If we are serious about reform – and we are –we must be unmercifuy honest about the problems we face.

Otherwise, we are dealing only with slogans and wishes… A suc- ceful union is an organization that figures out FIVE-YEAR REPORT what people’s 2003-2008 hopes are, what their dreams are, what they want.” . . . It’s dangerous to let a lot of ideas out of the bag, some of which may be bad. But there’s something that’s more dangerous, and that’s not having any new ideas at a at a time when the world is closing in on you. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul E. Almeida Barbara Byrd-Bennett Landon Butler David K. Cohen Antonia Cortese Rudolph Crew Thomas R. Donahue Bob Edwards Carl Gershman Milton Goldberg Ernest G. Green E. D. Hirsch, Jr. Sol Hurwitz Clifford B. Janey Susan Moore Johnson Ted Kirsch Nat Lacour Stanley S. Litow Michael MacCoby Herb Magidson Edward J. McElroy Stephanie Powers Diane Ravitch Richard Riley William Scheuerman William Schmidt Deborah L. Wince-Smith

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Eugenia Kemble

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Burnie Bond

DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND OPERATIONS Randall C. Garton FIVE-YEAR REPORT 2003-2008

THE INSTITUTE • 555 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, NW • WASHINGTON, DC 20001 WWW.ASHANKERINST.ORG

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 1 THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE , endowed by the American Federation of Teachers and named in honor of its late president, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to three themes — children’s education, unions as advocates for quality, and both civic education and freedom of association in the public life of democracies. Its mission is to generate ideas, foster can - did exchanges, and promote constructive policy proposals related to these issues. The Institute commissions original analyses, organizes seminars, spon - sors publications and subsidizes selected projects. Its independent Board of Directors is composed of educators, business representatives, labor leaders, academics, and public policy analysts.

COPYRIGHT © 2008, THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE DESIGN: Lasko Design + Consulting

2 REPORT 2003-2008 Contents

Preface ...... 4

Introduction ...... 5

Education ...... 6

Labor ...... 14

Democracy ...... 22

A Living Heritage ...... 30

Albert Shanker: Tough Liberal ...... 32

Board of Directors ...... 36

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 3 Preface

In 1997, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) supported the creation of a new organization which would function independently of the AFT, yet have a board and a staff that would be guided the union's mission. In March 1998, the Albert Shanker Insti - tute was launched, named in honor of the late AFT president, who sought widely for innovative ideas to help the union in its work for both its members and the people they serve. The AFT provided the Institute with an endowment and in-kind support. The Institute set about gathering the best minds in labor, education, civil rights, business, and academia, not only to serve on its board, but also as participants in its activities. Its purpose was to identify and develop novel ideas and approaches that could help to strengthen public education and trade unions and, through them, democracy itself. The Institute’s officers, board, and staff have sought to pursue Al Shanker’s legacy in ways that reflect his intellectual breadth, his creativity, and his vocation to teach — all of which contributed to the extraordinary effectiveness of his leadership. Though impossi - bly ambitious, this vision inspired us all. I believe that in its first ten years, the Albert Shanker Institute has gone far towards achieving its goals. It has put together an intel - lectually diverse, bipartisan, and talented board of directors that has had thoughtful dis - cussions about the direction of programs. It has engaged a new generation of AFT leaders and a broad range of experts and activists from the labor, business, education, and policy worlds. It has funded unique reports on topics that others have been hesitant to explore — Islam and democracy, changes workers want from their union, curriculum for early childhood education, worker rights in China. It has fostered discussion and study within the labor movement on the benefits of dramatically expanding union serv - ices in the areas of skills development, career counseling, and lifelong education. It has hosted seminars that have achieved wide recognition for their substantive depth, as well as their penchant for tackling provocative and controversial topics and perspectives. This report describes the activities of the Albert Shanker Institute in the five years from 2003 to 2008. In places where there has been a continuation in activities from its earlier five-year report, the two reports may overlap. As my predecessor, the late , noted so well in her introduction to the Institute’s first five-year report, those who set up the organization, “hoped that it could help opinion makers and the public understand the perspective of the AFT on important issues and appreciate the union’s efforts to help improve public schools, build democratic values and institutions, and bring new perspectives, roles, and allies to the work of unions.” Much has been accom - plished in fulfilling this hope. And much remains to be done. Al Shanker was a mentor who had a large influence on my career as a trade unionist, as an educator, and as an advocate for democracy. As President of the AFT, it has been my privilege to also hold the office of President of the Institute that bears his name. In these past ten years, I believe we can say it has effectively continued Al’s work. Edward J. McElroy President

4 REPORT 2003-2008 Introduction

This report describes the Albert Shanker Institute’s activities over the past five years in the areas of education, labor, and democracy. In the area of education, the Institute has sponsored a wide range of forums, seminars, reports, and other activities that high - light the best thinking and solid research on the most effective ways to improve teaching and schools. In the area of labor, the Institute’s most important work has been to engage both the AFT and, more broadly, the AFL-CIO in examining the British labor move - ment’s successful workplace development and union learning model, and supporting efforts to put this model into practice. In the democracy field, the Institute has organ - ized key debates on the role of labor in the world and carried out a number of activities fostering worker rights and democracy. What may not come through in the explanations of individual activities, however, is the uniqueness of the Institute’s approach: its openness, its love of debate, and its will - ingness to try new things, take up difficult topics, and issue controversial reports — all aimed at inciting needed change. Of great pride to the Shanker Institute is the seminar model that it has introduced — a blend of serious presentations and frank discussions, privately held, that involve all participants in developing solutions to problems. Another hallmark of the Institute’s work is a constant search for the best research to ground and energize these discussions and the programs that flow from them. The Institute is also pleased to have brought together the two parts of a now divided labor movement in common discourse over how to promote worker rights and democra - cy abroad. It is engaged in fostering constructive education strategies by having union leaders, district leaders, and policy experts think and work together. The Institute’s commitment to exploring new roles, agendas, and structures within the labor movement is also unflagging.

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 5 [A] strong public education system… holds out possible opportunity for children of all ethnic and social backgrounds to rise to their potential.

6 REPORT 2003-2008 EDUCATION n its first five years (1998-2003), the Institute focused much of its attention on standards-based reform, which Albert Shanker had championed as the best means for achieving broad-based excellence in public schools. One of the highlights of the Institute’s work was its sponsorship of a survey of teach - that matter. According to a 2008 report by ers, showing broad support for such the AFT, only one state, Virginia, meets reforms and widespread hope that teach - the AFT criteria for strong standards in ers and schools would get the resources all levels and subjects. Another 15 states and support they needed to deliver on meet the criteria in at least 75 percent of high expectations for all students. Anoth - the categories. A 2007 study concluded er was its urging, through study and dis - that only 11 states have reading and math cussion, that quality preschool education tests that were clearly aligned to state help jump start children, particularly standards. And virtually none have tried those who are poor, into successful school to develop curriculum that would help careers. The Institute also provided seed guide teachers more specifically about funding for an influential book in this what to teach. And, despite considerable area, The Teaching Gap by James Stigler research indicating how much good and James Hiebert, which became a best - teaching matters to student achievement, seller and continues to excite attention. most states have done little to improve The Institute also continued Albert their teacher preparation programs and Shanker’s focus on the central importance have continually relegated on-the-job of promoting a common core curriculum professional development to the category in the schools, in particular the need to of things to think about and fund later. promote civic knowledge and under - To compound the failure of the states, standing of democracy among students. the federal government’s ill-conceived No In pursuit of this goal, it published two Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has had per - influential documents — Education for verse effects on standards-based reform. Democracy , a statement of principles The AFT had offered qualified support to endorsed by over 100 prominent Ameri - the new law in the hope that its data provi - cans, which calls for strengthened cur - sions and new funding would help target riculum content in history , civics , and the attention and support to the students who humanities, and Educating Democracy: needed it most. Unfortunately, NCLB State Standards to Ensure a Civic Core , measured school progress in ways that which reviewed state standards in civics, made no sense to researchers or practition - history, and social studies and evaluated ers. At the state level, it failed to establish their strength with regard to preparing an incentives that might foster a true align - informed citizenry. ment among standards, curriculum, assess - Unfortunately, the progress in these ments, and supports. It created a heavy areas has not measured up to Shanker’s burden of unfunded mandates that states expectations — or the public’s either, for and local school systems had to scramble

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 7 ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE to cover. Indeed, it served researchers and policy experts to work The Good Schools Seminars AN ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE SEMINAR SERIES FOR UNION LEADERS, to undermine the very together to find solutions to particular POLICY EXPERTS, AND SUPERINTENDENTS idea that “standards” and problems. It is hoped that this new semi - Developing the Teaching Corps “accountability,” imple - nar series can foster concrete reforms and We Need mented wisely, were use - changes at the school district level. JANUARY 29-30, 2008 ful tools in the school BRIEFING BOOK improvement effort. STANDARDS AND SYSTEMIC REFORM Albert Shanker From Best Evidence to What Works: believed that a strong A Forum Series to Highlight Research public education system for Practice was crucial to a strong In 2002, the Albert Shanker Institute democracy. In principle launched a distinctive new forum series and aspiration, it created WASHINGTON COURT HOTEL designed to highlight the best available 525 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20001 the first — and only — research on specific educational issues common space where all and then to link these findings to practical parts of a multi-ethnic, steps that schools can take to improve multi-class society could meet and learn student achievement. The forums aimed to live together. It holds out possible to achieve this goal by bringing together opportunity for children of all ethnic and policymakers, journalists, representatives social backgrounds to rise to their poten - of education organizations and think tial. And, hopefully, it teaches a common tanks, education administrators, and history and narrative for children to learn union leaders. The forums addressed to become active and informed citizens. those issues in education where research In the past five years, the Institute has has clear guidance for practical applica - targeted crucial missing pieces of the tion, or where research could help to reform agenda that was initiated in the guide a policy that seems currently to be 1990s. Conceptually sound, many of these driven by ideology and bias, or where ear - ideas have yet to be realized in practice. ly research is only suggestive but atten - One theme of its work, cutting across a tion is urgently needed. Education has number of programs, is the identification been plagued by a chronic divide between of best research and the promotion of its researchers and practitioners. This was use in practice. In order to promote more one of the Institute’s several efforts to discussion about good research and its help bridge this gap. application in the field, the Institute has There have been a total of nine “What carried out two initiatives —“From Best Works” forums on the following topics: Evidence to What Works” a forum series, and “Unions Shaping Good Schools” a I Language and Literacy Development seminar series. The first aims to identify (May 2002), and foster discussion about key topics and I The Use of Professional Development to create greater consensus around what to Raise Student Achievement (June works among educators, teacher unions, 2002),

researchers, and administrators. The sec - I Strategies to Improve Student Behavior ond initiative takes the forum idea to a and Support Achievement (Oct. 2002), new level in the form of a working semi - I Preschool Assessment (Oct. 2004), nar series for union leaders and adminis - trators from the same districts, who are I Reading Disabilities, Reading Difficul - brought together with leading ties, and School-Based Interventions that Work (April 2005),

8 REPORT 2003-2008 I Improving the Teaching and Learning cial focus on teacher development and of Mathematics (May 2005), core curriculum, two elements it deems crucial to the success of standards-driven I Background Knowledge and Reading Proficiency (May 2006), change. A meeting in Oct. 2005 on how to I Pay for Performance Systems (June I 2006), and improve teacher education provided an interesting intersection with the forum I High School Dropout Rates & What on improving mathematics teaching. A Can Be Done To Improve Them (May small group of experts was asked to 2007). (Transcripts for all of the forums may be found at help advise the Institute’s board on www.ashankerinst.org/education.html .) sound strategies for improving teacher Albert Shanker education, both preservice and inser - believed that a The forums succeeded in drawing vice, and on those areas where Insti - strong public increased attention to some of the best tute involvement would have the research in education and hopefully to greatest impact. The group included education system was some concrete steps toward improving Deborah Loewenberg Ball, dean of the crucial to a strong education policy. The last forum, for University of Michigan’s School of democracy. example, on high school dropout rates, Education; Robert Floden, professor of In principle and featured two leading researchers, Robert teacher education, measurement and aspiration, it created Balfanz of the Johns Hopkins Center for quantitative methods, and educational the first — and only the Social Organization of Schools and policy at Michigan State University, Mark Dynarski from Mathematica Policy and director of the Institute for — common space Research, who attempted to explain the Research on Teaching and Learning; where all parts of a debate over how best to calculate dropout William Schmidt, university distin - multi-ethnic, multi- rates and to present new research on the guished professor at Michigan State class society could most effective strategies to reduce those University and co-director of the Edu - meet and learn to live rates. Significantly, they found that, of the cation Policy Center; and Suzanne Wil - two programs that could be shown to be son, professor of teacher education at together. effective in reducing dropouts, both Michigan State University and director assigned a professional staff person to of the Center for the Scholarship of work as caseworker/student advocate — Teaching. Several board members: personally following up on student David K. Cohen, Antonia Cortese, E.D. absences, linking students and their fami - Hirsch, Sol Hurwitz, Ed McElroy, and lies with needed social services, coordi - Diane Ravitch also attended . nating with teachers and parents, and I What resulted was a major initiative working intensively with students who for developing new research, course are at risk of dropping out. The forum on work, and materials for the mathemat - improving the teaching and learning of ics education of elementary and middle mathematics (May 2005) led to the initia - school teachers. In collaboration with a tive below. research team at the University of Michigan, headed by Dean of Educa - Educating Teachers: tion Deborah Loewenberg Ball, the Special Knowledge for the Shanker Institute has been working to Teaching of Mathematics raise funds for the design, field testing, Consistent with Al Shanker’s view that evaluation, and dissemination of a standards would never work as an isolat - model core curriculum in mathematics ed element, the Institute has placed spe - that could be used to strengthen

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 9 These conversations teacher education, both preservice and The series began with two off-the- provided an overview inservice. Ball and her colleagues are at record conversations held in June 2007 of current debates on the forefront of efforts to investigate, and Jan. 2008, involving local and nation - how contract provi - define, and document the mathemati - al AFT leaders, superintendents from sions affect teacher cal knowledge needed for successful some of those locals, members of the teaching. They have done so through Shanker Institute Board of Directors, and policies, and looked at empirical study of teaching and policy experts and researchers. These what the research through the development of instru - conversations provided an overview of really says about ments to measure the mathematical current debates on how contract provi - effective teacher knowledge needed to carry out the sions affect teacher policies, and looked at preparation, induction, tasks that teachers face in classrooms what the research really says about effec - — such as assessing student work, rep - tive teacher preparation, induction, assignment, and com - resenting numbers and operations, and assignment, and compensation policies. pensation policies. explaining common mathematical They also experimented with some key rules or procedures. The students of features that are unusual in the field of teachers who did well on these items education. Most significantly, practition - were found to make greater achieve - ers, administrators, and researchers had ment gains in mathematics than did an equal place at the table, interacting as other students. This collaboration both participants and presenters. The hopes to develop materials, course out - presenters have included Rudy Crew, lines, and curriculum, based on this superintendent, Miami-Dade County work, that could be assessed for its Public Schools; Eric Hirsch , director of effect of teacher knowledge, teaching special projects, New Teacher Center at practice, and student achievement and UC-Santa Cruz ; Susan Moore Johnson, replicated, both in education schools Carl H. Pforzheimer, Jr. professor of and professional development pro - teaching and learning, Harvard Universi - grams for teachers already on the job. ty; Diane Ravitch, research professor of education, University; William Unions Shaping Good Schools Schmidt , university distinguished profes - In 2007, the Albert Shanker Institute sor of education, Michigan State Universi - launched a new seminar series for union ty, and director, U.S. Teacher Education leaders, superintendents and researchers. Study in Mathematics; Randi Weingarten, After years of discrete Washington-based president, United Federation of Teachers; forums that attracted participants accord - and Suzanne Wilson, chair of Michigan ing to topical interest, it State University’s depart -

seemed wise to target key ment of teacher education

555 New Jersey Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20001 Tel: 202.879.4401 Fax: 202.879.4403 players with a more strate - www.ashankerinst.org and director of the College

gic agenda that could be A Seminar Series of Education’s Center for Unions Shaping Good Schools: Where Every Child Graduates and Every Diploma Reflects Achievement developed more deeply over the Scholarship of Teach - several meetings. Exposure Unions ing, among others . Teaching Quality to good research remains a & Student Achievement The series will build on JUNE 4-5, 2007 priority for these seminars, this framework, inviting a

but the focus on the thorny BRIEFING BOOK somewhat larger group of

issues on which labor-man - locals to participate along

agement cooperation is nec - Hyatt Regency Washington with their respective dis - 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20001

essary for any real change trict superintendents and a to take hold. committed group of serious

10 REPORT 2003-2008 researchers and leading experts to engage ics, and science, the report offers practical in conversations with each other on how advice on how to strengthen preschool to help create, sustain, and support good curriculum, as well as a rich array of schools for all children . resources on where to learn more. A sum - The premise of the series is that dis - mary version, designed for easy use by ear - trict partners need to come to a working ly childhood educators and state and local consensus on such topics as supports for policymakers, will be available in pub - new teachers, quality professional devel - lished form. A longer, more detailed ver - opment, policies that help with the sion will be published online. Both make staffing of low performing schools, and clear that working with young children differentiated pay, especially where there requires highly specialized educational is good research to help guide the way. preparation and unique knowledge and Researchers, in turn, benefit from under - experience. The report has been reviewed standing how their work does and does by respected experts in the field, including not correspond to the practical realities of Barbara Bowman, co-founder and presi - classroom life. A growing list of prospec - dent emeritus of the Erikson Institute; Sue tive participants now include labor-man - Bredekamp, director of research at the agement teams from such locales as ABC Council for Early Childhood Professional School District, CA; Baltimore, MD; Dade Recognition; Susan Neuman, professor of County, FL; New York, NY; North Subur - education at the University of Michigan ban, IL; , PA; Plattsburgh, NY; and former U.S. Assistant Secretary for San Francisco, CA; St. Paul, MN; Tampa, Elementary and Secondary FL; and Toledo, OH, among others. Education; and Robert Siegler, Teresa Heinz Pro - Raising the Bar for fessor of cognitive psycholo - Preschool Curriculum: Early Childhood Educators: gy at Carnegie Mellon What's In It What the Best Research has to Say University . Already, some for Children In fall 2008, the Institute will release a who have read it are consid - and Teachers new report, Preschool Curriculum: What’s ering its use as a guide in in it for Children and Teachers? Based on a designing education and review of research on how and how much training programs for early very young children can learn in the childhood workers and Copyright ©2008 The Albert Shanker Institute domains of language, literacy, mathemat - teachers .

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 11 SELECTED PRESS COVERAGE

Lack of Research, Data Hurts Teaching the Values Dropout Efforts, Experts Say of Memorial Day Despite widespread concern Institute, a Washington-based In a tribute to the democratic about high school students’ drop - think tank named after the late values and institutions commem - ping out before earning a president of the American Feder - orated by Memorial Day, mem - diploma, research doesn’t offer ation of Teachers. bers of the Cheektowaga Central much in the way of proven meth - …“This is a very under Teachers Association organized ods of addressing the problem, researched area,” said Mark Memorial Day activities for stu - experts said last week. Dynarski, one of the panelists and dents. The Erie County local pro - Only eight programs have been the principal investigator for vided students with pencils researched rigorously enough to dropout prevention for the IES, imprinted with the celebration’s merit their inclusion in the fed - an arm of the U.S. Department of theme: “American Dreams: Tied eral What Works Clearinghouse, Education…. A few of the success - Together by Freedom, Democra - which was established in 2002 by ful dropout-prevention programs cy and Sacrifice.” the Institute of Education Sci - seek to halt that slow slide [of “What we’re trying to do here ences to provide a source of sci - absenteeism] by designating one is go back and look at the true entific evidence about what adult to follow up with small meaning of Memorial Day,” said works in education. That’s just groups of students at risk of drop - Janet Goddard, president of the one of the challenges a panel of ping out. . . . CCTA…. “What we tried to do experts discussed at a May 3 Christina A. Samuels was recognize the commitment forum on dropout prevention Education Week and sacrifice that our people sponsored by the Albert Shanker May 9, 2 007 overseas are making, and bring it home to the students,” said CCTA member Jon Marcussen, who was They Can Write on the committee that planned With funding from the Albert Shanker Institute, the Concord the Memorial Day events. Review commissioned a study of the state of the history research The CCTA celebration was… paper in public high schools in America in 2002. We found that, while [inspired] by a campaign organ - 95 percent of teachers praised the value of research papers, 81 percent ized by the Albert Shanker Insti - never assigned a 5,000-word paper, and 62 percent never assigned a tute, Education for Democracy, 3,000-word paper in history classes. Most teachers said they simply which calls for improvement in did not have time to assign, monitor, and read history papers…. There the teaching of American civic are real consequences for students who go on to college or to jobs. values. The Business Roundtable reported on a survey of its member compa - New York Teacher nies in 2004…that they were spending $3,090,943,194 on remedial June 16, 2004 writing courses for their salaried and hourly employees. William Fitzhugh Sept. 23, 2006

12 REPORT 2003-2008 Where Should Textbooks Flunk Test: Dumbing Down and County Find Leader PC Distort U.S. History, Critics Say of School System Most textbooks, produced by a handful of giant commercial publish - The Albert Shanker Institute ers, are exposing generations of children to cultural and history amnesia (a non-partisan policy organiza - that threatens the very basis of American free institutions and liberties, tion of the American Federation warn leading historians who are calling for better-defined, more rigor - of Teachers) recently released a ous state teaching standards. remarkable study entitled Educa - Just 11 percent of eighth-graders show proficient knowledge of U.S. tion for Democracy citing a crisis history on standardized tests — down from 17 percent in 2001, [accord - in American education and call - ing to Paul] Gagnon, …emeritus professor of history at the university of ing on our schools to “purposely Massachusetts…. “Less than half knew the Supreme Court could decide impart to their students the learn - a law’s constitutionality,” he said in the Albert Shanker Institute study ing necessary for an informed, titled Educating Democracy: State Standards to Ensure a Civic Core. reasoned allegiance to the ideals “Secondary and college students, and indeed most of the rest of us, of a free society.” [Thomas] Jeffer - have only a feeble grasp of politics and a vague awareness of history, son reached much the same con - especially the political history of the and the world,” says clusion 225 years ago…. Gagnon . The Tennessean George Archibald March 28, 2004 The Washington Times March 24, 2004

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 13 There are a growing number of professional, technical, and contingent workers who are expressing increased interest — by a large majority — in labor organizations that will give them a greater say over their professional lives, compensation, and working conditions.

14 REPORT 2003-2008 LABOR fter many decades of decline, the basic trends of the American labor movement improved some - what in 2007, with a slight increase in overall membership. Still, the percentage of unionized employees in wage and salaried positions rose just one-tenth of one per - economic gains — an average increase of cent, from 12 percent to 12.1. Albert $200 in weekly earnings, better health Shanker believed that the future for much care benefits, better pension benefits, and of the labor movement lay in the organi - other opportunities.) But, it does mean zation of white collar, professional, and that workers have less influence on their public sector employees. The AFT’s con - country’s politics and laws. tinuous growth since 1973 in teacher, Much of the Albert Shanker Institute’s health care, and other professional cate - work in this area has been devoted to gories indicates the wisdom of this com - better understanding the trends and pres - mitment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics sures that have resulted in low unioniza - bears this out as well: out of 15.7 million tion rates and to seeking out and total union members in the United States, developing new ideas for countering for the first time more than half are white them. In 2000, the Institute released a collar and public sector employees. And, novel research report on the attitudes and while many other private-sector unions opinions of professional and technical continue to decline, these sectors are both employees, including the key kinds of fea - the fastest growing occupational groups tures and functions they would want in a in the nation and are now a majority of workplace organization to represent organized union members. What may be them. Workforce development, one area more significant is that there are a grow - identified as a priority by prospective ing number of professional, technical, and members, is also a field in which unions contingent workers who are expressing have a vested and historic interest. Thus, increased interest — by a large majority — the Institute initiated an ongoing effort to in labor organizations that will give them research and explore issues related to a greater say over their professional lives, workforce development, and to innova - compensation, and working conditions. tive union roles and structures that could Albert Shanker argued that trade help to attract new members. As part of unions remain the most democratic insti - this work, the Institute (working with the tution in a society, because they provide New Economy Information Service) members with a much stronger voice both spearheaded a program aimed at educat - in the workplace and in the halls of gov - ing American trade unionists, and espe - ernment. The current low rates of union - cially AFT leaders and constituent ization do not mean unions have less groups, about successful workforce devel - value as economic organizations. (Indeed, opment programs in the United Kingdom, one good piece of news is that union especially the “union learning representa - membership still brings demonstrable tive” model developed by the British

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 15 Trades Union Congress (TUC). This ini - side stewards and health and safety rep - tiative, now a government-labor-private resentatives, help workers advance in sector partnership, is credited for a signif - their careers and counsel them on how icant rise in TUC membership. to obtain the education and skills-devel - opment they want and need. The pro - WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT gram has been credited with improving Promoting Labor’s Workforce the public image of unions, creating new Development Agenda and stronger labor-management part -

I Shortly after its founding, the Albert nerships, and helping unions to recruit Shanker Institute began to initiate dis - and activate new members. cussions in the American labor move - I In 2004, the Task Force on Workforce ment on the need to focus more Development released a comprehen - attention on training and skills develop - sive report, Learning Partnerships: ment. In 2001, the Institute hosted the Strengthening American Jobs in the first in a series of public forums, private Global Economy . In it, task force mem - discussions, trips, and events on the top - bers proposed far-reaching changes in ic. A seminar co-sponsored by the Insti - the way the United States manages its tute and the New Economy work-force skills and Information Service training efforts. It was (NEIS) brought together argued that, while tech - trade union leaders and nological change and researchers from the U.S. global competition buffet and several European our labor markets, the countries to discuss union U.S. needs to do far more experiences with training to help incumbent work - and professional develop - ers keep their jobs and ment as a basis for prepare for new, high- improved labor-manage - skilled employment ment relations, member opportunities. The report service, and organizing also concluded that new members. In 2003, as a follow-up to “political leadership on all sides has yet this work, the Institute and NEIS put to give adequate attention to this chal - together the Task Force on Workforce lenge” and that “labor must now con - Development, composed of key repre - sider its traditional role in training and sentatives from labor, business, acade - credentialing workers as one of the mia, and public policy research. The two major missions of the modern labor organizations also organized two task movement.” The report generated force trips to the United Kingdom to widespread interest, especially in the investigate the British Trades Union public policy community that works in Congress’ successful programs in this the areas of economic development area. Beginning under a hostile Conser - and workforce training. vative Party government and expanding I In 2005, the Institute continued its dramatically under Labor Party rule, the partnership with the NEIS by sponsor - British labor movement has institution - ing a July forum with the National alized a new role in the workplace — the Association of Workforce Boards, union learning representative. These “Partnership for Sustaining High End union representatives, working along - Employment,” at the

16 REPORT 2003-2008 Convention Center in Philadelphia. It featured U.K. trip participants in a “give and take” setting with employers and local union leaders from around the nation.

I In March 2005, the Albert Shanker Institute began a partnership with the AFL-CIO Department for Professional Employees (DPE), sponsoring a nation - al conference on “Organizing Profes - sionals in the 21 st Century.” The event drew 200 participants from more than 20 national unions, professional associ - ations, and universities. The effort was the first of its kind: drawing upon dif - ferent models and offering new research to explore innovative ways of organizing and representing members. assistants, and organizing and training Polls and featured presentations from directors. The group discussed the the British TUC and the Kaiser Perma - British learning representative model nente labor coalition highlighted the (described above) as well as other importance of a skills agenda for labor union-delivered professional develop - and the potential benefit of workplace ment and career advancement pro - learning representatives. Marketplace grams, with a focus on those that serve radio, Business Week , The Philadelphia professional and technical workers. Inquirer , BNA and other news outlets Participants also considered the appeal covered the event. of professional associations to profes - sionals who may be leery of unions, I In March 2006, the Institute and DPE collaborated on “New Ways to Work, and examined the approaches of these New Models for Unions,” a meeting for organizations to workplace develop - national union presidents, their top ment and member recruitment. Partici - pating unions formed a task force of top staff to guide the group toward concrete next steps, including the development of pilot projects at the state and local levels.

I In 2008, the Institute began a new partnership with the / Center for Labor Studies of the AFL-CIO, also focusing on the issues of workforce skills, career development, and lifelong learning. A June planning meeting, including Shanker Institute board members and staff, labor college repre - sentatives, AFL-CIO representatives, national union leaders, and workforce

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 17 development experts, will formulate a the many community college partners, white paper that might be presented to staff from the TUC training branch of a presidential candidates in this election community college and its head, com - year. This will be followed by a broader munications and technology profession - discussion of the goals set forth in the als, bus drivers, TUC General Secretary white paper and how best to accom - Brendan Barber, and members of his plish them. “UnionLearn” staff team. By the middle of 2007, representatives of every con - AFT and the Union stituency in the AFT had benefited from Learning Representative Model a first-hand view of the British labor movement’s learning initiatives. I Within the American labor movement, the American Federation of Teachers is I In Dec. 2006, a number of study group at the forefront of efforts to follow-up participants met with the AFT’s Organ - on the potential benefits of the work - izing Committee, which is responsible The effort was the first place development agenda. A number for developing new organizing of AFT leaders participated in the first approaches for the union. Trip partici - of its kind: drawing two Shanker Institute-sponsored study pants recommended the establishment upon different models trips to the United Kingdom to explore of a pilot union learning representative and offering new the union learning representative mod - program within the AFT. In 2007, the research to explore el. This model, while begun as a trade members of the AFT Executive Coun - innovative ways of union initiative, is now a government- cil, acting as the corporate members of supported partnership. Support from the Albert Shanker Institute, accepted organizing and repre - the government extends to the private these recommendations. The AFT senting members. sector, where union members choose a assumed responsibility for this effort union learning representative to assist and, as of this writing, AFT affiliates in workers in their pursuit of ongoing Baltimore, MD, the state of Rhode education, workplace skills, and career Island, and North Suburban, IL, are advancement. Many in the British working to launch new pilot learning Trades Union Congress (TUC), includ - representative programs. ing two successive secretaries general, credit the union learning program with LANE KIRKLAND: helping to support a rise in U.K. union CHAMPION OF AMERICAN LABOR membership over the last decade. The Albert Shanker Institute provided To further support interest in the union I early support to writer and scholar Arch learning representative model within Puddington for a biography of the late the AFT, the Institute organized two Lane Kirkland, AFL-CIO president from additional U.K. study trips for AFT lead - 1979 to 1995. Puddington, former director ers, one in May 2006, led by AFT and of the League for Industrial Democracy Shanker Institute Secretary-Treasurer and now vice president for publications Nat LaCour, and the second in April and research at , was 2007, led by AFT and Shanker Institute uniquely suited to carry out the project as President Edward J. McElroy and AFT someone familiar with both Kirkland’s Executive Vice President Antonia domestic and international work. Lane Cortese. The groups met with three Kirkland: Champion of American Labor was major teacher unions and other unions published in early 2005, with a Feb. 9 book representing public employees and civil launch in Washington, D.C. servants, as well as the head of one of

18 REPORT 2003-2008 The Shanker Institute, Freedom House, Thomas R. Donahue, who also served as and the National Endowment for Democ - secretary-treasurer under Kirkland; Jack racy co-sponsored the event. NED Presi - Joyce, former president of the Internation - dent Carl Gershman presided over the al Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craft - program, which included former New York workers; and Kirkland’s widow, Irena Times columnist William Safire; former Kirkland. Lech Walesa, founder of the Soli - House Democratic Leader Richard darity trade union and former president of Gephardt (D-MO); AFL-CIO President , sent a written tribute. John Sweeney; former AFL-CIO President

[Lane Kirkland: Champion of American Labor ] tells the story of one of the true heroes of the struggle for freedom from totalitarianism. Through the skillful use of the power he exercised as the leader of American labor, and through his own unshakeable commitment, Lane Kirkland played a crucial role in our peaceful revolution in Poland. He did much more. Through - out the world, millions of free people owe him a debt of gratitude for his service to the democratic cause. I am gratified that the full account of his indispensable contribution to freedom has finally been written. Lech Walesa Founding chairman, Independent and Self-Governing Trade Union Solidarnosc

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 19 SELECTED PRESS COVERAGE

A Judge in a Union? New Roles for Labor. The idea that a judge would you think that unions are only fac - Department for Professional join a labor union once struck tory workers toting lunch boxes, Employees. “More and more, their Stephen Bosch as absurd. think again. Half of the AFL-CIO’s ability to do their job in the way “There are many of us who 12.9 million members are white they were trained to do them has thought that, to say the least, collar, including teachers, engi - been impacted.” … being in a union was demeaning,” neers — even rocket scientists and “Typically, wages are down said Bosch, who decides Social doctors. about five on the list when we do Security cases as an administra - As union participation declines our normal polling,” said Almeida, tive law judge. But caseloads kept along with the nation’s manufac - who presided over a recent con - increasing, support staff proved turing sector, organized labor ference of 250 union leaders and less than adequate, and, in wants to build its ranks with pro - scholars…[cosponsored by the Philadelphia, Bosch said, Social fessional workers. The sell isn’t Albert Shanker Institute]… titled Security judges don’t even have all, or even mostly, about money. “Organizing Professionals in the decent offices. Bosch is now the It’s about professional standards 21st Century.” equivalent of a shop steward in an and working conditions…. Jane M. Von Bergen AFL-CIO union. “The No. 1 issue is about having The Philadelphia Inquirer The judges needed a union, a voice on the job as profession - March 27, 2005 Bosch came to realize, “to gain als,” said Paul E. Almeida, presi - enough strength to negotiate.” If dent of the AFL-CIO’s

Dangerous Disconnect With global competition challenging the U.S. labor market, techno - logical change continuing to sweep through American business, and dramatic shifts in the demographics of the U.S. labor force in the works, “the future strength of our economy rests in large measure on the skills and adaptability of the American workforce,” bluntly states this past April’s report from the Task Force on Workforce Development, a joint project of the Albert Shanker Institute and the New Economy Informa - tion Service…. Almost 80 percent of all recent U.S. job losses — not just those in manufacturing — have been structural, estimates the task force…. That means they’re gone for good. “What happens to the workers whose jobs have been permanently eliminated? They have to look for entirely new work because companies are creating entirely new jobs, not merely refilling old jobs,” the task force states. Jill Jusko and John S. McClenahen Industry Week July 1, 2004

20 REPORT 2003-2008 Learning Partnerships Needed to Build Workforce Adaptability, Report Concludes Partnerships should be initiated at the local level workers. Helping workers to identify new opportuni - among employers, educators, employees, community ties and to acquire skills that match them not only leaders, local governments, and unions to promote benefits individuals but also strengthens the economy, employee learning, according to recommendations the report said. made in a report released April 20 by the Task Force Without new attention to developing workforce on Workforce Development. skills, the task force warns that there is a danger of The report, Learning Partnerships: Strengthening drifting into a “low skills equilibrium” in which American Jobs in the Global Economy , is based on a employers anticipate that only poorly skilled workers year-long study in the United States and the United are available in the labor market, and shape their busi - Kingdom by labor, business, and policy specialists, ness strategies around those low expectations. “This which was co-sponsored by the Albert Shanker Insti - can set in motion a cycle that will have destructive tute and New Economy Information Service…. effects throughout our economy and for a long time to The task force study looks beyond the current come,” the report said. economy, which has been shedding jobs in some sec - Labor Relations Week tors, to future needs as global competition and tech - BNA, Thursday, April 29, 2004 nological change confront the workforce and create new demands for well-educated and highly skilled

Report Sees Skills Crisis Without New Emphasis on Training Without new attention to tion Service. Participants in the erode without a focused developing workforce skills, the task force included the AFL-CIO, approach to training and retrain - United States could fall into a the Business Roundtable and Har - ing U.S. employees. The report “low skills equilibrium” in which vard University’s John F. Kennedy called for “a national campaign to only poorly skilled workers are School of Government. improve the skills and profes - available and businesses expect— The year-long study recog - sionalism of the workforce,” say - and get—the worst from the labor nized the pressures—such as ing that “we must create new pool, a new report, Learning Part - global competition, technological learning partnerships throughout nerships: Strengthening American change, low literacy and the our communities and work - Jobs in the Global Economy pending retirement of the baby places” to keep jobs from heading warned. . . . boomers—on the ability of U.S.- overseas or simply disappearing. The report was issued April 20 based organizations to maintain a Steve Bates by the Task Force on Workforce workforce that can handle big Human Resources News Development and was sponsored challenges today and in the April 22, 2004 by the Albert Shanker Institute future. It said the skills base of and the New Economy Informa - the workforce will continue to

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 21 The Albert Shanker Institute will continue to promote the idea and the reality of democracy, both at home and abroad, including direct support for projects, publications, civic education activities, and discussions at conferences and seminars.

22 REPORT 2003-2008 DEMOCRACY decade that began with the promise of the expansion of democracy has witnessed a dra - matic reversal of fortune. With a few excep - tions, democratic movements have been rebuffed, dictatorships have retrenched, and a different form of totalitarian ideology American foreign policy that not only has gained strength in the form of reli - promoted democracy but also social jus - gious extremism. The war in Iraq, which tice, with trade unions at the center of some promoted as a means to foster the these policies. In Feb. 2008, the Albert conditions for greater Middle Eastern Shanker Institute joined Freedom House democracy, has instead created increasing and the Progressive Policy Institute in co- unrest in the region and weakened Ameri - sponsoring a forum that asked the ques - ca’s credibility as an advocate of democra - tion “Should Labor and the Democrats cy. Looming over all these developments Revive the Muscular Liberal Internation - is the rise of the People’s Republic of Chi - alism of Albert Shanker?” The answer na, which has successfully combined the was found in recalling Shanker’s influ - dynamism of free market capitalism with ence on numerous international ques - one-party dictatorship, a model that tions, his alliance with former AFL-CIO threatens to become a viable alternative president Lane Kirkland and other U.S. to both European-style trade union leaders, and their combined and U.S.-style democratic capitalism. As a efforts to help ensure the survival of the recent Albert Shanker Institute publica - independent Solidarnosc union in Poland. tion attests (see below), China’s economic They also recalled Shanker’s supporting and political rise has been built on a foun - democratic teachers’ movements in South dation of political repression and low Africa, Chile, Hong Kong, Eastern wages, which has had a profound effect Europe, and elsewhere; creating the Edu - on global trade and damaged the econom - cation for Democracy/International proj - ic prospects of both emerging and devel - ect; and building the largest international oped countries. Meanwhile, China affairs department among U.S. unions. pursues alliances with some of the worst While such activism was considered wor - dictatorships on earth in order to secure thy of emulation, few members of the stable supplies of natural resources and panel or audience believed it would be expand its markets. These political and easy to revive this brand of liberal inter - economic trends in the world pose a chal - nationalism. lenge to democratic prospects. The Albert Shanker Institute will con - As describes in his tinue to promote the idea and the reality recent book, Tough Liberal: Albert of democracy, both at home and abroad, Shanker and the Battles over Schools, including direct support for projects, pub - Unions, Race, and Democracy , Al Shanker lications, civic education activities, and was part of a long tradition within Ameri - discussions at conferences and seminars. can liberalism that believed in a strong In the past five years, the Albert Shanker

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 23 Institute has chosen two strategic areas House Survey of Freedom in the World . for its work in promoting democracy The NEH-approved project addressed the internationally — the People’s Republic of concrete need to improve the teaching of China and the Middle East. It also recent - democracy to American students, as ly funded an effort to draw attention to described in Education for Democracy, the the plight of independent trade unionists Institute’s 2003 manifesto which received in , and it continues to answer an broad support from across the political occasional call for assistance, as in the spectrum. The Institute and Freedom case of educators in Belarus. As part of its House agreed that the most effective continuing work to foster democracy edu - means for doing such a project would be cation and greater civic understanding to develop web-based background materi - among young people, the Institute has als for teachers, ranging from high school partnered with Freedom House on a mul - history and civics teachers to instructors ti-year project to develop a website and in two- and four-year colleges. extra-curricular materials based on Free - At the high school level, these materi - dom House’s annual Survey of Freedom in als are targeted toward Advanced Place - the World. It published one substantial ment teachers, but could be useful to report on worker rights in China early in general class teachers and beyond. The 2008 and will soon release another on the materials have been developed based on difficult and very timely issue of Islam the twelve criteria Freedom House uses and Democracy. to measure a country’s level of freedom for its annual Freedom in the World sur - “Democracy Web” Partnership vey, including: Consent of the Governed; with Freedom House Constitutional Limits; Elections and Mul - In 2005, the Albert Shanker Institute ti-Party Systems; Minority Rights; and Freedom House received a grant from Accountability; Economic Freedom; Rule the National Endowment for Humanities of Law; Human Rights; and Freedoms of to develop materials on democracy for Expression, Association, and Conscience. teachers, framed around the Freedom Within each category, the materials exam -

The question before us is not really, “Should Labor and the Democrats Revive the Muscular Liberal Internationalism of Albert Shanker?” The question is, rather, “In a world where people are questioning the very legitimacy of the democratic imperative, who will champion the notion that there are certain universal values that transcend ethnicity, race, tribe and culture?” Humankind strives to be free — to think what they wish, to associate freely with others, to speak their minds and challenge ortho - doxy. Who will pick up the banner of “tough liberalism” if not democ - rats, civil and human rights advocates and, most of all, the free labor move ment? Herb Magidson Board member, Albert Shanker Institute, and former chair, AFT Democracy Committee

24 REPORT 2003-2008 ine three countries that meet the criteria sponsored by the state or employers; and to a lesser or greater extent, based on Diane Ravitch, research professor of edu - Freedom House’s survey designations of cation at New York University, discussed free, partly free, and not free, with added how U.S. history textbooks dismiss or contemporary and historical background minimize the role of labor in domestic and materials. In this way, students can be and international affairs. Barbara Shailor, introduced to the theory and practice of AFL-CIO international affairs director, both democracy and authoritarianism discussed the federation’s work in China, through concrete examples rooted in the while powerful narratives of the labor contemporary problems of real countries. movements in the Middle East, China, At present, the materials have been fully and South Africa were offered by Walid developed and edited and the web site is Hamdan from the International Labor under design. It is expected to be up and Organization’s office in Beirut; Han Dong - running by the end of 2008. fang, a Chinese trade union activist and director of the Unionism and Democracy Hong Kong-based China In April 2005, the Albert Shanker Insti - Labour Bulletin ; and Thulas tute organized a major three-day seminar Nxesi, president of Educa - in Washington, D.C. called “Unionism and tion International and gen - Democracy: The Experience, the Legacy, eral secretary of the South the Future.” The meeting was organized African Democratic Teach - in cooperation with the AFT Internation - ers’ Union. al Affairs Department and sponsored in The “Unionism and part by a grant from the ILGWU Heritage Democracy” program gave Fund. Aimed at educating new AFT lead - rise to a new series of semi - ers on the rationale and history behind nars, which aim to renew a labor’s current support of democracy and national conversation with - worker rights in the world, the seminar in the labor movement, as also included many observers from the well as between labor and AFL-CIO International Affairs Depart - other interested parties, ment, the AFL-CIO’s , about the importance of freedom of asso - and representatives from several other ciation to democracy-building and about unions. All told, there were more than 70 the importance of both to the labor move - participants. The program included ment. Three follow-up seminars were speakers on how their commitment to organized around the Albert Shanker democratic values has shaped the history Institute’s regions of focus, two on China of the AFT and AFL-CIO, at home and and one on the Middle East (see below), abroad, and how that legacy can help making a total of four seminars on labor shape labor’s response to the challenges and democracy in this period. of globalization and dictatorship. Two Institute board members Labor and Democracy Seminars, addressed the seminar: Tom Donahue, Reports, Programs: China former secretary-treasurer and president The first China seminar was held in of the AFL-CIO, spoke on the history of April 2006. The Institute hosted a meet - labor’s support for freedom of association ing of 50 representatives from nine and the federation’s principle of not meet - unions, from both AFL-CIO and Change ing with or recognizing sham unions to Win affiliates, entitled “Democracy and

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 25 Worker Rights: A Discussion on increased job security and legal protec - A CRY FOR JUSTICE: The Voices Labor’s Approach to China.” The tions for workers in private industry, of Chinese Workers issue of China — and especially especially the growing foreign-owned whether to engage in a formal sector, but only through reinforcing the relationship with the ACFTU, monopoly role of the ACFTU as the sole the official state union federa - official union organization. All of the tion — is one of the major differ - human and worker rights activists were ences between the two labor skeptical about the possibilities for organ - federations. The meeting was izing under the new law, given its contin - addressed by AFT and Shanker ued ban on freedom of association for Institute President Edward workers. Chinese labor activist Han McElroy; two prominent China Dongfang, however, argued that even the experts, Andrew Nathan (Columbia Uni - limited potential for collective bargaining versity) and James Mann (School for for workers allowed by the legislation Advanced International Studies, Johns should be put to the test as a means of Hopkins University); Han Dongfang, a pressuring for real reform. The American Chinese labor and democracy activist and trade union participants, coming from founder of the China Labour Bulletin both AFL-CIO and Change to Win, (CLB) ; and Lee Cheuk Yan, general secre - engaged in an intense debate over the role tary of the Hong Kong Confederation of of the international labor movement in Trade Unions and a Democracy Party China and the implications for Chinese member of the Hong Kong Legislative workers of both formal and informal con - Council. Institute board member Herb tacts with the ACFTU. Some union partic - Magidson led a discussion about the ipants argued that contact with the nature of U.S. labor’s response to the chal - ACFTU is part of protecting their mem - lenge of China and explained the AFT’s bers’ self-interest. Others, however, noted reasons for adhering to the historic AFL- that visits by U.S. and European trade CIO policy of “no contacts” with official union leaders have done nothing to unions, such as the All China Federation improve the lives of Chinese workers, and of Trade Unions (ACFTU), and direct have been used by the ACFTU as a way to support to independent worker activists. legitimize the continued political and Debbie Schneider of the Service Employ - economic exploitation of workers. Far ees International Union (SEIU), a Change from advancing the interests of American to Win affiliate, discussed her union’s workers, they said, such contacts under - decision to work with the ACFTU. mine the principle of free and independ - The Albert Shanker Institute contin - ent unions. ued the discussion at a second seminar on In conjunction with the seminar on Chi - China in Jan. 2008. At this seminar— nese labor law reform, the Albert Shanker “Labor Law Reform in China: What are Institute scheduled the release of two new the Implications for Worker Rights and major reports. The first, produced by the Political Liberalization?” — more than 50 Institute, describes how China’s “economic trade unionists, academics, worker rights miracle” relies on brutally suppressing activists, attorneys, and other China spe - worker rights and maintaining low stan - cialists gathered to consider the implica - dards of wages and working conditions. tions of a new “labor contract law” in The other, produced by the China Labour China, which took effect Jan. 1, 2008. Bulletin, cites both government and inde - This “reform” law supposedly provides pendent sources in describing the rise of

26 REPORT 2003-2008 worker resistance in mainland China. The leadership study trip to the Middle East in Institute report, A Cry for Justice: The May 2007. The group was led by Pennsyl - Voices of Chinese Workers, tells the stories vania Federation of Teachers President of workers, in their own words, as they Ted Kirsch, a Shanker Institute board protest for a redress of grievances — usual - member and AFT vice president, and ly in defiance of their employers, govern - included Paul Babich (United Teachers of mental authorities, the official union, and Wichita), Ken Brynien (New York State threats of violence and imprisonment. The Public Employees Federation), Louis Mal - accounts are based on interviews by Han faro (Education Austin), Cathleen McCann Dongfang, China’s leading labor rights (AFT Great Lakes Regional Director), and advocate and CLB director. A press confer - Mary Cathryn Ricker (St. Paul Federation ence on the publications, featuring Han of Teachers). The delegation had an inten - Dongfang, was covered by several news sive schedule of meetings with teachers outlets and aired on Radio Free Asia. and other trade unionists from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Iraq, and Labor and Democracy Seminars, Yemen, as well as with country and region - Reports, Programs: The Middle East al representatives of the AFL-CIO’s Soli - In Feb. 2007, the Shanker Institute darity Center, the Democratic Party’s organized the first labor and democracy National Democratic Institute, and U.S. seminar on the Middle East, “The Chal - Embassies. The group returned from the lenge for Democracy in the Middle East: region in agreement about the vital impor - The Art of the Possible.” The 50 partici - tance of the AFT’s international work, pants, mostly union leaders from the AFT, especially in the Middle East, and, among heard a major presentation by Dennis Ross, other things, recommended that the AFT former Middle East envoy for President amplify its role in facilitating communica - Clinton and the first President Bush, who tion among conflicting parties, especially described the current peace talk situation between Israel and the West Bank. in relation to the ongoing and, in some cas - As a consequence of the trip and Dennis es, deepening conflicts in the region. Sever - Ross’ recommendations to the Feb. semi - al experts from the region also gave nar and, later, the members of the presentations on the political, religious, Shanker Institute’s board of direc - AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE and demographic complexities on the tors, the Institute board has MIDDLE EAST ground and on the design and prospects of instructed the staff to further STUDY TOUR actual democracy programs that are under - explore the possibility of assisting Jordan, Palestinian Authority, Israel, Yemen way in the region. The program gave par - the Union of Palestinian Teachers MAY 22 TO JUNE 1, 2007 ticipants an opportunity to reflect on the in developing education programs challenges faced by American organiza - for students and members that tions working in the Middle East in light of would help it deliver good pro - past and present U.S. policy. grams and improve public sup - One recommendation arising from the port for the organiza tion. Middle East seminar was that the AFT and As part of its ongoing effort to the Albert Shanker Institute become more improve the teaching of democra - involved in concrete actions promoting cy in the schools, in 2008 the

both democracy and peace in the region. Albert Shanker Institute will As a result, the Institute, in partnership release an Islam and Democracy with the AFT International Affairs Depart - Reader: Essays, Speeches, Voices, and ment, organized an eight-person union Debates , with writings and resources that

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 27 could be used in the classroom. other regions are any guide, these voices ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY READER Institute staff, working in cooper - are the ones that will make a substantial ESSAYS , S PEECHES , ation with Egyptian democracy difference in the coming years. VOICES & D EBATES

Writings on the roles activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim, of political democracies in the Muslim world director of the Ibn Khaldun Cen - Academic Freedom in Belarus ter for Development Studies, put In 2005, the Shanker Institute provided together a broadly based reader a grant to the Belarus Humanities Lyceum that features democrats from the in Minsk, after its premises had been taken Muslim world describing the away by the repressive government of Ana - struggle against both dictatorship toly Lukashenka. Reorganized as a “flying and violent, anti-modernist, anti- school,” in which students went from democratic, tendencies within apartment to apartment for classes, the Islam. The volume exposes Amer - Lyceum was desperate for support to keep ican students to democratic per - this unique venture going. In Belarus, the PUBLISHED BY THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE spectives on the political and native language, Belarusan, is discriminat - religious upheavals now underway in the ed against in favor of the Soviet-imposed Islamic world and provides a platform for Russian language, which is preferred by Muslims who support democratic ideals. the Soviet-styled Lukashenka regime. The The publication makes clear that the Lyceum is the only secondary school in democrats featured in the volume are a dis - Belarus teaching in the country’s native tinct minority in their countries, most of language. It is also the only one that has which remain dominated by authoritarian designed an independent curriculum that structures. The democrats themselves dis - fosters principles of democracy and teach - agree as to the importance religion and es accurate history. The one-time grant religious belief should play in any demo - helped to keep the Lyceum alive until it cratic transformation of the region. But, if was able to be supported by other means.

SELECTED PRESS COVERAGE

Teacher Labor Abuses in China Chronicled As China’s economy surges, concerns about the rights of edu - organized labor, Mr. Han said. many of the workers powering cators and other workers at [a “There are no bargaining rights that growth are coping with low National Press Club press confer - at all. Not only are teachers left wages, scarce legal protections, ence] that coincided with the behind, children are left behind.” and poor on-the-job conditions— release of a pair of reports on Sean Cavanagh not just in mines and factories, labor conditions in China. . . . Education Week but also in classrooms, a leading [The event was] arranged with Jan. 23, 2008 labor advocate from that country the help of the Albert Shanker contends. Institute. . . . Han Dongfang, who took part Many teachers, particularly in in the Tiananmen Square rural areas, work for little pay protests and now directs a Chi - and with few resources and with nese labor-rights organization no opportunity to improve their [China Labor Bulletin], detailed working conditions through

28 REPORT 2003-2008 Shanker, Democrats dent of the Progressive Policy erson is a syndicated columnist and Institute, while Carl Gershman is an editor at The American Prospect . and Foreign Policy president of the National Endow - And Herb Magidson is former vice Should labor and the Democrats ment for Democracy. Arch Pud - president of the American Federa - revive the muscular liberal interna - dington, director of research at tion of Teachers and board mem - tionalism of Albert Shanker? That Freedom House, wrote a top-notch ber of the Shanker Institute. was the title of a panel discussion book called Lane Kirkland: Cham - Philip Dine Wednesday, sponsored by Freedom pion of Labor, about the former St. Louis Post-Dispatch blog House, the Progressive Policy AFL-CIO president. Harold Mey - Feb. 20, 2008 Institute, and the Albert Shanker Institute. Shanker was a legendary leader of the teach - How Big a Deal Are Strikes in China? ers union, who became president It seems like every week a news None of these demonstrations of the American Federation of story will surface about how horri - involve China’s “official” union, Teachers. A liberal on many fying labor abuses in China are the All-China Federation of Trade domestic issues, he was staunchly proceeding apace. After awhile, it Unions (which usually just orders anti-communist and fought vigor - all starts to blend together, since the rabble to get back to work). In ously for the freedom of the War - nothing ever changes. But this his talk, Han mentioned some - saw Pact nations in Eastern recent booklet from the Albert thing I’d never heard: Although Europe, including providing help Shanker Institute, documenting the ACFTU claims to represent 90 as fledgling free labor movements the growing outburst of wildcat percent of Chinese workers, most cropped up in those countries and strikes and demonstrations of said “representation” consists of challenged both Communist hege - around the country, is worth high - sending out a fax to newly formed mony and the role of the official, lighting. The vignettes are com - companies, getting back a fax with government-backed trade unions. piled from interviews that labor some names scribbled on it, and In that sense, Shanker was a activist Han Dongfang has done putting the form in a filing cabinet. throwback to the no-nonsense for - with Chinese workers over the Indeed, the fact that many NGOs eign policy favored by Democratic past decade, through his radio are now providing legal aid to icons such as Franklin Delano Roo - show broadcast from Hong Kong. workers and doing things the sevelt, Harry Truman and John F. Han, whose personal story is rivet - ACFTU should be doing means Kennedy — policies that served the ing in its own right, gave a talk in that state union is increasingly nation and the party well. Along D.C. this week where he estimated irrelevant…. with traditional foreign policy, that strikes, many involving thou - Bradford Plumer Shanker understood that the secu - sands workers, now happen daily The New Republic rity of America and the wellbeing in China. Is that a big deal? It blog, Jan. 18, 2008 of American workers were tied to might be. the freedom of their counterparts overseas to organize unions and fight for a better life…. A Cry for Justice: The Voices Wednesday’s discussion fea - of Chinese Workers tured scholars and labor leaders “[The report] produced by the Gold Peak battery factory work - highly knowledgeable about these Albert Shanker Institute…[t]ells ers of Huizhou, coal miners from topics. Richard Kahlenberg of the the stories of workers demon - Wanbao, teachers from Suizhou, Century Foundation wrote the strating in open defiance of the and ex-soldiers who work in fac - marvelous new book, Tough Liber - government —from the oilfields tories around the country run by al: Albert Shanker and the Battles of Daqing, the ferroalloy workers the People’s Liberation Army.” over Schools, Unions, Race, and of Liaoyang, the Heavenly King Corporate Crime Reporter Democracy . Will Marshall is presi - textile workers of Xianyang, the Jan. 15, 2008

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 29 A Living Heritage

Seymour Martin Lipset Lecture on Democracy in the World The Albert Shanker Institute has supported a series of lectures, sponsored by the National Endowment for Democracy and the University of Toronto’s Munk Centre for International Studies, and named after , one of the nation’s most influential and pro - lific social scientists who was also a founding member of the Albert Shanker Institute’s Board of Directors (see also page 40). The series began in 2004, before Lipset’s death in Dec. 2006. The range and breadth of the lectures has been impressive. The first lecturer was former Brazilian President Hernando Enrique Cardoso (2004), speaking on “Scholarship and States - manship”; the second was political scientist Francis Fukuyama speaking on “Identity, Immi - gration, and Liberal Democracy”; the third was Saad Eddin Ibrahim (2006), an Egyptian democracy activist and founder of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies in Cairo, who spoke on “Toward Islamic Democracies”; and the fourth was Pierre Hassner (2007), research director emeritus at the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Internationales in Paris, who delivered a lecture called “Russia’s Transition to Autocracy: The Implications for World Politics.” (All of the lectures are available at the NED web site, www.ned.org .)

National Council for History Education’s Paul Gagnon Prize The Albert Shanker Institute, along with the American Federation of Teachers and many individual donors, has also contributed to the establishment of the National Council for His - tory Education’s (NCHE) Paul Gagnon Prize. The Gagnon Prize honors the memory of Paul A. Gagnon, co-founder of the NCHE, long-time friend of the AFT and the Institute, and an eloquent advocate for history and excellence in history teaching at the K-12 level . Paul was a pioneer in the field of democratic education and a thoughtful voice on how best to introduce the history of democracy into a rich, common core curriculum for all citizens. He was the primary author of the first Education for Democracy: A Statement of Principles, released in 1987, which called for “schools to purposely impart to their students the learning necessary for an informed, reasoned allegiance to the ideals of a free society.” He was also the author of the Albert Shanker Institute’s 2003 report, Educating Democracy: State Standards To Ensure a Civic Core, which reviewed and rated state standards in the social studies, history, and civics on the strength of their guidance for preparing a well-informed citizenry. In Feb. 2007, the first Gagnon Prize was awarded to Philip Nicolosi, a history and social studies teacher at West Morris Central High School in Chester, NJ. (For more on this prize, see www.nche.net/docs/paulgagnonprize.html .)

Civil Rights I Previously, the Shanker Institute co-sponsored the showing of “Brother Outsider,” a docu - mentary about civil and human rights leader . Best known for his role as organizer of the March on Washington, Rustin was a longtime ally and friend of Albert Shanker and the two helped to create the A. Philip Randolph Institute as an instrument for Rustin to promote an agenda of worker and civil rights. Rustin supported the United Fed - eration of Teachers and Shanker in New York City’s 1968 Ocean Hill-Brownsville strikes in defense of due process rights for dismissed teachers as a matter of what he called “union principle.” The film shows the varied aspects of Rustin — socialist, pacifist, gay, civil rights pioneer, trade union advocate, international democracy activist, and master strategist. The

30 REPORT 2003-2008 film was featured at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. In 2007, the Shanker Institute approved a grant to help the producers of the film regain rights to show it more broadly after the distributor had shelved it. It is hoped that the film will gain a wider distribution and audience as a result.

I The Shanker Institute is also providing support for the memoirs of two civil rights activists, Norman and Velma Hill, whose careers have taken them through America’s struggles for integration beginning in the early 60s. Velma Hill also worked for the United Federation of Teachers and coordinated the campaign to organize paraprofessionals in New York City. Norman Hill was director and president of the A. Philip Randolph Insti - tute for 25 years, an organization which Shanker and the AFT supported from its incep - tion. The proposed book will be an important contribution to civil rights and trade union history. The proposed title for the book is Climbing the Rough Side of the Mountain: The Lives of Norman and Velma Hill .

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 31 Albert Shanker: Tough Liberal

n Labor Day 2007 , ten years after to make it crystal clear that serv - ing members meant serving stu - his death, the first major biography dents, patients, clients, and the of Albert Shanker was formally public too. He encouraged exper - released to widespread praise. The iments in practices previously dismissed out of hand (such as author, Richard Kahlenberg, has differential pay, charter schools, written extensively on education He soon found himself outraged and peer review), often urging and civil rights issues and had at working conditions. What new policy treatments within a long followed Shanker’s career as struck him most was the basic collective bargaining framework, a trade union and education unfairness to teachers — the low but also at the state and federal leader. Kahlenberg spent seven pay, lack of dignity, and lack of levels. As such, he became the years researching Al’s life and the voice. Shanker’s dogged efforts at “most influential figure” in pub - events and people that shaped it. unionizing teachers, his ability to lic education “in the last half of He interviewed more than 200 lead his members — who, by the the 20 th century” and a labor people who knew, worked with, end of the 1960s, included para - leader to contend with in virtual - agreed, and disagreed with professionals — and his skills at ly every area of public policy. Shanker on the central issues of negotiating with city officials, Kahlenberg also describes Al his time. He poured over union gave rise to the country’s and the Shanker’s efforts to promote and public records. The result is world’s largest local union, the democracy, both at home and Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker and United Federation of Teachers. abroad, through the AFT and the Battles Over Schools, Unions, Nationally, his efforts brought through involvement in the AFL- Race, and Democracy (New York: about the rapid transformation of CIO’s domestic and international Press). education into the most organ - activities. He supported and The book traces Al Shanker’s ized sector in the country. defended labor’s democratic commitment to public education As Kahlenberg points out, internationalism — including its and trade unionism back to his most leaders are satisfied with single-standard opposition to experience as the son of first- such achievements, but Al clearly both communism on the left and generation immigrants living in a saw the increasing dangers to authoritarianism on the right— poor New York City neighbor - both public education and the based on the principles of free - hood. There he encountered labor movement as a conserva - dom of association and workers’ vicious anti-Semitism, but also tive political movement swept right to organize. Shanker built learned the value of public edu - America. He advocated transfor - the largest international opera - cation to civic identity, expand - mational reforms and challenged tion of any union in the labor ing intellectual horizons, and his union’s members. He urged a movement and led the AFT in increasing economic opportunity. restructuring of the AFT into a support of the Solidarity trade Shanker began teaching in New broader union of professionals union movement in Poland, black York City’s public schools as a and argued for expanded organ - trade unionists in South Africa, young man, as a way to support izing efforts into the fields of and the “Campaign for the No” himself while pursuing a PhD in nursing, public service, higher that led to General Pinochet’s philosophy at Columbia Univer - education, and preschool. He ouster in Chile, among other sity, where he studied with his asked all these constituencies to efforts. Shanker also became a intellectual hero, . re-shape their union’s priorities leading voice for increasing pub -

32 REPORT 2003-2008 Week, The Nation, The New McElroy, former AFL-CIO Presi - Leader, Newsday, The New York dent Tom Donahue, former Sec - Post, Policy Review, Slate, The retary of Labor Ray Marshall, Wall Street Journal, The Washing - U.S. appeals court judge David ton Post, and many others. Even Tatel, and education researcher past and current critics of Barak Rosenshine, among others. Shanker’s positions or policies On Feb. 20, 2008, the Albert have recognized his path-break - Shanker Institute, along with ing contributions to the labor Freedom House and the Progres - movement and his positive con - sive Policy Institute, also co- tributions to teachers and union - sponsored a forum in ism in the U.S. and abroad (see Washington, D.C., titled “Should page 34 for a list of reviews ). Labor and the Democrats Revive The Albert Shanker Institute the Muscular Liberal Interna - lic funding for democracy pro - did not provide funding for the tionalism of Albert Shanker?” In motion abroad to assist unions, production of this biography, but addition to remarks Richard political parties, and other parts has been an active promoter of Kahlenberg, participants heard of civil society. the book, organizing and spon - from Washington Post columnist Al Shanker embodied a politi - soring a range of events that dis - Harold Meyerson, Progressive cal tradition of “tough liberalism” cuss the impact of Albert Policy Institute president Will — one might call it union liberal - Shanker’s life on labor, educa - Marshall, Freedom House ism — with roots in George tion, politics, civil rights, and research director Arch Pudding - Meany’s and Lane Kirkland’s democracy . A list of events and ton, and two Institute board AFL-CIO and the Democratic speakers appears on page 35. members: Carl Gershman, presi - Party of the post-World War II The book made its pre-release dent of the National Endowment period. In Kahlenberg’s view, this debut on July 12, 2007 at a spe - for Democracy, and Herb Magid - type of liberalism still represents cial book-signing sponsored by son, former AFT Vice President. the best hope of American politi - the Albert Shanker Institute dur - The Institute has also teamed cal democracy because it relies ing the AFT’s biennial Quality up with the AFT Human on a strong labor movement and Educational Standards in Teach - Resources Department to initiate a effective public education to ing (QuEST) Conference. At the series of “book club” discussions make opportunity more equal event, AFT Secretary-Treasurer for AFT staff on Shanker’s contri - and give voice to those who oth - Nat LaCour recalled Shanker’s butions and his impact on civil erwise might not be heard. early and consistent support for rights, education, labor, democra - the United Teachers of New cy and “tough liberalism.” Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker Orleans, one of the first integrat - and the Battles Over Schools, ed teachers unions organized in (See page 35 for a full list of sponsoring Unions, Race, and Democracy has the South, and described Shanker organizations and venues for signings, discussions, and other book events, as received attention from dozens as “the greatest teacher leader well as their featured notables. ) of ideologically diverse publica - that this country has ever seen.” tions, including The American The Institute also sponsored a Prospect, The Democracy Journal, formal book event on Oct. 12, Education Review, Education 2007, featuring AFT President Ed

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 33 “Tough Liberal” in the News Daniel Treiman, “ Al Shanker and the Mike Antonucci, “ Shanker Seance ,” E.D. Hirsch, “Comments in Tough Lib - Strike of 1968 ,” The Forward , May Nov. 1, 2007. eral ,” Education Sector , Sept. 20, 23, 2008. “Shanker: The ‘Tough Liberal ,’” Ameri - 2007. Greg Toppo, “‘Nation at Risk’: The best can Teacher , Nov. 2007. Alexander Russo, “ How Al Shanker thing or the worst thing for Thomas Sugrue, “Shanker Blows Up Blew Up No Child Left Behind ,” education? ,” USA Today , April 23, the World,” The Nation , Oct. 25, Huffington Post , Sept. 19, 2007. 2008. 2007. Sol Stern, “ Old-School Idealist ,” City John B. Judis, “ Recommended Books Bob Braun, “ Sharing the blame for Journal , Sept. 7, 2007. on Labor,” The New Republic , April school failures ,” Newark Star Ledger , Daily Kos, “ Tough Liberal ,” Sept. 8, 9, 2008. Oct. 25, 2007. 2007. James Hunt and Thomas Kean, Education Week Live Chat Transcript, Scott McLemee, “ Tough Liberal ,” “Lesson plans for re-educating “Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker and Inside Higher Education , Sept. 5, schools,” Politico , April 2, 2008. the Battles Over Schools, Unions, 2007. Nathan Glazer, “ The Good, the Bad, Race and Democracy ,” Oct. 24, 2007. Elizabeth Green, “The Battle of the and the Ugly ,” Education Next , Joe Mehta, “Standard Error,” American Schools,” New York Sun, Sept. 4, Spring 2008 . Prospect , Oct. 22, 2007 2007. Philip Dine, “ Shanker, Democrats and , “ Why not upgrade Steve Perez, “Reading Liberally Page Foreign Policy ,” St. Louis Post-Dis - excellence? ,” The Washington Times , Turner, Labor Edition: Tough Liber - patch Blog, Feb. 20, 2008. Oct. 22, 2007. al,” Open Left blog, Sept. 4, 2007. Alexander Russo, “ This Week in Sewell Chan, “ Assessing the Legacy of Martin Peretz, “ Thoughts on Labor Education ,” Feb. 17, 2008 Albert Shanker, ‘Tough Liberal’ ,” Day ,” The Spine (New Republic blog ), Rebecca C. Jones, “ The Top Education New York Times blog, Oct. 16, 2007. Sept. 3, 2007. Books of 2007, ” American School Vaishali Honawar, “ Shanker Biography Kenneth J. Bernstein, “Tough Liberal, Board Journal , Jan. 2008. Depicts Evolution of AFT Leader ,” A Review,” Education Review . Jim Sleeper, “Teaching Toughness,” Education Week , Oct. 3, 2007. Fred Siegel, “Mugged by Reality,” Democracy: A Journal of Ideas , Win - Stephen Sawchuk, “Shanker envisioned Weekly Standard , Sept. 1, 2007. ter 2008. system of student accountability,” Tim Noah, “ The Lone Changer ,” Wash - Eugenia Kemble, “Tough Liberal,” Education Daily , Oct. 3, 2007. ington Monthly , Sept. 2007. Democratiya , Winter 2007 Sara Mosle, “The Man Who Trans - Arch Puddington, “Making All the Liam Julian, “The Shanker Legacy,” formed American Education,” Slate , Right Enemies,” The Wall Street Policy Review , Dec. 2007/Jan. 2008. Oct. 1, 2007. Journal , Aug. 28, 2007. Adam Fairclough, “ One Tough Paul Tenne, “Tough Liberal ,” Boston Randi Weingarten, “ Tough Liberal ,” in Bargainer ,” Washington Post , Dec. Union Teacher , Oct. 2007. “What Matters Most,” New York 27, 2007. H. M. Levin, “ Reshaping the Times , Aug. 19, 2007. Meredith Kolodner, “ Shanker, Educational Landscape ,” New Thomas Toch, “Union Man,” Education Business: A Lost Partnership? ,” The Leader , Sept./Oct. 2007. Sector blog, August 17, 2007. Chief , Dec. 7, 2007. Greg Toppo, “ For Shanker, Education Andrew Rotherham, “ Edu-Beach Jonathan Gyuroko, “ Look Behind the was a Labor Union of Love ,” USA Reading ,” Aug. 16, 2007. Shanker Label ,” Edwize , Dec. 5, Today , Sept. 27, 2007. Mike Klonsky, “ Small Talk ,” July 20, 2007. Scott McLemee, “ Review: ‘Tough 2007. William Scheuerman, “Twentieth Cen - Liberal: Albert Shanker,’ ” Newsday , Fred Siegel, “ Summer Reading: Experts tury Icon,” On Campus , Nov./Dec. Sept. 23, 2007 . Pick their favorite New York Picks ,” 2007. Richard Steier, “ A Nuanced Look at Al Gotham Gazette , July 2, 2007. Denis P. Doyle, “ Tough Liberal ,” The Shanker ,” The Chief , Sept. 21, 2007. Doyle Report , Nov. 16, 2007. Samuel Freedman, “ In the Diaspora: Michael F. Shaughnessy, “ An Interview Quiet Riot ,” Jerusalem Post , Sept. 20, with Richard Kahlenberg About 2007. Albert Shanker ,” EdNews.org, Nov. 15, 2007.

34 REPORT 2003-2008 “Tough Liberal” Book Events

SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS E.J. Dionne, columnist, Washington Ann Marcus, Director, NYU Steinhardt Albert Shanker Institute Post School of Culture American Enterprise Institute Tom Donahue, former President, AFL- Ray Marshall , former Labor Secretary American Federation of Teachers CIO, Shanker Institute Board and Professor, LBJ School of Public Association of Teachers of Social Chester Finn, Jr., Thomas B. Fordham Affairs Studies Foundation Will Marshall, President, Progressive Brookings Institution Policy Institute Catholic University Law School William Galston, Senior Fellow, Century Foundation Brookings Institution Edward J. McElroy, President, Columbia University Carl Gershman, President, National AFT/Shanker Institute Committee for Economic Endowment for Democracy Debbie Meier, Director , New Ventures; Development Patricia Graham, former Dean, author Education Forum Harvard Graduate School of Harold Meyerson, columnist, Education Sector Education Washingon Post Education Writers Association Freedom House Frederick Hess, American Enterprise John Podesta, Center for American Harvard Graduate School of Institute Progress Education E.D. Hirsch, Jr. , author, “The Arch Puddington, Research Director, Hechinger Institute Knowledge Deficit;” Chairman, Core Freedom House Marymount College Knowledge Diane Ravitch, author; former U.S. New America Foundation Rachelle Horowitz, former Director, Assistant Secretary of Education New York Historical Society AFT’s Committee on Political Roy Romer, former Colorado Governor; New York Labor History Association Education former Los Angeles Superintendent New York State United Teachers Sol Hurwitz, President Emeritus, of Schools New York University Committee for Economic Bella Rosenberg, former AFT Assistant Ohio State University Development Progressive Policy Institute to Albert Shanker Thomas B. Fordham Foundation Susan Moore Johnson, Professor., Barak Rosenshine, Professor Emeritus, Teachers Union Reform Network University of Illinois. Toledo Federation of Teachers Eugenia Kemble, Executive Director, David Tatel, Judge, U. S. Court of United Federation of Teachers Albert Shanker Institute Appeals for D.C. Circuit Winning Connections James Kelly, Founding President, Thomas Toch, Co-founder and co- National Board for Professional Director, Education Sector COMMENTATORS Teaching Standards Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Michael Tomaksy, editor, Guardian Mike Kirst, Stanford Univ ersity; America Greg Anrig, Vice President, Century former Director, Program Planning, Stephen Trachtenberg, President Foundation U.S. Office of Education Emeritus, George Washington Peter Brimelow, author; former editor, , NYC Schools Chancellor University Forbes, Financial Post, National Charles Kolb, President, Committee for Review Adam Urbanski, President, Rochester Economic Development Teachers Association David Brooks, columnist, New York Nat LaCour, Secretary Treasurer, Times Michael Usdan, former President , AFT/Shanker Institute Institute for Educational Leadership Paul Cole, Executive Director, Fran Lawrence , President, Toledo American Labor Studies Center; Randi Weingarten, President, United Federation of Teachers former AFT Vice President Federation of Teachers Richard Leone , President, The Century Richard Lee Covin, Director, Joe Williams, education writer; author Foundation Hechinger Institute Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor, NYU Hank Levin, Professor, Columbia Michael Dannenberg, Director, Steinhardt School of Culture University Education Policy Program, New America Foundation Herb Magidson, Shanker Institute Board; former AFT Vice President

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 35 Albert Shanker Institute Board of Directors

Paul E. Almeida real estate equity fund that he helped to president in 1973, a position she held until Paul Almeida is president of the AFL-CIO organize in 1981. He is also a principal of a 1985, when she was elected first vice presi - Department for Professional Employees (DPE) series of specialty real estate funds, three ven - dent. Among her many professional activities, and immediate past president of the Interna - ture capital funds that invest in Central Europe Cortese has served on the executive commit - tional Federation of Professional and Technical and East Asia, and a money management firm. tee of the National Board for Professional Engineers (IFPTE), a 50,000-member union Previously, Butler served as deputy chief of Teaching Standards, which develops and composed of both American and Canadian staff and deputy assistant to President Jimmy administers assessments leading to the certifi - workers in professional, technical, administra - Carter from 1977 to 1981, coordinating the cation of accomplished teachers, and as an tive, and associated occupations. Almeida also ratification of the Panama Canal Treaty and appointee of the U.S. Department of Education serves on a number of AFL-CIO policy commit - SALT II Treaty and serving as a liaison with the to the National Assessment Governing Board, tees—including those on health care, educa - labor movement. In his capacity as a real which is responsible for the National Assess - tion and training, legislation, immigration, estate investor, he actively engaged in partner - ment of Educational Progress (NAEP). A vice organizing, social policy, strategic approaches, ships with unions aimed at promoting union- president of the national AFT for many years, and women workers. He also served as a built projects. He took that same philosophy to she also serves as an AFT representative to the member of The Task Force on Workforce Devel - post-communist Poland, where he worked Learning First Alliance, a national coalition of opment, a joint project of the Albert Shanker with activists from Poland’s Solidarity trade major education organizations. Institute and the New Economy Information union to support construction aimed at help - Service. ing that country’s economy. Butler was hon - Rudolph F. Crew ored in 2007 by the Labor Heritage Foundation Superintendent of the Miami-Dade County Barbara Byrd-Bennett for his contributions to the labor movement. Public Schools since 2004 and former chancel - Barbara Byrd-Bennett currently serves as He is a trustee of the Shakespeare Theatre lor of New York City Public Schools, Rudy Crew school executive in residence at Cleveland Company and a board member of the Black is a lifelong educator who has made it a mis - State University and a superintendent in resi - Student Fund and of In2Books. He has also sion to improve student achievement, espe - dency for Harcourt School Publishers. been a member of the executive board of the cially for poor and minority students. To that A former chief executive officer of the U.S. Committee on NATO. end, he worked closely with AFT affiliates, first Cleveland Metropolitan School District, she is in New York and then in Miami, to place those an experienced educator, administrator, and David K. Cohen cities’ lowest-performing schools in virtual dis - authority on urban education. She began her David Cohen is John Dewey collegiate pro - tricts whose boundaries were defined by stu - education career in the New York City schools, fessor of education and professor of public dent need, not geography. New York’s where she served as an elementary, middle, policy at the University of Michigan. His cur - “Chancellor’s District” schools and Miami’s and high school teacher; school principal; rent research interests focus on education poli - “School Improvement Zone” schools both uti - director of curriculum, instruction, and profes - cy, the influence of policy on instruction, and lized several research-based practices known sional development; supervising superintend - the nature of teaching practice. His past work to accelerate the pace of student learning—a ent for New York City’s Chancellor’s District; includes studies of the effects of schooling, focused, uniform curriculum; an extended and area superintendent for the Crown school and teaching reform, evaluations of school day and school year; incentives to Heights district in . She has been an education experiments and intervention pro - attract a highly qualified teaching force and adjunct professor at Malcolm King College in grams, and examinations of the relationship compensate them for their heavier workload; , New York’s City College, the College of between research and policy. Included among and plenty of time and opportunity for profes - New Rochelle, and Fordham University. She his many previous roles are: consultant to the sional development and collaboration. In both has received numerous local, state and nation - general counsel of the NAACP on schools and cities, student performance improved marked - al honors, including the Council of Greater City race (1964-66); director, Race and Education ly. Crew serves on numerous boards, including Schools 2001 Urban Superintendent of the Project, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (1966- the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Year, and has served on numerous boards, 67); professor of education and social policy, the Washington Association of Black School commissions, and advisory councils, including Harvard Graduate School of Education (1971- Educators, and is the recipient of many the National Assessment Governing Board; the 86); and president, The Huron Institute (1971- awards, including the NAACP Educational National Board for Professional Teaching Stan - 86). He is an expert on merit pay for teachers, Leadership Award, the Arthur Ashe Leadership dards; and the Education Commission of the both public and private school choice, and the Award, and the Association of California States’ National Center for Education Account - relationship of student curriculum to teacher School Administrators’ ‘Administrator of the ability. professional development. Year’ Award.

Landon Butler Antonia Cortese Thomas R. Donahue Landon Butler is president of Landon Butler Toni Cortese, executive vice president of the Thomas R. Donahue served as secretary- & Company, an institutional investor relations American Federation of Teachers, is a former treasurer of the AFL-CIO from 1979 to 1995 firm and a member of the policy board of the officer of the New York State United Teachers and AFL-CIO president in 1995. From 1967 to Multi-Employer Property Trust, a nationwide (NYSUT). She was elected NYSUT second vice 1969, he was assistant secretary for labor-

36 REPORT 2003-2008 management relations at the U.S. Department Commentary, The New Republic, the Wall E. D. Hirsch Jr. of Labor. He was executive secretary and first Street Journal, , the New E.D. Hirsch, professor emeritus of education vice president of the Service Employees Inter - York Times Magazine, and the Journal of and humanities at the University of Virginia, is national Union (SEIU) from 1969 to l973, and Democracy. He is co-editor of Israel, the Arabs the author of numerous books, including the from 1973 to 1979 was an executive assistant and the Middle East and the author of The For - best-seller Cultural Literacy ; The Schools We to then-AFL-CIO President George Meany. Cur - eign Policy of the American Labor . He has Need and Why We Don’t Have Them ; The rently, Donahue serves as the chairman of the received a number of U.S. and international Knowledge Deficit ; and a kindergarten State Department’s Advisory Committee on awards. through sixth-grade series beginning with Labor Diplomacy. He is a member of the board What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know . of directors of the National Endowment for Milton Goldberg Hirsch is also founder and chairman of the Democracy, the Council on Foreign Relations, Milt Goldberg is a distinguished educator board of the nonprofit Core Knowledge Foun - and the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy. He who previously served as director of the Office dation, which has helped reshape the curricu - is also vice president of the Muscular Dystro - of Research for the U.S. Department of Educa - lum in hundreds of schools around the country. phy Association, and a fellow of the National tion, where he helped develop the National He has been elected to the American Academy Academy of Public Administration. Goals that were adopted by the bipartisan of Arts and Sciences and the International 1989 Education Summit. As executive director Academy of Education. He has served on the Bob Edwards of the National Commission on Excellence in Research Advisory Board of the U.S. Depart - Bob Edwards, host of a talk show on satel - Education, he also oversaw the production of ment of Education , and is the recipient of lite radio channel XM 133, was the founding the landmark 1983 A Nation at Risk report. numerous honorary degrees and awards, host of National Public Radio’s daily radio Goldberg is also the former executive vice including the AFT’s 1997 QuEST award. newsmagazine Morning Edition . Under his president of the National Alliance of Business, almost 25 years of leadership, Morning Edition an organization of business leaders dedicated Sol Hurwitz became the most popular program on public to the improvement of American education. He Sol Hurwitz is immediate past president and radio, boasting 13 million listeners each week. has served on numerous boards, task forces, an honorary trustee of the Committee for Eco - Over its long history, Edwards and Morning and advisory groups, including the National nomic Development (CED), a private, nonprofit Edition earned many accolades, most recently Center for Adult Literacy; the National Center research and policy organization of 250 busi - a 1999 George Foster Peabody Award, which for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Stu - ness leaders and educators. During his tenure described him as “a man who embodies the dent Testing; the National Board on Profes - at CED, Hurwitz was the chief architect of the essence of excellence in radio.” A native of sional Teaching Standards; the George Lucas organization’s education reform programs. He Louisville, Kentucky, Edwards earned a bache - Education Foundation; the Business Round - had principal responsibility for : Investing in lor’s degree from the University of Louisville table; the National Council on Economic Edu - Our Children: Business and the Public Schools , and began his career at a small radio station cation; the Education Commission of the and Children in Need: Investment Strategies in New Albany, Indiana. Edwards also serves States; and the National Research Council. for the Educationally Disadvantaged , among as a national vice president of AFTRA, the other reports and projects. He has contributed American Federation of Television and Radio Ernest G. Green numerous articles on business, education, and Artists. Currently managing director of public other subjects to , finance for Lehman Brothers in Washington, Barron’s , the Christian Science Monitor , and Carl Gershman D.C., Ernie Green has handled such key Harvard Magazine , and in 1995 accepted the Carl Gershman is president of the National Lehman clients as the city and state of New AFT’s QuEST award on CED’s behalf. Endowment for Democracy (NED), a private, York, the city of Atlanta, the state of Connecti - congressionally supported grant-making insti - cut, and the Washington Metropolitan Airport Clifford B. Janey tution with the mission to strengthen demo - Authority. Green’s career also spans labor con - Clifford Janey is the former superintendent cratic institutions around the world through cerns, beginning in New York City in the late of schools for the District of Columbia. He pre - nongovernmental efforts. He presides over 1960s when he worked with Bayard Rustin in viously served as vice president for education NED‘s grants programs in Africa, Asia, the Mid - founding the Recruitment and Training Pro - at Scholastic, Inc., where he coordinated part - dle East, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet gram (RTP), a project to help integrate appren - nerships with urban school districts and Union, and Latin America, and has overseen ticeship programs in the building and worked closely with state education depart - the creation of the quarterly Journal of Democ - construction trades. He subsequently served as ments and national school reform organiza - racy , the International Forum for Democratic assistant secretary of labor for employment tions to help develop and implement Studies, and the Reagan-Fascell Democracy and training in the Carter Administration. The strategies for improving student achievement. Fellows Program, and played a key role in courage and drama of his 1957 struggle to He is a former superintendent of schools in launching the World Movement for Democracy. integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Rochester, NY, where he led the implementa - Previously, Gershman was senior counselor to Arkansas, as part of the “Little Rock Nine” was tion of Rochester’s Performance Benchmarks the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, captured by the PBS documentary, “The Ernest and Public Engagement Plan and instituted a a resident scholar at Freedom House and exec - Green Story.” high performing, nationally recognized pre- utive director of Social Democrats, USA. He has kindergarten program. Janey also held a num - lectured extensively and written articles and ber of positions in the Boston Public Schools, reviews for numerous publications including including chief academic officer; east zone

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 37 superintendent (K-8); principal of Theodore been called “one of the nation’s largest corpo - ing union members. He is also the former Roosevelt Middle School; and reading teacher rate philanthropic programs” extending to chairman of the AFT’s Futures II Committee, its at the Bancroft School. He has also served as more than 100 countries abroad. In 1996 and Democracy Committee, and its Committee on director of Black Studies at Northeastern Uni - 1999, Litow assisted IBM’s CEO, Louis V. Gerst - Political Education. versity. ner, in planning and overseeing the two national educational summits that were host - Edward J. McElroy Ted Kirsch ed by IBM. Prior to joining IBM, Litow served Edward McElroy was elected president of Ted Kirsch was elected in 2005 to his sixth as deputy chancellor for operations and chief the American Federation of Teachers in 2004, consecutive term as president of AFT Pennsyl - operating officer of New York City Public having served as the secretary-treasurer since vania, the state affiliate of the American Feder - Schools; president of Interface, a not-for-profit 1992 and as an AFT vice president since 1974, ation of Teachers. Kirsch is a vice president of think tank; and a governor-appointed member the same year Albert Shanker became the the national AFT, chairs the union’s Defense of New York State’s Industrial Cooperation union’s president. First as president of the War - and Militancy Committee, and has served as Council, its Job Training Partnership Council, wick Teachers Union and later as a state presi - chair of the of and the state’s School and Business Alliance. dent of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, he has been Philadelphia, vice president of the Pennsylva - He is the recipient of awards from the Anne a leader in cementing teacher union ties to nia AFL-CIO, secretary-treasurer of the Frank Center, the Martin Luther King Commis - others within the labor movement. Having Philadelphia AFL-CIO, and president of the sion, and Manhattanville College. served as Al Shanker’s right hand during the Pennsylvania Labor History Society. The presi - 1990s, McElroy is also an expert on education - dent of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Michael Maccoby al and health care issues, as well as the funda - from 1990 to 2007, Kirsch began his education Michael Maccoby is president of The Macco - mentals of labor organization and finance. He career teaching social studies at the junior by Group in Washington, D.C., and director of sits on numerous boards, councils and commit - high and high school levels, and has taught the Project on Technology, Work, and Charac - tees, among them the AFL-CIO Executive courses on labor history, collective bargaining, ter, a non-profit research organization. Macco - Council. He is Chairman of the General Board and theory of the labor movement at the Penn by has been a consultant to leaders in many of the AFL-CIO’s Department of Professional State University. Kirsch has received dozens of corporations, unions, universities, the World Employees. awards from community, educational, and Bank, and the U.S. Departments of State and humanitarian organizations and has served on Commerce. He has advised CEOs of major Susan Moore Johnson the boards of the United Way, Jewish Commu - companies in Sweden, Norway, and Finland as Susan Moore Johnson is the Carl H. nity Relations Council, National Israel Bonds, well as the United States. The facilitator of the Pforzheimer, Jr. professor of teaching and and the World Affairs Council. National Leadership Commission on Health learning at the Harvard Graduate School of Care Reform, Maccoby has published a num - Education, and director and principal investi - Nat LaCour ber of books on leadership, including The gator of Harvard’s Project on the Next Genera - Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federa - Leaders We Need: And What Makes Us Follow , tion of Teachers. In these capacities, Johnson tion of Teachers, Nat LaCour is a long-time The Productive Narcissist: The Promise and Per - teaches and studies teacher policy, organiza - member of the AFT Executive Council and for - il of Visionary Leadership , The Gamesman, The tional change, and administrative practice. A mer president of the United Teachers of New Leader: A New Face for American Manage - former high school teacher and administrator, Orleans (UTNO), one of the first local teacher ment, and Why Work? Motivating the New she has a continuing research interest in the unions in the South to win collective bargain - Work Force . He has also published a number work of teachers and the reform of schools. ing rights. As UTNO president, LaCour was rec - of articles in the Harvard Business Review . He She has studiee leadership of superintendents, ognized as a leading advocate in the struggle has taught at a number of universities, includ - the effd thects of collective bargaining on to create an integrated, unified teacher union ing Harvard, the University of , Cornell, schools, the use of incentive pay plans for movement. Throughout his tenure as an AFT and the Washington School of Psychiatry. He is teachers, and the school as a context for adult leader, LaCour has acted as a key advisor on also the former director of the Program on work. From 1993-1999, Johnson served as aca - professional, union, and minority issues. He Technology, Public Policy, and Human Develop - demic dean of the Harvard Graduate School of has also served a member of the National ment at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Education. She is the author of many pub - Board for Professional Teaching Standards, a Government. lished articles and books, including: Teacher commissioner of the White House Commission Unions in Schools, Teachers at Work, Leading on Presidential Scholars, a national board Herb Magidson to Change: The Challenge of the New Superin - member of both the A. Philip Randolph Insti - A vice president of the American Federation tendency, and . Johnson is a member of the tute and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, of Teachers for 20 years, Herb Magidson began National Academy of Education. and a board member of the Thurgood Marshall union work as a high school chapter chairman Scholarship Fund. He is also a member of the in the United Federation of Teachers in New Stephanie Powers AFL-CIO Executive Council. York City. In 1969, he moved on to become an Stephanie Powers is project director of the assistant to then UFT president, Albert Council on Foundations’ National Fund for Stanley S. Litow Shanker. Since that time, his union career has Workforce Solutions, which provides financial Vice president of corporate community rela - spanned officerships of the New York State support and technical assistance to promising tions at IBM, Stanley Litow is also president of United Teachers, the New York State AFL-CIO, workforce development partnerships around the IBM International Foundation, which has and pension and health insurance plans servic - the country. The goal of the fund’s efforts is to

38 REPORT 2003-2008 improve employment, training, and labor mar - retary of Education, Riley helped launch his - Program Assessment for the National Science ket outcomes for low-income individuals. Prior toric initiatives to raise academic standards; Foundation. The author and co-author of to joining the Council on Foundations, Powers improve instruction for the poor and disadvan - numerous articles, chapters, papers and books, provided executive leadership for the National taged; expand the teaching force; expand including Why Schools Matter , Dr. Schmidt’s Apartment Association’s Education Institute grant and loan programs to help more Ameri - current writing and research focuses on issues and the National Association of Workforce cans go to college; prepare young people for of academic content in K-12 schooling, assess - Boards. From 1998 to 2001, she served as the the world of work; and improve teaching. ment theory, and the effects of curriculum on Clinton Administration’s director of the Nation - Since leaving his national post in January academic achievement. He also studies educa - al School to Work Office in the U.S. Depart - 2001, Riley has rejoined the law firm of Nelson tional policy related to mathematics and sci - ments of Labor and Education, prior to which Mullins Riley & Scarborough with offices ence, and testing in general. she held positions in the Employment and throughout South Carolina, as well as in Training Administration as chief of staff to the Atlanta, Charlotte, and Munich. He also has Randi Weingarten assistant secretary and director of communica - been appointed distinguished professor at his Randi Weingarten has been president of the tions and public information. In the late 1980s, alma mater, Furman University, where he United Federation of Teachers, which repre - Powers managed statewide federal demon - serves as advisory board chair of the Richard sents more than 140,000 active and retired stration projects at the University of New W. Riley Institute of Government, Politics, and educators in the New York City public school Hampshire’s Institute on Disability, specifically Public Leadership. Additionally, Riley has been system, since 1998. She is also a board mem - school to work transition for students with dis - named distinguished professor at the Universi - ber of New York State United Teachers and a abilities and special education reform projects ty of South Carolina and distinguished senior member of the Executive Committee of the in partnership with the state department of fellow at NAFSA: Association of International American Federation of Teachers. A vice presi - education and many public schools. Educators. dent of the New York City Central Labor Coun - cil of the AFL-CIO, she heads the city Municipal Diane Ravitch William E. Scheuerman Labor Committee, an umbrella organization for Diane Ravitch is research professor of edu - William Scheuerman became president of some 100 city employee unions. Weingarten cation at New York University, senior fellow at the AFL-CIO’s National Labor College in Oct. serves on a number of boards, including the the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., 2007. From 1993 to 2007, Scheuerman served New York Committee on Occupational Safety and senior fellow at the at as president of the United University Profes - and Health; the Anti-Defamation League, New Stanford University. She served as assistant sions (UUP), an affiliate of the American Feder - York Region; the United Way of Greater New secretary of education (head of the Office of ation of Teachers and the largest public higher York; the International Rescue Committee; and Educational Research and Improvement) and education union in the nation, representing the newly formed Math for America. She is counselor to the secretary of education from 33,000 academic and professional faculty. In also on the advisory boards of Operation Pub - 1991 to 1993. Her lectures on democracy and 2006, he was named as the first AFT officer lic Education at the University of Pennsylvania civic education in countries like the Czech from higher education to serve on AFT Execu - and the Haan Foundation for Children. Republic, Germany, Japan, Nicaragua, Poland, tive Committee. Scheuerman is the author of Romania, Slovakia, and many of the nations numerous scholarly works, including two Deborah L. Wince-Smith that constituted the former Soviet Union have books, The Steel Crisis and Private Interests, Deborah L. Wince-Smith is president of the been translated into many languages by the Public Spending with Sid Plotkin, which exam - Council on Competitiveness. An internationally United States Information Agency. In 1989 she ined the political origins of the fiscal crisis and recognized expert on science and technology became an advisor to Poland’s Teachers Soli - organized labor’s response. He serves on the policy, innovation strategy, and global compe - darity trade union, and in 1991 was awarded a boards of several public interest organizations tition, she serves as a member of the Over - medal by the Polish government for her work and is a member of the editorial boards of the sight Board of the Internal Revenue Service, as on behalf of the Solidarity trade union. Among AFT’s American Academic journal and the jour - a member of the Board of Directors of the her many publications, she is the author of The nal Working USA . NASDAQ Stock Market, and a Chairman of the Language Police: How Pressure Groups Restrict Secretary of Commerce’s Strengthening Ameri - What Students Learn , The Schools We Deserve , William H. Schmidt ca’s Communities Initiative Federal Advisory Left Back: A Century of Battles Over School Bill Schmidt is university distinguished pro - Committee. From 1989 to 1993, Wince-Smith Reform , National Standards in American Edu - fessor at Michigan State University, co-director served as the first assistant secretary for tech - cation: A Citizen’s Guide, The Great School of its Education Policy Center, co-director of its nology policy in the U.S. Department of Com - Wars: New York City, 1805-1973 , The Troubled US-China Center for Research, co-director of merce’s Technology Administration. During the Crusade: American Education 1945-1980, and the NSF PROM/SE project, and the director or Reagan Administration, she served as the co-editor of The Democracy Reader. former director of the centers overseeing U.S. assistant director for international affairs and participation in the Third International Mathe - competitiveness in the White House Office of Richard Riley matics and Science Study (TIMSS) and its fol - Science and Technology Policy. As a two-term governor of South Carolina in low-on studies. A past chairman of the the 1980s, Richard Riley won national recogni - Department of Educational Psychology and tion for his successful education improve - former acting dean for planning and evalua - ments. In 1992, President Clinton named him tion in MSU’s College of Education, he was as the nation’s chief education officer. As Sec - also head of the Office of Policy Studies and

THE ALBERT SHANKER INSTITUTE 39 In the last five years, the Institute has lost three important leaders: the Institute’s former president, Sandra Feldman, and board members Seymour Martin Lipset IN MEMoRIAM and Tom Mooney. They are remembered below.

Sandra Feldman Ocean Hill-Brownsville strikes. behalf of the American labor Sandra Feldman was president She served the UFT in elected movement, offering moral and of the American Federation of positions for the next 30 years, institutional support to democra - Teachers from 1997 to 2004 and including eleven as the union’s cy and worker rights activists, was the founding president of the president, helping to build its and playing an important role in Albert Shanker Institute. Feld - wide-ranging educational, union, U.S. labor’s efforts to help Solidar - man, who grew up in a poor and political services. She again ity in Poland, the black trade neighborhood of Brooklyn, was succeeded Albert Shanker as union movement in South Africa, an early socialist and civil rights president of the AFT, beginning and the “Campaign for the No” in activist in the early 1960s, taking in 1997. Feldman was a tireless Chile, among many other efforts. part in Freedom Rides and inte - campaigner for teachers, union She died of breast cancer at the gration and voter education and rights, civil rights, and democracy age of 65 in Sept. 2005 after step - registration campaigns. She and was an intellectual mainstay ping down as AFT president a began teaching and joined the of both the teachers union and year earlier. teachers union in 1964 and was a the labor movement. As president (For an AFT salute to Sandy, see staff assistant to United Federa - of the AFT, she continued the www.aft.org/about/resolutions/2004/ tion of Teachers (UFT) President push for school improvement. feldman.htm). Albert Shanker in 1968 during the Feldman traveled widely on

Seymour Martin Lipset the Gunnar Myrdal Prize), his earli - George Mason University, and was a Seymour Martin Lipset, who died est successes were Union Politics , a fellow at both the Hoover Institu - at the age of 84 on Dec. 31, 2006, was collaborative study of the typeset - tion and the Cen - among America’s pre-eminent soci - ters’ union in New York and its dis - ter for International Scholars. A ologists but with wide-ranging polit - tinct democratic characteristics, as lifelong friend of the labor move - ical, social, and labor interests. He is well as several studies of “American ment and of Albert Shanker, he was the only person ever to be president exceptionalism” and the differences a founding board member of the of both the American Political Sci - between American and Canadian Albert Shanker Institute. The ence Association and the American democracy. Lipset taught at a wide Shanker Institute is a supporter of Sociological Association. Best range of institutions, including the NED’s annual Seymour Martin known for his books Political Man Columbia University, Harvard Uni - Lipset Lecture on Democracy and (which won the MacIver Prize) and versity, Stanford University, the Uni - the World (see page 30). The Politics of Unreason (which won versity of California at Berkeley, and

Tom Mooney how to build teacher’s unions by country’s second peer assistance and Tom Mooney, president of AFT linking unionism to the professional evaluation program and a four- Ohio, died on Dec. 3, 2006 of a sud - lives of teachers. Mooney began his tiered career ladder for teachers, the den heart attack. He was 52. Tom career as an educator teaching high Career in Teaching Program, as well was a vibrant force on behalf of a school government in Cincinnati. He as a professional development part - quality public education system, free quickly became president of the nership for new teachers. Tom was trade unions, democracy, and social Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, a elected president of the Ohio Feder - justice. He was a tireless advocate position he held for 21 years, and ation of Teachers in 2000, remaining for teachers, children and schools. was elected an AFT vice president in one of the nation’s most innovative As a young union officer, Tom was a 1990. Among other initiatives in and outspoken union leaders in sup - student of Al Shanker’s in learning Cincinnati, he helped establish the port of the education reform agenda.

40 REPORT 2003-2008

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Summer 2008