Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/28/17

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/28/17

Featured Post

The telling letter Betsy DeVos wrote to clarify her position on U.S. disabilities law - The Washington Post

Hundreds of California teachers protest Trump's nominee for secretary of education - LA Times

by mike simpson / 9min

Hundreds of California teachers protest Trump's nominee for secretary of education - LA Times : Hundreds of California teachers protest Trump's nominee for secretary of education Hundreds of California teachers gathered Saturday in downtown Los Angeles to protest President Trump's nominee for secretary of education, calling her an “extremist” with an “anti-public school agenda.” Members of the Ca

Priorities In a School System Where Nearly Half of Students Live in Poverty

by mike simpson / 1h

Priorities In a School System Where Nearly Half of Students Live in Poverty Priorities In a School System Where Nearly Half of Students Live in Poverty By Laurie Taylor-Mitchell The annual costs for new computers and technology ( STAT* ) is now $57 million, and over $250 million overall is expected to be spent by 2018. Administrative salaries and costs are also increasing within the school system

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump election has reformers in a tizzy

by mike simpson / 2h

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump election has reformers in a tizzy : Trump election has reformers in a tizzy Credit: Creative Commons/AFGE "Ed reformers are just waiting for their turn to talk. They only want to talk about themselves. Anything you say, they just want to tell you, 'Charter schools are great.' A parent can tell them, 'I broke my foot.' And a reformer will say, 'You know what's

SomeDam Poet: “No Democrat Will Vote” | Diane Ravitch's blog

by mike simpson / 2h

SomeDam Poet: “No Democrat Will Vote” | Diane Ravitch's blog : SomeDam Poet: “No Democrat Will Vote” Our blog poet writes about Senator Franken’s statement that no Democrat will vote to confirm DeVos, highlighting contradictions: “No Democrat will vote” No Democrat would vote For testing and for VAM No Democrat would vote For any other sham No Democrat would vote For Gates and Common Core No Demo

States’ Teacher Evaluation Systems Now “All over the Map” | VAMboozled!

by mike simpson / 2h

States’ Teacher Evaluation Systems Now “All over the Map” | VAMboozled! : States’ Teacher Evaluation Systems Now “All over the Map” We are now just one year past the federal passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), within which it is written that states must no longer set up teacher-evaluation systems based in significant part on their students’ test scores. As per a recent article writt

Don't Read Me Today - CURMUDGUCATION

by mike simpson / 2h

CURMUDGUCATION : Don't Read Me Today Seriously. I'm not blogging today. I'm throwing all those words into tweeting, emailing and Facebook messaging my Senators and Representatives and telling them that so much of what's happening this week is not okay (I would be phoning them, but nobody's answering the phones and all the voicemails are full). Not the refusal to oppose Betsy DeVos. Not the muslim

Betsy DeVos paid for a Grand Rapids school superintendent to support her at her Senate confirmation in Washington, DC | Eclectablog

by mike simpson / 2h

Betsy DeVos paid for a Grand Rapids school superintendent to support her at her Senate confirmation in Washington, DC | Eclectablog : Betsy DeVos paid for a Grand Rapids school superintendent to support her at her Senate confirmation in Washington, DC Betsy DeVos, Pr*sident Donald Trump’s pick to be his Secretary of Education, is rightfully being exposed nationally for her anti-public education a

The telling letter Betsy DeVos wrote to clarify her position on U.S. disabilities law - The Washington Post

by mike simpson / 4h

The telling letter Betsy DeVos wrote to clarify her position on U.S. disabilities law - The Washington Post : The telling letter Betsy DeVos wrote to clarify her position on U.S. disabilities law Betsy DeVos, the Michigan billionaire President Trump nominated to be education secretary, wrote a letter to a senator about the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. What she said in that

Jersey Jazzman: Chris Christie Bashes Teachers, But Now No One Cares

by mike simpson / 4h

Jersey Jazzman: Chris Christie Bashes Teachers, But Now No One Cares : Chris Christie Bashes Teachers, But Now No One Cares Chris Christie, like all bullies, is a pathetic figure. Christie has approval ratings so low -- 19 percent! -- they are even worse than Donald Trump's . The current leading Republican candidate for governor, Kim Guadagno, has completely disavowed Christie , going so far as t

Schools Matter: Lamar Alexander, Another Lame Duck

by mike simpson / 4h

Schools Matter: Lamar Alexander, Another Lame Duck : Lamar Alexander, Another Lame Duck I don't know why we, over time, don't make every public school a charter school... .You could not do it overnight, but you could do it over 20, 25 years." -- Lamar Alexander, 2013 Even if the former "Education Governor" of Tennessee has not decided on whether or not to run again in 2020 when his current term i

Update - His group’s anti-gay marriage position did not represent his own beliefs says Bronin nominee for school board - Wait What?

by mike simpson / 5h

Update - His group’s anti-gay marriage position did not represent his own beliefs says Bronin nominee for school board - Wait What? : Update – His group’s anti-gay marriage position did not represent his own beliefs says Bronin nominee for school board As Massachusetts moved toward its historic approval of same-sex marriage rights, the Boston Ministerial Alliance engaged in a heated and hateful c

As Opposition to DeVos Swells, Hope for Her Rejection Builds | Common Dreams

by mike simpson / 5h

As Opposition to DeVos Swells, Hope for Her Rejection Builds | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community : As Opposition to DeVos Swells, Hope for Her Rejection Builds Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) said no Democrat will vote in favor of DeVos, and the party is actively seeking Republicans to oppose her as well byNadia Prupis, staff writer There may be enough opposition to Ed

The Trump War on Public Schools - The New York Times

by mike simpson / 6h

The Trump War on Public Schools - The New York Times : The Trump War on Public Schools One of the most disturbing things about the Trump administration is its antipathy toward public schools. Perhaps you remember the president’s mini-rant in his inaugural speech about an “education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge.” Well, Trump’s c

My Word: Schools lagging, we need California Dreaming again

by mike simpson / 6h

My Word: Schools lagging, we need California Dreaming again : Education lags, time for California Dreaming again The education and care of our children should be the most important work of any generation. My parents and grandparents, who withstood the Great Depression and World War II, came out of those experiences with a commitment to education and a generosity toward children that made a remark

School Transformation Hasn’t Worked—Isn’t That Reason Enough to Stop? - Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly

by mike simpson / 6h

School Transformation Hasn’t Worked—Isn’t That Reason Enough to Stop? - Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly : School Transformation Hasn’t Worked—Isn’t That Reason Enough to Stop? Making America’s public education system great was the goal of Presidents Bush and Obama. President Trump also sees the problems in our public schools as needing action—so much so that he i

Famed researcher Linda Darling-Hammond on the future of New York education — and what she makes of Betsy DeVos | Chalkbeat

by mike simpson / 7h

Famed researcher Linda Darling-Hammond on the future of New York education — and what she makes of Betsy DeVos | Chalkbeat : Famed researcher Linda Darling-Hammond on the future of New York education — and what she makes of Betsy DeVos New York could be on the cusp of “serious changes” to education policy — if the state takes the plunge, according to Linda Darling-Hammond, one of nation’s most in

King County Superior Court hears case on When Bill Gates Will Get His Charter Schools | The Seattle Times

by mike simpson / 7h

King County Superior Court hears case on charter schools | The Seattle Times : King County Superior Court hears case on charter schools The ongoing legal battle over the state’s charter-school law continued Friday in King County Superior Court. After the first ruling, charter schools had to scramble to stay afloat financially — and succeeded with help from supporters like the Bill & Melinda Gates

Private Christian schools receiving taxpayer-funded school vouchers continue to exclude students on basis of religion, sexual identity :: WRAL.com

by mike simpson / 7h

Private Christian schools receiving taxpayer-funded school vouchers continue to exclude students on basis of religion, sexual identity :: WRAL.com : Private Christian schools receiving taxpayer-funded school vouchers continue to exclude students on basis of religion, sexual identity The following was posted by the A.J. Fletcher Foundation. The original post is available here . A review of the stu

Public education advocates cry foul over legislators' private meeting with controversial school reformer Michelle Rhee - The Progressive Pulse

by mike simpson / 7h

Public education advocates cry foul over legislators' private meeting with controversial school reformer Michelle Rhee - The Progressive Pulse : Public education advocates cry foul over legislators’ private meeting with controversial school reformer Michelle Rhee Some North Carolina public education activists are crying foul over a private legislative meet state lawmakers are scheduled to attend

How to Start an ISIS Charter School… -

by mike simpson / 7h

How to Start an ISIS Charter School… - : How to Start an ISIS Charter School… …and have Department of Education pay for it. I teach in a public high school in Los Angeles and every time I hear someone extol the virtues of charter schools and vouchers, I cringe. For 13 years, I taught at a charter school near the ocean in a part of town where the median price of a home is more than $3 million. The

Meet The Radical Monarchs: Girls with Social Justice In Their Hearts & On Their Minds

by mike simpson / 8h

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: Meet The Radical Monarchs: Girls with Social Justice In Their Hearts & On Their Minds : Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: Meet The Radical Monarchs: Girls with Social Justice In Their Hearts & On Their Minds Radical Brownies Berets, badges, Black Lives Matter and social justice: the youth group for

DeVos-Funded Group: How to Indoctrinate Children | Diane Ravitch's blog

by mike simpson / 8h

DeVos-Funded Group: How to Indoctrinate Children | Diane Ravitch's blog : DeVos-Funded Group: How to Indoctrinate Children “Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Lenin: They knew one thing, that to change a culture, to change a country, they had to reach the children,” the speaker said. This is a very alarming story about a conservative Christian group funded by Betsy DeVos called the “Student St

Maher slams Trump’s Education pick: Putting DeVos in charge ‘is like putting Ellen in charge of d*ck’

by mike simpson / 8h

Maher slams Trump’s Education pick: Putting DeVos in charge ‘is like putting Ellen in charge of d*ck’ : Maher slams Trump’s Education pick: Putting DeVos in charge ‘is like putting Ellen in charge of d*ck’ ll Maher couldn’t resist taking a shot at two of President Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, which he nicknamed “ill-prepared vs. ill-equipped.” “As Energy Secretary, Rick Perry goes head to empty

We are becoming the America I know, not the America I want! | Opine I will

by mike simpson / 8h

We are becoming the America I know, not the America I want! | Opine I will : We are becoming the America I know, not the America I want! The America I know is a nation with a checkered past. Yes, we are the greatest nation on the face of the earth! Yes, I love our nation and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our guiding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happines

Saturday Extra: Read Gail Collins in Today’s NY Times on Trump’s War on Public Education | janresseger

by mike simpson / 9h

Saturday Extra: Read Gail Collins in Today’s NY Times on Trump’s War on Public Education | janresseger : Saturday Extra: Read Gail Collins in Today’s NY Times on Trump’s War on Public Education Gail Collins’ column this morning, The Trump War on Public Schools , begins this way: “One of the most disturbing things about the Trump administration is its antipathy toward public schools. Perhaps you r

CURMUDGUCATION: Friend$ of DeVos

by mike simpson / 9h

CURMUDGUCATION: Friend$ of DeVos : Friend$ of DeVos If you follow the many pieces about Presumptive Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, you will notice that there are folks who stand up for her as a super-duper prospect for Secretary of Education. For instance, Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal spoke up for her hometown girl Betsy, and was, according to released em

YESTERDAY

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/27/17

by mike simpson / 22h

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/27/17 Featured Post All Democratic senators will oppose DeVos as education secretary Divide and Conquer: “This proposal would devastate retirees and their surviving spouses.” | 

Top Posts This Week

• 

  An Open Letter to Senator Lamar Alexander Regarding Betsy DeVos | Diane Ravitch's blog
• Updated Floor Vote Estimate for Betsy DeVos (Secretary of Education) (updated 1/25 1230pm) – Decision Desk HQ Election 2016
• 

  Michael Moore calls for mass opposition to Betsy DeVos as pushback against Trump’s education pick grows - The Washington Post
• 

  Hundreds of students, alumni from DeVos’s Christian college oppose her selection as education secretary - The Washington Post
• 

  New White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer Statement: Size Matters
• 

  DeVos doesn’t know the ABCs of public education - Wait What?
• 

  Federal agents raid Los Angeles charter school network - LA Times
• 

  Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/26/17
• 

  WHY TRUMPLANDIA ALTERNATIVE FACTS ARE BETTER THAN THE TRUTH (A SCIENTIFIC COMPARISON)
• 

  Betsy DeVos Won’t Shed Stake in Biofeedback Company, Filings Show - The New York Times

Hundreds of California teachers protest Trump's nominee for secretary of education - LA Times

Hundreds of California teachers protest Trump's nominee for secretary of education - LA Times:

Hundreds of California teachers protest Trump's nominee for secretary of education

Hundreds of California teachers gathered Saturday in downtown Los Angeles to protest President Trump's nominee for secretary of education, calling her an “extremist” with an “anti-public school agenda.”

Members of the California Teachers Assn., which represents 325,000 teachers, urged the rejection of Betsy DeVos nomination at her Senate committee confirmation hearing on Tuesday.

“Her blatant extremist, anti-public school political agenda violates every student’s civil rights at the most basic level,” the CTA said in a statement. “Social justice for all begins with a quality, free public education.”

DeVos, a Republican fundraiser from Michigan, has supported the growth of for-profit charter schools and the use of public money to subsidize tuition at private schools. Although Trump said little about education on the campaign trail, he did at one point suggest that legislation to create a major school voucher program would be one of his priorities for his first 100 days.

On Saturday, the National Education Assn. also issued a statement denouncing DeVos’ nomination, saying, “she would be the first secretary of Education with zero experience with public schools. She has never worked in a public school. She has never been a teacher, a school administrator, nor served on any public board of education.”Hundreds of California teachers protest Trump's nominee for secretary of education - LA Times:

CALL 202-224-3121 AND TELL YOUR SENATORS

 “VOTE NO” ON BETSY DeVOS ON JAN. 31ST! 

Tell Your Senator to Vote NO for Betsy DeVos - Network For Public Education - http://wp.me/p3bR9v-26K

Priorities In a School System Where Nearly Half of Students Live in Poverty

Priorities In a School System Where Nearly Half of Students Live in Poverty

Priorities In a School System Where Nearly Half of Students Live in Poverty

By Laurie Taylor-Mitchell

The annual costs for new computers and technology (STAT*) is now $57 million, and over $250 million overall is expected to be spent by 2018.

Administrative salaries and costs are also increasing within the school system: the salary budget for the Chief Academic Officer and two other positions is nearly $500,000.

In its massive diversion of funds towards technology, the proposed Operating Budget of Baltimore County Public Schools  does not address the great need of all students for more support staff, and subjects the existing School support staff to ever more crushing workloads.  

According to one administrator at a recent Board of Education meeting, the BCPS 2018 Operating Budget is “sufficient” in supporting administrators and offices working with students in poverty.  Another stated that there were backpack programs feeding children in schools.

But the school system does not fund weekend backpack programs.  The current backpack programs feeding children at risk of hunger on the weekends are funded privately; they only feed a few hundred children in the system and reach a fraction of those in need (there are over 32,000 children identified as food- insecure in Baltimore County).

The 44,000 children in the school system currently qualifying for Free Meals live in families with  incomes at 130% or below the federal poverty level, which for a family of Priorities In a School System Where Nearly Half of Students Live in Poverty

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump election has reformers in a tizzy

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump election has reformers in a tizzy:

Trump election has reformers in a tizzy

Credit: Creative Commons/AFGE

"Ed reformers are just waiting for their turn to talk. They only want to talk about themselves. Anything you say, they just want to tell you, 'Charter schools are great.' A parent can tell them, 'I broke my foot.' And a reformer will say, 'You know what's good for that? Charter schools!'" -- Education Post's Chris Stewart 

For most of the past three decades, school reformers have been focused on dismantling traditional, mainly urban public school systems, replacing traditional public schools with a hodgepodge of market-oriented, tech-driven, re-segregated and union-free "choice" options -- mainly, privately-run charter schools and school vouchers.

The unintended, or sometimes intended consequence of these reforms is a steady roll-back of genuine reforms won by the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s (the second Reconstruction period in our history). It was those reforms, limited and fleeting as they may have been, which, from 1968-88, generated the greatest educational gains for poor children this nation has ever seen.

But what we're seeing now is an increasingly racially re-segregated, two-tiered system of Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump election has reformers in a tizzy: