Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, September 28, 2013

9-28-13 Wait What?

Wait What?:




Malloy/Pryor; It is time to come clean on “Special Deal” Steven Adamowski
Why did the Malloy Administration rush through hiring Steven Adamowski? Why did Adamowski start in his new state position even before the State Board of Education voted to extend his appointment as Special Master for the Windham and New London school systems? It turns out the answer, at least in part, can be found in […]The post Malloy/Pryor; It is time to come clean on “Special Deal” Steven Adamo


Malloy/Pryor; It is time to come clean on “Special Deal” Steven Adamowski
Why did the Malloy Administration rush through hiring Steven Adamowski? Why did Adamowski start in his new state position even before the State Board of Education voted to extend his appointment as Special Master for the Windham and New London school systems? It turns out the answer, at least in part, can be found in […]The post Malloy/Pryor; It is time to come clean on “Special Deal” Steven Adamo

YESTERDAY

Let’s just name him Steven “Special Deal” Adamowski and call it a wrap…
On September 4, 2013, the Connecticut State Board of Education met.  One of their agenda items was the “Extension of Term: Special Master, New London Public Schools; Windham Public Schools.” Upon the recommendation of Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, the State Board of Education, led by Chairman Allan Taylor, voted to grant Steven […]The post Let’s just name him Steven “S
Surprise… Ravitch bashing Congressman Polis’ charter schools don’t measure up.
Last week, Colorado Congressman Jared Polis tweeted that public education advocate Diane Ravitch was “an evil woman” and that he couldn’t “think of anybody else who has caused more harm to public schools, except maybe Koch brothers.” Those bizarre and incredible statements generated a flurry of coverage across the country, including here on Wait, What? […]The post Surprise… Ravitch bashing Congres
When political photo-ops go bad…
In the world of politics, it was the type of media opportunity politicians dream about. The Governor of Connecticut raced to New York City yesterday to the give top officials at Con Edison and the MTA “the old what-for” for the “catastrophic power outage on the New Haven Line of Metro-North Railroad” that is causing […]The post When political photo-ops go bad… appeared first on Wait What?.
Connecticut: Poverty in the state with the highest per capita income
Connecticut Children living in Poverty CT 2001          10.2% live in poverty (82,000) CT 2012:        14.8% live in poverty (117,000) According to an study conducted by Connecticut Voices for Children, the independent research and advocacy organization, “At the start of the Great Recession, Connecticut experienced the largest increase in child poverty of any state in the […]The post Connecticut:

SEP 26

Is that your credit card? Why yes, yes it is….
[Or perhaps a better title would be:  Didn’t that sign back there say… “Bridge Out” to which the elected official responded…what sign?] Earlier this week, the CT Mirror ran a story entitled “Debate intensifies over CT’s credit card,“ while CT Newsjunkie’s story was State On Pace to Exceed Malloy’s Self-Imposed Debt Limit. Since the stories […]The post Is that your credit card? Why yes, yes it is….
Missing Bridgeport Democrats campaign finance report shows up, but is missing tens of thousands in expenditures
That’s right… The missing Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee campaign finance report has finally shown up but it is missing tens of thousands in expenditures. The missing Bridgeport Democrat Town Committee campaign finance report that was due seven days before the Democratic Primary made it to the State Elections Enforcement Commission along with the required one […]The post Missing Bridgeport D

SEP 25

Is Diane Ravitch a hero?
My answer is yes, Diane Ravitch is absolutely a hero! But in an incredible blog this afternoon, PBS Reporter John Merrow explained that not only was she not a hero but he equated her to the nut United States Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.  Merrow wrote: “The words ‘hero’, ‘heroic’ and ‘heroism’ are overused in […]The post Is Diane Ravitch a hero? appeared first on Wait What?.
Why the Vallas Case is so much more than simply a case about Paul Vallas
The following is a re-print of an extraordinary analysis of the Lopez v.Vallas case and the corporate education reform industry’s assault on public education in Connecticut. It is written by Attorney John M. Gesmonde, a Connecticut lawyer and expert on labor and education law who wrote the piece for this month’s Connecticut Association of School […]The post Why the Vallas Case is so much more than
“[Brownie,] I mean Congressman Jared Polis you’re doing a heck of a job
Colorado’s Democratic Congressman has earned his place in the corporate education reform industry’s Hall of Shame by calling Diane Ravitch an “evil woman” and claiming that he couldn’t “think of anybody else who has caused more harm to public schools, except maybe Koch brothers.” Congressman Polis, who has set up charter schools in Colorado and […]The post “[Brownie,] I mean Congressman Jared Poli
The Paul Vallas Scam
New Monastic Individuals is a blog that should definitely be in your bookmarks.  He is a friend, fellow blogger and part of the team working to take back public education in Connecticut. His latest post is entitled, “The Paul Vallas Scam” As the Connecticut Supreme Court considers whether to sustain (or over-rule) a Superior Court […]The post The Paul Vallas Scam (a fellow blogger’s perspective) a

SEP 24

Get out your wallets, Bass Pro wants their corporate welfare check.
“Bass Pro often fails to deliver on its promise to be an economic development anchor and major tourist destination.  Its stores attract shoppers but often do not produce sought-after economic benefits associated with major tourist destinations.”  (Public Accountability Initiative 2010) “The stores are billed as job generators by both companies when they are fishing for […]The post Get out your wal
Wendy Lecker takes on the Myth of the STEM crisis
In another “must read” commentary piece, fellow public education advocate confronts the propaganda machine that is spinning out the rhetoric that we need more and more STEM Academies of that a “STEM Education” is the salvation for America’s education system. STEM is the political concept of the day that says rather than receiving a comprehensive […]The post Wendy Lecker takes on the Myth of the ST
Congressman Jared Polis…. A voice for DFER
The Democratic congressman who called American’s leading public education advocate, Diane Ravitch, “an evil woman” turns out to be a player for Democrats for Education Reform, a leading political action committee for the corporate education reform industry. Polis’ outrageous and inappropriate attack on Diane Ravitch may not have been some random, bizarre act on the […]The post Congressman Jared Po

SEP 23

Vallas a no-show for Connecticut Supreme Court hearing
The Connecticut Supreme Court held oral arguments at 10am today in the case of Lopez v. Vallas. The question before the court is whether to overturn the Connecticut Superior Court’s ruling that Paul Vallas lacks the credentials to serve as a superintendent of schools in Connecticut. The hearing was the end of the line in […]The post Vallas a no-show for Connecticut Supreme Court hearing appeared f
Even more on the Diane Ravitch hating “neo-liberal” congressman from Colorado
Friend and fellow blogger and education advocate, Jersey Jazzman, has more information on the bully   Democratic Congressman from Colorado who has been on a tear with his insulting tweets about public education advocate Diane Ravitch. Jersey Jazzman is a great investigative blogger and well worth the read at any time, but his latest on […]The post Even more on the Diane Ravitch hating “neo-liberal
Vallas faces Supreme Court, Colorado Congressman returns to twitter rant
A Monday morning in the on-going battle to stop the education reform industry and take back our public schools. Paul Vallas: In a final, desperate move to hold onto his position, faux superintendent Paul Vallas and his taxpayer funded attorneys go before the Connecticut Supreme Court today to explain why he is so special that […]The post Vallas faces Supreme Court, Colorado Congressman returns to

SEP 22

Jared Polis: How the Diane Ravitch hater bought himself a seat in Congress
In 2008, the now increasingly infamous Diane Ravitch “hater,” Jared Polis, ran for a seat in the United State House of Representatives. He spent $7,353,503 to win that position and 81 percent of that amount or $5,992,550 came from his own pocket.  By comparison, the average amount spent by Colorado’s other six successful congressional candidates […]The post Jared Polis: How the Diane Ravitch hater
Judge Carmen Lopez explains the Lopez v. Vallas case…
Former Connecticut Superior Court Judge Carmen Lopez is not only a leading advocate for public education but she is a true champion when it comes to standing up and speaking out on the most important issues facing our communities, our state and our nation. Born in Puerto Rico, a life-long resident of Bridgeport, a lawyer, […]The post Judge Carmen Lopez explains the Lopez v. Vallas case… appeared f

SEP 21

Who is this thug…also known as… Democratic Congressman Jared Polis?
Last week, Democratic Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado, who purports to be a “a progressive,” called Diane Ravitch an “evil woman” and compared her to the Koch Brothers tweeting ,“Can’t think of anybody else who has caused more harm to public schools, except maybe Koch brothers.” As we are learning, Polis failed to reveal that […]The post Who is this thug…also known as… Democratic Congressman J
CT Post’ Hugh Bailey speaks “Truth To Power” again with latest piece on Vallas
Hugh Bailey’s latest commentary piece is called “School leader’s time is running short.”  The Connecticut Post editorial writer once again speaks truth to power. The phrase “Truth to Power” was developed by the Quakers in the mid-1950s when it was used in a famous pamphlet that called for the United States to stand up against […]The post CT Post’ Hugh Bailey speaks “Truth To Power” again with late