BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA
Recap of Last Week's Best Post
The Passions of Ann Romney: Horses, Charter Schools | EduShyster
The Passions of Ann Romney: Horses, Charter Schools | EduShyster The Passion of Ann Romney: Horses, Charter Schools by edushyster2012 In a new interview with *Good Housekeeping* Ann Romney reveals that her major passions include horses and charter schools. Reader, I have been so worried about what will happen to the most vulnerable among us should Mitt Romney win the election: children Democrats for Education Reform. What if, even though DFER’s positions on education are straight out of the ALEC playbook, these scrappy ascot wearing advocates for reform should find themselves withou... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Stranger Explains the "Property Tax Swap"
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Stranger Explains the "Property Tax Swap": The Stranger Explains the "Property Tax Swap" by Melissa Westbrook I have been desperate to get a thread on this issue because both McKenna and Inslee have been talking about it (along with Rep Carlyle and Rep Hunter) but pulling it altogether was going to be a task. Enter Goldy with a good article (and a chart!). It pretty much completes what I thought - Seattle and other "wealthier" districts would get less. My understanding of the property tax swap is that it would phase out levy equalization an... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Should We Fear the Unhappiness of Bill Gates?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Should We Fear the Unhappiness of Bill Gates?: Should We Fear the Unhappiness of Bill Gates? by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)]*Friends Don't Let Friends Get Fooled No On 1240* I think I mentioned that a reporter from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution came out and interviewed me (and many others) about I-1240. This vote is national news as Washington State is not only doing this again for the fourth time but is the ONLY state in the country to have ever had the issue of creation of a charter school system on our ballot. S... more »
Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst Group Weighs In On Michigan's Proposal 2
Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst Group Weighs In On Michigan's Proposal 2: Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst Group Weighs In On Michigan's Proposal 2 by Joy Resmovits Michelle Rhee is jumping into another union battle -- this time in Michigan. As Washington, D.C. schools chief, Rhee sparred with American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten over the school system's contract. Since then, Rhee, who is CEO and founder of nonprofit StudentsFirst, has said time and time again that she believes unions have a strong role in education and that collective bargaining is important. No... more »
On Rape [Where An Educator Stands] | The Jose Vilson
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
On Rape [Where An Educator Stands] | The Jose Vilson: On Rape [Where An Educator Stands] by Jose I will confirm first and foremost that I do know women who have been raped, momentarily dispossessed from their bodies by a sexually deviant aggressor. As a listener, I can’t sit there and try to empathize because “I understand” is completely false. I don’t. I’ve never had that happen to me. While the act of rape isn’t limited to women, it overwhelmingly happens to them, and, as such, I’ve never been asked by society to become an expert in how to prevent such a heinous act. That’s part ... more »
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the Union Scam, Election Edition - Esquire
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the Union Scam, Election Edition - Esquire: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the Union Scam, Election Edition By Charles P. Pierce at 10:52AM *The state of Michigan has* put what I think is the country's most intriguing referendum question on its ballot this year. The state, which has been the subject of the gentle ministrations of Republican Governor Rick Snyder and his cronies for the past few years, is asking its citizens to decide whether the ability of workers to bargain collectively should be enshrined as a right in the state's co... more »
Study of charter schools supported by Romney, Obama shows mixed results | The Raw Story
Study of charter schools supported by Romney, Obama shows mixed results | The Raw Story: Study of charter schools supported by Romney, Obama shows mixed results By Jeevan Vasagar, The Guardian Friday, October 26, 2012 17:05 EDT [image: US President Barack Obama (R) and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney shake hands following the second presidential debate at the David Mack Center at Hofstra University in Hempstead via AFP] Topics: new orleans The teacher’s command of his class is total. “Which one is the whole number?” he asks crisply. “Is it seven over three, or is... more »
California's campaign finance watchdog agency demands names of donors to shadowy Arizona group - San Jose Mercury News
California's campaign finance watchdog agency demands names of donors to shadowy Arizona group - San Jose Mercury News: California's campaign finance watchdog agency demands names of donors to shadowy Arizona group By Steven Harmon Bay Area News Group Posted: 10/25/2012 04:25:48 PM PDT Updated: 10/25/2012 11:27:13 PM PDT Click photo to enlarge Ann Ravel, chairwoman of the California Fair Political Practices... (Rich Pedroncelli/AP file) Related Stories - Oct 25: - Mercury News editorial: FPPC's Ann Ravel is fighting for voters' right to know - Oct 18: - Shad... more »
UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Google "charter Schools" and "financial scandal" - This is just the Tip of the Iceberg
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Google "charter Schools" and "financial scandal" - This is just the Tip of the Iceberg: Google "charter Schools" and "financial scandal" - This is just the Tip of the Iceberg by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] In the latest in how to lose public education dollars, this story from NBC News. (I'll call out in red how this parallels I-1240.) *A Florida state senator is calling for an investigation into the payout of more than $500,000 to the principal of a failed Orange County charter school.* *A school board chairman bla... more »
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 10-27-12 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] ““Won’t Back Down” Continues to Plummet” Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 10 hours ago Diane Ravitch reports that “Won’t Back Down,” the parent trigger-pushing film, is now officially a box office flop. Read the details at “Won’t Back Down” Continues to Plummet. I’m adding this info to The Best Posts & Articles On Parent Trigger Movie “Won’t Back Down.” “Tapping Community... more »
five elements to help redefine public ed « Cooperative Catalyst
five elements to help redefine public ed « Cooperative Catalyst: five elements to help redefine public ed by monika hardy [image: Image] Our latest post on dmlcentral.net, five elements we believe are key to redefining public ed in a community (the chapters of our little book). Click here to read the re
Democurmudgeon: Milwaukee's Voucher Program Disaster; 90.1% not proficient in Reading and 88% not proficient in Math.
Democurmudgeon: Milwaukee's Voucher Program Disaster; 90.1% not proficient in Reading and 88% not proficient in Math.: Milwaukee's Voucher Program Disaster; 90.1% not proficient in Reading and 88% not proficient in Math. by Democurmudgeon In Scott Walker's latest weekly address, he listed "Transforming Education" as one of his top priorities. What does that mean? What else could he do? Would he expand vouchers where no ones wants school "choice?" Sure. But Walker will now have a more difficult job pushing his privatization plans after the horrific results of the countries longest... more »
Commentary: Teachers should lead professional development, not researchers | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Commentary: Teachers should lead professional development, not researchers | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Commentary: Teachers should lead professional development, not researchers by thenotebook on Oct 25 2012 Posted in Blogger commentary - COMMENTS (0)PRINT - EMAIL[image: ""] *This is a guest blog, and the ideas expressed are solely the opinions of the author. The Notebook invites guest blog posts on current topics in Philadelphia education from its readers. Send submissions to notebook@thenotebook.org.* *by Julio N**úñ**ez* If we want to get serious about impro... more »
Corporate Charter Queen Gloria Romero Stop Pushing the Corporate agenda and Clean up Your Charter Mess
Big Education Ape: Auditors cite lax oversight of charters by CDE, as enrollment grows: *Corporate Charter Queen Gloria Romero* * Star of the 2010 Reform Bowl* *Corporate Charter Queen Gloria Romero* *Darling of DFER (fake Democrats)* *Corporate Charter Queen Gloria Romero* *Shills for Munger, Koch Brothers on Prop 32 * Proposition 32 Divides California's Education Reformers coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago Proposition 32 Divides California's Education Reformers: Proposition 32 Divides California's Education Reformers by Joy Resmovits When Californians enter voting boo... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-25-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Teachers Running for Office in Ohio by dianerav What’s the best way to stop the attack on teachers? Run for office. Many teachers in Ohio figured that out, and they are running for legislative seats. Some are taking on impossible tasks, but, hey, you never know. When the legislators refuse to listen, then run against them. Organize parents and others who care about public education. Run for office. On the list linked here A Student Activist and a Hero of Public Education by dianerav Zack Koppelin is a hero of... more »
CHICAGO TRIBUNE – SHOCKING WORDS « Teachers Fight Back
CHICAGO TRIBUNE – SHOCKING WORDS « Teachers Fight Back: CHICAGO TRIBUNE – SHOCKING WORDS by alkleen [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] *OMG, EVEN THE TRIB GETS IT!* Wow ! the Chicago Tribune, (otherwise known as public school teacher bashing central), actually printed a front page story explaining that maybe charter schools aren’t the answer to what ails inner city public schools. WOW! I never thought I would read a story like that from the Tribune. It’s shocking how the reporters that did the story managed to sneak that by the Tribune editors. The editor... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Can UW Be Promoting I-1240?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Can UW Be Promoting I-1240?: Can UW Be Promoting I-1240? by Melissa Westbrook You may have heard of the Partnership for Learning, yet another business-based ed reform group. They have just put out a document called *Examining Charters: How public charter schools can work in Washington State.* It "examines" charters in other states and comes to the astonishing conclusion that we need them here in Washington State. However, upon a quick read, I came upon a troubling issue. It was written with the help of UW's Center on Reinventing Public Educat... more »
“Two Cheers for Gates Foundation Student Survey Research” — Guest Post By Dr. John Thompson | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…
“Two Cheers for Gates Foundation Student Survey Research” — Guest Post By Dr. John Thompson | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: “Two Cheers for Gates Foundation Student Survey Research” — Guest Post By Dr. John Thompson by Larry Ferlazzo *(Editor’s Note: As regular readers know, I’ve written a great deal about how I use student evaluations to improve my classes and my instruction (see The Best Posts On Students Evaluating Classes (And Teachers). I’ve invited Dr. John Thompson to add his thoughts on the topic. )* *Guest Post by Dr. John Thompson* Education consultant Craig Jer... more »
Auditors cite lax oversight of charters by CDE, as enrollment grows
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: *Auditors cite lax oversight of charters by CDE, as enrollment grows * *By Tom Chorneau* Wednesday, October 24, 2012 At the last State Board of Education meeting, Richard Zeiger, the Department of Education’s chief deputy superintendent, announced that tens of millions of dollars in state and federal funds have been lost by start-up charter schools that either never opened or closed within a year or two of opening. At that meeting, Hunkapiller told the board that oversight procedures, especially of federal grants as high as $575,00 to begin... more »
Teach for America’s Deep Bench
Teach for America’s Deep Bench: Teach for America’s Deep Bench JAMES CERSONSKY OCTOBER 24, 2012 The education nonprofit is also training the next generation of politicians, who have very specific ideas on school reform. InstapaperShare on readitlaterPocketShare on emailEmailShare on printPrint “Is this our Egypt moment? Will we seize the moment?” Former New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein spoke those words at Teach for America’s 20th anniversary summit last summer. Coming fromKlein, who is now a divisional leader at Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, incitements to political uprisi... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Scare Tactics
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Scare Tactics: Scare Tactics by Melissa Westbrook It's funny but that's what the Yes to 1240 side says constantly. That people who point out the obvious outcomes of 1240 are using scare tactics. Or "what are you scared of? It's just 40 schools." Okay, so in real time, in real experience, here's what's happening in other states: - number one on the hit parade is the state of* Georgia where their charter ballot measure is about enshrining their charter commission into their constitution.* You'd think a state's constitution would be abou... more »
Audit assails US education department’s monitoring of federal spending on charter schools - The Washington Post
Audit assails US education department’s monitoring of federal spending on charter schools - The Washington Post: Audit assails US education department’s monitoring of federal spending on charter schools - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - E-mail - Reprints By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, October 24, 1:10 PM LOS ANGELES — An audit of the U.S. Department of Education’s division overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in charter school funding has criticized the office for failing to properly monitor how states spend the money. Th... more »
Can you pick out your Corporate Democrat ?
[image: DFER Fake Democrats for Education Privatization (click on Picture)] IT IS A RULE: YOU CAN'T BE AGAINST PEOPLE AND FOR CORPORATIONS AND CALL YOURSELF A DEMOCRAT...EVER! The DFER WTF Bunch*Can you pick out your Corporate Democrat (alleged) ? *
Ann Coulter crosses line with parents of special needs students with her “retard” tweet during presidential debate | Get Schooled
Ann Coulter crosses line with parents of special needs students with her “retard” tweet during presidential debate | Get Schooled: Ann Coulter crosses line with parents of special needs students with her “retard” tweet during presidential debate by Maureen Downey Bad girl pundit Ann Coulter has turned offensive and cutting remarks into her signature brand and, based on how often I see her on TV, it seems to be paying off for her. But *one of her tweets this week* set off a group of parents who already have it hard enough in my book: Parents of children with special needs who must... more »
Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-24-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] I Will Vote for Obama by dianerav I have decided to vote to re-elect President Barack Obama. As readers of this blog are well aware, I strongly oppose what he is doing to our nation’s education system. I dislike Race to the Top, which in many respects is far worse than the failed No Child Left Behind. I know how the Obama administration has outsourced its education policies to the Gates Foundation, the Broad Foundation, and the Wall Street hedge fund managers (the alleged Democrats for Education Reform). Bu... more »
The Cure for Romnesia
Barack Obama: * The Cure for Romnesia* * * * The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia* *The Cure for Romnesia*
Mitt Romney's 'I Love Teachers' Remark Spurs Fake Valentine From Union
Mitt Romney's 'I Love Teachers' Remark Spurs Fake Valentine From Union: Mitt Romney's 'I Love Teachers' Remark Spurs Fake Valentine From Union by Joy Resmovits [image: mitt romney i love teachers] Just how much does Mitt Romney love teachers? "I love teachers," he said repeatedly during a spirited exchange in Monday night's foreign policy debate that went off topic, to the annoyance of moderator Bob Schieffer, and delved into teacher hiring policies. But Romney also said he doesn't think the federal government should pay to hire teachers, even at a time when so many school syst... more »
Like Romney, Obama Admin Has Supported Larger Class Sizes. Parents and Teachers Don’t Like It - Dana Goldstein
Like Romney, Obama Admin Has Supported Larger Class Sizes. Parents and Teachers Don’t Like It - Dana Goldstein: Like Romney, Obama Admin Has Supported Larger Class Sizes. Parents and Teachers Don’t Like It by Dana Goldstein Despite moderator Bob Schieffer’s wrongheaded assertion that education isn’t a foreign policy issue, class size emerged as a flash point at Monday night’s debate. President Obama boasted about his administration’s record on saving teaching positions and spoke about his plan to hire more math and science educators in particular, which he argued would help Americ... more »
Modern School: Lack-of-School-to-Prison Pipeline
Modern School: Lack-of-School-to-Prison Pipeline: Lack-of-School-to-Prison Pipeline by Michael Dunn Image from Flickr, by aclu.socal We often hear of the school-to-prison pipeline, where kids exit our public education system poorly educated and without a diploma or skills, leaving them vulnerable to unemployment and a future life of crime. While this is clearly a bombastic overstatement, it is true that prisoners tend to be less literate and educated than society at large. Indeed, some estimates indicate that as many as 66% of California’s inmates are reading below a 9th-grade read... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Binders of horses and bayonets
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Binders of horses and bayonets: Binders of horses and bayonets by Mike Klonsky *"There were no binders full of women at the final presidential debate on Monday, but there were certainly horses and bayonets."* -- Huffington Post *"I love teachers"* -- Mitt Romney * "I think we all love teachers"* -- Bob Schieffer Sharpton spun it best, comparing Romney to a boxer clinching and holding on to his opponent just to keep from getting knocked out. Romney handlers knew that few among his right-wing base gave a crap about his foreign policy positions, thei... more »
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 10-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Is It Something I Said?: What We Say...What They Hear! by Lisa M I received an email from a parent the other day. It wasn't a hostile email. It was written in a polite tone. It was just a parent trying to find out what was going on in my classroom regarding his daughter. If this happened with my kids, I probably would have written an email like it as well. I also really appreciated the fact that this parent sent the email to me, instead of going straight to my principal. The email went something like this: "K" was very upset last nig... more »
Diane in the Evening 10-22-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: The Referendum in Bridgeport, Connecticut by dianerav Bridgeport will be voting on whether the mayor should control the schools. Mayoral control is high on the agenda of the privatization movement, because it allows one official to close public schools and hand them over to private corporations without paying attention to public opinion. Often there are hearings, but members of the public are limited to two minutes, and no one listens to them anyway. The mayor’s appointed board does whatever he wants them to do. It is not as if mayoral control has a grea... more »
Connecting More Dots Between Propositions 30, 32, and 38
Connecting More Dots Between Propositions 30, 32, and 38: Connecting More Dots Between Propositions 30, 32, and 38 by JIM MILLER on OCTOBER 22, 2012 · 0 COMMENTS in CALIFORNIA, CIVIL RIGHTS, ECONOMY, ELECTION, HISTORY, LABOR, UNDER THE PERFECT SUN The Munger Muddle, Democrats for Education Reform, Obama, and the Koch Brothers et al Weave a Tangled Web that Might Just Kill Our Children’s Future (if we let it) In a recent column, I outlined the connections between the advocates and funders of Proposition 32 and opponents of Proposition 30, noting the central role of Proposition 38 bac... more »
Food Allergies: What School Employees Need to Know | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
Food Allergies: What School Employees Need to Know | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Food Allergies: What School Employees Need to Know by NEA Health Information Network *By Nora L. Howley, Manager of Programs, NEA Health Information Network** * *The fourth-grade class at Shadyside Elementary is having a birthday party. Selena just ate a cookie brought into the class by parent of one of her classmates. All of a sudden she notices a rash and gives on her arms. She begins to feel short of breath, so she lets Pam the Paraeducator know that something is wrong * Nex... more »
Life in Rahm’s Chicago. It’s working? What’s working? « Fred Klonsky
Life in Rahm’s Chicago. It’s working? What’s working? « Fred Klonsky: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. It’s working? What’s working? by Fred Klonsky *Rahm and top cop Garry McCarthy.* On Thursday, Chicago’s sad excuse for a mayor held another one of his press conferences to announce his crime fighting strategy was working. Friday through Sunday seven people were murdered and 21 were shot. Typical of what Rahm calls *working.* Two men were killed and a woman was injured after they were shot Sunday evening in the Burnside neighborhood, police said. The trio were part of a bloody weekend in which... more »
Presidential Debate @ Lynn University Tip Sheet #lynndebate Debate 2012 at Lynn University
Debate 2012 at Lynn University: [image: Lynn University Tip Sheet] *Media Contact:* Laura Stephens, lstephens@lynn.edu, 561-237-7967 or 561-289-0159 (m) *Oct. 22, 2012* *Campus Events* *Day-long debate events planned on campus * *The campus will take on a red, white and blue hue; Events not open to the public * *Oct. 22-23* To celebrate the final presidential debate at Lynn University, the campus has scheduled several media events. See the full list below. *Monday, Oct. 22* *10:30 a.m. – Student ticket holders, stand-ins and faculty experts available for interviwe* - Meet in Perp... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Goldman Sachs exec exposes rip-off of Teacher Retirement Fund
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Goldman Sachs exec exposes rip-off of Teacher Retirement Fund: Goldman Sachs exec exposes rip-off of Teacher Retirement Fund by Mike Klonsky Wall St. (N.Y. Times)Greg Smith's book, "Why I Left Goldman Sachs," is being released Monday. It's a window into the culture of Wall Street and a company that routinely ripped-off clients, including teacher retirement funds. Smith was so disgusted with his firm, Goldman Sachs, that he quit via an open letter in the New York Times in which he says: *"It makes me ill how callously people talk about ripping th... more »
Where are Obama and Romney on the Dropout Crisis and School Funding? | Education on GOOD
Where are Obama and Romney on the Dropout Crisis and School Funding? | Education on GOOD: Where are Obama and Romney on the Dropout Crisis and School Funding? [image: studying.student] When it comes to education, neither President Obama's nor Governor Romney's campaign has started a real dialogue about the failure of America's K-12 schools—or the grassroots initiatives working to combat the crisis. However, a recent panel at the University of Southern California, "No Policy Left Behind? K-12 Education in the 2012 Campaign," tackled two of the biggest issues the candidates should be... more »
Signs of hope on the road to doom | Jerry Large | The Seattle Times
Signs of hope on the road to doom | Jerry Large | The Seattle Times: Signs of hope on the road to doom Policy-driven by data and results could overcome the usual politics. *Jerry Large* *Seattle Times staff columnist* A lot of problems that seem unending do have solutions. You may not hear about them in a political debate, but they exist. Washington state is brimming with ideas that could make the future better than the present. No, I'm not on happy drugs. If anything, I'm probably more likely than you to think we're speeding down the highway toward doom. Living immersed in the news... more »
Diane in the Evening 10-21-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Thomas Friedman Needs Your Help by dianerav I am assuming Thomas Friedman knows a lot about foreign affairs, which is what he mostly writes about. He certainly knows very little about America’s public schools. I wonder when was the last time he stepped into a school or talked to a real teacher. My guess: it has been many years. Maybe he went to a public school. His article in Sunday’s New York Times demonstrates that he is not only out of touch, but woefully misinformed. Everything he knows about Race to the Top he learned not by any research or school visit... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Parents, do you know where your child's data is? My interesting but not reassuring afternoon with the Gates Foundation's Shared Learning Collaborative
NYC Public School Parents: Parents, do you know where your child's data is? My interesting but not reassuring afternoon with the Gates Foundation's Shared Learning Collaborative: Parents, do you know where your child's data is? My interesting but not reassuring afternoon with the Gates Foundation's Shared Learning Collaborative by Leonie Haimson Yesterday, I spent several hours at the Shared Learning Collaborative “camp” held in midtown, where the Gates Foundation people invited teachers and developers to brainstorm new “learning apps” to take advantage of all the confidential st... more »
Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter
Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter: This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter by Larry Ferlazzo Guest post by Joe Mazza Image credit: http://www.educationfuture.infoThis Wednesday night at 9PM EDT/6PM PST, we’ll be talking politics and the future of U.S. Education on #PTchat (Parent-Teacher Chat). Nikhil Goyal (@nikhilgoya_l), a 17 year-old student and author of One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School will answer questions and offer ideas during our chat according to his lens as a student attending today’s schools. During the chat, we’ll discuss ... more »
The Brookfield Shooting Is the Latest Battle in the War on Women « Student Activism
The Brookfield Shooting Is the Latest Battle in the War on Women « Student Activism: The Brookfield Shooting Is the Latest Battle in the War on Women by Angus Johnston *“Now it’s a war on women? Tomorrow it’s going to be a war on left-handed Irishmen or something.”* *—Paul Ryan, three days ago.* *“But gosh, to tell our kids that before they have babies, they ought to think about getting married to someone — that’s a great idea… We can make changes in the way our culture works to help bring people away from violence.”* *—Mitt Romney, five days ago.* • • • The alleg... more »
The Battle for Public Schools: Action for the Week of 10/21/2012 | United Opt Out National
The Battle for Public Schools: Action for the Week of 10/21/2012 | United Opt Out National: The Battle for Public Schools: Action for the Week of 10/21/2012 by admin We are headed back to D.C. this spring. We will not be silenced. If you were unable to attend last year, be sure to check out last year’s videos and schedule. Join us in the front yard of the Dept. of Ed. in D.C. to learn from educational activists across the country as they share what they have accomplished in their fight to end corporate education reform. We will have a full schedule available soon. Mark your calend... more »
NYC Public School Parents: "Won't Back Down" a "loss leader" for the privateers?
NYC Public School Parents: "Won't Back Down" a "loss leader" for the privateers?: "Won't Back Down" a "loss leader" for the privateers? by Leonie Haimson See Diane Ravitch’s blog today about the fact that the anti-teacher, anti-public school film “Won’t Back Down” continues to tank. The movie premiered Sept. 28, and had the worst opening of any film in thirty years opening “wide” (2500 screens), despite shameless promotion by CBS (remember their “Teachers Rock”concert show which featured the film?) and NBC’s Education Nation. "Won't Back Down" revenues after 21 daysYet on Thursda... more »
Ex-Marine turned teacher: ‘Stop demonizing me and my profession’
Ex-Marine turned teacher: ‘Stop demonizing me and my profession’: Ex-Marine turned teacher: ‘Stop demonizing me and my profession’ Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 21, 2012 at 2:15 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - - - - Matthew Swope has been teaching physics for 10 years and before entering the teaching profession, was a Marine and a police officer. The following piece by Swope was first published on Diane Ravitch’s blog. It is both moving and important. By Matthew Swope I am a teacher. Year 10. High scho... more »
Jersey Jazzman: The MASSIVE Failure of Jonah Edelman
Jersey Jazzman: The MASSIVE Failure of Jonah Edelman: The MASSIVE Failure of Jonah Edelman by Duke I just can't let this go without comment: Less than two months into a new school year, *teacher strikes have popped up in Chicago and four suburbs — with a handful of potential walkouts on the horizon — despite a new state law that was expected to make it harder for work stoppages to occur.* Similar themes have surfaced in each district — the latest during last week's one-day strike in Highland Park's North Shore School District 112 — but officials on both sides agree that often, t... more »
America’s Best (and Worst) Educated States - 24/7 Wall St.
America’s Best (and Worst) Educated States - 24/7 Wall St.: America’s Best (and Worst) Educated States Posted: October 15, 2012 at 2:31 pm PrintEmail inShare6 The number of Americans with college degrees has increased steadily in the last decade. According to the latest government data, 28.5% of U.S. residents 25 or older had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2011, up only slightly from 27.2% in 2005. While the number is relatively unchanged, there are substantial differences across the country. In West Virginia, the state with the lowest graduation rate, 18.5% of adults have at leas... more »
Daily Kos: The Polonius Chronicles: The Invisible Hand and the King Imperative
Daily Kos: The Polonius Chronicles: The Invisible Hand and the King Imperative: The Polonius Chronicles: The Invisible Hand and the King Imperative byplthomasEdDFollow 3 PERMALINK1 COMMENTS / 1 NEW *Rust Limbo (a pseudonym to protect the innocent)* ** * * * * *Prologue* Like Jane Goodall among the chimpanzees, I ventured briefly into the role of anthropologist several years ago, listening most days for extended periods of time to a national radio show host to gather the necessary evidence needed to identify the patterns of his narratives. Unlike Goodall, I was fortunate that my a... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Test Scores and the Newark Teachers Contract
Jersey Jazzman: Test Scores and the Newark Teachers Contract: Test Scores and the Newark Teachers Contract by Duke It's a fact: *test scores will be used to determine who gets merit pay bonuses in the proposed Newark teachers contract*. From the new TEACHNJ Act, which sets out criteria for teacher evaluations: *Standardized assessments shall be used as a measure of student progress but shall not be the predominant factor in the overall evaluation of a teacher.* As I've said here many times, it doesn't matter if tests are the "predominant factor" or not when used to make a high-s... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland; Useful for Today's Politics
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland; Useful for Today's Politics: The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland; Useful for Today's Politics by Melissa Westbrook The Wizard of Oz was published in 1900. Alice in Wonderland was published in 1865. But their usefulness in politics? Timeless. So many phrases describe what we see every day. *Down the Rabbit Hole. Advice from the Caterpillar. Don't mind that man behind the curtain. Not in Kansas anymore. * The Mock Turtle on education: * Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with, and then th... more »
Obama’s Best-Kept Secrets - NYTimes.com
Obama’s Best-Kept Secrets - NYTimes.com: Obama’s Best-Kept SecretsBy THOMAS L. FRIEDMANPublished: October 20, 2012 1 Comment - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - ONE thing that has struck me about the debates so far is how littlePresident Obama has conveyed about what I think are his two most innovative domestic programs. While I don’t know how Obamacare will turn out, I’m certain that my two favorite Obama initiatives will be transformative. Enlarge This Image Oliver Munday His Race to the Top program in education has alrea... more »
Jersey Jazzman: What a Teachers Union Should Be
Jersey Jazzman: What a Teachers Union Should Be: What a Teachers Union Should Be Given the last couple of days, I thought this would be appropriate. Here's Karen Lewis, President of the Chicago Teachers Union, talking to her members: God bless the teachers of Chicago's public schools.
Missouri Education Watchdog: Is Creativity Antithetical to Common Core?
Missouri Education Watchdog: Is Creativity Antithetical to Common Core?: Is Creativity Antithetical to Common Core? by stlgretchen What is Cafe Communications? From "about us" on cafecommunications. eu: *In old times, one would have said: advertising.* *One and a half decade ago, professionals would have defined it as ATL, BTL and PR communication.* *Around the turn of the millennium, Café Group was founded to develop integrated communication solutions for its clients.* *Nowadays, all three definitions are still correct, but none of them describes the essence. *
A College History Class About Video Games? Sign Me Up. | toteachornototeach
A College History Class About Video Games? Sign Me Up. | toteachornototeach: A College History Class About Video Games? Sign Me Up. by aristotlethewise *A College History Class About Video Games? Sign Me Up.* History buffs who enjoy video games may want to enroll at the *University of South Carolina* and sign up for the “*Computer Games and History*” course scheduled for the spring 2013 semester. Associate Professor Joseph November is running a class in which students play, and discuss, games like Company of Heroes, the Total War series, Civilization and Age of Empires. The undergra... more »
An Open Letter on the 2012 Election to Anxious Liberals With Radical Friends « Student Activism
An Open Letter on the 2012 Election to Anxious Liberals With Radical Friends « Student Activism: An Open Letter on the 2012 Election to Anxious Liberals With Radical Friends by Angus Johnston If you’re a liberal trying to consider a radical friend to vote to save Obama, consider this… There are only eight states where voting for president matters this year. If your friend doesn’t live in one of them, chill out. Have the discussion if you like, but don’t get angry. Voting for president in a safe state is a purely symbolic act, and life’s too short to damage friendships over acts o... more »
Russo pontificates against Ravitch - Substance News
Russo pontificates against Ravitch - Substance News: MEDIA WATCH: Russo, from his blogtification pulpit in Brooklyn, knocks Diane Ravitch as the whining continues at 'District299.com'... George N. Schmidt - October 19, 2012 One of the secret pleasures of some Chicago teachers and reporters is regularly reading "District299.com" to see how off base Brooklyn's finest Chicago reporter can get. Alexander Russo might be the most self-important blogster to pontificate (it's a practice called "blogtification", a combination of blogging and pontificating) on Chicago, but even for him it'... more »
UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-20-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Campaign for Our Public Schools: What You Need to Do Now by dianerav The Campaign for Our Public Schools was a spontaneous effort to gather the candid views of educators, parents, students, and concerned citizens about the state of public education policy today. On October 3, everyone reading this blog was invited to write a letter to President Obama expressing their ideas. In a brief, two-week period, nearly 400 letters were submitted. There were many that were eloquent, many that were heartfelt, many wr... more »
Microsoft gives $50,000 more to Washington charter school initiative
Microsoft gives $50,000 more to Washington charter school initiative: Microsoft gives $50,000 more to Washington charter school initiative Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 20, 2012 at 10:38 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » (Jeffrey MacMillan/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST) Microsoft founder Bill Gates has personally forked over several million dollars to support a charter school referendum on the Washington state ballot in November – and now, Microsoft Corp. just upped its donation. The company ... more »
Mitt Romney’s No Excuses School | EduShyster
Mitt Romney’s No Excuses School | EduShyster: Mitt Romney’s No Excuses School by edushyster2012 Cranbrook, the private boarding school attended by Mitt Romney, is a ‘No Excuses’ school, which is why Mr. Romney has such remarkable posture. Haters are constantly dawging on Mitt Romney for being quite possibly the whitest person who has ever lived. But it might surprise you to know that despite his mom jeans and the robotic arm movements, Willard Mitt Romney actually has a lot of *flava*. You see, Mr. Romney attended a No Excuses school very similar to the ones that are popping up in A... more »
School lunch news: California poll, Kansas high school video, and praise for OUSD - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools
School lunch news: California poll, Kansas high school video, and praise for OUSD - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: School lunch news: California poll, Kansas high school video, and praise for OUSD Friday, October 19th, 2012 at 3:37 pm in No Comments *Photo by Jane Tyska/Staff* A recent statewide poll released by The California Endowment, a health foundation that promotes nutritious school lunches, found that 82 percent of students and 91 percent of parents surveyed support the latest changes in school lunch nutrition standards, overall. The changes in... more »