Clarification On Monthly Parleys With UFT School Chapter Committees PAGE 13 Dec. 2017 Volume 51, Number 4 American Federation NEWS of School Administrators, COUNCIL OF SCHOOL SUPERVISORS AND ADMINISTRATORS AFL-CIO Local 1 Listening to CSA Charity Provides New Playgrounds COREY BACHMAN n More than 35 CSA members attended a meeting arranged for Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan so she could hear from school leaders. Ms. Nolan, the chair of the Assembly Education n Shane’s Inspiration builds disability-friendly playgrounds across the Committee and a longstanding friend of the union, urged USA and sponsors programs which teach compassion and inclusion. CSA members to get to know their local politicians who can assist with school issues. The meeting was held at LaGuardia CLEM RICHARDSON Community College in Queens on Oct. 21. ative New Yorkers Catherine Curry-Williams and Scott Williams founded Shane’s Inspiration in 1998 as a tribute Nto their son, who died from Spinal Muscular Atrophy two weeks after he was born. The charity builds playgrounds that are fully accessible to disabled children. So far, it has built more than 60 playgrounds around the world, most of them in the United States. Shane’s Inspiration is one of the great charities CSA members and staff can support this holiday season. “Having the kindred spirits of CSA on our side means the goal of inclusion for kids with disabilities takes a giant leap forward,” Continued on Page 4 Janus v. AFCSME: Groups Take Careful Aim At Middle Class BY CLEM RICHARDSON Worker Institute was an organizer in Seattle, WA when anti-union No matter that the U.S. forces targeted child care (SEIU Supreme Court has yet to hear 925) and home care workers the case. Now is the time to pre- (SEIU 775) in 2015. Cook said the RACHEL ELKIND pare for Janus v. AFSCME. Freedom Foundation, a conserva- n CSA President Mark Cannizzaro delivered an inspirational plenary address at CSA’s Nov. 4 Conference. That’s the message dozens tive, virulently anti-union group of union officials heard Nov. funded by the Koch Brothers and 17 during a Janus & Beyond: The like-minded groups, out maneu- Future of Public Sector Unions sem- vered the union with its coordi- inar at the Joseph S. Murphy nated attacks, which included Institute in Manhattan. The day mailings to member residences included panels and one-on- and television commercials urg- CSA Educational one discussions about all aspects ing union members to “give of Janus: Its Illinois origin; the themselves a raise” by opting out big-money, anti-union forces of paying dues. The group had behind it; likely strategies of a website that guided members those groups after what is widely through the process of opting Conference Gala expected to be an adverse U.S. out of dues, phone banks and an Supreme Court ruling; and possi- army of door-to-door canvassers. ble survival strategies unions can “We did not inoculate our adopt if the decision indeed goes members by warning them what against us. was coming,” Cook said. “We The Supreme Court is didn’t have people going door- Event Turns Fifty expected to hear arguments in to-door. We didn’t respond fast Feb., and hand down a decision enough, so we lost.” before June. Several speakers According to the Freedom Story and Pictures PAGE 7-9 shared their experiences. Kim Foundation’s website, the num- Cook of Cornell University’s Continued on Page 5 Retirees At The Event PAGE 14-15 335248_CSA News_R2.indd 1 12/13/17 2:04 PM 2 CSA NEWS Dec. 2017 Dec. 2017 CSA NEWS PRESIDENT’S PAGE PRESIDENT’S PAGE ‘We Are Unified And ‘Anti-Union Forces Are Relentless’ Continued from previous page • We recently agreed to paperwork standards that should at least be a start to addressing the ridiculous amount of paperwork you are required to complete. Council of School Ready To Face Challenges’ Supervisors & Administrators Perhaps some of our biggest victories on your behalf are policies that we convince the DOE or City to scrap before American Federation of School Administrators, AFL-CIO, Local 1 Mark Cannizzaro’s Address at the 2017 Leadership Conference they get to you. That’s right: If you shake your head at some 40 Rector St., NY, NY 10006 of the policies that do get through, you should only know Phone: (212) 823-2020 The speech has been edited due to what we prevent from going forward. Fax: (212) 962-6130 space constraints. Finally, since the inception of this union, the lifestyle www.csa-nyc.org afforded to our working and retired members through the President ood afternoon, collective bargaining process has steadily and significantly Mark Cannizzaro brothers and sisters! improved and it will continue to improve over time. Executive Vice President Thank you all for Henry Rubio That doesn’t mean that we don’t have much to do. If we coming out today, are to meet the challenges of truly educating all students in First Vice President Rosemarie Sinclair and thank you all so the largest and most diverse school system in the world we much for all the support and well Treasurer G must remove the unnecessary roadblocks placed in front of Christopher Ogno wishes you have offered since I you that keep you from the kind of work that really matters. Secretary have become president. It means You have CEPs, PPOs, QRs, ENL visits, a Framework for Steffani Fanizzi so much to me! Great Schools, Chancellor’s Regulations, IEP reports, CORe, Vice Presidents Most of all, thank you, broth- De-Escalation plans, a comprehensive plan, surveys on top of Sam Akel ers and sisters, for the work that surveys, the Principals Weekly, OSI reports and investigations. Susan Barnes you do every single day on behalf Ramon Gonzalez You enter observations in Advance, you are in charge of recy- Debra Handler of our students. I know that on cling and even checking for head lice. You deal with computer Lois Lee those rare occasions you are home systems that don’t work or won’t communicate with each Nancy Russo, Retiree Chapter in time for dinner or not work- other. You complete duplicative and unnecessary paperwork Executive Director Operations ing, school is never far from your and compliance tasks that require full time attention. Erminia Claudio mind. I am sure each of you has When do you have any time for education? General Counsel been caught by a loved one not David Grandwetter really listening because your mind • • • was on a student, a parent or ow you are expected to implement impractical proto- Executive Director Field Services some important task that needed cols, with old or inaccurate data. You must keep tabs Sana Q. Nasser to be completed or prepared. Non children involved with ACS. Incredibly, you are Field Directors You show up very early in the called upon to eliminate bullying. Juanita Bass, Mildred Boyce, morning and rationalize that it James Harrigan, Christine Martin, Don’t get me wrong: These are very serious concerns and Daisy O’Gorman, Frank Patterson, helps you beat traffic. You go home we must be part of the solution. But while the training prom- Mercedes Qualls late at night because there are ised is nice, the city and DOE need to pay less attention to Assistant Field Directors phone calls and emails to return, creating compliance tasks and instead provide more assistant Beshir Abdellatif, Eleanor Andrew, a mountain of paperwork to com- principals and guidance counselors and other mental health Laverne Burrowes, Kenneth Llinas plete, and events to plan or attend. Charles Dluzniewski, Nancy Esposito, professionals. They need to give us the discretion to make dis- Roberto Flores, Aura Gangemi, Ellie You make sure the building ciplinary decisions, as well as the resources and the autonomy Greenberg, Ray Gregory, Joseph LaCascia, has been cleaned properly, that commensurate to that which we are accountable for. Monica McDonald, the crossing guards are in place Dorothy Morris, Wanda Soto, And don’t tell me about money! Money is being spent all MaryAnn Tucker, Yvonne Williams and there is appropriate coverage over this city! This is about priorities. for absent staff. You stand out- We hear your many concerns: That Fair Student Funding side your building in all sorts of Grievance Director should be fair. The DOE must stop paying attention to merit- Robert J. Reich weather speaking with parents and less and anonymous accusations made by disgruntled mem- A Grand Opening make sure students arrive safely. bers of the community or those averse to change. Members Assistant Directors Carol Atkins, Alex Castillo, Ed. D You foster relationships in excess need to be notified of their placement months in Robert Colon, Jermaine Garden, Dale Kelly between schools and create part- advance of the start of school – not days. You long for a cul- Marlene Lazar, Ph.D nerships with local merchants. ture where potentially transformational leaders are not leery Director of Communications You make sure your students The first time I was over there I was 19 years old. We Clem Richardson of taking on challenging schools. have backpacks and supplies, coats in the winter, dresses for got into some pretty serious stuff, and I was scared to death. I may be an optimist, but I feel confident that we will be Assistant Director of Communications the prom and food for the holidays. When it got really tough, I just remembered the words of Corey Bachman able to work these things out because it makes sense to do You mentor, coach, and most importantly, you love. You wisdom from you. Please just know that you helped a young so, and because our Chancellor has walked in our shoes.