Feb. 6 – National Day of Action to Support Seattle MAP Test Boycott
On Wednesday, February 6, educators, students, parents and supporters of public education nationwide will take action in support of Garfield High School teachers and all teachers in Seattle Public Schools refusing to administer the MAP test. Supporters can participate in actions to show support for this effort. Visit Scrap The MAP! for more information.
More School Districts Suing States For Education Funding
By Tim Walker
In a 1973 landmark decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled that education was not a Constitutional right. The case was San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez and was brought by a group of parents who believed the state’s acceptance of huge funding gaps between rich and poor violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Although a state court ruled in the parents’ favor, the high court overturned the decision by a 5-4 vote, declaring that “though education is one of the most important services performed by the state, it is not within the limited category of rights recognized by this Court as guaranteed by the Constitution.”
The issue wasn’t necessarily settled because the decision didn’t prevent districts from challenging school finance plans at the state level under their own state constitutions – which explains why virtually every state in the nation has at one time been embroiled in a funding lawsuit.
The number of cases has multiplied over the past few years, however, because of state and local governments’ fiscal problems since the Great Recession. Schools in lower-income communities feel the brunt of these budget
Teaching Controversial Texts Under the Common Core
In a 1973 landmark decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled that education was not a Constitutional right. The case was San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez and was brought by a group of parents who believed the state’s acceptance of huge funding gaps between rich and poor violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Although a state court ruled in the parents’ favor, the high court overturned the decision by a 5-4 vote, declaring that “though education is one of the most important services performed by the state, it is not within the limited category of rights recognized by this Court as guaranteed by the Constitution.”The issue wasn’t necessarily settled because the decision didn’t prevent districts from challenging school finance plans at the state level under their own state constitutions – which explains why virtually every state in the nation has at one time been embroiled in a funding lawsuit.
The number of cases has multiplied over the past few years, however, because of state and local governments’ fiscal problems since the Great Recession. Schools in lower-income communities feel the brunt of these budget
Teaching Controversial Texts Under the Common Core
A high school teacher in Thornton, Colorado, explains why she will continue to have her students read books that are often challenged – if not outright banned – by some schools or parents. “The Common Core State Standards require texts with higher complexity for language arts classrooms. We are being asked to help students learn how to analyze and apply information in a variety of ways. As we select books of appropriate difficulty that are both engaging and applicable, we will be reading fiction with mature themes, which often also