BeyondChron: San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily News » Gavin Newsom, Cory Booker and the Struggle for Urban America

BeyondChron: San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily News » Gavin Newsom, Cory Booker and the Struggle for Urban America:

"Although San Francisco and Newark, New Jersey appear to have little in common, both have young, high profile mayors trying to revive long distressed urban communities."

More Controversy in the classroom

More Controversy in the classroom:

"As parents we have a real dilemma with some of the curriculum that is being taught to our children in schools. The students in California may be shown pro-gay videos. The posters introducing the videos are displayed in the school now. The videos have been ordered by the various California school boards. There are two films one is of a boy “coming out” by wearing his mom’s bikini and the other is one that uses the spiritualism of Native American’s to cast LGBT (lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender) persons as “two-spirit” people."

State of the State: K-12 Education - The Daily Californian

State of the State: K-12 Education - The Daily Californian:

"Two years ago, California spent significantly less on schools than most other states. Now we are making deep cuts in educational spending. Two years ago, California ranked nearly last in the nation in the number of adults per student in our schools. Now we are laying off teachers. Two years ago, California faced a severe shortage of college graduates in the coming decade. Now the UC and CSU systems are eliminating classes and restricting enrollments."

No more retreating at CCSF | SocialistWorker.org

No more retreating at CCSF SocialistWorker.org:

"Most of all, the current cuts in funding for all California higher education are not a one-time, temporary loss. Even California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott has warned that further mid-year budget cuts are 'quite likely' as state tax revenues continue to drop in the recession.

Moreover, annual budget deficits will rise unless the state's legislators move beyond 'borrowing and gimmicks.' And City College's current budget plans for more cuts in programs and classes in 2010-11. This means layoffs, sooner or later."

Cal State students, it's time to stand up -- latimes.com

Cal State students, it's time to stand up -- latimes.com:

"These days, the big budget shortfalls in Sacramento have left our Cal State brothers and sisters unprotected. All Californians should fight to protect them. But the students also need a few lessons in standing up for themselves -- or else they'll always be on the losing end of those Capitol funding brawls.

Five faculty members and students made this point on the first day of classes, as part of a day of protest at college campuses all over the state. They held up a series of five words on signs outside the main parking lot:

'When Will You Fight Back?'"

Manteca Bulletin - Longer school days? Where’s the money?

Manteca Bulletin - Longer school days? Where’s the money?:

"With that the Commander-in-Chief believes that students today spend too little time in the classroom. Coming this week, those involved in education at the local level who have had to deal with the crippling economic blow that is still digging into coffers, aren’t quite sure that the concept of longer school days and shorter vacations – while maybe a good theoretical idea – is currently feasible."

“Who Asked Us?” Dear Arnold: Sign onto Education Funding Fairness - NAM

“Who Asked Us?” Dear Arnold: Sign onto Education Funding Fairness - NAM:

"Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,

When is the last time you talked to a public school student?

And I don’t mean one of those meet-and-greet, dog-and-pony shows. I mean, you know, really talked to one of us, like inviting us over to your office in Sacramento or going to lunch at a McDonald’s. To find out what’s really going on in our schools and in our lives."

2 teachers unions take on districts - SignOnSanDiego.com

2 teachers unions take on districts - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"The two largest teachers unions in the county are filing unfair-labor-practice complaints against school districts that increased class sizes this year to deal with unprecedented budget cuts. The Sweetwater Union High School District's union claims the school board failed to negotiate with educators as required before changing last year's 28-to-1 student-teacher ratio to 30-to-1 this year."

Mr. Jackson Told Me I Would Go Places - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Mr. Jackson Told Me I Would Go Places - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos:

"“While parents and politicians worry about crumbling facilities and decimated budgets, students know that the heart of education beats inside the individual teacher. More than spacious playgrounds or sparkling cafeterias; more, even, than top-notch textbooks and state-of-the art computers, it’s the teacher who makes the difference. When NAM asked young people in our youth communications programs to write about the one teacher who’d really made a difference, they barely had to think before the keys were flying. This collection of pieces was underwritten by a project funded through the California Teachers Association.”)"

Sacramento Press / Whole lot of love

Sacramento Press / Whole lot of love:

"The fifth annual Mustard Seed Spin was held yesterday on the American River Trail with guest speaker Mayor Kevin Johnson showing his support for the need to take care of our children and keep what safety nets we do have in place from disappearing."

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Blogger for a Day: Teachers Matter, But How Do You Measure It?

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Blogger for a Day: Teachers Matter, But How Do You Measure It?:

"Guest blogger Rick Beach, president of the San Diego Science Alliance, is taking on the topic of how to measure teacher performance. You might remember that a few bloggers debated this issue last month. We're continuing this conversation with Beach, who questions whether test scores are the right way to gauge teaching."

Series Introduction: Helping Our Teachers : NPR

Series Introduction: Helping Our Teachers : NPR:

"Everyone from President Obama on down seems to agree that a good teacher can make a huge difference in a child's life. American schools have been trying for decades to improve teacher quality. The results are mixed. Over the next year, NPR will explore those efforts and take a look at the latest crop of teachers entering the profession."

Newsom plans college 'savings bond'

Newsom plans college 'savings bond':

"Mayor and new daddy Gavin Newsom will unveil a plan to provide every San Francisco kindergartener with a $50 'savings bond' for college - just as soon as he can figure out how to make sure illegal immigrants can qualify."

The idea behind the Kindergarten to College program would be for San Francisco to seed an account for each of the 4,500 children who enter kindergarten in the city's public schools each year. The students and their families would take it from there.Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/28/BA4019SSEV.DTL&feed=rss.matierandross#ixzz0SSDcBhQZ

Cash for the classrooms -- latimes.com

Cash for the classrooms -- latimes.com:

"The teachers are still mostly young -- well, one tough year older -- and passionate about the mission of teaching disadvantaged students. The big difference: There are 43 more of them than last year, a 25% increase. And a tour of classrooms -- English, math, chemistry -- shows fewer students in each. Average class sizes, which had hovered in the low 30s last year, are now in the mid-20s.

This isn't just a change from the year before; it stands in marked contrast to the Los Angeles Unified School District and many other public school systems that have laid off teachers and increased class sizes because of miserable education funding. At the same time, Green Dot maintains order on what was a traditionally unruly campus by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars more on security than most schools."

Bridge to college | bridge, college - Local News - Victorville Daily Press

Bridge to college bridge, college - Local News - Victorville Daily Press:

"It’s a feat that’s brought tears to the eyes of Sacramento bureaucrats, local educators and proud parents: A whopping 100 percent of Serrano High School’s roughly 500 graduating seniors have accepted their diplomas with plans to go on to post-secondary education or the military for the past two years."

Bottled Water Giant Nestle Coming to Most Threatened River Delta in America? : TreeHugger

Bottled Water Giant Nestle Coming to Most Threatened River Delta in America? : TreeHugger:

"That's right, reports the Sacramento News & Review, - Nestle Waters North America has pulled out of its bid to get water from McCloud, near Mt. Shasta and instead is setting up shop in Sacramento. We reported just this year that this area is the #1 most threatened river basin, so why would a water bottling company come here of all places? Is there anything you can do? Click through the jump to find out more."

Sacramento News & Review,

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=1263766

ACLU Opposes Surveillance Camera Plan - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento

ACLU Opposes Surveillance Camera Plan - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento:

"'We didn't have $615,000 in our budget for security cameras, but there was Homeland Security money available. I fought for the money and got it. Public safety is a top priority for my administration, and I will use every tool to help reduce crime in our city,' Johnson said in a statement. 'Cameras alone won't solve crime, but they can be part of the solution. If technology helps keep our residents and visitors safe, we'd be foolish not to use it.'"

The School Issue - College - When Your Dorm Goes Green and Local - NYTimes.com

The School Issue - College - When Your Dorm Goes Green and Local - NYTimes.com:

"Thoreau said education often made straight-cut ditches out of meandering brooks. But not at the EcoDorm, which houses 36 undergraduates and is the spiritual heart of Warren Wilson College, a liberal-arts school of fewer than 1,000 students in Swannanoa, N.C."

Up for Debate: Should Kids Be Taught How to Argue? - The Juggle - WSJ

Up for Debate: Should Kids Be Taught How to Argue? - The Juggle - WSJ:

"Studies of high school and college students show they are able to identify the main claims and reasons in an argument only 30% of the time, says M. Anne Britt, a researcher at Northern Illinois University. Much of the time, they wrongly identified the counterclaim as the main argument. Students have an even harder time thinking up logical arguments to weaken an opposing argument. Instead, a Columbia University researcher says, “they tend to … give all the reasons supporting their side, and absolutely ignore the alternative. They say what they have to say, and then say it louder, and hope the other side will go away.” The federal government has funded 13 studies since 2002 on how teachers can instruct students on improving their arguing skills."

Woodson High, South County Secondary Leave National PTA - washingtonpost.com

Woodson High, South County Secondary Leave National PTA - washingtonpost.com:

"The growing number of splinter parent groups, which typically focus on an individual school's needs, is a continuing challenge for the 'Every child/one voice' mission of the national PTA.

'People today look more for: 'What's in it for me? How will this help my child?' ' said Melissa Nehrbass, president of the Virginia PTA. Declining PTA membership, she said, means fewer people who will fight for children who don't have a parent speaking out for them."