8-9-14 Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Schooling in the Ownership Society All Week

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog:
Schooling in the Ownership Society

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk 

Schooling in the Ownership Society

Rahm's Walgreen cronies now say they're not moving HQ to Switzerland

Wesson oils RahmINVERSION -- Rahm's union-hating pals and campaign funders at Walgreen's now say they won't re-incorporate in Switzerland as planned. The re-incorporation — in which a company’s headquarters relocates overseas for tax purposes — is called a corporate inversionWith political pressure mounting from the White House down, Walgreen Co. is poised to announce Wednesday that it will keep i

6 by Mike Klonsky / 2d 

Corks pop on Clark St. with a bump in reported test scores

They're jumping for joy and popping the corks down on Clark St. Why? Test scores for students in grades 2-8 reportedly showed some improvement in both reading and math. However, only seventh- and eighth-graders met national reading averages. About 51.5% of elementary school students are performing at national norms in reading and 49% in math, compared to around 46% in both categories in 2013.If th

1 by Mike Klonsky / 23h 

AUG 07

Top-ranked ed states all have union teachers. Rhee's legacy in D.C.

Former Obama White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, along with another ex-White House aide, Ben LaBolt, supports former CNN anchor Campbell Brown's fight against teacher tenure. Once again top-ranked education states have strong teacher unions and have the highest education budgets. Bottom states, mostly non-union and lowest spending. The ranking was based on 12 factors, including student dropo

3 by Mike Klonsky / 1d 

AUG 06

Malaria and good schools. 'Problem solved'

Reader Rufus responds to Bill Gates with a comment on my Schooling in the Ownership Society Blog. This one is too good to leave in the comments section.Rufus August 6, 2014Gates claims it's easier to find cures for malaria and other diseases than to “fix” American education.Neither of those things are as difficult as Gates makes them sound. Just look in Bill and Melinda's neighborhood. No malaria

2 by Mike Klonsky / 2d 

Teachers not teaching in subject areas? Why not?

One of the dumbest teacher-bashing headlines ever, appears on the front page of today's Trib. "Teachers may not know the subjects they cover". Are you kidding me?According to the Tribune:The assignment of teachers not properly trained and credentialed to teach a specific course — a practice that has come under fire nationwide — is facilitated by loopholes in state laws and rules as well

30 by Mike Klonsky / 2d 

In the 'trenches'

At the Hideout last night. It was another packed house at the Hideout last night for the Joravsky/Dumke Show featuring Chicago's three best education writers, Linda Lutton (WBEZ), Lauren Fitzpatrick (Sun-Times) and Sarah Karp (Catalyst). The three painfully/humorously ran through story after story about CPS' and City Hall's ongoing dis-information and obfuscation campaigns earning Rahm and his tea

2 by Mike Klonsky / 3d 

AUG 05

The last laugh is the best laugh

Getting a late start this morning after doing the Patti Vasquez show on WGN Radio last night. Didn't get home til after 1 a.m. I really like her format and WGN's big late-night (11:00pm-2:00am) audience. Patti, a local  stand-up comedian, likes quick, both humorous and serious banter back and forth on topical issues of education and politics. Last night we wound from the mayor and gov races, to CP

4 by Mike Klonsky / 3d 

AUG 04

Weekend Quotables

"We tortured some folks." -- Pres. ObamaColumnist Gene LyonsThis is less a war than an uprising in a concentration camp... -- Chicago Sun-TimesBill Clinton “I nearly got him [bin Laden]. And I could have killed him, but I would have to destroy a little town called Kandahar in Afghanistan and kill 300 innocent women and children, and then I would have been no better than him.” -- MSNBCPol

3 by Mike Klonsky / 5d 

AUG 02

Catherine Sugrue's Credentials

Ald. O'ConnorThe big story in Chicago is all about Catherine Sugrue, the sister of Ald. Patrick O'Connor, being appointed by schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett as principal of a north side elementary school. This even after Sugrue had failed the principal eligibility assessment twice in the last 12 months, making her ineligible for the job.O'Connor, is Rahm Emanuel's point person in the council. He'

2 by Mike Klonsky / 7d 

AUG 01

LOLLAPALOOZA: Rahm rides his Texas connection

Chicago's biggest and priciest teeny-bopper rock festival jumps off this weekend. Thousands of mainly white, suburban kids are getting dropped off by parents in Grant Park, which is now surrounded by full length "NATO riot fences" to ease mom and dad's minds about the other (if you know what I mean). Many have paid the $250 needed for a 3-day pass (drugs not included) to hear favorites l

2 by Mike Klonsky / 7d 

8-9-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy

Wait What?:

  Wait What? All Week

 Pelto/Murphy 2014 

Amistad – The quintessential example of failed leadership

Here in Connecticut, the governor is – first and foremost – the state’ chief executive.  He or she is responsible for the operations and performance of the executive branch of state government.  In order to perform that duty they must recruit and supervise a team of commissioners and senior managers. The operative term is not […] The post Amistad – The quintessential example of failed leadership a

11 by jonpelto / 26min 

Malloy Tells Voters To Judge Him On His Record – Welcomes Debates

Well, we can now all agree on something! This year’s gubernatorial campaign is about judging Dannel “Dan” Malloy on his record and choosing a leadership team that will help set the course for the next four years. To successfully perform that duty, the voters of Connecticut need the truth about Malloy’s record and a series […] The post Malloy Tells Voters To Judge Him On His Record – Welcomes Debat

23 by jonpelto / 22h 

AUG 07

Are Malloy operatives saying democracy is great, unless they’re challenged?

Democrats claim to love democracy.  The Democratic Party has traditionally fought to make it easier to register and vote and promoted strategies to improve voter turnout such as early voting.  Democrats have also decried efforts to suppress turnout or making it harder for people to cast their vote on Election Day. But as Democrats (and […] The post Are Malloy operatives saying democracy is great,

33 by jonpelto / 2d 

AUG 05

“We need a school that’s going to promote God’s principles”

The observation comes from a member of the Varick Memorial A.M.E Church community as she explains by the State Board of Education should approve a “revised” charter for the Booker T. Washington Elementary School in New Haven. The Board of Directors of the new Booker T. Washington School is led by Varick Memorial A.M.E. Church’s […] The post “We need a school that’s going to promote God’s principle

13 by jonpelto / 4d 

All is well in the Land of Oz

The scene in which Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy says, “CT budget and economy both poised to take off” In the last of a series of articles written by the CT Mirror’s Keith Phaneuf on how the candidates for governor would deal with Connecticut’s $1.4 billion projected state budget for the year following the November election, […] The post All is well in the Land of Oz appeared first on Wait What?.

by jonpelto / 4d 

AUG 04

All is well in the Land of Oz

The scene in which Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy says, “CT budget and economy both poised to take off” In the last of a series of articles written by the CT Mirror’s Keith Phaneuf on how the candidates for governor would deal with Connecticut’s $1.4 projected state budget for the year following the November election, Governor […] The post All is well in the Land of Oz appeared first on Wait What?.

15 by jonpelto / 5d 

AUG 03

Sunday?  What a good day to get a handful of signatures on the Pelto/Murphy petition

We all know what is at stake as we enter the last days of our historic effort to get on the November ballot so that we can ensure that the people of Connecticut have a real choice in this year’s election for governor. The deadline for submitting names is 4pm this Wednesday. Whether you have […] The post Sunday?  What a good day to get a handful of signatures on the Pelto/Murphy petition appeared f

24 by jonpelto / 6d 

AUG 02

Malloy’s Master of Destruction gets gig in Waterbury

“The students, parents, teachers and public school supporters in Waterbury should be worried – very worried. The Waterbury Republican newspaper is reporting that “State and local school leaders have agreed to bring in former Hartford School Superintendent Steven Adamowski to help recover a stumbling effort to turn around Crosby High School.” Adamowski’s record and legacy […] The post Malloy’s Mast

77 by jonpelto / 7d 

AUG 01

If you haven’t signed the Pelto/Murphy 2014 Petition- here are locations and times to sign

 More locations to be added so check back regularly  Saturday, August 2nd Starbucks Manchester: 172 Deming Street, Manchester (9 – 10am) South Windsor Farmers Market:  150 Nevers Rd, South Windsor (10 -11am) Taste of the Caribbean Festival, Riverfront Plaza, Hartford (1-3pm) Starbucks Wethersfield: 1090 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield (2:30-3:30pm) Starbucks North Haven: 166 Washington Avenue, N

21 by jonpelto / 7d