Class Struggle Education Workers in Protests Against School Closings

In January and February 2011, a number of protests were held at several of the 25 schools slated for closing by the New York Department of Education, as well as a city-wide demonstration against school closings on January 27 and a rally called by the United Federation of Teachers outside the Panel on Educational Policy (PEP) meeting at Brooklyn Technical High School on February 3. The PEP is a puppet body with a large majority (8 out of 13 members) appointed by the mayor. Class Struggle Education Workers participated in these protests as well as speaking at the February 1 PEP meeting to denounce the mayoral dictatorship over the schools and the agenda of corporatization and privatization behind the DOE's wrecking operation against public education.

A short (6 minute) video showing the CSEW's intervention and the massive repudiation of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his hand-picked schools chancellor Cathleen Black (who has already become notorious for her complete lack of educational experience and her arrogance toward the parents, teachers and students) is posted below.

Pop Quiz for Cathy Black

Pop Quiz for Cathy Black:

(Turn off your Blackberry; no help from Deputy Chancellors)

1. Who was Paul Robeson?

2. After your experience on the Coca-Cola Board of Directors, can you tell us what death squads do?

3. Name two people you know personally whose children go to public school.

4. What was the Supreme Court decision on Brown v. Board of Education?

5. Recent studies show that the following raise student test scores:
1. closing schools
2. small schools
3. charter schools
4. tying teachers’ pay to students test scores
5. all of the above
6. none of the above

6. What is the graduation rate of Jamaica High School students compared to the city average?

7. Where is The Bronx?

8. How much did IBM pay Joel Klein to give them the Paul Robeson HS building?

9. I took the job as school chancellor because of
1. The need for increased birth control
2. I was faced with Sophie’s Choice
3. It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it
4. All my friends on the cocktail circuit were starting charter schools, so I decided to one-up them

10.  Excluding blacks and Jews from the country club where you rode horses

             was legal under:

a.      The Dred Scott decision

b.      Numerus Clausus of German universities adopted by Harvard and Columbia in the 1920s

c.      A corollary of the “freedom of conscience” doctrine espoused by Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas

d.      Who cares? My country club buddies make the law

Easy extra credit question:  How many players are there on a polo team?