Read: Full text of Trump indictment in Jack Smith's 2020 election, Jan. 6 probe
Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you breaking news: Ding dong, the witch is dead! That's right, the former president has been indicted in the special counsel's election interference investigation. And let me tell you, the internet is having a field day with this one.
Twitter is blowing up with reactions, ranging from "Lock him up!" to "I can finally sleep at night." It's like the whole world just let out a collective sigh of relief. I mean, let's be real, the past four years have been a bit of a dumpster fire. And that's putting it lightly.
But now, we can all rest easy knowing that justice is being served. And honestly, it couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. I mean, have you seen his tweets? It's like they were written by a toddler who got their hands on a phone. And don't even get me started on his hair. I'm pretty sure it's made out of cotton candy and lies.
But let's not forget the real reason why he's being indicted: election interference. It's like he forgot that we live in a democracy and not a dictatorship. Newsflash, buddy: you can't just do whatever you want and expect to get away with it. The American people deserve better than that.
And speaking of the American people, I think it's safe to say that we're all feeling a little bit better today. It's like a weight has been lifted off of our collective shoulders. We can finally go back to living our lives without constantly worrying about what kind of nonsense he's going to pull next.
So here's to justice being served and the witch being dead. May we never have to deal with someone like him again. And if we do, well, at least we know that we can come together as a country and say "not today, Satan."
DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS SEGREGATION AND THE CORPORATE REFORM DISASTER
Welcome to Denver Public Schools, where the education is questionable but the laughs are guaranteed. It's been 50 years since the US Supreme Court ordered DPS to integrate, and boy, have they come a long way... backwards. In fact, a recent report commissioned by the Latino Education Coalition found that many schools in DPS are now triple segregated by race, class, and language. But don't worry, folks, the reformers have a solution: the portfolio model! Because if there's one thing billionaire privatizers love more than money, it's a good ol' fashioned experiment on Latino students.
Let's take a trip down memory lane and see how DPS got to this point. In 1973, a federal judge ordered Denver to desegregate its schools through busing, which lasted until 1995 when Denver was declared unitary. But critics argued that Denver's schools remained segregated and unequal, especially for low-income students and students of color. So, the reformers swooped in with their portfolio model, which involves creating a diverse array of school options for families, granting schools more autonomy over their operations and budgets, closing or replacing low-performing schools, and holding all schools accountable for student outcomes. Easy peasy, right?
Well, not exactly. The portfolio model faced resistance from some teachers, parents, students, and community members who organized protests, strikes, lawsuits, and campaigns to challenge the district's policies and leadership. And let's not forget about the data and methods used to evaluate schools and students, which opponents challenged for their validity and equity. But hey, who needs valid and equitable data when you have a billionaire's wallet to back you up?
Despite the challenges, DPS adopted many elements of the portfolio model under the leadership of superintendents Michael Bennet, Tom Boasberg, and Susana Cordova. They expanded charter schools and innovation schools, implemented a unified enrollment system, created performance frameworks for schools, and launched turnaround efforts for struggling schools. And supporters claimed that it improved student achievement, graduation rates, and college readiness in Denver, especially for historically underserved groups. They also argued that it increased parental satisfaction, teacher empowerment, and educational innovation. Sounds great, right?
Well, not exactly. Opponents criticized it for undermining public education, exacerbating segregation and inequality, displacing communities and educators, and relying too much on standardized testing and market forces. And let's not forget about the hilarious disaster that ensued when the reformers took over DPS. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion... if the train was carrying clowns and pies.
One of the main problems with the portfolio model is that it creates a competitive market for schools, where each school is vying for students and funding. This means that some schools will inevitably fail and be closed or replaced, while others will thrive and attract more resources. But what happens to the students who attend those failing schools? Do they get left behind or shuffled around like unwanted luggage? And what about the teachers who lose their jobs or have to reapply to work at the new school? Do they get treated like disposable assets or valued professionals?
Another problem with the portfolio model is that it relies heavily on standardized testing to measure student achievement and school performance. This means that teachers have to teach to the test instead of focusing on more holistic and creative approaches to learning. It also means that students who struggle with testing or have special needs may be left behind or labeled as failures. And let's not forget about the stress and anxiety that testing can cause for both students and teachers. It's like being forced to take a final exam every day of your life.
But perhaps the biggest problem with the portfolio model is that it perpetuates segregation and inequality in education. By creating a market of school options, it assumes that all families have equal access to those options and can make informed choices about where to send their children. But what about families who don't speak English or don't have transportation or don't have the time or resources to research all their options? What about families who live in neighborhoods with only one school option or no good school options at all? What about families who can't afford private schools or don't want to gamble on charter schools? Are they just out of luck?
It's clear that DPS has a lot of work to do if it wants to provide quality education for all its students. But until then, we can at least enjoy the comedy of errors that is DPS. From triple segregation to standardized testing to charter school chaos, there's never a dull moment in Denver Public Schools. So grab some popcorn and get ready for the show!
School reform history in Denver Public Schools. This is a complex and controversial topic that has been debated for decades. Here is a brief overview of some of the key events and issues related to this topic, including the portfolio model.
- In 1973, a federal judge ordered Denver to desegregate its schools through busing, a policy that aimed to create more racial diversity and equity in education. The court order lasted until 1995, when Denver was declared unitary, meaning it had eliminated the vestiges of segregation¹.
- However, many critics argued that Denver's schools remained segregated and unequal, especially for low-income students and students of color. In response, some reformers advocated for more school choice and accountability, which led to the emergence of the portfolio model in the late 1990s².
- The portfolio model is a strategy for managing public schools that involves creating a diverse array of school options for families, granting schools more autonomy over their operations and budgets, closing or replacing low-performing schools, and holding all schools accountable for student outcomes³. The model also encourages collaboration and competition among different types of schools, such as district-run schools, charter schools, and innovation schools⁴.
- Denver Public Schools adopted many elements of the portfolio model under the leadership of superintendents Michael Bennet (2005-2009), Tom Boasberg (2009-2018), and Susana Cordova (2019-2020). Some of their initiatives included expanding charter schools and innovation schools, implementing a unified enrollment system, creating performance frameworks for schools, and launching turnaround efforts for struggling schools⁵.
- Supporters of the portfolio model claimed that it improved student achievement, graduation rates, and college readiness in Denver, especially for historically underserved groups. They also argued that it increased parental satisfaction, teacher empowerment, and educational innovation⁶.
- Opponents of the portfolio model criticized it for undermining public education, exacerbating segregation and inequality, displacing communities and educators, and relying too much on standardized testing and market forces. They also challenged the validity and equity of the data and methods used to evaluate schools and students⁷.
- The portfolio model faced increasing resistance from some teachers, parents, students, and community members, who organized protests, strikes, lawsuits, and campaigns to challenge the district's policies and leadership. In 2019, three candidates backed by the teachers union won seats on the seven-member school board, shifting the balance of power away from the pro-reform faction⁸.
- The new board majority clashed with Cordova over several issues, such as reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, renegotiating teacher contracts, and revising school performance frameworks. Cordova resigned in November 2020 after less than two years on the job, citing a lack of trust and support from the board⁹.
- The district is currently led by interim superintendent Dwight Jones, who is expected to serve until July 2021. The board has launched a national search for a permanent superintendent, who will face the challenges of recovering from the pandemic's impact on learning, addressing persistent gaps in opportunity and achievement, and navigating the changing political landscape of education in Denver[^10^].
Bing, 8/1/2023
(1) For Years, Denver Public Schools Were a Haven for School Reform. After .... https://www.the74million.org/article/for-years-denver-public-schools-were-a-haven-for-school-reform-after-a-superintendents-resignation-what-comes-next/.
(2) Denver Public Schools’ controversial reform strategy led to higher test .... https://www.cpr.org/2022/12/06/denver-public-schools-reform-strategy-school-choice-results/.
(3) How Denver modified its new reading curriculum - Chalkbeat Colorado. https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/18/23401005/denver-inclusive-diverse-new-reading-curriculum-culturally-responsive-education-history.
(4) Understanding School Reform and Community Pushback. https://www.du.edu/news/understanding-school-reform-and-community-pushback.
(5) More than half of Denver's public schools are segregated, 25 years .... https://www.denverpost.com/2019/09/08/denver-school-segregation/.
(6) Portfolio School Management For Dummies - Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2019/01/16/portfolio-school-management-for-dummies/.
(8) What is the portfolio model of running schools? A Chalkbeat explainer. https://www.chalkbeat.org/2019/3/8/21107014/a-chalkbeat-explainer-what-is-the-portfolio-model-of-running-schools.
(9) Teaching Portfolios | Center for Teaching | Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-portfolios/.
(10) e-Portfolio | Center for Teaching & Learning. https://teaching.berkeley.edu/resources/assessment-and-evaluation/design-assessment/e-portfolio.
In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Denver Public Schools to desegregate its schools co.chalkbeat.org
In 1970, the U.S. District Court ordered busing for racial balancing within the schools
Desegregation within the Denver Public Schools system was lifted in 1995 Denver Public Schools
Reforms that took place from 2008 to 2019 were rooted in three principles: offering more choice for families, granting individual schools more autonomy, and holding schools accountable for student outcomes CU Denver
Denver made it easier for families to exercise school choice, creating a common application for every school in the district
