Big Data and Your Child
Here is a good account of the plans that Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch have for your child’s personal information.
Hey, the data will generate a $20 billion industry. Not for you, of course.
Leave a comment, if you are do inclined.
Hey, the data will generate a $20 billion industry. Not for you, of course.
Leave a comment, if you are do inclined.
Father Sends Email to State: DO NOT RELEASE MY CHILD’S DATA
Louisiana has agreed to turn over the confidential personal data of all its students to a corporation created by the Gates Foundation and Rupert Murdoch’s Wireless Generation (it is called inBloom).
Many parents are furious and want to know what they can do.
This father sent an email to the State Department of Education directing them not to release his child’s data to inBloom. He cited FERPA, the law intended to protect the privacy of student data. He made clear that he is prepared to take legal action to protect his children.
Here is the email he sent:
john.white@la.gov
My name is (PARENT’S NAME) and I am a parent of children in Louisiana public schools. This is to formally
Many parents are furious and want to know what they can do.
This father sent an email to the State Department of Education directing them not to release his child’s data to inBloom. He cited FERPA, the law intended to protect the privacy of student data. He made clear that he is prepared to take legal action to protect his children.
Here is the email he sent:
john.white@la.gov
My name is (PARENT’S NAME) and I am a parent of children in Louisiana public schools. This is to formally
What Emergency Managers Do
Pontiac, Michigan, has had three emergency managers since 2009. They have gotten rid of most public services, either by outsourcing or privatizing them.
A powerful quote in this NY Times story:
“An emergency manager is like a man coming into your house,” said Donald Watkins, a city councilman. “He takes your checkbook, he takes your credit cards, he lives in your house and he sleeps in your bed with your wife.” Mr. Watkins added, “He tells you it’s still your house, but he doesn’t clean up, sells off everything and then he packs his bag and leaves.”
A powerful quote in this NY Times story:
“An emergency manager is like a man coming into your house,” said Donald Watkins, a city councilman. “He takes your checkbook, he takes your credit cards, he lives in your house and he sleeps in your bed with your wife.” Mr. Watkins added, “He tells you it’s still your house, but he doesn’t clean up, sells off everything and then he packs his bag and leaves.”
Why Did the Teachers Strike in Chicago?
For more than a week in September, the nation was astonished to see thousands of Chicago teachers on strike.
The media treated it as an old fashioned dispute over wages and hours, which it was not.
Many of us who follow education issues knew that the teachers were striking against nearly 20 years of nonstop ill-considered “reforms” imposed on teachers by politicians and uninformed policymakers.
The bottom line: Enough is enough.
This excellent article explains the teachers’ strike and puts it into a larger context.
The media treated it as an old fashioned dispute over wages and hours, which it was not.
Many of us who follow education issues knew that the teachers were striking against nearly 20 years of nonstop ill-considered “reforms” imposed on teachers by politicians and uninformed policymakers.
The bottom line: Enough is enough.
This excellent article explains the teachers’ strike and puts it into a larger context.
The Myth of Principal Empowerment in NYC
Marc Epstein is an experienced history teacher in NYC who holds a Ph.D. In Japanese history. When the Department of Education closed his historic high school (Jamaica High School), Marc joined the ranks of teachers who are assigned to different schools weekly. He has written many articles for Huffington Post and New York City dailies.
He writes:
The Myth Of The Empowered Principal
The “empowered” principal was supposed to be the agent of radical change for the New York public school
He writes:
The Myth Of The Empowered Principal
The “empowered” principal was supposed to be the agent of radical change for the New York public school
Martel: How the Reform Agenda Got Hijacked by the 1%
Erich Martel, an award-winning social studies teacher who retired after teaching for many years in the D.C. Public schools, here explains how unrealistic expectations set up the schools for failure and a hostile takeover. In doing so, he quotes my words back to me:
Martel writes:
How the Bipartisan Education Reform Party (forget right-wing vs left-wing; it’s a distraction) hijacked the social
Martel writes:
How the Bipartisan Education Reform Party (forget right-wing vs left-wing; it’s a distraction) hijacked the social
“A Teacher in Charterland”: True and Sad
EduShyster here shares a video of a teacher who thought she had found her dream job teaching performing arts in a charter school in Massachusetts. But then she learned what mattered most: testing.
NAISON: Why I Am Speaking at Occupy the DOE
There will be a demonstration at the U.S. Department of Education from April 4-7.
One of the speakers will be Mark Naison, who teaches African-American studies at Fordham University.
Here he explains why he will be there:
I am coming to Washington because our public education system is being systematically dismantled by people whose power derives solely from the unprecedented concentration of wealth in a small number of hands. Without the Gates, the Broads, the Waltons, the Bloombergs and the hedge fund executives, the three bulwarks of
One of the speakers will be Mark Naison, who teaches African-American studies at Fordham University.
Here he explains why he will be there:
I am coming to Washington because our public education system is being systematically dismantled by people whose power derives solely from the unprecedented concentration of wealth in a small number of hands. Without the Gates, the Broads, the Waltons, the Bloombergs and the hedge fund executives, the three bulwarks of
Who Is Behind the Corporate Smear Machine?
I posted earlier about a web attack on the integrity of the distinguished scholar Gene Glass. Dr. Glass had the nerve to write a critical review of virtual charter schools, based on research and evidence. Observant readers discovered who created the domain name of the attack website. First, Sherman Dorn tracked down the domain owner. Then another reader added this comment:
Colorado Students Plan Anti-Testing Protest Today
Students are the main targets and main victims of bad education policy. Across the country, they are taking the lead in defending their right to learn.
Today, students in Colorado will lead their own protest:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHAT : Students standing up for our education
WHEN : March 14th, 2013 from 11am – 2:30pm
WHERE : West Steps of the Colorado State Capitol
On February 23rd, students gathered to discuss what is wrong with the current education system and how they could get their voices heard. From there, the students developed an action plan to have their voices heard.
We, the students, are standing up for our education. We no longer want to be part of the cookie-cutter system
Today, students in Colorado will lead their own protest:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHAT : Students standing up for our education
WHEN : March 14th, 2013 from 11am – 2:30pm
WHERE : West Steps of the Colorado State Capitol
On February 23rd, students gathered to discuss what is wrong with the current education system and how they could get their voices heard. From there, the students developed an action plan to have their voices heard.
We, the students, are standing up for our education. We no longer want to be part of the cookie-cutter system
Vouchers in Chile: Greater Inequality
I am on my way to Baton Rouge for a mini-debate with Chas Roemer, the president of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. I read some of Mr. Roemer’s ideas on the Internet, and he is a big enthusiast for vouchers, charters, and every kind of privatization, as well as lowering standards for teachers.
A group called Leaders with Vision is sponsoring our discussion. It is affiliated with the League of Women
A group called Leaders with Vision is sponsoring our discussion. It is affiliated with the League of Women
Pennsylvania Parents: This Is Our Vision for Great Public Schools
Yinzercation, a terrific blog in Pennsylvania, describes a concerted effort by citizens to define great public schools.
What would you change?
This is their vision:
“What is your vision for great public education? If you could wave your magic wand today and create the perfect public school in your neighborhood, what would it look like? At the Rally for Public Education last month, over 320 people from our grassroots movement thought about just this as they filled out postcards addressed to
What would you change?
This is their vision:
“What is your vision for great public education? If you could wave your magic wand today and create the perfect public school in your neighborhood, what would it look like? At the Rally for Public Education last month, over 320 people from our grassroots movement thought about just this as they filled out postcards addressed to
Are Conservatives Spending Scarce Tax Dollars Wisely?
Paul Thomas chastises conservative leaders in South Carolina for doing the same thing over and over for thirty years and expecting to get different results.
Thirty years of testing, accountability, and choice have been expensive and have not solved the state’s education problems. The testing corporations have benefitted, but not students.
Meanwhile the root cause of poor academic performance is unaddressed: grinding poverty.
Thirty years of testing, accountability, and choice have been expensive and have not solved the state’s education problems. The testing corporations have benefitted, but not students.
Meanwhile the root cause of poor academic performance is unaddressed: grinding poverty.
Parents Debate How to Opt Out
This is part of an email conversation that I received. It is an exchange between two parents:
The first one writes:
“Hello Everyone!
“Well…it is that time of year again…TCAP testing. I really hate this time of year.
“As I have done for the past TEN years for all of my children, I opted my daughter out of the test. I sent my letter to the school district and of course, I am met with anger and tons of letters from the superintendent of Colorado
The first one writes:
“Hello Everyone!
“Well…it is that time of year again…TCAP testing. I really hate this time of year.
“As I have done for the past TEN years for all of my children, I opted my daughter out of the test. I sent my letter to the school district and of course, I am met with anger and tons of letters from the superintendent of Colorado
Diane in the Evening 3-13-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: The Network for Public Education (click picture)]THE NETWORK FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION Who Is Behind the Corporate Smear Machine? by dianerav I posted earlier about a web attack on the integrity of the distinguished scholar Gene Glass. Dr. Glass had the nerve to write a critical review of virtual charter schools, based on research and evidence. Observant readers discovered who created the domain name of the attack website. First, Sherman Dorn tracked down the domain owner. Then another reader added this commen... more »