Sunday, January 31, 2021

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Worse Week Than I Thought Edition (1/31)

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Worse Week Than I Thought Edition (1/31)


Worse Week Than I Thought Edition 




You know, I thought last week was pretty okay until I looked at the pieces I had collected. So maybe you don't want to read every single item on the list this week. But do stick around for the palate cleanser at the end.

Jeff Bezos wants to go to the moon. Then, public education.

From Dominik Dresel at EdSurge, a piece that will not warm your heart or lift your spirits. 

2nd Grader expelled for telling another girl she had a crush on her

While we're not lifting your spirits--from CNN. Just in case you need one more example of how that nice Christian private school doesn't have to take--or keep--any kid they don't want to.

Unions just got a rare bit of good news.

If you thought the Janus case, which illegalized fair share payments and allowed teachers to be free riders on their unions work--well, if you thought that was the end of it, you underestimated how much some people hate unions. The next wave of suits is asking the court to make unions pay back all the fair share money they ever collected. SCOTUS announced this week that it will not hear at least the first block of such cases. Fully explained at Vox.

LA Virtual School's Whopper Course Sizes, with a Side of Edgenuity

Let's start a quick tour of some states by starting down south with the indispensable Mercedes Schneider, who reports on how virtual school is working out in Louisiana.

Norfolk remains deeply segregated

The Virginian-Pilot begins its long look at the city that was the site of the first federally funded public housing, the first to be released from federally mandated bussing. They have some issues, and this series, produced with support from the Education Writers Association Reporting Fellowship program, looks to be a long haul.

ASD Light

Against all sense, somebody in Tennessee thinks that maybe a do-over on the failed Achievement School District concept might work. Andy Spears has the story at Tennessee Ed Report.

All the World's A Stage

TC Weber has a variety of news items from TN, including an item that suggests TNTP is getting ready to teach everyone literacy stuff.

Ohio: Funding Doesn't Matter

The state auditor has decided that funding schools doesn't really do anything. Jan Resseger begs to differ, and brings some receipts.

Will North Carolina continue to whitewash history for its students?

North Carolina was on a path toward acknowledging some systemic problems. Then they elected a new state superintendent.

Will SB48 make educating your child more difficult than finding a covid vaccine?

Florida is set to take one more giant bite out of its public education system. I wrote about this bill, but Accountabaloney is one the scene and has a clear picture of what's going on. And everyone needs to pay attention, because Florida is using the same playbook that other states crib from.

The school choice movement reckons with its conservative ties

The splintering of choice's right and left wings has been a story for a while, but when the Philly PBS station notices, you know something's going on. Avl Wolfman-Arent reports for WHYY.

Teacher Comments on Being Tech Skeptics

Larry Cuban has collected some real comments from real teachers about the value of ed tech.

Is there really a science of reading?

At the Answer Sheet, David Reinking, Victoria J. Risko, and George G. Hruby stop by to explain in calm, measured tones why the whole "science of reading" thing is not the cure-all it's promoted to be.

More states seek federal waivers

Also the Answer Sheet, Valerie Strauss reports that more and more states are asking for what is so obviously the right thing to do-- scrap the 2021 Big Standardized Test.

Marketplace mentality toward schools hurts society

The Baptist Standard, of all places, has an interview with Jack Schneider and Jennifer Berkshire about Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door (do you have your copy yet? get it today!) and how the market approach to education is bad for everyone.

Trump conspiracists in the classroom

Buzzfeed, of all places, takes a look at the problem of teachers who have fallen down the Trump/Qanon hole. Politics in the classroom are one thing; lies and debunked conspiracies are another order of trouble.

Meet the Vermont Teacher behind Bernie's Mittens

Just in case you haven't met her already. I've got to leave you with something encouraging.

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Worse Week Than I Thought Edition (1/31)






Nationwide Initiative Underway To Dismantle Public Education
200+by Peter Greene / 21h
Well, happy School Choice Week. What better way to celebrate than getting a bunch of states to ram through bills to gut (or in some cases further gut) public education. The preferred method seems to be ESA-style vouchers (ESA used to stand for "education savings account," but sometimes "education scholarship account"). In an ESA/Tax Credit Scholarship program, rich benefactors give money to a "sc
Selling Roboscoring: How's That Going, Anyway?
by Peter Greene / 2d
The quest continues--how to best market the notion of having student essays scored by software instead of actual humans. It's a big, bold dream, a dream of world in which test manufacturers don't have to hire pesky, expensive meat widgets and the fuzzy unscientific world of writing can be reduced to hard numbers--numbers that we know are objective and true because, hey, they came form a computer.
New Horizons in Workplace Surveillance
by Peter Greene / 3d
Work-from-home has triggered an explosion in Surveil-from-the-office features and products. There has certainly been a boom in programs specifically for surveillance of employees who are at home. These are creepy, with a reported 81% of the top programs logging keystrokes -- so that the boss can see exactly what you've been typing. But there's something even more insidious about regular old produ
The Curmudgureading List
by Peter Greene / 4d
I was recently reminded that it has been a while since I've done one of these. The edublogging universe has, I think, shrunk a bit in the last year or two, which is not to say that there aren't still hundreds out there. But lots of folks come and go, and I drop blogs from the list on the side when they've gone dormant for more than a few months. There has also been a shift to newsletters and subs
Teachers and the Toll of Disinterest
1Kby Peter Greene / 4d
The closest I ever came to leaving public education was almost twenty years ago, when I was the president of our local union, and we were on strike. It was a challenging time. The contract negotiations started with stripping (a technique where the district proposes to gut the contract so that they can pretend to make concessions later by agreeing to only partly gut the contract, which of course i
ICYMI: Bernie Meme Week Edition (1/24)
by Peter Greene / 7d
I'm not a huge fan of pomp, but I do love a good meme explosion, and I'm fond of getting government out of the hands of people who actively, purposefully try to make it fail, so all in all, not a bad week. Before the list, let me give you your semi-regular reminder that sharing stuff is powerful. It makes bloggers think, "Hey, I'm actually reaching people" and it makes news organizations think, "
High Stakes Testing Town Hall--Sign Up
36by Peter Greene / 7d
Is there a debate about this spring's Big Standardized Test, exactly? On one side, you have pretty much everyone who has actual direct knowledge of education and teaching pointing out the many reasons that going ahead with
at

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Sunday, January 31, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDVACCINE

 Big Education Ape

THE TOP BANANA
TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES 



Biden administration urged to allow states to cancel spring standardized testing - The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/01/30/biden-administration-urged-allow-states-cancel-spring-standardized-testing/

BUSTED: Republican lawmaker caught pushing parental rights bill for rapists http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheRawStory/~3/9CJrTC_kGMY/

The Colleges That Took the Pandemic Seriously - The Atlantic - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/colleges-took-pandemic-seriously/617879/

Chicago parents say remote learning isn’t working and want their voices heard in a city still grappling with a plan https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/chicago-parents-schools-reopen/2021/01/30/cb9915a2-62bb-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html?tid=ss_tw

The racial disparities over who is returning to D.C. classrooms puts equity spotlight on reopening plan https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/washington-schools-reopening/2021/01/30/db479122-6009-11eb-9061-07abcc1f9229_story.html?tid=ss_tw

In the grueling doc "Try Harder!" Asian American students strive to meet "unreasonable" expectations https://www.salon.com/2021/01/30/try-harder-sundance-asian-american-lowell-high-debbie-lum/

Dr. Fauci questions Biden's 100-day school reopening plan https://www.explica.co/dr-fauci-questions-bidens-100-day-school-reopening-plan/

National union leader calls on Lightfoot to work with Chicago teachers: ‘Why is the mayor not listening?’ | Nation | newsbug.info - https://www.newsbug.info/news/nation/national-union-leader-calls-on-lightfoot-to-work-with-chicago-teachers-why-is-the-mayor/article_f68e05f2-72b1-5053-8a02-35cb383a5c51.html on @thehj

Students Continue To Pressure Northwestern University To Abolish The Police - PopularResistance.Org - https://popularresistance.org/?p=181663

Kevin McCarthy buried by Parkland survivor for pandering to 'conspiratorial anti-Semite' Marjorie Taylor Greene http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheRawStory/~3/VV6Z2cg4B-

Adoption and Safe Families Act: The ‘Crime Bill’ of Child Welfare https://www.laprogressive.com/adoption-and-safe-families-act-the-crime-bill-of-child-welfare/

In dispute between D.C. and union, arbitrator ruling clears city schools to reopen Monday https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-schools-dispute/2021/01/31/3e90d7ea-63c8-11eb-8468-21bc48f07fe5_story.html?tid=ss_tw

North Carolina Hopes to Demolish Its Public Schools, Too | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-tmx via @dianeravitch


Big Education Ape: CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Worse Week Than I Thought Edition (1/31) - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/01/catch-up-with-curmudgucation-icymi_31.html


Big Education Ape: John Thompson: Oklahoma’s Disastrous Efforts to Privatize Everything | Diane Ravitch's blog - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/01/john-thompson-oklahomas-disastrous.html





CURMUDGUCATION: Nationwide Initiative Underway To Dismantle Public Education
by Mike Simpson / 10min
Nationwide Initiative Underway To Dismantle Public Education Well, happy School Choice Week. What better way to celebrate than getting a bunch of states to ram through bills to gut (or in some cases further gut) public education. The preferred method seems to be ESA-style vouchers (ESA used to stand for "education savings account," but sometimes "education scholarship account"). In an ESA/Tax Cr
Chicago Teachers' Struggle At A Crossroads - PopularResistance Org
by Mike Simpson / 10min
Chicago Teachers' Struggle At A Crossroads - PopularResistance.Org CHICAGO TEACHERS’ STRUGGLE AT A CROSSROADS The drive to reopen Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the third largest school district in the country, has become a pitched battle between educators and the state apparatus, the latter backed up by the corporate media and the unions. The fight by Chicago educators to prevent the reopening of
Open Letter to Dr. Miguel Cardona On The Future Of Public Education And Indigenous Resurgence – Wrench in the Gears
by Mike Simpson / 10min
Open Letter to Dr. Miguel Cardona On The Future Of Public Education And Indigenous Resurgence Dear Dr. Cordona, I am writing this open letter as the parent of a young adult child who spent thirteen years in an under-funded urban school district, a district targeted by consultants, corporate interests, and predatory philanthropists who sought to leverage the challenges faced by our city’s vulnera
Ed Notes Online: Today 8 PM Zoom - Get Our Damn School System Out of the Hands of Incompetent and clueless Mayors Once and for all #ourcityschools #endmayoralcontrol #cancelthemayor SUNDAY 1/31 @ 8PM
by Mike Simpson / 10min
Ed Notes Online: Today 8 PM Zoom - Get Our Damn School System Out of the Hands of Incompetent and clueless Mayors Once and for all Today 8 PM Zoom - Get Our Damn School System Out of the Hands of Incompetent and clueless Mayors Once and for all Almost 20 years under the mayoral dictatorships of Bloomberg and de Blasio. It's time to put an end to it. School governance starts at the top but ends wi
EdAction in Congress January 31, 2021 - Education Votes
by Mike Simpson / 10min
EdAction in Congress January 31, 2021 Tell Congress to pass a robust COVID-19 package The sea change in the outlook for robust COVID-19 relief is proof elections really do have consequences. NEA and the Biden administration are on the same page: additional, significant relief is needed—and it is needed fast. If building bipartisan support proves impossible, Democrats have signaled they will use
School Community Led by People, Not Billionaires - LA Progressive
by Mike Simpson / 10min
School Community Led by People, Not Billionaires A s soon as Anna Grant’s busy workday at Forest View Elementary School in Durham, North Carolina, ended, she would head toward the next school where she was needed. “I would get off work and immediately drive to meetings, press events, whatever we had organized [for the school],” she recalls. Her second school of concern was Lakewood Elementary, w
MITCHELL ROBINSON: The Forgotten Voices in the School Reopening Debate: Teachers | Eclectablog
by Mike Simpson / 10min
The Forgotten Voices in the School Reopening Debate: Teachers | Eclectablog The Forgotten Voices in the School Reopening Debate: Teachers The following post was written by an elementary school teacher. This person could be your neighbor…a friend…a family member…or just someone you know on social media. This teacher hasn’t shared how they feel with anyone outside of their family, because there is
Stop the Tests. Stop Vouchers. It's Up to You. - Network For Public Education
by Mike Simpson / 10min
Stop the Tests. Stop Vouchers. It’s Up to You. Miguel Cardona’s confirmation hearing as U.S. Secretary of Education will take place this Wednesday. You can watch the hearing live at 10:00 am EST here . We believe he should immediately waive the requirement for spring testing. You can find our letter to him here . We are delighted that 74 national, state, and local public education advocacy group
Texas Requires Students to Take State Test in Person | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 10min
Texas Requires Students to Take State Test in Person While other states are requesting waivers from federally-mandated tests this spring, Texas is moving forward, requiring all students to take in-person tests. Given the stress and dislocation caused by the pandemic, this is madness. State Commissioner Mike Morath was never an educator, and apparently he lacks common decency. Instruction has bee
A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007
by Mike Simpson / 10min
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/01/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_30.html “Pandemic Lessons for a Post-COVID Classroom” by Larry Ferlazzo / 3h Pand
Did Closing Schools Save Lives Or Cost Lives? The Debate Continues | 89.3 KPCC
by Mike Simpson / 3h
Did Closing Schools Save Lives Or Cost Lives? The Debate Continues In November, I reported for NPR on a scientific paper that estimated millions of years of life could be lost due to prolonged school closures in the U.S. — far more, in fact, than might be lost by keeping schools open. The paper has since been corrected and critiqued. The central question it tried to answer remains. The paper's a

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