Monday, March 7, 2011

This Week In Education: Polling: Teachers / Teachers Unions Poll Pretty Well

Polling: Teachers / Teachers Unions Poll Pretty Well "Among political elites, virtually everyone is *more* critical of teachers unions than of unions in general. But the voters like teachers a lot." (People Love Teachers Matt Yglesias)

AM News: House Committee Chief Has Common Core Concerns [image: image from webmedia.newseum.org] Obama to meet students, faculty at Boston school AP: Known as a pilot school, it serves students in grades 6-12. According to its Web site, the school has an 85 percent graduation rate and 93 percent of ...

Buzzflash: New York Times Posts Puff Piece on Koch Brothers | www.kochwatch.org

Glenn Beck Exposes FreedomWorks Fisting (A DC Douglas Tweak) WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

Buzzflash: New York Times Posts Puff Piece on Koch Brothers *March 5, 2011-* The New York Times has a front page story today on the charitable activities of the notorious Koch Bros. The Times article states brother David has given hundreds of millions of dollars to cancer research over the years, including ...

Truthout: Public Teachers: America's New "Welfare Queens" March 6, 2011- In 1976, on a failed campaign to the White House, Ronald Reagan coined one of his enduring linguistic legacies - the "welfare queen," a mythical, inner-city resident who wastes the public's hard-earned money on "welfare Cadillacs" and ...

Ryan Bingham performs at anti-Walker rally in Madison, Wisconsin WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

NYT: Organized Labor Hopes Attacks by Some States Help Nurture Comeback *March 5, 2011-* When Wisconsin’s governor, Scott Walker, began his crusade against collective bargaining by public employees, his state’s unions seemed woefully outmatched. But Wisconsin’s beleaguered labor movement woke up and mobilized, through ...

'America Is NOT Broke': Michael Moore Speaks in Madison, WI WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Walker notifies unions of layoffs, but gives Democrats 15 days to reverse move *March 4, 2011-* Gov. Scott Walker notified unions Friday of impending layoffs if a budget-repair bill isn't passed in the next 15 days, even as both Republicans and Democrats showed signs of moving from their entrenched positions as they try to ...

Unions Were Great When They Were Standing Up To Communists... Of course, actions speak louder than words; Ronald Reagan fired the air traffic controllers when they went on strike- breaking their union for all time- and as president of the Screen Actors Guild he was notoriously pro-management, and weakened the ...

On The Budget: Will Norquist Always Win? | California Progress Report

On The Budget: Will Norquist Always Win?

by megan

By Peter Schrag

It’s a measure of California’s dysfunctional government that a lot of people are hoping for the success of Gov. Jerry Brown’s split-the-baby resolution of the state’s budget mess. But last month’s comprehensive review from the California Budget Project should remind us that Brown’s remedy is light years short of adequate.

As Grover Norquist, the small government “starve the beast” head of Americans for Tax Reform, threatens to destroy Republicans who vote to put Brown’s taxes on the ballot, many of us are reluctantly pushing for preservation of the half-starved beast that Norquistism has already left us with.

Even if Brown gets his five-year tax extension, the CBP points out that the gap between revenues and the requirements of even the current shrunken level of public services will return when the tax extensions expire after 2014-15.

Teaching: The Most Noble Profession « Cooperative Catalyst

Teaching: The Most Noble Profession

by zoeweil

For my blog post today, I’m sharing an essay I wrote that was published on Common Dreams.org, a progressive news site. Here’s a short excerpt:

“In college a friend in medical school told me that he thought that medicine was the most noble profession. It was a strange statement, really, and quite provocative. I wondered at the time, can any profession be the most noble? I ruminated on it for a long time, and now, thirty years later, I feel ready to respond. If pressed to name the most noble

Excerpts from Florida Senate Bill – SB736 : Read it closely…. very closely « Continuing Change #awakeFL

Excerpts from Florida Senate Bill – SB736 : Read it closely…. very closely « Continuing Change

Excerpts from Florida Senate Bill – SB736 : Read it closely…. very closely

by gatorbonbc

Excerpts from Florida Senate Bill – SB736

In the case of a layoff (expected with projected cuts), here are the rules – Teachers with high test scores stay. Now, I ask you, if schools with ‘at-risk’ students have lower scores…won’t these teachers be the ones cut? Well, that is some thank you for teaching the students with the highest needs…

Here is the bill. Read for yourself:

(5) If workforce reduction is needed, a district school
1127 board must retain employees at a school or in the school

NYC Educator: Where's the Liberal Bias I'm Looking For?

Where's the Liberal Bias I'm Looking For?

by NYC Educator

The New York Times, always staid, always calm, ran a featured editorial about the need of public workers to sacrifice. While the Times has a reputation for liberalism, like all papers, it's had to deal with unions. And that's not always easy. My uncle was an accountant for the Times, and he hated unions. When the News unions struck, he made it a point to buy the scab paper on the street every day.

So when the NY Times speaks of sacrifices public employees need to make, I'm not surprised they neglect to mention Andy Cuomo just dispensed a 5 billion dollar tax break to New York's Richest. I'm not surprised they forget how Barack Obama just extended the Bush tax cuts, the ones he specifically promised to cut if we voted for him. I'm not surprised they conclude being overly generous to union workers is breaking the bank.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the Times forgets how

Schools Matter: Library Quality and Children

Library Quality and Children

by skrashen

Sent to the Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2011

Library Quality and Children

Pico Iyer is right about the importance of supporting libraries ("Sanctuary amid the stacks," March 6). Missing from his argument, however, is the impact of libraries on children.

Studies shows that when children have access to good public and/or school libraries with plenty of good

solidaridad: The President now toasting Teabaggers. What's next, touting Texas textbooks?

The President now toasting Teabaggers. What's next, touting Texas textbooks?

by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene

"You know, I'm amused. I can't tell you how many foreign leaders who are heads of center-right governments say to me, I don't understand why people would call you socialist, in my country, you'd be considered a conservative." — President Barack H. Obama (CNN’s State of the Union 2009-09-20)

Arne Duncan's neoliberal dismantling of public education is criminal

I first read about the President praising teabagger and brother of war criminal George W. Bush on Anthony Russo's blog, prompted by his brilliant tweet:

@AnthonyCody | Obama is Right: Education is a Bi-Partisan issue. Both Dems and Repubs are pushing bad ideas. #WakingGiant, #edchat http://bit.ly/hc6scS

Another excellent piece addressing this is President Obama shares the stage with Jeb Bush in Miami.

Since I spent most of the weekend polemicizing against HuffPost liberals who were

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

WEEKEND QUOTABLES

by Mike Klonsky

Anthony Cody

"President Obama last week proved his point. Education is not a partisan issue. Both Democrats and Republicans are pushing terrible ideas." --Washington Post

Obama on Bush

Jeb Bush “is someone who championed reform when he was in office, someone who is now championing reform as a private citizen.”--Politico

Florida teacher Jennie Smith

"I told him [Pres. Obama] directly that I and so many other teachers were very disappointed to see

What I Wrote to My Students, the Day After the Cops Kicked My Class Out of Wheeler Hall « occupy california

What I Wrote to My Students, the Day After the Cops Kicked My Class Out of Wheeler Hall

by *

This is what one professor wrote to students following the police evacuation of Wheeler Hall the other day during the protest.

Those of you who tried to come on Thursday, I apologize – the police let several of us in and we were inside the building until police came and told us the chancellor was closing the building at which point we had to leave.
A question this course should lead you to ask is: by what right does the chancellor get to close Wheeler Hall? Whose property is it?
Know that this university exists because the land was donated by the state to the university in exchange for it providing free education to the citizens of California. In terms of labor theories of

Yong Zhao » Blog Archive » Invent a Job, Not Find One: A Working Conference on Preparing Students as Global Entrepreneurs

Invent a Job, Not Find One: A Working Conference on Preparing Students as Global Entrepreneurs

by YongZhao

Invent a Job, Not Find One: A Working Conference on Preparing Students as Global Entrepreneurs

6 MARCH 2011 38 NO COMMENT

Invent a Job, Not Find One: Preparing Students as Global Entrepreneurs

A Two-day Conference jointly organized by

iNET (UK) and College of Education, University of Oregon

Portland, Oregon, USA

August 3^rd and 4^th, 2011

The world needs more creative and innovative talents to meet the unprecedented challenges and take advantage of the vast opportunities presented by technological changes and globalization. Old industries are rapidly being replaced by new ones. Students need to learn to collaborate globally in this interconnected and interdependent village. Yet school systems around the globe continue to focus on producing good test takers, and prepare students for jobs that may not exist when they graduate. Children have become

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Some legislators may face successful recalls, both sides say | Defend Wisconsin #WeAreWI #WIUnion

Some legislators may face successful recalls, both sides say | Defend Wisconsin

Some legislators may face successful recalls, both sides say At least some of the Wisconsin state senators who are being targeted for recall elections will be removed from office, according to predictions by the head of the state Democratic Party and a Republican consultant. The comments were made by Mike ...

Wisconsin’s Legacy of Labor Battles The protesters who camped out in the Wisconsin Capitol building in Madison for nearly three weeks hung a handwritten placard over the marble bust of Robert La Follette, the state’s titan of progressivism. “What Would Bob Do?” it begged, a plaintive ...

Both Sides Begin Efforts for Recalls in Wisconsin The fight over collective bargaining rights for public sector workers in Wisconsin remained at an impasse this weekend, even as its political fallout — in recall efforts of state legislators and dueling television commercials — grew larger. Fourteen ...

Poll: Majority want Walker to negotiate A strong majority of Wisconsin residents want Republican Gov. Scott Walker to negotiate with Democrats and public sector unions to find a compromise in the current budget standoff, according to a new poll by the conservative-leaning Wisconsin Policy ...

Schools Matter: How Long Will Bill and the Other Billionaires Ignore the 25% Child Poverty Rate?

How Long Will Bill and the Other Billionaires Ignore the 25% Child Poverty Rate?

by Jim Horn

Tonight 60 Minutes tells a story that will make you cry, and then hopefully it will make you determined to spit in the faces of Arne Duncan and Bill Gates. How long can these irresponsible corporate relics ignore the soaring poverty and homelessness among children, while continuing to carry on their heartless demonizing of teachers and schools, the only remaining human institution that can offer these children any solace from the nightmares

USHLI Joins with 19 Latino Organizations in Opposition to Attacks on Collective Bargaining - Hispanically Speaking News #wiunion

USHLI Joins with 19 Latino Organizations in Opposition to Attacks on Collective Bargaining - Hispanically Speaking News

USHLI Joins with 19 Latino Organizations in Opposition to Attacks on Collective Bargaining

0 Comments

Published at 6:43 pm, March 6, 2011

The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) joined with 19 national organizations in calling for all workers to unite against the efforts of governors and legislators to abolish collective bargaining while putting public safety at risk, disrupting the educational process, and punishing teachers for exercising their rights in opposing this approach to fiscal stability.

Dr. Juan Andrade, Jr., USHLI President, said “Collective bargaining is the centerpiece of worker rights. These attacks against collective bargaining strike at the very heart of the right workers have to protect themselves against unfair wages, unsafe working conditions, and employer intimidation. Collective bargaining is the one right workers have to ensure access to adequate quality healthcare as well as employment and economic security. Without collective bargaining

Balance of Power: Walker’s union proposal could be major setback for Democrats | Defend Wisconsin #WeAreWI #WIUnion

Balance of Power: Walker’s union proposal could be major setback for state’s Democrats | Defend Wisconsin

Balance of Power: Walker’s union proposal could be major setback for state’s Democratic Party Of the nearly $7 million labor unions have contributed to state candidates in Wisconsin over the last six election cycles, 93 cents of every dollar has gone to a Democrat. Among educators, it’s 75 cents of every buck. For public employees, 73 cents. ...

Petition in support of Providence teachers « JD2718

Petition in support of Providence teachers

by jd2718

Here

Mayor Taveras of Providence fired (not laid off) all of them, every single teacher, effective the end of this year. Looks like an end run.

Please Attend Sen. Vukmir/Rep. Sensenbrenner Town Hall Meeting Monday Night « Larry Miller's Blog #WIUnion

Please Attend Sen. Vukmir/Rep. Sensenbrenner Town Hall Meeting Monday Night « Larry Miller's Blog

Please Attend Sen. Vukmir/Rep. Sensenbrenner Town Hall Meeting Monday Night

by millerlf

Monday evening there will be a town hall meeting hosted by State Senator Leah Vukmir, with special guest, Congressman Jim Sensebrenner. The meeting will be held on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 PM at the Wauwatosa Public Library 7635 W. North Ave.,Wauwatosa, WI 53213. Click here for a map.

Please arrive at 6:30 PM so that supporters of Wisconsin workers and public education can fill the meeting room. We will NOT picket outside the library. The plan is to take paper signs and posters (not sticks) into the meeting room. Prepare to ask Senator Vukmir hard questions.

Here is what her web site states regarding her position on Gov. Walkers attack on collective bargaining rights

Some of 3/6 Week’s Walker Budget Events « Larry Miller's Blog #WIUnion

Some of 3/6 Week’s Walker Budget Events « Larry Miller's Blog

Some of 3/6 Week’s Walker Budget Events

Filed under: Scott Walker — millerlf @ 7:52 pm

Event list for opposing Walker Budgets

(Last updated: Sunday, March 06, 2011)

Thank the Wisconsin 14

Have you thanked the Wisconsin 14 yet? Use this Facebook link to write a thank you note to the Wisconsin 14 who are standing up for the people. They are true American heroes.

Canvassing/Phone Banks

In addition to events listed below, please contact Area or Senate District leads to sign up to canvass and make phone calls.

Capitol

Saturday 3/12/2011 3pm
- Rally at the Capitol

Milwaukee Area (Jennissee Volpintesta 262-364-6751) and Peter Drummond (414-333-1606)

Monday, March 7^th – 6 pm – Protest Leah Vukmir and attend the town hall she is having with Congressman Sensenbrenner and Rep. Kooyenga. 6:00pm Protest; 7:00pm Town Hall. Wauwatosa Public Library, 7635 W North Ave.
Tuesday, March 8 – 4:00pm to 6:00pm — Rally and Visibility, Cold S

Yong Zhao » Blog Archive » A Bold Education Experiment: What We Should Learn From China

A Bold Education Experiment: What We Should Learn From China

by YongZhao

A Bold Education Experiment: What We Should Learn From China World’s longest high-speed rail networks, fastest trains, fastest computer, second largest economy, and #1 standing in international tests are just more recent evidence many outside observers cite to show why the rest of the world should learn from China’s education system and what helped make “the Chinese Tiger Mom” story a best seller. But as I have written on this site and in my book, Catching Up or Leading the Way, the glorification of China’s education is ill founded and attention ...

Labor Organizing Jumps in the Wake of Wisconsin | FDL News Desk #WIunion #WeAreWI

Labor Organizing Jumps in the Wake of Wisconsin | FDL News Desk

Labor Organizing Jumps in the Wake of Wisconsin

by David Dayen

(photo: antrover via Flickr)

Scott Walker has lost the thread in Wisconsin. This documenting of 20 lies he’s told in the past couple weeks is going viral. A new poll from a conservative-leaning think tank in Wisconsin shows that voters want Walker to compromise by a 2-1 margin. Commentators from across the political spectrum have come to the conclusion that Walker is sunk, and not just in the near term.

Should Gov. Walker accomplish his goal, he will have stoked a level of union anger that I very much suspect will become a key driver in an Obama victory in 2012. He will also have prompted the nation’s unions to work together for a common objective– a feat that would have seemed

Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, March 7, 2011

Library Quality and Children

Pico Iyer is right about the importance of supporting libraries ("Sanctuary amid the stacks," March 6). Missing from his argument, however, is the impact of libraries on children.

Studies shows that when children have access to good public and/or school libraries with plenty of good

Invent a Job, Not Find One: A Working Conference on Preparing Students as Global Entrepreneurs

Sunday, March 6, 2011

USHLI Joins with 19 Latino Organizations in Opposition to Attacks on Collective Bargaining