Dear Friends,
A quick reminder of the upcoming Rouge Forum Conference in Louisville, March 14 to 16. Check out the remarkable schedule.
The rebel Puerto Rico teachers union, conducting an illegal strike for about a week, came under police attack in a recent demonstration and, today, the union was officially “decertified” by the Governor. The illegality of the strike (nearly all school strikes are “illegal,” but really the only illegal strike is one that fails) demonstrates both the partisan role of the government and, perhaps, the power of working people when we act, withdraw our labor, in solidarity, where we have the most power—at our workplaces. The teachers union has been under assault, not only by the police and the governor, but by both US union federations, the AFL-CIO, and the Change To Win coalition, both following in their traditions of seeking to crush nearly every major rank and file job action in union history, from the Great Flint Strike at GM forward. Here is some video.
And, last week, students at Garfield New Jersey High walked out following a 9 a.m. fire alarm in support of their teachers on strike. The teachers have been without a contract since June.
The multidimensional decay involving war, rising oil prices, and stagflation, produces demands for school cutbacks. After thirty years of witnessing labor leaders claim that concessions save jobs, we know that making concessions to bosses (wage or benefit cuts, agreeing to increased class size, etc) does not save jobs but, like feeding blood to sharks, it makes them want more. When they say Cutback, we need to say Fightback.
Here is California educator Joe Lucido writing on “Democracy is Not A Spectator Sport” and Alan Scher asking, “When will no Child be Truly Left Behind?”
Will those on this list who are in California please email Calcare’s Susan Harman and tell her your city and school? Check out the Calcare web site here. Calcare is providing key leadership in the test opt outs this year.
We close with this blithe exchange between George Bush and a reporter:
“Curry: You don’t agree with that? Has nothing do with the economy, the war? The spending on the war?
“Bush: I don’t think so. I think actually, the spending on the war might help with jobs.
“Curry: Oh, yeah?
“Bush: Yeah, because we’re buying equipment, and people are working. I think this economy is down because we built too many houses.”
— George W. Bush interviewed by NBC’s Ann Curry 2/25/08
Thanks to Sean, Adam, Gina, Tommie, Alan S and S, Sally, June C., Della and Jim, Dana Allan, Sandy, Sipho, Candy, Amber, Mike A, Michael, MrJ, and George.
All the best, r
Follow
