Just when we thought things couldn't get any more ridiculous comes the announcement that disgraced cheater Michelle Rhee and Co. are being invited by the Deep Pockets at Dumbocrats for Hedge errrr I mean Ed Reform to show the latest Ed Sci flick from the same knobs who cranked out Waiting for Superman. "Won't Back Down" is going to be screened at the Democratic National Convention later this month in North Carolina a drooling proud Right to Work for Less state that the Dumbocrats simply had to court. Never mind that "Won't Back Down" all ready has backed down from their asinine fund raising stunt that promised a teacher stoning booth with real rocks and prodded prospective attendees, C'mon, You Know You Always Wanted to... Meryl Streep and Josh Groden's teacher mom among others informed them that this wasn't going to fly if they still expected an appearance to happen. So the assholes who came up with it canceled it and in their retraction used what they thought was a clever and witty little take off on Green Eggs and Ham. It was so unfunny I won't dignify it with a reprint. Walden Media, who are chummy with hate groups and like to donate to anti gay groups and other bottom feeders are foisting their latest pile of celluloid shite on the unsuspecting public who don't realize that the movie actually features teachers included in and voting in favor of a "parent trigger law." I think this is about as likely as Arne Duncan counting to 21 without taking off his socks and unzipping.
I guess this is the new paradigm in America. When in doubt, MAKE SHIT UP. Chances are nobody will check on it and if they do it will be some annoying blogger nobody will hear anyway. Good luck to Mr. Blogright going up against both political parties and the main stream corporate media. Oh did I forget to mention that detail? The Republican Convention is ALSO going to screen this cinematic toilet clog to its rabid adherents as well and why not? What's the difference between Democrats for Ed Reform and the Republican Party anyway? Maybe the gender of the hookers they solicit but not much more than that. With any luck both conventions will be knocked out of kilter with whatever storm is brewing over the gulf. So here we are pedagogues, expected to go all Katie Campos and turn breathless cartwheels over Obama while his party spits in our water cooler and laughs in our faces. Please click on the Campos link if you have never seen it. Shit I read it why should YOU get out of it. That's our Assistant Secretary of Education in the sweater with the Big "O" on the front and the red white and blue pom poms. We can only wonder who her "AMAZING CONNECTION" might be but I am pretty sure he's the same AMAZING CONNECTION who put her in that job with zero, repeat zero education qualifications but lots of AMAZING CONNECTIONS. (cough cough Sam Hoyt, cough cough, Hoyt) Yeah so the picture is getting pretty damned bleak from where I sit. Whoever suggested we show up en masse at City Hall to support our union brothers and sisters in Chicago Public Schools instead of riding a bus to a boxed breakfast and a convocation from Pearly Brown is a genius. I'll use personal time if need be. We'd better start acting up and fast or we're facing the final act as public school teachers.
Maybe this is a good place to insert a little levity from our colleagues at @thechalkface.com. This message is long overdue : Click Here.
I am serious about changing the "message" and the forum on September 4th. Why should we all look like tools for Say Yes and Pamela Brown? As in Chicago, we,(teachers) are in a very precarious spot with our APPR's. In Chicago, teachers are holding "informational pickets" all around the city. They own the "message". The "message" includes topics such as a fair contract for teachers, smaller class sizes, fair compensation (as opposed to merit pay), a rich curriculum (as opposed to longer school day and scripted teaching),and fully resourced schools.
ReplyDeleteSound familiar?
We should hijack the "message" and make it our own.
The message being sent right now in Buffalo is that you, as teachers, are totally responsible for the poor performance of the students in Buffalo. You evil sinner teachers need a "savior". The Commissioner has sent us a savior in a white jacket; Judy!. The district has hired us a savior in pearls; Pam! And we should all now bow down before the sacred "data" and revere it like our high priestess "saviors" do. The data points to your teaching sins. Repent!
I do not want to attend the "High Mass" public relations event on the 4th. Insulting waste of $$$$ and shameful media event that I feel we will all leave feeling "dirty". Say Yes should be ashamed for trying to do this to us. Pamela Brown should be fired for agreeing to use us like this. It's a matter of dignity and pride. Don't do it. And along with not doing it will come the usual crap about Phil being the anti-christ of Buffalo. Let's not let that spin happen. Let's hijack the message.
Tell me where to sign up. If you haven't seen Phil's email on the topic I think he's all ready on board at least as far as this thing being foisted on us last minute like some awful, shitty, backhanded piece of tax write off disguised as charity that we pathetic wretches are expected to accept with slavish and eternal gratitude. Actually he says the real problem here is timing. First days back are for other things like setting up classrooms and meeting new colleagues. trying to get materials organized and furniture returned from wherever someone thought they'd like to stash it while the floors were being stripped etc. Apparently this was all ready in place when the new super arrived so she is shrugging this off as someone else's doing and abdicating responsibility for any role in it. Hmm is this a bad omen al ready? SayNotReally as they shall be known henceforth, after releasing all of the caveats for their "free" tuition program, like so many would be do gooders seems to think doing someone good means imposing on their first day back to work and co-opting time honored first day rituals with a cheese bus ride and a Wegman's bagel is the ultimate collaborative gesture they an offer to Buffalo teachers. I work 200 yards from a Wegman's and I can get my own bagel without anyone expecting me to violate the terms of my contract by showing up at 7:15 am for a free bus ride to my free box breakfast.
ReplyDeleteThis was NOT in place when Brown arrived. It had not even been mentioned to those in City Hall at the time.
ReplyDeleteAnon I am feeling the rage here but I have to ask where you are getting this info from. Not that I doubt it but in my position here it would make my life easier to share some notes. If you can email me at Bigseancrowleybtf88@gmail.com I would like to hear more and possibly engage in some insurrection regarding this ridiculous dog and phoney show on opening day.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at the myopic fatheadedness of a supposed educational consultant corporation who'd think nothing of co-opting an entire city's school system on their first day back. They didn't consult, they didn't collaborate and they didn't consider. They hustled Wegman's into shoveling out some free grub and in their minds that's the trump card. Really? Do they think we haven't eaten since the last paycheck in June? But then again none of these eduformers and consultants know shit about teaching and they are usually lawyers or failed capitalists of some shaky pedigree or other so why would they have a shit's clue as to what happens in school on the first day back? ...
ReplyDelete