Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Ed Notes Online: Choose to Refuse: Rocking the World of Ed Deform as Parents Revolt Against Testing Child Abuse

Ed Notes Online: Choose to Refuse: Rocking the World of Ed Deform as Parents Revolt Against Testing Child Abuse:


Choose to Refuse: Rocking the World of Ed Deform as Parents Revolt Against Testing Child Abuse

Parents: CHOOSE TO REFUSE! -- Change the Stakes
I've got to find my button: My child puked on your high stakes test

Let me remind you that at 3PM Sunday, at the Earth School on the Lower East Side, Jesse Hagopian who led the Seattle teacher test boycott, will be 
appearing with MORE presidential candidate Julie Cavanagh, who will take time off from collecting for COPE, defending people from grievances, and  preparing a major speech at the upcoming DA. MORE candidate for UFT Secretary Brian Jones will moderate.

I got back from the MORE meeting before 5PM today but find myself a day late and a meeting behind. So I'll report on Friday night's wonderful Change the Stakes meeting that on a rainy Friday afternoon/evening attracted 30 parents (mostly), some teachers and field test maven Fred Smith where the major topic was opting out of the tests, or as some are referring to it asCHOOSE TO REFUSE.

People told awful stories of sickened young children and even one about a child who refused to take the test and 

Video: Gary Rubinstein Uses Data to Smash Teacher Data Reports, Introduced by Julie Cavanagh

Did you know that the always awesome Gary Rubinstein is running with MORE as an AFT/NYSUT Convention delegate?

In this video, Gary uses statistics to expose TDAs in a WOWSER performance. As Julie points out, Gary is another one of the amazing crew who have young kids at home, enforcing a  next-gen MORE theme: we are teachers and parents.

You should never miss Gary Rubinstein's Blog where, as a 20-year TFA alum he exposes so much of their propaganda that the people running that joint consider him a major threat since he attracts TFA readers. Gary will tell you right up front that it was the 20th Anniversary TFA event in Feb. 2011 where ed deform reigned that opened his eyes.

GEM had our own TFA spy, who is also running with MORE for Exec Bd,
there who blogged directly from that event -- click the tab at the top of this blog to read all her reports.

I'm sure it is due to the UFT role in the ed eval fiasco that turned Gary into a MORE supporter. Too bad we have little chance of winning as in a future world Gary could be at a next year's version of this weekend's NYSUT event 

Rhee Cheating Sh*tstorm: Part I | Mr. Teachbad

Rhee Cheating Sh*tstorm: Part I | Mr. Teachbad:


Rhee Cheating Sh*tstorm: Part I

‘Jews Are Evil’ Assignment Results In Student Boycott | toteachornototeach

‘Jews Are Evil’ Assignment Results In Student Boycott | toteachornototeach:


‘Jews Are Evil’ Assignment Results In Student Boycott

‘Jews Are Evil’ Assignment
Results In Student Boycott
 


By William McGuinness
An Albany High School teacher raised eyebrows and a flurry of complaints when an assignment required students to write from the perspective of the Nazis, New York Magazine reports.
Students were tasked with writing an argument that Jews are evil.
“You must argue that Jews are evil, and use solid rationale from government propaganda to convince me of your loyalty to the Third Reich!” the assignment, posted on the Times Union website, reads.
The Albany newspaper reports that one-third of students boycotted the assignment, prompting Albany Superintendent Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard to apologize to families, adding, “I don’t believe there was malice or intent to cause any insensitivities to our families of Jewish faith.”
The superintendent blamed tougher Common Core standards that require “sophisticated” writing linking English 

How Jeb Bush’s Foundation Excuses Away the Atlanta Cheating Scandal | Scathing Purple Musings

How Jeb Bush’s Foundation Excuses Away the Atlanta Cheating Scandal | Scathing Purple Musings:


How Jeb Bush’s Foundation Excuses Away the Atlanta Cheating Scandal

They used Rick Pitino’s contract:
Incentive and reward systems comprise the foundation of a well-functioning society. In most professions, there is some kind of financial motivation for good performance, as well as negative consequences for poor performance. While some instances of “cheating” may occur on a small scale, the reward/consequence system has generally worked well as a motivator.
For example, many athletes and athletic coaches have reward systems factored into their contracts. Coach Rick Pitino will receive a $425,000 bonus for leading Louisville to the NCAA National Championship game. There is also a “Performance-Based-Pay” program in the NFL where players can earn additional pay based on their performance during a season. For all (ten of) you NHL fans, there is an entire list of performance based bonus items that could be included in a 

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Collaboration: Detrimental for Leadership Qualities?

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Collaboration: Detrimental for Leadership Qualities?:


Common Core Collaboration: Detrimental for Leadership Qualities?

Common Core standards stress collaboration and groupthink.  The proponents will tell you it is necessary to make students successful, global thinkers and ready for the 21st century economy, whatever a 21st century economy looks like.

Not so fast.  An article in forbes.com details what makes a leader and it's not what the CCSS proponents are promising will equip your child with strong work skills and success.  From Leadership Tip: Hire the Quiet Neurotic, Not the Impressive Extrovert:

Most leaders are attracted to the guy or woman who seems confident and outgoing, unafraid in any situation or facing any challenge. They expect an extrovert to infuse any team with energy, to push ahead on projects and to motivate colleagues to do their best work. Meantime they have low expectations of anyone who appears neurotic, who seems withdrawn and too anxious to live up to their potential. Leaders expect neurotic employees to contribute little and to drag down colleagues

Real teachers, real leaders head up CORE’s slate for the CTU. | Fred Klonsky

Real teachers, real leaders head up CORE’s slate for the CTU. | Fred Klonsky:


Real teachers, real leaders head up CORE’s slate for the CTU.

251876_4152866427447_1933173358_n

They are real classroom teachers.
And their past term as leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union has proven that they are real union leaders.
They are all members of the Caucus of Rand and File Educators.
The CTU election is May 17th.


Karen Lewis is running again as President.
Karen taught chemistry for 22 years.
She has become an iconic figure across the country as a leader with vision, humor and the spine to stand up to the corporate and political powers that run this city.
She has a Master’s in Inner City Studies from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master’s of Fine Arts from Columbia College. During her tenure, Karen has received many awards including the Senator Paul Wellstone Award from Citizen Action Illinois and the A. Phillip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum Gentle Warrior.  Mrs. Lewis comes from a family of educators — her father, mother and husband, John Lewis, who is now retired, were 

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 4-13-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



James Baldwin said it best: 

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP



Addressing the Out-of-School Suspension Crisis

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago
Addressing the Out-of-School Suspension Crisis: [image: Click on the slide!]*http://www.otlcampaign.org/* Addressing the Out-of-School Suspension Crisis* * [image: Addressing the Out-of-School Suspension Crisis: A Policy Guide for School Board Members cover image] Download the Entire Report While overly harsh school discipline policies can affect all students, they have disproportionately impacted students of color. In the past few years, numerous reports and studies have highlighted the racial disparities in school suspension and expulsion as well as their negative impact on student ... more »

WARNING!!! All Those Seeking Open Market Transfer, Stay Away From PS 154 in the Bronx!!!!.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: WARNING!!! All Those Seeking Open Market Transfer, Stay Away From PS 154 in the Bronx!!!! by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) Pennywise is alive and still at work in the South Bronx. Only this time, Pennywise is not only destroying the lives of children, but of teachers as well. Pennywise in and of itself has a benign appearance to children and adults, but the true form of Pennywise, the IT entity, resides in PS 154 in the Bronx. With Open Market season soon upon us, this is an open warning to all teachers interested in a transfer to PS 154. Sta... more »

California Father | Educating Sullivan

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
California Father | Educating Sullivan: [image: California Father] Deborah Meier by California Father Popout

October 2012: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s @StudentsFirst Threw a Party in NY. Were You Invited? – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
October 2012: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s @StudentsFirst Threw a Party in NY. Were You Invited? – @ the chalk face: October 2012: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s @StudentsFirst Threw a Party in NY. Were You Invited? by Kris Nielsen Since our friend, Michelle Rhee, is finally (maybe) getting her comeuppance, this seemed to be a timely topic to bring up. Last October, New York Governor Cuomo’s Education Reform Commission visited Long Island for an event, where citizens could listen to speakers and ask questions about how to go forward with the future of New York’s publ... more »

#msnbc Chris Hayes talks to Merrow: Twitter bomb @chrislhayes – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
#msnbc Chris Hayes talks to Merrow: Twitter bomb @chrislhayes – @ the chalk face: #msnbc Chris Hayes talks to Merrow: Twitter bomb @chrislhayes by Timothy D. Slekar I’m sure by now most of you know the pressure is on Queen Rhee after the memo concerning cheating in D.C. was leaked to John Merrow. In case you didn’t get a chance to see it, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes interviewed John about Rhee, the memo, the cheating, and the disastrous statistics that plaque the D.C. district. http://video.msnbc.msn.com/all-in-/51523921?ocid=twitter#51523921 The interview was a great first step at expos... more »

NYC Educator: Advice from UFT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
NYC Educator: Advice from UFT: Advice from UFT by NYC Educator *All chapter leaders should engage principals on all aspects of a new teacher evaluation system. You should focus on the fact that visits by the talent coaches should be supportive, not intimidating for teachers, and you should establish the ground rules and advocate for comprehensive professional development so our members will be ready when the new system is implemented in September.* Well, that's something to think about. Problematic is the fact that the system does not actually exist. Of course no teacher wants ... more »

Diane in the Evening 4-13-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: One of the Dumbest NY Times’ Opinion Pieces Ever by dianerav Today, the New York Times gave a lot of column inches to an article by a Harvard professor who claims to know how to fix the teaching profession. He begins with the assertion that despite the many reforms of the past 30 years, the performance of our K-12 education system “remains stubbornly mediocre.” His “evidence” is the test scores on the 2009 PISA in which the US scored about average. Wouldn’t you expect a Harvard professor to check out the socioe... more »

Turnaround Arts Initiative artist, Sarah Jessica Parker, visits King School (photos) | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Turnaround Arts Initiative artist, Sarah Jessica Parker, visits King School (photos) | OregonLive.com: Turnaround Arts Initiative artist, Sarah Jessica Parker, visits King School (photos) by Faith Cathcart, The Oregonian Turnaround Arts initiative artist , Sarah Jessica Parker, visits King School students for the first time. As part of the program, Parker is mentoring King School students for two years. The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities supports the program as an example of using the arts to help close achievement gaps. *(14 total photos)* * * ** ** **

Is Reince Priebus after my demographic??? Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Is Reince Priebus after my demographic???: Is Reince Priebus after my demographic??? by admin [image: Apple with Worm]From the Illinois Review: The concerns about the federal Common Core curriculum and the national standards it would impose on local schools reached the level of the Republican National Committee Friday and was passed unanimously. Illinois RNC National Committeewoman Demetra DeMonte said she was happy to co-sponsor the resolution and encourage others to support the effort. The RNC resolution reads in part: *…... more »

Denver schools to pay millions to reverse controversial 2008 bond deal - The Denver Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Denver schools to pay millions to reverse controversial 2008 bond deal - The Denver Post: Denver schools to pay millions to reverse controversial 2008 bond deal POSTED: 04/13/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT UPDATED: 04/13/2013 12:37:50 AM MDT *By Kevin Simpson* *The Denver Post* Blog: Colorado Classroom Colorado Classroom covers local and state education issues affecting K-12 and higher education students in the state of Colorado. Denver Public Schools, which entered a risky and controversial variable-rate pension bond deal a few years ago, next week plans to finish converting those bonds... more »

New Jersey native, 27, named chief operating officer of NYC's Department of Education | NJ.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
New Jersey native, 27, named chief operating officer of NYC's Department of Education | NJ.com: New Jersey native, 27, named chief operating officer of NYC's Department of Education by Julia Terruso/The Star-Ledger A 27-year-old New Jersey native who has sprinted up the ladder of success has been named chief operating officer of New York City's Department of Education, the New York Post reports.[image: prodigy.jpg]Lawrence native Andrew Buher, a 2007 graduate of Rider University, has been named chief operating officer of the New York City Department of Education .Rider University ... more »

4LAKids - Gladys explains it all for you: AMERICA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS = WALMART’S TRAINING ACADEMIES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Gladys explains it all for you: AMERICA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS = WALMART’S TRAINING ACADEMIES: Gladys explains it all for you: AMERICA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS = WALMART’S TRAINING ACADEMIES A YOUTUBE VIDEO ANIMATION BY JOHN THE DAD | 16:02April 10, 2013 :: Something's not quite right in America's schools and Gladys is going to tell the world just what is wrong! Designed to empower citizens in a democracy, public schools have become Walmart's training academies and Gladys wants an end to it! Be informed and entertained, but most of all get busy, ta... more »

Ed Notes Online: "I Am Not a Crook," Rhee Heading for Perp Walk?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: "I Am Not a Crook," Rhee Heading for Perp Walk?: "I Am Not a Crook," Rhee Heading for Perp Walk? by ed notes online I imagine some of you think this Rhee "head on Nixon body" photoshop I keep up on the Ed Notes sidebar was just done. In fact David Bellel did it for me many years ago fairly early in her reign as DC supt. I was so sure it would come in handy time and again. I think we did them for Joel Klein, Chris Cerf, John White. We never thought of Beverly Hall but should have. In fact I know so much about who cheated and when in some districts here in NYC, c... more »

"NYSUT adopts resolution against high-stakes testing." April 13, 2013. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
"NYSUT adopts resolution against high-stakes testing." April 13, 2013. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org: NYSUT adopts resolution against high-stakes testing WASHINGTON, D.C. April 13, 2013 - Just days before New York state students sit for yet another round of standardized tests, delegates to New York State United Teachers annual policymaking convention unanimously passed a resolution criticizing SED's rocky implementation of new Common Core standards and demanding that this year's test results not be used for high-stakes decisions affecting students and teachers.... more »

City College of San Francisco fights against privatization | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
City College of San Francisco fights against privatization | DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: City College of San Francisco fights against privatization by Danny Weil [image: Fighting the ACCJC and their plans to privatize community colleges] From: __*Bob of Occupy* CCSF City College of San Francisco[image: Occupy!] This quote from The Rude Pundit offers the best riposte to those who don’t want to offend more nervous folks at CCSF: “We don’t make great leaps forward anymore for fear of upsetting someone, some previously powerf... more »

UPDATE: Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky: The in box. Retiree Joyce Siska on NBI 16: “That was MY New Business Item.” by Fred Klonsky I reported earlier on the report that IEA Executive Director Audrey Soglin gave to the IEA Representative Assembly as she was directed to do by last year’s New Business Item 16. NBI 16 directed the Executive Director to investigate and report on the negative impact Senate Bill 7 has had on teachers in the state. Audrey along with Stand for Children’s Jonah Edelman helped create the language for Senate Bill 7. Many delegates felt Audrey’s report was not respons... more »

The Letter that Prompted “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” |

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
The Letter that Prompted “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” |: The Letter that Prompted “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” by Angus Johnston Fifty years ago yesterday, a group of eight white Birmingham clergy published “A Call For Unity,” an open letter criticizing Martin Luther King and other civil rights organizers. The letter, excerpted below and available in fullhere, prompted King to write Letter From Birmingham Jail. “We are now confronted by a series of demonstrations by some of our Negro citizens, directed and led in part by outsiders. We recognize the natural impatience of people... more »

Parent Advocates - Lawsuit Against The California Department of Education For Failure

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Parent Advocates - ParentAdvocates.org: *Lawsuit Against The California Department of Education For Failure To Educate Students With Disabilities Will Proceed* * * * *A federal district judge in Sacramento has denied a motion by the California Department of Education (CDE) to dismiss a lawsuit brought by two parent associations on behalf of children with disabilities. (Morgan Hill Concerned Parents Association v. Calif. Dep’t of Educ., U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern Dist., Calif. No. 2:11-cv-3471-KJM-AC)). The parents have charged the department with systematically failing to assure that... more »

Daily Kos: A reflection on work, employment and aging

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Daily Kos: A reflection on work, employment and aging: A reflection on work, employment and aging by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) This Saturday reflection will begin about the particulars of my personal situation, but I will use that as a starting point for a broader reflection on public policy and attitudes. In less than 6 weeks I will turn 67. I had retired from teaching, but at the request of friends stepped in to a challenging high needs middle school in DC. It was stretching me, but I had to leave it to care for my spouse in the early days of her cancer treatment. We are n... more »

"It's time to fight back!" A rap for Chicago : blue cheddar

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
"It's time to fight back!" A rap for Chicago : blue cheddar: “It’s time to fight back!” A rap for Chicago by bluecheddar The fight to keep Chicago’s public schools open is still on strong. If you’re not “up” on what’s going on, you probably had some help with that from the consolidated, conciliatory, and corporate press. They can’t be relied on to pump up protest news like so many celeb. rehab stories, ya know. Search Topsy for #CPSclosings (shortcut to the Topsy search is right HERE) or look at the twitter widget I put on this blog, top right corner. Labor Notes has a great ... more »

Has One Jeb Bush’s Chiefs for Change Been Implicated in Michelle Rhee’s DC Cover-Up? | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Has One Jeb Bush’s Chiefs for Change Been Implicated in Michelle Rhee’s DC Cover-Up? | Scathing Purple Musings: Has One Jeb Bush’s Chiefs for Change Been Implicated in Michelle Rhee’s DC Cover-Up? by Bob Sikes The jig is up on Michelle Rhee. The DC test results she used as the holy writ to base her empire on were fraudulent. The adults cheated and Michelle Rhee and her Teach for America buddy Kaya Henderson covered it up. It’s always the cover-up that gets you in the end. All that’s left now are who else goes down as a result. At some point the Florida media will start pointing out... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Cheating Investigation Memo Renews Calls For Further Probe Of D.C. Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Cheating Investigation Memo Renews Calls For Further Probe Of D.C. Schools: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Cheating Investigation Memo Renews Calls For Further Probe Of D.C. Schools by Joy Resmovits More than five years after Michelle Rhee took over Washington, D.C., public schools, and nearly three years after she left her position as chancellor, critics are still looking for closure and demanding a more rigorous investigation of the seeming rise in student test scores under her reign. In what's become an annual ritual of sorts, D.C. schoo... more »

Yes, Rhee saw the test cheating memo

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Yes, Rhee saw the test cheating memo: Yes, Rhee saw the test cheating memo Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 13, 2013 at 9:40 am 0 Comments More Michelle Rhee (Susan Biddle for The Washington Post) The education world is abuzz over the publication by independent journalist John Merrow of a secret memo that says nearly 200 D.C. educators may have cheated on standardized tests in 2008 when Michelle Rhee was schools chancellor. (You can read the memo and more here.) Just to be clear, because some have wondered, Rhee *did* see the memo, according to Merrow. He wrote in a post on his bl... more »

Protect Children's Privacy in New York State | Protect Children's Privacy | causes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Protect Children's Privacy in New York State | Protect Children's Privacy | causes.com: Protect Children's Privacy in New York State - Posted to Protect Children's Priva… by Penni Blizzard-McGrath - Apr 12 - Invite Friends 28 shares SHARE TWEET REPOST GOOGLE+ EMAIL To: New York State Government - New York State Dept of Education New York and several other states have recently agreed to share confidential student information with corporate entities related to the Gates Foundation and the News Corporation (owned by Rupert Murdoch). The shared data will include children'... more »

Jewish groups solidarity against school closings Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Jewish groups solidarity against school closings: Jewish groups solidarity against school closings by admin From CReATE member Diane Horwitz: Jewish Solidarity And Action for Schools: The Jewish Community takes a stand against school closings. Please sign their letter. The text of the letter can be found at: tinyurl.com/jews4schools and on their Facebook page. It is also below including the list of signers as of April 10. Karen Lewis will speak at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 17. He... more »

RHEE CAP: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Cheating Scandal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
*RHEE CAP: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Cheating Scandal * Hearing on Test-Cheating Claim in Washington - NYTimes.com coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago Hearing on Test-Cheating Claim in Washington - NYTimes.com: Hearing on Test-Cheating Claim in Washington by By MOTOKO RICH Michelle A. Rhee, the former schools chancellor in Washington, said she did not recall a memo describing test cheating. By MOTOKO RICHPublished: April 12, 2013 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - SAVE - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - The City Council in Washington will hold a hearing next we... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-13-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Julian Vasquez Heilig: Parent Trigger and the Big $$$ by dianerav This is Julian Vasquez Heilig’s continuing series called the Teat, in which he follows the money behind corporate reform. This one focuses on the so-called parent trigger. Previous installments have looked at TFA and KIPP. I posted Gary Cohn’s excellent analysis of the funding behind Parent Revolution, the group created by charter advocates to trick parents into turning their public school over to... more »

Opening the Cradle to Prison Pipeline — The Newest Jim Crow | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Opening the Cradle to Prison Pipeline — The Newest Jim Crow | toteachornototeach: Opening the Cradle to Prison Pipeline — The Newest Jim Crow by aristotlethewise *Opening the Cradle to Prison Pipeline — The Newest Jim Crow* by Steve Nelson In her brilliant book, The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander makes a compelling argument that young men of color in America are the victims of systemic and systematic racism, resulting in mass incarceration: the de facto 21st century version of the Jim Crow laws in the 19th and 20th centuries. The most recent education news provides alarming indi... more »

Daily Kos: DC City Council will hold hearing on cheating under Rhee

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Daily Kos: DC City Council will hold hearing on cheating under Rhee: DC City Council will hold hearing on cheating under Rhee by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) As one can read in this *New York Times* story, the posting by John Merrow about the previously unreleased memo on the 2008 cheating in DC public schools is beginning to have an impact. As the first paragraph of the article notes, The City Council in Washington will hold a hearing next week after a memo warning officials of cheating on standardized tests during the chancellorship of Michelle A. Rhee surfaced Thursday night.... more »

Weekly Address: Sandy Hook Victim’s Mother Calls for Commonsense Gun Responsibility Reforms | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Weekly Address: Sandy Hook Victim’s Mother Calls for Commonsense Gun Responsibility Reforms | The White House: Weekly Address: Sandy Hook Victim’s Mother Calls for Commonsense Gun Responsibility Reforms by The White House *Remarks of Francine Wheeler* *The President’s Weekly Address* Hi. As you’ve probably noticed, I’m not the President. I’m just a citizen. And as a citizen, I’m here at the White House today because I want to make a difference and I hope you will join me. My name is Francine Wheeler. My husband David is with me. We live in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. David and I hav... more »

Mother Crusader: Conflicted Christopher Irving; Paterson Board Of Education President Accepts B4K Bucks

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Mother Crusader: Conflicted Christopher Irving; Paterson Board Of Education President Accepts B4K Bucks: Conflicted Christopher Irving; Paterson Board Of Education President Accepts B4K Bucks by darciecima Joe Malinconico has revealed that B4K has donated to the campaign of Paterson Board of Education President Christopher Irving. A New Brunswick-based group that backs Gov. Chris Christie’s education initiatives has made a $2,600 donation to Board of Education President Christopher Irving’s re-election campaign. The group, Better Education For Kids (B4K), supports school voucher... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 4-13-13

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* MICHELLE RHEE’S REIGN OF ERROR smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 10 hours ago by John Merrow, Taking Note | http://bit.ly/12TSWsC 11. Apr, 2013 :: With the indictment of former Atlanta School Superintendent Beverly A. Hall and 34 other public school employees in a massive cheating scandal, the time is right to re-examine other situations of possible illegal behavior by educators. Washington, DC, belongs at the top of that list. ***** Michelle A. Rhee, America’s LCFF: A... more »

Top Content this Week - 4-6-13 The Educator's PLN Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN:

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: 1[image: a message to parents from your child's teacher]a message to parents from your child's teacher Added by Thomas Whitby on March 23, 2013 2[image: Challenge 14]Challenge 14 Added by Lori Thomas on April 7, 2013 3[image: Looking for Communities in need of Clothing, Shoes, school supplies, household items]Looking for Communities in need of Clothing, Shoes, school supplies, household items Posted by Mari Angela on April 9, 2013 4[image: SMART Boards Why are they so easy to use?]SMART Boards Why are they so easy to use? Added by Cassandr... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 4-6-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * Texting, social networking and other media use linked to poor academic performance Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 1 day ago The widespread use of media among college students – from texting to chatting on cell phones to posting status updates on Facebook – may be taking an academic toll, say researchers with The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine. According to a new study, freshmen women spend nearly half their day – 12 hours – engaged in some form of media use, ... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 4-13-13 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* *LOOK FOR MY BOOK IN MARCH, 2013*[image: Ferlazzo200(1)] "Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation" will be a sequel to"Helping Students Motivate Themselves" This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Good Posts & Articles On Education Policy Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 7 hours ago Here are several relatively recent useful articles on education policy: Seattle eases rules on exams teachers are boycotting is from The Seattle Times. I’m addin... more »

Hearing on Test-Cheating Claim in Washington - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Hearing on Test-Cheating Claim in Washington - NYTimes.com: Hearing on Test-Cheating Claim in Washington by By MOTOKO RICH Michelle A. Rhee, the former schools chancellor in Washington, said she did not recall a memo describing test cheating. By MOTOKO RICHPublished: April 12, 2013 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - SAVE - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - REPRINTS - The City Council in Washington will hold a hearing next week after a memo warning officials of cheating on standardized tests during the chancellorship of Michelle A. Rhee surfaced Thursday night.... more »

You Don’t “Hella Love” Oakland Teachers OR Students with Research Like This | Classroom Struggle

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
You Don’t “Hella Love” Oakland Teachers OR Students with Research Like This | Classroom Struggle: You Don’t “Hella Love” Oakland Teachers OR Students with Research Like This by ClassroomStruggle [image: iwanttocommodify hella love oakland teachers] the true agenda of the NCTQ report? if it’s not, can you clarify why? You Don’t “Hella Love” Oakland Teachers OR Students with Research Like This. A Critique of the NCTQ’s “Teacher Quality Roadmap” Report Table of Contents: 1. Intro – A Racist/Classist Report for Oakland’s Schools 2. The NCTQ’s Four Main “Reforms” 3. No Social C... more »

All Things Education: Quick Thoughts on the Missing Memo & Erase to the Top

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
All Things Education: Quick Thoughts on the Missing Memo & Erase to the Top: Quick Thoughts on the Missing Memo & Erase to the Top by Rachel Levy Some quick thoughts on the discovery of the "missing" memo in DCPS/ Michelle Rhee cheating allegations: a) Everyone and their mom, or should I say dad, knew there was something fishy going on. How does this one memo change anything? Rhee doesn't recall receiving the memo? *Right.* Rhee says all kinds of things all of the time: to reporters, to pundits, under oath, to investigators, on the StudentsFirst blog. How will this lie be differ...more »

MUST SEE! CHRIS HAYES JOHN MERROW Memo warns of rampant cheating in D.C. public schools All In — MSNBC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
All In — MSNBC: Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video: The Education of Michelle Rhee | Watch FRONTLINE Online | PBS Video

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Video: The Education of Michelle Rhee | Watch FRONTLINE Online | PBS Video: Program: FRONTLINEEpisode: The Education of Michelle Rhee FRONTLINE correspondent John Merrow was granted unprecedented access to Michelle Rhee, former chancellor of the Washington, D.C. public schools as she attempted to fix a broken school system. • Visit the The Education of Michelle Rhee webpage Watch The Education of Michelle Rhee on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE. Watch The Education of Michelle Rhee on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE. Watch The Education of Michelle Rhee on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE. W... more »

RNC Passes Resolution Against Jeb Bush’s Common Core Standards | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
RNC Passes Resolution Against Jeb Bush’s Common Core Standards | Scathing Purple Musings: RNC Passes Resolution Against Jeb Bush’s Common Core Standards by Bob Sikes Apparently the Republican National Committee didn’t check with Jeb Bush before drafting a resolution against Common Core Standards that is the cornerstone of his corporate takeover of public schools. Here’s the text of the resolution as it was printed in self-described conservative website, *Illinois Review:* RESOLUTION CONCERNING COMMON CORE EDUCATION STANDARDS *WHEREAS,* the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are...more »

Audrey reports. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Audrey reports. | Fred Klonsky: Audrey reports. by Fred Klonsky [image: IMG_0278] *IEA Executive Director Audrey Soglin.* At the end of last year’s IEA RA New Business Item 16 was passed. It directed Executive Director Audrey Soglin to prepare a report on the negative impact of Senate Bill 7 on teachers in the state. Audrey, as you might recall, was one of the authors of Senate Bill 7. It effectively did away with tenure and seniority protections, tied performance reviews and job security to student test scores and required a 75% authorization vote by members of the Chicago Teachers U... more »

Highlights from the April 11 issue of New York Teacher: | Edwize

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
New York Teacher | Edwize: New York Teacher by W.J. Levay Highlights from the April 11 issue of *New York Teacher*: [image: New York Teacher, April 11, 2013]State budget a major victory for schools City schools are set to receive $319.5 million in new state funding for the coming school year, part of a statewide 4.9 percent increase in education aid that is the largest since the 2007 recession. The final budget, approved by state lawmakers on March 29, also extends the millionaire’s tax another three years. Trailer park school The field next to Richmond Hill HS in Queens doesn’t hav... more »

Daily Kos: Hell NO!!! No grand bargain.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Daily Kos: Hell NO!!! No grand bargain.: Hell NO!!! No grand bargain. by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) One problem of being a poster at the end of a long stream of a blogathon is the fear that anything one can offer will probably have already been said. Despite that, I asked for this slot for a reason - because there are some things still left to be said. Much of our discussion has focused on the impact of applying Chained CPI to social safety net programs. As someone who is already on Social Security, that of course affects me personally. As I consider the impact of this idea... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Last night at Weegees

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Last night at Weegees: Last night at Weegees by Mike Klonsky CTU Prez Karen Lewis called on the Mayor to raise taxes on the wealthiest Chicagoans rather than closing schools.As advertised, we had lots of fun and raised some dough for the CORE Caucus of the CTU. Speeches were short and sweet. Lots of love and community building over good food and drink(s). DNAInfo was there. Writes reporter *Victoria Johnson*: *Michael Harn, 45, a truck driver who came to show his support, said he thought Lewis and CORE *

NYC Public School Parents: Opting out of testing: NO consequences for children, teachers or schools this year

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NYC Public School Parents: Opting out of testing: NO consequences for children, teachers or schools this year: Opting out of testing: NO consequences for children, teachers or schools this year by Leonie Haimson Dear parents: I know there is a lot of anxiety and concern about the upcoming ELA state tests next week, which are supposed to be more difficult than ever. The DOE has contributed to this anxiety with memos to parents that advise them to tell their children that the tests “*are meant to be really hard. That’s because that are designed to measure whether students are on... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter Commission Meeting, Part Two

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Charter Commission Meeting, Part Two: Charter Commission Meeting, Part Two by Melissa Westbrook I ended Part One explaining that there had been two large issues that arose during the meeting. One is the rabbit hole I mentioned and the other is the funding of the Commission's work. Here's the rabbit hole explained. To get a charter from the state two things have to happen. A charter applicant has to apply to just one authorizer and, after getting the authorizer's approval, then that approved application has to get to the State Board of Education... more »

Ed Notes Online: Carol Burris is State HS Principal of Year, Change the Stakes Meets Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ed Notes Online: Carol Burris is State HS Principal of Year, Change the Stakes Meets Today: Carol Burris is State HS Principal of Year, Change the Stakes Meets Today by ed notes online Carol Burris at GEM/Change the Stakes ForumVideo below of Carol Burris with an intro by a very pregnant Julie Cavanagh at a GEM April 2012 forum on teacher evaluation. (And Julie still had 3 months to go - Jack was a big boy even before he was Jack). Of course to Unity slugs it is way more important for Julie to speak at a stage-managed Delegate Assembly than to organize a forum bringing together Ca... more »

Diane in the Evening 4-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Strauss: Time to Subpoena Witnesses in DC Cheating Scandal by dianerav Valerie Strauss writes that it is time for a thorough investigation of allegations of cheating during the tenure of Michelle Rhee as chancellor. The leaking of the “smoking memo” to John Merrow shows that Rhee apparently was informed of likely cheating but chose not to investigate it. Many questions are unanswered: what did she know and when did she know it? What did Adell Cothorne discover when she became principal? Why did no one follow up... more »









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