Mayor Emanuel Returns from His Skiing Trip in Utah
Mayor Rahm Emanuel, fresh from his skiing trip in Utah, and showing a bit of windburn on his face, held a press conference to explain that it was a “difficult” decision to close 54 public schools and disrupt the lives of 30,000 children.
Mayor Emanuel’s children will not be affected, fortunately. They attend the elite University of Chicago Lab School, where President Obama and Secretary Duncan sent their children. It is the same school attended by the children of former CPS board chair and billionaire Penny Pritzker.
I have no beef with people who send their children to private or religious schools, so long as they pay for it themselves and don’t ask the public to pay for their children’s private education. But it is hypocritical to believe
Mayor Emanuel’s children will not be affected, fortunately. They attend the elite University of Chicago Lab School, where President Obama and Secretary Duncan sent their children. It is the same school attended by the children of former CPS board chair and billionaire Penny Pritzker.
I have no beef with people who send their children to private or religious schools, so long as they pay for it themselves and don’t ask the public to pay for their children’s private education. But it is hypocritical to believe
A Wonderful Editorial Supporting Teachers: Please Read It
When I was in North Carolina last week, I spoke in Raleigh at an event pulled together on short notice by NC Policy Watch, a state watchdog for the public interest. As it happened, I spoke just a few days after State Senator Phil Berger introduced a horrendous piece of legislation that he claimed would produce “excellence,” by removing all job protections (no due process) for teachers), by tying teacher pay to test scores (aka merit pay), and by removing any salary increments for those who earn a master’s degree or have additional years of experience. Everything tied to test scores. (The video is here.)
While there I learned that it takes a teacher in North Carolina fourteen years of teaching to reach a salary of
While there I learned that it takes a teacher in North Carolina fourteen years of teaching to reach a salary of
One of the Strangest Articles Ever
An article in the Wall Street Journal goes on a rant against critics of standardized testing. It was written by a charter school advocate in Texas and a professor at ultra-conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan. The authors are shocked that so many parents and local school boards in Texas want to reduce the number of tests needed to graduate high from 15 to only three or four.
They insist that American students are really incredibly stupid and the best way to ake sure they gain the wisdom of the ages is to demand more of Pearson’s multiple choice tests.
You can see that they really care about the Higher Things because they drop names like Homer, Milton, Melville
They insist that American students are really incredibly stupid and the best way to ake sure they gain the wisdom of the ages is to demand more of Pearson’s multiple choice tests.
You can see that they really care about the Higher Things because they drop names like Homer, Milton, Melville
Chicago: A Disaster of “Seismic Proportions”
Mike Klonsky describes the devastation that will befall communities in Chicago as their schools are abandoned. What will happen to the children? Mayor Rahm Emanuel decided to be in Utah when his plan to devastate black communities was released
Celebrated Charter Loses Its Charter
Few charter schools have received as much attention and accolades as the American Indian Model Schools of Oakland, California.
Politicians and pundits flicked to the school to sing its praises and to heap honor and recognition on Ben Chavis, its leader. Chavis flaunted his “no excuses” style and his disdain for liberal softies. His schools had some of the highest scores in the state so it was hard to argue with success.
As the media took turns lionizing Chavis, they failed to notice that he had managed to lose the American Indians
Politicians and pundits flicked to the school to sing its praises and to heap honor and recognition on Ben Chavis, its leader. Chavis flaunted his “no excuses” style and his disdain for liberal softies. His schools had some of the highest scores in the state so it was hard to argue with success.
As the media took turns lionizing Chavis, they failed to notice that he had managed to lose the American Indians
Where are the Civil Rights Lawyers ?
Have you noticed that the vast majority of public schools that are being closed enroll disproportionate numbers of black students? Even in districts that are majority black, the closing schools are even more segregated than the district. What will happen to these children?
Jersey Jazzman noticed. He calls it the Néw Apartheid
Jersey Jazzman noticed. He calls it the Néw Apartheid
Diane in the Evening 3-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Frank Letter from the Principal of Venice High School by dianerav The Venice High School in Los Angeles has been offered a choice by the district administration: accept a pilot school or a charter school to share your space. The community was not asked for its input nor offered the choice to say no to a pilot school and a charter school. The first pilot school was going to be created by non-educator Steve Barr, but the LA board decided to backtrack so they approved the plan to co-locate in the VHS building ... more »