News Releases
Unable to Derail City Attorney’s Lawsuit, Accrediting Commission Pursues New Motion in Court
ACCJC using delay tactics in advance of trial
San Francisco – Unsuccessful in previous attempts to block San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera’s lawsuit, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) has brought forth another motion in its misguided attempts to terminate City College of San Francisco’s accreditation.
‘Willful Defiance’ Reform Good First Step, but Another Unfunded Mandate
Signed by Gov. Brown, law limiting suspensions and expulsions needs resources to be effective
The California Federation of Teachers (CFT) today praised Gov. Jerry Brown for signing AB 420, which will reduce or eliminate suspensions and expulsions of students for reasons of “willful defiance.” However, CFT also stressed that without the necessary resources to address the underlying issues surrounding willful defiance, the law is not much more than another unfunded mandate.
Accreditor on defensive in advance of October trial
Governor signs two bills; judge dismisses objections to suit
Over the past ten days, the Accrediting Commission for Community
and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) received three setbacks in its
ideological quest to run roughshod over fair accreditation
practices and common decency.
ACCJC attempts to erase history with “Restoration Status”
Judge to issue statement after hearing
San Francisco—Today Judge Curtis Karnow heard arguments in San Francisco Superior Court in a hearing for summary adjudication of the suit filed by the City Attorney of San Francisco against the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. The purpose of the suit is to reverse the ACCJC’s decisions to place City College of San Francisco on “Show Cause” sanction in 2012 and pull its accreditation in 2013.
Judge to Hear Arguments on City College, Accrediting Commission
Faculty, students available to comment
Arguments on motions for summary judgment in San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera’s lawsuit against the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) will be heard on Wednesday, July 10th, 2014, at the San Francisco Superior Courthouse.
California Educators Appeal Decision in Meritless Vergara Lawsuit
CTA and CFT Cite Numerous Severe Flaws in Judge’s Ruling, Hurts Students
LOS ANGELES —The California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers on behalf of their more than 400,000 members filed a notice of appeal today asking that Judge Rolf M. Treu’s ruling in Vergara v. State of California be reversed in its entirety. Stating that Judge Treu’s decision striking down five California Education Code provisions “is without support in law or fact,” the appeal says that Treu’s reversible errors are “too numerous to list.”
Accrediting Commission reform bill on governor’s desk
Revelation about ACCJC overruling site
team recommendation underscores
need
The heat is on the Accrediting Commission for Community and
Junior Colleges (ACCJC)—again. Over the weekend, the Los
Angeles Times revealed that the commission “that moved last year
to revoke the accreditation of City College of San Francisco has
admitted in a court filing that all 15 members of its evaluation
team recommended a less punitive sanction.”
Judge’s final “Vergara” ruling an attack on teachers, Education unions to appeal
LOS ANGELES — The final decision rendered by Los Angeles Superior Court judge Rolf Treu today in the Vergara v. California case offered no new reasoning or information as to how stripping teachers of their workplace professional rights will help students gain a better education.
CFT Congratulates Dr. McKenna on LAUSD Board Win
Victory shows that community supports positive education agenda, not mudslinging Los Angeles – The California Federation of Teachers congratulates Dr. George McKenna on his election yesterday to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board Seat #1.
Judge Denies ACCJC Motion to Delay Proceedings
San Francisco – At a hearing earlier today, Superior Court Judge Curtis Karnow denied a motion by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) to delay proceedings in a lawsuit filed by the San Francisco City Attorney against the ACCJC.
Comment of Joshua Pechthalt President, CFT on behalf of the California Federation of Teachers, AFT, AFL-CIO
Good afternoon: My name is Joshua Pechthalt, President of the California Federation of Teachers (CFT). I am here today to comment on Agenda Item 2.1 proposing renewal of the contract of Robert Agrella as Special Trustee with Extraordinary Power (STWEP), at the City College of San Francisco (CCSF).
CFT Unmasks Accrediting Commission’s deceptive “restoration status” policy
CCSF, other colleges would be forced to waive right to appeal
Sacramento—Recent actions by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges have created the impression that City College of San Francisco has been “given more time” to address the problems the ACCJC identified and that have left the institution seemingly on the brink of closure.
State Auditor’s Report on Community College Accreditation confirms deep problems with Accrediting Commission
Sacramento—Today the California State Auditor issued a stinging critique of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) in a Report on California Community College Accreditation. The report confirms numerous problems first articulated by the California Federation of Teachers in its complaint to the U.S. Department of Education in Spring 2013, and validated by the USDOE in August, with ACCJC’s operations.
ACCJC’s Conflicts Of Interest Invalidate Appeal Decision
CFT releases analysis of City College appeal panel finding, calls for scrutiny
After careful analysis, the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) has determined the decision by the panel appointed by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges to review City College of San Francisco’s appeal of its disaccreditation to be invalid and that the ACCJC should repeal its “show cause” and disaccreditation orders. CFT President Joshua Pechthalt has sent a letter to Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris informing him of CFT’s findings.
California Educators and State of California to Appeal Judge’s Ruling in Vergara v. State of California
Flawed Decision Hurts Students, Punishes All for A Few Poorly Run Districts
Burlingame—California’s educators are disappointed by the judge’s decision in the Vergara v. State of California as it hurts students and educators.
Protestors tell ACCJC to Rescind Decision to Close College
Sacramento—More than two hundred community college faculty and students, some of whom had traveled from as far away as San Diego, rallied and picketed today outside the venerable Citizen Hotel as the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges met inside behind police barriers and held the brief “public” portion of its biannual three day meeting. June 5, 2014
CFT Reiterates Support for Tom Torlakson as State Superintendent Race Moves to Runoff
Statement from CFT President Joshua Pechthalt
I want to take a moment to congratulate State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on his success yesterday for winning the primary and to pledge our support as he prepares for the General Election this November.
Celebrate classified school workers and their work during Classified School Employee Week
Thank the workers whose efforts keep our schools functioning and our students learning
May 18-24 is Classified School Employee Week in California.
California Federation of Teachers Votes to Boycott Staples over “Dirty Deal” with U.S. Post Office that Privatizes Work of Local Post Offices
Teachers union encourages educators to purchase school supplies from stores other than Staples
Sacramento, CA – The Executive Council of the California Federation of Teachers (CFT), representing 120,000 educational employees from Head Start through university, voted unanimously last evening to boycott office supply and bulk goods retailer Staples.
The May Revision of the State Budget
Statement from CFT President Joshua Pechthalt
“Governor Jerry Brown has been a responsible guardian of the state’s financial resources, and the healthy condition of the budget today reflects the Governor’s strong focus on careful management of the taxpayers’ money.April 29, 2014