Uptown Notes » Work

Is this the end of teachers unions?

dumi — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 15:11:20 +0000

Recently, California Superior Court issued a ruling that gutted teacher tenure laws in the state. I was surprised /disturbed at the ruling for a number of reasons. First, I found the reading of the social science evidence on “effective teaching” very lop-sided and not inline with what most experts in education are saying. Second, and more importantly, the ruling used Brown v. Board of Education as part of the rationale for striking down five elements of teacher tenure. The plaintiffs claimed and many cheering now believe that teacher tenure is limiting the opportunities that Black, Brown and poor students have. In the Op-Ed below, I break down why this wrong and why there were no winners in the Vergara case.

On June 10th, a Superior Court judge in California struck down California’s teacher tenure laws. While you may not be a California resident, I can tell you this is going to matter for your state, your children and your schools. In the national debate on educational reform, one of the most vilified terms is “tenure.” The Vergara case on its face appears to be about increasing student opportunities, but in reality it is all about weakening both the diversity of the teaching force and teachers’ labor protections. This is not a case of students’ interests winning out over teachers’: there are no victors in this decision.

What is tenure? First, tenure is different at the K-12 level and the higher education level. As a college professor, tenure is a property interest in one’s job, roughly the equivalent of becoming a partner at a law firm or medical practice. It makes the person with tenure a long-term part of the management of the business or institution.

But this is not the meaning of tenure in K-12 education—tenured teachers are not like law firm partners (if you don’t believe me ask a teacher to see their paycheck stub!) For educators of the nation’s youth, tenure means the right to due process.

Is ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ a Marshall Plan for Males of Color?

dumi — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 16:49:27 +0000

In President Obama’s last State of the Union address he said, “I’m reaching out to some of America’s leading foundations and corporations on a new initiative to help more young men of color facing tough odds stay on track and reach their full potential.” These words built excitement across the country and many of us found ourselves asking – could a Marshall Plan for young men of color be on the horizon?

The answer is no, but that does not mean the effort is without merit. To create serious traction any effort to help young males of color must battle on two fronts: the empowerment of young males and changing the institutions and systems through which these young males travel. Choosing one front and not the other is a dangerous move.

Cornel West and Carl Dix at CCNY Tonight

dumi — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:46:17 +0000

Tonight, Harlem Stage courtesy of Revolution books will host a dialogue between Cornel West and Carl Dix at Aaron Davis Hall at the City College of New York (CCNY). West, who is internationally renowned as a philosopher and Dix who is also renowned as a founder of the Revolutionary Community Party and is their current spokesperson. The topic is “The Ascendancy of Obama … and the Continued Need for Resistance and Liberation” which should definitely get the juices flowing. These are two very prolific brothers, so I suggest you bring your dictionaries and your “earmuffs” because the conversation has the potential to get heavy and into “the muck and mire.” The talk costs 20 dollars if you are a community member and 10 dollars if you are student. Beneath there is a video of Carl Dix talking about the event and a video of Cornel West talking about Obama.

Update: The event looks to be sold out. There is an overflow room that will accommodate maybe 50 people. If you can’t make it, the event is supposed to be broadcast on WBAI which you can stream from here.

Racial Identity and the Workplace

dumi — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:22:15 +0000

This past week, I had a chance to appear on NPR’s News and Notes with Farai Chideya and discuss racial identity and the workplace. The segment was two parts, the first with my discussion of how racial identity and intersecting identities can affect the work environment. Second, there is a discussion with Clovijean Good who was the first Black female Longshoreman (her term) in her area of California. I can only imagine the challenges that Clovijean faced in desegregating a historically male and White workspace. It is amazing and disturbing that it is still commonplace for people of color to “be the first” in their workplace. In the segment, I discuss some ways to negotiate these dynamics before you become a victim of “When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong.”

When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong… – For more of the funniest videos, click here