Yes, we here at SBSB have not been to kind to UFT President Mike Mulgrew in the past. We don't
think it has ever been personal, just business. Yes, an argument can be made to tone down the snarkiness and sarcasm, but that is what makes this blog so neat.

But as was told an SBSB groupie yesterday, we will defend Mulgrew when he needs defending, as when "lawyer" Joy Hochstadt decided to rope in a naive teacher, Andrew Ostrowsky, and sued Mulgrew. We vehemently defended Mulgrew and exposed Hochstadt. The Crack Team is not aware of what became of the suit, but with Joy leading the legal team, one can only assume...

 So now is another time we here will defend Mulgrew for remarks he made at the UFT Delegate Assembly last week as reported with a great deal of hyperbole in this past Friday's New York Post, "A Union Boss Confesses."

Now, we here at SBSB while having no qualms with taking advantage of recording those affiliated with the Dark Side of the DOE, we do have qualms with whomever recorded the DA and passed it along to Chalkbeat from whence the Post got it's story. We at SBSB do not care for airing our skeletons and dirty laundry to outsiders and emphatically chastise those that do. Tape a DA fine, don't give it to the Post or Chalkbeat. There are plenty of NYC education blogs to share recordings with and that is where it should have stayed.

Mulgrew was quoted as saying in referring to the edict, or rather the sword of Governor Andy holding $290 million over the DOE's head to put in place a new evaluation system that he was going to;

 “gum up the works”

Well good for him! Our only complaint is that we wish he said this (Maybe not in those words) publicly to the rank and file and all of planet Earth last year!




And what happened? See for yourself;

@SoBronxSchool @NYGovCuomo Puhleez. Blah, blah, blah Bloomy, Cuomo, Rhee. We only care about the $290 MILLION, UFT SABOTAGE COST OUR KIDS!
— NYC Parents Union (@NYCParentsUnion) May 9, 2014

I like Mona. I have met her and talked with her and find her passionate and smart. But this time I must disagree with her.

Mona seems to have a short memory and forgot how in 2011 Bloomberg proposed cutting $350 million from the DOE budget. Or how Bloomberg wished to cut monies for special ed students to attend private schools which are their right under federal law. Or how in September 2012 Bloomberg; 

....ordered the Education Department to cut 1.6% in the current year’s budget and 4% in the following year’s spending plan.

Where was Mona's outrage then? 

Mona shared that each school was out about $200k which could have gone to the arts, to music, to AIS. But those monies were gone already and we have too many principals ignoring student's IEP's and not giving the services that are mandated by federal law. Where's Mona's outrage?

Do we know if the $290 million that Governor Andy promised would have found its way into the classrooms or have gone to pay incompetent and corrupt vendor after vendor for curricula that is irreverent and impossible?

Mona needs to understand that Governor Andy has no true care for the students of NYC. He only cares for himself and his presidential aspirations. He wanted us to whore ourselves to him to make him look good, for him to be the savior of the boys and girls of color, so that he, and only he, can run in a few primaries and raise gobs of cash which he will wind up keeping. And chances are there is some too weird Oedipal thing happening with him as well.

Mona, The Crack Team has speculated, believes Coumo when he said he was the "children's lobbyist," but nothing could be further from the truth when he pulled out all the stops of a street walker and caved to Eva and her minions and signed a bill that will force the NYCDOE to pay for charter rent in outside buildings and not to charge rent inside DOE buildings.

The charters stand to get about $40 million a year from the DOE for rent payments. Is that not monies that can be spent on the arts, music, and AIS? Again, where is Mona's outrage? What about the other 97%???

Gideon Stein, Eva's little apologist, sycophant, and boy, put it best in a New York Times op-ed in March when he came up with a great idea on what to do with the rent monies paid by charters;

Rather than paying rent to the DOE’s general fund, payments should go to the school or schools with whom the public charter is co-located.

Great idea! Perhaps each school could have received $50k from a co-located charter school? I mean we're guessing here and of course it's safe to say the co-located charters would have been paying on a sliding scale, but that still would have been monies for school for music, art, and AIS. Right Mona? Again, where is the outrage?

Mike Mulgrew was right in what he said and how he said it, and proud that he did not run away from his comments and took ownership of them. We at SBSB wish for him to continue to make such comments but in public. Not only to the rank and file, but the press, the parents, the governor and all of mankind.

Hey, do you ever think that John Candy and Steve Martin are allegorical to the deformers and the deform movement out there?

Let me be the first to explain.

Today as I was celebrating Father's Day with the traditional packing of ten years worth of stuff, my wife was saying something to me. What I still do not know, but in my ADD mind for what ever reason I conjured up the movie "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," in particular the scene in which John Candy is driving the car the wrong way down the Interstate with Steve Martin in the passenger seat. Get it? Deformers going the wrong way. We can say that John Candy represents Satan, er, I meant, Chris Christie, and Steve Martin represents GideonStein, or any two deformers that you wish.

You know if you think about it, Chris Christie is really nothing more than a shower ring salesman that dresses better than Dell Griffith.

In the car on the other side of interstate, heading in the same, albeit correct direction, are a couple (perhaps myself and TFT)warning our clueless duo that they, "are going the wrong way!" That if they don't change direction, "will kill someone!"

Of course Jon Candy believing he has done nothing amiss looks at the couple and not only questions their sanity and their sobriety, looks at Steve Martin and says, "how do they know which way we're going?" Well, if you take that allegorically, we as educators do know which way they are going and we do not like the direction and see that someone, or something is about to be killed.

TFT and myself, in fact all able minded educators know which way they are headed and the consequences that are looming. There is only one outcome for the deformers, the same that befitted John Candy and Steve Martin.

That the deformers will meet with the same fate. They will drive their misguided education car in between to tractor trailers whilst wetting themselves in the process. Chris Christie will be seen as Satan, and Gideon Stein as some scary looking skeleton.

On March 12, I wrote about one of Eva Moskowitz's official henchman Gideon Stein. But calling Gideon Eva's henchman is not enough. I think, at least my opinion is Gideon is Eva's Little mouthpiece.

Now to remind you who Gideon is, he is a very rich white man whose mission in life is to correct the behavior, culture, and education of little black boys and girls of color. The way I see it is that Gideon feels that only through the paternalistic good will that only he believes he has, that all the little boys and girls of color will learn what it means to pull up dem boot straps, comb dey hair, pull up dos pants and be able to enter through the front door and be one of Gideon's house...., well figure out the rest. Let's just say the Big House is awaiting them, through the side entrance.

Gideon as previously mentioned is a board member, along with other rich white people of Success Academy Charter Networks. Gideon was on my pal TFT's Internet radio show last week. Gideon believes that systems are failing the students, the admins, the federal government, AND teachers who don't know how to fix a broken and failed system. But, of course it's not the kids. Who ever said it was the kids? Oh yes, only Gideon says not to blame the kids. But why then when the kids enter one of Eva's reeducation camps, er, I meant schools, are the kids marched and indoctrinated lock step into a well behaved drones?

Why? Simple. Who at one of Eva's death camps would want to deal with a student that has a mind of their own? A student who will question things when older, a students who will see through the BS and doubt what Sith Lord Eva wants? Of course, wringing his hands over all of this we will find Gideon lock step into Eva's way of thinking.

Now, I, and every teacher I know, want our students to behave properly, to have good character and comportment, but not at the price of removing whatever vestiges of independent thought. What Gideon and Eva want in my opinion is not only subservience now and in the future of boys and girls of color but worse, to create worker bees in the future, in which some will prosper by design, but most will be at the beck and call and service of their rich white benefactors. It's bait and switch.

Heck, but why not? Let's pay lip service to how much we care about those kids, but in the end, we will shaft them, their culture, and their future.

Later on Gideon dares to tell TFT that, "a lot of people tend to blame poverty." But in reinventing the wheel, Gideon proclaims that "all kids can learn." No duh Sherlock, how did Gideon figure that one out? Of course all kids can learn, but can all kids excel. NO! It is mathematically impossible. But, Gideon quickly backtracks and says, "virtually all kids can learn?" Gee, that is not what he told me.

But isn't it funny how Gideon, a person not only born with a golden spoon in his mouth but a golden spike up his ass has no clue as to poverty. Gideon at one time did share with me that he has walked the streets of the South Bronx alone and had no problem. But when asked to share some landmarks he saw in the South Bronx he had no clue.

But curiously, if Gideon had walked the streets of the South Bronx what did he do when he saw more than one person of color congregating on the corner wearing colors and flashing signs? Gideon signaled for the town car that was slowly pacing him from behind to catch up and he jumped in.

Just remember this, the name Gideon was a judge for the Hebrews. That is what Gideon does. He judges. He decides who is right and who is wrong. Everyone else is wrong, especially those of color, and everyone else is right in the method that Gideon deems to fix what his perception of what is wrong, that is if you agree with his method.

But there is more to this name, more that is so much appropriate. Gideon means "feller of trees," and destroyer. That is what Gideon is. To fell the neighborhoods and the educational system that has bound cultures, generations, communities, families all together and having a true common core, togetherness, a sense of family. This he wishes to destroy in my opinion.

Why? In my opinion it is simple. Gideon is at heart a real estate developer. Schools are taking up valuable real estate space that he doesn't own or has developed. Communities in the South Bronx are ripe to be gentrified, yet again resulting in a diaspora of the people of color. Let's turn all of NYC into a playground for those white rich people, a playground that will resemble the abomination that is now the Meatpacking District.

More on Gideon later on this week. There is such so much to be written about this guy there it just can't be gotten to tonight. The crack team will surely turn up much more.

I met someone online a week or so ago. My Jewish parents would have been proud. He is a very wealthy man that fights for the rights of little boys and girls of color. Who is this man? He is Gideon Stein, board member of Success Charter Whatevers (click to see Gideon listed under "Our Leaders") and el presidente de Future Is Now Schools. Thanks to his largesse the poverty stricken have a friend.

I met, or rather a started a tweet relationship with Gideon through mutual friend The Frustrated Teacher. Both TFT and myself have fun with Gideon as he continuously, yet thoughtfully, gets caught in both our direct and quite pointed questions put to him. But, and this happens quite a bit, when pressed, when truly made to stick up for what he claims, Gideon seems to do what King Arthur's men did in Monty Python's The Holy Grail.

Now what endears me most about Gideon is how he, from the UWS gilded ivory tower in which he lords down upon those to 125th St, has all the answers. Or does he?

This past Friday, Gideon guested on TFT's radio show. I listened with bemusement as Gideon went through the great teachers, poverty is no excuse, blah, blah, blah, and thought of something. Yes, all children can learn, but can all children excel? And this is what I asked Gideon the following day through a little differently worded.

Gideon replied;

assuming a basic level of cognitive ability, then yes, virtually all students can perform at high levels.

Now of course not only myself, but 99.99% of teachers truly want what is best for their students. All 99.99% do what they can, want to, and wish to have each of their students reach their full potential. But, can all students excel? It is just statistically impossible and a quite broad statement. But again, excel has not been defined. What is a high level? I was just as smart, if not smarter than those I graduated high school with that got the 1500 on their SAT's, went to the Ivy League schools, etc... I didn't "excel."However, I believe that what Gideon means is that all will do well on standardized tests if students are continuously taught to the test which will keep that Title I money flowing into the coffers.

Yet I continued in the garbleness. I asked Gideon;

So all pitchers can pitch like Koufax, singers can all be Pavorotti, all drummers can drum like Neil Peart?

Gideon's answer was awesome,

 @SoBronxSchool @tfteacher you're being silly. all kids should be able to perform at high levels, go on to college or good career.

I fail to see the silliness. Using Gideon's logic, a child should be able to attain these goals. In fact all three of the above mentioned did not graduate college. But I digress.

My 10 1/2 year old son plays travel baseball. He trains year round. Should he be able to perform at high level of baseball and go on to play at the very least minor league baseball or get a scholarship to a Division 1 college? If this does not happen, do I blame the coaches and/or training he has had throughout the years, myself, he DNA?

Gideon went on to explain  that all will not get into Harvard (still missing my point) but rather will be able to get into college (just like all those remedial students thanks to Uncle Mike) and have a career. Now one must wonder does he mean career like when I was in my 20's and my short, Jewish great aunt would chide me time and time again to go to trade school so I can learn a good trade? Or does perhaps Gideon mean a career in which one's collar is blue and which his type of done everything to be rid of good blue collar jobs in this country.

I had one last question for Gideon. I was not college ready at 18 when I graduated high school. Why, I asked Gideon who seemed to have all the answers wasn't I college ready? Gideon, much to my surprise did not have the answer. He couldn't even surmise or speculate. Even Raegen Miller, a guest I had on my show with Leonie Haimson back in May at least speculated that if I had a teacher who had graduated from the top of their class I would have done better in high school.

What does college ready mean? What does it mean to excel? I was far from college ready when I graduated high school. I got an 800 on my PSAT's taken in my junior year. I know for a fact that nothing that my school would have done would have made me a better student in high school, nor prepped me to go to college.

I graduated in from high school in 1982, between that year and 1991 I played musical colleges, as well as musical majors. Once school I went to was where my girlfriend at the time went. I got serious in 1991 at the age of 27. I graduated from a run of the mill SUNY school in which I felt comfortable at. Is someone who had graduated Harvard smarter than me, or more capable? I barely cracked a book the last two years before I graduated and got nothing but A's and B+'s. Is that how one can be college ready?

Maybe it was my mother when I was 4 years old and taken to the speech therapist who told my mother that I would never be able to read at grade level. God damn, she did not like nor accept that answer. She, made me read and read and read.

This is why I am what I am with this blog and my many opinions. I identify with our students that we all see everyday. The students who each and every day in school is a struggle. I see how the system is day in and day out screwing them royally. Guess what? I don't think, I KNOW what needs to be done to help these kids. I KNOW what they don't want. I have lived it all to well.

I know what it was like to know the subject matter like the back of my hand but when confronted with a test froze, became terrified, acted out, projected, etc... We, not we but rather THEY, the deformers, those that live above it and have not experienced education are the ones that are hurting these children each and every day that they are allowed to bogart there way, their thoughts, their so called "birthrights" into our students.

They must and need to be stopped before any further damage is done.

Gideon, please tell me, why wasn't I ready for college?