CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Applefest Edition (10/3)

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Applefest Edition (10/3)

Applefest Edition

Once a year, my small town closes the streets, brings in a ton of vendors, runs a whole passel of events, and calls it a festival, and it's pretty cool. Like the Harvest Homes of a century ago, it serves as a city-wide homecoming. It's not quite the same this year (the apple pancake breakfast was take-out only), but it's something. In the meantime, here's your reading list for the week.

Fighting back in Arizona

Trevor Nelson at Public Voices for Public Schools tells how activists are fighting back against the folks in Arizona trying to use the pandemic to sow more chaos, disruption and destruction of public schools.

What 150 studies have to say about motivating students

Jill Barshay at Hechinger looks at a meta-study of student motivation, Surprise--students are motivated by the same things as other humans.

How for-profit charter schools open the door for private investors to exploit public education

Jeff Bryant has been digging again. Here's a pretty appalling look at how some loopholes are being exploited by some shady actors in the edu-biz world.

Teaching children and teenagers philosophy and social justice

An intriguing and unusual slant on teaching the thinky stuff. From the blog of the APA

Why charter schools are not as "public" as they claim to be

Kevin Welner has a new book about charter schools coming out--here's a piece of what his research discovered about how charters actually enforce school's choice, not school choice.

Teach two years, climb ed ladder, score $5 mill contract

The indispensable Mercedes Schneider with an astonishing story of corruption amongs the TFA grads in Rhode Island

Racism matters to our students, so it must matter to us

Jaty Wamsted doing a guest turn at Maureen Downey's spot on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, talking about the real place of critical race theory in the classroom.

Behind the teacher shortage, an unexpected culprit: covid relief money

From NBC news. Some folks think that covid money is being used to poach teachers from other districts.

Koch-backed group fuels opposition to mask mandates

The Washington Post got its hands on some leaked documents, and you will be shocked--shocked--to learn that the Kochtopus is doing a new version of its Tea Party fueling work in the world of anti-maskers.

How America screwed up the great school reopening

The New Republic tells the tale of how we came up short.

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Applefest Edition (10/3)

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION

AND DON'T FORGET PETER GREENE ON FORBES CLICK HERE 

Critical Race Theory Bans Are Expanding To Cover Broad Collection Of Issues - https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2021/09/29/critical-race-theory-bans-are-expanding-to-cover-broad-collection-of-issues/?sh=110c05a05e5d by @palan57 on @forbes

State Task Forces Want To Root Out Indoctrination In Schools. How’s That Going? - https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2021/09/17/state-task-forces-want-to-root-out-indoctrination-in-schools-hows-that-going/?sh=8dc1c002edb0 by @palan57 on @forbes

PA: Another "Mom" Group Involved in School Board Elections

by Peter Greene / 1d

Today PennLive reports that an Open Schools group is throwing big bucks into school board races in the state. Back to School PA is a PAC that intends to drop a ton of money all over the state to back school board candidates who want to make sure that schools are open for in person learning. The money behind the group comes from Paul Martino , a venture capitalist who has been busy mostly in the w

How Do We Achieve Effective Classroom Transparency

by Peter Greene / 3d

A Pennsylvania rep just offered up yet another proposal to reveal the inner workings of school classrooms by requiring schools to post textbook lists, curriculum, and lesson plans. It's another one of those endlessly repeating cycles of education, currently being goosed along by the anti-indoctrination crowd. Because the initiative is coming from a whole host of bad faith actors who are simply loo

Bipartisan School Choice Is Over

by Peter Greene / 3d

This has been coming for a while. After the bipartisan launch of No Child Left Behind and the desire to advance bipartisan support during the Obama administration (and into the presumed Clinton administration thereafter), a kind of deal was worked out between the right and the left, and school choice was presented as a hybrid that could appeal to both right-tilted free marketeers and left-leaning

One More Story About The Extra Challenges of School Right Now

by Peter Greene / 4d

This is what educators are up against right now. Last night was school board night in my county. At one board meeting , the board was subjected to a certain amount of ranting about masks, including assertions that asymptomatic children do not spread the disease. One board member thanked them for speaking out. Just up the road from me, the Oil City School District was supposed to have its regular

PA: Cyber School 101

by Peter Greene / 5d

As is often the case in education, some people are just now noticing something that's been going on for a while. In this case, it's the financially destructive and educationally suspect nature of cyber schooling. So I'm going to try to collect the basics here in one post, suitable for sharing with anyone who's just arrived at the party. Before we start, let me add the usual caveat--cyber schools

Teaching Lessons from Community Theater

by Peter Greene / 6d

I've been directing school and community theater productions for a long time, and I've learned a lot, much of which directly parallels the work of a teacher in the classroom (there are plenty of ways to frame teaching, but for me it has always largely been performance). Here are a few. Don't Waste Time Pining for the Cast You Don't Have In professional theater, you can afford to be picky. In comm

ICYMI: Curtain Up Edition (9/26)

by Peter Greene / 7d

The challenge of mounting and opening a full sized show in the age of covid is--well, in a couple of weeks I'm going to lie down and take a huge nap. And maybe I'm a little behind on my reading. But here's some stuff for this week. School hasn't changed in 100 years. So saith TFA. The indispensable Mercedes Schneider on the Teach for Awhile version of the popular unchanged education idea... Whate

Almost unlocking a mystery of SAT scores

by Peter Greene / 8d

So close. Sooooo close!! Covering the release of SAT scores this year, WTOP news noted two results and put them right in the headline: Va., Md. SAT scores rise, but number of test-takers plunges It's the "but" that tells us that somehow, they didn't manage connect the dots, which is a shame, given there were only two. Of course, they mean average test scores rose, and understanding averages is im

Critical Race Theory Panic Continues To Widen Its Aim

by Peter Greene / 8d

Moms for Liberty is one of the frontline group s fighting against "critical race theory" and a whole lot of other things. Launched initially as anti-maskers and anti-school closers, they quickly moved on to anti-race stuff. They are another of the groups that has hired some pros and generally displayed available

CURMUDGUCATION - http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Saturday, October 2, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform #TEACHtheTRUTH #CRT

 Big Education Ape

THE TOP BANANA
TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES

The Top Banana: Today's Education Headlines | Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/The-Top-Banana-Todays-Education-Headlines-730208504396249

Kevin Welner: Why charter schools are not as ‘public’ as they claim to be - Network For Public Education - https://networkforpubliceducation.org/blog-content/kevin-welner-why-charter-schools-are-not-as-public-as-they-claim-to-be/ on @Network4pubEd

Alfie Kohn: The Case Against Classroom Management…a Quarter-Century Later | National Education Policy Center - https://nepc.colorado.edu/node/11075 on @NEPCtweet

Junk Mail – Grumpy Old Teacher - https://wp.me/p9VD0X-Mt via @sampsongregory

‘No Excuses’ Charter Schools | GFBrandenburg's Blog - https://wp.me/pGTPP-2Cq

ARE WE NOW CELEBRATING THOUGHTS OVER DEEDS? – Dad Gone Wild - https://wp.me/p4d08y-2Vl via @norinrad10

SPI Applauds Student Vaccine Mandate - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr21/yr21rel74.asp

Sandy Hook Parents Win Defamation Suit Against Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-uOj via @dianeravitch

Florida’s New Surgeon General Echoes Gov. DeSantis’ Anti-Vaxx Views | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-uNT via @dianeravitch

October 2021 ACCS Meeting Agenda - Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/cc/cs/accsnotice101221.asp

Koch Network Funds Parent Anti-Mask Protests | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-uOA via @dianeravitch

William Paul: Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Day ‘Is All About Education’ | Ed Politics - https://edpolitics.org/?p=380

North Carolina county says teachers can now be punished for 'undermining' America's 'foundational documents': report - Raw Story - Celebrating 17 Years of Independent Journalism - https://www.rawstory.com/critical-race-theory-north-carolina/

Making our schools truly COVID safe - New York Daily News - https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-making-schools-truly-safe-20211001-4ijorhlmtncl3g4ezwfaof4xwi-story.html via @nydailynews

Mike Klonsky's Edu/Pol - https://michaelklonsky.substack.com/

Back to School: Highlighting Best Practices for Safely Reopening Schools https://youtu.be/8-dpo7OzUd0 via @YouTube

The Importance of Mentoring for Black Girls | NewBlackMan (in Exile) - https://www.newblackmaninexile.net/2021/10/the-importance-of-mentoring-for-black.html via @NewBlackMan

Saturday’s New Articles On School Reopenings – CA Student Vaccine Mandate Edition! | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=121316 on @Larryferlazzo

Alex Jones Loses Two More Sandy Hook Cases – Mother Jones - https://www.motherjones.com/?p=929676

California schools chief churns through top aides in allegedly toxic workplace https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2021/09/28/california-schools-chief-churns-through-top-aides-in-allegedly-toxic-workplace-1391461

FDA announces key meetings on kid Covid-19 vaccines, Moderna and J&J boosters https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/01/fda-meetings-kid-covid-vaccines-514897

California to mandate student Covid vaccines once FDA gives full approval https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2021/10/01/california-to-mandate-student-vaccines-once-fda-gives-formal-approval-1391568

Shining Light On The Dark Age Of The Tulalip Boarding School https://popularresistance.org/shining-light-on-the-dark-age-of-the-tulalip-boarding-school/

Low health literacy is a "silent pandemic" that affects the majority of Americans https://www.salon.com/2021/10/02/low-health-literacy-is-a-silent-pandemic-that-affects-the-majority-of-americans/

The advanced placement exams’ grading system gets low marks https://www.salon.com/2021/10/02/the-advanced-placement-exams-grading-system-gets-low-marks_partner/

Sotomayor turns down plea to block New York City vaccine mandate https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/10/sotomayor-turns-down-plea-to-block-new-york-city-vaccine-mandate/

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis May Not Run for President Because He’s Too Busy Fighting Critical Race Theory. No, Seriously. https://www.theroot.com/florida-gov-ron-desantis-may-not-run-for-president-bec-1847781636

By 2026, Cal Education Chief Wants Every Third Grader to Know How to Read https://sacobserver.com/2021/10/by-2026-cal-education-chief-wants-every-third-grader-to-know-how-to-read/

Justice Department argues Texas ban on school mask mandates violates disabled students’ rights https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/01/texas-schools-mask-mandates-justice-department/

Behind The Lens episode 144: Real subpoenas https://thelensnola.org/2021/10/01/behind-the-lens-episode-144-real-subpoenas/

SPI Names Statewide Literacy Task Force Co-Chairs - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr21/yr21rel75.asp

D.C. Council wants to expand access to virtual learning, setting up clash with the mayor https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-council-school-virtual-learning-expand/2021/10/01/37f773f8-22c7-11ec-9309-b743b79abc59_story.html

L.A. community college and K-12 students can ride Metro trains and buses free. Here's how. http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/ROewFATgmIw/los-angeles-free-metro-passes

California school COVID vaccine mandate: What to know http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/h9OjSez-0sw/california-school-covid-vaccine-mandate-what-to-know

What we know about vaccine safety for schoolchildren as California sets mandate http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/8bZecqtWl9g/california-student-covid-vaccine-mandate-new-safety-rules

Newsom orders COVID vaccines for eligible students, the first state mandate for K-12 schools http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/xSu7Dh8jXGY/newsom-sets-covid-vaccine-mandate-across-california-schools

Columbus Day (aka Indigenous Peoples’ Day) Is On October 11th – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=120853 on @Larryferlazzo

New Biden Administration Policy On ICE Arrests May Help Student Achievement | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=121311 on @Larryferlazzo

Parents, educators urge schools districts to implement COVID-19 testing https://www.njspotlight.com/video/parents-educators-urge-schools-districts-to-implement-covid-19-testing/

How reading aloud can help you bond with your kids and make them better readers https://www.npr.org/2021/10/01/1041859001/reading-aloud-benefits-childrens-literacy

High percentage of NYC teachers vaccinated against COVID allows schools to operate safely: de Blasio https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-elections-government/ny-nyc-deblasio-covid-teachers-vaccinated-20211001-ravyazejbfdwtmfs6wybkezrfm-story.html#ed=rss_www.nydailynews.com/arcio/rss/category/new-york/education/

NYC public school sports struggle with delays and cancellations over COVID-19 regulations https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-public-schools-athletic-league-games-canceled-nyc-20211001-exxhqbecj5bhhibvvczbkfzsd4-story.html#ed=rss_www.nydailynews.com/arcio/rss/category/new-york/education/

How Students Fought a Book Ban and Won, for Now https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/02/us/york-pennsylvania-school-books.html

The truth about political bias on college campuses http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheRawStory/~3/2DJNYlDEXSg/

Houston School Shooting: Ex-Student Shoots Staff Member, Cops Say https://patch.com/texas/houston/houston-police-responding-school-shooting?google_editors_picks=true

More California schools — including in Sacramento — are taking on COVID-19 testing https://www.capradio.org/articles/2021/10/01/more-california-schools-including-in-sacramento-are-taking-on-covid-19-testing/

What to Know About California’s Free School Lunch Program https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/01/us/california-free-lunch.html

Can California School Districts Independently Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines For Students? https://www.capradio.org/articles/2021/09/29/can-california-school-districts-independently-mandate-covid-19-vaccines-for-students/

ASU Students Fight To Defend Multicultural Center https://popularresistance.org/asu-students-fight-to-defend-multicultural-center/

Survey: 2 local districts have highest suspension rates of Black students in the state https://fox40.com/news/local-news/survey-2-local-districts-have-highest-suspension-rates-of-black-students-in-the-state/

COVID Vaccine To Be Mandatory For CA Students: Newsom [SURVEY] | Los Angeles, CA Patch - https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/covid-vaccine-mandatory-ca-students-newsom-orders-survey?google_editors_picks=true

Black parents say school suspended their daughter for 'stirring things up' by complaining about a racial slur https://www.rawstory.com/raytown-south-middle-school-missouri/

Viral Photo Shows White Kansas High Schoolers Posing with Racist Homecoming Proposal Sign https://www.theroot.com/viral-photo-shows-white-kansas-high-schoolers-posing-wi-1847787684

Big Education Ape: TOP POSTS THIS WEEK Saturday, October 2 , 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform #TEACHtheTRUTH #CRT - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/top-posts-this-week-saturday-october-2.html

Big Education Ape: THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Saturday, October 2, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform #TEACHtheTRUTH #CRT - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-top-banana-todays-education_2.html

Big Education Ape: THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Friday, October 1, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform #TEACHtheTRUTH #CRT - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-top-banana-todays-education.html

Big Education Ape: KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edleadership #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/keep-up-catch-up-with-diane-ravitchs.html

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/2021/10/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos.html

Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK Education Research Report - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/this-week-education-research-report.html

Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/this-week-with-newblackman-in-exile-blm.html

Big Education Ape: SSPI TONY THURMOND: STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/sspi-tony-thurmond-stuff-this-week-from.html

Big Education Ape: TEACHER TOM THIS WEEK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/teacher-tom-this-week-in-early.html

Big Education Ape: Tennessee Education Report This Week – Education politics and policy in the Volunteer State - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/tennessee-education-report-this-week.html

Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS Dad Gone Wild Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/this-weeks-wildness-dad-gone-wild.html

Big Education Ape: Network for Public Education Blog Post of the Day This Week #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edleadership #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/network-for-public-education-blog-post.html

Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK NEWS FROM DR. MIGUEL CARDONA AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/10/this-week-news-from-dr-miguel-cardona.html

Big Education Ape: THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Saturday, September 25, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform #TEACHtheTRUTH #CRT - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-top-banana-todays-education_25.html

Big Education Ape: TOP POSTS THIS WEEK Saturday, September 25, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform #TEACHtheTRUTH #CRT - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/09/top-posts-this-week-saturday-september_25.html

Big Education Ape