Ed Notes Online
Who does Mr King, an "educator" with a VERY thin resume, who is a political hack appointed by billionaire Regent Meryl Tisch, think he is?... Stop this misguided "reform" movement and give education BACK TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES where parents can do what is best for our children. Brian De Vale, parent Below is an email sent by a parent, Brian De Vale, a NYC Principal in Brooklyn an
Revisiting ObamaCare IT: Race to the Top - of Incompetence
I'm listening to Brian Lehrer on NPR talk about the Obama roll-out disaster and the corporate disaster speak we are hearing -- exact tone we hear from Bloomberg/Walcott on that kid who is missing for 2 weeks.For the record, I posted ObamaCare IT: Race to the Top - of Incompetence on Oct. 10 where I pointed out that it was not overload on the web site but the design/architecture of the system which
Video: Why Come to MORE Monthly Meeting This Saturday, Oct. 19, 12PM
Why come to the MORE meeting? See the promo video below. It may be crowded at the Ya-Ya Network, our wonderful hosts at 224 W. 29th St 14th Fl. (btwn 7th and 8th Ave). We are outgrowing the space with 60-80 people attending every month. I am just going to stand for 3 hours and pretend I'm on the subway (where I spent a long time standing on a crowded train on the way home from the Met where it to
Astounding: Government shutdown deal includes support for TFA trained teachers
Does Wendy Kopp have naked pics of every politician? On the verge of a worldwide financial meltdown they make sure to add a clause protecting Teach For America. TFA is celebrating their fortune while pre-k gets gutted. A real teacher organization interested in child welfare would be howling with rage.The federal government didn't shut down over the question of whether teachers in alternative-certi
John King's Uncommon Schools Charters Opt Out of RTTT Which Makes Their Teachers Exempt From King's Eval System
One more example of the deep corruption ed deform brings. State Education Commissioner John King is overhauling New York's method of evaluating teachers — but Uncommon Schools don't have to follow the new state rules, as they have opted out of federal Race to the Top funds... Daily New And by the way, guess which charter also exempts itself? It starts with a U and ends with a T. (UFT Charter Exem
Newark Teachers Union Rally: Enuf is Enuf
The wonderful Newark Supe Cami Anderson is so adept at making friends. How funny to see the very union that made the deal with the devil last year (with Randi and Christie's guns at their heads) is now rallying because they claim Anderson is not keeping her side of the bargain -- DUHHHHHH! Just a smidgeon of history would show that the deformers NEVER keep their side of the bargain.NEW Caucus call
PS 29Q Principal Resigns After Protests
The so-called “terror-driven reign” of a College Point principal is over. Jennifer Jones-Rogers resigned as head of P.S. 29 last week, education officials confirmed, after dozens in the community urged the city to fire her earlier this summer.... Queens CourierThe end of a long-running battle at the school after parents and teachers, with the support of State Senator Tony Avella. It is not impossi
OCT 17
Video: PEP Oct 15 2013 - I Am Bergtraum
Some of the strongest voices at the PEP came from the Murry Bergtraum HS community in lower Manhattan as they fought the blatant handing over of this prime real estate to Eva Moskowitz who will now have bases in big high school buildings in every part of Manhattan (Brandeis, Graphic Arts, Washington Irving). One irony: Murry Bergtraum's daughter was appointed to the PEP by Bloomberg. I didn't stay
New Content at SusanOhanian.Org! Oct. 16, 2013
As usual Susan tosses a lot of good stuff on the table. Click the links to see Susan's often priceless commentary on each article.==========It is worthwhile to read Bill Gates' infamous 2009 speech again. . because it infects every other story about ed deform.But don't miss Neil Gaiman's speech, which SHOULD inspire every attempt at education reform.Susan\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Syracuse s
Government Open, Rockaway Theatre Co. is Back This Weekend With Final Perf of Boeing Boeing!
The cast of Boeing Boeing!How does a small local theater based in Rockaway manage to put on such quality productions? Fort Tilden will be open and the postponed Boeing Boeing is on for this weekend. Three of the major roles are played by NYC teachers and the show is co-directed by another teacher. And key people running the theater are retired teachers. I've seen it twice and will go back this wee
Staten Island Democratic Club Calls for John King Resignation
Loretta Prisco introduced this resolution last night at her Staten Island Democratic club, a progressive club on SI. It was passed unanimously. I'm not big on the calls for King to resign. He is helping the movement against ed deform with every word he utters. I would focus on Merryl Tisch and put pressure on the Democrats in the State Assembly, in particular Shelly Silver. But any anti ed deform
OCT 16
Why Are Some New Jersey Teachers Voting Tea Party Against Booker?
Dear Democrats, Yes, you got that right. I am voting for Lonegan. Actually, I am voting against Newark Mayor Democrat Cory Booker. How did that happen? In my 39 year voting history, I have pulled the lever for two Republicans ... I am a Newark teacher teaching this year in a renew school. My man Booker is a supporter of charter schools. He advocates for Teach for America. He was instrumental in br
PEP Notes - Tish James Rocks the House
You have 77 days and the count-down has begun.... When you treat special needs children differently and when you discipline them and expel them that's separate and unequal... I urge you in anticipation of litigation to save all your emails (especially related to communication with Eva Moskowitz)... That is why I was elected (along with Bill de Blasio) ... that is our mandate... we gotta get back 1
UFT Charter Exempt From Teacher Evaluation System or Race To The Top
UFT CHARTER SCHOOL: Not participating ... NYSED Dept listing of Race To the Top participating and non-participating schoolsGuess who is on the list of schools not participating in the teacher evaluation system? SurPRISE!UFT CHARTER SCHOOLhttp://eservices.nysed.gov/rtttlea/showAll.htmlI am rendered speechless - for once. Oh, I'm sure there is a good explanation from the UFT as to why they fostered
Hitler Objects to Opt-Out Movement: High Stakes Standardized Testing in New York....the DOWNFALL!
Relentless standardized testing is the ONLY WAY to stop children from learning to think for themselves... Adolph HitlerTruly as on target as you can get.http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OvKVkitKOgk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOvKVkitKOgk
TONIGHT AT PEP: Call on Mayoral Candidates to Reverse Bloomberg “Lame Duck” Co-locations/Closings, Blast Lhota’s Charter-centric Message
I'll be there to tape it all. Many schools affected are organizing to be there.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 15, 2013Media Contacts:Julian Vinocur. 203.313.2479. julianvinocur@gmail.com Dan Morris. 917.952.8920. dlmcommunications@gmail.comStuart Marques. 917.273.6194. stuart.marques@gmail.com NY-GPS to Protest Outside PEP, Call on Mayoral Candidates to Reverse Bloomberg “Lame Duck” Co-locations/
OCT 15
Did Mulgrew Sign On to Recent NYC Race to the Top Application?
NYC applied for a district RTTT grant, as revealed in EdWeek. Did UFT sign onto this and if so, what does it contain? The statewide RTTT grant is supposed to contain funds for the data dashboards or “EngageNY portals” to be populated with data fromthe inBloom cloud.Given that the Newark Teachers Union recently scuttled the RTTT application (Newark TU Rejects RTTT as Randi/Del Grosso Contrac) and t
OCT 14
Citizens of the World Charter To Use Dead Souls To Bolster Enrollment in Effort to Stay Open
With the school threatened with closing due to low enrollment (as the so-called charter demand is once more exposed), Citizens of the World supporter Eric Grannis (the husband of Evil Moskowitz) is scouting local cemeteries for recruits.State Ed Commissioner John King approved of the move. "The dead should not be excluded from the higher order skills gained from the Common Core."The SUNY
Carol Smashes King
The idea that a Commissioner would accuse parents and teacher of being a "special interest" is outrageous. That is not what leaders do... Carol Burris, NY State Principal of the Year, at The Answer Sheet, WAPO The speakers from the audience at this forum were to a person better-informed, more coherent and independent-minded than anyone I've heard from in NYSED, Dr. King included. For him
OCT 13
Oct. 15: LET’S MARCH TOGETHER TO THE PEP TO FIGHT FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!
MARCH TO CLOSE THE BLOOMBERG ERA AND CALL ON OUR NEXT MAYOR TO IMPLEMENT A REAL PLAN TO MAKE SURE EVERY STUDENT IS COLLEGE-READY! BLOOMBERG’S PANEL FOR FAILEDEDUCATIONAL POLICY PLANS TO “RUBBER STAMP” MORE CO-LOCATIONS! LET’S MARCH TOGETHER TO THE PEP TO FIGHT FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!
How Much Per Child Did Eva's Success Charters Spend on Ads to Create "Demand" While Not Filling All Seats?
Success Charter forced march over BklynBrModeled on Bataan Death marchAccording to DOE records, in 2011/2012 Upper West Success was only able to fill 164 of its authorized 188 Kindergarten and 1st grade seat (an estimated marketing cost of some $6000 per enrollee). We estimate that Eva spent over a million dollars on recruitment/marketing for Upper West Success alone in 2010/2011 school year. Acco
Over Eva Invasion, Bergtraum ChLdr Warns of Security Dangers of Co-Location
John Elfrank-Dana is joined by fellow teachers, former students and others in opposing another Eva Moskowitz Success Academy land grab in lower Manhattan this time. He warns of the dangers of putting kindergarten kids in a high school, especially in a high traffic area that suffered the 9/11 attack and remains a target. The recent disappearance of an autistic child from a large high school, shows
OCT 12
NY State Ed Comm John King Enters Witness Protection Program
DUCK, INCOMING:Commissioner John King faced a tough crowd while meeting with parents last night. (GS in Brief)Reformy NY Education Commish gets taken to the woodshed by parents. .. The ChalkfaceKing has "suspended" the four remaining forums on Common Core after last night's town hall in Poughkeepsie (including Oct. 15 in Garden City). Commissioner King Gets Spanked.King gets the Cathy Bl
OCT 11
MORE Reflections on the Delegate Assembly
Wednesday was an interesting day in UFT-land, a lot of it related to MORE and its growing reputation at the school level and at the DA. And I should point out that the parent dominated Change the Stakes which co-sponsored the rally is also growing in reputation amongst parents.There is no question that the Unity resolution on high stakes testing they rushed through the Oct. 7 Ex Bd meeting was des
Reflections on the Common Core and High Stakes Testing from Change the Stakes Member
Fred, you've got an oped here that needs to get wide circulation right now. One of the worst things Bloomberg has done is successfully portray the UFT as his opponent. Talk about convenient; you can score points by trashing the union while its leadership essentially does your bidding. The general public is oblivious to the fact that the union leadership not support teachers or parents or students