Monday, October 25, 2010

NJ Spotlight | Church, State, and Charter Schools

Church, State, and Charter Schools
As an increasing number of religious institutions back charter schools, church and state issues may loom large

By John Mooney, October 25 in Education |2 Comments

The announcement came about halfway through yesterday’s service at St. Matthew’s AME Church in Orange, when the Rev. Reginald Jackson broke from the celebratory music and prayerful message to talk education policy.

Jackson told his congregation of about 200 that he had applied to the state Department of Education to open a charter school, drawing applause.

“We want a charter school that will provide opportunities for every child to be the best they can be,” he said.

And Jackson asked for a little help: “I want you to be in prayer that the charter school be approved.”

Another Chapter

In another chapter in the pastor’s venerable and outspoken advocacy for school choice, Jackson had instantly added an intriguing twist to the New Jersey’s charter school movement.

CTA outspends ACSA in superintendent race | Thoughts on Public Education

CTA outspends ACSA in superintendent race - by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

by John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

In the surrogate battle in the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction, behemoth California Teachers Assn. has spent $3.4 million this year on behalf of its chosen one, Assembly member Tom Torlakson. This is more than double what the smaller Association of California School Administrators has spent promoting its favorite son, retired superintendent Larry Aceves [...]

This Week In Education: AM News: "Value-Added" Approach Spreads Into Higher Ed

AM News: "Value-Added" Approach Spreads Into Higher Ed

by Alexander Russo

Putting a Price on Professors WSJ: A 265-page spreadsheet, released last month by the chancellor of the Texas A&M University system, amounted to a profit-and-loss statement for each faculty member, weighing annual salary against students taught, tuition generated, and research grants obtained... 10 students burned as portable stove explodes at Torrance high school AP: Three of the gas-operated devices were being used in a classroom for cooking during a lunchtime fundraiser for UNICEF. Some students burned on their necks, faces and hands, and several of the injuries were considered serious... D.C. Teachers' Union election will affect survival of Rhee's initiatives Washington Post: District public school parents have a stake in the upcoming elections for leadership of the Washington Teachers' Union, which will have a major role in implementing some of outgoing Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's reforms... New charter, transformation schools proposed in city in 2011 Baltimore Sun: Seven charter schools and four transformation programs are being proposed to launch in Baltimore next year, many of which would focus on single-gender education and unique curriculums... Jindal orders $107M in cuts to balance La. budget Associated Press: Gov. Bobby Jindal said higher education, health care and social services will take the largest cuts Friday when he orders reductions to rebalance the budget and close a $107 million deficit... Teacher drops lawsuit in burning crosses case AP: An Ohio public school teacher accused of burning the mark of a cross on students' arms said Friday he dropped a lawsuit over his firing because it would have interfered with a public airing of his complaint in a different venue.

The Cozy Relationship of UTLA and LAUSD (La �ntima relaci�n de UTLA y el LAUSD) by John Adams - Perdaily.com

The Cozy Relationship of UTLA and LAUSD (La íntima relación de UTLA y el LAUSD) by John Adams

by Leonard

(Mensaje se repite en Español) In his disability retirement and final escape from LAUSD and UTLA's ability to retaliate against him, recently retired teacher John Adams has finally shared one of his experiences dealing with the Duplicitous Duo. For those of you who either don't think you can wait to retire to speak out or think that if you wait that long there will not be a teaching profession to retire from, I strongly suggest that you get an anonymous gmail or AOL account and share your outrage with Perdaily. It is the best weapon you have to avoid the further dismantling of public education. Four million teachers, their families, and supporters in this country know a better alternative and just need to express it. Or you could continue to let the minority blame you for their incompetence.

The Perdaily articles dealing with teacher retaliation, and UTLA aquiescence of such retaliation are District-wide.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

One rich guy who wants to pay higher taxes: Bill Gates Sr. | McClatchy

One rich guy who wants to pay higher taxes: Bill Gates Sr.

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By Brad Shannon | Tacoma News Tribune

Bill Gates Sr., the retired lawyer and wealthy father of the Microsoft co-founder, thinks Washington state's tax system is out of whack and needs repair.

The poor pay too much tax, the rich pay too little, Gates says. And the school system, which is such a springboard for future economic growth in high-tech Washington, suffers with too little funding because the wealthy aren't paying their fair share of the investment, he says.

Gates' solution — an income tax on adjusted earnings that exceed $400,000 a year per couple or $200,000 for an individual — is drawing protest from Washington business leaders and owners, as well as anti-tax allies such as Tim Eyman, who says the phrase "income tax" is politically toxic in Washington.

Initiative 1098 would give tax credits to an estimated 80 percent of Washington-based businesses and would cut the state share of property taxes by 20 percent for businesses and homeowners. Critics say I-1098 would harm

Focus Walk

Student Teacher Fired for Saying He's Gay Gets Job Back

Seth Stambaugh Told Fourth Grader He Wasn't Married Because He Was Gay

11 comments

By DEAN SCHABNER

Oct. 24, 2010

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An Oregon student-teacher who said he was removed from a suburban Portland school because he told a fourth grader he was gay was given his job back and could be back in the classroom this week.

Seth Stambaugh was fired for answering a student about why he wasn't married.

Seth Stambaugh, 23, was banned from the Beaverton School District in September after he responded candidly to a question from a student at the Sexton Mountain Elementary School.

"The student asked me if I was married. I indicated that I was not," Stambaugh said at a news conference on Friday.

"He asked me if it was because I wasn't old enough. I told him no, that it would be because I would choose to marry another man," he said. "And he asked if I liked to hang out with other guys, and I said,

The Answer Sheet - Saving public education: the 'Dolly Solution'

Saving public education: the 'Dolly Solution'

This was written by Richard Slettvet, a special education teacher in Washington State. Prior to entering the teaching profession he worked as a U.S. Navy officer and for two Fortune 500 companies. He believes that many school reform advocates in government and industry would have a tough time surviving a single year as a classroom teacher in a public school. By Richard Slettvet I am proposing the Dolly Solution as an alternative to Charter Schools Secretary Arne Duncan’s “Race to the Top” (AKA, Grovel for Lucre) reform initiative, which, if other federal education programs are any guide, is destined to end in a muddle of red tape, unfunded mandates, and unintended consequences. The Dolly Solution refers to Dolly the Sheep, country-music superstar Dolly Parton’s namesake, not to Ms. Parton’s 2002 cover of Led Zepplin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” Dolly the Sheep, you may recall, emerged in 1996 from a surrogate ewe

Schools Matter: Everything Bold Deformers Never Wanted to Know About Education

Everything Bold Deformers Never Wanted to Know About Education

by Jim Horn

A hundred years ago the first "scientific" generation of bold reformers set out to right America's education ship. White, male, Protestant and business class all, they were armed with the new behaviorist psychology, the new principles of scientific management, and the new pseudo-science of eugenics. They created the perfect sorting machine based on intelligence testing and other standardized measures, where poor children at age 5 or 6 were slotted into industrial training schools or vocational prep if they were lucky. The high scorers went on to high school and college.

Today's education deformers, weaponized with the same antique armaments, advocate for no such distinctions in their education crusade. Everyone should go to college. And besides, there aren't any vocations anymore to require vocational training.

Old habits are hard to break, however, and the evidence for it can be found in the fact that we still use the same primitive sorting devices we used then to do a similar sort of sorting, except now we pretend that poverty is not an excuse for scoring poorly. Back then we just assumed the poor deserved to be poor because of defective

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Collabaorative Planning

Collabaorative Planning

by Mike Klonsky

He forgot to say, "Value-added"

Thanks to Larry Ferlazzo and brother Fred for forwarding this video.

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Deborah Fleck: Education the star at NAACP gala | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Coppell

Deborah Fleck: Education the star at NAACP gala

11:47 AM CDT on Sunday, October 24, 2010

DEBORAH FLECK

Mostly adults were at the head table of the 10th annual Freedom Fund Gala. But seated next to Irving Superintendent Dana Bedden was a very poised youngster named Journey Woolfolk.

A fifth-grade student at Townsell Elementary School, Journey introduced Bedden, who was the keynote speaker at the Irving-Carrollton Branch NAACP's luncheon.

The new superintendent talked about "Education: A Responsibility of Society."

"We need the courage and heart to do what is right for our children," Bedden said. "We need to reverse the small numbers getting a good education. And reach out to all children."

Following Bedden's address, Ruby Walker presented four awards.Clarence Saunders received the Business Owner of the Year Award.

Opinion: 9 to 5 NJ schools? - NorthJersey.com

Opinion: 9 to 5 NJ schools?

Sunday, October 24, 2010
LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY OCTOBER 22, 2010, 6:03 PM

BY ALAN R. SADOVNIK

THE RECORD

Alan R. Sadovnik is professor of education, sociology and public affairs and co-director of the Institute on Education Law and Policy and Newark Schools Research Collaborative at Rutgers University in Newark. Send comments about this article to |Peter Grad, Op-Ed Page editor, at grad@northjersey.com

SHOULD WE increase the number of hours and days students attend school each year?

LANCE THEROUX / RECORD ARTIST

The proposal has recently gained traction as educators, celebrities and a movie have embraced the concept.

Before his departure last month, former state Education Commissioner Bret Schundler expressed support for extended time, saying it has the potential to increase student achievement, especially in low-income districts. He made his comments at the Robert Treat Academy, one of the most successful charter schools in the state, with both an extended school day and year. And noted Washington, D.C., Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee recently called extended school days and years vital to improving urban student achievement.

Coming soon after the release of the movie “Waiting for Superman,” where Rhee is

Killer instinct vs. relationships � Failing Schools

Killer instinct vs. relationships

OCTOBER 24, 2010

by mariasallee

I suppose there are fields in which a certain ruthlessness is beneficial to an organization. Corporations based on acquisition, say, or some types of law firms probably need people who are willing to forget about the human cost as they make decisions based on the bottom line. I just can’t make a case for this type of approach benefiting school systems where relationships are such an essential part of the equation. For example, a teacher’s ability to establish a connection with students can make all the difference in transforming a disengaged student into an active and enthusiastic participant in the learning process. We, well, those of us who actually educate, understand that with children, some level of buy-in is important. Kids aren’t as likely to do the work if they don’t somehow feel connected to it, or at least to the teacher asking them to do it. Teachers aren’t all that different from the students in that regard. We also generally prefer to be actively involved in the process of addressing the needs of our students and problem-solving the

The one best system… � JD2718

The one best system…

by jd2718

was the title of a book about American urban public education. It sits on my shelf, partially read.

My education “shelf” is actually quite short – a quarter of a shelf out of 30 something. There’s Small Schools by Mike and Susan Klonsky (read and reviewed), So Much Reform, So Little Change by Charles Payne, untouched, I really should read it. Pillars of the Republic by Carl Kaestle, great book about the early history of public education in America. Teacher Man, McCourt, unread. Accountability Frankenstein, Sherman Dorn, barely started. Playing for Keeps, Deb Meier et al, skimmed through. The Death and Life of the Great American School System, carried on many a trip, cover still not cracked. Diane Ravitch. An Incar pamphlet in defense of public education in Connecticut that I must have picked up 30 or so years ago. The Pressures of Teaching, a highly readable anthology of short essays by real teachers, edited by Maureen Picard Robins (so ok, I’ve only read a couple of the essays). It’s Not All Flowers and Sausages, by Miss Mimi, adorable, and between the blog and the book I’ve read most of it.

And that’s it. I’m not counting guides to the standards (THE standards? Ha!) Or Ed Psych books, or any of that

Parents’ Banner Praises ‘Super’ Teachers at Bay Area High School Slighted in ‘Waiting for Superman’ Film - California Teachers Association

Parents’ Banner Praises ‘Super’ Teachers at Bay Area High School Slighted in ‘Waiting for Superman’ Film

Contact: Mike Myslinski, CTA, 408-921-5769; Woodside High Teacher Gregory Gruszynski, 415-264-1798 (cell).

Woodside High teacher Gregory Gruszynski, left, says teachers greatly appreciate the banner effort, which parent Anne Kopf-Sill launched.

Woodside -

In a public show of support for teachers at a San Mateo County school slighted in the flawed “Waiting for Superman” documentary that offers an incomplete picture of public schools, parents at Woodside High School this week put up a huge banner on a fence in front of the high-achieving campus that praises educators.

The defiant banner reads: “Woodside High School Teachers – Man, You’re Super! Thank you for teaching ALL the students in our community!” It’s prominent and hard to miss by drivers onWoodside Road who pass by the campus, home of the Wildcats, at 199 Churchhill Ave., in Woodside.

Woodside High parent Anne Kopf-Sill organized the push for donations for the banner (designed by parent Amber Ramies) over her concerns with all the negative national publicity for Woodside from the emotional film, which tells the stories of a handful of students’ journeys to get into charter schools that use a lottery system to pick students. One of the students fights to avoid Woodside High and ends up in a nearby charter.

Kopf-Sill is not criticizing charters, just the way the film slights the diverse school her two sons attend,

Sunday links. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Sunday links.

by Fred Klonsky

Larry Ferlazzo warns you to be prepared to laugh with tears when watching this video. I find it frightening that someone has turned my last week into animation.

And Ken Robinson has some interesting insights into changing educational paradigms in another one of those clever RSA animations.

Chicago State Senator Ricky Hendon speaks the truth: “I’ve never served with such an idiotic, racist, sexist, homophobic person in my life,” Hendon said before introducing Gov. Quinn. “If you think that the minimum wage needs to be three dollars an hour, vote for Bill Brady. If you think that women have no rights whatsoever, except

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