Jersey Jazzman: Charter School "Chef" Makes More Than Teachers!

Jersey Jazzman: Charter School "Chef" Makes More Than Teachers!:

Charter School "Chef" Makes More Than Teachers!

by Duke

Want to make money at a charter school? Don't become a teacher; be a chef!

A March 2012 menu feature at Camden's LEAP Academy University Charter School was grilled cheese, tomato soup, peas, and fresh fruit. This month, the menu features grilled cheese, tomato soup, and strawberry applesauce. 

A more striking change than in the menu is what executive chef Michele Pastorello is getting for his work now - a $24,000 raise from last year. 

He will make $95,000 this school year - significantly more than comparable food-service directors' salaries in other New Jersey public school districts. 

The raise came as part of a new food-service contract the school entered for this year, replacing Aramark with Metz Culinary Management. According to the school's bid specifications, obtained 

 

Educational Eugenics » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names

Educational Eugenics » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names:

The Corporate Reform of Public Schools

Educational Eugenics

by MARK GRAHAM

Teachers and students are having a rough time in the United States—and not just because they are in danger of being murdered in their classrooms.  Public education itself is under attack, fueled by foundation dollars, government policies and media hype.  The problem isn’t international rankings, teacher pensions, or outdated theories.  These are smokescreens.  The enemies of American education hate it because it is public-powered, union-friendly, and people-centered.  Public education doesn’t exist to churn out cheap crap so someone can make a buck.  At its best, it teaches tolerance, promotes democratic values, and invests in the potential of each and every one of its students.  And that’s its main problem.  That’s why Democrats and Republicans alike are hell-bent on transforming our schools into a tyrannical instrument of corporate power through increased standardization of curricula, instruction, and assessments.  Their goal is to manufacture “proficient” students and “distinguished” teachers—an educational master race judged by objective and scientific criteria.  The end result of such technocratic pedagogy is nothing less than a eugenics of the mind.

The current mechanistic view of teaching and learning follows a model invented by Frederick Winslow Taylor in the early twentieth century.  Mirroring the worldview of his big-business clientele, Taylor viewed working people with contempt.  “The science of handling pig-iron is so great,” he told a Congressional committee, “that the man who is … 

Scott Walker Wants You To Think He Is Increasing Money to Public Schools by $129 Million « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

Scott Walker Wants You To Think He Is Increasing Money to Public Schools by $129 Million « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!:

Scott Walker Wants You To Think He Is Increasing Money to Public Schools by $129 Million

by millerlf

Funding for Wisconsin public schools is restricted by a revenue limit (cap). If that cap is not raised, any increase in State funding ($129 million) means there is a decrease in contribution from property tax by $129 million.Revenue for school districts remains the same.
Example: If the revenue limit (cap) were $10,000 per student, $5000 from the State and $5000 from local property tax, when the State increases its contribution, say by $1000, raising the State contribution to $6000, and the revenue cap is not raised, then the property tax contribution would be reduced to $4000.
This means less is coming from property taxes, therefore constituting “property tax relief.” But schools and

Gov. Walker Advances Failed Voucher System

by millerlf

Governor Walker previewed his state budget address this week by announcing the expansion of the taxpayer-funded private school voucher program to school districts that 1) have at least 4,000 students and 2) have at least two school buildings receiving the 4^th or 5^th lowest rating on the school report cards.
School districts that meet these criteria are:  Beloit, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Kenosha, Madison, Sheboygan, Superior, Waukesha and West Allis-West Milwaukee.
The state budget proposal would also open the door to future expansion as other school districts meet the 

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week:

Seattle Schools This Week

by Melissa Westbrook

Monday, Feb. 18th
No school for the Presidents' Day holiday.

Reminder: Seattle Testing Tele Town Hall: What’s Next After the MAP boycott? Mon. Feb 18, 7pm PST. Toll-free dial in (866) 476-7782.  A discussion of standardized testing in K-12 public education.

Also, you DO call in today (even if a holiday) to get on the speakers list for the Board meeting on Wednesday.  It's 252-0040 or boardagenda@seattleschools.org

Tuesday, Feb. 19th
Protest of Michelle Rhee before her talk at Town Hall at 6 p.m. 

Wednesday, Feb. 20th
School Board meeting starting at 4:15 p.m.  Agenda 
The agenda includes:

- intro of contract to start Arbor Heights planning
- intro of contract for Cedar Park planning
- intro of contract for Van Asselt reopening
- intro of contract for John Marshall reopening in 2013 (note that would be this fall).  Interesting.
- intro of contract for new school at Thorton Creek (or equivalent site)
- intro of contract for New Jane Addams K-8 at Pinehurst
- intro of contract for new middle and elementary schools at Wilson-Pacific

In addition, there is just one action item - approval of yearbook contract.

Looking at this sparse agenda which is unlikely to have a lot of discussion (although none of the contracts are

School Websites and their Information

by Melissa Westbrook

As I have often said (and found), when you starting looking for one thing, you often find another.

I wanted to see what might be being said at different middle schools about overcrowding.  I found various things but it was what I found being said about other issues that was interesting.

One thing I notice is that many middle schools seem to assume in their newsletters/updates that all parents know everyone who works in the school/PTA.  I was the editor for the Eckstein PTA newsletter and I quickly realized that making assumptions about what parents do and do not know is a bad idea.

One, because it isn't true that everyone is up-to-speed on how things work for any given program/activity at school. 

Two, it can lead to shutting people out because they feel dumb/frustrated for asking questions.

For example, Middle School X (I'll use no name to protect the innocent although you could probably figure it out) is having a musical.  Great.  But one thing I notice is that the notice about the musical has some troubling aspects.

First, it assumes that you know who the two musical coordinators are.  It asks that if you have worked with them 

Schools Matter: Robert D. Skeels: a community candidate for LAUSD School Board

Schools Matter: Robert D. Skeels: a community candidate for LAUSD School Board:

Robert D. Skeels: a community candidate for LAUSD School Board

by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene

"Alongside this began a sharp rise in the costs of elections, which drove the political parties even deeper into the pockets of the corporate sector." — Professor Noam Chomsky
Readers have probably already seen the news of how the morning after I trounced the incumbent at a local candidate forum, that NYC Mayor Bloomberg increased my opponent's already obscene campaign fund by a whopping $1 Million. We had begun our campaign early, because we knew that the corporate reformers would "up the ante" this election cycle, but I don't think anyone anticipated the right-wing Coalition for School Reform (CSR) would raise over $2.5 Million in support of the corporate candidates for the March 5, 2013 election. This issignificantly more than they raised last election cycle.
The intractable Los Angeles Times asked me for a quotation on the latest plutocrat donation to the corporate CSR slush fund. As their custom, they only used an out-of-context sentence fragment from my quote. Professor Diane Ravitch, on the other hand, used my full quote along with an introduction:

Robert Skeels is a pro-public school candidate in Los Angeles. He has raised $15,000. He will not get anything from Eli Broad or Michael Bloomberg.
He comments:
The LA Times asked me for a quote on Bloomberg's $1 Million CSR donation. Here's my response:"As a community candidate who has raised over $15,000 through myriad small contributions from local parents, community members, and classroom teachers, I find it dismaying that a single out-of-state billionaire has a greater voice in our school board election than all the working families of District 2. Where were these millions of dollars when the incumbent callously cut early childhood education, adult education, and K-12 arts last year?"

I'm not expecting to out-fund-raise the billionaire boys club, but every donation counts. If you believe in public education, and have followed my work on schoolsmatter.info and other sites, then you know what I stand for. If you're in Los Angeles, we can use your physical help with precinct walking, phone banking, and letters to the editor. If you aren't in town, consider a donation. We're a few weeks out, and the last minute help can make all the difference.

Community candidate video

Popout

Award-winning documentary film-maker Chris Hume captured footage and interviews from the Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board campaign's third weekend of precinct walking on January 19, 2013. Filmed on 1st Street in Boyle Heights at Purgatory Pizza just prior to the group going out to talk to voters. Featured in the video are two widely respected educators whose support is greatly appreciated.

• Dr. John Fernandez — Teacher, Theodore Roosevelt High School (Ret.) and former Director of the Mexican-American Education Commission for the LAUSD.
• Martha Infante — 2009 CCSS Teacher of the Year, National Board Certified Teacher, Past-President Southern CA Social Science Association, proud public middle school teacher.

Here is the text of our latest campaign flyer:

Trusted by Community, Rooted in Community

Robert D. Skeels' longstanding as a principled community activist has won him broad support with families, community leaders, and grassroots organizations. LA Schools Report recently wrote about him: "just one School Board candidate [is] running a truly grassroots campaign built on dozens of volunteers and more than a hundred small contributions of as little as $5 — and little else by way of outside support." Robert's record of defending schools like Garfield HS from outside takeover, siding with public school parents against colocations, advocating for the rights of special needs students, and standing up against the incumbent's cuts to early childhood education, elementary arts, and adult education has demonstrated that he will aways fight for the community and stand up against corporate interests.

Trusted by Education Experts, Rooted in What Works

Because of his extensive education policy knowledge and deep understanding of local issues, Robert D. Skeels is the only District 2 candidate endorsed by both United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA). Robert is also endorsed the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education, Dr. Diane Ravitch, and many other national and local education experts including: Professor Stephen Krashen, Professor Paul L. Thomas, Professor James Horn, Dr. Rosemary L. Lee, Dr. John Thompson, Dr. John Fernandez, Susan Ohanian, and Cheryl Ortega. A regular contributor to education websites like the nationally recognized schoolsmatter.info, Robert is an advocate of what works in education, not expensive fads or wasteful experiments. He supports proven, research based methods of pedagogy, including dual language immersion programs, project based learning, free voluntary reading with ample access to libraries, and critical studies.

Supporting Programs that Serve Our Community

The current LAUSD leadership has a long history of squandering our community's money as evidenced by massive spending on useless assessments, expensive consultants, highly discredited value added methodologies, and nine figure real estate giveaways to lucrative charter corporations. Instead of looking to cut the former expenses, LAUSD leaders have targeted programs that our communities depend upon most — Early Education, Student Readiness and Language Development Program (SRLDP), Elementary Arts, and Adult Education. The Superintendent and LAUSD Board of Education President have continually balanced the budget on the backs of the working people. Robert D. Skeels has been on the forefront of every struggle to fight budget cuts and to save programs critical to our community.

---

Public education activist, researcher, and writer Robert D. Skeels has lived, worked, and organized in District 2 for over 18 years. He and his wife, Yoon Jung Lee, make their home in Historic Filipinotown. Robert is a U.S. Navy Veteran. He attended Glendale Community College and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Robert taught Catechism at St. Teresa of Avila Church for 12 years. For the past 15 years he has volunteered ten hours a week teaching life and literacy skills at the Mary Lind Foundation. Robert is a committed member of a number of grassroots education and immigrant rights organizations including Coalition for Educational Justice, Public Education and Social Justice Advocacy, The Trinational Coalition To Defend Public Education, The Southern California Immigration Coalition, and Veterans for Peace. Robert's articles and essays have appeared in publications including: Schools Matter, CounterPunch, Dissident Voice, Daily Censored, Echo Park Patch, and The Los Angeles Daily News.
Robert's campaign website is www.robertdskeelsforschoolboard.org

---

RT @rdsathene Supporter sent this perfect juxtaposition of the 1%'s Mayor with a 99% #LAUSDSchool Board Candidate! twitter.com/rdsathene/stat…
— RDSkeels4Schoolboard (@RDSkeels4LAUSD) February 18, 2013

Join Us at ODOE2 on April 4-7

by Jim Horn

Go here to support ODOE2

Occupy 2.0:The Battle for Public Schools...

Popout

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part VI

Jersey Jazzman: Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part VI:

Joel Klein: As Excellent As He Says He Is? Part VI

by Duke

Joel Klein is one of America's foremost proponents of corporate education "reform." He asserts that public education is in such a crisis that it constitutes a national security threat - a threat that can be dealt with by buying technology from the firm he runs for Rupert Murdoch, Amplify. He also believes that the "reforms" he and Mayor Michael Bloomberg instituted in New York City - including mayoral control, school closings, charter expansion, and test-based teacher evaluations - should be replicated across the country, based on what he terms the "compelling" improvements made under his tenure.

But does the record support his claims? What is the legacy of Joel Klein in New York City? I'm looking at the evidence to see if the facts support Klein's boasts. Here's the series so far:

Part I: Joel Klein has no problem twisting the facts to suit his ends. Has he done the same thing when crowing about his "success" in New York?

Part II: When you break down national test scores by student subgroups, Klein's "success" in New York isn't 

"Hipsturbia:" Actually Becoming Browner, Poorer, and Older - Dana Goldstein

"Hipsturbia:" Actually Becoming Browner, Poorer, and Older - Dana Goldstein:

"Hipsturbia:" Actually Becoming Browner, Poorer, and Older

by Dana Goldstein

Like a lot of other folks, I was amused by yesterday's Times style section piece proclaiming the birth of "Hipsturbia": a supposedly new cluster of affluent, creative-industry white people who have moved from Brooklyn to the lower Hudson River Valley after procreating, mostly to the suburbs of Irvington, Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, and Tarrytown. As Jess Grose (Irvington's finest) notes at Slate, upscale white families have been moving from the city to those particular towns for many, many decades. The changes are really around the margins; now those emigrants are arriving not only from Manhattan, but also from the gentrified neighborhoods of Brooklyn, which means they're bringing all the associated cultural tics with them, like foodie snobbery. (And trust me, Westchester County could use a few more interesting restaurants.)
If we look at actual data, however, we'll notice that American suburbs are not becoming hipper and younger, but are in fact becoming grayer (as their population ages), browner (as immigrants and African Americans are priced out of central urban neighborhoods), and poorer (as young adults with economic means are increasingly choosing to live in cities). I grew up near the Times' "hipsturbia" in a gorgeous riverfront town that neatly 

Diane in the Evening 2-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

Parent Leaders in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Oppose Gulen Charter School

by dianerav

Two parent leaders in Lancaster, Pennsylvania–John MGrann and Dennis Deslippe–are organizing opposition to a Gulen charter in their community. The Gulen charters are the largest charter chain in the nation. They are associated with a reclusive Turkish imam who lives in the Poconos but has a powerful political movement in Turkey.
This is their petition:
The application for a new charter school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has generated a strong public response in 

Activists in Four States Organize to Support Public Education

by dianerav

If you are in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, or Illinois–or anywhere else–please join with parents, students, and educators to support public schools. These states have been targets for rightwing demands for privatization. Enough is enough. Time to organize and mobilize to fend off the attacks on teachers, principals, and public schools.
Time For Action Update:
Parents Across America, in cooperation with Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education and with other grassroots groups, invites you to “Public Schools Across America,” a 4-state Regional Action Planning Meeting.

Save Texas Schools Rally This Saturday!

by dianerav

I will be in Austin this Saturday to support the children and educators of Texas. Please join me!
Final Countdown
Save Texas Schools March & Rally This Saturday!
Dear Save Texas Schools Supporter,
WE NEED YOU to join thousands from across Texas calling for an end to under-funding and over-testing our children! This is a crucial week at the legislature, with education funding and testing bills being considered. An overwhelming response on Saturday can provide the momentum to turn the tide.
Confirmed speakers include Diane Ravitch, Supt. John Kuhn, Supt. Mary Ann Whitaker, former TEA Commissioner Robert Scott, Dineen Majcher from TAMSA and other Texas business, student, teacher and parent leaders.
According to Politifact, Texas put 25% LESS funding into schools in 2012 than in 2002, while requiring more and more from schools.
Now is the time to stand up to the state and say, “Put the funding back into schools.” Texas kids can’t be left standing outside a courtroom door for the support they need today!
Rally Details
11 am march on Congress Ave., noon to 1:30 pm rally at the Capitol.
Expected Attendance: HUGE! Let’s top 2011′s record of 13,000.
Save Texas Schools is launching a petition drive this week to call for a return of the $5.4 billion needlessly cut from public education in 2011. Sign today and make sure that our legislators hear loud and clear that Texas Kids Can’t Wait!
Just Added
Friday Night Dinner with Diane Ravitch
STS is sponsoring a pre-rally dinner with nationally-known education reformer Diane Ravitch on Friday, Feb. 22 at First United Methodist Church (west side of state capitol) from 6-8 pm. Light dinner included ($10 suggested donation). Click here to register. Open to the public.
Save Texas Schools | 5604 Manor Rd. | Austin | TX | 78723

Corporate Greed Sweeps Away Public Schools in Philadelphia

by dianerav

Abetted by the example of Race to the Top, as well as encouragement from the Gates Foundation, the William Penn Foundation, and the rightwing Corbett administration in Harrisburg, the state-appointed School Reform Commission in Philadelphia is poised to close an unprecedented number of Philadelphia public schools. The schools are under enrolled, says the commission, but the commission created the under-enrollment by opening charter schools. now Philadelphia will run a dual system, like many other cities, even though the charters are no better than the public schools.
Cui bono?

How Tony Bennett Won While Losing

by dianerav

Dan Carpenter explains here how defeated superintendent Tony Bennett plans to keep control of Indiana even though he is now state superintendent in Florida.
Those corporate reformers love to mess up schools and communities with their big ideas.
They don’t like democracy.

When “Reality” Shows Lie

by dianerav

A reader commented on Oprah’s television mockumentary about the “miracle” of charter schools in New Orleans. By the state’s own data, New Orleans ranks 70th of 70 districts. By the admission of the pro-charter Cowen Institute at Tulane, two-thirds of the charters are “failing” schools. But the myth lives on. Another zombie idea.
Now we have the reality TV circuit manufacturing an image (note the overlapping soundtrack) to reinforce the charter school myth. What reality TV constructs is research-lite. It proposes to give insight, yet in this case, the proposal is cloaked with the intent to forward the privatization of education –research bias at its finest. What is consistently apparent in charter schools is the pick and choose basis of its student population while siphoning monies intended for public education –education as commodity while the neo-liberal train rolls on.
A disturbing actuality about the reality-genre, is that TV shows in the past (from Leave it to Beaver to Family Ties 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Inside the Interlocking Directorate of Corporate Reform by dianerav In this installment of her investigative analysis of the National Council on Teacher Quality, Mercedes Schneider reviews the career of Deborah McGriff. This provides a fascinating insight into the tangled web of the corporate reform movement. How Mayor Vincent Gray Is Failing DC Students by dianerav During Michelle Rhee’s book tour, the nation will hear a lot of claims about the dramatic changes she imposed on the D.C. schools, which qua... more »

School Tech Connect: Screenshots Of The Democratic Process

School Tech Connect: Screenshots Of The Democratic Process:

Screenshots Of The Democratic Process

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

I hate to keep harping on a local Chicago alderman on my internationally famous blog, so let this be the last one for a bit.....

For those of you reading in Iraq, or any other country where we have inserted freedom, here's how it works.

On August 6, the press learns that a charter school is coming to a neighborhood that never had a public meeting about the topic.

On August 9th, the alderman gets a check from a construction company that builds, among other things, UNO charter schools.

Later on in time, people start to spread the word that the charter organization is a ponzi scheme. But it's more 

Official Poster for Occupy DOE in DC Now Available | United Opt Out National

Official Poster for Occupy DOE in DC Now Available | United Opt Out National:

Official Poster for Occupy DOE in DC Now Available

by admin

Please feel free to go to this link and download the file to create a poster and/or t-shirt!   There are several options – the first two downloads are for posters and the third one is specifically created to be used on a t-shirt.  Enjoy! A big thank you goes to Jay Rivett who designed our poster. Jay can be reached at jayrivett81@gmail.com should you need support creating the right artwork for your message!  Interested in attending our event? Click here for more information.

Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education Releases Statement Opposing Closure of 11 Sacramento City Unified Elementary Schools; Calls 'Process' District Is Using 'Flawed,' Urges Board to Reject Plan | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education Releases Statement Opposing Closure of 11 Sacramento City Unified Elementary Schools; Calls 'Process' District Is Using 'Flawed,' Urges Board to Reject Plan | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education:

Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education Releases Statement Opposing Closure of 11 Sacramento City Unified Elementary Schools; Calls 'Process' District Is Using 'Flawed,' Urges Board to Reject Plan

by Kate_Lenox

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education joins the Sacramento Council of PTAs, Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) and Sacramento City Unified teachers in opposing the closure of eleven Sacramento City Unified School District elementary schools.

SCUSD may need to close schools, but the process the district is using a flawed process to arrive at this decision, said the coalition in a statement released Monday.

Sac Coalition, in the statement, said the lack of transparency in how schools were selected, the absence of planning for the safe travel to school for the three thousand plus affected students, and now the last minute subtractions and additions of school sites to the lists demonstrates this. The coalition noted the communities affected by the closures have been engaged after the fact instead of being involved in the decision making process. This leads once again to the public perception that the upcoming vote is "a done deal."

Sac Coalition added that the district made no mention of future school closures when it put two facilities bond measures on the ballot last November, and now, taxpayers face the possibility of paying for the refurbishing and maintenance of vacant buildings, or more likely, charter schools which have no obligation to educate the children 

MAKERS Moment with Cherríe Moraga, Chicana feminist « Feminist Teacher

MAKERS Moment with Cherríe Moraga, Chicana feminist « Feminist Teacher:

MAKERS Moment with Cherríe Moraga, Chicana feminist

by feministteacher

Chicana feminist Cherríe Moraga and I at the MAKERS: Women Who Make America premiere in New York (photo credit, Ileana Jiménez).

In the spring of 1994 during my first year in college, Cherríe Moraga changed my life forever. Her essay “A Long Line of Vendidas” from Loving in the War Years gave me the language I would forever use to understand my brownness, my queer identity, and my feminism.
“To be a woman fully necessitated my claiming the race of my mother. My brother’s sex was white. Mine, brown.”
I recently met Moraga at the red carpet premiere of the MAKERS documentary Women Who Make America in New York. As I watched the first hour of the film during the premiere, I was excited to see a shot of the now 

Ed Notes Online: youth justice event, Saturday February 23rd

Ed Notes Online: youth justice event, Saturday February 23rd:

youth justice event, Saturday February 23rd

by ed notes online

We are having a large event this upcoming Saturday 2/23 to promote our work to raise the age of criminal responsibility in New York- currently we are one of only two states in the whole nation where all 16 and 17 year olds in the justice system are treated as adults. --- Gabrielle Prisco

Gabrielle is the daughter of our pals Gene and Loretta Prisco who have been part of the teacher union political movement since I met them c. 1971. Amongst the founders of the Coalition of School Workers in the 70s and of ICE in 2003 and working with MORE nowadays, they are also key political players in many areas beyond education, mostly in Staten Island.
Gabrielle is a social justice lawyer working with juvenile justice issues. Here is her announcement.

Please join the Correctional Association of New York's Raise the Age Campaign, the National Black Theatre and Lyrics From Lockdown at a FREE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL on Saturday, February 23 at 3:30 pm at the National Black Theatre, where impacted youth, parents, and community members will discuss New York's shameful practice of prosecuting children as adults.

The Town Hall is free and open to all who wish to attend, but we do request that you RSVP.  Register for the FREE February 23 Raise the Age Town Hall here.

You are also invited to purchase tickets for Lyrics From Lockdown, a phenomenal one-man show by Bryonn Bain exploring his own wrongful imprisonment after graduation from Harvard Law School and the story of Nanon Williams, sentenced to death in Texas at age 17. On Saturday February 23rd (the day of the Town Hall) there are shows at both 2pm and 8pm.

After the Sunday February 24th 4pm Lyrics performance (closing night) there will be an Artist talkback featuring Harry Belafonte, Executive Producer of Lyrics From Lockdown.

To purchase your Lyrics from Lockdown tickets, please visit the National Black Theatre’s website:www.nationalblacktheatre.org

NEW YORK IS ONE OF ONLY TWO  STATES IN THE NATION that automatically treats all 16- and 17-year-olds in the criminal justice system as adults. These young people are subject to lifelong criminal records and if detained or incarcerated are almost always right alongside adults in adult jails and prisons. New York also prosecutes children as young as 13, if charged with certain serious offenses, as adults. Children in adult jails are 36 times more likely to commit suicide than children in juvenile detention. Children in adult prisons are twice as likely to be beaten up by staff, five times more likely to be sexually assaulted, and far more likely to be attacked with weapons than youth in juvenile facilities. Children in adult jails and prisons are frequently placed in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day.  To learn more about this issue and join in our efforts, please contact the Correctional Association's Raise the Age Campaign Manager Angelo Pinto atapinto@correctionalassociation.org.

http://www.correctionalassociation.org/news/join-us-for-lyrics-from-lockdown-the-raise-the-age-community-conversation-series.

Schools Matter: Corporate Welfare King, Reed Hastings, Offers Up Another Hollywood Propaganda Film Promoting Corporate Ed Deform

Schools Matter: Corporate Welfare King, Reed Hastings, Offers Up Another Hollywood Propaganda Film Promoting Corporate Ed Deform:

Corporate Welfare King, Reed Hastings, Offers Up Another Hollywood Propaganda Film Promoting Corporate Ed Deform

by Jim Horn

It's fronted by Reed Hastings and called House of Cards, which would a perfect title if it were about the underpinnings of corporate education reform, but, alas, it is not.  Clips fromMinnPost:

. . . According to Ed Week, the fictional version is a cudgel with which Francis “Frank” Underwood pummels those who get in his way: “Denied a nomination to be secretary of state by the president-elect, Underwood channels his ambitions toward passing a major education bill, the Education Reform and Achievement Act.” 

Apparently the ERAA is indeed ripped from the headlines, albeit headlines most frequently published by scandal sheets like Ed Week. Underwood and his foes debate “testing frequency, teacher evaluation, seniority-based exemptions on value-added measurements, financing of non-public schools, and accountability for charter schools [and] an amendment that would strip federal