human factor.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What unions mostly expect: better wages to attract better teachers, better working conditions to keep the teachers we have, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">smarter </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">testing, flexibility to use our own lessons to focus on educational outcomes instead of reading a script. Oversimplification? Yep, it is a blog post. But mostly true.</span><br /><br />And now to ageism...<br /><br />Julian continues on to the age divide:<br /><blockquote>On the other hand, the interests of teachers’ unions directly compete in oh-so-many obvious ways with the interests of students. Furthermore, unions may <em>technically</em> be “the organized voices of most of the people who work in schools,” but they hardly represent the interests of all teachers—especially disadvantaged by union policies are <em>young</em> teachers and <em>good</em> teachers.</blockquote>That's it Liam, play the age card. Nevermind the what EdSector's <a href="http://www.educationsector.org/research/research_show.htm?doc_id=683708">Waiting To Be Won Over</a> said about the role of teacher unions. Didn't read it? This is from the summary page:<br /><blockquote>Teachers are more likely today (than they were in 2003) to say unions are essential. The jump among new teachers who say the unions are essential is especially striking.</blockquote>Great job attempting to alienate the younger teachers from the organization that is responsible for the improvement of their working conditions, wages and fringe benefits, much of which was done prior to their births. <span style="font-weight: bold;">It won't work, but let's take a tongue-in-cheek look at what would happen if it did:</span><br /><br />Now you've done it Liam, you've planted the seeds of dissension with your post. Looking into the future, your efforts will result in a nationwide teacher union revolt and the eventual breakdown of teacher unions across the country. Tenure is refused by younger teachers-- it becomes as unpopular as past affiliation with the communist party discovered by HUAC. Mature contracts are burned <span style="font-style: italic;">en masse</span> in steely-eyed defiance of the blood, sweat and tears of veteran teachers of years past. With the cohesion brought about by teacher unions now gone, young teachers will now turn against veteran teachers.<br /><br />Teachers above the age of 30 will begun to be shunned by their younger peers in the teachers lounges across the country. Older teachers begin to refuse to eat lunch with their younger colleagues, prompting the new teachers to begin spreading rumors and create fake Myspace and Facebook pages on the internet with the older colleagues' likenesses.<br /><br />Eventually, given the increased tension and issues between educators, competing teacher gangs will emerge. Starting in just one or two schools and quickly spreading across the country, they begin openly waging teacher gang warfare in the halls of their schools, leaving flaming paper bags full of dog excrement at the door of each others' classroom, shooting spitballs at one another during passing times and instructing each other's students to simultaneously knock the books off of their desks at the same time of the period.<br /><br />Chaos reigns supreme!<br /><br />In all seriousness, just because someone is young and new doesn't make them a great teacher. That's just like a principal or vice-principal walking by a classroom, hearing no disruption and expecting that there's an amazing amount of learning going on in there. I thought I was the bee's knees my first year, as did my students, my administrators and some of my colleagues.<br /><br />Truth is, I look back now and realize how much further I had to go. I <span style="font-style: italic;">have to go</span>, to continually improve and be a better teacher for my students.<br /><br />Yes, older teachers can become set in their ways, but so can a teacher that's been in the classroom for five years. Our older (politically correct term = veteran) teachers are just as great, too. Don't count them out.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-34082459825285612162008-06-18T11:35:00.002-11:002008-06-18T11:37:13.823-11:00Want to meet/ unmask Dr. Homeslice?Wow...my first post in like 3 months. It'll be a brief one, sorry there folks.<br /><br />Just curious if any of you bloggy internet unionist types will be in DC during the NEA annual meeting. If so, drop me a line at drhomeslice@hotmail.com so we can meet up for a beverage of choice and talk blog crap.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-77158635048237260792008-03-09T06:48:00.003-11:002008-03-09T06:49:24.200-11:00Intel on the Rick Berman Campaign-- from Rick Berman Himself.<a href="http://politics.lasvegassun.com/2007/11/teachers-watch-.html">This article</a> is a bit old, but it gives a little more info on what he's trying to do.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-5147717725739915712008-03-09T06:42:00.001-11:002008-03-09T06:43:06.043-11:00Rick Berman's folks have been looking at my site...Yeah, Bermanco, we know what you're gonna do.<br /><br />Bring it-- we'll get ya.Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-85711748921206575522008-03-08T11:55:00.003-11:002008-03-09T03:27:12.243-11:00Forces of evil to attack teachers' unions on Tuesday.Tuesday marks the beginning of Rick Berman's Center For Union Facts' $1 million dollar ad assault on teachers. Paid ads on FOX (go figure) and CNN start on Tuesday. AFT seems to be doing a good job by getting the word out, and telling us what's going on; yet I don't pay dues to AFT; I pay dues to NEA. I haven't gotten anything from them. What's up, Reg?<br /><br />Here's the complete text below:<br /><br /><h4 class="EC_MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Heads up: A national campaign against teachers unions will kick off next week.</span></h4> <p class="EC_MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Next Tuesday (March 11), the Center for Union Facts (CUF) will launch what the organization describes as "an unprecedented, $1 million advertising assault on teachers unions."</span></p> <p class="EC_MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >CUF is airing commercials on CNN and Fox News, and buying full-page ads in the <i>New York Times</i> and <i>USA Today</i>. The attack ads will promote its campaign Web site, <a href="http://www.teachersunionexposed.com/" target="_blank">www.TeachersUnionExposed.com</a>. We suspect these ads, which focus on union actions in 20 school districts across the country, also will include distortions about tenure, claims that unions oppose worthwhile school reforms, and outright lies about what we do. The charges will be vicious and outrageous, and the ads may result in news coverage, particularly from anti-union media outlets. </span></p> <p class="EC_MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >We are currently developing our own attack plan and will have additional information to you shortly. However, each of you is capable of answering these charges by asserting the <i>real </i>facts and talking about your union's successes. In doing so, it may help to know a little about CUF, which has been monitored by Sourcewatch (<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/" target="_blank">www.sourcewatch.org</a>): "The Center for Union Facts is a secretive front group for individuals and industries opposed to union activities. It is part of lobbyist Rick Berman's family of front groups including the Employment Policies Institute." </span></p> <p class="EC_MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Berman has lobbied on behalf of pesticide, alcohol and tobacco companies, and against the Americans with Disabilities Act, checkpoints to catch drunk drivers, minimum wage increases, and card-check. A 2006 <i>USA Today </i>article reported that his lobbying firm brings in $10 million per year for his work on ultra-conservative, anti-union clients. Berman has even waged a campaign against Mothers Against Drunk Driving.</span></p> <p class="EC_MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >American Rights at Work (<u><a href="http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/the-anti-union-network/center-for-union-facts/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">www.americanrightsatwork.org/the-anti-union-network/center-for-union-facts</span></a></u>) has additional information about Berman and CUF. We hope this helps you respond. If you need further assistance, please contact John See in the AFT's public affairs department, </span></p> <p class="EC_MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" > </span></p>Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-78100077031194383432008-03-02T14:14:00.001-11:002008-03-02T14:15:49.701-11:00Political related- post.Hillary; the AFT endorsed her in early October; I'm thinking she's not going to make it. Go Obama!<br /><br />(Yes, Dr. Homeslice has officially endorsed Obama!)Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-55784547755144771152008-03-02T13:39:00.002-11:002008-03-02T13:51:59.034-11:00Hello out there in bloggerland...So I've been gone a while....<br /><br />Things have been busy on my end; can't say why-- if I did, I'd have to kill all of you.<br /><br />Seriously, a friend of mine (who knows of my secret blogger identity) told me the other night, "Take it down, you haven't done anything with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Homeslice</span> in a while, you should just get rid of it,"...<br /><br />NEVER!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Heh</span>.<br /><br />Seriously, folks-- let's talk about union officers getting cozy with management.<br /><br />Specifically, I'm referring to Louise <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sundin</span>, former President of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Minneapolis</span> Something of Teachers or Education Association. I can't remember, and I really am too lazy to look. She was ousted after being criticized by her members as too close to management; the same thing happened in Ohio as well, with I think Mansfield or some little EA/ FT unit.<br /><br />Quite frankly, the call for Bob Chase's "new unionism" is lost on the ears of the membership. They would advocate the same adversarial relationship that is typical of management and union; combative and uncompromising. The fact of the matter is that compromises have to be made; relationships have to be forged with administration, yet the rank and file can't see the union officers as getting "too close" with the administration, lest it doom them to lose the reelection. For real change to happen, rank and file has to abandon the illusion of a mostly adversarial management/ union relationship and realize that compromises have to be made, but not at the expense of members. Just 'cause we're coming to a consensus doesn't mean that your interests are falling by the wayside.<br /><br />Look at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">UTLA</span>, for crying out loud; 20 percent of the union members voted, keeping <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">AJ</span> Duffy in with just over 10% of the vote. Mike <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Antonucci</span> had a field day-- and well he should; the idea that 20% of a union determines the leadership is abhorrent. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">UTLA</span> needs to make sure its members are organized and informed, and, quite simply VOTE!<br /><br />When I was in charge of a building, I made sure EVERYONE voted. I had a meeting. Those that didn't make it to the meeting, I tracked down. You don't put ballots in mailboxes; that's just asking for trouble, folks. And all but one member voted. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Buh</span>!Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-63524116909516553312008-01-30T14:33:00.000-11:002008-01-30T14:37:50.679-11:00Dr. Homeslice Is On Strike....Heh.<br /><br />Not really, jus' kidding folks.<br /><br />The long and short of it is that for whatever reason I keep taking on more and more responsibilities within my local and as we all know, there's NEVER a shortage of volunteers (heh) for what needs to be done.<br /><br />Anyhow, I love my local; I've put a lot of time and blood, sweat and tears into it. I love being Dr. Homeslice, yet no one in my local (save one or two) knows of my alter ego. Unfortunately folks, right now Dr. Homeslice is suffering b/c I'm cheating on it with my local. Ahhh.....<br /><br />So....I'm not closing this thing down, but I have to accept that I'm not going to be posting as much. Boooooo!<br /><br />Later, Y'All...Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29735096.post-9044242724293923282008-01-01T03:04:00.000-11:002008-01-06T14:16:16.507-11:00Because I can.<a href="http://blacklisted-transgender-teacher.blogspot.com/2007/12/national-union-of-teachers-nut.html">Blacklisted transgender teacher</a>. Don't need to say much more than that. Yes, it's work safe.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_546034.html">Pittsburg Federation of Teachers </a>have been working under an expired contract since June. Go Pitt!<br /><br />You won't believe this, but <a href="http://www.timesleader.com/news/20080105_05lehman_union_mg_ART.html">Lake-Lehman teachers </a>in Pennsylvania are still negotiating!<br /><br />"What can you do when a union comes calling? Treat people with dignity and respect, and do it before organizers hit the scene." says <a href="http://www.shrm.org/hrmagazine/articles/0108/0108Grossman.asp">this article</a>, on how not to become unionized.<br /><br />How did I miss <a href="http://voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2008/01/05/education/951unioncharter110107.txt">this</a>?<br /><br />Board attorney goes out on a limb and accuses the local union of negotiating in public in a <a href="http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=8296&TM=45349.74">guest column</a> in the local newspaper. Doh!<br /><br />What exactly is a "disciplinary janitor"? <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/01/03/do0303.xml">Read more </a>to find out. Heh.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.isil.org/channels/archives/12611">Huh?</a>Dr. Homeslicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00783745875952845318noreply@blogger.com0