Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, January 5, 2019

Federal judge rejects L.A. school district’s bid to stop teachers from striking #REDFORED #UTLAStrong #StrikeReady #March4Ed #WeAreLA - The Washington Post

Federal judge rejects L.A. school district’s bid to stop teachers from striking - The Washington Post

Federal judge rejects L.A. school district’s bid to stop teachers from striking


With the clock ticking on a strike by teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District, a federal judge rejected a bid by Superintendent Austin Beutner’s administration to limit or stop the labor action from happening as scheduled this Thursday.
Attorneys for the nation’s second largest school district went to court on Thursday, telling U.S. District Judge Ronald S.W. Lew that students with special needs would be denied education services that are guaranteed to them under U.S. law.
Lew swiftly rejected the argument, saying Friday that the district was attempting to bring an unrelated issue into the contract dispute and that it had failed to show how the union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, would be liable if special education laws were not followed.
More than 30,000 teachers in Los Angeles are preparing to go out on strike on Thursday after more than 1½ years of unsuccessful contract talks with the district, with strike leaders meeting Saturday to make plans.
District officials said they have taken steps to keep schools open, including hiring hundreds of nonunion substitute teachers to fill in for educators walking picket lines. And they went to court.
United Teachers Los Angeles has demanded, among other things, a 6.5 percent pay raise; more money for schools; a boost in the number of counselors, nurses, social workers and librarians; a reduction in standardized testing; and an expansion of community schools.
The union has accused the district of claiming to have fewer resources than it really has, but Beutner’s administration says the district cannot afford many of the concessions and warns that the district could be insolvent in a few years.
A fact-finding panel tasked with trying to find a resolution to the contract impasse agreed with both sides on some points, saying that teachers do deserve a raise but that the district can afford only the 6 percent being CONTINUE READING: Federal judge rejects L.A. school district’s bid to stop teachers from striking - The Washington Post

CURMUDGUCATION: Terror, Hubris and AI (or Can Artificial Intelligence Fake Being A Self-important Pompous Tool?)

CURMUDGUCATION: Terror, Hubris and AI (or Can Artificial Intelligence Fake Being A Self-important Pompous Tool?)

Terror, Hubris and AI (or Can Artificial Intelligence Fake Being A Self-important Pompous Tool?)


Artificial Intelligence (AI) is, if not a hot new product itself, the additive that helps sell a million other products ("New! Improved!! Now with AI!!!"). And the proponents of AI are loaded with big brass cyberballs when it comes to making claims about their product. And all the most terrible and frightening things are happening in China. Come down this terrifying baloney-stuffed rabbit hole with me.

It starts with an absolutely glorious website-- PR Newswire. Newswire is part of Cision, a company that promises to move your pr by connecting using their Influencer Graph built with their Communications Cloud. Super social media PR (pr.cision-- get it?). Anyway, PR Newswire is a website of nothing but press releases, and it's kind of awesome. This news release has been run in many outlets. I'm digressing a bit here, but we need to remember through this whole trip that this is about a company that wants to sell a product.

Tucked in amidst the press releases is some "news provided by Squirrel AI Learning" about the AI Summit held about a month ago in New York, featuring over 350 experts, professors and business executives from the AI field discussing the technology and the commercial applications thereof. Why "squirrel" (there is such a thing as anti-squirrel AI)? Because squirrel is the symbol for "agility, diligence and management." Founded in 2014, Yixue Squirrel AI is headquartered in Shanghai and claims to be "the first K12 EdTech company which specializes in intelligent adaptive education in China" and, just so you know, they're "the market leader." They have opened "over 700 schools and have 3000 teaching staff in more than 100 cities." They have $44 million of investor money, an  CONTINUE READING: 
CURMUDGUCATION: Terror, Hubris and AI (or Can Artificial Intelligence Fake Being A Self-important Pompous Tool?)



Top Posts This Week 1/5/19 #REDFORED #UTLAStrong #StrikeReady #March4Ed #WeAreLA


Top Posts This Week 1/5/19








Posts This Week 1/5/19



Wrench in the Gears – A Skeptical Parent's Thoughts on Digital Curriculum

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Those Wishing to Destroy Public Education Are Retooling for 2019

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Challenging the myths about teachers – Live Long and Prosper

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How Many Decisions Do Teachers Make Every Day? | gadflyonthewallblog

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Sign up for our free Jan. 20 webinar on how educators can better protect their students’ privacy — and their own | Parent Coalition for Student Privacy

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YESTERDAY

Julian Vasquez Heilig: NEPC Review: Bigger Bang, Fewer Bucks? (University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform, February 2018) | National Education Policy Center

NEPC Review: Bigger Bang, Fewer Bucks? (University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform, February 2018) | National Education Policy Center NEPC Review: Bigger Bang, Fewer Bucks? (University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform, February 2018) Reviewer: Julian Vasquez Heilig Publication Announcement Learn More: NEPC Resources on Charter Schools A report released by the University of Ar
How School Reform, Including Common Core, Has Devastated Children and Their Joy of Learning to Read

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Change is Coming in the World of Education Reform: Fordham Institute Edition | Eclectablog

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CURMUDGUCATION: After the Education Wars: The Best and Worst of Reform

CURMUDGUCATION: After the Education Wars: The Best and Worst of Reform After the Education Wars: The Best and Worst of Reform Andrea Gabor is a business journalist by trade, and it's our great good fortune that she followed the thread of business-style reform into the world of education. Her recent book, After the Education Wars: How Smart Schools Upend the Business of Reform, is an invaluable ad
Support Season 2 of 'Radical Cram School'

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How K–12 Schools Have Adopted Artificial Intelligence | EdTech Magazine

How K–12 Schools Have Adopted Artificial Intelligence | EdTech Magazine How K–12 Schools Have Adopted Artificial Intelligence AI integration offers new potential to improve student outcomes and security. Over the past several years, artificial intelligence transitioned from the movie screen to reality, and soon it will be everywhere. The ubiquity of AI across industries leads to two key points fo
Charter Schools Haunt More Election Races | Dissident Voice

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Walmart Heirs Invest Heavily to Promote Charter Schools | janresseger

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Yes, there are online preschools. And early childhood experts say they stink. - The Washington Post

Yes, there are online preschools. And early childhood experts say they stink. - The Washington Post Yes, there are online preschools. And early childhood experts say they stink. In February 2015 I wrote a post with this headline : “And now, online preschools. Really.” Given that medical experts warn against too much screen time for young children, and given that early childhood experts say the be

JAN 03

How Restorative Practices Can Improve School Climate - The Atlantic

How Restorative Practices Can Improve School Climate - The Atlantic How to Turn Schools Into Happier Places A strong student-teacher relationship can help put a dent in school suspensions, according to a new study. When the Trump administration’s released its school-safety report last month, it landed with a thud—and only partly because it’s a clunky 180 pages . Many of the recommendations in the
NOLA IS THE NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL CHURN LEADER: Algiers Charter school employees must reapply for their jobs next year | The Lens

Algiers Charter school employees must reapply for their jobs next year | The Lens Algiers Charter school employees must reapply for their jobs next year Employees at two West Bank charter schools must reapply for their jobs at the end of the school year. The new policy at Algiers Charter comes as the charter-school network is preparing to shrink — from four schools under its control to two by the
CURMUDGUCATION: Not Quite Seven Reasons To Ditch Teachers Unions

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DeVos Department of Ed Cancels Obama-Era Guidance Aimed at Reducing Racial Disparities in School Discipline | janresseger

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Badass Teachers Association: An Open Letter about the Federal School Safety Commission Report

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Donors Reform Schooling: Evaluating Teachers (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

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If You’re Wondering About Haas Hall Academy (Arkansas), Read This Post. | deutsch29

If You’re Wondering About Haas Hall Academy (Arkansas), Read This Post. | deutsch29 If You’re Wondering About Haas Hall Academy (Arkansas), Read This Post. The following post is written by Elizabeth Lyon-Ballay, who identifies herself as a “former professional violinist and public charter school teacher” and “current stay-at-home mom and agitator for change.” Elizabeth Lyon-Ballay Lyon-Ballay has
“Choice” Has Become An Excuse For Charter And Voucher Schools To Discriminate

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Join the Teachers of the Year in Speaking Out Against the Detention of Children - Network For Public Education : Network For Public Education

Join the Teachers of the Year in Speaking Out Against the Detention of Children - Network For Public Education : Network For Public Education Join the Teachers of the Year in Speaking Out Against the Detention of Children Last year, the administration began enforcing a “zero tolerance” immigration policy. This policy resulted in about 3,000 children being separated from their parents or guardians

JAN 02

Please Note that NYC Department of Education Is Infested with Broadies, Not Bugs | Diane Ravitch's blog

Please Note that NYC Department of Education Is Infested with Broadies, Not Bugs | Diane Ravitch's blog Please Note that NYC Department of Education Is Infested with Broadies, Not Bugs I received a complaint about the wording of the title accompanying the post by Leonie Haimson. Leonie’s post was titled: “Leonie Haimson: Warning! The New York City Department of Education Is Infested with Broadies
Common Schools and the Nationalistic Aims of Public Education in the U.S. | Dissident Voice

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Education Research Report

Education Research Report Education Research Report Math Pathways: Expanding Options for Success in College Math by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2h Download This report, released in collaboration with the Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness, explains a new model of college math education that has come to be called math pathways. Three prominent examples of math pathways – with research ev
The Greedy, Selfish Billionaires Who Rig Taxes in Washington State | Diane Ravitch's blog

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CURMUDGUCATION: How Much Money In That Edusector?!!

CURMUDGUCATION: How Much Money In That Edusector?!! How Much Money In That Edusector?!! When you're starting to wonder why so many people are interested in education, even though they have no training, experience, or apparent deep interest in education, it's helpful to see some numbers. Like 2,600,000,000. Reportsnreports is an international outfit that provides "market research reports to indust
Charter School Sector Cannot Be Reformed or Effectively Regulated | janresseger

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Lowering Class Size: If Not Now, When?

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Jersey Jazzman: NJ Court Strikes Down Graduation Test; An Opportunity to Re-Think Testing?

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JAN 01

How to help public school teachers love their profession again | TheHill

How to help public school teachers love their profession again | TheHill How to help public school teachers love their profession again The 2018 election was marked in many corners as the “Year of the Teacher.” Record numbers of educators ran for—and some were elected to—local, state and national office. Teachers also stormed statehouses from Arizona to West Virginia to demand better pay in what
How Sputnik Launched Ed-Tech: The National Defense Education Act of 1958

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HAPPY NEW YEAR MAY IT BE A VERY RED YEAR SOLIDARITY FOREVER #REDFORED #UTLAStrong #StrikeReady #March4Ed #WeAreLA

HAPPY NEW YEAR MAY IT BE A VERY RED YEAR SOLIDARITY FOREVER
Michelle Malkin: Schools should beware of technology companies bearing gifts | Commentary | Dallas News

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DEC 31 2018

L.A. school district hires hundreds of substitutes(scabs) to prepare for major teachers strike - The Washington Post

L.A. school district hires hundreds of substitutes to prepare for major teachers strike - The Washington Post L.A. school district hires hundreds of substitutes to prepare for major teachers strike With teachers vowing to strike on Jan. 10 if a new contract is not reached with the Los Angeles Unified School District, officials are taking steps to keep schools open, including hiring hundreds of no
Is Sarah Huckabee Sanders Looking for Her Own “Rebrand” (aka WH Exit)? | deutsch29

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California Attorney General Calls for More Charter School Transparency | KQED News

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NYC Public School Parents: How corporate reformers have become embedded in the Office of District Planning

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Nineteen For 2019: Choose This, NOT That, to Save Public Education in the New Year!

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CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Arbitrary Marker Of Time's Inexorable Passage Edition (12/30)

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DEC 30 2018

Arne Duncan Keeps Trying To Explain Education

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If LA Teachers Strike Don't Expect It To Stay In LA | PopularResistance.Org

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SPOTLIGHT BLOG OF THE WEEK: deutsch29 Mercedes Schneider's Blog (deutsch29.wordpress.com)

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DEC 29 2018

US Corporations Are Micromanaging Curricula to Miseducate Students

US Corporations Are Micromanaging Curricula to Miseducate Students US Corporations Are Micromanaging Curricula to Miseducate Students Over the past year, the Trump administration’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational program garnered $300 million in pledges from big tech companies. Implicit in this push is the commonly accepted though questionable notion that millions of

Top Posts This Week 12/29/18 #REDFORED #UTLAStrong #StrikeReady #March4Ed #WeAreLA

Top Posts This Week 12/29/18 SPOTLIGHT BLOG OF THE WEEK: JAN RESSEGER BLOG (janresseger.wordpress.com) Are We Addicted to ‘School Reform’? | The Merrow Report A Favorite Subject Returns to Schools: Recess -