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Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/12/15



CORPORATE ED REFORM




Martin Luther King, Teachers' Unions and Social Justice | Yohuru Williams
Martin Luther King, Teachers' Unions and Social Justice | Yohuru Williams: Martin Luther King, Teachers' Unions and Social JusticeAs the nation prepares to mark what would have been the 87th birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, we should remember Dr. King as a staunch supporter of both public education and organized labor. This is especially important as teachers in cities across the n
Gene V Glass: Education in Two Worlds: The Abysmal State of Management in a Charter School
Gene V Glass: Education in Two Worlds: The Abysmal State of Management in a Charter School: The Abysmal State of Management in a Charter School Earlier, I reported the experiences of a teacher in a charter school who was fired by the school's managers/owners. Two things make the incident noteworthy. The treatment of the teacher was abominable. And, the school is run by a young woman with an MBA an
The Year That Was, The Year That Will Be, In Education Activism | The Progressive
The Year That Was, The Year That Will Be, In Education Activism | The Progressive:The Year That Was, The Year That Will Be, In Education ActivismIt's the time of year when reporters, pundits, and analysts track down "experts" in their respected fields to explain what to make of the year just past and what to look forward to in the new one. In education, the question almost always seems t
Conservative activist James O’Keefe targets Common Core with new hidden-camera video - The Washington Post
Conservative activist James O’Keefe targets Common Core with new hidden-camera video - The Washington Post: Conservative activist James O’Keefe targets Common Core with new hidden-camera videoConservative activist James O’Keefe has targeted Common Core with a newvideo that purports to show that companies embraced the academic standards for their profit-making potential. It shows a woman identified
Remembering Mike Barlow | Oklahoma Observer - Linkis.com
Remembering Mike Barlow | Oklahoma Observer - Linkis.com: Remembering Mike BarlowBY JOHN THOMPSONOklahoma City legend Mike Barlow died last fall at the age of 71. His funeral at the Temple B’nai Israel was attended by a sanctuary full of friends and family; teachers and administrators from within and without Oklahoma City; leaders and the rank-in-file of both teachers unions; civil rights and soci
Finalist for National Teacher of the Year - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education)
Finalist for National Teacher of the Year - Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education): Los Angeles Teacher Finalist for National Teacher of the YearSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that Daniel Jocz, a 2016 California Teacher of the Year from Los Angeles County, has been selected as one of four finalists nationwide for the 2016 National Teacher of the Year
Public school students have a right to privacy (OPINION) | OregonLive.com
Public school students have a right to privacy (OPINION) | OregonLive.com: Public school students have a right to privacy Every Dallas citizen I know desires to honor and respect every student, especiallyElliot Yoder, because every person is an image bearer of the holy and sacred, and therefore shall be treated with dignity and respect. A recent Dallas School Board meeting reflected this concern f
NC official will add charter school awards to ‘negative’ report | The Charlotte Observer
NC official will add charter school awards to ‘negative’ report | The Charlotte Observer: NC official will add charter school awards to ‘negative’ report If you want people to notice a data report, try having a public official object to it.That’s one lesson from last week’s decision by the N.C. Board of Education to send a charter school report back for revisions after Lt. Gov. Dan Forest complain
Teachers union dues case at the Supreme Court.
Teachers union dues case at the Supreme Court.: What Would Happen if the Court Kneecapped the Unions?We’re about to find out.As is often the case with the most transparently partisan appeals argued at the Supreme Court, Monday’s session on Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association—a case challenging the fair-share fees public-sector unions require nonmembers to pay in exchange for collective-b
Watch the “State of the State”? No thanks. Try this instead. | Bob Braun's Ledger
Watch the “State of the State”? No thanks. Try this instead. | Bob Braun's Ledger: Watch the “State of the State”? No thanks. Try this instead.He looks familiar, doesn’t he?Today, Gov. Chris Christie delivered a “State of the State” address, a worse than meaningless media event that serves only his sinking presidential campaign. It will be subjected to equally meaningless punditry laughingly calle
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Tuesday questions...
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Tuesday questions...: Tuesday questions...Dan Webb1) Will Rahm's pet aldermen finally find their backbones? "On Monday, that new era of independence was on full display", writes Fran Spielman in the Sun-Times, I don't buy Spielman's new era hyperbole, There are some small spine signs. But not many. At least some questions are now being asked before the pups
Duggan sees dead mouse in ‘disturbing’ DPS schools tour
Duggan sees dead mouse in ‘disturbing’ DPS schools tour: Duggan sees dead mouse in ‘disturbing’ DPS schools tourThe mouse was small and dead inside a Detroit Public School classroom.Mayor Mike Duggan saw the rodent Tuesday, during a tour of several schools with city officials looking for health and safety violations. The mayor, who also saw youngsters wearing their coats in a chilly classroom, sai
It’s about fairness and opportunity — Medium
It’s about fairness and opportunity — Medium: It’s about fairness and opportunityWalking up the steps to the United States Supreme Court early this morning — before the court was to hear oral arguments in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association — I was buoyed by the overwhelming support we’ve seen for working people and our unions in recent weeks.People are raising their voices to speak up f
Educators speak out on Supreme Court lawsuit designed to silence their voice « Education Votes
Educators speak out on Supreme Court lawsuit designed to silence their voice « Education Votes: Educators speak out on Supreme Court lawsuit designed to silence their voiceby FĂ©lix PĂ©rez/image above of Jennifer Bado-Aleman by Patrick RyanTAKE ACTION ›Get the latest pro-student and pro-teacher education and political news with the free weekly Education Votes email. CLICK HERE ›Maya Walker, a high s
Hey Malloy, Wyman and Jepsen - Connecticut children have a Constitutional Right to a quality education! - Wait What?
Hey Malloy, Wyman and Jepsen - Connecticut children have a Constitutional Right to a quality education! - Wait What?: Hey Malloy, Wyman and Jepsen – Connecticut children have a Constitutional Right to a quality education!Six years ago the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in the case of CCJEF v. Rell that Connecticut’s State Constitution REQUIRES that all public school students have the fundamental
Save Our Schools March – SOS Coalition Announces Dates for Summer Event
Save Our Schools March – SOS Coalition Announces Dates for Summer Event: SOS Coalition Announces Dates for Summer EventSave Our Schools Coalition March For Public Education & Social JusticeWe have a burgeoning coalition of grassroots groups, union organizations, and activists who will rally and march in support of education and social justice. The Coalition is growing, and we envision a mass g
Why High School Exit Exams, Not Students, Are Worthless: Part One And Two - Living in Dialogue
Why High School Exit Exams, Not Students, Are Worthless: Part One - Living in Dialogue: Why High School Exit Exams, Not Students, Are Worthless A controversy is brewing in California schools. Last year, Governor Brown signed legislation that not only eliminates the state’s high school exit exam, but also retroactively awards diplomas to the 32,000 students who failed to receive them due to not pas
Joyful or Punishing Teachers: Which is it American Media?
Joyful or Punishing Teachers: Which is it American Media?: Joyful or Punishing Teachers: Which is it American Media?What do Americans want their teachers to be like? What do they really want out of their schools? Within a space of a week I saw the media send out very mixed messages. We know Americans are meant to see these reports as examples of what teachers should be like. But which is it—A or B
CURMUDGUCATION: Testing Five Year Olds
CURMUDGUCATION: Testing Five Year Olds: Testing Five Year OldsWell, we can at least thank Bailey Reimer for giving us one more look at how reformsters think, and a chance to confront just how wrong-headed that thinking is.Reimer is the author of "How Bailey Reinmer's kindergartners came to love testing" (nothing about if they stopped worrying), and the piece in Catalyst Chicago is every
Schooling in the Ownership Society: What happened to the feds' probe of Chicago Public Ed Fund? Where'd everybody go?
Schooling in the Ownership Society: What happened to the feds' probe of Chicago Public Ed Fund? Where'd everybody go?: What happened to the feds' probe of Chicago Public Ed Fund? Where'd everybody go?Rahm and Griffin.Back in April, 2015, we heard that the feds were in town, supposedly looking into the Chicago Public Education Fund (CPEF) and its involvement in the Barbara Byrd-Bennett/SUPES no-bid
Supreme Court will soon decide if schools can punish students for off-campus, online speech
Supreme Court will soon decide if schools can punish students for off-campus, online speech: Supreme Court will soon decide if schools can punish students for off-campus, online speech January 2014, Reid Sagehorn, a student at Rogers High School in Minnesota, jokingly tweeted “actually yeah” in response to a question about whether he had made out with one of his high school teachers.The public sch
Detroit Public School Teachers Protest - The Takeaway
Detroit Public School Teachers Protest - The Takeaway: Detroit Public School Teachers ProtestClick on the audio player above to hear this interview.Hundreds of public school teachers in Detroit called in sick yesterday, effectively canceling classes in 64 city schools. The "sickout" is not officially sanctioned by the teachers' federation, but the organizers, a group called DPS Teachers
100,000 NYC School Children Face Airport-Style Security Screening Every Day - ProPublica
100,000 NYC School Children Face Airport-Style Security Screening Every Day - ProPublica: 100,000 NYC School Children Face Airport-Style Security Screening Every DayCrime in the schools has dropped sharply but New York still requires students at more than 200 schools to take off their shoes and send their belongings through x-ray machines. This story was co-published with WNYC.On the coldest morni
State to apply for federal waiver to try out new school evaluation system | POLITICO
State to apply for federal waiver to try out new school evaluation system | POLITICO: State to apply for federal waiver to try out new school evaluation systemALBANY — A new type of assessment system could be in the works for New York as the state Education Department plans to apply for a federal pilot program under the new Every Student Succeeds Act — a program lawmakers said was written with New
Attack on Public Employee Unions Is A Project of the Far Right | janresseger
Attack on Public Employee Unions Is A Project of the Far Right | janresseger: Attack on Public Employee Unions Is A Project of the Far RightYesterday the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association.  Adam Liptak of the NY Times explains what is at stake in this case: “Under California law, which is similar to ones in more than 20 other state
With A Brooklyn Accent: Why the Coming Supreme Court Decision Might Not Be The End of the World for Teachers Unions and Labor
With A Brooklyn Accent: Why the Coming Supreme Court Decision Might Not Be The End of the World for Teachers Unions and Labor: Why the Coming Supreme Court Decision Might Not Be The End of the World for Teachers Unions and LaborThe coming Supreme Court decision elminating mandatory dues check off by public employees unions will create a crisis in the labor movement- especially for the big national
Acting Secretary of Education Dr. John King Jr. is unfazed by politics - CBS News
Acting Secretary of Education Dr. John King Jr. is unfazed by politics - CBS News: Acting secretary of education is unfazed by politicsThe new acting secretary of education, Dr. John King Jr., steps into a role his predecessor, Arne Duncan, left deep in controversy. With support for Common Core waning and student debt skyrocketing, King faces a series of challenges.King can already speak softly, b
More Detroit schools closed; mayor to tour some buildings - Times Union
More Detroit schools closed; mayor to tour some buildings - Times Union: More Detroit schools closed; mayor to tour some buildingsDETROIT (AP) — At least two dozen Detroit public schools were closed Tuesday as teacher sick-outs forced officials to again keep students at home, although the number of schools affected was not as high as a day earlier.Mayor Mike Duggan, meanwhile, planned to visit sch
Legislature shouldn’t put charter schools on the back burner | The Seattle Times
Legislature shouldn’t put charter schools on the back burner | The Seattle Times: Legislature shouldn’t put charter schools on the back burnerState lawmakers must act to keep charter schools alive in Washington in a way that aligns closely with the original, voter-approved initiative. By Seattle Times editorial boardAfter the state Supreme Court delivered a devastating blow to Washington’s new cha
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Off to Olympia (with this story in my brain)
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Off to Olympia (with this story in my brain): Off to Olympia (with this story in my brain)I was interviewed last Friday for a KUOW story by Ann Dornfeld on the legislative efforts to save the (former) charter schools.  It played today.  Astonishing.It explained the two current bills in play.  One is SB 6163 by Senator Andy Billig and Senator Michael Baumgartner of
La. Governor John Bel Edwards’ Inaugural Speech (and Some Commentary) | deutsch29
La. Governor John Bel Edwards’ Inaugural Speech (and Some Commentary) | deutsch29:La. Governor John Bel Edwards’ Inaugural Speech (and Some Commentary)I became involved in the fight against corporate education reform in March 2012 as part of the effort to recall Bobby Jindal as Louisiana governor.With the backing and influence of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Jindal had the Stepford-household
Brown says it’s time to abandon API to judge schools’ performance | EdSource
Brown says it’s time to abandon API to judge schools’ performance | EdSource: Brown says it's time to abandon API to judge schools' performanceMembers of the State Board of Education who favor replacing the three-digit Academic Performance Index with a “dashboard” of measurements highlighting school performance can count on the backing of Gov. Jerry Brown.The K-12 summary (pages 22-23) of Brown’s
Ed Notes Online: Nancy Carlson-Paige on Childhood and Play Plus My Student Shares Some Memories
Ed Notes Online: Nancy Carlson-Paige on Childhood and Play Plus My Student Shares Some Memories: Nancy Carlson-Paige on Childhood and Play Plus My Student Shares Some MemoriesIt’s in low-income, under-resourced communities like this one where children are most subjected to heavy doses of teacher-led drills and tests. Not like in wealthier suburbs where kids have the opportunity to go to early chil

YESTERDAY

F is for Friedrichs… and Freeloader: A Supreme Court Nightmare | gadflyonthewallblog
F is for Friedrichs… and Freeloader: A Supreme Court Nightmare | gadflyonthewallblog: F is for Friedrichs… and Freeloader: A Supreme Court NightmareSay you’re on an airplane flying high over the Rockies.The plane is going down.You need a parachute.Luckily, before you took off, all the passengers got together and pooled their money to buy them.There’s enough for everyone. We’re all going to make it
CURMUDGUCATION: Ranking Is Not Measuring
CURMUDGUCATION: Ranking Is Not Measuring: Ranking Is Not MeasuringThis point came up in passing a few days ago when I was reviewing some writing by Mark Garrison,but it is worth hammering home all by itself.We have been told repeatedly that we need to take the Big Standardized Tests so that we can hold schools accountable and tell whether our teachers are succeeding or not. "Of course we need
LAUSD board picks long-time administrator Michelle King as new superintendent | 89.3 KPCC
LAUSD board picks long-time administrator Michelle King as new superintendent | 89.3 KPCC: LAUSD board picks long-time administrator Michelle King as new superintendentAfter months of speculation and a closed-door search process, the seven members of the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education announced on Monday that they have selected long-time district administrator Michelle King to be the distr
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/11/15
CORPORATE ED REFORMCloaking Inequity makes Top 50 in World! – Cloaking InequityCloaking Inequity makes Top 50 in World! – Cloaking Inequity: Cloaking Inequity makes Top 50 in World! Honored that Cloaking Inequity was ranked today as the 43rd best education blog in the world!Thank you to everyone who has contributed over the years!From Feedspot:Check out the top 50 education blogs to stay up to dat