Last week, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates published an op-ed in the Washington Post, “How Teacher Development could Revolutionize our Schools,” proposing that American public schools should do a better job of evaluating the effectiveness of teachers, a goal with which none can disagree. But his specific prescriptions, and the urgency he attaches to them, are based on the
I was that this meeting and President Obama was there too.
So I went up to the President and I said, “You know, Mr. President, many of teachers were very disappointed to see you sharing the stage with Jeb Bush and praising his education “reform” efforts, when the Bush agenda is really about privatization and destroying unions.”
Actually, that’s not true. That’s what I would have liked to
Standing Strong Around the State | 
| ||||
 | |
This is a cross-post from the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.
Working families have been standing up against Gov. Scott Walker’s extreme attacks on the middle class for more than three weeks now.
Poll after poll has shown that the American public opposes Gov. Walker’s agenda and supports Wisconsin workers.
The more we learn about Walker’s budget, the scarier it is. His budget is wrong for Wisconsin.
Gov. Walker is attacking education, seniors and working families by putting the budget burden on their backs. Meanwhile he is asking for no shared sacrifice from the extremely wealthy and corporations who funded his campaign.
Around the state Wisconsinites are standing up against his agenda. It is time for Gov. Walker and Republican senators to show leadership and listen to their constituents.
This weekend more than 60,000 union workers, nonunion workers, community members, concerned citizens and activists marched in Madison to stand up for workers’ rights.
In Columbus, at a dinner that Scott Walker was attending, more than 800 citizens showed up to ask him why he is attacking Wisconsin’s middle class.
In Eau Claire, more than 1,800 rallied against Walker’s budget plans.
In Grafton, an estimated 500 people gathered to support public workers.
In Hudson, more than 600 residents rallied against the Americans for Prosperity bus tour.
In La Crosse, the same bus tour was met by more than 500 Wisconsinites who say Walker’s cuts go too far.
In Stevens Point, more than 1,000 rallied for rights.
Rallies, town halls and budget information sessions were also held in Appleton, Burlington, Greenfield, Green Bay, Juneau, Kenosha, Milwaukee, River Falls, Racine and Stoughton.
Mark your calendars. Saturday, March 12, will be the biggest rally yet. The rally will start at 3 p.m. at the Capitol Square. We stay until we win.
 | Become a Fan on Facebook |  | Follow Us on Twitter |  | Subscribe to YouTube |  | Subscribe to Blo |
I recently had the terrifying experience of being a guest on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report." I put stage fright aside because Stephen Colbert, one of the sharpest wits in comedy, was dealing with a serious issue -- attempts in Wisconsin, Ohio and elsewhere to strip public workers of any input or voice in what they do, how they do it and what they earn.
Colbert unmasked the absurdity of these efforts with questions such as "Why should union members get something good because they organized and fought for it, if other people don't have it?"
"I know that a rising tide raises all boats," he continued. "But when the tide goes out, I want to make sure I drag you down with me. Shouldn't everybody live a [terrible] life?"
Unions provide working people -- from teachers to steelworkers, nurses, janitors and firefighters -- with a vehicle to raise their standard of living and to press for the conditions they need to do thei
It is not everyday that folks with tractors get so upset about the state of…well….the state…that they bring a piece of farm equipment to the Wisconsin Capitol. Between the anger that is brewing over union busting activities by Governor Walker, and the draconian budget cuts that will deeply impact rural Wisconsin, farmers are coming alive with political energy.
As such on March 12th, starting at noon, farmers will be driving their tractors to the capitol.
DissentMag on Feb 10, 2011
Joanne Barkan, writing in Dissent, has argued that not only do philanthropists usurp democratic power, but they are in the thrall of an educational ideology impervious to critical evaluation. Read her article here:http://dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=3781
Dozens of Wisconsin teachers, students and community members will walk three days and almost 100 miles from Milwaukee to Madison this weekend to protest Governor Scott Walker's attacks on public employee unions and public education.