12-13-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Friday Open Thread

Anyone who has given thought to Common Core standards and has a opinion you might want to pass along/talk about, please shoot me an e-mail at sss.westbrook@gmail.com.   I'll forward your e-mail on.  Please send it to me by noon if possible.Haven't checked other news sources but I suspect the charter law decision is generating a lot of discussion.Both Board Director community meetings (Carr and Mar

by Melissa Westbrook / 30min 

Washington State Charter Law; Kinda, Sorta Overturned

Someone, quick, get me a lawyer!Naturally, I go out of town and this ruling comes down and I am scrambling to get info and understand it. Here is the basic understanding of Judge Rietschel's ruling per Diane Ravitch:“In a ruling issued today (pdf), King County Superior Court Judge Jean Rietschel has tossed out the heart of Washington State’s charter schools law on the grounds that it violates the

by Melissa Westbrook / 8h

12-11-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Clarity around the title "interim"Seattle Public Schools bureaucrats love to play word games. Their favorite word game is to re-define words. They do it for a variety of reasons. They have re-defined "task force" and "advisory committee" to evade control by Board policy. They have re-defined "program" and "service"

by mike simpson / 5h 

12-13-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

Gates Seek to Flood Job Market with Programmers--Pushes the New Code Literacy

At one time, computer programming was a glamorous occupation in the U. S.  All that changed when the corporate race the bottom began chasing the cheapest programming labor in India, and when that became too scandalous, then Bill Gates started lobbying for unlimited work visas in order to import the cheapest programming labor.  Think of these exploited workers as high tech gardeners who don't have

by Jim Horn / 48min 

Is TURN Trying to Take Over Your Union?

I received the following letter from a teacher in California, who is concerned about her local union in California being taken over by the Broad-sponsored embeds from The Union Reform Network (TURN).  If your local has been taken over by TURN, please contact me to share your story. Her letter below is followed by my response:Dear Mr Horn,I am a union rep in __________ California . . . , and my uni

by Jim Horn / 54min 

Remembering Sandy Hook: Protecting Guns, Sacrificing (Some) Children

On December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, experienced yet another mass shooting at a school in the U.S.While that horror should have stirred the consciousness of us all in this country—especially in regards to guns and children—we appear mostly to have forgotten or disregarded that event, except for a few tributes.I am reposting a blog here as a call not to forget, but more impor

by P. L. Thomas / 1min 

Paul Krugman Cuts Through the BS on Education Spending

Paul Krugman, today's column in the NYT"What has been cut? It’s a complex picture, but the most obvious cuts have been in education, infrastructure, research, and conservation. While the Recovery Act (the Obama stimulus) was in effect, the federal government provided significant aid to state and local education. Then the aid went away, and local governments began letting go of hundreds of tho

by freetoteach / 16min 

12-12-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: Jay Saper on TFA and Subsequent KIPP Recruiting ExperienceI talked with an amazing young man the other day about his getting booted out of TFA during the early fall of 2013. His name is Jay Saper, and, despite his recent experiences, he remains articulate, confident, and eager to become a real teacher with real teacher preparation and credentials. From our long conversation, it bec

by mike simpson / 6h 

12-13-13 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education:

Koch Brothers-Funded PAC Attacking Florida Republican Senators Who Voted Against Parent Trigger

Florida’s charter school zealots vowed to go after the republican senators who voted against parent trigger earlier this year and are using the Koch brothers money to do it. The campaigns are targeted against Sen. Greg Evers (Milton), Sen. Nancy Deter (Sarasota) and Sen. Charlie Dean (Inverness). The Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Jeremy Wallace reports on the reason the group is dissatisfied with Dete

by Bob Sikes / 3h  

12-12-13 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Desperately Seeking the New FCATIn Anastasia Dawson’s Tampa Tribune story from one week ago: Leaders from the Florida Association of District School Superintendents and the Florida School Board Association voted Thursday to lobby state legislators for a three-year extens

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-13-13 Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog:

The Failed Sign Language...

During the speeches for Nelson Mandela 's funeral, there was a strange unknown man interpreting sign language to the deafs.  There was a huge controversial whether this person can actually do sign language or not.  Paul Breckell, chief executive of the U.K.-based charity Action on Hearing Loss, stated that this fraud isn't actually signing anything but just gibberish. Not only that, but also, it's

by Dennis Wu / 5min 

Dolphin Slaughter In Taiji, Japan Continues...

Although this is some what not in today's recent news, it is something that I feel is important to blog about and it is the dolphin killing that has had it's annual return at The Cove in Taiji, Japan. The most recent update about what has happened included the return of dolphins being slaughtered. Although not many, compared to previous years, were killed for their meat, this hunt has continued du

by Michelle Thao / 8h 

12-10-13 Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Budget Deal Reached!As we all know a budget deal has been the issue in the House and Senate BUT today a budget deal has been reached by the House and Senate budget negotiators averting any future government shutdown in January. The agreement eliminates about $65 billion in across-the-board domestic and defense cuts while adding an additional $25 billion in deficit reduc

by mike simpson / 23h 

12-13-13 Fred Klonsky | WAS Running for our pensions What? U DIDN'T VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky?

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:

Welcome LOKI

I won’t be going to this year’s IEA Representative Assembly.

When I decided to run as a retired delegate to the Representative Assembly of the IEA it was partly out of frustration with the lack of substance and turnout for these elections. I decided to run clearly in opposition to the current practices of the IEA leadership. I presented myself as standing in opposition to corporate school reform efforts. And I presented myself as an unapologetic activist fo

by Fred Klonsky / 39min 

The in box. Con artists and deceptive business practices.

  Con artists and deceptive business practices. Fred:  This email seems to have come too late.  I tried to the best of ability to protect myself from con artists and deceptive business practices, but alas, our legislators courtesy of the Civic Club and its illustrious membership. got to me first!  - Victor December 13, 2013 Dear Friends, Please join Congresswomen Tammy Duckworth and me

by Fred Klonsky / 41min 

On the radio.

I will be talking pensions and politics with host Dick Kay on WPCT Progressive Radio 820 AM Saturday afternoon from 2 to 3. Those who want to listen and live outside the signal area can catch it live streamed here. Dick Kay is a long-time Chicago reporter covering politics. Should be fun.  

by Fred Klonsky / 24min 

From TRS. Here are the nuts and bolts of SB1. If your state representative or senator voted for it, as them to tell you what this says and explain it to you.

From TRS: Effective Date The effective date of the law is June 1, 2014. It is highly likely that a court challenge to the law’s constitutionality will delay the implementation of the law beyond June 1. It is equally likely that thelegal effective date of the law will remain June 1, 2014, for purposes of calculating COLAs, the creditable earnings cap, retirement age and the forfeiture of future CO

by Fred Klonsky / 10min hide  //  save

Pension thieves.

  Sylvana Tabares is the Democratic Party House Representative from the 21st District which includes Little Village. She was elected with heavy financial backing from the corporate reform group Stand for Children in her race against Rudy Lozano. She attacks police, fire fighters, state employees, teachers and state university employees. Approach with care. She acts like a Republican and is dange

by Fred Klonsky / 37min 

Hugh proposes an election strategy.

Dear Fred: Let us assume that a viable third party candidate does not emerge in the upcoming election for Governor. What do we do? Those in power like to rig the election process in their favor. Maybe we can turn the tables. Can we use the election process against them? A possible strategy for the March Primaries: If your present Illinois State Senator or Representative is a Democrat who voted an

by Fred Klonsky / 32min hide  //  save

Tony at the Red Line Tap.

I greeted Sean and nodded to Tony. “Bottle of Brugse Straffe Hendrik,” I said. “Room temperature.” “Cool, dude” said Sean in a voice somewhat garbled by his pierced tongue. Tony stared at the ESPN Classic Sports which was showing the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250. “Any news about Marty’s TV career,” I asked? “Oh, man. She quit that. Hooked up with a mandolin player in a blue grass

by Fred Klonsky / 37min 

12-12-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: The Illinois senior tax. Retirees pay 25%. Corporations pay zero.Reader Phil writes: All calculations indicate most retirees will lose 25-35% of their revenue stream over the next 20-30 years under the new law. This has the same effect as taxing us seniors by a rate of 25%. So we now have a tax system

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-13-13 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE:

Absurdity of reform: Should I laugh or cry?

Not feelin’ too good myself….(Joe Cocker) Seems I got to have a change of scene Cause every night I have the strangest dreams Imprisoned by the way it used to be Left here on my own or so it seems I got to leave before I start to scream But someone’s locked the door and […]

2 by educationalchemy / 2min 

#optout recruiting Hall of Fame: And the winner is?

2013 is coming to an end and we (@the chalkface) would like to pay special tribute to the one individual most responsible for swelling the ranks of the various opt out groups.  For example, when we (6 real radicals) formed United Opt Out National over 3 years ago we managed to dig up around 2000 […]

by Timothy D. Slekar / 1h hide  //  save

In Memory: Sandy Hook Elementary, One Year After

In Memory: Sandy Hook Elementary, One Year After. via In Memory: Sandy Hook Elementary, One Year After.

by plthomasedd / 1h 

AJC Guest Column: Children who are poor need slack, not grit

AJC Guest Column: Children who are poor need slack, not grit (December 2, 2013). via AJC Guest Column: Children who are poor need slack, not grit (December 2, 2013).

by plthomasedd / 29min 

GUEST POST: Continu—what? Sara Newell

GUEST POST: Continu—what? Sara Newell. via GUEST POST: Continu—what? Sara Newell.

by plthomasedd / 2h 

REVIEW: De-Testing and De-Grading Schools, Bower and Thomas

REVIEW: De-Testing and De-Grading Schools, Bower and Thomas. via REVIEW: De-Testing and De-Grading Schools, Bower and Thomas.

by plthomasedd / 2h 

Introducing D.C. Mayoral Candidate Andy Shallal

61 minute interview via the http://rocknewmanshow.net/ Tagged: DC Mayoral Race

by Angel Cintron Jr. / 3h 

12-2-13 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: Thomas: Charter schools not a smart investment for S.C.Thomas: Charter schools not a smart investment for S.C. (The State, Columbia, SC). via Thomas: Charter schools not a smart investment for S.C. (The State, Columbia, SC).by plthomasedd / 2h 12-10-13 @ The Chalk Face@ THE CHALK FACE: VAM Fails Test, Again: The Bizarro World of Education ReformVAM Fails Test, Again: The Bizarro

by mike simpson / 8h