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Saturday, November 30, 2019

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 11/30/19 #REDFORED

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TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 11/30/19 







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POSTS THIS WEEK 11/30/19





CURMUDGUCATION: Ed Tech Giant Powerschool Keeps Eating the World

by Mike Simpson / 52min
Ed Tech Giant Powerschool Keeps Eating the World If you want to be a tech giant, you can try to grow organically within your company, or you can just look for companies that are already doing what you want to do, and buy them. Some are better than the strategy than others-- Facebook absorbed Instagram well enough, but Google seems to kill everything it touches . Back in the day, PowerSchool was
Shawgi Tel: Irresponsible Charter School Promoters Blocked from Further Lowering Teaching and Learning Standards | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 1h
Irresponsible Charter School Promoters Blocked from Further Lowering Teaching and Learning Standards | Dissident Voice Irresponsible Charter School Promoters Blocked from Further Lowering Teaching and Learning Standards Despite the vehement objections of thousands of teachers, parents, college professors, public school advocates, state officials, and teachers’ unions, in late 2017 the State Unive
When The Teachers Are Avatars And The Students Are Data: Wrench In The Gears Visits Kent, Washington, 11/2/19 – Wrench in the Gears

by Mike Simpson / 1h
When The Teachers Are Avatars And The Students Are Data: Wrench In The Gears Visits Kent, Washington, 11/2/19 Earlier this month I had the opportunity to return to the Seattle area, visit with fellow education activists, and present at the Kent Regional Library. I was last in Seattle in the spring of 2017 when I gave a talk on Future-Ready Schools at the Lake City Library. If you missed that one
Catch Up With Newblackman (In Exile)

by Mike Simpson / 2h
NewBlackMan (in Exile) Duke University's Department of African & African American Studies Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Speaker Series Highlighting Black Studies Alumni | NewBlackMan (in Exile) - https://www.newblackmaninexile.net/2019/10/duke-universitys-department-of-african.html Left of Black S10:E6: “Black Studies has always been ahead of its moment” – A Conversation with Petal Samuel 43
“Talk out of School” is back! And how you can support smaller classes and student privacy while shopping. | Class Size Matters

by Mike Simpson / 2h
“Talk out of School” is back! And how you can support smaller classes and student privacy while shopping. Dear friends — I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. For your gift-giving this holiday season, I wanted to let you know that if you plan to shop via Amazon, please consider doing it via Amazon Smile , which will donate .5% of the purchase price to Class Size Matter
Peter Greene’s Rules for Life | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2h
Peter Greene’s Rules for Life I never thought about sitting down and writing out my “rules for life,” but Peter Greene did. They are good as anything I could write, actually better, so I share them here with you. Peter Greene’s Rules for Life | Diane Ravitch's blog
Should the American Federation of Teachers Endorse a Candidate in the Democratic Primaries? If so, Who Should They Endorse? | Ed In The Apple

by Mike Simpson / 2h
Should the American Federation of Teachers Endorse a Candidate in the Democratic Primaries? If so, Who Should They Endorse? Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has done an excellent job in engaging democratic candidates in discussions with teachers. At the 2018 AFT Convention Warren, Klobuchar, Sanders and Biden spoke, all gave passionate pro-public educa
Chaz's School Daze: Annual GoldenTurkey Award 2019

by Mike Simpson / 2h
Annual GoldenTurkey Award 2019 The annual golden turkey award goes to two people. Chancellor Richard Carranza for his ill-advised integration policy that is simply a joke and his bumbling administration who can't seem to get it right when it comes to the New York City public schools. The second person is Mayor Bill de Blasio who ran and failed to even garner 1% of voters for the Democratic Presi
NYC Public School Parents: Talk out of School is back! Please tune in next Wednesday to hear from Diane Ravitch on the resistance to corporate education reform

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Talk out of School is back! Please tune in next Wednesday to hear from Diane Ravitch on the resistance to corporate education reform After an extended hiatus, the " Talk out of School " radio show I host on alternate weeks with Carol Burris has resumed on WBAI radio. On Wednesday, it featured a fascinating interview with Naftuli Moster, the founder of YAFFED, about his efforts to ensure that ult
THIS WEEK Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Education Research Report THIS WEEK Education Research Report Access, equity, and missingness in gifted education by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d This project investigated laws, access, equity, and missingness related to gifted education identification as reported biennially to the federal government Office of Civil Rights by all public schools in 2000, 2011–2012, 2013–14, and 2015–16. Specifically,
This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Infographic: “HIV/AIDS Deaths Continue To Decline” by Larry Ferlazzo / 43min GDJ / Pixabay Tomorrow is World AIDS Day. Here’s a new infographic I’m adding to The Best Web Resources For Learning
KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all

by Mike Simpson / 3h
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America's Public Schools CLICK HERE TO Pre-order NOW Peter Greene’s Rules for Life by dianeravitch / 11min I never thought about sitting down and writing out my “ru

YESTERDAY

Will LAUSD Evict Special Ed Program for New Academy? | Capital & Main

by Mike Simpson / 18h
Will LAUSD Evict Special Ed Program for New Academy? Los Angeles-Hollywood-area parents say they were not consulted about a new middle school whose student body would be drawn from whiter and wealthier schools. Charter-law reform may have come to California, but the free-market logic of schools-of-choice programs continues to divide . So say Los Angeles public schools advocates in the wake of a
CURMUDGUCATION: CO: READ Didn't Work. Quick, Call A Consultant!

by Mike Simpson / 21h
CO: READ Didn't Work. Quick, Call A Consultant! In 2012, Colorado joined the list of states whose legislators don't understand the difference between correlation and causation. Colorado passed the READ Act , "born out of convincing research by a variety of sources...that shows students who cannot read by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school." That's an int
No One Should Be A Commodity To Profit Goldman Sachs: Testimony Opposing Pay For Success Finance For Housing – Wrench in the Gears

by Mike Simpson / 1d
No One Should Be A Commodity To Profit Goldman Sachs: Testimony Opposing Pay For Success Finance For Housing Philadelphia City Council created a “Special Committee on Poverty Reduction and Prevention” on March 28, 2019 (resolution here ), and with it the machine of human capital impact investing in our city of deep, deep poverty roared to life. The purported goal of the committee is to create an
Kindergarten Teachers Speak Out for Children’s Happiness | Psychology Today

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Kindergarten Teachers Speak Out for Children’s Happiness How can teachers bring common sense and compassion to education policy? The research is clear. Academic training in kindergarten has no long-term benefit. In fact, it may cause long-term harm. It does not reduce the education gap between the rich and the poor, which is the usual reason offered for such training. It slightly increases acade
Evgeny Morozov on the “Moral Bankruptcy of Techno-Elites” | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Evgeny Morozov on the “Moral Bankruptcy of Techno-Elites” Evgeny Morozov writes about the political and social implications of technology. In this fascinating article, Morozov reveals and condemns the moral and intellectual vacuity of the leaders of the tech sector. For all the growing skepticism about Silicon Valley , many still believe that the digital revolution has a serious intellectual dim
Avoid overreaction to Oklahoma school report cards

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Avoid overreaction to Oklahoma school report cards T he 2019 Oklahoma school report cards are in , and they bring bad news. Over time, I will be digging deeply into the numbers and seeking nuance. For now, however, a most important issue with the school grades must be kept in mind: The outcomes aren’t nearly as bad as they seem. The statistics released Monday show the state’s grade for “academic
Ed Notes Online: NY Times Pulls Race Card in Report on Charters While The Guardian Exposes Sham Astroturf Protests

by Mike Simpson / 1d
NY Times Pulls Race Card in Report on Charters While The Guardian Exposes Sham Astroturf Protests Recently a crowd of protesters disrupted a speech by Elizabeth Warren. The activists might have seemed grassroots, but they weren’t... The Guardian, Billionaire-funded protest is rearing its head in America https://www.theguardian.com/ commentisfree/2019/nov/27/ billionare-funded-protests- america B
Robert Kuttner (and I) Challenge the New York Times Slant on Charter Schools | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Robert Kuttner (and I) Challenge the New York Times Slant on Charter Schools Extra: read this rebuttal by Diane Ravitch of the misleading recent NY Times piece on charter schools. Diane Ravitch's blog Many people have written to me to complain about an article that appeared Wednesday on the front page of the New York Times , saying it was pro-charter propaganda. The article claims that black and
John Thompson on Natalie Wexler’s Book | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d
John Thompson on Natalie Wexler’s Book John Thompson is a historian and a retired teacher in Oklahoma. He writes: I have very strong, positive and negative feelings about Natalie Wexler’s The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System and How to Fix It. For better and/or the worse, the Oklahoma State Department of Education has committed to what Wexler calls science-bas
Teachers Are Not Responsible for Student Growth or Achievement | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Teachers Are Not Responsible for Student Growth or Achievement Earlier this week, I was rushed to another urgent early morning staff meeting at my school. I had my laptop with me and was frantically trying to get everything ready that I’d need for the day. Text dependent analysis question ? Check. Discussion guide to introduce the concept of science fiction ? Check. Questions on literacy, analog
Mike Klonsky's Blog: Passage of $15 minimum wage is a big victory for Chicago workers

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Passage of $15 minimum wage is a big victory for Chicago workers “This vote is easy for me,” Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza, 10th, said, because it closed the gap without layoffs, increased the minimum wage and opened libraries closed on Sunday. Chicago's city council has approved by a 39-11 vote, a budget that will raise the minimum wage for city workers to $15/hr and it won't take six years to ful
CURMUDGUCATION: Be Grateful

by Mike Simpson / 1d
Be Grateful It's ironic, with a very American sort of irony, that we have a national holiday about thankfulness and gratitude, because we are kind of lousy at that whole thankfulness and gratitude thing. We're more attracted to the self-made story, the I-pulled-myself-up-by-my-own-bootstraps story, the story that in this country, anyone can get ahead with grit, virtue and hard work (and if you h

NOV 28

Big Education Ape: Happy Thanksgiving! I Am Thankful for Great Public Education Bloggers! #HappyThanksgiving #thankful #Thanksgiving2019 #gratitude #grateful

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving! | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-lbM via @dianeravitch Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your day. If you are not making dinner, go to a church or homeless shelter to volunteer to serve others. It will remind you of your blessings and good fortune. Former President Obama helped prepare food bags for those in need in Chicago (imagine Trump doing that,
Parents and Teachers United: A Force for Students, Public Education, and America!

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Parents and Teachers United: A Force for Students, Public Education, and America! On this Thanksgiving, I am remembering parents and teachers, Republicans and Democrats, who work together to create public schools that serve all children. This relationship is sacred and critical for children to learn. Without this bond there’s little hope for public education and America’s future. The corporate r
Grassroots Organizing Just Won $1.5 Billion for Public Schools + Give to the Grassroots on #GivingTuesday | Schott Foundation for Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Grassroots Organizing Just Won $1.5 Billion for Public Schools | Schott Foundation for Public Education Grassroots Organizing Just Won $1.5 Billion for Public Schools Yesterday the landmark Student Opportunity Act was signed into law in Massachusetts, guaranteeing an additional $1.5 billion in funding for k-12 public schools across the Commonwealth: Four years after a state commission determined
We are still here — and we still need your support! - SF PUBLIC SCHOOL MOM

by Mike Simpson / 2d
We are still here — and we still need your support! Guest Post by Mari Villaluna This Thanksgiving many families will celebrate a holiday founded on the genocide of Native people. When we teach kids that Native people only existed in the past, we participate in their erasure. Many Americans don’t know there are many Native people still fighting for legal recognition by the United States governme
Happy Thanksgiving: A Meditation on Religious Liberty, | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Happy Thanksgiving: A Meditation on Religious Liberty Happy Thanksgiving! Today is a day when we pause and give thanks to whatever deity we worship (or not) for the blessings we enjoy: our freedom, our family, our friends, and our good fortune to live in a democracy where we are all responsible for making it better for our brothers and sisters. I want to share with you a profound speech delivere
NYC Educator: Happy Thanksgiving to All

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Happy Thanksgiving to All I wish a happy holiday to every reader of this blog, whether regular, occasional, or accidental. This is one of the best holidays. Unless you're the one doing the cooking and cleaning (I'm not), all you have to do is get together with family. I'm grateful for having family with which to get together, and I certainly hope you do too. Of course, there's your crazy uncle i
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Revenge of the Students - Garfield Speaks

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Revenge of the Students - Garfield Speaks From the student newspaper , The Garfield Messenger (bold mine): Dear Superintendent Juneau, In the past months, you have made it your mission to make the district more equitable by ending the Highly Capable Cohort (HCC). We know from firsthand experience that the HCC program has its flaws, and we appreciate that you want to make it equitable for all. Ho
CURMUDGUCATION: AI: Bad Data, Bad Results

by Mike Simpson / 2d
AI: Bad Data, Bad Results Once upon a time, when you took computer programming courses, you had two things drilled into you: 1) Computers are dumb. Fast and indefatigable, but dumb. 2) Garbage in, garbage out. The rise of artificial intelligence is supposed to make us forget both of those things. It shouldn't. It especially shouldn't in fields like education which are packed with cyber-non-exper
How NOT to teach Thanksgiving - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 2d
How NOT to teach Thanksgiving In a growing number of classrooms around the country, students are learning a very different story about Thanksgiving than their parents did. Instead of focusing on a joyful turkey feast in 1621 shared by Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony and Wampanoag Indians, some educators today frame the holiday around the way Native Americans were treated by Europeans who settled on

NOV 27

Protesters file excessive force claim against Oakland Unified | EdSource

by Mike Simpson / 2d
Protesters file excessive force claim against Oakland Unified Dispute stems from Oct. 23 meeting when police intervened as parents protesting school closures disrupted the school board's meeting N ine Oakland Unified parents and staff members have filed a claim against the district alleging “ use of excessive force” by police during a school board meeting last month. According to the claim, dist
How Sacramento CA should integrate its segregated schools | The Sacramento Bee

by Mike Simpson / 2d
California’s schools are among the most segregated in U.S. What can be done about it? Before Brown v. Board of Education, there was Mendez v. Westminster. In 1943, Orange County’s Westminster School District told Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez their children couldn’t attend their neighborhood school, but had to go further away to a segregated “ Mexican school .” “It was a terrible little shack,” t
Research: Teacher Effects on Student Height: A Cautionary Tale | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Research: Teacher Effects on Student Height: A Cautionary Tale A group of scholars collaborated to write a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research that studies how teachers affect student height. It is a wonderful and humorous takedown of the Raj Chetty et al thesis that the effects of a single teacher in the early grades may determine a student’s future lifetime earnings, he
Widespread Poor Performance Persists in Charter Schools | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Widespread Poor Performance Persists in Charter Schools After nearly 30 years of hype surrounding charter schools, a large number of charter schools across the country continue to perform poorly. This is especially disturbing given the fact that non-profit and for-profit charter schools routinely cherry-pick their students, have high teacher turnover rates, are run by unelected individuals, oppo
Rethinking Thanksgiving, Part 2—Taking Action - SF PUBLIC SCHOOL MOM

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Rethinking Thanksgiving, Part 2—Taking Action This post is part of a series exploring ways to decolonize Thanksgiving. Read Part 1 of this series here . When I learned about the painful history of Thanksgiving I realized I could no longer celebrate it. After getting more informed about the true history of the holiday, I decided we had to make changes in the ways we celebrate the holidays. I shar
How Micromanaging Administrators Destroy Collective Teacher Efficacy - Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 3d
How Micromanaging Administrators Destroy Collective Teacher Efficacy If you’ve been teaching for any length of time, you’ve likely run across the term collective efficacy . You can blame an Australian researcher named John Hattie for this. Administrators love John Hattie because he attempts to simplify something that is extraordinarily complicated. Essentially, Hattie looks at a bunch of studies
National Opportunity to Learn Campaign Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity - Schott Foundation for Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Schott Foundation for Public Education National Opportunity to Learn Campaign Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity Worcester Interfaith by psj / 21h has accomplished much in the areas of education & economic development. We work tirelessly to ensure that public resources benefit those who need them most & work on a local & state-wide basis to leverage support for positive social change. Ou
CURMUDGUCATION: Finn And Hess Accidentally Argue For Teacher Tenure

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Finn And Hess Accidentally Argue For Teacher Tenure Chester Finn (honcho emeritus, Fordham Institute) and Rick Hess (AEI education guy) are concerned about the threat of rampant wokeness , particularly in the reformster universe. And they are not afraid to exercise some strenuous prose in service of the point: School reformers have long seen themselves as plucky champions of change. Today, howev
Louisiana Educator: School Discipline Needs Enforcement!

by Mike Simpson / 3d
School Discipline Needs Enforcement! Here is a youtube video featuring an Ohio teacher placed on Facebook by Lee Barrios, decrying the lack of support for teachers in maintaining discipline in the classroom. We have exactly the same problem in Louisiana! The big difference is that while the Ohio teacher proposes that there needs to be a written policy specifying effective consequences for studen
Giving Thanks for Red for Ed — Teachers Striking for Justice in Public Schools | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Giving Thanks for Red for Ed — Teachers Striking for Justice in Public Schools This blog will take a week long holiday break. Look for a new post on Friday, December 6. In their agreement at midnight on Halloween to end a ten day strike, Chicago’s teachers secured not only a salary increase, but also the promise that the school district will spend $35 million annually to reduce what have become
NYC Educator: Bloomberg's Stump Speech

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Bloomberg's Stump Speech Hiya everyone. It's me, your old pal Mike Bloomberg. You remember me. I used to be mayor of New York. I'm the guy who brought Joel Klein in to run the city schools. You remember him? He's the guy you saw in all those photos with Eva Moskowitz, hanging around, having big fun, and helping me close as many public schools as I could get my big old paws on. That's right, I ha
“How The Other Half Learns”: A Review (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 3d
“How The Other Half Learns”: A Review (Part 1) Robert Pondiscio’s recent book about a New York City elementary school is an uncommon example of research and writing on school reform. Why uncommon? Few former teachers, journalists, and academic researchers have done what he did in spending a year at Bronx 1, part of the network of Success Academies in New York City that former city official Eva M
Former TX SPED Director, Laurie Kash, Wins Wrongful Termination Lawsuit; TN “Wins” Penny Schwinn (?) | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Former TX SPED Director, Laurie Kash, Wins Wrongful Termination Lawsuit; TN “Wins” Penny Schwinn (?) On November 21, 2017, then-Texas special education director, Laurie Kash, blew the whistle on the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) entering into a $4.4M no-bid contract with a special education data collecting company, SPEDx; she filed a report with the US Department of Education (USDOE) Office of
Mike Klonsky's Blog: 14 years after Katrina, half of the schools in New Orleans all-charter district are considered "failing".

by Mike Simpson / 3d
14 years after Katrina, half of the schools in New Orleans all-charter district are considered "failing". "Hurricane Katrina gave a great American city a rebirth." -- Kristen McQueary, Chicago Tribune On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina decimated much of the Gulf Coast, including the city of New Orleans. The hurricane triggered a chain reaction which led to the near-total abandonment of the ci
Education Department puts hold on 5-day suspension of employee who provided The Post with budget information - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Education Department puts hold on 5-day suspension of employee who provided The Post with budget information The Education Department has placed an indefinite hold on the five-day suspension of a budget analyst who provided information to The Washington Post about the Trump administration’s 2018 budget proposal before it was released, her attorney said. The agency accused the employee of “conduc

NOV 26

Rethinking Thanksgiving, Part 1 - SF PUBLIC SCHOOL MOM

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Rethinking Thanksgiving, Part 1 As we begin the holiday break, many of us take time to reflect on all that we are thankful for. During this time, we can also reflect on the true history of our country, and the ongoing legacy of settler-colonialism on Native peoples and the land we have come to call America. It’s complicated. Thanksgiving is an American traditional holiday that is based on a myth
How to Teach Diversity in an Inclusive Classroom - Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 3d
How to Teach Diversity in an Inclusive Classroom By Aimee Laurence More and more schools, colleges, and universities are committing themselves to promoting inclusion and diversity issue awareness to both students and faculty members. Regardless of the subject of the course being taught, there are certain things that teachers can do to the classroom and their approach to be more welcoming and inc
Why teacher morale appears to be dropping

by Mike Simpson / 3d
Why teacher morale appears to be dropping Salary increases can boost job satisfaction, but operational funds must also rise, administrators say Teachers feel less optimistic about their profession than they did a year ago, according Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s annual “ Educator Confidence Report .” In a survey of more than 1,300 educators, 34% of teachers expressed optimism, compared with 50% in
DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? | A site to discuss better education for all

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? A site to discuss better education for all Reader Defines “Grit” by dianeravitch / 4min Reader C.H. Rubinstein eases into the debate about GRIT. Oy, where have we heard this song & dance before? Grit is something your mom used to yell about, such as when you were playing outside, “Wipe your
It's Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... A VERY BUSY DAY | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Most Popular Posts Of The Week by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h I’m making a change in the content of the regular feature. In addition to sharing the top five posts that have received the most “hits” in the preceding seven days (though they may have originally been published on an earlier date), I will also inc
National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity - Schott Foundation for Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Schott Foundation for Public Education National Opportunity to Learn Campaign Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity TODAY Friends of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights by psj / 1h is a fiscally sponsored project of NEO Philanthropy, a 501(c)(3) public charity, designed to strengthen the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR), an independent, nonpartisan executive branch agency. Friends of
White Lies, Black Incarceration, and the Promise of Reading in Prison | radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 4d
White Lies, Black Incarceration, and the Promise of Reading in Prison “The curiosity that may be deemed a sign of genius in a white male child is viewed as trouble making when expressed by black boys,” observes bell hooks in Chapter 3 of her We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity . The book’s title echoes the wonderful and precise poem by Gwendolyn Brooks , which also in its powerful concision
CURMUDGUCATION: TN: Doubling Down On Bad Reading Policy

by Mike Simpson / 4d
TN: Doubling Down On Bad Reading Policy Among the worst policy ideas of the past decades, we have to count third grade reading retention laws. These laws can sometimes give schools a brief bump in test scores, but the consequences for actual human students are not good . And some folks in Tennessee have decided that more of a bad idea would be super. Why tell a eight or nine year old child that
News: Big REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) Exits the Charter Real Estate Sector | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4d
News: Big REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) Exits the Charter Real Estate Sector Carol Burris writes about the latest news from the charter industry. This is the same company that Valerie Strauss wrote about, called “Entertainment Properties Trust.” It’s CEO, Dennis Brain, told an interviewer that charter schools were a sound investment, had long waiting lists, and were guaranteed government r
NYC Billionaire Pres Candidate Michael Bloomberg Has Been Pumping $$ into La. Elections for Years. | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 4d
NYC Billionaire Pres Candidate Michael Bloomberg Has Been Pumping $$ into La. Elections for Years. Billionaire and former New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg has entered the 2020 presidential race in hopes to secure the Democratic nomination. Bloomberg, whose estimated worth is $54B and who says he will not accept campaign contributions, is a man who is used to buying what he wants, even in e
To Prevent Bullying of Students with Autism, Training is Key - NEA Today

by Mike Simpson / 4d
To Prevent Bullying of Students with Autism, Training is Key Bullying is no longer accepted as a “kids will be kids” rite of passage and educators are dedicated to stopping it in all its forms, especially when the target is a student with a disability like autism. But the battle against bullying continues. A study by the Interactive Autism Network found that 63 percent of 1,167 children with aut
Racial Slurs in Academic Spaces: A Reader | radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Racial Slurs in Academic Spaces: A Reader Four of us—three university professors and a high school English teacher—were talking enthusiastically right through the last call in an ale house across from the Baltimore Convention Center hosting the 2019 National Council of Teachers of English annual conference. Fulfilling stereotypes of those who would attend such a convention, we were hotly debatin
Even More Cartoons on Technology | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 4d
Even More Cartoons on Technology Yes, I know that in the 10 years I have had this blog, I have had cartoons on technology with kids, in schools, in the workplace, and at home. For this month’s cartoons, I have selected new ones that I have not run before. Enjoy! More Cartoons: Even More Cartoons on Technology | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
A School Board Member’s Latest Attack on Special Education

by Mike Simpson / 4d
A School Board Member’s Latest Attack on Special Education “ I don’t want to move, I don’t want to move ” - Agitated students at CTC — West When the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced plans to make school buildings more accessible for those with disabilities, it was met with a lawsuit from the California Charter School Association (CCSA) . These publicly funded private schools

NOV 25

The Charter-to-Prison Pipeline - Progressive.org

by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Charter-to-Prison Pipeline The charter system that often paints itself as a better option for black parents does not acknowledge the harm rigid disciplinary policies can impose on black students. \ In late September, headlines flickered across my Twitter timeline about a six-year-old black girl who was arrested at school for a temper tantrum. In outrage and confusion, I opened up the article
The Curious Case of The Century Foundation and Its Charter Advocacy | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Curious Case of The Century Foundation and Its Charter Advocacy The Century Foundation is supposed to be a liberal foundation. I had numerous contacts with it when it was previously known as The Twentieth Century Fund. My most memorable experience involved my membership on a task force in 1983 or so, which prepared a critique of American education and the need for reform. For that era, our t
Mitchell Robinson: Impeachment witnesses say they are "demoralized"; America's teachers: "First time?" | Eclectablog

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Impeachment witnesses say they are "demoralized"; America's teachers: "First time?" | Eclectablog Impeachment witnesses say they are “demoralized”; America’s teachers: “First time?” As a career teacher, watching the House impeachment hearings has been a sort of “out of body experience.” Like the rest of America, I’ve witnessed a parade of brilliant, highly-educated, dedicated foreign service dipl
Are Schools Helping to Dumb Down the National Political Conversation? | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Are Schools Helping to Dumb Down the National Political Conversation? If there ever was a time when top-notch media analysis skills were crucial for American citizens, the past two weeks were the motherlode of opportunities to sort out manipulated messaging from simple truth. Dig into that statement a bit. Is it possible to make students better consumers, curators and adjudicators of the digital
“Grit” and “Resilience” Are Buzzwords that Blame the Victim for Not Pulling Him/Herself by Bootstraps | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d
“Grit” and “Resilience” Are Buzzwords that Blame the Victim for Not Pulling Him/Herself by Bootstraps The Boston Globe published this opinion piece questioning the validity of concepts like grit and resilience. Author Alissa Quart interviews Christine White, a woman who grew up in extreme poverty yet managed to build a successful career helping people who struggled as she did. But not by coachin
How Does the Education in Your State Compare to the Rest of the World? - GOOD

by Mike Simpson / 5d
How Does the Education in Your State Compare to the Rest of the World? A fascinating map of each state’s educational level and its equivalent to a country in the World It's no secret that our country's education system is in chaos. The rise and fall of Common Core is just one example. But while the debate rages on over national standards, the level of education in our country can vary widely, st
In praise of Michael Bloomberg | JD2718

by Mike Simpson / 5d
In praise of Michael Bloomberg Nah, I’m not nuts. I’m not voting for the guy. Neither should you. I don’t support him. Never have, never will. The worst thing about him? So many choices. But I focus on education. His legacy in education is disorganisation and destruction, and we are still suffering the consequences. So, actually, this praise is very short. There’s just two things I will mention.
I stuttered. I stutter. – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 5d
I STUTTERED. I STUTTER. An article in The Atlantic about Joe Biden’s stutter provoked some interesting conversations this past weekend. Needless to say, I am no supporter of Joe Biden. The fact that he has a stutter doesn’t change that at all. But Atlantic’s senior editor, who has a stutter himself, has written an article that is about way more than Biden. It is about how we treat differences. A
Beware: Opponents of Elizabeth Warren’s Education Plan Have a Vested Interest in Expanding School Privatization | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Beware: Opponents of Elizabeth Warren’s Education Plan Have a Vested Interest in Expanding School Privatization In October, Elizabeth Warren released an exemplary plan for public education . As she campaigns across the country to be chosen as the Democratic candidate for President in 2020, I hope she will continue to advocate for the important principles in her public education plan. In the past
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Sped and the Superintendent

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Sped and the Superintendent Editor's note; I took out the reference to a "swarm" of people, forgetting that swarm actually implies a large group and that was not my intent. As well, I had one unpleasant comment saying I was comparing people to insects. Not the case because there are many words used to describe a group. Swarm is one of them. You can look it up. end up Editor's note The Superinten

NOV 24

Rise Above the Mark Film Excerpt - Indiana Funding - YouTube

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Rise Above the Mark Film Excerpt - Indiana Funding "The film is fantastic. It's simply astonishing that it was produced by public school educators. Public education is under attack and this film is proof." - Diane Ravitch Public Education for all children! Rise Above the Mark is a documentary narrated by Peter Coyote that brings to light the heartbreaking realities of public education. It’s the
enrique baloyra: Pro charter billionaires astroturfing Democratic primaries - YouTube

by Mike Simpson / 5d
Pro charter billionaires astroturfing Democratic primaries - YouTube Pro charter billionaires astroturfing Democratic primaries enrique baloyra Protesters interrupted Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s rally in Atlanta on Thursday, chanting, “Our children, our choice!” The Democratic presidential hopeful was speaking at an historically Black college when the group demanded, “We want to be heard!” Conservati
CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Good Lord Is Thanksgiving Really Next Week Edition (11/24)

by Mike Simpson / 6d
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Good Lord Is Thanksgiving Really Next Week Edition (11/24) ICYMI: Good Lord Is Thanksgiving Really Next Week Edition (11/24) I find that in retirement holidays sort of sneak up on me. I suppose it's because I'm not exposed to the daily reminders from students and the school calendar. Mostly I like it, but sometimes I'm surprised. In the meantime, here are some readings from
MURPH AND FRIENDS: 7 Ways To Bulletproof Your Teaching Career + Mistakes To Avoid When Teaching Writing To Kids - Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 6d
7 Ways To Bulletproof Your Teaching Career - Teacher Habits 7 Ways To Bulletproof Your Teaching Career Many teachers I know live with fear. They fear failing their students. They fear angering vocal parents. They fear the judgment of their colleagues. But above all, many teachers fear a poor evaluation from an administrator that leads to the loss of their job and puts their teaching career in jeo
Why 15,000 Indiana teachers just walked off the job | Salon.com

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Why 15,000 Indiana teachers just walked off the job Tuesday’s statewide walkout of teachers in Indiana could lead to an illegal strike After making waves in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina and beyond, the Red for Ed movement has now spread to Indiana. Fed up with disinvestment in public schools and disrespect for their profession, teachers from across the Hoosier State
EdAction in Congress November 24, 2019 - Education Votes

by Mike Simpson / 6d
EdAction in Congress November 24, 2019 Tell Congress to increase Title I and IDEA in final funding bill On the heels of passing yet another short-term funding bill—this one expires Dec. 20—House and Senate negotiators continue to seek agreement on a final funding bill for fiscal 2020, which began Oct 1. NEA is pushing for significant increases like those in H.R. 2740, the education appropriation
Students were illegally punished for Black Lives Matter posters, ACLU says - Los Angeles Times

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Students were illegally punished for Black Lives Matter posters, ACLU says A group of young Sacramento students was unlawfully singled out and punished for creating posters that supported the Black Lives Matter movement as part of an art class led by a parent volunteer, the American Civil Liberties Union said. Four students at Del Paso Manor Elementary School created the works after a lesson on
New Orleans: Nearly Half of the District’s Charter Schools Receive a D or F from State

by Mike Simpson / 6d
| Diane Ravitch's blog New Orleans: Nearly Half of the District’s Charter Schools Receive a D or F from State Ouch! New Orleans is the nation’s first all-charter district. New Orleans is supposed to be the shining star of the charter movement, proving the value of school choice and market-based reforms, closing schools and replacing them with new schools, then closing failing schools, ad infinit
Will Pinkston: Time for School Districts To Set Standards for Charter Applications, not the Charter Industry’s Lobbyists | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Will Pinkston: Time for School Districts To Set Standards for Charter Applications, not the Charter Industry’s Lobbyists Will Pinkston, who served on the elected school board of the Metro Nashville school district, writes here that school districts should not outsource their charter application process to the charter industry’s lobbyists. The timing is right because the Koch Network has targeted
NYC Educator: DOE Coaches Principals on Instructional Leadership Teams

by Mike Simpson / 6d
DOE Coaches Principals on Instructional Leadership Teams Good morning principals. It's great you all came here for our Instructional Leadership Team training! You'll be happy to know that we're going to reach out to all constituencies and make sure they get rigorous instruction! We want equity and excellence for all. I see a hand. Do we have to include UFT in this? My chapter leader is a pain in
An Urban Teacher's Education: What We're Not Talking About When We Talk About Equity

by Mike Simpson / 6d
What We're Not Talking About When We Talk About Equity The term equity is being used a lot these days in education circles, certainly more than when i began teaching in 2006. On the surface, that seems like a good thing. A lot of us would like to prioritize equity. But, the more it gets thrown around, the more it seems like it's being used in ways that are so superficial that they actually perpe
CURMUDGUCATION: President Grant and the Reconstruction That Wasn't

by Mike Simpson / 6d
President Grant and the Reconstruction That Wasn't I've finished the biography Grant by Ron Chernow, the author who famously wrote that bio of Alexander Hamilton (and a really good one of Rockefeller, too). In the end, Ulysses S. Grant remains a little more opaque than some of Chernow's other subjects, but the history that Grant himself lived through is a striking reflection of our nation in a t

NOV 23



Top Posts This Week 11/23/19 #Redfored

by Mike Simpson / 6d
Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 11/23/19 The real story of New Orleans and its charter schools - The Washington Post Bill Gates spent hundreds of millions of dollars to improve teaching. New report says it was a 


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