Saturday, December 11, 2010

Teachers describe administrative failings at Dunbar

Teachers describe administrative failings at Dunbar

Teachers describe administrative failings at Dunbar



Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, December 11, 2010; 5:45 PM

Geometry teacher Jessica Lilly found the fliers on the walls when she arrived at Dunbar Senior High School early one morning last month. They included a photo of a female student, with her name, phone number and an obscene caption announcing that she was available for oral sex with boys and girls.

THIS STORY

"Wanna be next?????"

"Holla at Me!!!!"

It was a vile piece of bullying. Lilly said that as far she knows, there was no response from Friends of Bedford, the team of private consultants who ran the school until they were removed by interim Chancellor Kaya Henderson on Wednesday. It was one of numerous incidents of harassment and violence that

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4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: ENRAGEMENT TO ENGEGEMENT: Towards Sustained Parent Power

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: ENRAGEMENT TO ENGEGEMENT: Towards Sustained Parent Power
ENRAGEMENT TO ENGEGEMENT: Towards Sustained Parent Power Themes in the News for the week of Dec. 6-10, 2010 By UCLA IDEA | http://bit.ly/9k0ADx 12-10-2010 - This week, hundreds of parents whose children attend McKinley Elementary School in Compton petitioned the Compton Unified School District to convert ...
NEW DROPOUT RATE IN QUESTION: CALPADS delays complicate districts' work By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess | http://bit.ly/eaEZpA The state Department of Education reported a sizable uptick in the dropout rate this week, leading to speculation that school budget cuts, the high school exit exam, or – choose your speculation ...
CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS MUST FOLLOW PHYS. ED. LAW, COURT RULES Mark Walsh – School Law writer for Ed Week | http://bit.ly/hQVxq5 December 10, 2010 - Usually, there's a kid who will do anything to get out of physical education class. But in California, one elementary student and his father have sued their school ...
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Schools Matter: RIMA Charter to Management Org: Goodbye

Schools Matter: RIMA Charter to Management Org: Goodbye

RIMA Charter to Management Org: Goodbye

by Kenneth Libby
One less charter school for Seth Andrew/Democracy Prep/Democracy Builders. From the Providence Journal:
[O]n Thursday, the school’s board of directors severed its relationship with Andrew and his management organization, Democracy Builders, in a dispute over money.

The school will continue, and Andrew has applied to open another, in Providence. What the split means for either side is only beginning to unfold.

Andrew’s spokeswoman said Friday that Andrew was caught off guard by news that the mayoral academies board had voted his organization out. Spokeswoman Kerri Lyon said that Andrew had planned to come to Rhode Island Friday “in good faith” for a mediation session at the state Department of Education between the groups, but canceled the trip when he learned of the split.
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Four Theses on the Invisible University « occupy california

Four Theses on the Invisible University « occupy california

Four Theses on the Invisible University

by *

from reallyopenuniversity:

A radical critique of the university and student activism from the Regents of the Invisible University. Dedicated to our comrades at the University of California.

Thesis 0.1: The University is a Machine in the Network of Capitalism & Empire.

Does anyone still pretend that earning a degree is anything other than job training? Can professors still hide that their knowledge is commodified? Is it not clear that the university is the lap-dog of the state?

Thesis 0.2: There is No Crisis. It is all Business as Usual.

We cry for the loss of a dream that never was. The university was never ours. After shaking off the unessential it

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Almost Looping « JD2718

Almost Looping « JD2718

Almost Looping

DECEMBER 11, 2010 PM31 5:05 PM
tags:
by jd2718

I hadn’t quite thought about it like this, but I’ve more or less looped with my high school’s current senior class.

Looping is more common in lower grades. By alternating 3rd and 4th grade, a teacher effectively has one class for two years. You need a stable school for that – where a quarter or more of the staff turns over each year, it just doesn’t make sense. My friend almost moved to a 7/8 alternating loop in math in his suburban school a few years ago.

But in high school? Maybe in some mini-schools. But modern Bronx mini-schools are turnover factories, where teachers get permanently slotted into upper-level classes, so no, not at all common. And in big high schools? Could you really pull together the same students for the same

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CALL OUT on Public EDUCATION | forimpact.org

CALL OUT on Public EDUCATION | forimpact.org

CALL OUT on Public EDUCATION

Tom Suddes | December 10, 2010

Five years or so ago, I spoke at a fairly large gathering of ‘Public Educators’, mostly principals of public high schools and some district superintendents. (Nick claims I ranted like Tom Peters on serious medication. He also says they all looked at me as if I were ‘crazy’. Who would have guessed?)

Essence of my message was:

    • Change or Die.

    • Abandon Almost Everything.

    • Re-Imagine… Re-Design… Re-Invent.

Almost every public high school is having FUNDING CHALLENGES. Levies passed or not passed. Cutting budgets. Dropping co-curricular activities. Pay to play, etc.

The Big Idea: PUBLIC education vs. public EDUCATION. It’s all about the

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Strong Parenting Is Key to America’s Future | Lefty Parent

Strong Parenting Is Key to America’s Future | Lefty Parent

Strong Parenting Is Key to America’s Future

December 11th, 2010 at 11:43

My eye caught the above title in an Education Week magazine on-line teaser and couldn’t resist reading the article, by Joseph Gauld, the founder of the Hyde Schools. I certainly wasn’t comfortable with his Cold War “us and them” framing of the need for good parenting…

Not so long ago, we vigorously opposed Russian Communism’s threat to our American beliefs. Now China is projected to replace us as the world’s economic leader… To reaffirm democratic principles for ourselves and other nations, we must meet China’s economic challenge to our leadership… Today, we need the leadership of American mothers, fathers, and all surrogate parents. We need them to begin to develop a standard of excellence in parenting and family, now and for future generations.

Classic hierarchical patriarchal stuff here, framing everything in terms of a high stakes competition between adversaries

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Education Secretary Arne Duncan Rethinks His Goals - NYTimes.com

Education Secretary Arne Duncan Rethinks His Goals - NYTimes.com

Obama Administration Rethinks Education Plan

By SAM DILLON
Published: December 11, 2010

WASHINGTON — For two years, backed by a friendly Congress and flush with federal stimulus money, President Obama’s administration enjoyed a relatively obstacle-free path for its education agenda, the focus of which is the $4 billion Race to the Top grant program.

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But with Republican deficit hawks taking control of the House next month, Education Secretary Arne Duncan will no longer have billions of dollars to use at his discretion.

The administration is also having to recalibrate its goals for working with Congress to overhaul the main federal law on public schools. Fortunately for the administration, its ambitions for the law, the Bush-era No Child Left Behindeffort, are shared by Representative John Kline, a Minnesota Republican who will be the chairman of the House education committee.

“It doesn’t matter who I’m talking to — everybody has complaints about N.C.L.B.,” said Mr. Kline, who would oversee any revision of the law by the House. “So we’d love to fix it.”

Mr. Kline and Mr. Duncan said in separate interviews that they had a good

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Miguel del Valle for Mayor of Chicago « Parents 4 democratic Schools

Miguel del Valle for Mayor of Chicago « Parents 4 democratic Schools

Miguel del Valle for Mayor of Chicago .

Miguel del Valle for Mayor of Chicago
Miguel del Valle for Mayor of Chicago

Miguel del Valle for Mayor of Chicago

Detailed Info

Website:
http://www.delvalleformayor.com
Description:
Meet Miguel del Valle: A Mayor For All Chicago… For Every Neighborhood:

For more than three decades Miguel del Valle has been an independent voice, tireless community advocate, and a dedicated public servant for people in Chicago and the State of Illinois. He has fought for open and transparent government, stronger consumer protections, and for reform and better funding for education, healthcare and social service programs throughout his 23-year tenure in the Illinois General Assembly and as… (read more)

Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/delvalleformayor
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solidaridad: Charter Charlatans Caught Cheating in Compton!

solidaridad: Charter Charlatans Caught Cheating in Compton!

Charter Charlatans Caught Cheating in Compton!

by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene
"We are giving away our schools and now we want to get rid of transparency... so we can do whatever we want in the dark of night." — Marguerite P. LaMotte in response to Yolie Flores Corporate Charter Choice Resolution

LAPU-Parent Revolution's foppish millionaire from Benedict Canyon -- the mendacious Ben Austin
Wow! A sudden lapse in the normally dishonest dominant discourse by the charter-voucher sector sycophantic Los Angeles press? Effort to convert Compton school to charter draws fire.

The mendaciousness of the wealthy Ben Austin and his junta of school privatization drones including Gabe Rose, Pat DeTemple, Shirley Ford, and Mary Najera is legendary. While I was researching my first article on
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Democurmudgeon: Have we Forgotten Segregation? Yes.

Democurmudgeon: Have we Forgotten Segregation? Yes.

Have we Forgotten Segregation? Yes.

by Democurmudgeon
In the following question posed online at the Capital Times, not one respondent recoiled in horror over SEGREGATING minority students into “their own school.” I mean, just look at the question!!!

Quick Question: Should Madison public schools establish a charter school primarily for minority male students?

"There’s no guarantee it would succeed, but it may be beneficial to these youths and it’s definitely worth trying.”

“I think it’s needed, but it will only work if we have teachers that look
like the students."

“I think that would be a great idea. I think minority males would do better in a school made for them, they would stay in school and go on and graduate.”

"I think it’s not really needed. Instead of taking the money and setting up a charter school, they

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LAST WEEK'S BEST POSTS ON BIG EDUCATION APE & PARENTS 4 DEMOCRATIC SCHOOLS» POSTRANK


LAST WEEK'S BEST POSTS ON BIG EDUCATION APE  & PARENTS 4 DEMOCRATIC SCHOOLS» POSTRANK


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Shanker Blog » Why Does Joel Klein Keep Misrepresenting Al Shanker?

2010-Dec-8
Shanker Blog » Why Does Joel Klein Keep Misrepresenting Al Shanker?Why Does Joel Klein Keep Misrepresenting Al Shanker?by Eugenia KembleOutgoing New York City Chancellor Klein loves to try to wrap himself in the mantle of Al Shanker. He is especially fond of pulling clipped Shanker quotes out of his hat—and out of context—when speaking about his favorite education “reforms.” At first this may seem puzzling, because the ex-Chancellor is disinclined to give either the United Federation of Teachers or its ...
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THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Observations on local control

2010-Dec-8
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Observations on local controlObservations on local controlby The Perimeter PrimateThis issue is all about who allows whom to have power in the society. Anti-local control people don't have a problem with wealthy communities having local control over their school districts. For instance, no one gripes about the local control of Piedmont City Unified (CA), even though the district is labeled “failing” because it hasn’t made AYP since 2003 (median household income = $168,947).There's probably some dividing line ...
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SRC ratification resolutions: Still no letup | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

2010-Dec-8
SRC ratification resolutions: Still no letup | Philadelphia Public School NotebookSRC ratification resolutions: Still no letupby Paul Socolar on Dec 07 2010 Posted in Latest newsCOMMENTS (1)PRINTEMAILDespite some questions about the practice raised by commissioners this fall, a significant percentage of the measures approved by the School Reform Commission each month continue to be in the form of "ratification resolutions" - items brought up for a vote after the contract or work to be approved has already started.What has changed, ...
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Queens Teacher: Clueless Cathie Wouldn't Send Her Own Kids to a City School - No kidding

2010-Dec-8
Queens Teacher: Clueless Cathie Wouldn't Send Her Own Kids to a City School - No kiddingClueless Cathie Wouldn't Send Her Own Kids to a City School - No kiddingby Queens TeacherIncoming chancellor Cathie Black says, 'I don't know' if I'd send my kids to a city schoolBY Meredith Kolodner and Rachel MonahanEven as she takes the helm of the Department of Education, incoming Chancellor Cathie Black still isn't sure if she'd send her own kids to city public schools.Black acknowledged ...
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UPR on Strike Once More « occupy california

2010-Dec-7
UPR on Strike Once More « occupy californiaUPR on Strike Once Moreby *SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Students at the University of Puerto Rico are on strike again. Last spring, students shut down all but one campus in the UPR system for 2 months to fight the $800 fee increase.Translator’s background note: Even though the UPR students have organized referendums, occupations, and demos against the $800 fee due January all throughout this fall, the administration is going forward with the ...
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Arabic Teacher Supports Duncan at Tomorrow’s Foreign Language Summit – ED.gov Blog

2010-Dec-7
Arabic Teacher Supports Duncan at Tomorrow’s Foreign Language Summit – ED.gov BlogArabic Teacher Supports Duncan at Tomorrow’s Foreign Language SummitSteven Berbeco visits a high school in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, as part of a State Department-funded teacher exchange in February, 2010.Although Arabs represent only one percent of my city’s population, and a tenth of a percent nationally, it is important that my students in Boston learn Arabic, both for our collective national security and for them as future leaders.As a nation, we ...
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Is Twitter Barring Wikileaks From Its Trending Topics Lists? « Student Activism

2010-Dec-5
Is Twitter Barring Wikileaks From Its Trending Topics Lists? « Student ActivismIs Twitter Barring Wikileaks From Its Trending Topics Lists?December 5, 2010 in StudentsA week ago I wrote a post on why the hashtag #Wikileaks wasn’t appearing on Twitter’s trending topics lists. In it, I concluded that this failure to trend was an artifact of an actually-quite-reasonable-really algorithm, and shouldn’t be taken as evidence of anything nefarious.Okay. That was then. But in the intervening week, Wikileaks has seen a truly ...
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Last Week's Best Posts on Big Education Ape & Parents 4 democratic Schools» PostRank

2010-Dec-4
Last Week's Best Posts on Big Education Ape Parents 4 democratic Schools» PostRankLAST WEEK'S BEST POSTS ON BIG EDUCATION APE PARENTS 4 DEMOCRATIC SCHOOLS» POSTRANKHide7.6Cool Cat Teacher Blog: The Promise of Digital Learning: A Word to Government Officials2010-Dec-3Cool Cat Teacher Blog: The Promise of Digital Learning: A Word to Government Officials. The Promise of Digital Learning: A Word to Government Officials bycoolcatteacher@gmail.com (Victoria A Davis, Cool Cat Teacher) Popout The Promise of Digital Learning:Susan Patrick (iNACOL),Chris Klaus (Kaneva),Vicki Davis (Flat ...
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Union Investigating Teacher Assault Claims - Baltimore, Maryland News Story - WBAL Baltimore

2010-Dec-3
Union Investigating Teacher Assault Claims - Baltimore, Maryland News Story - WBAL BaltimoreUnion Investigating Teacher Assault ClaimsSchool Says No Incidents Reported Since School OpenedPOSTED: 3:37 pm EST December 3, 2010UPDATED: 7:11 pm EST December 3, 2010 Email Print Comments (1)BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Teachers Union is calling for more resources at a high school where a teacher was attacked by a student.Social studies teacher Jeffery Slattery is still recovering from his injuries after he said a 14-year-old former student attacked ...
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Notes from the news, Dec. 9 | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

2010-Dec-9
Notes from the news, Dec. 9 Philadelphia Public School Notebook. Notes from the news, Dec. 9 by Erika Owens At SRC meeting, praise for Ackerman, scorn for Inquirer The Inquirer More than 400 people attended yesterday's meeting and several prominent speakers detailed their support for Ackerman. See also: Outpouring of support for Supt. Ackerman The Notebook [...]
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Teachers unions put on notice – Bee Editorials – Modbee.com

2010-Dec-9
Teachers unions put on notice Bee Editorials Modbee.com. Teachers unions put on notice California is about to turn a page, perhaps, with new leadership in state government. A major indicator of a new direction, or business-as-usual, will be education, the state's No. 1 constitutional responsibility. At a gathering of 300 political leaders and [...]
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A little inspiration from across the pond « Failing Schools

2010-Dec-8
A little inspiration from across the pond « Failing Schools. A little inspiration from across the pond DECEMBER 8, 2010 by Sabrina Facing similar political and economic conditions to ours here in the US, students across England have been protesting proposed increases in tuition and fees. Demonstrations and occupations have increased in recent weeks as young people organize [...]
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Education | New Jersey Real-Time News – - NJ.com

2010-Dec-8
Education New Jersey Real-Time News - NJ.com. Paterson moves a step closer to regaining control of its schools By Rohan Mascarenhas/The Star-Ledger December 08, 2010, 12:50PM PATERSON — For the first time since 1991, Paterson might be on the verge of regaining local control of its schools. A state review of the system’s progress, [...]
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Es el momento – Educacion, Becas, Universidades, Aprendizaje

2010-Dec-8
Es el momento Educacion, Becas, Universidades, Aprendizaje. Busca apoyo en tu comunidad Busca apoyo en tu comunidad ASPIRA te ayuda a continuar tus estudios Más información Programa para hispanos de la organización ASPIRA Planes de ahorro 529 para la universidad Busca apoyo en tu comunidad Busca apoyo en tu comunidadASPIRA busca el desarrollo educativo [...]
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Is “sexting” real, or more media hype? | EdNews Parent

2010-Dec-8
Is sexting real, or more media hype? EdNews Parent. Ask an Expert: Is sexting real, or more media hype? by Mike Harris Q. Is sexting really something parents should be worried about? Or another scary story hyped by the media? A. I don’t believe the media even comes close to hyping the concerns about sexting. [...]
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