Schools & Communities First | '"Challenging"

Will the New NAFTA Make the Pandemic Worse for Mexicans? - FPIF

Will the New NAFTA Make the Pandemic Worse for Mexicans? - FPIF

Socialist Strategy and the Biden Debate

Socialist Strategy and the Biden Debate

Fund the Schools and Teachers.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is still refusing to bring the HEROES Act to the Senate floor, keeping states, communities and schools in limbo without the resources they need to reopen safely. While the House Democrats have passed legislation to invest in public schools, universities, child care, school support staff, digital resources and more, McConnell and his colleagues in the GOP packed their bags, put up their out-of-office messages and left for summer vacation. We’re battling a public health crisis, an economic crisis and a racial justice crisis. We need resources to keep up that fight, and the HEROES Act would provide those resources where they’re needed: states, communities and schools. Click here to write to your senators and tell them to pass the HEROES Act. The HEROES Act contains $1 trillion in federal aid to fund essential services at the local level, including public K-12 schools, public colleges and universities, and public hospitals. This funding would support the frontline workers in this pandemic, and it is critical to reopening our society safely. Our public schools, colleges and community hospitals desperately need this money. Without it, we will see thousands of layoffs and draconian cuts to essential services, and we won’t be able to reopen safely, as that will require more money and staff right now, not less. More on the role of Mitch Mc Connell and health care. https://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-mitch-mcconnell-story-seat-at-table.html The funds in the HEROES Act will support the frontline heroes battling the pandemic. Our country’s schools, colleges, state and local services, and hospitals need these funds to keep these critical workers on the job. Without this assistance, essential public services and jobs will be cut just when they are needed most. There will be layoffs at the state and local levels, which will cripple our local economies and deepen the recession. We need these heroes on the frontlines, not on unemployment and food lines. The HEROES Act will help ensure this. We don’t have time to ignore the needs of states, communities and schools. Senators must hear from us. Please click here and write to your senators NOW. In unity, Randi Weingarten AFT President

More on Mitch Mc Connell

New Sacramento Bee Reporter Accepts and Uses Deceptive Claims of Data on"Personalized Learning " in Response to Covid School Closings

Sac Bee Reporter accepts and uses deceptive data on “  Pesonalized  Learning” schools response to Covid.  
Welcome to Sacramento. 

In the Bee Article  “ Lawmakers, advocates say budget hurts top schools, “   published in the Bee on July 5,  new  Bee reporter Mackenzie Hawkins makes a series of claims   based upon a fundamental, and highly partisan claims.  Hawkins has been at the Bee for 2 months. Prior to this position she wrote for the Yale News, which may have been a student intern position.   Note, recognize that reporters often do not write the titles of pieces. 

Hawkins  says, 

“But under this year’s education budget, lawmakers and education advocates warn, the state will abandon its traditional allocation formula in favor of a system that harms the very schools — disproportionately, charter schools and personalized education programs — that have performed best under pandemic pressures.” [ no evidence  provided of the last phrase… that have performed best under pandemic pressures]

“California’s public schools usually receive money based on a combination of the prior year’s funding and the current year’s average daily attendance — a metric that reflects not the number of students enrolled, but rather how many students show up each day. 

Historically, this has meant that if a student switches schools from one year to the next, the money to fund their education moves with them. That will change under budget trailer bills AB 77 and SB 98, which allocate next year’s funding based on attendance through February 29 of this year.”
here: https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article243822982.html#storylink=cpy

This statement is inaccurate.  State funding of schools in California is based upon the Local Control Funding system, LCFF.    

The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) was enacted in 2013. The LCFF was designed to be a more equitable system of funding, with the goal of providing additional funding for the highest needs students. These subgroups of students include English learners, low-income students, and foster children. If the student groups targeted for assistance make larger than a majority of enrollment, districts receive additional concentration money.

          Schools do not receive money sole  based upon Average Daily Attendance, as the reporter asserts.  They receive money based upon ADA and  the state also gives additional state funds to districts based on the number of low-income students, English learners, foster children and homeless youth they serve.

There is a significant difference between these two

Reporter Hawkins goes  on to say, 

“Proponents say the legislation preserves educational equity and ensures adequate funding in the most disadvantaged areas. But according to charter school advocates and a bipartisan group of lawmakers, turning an emergency measure into a permanent policy undermines school choice and forces top-performing schools to turn away students — often, those served poorly in traditional schools — looking for another option. “[There is no evidence for the  claimthat the funding would force top performing schools to turn away students because we do not know which are the top performing schools.]

“What the state is essentially proposing is we’re going to protect and essentially reward failing schools, and we’re going to punish schools that have proven that they’re performing well and successful in this COVID crisis,” Association of Personalized Learning Schools & Services (APLUS+) Director Jeff Rice, who represents 75 personalized education programs in California, told The Sacramento Bee. “While so many other public schools had to completely shut down their educational services, we kept them going without missing a heartbeat.”
 here: https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article243822982.html

Yes, that is their assertion.  They are correct that the schools stayed open.  But, there is no evidence that these were top performing schools, only that the schools were kept open.   The reporter stated this without analyzing the factual claim.   Yes, they kept the personalized learning schools going, but with no evaluation of their effectiveness.  No one knows if these on line connections were significant learning experiences,  or were they just on line efforts to cover up and/ or avoid social education?  We just do not know.  And,  no evidence that the "schools" are top performing.  The Personalized learning and Charter School folks  propose to change the allocation of funds and to stop the distribution based upon the current equity provisions of  LCFF.   That is, they would move money from current schools to their on line “ personalized” instruction.. what ever that is. 

The  writer makes the statement because advocates for charter schools, and the Charter School Development Center want readers to consider changes in  funding by ADA.  It is  more than unfortunate that  a Bee reporter  made this report without providing accurate, complete, and balanced coverage.   For coverage of LCFF  I recommend the news source EdSource.

The charter school advocates want to focus the discussion on shifting demographics caused by the Covid crisis and the closing of schools.  They want to only consider the changing enrollments.  However, that is intellectually dishonest.  The budget trailer bills were not drawn up based upon their assertion, they were drawn up based upon the agreed upon criteria of the LCFF that promote equity in funding.  

In the two months since the  California schools closed, a number of families have indeed moved their children out of public schools and into a network of charters.  They needed to “do something” with their children.  Many of these charters  had pre existing on line education programs.   These programs are substantially not evaluated.  The only measure being used is that parents moved their children. Moving children in a crisis does not prove that the schools are failing nor that on line personalized programs are “top schools”.    Now the corporate sector – with the Bee’s assistance- is seeking to gain funds by urging the legislature to  take  funds from public schools to fund these on line  coaching events.  

Here is a June research report on how the response to the virus is effecting K-12 schools.

https://www.shankerinstitute.org/event/coronavirus-education-spending

There isn’t much research on the effectiveness of on line education.  What research exists concentrates on Moocs type courses that are substantially different than the individualized on line connections promoted  by this effort to reallocate funds by the charter developers. 

Here is an example of research on on-line learning
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2017.00059/full

If any reader has evidence or research on the actual performance in this “personalized learning” in k-12 please share it.

The Mitch McConnell Story | SEAT AT THE TABLE

“Make AMERICA Again” | Langston Hughes Poem Let America Be America Again

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TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION ORDER: FAST TRACK TO AN ABUSIVE.

The Reality Check: TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION ORDER: FAST TRACK TO AN ABUSIV...: TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION ORDER: FAST TRACK TO AN ABUSIVE PAST by David Bacon The American Prospect, July 2, 2020 https://prospect.org/labo...

Workers in the U.S. Died to Produce Meat for China

 When Corona Virus deaths rose, meat packing companies declared that there was an impending shortage of meat.  They got the Trump Administration to declare meat packing as an essential industry and to (force) the companies to stay open. 

It turns out, there was plenty of meat.  So much, that the corporations were selling  129,000 tons of processed meat to China and an inflated price.  Yes, to China, during the crisis.  It seems China, not the U.S., had a meat shortage.  At this time China was imposing strict limits on the export of protective equipment like masks.  The U.S. had become dependent upon Chinese suppliers, and when we needed the supplies they were not there. 

Meanwhile, workers in the U.S. died to produce this meat.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The families of three workers who died after contracting the coronavirus in an Iowa meat plant outbreak sued Tyson Foods and its top executives Thursday, saying the company knowingly put employees at risk and lied to keep them on the job.

The lawsuit alleges that Tyson officials were aware the virus was spreading at the Waterloo pork processing plant by late March or early April but kept that information from employees and the public.

As the outbreak grew, the company failed to implement safety measures, allowed some sick and exposed employees to remain on the production line, and falsely assured workers and the public that the plant was safe, the suit alleges. 

“Tyson intended by these false representations to deceive workers in the Waterloo facility ... and to induce them to continue working despite the uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak at the plant and the health risks associated with working,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed in Black Hawk County district court.

So, the companies got their way. They made their profits.  Workers died. All with the cooperation of the Trump administration. 

Oh well. they were immigrant workers. 

Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey sent a letter late Monday to the chief executives of Smithfield, Tyson, Cargill and JBS, criticizing them for exporting to China at the same time they were lobbying the Trump administration to keep their plants open during the pandemic because they wanted to keep feeding Americans.

The senators said the companies were putting their workers’ lives in danger while also raising food prices for American consumers.

“This pattern of behavior raises questions about whether you are living up to your commitments to the workers who produce your pork and beef, the communities in which you operate and the nation’s consumers that rely on your products to feed their families,” Ms. Warren and Mr. Booker wrote.

The letter was prompted by an article in The New York Times last week detailing how pork exports to China totaled a record 129,000 tons in April, when the profitable demand in that country surged.

Representatives for Tyson and Cargill declined to comment on the letter. Smithfield, which is owned by a Chinese company, and JBS did not return requests for comment.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/business/warren-booker-china-meat.html

WORKERS' STRIKES ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF TODAY'S MOVEMENT
By David Bacon
Stansbury Forum, 6/29/20
https://stansburyforum.com/author/davidbacon
https://davidbaconrealitycheck.blogspot.com/2020/06/workers-strikes-are-important-part-of.html

The Revolt of the Cities—Again.

The Revolt of the Cities—Again.: New York’s primaries confirm a major new reality of American politics: Our cities are turning overwhelmingly left.

"LET'S HAVE OUR VOICES COUNT!"

The Reality Check: "LET'S HAVE OUR VOICES COUNT!": "LET'S HAVE OUR VOICES COUNT!" Black education unionists call for an avalanche of protests for racial justice By David Bacon C...

"Rise" | June 20th Poor People's Campaign Promo

JOIN THE MOVEMENT ON JUNE 21: The Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington is a 2.5 hour program that will be broadcast on Sunday June 21 at 6PM EST/ 3PM PST, right here at June2020.org. Join us!!

PEW: 75% of Americans Support Permanent Status Pathway for Undocumented Population

A new Pew poll released on Wednesday said that 75 percent of American favored a pathway to permanent status for the country’s undocumented population, with Democrats and Latinos showing the highest levels of support.

Pew asked the following question in the poll: “Which comes closer to your view about how to handle undocumented immigrants who are now living in the U.S.?”

Respondents were given three choices:

1.     “They should not be allowed to stay in the country legally.”

2.     “There should be a way for them to stay in the country legally, if certain requirements are met.”

3.     “No answer.”

According to Pew’s poll, 75 percent of Americans chose answer 2. Among Democrats or those who lean Democrat, that number increased to 89 percent. Among Latinos, the overall support was at 87 percent, with foreign-born Latino support at 94 percent and U.S.-born Latino support at 82 percent.

Pew also noted that Republican support was at 57 percent, a number that didn’t really change much from August 2019. In addition support was at 81 percent among Black Americans, 76 percent among Asian Americans and 70 percent among White Americans.

“The number of undocumented, or unauthorized, immigrants living in the U.S. stood at 10.5 million in 2017, down from a peak of 12.2 million in 2007, according to Pew Research Center estimates. Just under half of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants are from Mexico,” Pew noted.

Similar Support for DREAMers

The same poll said that 74 percent of Americans favor granting permanent status to DREAMers. According to Pew, 91 percent of Democrats and 88 percent of Latinos favored taking such action.

The Pew poll also showed support from 54 percent of Republicans with 43 percent opposing.

Besides Latinos, Black Americans favored passing a law for DREAMers by 82 percent. Asian Americans showed 72 percent and White Americans showed 69 percent support.

The Supreme Court is currently deciding on the future Deferred Action to Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. 

https://www.latinorebels.com/2020/06/17/americanssupportpermanentstatus/

Defend DACA And All The Undocumented

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Defund, Dismantel, Sacramento County Jail system

SACRAMENTO PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE: Defund, Dismantel, Sacramento County Jail system: For months now our County Board of Supervisors have failed to implement any way for our community to be heard in th...

AB 1835 Passes Assembly. Assists English Language Learners

AB 1835 Passed the California Assembly yesterday, and is sent to the Senate.
this would resolve our long standing conflict with Sacramento City Unified on funding of English Language Learners.

 AB 1835 would require districts and other local educational agencies to identify any unspent supplemental and concentration funds by annually reconciling the estimated amounts of these funds they include in their LCAPs with the actual amounts of funding the State reports apportioning to them. This bill would also specify that unspent supplemental and concentration funds at year-end must retain their designation to increase and improve services for the intended student groups. AB 1835 will also require districts and other local educational agencies to identify in their LCAPs the total amounts of any unspent supplemental and concentration funds from the previous year. 

BACKGROUND 

The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) was enacted in 2013. The LCFF was designed to be a more equitable system of funding, with the goal of providing additional funding for the highest needs students. These subgroups of students include English learners, low-income students, and foster. If the student groups targeted for assistance make larger than a majority of enrollment, districts receive additional concentration money.

What is the conflict we have been having.  Explained in the testimony below.

Testimony given to SCUSD Board, and sent to SCUSD LCAP Advisory Committee.

League of United Latin

American Citizens

(LULAC)

----

Lorenzo Patiño Council

#2862 of Sacramento

         

         June 10,2020.

 Re: LCAP Update-  2020.

In your planning to review progress under LCAP,  we offer the following comments.  We also addressed our concerns to the SCUSD School Board and to Superintendent Aguilar. We request that our comments be shared with all members of the LCAP Committee and that the comments be included as public comment in your public report.

On behalf of the Lorenzo Patiño  Council of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) we urge you to respond to our  four year long request to provide transparency in budgeting for English Language Learners.  We have received budget  documents from the district in response to our public records request. 

LULAC is a long-standing national and local civic organization dedicated to the advancement of civil rights, including the achievement of excellent educational opportunities for every child. 

For four  consecutive  years we have asked that you  “Promote school success of English learners by adding instructional time in English through direct instruction in small groups by skilled credential teachers.”   From 2017 and 2018 we urged the board to accomplish this by instructing the District to include in your budget the addition of at least 10 bilingual instructors designated to serve English Learners.  These recommendations have not been adopted in your LCAP plans. They have not been responded to. They have not been included in district  LCAP reports. 

 The Board is now charged with submitting a written report explaining to the community the changes to program offerings the district has made in response to school closures to address the COVID-19 emergency and the major impacts of such closures on students and families, including low-income students, English Learners and foster youth. 

 Note, for the last three years  the district has  received some $6 million per year to improve the educational opportunities of English Learners as a supplemental allocation under LCFF.   In spite of  our repeated requests, the district has not described how you have used this money to serve this targeted population. 

In your now required report for June, 2020, we charge you to  track English Learner Funds and ensure your accountability documents clearly show how the authorized funds are being used primarily for those students.  We further request that our public comments on the failure to track funding in prior years be recorded as public comment in required reports. 

In your June 19,2020,  report the district should explain how the District provided the specific services required in law to English learners. How will you be ensuring that English Learners are progressing with their English language proficiency and have equal access to the curriculum? What are you doing specifically to address the needs of English Learners ? 

We believe that your June 19, 2020 report should promise  that a new  supplement to your accountability system will  be established  to provide  appropriate tracking of monies received from the state under LCFF supplementary and concentration funds.   

Note, in response to the district’s prior refusal to provide clear accounting of funds used for English learners,  the Sacramento LULAC, and the California State LULAC  has taken a position of support for AB 1834 and  AB 1835 ( Webber- 2020)  which , if adopted, will require you by law to track these funds and will prohibit the use of funds considered  “ surplus” for one year to be transferred to the district general fund in subsequent years.  

Dr. Duane E. Campbell

Education Committee.  LULAC 

Campd22702@gmail.com

Sacramento LULAC, PO Box 162790, Sacramento, Ca. 95816. 

As Uprising Spreads Across US, Scholars Argue Economic Transformation and Solidarity Key to Achieving Racial Justice

As Uprising Spreads Across US, Scholars Argue Economic Transformation and Solidarity Key to Achieving Racial Justice

California Racial Profiling Deaths - 2019

San Francisco Chronicle Photo. Ruby Rodriguez kisses her son, Noah, while lighting candles during a vigil Tuesday for Angel Ramos, a 21-year-old Latino male who was shot and killed one year earlier by Vallejo police responding to a fight at a home. Angel Ramos, who was shot and killed by Vallejo Police in 2017.  Latino Family Questions Unanswered A Year After Shooting of Angel Ramos

 

The 2019 California Annual Report on Racial profiling reported that nearly half (47%) of 172 persons killed by police were Latino, and African Americans account for another 15 % of the police killings. The great majority of police killings are Latino and African American

 

Deceased Civilians by Race/Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Deceased Civilians

American Indian or Alaskan Native 2 (1.2%)

Asian 3 (1.7%)

Asian Indian 1 (0.6%)

Black 26 (15.1%)

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Samoan 1 (0.6%)

Hispanic 81 (47.1 %)

Other 2 (1.2%)

White 55 (32.0%)

Multiple Race/Ethnicity 1 (0.6%)

Total 172 (100.0%)

2019 California Annual Racial Profiling Report

Cornel West: Nationwide uprisings herald "America's moment of reckoning"