Saturday, November 16, 2013

11-16-13 Wait What? All Week

Wait What?:

       



More and more parents are questioning the Common Core standards and testing scheme being pushed by the corporate education reformers.  A recent letter to the editor entitled, “Many parents don’t understand the impact of Common Core,” prompted Connecticut educator (and Wait, What? regular) Linda Hall to provide this background piece about the Common Core. Linda […]The post A profound observation fr

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State-sanctioned child abuse
Fellow pro-public education advocate and commentator lays out the harsh truth about the absurdity of the massive standardized testing industry that is being forced up on America’s children, teachers and parents. Here is another must read column from Wendy Lecker: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Government and business […]The post State-sanctioned child abuse (by Wendy Lecker) appeared first on Wait What?.
In a New Jersey speech today, Capital Prep Principal Steve Perry says traditional schools “over-feminized”
Steve Perry goes on to tell teachers…”How can your job be hard? You work with kids all day! If it’s so hard, quit!” Steve Perry is a principal of a public school in Hartford, Connecticut. But once again, he skipped school to make money as an “inspirational speaker.” If Hartford’s Superintendent, Christina Kishimoto doesn’t act to […]The post In a New Jersey speech today, Capital Prep Principal Steve Perry says traditional schools “over-feminized” appeared first on Wait What?.
Joe Biden’s Chief of staff becomes President of the education reform industry’s Broad Foundation
As if it wasn’t clear enough where President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden stand on when it comes to the corporate education reform industry, moments ago, it was announced that “Bruce Reed, assistant to President Barack Obama and chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, was named president of The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation” According to […]The post Joe Biden’s Chief of staff becomes President of the education reform industry’s Broad Foundation appeared first on Wait What?.

YESTERDAY

Perry “urging” Capital Prep staff to lobby for his plan to take over Capital Prep and Sand Elementary
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse when it comes to Capital Preparatory Magnet School Principal Steve Perry and his lobbying effort to convince the Hartford Board of Education to allow him to set up his own company and then adopt a no-bid contract to give Perry full financial control of both Capital […]The post Perry “urging” Capital Prep staff to lobby for his plan to take over C
Steve Perry’s rhetoric…where nothing adds up
Yesterday, Steve Perry spoke in New Jersey.  His speech was laced with sexist comments and that was when he wasn’t trashing teachers. Perry’s bizarre behavior and even stranger commentary included comments like: “How can your job be hard? You work with kids all day! If it’s so hard, quit!”  We have these conversations in closed […]The post Steve Perry’s rhetoric…where nothing adds up appeared firs
Enough! Kishimoto, Segarra, Poland… you have an obligation to take action against Steve Perry
Steve Perry with be on the WNPR radio show this morning at 9am.   http://wnpr.org/post/education-conversation-dr-steve-perry But the situation with Capital Prep’s Steve Perry has reached a crisis level. Maybe Hartford officials give Capital Prep’s Steve Perry special treatment because of some secret deal.  Maybe it is because they are scared of the bully.  Maybe it is […]The post Enough! Kishimoto

NOV 14

SURPRISE: Connecticut Supreme Court rules Commissioner Pryor had a right to waive Vallas’ need for certification…
As if there was any remaining doubt about how our justice system really works… According to the ruling just released by the Connecticut Supreme Court, Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor DID NOT exceed his authority when he decided to waive Paul Vallas’ need for certification to be superintendent of schools in Bridgeport, Connecticut. […]The post SURPRISE: Connecticut Supreme
NEWS FLASH: Hartford’s Sands Elementary School Next Takeover Target – to be handed to Steve Perry
With the fires caused by Hartford Superintendent of Schools Christina Kishimoto’s disastrous plan to close Clark Elementary School and hand it over to Achievement First are still raging, out-going Hartford Superintendent is headed to Sands Elementary School today tell parents and staff there that they too have been targeted for closure. Kishimoto has decided to […]The post NEWS FLASH: Hartford’s S
Perry AWOL again – While claims Capital Prep is a success overrated
Steve Perry is missing yet another day of work…  This time he is off giving a speech at Rutgers in New Jersey. The Connecticut State Department of Education defines excessive absenteeism as missing 10 percent of school, for any reason. Steve Perry has missed in excess of 20 percent of the school days this year, […]The post Perry AWOL again – While claims Capital Prep is a success overrated appeare

NOV 13

Capital Prep is a success?
 Perry, Capital Prep’s Principal claims that 100% of his graduates go to a four year college. The truth is far from that. Even the notion that 100% of his students are “accepted” to a four year college is a stretch. Any Perry’s completely ducks that the fact that at least one in five of his […]The post Capital Prep is a success? appeared first on Wait What?.
Vallas does a “Double Layout Full In, Full Out” move on appointed school boards
In a gymnastic move worthy of an Olympic Gold Medal, Bridgeport’s faux superintendent of schools Paul Vallas has done what some might have thought impossible. Vallas made a 180 degree change in his position on mayoral appointed school boards. Yesterday, in a Chicago Tribune article entitled, “Vallas says he’s OK playing ‘second banana’ to Quinn,” […]The post Vallas does a “Double Layout Full In, F
If there is a Twitter Chutzpa Award – Steve Perry will win it easily!
For months and months, Capital Prep’s principal Steve Perry has been using his twitter account to bully and attack anyone who opposes his corporate education reforms philosophy.  His Modus operandi has been nothing short of virtually continuous, obsessive, unrelenting tweets, many of which occurred during work hours. Here at Wait, What? we’ve been using the […]The post If there is a Twitter Chutzp
“If you don’t want to go to college, don’t go to Capital Prep. Go somewhere else.” – Steve Perry
Yesterday, Steve Perry’s agent sent out a “publicity advertisement” that contained Perry’s regular quote about the educational philosophy behind Perry’s Capital Prep Magnet School. Perry says, yet again, “If you don’t want to go to college, don’t go to Capital Prep. Go somewhere else.” Although he apparently means that 100% of Capital Prep’s seniors are […]The post “If you don’t want to go to coll

NOV 12

Teachers Can Be Bullied Too
Perhaps it is only a coincidence or maybe it is a sign from the Spirits, but this afternoon’s email contained a piece from Teaching Tolerance, an extraordinary project of the Southern Poverty Law Center.  The Southern Poverty Law Center is known for its courageous and historic efforts to end discrimination and segregation in our nation.  […]The post Teachers Can Be Bullied Too appeared first on Wa
A message to Capital Prep’s former and present parents, students and teachers:
Over the past few weeks, many present and former Capital Prep parents and teachers have come forward with stories about what is really going on at Capital Prep. It is becoming increasingly clear how Steve Perry and Capital Prep is failing many students, parents and teachers. If you were are or have been a Capital […]The post A message to Capital Prep’s former and present parents, students and teac
Chicago’s leading blog: “Bridgeport Tenure Shows Vallas May Be Failing Upward in Illinois”
In a blunt assessment of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s decision to select Paul Vallas as his running mate, Chicago’s leading political blog, “The Ward Room,” experts in Illinois are recognizing that Vallas is hardly the superstar he makes himself out to be. The Ward Room writes, “To hear education reformers nationwide tell it, Paul Vallas […]The post Chicago’s leading blog: “Bridgeport Tenure Show
Can Steve Perry tell the truth about anything?
In response to a question about why there is a big turnover of teachers at Capital Prep, Steve Perry tweeted, “We have approximately 60 teachers, 2 got bigger jobs, 1 moved w husband. The other moved back to NY. High?” The FACT is Perry is unable to hold onto teachers.  As a result of his […]The post Can Steve Perry tell the truth about anything? appeared first on Wait What?.

NOV 11

Hartford’s Clark Elementary School Community says “NO” to takeover
Achievement First, Inc. the large charter school company that was co-founded by Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, is continuing their campaign to get the Hartford Board of Education to close the Clark Elementary School and hand it over to the charter school operator. In response, Hartford parents, teachers and community residents are fighting […]The post Hartford’s Clark E
Mr Excessive Absences, Steve Perry, will be out again on Thursday.
This time he is speaking at Rutgers on the topic of “Why Aren’t Students Ready? Barriers to College Access for America’s Youth” at 10:00 am–11:15 am. As fellow pro-public education blogger, Jersey Jazzman notes in his recent post, “nice to see Rutgers University – perhaps the most important center for teacher training in the state […]The post Mr Excessive Absences, Steve Perry, will be out again o
Malloy Administration turns Connecticut’s Freedom of Information law into a joke
Hartford Courant columnist Kevin Rennie has unearthed what might be the most serious attack on the public’s right to know in modern times. In a weekend article entitled “Private Emails Hide Work Of Malloy’s Administration,” Rennie reveals “The Malloy administration has created a far-flung network of private email accounts to conduct the public’s business.” Rennie […]The post Malloy Administration

NOV 10

Curiouser and curiouser! – It was said down in the rabbit hole…
The Connecticut Post has the latest chapter in the Vallas in Wonderland installment with a news article entitled, “Vallas may be going but Moales is not.” Bridgeport Board of Education members received their packet for Tuesday’s upcoming meeting.  Inside was a three page letter from Board Chairman Kenneth Moales, Jr. Highlights of Moales’ letter to […]The post Curiouser and curiouser! – It was sai

NOV 09

From the Deep South, Steve Perry goes on deranged anti-union twitter rant;
Tweeting from Gulfport, Mississippi, Capital Prep’s Steve Perry goes off on what could reasonably described as a psychotic attack on unions and the fundamental rights associated with collective bargaining. Perry states, “All DUE PROCESS means is that you need documentation for your decision. You don’t have to justify your documentation to the union.” What? Equally […]The post From the Deep South,
Big home football game at Capital Prep, But Principal Steve Perry is off in Gulfport Mississippi
Steve Perry, the principal of Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford recently tweeted, “I like to hire teachers who played college sport or who were in the military. Both understand the importance of team and winning.” Perry also takes great credit for his winning football team. But he apparently forgot that old adage that “there […]The post Big home football game at Capital Prep, But Princ

NOV 08

Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis on Paul Vallas
Lewis addresses Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s decision to name Paul Vallas to be his running mate: ”The Chicago Teachers Union has supported Governor Quinn in the past because of his commitment to grassroots organizing, publicly funded public education, and collective bargaining. For these reasons we are concerned about his choice of Paul Vallas as a […]The post Chicago Teachers Union President Ka
Vallas could face residency lawsuit in Illinois – file under you can’t make this ______up…
Capitol Fax is the media outlet that broke the story this morning that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has selected Paul Vallas to be his running mate. “* 10:01 am - Gov. Quinn is calling around telling people that he has picked Paul Vallas as his running mate.  Completely unexpected. Stay tuned.” A little later, Capital Fax […]The post Vallas could face residency lawsuit in Illinois – file under you
Illinois Governor calls Paul Vallas a renowned fiscal and education expert
Maybe there are two Paul Vallas? Maybe Pat Quinn, the Governor of Illinois, asked the “other” Paul Vallas to be his running mate? Could it be he chose “our” Paul Vallas? Does Governor Pat Quinn really want that arrogant, elitist, self-righteous, thin skinned, glass jawed faux superintendent of Bridgeport’s schools to be his running mate […]The post Illinois Governor calls Paul Vallas a renowned fi
Newsflash: Illinois Gov. Quinn taps Paul Vallas for running mate
Breaking News…from Crain’s Chicago Business Gov. Pat Quinn apparently has made an unexpected choice for his running mate for lieutenant governor: Paul Vallas, the former Chicago Public Schools chief and an ex-candidate for governor himself. The surprise development first was reported by political blog Capital Fax in a subscribers-only alert, and it’s being confirmed by Dean Vallas, Paul Vallas’ […
When Capital Prep’s Steve Perry isn’t AWOL he is busy doing media interviews…
Thursday, November 7, 8:15 AM More than 500 students are inside or headed to Capital Prep Magnet School in Hartford But Steve Perry, Capital Prep’s principal is tweeting “Birmingham Alabama! Tune in at 7:30 to WJLD. I can’t wait to be back in Birmingham w your Mayor,” Since Birmingham, Alabama is in the Central Time […]The post When Capital Prep’s Steve Perry isn’t AWOL he is busy doing media inte

NOV 07

Capital Prep’s Steve Perry goes on the offensive?
Faced with growing criticism about his excessive absenteeism and the list of failures at Capital Preparatory Magnet School, it would appear that Steve Perry has decided to “go on the offensive” by attacking his critics. In a wild and bizarre burst of tweets, Perry hurled the following insults over the course of an hour or […]The post Capital Prep’s Steve Perry goes on the offensive? appeared first
When illegally clear cutting state forest always carry your “get out of jail free” card…
… Or, at the very least, make sure you have really, really good political connections. Zachary Janowski, the Investigative journalist for the Raising Hale Website, has authored another “must read” article.  This one entitled “Environmental group sues state for going easy on wind-power company that cut down trees in state forest.” According to Janowski; “A […]The post When illegally clear cutting s
Wait, it’s not cheating if the students don’t know you are changing their answers right?
Some Hartford school officials have apparently joined the ranks of those who have engaged in cheating to make their students’ standardized test scores look better. The Hartford Courant has the latest news in a story entitled “Investigators Confirm Test-Tampering At Hartford School.” Major cheating scandals have already rocked Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hartford is just […]The post Wait, it’s not
Steve Perry Tworking (Tweeting while working) on teachers and unions
State and local laws, ordinances, regulations and work rules prohibit public employees from engaging in politics while at work. Public employees have lost their jobs for violating these policies. Steve Perry is the principal of Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Harford, Connecticut. As a public employee, Perry is collected a six figure, taxpayer funded salary. […]The post Steve Perry Tworking (