UFT Welfare Fund nest egg – bigger than most nests
-
A nest egg. A rainy day fund. A reserve. Back up. We all have some, or
would like some. In case things go sideways, a way to pay some bills in the
meantime...
PUTTING SPRING IN OUR STEPS
-
Spring has sprung, the grass has Riz, I wonder where the birdies is? Winter
dies and spring arrives at our Prescott Arizona home at 6000 feet above sea
lev...
So You Want to Hire a Conservative Commentator!
-
NBC showed the nation how NOT to hire a conservative commentator. They
picked a MAGA firebrand who stood squarely behind Trump’s lies about the
election. T...
Even Our Words Can Be Loose Parts
-
*"No climbing to the top!"*
When our daughter was in kindergarten, her school installed an amazing
rope-and-steel climbing structure. The kindergartners ...
This and That
-
From Westside Seattle:
*In the wake of two fatal shooting deaths in the past year near Chief
Sealth International High School (CSIHS) the PTSA is sponsor...
Goodbye Doo Wop Don
-
By Thomas Ultican 3/27/2024 Don Shalvey, with his self-selected twitter
handle @dooWopDon, passed away March 16th, succumbing to a lengthy battle
with brai...
The Trouble With Classical Education
-
Classical education, despite the fact that most people who use the term
appear to know exactly what they mean, is a wide, messy category. A recent
Emma Gre...
Cartoons on Artificial Intelligence
-
No one yet knows how “artificial intelligence” (AI) will affect and shape
our individual and institutional behaviors in the years ahead. Wild claims
of sol...
March (2024) Useful Parent Engagement Resources
-
“Gentle parenting” seems to be based on sound child psychology principles,
but these techniques may not be as effective for more serious challenging
behavi...
“Toward a More Perfect Union”
-
I’ve always loved the elegant, aspirational phrase, “Toward a More Perfect
Union,” found in the opening sentence of our Constitution. It was our
Founding ...
What Choice Do We Have? [On School Choice]
-
Here’s something I never got to tell you. About seven years ago, I wrote
this post that went viral. I didn’t expect to see some ...
Read More
The post W...
Let’s recall just how bad a president Trump was!
-
For the record, concerning Covid:, this is from Quora: ———- President Trump
tweeted that 17,000 people died from Swine Flu under Obama. How does this
compa...
March 5, 2024: The time for delay has passed
-
It is time to open the ballot sitting on my kitchen counter. Only, the more
I learn of politics, the…
The post March 5, 2024: The time for delay has pass...
A Change of Plans
-
Last September, in a piece titled Where We Expect To Retire, I informed
folks that we were planning to move to Kendal Crosslands Communities, the
Crossla...
A Measly Case of Measles
-
Or so would Florida’s Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo would have you believe.
His vaccine-hesitant approach to public health discourages parents and
others f...
Wisdom from the Sage of Mount Vernon
-
Words of wisdom appropriate to our time. …from George Washington, America’s
first President, on President’s Day. (Edited and updated from a previous
post) ...
What Price Will You Pay?
-
Democracy dies when we give up freedoms, thinking they are a small price to
pay. That's why we need to defend our right to vote and defeat
authoritarian le...
1805
-
*November 15*: Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific. Scientists now believe
that the Coastal Salish people bred small dogs for their fleece, which they
w...
We are making a CPESS documentary!
-
In 2020, I was approached by Deborah Meier and Jane Andrais and I decided
we should document the story of Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS).
This ...
2023 In Review And What’s To Come In 2024
-
2023 is almost complete and it was a busy, challenging, rewarding, and fun
year. The news of the world was sometimes too much to watch. Countries were
dest...
Volunteer in 2024
-
Be the change, volunteer and make the difference! Let’s face it, the world
is in turmoil, and divisive politics in our country is threatening our
democracy...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
-
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...
Lying Liars of the NYC DOE
-
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...
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...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
-
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
-
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
-
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.
-
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...
-
*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!
-
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...
Abortion: Only For Those Who Need It!
-
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!
-
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
-
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
-
“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
-
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...
GA run-offs need your help!
-
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
-
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...
A Citizens’ Rebellion 2020
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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"
-
*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 …?
-
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
-
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)
-
A new Commissioner will have as much impact on our state ed system as a new
meteorologist will have on …
Continue reading →
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...
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...
3rd Grade Reading: Who is Failing?
-
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)
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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...
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...
Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/2/2017
-
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
-
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. . . .
-
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
-
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
-
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...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
-
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...
Cory Booker has a long and well-documented record of disparaging public schools and enthusiastically supporting charters, even vouch ers. Now, he says he will dedicate himself to public schools and stop privatization, as if he had not been one of the leading cheerleaders for both charters and vouchers for the past two decades. Valerie Strauss wrote here about his deep ties over the years to Betsy
Bob Shepherd wrote this comment earlier today: “Terrible things are happening outside… poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart; men, women and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.” – Anne Frank (Jan 13, 1943) The horror. The horror. What are we doing? What do we tell our children?
Cory Booker has been a devoted promoter of charters and vouchers for many years. He worked closely with Republican Governor Chris Christie and together they persuaded Mark Zuckerberg to pony up $100 million to promote the charterization of Newark. He often boasts about what he accomplished by privatizing public schools. But now that he wants to be president, he has suddenly decided that he will b
Virtual charter schools are a disaster for students, but a honey pot for their operators—that is, until they get caught and face the music and possible jail time. John Thompson describes the epic fail of the EPIC virtual charter in Oklahoma. Ghost students, straw teachers, parent bonuses. What a scam. An Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation revealed that the co-founders of the state’s largest v
Mercedes Schneider reviewed a book about “competitive school choice.” Kat e Phillippo , associate professor of cultural and educational policy studies at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Education, published a book in March 2019, entitled, A Contest Without Winners: How Students Experience Competitive School Choice. In her book, Phillippo offers details from the experiences of 36 Chicago Pub
Yong Zhao is one of the scholars I admire most. He turns out book after book, each saturated with remarkable scholarship and learning. He is also a superb speaker, who fills his lectures with learning and humor. He recently posted the introduction to a book he published last year called Reach for Greatness. In it, he wrote about America’s obsession with “the achievement gap,” which is based on th
Trump cannot perform one of the basic roles of a president: Showing empathy for others who are in pain. He cannot console anyone. Consolation and empathy are not part of his emotional makeup. He can insult, he can sneer, he can boast, he can ridicule, but he cannot console. When he went to El Paso, he told the hospital staff about the large crowd he had when he last visited the city. He mocked Be
AUGUST 8, 2019 Meyerson on TAP Walmart and Guns, Part II. In my Tuesday On Tap , I noted that a number of Walmart employees, in the wake of the mass murder at an El Paso mega-store, had begun expressing concern about the company’s policy of selling guns (Walmart is the nation’s leading gun retailer) and allowing open carry in stores in the states that permit it. That discontent is now ballooning.
Oklahoma’s Epic Charter Schools seems to be as creative in fraud as Ohio’s ECOT Epic gave the State Superintendent $23,000 in campaign donations. The Education Department did not investigate Epic’s fraudulent practices . Epic had ghost students. Epic paid $800-$1000 to each student who didn’t enroll in a public school. One family with 10 children received $8000 and then withdrew the childre
Once upon a time, long ago, a man named Jonah Edelman founded a group called Stand for Children. Edelman had instant credibility because he was the son of civil rights leader Marion Wright Edelman. Somewhere, somehow, around 2009, Stand for Children decided to change its focus. So it became a grantee of the Gates Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation, and an advocate for charter schools, hi
How does a state determine whether students on a virtual school’s rolls exist? Oklahoma can’t . Oklahoma investigators believe Epic Charter Schools embezzled money by inflating its enrollment with homeschool and private school students. Because of the state’s dedication to privacy, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister says the alleged abuse would not have been preventable und
Rebecca Klein, education editor of Huffington Post, broke the story that rightwing groups have infiltrated NAACP chapters in California to create a fake rebellion against the organization’s 2016 call for a moratorium on new charters. The resolution passed by the National Civil Rights Group demands a halt until charters agree to be accountable, to cease diverting money from public schools, and to
A Message from our friends in Texas: “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” -1 John 3:18 Our Texas community is still reeling from the news of the recent shooting in El Paso. As faith leaders across our state, we are devastated by the violence and loss of life that has affected so many. Instead of our usual update this week, we wanted to offer you encourag
I was driving home from a friend’s memorial service held in Salisbury, Connecticut, and I tuned in to CNN, where I heard the live broadcast of a speech by Joe Biden. He was in Burlington, Iowa. It was about American values, what we stand for, what our ideals are, and how Trump has betrayed those ideals and appealed to the darkest forces in our society. Trump is a propagandist and apologist for ra
Marion Brady has been fighting for progressive education reform for many decades. He is still fighting. To learn more about him and his ideas, open this link.
Gary Rubinstein doesn’t believe Teach for America’s claim that 85% of its alumni are either working in education or serving low-income communities. He has pulled a random sample of 100 names of TFA’s earliest recruits from its directory. Do you know any of them?
I was thrilled to read the recent article by Nick Hanauer in The Atlantic, where he publicly announced his defection from the blame-public-Schools-first club. He realized that schools alone can’t “fix” poverty and that the biggest problem in our society is income inequality and wage stagnation. I know of Nick Hanauer as someone who has given millions of dollars to promote charter schools, and now
The Network for Public Education is fortunate to have Marla Kilfoyle as director of its Grassroots Education Network. Marla previously was national executive director of the Badass Teachers Association and a full-time teacher. Would your group like to join the Grassroots Education Network? Contact Marla Kilfoyle at marlakilfoyle@networkforpubliceducation.org. Here is her report on current activit
I have not endorsed a candidate, and I will vote for anyone nominated by the Democratic party to run against Trump. He is the worst, most ignorant, most unqualified president in our history, and we cannot have four more years of his vile policies. I am expressing my views about the candidates in the Democratic primaries and will continue to do so. I am not a one-issue voter but I sincerely hope t
Did you know that Walmart is the single biggest seller of guns in America? Did you know that Walmart allows customers who are carrying guns to walk through the stores without hindrance? Of course you know that Walmart does not allow unions. See how all these issues converge in this short article by Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect. The Walton Family, which owns Walmart, is the richest fam
Bill Raden of Capital & Main reports that the charter industry and its lobby are steaming mad at State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who actually wants to increase charter accountability. The California Charter Schools Association has consistently fought accountability and transparency. No matter how many scandals and outright embezzlement, the charter lobby wants no regulat
State takeovers of struggling school districts have a very poor track record. Two education leaders in Houston call on state officials to support the Houston Independent School District, not to dissolve local control. Ruth Kravetz is co-founder of Community Voices for Public Education and Zeph Capo is President of the Texas AFT. They speak out for democracy. I have a stake in HISD. I attended pub
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg spoke to the national convention of the NAACP about why they should believe in the saving power of privately managed charter schools . He tried to persuade them to rescind their brave 2016 resolution calling for a moratorium on new charters. This thoughtful report explains why the NAACP called for a moratorium. The NAACP deserves our thanks for its resolution and sho
Mitchell Robinson, professor of music education at Michigan State University, sends out a warning that Michael Bennett is pure Corporate Reformer. Robinson reminds us that Bennett has more in common with Secretary Betsy DeVos than he wants you to know. Michael Bennet, US Senator from Colorado and presidential candidate, had what the pundits this morning are calling “a moment” at [the second] Demo
What an irony to hear Donald J. Trump calling on the nation to condemn “racism, bigotry, and white supremacy.” No one has done more to inflame racism, to encourage bigots, and to bring White Supremacists into the mainstream than Trump. No need to recite the evidence. We have all seen it, beginning in Charlottesville when he praised the “very fine people” among the White Supremacists. Or to rememb
The photograph below was taken during the UTLA strike last January. The guy in the center is famous rocker Stevie Van Zandt, who loves teachers and public schools and unions. Stevie is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He played in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Stevie is constantly giving back, and he gave back in Los Angeles, where he picketed in the rain. Stevie will be a feature
What a payoff! A principal in Florida doubled his salary when his public schools converted to a charter , which is what the rightwing governor and legislator want to happen. Meanwhile teachers In the state are raising money to pay for basic school supplies for their students. Lincoln Memorial Academy principal Eddie Hundley, the subject of a federal investigation, earned more than twice the avera
Julian Vasquez Heilig reports here on a new stud y about segregation and charter schools in which he is one of the authors. The other authors are Jameson Brewer and Yohuru Williams. Here is an abstract of the study: Abstract: We conduct descriptive and inferential analyses of publicly available Common Core of Data (CCD) to examine segregation at the local, state, and national levels. Nationally,
Steve Bullock, governor of Montana, entered the Democratic primaries late, and to most people he is a complete unknown. At NPE Action, we have been watching Steve Bullock with admiration, because he has been a stand-up guy for public schools in his state. He has been governor of the state since 2012. He beat a pro-privatization billionaire in 2016. Montana is a red state. Bullock is a pro-public
The Network for Public Education Action is grading the presidential candidates. If you want to keep track, read here. “For an explanation of why the candidates received the grades they did, click on their names to the left.” Ratings may change as candidates express their views. If you attend a town hall and learn more about a candidate’s views, let us know. Contact Darcie Cimarusti, Research Asso
Andrew Yang, now on the presidential candidates’ stage in the Democratic debates, made a bold promise: He would create 100,000 new jobs with startups, based on the model of Teach for America. His program is called Venture for America. He failed. So far, he has created 4,000 new jobs and still struggling. This parallels TFA’s bold promise to “close the achievement gap” and change the trajectory of
This post originally appeared on March 3, 2018. The United States has minimal requirements for buying a gun. Although some cities restrict gun ownership, guns are readily available in most states and at gun shows and on the Internet. A purchaser might buy a gun in less than an hour. Other countries have established high barriers to gun ownership . It is possible to buy a gun but not easy. Japan 1
I posted this originally on March 2, 2018, after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote a series of essays about the Supreme Court and its treatment of important issues like gun control. The Washington Post excerpted one of them here, in 2014. “Following the massacre of grammar-school children in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012,
Mark Funkhouser writes here about the educational value of showing what gun violence does. Publish the pictures. The media usually censors disturbing images. We need to be disturbed.
What can you say when the gun violence becomes a regular occurrence? What do you say when the politicians funded by the NRA offer their ritual “thoughts and prayers” while making clear that they have no intention of demanding new gun laws to stop the carnage? No ban on assault weapons. No background checks. No mandatory training. No limits on who can buy a weapon. This is madness. The killer post
Peter Greene enjoyed reading the collection of my essays published by Garn Press. He is a discerning reader and a no-nonsense critic. To earn his approval is high praise indeed. I am immensely flattered by his comments.
The Alabama Education Association has filed a lawsuit against a proposed charter school associated with the Gulen Movement. The school, Woodland Prep, applied to open in rural Washington County. The state hired the National Alliance for “Public” Charter Schools to review charter applicants, and it rejected the proposal. The state charter commission approved it anyway. Local people were outraged a
Michael Kolhaas is going through his treasure trove of leaked emails and discovered some that are very embarrassing to Nick Melvoin of the Los Angeles Unified School District board. He says that Melvoin as a member of the board was privy to the LAUSD legal strategy in its perennial struggle with the charter lobby. He says that Melvoin shared this strategy with the charter lobby. Very ugly. He beg
Jeff Bryant wrote a must-read overview of the disastrous effort to privatize the public schools in Puerto Rico (the New Orleans of the Caribbean?), and the role of teachers in ousting the government. He writes: Puerto Rico’s school