It's Time for an Elected School Board in Chicago

Teachers for Social Justice (TSJ-Chicago)—a member of CODE (Communities Organized for Democracy in Education)—put together this radio commercial in response to misinformation being spread by some big money astroturf groups. CODE is a coalition of over a dozen parent, teacher and community groups that seeks to bring an ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE School Board to Chicago. Chicago is the only school in the state of IL which by law cannot elect its own school board. The board is currently made up of appointed elite millionaire bankers and financiers who have not been responsive to the needs of the students, parents and communities of Chicago. We need democracy in education.

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CODE - Communities Organized for Democracy in Education En Español CODE Member Organizations The CODE Mission - Democracy in Education CODE News CODE Calendar, Canvasing and Events Contact CODE Chicago CODE Video Links

CODE - Communities Organized for Democracy in Education Rally for an Elected School Board Join us in Little Village for a rally + canvasing to show support for an Elected Representative School Board Where? : Amor de Dios Church 2356 S. Sawyer St.  When? : Sat. July 7th 10:00 – 1:00 Who: YOU! The CPS Board—appointed by the mayor— is not accountable to the people it serves. The Board is failing our children.        Help Win an Elected Representative School Board  CPS’s privatization policies—school closings, turnarounds and charters—do NOT improve education. They have been devastating to all children, especially those in African American and Latino communities.  Class size has increased. Art, music, recess, PE & after school activities have been cut, while high-stakes testing eats up more classroom and learning time.  CPS has expanded an unequal system: A top tier of selective schools for a few students and a bottom tier of resource-starved neighborhood schools for everyone else.  CPS makes decisions, like an unfunded longer school day, without public input.  CPS blames teachers, parents, and students for the problems THEY have created.     Teacher morale is at an all-time low.  An Elected Board is a Necessary FIRST STEP to Improve Our Schools.  An elected board would be accountable to the public and could be more diverse, reflecting the people it serves.   Chicago is the only city in Illinois with an appointed school board.  Election requirements could mandate specific qualifications and cap campaign expenditures, thus reducing the influence of money and politics on education.  Help Win an Elected Representative School Board for Chicago.  The Illinois Legislature must pass a law to enact an elected school board.  Sign a petition to get an advisory referendum for an elected board on the November ballot.  Volunteer to help Chicago win an elected school board. See our calendar of events for opportunities to collect signatures in your area.  Contact your elected officials. Ask them to support a Representative Elected School Board.  Help Win an Elected Representative School Board  https://sites.google.com/site/codechicago/ https://www.facebook.com/CommunitiesOrganizedForDemocracyInEducation Subpages (1): Chicago Necesita una sistema de educación demócrata.

Children are more than test scores: Save Our Schools Still Marching to DC

Children are more than test scores: Save Our Schools Still Marching to DC:

Save Our Schools Still Marching to DC

NEA yesterday voted against supporting SOS's People's Education Convention. It appears some Florida delegates took to the floor claiming that SOS is a Michelle Rhee backed group.  This is complete fabrication.

Fred Klonsky a Chicago teacher, well known blogger, and bother to Mike Klonsky a member of the SOS National Steering Committee reported back via his blog:

"Q: What happened with the NBI supporting the SOS conference in Washington that is planned for August?

A: It got voted down.

Jane Watson, an SOS supporter and delegate from Washington state said simple NBI that didn't ask for much than an endorsement of the conference and putting a link to SOS on the NEA website. It seemed very non-controversial. I have to say that most delegates in the hall know very little about SOS.

Then somebody, I don't know who, offered an amendment to send the issue of 

Honor Code - NYTimes.com

Honor Code - NYTimes.com:

Honor Code

By DAVID BROOKS

Published: July 5, 2012 Comment

Henry V is one of Shakespeare’s most appealing characters. He was rambunctious when young and courageous when older. But suppose Henry went to an American school.

By about the third week of nursery school, Henry’s teacher would be sending notes home saying that Henry “had another hard day today.” He was disruptive during circle time. By midyear, there’d be sly little hints dropped that maybe Henry’s parents should think about medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Many of the other boys are on it, and they find school much easier.

By elementary school, Henry would be lucky to get 20-minute snatches of recess. During one, he’d jump off the top of the jungle gym, and, by the time he hit the ground, the supervising teachers would be all over him for breaking the safety rules. He’d get in a serious wrestling match with his buddy Falstaff, and, by the time he got him in a headlock, there’d be suspensions all around.

First, Henry would withdraw. He’d decide that the official 

Heroes Made, Not Exactly Born [on Frank Ocean & Malcolm X] | The Jose Vilson

Heroes Made, Not Exactly Born [on Frank Ocean & Malcolm X] | The Jose Vilson:

Heroes Made, Not Exactly Born [on Frank Ocean & Malcolm X]

by Jose

First, let me say how ecstatic I was to see that, out of the thousands of friends and acquaintances I’ve gotten to know via social media and other platforms, I heard absolutely no one insult Frank Ocean (R&B singer affiliated with Odd Future, known for “No Church In The Wild”) for coming out as a bisexual. His letter describes love and humanity in the poetry you’d expect from a crooner like him. More surprising was the deluge of messages coming from fans appreciating him coming out on his own terms, something that his own detractors wouldn’t have the testicular fortitude to do on any meaningful level. Black urban music is in constant need of a reality check with homophobia and sexism within its popular ranks, and Frank Ocean’s outing provided a meaningful step because of the respect he earns among hip-hop elites.
Naturally, my thoughts turned to an earlier discussion I had on Twitter about Manning Marable’s outing of Malcolm Little (X) in Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. It seemed to me off-base to make the publicity surrounding the book focused on Malcolm’s sexual preference when, clearly, the narrative gave us so much more about the man. Many of Marable’s detractors suggested that Marable’s outing slandered a legend, and that 

Bill Gates: You Never Give me your money

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

James Baldwin said it best: 

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A Big Education Ape Nite Cap

Protesters take rally to superintendent’s front lawn - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

Protesters take rally to superintendent’s front lawn - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Protesters take rally to superintendent’s front lawn Thursday, July 5th, 2012 at 10:34 am in 1 Comment *photo by Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group* Oakland Superintendent Tony Smith and his family weren’t home on Tuesday evening when the anti-school closure rally at Lakeview Elementary moved to his house. They didn’t hear chanting demonstrators demanding that he reopen the closed elementary schools or quit his job, though they might have seen a sign left on his front porc... more »

Pass / Fail : LAUSD to fight judge's order on sharing classroom space with charters | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 31 minutes ago

Pass / Fail : LAUSD to fight judge's order on sharing classroom space with charters | 89.3 KPCC: LAUSD to fight judge's order on sharing classroom space with charters by By Tami Abdollah [image: Students bus Loyola Village Elementary School] *Students leaving school on a bus. Credit: Tami Abdollah / KPCC* L.A. Unified has vowed to fight a judge’s order to comply with a state law that requires districts to share space equally among public school students, including those in charters, saying that it would bring “catastrophic” results, lopsided class sizes, and may force busing of stud... more »

Schools Matter: No Reason to Believe Rosetta Stone’s Claims

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago

Schools Matter: No Reason to Believe Rosetta Stone’s Claims: No Reason to Believe Rosetta Stone’s Claims by skrashen Sent to the Korea Times, July 5, 2012 There is good reason to believe that “Language Learning should be Natural,” (July 4), but there is no reason to believe that Rosetta Stone is an effective way to do it. The Times has provided free advertising for a method that has no published scientific evidence supporting its claims. In contrast, there have been many studies published in professional scientific journals showing that other ways of making language acquisition ... more »

The Failed Microsoft Corporate Origins of "Value-Added" Teacher Rankings | K-12 News Network

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

The Failed Microsoft Corporate Origins of "Value-Added" Teacher Rankings | K-12 News Network: The Failed Microsoft Corporate Origins of “Value-Added” Teacher Rankings by admin Readers of the Vanity Fair piece highlighting Microsoft’s decade of failure to innovate and resulting loss of market share can’t help but notice the close parallels between that company’s decline and their corporate practice of “stack ranking.” “Stack ranking,” as described in “Microsoft’s Downfall: Inside the Executive E-mails and Cannibalistic Culture That Felled a Software Giant,” is the practice of impo... more »

Interview with myself about the NEA RA now that I am home. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Interview with myself about the NEA RA now that I am home. « Fred Klonsky: Interview with myself about the NEA RA now that I am home. by Fred Klonsky Q: How does it feel to be back home in Chicago. A: Sweet. Hot. But sweet. Q: You missed Obama’s phone call to the RA from Ohio? A: Yes I did. But it doesn’t sound like I missed much. It wasn’t much more than the usual,* “We thank you for all you do,”* stuff. The Obama campaign won’t address anything of substance because they know their current policies run counter to what most public school teachers believe and want to hear from a sel... more »

Feds probe treatment of diabetic students - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Feds probe treatment of diabetic students - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post: Feds probe treatment of diabetic students By Bill Turque As it’s described in a complaint under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education, the mother of a diabetic third grader at Davis Elementary in Southeast D.C. had two options on days when the school nurse wasn’t available. One was to come to school with her child to monitor her blood glucose level, administering insulin or other medication if necessary. Or, she could keep her at home. It gets worse, according to University Legal Ser... more »

Interview with William Hite | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Interview with William Hite | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Interview with William Hiteby Benjamin Herold on Jul 05 2012 Posted in Latest news[image: William R. Hite, Jr.]*Broad Superintendents Academy Class of 2005 * - COMMENTS (0)PRINT - EMAIL[image: ""] Tags: - CEO - INN feed - WHYY/NewsWorks - leadership *This is an edited transcript of Benjamin Herold'sinterview with William Hite.* *Herold*: What impression did Philadelphia make on you during this process? *Hite: *I was surprised with the level of passion that was on display…I was pleasantly... more »

Fraud Alert! Beware of Change.Org « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Fraud Alert! Beware of Change.Org « Diane Ravitch's blog: Fraud Alert! Beware of Change.Org by dianerav From a reader: *Change.org & Students First are STILL at it! Yet ANOTHER Students First petition is attached to a valid one. This petition is titled* *“Good Teachers Deserve Decent Pay.” REALLY?? Can someone out there get them to stop loading these phony petitions? It* *says that 1,300,000+ people signed!!! To whoever can do anything–THANK YOU VERY MUCH!* Note: I am still a “member” of StudentsFirst, having signed a petition without knowing that I was joining an organization that... more »

Daily Kos: Gates's Cannibalistic Culture: Coming to a School Near You!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Daily Kos: Gates's Cannibalistic Culture: Coming to a School Near You!: Gates's Cannibalistic Culture: Coming to a School Near You! byplthomasEdDFollow Share4 PERMALINK1 COMMENT Bill Gates has adopted education as a billionaire's hobby for many years—once supporting small schools projects, but more recently focusing on teacher quality. Little attention, however, has been paid to Gates's struggles in business (Microsoft) or his complete lack of expertise, experience, or success as an educational entrepreneur. Until now, in this expose by *Vanity Fair* addressing the key practices a... more »

Hechinger Report | Q&A with Jonathan Lightman: The uncertain future of California’s community colleges

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Hechinger Report | Q&A with Jonathan Lightman: The uncertain future of California’s community colleges: Q&A with Jonathan Lightman: The uncertain future of California’s community colleges by Nick Pandolfo Jonathan Lightman This winter, California voters have a big decision to make. To help climb out of a nearly $9 billion shortfall, California passed a budget last week dependent largely on tax increases. This November, a tax initiative will be on the ballot that would temporarily increase taxes for high earners and raise the sales tax in order to funnel money into education and oth... more »

More lies about charter schools | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

More lies about charter schools | Seattle Education: More lies about charter schools by seattleducation2011 Sue sent me what seemed to be the practiced lines of one well rehearsed in arguments that we will be hearing to support having charter schools in our state. These lies and half-truths were found in the comment section of an article on Slog, the Stranger’s blog, Surprise! Billionaire Charter Schools Backers Buy Enough Signatures. I will go through this person’s remarks and respond to each comment made: “President Obama supports the expansion of public charter schools.” Presid... more »

Jersey Jazzman: About Those Charters That Are Taking Over Newark

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: About Those Charters That Are Taking Over Newark: About Those Charters That Are Taking Over Newark by Duke Let's go back to today's usurpation of democracy in Newark. The state-appointed superintendent, Cami Anderson, overrode the elected yet powerless local advisory board to allow for the closing of several public schools and subsequent leasing of the properties to five charters. This all happened immediately after the state reaffirmed that they will retain control over Newark's schools; the justification was that the schools are not run well, *even though it's the... more »

Misinformation at NEA RA « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Misinformation at NEA RA « Diane Ravitch's blog: Misinformation at NEA RA by dianerav [image: SOS Save Our Schools] I have had several emails from people at the NEA representative assembly asking me if I was no longer supportive of the Save Our Schools organization. Apparently some delegate got up and said I had disassociated myself from the group. I replied that this was untrue. I was invited to speak this summer, and I declined but that was no indication of a lack of support, just a wish to minimize travel during the summer. I participated as the lead respondent in an SOS webin... more »

Mother Crusader: Facing Eviction, Regis Finds New Facility While Districts Are Kept In The Dark.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Mother Crusader: Facing Eviction, Regis Finds New Facility While Districts Are Kept In The Dark.: Facing Eviction, Regis Finds New Facility While Districts Are Kept In The Dark. by darciecima My friend Jersey Jazzman mapped out the districts the Regis Academy says their students will come from and posited that Regis doesn't really seem to be offering much to warrant schlepping kids from a 50 mile radius. I hate to be the one to tell him, but he needs to redraw his map. Seems that Regis, facing eviction from their current facility where Amir Khan also houses his church, Solid ... more »

Seal of Biliteracy - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Seal of Biliteracy - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces More Than 10,000 Students Earn New State Seal of Biliteracy *Seal Recognizing Proficiency in Multiple Languages is First of its Kind in the Nation*** SACRAMENTO—More than 10,000 graduating high school students across California have earned the first state recognition in the nation for achieving proficiency in multiple languages, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today. The "State Seal of Biliteracy" was established per Assembly Bill 815 (Brownley) to r... more »

More Puzzling about the Gates Foundation « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

More Puzzling about the Gates Foundation « Diane Ravitch's blog: More Puzzling about the Gates Foundation by dianerav I blogged about an article on the Gates Foundation this morning. The article was written under a pseudonym. The author of the article posted the following comment this morning in response to my post: *I’m puzzled, too. When Gates first announced the foundation, my husband was at UCD working on international health and nutrition. The exact year was 1994, I think. Anyway, I confess I actually cried for joy, and I’m not easily moved by press announcements.* *My disil... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: What's Love Got to Do With It? Ask Your Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: What's Love Got to Do With It? Ask Your Students!: What's Love Got to Do With It? Ask Your Students! by Lisa M Once upon a time there was a little 2nd grade boy. He was new to a school, and he brought with him, all his problems and issues. Sent to live with dad after mom "couldn't take it any more", a pre-primer reading level, an evil stepmother, and siblings who did not like him, he didn't stand a chance. After a couple of weeks, it became apparent that this child was a "problem". Inappropriate language, bullying, no work, etc...His teach... more »

Vouchers Help Catholic Schools Survive | Daily News | NCRegister.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Vouchers Help Catholic Schools Survive | Daily News | NCRegister.com: Vouchers Help Catholic Schools Survive (1247)Poll shows 56% in support of government assistance. Programs expanding, helping to keep parochial schools afloat. Share by STEVE WEATHERBE *06/26/2012 Comments (15)* [image: Stephen Kiels/Shutterstock.com] – Stephen Kiels/Shutterstock.com At least partly thanks to a growing wave of states enacting school voucher programs, many Catholic schools are again seeing increased enrolments. Indiana began offering vouchers in 2011, as did Douglas County, Colo., while Congress rein...more »

Privatizers Running Accreditation Agency Want SF City College Liquidations To Drive Business To For Profit Schools SF City College of San Francisco on brink of closure | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Privatizers Running Accreditation Agency Want SF City College Liquidations To Drive Business To For Profit Schools SF City College of San Francisco on brink of closure | Dailycensored.com: Privatizers Running Accreditation Agency Want SF City College Liquidations To Drive Business To For Profit Schools SF City College of San Francisco on brink of closure by Danny Weil Creating the material conditions for the private takeover of public education by the for-profit carnivorous commodity colleges is moving forward swiftly. Starving public colleges has been the plan and now the chick... more »

Lily Eskelsen kicked off the annual Representative Assembly with a stirring version of the National Anthem | Lily's Blackboard

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Lily Eskelsen kicked off the annual Representative Assembly with a stirring version of the National Anthem | Lily's Blackboard: Lily Sings the National Anthem @ the NEA Representative Assembly Jul 5th, 2012 by Lily. Lily Eskelsen kicked off the annual Representative Assembly with a stirring version of the National Anthem

Schools Matter: What Dennis and the Prostisuits Won't Allow NEA Delegates to Say

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Schools Matter: What Dennis and the Prostisuits Won't Allow NEA Delegates to Say: What Dennis and the Prostisuits Won't Allow NEA Delegates to Say by Jim Horn Posted at UOON: Popout Text of Jonathan Massey’s speech. *“Jonathan Massey, Arizona, speaking as an individual in support of this item.* *Some of you may remember that, in 2009, noted “friend of public education” Newt Gingrich went on a nation-wide speaking tour with Arne Duncan and Al Sharpton to promote Race to the Top.* *Others may recall that, just two years ago, the NEA Representative Assembly voted non-*

Mother Crusader: Newark Charter School Fund: What Role Do They Play In The Newark Charter School Takeover?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Mother Crusader: Newark Charter School Fund: What Role Do They Play In The Newark Charter School Takeover?: Newark Charter School Fund: What Role Do They Play In The Newark Charter School Takeover? by darciecima [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] NJ Spotlight, the Star Ledger and Jersey Jazzman have all covered the "news" that Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson overruled the vote of the ELECTED Advisory Board to reject Anderson's plan to lease district school buildings to charters. Chairperson of the Advisory Board, Antoinette Baskerville-Richardson, ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Charter Schools: Bad For the Planet

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Charter Schools: Bad For the Planet: Charter Schools: Bad For the Planet by Duke Darcie has a great post updating the Regis Academy charter school application. Regis, you'll remember, is coming to the high-performing Cherry Hill School District, despite the fact that the community neither wants nor needs it. Regis's founder, Pastor Amir Khan, admitted that he needed the revenue from the charter school - courtesy of local taxpayers - to help pay his mortgage (so much for the 1st Amendment), even though it looks like he is still is danger of being evicted from his chu... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, July 5, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Thursday, July 5, 2012* Former principal's lawsuit claims she was demoted for reporting alleged death threatsWhen a teacher at Stowers Elementary School in Cerritos allegedly made death threats against two other teachers, then-principal Eileen Blagden thought she was doing the right thing by reporting the incident to police. Sacramento students identify energy-saving projects for schoolsIn an innovative program, the Sacramento City Unified School District is relying on its students' expertise to make its school...more »

Pass / Fail : Molly Munger, who proposed and funded 'Our Children, Our Future,' pitches plan for California education | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Pass / Fail : Molly Munger, who proposed and funded 'Our Children, Our Future,' pitches plan for California education | 89.3 KPCC: Molly Munger, who proposed and funded 'Our Children, Our Future,' pitches plan for California education [image: Munger Education] It may be an issue campaign, but voters might have trouble distinguishing two November tax initiatives from a candidate skirmish. Wealthy Pasadena lawyer Molly Munger is the author of one ballot measure that would raise taxes for public schools. Gov. Jerry Brown is behind the other. The differences between the two surface... more »

We Do Not Negotiate with Censorship: Does the NEA? | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

We Do Not Negotiate with Censorship: Does the NEA? | United Opt Out National: We Do Not Negotiate with Censorship: Does the NEA? by admin The NEA 2012 RA was filled with censorship and mis-information. A New Business Item introduced by California delegate Mark Airgood called for the removal of Sec. of Ed. Arne Duncan and the end to Race to the Top. It was quickly moved to object to consider and buried by a confused use of language by Van Roekel. In the video below, the gentleman to the left is Mark, and the gentleman to the right is a delegate, Johnathan Massey, high school En...more »

NYC Educator: I'm Trying to Learn About That

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

NYC Educator: I'm Trying to Learn About That: I'm Trying to Learn About That by NYC Educator So said Bill Gates to Charlie Rose, on the topic of education. I think it's great that Gates is trying to learn about education. I have to wonder, though, whether it would have been a better idea to learn about education * before* he devoted his life and billions to "reforming" it. After all, the whole small schools thing didn't work out for him, but while we waited for him to "learn about that," NYC closed large schools and opened dozens of new ones. It would have been nice if he'd learned... more »

Shanker Blog » Share My Lesson: The Imperative Of Our Profession

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Shanker Blog » Share My Lesson: The Imperative Of Our Profession: Share My Lesson: The Imperative Of Our Profession by Leo Casey *Leo Casey, UFT vice president for academic high schools, will succeed Eugenia Kemble as executive director of the Albert Shanker Institute, effective this fall.* “You want me to teach this stuff, but I don’t have the stuff to teach.” So opens “Lost at Sea: New Teachers’ Experiences with Curriculum and Assessment,” a 2002 paper by Harvard University researchers about the plight of new teachers trying to learn the craft of teaching in the face of insubst... more »

"NEA RA: NYSUT leaders take center stage." July 03, 2012. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

"NEA RA: NYSUT leaders take center stage." July 03, 2012. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org: NEA RA: NYSUT leaders take center stage Carl Korn and Frank Maurizio - NYSUT Media Relations - July 3, 2012 [image: NEARA_12073_IannuzziDVR_480] Dick Iannuzzi is welcomed to the podium by NEA President Dennis Van Roekel (at right) to accept the NEA’s prestigious Friend of Education Award on behalf of Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, a *New York Times* columnist. The national spotlight — and television cameras — has been on the National Education Association’s annu... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Newark Will NEVER Have Control Of Its Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Newark Will NEVER Have Control Of Its Schools: Newark Will NEVER Have Control Of Its Schools by Duke To the surprise of absolutely no one, the state-appointed superintendent of Newark's schools' told its duly elected advisory board to go jump in the Passaic: Newark’s top education official has overruled the wishes of the district’s advisory school board and will lease five district-owned facilities to charter schools, a district spokeswoman said. Because the district is state controlled, virtually any decision made by the district’s elected school board can be ove... more »

Maintaining Public Support for the Public Good | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Maintaining Public Support for the Public Good | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Maintaining Public Support for the Public Good by Tarsi Dunlop Public systems are inherently complex because they involve multiple levels of government and numerous actors. Such systems, funded with taxpayer dollars, engage the concept of public good. Collective dollars contribute to a framework from which the broader citizenry benefits. The U.S public education system exemplifies complexity, from diverse funding streams to policy-making at the federal, state and local levels to th... more »

The Teacher War of 2012 - Politics - The Detroit News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

The Teacher War of 2012 - Politics - The Detroit News: The Teacher War of 2012 - BY MAKO YAMAKURA - 0 COMMENTS On July 1, the Detroit Public Schools contract with their teachers expired. Detroit Public Schools (DPS) Emergency Manager Roy Roberts imposed a new agreement with the remnants of the school district on Sunday, literally a day after the previous contract expired. Since the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) had already abandoned any idea of working with DPS long ago, this may be the first signal of the fight for the district, already left for scavengers ... more »

Who Is Funding Charters? « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Who Is Funding Charters? « Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Who Is Funding Charters? by dianerav I recently learned about an amazing new website that shows the commitment of private foundations to charter schools: http://www.erinproject.org/foundation. The website was created by the John and Laura Arnold Foundation. John Arnold is a Texas billionaire who has given a lot of money to Michelle Rhee for her campaign to diminish the teaching profession and privatize public education. The foundation has created a truly astonishing website from w... more »

ED Charter Abuse, DC Is No Atlanta, & For-Profits in Court :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

ED Charter Abuse, DC Is No Atlanta, & For-Profits in Court :: Frederick M. Hess: ED Charter Abuse, DC Is No Atlanta, & For-Profits in Court *by Frederick M. Hess • Jul 5, 2012 at 8:18 am Cross-posted from Education Week* Print Send RSS [image: Share] Share [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] After tomorrow, I'll be taking a four-week summer blogging break--I'll introduce your impressive line-up of guest stars tomorrow. Meanwhile, things have backed up while I finished the *Cage-Busting Leadership* manuscript(which went off to Harvard Ed Press on Tuesday). So... more »

Eduflack: Showdown in Chi-Town

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Eduflack: Showdown in Chi-Town: Showdown in Chi-Town by Eduflack Just because it is summer doesn't mean that things aren't happening in local school districts. In Chicago, for instance, teachers and their elected officials are headed for a showdown. Mayor Rahm Emanuel pushes to extend the school day and school year, while stepping away from previous promises of a pay boost. The Chicago Federation of Teachers responds in kind with the authorization for a city-wide strike. The debate has been an interesting one to watch, and in many ways serves as a microcosm for some of the lar... more »

Is My Child Gifted?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Is My Child Gifted?: Is My Child Gifted? by Rick Is my child gifted? Our culture is crazy in the education department. A Gifted and Talented professional will tell you that if your child “shows learning needs” such as: - intensity of focus on an area of interest, - willingness to forgo social time to pursue talent areas, - high levels of perfectionism, - extreme sensitivity to right and wrong, - early concern for global issues like poverty, war, world hunger, etc., - curiosity, originality, imagination, your child might be gifted. Does your child seem over-excitab... more »

Evaluate this… - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Evaluate this… - Wait, What?: Evaluate this… by jonpelto Last Tuesday the Connecticut State Department of Education held a meeting to outline the new Teacher Evaluation Program that will be tested in 16 towns this year. The plan is then to expand the evaluation process to every district in the state. According to a statement issued by Governor Dannel Malloy, the State Board of Education’s approval of the new teacher evaluation system was “a significant step forward in the implementation of our education reform program. We look forward to the upcoming pilot of the new system.” Now... more »

Awareness Is Key to Success of Common Core Standards - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Awareness Is Key to Success of Common Core Standards - High School Notes (usnews.com): Awareness Is Key to Success of Common Core Standards By KELSEY SHEEHY July 5, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: Supporters of the Common Core State Standards say the initiative will align high school learning with college and work expectations.] Supporters of the Common Core State Standards say the initiative will align high school learning with college and work expectations. The Common Core State Standards are taking root in public schools across the country, impacting more than 42 million K-12 students... more »

Is ‘filling the pail’ any way to train teachers? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Is ‘filling the pail’ any way to train teachers? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Is ‘filling the pail’ any way to train teachers? By Valerie Strauss This *was written by Carol Corbett Burris, principal of South Side High School in New York. She was named the 2010 New York State Outstanding Educator by the School Administrators Association of New York State.* ** By Carol Corbett Burris *“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”* I keep this quote on my desk. No one knows who authored it — it is often misattributed to William Butler Yeats. Whoever... more »

Pa. plans to shut down online charter school Frontier - Philly.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Pa. plans to shut down online charter school Frontier - Philly.com: Pa. plans to shut down online charter school Frontier July 04, 2012|By Martha Woodall, Inquirer Staff Writer - - - Share on emailShare on printShare on redditMore Sharing Services - - - - Pennsylvania's secretary of education says the state plans to pull the plug on the embattled Frontier Virtual Charter High School for failing to deliver the education it promised students. In documents filed Monday, Secretary Ronald Tomalis said he intended to yank the Philadelp... more »

Should schools still be teaching cursive? - California Teachers Association

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Should schools still be teaching cursive? - California Teachers Association: Should schools still be teaching cursive? By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin [image: image] Eldra Avery & Dustin Ellis: contrasting views on cursive Should fancy loops and flowing letters of cursive still be taught to students? Is cursive writing an obsolete skill no longer relevant in today’s technological society? The new Common Core State Standards for English do not require cursive. However, under the new standards, states are allowed to teach cursive if they choose, and California still does. Some states, like ... more »

Schools Matter: Mayor Villaraigosa and PLAS CEO Tuck bring Arizona style bigotry to Los Angeles

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Schools Matter: Mayor Villaraigosa and PLAS CEO Tuck bring Arizona style bigotry to Los Angeles: Mayor Villaraigosa and PLAS CEO Tuck bring Arizona style bigotry to Los Angeles by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene *"We had an African American woman walk up to us and say 'why do you need Ethnic Studies?', and we looked at each other and said, 'that's exactly why we need Ethnic Studies!'" — Santee Students speaking at PLAS protest.* It would be a mistake to think the absolutely tragic stream of bigoted and racist legislation flowering in Arizona is confined to Arizona alone. Sadly, one o... more »

BREAKING E4E NEWS!!!! E4E Hires New Executive Director! southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

http://www.southbronxschool.com: BREAKING E4E NEWS!!!! E4E Hires New Executive Director! by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) We here at SBSB wish to give a hardy and snarky welcome to new Educators4Excellence Executive Director Jonathan Schleifer. Yes, the news came to a shock to us here in the SBSB newsroom. Are Little Evan and Princess Sydney no longer with E4E? No. They are now concentrating on bringing their cult to other cities across this great nation of ours to bring the conversation of deform to those lackies and rubes which clamor for their leadership. We applaud that J... more »

Mother Crusader: The Final (Charter) Countdown

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Mother Crusader: The Final (Charter) Countdown: The Final (Charter) Countdown by darciecima And the saga continues... Let's break this one down a little: Jeanine Martin of Voorhees isn't wild about public education dollars going to a church-run charter school. "We live in Voorhees because of the school system," said Martin. The mother of three has collected almost 2,500 signatures urging the Education Department to block Regis from opening. Martin says she doesn't want her school to cut corners just so a new charter can open. "When Regis was approved, Voorhees was told to se... more »

Schools Matter: Stand on Children's Exec. Dir. Responds to Critique of Memphis Debacle

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Schools Matter: Stand on Children's Exec. Dir. Responds to Critique of Memphis Debacle: Stand on Children's Exec. Dir. Responds to Critique of Memphis Debacle by Jim Horn [image: Mr. Burns] Diane Ravitch mentioned an earlier post I did on the resegregation plan that the corporate ed boys have put together for the unsuspecting citizens of Memphis and Shelby County, TN; it has set off quite a storm of reaction, particularly from the local and national Standistas. With Stand on Children doing the back room political deals for Gates and Broad, the "players" in this Kabuki drama seem ... more »

Elton John - Philadelphia Freedom

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

*Philadelphia Freedom* *Elton John* *Philadelphia Freedom* *Elton John* I used to be a rolling stone You know if the cause was right I'd leave to find the answer on the road I used to be a heart beating for someone But the times have changed The less I say the more my work gets done `Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom From the day that I was born I've waved the flag Philadelphia freedom took me knee-high to a man Yeah gave me peace of mind my daddy never had Oh Philadelphia freedom shine on me, I love you Shine a light through the eyes of the ones left behind Shine a... more »

Remarks by the President at Fourth of July Celebration | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Remarks by the President at Fourth of July Celebration | The White House: Remarks by the President at Fourth of July Celebration South Lawn 6:02 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: How’s it going, everybody? (Applause.) Are you hot? It’s supposed to be hot. It’s the fourth of July. Happy Fourth of July, everybody! (Applause.) On behalf of the entire Obama family, welcome to the White House. Now, the last thing anybody wants to do is to ruin a nice backyard barbecue with a long speech, so I’m going to be quick. It is always such an honor for us to spend this holiday with members of our ... more »

An interview with myself on the second to the last day of the NEA RA. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

An interview with myself on the second to the last day of the NEA RA. « Fred Klonsky: An interview with myself on the second to the last day of the NEA RA. by Fred Klonsky Q: How are you holding up? A: I’m tired. These are long days. But I’m out of here after the morning caucus. I’m longing for the 101 degree heat of Chicago instead of the 101 degree heat of DC. Q: Were you surprised that your NBI supporting the Chicago Teachers Union passed so easily? A: Oh, yes. I think I way underestimated how much teachers around the country are following events in Chicago. I think it helped t... more »

VP Biden says Romney planning 'direct assault' on teachers - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

VP Biden says Romney planning 'direct assault' on teachers - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room: VP Biden says Romney planning 'direct assault' on teachers By Justin Sink - 07/03/12 06:27 PM ET The vice president told educators Tuesday that GOP candidate Romney sought to blame them for troubled schools. Vice President Joe Biden told educators Tuesday that they faced a "direct assault" from Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney at the annual meeting of the National Educator's Association in Washington. "I can't think of a candidate for president who's ever made such a direct as... more »

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