San Francisco // Current TV

The Golden Gate Bridge: A 75th Anniversary Birthday Party

This week marked the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th birthday, and there was a... more

disembedded
added this
7 minutes ago
|
0 comments

Doug Runs Across the United States for Diabetes Awareness

Doug, a type-1 diabetic is running across the United States, stopping in cities and... more

1Run
added this
1 day ago
|
0 comments

Rewritten Headlines: Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Robot Arm

Tony D rewrites today's headlines.

TonyDiGerolamo
added this
12 days ago
|
0 comments

Social Justice Union-Busting ?

THE SAN Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is asking educators to shoulder the burden of the economic crisis--and wants to trample the union contract in the process.
The School Board voted 5-to-1 on February 29 to send out pink slips to 245 teachers and 249 paraprofessionals. The board also decided to bypass seniority in implementing the layoffs by exempting the 14 schools in the so-called Superintendent's Zone, using social justice language to justify their attack.
According to an SFUSD press release, the district created the "Superintendent's Zone of 14 schools located primarily in the Bayview and Mission neighborhoods of San Francisco to focus more resources on closing the achievement gap in some of the city's historically lowest performing schools...In skipping certificated employees in the Superintendent's Zone in the layoff process, the district is living up to its commitment to access, equity, and social justice."
As a member of United Educators of San Francisco (UESF), I know that there is no social justice in this these layoffs. For starters, the schools have been placed in the zone on an arbitrary basis. Other schools serve the exact same student demographics, but are left out of the zone. As a UESF document pointed out, all public schools in San Francisco have a mix of students, and there is no clear way that these schools have been chosen.
In fact, some of these schools have already been targeted for reforms under state legislation required by the federal Race to the Top program. For example, Carver Elementary was forced last year to use the turnaround model, which meant they had to replace at least 50 percent of their classroom teachers and the principal.
However, Carver is in the Superintendent's Zone, and will be skipped over for seniority for layoffs this year. How is it possible that they replace a majority of teachers one year ago and then claim social justice to jump seniority the next? SFUSD wants to have its cake and eat it, too.
Even worse is that the exemptions are conditional. They are not for all staff at these schools, but only for teachers. Our most vulnerable union members, the paraprofessionals, will be laid off.
Overwhelmingly, paraprofessionals work directly with students who need the most attention. Paraprofessionals are not compensated at living wages and have been left out of most pay raises. Why is it okay to lay off paraprofessionals, mostly people of color, at a school, yet save the mostly white teachers? That doesn't sound like social justice. (story via The Socialist Worker by permission) for original go to socialistworker.org
http://figrd.blogspot.comTHE SAN Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is asking educators to shoulder the... more

figgdimension
added this
1 month ago
|
1 comment

Rare Bay Bridge lightning strike caught on camera

The San Francisco Bay Area has been buffeted by bad weather lately, and as a rare... more

JanforGore
added this
1 month ago
|
6 comments

San Francisco Mayor Asks Feds to Back Off Pot Dispensaries

On Wednesday, Mayor Ed Lee issued the following statement about the current crackdown... more

JackHerer
added this
1 month ago
|
2 comments

Revolution 99 Updates: Did You Watch American Idol Last night?

Bahrain protesters clash with police,Wave of Tibet immolations among history’s... more

joeeddy
added this
1 month ago
|
0 comments

District attorney distances self from anti-cannabis memo, 'unequivocally supports medical marijuana'

Don't believe everything you read, especially when it comes out of the District... more

JackHerer
added this
2 months ago
|
0 comments

Ronnie Montrose

I woke up yesterday morning to find out that Ronnie Montrose had died of prostate... more

baghdadbythebay
added this
3 months ago
|
0 comments

Healthy San Francisco ... snapshot of universal care

Since its inception in 2007, Healthy San Francisco has enrolled 80 percent of San... more

LOrion
added this
3 months ago
|
1 comment

You Say Peninsula and I Say Isthmus

My wife and I were driving down to the Dollar Tree store in Daly City today when a... more

baghdadbythebay
added this
3 months ago
|
0 comments

Gingrich: ‘Transvestite’ invited me to ‘exorcism of Jerry Falwell’

By David Edwards Tuesday, February 28, 2012 14:50 EST Republican presidential... more

KB723
added this
3 months ago
|
15 comments

A Letter From Uncle Frank

When I wrote my article on the Treasure Island Hot Dog and not understanding how hot... more

baghdadbythebay
added this
3 months ago
|
0 comments

Obama In San Francisco: The President Rallies Supporters At San Francisco Speech

Outside the auditorium, protesters ranging from medical marijuana advocates, Ron Paul... more

LOrion
added this
3 months ago
|
0 comments

San Francisco Sourdough

While sourdough bread is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt, it's claim... more

baghdadbythebay
added this
4 months ago
|
0 comments

Tony Does Frisco

I know I hate using the word Frisco for San Francisco, but I was trying to do a riff... more

baghdadbythebay
added this
5 months ago
|
0 comments

Video #4 - Training for the San Francisco Marathon

Training for my first marathon - the san francisco marathon - video #4

velo
added this
5 months ago
|
0 comments

Marathon Training - Video #3

velo
added this
5 months ago
|
0 comments

Training for my 1st Marathon - San Francisco Marathon

velo
added this
5 months ago
|
0 comments

Buffalo Calf Dies in Golden Gate Park After Chased By Illegally Off-Leash Small Dog

Los Angeles Times... . Buffalo dies at Golden Gate Park after chased by small... more

EthicalVegan
added this
5 months ago
|
4 comments

select your country

Community Spotlight

TAGS

tagged w/ San Francisco

top videos

find current on tv

find current online

recent comments

© 2012 Current TV, LLC All Rights Reserved

the basics

follow us online

tools

stay in touch

© 2012 Current TV, LLC
All Rights Reserved