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Friday, December 20, 2013

Daily Kos: Charles M. Blow on Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson

Daily Kos: Charles M. Blow on Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson:



is a column well worth reading, in part because Blow, a black man, grew up about 50 miles from where Robertson is based.  He knows the Louisiana white culture, the history of the state with respect to segregation and discrimination (remember, Plessy v Ferguson is a case from Louisiana).
The column is titled "Duck Dynasty" and Quackery, and I highly recommend it.
Blow notes that Robertson's GQ interview read in a matter-of-fact fashion, one could consider it to be absent of malice, a kind of Southern folksiness.  
To me, that is part of the problem. You don’t have to operate with a malicious spirit to do tremendous harm. Insensitivity and ignorance are sufficient. In fact, intolerance that is disarming is the most dangerous kind. It can masquerade as morality.
I want to stop on that idea of masquerading as morality.  We have already seen that in the response of the likes of Bobby Jindal, who also demonstrated either an abysmal lack of understanding that the First Amendment protects only against government actions, not those of private parties or organizations, or things subject to contractual provisions, or else is of the crassest kind of pandering.  
Too often when those who are bigots are called on their bigotry they hide behind a presumed 

CASU | CALIFORNIA STUDENT UNION : : Our struggles are one. Our victories are one. *** This site is currently under construction. Please bare with us as we update resources, links, etc. Thank you. ***

CASU | CALIFORNIA STUDENT UNION : : Our struggles are one. Our victories are one. *** This site is currently under construction. Please bare with us as we update resources, links, etc. Thank you. ***:

Napolitano Protest

CASU Fall Newsletter ‏ 2013

Hello all! I hope you’re having a great start to your fall semester! Below are some updates from CASU campuses on upcoming and ongoing events. Enjoy! You can stay updated on the battle to save City College of San Francisco’s accreditation by following their blog, Save CCSF. Updates from UC Santa Cruz: Resist Janet Napolitano 


Featured Video: The Corporate Privatization Raiders
The Corporate Privatization Raiders Destroying Public Education & Our Unions | Danny Weil Danny Weil is a teacher, author, and journalist who is an expert on privatization and charters. He writes for “Truth Out,” “Daily Censored,” and other publications. At an education conference on Privatization of Public Education and the Unions in San Francisco, he […]
Put Organizing Before Organization
As published in Viewpoint Magazine, Issue 3: Workers’ Inquiry | August 19, 2013 Reprinted with permission by the author(s) We are still find­ing lessons from the last cycle of California’s stu­dent strug­gle. Among them, the need for chan­nels of stu­dent com­mu­ni­ca­tion, an orga­ni­za­tion that could reg­is­ter and rec­ol­lect insur­gent knowl­edges to guard against the dan­gers of under­grad­u

OSPI says KUOW data agreement story inaccurate | Education Lab Blog | Seattle Times

OSPI says KUOW data agreement story inaccurate | Education Lab Blog | Seattle Times:

OSPI says KUOW data agreement story inaccurate

The state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) said Friday that a recent story aired by KUOW inaccurately asserted that a data agreement between OSPI and The Seattle Times authorized The Times to receive personally identifiable information about students.
The radio station has since clarified the report, which first aired Thursday, to underscore that The Times never requested and has not received any such information, including student names, and student and staff social security numbers.
In a statement posted Friday afternoon at the top of the story, KUOW acknowledged that the original version “left some of our readers mistakenly believing that their children’s names and Social Security numbers had been released to the Times.”
In its Friday statement, OSPI said:
 The recent KUOW story about student data being provided to The Seattle Times is inaccurate. OSPI takes student privacy laws very seriously. No identifiable information will be given to The Times.  All student records have been ‘de-identified,’ meaning that we will remove student names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. Furthermore, the data sharing agreement prevents Times’ staff from trying to identify individual students, as well as from reporting anything that would allow others to identify individual students.
The Times has requested data from OSPI that would help reporters and editors spot trends that 

Two-week delay in posting spending regulations for new K-12 funding formula | EdSource Today


Two-week delay in posting spending regulations for new K-12 funding formula | EdSource Today:


There’ll be no pre-holiday look at the much-anticipated spending regulations for the Local Control Funding Formula. Instead, the draft rules for California’s new school finance system will make a post-Rose Bowl appearance on the State Board of Education website on Friday, Jan. 3, state officials said Friday.
The State Board of Education had set a self-imposed deadline for Dec. 20, but staff are still working on it, taking in written ideas and suggestions from 50 meetings in the last six weeks with groups with various positions, State Board Executive Director Karen Stapf Walters said.
“We think we’re getting to a better place, but we are not there yet,” she said.
Samantha Tran, senior director of education policy for Children Now, one of the groups providing recommendations, said she saw the delay as a good sign.
“The staff of the State Board heard the concerns and comments from the field,” she said. “They’re really listening.”
The half-dozen page regulations will instruct districts on how much latitude they will have in spending extra dollars that the funding formula, called LCFF, allocates for low-income students, children learning English and foster youth, the three groups that are earmarked for additional dollars. The law creating the LCFF said that a district must increase services and programs for high-needs students in proportion to the additional dollars they bring to a district.
But that leaves a lot open to interpretation, and groups advocating for minority kids, like The Education Trust-West and Public Advocates, and groups representing school districts and 

Nite Cap 12-20-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #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


School at heart of grade-change flap drops to 'F' - SFGate
School at heart of grade-change flap drops to 'F' - SFGate: School at heart of grade-change flap drops to 'F'By TOM LoBIANCO, Associated PressUpdated 1:17 pm, Friday, December 20, 20131 of 4VIEW: LARGER | HIDEIndiana Schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz responds to a board members question during the monthly business meeting of the Indiana State Board of Education in Indianapolis, Friday, Dec. 20, 2
President Obama Honors Outstanding Math and Science Teachers | The White House
President Obama Honors Outstanding Math and Science Teachers | The White House: President Obama Honors Outstanding Math and Science TeachersWASHINGTON, DC -- President Obama today named 102 mathematics and science teachers as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. This year’s awardees represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, P
Jennifer Gonzalez Asks Teachers: What Makes a Principal Great? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Jennifer Gonzalez Asks Teachers: What Makes a Principal Great? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Jennifer Gonzalez Asks Teachers: What Makes a Principal Great?By Anthony Cody on December 20, 2013 5:40 PMGuest post by Jennifer Gonzalez.Two separate conversations are happening about education. The first I would call the "macro" conversation. I see it in places like this blog,
12-20-13 Jersey Jazzman
Jersey Jazzman: Local Control Is a White People Thing: Ask Asbury ParkIs it wrong of me to feel a little embarrassed when someone catches something reformy going on in New Jersey that I completely missed? Luckily, some Facebook friends hipped me to this pick-up from the always excellent folks at Schools Matter, quoting the Asbury Park Press:ASBURY PARK — Where is the democracy?That’s the question
UPDATE: Common Core Unrest in 22 States | deutsch29
UPDATE: Common Core Unrest in 22 States | deutsch29: UPDATE: Common Core Unrest in 22 StatesDecember 20, 2013On November 23, 2013, I wrote a post briefly detailing the 17 states in which officials (legislators, governors, state superintendents) have formally registered some anti-Common Core (CCSS) intention (e.g., legislation, resolution).Today I will repost the original 17 states and add another
12-20-13 THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG In the Future, the Classroom Will Learn You — Whole Child Education
In the Future, the Classroom Will Learn You — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGIn the Future, the Classroom Will Learn YouDecember 20, 2013 by Klea ScharbergThis week IBM released its annual predictions of the five technology innovations that will change the way we live in the next five years: The 5 in 5. This year's predictions center around emerging computing systems that will learn, r
Don’t (further) integrate middle school science standards | EdSource Today
Don’t (further) integrate middle school science standards | EdSource Today: Don’t (further) integrate middle school science standardsDecember 20th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By Paul Bruno / commentary1Paul BrunoAs California proceeds with implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a major point of contention is likely to be how to sequence science content in the middle-school gra
Choosing Democracy: The Paucity of Dan Walters' Commentary on School Issues
Choosing Democracy: The Paucity of Dan Walters' Commentary on School Issues: The Paucity of Dan Walters' Commentary on School IssuesThe column by Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee entitled “California’s School Wars Heat Up” in the print edition for Dec.20, and “Powerful Factions Go to War Over Direction of California Schools,” http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/20/6015661/dan-walters-powerful-factions.
Governors and State Education Leaders Did Not Write the Common Core | Truth in American Education
Governors and State Education Leaders Did Not Write the Common Core | Truth in American Education: Governors and State Education Leaders Did Not Write the Common CoreFiled in Common Core State Standards by Shane Vander Hart on December 20, 2013 • 0 CommentsI had to shake my head reading an article in The Washington Post.  It highlights Randi Weingarten’s schizophrenic approach to the Common Core S
Walcott’s goodbye | JD2718
Walcott’s goodbye | JD2718: Walcott’s goodbyeDECEMBER 20, 2013 PM31 3:11 PMtags: Dennis Walcott, NYC School's ChancellorToday every teacher in NYC received a goodbye message from Dennis Walcott (at the bottom of this post). That this is his last school day as Chancellor is something most of us would instinctively celebrate.But was Walcott a bad chancellor? That question should be asked in context,
Winter Solstice 2013: Shortest day of the year, but sunset already creeping later
Winter Solstice 2013: Shortest day of the year, but sunset already creeping later: Winter Solstice 2013: Shortest day of the year, but sunset already creeping laterBY JUSTIN GRIESERDecember 20 at 10:52 amThe sun passes through the stones after rising at the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge, in southern England, on the annual Winter Solstice. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)Winter may just be getting start
The Great Misdirection | BCS in Context
The Great Misdirection | BCS in Context: The Great Misdirection What I hear in this audio clip from the Santa Clara County Board of Education’s Oct. 19, 2013 Charter Schools Study Workshop is either an embarrassing muddle or an illuminating confession.This Charter Schools Study Workshop was convened by the county Board to allow the SCCBOE to publicly air “the big questions” about charter schools i
12-20-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Friday Open ThreadSeattle Schools running 2 hours late (but being parents, you already know that).I have seen no statement from the Seattle Times or OSPI on their student data sharing agreement to share Seattle students' data.  Nothing like a newspaper not reporting the news.   Want to let Randy Dorn at OSPI know?Randy I. Dorn superintendent@k12.wa.us (360) 725-600
Cali Education Headlines Friday, December 20, 2013
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Sacramento City school board approves transgender policyEducation HeadlinesFriday, December 20, 2013FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.Employees ratify new agreementThe Tracy Unified unit of the California S
12-20-13 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: IT’S TIME TO INVESTIGATE PEARSON IN TEXAS, TOO …but why stop there? California’s nice this time of year!In New York the Pearson Foundation  illegally helped develop products for its corporate parent, including course materials and software.  That’s just as illegal in California  and violates the federal tax code too!   Where is the CA Attorney General,
Michelle Alexander: Locked Out of the American Dream | Moyers & Company | BillMoyers.com
Michelle Alexander: Locked Out of the American Dream | Moyers & Company | BillMoyers.com: Morning Reads: Buffett Buys Wind Power; Little Upward Mobility in the SouthHappy Friday morning! Your weekend is fast approaching. Here are some of the stories we’re reading as the media start to slow for the holidays…Love wins –> New Mexico becomes the 17th state to allow gay people to marry. Chris Geidn
Morning Wink 12-20-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS mark as read12-20-13 Fred Klonsky Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the dataFred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Returning for the rehearsal.It’s the second year I have gone back to my old school for the holiday sing. It’s not the official holiday sing for t
12-20-13 Fred Klonsky Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Returning for the rehearsal.It’s the second year I have gone back to my old school for the holiday sing. It’s not the official holiday sing for the parents and grandparents. That was on Thursday when Mrs. Seputis, the music teacher, splits up the grades for performances. Odd numbered grades in the mor
Louisiana Educator: We Are Losing Some of Our Great Teachers
Louisiana Educator: We Are Losing Some of Our Great Teachers: We Are Losing Some of Our Great TeachersDear Louisiana Educator Readers:I have made a somewhat painful decision to publish excerpts of two letters from a teacher who recently retired early because of the so called education reforms in our state. She is not nearly the first to write to BESE and the State Superintendent about her legitima
The Educated Reporter: Ten Questions To Ask On School Leadership
The Educated Reporter: Ten Questions To Ask On School Leadership: Ten Questions To Ask On School LeadershipWhen I was covering the education beat in Las Vegas, an annual survey of teachers in the Clark County School District – the nation’s fifth-largest – always yielded plenty of fodder for stories. But what struck me in particular was the No. 1 reason – year in and year out - given by teachers wh
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-20-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: EduShyster: 300 Million Ways to Support Excellence This SeasonEduShyster has some fun with the crazy idea that Teach for America is a charity in need of your holiday gifts, your nickels and dimes and quarters.. She notes that TFA has an annual budget of $300 million plus; it also has a score of high-paid executives, and many hundre
12-20-13 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Teacher Protest Over Naming College Office for WalcottIt's hugely disappointing that administration has unilaterally decided to pay tribute to a man who has worked tirelessly to make our jobs less professional, who has vilified us at every turn, who has refused to offer us the compensation he saw fit to give other city employees, and who has supported every baseless corporate refo
12-20-13 Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog
Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Mexican Government Has Made A Change With OilRecently, the Mexican Congress approved the constitutional reform opening up oil exploration, extraction, refining, transportation, distribution and sale of oil and its by-products to local and foreign private investment. If oil and gas production are stepped up, greater prevention of risks is needed, and companies should inc
12-20-13 12-19-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Surprising Study — NOT: People Learn A Second Language Better By Physically Simulating WordsA new study concludes that: “If language comprehension is a simulation process that uses neural systems of action, then perhaps we can better teach kids how to understand what they read by getting them to literally simulate the actio
12-20-13 Wait What?
Wait What?: Michele Rhee’s StudentsFirst rally to support Steve Perry; Board fails to take up Perry’s threatening tweetAt last night’s Hartford Board of Education meeting Hartford Superintendent Christina Kishimoto and Hartford Board of Education Chairman Matt Poland failed to address the status of the promised investigation into Capital Prep Steve Perry’s threatening email rant or the growing con
12-20-13 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: Evaluating the evaluations of teacher education programsDonald E. Heller is dean of the College of Education at Michigan State University who, in this post, describes a recent written encounter with the National Council on Teacher Quality, an organization created by the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Foundation in 2000 in order to promote alternative teacher certification and try
12-20-13 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Happy Holidays, Wendy--Now, Goodbye!Wonder if this will earn the Pittsburgh School Board some threatening letters from Exxon-Mobil for its non-CorpEd stance:Here’s some education news that you don’t hear every day: The Pittsburgh school board is rescinding a $750,000 contract with Teach For America, and keeping open an elementary school slated to be shuttered.The board’s four new m
12-20-13 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Politicians and Rich Guys Want Common Core; Everyone Else, Not So MuchThere’s always been something for everyone to hate about Common Core. Alonzo Weston from the St. Joseph News-Press talked to a Missouri parents group who have a handle on the entire boondoggle. The Com
12-20-13 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Worst Education Op-Ed of 2013?I know the competition is tense, but just under the wire, I am ready to suggest this is the worst education Op-Ed of 2013: Friedberg: Can American students get smart? I really don’t know what to say except that every point raised and every claim made by Friedberg are so incredibly wrong, I haven’t a […]5 by plthomasedd / 2h 12-19-13 @ The Chalk Face@
12-20-13 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): Worst Education Op-Ed of 2013?Worst Education Op-Ed of 2013?.1 by plthomasedd / 2h hide  //  saveSchools Matter: Who Controls the Table WinsSchools Matter: Who Controls the Table Wins1 by plthomasedd / 3h 12-19-13 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness
12-20-13 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Why No Chancellor Announcement Yet?So now it's December 20th, the last school day of Dennis Walcott's tenure as chancellor.In just 12 calendar days, Walcott's replacement is supposed to come into power.There have been lots of stories in the press and on the Internet about the names that are supposed to be on de Blasio's short list for chancellor, but no actual announcement a
Sac Unified School District Unanimously Votes in Favor of Transgender Policy | KTXL FOX40
Sac Unified School District Unanimously Votes in Favor of Transgender Policy | KTXL FOX40: Sac Unified School District Unanimously Votes in Favor of Transgender Policy8 hours agoby Tia EwingReporter/AnchorAB 1266 CommentsShare Update   SACRAMENTO-Sacramento City Unified School District voted unanimously in favor of a transgender policy for students, 7-0.This means about two dozen students can now
Taking stock of Jonathan Raymond’s tenure and legacy at Sac City | EdSource Today
Taking stock of Jonathan Raymond’s tenure and legacy at Sac City | EdSource Today: Taking stock of Jonathan Raymond’s tenure and legacy at Sac CityDecember 19th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John FensterwaldOutgoing Sacramento City Superintendent Jonathan Raymond stressed focusing on “soft skills,” like resilience and self-motivation, as underlying conditions for student achievement. Credit: Sacramen
Are the RSD (Recovery School District) and LDOE (Louisiana Department of Education) actively covering up school wide test cheating that bolsters their performance? | Crazy Crawfish's Blog
Are the RSD (Recovery School District) and LDOE (Louisiana Department of Education) actively covering up school wide test cheating that bolsters their performance? | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Are the RSD (Recovery School District) and LDOE (Louisiana Department of Education) actively covering up school wide test cheating that bolsters their performance?Posted on December 20, 20130 I have been told th
Ted Mitchell, Education Dept. Nominee, Has Strong Ties to Pearson, Privatization Movement | The Nation
Ted Mitchell, Education Dept. Nominee, Has Strong Ties to Pearson, Privatization Movement | The Nation: Ted Mitchell, Education Dept. Nominee, Has Strong Ties to Pearson, Privatization MovementLee Fang on December 19, 2013 - 5:05 PM ETShareTed Mitchell, then president and CEO of the NewSchools Venture Fund attends the New York Times “Schools for Tomorrow” conference panel. (AP Photo)Ted Mitchell,
Ted Mitchell, Nominee for Under-Secretary of Education, Is a Privatizer | janresseger
Ted Mitchell, Nominee for Under-Secretary of Education, Is a Privatizer | janresseger: Ted Mitchell, Nominee for Under-Secretary of Education, Is a PrivatizerPosted on December 20, 2013 by janressegerLee Fang, a respected investigative reporter for The Nation magazine, exposes ties of Ted Mitchell to private education contractors and a for-profit university.  Mitchell is chief executive of NewScho
Sacramento City school board approves transgender policy - Our Region - The Sacramento Bee
Sacramento City school board approves transgender policy - Our Region - The Sacramento Bee: Sacramento City school board approves transgender policyBy Richard Changrchang@sacbee.comPublished: Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013 - 10:18 pmTransgender students in the Sacramento City Unified School District will gain new rights and protections, with the approval of a set of guidelines by district trustees Thursd
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: UNO laying low 'til the heat blows over
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: UNO laying low 'til the heat blows over: UNO laying low 'til the heat blows overRahm and disgraced UNO leader Rangel (left)The Reader's Ben Joravsky is at it again. He's still dogging UNO charter school hustlers who have handily ripped off the taxpayers for more than $98 million, thanks to the largesse of Gov. Quinn, Boss Madigan, and Mayor Emanuel.Ben tells us how U

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The Educated Reporter: EWA National Seminar: Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline
The Educated Reporter: EWA National Seminar: Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline: EWA National Seminar: Stopping the School-to-Prison PipelineThis week we're catching up on sessions from EWA's 66th National Seminar, held at Stanford University. We asked journalists who attended to contribute posts, and today's guest blogger is Scott Travis of South Florida's Sun Sentinel. Stream any session fro
PS 154 in the Bronx; Violence Free Since the Week Before Last! southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: PS 154 in the Bronx; Violence Free Since the Week Before Last!Yes, it's true! PS 154 in the Bronx has gone a full SEVEN DAYS without violence from December 6 thru December 16, 2013.Every day I get in the queue (Too much, the Peace Bus)What does this mean? It means hat day, or some special goofy wearing thing day is about to happen and the marker on the Peace Bus mo
Modern Families: What Educators Need to Know
NEA Today: Modern Families: What Educators Need to KnowBy Brenda Álvarez Modern Family” may be a show on television about different family structures. But now that students and families throughout the U.S. are more diverse than they were 30 years ago, “Modern Family” is much more than a sitcom. Today’s family is less homogenous and monochromatic than ever before. They’re often a blend of cultures,
7 Hats Principals Must Be Prepared to Wear | Connected Principals
7 Hats Principals Must Be Prepared to Wear | Connected Principals: 7 Hats Principals Must Be Prepared to Wearby William Parker • December 20, 2013 • 0 CommentsRecently, I was asked to speak to a group of teachers who are interested in becoming school principals.My task was to summarize some of the principal’s roles and responsibilities.If you are a principal, I am sure you could add more to my lis
Nite Cap 12-19-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #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 mark as readNYC Public School Parents: My inBloom presentation at last night's Hudson Valley Community College Common Core forumNYC Public School Parents: My inBloom presentation at last night's Hudson Valley Community College Common Core forum: