Sunday, January 30, 2011

Bill Maher: Right Wing Hypocrites Hate Obama But Love NFL SocialismPoliticususa

Bill Maher Calls Out Right Wing Hypocrites Who Hate Obama But Love NFL Socialism

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Jason Easley

During his New Rules segment of his HBO program Real Time, Bill Maher used the Super Bowl to call out right wing hypocrites who hate President Obama for socialism, but love the most socialistic enterprise in America, the National Football League, “So you kind of have to laugh that the same angry white males who hate Obama because he is redistributing wealth, just love football, a sport that succeeds because it does just that.”

Here is the video:

Schools Matter: Good Op-Ed on Christie's Charter Scam

Good Op-Ed on Christie's Charter Scam

by Jim Horn

Asbury Park Press:

It is well known that many New Jersey schools are failing. They suffer high dropout rates and have many students who cannot read or do math at grade level.

Criticizing our schools this way is far too easy, however; it is like taking candy from the young children of New Jersey.

Yet this is essentially what Gov. Chris Christie did recently when he announced 23 new charter schools for the state.

To support his decision, he cited a New Jersey Department of Higher Education study comparing charter schools to all schools in the same district.

The study, "Living Up to Expectations," showed that out of 40 charter schools, about 24 did better than average and about 16 did worse than average.

This is not a large difference, especially given several red flags in the report — charter schools with

NYC Public School Parents: What Finland and Asia really tell us about education reform

What Finland and Asia really tell us about education reform

by Leonie Haimson

There has been much publicity in recent years about how for more than a decade, Finnish students have excelled in the international comparisons called the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), exams given each three years in reading, math, and science to samples of 15-year-olds globally. In the current issue of the New Republic, Samuel E. Abrams, a visiting scholar at Teachers College, explains what Finland did to turn around its education system, starting in the 1970's:

Finland’s schools weren’t always so successful. In the 1960s, they were middling at best. In 1971, a government commission concluded that, poor as the nation was in natural resources, it had to modernize its economy and could only do so by first improving its schools. To that end, the government agreed to reduce class size, boost teacher pay, and require that, by 1979, all teachers complete a rigorous master’s program.

They also banned all standardized testing, as they figured out this takes too much time and too much money

APS may drop high school P.E. mandate | EdNewsColorado

APS may drop high school P.E. mandate

Physical education students at Aurora Central High School do push-ups in class.

Aurora Public Schools – a district that has pioneered a number of initiatives to fight obesity and promote wellness – could also become the only school district in Colorado to eliminate physical education from its graduation requirements.

On Tuesday night, the board will consider a proposal to better align its core academic requirements withColorado’s Higher Education Admission Requirements, the entry requirements for students hoping to attend any of the state’s four-year institutions. If approved, the change would increase the requirements for math, science, social studies and languages, and scrap the requirements for physical education, health, practical and fine arts, and computer skills.

Learn more

The reason: Under existing requirements

American Thinker Blog: Former NYC schools Chancellor slams teacher's union

Former NYC schools Chancellor slams teacher's union

Phil Boehmke

When British Education Secretary Michael Gove invited Joel Klein to speak at a conference on the decline of the public school system he gave Klein an opportunity to offer some candid insights into the sad state of public education in America. Mr. Klein stepped down as Chancellor in November and has been beating the drum for reform ever since. The New York Post reports that during an interview on Saturday, Klein pulled no punches about the number of incompetent teachers and their union defenders.

“Five to 10 percent are not remotely capable,” Klein said about educators in a sit-down with the Sunday Times of London. “It’s easier to prosecute a capitol punishment case in the U.S. than terminate an incompetent teacher.”

During his eight years at the helm on the NYC public school system, Klein said he had helped to

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Sunday links.

by Fred Klonsky

Anthony Shadid in the NY Times writing from Cairo. “Liberation Square was liberated Saturday. Shadowed by the landmarks of a government that turned promises of secular nationalism into a withering authoritarianism, thousands of young people did what the state of President Hosni Mubarak never allowed in 29 years. They seized control of their lives.”

Can an 80 year-0ld left-wing widowed academic kick Glenn Beck’s ass? No problem.

Attorney Flint Taylor is no stranger to unpopular causes. He is a Chicago treasure. The Sun-Times reports on the crusade that brought down John Burge.

If you’re not watching Al Jazeera, you don’t know what is going on in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, Syria

Del Valle for Mayor | For All Chicago For Every Neighborhood: Mayoral musings--Chicago Tribune

Mayoral musings--Chicago Tribune

by Joanna2011

From the Chicago Tribune, 1.28.2011

First off, congratulations to all four mayoral candidates. I applaud your desire to lead Chicago. You know, before watching the WGN mayoral debate last night, I was leaning toward Rahm Emanuel. He's sort of a bully and a player -- Hollywoodish, if you will -- so there is a distaste because of all that, but that's balanced by the fact that he would push people to get things done. I also had liked Gery Chico -- he seems sincere and wants to do well by Chicagoans -- but, ah, he's just a little too polished. Carol Moseley Braun, good job. Articulate, specific, but, unfortunately, too many questions about your finances. But Miguel Del Valle, hey, you won my vote! You are the underdog, the one who represents Chicago neighborhoods, the little guy which, especially nowadays, is most of us. You are the people's mayor. Where do I sign up?

-- Carla Beecher, Chicago

"We Are Redefining Viability"
by Joanna2011

The Answer Sheet - Democracy in schools: Preached but not practiced

Democracy in schools: Preached but not practiced

This post was written by Mark Phillips, professor emeritus of secondary education at San Francisco State University and author of a monthly column on education for the Marin Independent Journal. By Mark Phillips Federal Hocking High School is a small school in northern Appalachia. The principal, George Wood, is a frequent contributor to The Answer Sheet. One of the many things that distinguishes this school is that students are heavily involved in the decision-making process, including teacher hiring, curriculum decisions, and the creation and enforcement of school rules. This school is notable because it is doing something that all schools should be doing but aren’t. Schools are supposed to teach democracy, develop engaged and responsible citizens, and create an intelligent and street-smart electorate. They don’t.

Retaining teachers is a problem; senior teachers help « JD2718

Retaining teachers is a problem; senior teachers help

by jd2718

NY1 interviewed Cathie Black last week, and among other things, asked about lousy teacher retention in New York City. She stumbled, as teacher retention is not on her radar; breaking seniority is. (summary, from Gotham Schools, below the fold)

Bloomberg and (Klein) and Gates and Kopp and (Rhee) and now Black like to talk about the problem of “bad teachers.” That’s bunk. We all know that, at least in New York City, about half of all teachers (what’s the real percent? 43? I forget) hired never make it to tenure. They were good enough to get hired, but decided they could not make it, or an administrator decided (rightly or wrongly) for them.

Anthony Cody, Oakland teacher and teacher-activist, poses a different problem: How do we keep teachers in the classroom? He writes about keeping science teachers in Oakland. Read. This guy is talking about giving kids better teachers. He is talking about changing the game on the ground. This guy is talking about making teaching a job that people want to make a career of. If we want to improve education, this is the conversation we need to be having.

TeamScience Tames Teacher Turnover in Oakland

By Anthony Cody on January 30, 2011 10:22 AM | No Comments | No Recommendations

Four years ago in Oakland, one out of

PND - RFPs National Endowment for Financial Education Offers Support for Financial Literacy Research Projects

Posted on January 30, 2011	print e-mail ShareThis
Deadline: June 7, 2011; December 6, 2011 (Concept Inquiry Form)

National Endowment for Financial Education Offers Support for Financial Literacy Research Projects

The National Endowment for Financial Education, a nonprofit, national foundation wholly dedicated to improving the financial well-being of all Americans, has announced guidelines for its 2011 grant program.

The NEFE grants program seeks to fund innovative research and research-based development projects that can make a profound contribution to the field of financial literacy. Inquiries are encouraged from disciplines in fields as diverse as behavior, economics, neuroscience, sociology, psychology, marketing, finance, education, change theory, decision sciences, and others.

Of particular interest are pro-active research projects whose findings may cultivate critical thinking in the financial literacy community. Also of interest are development projects that put research recommendations into action. Project outcomes must be capable of achieving traction and measurable impact with audiences such as financial education intermediaries, researchers, practitioners, decision makers, and others who can achieve effective outreach to a target population with an unmet

Del Valle for Mayor | For All Chicago For Every Neighborhood: An Accessible, Inclusive City for All

An Accessible, Inclusive City for All

by Joanna2011

As we launch into the third decade of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, as mayor, Miguel del Valle will ensure that Chicago is a national leader in ensuring accessibility and opportunities for integration for people with disabilities with the Mayor's Office of People with Disabilities leading the way.

People with disabilities currently number just over 20% of the population of Chicago. The largest "minority" group in the country, people with disabilities still face significant obstacles and face new ones with changing technology and means of communications.

Most Chicagoans have a friend or loved one with some type of disability or will experience disability at some point in their lives. Guarding the civil rights of this community is guarding the rights for all Chicagoans. The issues that are important to people with disabilities are issues that are important to all Chicagoans.

As mayor, Miguel del Valle will enforce compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act across all

Charter Schools Fail & Segregate… Florida Says No to Vouchers « Continuing Change

Charter Schools Fail & Segregate… Florida Says No to Vouchers

by gatorbonbc

Why would we replace public schools with charter schools… have we not seen the research ?

Quote: “Duncan closed more than 60 schools, most of them all-black and all-poor, replacing them with charter schools and boutique schools that have since proved to be failures by the same measures Duncan used against the regular, unionized public schools.”

http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=986&section=Article

http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/RUSSO/index.php/entry/1545/What_Happened_At_The_Protest

Post Update from January 26th Education Forward Summit – Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida –Discussion Highlights:

Peter Cunningham, Asst Secretary, Department of Education, admitted that charters would end

Chauncey Gardiner and Errors of Attribution | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Chauncey Gardiner and Errors of Attribution

Cover of Being There (Deluxe Edition)

In the 1979 film, “Being There,” Chance (Peter Sellers) goes from an illiterate, TV-watching, not-too-swift gardener for a wealthy Washington, D.C. family to the confidant of a dying financial titan Ben Rand (Melvyn Douglas) who is on a first name basis with the President of the United States (Jack Warden).

This turnabout occurs after Chance’s wealthy employer dies and lawyers for the heirs eject Chance without a penny from the only home he has known. Well tailored–he took the custom-tailored suits of his employer–courteous and with a certain presence but completely unaware of life, he wanders into downtown D.C. where the chauffered Cadillac of Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine), the wife of the financial titan, accidentally knocks Chance down. To

Obama’s state of dissension - California Teachers Association

Obama’s state of dissension

Educated Blog -

One of President Obama’s sustained, bipartisan applause lines in the State of the Union address was his call for giving teachers the level of respect they get in South Korea. Applause faded when he then said, “We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones.” And there was just polite patter when he said, “And Race to the Top should be the approach we follow this year as we replace No Child Left Behind with a law that’s more flexible and focused on what’s best for our kids.”

If the applause meter is the measure, President Obama faces a tough task weaving compromise between those who equate any criticism of teacher unions as teacher bashing and those who see any retreat from No Child Left Behind as catering to the status quo. The former are hyper-sensitive and end up defending the worst union practices: rote performance reviews, overprotective tenure laws, and pay scales that discourage initiative among young teachers. The latter are obtuse and end up defending a federal law that has narrowed the curriculum for poor students, obsessively focused on badly designed standardized tests, and imposed rigid sanctions without crediting success.
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