This and That
-
The big news from the *Supreme Court of the United States *is that the case
before them on the creation of* religious charter schools *did not pass
their...
Fractions at the Delegate Assembly
-
Some teachers tell kids “fractions are your friends” but in the United
States that’s often not the case. We end up with a lot of adults who feel
uncertain ...
Private First-Class Desmond T. Doss
-
Eighty years ago, in May 1945, Private First-Class Desmond T. Doss, 26
years old, was serving as a combat medic with Company B, 1st Battalion,
307th I...
Godlike Works of a Creator
-
We were messing around with pipe cleaners and tissue paper circles. It's a
craft-ish project that most of the kids know, because I showed them. You
can ...
A teaching mode grounded in the MOA framework
-
[image: Figure 1]
Caption
Overall framework of the proposed trinity teaching mode. MOA: motivation,
opportunity, and ability; CIE: creativity–innovati...
National Day of Defiance June 14: No Kings Day
-
250 years ago, Americans rejected a mad king. On June 14, we’re gathering
again for a nationwide day of defiance to say NO KINGS. Nearly 1,000 events
are...
20 Rules for Life (2025 edition)
-
After first posting this list years ago, I have made it a tradition to get
it out every year and re-examine it, edit it, and remind myself why I
thought su...
Supreme Court to Rule on Religious Charter Schools
-
The Supreme Court may soon rule in favor of St. Isadore of Seville because
charter schools, at least in some states, are privately governed and not
truly...
Nichiren and the Opening of the Eyes
-
By Thomas Ultican 5/18/2025 My just published book, Nichiren and the
Opening of the Eyes, is probably a bit of a surprise for public education
advocates. F...
Life Comes at You Fast
-
“Before forty, you think that exhaustion is something like a long-lasting
hangover. But at forty you learn all about it. Even your passions exhaust
you.” ―...
Poem: we lost everything
-
[Header Photo by Wesley Jackson on Unsplash] we lost everything every
thingeverything that mattered the dripping faucetran the reservoir dry he
told ustalk...
Poem: we lost everything
-
[Header Photo by Wesley Jackson on Unsplash] we lost everything every
thingeverything that mattered the dripping faucetran the reservoir dry he
told ustalk...
RANKING DONALD J. TRUMP
-
“Readers love lists. Whenever you can, build your column around a list.”
Tina Brown, the brilliant editor of The Daily Beast and, before that, The
New Yo...
Deja Vu all over again?
-
I have been reading a book titled *Time On Two Crosses: The collected
writings of Bayard Rustin*, much of which covers events of which I was
aware at th...
Over 100 Of My Videos About Instruction
-
I’ve made many videos over the years, including quite a few animated ones
with Education Week on differentiated instruction, learning transfer, and
stude...
Creativity and Courage to Save Democracy
-
Those in power have made clear there is no democratic norm they are
unwilling to break. We live in a time of chaos, and this is not by
accident. Over the l...
Are Women the Cause of Reluctance to Read?
-
I remember learning–perhaps in a grad class or professional development
session, years ago–that boys didn’t like to read about girl things. You
know—relati...
April’s Parent Engagement Resources
-
Check out this featured resource! ⭐ This template contains activities to
start conversations with children about their family, what they like to
play, how ...
Il Papa è Morto
-
Francis brought a distinct pastoral outlook to his papacy. A simple man, he
lived in a small apartment in the guesthouse. He sought to make the church
acce...
Trump plays Putin’s Playbook
-
Recently Aleksander Dugin was interviewed on CNN, last week, and he stated
that he believes Trump is closer ideologically to President Putin than to
Washin...
Mike Shulman the ARISE UFT Judenrat
-
I was surprised to learn that Mike Shulman has aligned himself with ARISE.
I previously supported him, advocating that the Castle Doctrine could have
bee...
How Do We Fight Trump?
-
Dear Friends, I don’t know when and why it hit me. But I suddenly realized
how serious Trump is about changing the country into something that
horrifies. I...
Are we all on the same team?
-
Copied from Quora; I didn’t write any of this… As an American I ask my
fellow Americans, why can’t you realize at the end of the day we are all on
the same...
Who is the new CEO of Teach For America?
-
From 1990 until 2013, the CEO of TFA was the founder, Wendy Kopp. Under her
leadership the program grew from a small organization that struggled to
make pa...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
-
When I was teaching,
I got tired of hearing how bad American educators were.
*My Promise *
WHEN I STARTED BLOGGING IN 2011, I said I planned to speak ...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
-
Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
-
This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
-
As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
-
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...
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
-
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...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
-
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...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
-
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...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
-
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
-
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
-
[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
-
Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
-
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!
-
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...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
-
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...
The Fight For Our Children
-
*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
-
Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Reminiscences
-
I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
-
Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
-
It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
-
Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
-
NYSED and Commish Elia continue to say that the NYS Assessments are of
reasonable length, I completely disagree.
Here is what NYSED states are average expe...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
-
The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
-
It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
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
-
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...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
-
I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
-
Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
-
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
-
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...
Should We Be Grateful?
-
In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
-
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)
-
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
-
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...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
-
States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
-
In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
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...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
-
By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
-
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
-
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
-
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...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
-
*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
Will Trump and DeVos cripple education? – Cloaking Inequity : Will Trump and DeVos cripple education? The president-elect’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education has no experience in public education. From all appearances, she seeks to use her philanthropy to destroy public schools. The Senate “HELP” (Health, Education, Labor & Pensions) Committee on examines her (lack of) qualification on Janu
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all : Democrats Call for Delay in DeVos Hearing Until She Completes Financial Report Democrats in the Senate say that Betsy Devos’ hearing should be delayed because she has not completed her financial disclosure, which is required of all Cabinet appointments. Presumably, she has an accountant. Democrats are pushing to delay Betsy DeVos
Here’s Betsy DeVos’s financial disclosure form. Read what Trump’s billionaire education nominee included — and left out. - The Washington Post : Here’s Betsy DeVos’s financial disclosure form. Read what Trump’s billionaire education nominee included — and left out. Congress has scheduled a Jan. 11 confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for education secretary
Jersey Jazzman: More Mapping "Kingdom Gain" Through School Vouchers : More Mapping "Kingdom Gain" Through School Vouchers A few posts ago I made some maps that showed how school voucher programs around the nation invariably result in tax dollars overwhelmingly flowing to religious schools; specifically, Catholic and other Christian schools. Remember that our incoming Secretary of Education, Betsy
“How can anybody know/How they got to be this way?” | radical eyes for equity : “How can anybody know/How they got to be this way?” How can anybody know How they got to be this way? “Daughters of the Soho Riots,” The National It’s 7 January 2017, Zore Neale Hurston‘s birth day; Hurston passed away 28 January 1960, a couple days short of one year before my birth 26 January 1961. So my 56th birth d
CURMUDGUCATION : Catch up with CURMUDGUCATION How Privatization Works (Part 2,351,142) 7 by Peter Greene / 50min Here's a recent story from the DC area Fox affiliate that shows how things play out when you privatize a public service. In this case, the service is roads. And this picture tells you what you need to know. That's right-- $30 to use the express lane. Express lanes are managed by Transu
Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear | BustED Pencils : Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear Objects in Mirror are… As lightning struck closer and closer, I looked to other parents who chatted casually on the sidelines. I felt almost embarrassed to be the one to raise the alarm as I sheepishly approached by daughter’s soccer coach and exclaimed as calmly as I could, “Coach, I th
Chris Emdin: Why are There So Few Black Male Teachers? | NewBlackMan (in Exile) : Chris Emdin: Why are There So Few Black Male Teachers? 'Why are there so few black male teachers? Chris Emdin of Columbia University suggests that a cycle of failure haunts students and their teachers. Students act out, so teachers tighten the rules; more restrictions combined with dull and irrelevant curricula caus
Cutting Our (Financial) Losses in the Public Realm: Running Schools Like a Business | educarenow : Cutting Our (Financial) Losses in the Public Realm: Running Schools Like a Business Well, it’s beginning. Well, actually, it had already begun. So it continues. And the pace of it just might be picking up. School closings that is. Detroit Public Schools Community District has just announced that it
The Analog and Digital Lives We Live | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : The Analog and Digital Lives We Live Did you know that new calendars, appointment books, and planners had increased sales of nearly 10 percent over 2014-2015 amounting to nearly a half-billion dollars? Did you know that over a half-billion print books were sold in 2015, nearly four percent more than the p
Fordham Institute Is Still Pitching Common Core. Big Surprise. | deutsch29 : Fordham Institute Is Still Pitching Common Core. Big Surprise. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute (TBF) has been trying to sell the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for years. In October 2009, TBF received almost $1 million from the Gates Foundation “ to review the common core standards and develop supportive materials.”
Chaz's School Daze: Teachers And Stress, The Unseen Reason Why Good Teachers Quit. : Teachers And Stress, The Unseen Reason Why Good Teachers Quit. As a second career teacher I know what it was like to work in an office and now in the classroom and the difference is night and day. In an office you interact with a dozen adult personalities. By contrast, most secondary school teachers interact with
Audio: Educators: parents will drive new bilingual education growth | 89.3 KPCC : Educators: parents will drive new bilingual education growth Supporters of Proposition 58, the successful ballot initiative to overturn bilingual education limits in California, said more bilingual programs in public schools would better prepare students for future careers. Well, the changes aren’t moving so fast. “
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/6/17 Featured Post Embedded Assessments: An End Around Parental Opt-Outs | Truth in American Education Protest the Confirmation of Billionaire Betsy DeVos - New U.S. Senate Education Committee Members | Truth in American Education by mike simpson / 10min
The president-elect’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education has no experience in public education. From all appearances, she seeks to use her philanthropy to destroy public schools. The Senate “HELP” (Health, Education, Labor & Pensions) Committee on examines her (lack of) qualification on January 11. Tens of thousands of citizens, including educators of many backgrounds, have already contacted the Senate to ask that they #DumpDeVos.
Jitu Brown, National Director, Journey for Justice Alliance (J4J), argues that the next steps include local organizing, “building meaningful alliances in our communities,” and an “analysis of the failure of the progressive movement on education.” In particular, J4J plans a strong presence at next week’s HELP hearing and encourages activists to learn about and emulate grassroots organizer Ella Baker (1903-1986).
Julian Vasquez Heilig, Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at California State Sacramento and a board member from the Network for Public Education, suggests making sure that leaders know — and cannot later deny knowing — what a DeVos education administration will do to our public schools and communities. (See prior conversations about Devos here on Cloaking Inequity)
To both ends, Denisha Jones, professor of education and national leader with BATs, UOO and SOS, encourages involvement in upcoming campaigns to increase awareness about DeVos’ background.
Listen to the discussion here:
The Education Town Hall broadcasts from Historic Anacostia in Washington, DC, Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Eastern on We Act Radio.
Shows are archived for convenient listening shortly after broadcast.
The Education Town Hall BUS is a monthly program organized by BadAss Teachers, United Opt Out, and SOS March. The program regularly airs on the 4th Thursday of each month.
Democrats Call for Delay in DeVos Hearing Until She Completes Financial Report
Democrats in the Senate say that Betsy Devos’ hearing should be delayed because she has not completed her financial disclosure, which is required of all Cabinet appointments. Presumably, she has an accountant.
Democrats are pushing to delay Betsy DeVos’ confirmation hearing next Wednesdaybecause the billionaire philanthropist’s finances haven’t yet been cleared by ethics officials, nor has she signed an agreement addressing possible conflicts of interest.
Sen. Patty Murray, the committee’s top Democrat, says that she’s concerned about the “extensive financial entanglements and potential conflicts of interest” of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Education secretary.
An aide to Murray told POLITICO that “it would certainly be concerning if nominees break from standard practice and don’t submit their ethics paperwork in advance of a hearing.”
Although DeVos submitted her financial disclosures to the Office of Government Ethics on Dec. 12, she is still in discussions to finalize the paperwork and sign an agreement addressing possible conflicts of interest, according to her spokesman, Ed Patru.
The ethics office, in coordination with the Education Department, is responsible for identifying any conflicts of interest that DeVos might have and striking an agreement with her to recuse herself from certain decisions to avoid future conflicts.
Senate HELP Chairman Lamar Alexander indicated he plans to move ahead with the Jan. 11hearing, regardless of whether the paperwork is finalized. Committee rules don’t require the ethics office to clear a Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:
Money, money, money! Watch who gets richer over the next four years. It will be a bacchanalia that make the Robber Barons look like pikers. The New York Times reports that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is pursuing a big deal with Chinese investors. On the night of Nov. 16, a group of executives gathered in a private dining room of the restaurant La Chine at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Midtown
The Washington Post reports that Betsy DeVos has been very generous with several of the senators who will vote on her nomination. Emma Brown writes: Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for education secretary, is not just a prospective Cabinet member seeking confirmation from the U.S. Senate. She is also a billionaire Republican donor whose family’s donations have funded the campaign
Republicans have decided that they are prepared to spend billions to build the “big, beautiful wall” that Trump promised on the southern border. When it comes to investing in our children and our future, there is no more money. But when Trump promised to build a wall across the southern border, which he said Mexico would pay for, well, the Republicans must follow through. They may bankrupt other
Angie Sullivan, second-grade teachers in Clark County, Nevada, wrote the following missive to the state’s legislators and journalists: Behold! The Nevada Plan! Report: Nevada Schools Place Last in Nation The national grade and the grades for individual states are based on three custom Research Center indices that look at the role of education in promoting an individual’s chance for success over t
Democrats in the Senate say that Betsy Devos’ hearing should be delayed because she has not completed her financial disclosure, which is required of all Cabinet appointments. Presumably, she has an accountant. Democrats are pushing to delay Betsy DeVos’ confirmation hearing next Wednesdaybecause the billionaire philanthropist’s finances haven’t yet been cleared by ethics officials, nor has she si
Matt Wyatt is president of the school board in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. He knows that the new Republican governor and Republican legislature are eager to launch charter schools, using the same tired promises that have failed everywhere else. No, charters will not close achievement gaps. No, charters will not produce innovation. No, charters are not public schools. Charters will drain resources fr
Ed Eiler was superintendents of the Lafayette, Indiana, schools. In this article, he explains how corporatist Republicans have tried to turn education into a commodity instead of a common good that belongs to all. He writes: “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel Three recent newsworthy items deserve o
Jonathan Pelto reports that Steven Harding, a Republican legislator, has proposed legislation to roll back Connecticut’s Student Privacy Act. When it comes the Connecticut General Assembly and education policy, one of the most important developments was the passage, last year, of a new Connecticut Student Data Privacy Act that requires school districts to institute reasonable safeguards when sell
The Missouri Education Watchdog blog has collected some frightening news: There is a bipartisan push, funded by the Gates Foundation, to create a national database for every citizen, violating the privacy of every one of us. Until now, this has been illegal. Gates and his allies want to lift the ban. For anyone who has ever filled out a college application, or scholarship or grant application, yo
Christopher Cotton, who teaches high school English in Illinois, wrote the following: It is all about the Id! When people register their anger on Twitter, they are truly nasty. When the target is female, a large number of men become truly vile. It’s partly the anonymity. But many of the most despicable tweeters use their real names. It’s not just the rush of mob violence, ganging up on a defensel
John Merrow reminds his readers that bullying is illegal. It is not enough simply to react or to comfort students after the fact. Only in the era of Trump would this conversation take place. Just because the president does it, doesn’t make it either right or legal. Merrow writes: As schools reopen in the New Year and Donald Trump’s inauguration draws near, the reality of dramatic increases in hat
Jan Resseger is the kind of activist that every community needs. She is devoted to the Common Good and she takes action. Read here about her efforts t o alert and mobilize her local community to stand up against privatization. She begins: