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Friday, June 13, 2014

6-13-14 Jersey Jazzman: More Reformy Billionaires Wasting Money: Jersey City Edition

Jersey Jazzman:











More Reformy Billionaires Wasting Money: Jersey City Edition
Last week, I told the story of how New Jersey's reformiest billionaires, David Tepper and Alan Fournier, are planning on wasting at least $3 million on a "principals training" program in Jersey City run by SUPES, an unaccredited, for-profit group with a tainted past and questionable qualifications.Obviously, Tepper and Fournier don't get a lot of good advice on how to spend their hedge f
The Vergara Decision Ignores The Most Obvious Thing In the World
Everyone in the edu-blogosphere is talking about the Vergara decision, which finds that teacher tenure and seniority laws in California are unconstitutional (that's the state's constitution, not the federal one).I don't want to give away too many of my thoughts here, as I have a major piece coming out this weekend about Vergara in a pretty darn large media outlet here in Jersey (I'm such a tease..


6-9-14 Jersey Jazzman: Unions to Corrupted @GovChristie: "Keep Your Promises"
Jersey Jazzman: Unions to Corrupted @GovChristie: "Keep Your Promises": Unions to Corrupted @GovChristie: "Keep Your Promises"Good:UPDATE, 2:35 p.m.: Six more unions have filed a separate lawsuit against Gov. Chris Christie's pension plan. They are the Communications Workers of America, the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey, the American Federation of Teachers








Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Principals Revolt? Or not...

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Principals Revolt? Or not...:



Principals Revolt? Or not...

Bob Moses
I'm taking part in a great event, "Youth Organizing For Social Justice -- Then and Now", at DePaul Student Center this evening. Bob Moses60s Civil Rights leader and founder of the Algebra Project, will interact with participants and discuss the significance of the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer, describing what actually happened, and its implications for America's future. Bob will also be the commencement speaker at DePaul's College of Education graduation ceremony tomorrow morning at the Rosement Theater in Rosemont.

PRINCIPALS REVOLT?...Some friends tell me I'm overstating the case by calling it a Chicago "principals revolt" when only a handful are daring to speak out (See Melissa Sanchez andSarah Karp's excellent series in Catalyst). They may be right. Maybe listening to Blaine's forthright leader Troy LaRiviere, Gresham's Diedrus Brown and a courageous few others, ripping CPS' plantation culture has left me in a state of delirium. I should probably take a cold shower and tone it down a bit. But I have reason to believe there's a lot more of this, churning just below the surface.

I also happen to know that the growing principal ferment has got Rahm acting all conciliatoryand Byrd-Bennett and her damage-control team at Clark St. scrambling to stomp out the Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Principals Revolt? Or not...:

Common Core Humorous Hypocrisy | Missouri Education Watchdog

Common Core Humorous Hypocrisy | Missouri Education Watchdog:



Common Core Humorous Hypocrisy

 
Do you want a laugh to get your weekend started?  Take a look at this tweet:

Louisiana tweet
I was holding my sides laughing as I replied:

@NOLAnews Hilarious! Irony at its finest! CCSS adoption/implementation worst overreach ever! Bypassed voters/legislatures. ‪#‎stopcommoncore‬
Can you believe these groups actually believe what they have signed on to?  Do they know that the CCSSI violates three Federal statutes?  From Louisiana business groups call Bobby Jindal’s plans to scrap Common Core an ‘executive overreach’:
In a letter to Jindal Friday (June 13), 44 business leaders and groups contended the governor’s plan to scrap Common Core and PARCC would be an executive overreach, since the Legislature and the state school board have backed both.
“Certainly, every governor has been invested with some degree of executive authority, but it should only be used as state law clearly states, ‘to see that the laws are faithfully executed.’ It was not created to make end runs to void the policies of established constitutional bodies,” states the letter signed by many of the most powerful business groups in the state.
Among those signing the letter were Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Greater New Orleans, Inc., Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and Chamber Southwest Louisiana.


Oh this is just too rich.  Louisiana businesses representing the chamber and special interests are all of a sudden worried and concerned about “executive overreach”.  They have Common Core Humorous Hypocrisy | Missouri Education Watchdog:

Nite Cap 6-13-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #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




Districts protesting closed-door deal restricting control over their budgets | EdSource Today
Districts protesting closed-door deal restricting control over their budgets | EdSource Today: Districts protesting closed-door deal restricting control over their budgetsJune 13th, 2014 | Add a Comment | By John FensterwaldOrganizations representing school districts and superintendents are trying to stop a last-minute effort to limit the size of their budget reserves, which they’re characterizing
Head of American Federation of Teachers weighs in on Pittsburgh teacher ratings - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Head of American Federation of Teachers weighs in on Pittsburgh teacher ratings - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Head of American Federation of Teachers weighs in on Pittsburgh teacher ratingsJune 13, 2014 4:41 PM American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten today weighed in on the release of Pittsburgh Public Schools teacher ratings that show 96.9 percent of classroom teachers are profici
empathyeducates – The Case for Banning Laptops in the Classroom
empathyeducates – The Case for Banning Laptops in the Classroom: The Case for Banning Laptops in the ClassroomBy Dan Rockmore | Originally Published at The New Yorker. June 6, 2014A colleague of mine in the department of computer science at Dartmouth recently sent an e-mail to all of us on the faculty. The subject line read: “Ban computers in the classroom?” The note that followed was one sentence
NYC Educator: The Amazing Disappearing Mr. Astorino
NYC Educator: The Amazing Disappearing Mr. Astorino: The Amazing Disappearing Mr. AstorinoA few months ago, I went to an anti-testing demonstration at Comsewogue High School. One of the speakers was gubernatorial hopeful Rob Astorino. Astorino spoke forcefully against Common Core, to the overwhelming approval of the crowd. Cuomo was awful. He was dancing around the truth. He supported this awful t
Why Arne Duncan needs to listen to Bill and Melinda | Lily's Blackboard
Why Arne Duncan needs to listen to Bill and Melinda | Lily's Blackboard: Why Arne Duncan needs to listen to Bill and MelindaJun 13th, 2014 by Lily.I do not hate the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  I know it might seem strange to have to make that statement, but such are the times we live in.  I’ve just had too many arguments with too many friends who, when I ask specifically why they are ups
The Tenure/LIFO Court Decision | Taking Note
The Tenure/LIFO Court Decision | Taking Note: The Tenure/LIFO Court Decisionby JOHN MERROW on 13. JUN, 2014 in 2014 BLOGS“Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t!!!”I wasn’t present when AFT President Randi Weingarten and NEA President Dennis van Roekel heard about “Vergara vs California,” but it’s easy to imagine them uttering an expletive (or two or three).Understand, I’m not talking about their reaction to the judge’
Letter to Education Secretary Duncan on the Vergara decision AFT - A Union of Professionals -
AFT - A Union of Professionals - Letter to Education Secretary Duncan on the Vergara decision: Letter to U.S. Education Secretary Duncan on the Vergara decisionJune 12, 2014Secretary Arne DuncanU.S. Department of Education400 Maryland Ave. S.W.Washington, DC 20202Dear Secretary Duncan:This week, we needed your leadership; to demonstrate that teacher and student interests are aligned; that we must
LATE Morning Wink 6-13-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSSorry for the Late MORNING WINK still having feedly issues6-13-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy #MalloyrespondWait What?: Wait What? #Malloyrespond “I don’t need to respond to what Jonathan says,” Malloy told reporters.Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy is absolutely correct.  He doesn’t need to respond to what I say.
Hold the presses! The Gates Foundation Wants You To Boycott High-Stakes Tests | Seattle Education
Hold the presses! The Gates Foundation Wants You To Boycott High-Stakes Tests | Seattle Education: Hold the presses! The Gates Foundation Wants You To Boycott High-Stakes TestsThis article was originally posted on I am an Educator by Jesse Hagopian.I’m as shocked as you are about this…or should I be?The Gates Foundation agrees with those who’ve decided that assessment results should not be taken i
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 6-13-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Lausd To Pay $5 Million In Telfair Child Abuse CaseLAUSD to pay $5 million in Telfair Elementary teacher molestation case By Thomas Himes, Los Angeles Daily News | http://bit.ly/1l8tdpi 6/11/14, 12:25 PM PDT  ::  Los Angeles Unified School District officials agreed to a $5 million payout to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of two 11-year-old students
Common Core Sparks Flood of Legislation
Common Core Sparks Flood of Legislation: Common Core Sparks Flood of Legislation By Adrienne Lu, Staff WriterMary Natali teaches her first grade class at George Buck Elementary School in Indianapolis. Indiana was the first state in the country to revoke the Common Core math and English standards, leaving teachers reeling from years of change. (AP)  Follow on TwitterStephen Colbert mockedit. Comedi
6-13-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida ALL Week
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: On Florida’s School Grade Pause and It’s Polticized Board of EducationThe editors of the Tampa Bay Times preface their support for a pause in applying school grades in Florida by reminded readers that the existing scheme is already discredited. And while it’s extremely u
Panning A Charter Takeover of ALL public Schools | Cloaking Inequity
Panning A Charter Takeover of ALL public Schools | Cloaking Inequity: Panning A Charter Takeover of ALL public SchoolsThe attempted charter takeover of the nation’s 14th-largest district is underway. Wealthy backers of the hostile takeover attempt have gathered enough signatures to force the anti-democratic maneuver onto the the November ballot. I first discussed the attempted takeover of Dallas i
Tyranny of the Majority Threatens Protection of Educational Opportunity in Ohio | janresseger
Tyranny of the Majority Threatens Protection of Educational Opportunity in Ohio | janresseger: Tyranny of the Majority Threatens Protection of Educational Opportunity in OhioPosted on June 13, 2014 by janressegerThere is one old joke told and retold about school finance lawsuits.  I’ve heard it for twenty-five years as keynote speakers begin their remarks.  It isn’t very funny, but I suppose it wo
6-13-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: A message to retiring teachers at the end of the school year.Some members of our Skokie Organization of Retired Educators (SORE) IEA Retired making a call on our local state representative. This is the last day of school in Park Ridge, where I once taught. I retired two years ago. I want to send out a
6-13-14 With A Brooklyn Accent:: Love Letter to the BATS- On the First Anniversary of the Badass Teachers Association
With A Brooklyn Accent: Love Letter to the BATS- On the First Anniversary of the Badass Teachers Association  I have been enraged by what has been happening to teachers and public education  for at least 7 years. My involvement began in  2007 with school grading and school closings in the Bronx, which drove the history projects I was doing out of the public schools, and victimized many of the grea
6-13-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): South Carolina Officially VamboozledIf anyone is wondering why the “bad” teacher crisis remains central to what political leaders want the public to hear, South Carolina offers a heaping dose of why: Political leaders are enormously incompetent and need us all to remain
Answer Sheet 6-13-14
Answer Sheet: It’s Friday the 13th. Keep your paraskevidekatriaphobia in check.If you suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia, otherwise known as  paraskevidekatriaphobia, today isn’t a great day for you.  It’s Friday the 13th, and the phobia is all about a blinding fear of this day — however irrational it may seem. (But you can take heart; it’s the last Friday on the 13th day of any month in 2014, al
6-13-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): New online course helps parents brush up on education policyVia Edsource | By John Fensterwald A joke around Sacramento is that it takes a Ph.D. in Proposition 98 to understand how California schools are funded and governed. The truth is that agood short course is probably all that’s needed for the basics
6-13-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Why MORE? Vergara Tenure Decision, Eva Charter Expansion, UFT/AFT Tepid ResponsesIt will take an army to defeat ed deform. The UFT actually has a potential army through its large (but shrinking, and due to shrink more) membership (108,000 contract vote ballots were sent out to working UFT members) but wants to keep it defanged because an army with teeth may turn on the leadership.
6-13-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Compare and Contrast How Vergara Decision is ViewedAn ad in USA Today by yet ANOTHER group.  As Diane Ravitch notes,Funny the ad doesn’t mention that the highest performing states in the U.S. on the NAEP are Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut, all of which have strong unions.Or that the states at the bottom of the NAEP ratings do not have strong unions (or,
6-13-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: My Best Posts On New Research Studies In 2014 – So FarI write many posts about recent research studies and how they can relate practically to the classroom. In fact, I post a regular feature called Research Studies of the Week. In addition, I write individual posts about studies I feel are particularly relevant to my work a
6-13-14 Curmudgucation
CURMUDGUCATION: Directory of Anti-Teacher TrollsIt may or may not be a good idea to attempt reading all the pieces responding to the Vergara decision, but it's definitely a mistake to read the comments section for any of them.If there is any group that has been emboldened by the California court's fact-free finding against teacher job protections, it has been the legion of anti-teacher trolls. Fro
6-13-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Quid Pro Cuomo Raises Millions From Real Estate Interests And Other Donors Through Campaign Finance LoopholeHere's your champion of public campaign finance, Working Families Party:When he ran for office four years ago, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo pledged to close a loophole in the state's campaign finance regulations allowing corporations and individuals to pour unlimited
NYC Public School Parents: Please attend class size hearings starting next week and make your voices heard!
NYC Public School Parents: Please attend class size hearings starting next week and make your voices heard!: Please attend class size hearings starting next week and make your voices heard!As the result of a lawsuit, DOE is holding borough hearings starting next week on their use of $531 million in annual Contract for Excellence state funds. A flyer you can post in your school is here.  Places and
Residents are crowded out of college by out-of-state and foreign students | Hechinger Report
Residents are crowded out of college by out-of-state and foreign students | Hechinger Report: Residents are crowded out of college by out-of-state and foreign studentsUniversities concede the trend is largely about moneyBy Timothy PrattThis story also appeared at:In her 18 years as a counselor at California high schools, Kirsten Barnes has seen hundreds of seniors apply for college. But few were a
Protest the Gates Foundation’s takeover of public schools | Seattle Education
Protest the Gates Foundation’s takeover of public schools | Seattle Education: Protest the Gates Foundation’s takeover of public schoolsAnnouncement issued by local teachers:Protest the Gates FoundationRally at Westlake Park(401 Pine St, Seattle)March to Gates Foundation(440 5th Ave N, Seattle)June 26th at 5:00 PMOur schools are under attack from the mega rich who seek to reduce education to stand
6-13-14 The Whole Child Blog — Gaming in the Classroom Can Be an Epic Win — Whole Child Education
Gaming in the Classroom Can Be an Epic Win — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGGaming in the Classroom Can Be an Epic WinJune 13, 2014 by ASCD Whole Child BloggersPost written by Mikaela Dwyer, a journalism student at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester. She considers herself a human rights activist and spends her time volunteering on campus and with various local nonprofits.
6-13-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy #Malloyrespond
Wait What?: Wait What? #Malloyrespond “I don’t need to respond to what Jonathan says,” Malloy told reporters.Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy is absolutely correct.  He doesn’t need to respond to what I say. In fact, as is his style, Malloy doesn’t need to respond to what anyone says…at least not until the voters have had their say in November. But that said, when it comes Malloy’s anti-teacher, anti-
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-13-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Virginia Court Declares State Takeovers UnconstitutionalA Circuit Court judge in Virginia declared unconstitutional a law that created a state takeover board for low-performing schools. Wonder if this was ALEC legislation? According to a release from the National School,Boards Association: “A Circuit Court judge has struck down a s
6-13-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: South Carolina Officially VamboozledSouth Carolina Officially Vamboozled. via South Carolina Officially Vamboozled.by plthomasedd / 6min hide  //  saveA few thoughts on #Vergara and InequalityWhy don’t the billionaires encourage parents to sue because of large class size creating inequality?   Why don’t the billionaires encourage parents to sue because of a lack of school nurses
State should not be forcing districts to spend down their budget reserves | EdSource Today
State should not be forcing districts to spend down their budget reserves | EdSource Today: State should not be forcing districts to spend down their budget reservesJune 12th, 2014 | Add a Comment | By Vernon Billy and Wes Smith / commentaryShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services6Vernon BillyThe governor and Legislature are preparing to approve
The Common Core Chess Game | Truth in American Education
The Common Core Chess Game | Truth in American Education: The Common Core Chess GameFiled in Common Core State Standards by Shane Vander Hart on June 13, 2014 • 0 Comments72The following guest article was written by Dennis Ian who is a member of Stop Common Core in New York State.By Denis IanLet’s play chess … because that’s exactly what the Gates and the Common Core pushers are doing.They’re on t
Kids v. Politics | Parents United for Public Education
Kids v. Politics | Parents United for Public Education: Kids v. PoliticsPosted on June 13, 2014 by HELENGYMLeave a comment(This piece was cross-posted at the Public School Notebook) Yesterday, City Council proved once again that Philadelphia’s school children are second to politicking. Instead of following through on its promise to guarantee the District at least $50 million, a promise it made las

YESTERDAY

California Ruling on Teacher Tenure Is Not Whole Picture - NYTimes.com
California Ruling on Teacher Tenure Is Not Whole Picture - NYTimes.com: Taking on Teacher Tenure BackfiresCalifornia Ruling on Teacher Tenure Is Not Whole PictureBERKELEY, Calif. — IN his decision on Tuesday to strike down California’s teacher-tenure system, Judge Rolf M. Treu of Los Angeles Superior Court ruled that laws protecting teachers from dismissal violated the state’s constitutional commi
Vergara Case Lost in Los Angeles |
Vergara Case Lost in Los Angeles |: Vergara Case Lost in Los Angeles A few months ago, I wrote a few posts about the “Vergara v. California” case happening in Los Angeles, California, as well as posts about the testimonies of Thomas Kane(Economics Professor from Harvard University), David Berliner (Regents Professor Emeritus from Arizona State), Linda Darling-Hammond (Professor from Stanford), and
Darth Mona Davids? southbronxschool com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Darth Mona Davids?I believe in loyalty. I can be very loyal to a friend, someone I know, my colleagues, teachers ingeneral. And for those that have stuck out there necks for me, who have taken their time to listen to me, to cheer me up, to let me vent, they have every right to expect loyalty from me and if I disagree with them to be man enough to say what is own my
Billionaire’s foundation may aid HISD in teacher eval suit - K-12 Zone
Billionaire’s foundation may aid HISD in teacher eval suit - K-12 Zone: Billionaire’s foundation may aid HISD in teacher eval suitPosted on June 12, 2014 | By Ericka MellonPRINT0An equation involved in HISD’s teacher evaluation system is displayed in May next to Andy Dewey, an officer of the Houston Federation of Teachers who is suing HISD over its evaluation methods. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicl
Ed Roundup for 6-12-14 - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)
Ed Roundup for 6-12-14 - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education): Education Roundup for Week Ending June 12, 2014SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today issued this week's roundup of education-related announcements of public interest.CDE Deputy Superintendent Joining Rocklin School DistrictCDE District, School & Innovation Branch Deputy Superintendent Deb Sigman has accepted a n
Dyett High Protesters Rip Alderman, Mayor, CPS - Downtown - DNAinfo.com Chicago
Dyett High Protesters Rip Alderman, Mayor, CPS - Downtown - DNAinfo.com Chicago: Dyett High Protesters Rip Alderman, Mayor, CPSBy Ted Cox on June 9, 2014 2:54pm @tedcoxchicagoDyett High School valedictorian Parrish Brown accused CPS of "destabilization" in not providing basic resources.View Full CaptionDNAinfo/Ted CoxCITY HALL — Dyett High School parents, students and community leadersre
Nite Cap 6-12-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #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 CAPMcEducation | educarenowMcEducation | educarenow: McEducationPosted on June 12, 2014 | Leave a comment“There is an assumption that western education, western knowledge, is something that is superior…there is an idea that we have evolved to a high