Leonie came up with this info.
Note the first one (gotcha) and the last one ---- using TDAs to fire teachers.
Simply Hired - Daily job email alert
Friday, July 6, 2012
DOE Hiring Lawyers
When I attended a recent 3020a hearing I had an insight into the behavior of the gotcha unit when they were coming up with the most ridiculous charges to build a case to fire the teacher (did she really fart in front of children?). It was clear that in order to justify their own jobs the lawyers had to come up with convictions. So even of the teacher deserves nothing more than a letter in the file the lawyers need to show firings.
Leonie came up with this info.
Note the first one (gotcha) and the last one ---- using TDAs to fire teachers.
Leonie came up with this info.
Note the first one (gotcha) and the last one ---- using TDAs to fire teachers.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
MORE Members Support Con Ed Workers on Picket Line
They gave us a hero's welcome. About 1000 workers were there cheering us and thanking us for the solidarity. On both sides there were picket lines, they all got so excited to see us chanting "teacher, teacher." Loud whistles, noise makers. the crowd went nuts.We got thumbs, high fives, people thanked us. We all agreed that we have not felt so appreciated as educators in a long time. --- -- Movement of Rank and File Educators on picket line supporting Con Ed workers.
 |
| MORE picket supporting Con Ed workers |
MORE folks showed up to the picket line today with hand made signs and were warmly received! When the picket captain saw us he rounded us up and marched us up Irving Place between the two picket lines on each sidewalk. About 1000 workers were there cheering us and thanking us for the solidarity.
We decided before leaving to congregate again this Saturday at noon (in front of Whole Foods again) and march over together, hopefully in bigger numbers! Come! These workers are risking so much, they just got their health care axed and they need our support...
-------
We walked from Whole Foods to 4 Irving Pl, Con Ed HQ- They gave us a hero's welcome. The UAUW Local 1-2 marshals who were organizing the lines (probably union delegate/reps) marched us on to streets. On both sides there were picket lines, they all got so excited to see us chanting teacher, teacher. Loud whistles, noise makers. the crowd went nuts.We got thumbs, high fives, people thanked us, we were actually embarrassed actually felt bad there were so few of us. Every press photographer came and took photos of us.
The most active labor organization in support of local 1-2 has been TWU Local 100.They showed up at the rallies, very active on Twitter to show up at the picket. They're led by former opposition groups.
Carol Burris on Relay Graduate School of Ed
This comment from a NYC teacher who works with Change the Stakes on the testing issues. She makes some wonderful points about the kinds of schools the idiots are running. She is as top level a teacher as you can get and was so disturbed by the principal and the rest of the admin she was ready to leave the system but was hired by a progressive principal at a dream school -- and yes the principal knew all about her activism because she put it on her resume. "I don't want to work for a principal who would be against my being active in opposing high stakes tests," she said.
This article is the first I've seen in mainstream media that addresses and criticizes RGSE.
I've had some firsthand experience with Relay's methods. The AP of my former school is an instructor at Relay, and she attempted to inflict its methodology onto our teaching staff. Videotaping our lessons, making "low-inference observations" (such as tally-marking the number of questions we ask or how many students raise their hands for each question), then putting the data onto a spreadsheet and pretending there were valid conclusions to be drawn. It was clear to a lot of us that the goal was to reduce our lessons down to a script, with "strategically" planned questions and predetermined amounts of "wait time" built in. One teacher was written up for latching onto a teachable moment during a formally-observed math lesson when a student unexpectedly connected lines of symmetry to the Batman villain Two-Face. This teacher was explicitly told that she was being rated Unsatisfactory for that observation because her lesson did not follow the script she had submitted during the pre-observation conference.
The end result was a mass exodus of strong teachers (including myself) from that school at the end of the school year. Before we left we were told to revise our old unit plans, in some cases writing up fully-developed plans for units we had never taught, so that the new teachers could hit the ground running in September. Of course we were told that all of this paperwork was for the benefit of "the children." (Or should I say, "the scholars"? Ugh)http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/is- filling-the-pail-any-way-to- train-teachers/2012/07/04/ gJQADViVOW_blog.html
ARTICLE IS BELOW
A Primer on Neoliberalism from Fiorillo
UPDATED: July 6, 8AM
There was a good debate at Gotham Schools the other day that led to this interchange on the issue of neoliberalism. The discussion came out of the Eric Nadelstern story which is worth reading -- I will comment on that in another blog.
Use of the word "liberal" confuses people who think it refers to classic American liberalism -- or the left. Claucius asked that very question of Michael Fiorillo who responded in a concise manner.
Michael Fiorillo (unregistered) wrote:
There was a good debate at Gotham Schools the other day that led to this interchange on the issue of neoliberalism. The discussion came out of the Eric Nadelstern story which is worth reading -- I will comment on that in another blog.
Use of the word "liberal" confuses people who think it refers to classic American liberalism -- or the left. Claucius asked that very question of Michael Fiorillo who responded in a concise manner.
Michael Fiorillo (unregistered) wrote:
The consequences of Nadelstern's implementation of Bloomberg and Klein's policies - a power grab intended to shut out stakeholders, administrative dominance (increasingly wielded by people explicitly chosen for their minimal teaching experience), constant disruption and destabilization, undermining of teacher's professional autonomy, etc. - have been anything but unintentional. On the contrary, they are central to the neoliberal project to privatize the schools and turn them into profit centers. If he failed to see that, it was his opportunism that blinded him.Disruption, destabilization and creating a climate of fear and intimidation in the schools is the only thing these people are competent at. To re-phrase Tacitus, they create a desolation and call it learning.
claudius (unregistered) wrote, in response to Michael Fiorillo (unregistered):
Not sure why you call these policies "neoliberal". Privatization of state institutions, education as profit centers, and attacks on civil service employees and unions hardly seems liberal in any traditional sense of the term. Neo-conservative seems more appropriate to me. But hey, I'm just a teacher and don't have time these days after lesson plans, teaching, and all the new time killers principals think up to keep teacher running to follow the new political terminology here. I am trying though and have learned that we need more "rigor" in my "failing school" so we can be more "accountable". So help me out Michael.
Michael Fiorillo (unregistered) wrote:
Claudious,
You're right, there's nothing "liberal" (in the mid-20th century sense of the term) about union busting and privatizing the common wealth of society, but that's exactly what Neoliberalism is about. Instead, you have to think about the word's earlier, 19th century meaning, which essentially meant laissez faire and absolute property rights. That old, New Deal-ish liberalism that Rush Limbaugh loves to bark about - pluralism, the common good, labor rights as a necessary brake on the built-in nastiness of unregulated business - was interred by Bill Clinton in the '90's, replaced by NAFTA and other trade agreements that undermine living and wage standards, elimination of social safety nets that have further lowered wages, economic domination by Finance at the expense of the broader economy (thus the omnipresence of Wall Street in every corner of so-called education reform) and the almost complete absorption of the Democrats into little more than a self-deluded and less visibly insane wing of The Money Party. Of course, Neoliberals trumpet their social liberalism - support for gay and abortion rights, which are good things - but that costs them nothing, and in the case of abortion, keeps their employees more productive (see Michael Bloomberg's feelings about this in testimony given at a sexual discrimination suit he faced: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/ Sure, they're big social liberals, but the minute someone wants a pay raise, or some say on the job, or simply wants to teach without being continually blamed for problems not of their making and interfered with by arrogant know-nothings, out come the knives (for the good of the children, of course!). Here are two links that describe neoliberalism far better than I can: http://corpwatch.org/article. http://ann.sagepub.com/cgi/ The second link is to an article by the eminent geographer David Harvey, who lays it all out.
Link to comment
claudius
Thanks for the clarification of "neo" liberalism. I was aware of the much older definition of liberalism, which goes back to the Whig party in Britain if I remember correctly. Before becoming a teacher, I worked on Wall St. where a lot of my colleagues were libertarians a la Ayn Rand, so I am aware of this socially "liberal" streak in the conservative movement. Still, neoliberalism seems a somewhat anachronistic use of the term liberal in today's context, at least to me. Additionally, as a teacher who automatically receives free copies of the NY Post every day, I am aware of the relentless propaganda battle being waged in the press, so naturally I am suspicious of who is defining what terms for their own interest. Otherwise I am in much agreement with what you say and appreciate your many comments.
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Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Join MORE On Picket Lines With Con Ed Workers Thurs 7/5 1pm
Movement of Rank & File Educators
The social justice caucus of the UFT
“Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions”
| MORE |
ACTION ALERT - 07.05.12
Facebook: Facebook.com/MOREcaucusNYC Twitter: @morecaucusnyc
Forward, Blog, Email, FB, Tweet...
Join MORE On Picket Lines With Con Ed Worker's Thurs 7/5 1pm
Meet at 1:00 pm at The Whole Foods across from Union Square Park on E14th St off of Broadway. We will walk over to Picket Line together at 4 Irving Place New York, NY Con Edison Headquarters.
The new caucus of the UFT, Movement of Rank and File Educators MORE, will be joining the picket lines with locked-out Local 1-2 Utility Workers of Con Edison Thursday July 5th at 1:00pm. We picket with our union brothers and sisters because their fight is our fight. The Utility Workers are the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters of many of our own students. As teachers we must be active role models in the community defending the families of our students. MORE teachers can not stand idly by while our friends continue to have their retirement and healthcare demolished. We can not and will not watch the attack on workers continue while board members and stock holders who contribute nothing continue to get wealthier on the backs of unions. We will refuse to allow union busting to continue, the loss of benefits and wages is further erosion of the living standards of the American worker which in turn is the eventual destruction of this great country.
Take a second to sign the NY State AFL Petition in support of the Con Ed workers as well...
Meet at 1:00 pm at The Whole Foods across from Union Square Park on E14th St off of Broadway. We will walk over to Picket Line together at 4 Irving Place New York, NY Con Edison Headquarters.
The new caucus of the UFT, Movement of Rank and File Educators MORE, will be joining the picket lines with locked-out Local 1-2 Utility Workers of Con Edison Thursday July 5th at 1:00pm. We picket with our union brothers and sisters because their fight is our fight. The Utility Workers are the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters of many of our own students. As teachers we must be active role models in the community defending the families of our students. MORE teachers can not stand idly by while our friends continue to have their retirement and healthcare demolished. We can not and will not watch the attack on workers continue while board members and stock holders who contribute nothing continue to get wealthier on the backs of unions. We will refuse to allow union busting to continue, the loss of benefits and wages is further erosion of the living standards of the American worker which in turn is the eventual destruction of this great country.
Take a second to sign the NY State AFL Petition in support of the Con Ed workers as well...
Noah Gotbaum May Throw Hat Into Ring for Public Advocate
Woop woop!! Parents are not just getting involved in electoral politics, they're running too. Go Noah!!! ----- Mona Davids
Run, Noah, Run!!!!-- Karen Sprowal
I generally ignore political stuff but here is an interesting development. I've gotten to know Noah as a parent advocate from the upper west side over the years. He is in our movie and in fact his words close the main section. He was up in Albany with us in Jan. 2011 as part of the group opposing the Cathie Black waiver. (Now that looks like a slam dunk but remember how most of the political forces ran for cover.)
He has taken a strong stand against Evil Moskowitz and her charter invasions. People have been telling me how impressed they were with the video at the SUNY Board hearing recently. Here it is again.
http://youtu.be/pWsWKaVSnsM
That was pretty powerful. Just watch the charter lobby and ed-industrial complex go wild to stop him. That alone is worth giving him our support. I just may contribute some bucks to my first political campaign in a long time.
I full well understand the realities of politics and that running for citywide office will require him to temper some of his positions, which is why I stay out of getting involved with politicians. But right now he looks like someone we should support.
Noah's dad Victor was a major labor leader and in the 70s fought with Al Shanker -- I have to look back in time to remember why -- I think it was over a Shanker attempt to incorporate Gotbaum union members like school aids and lunchroom workers. They made up. Noah used to sit at the table for meals with Al and Victor and one day we have to get Noah to tell us what they talked about. Noah's stepmom in Betsy, who was Public Advocate for 8 years. So, yes, he has close ties to the UFT and in fact the only chance he has is with UFT support.
http://www.cityandstateny.com/betsy-gotbaums-step-son-and- noah-gotbaums-son-mulling-nyc- public-advocate-run/
Noah Gotbaum, a well-known Upper West Side education advocate who comes from a famous New York City political family, is seriously mulling a run for New York City public advocate.Via Facebook
Gotbaum, who is the son of legendary labor leader Victor Gotbaum and step-son of former New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, just registered a campaign committee for an undeclared public office — but said in a phone interview that he’s eying the city’s second ranking position.
“I am considering a public advocate run,” Gotbaum said. “I am exploring the options right now.”
Previously, Gotbaum had been thought by political insiders to be a likely candidate for New York City Council. But Gotbaum says he wants to lead a citywide push on behalf of public education issues — and to push against the Department of Education’s policies.
“There’s a million public school parents all over New York City, and we need an advocate for them,” Gotbaum said.
Gotbaum has served as president of Community Education Council District 3, and had a long career in the private sector beforehand. His wife also tragically died in 2007.
Brooklyn Councilwoman Letitia James is already in the public advocate’s race, as is former congressional candidate Reshma Saujani. Brooklyn State Sen. Daniel Squadron is also seriously considering a run. But Gotbaum is the only candidate so far from the vote-rich Upper West Side.
Of course, Gotbaum says (like every other potential candidate) that his decision will be predicated on current Public Advocate Bill de Blasio running for mayor in 2013.
======
The opinions expressed on EdNotesOnline are solely those of Norm Scott and are not to be taken as official positions (though Unity Caucus/New Action slugs will try to paint them that way) of any of the groups or organizations Norm works with: ICE, GEM, MORE, Change the Stakes, NYCORE, FIRST Lego League NYC, Rockaway Theatre Co., Active Aging, The Wave, Aliens on Earth, etc.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
The Fingerprints of Randi: Cleveland AFT Local Signs on to Vicious Ed Deform
So what kind of advice do you think Randi would give the teachers in Chicago if they would listen to her? Do you think she REALLY supports them striking given the deal below (and see Detroit, Hartford, Washington, NY, etc). You know I used to stand outside the DA handing out leaflets with the great David Bellel photoshop above calling out: ALL ABOARD THE RANDI NATIONAL SELL-OUT TOUR, COMING SOON TO A CITY NEAR YOU. And I'd call out all the cities. How much fun to watch the Unity Caucus slugs scurry by as they full well knew they had supported whatever Randi wanted at the AFT convention -- and will do so again in Detroit in a couple of weeks.
From Mike Klonsky:
The new law overrides the union's contract and discards previous board-union agreements governing teacher pay and layoffs, does away with tenure, lengthens the school day and year without accompanying compensation, evaluates and pays teachers based largely on student test scores, and pushes the biggest move yet towards privately managed charter schools along the lines of the Philadelphia model. The new law is also an affront to parents, requiring them to attend meetings under penalty of law. It will take badly-needed funds away from neighborhood public schools and line the pockets of politically connected consultants.
The worst part of this mess is that it was supported by the Democrats and by the AFT and the Cleveland Teacher Union --not only supported, but hailed as "a model of collaboration" for the entire nation. The last time we heard that kind of talk from state union bureaucrats was here in Illinois after the passage of the anti-union SB-7 bill.
Trouble in New Orleans Charter Paradise - Raza Consulting: All About the Adults
It is hard to keep up with Diane Ravitch, whose new baby is blogging -- about 10 times a day. So much good stuff but so are the comments on the NYC Ed Listserve. Keep an eye on the mostly privatized New Orleans school system as it comes down around the ears of the privatizers. But when it does we will still never see a regenerated public school system in NO. That horse has left the barn. That is why the battle to the death with charters must take place no matter how good a few of them are. But until the UFT/AFT/NEA use whatever power they have left to point out exactly what is happening, we are taking pea shots at Goliath. All we can do is slime and smear every charter transgression we can to paint them for what they ultimately are and will be --- in the very end there will be less choice than we have in public schools. Here is the opening of Diane's post followed by 2 NYC parent activists, Mona and Lisa.
Lol- another DOE charter office lackey who jumped ship after Duffy left to start his own consulting business, Raza Consulting (http://razaconsultinggroup.
--- Mona Davids
The pipeline from the DoE Charter School Office to privatized parasite of our ed-dollars is at least as strong as the one from the DoE ed admin bureaucracy to the DoE CFN networks and the not for profit networks such as New Visions, etc.
=========
Before I do 10 more blogs I'm going outside to recover from this morning's colonoscopy -- video later.
Lol- another DOE charter office lackey who jumped ship after Duffy left to start his own consulting business, Raza Consulting (http://razaconsultinggroup.
--- Mona Davids
The pipeline from the DoE Charter School Office to privatized parasite of our ed-dollars is at least as strong as the one from the DoE ed admin bureaucracy to the DoE CFN networks and the not for profit networks such as New Visions, etc.
What a racket! Cronyism, corruption and profiteering via privatization are the legacy of our education mayor and mayoral control.
How is this about kids and not the adults?
-----Lisa Donlan=========
Before I do 10 more blogs I'm going outside to recover from this morning's colonoscopy -- video later.
Learn about MORE this summer: Can YOU imagine a transformed UFT?
Hi All,
If the idea of a different UFT intrigues
you. . .if you can imagine a union that stands up to the attacks on us
and our students. . . having a say in what OUR union does with OUR dues
money. . . . if you want a union that recognizes the racism and inequity
in our school system and organizes us to fight against it. . . a union
that actually helps you organize at your school when problems arise. .
.
Members
from NYCoRE, GEM, Teachers Unite, ICE and TJC (the last two were the
caucuses in the UFT already fighting for change) began meeting a couple
of years ago with the goal of combining our groups' strengths in order
to transform OUR union. This winter MORE, Movement Of Rank and file
Educators, was born.
Check us out HERE.
AND DEFINITELY. . .
Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:
LOLITA Bar - located
at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.
MORE in the SUMMER
5pm-8pm
Each “listen
& learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting
at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing &
schmoozing
July 12 –
The Roots of MORE: The UFT, Then and Now – Historical perspective of caucuses in the UFT over the past half century. {With Michael Fiorillo and Norm Scott]
July 19 –
Union Elections- Nuts & Bolts- How do you
do it anyway?
August 2 –
“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach
August 16 –
Growing into the Fall: Launching our Fall Campaign
Follow us on Twitter: @morecaucusnyc
Email us at: more@morecaucusnyc.org
We want to hear from you! Check out MORE’s online discussion forum to get the latest news and goings on, and to join in the conversation.
Members
from NYCoRE, GEM, Teachers Unite, ICE and TJC (the last two were the
caucuses in the UFT already fighting for change) began meeting a couple
of years ago with the goal of combining our groups' strengths in order
to transform OUR union. This winter MORE, Movement Of Rank and file
Educators, was born.
Check us out HERE.
AND DEFINITELY. . .
Check us out HERE.
AND DEFINITELY. . .
Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:
LOLITA Bar - located
at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.
MORE in the SUMMER
5pm-8pm
Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing
July 12 –
The Roots of MORE: The UFT, Then and Now – Historical perspective of caucuses in the UFT over the past half century. {With Michael Fiorillo and Norm Scott]
July 19 –
Union Elections- Nuts & Bolts- How do you do it anyway?
August 2 –
“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach
August 16 –
Growing into the Fall: Launching our Fall Campaign
Follow us on Twitter: @morecaucusnyc
Email us at: more@morecaucusnyc.org
We want to hear from you! Check out MORE’s online discussion forum to get the latest news and goings on, and to join in the conversation.
UPDATED: Lakeview Sit-In Raided in Late-Night Police Action
THE ED DEFORM PLAGUE, SUPPORTED BY THE POLICE, RUNS RAMPANT. IS OBAMA BRINGING TROOPS HOME TO USE AGAINST THE RISING RESISTANCE TO ED DEFORM? WHAT NEXT, DRONES?
Oakland, CA—At 4am on Tuesday, July 3rd,
At 4:00am more than ten Oakland Unified School District police arrived at Lakeview Elementary and a few minutes later ordered the group of parents, teachers, and community organizers there to leave. The group had been sitting in there for 17 days, while conducting a popular People's School for Public Education at Lakeview Elementary to protest elementary school closures in Oakland. Lakeview Elementary is located at 746 Grand Ave. Oakland, across from the Grand Lake Theater. Please come down now if you are in Oakland and awake.Visit our blog at saveoaklandschools.org
CONTACT:
Joel Velazquez 510 473 5635
Jack Gerson 510 682 4381
Nick Palmquist 650 384 5581
Rebecca Rozo-Marsh 51073549
I posted the above earlier from my Blackberry but wanted to provide more context so I am reposting.
Jack Gerson was part of the "Another View in District 14" teacher group (which morphed into a caucus around 1974) I was involved in back in the early 70s when he taught in NYC. He's been an activist in Oakland for a long time as a high school teacher and union activist in a fairly progressive NEA local.
Before Jack sent the above out, he sent me this last night:
Hi Norm,How are you? I guess the last time we've had contact was at the post-NEA convention conference in Chicago last July, organized by CORE / CTU and PEAC / UTLA.Maybe you've heard about the takeover of Lakeview Elementary and the People's School there. I'm one of the organizers of that action, which is aimed directly at fighting school closures and, consequently, has to confront many of the other key planks of the corporate agenda for shutting down public education. We've made the Oakland school district uncomfortable enough to post a long statement on its home page (and circulate it to media) trying to justify why it's closing public schools. The Lakeview sit-in asked me to write a reply to it in the name of the whole group, and we're trying to get it circulated as widely as we can. We'd really appreciate it if you could put some or all of this up on ednotes online (and any other ways you could find time to do).By the way, we did a public pot-luck dinner and movie last night, and the movie was "Inconvenient Truth About Waiting for Superman". Thanks for doing that -- it's really a valuable tool.
Video: A Brief History of the UFT from Fiorillo and Lamphere
There were many workshops at the State of the Union conference held in Feb. 2012, an event that can be viewed as the founding of the Movement of Rank and File Educators, though the group was not named until months later.
One workshop was "Democracy in the UFT Past and Present with Michael Fiorillo and Peter Lamphere." Here are 2 videos with their presentations. Michael covered teacher union history up to 1968 and Peter did the post-68 years. The entire 1 hour session with Q and A is here: https://vimeo.com/45094713
On July 12, Michael and I will be doing some more union history as part of the MORE summer series with a focus on the opposition caucuses since 1968 through the roots of MORE (at Lolita Bar on the lower east side at 5PM).
https://vimeo.com/45094559
===========
The opinions expressed on EdNotesOnline are solely those of Norm Scott and are not to be taken as official positions (though Unity Caucus/New Action slugs will try to paint them that way) of any of the groups or organizations Norm works with: ICE, GEM, MORE, Change the Stakes, NYCORE, FIRST Lego League NYC, Rockaway Theatre Co., Active Aging, The Wave, Aliens on Earth, etc.
One workshop was "Democracy in the UFT Past and Present with Michael Fiorillo and Peter Lamphere." Here are 2 videos with their presentations. Michael covered teacher union history up to 1968 and Peter did the post-68 years. The entire 1 hour session with Q and A is here: https://vimeo.com/45094713
On July 12, Michael and I will be doing some more union history as part of the MORE summer series with a focus on the opposition caucuses since 1968 through the roots of MORE (at Lolita Bar on the lower east side at 5PM).
https://vimeo.com/45094559
===========
The opinions expressed on EdNotesOnline are solely those of Norm Scott and are not to be taken as official positions (though Unity Caucus/New Action slugs will try to paint them that way) of any of the groups or organizations Norm works with: ICE, GEM, MORE, Change the Stakes, NYCORE, FIRST Lego League NYC, Rockaway Theatre Co., Active Aging, The Wave, Aliens on Earth, etc.
Monday, July 2, 2012
From Susan O and Khem I
Former NYC and now North Carolina parent activist Khem Irby who helped expose some of the charter scams here --- having had much experience as a charter parent writes on charters in NC. Examiner.com: Charter parents believe start early, start strong
And Susan Ohanian in her regular update has so much good stuff I'm putting it all in. Make sure to check out her comments by clicking on the links.
And Susan Ohanian in her regular update has so much good stuff I'm putting it all in. Make sure to check out her comments by clicking on the links.
Do NOT miss Evelyn O'Connor. It is especially ironic to hear her words as the NEA Rep Assembly is meeting.
We have two new cartoons:
Circle the Wagons
http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_cartoons.php?id=791
Quiz
http://susanohanian.org/cartoon_fetch.php?id=663
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Are the new national academic standards rotten to the (Common) Core?
Maureen Downey/
Atlantic Journal-Constitution Get Schooled Blog
2012-07-01
http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=294
A Georgia superintendent takes on the Common Core
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Test That Can Determine the Course of Life in China Gets a Closer Examination
Edward Wong
New York Times
2012-07-01
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=9832
Here's another idea for Bill Gates.
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Summer Reading List
Claire Needell Hollander & Laura N. Arneson
New York Times
2012-06-27
http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=293
Read on for a cockamamie idea, verging on child abuse.
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Turnitin Partners with Education Council to Develop Common Core Grading Rubrics
Turnitin
Sacramento Bee Press Release
2012-06-25
http://susanohanian.org/core.php?id=292
See educators run to the Common Core money.
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Ghosts of PATCO and the Coming Battle for Teachers
Alan Morse
2012-06-30
http://susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php?id=1028
About the coming CTU strike? Alan Morse, who lives in Maine, says we should ALL 'be ready.' Be ready to support Chicago teachers.
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To the editor
Laura N. Arneson
New York Times
2012-06-27
http://susanohanian.org/show_letter.php?id=1455
I am so glad that someone answered the outrageous opinion piece about the books necessary to gain 'world knowledge.' The author of that revealed only that she's drunk way too much Common Core Kool-Aid.
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Career test for kindergarteners in the works
Josh Lederman, Associated Press
Denver Post
2012-07-02
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1355
A new digital tool to test academic and behavioral skills will target students starting in kindergarten.
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MUST watch!!!
Evelyn O'Connor
Cooperative Catalyst
2012-06-30
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1354
Wowser. Wowser. Don't miss this.
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A Bar Exam for Teachers?
Steve Clemons
Atlantic online
2012-06-29
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1353
The kettle of fish at the Aspen Institute sure stinks and dues-paying members of the AFT should certainly ask what Randi Weingarten is up to.
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Consultant reforming Algiers charter schools raised idea of displaying D grade on signs, memos and shirts
Mark Waller
The Times-Picayune
2012-06-29
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1352
The consultant pushing to overhaul the Algiers Charter Schools Association raised the idea of prominently displaying the state-assigned letter grade of D on shirts worn by employees, memos and signs.
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Doubts persist on Memphis, Shelby County school merger plan
Gary Shorb & Michael Kelley, comments by Jim Horn
Memphis Commercial Appeal
2012-06-29
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1351
Jim Horn tears apart the Gates resegregation plan for Memphis and Shelby County Tennessee.
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Why Bother Educating the Poor?
Gerald Coles
Living in Dialogue blog
2012-06-27
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1350
Gerald Coles speaks truth to power and ticks off commentors at the Ed Week website. It is a tough message. It IS on target.
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Parents, Join the Resistance!
Nina Bishop
2012-06-26
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1349
Please join this Colorado parent in an effort to get the ACLU involved in supporting the rights of parents to opt their children out of oppressive standardized testing. All she is asking for is a letter from you.
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Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy Schools network rolling in money but still wants 50% increase in management fees from state
Juan Gonzalez
New York Daily News
2012-06-25
http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=1348
Here we see more taxpayer support of private entrepreneurial interests, while public schools can't even supply toilet paper.
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This abandoned Walmart has been reclaimed as a public library
Jess Zimmerman
Grist List
2012-07-02
http://susanohanian.org/show_yahoo.php?id=770
Some good news from Texas.
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Mayor Bloomberg's School Closings Blocked by Arbitrator
United Federation of Teachers & Lisa Fleisher
Press Release & Wall Street Journal
2012-06-29
http://susanohanian.org/show_yahoo.php?id=769
The Bloomberg reform plan, which is an attempt to capitalize on the Duncan plan, has been blocked by the arbitrator.
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Online Testing, and How Pearson Sent Wyoming Back to Paper
Jim Horn & Jill Barshay
Schools Matter blog & Hechinger Report
2012-06-26
http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_atrocities.php?id=4247
Even worse than the technical snafus imminent in online testing are these predictions of round-the-clock testing.
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Order the CD of the resistance:
"No Child Left Behind? Bring Back the Joy."
To order online (and hear samples from the songs)
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dhbdrake4
Other orders: Send $15 to
Susan Ohanian
P. O. Box 26
Charlotte, VT 05445
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