Sunday, September 16, 2012

Standing Up for Schools and Kids | The Forum for Education and Democracy

Standing Up for Schools and Kids | The Forum for Education and Democracy:


Standing Up for Schools and Kids

A couple of recent events, one on the state level and one very local, have given me hope and point out the way each and every one of us can stand up for our public schools.
First, three superintendents and their school boards have decided to stand up publicly against the ill-conceived 'Third Grade Guarantee' here in Ohio.  If you missed it, last spring the Ohio legislature, prompted by Governor John Kasich, decided that no child would be promoted to fourth grade unless they could read by third grade.  Further, at each grade level, kindergarten through third, children had to be tested with standardized instruments to see if they are 'on-track' to read by age eight.  If not, an individualized program was to be designed and carried out for each individual student.
Of course there is no funding for the program, just the advice that schools can use their federal dollars for it and that there would be, sometime in the future, grant funds available.  The law, passed in May, had to be implemented by September even though the Ohio Department of Education did not inform school districts of what tests they could use until August.  As of September 13th, the policies to be followed were still changing.
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Chicago Teachers Strike to Last Couple More Days, as Union Mulls Over Tentative Agreement | FDL News Desk

Chicago Teachers Strike to Last Couple More Days, as Union Mulls Over Tentative Agreement | FDL News Desk:


Chicago Teachers Strike to Last Couple More Days, as Union Mulls Over Tentative Agreement

(photo: peoplesworld / flickr)
Chicago public school students will not return to the classroom on Monday, as the Chicago Teachers Uniondecided to take more time to mull over a contract proposal. Students will not return to class until Wednesday at the earliest, according to the union.
The delegates could vote to end the strike as early as Tuesday, as members want the additional time to digest the details of the contract offer, union president Karen Lewis said.
“They’re not happy with the agreement. They’d like it to be a lot better for us than it is,” Lewis said.
The potential for 120 school closings in the coming years, first reported by the Tribune, also has caused concern.
“It under-girds everything they talk about,” Lewis said.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he plans to file an injunction to force the teachers back to work. He claims 

Chicago mayor seeks injunction to end teachers strike | News - Home

Chicago mayor seeks injunction to end teachers strike | News - Home:


Chicago mayor seeks injunction to end teachers strike

Rahm Emanuel asks city lawyers to file an injunction to immediately end the teachers strike

Author: From Kyung Lah and Greg Botelho CNN
Published On: Sep 16 2012 01:10:11 AM EDT  Updated On: Sep 16 2012 09:10:03 PM EDT
Chicago teachers on strike 4
Kevin Myers/CNN
CHICAGO (CNN) -
The week-old teachers strike in Chicago's public schools will continue into the new week, after a representative group of the Chicago Teachers Union decided not to end the strike even though union leaders and school officials had reached a tentative contract deal.
The move left Mayor Rahm Emanuel vowing to go to court to force teachers back to work, calling Sunday's actions by the union "a delay of choice that is wrong for our children."
The mayor announced in a statement that he's asked city lawyers "to file an injunction in circuit 

School Tech Connect: Rushing A Vote

School Tech Connect: Rushing A Vote:


Rushing A Vote

Let's not forget what happens when people are asked to vote quickly on complex documents.

Popout

Students Last: The Tiniest Test Takers

Students Last: The Tiniest Test Takers:


The Tiniest Test Takers

New York City - Pearson PLC, the world's leading learning company, announced a multi-million dollar deal with New York City's Department of Education that will allow the company to begin administering standardized tests to the city's youngest students - fetuses.

Pearson-provided sonogram of
fetus taking ELA exam. Sadly,
test scores prove fetus is merely average.
Flanked by both Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor of Education Dennis Walcott, Pearson CEO Marjorie Scardino gushed, "We couldn't be more excited about this development."

Ms. Scardino explained to reporters how Pearson scientists used nano technology to create tiny number two pencils that can 

CTU President: We Are Still on Strike | NBC Chicago

CTU President: We Are Still on Strike | NBC Chicago:


CTU President: We Are Still on Strike

Teachers from around the country will gather at noon on Saturday for a solidarity rally in Union Park

Sunday, Sep 16, 2012  |  Updated 12:11 AM CDT
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The Chicago Teachers Union hosted a
The Chicago Teachers Union hosted a "Solidarity Rally" in Union Park on Saturday afternoon, while officials from CTU and Chicago Public Schools hammer out the details for an agreement. Michelle Relerford reports from Union Park.
Despite both sides looking to get teachers and students back in the classroom next week, thousands of teachers and supporters gathered in Union Park on Saturday for the Chicago Teachers Union's solidarity rally.
“We are on strike,” CTU President Karen told a crowd estimated to be about 2,500 teachers and supporters decked out in red. “We have a


Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Teachers-Prepare-for-Solidarity-Rally-169891176.html#ixzz26gJAo02e

Teachers For Social Justice: THE STRIKE IS STILL ON!

Teachers For Social Justice: THE STRIKE IS STILL ON!:


THE STRIKE IS STILL ON!

It's not over yet-democracy in is action in the CTU, as the House of Delegates decides how to proceed with the tentative agreement (see below for the CTU website release on the HoD meeting today). Let's get back on those picket lines at the schools Monday morning and do other strike support as well. Watch the CTU & TSJ website for updates, and don't necessarily believe what you hear in the news! Solidarity!!
 
 
From CTU Website:
House of Delegates to review new contract language this Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
09/15/2012
CHICAGO - The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU)'s ruling body will decide whether or not to call off its strike against the Chicago Public Schools during a 3 p.m. House of Delegates meeting tomorrow at Operating Engineers Hall, 2260 Grove Street.  The Bargaining Team is expected to share new details about proposed contract language which includes a 

Chicago Teachers Strike Continues Into New Week As Union, City Fail To Strike Deal

Chicago Teachers Strike Continues Into New Week As Union, City Fail To Strike Deal:


Chicago Teachers Strike Continues Into New Week As Union, City Fail To Strike Deal

The Chicago Teachers Union delegates decided Sunday night not to accept a deal for a new contract from Chicago Public Schools and made plans to resume negotiations Tuesday, effectively prolonging the weeklong teachers strike and ensuring that school would not be in session for the city's public school students for the next two days.

CTU President Karen Lewis fielded questions during a press conference Sunday night as reporters attempted to make sense of discrepancies in the union and the school district's interpretation of contract language.

"We obviously have very different world views," Lewis said. "They're a political spin machine."

As has been the case since the beginning of the strike, when Lewis and Mayor Rahm Emanuel provided very 

NYC Educator: God Save Karen Lewis

NYC Educator: God Save Karen Lewis:


God Save Karen Lewis

After hearing the CTU strike was nearing a resolution, I was surprised to hear that it was, in fact, going to continue for two more days. I was more surprised, though, at the rationale behind that decision.

“This union is a democratic institution, which values the opportunity for all members to make decisions together. The officers of this union follow the lead of our members,” President Lewis said. 

Have you ever heard of such a thing? She's going to 

Big Ed Ape Nite Cap SPECIAL STRIKE EDITION DAY #7 9-16-12 #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



James Baldwin said it best: 

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP




College Education- Who Benefits? | educarenow

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago
College Education- Who Benefits? | educarenow: College Education- Who Benefits? Posted on September 14, 2012 | Leave a comment I continue to be disappointed by the quality of questions the national media is asking around the issue of education. Latest case in point? The cover of Newsweek’s September 10 edition, which blares, *Is College a Lousy Investment? *Such a question assumes that the purpose of a college education is simply to provide an income. A college education is reduced to being a very personal choice (in that it is a choice that affects only the potential attende... more »

School Tech Connect: If You're Ready To Pounce

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago
School Tech Connect: If You're Ready To Pounce: If You're Ready To Pounce by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) [image: Parents Stand With CTU (CLICK ON PICTURE)] I have now received my third text message asking me how I'm going to vote in the House of Delegates. Friends, relatives, countrymen---- I'm not even in the union. I work in Skokie. Let me say this, though. I've seen some bold advice around the blogosphere, and I'm sure that there are people ready to pounce on Karen Lewis and the delegates no matter what the outcome. I'll just say that it's one thing to have an opinion, b... more »

Democracy breaks out in Chicago. Many surprised, not having seen it before. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 38 minutes ago
Democracy breaks out in Chicago. Many surprised, not having seen it before. « Fred Klonsky: Democracy breaks out in Chicago. Many surprised, not having seen it before. by Fred Klonsky *He’s an idiot.* I have negotiated many contracts. We went out on strike over one. The membership rejected one that our team brought back. I never make public judgments about what the union members anywhere decide to do about a bargained contract. Their contract. The Chicago CTU House of Delegates just voted minutes ago to take time to read the deal and vote on Tuesday.

Chicago Teachers Union | House of Delegates Votes to Continue Strike

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 44 minutes ago
Chicago Teachers Union | House of Delegates Votes to Continue Strike: House of Delegates Votes to Continue Strike 09/16/2012 [image: Parents Stand With CTU (CLICK ON PICTURE)] Some 800 delegates of the Chicago Teachers Union duly elected from each school and workplace convened Sunday afternoon to discuss the framework established during negotiations between the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Board of Education. Officers presented a 23-page document outlining the most important points of the agreement whose outline has been worked out between the two parties. That tentativ... more »

Schools Matter: Rothstein Considers the First Teacher Strike Against Corporate Education Reform's Notion of Accountability

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Schools Matter: Rothstein Considers the First Teacher Strike Against Corporate Education Reform's Notion of Accountability: Rothstein Considers the First Teacher Strike Against Corporate Education Reform's Notion of Accountability by Jim Horn From Economic Policy Institute by Richard Rothstein: Teacher accountability and the Chicago teachers strike Posted September 14, 2012 at 9:56 am by RICHARD ROTHSTEIN It was bound to happen, whether in Chicago or elsewhere. What is surprising about the Chicago teachers’ strike is that something like this did not happen sooner. The strike represe... more »

Louisiana Educator: Follow Up on Choice Course Program

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Louisiana Educator: Follow Up on Choice Course Program: Follow Up on Choice Course Program by Michael Deshotels Dear Ms Dastugue and BESE Members: I have received the responses to my questions to BESE about choice course regulations. It is my understanding that President Dastugue directed Ms Pozniak (BESE Executive Director) to answer my questions according to BESE policy as it will be applied to choice courses for the 2013-14 school year. I was disappointed by the lack of substance and accountability of BESE policy on choice courses as interpreted by Ms Pozniak in her answers to t... more »

Not So Hot for Teacher - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Not So Hot for Teacher - NYTimes.com: Not So Hot for Teacher Illustration by Tom Gauld By ELIZABETH ALSOPPublished: September 14, 2012 Comment In his State of the Union address in 2011, President Obama made a point of applauding the nation’s teachers and exhorted Americans to do the same. “In South Korea,” Obama reminded us, “teachers are known as ‘nation builders.’ . . . It’s time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect.” Readers’ Comments Share your thoughts. - Post a Comment » Out in TV land, however, we’ve been receiving a different me... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Arne Duncan's Vision of Community Schools Realized? Dinner Now Served at Schools.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Arne Duncan's Vision of Community Schools Realized? Dinner Now Served at Schools.: Arne Duncan's Vision of Community Schools Realized? Dinner Now Served at Schools. by stlgretchen Parents don't have to figure out dinner menus. What a deal. What are food stamps for?....one reader asks in this Ann Althouse blog *Who Gets Free School Dinner in Madison Wisconsin:* "Unlike the lunch program, eligibility for a free dinner is based on whether the school qualifies for the program based on school poverty rates, rather than the income level of an individual st... more »

British journalist: Chicago teachers’ strike touches on far-reaching issues | The Raw Story

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
British journalist: Chicago teachers’ strike touches on far-reaching issues | The Raw Story: British journalist: Chicago teachers’ strike touches on far-reaching issues By Arturo Garcia Sunday, September 16, 2012 15:39 EDT [image: Gary Younge screenshot 091612 (2)] Topics: british journalist ♦ chicago public schools ♦ Chicago teachers As Chicago teachers prepared to vote on a tentative agreement to end their weeklong strike, a British journalist appearing on *Up With Chris Hayes* Sunday said the issues at hand — not only teachers’ pay but evaluation standards, working conditions ... more »

There Is No Going Back - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
There Is No Going Back - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators: Looking Ahead There Is No Going Back I spent time this weekend visiting a place that has been very significant to me, especially over the last year. I did it to come to terms with the fact that I can’t go ba­ck. I know they say you can’t go home again. But I found I could go home again when I returned to Massachusetts in the early two-thousands. So I thought I could apply this here. I was wrong. This visit, my best friend was no longer available to me. T... more »

All Eyes On Chicago « Raginghorseblog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
All Eyes On Chicago « Raginghorseblog: All Eyes On ChicagoSeptember 16, 2012 In early July of 1892 an event took place in the industrial town of Homestead, Pennsylvania that would define labor and management relations across the United States for decades to come. A violent and bloody battle between Andrew Carnegie’s Homestead Steel Works and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (an early incarnation of the United Steel Workers), the Homestead Strike of 1892 was a demarcation, a line in the sand, and a tragedy for the American labor movement. Orchestrated by Hen... more »

How reformers (unfortunately) get captivated by experimental technology - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
How reformers (unfortunately) get captivated by experimental technology - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] How reformers (unfortunately) get captivated by experimental technology By Valerie Strauss Because teacher evaluation is such an important part of school reform and at the center of the Chicago teachers strike, I have published several pieces on the issue in the last week, here and her e and here. Below is a new historical look on the subject. It was written by Jack Schneider and Ethan Hutt. Schneider is an assistant professor of education at the ... more »

Democurmudgeon: Charter and Voucher school success Measured by Enrollment, not Grades!!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Democurmudgeon: Charter and Voucher school success Measured by Enrollment, not Grades!!: Charter and Voucher school success Measured by Enrollment, not Grades!! by Democurmudgeon Almost all the media coverage surrounding charter schools, oddly steers clear of their successes and failures, and focuses mostly on their increased enrollment. And it’s always deceptively packaged it as an educational “sign of success.” Make it your own test as well, when you read articles about charter and voucher schools. A perfect example made its way into Education Week recently. Look for any ment... more »

UPDATE: Diane in the Afternoon 9-15-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Correction: Chicago Teacher Salary Average Is $74,000 by dianerav It became commonplace in he media to say over and over that the average salary for Chicago teachers is $71,000-$76,000. I heard this and didn’t question it. I didn’t think it was inappropriate or extravagant as compensation for a Who Are the Members of Florida’s Board of Education? by dianerav This blogger wondered who was appointed to the Florida state board. This is a powerful board that selects the state commissioner of education and sets policy for the children, teachers, and schools of th... more »

msnbc tv: Teaching conditions on the line in Chicago strikes

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
msnbc tv: Teaching conditions on the line in Chicago strikes: Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Privateers and Public Education: They Want the Money | Firedoglake

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Privateers and Public Education: They Want the Money | Firedoglake: Privateers and Public Education: They Want the Money by Glenn W. Smith Message scrawled on temp classroom, Pershing Jr. High It’s not hard to pierce the rotten veil of today’s so-called public education reformers. Some corporate hacks see all that money spent on public education and, as is their habit, they set out to get it. First, they embarrass teachers and schools with ridiculous, destructive high-stakes tests and rigged “accountability” measures. Second, create an awkward, exploitative alliance with home-schoole... more »

Short Notes: Educator’s Rights Tied To Women’s Rights, Again | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Short Notes: Educator’s Rights Tied To Women’s Rights, Again | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: Educator’s Rights Tied To Women’s Rights, Again by Jose Bill Clinton: Don’t Hate, Calculate A few notes: - Erin Gloria Ryan shows three stupid ways to discuss the Chicago Teachers’ Strike. [Jezebel] - The support / disapproval of the strike seem to lie across racial lines. If you’re surprised, read this. [The American Prospect via Alexander Russo] - Remember when the terms “liberal” and “progressive” were synonymous? These five prove the shift. [Truth Out] - Fathers... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Board meeting agenda for 9/19/12

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Board meeting agenda for 9/19/12: School Board meeting agenda for 9/19/12 by Charlie Mas Here's the agenda for the Seattle School Board Meeting of September 19, 2012. Not every meeting has a theme, but this one features some interesting timing decisions. Or perhaps the theme is evading public discussion. The *public testimony* is still scheduled for 5:00pm. The Board knows that having the testimony at this time creates a barrier to participation by working people. Perhaps that's the intent. *The proclamation for Cheryl Chow* is presented ... more »

The Weekly Update: The Chicago teachers strike and where it all began | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
The Weekly Update: The Chicago teachers strike and where it all began | Seattle Education: The Weekly Update: The Chicago teachers strike and where it all began by seattleducation2011 *The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed.* Words can’t begin to express my gratitude for this. I’m a very proud middle school reading teacher in CPS. I strike not by choice as the mayor has stated but on principle. You have clearly articulated why I am on the picket. My students deserve better. We bailed out the banks while allowing public schools to fail. I stand up for public ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Steve Perry Strikes Again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Steve Perry Strikes Again: Reformy Steve Perry Strikes Again by Duke Dear lord: He's not an educator; he's "delivering a product," like a used car salesman. So he says you should pay teachers what they're worth, but then immediately says you should pay them "what you can afford to pay." You know, like a car: "Hey, I'll take that Lamborghini! I can afford to pay $500 for it, OK?" Does this man really think the world works this way? Reformy Steve says he can only make as much, in his capacity as a principal, as the community can afford to pay him. But he m... more »

NYC Public School Parents: The underlying issues in the Chicago teacher strike according to Julie Cavanagh and Matt Farmer

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: The underlying issues in the Chicago teacher strike according to Julie Cavanagh and Matt Farmer: The underlying issues in the Chicago teacher strike according to Julie Cavanagh and Matt Farmer See video excerpts from "Up with Chris" this morning, MSNBC's show on the Chicago teacher strike. Here are NYC teacher Julie Cavanagh and Chicago parent Matt Farmer talking about how this is a "defining moment" in the fight against privatization and corporate education reform, and how the Chicago struggle is really about whether poverty and the highly inequitable ... more »

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky: The Sunday Mail. by Fred Klonsky *Students at Chicago’s Benito Juarez High School supporting the teachers’ strike. Photo: Nate Gunderson* *John Dillon’s pension vocabulary.* Structural revenue problems. *Politicians in Illinois are proud of repeating their “new reality” mantra – “we are not going to kick the can down the road anymore,” in actuality, as long as a structural revenue problem exists – that’s all they we ever be able to do.* *MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes* covers the strike issues. *Alex Kotlowitz on Chicago.* *“One teacher told me last w... more »

Modern School: Chicago Teachers, Just Say No

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Modern School: Chicago Teachers, Just Say No: Chicago Teachers, Just Say No by Michael Dunn The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are were very near a deal by the end of last week. Last minute negotiating today, it is hoped, will lead to a compromise that both sides can accept, allowing teachers and students back in the classroom by Monday. The 800 members of the CTU House of Delegates would have to approve the contract and then teachers would have to ratify it. The details of the proposal have not yet been made public, but speculation by the mainstre... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week Two 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week Two 2012: Week Two 2012 by alicemercer [image: Two of Arts - 2000 Visual Mashups] [image: :-)] I’m doing good. My class, while not perfect, has many positive attributes, and I like the kids even when they cause me to raise my eyebrows at the sort of behavior that one can expect from 11 year olds as hormones overtake all good sense and control. What did we do? We didn’t take pictures, I didn’t take pictures. I’m sorry I will do better next week, when I start having some of my kids who have gotten permission, to take pictures of our le... more »

Schools Matter: Molly Meacham, English Teacher: "How A Political Poem Was Bullied Out of Me"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Schools Matter: Molly Meacham, English Teacher: "How A Political Poem Was Bullied Out of Me": Molly Meacham, English Teacher: "How A Political Poem Was Bullied Out of Me" by Jim Horn ht to Susan Harman: PopoutHow A Political Poem Was Bullied Out of Me from Molly Meacham on Vimeo .

At Rally, Chicago Teachers Union President Invites City Hall to Turn Off Air-Conditioning | The Dissenter

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
At Rally, Chicago Teachers Union President Invites City Hall to Turn Off Air-Conditioning | The Dissenter: At Rally, Chicago Teachers Union President Invites City Hall to Turn Off Air-Conditioning by Kevin Gosztola CTU President Karen Lewis at solidarity rally on September 15 In Union Park in Chicago thousands of educators and supporters of the Chicago Teachers Union gathered for a solidarity rally. People from out-of-state, like Minnesota and Wisconsin, were there to show support. After a two-hour rally, everyone marched to Garfield Park. There were students, parents and representa... more »

Daily Kos: Is Poverty Destiny?: Ideology v. Evidence in Education Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Daily Kos: Is Poverty Destiny?: Ideology v. Evidence in Education Reform: Is Poverty Destiny?: Ideology v. Evidence in Education Reform byplthomasEdDFollow In the spirit of his *Education Week* blog, Living in Dialogue, science educator and activist Anthony Cody entered into a five-part exchange with the Gates Foundation (GF) about education reform. These point-counterpoint posts serve well to illustrate the essential difference between Social Context Reformers, represented by Cody, and "No Excuses" Reformers, represented by the GF: “No Excuses” Reformers insist that the source of... more »

Teacher Bashing: The Inequality Psychology | OurFuture.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Teacher Bashing: The Inequality Psychology | OurFuture.org: Teacher Bashing: The Inequality Psychology by Sam Pizzigati *In any society where wealth and income concentrate overwhelmingly at the top, the affluent will almost always come to sneer at public services and the men and women who provide them. In Chicago, those men and women have pushed back.* Last year state lawmakers in Illinois did their best to make a Chicago teacher strike impossible. They passed a new law that required at least 75 percent of the city’s teachers to okay any walkout in advance. How did Chicago teacher... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-16-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Excellent Article about the Strike by dianerav Joanne Barkan just published an insightful article about Chicago, in which she asks “Who Is Really Victimizing the Kids?” One of the most startling facts that she reports is that the proportion of African-American teachers was 45% in 1995, when Mayor Richard Daley took control of the schools. Today it is 19%. Can any of the multiple defenders of the “reformers” in Chicago explain the disappearance of black teachers in CPS? The Chicago Tribune editorial board? M... more »

School Tech Connect: Not The NAEP's Best Effort

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Not The NAEP's Best Effort: Not The NAEP's Best Effort by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) The NAEP Writing Assessment is out. It' a new NAEP test, and in my opinion, if you study it carefully, you begin to see that even the NAEP people can't construct a writing test that's actually worth taking. The surprising thing to me is that the NAEP people evidently feel that 27% of students write at or above what they consider to be a proficient level. Having taught writing for two decades, I'd call this figure high. However, I'm sure it sounds alarmingly low to some ... more »

Educator Musing: Op-Ed proposal the L.A. Times would not print

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Educator Musing: Op-Ed proposal the L.A. Times would not print: Op-Ed proposal the L.A. Times would not print by Educator Musing The following is an OP-Ed proposal the L.A. Times would not print. There is no such thing as a free lunch. That is one of the first lessons I teach my students in economics. I realize the statement identifies me as a teacher and to some that is somehow tantamount to confessing that I am a villain. I am also the Board President of the Adelanto School District– the first district (albeit by court order) to accept a Parent-Trigger petition. This articl... more »

Chicago Teachers Strike May Near End As Union Releases Deal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Chicago Teachers Strike May Near End As Union Releases Deal: Chicago Teachers Strike May Near End As Union Releases Deal by Joy Resmovits [image: Chicago Teachers Strike Deal] Rahm Emanuel is giving away the farm. A deal is on the table Saturday night to end a nearly weeklong Chicago teachers strike, though classes could still be canceled Monday as the union's House of Delegates reviews the proposal. If a press release from the Chicago Teachers Union is accurate, Emanuel has given away some of his most prized education reforms to the union to quell the strike. Mitt Romney has tri... more »

Schools Matter: Chicago Teachers and Support Staff: Lots of Thank Yous and a Couple of Warnings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Schools Matter: Chicago Teachers and Support Staff: Lots of Thank Yous and a Couple of Warnings: Chicago Teachers and Support Staff: Lots of Thank Yous and a Couple of Warnings by Jim Horn First, some thank yous. 1. Thank you for the exercising the courage, care, and conviction that has been banished by the national union leadership of the NEA and AFT. 2. Thank you for reminding us what leadership looks like. 3. Thank you for re-focusing the teacher union movement on the social justice mission for children, which is our calling, our mission, and the fire we ca... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Are You a Racist? Take the Quiz!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Are You a Racist? Take the Quiz!: Are You a Racist? Take the Quiz! by Duke *Warning: heavy sarcasm ahead. Proceed at your own risk.* In today's complicated world, it's hard to know if you are a racist. For example, you'd be surprised at how many people who actually work with kids in poverty believe that those kids can't learn. Yes, shocking, I know, but rich people have confirmed this, and rich people are so very smart, so... As a public service, I've put together a simple quiz to determine whether or not you are a racist. Get out your #2s! Ready? BEGIN EXAM Pl... more »

Full Text of the Queensborough English Department Attack Letter « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Full Text of the Queensborough English Department Attack Letter « Student Activism: Full Text of the Queensborough English Department Attack Letter by Angus Johnston Yesterday I reported on an attempt by CUNY administrators to dismantle the English department at the system’s Queensborough Community College in retaliation for the department’s refusal to approve a restructuring of its composition program. That reporting was based on a public excerpt from a letter sent by QCC Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Karen Steele to Linda Reesman, chair of the QCC English departmen... more »

Schools Matter: The Common Core: Bad for Libraries, Librarians, and Students

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Schools Matter: The Common Core: Bad for Libraries, Librarians, and Students: The Common Core: Bad for Libraries, Librarians, and Students by skrashen The President of the American Library Association is enthusiastic about the common core for school libraries and school librarians. I am not. I posted this comment on: Education Week: Common Core Thrusts Librarians Into Leadership Role http://bit.ly/SpMDC4 In contrast to the view presented in “Common Core Thrusts School Librarians Into Leadership Roles” (Education Week, Sept 12, 2012), I argue here that there are no clear benefits ... more »

Last Stand for Children First: CTU Strike is Over (If you Want It)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Last Stand for Children First: CTU Strike is Over (If you Want It): CTU Strike is Over (If you Want It) by Last Stand for Children The Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools have agreed to a framework for ending the week-long teacher strike in Chicago. While this is not a done deal, it seems like the strike is over if the CTU wants it to be. At this time, I have not seen the final contract details nor have I seen casualty figures or the total cost of the property damage inflicted on this city by the rampaging crimson hordes of striking teachers. Still, as reformer we c... more »

Schools Matter: Responding to NPR's What's At Stake for US Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Schools Matter: Responding to NPR's What's At Stake for US Teachers: Responding to NPR's What's At Stake for US Teachers by skrashen [image: Chicago Teachers Union members picket the CPS headquarters in Chicago on Thursday, the fourth day of their strike.] Responding to NPR What's At Stake For U.S. Teachers by Alan Greenblatt http://www.npr.org/2012/09/13/161072479/whats-at-stake-for-u-s-teachers?ft=1 NPR’s article contained numerous errors. Here are two of them. 1. “Practically everyone in education agrees that the old system of monitoring teacher quality … is useless.” I know of ... more »

CTU prez speaks at today's massive rally DAY #6 9-15-12 #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2 Labor Beat

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The first week of the historic September 2012 Chicago teachers strike. Interviews and scenes from the picket lines at Amundsen HS, Kenwood Academy, Steinmetz HS, Lawndale Elementary Community Academy, Reilly Elementary, Burley Elementary, Marsh Elementary, Marshall HS, Lane Tech HS, Kelly HS, Monroe Elementary -- all of which are only a small fraction of all the schools on strike in the City. Also scenes from the massive 30,000-strong teacher rally and march in the Loop on Monday, followed by another massive march on Tuesday. After this rally, a crush of TV cameras and reporters,... more »

Dissent Magazine - Arguing The World - Who Is Victimizing Chicago’s Kids? -

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Dissent Magazine - Arguing The World - Who Is Victimizing Chicago’s Kids? -: [image: Arguing the World] Who Is Victimizing Chicago’s Kids? Joanne Barkan - September 14, 2012 11:38 pm Yes, schoolchildren in Chicago are victims, but not of their teachers. They are victims of a nationwide education “reform” movement geared to undermine teachers’ unions and shift public resources into private hands; they are victims of wave after wave of ill-conceived and failing policy “innovations”; they are victims of George Bush’s No Child Left Behind law, which turned inner-city public schools in... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: Paul Ryan Disappoints Young People on Gay Rights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
One Teacher's Perspective: Paul Ryan Disappoints Young People on Gay Rights: Paul Ryan Disappoints Young People on Gay Rights by Imagine Wisconsin *Guest blogging this week is my nephew, Thomas Strieker, who shares a memorable 2005 meeting with Paul Ryan. Thousands have viewed my take on Paul Ryan. Readers seem interested in perspectives from Ryan's hometown of Janesville. Thomas was raised in Janesville and graduated from Parker High School.* Janesville feels so far off the map that when someone gets any national attention my heart beats faster. So I was excited when Mitt Romn... more »

Thousands Gather in Support of Chicago Teachers - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Thousands Gather in Support of Chicago Teachers - NYTimes.com: Thousands Gather in Support of Chicago TeachersBy STEVEN YACCINO CHICAGO — Thousands of people gathered here on Saturday for a rally in support of public school educators who have been locked in a contentious contract battle. It was the largest show of union force since teachers in this, the nation’s third largest school district, went on strike nearly a week ago. The crowd, which included some teachers and union supporters from Wisconsin and Minnesota, shook homemade protest signs in the air and wore the signature r... more »







Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

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Big Ed Ape Nite Cap SPECIAL STRIKE EDITION DAY #6 9-15-12 #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

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