EIA Regs: For the Record
Submitted by AimeeBolender on Mon, 08/25/2008 - 15:07.
Alliance/AFT was asked to appoint three teachers to the EIA Regulation Committee. We did so. One of the three was David Lee.
An email sent by David Lee, Townview teacher, informed the District that he did not wish his name to be included on any final materials. Below is part of the message he wrote to Dallas ISD:
"I was only able to attend two of the EIA Regulation Committee meetings
and I do not agree with the final policy in its entirety. I also feel
that my contributions had no impact on the final document. With that in
mind, I would be grateful if you could ensure that my name is not
included on any materials referencing the composition of the committee.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter." David Lee
Rena Honea was not appointed by Alliance/AFT to serve on the committee.
Lastly, the final regulations did not go back through the consultation process, as it should have. It went from the committee to being “finalized.”
Bottom line-
The grading regulation was determined by a committee that was heavily influenced by administration, not classroom teachers. If the committee composition had been in reverse with a majority of classroom teachers, the outcome would have been very different.
Aimee Bolender
Alliance/AFT
August 25, 2008
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REAL bottom line
I think the real bottom line is that, no matter how the district, DMN, admin, or others back peddle here....this 'policy' or this 'regulation' whatever the heck it is only serves to cheapen, lessen and diminish the image of our already in need of a good tarnishing...district. Ask anyone from HP, Plano, Keller, Irving....ISD's and they'll tell ya that for free!
CTO is a fiction
So, Aimee, if they asked you to appoint--that meant YOU CHOSE--that means YOU KNEW about the committee. So, you didn't tell Rena, huh? Guess it wasn't important. I guess it didn't meet the standard of one of your little emailed "surveys" huh?
So, Aimee, you chose THREE members. I thought the CTO represented ALL THREE UNIONS. Why not call Diane Reed of ATPE or Dale Kaiser of NEA-Dallas? Why not ask them to send a teacher over in a show of CTO leadership?
And only when this list is released do you even admit--ADMIT that you knew about it! But you know what, not even now.
You play fast and loose with the truth. Your emails and media bits make it sound as if you knew nothing about the thing until it was finalized, when now, you admit, that David Lee told you about it, that Rena knew about it, that you knew about it.
Funny that.
So, for AFT to act all surprised, that you are just NOW going to speak to them is bunk!
Wake up people. THIS is what you want to represent you?
Committee, Knowledge, etc.
Let me take a stab at this one. I get appointed to committees all the time that I never attend. Knowing what the committee is and what the committee is supposed to do are sometimes two vastly different things.
I know that there's quite a bit of angst and philosophical debate between members of different unions. But to suggest that AFT acted deliberately to sabotage other teacher organizations is probably a bit of a stretch.
There is quite a bit of confusion going around in the District. The whole EIA thing sounds like a bunch of mistakes coupled with a bunch of backpeddling and maybe a little bit of spin at the end--so it wouldn't sound as disorganized as it was.
So let's everybody cut everybody a little bit of slack--except, of course, for the administration which is paid to manage all of this!
Allen, wake up!
Allen-
Let me spell it out for you, since you seem to still have a very naive sense of humanity where money and power are concerned.
ALLIANCE-AFT accepts money for staff development from the DISD. Therefore, they put on a good show, but at the end of the day, they will not bite the hand that feeds them. Go ahead, ask AFT how much they make per year. Ask DISD. They are the ONLY union in Dallas that ACCEPTS money from the DISD!
They want to keep their "CTO" status for bragging rights, yet when they are asked to use it on a committee, they don't show, don't know about it, don't like it? Make up their minds, already.
Go ahead and ask them how much their PAC and members give the current board trustees, the ones who seemingly vote against teacher issues so much. ($500 once to one of them.)
But this matter is pretty cut and dried. We cut them NO slack at all. For over 10 years, AFT has been the "lead" group. Are we better off now? Are we? For over ten years, you see the same three faces leading them, their choice, but how much bottom up leadership is there?
And you know what? This is PROOF that they play it both ways. Imagine if the grading policy had been a hit. We guarantee you, Aimee's little email blast to DISD would have touted that "only the CTO" could have made it happen. But it blew up in everyone's face. REAL teachers began complaining. AFT WAS SILENT FOR DAYS. NOT ONCE, NOT ONCE, did they mention that their members had a stomachache over it. What about the other two on the committee? Why so quiet, eh? NOT ONCE did they admit they had members on the committee. Whether they went or not, it doesn't matter. THEY were ASKED to provide the people on the committee, so they KNEW that CHANGES were coming, and they said NOTHING TO US, NOTHING. NO WARNING FOR 5 MONTHS.
Even more telling, at least one of them, David Lee, was so concerned, he quit the committee, or asked not to be included. Still, the other 12,000 of us knew nothing? THANKS FOR NOTHING AGAIN.
Wake up, Allen. They have pulled a fast one on you. But that's okay, because for the first time ever, they had to publicly admit to something they wanted to keep mum about.
This won't be the last time this happens. As long as people are in denial about what people's motives really are where money is concerned, nothing will change. Nothing, but maybe Aimee, Harlee and Maureen like it like that. Cozy little group likes it like that. And we all pay the price for it.
Are You a Member?
After that long essay, the only thing I'm going to ask you is this: are you a member of AFT/Alliance?
No, sir
No sir, I am not. That is why I am not bowled over by their antics. I see how they use the CTO for their own gain, and not for the benefit of ALL teachers, as it was intended.
I will tell you, however, many AFT members at the convocation were echoing my sentiments, but feel "obligated" to stay with AFT. They fear change.
Well, this is what fear of change brings.
Answer me this: When you spoke with Rena and Amiee, did they tell you that they had known about the committee for months? Did they tell you that they had someone in it object?
AFT
No, I only spoke with Rena. She mentioned that there were some AFT members of the group, but didn't mention that she was one of them.
It would be interesting to hear from some AFT/Alliance members on this issue. With all due respect, I appreciate your opinion here--but you're not a member of AFT so my natural tendency is to chalk some of this up to "sour grapes."
Let's see what other teachers have to say.
Rena's Name?
Aimee, do you have any idea how Rena's name got on the list? Was she aware of it?
I never appointed her to the
I never appointed her to the committee. The district informed her of the first meeting-she was unable to attend. She did not receive further meeting time info.
Meetings
See... I think a whole bunch of people were unable to make these "meetings" and it would be interesting to know just how many they had.
Regardless, they (District) softened the policy--which shows, if nothing else, they are reactive when the heat gets turned up. It's just a shame it has to get to that point.
Bingo!
My point exactly. Go back to the DMN blogs. Notice who was speaking up -- and when--and who wasn't to get attention to the issue.
Covering
Uh oh looks like AFT is having to do some damage control!