Wait What?:
Wait What? All Week
The question bothering a number of Democrats these days is what happened to our political party? We all know it takes money to run effective campaigns, but Connecticut’s Democratic State Central Committee is reaching new lows when it comes to misleading potential donors in their effort to raise funds. Last week, Democratic State Central Committee […]The post Connecticut Democratic Party Leaders:
According to the Hartford Courant, “The governor’s office confirms that Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education, will visit Hartford’s University High School on Tuesday afternoon at 1:30. Duncan will speak on college accessibility and affordability. According to Duncan’s office the event will include U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, Gov. Dannel P. […]The post Hide your ch
Those aren’t guinea pigs; those are our children!
Alternatively known as we don’t need no stinkin learning… we need more standardized testing! As an increasing number of parents, teachers, school boards and citizens are learning, the message from Governor Malloy, Commissioner Stefan Pryor and their corporate education reform industry allies is clear and concise. Connecticut needs more standardized testing to ensure that our […]The post Those are
JAN 16
NEWS FLASH: Kids win, Malloy/Jepsen lose as judge rules school funding trial to begin this summer
In a stunning defeat of Governor Malloy’s political strategy to push off CCEJF v. Rell school funding debate until after the 2014 gubernatorial election, a superior court judge ruled today that the trail will begin as scheduled. The trial date for the CCEJF .v Rell was scheduled to begin July 2014 beck in December 2011, […]The post NEWS FLASH: Kids win, Malloy/Jepsen lose as judge rules school fun
Look Out! The Common Core Test is coming to a school near you
January 2014 and it still isn’t clear exactly which Connecticut students will be forced to take the new Common Core (Smarter Balanced Test) this year. With the gubernatorial campaign only 10 months away, Governor Malloy and Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor have been telling towns that they have the option to stick with the Connecticut Mastery […]The post Look Out! The Common Core Test is coming
JAN 15
Whatever you do, don’t mention school funding and the school funding lawsuit!
The Malloy administration will be back in a Connecticut courtroom tomorrow, January 16, 2014, in their unending effort to destroy, derail or delay the court case known as Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding v. Rell. CCJEF v. Rell is not only the most important school funding lawsuit in Connecticut history, it is safe […]The post Whatever you do, don’t mention school funding and
Michele Rhee’s StudentsFirst “education reform” group gives Louisiana a B-, Connecticut a D+
Michele Rhee and her corporate education reform industry advocacy group are back with their annual “report card.” Over the last three years Rhee and StudentsFirst (called GNEPSA here in Connecticut) have been one of Governor Malloy’s strongest supporters, helping to fund the most expensive lobbying campaign in Connecticut history. To date, Rhee and her fellow […]The post Michele Rhee’s StudentsFi
JAN 14
Attn: Steve Perry – It’s called the CT Code of Professional Responsibility for School Administrators
As a certified school administrator in Connecticut you have the legal and moral obligation to uphold this code. But the record increasingly reveals that Capital Prep Principal Steve Perry and the other administrators at Capital Preparatory Magnet School have consistently failed to meet the most basic elements of this code. For example, section (b) of […]The post Attn: Steve Perry – It’s called th
Vallas demand for $16,500 in extra taxpayer funds succeeds
Paul Vallas will be getting an extra $16,500 from Bridgeport and Connecticut taxpayers thanks to last night’s 5-4 vote of the Bridgeport Board of Education. After heavy lobbying from Mayor Bill Finch and Vallas supporters, newly elected board member Democrat Dave Hennessey, who was part of the successful anti-Finch challenge slate in last September’s Democratic […]The post Vallas demand for $16,5
JAN 13
Hey Steve Perry – Tell us about Capital Prep’s “Table of Shame”
Located in the cafeteria of the Capital Preparatory Magnet School at 1304 Main Street in Hartford, Connecticut is the “Table of Shame.” At part of Capital Prep Principal Steve Perry’s “zero-tolerance” policies even the slightest “violations,” such as wearing the wrong colored belt, will result in punishments designed to humiliate and demean students. For example, […]The post Hey Steve Perry – Tell
Malloy administration action raises more ethics questions…
Stefan Pryor, Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, is no stranger to ethics issues. Pryor and his operatives at the State Department of Education are now engaged in activities that raise even more potential ethics violations. As reported yesterday in a post entitled, “Pryor schedules Corporate Education Reform Industry Lobby Group for Alliance District Meeting,” Commissioner […]The post Ma
JAN 12
Pryor schedules Corporate Education Reform Industry Lobby Group for Alliance District Meeting
And that is just the tip of the iceberg… Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, and his sidekick and aide, former Achievement First principal Morgan Barth, are pushing the ethical envelope ever further while telegraphing where Malloy really stands when it comes to teachers, parents and public education in Connecticut. While Malloy is touring […]The post Pryor schedules Corporat
JAN 11
Mayor Finch gives “Key to the City” to Paul Vallas
With ousted Democratic Board of Education chairman Kenneth Moales, Jr. at his side, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch gave Paul Vallas Bridgeport’s “Key to the City” for his “service to students.” There is still no word whether Governor Malloy or Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor stopped by last night’s “Farewell Reception” for Vallas in Bridgeport […]The post Mayor Finch gives “Key to the City” t
No Really… Nothing more for instruction, but plenty for Common Core compliant computers
A Wait, What? blog post earlier this week entitled, “Malloy/Pryor Common Core Strategy – Hey, but we’ve got some computers!” outlined the fact that while many of Connecticut’s urban schools are woefully underfunded, Governor Malloy and Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor were able to find $25 million in state bonding to buy computers so that more […]The post No Really… Nothing more for instructio
Connecticut need not look far for model on improving academic performance (by Wendy Lecker)
Hearst media commentator and fellow pro-public education advocate Wendy Lecker has another great commentary piece in this weekend’s Stamford Advocate. Wendy writes: “High-quality preschool is one of the best investments society can make in our children. It has been proven to improve academic outcomes and reduce the costly incidence of special education and grade retention. […]The post Connecticut