Andy Spears on Vouchers
-
In Tennessee, A Warning on VouchersAs lawmakers prepare to vote on voucher
scam, some final words
by Andy Spears
Tennessee lawmakers are slated to tak...
Jim Acosta Signs Off at CNN
-
CNN doesn’t want to make Trump angry. Trump doesn’t like Jim Acosta. CNN
moved him to a late-night slot, where fewer viewers would see him. Jim
Acosta resi...
BLM at School Week of Action Events–Register Today!
-
The 2025 Back Lives Matter at School Week of Action is almost here, and we
have a powerful week of events lined up to celebrate and center Blackness
in edu...
What We Can Do about Authoritarianism
-
*1. Protect the decent and hardworking members of your communities who are
undocumented or whose parents are undocumented.*
This is an urgent moral ca...
January Parent Engagement Resources
-
Participation in School Activities by Spanish- and English-speaking Parents
of Enrolled Students: 1999–2019 Improve family communication with active
listen...
Summer Food Program Applications Are Now Open
-
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announces Summer Food Service Program
applications available on February 18; Applications are due by May 15.
NECESSARY, BUT HARDLY SUFFICIENT
-
Banning cellphones in public schools seems to finally be happening in lots
of states and school districts, but, unfortunately, the numbers are
slippery. On...
PA: AI Cyber Charter Rejected--Hard
-
The Texas business couple who wanted to launch a Pennsylvania cyber charter
that used 2 hours of AI in place of more hours with actual teachers has
been de...
Second Breakfast: 12 Years and 60 Minutes Later
-
Second Breakfast: 12 Years and 60 Minutes Later
This will be the last Friday you'll receive a *Second Breakfast* newsletter
in 2024. I'm not writing my us...
School Board Glaze Amid Heartbreak
-
“Virtue was vanity dressed up and waiting for applause.” ― Richard
Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the Deep North I try to produce a new Dad
Gone Wild piece...
Racing Heart, Sweaty Palms, Tense Muscles
-
I once knew a two-year-old who was terrified of pinecones. In nearly every
other circumstance, he was a bold, confident child, but when he spied a
pinec...
Blog Powering Down For a Bit
-
Signing off for a short period of time for personal time in Seattle (yes, I
see it might snow Saturday night, fun).
Sadly, I won't be able to attend the ...
FCMAT Attacks Weed Elementary
-
By Thomas Ultican 1/28/2025 In 1992, California inaugurated the Fiscal
Crisis Management Assist Team (FCMAT) in the aftermath of the Richmond
School Distri...
Burn! (as That 70s Show Used to Say)
-
As we move into the third (or is it fourth) decade of school degradation
and the end goal comes in sight, the charter wars have transmogrified into
the vou...
Who ARE These People?
-
For most of my adult life (other than a brief but wonderful stint in the
People’s Republic of Ann Arbor), I’ve been the proverbial blue dot on a red
backgr...
Our Friend Ali arrested in Switzerland
-
The Electronic Intifada’s executive director Ali Abunimah was deported by
Switzerland on Monday after spending two nights in jail. Abunimah was
detained ah...
Who is the new CEO of Teach For America?
-
From 1990 until 2013, the CEO of TFA was the founder, Wendy Kopp. Under her
leadership the program grew from a small organization that struggled to
make pa...
64
-
[Header Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash] Regret More than a decade ago,
close to one of the most celebrated birthdays, turning 50, I was ghosted.
Althou...
The Madness
-
I recently watched The Madness on Netflix, and it offered a fascinating
exploration of the intersection of power, money, and technology—one that is
DEEPLY ...
The Orange Turd feeds the racists
-
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...
Retiree Advocate Town Hall: The ARISE Campaign
-
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 ...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
-
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
-
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...
The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” Awards
-
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
-
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?
-
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...
Education Has Failed and What Can We Do Next?
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
-
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
-
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
...
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 García
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...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
-
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
-
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...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
-
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
-
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.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
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
-
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...
This is surreal. The state is holding the lawsuit to see if Local districts have control over education or the state does is being held over ZOOM. I am confused why the judge didn't just say, well as long as we have to have court through zoom, we should have school through zoom too. Corcoran and DeSantis are attempting to usurp the authority of districts and force them to do what they want them t
Empower Jax is an organization known for wanting to strip protections away from LGBTQ people. They fought against the HRO and push an agenda that wants to see gay people shoved back in the closet, and don't take my word for it, take the Times Unions. Oh, and why does this matter? It's because they found their candidate in district 3. From the Florida Times-Union, The newly formed group trying to
I tried to come up with something where I talked about the Premack principle and how if you are in a hole stop digging, but I couldn't because the bottom line is DCPS is making a conscious choice to treat it's employees poorly. Every time they are given an opportunity to do something right, they choose wrong. First, the district has had it backward from day one. They should have put everyone in D
This is going to be a little inside baseball. DCPS decided to scrap it's ESE curriculum based on 24 responses to a survey given during a pandemic. That's a problem; the bigger one though, is the district continues to treat its teachers like afterthoughts. So last spring, they introduced a program called Teach Town to supplement our main ESE program ULS. I didn't care for it, but I may not be a gr
Homeroom initially sounded great. The thought of high-risk teachers being able to teach from home was comforting to me, though unfortunately, it didn't work like that, and you had to apply and hope you get it, and that was before it got worse. Then we learned that Duval Home from teachers would have to teach from the schools, and we all let out a collective what the %$#& how does that make any se
I try and be sympathetic to Superintendent Greene. On good days she has a really tough job, and these are about as far from good days as you can get. In late July the school board passed a resolution saying as many people as possible should be allowed to work from home, and thus far, the super has ignored it. She is forcing people who could work from home to come in despite the board telling her
I try and be sympathetic to the super. On good days she has a really tough job, and these are about as far from good days as you can get. This is the thing the board passed a resolution saying as many people as possible should be allowed to work from home, and thus far, the super has ignored it. She is forcing people who could work from home to come in despite the board telling her to do the oppo
It is 2020, and it is beyond sad that the governor continually lies to the people of Florida to push his deadly agenda. Almost daily, he says schools should open because kids don't get the coronavirus when the truth is they do and are getting it a faster and faster rate. Won't it be something when we find out they hadn't been getting it because we kept them safe by closing schools? 180 Children i
Never waste a crisis. Last spring, after a solid year and a half of teacher action, when they pushed back against the conditions that were strangling the profession, teachers were lauded as heroes as they switched to distance learning in a couple days. The memes and accolades were everywhere. Fast forward to today when many teachers are protesting going back to unsafe conditions, and suddenly the
It's not just school staff and students; we should be worried about but district staff as well. Many district staff don't have the protection of the union and are afraid to speak up about their safety, and that is just not how it should be. In July, the board passed a work from home resolution. Sounds great right, let's keep as many people out of the buildings and as safe as possible. Except it h
In history, when doing terrible things, people have often said they were just following orders? Well, friends, that's the same things directors of the local departments of health, superintendents and school board members have been saying the same thing in the face of DeSantis's directions and Corcoran's executive order. I don't think history will be kind to them either. From the Palm Beach Post.
I am sure we all saw the pictures of the school in Georgia. You know I don't blame the kids. Kids will do what kids will do, nope, I blame the adults. The ones who are supposed to use facts and evidence to make decisions, the ones who are supposed to make sure kids are safe. They are the ones who failed and failed spectacularly. Sadly Georgia isn't the only place this has happened. There has been
the revelation that Governor DeSantis said on one hand schools could close at the direction of their health departments and on the other told those health departments not to help, I spent more than a few minutes screaming into a