{"id":12712,"date":"2014-03-15T22:57:54","date_gmt":"2014-03-16T06:57:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.richgibson.com\/blog\/?p=12712"},"modified":"2014-03-16T09:07:58","modified_gmt":"2014-03-16T17:07:58","slug":"rouge-forum-dispatch-not-mere-effects-causes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.richgibson.com\/blog\/rouge-forum-dispatch-not-mere-effects-causes\/","title":{"rendered":"Rouge Forum Dispatch: Not Mere Effects–Causes."},"content":{"rendered":"

We Say Fight Back!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Imperialism\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Education and Empire: Education for Class Consciousness \u00a0<\/strong>If we are to face the crises of our day we must connect cause and effect, the whole with the parts, past-present-future. The task means connecting war with imperialism; economic collapse with capitalism; and the imperial project to designs on schools, what people know and how they come to know it. It means connecting solutions, that is, recognizing that fights in health care are necessarily fights in education; that the battles about immigration are also battles about wages, hours, and benefits. It means recognizing what is afoot: class war, an international war of the rich on the poor: the social relations of capitalism. The economic restructuring through massive job losses in almost every sector going on now will result in either a horrific defeat for the North American and world working class, or be mark as an awakening when people recognized the many boots on their throats. Last, making connections means transformation, overcoming the system of capital. Without that North Star, any social movement is directionless, recreating injustice in slightly new ways. \u00a0\u00a0 richgibson.com\/educationempire.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

South Asian University Summer School on Marxism <\/strong>www.sau.ac.in\/marxistschool\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Students pepper sprayed, arrested at City College protest<\/strong> \u00a0Student protesters were pepper sprayed, hit with batons, tackled, and arrested today at the City College of San Francisco\u2019s main campus. The students were protesting the presence of Special Trustee Robert Agrella, tasked by the state authorities with saving the college, usurping the authority of its locally elected Board of Trustees.
\nEarly reports from the scene say two were detained. Alex Emslie of KQED, who was at the scene, reported one of those detained was a student named Dimitrious Philliou.
\n\u201cSome students were pepper sprayed, some were clubbed,\u201d City College Student Trustee Shanell Williams told the Guardian. \u201cThis is unacceptable, and really fucked up.\u201d
\nCity College faculty and union president Alisa Messer told us there are now over a dozen students in Conlan Hall, the administrative building in City College\u2019s main campus, which also houses Argella\u2019s office. The students intend on camping all night if they have to, they said. \u00a0\u00a0 www.sfbg.com\/politics\/2014\/03\/13\/students-pepper-sprayed-arrested-city-college-protest<\/a><\/p>\n

Modesto EA Fights CTA\/NEA \u00a0<\/strong>The Modesto Teachers Association will vote on breaking away from its statewide affiliate in April, President Doug Burton announced. The Modesto City Schools union will hold a series of meetings for its members before the vote.
\nA California Teachers Association representative will be available at a meeting set for Wednesday, Burton said after a teachers meeting held at Downey High School on Thursday. The MTA Representative Assembly decided March 5 to pursue the split through an amendment of the MTA bylaws and constitution, Burton said.
\nIf successful, the break would make Modesto one of only about three chapters out of 1,000 to disaffiliate in the past 15 years, CTA spokesman Jonathan Goldman said Thursday.
\nGoldman said the dispute boils down to the MTA not following the rules of an annual grant. The local union receives $275,000 a year from the UniServ Program to pay for staff to help the local union.
\nModesto City Schools, however, pays Executive Director Megan Gowans\u2019 salary and is reimbursed by the union. The arrangement allows Gowans, a credentialed teacher, to continue to receive retirement credit as if she were still in the classroom.
\nRead more here: www.modbee.com\/2014\/03\/13\/3238788\/modesto-teachers-association-weighs.html#storylink=cpy<\/a><\/p>\n

\"I<\/a>Sweetwater CA district votes YES to Strike \u00a0<\/strong>Teachers in the Sweetwater Union High School District have voted to authorize their board to call a strike, despite the district’s protests that a strike would be against the law.
\nSweetwater Education Association (SEA) President Roberto Rodriguez said 92 percent of Sweetwater teachers voted “yes” on a possible strike. There is no word on when that strike may actually take place.
\n“We really don’t want to go on strike, but we will if the district continues to refuse to negotiate in good faith,” said Rodriguez.
\nIn a letter to parents and teachers, the superintendent explained that the SEA and the district have not been able to resolve differences.
\nBecause of that, they have brought in the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) as a mediator.
\nUnder mediation guidelines, the SEA is required to participate in good faith, which to the district means no strike or even threats of a strike during this time.
\nRodriguez says the union\u2019s contract was violated when the school district lowered health benefits for the teachers and kept large class sizes after saying it would only be temporary.
\n\u201cThere\u2019s no need to impact classes with large numbers of students. It\u2019s time that class sizes go back down to what our original contract agreed,\u201d Rodriguez said.
\nThe district has imposed a healthcare contribution much lower than was negotiated a year ago, he said.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re asking for a fairly modest 3-percent raise,\u201d he added. \u201cWe haven\u2019t seen a raise in almost seven years in this district.\u201d
\nThe association says the two groups have been negotiating a new contract for over a year now.
\nTeacher Linda Bennett said she doesn’t want to go on strike but feels strongly about the issues facing the union.
\n“I’ve been teaching for 22 years, I’ve never seen such corruption in a district. And I just want to go back to where we get to teach in our classrooms and be there for our children,” Bennett said.
\nHer colleague Linda Tuttle agreed.
\n“I believe that if we are supposed to have integrity and if our students are supposed to have integrity, everyone in the disctrict should have integrity,” Tuttle said. \u00a0Source: www.nbcsandiego.com\/news\/local\/Sweetwater-Union-High-School-Teachers-Strike-Vote-Contract-San-Diego-250349471.html#ixzz2w0RPdWhv<\/a><\/p>\n

Portland State–YES on Strike Vote\u00a0<\/strong>Votes, which were cast over the last two days and counted Wednesday night, show 94 per cent of faculty who voted, members of the American Association of University Professors union, voted for a strike. More than 29,000 students attend PSU \u2014 the largest university in Oregon \u2014 and many are concerned.
\nThe vote authorizes the union\u2019s bargaining team to call for a strike if the school\u2019s administration refuses what the union calls faculty stability, educator lead higher education and student-centered budget priorities.
\nThe union, PSU-AAUP, can now strike anytime after April 3, when the official 30-day \u201ccooling off period\u201d comes to an end, so long as PSU administrators are given 10 days notice. \u00a0\u201cWe are willing to strike for stability, shared governance, and better working conditions,\u201d said PSU-AAUP President Mary King.
\n\u201cEducators must have a role in leading higher education, for us, this is about the future of PSU.\u201d
\nOther issues include faculty stability, such as multi-year contract for non-tenured full time faculty, over current, less secure, year-to-year contracts.
\nFaculty members are also pushing to have greater governance in workplace changes and university decisions.
\n\u201cQuality classroom conditions, educator-led higher education and a student-centered budget are critical issues, said assistant professor of Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Jamie Ross.
\n\u201cStriking is a serious decision, but these issues are worth fighting for to resolve fairly.\u201d
\nA statement from PSU\u2019s student union, ASPSU, indicates support for a faculty strike. \u00a0http:\/\/koin.com\/2014\/03\/13\/psu-faculty-vote-94-favor-strike-2\/<\/p>\n

The Fascist Origins of the SAT\u00a0<\/strong>www-rohan.sdsu.edu\/~rgibson\/SATFascistOrigins.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

The Little Red Schoolhouse<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"capitalist<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

DEFENDERS OF THE COMMON CORE:<\/strong>\u00a0Delaware Gov. Jack Markell will unveil a new partnership this morning between the Bipartisan Policy Center at the Governors\u2019 Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that will champion the Common Core. The Partnership for Higher Standards is meant to counter opposition to the standards, provide best practices for implementation, answer educators\u2019 questions and help states as they transition in the classroom. The partnership was previewed in an op-ed written by Markell for Bloomberg, titled \u201cCommon Core Isn\u2019t a Government Conspiracy\u201d \u00a0\u00a0 www.politico.com\/morningeducation\/0314\/morningeducation13243.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Why There is No History in the Common Core \u00a0<\/strong> If any question why we died,
\nTell them, because our fathers lied. \u00a0\u00a0 www.bartleby.com\/364\/202.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Search the Gates Foundation Web Site for Influence in Education\u00a0<\/strong>www.gatesfoundation.org\/How-We-Work\/Quick-Links\/Grants-Database#q\/k=national%20education%20association<\/a> and NOTE THE AFT HERE \u00a0<\/strong>www.gatesfoundation.org\/How-We-Work\/Quick-Links\/Grants-Database#q\/k=american%20federation%20of%20teachers<\/a><\/p>\n

Map: 199+ Detroit Public (capitalist) Schools inventory of for-sale properties
\n<\/strong>From The Detroit News: www.detroitnews.com\/article\/20140312\/SPECIAL01\/140311002#ixzz2vmXbZkrl<\/a><\/p>\n

In the Segregated School System of Detroit, at least 70% of Kids have no internet\u00a0<\/strong>Detroit Public Schools educates the largest number of children in the state \u2014 nearly 50,000 \u2014 yet outside school, its students are among the most disconnected, with 70 percent lacking Internet access at home. From The Detroit News: www.detroitnews.com\/article\/20140309\/SCHOOLS\/303090009#ixzz2vVCCJ4qh<\/a><\/p>\n

Missionaries for capitalism are happy, autonomous and paid pretty well, eh?\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThe data suggest much different than the conventional wisdom. In fact, teachers are far more autonomous \u2013 and far more satisfied \u2013 than most people believe,\u201d the authors write. \u00a0\u00a0 neatoday.org\/2014\/02\/26\/wait-what-educators-highly-satisfied-with-classroom-autonomy-morale<\/a><\/p>\n

Bourgie Mom Lawyer vs Testistos –I Opted My Kids Out of Standardized Tests, Then I learned a thing or two.<\/strong> \u00a0 Deciding to opt my two daughters out of Colorado standardized testing seemed like a no-brainer. We aren\u2019t permanent Colorado residents\u2014we\u2019re just here for one academic year while I\u2019m a visiting professor at the University of Denver. My daughters, ages 13 and 14, are strong students. My husband and I see no educational benefit to the tests. My younger daughter experienced some serious test anxiety a couple of years back when taking Pennsylvania\u2019s standardized tests.
\nAnd honestly, given three things\u2014that, according to what a school administrator told me, Colorado law allows parents to refuse the testing on behalf of their children; that the testing enrollment forms include an option to \u201crefuse testing\u201d; and that we currently live in Boulder, one of the most liberal, individualistic towns in America\u2014we truly didn\u2019t think this would be a big deal. Boy, were we wrong. \u00a0 \u00a0 www.slate.com\/articles\/life\/family\/2014\/03\/standardized_testing_i_opted_my_kids_out_the_schools_freaked_out_now_i_know.html<\/a><\/p>\n

LA School Board gives Deasy (of the fake degree) a raise<\/strong> Los Angeles Unified schools Supt. John Deasy has a newly modified contract that includes an annual buyout of unused vacation days and new performance measures that require him to bring in revenue and enroll more students. He will also pay his own pension deduction for the first time, a cost offset by an increase of $20,000 to his annual salary. www.latimes.com\/local\/la-me-lausd-deasy-20140313,0,579241.story#ixzz2w0ze704c<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Detroit<\/a>above, Detroit school rotting–with Rouger Bill Boyer and Blue Dog<\/p>\n

San Diego State Benefactor Stays in Jail–No new trial for Brent Wilkes \u00a0<\/strong>Disgraced defense contractor Brent Wilkes, currently serving a 12-year sentence for his role in the Randy “Duke” Cunningham scandal, will not get the new trial he seeks, a federal appeals court ruled March 10.
\nWilkes, who was convicted of funneling cash and other perks to Cunningham in order to secure $90 million in defense contracts for computer software and scanning business ADCS, argued that “new evidence” had come to light, including a statement from Cunningham that he had not taken bribe money from Wilkes, according to a Courthouse News Service report.\u00a0\u00a0 www.sandiegoreader.com\/news\/2014\/mar\/11\/ticker-no-new-trial-brent-wilkes<\/a><\/p>\n

The Barack Obamagogue Charter School Mission\u00a0<\/strong>2. Rigorous Data Driven Instruction: We are delving deeper into data analysis to assure surgery like precision when we work with our students. We are moving towards performance task that allows our students to apply the skills they are learning to real life, contextual projects. Our goal is to increase our proficiency rates by 15% in each core subject; hence ELA will rise to at least 50% and Math to 70%. \u00a0 www.barackobamacharter.org\/apps\/pages\/index.jsp?uREC_ID=208881&type=d&pREC_ID=463306<\/a><\/p>\n

Hail Colombia! \u00a0<\/strong>About a month ago, The New York Times\u2019s Nicholas Kristof wrote a much-discussed column calling for academics to take on a greater role in public life. Most professors, he lamented, \u201cjust don\u2019t matter in today\u2019s great debates,\u201d having instead burrowed into rabbit holes of hyper-specialization. PhD programs, he wrote, \u201chave fostered a culture that glorifies arcane unintelligibility while disdaining impact and audience.\u201d Professors, Kristof pleaded, \u201cdon\u2019t cloister yourselves like medieval monks\u2014we need you!\u201d
\nShortly before his column came out, Carole Vance and Kim Hopper, longtime professors at Columbia University\u2019s Mailman School of Public Health, learned that they were losing their jobs because they hadn\u2019t brought in enough grant money. Both, ironically, are models for the sort of publicly engaged intellectual Kristof wants to see more of. Vance has done pioneering work on the intersection of gender, health and human rights. \u201cShe has been a mentor and a leading influence on generations of scholars as well as activists and practitioners,\u201d says Rebecca Schleifer, the former advocacy director for the health and human rights division at Human Rights Watch. Hopper, who divides his time between Columbia and the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, is both an advocate for the homeless and one of the nation\u2019s foremost scholars on homelessness. Last year, American Anthropologist ran a piece highlighting his work beyond academia, noting that Hopper \u201chas long urged anthropologists to take part in public debates, to translate ethnographic \ufb01ndings into policy proposals.\u201d
\nHis termination, along with Vance\u2019s, suggests that scholars have good reason not to take this advice. Kristof is right that universities have become inhospitable places for public intellectuals, but he misses the ultimate cause. The real problem isn\u2019t culture. It\u2019s money. \u00a0\u00a0 www.thenation.com\/article\/178821\/columbia-university-fired-two-eminent-public-intellectuals-heres-why-it-matters#<\/a><\/p>\n

The International Hot War of the Rich on the Poor<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Obama<\/a><\/p>\n

Ukraine’s threat from within (fascists)<\/strong>\u00a0It’s become popular to dismiss Russian President Vladimir Putin as paranoid and out of touch with reality. But his denunciation of “neofascist extremists” within the movement that toppled the old Ukrainian government, and in the ranks of the new one, is worth heeding. The empowerment of extreme Ukrainian nationalists is no less a menace to the country’s future than Putin’s maneuvers in Crimea. These are odious people with a repugnant ideology.
\nTake the Svoboda party, which gained five key positions in the new Ukrainian government, including deputy prime minister, minister of defense and prosecutor general. Svoboda’s call to abolish the autonomy that protects Crimea’s Russian heritage, and its push for a parliamentary vote that downgraded the status of the Russian language, are flagrantly provocative to Ukraine’s millions of ethnic Russians and incredibly stupid as the first steps of a new government in a divided country.
\nThese moves, more than Russian propaganda, prompted broad Crimean unease. Recall that this crisis began when Ukraine’s then-President Viktor Yanukovich retreated on a deal toward European integration. Are the Europe-aspiring Ukrainians who now vote to restrict Russians’ cultural-language rights even dimly aware that, as part of the European Union, such minority rights would have to be expanded, not curtailed?
\nwww.latimes.com\/opinion\/commentary\/la-oe-english-ukraine-neofascists-20140313,0,7664312.story#ixzz2vuFVWmsX<\/a><\/p>\n

RTV–5 very important answers to 5 very important answers \u00a0\u00a0 rt.com\/op-edge\/ukraine-ambassador-smith-answers-662\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"ukraine\"<\/a>Russia says intercepted US drone over Crimea: arms group<\/strong>\u00a0A United States surveillance drone has been intercepted above the Ukranian region of Crimea, a Russian state arms and technology group said Friday.
\n“The drone was flying at about 4,000 metres (12,000 feet) and was virtually invisible from the ground. It was possible to break the link with US operators with complex radio-electronic” technology, said Rostec in a statement.
\nThe drone fell “almost intact into the hands of self-defence forces” added Rostec, which said it had manufactured the equipment used to down the aircraft, but did not specify who was operating it.
\n“Judging by its identification number, UAV MQ-5B belonged to the 66th American Reconnaissance Brigade, based in Bavaria,” Rostec said on its website, which also carried a picture of what it said was the captured drone.
\nThe photograph appeared to show an apparently armed drone in flight, rather than debris.
\nThe Crimean port of Sevastopol is home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which is believed to be equipped with detection equipment.
\nCrimea, where pro-Kremlin forces have control, is to hold a referendum on Sunday on the peninsula joining Russia, in what Moscow says is a fair expression of self identity but the West views as an illegal annexation of sovereign territory. \u00a0\u00a0 news.yahoo.com\/russia-says-intercepted-us-drone-over-crimea-arms-180430584.html<\/a><\/p>\n