Diane Ravitch's blog
Indiana: Why the Battle between Glenda Ritz and Governor Pence Matters
North Carolina School Board Opposes Legislature’s Plan to Abolish Due Process
Daniel Wydo Disaggregates PISA Scores by Income
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Thanks to TeacherKen for directing me to this terrific article that contains a dozen Mandela quotes that are not likely to be repeated in the mainstream media. When you read Mandela’s obituary in the corporate media, he is sanitized and turned into a benign African version of Martin Luther King, Jr. (who was also sanitized by the MSM, which liked his lofty sentiments about justice but not his stro
Maya Angelou on the Passing of Nelson Mandela
TeacherKen posted this wonderful tribute by Maya Angelou to one of the greatest men of our time or any other. Nelson Mandela exemplified courage, dignity, wisdom, and forbearance in the face of cruelty and oppression. How many people could survive 27 years of imprisonment and emerge from the ordeal free of bitterness yet full of grace? He led his people to freedom and helped to avoid what might h
Schneider Reviews Success Academy Tax Documents and Concludes: Eva Should Pay the Rent
In this post, Mercedes Schneider reviews the IRS documents for Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy charter chain and concludes that they can afford to pay the city rent. The post begins like this: Since 2006, Eva Moskowitz has been running a small charter empire that has at least $50 million in assets and the support of hedge fund millionaires. Why is it, then, that her Success Academies have never pa
Critics of Michigan’s letter-grades for schools denounced the system as a Trojan horse, designed to push schools with low grades into the state-created Educational Achievement Authority. “Legislation creating a letter grading system for Michigan public schools is coming under scrutiny because it contains a provision that may speed the transfer of failing schools into the troubled Education Achiev
Investigative reporter Yasha Levine digs into the iPad mess in Los Angeles here. Some corporations will make a lot of money, especially Apple and Pearson. And meanwhile, many Los Angeles students will be in overcrowded classrooms and will not get any arts programs because of budget cuts. This story is not going away. It just keeps getting worse. No one has explained where the money will come from
Casey Barduhn, superintendent of the Westhill Central School District, warns New York Commissioner John King that his reliance on high-stakes testing is destroying the promise of the Common Core standards. Barduhn wrote to King that he was intrigued by the standards when they were unveiled and hopeful that they would lead to creative and innovative teaching and learning. But with the advent of t
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Journalist Todd Smekens in Indiana blogged about the struggle by Glenda Ritz to stop Governor Mike Pence from destroying her position, to which she was elected by the people of Indiana. This is a battle for democracy, not for an individual. Smekens sees the struggle as part of a national attack on public education. He tied it to Sue Peters’ upset victory in Seattle, where the zillionaires put together what they thought was a big enough campaign fund to crush her. Smekens recognizes that Pence is trying not only to usurp democracy but to make Indiana a friendly home for “free market capitalists
The Board of Education in New Hanover County, North Carolina, passed a resolution opposing the state legislature’s plan to offer bonuses to 25% of teachers in exchange for their abandoning their due process rights. The board–in Wilmington, North Carolina–is Republican dominated. When the resolution passed, the audience at the board meeting–many of whom were teachers, wearing red–burst into applause. The local Star-News Online reported that the board: “…..unanimously passed a resolution against the N.C. General Assembly’s mandate requiring 25 percent of teachers in each district to receive a b
Daniel Wydo, a teacher in North Carolina, sent this analysis of 2012 PISA: Here’s what the mainstream media will NOT tell you about 2012 PISA. When comparing U.S. schools with less than 10% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, here’s how U.S. students (of which almost 25% are considered poor by OECD standards and of which nationally on average about 50% qualify for free/reduced lunch) rank compared to all other countries including one I chose to purposely compare – Finland (of which about 5% are considered poor by OECD standards): *Shanghai is disqualified for obvious reasons. Scienc
YESTERDAY
What Color Should I Wear to Show Support for Public Education?
I just taped a show for CNN with Christine Romans, the chief business correspondent. I wore red for Ed, as so many teachers recommend. At Mayor de Blasio’s inauguration, I will wear green at the request of Lace to the Top, an advocacy group of teachers. On the Jon Stewart show, I wore a green plastic bracelet sent to me by Lace to the Top. Now I learn that on December 9, there will be a national
Suicide is Leading Cause of Death in China among Young
The high pressure to compete for limited spots in university is a contributing factor to the high suicide rate in China among young people ages 15-34, according to this news report. The story says: Amid growing competition for university places and rising graduate unemployment, suicide is now the leading cause of death for Chinese people aged between 15 and 34, official media reported this week. N
Powerful Chicago Charter Leader Resigns in Wake of Financial Scandal
Juan Rangel, head of the UNO charter chain, resigned his position as CEO. UNO is the largest charter chain in Illinois. Rangel’s departure “by mutual agreement” with the board of the not-for-profit group is effective immediately, UNO officials said Friday. Rangel had three family members on the UNO payroll. Sources said two of the relatives quit recently, including deputy chief of staff Carlos Ja
Ellen Lubic Corrects Ben Austin
Ben Austin, the executive director of Parent Revolution, recently wrote a post for Huffington Post saying that “community power” saved Superintendent John Deasy, whose job was on the line in Los Angeles. Parent Revolution is an organization funded by the Walton Foundation, the Gates Foundation, and the Broad Foundation to promote the “parent trigger,” that is, to encourage parents to seize control
Sandronsky: Political Favors, Cronyism, And Cash in Sacramento: UPDATE
Seth Sandronsky, a journalist in Sacramento, reports here on some extraordinary events in that city that should raise eyebrows. Maybe even some hackles. Read Sandronsky to learn about State Senator Ron Calderon, his brother Thomas Calderon, Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, ALEC, the Walton Family Foundation, Pearson, Connections Academy, the Sacramento Bee, and variou
Add This Event to My Speaking Schedule: January 16
I will be speaking to the Westchester-Putnam Counties School Boards Association on January 16 at 7:30 p.m. about testing and the Common Core. The event will be held at Fox Lane High School in Bedford, New York. All are welcome, but please register in advance. The registration link is on the flyer, and is listed here for your convenience as well: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEma
Texas Charter Founded by Football Star in Financial Trouble
Texas has given out charters to various non-educators. Being a celebrity is credential enough to get state authority to open a school. There are charters run by a tennis star, a football star, a basketball star, and a horde of entrepreneurs with no educational experience. This is called “reform” for some reason. The Texas Education Agency is currently investigating financial disorder and mismana
Deasy and Hess: Do Not Fear Technology!
Los Angeles Superintendent John Deasy and Frederick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute wrote an article in which they seek to reassure teachers not to be afraid of technology. They patiently explain why the critics of Deasy’s decision to spend $1 billion for iPads and Pearson content are wrong, and why technology is good for students and teachers. This is a classic example of what is known
New York City: Commissioner King Brings His Show to NYC Next Week
Until now, Commissioner John King and the New York Regents have played their Common Core testing show on the road. You might call them out-of-town tryouts. Now the show is coming to New York City, on short notice. Next week, parents, educators, and other community members in Brooklyn and Manhattan will have a chance to voice their concerns on December 10 (Brooklyn) and December 11 (Manhattan). T
A Balanced Assessment of High Test Scores in Asia
This is an excellent and balanced article that explains why Asian nations swept the top places on PISA and at what cost to the students. In the U.S., we have long had a belief in a “well-rounded” education, and many teachers believe they educate “the whole child,” thus putting concerns about social, emotional, and physical development in context with academic learning. Historically, there have be
DEC 05
Detroit: Crime of the Century?
By now, you may have heard that a federal judge ruled that Detroit’s pensions may be cut during bankruptcy proceedings, even though the Michigan state constitution expressly protects them. What you may not know is that the average pension is $19,000 a year. David Sirota is outraged. Michigan officials say there is no money to pay the $100 million pension gap yet the state can afford $6 billion
G.F. Brandenburg: Words of Wisdom About PISA
G.F. Brandenburg, as you would expect, has a pithy and wise commentary about the PISA scores. Here are his first three observations: “1. There is a lot of evidence that being a good test-taker does not necessarily overlap with other desirable properties, either on the individual level or on the local or national or international level. 2. A lot of silly things are read into comparing how many qu
Reader from China: Why Chinese Students’ Test Scores Are So High
This fascinating and informative comment was just posted in response to Tom Loveless’s earlier article about how Shanghai gets high scores by excluding the children of migrants from its schools and how OECD allows China to exclude the PISA scores from provinces with less than stellar results. As you will see, there is no coddling” in China. Instead, the pressure on students to study and compete fo
Lower Hudson Valley: The Disconnect Between the State and the Public
Most of the noise against the shoddy implementation of Common Core in New York has been heard in Long Island, but parents and educators are even angrier in the Lower Hudson Valley than in New York. Here is an excellent explanation by veteran journalist Gary Stern.. This is one of the best analyses I have read about why state officials and the public are on a collision course. Can the Regents conti
German-Style Apprenticeship Programs Grow in South Carolina
Like many other states, South Carolina has been wooing foreign corporations, hoping to create new jobs and stimulate the economy. When a German firm relocated to produce heavy engines, it was unable to find enough skilled workers. So the company leader “did what he would have done back home in Germany: He set out to train them himself. Working with five local high schools and a career center in
Anthony Cody: Standards Or Standardization?
Anthony Cody notes that the definition of education has become increasingly utilitarian, thus narrowing what is taught and learned only to the skills that make students college-and-career ready. Joy in learning, aesthetic delight in the arts, the intellectual pleasure of history and literature take a backseat to that which is marketable. Are we all meant to serve the needs of corporate America? H
DEC 04
Bruce Baker on PISA and Poverty and Petrilli
Bruce Baker has this habit of introducing facts, evidence, and sharp analysis–as well as humor–to controversial issues. Here is take on PISA Day (drum roll, please). It begins like this: “With today’s release of PISA data it is once again time for wild punditry, mass condemnation of U.S. public schools and a renewed sense of urgency to ram through ill-conceived, destructive policies that will mak
North Carolina Appeals Court Says No to For-Profit Virtual K12 Corporation
A North Carolina Appeals Court turned down K12, the publicly traded corporation that operates virtual charters. It wanted to open a virtual charter in the state, but the State Board of Education did not act on its request, so it was denied. K12 sued, and for now, has lost. When the Legislature goes back into session, we will see whether the rejection sticks. K12 has a history of astute lobbying an
Arthur Camins on International Test Scores
Arthur Camins is director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. He left the following comment about the PISA results: The release of NAEP, TIMSS and PISA scores always produces debate. How do we compare with others (and on what)? Among us, who has improve and who has not? Are we improving and, if so, are we
PISA Showed We Need a Game-Changer, Not More of the Same Failed policies
A reader sent this tweet from Arne Duncan: Arne Duncan @arneduncan 17h The bad news from #OECDPISA: US is running in place while other countries lap us. Good news: We’re laying the right foundation to improve. This is very sad. If PISA shows anything, it is that the policies of the Bush-Obama administrations have not reached their one singular goal: higher test scores. NCLB was signed into law
A UK View of PISA Results
The Policy Consortium in the UK has a good overview of the British response to the PISA scores. Each political party is pointing fingers at the other for the scores not being as high as they would wish. The Conservatives say it is Labor’s fault. The Labor party says it is the fault of the Conservatives. But here are some good takeaways. “… it is important to attract the most talented teachers to
Helen Ladd: Our Schools Need Experienced Teachers
Helen F. Ladd is a distinguished professor of public policy and economics at Duke University. In this article, which appeared in the News-Observer in North Carolina, Ladd explains why the schools need experienced teachers, not just a steady supply of novices who serve for two or three years, then leave. She writes: In an effort to keep educational costs in check, America’s cash-strapped states, lo
Oops! I will be in Red Hook on December 11, not December 9
In a post this morning, I said I was doing a book talk at PS 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn. I gave the wrong date! It will be December 11, NOT December 9. I should have said: I will be holding a book talk at P.S. 15 at 71Sullivan Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn, on December 11 from 5-7. No lecture, just conversation. Read the book first. If you live in New York City or anywhere nearby, you are welcome
Parent to Commissioner Nicastro: Please Do Not Privatize Kansas City Public Schools
The following comment was posted on the blog: As a parent in the Kansas City Public Schools who has been fighting from the trenches the last 3 years, I’m thrilled to see Missouri on your blog. Dr Nicastro’s true stripes are starting to show. Below is the letter I sent on September 10th after realizing the selection of CEE-Trust (paid for by private foundation funds) to “study” KCPS’ and St Louis
Update: My Health and My Schedule
To Readers, Thank you for your good wishes. I am on the mend. As you may have noticed, I have not stopped blogging! I am on blood thinners and blood pressure medication. I had a pulmonary embolism in 1998, and I am lucky that this time the blood clots in my legs did not turn into a pulmonary embolism, which is life-threatening. My spirits are good. I will be holding a book talk at P.S. 15 at 71Sul
“Education Malpractice” in New York City
Laurel Sturt was a fashion designer who decided to give up her career and become a Teaching Fellow. She was motivated by a desire to help children and make a difference, as most teachers are. In an interview in the Atlantic, she explains what happened to her. Her experience is not unique, but it is important that it appears in a mainstream publication. Laurel Sturt was a 46-year-old fashion design
DEC 03
Pasi Sahlberg: How Should PISA Scores Affect Finnish Education?
Finland was not at the top of the PISA league tables in the latest assessment. So what does this mean for the future? Here, Pasi Sahlberg explains that Finland never cared about being first. What it wanted most was to have the kind of education that was best for youth development. What will happen now that its scores have dropped? Sahlberg writes: Finland should not do what many other countries ha
My View of the PISA Scores
The news reports say that the test scores of American students on the latest PISA test are “stagnant,” “lagging,” “flat,” etc. The U.S. Department of Education would have us believe–yet again–that we are in an unprecedented crisis and that we must double down on the test-and-punish strategies of the past dozen years. The myth persists that once our nation led the world on international tests, but
Inside the Long Island Parent Rebellion Against Common Core
What’s the gripe of those “white suburban moms” (and dads) who have turned out in large numbers to complain about Common Core and the increase in testing? Here is a good analysis by a local Long Island reporter. Jaime Franchi at LongIslandPress.com interviewed parents and leaders of the revolt and gives a full picture of the uprising. The story begins: “Eighth grader Ryan Pepe, 13, of East Islip,
Lecker: When Is “School Choice” Extortion?
Civil rights attorney Wendy Lecker writes here about a battle over the future of two elementary schools in Connecticut. In both cases, parents resisted efforts to turn their children over to corporate reformers. She writes: In recent weeks, parents from two community schools protested proposals by Christina Kishimoto, Hartford’s outgoing “reform” superintendent, and Education Commissioner Stefan P
EduShyster: Teacher Evaluations in Massachusetts Make No Sense
Massachusetts released teacher ratings, and lo and behold, all the best teachers seem to be in the most affluent districts. In Boston, the lowest ratings went to old and minority teachers. The highest ratings went to central office administrators. EduShyster did not use the phrase “makes no sense,” which is the headline of this post. Actually, the teacher evaluations do make sense. They are doin
Pennsylvania: Stop Charter Expansion Now!
Pennsylvania is home to some of the nation’s most unscrupulous charter operators, some of whom are under criminal investigation or on trial for fraud and misappropriation of public funds. But say this for some of the sleaziest: they give generously to political campaigns. That is why the Legislature is considering SB 1085, which would allow new charters to open without local approval. If you want
NY Parents Demand Responsive State Board
Parents in Néw York are organizing statewide to demand a state board of education that reflects the interests of parents and students. The board in Néw York is called the Board of Regents. It is appointed by the State Assembly, which is overwhelmingly Democratic. The speaker of the Assembly, Sheldon Silver, effectively decides who will be appointed to the Regents. The current board, led by Merryl
Expert: Why VAM Should NOT Be Used to Grade Teachers
Edward H. Haertel is one of the nation’s premier psychometricians. He is Jacks Family Professor of Education Emeritus at Stanford University. I had the pleasure of serving with him on the National Assessment Governing Board, after I joined the board in 1997. He is wise, thoughtful, and deliberate. He understands the appropriate use and misuse of standardized testing. He was invited by the Educatio
Randi On PISA: Time to End Failed Policies of NCLB & RTTT
AFT President Weingarten on PISA 2012 International Results AFT’s Weingarten: “The crucial question we face now is whether we have the political will to move away from the failed policies and embrace what works in high-performing countries so that we can reclaim the promise of public education.” WASHINGTON—Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the Program for
DEC 02
A Tennessee Teacher Writes a Letter to President Obama
It is hard to believe that President Obama understands the damage that his education policies are doing to children, teachers, principals, and schools. Ultimately, the massive demoralization that his policies cause will hurt our society. This teacher in Tennessee wrote a letter to President Obama. Would you write the same letter? What would you say to him if you thought he was listening? If you h
Yong Zhao on Finland’s “Decline” on PISA and East Asian “Success”
Yong Zhao is a brilliant, articulate scholar who was educated in China but is now a professor at the University of Oregon. He has written two books that I highly recommend: “Catching Up or Leading the Way” and “World-Class Learners.” In this post, he reveals some inside information about PISA: Finland has slipped out of the top tier. He says this is not because the quality of education declined in
Alan Singer: New York’s Secret Education Policymakers
In this article at Huffington Post, Alan Singer has investigated the secret, privately funded apparatus that designs education policy in New York State. The group is known as the Regents Research Fellows, but they are not subject to any public oversight. They are appointed by the state commissioner, funded by big foundations, and seem to have more authority than the duly appointed Board of Regent
Jersey Jazzman: “‘Twas the Night Before PISA Day!”
Please read Jersey Jazzman’s hilarious spoof on “The Night Before Christmas.” He anticipates not the joy of Christmas and Santa, but the much-anticipated release of PISA scores, when Arne Duncan gets to tell the nation once again how terrible American education is and how we are losing the global competition and why we are still a nation at risk. He will conveniently overlook the fact that he is
Los Angeles: Teachers, Administrators Divided About $1 Billion for iPads
Teachers and administrators in Los Angeles responded to an anonymous survey about the district’s commitment to spend $1 billion to give iPads to all students and staff. 36% of teachers were enthusiastic, compared to 90% of administrators. Howard Blume of the Los Angeles Times contrasts their reactions: “It would seem Robert J. Moreau, a computer animation teacher who struggled for grants to set up
Yes, There Are Some Grown-Ups in Los Angeles
I just can’t figure out how it makes sense for Los Angeles to spend $1 billion on iPads when it has so many other pressing needs. I can’t figure out how the district expects to buy another generation of iPads in 3-4 years. I can’t understand how the district justifies taking this money from a school construction bond fund approved by the voters for repairs and construction, not iPads. How is this
A Member of the Denver School Board Says Goodbye
Jeannie Kaplan’s term as a member of the Denver Public School board ended, and she retired from the board. During the time she was on the board, she fought for the students and the public schools, and she fought against the data-driven, testing-obsessed mindset of the corporate reformers who dominate the board. In the last election, a heavily funded slate of corporate reformers expanded their majo
Julian Vasquez Heilig: Why School Choice Is NOT the Civil Rights Issue of Our Time
Proponents of the market-based approach to schooling often say that school choice is “the civil rights issue of our time.” We have heard this refrain from sources as diverse as Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal, and Arne Duncan. But scholar Julian Vasquez Heilig refutes this idea. Read the entire article, which as always from Heilig, is brilliant. We know what works, he writes, based on research and exper
Tom Loveless: Why Shanghai Leads the World on International Tests Like PISA
Tom Loveless, a scholar at the Brookings Institution, has spent many years analyzing testing data. He is active in the study of international testing. He has deciphered the secrets of Shanghai’s remarkably high test scores. For one thing, China as a whole does not take the PISA test. Shanghai is a city, not the nation. It is a huge city, to be sure, but it is not typical of the nation. Other provi
“PISA Day”: Don’t Believe Arne Duncan’s Orchestrated Hype and Spin
On Tuesday, the results of the international test called PISA will be released. Years ago, no one paid much attention to the release of international test scores, but now they have become an occasion for official moaning, groaning, and hyperventilating. It is time to remember the story about “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” Will we hear more declarations that the latest results are “our Sputnik moment”?
New York Times: Readers Respond to Frank Bruni
Frank Bruni argued a week ago in his column in the New York Times that American students are too “coddled” and need the Common Core and rigorous testing to toughen them up. He also suggested that some parts of schooling ought to be “relatively mirthless.” Today the newspaper printed letters to the editor, in response. Tony Wagner of Harvard University wrote: To the Editor: Re “Are Kids Too Coddl
DEC 01
American Girl Doll Comes with Backpack Including Pearson Math Book!
Play once meant play. Now it means a marketing opportunity for publishing giant Pearson. As blogger Chris Cerrone discovered and Valerie Strauss reported, the popular (and very pricey) American Girl brand has released a new doll that has a little Pearson math book in her backpack. Surely, the workbook is aligned with Common Core!
Raginghorse Blog: How Coddled Are Opinion Writers for New York Times?
The blogger called Raginghorse has noticed some important facts about the opinion writers in the New York Times: Several have written glowing articles about the Common Core standards. None offers any evidence that they have read the standards. All report what the press releases say about the standards. Most ridicule their critics as extremists and pay no attention to parents or teachers, who arg
When Does Schooling Become Psychological Abuse?
In response to an earlier article by psychologists and social workers about abusive tactics in certain schools in Texas, this parent wrote the following comment: Quote from the above article: ” During the same 30 years when A.D.H.D. diagnoses increased, American childhood drastically changed. Even at the grade-school level, kids now have more homework, less recess and a lot less unstructured fre
Parent: Free Our Children from the Dead Hand of Testing
Jeff Nichols and his wife Anne Stone are outspoken critics of standardized testing. They have two children in public school. Here is Jeff’s testimony to the Néw York City Council, in which he eloquently explains why the tide is turning against standardized testing. He speaks on behalf of the values of humane education, creativity, diversity, originality, individuality–now almost forgotten in this
Your Holiday Gift of Humor: Please Read and Enjoy!
Russ Walsh prepared this reform dictionary or field guide with pictures and definitions and source materials. He calls it “The Seven Blind Mice of Reform.” There is a word for this sort of antiquarian dictionary but after a Thanksgiving meal, I can’t think of it. Read and enjoy!
This Blog’s All-Time Most Popular Post, By Far!
Here it is, the most popular post ever posted on this blog. It is called “NC Teacher: I Quit!” When I posted it on October 27, 2012, it recorded more than 66,000 page views on one day. In aggregate, it has been opened on this site alone by more than 250,000 people. It was written by Kris Neilsen. He wrote a book recently called Children of the Core and Uncommon: The Grassroots Movement to Save Our
NOV 30
Reader: Douglas County Wants Its Own Version of inBloom
This is very odd. The public schools of Douglas County, Colorado, are controlled by one of the most conservative school boards in the nation, which just retained its majority in a closer-than-expected election. Conservatives usually are zealous about privacy rights and protect traditional institutions. But there is a new strain of ideologue who wants the free market to rule, and the market demands
Resist Educational Apartheid Now or Get More of It
Superintendent Steve Cohen’s article, posted this morning, got a huge response and many tweets and retweets. Here he speaks directly to a reader of his post: “We’ve had at least 30 years of plutocratic leadership in the US, and that reality puts us way behind the curve. What other choice do we have but to gather up our political, moral, cultural resources and resist? These resources may prove to
PolitiFact Rhode Island Corrects Its Error
When I spoke in Rhode Island in October, I said that test scores were at their highest point in the past 40 years. I also said that the rate of increase had slowed after the passage of NCLB and Race to the Top. The largest recent gains occurred from 2000-2003, before the implementation of NCLB. Whoever writes the PolitiFact column for the Providence Journal claimed that my statements were “mostly
Vicki Cobb: How to Put the Joy Back into Learning
Vicki Cobb is an accomplished writer of nonfiction books for children. Here she describes her own education, the high points and the low points. Her high point was her elementary school, a small private progressive school in New York City called The Little Red Schoolhouse. Actually, there used to be many public schools that worked like “Little Red,” as the school known, but the standardization mov
Dissidents in Chicago Create Their Own Board of Education
Parents, educators and other Chicagoans disgusted with authoritarian control of public education organized their own Board of Education, which held a public meeting one day before the mayor-controlled board held its meeting. The agenda was the same, but the tone and process were very different. For one thing, the “People’s Board” met from 6-8 pm, in contrast to the regular board’s “banker’s hours
Do You Shop at Walmart? Don’t.
If you are a parent of public school children; if you care about your local public schools; if you are a teacher or administrator or school board member, you should think twice before shopping at Walmart. The Walton Family Foundation spends nearly $200 million every year to undermine public education. It gives to groups that open charters and promote vouchers. It throws a few thou to the Bentonvi
Jersey Jazzman Schools Frank Bruni
Jersey Jazzman has words of wisdom for Néw York Times columnist Frank Bruni. Bruni recently wrote, in defense of the Common Core standards, claimed that American kids are “coddled.” Read his post in its entirety. He calls it “Dumb Things White People Say About Schools: Frank Bruni.” This is how he begins: “Let me start by apologizing to Tom Friedman. You see, for years I’ve thought that the Musta
LI Superintendent Blasts Board of Regents for “Educational Apartheid”
Steve Cohen, superintendent of the Shoreham-Wading River School District, published an editorial in the local newspaper blasting the New York Board of Regents. Many educators are afraid to speak out against what they know is wrong because they fear for their jobs. Teachers may be fired. Principals may be fired. Superintendents may be fired. When anyone expresses their professional judgment without