Teachers vs. Kenneth Cole

Happy May Day. Here's some of what's in the news this Tuesday morning:

Kenneth Cole, the designer, has long been known for his topical slogans that use puns to promote his shoes, clothing and accessories. Among other places, the advertisements loom over the West Side Highway at 125th Street on a giant billboard, grabbing the attention of anyone zooming (or, too often, crawling) down the highway along the Hudson River.

At first glance, the latest billboard looked innocent enough: Next to a model dressed in a bright red pantsuit, the sign asks, "Shouldn't Everyone Be Well Red?" But beneath that slogan, in smaller type, as Gotham Schools reported last week, the sign said, "Teachers' Rights vs. Students' Rights ..." and directed viewers to wheredoyoustand.com, a Cole Web site that entertains discussion on topical issues stirred up by his ads.

That set off a fury, Gotham reported, as some accused the company of pitting teachers against students, and there were calls for a boycott:

This weekend teachers and advocates responded, in a flurry of posts on Facebook, Twitter and blogs, and a petition 600 signatures strong, calling for a boycott of Cole’s clothing company. Even national union leader Randi Weingarten waded into the fray with Twitter posts criticizing the company, which is headed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s brother-in-law.

On Monday, the designer's firm relented, Gotham Schools reported:

“We misrepresented the issue – one too complex for a billboard – and are taking it down,” the company posted from its Twitter account, @KennethCole.

That seemed to placate the critics, as Gotham reported, and the teachers' union even had some fun with the issue.

New York City’s United Federation of Teachers offered a tongue-in-cheek response that reflected the loaded political implications of the ad’s language.

“We can only hope that the company’s fashion sense is more sophisticated than its treatment of complicated educational and political issues,” a spokesman said in a statement.

The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post report that the Department of Education came out with its long-awaited social media guidelines for school staff members. The guidelines basically call for a strict separation of professional and personal accounts, advising teachers to reject friend requests or other contact with students on their personal accounts.

In an increasingly digital world, we seek to provide our students with the opportunities that multimedia learning can provide — which is why we should allow and encourage the appropriate and accepted use of these powerful resources," Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said in an e-mail to principals.

SchoolBook will be reporting more on this issue on Tuesday.

Finally, congratulations to the Boys & Girls High School championship boys basketball and boys indoor track teams. The basketball team won its third straight Public School Athletic League championship and its first state title in school history last month, and both teams "were honored at City Hall by Councilman Al Vann with a proclamation with each player's name on it. They met Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott and were given a tour," The Post reported.

Gotham Schools' Rise & Shine morning post has a more complete listing of what's been in the news these last 24 hours.

Here are some of the education-related events going on around town on Tuesday:

At 10 a.m., the City Council’s Education and Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services Committees will hold a hearing on the topic “School-Based Mental Health Services,” at 250 Broadway, 16th floor.

Also at 10 a.m., the High School of Graphic Communication Arts announces a major initiative to establish partnerships with local nonprofit organizations and Community Board 4. The announcement will be made in the school auditorium, 439 West 49th Street (9th and 10th Avenues).

At 12:30 p.m., Chancellor Walcott joins HBO and the Whole Kids Foundation at P.S./I.S. 155 in Brooklyn to "promote healthy eating habits."

At 6 p.m., The Equity Project charter school, known as TEP, is having an information session for prospective teachers. The three-year-old fifth-through-eighth-grade school of 480 students pays a base salary of $125,000, in the belief that better salaries will encourage better teaching and student outcomes. The information session will take place at the school, 549 Audubon Avenue, Trailer 30, in Washington Heights. More information is available at www.tepcharter.org/session-for-teachers.php

Tuesday is the deadline for all schools that want to enroll in the Pennies for the 9/11 Memorial Campaign. Questions can be e-mailed to Jose Beiro at JBeiro@schools.nyc.gov.