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Thursday, November 17, 2016

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/17/16


Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/17/16

Featured Post

What Student Protests Tell Us About America Under Trump




California Practitioners Advisory Group + Meeting Snacks & Meal Standards for After School Programs
CPAG Meeting Notice and Agenda, December 2016 - California Practitioners Advisory Group (CA Dept of Education) : Joint Meeting of the California Practitioners Advisory Group and the State Board of Education AGENDA December 7, 2016 California Practitioners Advisory Group Members Jo Ann Isken, Chair Ed Manansala, Vice Chair Melissa Agudelo Jorge Aguilar Mariana Astorga-Almanza Ulises Garcia Carolin
Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test - The Washington Post
Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test - The Washington Post : Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test If you are tired of reading about Donald Trump, take a look a this. Peter Greene, a veteran teacher of English in a small town in Pennsylvania, wrote on his lively Curmudgucation blog that he has found himself in conversations about standardized testing that go somet
CURMUDGUCATION: MA: Charter Lessons
CURMUDGUCATION: MA: Charter Lessons : MA: Charter Lessons By now, you've heard that the folks who threw a giant pile of money at Question 2, the initiative to free charter-preneurs from their chains so that they could romp freely in fields of money-- those guys lost, and lost hard. There have been plenty of pieces that dissected the victory for public education from the public education advocate
I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge - Lily's Blackboard
I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge - Lily's Blackboard : I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge Our schools should be havens. But right now, many of our students are scared, anxious, and feeling threatened. At NEA, we are hearing from students and educators all around the country who are encountering hostile environments in their schools a
Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump. - The Washington Post
Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump. - The Washington Post : Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump. Educators can’t get a break. Teachers are routinely blamed for poor student achievement — even when kids come to school in no condition to learn — and for being greedy, with their outlandish desire for adequate pay and collecti
L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed - LA Times
L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed - LA Times : L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed s Angeles city leaders are considering a series of moves designed to protect immigrants in this city illegally in the wake of Donald Trump ’s election, including the hiring of an immigration advocate and polici
Education leaders contemplate what Trump presidency means for California education | EdSource
Education leaders contemplate what Trump presidency means for California education | EdSource : Education leaders contemplate what Trump presidency means for California education Education was not a major theme in the Trump for President campaign. Among his few specific proposals: eliminate the Common Core standards in English and math, and establish a $20 billion program to expand school choice
Betsy DeVos under consideration by Donald Trump for U.S. Secretary of Education | MLive.com
Betsy DeVos under consideration by Donald Trump for U.S. Secretary of Education | MLive.com : Betsy DeVos under consideration by Donald Trump for U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, a prominent school choice advocate and GOP supporter, is under consideration by president-elect Donald Trump to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education, according to news reports. Several news organizations, includi
Charter schools enroll more girls, with boys more likely to leave
Charter schools enroll more girls, with boys more likely to leave : Charter schools enroll more girls, with boys more likely to leave Charter schools - particularly middle and high schools - enroll a larger share of girls than do traditional public schools, in part because boys are more likely to exit charter schools, finds a new study by New York University researchers. The study, published in t
Let's Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice — The Art of Teaching Science
Let's Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice — The Art of Teaching Science : Let’s Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice The new administration-elect in Washington has a plan. Take $20 billion from public education, possibly destroying a core idea of democracy, and then distribute it as vo
When Public Goes Private, as Trump Wants: What Happens? | by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books
When Public Goes Private, as Trump Wants: What Happens? | by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books : When Public Goes Private, as Trump Wants: What Happens? The New York Times recently published a series of articles about the dangers of privatizing public services, the first of which was called “When You Dial 911 and Wall Street Answers.” Over the years, the Times has published other expos
Public education victories in the 2016 elections: Time to re-double efforts to defeat school privatization - NPE Action
Public education victories in the 2016 elections: Time to re-double efforts to defeat school privatization - NPE Action : Public education victories in the 2016 elections: Time to re-double efforts to defeat school privatization The election of 2016 is over, and we must intensify the fight to save our community public schools. Based on campaign rhetoric, there is no doubt that the Trump/Pence adm
CACFP Meal Pattern Resources and Trainings - Healthy Eating & Nutrition Education (CA Dept of Education)
CACFP Meal Pattern Resources and Trainings - Healthy Eating & Nutrition Education (CA Dept of Education) : CACFP Meal Pattern Resources and Trainings Includes local training schedules and registration instructions, upcoming conference information, Webinar schedules and links, and resources and guidance for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsors. On April 25, 2016, the U.S. Department
San Fran teachers union lesson plan calls Trump racist, sexist - NY Daily News
San Fran teachers union lesson plan calls Trump racist, sexist - NY Daily News : San Francisco teachers union lesson plan calls President-elect Donald Trump ‘racist,’ ‘sexist’ San Francisco's public schools have a mouthful for President-elect Donald Trump. A new lesson plan for San Francisco schools calls U.S. President-elect Donald Trump a racist and a sexist. (CARLO ALLEGRI/REUTERS) The city’s
Massachusetts Teachers Union President Barbara Madeloni calls for teachers to organize 'love trumps hate' standouts | masslive.com
Massachusetts Teachers Union President Barbara Madeloni calls for teachers to organize 'love trumps hate' standouts | masslive.com : Massachusetts Teachers Union President Barbara Madeloni calls for teachers to organize 'love trumps hate' standouts A high-profile Massachusetts educator sent out an email asking teachers unions to "organize standouts across the state next Tuesday" to "let students
Children of illegal immigrants make up rising share of K-12 students | Pew Research Center
Children of illegal immigrants make up rising share of K-12 students | Pew Research Center : Children of unauthorized immigrants represent rising share of K-12 students BY JEFFREY S. PASSEL AND D’VERA COHN About 3.9 million kindergarten through 12th-grade students in U.S. public and private schools in 2014 – or 7.3% of the total – were children of unauthorized immigrants, according to new Pew Res
California teachers union loses seats to education change groups | The Sacramento Bee
California teachers union loses seats to education change groups | The Sacramento Bee : Teachers union frets about rise of education change advocates: ‘It will have an impact’ The Torlakson name has been a near-constant on the ballots of voters in the San Francisco East Bay, where state schools chief Tom Torlakson got his political start more than three decades ago. Last week, though, the remarka
Malloy administration fails to properly regulate Connecticut charter schools. - Wait What?
Malloy administration fails to properly regulate Connecticut charter schools. - Wait What? : Malloy administration fails to properly regulate Connecticut charter schools. Charter schools are privately owned, but publicly funded, organizations that grab more than $110 million a year from Connecticut taxpayers. But thanks to Governor Dannel Malloy’s pro-charter school policies, charter schools are
It’s the racism, stupid. | Fred Klonsky
It’s the racism, stupid. | Fred Klonsky : It’s the racism, stupid. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who helped write tough immigration laws in Arizona and elsewhere, said in an interview that Trump’s policy advisers had also discussed drafting a proposal for his consideration to reinstate a registry for immigrants from Muslim countries. The headline above the fold in the morning New York Ti
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Testimony Submitted to Texas State Board of Education – Cloaking Inequity : Testimony Submitted to Texas State Board of Education This week, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) debated Proclamation 2018 which served as notice to both publishers and the public that the Board is inviting bids to furnish instructional materials covering ethnic studies (e.g., African American Studies, Mexican A
Valerie Strauss Wonders: Will Donald Trump Destroy U.S. Public Education? | janresseger
Valerie Strauss Wonders: Will Donald Trump Destroy U.S. Public Education? | janresseger : Valerie Strauss Wonders: Will Donald Trump Destroy U.S. Public Education? Nobody knows, of course, exactly what Donald Trump’s administration will mean for public schools, but for a balanced and insightful analysis, I urge you to read Valerie Strauss’s fine column from the Washington Post , Will Donald Trump
What Student Protests Tell Us About America Under Trump
What Student Protests Tell Us About America Under Trump : What Student Protests Tell Us About America Under Trump While it may be President Obama’s job to ease the country through the change in leadership to a President Donald Trump administration, the rest of the country doesn’t have to go along with it. At least, that’s the message coming from a massive show of protest and resistance in cities
Petitioning Trump: Integrity for Ed – Missouri Education Watchdog
Petitioning Trump: Integrity for Ed – Missouri Education Watchdog : Petitioning Trump: Integrity for Ed BigMedia and BigData lost their bets when Donald J. Trump was elected the next President of the United States. Our nation surprised and divided, bloggers wrote So now what ? and What happens to education ? The last few days have seen a flurry of announcements concerning who President Elect Trum
CURMUDGUCATION: Chait Sends Ed News from Alternate Universe
CURMUDGUCATION: Chait Sends Ed News from Alternate Universe : Chait Sends Ed News from Alternate Universe New York magazine ran a piece by Jonathan Chait that considers some more ed policy possibilities from the upcoming Trump administration-- but just to switch things up a bit, his article throws around pieces of news from some alternate universe. "Will Trump Give Education Reform the Kiss of De
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Louisiana Higher Ed Underfunded by Trump Cabinet Prospect, Bobby Jindal | deutsch29 : Louisiana Higher Ed Underfunded by Trump Cabinet Prospect, Bobby Jindal In 1989, Louisiana businessman Patrick Taylor convinced the Louisiana legislature to fund what would be called the “Taylor Plan” — payment of four years of tuition and fees for Louisiana students to attend college based upon high school GPA
Let’s Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice | BustED Pencils
Let’s Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice | BustED Pencils : Let’s Privatize American Education Even If There Is Little to No Research to Support School Choice I’m beyond annoyed- even dismayed- that I have to post an article like this under Trending News . As Jack Hassard points out in the article “ Let’s Privatize American Education Even
Trump, a Common Core foe, considering Core supporters for education secretary - The Washington Post
Trump, a Common Core foe, considering Core supporters for education secretary - The Washington Post : Trump, a Common Core foe, considering Core supporters for education secretary When Donald Trump was running for president, he said repeatedly that the Common Core State Standards initiative has been a “total disaster” and he would get rid of it if he landed in the White House. And when he was duk

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Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/16/16
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/16/16 Featured Post Trump's plan to destroy Public Education may face uphill battle Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Did Arne Duncan's attack on suburban parents help Trump win the 

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California Practitioners Advisory Group + Meeting Snacks & Meal Standards for After School Programs

CPAG Meeting Notice and Agenda, December 2016 - California Practitioners Advisory Group (CA Dept of Education):

Image result for attention everyone

Joint Meeting of the California Practitioners Advisory Group 
and the State Board of Education

AGENDA

December 7, 2016

California Practitioners Advisory Group Members

  • Jo Ann Isken, Chair
  • Ed Manansala, Vice Chair
  • Melissa Agudelo
  • Jorge Aguilar
  • Mariana Astorga-Almanza
  • Ulises Garcia
  • Carolina Hernandez-Malone
  • John-Damien Huntley
  • Linda Kaminski
  • Kimberly Kenne
  • Tara Kini
  • Nancy Lara
  • L. Karen Monroe
  • Marco Petruzzi
  • Neva Rowden
  • Susan Salcido
  • Araceli Simeon
  • Karen Valdes

Liaisons to the State Board of Education

  • Sue Burr
  • Ilene Straus
Note: The State Board of Education (SBE) meeting is a study session and the SBE members in attendance will take no action on any Items.

State Board Members

  • Michael W. Kirst, President
  • Ilene W. Straus, Vice President
  • Sue Burr
  • Bruce Holaday
  • Feliza I. Ortiz-Licon
  • Patricia A. Rucker
  • Niki Sandoval
  • Ting L. Sun
  • Trish Williams
  • Olivia Sison, Student Member
  • Vacancy

Secretary & Executive Officer

  • Hon. Tom Torlakson

Executive Director

  • Karen Stapf Walters
Schedule of MeetingLocation
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
9 a.m. Pacific Time ±
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, California 95814 
916-319-0843

Please see the detailed agenda for more information about the items to be considered and acted upon. The public is welcome.
ALL TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE PROVIDED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY.
ALL ITEMS MAY BE RE-ORDERED TO BE HEARD AT ANY TIME OF THE NOTICED MEETING. A LIVE STREAM OF THE MEETING WILL BE PROVIDED; HOWEVER, THE VIDEO FEED AND PUBLIC VIEWING OF THE MEETING WILL BE PAUSED IF THE CPAG PARTICIPATES IN SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION/ACTIVITY.
The California Practitioners Advisory Group and the State Board of Education will hold a one-day meeting on Wednesday, December 7, 2016, at the location indicated above. The meeting may include some activities involving the group as a whole and small group discussion involving one or more of the members. The following outline of activities is provided for convenience only. The actual order of business may be changed without notice to accommodate the needs of members, invited presenters, and key staff. Anyone interested in a particular matter should plan on being in attendance for the whole meeting, December 7, 2016. Timing and order of activities may change. The full Advisory Group will commence, recess, and reconvene as necessary throughout the one-day meeting.
GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS
Time is set aside for individuals desiring to speak on any topic not otherwise on the agenda. Please see the detailed public agenda for the Public Session. In all cases, the presiding officer reserves the right to impose time limits on presentations as may be necessary to ensure that the agenda is completed.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY
Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability or any other individual who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the California Practitioners Advisory Group may request assistance by contacting the California Department of Education, Improvement and Accountability Division at 1430 N Street, Room 6208, Sacramento, CA, 95814, by telephone at 916-319-0843 or by email at cpag@cde.ca.gov.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
9:00 a.m. Pacific Time ±
  • Call to Order
  • Salute to the Flag
  • Overview of Agenda
  • Announcements
  • Roll Call and Introductions
  • Special Presentations
    Public notice is hereby given that special presentations for informational purposes may take place during this session.
  • Agenda Items
  • Adjournment

AGENDA ITEMS

Item 01
Subject: Orientation of California Practitioners Advisory Group, including, but not limited to, Administer the Oath of Office, Taking the Oath of Office, Review the Roles, Terms of Office, and Bagley Keene Act and Ethics Training.
Type of Action: Information
Item 02
Subject: Review of the Local Control Funding Formula Evaluation Rubrics State Indicators, including, but not limited to, the Academic Indicator for Small Group Activity and Large Group Discussion on Recommendations.
Type of Action: Action, Information
Item 03
Subject: Update on the Additional Components of the Local Control Funding Formula Evaluation Rubrics, including, but not limited to, the Draft of the Local Performance Indicators Self-Assessment Tools and Menu of Local Measures, the School Conditions and Climate Work Group, the English Learner Indicator Work Group, and Statements of Model Practices.
Type of Action: Action, Information
Item 04
Subject: Development of California's Every Student Succeeds Act Consolidated State Plan including, but not limited to, Small Group Activity and Large Group Discussion on Recommendations.
Type of Action: Action, Information
Item 05
Subject: California Practitioners Advisory Group Priorities, including, but not limited to, future meeting plans; agenda items; approval of minutes; general comments and questions from CPAG members; and other matters of interest.
Type of Action: Action, Information
Item 06
Subject: General Public Comment Public. Comment is invited on any matter not included on the printed agenda. Depending on the number of individuals wishing to address the California Practitioners Advisory Group, the presiding officer may establish specific time limits on presentations.
Type of Action: Action, Information
***ADJOURNMENT OF THE MEETING***
For more information concerning this agenda, please contact the California Department of Education at 1430 N Street, Room 5111, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone 916-319-0787; facsimile 916-319-0972. Individuals desiring to speak on the items presented below will be limited to two minutes each. A group of five speakers may sign up together and designate one speaker who will be allocated a total of three minutes for the group. Members of the public wishing to send written comments about an agenda item to the CPAG members are encouraged to send an electronic copy to cpag@cde.ca.gov, with the item number clearly marked in the subject line. In order to ensure that comments are received by CPAG members in advance of the meeting, please submit these and any related materials to our office by noon on December 4, 2016, the Friday prior to the meeting. For the December 2016 meeting, the agenda will also be posted on the State Board of Education’s Web site and all letters submitted to the CPAG members will also be distributed to the SBE members.
Last Reviewed: Thursday, November 17, 2016


Snacks & Meal Standards for After School Programs

This fact sheet identifies the state nutrition standards as well as the federal reimbursable requirements for snacks and meals offered in after school programs (ASP).

Summary

California Department of Education (CDE) Administered After School Programs. After school programs have the option to serve a snack, a meal, or both. All snacks provided to students in the CDE’s After School Education and Safety (ASES) programs or the federally funded 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) programs must meet, at a minimum, the California nutrition standards identified below. Furthermore, programs must seek to qualify for a federally funded after school snack or meal program. If snacks are provided through one of the federally reimbursable meal programs, known as child nutrition programs, the food must meet both the federal requirements and the California nutrition standards. Federal Program Monitoring (FPM) reviewers will evaluate the after school program for compliance with the California nutrition standards.
Meals served in after school programs (ASPs) through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) must meet the CACFP nutrition requirements to receive the federal reimbursement for the meals. For flexibility, the CACFP allows School Food Authorities to use either the CACFP or the National School Lunch Program meal pattern. After school meals are notrequired to comply with the California nutrition standards identified below.
Non-CDE Administered After School Programs. If the after school program is not funded through the ASES and/or 21st CCLC grants, compliance with the nutrition standards below are not required. However, we strongly encourage ASPs to serve food that meets the nutrition standards. If ASP snacks or meals are provided through a federally reimbursable meal program, the food must meet the federal requirements for that specific program.
Summary Tables
CDE Administered After School ProgramsCalifornia State Snack StandardsChild Nutrition Program (CNP) Federal Standards
SNACKS provided by ASES or 21st CCLC fundsYesNo
SNACKS provided through CNP fundsYesYes
MEALS provided through CNP, ASES or 21st CCLC fundsNoYes

Non-CDE Administered After School ProgramsCalifornia State Snack StandardsChild Nutrition Program (CNP) Federal Standards
Snacks or meals NOT funded through ASES or 21st CCLCRecommendedYes
Snacks or meals provided through CNP fundsNoYes

California Education Code Requirements

(Education Code sections 49430-49431.7, 8423(c)3, 8482-8484.6)

Food

Snacks provided in ASES and 21st Century funded ASPs must be fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein or whole grain-rich food items; foods with a fruit, vegetable, dairy, protein, or whole grain-rich item as the first ingredient; or combination foods containing at least one-quarter cup of fruit or vegetable that meet all of the following standards. Each individual food item must:  http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/as/afterschoolnutstan.asp

Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test - The Washington Post

Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test - The Washington Post:

Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test


If you are tired of reading about Donald Trump, take a look a this. Peter Greene,  a veteran teacher of English in a small town in Pennsylvania, wrote on his  lively Curmudgucation blogthat he has found himself in conversations about standardized testing that go something like this: people who like standardized testing defend it to the max while he counters that the number of standardized tests necessary for students to take is zero.
For taking that position he writes, he has been called a “union shill,” lectured that data from these tests are the life blood of education, and asked to be explain what the alternative to standardized testing is. Here in this post, he explains his thinking. This is a shortened version of the original, which you can find here.

By Peter Greene
Is there such a thing as a useful standardized test?
To have this conversation, we have to get one thing out of the way. If you believe (and I think some school reformers sincerely do) that the only reason that teachers oppose the current high stakes test-and-punish status quo is because their self-serving union tells them to, you are blinding yourself to some real issues.
First, there is a real gulf between national union leadership and rank-and-file teachers precisely because union opposition to reformer policies has usually been tepid. Teacher opposition to testing comes first and foremost from teachers who have been watching testing become a toxic, destructive element in our classrooms that interferes with our ability to deliver real education. It’s detrimental to our students. And it is used in many places to deliver a professional verdict on our schools and ourselves with an accuracy no greater than a roll of the dice.
Opposition to testing also comes from other people who see how it plays out on the ground: parents. The Opt Out movement — in which hundreds of thousands of parents have not allowed their children to take state-mandated accountability standardized tests — was not created by teachers. It is not led by teachers — and in some places, it is actually potentially damaging to teachers under the current bizarre test-driven accountability system.
So if you imagine that test opposition is some sort of political ploy engineered top-down by unions, you are kidding yourself.
None of That Answers the Question, so Let’s Get Back To It
If I am such a dedicated opponent of standardized testing, what do I propose as an acceptable substitute?
Let’s first clarify our rather fuzzy terms.
“Standardized” Test?
Come to think of it, we’d better clarify “test” as well. For many folks, it’s only a “test” if the student is answering questions. A five-page paper assignment, for instance, is usually not called Teacher: Why we don’t need a single standardized test - The Washington Post:


CURMUDGUCATION: MA: Charter Lessons

CURMUDGUCATION: MA: Charter Lessons:

MA: Charter Lessons


By now, you've heard that the folks who threw a giant pile of money at Question 2, the initiative to free charter-preneurs from their chains so that they could romp freely in fields of money-- those guys lost, and lost hard.

There have been plenty of pieces that dissected the victory for public education from the public education advocate side of things. But I found some interesting points to note in the Boston Globe, just one of the media outlets that was shoveling coal for the charteristas. How did this loss look to the losers? What lessons can be gleaned? Here they are, in no particular order:

Who wants charters?

Charteristas tried hard to sell the narrative that selfish wealthy white suburbanites were denying non-wealthy non-white city dwellers the chance to get great schools. This turned out to be hugely wrong and exactly backward-- the only areas that voted in favor of 2 were the wealthy white suburbs. Even the neighborhoods of the lowest achievers voted against charter expansion. The Globe has half a clue here:

But civil rights advocates say families of color yearn for something deeper: A robust commitment and plan to improve the quality of education in the city’s school system so they don’t need alternatives. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again. People don't want choice. They want what they want. People mostly don't want a selection of schools; they want their school, the school they already have, that already serves their community, to be a good school.

And they want to work in partnership with policymakers rather than having outsiders coming in and proposing a solution.

Folks are starting to catch on to the heart of the charter deal-- "we will give you our idea of a good 
CURMUDGUCATION: MA: Charter Lessons:



I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge - Lily's Blackboard

I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge - Lily's Blackboard:

I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge

Image result for I will stand up, I will speak up for my students

Our schools should be havens. But right now, many of our students are scared, anxious, and feeling threatened. At NEA, we are hearing from students and educators all around the country who are encountering hostile environments in their schools and communities, with fake deportation notices being handed out and swastikas drawn in bathrooms.
We are being flooded with reports of hateful words, actions, and images directed at students in our schools. Nooses. Racist graffiti. Threats to our LGBTQ students. Headscarves being torn off. Girls being assaulted. Children are hearing that they are not welcome in their schools and even in the country they call home.
My heart is breaking. There is no place for this anywhere, let alone in our schools.
It’s no secret where I stood during this election. But this isn’t about politics. It is about the simple fact that every student deserves a safe, welcoming, affirming learning environment. The three million members of the NEA and our allies are here to tell students: you are safe with me.
Join us, and show you’re standing up for students.
I will stand up and I will speak up for my students, so that they all have a safe and affirming learning environment. I will take action with NEA so that EVERY student feels welcome and safe at school.
Sign the pledge here: I will stand up, I will speak up for my students: Sign the pledge - Lily's Blackboard:

Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump. - The Washington Post

Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump. - The Washington Post:

Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump.

Educators can’t get a break.
Teachers are routinely blamed for poor student achievement — even when kids come to school in no condition to learn — and for being greedy, with their outlandish desire for adequate pay and collective bargaining rights so they can’t be fired without cause. School leaders are accused of being tradition-bound and motivated too much by a desire to maintain the status quo (and their jobs).
Now there’s something new: Educators are being accused of fanning fear of Donald Trump. As if Trump hadn’t scared a lot of kids with his own rhetoric about, for example, tossing out millions of undocumented immigrants, banning Muslims from entering the country and mocking a reporter with a disability. As if many teachers didn’t confront kids coming to class already crying.
A piece in USA Today, written by two respected conservatives, Frederick Hess and Chester Finn, titled “Stop Teaching Anti-Trump Bias,” admonished educators for sowing fear among students and mourning the loss of Hillary Clinton. Hess is director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute and Finn is a senior fellow and president emeritus at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. They noted in their opinion piece that many messages have been sent out by schools and universities trying to address student fears and said in part:
Had Hillary Clinton won the bitter contest, would any of this have still been deemed necessary by so many educators? Of course not.
We’re no fans of the president-elect, whose behavior has frequently been appalling, whose policy ignorance is vast, and who appears to lack any coherent philosophy of government. That said, we are astonished that so many educators, schools and colleges chose to treat his election as reason to alarm their students and to suggest that only a Democratic victory would have aligned with the nation’s values.
Although some educators may have been lamenting the Clinton loss and the Trump victory, there is no evidence that “so many educators, schools and colleges” are reacting to the election Educators get blamed for everything. Now, it’s for fanning fear of Trump. - The Washington Post:
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L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed - LA Times

L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed - LA Times:

L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed

Image result for fight deportations under Trump
Los Angeles city leaders are considering a series of moves designed to protect immigrants in this city illegally in the wake of Donald Trump’s election, including the hiring of an immigration advocate and policies to prevent L.A. residents from being deported. 
Worried that Trump will pursue mass deportations once in office, Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson announced the effort Thursday, saying Angelenos are “deeply concerned” about changes to federal immigration policies under Trump.
“These concerns should not be underestimated,” he wrote.
Wesson said he wants the City Council to create a new position of immigrant advocate and come up with strategies for protecting all federal grants, loans and other funds during the Trump administration. He also asked city analysts to provide a formal definition of “sanctuary city” and determine how such a term might affect Los Angeles.
s Angeles city leaders are considering a series of moves designed to protect immigrants in this city illegally in the wake of Donald Trump’s election, including the hiring of an immigration advocate and policies to prevent L.A. residents from being deported. 
Worried that Trump will pursue mass deportations once in office, Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson announced the effort Thursday, saying Angelenos are “deeply concerned” about changes to federal immigration policies under Trump.
“These concerns should not be underestimated,” he wrote.
Wesson said he wants the City Council to create a new position of immigrant advocate and come up with strategies for protecting all federal grants, loans and other funds during the Trump administration. He also asked city analysts to provide a formal definition of “sanctuary city” and determine how such a term might affect Los Angeles.L.A. leaders just vowed to fight deportations under Trump. Here's what they've proposed - LA Times:
California Democrats ask Obama to pardon nearly 750,000 'Dreamers'
California Democrats ask Obama to pardon nearly 750,000 'Dreamers' - LA Times - http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-california-democrats-ask-obama-to-1479410268-htmlstory.html on @latimes