Using the word "tools" over and over again, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker explained to the press how his budget cuts to public education--approximately $900 million: the biggest in state history--the end of collective bargaining for teachers, and other drastic changes will actually result in a net savings for schools in Wisconsin.
"We're giving our schools and local governments the tools they need," to make needed reform he said, which amounts to "a net benefit to school districts."
Predicting a "robust economy" and job growth, he added "As we get on that economic upturn, we'll have the tools in place so money will be going into the classroom and not into excessive benefits
drstevil3 on Feb 24, 2011
Teachers have become scapegoats for the current budget crises of many states in America. This video was created by teachers in defense of who we are and what we do. Please contact your state government and tell them to stop this assault on teachers and other public workers!
In a speech that painted a dismal picture of the intensifying attacks against teachers in many states around the country but was also a call for teachers to remain united and engaged, Ravitch relayed an alarming account of recent and proposed measures to
“I’ve wondered, given all the talk of school reform and seeing how it’s playing out in the media and legislature, do we live in an age of national insanity or is it andownsize teaching staffs and increase class sizes.
Note: The following piece comes from John MacPherson, a former interim executive director of the DPS Retirement System. The topic in question is a complex financial deal DPS made back in 2008 that has posed considerable risk to the pension system and the district’s budget. Though there has been much talk, especially last summer, of opposition to the deal being politically motivated, MacPherson opposed the deal from the outset, and e-mail evidence shows that Board Member Jeannie Kaplan expressed concern about it well before it could have been considered a political issue.
It has been difficult to get a straightforward accounting of just what the deal will mean for the district, as well as how much money has either been saved or lost as a result. Given looming budget cuts and the cost of restructuring the deal, there is a lot of worry over what it will me
First of all, if you are interested in the details of Illinois school politics in Springfield and don’t subscribe to Jim Broadway’s State School Policy Updates, you should.
In the update I received today, Broadway describes the strange comings and goings around SB2134.
SB2134 is the school consolidation bill. Last week there was a sudden crush of talk about school consolidation.
Where did all this come from?
Once source was Governor Quinn, who was out making a power grab. He’s wanted to get rid of Regional Offices of Education and school consolidation was one way to do it.
The other source was the corporate lobby.
Says Broadway,
Illinois corporate leaders have long believed true school “reform” cannot
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 demonize the “unions” and their public faces; it is far more difficult to demonize the millions of excellent teachers who are proud union members. Those of us who are excellent teachers and who stand in solidarity with our unions are probably no stranger to the question “Well, why are you involved with the union if you’re a good teacher?” It’s time for us to stand up and answer that question loudly and clearly.
On Tuesday, March 22, teachers in NYC will wear red in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are under attack in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and elsewhere. We also stand with teachers in places like Idaho, California, and Texas who are facing massive layoffs. We would like to take this stand on the web as well. We encourage you to publish a piece on March 22 entitled “Why Teachers Like Me Support Unions.” In this piece, please explain your own reasons for being a proud union member and/or supporter. Including personal stories can make this a very powerful piece. It would be great to also explain how being a union member supports and enables you to be the kind of teacher that you are. We want these posts to focus not only on our rights, but also on what it takes to be a great teacher for students, and how unions support that.
After you have published your post, please share it through the form that will go live on March 22 at http://www.edusolidarity.us. Posts should also be shared on Twitter using the tag #edusolidarity.
JOIN US IN BLOGGING “WHY TEACHER LIKE ME SUPPORT UNIONS” ON MARCH 22
In Solidarity,
SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5639
Title: An act relating to education governance.
Arne Duncan has brought us merit pay, closing schools and turning them into charter schools, firing an entire school staff for no good reason and high stakes testing. None of these “reforms” has raised test scores or strengthened school communities.
On Monday, Secretary Duncan spoke via video conference to our state representatives about Governor Gregoire’s bill to consolidate several programs under the auspices of the Governor’s office and have a governor appointed state school board.
There are many flaws in this idea. First is the fact that the governorship is a political position that can change every four years therefore the ideas and whims of that governor or their supporters can make drastic changes to how our schools are run. Our school policies would change with the political wind. Because the governor is a politician, there could also be strong lobbying by big money interest in reforming education to the flavor of the month, eliminating the democratic process.
The following interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
The Hechinger Report: It’s well-known that Finland’s teachers are an elite bunch, with only top students offered the chance to become teachers. It’s also no secret that they are well-trained. But take us inside that training for a moment – what does it look like, specifically? How does teacher training in Finland differ from teacher training in other countries?
Virkkunen: It’s a difficult question. Our teachers are really good. One of the main reasons they are so good is because the teaching profession is one of the most famous careers in Finland, so young people want to become
The petition drives are certainly going well. The Wisconsin Democratic Party announced Monday that in just two weeks, it had collected 45 percent of the signatures required to force
By Sandra Thomas, grandparent of two children at MS 391
MS 391 in the Bronx is on New York State’s list of Persistently Lowest-Achieving schools, and is at risk of being closed next year. But the school has already been closed and restarted twice, and parents wonder what will make this time any different Click here to read today’s Daily News story about the school’s struggles.
My name is Sandra Thomas and I have lived in Community School District 10 in the Bronx for just about all my life. My son graduated from MS 391 and my granddaughter now attends the school. I remember when MS 391 was first built. And I can remember watching the school’s decline as it became more and more infested with drugs and gang activity. The whole community knew it as a danger zone. In the 1990s it was phased out twice. But both times—closures did nothing but add to its degradation. It was not until about five years ago when Principal Santana and his administration came that our school began to turn around. They gave the school
 |
| This pictures was just taken in Lansing. |
RT @MMflint: State police have now entered rotunda. People not leaving. We're still streaming live. Michigan has had it.http://michaelmoore.com/ #madmiUncucumbered tweets:
Crowd inside Capitol is chanting "Yes we can" and "We are one" #P2 #MIUnion #MadMIMichael Moore is livestreaming the protest. Watch it here:http://michaelmoore.com/.
It would make Michigan’s already regressive tax system even
I’m pretty sure this is what the first 3 words are in the video below:
“The dare is over!”
But the recording is a little distorted. Please listen and comment.
That’s followed by, “I can’t say this on television, I can’t say this because of “oh you’re just union busting” but I’ve got to tell you, this is a pivotal part of history. It’s a pivotal part. That’s why they’re fighting so hard.”
Then clearly there is a break in the recording, followed by “I’ll say one thing, when you say Scott Walker, you’ve said it all!”
These are inspiring words. They are inspiring me right into helping with her recall. Below–some places to start:
The facebook page “Recall Alberta Darling, State Senator,Wisconsin District 8″
Keeping tabs on the recall: RecallAlbertaDarling.org
Where to donate to the recall effort on ActBlue
