Latest "Talk out of school" podcast with cybersecurity expert Doug Levin and NYS Senate Brad Hoylman
Check out the latest "Talk out of School" podcast, starting with my update on NYC education news, including Sunday's vote of no confidence in the Mayor by the CSA, the school administrator’s union, the restart of in-person learning for elementary school students on Tuesday, and the fact that the city's COVID positivity rate had risen above 3% on Tuesday, which if it continues for seven days would cause another system wide school shutdown. (Luckily, on Thursday, the city's positivity rate fell to 1.59%, and the seven day average remains low at 1.52%.)
After this brief news recap, I spoke with Doug Levin, President of the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center, about the increased number of data breaches, ransomware, and other cyberattacks on school systems in NY and throughout the country as more instruction has moved online, posing a serious threat to the operation of districts and the privacy of students and staff.
Finally, I interviewed NY State Senator Brad Hoylman about his views on a range of education issues, including unaddressed dyslexia including in the case of his daughter, his various bills to raise taxes on the wealthy to allow for more school funding and prevent additional budget cuts, his legislative proposal to improve charter school accountability, and rising discontent with Mayoral control. You can subscribe to the weekly podcast here.
Links and Resources
- K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center and a district self-assessment tool
- NY State Senator Brad Hoylman website
- Revenue bills introduced in the Legislature sponsored by Sen. Hoylman: a pied-a-terre tax on non-primary residences valued at $5m or more, a repeal of tax breaks for yachts and private jets, authorizing New York City to be able to impose a tax on vacant commercial storefronts, and close the carried interest loophole. Sen. Hoylman is also a co-sponsor of a bill by Senator Robert Jackson to enact an ultra-millionaires tax and direct the proceeds to school funding through Foundation Aid.
- His bill to strengthen charter school accountability is here.
