THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Tuesday, April 20, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #openonlywhensafe #edchat #K12 #learning #edleadership #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform

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THE TOP BANANA
TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES 

Elected Chicago school board gets support from civil rights leaders - https://www.chicagobusiness.com/node/946981

The Limits of Listening to Wonks | Just Visiting - https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/limits-listening-wonks

Texas Congressional Democrats Seek To Block Governor’s Grab Of COVID-19 Education Funds – Houston Public Media - https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/2021/04/19/396143/texas-congressional-democrats-seek-to-block-governors-grab-of-covid-19-education-funds/ via @houstonpubmedia

NYC Educator: UFT Special Delegate Assembly April 19, 2021--UFT Endorses Scott Stringer for NYC Mayor - http://nyceducator.com/2021/04/uft-special-delegate-assembly-april-19.html

Education Research Report: New study on universal pre-K and child care: a more meticulous review of the literature relying on fewer preconceptions needed - http://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/

Webby Award Nominees Announced – Here Are A Few Useful To Educators | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=117008 on @Larryferlazzo

Homeroom: How to Help Your Kid Write an Essay - The Atlantic - https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2021/04/homeroom-how-help-your-kid-write-essay/618644/

All Atlanta-Based HBCUs to Require Students Be Fully Vaccinated Before Returning to On-Campus Learning https://www.theroot.com/all-atlanta-based-hbcus-to-require-students-be-fully-va-1846715871

Congressional Democrats condemn Abbott for not releasing billions in federal stimulus dollars intended for Texas public schools https://www.texastribune.org/2021/04/19/texas-democrats-congress-greg-abbott-stimulus-schools/

NOLA Public Schools reports more COVID-19 cases than week prior, 272 quarantining https://thelensnola.org/2021/04/19/nola-public-schools-reports-more-covid-19-cases-than-week-prior-272-quarantining/

LAUSD coronavirus testing reveals 177 infections prior to first campus openings http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/RW0Tu33FQQs/lausd-covid-tests-show-177-cases-before-campus-reopenings

COMIC: 'Radiating Love And Positivity' While Teaching In The Pandemic https://www.npr.org/2021/04/20/988718290/comic-radiating-love-and-positivity-while-teaching-in-the-pandemic

How The Pandemic Changed The College Admissions Selection Process This Year https://www.npr.org/2021/04/19/988752659/how-the-pandemic-changed-the-college-admissions-selection-process-this-year

"If Anything Happens I Love You" is an animated "distillation of grief" from a school shooting https://www.salon.com/2021/04/19/if-anything-happens-i-love-oscar-netflix-school-shooting/

NAACP, unions launching ad campaign in push for federal voting rights bill https://thehill.com/homenews/news/548985-naacp-unions-launching-ad-campaign-in-push-for-federal-voting-rights-bill#.YH75Ia2XjSU.twitter

One month after schools reopened, Pennsylvania enters fourth surge of pandemic https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/04/20/penn-a20.html

Police Violence And Reform: The Inequality In Restorative Justice Opportunities | NewBlackMan (in Exile) - https://www.newblackmaninexile.net/2021/04/police-violence-and-reform-inequality.html

Biden to propose $1 trillion for child care and pre-K in new 'American Families Plan': report https://www.rawstory.com/joe-biden-american-families-plan/

GOP governor 'abruptly canceled' PreK-12 mask rules -- but school districts quickly rejected it: report https://www.rawstory.com/mask-mandate/

The shadow orphan crisis of Covid-19 https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/22386227/covid-19-child-bereavement-orphans

MORE THAN A HEALTH CRISIS: LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON CONNECTICUT YOUTH AND FAMILIES https://blog.ctnews.com/kantrowitz/2021/04/20/more-than-a-health-crisis-long-term-effects-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-connecticut-youth-and-families/

Is your child's smart toy actually a creepy surveillance tool? https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/smart-toys-surveillance

Florida’s transgender sports ban headed for defeat in GOP-controlled state Senate https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2021/04/20/floridas-transgender-sports-ban-headed-for-defeat-in-gop-controlled-state-senate-1376320

Feds investigate whether Pasco County Schools broke law | wtsp.com - https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pascocounty/pasco-schools-sheriff-share-information/67-c75c9d7c-afae-410b-a4d2-890fc2a17272#new_tab on 10TampaBay

Utah school district says it will revise project where students were assigned to be fictional slaves and plantation owners - https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2021/04/19/utah-school-district-says/#new_tab by https://www.facebook.com/saltlaketribune on @sltrib

Missouri open enrollment bill sparks debate over segregation, consolidation | Local News | joplinglobe.com - https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/missouri-open-enrollment-bill-sparks-debate-over-segregation-consolidation/article_e76b6652-9df5-11eb-a662-2388cd140ec7.html#new_tab on @JoplinGlobe

Prop. 208 tax to boost school funding to be heard by Ariz. Supreme Court - https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2021/04/15/prop-208-court-case-on-tax-to-boost-school-funding-to-be-heard-by-arizona-supreme-court/7213071002/#new_tab via @azcentral

Students walk out of class to protest racial injustice - StarTribune.com - https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-students-walk-out-of-class-to-protest-racial-injustice/600047739/#1 on @StarTribune

John King Jr., former Obama education secretary, enters race for governor of Maryland - Baltimore Sun - https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-john-king-20210420-f2l7sddugnfltnliz2ojg2p6l4-story.html#new_tab via @baltimoresun

Biden Administration Cites 1619 Project as Inspiration in History Grant Proposal - https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/biden-administration-cites-1619-project-as-inspiration-in-history-grant-proposal/2021/04#new_tab by @andrewujifusa on @educationweek

Connecticut House passes bill to eliminate religious exemption for required school vaccines; students with existing exemptions can remain unvaccinated - Hartford Courant - https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-vaccines-religious-exemption-house-20210419-ktftk4u7hjatzm6fokffhryu4a-story.html#new_tab via @hartfordcourant

Jersey City district reverses plans to reopen April 26 -- not enough teachers, superintendent says - nj.com - https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/04/jersey-city-district-reverses-plans-to-reopen-april-26-not-enough-teachers-superintendent-says.html#new_tab on @njdotcom

Judge dismisses recall petition against Seattle School Board | The Seattle Times - https://www.seattletimes.com/?p=13770141 by @elisetakahama on @seattletimes

Convince Black and Latino parents that in-person school is safe - https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/04/19/convince-black-latino-parents-in-person-school-safe-column/7242262002/#new_tab via @usatoday

Asian Americans wary about school amid virus, violence - https://apnews.com/article/asia-pacific-general-news-health-education-violence-f551b353ebc6b6c731f8c1138fcfcbee#new_tab on @ap

D.C. is expanding in-person learning. But most of the new seats will be in the city’s wealthiest schools. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-schools-in-person-fourth-quarter/2021/04/18/aa4fad12-9ea1-11eb-b7a8-014b14aeb9e4_story.html?tid=ss_tw

Bill advances requiring Pa. school districts to open up classrooms to homeschoolers | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2021/04/19/pa-house-bill-school-districts-homeschool-students-public-schools-education-co-curricular-education-committee/stories/202104190122#new_tab via @PittsburghPG

Big Education Ape: A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose - Education Votes - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/04/a-decade-after-act-10-wisconsin.html

Big Education Ape: Let’s Talk about Title IX - ED.gov Blog - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/04/lets-talk-about-title-ix-edgov-blog.html

Big Education Ape: MEGAN PRATHER: 'Where my beliefs are': Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/04/megan-prather-where-my-beliefs-are.html

Big Education Ape: Teacher Tom: "I Am . . ." - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/04/teacher-tom-i-am.html

NYC Council proposes $250 million for class size reduction next year | Class Size Matters

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| A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes NYC Council proposes $250 million for class size reduction next year In their Preliminary Budget Response , the NYC Council proposes that next year $250 million should be allocated to lowering class size, especially targeted towards struggling schools with vulnerable student populations. This would allow the

UFT Endorsement Process | JD2718

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UFT Endorsement Process The United Federation of Teachers just picked a candidate to endorse for Mayor (Scott Stringer – he received 90% of the up or down vote). Better Process This has been a better process than previous campaigns – by far. Apparently the leadership took everyone who volunteered. That’s a change from the past. The Town Halls were like infomercials – but slick and well-run, and

Student privacy HB256 – Fred Klonsky

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Student privacy. HB256 – Fred Klonsky STUDENT PRIVACY HB256 Update. Hi Fred! Thank you for posting about the edTPA videotaping bill. It was HB256, but that bill disappeared with the end of lame duck session. So, the current incarnation is SB808-SFA1 . (= the language is in an education shell bell that’s being amended.) People can put in a witness slip at this link as a proponent of SFA1 for the h

Senate Bill 138: Universal Meal Service + Proposition 12 FAQs for Stakeholders - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

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Senate Bill 138: Universal Meal Service - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) Senate Bill 138: Universal Meal Service Senate Bill 138 (McGuire), School Meal Programs: Free and Reduced-price Meals: Universal Meal Service (Chapter 724, Statutes of 2017) was signed into law on October 12, 2017. You can view this law on the California Legislative Information web page . The law requires that local educat

JEFF BRYANT: How the federal government’s charter school program went wrong - Alternet.org

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How the federal government’s charter school program went wrong - Alternet.org How the federal government’s charter school program went wrong From the outset, charter schools were somewhat of a blind man's elephant —people saw in them whatever they wanted—but two competing theories that helped propel the charter movement were that the schools would serve as laboratories for experimenting with new

A QUESTION ON NUANCE – Dad Gone Wild

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A QUESTION ON NUANCE “A good intention, with a bad approach, often leads to a poor result.” ― Thomas Edison “When are you getting your vaccination shot?” My wife asked early last week. “I don’t know. Sometime soon.” “Why haven’t you already gotten it? What are you waiting for?”, she testily responded. “I don’t know. Just been busy with other things. I’ll get it this week.” “You’re not turning in

YESTERDAY

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Monday, April 19, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #openonlywhensafe #edchat #K12 #learning #edleadership #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform

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Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Students plan statewide walkout Monday against racial injustice https://www.twincities.com/2021/04/16/students-plan-statewide-walkout-monday-against-racial-injustice/ via @pioneerpress NAACP, teachers union part of group buying $1M ad spot in federal voting rights bill fight https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/naacp-teachers-unio

 Big Education Ape

A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose - Education Votes

A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose - Education Votes

A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose

By Amanda Menas

Over the last 10 years since the passage of Act 10 in Wisconsin, educators have been organizing and advocating for pro-public education candidates at every level to ensure their students have safe and healthy learning environments.

Now, students and educators can celebrate the election of Dr. Jill Underly as the next State Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction. Throughout her campaign, Underly showed voters her commitment to public schools and her passion for education equity. WEAC members canvassed virtually and in person, fundraised, and sent information to over 100,000 voters across the state. This victory shows that the political momentum is clearly on the side of those who believe in great public schools and public investment in helping students succeed.

“Dr. Underly has committed to working toward repairing or replacing the school funding formula so it is equitable to all students regardless of their ZIP code,” said WEAC President Ron Martin. Underly is currently the District Administrator Pecatonica Area School District and has decades of classroom experience.

Deb Kerr, Underly’s opponent in the race, spent her campaign attacking LGBTQ+ students, educators, and the labor movement. Her loss was a direct rejection of Senator Ron Johnson, Scott Walker and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Instead, by uniting against anti-worker billionaires, educators across Wisconsin voted for Underly turning out at higher rates CONTINUE READING: A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose - Education Votes

Let’s Talk about Title IX - ED.gov Blog

Let’s Talk about Title IX - ED.gov Blog

Let’s Talk about Title IX

What is Title IX?

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in any federally funded education program or activity. In other words, schools that receive federal funds are legally required to protect students against sex discrimination. Experiencing sex discrimination in any form can derail a student’s opportunity to learn, participate, and thrive in and outside of the classroom. Sex discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, is a threat to equal access to educational environments for students of all ages.

Why are we talking about it?

President Biden’s 2021 Executive Order on Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity requires ED to review and reconsider all Title IX regulations, including amendments made in 2020. ED is also required to issue new guidance and regulations as needed.

“Sexual harassment and all other forms of sex discrimination, including in extracurricular activities and other educational settings, threaten access to education for students of all ages. As Secretary, I will work to ensure all students—no matter their background, who they are, or how they identify—can succeed in the classroom and beyond. No matter the educational setting, students should feel safe and be able to focus on learning.” – Secretary Miguel Cardona

How will ED support the executive order? 

ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is taking action. As part of its comprehensive review of ED’s Title IX regulations, OCR will:

• Host an upcoming public hearing (dates TBD) and invite those interested in sharing their views on the issue of sexual harassment at schools.
• Issue a Q&A document to clarify how OCR interprets schools’ existing obligations under the 2020 amendments to the Title IX regulations.
• Post a notice of proposed rulemaking, which gives the public an opportunity to submit feedback.

No matter the educational setting, students should feel safe and be able to focus on learning. Let’s break down how OCR’s review of Title IX ensures that:

• OCR’s comprehensive review of ED’s Title IX regulations includes gathering feedback.
• This feedback will help OCR to determine whether changes need to be made to ED’s Title IX regulations (and any related agency actions) to fulfill President Biden’s commitment to guaranteeing educational environments that are free from sex discrimination, including based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
• This feedback will also help OCR fulfill the Department’s commitment to ensuring equal and nondiscriminatory access to education for students at all educational levels. In implementing the EO, OCR is also focused on ensuring that students who have experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity have their legal rights fully met.

Where to find more information about the upcoming public hearing:

• OCR’s News Room (http://www.ed.gov/ocr/newsroom.html)
• Updates will include dates, times, and how to register to participate and speak.
• Follow @EDCivilRights and @USEdGov on Twitter for the latest updates.

Let’s Talk about Title IX - ED.gov Blog

MEGAN PRATHER: 'Where my beliefs are': Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members

'Where my beliefs are': Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members

‘Where my beliefs are’: Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members

When Gov. Kevin Stitt’s most recent appointee to the State Board of Education, Trent Smith, successfully moved to approve a sweeping resolution about charter school funding at a March meeting in an effort to settle a 2017 lawsuit, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister called the move “unexpected.”

“This is a radical departure from following the law. Instead, it is really an outrageous step in creating law,” Hofmeister said, emphasizing that the Oklahoma Legislature is tasked with creating state statute regarding education policy. “That process has been stripped away and, instead, four Gov. Stitt appointees chose what they wanted and just did it.”

Hofmeister’s comments touched on a question that had been brewing for some time: Does the governor have too much influence in determining how State Board of Education members vote?

“We believe all appointed board members of state agencies should be acting in the best interest of Oklahomans,” said Alicia Priest, president of the Oklahoma Education CONTINUE READING: 'Where my beliefs are': Stitt hires, fires State Board of Education members

Teacher Tom: "I Am . . ."

Teacher Tom: "I Am . . ."

"I Am . . ."

When we tell a child who they are, they believe us. When we tell them they're brilliant or creative, they tell themselves "I am brilliant and creative," at least until someone else tells them who they are. "You're stupid and lazy." "You are a little squirt." "You are the spitting image of your Aunt Ruth."

"I am stupid and lazy."

"I am a little squirt."

"I am the spitting image of Aunt Ruth."

As we get older, we begin to realize that it's not just the other people who get to tell the story of who we are. We get to tell our own stories. "I am a princess." "I am a fast runner." "I am a hungry beaver." But even as we learn we can tell our own story, the stories that others tell about us never stop also being who we are, although, hopefully, we get better at deciding which of those stores are true and which are illusions. No one ever gets to be entirely, or perhaps even mostly, self-created. Who I am, who you are, is a collaborative project.

This is the theme of Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself, a film made from a one man show that was performed over 500 CONTINUE READING: Teacher Tom: "I Am . . ."