Maureen Reedy Loses in Ohio
I am sorry to say that veteran educator Maureen Reedy narrowly lost in her bid for a seat in the Ohio Legislature to another contender, who was funded by (among others) Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst.
Count on StudentsFirst to place its bets against an experienced educator.
With so many crucial education issues before the legislature, it would have been wonderful to have someone with
Count on StudentsFirst to place its bets against an experienced educator.
With so many crucial education issues before the legislature, it would have been wonderful to have someone with
ALERT! Washington State Results Have Not Been Finalized!
I promise this is the last thing I will post about the charter referendum in Washington State until there really is a final tally.
Someone sent me what she thought was a final tally but it was NOT a final tally.
The votes are still being counted.
The election is close. The charter advocates were ahead but there are still hundreds of thousands of uncounted
Someone sent me what she thought was a final tally but it was NOT a final tally.
The votes are still being counted.
The election is close. The charter advocates were ahead but there are still hundreds of thousands of uncounted
Privatization Leaders Praise President Obama
I received the following news release from the National Alliance for Charter Schools.
They of course were crowing about the passage of the ALEC-inspired initiative in Georgia, where the governor will be free to open charter schools everywhere across the state without consulting any local school board.
I knew Nina Rees when I worked in the George H.W. Bush administration. She is smart and personable and
They of course were crowing about the passage of the ALEC-inspired initiative in Georgia, where the governor will be free to open charter schools everywhere across the state without consulting any local school board.
I knew Nina Rees when I worked in the George H.W. Bush administration. She is smart and personable and
Washington Charter Proposal Passed in Close Election
Georgia Charter Referendum Passes Easily
Voters in Georgia passed an amendment to the state constitution enabling the governor to set up a commission to approve charter schools over the objection of local school boards.
The margin of victory was 58-42.
This is an ALEC-inspired model law, meant to strip away the powers
The margin of victory was 58-42.
This is an ALEC-inspired model law, meant to strip away the powers
California: Prop 30 Passes, Prop 32 Loses
Governor Jerry Brown led a successful campaign to raise taxes to fund the state’s public schools and universities.
His Proposition 30 passed with heavy support from Los Angeles County.
Had it not passed, the cuts to education would have been devastating.
Hats off to Governor Brown and Superintendent Tom Torlakson for fighting to increase taxes to pay for educating the state’s children.
Due to prior anti-tax activism, California is now 47th in the nation in education spending.
Proposition 32, which was intended to hobble labor unions’ political activities by eliminating automatic dues checkoff for political contributions, was defeated.
His Proposition 30 passed with heavy support from Los Angeles County.
Had it not passed, the cuts to education would have been devastating.
Hats off to Governor Brown and Superintendent Tom Torlakson for fighting to increase taxes to pay for educating the state’s children.
Due to prior anti-tax activism, California is now 47th in the nation in education spending.
Proposition 32, which was intended to hobble labor unions’ political activities by eliminating automatic dues checkoff for political contributions, was defeated.
Usdin Wins in New Orleans
Sarah Usdin won a school board seat in New Orleans, unfortunately.
She is a major advocate for privatization of public education.
Her background is Teach for America, the New Teacher Project (founded by Michelle Rhee), and New Schools for New Orleans (which opens charters).
She had the advantage of more than $110,000 in contributions from Wall Street hedge fund managers (“Democrats for Education Reform”), and others committed to wiping out public education in New
She is a major advocate for privatization of public education.
Her background is Teach for America, the New Teacher Project (founded by Michelle Rhee), and New Schools for New Orleans (which opens charters).
She had the advantage of more than $110,000 in contributions from Wall Street hedge fund managers (“Democrats for Education Reform”), and others committed to wiping out public education in New
Bill Ayers Writes a Letter to the President
I won’t go into the baggage associated with Bill Ayers. During the campaign of 2008, his name came up again and again and was hurled as an accusation against candidate Barack Obama.
I recall Sarah Palin saying that Obama was guilty of “palling around with terrorists,” or words to that effect.
I did not approve of or condone what he did in the 1960s.
Bill Ayers is not the same person he was forty years ago. Today, he is a respected education thinker. But then, none of us is the same person we were 40 or 20 or even 10 years ago.
People grow and change. If they are willing, they learn.
Ayers has written a letter to President Obama that expresses the views of many educators today.
I recall Sarah Palin saying that Obama was guilty of “palling around with terrorists,” or words to that effect.
I did not approve of or condone what he did in the 1960s.
Bill Ayers is not the same person he was forty years ago. Today, he is a respected education thinker. But then, none of us is the same person we were 40 or 20 or even 10 years ago.
People grow and change. If they are willing, they learn.
Ayers has written a letter to President Obama that expresses the views of many educators today.
Charter Cash Loses in Santa Clara County
Charter school advocates and operators poured big money into Santa Clara County, California, to defeat Anna Song, a school board member who had dared to vote against a charter school.
Song was outspent overwhelmingly, by 25-1, yet she won.
This is a victory for parents and citizens against privatization.
A reader sends this update:
On a positive note, the huge investment in Santa Clara failed miserably. The Charter Industry spent something like $250k (against the incumbent’s $10k or so) to launch a smear campaign against a woman who voted against the renewal of one charter school. They even went after her husband. She still won in a landslide.
In another encouraging election here in Los Altos, CA, a charter-backed candidate who was the biggest single
Song was outspent overwhelmingly, by 25-1, yet she won.
This is a victory for parents and citizens against privatization.
A reader sends this update:
On a positive note, the huge investment in Santa Clara failed miserably. The Charter Industry spent something like $250k (against the incumbent’s $10k or so) to launch a smear campaign against a woman who voted against the renewal of one charter school. They even went after her husband. She still won in a landslide.
In another encouraging election here in Los Altos, CA, a charter-backed candidate who was the biggest single
UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-7-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Teacher: Stop the Scripting! by dianerav A frustrated teacher writes: *I am in my 21st year of teaching and have been close to quitting every year for the last six years. The pressures to conform and follow a script even when I know it’s bad for kids have been really, really stressful. I am a creative teacher, and I feel like I’m fighting for the right to work 3 times harder than I have to. We now have teachers who are “script followers” telling those of us who aren’t standardized that we are sub-par bec... more »