Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Chicago parents and community leaders take anti-closings fight to City Hall

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Chicago parents and community leaders take anti-closings fight to City Hall:

Chicago parents and community leaders take anti-closings fight to City Hall

by Mike Klonsky

From left, Jeanette Taylor-Smith, Pastor Joshua Ivery and Jitu Brown yell protest chants in front of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)

South-side parents and community leaders were back at Chicago's City Hall yesterday asking to meet with the mayor and demanding an end to Emanuel's arbitrary school closings, turnarounds and privately-run charter schools. The say that if they don't get word within seven days of an appointment with the mayor, they will stage a sit-in until they secure one.

"We are requesting a moratorium on all school actions in Chicago based on what the research of our experiences tell us. Chicago Public Schools cannot continue to push policy that is harmful to 

CAN CHICAGO PARENTS TEACH LAUSD PARENTS BY EXAMPLE? - Perdaily.com

CAN CHICAGO PARENTS TEACH LAUSD PARENTS BY EXAMPLE?(PUEDEN HACER LOS PADRES CHICAGO enseñar a los padres del LAUSD con el ejemplo?) - Perdaily.com:

CAN CHICAGO PARENTS TEACH LAUSD PARENTS BY EXAMPLE?(PUEDEN HACER LOS PADRES CHICAGO enseñar a los padres del LAUSD con el ejemplo?)

by Leonard Isenberg

(Mensaje se repite en Español)

(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)

The following video from Chicago shows what needs to be done, if parents and other public education reform realists are tired of being ignored. Their children will no longer be allow to fail in silence. Educators will no longer be allowed to be forced out or quit public education in droves from the mentally and physically unhealthy environment that has too long been allowed by corrupt administrators and the politicians - as long as they can stay in power unrepentant. If what we say or do can be ignored with impunity by those in power than it isn't worth doing. Clearly, what is going on in Chicago needs to happen here now.

In the following video, the Chicago Public School District Board of Education meeting is brought to a halt with the 

An Urban Teacher's Education: Charter Schools in Washington? Brian Jones and Charter School Wars From Across the Country Show Us Why We Should Be Cautious

An Urban Teacher's Education: Charter Schools in Washington? Brian Jones and Charter School Wars From Across the Country Show Us Why We Should Be Cautious:

Charter Schools in Washington? Brian Jones and Charter School Wars From Across the Country Show Us Why We Should Be Cautious

by James Boutin

For years, free-market advocates have been pushing for the admittance of charter schools in the state of Washington. They're public schools paid for with taxpayer money, say their proponents. But charter schools are far from that simple. Charter schools are causing extreme conflict in school districts across the country.

In New York, charter schools are encroaching on traditional public schools' space, literally. Those rooms that used to be your traditional public school's literacy rooms? This year they serve as the new charter school's principal's office. You see, space is limited in NYC. Sometimes when charters open, they push into traditional 

Schools Matter: Occupy Education Growing in The Nation #ows

Schools Matter: Occupy Education Growing in The Nation:

Occupy Education Growing in The Nation

by Judy Rabin

OCCUPY EDUCATION

The Nation

by Liza Featherstone

Mic check! MIC CHECK! Let the Puppet show begin! LET THE PUPPET SHOW BEGIN!”
 
The demonstrators who held the floor at a December 14 meeting at Newtown High School in Corona, Queens, were part of Occupy DOE (Department of Education), a mix of veteran teachers, parents and Occupy Wall Street activists that is bringing the language and tactics of OWS to the grassroots fight against 

Last Stand for Children First: In Kim Jung Il Education Reform Has Lost a Friend

Last Stand for Children First: In Kim Jung Il Education Reform Has Lost a Friend:

In Kim Jung Il Education Reform Has Lost a Friend

by Last Stand for Children

In our country, we pride ourselves on our meager attempts to bring common core standards to the American education system.  In North Korea, 10,000 school girls will cry for 48 hours in tribute to their fallen leader.  North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il was a despot, but the education reform movement owes a great deal of thanks to North Korea's enigmatic little leader.

When Mayor Bloomberg in New York announces that he would like to fire half the city's teachers and double class size or when Mayor Emanuel in Chicago closes down those schools that have displeased him, I can't help, but see a little bit of beloved leader there.  Like him or not, Kim was the master of doing things his own way 

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

Temper Tantrum on Capitol Hill

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 minutes ago

aflcio.org - America's Union Movement: I just got a message from our Government Affairs director, Bill Samuel, telling me about a temper tantrum on Capitol Hill.It’s flat-out heartless for lawmakers to go home and enjoy the holidays, while their political posturing causes millions of families across America to suffer anxiety and heartbreak. But House Speaker John Boehner is threatening to do just that.He says he’ll block unemployment aid and raise taxes on working families—even though 89 senators from both sides ... more »

Reconnecting McDowell: A New Paradigm For Education Reform

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Reconnecting McDowell: A New Paradigm For Education Reform: Reconnecting McDowell: A New Paradigm For Education ReformbyKAROLIonDECEMBER 19, 2011Reconnecting McDowell, in the words ofAFT President Randi Weingarten, means that “neither demography nor geography should determine destiny.” That’s a tall order. One look at the geography of McDowell County might daunt anyone but the bravest of souls. ThisWashington Post photo essaytells the story well. On Friday, I was driven to Welch, the county seat. Roads

Your Nominees for the World’s Most Transformational Learning Environments

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Your Nominees for the World’s Most Transformational Learning Environments: Your Nominees for the World’s Most Transformational Learning EnvironmentsbySamI know most of us have already checked out for the year, but I wanted to share the nominees I’ve received so far in my ongoing search for the world’s most transformational learning environments.Over the past few weeks, I’ve received recommendations either via Twitter or posted comments on this blog and/orHuffington Post.I’ve done my best to capture every recommendation I’ve received. If I ... more »

School Tech Connect: Out With The Old!

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School Tech Connect: Out With The Old!: Out With The Old!bynoreply@blogger.com (Tim)I'm shocked,shockedthat an archdiocese would be involved insomething nefarious. However, it looks like over in Joliet they were trying to usher in the new by pushing out the old. It's illegal.Mind you, what the archdiocese was doing is pretty much the same basic idea that is at the heart of modern public ed reform. Professional teaching is becoming a temporary occupation, for your young resume-builders.

Me and Bank of America. « Fred Klonsky

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Me and Bank of America. « Fred Klonsky: Me and Bank of America.byFred KlonskyI did it!This morning Bank of America stock price dropped to $5 a share. It’s what they callthe danger zone.A month or so ago I decided I would support the movement to pull my money out of Bank of America and put it in a credit union.The big-ticket item was my mortgage. I started action to move it. It’s not a huge amount of money from the ... more »

Transition to Common Core Publication - Year 2011 (CA Dept of Education)

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Transition to Common Core Publication - Year 2011 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Unveils New Publicationto Help Schools Transition to Common Core State StandardsSACRAMENTO—With California schools preparing to move to the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) that will redefine what students learn, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today the publication of a new book to help teachers and administrators make the transition.The new hard-copy publication,A Look at Kindergarten Through Grade Six in ... more »

Why Rank Schools? « InterACT

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Why Rank Schools? « InterACT: Why Rank Schools?byDavid B. CohenThe following post was written for a feature called“Yes, but…”– part of the array of offerings atThoughts on Public Education. John Fensterwald asked how California should measure school quality if not with the narrow, testing-based Academic Performance Index (API). I was one of five respondents, along with state Senator Darrell Steinberg, former State Superintendent for Public Instruction Bill Honig, and education policy experts Fred Jones and Jeff Camp. Pleaseclick hereto see ... more »

City, nonprofits at odds over legal liability at 14 restart schools | GothamSchools

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City, nonprofits at odds over legal liability at 14 restart schools | GothamSchools: City, nonprofits at odds over legal liability at 14 restart schoolsbyGeoff DeckerA dispute over who would take the fall if something goes wrong inside struggling schools is delaying a federally funded turnaround effort that had already gotten off to aslow start.As part of its application to secure school improvement grants, thecity agreed to hand over operations to independent education organizations at 14 of its lowest-performing schoolsthrough a ... more »

Schools Matter: Proposed legislation I would support

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Schools Matter: Proposed legislation I would support: Proposed legislation I would supportbyskrashenSubmitted to Language Magazine, Dec. 2011 in response to the question: “For 2012, we would like you to tell us which one piece of proposed legislation you would like to see enacted in 2012 and why.”S. KrashenThere is no proposed legislation in language education I would like to see enacted.This includes legislation that imposes standards. We are told we need them because our educational system is “broken,” as shown ... more »

LA schools look to teachers to lead reform efforts - San Jose Mercury News

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LA schools look to teachers to lead reform efforts - San Jose Mercury News: LA schools look to teachers to lead reform effortsBy CHRISTINA HOAG Associated PressPosted:12/18/2011 08:02:13 AM PSTUpdated:12/18/2011 08:31:54 AM PSTLOS ANGELES—Three years ago, the nation's second largest school district made a stunning admission—it was failing thousands of kids and invited charter organizations to take over low-performing and brand-new schools.The bold move that was hailed by school reformers nationwide but despised by unionized teachers didn't last long.Los Angeles ... more »

New York City Student Testing Over the Past Decade - NYTimes.com #edreform

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New York City Student Testing Over the Past Decade - NYTimes.com: 10 Years of State Exams With Results That Never Need QuestioningByMICHAEL WINERIPPublished: December 18, 2011RECOMMENDTWITTERLINKEDINCOMMENTSE-MAILPRINTREPRINTSSHAREIn the last decade, we have emerged from the Education Stone Age. No longer must we rely on primitive tools like teachers and principals to assess children’s academic progress. Thanks to the best education minds in Washington, Albany and Lower Manhattan, we now have finely calibrated state tests aligned with the highest academic standards. What ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts #edreform

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The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like? | The Classroom SoothBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-31 minutes agoThe Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like? | The Classroom Sooth: The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like?byclassroomsoothI havepreviously arguedthat reforming education by just adding time onto the school day amounts to good talking points for the newspapers, but bad planning, and won’t necessarily ... more »

2011 in Education: The Year of the Awakening - Living in Dialogue - #Edreform

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2011 in Education: The Year of the Awakening - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: 2011 in Education: The Year of the AwakeningbyAnthony CodyIn mysummary of the year 2010I wrote:This was the year of the billionaire in education. And teachers, parents and students are wondering what we need to do to make 2011 turn out a bit differently.We figured it out alright. 2011 was the year of the great awakening.The year began with Wisconsin educators rallying to protect their ...more »

'Alarming' new test-score gap discovered in Seattle schools | Seattle Times Newspaper

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Local News | 'Alarming' new test-score gap discovered in Seattle schools | Seattle Times Newspaper: 'Alarming' new test-score gap discovered in Seattle schoolsFor the first time, Seattle Public Schools officials have broken down test scores by specific home language. The recently announced results revealed a surprising trend that may have implications for policy around the district.ByBrian M. RosenthalSeattle Times education reporterStudent test scores by language spoken at homeDOCUMENTPAGESZoomp. 1p. 2p. 3«Page1of15»African-American students whose primary language is English perfor... more »

NEW STUDY SHOWS BREATHING ESSENTIAL FOR LIVING « Teachers Fight Back

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NEW STUDY SHOWS BREATHING ESSENTIAL FOR LIVING « Teachers Fight Back: NEW STUDY SHOWS BREATHING ESSENTIAL FOR LIVINGbyalkleenIs there any occupation in the world that has more ridiculous studies done than that of the world of education? If I hear one more study about the benefits of early childhood education, I’m going to scream.Last June, University of Minnesota researchers released a report that tracked 1,400 Chicago Public School students for 25 years. It found that children who attended a high ... more »

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in Georgia #edreform #sosmarch

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 15 hours ago

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in Georgia: Gulen charter schools in GeorgiabyThe Perimeter PrimateSTATE# ACTIVE# PENDING# INACTIVE*TOTALGA3014* Denied, withdrawn, closed, or unknown status===============================================================SCHOOLS===============================================================FULTONSCIENCE ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL (formerly Cosmos Science Academy)StatusACTIVE,opened in 2002; five-year renewal in 2007; currentlyin a major dispute with Fulton County Schoolsover terms of charter renewalCharter HolderFulton Science Academy, Inc.Aut... more »

Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN #EDreform

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Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: Top ContentRank1To Tweet Or Not To TweetAdded byThomas Whitbyon December 9, 20112Productivity Future Vision (2011)Added byThomas Whitbyon October 27, 20113YouTube for Schools: Join the Global Classroom Today!Added byThomas Whitbyon December 12, 20114Tweetdeck-Chrome TutorialAdded byThomas Whitbyon December 16, 20115Learning to Change-Changing to LearnAdded byMelissa Limon October 26, 20096Educational IPad AppsPosted byThomas Whitbyon November 23, 20117easy video conferencingPosted byAlison Bullockon July 8, 20108Can I have my cake and eat ... more »

Daily Kos: This will be my last diary today - I promise

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 15 hours ago

Daily Kos: This will be my last diary today - I promise: This will be my last diary today - I promisebyrss@dailykos.com (teacherken)I suppose I have been very verbose. I had promised TheFatLadySings to repost my diary on behalf of her cause today, and I suppose that should have been enough. But then I kept encountering things in my reading that I felt I should be sure that others saw. So I wrote and post, and wrote and posted, and ... more »

Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which Grade « Cooperative Catalyst

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Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which Grade « Cooperative Catalyst: Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which GradebyPragmatic MomMy middle child has been studying for her Social Studies exam on the Northeast Region with great diligence for the past week. With one day to go, she still could not spell these terms:MontpelierIwo-Jima MemorialJefferson Memorial

Modern School: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student Teachers

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Modern School: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student Teachers: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student TeachersbyMichael DunnAt least two student teachers were killed by security forces in Mexico this week, according to theLos Angeles Timesand theTeacher Solidaritywebsite. The student teachers were participating in a protest demanding increased funding for their college and were shot while blockading a road in Guerrero state. At least 20 other demonstrators were arrested and two others were seriously injured. The national teachers union is callingthe ... more »

FOOL ME TWICE...LAUSD board OKs agreement giving all schools freedom of charters -- but with accountability - LA Daily News

LAUSD board OKs agreement giving all schools freedom of charters -- but with accountability - LA Daily News:

LAUSD board OKs agreement giving all schools freedom of charters -- but with accountability

Daily News

Posted: 12/19/2011 04:21:00 PM PST

Updated: 12/19/2011 04:21:33 PM PST

The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education unanimously approved Monday a landmark agreement that gives the district's individual campuses the freedom of charters, but also holds them accountable for how well students perform.The board endorsed the deal during a special meeting Monday. Last week, the Los Angeles teachers union overwhelmingly approved the agreement with nearly 70 percent of the 19,500 members casting ballots in favor o