Morning Wink 8-4-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

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The KKK’s Response to the Murder of Chaney, Goodman, & Schwerner…

Prison Culture » The KKK’s Response to the Murder of Chaney, Goodman, & Schwerner…: The KKK’s Response to the Murder of Chaney, Goodman, & Schwerner…      Rate ThisToday is the day on 8/4/64 that the bodies of civil rights martyrs of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were found buried in an earthen dam in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Below is a short video summarizing this

2 by mike simpson / 23min 

Cheats For Change #Cheats4Change

Cheats For Change: Cheats For Change#Cheats4Change Cheats For Change#Cheats4Change are committed to putting themselves first through bold, visionary education deform that will increase their donors' profits and prepare themselves for success in politics and careers.Archive  Ask us anything  About This Blog  Submitoccupyedueducation reformeducation policycorporate agendapublic schoolspublic educati

by mike simpson / 29min 

Legislature's changes to Texas education go far beyond zapping of 10 STAAR tests | Dallasnews.com - News for Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Morning News

Legislature's changes to Texas education go far beyond zapping of 10 STAAR tests | Dallasnews.com - News for Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Morning News: Legislature's changes to Texas education go far beyond zapping of 10 STAAR testsStaff Writerjweiss@dallasnews.comPublished: 03 August 2013 11:17 PMUpdated: 03 August 2013 11:42 PMFirst in a seriesAnyone who cares about Texas schools probably knows th

by mike simpson / 37min 

Around Florida: Education job a revolving door | jacksonville.com

Around Florida: Education job a revolving door | jacksonville.com: Around Florida: Education job a revolving doorPosted: August 4, 2013 - 7:44am  |  Updated: August 4, 2013 - 8:56amBy Matt DixonA word of advice to those who aspire to become Florida’s top education official: keep your resume updated.For the third time since 2011, a Florida education commissioner has resigned under less than squeaky

by mike simpson / 40min 

Teach for America criticized for apparent stance on education policy - latimes.com

Teach for America criticized for apparent stance on education policy - latimes.com: Teach for America criticized for apparent stance on education policyCritics say Teach for America has strayed from a core mission of helping needy urban schools, favoring efforts seen as anti-teacher union.By Howard BlumeAugust 3, 2013, 7:40 p.m.Over its 24-year history, Teach for America has won accolades for taki

by mike simpson / 43min 

All Things Education: Turtles and Hares in Modern School Reform

All Things Education: Turtles and Hares in Modern School Reform: Turtles and Hares in Modern School ReformI ended my last post with a larger point about the problem of "disruption" in modern education reform:"This is exactly what happens when you rush into big, 'disruptive' changes without thinking about them or fully understanding what you're doing. You break things that weren't already broken an

by mike simpson / 45min 

Will liberals stand up to “corporate school reform”? - Salon.com

Will liberals stand up to “corporate school reform”? - Salon.com: Will liberals stand up to “corporate school reform”?For too long, they've assumed that schools can be "fixed" without tackling social and economic inequalityBY LOIS WEINERThis article originally appeared on Jacobin.An eloquent call to “reclaim the conversation” challenges leading liberal educators to repudiate their involvement in w

by mike simpson / 1h 

School reform needs reform | Ocala.com

School reform needs reform | Ocala.com: School reform needs reformBy Brad RodgersEditorial Page EditorPublished: Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 10:48 p.m.Last Modified: Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 10:48 p.m.Since we here in Florida like to grade our education system, or at least our politicians do, let’s take a look at how things are going.We have been measuring our students and their schools based o

by mike simpson / 1h 

Michelle Rhee embraces disgraced charter school advocate - Salon.com

Michelle Rhee embraces disgraced charter school advocate - Salon.com: Michelle Rhee embraces disgraced charter school advocateEducation reformers rush to defend Florida schools chief, Tony Bennett, after he resigned in a pay-to-play scandalTony Bennett, Florida’s education chief, abruptly resigned yesterday after an AP investigationrevealed that in his old job running Indiana’s schools, he frantic

by mike simpson / 1h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-4-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Your School Library: A Profit CenterA retired librarian spots a scam: Reference: here is another blog that is relevant to the discussion. “Apple’s iPad Textbooks Cost 5x More Than Print” By Lee Wilson —————————————- Comment: I have watched the dismantling of the public library in my district. The newest “schemes” provide some kind

by mike simpson / 1h 

Perdido Street School: Why Are Tisch And King So Afraid To Reveal The Common Core Test Contents?

Perdido Street School: Why Are Tisch And King So Afraid To Reveal The Common Core Test Contents?: Why Are Tisch And King So Afraid To Reveal The Common Core Test Contents?The scores from the Common Core tests - the one's the kids didn't have the time to finish - are going to be released this week and NYSED Commissioner/rookie teacher John King says they are really, really bad:State education offic

by mike simpson / 1h 

8-4-13 Schools Matter @ The Chalk Face

SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE: Charleston P&C: How Media Fails EducationThe Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) has a long history of endorsing every education reform movement that doesn’t have any credibility: Teach for America? Sure. Charter schools? You bet. So it comes as no surprise that the P&C has penned an endorsement of SC’s move to reform teacher evaluation, by framing the issue

by mike simpson / 1h 

Another View: Board should take new look at school closures - California Forum - The Sacramento Bee

Another View: Board should take new look at school closures - California Forum - The Sacramento Bee: Another View: Board should take new look at school closuresBy Mark MerinSpecial to The BeePublished: Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 2EThe July 24 editorial, "Forget the lawyers, focus on the students," which criticized the parents who brought a legal action against the Sacramento City Unifi

by mike simpson / 1h 

Turning Around Urban Districts: The Case of Paul Vallas | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Turning Around Urban Districts: The Case of Paul Vallas | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Turning Around Urban Districts: The Case of Paul VallasLee Iaccoca, Steve Jobs, and Ann Mulcahy were CEOs that resurrected  Chrysler,  Apple, and Xerox from near (or actual) bankruptcy to profitability. They were turnaround heroes–saviors, if you like–to their corporate boards and shareho

by mike simpson / 1h 

YESTERDAY

The United States Student Association Congress — The Vice Presidential Election |

The United States Student Association Congress — The Vice Presidential Election |: The United States Student Association Congress — The Vice Presidential ElectionAugust 3, 2013 in StudentsAs I noted in my previous post about last month’s US Student Assocation Congress, USSA’s presidential election attracted considerably more drama than the vice presidential, despite the fact that it was unconteste

by mike simpson / 13h 

Bernie Sanders: Walmart family’s ‘obscene’ wealth subsidized by taxpayers | The Raw Story

Bernie Sanders: Walmart family’s ‘obscene’ wealth subsidized by taxpayers | The Raw Story: Bernie Sanders: Walmart family’s ‘obscene’ wealth subsidized by taxpayersSenator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) appeared on MSNBC’s “The Ed Show” on Saturday and scoffed at the idea that major corporations like Walmart can’t afford to pay their workers a living wage and that to raise the U.S. minimum wage would be ba

by mike simpson / 13h 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Boundary Talk with Marty McLaren

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Boundary Talk with Marty McLaren: Boundary Talk with Marty McLarenI attended the Growth Boundaries meeting hosted by Director McLaren this morning and two themes stood out. One came from the District and the other from the community.The District's theme was mystery. There is simply no telling who would make the decisions about schools and buildings, no clue about h

by mike simpson / 13h 

Attend the SURPRISE 40th Birthday Party for ALEC. | Reclaim Reform

Attend the SURPRISE 40th Birthday Party for ALEC. | Reclaim Reform: Attend the SURPRISE 40th Birthday Party for ALEC.Posted on August 3, 2013by Ken PrevitiAttend the SURPRISE 4oth Birthday Party for ALEC.(The surprise is – they didn’t invite you, peasants. However, attend anyway.) Since billionaires and multimillionaires pay ALEC to write the legislation for every state and the federal government,

by mike simpson / 13h 

Performance Test for New Teachers A Forum on the edTPA Rethinking Schools

Rethinking Schools: VOLUME 27, ISSUE 4 — SUMMER 2013COVER THEME:PERFORMANCE TEST FOR NEW TEACHERSA FORUM ON THE EDTPAIn this special forum, we highlight three perspectives on the edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment), the test for credential candidates now being piloted in teacher education programs around the country.The Role of Performance Assessment in Developing Teaching as a ProfessionBy Lin

by mike simpson / 13h 

Nite Cap 8-3-13 #BATsACT #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2 #Cheats4Change

James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPTODAYDaily Kos: Why?Daily Kos: Why?: Why?byteacherkenFollow Sometimes I think about certain things I perceive or encounter that upset me and ask that simply question -Why?Therein  begins a process of expanding my understanding, and thus my humanity.In Dece

by mike simpson / 15h 

Daily Kos: Why?

Daily Kos: Why?: Why?byteacherkenFollow Sometimes I think about certain things I perceive or encounter that upset me and ask that simply question -Why?Therein  begins a process of expanding my understanding, and thus my humanity.In December of 1956 in the Miami airport I saw my first whites only sign and asked my motherWhy?From that came awareness, that was honed the following Fall with the events

by mike simpson / 16h 

I stand with the IEA and with the NCAE. | Fred Klonsky

I stand with the IEA and with the NCAE. | Fred Klonsky: I stand with the IEA and with the NCAE.AUGUST 3, 2013North Carolina Moral Monday protest in June.I’ve always been a proud member of the Illinois Education Association.Never prouder than this week to read their statement in support of our brothers and sisters in North Carolina.The president, vice president and executive director of the North C

by mike simpson / 17h 

Five Messages About Public Education That Don't Sell (and Ones That Will) Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: Five Messages About Public Education That Don't Sell (and Ones That Will)By Jeff Bryant, Campaign for America's Future Op-EdWednesday, 31 July 2013-- truthout.orgThe following is from a talk given at a meeting of the Young Elected Officials last week in Washington, D.C.Thanks for having me here today. I'm feeling a little out of co

by mike simpson / 17h 

Perdido Street School: Do Not Allow The Education Reform Corporatists To Play Their "Divide And Conquer" Strategies Against Common Core Opponents

Perdido Street School: Do Not Allow The Education Reform Corporatists To Play Their "Divide And Conquer" Strategies Against Common Core Opponents: Do Not Allow The Education Reform Corporatists To Play Their "Divide And Conquer" Strategies Against Common Core OpponentsThere's a steady barrage of attacks against the Common Core coming from the right these days.Just this week we have Michelle Malkin

by mike simpson / 17h 

On Vallas and Education Reform: CT Post’s Hugh Bailey calls it like it is…(again!) - Wait, What?

On Vallas and Education Reform: CT Post’s Hugh Bailey calls it like it is…(again!) - Wait, What?: On Vallas and Education Reform: CT Post’s Hugh Bailey calls it like it is…(again!)  Once again, Hugh Baily has produced a commentary piece worthy of national attention.In it, Bailey writes, “Bridgeport didn’t ask to be a microcosm for the national education debate, but that’s part of the deal when a

by mike simpson / 18h 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Alliance for Education Continues Drive to Shape the Seattle School Board

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Alliance for Education Continues Drive to Shape the Seattle School Board: Alliance for Education Continues Drive to Shape the Seattle School BoardThe Alliance recently had an press "event" during a national urban school board directors convention held here in Seattle in late July.  The theme of the convention was "Building Educational Communities to Close the Achie

by mike simpson / 18h 

Jersey Jazzman: Bennett Whines About "Tone"

Jersey Jazzman: Bennett Whines About "Tone": Bennett Whines About "Tone"From one guy who impugns the motives of teachers and their unions...No one has been a bigger critic of Chris Christie than yours truly. But if you go back through this blog, you'll find I've never once made a crack about his weight. Part of that is simple decency; part is my being close to Christie's age and knowing first hand

by mike simpson / 19h 

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Council PTSA Clarifies Fundraising Issue

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Council PTSA Clarifies Fundraising Issue: Seattle Council PTSA Clarifies Fundraising IssueNot completely (more on that at the end) but better.  (Notes in red are mine.)From SCPTSA;Why the sudden change in policy of the new 10% fee for fundraising on school grounds by the district?It not really a new policy, but more accurately a policy the district should h

by mike simpson / 19h 

Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky

Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee.  Indigenous Chicago cuisine. Yesterday’s humidity is gone and it is a beautiful Saturday morning in Chicago. Half the Brooklyn family contingent is in town, including my grandkids. Yesterday we introduced the grandchildren to indigenous Chicago food: A Chicago hotdog at the Weiner’s Circle on Clark Street. I overlooked their decision to eschew the

by mike simpson / 20h 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Opening the tap on the School-to-Prison Pipeline: KIDS BULLIED FOR YEARS MORE LIKELY TO GO TO PRISON

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Opening the tap on the School-to-Prison Pipeline: KIDS BULLIED FOR YEARS MORE LIKELY TO GO TO PRISON: Opening the tap on the School-to-Prison Pipeline: KIDS BULLIED FOR YEARS MORE LIKELY TO GO TO PRISONBY JANICE WOOD, ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR.PSYCH CENTRAL NEWS (THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION) REVIEWED BY JOHN M. GROHOL, PSY.D. |  HTTP://BIT.LY/16R

by mike simpson / 20h 

Bad Week for The Anthony's: 2 Summer Hot Dogs #Cheats4Change

Bad Week for The Anthony's:  2 Summer Hot Dogs 2nd Banana 8-3-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #soschat #p2 #1uBIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POSTSpecial Big Education Ape Salute to Tony Bennett Greatest Hits- rags to richesSpecial Big Education Ape Salute to Tony Bennett Greatest Hits- rags to riches School Report Cards? Not In Our Name. | Parents United

by mike simpson / 21h 

Schooling in the Ownership Society: The selling of Chicago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: The selling of Chicago: The selling of ChicagoCFO Lois Scott refuses to reveal specifics of  Midway privatization. Like Daley's selling of the city's parking spaces, Rahm is doing his sell-off of Midway Airport in the dark, until after the deal is done.He's using the manufactured pension crisis to justify the further looting and burning of Chicago the same way t

by mike simpson / 22h 

Oregon helps lead the way in online testing | OregonLive.com

Oregon helps lead the way in online testing | OregonLive.com: Oregon helps lead the way in online testingView full sizeTom Birch, a student at Western Governors University, takes a tax accounting final exam at his Southeast Portland home. He drapes his windows and aims a web cam at his face and hands so a remote proctor can see that he is not cheating on the all-important exam.Betsy Hammond / The

by mike simpson / 22h 

Missouri Education Watchdog: Economics Assignment Questions Educational Local Control and Radical Far Right Wingers

Missouri Education Watchdog: Economics Assignment Questions Educational Local Control and Radical Far Right Wingers: Economics Assignment Questions Educational Local Control and Radical Far Right WingersEmail ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookWhat are your college students learning?  This is from an Economics Assignment at Lansing (MI) Community College : What do you think the aim of t

by mike simpson / 22h 

2nd Banana 8-3-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #soschat #p2 #1u

BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POSTSpecial Big Education Ape Salute to Tony Bennett Greatest Hits- rags to richesSpecial Big Education Ape Salute to Tony Bennett Greatest Hits- rags to riches School Report Cards? Not In Our Name. | Parents United for Public EducationSchool Report Cards? Not In Our Name. | Parents United for Public Education: School Report Cards? Not In Our 

by mike simpson / 22h mark as read  //  save

Morning Wink 8-3-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTODAYThis Week 8-3-13 SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACESCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE: Have you heard of Blue Engine? Well, take a seat.I want you to read the following poem by Shel Silverstein, one that is the inspiration for a new “reformy” organization called Blue Engine. The little blue engine looked up at the hill. His light was weak, his whistle was s

by mike simpson / 23h

2nd Banana 8-3-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

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2nd Banana 7-6-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

2nd Banana 6-29-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

2nd Banana 6-22-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

2nd Banana 6-15-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 6-8-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 6-1-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

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Prison Culture » The KKK’s Response to the Murder of Chaney, Goodman, & Schwerner…

Prison Culture » The KKK’s Response to the Murder of Chaney, Goodman, & Schwerner…:

The KKK’s Response to the Murder of Chaney, Goodman, & Schwerner…

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Today is the day on 8/4/64 that the bodies of civil rights martyrs of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were found buried in an earthen dam in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Below is a short video summarizing this seminal moment in civil rights history. Also the Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement website provides a detailed account.

After the murders of the three young civil rights organizers, the KKK (which was responsible for their murder) issued a newsletter offering their response. It was written in a Q & A format.

Q: What is your explanation of why there have been so many National Police Agents involved in the case of the “missing civil rights workers?”

A: First I must correct you on your terms. Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman were not civil rights workers. They were Communist Revolutionaries, actively working to undermine and destroy Christian Civilization. The blatant and outlandish National Police activity surrounding their case merely points up the political overtones of the entire affair…

Q: By “political overtones” do you mean that the case has a bearing on the forthcoming elections?
A. It is doubtful that the case itself will be made an issue in the election. However, the incumbent in the White House [Lyndon B. Johnson] is a communist sympathizer, as proven by his numerous acts of treason, and his sole chance of victory in the November 

Cheats For Change #Cheats4Change

Cheats For Change:

Cheats For Change#Cheats4Change 

Cheats For Change

#Cheats4Change are committed to putting themselves first through bold, visionary education deform that will increase their donors' profits and prepare themselves for success in politics and careers.

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Question:

If changing an entire grading system to make one school look good— a school which had been held up as a policy-guiding example, and just happens to be owned by a wealthy and influential political patron, for fear of losing support in the legislature and the statehouse— doesn’t reveal a sense of “political expedience (sic)," then what does?

• occupyedu
• education reform
• education policy
• corporate agenda
• public schools
• public education
• school reform
• school privatization

Direct quotes unless otherwise noted. (As in, yes, he *actually* said that.)

If this is what passes for leadership in Jeb’s book, his definition is way different from ours. True leaders might have taken this situation as a moment to reflect, or even to consider the possibility that the system they created might be mis-characterizing a lot of schools, not just this one.

In other words, it would require the humility to consider the possibility that they could be wrong.

But that would require conceding that all of the ordinary stakeholders who have said (long beforeMike Petrilli) that “the problem wasn’t the schools, it was the metric" might actually have valid reasons for defending their schools, too.

And that might mean it was also wrong to ignore and criticize them this whole time.

And that could lead to wondering whether those ordinary people were right about other things, and that their insider crew of “reformers" might be wrong about other things, too.

But that can’t be possible. Better to pretend one of their own is incapable of doing wrong, and stick to the same discredited talking points.

Michelle Rhee embraces disgraced charter school advocate

Education reformers rush to defend Florida schools chief, Tony Bennett, after he resigned in a pay-to-play scandal

#fail: Michelle Rhee and others commended Tony Bennett for his legacy of "fewer failing schools"…after he resigned because he was caught changing Indiana’s school grades system to benefit one of his biggest donors. Why are they still quoting information that comes from a system we now know was rigged?

Read the rest at Salon.com.

Legislature's changes to Texas education go far beyond zapping of 10 STAAR tests | Dallasnews.com - News for Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Morning News

Legislature's changes to Texas education go far beyond zapping of 10 STAAR tests | Dallasnews.com - News for Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Morning News:

Legislature's changes to Texas education go far beyond zapping of 10 STAAR tests

Staff Writer

jweiss@dallasnews.com

Published: 03 August 2013 11:17 PM

Updated: 03 August 2013 11:42 PM

First in a series

Anyone who cares about Texas schools probably knows the state just whacked a bunch of STAAR tests. But that was only the simplest part of an 83-section new law that demands myriad changes, from TEA headquarters in Austin to the smallest school district’s classrooms.

Graduation requirements? Transformed. STAAR tests for cognitively disabled students? Revamped. Accountability ratings for schools and districts? Changed. Responsibilities for school counselors? Multiplied. New academic decisions for every ninth-grader? Unprecedented.

A few of the provisions will affect the school year that starts this month. Most don’t take effect until 2014.

Last month, state Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, chairman of the House Education Committee, explained the broad themes of the education bill, known as HB 5, to the State Board of Education: greater flexibility for districts and students, more local control, fewer state-mandated tests. And with a much greater emphasis on career preparation for students whose futures do not necessarily include college.

“There are about 40 percent of our students who we are not adequately meeting their needs,” said Aycock, R-Killeen.

Many of the new elements are barely outlined in the law, the most sweeping of the past session’s education bills signed by Gov. Rick Perry. For any detail the legislators couldn’t agree on, the state boar

Around Florida: Education job a revolving door | jacksonville.com

Around Florida: Education job a revolving door | jacksonville.com:

Around Florida: Education job a revolving door

Posted: August 4, 2013 - 7:44am  |  Updated: August 4, 2013 - 8:56am

By Matt Dixon

A word of advice to those who aspire to become Florida’s top education official: keep your resume updated.

For the third time since 2011, a Florida education commissioner has resigned under less than squeaky-clean circumstances.

The latest was Tony Bennett, who resigned Thursday. It was two days after the Associated Press reported he pushed changes that helped a school operated by a GOP donor while serving as Indiana’s superintendent of public instruction.

Though Bennett’s departure is under different circumstances, it is the third time under Gov. Rick Scott’s administration that Florida has been without an education chief.

Months after Scott took office, Eric Smith resigned as education commissioner after holding the post for three years. He left amid rumors that Scott was

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/2013-08-04/story/around-florida-education-job-revolving-door#ixzz2b0biCbDP

Teach for America criticized for apparent stance on education policy - latimes.com

Teach for America criticized for apparent stance on education policy - latimes.com:

Teach for America criticized for apparent stance on education policy

Critics say Teach for America has strayed from a core mission of helping needy urban schools, favoring efforts seen as anti-teacher union.

By Howard Blume

August 3, 2013, 7:40 p.m.

Over its 24-year history, Teach for America has won accolades for taking top college graduates and putting them to work in some of America's toughest schools, creating what it regards as a national model of nonpartisan service in education.

But some former participants and academics, among others, have recently accused the Peace Corps-like organization of taking sides in the education policy wars. They criticize the nonprofit for aligning too closely with its largest private donors and high-profile alumni who have gone into politics. They say the group has diverged too far from a core mission: addressing a teacher shortage with top college grads primed to inject energy and success into low-income, urban campuses.

The key backers of Teach for America include foundations that support efforts to expand charter schools, limit teacher job protections, weaken union clout and evaluate instructors by using student test scores.

The Walton Family Foundation, for example, last week donated $20 million that will help fund about 

All Things Education: Turtles and Hares in Modern School Reform

All Things Education: Turtles and Hares in Modern School Reform:

Turtles and Hares in Modern School Reform

I ended my last post with a larger point about the problem of "disruption" in modern education reform:

"This is exactly what happens when you rush into big, 'disruptive' changes without thinking about them or fully understanding what you're doing. You break things that weren't already broken and you make messes."

This is not an original thought to me. For one, it's been said over and over again by many more knowledgeable about education than I am. For example, look at Larry Cuban's recent post about turning around urban schools and Paul Vallas, comparing wiser marathon turnaround superintendents to the more impetuous sprinters:

In many instances, sprinter superintendents follow a recipe: reorganize district administrators, take on teacher unions, and create new schools in their rush for better student achievement. They take dramatic and swift actions that will attract high media attention. But they also believe—here is where ideological myopia enters the picture—that low test scores and achievement gaps between whites and minorities are due in large part to reluctant (or inept) district bureaucrats, recalcitrant principals, and knuckle-dragging union leaders defending contracts that protect lousy teachers from pay-for-performance incentives. 

Such beliefs, however, seriously misread why urban district students fail to reach proficiency levels and graduate high school. As important as it is to reorganize district offices, alter salary schedules, get rid of incompetent teachers and intractable principals, such actions in of themselves will not turn around a 

Will liberals stand up to “corporate school reform”? - Salon.com

Will liberals stand up to “corporate school reform”? - Salon.com:

Will liberals stand up to “corporate school reform”?

For too long, they've assumed that schools can be "fixed" without tackling social and economic inequality

BY LOIS WEINER

This article originally appeared on Jacobin.

An eloquent call to “reclaim the conversation” challenges leading liberal educators to repudiate their involvement in what’s being called “corporate school reform.” We finally see liberal activists opposing the bipartisan education project that has subjected school and teachers to “free market” policies. Liberals are starting to contest privatization, testing, and attacks on teacher unions, rather than accepting neoliberal assumptions and policies taken wholesale from right-wing think tanks and functions.

Since last fall’s Chicago teachers strike, we’ve seen an acceleration of critique in traditionally liberal media about school reform — from Teach for America to charter schools and Michelle Rhee. There’s even been a whiff of real reporting in the New York Times on the common core curriculum. Why did liberals urge teachers unions to back down on contractual issues that protect kids and miss what the unions should have been doing, like mobilizing their members?

And why do liberals who expose what’s wrong with standardized testing, as John Merrow has, continue to propagandize for charter schools, ignoring compelling research about the educational devastation in New Orleans because of “charterization”?

School reform needs reform | Ocala.com

School reform needs reform | Ocala.com:

School reform needs reform

By Brad Rodgers
Editorial Page Editor

Published: Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 10:48 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 10:48 p.m.

Since we here in Florida like to grade our education system, or at least our politicians do, let’s take a look at how things are going.

We have been measuring our students and their schools based on a single test since 1998, long enough for a couple of classes of students to go all the way from kindergarten to diploma, and we still can’t get it right. The “accountability” system developed in the name of education reform has become an in-state joke, with annual testing foul-ups, school-grade inflation and a revolving door at the state education commissioner’s office.

Tony Bennett is the latest education commissioner to come in full of reform ideas and promise, only to end up slinking out the back door in either disgrace or frustration. Bennett quit Thursday after it was revealed that he helped orchestrate a school-grade change back in his home Indiana, where he had also been education commission. Turns out the owner of the charter school for which Bennett is accused of altering the grade just happened to donate $100,000 to his election campaign — they elect the education commission in the 

Michelle Rhee embraces disgraced charter school advocate - Salon.com

Michelle Rhee embraces disgraced charter school advocate - Salon.com:

Michelle Rhee embraces disgraced charter school advocate

Education reformers rush to defend Florida schools chief, Tony Bennett, after he resigned in a pay-to-play scandal

Tony Bennett, Florida’s education chief, abruptly resigned yesterday after an AP investigationrevealed that in his old job running Indiana’s schools, he frantically overhauled the state’s evaluation system to avoid giving a poor grade to a charter school run by a prominent Republican donor. In addition to his charter school advocacy, Bennett was also known for his staunch support of standardized testing.

Emails obtained by AP showed that Bennett and his staff scrambled to make sure the donor’s school received an “A” grade, despite initially earning a “C” thanks to poor test scores. “They need to understand that anything less than an A for Christel House compromises all of our accountability work,” Bennett wrote in September to his chief of staff, who is now Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s chief lobbyist.

Despite the controversy (Bennett calls the charges “malicious and unfounded,” saying he decided to resign within days of the AP’s report only so he could avoid becoming a “distraction”), Bennett has plenty of defenders in the school reform movement. Here’s Michelle Rhee, the former D.C. schools chancellor who has become a patron saint of school reform and one of its