UPDATE: Pension post from IEA elections. A process that would make the Chicago Machine jealous. | Fred Klonsky

IEA elections. A process that would make the Chicago Machine jealous. | Fred Klonsky:

Pension post from IEA.

by Fred Klonsky

FYI-
Please share with your readers.
Janet Kilgus
IEA-Retired Chair
———————————————–
The following has been posted by the IEA on their website today, April 15.
Immediate action is needed to protect your pension and the pensions of other IEA members.
A pension-cutting bill, HB 3411 (known as the Nekritz-Cross bill) is expected to be called for a vote this week in the Illinois House Of Representatives.
Protect your pension:
Call 888-412-6570 to be connected with your state representative
Tell your representative to vote NO on HB 3411 and to VOTE NO any bill opposed by IEA!
The message is simple. Tell your representative:
As an IEA member living in your district I am urging you to VOTE NO on HB 3411. IEA opposes this unfair and unconstitutional legislation.
VOTE NO on all other bills opposed by IEA.
Check the IEA website, IEA Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on the pension fight.
Talk with your colleagues and make sure that, when the time comes, everyone is involved in the fight.

IEA elections. A process that would make the Chicago Machine jealous.

by Fred Klonsky

The last few days have seemed like a Kafkaesque journey.
Or Chicago on election day.
I’m an outsider running as an IEA Retired delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly. It will be in Atlanta in July.
And who wouldn’t want to be in Atlanta in July?
But I’m not going to get elected. It’s a fixed system.
Even the Chicago Democratic Machine would be impressed.
It started when I sent in my dues check and a membership form to join IEA Retired.
By mail.
You can’t join online. Why? Who knows why? You tell me.
But my membership got lost somewhere and so I never got a nomination form to run

NYC Public School Parents: “NAKED SHORTING” OUR KIDS

NYC Public School Parents: “NAKED SHORTING” OUR KIDS:

“NAKED SHORTING” OUR KIDS

by Molly

“NAKED SHORTING” OUR KIDS –

Why is New York State Testing a Curriculum It Hasn’t Even Delivered Yet?

By Susan Crawford

Starting next week New York State students from grades 3-8 are expected to take tests on a Common Core curriculum that they have not yet been taught.  If there was ever a case of “the emperor having no clothes,” this is it!  Actually, another “naked” analogy came to mind for this situation.  If the corporate reform movement has been trying to apply business practices to education for the past decade, it was surely only a matter of time before it would cross from the boardroom to Wall Street for inspiration.

From the boardroom, instead of “principals” of schools, New York City schools now have “CEOs.”  “Accountability” has been the buzzword for calling to account teachers and students who fail to meet “benchmarks,” i.e. test scores, even while the tests and the “cut scores” on them have been changed 

Does making change count? | My Island View

Does making change count? | My Island View:

Does making change count?

by tomwhitby

An advantage that I have as one who is fortunate enough to attend many education conferences, or special education events is the contact I have with many of the thought leaders in education. Of course most of those folks do not think of themselves as thought leaders, but just educators. The fact is that we are often defined by the perception of others. This holds true for institutions as well.

I was invited to attend a special leadership event sponsored by Discovery Education. My association with Discovery goes back to a think tank group that they had formed last year on “Exploring Beyond the Textbook”. This year’s event, Future@Now announced that all educators were being afforded free access to Discovery Education’s Techbook. There were a number of featured speakers, mostly progressive superintendents who are all doing wonderful things in education in their districts. Of course the highlight of the event was a killer presentation by a third grader, Mary Moss Wirt, a Digital Learner from Cary Elementary School in North Carolina.

The very best part of this event for me however was at dinner the night before. I had dinner and a two-

The New Jersey Kidz Are Alright | EduShyster

The New Jersey Kidz Are Alright | EduShyster:

The New Jersey Kidz Are Alright

by edushyster2012

Reader: it is rare indeed these days that we encounter the kind of feel-good news story to which we can tip our collective wine boxes. Today’s episode of ‘we lift our wine boxes’ comes to us via New Jersey. I am referring of course to the feel-great story of 27-year-old Education Pioneer and Jersey Boy Wonder Andrew Buher who has just been named chief operating officer for the New York City schools, the nation’s largest school system. But who is this young man whose meteoric rise has been nothing less than meteoric? Are Education Pioneers the new Boy Scouts? On what will he spend his new $200K salary? And is a total lack of experience the new black?
Alas, all of these important questions will have to wait as today we are saluting an actual story of hope and inspiration from New Jersey: the walkout by 1,000+ students from the Newark Public Schools last week to protest school budget cuts. The story received very little press coverage as most of the education reporters in the tri-state area were busy that day, covering stories of charter school outstandingness (did you know that students at this Newark charter are outperforming the Chinese???) Or that Newark students at this academy of rigorous excellence are putting their college dreams into practice by reading essays by literary critic Frederic 

State Board of Education rushes approval of “School Leadership Program” for Vallas - Wait, What?

State Board of Education rushes approval of “School Leadership Program” for Vallas - Wait, What?:

State Board of Education rushes approval of “School Leadership Program” for Vallas

by jonpelto

Here comes one more benefit for the power elite!

Some of the “rules” that apply to the rest of us, simply don’t apply to them.

When Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, recruited “education reformer extraordinaire,” Paul Vallas, to become Bridgeport’s $234,000, part-time, Acting Superintendent of Schools a major problem immediately developed.

Unlike every one of Connecticut’s other superintendent of schools, Vallas’ didn’t have the qualifications needed to serve as a school superintendent in Connecticut.

No problem…Malloy’s “education reform” legislation included special language that would allow Commissioner Pryor to waive requirements and allow Vallas to serve as Bridgeport’s Acting Superintendent of Schools for up to one year.  The new law would further allow 

UPDATE: Local Control for Corporate Domination Schools Matter: Chicago Corporate Media Ignore Teachers' CORE Candidates

Schools Matter: Chicago Corporate Media Ignore Teachers' CORE Candidates:

Tennessee Republicans Trade Local Control for Corporate Domination

by Jim Horn

If there's anything Tennessee conservatives hate more than minorities who refuse to serve as doormats, it is anything public that is not controlled by corporate overlords.  Local control?  Only if corporations make the "local" decisions.  To make sure of it, see what is happening with proposed legislation to take charter school decisions out of the hands of local boards of education and put them in the hands of Haslam and Huffman's henchmen.  From Tom Humphrey at the News-Sentinel:

___________________________

NASHVILLE — A bill to create a new state panel that could authorize charter schools when local school boards reject them has been revised to apply only in five counties, including Knox, and remains a contentious issue as legislators push toward adjourning the 2013 session.

The bill (HN702) is a high priority for House Speaker Beth Harwell, who was upset when the Metro Nashville school board last year rejected a charter school application she thought should have been approved. Under current law, local school boards decide whether a charter school 

Chicago Corporate Media Ignore Teachers' CORE Candidates

by Jim Horn

At this point in the U. S., there is one urban teachers' union that represents the social justice agenda of equal opportunity, quality public schools for all, and quality professional teaching before deal cutting and kowtowing to the Gates Foundation.  That is why the corporate media has chosen to ignore them. That, however, will not stop progress.  Please spread the word to every corner of America that teacher organizing is alive and well in Chicago, at least.   From Substance News:
_________________________

Plutocrats' press pawns and propagandists from Sun-Times, Tribune and Catalyst ignore major union event... CORE launches election campaign with spirited rally and meeting at the Haymarket, noting the links to Chicago union history

George N. Schmidt - April 15, 2013

With the certification of candidates for the upcoming (May 17, 2013) Chicago Teachers Union election completed as of the April 10 meeting of the union's House of Delegates, CORE, the Caucus Of Rank and file Educators, launched its 2013 re-election campaign with a morning and early afternoon rally and party 

Read DISD trustee Lew Blackburn’s emails regarding Spruce High School fight | Education Blog

Read DISD trustee Lew Blackburn’s emails regarding Spruce High School fight | Education Blog:

Read DISD trustee Lew Blackburn’s emails regarding Spruce High School fight

By Matthew Haag
mhaag@dallasnews.com
11:08 am on April 15, 2013 | Permalink

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Emails between Dallas ISD board president Lew Blackburn and administrators reveal he has had ongoing concerns about the district’s handling of an student-teacher assault at Spruce High School.

The student, Delvron Turner, sits in a jail charged with assaulting teacher Bryan Porzio in December. A grand jury reduced the felony assault charge to a Class A misdemeanor last month.

Blackburn and community members have expressed concerns about the charge against Turner. Blackburn has never spoken publicly about the incident, but he has voiced his concerns to Superintendent Mike Miles in emails, which were obtained in an open records request.

The first email about the incident came January 14, when Dallas ISD police Chief Craig Miller messaged Blackburn about the incident.  Blackburn said he learned about the incident from trustee Bernadette 

Daily Kos: Guns Rarely Used to Kill Criminals or Stop Crimes

Daily Kos: Guns Rarely Used to Kill Criminals or Stop Crimes:

Guns Rarely Used to Kill Criminals or Stop Crimes

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

That is the conclusion of Firearm Justifiable Homicides and Non-Fatal Self-Defense Gun Use, a new study just release by the Violence Policy Center that is subtitled "An Analysis of Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Crime Victimization Survey Data."
The report analyzes national data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program’s Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics' National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).
In an email sent out by Josh Sugarman, executive director of the Violence Policy Center and co-author of the study, he quotes from the study that

“The idea that ordinary citizens need access to extraordinary firepower in order to adequately defend themselves against criminals has become the default argument against a federal assault weapons ban and limits on high-capacity  ammunition magazines.   This new data exposes the fallacy of such arguments and clearly demonstrates that the frequency with which guns are used in self-defense in the real world has nothing in common with pro-gun assertions that firearms are used millions of times each year to kill criminals or stop crimes.  In fact, a gun is far more likely to be stolen than used in self-defense.”

Please keep reading.

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, April 15, 2013

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

California Dem’s Resolving not to be suckered by corporate “reformers” | Persephone's Mother

This resolution was passed today at the California Democratic Party Convention.

Education Headlines

Monday, April 15, 2013

Natomas schools flagged by CalSTRS for pay bumps before retirement

Natomas Unified School District made the state's Top 100 list, but it's not good news. The district is among 100 identified by the California State Teachers' Retirement System as having given numerous big pay bumps to employees close to retirement, resulting in larger pensions.

Stanislaus school bonds grabbing attention

Building schools never was cheap. But on top of the land, materials, prevailing wage, interminable regulations and lengthy state approvals come the borrowing costs.

LAUSD manager Scot Graham suing district regarding alleged harassment by former superintendent Ramon Cortines

A Los Angeles Unified School District manager is suing his employer, alleging the district failed to prevent former Superintendent Ramon Cortines from sexually harassing him. Scot Graham's lawsuit was filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Interest in teaching continues to drop in California

Interest in teaching is steadily dropping in California, with the number of educators earning a teaching credential dipping by 12% last year -- marking the eighth straight annual decline.

Borenstein: Oakland school superintendent's past drives his decision to suddenly quit

To understand why Oakland's popular school superintendent suddenly announced this month, with two years left on his contract, that he's quitting, consider Tony Smith's roots.

L.A. school reform effort draws diverse group of wealthy donors

Republicans, liberals, Hollywood notables and global corporate executives are among those who gave to the Coalition for School Reform.

LAUSD chief John Deasy draws fire as he pursues aggressive reform plan

During a recent speech at Loyola Marymount University, John Deasy recalled his promotion from deputy superintendent to chief of Los Angeles Unified two years ago, tasked with turning around a district plagued by failing schools, struggling students and an epidemic of dropouts.

CA Democrats take aim at efforts to overhaul education, CEQA

California Democrats took aim at efforts to overhaul the state's education system and environmental review laws, issuing sharp words and resolutions on both topics during the final day of the state party's convention in Sacramento.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Stockton Unified awaits solar decision

Solar energy systems at roughly one-third of Stockton Unified's 50-plus facilities could start to go online in a little more than one year, an initiative officials say would produce a first-year savings to the general fund of more than $600,000.

Parents, teachers ask San Luis Coastal to spare counselors from cuts

Teachers, students and parents continue to implore San Luis Coastal trustees to take elementary school counselors out of the planned budget cuts.

UTLA delivers no-confidence vote to LAUSD superintendent John Deasy

LAUSD's teachers union issued an overwhelming vote of no-confidence Thursday in the leadership of Superintendent John Deasy as he finishes his second year, while a rival survey released by civil rights groups showed strong support for his reform strategies and called for an even more aggressive approach to improving student achievement.