Mike Petrilli: Shame on the Garfield Teachers!
I think the Garfield High teachers are a model for teachers across the nation.
They show that collective action works. If one person speaks up, he or she gets fired.
When an entire faculty resists, together their voice is heard around the world.
Not everyone agrees, of course. Mike Petrilli of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute (where I once a trustee for many years but am no longer) strongly condemns the Garfield teachers. He thinks they are shirking their duty. He thinks they are trying to avoid being held accountable. He thinks they should not compare themselves to Martin Luther King Jr.
I disagree with Mike.
Martin Luther King taught the nation–and the Garfield teachers–about the power of collective action against
They show that collective action works. If one person speaks up, he or she gets fired.
When an entire faculty resists, together their voice is heard around the world.
Not everyone agrees, of course. Mike Petrilli of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute (where I once a trustee for many years but am no longer) strongly condemns the Garfield teachers. He thinks they are shirking their duty. He thinks they are trying to avoid being held accountable. He thinks they should not compare themselves to Martin Luther King Jr.
I disagree with Mike.
Martin Luther King taught the nation–and the Garfield teachers–about the power of collective action against
Bobby Jindal’s Idea of Social Justice
A reader brought this column by Eric Zorn to my attention. It appeared in the Chicago Tribune.
The state of Louisiana is “reforming” hospice care for patients on Medicare. It will stop offering hospice care for many elderly people.
As part of his reforms, Jindal has started closing or privatizing the state’s public hospitals. See here and hereand here.
He cuts most where the needs are greatest. This could catapult him to national stardom. The prestigious Brookings Institution in DC recently invited him to discuss his historic efforts to privatize public education.
As the Shreveport Times described the situation:
“BATON ROUGE — The start of February brings an end to programs that care for some of the most vulnerable
The state of Louisiana is “reforming” hospice care for patients on Medicare. It will stop offering hospice care for many elderly people.
As part of his reforms, Jindal has started closing or privatizing the state’s public hospitals. See here and hereand here.
He cuts most where the needs are greatest. This could catapult him to national stardom. The prestigious Brookings Institution in DC recently invited him to discuss his historic efforts to privatize public education.
As the Shreveport Times described the situation:
“BATON ROUGE — The start of February brings an end to programs that care for some of the most vulnerable
Michigan Activist Joins the Honor Roll
Former state legislator Mary Valentine has spoken out against the privatization of public education in Muskegon Heights, Michigan. The district had a budget deficit, so the governor installed an emergency manager who turned the children and schools over to a for-profit charter corporation.
Mary Valentine joins the honor roll as a champion of public education, in a state where the governor and legislature are determined to end it.
Please read the following:
Muskegon Heights School District, in Muskegon County, Michigan, is the first school district taken over by a for-
Mary Valentine joins the honor roll as a champion of public education, in a state where the governor and legislature are determined to end it.
Please read the following:
Muskegon Heights School District, in Muskegon County, Michigan, is the first school district taken over by a for-
Chicago Teachers Union Supports Garfield Teachers
StephanieGadlin@ctulocal1.com
CHICAGO—The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU has launched a campaign in support of local and nationwide efforts to eliminate standardized non-state mandated tests—also known as “high-stakes testing”—from public schools. Test scores fail as measures of learning when high-stakes testing advanced by corporate education reformers dominates curriculum, and also fail to consider non-classroom stimuli that affects school-age children,
Chicago Teachers Union Launches Campaign Against ‘High-Stakes’ Standardized Testing, Supports Seattle Teachers Boycott
CHICAGO—The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU has launched a campaign in support of local and nationwide efforts to eliminate standardized non-state mandated tests—also known as “high-stakes testing”—from public schools. Test scores fail as measures of learning when high-stakes testing advanced by corporate education reformers dominates curriculum, and also fail to consider non-classroom stimuli that affects school-age children,
Today is Student Data Day, Read This
If you can help with answers to the questions below, please chime in. How do parents “opt out” of sharing personal information about their children that is collected by the state and shared for purposes of marketing?
Diane, I am not sure where to post this but this is a request for you. This impacts almost every public school parent, student and child in the country and your forum would reach out to many. Would you post this in a prominent place to make parents and teachers aware?
The new price of public education means that parents will give up the ability to protect their children’s privacy and data which may lead to possible abuse and misuse of information through potential security breaches or
Diane, I am not sure where to post this but this is a request for you. This impacts almost every public school parent, student and child in the country and your forum would reach out to many. Would you post this in a prominent place to make parents and teachers aware?
The new price of public education means that parents will give up the ability to protect their children’s privacy and data which may lead to possible abuse and misuse of information through potential security breaches or
Do You Know Who Is Using Your Child’s Data?
This is a letter from Leonie Haimson, who leads the NYC advocacy group “Class Size Matters.” She suggests that you find out what is happening to the data collected about your child. This is what is happening in New York state.
Dear Parents: today is Data Privacy Day. Here are some questions you can ask your school about your child’s private education records.
Unfortunately, we already know that NY State intends to share the most private information from your child’s
Dear Parents: today is Data Privacy Day. Here are some questions you can ask your school about your child’s private education records.
Unfortunately, we already know that NY State intends to share the most private information from your child’s
Rise and Fall of California’s Most Celebrated Charter School
Sharon R. Higgins is an Oakland parent activist who runs several blogs and does great research. One of her blogs is The Perimeter Primate. Another is Charter School Scandals. She also follows the Gulen charter chain.
Here she tells the amazing story of the American Indian Charter Schools in her own city of Oakland.
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Update on American Indian Model charter schools and Ben Chavis
This past week the Oakland school board voted 6-1 to issue a “notice of intent to revoke” the charters of the three high-performing, “no-excuses” American Indian-named charter schools associated with Ben Chavis, the foul-mouthed and controversial director. A public hearing will be held on February 13 and the final decision will be made in March. If the OUSD school board ultimately revokes the charters, the schools could appeal to the Alameda County Board of Education, and if unsuccessful, to the California State Board of Education.
This current situation is the result of an investigation which revealed “$3.8 million in questionable expenditures,
Here she tells the amazing story of the American Indian Charter Schools in her own city of Oakland.
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Update on American Indian Model charter schools and Ben Chavis
This past week the Oakland school board voted 6-1 to issue a “notice of intent to revoke” the charters of the three high-performing, “no-excuses” American Indian-named charter schools associated with Ben Chavis, the foul-mouthed and controversial director. A public hearing will be held on February 13 and the final decision will be made in March. If the OUSD school board ultimately revokes the charters, the schools could appeal to the Alameda County Board of Education, and if unsuccessful, to the California State Board of Education.
This current situation is the result of an investigation which revealed “$3.8 million in questionable expenditures,
More on the Famous American Indian Charter School
Is deregulation a good idea? I would say that it is. There are far too many rules, laws, regulations, mandates, etc. intended to circumscribe the actions of every educator.
But there is a bright line between giving professionals the autonomy to do their job and compete base nice of oversight and accountability.
How else to explain the scandal of the American Indian Charter School, whose founder was allowed to do and say whatever he wished, with no accountability for his actions or his spending.
Please read Jersey Jazzman’s take. As usual, he is right on target.
If the states don’t establish meaningful control over public spending as well as the treatment of children by
But there is a bright line between giving professionals the autonomy to do their job and compete base nice of oversight and accountability.
How else to explain the scandal of the American Indian Charter School, whose founder was allowed to do and say whatever he wished, with no accountability for his actions or his spending.
Please read Jersey Jazzman’s take. As usual, he is right on target.
If the states don’t establish meaningful control over public spending as well as the treatment of children by
Diane in the Evening 1-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: What Hath Reform Wrought? by dianerav Veteran teacher Marc Epstein surveys the wreckage of “school reform” and wonders who will come along to put our nation’s education system back together again. He writes: “Today’s education reform rests on the premise that the civil rights movement that overturned Plessy and Chicago Charter Fines Mom $3,000 for Her Son’s Misbehavior by dianerav No excuses! The Noble Network of charter schools in Chicago is proud of its high test scores. Mayor Rahm Emanuel says Noble has some “secret sauce” that produces great success. ... more »
