Who Should Save the Philadelphia High School Orchestra?
A reader explains why the Philadelphia All-City High School Orchestra is being closed and who should rescue it:
“Actually, philanthropy wouldn’t help. The orchestra is endangered because classroom instrumental music instruction has been eliminated from the budget (hence, no musicians to play in it). The cut was among those made to close a $300 million budget deficit caused largely by state cuts that fell particularly hard on the poorest districts. This is precisely the kind of problem that does not have a private solution but requires a public commitment to public education. (Though I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t a raft of charter applications for schools specializing in instrumental music).”
“Actually, philanthropy wouldn’t help. The orchestra is endangered because classroom instrumental music instruction has been eliminated from the budget (hence, no musicians to play in it). The cut was among those made to close a $300 million budget deficit caused largely by state cuts that fell particularly hard on the poorest districts. This is precisely the kind of problem that does not have a private solution but requires a public commitment to public education. (Though I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t a raft of charter applications for schools specializing in instrumental music).”
A Correction: NC Rep. Pittman Explains Why Certification is Not Necessary
Yesterday I posted a story from North Carolina about tweaks to the charter bill SB 337.
This is a correction sent to me by the reporter.
Originally the bill said that those in teach in charter schools did not need any certification.
At present, 75 percent of charter teachers in grades K-5 must be certified teachers, but the revised bill will drop that proportion to 50 percent, not zero.
One of those who was critical of certification requirements was Rep. Larry Pittman. He said he was misquoted in the original post, so the reporter dutifully printed his remarks in full.
This is a correction sent to me by the reporter.
Originally the bill said that those in teach in charter schools did not need any certification.
At present, 75 percent of charter teachers in grades K-5 must be certified teachers, but the revised bill will drop that proportion to 50 percent, not zero.
One of those who was critical of certification requirements was Rep. Larry Pittman. He said he was misquoted in the original post, so the reporter dutifully printed his remarks in full.
Another Day, Another Teacher-Bashing by the NY Daily News
Blogger Arthur Goldstein lacerates the New York Daily News for its latest assault on teachers.
One teacher was accused of having attended meetings of an organization called NAMBLA (the North American Man-Boy Love Association). Was it true? Who knows? Did he do anything illegal? No investigation.
Goldstein, who recently received the coveted Skinny Award for excellence as a teacher-blogger, wrote:
“The Daily News, no longer content to have its editorial section lecture us on the perfidy of teachers, has now
One teacher was accused of having attended meetings of an organization called NAMBLA (the North American Man-Boy Love Association). Was it true? Who knows? Did he do anything illegal? No investigation.
Goldstein, who recently received the coveted Skinny Award for excellence as a teacher-blogger, wrote:
“The Daily News, no longer content to have its editorial section lecture us on the perfidy of teachers, has now
Burris: John King’s Absurd Educator Evaluation Plan
Carol Corbett Burris, principal of South Side High School in Rockville Center, Long Island, New York, runs a good school. She wants to protect her staff and her students from ill-advised state interference. She wants to keep morale high. She has led the principals’ rebellion against the state evaluation plan. In this post, she reviews the evaluation plan that John King, our state commissioner of education (who has minimal experience as a teacher or a principal) imposed on the New York City public schools:
Recently Commissioner John King imposed a high stakes evaluation plan on New York City teachers. When you
Recently Commissioner John King imposed a high stakes evaluation plan on New York City teachers. When you
Uh-Oh. New Orleans “Miracle” Crumbles
Robert Mann, a professor of communications at Louisiana State University, recognizes that the point of charters and vouchers is to withdraw into gated communities.
He writes: “Private schools have long flourished in America for reasons legitimate (religious and scholastic), and some not so legitimate (race). But now many parents and taxpayers – manipulated by politicians who argue that the only way to fix public education is to weaken it with privatization – are giving up on the very idea of public schools.
“A strong component of Louisiana’s education “reform” agenda – led by Gov. Bobby Jindal and state education
He writes: “Private schools have long flourished in America for reasons legitimate (religious and scholastic), and some not so legitimate (race). But now many parents and taxpayers – manipulated by politicians who argue that the only way to fix public education is to weaken it with privatization – are giving up on the very idea of public schools.
“A strong component of Louisiana’s education “reform” agenda – led by Gov. Bobby Jindal and state education
Michele McNeil Fact-Checks Duncan
Michele McNeil analyzed Secretary Duncan’s remarks yesterday to the nation’s newspaper editors. She politely said they were not accurate.
Neil McClusky of CATO took the critique a step further.
Duncan needs to pretend that the federal government had nothing to do with the sudden adoption of these unknown standards. It just happened.
He claimed the Common Core was well underway before Obama was elected. McNeil politely says that’s not true.
Neil McClusky of CATO took the critique a step further.
Duncan needs to pretend that the federal government had nothing to do with the sudden adoption of these unknown standards. It just happened.
He claimed the Common Core was well underway before Obama was elected. McNeil politely says that’s not true.
EduShyster: Why We Need Missionaries to Spread Excellence
EduShyster has gotten to the root cause of all our education problems, most especially those in the inner cities of the action. The answer, she has discovered, is missionaries. Yes, there are too many teachers from the local communities. They lack the youth, the vigor, energy, and the sheer excellence of missionaries.
As she explains:
“If you are a member of the fastest (and best funded) congregation in the nation, the First Church of Education
As she explains:
“If you are a member of the fastest (and best funded) congregation in the nation, the First Church of Education
Crazy Crawfish: Data Frauds in Louisiana
If you read this post, you will never again believe any claim coming out of Louisiana. Crazy Crawfish (aka Jason France) used to work in the data division of the state department of education. He knows their tricks.
Why Doesn’t the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Want to Hear My Views?
This is a strange but true story.
As you know, I have a new book coming out in mid-September, and I plan to visit several cities on the west coast.
A reader of the blog reached out to see if the Los Angeles World Affairs Council would host me to speak at a luncheon.
I will be in Los Angeles October 1 and 2. I am speaking at Cal State-Northridge on the evening of October 2. So I
As you know, I have a new book coming out in mid-September, and I plan to visit several cities on the west coast.
A reader of the blog reached out to see if the Los Angeles World Affairs Council would host me to speak at a luncheon.
I will be in Los Angeles October 1 and 2. I am speaking at Cal State-Northridge on the evening of October 2. So I
EduShyster Visits Tennessee, Land of Bold Innovations
EduShyster has a hilarious post about Kevin Huffman’s plan to “crush” the achievement gap in Tennessee:
Pay teachers less.
It starts with a photo of a young woman standing by the side of the road holding a sign that says, “Will Teach 4
Pay teachers less.
It starts with a photo of a young woman standing by the side of the road holding a sign that says, “Will Teach 4
Diane in the Evening 6-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Lisa Fleisher of WSJ: Evaluations for Thee, But Not for Me by dianerav Lisa Fleisher of the Wall Street Journal reminds us what investigative reporting looks like. In New York City, we nearly forgot, especially since Michael Winerip of the New York Ztimes was taken off the education beat. Fleisher filed a Freedom of Information Act request to find out whether top officials at the New York City Department of Education receive job evaluations. As we know, the Bloomberg DOE evaluates everyone in its *LISTEN TO D... more »