Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-11-12 AT Smokey Joe's Cafe Edition #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






Seattle Schools Community Forum: Things Are Getting Interesting

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 29 minutes ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Things Are Getting Interesting: Things Are Getting Interesting by Melissa Westbrook District updates: *I asked the Board about their stand on I-1240* and received this reply from President DeBell: *A Resolution opposing I-1240 is on next week's agenda for introduction and action. It was recommended unanimously by the Executive Committee to the full Board at yesterday's meeting and will be posted tomorrow. * This follows the Renton School Board's rejection of I-1240 as well. So here how it is lining up against I-1240: Community groups, many ... more »

Who is Distorting the Truth About The Common Core? | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Who is Distorting the Truth About The Common Core? | Truth in American Education: Who is Distorting the Truth About The Common Core? by Shane Vander Hart David Musselwhite, the team leader of the Michigan PTA’s Common Core State Standards Initiative accuses critics of the Common Core State Standards of distorting the truth about the Core in an op/ed published this week. He writes: It isn’t difficult to find naysayers who lump the Common Core into arguments against what they call “corporate education reform.” Common Core critics, in their haste to paint anything related to stand... more »

IEA leadership stands by their silence in the face of membership outrage. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
IEA leadership stands by their silence in the face of membership outrage. « Fred Klonsky: IEA leadership stands by their silence in the face of membership outrage. by Fred Klonsky Late this afternoon the IEA leadership posted the following on Charlie McBarron’s website: *IEA statement on controversy over TRS director’s comments* October 11, 2012 By IEA Communications *Statement from the Illinois Education Association October 11, 2012* *Members and leaders of the Illinois Education Association were disappointed and angered by the comments executive director Ingram made to Crain’s C... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-11-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: HOW TO JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS by dianerav As a result of many comments on this blog, and in response to a great yearning to raise our voices, many teachers, parents, students, administrators and concerned citizens plan to join together in a mass letter-writing campaign to the President. We want all letters submitted here to this blog or to Anthony Cody no later than October 17. You may write to the White House directly, and the mail address is in the instructions link. But if you do, you will be required to disclose your identity in ful... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Reform = Disrespect

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Reform = Disrespect: Reform = Disrespect by Duke God bless Mildred C. Crump, Newark Councilwoman and patriot: The Camden Board of Education deserves congratulations for not bowing to pressure and for denying applications to build New Jersey’s first privately owned public schoolsuntil all questions were answered. We recently had a similar opportunity here in Newark, but the results were entirely different. The recommendations of the Advisory Board of Education in Newark were overturned by the state-appointed superintendent, Cami Anderson, supported by Gov. Chris Ch... more »

Is The Common Core Debate About to Go Nuclear? | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Is The Common Core Debate About to Go Nuclear? | Truth in American Education: Is The Common Core Debate About to Go Nuclear? by Shane Vander Hart [image: 250px-Operation_Upshot-Knothole_-_Badger_001]Neal McClusky asks this over at Cato @ Liberty: Proponents of national standards, as I’ve pointed outmany times, have made a concerted effort to avoid attention as they’ve insidiously—and successfully—pushed the so-called Common Core on states. They’ve insisted the effort is “state led,” even though states didn’t create the standards and Washington coerced adoption through Race to the ... more »

My letter in Sojourners Magazine re: real reform Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive »

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » My letter in Sojourners Magazine re: real reform: My letter in Sojourners Magazine re: real reform by admin *Sojourners Magazine* just published a blog comment/letter to the editor I wrote in response to a previous article by Nicole Baker Fulgham, “Beyond ‘Superman,’” which referenced “Waiting for Superman” in recommending that meaningful reform must involve all stakeholders having a stronger, more meaningful voice in school decision-making. Fulgham wrote: “As an African-American woman and a Christian, I have undergone my ow... more »

The Pioneer Spirit | Taking Note

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
The Pioneer Spirit | Taking Note: The Pioneer Spirit by John Merrow John unpacks the ideas of blended learning and the Common Core. Full disclosure: The longer I work as an education reporter, the more skeptical and more bandwagon-adverse I am. And I am in my 38th year on the beat….so read on at your peril.) A clever ad for Xerox a few years ago showed an executive at his desk listening to a succession of pitches from unseen salesmen, all of whom ended their pitch by saying “It’s almost as good as a Xerox.” As the last salesman began his windup, the (by now exasperated) executiv... more »

It’s Charlie’s website. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
It’s Charlie’s website. « Fred Klonsky: It’s Charlie’s website. by Fred Klonsky A couple of years ago I complained to IEA Communications Director Charlie McBarron about the IEA’s website linking to a faux news item attacking the Michigan Education Association. The item was planted by the Mackinac Center, a right-wing anti-union website. McBarron responded with a full-throated defense and counter-attack. He defended the *In the News* feature although he sorta, kinda agreed that they probably, sorta, maybe made a mistake in publishing something attacking our union brothers and sisters... more »

Daily Kos: Bus Tour with teacherken: Ground Zero aka Madison

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Daily Kos: Bus Tour with teacherken: Ground Zero aka Madison: Bus Tour with teacherken: Ground Zero aka Madison by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *This is cross-posted from Education Votes of the National Education Association, for whom I am serving as an embedded blogger aboard the Stop the Greed Agenda Bus Tour of Patriot Majority USA* I do not mean to offend in using the term Ground Zero, which since 9/11/2001 has assumed a particular meaning. Yet if one considers what happened in Wisconsin when people occupied the Capitol and began the pushback against the Greed Agenda put forth... more »

America's Report Card 2012: Children in the US | First Focus

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
America's Report Card 2012: Children in the US | First Focus: *America's Report Card 2012: Children in the U.S* America's Report Card 2012: Children in the U.S., released yesterday by First Focus and Save the Children, assigns America a lackluster C- for overall child well-being. The launch featured speakers Jennifer Garner, former Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), First Focus President Bruce Lesley, and Senior Vice President of Save the Children's U.S. Programs Mark Shriver. The national report card, released yesterday by First Focus and Save the Children, ass... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: International Day of the Girl

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: International Day of the Girl: International Day of the Girl by Melissa Westbrook Yes, it's a calendar day just for girls. To that end, CNN asked prominent women what they would tell their 15-year old selves. What a huge question. I far like myself better now than at 15. I think that if, at that time, there had been more "you go girl" mentality, I would have been a stronger person. If there had been more sports for girls, I would have been the athlete and not the person cheering on the sidelines. (But I was a feminist even then and never let a... more »

API Growth Report Released for 2012 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
API Growth Report Released for 2012 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): Majority of California's Public Schools Reach Statewide Achievement Target, State Schools Superintendent Tom Torlakson Announces SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent Tom Torlakson announced today that for the first time a majority of California's public schools met or surpassed the statewide target for academic achievement on the 2012 Academic Performance Index (API). Some 53 percent of schools scored at or above the state target of 800, an increase of 4 percentage points over last year, marking a decade of steady ... more »

The money needs to be returned, People need to be fired. - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
The money needs to be returned, People need to be fired. - Wait, What?: The money needs to be returned, People need to be fired. by jonpelto Merging the Connecticut State University and the Community Colleges was a disaster in the making. Search Wait, What? for some of the earlier posts on the subject. Most disappointing of all is that the people who allowed it to happen knew better and yet actively helped push through Malloy’s plan. Now, as a by-product of that mistake, 21 employee of the new Board of Regents have been illegally sharing hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay r... more »

Queensboro Academic Senate Comes Out Swinging « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Queensboro Academic Senate Comes Out Swinging « Student Activism: Queensboro Academic Senate Comes Out Swinging by Angus Johnston Yesterday I wrote a piece about a Tuesday evening meeting of the CUNY Queensboro Community College Academic Senate, but the piece wasn’t quite complete because I didn’t have confirmation of the vote results or final text of the resolutions. Well, I do now, and it’s pretty extraordinary. To recap: A few weeks ago an administrator at QCC threatened to dismantle the college’s English Department and outsource its composition course offerings in retaliation ... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Foreign aid pouring into my Chicago neighborhood

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Foreign aid pouring into my Chicago neighborhood: Foreign aid pouring into my Chicago neighborhood by Mike Klonsky Workmen put finishing touches on our new neighborhood soccer field built with foreign aid. Corporations have found a safe tax haven here in Chicago and the State of Illinois. So much so that teacher retirement funds are being threatened, mental health clinics are being shuttered along with a hundred neighborhood schools, due mainly to lack of revenue. Under Rahm Emanuel's regime, Chicago is being turned into a beggar city which now o... more »

Confronting the Free Marketeers: Will they Plow Through Us? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Confronting the Free Marketeers: Will they Plow Through Us? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Confronting the Free Marketeers: Will they Plow Through Us? by Anthony Cody Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody Yesterday I had the strange experience of waking up to a blog post by someone I had never before encountered claiming he had "kicked my ass six ways to Sunday" - in the headline no less! And stranger still, the post made no explicit reference to my work, and provided no link to anything I had written. I left a fairly mild comment indicating that I was interested i... more »

An “Odd” thought « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
An “Odd” thought « Deborah Meier on Education: An “Odd” thought Posted on October 11, 2012 by debmeier It came to me as I was falling asleep! We’re in a “competition” between charters et al and “regular” urban public schools. Agreed. But the folks in charge of one side in this “competition” are in fact members of the other team–and take no responsibility for improving their team. We have mayors in charge (along with their selected underlings) who are championing the privatization of the public schools they are accountable on the grounds that those schools aren’t fixable. In some ca... more »

Hechinger Report | Pell Grants boost college access for low-income students but money is only half the story

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Hechinger Report | Pell Grants boost college access for low-income students but money is only half the story: Pell Grants boost college access for low-income students but money is only half the story By Arnold Mitchem It’s ironic that just as the U.S. poverty rate rises to its highest level in more than four decades, the Pell Grant program—the most important source of federal aid for low-income students aspiring to a college education—celebrates its 40th anniversary. Arnold Mitchem To be sure, there is good reason to celebrate the Pell Grant’s huge impact on expanding college acces... more »

Herhold: What's behind Molly Munger's attack on Jerry Brown's school funding measure - Inside Bay Area

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Herhold: What's behind Molly Munger's attack on Jerry Brown's school funding measure - Inside Bay Area: Herhold: What's behind Molly Munger's attack on Jerry Brown's school funding measure By Scott Herhold sherhold@mercurynews.com Posted: 10/10/2012 03:59:24 PM PDT Updated: 10/10/2012 03:59:26 PM PDT If adult life is high school writ large, we can recognize Molly Munger. She's the ambitious senior who was left off the debate team or the homecoming court. But instead of accepting her defeat with good grace, she's making sure her nearest rival is rejected as well. The Southern ... more »

Why are we educators having so much trouble mobilizing our voice in ways that are effective? | Dangerously Irrelevant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Why are we educators having so much trouble mobilizing our voice in ways that are effective? | Dangerously Irrelevant: Why are we educators having so much trouble mobilizing our voice in ways that are effective? OCTOBER 11, 2012 BY SCOTT MCLEOD 0 COMMENTS 0 [image: Silence] *Why are we educators having so much trouble mobilizing our voice in ways that are effective?* Are we afraid to speak up? Are we ineffective when we do speak up? Do we need to do a better job of marketing? Are we not taking these educational and policy changes seriously enough yet? Do we not have a viable and compe... more »

Left out of No Child Left Behind: Teach for America's outsized influence on alternative certification - Education - AEI

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Left out of No Child Left Behind: Teach for America's outsized influence on alternative certification - Education - AEI: Left out of No Child Left Behind: Teach for America's outsized influence on alternative certification Alexander Russo | American Enterprise Institute October 11, 2012 *Licking Boots Again* Left out of No Child Left Behind: Teach for America's outsized influence on alternative certification Download PDF When Kevin Huffman joined Teach for America (TFA) in September 2000 as vice president of development and general counsel, there was no real federal operation in ... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Misreads "Shift Among Democrats" On Education | OurFuture.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Misreads "Shift Among Democrats" On Education | OurFuture.org: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Misreads "Shift Among Democrats" On Education by Jeff Bryant In her recent *Washington Post* op-ed, Michelle Rhee ruminated over the outcome of the recent Chicago Teachers Strike and concluded that not only were the Chicago teachers "never about the kids" but also had made a practical, political mistake by not being in step with the rest of the Democratic party.Her contention seems to be that teachers who use a contract dispute to protest increasing... more »

Anti-Latino Laws Ignite The South | Dissident Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Anti-Latino Laws Ignite The South | Dissident Voice: Anti-Latino Laws Ignite The South by Lamont Lilly / October 11th, 2012 In its original format, Alabama’s Beason-Hammon Act granted school resource officers the right to badger 5th graders on the basis of their immigration status. The state of Alabama, which passed the Beason-Hammon Act (or HB 56) in June of 2011, was the only state in the country requiring public school administrators to verify immigration data for new K-12 students. However, just two months ago in August of this year, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals struck do... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, October 11, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *http://www.yesonprop30.com/* Education Headlines *Thursday, October 11, 2012* Ballot filled with school bond propositionsIt's a sign of the fiscal times: There are 106 public school bond propositions in 33 counties on California's November ballot. Fensterwald: The grit factor - hard to measure, hard to succeed withoutMuch of the debate over how to reform public schools has fixated on improving student achievement by focusing almost exclusively on strengthening academics and students’ cognitive skills. In his important new book, H... more »

Candidate Who Called for Death Penalty for “Rebellious” Children Worked on Child Abuse Cases in Arkansas State Govt « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Candidate Who Called for Death Penalty for “Rebellious” Children Worked on Child Abuse Cases in Arkansas State Govt « Student Activism: Candidate Who Called for Death Penalty for “Rebellious” Children Worked on Child Abuse Cases in Arkansas State Govt by Angus Johnston In the last little while a truly stunning number of Republican officials and candidates have gotten press for making stunningly horrible statements, from the Wisconsin state representative who said “some girls rape easy” to theGeorgia congressman who called the big bang a lie “from the pit of hell” to the Arkansas l... more »

What Joel Klein’s misleading autobiography means for school reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
What Joel Klein’s misleading autobiography means for school reform: What Joel Klein’s misleading autobiography means for school reform Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 11, 2012 at 9:01 am Joel Klein has repeatedly talked about how he grew up in a poor neighborhood and was headed for failure until a high school teacher helped him realize his potential. This story, he says, shows how important teachers really are. But in the important following post, Richard Rothstein, a research associate at the Economic Policy Institute, explains why Klein’s story is misleading — and why that... more »

Will Whole Foods Help or Hurt Pluto's, Jamba Juice & Mikuni? - Davis, CA Patch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Will Whole Foods Help or Hurt Pluto's, Jamba Juice & Mikuni? - Davis, CA Patch: Will Whole Foods Help or Hurt Pluto's, Jamba Juice & Mikuni? Whole Foods will open its doors in less than two weeks. In doing so, it will turn an already-bustling shopping center into an even more popular destination. But will the arrival of Whole Foods result in a bump for surrounding Davis Commons businesses like Pluto's, Jamba Juice and Mikuni, or will it draw customers away from them? (Share your thoughts in the comments below). On one hand, families and students who would not have otherwise passed ... more »

Students protest ouster of principal, staff and teachers by Future is Now Charter Chain backed by Bill Gates | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Students protest ouster of principal, staff and teachers by Future is Now Charter Chain backed by Bill Gates | Dailycensored.com: Students protest ouster of principal, staff and teachers by Future is Now Charter Chain backed by Bill Gates by Danny Weil Students in Detroit walkd out of their schools when Robert Bobb, the lapdog for Elye Broad and his union busting, privatizing crew of superintendent trainers, muscled into Detroit schools thanks to corporate democrat and Governor at the time, Jennifer Granholm. In fact, they even sat in at her office to stop the appointment of anot... more »

Modern School: Shocking News: Free Birth Control Reduces Abortions and Unwanted Pregnancies

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Modern School: Shocking News: Free Birth Control Reduces Abortions and Unwanted Pregnancies: Shocking News: Free Birth Control Reduces Abortions and Unwanted Pregnancies by Michael Dunn Republican Free Birth Control (Image from Flickr, by DonkeyHotey) A large study recently published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology has concluded that free birth control leads to dramatically lower rates of abortions and teen births. The study followed more than 9,000 women in St. Louis, who were provided their choice of contraception at no cost, including birth control pills and IUDs. When pri... more »

School Reform – First Do No Harm | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
School Reform – First Do No Harm | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: School Reform – First Do No Harm by Cheryl S. Williams A new report, *Democratic School Turnarounds: Pursuing Equity and Learning from Evidence,* suggests that government agencies and policy-makers, including the U.S. Department of Education, should rely more on research to guide their efforts in school reform and turnaround strategies. The report, authored by Tina Trujillo at the University of California, Berkeley and Michelle Renee of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown Univer... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The closing and re-segregation of our schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The closing and re-segregation of our schools: The closing and re-segregation of our schools by Mike Klonsky As we move as a society towards total and complete re-segregation in our schools and as colleges and universities becomes less and less accessible to all but the wealthy, the Supremes are about to roll back even more of the gains of the '60s Civil Rights Movement. This week, they are preparing to stamp out the last vestiges of affirmative action at the post-secondary level. Here's the way *Justice Roberts* is framing the case: "How much diver... more »

What Chartering Could Have Been - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
What Chartering Could Have Been - Bridging Differences - Education Week: What Chartering Could Have Been by Deborah Meier Dear Pedro, Regarding the Ted Sizer quote on teachers: Thanks for the reminder. Or, as I often say, teachers "burn out" because they are treated like appliances. I hesitate over Ted's wise words only because of those last two about acting like "hired hands." Being a "hired hand" is, after all, not dishonorable nor does it come without skill and responsibility. As I read your letter, I thought also of Larry Cuban's book *How Can I Fix It?*, in which he argues a... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Are School Vouchers (and Charters) Really the Free Market at Work? Does the Free Market Include Government Funding/Regulations?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Are School Vouchers (and Charters) Really the Free Market at Work? Does the Free Market Include Government Funding/Regulations?: Are School Vouchers (and Charters) Really the Free Market at Work? Does the Free Market Include Government Funding/Regulations? by stlgretchen School "choices". Andrew Coulson from CATO writes about the idea of "choice" and why many "choice" proponents who espouse "free market" are actually promoting unconstitutional ideas. We at MEW have some rather spirited discussions the last several days with "choicers" about our recen... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Why the secret donors? - Guest Comment - Opinions - October 11, 2012 - Sacramento News & Review

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Why the secret donors? - Guest Comment - Opinions - October 11, 2012 - Sacramento News & Review: Why the secret donors? By Seth Sandronsky This article was published on 10.11.12. Seth Sandronsky is a freelance journalist in Sacramento *Related stories:* Mayor Kevin Johnson and wife Michelle Rhee bring Students First education road show back to Sacramento The mayor asks, “Is education the civil-rights issue of our time?” SN&R, 02.02.12. [image: spacer] *Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst, a nonprofit and tax-exempt* education-reform group that operates in 34 states with a national he... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-11-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How to Join the Campaign for Our Public Schools by dianerav As a result of many comments on this blog, and in response to a great yearning to raise our voices, many teachers, parents, students, administrators and concerned citizens plan to join together in a mass letter-writing campaign to the President. We want all letters submitted here to this blog or to Anthony Cody no later than October 17. You may write to the White House directly, and the mail address is in the instructions link. But if you do, you wil... more »

America’s Report Card 2012 C-Minus | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
America’s Report Card 2012 C-Minus | toteachornototeach: America’s Report Card 2012 C-Minus by aristotlethewise *‘America’s Report Card 2012′ Gives U.S. A C-Minus On* *Ensuring Educational Opportunities, Providing For Children* A joint report by Save the Children and First Focus has awarded the U.S. a C-minus overall grade when it comes to providing for and ensuring educational opportunities for the nation’s children. “America’s Report Card 2012: Children in the U.S.” is the first in an annual report card series of evaluations commissioned by former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and cu... more »

The grit factor: hard to measure, hard to succeed without | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The grit factor: hard to measure, hard to succeed without | EdSource Today: The grit factor: hard to measure, hard to succeed without ** October 11th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Much of the debate over how to reform public schools has fixated on improving student achievement by focusing almost exclusively on strengthening academics and students’ cognitive skills. Paying disproportionate attention to standardized tests, teacher quality, per-student spending, technology, extra ... more »

Daily Kos: Her "Crime" Was Loving Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Daily Kos: Her "Crime" Was Loving Schools: Her "Crime" Was Loving Schools by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) is the title of this *New York Times* column by Nicholas Kristof. Like the current recommended diary Never loved Lawrence O'Donnell as much as today ... it is about Malala Yousafzai, the 14-year-old Pakistan girl who is an advocate for the education of girls and who was shot by the Pakistani Taliban because she would not cease. The issue of girls and women is a passion for Kristof. The book he co-wrote with his wife and the video based on it, "Half The Sky," demonstrates... more »

Rethinking Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Rethinking Schools: Volume 27, Issue 1 Volume 27, Issue 1 VOLUME 27, ISSUE 1 — FALL 2012 Cover Theme: Race and Place How do we teach the history of the enormous wealth disparity in the United States? What is the context for today’s homelessness and foreclosure crises? Burned Out of Homes and HistoryUnearthing the Silenced Voices of the Tulsa Race Riot Through historical documents, novels, videos, and a role play, high school language arts students learn about the racist riot that destroyed the African American section of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921. They turn their understanding into p... more »

Shock and Audits: Clocking Five Days of Baltimore City Public Schools News | Re:education in Baltimore

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Shock and Audits: Clocking Five Days of Baltimore City Public Schools News | Re:education in Baltimore: Shock and Audits: Clocking Five Days of Baltimore City Public Schools News by Edit Barry I offer the following timeline of publications with no comment: *Saturday, October 6, 2012, 3:35 p.m.* The *Baltimore Sun* publishes City schools criticized in financial audit: Legislative audit from 2010 finds millions in uncollected debts, unjustified payouts, unreported conflicts of interest by Erica L. Green. *Monday, October 8, 2012, 11:41 a.m.*City Schools CEO Andres A. Alonso, Ed.D., s... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: McCarthyites Take Up Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
One Teacher's Perspective: McCarthyites Take Up Teachers: McCarthyites Take Up Teachers by Imagine Wisconsin More than any of my posting, my take on Paul Ryan and Me has drawn lots of attention from all over the country. *Many middle class Americans, Wisconsinites, and Janesvillians share my concerns about Ryan's devout faith in lassez-faire capitalism. Expectedly, however, my critique of Ryan's political philosophy irked those who share Ryan's blind devotion in the free market. * * *Through the recall season and this new age of scapegoating teachers, I have grown accustom to the ... more »

NYC Educator: Full-Time UFT, Part-Time Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
NYC Educator: Full-Time UFT, Part-Time Voice: Full-Time UFT, Part-Time Voice by NYC Educator It's tough getting doors slammed in your face. Yet if you're a UFT activist, it's hard to imagine how to avoid it. You could sign up and join Unity, if, unlike the overwhelming majority of teachers, you get yourself invited. Yet, if you do that, you have to agree never to speak up against Unity positions. So, as an activist, you'd sign up to support, for one example, mayoral control, which has brought nothing but misery to working teachers. You also sign up to support VAM, or value-added ... more »

Prop 38: A Different Take on the Problem of Education Funding | California Progress Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Prop 38: A Different Take on the Problem of Education Funding | California Progress Report: Prop 38: A Different Take on the Problem of Education Funding by callen *By Sheila Kuehl* This is the second in a series of essays analyzing the Propositions appearing on California's November ballot. This essay describes Proposition 38, which amends state statutes (not the Constitution) to increase state income tax for any Californian earning more than $7316 a year, and allocates the increased revenues to K-12 education, state debt and early childhood education. I'll also address what happe... more »

Invitation to a Dialogue: A Student's Call to Arms - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Invitation to a Dialogue: A Student's Call to Arms - Perdaily.com: Invitation to a Dialogue: A Student's Call to Arms by Leonard Isenberg [image: education failure.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)** The NY Times invites readers to respond by Thursday for the Sunday Dialogue. We plan to publish responses and Mr. Goyal's rejoinder in the Sunday Review. E-mail: letters@nytimes.com* ------------------------------ October 9, 2012 Invitation to a Dialogue: A Student's Call to Arms *To the Editor:* When Pr... more »

Today is Money Blast Day in Washington State: Please help us stave off the billionaires’ takeover of our schools | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Today is Money Blast Day in Washington State: Please help us stave off the billionaires’ takeover of our schools | Seattle Education: Today is Money Blast Day in Washington State: Please help us stave off the billionaires’ takeover of our schools by seattleducation2011 It’s here – *Money Blast Day in Washington State* to fight off I-1240 that would establish charter schools. (Washington State is one of just nine states that does not have charter schools and we have voted – *three times* – and said *“No!”* to charters.) Bill Gates and the Walton’s just infused the Yes side to the tun... more »

Evergreen Park teacher strike. Starting second week. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Evergreen Park teacher strike. Starting second week. « Fred Klonsky: Evergreen Park teacher strike. Starting second week. by Fred Klonsky Teachers in Evergreen Park, members of the IFT, will start their second week on strike this morning. Talks broke off at 2:30 this morning. Issues are salary and benefits. The district is running a major budget surplus. Evergreen Park is a working class community just southwest of the City of Chicago. Several other Illinois school districts have been given ten-day strike notifications as required by law before teachers can walk. Ten minute drawin... more »

School Tech Connect: Good Stuff, Bad Stuff

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Good Stuff, Bad Stuff: Good Stuff, Bad Stuff by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Way too busy to write.... but did you see this? Really, one of the best explanations of the problematic notion of the term "choice" as it is used in these conversations. And I quote... There are disparities in what choice means around the city. There is a heavy concentration of magnets on the north/central side and very few on the west side. We have met many parents on the south and west sides who do not have choice –they ha... more »

Engaging Parents In School… » Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Engaging Parents In School… » Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools: Molly Munger Initiates “Murder-Suicide” Pact To Devastate CA Schools by Larry Ferlazzo Here in California, billionaire Molly Munger began running ads, apparently with the California PTA’s support, supporting her doomed-to-fail initiative and attacking the Governor and teacher-supported initiative that actually has a chance to win and providing monies to public schools. You can read all about it at today’s post at Ed Source, Munger-funded “compare and contrast” ad criticizes Prop. 30.... more »

Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: - S.Res.584 A resolution designating October 4, 2012, as "Jumpstart's Read for the Record Day". Senate Passed Sep 22, 201228 Views - S.Res.579 A resolution designating the week of September 24 through September 28, 2012, as "National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week". Senate Passed Sep 22, 201230 Views - S.Res.587 A resolution supporting "Lights on Afterschool", a national celebration of afterschool programs. Senate Passed Sep 22, 201234 Views See All Bills H.R.6557 - College Cost Redu... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means?: Does Chris Cerf Know What "Democracy" Means? by Duke Local governance? Not in Camden: *Breaking every tie should always be done “in the best interest of the students,” Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said during a speech Tuesday*, just days after the local board of education deadlocked on a significant vote. Cerf made the comment at the grand opening of a $12.5 million charter school in the heart of the city’s downtown, the Leap Academy University Charter School STEM campus. The LEAP science, technology, engineeri... more »

Daily Kos: Who was Glen Doherty?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Daily Kos: Who was Glen Doherty?: Who was Glen Doherty? by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) We first learned about this former Navy Seal in the tragedy at Benghazi. Unfortunately one of our Presidential candidates has tried to take political advantage of a one-time chance meeting with Doherty several years ago. By now most people paying attention know that Doherty's mother objected, and his best friend has offered what he says Doherty told him about that encounter. But there is another side of Glen Doherty. He was on the board of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, founde... more »

The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview] | The Jose Vilson: The School To Prison Pipeline From An Educator’s Perspective [Interview] by Jose Popout “Teaching in the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Strategies to Empower Youth” featuring New York City public school teacher, education activist and TEDxNYED speaker Jose Vilson. Urban Youth Justice Director Ernest Saadiq Morris talks to Jose Vilson about his unique perspective as a Black-Latino male teacher and youth advocate regarding the obstacles facing students of color in achieving a quality education w... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President!: My Letter to President Obama! October 17, 2012!:Write the President! by Lisa M * “One thing I never want to see happen is schools that are just teaching the test because then you’re not learning about the world, you’re not learning about different cultures, you’re not learning about science, you’re not learning about math,” the president said. “All you’re learning about is how to fill out a little bubble on an exam and little tricks that you need to do in order to take a test ... more »

Pass / Fail : Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Pass / Fail : Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout | 89.3 KPCC: Compton Superintendent responds to student walkout by By Vanessa Romo *Credit: University of the Pacific/Flickr* District officials didn’t have much to say after Tuesday’s student-led protest during which approximately 70 students walked out of class and marched several blocks from Compton High School to district headquarters. On Wednesday Superintendent Darin Brawley released the following statement encouraging “stakeholders” to LAUSD arts funding cut 76% in five years by By Tami Abdollah [image: arts e... more »

WOWSER: Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment | Get Schooled: Court ruling: Fulton can post info on charter amendment 6:41 pm October 10, 2012, by Maureen Downey [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] A Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled today that Fulton County Schools can provide information on the charter school amendment on its web site. Attorney and longtime vouchers advocate Glenn Delk maintained that the Fulton County district’s Q&A amounted to lobbying against the amendment. But Judge Wendy Shoob disagreed, calling the Q&A simply informati... more »

Will the real parents please stand up? | catalyst-chicago.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Will the real parents please stand up? | catalyst-chicago.org: Will the real parents please stand up? - Share on windycitizenShare on facebookShare on email Parents don’t want a "war." They want a district that’s looking out for all children, that is capable of collaboration and able to hear the views and voices of real parents in the system. *By: *Wendy Katten / October 1, 2012 - Wendy Katten, Raise Your Hand Now that the strike is over and parents, students and teachers are finally settling into the routine of the school year, many parents we talk to are wonderi... more »

Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donors | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donors | OregonLive.com: Promoter of Idaho education reforms won't reveal donorsPublished: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 3:18 PM Updated: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 3:35 PM BOISE -- A promoter ofSuperintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna's education reforms isn't revealing the source of hundreds of thousands in campaign cash by giving it through a nonprofit group whose donors he says are exempt from disclosure. The Idaho Statesman reportedWednesday a pro-reform nonprofit, Education Voters of Idaho, created by Boise-based l... more »

Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Tonight, Oakland parents to protest the teacher shuffle Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 at 9:25 am in 1 Comment The week before last, Rachel Kargas, a parent at Oakland’s Cleveland Elementary School, wrote about the effects of consolidation: losing a teaching position and moving students into different (and often, grade-level combination) classrooms, mid-year, because fewer students enrolled than expected in certain grades. Parents from Cleveland Elementary spoke... more »

My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: My Letter to President Obama--Campaign for Our Public Schools by Kate_Lenox [image: Home] Dear President Obama: I'm writing to you about your education policy. Although my children are no longer in the K-12 system here in Sacramento, I remain involved in our public schools because of their importance to the future of our country. It's clear to me that our public school system is being undermined by the very policies that are supposed to improve it. I believe that the... more »





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