Saturday, March 26, 2011

KOCH OUT AM News | www.kochwatch.org #wiunion #1u

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Union law published despite restraining order Fitzgerald, Barca disagree on whether law goes into effect Saturday *March 25, 2011-* In a stunning twist, Gov. Scott Walker's legislation limiting collective bargaining for public workers was published Friday despite a judge's hold on the measure, ...

NPR News: Wis. Union Law May Take Effect, Despite Court Order *March 25, 2011- *Wisconsin officials couldn't agree Friday about whether an explosive law taking away nearly all public worker collective bargaining rights was about to take effect after a nonpartisan legislative bureau published it despite a court ...

Color Lines: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s Financial Martial Law on Poor Cities *March 25, 2011-* My friend Judith Browne-Dianis, who runs the Advancement Project, just turned me on to this evil mechanism that allows governors to take over local decision making. On the heels of Wisconsin’s move to strip public employees of ...

Solve Climate News: Developer Pulls Plug on Wisconsin Wind Farm Over Policy Uncertainty Other wind energy firms are expected to follow in Invenergy's footsteps and move planned projects to states with more favorable wind policies ** *March 24, 2011- *Wind energy developer Invenergy pulled the plug on a planned wind farm in Wisconsin ...

Mother Jones: Rick Scott's Medicaid Overhaul to Benefit…Rick Scott? *March 25, 2011-* Republican governor Rick Scott's push to privatize Medicaid in Florida is highly controversial—not least because the health care business Scott handed over to his wife when he took office could reap a major profit if the legislation ...

Talking Points Memo: Washington GOP Gubernatorial Hopeful Distances From Scott Walker *March 25, 2011-* We know conservative politicians in safe districts are happy to align themselves with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. In fact, they fawn over him. But for vulnerable pols, or hopefuls in battleground states and districts, it's a ...

Talking Points Memo: Walker's Office: We Never Saw The 'False Flag' E-Mail From Indiana Prosecutor *March 25, 2011-* Gov. Scott Walker's (R-WI) staff says that no one on the staff ever read an e-mail sent to them in February by a deputy prosecutor in Johnson County, Ind., which encouraged the Walker administration to stage a "false flag" assault ...

Talking Points Memo: Anti-Union Push Picks Up Steam On Capitol Hill *March 25, 2011-* In the next several days, the state-level fight between Democrats and Republicans over unions will go federal. House Republicans want to re-establish old rules which say that when aviation or rail workers don't vote in unionization ...

The Nation: Wisconsin GOP Seeks to Silence a Distinguished Dissenter. McCarthyism is Back. *March 25, 2011-* William Cronon is about as distinguished an academic as you will find in the United States. The Frederick Jackson Turner and Vilas Research Professor of History, Geography, and Environmental Studies at the University of ...

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire: The Race to the Bottom *WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT* WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

Talking Points Memo: Wis. GOP FOIAs Emails of State University Prof Critical Of Gov. Walker *March 25, 2011-* Professor William Cronon, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is now in a serious tangle with none other than the state Republican Party, in yet another battle over Scott Walker's new anti-public employee union law. After Cronon ...

RT: Fake Assassination Plot in WI WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

WisconsinWatch.Org: Email to Walker suggested faking violence Indiana prosecutor denies encouraging Wisconsin violence *March 24, 2011-* Updated 3:59 p.m. Carlos Lam has admitted writing the email and resigned as deputy prosecutor of Johnson County, according to a statement from the Johnson County Prosecutor. ...

The Young Turks: Governor Hates Working People WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

LRB: Fitzgerald Pressured Them to Publish Bill | Uppity Wisconsin #wiunion #1u

LRB: Fitzgerald Pressured Them to Publish Bill | Uppity Wisconsin

LRB: Fitzgerald Pressured Them to Publish Bill

by Jud Lounsbury

Yesterday, I heard from a good source that the head of the LRB would never publish the bill under the current circumstances on their own-- that there was clearly pressure from Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald to publish the bill.

That is exactly what happened:

Fitzgerald and Miller met Friday. Miller said Fitzgerald asked him to publish the law and, after reading the statutes, Miller agreed that he could do so. He said he had never published a law without being given a date by the secretary of state during his 12 years of running the reference bureau.

This same source tells me that the LRB and anyone dealing with a court order has an obligation to follow it. You

Worst. Ad. Ever?

by xoff

"It is false factually. It is malicious beyond belief. It is the worst ad we can think of that has ever been run in a judicial campaign." -- David Prosser on a Greater Wisconsin Committee commercial.

Really? The worst ever? The justice has a very short memory.

Would it be too much to expect some enterprising reporter to ask him what is false about the commercial, since

Can we take a time out?

by xoff

Maybe, instead of trying to be the first with "breaking news" in the 24-hour news cycle -- which is almost 100% speculative, since no one really has been able to sort out what publication of the act by the Legislative Reference Bureau means -- we should all take a deep breath and wait for something authoritative to emerge.

Hope, we hardly knew ye | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Hope, we hardly knew ye

by thenotebook on Mar 25 2011

By Benjamin Herold and Dale Mezzacappa

"All we ever wanted was an apology."

That was the head-scratching reason given by School District officials when asked why they suddenly changed their hard-line stance that a young gadfly teacher deserved to be fired. The surprise reversal came during a mediation session with a federal magistrate last Friday, when the District and teachers union agreed to return Hope Moffett to her classroom after nearly a month in “teacher jail.”

Up to that point, the “Hope Held Hostage” drama had been steadily escalating for weeks.

At each step of the way, the audacious Audenried High English teacher brazenly

Daily Kos: Bob Herbert's last NY Times column

Bob Herbert's last NY Times column

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

is titled Losing Our Way. I have been so inspired by his writing in recent years, often using his columns as the basis for my own writing, I felt that I owed him one more diary on this his final column, even though I will disagree in part with his focus, since as I explained in this piece several days ago I support the intervention in Libya. His has been a voice that has focused the nation's attention on inequality, that which still exists with respect to race, and certainly that of our increasing economic inequity.

As is often the case with his bi-weekly columns, I could merely say "read it" and that would be sufficient. But I find his words provoke my thoughts, and so it is with the final column.

Best workers take over for the rest of us | theteachingwhore

Best workers take over for the rest of us

by theteachingwhore

Across America (TWP)

Following the advice of a private-schooled rich man on public schools, businesses across the country have implemented the “best worker gets more business” model to mixed results. Average waitresses at the Denny’s in downtown Kansas City liked the leisure time but moaned about the lack of tips, which usually comprise 75 % of their salaries.

Denny’s customer Reid Langston left the restaurant fuming. “Barbara has always been the best waitress here, but it took forever for her to take our order and then by the time she brought our pancakes to us they were stone cold.”

Barbara, who gave a last name but it was unintelligible in the rush she made past TWP reporters, had been assigned double the usual tables because everyone acknowledged she was the best waitress on the weekday morning shift.

In Oklahoma City, the Will Rogers Airport was temporarily shut down when the best air traffic controllers failed to

ASCD Conference Blogs « InterACT

ASCD Conference Blogs

by David B. Cohen

For the next few days, I’ll be posting much more frequently, and much shorter pieces. The timing of theAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) conference couldn’t be much worse in terms of my school calendar and recent events, but I can’t pass up the chance to attend this outstanding conference so close to home (about 40 miles).

San Francisco City Hall - photo by author

San Francisco is supposed to be pretty damp and cool this weekend, but I anticipate the energy of the conference will make up for the gloom. I think I saw someone on Twitter mention there are 9,000 people

Friday, March 25, 2011

An Education Reform Summit DFEP Democrats for Education Privatization #iunion #wisolidarity #notmywi #union #wiunion #wi

An Education Reform Summit

DFEP Democrats for Education Privatization

You are Invited

To Attend

An Education Reform Summit

Speakers: Democrats for Education Reform-California State Director Senator Gloria Romero (ret.), State Senator Bob Huff (Host), Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy, Citrus College President Dr. Geraldine Perri and Riverside Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Rick Miller.

Come and listen to a roundtable discussion on the issue of education reform in California.

KOCH BREAK News | www.kochwatch.org

News | www.kochwatch.org

New Jersey Newsroom: Gov. Chris Christie and Senate President Stephen Sweeney see end to local police departments *March 24, 2011-* Officials of the heavily Democratic region of Camden County heard a proposal behind closed doors by Gov. Chris Christie and Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney on Wednesday about regionalizing public safety services. Sweeney, a ...

Lewiston Sun-Journal: LePage orders removal of labor mural, sparking outcry *March 23, 2011-* Gov. Paul LePage has ordered the removal of a 36-foot mural depicting Maine's labor history from the lobby of the Department of Labor. Worker advocates described the move as a "mean-spirited" provocation amid the administration's ...

Thom Hartmann: Do random drug tests benefit Gov. Rick Scott? WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

“What if the loser were right?” « Failing Schools

“What if the loser were right?”

MARCH 25, 2011

by Sabrina

Los Angeles History teacher Charles Olynyk shares a teachable moment, about wars, winners, losers, and how we preserve history.

As the saying goes, “Until the lions have their own historians, the hunter will always be valorized.”

—
“Twisted Logic” (Originally posted at Remember Fremont)
Today is Friday, March 25, 2011 and Day 74 of Year Two. At least no one tried to run me off the road this morning. The rain is pouring down, Starbucks is currently playing “In the Groove” and I’m trying to get ready for my last day of notes on Imperialism. Then I see something like this in

Remainders: Rhee’s Kryptonite and other official narratives | GothamSchools

Remainders: Rhee’s Kryptonite and other official narratives

by Elizabeth Green

On a new mag cover, Michelle Rhee is superwoman and Randi bears Kryptonite. (Reason)
An Aspen Institute study shows why D.C.’s teacher evaluations don’t cut it. (Thompson)
Managing the challenge of serving a community you aren’t from. (GS Community)
New Jersey unions are forming an advocacy group to fight Chris Christie. (AP)
The Newark teachers union president, meanwhile, takes a fighting stance. (NJ Spotlight)
Video caught a Bronx mother training her 11-year-old to pickpocket. (NY Mag)
The head of the College Board, Gaston Caperton, is stepping down. (NYT The Choice)
The P.S. 22 chorus pays tribute to a fan: Susanna Hoffs, late of The Bangles. (PS 22)
How to get involved in the fight against PCB’s in school buildings. (Insideschools)

Education Roundup for 3-25-11 - Year 2011 (CA Dept of Education)

Education Roundup for the Week Ending March 25, 2011

SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today issues this week's Education Roundup featuring education-related announcements of public interest.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Funding

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson released the following statement regarding the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement that California will receive more than $10.8 million next school year, to provide grants for elementary schools to offer fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to students:

"Studies show when children eat balanced diets, are physically active, avoid dangerous behavior, and are surrounded by people who care about them, they then will perform better academically. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables are part of that equation for succeeding in school. This additional funding will help promote a healthy lifestyle that goes hand in hand with my Team California for Healthy Kids campaign to help students adopt the good habits that will help them succeed in the classroom today, and help them stay healthy over a lifetime.

"Also, this federal program goes a long way in helping support our state’s economy by purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. California produces more than half the nation’s fresh fruits and is the leading producer of fresh vegetables. Therefore, this program benefits public health, school nutrition, and California’s agriculture. I am very grateful to the Obama Administration and the USDA for providing us this funding at a time when schools are facing massive budget cuts."

For more information on the USDA's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, please visit USDA Expands Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Schools Across the Nation (Outside Source).

New Web Resource on School Financial Emergency

The California Department of Education has created a "School Financial Emergency" Web page to help keep the public up to date on the dire fiscal situation facing the state’s public school system.

The public may get the latest information on educator layoff notices, budget cuts, and the state of financial emergency declared by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

For more information, please visit School Financial Emergency - Hot Topics.

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Dressed in black, parents and teachers protest budget cuts | GothamSchools

Dressed in black, parents and teachers protest budget cuts

by Anna Phillips

Calling their protest “Fight Back Friday,” teachers and parents at a handful of schools wore all black today in opposition to Mayor Bloomberg’s teacher layoff threats.

The protest was organized by members of the Grassroots Education Movement and the New York Collective of Radical Educators — two teacher groups that have opposed Bloomberg’s layoff plans and his push remove seniority as a factor in layoffs. A smaller group of parents and teachers gathered on the steps of the Departm

Michigan: The Shock Doctrine | Dailycensored.com

Michigan: The Shock Doctrine

Written by Danny WeilEducationMar 25, 2011

0digg

Michigan Schools facing bankruptcy: The Shock Doctrine at play

More than 150 school districts and charter schools in Michigan are teetering on the edge of going broke, a situation that is likely to get worse under Governor Rick Snyder’s proposed budget cuts of $470 per pupil.

These are the districts that have been so starved of public funds that Snyder’s cuts would put them in a deficit, which is the capitalist plan. They would then join the 43 districts and charters already going bust.

It’s a situation that has mobilized school leaders. They are now testifying in Lansing, writing lawmakers and sending letters to parents. They say that after years of closing schools, laying off staff and slashing programs, there’s little left to cut. Of course they are right. The schools have been starved of funds for decades precisely to lie in wait for the day that the entire system could be collapsed.

The proposed cuts would be “a final blow so

The Soundtrack of my Life | Lefty Parent

The Soundtrack of my Life

by Cooper Zale

My life has been lived to a soundtrack. Growing up in an age of ubiquitous car radios, restaurant juke boxes, record players and later stereos, it seems like the popular songs of the day were always playing in the background, over and over. Music affects us emotionally and can evoke strong feelings of all sorts in the listener. In my case it also became a sort of storage mechanism for a lot of those strong feelings.

Forty years later I can hear a pretty mundane pop song like Tommy Rowe’s “Dizzy”, which I heard constantly

The Best Resources For Learning About The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Larry Ferlazzo

The Best Resources For Learning About The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Filed under best of the year, social studies

Today is the 100th anniversary of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Here’s an excerpt from a CNN piece that explains it well:

Friday marks the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Waist Co. fire, a blaze at a sweatshop in New York that shocked the nation and became a defining moment in the history of the American work force. Its death toll would reach 146 — mostly young Italian and Jewish immigrants struggling to earn a living making blouses in a garment factory in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.

Shock and outrage from all strata of society quickly brought demands for better working conditions. New York state enacted nearly 40 labor laws in the following three years. Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act in 1935, improving workers’ rights across the country.

Here are my choices for The Best Resources For Learning About The

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