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BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

Southworks. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 minutes ago

Southworks. « Fred Klonsky: Southworks. by Fred Klonsky *Alice Puerala and Harold Washington. Photo: Scott Marshall* A picture posted on Facebook of the late local steelworkers’ union leader Alice Puerala and the late Mayor Harold Washington took me back a few years. In 1973 I had moved to Chicago from LA. In those days 20% of all Big Steel production in the United States took place along Lake Michigan from 78th Street on the east side of Chicago to Burns Harbor in Indiana. Out-of-towners and those who live on the north side don’t know there’s an east side of Chicago. But that is w... more »

Schools Matter: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 minutes ago

Schools Matter: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing by Judy Rabin [image: Opt Out of High Stakes Testing] My ed professor in graduate school used to say, "let the text speak for itself." Sometimes, that is all you need in a moment like this. However, I do have one "lingering" question. * Can we finally demand a moratorium on all high stakes testing? ** Or will we see NJ and NY go the way of NOLA ** as we sit by why the profiteers continue to call the shots in education. * From the NYT November 4, 2012 Back to School, Bundled Up, bu... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, November 5, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 minutes ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: Parents Can!]*VOTE! Advocate for your Child, your Schools, Your Community!* Education Headlines *Monday, November 5, 2012* LAUSD parent centers aim to boost involvement at schoolsLos Angeles Unified School District's parent centers offer free classes that focus on parents' needs, from helping their children with their homework to learning English. Is there a Plan B for the state budget if California's Proposition 30 fails?Gov. Jerry Brown has framed it as a simple choice for voters: Pass Proposition 30 or schools will suf... more »

What’s at stake for public schools in election

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 32 minutes ago

What’s at stake for public schools in election: What’s at stake for public schools in election Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 5, 2012 at 11:10 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » (Jahi Chikwendiu — The Washington Post) Tuesday’s election will determine whether Arne Duncan remains as President Obama’s education secretary (Duncan says he wants to stay and Obama has shown no interest in replacing him) or whether Mitt Romney will pick Duncan’s successor — but there’s a lot more at stake for pu... more »

John Thompson: New Research Uncovers Fresh Trouble for VAM Evaluations - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 40 minutes ago

John Thompson: New Research Uncovers Fresh Trouble for VAM Evaluations - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: John Thompson: New Research Uncovers Fresh Trouble for VAM Evaluations by Anthony Cody *Guest post by John Thompson.* As more and more schools implement various forms of Value-Added method (VAM) evaluation systems, we are learning some disturbing things about how reliable these methods are. Education Week's Stephan Sawchuk, in "'Value-Added' Measures at Secondary Level Questioned," explains that value-added statistical modeling was once limited to analyzing large se... more »

Shanker Blog » Annual Measurable Objections

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 43 minutes ago

Shanker Blog » Annual Measurable Objections: Annual Measurable Objections by Matthew Di Carlo As states’ continue to finalize their applications for ESEA/NCLB “flexibility” (or “waivers”), controversy has arisen in some places over how these plans set proficiency goals, both overall and for demographic subgroups (see ourprevious post about the situation in Virginia). One of the underlying rationales for allowing states to establish new targets (called “annual measurable objectives,” or AMOs) is that the “100 percent” proficiency goals of NCLB were unrealistic. Accordingly, some (bu... more »

Update: Mayor Finch & “Education Reformers” spend record amount in bid to take away Bridgeport voter’s rights! - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Update: Mayor Finch & “Education Reformers” spend record amount in bid to take away Bridgeport voter’s rights! - Wait, What?: Update: Mayor Finch & “Education Reformers” spend record amount in bid to take away Bridgeport voter’s rights! by jonpelto Bad enough that the Bridgeport political and business leaders are trying to reduce the democratic rights of Bridgeport voters, but the next most shocking factor is they are using the people’s money to do it. In addition to all the time Mayor Finch has dedicated to the effort, a major portion of the money that is paying for all the mailin... more »

25 Races to Watch on Election Night « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

25 Races to Watch on Election Night « Student Activism: Election Night: What to Keep an Eye On by Angus Johnston There are a huge number of really fascinating races and referenda on the ballot across the country this year, and many of the most interesting — and most important — remain too close to call. In this post I’ll be doing a state-by-state rundown of the results I’ll be looking for, and the ones friends have tipped me to on Facebook and Twitter. (If you’ve got others, please share in comments.) *Arizona* - Horrific Phoenix Sheriff Joe Arpaio, now eighty years old, is f... more »

Modern School: Over 60% of LAUSD 6th-Graders Exposed to Trauma

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Modern School: Over 60% of LAUSD 6th-Graders Exposed to Trauma: Over 60% of LAUSD 6th-Graders Exposed to Trauma by Michael Dunn A study completed last year that found that over 60% of Los Angeles-area 6th-graders had witnessed or experienced more than one event that could be considered traumatic, according to the 4LAKids Blog. The study ruled out vicarious acts of violence, such as television, focusing on questions like “How often has someone said they were going to hurt you?” or “how many time over the past year have you been punched or hit by someone?” While some of the affirmati... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Become a Pro-Active Parent for Your Student (Short of Home Schooling/Private Schooling)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Become a Pro-Active Parent for Your Student (Short of Home Schooling/Private Schooling): Become a Pro-Active Parent for Your Student (Short of Home Schooling/Private Schooling) by stlgretchen Our last post suggested parents become more pro active in the education of their children, particularly if they are in the public school system. With the educational belief/mandate that all children learn in a common manner and common standards/assessments, the parental responsibility of ensuring a child receives a good education becomes even more imperative. ... more »

My View: Education is missing in this election, and perhaps that’s a good thing – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

My View: Education is missing in this election, and perhaps that’s a good thing – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs: My View: Education is missing in this election, and perhaps that’s a good thing [image: Courtesy ASCD]By *Gene Carter*, Special to CNN *Editor’s note: **Gene Carter* *is CEO and executive director of**ASCD**, an international education leadership association with 150,000 members—superintendents, principals, teachers, professors, and advocates — in more than 145 countries. A veteran educator with experience as a teacher, administrator, superintendent and university p... more »

The Official Education Rephorm Lexicon | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

The Official Education Rephorm Lexicon | EduShyster: The Official Education Rephorm Lexicon by edushyster2012 A portfolio is a discredited approach to education reform and a brief case in which papers explaining the excellence of said approach can be carried. Like you I spend many hours each day aligning myself with the new Common Core standards. And already the payoff has been huge. My scores on the standardized tests that I administer to myself three times per week have risen incredibly, while my Value Added has also shot up, except around the house where I continue to refuse to... more »

Michigan collective bargaining rights. Nuns on the Bus Tour. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Michigan collective bargaining rights. Nuns on the Bus Tour. « Fred Klonsky: Michigan collective bargaining rights. Nuns on the Bus Tour. by Fred Klonsky

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-5-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] More Evidence: Value-Added Assessment Is Junk Science by dianerav Linda Darling-Hammond and Edward Haertel of Stanford University explain why value-added assessment doesn’t work and how inaccurate it is. Will John Deasy listen? Will the Gates Foundation listen? Will the Los Angeles Times, which published their article, stop seeking names to publish inaccurate data about teacher “effectiveness”? Wisconsin Raises Standards, Voucher Schools and MPS Schools Plummet by dianerav Wisconsin decided to raise the passi... more »

What High School Teachers Wish Parents Asked at Conferences - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

What High School Teachers Wish Parents Asked at Conferences - High School Notes (usnews.com): What High School Teachers Wish Parents Asked at Conferences By KELSEY SHEEHY November 5, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: Asking the right questions can help parents and teachers get the most out of conferences.] Asking the right questions can help parents and teachers get the most out of conferences. Parent-teacher conferences give parents some much-needed face time with their teen's teacher, but many parents don't take advantage of the opportunity. "Parents need to be just as involved in teach... more »

Interest in master teacher credential for California won’t go away - SI&A Cabinet Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Interest in master teacher credential for California won’t go away *By Tom Chorneau* Sunday, November 04, 2012 After years of debate and discussion, supporters of a new master teacher credential in California find themselves largely back at square one following a veto this fall of a bill promoting the concept. And some are saying a formal license may not be the right way to go. A tool used for decades in many higher-performing counties, the master teacher position promises a new resource to districts for coaching up new and less established e...more »

Vast inequality lurks behind mind-numbing data on school spending | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Vast inequality lurks behind mind-numbing data on school spending | EdSource Today: Vast inequality lurks behind mind-numbing data on school spending ** November 4th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Arun Ramanathan Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services [image: Arun Ramanathan] Arun Ramanathan School finance has the power to bring tears to my eyes. Sometimes, when I am reading the latest School Services of California bulletin, I start squinting. Then I start yawning. Then, before I know it, I’m squinting and yawning simultaneously, cau... more »

Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Suspend Testing after the Hurricane: An Open Letter from Denny Taylor

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Suspend Testing after the Hurricane: An Open Letter from Denny Taylor: Suspend Testing after the Hurricane: An Open Letter from Denny Taylor by YongZhao Two Important Research Findings on Children and Trauma Support the Halting of Testing in K-12 Public Schools: An Open Letter to Governor Christie, Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg er Denny Taylor, Professor of Literacy Studies, Founding Director of the International Center for Everybody’s Child, Hofstra University 11-4-12 Dear Governor Christie, Governor Cuomo, and Mayor Blo... more »

Daily Kos: Predicting the Latino vote

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Daily Kos: Predicting the Latino vote: Predicting the Latino vote by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) By now, most denizens of this site realize that most polls, both national and state, do not accurately include Latinos in their models. For one things, Latinos heavily rely upon cell phones, and those polls which use automatic dialers cannot call cell phones (which may mean they under-sample young people as well). While some automated pollsters attempt to adjust their models to account for this, not all do. Further, there is a significant percentage of pollsters who do not offer a ... more »

Atlanta lawmaker to push parent trigger bill in January. Cites North Atlanta High as an example of why it’s needed. | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Atlanta lawmaker to push parent trigger bill in January. Cites North Atlanta High as an example of why it’s needed. | Get Schooled: Atlanta lawmaker to push parent trigger bill in January. Cites North Atlanta High as an example of why it’s needed. by Maureen Downey In a break from the charter school debate, here is something coming your way in January — a push for a parent trigger law in Georgia by Atlanta state Rep. Edward Lindsey. (See earlier blog on parent trigger laws.) The trigger law allows parents to take over a failing school and reopen it as an independent charter if the... more »

Politics and school reform: Power, ideology and the use of evidence

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Politics and school reform: Power, ideology and the use of evidence: Politics and school reform: Power, ideology and the use of evidence Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 5, 2012 at 4:00 am Last week we learned that Republican legislators had pressured the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service into withdrawing a report that reached a conclusion about tax rates and economic growth that undercut a central GOP philosophy. What does this have to do with school reform? Larry Cuban explains below. here. Cuban was superintendent of Arlington Public Schools for seven years and a... more »

Louisiana Educator: Jindal Defeat a Lesson for Educators

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: Jindal Defeat a Lesson for Educators: Jindal Defeat a Lesson for Educators by Michael Deshotels Educators (teachers, principals, and school board members) have the power to reverse or correct most of the Jindal damage to public education and the teaching profession! That's the lesson we can take from the decisive defeat suffered by Governor Jindal last Thursday on his effort to privatize the Group Benefits insurance program.The political lesson to be learned and utilized by educators is that when a large group of voters is adversely affected by a government ac... more »

The Educated Reporter: Washington State Considers Charter Schools, Missouri Voters Mull Tobacco Tax Hike for Education Funding

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Washington State Considers Charter Schools, Missouri Voters Mull Tobacco Tax Hike for Education Funding: Washington State Considers Charter Schools, Missouri Voters Mull Tobacco Tax Hike for Education Funding by Emily Richmond [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] When it comes to education, there’s much at stake Tuesday beyond the race for president. Voters in several states are being asked to approve significant changes to how public schools operate and are funded. There are two particularly interesting ballot measures in play – in Washington State, wher... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky "CPS and Mayor Emanuel want to do to our schools what Mayor Daley did to the parking meters." -- Windy Pearson (Action Now) at Friday's City Hall sit-in [Video] Barbara Byrd-Bennett *“We need to acknowledge that the community simply does not believe what we say we’re going to do.”* -- Sun-Times Pauline Lipman (UIC Prof.) * "If school closings were such good policy, why aren't they closing schools in white communities?"*- At Friday's City Hall sit-in. Aquila GriffinDyett High School student, Aqui... more »

Letters to the Editor: San Francisco Chronicle « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Letters to the Editor: San Francisco Chronicle « InterACT: Letters to the Editor: San Francisco Chronicle by David B. Cohen [image: downtown sf]Downtown San Francisco (photo by the author) *Last week, the teachers unions in San Francisco and Oakland declined to support district applications for the latest round of Race to the Top grants, which will go directly to districts rather than to entire states. I remain skeptical about this approach, both in terms of its potential failure as a driver of real and sustainable improvement, and also its heavy-handed federal intrusion into state... more »

Short Notes: John Steinbeck Giving Away His Secrets? | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Short Notes: John Steinbeck Giving Away His Secrets? | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: John Steinbeck Giving Away His Secrets? by Jose c/o Ellen Sirleaf A few notes: - I’ve known GOLES for years now, and they do great work empowering the Lower East Side. Please consider donating to them. [GOLES] - John Steinbeck offers advice and non-advice for writers. You’ll love it. [BrainPicker] - Something to pay attention to: Puerto Rico seeks to define its relationship with the United States. [AP] - Students learn how to make college affordable. [Santa Maria Times] - Whi... more »

Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election: Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election by Joy Resmovits WASHINGTON -- For the last year, education advocates have been trying to get the subject of America's beleaguered public schools onto the agenda of the presidential election. Aside from a few mentions in the debates, the conversation has been pretty one-sided, with President Barack Obama consistently emphasizing the need to invest in education on the campaign trail -- and little mention of the subject from Republican presidential nomine... more »

4LAKids - Race to the Top: A MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DEASY

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Race to the Top: A MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DEASY: Race to the Top: A MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DEASY *From:* Superintendent John Deasy [mailto:Superintendent_John@LAUSD.NET] *Sent:* Thursday, November 01, 2012 12:35 PM *To:* LAUSD_EMPLOYEES@LIST.LAUSD.NET *Subject:* LAUSD's Race to the Top Message from Superintendent Deasy Today the Los Angeles Unified School District sent an application accompanied by a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asking that the Department of Education consider the District’s application for $... more »

Chris Rock - Message for White Voters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Jimmy Kimmel Live - Chris Rock - Message for White Voters Jimmy Kimmel Live: Back to Brooklyn -- Chris Rock - Message for White Voters Jimmy Kimmel Live's YouTube channel features clips and recaps of every episode from the late night TV show on ABC. Subscribe for clips from the monologue, the interviews, and musical performances every day of the week. Watch your favorites parts again, or catch-up on any episodes you may have missed. Website: http://www.jimmykimmellive.com Channel: http://www.youtube.com/jimmykimmellive

UPDATE: Daily Kos: I will be on Sky News tomorrow

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Daily Kos: I will be on Sky News tomorrow: I will be on Sky News tomorrow by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) I was one of the people asked to do videos for their I-pad application on the politics of the 50 states. Then I was invited to participate in a discussion tomorrow, which will be live at 3:30 EST until 4, and then may continue in a Google hangout (although I will not be able to stay for that). I will be in their DC studios, in part because Virginia is still considered a battleground state. If you are interested in watching, http://news.sky.com/... It’ll be broadcast on Sk... more »

Schools Matter: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD Board of Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Schools Matter: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD Board of Education: Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD Board of Education by Jim Horn Robert D. Skeels has been writing at SM since June 11, 2011, and his astute, acerbic, and sometime acidic commentaries have effectively lifted many rocks where profiteer snakes hide, melted away many corporate leeches from their public hosts, and shamed many professional self-servers for their unwavering commitments to themselves. In doing so, he has shone his own true colors as a relentless advocate for public schools, democracy, and social justice. And so ... more »

Walmart Waltons: The movie | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Walmart Waltons: The movie | Seattle Education: Walmart Waltons: The movie by seattleducation2011 Why is this woman laughing? Alice Walton has donated $1.7 M to Initiative 1240 which would privatize our schools. If the Waltons are going to determine educational policy in our state, we should at least get to know them better. *WAL-MART: THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICE is a feature-length documentary that uncovers a retail giant’s assault on families and American values.* *The film dives into the deeply personal stories and everyday lives of families and communities struggling to fight a g... more »

Don’t Give Up… « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Don’t Give Up… « Deborah Meier on Education: Don’t Give Up… by rogermeier ……or at least Vote on Tuesday before you do. Since we can’t opt out of the world as it is–including all its almost unbelievable distortions–we have to stick together and figure out what comes next. I’m nervously expecting Obama to win–although sometimes I expect the worst just so I won’t be surprised—and the fight after that will be just as important as if he loses. Someone showed me an ad attacking a Democratic candidate for the Florida House of Representatives (who happens to be a teacher’s union member), ... more »

"California charter school lobby pouring big cash into Ponder school board bid" by News Ticker | San Diego Reader

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

"California charter school lobby pouring big cash into Ponder school board bid" by News Ticker | San Diego Reader: California charter school lobby pouring big cash into Ponder school board bid 10 Matt Potter, November 4, 2012 - Facebook - Twitter - News Ticker alerts - Write a story for us - More Sharing ServicesShare - Email San Diego's Proposition Z, a measure to raise property taxes for school bonds, is billed by its backers as a way of enabling the "San Diego Unified School District to maintain safe and productive learning environments for students during ... more »

Schools Matter: MOOC-ing Toward Epistemological Imperialism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Schools Matter: MOOC-ing Toward Epistemological Imperialism: MOOC-ing Toward Epistemological Imperialism by Jim Horn The newest fad in digitized thought delivery is the MOOC (Massively Open Online Courses), and as soon as the politically-disinterested MIT engineers can hook up with the economically-rapacious profiteers of UofPhoenix, we are likely to see the "global economy" become underpinned by the new "global college." And just as the the global economy is about ferreting out the most vulnerable societies on Earth for exploitation, from production to consumption, the global c... more »

Given A Choice… | Taking Note

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Given A Choice… | Taking Note: ' Given A Choice… by John Merrow John looks at a conversation that we should be having. Given the choice, would you rather be productive or happy? I remember posing that question to six high school students from independent schools in and around New York City, 15 or so years ago. To a boy and girl, all said they would rather be happy. Being a New Englander to the core, I was surprised, even shocked. In the conversation that followed, I argued that the main road to happiness went through productivity. I don’t think I convinced any of the kids. What’s yo... more »

Mitt Romney’s For-Profit College Connections | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Mitt Romney’s For-Profit College Connections | toteachornototeach: Mitt Romney’s For-Profit College Connections by aristotlethewise *Mitt Romney’s For-Profit College Connections * *Highlighted In Video Made By Student Debt Activists* PopoutA new video from group of young activists warns of Mitt Romney’s connections to for-profit colleges, hoping to raise awareness of how the Republican presidential nominee might govern the controversial for-profit education sector. The video shows Romney talking about college affordability and insists the candidate is “sketchy” about for-profits. The... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Is Democracy for Sale?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Is Democracy for Sale?: Is Democracy for Sale? by Melissa Westbrook It would appear that some people - especially wealthy people - believe this is so (and are willing to spend huge sums to prove it). We have our own examples here in Washington State. Consider our initiative process. In this last cycle, we see nearly every single initiative pushed by a handful of wealthy people. The liquor initiative (I love Costco but this was wrong), the gay marriage referundum, the charter school initiative - it's a sad thing. And, they are not only willing to... more »

Diane in the Evening Urgent Message 11-4-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: An Urgent Message for Voters Who Support Public Education by dianerav There are critical elections taking place on Tuesday throughout the country that parents, education advocates, and others who care about preserving and strengthening our public schools need to take notice of and cast their ballot appropriately. Out-of-state money from billionaires and astroturf groups like Students First are flowing into state races, like this one in Tennessee and local school board elections, like these in New Orleans and New Jersey, to push damaging policies to privati... more »

Teachers For Social Justice: 10 Arrested in City Hall Sit-in Against School Closings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Teachers For Social Justice: 10 Arrested in City Hall Sit-in Against School Closings: 10 Arrested in City Hall Sit-in Against School Closings by sarah-ji On Friday, November 2, a spirited crowd of 100 parents, teachers, students, and community members held a rally and press conference at City Hall demanding a moratorium-of at least two years-on *all *school closings, turnarounds, consolidations, and phase-outs. After the rally we sat in at the Mayor's office, refusing to leave until we had a meeting scheduled with the Mayor (no surrogates). That never happened, as one of his staff... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Parents throughout the nation: use your vote wisely on Tuesday to protect and support your public schools; do not let the privatizers buy your elections!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Parents throughout the nation: use your vote wisely on Tuesday to protect and support your public schools; do not let the privatizers buy your elections!: Parents throughout the nation: use your vote wisely on Tuesday to protect and support your public schools; do not let the privatizers buy your elections! by Leonie Haimson protect and support your public schools; do not let the privatizers buy your elections! There are critical elections taking place on Tuesday throughout the country that parents, education advocates, and others who care about preservin... more »

Your 2012 Education Political Primer - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Your 2012 Education Political Primer - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators: Looking Ahead Your 2012 Education Political Primer As the election plays itself out this coming week, we as educators continue to work on behalf of children and our communities as a whole. Whatever the outcome of the vote, the work goes on and our efforts must continue. So I want to keep this post simple and straightforward. Whatever your political persuasion, there are certain objective, observable realities we can all agree on in looking a... more »

America's Most Disgusting Political Ad

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

America's Most Disgusting Political Ad: America’s Most Disgusting Political Ad: Florida Republican Group Links Elementary School Teacher To Jerry Sandusky By Josh Israel on Nov 4, 2012 at 11:08 am In a stunning smear, a GOP group chaired by a prominent Republican strategist and funded by the state Republican leadership, has sent a mailing to Florida voters accusing an elementary school teacher running for state legislature of enabling child molestation because she is in a teacher’s union. The mailings attack Karen Castor Dentel, an elementary school teacher in Maitland, Florida, a... more »

Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee jumps into state elections to push education PRIVATIZATION Hechinger Report |

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Hechinger Report | Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee jumps into state elections to push education overhaul: Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee jumps into state elections to push education overhaul by Sarah Butrymowicz A dozen states are poised to pass significant education reforms this year depending on the outcome of next week’s election. A slate of state-level candidates want to abolish teacher tenure and tie teacher evaluations to student tests. On the ground trying to make sure they win is a new organization, StudentsFirst, found... more »

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky: The Sunday Mail. by Fred Klonsky *Thousands of runners in New York took to Central Park and Staten Island on Sunday morning, to both celebrate their sport and help those devastated by Hurricane Sandy.* *From the CORE caucus*: Chicago teachers should vote for Jay Rehak and Lois Ashford to sit on the Chicagoteachers pension board. *The Illinois Labor History Society* honors veteran steel union reform leaders Ed Sadlowski, Alice Puerala and Frank Lumpkin. When I came to Chicago in 1973 and got a job as a millwright in the 96 inch plate mill at US Stee... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Sickest Attack On Teachers And Unions Ever

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: The Sickest Attack On Teachers And Unions Ever: The Sickest Attack On Teachers And Unions Ever by Duke What in the hell is wrong with these people?! In a stunning smear, a GOP group chaired by a prominent Republican strategist and funded by the state Republican leadership, has sent a mailing to Florida voters *accusing an elementary school teacher running for state legislature of enabling child molestation because she is in a teacher’s union*. The mailings attack Karen Castor Dentel, an elementary school teacher in Maitland, Florida, and the Democratic challenger... more »

Outside Cash Flooding into New Orleans School Board Race « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Outside Cash Flooding into New Orleans School Board Race « Diane Ravitch's blog: Outside Cash Flooding into New Orleans School Board Race by dianerav [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! This is becoming a familiar story: billionaires and millionaires are choosing a school board member in New Orleans. One of the city’s leading charter advocates, Sarah Newell Usdin, is the recipient of more than $110,000, way more than her opponents. Usdin was... more »

Final stretch: Is charter school amendment about “money versus public schools” or “giving every child an option”? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Final stretch: Is charter school amendment about “money versus public schools” or “giving every child an option”? | Get Schooled: Final stretch: Is charter school amendment about “money versus public schools” or “giving every child an option”? by Maureen Downey As election day looms, the AJC examines the emotions and money around the charter school amendment in a Sunday piece. The amendment remains an explosive issue with great interest from both inside and outside the state. Pro-amendment groups, including national school-choice advocates and for-profit charter school operators, ... more »

Bombs in Florida. Ken Previti reports. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Bombs in Florida. Ken Previti reports. « Fred Klonsky: Bombs in Florida. Ken Previti reports. by Fred Klonsky *Ken Previti is a retired Illinois teacher now living in Florida. A pension activist and now the Illinois-Florida Liaison for the Skokie chapter of IEA-Retired, of which I am President. All retired teacher activists are welcome to join the Skokie chapter, by the way.* *ALL,* *Today as I was sign waving for a progressive candidate 20 south of where I live at a public library early voting site, two possible bombs were discovered 20 miles northwest and then detonated by polic... more »

Bridgeport’s critical care hospitals are among biggest funders to Bridgeport’s anti-democracy effort - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Bridgeport’s critical care hospitals are among biggest funders to Bridgeport’s anti-democracy effort - Wait, What?: Bridgeport’s critical care hospitals are among biggest funders to Bridgeport’s anti-democracy effort by jonpelto On Tuesday, thanks to Mayor Bill Finch and his team of advisers and associates, the voters of Bridgeport will be asked to give up their democratic rights to choose the members of Bridgeport’s Board of Education. Instead, the Mayor will take over that task. A coalition of “education reformers” and corporate executives in Fairfield Country are spending a re... more »

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