They're All In It Together.
Bill Gates, Arne Duncan, the Broad Foundation, Jeb Bush, Michelle Rhee, and more...It's interesting how they all work together.
Pundits and Politicians Need to Get in the Trenches
This picture is a paragraph from Tony Danza's book, I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Have Ever Had: My Year as a Rookie Teacher at Northeast High.
The important sentence in the quote is
It's so much easier for pundits and politicians to point out figures and blame the people who are in the trenches every day than it is to get in there with them, or even to find out what actually goes on in those trenches.
Experts for America
Here's a response to Danza's comment. Let those experts who are destroying public education...the so-called "reformers"...staff our schools for a nice long time.
Experts for America: Like Teach for America, only Better!
“With the aid of the Selective Service and approval from President Obama,” Mann said, “a new kind of draft will be instituted. All education experts between the ages of 23-60, all writers of books about education, all executives of companies profiting from the public schools, will be subject to call to active duty.” (Gasps from audience.)
“Some of you should expect notices this week.
“We know this may come as a shock. Each of you will be committing to work for ten years—minimum—in the toughest public schools. None of that sissy two-year stuff like ‘Teach for America.’” Mann added with a smile....I mean…you are committed to saving kids? Am I right?
Doctors for America
Is five weeks of training enough to prepare a teacher to work with the nation's most difficult to educate students?
We Need Smarter Reformers
I apologize for the poor contrast on this graphic. Click to see the larger, more readable original. Blogger John Viall, in his post titled, Finland Has Smarter Teachers! made the point that it's not the teachers in Finland who are smarter...it's Finnish society.
How would we compare if we had the same low poverty rate as Finland, a rate of between 3% and 4% as opposed to our 23%? Our schools with less than 10% of their students in poverty seem to stack up pretty well internationally. The problem is not with our teachers...or their unions...or our schools...it's with the level of child poverty in America, the so-called richest nation in the world. Testing and privatization isn't going to cure it.
Lessons Learned From the World's Highest-Performing School Systems
Where Are Your Votes Going?
I still don't understand how Glenda Ritz received more votes than the governor yet the people who pushed Tony Bennett's agenda through the legislature held on to their seats.
Ritz campaigned against the flow of public funds into private and privately run schools, yet those legislators who were elected or reelected the same night she defeated Tony Bennett have passed legislation giving more money than ever to private schools through vouchers, to private corporations running charter schools, and to virtual schools.
The people who passed Indiana's education laws are working against Superintendent Ritz. The Governor has increased the power the State Board of Education (filled will political appointees) to prevent Ritz from undoing the damage that Tony Bennett brought to Indiana.
Hoosier voters overwhelmingly elected a Superintendent of Public Instruction who promised to undo the damage caused by the Bennett DOE, and simultaneously elected people who would prevent her from fulfilling that mandate.
It makes no sense.
Where is Your Money Going?
Money for tests, tests and more tests...
What a Coincidence
"Reformers" have about as much understanding of what goes on inside schools as the student in this cartoon, yet politicians, billionaires, basketball players, and florists are making decisions which have a negative impact on public school classrooms with little or no input from the professionals who spend their days with students.
Don't Waste More Money on Tests
The Chicago Teachers Union in their publication, The Schools Chicago’s Students Deserve, have it right...
Create More Robust Wrap-around Services: The Chicago Public Schools system (CPS) is far behind recommended staffing levels suggested by national professional associations. The number of school counselors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists must increase dramatically to serve Chicago’s population of low-income students. Additionally, students who cannot afford transportation costs need free fares.This isn't just good for Chicago's students...it's good for students all over the country. Give the neediest students the most support. It will cost money, of course, but which American child isn't worth it? Those who argue against "throwing money at the schools" are usually the ones who send their children to expensive private schools where they...throw money at them.
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All who envision a more just, progressive and fair society cannot ignore the battle for our nation’s educational future. Principals fighting for better schools, teachers fighting for better classrooms, students fighting for greater opportunities, parents fighting for a future worthy of their child’s promise: their fight is our fight. We must all join in.
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Stop the Testing Insanity!
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