The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For Superman

Detroit Teachers Union members take over union meeting in recall fight!

The following is a summary (with video) of the Detroit teachers union membership meeting Thursday, January 14th, 2010. Background Note: The DFT Executive Board had voted the night before to dismiss the 1300 member petition signatures calling for Johnson’s recall, though the recall process in our union constitution gives them NO authority on this matter, … Continue reading →

GEM at Smith HS urges citywide protests against closure

Jan. 11, 2010 — Alfred E. Smith Vocational CTE High School, Bronx Click here for video. Seung Ok & Angel Gonzalez of GEM send solidarity and loud message to Smith HS and other NYC schools targetted for closing: Protest citywide and build a grassroot organizations to fight school closings and the drive to privatize public … Continue reading →

Metropolitan Corporate Academy HS closure hearing, Jan. 14, 2010

Metropolitan Corporate Academy students, parents, educators, and alumni came together in powerful unity on Thursday, January 14, 2010, speaking passionately and courageously about their school. Click here to view the video. While the building doesn’t present itself as much from the outside, we instantly felt the sense of community and family upon entering the door.Testimonies … Continue reading →

Beach Channel & Jamaica Students Support Smith Against Closure

Jan. 11, 2009 – Alfred E. Smith High School, Bronx A standing room only crowd filled the AE Smith auditorium to oppose Bloomberg’s Department of Education’s (DOE) plan to close Smith down. Students, parents, teachers, politicians & community activists, including business leaders, defended Smith’s track record in providing essential vocational and technical career training to … Continue reading →

PAREMOS: El Cierre de Las Escuelas PúblicasPor Bloomberg y La Invasión Por Escuelas “Charter”PROTESTAJueves 21 de enero4 – 6:30 PMCalle 79 y la 5ta AvenidaNos reuniremos en la cuadra dela residencia del Alcalde BloombergÚnase a esta protesta para apoyar a los estudiantes, padres, y maestr@s de las 22 escuelas afectadas por la propuesta del cierre … Continue reading →

School Closure Forums at Columbus High School (1/7/10) and at the Choir Academy of Harlem (1/8/10)

The Columbus community walked around their school building three times in a demonstration of school pride before they confronted the New York City Department of Education in their school’s auditorium. Members from the Columbus community, including students, parents and teachers, presented data from the DoE’s own web site that not only disputed claims that they … Continue reading →

Fight for the Right to Protest on the Mayor’s Block

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 NYC Parents, Students, and Teachers Fight for the Right to Protest on the Mayor’s Block Today, attorneys Norman Siegel and Herbert Teiteleaum filed papers in United States District Court, Southern District, on behalf of a parent, two students and a teacher who are members of The Emergency Coalition to Stop School … Continue reading →

Protest Bloomberg’s School Closings & Charter School Invasions

CITYWIDE PROTEST Jan. 21 – Thurs 4 – 6:30 PM Gather on the Mayor’s Block! 79th St. & 5th Av. Join us in support of the students, parents, teachers and communities of over 22 schools affected by the proposed closings and charter takeovers. o We are picketing Bloomberg’s residence because he is in charge of … Continue reading →

Save Alfred E. Smith High School – A Gateway for Students

Jan. 8, 2010 – Alfred E. Smith High School, Bronx Smith H.S. rallied 100 people to fight against Bloomberg’s attempt to close this invaluable gateway for many Bronx working class students. Students led the chants and pleaded passionately to save Smith and its many vocational programs that provide lifelong careers. Many graduates have earned jobs … Continue reading →

Twitter: A Grassroots Organizing Tool

January 04, 2010 Steward’s Corner: Txt & Tweet 2 Org & Inform Excerpt from the January, 2010 issue of Labor Notes. By Paul Abowd Online social media tools like Twitter are often dismissed as time-wasters for the procrastinator in all of us. But they’re also being harnessed for greater causes. You can use Twitter and … Continue reading →