McMahon Doesn't Understand Education
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McMahon's particular brand of passionless functionary was on display Sunday
morning for a dozen minutes with Dana Bash. The interview kicked around a
few t...
This and That, August 24, 2026
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I meant to post this sooner - this event is tomorrow night, the 25th.
I am hearing that Governor Bob Ferguson and State Superintendent Chris
Reykdal ...
Spider-Man Lands a Punch: Fist to Cheese
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The classic line from the Spider-Man show was, “Lookout! Here comes the
Spider-Man.” And so, Spider-Man punched a white supremacist. Fist to
cheese. For so...
Not Vanquished
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I was once engaged in a massive battle for the ages, pitting my powers
against those of a five-year-old boy.
It began when he declared that he was going...
MNPS and Not-So-Secret Secrets
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Nashville education blogger TC Weber highlights what some say are
significant challenges around student discipline in MNPS. It is one of the
worst-kept sec...
No Compromise: End the War Now!
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At this hour, solidarity begins with a clear demand: the United States and
Israel must end their illegal war, and they must retreat.
Understanding Education: Corporal Punishment
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15 states have laws that allow corporal punishment in schools. Here’s
where, and why, Katie Mills (NPR, 19 August 2026) Recommended Summary
Physical punish...
We Love Billionaires!
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As a middle school teacher, I spent a fair amount of time talking with
kids—mostly 8th graders, going into high school—about what you might call
their life...
What Is the Far Left ?
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What is the Far Left ?
The growing visibility of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and
victories by some DSA-backed candidates has triggered an upsu...
SPI Welcomes Salinas Students Back to Campus
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California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond
welcomes Salinas students back to campus and celebrates community schools.
Under the Lights, the Truth Is Harder to Hide
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“The problem is that progress stopped making sense. More and more of us
looked up one day and realized that the emperor had no clothes.” ― Anna
Lowenhaupt ...
SQ 844: How is this better?
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In plain terms, the new language gives the Legislature the authority to
establish both the amount and methodology for distributing ad valorem
reimbursement...
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It's time to Revise Louisiana's
School Curriculum
Present standards do not allow for individual differences and life goals
For the last 15 years Louisiana'...
Read This If You Want to Learn to Read
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I want you to experience how a skilled teacher makes certain that her first
graders learn to read. Imagine that you’re sitting in the back of a
classroom...
What’s the Pattern?
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The Pattern. Is it the thing that holds our raises down? Yup. What
precisely is it? Activists and advocates know it is a problem. That’s good.
They are rig...
Time to change our Nation’s Diaper
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It’s time to change our nation’s diaper. Our national identity now reeks
due to our inability to clean out the mess caused by the Orange Turd.
Corruption i...
GLP-1 Meds for Kids? Some Info.
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Like many consumers of television and social media, I have been bombarded
with ads for GLP-1s (short for glucagon-like peptide-1). The ads are
everywhere. ...
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...
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...
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...
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
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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...
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...
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...
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
...
I’ve moved.
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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
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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...
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.
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
-
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...
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: TOMORROW'S SHOW : TOMORROW'S SHOW Eve Ewing (top) and Sarah Chambers. Tomorrow on Hitting Left, our in-studio guest will be Eve Ewing. Eve is a sociologist of education whose research focuses on racism and the inequality of public school system. She's currently doing a post-doc at the University of Chicago. Her first collection of poetry, essays, and visual art, Ele
Louisiana Believes: Exclusion is the Best Policy – Educate Louisiana : Louisiana Believes: Exclusion is the Best Policy Do you remember your earliest years in school and receiving your first invitation from a classmate to attend their birthday party? What about the first time you discovered that a classmate had a birthday party and invited your classmates but didn’t invite you? It is generally th
CURMUDGUCATION: Personalization and the Outliers : Personalization and the Outliers Henry Ford was an early proponent of personalization. "Any customer can have a car pained any color that he wants," said Ford in 1909 , "so long as it is black." There have always been limits to personalization. I like to wear hats, but my head is some sort of extra-large melon, so while hat manufacturers may offe
Truth in Edvertising – Have You Heard : Truth in Edvertising Is $1,000 per student kind of a lot to be spending on marketing? That’s how much Success Academy spends, putting the charter network on par with a typical large corporation. In the latest episode of Have You Heard, Jack Schneider and I wade into the murky business of education marketing or *edvertising.* Fast growing and completely unre
The Upside to Teacher Resignation Letters Going Viral : The Upside to Teacher Resignation Letters Going Viral A few years ago, Alyssa Hadley Dunn noticed that some of her former students were sharing over social media resignation letters written and posted online by public school teachers. Dunn, assistant professor of teacher education at Michigan State University, was a bit rattled that these he
How to Handle Your Celebrity Status - Teacher Habits : How to Handle Your Celebrity Status I went to Walmart the other day to pick up some adult beverages and help destroy local businesses. As I quickly weaved around an Easter display, I heard: “Mr. Murphy!” It was a student from my school. Not one of my students. I didn’t even know his name. But he quite obviously knew mine. He wanted his mom to
What Betsy DeVos’s Emphasis on ‘Choice’ Means for School Segregation | The Nation : What Betsy DeVos’s Emphasis on ‘Choice’ Means for School Segregation The education secretary’s policies stand to make divisions in our schools and neighborhoods worse, not better. When questioned on her commitment to principles of diversity and equality in public education, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos keeps re
Chester Finn Jr. Calls for an End to Teacher Tenure | Diane Ravitch's blog : Chester Finn Jr. Calls for an End to Teacher Tenure In this post , Chester (Checker) Finn Jr. questions the need for teacher tenure. Getting rid of tenure, he says, will save money, as it has in higher education, where money is lavished on administrators’ salaries and facilities, but not faculty (except for the Big Names
Boston Charter School Teacher Named ‘National Teacher Of The Year’ « CBS Boston : Boston Charter School Teacher Named ‘National Teacher Of The Year’ BOSTON (CBS/AP) – The 2017 “National Teacher of the Year’ award has gone to a public charter school teacher in Dorchester. Sydney Chaffee of the Codman Academy Charter Public School is the first National Teacher of the Year from Massachusetts since t
Betsy DeVos Is Visiting A Public School This Week With One Of Her Famous Foes | The Huffington Post : Betsy DeVos Is Visiting A Public School This Week With One Of Her Famous Foes She and Randi Weingarten will be setting aside their differences on a trip to Ohio. When President Donald Trump first nominated Betsy DeVos for U.S. secretary of education in November, labor leader Randi Weingarten did
Majority of Californians polled favor vouchers for private schools | EdSource : Majority of Californians polled favor vouchers for private schools Rejecting President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, Californians overwhelmingly said in a poll released Wednesday that they favor designating their school districts “sanctuary safe zones” to protect undocumented students and their families from f
NAACP to Hold New York City Hearing on Issues Surrounding Quality Education : NAACP TO HOLD NEW YORK CITY HEARING ON CHARTER SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ISSUES SURROUNDING QUALITY EDUCATION *New York—The NAACP’s Task Force on Quality Education will hold a hearing in New York, Thursday, April 27, at Harlem Hospital Center & Pavilion in the Herbert G. Cave Auditorium, second Floor, 506 Lenox Avenue
Minnesota proceeds with caution — and questions — as it complies with federal education law under DeVos | MinnPost : Minnesota proceeds with caution — and questions — as it complies with federal education law under DeVos A little over a year ago, Barack Obama signed into law the biggest K-12 education reform in over a decade: the Every Student Succeeds Act, a product of years-long compromise in C
Will the Supreme Court give a big boost to the Trump-DeVos ‘school choice’ agenda? - The Washington Post : Will the Supreme Court give a big boost to the Trump-DeVos ‘school choice’ agenda? Will the Supreme Court boost the Trump-DeVos “school choice” agenda? It just may. The court on Wednesday heard a case called Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Pauley . It involves a Lutheran church in Mis
How the right-wing Koch and DeVos families are funding hate speech on college campuses across the US : How the right-wing Koch and DeVos families are funding hate speech on college campuses across the US On March 2, eugenicist Charles Murray attempted to give a lecture at Middlebury College in Vermont, with little success. Protesters shouted him down and he was sequestered in another room to answ
CURMUDGUCATION: Are Charters a Rural Solution : Are Charters a Rural Solution In a piece that has circulated a bit, Karen Eppley, an associate professor of curriculum and instruction at Pennsylvania State University suggests that charter schools might be the solution to many rural education problems. While the article is not as gung-ho about charters as the title suggests (I know-- writers rarely
Education Law Prof Blog : Nevada Pushing Work Around for the Voucher Program Declared Unconstitutional Last Year; David Sciarra Calls It a Trojan Horse Last year, advocates for public education in Nevada secured a majority victory. The Nevada Supreme Court found that the state's voucher program violated the state constitution's provisions for supporting public education. The program funded vouche
Early Signs Betsy DeVos Will Not Support Civil Rights : Early Signs Betsy DeVos Will Not Support Civil Rights It was just an Easter egg roll. But it seemed like an occasion that could give the Trump White House an easy opportunity to show racial inclusiveness. But as the Daily News reports, when the White House staged its first annual Easter Egg Roll, it forgot to invite local school children. Ne
NEA’s charter school policy statement. | Fred Klonsky : NEA’s charter school policy statement. The NEA’s charter school taskforce policy statement will be discussed at an upcoming NEA Board of Directors meeting. Charter School Policy Statement As Recommended by the Charter Taskforce to the NEA Board of Directors Introduction Charter schools were initially promoted by educators who sought to innov
In Ohio a School Voucher Expansion Has Been Introduced in the Legislature. What Does It Mean? | janresseger : In Ohio a School Voucher Expansion Has Been Introduced in the Legislature. What Does It Mean? In Ohio, where privatization has been expanding since the 1990s—with five kinds of school vouchers plus a large and unregulated charter school sector—Kevin Huffman, a state senator from Lima has
Erik Prince acted as Trump envoy in Russian meetings: report | MSNBC : Oh Brother Betsy DeVos 's Blackwater Brother Erik Prince acted as Trump envoy in Russian meetings
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Billionaire hedge-fund fraud and charter school patron gave $1M to Trump inaug : Billionaire hedge-fund fraud and charter school patron gave $1M to Trump inaug Steven Cohen, chairman and CEO of Point72 Asset Management, big Trump donor. Scandal-ridden billionaire hedge-funder and charter-school bank-roller Steven A. Cohen is back in the news again. Turns out Co
Union leader sees Ohio school visit with Betsy DeVos as a lesson for U.S. education secretary - The Washington Post : Union leader sees Ohio school visit with Betsy DeVos as a lesson for U.S. education secretary This should be interesting. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten says she views her Ohio school visit alongside Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday as a less
Teachers Practice MicroPolitics* | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : Teachers Practice MicroPolitics* Besides managing a classroom of 20 to 30 or more students, besides teaching lessons every day, teachers also practice politics. Arguing that superintendents and principals, in addition to their managerial and instructional roles, are political in leading districts and schools
Stacking the Deck? : Stacking the Deck? “ Moreover, ‘lower achieving students’ is not a protected class. ” -Brian Bauer, GHCHS This week, Granada Hills Charter High School (GHCHS) will attempt to win its sixth national Academic Decathlon championship in seven years. If this were a high school sports team instead of an academic one, the improbability of this accomplishment would probably be more o
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 4/19/17 Featured Post Louisiana families must give up special education rights for school vouchers | The Lens Teaching with Conscience in an Imperfect World | Teachers College Press 6 by