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Saturday, May 23, 2020

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 5/23/20 #REDFORED #tbats

Big Education Ape


TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 5/23/20



TOP POSTS THIS MONTH 5/23/20







POSTS THIS WEEK 5/23/20


TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 5/23/20 #REDFORED #tbats
by Mike Simpson / now
Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 5/23/20 ‘Slaying Goliath’: Diane Ravitch argues in new book that public education advocates have beat back efforts to privatize schools - The Washington Post The real story of New Orleans and its charter schools - The Washington Post Watch the Video and Read both of Obama’s new commencement speeches - The Washington Post A School Voucher by Any Other Name CAT
California districts could pursue teacher layoffs if new state budget cuts K-12 funding | EdSource
by Mike Simpson / now
California districts could pursue teacher layoffs if new state budget cuts K-12 funding CTA would lobby Legislature to block districts' from issuing pink slips School districts may have another opportunity to lay off teachers, which they normally cannot do after mid-May, if the Legislature approves the budget cuts Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing. If adopted next month, Newsom’s proposed 8 percent
Cartoons on Sheltering-in | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
by Mike Simpson / now
Cartoons on Sheltering-in Two months and counting of being at home during the pandemic. Cartoonists have had full license to comment upon what it is like to stay home with kids and pets, wear masks, and keep physically distant from friends and extended family. As states loosen restrictions, a new “normal’comes into view. Perfect recipe for cartoonists to wield their pens. Enjoy! MORE: Cartoons o
Recorded Webinar: Safe Re-Opening of California Schools May 21, 2020 - Health Services & School Nursing (CA Dept of Education)
by Mike Simpson / now
Safe Re-Opening of California Schools May 21, 2020 - Health Services & School Nursing (CA Dept of Education) Safe Re-Opening of California Schools May 21, 2020 Recorded webinar on the Fall 2020: A Discussion on the Safe Re-Opening of California Schools from the California Department of Education on May 21, 2020. This video is 1 hour and 2 minutes in length. Additional Information State Superinten
When You Say ‘We’re All in This Together,’ Black People Know You’re Lying - Philly's 7th Ward
by Mike Simpson / now
WHEN YOU SAY ‘WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER,’ BLACK PEOPLE KNOW YOU’RE LYING He has traveled the world advocating for Black people. From the communities inhabited by poor Black people in Durham, North Carolina to the bush of Mozambique, and throughout his beloved city of Milwaukee. His steadfast determination and absolute refusal to accept the inequities that define so many communities in this coun
What Parents Should Know About Coronavirus as Kids Return to Babysitters, Day Cares and Camps — ProPublica
by Mike Simpson / now
What Parents Should Know About Coronavirus as Kids Return to Babysitters, Day Cares and Camps You never planned on raising kids during a pandemic, and there are no easy decisions. ProPublica scoured the latest research and talked to seven infectious disease and public health experts to help think through the issues facing parents. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of po
Cuomo is Letting Billionaires Plan New York's Future. It Doesn't Have to be This Way | Portside
by Mike Simpson / now
Cuomo is Letting Billionaires Plan New York's Future. It Doesn't Have to be This Way The New York governor is replacing elected representatives with private, unaccountable monopolists, and lawmakers across the US are doing the same thing. Too many decision-makers are ceding their policy to corporate power and private sector privilege ast week, New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced that Bi
Betsy DeVos openly admits she’s ‘absolutely’ using the pandemic to impose her ‘faith-based schools’ agenda – Raw Story
by Mike Simpson / now
Betsy DeVos openly admits she’s ‘absolutely’ using the pandemic to impose her ‘faith-based schools’ agenda Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos admitted that she was trying to use the ongoing coronavirus crisis to push through her private school choice agenda during a Tuesday radio interview.DeVos made the comments during an interview with Cardinal Timothy Dolan , the archbishop of New York, on hi
Pennsylvania Wants YOU to Give Standardized Tests to Your Kids at Home | gadflyonthewallblog
by Mike Simpson / now
Pennsylvania Wants YOU to Give Standardized Tests to Your Kids at Home A multi-million dollar corporation wants to make sure Pennsylvania’s children keep getting standardized tests. Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) and the state Department of Education are providing the Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) assessments for use in students’ homes. Finally, parents can give multiple choice standardiz
NYC Educator: A Week Off, or Makeup Week?
by Mike Simpson / now
A Week Off, or Makeup Week? Some districts are ending the year early so they don't have to actually pay teachers for the seven extra days we worked. Is that a good idea? For Governor Cuomo, it was absolutely unacceptable for students to have a week off in April, even though every district in the state had agreed to it with their unions. This was because, he said, it was too risky for young peopl
CDE COVID-19 School and Child and Adult Day Care Meals - P-EBT Phase 2: Online Application Now Open - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)
by Mike Simpson / now
P-EBT Phase 2: Online Application Now Open - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) P-EBT Phase 2: Online Application Now Open Coronavirus (COVID-19) Main Web Page The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division is excited to announce that phase two of the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) process in California begins today, May 22, 2020. Families with children who a
This Week With Newblackman (In Exile)
by Mike Simpson / now
NewBlackMan (in Exile) Left of Black S10:E14 – Kinohi Nishikawa and Black Pulp Fiction of the 1970’s by Mark Anthony Neal / 16h The rise of Black pulp fiction was largely attributed to the success of Blaxpoitation films, like Dolemite, which offered a more raw depiction of African American daily life in the 1970’s. Princeton Professor of English Kinohi Nishikawa sat down with Left of Black host
THIS WEEK Education Research Report
by Mike Simpson / now
Education Research Report THIS WEEK Education Research Report Field courses boost student success, support STEM diversity efforts by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 3d The challenge of diversifying STEM fields may get a boost from the results of a new study that show field courses help build self-confidence among students--especially those from underrepresented groups. Field courses build the self-confiden
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007
by Mike Simpson / now
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 This Is The Best Piece Of Pandemic Teaching Advice That I’ve Heard…. by Larry Ferlazzo / 9min 7 Ways Educators Can Help Students Cope in a Pandemic is an excellent ASCD piece by scho
KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all
by Mike Simpson / now
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 Former Trump Aide Wins $3 Million Contract to Produce Masks, Many Defective by dianeravitch / 54min ProPublica dug up a shameful story, just one more for an era of shameful stories. I wrote previously that the Trump presidency will make Teapot Do
2020 Medley #11: DeVos, Cuts, and Online education | Live Long and Prosper
by Mike Simpson / 4h
2020 Medley #11: DeVos, Cuts, and Online education DEVOS USES PANDEMIC TO FURTHER DAMAGE PUBLIC EDUCATION Arne Duncan, Barack Obama’s Secretary of Education said that Hurricane Katrina was “ the best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans .” The test scores of students in New Orleans did improve, though that was likely due to increased funding (by nearly $1400 per student) an
With Pandemic, Privatization Advocates Smell a Big Opportunity
by Mike Simpson / 4h
With Pandemic, Privatization Advocates Smell a Big Opportunity For public educators, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a crisis, which they’re tackling through hard work, creativity, and communication with students and families. Educators are streaming lessons, delivering meals, and bridging gaps in technology—with enormous approval from parents. But for for-profit education businesses and proponen

YESTERDAY

CDC guidelines for reopening schools: What's real?
by Mike Simpson / 23h
CDC guidelines for reopening schools: What's real? What will it really take to put children back in school buildings safely this fall? The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a "Schools Decision Tool" this week with recommendations for reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents are reacting strongly — either in relief or in outrage — at the changes the recommended CDC guidelin
What will COVID 19 bring for Education in Fall? | Cloaking Inequity
by Mike Simpson / 1d
WHAT WILL COVID 19 BRING FOR EDUCATION IN FALL? COVID 19 is radically impacting education. Sharing a few resources and thoughts that may be helpful as we consider education in the midst of a pandemic. I joined WWL LIVE today to discuss. Contributed to an article on MarketWatch considering the impact of COVID 19. Also, Kentucky recently released a document of items to consider when planning for C
No Need to Catch Up: Teaching without a Deficit Lens – radical eyes for equity
by Mike Simpson / 1d
No Need to Catch Up: Teaching without a Deficit Lens Some jokes work only when spoken aloud, and possibly especially when spoken aloud in certain regions of the country, but this one came to mind recently in the context of the impact of Covid-19 on schooling: “This is the worst use of ‘catch up’ in education since the Reagan administration allowed the condiment to count as a vegetable in school
Proposed budget cuts threaten safe opening of California schools, leaders say - Los Angeles Times
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Proposed budget cuts threaten safe opening of California schools, leaders say State education leaders on Thursday said proposed budget cuts to education would threaten their ability to reopen safely next fall and that confronting the COVID-19 pandemic calls for more nurses, counselors, custodians and teachers. The forum for these warnings was a video conference hosted by state Supt. of Public In
My Thoughts on the Election | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 1d
My Thoughts on the Election I will vote for Joe Biden. I will vote for him with enthusiasm. The alternative is almost too horrible to contemplate. Donald Trump is a wannabe fascist. Under Mitch McConnell’s direction (or control), Trump is filling the federal judiciary with rightwing extremists and incompetents. Trump is vicious. He has not an ounce of empathy. He is incompetent, and he has surro
CURMUDGUCATION: How Hard Are CDC Guidelines To Follow
by Mike Simpson / 1d
How Hard Are CDC Guidelines To Follow So now everyone is freaked out about the CDC "guidelines" as reported on that blue meme that was going around. This, of course, was the point-- to sell the idea that public schools will be like prisons, so everyone should pull their kids out. Because in the spirit of never letting a crisis go to waste, there are folks from your neighbor with the tin hat all
Misguiding Public School Policy: The Role of Giant Philanthropy and Technocracy | janresseger
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Misguiding Public School Policy: The Role of Giant Philanthropy and Technocracy This blog will take Memorial Day off. Look for a new post on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Several years ago, I was privileged to receive an invitation from a school psychologist at our local high school to visit the school and write about what I saw during that visit. The most memorable experience was a social science el
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 TODAY Classroom Instruction Resources Of The Week by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h Each week, I publish a post or two containing three or four particularly useful resources on classroom instru
Advance SEL in CA Campaign Launched - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)
by Mike Simpson / 1d
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and State Board President Linda Darling-Hammond Launch "Advance SEL in California," a Social and Emotional Learning Campaign The effort kicks off with a WikiWisdom Forum, where educators, school leaders, and families from across the state can communicate directly about how to advance, elevate, and spur action on Social and
Hire, Don’t Fire, Teachers! They’re the Educational Superheroes to Help Students Through this Crisis!
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Hire, Don’t Fire, Teachers! They’re the Educational Superheroes to Help Students Through this Crisis! Once upon a time, this country waited for Superman to save its schools. Teachers are today’s Superheroes. They face this crisis with strength and determination. The elite can write their blueprints. It’s the teachers who get the job done. The country should be hiring, not firing, its teachers. T
Kansas Preschool Teacher Is the 2020 National Teacher of the Year
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Kansas Preschool Teacher Is the 2020 National Teacher of the Year Meet the new National Teacher of the Year! Preschool teacher Tabatha Rosproy, a Kansas-NEA member, is the first early childhood educator to win the honor, which is given annually by the Council of Chief State School Officers . “I am so honored to have been chosen to represent the incredible educators in our nation,” said Rosproy,

MAY 21

Thinking WAY Out of the Education Box | Teacher in a strange land
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Thinking WAY Out of the Education Box Heartwarming current ed-news: Indiana decides that every teacher deserves to be Indiana Teacher of the Year in 2020! Education Week gives us another five creative ideas for how to pandemic-proof your graduation ceremony! Don’t miss 10 Ways to Inject a Little Fun into the End of the School Year! Because that’s about where the education community is, right now
DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? A site to discuss better education for all
by Mike Simpson / 1d
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 A Virtual Choir and Orchestra of 300 Sings “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by dianeravitch / 27min Enjoy this beautiful rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, performed by 300 people from 15 countries. Here are th
CURMUDGUCATION: Betsy DeVos Has, In Fact, Become Arne Duncan 2.0
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Betsy DeVos Has, In Fact, Become Arne Duncan 2.0 When this originally ran at Forbes.com, there was still some qujestion about the premise. Since then I've updated it with new info from DeVos herself. For many conservatives, one of the greatest sins perpetrated by Obama’s secretary of education was using the powers of his office to bypass the legislature. Arne Duncan oversaw Race to the Top, whic
Mitchell Robinson: Welcome Back to School! But Not So Fast… | Eclectablog
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Welcome Back to School! But Not So Fast… | Eclectablog Welcome Back to School! But Not So Fast… As someone who visits a lot of schools each year to observe student teachers and work with my colleagues in the schools, a few thoughts on these newly-released CDC “back to school” guidelines… • kids can’t keep their shoes and socks on for a full school day…masks? • no shared items? everything in schoo
Billionaires Are The Biggest Threat To Public Schools - PopularResistance.Org
by Mike Simpson / 2d
BILLIONAIRES ARE THE BIGGEST THREAT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS For Education “Disruptors” Like Bill Gates And Betsy DeVos, COVID-19 Isn’t A Crisis—It’s An Opportunity. The COVID-19 crisis is shaping up to be a golden opportunity for those eager to shake up public education. In recent months, as schools closed to limit the spread of COVID-19, millions of students, teachers, and administrators have been fo
What CDC wants schools, camps to do before reopening - The Washington Post
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Here is exactly what the CDC wants schools and camps to do before reopening The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has finally issued full interim guidance on how schools and other establishments can safely open during the covid-19 pandemic, and below are all the recommendations for schools and camps. They are detailed but worth reading to see the level of care CDC experts want school of
Meet Dr. Cade Brumley – Educate Louisiana
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Meet Dr. Cade Brumley Today, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) appointed a successor to John White who has been recognized by national publications as not only the longest serving of any state superintendent of education, but also the most controversial. Today marks the end of a reign of terror in which the only way was White’s way. Dr. Cade Brumley first caught my
California education chief says schools can’t open without masks
by Mike Simpson / 2d
California education chief says schools can’t open without masks SACRAMENTO — California has a major goal to meet before schools can reopen: acquiring masks for teachers and more than 6 million students. Local school districts will decide when they will welcome students back to physical classrooms and the state is not mandating a common opening date , state Superintendent of Public Instruction T
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Unsurprising Statistic Of The Day: Many Ed Tech Companies Manipulate Research Findings To Support Their Products by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h In an excellent article, The Hechinger Report
States of Shock: the Coming Budget Calamity – Have You Heard
by Mike Simpson / 2d
States of Shock: the Coming Budget Calamity A looming budget calamity worse than the Great Recession could mean mass teacher layoffs and deep cuts to school spending. In our latest episode Have You Heard previews the bleak budget forecast, how to avert it, and why the GOP seems to want states to go broke. Experts Bruce Baker, Sarah Reckhow and Jesse Rothstein weigh in, and, in a sign of what’s t
NYC Educator: Can We Safely Reopen Buildings? If So, How?
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Can We Safely Reopen Buildings? If So, How? We're looking at the possibility of opening our building in September. Will that happen? Your guess is as good as mine, but mine is we will not. Nonetheless, everyone's got to plan otherwise. I imagine a lot of schools would go end to end. That is, half the students enter in the AM, and half in the PM. Teacher schedules in high schools would overlap th
About a Teacher (Robert Pondiscio) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
by Mike Simpson / 2d
About a Teacher (Robert Pondiscio) “ Robert Pondiscio, author of How The Other Half Learns: Equality, Excellence, And The Battle Over School Choice , is senior fellow and vice president for external affairs at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute . ” This appeared in Education Next May 7, 2020 Few vocations have suffered more in the hands of Hollywood mythmakers than teaching. This is curious. School
Eckhart Tolle Meets John Dewey | tultican
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Eckhart Tolle Meets John Dewey By Thomas Ultican 5/20/2020 Professor Michael J. Hynes new book Staying Grounded; 12 Principles for Transforming School Leader Effectiveness inspired this title. I have an aversion to self-help writings and new-age philosophy. After reading two chapters, that is exactly how I saw this book. It made me wonder why my friend Diane Ravitch recommended it. After reading
Testimonies from parents, teachers, and students about the importance of reducing class size | Class Size Matters
by Mike Simpson / 2d
| A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes Testimonies from parents, teachers, and students about the importance of reducing class size On Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, parents, students, educators and advocates testified on the importance of reducing class size at City Hall hearings of the NYC Education Committee, chaired by Council Member Mark Treyger. Be
COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #21, Nationwide Waiver to Extend Unanticipated School Closure Operations - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)
by Mike Simpson / 2d
USDA Child Nutrition Responses #21–25 - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #21, Nationwide Waiver to Extend Unanticipated School Closure Operations Coronavirus (COVID-19) Main Web Page On April 27 and May 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released several Policy Memorandums. The Policy Memorandums announce Child Nutrition Responses which include

MAY 20

Cade Brumley Is Louisiana’s New Superintendent. What LDOE Chaos Has He Inherited? | deutsch29
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Cade Brumley Is Louisiana’s New Superintendent. What LDOE Chaos Has He Inherited? On May 20, 2020, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) voted 8-3 to appoint Jefferson Parish superintendent, Cade Brumley, as Louisiana’s next state superintendent. Brumley was not a choice of ed reformers. It seemed that their top choice was John White associate, Jessica Baghian , who cu
Social Distancing Should Not Mean Student Push Out - LA Progressive
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Social Distancing Should Not Mean Student Push Out Almost all schools in the U.S. have closed their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators and policymakers have largely focused on finding solutions for providing instruction remotely, access to essential technology, meals to families, counseling services, special education services, and all of the other services schools typically provide t
Breaking Apart During COVID-19 – Parenting for Liberation
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Breaking Apart During COVID-19 “In the healing from that breaking apart and the healing from that trauma, we can choose to either become harsher, angrier, more bitter, closed off, and controlling of other people—or we can take that moment to see that, even while we are breaking apart, we haven’t been broken.” — Mai’a Williams in Parenting for Liberation: A Guide to Raising Black Children The day
Antiracist Parenting During COVID-19 and Beyond - Yes! Magazine
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Antiracist Parenting During COVID-19 and Beyond Over the past two months, our lives have shifted dramatically. One day, we were reading about the spread of COVID-19 abroad, and the next, most of the world’s population was sheltering in place. For those of us who are parents, we are suddenly everything to our children: teachers, caretakers, playmates, and more. All of this while holding the grief
There Is No Good Reason To Return To School - Teacher Habits
by Mike Simpson / 2d
There Is No Good Reason To Return To School Amid all of the debate about when and how America should reopen its schools, there has been little talk about why we should bother to at all. The arguments are familiar: We’re exacerbating inequalities and widening the achievement gap Staying home is bad for kids’ mental health and social development We can’t restart the economy without reopening the s
Education software: Educators are forced to figure out which ones works
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Ed tech companies promise results, but their claims are often based on shoddy research With few watchdogs, educators (and now parents) are forced to figure out on their own which education software really works School closures in all 50 states have sent educators and parents alike scrambling to find online learning resources to keep kids busy and productive at home. Website traffic to the homepa
Michigan Settles Recent Detroit Case, Establishes Right to Literacy as a Federal Precedent | janresseger
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Michigan Settles Recent Detroit Case, Establishes Right to Literacy as a Federal Precedent Sunday, May 17, 2020, was the 66th anniversary of the landmark education civil rights case, Brown v. Board of Education . America’s continued failure to realize the promise of the Brown decision has been appalling. Although Brown and follow-up lawsuits ended de jure segregation (the intentional creation, b
CURMUDGUCATION: 19 Rules for Life (2020 Edition)
by Mike Simpson / 2d
19 Rules for Life (2020 Edition) I first posted this list when I turned 60, and have made it an annual tradition to get it out on my birthday and re-examine it, edit it, and remind myself why I thought such things in the first place. I will keep my original observation-- that this list does not represent any particular signs of wisdom on my part, because I discovered these rules much in the same
Chancellor Carranza, “There is no fat to cut … we’re at the bone,” Is he correct? Does the NYC School Management Model support schools effectively, or, Should we design a bottom-up model? | Ed In The Apple
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Chancellor Carranza, “There is no fat to cut … we’re at the bone,” Is he correct? Does the NYC School Management Model support schools effectively, or, Should we design a bottom-up model? Susan Edelman, in then May 16 th edition of the NY Post wrote, “Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza says students will suffer next school year because he can’t find anything more to cut in the Department of Edu
Betsy DeVos Needs to Work Harder | The Merrow Report
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Betsy DeVos Needs to Work Harder Betsy DeVos has been working to undermine public education ever since she became Donald Trump’s Secretary of Education in February 2017, about 1200 days ago. Will a recent exposé on the front page of the New York Times derail–or even slow down–her determined effort? That’s doubtful. But you should know that she’s now using pandemic dollars to weaken public school
Buffoon – Bumbler – Brilliant? | JD2718
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Buffoon – Bumbler – Brilliant? Trump the buffoon, de Blasio the bumbler, but Cuomo’s been brilliant? Not so fast! The nightly news version, the press conference version, that fits. Trump blusters, brags, bullies. He exudes confidence in his intellect and abilities, despite ample evidence to the contrary. He really wants to be good at this, he wants to sound official, and somber, and caring, but
Shanker Blog: Educational Equity During A Pandemic | National Education Policy Center
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Shanker Blog: Educational Equity During A Pandemic This post is part of our series entitled Teaching and Learning During a Pandemic , in which we invite guest authors to reflect on the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic for teaching and learning. Our contributor today is Peter Levine, Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship at Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life . He blogs regular
NYC Public School Parents: "Talk out of School" with Naftuli Moster of Yaffed and biomedical expert Kaliris Salas-Ramirez on reopening schools
by Mike Simpson / 3d
"Talk out of School" with Naftuli Moster of Yaffed and biomedical expert Kaliris Salas-Ramirez on reopening schools On tomorrow's "Talk out of School" on Wed. May 20 at 10 AM on WBAI Radio 99.5 FM and wbai.org, I'll talk to Naftuli Moster of Yaffed about the latest "smoking gun" emails, revealing Mayor de Blasio promised to delay & soften the Yeshiva report in exchange for renewing Mayoral contr
Have you ever met children? | Live Long and Prosper
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Have you ever met children? We Cannot Return to Campus this Fall Harley Litzelman, Oakland public high school teacher and union organizer, has written a piece for Medium that likely echoes the thoughts of the majority of America’s public school teachers. We cannot and dare not return to school this fall. Read the whole post . The “reimagining” of public education by non-educators now taking plac
Gates Foundation's Tactics to Remake Public Education During Pandemic Are Undemocratic (Opinion) - The Chronicle of Philanthropy
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Gates Foundation's Tactics to Remake Public Education During Pandemic Are Undemocratic During one of his recent daily press briefings, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that his state will work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to “reimagine” its school system. Cuomo presented this as a grand opportunity to transform learning through technology and significantly alter “the old model of
Teacher Tom: Children Have Few of the Rights of Citizenship, Yet They are Citizens
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Children Have Few of the Rights of Citizenship, Yet They are Citizens I'm worried about children. No one is asking them what they want. Of course this is nothing new. Oh sure, we make a show of listening to individual children, but since they possess precious few of the rights of citizenship, there is no reason, beyond compassion of course, to heed them. I wonder what they are thinking right now

MAY 19

CURMUDGUCATION: Student-Run Start-Up Takes On Civics Education
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Student-Run Start-Up Takes On Civics Education When you pull up the front page for LexGen , it looks like many other slick, professional websites. It’s clean and open and focuses attention on the organization name and their goal— “to make civics education simple, fun and accessible.” Scroll through the site, and you see that LexGen has big goals. They are concerned about the level of civics educ
Houston, We Have A Problem: Digital Liftoff Without Direction – Los Angeles Education Examiner
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Houston, We Have A Problem: Digital Liftoff Without Direction In his March 11, 2020 weekly address , LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner misleadingly refers to the emergency effort transiently supporting disrupted schoolsite instruction with internet applications (e.g., Zoom for conferencing, online worksheets and textbooks for resources), as an explicitly sanctioned “transition to online learni
Six urban California districts say proposed budget cuts will set back restarting school | EdSource
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Six urban California districts say proposed budget cuts will set back restarting school They urge tapping state's rainy day fund to give school more money os Angeles Unified and five other urban California school districts collectively enrolling about 1 million students warned Monday that “unrealistic” funding cuts proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in his revised budget would force them to delay reo
Russ on Reading: Why Johnny Can't Read? Part 5: Environmental Resources
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Why Johnny Can't Read? Part 5: Environmental Resources I grew up 70 years ago in a lower-middle class suburb, with a bunch of other lower middle class kids. When I was a school aged child, I would walk across the street to my newly opened school. My mother would give me breakfast and watch me leave the house and then watch me enter the school when the bell rang. There was a crossing guard to hel
SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the 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 SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 TODAY Malcolm X Would Have Been 95 Years-Old Today – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h WikiImages / Pixabay Malcolm X would have been 95 years old today.
NYC Educator: Death to "Legal"
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Death to "Legal" Susan Edelman in the Post writes about how Carranza's claim that nothing can be cut in the DOE budget is a lie . We are talking, of course, about things outside the classroom. I, for one, consider myself lucky when I even have a classroom, as opposed to a trailer, a closet, or a half room. The city's plan looks bleak indeed: The city has proposed $827 million in DOE cuts, includ
North Carolina: Civil Rights Challenge Charter Schools’ Racial Segregation | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 4d
North Carolina: Civil Rights Challenge Charter Schools’ Racial Segregation The Education Law Center and the NAACP are suing to block the use of charter schools to desegregate public schools in North Carolina. About Us News Facebook ‌ Twitter ‌ May 18, 2020 LAWSUIT CHALLENGES NORTH CAROLINA LAW ALLOWING BREAKAWAY, SEGREGATED CHARTER SCHOOLS By Wendy Lecker Parents and civil rights groups in North
Headlines: The State’s Education Budget Promises Cuts, More on the Virtual LAUSD Plans for Summer School, and Re-Opening? – Los Angeles Education Examiner
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Headlines: The State’s Education Budget Promises Cuts, More on the Virtual LAUSD Plans for Summer School, and Re-Opening? The last time we did headlines, we spotlighted a UTLA tweet that warned of a massive budget fight coming to school districts. Last week, Governor Newsom released his proposed school budget for next year. According to KPCC/LAist Education reporter Kyle Stokes, there are pretty
Jeff Bryant: The Future of K-12 Schools Isn’t Online; It’s in New Mexico - Citizen Truth
by Mike Simpson / 4d
The Future of K-12 Schools Isn’t Online; It’s in New Mexico - Citizen Truth The Future of K-12 Schools Isn’t Online; It’s in New Mexico A state where schools experienced deep adversities before COVID-19 can show the nation a pathway forward when schools reopen. “I think we’re all going to be different after this,” Mary Parr-Sanchez told me in a phone call, “but I don’t know how.” Parr-Sanchez is
Maurice Cunningham: National Parents Union, a Unit of the Billionaire Boys Club
by Mike Simpson / 4d
National Parents Union, a Unit of the Billionaire Boys Club National Parents Union, a Unit of the Billionaire Boys Club Posted on May 19, 2020 by Maurice Cunningham Last week I explained how the National Parents Union is not a union, not national, and not about parents . Today we’ll go into more detail about what NPU is: a political unit of the Billionaire Boys Club. Education scholar Diane Ravit

MAY 18

A Privatization Fever Dream for Post-Crisis Public Education | The New Republic
by Mike Simpson / 4d
A Privatization Fever Dream for Post-Crisis Public Education Millions of students are now learning from home, and pro-charter, anti-teacher forces are trying to seize the moment. Last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that his state will partner with the Gates Foundation to “reimagine education.” “The old model of everybody goes and sits in a classroom, and the teacher is in front o
Andrea Gabor: States Should Not Forsake the Neediest Children When Setting Budgets | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Andrea Gabor: States Should Not Forsake the Neediest Children When Setting Budgets Andrea Gabor spells out what many educators and parents fear: the collapse of state revenues will endanger our most vulnerable children. After 20 years of pouring billions into testing and consultants, let’s see how many “reformers” demand smaller classes and insist on protecting school funding. How many state lea
Teaching Remotely During the Pandemic | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Teaching Remotely During the Pandemic Cartoonists have acerbic pens. read some stories . In the New York Times , kindergarten teacher Rachel Miller in Georgetown, Massachusetts described teaching her class from home. Last week, I ran my first virtual small-group kindergarten class. We read a book, practiced our letters and sounds, and did some math; all this to the tune of a dying, chirping fire
The Brothers Grim: Bill and Mike’s Pandemic Panopticon – Wrench in the Gears
by Mike Simpson / 4d
The Brothers Grim: Bill and Mike’s Pandemic Panopticon Bill and Melinda Gates have leading roles to play in the unfolding drama that is Covid-19. Everything seems to be advancing according to Davos’s plan. The soon-to-be trillionaire couple has provided useful cover for their fellow billionaires, the ones backstage pulling the ropes that will drop the Fourth Industrial Revolution scenery for the
Teaching across an abyss of silence | Salon.com
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Teaching across an abyss of silence In the classroom that Zoom built Do you hear that silence? That's the absence of footsteps echoing through our nation's public school hallways. It's the silence of teaching in a virtual space populated with students on mute who lack a physical presence. It's the crushing silence of those who are now missing, who can't attend the classroom that Zoom and Google
The Training Wheel Fallacy for Teaching Writing – radical eyes for equity
by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Training Wheel Fallacy for Teaching Writing The Swamp Rabbit Trail System is a paved multi-use path running from the city of Greenville, South Carolina to Travelers Rest, to the north. As an avid road cyclist, I venture onto the trail occasionally since it runs near my university and allows a somewhat relaxed ride, free of the threat of car traffic (except for the crossings). Riding a bicycl
The Lochner Era & "Substantive Due Process" (Part One and Part 2) | Blue Cereal Education
by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Lochner Era & "Substantive Due Process" (Part One) | Blue Cereal Education The Lochner Era & "Substantive Due Process" (Part One) The Lochner Era (Introduction) There are several periods in the history of the Supreme Court in which tend to be remembered for an overall approach and lasting impact rather than for a specific case or two. Often they’re simply referred to by the name of the Chief
YONG ZHAO: Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Can and Should Creativity be Assessed? Ep1 of Creativity in Crisis
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Can and Should Creativity be Assessed? Ep1 of Creativity in Crisis Can and Should Creativity be Assessed? Ep1 of Creativity in Crisis Take the survey first. 11am-12pm first Fridays US Pacific Time June 05 2020 Episode 1 As creativity becomes an increasing significant attribute/ability for students today, there is an increasing call for assess
What’s with Cuomo and Others Advocating for a “Shock Doctrine” Shift to Online Education? | janresseger
by Mike Simpson / 5d
What’s with Cuomo and Others Advocating for a “Shock Doctrine” Shift to Online Education? We need to figure out a way to open public schools in the fall. Parents are going to need to go back to work, and children need supervision, routine, intellectual stimulation and the socialization that comes with going to school. And, as we have been observing during these recent months, for millions of chi
CURMUDGUCATION: AEI's Back To School "Blueprint"
by Mike Simpson / 5d
AEI's Back To School "Blueprint" Everyone has ideas about how schools can re-open again, from thoughtful and responsible educators to gun-waving loons on the steps of capitals. So why not have the American Enterprise Institute take a shot at it by calling together a reformsters' roundtable to look at the issue . The blueprint brought together a "task force" loaded with familiar names-- Chris Cer
What Happens to a Neighborhood When a School Closes? – Next City
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Neighborhood When a School Closes? ​ Author and scholar Andre Perry digs into how one shuttered elementary school in a majority-Black neighborhood has maintained its community connections. EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is an excerpt from “ Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities ,” by Andre Perry, published by Brookings Institution Press. In it, the author take

MAY 17

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Shorts and T-Shirt Edition (5/17)
by Mike Simpson / 6d
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Shorts and T-Shirt Edition (5/17) Shorts and T-Shirt Edition So it's finally almost summery here, for what that's worth. We can at least sit out on the porch. Meantime, here's some stuff to read. Well, a lot of stuff, actually. Why High Stakes Testing Was Cancelled This Year Steven Singer looks at some of the less-obvious reasons the Big Standardized Test is cancelled this
Annie Abrams: Privatization Vultures Are Circling Our Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 6d
Annie Abrams: Privatization Vultures Are Circling Our Public Schools Writing in the New Republic, New York City public school teacher Annie Abrams warns about the vultures circling public schools during the pandemic , hoping to make remote learning a feature, not a temporary emergency measure. She cites the recent comments by Governor Cuomo about the seeming obsolescence of “all these buildings,
Giving Private Schools Federal Emergency Funds Slated for Low-income Students Will Shortchange At-risk Kids - Education Law Prof Blog
by Mike Simpson / 6d
Education Law Prof Blog Giving Private Schools Federal Emergency Funds Slated for Low-income Students Will Shortchange At-risk Kids Derek W. Black , University of South Carolina Public schools have faced three distinct challenges since the coronavirus pandemic began – scrambling to make sure that low-income children don’t go hungry , teaching students remotely who lack internet access and bracing
EdAction in Congress May 17, 2020 - Education Votes
by Mike Simpson / 6d
EdAction in Congress May 17, 2020 Tell senators to support new COVID-19 bill The House acted decisively on Friday to stem the mounting damage from COVID-19, passing the $3 trillion HEROES Act by a vote of 208-199 . State and local governments are facing huge shortfalls—potentially, even bigger than during the Great Depression. More than 36 million Americans are unemployed, including nearly 40 pe
Afraid – radical eyes for equity
by Mike Simpson / 6d
Afraid But I don’t have the drugs to sort I don’t have the drugs to sort it out Sort it out “Afraid of Everyone,” The National For as long as I can remember, I have been at war with my own body. There have been dramatic battles—being diagnosed with scoliosis the summer before I started ninth grade in 1976, my collapse into debilitating panic attacks in October of 1999—but mostly that tension is
Watch the Video and Read both of Obama’s new commencement speeches - The Washington Post
by Mike Simpson / 6d
Read both of Obama’s new commencement speeches - The Washington Post Obama tells 2020 graduates: ‘If the world’s going to get better, it’s going to be up to you.' Read the transcripts of two speeches. Former president Barack Obama gave two commencement addresses for 2020 graduates that were made public on Saturday, telling them in one: “If the world’s going to get better, it going to be up to you
NYC Educator: Can We Pull Something Positive from the Crisis?
by Mike Simpson / 6d
Can We Pull Something Positive from the Crisis? Maybe there's a silver lining in the Covid crises somewhere. The question is whether or not we'll be able to sufficiently organize ourselves to exploit it. Of course, we have to find a way to do that before Bill Gates gets his slimy little hands on us and our children. I'll come back to that a little later. (But remember, if you're touched by Bill
NYC: Carranza Says He Can’t Cut $34 Billion Budget | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 6d
NYC: Carranza Says He Can’t Cut $34 Billion Budget Ricard Carranza, NYC Schools Chancellor, says he can’t cut the schools’ $34 billion budget. He says has has cut the budget “to the bone.” Advocates don’t agree . “ There is no fat to cut, there is no meat to cut — we are at the bone,” Carranza testified Tuesday at a City Council budget hearing. Education advocates and DOE staffers say his claim
Governor Cuomo Likes Commissions/Councils: Can Schools Be “Reimagined” in the Midst of a Pandemic and Devastating Budget Cuts? | Ed In The Apple
by Mike Simpson / 6d
Governor Cuomo Likes Commissions/Councils: Can Schools Be “Reimagined” in the Midst of a Pandemic and Devastating Budget Cuts? Candidates and electeds will make momentous decisions over the next few months. For candidate Joe Biden an educational agenda: we all remember the truly terrible decisions made by Obama, decisions that still haunt us. Candidate Biden appointed an 8-member team; Governor
Coalition tells the FTC: Time is up for TiKTok | Parent Coalition for Student Privacy
by Mike Simpson / 6d
COALITION TELLS THE FTC: TIME IS UP FOR TIKTOK The Parent Coalition for Student Privacy is one of twenty advocacy, consumer, and privacy groups that filed a May 14, 2020 complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), asking them to investigate and sanction TikTok, formerly Musical.ly, for continuing to violate COPPA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The complaint argues that Tik
We must not Re-Open unless we’ve Re-Thought and Re-Imagined
by Mike Simpson / 6d
We must not Re-Open unless we’ve Re-Thought and Re-Imagined What if we chose different metrics? What if we wanted to graduate people who knew how to listen to the news, and listen to politicians, and could come to reasoned understandings? What if we wanted to graduate people who were empathetic enough to wear masks right now in order to protect their communities? What if we wanted to graduate pe

MAY 16

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 5/16/20 #REDFORED #tbats
by Mike Simpson / 6d
Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 5/16/20 ‘Slaying Goliath’: Diane Ravitch argues in new book that public education advocates have beat back efforts to privatize schools - The Washington Post The real story of New 
Big Education Ape
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