Teacher in L.A.: Please, Colleagues, Work for Monica Ratliff
For reasons I don’t understand, the UTLA endorsed both Monica Ratliff, a teacher, and her opponent Antonio Sanchez. Sanchez has almost $4 million from the billionaires. Monica has raised $42,000.
A music teacher in Los Angeles wrote this appeal;
Dear Teachers,
I am sending this to a few LAUSD teacher e-mail addresses that I have. I do not have many, so please forward to others.
There is a totally crucial school board race on this Tuesday’s ballot, in LAUSD district 6, between Teacher Monica Ratliff, and lawyer-wannabe politician Antonio Sanchez.
You probably have heard that UTLA is endorsing both candidates, which is effectively the same as neutrality, endorsing neither. They are totally wrong in doing so, which I think at least some of UTLA leadership realizes, but they say that they cannot change their endorsement now, due to UTLA rules.
It is totally crucial that Monica Ratliff win that race, although she is being outspent 100 to 1 by her opponent. If you live in District 6, make sure to vote for her, and let your neighbors know about the race. No matter where you live, you can help by volunteering in her campaign in these last couple days, or at least make a donation. Please keep reading for more information.
Monica Ratliff is an excellent experienced 5th grade teacher in LAUSD, with many good ideas about education. She is a UTLA member, and was elected delegate to the UTLA House of Representatives. She is endorsed by Diane Ravitch, current LAUSD board members Bennett Kayser and Marguerite LaMotte, former board member David Tokofsky, both the LA Times and LA Daily News, AALA, and others.
Her opponent, Antonio Sanchez, a lawyer and former aide to Mayor Villaraigosa, with no experience in education (but who seems to want to launch a political career via the LAUSD school board), is being heavily funded, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth, by the worst foes of teachers—Michelle Rhee, Eli Broad, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg, Rupert Murdoch, the Walton family, etc. (You can bet that these donors have a reason for putting so much money into Sanchez, and expect something in return from their bought candidate. If Sanchez wins, he is likely to be the most reliable ally on the board of John Deasy and Monica Garcia.) (This is really a crucial race, and it is tragic that UTLA is not putting its full weight behind Ratliff.)
Below this e-mail is one from Brent Smiley, an unofficial UTLA organizer for the Monica Ratliff campaign, with information on how you can help in her campaign. (I think Smiley may have once been chairman of PACE.)
Before the Smiley e-mail, I will include some links that I would suggest you read, related to this race:
Monica Ratliff is fully endorsed by the new PAC of Diane Ravitch, “Network for Public Education” , as their first endorsement. (Please read about that endorsement here.) (I would suggest too, you join and contribute to Diane Ravitch’s PAC, to help fight off the big money poured into the coffers of anti-teacher candidates from the likes of Bloomberg,
A music teacher in Los Angeles wrote this appeal;
Dear Teachers,
I am sending this to a few LAUSD teacher e-mail addresses that I have. I do not have many, so please forward to others.
There is a totally crucial school board race on this Tuesday’s ballot, in LAUSD district 6, between Teacher Monica Ratliff, and lawyer-wannabe politician Antonio Sanchez.
You probably have heard that UTLA is endorsing both candidates, which is effectively the same as neutrality, endorsing neither. They are totally wrong in doing so, which I think at least some of UTLA leadership realizes, but they say that they cannot change their endorsement now, due to UTLA rules.
It is totally crucial that Monica Ratliff win that race, although she is being outspent 100 to 1 by her opponent. If you live in District 6, make sure to vote for her, and let your neighbors know about the race. No matter where you live, you can help by volunteering in her campaign in these last couple days, or at least make a donation. Please keep reading for more information.
Monica Ratliff is an excellent experienced 5th grade teacher in LAUSD, with many good ideas about education. She is a UTLA member, and was elected delegate to the UTLA House of Representatives. She is endorsed by Diane Ravitch, current LAUSD board members Bennett Kayser and Marguerite LaMotte, former board member David Tokofsky, both the LA Times and LA Daily News, AALA, and others.
Her opponent, Antonio Sanchez, a lawyer and former aide to Mayor Villaraigosa, with no experience in education (but who seems to want to launch a political career via the LAUSD school board), is being heavily funded, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth, by the worst foes of teachers—Michelle Rhee, Eli Broad, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg, Rupert Murdoch, the Walton family, etc. (You can bet that these donors have a reason for putting so much money into Sanchez, and expect something in return from their bought candidate. If Sanchez wins, he is likely to be the most reliable ally on the board of John Deasy and Monica Garcia.) (This is really a crucial race, and it is tragic that UTLA is not putting its full weight behind Ratliff.)
Below this e-mail is one from Brent Smiley, an unofficial UTLA organizer for the Monica Ratliff campaign, with information on how you can help in her campaign. (I think Smiley may have once been chairman of PACE.)
Before the Smiley e-mail, I will include some links that I would suggest you read, related to this race:
Monica Ratliff is fully endorsed by the new PAC of Diane Ravitch, “Network for Public Education” , as their first endorsement. (Please read about that endorsement here.) (I would suggest too, you join and contribute to Diane Ravitch’s PAC, to help fight off the big money poured into the coffers of anti-teacher candidates from the likes of Bloomberg,
Larry Cuban: Kiss Michelle Rhee Goodbye
Larry Cuban says it’s all over for Michelle Rhee. She has become so radioactive that she has lost all credibility.
Despite all the publicity, she is on a downward trajectory, he says.
Soon, people will wonder who she was.
But he has an idea about how she can recoup her reputation.
Read here to find out how.
Despite all the publicity, she is on a downward trajectory, he says.
Soon, people will wonder who she was.
But he has an idea about how she can recoup her reputation.
Read here to find out how.
This Man Loves Disruption
Clayton Christiansen loves disruption.
He loves the idea that almost everything familiar to us will die and be replaced by competition.
Many corporate reformers swear by him. They think disruption is creative.
I wish they would get out of our lives and make money selling something other than disruption.
He loves the idea that almost everything familiar to us will die and be replaced by competition.
Many corporate reformers swear by him. They think disruption is creative.
I wish they would get out of our lives and make money selling something other than disruption.
The Stupidity of the Michigan Legislature, Simply Explained
This blogger wants you to understand legislation that is sailing through the Michigan legislature.
The teachers’ pay will be based on whether student test scores go up.
Experience and degrees don’t matter.
Only test scores.
Is there any research that supports
The teachers’ pay will be based on whether student test scores go up.
Experience and degrees don’t matter.
Only test scores.
Is there any research that supports
Who Wins This Game?
A reader comments:
To the corporate moguls this is a game of chess, their winnings being billions of dollars.
They have been playing this game for many years now.
The big problem is that they never informed anyone what or whom they were playing against. They just kept making their moves while their opponents never realized they were in their game and therefore never had a chance to make a move.
We are now at the point of check.
If we take RTTT then checkmate, they win.
If we take the NCLB waivers, checkmate
To the corporate moguls this is a game of chess, their winnings being billions of dollars.
They have been playing this game for many years now.
The big problem is that they never informed anyone what or whom they were playing against. They just kept making their moves while their opponents never realized they were in their game and therefore never had a chance to make a move.
We are now at the point of check.
If we take RTTT then checkmate, they win.
If we take the NCLB waivers, checkmate
Deborah Meier: Am I Part of the Problem or the Solution?
Deborah Meier has been blogging recently with Michael Petrilli of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
Deb is known as a progressive, Mike as a conservative. Deb was one of the founders of the small schools movement and a leader of opposition to standardized testing through her involvement in Fairtest. Mike strongly supports standardized testing, charter schools, and competition a drivers of change.
In his previous post, Mike asked Deb whether she was part of the problem (because of her opposition to
Deb is known as a progressive, Mike as a conservative. Deb was one of the founders of the small schools movement and a leader of opposition to standardized testing through her involvement in Fairtest. Mike strongly supports standardized testing, charter schools, and competition a drivers of change.
In his previous post, Mike asked Deb whether she was part of the problem (because of her opposition to
