Well, that was almost as much fun as when schools started up last fall. Fun times all around, for sure. And a hefty reading list for the week, and I'll warn you up front--it's not a cheery collection. A reminder that sharing is caring, and that if you find something here that speaks to you, it's a great idea to signal boost it out into the world.
Teacher shortages will linger after the pandemic wanes
Andrea Gabor at Bloomsburg opinion looks at the problems that pre-date covid and will outlive it as well. Secrets to try? Maybe rethinking what professional respect id supposed to mean.
Michigan superintendent: Let's address teacher shortage
The MI state education leader in an interview discussing the problems that have led to this challenge, and what might be done about it.
Governor Lee has a great new idea of how to carve up inadequate funding to make it better, but Andy Spears notices that somehow, reformsters at TennesseeCAN already know what's in the plan. Not a good sign.
Why we could soon lose even more Black teachers
Sarah Carr at the Hechinger Report talks to some former Black teachers about what could be done to stop the loss of so many Black teachers.
Open letter to Indiana legislature on subject of pending critical race theory bills
Shane Phipps tries to help the legislature understand why this is a bad idea.
I am a school board member. Anti-CRT bills are stoking fear in our district.
Oh, New Hampshire. What happened to you? A school board member in the granite state talks about what the attacks on teaching about race have meant. Here's a line about the transformation into more strident parent comments:
That transformation was concerning — not because parents don’t have the right to share their views and concerns with their school board, but because the content of their concerns seemed divorced from the reality of the teaching happening in our district.It's been a long, arduous week for Massachusetts teachers. Why won't state leaders apologize?
Neema Avashia talks about how MA leaders dropped the ball this week.
Jennifer Orr blogs about her own stress this week as a teacher, and asks some important question about what, exactly, the current goal is.
NY High School Students' COVID Experience
The indispensable Mercedes Schneider has a look at that Reddit post that's been making the rounds, describing NYC's opened schools as not exactly firing on all cylinders.
Who gets the blame when school shut down?
Well, you know the answer, but Jessica Winter at The New Yorker offers a more fair and balanced look at the issue.
Don't blame teachers for covid quarantines and closures
Steven Singer would like you to stop laying all of this disruption on teachers. Here's why.
America doesn't have enough teachers to keep schools open
Anna North at Vox explains just how close to the edge most schools are right now.
The demise of genuinely public education
One of the hardest reads I had this week. Nancy Flanagan has stayed pretty optimistic for years, but that has changed, as this doom post explains.
Profits for Non profit charter schools
An interview with Carol Burris appearing in Jacobin
Why education is about to reach a crisis of epic proportions
Mark Perna at Forbes lays it out again in an article that you probably already saw this week because everyone was sharing it.:
In order to reach and teach students effectively, teachers must forge a human connection with them. Today’s younger generations simply will not move forward in their education and career journey without that connection. This is a non-negotiable; it’s just who they are.
What K-12 textbooks are like now
Bob Shepherd lays out a sample lesson. Tongue firmly in cheek.
100 Ohio school districts file anti-voucher lawsuit
Jan Resseger has a great explainer for that lawsuit in Ohio in which public schools are fighting back against privatizers.
Voucher lawsuit filed, voucher proponents dissemble
As voucher fans try to defend against that Ohio lawsuit, Stephen Dyer looks at some of their claims, including the claim that they provide a great service to communities of color. (Spoiler alert: they don't)
I don't usually put Diane Ravitch posts on this list because I figure if you read me, you probably already read her. But this is one not to miss. A reporter was looking at charter shenanigans in Charleston. Here's what he found, not published anywhere else, including at the paper that used to employ him.
A Note of Reassurance from your School District Regarding Our Updated Omicron Policies
McSweeney's is here once again with a darkly funny take on school district responses to the current surge.
Finally, over at Forbes this week I wrote about an important new book and why school choice is really bad at transparency.
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