Gotham shorts

I’ve been more or less off-line for a month, and haven’t looked closely at Gotham Schools in even longer. A hot day is a good time for A/C and a return.

1. A 4th year Teaching Fellow is being used by TfA and promoted by Gotham Schools to advocate against tenure and against seniority. Ruben Brosbe. His situation deserves more discussion. But for now, why do you think, of all the teacher-bloggers in New York City, GS runs him? It’s not for his mastery of teaching – he claims not to be there. Why do the editorial boards of the News and Post quote him and not some other not-so-special teacher? And why do the TfAers running E4E not get a regular Ivy League TfAer to be that prominent voice?

You probably know the answer to some of these questions. Gotham Schools largely created this guy, and marketed him. If you have a problem with what he writes (and you should) you should respond by refusing to comment, by starving GS of the RB attention it craves. If you really have to say something, go directly to his blog instead.

2. In this Monday’s “remainders” they linked to Jose Vilson. Good teacher, good guy. He was explaining why he’s marching in DC. But Gotham Schools wrote: “A Bronx teacher explains his path to protest and why he’ll be marching in D.C. this month.”  And we all know that Jose teaches uptown, in Manhattan. I’ve seen him sitting with GS reporters, talking about his school. So Jose wrote a correction the next day. But no correction from GS. I guess if you see the world in Bronx and White, it’s not such a big deal.

3. Digging back to the beginning of vacation, GS reported on the possible ouster of Lehman HS Principal Janet Saraceno. Good news? Could have been. Look at the Learning  Environment survey summaries to see how little her staff thinks of her. But, far as I can tell, story’s not true. Well, they say “possible.” Where’d they pick up the iffy rumor? From the paper of record, The New York Times (City Room), and their new education reporter, who recently arrived from Gotham Schools.