Conservative pundit, John Merrow weighs in on the all-out corporate blitzkrieg against public education on Microsoft-NBC. From a post at HuffPo: . . . Which brings me to Education Nation, the extravaganza hosted by NBC and broadcast on NBC and MSNBC. It had it all: good, bad and ugly. You probably know the basics: a […]
The Corporate Oligarchy’s Mis-Education Nation 2010: Review #2 of Microsoft-NBC’s Coverage
September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A**hats
September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
This is in response to the suicide of a Rutgers freshman who was “observed furtively” during an “intimate” encounter, in the privacy of his dorm room, by his roommate and another person. Sexual orientation is utilized as a weapon in our society and unfortunately it is used all of the time in our nation’s schools. Homophobia […]
The Corporate Oligarchy’s Mis-Education Nation 2010: Review #1
September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
It’s by Valerie Strauss, and it’s a good one. Valerie does not mention that the sponsors for Microsoft-NBC’s corporate ed love fest are the University of Phoenix, now under federal investigation, and the Gates and Broad Foundations, which should be under criminal investigation: NBC News president Steve Capus said that his network’s Education Nation summit […]
The Rewards of Leafleting
September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I joined some folks from Citizens for Public Education and FairTest who have been out leafleting in West Newton and Brookline, where previews are being held this week in advance of the nationwide release tomorrow, I think, of Waiting for Superman. Many of the attendees are the well-heeled, but there are many teachers attending, too. […]
Yatvin: Turning schools into robot factories
September 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/elementary-school/-this-post-was-written.html Turning schools into robot factories This post was written by Joanne Yatvin, a longtime public school educator, author and past president of the National Council of Teachers of English. She is now teaching part-time at Portland State University. By Joanne YatvinI never miss reading the newspaper comics. Not for entertainment, but because I think […]
Extricated
September 29, 2010 By 3 Comments
The Baltimore City Schools, in tandem with the teacher’s union, made a landmark deal to end teacher pay based on seniority, or number of years on the job. Payment based on degree status will also end. Good for them, I guess, but what does that mean for teacher preparation? I know many would reply, “Well, […]
A plague
September 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I’m aware of the mental health issues surrounding one’s decision to commit suicide. Not many of us go through with it, let alone contemplate it, when experiencing personal disaster. I teacher recently killed himself and his dreadful evaluation on the controversial LA Times teacher effectiveness database has been named as a contributing factor. Sure, if […]
Exposing the Corporate Education Reform Fraud
September 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Obama Education Blueprint Researchers Examine the Evidence Edited by:William J. Mathis, University of Colorado, BoulderKevin G. Welner, University of Colorado – Boulder A volume in the series: The National Education Policy Center Series. Series Editor(s): Kevin G. Welner, University of Colorado – Boulder and Alex Molnar, Arizona State University Published 2010A Publication of the […]
Write Rachel
September 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
My letter to Rachel Maddow, the best chance on Microsoft-NBC to get someone on screen to counter the media blitzkrieg from the oligarchs. Please copy this one, or write your own today to Rachel@msnbc.com: Dear Rachel: During this week’s wall to wall promotion of “Waiting for Superman” and the corporate solutions emanating from that film […]
Pittsburgh Superintendent Bashes Imagine Schools
September 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Some unkind words from Pittsburgh’s Superintendent about Imagine’s real estate practices. An Imagine spokesperson willing to talk about how the money will be spent only AFTER the charter is granted. Will Imagine win the appeal? From the Pittsburgh Channel: Team 4: Pittsburgh Public Schools Rejects Charter School Company Local Group Partners With Imagine Schools To […]
Waiting for Superman Point by Point
September 27, 2010 By 1 Comment
Published by Valerie Strauss at WaPo, reprinted at Common Dreams.org: What ‘Superman’ got wrong, point by point by Rick Ayers While the education film Waiting For Superman has moving profiles of students struggling to succeed under difficult circumstances, it puts forward a sometimes misleading and other times dishonest account of the roots of the problem […]
CMO Update
ICEF, a Los Angeles-based CMO, announced this week that they are in debt in the short- and long-term, and unlikely to meet payroll deadlines. Philanthropists, including the Broad Foundation, had to raise $3 million to keep the organization afloat. Mike Piscal, the fiery CEO, will become the academic leader while Caprice Young steps in to right the […]