Success Doesn’t Define You. What You Do Next Does.
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Every now and then, a moment arrives that shows you exactly why culture
matters. Last night in Detroit, Western Michigan won the MAC Football
Championship ...
ICYMI: Chorus Edition (12/7)
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The CMO of the Institute (that’s Chief Marital Officer) sings in a
community chorus because, among other reasons, she objectively has a voice
much like tha...
ICYMI: Chorus Edition (12/7)
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The CMO of the Institute (that's Chief Marital Officer) sings in a
community chorus because, among other reasons, she objectively has a voice
much like tha...
In winter weather whoopsie, ODOT caught off guard
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[image: ODOT]ere you late for work last Monday morning? Of course you were,
because the roads were in rough shape, particularly the highways with their
o...
The Company You Keep
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Even though the filing period for the 2026 elections isn't until April,
let's all pay close attention. The candidates lining up to run will tell
you more a...
Power Targeting the Vulnerable
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When cruelty becomes a strategy, the vulnerable suffer. I wrote about how
disabled students and hungry families were used as leverage during the
shutdown...
Chicago Torture Justice Memorial–HELP!!!
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As a member of Chicago Torture Justice Memorial Foundation’s Social Justice
Pollinator Hive (our community of recurring donors), we’ve been busy
working to...
Poem: someone died today
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[Header Photo by Ron Szalata on Unsplash] someone died todayand made my
partner cry i am afraid of dyingbut more afraid of not living not living
like today...
Ten News Items from The Contrarian
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These Top 10 lists will be refreshed weekly and will have their own tab on
the Contrarian homepage. Here’s our first one, followed as usual by my
rund...
A Crucial Lesson I Learned as a Young Teacher
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By the fifth year of teaching at Cleveland’s Glenville High School in the
early 1960s, however, I had learned one of the most important lessons a
teacher c...
Best STEM Materials for Classrooms – 2025 Reviews
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As a classroom teacher with over a decade of experience, I’ve watched STEM
materials evolve from simple blocks to sophisticated learning...
The post Best...
This and That, December 5, 2025
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*Update:*
The Seattle Times has a good profile of *Board President Gina Topp.*
One key item noted in the article is that, coming up at next week's regular
...
Gossiping
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What other people say about me is none of my business.
It's a rationale that pops up for me when I feel judged by others, when I
suspect or know that so...
How the NYPD violates sanctuary city laws.
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Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means for
New York to call itself a sanctuary city — and whether those words still
carry th...
Part II: Charter School Reckoning: Disillusionment
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In Decline, the first part of The National Center for Charter School
Accountability’s three-part report, Charter School Reckoning: Decline,
Disillusionme...
Youth. For Christ? At School?
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I should probably preface what I’m about to say by noting that I
self-identify as a liberal Christian. Without getting too far into the
theological weeds—o...
How Mandami and Democratic Socialists Win -
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Article, published today, explaining recent victories of democratic
socialists and progressives (in NY, Seattle, Buffalo, and elsewhere) and
putting t...
‘An Education’ by Diane Ravitch — My Review
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Fifty years after the publication of her first book, ‘The Great School
Wars’, author and historian Diane Ravtich has released her long awaited
memoirs. In...
Just Finished Diane Ravitch’s New Book
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By Thomas Ultican 11/25/2025 An Education; How I Changed My Mind About
Schools and Almost Everything Else, is highly recommended especially for
the thousan...
It Is Up to Us to Defend Democracy
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Do we have the courage to defeat an authoritarian regime? I believe we do,
if we organize strategically and effectively. There is no time to waste.
Do we...
November’s Parent Engagement Resources
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Be A Learning Hero has lots of research parent engagement with schools. No
Simple Answers for Kids and Screens* (Sara Konrath) After 10 years of
studying f...
Fix the Past or Invent the Future?
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Introduction Order the book from ASCD or Amazon. For years, the pervasive
story of American education was one of decline. In 1995, educational
psychologist...
Donald Trump, The Epstein Files, and “60 Minutes”
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Fans of ‘Sesame Street” will remember this song: “One of these things is
not like the others. One of these things just doesn’t belong. Can you say
which th...
Tuesday’s Close Election: Proposal One
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Zohran won six days ago. That was the election that everyone remembers. But
there was more on the ballot. Proposals 2 – 6 were about New York City (2 –
5 p...
This Is What Democracy Looks Like
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The polls for Prop 50, CA’s ballot initiative that counters MAGA’s illegal
gerry-mandering in Texas, opened Tuesday, November 4, 2025,…
The post This Is ...
Trying to get video cameras for my school
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through Donors Choose.
Here’s the project:
www.donorschoose.org/…
Putting this up because today only there is a 50% match for whatever you
contribute s...
Don’t Follow Advice from Billionaires
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This is by Julian Vasquez Lustig. —————- When billionaires step onto a
stage, release a book, or tweet some glossy piece of wisdom, the world pays
attentio...
Blogoversary #19 — Time to Move on
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Times have changed. I had a nice long run here, but let’s face it, it ended
a while ago. So I’ve moved. I’m not writing much any more, but when I do it
wil...
Il Papa è Morto
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Francis brought a distinct pastoral outlook to his papacy. A simple man, he
lived in a small apartment in the guesthouse. He sought to make the church
acce...
Trump plays Putin’s Playbook
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Recently Aleksander Dugin was interviewed on CNN, last week, and he stated
that he believes Trump is closer ideologically to President Putin than to
Washin...
Mike Shulman the ARISE UFT Judenrat
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I was surprised to learn that Mike Shulman has aligned himself with ARISE.
I previously supported him, advocating that the Castle Doctrine could have
bee...
How Do We Fight Trump?
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Dear Friends, I don’t know when and why it hit me. But I suddenly realized
how serious Trump is about changing the country into something that
horrifies. I...
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 ...
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...
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 GarcÃa
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...
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.
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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
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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
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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...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
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NYSED and Commish Elia continue to say that the NYS Assessments are of
reasonable length, I completely disagree.
Here is what NYSED states are average expe...
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?
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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
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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
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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?
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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)
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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
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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. . . .
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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
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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
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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
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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
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*“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...
CURMUDGUCATION : Catch up with CURMUDGUCATION: Nobel-Winning Evaluation Advice + PA: Bad Charter Bill Still Not Dead Nobel-Winning Evaluation Advice 13 by Peter Greene / 2h Sometimes it takes a Nobel Prize-winning economist to confirm what many of us in education have been saying for years-- reformsters are doing teacher and school evaluation all wrong. The writer pointing this out if Derek Neal
Jersey Jazzman: More About Attrition Rates in Boston Charter Schools : More About Attrition Rates in Boston Charter Schools The debate over Massachusetts's Question 2 -- a referendum on lifting the cap on the number of charter schools in the commonwealth -- rages on. When I last weighed in , I pointed out that the "successes" of Boston's charter sector could not fairly be compared to the "failure
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Teaching Compassion from One Teacher's Story : Teaching Compassion from One Teacher's Story You may recall the story earlier this year about a Tacoma kindergarten teacher who was removed from her classroom because she was drunk. I think most of us were aghast at hearing that. But one person, reporter Matt Driscolll at the The News&Observer , wanted to know more. H
Who Will Carry This Torch? | Poetic Justice : Who Will Carry This Torch? I wrote this poem eleven years ago. I return to it today and just want to weep. What are we doing to our children? Who will save them? Who will carry the torch of knowledge for the next generation and for the generation behind us? No one to close the windows when the rain storm pellets their beds. No one to lock the doors at
Laws Of Exclusion – STOP SCHOOL REFORM: THOUGHTS FROM the LIFE OF A"BAD" TEACHER : Laws of Exclusion In years before the mandates of NCLB pushed assertively into our school to commandeer curriculum expectations at Central High; in years before the innovation-ordered, outsidercontrolled programs began to outlaw the non-standardized inclusion of “ethnic” studies (totally missing the fact that a for
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump plans to do away with public school systems : Trump plans to do away with public school systems Trump surrogate, Paladino calls educators, "pot-smokers from Vietnam era". Ouch! If there was any doubt, Trump surrogate Carl Paladino made it perfectly clear that if his boss is elected his goal will be nothing less than the elimination of public education and comp
Pushing the Privatized “Maker Movement” Into Public Schools : Pushing the Privatized “Maker Movement” Into Public Schools The 3D printing market is projected to be worth $8 billion by 2020. —Paul Hill, “Ten statistics that reveal the size and scope of the Maker Movement.” November 3, 2015 Why be skeptical of the Maker Movement and its affect on public schools? The speed to which the Maker Movemen
How a Great Oklahoma Teacher Made the National News for Teaching about Racism | Huffington Post : How a Great Oklahoma Teacher Made the National News for Teaching about Racism The Washington Post report about Norman, Oklahoma teacher, James Coursey, is currently the paper’s second mostly widely read story. The Post’s Cleve Wootson reports that Coursey was caught up in a controversy when teaching
BACKPACK FULL OF CASH: a new film, narrated by Matt Damon by Sarah Mondale — Kickstarter : BACKPACK FULL OF CASH: a new film, narrated by Matt Damon THE STORY BACKPACK FULL OF CASH is a new 90-minute documentary, narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Matt Damon, that examines the growth of market-based education reforms such as privately-run charter schools, student testing and vouchers—and the
For Many Schools The Recession Never Ended : NPR Ed : NPR : For Many Schools The Recession Never Ended The Great Recession technically ended in June of 2009, but many of America's schools are still feeling the pinch. A new study of state budget documents and Census Bureau data finds that the lion's share of spending on schools in at least 23 states will be lower this school year than it was when
Trump trickle-down could impact education board races | The Texas Tribune : Trump trickle-down could impact education board races Several Democrats aiming to unseat incumbent Republicans on the State Board of Education say they believe the relative unpopularity of the Republican at the top of the ticket, Donald Trump, will help propel them to victory in the Nov. 8 general election. Approving text
BRIDGEGATE TRIAL–The “extraordinarily weird” twist in the month-long trial. | : BRIDGEGATE TRIAL–The “extraordinarily weird” twist in the month-long trial The prosecution’s case in the Bridgegate trial has been living with a possibly fatal flaw for weeks–and, on Friday, that flaw threatened both the chances for convicting at least one defendant and also the credibility of the two-year federal inv
SBE Agenda for November 2016 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education) : SBE Agenda for November 2016 Agenda for the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting on November 2-3, 2016. State Board Members Michael W. Kirst, President Ilene W. Straus, Vice President Sue Burr Bruce Holaday Feliza I. Ortiz-Licon Patricia A. Rucker Niki Sandoval Ting L. Sun Trish Williams Olivia Sison, St
Ms. Katie's Ramblings: The New Best Way to Destroy Special Education : The New Best Way to Destroy Special Education The best lies are always ones based in some truth. The newest austerity project for districts across the nation, including the Chicago Public Schools, is to claim that special education budgets must be decimated: in the name of racial equality. Now, the refrain to destroy public se
Trump surrogate: GOP candidate would dismantle ‘corrupted, incompetent urban school systems’ - The Washington Post : Trump surrogate: GOP candidate would dismantle ‘corrupted, incompetent urban school systems’ A surrogate for Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump told a group of urban school superintendents on Friday that Trump would seek to do away with “corrupted, incompetent” publi
Students Send Message: Milk Is Garbage | Huffington Post : Students Send Message: Milk Is Garbage Students are pouring hundreds of tons of plain milk into the garbage in Los Angeles schools each week. Maybe that’s because more than 88 percent of Los Angeles Unified School District students are predisposed to suffer from lactose intolerance. But instead of providing a healthful nondairy beverage t
Anyone else surprised by strong opposition to Opportunity School District in new AJC poll? | Get Schooled : Anyone else surprised by strong opposition to Opportunity School District in new AJC poll? I have to admit surprise at the results of a new AJC poll finding significant opposition to Gov. Nathan Deal’s Opportunity School District , which is Amendment 1 on the Nov. 8 ballot. The OSD requires
UW-Madison undergraduate researchers: If you favor standardized testing, you're racist - The College Fix : UW-Madison undergraduate researchers: If you favor standardized testing, you’re racist The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Daily Cardinal highlighted a trio of undergraduate researchers this past week who allege that standardized testing “exemplifies systematic racism” which, among other t
More money for schools at stake in two state measures : More money for schools at stake in two state measures Do California schools need more money to renovate campuses, build new facilities and provide services including full-time counselors, tutoring and reading specialists? That's what voters will decide in two ballot measures appearing on the November ballot, Propositions 51 and 55. Propositi
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/21/16 Featured Post School choice too often leads to segregation - Baltimore Sun How schools are turning ‘joy’ into a character strength — and why it’s an awful idea - The Washington Post by mike simpson / 39min How schools are turning ‘joy’ into a character strength — and why it’s an awful idea - The Washington Post : How schools are turning ‘joy’ in