Invasion of the Robot People into U.S. Education
When Bill Gates spoke to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards a few weeks ago, he explained the Common Core standards by referring to the value of the electric plug in standardizing appliances across the nation. Bear in mind that children are not appliances and that learning is not an electric plug. Otherwise…I am not sure what he was talking about other than the beauty of stand
Jonathan Pelto Mulls Third Party Challenge to Governor Malloy in Connecticut
Jonathan Pelto, ex-state legislator and prolific blogger, is deciding whether to mount a challenge to Governor Dannell Malloy, based in large part on Malloy’s embrace of the agenda of the privatization movement in Connecticut. Pelto here describes reactions from friends and foes. In my view, this would be an honorable challenge. Teachers and parents should not vote for a governor–whether it is Ma
Obama Brings NCLB-Think to Higher Education
The Obama administration wants to rate institutions of higher education, based on factors like cost,graduation rate, income of graduates. Most college and university presidents are upset. It didn’t help that one administration official said that comparing the cost and quality of institutions of higher education should be no more difficult than comparing blenders. For some reason, the Obama adm
Mercedes Schneider Offers a Memorial Day Tribute to her Daddy
This post by Mercedes Schneider is a lovely illustrated tribute to her father, who was a veteran of World War II. I must say, as I grow older, I grow more cynical about war. Since Vietnam, people have been referring to World War II as “the good war.” And there is no doubt that Hitler and his racist ideology had to be stopped. Yet, I was struck the other day by a friend’s observation that World W
A Worried Mother in Chicago
This mother writes in response to an article by a Chicago principal, Troy LaRavierre. I understand this mother’s anxieties. She wants the same things for her child that Mayor Rahm has at the University of Chicago Lab School. Instead, her son got scripted lessons that were developmentally inappropriate, that were dully academic instead of joyful. If only there were a way to keep the politicians–Bus
LAUSD Removes Critic of iPad Mess from Oversight Committee
The Los Angeles school board removed architect Stuart Magruder from its Bond Oversight Committee. Magruder was outspoken and critical of Superintendent John Deasy’s decision to use money from a 25-year construction bond to buy iPads for every student and staff member of the district for Common Core testing. Voters approved the bond issue for construction and repair of facilities of schools. But De
How Rahm Emanuel Favors Campaign Donors Over Kids
This post by Ken Previti directed me to a hugely important story that I had missed. David Sirota of Pando and Ben Joravsky of The Chicago Reader unearthed a story of money, politics , and greed that is startling. The headline is that Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s top donor bought a big bloc of stock in Marriott hotels shortly before Marriott won a very lucrative contract from the city. The deeper story i
A Textbook Case of Charter Skimming
Charter schools were created to help the neediest students. Now, however, many charters skim off the most advantaged students and avoid those who are needy. This harms the public schools, removing their best students and overloading them with the students who require the most services. It doesn’t get any clearer than this: “Woodland Community Consolidated School District 50 in Gurnee filed a laws
Corporate Reform Strikes Camden
Camden, Néw Jersey, is one of those impoverished districts that lost local control and was taken over by the state in 2013. Recently, the Chris Christie administration hired a young, ex-TFA, ex-Joel Klein guy as superintendent, and it was clear that the district was headed for demolition. This past week, the trouble stated as layoff notices went out to more than 200 teachers. Students walked out
The Reason Jeb Bush Supports Common Core
The usual narrative about the politics of Common Core describe it as a split within the Republican Party. On one side are the extremist members of the Tea Party, fearful of a federal takeover. On the other side are “moderate” Republicans like Jeb Bush, eager to make American students globally competitive. The Southern Poverty Law Center thinks that the grassroots radicals want to use Common Core
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-25-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Jonathan Lovell: The Magic of Learning to ListenJonathan Lovell has been leading writing workshops for many years. In this delightful post, he describes his struggle to finish his own dissertation, and the flights of fancy that kept blocking his path. He uses graphics creatively to reflect his state of mind. You watch his thinking