CTU on Harris v. Quinn
What have unions done for working people? Reduced working hours, improved working conditions. Think of the Triangle Waist Fire. Think of Chinese factories where workers live in dormitories 24/7 and work long hours seven days a week in dangerous conditions. Here is the CTU statement on the Harris v. Quinn ruling: ” CTU Stands in Solidarity With Home Care Workers in Wake of Harris v. Quinn Ruling
PTA Mom: Who Bought the National PTA?
In response to a post by Peter Greene (“The Arne Duncan Drinking Game“), this reader describes the National PTA convention in Texas. The National PTA has received $2.5 million from the Gates Fohndation, including $500,000 specifically for Common Core. She writes: “I was at that PTA convention in Texas and I bit my tongue through his entire speech. I wanted to throw up. I have lost faith in the P
Supreme Court Decision: Loss for Public Sector Unions
The U.S. Supreme Court released an opinion in Harris Vs. Quinn that allows some public sector workers to opt out of paying union dues. The opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, was 5-4. The majority held that some employees don’t have to pay union dues, even though they enjoy the benefits negotiated by the union. But the decision left intact the unions’ right to bargain collectively. Here are
Common Core Testing Is No “Game-Changer”
Arne Duncan is one of the most fervent advocates of the Common Core standards and testing. As Valerie Strauss explained in this article, Duncan said: “I am convinced that this new generation of state assessments will be an absolute game-changer in public education. For the first time, millions of schoolchildren, parents, and teachers will know if students are on-track for colleges and careers — a
Hot Sales for Bulletproof Armor for Children
I wish this were a joke but it is not. The manufacturer of body armor for children has reported high sales to parents and schools concerned about school shootings. “The alarming rate of school shootings across the country appears to have added an unsettling new item to parents’ list of “back to school” items: bulletproof armor for their children. Among such items, the Bodyguard Blanket, a portab
Lucy Calkins Vs. David Coleman
New York City and Néw York State have enthusiastically embraced the Common Core standards. In the background, however, is a simmering–one might say boiling battle between literacy guru Lucy Calkins of Teachers College and Common Core architect David Coleman about teaching reading. Calkins supports balanced literacy, Coleman supports close reading. The city and state adopted materials based on Co
Virginia: Governor McAuliffe, Please Let the OEI Disappear
Blogger Rachel Levy sends out an alert to everyone in Virginia: Please contact Governor McAuliffe and ask him not to appeal the court decision saying that the state’s plan to take over low-performing schools violates the state’s constitution. The decision stopped the state from creating an anti-democratic bureaucracy called the Opportunity Educational Institution. Levy writes: “I am urging you t
Michigan: Charter Schools Have Not Lived Up to Promises
The press in Michigan is waking up to the fact that charter schools do not get better results than public schools (and many get worse results), and lack of supervision and regulation clears the way for fraud and corruption. The Lansing State Journal reportson the failed promise of charter schools, which soak up $1 billion a year from taxpayers. “Two decades into Michigan’s charter school experie
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KrazyTA: This Blog Has Just Hit 13 Million Views
A comment from Krazy TA, one of our most valuable, witty, and informed readers: “This blog has just hit 13 million views. 😃 Why does it keeps attracting a high number of views? Because it presents vital info excluded from the MSM, and because it offers folks like Ms. Christine McLaughlin a forum. Heartfelt thanks to Diane. And to Christine McLaughlin: “Not all of us can do great things. But we
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-29-14Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Oklahoma Rejected Pass-Fail Third Grade Reading TestI am late in reporting this story, but did not want to miss the opportunity to correct my oversight. One of the truly bad ideas that has been adopted in various states is that third graders must pass a reading test or flunk. They can’t advance to fourth grade. This is part of the
