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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Last Week's Best Posts on Big Education Ape » PostRank #stateofemergency #WIUnion #p2 #pfla #1u

Last Week's Best Posts on Big Education Ape » PostRank




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Big Education Ape: 5-27-11 PM ANTI-TAX EXTREMIST NORQUIST “ENFORCES” NO BRAIN PLEDGE IN CAPITOL Edition

2011-May-27
Big Education Ape: Ed News NowSaturday, May. 28, 2011Big Education Ape: Ed News NowPublished by Coopmike48 – 6 contributors todayNext update in about 12 hoursSee all articlesHEADLINESEDUCATIONPOLITICSLIVINGART ENTERTAINMENTSTORIESBUSINESS#EDU#PARENTSThe Service of Democratic Education | The Nationbigeducationape.blogspot.com - The Service of Democratic Education | The Nationhe Service of Democratic EducationLinda Darling-HammondMay 21, 2011 Share515|||Recommended by 0|Text Size A | A | AEmail|Print|Share|Single Page|Web... coopmike48The Service of Democratic Educationthenation.com - At the commencement ceremony for Columbia University's Teachers College on May 18, Stanford ...
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Social Engineering and Facilitating an Enriched Environment | Lefty Parent

2011-May-27
Social Engineering and Facilitating an Enriched Environment | Lefty ParentSocial Engineering and Facilitating an Enriched Environmentby Cooper ZaleMy first reaction to Newt Gingrich’s statement opposing both “left-wing and right-wing social engineering” was that I agree completely, but I need to be careful what I wish for here and think about what is negative “social engineering” versus what is a societal consensus on an “enriched environment” that facilitates moving our larger community forward.My own awareness of the dark side of social ...
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Schools Matter: School Librarians Are Being Interrogated by LAUSD Lawyers

2011-May-27
Schools Matter: School Librarians Are Being Interrogated by LAUSD LawyersSchool Librarians Are Being Interrogated by LAUSD Lawyersby Jim HornSchool librarians, or teacher librarians as they referred to in Canada, must have both teaching certification and library-media certification. Most have Masters in Library and Information Science on top of their teaching credentials.In urban schools that do not have active middle class parent groups who insist on libraries on librarians, school libraries are being shut down by bean counters and technofools whose ...
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Troublemakers School a Hit with Chicago Activists | Labor Notes

2011-May-27
Troublemakers School a Hit with Chicago Activists | Labor NotesTroublemakers School a Hit with Chicago Activistsby Howard Ryan | Fri, 05/27/2011 - 1:37pmJenn Johnson from the Chicago Teachers Union and James Thindwa from In These Times address a workshop on labor's political agenda in Chicago. Photo: CTU.As employers and politicians slash budgets, squeeze workers, and target union rights, labor activists are searching for answers. Two hundred found some in the tactics, strategies, tools, and sources of inspiration shared at the ...
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Anti-tax Crusader Norquist “Enforces” No Brain Pledge in Capitol Visit « State of Emergency

2011-May-27
Anti-tax Crusader Norquist “Enforces” No Brain Pledge in Capitol Visit « State of EmergencyAnti-tax Crusader Norquist “Enforces” No Brain Pledge in Capitol Visitby Leonard FeldmanGrover Norquist makes his case at a recent meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). (Photo by Gage Skidmore.)Financier and a primary mover and shaker behind the drive to get legislators to sign a “no tax pledge,” Grover Norquist was reportedly in California and meeting with Republican lawmakers in Sacramento to shore up their commitment ...
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The Service of Democratic Education | The Nation

2011-May-27
The Service of Democratic Education | The Nationhe Service of Democratic EducationLinda Darling-HammondMay 21, 2011 Share515|||Recommended by 0|Text Size A | A | AEmail|Print|Share|Single Page|Web Letter (0)|Write a Letter|Take Action|Subscribe NowAt the commencement ceremony for Columbia University's Teachers College on May 18, Stanford education professor Linda Darling-Hammond—a nationally renowned leader in education reform and former education adviser to Barack Obama's presidential campaign—was awarded the Teachers College medal for distinguished service. Professor Darling-Hammond marked the occasion by delivering the following address:Related ...
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Schools Matter: Ohanian's Supplement to NYTimes Piece on Bill Gates

2011-May-27
Schools Matter: Ohanian's Supplement to NYTimes Piece on Bill GatesOhanian's Supplement to NYTimes Piece on Bill Gatesby Jim HornFrom Susan O.:This is a supplement to Sam Dillon's front-page New York Times article Behind Grass-Roots School Advocacy, Bill Gates, May 22, 2011.Mr. Gates is creating entirely new advocacy groups. The foundation is also paying Harvard-trained data specialists to work inside school districts, not only to crunch numbers but also to change practices. It is bankrolling many of the Washington analysts who ...
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UFT, NAACP Lawsuit To Block Charter Schools, Closure Of Public Schools Draws Fire From Parents, Teachers In Harlem « CBS New York

2011-May-27
UFT, NAACP Lawsuit To Block Charter Schools, Closure Of Public Schools Draws Fire From Parents, Teachers In Harlem « CBS New YorkParents, Teachers Protest Lawsuit Against Charter Schools In NYCMay 27, 2011 8:16 AMPrint Share 2 UFT lawsuit protest (credit: CBS 2)SHARE IT!EmailRedditDiggTwitterNEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Demonstrators gathered outside the state office building on 125th Street in Harlem to demand the NAACP withdraw from alawsuit filed by the United Federation of Teachers.The UFT, NAACP, and other groups filed suit on ...
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The Big Picture: Privatizing Education, Part 2 | Seattle Education

2011-May-27
The Big Picture: Privatizing Education, Part 2 | Seattle EducationThe Big Picture: Privatizing Education, Part 2by Kristinby KristinThe “education reform” sweeping the nation right now isn’t reform at all. It’s privatization and deregulation. Part One explained privatization and deregulation and explored the billionaires and corporations pushing for it. This section explains the strategy they’re using: using nonprofits. Part Three will show how the different aspects of “education reform” work together as a process — and how it can be stopped!How ...
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Los Angeles school board: Teachers' union candidate wins L.A. school board seat - latimes.com

2011-May-26
Los Angeles school board: Teachers' union candidate wins L.A. school board seat - latimes.comTeachers' union candidate wins L.A. school board seatRetired teacher Bennett Kayser defeats Luis Sanchez, who was supported by L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, for the last open seat on the board.ShareNew(0)By Jason Song, Los Angeles TimesMay 27, 2011Bennett Kayser, the candidate favored by the teachers union, won the last remaining open seat for the Los Angeles Board of Education on Thursday, beating Luis Sanchez, who was supported by ...
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2011-12 School Year in Review: I’m still sane « EducationCEO's Blog

2011-May-26
2011-12 School Year in Review: I’m still sane « EducationCEO's Blog2011-12 School Year in Review: I’m still sane Leave a commentWith all the faux pas major screw-ups this school year, I naively thought the last 3 days would be peaceful and incident free. Just when I thought the Universe was conspiring for my greater good, I have yet another fire to extinguish with this school run by bumbling idiots. No more than twenty minutes after I enter the house, Boy ...
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70,000 teacher in Oaxaca, Mexico return to the streets. « Fred Klonsky's blog

2011-May-26
70,000 teacher in Oaxaca, Mexico return to the streets. « Fred Klonsky's blog70,000 teacher in Oaxaca, Mexico return to the streets.by Fred KlonskyBack in 2006 union teachers on strike in one of Mexico’s poorest states were brutally attacked by the state government.But now they are back on the street.Thousands of teachers turned out for a march in Oaxaca city, the capital of the like-named southern Mexican state, at the start of a strike that is affecting 1.3 million students.SNTE teachers ...
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Shanker Blog » As Membership Has Declined, Have Attitudes Toward Unions Changed Too?

2011-May-26
Shanker Blog » As Membership Has Declined, Have Attitudes Toward Unions Changed Too?As Membership Has Declined, Have Attitudes Toward Unions Changed Too?by Matthew Di CarloThe sharp decline in U.S. union membership over the past 30-40 years is well known, but does it reflect a change in attitudes towards organized labor? In other words, is decreasing union membership accompanied by decreasing support for labor?Of course, if attitudes have in fact changed, they might be both exogenous (membership declines because support decreases, ...
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That’s What I Am: Professional Wrestling, Bullying and Teachers « MomsRising Blog

2011-May-26
That’s What I Am: Professional Wrestling, Bullying and Teachers « MomsRising BlogThat’s What I Am: Professional Wrestling, Bullying and Teachersby Lily EskelsenI hardly ever met any movie stars in my 6th grade at Orchard Elementary in West Valley City, Utah where I taught a generation of girls and boys. But I saw movie stars and TV stars, directors and script writers the other night at a function sponsored by the Creative Coalition, the National Education Association and professional wrestlers. Seriously.And ...
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Ithaca Public Schools superintendent asks Gov. Snyder to 'make my school a prison' | MLive.com

2011-May-26
Ithaca Public Schools superintendent asks Gov. Snyder to 'make my school a prison' | MLive.comIthaca Public Schools superintendent asks Gov. Snyder to 'make my school a prison'Published: Thursday, May 26, 2011, 9:00 AM Updated: Thursday, May 26, 2011, 10:43 AM By Brandon Howell | The Bay City Times Follow41ShareEmailPrintView full sizeThe Bay City Times File PhotoThe now-closed Standish Maximum Correctional Facility.Ithaca Public Schools Superintendent Nathan Bootz has a unique idea to help his district weather challenging financial times for public ...
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LAUSD - The Making of a Trojan Horse by Mark Hemphill (LAUSD - La realizaciรณn de un caballo de Troya por Mark Hemphill) - Perdaily.com

2011-May-26
LAUSD - The Making of a Trojan Horse by Mark Hemphill (LAUSD - La realizaciรณn de un caballo de Troya por Mark Hemphill) - Perdaily.comLAUSD - The Making of a Trojan Horse by Mark Hemphill (LAUSD - La realizaciรณn de un caballo de Troya por Mark Hemphill)by Leonard Isenberg(Mensaje se repite en Espaรฑol)(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)If you're expecting a retelling of Homer's Iliad here, you're going to be disappointed. ...
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Schools Matter: Proposal: convert schools into prisons to improve student life

2011-May-25
Schools Matter: Proposal: convert schools into prisons to improve student lifeProposal: convert schools into prisons to improve student lifeby skrashenIthaca public schools superintendent Nathan Bootz proposes making schools into prisons to improve things for students. I add a comment.Published in Big Thinkhttp://bigthink.com/ideas/3857305/24/2011Dear Governor Snyder,In these tough economic times, schools are hurting. And yes, everyone in Michigan is hurting right now financially, but why aren't we protecting schools? Schools are the one place on Earth that people look to to "fix" ...
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NCTQ Publishes ESEA Recommendations - Teacher Beat - Education Week

2011-May-25
NCTQ Publishes ESEA Recommendations - Teacher Beat - Education WeekNCTQ Publishes ESEA Recommendationsby Stephen SawchukThe National Council on Teacher Quality, a Washington-based advocacy group famous for generating lots of controversial reports, has stepped into the fray again with a list of ESEA reauthorization proposals focused on the law's teacher-quality elements.Before we dig into the recs, I should note that many Hill watchers don't put a lot of hope in getting a large-scale ESEA reauthorization bill done anytime soon. House Republican ...
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Tax Breaks for Big Oil vs. Education

2011-May-25
Education VotesTax Breaks for Big Oil vs. EducationLast week, the Senate was blocked from even considering a vote to eliminate subsidies for big oil companies. The following charts show what could be done with the tax breaks for oil companies to benefit students and public education.Title IIDEAPell GrantsHead StartDREAM ActLetter to the SenateLetter to the HouseNEA Vice President Lily Eskelsen to Congress: It’s Time to DREAMPress Release: NEA President urges Senate to support the DREAM ActESEAESEA Toolkit: Reauthorizing ESEA the ...
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Satoshi Kanazawa is Even Wronger Than You Think « Student Activism

2011-May-25
Satoshi Kanazawa is Even Wronger Than You Think « Student ActivismSatoshi Kanazawa is Even Wronger Than You Thinkfrom Student Activism by Angus JohnstonWhen the brouhaha over the Psychology Today “Why Black Women Are Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women” article broke, I wrote a quick blogpost pointing out some of author Satoshi Kanazawa’s most ludicrous, obvious mistakes. But now someone with a bit more competency has gone back to look at the actual data Kanazawa used, and discovered that the ...
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This Week In Education: Funders: Zuckerberg Wants To Educate K-8 Kids--On Facebook

2011-May-25
This Week In Education: Funders: Zuckerberg Wants To Educate K-8 Kids--On FacebookFunders: Zuckerberg Wants To Educate K-8 Kids--On Facebookby Alexander RussoSeemingly little noted by most of the reformy types attendance at the NSVF summit last week, Mark Zuckerberg revealed some startling thinking behind his interest in school reform and a controversial plan for Facebook going forward. Outside of education, the remarks caught folks' attention and -- in combination with hearings back in Washington -- generated a flurry of coverage and ...
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DianeRavitch: No Easy Answers, “No Child Left Behind” – HDNet

2011-May-25
No Easy Answers, “No Child Left Behind” – HDNet » »May 20 2011 5:20 PM ESTTHIS WEEK ON DAN RATHER REPORTSExcerpt from No Easy AnswersDan Rather Reports This week’s “Dan Rather Reports” features interviews with some of the country’s biggest names in education, offering insights into how we can improve our public education and overcome the great challenges facing our schools.No Easy Answers, “No Child Left Behind”“No Easy Answers,” airs on HDNet Tuesday, May 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET.A clip ...
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Queens Teacher: "The Children Are Being Used"

2011-May-25
Queens Teacher: "The Children Are Being Used""The Children Are Being Used"by Queens TeacherWeprin: Bloomberg Testing Regimen ‘Insane’In light of today’s A1 New York Times story about the Bloomberg administration’s plans to administer a dozen new standardized tests in order to evaluate not students, but teachers, Queens City Councilmember Mark Weprin is out with a statement blasting the mayor and the Department of Education.“These tests will do nothing to improve education in our public schools and will only continue to sap ...
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THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: BBC news story hot off the press

2011-May-25
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: BBC news story hot off the pressBBC news story hot off the pressby The Perimeter PrimateGulen Movement on BBC Radio4 (May 24, 2011): “Edward Stourton investigates the Islamic Gulen movement in Turkey whose influence permeates right around the world.”@1:20 min.…Many of the students here are fee-paying, but scholarships for bright children from poor backgrounds are a big feature of Gulen schools. They began in Turkey, but they’ve now spread everywhere from Kazakhstan to Texas…there’s even one in ...
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Board of Education officially cancels community elections over school-reform plans | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

2011-May-24
Board of Education officially cancels community elections over school-reform plans | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles TimesBoard of Education officially cancels community elections over school-reform plans(1)(5)(10)May 24, 2011 | 3:41 pmIn a largely symbolic but intensely debated move, the Board of Education narrowly voted Tuesday to end elections that allowed parents, high school students, school employees and community members to choose among different reform plans for schools.These elections were part of the controversial “public school choice” process, by which groups ...
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Modern School: Less Testing in Cali—In Your Dreams

2011-May-24
Modern School: Less Testing in Cali—In Your DreamsLess Testing in Cali—In Your Dreamsby Michael DunnJohn Fensterwald reported today on his blog TopEd that California Gov. Jerry Brown wants to suspend funding for CALPADS, the state student longitudinal data system, and to stop further planning for CALTIDES, the teacher data base associated with CALPADS. In a superficial nod to his benefactors in the California Teachers Association, Brown has expressed disapproval of the overuse of data collection and standardized testing.However, Brown has ...
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You're invited to a conversation on K-14 Budgeting with Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.

2011-May-24
Sen. Darrell Steinberg Budget Crunch: Without Tax Extensions what might happen to Public Education?You're invited to a conversation on K-14 Budgeting with Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.The outcome of the state budget will impact school district funding across California, potentially including the Prop 98 school funding guarantee. Are Californians willing to accept tax extensions to stabilize our schools? Without additional revenue will California be able to educate its children?Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg would like you to join ...
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School Tech Connect: Get Involvitude

2011-May-24
School Tech Connect: Get InvolvitudeGet Involvitudeby effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)In case you're just dropping by... the Illinois legislature has a committee that's tossing around the idea of bringing an unconstitutional kill-the-pensions bill to the floor here in the last days of the session. It's how these things get done these days.Bill Gates, who has an attitude about working people, is getting a significant return on his stealthy take-over-public-policy investments, it seems. The man is a public menace, if you asked me. I'd ...
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ThinkProgress » REPORT: Across The Country, Conservatives Shift Taxpayer Dollars From Public to Private Schools

2011-May-24
ThinkProgress » REPORT: Across The Country, Conservatives Shift Taxpayer Dollars From Public to Private SchoolsREPORT: Across The Country, Conservatives Shift Taxpayer Dollars From Public to Private SchoolsAs ThinkProgress previously reported, a handful of billionaires and right-wing think tanks and foundations are pushing school voucher legislation nationwide, with the effect of undermining public education. These schemes funnel taxpayer dollars to private schools with the promise of better education for students — a claim that has never been backed up with actual ...
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Bill Gates: Selling Bad Advice to the Public Schools - The Daily Beast

2011-May-24
Bill Gates: Selling Bad Advice to the Public Schools - The Daily BeastEveryone agrees that American schools need help. But as Diane Ravitch argues, the fixes proposed by billionaire savior Bill Gates will only makes things worse.Over the weekend, The New York Times published a startling expose of Bill Gates' successful efforts to shape education policy in the United States.Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates poses on April 4, 2011 in Paris. (Photo: Miguel Medina, AFP / Getty Images)As I ...
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Dairy Industry Misleads Public on Chocolate Milk in Schools

2011-May-24
Dairy Industry Misleads Public on Chocolate Milk in SchoolsDairy Industry Misleads Public on Chocolate Milk in Schoolsby SourceBy Ed Bruske aka The Slow Cook / La Vida LocavoreAn Associated Press report last week on the controversy surrounding flavored milk in schools was widely reprinted in media outlets across the country, from the Washington Post to Huffington Post to Yahoo! In it, the AP declared that a number of professional and medical groups--including the American Heart Association and the American Academy ...
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This Week In Education: Thompson: Tests, Learning, & The Tulsa Race Riot Of 1921

2011-May-24
This Week In Education: Thompson: Tests, Learning, The Tulsa Race Riot Of 1921Thompson: Tests, Learning, The Tulsa Race Riot Of 1921by john thompsonIn Mother Jones, Kristina Rizga's What Standardized Tests Miss describes the tension between skin-deep instruction to cover tested material and engaging, in-depth learning that can change students' lives. In particular, Rizga describes a student's pride and the inspiration that grew out of researching the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. That reminded me that I used to introduce Oklahoma ...
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Schools Matter: Teacher Evaluations Based on Test Scores Will Requires Dozens of New Tests

2011-May-24
Schools Matter: Teacher Evaluations Based on Test Scores Will Requires Dozens of New TestsTeacher Evaluations Based on Test Scores Will Requires Dozens of New Testsby Jim HornThe argument for longer school days and school years is getting a big boost in recent weeks, as states contemplate the dozens of new tests that will be needed for teacher evaluation plans based on test scores. Kindergarten or 12th grade,P. E. or computer programming, history or home ec, everyone will have to be ...
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The new tracking — Joanne Jacobs

2011-May-24
The new tracking — Joanne JacobsThe new trackingby Michael E. LopezThe old tracking was racist, classist and hurtful.The new “tracking” is basically a roll of the die, but just as hurtful, according to Barry Garelick. It’s a long essay; some may not want to read the whole thing, so I’ll summarize what I see his argument as in five points:When we threw out tracking in the late 60′s and early 70′s, we accidentally threw out ability grouping, too. Not everywhere, ...
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Scholastic’s Commercialization of Classrooms Runs Much Deeper than Coal | Change.org News

2011-May-24
Scholastic’s Commercialization of Classrooms Runs Much Deeper than Coal | Change.org NewsScholastic’s Commercialization of Classrooms Runs Much Deeper than CoalEditor's Note: This blog post is written by Josh Golin, associate director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. His organization is leading the effort end Scholastic's "InSchool Marketing" of corporate and industry materials. You can sign their petition to add your support, or leave a note on Scholastic's Facebook wall.For years, Scholastic has exploited its privileged position in schools to ...
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Update: Little Village Hunger Strike At 10 - District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog

2011-May-24
Update: Little Village Hunger Strike At 10 - District 299: Chicago Public Schools BlogUpdate: Little Village Hunger Strike At 10by Alexander RussoFor years, the Little Village hunger strike was thought of as a proud moment, a high point. More recently -- on this blog at least -- not so much. The 10-year anniversary of the strike is being celebrated on Thursday (details below). The shenanigans at MAS appear to continue right up to the moment. What's your take on the ...
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Oakland elementary school explores gender norms, teaches acceptance | The Education Report

2011-May-24
Oakland elementary school explores gender norms, teaches acceptance | The Education ReportOakland elementary school explores gender norms, teaches acceptanceBy Katy MurphyMonday, May 23rd, 2011 at 7:15 pm in elementary schools, families, initiatives,parents, students.Redwood Heights Elementary School in Oakland is teaching kids this week that boys and girls don’t all fit into neat gender norms, and that they shouldn’t laugh at or tease someone if they do (or wear) something different or unusual.Two parent leaders whom I interviewed for a story ...
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James Baldwin/Margaret Mead: On Denying Your Brother « Student Activism

2011-May-23
James Baldwin/Margaret Mead: On Denying Your Brother « Student ActivismJames Baldwin/Margaret Mead: On Denying Your Brotherby Angus JohnstonI recently finished reading A Rap on Race, the book-length transcript of a conversation between James Baldwin and Margaret Mead, recorded inthe summer of 1970. As I noted over the weekend, it’s a fascinating book, and I’m going to be posting excerpts off and on for the next while. Here’s the first, from the third page of the book:MEAD: I recall a boy ...
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"Union redoubles push for fair teacher evaluations.

2011-May-21
"Union redoubles push for fair teacher evaluations." May 21, 2011. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.orgUnion redoubles push for fair teacher evaluations NYSUT and its local unions will take action to ensure the educational integrity and fairness of teacher evaluations - despite the Board of Regents' adoption of regulations that are inconsistent with the new law, the recommendations of the Regents' ...First Person: 'An education they deserve' As we face another year of dras­tic education budget cuts in New York ...