Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink ELECTION DAY 11-6-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

Vote for President Obama...Click picture

Schools Matter: Koch Boys, Gates, Waltons, and Wall Street Lined Up in Support of Charter Expansion in Georgia and Washington

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 minutes ago

Schools Matter: Koch Boys, Gates, Waltons, and Wall Street Lined Up in Support of Charter Expansion in Georgia and Washington: Koch Boys, Gates, Waltons, and Wall Street Lined Up in Support of Charter Expansion in Georgia and Washington by Jim Horn A clip from the NYTimes today: The Georgia initiative, as well as a ballot measure in Washington State that would permit charters there for the first time, is being closely watched across the country. In both states, the measures have attracted financial support from national business leaders and advocacy groups. In Washington, donor... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, November 6, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 40 minutes ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: Vote for President Obama...Click picture] [image: Parents Can!] DR. AMI BERA | BERA FOR CONGRESS [image: Dr. Ami Bera | Bera for Congress] Making Washington Work Sacramento County needs a bold leader who sees Congress as an opportunity to serve. Like the oath I took to become a Doctor, I take another solemn oath to put people first Education Headlines *Tuesday, November 6, 2012* LAUSD and mental health partners get grant for trauma workThe Los Angeles Unified School District's mental health department, along with a group... more »

Remarks by the First Lady and the President at Final Campaign Rally -- Des Moines, IA | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Remarks by the First Lady and the President at Final Campaign Rally -- Des Moines, IA | The White House: Remarks by the First Lady and the President at Final Campaign Rally -- Des Moines, IA Intersection of East 4th and East Locust Streets Des Moines, Iowa 9:58 P.M. CST MRS. OBAMA: Thank you, guys. Thanks so much. AUDIENCE: We love Michelle! We love Michelle! MRS. OBAMA: (Laughter.) And I love you. I love you from the bottom of my heart. And I am beyond thrilled to be here with all of you. But we have to give some love up for Bruce Springsteen. I mean, gosh. (Applause.) ... more »

Modern School: Teachers Unions are Failing Kids AND Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Modern School: Teachers Unions are Failing Kids AND Teachers: Teachers Unions are Failing Kids AND Teachers by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Chip Johnson’s recent hit piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, “Oakland Teachers Failed Kids,” accused the Oakland Educators Association (OEA) of putting the interests of teachers above kids and cheating them out of millions in federal Race to the Top (RttT) funds by refusing to accept student test scores (also known as Value Added Measures, or VAM) as a part of teacher evaluations. If Johnson was really interested in better edu... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Jazzman Voters Guide

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Jersey Jazzman: Jazzman Voters Guide: Jazzman Voters Guide by Duke The most important race in New Jersey is LD-16 for the Assembly. *Marie Corfield is the clear choice and will give parents and teachers a long-needed voice in the State Assembly.* If you live in this district, I implore you to vote for Marie. In Perth Amboy: I won't say who you should vote for in the school board election. But you should know this: the "Better Schools Now!" slate is being backed by out-of-state interests that want nothing more than to push unaccountable charter schools into your community. If you ... more »

My High School Feminism Students Create Get Out the Vote Video for Young Women « Feminist Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

My High School Feminism Students Create Get Out the Vote Video for Young Women « Feminist Teacher: My High School Feminism Students Create Get Out the Vote Video for Young Women by feministteacher Popout Earlier this fall, my high school feminism students and I created an It’s My Vote video designed to encourage young women to vote in this year’s election. The American Association of University Women’s Action Fundsponsored the campaign and we were featured on their site. As an educator-activist, nothing is more important to me than teaching young people the importance of civic enga... more »

ALEC Legislators up for re-election in Washington State | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

ALEC Legislators up for re-election in Washington State | Seattle Education: ALEC Legislators up for re-election in Washington State by seattleducation2011 From the Color of Change: *Washington State ALEC legislators who are up for re-election.* U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings (R-4) U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-3) U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5) – Rep. Jan Angel (R-26) Rep. Mike Armstrong (R-12) Rep. Kevin Parker (R-6) Rep. Charles R. Ross (R-14) Rep. Joe Schmick (R-9) Rep. Matt Shea (R-4) – Sen. Randi Becker (R-2) Sen. Don Benton (R-17) Sen. Michael Carrell (R-28) Sen. Brian Hatfi... more »

Is Test Mania Killing Interest in Science Teaching? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Is Test Mania Killing Interest in Science Teaching? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Is Test Mania Killing Interest in Science Teaching? by Anthony Cody Last week I got some disturbing news from a science educator in Kansas. John Richard Schrock is a biologist who works at Emporia State University in Kansas, preparing science teachers. In September he wrote about a visit from Secretary of Education Arne Duncan,and shared this graph, with the following caption: [image: KSBio.jpg] *The number of new licenses awarded by Kansas State Department of Education KSDE to biolog... more »

Obama and The Boss in Madison, Wisconsin : blue cheddar

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Obama and The Boss in Madison, Wisconsin : blue cheddar: Obama and The Boss in Madison, Wisconsin November 6, 2012 By bluecheddar [image: Share] Image from brucespringsteen.net * What Bruce Springsteen said in Madison:* “Let me begin with a shout out to all of our neighbors in the Northeast who are reeling from Hurricane Sandy and its immense impact. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. So, it’s good to be here with you today–and it will be great to feel the power of your votes and voices tomorrow. I’m here today for Wisconsin, America, and for President Obama. For the last 30 ye... more »

What's at Stake in This Election - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

What's at Stake in This Election - Bridging Differences - Education Week: What's at Stake in This Election by Pedro Noguera Hi Deb, I'm glad you followed up about the election, and I was impressed to hear how much you are doing to get the vote out. I've been involved too in some local and regional races. It's hard for me to think about anything else these days. So much is at stake today, and I'm worried that Barack Obama may suffer from a loss of enthusiasm at the polls. Mitt Romney has done an amazing job at re-creating himself during this campaign. He went from a "severe right"... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-6-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] District Reform: No Sit-Downs by dianerav Teachers in Magnesia, Texas, were in for a big surprise when they reported to their schools one day recently and found their chairs had been removed. They quickly learned that they were on the cutting edge of the latest reform idea. How “Reform” Affects a Special Education Classroom by dianerav A reader writes: *I could not agree more with this letter. As a Special Education Teacher, I can say that no one sees the fear and tears more than those in the special educ... more »

The tangled webs of private influence on public school reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

The tangled webs of private influence on public school reform: The tangled webs of private influence on public school reform Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 6, 2012 at 5:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Last February, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization called In the Public Interest, submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for private emails and other files from Indiana school superintendent Tony Bennett and the Indiana Department of Education in an effort to track t... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Yet Another TFA Alum Puffs Up Her Resume

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Yet Another TFA Alum Puffs Up Her Resume: Yet Another TFA Alum Puffs Up Her Resume by Duke It's a fine TFA alumni tradition started by none other than Michelle Rhee: Sell yourself as a teaching genius by gussying up your two or three years in the classroom with statistics showing your "success." Rhee used to make this dramatic claim: "*Over a two-year period, moved students scoring on average at the 13th percentile on national standardized tests to 90 percent of students scoring at the 90th percentile or higher.*" Unfortunately for this modern day saint, G.F. Bra... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Agency Based Education - The Ultimate Local Control

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Agency Based Education - The Ultimate Local Control: Agency Based Education - The Ultimate Local Control by Anngie Today as we go to the polls to exercise our right to vote, most of us feel a sense of accomplishment. This is the time we can stop complaining about government and actually do something about it. We tend to feel better when we are proactive and do something. In the world of politics we can either vote for someone who believes as we do, or spend time after they're elected trying to convince them that our point of view is best. Then we must ... more »

Heavy load awaits new Common Core committee | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Heavy load awaits new Common Core committee | EdSource Today: Heavy load awaits new Common Core committee - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald The State Board of Education tomorrow is expected to appoint the 20 educators who will do the heavy lifting over the next 18 months of fleshing out the Common Core English language arts standards. Their document, the curriculum framework, will guide teachers’ instruction by offering examples of best practices, links to useful materials, and suggestions on how to teach critical thinking and good writing. It will also provide tips and ... more »

UPDATE: Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: On the ground in Chicago

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: On the ground in Chicago: On the ground in Chicago by Mike Klonsky *This post was written by guest blogger Bob George. Bob is a member of the National Steering Committee of Save Our Schools (SOS).* A day in the life Over the past several days I had the privilege of being involved in several Chicago education events with Parents, Students, Teachers, CTU and Core members. On Thursday evening, the Black Caucus of CTU sponsored a discussion with CTU President Karen Lewis, on the recent teachers strike, the implications for the community, and what’s next... more »

Reopening Schools in the Aftermath of the StormSave Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Reopening Schools in the Aftermath of the StormSave Our Schools: Reopening Schools in the Aftermath of the Storm by Server Hurricane Sandy; Reopening Schools in the Aftermath of the StormRECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS *By Denny Taylor* *Originally Published on November 3, 2012* Recommendations for Administrators and Teachers Responding to Hurricane SandyHurricane Sandy has created long lasting catastrophic conditions in the North East of the United States. People are making heroic efforts to respond to the emergency. At hospitals in New York City nurses arrived on S...more »

How Many Strikes? or Wither Accountability? #2 | AMPS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

How Many Strikes? or Wither Accountability? #2 | AMPS: Vote to be heard! by Thomas J. Mertz Digna Lewis, 2004. Click through here for more of this collection: Chis Stamey and Yo la Tengo, “Vote” (click to listen or download) Check the Wisconsin League of Woman Voters for all your voting information, including your rights, your polling place, the candidate answers, referendum information, and same day registration. VOTE TO BE HEARD! Thomas J. Mertz How Many Strikes? or Wither Accountability? #2 by Thomas J. Mertz The Isotopes – “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” (click to listen or downl... more »

Future of Georgia’s Charter Schools on Ballot - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Future of Georgia’s Charter Schools on Ballot - NYTimes.com: Georgia’s Voters Will Decide on Future of Charter Schools [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] ATLANTA — Staff members in the charter school division of the Georgia Department of Education keep notepads in their offices inscribed with a mantra: “Is it best for students? Then do it.” Enlarge This Image Rich Addicks for The New York Times Students at Pataula Charter Academy in Edison, Ga., showed their support for the ballot initiative. But when it comes to charter schools, parents, teachers, education... more »

Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter — Home Visits

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter — Home Visits: This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter — Home Visits Posted on November 5, 2012 by Larry Ferlazzo 1 Guest post by Joe Mazza Image credit: media.mlive.com This week’s Parent-Teacher Chat on Twitter focuses on “home visits” made by educators to engage families. Virginia Supt. Dr. Steve Constantino and Iowa PrincipalJimmyCasas will join us as experienced resources for this discussion. When teachers build relationships with the families of the students they teach, those families become powerful advocates in their childre... more »

Win or Lose Bridgeport’s Board Of Education battle, Finch has probably lost the war - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Win or Lose Bridgeport’s Board Of Education battle, Finch has probably lost the war - Wait, What?: Win or Lose Bridgeport’s Board Of Education battle, Finch has probably lost the war by jonpelto While most of the attention will be focused on the vote for President and members of the U.S. Senate, Congress, State Senate and State House of Representatives tomorrow, there will be plenty of eyes cast on what happens with the charter revision referendum in Bridgeport. Mayor Bill Finch, “education reformers” and elite members of the corporate community are spending a record amount to tr... more »

An Urban Teacher's Education: What Voters in Washington State Can Learn from Charter Schools in Washington, DC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

An Urban Teacher's Education: What Voters in Washington State Can Learn from Charter Schools in Washington, DC: [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)][image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] What Voters in Washington State Can Learn from Charter Schools in Washington, DC by James Boutin *The following essay and commentary is from Retired Public School Teacher Erich Martel, of the Washington, DC Public School System.** **His writing previously appeared on this blog here. You can contact Erich with questions or comments at ehmartel@starpower.net*. *Charter Expansi... more »

Common Core and the Mainstream | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Common Core and the Mainstream | Truth in American Education: Common Core and the Mainstream Posted on November 5, 2012 by Shane Vander Hart I guess those of us who are concerned about the Common Core State Standards are part of the fringe… at least according to Scott Elliott writing for the *Indianapolis Star’s* Get on the Bus Blog. He writes: The Common Core has been only a minor issue in the state superintendent race, which has instead been focused on issues like testing and privatization of public education. Bennett’s rival, Democrat Glenda Ritz, has expressed some sympathy f... more »

Schools Matter: Corporate School Boarding Indy Style

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Schools Matter: Corporate School Boarding Indy Style: Corporate School Boarding Indy Style by Storm *Guest Post by Doug Martin, author and contributor at The Common Errant** **Doug Martin is doing the heavy lifting in Indiana--the work our Fourth Estate seems to have been hired to ignore. There is one very bright exception (shining much more so because so isolated in the journalistic sky): Karen Francisco who writes "The Learning Curve" at the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.* It happened in New Orleans, it happened in Denver, it happened in Florida with the Vice President's brothe... more »

Throughout November: Teacher Evaluation — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Throughout November: Teacher Evaluation — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Throughout November: Teacher Evaluation November 5, 2012 by Klea Scharberg Teacher quality is the most important in-school factor influencing student learning and achievement. Research shows that students with high-performing teachers can progress three times as fast as students with low-performing teachers and each student deserves access to highly effective teachers in every subject. In turn, all teachers deserve a fair and accurate assessment of their skills, how they perf... more »

Daily Kos: The “Naïve Expert” Problem in Market Paradigm and Education Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

Daily Kos: The “Naïve Expert” Problem in Market Paradigm and Education Reform: The “Naïve Expert” Problem in Market Paradigm and Education Reform by rss@dailykos.com (plthomasEdD) In a letter written to Charles Thompson in 1787, Thomas Jefferson stated: "The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees, in every object, only the traits which favor that theory." The dangers inherent in the ideologue may have been central to Jefferson's faith in democracy wedded to his personal and political commitment to the necessity for universal public education. Without a well-informed... more »

My High School Feminism Class Marks International Day of the Girl 2012 « Feminist Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

My High School Feminism Class Marks International Day of the Girl 2012 « Feminist Teacher: My High School Feminism Class Marks International Day of the Girl 2012 by feministteacher Click to view slideshow.The students in my high school feminism class marked this year’s first International Day of the Girl by leading a phenomenal school-wide assembly for their peers. We partnered with 10×10 Educate Girls to learn about the state of girls’ education globally as well as with our partner school in India, the all-girls Shri Shikshayatan Schoolin Kolkata. In addition to sharing informa... more »

Shanker Blog » New Books For The Youngest Victims Of Hurricane Sandy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Shanker Blog » New Books For The Youngest Victims Of Hurricane Sandy: New Books For The Youngest Victims Of Hurricane Sandy by Shanker Institute Staff [image: Help Get New Books to Kids Affected by Hurricane Sandy] Citizens across the United States have been deeply moved by the scenes of devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy. At the Albert Shanker Institute, we offer our condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and to the thousands upon thousands who have lost their homes. Educators and those who care about our public schools can make a special contribution to the recovery e... more »

School Reform, But From Whose Perspective? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

School Reform, But From Whose Perspective? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: School Reform, But From Whose Perspective? by Cheryl S. Williams Public K-12 schooling is a popular subject in all forms of media these days, with the majority of coverage highly critical of both the professionals who work within the system and the performance of the students with whom they work. Prominent national leaders from government, corporations, and philanthropic organizations, having positioned themselves as "reformers," hold the bully pulpit in not only proclaiming education ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: You Don't Mess With the Rocketship

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: You Don't Mess With the Rocketship: You Don't Mess With the Rocketship by Duke Yesterday, I detailed how an "obscene" amount of money is coming into the Perth Amboy, NJ school board race. Three of the wealthy Californians who have pumped towns of thousands of dollars into the campaign - Greg Penner, Arthur Rock, and David Goldberg - are also partners in Rocketship Education, a charter school management company. It turns out that Rocketship is *very* aggressively involved in California school board politics: The six-figure spending by independent committees highli... more »

Diane in the Evening 11-5-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: *Don't Forget to Vote For PUBLIC Education* DC Teacher to Washington State Voters by dianerav Erich Martel retired as a much-respected veteran social studies teacher in the DC public schools. He offered this warning to voters on the other side of the continent, in Washington State: From: Erich Martel To: voters in Washington State November 5, 2012 Charter Expansion (Ballot Initiative I-1240) Will Harm, Not Help, Public School Students in Washington State: Insights from the Other Washington, the Washington (DC) Public Schools - Charter schools are private scho... more »

The Quick and the Ed » Vouchers Redux: The Possible Unintended Consequences of Victory

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

The Quick and the Ed » Vouchers Redux: The Possible Unintended Consequences of Victory: Vouchers Redux: The Possible Unintended Consequences of Victory by Peter Cookson Jr. Some issues just won’t go away. Despite two hundred years of debate, Americans still don’t agree about the proper relationship between government and religion. Pity poor James Madison who after writing the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights still had to take quill in hand and argue against the establishment of a state religion. But even his mighty quill was not enough. There remains a movement to marry stat... more »

SOS Hurricane Sandy Student and Teacher Support FundSave Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

SOS Hurricane Sandy Student and Teacher Support FundSave Our Schools: SOS Hurricane Sandy Student and Teacher Support Fund by Server Save Our Schools Response to Hurricane Sandy *Please Register for/Donate to the Hurricane Sandy Student and Teacher Support Fund* *Save Our Schools* calls on all local, state and federal authorities to spare no expense in rushing aide to thousands of school children and teachers affected by hurricane Sandy. The devastating loss of homes, clothing, books and school supplies will result in a serious and prolonged disruption to education. Schools that... more »

UPDATE: The “school conversion” clause in Initiative 1240, the parent trigger and ALEC model legislation | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

The “school conversion” clause in Initiative 1240, the parent trigger and ALEC model legislation | Seattle Education: The “school conversion” clause in Initiative 1240, the parent trigger and ALEC model legislation by seattleducation2011 The “school conversion” clause in Initiative 1240, the parent trigger and ALEC model legislation Posted on November 5, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment There’s a reason why Stand for Children doesn’t want to refer to the school conversion clause in Initiative 1240 as the parent trigger. If you were to Google “parent trigger”, articles... more »

Zombie Functionalism and the Return of Neo-Instrumentality in Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Zombie Functionalism and the Return of Neo-Instrumentality in Education: Zombie Functionalism and the Return of Neo-Instrumentality in Education by Danny Weil *First printed: August 7th, 2012 at:* * http://philoforchange.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/zombie-functionalism-and-the-return-of-neo-instrumentality-in-education/ * also, Truthout: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11757-zombie-functionalism-and-the-return-of-neo-instrumentality-in-education *Tuesday, 25 September 2012 10:46* *This article is part of Truthout’s ongoing Public Intellectual Project*. For decades now, the debate in Amer... more »

Des Moines Education Association: Election Info for Tuesday, November 6

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Des Moines Education Association: Election Info for Tuesday, November 6: Election Info for Tuesday, November 6 by Andrew Rasmussen The 2012 election is finally here. We wanted to make sure you all have the information you need to make your vote count! The following information is from the Polk County Auditor's office. Q. How do I know where to vote? A. Your general election polling site is listed on your voter registration card. Please note that your polling place may differ based on the type of the election. If you have lost your registration card, call our office at 286-3247.... more »

One Day Before the Election, How You Can Be More Involved | NewsTaco

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

One Day Before the Election, How You Can Be More Involved | NewsTaco: One Day Before the Election, How You Can Be More Involved by Victor Landa By Victor Landa, NewsTaco With just a day left before election day many NewsTaco readers have been asking what they can do to help get Latino voters to the polls. The truth is that if you’re reading this, and if you come to NewsTaco regularly, you’re probably well engaged in the political process – registered to vote, plan to vote, follow the election. If so, and if you’re looking for a way to be involved in the next week, here’s a place to... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: OSPI Report on Special Ed in Seattle

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: OSPI Report on Special Ed in Seattle: Election Day by Melissa Westbrook Need to get that ballot in? Here's a link to the ballot drop-off points. From King County Elections: *Return your ballot through the U.S. Postal Service using a first class stamp or at a ballot drop box or ballot drop-off van (temporary collection point). The deadline to return ballots is Election Day; ballots must be postmarked by Election Day or in a ballot drop box by 8:00 p.m. * Interesting info from our friends at The Stranger Slog about election results: *Enter numbe... more »

UPDATE: Southworks. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Southworks. « Fred Klonsky: From the Skokie chapter’s Illinois-Florida Liaison Ken Previti. Where do you stand? by Fred Klonsky *Dear Wesley Heyduck, Linda Walcher, Bob Kaplan, Marge Houghland, Tim Brinker, Pearl Mack, David Bishop, Linda Stolt, Jane Nolan, Bob Haisman, Brian Mooberry, Allen Forys, Sandy Drafall, Mae Smith, Dottie Beeler, Terrry Waldron, Donald Gibb, Chuck Weishaupt, Chuck Starke, Melody Sexton, Sandra Horvath, Charlene Haley, Barbara Thielemann, Rita Stone, Jack Tucker, Elizabeth Kinser, Barb Gilhaus, Sara Kaufman and Gayla Dial:* *Who are you? Why should I vote ... more »

Schools Matter: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Schools Matter: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing: Time for Moratorium on High Stakes Testing by Judy Rabin [image: Opt Out of High Stakes Testing] My ed professor in graduate school used to say, "let the text speak for itself." Sometimes, that is all you need in a moment like this. However, I do have one "lingering" question. * Can we finally demand a moratorium on all high stakes testing? ** Or will we see NJ and NY go the way of NOLA ** as we sit by why the profiteers continue to call the shots in education. * From the NYT November 4, 2012 Back to School, Bundled Up, bu... more »

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-3-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-27-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-20-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-13-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-6-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-29-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-22-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-8-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Schools Matter: Koch Boys, Gates, Waltons, and Wall Street Lined Up in Support of Charter Expansion in Georgia and Washington

Schools Matter: Koch Boys, Gates, Waltons, and Wall Street Lined Up in Support of Charter Expansion in Georgia and Washington:

Koch Boys, Gates, Waltons, and Wall Street Lined Up in Support of Charter Expansion in Georgia and Washington

by Jim Horn

A clip from the NYTimes today:

The Georgia initiative, as well as a ballot measure in Washington State that would permit charters there for the first time, is being closely watched across the country. In both states, the measures have attracted financial support from national business leaders and advocacy groups.

In Washington, donors supporting the charter ballot initiative include Bill and Melinda Gates; the parents of Jeff Bezos, the founder and chief executive of Amazon; and Nicholas Hanauer, a prominent venture capitalist. Alice Walton, the daughter of Walmart’s founder, Sam Walton, has contributed to campaigns supporting the measures in both Georgia and Washington.

Americans for Prosperity, the Tea Party organization founded by the billionaire Koch brothers, has donated to a committee supporting the charter amendment in Georgia. Students First, a group run by Michelle A. Rhee, the former schools chancellor in the District of Columbia, has also contributed and is helping to organize supporters in the state.

The roster of contributors in Georgia includes several companies that manage charter schools,

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, November 6, 2012

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

DR. AMI BERA | BERA FOR CONGRESS

Education Headlines

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

School numbers continue to shrink

Enrollment at most Tuolumne and Calaveras county school districts has dropped this fall, continuing a 15-year trend that has seen the number of students in the Mother Lode plummet dramatically.

North County school districts prepare for cuts

The outcome of a measure on Tuesday’s ballot could determine whether some local school districts will shorten their 2011-12 academic year, or dip into their reserves, to balance their budgets.

New programs help Greenfield students make big improvements

It's "universal access" time for students in the kindergarten class of Sydney Scott, a time when she dedicates a few minutes to her pupils in small groups to practice reading. Or phonics.

Oxford Prep officials: Test score success came from working smarter, harder - not cheating

The key to a Chino charter school's chart-topping statewide testing scores isn't cheating, officials at the school say - it's working smarter and harder.

Autistic student left on school bus 6 hours

The Anaheim Union High School District is investigating how an autistic 15-year-old student was left inside a school bus for about six hours. The Savanna High student, who is unable to speak and suffers from seizures, sat inside the vehicle parked at the district bus yard for most of the school day, said the child's mother.

Private and public school share Carlsbad campus

When a private school moved in two months ago to share a campus with Magnolia Elementary School in Carlsbad, teachers and parents there really didn’t know what to expect. Now that things have more or less settled into place, educators at both schools say the arrangement is working out well.

North County school districts prepare for cuts

The outcome of a measure on Tuesday’s ballot could determine whether some local school districts will shorten their 2011-12 academic year, or dip into their reserves, to balance their budgets.

Districts prepare for cuts in salary, school year following election

The outcome of a measure on Tuesday’s ballot could determine whether some local school districts will shorten their 2011-12 academic year, or dip into their reserves, to balance their budgets.

Principal convicted of failing to report suspected child abuse by teacher

In a verdict hailed by child-abuse experts, a jury Monday found a principal guilty of the extremely rare charge of failing to report suspected sexual abuse to authorities, despite being told by an 8-year-old girl in vivid and explicit detail about a possible sexual act a teacher performed on her.

Southwest schools enjoy enrollment boost

School districts across southwest Riverside County got a bit of surprise this fall: additional students on their campuses. The Temecula Valley, Murrieta Valley and Lake Elsinore Unified school districts are all reporting increases in student enrollment when many of them had been expecting flat or declining enrollment this year.

LAUSD and mental health partners get grant for trauma work

The Los Angeles Unified School District's mental health department, along with a group of partners, recently landed a $2.4-million grant to work with students exposed to traumatic events.

Fresno teachers union lets district apply for federal grant

After a marathon debate, the Fresno teachers union agreed to endorse its school district's application for a federal grant that would require controversial changes in instructor evaluations.

San Francisco school district loses big because 4,100 students skipped school for Giants parade

Thousands of San Francisco kids apparently skipped school to attend last week's Giants World Series parade. The school district had sent a letter home to parents on the eve of the victory parade urging them to send their children to school rather than head to the parade. But more than 4,100 students were absent, costing the district nearly $160,000 in California funding. The state pays $38.27 each day a student shows up for school.

Baron: State Board to vote on Common Core for English learners

Up to now, California schools have placed a greater emphasis on teaching the state’s 1.5 million English learners the parts of a sentence rather than the meaning of a sentence. That focus on syntax over significance is in for a massive overhaul if, as expected, the State Board of Education votes tomorrow to approve new English Language Development standards aligned to Common Core state standards in reading and writing.

6th-grader back in school despite genes

After missing 11 days of class, Colman Chadam has been allowed to return to his Palo Alto middle school after convincing district officials that they didn't need to worry about a couple of genes in his DNA.

Monday, November 5, 2012

When being sent to the principal's office is a good thing

Just about every parent has experienced that moment of dread when the school's phone number shows up on caller ID. Generally it's one of two things -- your child is sick or injured or has done something wrong. But in the Bakersfield City School District, that call just might be cause for celebration.

Freedberg: MapLight - Campaign spending to promote Props. 30 and 38 exceeds $100 million

Proponents of Propositions 30 and 38 have now poured a combined total of $117 million to convince voters to support their respective measures, both of which are intended to raise billions of dollars for schools and other programs.

Walters: Prop. 30 and Jerry Brown's future

One might wonder, has Gov. Jerry Brown been an asset or a liability in the campaign to persuade Californians to raise taxes – a notion that historically has not fared very well at the polls? And if Proposition 30 is rejected, what does it bode for a man who was just 31 when first elected to office but who is now 74?

http://www.yesonprop30.com/

Who's Behind Proposition 32? Who's behind Prop 32? And what's their real agenda? Proposition 32 exempts the same corporate special interests that are funding the campaign: Big oil companies, insurance company executives, hedge fund managers, Wall Street bankers, big developers and Super PACs. These are the real people behind Proposition 32: billionaire businessmen, secretive Super PACs and other corporate special interests. Together, they’ve spent almost $100 million trying to influence California elections since 2000 -- so it’s a pretty safe bet that legitimate reform is not their real agenda. To learn more... Click on the colored box at the top of each column to reveal the wealthy businessmen behind Prop 32. Click on an individual picture to learn more about their real agenda -- then share the truth with your friends and family. Check back often. We’ll keep this page updated as new contributions pour in and more information becomes available.

Remarks by the First Lady and the President at Final Campaign Rally -- Des Moines, IA | The White House

Remarks by the First Lady and the President at Final Campaign Rally -- Des Moines, IA | The White House:

Remarks by the First Lady and the President at Final Campaign Rally -- Des Moines, IA

Intersection of East 4th and East Locust Streets
Des Moines, Iowa

9:58 P.M. CST

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you, guys. Thanks so much.

AUDIENCE: We love Michelle! We love Michelle!

MRS. OBAMA: (Laughter.) And I love you. I love you from the bottom of my heart. And I am beyond thrilled to be here with all of you.

But we have to give some love up for Bruce Springsteen. I mean, gosh. (Applause.) For months, I have heard his songs played at our rallies. But I have to say, there's nothing like seeing The Boss in person. (Applause.) Nothing like it. He has just been tremendous. He and his family and his team, they've just been amazing. So we want to thank Bruce for everything that he's done for us.

And more than anything else, I want to thank you all for being here tonight. I mean, as you know this is a pretty emotional time for us, because this is the final event of my husband's final campaign. (Applause.) So this is the last time that he and I will be onstage together at a campaign rally. And that's why we wanted to come here to Iowa tonight -- (applause) -- because truly this is where it all began, right here.

And I have so many fond memories of this state -- the house parties in Sioux City and Cedar Rapids; celebrating Malia's birthday in Pella; and seeing my husband's face carved in butter. (Applause.) Believe me, we still talk about that at Christmas. (Laughter.)

But I will never forget the kindness and warmth and love that you all showed me and my family, especially our girls. That is truly what made the difference back in those early days when I wasn't so sure about this whole process; back when I was still wondering what it would mean for our girls and our family if Barack got the chance to serve as President.

But the truth is while I had my worries and my fears, I also realized that this decision affected not only me as a wife and a mother, but as a voter, as an American. And I started envisioning the kind of person that I wanted to lead our country. And I knew that I wanted a President with a steady character, with deep compassion and strong convictions. I wanted a President who was smart. (Applause.) I wanted someone we could trust -- (applause) -- someone who would always, always tell us the truth even when it's hard. (Applause.) And I wanted a President driven not by politics or which way the wind is blowing, but by the struggles, hopes and dreams of all Americans. (Applause.)

And the more I thought about it, the more I knew in my heart that I was describing Barack. I knew he could be that President. And for four years, that's exactly what he's done. He has stayed true to himself, and with your help, he's worked day after day to make this country better, to move it forward. He's rescued our economy from the brink of collapse and saved the auto industry. (Applause.) He's passed historic health reform -- (applause) -- ended the war in Iraq. (Applause.) He's fought so women get equal pay and students can afford college. (Applause.) He's fought for our seniors, so that they can retire with dignit;, and our veterans, so that they can give the benefits they earned and the respect they deserve. (Applause.)

For four years, Barack has been fighting to give every single one of us a fair shot at that great American Dream, no matter what we look like or where we come from or who we love. (Applause.) And for four years, we have all seen what I've seen for the past 23 years. We've seen a man of honor and integrity who knows what he believes and stays true to his values. (Applause.) I'm so proud of my husband. We have seen an honest man who knows the facts and always gives it to us straight. We've seen a man whose strength and resolve to build a better tomorrow has never wavered, never.

And that's why I am so thrilled to be here in Iowa tonight -- (applause) -- because long before most people even knew his name, you all saw what I saw. So you did all this crazy stuff. You showed up at campaign offices here in Des Moines and offices all over the state. More importantly, you opened your homes. You held caucus trainings. You marched with us at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner. (Applause.) And then, on a cold January night, you stood up for Barack, because you knew that he would stand up for you. (Applause.)

And over these past four years, our family has been truly blessed -- truly blessed -- by all of the love and support and prayers that we have received from every corner of this country. And Barack has been truly blessed to have all of you by his side as we have worked together to bring that change we can believe in.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve this nation -- just know that. And tomorrow, we get the chance to finish what we started here in Iowa. (Applause.) Tomorrow, all across this state, all across this country, we will line up and vote in libraries and community centers, in school gyms. We're going to knock on doors until our fingers are numb. We're going to make calls until our voices are hoarse. (Applause.) And we won't stop until every voice and every last vote is counted. (Applause.)

And we will do it. We will do it, because while we have come so far, we know that there is so much more to do. And what we really, truly know is that we cannot turn back now. We need to keep moving this country forward. (Applause.)

So that means that we need to reelect the man who has been fighting for us every single day -- my husband, the love of my life -- the President of the United States Barack Obama. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Iowa! (Applause.) Tomorrow. Tomorrow, Iowa. Tomorrow, from the granite of New Hampshire to the Rockies of Colorado, from the coastlines of Florida to Virginia’s rolling hills, from the valleys of Ohio to these Iowa fields -- we will keep America moving forward. (Applause.)

I’ve come back to Iowa one more time to ask for your vote. (Applause.) I came back to ask you to help us finish what we’ve started. (Applause.) Because this is where our movement for change began. (Applause.) Right here. Right here.

Right behind these bleachers is the building that was home to our Iowa headquarters in 2008. (Applause.) I was just inside, and it brought back a whole lot of memories. This was where some of the first young people who joined our campaign set up shop, willing to work for little pay and less sleep because they believed that people who love their country can change it.

This was where so many of you who shared that belief came to help. When the heat didn’t work for the first week or so -- (laughter) -- some of you brought hats and gloves for the staff. These poor kids, they weren’t prepared. (Laughter.) When the walls inside were bare, one of you painted a mural to lift everybody’s spirits. When we had a Steak Fry to march to, when we had a J-J Dinner to fire up -- (applause) -- you brought your neighbors and you made homemade signs. When we had calls to make, teachers and nurses showed up after work, already bone-tired, but staying anyway, late into the night.

And you welcomed me and Michelle into your homes. And you picked us up when we needed a lift. And your faces gave me new hope for this country’s future, and your stories filled me with resolve to fight for you every single day I set foot in the Oval Office. (Applause.)

You inspired us. And I want to take this opportunity to say one thing to all the young people and not-so-young people who’ve given so much to this campaign over the years -- those of you who haven’t done this just for me, but for each other -- for a laid-off family member, for a sick child, for a fallen friend -- to all of you who’ve lived and breathed the hard work of change: I want to thank you.

You took this campaign and you made it your own. And you organized yourselves, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, county by county, starting a movement that spread across the country -- (applause) -- a movement made up of young and old, and rich and poor, and black and white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, Democrats, Republicans, who believe we’ve all got something to contribute; that we all deserve a shot at our own American Dream. (Applause.)

And when the cynics said we couldn’t, you said “Yes, we can.”

AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: You said, “Yes, we can” -- and we did. Against all odds, we did. We didn’t know what challenges would come when we began this journey. We didn’t know how deep the crisis would turn out. But we knew we would get through those challenges the same way this nation always has -- with that determined, unconquerable American spirit that says no matter how bad the storm gets, no matter how tough times are, we’re all in this together. We rise or fall as one nation and as one people. (Applause.)

That’s the spirit that’s carried us through the trials and tribulations of the last four years. In 2008, we were in the middle of two wars and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. And today, our businesses have created nearly five and a half million new jobs. (Applause.) The American auto industry is back. Home values are on the rise. We’re less dependent on foreign oil than any time in the last 20 years. We’ve doubled the production of clean energy. Because of the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform, the war in Iraq is over. The war in Afghanistan is ending. Al Qaeda is on the run. Osama bin Laden is dead. (Applause.)

We’ve made real progress these past four years. But, Iowa, we’re here tonight because we’ve got more work to do. We’re not done yet on this journey. We’ve got more road to travel. As long as there’s a single American who wants a job but can’t find one; as long as there are families working harder but still falling behind; as long as there’s a child anywhere in Des Moines, anywhere in Iowa, anywhere in this country languishing in poverty, barred from opportunity -- our work isn’t done. (Applause.) Our fight for change goes on.

Because we know this nation cannot succeed without a growing, thriving middle class and sturdy ladders for everybody who is willing to work to get into that middle class. (Applause.) Our fight goes on because America has always done best when everybody has got a fair shot, and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody plays by the same rules. The people of Iowa understand that. That’s what we believe. That’s why you elected me in 2008. And, Iowa, that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States. (Applause.)

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: Now, the choice you make tomorrow -- and you understand this; Iowans, you guys pay attention -- (laughter and applause) -- the choice you make is not just between two candidates or parties. It’s a choice between two different visions of America -- who we are; what we believe; what we care about. It’s a choice between going back to the top-down policies that caused the mess we’ve been fighting our way out of for four years -- or moving forward to a future that’s built on a strong and growing middle class.

And, Iowa, you know me as well as anybody. You’ve seen a lot of me these last six years. (Laughter.) And you know what, you may not agree with every decision I’ve made -- Michelle doesn’t. (Laughter.) There may be times where you’ve been frustrated at the pace of change. I promise you, so have I. But I tell you what, you know what I believe. You know where I stand. You know I tell the truth. (Applause.) You know I’ll fight for you and your families every single day, as hard as I know how. (Applause.)

And that’s why, when we talk about change, we know what real change looks like because we’ve fought for it. We've got the scars to prove it. I've got the gray hair to show it. (Laughter.) I wasn’t this gray when I first showed up in Iowa. (Applause.) And sometimes it’s been hard. Sometimes it’s been frustrating. We understand that. But what we also know is that when we decide to make a difference, when Americans come together, determined to bring about change, nobody can stop us. We cannot be stopped.

And after all we've been through together, after all that we fought through together, we cannot give up on change now. (Applause.)

We know what real change looks like. Change is a country where every American has a shot at a great education -- where we recruit new teachers, train new workers, bring down tuition, so that no one in this country is forced to give up the dream of a college education. (Applause.)

Change comes when we live up to this country’s legacy of innovation by investing in the next generation of technology and manufacturing. Instead of subsidizing oil company profits, I want to support energy jobs of tomorrow. And Iowa knows about clean energy and biodiesel and wind turbines that will free this country from the grip of foreign oil. (Applause.)

I don’t want a tax code that rewards companies for creating jobs overseas; I want to reward companies that create jobs right here in America. That’s what change is, Iowa. (Applause.)

Change is turning the page on a decade of war so we can do some nation-building here at home -- repairing our roads and our bridges, making our schools state of the art; putting our veterans back to work -- because nobody who fights for this country’s freedom should have to fight for a job, or a roof over their heads when they come home. (Applause.) That's what we're fighting for. That's why we're not done. (Applause.)

Change is a future where we reduce our deficit by asking the wealthiest Americans to go back to the tax rates they paid when Bill Clinton was in office. (Applause.) We’ll cut out spending we don't need. But as long as I’m President, we're not going to turn Medicare into a voucher just to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut. (Applause.) We're not going to kick a kid off of Head Start just to pay for a millionaire’s tax cut. (Applause.)

Because our budget reflects our priorities and our values. And we know what our future requires. We know what real change is. You helped teach me that, here in Iowa. (Applause.) And what we also know is that change isn't easy. Remember, a lot of you showed up to town hall meetings back in 2007, 2008, and I used to talk about change. But I also said I'm not just talking about changing presidents. I'm not just talking about changing parties. I'm talking about changing our politics. (Applause.)
I told you I ran because your voices had been shut out of our democracy for way too long by special interests and politicians who will do whatever it takes to keep things just the way they are. And we've seen over the last four years, the status quo in Washington, they are powerful and they have fought us every step of the way.

When we tried -- and succeeded in reforming our health care system, they spent millions trying to stop us. When we tried -- and succeeded -- in reforming Wall Street, they spent millions to push us back. And we kept on going. But those were tough fights.

And what the protectors of the status quo in Washington are counting on now is that you’ll get worn down by all the squabbling. You’ll get fed up with the dysfunction. You’ll give up on the change we’ve fought for. You’ll walk away and leave them to make decisions that affect every American. In other words, their bet is on cynicism. But, Iowa, you taught me to bet on you. (Applause.) You taught me to bet on hope. (Applause.)
I’ll work with anybody, of any party, to move this country forward. And if you want to break the gridlock in Congress, you’ll vote for leaders who feel the same way -- whether they’re Democrats, or Republicans, or independents -- the kind of Iowa leaders you’ve always had -- Tom and Christie Vilsack, and Tom Harkin, and Leonard Boswell and Bruce Braley, and my great friends, Tom Miller and Mike Fitzgerald. (Applause.)

But there’s some principles you got to fight for. There are times where you’ve got to take a stand. If the price of peace in Washington is cutting deals to kick students off of financial aid, or get rid of funding for Planned Parenthood, or let insurance companies discriminate against kids with preexisting conditions, or eliminate health care for millions on Medicaid who are poor, or elderly, or disabled -- I won't pay that price. That's not a deal I will make. (Applause.) That’s not bipartisanship. That’s not change. That’s surrender to the same forces of the status quo that has squeezed middle-class families for way too long.

And, Iowa, I’m not ready to give up on the fight. (Applause.) I've got a lot more fight left in me. (Applause.) But to wage that fight on behalf of American families, I need you to still have some fight in you, too. (Applause.)

The folks at the top in this country, it turns out they don’t need another champion in Washington. They’ll always have a seat at the table. They’ll always have access and influence. The people who need a champion are the Americans whose letters I read late at night after a long day in the office; the men and women I meet on the campaign trail every day.

The laid-off furniture worker who’s retraining at the age of 55 for a new career at a community college -- she needs a champion. The restaurant owner who needs a loan to expand -- he’s got great food but the bank turned him down -- he needs help. He needs a champion. The cooks and the waiters and cleaning staff, working overtime in a hotel in Des Moines or Vegas, trying to save enough to buy a first home or send their kid to college -- they need a champion. (Applause.)

The autoworker who was laid off, thought the plant would never reopen, and is now back on the job, filled with pride and dignity, building a great car, building America -- he needs a champion. (Applause.) The teacher in an overcrowded classroom with outdated schoolbooks, digging into her own pocket to buy school supplies, not always feeling like she’s got the support she needs, but showing up every day because she knows that this might be the day that she’s got a breakthrough and she makes a difference in one child’s life -- she needs a champion. (Applause.)

All those kids in inner cities, small farm towns -- kids dreaming of becoming scientists or doctors, engineers or entrepreneurs, diplomats or even a President -- they need a champion in Washington, because the future will never have as many lobbyists as the status quo -- children don't have lobbyists the way oil companies or banks do. But it’s the dreams of those children that will be our saving grace.

That’s what we fight for. That’s why I need you, Iowa. To make sure their voices are heard. To make sure your voices are heard. (Applause.) And that's why we’ve come too far to turn back now. We’ve come too far to let our hearts grow faint. Now is the time to keep pushing forward -- (applause) -- to educate all our kids, and train all our workers, and to create new jobs, and rebuild our roads, and bring back our troops, and care for our veterans, and broaden opportunity, and grow our middle class, and restore our democracy -- and make sure that no matter who you are, or where you come from, or how you started out, what you look like, who you love, what your last name is, here in America, you can make it if you try. That's what we're fighting for. (Applause.)

And, Iowa, after all the months of campaigning, after all the rallies, after the millions of dollars of ads, it all comes down to you. It’s out of my hands now. It’s in yours. All of it depends on what you do when you step into that voting booth tomorrow. It’s just a remarkable thing, the way our democracy works. And at a certain point, all this effort and all these campaign rallies -- and then it just comes down to each of us, as citizens. All of it depends on you bringing your friend, or your neighbor, your coworker, your mom, your dad, your wife, your husband to the polls.

That's how our democracy is supposed to be. The single most powerful force in our democracy is you. Moving this country forward begins with you. (Applause.) Don’t ever let anybody tell you your voice doesn’t matter. Don't let anybody tell you your voice can't make a difference. It makes a difference.

I got a powerful reminder of this myself on our last campaign. Folks in Iowa, I know you may have heard this story but it was early in the primaries, and we were still way down in the polls. I think this office had just finally gotten the heat turned on. (Laughter.) And at the time, I was still competing in South Carolina -- it was one of the early primary states. And I really wanted the endorsement of a state representative down there. I met her at some function where nobody knew me, nobody could pronounce my name. They’re wondering, what’s he thinking? (Laughter.)

So I asked her for her endorsement. And she said, “I tell you what, Obama -- I will give you my endorsement if you come to my hometown of Greenwood, South Carolina.” And I think I had a little bit of wine during dinner, because right away I said “okay.” (Laughter.)

So it’s about a month later, and I'm traveling back to South Carolina. And we flew in late -- I think we were coming from Iowa. We had been campaigning non-stop, traveling all through towns and having town hall meetings and shaking hands. And in between, I'm making phone calls, asking people for support. And so we land in Greenwood, South Carolina, at around midnight. We get to the hotel about 1 o’clock in the morning. I am wiped out. I'm exhausted. And I'm dragging my bags to my room. Back then we didn’t fly on Air Force One. (Laughter.) And the accommodations were a little different. (Laughter.)

And just as I'm about to walk into the room, one of my staf taps me on the shoulder to say, “Excuse me, Senator” --I was a senator back then. “We're going to have to wake up and be on the road at 6:30 a.m. in the morning.” And I said, “What?” (Laughter.) “Why?” “Well, you made this promise to go to Greenwood, and it’s several hours away.” (Laughter.)

And you know, Iowa, I try to keep my promises. So a few hours later, I wake up -- and I'm feeling terrible. I think a cold is coming on. And I open up the curtains to try to get some light to wake me up, but it’s pouring down rain. Terrible storm. And I take a shower and get some coffee, and I open up the newspaper and there’s a bad story about me in The New York Times. (Laughter.) I was much more sensitive at that time to bad stories. (Laughter.) I've become more accustomed to these now.

And finally I get dressed, I go downstairs and I'm walking out to the car, and my umbrella blows open -- and I'm soaked. So by the time I'm in the car I'm wet and I'm mad and I'm still kind of sleepy. And it turns out that Greenwood is several hours away from everyplace else. (Laughter.)

And so we drive, and we drive, and we drive, and we drive. And finally we get to Greenwood -- although you don't know you're in Greenwood right away because there are not a lot of tall buildings around. And we pull up to a small field house, and I walked in, and I'm looking around. I don't hear a lot going on. And the state representative said she was going to organize a little meeting for us, and we walked in and there are about 20 people there. And they’re all kind of wet, too, and they don't look very excited to see me. (Laughter.)

But I'm running for President, so I do what I'm supposed to do -- and I'm shaking hands, I say, “How do you do? Nice to meet you.” And I'm making my way around the room, and suddenly I hear this voice cry out behind me: “Fired up.”

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: And I'm startled, and I don't know what’s going on. But everybody in the room -- this is a small room -- they act like this is normal. (Laughter.) And when the voice says, “Fired up,” they all say, “Ready to go.”

And so once again, I hear the voice: “Fired up.” They say, “Fired up.” They say, “Ready to go!” “Ready to go!”

I look around, I turned behind me -- there’s this small woman. She’s about 60 years old; looks like she just came from church -- she got a big church hat. (Laughter.) And she’s looking at me, kind of peering at me, and she’s grinning, smiling, looking happy. Turns out she’s a city councilwoman from Greenwood -- who also moonlights as a private detective. I'm not making this up. (Laughter.) This is true. And it turns out she’s famous throughout the area. When she goes to football games and when she goes to rallies and she goes to community events, she does this chant of hers. She does it wherever she goes. So for the next few minutes, she just keeps on saying “Fired up.”

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: And everybody says “Fired up,” and she says she’s “Ready to go,” and everybody else says “Ready to go.”

And I’m thinking, this woman is showing me up. (Laughter.) This is my meeting. I’m running for President. (Laughter.) And she’s dominating the room. And I look at my staff, and they just shrug their shoulders. They don’t know what to do.

So this goes on for a few minutes. Now, here’s the thing, Iowa. After a few minutes, I’m feeling kind of fired up. (Laughter.) I’m feeling like I’m ready to go. (Laughter.) So I start joining in the chant, and my staff starts joining in the chant. And somehow I feel pretty good.

And we go on to talk about the lives of the people in the room, and their families and their struggles and their hopes for their kids and their grandkids. And we drive out and it’s still raining, but it doesn’t seem so bad. And we go to our next stop, and for the rest of the day, even after we left Greenwood, even though we still weren’t getting any big crowds anyplace, even though people still couldn’t pronounce my name, I felt good. (Laughter.)

And I’d see my staff, and I’d say, “Are you fired up?” They’d say, “We’re fired up.” I’d say, “Are you ready to go?” And they’d say, “We’re ready to go.” (Applause.)

And we brought that to Iowa. And during our rallies, this became a chant, and we’d have signs saying “Fired up, Ready to go.” And the woman, her name was Edith Childs -- she became a celebrity, and she was written up in The Wall Street Journal -- (laughter) -- and folks did news stories on her. And this became one of the anthems of our campaign back in 2008.

Now, here’s the end of the story, though. We knew we were coming back to Des Moines for the last campaign rally I’ll ever do for me. And so we were getting kind of sentimental. And we called up Edith Childs. And we said, why don’t you come on up? (Applause.) No, no, listen to this. We said, why don’t you come on up; we’ll fly you up from South Carolina and you can do this chant one more time, just for old good-time sake. It’s like getting the band back together again. (Laughter.)

And you know what Edith said? She said, I’d love to see you, but I think we can still win North Carolina, so I’m taking a crew into North Carolina to knock on doors on Election Day -- I don’t have time just to be talking about it. (Applause.) I’ve got to knock on some doors. (Applause.) I’ve got to turn out the vote. (Applause.) I’m still fired up, but I’ve got work to do. (Applause.)

And that shows you what one voice can do. One voice can change a room. And if it can change a room, it can change a city. And if it can change a city, it can change a state. And if it can change a state, it can change a nation. (Applause.) And if it can change a nation, it can change the world. (Applause.)

And, Iowa, in 2008, your voice changed the world. And Edith Childs asked me to ask you that if you’re willing to still stand with me tomorrow, if you’re willing to get your friends and your neighbors and your coworkers to the polls tomorrow, if you’re willing to make sure we finish what we started, she’s pretty sure we’ll win Iowa. (Applause.) She’s pretty sure we’ll win this election. (Applause.) And she just had one question for you, and that is: Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Iowa, tomorrow let’s remind the world just why it is the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth. (Applause.)

I love you. (Applause.) Let’s go vote. Let’s keep moving forward. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END
10:35 P.M. CST

Jersey Jazzman: Jazzman Voters Guide

Jersey Jazzman: Jazzman Voters Guide:

Jazzman Voters Guide

by Duke

The most important race in New Jersey is LD-16 for the Assembly. Marie Corfield is the clear choice and will give parents and teachers a long-needed voice in the State Assembly. If you live in this district, I implore you to vote for Marie.

In Perth Amboy: I won't say who you should vote for in the school board election. But you should know this: the "Better Schools Now!" slate is being backed by out-of-state interests that want nothing more than to push unaccountable charter schools into your community. If you believe in local control, voting for this slate would be against your interests.

Most congressional races in NJ are forgone conclusions, except for one: we may be able to pull off a dark horse victory for Upendra Chivukula in the 7th if everyone who cares about public education gets out and votes. Leonard Lance pretends he is a moderate, but we all know there is no such thing anymore in the Republican party.

Shelley Adler in the 3rd hasn't run a great campaign, but is so far superior to Jon Runyan that I can't imagine anyone voting for him.

Of course Robert Menendez is going to win for Senate, but you need to pull the lever for him to show the sleazeballs in the Republican party that slimy tactics don't work.

Yes on Question 1; No on Question 2.

For president: hold your nose and vote for the center-right, anti-public education candidate Barack Obama. Sorry, but the thought of "President Mitt Romney" is far too scary to do anything else.

If you are outside of Jersey (enjoy having electricity), follow this guide from Diane Ravitch:

If you live in Washington State, vote NO on 1240 and show the billionaires that you won’t let them start the process of privatization.
If you live in Georgia, vote against the ALEC initiative and preserve local control.
If you live in Bridgeport, Connecticut, vote against the Mayor’s attempt to take away your right to elect the school board.
If you live in Los Angeles, vote for Robert Skeels for LAUSD school board.
If you live in Ohio, vote for Maureen Reedy for the legislature.
If you live in New Jersey, vote for Marie Corfield. [Go Marie! - JJ]
If you live in Pennsylvania, vote for Richard Flarend.
If you live in California, vote yes on 30 to support public education and no on 32, meant to hobble unions.

Leonie Haimson expands on these.

Finally, as a general rule: if a candidate is a TFA alum, stay away.

We have a lot of work to do over the next several years to save public education. Let's start today.

My High School Feminism Students Create Get Out the Vote Video for Young Women « Feminist Teacher

My High School Feminism Students Create Get Out the Vote Video for Young Women « Feminist Teacher:

My High School Feminism Students Create Get Out the Vote Video for Young Women

by feministteacher

Popout
Earlier this fall, my high school feminism students and I created an It’s My Vote video designed to encourage young women to vote in this year’s election. The American Association of University Women’s Action Fundsponsored the campaign and we were featured on their site.
As an educator-activist, nothing is more important to me than teaching young people the importance of civic engagement. In our video, I share the story of how each year, my Puerto Rican mom brought me to the polls in the Bronx to pull the lever for her while carrying me in her arms; my students then talk about why voting matters to them as young women.
In the same way that my mom carried me to the polls to share her voice, today and everyday, I carry the responsibility of teaching my students that they too must carry the legacy of change in their hands both for themselves and their communities.

Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

DR. AMI BERA | BERA FOR CONGRESS

Education Headlines

Remarks by the First Lady and the President at Final Campaign Rally -- Des Moines, IA