Theodore R. Sizer | Education leader, 77 | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/24/2009

Theodore R. Sizer Education leader, 77 Philadelphia Inquirer 10/24/2009:

"Theodore R. Sizer Education leader, 77

Theodore R. Sizer, 77, a passionate leader in education reform who led Ivy League education departments and progressive high schools, died Wednesday.
Dr. Sizer, who had colon cancer, died at home in Harvard, Mass., surrounded by his family.

He graduated from Yale University and earned his doctorate from Harvard University.

He was dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and led Brown University's education department. He also was the founding director of Brown's Annenberg Institute for School Reform.

Dr. Sizer served as headmaster of Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., from 1972 to 1981. He oversaw a successful merger of Phillips and Abbot Academies as well as the introduction of innovative programs, including a summer outreach program to prepare minority students for careers in math and science.

He served in the Army as an artillery officer and said the experience influenced his ideas on education. - AP"

Plans for Lakeside charter school scrapped - SignOnSanDiego.com

Plans for Lakeside charter school scrapped - SignOnSanDiego.com:

"EAST COUNTY — Plans for a charter school in Lakeside have fallen through after organizers struggled to secure funding or find a suitable location. The charter school was one of the few approved by East County school boards recently that have been unable to open. Others have fared better despite the poor economy, state budget crisis and trouble locating sites.

Organizers with the Eastern County Preparatory Academy said their obstacles were too numerous to overcome. The charter, authorized by the Lakeside Union School District, was to offer an independent-study program through the eighth grade, and academics, vocational training and extracurricular programs for high schoolers."

Worldchanging: Bright Green: Steve Barr: Outlaw Private School

Worldchanging: Bright Green: Steve Barr: Outlaw Private School:

"Steve Barr, the founder of GreenDot schools, has been on the front lines of turning around education in Los Angeles, where they've built 17 schools. Barr (after cracking a joke about the TED/Pop!Tech rivalry) tells us that he's not an educator, but he is a product of the California public school system. He tells us that his class, the class of 1977 of Cupertino High School, represents the last year of the fully funded, truly high quality educational system in the US. Silicon Valley wasn't about engineers who liked to surf - it was the product of a really good school system. 'A couple guys down the street, Steve and Steve, went into a garage and built a pretty cool company.' And as a son of a waitress, Barr received the same education."

"In my lifetime, California schools went from the best in the world to the worst." We debate about this. The left says "let's give more money to a failed centralized system built for a manufacturing society." The right is largely indifferent and blames the teacher's union."

Red Ribbon Week targets drugs in schools - Redlands Daily Facts

Red Ribbon Week targets drugs in schools - Redlands Daily Facts:

"Several times a year, security officers accompanied by drug-sniffing dogs show up in classrooms in the Rialto Unified School District to look for drugs in students' backpacks and desks.
On the random searches, they find everything from pipes and other paraphernalia to the students' apparent drug of choice - marijuana.

'The finds are always disturbing, because it is our responsibility to keep kids safe,' said Jerry Sturmer, director of educational safety and security for the Rialto school district. 'I don't want to see any of my kids get hurt.'

In the Rialto district, where there have been 755 drug possession incidents in the last five years, random canine searches are done to detect gunpowder, alcohol or drugs in students' backpacks or desks."

Educational exchange on the Peninsula - Inside Bay Area

Educational exchange on the Peninsula - Inside Bay Area:

"BELMONT — Kindergartners at Cipriani Elementary School took time out from the playground and, as a group, began counting in Mandarin.
The foreign-language demonstration impressed visiting Chinese principals Lillian Meng and Caroline Zheng.

'They are very happy to speak Mandarin,' Meng said of the young students, who just started learning the Chinese dialect last month. 'They are confident.'
'They pronounce very excellently,' Zheng said.

The pair's visit Thursday was part of the California-Shanghai Principal Exchange Program sponsored by the California School Boards Association."

Education Week: Controversy Still Swirls Around Safe-Schools Chief

Education Week: Controversy Still Swirls Around Safe-Schools Chief:

"Backers of the nation’s embattled safe-schools chief, Kevin Jennings, moved last week to offer support amid a continued campaign by conservative members of Congress, television commentators, and other critics demanding his ouster.

The latest escalation came Oct. 22, when Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., began circulating a letter to colleagues calling for hearings on whether Mr. Jennings’ position should be made subject to Senate confirmation—and urging that he undergo a congressional hearing in the meantime.

Already, more than 50 House Republicans signed an Oct. 15 letter to President Barack Obama circulated by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, calling for Mr. Jennings’ removal as the assistant deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Education’s office of safe and drug-free schools."

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency

Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency:

"Kerrey's talk, which will be free and open to the public, will inaugurate an ongoing educational and cultural series of speeches, performances, and programs that ESRI and the University of Redlands Town & Gown organization will cosponsor. The events will be held in ESRI’s new state-of-the-art auditorium.

Kerrey, 66, was Nebraska's governor from 1983 to 1987 and later served as the state's U.S. senator from 1989 to 2001. He left the Senate to become president of the New School, a university in New York City that was founded on strong democratic ideals and daring educational practices. Throughout his career in public service, Kerrey has strongly advocated for increased education spending. He continues to do so today, recognizing that democratic life flourishes when all citizens are properly educated and given every chance to participate in the political process."

Support October 24, 2009 UCB Assembly To Save California Public Education : Indybay

Support October 24, 2009 UCB Assembly To Save California Public Education : Indybay:

"On October 24, 2009 at UCB Pauley Ballroom from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM there will be a state wide Assembly of education unions, students and community supporters. There will also be other public workers in the state attending this historic meeting that is a direct result of the successful UCB strike and rally of over 5,000 workers, students and community supporters. A key issue that came out again and again at this action was the need to fight privatization of the university. This of course is not just an issue in education for all public workers in California and nationally.

At the upcoming assembly there will be discussion on these issues as well as developing a program for a state wide strike action against the attacks on education and all public workers. The United Public Workers For Action http://www.upwa.info fully supports this assembly and urges all public workers in California to attend and work to organize conjunction action by their membership. The need for assemblies of workers at all work locations that link all union members and rank and file workers together is vital if we are going to mount an effective fightback. It has been supported by all unions on the UC campus, the CFA, CFT and many other union locals."

East Bay school remains open despite flu concerns - 10/23/09 - San Francisco News - abc7news.com

East Bay school remains open despite flu concerns - 10/23/09 - San Francisco News - abc7news.com:

"VACAVILLE, CA (KGO) -- The CDC is leaving the decision up to schools about whether to remain open or to shut down. No matter what they do, somebody is going to be unhappy.

Both the state and federal government have written volumes about how to deal with the H1N1 flu. One of the reports from the California Department of Education is 43 pages long.

Panetta: Debt threatens security, health care

Panetta: Debt threatens security, health care:

"CIA Director Leon Panetta warned Friday that the nation's ballooning federal debt threatens resources available for national security as well as education and health care, and that Americans should not expect 'that we can remain a powerful nation' if the trend continues.

'This country cannot continue to run trillion-dollar deficits,' Panetta, the former head of the nation's Office of Management and Budget, said at a gathering of the Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco, where he addressed a wide range of national security and intelligence issues."

Duncan Scolds Hawaii on School Furloughs - WSJ.com

Duncan Scolds Hawaii on School Furloughs - WSJ.com:

"Hawaii schools drew a stern rebuke from Washington on Friday, the first of 17 furlough days planned for the school year, amid concerns that billions of dollars in federal aid won't be enough to prevent further classroom cuts across the U.S.

As the state awoke to 'furlough Friday,' Education Secretary Arne Duncan wrote in an opinion piece in the Honolulu Advertiser newspaper that Hawaii had taken 'a step in the wrong direction.'
'All states are under financial pressure, but none are cutting this much learning time from their school year,' Mr. Duncan wrote. 'It's inconceivable to me that this is the best solution for Hawaii.'"

incredibly true story about how a bunch of right-wingers got taken in by some satiric blog post

incredibly true story about how a bunch of right-wingers got taken in by some satiric blog post

Okay, let's get you up to speed on the incredibly true story about how a bunch of right-wingers got taken in by some satiric blog post on Barack Obama's college thesis, written ages ago, and frantically presented it as real.

Months ago, some blogger crafted a fake news story about how Time Magazine's Joe Klein had obtained ten pages of a thesis written by Barack Obama, in which he wrote about how the Constitution was "inherently flawed."

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/23/fake-obama-thesis-story-g_n_332255.html

Strict Oklahoma abortion laws spark court battles - Yahoo! News

Strict Oklahoma abortion laws spark court battles - Yahoo! News:

"OKLAHOMA CITY – Two new laws being challenged in the Oklahoma courts would give the state some of the strictest abortion laws in the country by forcing women to answer questions about race and their relationships, and to listen to a doctor talk them through an ultrasound.

Legal challenges to the laws are in their early stages, but observers say the trajectory of cases could mirror that of the partial-birth abortion debate, which went through Nebraska courts and was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court before Congress made it a federal law that was upheld in 2007.

'That's an apt comparison,' said Joseph Thai, a professor at the University of Oklahoma who specializes in constitutional law and the Supreme Court. 'So, expect these Oklahoma laws and the ensuing court decisions to be the first rather than last word on how far a state may go with respect to compulsory procedures and reporting requirements.'"

The Education Report: A tax for Oakland teachers, too many empty seats in West Oakland - Inside Bay Area

The Education Report: A tax for Oakland teachers, too many empty seats in West Oakland - Inside Bay Area:

"Oct. 22: Ever since a parcel tax for Oakland teachers fell flat without the support of the local teachers union, a committee has been meeting to try again, this time with a broader support base. There's been talk of placing a tax measure on the June 2010 ballot.

And once again, talks about ways to boost teacher salaries in the midst of ongoing state budget cuts — and tense contract negotiations — have run right into a teachers union sticking point: whether any of the money raised by local property taxes should go to the city's 30-some independently run, non-unionized, public charter schools."

California School for the Deaf celebrates 150 years - Inside Bay Area

California School for the Deaf celebrates 150 years - Inside Bay Area:

"MORE THAN 4,000 PEOPLE are expected to descend upon California School for the Deaf this homecoming weekend to celebrate the institution's 150th anniversary.

Scheduled activities today include a school pep rally with former 49er star Ronnie Lott and an athletic hall of fame ceremony and dinner.

On Saturday, the public is invited to watch a 150th anniversary parade at noon, plus the cross-country, volleyball and football homecoming games. There also will be a banquet and dance that evening for those with tickets.

On Sunday, alumni will gather for class reunions.

What started as a three-pupil school in San Francisco in May 1860 has grown into an institution annually serving about 480 students from preschool through grade 12 on its Fremont campus. It also offers early intervention through its infant program."

Obama and Education Reform | The Wide Angle | Jewish Journal

Obama and Education Reform The Wide Angle Jewish Journal:

"The first nine months of the Obama administration have been intriguing; a model of what happens when a politician tries to hew to a fairly moderate line in his policies. He gets battered from the right for his “socialism” and he gets battered from the left for his “failure to do what has to be done and damn the compromises.”

Whether the issue is healthcare reform or Wall Street bailouts, he just can seem to quiet the critics. He is neither moderate enough for the right nor radical enough for the left. I can’t tell you many dinners I have had with friends (mainly on the left of the political spectrum) who express exasperation that Obama hasn’t yet transformed the world to their liking. The dialogue usually ends with our guests uttering an exasperated “he’s really no different than Bush.”

I understand the Republicans’ antipathy, that’s politics. With regard to the liberal critics, I am reminded of Lyndon Johnson’s witty quip regarding the difference between liberals and cannibals, “cannibals don’t eat their friends.”"

Report: Cuts to youth sports contribute to obesity, violence - washingtonpost.com

Report: Cuts to youth sports contribute to obesity, violence - washingtonpost.com:

"A new report says that $2 billion in cuts to school-based sports and physical education programs are contributing to a range of problems afflicting the nation's youth, including obesity, violence and academic failure.

The report by Up2Us, a New York City-based coalition of groups that are lobbying to save such programs, was released this week as more than 150 researchers, coaches and leaders of non-profit groups gathered in Washington for a conference on the fate of youth sports in an age of budget cutbacks.

'Youth sports is in serious decline in this country,' said Brian Greenwood, an assistant professor at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, who helped author the study. 'We can't afford that potential negative impact. If a kid doesn't have somewhere to go, something to do to occupy their time, unfortunately what they do more often than not is they end up in trouble.'"

CALPERS (California Pension Plan) - Too Big to Fail, and Acting Like It | Benzinga.com

CALPERS (California Pension Plan) - Too Big to Fail, and Acting Like It Benzinga.com:

"A great read on Reuters about America's largest pension fund, CALPERS. Talk about 'too big to fail' - the Californian taxpayer is on the hook if CALPERS cannot pay out the avalanche of promises to California's state workers... and we know what that means. We're all on the hook for it... see 'stimulus' plans passed as de facto 'state budget gap fillers'... shhhhhh, it's a secret (wink wink).
There are so many long term issues in America I sometimes get lost in the morass. We don't even have time to really focus on the pension issues but we've mentioned it a few times. [Apr 5, 2009: AP: $1 Trillion Hit to Pension Funds Could cost Taxpayers, Workers] [Oct 24, 2009: WSJ - Pensions Funds Taking Serious Hits]"

California specialty crop grants – $16.3 million

California specialty crop grants – $16.3 million:

"California leads the nation with $16.3 million in specialty crop grants awarded recently by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

As established by the 2008 farm bill, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) grant projects were funded in seven categories -- Agriculture Education and Outreach; International Trade; Market Enhancement and Promotions; Nutrition; Plant Health and Pest Challenges; Food Safety; Environmental Concerns and Conservation; and Food Security. Projects were selected through a competitive review process.

“California grows, exports and consumes more specialty crops than any other state in the nation,” said A.G. Kawamura. “Farmers are the original innovators, and these grant projects represent the kind of creativity and advancement that will help California agriculture remain the nation’s primary source of specialty crops.”"

The federal block grant program was designed to provide grants to states to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).”

Abstracts of California’s 55 grant projects are available online at: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Specialty_Crop_Competitiveness_Grants/docs/SCBGP_Project.pdf.

In the area of nutrition, projects included linking ethnic specialty crop producers and low income consumers through marketing and nutrition education as well as a cooperative effort with the California Department of Education to increase preschoolers’ acceptance of fresh fruits and vegetables. In the area of international trade, a project was funded to conduct market research to determine India’s potential as a new market for California canned peaches. In the area of agriculture education and outreach, funding will support training to assist beekeepers in adopting best management practices for honey bee pollination of California’s specialty crops.

UC launches $1B fundraising drive for students - San Jose Mercury News

UC launches $1B fundraising drive for students - San Jose Mercury News:

"FRESNO — Chong Xiong was on the edge of her seat when University of California President Mark Yudof announced an ambitious plan today that would guarantee students who are accepted into the system would have the money to pay for their education.

'Now my parents won't have to worry,' said the junior who wants to study science at the Irvine campus.

Yudof chose an assembly at Sunnyside High School in the heart of the rural San Joaquin Valley to unveil the $1 billion fundraising effort that would ensure students with annual family incomes of $70,000 or less would pay no fees.

At the school on Fresno's impoverished east side, the families of all but 30 of the 3,000 students would meet that income threshold. The region has been hard hit by unemployment and foreclosures."