Teacher: Tell the Stories About Tenure and Gender Discrimination
In response to the debate in the New York Times “Room for Debate” about the Vergara decision, teacher H.A. Hurley commented on the historical perspective I offered, showing that tenure was part of women teachers’ struggle against the pervasive gender discrimination of superintendents and school boards. Hurley writes that gender discrimination persisted long into the 20th century. She writes: “Dia
Debating the Vergara Decision in the New York Times
This is a debate about the Vergara decision in the New York Times “Room for Debate,” featuring Eric Hanushek and Michael Petrilli supporting the decision, and Brian Jones and me criticizing it. Brian Jones, by the way, is running for Lieutenant Governor of New York on the Green Party ticket, with Howie Hawkins running for Governor.
Kevin Welner: The Silver Lining in the Vergara Decision
Kevin Welner, director of the National Educational Policy Center in Colorado, is both an education policy analyst and a lawyer. He read the Vergara decision and saw a bright side. While he was struck by the weak evidence for the judge’s conclusion, he thinks the case might open up an avenue to advance lawsuits based on the importance of equality of educational opportunity. He writes: “Although I
Williams and Kilfoyle: Why “Reformers” Today Are Not the Civil Rights Movement
Yohuru Wiliams and Marla Kilfoyle explain here why reformers today are not entitled to claim the legacy of the civil rights movement. Their essay was written to mark the 50th anniversary of what was known as Freedom Summer, when advocates for civil rights risked their lives to advance the cause of freedom and equality. They begin their essay: “One of the more disturbing narratives employed by co
Carol Burris: Will Cuomo Have a Primary Challenger Who is Strong on Education Issues?
Carol Burris has been one of the leading voices in opposition to corporate education reform in New York state. Whenever anyone tries to imply that opposition to the Common Core comes only from the Tea Party, there is Carol Burris–a progressive high school principal–as a counter-example. Burris has led the principals’ revolt against high-stakes testing and against evaluating educators according t
Mercedes Schneider on That Union-Hating Ad in USA Today
Mercedes Schneider did the research last year to expose the hack work of the so-called Center for Union Facts. This is a PR firm for corporate America that has no credentials regarding education. Its agenda is union-busting, Here is her post about the full-page ad in today’s USA Today, brought to you by the same folks who do not know that the highest-scoring states in the nation (on NAEP) have
USA Today: Full-Page Ad Bashing Unions
See this ad in today’s USA Today. Funny the ad doesn’t mention that the highest performing states in the U.S. on the NAEP are Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut, all of which have strong unions. Or that the states at the bottom of the NAEP ratings do not have strong unions (or, in some states), none at all. The ad was underwritten by the deceptively named “Center for Union Facts,” wh
Chicago Teachers Union Reacts to Vergara Decision
The Chicago Teachers Union reacts to the Vergara decision in California. Here is the key quote: “If we really want to improve public education, let’s provide all children the financial and social resources that children in David Welch’s home of Atherton, CA, the most expensive zip code in the US, have. Then we need to let teachers, the real experts in curriculum and instruction, do their work wit
Salon: Is America Abandoning Public Education?
This article in Salon tries to understand education from an economic perspective. It says that the great expansion of public education occurred when our factories were expanding and we needed more workers. Now, with outsourcing and autation, society and our elites are less willing to invest in education, and so we live in an era of austerity and privatization. Eric Levitz writes of the Obama admi
Dana Goldstein: What Will the Vergara Decision Change?
In an article in The Atlantic, Dana Goldstein explains the reasons for tenure–mainly to protect against politically motivated hiring and firing–and she assesses the likely effects of the decision. She agrees that California’s current timeframe for tenure decisions is far too brief. Teachers need at least three years to demonstrate that they are qualified for the protection of tenure. But “Is the
Iris Rotberg: How the PISA Tests Mislead the World
Dr. Iris Rotberg of George Washington University writes that international tests have Ben fraught with methodological problems for fifty years. None of the problems have been addressed or corrected, yet today the international tests such as PISA are driving educational policy in dozens of nations, all competing for higher test scores. Rotberg writes: “The methodological critiques of internationa
Charters In Néw Orleans Explain Why Students Must “Walk the Line”
Many charters in Néw Orleans tape a line in their hallways and insist that students must walk on the correct side of the line. Reporter Danielle Dreilinger of the Times-Picayune writes here about this controversial policy and includes a video created by the charters to explain the value of this practice. “Critics say it prepares students for prison, not college. A civil rights complaint filed th
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-11-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Vergara Trial Teachers Were Not “Grossly Ineffective”I was curious to learn whether the plaintiffs in the Vergara trial actually had “grossly ineffective teachers.” The answer is “no, they did not.” Not only did none of them have a “grossly ineffective” teacher, but some of the plaintiffs attended schools where there are no ten
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…the Gates Foundation agrees with those who’ve decided that assessment results should not be taken into account in high-stakes decisions on teacher evaluation or student promotion for the next two years, during this transition.”
Robert D. Skeels is a social justice writer, public education advocate, and immigrant rights activist. He lives, works, writes, and organizes in Los Angeles with his wife and cats. Robert is a U.S. Navy Veteran, and a proud member of Veterans for Peace. He attended Glendale Community College and graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) with a BA in Classical Civilization. Robert is a committed member of CEJ, PESJA, SCIC, and the Trinational Coalition To Defend Public Education. A student of Liberation Theology and Paulo Freire's work, he devotes much time towards volunteer work for 12 step, church, and homeless advocacy. Robert’s articles and essays have appeared in publications including Schools Matter, CounterPunch, Dissident Voice, Daily Censored, Echo Park Patch, K12NN, LA Progressive, and The Los Angeles Daily News. In 2013 Robert ran for the LAUSD School Board against a billionaire funded corporate reform candidate, finishing second in a field of five, with over 5,200 votes.
