Jeffco school board censures member for her behavior  The Jefferson County Board of Education voted last night to publicly censure board member Laura Boggs on a 4-0 vote. Ms. Boggs was not entitled to vote and sat stoically during the session. The reason cited by board member Robin Johnson was unethical behavior. DPS board mulls re-thinking reform plans12/16/2010 - Some board members on Thursday suggested that the Denver Public School reform plan be revised after the state said the district needs to improve. Westwood College placed on state probation12/15/2010 - Westwood College's Colorado campuses were placed on probation Tuesday by state officials who say they worry the school still has unresolved problems with national accreditors regarding recruitment tactics and student achievement. Hamilton Middle School under modified lockdown Wednesday12/14/2010 - Hamilton Middle School in Denver will be on a modified lockdown during classes Wednesday as a precaution following a bomb scare even though police found nothing suspicious. |
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Jeffco school board censures member for her behavior - The Denver Post
Jeffco school board censures member for her behavior - The Denver Post
To gauge safety better, schools need to survey teachers regularly
To gauge safety better, schools need to survey teachers regularly
Sunday, December 19, 2010; 7:09 PM
To gauge safety better, schools need to survey teachers regularly
By Jay Mathews
Washington Post Staff WriterSunday, December 19, 2010; 7:09 PM
There was something strange in The Washington Post a week ago. A chart on page A16, using data provided by the D.C. public school system, showed that in late summer and fall 2009, Spingarn High School had by far the lowest number of assaults, thefts, threats and other crimes. There were just six incidents in four months compared with an average of 31 in the other eight high schools assessed.
At that time, teachers at this allegedly safest of all regular D.C. high schools were reporting a rash of crimes and classroom intrusions. The situation became so intolerable that by January they had persuaded D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee to replace the Spingarn principal.
How could the incidents being reported by security
U.S. students discovering U.K. universities
When Adelaide Waldrop learned that she had been consigned to the wait list at each of the four universities she wanted most to attend, it was as if all the excitement had drained from her collegiate quest.
Comments: Building A Better-Balanced Blog? - District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog
Comments: Building A Better-Balanced Blog? - District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog
Comments: Building A Better-Balanced Blog?
A commenter named "Performance Matters" sparked an interesting comment thread going on the last couple of days about the issue of why the blog comments are generally skewed against "reform" and against the central office, whether the blog is balanced or extreme, etc. The comment, in part:
"Either you've driven the truly reform minded folks from reading blog entries by attacking all right-minded reforms coming out of CPS, ISBE, and other places just to get people riled up OR they read the blog entries and don't post because they'll get attacked by people who are only interested in protecting the status quo and their own jobs again and again and again."
This issue has come up before, and there were several comments in response, for and against the notion that
Seattle Public Schools community blog: Broad Wants to Know (And Maybe We Should Tell Them)
Seattle Public Schools community blog: Broad Wants to Know (And Maybe We Should Tell Them)
Broad Wants to Know (And Maybe We Should Tell Them)
Apparently the Broad Foundation has a concern. They are hiring Public Agenda to do research to figure out the following:
"Understanding Community Opposition to Taking Bold Action on Failing Schools"
In communities across the country, leadership reform efforts face serious opposition when they aim to implement bold actions to turn around failing schools. Public Agenda, with the support of the Broad Foundation, is embarking on a research project to explore why so many of these well-intentioned efforts misfire. We hope to learn more about what could be done to improve communication and build more trust and confidence between school leaders committed to reform and communities afflicted with persistently low-performing schools.
Public Agenda is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is widely respected for its public policy research. Part of the Broad Foundation’s mission is to transform K–12 urban public education through better governance,
"Understanding Community Opposition to Taking Bold Action on Failing Schools"
In communities across the country, leadership reform efforts face serious opposition when they aim to implement bold actions to turn around failing schools. Public Agenda, with the support of the Broad Foundation, is embarking on a research project to explore why so many of these well-intentioned efforts misfire. We hope to learn more about what could be done to improve communication and build more trust and confidence between school leaders committed to reform and communities afflicted with persistently low-performing schools.
Public Agenda is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is widely respected for its public policy research. Part of the Broad Foundation’s mission is to transform K–12 urban public education through better governance,
A Question. « Student Activism
A Question. « Student Activism
A Question.
So explain something to me.
Why is this…
…provoking, complex, and transgressive, while this…
Media Literacy – A Topic for All Ages — Open Education
Media Literacy – A Topic for All Ages — Open Education
Media Literacy – A Topic for All Ages
We have noted previously the need for modern schools to begin to include media literacy in their respective curricula. It is a subject of growing importance as we move into a world where savvy business and advertising professionals consistently seek to take advantage of an undereducated and naïve public citizenry.
Two recent reports reveal how media is impacting our lives. The first involves a recent survey by Harris Interactivecalled the Youth EquiTrends Study. The second involves a poll conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org, based at the University of Maryland, and Knowledge Networks on the recent election and the disappointing level of
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN THE MAILBOX
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN THE MAILBOX
From Susan Oppenheimer
You may be aware that this fall just before the beginning of school over 1100 teachers were laid off, 50 of whom were National Board Certified Teachers and many other award winning teachers. 200 were tenured and the courts ordered CPS to reinstate them. CPS appealed. Current education 'reformers' rave about the importance of great teachers, but these firings reveal the 'reformers' true data driven agenda -- cut costs, hire inexperienced teachers and save money. One of those fired teachers was our 2003 OPPY Winner, Francisco Mendoza.
IN THE MAILBOX
You may be aware that this fall just before the beginning of school over 1100 teachers were laid off, 50 of whom were National Board Certified Teachers and many other award winning teachers. 200 were tenured and the courts ordered CPS to reinstate them. CPS appealed. Current education 'reformers' rave about the importance of great teachers, but these firings reveal the 'reformers' true data driven agenda -- cut costs, hire inexperienced teachers and save money. One of those fired teachers was our 2003 OPPY Winner, Francisco Mendoza.
Francisco has been teaching for 25 years and a drive down 19th Street reveals the beautiful work of his students
DREAM Act: I Know God Has My Back — The Jose Vilson
DREAM Act: I Know God Has My Back — The Jose Vilson
DREAM Act: I Know God Has My Back
DREAM Act: A Reality
I took the train to my Mom’s house last night, hoping to help her with some of the chores, but ran out of funds. I jetted to my local bank, where a security guard sat there in a thick coat and an orange vest, calling a family member who obviously relayed some family gossip to him. He replied,
“… well, I wouldn’t be here doing all these jobs, then. I have to work these jobs in order to maintain my life and my family’s life. And I know whatever happens, I know God has my back. God has my back, and I know because I can tell.”
It’s those words that inspire my thoughts on the ideas behind immigration policy in this country, in light of the recent Congressional failure to pass the DREAM Act, a piece of legislation that would have afforded tons of
At the End of the Decade « Bill Ayers
At the End of the Decade « Bill Ayers
At the End of the Decade
Right Here, Right Now, Just This
Bertolt Brecht in his provocative poem called “Motto” asks the question…
“In [the] dark times will there also be singing?”
And he responds to his own question:
“Yes, there will be singing. /About the dark times.”
What will we remember about 2010? Next month, a year from now, in 2110?
There’s plenty of evidence of the dark times, crises everywhere, sorrow everywhere, slaughter and suffering and undeserved harm—if people aren’t dying unnecessarily in one place, then they’re dying miserably someplace else—and perhaps that’s the legacy: cholera in Haiti, police torture in Chicago, BP, the midterms, Tea Party triumphalism, the vicious privatization of the public space, the dramatic failure of the Obama administration to live
UC Police Ramp Up Repression « occupy california
UC Police Ramp Up Repression « occupy california
UC Police Ramp Up Repression
from reclaimUC:
This just came to us on the email, regarding the UC Merced student who learned the other day that he was facing four misdemeanor charges from the protest at the UC Regents’ meeting in November [Update: the above link discusses a different student facing battery charges from the same protest; the student in the email cited below is facing charges for allegedly attacking UC Irvine cop Jared Kemper. Sorry for the confusion!]:
Tuesday morning Peter learned he was being charged with four misdemeanors arising out of the demonstration at the Regents meeting. Peter only learned that he was being charged after his attorney called the District Attorney’s office to check on the status of his case. Peter was informed that there was a warrant for his arrest issued at the behest of the district attorney’s office. Peter immediately arranged to appear in court in San Francisco at the earliest possible date.
Thinking everything was squared away, Peter spent the night at a friend’s house on Tuesday. Instead three cars full of police officers showed up at his house pounding on the door. His housemate tried to turn them away, but they asked for his ID which they ran to see if it was valid.
Big Brother Bill Will Be Watching You | Seattle Education 2010
Big Brother Bill Will Be Watching You | Seattle Education 2010
Big Brother Bill Will Be Watching You
I had posted something about this previously and just found this video.
Dora
See the New York Times article for the details of Gates’ latest idea.
Teacher Ratings Get New Look, Pushed by a Rich Watcher
Parent Empowerment or Parent Manipulation? « InterACT
Parent Empowerment or Parent Manipulation? « InterACT
Parent Empowerment or Parent Manipulation?
Parent Leaders of Parent Trigger at McKinley Elementary School, Marlene Romero, Ismania Guzman, Shamika Murphy / photo from Long Beach Press Telegram
As an educator who keeps up to date with happenings in the education world, it was with great interest that I followed the developments in Compton, CA where the Parent Revolution (run by paid-organizers and funded by billionaires) decided to launch their first Parent Trigger initiative at McKinley Elementary.
California is the first state to enact the so-called parent trigger law that allows the majority of a school’s parents to sign a petition that triggers massive changes to a school’s structure and governance. Ostensibly, this trigger would be pulled if parents had repeatedly tried to affect positive change at a school and were unable to do so for whatever reason. The philosophy behind this law seems to be parent empowerment, parent power. But recent reports in the media have left me to question if parents can truly be empowered when they are not fully informed
David Miller fought for fair school funding, calling it quits. « Fred Klonsky's blog
David Miller fought for fair school funding, calling it quits. « Fred Klonsky's blog
David Miller fought for fair school funding, calling it quits.
David Miller, a member of the Illinois General Assembly for the past ten years, represents the working class and minority suburbs south and west of the City.
His issue has been fair funding for Illinois schools.
He had a pretty simple, reasonable and therefore dangerous idea: The quality of a child’s school should not depend on their zip code. This is a revolutionary concept for Illinois, where schools are funded primarily by local property taxes and the state’s contribution ranks among the worst of all 50 states.
Miller decided to run for state comptroller last November. It should have been a no-brainer of choice. I mean his
Am I a Badass, or a Total Fucking Badass? « Student Activism
Am I a Badass, or a Total Fucking Badass? « Student Activism
Am I a Badass, or a Total Fucking Badass?
The Student Activism Twitter feed appears on, at last count, 347 different “Twitter lists” — list that Twitter users keep of specific feeds that they want to keep an eye on. Anytime I’m feeling down, taking a gander at the list of those lists is sure to pick me up.
Here are some of my favorites:
- /activisty-things
- /aktivismus
- /all-youth-all-the-time
- /badass-activists
- /civil-society
- /commentariat
Power to the parents - The Daily Breeze
Power to the parents - The Daily Breeze
Power to the parents
Posted: 12/18/2010 07:09:39 AM PST
Updated: 12/18/2010 09:15:21 PM PST
The tools to transform public education in California have been put into the hands of parents. What they do with them, next year especially, will dictate the future of education in California.
This month, in particular, has been a bit of a watershed for parent empowerment. It was the month in which the first use of the new Parent Trigger Law occurred in an elementary school in Compton. This law allows parents to organize to force changes - small or big - if their neighborhood schools are failing their children.
It was the month in which members of the LAUSD school board proposed the district craft a plan to encourage and reward parent engagement in a district that has effectively shut parents out.
It was the month that the second, and perhaps most important, round of Los Angeles Unified's groundbreaking School Choice Program's collected opening bids from groups that want to take control of failing schools.
Parents can have tremendous power to influence which new operators are picked to run the 13 schools open for new management.
In many ways, parents are being handed the reigns of power and the possibility to transform education for their kids and those not even born yet. Hopefully, they will use their power well - and wisely.
To be sure, there are many entrenched groups trying to influence parents - some with sincerity, others with
Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline in NYC | Criminal Justice | Change.org
Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline in NYC | Criminal Justice | Change.org
Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline in NYC
New York City public schools have 5,246 police officers and agents and only 3,152 guidance counselors. If you don't see something wrong with that picture, it's quite possible that you're one of those 5,246 cops.
As "tough-on-crime" policies swept across America over the last few decades, it didn't stop at the schoolhouse door. The criminalization of discipline in American schools left a metal detector at the door and a full-time officer patrolling the hallways, taking disciplinary duties from the hands of the experts -- teachers and school administrators. It's time to turn this wave around, and a growing movement is aiming to do just that in New Yiork City.
New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn held a press conference last Thursday flanked by student activists to support a bill before the council that would require expanded reporting of police activity in the city's public schools and streamline the process for students, parents and teachers to report abuse by NYPD officers.
The measure is backed by the Student Safety Coalition, an organization of 19 advocacy groups seeking social justice in the city. The NYCLU, a central member of the coalition, has worked for years to divert New York's
The Answer Sheet - 'Burn and churn' among charter school principals
The Answer Sheet - 'Burn and churn' among charter school principals
'Burn and churn' among charter school principals
This was written by Larry Cuban, a former high school social studies teacher (14 years, including seven at Cardozo and Roosevelt high schools in the District), district superintendent (seven years in Arlington, Virginia) and professor emeritus of education at Stanford University, where he has taught for 20 years. His latest book is "As Good As It Gets: What School Reform Brought to Austin." This appeared on his blog. By Larry Cuban Seventy-one percent of charter school principals expect to leave their posts within five years. That will be a turnover rate of nearly three out of every four principals. As for the actual turnover among charter school principals–-there are over 5,000 charter schools with an average of 400 start-ups annually–-the rate is about the same as regular public schools, according to a recent report. So “burn and churn” among principals scorches even charters where stakeholders are deeply involved in
