Jose Vilson: Trayvon Martin and the Implications for Teacher Perceptions of Students

Jose Vilson: Trayvon Martin and the Implications for Teacher Perceptions of Students:

Jose Vilson

Math educator, coach, writer, data analyst, New Yorker

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Trayvon Martin and the Implications for Teacher Perceptions of Students

Posted: 03/21/2012 11:34 am

The bad news: Another young black boy gets shot down on the basis of perception of threat. Trayvon Martin is the latest in a list of victims of our racial politic, a young scholar with a budding future. George Zimmerman, the 28-year-old man who one day dreamed of being a full-fledged cop, admitted to the shooting and alleged self-defense. What gets lost in this conversation is that somewhere along the line, our society still has people who teach our children that our racial differences imply inferiority or, worse, dehumanization.

The good news: Teachers can play a critical role in the move towards racial consciousness and, yes, harmony.

We greet students into classrooms with histories that don't always favor them, and it's often our job to remedy that situation. We help create cultures within our own school accounting for all these 

WATCH: Tennessee Passes Anti-Evolution Law

by The Huffington Post News Team

Monday evening, a new bill (SB 893) was approved by the Tennessee Senate that will protect teachers who wish to promote "alternate" scientific theorie...

Trayvon Martin Case: In Final Call, Told Friend He Was Being Followed | FDL News Desk

Trayvon Martin Case: In Final Call, Told Friend He Was Being Followed | FDL News Desk:

Trayvon Martin Case: In Final Call, Told Friend He Was Being Followed

by David Dayen

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A 16 year-old girl spent the last moments of Trayvon Martin’s life on the phone with him, as he complained about being followed by the man who would ultimately shoot him.
The friend, who did not disclose her name, gave the details to the Martin family lawyer and the media:

“He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man,” Martin’s friend said. “I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run but he said he was not going to run.”
Eventually he would run, said the girl, thinking that he’d managed to escape. But suddenly the 

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee on Vouchers With a Oh, So Subtle Jab at Bush and Levesque | Scathing Purple Musings

Rhee on Vouchers With a Oh, So Subtle Jab at Bush and Levesque | Scathing Purple Musings:

Rhee on Vouchers With a Oh, So Subtle Jab at Bush and Levesque

by Bob Sikes

Education Week’s Sean Cavanagh is writing in a new niche blog, Charters and Choice. His post today on Michelle Rhee offers some new takeaways. First of those is that Rhee’s support for vouchers is limited:

I was curious about Rhee’s views on this topic, because, broadly speaking, she’s been a strong backer of school choice. She’s called for expanding charter schools, open enrollment for students across districts, and “parent trigger” proposals, which would allow parents to vote to convert struggling schools to charters. But her views of private school choice have received a lot less attention.
Rhee’s position also matters, because the education advocacy group she now leads,StudentsFirst, wants to become a major player in state education policy. Though Rhee is a Democrat, she says her group will support governors and lawmakers from either party if they share 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ramona Hattendorf Sets the Record Straight

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ramona Hattendorf Sets the Record Straight

Ramona Hattendorf Sets the Record Straight

by Charlie Mas

A message from Ramona Hattendorf, Washington State PTA Government Relations Coordinator:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

There seems to be confusion about WSPTA’s position on charter public schools.

There has been no change in the WSPTA position on charters. The association has qualified support. Please note "qualified." On this blog and others individuals have been posting assumptions and outright fabrications about what I personally am doing and supporting and actions that WSPTA is taking.

I know you value clarity, and while you like to inspire debate it is not your intention to spread misinformation.

To clarify various posts on your blog:

Nationally, PTA has a qualified position in favor of charter public schools:http://www.pta.org/topic_posititon_statement_support-for_public_education.asp

This means that while the association is not anti-charter, neither does it embrace all charters or all charter 

This and That

by Melissa Westbrook

The Times is reporting that Hamilton's 6th grade field trip to see The Hunger Games has been canceled.  I'm not really surprised - I think an adult should see the film before a decision is made to show it to students.  (And if you want a version of it, check out the Japanese film, Battle Royale, with the same theme of kids being forced to kill each other to stay alive.)

I am getting a press pass to go and hear Diane Ravitch tomorrow morning at the National Association of Elementary School Principals convention being held this week at the Convention Center.  I have never heard her speak and I am looking forward to it.  I also hope to speak to some principals from other states about their challenges and successes.   The Association includes elementary and middle school principals.  They are also sponsoring a day of service today for Hawthorne Elementary School in support of their new playground.  (I attended an event at Hawthorne this week and there are a couple of threads to come out of that.)

The Snow Days waiver to OSPI has been added to tonight's School Board agenda as an Intro item.   This had 

Board Community Engagement Failure

by Charlie Mas

For all of their fancy talk about community engagement, the School Board has the worst community engagement of any department in the District.

Imagine a principal who conducted community engagement by holding two sessions a month, during which no more than 19 people could speak to the principal for no more than two minutes each. The principal would not respond to anything said, not at the session and not afterwards by phone, mail, email, or in person. People could, of course, send the principal email, but the principal wouldn't reply in 90% of the cases. Nor would the principal reply to 90% of voice mail messages. That's it. That's the entire community engagement effort from the principal. Would that be acceptable to anyone?

Could a program manager conduct community engagement like that? Of course not. Could the superintendent? One of them tried and was constantly hounded by the Board to expand and improve her community engagement. 

What is Pink Slime -- and How Can You Avoid It?:

What is Pink Slime, and How Can You Avoid It?

Low-cost beef filler is treated with ammonia

Updated: Tuesday, 20 Mar 2012, 2:38 PM CDT
Published : Monday, 19 Mar 2012, 10:43 PM CDT

by Scott Wasserman / FOX 9 News

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Many people are wondering what "pink slime" is now that the USDA is officially giving schools the option whether or not to serve meat that uses the food product, but even more are wondering how they can avoid it.

Unfortunately, there is no labeling system to distinguish which beef products contain the low-cost filler made from fatty bits of leftover cuts and treated with ammonia. Many companies use it to prevent or suppress the growth of E. coli.

"It's only been around for seven to eight years, and if we think of ammonia or bleach -- those are things we use for cleaning, which we don't inhale," said Lifetime Fitness dietician Anika Decoster. "The fact that it's adding to the food we eat every day, not such a good thing."

The only major grocery store that FOX 9 News found in the Twin Cities that sold products containing the so-called "pink slime"

Read more: What is Pink Slime -- and How Can You Avoid It? http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/health/what-is-pink-slime-and-how-can-you-avoid-it-mar-19-2012#ixzz1plL8awTM

Learn What the Student Loan Forgiveness Act Could Mean for You - Student Loan Ranger (usnews.com)

Learn What the Student Loan Forgiveness Act Could Mean for You - Student Loan Ranger (usnews.com):

Learn What the Student Loan Forgiveness Act Could Mean for You

By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

March 21, 2012 RSS Feed Print

On March 8, Congressman Hansen Clarke (D-Mich.) introduced H.R. 4170, the Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012. 

Normally we don't go into the findings of particular pieces of legislation, but the Student Loan Ranger thinks findings like this are refreshing and show Rep. Clarke is living in the reality most of us inhabit, including:

Total outstanding student loan debt officially surpassed total credit card debt in the United States in 2010, and is on track to exceed $1,000,000,000,000 during 2012; 

Excessive student loan debt is impeding economic growth in the United States. Faced with excessive repayment burdens, many individuals are unable to start 

Equal Justice Works

Articles by Equal Justice Works

Students Have New Outlet for Loan Complaints

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Mar 14, 2012

If you've had a bad experience or are looking for guidance, there are options.

Is Student Debt Prolonging the Recession?

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Mar 7, 2012

Nearly $1 trillion in student loan debt may be slowing down economic recovery.

New Federal Initiatives Help Students Understand Loans

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Feb 29, 2012

Tools and campaigns may shed light on borrowing for school.

Obama Proposal May Address Growing Education Gap

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Feb 22, 2012

Some policies may help low-income students to complete college.

Student Loan Debate Rages On

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Feb 15, 2012

From Washington, D.C. to California, student loans are a hot topic.

Law School Transparency Weighs in on Reform

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Feb 8, 2012

Hear from the organization's cofounder about law school reform and a new initiative.

Law School Student Debt Is Just Tip of the Iceberg

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Feb 1, 2012

A recent report notes that issues of debt and employment found in legal education exist in other areas.

Students, Fill Out Your FAFSA!

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Jan 25, 2012

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid should be the first step in paying for school.

Understand Why Federal Budgets Matter to Students

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Jan 18, 2012

The 2012 budget preserves the Pell Grant but cuts important student protections.

Student Debt Crisis Isn't Just About Economy

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By EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

 Jan 11, 2012

Political contenders should consider the educational debt crisis when touting plans for economic change.

View more U.S. News articles

Schools Matter: Tennessee's New Era: Stealth Creationism, Crushing Teachers, and Corporatizing Education

Schools Matter: Tennessee's New Era: Stealth Creationism, Crushing Teachers, and Corporatizing Education:

Tennessee's New Era: Stealth Creationism, Crushing Teachers, and Corporatizing Education

by Jim Horn

Despite over 20 years of control by Business Roundtable education reformers, Tennessee test scores as measured by NAEP continue to hover where they were when Tennessee's corporate value-added crew took charge, which is near near the bottom of the 50 states.  That raw fact, however, has not deterred another generation of knights from the Business Roundtable from eagerly stepping up to claim their time in pretending to protect Tennessee's struggling little edu-kingdom.

I say "pretending" because today Tennessee school policy steering is a national affair of multi-corporate proportions, directed by plutocratic crews from corporations and their corporate foundations, with legislative language supplied by the Koch lawyers at ALEC.  Tennessee, in fact, is Ground Zero for the corporate war on 

Modern School: Is Rising Teacher Productivity Increasing High school Graduation Rates?

Modern School: Is Rising Teacher Productivity Increasing High school Graduation Rates?:

Is Rising Teacher Productivity Increasing High school Graduation Rates?

by Michael Dunn

The national high school graduation rate increased to 75.5% in 2009, up from 72% in 2001, according to a report by a nonprofit group headed by former secretary of state Colin L. Powell. Considering that socioeconomic status is the biggest influence on academic achievement and that familial wealth declined substantially during that same time period, one would have expected graduation rates to have declined. The fact that they didn’t is likely the result of increased teacher productivity.

Worker productivity across the nation has grown steadily for the past thirty years, with corporate profits rising in spite of massive layoffs and a general decades-long trend of 

CATO Education Policy Wonk Calls Parent Trigger “Inherently Divisive” | Scathing Purple Musings

CATO Education Policy Wonk Calls Parent Trigger “Inherently Divisive” | Scathing Purple Musings:

CATO Education Policy Wonk Calls Parent Trigger “Inherently Divisive”

by Bob Sikes

Neal McCluskey is the associate director of CATO’s Center for Education Freedom. Like most advocates of education reform he never misses an opportunity to mock Diane Ravitch, but McCluskey’s opposition to parent trigger speaks directly to the divisiveness  such efforts are already causing in California.

To remedy the problem, the trendy thing seems to be “parent trigger” laws that would, generally speaking, allow a majority of parents at a school declare that they want to fire the staff, or bring in a private management company, or some other transformation. It’s been the spark behind some