Ed Notes Online
Change the Stakes Explains Opt-Out at District 14 High Stakes Testing Town Hall - Wed. March 19
Janine Sopp, David Dobosz, Brian DeVale, Brooke Parker and Esteban Duran -- Oh what a night this will be --- , Do you know what High Stakes Testing means for your children, their teachers and our schools?The Community Education Council for District 14TOWN HALL MEETINGWednesday, March 19, 2014Where: 215 Heyward StreetLocation: AuditoriumTime: 6:00pm – 8:00pmPanelists are:· Brian DeVale, Princ
YESTERDAY
Revive NYSUT (Pallota/Mulgrew) OK With Non-Union Pre-k While Rolled by Sellout Dems on Charter Support Bill
The IDC exists to allow Cuomo to regularly triangulate progressive voices out of any legislative actions. Dick Iannuzzi knows this and was actively working to undermine the IDC structure. Andy Pallotta well............Stronger Together supporter Dick Iannuzzi "[pre-k] teachers would be unionized workers and employees of the school district. Therefore, they would be obligated to be represented
MAR 13
Noah Gotbaum: Bloomberg Pro-Charter Land Mines
Carmen should extend the public school application deadline, reinstate local school sign up, ensure that parents are guaranteed their local zoned school and kill this for next year. An on-line option is good, but it should just be an additional option, not a backdoor, 4th term way to install "choice" systems and charters. As important, Carmen should affirmatively kill the sweatheart deal
NYSUT President Iannuzzi Condemns Treatment of Students Who Opt Out of Tests
Iannuzzi, who taught fourth-grade for most of his 34-year teaching career, said "sit and stare" is not only educationally unsound, but the practice will end up being a distraction for those students who are taking standardized tests.The biggest threat to the ed deformers is the growing parent opt-out movement. (Our amazing group here in NYC, Change the Stakes, is one of the groups leadin
MAR 12
How to Make a Fool Out of Yourself: I Do It the Company Way at Rockaway Theatre Production of “How to Succeed…”
OK, it's put up or shut up time. After weeks of rehearsals we have hit the dress-rehearsal time tonight and tomorrow. I have a total of 4 lines and am in a bunch of production numbers where I try to hide behind the other guys. I love working with this mainly very young cast - even with some high school kids who already know a hell of a lot about the theater. I'll get into details about some of the
Portelos Arrested and Released After 30 Hours in Holding Cell As Asst. DA Tosses Case
Note to DOE Legal: How do you spell D-I-S-B-A-R?Ramifications of tactic of having teachers arrested for fighting back will be felt.I can just imagine the judge getting as big a laugh as Francesco got as he snookered DOE Legal into taking an outrageous action against him by involving the NYCPD in what was clearly a joke posting that he hacked into the DOE payroll system and gave himself a raise cla
Media Fawns Over Eva Moskowitz Lies
I always love Eva Moskowitz because in the long run her over reaching is bad for the charter movement, which I am interested in destroying. So here's to Eva as her outright lies get some exposure, although not mainstream -- yet.Another winner from Ravitch.Fact-Checking Eva’s Claims on National Televisionby dianeravitch This article, which I co-wrote with Avi Blaustein, an independent education res
Eva Moskowitz to Autistic Kids: Screw You
I'm cross-posting. I have video interviews with Noah from Monday's rally in Harlem but have to race off to Rockaway Theater to help clean the place for Friday's opening. Noah Gotbaum: Who Are the Real Victims of Eva Moskowitz’s “Success Academies”?by dianeravitch In an article in the New York Daily News, which has been an outspoken champion of charters schools and Eva Moskowitz's attacks on Mayo
MAR 11
Friday March 14 - MORE Park Slope Happy Hour
Darn - I won't make this one as it is opening night for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - my musical debut. (I have 4 lines).Greetings,We invite everyone to the MORE Park Slope Happy Hourthis Friday March 14 afterschool from 4-6pm at Freddy’s Bar in the Backroom located at 627 5th Avenue, between 17th & 18th Streets in Park Slope, Brooklyn Tell us about what’s happening in yo
NY Times on Chris Pavone book
I've known Chris Pavone since he was 3 years old when his mom, Vera Pavone, brought him to a meeting of Another View in District 14, the beginning of a 43 year political and personal relationship with Vera and her partner at the time, Paul Baizerman. These were the guys who had the most influence on me politically and in many ways personally. I won't get into the weeds of what I learned from them
ADVISORY: TODAY, 11am CM Dromm, Large Majority of City Council to Blast #CuomoCuts-- City Hall Steps
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11th, 2014 Contact:Julian Vinocur, julian@aqeny.org. 212.328.9268Large Majority of NYC Council to Demand Public School Funding Increase, Following Gov's Promise to Give More to Charter Schools InsteadLed by Councilmember Daniel Dromm, Large Majority of Councilmembers to Release Sign-on Letter Calling on State to Comply with CFE & Increase School Aid PRESS CONFEREN
MAR 10
Dora Taylor: What is a Charter School
Dora reminds us of her 2010 piece on charters at the Seattle Education blog.What is a Charter School?The basic difference between a traditional public school and a privately run charter school is that with a charter school there is complete control of the school by a private enterprise within a public school district. Although taxpayer-funded, charters operate without the same degree of public and
AFT Won’t Accept Gates Money, Except When It Does
...that only accounts for half the money AFT has received from Gates. According to Politico, “AFT’s executive council hasn’t formally voted to reject Gates funding for other projects, but Weingarten said she would be very cautious about taking such grants.” Somehow a headline that reads “AFT Shuns Gates Funding” gives a different impression than one that reads “AFT Will Be Very Cautious the Next T
Leonie on Ed Show Tonight on Charter Co-Loco Battle
At least MSNBC has been giving some voice to our side -- hope you saw Julie Cavanagh on the SAT issue on Chris Hayes Friday night. Now Leonie on The Ed Show at 5:30.Dear folks:I will be on the Ed Show at 5:30 PM EST tonight on MSNBC, talking about the furious co-location battle going on in NYC.Lost in the furious rhetoric from the charter lobby and the biased coverage by the mainstream media is th
CamiGate: Get Rid of Black Teachers and Replace them with white TFA in Newark in the Name of Civil Rights
There is a historical context of racial discrimination against black teachers in the United States, and “choice” systems of education have previously been found to disproportionately affect the employment of these teachers. One Newark appears to continue this tradition.There are significant differences in race, gender, and experience in the characteristics of NPS staff and the staff of Newark’s ch
Randi and Gives Up Some Gates Dough -- And She's Being Praised?
Oh, Jesus, when will it end? Diane Ravitch posts the "good news" that Randi will no longer accept Gates money and there are some cheers - but also critiques. Breaking News: Randi Says AFT Will No Longer Accept Funding from Gates Foundation for Innovation FundThere are a bunch of comments you should read. I left one but it is awaiting moderation. In case it doesn't pass muster, here it is
De Blasio Allies Counterattack on Moskowitz - the Real Civil Rights Issue of the Time
As a candidate for mayor, Bill de Blasio electrified crowds of parents and education activists with a pledge to charge rent to charter schools, one of the starkest policy departures from his predecessor, Michael R. Bloomberg... NY Times, March 10, 2014Well, finally, a word or two that gets to the heart of the issue. The Mayor ran on an anti-charter platform and beat the guy who ran on a pro-charte
Charterbeat Distorts Charter Coverage
That private dollars help the charters is fine, but they remain publicly funded institutions, and it is irresponsibly shortsighted to spend that money without also benefiting the host districts.... Your article notes that students at the Success Academy charter schools outscored public school students in standardized math and reading tests. While this may be encouraging for the charter school move
MAR 09
Monday March 10, 4PM: Rally at Harlem School for Victims of Moskowitz Attempt to Push Out Special Ed Kids
Which kids are really getting hurt in the charter wars?Rally To Support de Blasio and Public Schools in Harlem Tomorrow Where: Outside PS/ MS 149When : 4: 00- 5:00 March 1041 W. 117th St between Lennox Ave and FifthSubway: 2 or 3 to 116th Even as Mayor Bill de Blasio’s handling of the issue of charter school co-locations has disappointed many, it has signaled the end of the era when the li
You Mean, That Jessica Tisch? Bratton Chooses Tisch
NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton names Jessica Tisch as deputy commissioner of information and technologyOh, you mean that Jessica Tisch?Jessica Tisch Calls For Bloomberg 3rd Term - Ed Notes OnlineApr 15, 2008Today's Post includes an op-ed calling for voters to decide on term limits so Bloomberg can run again. The piece claims Bloomberg has outperformed, citing his record in improving the schools. I
Putin Crimea Annexation Modeled on Eva Moskowitz Invasion of NYC Schools
Kremlin insiders have revealed that Vladimir Putin modeled his invasion of Crimea on the successful takeover of numerous public schools by Eva Moskowitz and her Success Charter chain. Sending shock troops into a building in advance? Check. Rolling local political forces in a media blitz? Check. "Eva Moskowitz has more power than Kim Jong-un," said a Putin spokesman.Two who lust for Mosko
MAR 08
Susan's Saturday Special
Here is a collection for your weekend reading. I know the latest Common Core outrage is long but I hope you will read it with careful attention. This assault on first graders sits at the core of what corporate ed deform is all about.http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=675Contrast this with Kate DiCamillo's wonderful memories of a read-aloud.With the help of teachers who refuse to remain silent, I
BREAKING NEWS: the Assembly will do last minute interviews on Monday because Democrats are saying they will VOTE NO on incumbents
I dropped by my state assemblyman Phi Goldfeder's office the other day with some materials on this Regent election. From Carol Burris:Dear friend of public education, On Tuesday, the legislature will vote yea or nay on the re-appointment of the 4 incumbent Regents. Often we hear that the legislature does not control education policy and therefore there is little that can be done to influence the