Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D. writes to SEA members

May 13, 2010

Dear Seattle Educators:

I am writing to you today to urge your support for Washington State’s Race to the Top application. As you know, we are facing debilitating budget cuts, and while we have worked hard to keep those cuts out of the classroom, teachers have still been impacted through losses of support services. Unfortunately the cuts are projected to continue—we are already projecting a $23 million dollar funding shortfall for the 2011-2012 school year.

Race to the Top is a federal competitive grant that Washington State is applying for. The application identifies four goal areas:

1. Enter kindergarten prepared for success
2. Be competitive in math and science nationally and internationally
3. Attain high academic standards regardless of race, ethnicity, income or gender
4. Graduate college and career ready

If our application is successful, Washington State could receive $250 million for education. The Governor has worked in partnership with OSPI, WEA, AWSP, WASA and the State Board of Education to develop this application. These organizations have all signed in support of the Washington plan. I had the opportunity to meet with the Governor two weeks ago, and she personally requested our support to strengthen the chance of getting this funding for our state’s students.

Seattle Public Schools stands to receive approximately $10 million over the next four years if the state receives this grant. In addition, signing on to the state’s application will ensure that we have the opportunity to compete for additional funds to further our work in areas such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and reducing the achievement gap.

{ Don't worry about the fact that we continue to:
#1 .. select from among the poorest plans available
#2 .. have widened the math achievement Gap continually for Black children
(are appealing a Superior Court Order of Remand, because we like excluding evidence)
#3 .. took money aimed at educationally disadvantaged learners at over 30 schools and decided to flush it at Cleveland STEM
#4a .. presented a plan showing 250 9th graders at Cleveland and now forecast an enrollment of 158 students
#4b .. are in favor of increasing privatization regardless of how bad the data is when providers are examined ... see New Technology Network schools
#4c .. spend financial resources on an increasing number of lawsuits -- several of which are now at the Washington Supreme Court level
#5 .. talk incessantly about community engagement while issuing top down edicts that ignore evidence and common sense.
#6 .. entice SEA union leadership into doing what the Central Administration and Eli Broad wants rather than what is good for SEA members
(example SEA did not file an appeal of Performance Management)}

The work that is outlined in the application is consistent with the work we are already doing to improve education in Seattle Public Schools. In fact, receiving these funds will enhance our ability to fund our present work and will help lessen the impact of next year’s projected budget cuts. The District and the SEA have agreed that any subjects of bargaining which may arise as a result of our application will be bargained as required in the appropriate forum. { Did members vote for this?}

Your Representative Assembly will be meeting on Monday to decide whether to authorize the SEA to sign onto the state’s application. Participation by the SEA is integral to the success of the state’s application—as our partners in improving all schools, your participation will be viewed as very positive for the future of education in Washington State.{ Your participation in the RttT application will lead everyone to wonder why mindless sheep pay union dues?}

Both the School Board and I have committed to signing onto the state’s application, and I hope we can count on your support as well. The Principal’s Association of Seattle Schools is currently reviewing the application.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me via email at superintendent@seattleschools.org.

Sincerely,

Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D.
Superintendent
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STEM
http://mathunderground.blogspot.com/2010/05/stem-education-business-executives.html

Teaching the Needy
http://mathunderground.blogspot.com/2010/05/teaching-needy-kids-in-our-backward.html

Race to the Bank ala Enron
http://mathunderground.blogspot.com/2010/05/enron-ask-why-etc-parallels-to-rttt.html

Ravitch
http://mathunderground.blogspot.com/2010/05/taking-back-school-reform-conversation.html
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Question: Who runs these education associations?
It looks like MG-J runs the SEA. About this letter....

This is an unfair labor practice...called employer domination of the union...MG-J is involving herself in the internal affairs of the union....like pressuring this vote (read her first Sentence)... If the SEA had a clue, PERC would be contacted over this ULP. .... Duh!!!

Also can RttT funds be used for normal stuff?

Then again since WEA Pres. Mary Lindquist was big on ESSB 6696, who are these members to stand in the way of this RttT approval?

MG-J says "Dummy up Dummies".
SEA leadership responds with "Yes will do".
SEA members and Reps........ ??? wait 'til Monday
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Supt. e-mail to Teachers an Unfair Labor Practice Violation?

The statutes administered by Public Employment Relations Commission (the National Labor Relations Board for public employees) prohibit employer involvement in the internal affairs of unions (known as Employer Domination of Union).

It seems a ULP violation could be found for Employer domination of a union in violation of RCW 41.59.140(1)(b) [and if so, derivative "interference" in violation of RCW 41.59.140(1)(a)], by Supt. Goodloe-Johnson’s email of May 13 to all union members, in which she urged SEA (union) members to support a union policy decision at the upcoming union meeting. Specifically she wrote:

“Your Representative Assembly will be meeting on Monday to decide whether to authorize the SEA to sign onto the state's application. Participation by the SEA is integral to the success of the state's application-as our partners in improving all schools, your participation will be viewed as very positive for the future of education in Washington State. Both the School Board and I have committed to signing onto the state's application, and I hope we can count on your support as well.”

“The elements of proof for Employer Domination are the same under all of the statutes administered by PERC. The complainant must establish that the employer intended to dominate the internal affairs of a union (potentially including selection of officers, policy decisions, or ratification of collective bargaining agreements).” PERC manual, 2006.

Why Won’t SEA leaders Stand Up to the Superintendent?

Will the members?