Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: "NO PUBLIC OPPOSITION," SAYS DUNCAN

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: "NO PUBLIC OPPOSITION," SAYS DUNCAN

"NO PUBLIC OPPOSITION," SAYS DUNCAN

This, from yesterday's NYT
A new survey by the Pew Research Center found distrust of government at its highest level in 30 years. Of all federal agencies, the department of education’s approval rating had fallen most sharply, to 40 percent from 61 percent in 1998. In fact, the department got the lowest rating of any federal agency, including the Internal Revenue Service. Mr. Duncan’s aides said the drop could reflect

Ownership Society News

Entertainment Properties Trust recently bought five public schools for investment of approximately $44 million.What a deal! (h/t Ken Libby)

N.J. Gov. Christie goes to D.C. to push "deep cuts" in public ed and more "reform"--meaning vouchers. NCAA leader, James Harris  responds: "This is not about ‘school choice.' This is about using precious public funds to subsidize private and religious education."

Tom VanderArk is so excited about Christie, he could pee. But most of all, he's elated over the current budget 

'Will close schools for $$$' -- Huberman

They call it "reform" but...
Chicago schools CEO Ron Huberman told aldermen yesterday the federal government is now offering financial incentives for districts to close schools or fire staff. (WBEZ)

WEEKEND QUOTABLES


Republican battle cry
"Drill, baby, drill" is now, "Hush, baby, hush." (Greenwire)

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony at L.A. May Day rally
“Everyone in God’s eyes is legal...Every time we have an economic downturn, there is a new attack on immigrants.' (NYT)
McCain's bashing of immigrants
What a difference the Tea Party makes. This time McCain endorsed his state’s new immigration law as “a good tool” and “a very important step forward,” and propagandized in favor of it with his widely ridiculed televised canard that illegal immigrants were “intentionally causing accidents on the freeway.” (Frank Rich)
 Report from the Venture Fund meet
Charters have also become a pet cause of what one education historian calls a billionaires’ club of philanthropists, including Mr. Gates, Eli Broad of Los Angeles and the Walton family of Wal-Mart. But for all their support and cultural cachet, the majority of the 5,000 or so charter schools nationwide appear to be no better, and in many cases worse, than local public schools when measured by achievement on standardized tests, according to experts citing years of research.(Trip Gabriel, N.Y. Times)