Big Education Ape

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Statement by the President on Hajj and Eid al-Adha | The White House:Statement by the President on Hajj and Eid al-Adhaby The White HouseRelease Time: For Immediate ReleaseMichelle and I extend our greetings for a happy Eid al-Adha to Muslims worldwide and congratulate those performing Hajj. Thousands of Muslim Americans are among those who have joined one of the world’s largest and most diverse gatherings in making the pilgrimage to Mecca and nearby sites.As Muslims celebrate this Eid, they will ... more »

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky's blog:Saturday coffee.by Fred KlonskyGraphic: H/T Chris Janotta.Chicago will be rainy this coming week, but today it is sunny and Fall-like. A long dog-walk with Ulysses is on the agenda.And then later this afternoon we are co-hosting a meet-and-greet coffee for Will Guzzardi. Will is a young guy who is running for the Democratic nomination for 39th District State Rep against Democratic Party Machine incumbent, Toni Berrios. I first met Will when he was a Chicago ...more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Imagine, Inc.: Operating horrible charter schools for fun and profit

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Imagine, Inc.: Operating horrible charter schools for fun and profit:Imagine, Inc.: Operating horrible charter schools for fun and profitby Mike KlonskySt. Louis charter school building has been sold and resold for 10 times original price.Skeptical educators often ask me how it is possible to make a profit from operating a charter school. Here's one way.Imagine Schools Inc., the nation's largest charter school operator, runs six charter schools in St.

NYC Public School Parents: Occupy the DOE! Join us on the steps of Tweed on Monday, Nov. 7th!

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

NYC Public School Parents: Occupy the DOE! Join us on the steps of Tweed on Monday, Nov. 7th!:Occupy the DOE! Join us on the steps of Tweed on Monday, Nov. 7th!by Leonie HaimsonParents, Educators, and Students of New York Citycordially request your presence at thePeople’s General Assembly On Public EducationDate: Monday, the Seventh of November,Two Thousand and ElevenTime: Five p.m.Location: Steps of Tweed Hall, 52 Chambers St.Please join us for the exercise of democracy, the raising of silenced voices, outrage ... more »

Bill Gates' Big Play: How Much Can Money Buy in Education? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

Bill Gates' Big Play: How Much Can Money Buy in Education? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:Bill Gates' Big Play: How Much Can Money Buy in Education?by Anthony CodyWhat would happen if one of the wealthiest men in the world decided to remake the institution of public education in America? What if that man believed he understood the secrets to success, and sought to align the nation's schools to his vision and methods? What if he decided to ... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Corporate "reformers" are buying local school board elections #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Corporate "reformers" are buying local school board elections:Corporate "reformers" are buying local school board electionsby Mike KlonskyProgressive candidate Emily Sirota (at left) lost the election to Anne Rowe who was financed by corporate front groups. A pivotal campaign in Denver It's long been an accepted fact, even by the least cynical amongst us, that national elections are the playgrounds of the rich. Especially with recent court rulings that "corporations are people," corporate interests,

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts #owsShould legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington PostBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-4 minutes agoShould legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)?by Valerie StraussWisconsin’s Senate just passed a bill that would force public school teachers who are teaching sex education to promote the ... more »

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: Bombs or Bridges, Paychecks or Profits

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: Bombs or Bridges, Paychecks or Profits:Bombs or Bridges, Paychecks or Profitsby Charlie MasPaul Krugman wrote a column about government spending in which he suggests that the decision comes down to either bombs or bridges. Rep. Barney Frank calls some of his colleagues "Weaponized Keynesians". He defines them as people who believe "that the government does not create jobs when it funds the building of bridges or important research or retrains workers, but when it builds ... more »

Anti-bullying legislation attacked for allowing bullying - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

Anti-bullying legislation attacked for allowing bullying - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:Anti-bullying legislation attacked for allowing bullyingby Valerie StraussAnti-bullying legislation just approved by the Michigan Senate has been denounced by the father of the teenager for whom it was named because, he said, it actually allows bullying to continue.The legislation, called “Matt’s Safe School Law,” was named after Matt Epling, an honor-roll student who killed himself at the age of 14 in 2002 after being assaulted by anti-gay ... more »

All Education Matters: A Few Thoughts: Washington DC, David Hunsicker, and NYC

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 21 minutes ago

All Education Matters: A Few Thoughts: Washington DC, David Hunsicker, and NYC:A Few Thoughts: Washington DC, David Hunsicker, and NYCby Cryn JohannsenIt's been a productive and very busy week in Washington, DC. I'll provide an update on the offices I visited soon. Some of the meetings were great, and others were . . . not so great. I am staying with fellow activist Leni Weisl in Maryland this weekend. She and her husband opened their home to me for much ... more »

Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)?by Valerie StraussWisconsin’s Senate just passed a bill that would force public school teachers who are teaching sex education to promote the benefits of marriage and abstinence as the best way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. And bills have been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress that would encourage comprehensive sex ed ... more »

Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scores | Scathing Purple Musings

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scores | Scathing Purple Musings:Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scoresby Bob SikesSo NOW its about the funding. From Leslie Postal in Sentinel School Zone:Former Gov. Jeb Bush sent out a press release this afternoon lamenting the state’s flat NAEP scores and calling for higher standards to boost performance that had “plateaued.”Bush, head of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, also said money would help.“ And investing in education is also important,” he said in ... more »

Guest Column: Evaluations ignore education factors Schools Matter

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Schools Matter:Guest Column: Evaluations ignore education factorsJim Horn Saturday, November 5, 2011 Surely everyone can agree with Mike Edwards' core idea in "Grading teachers vital to education" (Oct. 29) that "every student needs to be well prepared for life and the work force" and that education is a critical factor in every citizen's quality of life. However, almost no one, especially researchers, would agree with Edwards' contention that teachers are the most important factor in a child's education. What the ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #owsSave Seattle Schools Community Blog: What's Next? School Lunches?Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-14 hours agoSave Seattle Schools Community Blog: What's Next? School Lunches?:What's Next? School Lunches?by Melissa WestbrookThe Seattle Times is reporting that Governor Gregoire is considering cutting K-12 bus transportation. But any squeamishness over student-transportation cuts isn't enough to keep that $220 million idea off her list of ways to potentially deal with budget shortfalls, the latest a ... more »

Defining a teacher’s worth

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Defining a teacher’s worth:Defining a teacher’s worthby Mandy ZatynskiA new report this week from the American Enterprise Institute, in conjunction with the Heritage Foundation, sent waves (or perhaps a tsunami?) through the education community after claiming it found teachers to be overpaid – to the tune of 52 percent more than their educated equivalents in the private sector.If that’s the case, I missed out on some money somewhere.I taught ESL for almost three years in Spain in various capacities including ... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, EFL:Native American Heritage Month ResourcesLarry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 37 minutes agoNovember is Native American Heritage Month in the United States. Though I don’t have a “The Best…” list solely devoted to Native American resources, I do have tons of related materials at The Best Sites For International Day Of The … Continue reading →The Best Ideas On How Parents Can Help Their Kids ... more »

Re:education in Baltimore – Fishbowl Edition | Re:education in Baltimore

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Re:education in Baltimore – Fishbowl Edition | Re:education in Baltimore:Re:education in Baltimore – Fishbowl Editionby Edit BarryI wrote a new post for this week based on a selection of articles and op-eds I’d read over the past two. Here are the links:Alonso plans to close schools that are underused, dilapidatedSpecific list hasn’t been finalizedBy Erica L. GreenThe Baltimore SunOctober 14, 2011Why smaller is betterOur view: Consolidating students in fewer buildings makes the best use of the city school system’s limited ... more »

KOCH OUT NEWS www.kochwatch.org

www.kochwatch.org:

Crooks & Liars: Exclusive Video: #OccupyDC Protesters Hit by Driver...Who Police Let Go

CD at www.kochwatch.org - 1 hour ago

* -By Tina Dupuy * *November 5, 2011-* On Friday night I was covering the protest of the Americans for Prosperity conference at the Washington DC Convention Center. It started off with a march from McPherson Square, the location of the Occupation, down K Street to the convention center. The crowd of around 500 people chanted and marched around the perimeter of the complex. read more

Huffington Post: Occupy DC: Car Drives Through Crowd Near Protest And Strikes 3 People, Say Authorities

CD at www.kochwatch.org - 1 hour ago

November 5, 2011- istrict of Columbia police said early Saturday that a driver will not be charged for striking three people taking part in an Occupy DC protest in downtown Washington. Lt. Christopher Micciche (MITCH'-ih-kay) of the D.C. police said the driver was not cited because he had a green light when his vehicle struck the three on Friday night. He said witnesses told police that the three pedestrians "either ran toward or jumped in front of the moving vehicle." He said one pedestrian jumped on the hood of the car. One of them was cited for being in the roadway. "The prote... more »

Rachel Maddow: Watching the top 1% widen the gap

CD at www.kochwatch.org - 2 hours ago

Huffington Post: Herman Cain, Koch Brothers' 'Brother From Another Mother,' Defends Ties To Conservative Group

CD at www.kochwatch.org - 2 hours ago

*November 4, 2011-* GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain spoke at an Americans for Prosperity event Friday, and proudly claimed to be the "Koch brothers' brother from another mother." "I'm proud to know the Koch brothers. I'm very proud to know the Koch brothers. They make it sound like that we have had time to go fishing together, hunting together, skiing together, golfing together," Cain told the audience. "Just so I can clarify this to the media, this may be a new announcement for the media: I am the Koch brothers' brother from another mother. Yes. I am their brother from ano... more »

MSNBC: Koch-backed group confirms financial ties to Cain campaign manager

CD at www.kochwatch.org - 2 hours ago

*-By Michael Isikoff* *November 4, 2011-* A major conservative advocacy group, funded by Koch family oil interests, says it is reviewing its "financial dealings" with a Wisconsin charity headed by Herman Cain's campaign manager, raising fresh questions about the source of tens of thousands of dollars in funds that were used to pay expenses for Cain's presidential campaign. The Center for Public Integrity reported late Thursday that Americans for Prosperity, one of the largest and most prominent of conservative political groups, has confirmed unspecified financial transactions with... more »

Think Progress: Romney Campaign Memo: The Koch Brothers Are The ‘Financial Engine Of The Tea Party’

CD at www.kochwatch.org - 2 hours ago

*-By Lee Fang* *November 3, 2011-* Tomorrow, billionaire David Koch and presidential candidate Mitt Romney are set to speak at the a Tea Party conference financed by the same Koch brother’s fortune. The Defending the Dream Summit, a conference funded by Koch and sponsored by his Americans for Prosperity group, is a yearly event where Republican politicians come to praise the Koch brothers and their political network. For instance, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), as he was seeking the Republican nomination, paid tribute to the Koch’s political network at the same event in 2007. read more

Think Progress: The Koch Brothers’ Connection To Herman Cain’s Campaign Finance Scandal

CD at www.kochwatch.org - 2 hours ago

*-by Lee Fang* *November 3, 2011-* Herman Cain’s presidential campaign has taken heat for relying on a private corporation to pay for a plethora of campaign services, potentially in violation of federal campaign finance law. According to documents obtained by Daniel Bice of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Cain chief of staff Mark Block set up a company called Prosperity USA and used it to pay for “tens of thousands of dollars in [campaign] expenses for such items as iPads, chartered flights and travel to Iowa and Las Vegas.” read more

Mother Jones: Who's Paying for the GOP's Plan to Hijack the 2012 Election?

CD at www.kochwatch.org - 1 day ago

*Someone is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to rig the rules of the presidential election against Obama. But the source of the money is a mystery.* *-By Nick Baumann* *November 2, 2011- *Over the past six months, someone—or a group of someones—has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund an effort to change the rules of the 2012 presidential election to make it very difficult for President Barack Obama to win reelection. But the shadowy lobbying group mounting this campaign hasn't disclosed its donors—and under current law, it doesn't have to. read more

NY Times: “All Americans Should Feel Ashamed” Of Alabama Immigration Law | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

NY Times: “All Americans Should Feel Ashamed” Of Alabama Immigration Law | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:

NY Times: “All Americans Should Feel Ashamed” Of Alabama Immigration Law

by Larry Ferlazzo

The New York Times has published an editorial about Alabama’s attack on immigrants. Here are its last two paragraphs:

Alabama has seized from the federal government the job of controlling immigration within its borders. The law’s architects and supporters proclaim that their goal is to catastrophically disrupt the lives of illegal immigrants and

Election memories. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Election memories. « Fred Klonsky's blog:

Election memories.

by Fred Klonsky

As a general rule I am a guy who likes taking his politics to the street. It’s why I like the Occupation movement.

I was talking to someone, an old political activist like me, who muttered about how our generation needs to give the Occupation movement a more solid program. He called the Occupation spontaneous with a frown as if spontaneity was sticky and couldn’t be easily washed off.

We’ve had a few years to get our solid program together. Now, in the words of Maurice Sendak in Where the Wild Thing Are, I say, let the rumpus begin.

I’m thinking about this because this afternoon we hosted a neighborhood coffee for Will Guzzardi who is running against the corrupt Berrios Machine for a seat in the Ilinois House representing my 39th District which includes my Logan Square.

For a guy who is not big into electoral stuff, I find myself involved in another election campaign. Oh well.

The history goes all the way back to California in the sixties when I went bird dogging for a state-wide fair '

Schools Matter: Invest in protecting children from poverty, not in national standards

Schools Matter: Invest in protecting children from poverty, not in national standards:

Invest in protecting children from poverty, not in national standards

by skrashen

Sent to the Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2011

Re: (“Backsliding on school reform, “ November 5).

The Times faults the Harkens-Enzi proposal for a new education law because it lacks national standards. Without national standards, the Times insists, schools will have “no incentive to improve.”

In reality, American teachers have been successful without national standards: Middle-class American students attending well-funded schools score at the top of the world on international tests. Our overall scores are mediocre

Statement by the President on Hajj and Eid al-Adha | The White House

Statement by the President on Hajj and Eid al-Adha | The White House:

Statement by the President on Hajj and Eid al-Adha

by The White House

Release Time:

For Immediate Release

Michelle and I extend our greetings for a happy Eid al-Adha to Muslims worldwide and congratulate those performing Hajj. Thousands of Muslim Americans are among those who have joined one of the world’s largest and most diverse gatherings in making the pilgrimage to Mecca and nearby sites.

As Muslims celebrate this Eid, they will also commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son by distributing food to those less fortunate around the world. They join the United States and the international community in relief efforts to assist those struggling to survive in the Horn of Africa and those recovering from the devastating earthquake in Turkey.

The Eid and Hajj rituals are a reminder of the shared roots of the world’s Abrahamic faiths and the powerful role that faith plays in motivating communities to serve and stand with those in need. On behalf of the American people, we extend our best wishes during this Hajj season. Eid Mubarak and Hajj Mabrour

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky's blog:

Saturday coffee.

by Fred Klonsky

Graphic: H/T Chris Janotta.

Chicago will be rainy this coming week, but today it is sunny and Fall-like. A long dog-walk with Ulysses is on the agenda.

And then later this afternoon we are co-hosting a meet-and-greet coffee for Will Guzzardi. Will is a young guy who is running for the Democratic nomination for 39th District State Rep against Democratic Party Machine incumbent, Toni Berrios. I first met Will when he was a Chicago political writer for Huffington and he did a story on me and the Jonah Edelman – Stand for Children scandal.

Given what the Illinois House is thinking about doing to teacher pensions this coming week, having a pro-teacher voice in Springfield doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.

Which reminds me. If you haven’t called your Illinois state legislator today, why not? 1 888 412 6570. Follow the prompts. “Don’t mess with our TRS.”

While nobody can say what a new version of SB512 will look like, here is what the old version would do:

Old school.

by Fred Klonsky

Johnny Cash.

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Imagine, Inc.: Operating horrible charter schools for fun and profit

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Imagine, Inc.: Operating horrible charter schools for fun and profit:

Imagine, Inc.: Operating horrible charter schools for fun and profit

by Mike Klonsky

St. Louis charter school building has been sold and resold for 10 times original price.

Skeptical educators often ask me how it is possible to make a profit from operating a charter school. Here's one way.

Imagine Schools Inc., the nation's largest charter school operator, runs six charter schools in St.

NYC Public School Parents: Occupy the DOE! Join us on the steps of Tweed on Monday, Nov. 7th!

NYC Public School Parents: Occupy the DOE! Join us on the steps of Tweed on Monday, Nov. 7th!:

Occupy the DOE! Join us on the steps of Tweed on Monday, Nov. 7th!

by Leonie Haimson

Parents, Educators, and Students of

New York City

cordially request your presence at the

People’s General Assembly On

Public Education

Date: Monday, the Seventh of November,

Two Thousand and Eleven

Time: Five p.m.

Location: Steps of Tweed Hall, 52 Chambers St.

Please join us for the exercise of democracy, the raising of silenced voices, outrage at the lack of public representation in decisions of educational policy, and

the creation of a People’s Agenda for our schools!

Hosted by Occupy the Department of Education; please visit us on Facebook!

Bill Gates' Big Play: How Much Can Money Buy in Education? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher #ows

Bill Gates' Big Play: How Much Can Money Buy in Education? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Bill Gates' Big Play: How Much Can Money Buy in Education?

by Anthony Cody

What would happen if one of the wealthiest men in the world decided to remake the institution of public education in America? What if that man believed he understood the secrets to success, and sought to align the nation's schools to his vision and methods? What if he decided to devote all his time and considerable money to this objective? Could he succeed? We are in the process of finding out just how far money and a sharply defined agenda can take you.

Bill Gates' first challenge was to define a vision. After experimenting with small schools, he discovered that this approach did not lead to consistently higher student performance. So he stepped back and said, OK, let's figure out just what IS going to increase those test scores? This was the crucial decision that has determined all other steps that have followed. The purpose of schooling has been determined by the measurement that tells us if we have succeeded. Although Bill Gates would perceive this as a neutral objective, in fact it has created a driving agenda for school change. The agenda is this: To recraft the system so that it is just as relentlessly

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Corporate "reformers" are buying local school board elections #ows

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Corporate "reformers" are buying local school board elections:

Corporate "reformers" are buying local school board elections

by Mike Klonsky

Progressive candidate Emily Sirota (at left) lost the election to Anne Rowe who was financed by corporate front groups.

A pivotal campaign in Denver

It's long been an accepted fact, even by the least cynical amongst us, that national elections are the playgrounds of the rich. Especially with recent court rulings that "corporations are people," corporate interests,

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts #ows