Louisiana’s New Governor: Hello, John Bel; Goodbye Bobby. | deutsch29

Louisiana’s New Governor: Hello, John Bel; Goodbye Bobby. | deutsch29:

Louisiana’s New Governor: Hello, John Bel; Goodbye Bobby.

Recently-unknown Democrat John Bel Edwards is officially Governor-Elect of Louisiana.

He beat nationally-known Republican David Vitter 56 percent to 44 percent.

Vitter even lost his home of Jefferson Parish to Edwards, with 51 percent of Jefferson voting for Edwards.

Years ago, Vitter was already assumed to be Louisiana’s next governor as Bobby Jindal (continued to pursue) the presidency. (Jindal had been campaigning for president on the Louisiana taxpayer dime for his entire second term as governor.)

Last week, Jindal dropped out of the presidential race. Tonight, Vitter both lost the governor’s race and declared that he would not run for reelection as US senator. Despite his hefty 10 million campaign chest (including his DC super PAC), Vitter could not overcome both his own stained reputation and the image of his being another Jindal.

It is expected that Edwards’ first order of business as governor will be to call the Louisiana legislature into special session to confront Louisiana’s budget crisis largely created by Bobby Jindal’s presidential aspirations and his own selfish goal of being Louisiana’s New Governor: Hello, John Bel; Goodbye Bobby. | deutsch29:

PLEASE take a moment to review the facts about the U.S. Syrian refugee issue - Wait What?

PLEASE take a moment to review the facts about the U.S. Syrian refugee issue - Wait What?:

PLEASE take a moment to review the facts about the U.S. Syrian refugee issue

A Personal note: 

I appreciate that readers can hold very different opinions and I strive to respect the views of all my readers, including those who strongly disagree with me, even when they are delivered via a harsh email.

That said, I also believe in former New York United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s observation that, “You are entitled to your own opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.”

With that in mind, I am asking my readers, on all sides of the refugees issue to become aware of the facts concerning President Obama’s declaration that the United States should accept 10,000 Syrian refugees over the coming year.

On Thursday, the Republican members of the United States House of Representatives, along with 47 Democrats including Joe Courtney (D-CT 2^nd) and Jim Himes (D-CT4th), voted to stop that initiative. In response to that vote I posted Congressman Courtney and Himes – You have brought shame on our nation and our state, I can no longer support you

This is not a debate about whether we should and must do everything possible to stop PLEASE take a moment to review the facts about the U.S. Syrian refugee issue - Wait What?:

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Yes, Next Legislative Session is about McCleary (and apparently, about charter schools)

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Yes, Next Legislative Session is about McCleary (and apparently, about charter schools):

Yes, Next Legislative Session is about McCleary (and apparently, about charter schools)

Great op-ed by Senator Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island in the Seattle Times talking about our broken state education system. 

At first, I was worried.  I thought it would be another editorial about lazy, overpaid teachers and the need for "innovation" all while our schools aren't even funded with the basics to function properly. 

 Basics like:
- substititutes
- buildings
- salaries that will attract and keep teachers
- Special education services

And a school administrator from Selkirk spoke about the dire teacher shortage in rural areas, saying he’s seen a deer, an elk and a bear on the campus this year, but not a fourth-grade teacher.

Common to every community, from Seattle to Selah, is frustration and anger from parents and taxpayers who feel like the state isn’t taking its paramount duty seriously, and that their children miss out as a result. As a legislator and parent of two children attending public school, I share that frustration. 

From every corner of our state, we heard from people who expect us to listen and to work as one united team, irrespective of our political parties, to fund our schools.

I’m listening and ready to act. I know many of my colleagues are too.

But hey, it's all good according to ed reformer, Rep. Chad Magendanz.  From the House Republican legislative page:

I've been privileged to attend some of the seven statewide listening tours on education funding, held in September and October by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee.  

(I'll note that he was chatting it up with another legislator so loudly during my Seattle Schools Community Forum: Yes, Next Legislative Session is about McCleary (and apparently, about charter schools):

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/21/15

CORPORATE ED REFORM

House-Senate Conference Committee Approves Framework to Improve K-12 Education

Press Releases | Press | Chairman's Newsroom | Chairman | The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: House-Senate Conference Committee Approves Framework to Improve K-12 EducationWASHINGTON, D.C. | November 19, 2015 - Today, the House-Senate conference committee reached agreement on a proposal to improve K-12 education and replace No Child Left Behind. The agreement repr

by mike simpson / 4h 

Remember Class Size? « pedagogyofthereformed

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by mike simpson / 5h 

Join thousands of CTU members and allies on Nov. 23 in Grant Park

November 23 Mass Rally: Date: Monday, Nov. 23 Location: Grant Park’s Butler Field Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Click here to view bus locations. If we don’t come together and fight for good schools and a fair contract, we will lose many of the rights we currently have. If we allow CPS to continue to disrespect our profession, they will pile even more demands on our schools without adequate resour

by mike simpson / 5h 

Catching False Data: How Scientists Lies | Patch

Catching False Data: How Scientists Lies | Patch: Catching False Data: How Scientists LiesA pair of Stanford researchers has uncovered patterns in how scientists lie about their data.Even the best poker players have “tells” that give away when they’re bluffing with a weak hand. Scientists who commit fraud have similar, but even more subtle, tells, and a pair of Stanford researchers have cracked th

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#TeachStrong? Brother, Here We Go Again… | Daniel Katz, Ph.D.

#TeachStrong? Brother, Here We Go Again… | Daniel Katz, Ph.D.: #TeachStrong? Brother, Here We Go Again…Education reformers in the 21st Century seem incapable of seeing any problem as something other than a marketing campaign.  Faced with growing grassroots opposition to the Common Core State Standards, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, backed with fresh cash from the Gates Foundation, launched a #S

by mike simpson / 7h 

Battling Broad's charter attack in LA

Battling Broad's charter attack in LA | SocialistWorker.org: Battling Broad's charter attack in LAON THE heels of a big contract campaign that won a 10 percent raise, unprecedented caps on class sizes and other gains for our schools, the 31,000 members of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) have another major battle on our hands over the future of public education in our city--a battle with nationa

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CURMUDGUCATION: Resume Bombs

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by mike simpson / 8h 

Peg with Pen: Harassment Lawsuit Anyone?

Peg with Pen: Harassment Lawsuit Anyone?: Harassment Lawsuit Anyone?When your school is being destroyed by the dictatorial advice of fake teacher programs (Relay) aided and abetted by the Colorado Department of Education all under absolutely fear mongering mandates that force you into silence what is one to do? Do you stay quiet and simply let it all go down as they have planned? Or, do you speak

by mike simpson / 8h 

No Power like the Power of the People - Lily's Blackboard

No Power like the Power of the People - Lily's Blackboard: No Power like the Power of the PeopleMembers of Concerned Student 1950, University of Missouri’s Graduate Professional Council, faculty and student supporters gather at Mel Carnahan Quadrangle to rally in support of an ongoing protest to get UM System President Tim Wolfe to resign on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015. Tensions have been rising througho

by mike simpson / 8h 

Schools Matter: KIPP Administrator "choked and dragged" 16 Year Old Female Student in NOLA

Schools Matter: KIPP Administrator "choked and dragged" 16 Year Old Female Student in NOLA: KIPP Administrator "choked and dragged" 16 Year Old Female Student in NOLAA week after a St. Louis KIPP administrator was placed on leave, pending an investigation of abusing a kindergarten student whose head and neck showed clear signs of a physical assault, a New Orleans KIPP dean of s

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John Thompson: The Gates Foundation Never Listens to Teachers, Unless They Endorse the Gates’ Experiments | Diane Ravitch's blog

John Thompson: The Gates Foundation Never Listens to Teachers, Unless They Endorse the Gates’ Experiments | Diane Ravitch's blog: The Gates Foundation Never Listens to Teachers, Unless They Endorse the Gates’ ExperimentsJohn Thompson reviews here the report by the Network for Public Education on 15 years of Gates’ experiments on the lives of other people’s children and teachers.“During the last fi

by mike simpson / 8h 

With A Brooklyn Accent: Terrifying Post On the Computerized Learning Future from a Teacher From a Southern State

With A Brooklyn Accent: Terrifying Post On the Computerized Learning Future from a Teacher From a Southern State: Terrifying Post On the Computerized Learning Future from a Teacher From a Southern StateI was recently at a training where the state superintendent of education .........., was speaking to the......... county teachers. She began her speech with trying to inspire and motivate us to prep

by mike simpson / 8h 

What You Need to Know About Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association

What You Need to Know About Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association: What You Need to Know About Friedrichs v. California Teachers AssociationWe've shared a lot this week about the upcoming Supreme Court case Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, a case of major importance for working people. Here is a roundup of our recent stories about the case so you have the facts you need:9/11

by mike simpson / 9h 

The problem with standardized testing | KP | kokomoperspective.com

The problem with standardized testing | KP | kokomoperspective.com: The problem with standardized testingWe all want to know that our children are learning what they need to be successful members of our society, contributing to the economy, and advancing our state and nation. But the obsession our political leaders have developed with standardized testing has become an obstacle to our desires.In I

by mike simpson / 9h 

Latest anti-Johnson attack hits odd note | The Sacramento Bee

Latest anti-Johnson attack hits odd note | The Sacramento Bee: Latest anti-Johnson attack hits odd noteBY THE EDITORIAL BOARDThe Los Angeles-based Courage Campaign has agitated for some laudable causes. Its attempt to strong-arm Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson out of office is not one of them.On Thursday, the online advocacy group released a video ad that reiterates old sexual misconduct allegation

by mike simpson / 9h 

YESTERDAY

CURMUDGUCATION: St. Louis Schools Continue To Crumble

CURMUDGUCATION: St. Louis Schools Continue To Crumble: St. Louis Schools Continue To CrumbleSt. Louis teachers are currently caught at the epicenter of just about every kind of assault on public education going on these days.Their immediate concern is easy enough to spot. St. Louis teachers have remained frozen in time,sitting on the same step of the salary schedule for six years. In other words,

by mike simpson / 20h hide  //  save

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/20/15

CORPORATE ED REFORMCURMUDGUCATION: 6 Guidelines for Extracurricular AdvisersCURMUDGUCATION: 6 Guidelines for Extracurricular Advisers: 6 Guidelines for Extracurricular AdvisersI have been an extracurricular activity adviser for as long as I've been a teacher. I have been the faculty adviser for class councils, student council, radio club, and a few school magazines. I have been the assistant direc

by mike simpson / 1d