Friday, December 13, 2013

12-13-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:





Gates Seek to Flood Job Market with Programmers--Pushes the New Code Literacy
At one time, computer programming was a glamorous occupation in the U. S.  All that changed when the corporate race the bottom began chasing the cheapest programming labor in India, and when that became too scandalous, then Bill Gates started lobbying for unlimited work visas in order to import the cheapest programming labor.  Think of these exploited workers as high tech gardeners who don't have

Is TURN Trying to Take Over Your Union?
I received the following letter from a teacher in California, who is concerned about her local union in California being taken over by the Broad-sponsored embeds from The Union Reform Network (TURN).  If your local has been taken over by TURN, please contact me to share your story. Her letter below is followed by my response:Dear Mr Horn,I am a union rep in __________ California . . . , and my uni


Remembering Sandy Hook: Protecting Guns, Sacrificing (Some) Children
On December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, experienced yet another mass shooting at a school in the U.S.While that horror should have stirred the consciousness of us all in this country—especially in regards to guns and children—we appear mostly to have forgotten or disregarded that event, except for a few tributes.I am reposting a blog here as a call not to forget, but more impor
Paul Krugman Cuts Through the BS on Education Spending
Paul Krugman, today's column in the NYT"What has been cut? It’s a complex picture, but the most obvious cuts have been in education, infrastructure, research, and conservation. While the Recovery Act (the Obama stimulus) was in effect, the federal government provided significant aid to state and local education. Then the aid went away, and local governments began letting go of hundreds of tho

12-12-13 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Jay Saper on TFA and Subsequent KIPP Recruiting ExperienceI talked with an amazing young man the other day about his getting booted out of TFA during the early fall of 2013. His name is Jay Saper, and, despite his recent experiences, he remains articulate, confident, and eager to become a real teacher with real teacher preparation and credentials. From our long conversation, it bec