Some Christmas Tunery
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Here at the Institute (where the Board of Directors still firmly believe in
Santa Claus), we like our seasonal music, both as consumers and as
producers,...
Greg Olear: Reading Charles Dickens Today
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Greg Olear writes a blog that is always rewarding to read–full of insight,
experience, knowledge, wisdom. His post below connects the world of Dickens
to t...
Finding Light in Winter by Mary Pipher
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The mornings are dark, the late afternoons are dusky, and before we finish
making dinner, the daylight is gone. As we approach the darkest days of the
ye...
Last Minute Gift Ideas!
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We've been bombarded with "last minute" gift idea promotions since at least
mid-November, but now, finally, the last minute is truly upon us. As a
publi...
Cartoons about the Holiday Season
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Here are some cartoons that got me to smile about this time of year. I hope
they will do the same for you. Happy holidays to all of my readers. Enjoy!
HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!
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*HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!*
* The Big Hairy Education Ape Spreads Holiday Cheer! Ah, December! The time
of year when the air tur...
About the Social Security Fairness Act
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On December 21, 2024, the US Senate passed the Social Security Fairness
Act, otherwise known as HR 82, a bill that restores full Social Security
benefits t...
Apologies to Dan Alicea
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I want to truly apologize to Daniel Alicea. On November 30, Dan wrote a
blog post about how, despite millions of dollars being available, Mulgrew
refused...
The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” Awards
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At NPE, we know who is naughty and nice when it comes to supporting our
public schools and their students.
The post The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” A...
Big Lies of Education: Grade Retention
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The Big Lie of grade retention in the US is that it is often hidden within
larger reading legislation and policy, notably since the 2010s: Westall and
Cumm...
Juntos lo haremos
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En el año que viene, tendremos que tomar decisiones difíciles sobre quienes
queremos ser en cada comunidad y como nación. Ha sido un año muy intenso.
Desde...
WTF, Democratic Caucus?
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Why is the failure of this current budget bill being blamed on Republicans
when almost every single Democrat voted against it? If only half of the
Dems had...
Peace through Beauty
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I am and always have been more musical than I have been verbal. I have
always found beauty in sound. Often it can be purely instrumental, such as
playing...
San Diego School Board Election Outcomes
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By Thomas Ultican 12/17/2024 Before the recent election, I wrote
recommendations for several school board seats in San Diego County. The San
Diego County R...
SPI Supports SB 48 to Keep ICE Off School Campuses
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State Superintendent Tony Thurmond sponsors Senate Bill 48 to keep
Immigration and Customs Enforcement off of school campuses, protecting
school attendance...
Schrödinger’s Cat
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Schrödinger’s cat is a famous thought experiment in which the renowned
scientist pondered how a cat in a closed box could be thought of as
simultaneously a...
In Memoriam: Nikki Giovanni
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The literary and cultural world has lost an irreplaceable voice with the
passing of Nikki Giovanni. As one of the most celebrated poets and
activists of ou...
Education Has Failed and What Can We Do Next?
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Education has failed to prepare children for the world today. Despite the
increased investment, impactful reforms, hardworking teachers and school
leaders,...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
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Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
November Parent Engagement Resources
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Greeting a family in their preferred language is a small gesture that
demonstrates respect and eagerness to connect with parents. Creating a
Welcoming Envi...
Try Substack?
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Seems like the popular new thing. Here’s my first try – it’s about
yesterday’s UFT Retired Teachers Chapter meeting – first ever not run by
Unity. (Spoiler...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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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
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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
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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 ...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
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Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in
the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old,
over 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...
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” ...
Read more
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
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...
The Fight For Our Children
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*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.
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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...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
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Dear Friends and Colleagues, Happy New Year and a special thanks to those
who respond to past blogs about choice, et al. I always mean to respond to
each c...
Reminiscences
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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.
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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
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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 Critique of Standards-Based Grading
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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
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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...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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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?
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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
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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...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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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
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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
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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...
Should We Be Grateful?
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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
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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...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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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
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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. . . .
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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...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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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
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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...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
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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
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*“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...
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What's the Matter with Seattle Schools? : What's the Matter with Seattle Schools? I have always been an action-oriented person who believes that there are solutions to problems. But, as it was stated in the Moss-Adams report (from the Olchefske scandal in 2004), i f you don't change the culture of a bureaucracy, you will change nothing . The things that have been
President Obama’s “Bubble” and Our Fear of Losing America’s Democratic Public Schools : President Obama’s “Bubble” and Our Fear of Losing America’s Democratic Public Schools In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Martin Luther King, Jr. We become so secure in our bubbles, that we start only accepting information, whether it’s true or not, that f
Teachers have some tough questions for Trump’s education nominee, Betsy DeVos - The Washington Post : Teachers have some tough questions for Trump’s education nominee, Betsy DeVos Teachers have some tough questions they want Congress to ask Betsy DeVos, the Michigan billionaire and former Michigan Republican Party chairwoman picked by President-elect Donald Trump to be his education secretary. De
CURMUDGUCATION: MLK & Another Christmas : MLK & Another Christmas Every year around December 25, a whole bunch of people who aren't actually Christians get all misty about a watered-down version of the original faith, make some generic noise about peace and good will while ignoring all the parts of the message that might be, well, more uncomfortable ("But wouldn't the moneylenders get upset if we
solidaridad: Los Angeles student groups to protest racism and other right-wing hate : Los Angeles student groups to protest racism and other right-wing hate A busy week will be upon us. As most of you know, CEJ's campaign-turned-movement for the Schools LA Students Deserve has really grown in the last few years. Many of our chapters (we have 14 now!!) are called Students Deserve and our students,
CURMUDGUCATION: MOOCs and the Failure of Innovators : MOOCs and the Failure of Innovators Today at IEEE Spectrum, Robert Ubell has a rough and telling explanation of " How the Pioneers of the MOOC Got It Wrong ." It includes some important lessons for many of the "innovators" in the education world today. Massive Open Online Courses took off five years ago, when Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig d
Hoosier political ties run deep for Trump's education secretary pick : Hoosier political ties run deep for Trump's education secretary pick Donald Trump’s pick for education secretary has deep ties to Indiana’s largest-in-the-nation private school voucher program, having played an influential role in its development and in routing millions of dollars in campaign contributions and school choice su
Six Reasons To Oppose Betsy DeVos As Secretary Of Education | The Huffington Post : Six Reasons To Oppose Betsy DeVos As Secretary Of Education Senate hearings on Herr Trump’s cabinet picks are coming up soon, and you should be calling your Senator. Regardless of your political leanings, there are many good reasons for opposing Betsy DeVos as a Secretary of Education. 1) No experience with public
Schools Matter: Understanding KIPP Model Charter Schools: The Media and Research : Understanding KIPP Model Charter Schools: The Media and Research Marketplace, which has a time slot on most public radio stations, had a piece last week on the replacement of a high-performing community public elementary school in Baltimore by a "no excuses" KIPP school. Most often these community wrecking ball sch
How exactly did the Department of Defense end up in my child’s classroom? – Wrench in the Gears : How exactly did the Department of Defense end up in my child’s classroom? You cannot fully understand what is happening with Future Ready school redesign, 1:1 device programs, embedded assessments, gamification, classroom management apps, and the push for students in neighborhood schools to supplemen
NYC Educator: MLK Was a Strong Proponent of Union--Let's Honor His Memory : MLK Was a Strong Proponent of Union--Let's Honor His Memory AFL-CIO has an entire section devoted to Martin Luther King Jr. and his ties to organized labor. Make no mistake, he would be horrified by what's going on in the United States today. While King is largely remembered for his battle for civil rights, it's less wide
Schools Matter: Big Data and Small Junkies : Big Data and Small Junkies If you are a reluctant teacher or parent now being inundated with reasons you should embrace more computer screen time for school kids, there are good reasons for your skepticism. Here's one : Most people are shocked to hear that a video game can actually be more potent than morphine. While this is a phenomenal advance in pai
Martin Luther King Day – As growing inequality sinks our nation - Wait What? : Martin Luther King Day – As growing inequality sinks our nation Connecticut’s wealthiest residents pay about 5.5% of their income in state and local taxes. The middle class pay about 10%, while the poor pay about 12% of their income in state and local taxes. But Governor Dannel Malloy will continue to fight any and all
The Big Lie about the Left in the U.S. | radical eyes for equity : The Big Lie about the Left in the U.S. The Big Lie about the Left in the U.S. is that the Left exists in some substantial and influential way in the country. The Truth about the Left in the U.S. is that the Left does not exist in some substantial and influential way in the country. Period. The little lies that feed into the Big Li
How Mass Incarceration Contributes to the Achievement Gap - The Atlantic : How Mass Incarceration Pushes Black Children Further Behind in School A new study shows that the disproportionate imprisonment rates faced by people of color contribute to race-based inequalities in educational attainment. In the summer of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the closing remarks at the March on Washingto
Five key trends in U.S. student performance: Progress by blacks and Hispanics, the takeoff of Asians, the stall of non-English speakers, the persistence of socioeconomic gaps, and the damaging effect of highly segregated schools | Economic Policy Institute : Five key trends in U.S. student performance Progress by blacks and Hispanics, the takeoff of Asians, the stall of non-English speakers, the
Dream. | Fred Klonsky : Dream -Mark Stefanik is a middle school language arts teacher. He writes frequently and poetically for this blog. I try to get him to do it more often. It’s a weekend for dreamers. I wonder how many of this readership still dream. I’m aiming for the Boomers whose freedom to dream was unprecedented in American History. You know who you are. Fairy tales did come true and the
Jersey Jazzman: How To Correctly Compare Charter and Public District Schools : How To Correctly Compare Charter and Public District Schools Jersey Jazzman (artist's conception) Why do states collect education data if they won't use it properly? I found myself asking this question once again this week as I read through a " Comment/Response Form " put together by the New Jersey Department of Educat
Is government a ‘force for good,’ or does it ‘really suck’? Ed. Dept. at a pivot point between Obama, Trump - The Washington Post : Is government a ‘force for good,’ or does it ‘really suck’? Ed. Dept. at a pivot point between Obama, Trump The fiercest critics and most ardent supporters of President Obama’s Education Department — which has arguably wielded more influence and sparked more controve
How The Systemic Segregation Of Schools Is Maintained By 'Individual Choices' : NPR Ed : NPR : How The Systemic Segregation Of Schools Is Maintained By 'Individual Choices' Sixty-three years after the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education , many schools across the country either remain segregated or have re-segregated. Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones tells Fresh Air 's Terry Gross
Voices of the People: Our Vision for Our Children, Our City, and the Future of Public Education | Parents United for Public Education : Voices of the People: Our Vision for Our Children, Our City, and the Future of Public Education On May 21st, 2016, a group of Philadelphians concerned about the education of our city’s children gathered to envision a better present and future for our communities.
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES : WEEKEND QUOTABLES Congressman John Lewis’s bestselling graphic novel March: Book One was inspired by a 56-year-old comic, Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story, that helped spawn the Civil Rights Movement. Rep. John Lewis It doesn’t matter how Senator Sessions may smile, how friendly he may be, how he may speak to you... We need someone as
Religious Freedom Day, 2017 – Live Long and Prosper : Religious Freedom Day, 2017 This year, Martin Luther King Day is also Religious Freedom Day, which commemorates the realization of Thomas Jefferson’s vision of an end to the state-established church in Virginia. [This is an edited version of a post originally published on January 16, 2015 ] THE VIRGINIA STATUTE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM In 1993 Pr
The Myth of “Failed” School Reform, Part 3 | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : The Myth of “Failed” School Reform, Part 3 Practitioner time . If media time (see previous post) often looks like speeded-up Chaplinesque frames from 1920s films, then think of practitioner time as slow motion. One example should suffice. As computers spilled into schools during the 1980s, news medi
Save Martin Luther King from Obsolescence | BustED Pencils : Save Martin Luther King from Obsolescence The Real King Image and ownership of image are a trip. Especially on Martin Luther King Day. What is Dr. King’s image, vs. w hat he really represented in his life. If we are to believe the dominant institutions, we may think that his main contribution was reconciling with white people or turning
From the Betsy DeVos Archives: Letters to the Editor and Much More | deutsch29 : From the Betsy DeVos Archives: Letters to the Editor and Much More As a part of her response to “Common Questions for Executive Branch Nominees,” US ed sec nominee Betsy DeVos listed the following 19 entries as her “publications”: Opinion Column, Detroit News , July 31, 1994 Letter to the Editor, Detroit News , Augus
TFA CEO’s Husband Heads One Of The 73 Lowest Rated Schools In Texas | Gary Rubinstein's Blog : TFA CEO’s Husband Heads One Of The 73 Lowest Rated Schools In Texas YES Prep is a charter school network of sixteen schools in Houston. Founded by a TFA alum and staffed by many TFA teachers, it has been hailed as a TFA success story. Fueled by being the school to invent the invented ‘100% college accep
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/15/17 Featured Post Betsy DeVos: “Government Sucks” and “We Don’t Fire Teachers Enough” | deutsch29 The Racists Roots and Racist Indoctrination of School Choice | gadflyonthewallblog