http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2013/01/adding-value-to-worthless.html

Today, on the first anniversary of the premiere, GEM and Real Reform Studios are making the film available online at https://vimeo.com/41994760. We invite everyone to hold screenings, download and burn copies of the movie. Please consider donating to our film so that we can continue promoting and sharing the film around the country.

The Grassroots Education Movement Response to “Waiting for Superman” now available online

 Date:  May 19, 2012

Contact:

Lisa Donlan, Parent and President CEC1:  917-848-5873

Julie Cavanagh, Teacher PS 15, GEM/CAPE: 917-836-6465

Brian Jones, Teacher PS 30, GEM: 646-554-8592

Now online: The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For “Superman”

One year ago, The Grassroots Education Movement premiered a new documentary, written and directed by New York City public school teachers and parents, created in response to Davis Guggenheim’s highly misleading film. Waiting for “Superman” would have audiences believe that free-market competition, standardized tests, destroying teacher unions, and the proliferation of charter schools are just what this country needs to create great public schools.

The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For “Superman” highlights the real-life experiences of public school parents, students and educators to show how these so-called reforms are actually hurting public education. The film discusses the kinds of real reform – inside schools and in our society as a whole  – that we urgently need to genuinely transform education in this country.

Harlem Premiere Featured Special Guest, Diane Ravitch

The film premiere was held May 19^th, 2011 at the Assembly Hall of The Riverside Church in Harlem and featured historian Diane Ravitch as the honored guest. Since then, we have offered the DVD free of charge and encouraged viewers to make their own copies to distribute. Today, an estimated 15,000 copies are in circulation. Requests have come in from all 50 states and 6 continents. Various unions, parent groups, college professors, public libraries and community members have organized screenings all around the country. We’ve also had news of screenings in India, Turkey, England, New Zealand and Australia. Demand has been so great that we are currently working on a Spanish language version of the film.

The full version of the film is now online at vimeo: https://vimeo.com/41994760

For more information about the film, visit:

http://www.waitingforsupermantruth.org

Testing opt out flier 3-12

Hello All!

I hope this finds you well. Together with many others, I have been busy putting together a panel* on high-stakes testing that will take place at BNS on Mon March 19. It’s being sponsored by the BNS/BCS (PS146) PAC and PS 29 and we are hoping for a full house of folks–from lots of schools and throughout the community.

I am sure you are learning about our event through the numerous listservs we are all connected to and have possibly been invited already.  I’d love to invite you to help spread the word on your listservs and with our posters in advance and also invite you and your organizations to bring information about the great work you are doing around these issues.  We will have 2 or more information tables for hand outs, books, petitions, dvds or any other literature you have to share, and if you would like to speak with visitors, this would be a great way to explain what you are doing.

Please let us know if you will attend or send someone, or can leave materials for us to display.  Also, let us know if you have any special requests.

I am attaching a jpeg here that is good for sharing electronically (to listserv, FB page, etc.) as well as 2 color posters and on b + w.

Since we are providing childcare and pizza for the children, we hope this makes it even easier for families to attend what we expect to be a timely, lively and informative panel.  (See details below)

All the best,

Janine Sopp

HIGH STAKES 101

What does high stakes testing mean

for our children?

our teachers?

our schools?

MONDAY, MARCH 19 at 6:30pm

*Education reporter Meredith Kolodner (Daily News, InsideSchools)

will moderate a panel discussion with distinguished guests: 

Shael Polakow-Suransky
Chief Accountability Officer of the NYC Dept. of Education

Sean Feeney

Principal of the Wheatley School and Author of the New York Principals APPR Position Paper

Elijah Hawkes

Former Principal of The James Baldwin Expeditionary Learning School

Q&A TO FOLLOW

If interested in CHILDCARE and PIZZA (starting at 6 PM, $5 suggested donation), RSVP to rsvp@bns146.org

THE BROOKLYN NEW SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

610 HENRY STREET @3rd PLACE

F or G to Carroll St. station, exit 2nd Place

STATE OF THE UNION

Part 2: NEXT STEPS

MARCH 10: 10am-4pm
Graduate Center for Workers Education (25 Broadway)

On February 4, over 200 people attended State of the Union – Part 1, featuring 15 workshops focusing on issues facing the UFT in the age of ed deform.

That was only the beginning.

Join us on March 10 to help plan the next steps in moving our union forward, and unite those who came together on February 4th into a common organization.
As the UFT and NYSUT agree to an evaluation system that requires 40% of evaluations to be based on state or local high stakes tests, mandates unannounced observations, and allows for an independent appeal on only 13% of first time ineffective ratings, it becomes even more urgent to discuss how we can build a movement in our union to fight for an alternative to the concessionary approach.

We are asking for a $5-$10 contribution at the door to pay for expenses incurred for this event.
Childcare available upon email request before Thursday 3/8

For more info, find us on Facebook: State of the Union or email sotuuft@gmail.com

Click here to download a three fold legal sized pamphlet:
Truth About Testing legal size pdf

Find out by downloading our brochure here!