I was interviewed today by a Seattle radio reporter who said that the teachers who refused to give the MAP test may be fined 10 days pay.
I told him they were acting in the finest tradition of American resistance to unjust authority. I mentioned Thoreau and King as Americans who blazed the trail of resisting injustice. King taught us the power of collective action. He taught us that unity of large numbers of people can defeat money and political power.
There are two ways the Garfield teachers can win.
One is if teachers at every other school in Seattle join them. In unity is strength.
Second, if they are fined, I will personally lead a campaign to raise money to make up what they lose. I urge the Garfield teachers and their friends to open a bank account. I will gladly make the first contribution.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I am in too. I am certain that there are enough teachers who understand the gravity of this situation that we can fully compensate the Garfield teachers for any money lost due to their just protest.
I’m in. I wish the teachers in my district would follow suit and refuse to give the Easy CBM – especially to Kindergartners and first graders.
I’ll be the second.
Okay, the fourth.
We could probably raise enough to get them thru the whole year!
prof.ravitch,you have your honor roll list.i have my hero list.you top my list.
I was polite and to the point in my email
To: “superintendent@seattleschools.org”
Dear Supt. Banda:
I am sure you are getting a lot of letters on the Garfield teachers, but
let me bring up on point that may be be very important for the fiscal
well-being of the Seattle schools.
Evaluating teachers using a measure that was not designed to measure their effectiveness
seems like a set up to me.
Are you ready for the lawsuits that will likely ensue?
Thanks so much. I know your job is not an easy one.
Sincerely,
Brian Ford
Perfect!
What an excellent idea! Consider it stolen.
Count me in.
I will make a contribution as well.
I am in as well.
I would contribute.
I’m in.
I am ready to make my contribution, as well.
It’s too bad that Superintendent Jose Banda doesn’t realize he has awesome teachers and should be standing right beside them in solidarity. The teachers are doing their job — protecting their students from being a commodity traded on Wall Street and are acting in a most professional manner. They refused to do harm to their students. These teachers are courageous and ethical. I salute them! I stand by these brave and moral Garfield teachers!
Count me in. If this moves forward, I’ll ask my union to contribute, as well.
Another excellent idea. I’ll be moving towards this as well. Diane, let us know when you are ready to collect this money ASAP.
He should be standing with his staff.
Count me too.. Also my favorite thoreau line from civil disobedience…it [government] does not educate.
I’m in. I consider my contribution to the CTU strike some of the best money I’ve ever spent.
Talked to my union pres. to see if we can get the ball rolling to get an endorsement from the union at th state level in illinois. Any il teachers do the same IFT.
I would be my honor to contribute!
I want to give. Can’t be much, but I’ll do it.
(Video) Garfield Teachers on Democracy Now broadcasted on 1/29/2013
We need to support these teachers. This is the least we can do. Give me an address, Garfield, I will support you. Kandy Lippincott
I’ll be glad to put my money where my mouth is!
Just tell us where to send the money!
I will happily contribute to the teachers.
I applaud Seattle’s Garfield teachers and the teachers of Chicago in their brave fight vs these authoritarian regimes. It is with regret that NYS and NYC teachers can’t muster up the same initiative…because of a 45 year old “Taylor Law” which states:
§210
Prohibition of Strikes
“1. No public employee or employee organization shall engage in a strike, and no public employee or employee organization shall cause, instigate, encourage, or condone a strike”, …making it a crime for public employees and their unions to… “cause, instigate, encourage or condone a strike.
and…”Not earlier than thirty nor later than ninety days following the date of such determination, the chief fiscal officer of the government involved shall deduct from the compensation of each such public employee an amount equal to twice his daily rate of pay for each day or part thereof that it was determined that he had violated this subdivision; such rate of pay to be computed as of the time of such violation.”
Seven years after 2 notorious 1967 and 1968 strikes with hefty fines imposed on the union and union leader Al shanker jailed, NYC teachers walked out ( I was one) for five days in 1975 over swelling class sizes after the near-bankrupt city laid off 18,000 teachers and other school employees, the union was again fined and lost dues check-off. That five-day strike also cost members 10 days’ pay, although make-up time was negotiated and deferred wage increases were eventually paid.
After a 2 day walkout in 1990 and a three day walkout in 1999 Yonkers teachers suffered 2-for-1 wage penalties.
The Buffalo Teachers Federation, for instance, struck in September 2000; the consequences was a fine of double a day’s wage for every work day the teachers were on strike.
There should also be a fight to reform this draconian anti public worker law that set the tone oh so long ago.
I am curious about the “fine” system of NYS and NYC schools. Where can I go to find out more about this system?
Read the NYC Educator blog!!!
Thanks for the heads-up. Greatly appreciated.
I’m in and will share with my public university students who see the importance ot this issue. I see the beginnings of a new civil rights movement brewing.
Diane, if you need to start a relief fund for the Garfield teachers let’s call it the “Count Me In!” campaign.
Count me in too!
🙂
An aside: note what is often the first response of the charterites/privatizers and their supporters [among them, elected and appointed public school officials]: financial bullying of those who oppose their immoral actions and doomed-to-failure schemes. Again and again and again, they show their devotion to the only measure they know and value: the Benjamins.
To all the posters on this blog: that is one of the reasons why I call them “edubullies.”
Diane, I will join you in contributing to a fund for teachers standing up for their students and their profession.
I’m in, and I’m spreading the word! Please, someone, provide a mailing address, as I don’t like to send via e-mail.
I’d be happy to contribute to aid in the support of our brother and sister educators.
I’m in!
Amen, Diane. At my local’s representative council meeting next Tuesday, I’m adding this to the agenda. Thanks to you and our trail-blazing brothers and sisters in Washington!
I have seen my take home pay go down for the past two years, but there is still enough left to support these folks if they need it! I’m in!!!!!!!
Will contribute what I can and will fundraise and publicize as well.
Thank you, Seattle Garfield teachers, and thank you Diane Ravitch. Count me in as another contributor. Solidarity from Portland, Oregon.
Count me in!!
In here!!!
I will be happy to contribute!
I hope this group has partnered with Parents Across America and the film Race to Nowhere!?
I’m in. Go Garfield.
I’m in, Go Garfield.
So in. In until Pearson has to open up a bank account and ask for contributions.
This Sacramento Teacher is in!
Count me in as well! Garfield teachers chose “boycott” to remind folks of the Civil Rights movement of the 60’s and to help all of us make our way through the present complicated, stealth attack on public education to see the new face of the old forces of racism, classism, sexism.
I’m in!
This high-stakes testing is just setting up the kids and schools to fail. It’s a back door privatization scheme. Count me in.
THANK YOU! Count me in. Sharing.
I will definitely contribute and I am spreading the word.
Thank you! I’ll support this effort with a donation and I’ll spread the word.
I’m in, too.
[…] Education Advocates Offer Help The Seattle school district is threatening to fine teachers who do not administer the high-stakes-test ten days of their pay. Education historian and public education advocate Diane Ravitch told a Seattle radio reporter that the teachers can win this if educators at other schools come on board. She reminded listeners that Martin Luther King “taught us the power of collective action. He taught us that unity of large numbers of people can defeat money and political power.” Then Ravtich offered: “if they are fined, I will personally lead a campaign to raise money to make up what they lose. I urge the Garfield teachers and their friends to open a bank account. I will gladly make the first contribution.” [Diane Ravitch, 1-31-13] […]