From: New York
Date sent: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 11:37:28 -0500 (EST)
Subject: REACH - Shell Games

TO ALL: BUDGET CLUES AND REACHing for Diversity Programs

In New York State, BOCES, Board of Cooperative Education Services, is becoming the engine pulling the education reform and it is largely unpublicized as to the extent and cost of those services. All states have similar groups, but perhaps different names. (what else is new?!)Their Web Page for the two local counties turned up some info that should alert all grassroots groups.

Apparently costs for teacher training (and perhaps consulting fees and travel????) come out of a budget category called "Emerging Needs." For several years education reform plans released publicly (and what hasn't been publicized?) carried the innocuous little phrase indicating whatever added money "as needed" would be appropriated, allocated, granted, or whatever. "AS NEEDED" was never publicized to the extent it should have been. It means open-ended flow of funds.

The "emerging needs" category jumped out of the current web site promotion of yet another "train the trainers for diversity" session -- none of which have been publicized and the costs of which are never understood. At the end of the exhortation for the wonders of this latest training is the Web Site application blank to indicate intention to attend, and "Method of Payment--check all that apply." Choices: Bill my district for registration costs; bill my BOCES on Cross-Contract (attach cross-contract); Purchase Order -- Attach signed Purchase Order; Payment Enclosed: make checks payable to Broome-Tioga BOCES; Charge my district's Emerging Needs account for associated costs [EMERGING NEEDS ACCOUNT for what associated costs? The seminar cost fee is already noted: two-days session, local, $165 if from a "participating district in the BOCES Multicultural Service" (!) and $214 if a non-participating district??]; [continuing] I will submit substitute costs [is this the cost of providing a substitute teacher while the teachers are out of the classroom?]; I will submit stipend costs [what stipend?]; and lastly "The district has approved BOCES to pay stipends at $16 per hour." [That category may be interesting. Does this correlate to STW attendees, or welfare training enrollees??]

This April 15 and 16 session "is presented by: REACH trainers David Koyama and Michele Soria-Dunn. A Follow-up to the Dr. Carlos Cortes residency. Open to all." "those of you who participated in the two-day RESIDENCY with Dr. Carlos Cortes [at what previous cost??] will find this workshop a natural follow-up. Those of you who did not meet Dr. Cortes will come away with a clear understanding of sound multicultural concepts." The REACH Center [Center???] is able to carry out its work through the utilization of its cadre [note their term] of nationally certified trainers. There are seventy-nine (79) certified REACH trainers located throughout the United States and Australia. They have established records in public speaking, group facilitation, bilingual education, conflict resolution, program and curriculum development, as well as research and training in the area of multicultural education and ethnic history and education." [Such modest people! Is the record established in the financial rewards and hoodwinking categories?]

"All participators [participATORS??] in the conference will walk away with the ability to take existing lesson plans and using the curriculum guides [from the conference], infuse multicultural principles. One or more of the basic principles outlined by REACH is listed throughout the curriculum guides with examples of infusion. The basic principles are: Multiple Perspectives, Culture Is Something Everybody Has, The Multicultural/Global Bridge [Bridge to the 21st Century???], Head-Heart-Hands-Healing [I think this is being also pushed elsewhere?] Co-Responsibility.

"The facilitators will address the need for multicultural education, give participants vital demographic information, explore prejudice, power and diversity, and share an inclusive perspective on multiculturalism." The last quote included here is VERY REVEALING! As added background, BOCES has been pushing multicultural diversity education and has sent multicultural diversity people into area schools and bringing in out-of-state "carpetbaggers" for SEVERAL YEARS NOW. Now read their most revealing quote -for intent and financial implications:

"Dr. Carlos Cortes was only the beginning of what the Multicultural Education Team at BOCES has in store for our area school districts! Don't miss this opportunity to meet with out of area educators who have been working with multicultural concepts for years [New Yorkers may remember the Multicultural plan for "curriculum of inclusion" from 1988...] and have been recognized as among the leaders in 21st Century [we don't cross that bridge for three more years!] for disseminating good, solid, reachable multicultural concepts!!!" It's interesting that this huge cadre of trainers for the trainers works only in the U.S. and Australia... Why not Latin America, Asia, Africa, etc., to work at this multicultural-principles idea and "infuse" appreciation for European, American, and Native American culture? Answer: They'd be thrown out in a heartbeat and be on unemployment lines quick as a wink! Look at the details of the Clinton education budget and consider if there isn't a lesson in that answer to "why?" [Academics anywhere in all this??]