Join us for Elevating the Dialog, an informal webinar/chat | Edutopia Group Discussions by and for Educators

Join us for Elevating the Dialog, an informal webinar/chat | Edutopia Group Discussions by and for Educators

Join us for Elevating the Dialog, an informal webinar/chat

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Betty Ray

Community Manager @edutopia and mother of one, East Bay, CA

Posted on 9/28/2010 4:13pm

Between the NBC "Education Nation" Summit, Waiting for Superman, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's 100 million gift to Newark city schools, there has been a lot of media attention on the topic of education reform. Unfortunately, as many of us have been discussing here, much of it has excluded real, actual educators (let alone students)!

FutureofEducation.com and Edutopia are collaborating to produce an online discussion specifically for educators to move past the bashing, and engage in a meaningful discussion about the best way to keep the *students* as the focus.

The event is scheduled for Monday, October 4, from 2-4pm Pacific and will take place via the Elluminate platform. I will post more details, including schedule of speakers and login info, as we have them.

Education Nation & Ideological Blindness : Stager-to-Go

Education Nation & Ideological Blindness : Stager-to-Go

As some of you know, I have been writing about school improvement and the political, corporate and ideological forces that have been attempting to claim “school reform” as their own invention for more than a decade for my blog, District Administration Magazine, The Huffington Post and GOOD Magazine(perhaps my most cogent discussion of the “School Wars” and the desire to surrender the public treasure of public education to private hands.)

You may also beware of my serious misgivings about what I view as NBC News’ unprecedented attack on public education in the guise of Education Nation. I so annoyed NBC News earlier this week that they had me blocked from posting on Facebook for a time. Since my social media sentence was commuted, I continue to try and correct the record on Education Nation‘s Facebook page and via Twitter.

My greatest concern about Education Nation is the one-sided depiction of both the “crisis” in public education and the “solution” to said crisis. Despite NBC News’ cries that 300 people are participating in their televised panels and therefore diversity is automatically achieved, citizens would be well-advised to heed the advice of Watergate’s “Deep Throat,” and follow the money.

Merely adding Al Sharpton or NBC and Oprah’s resident education expert, R&B singer John Legend, to a discussion does not ensure that multiple perspectives will be heard or that expertise is bestowed upon

Cavalcade of Stars Respond to Education Nation

Mark your calendars!

A few days ago, Edutopia asked me to write another piece voicing my objections to NBC’s Education Nation coverage and the deeply flawed documentary, “Waiting for Superman.” I suggested that they host a webinar instead. I had already tweeted, blogged and Facebooked so much that I inexplicably lost my voice.

Edutopia took the suggestion and enlisted boy wonder, Steve Hargaddon, to organize and host the event entitled, Elevating the Education Reform Debate. This two hour webinar will feature some of the voices silenced by NBC, Oprah and director Davis Guggenheim. They include my heroes and colleagues, Deborah Meier and Alfie Kohn; friends, Chris Lehmann and Will Richardson; YouTube sensation, Sir Ken Robinson; and Julie Evans. I cannot wait to hear what they (or I) will say on Monday.

Wake the kids and call your neighbors! This is an event you won’t want to miss!

This Elluminate webinar is FREE and open to the entire World Wide Web.

Date: Monday, October 4, 2010

Time: 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern / 9pm GMT (international times here)

Duration: 2 hours
Location: Log in at http://tr.im/futureofed

Recordings: Posted after the event at http://www.learncentral.org/event/106358

Note: Conference organizers have a nasty tendency to book me last on the program, this webinar maybe no exception. Therefore, stick around for Sir Ken and hangout for me to bring up the rear. I promise not to disappoint!

The Education Industrial Complex | Lefty Parent

The Education Industrial Complex | Lefty Parent

The Education Industrial Complex

by Cooper Zale

Not sure who coined the phrase “Education Industrial Complex”, a play off the more famous “Military Industrial Complex” used by President Eisenhower in a 1961 speech. I kept thinking it was radical educator and public school critic John Taylor Gatto, but in my research on the Internet could not find any confirmation of that. I did find a use of the term by Paul Peterson, director of Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard Kennedy School, in a 2008 commentary…

Around 1970 or thereabouts, the educational-industrial complex was hammered into place: School boards gave teachers collective bargaining rights. State governments assumed greater responsibility for financing the schools. The courts instructed schools on the civil liberties of their students. Regulations multiplied. America gained a federal Department of Education. And state

Join Police Officers and Firefighters to Walk for Patrick Kennedy for City Council � Parents 4 democratic Schools

Join Police Officers and Firefighters to Walk for Patrick Kennedy for City Council � Parents 4 democratic Schools

Join Police Officers and Firefighters to Walk for Patrick Kennedy for City Council

Tomorrow Police Officers and Firefighters from across Sacramento will join together and walk door to door for my campaign. I hope you will join them! Following the walk will be a free barbecue with the brave men and women of the Police and Fire Departments at the grill.

Location: The Old Fire Station on Stockton Blvd near Broadway (3101 Stockton Blvd)

Time: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

With only a month left in the campaign, I need your help now more than ever! If you can’t make it tomorrow, you can still lend a hand any time. If you have any time available, please call Kenny Alvarado at 509-0986 or email him atKenny@patrick-kennedy.com. We need volunteers to walk precincts and make phone calls every day!

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Sincerely,

Patrick Kennedy

Connect with Patrick:

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Email the Campaign:

patrick@patrick-kennedy.com

Contact Us:

www.patrick-kennedy.com

School Bullying: A National Pandemic Disease | The Bilerico Project

School Bullying: A National Pandemic Disease | The Bilerico Project

School Bullying: A National Pandemic Disease

Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren

October 2, 2010 12:00 PM

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lot of people are jarred by the recent explosion of LGBT school suicides. Five in the last three weeks -- notably the horrific bullying and bridge-jumping death of Tyler Clementi at Rutgers University. LGBT rallies and protests are happening. One current petition demands that Secretary of Education Arne Duncan add gender identity and sexual orientation to current anti-bullying programs.

But LGBT bullying won't end if we separate it from bullying suffered by other students. With Gay History Month starting, it's a good moment to put our demographic suicide problem into a bigger perspective. School bullying is a contagious social cancer that is

Saturday coffee. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Saturday coffee. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Saturday coffee.

by preaprez

Miguel del Valle.

Lake effect rain? What the hell?

I’ve heard of lake effect snow. Today they’re calling for lake effect rain.

If you’re looking for a definition of an early autumn day, come to Chicago. The leaves are starting to change color. It won’t get into the 60s. There’s a stiff north wind.

That doesn’t keep the young guys in the neighborhood from walking around in basketball shorts. But that’ll give way to sweat pants in another week or two.

Tomorrow’s Logan Square Farmers Market will be selling mostly apples and butternut squash. The peaches and

Saturday Solutions: Beware of “either-or” thinking � Failing Schools

Saturday Solutions: Beware of “either-or” thinking � Failing Schools

Saturday Solutions: Beware of “either-or” thinking

OCTOBER 2, 2010

by Sabrina

The more time I spend in the education reform community, and the more time I spend debating those who disagree with me, the more I understand how dangerous it can be to oversimplify things.

For instance, I’ve encountered way too many people who feel you must be either pro-teacher OR pro-student. You must be either pro-neighborhood school OR pro-charter school. You must be either pro-corporate reform OR pro-status quo. You must either be willing to sacrifice everything for your needy students OR be a bad teacher.

Thoughtful people understand that such distinctions are crude and unnecessary. Those of us wh

Governor vetoes university transparency bill

Governor vetoes university transparency bill Nanette Asimov, Chronicle Staff Writer Saturday, October 2, 2010 Print E-mail Share Comments (45) Font | Size: 18 MORE EDUCATION Cal sports cuts: tough call, but right one 10.02.10 Career politician, outsider vie to lead schools 10.01.10 The tragic loss of reduced class size10.01.10 (10-01) 13:37 PDT San Francisco -- California's public university foundations, which manage some $1.6 billion across dozens of campuses, will remain closed to public scrutiny after Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggervetoed a bill that would have brought the nonprofit enterprises under the state's Public Records Act. SB330, by state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, would have allowed the public to examine the finances of campus foundations, which raise money for scholarships, as well as pay for lobbying efforts on behalf of colleges and universities, executive board

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/01/BA331FMC3E.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea#ixzz11DiPyvsH

Cortines blasts athletic officials after heat exhaustion cases - LA Daily News

Cortines blasts athletic officials after heat exhaustion cases - LA Daily News

Cortines blasts athletic officials after heat exhaustion cases LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines on Friday sharply criticized a decision by athletic officials to allow a cross-country meet to continue in scorching temperatures, resulting in a dozen teens falling ill with heat exhaustion. LAUSD to review decision to hold track meet during heat wave New law raises age to start kindergarten in Calif. Community colleges hit hard by state's budget impasse Valley's world-class concert hall at CSUN receives an acoustical checkup as opening day nears 10 hospitalized with heat illness during meet at Pierce College Teacher who committed suicide was upset about an unfavorable rating New law makes it easier to transfer to California State University schools Libraries launch apps to sync with iPod generation New law makes it easier to transfer to Cal State Memorial service to be held today for Miramonte Elementary teacher Hotline for stress readied by LAUSD Obama presses for longer school years South Gate teacher who killed himself recalled as caring

Cal sports cuts: tough call, but right one

Cal sports cuts: tough call, but right one

Saturday, October 2, 2010

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Ben Margot / AP

UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau delivers the grim news Tuesday.

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MORE OPINION

• Toying with food: Happy Meal ban wrong approach 10.02.10
• Letters to the editor, Oct. 210.02.10
• Letters to the editor 10.01.10

Cal fans may be stunned by the decision to cut five sports teams. But few familiar with the burden that athletics adds to campus finances were surprised. For months, Berkeley campus leaders hinted at the unpopular reality that came to pass this week.

Gone are four teams including men's and women's gymnastics, women's lacrosse and men's baseball.

A fifth team, the top-ranked men's rugby

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/02/ED7J1FMHAQ.DTL&feed=rss.opinion#ixzz11DhKuqNt

Watch the One Nation March Live TODAY | The Nation

Watch the One Nation March Live TODAY | The Nation

Watch the One Nation March Live TODAY

Peter Rothberg

October 1, 2010

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Hundreds of thousands of activists are expected to be in Washington, DC today, Saturday, October 2 for the massive One Nation Working Together march and rally. You can watch it all live with our special stream of Free Speech TV's all-day coverage.

Hosted by Thom Hartmann and Laura Flanders, the full-day broadcast will feature main stage speeches, interviews with organizers and analysts and reporting from the crowd. Watch it in this space on Saturday, October 2, from 11:00am to 5:00pm EST.

Peter Rothberg

Turn that frown upside down — Joanne Jacobs

Turn that frown upside down — Joanne Jacobs

Turn that frown upside down

by Joanne

Education reformers should be happy campers, writes Jay P. Greene in We won! Instead, Rick Hess and Mike Petrilli are gloomy and Liam Julian fears the new crop of naive reformers are doomed to fail,

Let’s review. It is now commonly accepted among mainstream elites — from Oprah to Matt Lauer to Arne Duncan — that simply pouring more money into the public school system will not produce the results we want. It is now commonly accepted that the teacher unions have been a significant barrier to school improvement by protecting ineffective teachers and opposing meaningful reforms.