Teachers For Social Justice: Mic Check: Teachers, Parents, Community Take Over Board of Ed Meeting Today

Teachers For Social Justice: Mic Check: Teachers, Parents, Community Take Over Board of Ed Meeting Today:

Mic Check: Teachers, Parents, Community Take Over Board of Ed Meeting Today

by sarah-ji

Today (Dec 14), parents, teachers, community members, and the CTU Community Board (Coalition of the CTU and community groups, including TSJ), w/ support from Occupy Chicago, shut down the Board of Education meeting. A big shout out to TSJ members who attended the vigil in front the Board on Dec. 13, slept out on the sidewalk in front of CPS Headquarters in the rain, brought the campers food and coffee, showed up before 6 Am with more coffee and spirit, and attended the Board meeting.

At the meeting itself, the people did a mic-check on the Board and shut down the meeting (seehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoIsdXkVzVg). Then, we held our own public participation session. This is a new day. People had enough, finally.

Quoting from a message from the CTU:

"Congratulations to each of you for your work which culminated in today's historic walk-out of the Board of Ed members and CPS officials. They cannot ignore us any longer. Because of our unified efforts we have successfully amplified the voices of justice-parents, teachers, students, and

2012 Inquiry to Action Groups (ItAGs) Announced!

by sarah-ji

TSJ is excited to announce our 3rd annual round ofInquiry to Action Groups (ItAGs)

ItAGs gather educators, activists and their allies to study a topic and collectively create an action around that area of study, making it a true community of praxis. The topics and themes are always consistent with TSJ's principles. ItAGs support, study, and take action on issues of education and social justice.

On January 21st at 5 PM, join us for the ItAG Kickoff Event (Location TBA) to meet the facilitators and fellow participants and build a community of people committed to social justice in education.

The ItAGs will meet for two hours once a week for 6 weeks and conclude with a Finale Event March 17 at 5 PM, where all the ItAGs will reconvene to share their work.

We ask that all people registering for an ItAG commit to trying to attend all meetings. The ItAGs are structured

Jersey Jazzman: Cuomo: I Love Kids More Than You Janitors Do!

Jersey Jazzman: Cuomo: I Love Kids More Than You Janitors Do!:

Cuomo: I Love Kids More Than You Janitors Do!

by Duke

Hey, Son of Mario - real nice:

I learned my most important lesson in my first year as Governor in the area of public education. I learned that everyone in public education has his or her own lobbyist.

Superintendents have lobbyists.

Principals have lobbyists.

Teachers have lobbyists.

School boards have lobbyists.

Maintenance personnel have lobbyists.

Bus drivers have lobbyists.

The only group without a lobbyist? The students.

Well, I learned my lesson. This year, I will take a second job — consider me the lobbyist for the

Deja Vu All Over Again*: Clickers | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Deja Vu All Over Again*: Clickers | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:

Deja Vu All Over Again*: Clickers

by larrycuban

Recently, I saw a math lesson where the teacher used “clickers,” devices that permitted students to answer a teacher question without waving their arms in the air. Here is what I saw.

Students worked on a problem in pairs or individually. Then the teacher passed out “clickers” so students could answer a multiple choice question appearing on an Interactive White Board (IWB) by voting whether A, B, C, or D answer was correct.

Students pointed at the IWB and clicked.

The teacher then tapped a button and the results of the entire class were displayed in pie charts so that the teacher and students saw what percentage of the class got or

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Chicago mayor stars in right-wing, anti-public school video

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Chicago mayor stars in right-wing, anti-public school video:

Chicago mayor stars in right-wing, anti-public school video

by Mike Klonsky

Thanks to brother Fred I came upon this right-wing propaganda videotargeting public school and teachers unions staring none other than Rahm Emanuel.

"A Tale of Two Missions," co-stars the head of the anti-union Michigan-based Education Action Group, Kyle Olson, and Juan Williams, who wasfired from National Public Radio for making anti-Muslim comments on air.

The video is part of National School Choice Week, the continuation of a campaign promoting vouchers and privately-run charter schools and

CPS parents, community groups protest school closings, privatization

by Mike Klonsky

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #ows #edreform

Fighting back against mandatory school testing: It’s my way or the highway, says No Child Left Behind—but is it really? « Parents Across America

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 hours ago

Fighting back against mandatory school testing: It’s my way or the highway, says No Child Left Behind—but is it really? « Parents Across America:Fighting back against mandatory school testing: It’s my way or the highway, says No Child Left Behind—but is it really?by leoniehaimsonAaryn is a parent in San Diego. This piece is cross posted at Aaryn’s blog,Thematically Fickle. An opt out letter that California parents can use is posted here.by Aaryn BelferThe red pillow takes the least space. The ... more »

Schools Matter: How Are Online Learning and Online Dating Different?

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Schools Matter: How Are Online Learning and Online Dating Different?:How Are Online Learning and Online Dating Different?by Jim HornOnline dating can be fun, and it might lead to something. Teachers and professors are the last obstacles standing in the way of a virulent corporate educational caste system based on shrinking public investment in education and a larger and more lucrative role by online diploma mills in the exploitation, containment, and marginalization of the non-privileged, whose shrinking hope for moving into ... more »

Modern School: Is The OWS Movement Too Nice?

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Modern School: Is The OWS Movement Too Nice?:Is The OWS Movement Too Nice?by Michael DunnOWS Poster (Image from Flickr, by Takomabibelot)Aside from the few allegations of protesters throwing paint, smashing windows, or spray painting buildings, the tactics of the OWS have been pretty peaceful, mellow and nice. Sure, it troubles some that they have persistently tried to live outdoors in public where their frustration and anger are clearly visible to all, or that they have shut down a few terminals ... more »

An Anti-Bullying Strategy for One Child that Affected the Whole School

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An Anti-Bullying Strategy for One Child that Affected the Whole School:An Anti-Bullying Strategy for One Child that Affected the Whole Schoolby Rick“I Am Not the Only One”Part 1In the autumn of 1974, in my first year as school principal, a kind and gentle fifth grader named Davion was having trouble with some of the other boys in the class. In particular, Jeremy was becoming increasingly intimidating. The teachers intervened anytime they saw an incident. Jeremy had already been sent to ... more »

Occupy DOE in DC Rules of Engagement | United Opt Out National

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 hours ago

Occupy DOE in DC Rules of Engagement | United Opt Out National:Occupy DOE in DC Rules of Engagementby adminOccupy the DOE Rules of Engagement400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024We are requesting to everyone that this remain a PEACEFUL occupation with NON-VIOLENT actions. We are not responsible for the actions of individuals or groups that do not follow the general rules of engagement outlined here.GSA property includes The Department of Education Building and the surrounding Plaza along Maryland Avenvue. (However: ... more »

The #1 Reason Girls Drop Out (and What You Can Do About It) « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 hours ago

The #1 Reason Girls Drop Out (and What You Can Do About It) « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:The #1 Reason Girls Drop Out (and What You Can Do About It)by Laura VarlasThe United States has the highest teen birthrate in the industrialized world, and teen pregnancy and parenting is the number one reason girls drop out of school. (See the infographic below for the far-reaching effects of teen pregnancy.)This is an avoidable crisis—teen parents don’t have ... more »

This Week In Education: Reform: Will Reformers Ever Broaden Their Agenda?

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This Week In Education: Reform: Will Reformers Ever Broaden Their Agenda?:Reform: Will Reformers Ever Broaden Their Agenda?by Alexander RussoGeoffrey Canada's Harlem Children's Zone was their front. They might have loved "The Wire" but they didn't incorporate any of its lessons into their agenda. Skyrocketing child poverty rates didn't persuade them to pay more than lip service to broader social issues. Even universal preschool was too broad a challenge for them to take on in any meaningful way. You might think ... more »

Race gap in school discipline? | Recordnet.com

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Race gap in school discipline? | Recordnet.com:Race gap in school discipline?Blacks expelled, suspended more than others at SUSDPrint this Article Email this Article Text Size: A | A | APhoto 1 of 1 | Zoom Photo +By Roger PhillipsRecord Staff WriterJanuary 01, 2012 12:00 AMSTOCKTON - Though they represent only a small percentage of the population at Stockton Unified's four comprehensive high schools, black students receive a sizable percentage of the expulsions and suspensions, a disparity experts say is reflective ... more »

Ben Velderman stalking me is okay but filing a FOIA request about Sears tax breaks is illegal. « Fred Klonsky

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 hours ago

Ben Velderman stalking me is okay but filing a FOIA request about Sears tax breaks is illegal. « Fred Klonsky:Ben Velderman stalking me is okay but filing a FOIA request about Sears tax breaks is illegal.by Fred KlonskyLast Spring Ben Velderman, the creepy guy pictured above, filed an Illinois FOIA request for all my work emails. After school district lawyers redacted the names of students and other innocent by-standers, hundreds of emails were delivered to Ben.Then this Fall Ben Velderman’s ... more »

Support PURE! » UIC Monty Neill event – save the date Feb. 15th

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Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » UIC Monty Neill event – save the date Feb. 15th:UIC Monty Neill event – save the date Feb. 15thby adminWINNING THE TESTING BATTLE: OVERHAULING ESEA/NCLBCReATE (Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education) welcomes Monty Neill, FairTest executive director and chair of the national Forum on Educational Accountability, who will address• A decade of failed testing policy• What the new Elementary and Secondary Education Act should look like• Strategies for winning: local ... more »

The Answer Sheet - A School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post

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The Answer Sheet - A School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post:Do schools need a longer school day? A debateValerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 1 hour agoA policy brief released last month concluded that contrary to popular perception, most U.S. public schools require at least as much or even more instructional time for students than countries touted for their high performance on international tests, including Finland, Japan and South Korea. There were a ... more »

44 Years After Walkouts, Are Latino Students Better Off? - Hispanically Speaking News

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

44 Years After Walkouts, Are Latino Students Better Off? - Hispanically Speaking News:44 Years After Walkouts, Are Latino Students Better Off?The following commentary was produced by South Kern Sol, a new, hyperlocal online outlet for youth reporting on community health issues in South Kern County. It is a project of New America Media, and is supported by The California Endowment and The Knight Foundation.The first time I got to listen to Sal Castro speak was four years ago at UC ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Stoopid, Ovurpayed Teechurs

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Stoopid, Ovurpayed Teechurs:Stoopid, Ovurpayed Teechursby DukeOK, Mr. Biggs and Mr. Richwine - let me get this straight:Teachers are overpaid (they aren't) because they get vacations (which school boards set due to parental demands) and pensions (leave aside the fact that pensions save taxpayers money). Their salaries are the same as similar workers in the private sector (they aren't), but they get retiree health care benefits (aside from Medicare, which everyone gets, so is it really that big of ... more »

The Educated Reporter: Big Payoff For D.C. Teachers, Romney Says He Would Veto Dream Act

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Big Payoff For D.C. Teachers, Romney Says He Would Veto Dream Act:Big Payoff For D.C. Teachers, Romney Says He Would Veto Dream Actby Emily Richmond"We want to make great teachers rich."I gotta admit, that's a heck of a pull quote from Sam Dillon's New York Times story on teachers in Washington, D.C. earning sizeable bonuses for consistently solid performance. (Side note: Sam Dillon is one of the NYT reporters taking a recent buy-out offer. The education beat ... more »

California and Sacramento-area teachers took pay hits last year - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

California and Sacramento-area teachers took pay hits last year - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee:California and Sacramento-area teachers took pay hits last yeardlambert@sacbee.comPUBLISHED WEDNESDAY, JAN. 04, 2012School districts across California slashed teacher payrolls by historic amounts last school year, cutting 15,000 teachers and $1 billion from their budgets, according to a Bee review of new state data.The roughly 5.5 percent statewide reduction in teaching payroll eclipsed the 3 percent cut the prior year."This $1 ... more »

Schools Matter: The importance of access to books

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Schools Matter: The importance of access to books:The importance of access to booksby skrashenSent to the San Francisco Chronicle, Jan 3, 2012According to the Chronicle, Ze’ev Wurman thinks that “access to books is not a problem” because of one finding in one report produced by the US Government (“Fewer California schools have trained librarians,” Jan 2, 2012). This is like dismissing global warming because yesterday was cold. And it is counter to the results of a multitude of studies.Numerous scientific ... more »

#edreform Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 23 hours ago

It was the third of September.That day I'll always remember, yes I will.'Cause that was the day that my daddy died.I never got a chance to see him.Never heard nothing but bad things about him.Mama, I'm depending on you, tell me the truth.And Mama just hung her head and said,"Son, Papa was a rolling stone.Wherever he laid his hat was his home.(And when he died) All he left us was ALONE.""Papa was a rolling stone, my son.Wherever he laid his ... more »

"NYSUT: SED decision to suspend funding to all SIG schools 'shocking'."

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 23 hours ago

"NYSUT: SED decision to suspend funding to all SIG schools 'shocking'." January 03, 2012. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org:NYSUT: SED decision to suspend funding to all SIG schools 'shocking'NYSUT Media Relations - January 3, 2012 ALBANY, N.Y. January 3, 2012 - New York State United Teachers President Richard C. Iannuzzi today reacted to the unexpected suspension of School Improvement Grant (SIG) funding for 10 school districts:"The State Education Department's decision to now immediately suspend funding to all 10 districts ... more »

NCLB’s Lost Decade Report | FairTest

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 23 hours ago

NCLB’s Lost Decade Report | FairTest:NCLB’s Lost Decade ReportSubmitted by fairtest on December 30, 2011 - 5:13pm fairtest on national FairTest publications FEA high stakesk-12 k-16 national national legislative national reports news publications whats newNO CHILD LEFT BEHIND 10TH ANNIVERSARY REPORTNCLB’s Lost Decade for Educational Progress:What Can We Learn from this Policy Failure?By Lisa Guisbond with Monty Neill and Bob SchaefferJanuary 2012The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law failed badly in terms of its own goals, leading to a ... more »

An Urban Teacher's Education: In Case You Misunderstood Their Power for Something Lesser

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 23 hours ago

An Urban Teacher's Education: In Case You Misunderstood Their Power for Something Lesser:In Case You Misunderstood Their Power for Something Lesserby James BoutinIn case you misunderstood the power of the educational corporate reform movement for something lesser, New York City's recent inability to come to a decision over teacher evaluation will provide the appropriate lesson.Over the holiday break, New York City Public Schools Chancellor and UFT (the teachers union in NYC) President Michael Mulgrew came to an impasse over a ... more »