"The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves." -- John Adams

"No money shall be drawn from the treasury, for the benefit of any religious or theological institution." -- Indiana Constitution Article 1, Section 6.

"...no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish enlarge, or affect their civil capacities." – Thomas Jefferson

Thursday, October 3, 2013

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - October, 2013

Here are some pictures, graphic images and cartoons from around the net -- plus my own 2 cents worth of comments. Click on any image to see the full sized version.

Don't Change Your Mind Even if You're Wrong

I saved this cartoon because it reminded me of the US DOE and state governments continuing to urge (force) "reforms" which don't work...for example, charter schools aren't better than traditional public schools and closing schools doesn't help student achievement (see the section on Myths and Hoaxes below). However, it takes on new meaning when one thinks about the current events in Washington D.C.



Reading is Reading

I like e-books. I like paper books. Reading is reading...
And all reading is reading – no matter the format. We should not be textist about format, or length of work, or the context of the reading. Reading something for young children filled with pictures and sounds is just as valued as reading a university thesis...Reading a book in a digital format on my computer, tablet, or phone, or indeed listening to one through my iPod, Mp3, car stereo, or home stereo, is just as valued as holding that paper-bound version in my hands and inhaling the sweet smell of print and glue.


The best way to improve reading...for anyone...

Hoaxes and Myths
  • Public Schools are failing.
  • Tests hold teachers and schools accountable.
  • Competition in the form of private schools and charter schools will help all schools improve.
  • Firing bad teachers will prevent schools from failing.
  • Closing schools will mean that students will go to better schools.
  • Closing schools will save our district money.
  • Anyone can teach.
  • You don't need special training to be a teacher.
For responses to these and other myths about public education go HERE and HERE.









Future

Does America care about her children?




Equity...

...doesn't always mean equal.


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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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