Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog:
Schooling in the Ownership Society
Schooling in the Ownership Society
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk
Schooling in the Ownership Society
Oh mama, can this really be the end...?
Sens. McConnell & Coburn at CPACNow the senator came down hereShowing ev’ryone his gunHanding out free ticketsTo the wedding of his son-- Dylan, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
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A good questionGeorgia parent asks Pres. Obama, "Why don’t private schools adopt your test-based school reforms?" -- Washington PostMurphy's LawJim Broadway, who publishes Illinois School News Service, has a good post on Sen. Matt Murphy's (R-Palestine) bill SB 3533, that would supposedly "give public school students a choice of who will teach them - a teacher in their local schools
MAR 06
Run Robert, Run!
In Monday's interview with Fran Spielman, Rahm claims Toni Preckwinkle has promised him that she won't run against him in 2015.Emanuel says he takes Preckwinkle at her word, even though she’s been the most outspoken critic of the mayor’s school closings, charter openings, school budget cuts and the seven-day teachers strike that Emanuel’s bullying missteps helped to instigate. “She has said that a
MAR 05
Rahm -- 'I don't want to be a phony'
Nixon -- "I am not a crook"Whenever a politician begins by saying something like Richard Nixon did -- "I am not a crook", you immediately know that they are crooked. When Rahm Emanuel begins his Sun-Times interview with Fran Spielman by saying, "I don't want to be a phony...", well you get my point.I mean, how's this for phony?"Trust me, I don’t want to close sch
MAR 04
Listen to Mike Klonsky and Julian Vasquez Heilig on Rag Radio in Austin, TX
Rag Radio: Fighting for Public Education with Julian Vasquez Heilig & Mike Klonsky (February 28, 2014)Julian Vasquez Heilig and Mike Klonsky join Thorne Dreyer in discussing our endangered public education system, the nature and genesis of the flawed "educational reform" movement, and ideas about how public schools can be improved and can be saved from privatization.Vasquez Heilig ho
MAR 03
CTU Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Stephanie Gadlin 312/329-6250CPS USES ‘FEAR TACTICS’ TO SLOW ISAT BOYCOTTTeachers continue bold and moral stance against unnecessary low-stakes testCHICAGO—The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) this week continues its steadfast support of the teachers at Saucedo Scholastic Academy and Thomas Drummond Monte
Weekend Quotables
CTU Pres. Karen Lewis asks NPE conferees, "If you support the [test-boycotting] teachers at Saucedo & Drummond, stand up and say aye."Diane Ravitch "A for-profit public school is an oxymoron." -- Speech at NPE ConferenceMark WoodsI’m not even sure where to begin. But let’s start with the music, P.E. and art teachers. Each had a negative VAM score, based largely on student t
Big shake-out in the test-prep industry predicted as SAT is revamped
The College Board is going to "radically revamp" the SAT — with the goal of putting SAT test prep companies out of business and aligning the test to the Common Core academic standards. But as long as Common Core is chained to high-stakes standardized testing, test-prep will continue to trump authentic classroom teacher and assessment.According to Politico,The overhaul reflects deep conce
MAR 02
IFT leader claims ALEC leader Dillard as his champion -- "A strong voice for teachers." Really?
Dillard (left) and Rauner. They're both worse. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) represents the most reactionary, anti-people, anti-teacher, racist sector of the corporate establishment. They are the architect of Stand Your Ground and a host of recent legislation aimed at restricting the voting rights of black and Latino voters and increasing the black prison population. Then there
Rahm and Rauner ride the same money train
There's a Republican Party in Chicago. It's called the Democratic Party.Among it's top leaders are Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Republican candidate for governor, billionaire union buster, Bruce Rauner. Both are backed by the same wealthy corporate donors, especially those who are corporate school "reformers" and public school privatizers like Ken Griffin and Eric Lefkofsky —both on the 2013 F