@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:

Schools Abducted: Despoliation of Community

by Kuhio Kane

Clearly, there are more and more parents educating themselves regarding testing in schools and how they can pull their kids out of testing.  Not all parents can put their children under a homeschooling overseen by credentialed personnel.  While we strive to keep our public schools public and free of the new reform movement that brings […]

Addendum to Schools Abducted: Despoliation of Community

by Kuhio Kane

I wrote the above article while navigating a vessel in a heavy wind. I made an egregious error. I AM not for the closing of public schools, especially those in large, urban areas. NOR would I encourage “urban blight.” What I intended to say was: If it comes to this, then let them take out […]

Oh, before I forget to mention it…

by Chalk Face, PhD

I found all these great reports that basically prove without a doubt the major contentions of the education reform movement. I’m serious. Here they are, linked below based on each issue. Socioeconomic status does not predict educational outcomes. Competition for per-pupil expenditures improves student and parent satisfaction. Psychic Sylvia Brown predicts: “The Common Core will […]

Another taste of test abstention data

by Chalk Face, PhD

As we continue to sift through the data from the survey, I wanted to offer the reader another taste. Here’s the list of tests refused this year. Now, I’ve learned two things from this. One, a great variety of assessments. And two, are you kidding me? How many products do we need and how much […]

Our interviews with John Merrow & Karen Lewis

BY CHALK FACE, PHD 3 COMMENTS

UPDATED First, our interview with Mr. Merrow. The comprehensive PDF of Merrow’s writing on Rhee, to go along with the interview. Second, our most recent interview with CTU’s Karen Lewis. We keep getting you those stories in education that you don’t hear anywhere else.

FILED UNDER: CHALK FACE: GENERAL NEWS & COMMENTARY TAGGED WITH:CHICAGO, DCPS, JOHN MERROW, KAREN LEWIS, MICHELLE RHEE, SCHOOL CLOSINGS, TEST CHEATING, WASHINGTON DC

A lesson in reform from, of all places, The Princess Bride

MAY 28, 2013 BY CHALK FACE, PHD LEAVE A COMMENT

Yesterday evening, I was thinking. Not too hard. But I was reminded of this classic scene from The Princess Bride. It’s a longer excerpt, but a good one. Read it, I’ll meet you at the bottom. “Pour the wine,” said the man in black. Vizzini filled the two goblets with deep-red liquid. The man in […]

FILED UNDER: CHALK FACE: GENERAL NEWS & COMMENTARY TAGGED WITH: BATTLE OF WITS,CHOICE, PRINCESS BRIDE

Teachers College Convocation Turns into Protest Against Corporate Enablers,Tisch and Fuhrman

MAY 28, 2013 BY JIM HORN LEAVE A COMMENT

I am just back from a weekend off and delighted to see a forwarded email on the Teachers College Convocation/Student Protest May 21.  As you can see, the protest was quiet but very powerful, as these photos indicate (click to enlarge). This is the proudest I have been in a long time to be associated […]

FILED UNDER: JIM HORN: SCHOOLS MATTER TAGGED WITH: FUHRMAN, STUDENT PROTESTS,TEACHER EDUCATION, TISCH

CCSS + iPad + Kindergarten = ?

MAY 27, 2013 BY CHRIS CERRONE 3 COMMENTS

= tablet time instead of : play time discovery time creative time nap time sharing time outside time … Follow the author on twitter @stoptesting15

FILED UNDER: CHRIS CERRONE: THE "PARENTUCATOR"

One Step Closer……

MAY 27, 2013 BY PEGGYROBERTSON LEAVE A COMMENT

Every time a child takes a high stakes test we are one step closer to the end of public education. Keep that in mind next year – especially if you are a student and/or have a child that doesn’t mind the test – know that the action of taking the test in fact is assisting […]

FILED UNDER: PEGGY ROBERTSON: PEG WITH PEN

solidaridad: Crenshaw Student Forum – Community Standing up to Deasy’s Racist Reconstitution

MAY 27, 2013 BY RDSATHENE LEAVE A COMMENT

solidaridad: Crenshaw Student Forum – Community Standing up to Deasy’s Racist Reconstitution. Anyone in the Los Angeles area interested in preserving public education is encouraged to attend and support this event.

FILED UNDER: ROBERT D. SKEELS: SCHOOLS MATTER TAGGED WITH: CRENSHAW HS, JOHN DEASY, LAUSD, NEOLIBERALISM, PRIVATIZATION, RECONSTITUTION, RESISTANCE, STRUGGLE

In case you were wondering, apartheid totally apt, #cpsclosings

MAY 27, 2013 BY CHALK FACE, PHD LEAVE A COMMENT

I’m researching something else. But I encountered the following article from the Baltimore Sun in 1986. During apartheid, they closed 30 Black schools at once and it was a BIG deal. In Chicago, IL, United States, in 2013, they’re closing 50. Wow. Also found this curious passage in an earlier article, perhaps from the 50s or […]

FILED UNDER: CHALK FACE: GENERAL NEWS & COMMENTARY TAGGED WITH: APARTHEID,BLACK SCHOOLS, CHICAGO, SCHOOL CLOSINGS, SOUTH AFRICA

Introducing Old School Sean

MAY 27, 2013 BY CHALK FACE, PHD 5 COMMENTS

We like to (and by we I mean I/me) repurpose various Internet memes for education. You can Google Search “Old Economy Steve.” That’s a new one for me. So, I thought I would introduce you all to “Old School Sean.” Enjoy. And, please, make your own. Here are some samples.

FILED UNDER: CHALK FACE: GENERAL NEWS & COMMENTARY TAGGED WITH: MEMES, OLD ECONOMY STEVE, OLD SCHOOL SEAN

Get Off the Pot

MAY 27, 2013 BY ANTIQUETEACHER60 10 COMMENTS

Something has been nagging in my brain for a while now. It was a comment left on one of my posts about being tired that said “Shit or get off the pot.” When the comment was posted, my mouse hovered over the “unapprove” button, but then I thought to myself  that the comment, while I […]

FILED UNDER: ANNE SULLIVAN: THE ANTIQUE TEACHER TAGGED WITH: CCSS, TEACHER ACTIVISM

All Lives Have Equal Value. Right, Bill and Melinda?

MAY 26, 2013 BY KRIS NIELSEN 6 COMMENTS

A letter from Susan DuFresne: Dear Bill and Melinda Gates, Yes, I include Melinda in this letter, because as I understand it, Melinda is very involved in the Gates Foundation’s ideas and policies on public education. Your influence has won you the Notorious PhD’s aka Mark Naison’s poll: Most Influential Corporate Reformer title. As a […]

FILED UNDER: KRIS NIELSEN: FIRST, DO NO HARM TAGGED WITH: BILL GATES, SUSAN DUFRESNE

The bird is the word!

MAY 26, 2013 BY TIMOTHY D. SLEKAR 5 COMMENTS

In this episode of @the chalkface Radio, Shaun and I talk to CTU president Karen Lewis.  Enjoy:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chalkface/2013/05/26/at-the-chalk-face-progressive-edreform-talk However, we started the show by talking about actions WE can take to fight edreform.  Karen said something simple but powerful.  She suggested that instead of showing our disgust for the reformers and their vision of public schools […]

FILED UNDER: TIM SLEKAR: SOMEONE HAS TO SAY IT!

Jason Stanford rightly states “Time to Stop Waiting for Superman”

MAY 26, 2013 BY RDSATHENE 1 COMMENT

“According to Whitmire, Rhee and Fenty should have paid heed to the “fears” of African Americans, but not because there were any actual race issues during Rhee’s tenure. Racism in DC is all done now–all that racism and “experimentation” is history and happened 1960s and 1970s. According to Whitmire, black people in DC perceived racism under Rhee, […]

FILED UNDER: ROBERT D. SKEELS: SCHOOLS MATTER TAGGED WITH: ALEXANDER RUSSO,CORPORATE EDUCATION REFORM, CORPORATE LIES, EDUCATION REFORMER, JAY MATHEWS, JOHN MERROW, JONATHAN ALTER, MICHELLE RHEE, NAEP, NEOLIBERALISM, PRIVATIZATION, RACHEL LEVY,RDSATHENE, RICHARD WHITMIRE, WASHINGTON DC

Corporate Commerical Selling Standards?

MAY 26, 2013 BY CHRIS CERRONE 1 COMMENT

Every day that passes we get more proof that the Common Core is really a corporate money grab. From Barnes and Noble: Thank you to Kristen G from the NYS Opt Out group!