America’s Faith in Schooling
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Just see wherever we peer into the first tiny springs of the national life,
how this true panacea for all of the ills of the body politic bubbles
forth—edu...
Is the Package the Package?
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UFT contract negotiations with the City of New York. Odd wording. Real
question. Does the City begin negotiations by (generally) explaining the
total monet...
Ridiculous Headlines about Public Education
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I’ve been writing about education policy and practice for more than 25
years, in my local newspaper (gratis), for an education nonprofit (paid),
for Educat...
Carol Burris: The Hoax of “School Choice”
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I posted the link to Carol Burris’s terrific article about school choice
yesterday but was unable to copy the text. Carol sent the text to me. Here
it is: ...
Clean Up Time Without Bossing the Kids Around
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In the sitcom *Seinfeld*, the character Elaine Benes is annoyed that a
friend doesn't think she's up to being a babysitter: "I couldn't raise a
kid? C'm...
Back to School with New Laws
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WSMV reports on new laws impacting classrooms as schools head back to
session: A new law, HB2393/SB2310, restricts digital-device use in
kindergarten throu...
These Texans Love Their Public Schools!
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Come listen to Texans who love public schools and who fight for them every
day at the Network for Public Education in Conroe, Texas, September 26 and
27t...
Paula Lewis resigns from OKCPS chairperson post
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[image: Paula Lewis resigns]Less than halfway through her current four-year
term in elected office, Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education
Chair...
Threatening Seashells?
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Former FBI Director James Comey urged a judge on Monday
to throw out federal charges against him, arguing that a photo of seashells
ar...
Updates on Seattle Schools, July 27, 2025
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*Update:*
From The Seattle Times, a story that SPS is appealing to an appeals court
over an $8M judgment against them *"**in which a former math teacher ...
Turning Back the Clock
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Two years ago my son, Josh, gave me a fascinating birthday present, this
clock that runs backward. He engineered it himself, working with a cheap
battery-...
ICYMI: 170th Anniversary Edition (7/26)
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I have played trombone in our town band since I was in eighth grade. It is
a special kind of treat to sit on that bandstand in the park, playing with
a gro...
MediKids: Sen. Kim’s Vision to Cover All Kids
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The American people do not believe that children should be sick, in pain,
or without preventive care like vaccinations and annual check-ups based on
the we...
Gifted and Talented Education Issues
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By Thomas Ultican 7/22/2026 In California, we call them GATE (Gifted and
Talented Education) students, other states have their own designations.
Whatever l...
NOLA Teacher Charged with 102 Felonies for AI Nudes
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With new, streamlined technology comes new, streamlined criminal activity.
Consider the photo manipulation/ alteration capabilities of AI. Most of
America ...
By One Dishonest Measure
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A loaded question that education reformers like to ponder is: Exactly how
many students in the boroughs of New York City are trapped in failing
schools? In...
Farm to Summer Celebration Week 2026: Post-Survey
-
The California Department of Education (CDE) recognizes SMP operators who
complete the three key elements during the F2Summer Celebration Week: 1)
Taste, 2...
1776
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__________
“The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and
conduct of this army…. We have, therefore, resolved to conquer...
Nosotros, El Pueblo, Venceremos
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Siento gratitud hacia todas las personas que, a lo largo de los siglos,
alzaron sus voces y se organizaron para hacer de este paĆs un lugar mejor.
Ahora es...
May’s Parent Engagement Resources
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San Diego Unified Created a System to ‘Empower’ Parents. It Unraveled is
from The Voice of San Diego. Why Those Disengaged Parents in Your School
Deserve a...
The Math Was Within Us All Along
-
Now that I finished my second book, let me tell you a story that won’t make
it into the manuscript: A few weeks ago, I ...
Read More
The post The Math W...
Read and Learn from the Past
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I just finished reading “The Boys in the Light” by Nina Willner. This is a
wonderful World War II story of survival, faith, and brotherhood. I highly
recom...
Reflections on America, the world, and life
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I acknowledge that I rarely post here anymore. Folks should remember that I
am approaching my 80th birthday in less than 9 weeks, I am still teaching
ful...
Shutting Down The Site
-
Ten years ago, I ran for a seat on the LAUSD School Board of Education with
the goal to *Change the LAUSD*.
I am proud of the campaign we ran. We achieve...
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...
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 ĆØ 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...
Mike Shulman the ARISE UFT Judenrat
-
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...
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:
-
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
-
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
-
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
...
I’ve moved.
-
I’m on Substack now. You can continue to receive periodic posts for free.
Or you can read every post and comment for $5 a month, $60 a year.
fredklonsky.su...
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
-
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
-
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 GarcĆa
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.
-
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...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
-
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
-
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.
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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...
McCleary Crime Scene Find the Money Word Search | Seattle Education : McCleary Crime Scene Find the Money Word Search A year ago Teacher Retention Advocate Parents (TRAP) hosted a coloring contest to draw attention to Washington State’s criminally under-funded public schools. Today, TRAP is back – because the Legislature STILL can’t find the money. Let’s help them out. Please print out your own c
CURMUDGUCATION: Charter Schism Explainer : Charter Schism Explainer The charter world (which is mostly all that's to what we mean by "education reform") has been wrestling and fracturing and considering serious marital counseling over the past year or so. This bit of a crisis has been exacerbated since, oh, November. I've been drawn into conversations about this schism several times in the last w
Moment of Silence - Bown v. Gwinnett County School District (1997) / Brown v. Gilmore (2001) | Blue Cereal Education : Moment of Silence - Bown v. Gwinnett County School District (1997) / Brown v. Gilmore (2001) Two cases in the early 1960s largely eliminated state-sponsored prayer from public schooling. Engel v. Vitale (1962) and Abington v. Schempp (1963) are to this day touted by the far right
Hitting Left with the Klonsky brothers. Coming up. Bill Ayers and Karen Lewis. | Fred Klonsky : Hitting Left with the Klonsky brothers. Coming up. Bill Ayers and Karen Lewis. Our weekly radio gig continues into week three. Friday, February 17th we will be joined in-studio by our old friend and teaching colleague, Bill Ayers. On Friday, March 3rd Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis will b
The endgame of corporate reform in public school education: Part 1, What do Betsy DeVos and Seattle Public School’s IT Lead John Krull have in common? | Seattle Education : The endgame of corporate reform in public school education: Part 1, What do Betsy DeVos and Seattle Public School’s IT Lead John Krull have in common? “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any
Jersey Jazzman: Republicans Must Own Trump; "Reformers" Must Own DeVos : Republicans Must Own Trump; "Reformers" Must Own DeVos One of the more amusing things to come out of the Trump presidency -- that is, as amusing as things can get during this horror show -- is watching "moderate" Republicans and other center-rightists try to distance themselves from The Donald. Here, for example, is Andrew S
Teacher's Response to Betsy DeVos | POPSUGAR News : A Thank You Letter to Betsy DeVos From a Public School Teacher Thank you, Betsy. That sounds strange coming from a public school teacher of 15 years. Indeed, after a day of teaching fourth graders, who are diverse in every way and whose future is now in your control, saying thank you is the last thing I thought I'd say today. But thanks. On Tues
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: This Week's Reading (2/12) : ICYMI: This Week's Reading The list is long this week, but at least it's not all politics. At least, I'm pretty sure it's not all politics. I Never Cared Much About Politics; The Trump Nominated Betsy DeVos A guest at the Washington Post. The title is self-explanatory Holy Warrior Against the Welfare State Jennifer Berkshire's trip to Michigan y
CURMUDGUCATION: Reformsters Contemplate Race (Part 2) : Reformsters Contemplate Race (Part 2) I've worked my way slowly through two panel discussions held at the American Enterprise Institute a couple of weeks ago. They're interesting and mostly thoughtful discussions among reformsters about how reformsterism (by which, mostly, they mean the charter movement) can navigate this new era and the fis
Are charters the answer for ed? Testifying @NAACP charter school hearing – Cloaking Inequity : Are charters the answer for ed? Testifying @NAACP charter school hearing Are charters the answer for a nation’s long history of underserving the needs of poor children? The NAACP’s most recent national resolution on charter schools has elicited a vigorous discourse about charter schools in the United St
Don't let this public school teacher lie about the Incarceration of Japanese Americans to his students. : DON'T LET THIS PUBLIC Community College TEACHER LIE ABOUT THE INCARCERATION OF JAPANESE AMERICANS TO HIS STUDENTS. Orphaned infants incarcerated at the Manzanar Children’s Village. Many children, some with as little as 1/8th Japanese ancestry, were ripped from orphanages and foster homes for
Betsy DeVos Made Me Want To Run For School Board : NPR Ed : NPR : Betsy DeVos Made Me Want To Run For School Board Early one morning, the week before Betsy DeVos' confirmation as education secretary , 23-year-old Allison Kruk was dropping her boyfriend off at the Philadelphia airport when she decided to swing by the office of her United States senator and give him a piece of her mind. Kruk was a
Trump Drops Defense of Obama Guidelines on Transgender Students - The New York Times : Trump Drops Defense of Obama Guidelines on Transgender Students The Trump administration has dropped the federal government’s challenge to a nationwide injunction issued last year that blocked the fulfillment of Obama administration guidelines stating that transgender students’ access to bathrooms and other gen
How Local Leaders Can Resist Trump’s Deportation Machine | The Nation : How Local Leaders Can Resist Trump’s Deportation Machine They should “explicitly remove immigration enforcement from the purview of their local law-enforcement departments.” O n Wednesday, a 35-year-old mother of two named Guadalupe GarcĆa de Rayos was arrested in Phoenix. Her original contact with police came eight years ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all : Sunday Morning Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all Laura H. Chapman Has a Dialogue with Senator Rob Portman of Ohio (Fake Dialogue ALERT) Everyone who wrote to their Republican Senator urging them not to vote for Betsy DeVos got a form letter explaining why she was an excellent choice, blah blah blah
Teaching in the Trump Years (Part 2) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : Teaching in the Trump Years (Part 2) Tax-supported public schools require all children between the ages of five or six to 16 to 18 to attend school. State compulsory attendance laws mean that the state has a legitimate interest in seeing that children and youth become literate, active, and engaged citizen
Badass Teachers Association: A Teachers Response to a DeVos Related Editorial Cartoon by Lynne Walker Winderbaum : A Teachers Response to a DeVos Related Editorial Cartoon by Lynne Walker Winderbaum Teacher, Lynne Walker Winderbaum immediately responded to an editorial cartoon done by Lisa Benson of the Washington Post Writer's Group which was posted in the Tampa Bay Times on Feb.9th,2017. The ca
Randi and Lily, For the Good of Our Unions, Please Step Down. You Are a Distraction | gadflyonthewallblog : Randi and Lily, For the Good of Our Unions, Please Step Down. You Are a Distraction Dear Randi Weingarten and Lily Eskelsen Garcia: Unions are facing hard times. We are under attack by the new fascist wing of the Republican party. So-called “right to work” laws are being drafted at the nati