Latest News and Comment from Education

Sunday, November 4, 2012

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

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


Short Notes: John Steinbeck Giving Away His Secrets?


c/o Ellen Sirleaf
A few notes:
Quotable:
Headline I’d love to see: Courageous New Yorkers Remove Sandbags from Goldman Sachs, Bring Them to the Projects pic.twitter.com/RuGizEZo
- @kade_ellis
Headline I’d love to see: Courageous New Yorkers Remove Sandbags from Goldman Sachs, Bring 

Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election

Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election:


Mitt Romney Makes Education Pitch In Final Days Before Election

WASHINGTON -- For the last year, education advocates have been trying to get the subject of America's beleaguered public schools onto the agenda of the presidential election. Aside from a few mentions in the debates, the conversation has been pretty one-sided, with President Barack Obama consistently emphasizing the need to invest in education on the campaign trail -- and little mention of the subject from Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in his own stump speech.

That appears to have changed in the final 72 hours leading up to the election, with Romney incorporating a few key lines on education into his "closing argument" speech in a last-minute bid to sway votes from women and Latinos -- voters who prioritize education but have favored Obama throughout the presidential race.

“You know that if the president is re-elected, he will say every good thing he can about education, but in the final 

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

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Race to the Top: A MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DEASY:


Race to the Top: A MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DEASY

From: Superintendent John Deasy [mailto:Superintendent_John@LAUSD.NET]
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2012 12:35 PM
To: LAUSD_EMPLOYEES@LIST.LAUSD.NET
Subject: LAUSD's Race to the Top
Message from Superintendent Deasy
 
Today the Los Angeles Unified School District sent an application accompanied by a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asking that the Department of Education consider the District’s application for $40 million in Race to the Top funds, despite the grant request not having received the support of United Teachers, Los Angeles.
clip_image002
 
Although UTLA refused to be a partner in this critically important grant, I will advocate for it on behalf of the administrators, students, and faculty of this District.  To that end, I have instructed staff to submit an application with all required signatures except that of the teachers' union.
I am seeking the support of the DOE to hire hundreds of faculty to support the absolute rights of all youth to a quality education.
 
 
 
The grant, which received unanimous support of the Board of Education, would better enable youth across the District to remain on 

Chris Rock - Message for White Voters


Jimmy Kimmel Live - Chris Rock - Message for White Voters

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Back to Brooklyn -- Chris Rock - Message for White Voters

Jimmy Kimmel Live's YouTube channel features clips and recaps of every episode from the late night TV show on ABC.

Subscribe for clips from the monologue, the interviews, and musical performances every day of the week. Watch your
favorites parts again, or catch-up on any episodes you may have missed.

Website: http://www.jimmykimmellive.com

Channel: http://www.youtube.com/jimmykimmellive

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

Daily Kos: I will be on Sky News tomorrow:


I will be on Sky News tomorrow

I was one of the people asked to do videos for their I-pad application on the politics of the 50 states.  Then I was invited to participate in a discussion tomorrow, which will be live at 3:30 EST until 4, and then may continue in a Google hangout (although I will not be able to stay for that).  I will be in their DC studios, in part because Virginia is still considered a battleground state.
If you are interested in watching,  http://news.sky.com/...
It’ll be broadcast on Sky News (available worldwide) and Sky News for iPad (free to download and access in US).
Some general 50 States trails are on this press website too...expect more soon. They will be trailing it heavily.
http://skynews.skypressoffice.co.uk/...


Need a good laugh? Michael Barone: Romney 315 - Obama 223

In this piece at the right-wing Washington Examiner, Barone succeeds in demolishing whatever credibility as an analyst he might still have.
For example,
North Carolina (15 electoral votes). Obama has abandoned this target. Romney.
  Umm, no.   Obama still on the air, and Michelle in Charlotte tomorrow, and some interesting implications from the advantage in the ground game.One more snip:
Ohio (18). The anti-Romney auto bailout ads have Obama running well enough among blue-collar 


Financial Times endorses Obama

in an editorial titled Obama is the wiser bet for crisis-hit US  (free registration for limited access to the site) they are not enthused about the President, for example describing him as having
often been curiously aloof. He has been notably cool toward business. The self-proclaimed agent of change has at crucial points failed to exercise leadership.
And yet, they chose him over his Republican opponent, of whom they write
Mr Romney’s foreign policy proclamations have been far less reassuring. He has been needlessly 


Smerconish - Obama: Substance Not Smears

Michael Smerconish put up this Huffington Post piece this morning.  According to Chris Matthews, he has taken a lot of grief from people upset with what I see as his candor.
Consider the first paragraph:
This election has always been a referendum on Barack Obama. For some, not on matters of substance. They can't have it both ways. It's hypocritical to distribute a vicious, false narrative about him while fancying yourself a patriot and a great American. Vilify a sitting president of the 

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

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


Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD Board of Education

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

And so I was excited to hear that Robert is now campaigning for a seat on the LAUSD Board of Education, which will hold its primary election a little over a hundred days from now.

I hope everyone in L.A. (and elsewhere) who believes that public schools are for the public rather than corporations will support Robert's candidacy, for I cannot think of anyone with more commitment, drive, and passion for humane public schools for all children and for the future of our democracy.

And besides, Schools Matter needs a blogger who is a school board member.

Walmart Waltons: The movie | Seattle Education

Walmart Waltons: The movie | Seattle Education:


Walmart Waltons: The movie

Don’t Give Up… « Deborah Meier on Education

Don’t Give Up… « Deborah Meier on Education:



Don’t Give Up…

……or at least Vote on Tuesday before you do. Since we can’t opt out of the world as it is–including all its almost unbelievable distortions–we have to stick together and figure out what comes next. I’m nervously expecting Obama to win–although sometimes I expect the worst just so I won’t be surprised—and the fight after that will be just as important as if he loses.
Someone showed me an ad attacking a Democratic candidate for the Florida House of Representatives (who happens to be a teacher’s union member), linking her to Penn State sex abuser Jerry Sandusky because she favors tenure, et al. Meanwhile, education “savior” Michelle Rhee is exposed as a fake and a failure (as an educator) over and over… and she still can raise more money in one phone call than I’ve probably been able to do in a life-time (and I’ve been trying).
Some sensible middle-of-the-roader writes that, after all, doctors and lawyers are expected to police their own 

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

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


San Diego's Proposition Z, a measure to raise property taxes for school bonds, is billed by its backers as a way of enabling the "San Diego Unified School District to maintain safe and productive learning environments for students during the state’s ongoing budget crisis."
But, according to report Friday by a local online news site backed by several well-heeled charter school advocates, a little-discussed political sweetener is tucked inside for the state's charter school lobby.
None
As reported by the Voice of San Diego, the tax boosting measure would "allow the district to pull an estimated $2.8 billion in loans. The money will go to a number of things, but $350 million will go to charter schools, new and old.
"The district will also set up a special committee dominated by 'representatives of the charter school community' to advise the school board on how to divvy out the money."
According to the Voice, "San Diego could set a national precedent and see an explosion of new facilities for charter schools."

Schools Matter: MOOC-ing Toward Epistemological Imperialism

Schools Matter: MOOC-ing Toward Epistemological Imperialism:


MOOC-ing Toward Epistemological Imperialism

The newest fad in digitized thought delivery is the MOOC (Massively Open Online Courses), and as soon as the politically-disinterested MIT engineers can hook up with the economically-rapacious profiteers of UofPhoenix, we are likely to see the "global economy" become underpinned by the new "global college."  And just as the the global economy is about ferreting out the most vulnerable societies on Earth for exploitation, from production to consumption, the global college will be about stocking the cognitive shelves of tribesmen everywhere with the exceptionalist epistemologies that put ancient Greece at the Cognitive Creation and John Locke at the Modern Political Beginning, and Washington, DC as the site of the Second Coming of Adam Smith.

Think of it--Harvard in the African bush on hand cranked computers connected to satellites 20,000 miles up.  Or 

Mitt Romney’s For-Profit College Connections | toteachornototeach

Mitt Romney’s For-Profit College Connections | toteachornototeach:


Mitt Romney’s For-Profit College Connections

Mitt Romney’s For-Profit College Connections 
Highlighted In Video Made By Student Debt Activists
PopoutA new video from group of young activists warns of Mitt Romney’s connections to for-profit colleges, hoping to raise awareness of how the Republican presidential nominee might govern the controversial for-profit education sector. The video shows Romney talking about college affordability and insists the candidate is “sketchy” about for-profits.
The Student Debt Crisis Campaign, a group that includes activists involved in the Occupy Colleges and Occupy Student Debt movements, posted the video on YouTube last week. Two of the video’s creators, Natalia Abrams 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Is Democracy for Sale?

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Is Democracy for Sale?:


Is Democracy for Sale?

It would appear that some people - especially wealthy people - believe this is so (and are willing to spend huge sums to prove it).

We have our own examples here in Washington State.  Consider our initiative process. In this last cycle, we see nearly every single initiative pushed by a handful of wealthy people.  The liquor initiative (I love Costco but this was wrong), the gay marriage referundum, the charter school initiative - it's a sad thing.  And, they are not only willing to pay for a campaign but pay to get it on the ballot.

The idea that in Washington State our initiative process is a way for grassroots efforts from citizens to make their voices heard is becoming a joke.

So what's next?  Well, just as we have seen the huge money in our presidential election (both sides) and on down, the next thing will be...School Board elections. 

Seattle Schools This Week

Monday, Nov. 5th
Curriculum&Instruction Policy Committee Mtg.  (Agenda reviewed by Charlie in an earlier thread). 

Wednesday, Nov. 7th
Road Map to College: College Application Completion Event
Roosevelt High School from 3 pm to 7 pm
For more info and to register, visit www.roadmaptocollege.org

School Board Meeting, starting at 4:15 pm.
Call starting at 8 am on Monday, Nov. 5th to register for the Speakers list.  252-0040 or

Thursday, Nov. 8th
Audit&Finance Committee Mtg. from 4-6 p.m.  Agenda.
Financial updates along with one notation "Change to PTA room rental" - not sure what that might mean.  Availability? Cost? Also, the 2013-2014 budget development.  Superintendent Banda said at the State of the District event that the district was going to be experiencing a budget shortfall (he gave a number but it seemed so high that I want to check it before I print it). 

Friday, Nov. 9th
BEX Oversight Committee mtg from 8:30-10:30 am.

Saturday, Nov 10th
Director Martin-Morris from 9:30-11:30 am at Diva Espresso at Lake City Way/NE 80th
Director Smith-Blum from 10-11:30 am at the Capital Hill Library, 425 Harvard Ave. E.

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

Diane Ravitch's blog:






An Urgent Message for Voters Who Support Public Education

There are critical elections taking place on Tuesday throughout the country that parents, education advocates, and others who care about preserving and strengthening our public schools need to take notice of and cast their ballot appropriately. Out-of-state money from billionaires and astroturf groups like Students First are flowing into state races, like this one in Tennessee and local school board elections, like these in New Orleans and New Jersey, to push damaging policies to privatize and digitize our public schools.
There are also referendums and initiatives on the ballot in many states and cities that will affect the future of our public schools for years to come. In each case, there is tremendous private money being used to facilitate the expansion of charters and vouchers, promote budget cuts, and impose mayoral control, and against allowing elected school boards to protect and support their local public schools. The hedge funders, billionaires, for-profit 

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

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


10 Arrested in City Hall Sit-in Against School Closings


On Friday, November 2, a spirited crowd of 100 parents, teachers, students, and community members held a rally and press conference at City Hall demanding a moratorium-of at least two years-on all school closings, turnarounds, consolidations, and phase-outs. After the rally we sat in at the Mayor's office, refusing to leave until we had a meeting scheduled with the Mayor (no surrogates). That never happened, as one of his staff claimed she "couldn't do that." Outside supporters held a candlelight vigil. At 10PM the police threatened all those remaining. Ten parents, teachers, and community members were arrested and charged with trespassing. They spent the night in the police lock up (those arrested were CTU teachers and retired teachers, and members of 

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

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


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

protect and support your public schools; 

do not let the privatizers buy your elections!


There are critical elections taking place on Tuesday throughout the country that parents, education advocates, and others who care about preserving and strengthening our public schools need to take notice of and cast their ballot appropriately.  Out-of-state money from billionaires and astroturf groups like Students First are flowing into state races, like this one in Tennessee  and local school board elections, like these  in New Orleans and  New Jersey, to push damaging policies to privatize and digitize our public schools. 
There are also referendums and initiatives on the ballot in many states and cities that will affect the future of our public schools for years to come.  In each case, there is tremendous private money being used to facilitate the expansion of charters and vouchers, promote budget cuts, and impose mayoral control, and against allowing elected school boards to protect and support their local public schools.  The hedge funders, billionaires, for-profit charter operators, and right-wingers are using their vast resources to impose their political will, and in most cases are dramatically outspending the good government organizations, education advocates, teachers, and other concerned citizens, who would rather save and strengthen our public schools rather than dismantle them.
For example, there are two statewide referendums on charter schools that people need to vote AGAINST.  The 

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

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


Looking Ahead

Your 2012 Education Political Primer

As the election plays itself out this coming week, we as educators continue to work on behalf of children and our communities as a whole. Whatever the outcome of the vote, the work goes on and our efforts must continue. So I want to keep this post simple and straightforward. Whatever your political persuasion, there are certain objective, observable realities we can all agree on in looking across the education landscape:
  • As public educators, we are employed by our government to educate our citizen’s children.
  • As education professionals, we have an obligation to inform our government and its citizens of what is in the best interests of the children with whom we are charged.
  • As publicly employed professionals, we work in the conditions created by the decisions made by our government and its citizens.
  • We are largely funded by revenue collected through local taxes which is augmented by state and federal funding.
  • We work within the contexts of the society in which we live. The world has changed much since we were students and so we have changed our goals and roles as educators.
  • As society continues to evolve, education will continue to reflect the changing needs of society.
  • Society is moving towards an individualized delivery of goods and services. It is not happening overnight, but little by little consumers expect everything to be customized for their needs and interests.
  • The individualized delivery of instruction is a huge challenge for educators, where standardization, funding formulas and accountability are the legacy of the industrial age.
  • The push towards more individualized instruction will continue in public education, long after our good work is done and we are retired.
  • Public education will look very different by the end of this century. Are you ready to start touting the virtues of 22nd century skills?
When you look at these statements in the progression in which I offer them here, does it seem that there are forces at play far beyond our immediate influence? There are. These forces are forever changing society and, therefore, will forever change education. Are these forces of a  Your 2012 Education Political Primer - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators:

America's Most Disgusting Political Ad

America's Most Disgusting Political Ad:


America’s Most Disgusting Political Ad: Florida Republican Group Links Elementary School Teacher To Jerry Sandusky

In a stunning smear, a GOP group chaired by a prominent Republican strategist and funded by the state Republican leadership, has sent a mailing to Florida voters accusing an elementary school teacher running for state legislature of enabling child molestation because she is in a teacher’s union.
The mailings attack Karen Castor Dentel, an elementary school teacher in Maitland, Florida, and the Democratic challenger for the 30th District State House of Representatives seat. Because she is a member of the Florida Education Association, which opposed a 2011 bill that eliminated tenure for public-school teachers, the mailer says she would “rather protect bad teachers and the union” than “young and impressionable students.” One one side of the mailing is a picture of convicted serial child molester Jerry Sandusky — who as an assistant football coach at Penn State would not have been protected by any Florida public school teacher’s union; the other side shows a picture of her and the other says:
Karen Castor Dentel’s priorities are clear:
* Use tenure policies to protect bad, burnt-out, longtime teachers at the 

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

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


Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee

 jumps into state elections to push education overhaul

A dozen states are poised to pass significant education reforms this year depending on the outcome of next week’s election. A slate of state-level candidates want to abolish teacher tenure and tie teacher evaluations to student tests. On the ground trying to make sure they win is a new organization, StudentsFirst, founded by former Washington D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee.
The group has infused cash and grassroots organizing into races in states such as California, Iowa and Michigan, where teachers unions have historically dominated politics and enshrined policies like tenure and pay based on seniority in state law. StudentsFirst—with a platform that is anathema to unions—hopes to undercut their power and remove many of the labor protections that unions support.
The 2012 election is the group’s first real test. In Missouri, another state on the brink of wide-scale education reform, StudentsFirst has poured more than $100,000 into the state since the primaries and recruited more than 40,000 members to try and elect 21 candidates it has endorsed. Nationwide, the group has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in primary and general elections.
Due to the reputation of its founder as a tough reformer and unapologetic enemy of unions, StudentsFirst is the most high profile and controversial among a small number of similar groups, including Stand for Children and Democrats for Education Reform, that have emerged in the last few years to fight against policies typically supported by unions. Most recently, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he had formed a super PAC to back candidates that support, among other things, the education reforms he has pushed in New York,