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Sunday, October 9, 2011

Eugenic Legacies Still Influence Education « InterACT

Eugenic Legacies Still Influence Education « InterACT:

Eugenic Legacies Still Influence Education

classroom

"Every student, every day" - a reminder to myself posted in my classroom. (photo: Ramin Rahimian)

One of the most important guiding principles in education is in loco parentis – we are morally and legally obliged to act “in place of the parent” when children are in our care. That principle is the main reason for the sharply negative and visceral reaction I had when I read about John F. Kennedy High School using color-coded identification cards based on student test scores, and then a later article describing a similar program at Cypress High School (both in Orange County, California). According to the Orange County Register, the different

Brown vetoes API alternative | Thoughts on Public Education

Brown vetoes API alternative | Thoughts on Public Education:

Brown vetoes API alternative

He disagrees over use of data for accountability
By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

Calling it “yet another siren song of school reform,” Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have expanded the state’s accountability system to include measures other than standardized tests.

SB 547, the top education priority of Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, was one of 15 education-related bills that Brown killed on Saturday, the day before the deadline for acting on legislation before him. Among the others: SB 185, a direct challenge of Proposition 209’s

Schools Matter: So-called LA's Promise isn't all that promising

Schools Matter: So-called LA's Promise isn't all that promising:

So-called LA's Promise isn't all that promising

"The bottom line is clear: In attempting to change the mission of public education from one focused on educating kids to one focused on generating private profit, corporate leaders in the 'reform' movement are pursuing a shrewd investment strategy. Millions of dollars go into campaign contributions and propaganda outfits that push 'reform,' and, if successful, those 'reforms' guarantee Wall Street and their investment vehicles much bigger returns for the long haul." — David Sirota

LA's Promise aka MLA Partners Charlatan Board Member Tom Vander Ark and former President and CEO Mike McGilliardPerhaps the most entertaining aspect of listening to the malevolent and misinformed rhetoric of the corporate education reform crowd is how they've mastered the art of elusive promises and shifting goals. Pin them down on any point and it turns out

Did CPS turn off the computers to keep teachers from #occupychicago? UPDATE: Apparently no. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Did CPS turn off the computers to keep teachers from #occupychicago? UPDATE: Apparently no. « Fred Klonsky's blog:

Did CPS turn off the computers to keep teachers from #occupychicago? UPDATE: Apparently no.

From a reader:

Hello – I just wanted to let you & all of your follwers know that the CPS email system is down. Not the administrators email system or any other administrative portion of their web sites, just the teacher email. It seems like they just shut it off. My username & password are unrecognized completely. I guess they had sent out a notice to principals that there was going to be an interruption this weekend, but remember the Track E schools are on Fall Intersession and many of those teachers & principals are probably not as dilligent at checking their email during this time. In my opinion, this was done on purpose in order to make it impossible for the thousnds of CPS employees to be able to have easy contact with each other concering the protest marches this Monday. I know it’s their site, but come on, chickenshits. Now I’m for sure going to be there to march on their asses.

UPDATE: See reader comments.

solidaridad: Make Banks Pay

solidaridad: Make Banks Pay:

Make Banks Pay

My dear friend Ernest Savage produced these documenting a local struggle to save a homeowner from foreclosure by their capricious bank. Like the man at the end of the first video says, "you can't foreclose on justice."

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Saturday, October 8, 2011

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top late nite Posts


Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top late nite Posts


Florida DOE Gets Caught in Their Own “Choice” Spin | Scathing Purple Musings

Florida DOE Gets Caught in Their Own “Choice” Spin | Scathing Purple Musings:Florida DOE Gets Caught in Their Own “Choice” Spinby Bob SikesWhile in the process of promoting its virtual school program, the Florida Department of Education’s blog, Florida Common Ground, had it’s own rhetoric thrown back in their face. After commenter LZ expressed concern that virtual school is not a good option for the unmotivated student or one who had little parental involvment, the DOE responded:We appreciate your concern. ... more »

More Detail on the Problems of Rating Ed Schools by Teachers’ Students’ Outcomes « School Finance 101

More Detail on the Problems of Rating Ed Schools by Teachers’ Students’ Outcomes « School Finance 101:More Detail on the Problems of Rating Ed Schools by Teachers’ Students’ Outcomesby schoolfinance101In my previous post, I explained that the new push to rate schools of education by the student outcome gains of teachers who graduated from certain education schools is a problematic endeavor… one unlikely to yield particularly useful information, and one that may potentially create the wrong incentives for education schools. ... more »

Keep Your Tea Away From Me! (With apologies to Led Zeppelin)

Keep your tea away from meYou've been drinking I can seeI think I'll have a glass of lemonadeyour slash and burn democracyis not good public policyit's causing your intelligence to fadeThat tea is causing your intelligence to fadeWell I don't want to drink your teaIt causes mass stupidityJust look who you got playing on your teamBased on what I hear and seeIt's clear you've had a glass or threeYour lack of basic understanding makes me want to freakin' SCREAM!Keep your ... more »

Online schools need oversight - Loveland Reporter-Herald

Online schools need oversight - Loveland Reporter-Herald:Online schools need oversightPosted: 10/07/2011 10:46:37 PM MDTThe Internet offers great opportunities in education. Online schools provide flexible schedules, expanded class offerings and an alternative for students who struggle in traditional school settings.But there are pitfalls, as a recent investigative report by Education News Colorado and the I-News Network has revealed.The system of online K-12 schools in Colorado -- offered by GOAL Academy, Hope Online, Insight School of Colorado and other such programs -- ... more »

FTA says student diplomas are jeopardized | abc30.com

FTA says student diplomas are jeopardized | abc30.com:FTA says student diplomas are jeopardizedSaturday, October 08, 2011TAGS:fresno unified school district, education, linda mummaComment NowEmailPrintReport a typoLinda MummaMore: Bio, E-mail, Facebook, News TeamFRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno Teacher's Association is pointing fingers at Fresno Unified. This time, it claims the district knowingly hired non-credentialed instructors to teach at Roosevelt High - without supervision. The union president says the practice jeopardizes the validity of student diplomas.Roosevelt High is ... more »

Education Report: Tracking student suspensions -- by teacher - San Jose Mercury News

Education Report: Tracking student suspensions -- by teacher - San Jose Mercury News:Education Report: Tracking student suspensions -- by teacherBy Katy MurphyOakland TribunePosted: 10/07/2011 04:09:58 PM PDTUpdated: 10/07/2011 08:17:46 PM PDTThis is a sampling of The Education Report, Katy Murphy's Oakland schools blog. Read more atwww.IBAbuzz.com/education. Follow her at Twitter.com/KatyMurphy.Oct. 5: A new report written by Dan Losen of UCLA's Civil Rights Project says a disproportionate number of minority students nationwide are being suspended from school for relatively minor i... more »

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Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank TopAMPostsHow One CATO Economist Shows Why Testing’s Primary Triumvirate are Wrong | Scathing Purple MusingsBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-58 minutes agoHow One CATO Economist Shows Why Testing’s Primary Triumvirate are Wrong | Scathing Purple Musings:How One CATO Economist Shows Why Testing’s Primary Triumvirate are Wrongby Bob SikesFrom StateImpact, comes this link to an opinion piece by Cato Institute economist Arnold Kling who believes “test scores are not the right metric for evaluating ... more »

More on student discipline in Oakland — and a list of suspension-free schools - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

More on student discipline in Oakland — and a list of suspension-free schools - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools:More on student discipline in Oakland — and a list of suspension-free schoolsBy Katy MurphyFriday, October 7th, 2011 at 4:38 pm in safety and discipline.According to statistics provided by the Oakland school district (and crunched by your devoted education reporter):TOTAL SUSPENSIONS in 2010-11: 6,137TOTAL DAYS OF SCHOOL MISSED: 14,533DEFIANCE (“disruption/defy authority”) was the basis for 43 percent ... more »

“What the #@*%? Did You Just Hit Me?” When Students Hit Teachers! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!

“What the #@*%? Did You Just Hit Me?” When Students Hit Teachers! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!:“What the #@*%? Did You Just Hit Me?” When Students Hit Teachers!And no, those four marks represent the word “H-E- Two sticks”, not the other word. Although I have to admit, I don’t know what word that teacher was thinking at that moment it happened. She was slapped. Slapped hard. By a first grader. Seriously?I remember 7th grade, George Gershwin JHS in ... more »

How One CATO Economist Shows Why Testing’s Primary Triumvirate are Wrong | Scathing Purple Musings

How One CATO Economist Shows Why Testing’s Primary Triumvirate are Wrong | Scathing Purple Musings:How One CATO Economist Shows Why Testing’s Primary Triumvirate are Wrongby Bob SikesFrom StateImpact, comes this link to an opinion piece by Cato Institute economist Arnold Kling who believes “test scores are not the right metric for evaluating teachers.” Writes Kling:Pay-for-performance supporters in K-12 education argue that good teachers should receive higher pay than mediocre teachers, while poor teachers should be dismissed.Opponents of pay-for-performance argue that ... more »

New Orleans Liberation Academy: We Are the 99%

New Orleans Liberation Academy: We Are the 99%:4:06 PM (21 minutes ago)We Are the 99%from New Orleans Liberation Academy by New Orleans Liberation AcademyYesterday we participated in the first day of Occupy New Orleans, a solidarity protest and march with Occupy Wall Street. Check out New Orleans Liberation Academy student Anthony Johnson during the march:Day 1 of Occupy New Orleans. Solidarity protest and march with Occupy Wall Street.Here is also a great video that captures some of

Missouri Education Watchdog: No Child Left Behind? How About "No Constituent Left Behind"?

Missouri Education Watchdog: No Child Left Behind? How About "No Constituent Left Behind"?:

No Child Left Behind? How About "No Constituent Left Behind"?

This a clever take on the politicians' rantings and ravings on assessing teachers based on student scores. You would think poor scores would automatically mean poor teachers. That's what all the politicians tell us, right? They don't advance the conversation to consider individual cases, such as a teacher having a group of learning challenged students, or students whose first language is not English, or students who enter the classroom seriously under performing.

But why be bothered with those pesky issues that make students different than other students, let's go on the premise we can measure the effectiveness of teachers based on student assessments;

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Princess Sydney Morris Writes An Email To Los Angeles Teachers

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Princess Sydney Morris Writes An Email To Los Angeles Teachers:

Princess Sydney Morris Writes An Email To Los Angeles Teachers

As reported this past Wednesday, October 5,Educators4Excellence is planning to invade Los Angeles. This Tuesday, October 11, the invasion begins. Yes, you read this right, 5 30 PM PDT at the Paul Williams Cafe at the RFK Education Center, the brainwashing, the subterfuge, the lies begin. For you Los Angeles teachers who are not aware of E4E, their founders, the methods, their lack of transparency, and of course their deceit you have come to the right place to learn all you can about E4E.

Our source deep inside E4E has been gracious enough to allow the crack team here at SBSB to see the emails that were sent out by Princess Sydney

Pepper-Sprayed for Peace | Dissident Voice

Pepper-Sprayed for Peace | Dissident Voice:

Pepper-Sprayed for Peace

I’ve been coughing and vomiting, and my head aches from pepper spray. I’ll post videos and photos of why atthis link.

We intended to hold signs and sing inside the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, protesting its promotion of unmanned drones, missiles, and bombs, including its sponsorship by and promotion of weapons corporations. We don’t have any museums promoting health coverage or education or retirement security.

We had marched from the Freedom Plaza and McPherson Square occupations, taking over the streets of DC. The museum knew we were coming. Some of our group got in and dropped a banner. Hundreds of us did not. Instead, we were greeted at the door with cans of pepper spray.

There were three sets of entrance doors. I was among the first to open the third set of doors. A guard shook a

Governor Brown signs Dream Act | Thoughts on Public Education

Governor Brown signs Dream Act | Thoughts on Public Education:

Governor Brown signs Dream Act

Law lets some undocumented students apply for state aid
By Kathryn Baron

Governor Brown fulfilled a campaign pledge today to extend financial aid to deserving undocumented college students by signing the California Dream Act into law.

AB 131, by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), allows students – whether U.S. citizens from other states or undocumented students – who meet specific criteria, to apply for Cal Grants at the University of California and California State University, and for fee-

Three Things I Used to Think About School Reform - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

Three Things I Used to Think About School Reform - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher:

Three Things I Used to Think About School Reform

A couple of years ago, Deborah Meier, whose thinking frequently encourages me to slow down and go deeper,was musing about changing one's mind. Her reflections were inspired by a meme frequently used in workshops by Richard Elmore, who asks participants to write down what they used to think--and how those beliefs had changed. Elmore's first example of a "used to" totally blew me away:

I used to think that policy was the solution. And now I think that policy is the problem.

Stirred by Meier and Elmore, I wrote my own "used to/but now" contribution, and posted it. About an hour after it went up, I got a concerned e-mail from a good friend, wondering if maybe I needed a listening ear--or a stiff drink. Wow, he said. That's the most depressing thing you've ever written. He may have been right--it was a chronicle of my broken educational dreams, pretty much.

Elmore has now edited a book in which 20 revered educators go through the same assignment. It's an exercise in learning, he says: "It strikes me as ironic that in a field nominally devoted to the development of capacities to

Dumbest completely fabricated (but still serious?) graph ever! (so far) « School Finance 101

Dumbest completely fabricated (but still serious?) graph ever! (so far) « School Finance 101:

Dumbest completely fabricated (but still serious?) graph ever! (so far)

Okay. You all know that I like to call out dumb graphs. And I’ve addressed a few on this blog previously.

Here are a few from the past: http://schoolfinance101.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/dumbest-real-reformy-graphs/

Now, each of the graphs in this previous post and numerous others I’ve addressed, like this one (From RiShawn Biddle) had something over the graph I’m going to address in this post. Each of the graphs I’ve addressed previously at the very least used some “real” data. They all used it badly. Some used it in ways that should be considered illegal. Others… well… just dumb.

But this new graph, sent to me from a colleague who had to suffer through this presentation, really takes the