Today: First 100 days Summit for Civil Rights | Cloaking Inequity

Today: First 100 days Summit for Civil Rights | Cloaking Inequity

TODAY: FIRST 100 DAYS SUMMIT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

We are very pleased that HUD Secretary designate, Marcia L. Fudge will be the featured guest at our First 100 days Summit for Civil Rights this Thursday, February 11, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Eastern Time. It will be hosted (virtually) by the University of Kentucky School of Education, the University of Minnesota Law School, Case Western Reserve University and Building One America.

Other speakers include Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, United States Congresswoman Barbara Lee, North America’s Building Trades Unions President Sean McGarvey, Biden Education Transition Team leader Linda Darling Hammond, United States Senator Sherrod Brown and others. You can go here for more information, other speakers, and to register.

There is a $10 fee to help cover the costs for the independent not-for-profit.

You must register in advance to participate.

Today: First 100 days Summit for Civil Rights | Cloaking Inequity

Will Secretary of Education Cardona Grant Standardized Test Waivers to States? | Ed In The Apple

Will Secretary of Education Cardona Grant Standardized Test Waivers to States? | Ed In The Apple

Will Secretary of Education Cardona Grant Standardized Test Waivers to States?

Secretary of Education Designee Cardona testified at his Senate Education Committee confirmation hearing (Watch here); committee members have five minutes to ask and receive answers: a preview of Cardona policies? Maybe. One of the first questions was whether he would grant waivers allowing states not to administer standardized grades 3-8 tests. Chalkbeat reports,

Miguel Cardona sent mixed messages… how he would approach federally required standardized testing this year,

“If the conditions under COVID-19 prevent a student from being in school in person, I don’t think we need to be bringing students in just to test them,” But he suggested he still believes testing could be useful this year.

“If we don’t assess where our students are and their level of performance, it’s going to be difficult for us to provide targeted support and resource allocation in the manner that can best support the closing of the gaps that have been exacerbated due to this pandemic,”

Senator Burr followed up by asking whether states should be able to make their own decisions.

Cardona responded: “I feel that states should not only have an opportunity to CONTINUE READING: Will Secretary of Education Cardona Grant Standardized Test Waivers to States? | Ed In The Apple

Choosing Democracy: antiracismdsa: Defend DACA, TPS, the Immigrant Community

Choosing Democracy: antiracismdsa: Defend DACA, TPS, the Immigrant Community

Defend DACA, TPS, the Immigrant Community

By Greisa Martinez Rosas, Javier H. Valdes, and Marisa Franco

The first two weeks of Joe Biden’s presidency brought relief to millions of people across the country, including those who fight for immigrant justice. So far, we have seen several immigration actions by the Biden administration—including the restoration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the end of the Muslim Ban, the creation of task force to reunite children with their families, the announcement of a moratorium on deportations, and the introduction of legislation to provide a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented people.

In short, President Biden has started the long process of undoing the damage wrought by the Trump administration and is turning federal immigration policies in a new direction.

President Biden deserves credit for honoring key Day One commitments to our communities. But reversing Trumpism can only be the first step. We don’t want to return to “normal.” We need to build toward a more just future.

We need a presidential administration that is prepared to dismantle cruel and inhumane detention and deportation policies and detention centers and reunite families who have been separated.

The Biden administration needs to keep taking action to dismantle the enforcement system, fundamentally reform the government agencies CONTINUE READING: Choosing Democracy: antiracismdsa: Defend DACA, TPS, the Immigrant Community

NYC Educator: UFT Delegate Assembly February 10, 2021--Debate Upon Debate

NYC Educator: UFT Delegate Assembly February 10, 2021--Debate Upon Debate

UFT Delegate Assembly February 10, 2021--Debate Upon Debate

UFT President Michael Mulgrew--We're more than halfway through this wonderful school year. Hope everyone is safe. Asks for a moment of silence for former CTU President Karen Lewis. 

Middle schools--They needed testing capacity. They do not need an agreement with UFT. State approved city plan with 20% testing per building per week. We did not take their word for it. District has money from second stimulus act. We demanded time to get teams up to speed. Over last few weeks they've hired 55 additional testing teams. There are 60K additional tests, but they are now in compliance with state plan. 

We are frustrated with vaccines, and scrambling for more, as are hospitals and medical providers. We will get out more info, but city has agreed to specific number of slots every day at city centers for in person DOE employees--elementary, MS, and D75 working in schools. We also have more vaccine for our own program and will do the same.

We want middle schools to have time to get ready. That's why we have two weeks. Staff will have one day to come in and check. We will make sure PPE is in place. If you're going back, protocols, PPE, cleaning and ventilation are important. Testing gives us early warning so we can take proper procedures and shut rooms and schools as needed. Make sure everything is in place. Covid building response teams have done great work.

Around country people are surprised we have teams to do this. Other cities don't have testing capacity and haven't been doing anything for months. Disappointing to see teachers around country fighting for what we already have. Not enough to just say schools are important. 

Contact us with any issues. We will push and monitor. That's watching each other's backs. 

Federal--CDC was supposed to put out new guidelines, but pushed until Friday. You're going to see what we always talk about. Will sound a lot like NYC, but they don't have CONTINUE READING: NYC Educator: UFT Delegate Assembly February 10, 2021--Debate Upon Debate

CURMUDGUCATION: HI: A Houseless Village

CURMUDGUCATION: HI: A Houseless Village

HI: A Houseless Village

 It started with this tweet:

Reactions were peak tl;dr, with most people not making it past the tweet. But click past to the story, and then on to the contest itself, and you quickly see there' a lot to this.

I'm no expert on Hawaii. My ex-wife lived there for a few years and my sister-in-law and her husband lived on O'ahu for a while. My wife and I visited for about a week. We stayed in a condo near the beach up near the zoo, and is our habit, we took our rental car on some road trips to see the rest of the place. Which on O'ahu, once you get out of city traffic, doesn't take all that long. It's a place of great contrast. Travel up the west side of the island, and you soon arrive at the tip that looks like the end of the world; exposed to the brunt of the ocean, just past the government space-listening station, the road just ends in a patch of lava. Rough paths and an eerie peaceful quiet, not twenty miles away from a roaring metropolis. On the way there, you go past some rough patches of poverty. We would have driven past the community in this story without knowing it. But as I said--no expert, which is something I share with many folks drive-by commenting on this. It's not just homeless kids. It's a whole community.

That community is Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae (Refuge of Wai'anae), a community of about 250 houseless people, characterized by resident Twinkle Borge as  "Not homeless-- a village without a place."

Hawaii is a tough place to be homeless. On the one hand, the weather is generally on your side, but on the other, local authorities are not. While we were there, an early morning walk would get you free admission to the morning rousting of the homeless along Waikiki. Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae's CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: HI: A Houseless Village

WHY QUIBBLE? – Dad Gone Wild

WHY QUIBBLE? – Dad Gone Wild

WHY QUIBBLE?

“I was naive and thought we could express our feelings to each other- not suppress them and keep holding them back. Well, it was what I felt, and why should I be untrue to myself? I came to believe the importance that if you feel something strong enough then you should say it.”
― George Harrison, I, Me, Mine

 

On Monday, I listened to Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee give his State Of The State Speech. Then the next day I read the transcript because surely I didn’t hear what I thought I did. Surely I had missed the context of his words. But alas, I actually did and I did not.

With your indulgence, I’d like to share a recap along with a few excerpts. I invite you to join me on a trip to a parallel universe.

The speech starts off benign enough, with a general thank you to the expected. One line though, and its choice of words, set the tone for more to come. In thanking his advisors he refers to them thus,

They are battle-tested and I am proud of their work and their friendship.

Battle-tested? In a state that is a Republican super-majority, what battles of merit have CONTINUE READING: WHY QUIBBLE? – Dad Gone Wild

RFA: Learning Communities for School Success Program (CA Dept of Education)

RFA: Learning Communities for School Success Program (CA Dept of Education)

Request for Applications

Learning Communities for School Success Program

Due: Friday, March 26, 2021

The Learning Communities for School Success Program (LCSSP) provides funds to local education agencies (LEAs) to support programs aimed at improving student outcomes by reducing truancy and supporting students who are at risk of dropping out of school or are victims of crime. The LCSSP is the result of Proposition 47, which reduced the penalties for certain non-serious, non-violent offenses and allocates 25% of the resulting statewide savings for LEA grants.

Program Questions: Pete Callas, email: LCSSP@cde.ca.gov, phone: 916-319-0669

Downloading Questions: email: LCSSP@cde.ca.gov

More about Learning Communities for School Success Program

RFA: Learning Communities for School Success Program (CA Dept of Education)

NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER #BLACKHISTORYMONTH

 NewBlackMan (in Exile)

NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY

Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2021/02/this-week-with-newblackman-in-exile-blm.html

“This Woman’s Work”: Why Cicely Tyson Is So Important to Black Women’s Respect in Hollywood by Stephane Dun

by Mark Anthony Neal / 13h

“This Woman’s Work”: Why Cicely Tyson Is So Important to Black Women’s Respect in Hollywood By Stephane Dunn | @DrStephaneDunn | NewBlackMan (in Exile) It ain’t merely a Black woman fan or actress thing. Cicely Tyson was a BOSS when it was still so overtly damned hard to be so in Hollywood and American culture generally. The latest Golden Globe shut out of black actresses and actors underscores T

Vocalo: James Spooner Talks Basquiat, Filmmaking and Afro-punk

by Mark Anthony Neal / 18h

'James Spooner is a founder of the Afro-punk movement, and director of the seminal film Afro-Punk . Spooner recently directed a Part Two of a mini documentary series focused on the musical influences of Jean-Michel Basquiat , Time Decorated . He sat down with Vocalo to talk about Afro-Punk, the No Wave movement and the cultural impact of the musical underground.'

Tobe Nwigwe | WAKE UP EVERYBODY

by Mark Anthony Neal / 18h

Tobe Nwigwe 's cover of the Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes classic "Wake Up Everybody".

Race and Data Discrimination in America by Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr

by Mark Anthony Neal / 18h

| @DrBenChavis | NewBlackMan (in Exile) Today there is a welcomed breath of fresh political air in Washington, DC even amidst the unprecedented spread of the global COVID-19 pandemic throughout the United States. According to the Biden-Harris Administration the issues of racial justice and equity are now top priorities in a “whole of government” commitment to all Americans, and in particular to

Coffee & Books – Marc Lamont Hill talks with Dr. Yaba Blay, Author, 'One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race‪'

by Mark Anthony Neal / 2d

'On this episode of Coffee & Books , host Marc Lamont Hill is in conversation with scholar-activist, public speaker, and cultural consultant, Dr. Yaba Blay . They discuss the re-release of her book One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race . The two unpack the origins of the "one drop" rule, why the first edition of the book was difficult to get published.'

The Coffee Brand Beloved by Domestic Extremists

by Mark Anthony Neal / 2d

'Black Rifle is, at heart, a coffee company. But unlike the vast majority of coffee companies, it markets its beans with a highly militaristic branding that leans on gun-heavy, special-ops themed photoshoots with goofy product placement. Of course, guns and coffee don’t really have a lot in common. A shooting range session might leave you amped like back-to-back espressos, but that’s about it. On

Archie Shepp & Jason Moran: "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child"

by Mark Anthony Neal / 2d

Archie Shepp (Soprano Saxophone and vocals) and Jason Moran (Piano) perform "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" from their recording Let My People Go .

Many Lumens with Maori Karmael Holmes: Blitz Bazawule

by Mark Anthony Neal / 2d

' Many Lumens host Maori Karmael Holmes chats with Blitz Bazawule , the musician, filmmaker, writer and painter. Topics include The Black Atlantic and Kwame Nkrumah, moving to middle America from Ghana, finding a creative tribe, and the multi-dimensional power of film as a tool for Afro diasporic storytelling.'

Black Art: In the Absence of Light (2021) | Official Trailer | HBO

by Mark Anthony Neal / 2d

“The American canon is not complete without it.” 'Black Art: In The Absence of Light (director: Sam Pollard ; executive producer: Henry Louis Gates ) is a look at Black American Art and representation using David Driskell ’s landmark Two Centuries of Black American Art exhibition​ as a framing device.' -- HBO

Time Decorated: The Musical Influences of Jean-Michel Basquiat | Part 2 with James Spooner

by Mark Anthony Neal / 2d

'The "Punk and No Wave" segment is hosted by James Spooner , who co-founded Afropunk Festival and ran an underground club on Canal Street in the early 90’s, features tunes by James Chance and The Contortions,

 NewBlackMan (in Exile)