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...
Against AI Theft
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Among the many reasons to give Artificial Intelligence some real side-eye
is the business model that rests entirely on plagiarism-- stealing the works
of...
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...
Shanker Blog: Reading Policy, the Wind and the Sun
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Shanker Blog: Reading Policy, the Wind and the Sun
There is a well-known tale about the Wind and the Sun who once debated who
was stronger. They agreed th...
Trump's Day One Executive Orders
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Day One of Trump 2.0 was full of shock and awful, precisely what we had
every reason to expect. In classic fashion, there was so much, and it was
so a...
Why We Need Children in the Midst of Life Itself
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My brother and I used to fight over who got to sit in the window seat on
airplanes. We wanted to be able to look out. The world from 30,000 feet was
an ...
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
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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...
In Memoriam: Nikki Giovanni
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The literary and cultural world has lost an irreplaceable voice with the
passing of Nikki Giovanni. As one of the most celebrated poets and
activists of ou...
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.
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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...
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...
Great series by PAA President on Personalized and Social-Emotional Learning | Parents Across America : Great series by PAA President on Personalized and Social-Emotional Learning We apologize for our web site being down for a couple of weeks recently. We’ll try to catch up with a few pieces we wanted to share during that time, notably a series of blog posts by PAA President Dora Taylor who expose
DeVos reveals chat with fiercely critical teachers union president | New York Post : DeVos reveals chat with fiercely critical teachers union president OXON HILL, Md. — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos revealed Thursday that she had a “great” peacemaking conversation with one of her fiercest opponents, national teachers union president Randi Weingarten. DeVos said she called Weingarten after her c
‘The system is failing too many kids’ — text of Education Secretary DeVos’s speech at CPAC - The Washington Post : ‘The system is failing too many kids’ — text of Education Secretary DeVos’s speech at CPAC Here are the full remarks Education Secretary Betsy DeVos delivered Thursday at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference, as provided by the Education Department: Hello! Thank you for
Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) continues to pour big money into political campaigns - Wait What? : Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) continues to pour big money into political campaigns Since its formation in 2006, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) has raised over $690,000 for its federal political action committee. In addition to the federal DFER PAC, the organization has formed n
The 'Trust Gap' in Schools ... And How Teachers Can Help Close It : The ‘Trust Gap’ in Schools … And How Teachers Can Help Close It If students of color don’t believe that school officials treat them fairly, a “trust gap” emerges that could impact college enrollment, even if they receive good grades, according to a new study. What causes the “trust gap”? Extreme disparities in discipline and low
The Last Cut? We the People of Detroit Documentary on School Closings on Vimeo : The Last Cut? We the People of Detroit Documentary on School Closings The Last Cut? We the People of Detroit Documentary on School Closings from Kate Levy on Vimeo .
Sacramento News & Review - Jay’s way: Sacramento school board president sees drama ahead with Trump administration, looming deficit - News - Local Stories - February 23, 2017 : Jay’s way: Sacramento school board president sees drama ahead with Trump administration, looming deficit Jay Hansen says his district, fellow board members ‘haven’t even had the conversation’ about bleak district finances
Teachers speak out on the schools crisis and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos - World Socialist Web Site : Teachers speak out on the schools crisis and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos New US Education Secretary billionaire Betsy DeVos has lost no time in making known her ideological opposition to public education, contempt for educators and hostility to democratic rights. Her installation has evok
DeVos Watch, February 2017 – Live Long and Prosper : DeVos Watch, February 2017 She has never worked or taught in public schools. She has never attended public schools. She has never been a parent of public school students. This billionaire has spent her (and her husband’s) money to privatize public education in Michigan. She bought state legislators to pass legislation which the people had rejec
A For-Profit Charter ALTERNATIVE School? : A For-Profit Charter ALTERNATIVE School? A confusing article was just published by USA Today using the term “for-profit charter alternative school.” I’ve never seen a charter school described this way before. Charter schools and alternative schools are two different schools. And since Betsy DeVos is crookedly selling school choice to America, it is impor
Find Out How To Use Our Education Data For Your Reporting | The Huffington Post : Find Out How To Use Our Education Data For Your Reporting The U.S. Department of Education recently released the largest and most comprehensive snapshot of the educational opportunities afforded to millions of students across the country. The new data include information on which students are taking advanced courses
CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos Folds : DeVos Folds It was pretty much zero surprise that the Trump administration chose to undo the Obama protections for transgender students (despite his vociferous campaign assertion that he would be a far better friend to LGBT folks than Clinton). Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Thank you to the LGBT community! I will fight for you while Hillary brings in more
Teaching English Language Learners: How Your State Is Doing : NPR Ed : NPR : 5 Million English Language Learners: A Vast Pool Of Talent, At Risk About 1 out of every 10 public school students in the United States right now is learning to speak English. They're called ELLs, for "English Language Learners." There are nearly 5 million of them, and educating them — in English and all the other subjec
Tougher tenure results in loss of 1,700 teachers, report says | NOLA.com : Tougher tenure results in loss of 1,700 teachers, report says A new report says as many as 1,700 public school teachers in Louisiana have left classrooms because of the state's tougher tenure law. The Advocate says the report issued Wednesday (Feb. 22) by Tulane University says many of those leaving the classroom were educ
March 2017 Election Voter Guide: L.A. Board of Education Pits Pro-Charter Forces Against Unions | L.A. Weekly : L.A. Voter Guide: In Board of Education Races, Follow the Money Clockwise from top left: Nick Melvoin is one of three challengers to Steve Zimmer in District 4; Lisa Alva, an English teacher at Bravo Medical Magnet School, is the challenger endorsed by the L.A. Times to replace Monica G
Teachers At A D.C. Charter School Want To Try Something New: Unionizing | WAMU : Teachers At A D.C. Charter School Want To Try Something New: Unionizing Advocates for public charter schools often argue they’re a better alternative to traditional public schools because charters aren’t weighed down by a central administration, school boards and a unionized workforce. But teachers at one D.C. charte
School integration in 2017: the politics of PTA takeovers, P.E. programs, and parents who know the system | 89.3 KPCC : School integration in 2017: the politics of PTA takeovers, P.E. programs, and parents who know the system Last fall, Susan Savitt Schwartz, program director at the Pasadena Education Network, gave a presentation at the Caltech Children's Center about Pasadena’s public schools, n
NYC Educator: Teacher as Savior : Teacher as Savior Yesterday I spoke of a forum I attended in the Bronx. An interesting conversation ensued between audience and panel about recruitment for TFA and Moskowitz Academies. Evidently the pitch is that children of color must be saved and only you, the students, can get it done. Oh, and also we can give you a job after you graduate up to your neck in de
States’ Rights and Wrongs – Have You Heard : States’ Rights and Wrongs The rollback of civil rights enforcement in education is underway, says law professor Derek Black… Jennifer Berkshire : The Trump Administration has just rescinded guidelines to schools banning discrimination against transgender students. There’s a lot of speculation about just how *joint* the joint letter from Secretary of Ed
Why Do Public School Supporters Struggle to Create and Sustain a Strong Unified Message? | janresseger : Why Do Public School Supporters Struggle to Create and Sustain a Strong Unified Message? Bob Braun, the retired education reporter for the Newark Star Ledger and an avid blogger in Newark, NJ, has articulated a big worry. Commenting on a recent conference of public education supporters and adv
A win for Illinois special education students. We’re not done yet. Contact your Illinois legislators now. | Fred Klonsky : A win for Illinois special education students. We’re not done yet. Contact your Illinois legislators now Illinois State Representative Linda Chapa LaVia. – From Bev Johns State Representative Linda Chapa LaVia has drafted the Amendment to House Bill 2808 to maintain in Illino
Cartoons on the Politics of Schooling | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : Cartoons on the Politics of Schooling For this month, I have gathered a bunch of cartoons that get at the fact that schools are political institutions. They are wholly dependent upon taxpayers and voters for resources to operate schools. Thus, parents, lobbyists, civic and business leaders, the courts, m
DeVos defends rollback of protection for transgender students. Critics blast her: ‘You rolled over like a puppy.’ - The Washington Post : DeVos defends rollback of protection for transgender students. Critics blast her: ‘You rolled over like a puppy.’ Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is reported to have been initially opposed to the Trump administration’s decision to roll back federal guidelines s
I’m a Public School teacher. Hands Off My Trans Students! | gadflyonthewallblog : I’m a Public School teacher. Hands Off My Trans Students! I’m a public school teacher. I have a lot of different girls and boys in my classes. In fact, some of them are neither girls nor boys. Does that mean they should be discriminated against? Does it mean we should judge them, tell them they’re somehow less valua
State Law Protects Transgender Students’ Rights - Year 2017 (CA Dept of Education) : State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Reminds Californians that State Law Protects Transgender Students’ Rights SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today reiterated his strong support for the rights of transgender students and reminded all Californians that state law requires public sc
Episode 28: Are you a "Reformer" or an "Innovator?" | BustED Pencils : Episode 28: Are you a "Reformer" or an "Innovator?" Feature Interview: Angela Engel joins us to discuss the difference between reform and innovation in public schools . Matt Damon’s Mom explores the possibility that Donald Trump might make education great again. Blogger of the Week: Ron Giordan talks about his new blog democra
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 2/22/17 Featured Post One Teachers Union Is Talking to Betsy DeVos. The Other One Isn’t. Which Is Right? | New Republic BAT Cheryl Binkley - The Metaphor of School as A Business & How It