Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Scandal-Plagued Kevin Johnson's Fixers Are Just Making Things Worse

Scandal-Plagued Kevin Johnson's Fixers Are Just Making Things Worse:

Scandal-Plagued Kevin Johnson's Fixers Are Just Making Things Worse






Kevin Johnson’s bizarre campaign to carry out a “coup” against the National Conference of Black Mayors, or NCBM, is looking more and more like his Waterloo.
The former NBA All-Star and perpetually scandal-plagued Sacramento mayor, whose enthusiasms include charter schools and a variety of improprieties, launched a bid to take over the Atlanta-based NCBM in 2013. It was a disaster from the start: Johnson was bounced out of the organization’s presidency after just two weeks on the job, and has been in litigation ever since. Recently, the foray has finally begun to impact Johnson’s standing in his hometown, where he’s been in charge since 2008.
It’s starting to hurt badly; in fact, fallout from the misguided affair has dominated the news cycle in Sacramento for a week. Deadspin’s reporting on the NCBM fiasco caused those who know Johnson best to start looking into it. The local ABC affiliate, KXTV-10, put a package on Johnson’s NCBM troubles (which included an interview with this reporter) atop an evening newscast earlier this week. Even the Sacramento Bee, the local daily with a reputation for having what one media critic in town described as a “soft spot for K.J.,” went long in rehashing the tale of Johnson’s NCBM foibles.
The light shined on the failed campaign allowed folks back home to see that Johnson was using public employees in an attempt to expand his brand beyond the capital city, and to see how he attempted to hide their roles from public examination by setting up private email accounts for the civil servants. Johnson is now facing a level of scrutiny from the local media that he’s never Scandal-Plagued Kevin Johnson's Fixers Are Just Making Things Worse:

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/9/15


SPECIAL NITE CAP 

CORPORATE ED REFORM



Diane Ravitch’s devastating Arne Duncan critique: The education secretary earned his F - Salon.com
Diane Ravitch’s devastating Arne Duncan critique: The education secretary earned his F - Salon.com: Diane Ravitch’s devastating Arne Duncan critique: The education secretary earned his FIt will take years to recover from the damage that Arne Duncan's policies have inflicted on public educationDIANE RAVITCHLyndsey Layton of the Washington Post has written a sympathetic article about Arne Duncan and
Bernie Sanders’ Plan for America’s Young Adults | deutsch29
Bernie Sanders’ Plan for America’s Young Adults | deutsch29: Bernie Sanders’ Plan for America’s Young AdultsI first saw the video excerpt below at dailykos.com. It is well worth watching. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) addressed the Senate on July 08, 2015.In the 17-minute speech above, Sanders’ words are pointed as he tells Congress that it is “out of touch with the American people.” He talks of the
Bathrooms, Sports, and Pronouns: How Transgender Students Are Navigating School Discrimination - The Atlantic
Bathrooms, Sports, and Pronouns: How Transgender Students Are Navigating School Discrimination - The Atlantic: The K-12 BinarySchools are becoming ground zero for clashes over transgender rights.Casey Hoke would spend an average of two minutes out of his seven-hour school day in the restroom. “That’s it. Business as usual. No one bats an eye,” Hokewrote in January, back when he was a high-school s
Marie Corfield: Newark Public Schools: Frying Pan to Fire
Marie Corfield: Newark Public Schools: Frying Pan to Fire:  Newark Public Schools: Frying Pan to FireAs part of an agreement reached between Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Gov. Christie to return local control of the city's public schools, yesterday the New Jersey State Board of Education, under the leadership of Christie-appointed Education Commissioner David Hespe, voted to appoint the former—and c
Education Secretary Duncan’s children to go to Chicago private school he attended - The Washington Post
Education Secretary Duncan’s children to go to Chicago private school he attended - The Washington Post: Education Secretary Duncan’s children to go to Chicago private school he attendedEducation Secretary Arne Duncan grew up in Chicago and attended the private, prestigious University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. The pre-K-12 Lab Schools are progressive institutions that, according to its Web si
The Arne Duncan Era Has Not Been Good for Students | Common Dreams
The Arne Duncan Era Has Not Been Good for Students | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community: The Arne Duncan Era Has Not Been Good for StudentsWaPo's Lyndsey Layton: Arne Duncan will stay on until the last buzzerbyDiane RavitchLyndsey Layton of the Washington Post has written a sympathetic article about Arne Duncan and the waning of his powers as Secretary of Educa
U.S. House Passes Harmful Version of an ESEA Reauthorization Yesterday Afternoon | janresseger
U.S. House Passes Harmful Version of an ESEA Reauthorization Yesterday Afternoon | janresseger: U.S. House Passes Harmful Version of an ESEA Reauthorization Yesterday AfternoonLauren Camera, who has been following the Congressional debate on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for Education Week, reported last night: “The U.S. House of Representatives reconsidered and
2015 NEA Representative Assembly Wrap-Up: Unite, Inspire, Lead! - NEA Today
2015 NEA Representative Assembly Wrap-Up: Unite, Inspire, Lead! - NEA Today: 2015 NEA Representative Assembly Wrap-Up: Unite, Inspire, Lead!  More than 7,000 educators from all 50 states gathered in Orlando, Florida, from July 3-6 to attend the National Education Association’s 94th Representative Assembly (RA). The RA is the top decision-making body for the nearly 3 million-member NEA, and sets As
LCAP not API to serve as school performance monitor :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet
LCAP not API to serve as school performance monitor :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet: LCAP not API to serve as school performance monitorby Kimberly Beltran(Calif.) In a subtle but significant policy shift, state education officials acknowledged publicly Wednesday that the focal point for measuring school performance going forward will be the
States Still Differ Dramatically In Their Academic Expectations, Study Finds
States Still Differ Dramatically In Their Academic Expectations, Study Finds: States Still Differ Dramatically In Their Academic Expectations, Study FindsWhat does it mean to be passing math class?The answer to this question varies from state to state, according to a new report released by the research arm of the Education Department, the National Center for Education Statistics. These differences
Senate Passes Bill Letting Schools Give Education Money To Financial Consulting Firms
Senate Passes Bill Letting Schools Give Education Money To Financial Consulting Firms: Senate Passes Bill Letting Schools Give Education Money To Financial Consulting FirmsAs budget-strapped Chicago follows a mass school closure with a new plan to layoff more than 1,400 teachers, one set of transactions sticks out: the city’s moves to refinance $1 billion in debt through complex financial instrume
No Child Left Behind Debate: Teachers In Low-Income Areas Hope For Less Testing, More Understanding
No Child Left Behind Debate: Teachers In Low-Income Areas Hope For Less Testing, More Understanding: No Child Left Behind Debate: Teachers In Low-Income Areas Hope For Less Testing, More UnderstandingShanna Mills can tell what kind of day her students are having by the way they walk into the room at 7:45 a.m. At Carlisle County Middle School in rural Bardwell, Kentucky, they come in late, hungry a
Detroit teachers union accuses district of threatening and intimidating outspoken teachers | MLive.com
Detroit teachers union accuses district of threatening and intimidating outspoken teachers | MLive.com: Detroit teachers union accuses district of threatening and intimidating outspoken teachersDETROIT — The Detroit Federation of Teachers is accusing Detroit Public Schools officials of intimidating teachers who spoke out about conditions at their schools and declining to hear union complaints.A Mi
Some say standardized testing is a civil right. What about less testing as a civil right? - The Washington Post
Some say standardized testing is a civil right. What about less testing as a civil right? - The Washington Post: Some say standardized testing is a civil right. What about less testing as a civil right?For some time now some civil rights groups have been contended that maintaining annual standardized testing in any new federal law is a civil right. How about the opposite? How about refusing to bom
Arne Duncan's Legacy | Diane Ravitch
Arne Duncan's Legacy | Diane Ravitch: Arne Duncan's LegacyLyndsey Layton of the Washington Posthas written a sympathetic article about Arne Duncan and the waning of his powers as Secretary of Education. He is a nice guy. He is a close friend of the president. He cares about individual children that he met along the way. The pending reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act will
The Nonprofit Industrial Complex's Role in Imposing Neoliberalism on Public Education
The Nonprofit Industrial Complex's Role in Imposing Neoliberalism on Public Education: The Nonprofit Industrial Complex's Role in Imposing Neoliberalism on Public Education"In the long run, NGOs are accountable to their funders, not to the people they work among. They're what botanists would call an indicator species. It's almost as though the greater the devastation caused by neoliberalism,
My Report on House and Senate July 08, 2015, ESEA Actions | deutsch29
My Report on House and Senate July 08, 2015, ESEA Actions | deutsch29: My Report on House and Senate July 08, 2015, ESEA ActionsThis week, both the House and the Senate are promoting their respective versions of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965.A bit of info regarding what transpired July 08, 2015:On July 08, 2015, the House passed its version, the S
Is Special Education Racist? - The New York Times
Is Special Education Racist? - The New York Times: Is Special Education Racist?MORE than six million children in the United States receive special-education services for their disabilities. Of those age 6 and older, nearly 20 percent are black.Critics claim that this high number — blacks are 1.4 times more likely to be placed in special education than other races and ethnicities combined — shows t

YESTERDAY

The state spits in Newark’s face | Bob Braun's Ledger
The state spits in Newark’s face | Bob Braun's Ledger: The state spits in Newark’s face(Editor’s Note: I was unable to attend Wednesday’s meeting of the state school board and asked Melissa Katz, a well-known student activist and supporter of public education, to cover the meeting for me. Her report is complete and comprehensive and will give the most thorough  account of what happened at the meet
As Congress moves to strip his power, Duncan is staying until the final buzzer - The Washington Post
As Congress moves to strip his power, Duncan is staying until the final buzzer - The Washington Post: As Congress moves to strip his power, Duncan is staying until the final buzzerChristina Waters’s cellphone rang, and she looked down to see that the number was blocked. She knew immediately it was U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, just calling to check in.It has been that way since Waters atte
Lawmakers Move to Limit Government’s Role in Education - The New York Times
Lawmakers Move to Limit Government’s Role in Education - The New York Times: Lawmakers Move to Limit Government’s Role in EducationWASHINGTON — Congress on Wednesday moved to substantially scale back the federal government’s role in education, particularly the use of high-stakes standardized testing to punish schools, in the first significant proposed revisions since the No Child Left Behind law w
On The Sacramento Bee's soft spot for K.J. - Sacramento News & Review -
Sacramento News & Review - On The Sacramento Bee's soft spot for K.J. - Feature Story - Local Stories - July 9, 2015: On The Sacramento Bee's soft spot for K.J.The Bee has been criticized before for its handling of Johnson’s various controversies, and this latest legal dust-up isn’t helpingIt’s weird when news organizationsbecome the news. But that’s exactly what happened when Mayor Kevin John
Sacramento News & Review - Nine things that burn in your brain when the mayor sues you - Feature Story - Local Stories - July 9, 2015
Sacramento News & Review - Nine things that burn in your brain when the mayor sues you - Feature Story - Local Stories - July 9, 2015: Nine things that burn in your brain when the mayor sues youA special Mayor Kevin Johnson listicleThis week was at once weird, unexpected, electric and head-scratching.We got sued by the mayor, what the hell is going on? Only a listicle will do. And, so: Nine th
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/8/15
SPECIAL NITE CAP CORPORATE ED REFORMCivil Rights and Community Groups Demand End to High Stakes Testing and Moratorium on Charter Schools | Seattle EducationCivil Rights and Community Groups Demand End to High Stakes Testing and Moratorium on Charter Schools | Seattle Education: Civil Rights and Community Groups Demand End to High Stakes Testing and Moratorium on Charter SchoolsThis letter was iss