All the NyCORE verbiage is highly distasteful, and I asked Jan to take
another look at the conference call. Though he thought initially it would
be ok to present, on second careful look it is apparent that the whole
conference is based on the theme of white skin privilege, and everything
that is bad in this society is because white skin did it.
So its not just that we would be highly unpopular (which has never stopped
us), but that we are actually in opposition to the conference theme. The
projection: endless screaming matches at the lit tables about how we are
(supposedly) racists.
So, that's a no, I'm pretty sure. Other cogent arguments were that we
always do a lot of work on this conference, without recruits to show for
it. True, but now things are different -- we have a real working UFT
fraction and a solid PSC fraction and a lot to gain from getting our
politics out there. But I think we have to skip this one.
The problem is, there are few opportunities to intersect young teachers;
also true that most everything in academia is like this these days. But
I'll keep actively looking for conferences and places we can put our
politics forward.
If comrades disagree, please let's continue discussing.
M
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Marjorie Stamberg <marjoriestamberg@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, Nov 23, 2019 at 3:06 PM
Subject: Operational: Do we want a workshop at NyCORE 2020?
To: cs_edworkers <cs_edworkers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Yari Rod <
yarita.rod@xxxxxxxxx>, Zachary Darr <zacharydarr89@xxxxxxxxx>, Tyler
McMillen <tmcmillen1917@xxxxxxxxx>, Mark Lance <treslances@xxxxxxx>,
Charlie Brover <cbrover@xxxxxxxxx>, S_ AN <s_an@xxxxxxx>, Phil <
jannorden@xxxxxxx>, Kirstine Jungkurth <kjungkurth@xxxxxxxxx>
Could all CSEWers and other involved comrades please weigh in on this ASAP.
The NyCORE conference is March 21st. and the deadline for proposals is
December 16. Fresh from listening to Charlie's brilliant presentation on a
Marxist critique of Critical Race Theory, I am intrigued by the idea our
doing a panel to reach a wider audience of educators than just ourselves.
Charlie B and I have talked about this proposal and it MIGHT be workable if
we want to do it. Remember, we usually pack the house when we present at
NyCORE.
Also remember, our (excellent) proposal got rejected in 2018, so it's not
a sure thing.
I am attaching the conference call which is social-justice-psycho-babble at
its worst, and the conference is entitled "Freedom Dreams" in which one is
supposed to have a dream about the ideal classroom, curriculum,
society---gag me.
However, buried in the verbiage is the sentence:
"We invite proposals from educators in varied settings that focus on a
diverse range of topics. *Relevant political critiques are welcomed, as are
curricular ideas, classroom strategies, theoretical frameworks that lead to
praxis, presentations on community work, and other ideas for inspiring
practice. Some possible workshop themes to consider are: critical race
theory*, gender and sexuality in the classroom, spaces for organizing and
convening with similar justice-centered organizations,"
Our Marxist critique certainly goes against the mainstream liberal thought,
but there must be teachers out there who are uneasy about the pervasive
ideology of white skin privilege that dominates academia and now is
mandated at the NYC Department of Education. We Marxists are the people who
fight racist oppression in capitalist America, and we cannot allow our
voice to be silenced in the face of CRT defeatist ideology which turns
teacher against teacher, and only serves capitalism.
Charlie thinks we might get away with a panel format -- which could include
himself, Yari (who has written passionately on this topic) and, I'm
thinking, possibly Gordon, bringing in the CUNY academia side, possibly
Guadalupe, who's horribly over-burdened as a teaching fellow, but spoke at
our study group about how this ideology is affecting teachers of science.
On the negative side, our proposal for the 2018 conference was rejected.
That proposal was entitled "ICE--Hands Off Our Students," and began
"Educators are in the front-lines in the battle over education." Everything
indicates we were rejected for the simple reason that we are a Marxist
tendency. The deciding committee was (still is?) run by the insufferable
Rosie Fascella, the secret ISOer, and now even further to the "social
justice" right.
The previous leadership group (Prof Bree Picower, Education Professor at
Montclair NJ State and a supporter of Mumia, and Edwin Mayorga, from CUNY
Urban Edu department, who weren't Marxists, but respected us and felt we
had something to say, have since gone on to other things....)
So there's a very good chance we would be rejected. However, it's possible
we could be accepted, and if so it could be an important event, especially
since we have the goods on CRT.
What do comrades think? If we want to do it, we have to start now pulling
the panel and proposal together.
M
Attachment:
191119 Conference Call NYCORE Conference 2020 .pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document
