He also shared news and analysis about the latest SCOTUS decision regarding parental opt-outs of LGBTQ stories in school curriculums.

Finally, Daniel had an in-depth interview with Marianne Pizzitola, President of the Organization of New York City Public Service Retirees. She shares critical updates on retiree healthcare battles, including the Benkowski case, legislative fights to protect earned benefits, her org’s political endorsement process and the latest healthcare developments in the MLC.

It’s a must-listen episode for anyone who cares about justice in education and retirement.

After a recap of local and national education news, Leonie spoke to the edtech scholar and critic Audrey Watters about how the growing use of AI in the classroom is undermining learning, privacy & human connection in NYC & globally.

Episode Notes

Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, Feb. 12, 2025, A Message for Families Regarding Non-Local Law Enforcement, https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/messages-for-families

AP, Feb. 11, 2025, DOGE cuts $900 million from agency that tracks American students’ academic progress
https://apnews.com/article/ies-musk-doge-education-cuts-4461d7bdbe9d55c5a411d8465999b011

Stars and Stripes, Feb. 7, 2025, DODEA adds lessons to ‘do not use’ list sent to schools worldwide
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-02-07/dodea-removes-book-pending-review-16753412.html

Scripps News, Feb. 14, 2025, Public schools face deadline to remove DEI policies or lose federal funding
https://www.scrippsnews.com/us-news/education/public-schools-face-deadline-to-remove-dei-policies-or-lose-federal-funding

WaPost, Feb. 14, 2025, Park Service deletes trans references on Stonewall Inn monument pagehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2025/02/13/stonewall-transgender-lgb-national-park-service/

Stonewall National Monument website, https://www.nps.gov/ston/index.htm

Wash Post, Feb. 4, 2025 Here are the words putting science in the crosshairs of Trump’s orders https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025/02/04/national-science-foundation-trump-executive-orders-words/

On the Media, Feb.17, 2025. Donald Trump is Rewriting the Past.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/articles/donald-trump-is-rewriting-the-past-plus-the-christian-groups-vying-for-political-power

MSNBC, Feb. 14,, 2025 At confirmation hearing, Linda McMahon refuses to say Black history courses will be allowed
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/linda-mcmahon-black-history-dei-trump-rcna192301

The 74, Feb. 13 Stunned Education Researchers Say Cuts Go Beyond DEI, Hitting Math, Literacyhttps://www.the74million.org/article/stunned-education-researchers-say-cuts-go-beyond-dei-hitting-math-literacy/

Audrey Watters blog https://audreywatters.com/blog/ and

https://2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com/

Audrey Watters on AI Foreclosure https://2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com/ai-foreclosure/

CNN, Oct. 13, 2024 With AI warning, Nobel winner joins ranks of laureates who’ve cautioned about the risks of their own work
https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/13/health/nobel-laureate-warnings-ai/
Statement on AI Risk, https://www.safe.ai/work/statement-on-ai-risk

Michael Gerlach, AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6

Daniel interviews interviews Amy Arundell, a Bronx middle school teacher, union organizer and UFT official. In this first part, they discuss her historic decision to run for UFT president in the upcoming UFT election with the A Better Contract slate --emphasizing the need for a more member-driven approach and a unified city labor movement.

She also expresses her concerns about the union's current transactional and service model strategy, inability to deliver raises that outpace the cost of living and the current leadership's mishandling of healthcare and Welfare Fund.

Join us as Amy shares her evolution and journey to her decision to run against the 16-year incumbent, Michael Mulgrew, and his establishment Unity administrative caucus that has controlled the UFT for the last 60 years.

In the upcoming segments, which will be available as a podcast later this week, Amy shares her thoughts and commitments to city retirees and traditional Medicare, ABC’s support for Intro 1096, the current plight of NYC paraprofessionals and their fight for a living wage, fixing Tier 6, the increased need for member voice in our political endorsements, the importance of placing members first above personal and partisan politics, and much more.

Episode Notes

A Better Contract Substack

Amy Arundell for UFT President: A New Era for the UFT, Its Members, and the People They Serve

A BETTER CONTRACT - UFT MEMBERS

We are a member-led, grassroots movement of UFT members organizing and mobilizing to build union power, and to increase member awareness and member voice. We are organizing for a better contract for all UFT members and school communities.

By UFT Members

Leonie, Kaliris and Daniel discuss the best and worst of the year past in terms of education, and share their hopes for the year to come.

Episode Notes

Class Size Matters and Education Law Center, Letter to the Commissioner Rosa about DOE's failure to comply with the class size law. https://classsizematters.org/class-size-matters-education-law-center-letter-to-commissioner-asking-that-she-require-nyc-to-abide-by-class-size-law/

Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Teenspace sharing sensitive personal data with ad trackers and social media companies. https://studentprivacymatters.org/hearings-and-testimony-on-student-mental-health/

Leonie interviews Akil Bello, testing expert and critic and Senior Director of Advocacy of the organization of FairTest, Akil explains the problems with the Specialized HS exam and the new digital SAT, and discusses the state’s plans to eliminate Regents exams as a requirement for high school graduation. He also delves into changes over time in the number of test-score optional colleges, and their diversity levels after the Supreme Court ruled to prohibit Affirmative Action.

Episode Notes

https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2024/11/interview-with-akil-bello-and-pearson.htmlCNN, Linda McMahon, Trump’s Education pick, was sued for allegedly enabling sexual abuse of children https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/21/business/linda-mcmahon-abuse-wwe-trump-education/index.html

Advocates for Children, Student Homelessness in New York City, 2023–24. https://advocatesforchildren.org/policy-resource/student-homelessness-data-2024/

Daily News, Push to digitize NYC entrance exam for specialized high schools reignites equity debate, https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/11/23/push-to-digitize-nyc-entrance-exam-for-specialized-high-schools-reignites-equity-debate/?share=tcoohytentooicndwciu

DOE's proposed contract with Pearson for the SHSAT, https://www.schools.nyc.gov/docs/default-source/data/contracts-agendac5e42b19-b471-4be6-aac5-6985c414342d.pdf?sfvrsn=2cdf075e_1

Akil Bello, SHSAT testimony for NYC Council https://akilbello.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/city-council-written-testimony-shsat-.pdf

National Academy of Science, High Stakes Testing for Tracking, Promotion, and Graduation, https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/6336/high-stakes-testing-for-tracking-promotion-and-graduation

Fairtest, NACAC Panels Emphasize the Benefits of Test Optional/Free Policies, https://fairtest.org/a-review-of-panels-at-the-nacac-conference-which-discussed-test-optional-policies/

Chalkbeat, NYC specialized high school offers to Black and Latino students inch up but remain stubbornly low, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/06/18/specialized-high-school-offers-to-black-and-latino-students-increase-but-remain-low/

Hechinger Report, The problem with high-stakes testing and women in STEM, https://hechingerreport.org/the-problem-with-high-stakes-testing-and-women-in-stem/

Jonathan Taylor, Fairness To Gifted Girls: Admissions To New York City’s Elite Public High Schools, Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 25(1): 75–91 (2019).
https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/00551c876cc2f027,294b56436594090b,2e036b8a364ae7df.html

CNN, State plan calls for dropping Regents requirement by 2028, https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2024/11/04/state-plan-calls-for-dropping-regents-requirement-by-2028

FairTest, Massachusetts & New York Reject Graduation Exam Requirements; Only Six States Maintain Mandatory Exit Tests For Diploma, https://fairtest.org/massachusetts-only-six-states-maintain-mandatory-exit-tests-for-diploma-voters-and-policy-makers-see-education-and-equity-benefits-from-multiple-measur/

WBUR, Question 2 wins: Mass. voters end MCAS high school graduation requirement, https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/11/06/massachusetts-ballot-question-2-approved-mcas-test-measure-result

WBUR, Billionaire Mike Bloomberg funnels $2.5M toward opposing MCAS ballot measure, https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/10/28/bloomberg-massachusetts-election-mcas

EdReform Now, Tracking the Impact of the SFFA Decision on College Admissions, https://edreformnow.org/2024/09/09/tracking-the-impact-of-the-sffa-decision-on-college-admissions/

Yale Daily News, Applicants, admissions officers navigate first test-flexible application process, https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2024/11/18/applicants-admissions-officers-navigate-first-test-flexible-application-process/

Akil Bello, The NY Times Doesn’t Cover College, https://akilbello.com/2024/05/06/the-ny-times-doesnt-cover-college/

Akil Bello, The Misguided War on Test Optional, https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/02/05/misguided-war-test-optional-opinion

NY Times, He Worked for Years to Overturn Affirmative Action and Finally Won. He’s Not Done. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/us/edward-blum-affirmative-action-race.html

Washington Post, Fearless Fund settles with DEI foes, ends grant program for Black women, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/09/11/fearless-fund-edward-blum-settlement/

Kaliris interviews Alaina Daniels, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Trans formative Schools, which consists of a team of trans and queer teachers working with students to co-construct schools centering trans joy and social justice. They run an after school program located in District 2 that provides gender affirming spaces for students.

Episode Notes

Trans formative Schools Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/trans.formative.schools/

Trans formative schools website https://www.transformativeschools.org/](https://www.transformativeschools.org/)

Simón(e) Sun, PhD website https://simonesun.com/](

https://simonesun.com/

Peña, R., Florence, J. & Daniels, A. A., (2023) “Trans formative Schools: Transing Education”, VUE (Voices in Urban Education)_ 51(2), 16–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.35240/vue.32

NYSED, Creating a Safe, Supportive, and Affirming School Environment for Transgender and Gender Expansive Students: 2023 Legal Update and Best Practices Frequently Asked Questions
https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/student-support-services/creating-a-safe-supportive-and-affirming-school-environment-for-transgender-and-gender-expansive-students-faq-2023.pdf

After a recap of recent NYC education news, Leonie replays the interview from July with Carol Burris, Executive Director of the Network for Public Education, who compares education platforms of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and explains what Project 2025 would mean for our public schools.

Episode Notes

Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Letter opposing the proposed revisions to Chancellors regulation A-820; https://classsizematters.org/serious-concerns-with-does-proposed-weakening-of-their-student-privacy-regulations-how-you-can-help/ on student privacy

Briefing on failures of NYC to protect student privacy including potential revisions to Chancellors regulation A-820 co-sponsored by AQE and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy https://studentprivacymatters.org/safeguarding-your-childs-personal-data-threat-to-student-privacy-from-does-use-of-digital-learning-teenspace-college-board-ai-more/

Talk out of School show on threats to student privacy from Teenspace and AI, Sept. 23, 2024 https://talk-out-of-school.simplecast.com/episodes/student-privacy-concerns-with-teenspace-and-ai

DOE's proposal for 3rd year SY2025-2026 of mandated class size reduction video: Joint Class Size Training Webinar (Open external link); Class Size FAQ

Chalkbeat, As Kamala Harris ascends to Democratic presidential frontrunner, get to know her education record
https://www.chalkbeat.org/2024/07/22/democratic-presidential-candidate-kamala-harris-on-education-and-schools/

Hechinger Report, How could Project 2025 change education?
https://hechingerreport.org/how-could-project-2025-change-education/

Center for American Progress, Project 2025’s Elimination of Title I Funding Would Hurt Students and Decimate Teaching Positions in Local Schools https://www.americanprogress.org/article/project-2025s-elimination-of-title-i-funding-would-hurt-students-and-decimate-teaching-positions-in-local-schools/

Remarks by Vice President Harris at the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th National Convention https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/07/25/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-at-the-american-federation-of-teachers-88th-national/

Kaliris Salas-Ramirez speaks to Central Park East I founding teacher Lucy Matos, former director of Central Park East II Bruce Kanze, and current CPE Principal I, Gabriel Feldberg about CPE’s legacy

Episode Notes

www.cpe1.nyc/fifty - Central Park East I Website

- Why We are Here, short documentary

https://highqualityearlylearning.org/pre-k-videos/ - Walking Alongside the Learner, short documentary

https://deborahmeier.com/writings/books/ - Deborah Meier's books

https://deborahmeier.com/about/ - Biography of Deborah Meier

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/nyregion/anthony-j-alvarado-dead.html - Anthony Alvarado, former superintendent D4 East Harlem NYC Department of Education

https://www.nydailynews.com/2017/06/01/replacement-named-for-east-harlem-principal-who-was-forced-out-by-parent-protests/ - Gabriel Feldberg named Principal of Central Park East One Elementary school

https://www.district4nyc.org/

- NYCDOE District 4 Webpage listing progressive schools in the district

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Heart - Music of the Heart, 1999 film starring Merryl Streep, based on a violin program that was started by Roberta Guaspari at Central Park East in 1981, expanded and then was nearly eliminated by DOE officials ten years later when they tried to cut its budget.

Community Education Council members from Queens and Manhattan share how they navigate their right-wing council members. They also talk about the Hedge Clippers report that exposes, and also connects, right-wing council members to racist billionaires and how their platforms are funded.

Episode Notes

The 74, In Private Texts, NY Ed Council Reps, Congressional Candidate Demean LGBTQ Kids, https://www.the74million.org/article/in-private-texts-ny-ed-council-reps-congressional-candidate-demean-lgbtq-kids/

Hedgeclippers, Billionaire-Backed Bigots in the Big Apple http://hedgeclippers.org/billionaire-backed-bigots-in-the-big-apple/

Upper East Side. Extremist Group ‘Moms For Liberty’ Plans UES Event, Drawing Condemnation, https://www.uppereastsite.com/moms-for-liberty-upper-east-side-town-hall/

Patch, Outrage Builds Over UES 'Moms For Liberty' Event https://patch.com/new-york/upper-east-side-nyc/outrage-builds-over-ues-moms-liberty-event

Institute for Free Speech, Federal Judge Rules for Parents; Reinstates Maud Maron to Education Council in Pivotal Free Speech Case https://www.ifs.org/news/federal-judge-rules-for-parents-reinstates-maud-maron-to-education-council-in-pivotal-free-speech-case/

Daniel speaks to UFT executive board member and high school educator, Ronnie Almonte, and Marianne Pizzitola, President of NYC Retirees, about serious questions surrounding the massive growth of the United Federation of Teacher’s Welfare Fund in the last decade while members are seeing their benefits seemingly diminish.

The Welfare Fund now has a net worth of well over 800 million dollars because of bulk transfers from the City’s Healthcare Stabilization Fund but teachers and other union members are seeing their healthcare and dental benefits erode.

It’s causing quite a controversy within the union among educators and has ramifications for taxpayers and all city workers and retirees.

Episode Notes

Jonathan Halabi - UFT Welfare Fund nest egg – bigger than most nests

Ronnie Almonte - The UFT Welfare Fund Widens Gap Between Investments and Benefits Paid—Again

Ronnie Almonte - The UFT Welfare Fund is Prioritizing Investments over Dental Benefits

The Wire - UFT Mulgrew’s Unity Caucus vows to protect our Welfare Fund from themselves?

The Wire - Mulgrew and UFT Unity, Not MLC, Initiated Health Cuts

Daniel facilitates a round table discussion with co-host, Dr. Kaliris Salas Ramirez, and two NYC DOE Panel For Educational Policy Board members, Tom Sheppard and Jessamyn Lee, about this recent historic news week that impacted our city and New York City Public Schools— the indictment of Mayor Adams, the retirement-resignation of Chancellor David Banks and the appointment of new Chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Episode Notes

Mayor Eric Adams Indicted by Federal Grand Jury - The City

Mayor Eric Adams faces federal indictment hours after naming new schools chancellor - Chalkbeat NY

NYC schools Chancellor David Banks announces he’s retiring amid federal investigations - Chalkbeat NY

Melissa Aviles-Ramos, NYC’s next schools chancellor, says she’ll have Mayor Adams’ back - Chalkbeat NY

After a welcome back to a new school year and a brief recap of local news, Leonie interviews Allison Demas, a former instructional coordinator in the DOE Early Childhood program and Laura, a current preK teacher, about the many problems plaguing NYC's PreK and 3K programs, including the overly scripted Creative Curriculum/Teaching Strategies Gold.

Episode Notes

NY Post, Parents, educators beg NYC to allow shorter days for tots starting 3-K, pre-K: ‘Cruel and abusive’ https://nypost.com/2024/08/24/us-news/parents-educators-beg-nyc-to-allow-shorter-days-for-tots-starting-3-k-pre-k-cruel-and-abusive/

Daily News, Mayor Adams backs off proposed NYC school cellphone ban for now www.nydailynews.com/2024/08/27/mayor-adams-backs-off-proposed-nyc-school-cellphone-ban-for-now/

NY Post , Adams fails to name trustee to oversee billions in school construction https://nypost.com/2024/08/31/us-news/eric-adams-fails-to-name-nyc-trustee-to-oversee-billions-of-dollars-in-school-construction

Atlantic, Urban Family Exodus a warning for progressives, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/08/the-urban-family-exodus-is-a-warning-for-progressives/679350/

Mayor Adams, City Council Announce Historic 10-Point Plan to Make High-Quality Child Care More Affordable, Accessible for all New Yorkers https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/668-24/mayor-adams-city-council-historic-10-point-plan-make-high-quality-child-care-more

amNew York_Mayor, Council hit reset on NYC’s free pre-K and preschool programs, advocates say plan lacks details https://www.amny.com/news/mayor-council-pre-k-programs-reset-preschool/

PreK/3K Creative Curriculum school day schedule https://teachingstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Article_Planning-How-You-Spend-Your-Time_English.pdf

Extended day schedule https://www.nj.gov/education/earlychildhood/preschool/docs/CCSchedule.pdf

Data to be collected and uploaded for each preK child 3-4 times per year

Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse, The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool, Fourth Edition, was found to have no discernible effects on oral language, print knowledge, phonological processing, or math for preschool children. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/InterventionReport/512

Daniel provided an update on the American Federation of Teacher’s (AFT) report and resolution passed last month regarding the impact that private equity is having on teacher pensions and healthcare.

He also shared the second segment of his interview with Jim Vail, a Chicago educator and union activist who writes for the Second City Teachers blog. We talked about the issue of private equity in teachers pensions and healthcare. Marianne Pizzitola also offered her take on this issue.

Episode Notes

Second  City Teachers - Jim Vail

New AFT Pension Report Calls Out Private Equity Firms’ Labor Practices

Fighting The Harmful Impacts Of Private Equity On Our Economy, Public Pension Funds And Healthcare System

Daniel spoke with Marianne Pizzitola, President of NYC Retirees about the continued fight to stop the forced enrollment of city retirees into Medicare Advantage and its intersectionality with the city teachers union.

He also sat with Jim Vail, a veteran Chicago educator and union activist who writes for the Second City Teachers blog. This episode is part of Daniel's interview with Vail. In this segment of the interview, we talked about his activism as a writer about the Chicago public schools and its teachers union, censorship of his writing and introduced the issue of private equity and its role in teachers' pensions and healthcare.

We will share more about the issue of private equity and how it affects public pension and healthcare benefits in a future show with comments from Pizzitola, Vail and others.

Episode Notes

Second City Teachers

NYC Retirees

Copay and Mayor Adams update - NYC Retirees Youtube

Daniel shared a news update about potential ban on cell phones in schools city and statewide. He also spoke with Joelle Renstrom, senior lecturer at Boston University and science/science fiction/tech writer. They discussed her perspective and research on the topic. Also, Daniel shared comments and concerns from various NYC educators and parents on the potential impact of the ban.

EPISODE NOTES

Chalkbeat New York - Cell phone ban for NYC schools could come ‘within 2 weeks,’ Chancellor David Banks says

Education Week  - School Cellphone Ban Is Critical for ‘Addicted’ Students, NYC Chancellor Says

Joelle Renstrom's website

--------------

What internet addiction does to the brain:

https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022
 

UNESCO's report covering 14 countries & recommending a cell phone ban in schools: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000385723
 

97% of teens use their phones during the school day:

https://www.k12dive.com/news/teen-cell-phone-use-schools/694901/
 

JAMA Pediatrics study about the harms of screen time exposure on infants:

https://www.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3869
 

--------

Joelle Renstrom's essays on phones:

https://aeon.co/essays/can-students-who-are-constantly-on-their-devices-actually-learn  (the essay that established relationship with YONDR)

https://aeon.co/ideas/what-happened-when-i-made-my-students-turn-off-their-phones (essay about the YONDR experiment)

http://theconversation.com/is-secondhand-screen-time-the-new-secondhand-smoking-129500 (an opinion piece in which Renstrom calls "secondhand screen time" the new secondhand smoking).

Leonie interviews Tom Loveless, education researcher and author of and the author of “Between the State and the Schoolhouse: Understanding the Failure of Common Core” and Bobson Wong, NYC math teacher and the author of several books, including "The Math Teacher's Toolbox," about the problems with the Common Core, Ed Reports and the implementation of NYC's new math curriculum, Illustrative Math.

EPISODE NOTES

List of 216 schools whose initial budgets are cut compared to last year’s initial budgets - https://onedrive.live.com/edit?id=BE64F542247E68E7!76061&resid=BE64F542247E68E7!76061&ithint=file,xlsx&authkey=!APxYIxA0MIKmTCg&wdo=2&cid=be64f542247e68e7&link_id=1&can_id=e162a5e988b2cf9c89a105c454340eee&

DOE revises online guidance to require parent consent in response to our legal appeal https://classsizematters.org/in-response-to-our-legal-appeal-doe-will-now-require-parent-consent-before-assigning-students-to-online-classes/

Daily News, NYC public schools revise remote learning policy after advocates ask state to intervene https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/07/05/nyc-public-schools-revise-remote-learning-policy-after-advocates-ask-state-to-intervene/?share=thwawgnhevfaoywnencr

Tom Loveless, Why Common Core failed, Brookings Institute, March 18, 2021 https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-common-core-failed/

NYC’s new algebra curriculum mandate divides educators https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2023/11/10/high-school-algebra-curriculum-mandate-divides-teachers/ 

Chalkbeat, Math instruction overhaul: NYC unveils new curriculum mandate for middle and high schools https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/06/24/nyc-schools-to-mandate-standardized-math-curriculum/ 

The 74, NYC Bets New, Uniform High School Math Curriculum Will Boost Student Test Scores https://www.the74million.org/article/nyc-bets-new-uniform-high-school-math-curriculum-will-boost-student-test-scores/

EPISODE SUMMARY

Leonie interviews Tom Loveless, education researcher and author of and the author of “Between the State and the Schoolhouse: Understanding the Failure of Common Core” and Bobson Wong, NYC math teacher and the author of several books, including "The Math Teacher's Toolbox," about the problems with the Common Core, Ed Reports and the implementation of NYC's new math curriculum, Illustrative Math.

EPISODE NOTES

List of 216 schools whose initial budgets are cut compared to last year’s initial budgets - https://onedrive.live.com/edit?id=BE64F542247E68E7!76061&resid=BE64F542247E68E7!76061&ithint=file,xlsx&authkey=!APxYIxA0MIKmTCg&wdo=2&cid=be64f542247e68e7&link_id=1&can_id=e162a5e988b2cf9c89a105c454340eee&

DOE revises online guidance to require parent consent in response to our legal appeal https://classsizematters.org/in-response-to-our-legal-appeal-doe-will-now-require-parent-consent-before-assigning-students-to-online-classes/

Daily News, NYC public schools revise remote learning policy after advocates ask state to intervene https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/07/05/nyc-public-schools-revise-remote-learning-policy-after-advocates-ask-state-to-intervene/?share=thwawgnhevfaoywnencr

Tom Loveless, Why Common Core failed, Brookings Institute, March 18, 2021 https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-common-core-failed/

NYC’s new algebra curriculum mandate divides educators https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2023/11/10/high-school-algebra-curriculum-mandate-divides-teachers/ 

Chalkbeat, Math instruction overhaul: NYC unveils new curriculum mandate for middle and high schools https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/06/24/nyc-schools-to-mandate-standardized-math-curriculum/ 

The 74, NYC Bets New, Uniform High School Math Curriculum Will Boost Student Test Scores https://www.the74million.org/article/nyc-bets-new-uniform-high-school-math-curriculum-will-boost-student-test-scores/

Daniel interviewed Ben Morgenroth, candidate for the upcoming TRS Pension Board election. He is an AP Calculus math teacher at Brooklyn High School, CUNY adjunct, and a former investment fund risk analyst. They discussed the TRS election scheduled to be conducted electronically by NYC schools, on May 8th — and now, according to a recent DOE memo, also on May 9th. They discussed the controversy over how the DOE intends to conduct the election seemingly in violation of Admin code 13-507.

We shared a startling update about the ongoing Illuminated privacy breach of student and teacher data. Also, we aired an excerpt of Chancellor David Banks’ press conference this week where he previewed his upcoming congressional testimony dealing with hate in our schools.

Episode Notes

YouTube: Chancellor Banks Holds a Media Availability

Ben Morgenroth candidacy website - Ben4TRS.org

The Wire -Call to Action: Contact DOE Chancellor and his liaison about failures in rolling out TRS trustee election process

Sign up now for our Parent Action Conference on May 11th!

Leonie shares a news update about the budget negotiations over mayoral control, school funding and compliance with the new class size law. Daniel shares his interview with educator, motivational speaker and rapper, Brandon Brown, also known as "Griot B", to talk about "School Yard Rap." Brown also discusses his inspiration, the importance of representation, and the impact the program can have on students.

Episode Notes

School Yard Rap

Apple Music - School Yard Rap

Chalkbeat New York: Albany extends mayoral control for 2 years, tweaking NYC’s education panel

Leonie Haimson: Post mortem on a disappointing state budget

Daniel interviews PEP member Dr. Kaliris Salas-Ramirez and Leonie Haimson, co-host and Executive Director of Class Size Matters, about the their takeaways about findings, recommendations, and impact of the newly released NYSED report on mayoral control.

Episode Summary

NYSED Press Release - State Education Department Releases Report on Mayoral Control of New York City Schools

The NYSED Report