On Turning Public Spaces Into Forces of Consumption | educarenow

On Turning Public Spaces Into Forces of Consumption | educarenow:

On Turning Public Spaces Into Forces of Consumption

Posted on February 23, 2014 | Leave a comment

The common spaces traditionally provided for the public are slowly being eroded in the name of economic efficiency, victim to the ideology of pervasive market fundamentalism that serves as the scourge of our age.  On the front edge of post industrialism, those in Detroit are experiencing this first hand.  A non-elected, state appointed Emergency Manager is slowly selling off city services, cutting what were constitutionally guaranteed pensions, and ignoring an emasculated, but fairly elected city council. Shea Howell calls this a “state of siege.”  With Detroit now under emergency management, half the blacks in the state of Michigan are now without a say in their local government.

All of this parallels a privatization of public education that is occurring simultaneously.  Major urban cities like Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, New Orleans and others have had their public spaces of education privatized into for profit charter schools.  School closings have run rampant, decimating 

CURMUDGUCATION: Standardized Testing Sucks

CURMUDGUCATION: Standardized Testing Sucks:

Standardized Testing Sucks

I am not a testing scientist. There are bloggers and writers and people who frequent the comments section of Diane Ravitch's blog who can dissect the science and the stats and the proper creation and forming and parsing of testing and testlettes and testicles (okay, maybe not those). I'm not one of those people; Mercedes Schneider has undoubtedly forgotten more about testing that I ever learned in the first place.

But I do believe standardized testing, testing that operates on a level beyond the local, sucks. And I don't just mean that it is unkind or obnoxious or oppressive. I mean that it just doesn't work. It does not do what it sets out to do.

Years and years ago, Pennsylvania launched state-wide testing. Not the PSSAs, but the PSAs. One of the first to be rolled out was the PSA writing test. Students in fifth, eighth, and eleventh grade across the state responded to a nifty prompt. These were all gathered up, and the state assembled a Holiday Inn's worth of Real Live Teachers to score papers for a weekend.

I was there for two of those years. It was kind of awesome in a way that only an English teacher 

2-23-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet:

Why test-based school reform isn’t working — by the numbers

Award-winning Prinicipal Carol Burris of South Side High School in New York has been exposing the problems with New York’s botched school reform effort for a long time on this blog. (You can read some of her work here, here, here,  here, and here.) In the following post she looks at irrefutable data to show that the test-based reforms […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 3min hide  //  save

Study: High school grades best predictor of college success — not SAT/ACT scores

A three-year national study of colleges that do not require applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores found only “trivial” differences in the college graduation rates or the cumulative grade point average of students between those who do and those who do not send in their standardized test results. The study, titled “Defining Promise: Optional Standardized […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 3min 

All Week @ The Answer Sheet 2-22-14

The Answer Sheet:All Week @ The Answer SheetJon Stewart rips bill allowing teachers, parents to hit kids hard enough to bruisePut this in the you-can’t-make-up-this-stuff category: A legislator in Kansas was pushing legislation to allow teachers and parents to whack kids hard enough to bruise. Why? Out of the mistaken belief that beating up children is an effective disciplinary method. The good ne

by mike simpson / 52min 

2-23-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida ALL Week

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

Jeb Bush and the Common Core Blame Game

American Enterprise Institute fellow Rick Hess remains one of the nation’s most important education policy voices. Writing in National Review this week, Hess takes a look at the reasons why the Common Core roll-out has been so problematic. Among them, this: ….it’s important to understand that Common Core has been pursued on a political timeframe, not an educational one. Whatever the technical meri

by Bob Sikes / 1min 

Common Core “Jerkitude”

From conservative columnist Michelle Malkin: This week’s award for Biggest Common Core Jerk goes to Missouri GOP state legislator Mike Lair. Parents, teachers and administrators who object to the government education “standards” racket — which usurps local control, impedes academic achievement and undermines family privacy — have politicians on the defensive. The only thing these Fed Ed flacks and

by Bob Sikes / 1min 

Are Florida Tea Party Voters Turning Away From Rick Scott and Jeb Bush?

The mostly conservative Florida opponents of Common Core didn’t like the brush-off they received from Board of Education commissioner Gary Chartrand at last week’s public hearing. Chris Quakenbush, a Florida Patriot member and co-founder of Stop Common Core FL writes:  About 1 hour 10 minutes in, Mr. Chartrand begins the public comment and alerts us that instead of 3 minutes, he will only allow 2

by Bob Sikes / 27min 

2-22-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida ALL Week

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 ALL WeekWhy the Florida Senate Remains the Nation’s Key Battleground on Education PolicyWrites Matt Dixon in the Florida Times-Union: The Republicans hold a 26-14 lead in the Florida Senate, which simple math will tell y

by mike simpson / 46min

Willful Ignorance Is Not A Desired Trait For Elected Officials | PWC Education Reform Blog

Willful Ignorance Is Not A Desired Trait For Elected Officials | PWC Education Reform Blog:

Willful Ignorance Is Not A Desired Trait For Elected Officials

February 23, 2014 — pwceducationreform

Last week, by majority vote, PWC School Board chose to send a letter to Governor McAuliffe asking him to allow Virginia to remain independent from the Common Core State Standards initiative.  The vote was close, with 4 in favor of sending the letter (Trenum, Johns, Satterwhite, and Otaigbe) 3 against sending the letter (Bell, Jessie, and Williams), and one abstaining from voting (Covington).  Several school board members stated that they didn’t know enough about the Common Core to vote either way.  (Bell, Williams, and Covington).

I have to admit that I was more than a little surprised that individuals elected to the school board for our county wouldn’t know much about the Common Core. The Common Core first burst onto the US stage in 2009 and have been one of the biggest issues in public education since then, so I found their lack of knowledge more than a little concerning.

I believe elected officials have a responsibility to research issues before them, rather than rely solely on reports from staff.  School board members aren’t elected to blindly nod their heads at everything staff says or suggests.  Staff will present whatever information supports their viewpoint.  I expect elected officials to view staff’s assertions with a degree of professional skepticism and to do their own research, particularly if the issue before them is controversial.  If they’re unwilling or unable to do that, then I question why they’re serving.

During the discussion Mrs Covington said that she was confused; that to hear Mrs Jessie talk about the Common Core it 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 2-23-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED PARENTS, TEACHERS CRITICIZE iPAD ROLLOUT, CALL FOR SCHOOL REPAIRS

By Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Daily News | http://bit.ly/1dkE32N Julie Carson, a GED teacher at North Valley Occupational Center, speaks at a gathering of parents, teachers and students at Esperanza Elementary School in Los Angeles, Wednesday, February 19, 2014, to express their frustration that Superintendent John Deasy is redirecting construction bond funds to buy iPads instead of funding

by smf / 9min 

School SmARTS: PTA PROGRAM CREATES PARENT ADVOCATES

By Susan Frey | EdSource Today http://bit.ly/1cEFigj February 19th, 2014 | With 117 years of promoting parent involvement under its collective belt, the PTA thinks it has the right formula for training parents in their new watchdog role under California’s reformed school finance and accountability system. < From left, Ruth Gomez, Lisa Lacambra, Marivic Quiba and Isela

by smf / 8min

John Marshall High School: ACADEMIC DECATHLON PUTS THE WORK IN TEAMWORK

Marshall team members forge friendships, gain confidence and learn as they train for the statewide competition after winning the L.A. Unified contest. By Alicia Banks, LA Times  |  http://lat.ms/1cED2FT Academic Decathlon coach Larry Welch talks to members of the John Marshall High School team. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) February 22, 2014, 3:00 p.m.  ::  Kenneth Huh and his parents

by smf / 15min 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 2-22-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT  Ripped from the pages of the supermarket tabloids: MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN’S DEATH INSPIRED REALITY STAR OMAROSA TO RUN FOR LOS ANGELES SCHOOL BOARDUS Weekly Celebrity News  by OMG! Staff | http://usm.ag/1jdrZoM Omarosa says Michael Clarke Duncan's death inspired her to run for the Los Angeles Unified School Dis

2 by mike simpson / 1h 

A Teacher’s Advice to Bill Gates | Teachers' Letters to Bill Gates

Teachers’LettersToBillGates | Teachers' Letters to Bill Gates:

A Teacher’s Advice to Bill Gates

Posted on February 23, 2014by Teachers'LettersToBillGates

Teachers'LettersToBillGates:

Dear Bill and Melinda,

Are you out of touch with those who do not travel in the circles of American CEO’s?

Do we need to do an intervention for you, CEO’s and the rest of the 1% corporate edreformer vulture philanthropists?

We hope you listen to Keith Reilly’s advice.

Thank you, Diane and Keith for posting these great suggestions!

Teachers, what do you think? Is Keith on the right track?

Susan & Katie

Co-authors, Teachers’ Letters to Bill Gates

Originally posted on Diane Ravitch's blog:

A teacher sent me this letter offering helpful advice to Bill Gates. He hopes that someone will see it on the Internet and pass it along to Bill.

Dear Mr. Gates,

“I don’t know many business leaders who are satisfied with America’s schools. In fact, just about every CEO I know is worried that this country simply isn’t producing enough 

2-23-14 V.A.M.: Value Added Measure

V.A.M.: Value Added Measure:

Flying Witches Filmed Over Mexican Skies (+playlist)

This may have taken years, if not decades, but finally there is concrete proof of a meeting between the secretive, ultra-conservative, pro-business, anti-union, pro-sunrise, anti-moonscape group known as ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) and the anti-tenure, anti-oxygen, pro-indentured servitude group known as E4E (Educators for Excellence). The video you are about to see, clearly descr

by Adam Bergstein / 7min 

The Common-Core Pushers Rebrand their Product

At the Common-Core Beauty Pageant, Rebranding is the Name of the Game.  Who will win this year?  Will it be Miss. Iowa Core, Miss Arizona College and Career Ready Standards, Miss Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, or any of one of a number of the other "Rebranders"? The Common-Core pushers realize the dwindling market for their product.  Some states are outright rejecting the Core

by Adam Bergstein / 1min 

2-22-14 V.A.M.: Value Added Measure

V.A.M.: Value Added Measure:Selling the Common Core with More Caramel Coating?It seems that the supporters of Common Core are beginning to understand that the standards have left a sour taste in many people's mouths.  It seems, using all the business acumen they have, they'll try to find a new way to sell it to the people, adding yet another layer of caramel coating to somehow win popular support.

by mike simpson / 32min

2-23-14 Wait What?

Wait What?:

The sickness that has crept into Connecticut politics and government

As measured by the number of college graduates Connecticut is among the most educated states in the nation.  As measured by per capital income Connecticut is wealthiest state in country, and if we were our own country we’d be one of the wealthiest and best educated countries in the world. And yet there is a […]The post The sickness that has crept into Connecticut politics and government appeared f

by jonpelto / 20min 

2-22-14 Wait What? All Week

Wait What?:  Wait What? All WeekCorporate Education Reform Industry targets kindergartenersOf all the negative and bad public policies being pushed by Governor Malloy, Malloy’s Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor and their corporate education reform allies, none are more offensive, inappropriate and disgusting than their on-going effort to force their “education reforms” on Connecticut’s younge

1 by mike simpson / 56min 

Schooling in the Ownership Society: New religious charter believes in Value-Added

Schooling in the Ownership Society: New religious charter believes in Value-Added:

New religious charter believes in Value-Added

Students participating in By the Hand Club's after school program, say a prayer at the end of their chapel session before returning to their classrooms to begin their homework. | Jessica Koscielniak / Sun-Times

“My faith motivates me to do more,” says Donnita Travis, the founder and executive director of By the Hand and the charter’s chairman of the board. The politically-connected Travis claims that God spoke to her and told her to start the BTH after-school program.

Her newly-approved CPS charter school is affiliated with Moody Church and will be housed along with a religious prayer-based after-school program. According to 

2-23-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

How Do We Fight Bully Principals? Thursday, February 27, 5:00pm

Given all the discussion about how to take on bully principals like at the recently exposed "School of No" at PS 106 in the Rockaways, this workshop takes on increased importance. We'll be discussing situations with difficult principals as well as with more cooperative and mixed administrations.  ... MORE Chapter Organizing Committee You can't do it alone. In a hostile atmosphere buildin

by ed notes online / 27min 

Marcella Sills Was a Humanitarian by Being Absent and Late

The school ran so much better when she wasn't there. Maybe we can start a trend. Have bully and abusive principals just stay home. Let them collect their salaries. A cheap price to pay for improving the school community.

by ed notes online / 7min 

REVIVE UFT : Mulgrew Forms New Group to Ally With MORE, Causing Split in Unity

"Before we can move forward, we must resolve many outstanding issues from those dark years, starting with our working conditions, which are also our students’ learning conditions."... Michael MulgrewUFT President Mike Mulgrew is finding so much in common with the MORE caucus he has decided to build an alliance with MORE and is pushing for the rest of Unity Caucus to do the same. Facing i

by ed notes online / 11min hide  //  save

Anti-testing groups form alliance to bring sanity to education policy

I'm proud to be a member of Change the Stakes, a partner in this national alliance.Posted in facebook and The Washington Post Answer Sheet.http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/21/anti-testing-groups-form-alliance-to-bring-sanity-to-education-policy/"The founding members of the alliance are the Center for Fair & Open Testing, or FairTest, as well as Parents Across Am

by ed notes online / 11min 

In a Nutshell: Why Corporations Want Our Public Schools

Infographichttp://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/education-uprising/why-corporations-want-our-public-schools#.UwgK69yQDZY.facebook

by ed notes online / 11min 

2-22-14 Ed Notes Online Week

Ed Notes Online: Ed Notes OnlineNewark Teacher Reports on Raz Baraka Blogger MeetingThank you Ras Baraka and "May The Lord protect and defend you."... A Newark Teacher It speaks volumes about Ras Baraka's true commitment to Newark's children that he has cast these educational tourists aside in favor of those who have made it their life's work to either teach children or understand the dy

1 by mike simpson / 1h