Milwaukee: No Model for America
Recently I wrote a post maintaining that choice had failed in Milwaukee, and that the city would be better off if it had a single public school system, doors open to all, receiving public support and public funding and civic energy. Uniting behind public education makes more sense than supporting three separate systems, none of which do well for studnts.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel published my post as an opinion piece. So far, my views have been critiqued by two other opinion pieces. One is by the research director of a free-market organization that advocates for vouchers, who says (ironically) that my call for unity around public schooling is “divisive.” This article gave me a
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel published my post as an opinion piece. So far, my views have been critiqued by two other opinion pieces. One is by the research director of a free-market organization that advocates for vouchers, who says (ironically) that my call for unity around public schooling is “divisive.” This article gave me a
Parents, Beware! Is Your Child for Sale?
This appeared on the New York City parent blog:
NYC Public School Parents
Independent voices of New York City public school parents
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013
Parents beware! NY and eight other states plan to share your child’s confidential school records with private corporations without your consent!
New York is one of five states that have agreed to share confidential NYC student and teacher data in Phase I with the “Shared Learning Collaborative” or SLC, a project of the Gates Foundation.
The other states and districts in Phase I include North Carolina (Guilford Co.), Colorado (Jefferson Co.), Illinois
NYC Public School Parents
Independent voices of New York City public school parents
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013
Parents beware! NY and eight other states plan to share your child’s confidential school records with private corporations without your consent!
New York is one of five states that have agreed to share confidential NYC student and teacher data in Phase I with the “Shared Learning Collaborative” or SLC, a project of the Gates Foundation.
The other states and districts in Phase I include North Carolina (Guilford Co.), Colorado (Jefferson Co.), Illinois
NY State Commissioner King Threatens NYC Children
New York Commissioner of Education has warned New York City that if the union and the mayor don’t reach a deal on teacher evaluation, he will withhold over $1 billion, in addition to the $250 million already at stake in Race to the Top funding.
He is holding the children and their education hostage unless the parties submit to his will.
With his long (two year) history in a charter school, he knows all there is to
He is holding the children and their education hostage unless the parties submit to his will.
With his long (two year) history in a charter school, he knows all there is to
Can You Do This?
A reader comments:
* *
What do the following major problems have in common?
1. Severe budget cuts to schools, bashing of teachers, lack of a broad based curriculum for developing critical and creative thinking students and cheating scandals?
2. Allowing civilians to buy assault weapons that can be used to murder innocent children and adults?
3. Inadequate menta
* *
What do the following major problems have in common?
1. Severe budget cuts to schools, bashing of teachers, lack of a broad based curriculum for developing critical and creative thinking students and cheating scandals?
2. Allowing civilians to buy assault weapons that can be used to murder innocent children and adults?
3. Inadequate menta
The Business Model and the Bus Strike in NYC
New York City is now in the midst of a school bus strike, stranding more than 100,000 students.
As usual, each side blames the other for intransigence.
But there are a few facts that should be remembered for context.
The Bloomberg administration has had complete control of the school system since 2002 and negotiated all existing contracts.
In 2006, then Chancellor Joel Klein gave a contract for $15.8 million to business turnaround consultants Alvarez
As usual, each side blames the other for intransigence.
But there are a few facts that should be remembered for context.
The Bloomberg administration has had complete control of the school system since 2002 and negotiated all existing contracts.
In 2006, then Chancellor Joel Klein gave a contract for $15.8 million to business turnaround consultants Alvarez
What You Need to Know about “Right to Work” Laws
Now that Michigan has become the 24th state to pass a “right to work” law, there is considerable confusion about the reasons for such legislation. Many corporations have long wanted such laws so they could be free of the demands of unions. Many rightwing politicians have wanted to decimate unions to remove their ability to fund liberal political campaigns.
This writer, Paul Cole, a labor activist, explains what the legislation means.
Representatives designated or selected for the purposes of collective bargaining by the majority of the employees in a unit appropriate for such purposes, shall be the exclusive representatives of all the employees in such unit for the purposes of collective bargaining in respect to rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, or
This writer, Paul Cole, a labor activist, explains what the legislation means.
Representatives designated or selected for the purposes of collective bargaining by the majority of the employees in a unit appropriate for such purposes, shall be the exclusive representatives of all the employees in such unit for the purposes of collective bargaining in respect to rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, or
Arkansas: Charters, Segregation, the Waltons
A judge in Arkansas ruled that the state must continue to stay involved in desegregation efforts but then ruled that charters skimming white students are okay. Even Arkansas objects vets saw the contradiction.
And not coincidentally, Republicans are moving to strip the state board of education of its power to rule on charter applications. The Walton family wants more privatization, faster.
Says a local commentator:
“Re charter schools: Judge Marshall is a heckuva judge. If he says no reasonable fact-finder could argue that charter schools breach the 1989 agreement, that’s an opinion worth respecting. But no reasonable fact-finder could deny that open enrollment charter schools have skimmed middle income and white students from the Little Rock School District as a whole, particularly at the middle school level, and thus made it harder to desegregate those schools. As a matter of law, that might be irrelevant. His analysis focused on charter schools and the
And not coincidentally, Republicans are moving to strip the state board of education of its power to rule on charter applications. The Walton family wants more privatization, faster.
Says a local commentator:
“Re charter schools: Judge Marshall is a heckuva judge. If he says no reasonable fact-finder could argue that charter schools breach the 1989 agreement, that’s an opinion worth respecting. But no reasonable fact-finder could deny that open enrollment charter schools have skimmed middle income and white students from the Little Rock School District as a whole, particularly at the middle school level, and thus made it harder to desegregate those schools. As a matter of law, that might be irrelevant. His analysis focused on charter schools and the
What English Classes Should Look Like in the Common Core Era
Carol Jago is an experienced English teacher, author, and former president of the National Council of Teachers of English.
Jago writes here about what high school English classes should look like in the Common a core era.
She served on the NAEP assessment committee that set the ratio of 70-30 for test developers.
Here is the key point:
“What seems to be causing confusion are the comparative recommended percentages for informational and
Jago writes here about what high school English classes should look like in the Common a core era.
She served on the NAEP assessment committee that set the ratio of 70-30 for test developers.
Here is the key point:
“What seems to be causing confusion are the comparative recommended percentages for informational and
It’s Good to Have Friends in High Places
Thanks to G.F. Brandenburg for finding this astonishing piece of investigative journalism.
You have to read this article. It is amazing.
It helps us understand the cronyism between the D.C. Office of State Superintendent of Education, Arne Duncan, Michelle Rhee, the Broad Superintendent’s Academy, nd Rupert Murdoch’s Wireless Generation.
You have to read this article. It is amazing.
It helps us understand the cronyism between the D.C. Office of State Superintendent of Education, Arne Duncan, Michelle Rhee, the Broad Superintendent’s Academy, nd Rupert Murdoch’s Wireless Generation.
Diane in the Evening 1-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: The Mess in NYC by dianerav This is a statement by Leonie Haimson, founder of Class Size Matters in NYC and a founder of Parents Across America on the collapse of negotiations over a teacher evaluation deal between the city and union: If the Governor goes ahead with punishing NYC children for the mayor’s failures by subtracting $250 million from state aid, it will be terribly unfair. Yet there is little doubt that most parents will blame Bloomberg for this latest fiasco, as the just-released Quinnipiac poll shows that NYC voters trust the UFT by 53 to 35... more »
