NYC Public School Parents: Update on final NYC budget and what it means for our schools

NYC Public School Parents: Update on final NYC budget and what it means for our schools

Update on final NYC budget and what it means for our schools

Whether the budget that was just passed by the City Council was a good one or not depends on whether you’re looking at the glass half empty or half full.

According to the Council press release, they negotiated the restoration of $100 million in proposed cuts to Fair Student Funding, $11.6 million for the Single Shepherd guidance counselors, $4.8 million for 38 social workers, and $1.8 million for other social-emotional supports for students. The new arrangement also puts School Safety Agents under the authority of the DOE for the first time since Giuliani placed them under NYPD control in 1998, though Mayor de Blasio says the shift will be a gradual, two-year process.

Many significant budget cuts remain, as well as a staffing freeze of teachers and counselors, and it is difficult to know how schools will reopen safely and with adequate support to students given these conditions. See the chart below – adapted from an earlier chart from the City Council– approximating the cuts that appear to remain (aside from an extra $6.6M for social workers and other so far unspecified social-emotional supports): NYC Public School Parents: Update on final NYC budget and what it means for our schools

Paul Horton: Provincializing “Western Civilization” and European Exceptionalist Narratives: Where do we Begin? - Living in Dialogue

Provincializing “Western Civilization” and European Exceptionalist Narratives: Where do we Begin? - Living in Dialogue

Provincializing “Western Civilization” and European Exceptionalist Narratives: Where do we Begin?

By Paul Horton.

When Mahatma Gandhi was asked what he thought about Western Civilization, he reportedly replied that, “I think it would be a very good idea.” While Gandhi certainly may not have spoken so pithily in response to such a question, he was, to be sure, a stern critic of “the West,” of the value of Western ideas of progress, capitalism, and technology.

Ghanan-British philosopher, ethicist, historian, and columnist Kwame Anthony Appiah, takes Gandhi’s critique a step further: “I think you should give up the very idea of western civilization. At worst an obstacle to facing some of the great political challenges of our time…I believe that western civilization is not at a good idea at all, and western culture is no improvement.” (Appiah, “There is no such thing as western civilization,” The Guardian, Nov. 9, 2016).

At best, Appiah argues, the idea of western civilization is an aspirational set of values that embraces the Arnoldian (Matthew) concept of collecting “the best that has been thought and said” and teaching the best to elevate the culture, or more precisely, those who would set cultural standards. Core course at Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Chicago famously collected “the best that has been thought and said” in “great books” collections for use in undergraduate and adult education classes in the early twentieth century, effectively canonizing western intellectual history within elite institutions of higher learning in the United States.

But Appiah contends that every culture or “civilization” or region could do much the same, so that what passes for knowledge in the western tradition is hopelessly skewed. Keep in mind that Appiah not diminishing the value of the “western” political tradition, rather he is claiming that the construction and selection of the category of “western” is arbitrary at the outset.

The tensions that exist within the discipline of history around these questions inform the current discussions CONTINUE READING: Provincializing “Western Civilization” and European Exceptionalist Narratives: Where do we Begin? - Living in Dialogue

Application for COVID-19 Disaster Relief - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

Application for COVID-19 Disaster Relief - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

Application for COVID-19 Disaster Relief

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Main Web Page

The California Department of Education (CDE) is providing program operators, including, school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, residential childcare institutions, and private schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and Summer Food Services Program (SFSP) which have sites that have been temporarily closed and/or meals served have been reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, a reimbursement to offset fixed expenses, such as salaries and benefits, that continue to accrue during the temporary closure, pursuant to the 2020 Budget Act, Sec 118.

Compliance

All records pertaining to the NSLP, SBP, SSO, and SFSP must be kept in compliance with California Education Code Section 33421, and Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 210.23(c). The records must include, but are not limited to, a copy of the state or federal disaster or emergency declaration signed by the President of the United States or Governor of California and other documentation which support the meals and expenditures claimed in this application.

Availability of Funding

Reimbursement through this application is contingent on available funds. Approved COVID-19 disaster relief payments will be made from the state’s General Fund or from the Federal Trust Fund in accordance with the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, if CARES Act funds are made available to the CDE for this purpose.

Application Requirements

It is imperative that only one application is submitted for each program operator to ensure timely processing and accurate disaster claim reimbursement. The Application for COVID-19 Disaster Relief Reimbursement includes two parts: (1) A web-based application that allows sponsors to submit general information related to the disaster claim and (2) An Excel document titled COVID-19 Disaster Claim Detail Form, which requires information related to impacted sites and days of closure.

Application Timeline

Program operators may submit this application on behalf of all or some of the agency sites that experienced temporary closures or reduced meal service from March 1, 2020, through June 30, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. The final filing date is August 31, 2020, but program operators are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible. If the information you provide to the CDE in the application changes or needs to be corrected, you must contact your Nutrition Services Fiscal Analyst directly at that time to ensure the most accurate information is evaluated for disaster relief reimbursement.

Use the steps below to complete the application:

Part 1: Complete the COVID-19 Application for Disaster Relief Reimbursement

• Before you begin, ensure you have pertinent details available, such as your CNIPS ID Number, Vendor Number, Number of sites and Number of days claimed.

• Access the web-based COVID-19 Application for Disaster Relief Reimbursement.

• Provide the requested information within each screen. Make note of the Next Steps screen, which advises that a COVID-19 Disaster Claim Detail Form must be completed and submitted after the web-based application is submitted.

• Certify and submit.

Part 2: Complete the COVID-19 Disaster Claim Detail Form

After you submit the web-based application, you will receive confirmation by email that your application was received and that additional actions are needed. This email will contain a link to the required form.

• Download the COVID-19 Disaster Claim Detail form(XLSX).

• Carefully review the Instructions tab.

• Fill out the Claim Detail tab by inputting details regarding individual sites that were impacted.
  • If all sites were impacted in the same way (either all closed completely or all served a reduced number of meals), you only need to complete the first row within the Claim Detail tab
• Save the form according to the instructions.

• Email the form to NSDDisasterClaims@cde.ca.gov.

• Once the form is submitted to the CDE, your application is complete. Your assigned Nutrition Fiscal Services Analyst may contact you at a later date with questions they might have regarding the information within the Application or Claim Detail Form.

For more comprehensive COVID-19 Guidance, please visit the School and Child and Adult Day Care Meals web page.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this application, please email NSDDisasterClaims@cde.ca.gov and include the following information in the subject line: (1) your county name, and, (2) CNIPS ID.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609

Application for COVID-19 Disaster Relief - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

USDA CACFP At-risk in Summer 2020 Waiver Request - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cacfpatrisksum2020waiv.asp

CURMUDGUCATION: Betsy Devos's Happy Day

CURMUDGUCATION: Betsy Devos's Happy Day

Betsy Devos's Happy Day

There is plenty of joy in some Reformsterville neighborhoods these days, thanks to the not-unexpected ruling by the Supreme Court on Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue.

As some education folks have pointed out, it could have been worse. The court said that if states are going to pay for any non-public schools, they must include religious schools in the mix, which is not as bad as saying the state must help pay for religious schools in all cases. Granted, that move is undoubtedly just one lawsuit away, and the reasoning isn't hard to conjure up: if states can't exclude religious schools from voucher funding just because they're religious, then why should they be able to exclude them from any and all funding?

But that's a lawsuit for another day. Right now, folks are doing a happy dance. "Freedom of Religion Narrowly Upheld" says the Heritage Foundation. "The Supreme Court delivers a huge win for kiuds--and against bigotry," says the always anti-public ed N ew York Post. "Win for Students, Families," says Americans for Prosperity. "U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Religious Freedom," says First Liberty. "Landmark Victory for Parents," declares Institute for Justice. "Important Free Exercise Victory," says National Review. Winner of the Grand Irony Award is the group Yes. Every Kid, which hails this as a "win for students, families," even though it's a win for schools whose policy is "No. Not every kid. No way!"

Response has been restrained in some other Reformsterville neighborhoods. AEI's Rick Hess calls it a "landmark" and provides a pretty straightforward explanation with no confetti in sight. As of today, Education Post has been silent on the decision, nor does the Fordham Institute yet have its 2 cents CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Betsy Devos's Happy Day

Seattle’s educators: Defund the police and expel them from schools! – I AM AN EDUCATOR

Seattle’s educators: Defund the police and expel them from schools! – I AM AN EDUCATOR

Seattle’s educators: Defund the police and expel them from schools!

A version of this Op-Ed originally appeared in the Seattle Times.

Seattle’s Education Association representative assembly — the union body that represents Seattle’s teachers, nurses, librarians, instructional assistants, office professionals and educational support staff — has overwhelmingly passed seven resolutions in solidarity with the movement for Black lives. These included removing police from schools (which was achieved with a recent vote of the school board) and the King County Labor Council, (which was achieved by a recent vote of the council), educating SEA members on alternatives to calling 911 on students, and my own resolution to defund the Seattle Police Department and reinvest the money in education, health care and programs to support families.

These bold resolutions, adopted June 8, were surely spurred by the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, and the ensuing uprising that’s swept the nation. But this vote wasn’t only about injustices elsewhere. Seattle’s educators have been fighting institutional racism and the school-to-prison-pipeline here for some time.

In Seattle, our “Black Lives Matter at School” movement erupted September 2016. A white supremacist threatened to bomb John Muir Elementary School when the educators there — in conjunction with parents, community and the group “Black Men United to Change the Narrative” — declared they would celebrate Black students with an assembly, and by wearing “Black Lives Matter” shirts to school.

Black Lives Matter at School then went national, thanks to educators in Philadelphia who organized a full week of action and broke down the 13 CONTINUE READING: Seattle’s educators: Defund the police and expel them from schools! – I AM AN EDUCATOR

Diane Ravitch in Conversation with Andre Perry - Network For Public Education

Diane Ravitch in Conversation with Andre Perry - Network For Public Education

Diane Ravitch in Conversation with Andre Perry

Start: Wednesday, July 08, 2020 • 7:30 PM • Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-04:00)

End: Wednesday, July 08, 2020 • 9:00 PM • Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-04:00)

The Network for Public Education invites you to join us for a video conference with NPE President Diane Ravitch. Diane's guest this week will be Brookings Institute fellow and Hechinger Report columnist, Andre Perry. Join Diane and Andre in conversation about Andre's new book, Know Your Price, and the devaluation of Black educators in New Orleans charters.

Diane Ravitch in Conversation with Andre Perry - Network For Public Education

NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY

NewBlackMan (in Exile)

NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY

Op-Docs: The Scars of Being Policed While Black

by Mark Anthony Neal / 17h

'Based on more than a decade of research, this Op-Doc from anthropologist Lawrence Ralph serves as an instant primer on the roots of police violence. Right now, somewhere in the United States, similar episodes of police violence are still playing out.' -- New York Times

When Essential Workers Earn Less Than The Jobless: 'We Put The Country On Our Back'

by Mark Anthony Neal / 18h

'Congress has yet to pass a measure that would ensure a pay boost for people who have been asked to keep going to work during the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns.' -- Morning Edition

Following the Killing of George Floyd, Public Murals On Display in Communities Across the U.S.

by Mark Anthony Neal / 18h

'From Minneapolis, Minnesota to Miami, Florida, public murals memorializing George Floyd and others killed by police are popping up in communities across the country. These public artworks are more than just beautiful tributes to the Black lives lost. They’re part of a deeper history of public rituals and displays of Black mourning in the U.S. And with the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, trad

How Pop Smoke and Fivio Foreign Took Brooklyn Drill Global

by Mark Anthony Neal / 18h

' A hyper-local strain of hip-hop that started in Chicago was tweaked by bedroom producers in the United Kingdom before taking over Brooklyn. Now it’s the soundtrack to a summer of unrest. The latest episode of Diary of a Song breaks down “Big Drip,” one of drill’s defining anthems.' -- The New York Times

Racism in Feminist Media Spaces

by Mark Anthony Neal / 3d

'Rebecca Jennings, culture reporter for The Goods at Vox, discusses her recent article, “The Racial Reckoning in Women’s Media,” which covers accusations of racial discrimination within women-led media and lifestyle brands.' -- All Of It

Hilton Als’s Homecoming and the March for Queer Liberation

by Mark Anthony Neal / 3d

'In the summer of 1967, a young black boy in Brooklyn was shot in the back by a police officer. The writer Hilton Als recalls the two days of “discord and sadness” that followed, and reflects on the connection between those demonstrations and this summer’s uprising following the killing of George Floyd . Plus, an activist group sees an opportunity to reclaim the mantle of gay pride after New York

Black Doctors Say Pandemic Reveals Enduring Racial Inequity Medicine Alone Cannot Fix

by Mark Anthony Neal / 3d

'Three African American ER physicians in Washington, D.C., recount experiences on their wards, where Black patients make up the vast majority of the city's COVID-19 fatalities.' -- All Things Considered

Intercepted: The Rebellion Against Racial Capitalism with Robin D.G. Kelley

by Mark Anthony Neal / 3d

'On this episode of Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill , Dr. Robin D.G. Kelley , a distinguished history professor at UCLA, explains why he believes the current abolitionist movement has the potential to fundamentally change the country 

NewBlackMan (in Exile)