Gov. Paterson says teachers' unions "can scream all they want"

[madfloridian]

Arne's money is turning governors and school districts against teachers and their unions. It is happening all over the country to get part of the billions Duncan has just for those who will increase charter schools...even if teachers' hard earned union benefits are lost.

This is a particularly nasty statement by Governor David Paterson:

Paterson, Teachers' Unions Face Off

Gov. David Paterson is heading into the new year taking on Albany's most powerful special interest on two fronts that will test the influence of the teachers' union and put $700 million in federal funding on the line.

Paterson is fighting a lawsuit and biting rhetoric from the New York State United Teachers union, two school administrators' groups and the state School Boards Association. They sued to keep the state from delaying 10 percent of aid payments due in December that Paterson had ordered as part of wide-ranging cost-control measures to keep the state out of fiscal crisis.

"It's almost like children who start screaming and pulling the covers over their head to make the monsters go away,'' Paterson told The Associated Press.

"Well, they can scream all they want and pull the wool over their eyes, but the public sees the monsters of the lack of cash and the monsters of unavailability of credit are here, and someone is going to have to be the adult force that comes into the room and gets rid of the monsters,'' he said."And the only way to do that is to practice a new culture of governance called discipline financing.''

It is called union busting with the blessings of the federal government.

Money brings out the greed and irrationality in many ways.

That is a Democratic governor attacking teachers' unions in a very ugly way.

We have known for years that charter schools are no better than traditional public schools.

"Published on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 by the Boston Globe
Charter Schools' Troubled Waters
by Derrick Z. Jackson

Despite promising us a compass, charter schools have hit another shoal. More evidence says they are no better than public schools.

"Proponents of charter schools have a deregulationist view of education that says the marketplace leads to better schools," Lawrence Mishel, president of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Economic Policy Institute, said over the telephone. "The facts of the matter suggest that this view is without merit."

..."In a politically charged environment where the White House and many governors, including Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, are pushing charter schools, the authors found that federal data "fail to confirm claims that the performance of charter schools improves as these schools accumulate experience." Charter schools four years or older "report lower scores than new charter schools.

That is from 2005, and there is much more data. Yet the new Secretary of Education continues on the mission to pay for the change he wants.

It does not seem to matter that he is pitting teachers against governors and everyone else who benefits from Arne's money.

[eleny]

1. More of that "whining" type meme we're seeing so much these days

[Echo In Light]

23. Rightward leaning types tend to cast others' unfavorable views that way to downplay content

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. If the following is true where did the Taylor Law come from:

>>>>Few governors have taken on the teachers' union and its labor allies and none can say they won.>>>>>

[H2O Man]

3. Soon to be ex-Governor Paterson

should also realize that there are a heck of a lot of people who are the friends and neighbors of local teachers. We will support them when we go into the voting booth. But we won't be supporting him.

[madfloridian]

6. I appreciate your comment. He showed an ugly side there.

As a retired teacher, I feel the pain of teachers who are still trying to save public education.

[tonysam]

4. It shocks the hell out of me that so-called Democratic politicians

are pushing for policies which are right-wing in nature and are basically anti-democratic.

[madfloridian]

5. It's the money. Brings out the greed.

[defendandprotect]

24. Democratic Party co-opted over 40 years and more now . . .

the effects of corporate money and right wing destruction on Democratic Party

have become increasingly visible -- and increasingly undeniable --

What's Plan B????

We can't keep doing the same thing we've been doing for 40 years -- ignorning this --

and expecting different results!!!

Can we . . . ???

[chill_wind]

7. Ugly attack. Ugly is the word. K & R. n/t

[madfloridian]

12. Yes.

Too much it lately.

[LWolf]

8. So, who will stand with us?

And who will join the privatizers?

[madfloridian]

11. First people need to listen.

I have been casually asking questions of people in this area, and they don't have a clue about what is happening.

It is so hard to tell the difference unless the word charter is in the school name.

If it says academy, it may or may not be charter....but in most minds just the name choice makes it better than regular schools.

[LWolf]

15. Yes.

There is a great deal of misunderstanding about charter schools, their history, and the differences between a charter school and a public school.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. What an ass

[madfloridian]

10. ....

Indeed. :)

[Danger Mouse]

13. Paterson's just mad because he's a shitty governor and everybody including him knows it.

He'll be gone soon, and good riddance.
The ass.

[Jakes Progress]

14. Yep. Those evil old unions.

Aren't we all glad the the brave Democratic party is helping to destroy unions? Thank goodness that we can soon be rid of their hinderance to the coming Corporate state.

[Nikki Stone1]

16. The contempt for teachers is mindboggling. And so is the goal of Piratization.

Creating good little workers for a strict class structure.

[madfloridian]

17. Yes, there is open contempt for teachers now.

Money buys anything now.

[defendandprotect]

25. Right wing has been working on creating that contempt for teachers for decades . ..!!!

Amazing how well right wing propaganda works -- !!!

[Thickasabrick]

18. I thought he wanted to run again. If he screws the unions, who is

left to vote for him?

[madfloridian]

19. I am getting together a list of states that are acting like this...

to get the money. They are almost all giving in for the money.

MI and Granholm are adding more charter schools to get the money. I am getting the list together.

[Thickasabrick]

20. I am not as familiar with this issue as I should be. My sister is a

teacher but she lives in GA and there is no union.

How does the administration feel about Charter schools?

[madfloridian]

21. Here's some info

Obama and Arne support turning public schools into charters. They support more and more testing for students, and grading teachers on the testing. This gives students undue power over teachers. There is more to learning than one test.

Arne offers money to push districts to turn failing schools into charters, or have private managers.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5463

What is really disturbing is that the administration is putting the policies into force in education that Newt Gingrich wanted for years. In fact he is campaigning with Arne on the new agenda.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5054

[defendandprotect]

26. Obama is backing Charter schools !!!!!!

[donco6]

41. I don't know any who AREN'T

They're all after the RTTT funds, and this is what's required to get them.

[defendandprotect]

22. Unions supported Obama . . . more "change we can believe in..."??????

[THUNDER HANDS]

27. Obama has what to do with this?

oh wait, nothing, just more complaining from the "my candidate didn't win the primaries" brigade.

carry on.

[madfloridian]

29. Obama supports what Duncan is doing.

He campaigned for it last year. Teachers were wary then, but now they are getting mad when they finally realize what is happening.

Obama is president, Arne is a golf buddy. He appointed him to the DOE, he supports him.

[defendandprotect]

38. Everything . . . Obama is supporting Charter schools . . .

[donco6]

40. HUH? Duncan is on Obama's CABINET.

You can't get any closer to Obama. Obama CHOSE Arne because of this plan. He supports it utterly. And he's utterly wrong on it.

[LWolf]

42. Obama appointed Duncan, knowing his atrocious record in Chicago,

knowing that he is not an educator, knowing his privatizing, union-busting preferences.

Obama approves of what Duncan is doing. He's said so. As a matter of fact, Duncan isn't doing anything Obama didn't campaign on.

Obama has everything to do with this.

[blondeatlast]

28. Keep talking Paterson--right outta office. This Arizona glass will be raised to your defeat. nt

[whistler162]

30. Must destroy strong candidates.... must not let them survive!!!!

The man is making the hard decisions. Your solution to our, New York's, budgetary problems?

[madfloridian]

31. Teachers are NOT to blame for NY's financial problems. He insulted them.

When did it become ok to talk publicly about teachers that way?

[whistler162]

32. Insulting is sugar coating a problem and hoping it goes away.

But, apparently you prefer that treatment over being treated like adults!

[madfloridian]

34. "apparently you prefer that treatment over being treated like adults"

You mean talking to teachers like that is an adult method?

I don't even understand your responses.

[w4rma]

33. Obama is screwing up BADLY on economic issues. He's listening to the DLCers and Rahm's brother who

wants to privatize our schools.

[MadHound]

35. This is spreading throughout the country, not just New York.

A local school board president is also planning on instituting merit based pay, based of course on test scores.

Hoped against hope that this shit would be discontinued under Obama. Instead it has been accelerated and the damage done to our public school system is going to take generations to repair.

[eilen]

45. teachers will run from inner city schools. nt

[spoony]

50. It's really bad in Detroit.

Teachers are being punished for the corruption of city and school board leaders and state negligence. It's weird because, even though people carp about those problems, they nevertheless dump it all on the teachers to balance the budget. So messed up.

[Dinger]

36. That Idiot Is Gonna Lose

Apparently he isn't doing too well.

http://www.buffalonews.com/181/story/864358.html


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/ny_gov_david_paterson_pursues.html


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/20/paterson-planning-2010-ru_n_292735.html


A teacher needs to run against this asshole.


Yes, I know these are older links, but I'm sure there are more.

[Dinger]

37. They'll Vote Against You too asshole, And Anybody Else Who Talks That Shit (nt)

[donco6]

39. This is nationwide now, and I think the only answer is a nationwide strike.

A nationwide teacher's strike. If it's not done now, it's going to be TOO LATE.

[LWolf]

43. I hope NY's teachers are organizing to take Paterson down. nt

[cornermouse]

44. Yet another sign of how far the democratic party

has gotten from its roots. I'm sorry. I saw they locked your post. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right.

[madfloridian]

46. Thanks for the comment.

That is two this week that met the same fate.

[phasma ex machina]

47. Deleted

[Nikki Stone1]

48. .

.

[nikto]

49. DON'T FORGET--OBAMA IS AIDING & ABBETTING PUBLIC SCHOOL TAKEOVERS!!

If you define Obama by what he actually supports, finances and actively pushes,
he really looks like a vile, corporatist scumbag in his treatment of Public Schools.

Obama's policy is actually a STRENGTHENING and REINFORCEMENT of the Bush NCLB policy.

My school in Los Angeles is being systematically destroyed from within, as
Charterization moves ever-closer and the school scrambles to change/adjust
in order to avoid the inevitable.

The environment of the place has become toxic, in many aspects.
Very paranoid & fearful.

And for what?
Because we have a large number of dysfunctional, gang/street-type kids who are hostile to learning in the classroom.
And lots of clueless adult "Inspectors" who criticize the TEACHER for the dysfunctional 30-40% of
students who do grafiti, for students
not carrying books, failing the class,
using electronic devices, sitting like a slug & doing nothing in class, etc etc

They are the first students Charter schools kick out (I have a number of kids
who have already been kicked out of a local charter & express PRIDE about it--Total behavioral wackos
who seemingly LIVE to abuse other kids, teachers, and any
piece of public property they can reach).

These kids' problems are poverty, environment and lifestyle-based, not based in lack of
rote-style education (which is what we are pushed to give) or low test scores.

But Obama's people don't care, because, as with BUSH's people, it's all about THEM,
ALL the time, and whatever they can STEAL for themselves.

America & its problems be damned.

To me, this is a bigger betrayal when it comes from Democrats.

These Democrats must be destroyed.


A nationwide teacher's strike sounds like a good idea.

Too bad it'll never happen.

[nikto]

51. THESE ARE THE 3 BEST SITES FOR INFO ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOL PRIVATIZATION

All 3 have very up-to-date info
and are written by regular folks who actually are AMERICAN HEROES WHO ARE
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT AGAINST DARK, POWERFUL FORCES, WITH LITTLE HELP!!

Here they are:

http://www.schoolsmatter.info/

http://perimeterprimate.blogspot.com/

http://www.susanohanian.org/


These 3 sites will tell you anything you need to know about the horrors that were unleashed
to disrupt & feed on Public Education with No Child Left Behind, and reinforced
by Obama's decidedly pro-corporate administration.

[Fruittree]

52. It's actually complicated..

I live in upstate New York and although I support teachers, appreciate their hard work and support funding for schools there is another side. The schools are supported by a tax on property. We own a small (1200 sq. ft.), uninsulated, cinder block house with a small studio apartment (again, uninsulated and cinder block) and we pay close to $6,000 per year in school and property taxes. People have been losing their jobs in this area and incomes are not high. My understanding is that teacher salaries are actually pretty good here. They have good health insurance and good job security. Our taxes also go to support a lot of highly paid administrators and what seems to me wasteful spending on sports facilities which benefit only some kids. Maybe if the budgets are tightened there will be some incentive to look at spending, evaluate programs and put the money where it really counts. Some tax relief would be nice too. I don't mind an income tax but this tax on property which is not tied to income is pretty unfair.