Governor Cuomo Orchestrated Charter School Deal at Behest of Campaign Supporters | janresseger

Governor Cuomo Orchestrated Charter School Deal at Behest of Campaign Supporters | janresseger:

Governor Cuomo Orchestrated Charter School Deal at Behest of Campaign Supporters

Posted on April 4, 2014 by janresseger

In New York last month there appeared to be a welling up of concern by parents because the new mayor, Bill de Blasio, had threatened to change course.  He planned to turn away from Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s overwhelming support for the charter schools that serve 6 percent of the city’s children and move support to the traditional public schools serving 94 percent of the children along with adding pre-kindergarten and middle school after-school programs.

It was made to appear that public support for charters was greater than anybody knew, and it was made to look as though the new Mayor de Blasio finally had to cave in to a wave of public pressure.  But yesterday the NY Times confirmed that the whole performance was orchestrated by New York’s Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo—orchestrated at the behest of his financial supporters.

Reporters Javier Hernandez and Susanne Craig write: “… interviews with state and city officials as well as education leaders make it clear that far from being a mere cheerleader, the governor was a potent force at every turn, seizing on missteps by the mayor, a fellow Democrat, and driving legislation from start to finish.”

In February, after Mayor de Blasio and his new schools chancellor Carmen Farina moved funds from an account set aside to prepare space for charter school co-locations to another Governor Cuomo Orchestrated Charter School Deal at Behest of Campaign Supporters | janresseger:

Shanker Blog » What Is Implicit Bias, And How Might It Affect Teachers And Students? (Part One)

Shanker Blog » What Is Implicit Bias, And How Might It Affect Teachers And Students? (Part One):

What Is Implicit Bias, And How Might It Affect Teachers And Students? (Part One)

Posted by Esther Quintero on April 4, 2014

The research on implicit bias both fascinates and disturbs people. It’s pretty cool to realize that many everyday mental processes happen so quickly as to be imperceptible. But the fact that they are so automatic, and therefore outside of our conscious control, can be harder to stomach.

In other words, the invisible mental shortcuts that allow us to function can be quite problematic – and real barrier to social equality and fairness – in contexts where careful thinking and decision-making are necessary. Accumulating evidence reveals that “implicit biases” are linked to discriminatory outcomes ranging from the seemingly mundane, such as poorer quality interactions, to the highly consequential, such as constrained employment opportunities and a decreased likelihood of receiving life-saving emergency medical treatments.

Two excellent questions about implicit bias came up during our last Good Schools Seminar on “Creating Safe and Supportive Schools.”

• First, does one’s level of education moderate the magnitude of one’s implicit biases? In other words, wouldn’t it be reasonable to expect people with more education to have a broader repertoire of associations and, therefore, to be able to see beyond clichés and common places?
• Second, does the frequency of interaction with (and deep knowledge of) a person affect our reliance on stereotypic associations? Simply put, shouldn’t information that is individual-specific (e.g., Miguel loves Asimov novels) replace more generic information and associations (e.g., boys don’t like to read)?

The short (albeit simplified) answers are no and yes, respectively. Below, I elaborate on each, reflect on strategies that can help reduce the unintended ill effects of implicit biases, and touch on some implications for schools and 

A remarkable op ed on gay marriage

A remarkable op ed on gay marriage:

A remarkable op ed on gay marriage

I slept with a gay man for six months in Afghanistan. No one asked. He did not tell. So begins A Marine silent no longer on gay marriage, a Washington Post op ed by Roger Dean Huffstetler, a former Marine Corps sergeant, who is also a serious Southern Baptist. He talks about TWO men who he thought he knew well who are gay, a fellow Marine Sergeant and a childhood friend. Of the first, Sergeant Sa

by rss@dailykos.com ... / 1h hide  //  save

My yoga teacher had a stroke

Greg Marzullo is one of the best teachers of anything I have ever seen.  Perhaps that is why his classes at Flow Yoga Center on P Street NW in DC and elsewhere are always jammed.  I study with him at Flow, have studied with him at Extend Yoga in North Bethesda, near where he and his husband Jordan live.  He has an incisive intelligence, uses humor and music exceedingly well in his teaching. Friday

by rss@dailykos.com ... / 3h 

Charles Koch responds to Harry Reid - sort of -

Charles Koch responds to Harry Reid - sort of -: Charles Koch responds to Harry Reid - sort of -byteacherkenFollow    Email  8 Comments / 8 Newin a very self-serving way, in this Wall Street Journal op ed.I said it was self-serving.  It is also self-justifying.It begins like thisI have devoted most of my life to understanding the principles that enable people to improve their lives. It is those pr

by mike simpson / 18h

4-4-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE:

Skepticism or Cynicism for Obama Education Agenda?

Skepticism or Cynicism for Obama Education Agenda?. via Skepticism or Cynicism for Obama Education Agenda?.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical

2 by plthomasedd / 1h 

4-3-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: National Poetry Month: “What is the message when some children are not represented in those books?”National Poetry Month: “What is the message when some children are not represented in those books?”. via National Poetry Month: “What is the message when some children are not represented in those books?”.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical1 by plthomasedd / 18min 4-2-14 @ Th

by mike simpson / 8h 

4-4-14 the becoming radical A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University):

AlterNet: Why Are Americans So Inclined to Disrespect Children?

Why Are Americans So Inclined to Disrespect Children?

by plthomasedd / 14min 

Skepticism or Cynicism for Obama Education Agenda?

One response to my Relaxing zero tolerance in schools could be Obama’s boldest civil rights reform is worth highlighting: Readers adamant that the Obama education agenda is beyond such hope. Let me note here that I have long since slipped past healthy skepticism and resigned myself to unhealthy cynicism with respect to either major political party and their leaders, including Obama. I have tried b

10 by plthomasedd / 1h 

4-3-14 the becoming radical A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): National Poetry Month: “What is the message when some children are not represented in those books?”National Poetry Month 2014 comes not on “little cat feet,” like Carl Sandberg’s “Fog,” but in the wake of Walter Dean Myers and his son, Christopher, responding to reports

by mike simpson / 8h 

4-4-14 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School:

Newark Star-Ledger Lays Off 25% Of Non-Unionized Newsroom Employees

Brutal:In a grim day of reckoning at the state’s largest newspaper, the owners of The Star-Ledger today said they were eliminating the jobs of approximately 167 people, including 25 percent of the newsroom. The sweeping job loss was part of a plan announced last week in an effort to greatly reduce costs and combine resources by consolidating the operations of The Star-Ledger, along with its sister

by reality-based edu... / 1h 

Cuomo Administration: Middle Class Is $300,000 A Year, Upper Middle Is $500,000

The Cuomo administration explaining its "middle class tax cuts":In defense of new regressive tax cuts in the most economically unequal state in America, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s top aide tonight told the Journal News that those making $500,000 a year are merely “upper middle class” and those making $300,000 a year are “middle class.” In fact, the median household income in New York i

by reality-based edu... / 17min 

De Blasio Says "Teacher Retention" Is Key Goal For Public Education Policy

From an interview with Chris Smith of New York:With pre-K and charters dominating the conversation, there’s been little attention to de Blasio’s fuzzier agenda for the million-plus kids already attending conventional public schools. “We’re going to focus on teacher retention, which I think is a huge difference-maker, because we’re hemorrhaging quality teachers,” he says. “Why is Finland so wonderf

by reality-based edu... / 1h 

UFT Contract Negotiations Update

Bill de Blasio in an interview with Chris Smith of New York:It’s obviously incredibly complicated, and there’s a lot on the line, and we want to get it right. So the conversations over the last weeks have been quite good, and substantive, and collegial. But it’s impossible at this moment to determine whether it’s enough to get us done by that point (June 30)."Collegial and substantive, but no

by reality-based edu... / 1min 

Common Core Contradictions

 From a commenter at NRO:Common Core is, itself, a contradiction: it professes to help get kids ready for college and careers while at the same time it destroys the very tools they need to learn to do just that. For English standards, Common Core favors informational texts over fiction while completely deleting poetry and art interpretation from the curriculum. In Math, Common Core seems blatantly

by reality-based edu... / 1h hide  //  save

Will Oklahoma Be The Second State To "Ditch" The Common Core?

From National Review Online:The Oklahoma state senate passed a bill Tuesday to withdraw the state from the Common Core standards. If the bill is signed by Governor Mary Fallin, Oklahoma will become the second state to withdraw from the Common Core.Indiana withdrew last week, with Governor Mike Pence’s signature.The bill to get the Sooner State was hugely popular in both houses. House Bill 3399 was

by reality-based edu... / 6h 

4-3-14 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Cuomo Was Behind The Organization Of The Eva Moskowitz/Success Charter School RallyThere have been some stories out that it was Governor Cuomo who pushed for the charter school giveaway rally in Albany - those stories are now confirmed in the NY Times:It was a frigid February day in Albany, and leaders of New York City’s charter school movement were anxious. They had gone to

by mike simpson / 8h 

Who is the right-wing American Federation for Children? | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

Who is the right-wing American Federation for Children? | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!:

Who is the right-wing American Federation for Children?

Filed under: American Federation for Children,MMAC — millerlf @ 7:07 am 

Right-Wing Alert: “American Federation for Children” and MMAC Organizing for Elections

The American Federation for Children (AFC), led by Betty DeVos, is allying with the MMAC to run candidates for offices in upcoming elections. The American Federation for Children spent $1.5 million helping Republicans in the recall elections. That includes some $900,000 that it spent to help Scott Walker fend off Tom Barrett’s challenge.

Who is the American Federation for Children?
The American Federation for Children (AFC) is an organization with roots in Milwaukee that promotes public school privatization through “voucher programs.” It shares an address and leadership with its 501(c)(3) partner Alliance for School Choice (ASC).

AFC is chaired by Betsy DeVos, the billionaire wife of Amway founder Richard DeVos and former chair of the Michigan Republican Party. In recent years, she has funneled tens of millions of dollars into school privatization efforts and other right-wing initiatives.

AFC is an ALEC member and is represented by former Rep. Jensen on the ALEC Education Task Force. Jensen is the former Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker convicted in 2005 of three felonies for misuse of his office for political purposes, and banned from the state Capitol for five years (the charges were later reduced on appeal). Jensen is one of AFC’s registered lobbyists in Wisconsin.

Jensen has proposed bills to ALEC on behalf of AFC/ASC that were adopted as “model” legislation. For example, in March 2011, Jensen presented to the ALEC Education Task Force the “Education Savings Account Act,” which creates financial incentives for families to take their children out of the public school system and put them in for-profit primary and secondary Who is the right-wing American Federation for Children? | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!:

Newark, NJ Students Walk Out For Underserved Schools | PopularResistance Org #NPSWalkOut2014

Newark, NJ Students Walk Out For Underserved Schools | PopularResistance.Org:

Newark, NJ Students Walk Out For Underserved Schools

RESIST! BUDGET CUTS, EDUCATION, PROTEST 
By The Stream Team, www.america.aljazeera.com

About 1,000 Newark, New Jersey public school students walked out of school for today in response to a number of issues, including what many say is insufficient funding and proposed plans to place charter schools in district buildings.

#NPSWalkOut2014 coincided with a state senate budget hearing on education. Besides demanding changes to funding, students are hoping legislators give control of Newark’s schools back to the city (managed by the state for 18 years).

The walkout began at various Newark schools and ended at the steps of Newark City Hall. As the demonstration grew, administrators reportedly tried to stop more students from joining.

However, many students still found their way to the rally. The picture below marked a point close to their final destination.

Students soon reached Newark City Hall and joined forces.

Today’s protest followed a similar one that took place last year. The Stream covered those demonstrations as well.

Check out these “11 Reasons Why You Should Walk Out.”

Related Posts:

• Students & Teachers Rally to Stop School Consolidation March 19, 2014
• Walk In Solidarity With Aboriginals March 26, 2014
• Structural Racism in NYC School SystemMarch 14, 2014
• NJ Teachers And Students Come Together In Collective Roar January 9, 2014
• Newark Principals File Federal Suit Over Retaliation January 27, 2014

OPTING OUT ALL OVER NEW YORK CITY...Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: OPTING OUT ALL OVER NEW YORK CITY...

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: OPTING OUT ALL OVER NEW YORK CITY...:

OPTING OUT ALL OVER NEW YORK CITY...

Black Brooklyn School Teacher Opt Out Her Son

VIDEO: 

Takiema Bunche-Smith, the director of curriculum and instruction at Brooklyn Kindergarten Society, allowed her 8-year-old son to opt out of standardized tests based on new Common Core standards. Bunche-Smith joins Aljazeera's Consider This host Anotnio Mora to discuss why her family opposes the tests.

UPDATE: Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Hang tough Gresham! + The kids are alright

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The kids are alright:

Hang tough Gresham!

A SmallTalk Salute goes out to Principal Diedrus Brown, Ald. Brookins and the Walter Gresham Elementary School community for having the courage to resist Byrd-Bennett's move to hand their school over to the private management company,  AUSL.They're standing on solid ground when they say the resource-starved schools has been making steady progress. In 2004, when Brown became principal,  34.7 percen

by Mike Klonsky / 1h

The kids are alright

Sam Spitz met Teddy Williams at a barber shop, and they documented their story in a film, "The Greens."

I couldn't be prouder of my friend Sam Spitz, a budding young film maker with a good camera eye and a strong social conscience. With film-making activist parents like Jeff and Jennifer Amdur Spitz, neither is any surprise. Sam's first independent, no-budget film, The Greens, is starting to get some play. If you put a camera in Sam's hand and turn him loose in Chicago, he's going to use it to tell some great stories. Here's one of them, picked up by CNN.

I know something about this kid also. Jennifer Klonsky is a wonderful Chicago elementary school teacher, mom, and local rock-and-roller who also created and directs Little Kids Rockat her school. She made a guest appearance Sunday on Live From The Heartland where she tells Katie Hogan how she integrates art and music in and out of her classroom.  Herinterview starts at 4:55.

GOOD READS...Just got my advanced copy of teacher/activistJose Vilson's book, This is Not a Test. Lots of great personal stories about Jose's baptism-under-fire as a New York public school teacher intertwined with his notions of race, class & social justice. I can't put it down.

Jose's book pulled me away (for a moment) from Gregg Kot's I'll 

Table for 3: The Story Behind Dinner with Linda Darling-Hammond and Diane Ravitch | Cloaking Inequity

Table for 3: The Story Behind Dinner with Linda Darling-Hammond and Diane Ravitch | Cloaking Inequity:

Table for 3: The Story Behind Dinner with Linda Darling-Hammond and Diane Ravitch

This past Wednesday I hatched an idea. Why not invite Linda Darling-Hammond and Diane Ravitch to dinner, two of my mentors, and the most notable and influential voices in education? Let me first start with the academic part of today’s blog post. Reddick and Vasquez Heilig (2012) discussed mentoring in the peer-reviewed paper Constellations a Promising Strategy?

Mentoring is defined as the process in which a senior, experienced person (the mentor) engages with a junior, less-experienced person (the mentee, or protégé) in order to foster the psychosocial development of the junior person (Kram, 1988). The term ‘mentor’ comes from the Greek epic The Odyssey, in which the hero Odysseus placed his son, Telemachus, in his old friend Mentor’s care when he left for war.

Social Exchange Theory. Social exchange theory is a concept developed by Homans (1958) that posited that humans engage in relationships that provide benefits (in terms of outcomes and satisfaction). Simply put, relationships that are costly but provide little or no benefits are unsustainable. Mentoring can be understood through a social exchange theoretical construct: both mentors and mentees/protégés must find mutual benefit and satisfaction for the relationship to continue. Often the benefits to mentees are well-documented and articulated, but mentor benefits are rarely explicated. Essentially, mentors have to experience some benefit from the mentoring dynamic as well for the relationship to be enduring and ultimately, successful.

Mentoring Networks. Though mentoring is often understood (and exemplified) in one-on-one settings 

 Table for 3: The Story Behind Dinner with Linda Darling-Hammond and Diane Ravitch | Cloaking Inequity:

Charters seek compromise on governance transparency :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet

Charters seek compromise on governance transparency :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:



APRIL 04, 2014

Charters seek compromise on governance transparency

by Tom Chorneau

(Calif.) Charter schools, which often operate as both a private non-profit and a publicly-funded agency, reside in a sort of legal no-man’s land as it relates to the state’s open meeting and good governance laws.

Efforts to simply extend the Brown Act, the Public Records Act and the Political Reform Act to charters has failed in the past – largely because the rigid requirements don’t mesh well with fundamental tenants of the charter movement that give the schools freedom and flexibility.

But there are signs that a pivotal confrontation may be nearing, as lawmakers consider once again whether to attempt to unilaterally impose existing requirements or embrace alternative legislation that charter advocates say will provide needed transparency but protect their cherished autonomous status.

“There’s been a lot of conversation over the past several legislative cycles around which conflict of interest laws apply to public charter schools – which are funded with taxpayer dollars,” explained Myrna Castrejon, senior vice president over government affairs at the California Charter Schools Association.

“We are now in an environment where there is little predictability about the local context in which charters operate,” she said. “We really feel like it is time to clearly define those parameters and Charters seek compromise on governance transparency :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:

Florida considers ‘return on investment index’ for schools

(Fla.) Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst is driving legislation in Florida that would establish a “return on investment” index comparing education spending with standardized test scores – something supporters say would help school administrators, parents and the public better recognize the most cost effective programs.

by Carrie Marovich / 4h