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A shadow and a candle

Published August 5, 2013 Uncategorized Closed
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by Arjun Janah, July 2013

As the long, dread shadow of Detroit falls over the cities, a flickering candle is lit in Bridgeport, Connecticut.Will we allow it to be blown out, as Arne Duncan and so many who have power, wealth and access to the media would wish?

The requirement that a school superintendent should have basic education credentials (not to speak of teaching experience) appears to be common sense — but not in the bizarre world we have entered.

Let us salute the parents of Bridgeport and the Working Families Party.Let us remember that the ones who got rid of Mayor Fenty and Michelle Rhee in D.C. were not the “social progressives” nor the elites of Washington, but the middle class and poor, mostly African Americans, who were most directly affected by what was happening in the schools and saw the problems most clearly.

This is not to say that the situation prior to Rhee in D.C. or that in Bridgeport prior to this superintendent was not grave. But should cancer be treated with medicine fit for toothache — or vice versa?

Before beginning or continuing any treatment, the validity of the diagnostic hypothesis — judged by the observational and experimental evidence for and against it, needs to be seriously considered.

— Arjun

Where do we go from here?

Published June 19, 2011 Uncategorized Closed

New Action/UFT…a caucus of the United Federation of Teachers
PO Box 180574  North Richmond Hill,NY11418
newaction.wordpress.com / new.action.uft@gmail.com
                                                                                                June 2011

 Lay-offs  –  Down to the Wire
Where Do We Go From Here?

The media is citing an “obscure” municipal union health care fund that could be used to avert teacher lay offs and prevent fire houses from closing. Whether this happens or not, we just don’t know. Anything short of contract concessions, pension give- backs, or having UFT members pay for their own jobs, would be a welcome solution to this horrific situation. We hope it can work.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY:  how does our union position itself so that our members are never put in this untenable situation again?

New Action has been proposing, in this current period (and we have stated it publicly over many years) that the membership MUST be prepared to take any and all reasonable actions. We believe the membership has not been prepared to meet this challenge. Since last December we have been calling for mobilizations and actions at every school. In January, we called for a week of membership meetings at every school followed by schools doing informational picketing against lay offs and budget cuts. Others have called for borough wide membership meetings. New Action has called for activities at every school.  New Action members on the UFT Action Committee have called for this several times this year alone. In April, we urged the Action Committee once again to employ this strategy. In May, we met with President Mulgrew and proposed a concrete date for school wide membership meetings, followed by a week of picketing at schools. At the June meeting of the Action Committee we called for actions to take place at every school on June 21, 2011. Picketing is not a panacea, but engagement by the entire membership is a critical factor.

The demonstrations, rallies, texting and faxing elected officials have been without precedent by our union. UFT members have turned out at borough hall rallies, picketing of enemies of our union, like Marty Golden, marches, and car caravans; we should be proud to have participated in so many events. Yet, the overwhelming number of our members have not been drawn into the fight. Only when the City administration knows that tens of thousands of union members are expressing themselves will we have the clout to produce a contract or prevent lay offs.

Finally, New Action believes it is time to end mayoral control of our schools—a mistake of major proportions. 

United we will win!

Speak The Truth!

Published March 20, 2011 Uncategorized 1 Comment
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by Arjun Janah, Brooklyn, March 9, 2011

In Wisconsin, teachers stood
For weeks in snow, misunderstood.
And other workers stood beside.
They said, “The truth, you cannot hide!”

So in the states, the people rise,
But in the center, there’s surprise.
Obama, like the Clintons, eyes
The wealthiest — and yields to lies.

To Illinois, they had to flee
From Madison, to disagree,
Those Democrats, in more than name,
With guts to say, “A crying shame!”

And still it passed, by subterfuge,
The bill that offers no refuge
For workers, taking back the rights
They’d won through past (and bitter) fights.

Fifty years, at once erased!
And if, by this, you’re now amazed,
Then wait, for what is coming next,
And you’ll be even more perplexed.

Your pensions, and that Medicare.
And Medicaid! For those who care,
They’re raising the retirement age,
While lowering the effective wage.

But trillions yet, we spend on wars.
The super-rich are now our stars.
The young, they live on fantasy,
Their I-pods and their ecstasy.

The rich are getting richer, at
A rate that’s blowing off the hat.
A few percent now own this land
And government. You understand?

The rest of us are renters all,
The hired help, is what they call
Us, those who work. And those who can’t?
Just listen, to the bigots’ rant!

So who, at center, is for us?
And whom, can we, in future, trust?
Who speaks the truth, and says it loud?
Who sees, what this is all about?

They’re few and they are far between,
And most, by us, are rarely seen
Or heard. By media, they’re ignored,
Or swiftly, by the powers, gored.

So we, to those, in power, turn,
Or those who’re close to it, to learn.
And still, a few have guts enough
To speak the truth, although it’s tough.

Republicans are for the rich.
The Democrats are seen to switch.
So what should working people do?
Unite and say, “With lies, we’re through!”

Howard Dean’s a Democrat,
And still has balls to call a rat
For what it is. So go and sign
To say, “We see the full design

“And just don’t buy it. We create
The wealth. We will not tolerate
These lies that try to hide the root
Of what’s the ailment. Speak the truth!”

If when you’re old, you’d rather die,
And if, when sick, you’d gladly try
To live on streets, then let this pass.
If not, then rise, and kick some ass!

Arjun
2011 March 19th, Fri.
Brooklyn

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