Big Education Ape:3-16-11, Special AM Politics Edition wiunion #miunion #ohunion #inunion #totalrecall

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now, Politics

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now

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Politics

'Brutal numbers for Kasich' Teamster Nation #p2 #wiunion 'Brutal numbers for Kasich'

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Teamster Nation'Brutal numbers for Kasich'Ohio Gov. John Kasich might even be less popular than Koch whoreWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Public Policy Polling tells us that Ohioans hate the anti-work...

coopmike48

Letter to My Fellow Michiganders | MichaelMoore.com #p2 #wiunion #solidaritywi

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Letter to My Fellow Michiganders | MichaelMoore.comLetter to My Fellow MichigandersBy Michael MooreDO SOMETHING: AFL-CIO Protest Page | Working Families Facebook Event Page | MoveOn Protest Page | ...

coopmike48

Hullabaloo

digbysblog.blogspot.com - Tuesday, March 15, 2011 Ego-Downby digbyMarcy Wheeler has a post up about the new "smock" that Quantico has given Bradley Manning. It's quite the outfit:This is used for people on suicide watch....

tbfurman

A Letter to Wisconsin Voters from our friends in the Flatlands; The Truth about the Fab 14.

democurmudgeon.blogspot.com - From Wispolitics, by Doug Bump: Couple says Senate Dems worked 'endless hours' in IllinoisA Woodstock, Ill., couple who hosted Senate Dems during their flight from Wisconsin says the senators worke...

coopmike48

A Wisconsin Solidarity Grab Bag. March 15, 2011. | blue cheddar. #p2 #wiunion

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - A Wisconsin Solidarity Grab Bag. March 15, 2011. | blue cheddar.A Wisconsin Solidarity Grab Bag. March 15, 2011.BY BLUECHEDDARWhile it’s great that my pants fit looser from all that exercise I did ...

coopmike48

KOCH OUT AM | www.kochwatch.org

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Talking Points Memo: Walker's Budget Would Make WI Labor Mediator A Political Appointee | www.kochwatch.orgTalking Points Memo: Walker's Budget Would Make WI Labor Mediator A Political Appointee Ma...

coopmike48

KOCH OUT PM - News | www.kochwatch.org #wiunion #wearewi #p2

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - News | www.kochwatch.orgThink Progress: Despite Budget Crisis, Arizona Lawmakers Propose Generous Tax Breaks For Subprime Schools *March 15, 2011-* For several months, Arizona has been grappling wi...

coopmike48

Fake Memo Circulated in Indiana Schools Debate - State EdWatch

blogs.edweek.org - The memo bears Indiana state schools chief Tony Bennett's name, and it purports to give his thoughts on legislation that would limit teacher job protections and change how they are evaluated.But ma...

coopmike48

Worker Uprising: Up to 185,000 Protest in Madison as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Signs Union-Busting Bill

defendwisconsin.org - In Wisconsin, more than 100,000 people filled the streets of Madison Saturday in what what has been described as the state’s largest protest ever. The massive rally was held one day after Republica...

coopmike48

Ohioans Having Incredible Buyers Remorse Over Gov. Kasich

tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com - Just a few months into his first term, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) appears to be immensely unpopular with his constituents, a clear majority of whom disapprove of his job performance, according to a ...

coopmike48

Quotables michaelklonsky.blogspot.com - La Cucaracha"In Madison a new governor, Scott Walker, is applying the Rahm Emanuel axiom that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste." -- Michael Miner, Chicago Reader******David Brooks on Obama: "w... mikeklonsky

House panel votes to repeal net neutrality

thehill.com - House Republicans won another battle in their war on net-neutrality regulations in a highly partisan committee vote on Tuesday.A resolution to repeal the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rul...

coopmike48

Lessons From Wisconsin - Bridging Differences

blogs.edweek.org - Dear Deborah, Last week, I wrote from Madison, where I spoke about the historical context for the current corporate reform movement. When I agreed to speak at the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, I h...

DianeRavitch

Crooks & Liars: Nowhere To Hide! 2,000 Protesters Turn Out To Taunt Walker As He Attends Fundraiser

kochwatch.org - March 15, 2011- I don't think Scott Walker has really accepted the fact that most people in his state don't like or trust him. I wonder what it'll take before it sinks in:WASHBURN — Wisconsin’s pro...

coopmike48

Wis. Dem's Votes Won't Count--Another Blow to Democracy | AFL-CIO NOW BLOG #p2 #wiunion

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Wis. Dem's Votes Won't Count--Another Blow to Democracy | AFL-CIO NOW BLOGWis. Dem’s Votes Won’t Count—Another Blow to Democracy by Tula Connell, Mar 15, 201129ShareProving once again that state Se...

coopmike48

Doh! Voting Rights are Back for the Senate Democrats!

democurmudgeon.blogspot.com - Maybe somebody explained to the immensely unfit for leadership Sen. Scott Fitzgerald that he can’t illegally prevent an elected representative of the people from voting. jsonline: The top GOP lead...

coopmike48

Wisconsin: Republicans Dial It Back, Revoke Punitive Actions Against Fab 14 Senate Democrats | FDL #wiunion

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Wisconsin: Republicans Dial It Back, Revoke Punitive Actions Against Fab 14 Senate Democrats | FDL News DeskWisconsin: Republicans Dial It Back, Revoke Punitive Actions Against Fab 14 Senate Democr...

coopmike48

Powerful Nurses’ Union Backs Yee for SF Mayor

baycitizen.org - The California Nurses Association, the 85,000-strong union that flexed its muscle last election season with relentless attacks on Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, dived into the San ...

coopmike48

Republicans, Faith In Political System Suffer « CAFFEINATED POLITICS

dekerivers.wordpress.com - The views from across America are not uplifting. There is anger, and anxiety in these numbers made known in the latest ABC poll. One finding is something that almost all such polls pop up with. ...

coopmike48

Is Discontent with Government a Recipe for Constitutional Crisis, or Reform? | Elections #wiunion bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Is Discontent with Government a Recipe for Constitutional Crisis, or Reform? | ElectionsIs Discontent with Government a Recipe for Constitutional Crisis, or Reform?by Jon WalkerThe American people ... coopmike48

Politicus USA: Disenfranchised: WI Senate GOP Decide Democratic 14 Votes Don’t Count

kochwatch.org - March 14, 2011- Wisconsin Republicans Declare War On Democrats By Striking Their Votes From RecordSenate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has just declared war on the Democrats. We heard last week ...

coopmike48

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coopmike48 Strife at RISD - Inside Higher Ed - http://goo.gl/COKyG4 minutes ago · reply

coopmike48 Parent trigger law irresponsible, critics say - chicagotribune.comhttp://bit.ly/e0vk6b #Edu2 minutes ago · reply

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Column: Madness in Mad Town - Kingman Daily Miner

kingmandailyminer.com - 3/15/2011 5:59:00 AMColumn: Madness in Mad TownWill DurstNational ColumnistBest be vigilant for an inadvertent head butt as the eyes of the world recoil from that crazed leader, besieged in his own...

coopmike48

Republicans need professional outside groups to mount recall elections against Democrats.

democurmudgeon.blogspot.com - Scott Walker continues to claim outside groups of protesters will not influence his decision to stick to his radical big money agenda. These groups do not reflect the majority of state voters who j...

coopmike48

Can State Sen. Scott “having a” Fitzgerald deny Democrats the right to represent their constituents?

democurmudgeon.blogspot.com - It’s early in the conversation, but the best local voice of union and non-union workers in the state, Sly in the Morning, talked with John Nichols about the unconstitutional power grab by the Major...

coopmike48

ABC-Washington Post Poll: 64% of Americans Favor Tax Increases to Trim Deficit | Firedoglake

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - ABC-Washington Post Poll: 64% of Americans Favor Tax Increases to Trim Deficit | FiredoglakeABC-Washington Post Poll: 64% of Americans Favor Tax Increases to Trim DeficitBy: Blue Texan Tuesday Marc...

coopmike48

Mich. lawmakers broaden emergency managers' powers

chicagotribune.com - LANSING, Mich. Emergency financial managers appointed by the state of Michigan to run struggling cities and schools would get broad new powers, including the ability to terminate union contracts, u...

coopmike48

Teamster Nation: Today's Teamster News 03.16.11

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Teamster Nation: Today's Teamster News 03.16.11Today's Teamster News 03.16.11by Teamster PowerSenate Republicans to drop contempt finding against Democrats Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ...The top ...

coopmike48

Teamster Nation: Protest on Wed for WI Republicans at $1K a head fundraiser in DC #p2 #wiunion

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Teamster Nation: Protest on Wed for WI Republicans at $1K a head fundraiser in DCProtest on Wed for WI Republicans at $1K a head fundraiser in DCby Teamster PowerThe Wisconsin Republicans who voted...

coopmike48

Brown accuses 'extreme elements' in GOP of bullying tactics

mercurynews.com - By Steven HarmonContra Costa TimesSACRAMENTO -- As Gov. Jerry Brown accused "extreme elements" in the Republican party of trying to intimidate GOP legislators from voting to allow his tax extension...

coopmike48

Talking Points Memo: GOP War on Unions Could Boost President Obama in 2012

kochwatch.org - March 14, 2011- Scott Walker may have won the legislative battle over collective bargaining, but the political damage from the Wisconsin standoff as well as similar battles in other states could fo...

coopmike48

Talking Points Memo: Milwaukee Labor Leader: Union To 'Redirect' Efforts To Recalls -- And No Talk Of Strikes

kochwatch.org - March 14, 2011- A public employee union leader in Wisconsin has declared that organized labor will dedicate its efforts to recalling state Senate Republicans this year, and recalling Gov. Walker ne...

coopmike48

Parent trigger law irresponsible, critics say - chicagotribune.com

Parent trigger law irresponsible, critics say - chicagotribune.com

PURE opposes parent trigger law in Chicago

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By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah, Tribune reporter

4:54 p.m. CDT, March 15, 2011

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During his campaign, Chicago's mayor-elect championed a "parent trigger" law similar to one in California, through which parents could force the removal of teachers and administrators at low-performing schools and bring in charter schools to replace them.

But on Tuesday, Parents United for Responsible Education spoke out against the measure, saying it would be too disruptive and could be misused by charter operators. PURE executive director Julie Woestehoff said that research shows local school councils' efforts to reform troubled public schools from within are working.

"It's really a huge opportunity for charter school operators to get a school building for themselves,"

“A History Of Poverty” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

“A History Of Poverty” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

“A History Of Poverty” A History of Poverty is an animated world map showing where poverty (and prosperity) have been most present over the past two hundred years. You can narrow it down by continent or county, too. It’s from the Christian Aid charity. After showing it to ...

“Learning a foreign language literally changes the way we see the world” I’ve previously posted about the benefits of learning another language (see The Best Resources For Learning The Advantages To Being Bilingual). A related article on a new study was just published headlined Bilinguals See the World in a Different Way, ...

Houseplants “boosts one’s ability to maintain attention” — Glad I Have Them In My Classroom! I’ve previously posted about studies that have shown student benefits to having plants in the classroom (see Do You Keep Plants In Your Classroom? — it received a number of good comments). Since that time, I expanded the number of plants I have in my ...

“The Books Everyone Must Read” The Guardian newspaper created a great word cloud infographic showing The Books Everyone Must Read. They used “the results of over 15 notable book polls, readers surveys and top 100’s.” It’s definitely worth a look…

The Best — And Easiest — Ways To Use YouTube If, Like Us, Only Teachers Have Access To It I’ve previously mentioned that our district recently loosened up its content filter to allow teachers to access many previously-blocked sites, like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc. This has created some great learning opportunities for our students, ...

More Japan Resources Here are the newest additions to Part Two of my “The Best…” list on the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (you can see Part One here): The Weekly Reader has free materials on the disaster. Understanding Japan’s Nuclear Crisis is an interactive from The ...

KOCH OUT AM | www.kochwatch.org

Talking Points Memo: Walker's Budget Would Make WI Labor Mediator A Political Appointee | www.kochwatch.org

Talking Points Memo: Walker's Budget Would Make WI Labor Mediator A Political Appointee March 15, 2011- As part of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's biennial budget, the general counsel for the commission that handles labor-management disputes in the state would become a political appointee. And according to The Wisconsin State Journal, ...

Talking Points Memo: Wis. GOPers Restore Voting Rights To Senate Dems, Lift Fines *March 15, 2011- *The Wisconsin state Senate Republicans backed away Tuesday afternoon from a controversial sanction they handed down against state Senate Democrats, who had fled the state in an attempt to block passage of Gov. Scott Walker's ...

Talking Points Memo: Ohioans Having Incredible Buyers Remorse Over Gov. Kasich *March 15, 2011-* Just a few months into his first term, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) appears to be immensely unpopular with his constituents, a clear majority of whom disapprove of his job performance, according to a PPP poll of registered voters. ...

Talking Points Memo: Three WI Republicans Trail In Recall Election Against Generic Dems *March 15, 2011-* Three of the eight Wisconsin Senate Republicans eligible for recall, who just last week voted to strip state employees of most of their collective bargaining rights, trail generic Democratic challengers in hypothetical recall ...

Talking Points Memo: Wis. GOP State Senator's Wife: He Had An Affair, 'Now Lives Mostly In Madison' *March 15, 2011-* As Wisconsin Democrats mobilize recall campaigns against Republican state Senators, in response to Gov. Scott Walker's newly-passed law curtailing public employee unions, one targeted GOP legislator is facing a negative side story: ...

Teamster Nation: Today's Teamster News 03.16.11

Teamster Nation: Today's Teamster News 03.16.11

Today's Teamster News 03.16.11

by Teamster Power

Senate Republicans to drop contempt finding against Democrats Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ...The top GOP leader in the state Senate backtracked Tuesday, saying Republicans would lift fines and a contempt finding against Democratic senators...
Wisconsin Governor's Allies Ran a Toxic Bailout Bank... and Got Rich Huffington Post ...People in Wisconsin are pulling their money out of Marshall & Ilsley (M&I) Bank because they know it's been helping their Governor's crusade against public employees and the middle class...
Ohio Town Sees Public Job as Only Route to Middle Class New York Times ...as Ohio’s legislature moves toward final approval of a bill that would chip away at public-sector unions, those workers say they see it as the opening bell in a race to the bottom...
Indiana House Democrats begin their 4th week of walkout Indianapolis Star ...Democrats want changes to bills that use tax dollars to fund private school tuition and which impact collective bargaining for labor unions...
Labor unions continue to rally each day at Ind. Statehouse nwi.com ...Union workers have rallied every day

Dexter Chapin’s Master Teachers « Cooperative Catalyst

Dexter Chapin’s Master Teachers « Cooperative Catalyst

Dexter Chapin’s Master Teachers

Posted on March 16, 2011 by zoeweil

1

I recently read Dexter Chapin’s excellent book, Master Teachers: Making a Difference on the Edge of Chaos and underlined more passages than I had in any book in years. For my blog today, I wanted to share some of them.

“Nothing the federal government, the state government, or the school district does will improve education and schooling nearly as much as recognizing the impact and magic created by a master teacher connecting with students.”

“What really sets teachers apart are two traits. The first is that teachers are idealists. To a person, they believe the world can be a

Fed up with the term ‘status quo’ - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Fed up with the term ‘status quo’ - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Fed up with the term ‘status quo’ Everywhere you go, if you question any of the dominant reforms (value-added assessment, virtual schools, school closings, rigid pedagogical models, etc.), you are branded a defender of the status quo. That’s nonsense.

Obama and Boehner: Education nonsense It’s hard to keep track of who is making less sense on education in Washington D.C. right now: the Democratic president or the top Republican leader.

Modern School: Teachers, Stop Being So Scared of the Rich

Modern School: Teachers, Stop Being So Scared of the Rich

Teachers, Stop Being So Scared of the Rich My school district just had their first Wear Red for Public Ed event (hopefully with many more to follow). In addition to wearing red, we handed out fliers to parents and neighbors that discussed the March 15 deadline for pink slips and how ...

LAUSD Offers Up 13 Campuses to Charter School Vultures The Los Angeles Board of Education plans to open up bidding for seven new high schools, plus six other campuses, (i.e., give them away to private charter companies) even though this would reduce revenues to LAUSD and exacerbate its already staggering ...

NYC Educator: The Smile

NYC Educator: The Smile

The Smile

by NYC Educator

She cut my class day before yesterday. Well, that's not precisely true. When she didn't show up, I called her Mom, who failed to answer the phone. That was not a huge problem--Mom likely speaks only Chinese, and I don't speak it at all. But then I noticed she'd written her own cell number too, so I called her. She said she was on her way, and would make it for the second period of my double-period class. Half a loaf is better than none, so I told her to hurry up.

Only she never showed.

So yesterday, when she did, I told another girl to tell her I wasn't speaking to her, which the girl did with great delight. I folded my hands like one of those guys who

Arguing with the wing-nuts in a 140 characters or less. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Arguing with the wing-nuts in a 140 characters or less. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Arguing with the wing-nuts in a 140 characters or less.

by Fred Klonsky

My brother Mike hilariously describes an exchange between Fordham’s house wing-nut Mike Petrilli, the glorious Diane Ravitch and himself on Twitter. The subject is privatization of public education. The topic is serious. The points are sharply made. But it’s all done in the 140 character format of Twitter.

Somehow Diane Ravitch and I ended up in a Twitter skirmish today with the

Florida Senate Bill 736 House Bill 7019 – Debate Blogging Comments Floor Debate Mar 15, 2011-SB736 HB7019 « Continuing Change #legFL #edFL

Florida Senate Bill 736 House Bill 7019 – Debate Blogging Comments Floor Debate Mar 15, 2011-SB736 HB7019 « Continuing Change

Florida Senate Bill 736 House Bill 7019 – Debate Blogging Comments Floor Debate Mar 15, 2011-SB736 HB7019

by gatorbonbc

I could not watch or attend the debate of Florida SB736 / HB7019 today. I teach, so watching TV during the day isn’t an option in my schedule…

So, I came home and searched out the blogging of those I trust. Here is what I found on Facebook walls:

From Andy Ford, FEA President: “The questions are very good…pointing out that this bill: guts local control, interferes with bargaining, is a huge unfunded mandate, eliminates due process, and increases testing for every subject at every grade level through end of course exams.”

The First Year of InterACT « InterACT

The First Year of InterACT « InterACT

The First Year of InterACT

by David B. Cohen

Exactly a year ago today, I clicked “Publish” on the first post here at InterACT. That post was titled, “Beginning in Sadness” – and I’ve re-posted it below in its entirety. I wish I could say that, one year later, the news is any better, but in fact, I think it’s worse. Education reform is still largely in the hands of non-educators who don’t understand classrooms, students, or teachers. Pontificating about students’ needs though they never work with students, they imagine they can reform teaching without teachers. They misunderstand our needs, our practices, our motivations. They collect six and seven-figure salaries from supposed philanthropies that are agenda-driven and whose money isn’t going anywhere near students. Instead they pay for favorable media coverage and public relations, keeping former politicians, administrators and executives gainfully employed and handsomely rewarded. They keep pushing tests they’ve never seen to be used for purposes the tests were never designed to accommodate. They’ve supposedly raced some of us to the top, chartered and standardized and triggered, and even stripped some of us of bargaining

KOCH OUT PM - News | www.kochwatch.org #wiunion #wearewi #p2

News | www.kochwatch.org

Think Progress: Despite Budget Crisis, Arizona Lawmakers Propose Generous Tax Breaks For Subprime Schools *March 15, 2011-* For several months, Arizona has been grappling with a budget crisis, with its deficit for this year projected to be $825 million and next year’s standing at $1.4 billion. Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ) used the budget shortfall to cut off ...

The Media Consortium: Weekly Audit: Massive Protest In Wisconsin Shows Walker’s Overreach *March 15, 2011- *About 100,000 people gathered in Madison, Wisconsin to protest Gov. Scott Walker’s new anti-collective bargaining law. The state Senate hurriedly past the bill without a quorum last Wednesday. Roger Bybee of Working In These Times ...

Cenk Uygur: Wisconsin & Anonymous Strike Back! WATCH ON YOUTUBE: *For links to MoveYourMoney and other organizations, visit our Links and Take Action pages.*

American Independent: Has Koch Industries’ investment in Marco Rubio paid off? *March 14, 2011-* On Friday, The American Independent reported that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) received more Koch Industries money than any other candidate for U.S. Senate in the 2010 election, and many of his other major contributors have personal ...

Protesting Governor Rick Snyder at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing (3/15/11) PART 1 WATCH ON YOUTUBE: read more

Unequal Protection, Part I: Corporations Take Over *(Note: Thom Hartmann's book Unequal Protection is being serialized online by Truthout.org. This is a portion of the first installment. To receive future instllemnt via email, visit Truthout.org and subscribe.)* *Chapter 1: The Deciding Moment?* ...

Huffington Post: Wisconsin Governor's Allies Ran a Toxic Bailout Bank... and Got Rich *March 14, 2011-* People in Wisconsin are pulling their money out of Marshall & Ilsley (M&I) Bank because they know it's been helping their Governor's crusade against public employees and the middle class. They might also like to know that M&I's ...

John Nichols, The Nation, interviews Susan Sarandon in Madison, WI WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

American Independent: Florida’s Marco Rubio is Senate’s largest recipient of Koch money *March 11, 2011- *Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has made no secret of his pro-business agenda since taking office in January. It may come as little surprise, then, that his campaign was backed largely by the industries he now supports. Data obtained by ...

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Hello, my name is (state your name here), and I am a PTA member in (state your city here). I want to urge Senator/Assemblymember (state the name of your legislator here) to put the tax extension measure on the June 2011 special election ballot.

I support a balanced approach to solving the state’s budget deficit so that deeper cuts to education and children’s services can be avoided. Voters should have the opportunity to decide on this important issue. My child attends (state the name of your school) and I believe these revenues are needed for their future. Thank you.

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#EDUSolidarity – Why I’m Standing Up « Outside the Cave #p2 #wiunion

#EDUSolidarity – Why I’m Standing Up « Outside the Cave

#EDUSolidarity – Why I’m Standing Up

by Stephen Lazar

Saturday, I found myself explaining for the umpteenth time why I, as a good teacher, would support teachers’ unions, let alone be a chapter leader. I was jotting down some notes for a blog entry, but then thought this might be worth getting bigger.

I got in touch with Ken Bernstein and Jose Vilson, both of whom I met at the recent EWA Seminar I attended, and Jonathan Halabi, who I know through my local UFT, to discuss the idea, and we decided to move forward with it. We reached out to educators we knew and respected as excellent teachers, and the idea of #EDUSolidarity was born. Our formal letter of invitation follows.

I hope you’ll join us in writing on March 22. If you don’t have a blog of your own, I am happy to publish guest posts on mine.

Fellow Educators,

As we all know, teachers and our unions, along with those of other public sector employees, face unprecedented attacks in the national media and from local and state governments. It is easy for politicians and the media to

School Tech Connect: BYOC Saturday

School Tech Connect: BYOC Saturday

BYOC Saturday

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)

Bring Your Own Clipboard!

Jan Schakowsky is organizing a friendly flotilla of carpooling canvassers this Saturday to head north past the Cheddar Curtain for signatures. You can either be a passenger or a driver. It's fun, believe me. If you have not canvassed a neighborhood before, you can hang with me. Hilarity will ensue and irony will abound.

Rides are leaving at 9:00 AM from:
Democratic Party of Evanston
821 Chicago Avenue, Evanston

It isn't clear to me which district we'll be targeting, but I

Schools Matter: Guess Who Said It...

Schools Matter: Guess Who Said It...

Guess Who Said It...

by Kenneth Libby

From an e-mail list...

This is almost worthy of a STOP THE PRESSES: I actually AGREE with Diane Ravitch about something! In her appearance on The Daily Show recently, she said, “I don’t think America is overrun by bad teachers. I think America is overrun by too much poverty, too much poverty among children.” We can quibble over the meaning of “overrun” – there are WAY too many bad teachers, which Ravitch refuses to acknowledge – but she’s right that childhood poverty is a crisis in this country, which is, in general, a moral outrage, but it also has a profound impact on the ability of children to learn. What got me thinking about this was watching a 60 Minutes segment that aired on March 6^th (www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/06/60minutes/main20038927.shtml) entitled “Homeless children: the hard times generation,” which profiled numerous families and kids in Florida who’d lost their homes and were living in cars or motels. It broke my heart.

Here’s a summary of the statistics from the National Center for Children in Poverty