We've reported before on the uniformity being imposed by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein on the city's public schools. Klein's micromanagement extends from curriculum to furniture placement, with the district issuing "guidance" for arranging classroom bulletin boards. Whether good or bad (and clearly some are quite bad), some teachers are charging that the new policies are being implemented at an untenable, breakneck pace.

UFT head Randi Weingarten, who has been engaged in out-and-out warfare with Klein over a myriad of issues, resents the district's tight control and is rallying teachers and parents to speak up. Says Weingarten, "This administration doesn't&even want to know what teachers think about what works for kids." Weingarten has set a goal of 50,000 e-mails from members to Klein and Bloomberg during the month of January, to make it clear that teachers are fed up with the micromanagement and mismanagement issues.