Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Schools Matter: The Latest Excuse In TN to End Teacher Rights and TEA: Evolution and Gays#wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Schools Matter: The Latest Excuse In TN to End Teacher Rights and TEA: Evolution and Gays

The Latest Excuse In TN to End Teacher Rights and TEA: Evolution and Gays

by Jim Horn
In the current all-out assault triggered nationwide against teachers and other workers, the old lies used by the corporate reform crowd have been supplanted by the truth, especially in Tennessee where the spineless TEA has gone along with every miseducative notion in the Business Roundtable playbook. The enemies of democracy and the public space, however, see their privatization agenda waning, however, because the American people are sick and tired of their public schools being ruined by ideologues with dollar signs in the eyes. That and every deforming reform on the list has been proven ineffective where tried or too risky to be endorsed by science and research.

So now every idiot reason that can be dreamed up is broadcast as the rationale for crushing teachers in
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Democurmudgeon: Who's Funding Elections? The Underlying Disaster if Unions Disappear #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac .

Democurmudgeon: Who's Funding Elections? The Underlying Disaster if Unions Disappear.
Who's Funding Elections? The Underlying Disaster if Unions Disappear. Rachel Maddow explains corporate power granted by Citizens United, the counter balance to union contributions:
State Rep. Gordon Hintz Inspires, Rails on Republican Disregard for Democracy. I didn't know a Democrat could show this much passion. The fight is coming back.
Digging Deep into Walker's County Executive Blunders; Like the Now Costly Court House Security Mishandling. Rachel Maddow reported on Gov. Walker's costly mistake for Milwaukee County. The union security guards that were fired have now been ordered back by an arbitrator, and will be awarded back pay. The whole debacle will cost nearly a half million bucks ...
Walker’s next tactic? Fear and intimidation. National Guard tours Prison for no Reason. With nothing to hide when it comes to his obvious agenda, Gov. Scott Walker sent the National Guard into a prison to send a message of doubt and fear to union workers, even though they had no intention of striking. *jsonline: The National Guard has ...
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The Best Sites To Learn About The Christchurch Earthquake | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

The Best Sites To Learn About The Christchurch Earthquake | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...
The Best Sites To Learn About The Christchurch Earthquake A devastating earthquake hit Christchurch, New Zealand several hours ago. I’m getting ready to head off to school, but thought I’d bring together a short list of resources now and add to them later. Here are my choices for The Best Sites To Learn ...
If You’re Not Suffering From “Rhee Fatigue,” Then Here Are Two Good Articles Michelle Rhee has been all over the news, and on this blog (see The Best Posts About Michelle Rhee’s Exaggerated Test Scores and 4 concerns about Michelle Rhee). If you’re not tired of hearing about her, here are two good articles that have just been ...
Nice Collection of Web 2.0 Tools Richard Byrne has developed a nice collection of his favorite Web 2.0 tools. I’m adding the link to The Best Collections Of Web 2.0 Tools For Education.
World’s Most Liveable Cities: 2011 The Economist has just announced their choice for the World’s Most Liveable Cities: 2011. You can see a slideshow here. I’m adding it to The Best Lists Of “Best Places To Live”.
“Buildings that break the box” Buildings that break the box is a pretty neat slideshow from Salon. I’m adding it to The Best Images Of Weird, Cool & Neat-Looking Buildings (& Ways To Design Your Own).
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AFL-CIO Polls Show Wisconsin Supports Protestors, Opposes Walker #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

AFL-CIO Polls Show Wisconsin Supports Protestors, Opposes Walker

AFL-CIO Polls Show Wisconsin Supports Protestors, Opposes Walker

Wisconsin_protests

Posted: 02/22/11 07:27 AM

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Read More: Afl-Cio, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, Pollster Analysis, Scott Walker, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Protests, Politics News
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WASHINGTON - New polling conducted for the AFL-CIO and shared with The Huffington Postshows Wisconsin voters siding with the state workers, unions and protestors by large majorities and expressing net disapproval of Republican Governor Scott Walker

The Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research conducted two surveys among likely voters in Wisconsin this past week, one fielded between Wednesday and Sunday last week (604 live interviews, margin of error +/- 4%) and the second fielded Saturday and Sunday (402 live interviews, margin of error +/- 5%).

Both surveys began with questions about Walker's performance as governor and more general popularity ratings of Walker, Senate Democrats and other players on both sides of the controversy. The results of the two surveys on these questions were within sampling error of each other: Walker's approval rating is now net negative, with the disapproval rating reaching or slightly

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Hello, Wisconsin! « Failing Schools #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Hello, Wisconsin! « Failing Schools

Hello, Wisconsin!

FEBRUARY 22, 2011
by Sabrina

Some people just don’t know when to quit.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is one of those people.

In the wake of the state’s recent budget shortfall, Walker could have done the humble, fiscally-sound thing: admit that the tax breaks and conservative health care experiment he championed hadworsened the state’s budget situation, and asked lawmakers to correct the problem. He could also have done the tough but responsible thing: negotiate fairly with public sector workers, who have expressed their willingness to pay a greater share of their pension and benefits to ease that burden on the state’s budget.

But no. Like the glutton who eats until his buttons give way, Walker and his allies have decided to keep their pet policies intact and try to grab even more power for themselves by trying to eliminate some public employees’ rights to collective bargaining. (I’m not sure how they plan to continue spinning the merehaving of rights as too expensive for the state

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New York Times Article Today on Billionaire Brothers’ Money and Walker « Larry Miller's Blog #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

New York Times Article Today on Billionaire Brothers’ Money and Walker « Larry Miller's Blog

New York Times Article Today on Billionaire Brothers’ Money and Walker

by millerlf

By ERIC LIPTON Published: February 21, 2011

WASHINGTON — Among the thousands of demonstrators who jammed the Wisconsin State Capitol grounds this weekend was a well-financed advocate from Washington who was there to voice praise for cutting state spending by slashing union benefits and bargaining rights.

The visitor, Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, told a large group of counter-protesters who had gathered Saturday at one edge of what otherwise was a mostly union crowd that the cuts were not only necessary, but they also represented the start of a much-needed nationwide move to slash public-sector union benefits.

“We are going to bring fiscal sanity back to this great nation,” he said.

What Mr. Phillips did not mention was that his Virginia-based nonprofit group, whose budget surged to $40 million in 2010 from $7 million three years ago, was created and financed in part by the secretive billionaire brothers Charles G. and David H. Koch.

State records also show that Koch Industries, their energy and consumer products conglomerate based in

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This Week In Education: AM News: Budget & Bargaining Proposals Roil States #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

This Week In Education: AM News: Budget & Bargaining Proposals Roil States

AM News: Budget & Bargaining Proposals Roil States

by Alexander Russo

image from webmedia.newseum.org

Wisconsin Governor Refuses Unions' Offer: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker again rejected a proposed compromise Monday to end a political stalemate over collective bargaining rights that led to 14 Senate Democrats skipping town and motivated tens of thousands of people to march on the Capitol in protest for more than a week... City teachers receive career 'paths' under new contract BaltSun: Baltimore City teachers were notified last week of their new career "paths" and salaries by the school system, one of the first developments of the landmark Baltimore Teachers Union contract... Indiana panel OKs labor bill as unions protest AP: Union supporters shouted "lie" and "shame" at members of a Republican-led Indiana House committee who voted in favor of so-called right-to-work legislation, after impassioned arguments that it was aimed at weakening unions and would drive down wages... Democrats split over governor's proposed education cuts Denver Post: Shaffer told reporters Monday that he wants his committee leaders to scrub about half of Hickenlooper's proposed cuts to education by suggesting cuts elsewhere. Shaffer asked for proposals by March 7... In Memphis, old strife heats up over schools, race AP: A bold bid by the struggling, majority-black Memphis City Schools system to force a merger with the majority-white, successful suburban district has fanned relatively routine fears over funding and student performance into accusations of full-blown racism....Schools using GPS devices to track students NPR: A school district in Anaheim, California is the latest to distribute GPS devices to habitually truant students. But what role does a private company in Texas have in monitoring the students?.. Family of Fairfax teen suicide victim wants changes in school disciplinary policies WP: The family of a Fairfax teenager who took his life as he struggled with the fallout of a high school suspension called for changes in the county's disciplinary policies, in a letter sent Monday to school and county officials. Image via Newseum.

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Madison Area AFL CIO Votes to Prepare For General Strike | MichaelMoore.com #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Madison Area AFL CIO Votes to Prepare For General Strike | MichaelMoore.com

Madison Area AFL CIO Votes to Prepare For General Strike

By Mike Elk

This evening in a press release from IBEW Local 2304 President Dave Pokilinski, I received word that the 45,000 member Southern Central Federation of Labor, the local chapter of the AFL-CIO for the Madison and Southern Central Wisconsin area, has voted to make preparations for a general strike.

The press release reads as follows:

Around 10:50PM Wisconsin Time on February 21st the South Central Federation of Labor endorsed the following motions:

Motion 1: The SCFL endorses a general strike, possibly for the day Walker signs his “budget repair bill,” and requests the Education Committee immediately begin educating affiliates and members on the organization and function of a general strike.

Motion 2: The SCFL goes on record as opposing all provisions contained in Walker’s “budget repair bill,” including but not limited to, curtailed bargaining rights and reduced wages, benefits, pensions, funding for public education, changes to medical assistance programs, and politicization of state government agencies.

It’s important to note that this is just a threat and not actually going out on a general strike. Under the Taft-Hartley Act a general strike in support of other workers is illegal; therefore the key word is the phrase “begin educating affiliates and

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The Answer Sheet - Ravitch: Why should teachers have unions? #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

The Answer Sheet - Ravitch: Why should teachers have unions?

Ravitch: Why should teachers have unions?

This was written by education historian Diane Ravitch for her Bridging Differences blog, which she co-authors with Deborah Meier on the Education Week website. Ravitch and Meier exchange letters about what matters most in education. Ravitch, a research professor at New York University, is the author of the bestselling “The Death and Life of the Great American School System,” an important critique of the flaws in the modern school reform movement. Dear Deborah, As I write, thousands of teachers are staging a protest in the state capitol in Wisconsin against proposed legislation by Gov. Scott Walker that would destroy their collective bargaining rights. Others stand with them, including members of the Green Bay Packers and other public sector workers, even those not affected by the legislation, namely, firefighters and police. Gov. Walker demanded that the teachers pay more for their health benefits and their pension benefits, and they have agreed
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Scott Walker and Tea Party Finance Backers, Koch Industries, Has Operations Near You « Larry Miller's Blog #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Scott Walker and Tea Party Finance Backers, Koch Industries, Has Operations Near You « Larry Miller's Blog

Scott Walker and Tea Party Finance Backers, Koch Industries, Has Operations Near You

by millerlf

Following is a “fact” sheet on the Koch Industries web site. They have significant investments in Wisconsin. To read more abut them go to their web site at:

http://www.kochind.com/factsSheets/default.aspx

Wisconsin Facts

Based in Wichita, Kan., Koch Industries, Inc. is one of the largest private companies in America according to Forbes magazine. It owns a diverse group of companies involved in refining and chemicals; process and pollution control equipment and technologies; minerals; fertilizers; polymers and fibers; commodity trading and services; forest and consumer products; and ranching. Koch companies have a presence in nearly 60 countries and employ about 70,000 people. Since 2003, Koch companies have completed more than $32 billion in acquisitions and investments, and nearly $11 billion in capital expenditures.

  • Companies in Wisconsin
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School Tech Connect: Those Business-Savvy Republicans #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

School Tech Connect: Those Business-Savvy Republicans

Those Business-Savvy Republicans

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)
I guess some people have found Scott Walker's no-bid, straight-to-Koch power plant sell-off inside the union-busting "budget repair" bill. The man was bought into office to hand over public assets to psychopathic billionaires. This is Mobutu-scale corruption. Nice going, Wisconsin Republican voters.

This Election is About Integrity

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)
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Notes from the Field « City School Stories #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Notes from the Field « City School Stories

Wisconsin Attack On Educators And Other Public Workers Inspires A Tale of Two Teachers

Submitted by Bobbie Cratchit*, February 22, 2011

I remember when I first decided that I would become a teacher. For me it was not a lifelong dream, more a position of circumstance that brought me to the profession. I needed a job in walking distance of my small junior college where I had begun freshman year as a social service major. The Pre-Kindergarten School down the street was hiring a part-time before/after school caretaker. It fit my needs and I took the job. It was there that while working with the children I discovered a love for reading to children and helping them develop skills in math and life.

When I informed my parents of my decision to transfer to a four-year education program, my mother stated “Teaching is a noble profession. You will not make much money and it is very hard work. “My parents supported me, as they always have, and I began my career as a teacher four years later.

It was not an easy road. I worked full-time and attended classes at night for four years. I received my degree one year past my expected graduation due to transferring my major. Five years as an undergrad and one mor

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