Tuesday, March 22, 2011

KOCH OUT AM News | www.kochwatch.org

Washinton Monthly: The Congressman From Koch Industries *March 21, 2011-* When we last checked in with Rep. Mike Pompeo (R) of Kansas, he was trying to kill a consumer-product-safety database, allowing Americans to go online and access free information about the safety records of household products. The ...

Think Progress: Scott Walker Touts His Union-Busting Agenda As "Progressive" *March 21, 2011-* Late last week, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) spoke with conservative radio show host Jason Lewis about winning his union-busting fight. First, Lewis repeated the falsehood that Walker wasn’t against collective bargaining – a ...

FOK News: Cut The Unions, Hire The Girlfriends *-By Keith Olbermann* *March 21, 2011-* The ham-handed self-serving greediness playing out in the background of Governor Scott Walker’s attempt to make Wisconsin into the central battle zone in the Koch Brothers’ attempt to end collective bargaining ...

Florida Independent: Rubio the No. 1 recipient of Koch money in 2010 Senate races *March 14, 2011-* Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has made no secret of his pro-business agenda since taking office in January. It comes as little surprise, then, that his 2010 campaign was backed largely by industries he now supports. Data obtained by ...

Columbes Dispatch: Flash Mob at Huntington Bank WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

America Blog: What's the source of these anti-union measures? Meet ALEC, a right-wing group that writes state laws for Republicans*March 20, 2011-* If it seems that all of this state-by-state union-stripping legislation is coordinated ... that's because it is coordinated. Also pre-written, gift-wrapped and hand-delivered. Meet ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, a ...

Pissed Off: Why Teachers Like Me Support Unions

Why Teachers Like Me Support Unions

by Pissed Off

Several years ago, when Suit was principal (if you are a knew reader, do a search for Principal Suit--I promise it will be fun reading), I was told to transfer schools, because "I didn't share his vision."

Let me explain.

Vickie was a student in my math A class at that time. She was a sweet girl but could not, for the life of her, pass an exam. I spent hours many hours working with her, got her a tutor and her grades were starting to

Why Unions for teachers? | Reflections on Teaching

Why Unions for teachers?

by alicemercer

This post supports a larger Teacher Blog Action Day on Why teachers like us (good ones) support unions

My support for my union is based on many experiences; my own experiences teaching, my experiences at other jobs in other professions, the working experience of relatives. Most especially, it’s those experiences as women in the workplace that really showed me the need for a union.

First, the history of teachers unions is wrapped in the history of women in the workplace and labor movement.

Schools Matter: National Mobilization by Parents and Teachers July 30

National Mobilization by Parents and Teachers July 30

by Jim Horn

Are you a supporter of Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action? Are you an AFT or NEA member? Pledge to help recruit your union local to ENDORSE our national mobilization, SPREAD THE WORD to its membership, SEND US A DONATION, and JOIN US AT THE MARCH in D.C. on July 30!

Add your name to the list of Save Our Schools March supporters who pledge to ask their NEA or AFT locals to be present when we call the roll at the July 30 march for public education next summer!

Are you a non-teaching public worker? We need your support too! Ask your union local to support the Save Our Schools March mobilization so we can speak in one united voice in July!

Get started now!

Go to our website to register your pledge. Direct your union local to our website at www.saveourschoolsmarch.org. Make sure your members have read our four demands below, and then recruit your union local to join our national mobilization. Our pledge drive runs from Monday, March 21 through Sunday,

Modern School: Performance Evaluations: Inherently Biased and Not Good for Students

Performance Evaluations: Inherently Biased and Not Good for Students Among the favorite attacks on teachers lately is the claim that union protections such as tenure and seniority protect bad teachers. As with most occupations, we want the best quality possible. Seniority-based layoffs seem to undermine this goal. ...

Use A Test, Go to Jail Thanks to Robert Skeels, from the Solidaridad Blog for posting this report from Fairtest: NCLB Fuels School-to-Prison Pipeline: New Report. According to the report, NCLB’s emphasis on test scores and its consequences for failing to meet them, puts ...

Are Children Different Today Than They Were in the 1890s? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Are Children Different Today Than They Were in the 1890s?

by larrycuban

News stories of a three-year old calling 911 to save a dying parent or of a teenager shooting teachers startle us over what children can now do to help and harm others. Kindergarten teachers speak admiringly of bright-eyed five-year olds who sing the lyrics of the latest rap song or tap out a note to the teacher on their parent’s computer. They are soooo smart! These same teachers speak less glowingly, however, of how

Daily Kos: I am a proud union teacher

I am a proud union teacher

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

I stand with my unionized sisters and brothers, especially in Wisconsin, but everywhere where teachers and unions are under attack.

I am the lead union representative for more than 100 teachers in my school.

Today, all across the country, teachers are blogging their support for our unionized sisters and brothers in Wisconsin, and you can follow some of the results of that at EDUSolidarity

Today I want to tell you why I am proud to be a union member as well as a teacher.

It wasn't that long ago - Ed Thoughts

by Sabrina

Published at Failing Schools as part of the EDUSolidarity project. Please visit that site for other poignant reflections on why great teachers support unions.

"It's incredibly hard to think--let alone teach--when you are overwhelmed, confused, and afraid."

* * *

Many of us--though certainly not enough!-- are aware of the bad old days of teaching. You know those days, when pregnant teachers were unfairly fired, and teachers--especially women-- could be retaliated against or dismissed for exercising their professional judgment in opposition to their principals, or for being active in efforts to improve their schools or organize other teachers, or for registering a complaint against a superior, or forexposing wrong-doing in their buildings.

Oh, wait: all of these things happened within the past four years. In fact, the majority happened in just

Could I have been a great teacher without a union? No, never. « JD2718

Could I have been a great teacher without a union? No, never.

by jd2718

by Lynne Winderbaum

So you ask me, “Why did you need a union? You had a good reputation as a teacher, good reports from your supervisors, loved your job, and thanks to social networking, have students who keep in touch with you from a career that spanned nearly forty years. Couldn’t this have happened without your union?” No, never.

What we want from our existence is very simple really. We want to be able to support our families. We want to be able to take care of their health needs. We want to be able to protect them if we die or are too disabled to work. We want respect in the workplace. We want to be able to provide our children with an education that will give them a life better than the one we led. Women want to the right to raise their children and return to their

Why Teachers Like Me Support Unions « InterACT

Why Teachers Like Me Support Unions

by David B. Cohen

This blog entry is part of a coordinated effort called EduSolidarity.

Find more posts at EduSolidarity.org, or via Twitter.

I wrote recently about my union pride, and my great-uncle, Phil. But before I was old enough to understand and appreciate Phil’s experience, I was forming my ideas about workers and unions from singers like Woody Guthrie, Billy Bragg, and Bruce Springsteen, and authors like John Steinbeck and Arthur Miller. In song, books, movies,

NYC Educator: Why Teachers Like Me Support Unions

Why Teachers Like Me Support Unions

by Miss Eyre

If you feel like you've seen that title before, it may be because today, a number of teacher bloggers, including NYC Educator and myself, are dedicating our blogs to the topic of solidarity and, dare I say it, pride. In light of repeated and, frankly, ever more ridiculous attacks against the "lavish lifestyles" teachers enjoy, we feel that it's important to make people understand why unions are relevant and important to good teachers and why we feel that union memberships benefit children and public education generally.

I support unions for teachers because they work to guarantee academic freedom for teachers. Though I'm careful to encourage my students to be open-minded and consider multiple perspectives, I do have beliefs and principles of my own, and knowing that I can't be fired for holding or expressing them is important to me. Union membership means being able to be true to who I am without worrying that I'll lose my job over it.

As well, due process is a crucial right for which teachers' unions have fought. At one time,

It wasn’t that long ago « Failing Schools

It wasn’t that long ago

MARCH 22, 2011

by Sabrina

Visit http://www.edusolidarity.us for more posts on why great teachers support unions.

“It’s incredibly hard to think—let alone teach—when you are overwhelmed, confused, and afraid.”

* * *

Many of us–though certainly not enough!– are aware of the bad old days of teaching. You know those days, when pregnant teachers were unfairly fired, and teachers–especially women– could be retaliated against or dismissed for exercising their professional judgment in opposition to their principals, or for being active in efforts to improve their schools or organize other teachers, or for registering a

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The civil rights revolution in the South never really arrived in Southern California,

The civil rights revolution in the South never really arrived in Southern California,

by Mike Klonsky

Gary Orfield on failed L.A. deseg

Southern California is home to what is by far the nation's largest population of Latinos, the second largest Asian population and the West's largest population of African Americans but...

"If one compares the outcomes in the "dropout factory" schools, where the major product is dropouts or students totally unprepared for college, with the kind of opportunities that exist in

Monday, March 21, 2011

Modern School: Detroit’s Continuing School Problems #wiunion

Modern School: Detroit’s Continuing School Problems

Detroit’s Continuing School Problems

by Michael Dunn

Robert Bobb, now in the final months of his contract as state-appointed emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools (DPS), has failed to close the district’s budget deficit, which currently stands at $327 million. He has shuttered dozens of schools and privatized many others. He has also proposed closing half of DPS’ remaining schools (which would raise class sizes to 62) or privatizing 41 within the next six months. The Detroit Free Press says that this would make DPS the 2^nd largest chartering district in the nation. However, many charter operators believe it is impossible to achieve Bobb’s ambitious goal within his 6 month timeframe.

DPS plans to release the list of schools slated for privatization within the next week and will

KOCH OUT PM News | www.kochwatch.org #wiunion

News | www.kochwatch.org

WisPolitics: Wisconsin Wave: It's time to pull back the curtain on who's behind Scott Walker *March 18, 2011-* Beginning on Mon March 21st through Fri. March 25th, Wisconsinites will be shedding much needed light on the corporations and individuals behind Gov. Scott Walker and his hideous budget initiatives. Through creative and poignant ...

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Senator's girlfriend had help getting job *March 20, 2011-* Even though the state is supposedly broke, top officials in Gov. Scott Walker's team were able to scrape together enough money to give a state job to the woman identified as Sen. Randy Hopper's girlfriend. Anything for a political ...

Politicus USA: Walker Linked Wisconsin Justice Called Female Chief Justice A “Bitch” *March 20, 2011-* When you think about the justices on your state supreme court, you probably picture them as grown ups who can manage their tempers at work; after all, judicial objectivity and fairness require a certain kind of temperament. But if ...

Wisconsin State Journal: Study: Budget could hurt state's economy *March 20, 2011-* Gov. Scott Walker's plans to balance the state budget by cutting spending and public workers' take-home pay will slow the state's economic recovery, according to projections by a UW-Madison economist. An estimated 21,843 jobs will ...

NewsMax: Poll: Scott Walker Is GOP 2012 Contender *March 18, 2011-* Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s battle with public sector unions has propelled him to the front of the pack in the GOP presidential sweepstakes. Walker’s favorable/unfavorable spread is a plus 44 percent compared to Mike Huckabee at ...

Huffington Post: Gov. Scott Walker to sell state’s power plants *March 20, 2011-* Wisconsin governor Scott Walker said Thursday that he will push ahead with a plan to sell a number of the state’s power plants. “We’re still looking at a range of options regarding the power plants moving forward,” said Cullen ...

Jersey Jazzman: St. Michelle's Miracles

St. Michelle's Miracles

by Duke

The World's Greatest Woman is so wonderful she can increase student learning just through her magical aura!

Consider, for example, that roughly 70 percent of the DC-CAS “gains” in math and reading proficiency during Rhee’s three-year tenure occurred in the first year. Assuming for a moment that these increases reflect actual progress among DCPS students, we all know that her primary policy reforms – the IMPACT evaluation system and the newWashington Teachers Union contract – went into effect in 2010, her third year.

Can somebody please explain to me how Michelle Rhee (or anyone else) could possibly have

The Planets Align...
by Duke
Interesting how that happens sometimes:
Last week the New York Times ran a stunning piece about the investments made by the Libyan dictatorship's sovereign wealth fund. According to the article, the fund owns a 3.27 percent stake (valued at $453 million) in Pearson, publishers of the Economist, the Financial Times, and Penguin Books, making it the company's third largest shareholder.

What the Times does not mention is that Pearson is also one of the biggest standardized testing companies in the U.S., touting themselves on their website as "the largest commercial processor of student assessments." They score statewide tests for 30 states, as well as the SATs and ACTs. In fact, Pearson's North American education division is responsible for almost half the

The Education Grassroots Ascends (#EduSolidarity, Great American Teach-In, and Save Our Schools) | The Jose Vilson #wiunion

The Education Grassroots Ascends (#EduSolidarity, Great American Teach-In, and Save Our Schools) | The Jose Vilson

The Education Grassroots Ascends (#EduSolidarity, Great American Teach-In, and Save Our Schools)

by Jose

Wisconsin Solidarity Fist

I have the privilege of being a part of a triumvirate of grassroots educational movements that I hope will change the landscape of the local and national discussions around education. Passionate. Provocative. Inspiring. Participatory.

First is #EDUsolidarity, an effort born from the mind of Steven Lazar, union leader and acclaimed social studies teacher in the blog. The principle of the movement is simple. Read on:

On Tuesday, March 22, teachers in NYC will wear red in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are under attack in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and elsewhere. We also stand with teachers in places like Idaho, California, and Texas who are facing massive layoffs. We would like

School Redesign vs. School Reform « Cooperative Catalyst

School Redesign vs. School Reform

by Jamie Steckart

Reform: To return to a good state.

Redesign: A plan for making changes to the structure and functions of a system so as to better serve the purpose of the original design, or to serve purposes different from those set forth in the original design.

I look at the reform movement in education and see a form of insanity that boggles the mind. It is as if the past education structure was good and all we need to do is bring it back to its previous glory by adding more time on task, core standards, professional learning communities, small learning communities, measure math and reading, measure more math and reading, phonics, whole language, tracking, social promotion, class size, blended learning, standards, merit pay, site based management…. I could go on an on and write a book about each of these reforms, in fact many books by respected people have done just that. Yet all of these reforms

Do I Have to be a “Great” Teacher? | Mr. Teachbad's Blog of Teacher Disgruntlement

Do I Have to be a “Great” Teacher?

by mrteachbad

Be forwarned: This post is all over the place. But, for what it’s worth, it accurately reflects my mental state. And that’s all I can do. God help us.

Question: What do you call the guy who finished medical school at the bottom of his class?

Answer: Doctor

What is it with all of us teachers suddenly having to be “great”? Where I come from, I was taught not to show off. The ultimate goal for we Midwesterners was always understood to be “quiet adequacy.”

What if I am content to be “pretty good” or “unobtrusively a little above average”? Is there a place for me?

And can’t you only be “great” if somebody else sucks? Isn’t this a relative measure? You can only be smart if somebody else is stupid, right? Smart people need stupid people.

Wait…wait….the tests! THE TESTS! If everybody does well on the tests, all the teachers can be

Making School Lunch Healthy and Tasty on a Shoestring - The Bay Citizen

Making School Lunch Healthy and Tasty on a Shoestring

Oakland and W. Contra Costa school districts are innovating more nutritious, less fatty meals that kids will like

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By ANNETTE FUENTES on March 21, 2011 - 5:00 p.m. PDT

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Annette Fuentes

In W. Oakland Middle School, cook Tamara Purifoy prepares cheeseburgers

Think of Jennifer LeBarre as the general of the Oakland Unified School District’s food service.

Every day, she marshals an army of 300 employees who prepare, cook, deliver and serve 21,000 lunches (and 6,500 breakfasts) to 107 schools, some with as few as 35 students and others with more than 1,000. She must devise meals for schools that have no kitchens to warm up hot food as well as those with warming ovens.

As director of the district’s nutrition service, LeBarre crafts weekly menus that she hopes will satisfy all constituents: federal and state agencies that set guidelines on student nutrition, school administrators, parents and, last but not least, her customers—the students. She must do all of this without spending more than about $1.20 for the food on

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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

It wasn’t that long ago

Monday, March 21, 2011

Making School Lunch Healthy and Tasty on a Shoestring

Oakland and W. Contra Costa school districts are innovating more nutritious, less fatty meals that kids will like