Red Queen in LA Asks: “Who Is Diane Ravitch?”
Here is a good blog by a Los Angeles parent asks the question, “who is Diane Ravitch?–and explores the answer. I know who I am. I am one of eight children, born in Houston and a graduate of the Houston public schools. I was lucky enough to be admitted to Wellesley College, where my friends included incredibly talented women. I married a wonderful man two weeks after college, moved to New York C
Two Interviews on NYC’s NY1 about Testing and “Reign of Error”
I thought you might find these back-to-back interviews interesting. I am wearing the same clothes because the tapings occurred only minutes apart. The other thing you might notice if you see my lectures or appearances on YouTube is that I am almost always wearing the same jacket but usually in different colors. When I find something I like, I stick with it. I will never make the list of America’s
Please, Someone, Give Condoleeza Rice a Copy of “Reign of Error”
Yesterday, I received a notice from a group in Indianapolis called “The Mind Trust” about their bringing Condaleeza Rice to Indianapolis to talk about education. Echoing a lame report issued by a task force for the Council on Foreign Relations, which she co-chaired with Joel Klein, Rice warned that America’s public schools were so terrible that they had become “our greatest national security cris
Tennessee: Protests Against Kevin Huffman Increase
Educators and school boards in Tennessee continue to express their opposition to State Commissioner Keven Huffman’s policies and autocratic style of leadership. The Marshall County board of education sent a letter of protest against Huffman to the governor and general assembly. The linked article says: ““We want Marshall to be number one in the state, but we have to have time to do that,” Marsha
Take Action in Philly Against Corporate Rule
Jenny Shanker, the wonderful daughter of legendary labor leader Al Shanker, alerted me to a very important protest planned for Monday in Philadelphia. The Gates Foundation and their showcase Mastery Charter, plan to meet at the Union League Club, the symbol of elitism in Philadelphia. How appropriate. Read the link and do your part. I wrote to Jennie and said, “We live in a mad time, where billi
Do You Need a Laugh Today? Read This.
Julian Vasquez Heilig is the most creative blogger I know in terms of his brilliant combination of flashy graphics, research, and informed commentary. Here he describes the century-long battle between the managerial elites—who believe that schools can be improved by data, management, mandates and standardization, always controlled by them–and the pedagogical crowd–who have fought the managers tha
Guess Who Is Trying to Gut Your Pension?
Educators know that their pensions are under attack. Some policymakers and pundits opine that the fabulous pensions paid to public employees are going to cause our economic system to collapse. You won’t hear them say much about the yawning income inequality gap, the growing share of the nation’s wealth now flowing up to the top 1%, or the disappearance of the middle class, as good jobs are outsour
Paul Horton Reviews “Reign of Error”
Paul Horton is a history teacher at the University of Chicago Lab School and a passionate supporter of public education. Here he reviews Reign of Error. He calls his review “The One Percent’s Solution and the Betrayal of Public Education.” That is a good summary of the book right there. Horton traces the nation’s commitment to public education to its earliest days: After the Revolution, but before
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 9-28-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGPhilly Teacher: May 100% of Your Students Score Proficient by 2014!This was written by Raniel Guzman, who is a teacher in the School District of Philadelphia and an adjunct professor at Esperanza College of Eastern University: May 100 % of your students score proficient or above on standardized tests by 2014.