This and That, November 30,2025
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In election news, I was reviewing newly-elected mayor, Katie Wilson's
transition team list and saw a couple of familiar names.
Under Economic Development...
How Mandami and Democratic Socialists Win -
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Article, published today, explaining recent victories of democratic
socialists and progressives (in NY, Seattle, Buffalo, and elsewhere) and
putting t...
‘An Education’ by Diane Ravitch — My Review
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Fifty years after the publication of her first book, ‘The Great School
Wars’, author and historian Diane Ravtich has released her long awaited
memoirs. In...
Consider Donating to These Charities
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*They will even send you a thank you letter!*
*The Anti-Cruelty Society, *157 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60654-7105 (312)
644-8338 *The Anti-Cruelty Soc...
When Power Expects Silence
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There are moments when you must decide whether truth matters more than
approval. The story circulating in the True Stories Facebook group about
Charles Woo...
ICYMI: Pops Concert Version (11/30)
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I play in a 169-year-old town band, and the day after Thanksgiving we
present one of our biggest concerts of the year. It's a huge treat for us
and audien...
Remembering Limp Bizkit's Sam Rivers
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In my 43 years of attending concerts, this performance by Limp Bizkit at
Woodstock 99 was the most intense I've ever experienced.
Holding down the low en...
Play is a Lily We are Too Ready to Gild
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In his classic book *A Sand County Almanac*, Aldo Leopold, the man
sometimes credited as the father of modern wildlife ecology, wrote, "It is
the part o...
The 1991 Film About Trump That Was Banned
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Since the day after Thanksgiving is usually a quiet day with not much to
do, it seemed like a good day to share this film. It was made in 1991. But
it was ...
Curmudgucation: An Excellent AI Explanation
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Curmudgucation: An Excellent AI Explanation
This is one of the best things I've come across to explain for an average
human being how to think of what tha...
Just Finished Diane Ravitch’s New Book
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By Thomas Ultican 11/25/2025 An Education; How I Changed My Mind About
Schools and Almost Everything Else, is highly recommended especially for
the thousan...
The Stories Behind the Statistics
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In The Stories Behind the Statistics: Why a Report on “Large Achievement
Gains” in Charter Schools Harms New Orleans’ Black Students, Dr. Kristen
Buras, ...
Rap Brown has passed on…
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REST IN POWER, Comrade H. “Rap” Brown (Jamil Al-Amin)—you fought for
justice, you held the line, you pushed us forward.We love you.
It Is Up to Us to Defend Democracy
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Do we have the courage to defeat an authoritarian regime? I believe we do,
if we organize strategically and effectively. There is no time to waste.
Do we...
What’s up with New York State School Finance?
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Full Report Press Release Slide Deck Executive Summary In this brief, I
draw the following conclusions regarding New York’s Foundation Aid formula:
These c...
November’s Parent Engagement Resources
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Be A Learning Hero has lots of research parent engagement with schools. No
Simple Answers for Kids and Screens* (Sara Konrath) After 10 years of
studying f...
Fix the Past or Invent the Future?
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Introduction Order the book from ASCD or Amazon. For years, the pervasive
story of American education was one of decline. In 1995, educational
psychologist...
Donald Trump, The Epstein Files, and “60 Minutes”
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Fans of ‘Sesame Street” will remember this song: “One of these things is
not like the others. One of these things just doesn’t belong. Can you say
which th...
Tuesday’s Close Election: Proposal One
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Zohran won six days ago. That was the election that everyone remembers. But
there was more on the ballot. Proposals 2 – 6 were about New York City (2 –
5 p...
This Is What Democracy Looks Like
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The polls for Prop 50, CA’s ballot initiative that counters MAGA’s illegal
gerry-mandering in Texas, opened Tuesday, November 4, 2025,…
The post This Is ...
Trying to get video cameras for my school
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through Donors Choose.
Here’s the project:
www.donorschoose.org/…
Putting this up because today only there is a 50% match for whatever you
contribute s...
Don’t Follow Advice from Billionaires
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This is by Julian Vasquez Lustig. —————- When billionaires step onto a
stage, release a book, or tweet some glossy piece of wisdom, the world pays
attentio...
Blogoversary #19 — Time to Move on
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Times have changed. I had a nice long run here, but let’s face it, it ended
a while ago. So I’ve moved. I’m not writing much any more, but when I do it
wil...
Il Papa è Morto
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Francis brought a distinct pastoral outlook to his papacy. A simple man, he
lived in a small apartment in the guesthouse. He sought to make the church
acce...
Trump plays Putin’s Playbook
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Recently Aleksander Dugin was interviewed on CNN, last week, and he stated
that he believes Trump is closer ideologically to President Putin than to
Washin...
Mike Shulman the ARISE UFT Judenrat
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I was surprised to learn that Mike Shulman has aligned himself with ARISE.
I previously supported him, advocating that the Castle Doctrine could have
bee...
How Do We Fight Trump?
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Dear Friends, I don’t know when and why it hit me. But I suddenly realized
how serious Trump is about changing the country into something that
horrifies. I...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
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I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen GarcÃa
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
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Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
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Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
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It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
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NYSED and Commish Elia continue to say that the NYS Assessments are of
reasonable length, I completely disagree.
Here is what NYSED states are average expe...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
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It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
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Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
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Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
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In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
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An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
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The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
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Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
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In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
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I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
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Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
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I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
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Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
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*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
Eight Things I Love About Elizabeth Warren’s Education Plan – And One I Don’t My daughter had bad news for me yesterday at dinner. She turned to me with all the seriousness her 10-year-old self could muster and said, “Daddy, I know you love Bernie but I’m voting for Elizabeth.” “Elizabeth Warren?” I said choking back a laugh. Her pronouncement had come out of nowhere. We had just been discussing
Democratic Candidates Should Distance Themselves From Teach for America Democratic Candidates Should Distance Themselves From Teach for America Like most who support public education and the teaching profession, I routinely pore over media reports to learn what the Democratic candidates will bring to the table for PreK-12 education, and higher education. Here are the frontrunners’ plans. Yesterda
Join us at GFE 2019! The Schott team is at the annual Grantmakers for Education national conference this week in New Orleans — we hope to see you there. We're happy to host a learning session and a funder reception on Wednesday, October 23, and Schott Vice President Edgar Villanueva will close out GFE in a plenary session on Thursday morning. Join us! Learning Session: Increasing Philanthropic S
Miserable Bankruptcy of Charter School Cheerleaders | Dissident Voice Miserable Bankruptcy of Charter School Cheerleaders Charter school promoters embraced irrationalism long ago. Their reckless antisocial agenda requires them to do so because what they are promoting has no legitimate basis; it is not consistent with modern requirements. “Leaders” in the charter school sector have long spoken and
Breaking the Cycle of Reforming Again and Again (Thomas Hatch) In a recent article in International Education News , Professor Tom Hatch, Teachers College, Columbia, offered a reasonable and do-able way for policymakers, parents, and voters to outflank the seemingly inevitable cycle of school reform that researchers, policy analysts, and historians of education have documented for decades. Hatch
An Attempt to Resegregate Little Rock, of All Places A battle over local control in a city that was the face of integration shows the extent of the new segregation problem in the U.S. LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—When Diane Zook, the chair of Arkansas’ State Board of Education, banged her gavel to bring the afternoon meeting into order on October 10, every seat in the cramped boardroom was filled. Nearly e
Sen. Elizabeth Warren to join Chicago teachers on picket line The presidential candidate will visit a West Side school Tuesday. Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is set to join the city’s striking teachers on the picket line Tuesday. The senator will bring her campaign to Chicago in a visit to Oscar DePriest Elementary School at 139 S. Parkside Ave. in Au
AFT PRESIDENT WEINGARTEN PRAISES EDUCATION PLAN OF SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN AFT President Randi Weingarten: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren's plan for our nation's public schools would be a game changer for our public schools and the 90 percent of America’s students who attend them. Like so many of the other candidates’ education plans we have praised, this one is bold and thorough and lays out tangible
A Letter to Chicago’s Teachers On the Perils of Pay for Success Finance & Wrap Around Services I am writing this letter to the teachers of Chicago as you continue your strike. I realize you probably won’t have time to read this until after your contract is resolved, but I felt it was important to put my thoughts down now while they are fresh in my mind. I know you care deeply for your students,
Even when they aren’t fired for being pregnant or gay, teachers face strict moral demands Pregnant teachers in classrooms are routine these days. But the law didn’t always protect expectant women in any workplace. As part of her stump speech, Sen. Elizabeth Warren tells a story about being fired from her job as a speech pathologist for special needs children once she became pregnant back in 1971
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 It's Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... A VERY BUSY DAY | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 TODAY Daylight Saving Time Ends On Nov. 3rd – Here Are Related Teaching & Learning Resources by Larry Ferlazzo / 4h Free-Photos / Pixabay Yup, it’s that time again. You might be interest
Teaching in Hostile Times There is a long-time joke at my university that has far more than a grain of truth in it—the campus and the university environment captured in a metaphor, the bubble. Referring to the bubble elicits smiles and even laughter, until the bubble bursts . Over three M-W-F morning courses this fall , I teach 40 students—39 are first-year students, and 39 are white. Most, as i
Can An Ethically Challenged School Board Member Pass Judgement On Others? Can An Ethically Challenged School Board Member Pass Judgement On Others? “ District and Personal Integrity. To maintain our integrity, we are committed to making decisions in the best interests of the District. We will avoid conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety. ” - LAUSD Employee Code of Ethics Included
The Classroom Connectivity Gap Is Closed. How Did That Happen? EducationSuperHighway has only been around since 2012, but this morning they issued a report with a simple message: the classroom connectivity gap has been closed. That’s not entirely a surprise; last year’s annual report from the non-profit reported that 98% of US schools had high-speed internet access. This year the number is squea
Kentucky: Don’t Be Fooled! Charters and Vouchers Harm Children Rev. Sharon Felton, coordinator of Pastors for Kentucky Children, warns parents and other members of the public not to be fooled by the rhetoric. Charters, vouchers, and tax credits are not good for children, and they drain resources from the public schools that educate most children. She writes: Educating our children is the most im
Vouchers And Federally-Supported Discrimination School voucher programs are becoming one of the major fronts in a federal battle to safeguard discrimination by religious organizations. Some flaps created by private religious schools seem minor, like the pastor at a Catholic school who banned Harry Potter books because he believes the books contain “actual curses and spells.” But earlier this yea
Schools with the biggest shortfalls in matching funds for facility upgrades. Here is the list from our report , Sp e nding by NYC on Charter School Facilities : Diverted Resources, Inequities and Anomalies, of the 175 NYC public schools co-located with charter schools with the biggest shortfalls in funds for facility enhancements, totaling $22 million, which were supposed to be provided accordin
Teachers Quitting In DC Valerie Jablow points out that there is an enormous problem with DC public and charter teachers being so harassed that they quit: around 70% of them quit by their 5th year of employment. (She adds that this is probably not a bug, but a feature of the DC teacher evaluation program.) I am reprinting her entire column, but you should subscribe to it yourself. ===============
Sun-Times' phony support for CPS sports teams Sun-Times says, Simeon needs the teachers strike to end sooner than the rest of the Public League We have to wonder, if the strike continues through the coming week, how many students this school year will score just a little lower on standardized tests, hurting their chances of getting into a top college or winning a scholarship. -- Sun-Times editor
Chicago’s Teachers Are Making History. Again. Rank-and-file workers are finally taking back their unions, and strikes are spreading across the country as a result. T he beginning of a resurgence of strength among America’s unions