As soon as their non-profit status was granted, CWCS quietly used their power over the local NY schools' trustees to push through exorbitant "licensing agreements" that will funnel more than $3 million of tax dollars away from the New York children they were intended for and into the hands of a few wealthy executives of CWCS, a California corporation.
Another charter that skims 8% as a mismanagement fee.
There's a new petition taking off on Change.org, and we think you might be interested in signing it:
We ask the Attorney General for an injunction to stop Citizens of the World Charter Schools, a network based out of California, from opening in Williamsburg and Crown Heights on September 9, 2013 because the IRS is currently investigating the organization for fraud. Citizens of the World Charter Schools (CWCS), a National chain of charter schools based out of California has been approved to open two schools in Brooklyn September 2013--despite the fact that CWCS is under IRS investigation for fraud. The IRS investigation puts both CWC NY schools at risk for closure after they open. This is not fair to either the families who enrolled in CWC NY schools or the tax payers who foot the bill. Why is the IRS investigating? • In 2011, the scandal ridden and now defunct California non-profit Wonder of Reading funneled all of it's money and resources, which were given to build libraries in public schools, into the creation of a new chain of charter schools, Citizens of the World. Both organizations are run by the exact same executives and board members. • CWCS was granted tax-exempt status as a charity by the IRS in 2012 on the grounds that they would provide grants to open new schools but NEVER charge the schools a fee for any rights or services. As soon as their non-profit status was granted, CWCS quietly used their power over the local NY schools' trustees to push through exorbitant "licensing agreements" that will funnel more than $3 million of tax dollars away from the New York children they were intended for and into the hands of a few wealthy executives of CWCS, a California corporation. • To date, no grants have been given to the NY schools, only loans. And the school budgets show that the schools will not offer food, a school nurse, or even a janitor. Parents have the right to know this critical information! Parents who applied to Citizens of the World schools Williamsburg and Crown Heights are not aware of either the IRS investigation or that their children will not be offered food. There has been significant opposition to Citizens of the World in the Williamsburg community since early 2012 when it was discovered that Citizens of the World had racially motivated marketing strategies and racial targets of 55% white for the CWC Williamsburg school. Hundreds of parents protested the schools at the public hearings. Parents in CWC LA schools are complaining that their children are not receiving promised and required services, including English Language Learners and children with special needs. There were several incidents of neglect in CWC LA schools that led to a child passed out in her own vomit, a child beaten in the bathroom, and another child in a coma for five days. We believe that the CWC NY schools are predicated on a relationship with a corrupt organization. We also believe that the IRS investigation will bear fruit. We believe that Brooklyn children deserve better.
The city's biggest unions are spending millions of dollars on independent efforts to elect their chosen mayoral candidates. Two of the three Democratic frontrunners, Council Speaker Christine Quinn and former Comptroller Bill Thompson, have both benefited from independent spending by their respective unions. But not Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. At least not on the surface. Some political and labor insiders have expressed surprise that Mr. de Blasio's biggest union supporter, 1199 SEIU—one of the largest unions in the city with an estimated 200,000 members—has so far declined to fund an independent expenditure in his support. The union has only spent $6,590 on two ads for Mr. de Blasio, according to campaign finance filings. In comparison, the United Federation of Teachers has spent almost $2 million on mailings and advertisements for Mr. Thompson, while the Hotel Trades Council has spent a combined $616,000 to support Ms. Quinn... Crain's NY
Crain's New York has a fascinating article comparing the UFT's support for Thompson with 1199's support for de Blasio. We've often said that the UFT political machine which the leadership tries to present as formidable is often a Potemkin Village. The conclusion of the article is telling:
Labor insiders said that while UFT has huge sums of money is can spend on its candidates, and the Hotel Trades Council has a highly mobilized cadre of volunteers, the healthcare union's main strength is its reputation. "The brand itself is so powerful, even among non-union members in some of these areas," one labor operative said. "The de Blasio people can slap 1199 on a piece of mail to African-Americans: that sends a message that's as important a validation as any in the black community."
Yes, what exactly is the UFT brand?
Actually, the numbers are somewhat misleading at the article goes on to point out.
1199's hidden operation for de Blasio
Public Advocate Bill de Blasio with 1199 President George Gresham (right) at an event earlier this summer. Photo: Andrew J. Hawkins
"That IS surprising!" one union source said in an email to The Insider. "I didn't know that...particularly in light of the fact that [Mr. de Blasio] is now up there with Quinn" in the polls. In fact, he is well ahead in the polls, and even when he was mired in fourth place, 1199 leaders had pledged a huge effort on his behalf. Some labor insiders predicted that with several large hospital contracts up for renegotiation in 2014, 1199 was being more frugal with its money than the other unions. And traditionally 1199 does not have the reputation for making large expenditures on its chosen candidates, preferring to focus on driving turnout among its membership. (Although the union did contribute $200,000 as of early August to a political action committee devoted to defeating former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in the comptroller's race.) So on the surface, 1199 seems to be spending far less on Mr. de Blasio than other unions have been spending for his rivals. But behind the scenes, the union's leadership insists its political operation is in full gear for the public advocate. "We've been working very hard all along since we endorsed," said Kevin Finnegan, 1199's political director. The union's work for Mr. de Blasio falls into two categories: volunteer organizing, coordinated with and paid for by the candidate's own campaign; and member-to-member advertising and communication that is separate from the campaign. Most of the union's spending in favor of Mr. de Blasio is on these member-to-member communications, which does not have to be disclosed to the city's Campaign Finance Board after the City Council voted in January to shield such communication from public view. (Predictably, the CFB is not a fan of this type of spending. "New Yorkers want and deserve access to complete information about the interests supporting candidates for City office, including mass-mailings that unions, corporations and other membership organizations use to promote candidates to their members," a CFB spokesman said.) Mr. Finnegan said 1199 had spent around $600,000 on organizing and $1 million on mailings to its members—but acknowledged that those numbers had likely since increased since he last estimated them. Meanwhile, the de Blasio campaign paid 1199 organizers hourly for help raising an army of volunteers. More than 200 union organizers were identified for this program, Mr. Finnegan said, although it is unclear how many were actually paid by the campaign for their volunteer-organizing services. "They had to pay for…organizers that worked on getting them volunteers," he said. "So they're getting billed for that." That ended Sept. 1, and simultaneously the union began its member-to-member mail and phone program. Now the union is focusing on placing around 30 MPOs—or highly trained member political organizers—in a dozen council districts, mostly in minority-heavy central Brooklyn, northern Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx, to focus on getting out the vote for Mr. de Blasio. "Beginning last night, the whole union was turned over to that effort," Mr. Finnegan said. "So we had about 250 people out knocking on doors—member doors—and talking to them about Bill de Blasio and Tish James and Scott Stringer," the union's other endorsed citywide candidates. Mr. Finnegan attributed Mr. de Blasio's recent surge—he is now polling with more than 40% of the vote—to 1199's behind-the-scenes efforts in his support. "There's no question in my mind the two are linked," he said. "His numbers began to rise as our first pieces of mail started going to our members. And I don't want to take too much credit, he's an excellent candidate, probably could have done it without us. But I'm certain we've had an impact." Labor insiders said that while UFT has huge sums of money is can spend on its candidates, and the Hotel Trades Council has a highly mobilized cadre of volunteers, the healthcare union's main strength is its reputation. "The brand itself is so powerful, even among non-union members in some of these areas," one labor operative said. "The de Blasio people can slap 1199 on a piece of mail to African-Americans: that sends a message that's as important a validation as any in the black community."
On October 5th, Come enjoy home-made food, meet MORE's educator activists, learn about our movement, and support our work to improve teaching and learning conditions! A brunch cocktail, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options will be available. RSVP online today to reserve your place at the table, and bring your donation with you! Suggested Door Donation: $20 10-20: $10 Children...
The ex-project manager of a Bronx charter school has filed a $1 million lawsuit alleging she was fired in retaliation for reporting financial and academic improprieties. Alexis Riley claims she was terminated from her $65,000-a-year job at South Bronx Classical Charter School in June shortly after notifying a supervisor that the Department of Education had been fraudulently billed for special education students who were no longer enrolled there.
Riley’s supervisor acknowledged the problem but warned her “it wasn’t worth the battle,” according to the complaint filed last week in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Riley, who has a law degree from New York Law School, also claims she uncovered plagiarized tests and the withholding of food to punish students. Riley alleges in the suit that when she brought the fraudulent invoices to the attention of the school’s executive director, Lester Long, he responded dismissively, “Oh, can they really be that off?” The final beef with school administrators came after Riley was admonished for wearing flip-flops to work because she had a dislocated bone in her foot. A message left at the school was not returned.
I support Dignity in Schools. Let's end suspension mania and find a way to deal with difficult behavioral issues in a rational way that will benefit teachers and students. I saw the Teachers Unite film Growing Fairness (see here and here) last week and that should be shown around town as an example of how students can take part in the process.
I'll write more on my feelings about discipline -- I rarely called for supervisors and I never asked to have a kid suspended. But I did teach elementary school in my own classroom with the kids all day. I had a lot of power to make their lives in school happy (and not so happy) and used it. I actually stumbled on some of the dignity in schools campaign stuff in naturally trying to figure out how to get kids to get along but wish I knew about it.
======== A New Memorandum of Understanding between the DOE and NYPD is proposed today by the Student Safety Coalition. Read the guiding principles here & more information below.
Students, Parents, Educators & Advocates Present A New Vision for School Safety in NYC Public Schools
Student Safety Coalition Urges Next Mayor to Implement Major Reform Governing Police in Schools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2013 – The Student Safety Coalition, a diverse group of educators, parents, students, advocates and legal experts, today called on New York City’s next mayor to implement reforms to end overly aggressive policing in the city schools and restore authority over school discipline to professional educators.
The coalition presented “A New Vision for School Safety” – a set of nine guiding principles for overhauling the flawed Memorandum of Understanding between the New York City Department of Education and the NYPD that governs school safety operations. Implementation of these principles would clarify that educators, not police personnel, should address the vast majority of student misbehavior.
“The massive and largely unregulated police presence in New York City’s public schools undermines the ability of school officials to provide students the safe, nurturing educational environment they deserve,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.“Much too often, we’ve seen police personnel intervene in disciplinary matters, resulting in students being roughed up, handcuffed, and even taken to jail. We urge the next mayor to restore authority over school safety and discipline where it belongs – in the hands of educators, not the NYPD.”
“A New Vision for School Safety” is the Student Safety Coalition’s latest initiative aimed at ending the school-to-prison pipeline – a nationwide system of local, state, and federal education and public safety policies that pushes students out of school and into the criminal justice system. The over-policing of New York City schools, paired with zero tolerance discipline policies in schools, contributes heavily to the school-to-prison pipeline. These policies disproportionately target youth of color and youth with disabilities.
Extensive research shows that such zero tolerance disciplinary policies fail to differentiate between minor student misbehavior and more serious safety threats, in the process involving police officers in school disciplinary matters and dramatically escalating arrests, suspensions and referrals to juvenile and criminal court.
In 1998, the then-Board of Education entered into an agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with the mayor that transferred school safety responsibilities from the DOE to the NYPD. Currently, there are more than 5,200 police personnel in the city’s schools. On its own, the NYPD’s
School Safety Division would be the nation’s fifth-largest police force – ahead of Boston, Detroit, Dallas, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.
“In order to truly improve the education of New York City’s public school students, we need to address the way they are disciplined,” said Damon Hewitt, director of the education practice of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. “Students should feel nurtured and safe at school – not degraded, mistreated, and criminalized simply for being kids. By handing disciplinary responsibility back to educators, we can reduce the role of police in schools and create a better academic environment for our students.”
In 2011-2012, there were more than 2,500 arrests and summonses and more than 69,000 suspensions in New York City public schools.While overall suspension numbers have decreased slightly, the DOE continues to report dramatic racial disparities. Black students make up only 28 percent of the student population, yet they received 53 receive of the suspensions.
Students, some as young as 5 years old, have been handcuffed, taken to jail, and ordered to appear in court for infractions such as tardiness, talking back, writing on the desk, and refusing to turn over cell phones.
Students with an arrest are twice as likely to drop out of school and those with a court appearance are four times as likely to drop out.
“The next mayor has an opportunity to improve the climate in our schools and foster a more productive form of discipline,” said Kim Sweet, executive director of Advocates for Children of New York. “This can’t happen without a change in the relationship between the NYPD and the Department of Education.”
“Students, parents and teachers need to get a bigger role in deciding what happens in our schools and safety,” said Nilesh Viswashrao, a 20-year-old youth leader of Desis Rising Up and Moving. “NYPD officers and School Safety Officers are not teachers or counselors, they are going to be able to solve the problems that we as young people go through. Our peers and educators can do that. Having police and metal detectors in schools keep youth of color like us criminalized. The MOU will be one step closer to making sure our schools are kept as learning places.”
“Our front-line staff representing children in court in all five boroughs sees first-hand that we need to keep students safely in school and prevent students from being kept out of school by over-reliance on exclusionary, criminal responses to normative child and adolescent behavior which does not create safer schools,” said Steven Banks, the Attorney-in-Chief of The Legal Aid Society, the oldest and largest legal services organization in the United States which annually handles more than 300,000 legal matters for low-income New Yorkers with civil, criminal or juvenile rights problems in addition to law reform representation that benefits all two million low-income children and adults in New York City.
The push to transform the relationship between educators and police follows the release earlier this summer of a special report by The New York City School-Justice Partnership Task Force, under the leadership of former New York Chief Judge Judith Kaye. The task force, which spent two years studying local and national school disciplinary practices, calls on the next mayor to lead, convene and implement an initiative that establishes a shared goal among city agencies, in collaboration with the courts, to keep students safely in school and use positive approaches to discipline while reducing suspensions and arrests.
“I sent my children to New York City Public School to learn the skills they needed to do so, but rather than be inspired they were confronted with metal detectors and NYPD officers every day at their school’s front door,” said Cassandra Whitney, whose two children attend city public schools. “As a parent, I am fed up. It’s time we put the power and trust back in the hands of our educators, and give the authority to determine how to provide our children safe and nurturing schools.”
The Student Safety Coalition works to end the New York City school-to-prison-pipeline and its disproportionate impact on youth of color and youth with special needs. Composed of New York City advocacy, academic and community based organizations, the coalition uses a coordinated set of legislative, public education and organizing strategies. In 2011, the coalition successfully advocated for enactment of the Student Safety Act, one of the country’s most comprehensive local reporting laws on student discipline and arrests.
The Student Safety Coalition includes: Dignity in Schools Campaign – New York, Center for Community Alternatives, Children’s Defense Fund – New York, DRUM - Desis Rising Up and Moving, The Legal Aid Society, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, Make the Road New York, National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, New York Civil Liberties Union, Teachers Unite, Urban Youth Collaborative, Advocates for Children of New York.
Blatantly self-serving. The UFT's situational approach to issues should be called Firmly Wavering... Fred Smith
The recent push back by the unions - teachers and principals- feels so self serving and risks dividing parents/students from educators further if all the messaging is about the damage to them ( via the evaluations), when the recent graduating class ( and all others after them) has only known the HST regime imposed by Bloomberg over the past 10 years..... Anon Parent
You are so right Fred. They never stood up when kids were punished /damaged by being identified by test scores, when they were denied music and art and foreign language so that they could improve scores. They never stood up when their people got after school jobs working with kids not to improve their education, but their scores in endless hours of boring test prep after school. They never stood up when there were jobs offered to improve scores which we all knew were phony. ....Loretta Prisco
Of course Mulgrew and Randi say they are against testing NOW. I can pull out Ed Notes resos at the Del Ass back in the late 90s that Unity opposed. I won't go into all the gory details of the UFT history re: testing. I think MORE is doing something on that.
The UFT is always trying to send mixed messages so they can say they are on all sides, never leading but following. Here is Fred's full response followed by more of the debate on the Change the Stakes listserve.
====== Folks, http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/test-mayoral-candidates-article-1.1444953 Ever notice how crappy testing was acceptable to the UFT when teachers could get bonuses (financial incentives) from DOE for higher test scores (pre-2009). Now, that teachers are being punished--teacher evaluations, effectiveness ratings, tenure decisions, published names--the union leader finally finds the tests offensive? And I don't recall the union ever urging teachers not to score the tests in days they could grab per session money to apply slippery rubrics to the tests' open-ended questions. Ever notice how Mulgrew keeps the need for parent involvement in what happens to their kids out of the discussion? Don't want to give a voice, real structure or a chance for unity to emerge from the adults who have the most precious stake in reforming our educational system. Blatantly self-serving. The UFT's situational approach to issues should be called Firmly Wavering. My two cents. Happy 5774. ---- Fred Smith
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Agree w/ Fred and Loretta! The recent push back by the unions - teachers and principals- feels so self serving and risks dividing parents/students from educators further if all the messaging is about the damage to them ( via the evaluations), when the recent graduating class ( and all others after them) has only known the HST regime imposed by Bloomberg over the past 10 years. Not sure how you "message" that we cared when it affected your kids and the curriculum but we never actively pushed back until it affected our jobs...( especially when we publicly celebrated, cashed in, and gamed the system). Just like the UFT is embracing the CCS ( while lamenting the lack of curriculum and training) and the whole college and career ready framework so they embraced accountability by test score all these years. Watch the usual suspect allies- see where they stand on the CCS/college and career readiness (measured by test scores and the reason we need CCS) issue, since they are the same ones that actively undermined parent push back on testing (and local control and parent empowerment) for these many years. Anon parent
