Top Posts This Week 4/13/19 #Unite4SACKids #WeAreSCTA #WeAreCTA #strikeready #REDFORED #SCTA #CTA

Top Posts This Week 4/13/19 

Sacramento City Teachers to Strike April 11 - California Educator

CURMUDGUCATION: Why Do Teachers Have Such Lousy Parental Leave?

‘A Deal is a Deal’: Sacramento Educators Go on Strike - NEA Today

The Toll College and Career Readiness Has Taken on Students

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Testing Season 2019

Choosing Democracy: SUPPORT TEACHERS KIDS FIRST RALLY

CURMUDGUCATION: IN: Go Ahead And Shoot Teachers

CURMUDGUCATION: Freedom and Indignity

Stealing Scarce Education Funds From LAUSD Students

NYC Educator: No English for You!

Top Posts This Month 4/13/19 

Breaking News: Donald Trump fired Betsy DeVos this morning on Twitter | Cloaking Inequity

JEFF BRYANT: How charter schools are scamming the US government

Bill Gates says AI should improve education and medicine - CNET

CURMUDGUCATION: What Did We Learn From DeVos Hearings This Week?

Sacramento City Teachers to Strike April 11 - California Educator

Education Gurus 30 - Global Gurus

50-State Comparison: K-12 Special Education Funding

Why I was Shaking My Head at Betsy DeVos - Living in Dialogue

Jersey Jazzman: Only You Can Prevent Bad Tax Policy Discussions

The Wisdom and Wit of Diane Ravitch — Garn Press Coming Soon April 2, 2019

Posts This Week 4/13/19 

When Betsy DeVos "Likes" Your "Research"… | Eclectablog

by Mike Simpson / 7min

When Betsy DeVos "Likes" Your "Research"… | Eclectablog When Betsy DeVos "Likes" Your "Research"… The New York Post recently published an eye-catching headline (“ Case closed: Charter schools deliver more education ‘bang’ for the buck “) about a new “research study” (more on that in a bit…) from Corey DeAngelis and Patrick Wolf, from the Walton Family Foundation-funded “Department of Education Re

LeBron James; I Promise School Lives Up to Its Name, Shows Tremendous Promise

by Mike Simpson / 1h

LeBron James; I Promise School Lives Up to Its Name, Shows Tremendous Promise LeBron's I Promise School Boasts 'Extraordinary' Results NBA players are lauded for their otherworldly feats on the court, but oftentimes their accomplishments elsewhere go unsung. The Los Angeles Lakers had more than their fair share of struggles this season, but thankfully their superstar forward LeBron James has plen

9 Things Educators Can Do to Liberate the Minds of Black Children - Philly's 7th Ward

by Mike Simpson / 1h

9 Things Educators Can Do to Liberate the Minds of Black Children - Philly's 7th Ward 9 THINGS EDUCATORS CAN DO TO LIBERATE THE MINDS OF BLACK CHILDREN We must be about the business of liberating the minds of Black children. In order for that to occur, the minds of all Blacks who interact with them must also be liberated. There is no other way. – Bobby E. Wright Recently, my mother and I were dis

What Does it Mean to Teach Peace? - LA Progressive

by Mike Simpson / 1h

What Does it Mean to Teach Peace? - LA Progressive What Does it Mean to Teach Peace? D epending on your age, people associate peace with protesting the Vietnam War, songs, movies and marches of the 1960’s, the time before 9/11, quiet getaway retreats, or their yoga class. So what does it mean to teach peace and how would one do it? I think the why is obvious. I have been teaching all my life – fi

CURMUDGUCATION: Obstacles To Building Better Writers

by Mike Simpson / 1h

CURMUDGUCATION: Obstacles To Building Better Writers Obstacles To Building Better Writers Writing well is one of the great uber-skills, a quality that will open an infinite number of doors in a student's life. Unfortunately, we are living through a golden age of bad writing instruction, driven by high stakes testing and shrunken, meager ideas about the very purpose of education. In 39 years, I ha

Sacramento City Unified teachers union offers to meet with district | The Sacramento Bee

by Mike Simpson / 2h

Sacramento City Unified teachers union offers to meet with district | The Sacramento Bee A day after strike, Sacramento City Unified teachers union offers to meet with district One day after a teachers strike alleging unfair labor practices by the Sacramento City Unified School District, and the district’s call for a “cease-fire,” the teachers union sent a letter chiding the district but suggesti

Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 3h

Education Research Report Education Research Report The critically important role rest may play in learning by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 45min In a study of healthy volunteers, National Institutes of Health researchers found that our brains may solidify the memories of new skills we just practiced a few seconds earlier by taking a short rest. The results highlight the critically important role rest m

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 Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 TODAY Useful Article On What’s Needed To Enter A State Of “Flow” by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h I’ve written a lot in my books about how to create an environment that would encourage students to enter a “flow” state,

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 Diane Ravitch's blog A site to discuss better education for all Bob Shepherd: Life As a Teacher in the Age of the Deformers by dianeravitch / 34min Bob Shepherd is teaching in Florida after a career in education publishing. He left this comment on the blog about his teaching experience in Florida. His contributions to the blog are

Trump’s tax cuts for Betsy DeVos and the very rich are being paid for by education cuts – ThinkProgress

by Mike Simpson / 3h

Trump’s tax cuts for Betsy DeVos and the very rich are being paid for by education cuts – ThinkProgress Trump’s tax cuts for Betsy DeVos and the very rich are being paid for by education cuts The education secretary will testify before Congress Wednesday about the 'tough choices' in her proposed $6.7 billion education spending cut. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will testify before Congress on W

YESTERDAY

Sacramento teachers strike "for what's right" - CBS News #Unite4SACKids #WeAreSCTA #WeAreCTA #strikeready #REDFORED #SCTA #CTA

by Mike Simpson / 20h

Sacramento teachers strike "for what's right" - CBS News Sacramento teachers strike "for what's right"

Jackie Goldberg leads in LAUSD special election but turnout is crucial

by Mike Simpson / 23h

Jackie Goldberg leads in LAUSD special election but turnout is crucial Jackie Goldberg leads in LAUSD special election but turnout is crucial Stop and think about this: on April 10, Jeffrey Rosen, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Deputy Attorney General, refused to answer this simple question in his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing: “Was Brown v. Board of Education correctly

CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos Pushes Questionable Charter Research

by Mike Simpson / 23h

CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos Pushes Questionable Charter Research DeVos Pushes Questionable Charter Research The New York Post headline is pretty definitive: " Case Closed: Charter schools deliver more education 'bang' for the buck. " Writers Patrick Wolf and Corey DeAngelis are plugging their new paper, and Betsy DeVos is on Facebook plugging it some more . DeAngelis we've met befor e. He's a Fellow fo

Sacramento City Unified calls for ‘cease-fire’ after teacher strike | The Sacramento Bee

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Sacramento City Unified calls for ‘cease-fire’ after teacher strike | The Sacramento Bee District calls for ‘cease-fire’ after Sacramento City Unified teachers stage one-day strike More than 2,000 teachers across the Sacramento City Unified School District walked picket lines Thursday morning for the first time in 30 years, staging a one-day strike alleging unfair labor practices by the district.

Bernie Sanders’ Staff Called Me to Talk About Education Policy | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Bernie Sanders’ Staff Called Me to Talk About Education Policy | Diane Ravitch's blog Bernie Sanders’ Staff Called Me to Talk About Education Policy I got an e-mail recently from Senator Bernie Sanders’s education advisor. She said she reads the blog and wondered if we could talk. I said sure but I was not ready to endorse anyone in the Democratic primaries. I asked for and got her permission to

A Day On The Picket Line | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

by Mike Simpson / 1d

A Day On The Picket Line | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... A DAY ON THE PICKET LINE CBS News Video Segment: “Sacramento teachers on strike” | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=96830 on @Larryferlazzo As you have read here (see A BEGINNING LIST OF THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT OUR SACRAMENTO DISTRICT’S FINANCIAL FIASCO) or heard elsewher

DeVos’s Staff Blocked Researchers Trying to Investigate Federal Charter Schools Program | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 1d

DeVos’s Staff Blocked Researchers Trying to Investigate Federal Charter Schools Program | janresseger DeVos’s Staff Blocked Researchers Trying to Investigate Federal Charter Schools Program Writing this week for The Washingtonian , Rachel M. Cohen describes the responses of eighteen federal workers when she interviewed them about what it’s really like to work for the Trump administration. Cohen q

Ron DeSantis Has ‘Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals’ for Florida Education and That’s Bad | The Edvocate Blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Ron DeSantis Has ‘Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals’ for Florida Education and That’s Bad | The Edvocate Blog Ron DeSantis Has ‘Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals’ for Florida Education and That’s Bad The new governor wants to arm teachers, undermine local school boards, and generally double down on decades of education reform efforts that have gutted the state’s public schools. by Kathleen Oropeza | April 9,

Hitting Left with the Klonsky Brothers on Ken Davis’ Chicago Newsroom: Lori Lightfoot, Lincoln Yards, TIFs, pensions, the Left and our Dad fought in Spain. – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Hitting Left with the Klonsky Brothers on Ken Davis’ Chicago Newsroom: Lori Lightfoot, Lincoln Yards, TIFs, pensions, the Left and our Dad fought in Spain. – Fred Klonsky HITTING LEFT WITH THE KLONSKY BROTHERS ON KEN DAVIS’ CHICAGO NEWSROOM: LORI LIGHTFOOT, LINCOLN YARDS, TIFS, PENSIONS, THE LEFT AND OUR DAD FOUGHT IN SPAIN. Hitting Left with the Klonsky Brothers on Ken Davis’ Chicago Newsroom: L

‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ Has Never Been More Important Than It is Today | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ Has Never Been More Important Than It is Today | gadflyonthewallblog ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ Has Never Been More Important Than It is Today The biggest mistake people make about “The Diary of Anne Frank” is to assume it’s about a little dead girl. It’s not. Anne Frank is not dead. Not in 1945. Not in 2019. Anne was a Dutch Jew hiding from the Nazis with her family and

NYC Public School Parents: The Chancellor says no final decision has yet been made on the issue of providing student information to charters for marketing purposes

by Mike Simpson / 1d

NYC Public School Parents: The Chancellor says no final decision has yet been made on the issue of providing student information to charters for marketing purposes The Chancellor says no final decision has yet been made on the issue of providing student information to charters for marketing purposes More on this fast-developing if infuriating story in t he Daily News here . This morning at Tweed,

NYC: Faced with Charter Pressure, DeBlasio Backs Down | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

NYC: Faced with Charter Pressure, DeBlasio Backs Down | Diane Ravitch's blog NYC: Faced with Charter Pressure, DeBlasio Backs Down When Joel Klein was chancellor of the NYC schools in 2006, he agreed to give the charter industry access to the names and addresses of public school students at the urging of his good friend Eva Moskowitz, who wanted to give the appearance of high demand for her schoo

Indiana: Still hating public education after all these years | Live Long and Prosper

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Indiana: Still hating public education after all these years | Live Long and Prosper Indiana: Still hating public education after all these years For the last two decades, the Indiana General Assembly has done its best to hurt Indiana’s public schools and public school teachers. This year is no different. But before we look at this year, let’s take a quick trip back to the past to see what the Ge

CURMUDGUCATION: AZ: Kelly Townsend Wants To Shut Teachers Up

by Mike Simpson / 1d

CURMUDGUCATION: AZ: Kelly Townsend Wants To Shut Teachers Up A Z: Kelly Townsend Wants To Shut Teachers Up Arizona's #RedForEd movement was long overdue. The state has been one of the nation's top playgrounds for charter profiteers , but at the same time, they have starved public schools for resources, with low and stagnant teacher pay along with the worst level of per pupil spending in the count

APR 11

Risky Business: Long-term Damage to What America Does Best | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Risky Business: Long-term Damage to What America Does Best | Teacher in a strange land Risky Business: Long-term Damage to What America Does Best Here’s a book to put on your short list: The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis. I’ve now read a number of books (somewhere between four and six, depending on how you categorize them) about the Trump campaign and presidency–by celebrated authors (Bob Woodward)

Charter critics swing haymaker bills :: K-12 Daily :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Charter critics swing haymaker bills :: K-12 Daily :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet Charter critics swing haymaker bills by Tom Chorneau (Calif.) Leaders of the state Assembly are moving a triumvirate of bills aimed at slowing the growth of charter schools in California. Already playing defense in the Capitol against an unfriendly governor in Gavin Newsom and its long

Sacramento City Unified teachers walk out for one-day strike | The Sacramento Bee

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Sacramento City Unified teachers walk out for one-day strike | The Sacramento Bee Hundreds of teachers at Sacramento City Unified walk out on one-day strike This is a developing news story. Please check back to sacbee.com throughout the day for updates. Hundreds of teachers across the Sacramento Unified School District walked out of their classrooms and onto picket lines Thursday morning for the

Sacramento Teachers Picket Outside Schools In One Day Strike Amid Budget Crisis - capradio.org

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Sacramento Teachers Picket Outside Schools In One Day Strike Amid Budget Crisis - capradio.org Sacramento Teachers Picket Outside Schools In One Day Strike Amid Budget Crisis Teachers strike outside McClatchy High School on April 11, 2019. Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio Sacramento teachers and school employees are striking on Thursday in order to pressure the city school district to fully im

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Testing Season 2019

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Testing Season 2019 Testing Season 2019 Seattle Schools is coming up for the testing window for the SBAC. Opt out info here , including opt-out form. I again urge you to opt your child out. # OptOut # RefuseTheTest From Ignite Fire: No child has a standardized mind. All are unique and different. In Finland, the first standardized test is taken at 16. Plenty of tim

NYC Public School Parents: Public school parents and advocates relieved that their family’s information will no longer be used to help charters market their schools

by Mike Simpson / 2d

NYC Public School Parents: Public school parents and advocates relieved that their family’s information will no longer be used to help charters market their schools Public school parents and advocates relieved that their family’s information will no longer be used to help charters market their schools The Daily News this morning said this decision was "tabled," but the DOE was still telling paren

Internal memo contradicts DeVos on using federal money to buy guns for teachers - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Internal memo contradicts DeVos on using federal money to buy guns for teachers - The Washington Post Internal memo contradicts DeVos on using federal money to buy guns for teachers Education Secretary Betsy DeVos refused to say yes — or no — when asked last year whether schools could use federal money to buy guns for teachers. She said the law was vague and she couldn’t take a side. The result w

‘A Deal is a Deal’: Sacramento Educators Go on Strike - NEA Today

by Mike Simpson / 2d

‘A Deal is a Deal’: Sacramento Educators Go on Strike - NEA Today ‘A Deal is a Deal’: Sacramento Educators Go on Strike The #RedForEd wave hits Sacramento. Today, April 11, more than 2,800 Sacramento educators are on strike to protest the Sacramento City Unified School District’s (SCUSD) bad faith bargaining and to support a fair settlement that includes additional resources, such as art and musi

Well-Intentioned Ohio School Finance Plan Must Be Revised to Eliminate Savage Inequalities | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Well-Intentioned Ohio School Finance Plan Must Be Revised to Eliminate Savage Inequalities | janresseger Well-Intentioned Ohio School Finance Plan Must Be Revised to Eliminate Savage Inequalities After a decade of tax cuts brought by Governor John Kasich and a supermajority Republican Ohio Legislature, Ohio—still dominated in the House, Senate and Governor’s mansion by Republicans—is considering

Intrinsic Motivation is Key to Student Achievement – But Schools Can Crush It (Tara Garcia Mathewson) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Intrinsic Motivation is Key to Student Achievement – But Schools Can Crush It (Tara Garcia Mathewson) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice Intrinsic Motivation is Key to Student Achievement – But Schools Can Crush It (Tara Garcia Mathewson) Tara Mathewson wrote this for The Hechinger Report. It appeared March 27,2019. Mathewson describes how “traditional” schools “crush” motivati

NYC Educator: No English for You!

by Mike Simpson / 2d

NYC Educator: No English for You! No English for You! The cynical, morally bankrupt thugs in NYSED face issues far differently than you or I might. For example, there's been a perennial shortage of ESL teachers as far back as I can recall. In fact, one of the reasons I'm an ESL teacher is that I could never get a job as an English teacher. Someone told me, "Go teach ESL," and though I didn't know

USC and the College Admissions Scandal: Implicated Students Not Allowed to Dodge Investigation via Withdrawal | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 2d

USC and the College Admissions Scandal: Implicated Students Not Allowed to Dodge Investigation via Withdrawal | deutsch29 USC and the College Admissions Scandal: Implicated Students Not Allowed to Dodge Investigation via Withdrawal Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, are facing multiple charges associated with a massive college admissions scandal, including

Why can’t Betsy DeVos give a direct answer to a direct question? - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Why can’t Betsy DeVos give a direct answer to a direct question? - The Washington Post Why can’t Betsy DeVos give a direct answer to a direct question? Lawmakers wanted to hear yes or no from the education secretary. They usually didn’t. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos seems to have a problem answering direct questions with direct answers — at least when testifying before Congress. DeVos was on C

CURMUDGUCATION: IN: Go Ahead And Shoot Teachers

by Mike Simpson / 2d

CURMUDGUCATION: IN: Go Ahead And Shoot Teachers IN: Go Ahead And Shoot Teachers When the story first broke that teachers at Meadowlawn Elementary School in Monticello, Indiana had been shot with pellets--execution style--as part of an active shooter drill , I decided not to get in to it here. The sheriff's department had agreed to knock it the hell off, the legislature had already moved to ban th

Philanthropy: Not The Answer For Connecticut’s Public Schools | Real Learning CT

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Philanthropy: Not The Answer For Connecticut’s Public Schools | Real Learning CT Philanthropy: Not The Answer For Connecticut’s Public Schools The news is full of the story of the Dalio Philanthropies donating $100 million to the Connecticut public schools. But is private philanthropy the best way to fund public education? I think not. The Prize by Dale Russakoff documents the disaster it was whe

The Toll College and Career Readiness Has Taken on Students

by Mike Simpson / 2d

The Toll College and Career Readiness Has Taken on Students The Toll College and Career Readiness Has Taken on Students First day of school! Wake up! Come on. First day of school. ~Finding Nemo Children usually start school excitedly. They might even think they’re superheroes! But it doesn’t take long before their belief in themselves is challenged. Much has been done to public education in the n

APR 10

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Stories Form The Billionaire'S Playbook: The Plans To Destroy Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 3d

L.A. Schools’ Superintendent Attempts a Coup – Carl J. Petersen – Medium STORIES FORM THE BILLIONAIRE'S PLAYBOOK: THE PLANS TO DESTROY PUBLIC EDUCATION L.A. Schools’ Superintendent Attempts a Coup – Carl J. Petersen – Medium - https://medium.com/@ChangeTheLAUSD/l-a-schools-superintendent-attempts-a-coup-7ab023e5b9d by @ChangeTheLAUSD on @Medium “ The secrecy has got to stop .” - LAUSD Board Membe

Know Your Options: Writing Surfaces in the Classroom - Teacher Habits

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Know Your Options: Writing Surfaces in the Classroom - Teacher Habits Know Your Options: Writing Surfaces in the Classroom A Guest Article by Angela Petteys Sometimes, the best way to teach or to learn is by picking up a pen (or a marker or a piece of chalk) and physically writing something down. As important as computers have become in education, a good writing surface is still is one of the mos

Sacramento City Teachers Strike Could Cost The District Over A Million Dollars – CBS Sacramento

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Sacramento City Teachers Strike Could Cost The District Over A Million Dollars – CBS Sacramento Sacramento City Teachers Strike Could Cost The District Over A Million Dollars SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — More than 2,800 members of the Sacramento City Teachers Association are getting ready to go on strike for the first time in 30 years. Sacramento City teachers, substitutes, nurses and psychologists are h

Mike Klonsky's Blog: Have unions learned their lesson on early endorsements?

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Mike Klonsky's Blog: Have unions learned their lesson on early endorsements? Have unions learned their lesson on early endorsements? In 2016, Hillary Clinton received early endorsements from the two big teacher unions. But many of their members ultimately campaigned for Bernie Sanders. Organized labor is still traumatized after the 2016 Democratic primary, when several unions endorsed Hillary Cli

Charter Schools Just Bad Policy? | Dissident Voice

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Charter Schools Just Bad Policy? | Dissident Voice Charter Schools Just Bad Policy? It is no secret that charter schools coast to coast are rife with fraud, waste, corruption, and racketeering. This is closely related to the fact that charter schools annually siphon billions of public dollars from public schools that serve 90% of the nation’s youth, thereby undermining the ability of public schoo

Choosing Democracy: SUPPORT TEACHERS KIDS FIRST RALLY

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Choosing Democracy: Support Teachers SUPPORT TEACHERS KIDS FIRST RALLY

Education Department Must Unblock Public Citizen’s Website, Lawsuit Says

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Education Department Must Unblock Public Citizen’s Website, Lawsuit Says Education Department Must Unblock Public Citizen’s Website, Lawsuit Says Website Contains Material Critical of Department, Secretary DeVos WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Betsy DeVos must stop blocking visitors and employees from accessing Public Citizen’s website through the department’s guest Wi

Albany Times-Union: Save the Pep Rallies for What Really Matters, Not for Testing | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Albany Times-Union: Save the Pep Rallies for What Really Matters, Not for Testing | Diane Ravitch's blog Albany Times-Union: Save the Pep Rallies for What Really Matters, Not for Testing The editorial board of the Albany Times-Union editorial board is one of the wisest in the nation. It understands, as few other editorial boards do, that the annual standardized tests are a waste of instructional

Charter School Sector Swindles the Public, Burns Tax Dollars, and Cheats Children—Part 2 | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Charter School Sector Swindles the Public, Burns Tax Dollars, and Cheats Children—Part 2 | janresseger Charter School Sector Swindles the Public, Burns Tax Dollars, and Cheats Children—Part 2 Yesterday’s post launched a two day summary of abuses by charter school operators and charter management organizations due to the absence of regulation of a 44-state privatized education sector. Recent repor

The historic strikes and protests by teachers across the country aren’t over - The Washington Post

by Mike Simpson / 3d

The historic strikes and protests by teachers across the country aren’t over - The Washington Post The historic strikes and protests by teachers across the country aren’t over They aren't over. The unprecedented stretch of strikes and protests by teachers across the country that started last year is continuing. In February 2018, West Virginia teachers began the “Red for Ed” movement, in which tea

APR 09

CURMUDGUCATION: Freedom and Indignity

by Mike Simpson / 3d

CURMUDGUCATION: Freedom and Indignity Freedom and Indignity The ed reform movement has always had a language problem, starting with the word "reform," which does not really adequately describe a movement built on privatization and corporate takeover. There have been other casualties along the way. I've railed long and fruitlessly about the continued use of "student achievement" and "teacher effec

Sacramento Mayor Steinberg not involved in teacher strike talks | The Sacramento Bee

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Sacramento Mayor Steinberg not involved in teacher strike talks | The Sacramento Bee As Sacramento teacher strike approaches, a key negotiator isn’t involved Sacramento City Unified School District teachers are planning their first strike in 30 years Thursday, and the man who brokered a last-minute deal to avoid a strike 18 months ago is not involved this time around. Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who

How a tiny California school district sparked calls for a charter crackdown | CALmatters

by Mike Simpson / 4d

How a tiny California school district sparked calls for a charter crackdown | CALmatters How a tiny California school district sparked calls for a charter crackdown One was a charter school operator desperate for authorization after years of rejection by multiple school districts. The other was a teeny district in the rural high desert, hemorrhaging students, facing insolvency and in dire need of

Stealing Scarce Education Funds From LAUSD Students

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Stealing Scarce Education Funds From LAUSD Students Stealing Scarce Education Funds From LAUSD Students The District has not received payments from Community Preparatory Academy for the months of January 2017 through June 2017, which total to $82,240.97 currently owed to the District. ” – LAUSD Charter School Division The LAUSD School Board took the rare step of considering the denial of a charte

Sometimes Fences Set Us Free + What Not To Wear: Joan of Arc Edition | Blue Cereal Education

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Sometimes Fences Set Us Free | Blue Cereal Education Sometimes Fences Set Us Free My first year teaching, I had only one prep. I had four sections of U.S. History, fifth hour plan, and finished my day monitoring whatever in-house detention was called – essentially a second planning period. Compared to what we normally do to baby teachers, it was an amazing schedule. Nevertheless, within about six

The Real Crime in Higher Education: Not Gaming Admissions but Underinvestment in Public Universities | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4d

The Real Crime in Higher Education: Not Gaming Admissions but Underinvestment in Public Universities | Diane Ravitch's blog The Real Crime in Higher Education: Not Gaming Admissions but Underinvestment in Public Universities Alan Aja, Joseph Entin, and Jeanne Theoharis identify the true crime in higher education: the abandonment of public higher education by the states and the federal government.

ANDRE PERRY: DeVos’ support of charter schools spells disaster for Democrat backers

by Mike Simpson / 4d

DeVos’ support of charter schools spells disaster for Democrat backers DeVos’ support of charters spells disaster for their Democrat backers The party of diversity should promote policies that embrace inclusion When U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos put out the department’s 2019 budget, Democrats who support charter schools found themselves in an awkward political situation. DeVos proposed

Privately funded CT RISE program raises a number of key issues in public education - Jonathan Kantrowitz

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Privately funded CT RISE program raises a number of key issues in public education - Jonathan Kantrowitz Privately funded CT RISE program raises a number of key issues in public education By Jonathan Kantrowitz on April 8, 2019 at 2:30 PM Source: NHPS (New Haven Public Schools) Advocates Complete report The CT RISE program interacts with a number of key issues in public education, including: how

When I was a little girl, I remember singing the song “This Little Light of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine.” – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 4d

When I was a little girl, I remember singing the song “This Little Light of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine.” – Fred Klonsky When I was a little girl, I remember singing the song “This Little Light of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine.” At the end of Mayor-elect Lightfoot’s speech last Tuesday evening, she ended with a rememberance of a song. I love that song. I thought of the lyrics again yesterday afte

More Than Drawing and Coloring: Art (and Art Teachers) Have Power

by Mike Simpson / 4d

More Than Drawing and Coloring: Art (and Art Teachers) Have Power More Than Drawing and Coloring: Art (and Art Teachers) Have Power “What are you going to do with that?” It’s a question college students and newly minted college graduates often hear from family and friends. For Allison Richo, who finished college in the 1980s, the that” was an art degree. Allison Richo Today, she holds a bachelor’

Charter School Sector Swindles the Public, Burns Tax Dollars, and Cheats Children—Part 1 | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Charter School Sector Swindles the Public, Burns Tax Dollars, and Cheats Children—Part 1 | janresseger Charter School Sector Swindles the Public, Burns Tax Dollars, and Cheats Children—Part 1 Many of us have been aware of problems with charter schools for a long, long time. For over two years now, the Network for Public Education has been logging reports in local newspapers when an entrepreneur i

13 Affluent Parents Plead Guilty in College Admissions Scam, Face Jail Time | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 4d

13 Affluent Parents Plead Guilty in College Admissions Scam, Face Jail Time | deutsch29 13 Affluent Parents Plead Guilty in College Admissions Scam, Face Jail Time Thirteen parents and one coach involved in a massive college admissions scam pled guilty federal court in Massachusetts on April 08, 2019. From the April 08, 2019, Los Angeles Times : Felicity Huffman and a dozen other wealthy parents

APR 08

The Sacramento teacher strike is a warning to the #RedForEd movement everywhere – Alternet.org

by Mike Simpson / 4d

The Sacramento teacher strike is a warning to the #RedForEd movement everywhere – Alternet.org The Sacramento teacher strike is a warning to the #RedForEd movement everywhere The enduring RedForEd movement that has spurred teachers to walk out of schools, organize massive labor actions, and stage protests in streets and state capitols has resulted in big victories for teachers in terms of new lab

Florida Congresswomen Denied Entry to Homestead Facility for Migrant Minors - YouTube

by Mike Simpson / 4d

DWS to deliver letters - YouTube Florida Congresswomen Denied Entry to Homestead Facility for Migrant Minors DWS to deliver letters - YouTube Florida Congresswomen Denied Entry to Homestead Facility for Migrant Minors - NBC 6 South Florida - https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Florida- Congresswomen-Will-Attempt-to-Visit-Unaccompanied-Minors-Migrant-Facility-in-Homestead-508246771.html via @nbc6

Putting “Privilege” in Perspective - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Putting “Privilege” in Perspective - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly Putting “Privilege” in Perspective The word “privilege” has been thrown around a lot lately. But does this kind of widespread use of privilege (and the call-out culture that rains shame on those accused) diminish the power of the word and negatively affect the causes of social justice? Privilege is defined as “the principle

ReformCharterSchools.org – Strong charter school accountability now

by Mike Simpson / 4d

ReformCharterSchools.org – Strong charter school accountability now ReformCharterSchools.org Strong charter school accountability now Facebook Dear Governor Gavin Newsom, Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalikis; Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon, Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell; State Senator Pro Tem Toni Atkins; State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; State Controller Betty Yee; St

Sacramento City Teachers to Strike April 11 - California Educator

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Sacramento City Teachers to Strike April 11 - California Educator Sacramento City Teachers to Strike April 11 Sacramento educators will walk off the job and onto picket lines Thursday, April 11, for a one-day strike to force Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) to honor their contract and stop committing illegal actions that hurt students, teachers and the community. The strike will oc

“Fake News” and Fascism | The Merrow Report

by Mike Simpson / 4d

“Fake News” and Fascism | The Merrow Report “Fake News” and Fascism Those who shout about “Fake News” and assert that journalists are “The Enemy of the People” are either demagogues and wanna-be dictators, crooks who are trying to cover up their crimes, or people who have been duped. While the demagogues and crooks are probably beyond redemption, many of those who have been fooled might be open t

Schools Matter: Big Win Over KIPP in California Privatization Fight

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Schools Matter: Big Win Over KIPP in California Privatization Fight Big Win Over KIPP in California Privatization Fight Big, big victory in Los Angeles over proposed KIPP mega-charter : By Jared Hamil | April 8, 2019 Centro CSO press conference announcing defeat of KIPP charter school, victory for public education (Fight Back! News/staff) Los Angeles, CA - Centro CSO (Community Service Organizati

Betsy DeVos: “Cut My Department’s Budget, Please!” | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Betsy DeVos: “Cut My Department’s Budget, Please!” | Diane Ravitch's blog Betsy DeVos: “Cut My Department’s Budget, Please!” Usually, members of the President’s Cabinet go before Congress to defend their department’s budget and to explain the good works the department is doing. Not Secretary DeVos! She went to a Congressional heading to ask the Appropriations Committee to cut her budget. Much has

Parents' ultimate guide to smart devices | Salon.com

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Parents' ultimate guide to smart devices | Salon.com Parents' ultimate guide to smart devices Are smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon's Echo OK for kids? This post originally appeared on Common Sense Media . If a genie were to grant your every household-management wish, you'd waste no time making demands: "Add milk to my grocery list"; "Lock the doors"; "Help my kid with algebra"! The same

AFT president Randi Weingarten AND Kamala Harris’ Hair-Raising, Tax-Raising Plan – American Greatness

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Kamala Harris’ Hair-Raising, Tax-Raising Plan – American Greatness Kamala Harris’ Hair-Raising, Tax-Raising Plan hen the American Federation of Teachers endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in July 2015, many teachers were infuriated. The union’s Bernie Sanders supporters justifiably believed they had no role in the decision, which was made a full year before the Democratic National Convention.

School choice voucher equity and equality are different

by Mike Simpson / 5d

School choice voucher equity and equality are different OPINION: When it comes to vouchers, equity and equality are not the same Instead of 'uprooting' students, let's help them to 'bloom where they are planted' Betsy DeVos, the U.S. Secretary of Education, continues to insist that private-school vouchers are the magic wand that the nation can wave to create equity for disadvantaged children — es

CURMUDGUCATION: WV: Lukewarm Charter Baloney and The Questions To Ask

by Mike Simpson / 5d

CURMUDGUCATION: WV: Lukewarm Charter Baloney and The Questions To Ask WV: Lukewarm Charter Baloney and The Questions To Ask West Virginia remains one of the untapped market for the ed reformster business, and privatizers are determined to keep hammering away. The most recent attempt involved a little bit of legislative extortion, as lawmakers tried using teacher raises as the sweetener in a bill

MetWest: Senior Thesis Project (Part 5) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 5d

MetWest: Senior Thesis Project (Part 5) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice MetWest: Senior Thesis Project (Part 5) MetWest is a small California high school (about 160 students in 9-12 grades) located in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). It is part of a network of Big Picture schools in the nation. In a recently built facility housing an elementary school, social serv

APR 07

SCTA Leaders' Statement About Student Attendance During Strike on Thursday, April 11 - Sacramento City Teachers Association

by Mike Simpson / 5d

SCTA Leaders' Statement About Student Attendance During Strike on Thursday, April 11 - Sacramento City Teachers Association SCTA LEADERS’ STATEMENT ABOUT STUDENT ATTENDANCE DURING STRIKE ON THURSDAY, APRIL 11 David Fisher, President and Nikki Milevsky, Vice-President of SCTA As parents of students in the District we will be keeping our students home on Thursday, April 11 th , in support of striki

Editorial: La Opinión apoya a Jackie Goldberg | La Opinión

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Editorial: La Opinión apoya a Jackie Goldberg | La Opinión Editorial: La Opinión apoya a Jackie Goldberg Se necesita una persona con experiencia, valores y conocimientos para representar al distrito 5 en la Junta Educativa del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Los Ángeles. Jackie Goldberg es quien puede proveer ese liderazgo. Esta elección presenta a los votantes dos alternativas muy distintas entre

Lightfoot 'impressed' with CPS' Jackson; at CPD, Johnson 'encouraged' after chat | Chicago Sun-Times

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Lightfoot 'impressed' with CPS' Jackson; at CPD, Johnson 'encouraged' after chat | Chicago Sun-Times Lightfoot ‘impressed’ with CPS’ Jackson; at CPD, Johnson ‘encouraged’ after chat Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot being interviewed by Chicago Sun-Times reporter Fran Spielman on Friday. | Rich Hein/Sun-Times Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot said Friday she “came away very impressed” after her meeting with Ch

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Hello, April Edition (4/7)

by Mike Simpson / 6d

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Hello, April Edition (4/7) ICYMI: Hello, April Edition (4/7) It's practically like spring here in Northwest PA, but I still have some-- well, many-- choice items to share this week. Remember, these writers depend on you to boost their work, so if something here speaks to you, help push it out into the world! I Asked USED Three Questions Jeff Bryant just had three questions

The College Cheating Scheme and the Broken Mirror of Philanthropy | Schott Foundation for Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 6d

The College Cheating Scheme and the Broken Mirror of Philanthropy | Schott Foundation for Public Education The College Cheating Scheme and the Broken Mirror of Philanthropy You would be hard-pressed to pick up a newspaper, scroll through an online media platform, or check social media without being bombarded with stories on the U.S. college admissions scandal. It’s been fodder for daytime and lat

Dana Goldstein: Is the U.S. a Democracy? A Social Studies Battle Turns on the Nation’s Values - The New York Times

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Is the U.S. a Democracy? A Social Studies Battle Turns on the Nation’s Values - The New York Times Is the U.S. a Democracy? A Social Studies Battle Turns on the Nation’s Values Michigan spent five years debating how to teach American history. One of the biggest questions was how to describe the nation’s government. LANSING, Mich. — Bruising political fights are usual business in Becky Debowski’s

Chaz's School Daze: Long Island Students Continue To "Opt Out"

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Chaz's School Daze: Long Island Students Continue To "Opt Out" Long Island Students Continue To "Opt Out" The New York State Education Department (NYSED) had hoped that by eliminating the time limit and to make the high-stakes tests shorter, more students would take the tests. However, when it came to Long Island, a hotbed of the "opt out" movement, almost half of the students (45%) refused to ta

New Beginnings Charter CEO Under Investigation for Grade Changes, Unapproved Contract, Forged Docs to Cover Tracks | deutsch29

by Mike Simpson / 6d

New Beginnings Charter CEO Under Investigation for Grade Changes, Unapproved Contract, Forged Docs to Cover Tracks | deutsch29 New Beginnings Charter CEO Under Investigation for Grade Changes, Unapproved Contract, Forged Docs to Cover Tracks The New Beginnings Schools Foundation (NBSF), which operates three charter schools in New Orleans: Pierre Capdau (preK – 8), Medard Nelson (preK – 8), and Jo

Apartheid Education and Segrenomics | tultican

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Apartheid Education and Segrenomics | tultican Apartheid Education and Segrenomics By T. Ultican 4/7/2019 Noliwe Rooks new book Cutting School: Privatization, Segregation and the End of Public Education, her fourth, is a commanding account of the century’s long trend toward under-educating America’s Black and Brown children. Rooks is Director of American Studies at Cornell University where she is

APR 06

Top Posts This Week 4/6/19 #Unite4SACKids #WeAreSCTA #WeAreCTA #strikeready #REDFORED #SCTA #CTA

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Top Posts This Week 4/6/19 Big Education Ape: Garn Press Publishes a Collection of My Most Important Essays | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2019/04/garn-press-publishes-collection-