A quarter of teens with autism go undiagnosed
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About a quarter of 16-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have
yet to receive a formal diagnosis, according to research from Rutgers.
The stud...
Learning, Not Teaching
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As play-based educators, we are in the business of learning. Many of us
interpret that to mean "teaching," but the longer I've been in this
profession, ...
Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL
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Eight years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts
and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in
general tha...
Organize!!
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This is an important piece by the great young organizer Asha Ransby-Sporn”
https://inthesetimes.com/article/movements-got-brandon-johnson-elected-how-do-we-...
My New Book Is Out!
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The Enduring Classroom: Teaching Then and Now (University of Chicago Press)
has just been published. For those readers who may be interested in how I
came ...
The Banned Books Week Counterattack
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North Carolina's Charlotte-Mecklenberg district put its foot in it last
week when Shayla Cannady, the district's chief communications officer,
e-mailed pri...
My First NPE Conference Revisited
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By Thomas Ultican 10/2/2023 I traveled from San Diego to Chicago’s famous
Drake Hotel for the Network for Public Education (NPE) conference in 2015.
Karen ...
The Hidden Bias Against Male Teachers
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Male teachers are not seen as teachers first and foremost. We’re the
enforcers of school rules. And it’s driving so many of us from the field or
discouragi...
Thinking Ought to Trump Believing
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“Believing is a disposition. We could tire ourselves out thinking, if we
put our minds to it, but believing takes no toll.” ― Willard Van Orman
Quine Mor...
Items of Note
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Update: Here's the info for the candidate forum; thanks to a great reader.
*A consortium of education nonprofits is proud to announce a public,
communit...
How the attacks on small class size don’t add up
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September 28, 2023 I wanted to share with you my piece in Monday’s
Washington Post, written in response to Michael Bloomberg’s attacks against
the new clas...
Keep your nose on
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Advice from my mother, “Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.”
FEEDING THE ECONOMY We’ve been told that to keep society running smoothly,
people shou...
What Tenure-Track Professors at UF May Expect
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The NYTimes has an extensive piece on Ron DeSantis's choice for president
of Florida's flagship public university, and there's lots to consider,
particul...
My Restroom Humiliation
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Last week, I was humilated in front of my students by an administrator for
needing to use the bathroom. It was awful. This year is my 22nd teaching
public ...
9/12
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I did not want to write about 9/11 on 9/11. I was in Christopher Columbus
High School. Teaching Math. My AP showed me the news, but I assumed that it
was a...
Abolish School Supply Lists, Too
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My son and I ran over to a super convenience store (you’ll know which one)
to do some last-minute grocery shopping when we happened upon ...
Read More
T...
The Worst Medical School In The United States
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Deciding which medical school to attend is one of the most important
decisions a future doctor can make. While there are...
The post The Worst Medical Sc...
Multiple acting Oscars in one picture
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Not necessarily for that picture.
I can think of two pictures in which the actors appearing during their
careers won a total of 8 Oscars
*Bad Day at Bla...
Teacher Shortage, or Good Job Shortage?
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We have long heard the statement that 3 out of every 5 new teachers will
leave the profession in the first five years. However, it seems that the
survey on...
Jacksonville Van Winkle
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Saturday, a violent racist young white man decided that it was time for him
to murder Black people for being Black. I do not apologize if that’s too
blunt ...
WHY IS ‘WOKE’ DANGEROUS?
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July 4, 2023: First and foremost, a “woke” populus scares the stuffing out
of grifter politicians. Imagine trying to convince people to ignore facts
and bu...
Lying Liars of the NYC DOE
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The APPR travails continue.
When last I blogged I shared how my principal, XXXXXXXX XXXXX of PS XXX did
an end run around me. I was refused to be obser...
Got Standards?
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When I was teaching I noticed that new standards, objectives, goals, and
buzzwords, goals, objectives and standards got rolled out every few years
or so, o...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Let’s talk about Dana Kriznar
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There is a good chance she will be DCPS’s interim super come June 2nd, for
at least six months, and because the superintendent job will be so
unattractiv...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
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In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
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1825
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The wife of President John Quincy Adams.
As early as 1744, Ben Franklin had worried that wood as a fuel for heating
and cooking was becoming scarce ...
Two years later
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It’s been two years since Joe Biden was inaugurated as our 46th President.
His presidency has been an astounding success in many ways. First and
foremost, ...
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
Skin Deep
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She spends so much time on her outward appearance. There is never a hair
out of place. Her makeup is perfect and her clothes are stylish and match
to ...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
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*Defeating the Purpose of Education*
*Most people would agree that the primary purpose of education is to
prepare children for a good and productive life. ...
THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. NOT!
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There is a teacher shortage.And just to be sure you understand, it's not
that teachers don't want to teach.It's not that there aren't enough
teachers certi...
Addendum to Mission Hill Statement
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Follow up blog, Dear friends and colleagues, My friend and long-time
colleague, Bonnie Brownstein, had some interesting thoughts about my Blog
in regards t...
Abortion: Only For Those Who Need It!
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NOTE: This post contains my opinions on Catholicism based on my experiences
as a child in the 1960's and 70's. Take what you like and leave the rest. I
m...
Hello world!
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Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then
start writing!
The post Hello world! first appeared on Just another WordPress site.
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
On the Edge of Silence
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“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.
Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the
fundamen...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
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I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
GA run-offs need your help!
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Extremely important. Volunteer if you can. Thank you if you are already
doing so. Out of state opportunities here: Ralph …
Continue reading →
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen GarcÃa
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
A Citizens’ Rebellion 2020
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The United States began to form after the rebellion against the King of
England when the settlers in the colonies along the eastern coast reacted
to the in...
A Fundamental Redesign of Our Schools
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I climbed the hill leading up to one of my favorite coffee shops in Seattle
this morning to enjoy a coffee while taking in a phenomenal view of the
city o...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
Thoughts on schooling in the era of COVID-19
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Well, a whole lot has changed since I returned to blogging a month and half
ago. In case you didn't notice, and I'm sure everyone reading this did,
there's...
NAEP scores and "the science of reading"
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*Sent to US News. They just informed me that they no longer publish
letters to the editor. *
*Re: “National reading emergency” November 12*
*[https://www...
2019 NAEP Scores: Achievement Gap or …?
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Here you go: A ‘Disturbing’ Assessment: Sagging Reading Scores,
Particularly for Eighth-Graders, Headline 2019’s Disappointing NAEP Results
NAEP 2019: Re...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
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Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Storm is Coming! (…again)
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A new Commissioner will have as much impact on our state ed system as a new
meteorologist will have on …
Continue reading →
Judi Togel
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Permainan Judi Togel Online Mudah Dijalankan Di Indonesia Permainan judi
online Indonesia terpercaya kini memang menjadi salah satu tempat bermain
game yan...
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
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Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
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Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
3rd Grade Reading: Who is Failing?
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Education Trust Midwest has just released its study on third grade reading
and, predictably, the results aren’t great. This study uniquely compares
Michiga...
Opting out of the Dinosaur (end of year test)
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Today I sent in a second letter to refuse PARCC/CMAS for my son, Luke. The
first email I sent at the beginning of the year was not sufficient as they
requi...
Resurrection
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I realized it's Lent, but this blog, bless Jesus Christ, can't wait.
Ok, so with that said, I plan to discuss Class Action suits in existence,
as well as w...
IDEA Is Still The Law Of The Land
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Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the US Department of
Education (USDOE) rescinded 72 Dear Colleague and other letters of
explanation to ...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
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An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
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The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
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Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/2/2017
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Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/1/2017 Education Bloggers Daily
Highlights Courtesy of Big Education Ape A special thank you to education
blogger Mik...
Capturing the Spark
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It’s been a long time since InterACT was an active education blog, though I
remain quite proud of what we did here. Those of us who wrote blog posts
here h...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
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I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship
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Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson
Candidates for WTU Prez & GVP 2016By Candi Peterson, WTU Gen. Vice President
*Statements or expressions of opinions herein...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
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Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
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I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
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Originally posted on Creative by Nature:
“Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational
research and assessment tools. When gove...
CURMUDGUCATION: Why Honor Diane Ravitch? : Why Honor Diane Ravitch? Tonight the Network for Public Education is throwing a shindig in New York to honor Diane Ravitch. In truth, it is also to help raise money for NPE, an organization for which Ravitch is a co-founder. If you are at all concerned about public education, you are familiar with Ravitch's name, and the general arc of her story that has
CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos Speaks (Sort of) : DeVos Speaks (Sort of) Poor Betsy DeVos. She has recently spent time on the Donald Trump "Thank You These rallies Are The Only Part I Liked About Running for President" Tour, complaining tha t the media is spreading "false news" about her. I suppose that she could address that by actually, you know, speaking to the press directly, but apparently she is spe
Smith: School privatization is a pyramid scheme : School privatization is a pyramid scheme Want to know why today’s Trumpian Republicans — Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick among them — think public education is a waste of money? Just listen to President-elect Donald Trump surrogate Scottie Nell Hughes. She cuts to the heart of it. There’s no such thing as facts, Hughes said. In the Trump era, a Pinocch
Badass Teachers Association : The Tragic Consequences of Placing Professors on Watchlists by Dr. Michael Flanagan I recently scrolled by an article discussing a “professor watchlist” created by a conservative group (Flarety, 2016) . There have been other sites over the years designed to identify “problem” professors and their leftist viewpoints. The administrators of the watchlist sites often con
Johnson leaves Sacramento on upswing | The Sacramento Bee : Kevin Johnson’s legacy as Sacramento mayor Last dance with Mary Jane One more time to kill the pain I feel summer creepin' in and I'm Tired of this town again Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD After eight years as mayor, Kevin Johnson leaves Sacramento in much better shape than he found it. On Tuesday, he hands off to
John Thompson: We Can’t Let Betsy DeVos Destroy Our Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog : John Thompson: We Can’t Let Betsy DeVos Destroy Our Public Schools John Thompson is a teacher and historian in Oklahoma. As the Daily Oklahoman’s Ben Felder explains, “Education savings accounts (ESAs) and vouchers have not been easy sells, including in the GOP-controlled Oklahoma Legislature.” Until this
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Baby, It's Cold Outside (12/11) : ICYMI: Baby, It's Cold Outside (12/11) Some readings from the week. Remember to share, pass on, and generally amplify what you read that you believe hits the spot. Is Ed-Tech Research Nearing Its Big Tobacco Moment From Gotesborg Universitet of all places, a consideration of how trustworthy ed tech is and will continue to be (or not). What
Trump, the Electoral College and Governing: Is There a “Better” System? How Will Trump Manage the Transition from Candidate to President? | Ed In The Apple : Trump, the Electoral College and Governing: Is There a “Better” System? How Will Trump Manage the Transition from Candidate to President? Pursuant to law promulgated by Congress and regulations by the Federal Electronic Election Commission (
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 12/10/16 Featured Post Is Mónica GarcÃa Using LAUSD Students as Stepping Stones? Guest Blog: Who Speaks for the Children? - Lily's Blackboard by mike simpson / 15min Guest Blog: Who
Tonight the Network for Public Education is throwing a shindig in New York to honor Diane Ravitch. In truth, it is also to help raise money for NPE, an organization for which Ravitch is a co-founder.
If you are at all concerned about public education, you are familiar with Ravitch's name, and the general arc of her story that has provided a sort of third-act apostasy-fueled career for her as a public figure. She has plenty of detractors from all sides of the education debates, and some of them are pretty worked up about her. Some of the arguments are the same old purity crusades, resting on the notion that if someone only says The Right Thing 98% of the time, they're ruined goods. I've never been a fan of that theory, but then I'm not much of labels guy, either. Human beings are generally complex and always non-uniform. If I ever meet someone who tells me that they agree with me 100% of the time, I assume they are lying to me.
Ravitch is important because she is the closest thing we have to a central figure in the public education side of the debates. While the reformster movement has manufactured big-time cover-photo public figures (She Who Will Not Be Named, former DC chancellor), won innumerable public posts (Arne Duncan), joined a plethora of billionaires (Eli Broad), and congealed around already-famous figures (Bill Gates), the defenders of public education have no such roster. If I showed a list of prominent reformsters to an average civilian, she would know many of the names. I don't think I could pull off a similar trick with public education advocates. Ravitch is about as close as we get to such a central, recognizable figure.
Part of that is her story. Hanging out with the architects of education reform, then defecting upon the realization that they were following the wrong past. But it is also her relentless attention to the movement and the many people it touches. She blogs endlessly, and a large part of that blogging is amplifying hundreds of voices of people who are invested in all of this. Reading Ravitch's blog not only keeps you informed about what is going out there, but it provides an undeniable sense that you have lots of company, lots of people who care about public education, too. You're not crazy, and you're not alone.
Ravitch has not tried to be a Great Leader, has not enforced an orthodoxy, and has not been getting rich from her activities. Her defection was arguably the worst career move ever, leaving people who write multi-million-dollar checks to fund websites, advocacy groups and think tanks to keep their CURMUDGUCATION: Why Honor Diane Ravitch?:
Poor Betsy DeVos. She has recently spent time on the Donald Trump "Thank You These rallies Are The Only Part I Liked About Running for President" Tour, complaining that the media is spreading "false news" about her. I suppose that she could address that by actually, you know, speaking to the press directly, but apparently she is spending time prepping for her confirmation hearing. Her appearances at Herr Trump's rallies haven't been covered in great detail, but thanks to the faux journalist power I call "Making It Up," I'm prepared to present the full text of one of her most recent tour speeches.
Thank you! Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to see all my friends and neighbors out to greet me here in my hometown of Grand Rapids. Just keep right on applauding. Remember, my family and I can ruin you at any moment. That's it! Cheer, fellow citizens and peasants!!
There has been a lot of speculation about what kind of Education Secretary I will be. Let me clear that up. I will be a great one!
For one thing, we will be bringing the benefits of school choice. I think all Americans agree that it's important that all businesses, no matter what their zip codes, have an opportunity to get their hands on a piece of the giant mountain of money that funds education in this country. Choice will let us do that. Cheer!!
But we want to do better than that. Everyone should have a chance to grab some of those public tax dollars, including all of the private schools which already exist. Vouchers should be an important part of an education money payout plan because every private school, whether its CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos Speaks (Sort of):
Want to know why today’s Trumpian Republicans — Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick among them — think public education is a waste of money? Just listen to President-elect Donald Trump surrogate Scottie Nell Hughes. She cuts to the heart of it. There’s no such thing as facts, Hughes said.
In the Trump era, a Pinocchio nose is the new Washington Monument. It’s growing out of the swamp of corruption Trump once claimed he wanted to drain. Trump & Co. make up their own truths and facts as the circumstances of their power and pocketbooks require. Nice work — if you can get it.
So, the GOP reasons in that context, why in the world would they use taxpayer money to fill our children’s heads full of “facts” that could one day put at risk the fact-free, truth-free plans of the powerful?
As we near the start of the 2017 session of the Texas Legislature, the fate of public education once again hangs in the balance. Patrick — especially Patrick — has long had his sights trained on public ed.
The right’s school-voucher schemes have nothing to do with improving the actual education of children. There are many weapons in the anti-education voucher arsenal, such as vouchers backed with taxpayer money to send kids to private schools and so-called “education savings accounts.” Whatever it’s Smith: School privatization is a pyramid scheme:
The Tragic Consequences of Placing Professors on Watchlists
by Dr. Michael Flanagan
I recently scrolled by an article discussing a “professor watchlist” created by a conservative group (Flarety, 2016). There have been other sites over the years designed to identify “problem” professors and their leftist viewpoints. The administrators of the watchlist sites often contact the students of these professors and encourage them to write anecdotal reports about alleged bias towards conservative ideologies. The creators of these watchlists feel that the professors are promoting a liberal agenda, while attacking conservative values.
In the past I would have kept scrolling by an article like this, writing it off as just another extremist website. But we are now living in a different America. Since the Presidential election hate crimes have spiked (Balingit, 2016). We have white nationalists taking key roles in the next presidential administration (NYT, 2016). Our President-elect, among many other authoritarian missives, has expressed plans to register Muslim citizens (Trip, 2015), and disregard First Amendment rights (Wright, 2016). The next logical target is college professors, because they educate and develop critical thinking and research skills in our next generation. A repressive government controlled by Wall Street, with a militarized police force, does not want free thinkers and political activists. Professors who are identified as liberals, progressives or leftists, might produce educated citizens Badass Teachers Association:
Last dance with Mary Jane One more time to kill the pain I feel summer creepin' in and I'm Tired of this town again Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD
After eight years as mayor, Kevin Johnson leaves Sacramento in much better shape than he found it. On Tuesday, he hands off to Mayor-elect Darrell Steinberg a more confident city on the rise.
As Sacramento’s first celebrity mayor, Johnson brought charisma and connections he used to boost his city’s national stature, as well as his own. He called on all those skills to keep the Kings in town, open the new Golden 1 Center and jump-start development downtown.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson listens to speeches during his farewell reception at City Hall on Tuesday. Jose Luis Villegasjvillegas@sacbee.com
As the city’s first black mayor, he expanded racial inclusiveness and championed the now-thriving Oak Park neighborhood, where he grew up. As an outsider, he helped further expand local politics beyond the old guard of unions, neighborhood groups and the Democratic Party to include a younger, more diverse group of stakeholders.
He attracted strong and loyal supporters, but partly because Johnson did the job of mayor in his own way, he also fueled tenacious detractors. There is no denying he was a polarizing figure.
As it is in trying to assess any politician’s time in office, it isn’t easy to always draw a direct line from Johnson’s actions to successes and failures. Timing matters, a lot. He took office in December 2008, in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression, which forced painful budget cuts. He departs during a strengthening economic recovery, which allows the city to do more.
Still, there were crucial choices to make. And along with just-retired City Manager John Shirey and allies on the City Council, Johnson made mostly the right decisions to stabilize city finances, start pension reform, catch up on water and sewer infrastructure, and much more.
Two years ago, Johnson took the lead in bringing together the police department and community leaders after the riots in Ferguson, Mo. While police reform in Sacramento is a work in progress, the fact that it is being done without violence is no small matter. Johnson deserves a lot of the credit.
With his wife Michelle Rhee, he also used the mayor’s office to promote education, including public charter schools, though that unfairly drew the wrath of teachers unions.
Despite the city’s progress, there will be a nagging sense that he could have accomplished even more.
Would he have made a difference on a wider range of issues if he had been a little more interested in policy and better at following through? What would be his impact if he had spent a little less time and energy trying to win more powers and focused more on fully using those he had? Or if he had been a little more of a team player and didn’t sow suspicion by bringing in his own “shadow” staff at City Hall and soliciting big-dollar donations for his own network of nonprofits?
Johnson’s upward trajectory as mayor was cut short in November 2014 when voters decisively rejected a “strong mayor” plan. He decided not to resign, but also not to seek a third term this year.
Last year, he faced accusations of sexual harassment by a former aide in the city manager’s office. The city rejected her claim for damages. But then the sports website Deadspin resurrected 20-year-old allegations (aired during Johnson’s first campaign) by interviewing a woman who accused Johnson of sexual misconduct while she was a teenager in Phoenix.
That cloud may help explain why he retreated from public view in his final months in office. While Steinberg won’t be sworn in until Tuesday, he has been holding meetings with key players for months and has already weighed in to delay the selection of a new city manager and a final decision on a bigger convention center.
In his farewell remarks, Johnson called his two terms a roller-coaster ride. That’s certainly true, but there were plenty more ups than downs. He didn’t achieve everything he wanted, but he got a lot done. His city owes him its gratitude.Johnson leaves Sacramento on upswing | The Sacramento Bee:
John Thompson: We Can’t Let Betsy DeVos Destroy Our Public Schools
John Thompson is a teacher and historian in Oklahoma.
As the Daily Oklahoman’s Ben Felder explains, “Education savings accounts (ESAs) and vouchers have not been easy sells, including in the GOP-controlled Oklahoma Legislature.” Until this November, the same argument which defeated vouchers last year would have seemed to be persuasive. Our schools have been clobbered by a 27% decrease in per-student funding and they can’t stand a further reduction. Even a month ago, a grassroots coalition of educators and families appeared ready to send more teachers to the legislature, and to pass SQ 779, which would have raised teachers’ wages.
Then a well-funded and false advertising campaign helped derail the teacher raise, and Betsy DeVos’ the American Federation for Children, “spent nearly $170,000 in Oklahoma campaigns this year, often in opposition to public school teachers who were also running.” So, Felder now reports, “last month’s election results on both the national and state level have some school choice advocates seeing a political opening.” He cites Republican Sen. Kyle Loveless, “‘There is definitely going to be some movement on education savings accounts this next year in Oklahoma … Last year we were a couple of votes short in the Senate but I think we picked those seats up this year.'”
In addition to American Federation of Children’s money, a series of Indiana corporate reformers have repeatedly come to Oklahoma and pushed the DeVos/Trump/Pence agenda. So, it is doubly important that Oklahoma legislators, like their counterparts across the nation, become aware of what former Gov. Mike Pence and the $1.3 million that DeVos and her political action committee poured into Indiana have bought – and at what price.
Chalkbeat Indiana’s Nicholas Garcia, in “Six Things to Know about Indiana’s School Voucher Program, A Possible Model for Ed Sec Nominee Betsy DeVos,” explains that “the number of students using vouchers rose from 3,911 in 2011, when the program launched, to 32,686 in 2016.” Originally, vouchers were pushed as a way to help poor students in failing schools, but “a growing portion of Indiana voucher users are from middle-class families, and growth has been greatest among suburban families.” Now, “60 percent of Indiana voucher users are white, and about 31 percent are from middle-income families — not exactly the student population that struggles most in the state’s schools.”
Even more disturbing is the way that vouchers have grown into a greater threat to the financial stability of schools, “In 2011, just 9 percent of voucher users had never before gone to public school, Chalkbeat reports, “That was true for more than half of students using vouchers in 2016. So, Indiana isn’t offering an escape from failing schools but a subsidy for many who would never attend a public school.