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We are also doing Robo calls to reinforce the need to make these phone calls. We dislike the Robo calls, as we know you do. But we need to leave no stone unturned to activate our membership into making these phone calls. Many representatives have told us that they have received hundreds of calls from our members. Good. Let's continue making those calls.

Money Makes $trange Bedfellows a.k.a. Chasing the Race to the Top Buck

A new group, the Boston Children's Consortium, has formed to lobby the House to get a piece of the Race to the Top Pie, and they have written a letter in support of doing same.The signers make up...well...an interesting group. They are:

* Kevin Andrews, Massachusetts Charter Public School Association * Steve Clem, Association of Independent Schools in New England * Dan French, Center for Collaborative Education * Michael Goldstein, Boston Charter School Alliance * Mary Grassa O'Neill, Archdiocese of Boston * Ellen Guiney, Boston Plan for Excellence in the Public Schools * Carol Johnson, Boston Public Schools * Jean McGuire, Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) * Alan Oliff, Combined Jewish Philanthropies * Janet Palmer-Owens, Boston Public Schools

We are unhappy and perplexed that the superintendent--while decrying the expansion of charter schools--has co-signed the above-mentioned letter with the heads of the charter school association. In particular,/ it makes no sense to us that the superintendent co-signed the letter with Michael Goldstein of the M.A.T.C.H School, who has made a career of denigrating the BPS, its schools and its teachers.

Two Good Reads

There was an excellent op-ed piece ("This law, if not fundamentally altered, will weaken Massachusetts' public schools and hurt children...") on the harmful effects of this Ed Reform legislation by three members on the board of Citizens for Public Schools.

Lastly, there was a report in the Washington Post about Arne Duncan's (quite) mixed success rate in the Chicago Public Schools.

Protect Your Staffing and Assignment Rights
Deadline Looming

Having an additional program area in a subject area is better, and offers more protection, than merely having an active state certificate in that subject area. Call or email Caren or Michael for a full explanation of the reasons why. If you do have a state certificate--but have yet to activate it as an additional program area--you can activate it by meeting one of the three criteria found on HRS-HS07-1 found here . Simply, to get full staffing and seniority protections, you are urged, if eligible, to apply for an additional program area in an eligible subject area.

Attn: All First Year BTU Building Reps

Training for newer BTU Reps will be held Jan. 7th, 4-6 @ the BTU. BTU Rep handbooks will also be given out. Refreshments will be served. RSVP.