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Saturday, March 16, 2013

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-16-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

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Who Is the Most Incoherent Ex-Governor in America?

Jersey Jazzman knows. Read here.


Bill Gates “Loans” $10 Million to Central Falls, RI

This is an odd story
Bill Gates is “loaning” $10 million to Central Falls, Rhode Island, to expand and repair “high-performing” public and charter schools.
If you recall, Central Falls is the tiny district where the district superintendent announced her intention to fire the entire staff of the high school. The state superintendent said it was a terrific idea. Arne Duncan praised the plan, as did President Obama. Eventually, a compromise was reached, but most of the staff left in short order. This 


The First Newsletter from Network for Public Education

The first newsletter from the Network for Public Education is out!
We aim to to knit together the hundreds of district and state organizations that are supporting their community schools.
Please read and get involved!
Diane


Book Banning in Chicago

Since I wrote a book a decade ago called “The Language Police,” I can’t pretend to be shocked that a book was pulled, removed, or censored by the Chicago Public Schools.
Jersey Jazxman sums up the controversy here.
It is no consolation, perhaps, to know that school boards–state and local–have been censoring books for many years. So have publishers of tests and textbooks. Most people would be shocked to know about the topics, 


My Debate in Louisiana

Last Thursday I flew to Louisiana for a lunch debate with Chas Roemer, who is chairman of the state board of education.
Before the debate, I read online about his strong support for vouchers, charters, evaluation of teachers by test scores. Knowing this, I used my time to demonstrate the poor results of what I expected he would say.
Chas responded that he would not contest anything I said, as there was already too much tit for tat in politics. He talked instead about the value of choice for its own sake. When asked by a member of the audience how he felt about letting public dollars flow to religious school, he said we must respect people’s religions.
Some in the audience grumbled that his facts were incomplete or misleading. Afterwords, researchers told me 


Diane in the Evening 3-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Louisiana Teacher: “I Quit!” by dianerav Abby Breaux, a 25-year veteran teacher in Louisiana, wrote an open letter to the state board of education to explain why she was quitting. It is a powerful letter that demonstrates the complete disconnect between the people on the state board who make the rules and the teachers in the classroom who must live with them. Is Louisiana determined to get rid of experienced teachers? Who will take their places? Marc Tucker Says I Am Wrong About Common Core by dianerav Marc Tuc... more »