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Friday, March 16, 2012

Attorney Gen. Madigan Assigns Teams to Monitor Illinois Primary - Hispanically Speaking News

Attorney Gen. Madigan Assigns Teams to Monitor Illinois Primary - Hispanically Speaking News:


Attorney Gen. Madigan Assigns Teams to Monitor Illinois Primary Election

Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced today that more than 160 teams of assistant attorneys general and investigators from her staff will be working throughout the state on Tuesday, Mar. 20, to monitor the primary elections to ensure that Illinoisans’ voting rights are protected and that polling places are accessible.
Madigan urges voters to call her office if they encounter suspected improper or illegal activity.
Chicago and northern Illinois voters can call: 1-866-536-3496 (TTY 1-800-964-3013).
Downstate voters can call: 1-866-559-6812 (TTY 1-877-844-5461).
Attorney General Madigan reminded voters of some of their basic voting rights:
  -Voters have the right to vote if they are in line when the polls close at 7 p.m. or at any other time between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Election Day (10 ILCS 5/17-1).
  -If a voter makes a mistake or “spoils” a paper ballot and the voter has not cast the ballot, the voter has the right to receive a replacement ballot (10 ILCS 5/17-11).
  -If a voter cannot read, has trouble understanding English, or is disabled, that voter has the right to request assistance from anyone other than his or her employer, an agent of his or her employer, or an officer or agent of his or her union (10 ILCS 5/17-14).
  -Voters have the right to take unpaid time from work to vote, but no more than two successive hours, as long as they have applied with their employer before Election Day. The employer may set the time of day (10 ILCS 5/17-15).
  -No one is allowed to try to influence a voter within 100 feet of the polling place (10 ILCS 5/17-29).
Published in Has Oido

The World “Because of” Standardized Testing!(A Little Teacher Humor!:) « Diary of a Public School Teacher!

The World “Because of” Standardized Testing!(A Little Teacher Humor!:) « Diary of a Public School Teacher!:


The World “Because of” Standardized Testing!(A Little Teacher Humor!:)

FLORIDA CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: H/T @ritacolleen

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: *Florida:

Florida charter schools (investigator observations)



With such a strong push for continued expansion in Florida, I am compelled to share my experiences as a police officer with the ugly side of Charter Schools and their management companies. As a former investigator and supervisor of a public corruption unit, several years ago my unit was responsible for a series of criminal investigations involving personnel, owners, and partners of Charter Schools. Where as some of these investigations resulted in schools being shut down and arrests others culminated in utter frustration resulting from criminals getting away with fraud. A fact made possible by industry wide practices that benefit from weak laws and the impossibility of effective industry oversight. 

During the course of these investigations members of my unit worked with a host of local, state, and federal investigators. One of which became the target of a multi-state Federal Bureau of Investigations criminal investigation. Where as, I do not claim to be an expert in the business of running Charter Schools my investigative experience provided a good insight into the big businesses of collecting Tax Dollars for educating public school children. It is from this insight that I share the following:

In everyone of our investigative cases, the schools were set up as nonprofit organizations. Most hired management companies to oversee the day to day operation of the schools. They all had a Board of Directors, had applied for and 

“I’m with Fred.” « Fred Klonsky

“I’m with Fred.” « Fred Klonsky:


“I’m with Fred.”


I was trying to ask a question of Audrey Soglin, IEA Executive Director. This was several years ago right after she had led the committee that wrote the legislation that created PERA, the bill that tied teacher evaluation to student growth scores on standardized tests.
Ken Swanson, who was IEA President at the time, refused to call me even though I was the first person at the microphone.
“I didn’t see you,” he later laimly explained.
The next day I stopped at Target to buy the ugliest orange sweater I could find. The better to see me with.
Yesterday at our first Region caucus at my last RA as an active teacher, the region surprised me with a cake 

Like White Castle to fine dining. « Fred Klonsky

Like White Castle to fine dining. « Fred Klonsky:


Like White Castle to fine dining.


Former IEA President (right) and other members of IEA Retired leave the RA with 26,000 signatures for the governor. It was a grass roots effort to restore state funding to retiree health insurance.
Democray is the the IEA RA what White Castle is to fine dining.
This is not new a new observation.
But things have never been this perilous for teachers and teacher unions. There is little room for game playing.
When a motion from the rank-and-file to increase the funding for the media and organizational battle to preserve teacher pensions and collective bargaining rights from $5 to $20 was made, it passed. An rank-and-file call for a 

School Tech Connect: Things That Aren't What They Seem

School Tech Connect: Things That Aren't What They Seem:


Things That Aren't What They Seem

Sunset Over Illinois

Here's a shot of the sunset tonight, taken from western shore of Lake Michigan in a sleepy little burg calledChicago. If I were Mike Daisey, I'd be trying to convince you that this was how it actually appeared, with no Fotoflexing. However, we try to stick to the truth around here. 

Got it wrong with Mike Daisey, unfortunately. I hope Mike Daisey doesn't do for the legitimate story about labor in China what Dan Rather did for George W. Bush's national guard story. Remember how that story just died 

Jersey Jazzman: The Price For Screwing Over Teachers

Jersey Jazzman: The Price For Screwing Over Teachers:


The Price For Screwing Over Teachers


Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch 



Via Diane Ravitch, Jeff Mirel makes a point that the reformy types never, ever want to deal with:
The second case, tenure helping good teachers stay in field—you're right on this in your review of Wendy Kopp's book. If the goal of getting excellent teachers to stick around for 20 or 30 years, then they need tenure protection in no small part because they are NEVER going to get paid what they are worth financially. Without tenure, teaching school cannot compete in the economic marketplace (e.g., I know people in the business world who have only a B.A. in business and, after 10 years in the field, are making 2.5-3 times what public school teachers are making. Without good job protection we will never have long term, high quality teachers in our classrooms. [emphasis mine]
Everybody on the reformy side loves to say that "good" teachers should be paid more. Chris Christie says it.

Mother Crusader: Eviction Proceedings Started For Second Time; Will Regis Academy Lose Facility?

Mother Crusader: Eviction Proceedings Started For Second Time; Will Regis Academy Lose Facility?:


Eviction Proceedings Started For Second Time; Will Regis Academy Lose Facility?

Camden Diocese Spokesman Peter Feuerherd has confirmed that on March 14, 2012 eviction proceedings were filed against Solid Rock Worship Center over the Holy Rosary Church complex, future home of the Regis Academy Charter School.  And this is not the first time.  An eviction lawsuit was settled in June of 2011 after Solid Rock failed to pay rent several months in a row.  This time around Mr. Feuerherd confirmed that Solid Rock is in arrears $20,000.


Adding fuel to the fire, I received an OPRA request today confirming that Regis Academy has yet to make the 

Modern School: Boston Teachers Mock Longer School Day With Stunt Plane

Modern School: Boston Teachers Mock Longer School Day With Stunt Plane:


Boston Teachers Mock Longer School Day With Stunt Plane


(Modified from image from Flickr, by dustpuppy)
Boston’s mayor, Thomas M. Menino, has accused the Boston Teachers Union (BTU) of engaging in a publicity stunt by flying a plane over City Hall in mockery of the city’s plan to lengthen the teachers’ workday. According to the Boston Herald, the plane carried a banner proclaiming that City Hall would now be open until 6:00 pm (a half-hour longer than it currently 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Did You Get Your Robo Call?

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Did You Get Your Robo Call?:


Did You Get Your Robo Call?

by  

I've been receiving e-mails of parents receiving robocalls from Stand for Children and A+Washington.

First, I thought it was discounted that these things work.  Even when Mayor McGinn calls, I generally don't listen (sorry Mr. Mayor, really busy).  Apparently Stand and A+Washington think they work.

Here's two calls (that one person received - note, this person does not even live in Rep. Pettigrew's district so even more annoying):

Hi, this is Ann from Stand For Children. I'm calling to publicly thank your legislator, Representative Eric Pettigrew, for his leadership on education in this year's legislative session. Thanks to Representative Pettigrew, kids in Washington state will have better access to great teachers, and principals will have the flexibility to evaluate teachers on performance and skills, not just seniority. Next time you see Representative Pettigrew, 

Big Education Ape: 3-16-12 PM 20,000 Teacher Layoff Notices - 2012 EDition #soschat #edchat

Big Education Ape: PARENTS CAN!:
Big Education Ape: PARENTS CAN!


Published by Coopmike48 – 7 news spotters today




Teachers at a Harlem Charter Can Unionize – SchoolBook

nytimes.com - Teachers at the New York French American Charter School in Harlem will be allowed to unionize, a state agency decided on Wednesday, overriding objections from the school’s administration. The Unite...
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coopmike48 Allstate Foundation Grants $50,000 to American Indian College Fund for American Indian Business... -- DENVER, March... prn.to/wwJdhC16 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
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coopmike48 Rep. Brandon Phelps Receives IEA Friend of Education Award -- CHICAGO, March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- prn.to/zr1TIj15 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
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The Longer School Day: Fact and Fiction

ilraiseyourhand.org - We are starting a new series  - The Longer School Day: Fact and Fiction. Please check in with us daily to get a new bit of information on what we are being told and what we know to be true about th...
Mike Klonsky

Occupy the DOE in DC Schedule March 30th to April 2nd, 2012

unitedoptout.com - Tentative schedule subject to revision (download shortened version here) Occupy the DOE in DC, Friday, March 30th: Take Our Message to Capitol Hil 10:00 a.m. Welcome Rally at the DOE!!!! United Opt...
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#Occupied: Reports From the Front Lines 

occupytogether.org - Written by Jennifer Sacks for The Occupied Wall Street Journal This week in Occupy, International Women’s Day was #occupied, the bill for NYPD misbehavior came due, the CEO of B of A was mic-checke...
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Blue Jersey:: I love ice cream.

bluejersey.com - Ben & Jerry's has a new flavor to promote marriage equality. Behold the awesometude: Tags: Ben & Jerry's, Ice Cream, marriage equality, LGBT, gay, simple carbohydrates, (All Tags) Progressive Counc...
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PERA benefits bill slips out of House

ednewscolorado.org - The House voted 33-32 Thursday to pass House Bill 12-1150, which would change the method of calculating retirement benefits for state workers, teachers and others who join the Public Employees Reti...
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California Unions Compromise on Millionaires Tax

labornotes.org - Mark Brenner contributed to this article. Updated 7:35 p.m. Paving the way for an uncluttered ballot in November, a California teachers union struck a deal Wednesday with Governor Jerry Brown that ...
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The Night Health Reform was Passed « MomsRising Blog

momsrising.org - My son was born with a genetic disorder called Williams syndrome. His health care costs totaled $1 million before he turned two years old. The night the Affordable Care Act passed was the best nigh...
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Is there lead in your necklace? « MomsRising Blog

momsrising.org - Most of us Moms wear jewelry, not necessarily fancy, diamond studded jewelry, just everyday jewelry that brightens up our look a bit. We aren’t surprised when our jewelry ends up in our kids’ mouth...
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#Occupied: Reports From the Front Lines 

occupytogether.org - Written by Jennifer Sacks for The Occupied Wall Street Journal This week in Occupy, International Women’s Day was #occupied, the bill for NYPD misbehavior came due, the CEO of B of A was mic-checke...
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