Heather Cox Richardson on the Russian Invasion of UkraineHeather Cox Richardson is a historian who blogs regularly, putting current events into perspective. She does not mention here that Putin has clamped down on critics inside Russia. The independent media established after the fall of the USSR have been closed down, both broadcast and print. It is now illegal to report accurately what is happening. Government censors have warned all remaining media
The Guardian: Kremlin Papers Seem to Show Putin Role in 2016 ElectionMillions of words have been written about whether Putin interfered in the2016 election to help Trump. The matter will be debated for years to come, and I do not think the definitive answer has been revealed. Trump’s behavior while in office supported the belief that he was indebted to Putin. He was obsequious to Putin whenever they met. He always spoke admiringly about him and implied that they h
Umair Haque: Has World War III Started?Umair Haque is a technologist and future thinker whose writings are insightful. A few days ago, he posted an article asserting that World War III has already started, and we are asleep. It is well worth your while to read this article in full. He argues that Putin has cleverly sowed dissension in the U.S., in the U.K., and in Europe. Based on new evidence, he believes that Putin helped Trump win
NEPC: School Choice Does Not Produce EquityThe National Education Policy Center reviewed a report about the relationship between school choice and equity. Basically, equity is an afterthought, not a goal. Rhetorically, school choice advocates regularly claim that these policies advance equity. Yet a new research report of school choice policies in five geographically and demographically diverse states found that equity has been little mor
Peter Greene: The Panic Comes for Dolly PartonYou won’t believe this. Peter Greene sums it up in a hilarious/sad post. Dolly Parton created a foundation to give free books to children 0-5. A committee of the Kentucky State Senate was discussing whether to partner with Dolly’s Imagination Library. One of the senators —Stephen Meredith—expressed concern with the term “age appropriate.” He thought it might be code for something bad, like indoct
New York City: Unions, Parents Sue to Block New Charter That Busts State CapLike most states, New York has a limit (a “cap”) on the total number of charters permitted to open in New York State and in New York City. The state cap is 460 charters. The city cap is 242 (included in the state total). The charter lobby has urged an increase in the number allowed, because there is no room for growth. Recently, the State University of New York authorized a new charter high schoo
After So Much Charter Failure and Fraud, Why Do State Legislatures Open More of Them?I have always been puzzled by the indifference of state and federal legislators to widespread failure and fraud in the charter sector. The same mystery shrouds the decisions of the billionaires who keep pouring new money into new charters. No matter how many of the charters fail and close their doors, no matter how many of their founders are convicted of embezzlement or padding enrollment, no mat
Missouri: TFA-led Charter School Under $$$ ScrutinyThe St. Louis Post-Dispatch published a front-page story about the financial shenanigans associated with a charter school founded by two TFA teachers (one of whom was the son of the former mayor). The school has a large number of uncertified teachers and an uncertified high school principal and boasts of its staff’s lack of credentials. Its teachers have a high attrition rate. And its academic pe
