On the eve of the national conventions of the two major teachers’ unions, the BATS–a voluntary association of 48,000 teachers–voted “no confidence” in Arne Duncan and called for his replacement.
This is their statement:
“Badass Teachers Association
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 22, 2014
More Information Contact:
Marla Kilfoyle, General Manager, BATs
Melissa Tomlinson, Asst. General Manager, BATs
contact.batmanager@gmail.com
The Badass Teachers Association (BATs), an association of over 48,000 teachers, has taken a vote of NO CONFIDENCE in U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. This vote signifies that teachers around the nation do not support the educational agenda set forth by the Obama Administration and Secretary Duncan. Race to the Top fails to serve our neediest children and it fails to address race and class inequalities in the education system.
BATs Co-Founder Mark Naison states in his letter to President Obama, “The joy and creative learning that your own children experience in one of the nation’s top private schools are being driven out of public schools throughout the nation with startling rapidity. Teachers work in fear. Students learn under extreme stress. Parents wonder why their children have started to hate school. ”
Marla Kilfoyle, General Manager of BATs states, “Secretary Duncan’s continued public attacks on parents, students, and teachers have further eroded our confidence in his ability to run the U.S.D.O.E. and to make decisions for our nation’s public schools. His continued support of corporate education reform, which is dismantling public education in America, furthers our resolve to have him removed from office.”
Melissa Tomlinson, Asst. General Manager of BATs claims, “Arne Duncan, as Secretary of Education, has failed to fulfill the responsibility of this position to provide and maintain the basic human right to education as set out in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations. His failure to fulfill the obligation, and responsibility to provide the necessary financial support to public schools, is neglectful of the required compliance to the ‘4 A’s Framework’ that dictate all schools be available, accessible, acceptable, and adaptable. With this in mind,we have an obligation to replace him with a person that is better qualified to do so.”
###
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Bats should consider a “no confidence” vote for Randi Weingarten (AFT) and Dennis Van Roekel (NEA).
LikeLike
Agreed. Both should have been on the forefront of what went down in California. Teacher tenure rights stripped…and not a peep, no ACTION, from the union. What’s wrong with this picture?
LikeLike
Agreed! CTA, NEA, AFT, UTLA are all on the take! Teachers need to file lawsuits against these crooks and take their protests to the courts!!
LikeLike
I was about the write the identical thing. They should both be summarily displaced.
LikeLike
Comical and at the same time outrageous that the author of this log continues to promote this self serving cadre of loose cannons without addressing any of the same critical remarks once encounters every time their silly name is mentioned. The group is Pol Pot like in its refusal to allow debate or discussion let alone criticism of Naison who is not a public school teacher or Priscilla another non teacher who at several points exhorted fellow assbats to enroll pets as members for the sake of inflating the membership numbers. The author of this blog is a huge supporter of Randi Weingarten and also of Naison, two divisive figures whose motives are far from clear and even further from supporting rank and file classroom grunts. Nowhere in these remarks does the blog’s author address the criticisms of the BATS. Even though credible union folks and the majority of writers at Atthechalkface.com have disavowed any association with this bunch, the author continues in a tone deaf manner to promote the group and ancourage real teachers to submit to its infantile rhetoric and punitive antics.
Yet for some inexplicable reason after ignoring the multiple criticisms of BATS, the author leaps into the fray to defend Bill Moyers, surely another of those Olympean friends none of us small folk are likely to bump into any time soon. Defending Moyers, Weingarten and Naison sends a message to rank and filers in the classroom Diane. The message reminds me of the old Starfish Tuna ads of my childhood. Charlie had good taste but Starkist didn’t want him cuase he didn’t taste good. You might think traveling with Naison, Randi and Bill Moyers shows good taste. But it leaves a terrible taste in the mouths of thousands of unfamous, unconnected classroom grunts like me who need our most high profile advocate in the fight to understand that Randi and BATS are not looking out for us. As long as you keep lining up on the wrong side of the ball neither are you. Peace.
LikeLike
Interesting, when I had concerns about the site, all kind of disgusting comments were made to end discussion and there was no moderation by the moderator.
LikeLike
Joseph, same experience.
LikeLike
While I am not a BAT and do not plan to join, I do not see Diane’s unwillingness to badmouth them as problematic. While I wish she was able to distance herself from Randi, I am not alarmed by her failure to throw a friend under the bus. Bill Moyers? I didn’t know he was a bogeyman. He may be less well informed about what is going on in education than we would like (I don’t know), but he covers a wide range of topics that should be of great interest to us beyond the educational debate. I feel heard when Diane speaks and I find Bill Moyers an important outlet for rational leadership in many sectors of society to be heard.
LikeLike
Thank you, 2Old2Teach.
LikeLike
I never asked Diane to attack this group, but to reconsider promoting it. They’re not the same thing.
LikeLike
No BATS are focused on opposing corporate reform movement, supporting public education and exposing corporate reform officials and politicians…we don’t buy into union busting, union dividing corporate reform tactics, but nice try.
LikeLike
I am referring to the suggestion of BATS declaring a no confidence vote to union presidents.
LikeLike
Duncan will ignore the BATs because he certainly believes it’s just a front organization of white, suburban moms.
LikeLike
I would love to see any reply to our no confidence statement but am not holding my breath. We might/should have to bombard the appropriate offices until something is made public.
LikeLike
Because a ‘no confidence’ vote means absolutely nothing. Why aren’t Mark Naison and BATS suing the unions?? Naison continually praises Chicago’s Karen Lewis, but what has she done for Chicago’s poorest students and their teachers?? Made it worse. Teachers of America, wake the heck up!!
LikeLike
How has Karen Lewis made it worse for Chicago’s poorest students and their teachers?
LikeLike
2old2teach,
Karen Lewis got Chicago’s teachers a nice raise and shortly thereafter, Mayor Rahm closed many schools and laid off mostly veteran teachers. How is that helping the schools or the profession? Perhaps she should have negotiated job protections instead. Where are the lawsuits??
LikeLike
I need someone a little closer to CPS than I am to present my argument, but I do remember that the union was restricted by law in what it could negotiate for. While there was much discussion about working conditions (class sizes, instructional materials,…), it is my understanding that the union could not negotiate those issues as part of the contract. Blaming the union for Rahm’s closing of 50 schools is silly. Between TIF money taken from the schools and money given to open new charters, CPS had more than enough money to fund the schools. DePaul gaining a stadium at taxpayer expense reeks. Emmanuel chose to make a statement. He wants a pretty, entertaining city (downtown) for the tourists and big bucks for the power brokers who sponsor his agenda. He has made it pretty obvious that he has no interest in the poorest residents other than in inventing ways to make them move out. While I don’t disapprove of efforts to make Chicago a tourist attraction, I do disapprove of his neglect of those least able to help themselves. I know he doesn’t see any gain for himself in championing the powerless. They won’t win him the recognition he wants. All that awaits him in a focus on the weakest is a slow slog that will still be going on after he has moved on whereas he can gain instant recognition from the rich and famous with a little glitz and glimmer.
LikeLike
2old2teach: I have no argument with what you are saying. HOWEVER, Karen Lewis, with all of her unions connections could have and SHOULD HAVE filed lawsuits against CPS and Emmanuel. NEA and AFT have shamelessly taken $$$ from the reformers and threw teachers under the bus! The fact that Lewis has not questioned this makes her a weak leader at best and seemingly complicit.
LikeLike
Karen Lewis has no control over what national union leadership does although her caucus winning control of the local was a statement in itself. I keep hoping that someone who can better explain the new direction that has been taken would jump in. Emmanuel has a tremendous amount of power and is use to being able to bully his way through anyone he considers to be under his thumb. If nothing else, the union and the parents who have joined with the teachers have forced him to do so in the public light. I don’t know if the power brokers will be able to buy him another term as mayor. He is going to have to make a whole lot of promises to people he has stepped on and start spreading the wealth beyond the local business and tourist interests.
LikeLike
I guess anyone can prattle about anything when the facts don’t matter, but just to keep a tiny bit of the record about Chicago straight, let’s celebrate the upcoming fourth anniversary of CORE taking over the leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union with some historical facts about “lawsuits.”
As far as my memory can reach (and that’s about half a century), the CTU since CORE won has filed more righteous lawsuits in federal court than any previous administration and made the case in each of them better than ever. As we reported at substancenews.net from the beginning (July 2010).
But as I’ll repeat a couple of times, anyone who believes in 2014 that a citizen, a union, or a worker is going to get “justice” or anything like it in a federal lawsuit in the USA today has been ignoring reality. “Citizens United” is just a very very dramatic example about how the current federal judiciary is as reactionary and in the pay of the plutocracy as it has been at any time in history. And I am aware of the history that includes the pre-Civil War Dred Scott court and the Plessy courts, etc., etc., etc.
So… just to keep a small bit of the record a little bit accurate, you can go to “Back Issues” at http://www.substancenews.net and read lots of reports some written by me but most by others, about all the federal litigation CTU brought on behalf of our members or supported on behalf of others (families of children with disabilities, for example).
FACT. The Chicago Teachers Union filed a number of lawsuits against various policies of Chicago Public Schools, beginning almost as soon as we elected Karen and the CORE leadership in 2010 and the leadership took office on July 1, 2010.
But now it’s time to be clear about “lawsuits” (whatever you may mean by that, since it’s not and abstraction and it’s very very expensive).
By the opening of school for the 2010 – 2011 school year (September 2010), the Chicago Teachers Union was in federal court backing a lawsuit by teachers who had been eliminated from their jobs over that summer (June – August 2010) based on the false “austerity” claims of the administration (then, Ron Huberamn the ex-cop was CEO and Richard M. Daley was mayor). That and other lawsuits continued. That lawsuit lost. Chicago’s federal courts are reactionary, with the Seventh Circuit, under Richard Posner, one of the most reactionary in the USA. If you are talking “lawsuit” under some illusion from a very brief period in U.S. history, please stop thinking that you are going to get justice via the federal courts, in Chicago or in most other places in the USA.
The lawsuits produced brilliant facts and testimony and lost. Expensively.
Another round of federal lawsuits came in response to the school closings of May 2013 and since. As we reported in detail at substancenews.net (the only news service to report the testimony in detail), the plaintiffs who claimed the closings violated their rights under the Americans With Disabilities Act made a great case.
Not only did that case lose — as in LOSE. But the judge went out of his way to write a 50-page decision attacking the plaintiffs and our side.
In case you were thinking that federal justice had improved by July and August 2013.
I hope that answers your questions about “Karen Lewis” and “lawsuits.” Between July 2010 (when Karen took office) and now the Chicago Teachers Union has spent more than $2 million on these various lawsuits. Virtually all of them “lost.”
Next question for the factless rhetorical question people?
LikeLike
Thank you, George. I was hoping you would appear.
LikeLike
I just posted this press release on my classroom Wall of Civil Disobedience. We in the Connecticut Chapter need to consider a similar vote regarding Governor Dannel Malloy!
LikeLike
The name of this group is detrimental and embarrassing enough to have associated with us, but more importantly, It is a fact acknowledged by people sympathetic to the organization that BATs’ claimed membership numbers are juiced by third parties adding people’s names without their knowledge or consent.
Given that reality, why should we trust, believe or care about anything these self-promoters, who exist nowhere but on Facebook, claim?
Diane and commenters on this site spend a great deal of time and effort pointing out the misrepresentations and outright lies of the so-called reformers. If honesty matters to us, then why should we quietly look the other way when people who falsely claim in cyberspace to speak for public school teachers are not only NEVER seen at demonstrations or testifying against school closings, but are deceptive about their membership numbers and influence?
Diane, while some people may feel I am wrongly exposing dirty laundry in public, I know I am not alone in wishing you would no longer promote this bogus, embarrassing organization, which is guaranteed to bring grief to our efforts to save public education.
Let’s disown them before our enemies use the ammunition BATs has provided to try and discredit us.
LikeLike
Here, here. I’ll second that motion
LikeLike
No, I second the motion to remove Arne Duncan. I have no problem with BATS and the agenda they support. As long as we are all fighting for the same cause, public ed, who cares about the name,
LikeLike
MIchael, your comments are noted, but the BATs are showing the power of social media to organize and speak out against corporate power, political power and combat astroturf. They are an organizing in-person rally on DC to show their numbers.
I like having a place to find and post articles about Rheeform. I have made “real” friends in their state-specific sites. You have not listed a bigger, better place for teachers. What have they said or done that we need to worry about being discredited? Aren’t we already being discredited by both parties, Rheeform a hostile press?
Let’s hash it out. What’s your beef specifically?
LikeLike
BAT is not the new organization I hope for to replace the NEA and AFT. It is not a professional organization but seems to be a reactionary social media group with arcane rules of acceptable thibking and discussion that I find abhorrent. I did not and will not join such a group.
LikeLike
Why comment? Go make your own “reactionary social media group”
LikeLike
There is a significant amount of misinformation on the FB site for BATS and a zero tolerance for discussion that does not 100% adhere to a prescribed platform.
LikeLike
What “arcane rules”? Anything that supports privatization of public ed, including vouchers, charters, and TFA, obviously aren’t allowed there. It shouldn’t be allowed here because it is deception.
If you are not a member and never have been, you don’t know SQUAT what you are talking about. It is a closed FB group.
LikeLike
What “misinformation,” Nagel? If you aren’t a member, you have no credibility whatsoever.
The issues discussed there are identical to what are discussed here but it’s more of an action group.
LikeLike
It took me awhile to get over the name, but I am glad I joined. It is an important venue to raise awareness of educational issues across the country. I appreciate how members bring stories of concern to the group, and receive supportive, thoughtful responses.
LikeLike
good, raise awareness, and $2.50 will get you on the subway.
The Gates Foundation is so sensitive to awareness. What are you doing with your local school board?
LikeLike
Well said, Michael. BATS is not a group reflective of the vast majority of teachers. I am disheartened to see them receive as much attention on these pages as they do.
LikeLike
Either you are a privatizer troll or you are an ignoramus. Clue to clueless one: It is a closed group, so outsiders cannot see what is discussed. You have no idea whether or not the group is reflective of the vast majority of teachers, unless the vast majority of teachers are idiots who will go along with the destruction of public education.
Don’t comment if you have never been a member because you don’t know what you are talking about. The issues there are identical to what is being discussed here.
LikeLike
Ignore Susan, Cynthia. She has a tendency to rudely insult and mock anyone who has a thought that she in her omniscience deems to be the incorrect one.
LikeLike
Good Susan, reflect all you want, if that is what you need. What is your plan for change?
LikeLike
Actually Susan, I am a public school teacher for 31 years. I work in Title I schools and I am actively involved in my Union in a right to work state. I entered into some discussions on the BATS page and was absolutely astounded at the misinformation spread there. So saving the namecalling for someone who might be more interested in what you think.
LikeLike
Yes, there are non-teachers in the BATs. My wife is a pretty prominent BAT parent married to a teacher. (That’s me.) The thing is, if there are people willing to work with a group of people and fight for the exact same things, why shouldn’t you be allied?
I know that it juices up the numbers a little, but so what? All the BATs aren’t teachers. I’ll bet all the members of Doctors Without Borders aren’t MDs either, but what of it? People are working together; that’s the important thing.
LikeLike
The group claims that it’s “an association of over 48,000 teachers.”
LikeLike
No one, or at least I’m not, cares whether or not BATs has non-teachers in the group or not. It’s their group, they can admit whoever they want. What many are pointing out is that it is misleading to claim that 48,000 TEACHERS say, support, believe, etc. something.
Look, it’s not a secret that BATs use their Facebook numbers to paint a picture of their strength or influence. They aggressively encourage people to add ANYONE to their Facebook group. Again, it’s their group the can do whatever they please, but it’s insulting when the standard BAT-defender reply to anyone voicing any criticism of the group is to accuse someone of being a troll or to hurl a childish “go start your own group” retort.
LikeLike
Doctors without Borders is in the field, What field are you in?
LikeLike
I am in the classroom. That counts a being in the “field”, I think. My wife BAT/non-teacher is in the schools constantly supporting teachers and kids. I’m unclear as to how that’s a bad thing. The actions of fighting for a strong public educational system are far more important than a name (BadAss Teachers) or possibly inflated membership.
LikeLike
If you are sympathetic to teachers, thanks for joining. Feel free to ignore anyone creating arbitrary, unimportant rules.
LikeLike
Are you a member of it? You do know it’s a closed group. If you aren’t a member, you have no credibility on this issue. You have no idea whether or not 48k is bogus. I suspect it’s real because it is a HUGE FB group.
LikeLike
Good Susan, you can sleep at night thinking that.
LikeLike
This is comical.
Unfortunately.
LikeLike
Teachers need to play the reformers’ games if they want to win. The only protests that will do any good are those played out in a courtroom.
LikeLike
“Playing the reformers’ game” has just increased the demonization of teachers and increase in test and punish regimes. And the courtroom just handed down a huge slap in the face in the form of Vergara. At least the BATs are trying to change things.
LikeLike
Threatened out west: It’s because the reformers are always the plaintiffs. Your BATS organization is nothing but a joke to them. God almighty, do any of you teachers have any brains?
LikeLike
I am a proud BAT in CT. I teach in Hartford and would be very happy to meet with you to discuss this group. We are not some falsified group, nor is any organization claiming membership for any individual. Let me know and we’ll set up a meeting.
LikeLike
Gus, my beef is as stated above: the membership numbers are bogus, the group’s claim to influence is grossly overstated, as is any claim about staking out terrain in social media.
Social media? So what? As I said, I have never seen a contingent from this group at any event defending public education, yet they falsely claim to speak for me and my colleagues.
In addition, there is no free discussion on the Facebook page, where people sympathetic to the cause are banished because of some incomprehensible faux pas they have committed in the eyes of the Great Dear Leader.
Fraudulent claims, combined with elements of a cult of personality: what could possibly go wrong?
LikeLike
Michael,
I don’t think anyone looks at 48K FB members and says wow, that’s so accurate. If you are saying they falsely stated all 48K were all certified teachers, okay, but that’s a relatively petty act of bean-counting in light of the big heist of our tax dollars going on.
They are a huge group and I think you are splitting hairs. If they had 15,000 members, I’d still be impressed because I think teachers need to capitalize on social media to inform parents and taxpayers.
I attend events all the time but don’t dress up in a BAT costume to represent the FB group, sorry. If you are inclined, go to the DC rally and bring your clipboard.
Who ever said there was free discussion in this closed, pro-teacher, anti-corporate group? And what specifically got you banned from the site? If it seems unduly harsh, I’ll back you up…
But if you had a large, busy site, would you make no rules whatsoever, allowing trolls and ops to overrun it, taking two steps backwards for every step forward?
LikeLike
Gus, you don’t seem to hear my point: I don’t care that non-teachers are members of BATs – in fact, that’s largely a good thing – but that the membership claims and claims of influence are fraudulent, since people can and are added to the group’s membership rolls without their knowledge.
That’s not bean counting; it’s called basic honesty.
You say you’d be impressed if they only had 15,00 bona fide members; so would I, but I don’t think they do, since, in my active experience, this group is NEVER to be found at actual events resisting the so-called reformers, yet is ALWAYS online claiming to speak for teachers.
Well, they don’t speak for this teacher, who has been actively opposing so-called education reform for over fifteen years in my school, my union local and in public, and I resent people engaging in deception (whether of others or themselves) and censorship claiming that they do.
As for arguing that censorship on the site is necessary to prevent its being hijacked by trolls, that is belied by the fact that people sympathetic to the cause are routinely banned for petty reasons.
In case you’ve forgotten, we have the truth on our side, and trolls are easily ignored or refuted. By censoring the site, much is revealed about the actual values and behavior of these self-professed “leaders.” Having seen what’s revealed by that behavior,I say, “No Thanks,” and urge teachers and parents to do the same, and become involved in taking back their unions, PTAs and School Boards.
LikeLike
I will read no more – as educators we are setting examples. Just the name of this group discredits them and actually does AD a favor. Very disappointing.
LikeLike
The name of this group discredits no one. Why don’t you focus on the group’s very worthwhile message instead of clutching the pearls about something irrelevant, like the name of the group? Perhaps you really don’t like the No Confidence for Arne Duncan? Why not state your own position instead? I like what BATS has done and I support them in going public with their message.
LikeLike
What has BATS done? All talk, no action. If you’re satisfied with that, well, no wonder the reformers are taking over at record speed.
LikeLike
No confidence for Duncan is not news to anyone.
LikeLike
I’m proud to be a BAT, whether you like our name or not. We’re working hard, all across the country, on the local, state and federal level. Join us, or please step out of the way.
LikeLike
great, what are you doing?
LikeLike
They got a write up on Diane Ravitch’s blog – which you are commenting on.
LikeLike
Until teachers hire PR firms and get wealthy people to buy media organizations, they will lose this war with the Billionaire Boys Club. Bill Moyers cannot be our only media messenger! NEA and AFT know this fact and still do nothing except accepting money from the deformers. If you do not make major changes to their leadership this summer, then you deserve the devastating consequences to our public schools. We will be watching to see if teachers are willing to take this major step forward.
LikeLike
Bill Moyers is funded by big foundations, he has his limitations.
His revolution is quite contained.
LikeLike
Joseph, that is not true about Moyers. He gets no funding from the big foundations. Not from Gates, Walton, or Broad.
LikeLike
Diane, Bill is the best, but he does have numerous foundations supporting his how, grant it, not the devilish ones, and these foundations set the tone for PBS. His show is incredible, and your presentation I might add.
LikeLike
Joseph, if Bill Moyers didn’t have foundation support, he would not be on television. He is not supported by the venture philanthropists who promote privatization and attacks on the teaching profession.
LikeLike
I am proud to be a BAT. Lately, as we gain in numbers and clout, trolls sent by Arne Duncan and the Gates Foundation have stepped up their game trying to undermine our mission and discredit this incredible group of dedicated educators. Does “Bad Ass Teachers” shock you? Good. You know what shocks me? Firing veteran educators and replacing them with resume-padding children shocks me. Grading teachers based on the scores of students they never taught shocks me. Closing schools and giving them to private corporations who get a tax deduction for operating a for-profit school shocks me. One Florida county hosting 56 failed charter schools shocks me. So forgive me if I don’t care that you find the name “BATS” offensive. I suggest you get a spine and stand up for public education before it’s too late.
LikeLike
The embarrassment some have expressed over the name may have more to do with lameness than offensiveness.
LikeLike
Teachers don’t need PR firms, but they do need attorneys.
LikeLike
Not sure how this is news. BATs is a “virtual organization” with little influence and a small segment of the teachers, particularly on the State levels. It has yet to be determined what support there is for them from the conservative Middle States accreditation NGO for their existence.
Just the name itself seems to pigeon hole it into an eclectic entity, not becoming of professionals, and it has no known financial backing, hardly a player at the table. All requests regarding the position of their affiliate, mentioned above, is met with hostility,
nor are they able to produce its policy about educational matters relating to common Core and Opting Out, as suggested in their “Standardized” movie, which they helped to create.
LikeLike
I don’t get the pearl-clutching over the name. Let’s not pretend that if there were some cohort of teachers with a bland official-sounding name that they would get anymore respect or reverence from any reform group. These guys are in it for total war; there’s no engaging the reformers. Parents are teachers’ only potential ally, and honestly something has to break through the noise.
LikeLike
The BATs are a great source of national and local information that have to do with the problems all educators are dealing with.
LikeLike
The name is what got my interest and I was grateful to find like-minded folks. Instead of picking apart the name, why don’t you look at what we stand for and what we are doing? And you are always free to put together your own group to respond to the reformers instead of criticizing what we are doing. Need a rally/march to go to? There’s one coming up this Thursday, June 26th, organized by the Washington State chapter of BATS. You can find more information here:http://educatingthegatesfoundation.com/2014/06/20/press-release-a-rally-to-educate-gates-seattle/
LikeLike
Education is a local issue according to the constitution, change will only happen at that level. national organizations are a waste of time, it is supported by teachers who want to get things off of their chest and feel that they are doing something. Go march outside your local school board meetings if you want to organize, therapy for the powerless is what Duncan and the NGOs are all about.
LikeLike
I doubt that Arne Duncan, Bill Gates and their hired hands care anything about the UN Declaration or equity of the kind intended in this project.
LikeLike
We have to start somewhere. At least we are trying, even if it isn’t up to your standard of what we should be doing. What have you done to get their attention?
LikeLike
at this point, even the opt out movement is compromised by their associations.
LikeLike
What has BAT done in the past year? Given voice to 48000 teachers and counting, who are righteously angry because their importance in educational has been marginalized.
What have opponents to BAT done in the past year? Objected to the group’s name.
What has BAT done in the past year? Initialized and participated in actions online and in person that have taken root at all levels of government in all 50 states.
What have opponents to BAT done in the past year? Objected to the group’s name.
What has BAT done in the past year? Given emotional support to teachers who are severely oppressed by the agenda of Corporate Reformists.
What have opponents to BAT done in the past year? Objected to the group’s name.
What has BAT done in the past year? Drew a line in the sand and told the country we are mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore, when our own unions were working against our beys interests.
What have opponents to BAT done in the past year? Objected to the group’s name.
LikeLike
Dan, you obviously didn’t read my comment.
While the name truly is cringe inducing, and wrong on so many levels – absurd, tin-eared, inappropriate – that was not my main point, and I don’t intend to let it be the focus.
My main points were twofold: first, the claim of 48,000 members is bogus, can only call into question everything else they say, and has the potential to harm efforts to defend public education and fight off the so-called reformers.
Second, having been active in the UFT and raising awareness about these matters for over fifteen years, I have NEVER, repeat, NEVER seen an organized contingent (like, maybe, two or three) of BATs at any school closing hearing or anti-testing protests. Yet, we’ve been fed the preposterous and self-congratulatory line that, “Some people consider us the conscience of the Union.” I call BS on that:Mark Naison does not speak for me or my colleagues.
As for your Facebook lines in the sand, they are ludicrous, and are seen as such by our enemies.
If you want to be thought of as a Badass, instead of insisting on it so vehemently online that people can’t help but wonder what you’re trying to prove, try getting out a little more often.
PS: I didn’t even bring up the groupthink and lack of free expression on the Facebook page, which is a whole other reason to question this group’s legitimacy.
LikeLike
Michael I am not going to lower myself to trading personal interests.
As a 15 year teacher, I see BAT answering the call to fill a void that the UFT, and AFT, created for itself. I am referring specifically to a UNITY run dictatorship in what is supposed to be a democratic organization. Why don’t you see me out? Maybe because most of my free time is devoted to raising my own children. Maybe because have served as delegate and seen first hand how rude UNITY Kool-Aid drinking members can be, including the president himself, when it comes to follow proper rules of order, and dissenting opinions. Why bother going to Union events where you know not only you are not welcome, but you know your voice will not be heard. BAT does not have to play nicest with administration that are still under the Bloomberg mindset as the UFT does. BAT does not ask for cope payment and then totally disregards my political views.
Off are the days when UNITY members run the union with impunity.
With our organization a new day is dawning.
Your viewpoint is in the minority despite what you say.
Head out of this blog now, with some semblance of dignity.
LikeLike
Dan, so sad at this grasping. Even Randi supports BATS. Visit a school board meeting.
LikeLike
Michael, why did the UFT accept teacher evaluations based on student test scores? I now have 20% of my evaluation based on Math scores and I don’t teach Math. This is a huge waste of taxpayer money. In my middle school, teachers can’t choose what books to read anymore, they are all chosen by Pearson or Scholastic.
UFT only spoke up about some of these issues after MORE had to organize and lead the charge. Why was UFT’s last election the lowest turnout in history?
And how do you know BATs weren’t at any of those actions? Finally, the name – if you are put off by it, you are clearly not a bad ass. Maybe we need a new tact in light of the passivity of the old guard.
LikeLike
“Maybe we need a new tact in light of the passivity of the old guard.”
I hope you are strictly into union leadership bashing here, and I don’t agree that BATs have a monopoly on truth. I suppose I could qualify as old guard (although not union old guard). It would be very disconcerting to find that BATs hold older teachers in such low regard. The reform movement is doing quite a good job of weeding us out without having younger teachers in our midst helping them. As Robert is fond of pointing out a _______culture is healthier than a _____culture. Can you fill in the blanks? I know I am probably reading more into this comment than you intended, Gus, but if nothing else is obvious from this conversation, it should be clear that words matter.
LikeLike
2old2teach
Yes, I was talking about passive union leadership being the “old guard”.
BATs rail against TFA and the willy nilly replacement of experienced teachers. Join and see for yourself.
LikeLike
Gus and Dan,
Your straw man arguments are weak, indeed, and do no service to your organization: in what universe does criticism of BATs equate with support for Unity Caucus?
I have been an open, active opponent of Randi Weingarten and Unity Caucus for well over fifteen years, serving as a UFT Chapter Leader and Delegate, and been a candidate for union office on opposition slates for years now. I was literally the first UFT member in NYC to warn about the dangers of charter schools, warning the union leadership about them when the law was first passed in ’98, and have been writing against them in union-related venues since 2003.
Teachers should now be used to mendacious, egomaniacal so-called reformers intruding into their profession, and claoming to speak for “the children.” It’s precisely because my union has been hijacked by enablers of the so-called reformers that I am also very skeptical of egomaniacal, self-promoting outsiders like Mark Naison claiming to speak for me and mu colleagues.
The so-called reformers push their way into the discussion, making unsupported and false claims. We don’t accept their lies here: why should we accept them from this embarrassing cult of personality?
LikeLike
Michael, your long history of opposing UNITY and Randi and UFT is admirable, but sounds like it has been an uphill struggle against a rising tide of charter expansion and corporate theft. As someone who has toiled in the trenches for so long, I’d think you’d welcome a social media movement that in one year has gotten steadily larger and garnered the attention of the press.
I’ve heard your complaints and it seems as though you might as well complain about the length of Mark’s beard. There is a huge common foe here and there is finally a popular groundswell in the state to create buzz that Albany is responding to.
Think about all the teachers looking to use FB for the ease and convenience of connecting to large social circles, read the latest info, share and comment all in one place. Don’t fixate on the founder (can’t you hide individual’s posts?). BATs are just one part of the fight and Ms. Ravitch recognizes the value of the organization in something like a petition drive.
Please don’t spend another second attacking teachers for not organizing against corporations in the precise way you’d like.
LikeLike
Too bad this organization chose such a stupid name otherwise they could get credibility.
LikeLike
What name would you have suggested?
LikeLike
The name speaks to the fact that we will no longer role over and play dead while CEA and AFT sell us out to corrupt politicians and corporate leaders. If you don’t like our name . . . TOUGH! Get over it! We are starting to fight back. Here in CT, we are fighting Dannel Malloy’s reelection in spite of our unions falling over themselves to endorse him, the most anti-public education and anti-teacher in state history. We will take him down. Then, we will take on Duncan. Where will our unions be? Cowering at Malloy’s and Duncan’s feet.
LikeLike
“Having worked out how to manage governments, political parties, elections, the courts, the media and liberal opinion, the neoliberal establishment faced one more challenge; how to deal with growing unrest, the threat of “peoples’ power”. How do you domesticate it? How do you turn protestors into pets. How do you vacuum up people’s fury and redirect it into blind alleys?”Arundhati Roy (2014)
LikeLike
The BATs mascot is quite cute though.
LikeLike
I was one of the first BAT members back in June of last year before leaving over some of the issues mentioned by the commenters above. While I agree the group generally has positive intentions, the lockstep mentality, the way members who voice even the mildest of dissent or criticism are met with childish insults, and the inflated egos of some of the founders and admins became a bit too much.
I agree that the 48,000 “teachers” claim is disingenuous, considering how it’s a known fact that in order to inflate the group’s numbers, admins are constantly encouraging members to add just about anyone and everyone. If the group believes that numbers equates to influence that’s fine, but making the claim that it’s a group of teachers is flat out misleading.
LikeLike
In her new book, Indian author, Arundahti Roy, says:”Armed with their billions, these NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations)
have waded into the world, turning potential revolutionaries into salaried activists, funding artists, intellectuals, and film makers, gently luring them away from radical confrontation, ushering them in the direction of multiculturalism, gender equity, community development- the discourse couched in the language of identity politics and human rights.”
LikeLike
Ms. Pattypan,
I have never read or heard of a single teacher being “shocked “ by the adolescent name of the weightless and useless Face book group you are so proud to be a part of. The emotion I have read and heard used repeatedly with this group and which I whole heartedly share is “embarrassed “. This is a very different emotion from being “shocked. “ But understand that the name is the least of it when it comes to this “association ” , even if it is completely apposite to what very, very little this “association” actually does. Does, that is, other than draw attention to itself with meaningless gestures such as declaring votes of no confidence in Arne Duncan. Is there a single cognizant teacher in the entire county who has confidence in Arne Duncan? One? As a teacher who takes pride in my work and a union rep who has fought the wholesale takeover of public education in everyway that I know how, in no way and under no circumstances would I ever accept this sad parody of a teacher group led by a ceaselessly self promoting and vicious non teacher as a legitimate representative of or my profession, no matter how many “members” you claim to have. For the record, I was one of those who was appalled to discover that I was somehow a member of your “association,” and was so with neither my knowledge nor consent; that much the more when it became clear to me that the “association” exists solely to appease the narcissistic needs of its endlessly self promoting non teacher leader.
To accuse people you don’t know who find this “association” offensive of being trolls of Arne Duncan and the Gates Foundation is beneath contempt and as such completely consistent with the actions, be they what they are, of this “association.” Our enemies are unprecedented and deadly serious in their intent. I have no doubt that; if they even know of its existence, they rejoice that the energy of decent people is being wasted on a project of pure vanity.
LikeLike
I suspect most of the BATS detractors are associated with union management. The same unions that have sold out teachers to the billionaire-boys-club.
LikeLike
Michael, Woody Allen once said, “Just because I am paranoid does not mean that there is not someone trying to get me.” We hate union management and those that would round up teachers’ anger to make them feel good and are linked to outside organizations.
LikeLike
Patrick, Bravo, these are nasty people, who should not be working with children.
LikeLike
Jesus, why did you suddenly get ad hominem and illogical?
LikeLike
B-S sounds more and more like a front group fro AD. Now we have intrigue –
LikeLike
@patrickwalsh,
I agree with you: the name is kind of embarrassing, and I think it lends a tone of non-gravitas to our fight. This is unfortunate, because BATS does do good work…but I can’t get past the name, honestly:(
LikeLike
This isn’t even the BATs Facebook page, but even here the attacks against those who dare criticize the group are indicative of occurs on a much larger scale within the closed walls of the BAT Facebook page.
I am not a troll. I am not a TFA or stooge. And other than being a dues paying and voting NEA member, I am not particularly active within my union. I am, however, a proud public school teacher who grew tired of being scolded , and seeing others belittled, by the BAT founders, neither of whom ever taught one day in a K-12 school, and their legions of sycophants who would pile on anyone who would dare to disagree with the founders or admins.
If you were truly badass, you would think you’d have a thick enough hide to deal with a little criticism.
LikeLike
@titleone texas teacher: The adolescent name is completely consistent with the adolescent tone of the “association”. As to the “good work” you speak of, I know of nothing even faintly resembling such a thing. Other than praising themselves and their non-teacher leader on Facebook , fraudulently ballooning their numbers ( as if being a member of Face book group is worth more than spit, anyway ) making claims that are both preposterous and deeply insulting to real teachers ( they are conscience of teacher unions and so on ), they do nothing at all. Nothing, that is but draw pointless attention to themselves with pointless publicity stunts like votes of no confidence in Duncan.
LikeLike
Thank you for posting this Diane. The people who founded BATs are not public school teachers ( no secret there ) but the Managers who wrote and published and tallied this vote ARE public school teachers and they work very hard every day to make our collective voices heard. I am one of those national mods, and also a TN BAT who helps run our state group, moderate our state page, and write our state blog(s). We also partner with the Momma Bears of TN, TREE in TN, and SPEAK in TN. We network online and we are also physically present and walk our talk. It works for us.
I am also an active member of NEA, TEA, and am the recent pres-elect of my local FCEA chapter. I am also a member of the local DKG chapter, and I am also working with local legislators and individuals who are running for office ( BOE, local, and state level ) who are in support of public schools.
The National BATs group is a hard place to hang out sometimes. There are 48,000 people who visit ( on and off ) and things do get rough. I find myself spending most of my time focused on my state group b/c there are so many unpleasant people in National BATs that like to cause trouble for the founders and for the mods. We, the mods and admins do make mistakes and sometimes we are strong-handed. Why is it like that? Well, we have rules we follow and we do our best to protect all. Sometimes we miss the mark. Most often, we manage to hit it.
BATs is a forward-thinking group of teachers and other activists who support strong public schools for our students. We are Union Strong and are dedicated to making changes within our Unions for the betterment of our professions and for our students. We are teachers because we CARE about our students. My platform, and that of BATs, is PRO-PUBLIC ED in SUPPORT of excellent public schools for ALL STUDENTs. This is my mantra- and this is what I fight for on a daily basis. I am not negative, and I refuse to be labeled as something less than a Positive force for Public education and my students.
So, thank you Diane, for supporting our actions regarding Public Education.
LikeLike
I am constantly amazed at comments about people being added to a group to inflate numbers. Anyone added to a group has the ability to unjoin that group at their choosing. 48, 000 people have chosen to stay in the group. AND, like any group, some agree wholeheartedly with all it stands for, and others are willing to work with what they don’t. Not everyone who goes to school board meetings, rallies, demonstrations, etc. where an identifying image of the group. But make no mistake we have been there all across the country. Some are comfortable being open with statements, and some are finding their courage to resist corporate reform. Instead of criticizing, how about taking care of yourself, and how you are helping defeat this corporate reform movement.
LikeLike
Given the latest numbers that show how few people are aware of CCSS and all the testing, I think BATS is doing important work even if the only thing it was doing was informing the public. This bickering between people who so obviously love public education, students, and teachers makes me a little sad.
LikeLike
I am a retired teacher and former adjunct in Queens Graduate School of Education in NYC in Literacy Studies, and fight against Common Core and all testing. Until recently, I supported parents in Opt Out on Long island. When I inquired about the role of Middle States Organization and funding that they (BATS) may be receiving, BATs called for me to be removed from the site and Mark said I was a “Fool” for inquiring about who Middle States would support in the Governor’s race in NY. When I was removed from Opt Out Long Island, where many complained of censorship, I began to realize that there was a common thread here of intolerance and suspected that many of these groups are “supported” by the likes of Duncan and Gates . I have continued to demand a written policy Statement from Middle States, which supported the film “Standardized”; but National Opt Out and BATS feel that such a request is inconvenient, when it could be vital to the movement. Why is that?
LikeLike
Joseph, what does Middle States have to do with BATS? If I remember correctly, a few weeks ago, you claimed that I was subsidized by Middle States. That’s ridiculous and I told you so, and you dropped it. Middle States is an accrediting organization, not a corporation or a foundation. Why the obsession with it?
LikeLike
Diane, I honored your word. Middle States is a supporter of the film “Standardized” as well as BATs, United Opt Out and Chalk Face.
My “obsession” only exists because these organizations are unable to describe their role with them and how the film was engendered. All communications and inquiries about Middle States’ “formal” policy about testing and Common Core has been met with indifference and hostility by them, which may have spilled on to you in error, with your support of them.
LikeLike
There must be professionalism in what we do and how we go about bringing out greater truth, ethics, good will and right change. The name is unprofessional – PERIOD. The name implies a sloppy anger – where a well organized, sharp, articulate and logical anger would better serve all. It places teachers in the midst of garbage mouthed people. You will not find my child in a classroom with a teacher attracted to group with this classless name. Would you call yourselves Hemorrhoid Bottoms? Raunchy Rectums? Stinky Popos? Hey why not – you are already badasses!!
LikeLike
Perhaps the BATs could take a page from Dr. Ravitch’s book. This blog is “her house,” a phrase Dr. Naison loves to throw around on the BAT Facebook page, yet she allows people to express their divergent opinions without fear of “banning” and even graciously allows others to criticize her personally, a tolerance I’m not so sure I would be able follow if this were my blog. For example, I abhor high-stakes testing when used to evaluate students, teachers, and schools or otherwise used in a punitive manner, yet I do no think that the Common Core State Standards in and of themselves are that bad. If I voiced this opinion on the BAT page, I would be ridiculed or accused of having “drank the KoolAid,” and then banned. What’s the danger in allowing people who are otherwise allies to have an opinion that slightly differs from your own?
A lot of the criticism you see of BATs comes from those who dare to think for themselves and didn’t march lockstep with the cult of personality leadership style over in BATs.
LikeLike
I am a teacher and a parent and I have been involved with BATs admin team from the start. The movement is as organic as it gets. I’ve watched it grow from a group of friends to colleagues to 48,000 strong. The actions are ideas generated from members and orchestrated by dedicated teachers, support personnel, and parents. I’m thankful for the many individuals who work so hard to fight for our public schools and for our children. I hope our President hears our concerns. Thank you, Diane, for giving us a voice.
LikeLike
I noted that the user bans and associated threats were heavy handed, but they are all specific to the mission, not political ideology. So for example, you can be right or left wing in the BATs site, but you cannot bash teachers.
This is a deliberate choice, with pros and cons. The good part is that you don’t have to deal with trolls, plants, astroturf goons or fight the same basic battles all day every day. The bad part is that you get flack for being too iron fisted with message discipline.
BAT’s founders are pretty upfront about what gets you banned (see below). I know the owner of a large national news blog who also reserves the right to ban users he feels are not helpful using any criteria he pleases. This comes based on years of experience seeing debates meander off into nauseating repetition.
There is no requirement by any organization to be a free, open place to exchange of ideas. Just look at the public airwaves and you’ll see incredible imbalance and massive-scale censorship counter to the public interest.
This Facebook group seems to believe members should be working in the same direction, not in-fighting. For folks volunteering their time for free to be most effective, it makes sense not to take backwards steps dealing with contrarians, naysayers or fringe-dwellers.
Here is the BAT ABOUT policy:
AUTOMATIC DELETION TOPICS – these postings CAN be deleted automatically:
1. Evaluating any teacher’s work, any student’s work, or any parent’s actions; bashing teachers, students, or parents with words/joke memes
2. Contentious mentions of religion/religious texts or political parties, and any mention of The Pledge or “Sex Ed” or sexual content
3. Bullying; fussing about fellow BATs’ typos/grammar; demeaning remarks about names/accents; homophobic, sexist, or racist comments; references to communism/Nazi Germany; jokes about marijuana, hard drugs or alcohol; use of vulgarity; mentions of guns or weaponry. Video violence
4. Criticism or questioning of the appropriateness of our name or the fist logo
5. Identifiable pictures/names of students
6. Personal agendas – unapproved campaigning, fundraising, or seeking to profit from published books, videos, causes, or merchandise.
MEMBERS CAN BE BANNED FOR:
1. Supporting corporate deform entities (TFA, StudentsFirst, Pearson, Bill Gates, etc.); supporting Common Core State Standards
2. Excessive arguing or disrespecting decisions made by the mods/admins/founders
3. Making comments that conflict with the mission of BAT
BATs are Pro-Union
BATs oppose the Common Core State Standards, High Stakes Testing, Teach for America, and Charter Schools. (See “Files” tab for articles).
ACTIONS: BAT will engage in organized group actions such as phone calls, emails, Facebook commenting, and/or letter writing.
Badass Teachers Association welcomes ALL who support our mission, recognize the importance of strong public schools, and are willing to fight alongside us.
ABOUT OUR NAME: Some feel it is offensive or unprofessional to use the word “badass” and are uncomfortable with its use. We disagree. As Dr. Naison says, “We’ve had enough. We are not your doormats. We are not your punching bags. We are some of the hardest working, most idealistic people in this country and we are not going to take it anymore. We are going to stand up for ourselves, and stand up for our students even if no organization really supports us. We are Badass. We are legion. And we will force the nation to hear our voice!”
LikeLike
I’ve had remarks deleted on the BATs because I made jokes about politics. Yeah, anybody with half a brain could have figured out I was making a joke, and I even put a little smiley emoticon just to be sure, but the admins were pretty humorless about it. C’est la vie.
The BadAss name *is* a little infantile, but it reflects a certain frustration teachers are having. I’m immensely frustrated at what’s happening to teachers on the national level. I hate what’s being done to public servants in the name of “helping kids”. In this list of sins, is an adolescent name the biggest issue?
LikeLike
This is to Spoonbill (and everyone else following this thread)…
My interest in this came upon reading that there were “48,000” so-called BATs across the USA to challenge Arne Duncan and the real powers we are facing…
Where I worked in Chicago during the years I was a CPS high school teacher (before being blacklisted by Paul Vallas), nobody who really was “bad” would have thought about going around parading with such a name as “Bad Ass.” My teaching years began at DuSable (in the shadow of the Robert Taylor Homes) and ended at Bowen (in the shadow of the Chicago Skyway near the ruins of the steel mills) 28 rewarding years later. And I can never remember any teacher or coach who could really walk the walk designating himself (or herself in several cases) a “badass.”
So I’ve been curious since all this launched.
And I’m talking about years during which my job was “security coordinator” at Bowen High School (1996 – 1999) and we were losing kids regularly (one year, seven) to drug gang violence courtesy of the Latin Kings, Black P. Stones, and various brands of “Disciples.” Real gangs in the real world in real time.
And when I was “director of security and safety” for the Chicago Teachers Union (2002 – 2004),my job was to help teachers in our 100 most threatened schools (i.e., real gangs in real time causing real violence and real death) rid themselves of the reign of the “People” and/or the “Folks.”
As I’ve reminded readers now and then, I’m the only high school English teacher in the USA who had to call in a real time “187.” That was after watching a student of ours die just outside one of our classrooms with a bullet through the middle of his head. As “security coordinator” for James Bowen High School, I was ordered by walkie talkie to remain at that point in the police swarm until other professionals confirmed the death (paramedics). My job after that “187” transmission to my principals was helping coordinate the investigation — so we had the murderers by Christmas that year (1997).
The “kids” I knew on the streets of South Chicago and the East Side would have laughed at anyone who tried to use a street name like “Bad Ass.” That’s just so suburban and so wannabe. They took their names from Hollywood movies. There was always a “Puppet” and “Li’l Puppet” and “Frog” (“Colors”) in those days. Or a “Rocket” if you were really bold and had earned the right to that teardrop tattoo next to your eye. (I had a kid walk into a school once with two of those, and the crowds in the hallways parted like the Red Sea for Moses — even though he was barely five feet tall…).
Back to my question.
Who are these 48,000 “bad asses” and who has verified this claim? Or is this just another case of Ivy League wannabes getting in too deep?
LikeLike
hey joseph….BATs is supported by NO ONE except the members of BATs…the rest of the haters here, just wow. you ask what WE do? what are YOU are doing: criticizing the name? tell stories of being unhappy with a “lockstep” mentality? just plain being ignorant? shame…we work tirelessly, we listen to the horror stories of teachers battered and sick from the CC$$, we celebrate when teachers do amazing things with their kiddos (#evaluatethat !)….we educate by posting articles about the issues from all over the US, all over the world…because the corporatization of education is happening everywhere, and it will take ALL of us, families, teachers, friends of education, to battle the billionaires whose only goal is profit…bottom line, BATs are on the front line, boots on the ground, treading where others will not go…thank GOD for them, for diane, for all the researchers who inform us..and for the joy we still find in the eyes of children…it is about the children, after all, remember?
LikeLike
It’s disappointing to me to read all of the negativity on this page, the page of a person who has worked tirelessly to safeguard public schools and school children. Diane Ravitch supports the Badass Teachers Association, and that’s enough for me. As an educator with 40 years of work in public schools, and a background in activism, I recognize the style of the national organization as having the flavor of smart, focused, and committed educators who are keeping us all on message. The important message is: CC$$ is an untested and unproven boondoggle that has been shoved down the throats of the public schools with no regard for the democratic process, local school boards, or parents. The corporations who have put “reform” on the fast track through buying up politicians and demeaning teachers and parents are on their way to completely destroying public education. This goes way beyond the name of a group or the hurt feelings of some people who want to distract teachers from the struggle.
I suspect the people who are “shouting” the loudest on this page have not read Reign of Error or any of Diane Ravitch’s other books, and are picking on trivial issues to distract us from the serious sabotage of public education, our country’s last truly democratic institution. If you live in this world, you have heard the term “badass” applied to myriad people and groups. It’s not a big deal. It is shocking to some people to hear teachers use colloquial language. This language was probably chosen to get people’s attention, to express the frustration that so many teachers are feeling in the oppressive environment of the schools, and to demonstrate many teachers’ decision to stop being doormats. Teachers are professionals and should be treated as such, in their organizations as well as in the classroom.
If you are feeling put down because maybe you posted argumentative statements on the Bats facebook page, you have encountered the determination of the admins to stay on message and not be distracted by narcissistic or confusing posts. Discipline is important in a union and it is important when you are trying to stay focused on a cause. The page is intended to support teachers who are feeling isolated and oppressed. It is not intended to be a free for all where anyone can take the members down a path that we have already agreed not to go down. It’s a waste of time and energy to be arguing about the same issues over and over, and that’s what happens when trolls, or even well meaning people with question that have already been answered, invade a page.
I believe the Bats are working hard for a better future for our children and a better working environment for educators. That’s a worthy goal, and I support it wholeheartedly.
LikeLike
We are working hard for our children, MMDrew, and you’ve captured our message beautifully. I’ve been a BAT nearly from the beginning and there isn’t a group with which I’ve been personally associated with more character, scope and scruple than the Badass Teachers Association.
LikeLike
I find it sadly very telling that the author of this blog, the putative voice in the wilderness for the lowly American public school teachers, was able to read all the comments and ignore anyone who pointed out the undemocratic and shiftless tactics of this group. Their administrators are on record as exhorting members to sign up their random non teacher pals and pets, yes pets to inflate their already bogus membership claims. The author of this blog had nothing to say about any of the well documented BATS tomfoolery and fraud or anything else until someone threw a mudball at Bill Moyers! Bill effing Moyers gets her out of her seat but teachers mistreating other teachers and resorting to bully tactics and fraud ruffles nary a feather. The author of this blog only waded in to defend Moyers and preserve his integrity. I can only assume she and Bill are “A list” friends from when she was a Bush White House chief. I don’t know but I am assuming there is some reason she had no defense of rank and file classroom grunts who’ve been dissed and expelled from BATS silly junior high “In Crowd” that exists nowhere outside of Facebook yet leaped into the fray to stick up for a fellow famous dude to whom she is connected in a way none of us with chalk marks on the back of our sports coats are or ever will be. The author of this blog likewise has some strange myopia when it comes to the shameless wholesale sellout of rank and file classroom grunts perpetrated by her good friend Weingarten. As long as she continues to promote terrible traitorous unionism and Junior High clubs full of people with plastic bat-o-rangs and pictures of themselves posing with Arne Duncan the movement to save public education remains bogged from the inside out with jokers and pretenders more preoccupied with feathering their own nests than the concerns of rank and file classroom grunts. Take a good hard look at the substance of the problems real teachers have with this divisive, self promoting group and the results of concession driven unionism before you encourage any of us to link arms with people who really have no interest in us or any of the concerns we face daily in the real war happening in our classrooms. With BATS supposedly having our backs and Weingarten doing our negotiations (as she did in Newark) I repeat the mantra I adopted after watching Working Families put their paws in the air to Andy the Bully Cuomo: We’re on our own friends. I don’t care if you like it but you know it’s true.
LikeLike
Sean, the “sign up your pets” comment with the BATS was hyperbole.
LikeLike
BATS main goal is to anhiliate CC$$ – why on Earth would we allow someone on OUR page to sing its praises? How does that help OUR cause? That is not a “slight” difference of opinion. That a major chasm of phjilosophy. I, for one, think for myself and am free, and do, voice my dissention in “the cave” of admins and mods. We all do. We have had some knock down, dragged out arguments that ended up strengthening our vision, organization and lowly FB national page.
If you don’t like us, fine, but why try to bring down an organization and belittle its actions that are striving to serve our kids by ridding our schools of CC$$, HST and unfair labor practices by numerous public and online actions and by strengthening our unions from within? I don’t get it. We all seem to want the same things (minus some who, for some strange reason, support CC$$), so why the in-fighting? You don’t want to be a BAT, don’t. Someone added you thinking you might be interested? OK. Leave the group. Someone “banned” you from the page? Appeal to an admin or walk away. Banning is a process, sometimes contentious, sometimes easy peasy, but never done lightly. Just leave the rest of us BATs who believe in this cause to continue the fight in the manner in which we have chosen to fight.
LikeLike
The comments on this post are very “meta,” as the kids these days like to say.
Bad Ass Teachers indeed.
LikeLike
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The exchange on this thread doesn’t seem up to our usual standards. Earlier today I was reading the comments at the Detroit Free Press article highlighted in Diane’s post– it was so hard for many commenters to get past their Rep vs Dem kneejerk talking points to get that the Free Press was alerting them to facts important to every taxpayer. In Politico I often see the same thing framed in prog vs conservative; both discussions typical of voters’ foolish willingness to fall into the divide-&-conquer trap set by neolib Dems & mainstream Reps who are in bed together on privatizing public services.
The pro-public-schools cause is a big tent. Isn’t there room for loud & self-important FB page groups alongside the ed intellectuals? Who cares if the BATS inflate their numbers or have petty infights, as long as they provide a place for their followers to vent & brainstorm w/their kind? I’ve no doubt they have true activists among them, as do bloggers here, & many others (like me!) who simply read & learn & spread the word among their friends & colleagues.
As to their name, I remain happy that there is at least one loud-mouthed group that projects defiance, what does that take away from other bodies of different types dedicated to preserving public schools?
LikeLike
Well, BATs, you obviously have a lot of supporters, so who cares if people here criticize you or your group? This is not your Facebook page, and several of us who voiced our feelings about the group are also public school teachers who fight deform and have a relentless focus on what is right for our students, too. I despise the Billionaire Boys Club for what they are doing to public education, despise high-stakes standardized testing, and have read both of Dr. Ravitch’s last two books. BATs do not have a monopoly on what is best for public education, and the rage expressed here regarding anyone who dares to criticize the group is ridiculous. Plenty of people support your group and it’s mission, including Dr. Ravitch, so why all the vitriol towards those who dare to voice criticism?
LikeLike
Now don’t call Diane Ravitch a bad ass, without her consent. Reading her books does not make it so. Diane still supports Common Core to some extent, and uncertain of her support for opting out of testing, which is the only solution. Her web site is not very badass, and is open to opposing comments without insults. after this thread she might revisit ideas about teachers, who care about children, being “badasses”
LikeLike
Joseph, you make things up. My views about the Common Core, high-stakes testing, merit pay, VAM, ETC. are well known to all but you.
LikeLike
Diane, you may disagree, but I am not making this up. You said yourself that Common Core just needed to be adjusted by some teachers, when the whole idea needs to be thrown out, it being a way to serve the nationalized curriculum of the Gates Technology Train.
I have spent two years actually visiting classrooms and seeing the horrors of the new materials and how they degrade teachers and children.
I will concede to some speculation about your idea about testing.
Will you now declare that you support the parents who are on the line with their children to “eliminate” standardized testing with Opt Out?
This will defuse many of the problems in education planned by big $$.
LikeLike
Joseph, what I told the MLA is that teachers who like the Common Core should teach it. There are teachers who like it, and I don’t see any reason to tell them they are not allowed to teach it. I said at the same time that there should be no testing of CCSS. And I said that teachers in every state should review and revise CCSS, rather than receive it as written in stone. I also said that teachers should write their own tests. If CCSS is voluntary and decoupled from mandatory standardized tests, it becomes one of many standards, not an authoritarian requirement.
LikeLike
Your anger is of a sloppy nature and this will not advance your cause. Too bad for your 48.000 – and too bad for all of us. You are educators – your name makes you sound ignorant. Or, are you a front group for the evildoers?
LikeLike
I can just see it: Mr. Duncan says he was given a vote of no confidence by the Badass Teachers Association – that plays very well for him – you have done him a great favor – He will say “look at the quality of our teachers; look at what example these teachers are setting for your children calling themselves this name” and he will go on to say “that is the problem with education; teachers are not qualified” shut the schools down and privatize. Are you sure you’re not a front group – this plays out so well.
LikeLike
I agree, Badass is such a vulgar ghetto expression. Do you want your child with a badass anyone? excellent marketing, whoever did it, maybe King, the badass commissioner of education in NY.
LikeLike
Thank you Diane for your support of BATs. I have been a BAT since the early weeks of our formation. BATs led me to this blog. Between the two, I have learned more than I ever wanted to know about the efforts to destroy public ed in this country, lol. Thanks to all! I think it was Maya Angelou who said (and I’m paraphrasing), that one can’t DO better until one KNOWS better.
Thanks to BATs, Diane, and the frequent commenters on this blog I have found my voice. It had been silenced by fear and a power driven, sick administrator who was himself only silenced after I filed a 52 page harassment complaint against him. I became the teacher who closed her door and did her job, ignoring the political turmoil surrounding my profession. No longer. I have become outspoken at meetings and on social media. I participate in daily “BAT Actions.” On May 27th I addressed the school board of my children’s public school in support of their teachers. This weekend I met and discussed many of the issues discussed on this blog with one of our candidates for State Attorney General. Today we exchanged emails and I feel confident that WHEN he is elected he will follow up with action on our behalf. I gave him the link to his blog and also discussed BATS with him. I would not have done any of these things just a year ago.
Again, I am eternally grateful to this site and to BATS. We are all making a difference as we fight for our kids, our communities and our schools.
LikeLike
you sound like the victim of abuse, BATS is a “Stockholm Syndrome” way station for lost teachers
LikeLike
Join the Network for Public Education: http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/
LikeLike
If you tear us all apart then they win.
LikeLike
they win already by having people guided down blind allies with leaders with uncertain agendas. teachers are followers, that is how they are conditioned by the system.
LikeLike
Where did the number 48,000 come from? The Chicago Teachers Union right now has a little fewer than 30,000 members, and CTU is one of the largest dissident groupings in the USA. How did BATS get 48,000 “members”?
LikeLike
A significant percentage of the members appear to be non-teachers.
LikeLike
I’ve always had more faith in organizations that charge membership dues and keep some kind of records, as opposed to those that make claims without foundation. What we’ve learned in these exchanges is that BATS actually (a) has no members in the serious sense, but apparently combined all mouse clicks to create that “48,000” number and (b) BATS may or may not include “teachers” but that designator is evasive, too.
By contrast, at Substance when we were publishing in print we could always tell anyone who asked what our paid circulation was. Over the years, I’ve asked some other publications for similar numbers and got evasions; long before Hedge Funds were bankrolling Astroturf groups like Michelle Rhee’s that game was being played by both so-called “progressives” and reactionaries…
The Chicago Teachers Union devotes a lot of time and resources to keeping the books straight, reporting dues-paying members in one category and having a separate political action fund (which union members can join or not join) to support political action. Both are scrutinized, audited, and reported out regularly. At the June 4, 2014 CTU House of Delegates meeting, we got the annual budget (which we approved) and a listing of the PAC donations to candidates (which do not come out of “union dues” despite the right wing lies).
The CTU also publishes regular research reports, some of which I’ve helped with. All of those are carefully researched and tripled checked. We also meet regularly with the Chicago Public Schools finance officials in a contractual joint committee (of which I am a member) and the union then regularly challenges the austerity claims of CPS based on carefully checked facts. (As many people know, CPS has regularly created phony “deficits” by overestimating expenses and underestimating revenues in its annual budget projections; lazy reporters then create screaming headlines about “Billion dollar DEFICITS!!!” that turn out, when the books are actually audited a year later, to have been lies).
I guess that’s enough for the pre-dawn hours of one morning.
I have no use for groups that recklessly inflate both their claims, their names, and their numbers and then expect to be taken seriously. We’ve been through enough against Arne Duncan and corporate “school reform” locally here in Chicago and in national struggles (the CTU resolution against Common Core is going before the AFT convention in Los Angeles in three weeks) to take these factual questions very seriously.
LikeLike
For me, the issue is not whether BATs has non-teachers as members. Having parents and others in an organization defending public education is a good and necessary thing, and could potentially accomplish much.
I say potentially, because, from my vantage point in NYC, I see something more closely resembling a preening online pep rally and personality cult than a bona fide political organization.
The issue is one of honesty and legitimacy: if your claims to influence are based on bogus numbers – and having third parties enroll people without their knowledge or consent, which is inarguable in the case of this organization, is bogus- then everything else you claim can and should be called into question.
I know that many good people find appeal in the siren song of this organization, and have the best of intentions, but in one sense it’s not so different from TFA: do you really want that idealism to be diverted for the ego gratification and self-aggrandizement of others?
Finally, to claim that censoring debate is necessary to stay “on message” is something that I’d expect to hear from TFA or StudentsFirst. I teach my high school students that they MUST engage with the arguments of their opponents, point by point, if only to understand them, and hopefully use their arguments against them.
Diane’s blog is stronger, not weaker, because she permits a wide range of discussion and viewpoints. Yet the BATs Facebook page has the diversity of ideas you’d find in the People’s Democratic Republic of North Korea, with the Great Dear Leader showing the way and bestowing blessings upon the True Believers.
Shutting your ears to what others have to say, especially when they are potential allies/sympathizers who may have questions or quibbles, is not the sign of a confident strong organization, but of a narcissistic echo chamber.
LikeLike
In two hours, I will be covering the meeting of the Chicago Board of Education, and by tomorrow I will be reporting on the dozens of atrocities that are voted on this week to be done against the public schools of Chicago. Each of the stories we publish at substancenews.net will be edited carefully and re-checked for accuracy. Like all publications, we will make errors, and then try to correct them. We are up against the seven millionaires appointed to be the “Chicago Board of Education” by Rahm Emanuel, the multi-millionaire plutocrat currently mayor of Chicago. These fights are serious, and I’ve covered dozens of Rahm media events where control of the narrative is primary for their side, while discrediting our side is being done, some times directly (e.g. by threatening to arrest parents protesting a particular staged Rahm event) and at other times indirectly (by providing “reporters” with the complete “story” so they don’t have to work for a living, as I’ve reported several times this year at RAHM WATCH.
Our side needs to be well organized, accurate, and as honest as possible.
And now we have BATS taking on the Obama administration…
Witihin the next four weeks, several thousand of us will be meeting as elected representatives of the members of the NEA and AFT at our national conventions. All those I knew ran for the delegate positions and were elected by the dues-paying members of the unions we will be representing (I am a Chicago delegate, elected as part of the CORE slate of 150 candidates, led by Karen Lewis, Jesse Sharkey, Kristina Mayle and Michael Brunson, the four elected officers of the CTU who also led the 2012 strike). The vast majority of those at the AFT and NEA conventions, representing more than four million teacher union members (some are not teachers, but other represented groups) will be voting on many many many important positions, including the resolution against the Common Core submitted (after a democratic discussion over five months in CORE and then a unanimous vote of more than 800 delegates to our House of Delegates). That is a major issue that we will be debating — among dozens of others.
And yet, a day or two ago, I read in Politico that BATS has issued a “no confidence” vote against Arne Duncan. I don’t think it said that BATS “voted,” but I’m not going to go back and check because BATS should not even have inserted itself in these discussions without some further information about who, what, and how that “no confidence” thingy happened.
Dozens of times I was up against Arne Duncan here in Chicago, as were my colleagues in CORE during the years before CORE won the union leadership (June 2010; office July 2010). At every one of those iterations, every person disagreeing with Arne was representing first those of us in CORE and since 2010 the members of the Chicago Teachers Union (who re-elected the CORE leadership with an 80 percent vote of the voting members of the union in May 2013!).
And yet, for reasons only possible with Webnesia (a form of dementia caused when people can create anything on the Web and then get others to become believers) BATS is now something “new” and out there doing something better or more significant or whatever than those who are working inside these huge organizations?
The dishonesty is only part of the problem. The bigger problem is that anyone who jumps into these fights dishonestly confuses serious issues. When the Chicago Teachers Union voted by that huge vote against Common Core, The New York Times ignored that reality because they were captured by the Arne Duncan framework on Common Core — the “right wing Tea Party crazies” versus serious “reform” narrative.
Silly and self indulgent grouplets, no matter how well meaning and armed with whatever Internet magic, are always going to exist, just as Trolls and spam will. But from “our side” we have to call them out. Arne has a lot of very smart people working for him and one of their biggest jobs is to control “message” on behalf of corporate “reform.” I spent hours back in the day talking about this stuff with Peter Conningham, who for a long time was Arne’d message guy, first here in Chicago and then in D.C. Peter is one of the smartest people they have and they can afford many like him. When out “side” gives him a chance to discredit us or distract from our message it is not a simple gaffe. The people on our side who do that have to be questioned — as in WTF are you really trying to do?
LikeLike
Again, thank you, George. You have really added to my understanding.
LikeLike
You’re welcome. And here is an example of why our credibility should never be allowed to be sacrificed. As we’re reporting at substancenews.net the past three days, Chicago has increased the number of public schools without libraries, from about 165 to more than 200 (and possibly 300). The story began with the fact that 165 public schools didn’t have physical libraries. But then librarians began noting that schools WITH libraries didn’t have certified librarians, and in many cases the libraries were closed to kids even though they were filled with books, computers, etc. I actually caught Rahm Emanuel using one of those as a Hollywood set for a propaganda event two years ago and reported it. During the press conference in a “Library” at Perez Elementary School, I waited with other reporters, then asked the principal, who was preening herself sitting next to the mayor, whether the library had a librarian — and was therefore open to the children used as part of the Hollywood Rahm event that morning.
She hesitated and looked very angry. I repeated my question: Does this school have a librarian so that this beautiful library is open for the children? That’s a yes or no question.
“No.” She snarled.
I’ve since found that our mayor loves to hold media events in school libraries, where his “advance” team actually descends on the schools a day early and sets the “stage”, with the books behind where Rahm will sit, etc. The people who own and rule our world today couldn’t care less about reality — they are pushing their narrative, and if they can feed lies into the stream of “news” they have done their jobs.
Now flash to Wednesday’s Chicago Board of Education meeting.
Four librarians, three from CPS and one from the ALA, released the fact that CPS has been eliminating library at some of our most prestigious schools, and that the number of schools with “library” may be down to only half of all public schools in Chicago.
We covered it in detail at substancenews.net, and the Sun-Times and Tribune covered it quickly, but with accuracy. One of the most devastating parts of the story came when Barbara Byrd Bennett, our latest CEO, claimed that CPS would love to staff the libraries, but that “only seven” librarians were available. That was an outright lie, but a slick one. What has happened is that CPS has been pushing librarians out of libraries and into classroom teaching.
The librarians who were presenting the shocking facts knew the names of more than “seven” librarians who would be glad to be in libraries but were not, as well as many many librarians without jobs. (The ALA person was on her way to the ALA convention, where she could locate lots of other out-of-work librarians who might want to head to Chicago…).
At each step in this complex story, spread over hundreds of schools and often buried behind a wall of lies like that principal at Perez was trying to get away with when I caught her, each “fact” or claim had to be checked and checked out.
We can’t afford to surrender our credibility to phony claims, because once “we” have done that, serious people will not be back to give us a second change. That is the fundamental fact underlying this BATS silliness. They have lost all credibility, no matter how long into the future they continue. I know the “Who, What, When, and Where…” and as I used to say when I taught reporting:
The “Why” is often for your priest or psychiatrist. It’s not part of the story.
LikeLike
I see libraries being challenged even in the good districts, aids to librarians are cut and substitute teachers picking up the slack. Schools are hurting financially and libraries are on the block. Libraries are becoming “outdated” in bringing “21st century skills” with no direct correlation to helping reading skills, as compared to test prep. It is the high tech version of “book burning” in a neoliberal world. No Gates money need apply for libraries.
LikeLike
At the push of a few buttons, I can join a host of online organizations.
LikeLike
@GeorgeN. Schmidt@george
You ask, “Where did the number 48,000 come from? “ First off, remember that this divisive “association” exists only on Face book so membership is completely meaningless, that much the more so in comparison with an authentic organization like CTU. Meaningless, that is, since you never actually do anything, all you have to talk about (and talk about and talk about) are your ever-expanding membership. (Well, that and how you and you alone are heroically struggling against what every sensate teacher in the country is against by posting on Face Book.
At any rate this is how it is done: Assume the stance of “what is yours is mine” and extend that to people’s names and identities and hence reputations. Instruct “members” to sign up anyone with a heartbeat and do it behind their backs, without their knowledge and consent. Rationalize this insidious behavior by enthusiastically claiming that when the victim does find out, if they find out, they can always “unsign,” as one enthusiast for this duplicitous “associations” put it above. This same repulsive notion was fed to me by the Great Dear Leader himself, in the sole exchange I ever care to have with that manipulative narcissist non teacher who spoke to this teacher as if I were the grass beneath his feet.
That is how you wind up with the number 48,000, meaningless though it is.
Nice, eh ?
LikeLike
I honestly don’t know where the idea came from that BAT doesn’t exist anywhere except on Facebook. The Connecticut chapter holds regular meetings. In fact, we just held a meeting with Jonathan Pelto, who is running as a third party candidate for governor. Would any other member of BAT care to weigh in about meetings elsewhere?
LikeLike
William, I’m glad to hear that your group is active in Connecticut, because for all the hot air and self-congratulation, I’ve never seen BATs appear in public fighting school closings, charter invasions, high stakes testing of any other related cause in NYC.
LikeLike
: ) Maria
>
LikeLike
Diane,
This and the vote of no confidence that John King has received in NY. are still not enough to effect change. I have just finished a wonderful book “return to the Little Red Schoolhouse” by Denise M. Turgeon and my question is what can we do to have change happen the right way sooner??
I feel that as a lowly teacher we cannot effectively create change in a system that is outdated and too rigid. The frustration level in schools is getting extremely high and I see students who years ago were excited are walking in like zombies. No expression, no joy, and no desire to learn.
Extremely frustrated and ready to help make a change!
LikeLike
Daniel,
Do not despair. Parents won’t stand for this degradation of their children. Teachers are angry about the attacks on them and their profession. The change is coming.
LikeLike
Diane, I receive your blog daily and watch as things change. My question is not is the change going to happen but what we can do to help the change occur faster.
I feel as though I should refuse to give my tests and receive a lower rating because I don’t agree with what is happening starting at the top and working its way down.
I saw you in Syracuse and you signed a copy of your fantastic book. I hear your message but where can we affect the most change. I want to do for my students not watch and wait.
Daniel L. McConnell
>
LikeLike
Dan,
Fight the testing. That is the blood on which the privatizers feed. They use the scores to smear teachers and public schools. Encourage parents and students to opt out. The tests are misused. Organize other teachers to join you in a fight for survival. Stand up and fight back. Write letters to the editor. Do whatever you can dream up without endangering your job. Defend your students’ right to a real education. Lobby for the arts and libraries and a nurse and whatever your school needs. Organize, mobilize.
LikeLike
BATs have had a busy year, off Facebook, as can be seen here in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63C4ArmlbtI Off Facebook we have: Attended and been invited to speak at several education forums around the nation (NEA PR Council, Network for Public Education, Netroots Nation), we have appeared in over 150 news articles speaking truth to power, over 50 radio interviews, two BATs are running for LT. GOV in their states (Ebony Murphy-Root and Brian Jones), BATs have run for leadership positions in their unions, BATs are running for NEA seats this year on Exec. Committee (Ceresta Smith and George Sheridan), June 26th WA BATs will be holding a rally outside the Gates Foundation, July 28th BATs will be holding a rally outside USDOE, BATs have confronted Michelle Rhee at the various venues she traveled to for her Town Hall, BAT Mychael O’Bowen stood in front of Pearson all day as Mr. Monopoly, BATs are running for Congress, State Government, and BOE positions (Tate McQueen and Allen J. Cannon to name a few), BATs confront Governors for their hurtful policies, like Melissa Tomlinson who confronted Gov. Christie – Here is her video letter to Christie after he shouted her down http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLbzP18w-QE , BATs are working hard in NM, NY, and around the nation to unset Governors who are hardcore privatizers, they are not doing it on Facebook, they are doing it on the ground (NYBATs in the fall plan to host a gathering for Green Party Candidate Howie Hawkins, NY BATs are collecting signatures for Zephyr Teachout so she can run against Cuomo in the primary, TN BATs are working closely with John McKamey who is running for Gov. of TN, NM BATs are working closely with Howie Morales who is running for Gov. of NM). In regard to our inflated numbers, I help moderate and admit members into the group. People are “added” by friends or choose for themselves to be added, we check their Facebook profiles and if they are someone interested in fighting for public education they are admitted (not just teachers because teachers are not the only ones involved in this fight – we have amazing parent advocates on our page and are proud of our coalition with them – Shout out to our amazing TN Momma Bears who our TN BATs work with). We make sure to tell members to ask people before you “add” them. Hope this clears up some of the misinformation in the comments section. BATs are amazing, passionate, and dedicated defenders of public education – both on social media and on the ground. ^0^
LikeLike
**unseat
LikeLike
The BATs group is like everything else in life, you get from it what you take from it.
To say the group sits idol, would mean that you personally know what thousands of others are doing in their own personal lives inspired from each other. If choose to spend your time here arguing rather than acting upon our current crisis and creating NOISE, JUST NOISE, then that is a waste of time and energy…and it won’t be my time or my energy that you may waste.
For anyone to be inspired to take action within or outside of BATs, this is what I have done:
1) Lobbied my state assembly, state senate, & congress.
2) Lobbying the current candidates for office prior to them being elected.
3) Helping friend of education candidates with their campaigns.
4) Joined a national social justice unionism group to help get our unions back on track nationally.
5) Become a state and national delegate to my union, because change should come from the members and never comes from sitting around and complaining about other people’s decisions they made for you.
6) Speak to other non-educational groups about the attack on public education since they make up the voting population.
7) Explain to other educational staff & teachers how CCSS, high stakes testing, and corporate reformers are affecting kids in my math class since many don’t have effected subjects like I do in math.
8) Helped create a caucus to lead into NEA RA, which this will be the second year of doing so.
9) Flown around the country to meet with other passionate teachers to collaborate on ideas to move forward in this movement.
10) Led a session at the Network for Public Education Conference in Austin.
11) On the negotiations and PAC for my union.
12) Met with Randi Weingarten (even though I am personally NEA).
13) Created a local caucus for our local teachers to unite.
14) Will be leading a group on how to become active in their union in DC this summer.
15) Run a local FB acct that unites teachers on the current news for our state on the BOE, Legislative decisions, media attacks, think tank attacks, union news, etc.
16) Spend excruciating time reaching out to frustrated teachers wanting to quit, and r
I do all of that as a passionate teacher trying to save public education. I hope you do to, or join me. Join us. Teachers. Any teachers. All teachers. Any group. All groups.
Once again, thank you Diane for being a uniting force. Anything else, is just noise.
Lisa Muntean
Math Teacher
Union Leader
Political Leader
Activist
Bad Ass Teacher Association Admin
LikeLike
Lisa congratulations, what does BATS have to do with the activism that all teachers should share, did you need a FB site to do this? Why shouldn’t frustrated teachers quite? I left and still do all of those things. I don’t need a FB site to do that. Just the name is buffoonery, You are working with a union that is corrupted by Common Core. Strike out on your own. Please tell me how BATS and Middle Schools accreditation are connected.
LikeLike
Lisa, I appreciate all that you are doing to affect change. You are not alone. Many of us face the challenges daily in classrooms all around this country. We are not idle and we are not taking the takeover of public education lightly. I had a really rough experience on the BATS page and discovered quickly that I was not at all comfortable with BATS acting as a voice on my behalf. It was an incredibly unprofessional experience, and it is my opinion that BATS will ultimately do more damage than good. I know that there are many like you who are very dedicated to restoring respect to one of the greatest professions a person can choose to pursue. Thank you.
LikeLike
Michel Fiorillo has, per usual, hit the nail on the head. To me, even more than the disturbing sycophancy so prevalent among its “members”, or the messianic posturing of the non teacher leader (that it, when he is not engaging in pure nastiness), or even the complete dishonesty of their bloated (if meaningless) numbers or the insulting claims or insulting remarks to teachers, it is the fact that this endlessly self congratulating entity has been completely invisible at all of the countless rallies, PEPS, school closings that I have ever attended. Every single one of them. What self respecting teacher in their right mind would not be horrified that such a divisive and ridiculous “association” presumes to represent us ?
LikeLike
Both the NEA and the AFT support BATS? Isn’t it the union that is supposed to support teachers? any organization that garnishes this kind of support, its members should run for the hills, not to mention public television. Teachers can only act as individuals, if they really give a crap, not get lost in a “virtual” comfort zone around a coffee clatch of wining and complaining, this can be heard in any teachers lounge, where powerlessness prevails.
LikeLike
Mark Naisson was man enough to take me on with Opt Out Long Island, when he knew that I would be expunged from the site by the moderator, when I inquired about his role with Middle States. Where is he now in all of this discussion? he has been attacked numerous times. Is Mark checking with his Corporate “handlers”?
LikeLike
Re: the criticism of BATs not being only teachers: While this blog provides a historical record in real time of the good and the bad during these dark ages of public education, BATs provide a community to organize action. We connect dots among communities across the country fighting the same fight, helping each other to see what’s happening and offering suggestions and support for right action. I’m a parent member of BATs and I feel right at home. No one questions to what end I partner with my own children’s teachers in their schools; why would I not partner with teachers in the broader battle? It’s a natural extension, like the Waldorf author Rahima Baldwin’s parenting book “You Are Your Child’s First Teacher.” Further more, teachers have been demoralized and degraded. They deserve to have parents stand by their side fighting for them. To criticize BATs for including parents misses the point entirely. While the privatizers seek to divide parents and teachers, BATs provides a means of strengthening us as a joined constituency. And when parents and teachers join forces, look out.
LikeLike
This thread is amazing! I hope you are plants for the hedge fund reformation project. Cuz if you are really expressing your own authentic views, Diane Ravitch has collected a strange group of registrants.
So many of you prattling on about the group’s choice of bane (PS, I’m a BAT too). Even more going over and over how many ‘real’ members it potentially has. Haven’t heard actually any coherent and informed comments in favor of Arne Duncan and Obama’s approach to Ed.
And the gratuitous piling on Bill Moyers – one of the few remaining hosts to actually make room for informed, thoughtful discourse on a number of topics.
Gotta ask you: what are your view on privatization of public ed? Why should Arne, Bill, Michelle Rhee, Bloomie etc be allowed free reign determining how the next generations of Americans will be raised and tutored.
As for me, I don’t want 200+ years of civic investment of our school system dismantled and handed off to investors, tech speculators and egomaniacs with too much time on their hands. I believe in community and democracy. I’m not a chess piece to be moved around for the pleasure and profit of the financial elites.
BTW: I am a credentialed teacher.
LikeLike
I am not picking on you, Radhika. Your post just happened to be my breaking point. I am not a BAT, nor do I want to be. I do not hold it against anyone who finds the support they need through BATS to fight what we all recognize as the attempted destruction of public education. Despite the nasty innuendos flung back and forth, we agree on the issues. Who does what and how they do it is up to individual preference. We are not going to solve anything by sniping at each other. Are we going to fight a monolithic monoculture with our own demand that we defend public education with a monocultural response? Our diversity is a strength if we let it be.
LikeLike
I have watched money and business dominate the national, state, and local discussions. I’m glad to see teachers – any teacher – begin to talk about real conditions, real students, and real concerns.
We can’t allow the big money and hired PR campaigns to win.
There needs to be a honest honest honest discussion.
LikeLike
I’m headed to NEA-RA in Colorado in a few days. I expect there to be a very strong opinionated discussion at a national union level about common core, testing, and evaluation if a teletownhall that I participated in recently is any indication. Members were not shy about telling Dennis Von Roeckel and Linda Darling Hammond that we are not buying the fact that common core is separate from testing. This reform is a package poison pill and is killing public schools and personally attacking kids and the teachers who love them. We have had enough and will be heard this year.
LikeLike
I would comment as a BAT but I was kicked out. LOL. I still root for any teacher who has the courage to speak out. If you wait for a BAT or your union or your mother to make this easier . . . you will be sad. Move forward in whatever group you can and raise your voice and tell your story. Being Badass is more than a facebook page anyhow.
LikeLike
I’m inspired by the number of people on the BAT Facebook page, but it’s more than a number for sure! This group has put me in touch with like minds from around the country (and a couple of other countries!) in order to keep me on track in the classroom doing what I love to do. If it were not for the BATs, I would have left the profession already, but having a voice and brainstorming with educators and concerned citizens is an education in itself! The name may throw people off, but when you feel the frustration in the classroom when you are being pressured to “torture” kids by implementing policies that go against educational research or have no research base whatsoever, it helps to have a group with strong enough name to be feel confident that change is possible through activism. Compliance with these “DEforms” is outright WRONG and being “badass” is absolutely necessary to stand up and speak the truth despite the intimidation and possible negative consequences from the employer! Throughout history, union leaders have had to be badass to effect change, and I am taking ACTION by running for union office, attending state and national union conventions and PARTICIPATING FULLY, teaching social justice in the classroom, attending meetings with BATs in other states, opting out of ridiculous pilots for ineffectual teacher evaluation systems, and marching in Washington, D.C. BATs are real people who are willing to OPEN THEIR MINDS and discuss all sides of the issues without bashing anyone except for those who hurt kids and teachers. We are for REAL!
LikeLike
The vitriol towards BATs on a site where we are all rooting for the same teams (Team KIDS and Team Teachers) baffles me. I hear more sour grapes (from those who were booted), misinformation (BATs is an ACTION group. We do far more than chat online. We are present at many union and non union events and even organize some of our own), and resentment (why hate on Naison for not being a public school teacher? After all, isn’t Diane “just” an education expert, historian, professor, policy guru?) than any real criticism. Why can’t we all get along, lol. Fighting amongst ourselves only wastes time that we could be DOING the hard work that must be done to combat those who REALly wish us ill – the so-called “reformers.”
THANKS again for the support Diane. You have helped tens of thousands find their voice!!!!!!
LikeLike
Katie “Hate” is an incredible word against those that disagree, Are you inferring a hate crime? Peter Greene also uses this word.
LikeLike
Katie, you’re wrong. When a group makes crazy claims and gives itself a silly macho name, we’re not on the “same side.” I’ve watched groups undermined for decades (and have posted a bit about examples here). A “no confidence vote” (whatever that particular bit of huffing and puffing means, on behalf of whom…) is either a serious action or a publicity stunt. In this case, it’s clear what it is.
LikeLike
Katie, we can all get along when we have transparency about our relationships with those that oppose our ideas. Not discussing them by the leaders of BATS and OPT OUT
is very problematic. We need a position paper from the conservative NGOs that support you, like Middle States Accreditation, or your concerns on FB are gathered and jettisoned, while you have a happy feeling of involvement that goes nowhere, the grand illusion.
LikeLike
Joseph, what is it with your obsession with the Middle States Association?
LikeLike
Diane, please outline the policy about testing and common core of Middle States and where I can find it. They were instrumental in producing the film “Standardized” and support Opt Out, Chalk Face and BATS. My only obsession is the indifference of these groups and YOURSELF in communicating with this very helpful organization and determining their related policies. The violent reaction from Mark about my inquiries, and the rush to sensor my comments about this, is of concern. What is your obsession about “not’ knowing about the support of this conservative organization? It appears that Opt Out Long Island also has the same dearth of curiosity, and will remove anyone who speaks of it. They also appeared in the film. We need to know the level of “communion” that our “leaders” have with them.
LikeLike
Again the name means the organization will not get respect or be taken seriously. Keep arguing but the jackass who chose the name ensured BATS would be a joke.
LikeLike
Educated people do not call themselves B-D-SS and this group by its name alone (and those attracted to the name) would seem to be uneducated no matter how many degrees they may or may not have.
LikeLike
This thread has clearly shown that the major complaints about the BATs are pretty tangential to the cause, methods and substance.
#1 – some are aghast that the word “ass” is being used in the name. This must be a generational thing – I’m sure your parents weren’t thrilled when you called yourselves hip, mod or groovy back in the day. The point is negligible – this is a Facebook group, a social media gathering place, so it’s a very informal loosely assembled “affiliation”, not an endorsement of cursing in the classroom. Unclutch the pearls.
#2 – some are sore over the leadership style of the group, they feel that more dissent should be allowed, that less users should be banned and that the leaders/members need to be certified teachers. If you agree so strongly with these statements that you quit the group, fine, but to badmouth the entirety of the group based on dislike of one or two leaders is illogical. Should we judge you based on the actions of your Member of Congress? I didn’t think so.
#3 – the 48,000 “members” controversy is also disproportionally monopolizing the conversation here. If you couldn’t figure it out by now, that figure represents clicks from keyboards, not real people. Anyone can see the number of likes and comments on the posts and gauge the actual day-to-day activity in the group. If you are claiming they are intentionally misleading people about the composition of the group, perhaps, but I doubt they themselves have the slightest handle on how that 48,000 figure is constructed, and so again, this is all wildly tangential to the substance of the corporate reform debate.
And for those supposedly concerned with free, open protocols and tolerance of dissent, it’s ironic to see such rigid, fervent insistence that the word badass is to be strictly prohibited. For example, the comment above saying “educated people do not use the word”. Oh really? And I suppose Shakespeare’s use of the c word invalidates his entire body of work?
People, the idea that the moderators’ ground rules or single-mindedness invalidate the entirety of the movement is a display of emotion. I guess once someone is banned, it wouldn’t matter if the BATs cured cancer, their wounded ego would never get over it.
This is much bigger than any one person and these time-wasting squabbles are little more than territorial pissing in a circular firing squad. I don’t like Mark Naison, but I frequent the BAT page all day, and especially my state-specific page.
The page is an excellent, vibrant repository for teacher-related news, commentary and activism (or slacktivism if you prefer). There are a lot of teachers on board and they want Arne Duncan to know how he is screwing over our students.
LikeLike
Thanks for the silly summary, “Gus…” You missed most of our major points, but I have a few minutes this morning so I’ll muse…
“Generational” what, as in WTF?
As a guy who was beeped more than anyone else during an Armed Forces Day show on WCLR Chicago more than 40 years ago for talking about the G.I. Movement in the company of a bunch of Marines who had turned against the war, I’m curious about how you learned about that “generational thing” you referenced. Actually, my point about the group’s name is that (a) it’s childish and (b) it’s silly, since the real “bad asses” I’ve known in my life (going back to those guys who returned from Khe Sahn against the war more powerfully than any Ivy League kid) never — as in NEVER — had to go around announcing it. That was only for FNGs and REMFs…
By the way, many of us are very sensitive to the use of the “F” word and some others, since our experience has been that it’s a violent interruption into conversation and often a diversion. When I taught that great Vietnam War novel “The 13th Velley” to high school kids (before I was fired and blacklisted by Paul Vallas and others), I always made sure the students had permission from their parents to read the book. Although the word (and its variants) is appropriate in the context of the large-scale inhuman (and dehumanizing) violence of combat, it’s wrong to use in most instances. Although I’m glad that writers today can use words like motherfucker in the right context and talk about orgasms without euphemizing to “the earth shook” (Hemingway, For Whom The Bell Tolls), I generally am not impressed with those who throw the word around.
And as a family, we frown on it and require that those in our family — and their friends — not use it here. And we have our kids in a Little League that kicks people out of games for talking like that.
It clears the air, so to speak.
Now to the bigger problem. Credibility, for all of us and those we supposedly are working in alliance with…
Any group that claims to have done a “no confidence vote” against a national figure based on a number like “48,000” has a responsibility in the real world to justify those numbers.
Credibility.
Instead, thanks to this bunch of tough guy wannabes, the issues are easily blurred — or worse, reduced to the level of chuckles. We faced off for years against Arne Duncan’s lies and Peter Cunningham’s spin here in Chicago — always clearly and with facts. Had CORE claimed some silly “membership” over those years we were carefully organizing to win power in the Chicago Teachers Union, we never would have.
Some people will continue making excuses for this kind of immaturity, Gus, but it’s still a mistake that shouldn’t be repeated.
LikeLike
George, got it, the minor problem is the name, and the major problem is that you’re bugged that the 48,000 figure is not verified by an independent audit.
So the group is not for you, but at least we were able to summarize the contention so others can decide for themselves whether those issues are insurmountable hurdles.
In fighting Arne Duncan and #rheeform, I find those to be negligible issues, but to each his own. Thanks for responding.
LikeLike
Any group that claims to represent — in any way — 48,000 “teachers” either has to put up or shut up. Fantasy doesn’t get us very far in the real world of politics and these struggles, so we don’t need anyone jumping around as a publicity stunt claiming to be what they ain’t. A fraud is a fraud whether on “our side” or in the Tennessee VAM fight.
LikeLike
Gus
Get over it. You will wake up one morning and realize that you have been snookered by an NGO. PT Barnum said that there is a sucker born every minute. Your attempts at mentally “grasping” is respected, but your leaders are hiding in the weeds. Go out and get a breath of fresh air, maybe fall in love.
LikeLike
So for example, the comment posted this morning by a Kindergarten teacher with 85 comments by others is all staged by a corporate overlord?
I think this thread shows the numbers of different people who support BATs and the numbers who don’t. All the gripes have been aired, including some unsupported conspiracies.
You’ll note the repetition and intensity of a small few here, amounting to a filibuster.
Now readers can make up their own minds. As I’ve stated, I don’t think the group is exactly, technically 48,000 strong, or that the name is very inclusive, but is an excellent place for teachers to go to stay connected to peers, aggregating news and anecdotes from all over, and promoting actions all over the country.
Decide for yourself – heed the angry, paranoid voices if you want, it’s a free country.
LikeLike
And I might add, in addition to angry and paranoid; narcissistic, bombastic, grammar challenged, fixated to the point of obsession, self promoters who for some reason are determined to denigrate many thousands of teachers who find support and comfort in communicating with their peers. It’s useless to argue with these people. Better to ignore them. Thank you, Diane, for your stalwart support and advocacy for hard working and devalued teachers.
LikeLike
All of these teachers are innocent, seeking support from colleagues. But their same leaders refuse to address the role of the most conservative NGO, Middle States Schools, having no policy of support, when it has supported all of these progressive groups and funded the film “standardized”, and has a data base of all of the disgruntled. Who will be the leader to step forth and say, “Joe, we are being supported by Middle States and this is their position on testing, Opt Out and Common Core”. At this level we may have to inquire if Middle States is funding the leaders personally, if they have not been able to step forward with this answer.
LikeLike
“determined to denigrate many thousands of teachers who find support and comfort in communicating with their peers.”
The issue is the self proclaimed leadership and awakening teachers to who their leaders are,. “many thousands” do not appear on this site, meaning that they may just be beginning to wake up.
LikeLike