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Monday, June 3, 2013

Diane in the Evening 6-3-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:






Student Speaks Out Against StudentsFirst Award to Anti-Gay Legislator

A reader shared the following story about a student in Tennessee, where StudentsFirst named an outspoken anti-gay legislator as its “Reformer of the Year.”
“11-year old takes on Michelle Rhee and Students First over endorsing “Don’t Say Gay” lawmaker endorsement. “
“I am Marcel Neergaard, and I am 11 years old. This year I was homeschooled for sixth grade because of severe bullying. If I had gone back to public school, there is a great possibility that I would have taken my own life. That possibility would have grown if a certain bill introduced in my home state of Tennessee had passed into law. This 

Rally in L.A. For Reduced Class Size!

A reader in Los Angeles welcomes all who care about improving public education:
Parents from all across Los Angeles are Mobilizing!!!!
Please gather tomorrow, Tuesday June 4 at 8:30 am out front of LAUSD central offices on Beaudry street downtown.
Lend your voice to a collective choir that demands to be heard.
We are Students, Parents and Angelenos for Real Classroom Support: SPARCS.
We must ignite the SPARCS of this truth in front of our elected school board:
KIDS NEED SMALLER CLASSES IN ORDER TO LEARN BETTER
What We Stand For:
Strong, Truly Public Schools. In Los Angeles, we demand truly public schools accountable to the public, administered and run by individuals dedicated to educating every child.
Democracy Fortified Through Public Education. Every child in Los Angeles has a civil right to attend a good public school dedicated primarily to their education.
Dynamic, Responsive Public Education. Appropriate, effective evaluation of our public schools, with parents welcomed, respected and contributing to decisions regarding the school system at every level.
What We Stand Against:
Privatizing Public Schools. The educational system is a sacred public trust, part of the social contract. We have a moral responsibility to the social and educational welfare of all among us.
Mechanized Schooling. All learners are individuals; standardization of classes and tests eliminates the unique contribution of a professional teacher to education and learning.
Public School Control By Non-participants. Educators should drive educational public policy; family and society its social components. Political demogoguery has no place in our social contract to provide effective Public Schooling for all.
Who We Are:
We are many. We are parents from across all of Los Angeles Unified’s seven districts. We have children in LAUSD. We are children in LAUSD. We are concerned with and about children in LAUSD.
We are Students, Parents, Angelenos for Real Classroom Support: SPARCS
If you stand with us, amplify our SPARCS by joining here:
http://www.facebook.com/SPaARCS


LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-3-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Anthony Cody: Is the Tea Party Right About Common Core? by dianerav There is a surprising overlap between the views of the Tea Party and those of some in the left towards the Common Core. In Indiana, Democrats and Tea Party activists combined to defeat far-right State Superintendent Tony Bennett and elect educator Glenda Ritz. Democrats opposed his support for privatization and his haughty treatment of teachers: Tea Party activists opposed him for his zealous supp... more »