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Friday, October 29, 2010

APNewsBreak: University posts info of 40K students - Boston.com

APNewsBreak: University posts info of 40K students - Boston.com

APNewsBreak: University posts info of 40K students

By Jaymes Song
Associated Press Writer / October 29, 2010
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HONOLULU—The Social Security numbers, grades and other personal information of more than 40,000 former University of Hawaii students were posted online for nearly a year before being removed this week, The Associated Press has learned.

University officials told the AP that a faculty member inadvertently uploaded files containing the information to an unprotected server on Nov. 30, 2009, exposing the names, academic performance, disabilities and other sensitive information of 40,101 students who attended the flagship Manoa campus from 1990 to 1998 and in 2001. A handful of students from the West Oahu campus were included in the security breach.

UH-West Oahu spokesman Ryan Mielke said there was no evidence that

GLOBE EDUCATION NEWS

As Framingham High stages controversial play, a teachable moment

Framingham High School’s drama director says that when she planned to produce “The Laramie Project,’’ she knew she was asking a lot of the community. The play examines the response in Laramie, Wyo., to the 1998 torture and murder of a 21-year-old gay man, Matthew Shepard. (By Megan McKee, Globe Correspondent)

Essex County program sneaks culture, learning into summer fun

Jonathan Paschal, 12, and his brother Jordan, 6, were dropped off each day over the summer at the Children’s Center in Methuen, but that wasn’t always where they stayed. (By Karen Sackowitz, Globe Correspondent)

Middlesex DA investigates reports of bullying at Groton School

The Middlesex district attorney’s office is investigating reports of bullying at the Groton School involving an incident after which one of the alleged bullies killed himself because he had been pressured to leave the school, according to the boy’s father. (By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff)

Stoughton teachers blast superintendent’s contract extension

Stoughton teachers are continuing to blast a lengthy contract extension given to the district superintendent, a pact that binds the school chief to the system for the next 5 1/2 years. (By Rich Fahey, Globe Correspondent)

New student card: Big benefit or Big Brother?

The hope is that the card will open an array of city services to students and reduce their absenteeism; the fear is that the new data it provides to city officials could be abused for less educational purposes. (By David Abel, Globe Staff)

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Hip-hop Berkeley prof. battles chemical company | California Watch

Hip-hop Berkeley prof. battles chemical company | California Watch

Hip-hop Berkeley prof. battles chemical company

Allies of Syngenta, a company that produces a ubiquitous but controversial herbicide, have continued attacks on UC Berkeley Professor Tyrone Hayes, a leading critic of the chemical who has fought the company through outrageous e-mails laced with rap lyrics, original rhymes and raunchy put-downs.

Critiques of Hayes' research on the herbicide atrazine have shown up in recent months in the Center for Global Food Issues [PDF], a project of the conservative Hudson Institute, Hoosier Ag Today, and debunkosaurus.

Meanwhile, UC Berkeley has defended the professor's free speech rights. Hayes is preparing to submit a new


Voter Guide: Whitman, Brown differ on education reform

Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown both say reforming the state’s beleaguered education system is a top priority, but they have very different proposals for getting there.

California Watch has been tracking every statement, promise, prediction and deflection by Whitman and Brown over at Politics Verbatim. This post is the last in a series that is using those records to lay out each candidate's stance on a specific issue in detail.

On K-12 education:

The candidates agree that the state’s bureaucratic funding system, currently broken into 60 categories, needs to

Pair accused of broadcasting Tyler Clementi's sexual enounter leave Rutgers - NorthJersey.com

Pair accused of broadcasting Tyler Clementi's sexual enounter leave Rutgers - NorthJersey.com
Pair accused of broadcasting Tyler Clementi's sexual enounter leave Rutgers
Friday, October 29, 2010
THE RECORD
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW BRUNSWICK — Two Rutgers University freshmen have withdrawn from the school after they were accused of webcasting a classmate having sex with a man.

Attorney Steven Altman says that means Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei will not face university disciplinary hearings.

Altman, who represents Ravi, told The Home News Tribune of East Brunswick his client plans to attend school somewhere else.

Wei's attorney, Rubin Sinins, told The Star-Ledger of Newark his client feared for her safety.

Ravi and Wei were charged with

Negotiate student achievement goals into teachers’ contracts | Thoughts on Public Education

Negotiate student achievement goals into teachers’ contracts | Thoughts on Public Education

Arkansas school board member to resign over anti-gay post - CNN.com

Arkansas school board member to resign over anti-gay post - CNN.com

Arkansas school board member to resign over anti-gay post

By the CNN Wire Staff
October 29, 2010 4:06 a.m. EDT
Click to play
School leader: 'I went too far'
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: Clint McCance says his wife and children have left state over safety concerns
  • Clint McCance apologies for remarks, calls them "ignorant"
  • "I would never support suicide for any kids," he says after advocating suicide for homosexuals

(CNN) -- A school board district member in Arkansas who came under fire for an anti-gay post on a social networking site regrets the comments and will resign his seat, he told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Thursday.

"I'm sorry I've hurt people with my comments," Clint McCance, vice-president of the Midland School District in Pleasant Plains, Arkansas said. "I'm sorry I made those ignorant comments and hurt people on a broad spectrum."

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sick 'em, Cujo

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sick 'em, Cujo

Sick 'em, Cujo

Joel Klein's hired attack dog, Natalie Ravitz has once again been sicked on Diane Ravitch. But it's a mismatch. The dog has rubber teeth. She claims Ravitch wants bad education because she doesn't believe "all kids can learn." Who does she expect to buy that argumen,t besides her boss? Her defense of value-added (it was invented by some Ivy League profs) falls

The Answer Sheet - And now, a tragicomic conversation on 'differentiation'

The Answer Sheet - And now, a tragicomic conversation on 'differentiation'

And now, a tragicomic conversation on 'differentiation'

Reaction to a video I posted this week showing two figures in a nonsensical conversation about “collaborative planning” and teaching was strong and sad. A reader, Wyrm1, echoed a number of comments and emails I received from teachers, saying: “Sadly, the video is funny because it is all too true in many school districts.” If you didn't see it, take a look (it is below). My favorite dialogue from that video:

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: More NCLB madness

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: More NCLB madness

More NCLB madness

New Trier High School failed to make AYP. Will they close the school? Charter-ize it? Fire all the teachers, Central Falls style? Post their names in the papers? Wait for Superman? What?

Nine of 10 Illinois high schools — 609 of 665 in the state — missed the mark on math and reading tests and risk federal sanctions, according to information released Wednesday by the Illinois State Board of Education.

According to the Tribune:
The sweeping designation muddies the issue for parents trying to make sense of it all, and

Queens Teacher: Duncan Answers Teachers' Concerns

Queens Teacher: Duncan Answers Teachers' Concerns

Duncan Answers Teachers' Concerns

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Hey Arne, who are you kidding?

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Michelle Rhee outspoken to the end of her tenure as D.C. schools chancellor

Michelle Rhee outspoken to the end of her tenure as D.C. schools chancellor

Michelle Rhee outspoken to the end of her tenure as D.C. schools chancellor

In one of her last public appearances as D.C. schools chancellor, Michelle A. Rhee took part in a College Board conference at the Washington Hilton.

By Bill Turque
Thursday, October 28, 2010; 9:01 PM
She is D.C. schools chancellor for just one more day, but that didn't stop Michelle A. Rhee from issuing one last warning Thursday, this one to ineffective teachers and the undergraduate education programs that granted them degrees.
"Now we have a new teacher evaluation system where we know who's ineffective, minimally effective and highly effective," she told a hotel ballroom filled with educators attending a College Board forum. "We're going to back-map where they came from, which schools produced these people. And if you are producing ineffective or minimally effective teachers, we're going to send them back to you."
Rhee is exiting the District much as she entered it a more than three years ago: outspoken, impatient, apparently indifferent to the kind of tension and pushback that most in her line of work labor to avoid. What she did here, and how she did it, will be debated for years. But her signature contribution, many supporters and detractors say, was a change in the conversation.
Rhee added a new urgency and righteous anger to the

NYC Public School #Parents: Richard Barr on the 47 proposed school closings

NYC Public School Parents: Richard Barr on the 47 proposed school closings

Richard Barr on the 47 proposed school closings

It is appalling to look at the list of 47 schools targeted for possible closure, as well as to think of those already closed in the last few years by this regime.

When you attend a closing "hearing" for one of them as I did for my alma mater, Christopher Columbus H.S., or if you attended the P.E.P. "hearing" at Brooklyn Tech. for 19 at once, and you see every person who works at one of these schools, or attends one, or sends their kid or kids to one, get up and say "don't close this school" and you see the bureaucrats who have unfortunately been given power over this public school system remain unmoved, unpersuaded, acting like they could care less about what the people they are supposed to be serving, or managing, want, or say, or think, it can turn your stomach and break your heart.

When you think of people who have been made temporary custodians of an enormous public school system which is, I believe, in its third century, acting like they have the right to just do away with so many of that system's pillars, with no obligation to maintaining them, it makes your blood boil. People who said "put us in

Your denial of the importance of true diversity to maintain the status quo doesn’t fool me � EducationCEO's Blog

Your denial of the importance of true diversity to maintain the status quo doesn’t fool me � EducationCEO's Blog

Your denial of the importance of true diversity to maintain the status quo doesn’t fool me

Part of my (late) morning (or even afternoon) ritual is to read the Atlanta-Journal Constitution (AJC) for stories related to education. My first stop is usually the GetSchooled blog by Maureen Downey, then on to education articles by Aileen Dodd, as they often write on some interesting topics. This morning there was an article written [...]

Remainders: Mixed marks for Bloomberg on schools in new poll | GothamSchools

Remainders: Mixed marks for Bloomberg on schools in new poll | GothamSchools

Remainders: Mixed marks for Bloomberg on schools in new poll

  • Nearly 1,800 city students will get free tickets to a Broadway show on the Scottsboro Boys. (NYTimes)
  • P.S. 184 Shuang Wen is protesting a NY1 story on its after-school Mandarin program. (The Lo-Down)
  • Schools have one more day to fill 850 vacancies before schools lose money for them. (InsideSchools)
  • Buffalo teachers spent more than $9 million in public money on cosmetic surgery. (Buffalo News)
  • Voters like mayoral control but don’t think Bloomberg has improved schools, a new poll says. (WSJ)
  • A total of 41 states have now adopted common core standards. (Curriculum Matters)
  • A challenge to the idea that economic integration will always boost poor students. (Flypaper)
  • The Chamber of Commerce is backing candidates who favor scrapping USDOE. (Politics K-12)
  • Special education advocates recommended keeping local diplomas available for now. (InsideSchools)
  • Only a fifth of science teachers feel they have resources for hands-on experiments. (Answer Sheet)