The Madness
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I recently watched The Madness on Netflix, and it offered a fascinating
exploration of the intersection of power, money, and technology—one that is
DEEPLY ...
Trump in the news
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Donald Trump has described attacks by insurrectionists on police officers
at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as “very minor incidents” after he
off...
Immigration Arrests At School?
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There's an ugly new twist to Trump's ugly immigration policy, which seems
to aimed at getting the maximum number of brown-skinned people out of the
count...
No One Wants to Raise a Little A--hole
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*Alfredo Jaar (Mahatma Grandi's "Seven Social Sins")*
A little over a decade ago a study led by Harvard psychologist Richard
Weissbourd found that 80 per...
TIME: Fossil Fuel Billionaires Strike It Rich!
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Since the beginning of the year, the fortunes of America’s fossil fuel
billionaires have surged. Even though the U.S. is pumping more oil and gas
than ever...
Seattle School Board Meeting, January 22, 2025
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*Update 2:*
I forgot the Board had an executive session at 3:30 pm; clearly, it ran
long.
The SPS channel has its music that I call “school board meetin...
There is nothing peaceful about this transition.
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If I hear one more liberal politician talk about how this is a peaceful
transition of power, I will scream.Fred Klonsky in Retirement is a
reader-supported...
Billionaires Driving Science of Reading
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By Thomas Ultican 1/21/2025 On January 2nd, billionaire created education
news source, The 74, declared there is a reading crisis in Los Angeles
Unified Sc...
Trump Acts Like a Maniac
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Or course, no one expected Trump to suddenly declare that the country’s
immigration system—the central topic to his ten years of dominance in
politics...
The Orange Turd feeds the racists
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The Orange Turd has been feeding red meat to the millions of angry racists
for the past 8 years. He has succeeded in hoodwinking these sad souls into
placi...
Civics
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“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to
think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true
education.”...
W.B. YEATS, MEET W.H. AUDEN and MATTHEW ARNOLD
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Prior to the November election, I invoked the poetry of W.B. Yeats, asking
his question, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches
towar...
Heroes, Hypocrisy, and Hubris
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“One of the grimmer realizations of Sarkis’s youth had been the discovery
that knowing you were being an ass did not actually stop you from
continuing to b...
A Man’s World (pt. 3): Gaiman Edition
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[Header Photo by Museums of History New South Wales on Unsplash] I am
currently reading Haruki Murakami’s newest novel, The City and Its
Uncertain Walls. I...
Retiree Advocate Town Hall: The ARISE Campaign
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I am excited to be working on a UFT election campaign through Retiree
Advocate. Our first event is a Town Hall this Sunday at 7:30. Please
register if you ...
Ed Tech Digest
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Ten years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog
of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “Ed Tech Digest” post
where...
The Five Musketeers
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One for all and all for one … and in a modern update, One in Five, a
Texas-based foundation that grew out of the Uvalde tragedy to help patrol
schools and ...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
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When I was teaching,
I got tired of hearing how bad American educators were.
*My Promise *
WHEN I STARTED BLOGGING IN 2011, I said I planned to speak ...
Perhaps this is a meaningless ramble
-
but I am choosing to reflect on a number of disparate topics that are
currently on my mind. Perhaps I should start by explaining that I have been
at leas...
December Parent Engagement Resources
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Parent involvement in schools ⬆️. 87% of K–12 students from
English-speaking families had parents who reported attending a general
school meeting in 2019, ...
The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” Awards
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At NPE, we know who is naughty and nice when it comes to supporting our
public schools and their students.
The post The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” A...
Juntos lo haremos
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En el año que viene, tendremos que tomar decisiones difíciles sobre quienes
queremos ser en cada comunidad y como nación. Ha sido un año muy intenso.
Desde...
WTF, Democratic Caucus?
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Why is the failure of this current budget bill being blamed on Republicans
when almost every single Democrat voted against it? If only half of the
Dems had...
Education Has Failed and What Can We Do Next?
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Education has failed to prepare children for the world today. Despite the
increased investment, impactful reforms, hardworking teachers and school
leaders,...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
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Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
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Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in
the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old,
over o...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
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In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
Read more
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
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I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
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Dear Friends and Colleagues, Happy New Year and a special thanks to those
who respond to past blogs about choice, et al. I always mean to respond to
each c...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
-
Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
-
It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
-
It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
-
In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
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An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
-
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
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In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
-
I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
-
*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
CPAG Meeting Notice and Agenda, December 2016 - California Practitioners Advisory Group (CA Dept of Education) : Joint Meeting of the California Practitioners Advisory Group and the State Board of Education AGENDA December 7, 2016 California Practitioners Advisory Group Members Jo Ann Isken, Chair Ed Manansala, Vice Chair Melissa Agudelo Jorge Aguilar Mariana Astorga-Almanza Ulises Garcia Carolin
Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test - The Washington Post : Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test If you are tired of reading about Donald Trump, take a look a this. Peter Greene, a veteran teacher of English in a small town in Pennsylvania, wrote on his lively Curmudgucation blog that he has found himself in conversations about standardized testing that go somet
CURMUDGUCATION: MA: Charter Lessons : MA: Charter Lessons By now, you've heard that the folks who threw a giant pile of money at Question 2, the initiative to free charter-preneurs from their chains so that they could romp freely in fields of money-- those guys lost, and lost hard. There have been plenty of pieces that dissected the victory for public education from the public education advocate
I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge - Lily's Blackboard : I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge Our schools should be havens. But right now, many of our students are scared, anxious, and feeling threatened. At NEA, we are hearing from students and educators all around the country who are encountering hostile environments in their schools a
Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump. - The Washington Post : Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump. Educators can’t get a break. Teachers are routinely blamed for poor student achievement — even when kids come to school in no condition to learn — and for being greedy, with their outlandish desire for adequate pay and collecti
L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed - LA Times : L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed s Angeles city leaders are considering a series of moves designed to protect immigrants in this city illegally in the wake of Donald Trump ’s election, including the hiring of an immigration advocate and polici
Education leaders contemplate what Trump presidency means for California education | EdSource : Education leaders contemplate what Trump presidency means for California education Education was not a major theme in the Trump for President campaign. Among his few specific proposals: eliminate the Common Core standards in English and math, and establish a $20 billion program to expand school choice
Betsy DeVos under consideration by Donald Trump for U.S. Secretary of Education | MLive.com : Betsy DeVos under consideration by Donald Trump for U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, a prominent school choice advocate and GOP supporter, is under consideration by president-elect Donald Trump to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education, according to news reports. Several news organizations, includi
Charter schools enroll more girls, with boys more likely to leave : Charter schools enroll more girls, with boys more likely to leave Charter schools - particularly middle and high schools - enroll a larger share of girls than do traditional public schools, in part because boys are more likely to exit charter schools, finds a new study by New York University researchers. The study, published in t
Let's Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice — The Art of Teaching Science : Let’s Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice The new administration-elect in Washington has a plan. Take $20 billion from public education, possibly destroying a core idea of democracy, and then distribute it as vo
When Public Goes Private, as Trump Wants: What Happens? | by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books : When Public Goes Private, as Trump Wants: What Happens? The New York Times recently published a series of articles about the dangers of privatizing public services, the first of which was called “When You Dial 911 and Wall Street Answers.” Over the years, the Times has published other expos
Public education victories in the 2016 elections: Time to re-double efforts to defeat school privatization - NPE Action : Public education victories in the 2016 elections: Time to re-double efforts to defeat school privatization The election of 2016 is over, and we must intensify the fight to save our community public schools. Based on campaign rhetoric, there is no doubt that the Trump/Pence adm
CACFP Meal Pattern Resources and Trainings - Healthy Eating & Nutrition Education (CA Dept of Education) : CACFP Meal Pattern Resources and Trainings Includes local training schedules and registration instructions, upcoming conference information, Webinar schedules and links, and resources and guidance for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsors. On April 25, 2016, the U.S. Department
San Fran teachers union lesson plan calls Trump racist, sexist - NY Daily News : San Francisco teachers union lesson plan calls President-elect Donald Trump ‘racist,’ ‘sexist’ San Francisco's public schools have a mouthful for President-elect Donald Trump. A new lesson plan for San Francisco schools calls U.S. President-elect Donald Trump a racist and a sexist. (CARLO ALLEGRI/REUTERS) The city’s
Massachusetts Teachers Union President Barbara Madeloni calls for teachers to organize 'love trumps hate' standouts | masslive.com : Massachusetts Teachers Union President Barbara Madeloni calls for teachers to organize 'love trumps hate' standouts A high-profile Massachusetts educator sent out an email asking teachers unions to "organize standouts across the state next Tuesday" to "let students
Children of illegal immigrants make up rising share of K-12 students | Pew Research Center : Children of unauthorized immigrants represent rising share of K-12 students BY JEFFREY S. PASSEL AND D’VERA COHN About 3.9 million kindergarten through 12th-grade students in U.S. public and private schools in 2014 – or 7.3% of the total – were children of unauthorized immigrants, according to new Pew Res
California teachers union loses seats to education change groups | The Sacramento Bee : Teachers union frets about rise of education change advocates: ‘It will have an impact’ The Torlakson name has been a near-constant on the ballots of voters in the San Francisco East Bay, where state schools chief Tom Torlakson got his political start more than three decades ago. Last week, though, the remarka
Malloy administration fails to properly regulate Connecticut charter schools. - Wait What? : Malloy administration fails to properly regulate Connecticut charter schools. Charter schools are privately owned, but publicly funded, organizations that grab more than $110 million a year from Connecticut taxpayers. But thanks to Governor Dannel Malloy’s pro-charter school policies, charter schools are
It’s the racism, stupid. | Fred Klonsky : It’s the racism, stupid. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who helped write tough immigration laws in Arizona and elsewhere, said in an interview that Trump’s policy advisers had also discussed drafting a proposal for his consideration to reinstate a registry for immigrants from Muslim countries. The headline above the fold in the morning New York Ti
Testimony Submitted to Texas State Board of Education – Cloaking Inequity : Testimony Submitted to Texas State Board of Education This week, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) debated Proclamation 2018 which served as notice to both publishers and the public that the Board is inviting bids to furnish instructional materials covering ethnic studies (e.g., African American Studies, Mexican A
Valerie Strauss Wonders: Will Donald Trump Destroy U.S. Public Education? | janresseger : Valerie Strauss Wonders: Will Donald Trump Destroy U.S. Public Education? Nobody knows, of course, exactly what Donald Trump’s administration will mean for public schools, but for a balanced and insightful analysis, I urge you to read Valerie Strauss’s fine column from the Washington Post , Will Donald Trump
What Student Protests Tell Us About America Under Trump : What Student Protests Tell Us About America Under Trump While it may be President Obama’s job to ease the country through the change in leadership to a President Donald Trump administration, the rest of the country doesn’t have to go along with it. At least, that’s the message coming from a massive show of protest and resistance in cities
Petitioning Trump: Integrity for Ed – Missouri Education Watchdog : Petitioning Trump: Integrity for Ed BigMedia and BigData lost their bets when Donald J. Trump was elected the next President of the United States. Our nation surprised and divided, bloggers wrote So now what ? and What happens to education ? The last few days have seen a flurry of announcements concerning who President Elect Trum
CURMUDGUCATION: Chait Sends Ed News from Alternate Universe : Chait Sends Ed News from Alternate Universe New York magazine ran a piece by Jonathan Chait that considers some more ed policy possibilities from the upcoming Trump administration-- but just to switch things up a bit, his article throws around pieces of news from some alternate universe. "Will Trump Give Education Reform the Kiss of De
Louisiana Higher Ed Underfunded by Trump Cabinet Prospect, Bobby Jindal | deutsch29 : Louisiana Higher Ed Underfunded by Trump Cabinet Prospect, Bobby Jindal In 1989, Louisiana businessman Patrick Taylor convinced the Louisiana legislature to fund what would be called the “Taylor Plan” — payment of four years of tuition and fees for Louisiana students to attend college based upon high school GPA
Let’s Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice | BustED Pencils : Let’s Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice I’m beyond annoyed- even dismayed- that I have to post an article like this under Trending News . As Jack Hassard points out in the article “ Let’s Privatize American Education Even
Trump, a Common Core foe, considering Core supporters for education secretary - The Washington Post : Trump, a Common Core foe, considering Core supporters for education secretary When Donald Trump was running for president, he said repeatedly that the Common Core State Standards initiative has been a “total disaster” and he would get rid of it if he landed in the White House. And when he was duk
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/16/16 Featured Post Trump's plan to destroy Public Education may face uphill battle Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Did Arne Duncan's attack on suburban parents help Trump win the