McMahon Doesn't Understand Education
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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!
-
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
-
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!
-
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 ?
-
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
-
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
-
“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?
-
In plain terms, the new language gives the Legislature the authority to
establish both the amount and methodology for distributing ad valorem
reimbursement...
-
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
-
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?
-
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
-
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.
-
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
-
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
-
__________
“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
-
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
-
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...
Blogoversary #19 — Time to Move on
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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.
-
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
-
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
-
[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!
-
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
-
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
-
*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.
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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?
-
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
-
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...
Ms. Katie's Ramblings: Support Room 134! : Friends, family, even public education supporters I don't know on social media are always asking about how they can help given the constant madness of the Chicago Public Schools. Well here's a way! The Chicago Public Schools has been in a devastating manufactured budget crisis for many years now, with no end in sight. We need structural change. But in th
Education Dept. closes transgender student cases as it pushes to scale back civil rights investigations - The Washington Post : Education Dept. closes transgender student cases as it pushes to scale back civil rights investigations The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights this week closed a long-running discrimination case involving a transgender student and withdrew its earlier finding
A teacher’s decision to be ‘visibly queer’ in his photo with President Trump - The Washington Post : A teacher’s decision to be ‘visibly queer’ in his photo with President Trump When Rhode Island’s teacher of the year took his turn in front of the camera with President Trump, he struck a pose some took as an act of defiance: Nikos Giannopoulos cocked his head ever so slightly away from the presid
NYC Public School Parents: Mayoral Control Expiration -- What it Really Means : Mayoral Control Expiration -- What it Really Means The state law dictating the governance of NYC schools expires on June 30th. In the State Senate, Republicans and a rogue gang of Democrats calling themselves the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) are refusing to consider renewal until the Assembly agrees to crea
WILL's Faulty School Voucher Study Cheered by Other Bradley Funded Groups | PR Watch : WILL's Faulty School Voucher Study Cheered by Other Bradley Funded Groups A recent foray into education "research" by the Bradley Foundation's Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) is a case study not only in politically motivated research, but also in how the Bradley-funded echo chamber operates to in
South Carolina's online charter schools: A $350 million investment with disappointing returns | News | postandcourier.com : South Carolina's online charter schools: A $350 million investment with disappointing returns Online charter schools have grown exponentially across South Carolina and the nation — and questions about their effectiveness are growing, too. Today, the state has five virtual ch
Notes for Final Class Size Amendment | AMPS : Notes for Final Class Size Amendment From NYC Educator Betty Everett — “Getting Mighty Crowded” (watch and listen) . On Monday June 12, the Operations Work Group of the Madison Metropolitan School District received an update on the 2017-18 budget , and discussed amendments submitted by Board Members ( video here , meeting materials may be found at Boa
Pearson Botches Mississippi Testing [Again]; Mississippi Immediately Severs Contract | deutsch29 : Pearson Botches Mississippi Testing [Again]; Mississippi Immediately Severs Contract Education and testing mammoth Pearson has an established history in botching high-stakes testing. Pearson did it again, in Mississippi. According to the Associated Press (AP), Mississippi canceled its contract with
thoughts on what we should teach our children : thoughts on what we should teach our children I am a professional teacher, and with a school having decided they want me for the forthcoming year, I will be continuing in that capacity for at least another year, despite now being 71 years old. In fact, it is my hope to continue in that capacity for as long as I am able to make a positive difference
CURMUDGUCATION : Catch up with CURMUDGUCATION FL: Death To Public Education 100+ by Peter Greene / 16h Florida has long struggled to take the lead in the State Most Hostile To Public Education contest, with North Carolina, Wisconsin and Nevada giving some real competition. But this week, Florida's legislature and governor took a decisive leap forward. Let there be no doubt-- no state is more host
Education Dept. Says It Will Scale Back Civil Rights Investigations - The New York Times : Education Dept. Says It Will Scale Back Civil Rights Investigations WASHINGTON — The Department of Education is scaling back investigations into civil rights violations at the nation’s public schools and universities, easing off mandates imposed by the Obama administration that the new leadership says have
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all : Coffee with Diane Ravitch's blog A site to discuss better education for all Jan Resseger: PBS Documentary “School Inc.” Is Libertarian Propaganda 2 by dianeravitch / 14min Jan Resseger, the great social justice advocate based in Ohio, reviewed the origins of Andrew Coulson’s “School Inc.” now airing on PBS. Resseger points out th
Keeping retirement weird. I retired five years ago from teaching. Here’s how that day went. A post from 2012. | Fred Klonsky : Keeping retirement weird. I retired five years ago from teaching. Here’s how that day went. A post from 2012. June 8th 2012 We celebrated another end to another project at 9:30 this morning. All of the students lined the main hallway. Then on cue the fifth grade girls and
Cowardice in the Face of Hate – or how someone made me miss Randi Weingarten | JD2718 : Cowardice in the Face of Hate – or how someone made me miss Randi Weingarten Randi Weingarten was a lousy UFT president. We never should have had a non-teacher as president. But that’s relatively minor. When she left, the union was far weaker than when she arrived. And that is huge. Some of the details: Under
What TFA Tells The New Recruits About ‘The System’ | Gary Rubinstein's Blog : What TFA Tells The New Recruits About ‘The System’ The Teach For America mission statement does not mention the word teacher. It reads “Our mission is to enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of our nation’s most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellen
CURMUDGUCATION: FL: Death To Public Education : FL: Death To Public Education Let there be no doubt-- no state is more hostile to the very idea of public education than Florida. Just a quick search through this blog will remind you of the many ways that Florida has spat on public education in the past. They tried to undermine the teaching of science . They have remained studiously devoted to the
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 6/16/17 Featured Post Trump Will Allow ‘Dreamers’ to Stay in U.S., Reversing Campaign Promise - The New York Times CPE update and other miscellany | Deborah Meier on Education by mike