Latest News and Comment from Education

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts 1-22 #edreform #ows


What Happens When Teacher Voices Depend on Foundations' Choices? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

What Happens When Teacher Voices Depend on Foundations' Choices? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:What Happens When Teacher Voices Depend on Foundations' Choices?by Anthony CodyTen days ago, I shared a guest post authored by Kelly Flynn, Teachers Hold the Key. They Always Have. This morning it received the following comment:While I wholeheartedly agree with Ms. Flynn that teachers need to become more aware and involved in the reform strategies that are shaping our profession, I wonder what the ... more »

Schools Matter: The Thrill is Gone

Schools Matter: The Thrill is Gone:The Thrill is Goneby Jim HornFrom a look at today's Google Alert list, it would seem to indicate some pretty consistent concerns with the corporate welfare charter school movement, which shows signs of running out of steam everywhere, except on Wall Street.Charter schools lose their magicGloucester County Times - NJ.comBy Milton W. Hinton Jr. I find it interesting that some very influential people have come out in support of the expansion of charter schools in ... more »

Other People’s Children

Other People’s Children:Other People’s Childrenby SamLast week, CNN reported on recent events in Garfield Heights, Ohio, where austerity measures have led local school officials to shorten the schoolday to five hours, get rid of subjects like art, music, and PE — and send kids home before lunch.What didn’t come out during the piece was that these drastic decisions were fueled in part by the community’s refusal, over a 20 year period, to pass a levy that would help support the ... more »

Letter from an IDEA Mother « A "Fuller" Look at Education Issues

Letter from an IDEA Mother « A "Fuller" Look at Education Issues:Letter from an IDEA MotherPosted on January 22, 20120 Rate ThisBelow are two e-mails I received from a mother whose child attends an IDEA elementary school. I am using her letter with permission. I have changed the gender of the child to neutral language and redacted certain information to protect her identity. Also, I typically do not use unsolicited, unverifiable emails. However, this person provided her name and place ... more »

TRR INVESTIGATES: Is the Privacy of the American Student at Risk? | The Revered Review

TRR INVESTIGATES: Is the Privacy of the American Student at Risk? | The Revered Review:TRR INVESTIGATES: Is The Privacy Of The American Student At Risk?JANUARY 22, 2012 6:23 AMSchool: A place where children learn to read and write. A place where they learn mathematics, science and history. Moreover, a place, away from home, where children are supposed to be safe.Yet now it’s a place, across the country, where children’s hearts are being monitored, their activities are being tracked, and it’s ... more »

Statement by the President on Roe v. Wade Anniversary | The White House

Statement by the President on Roe v. Wade Anniversary | The White House:Statement by the President on Roe v. Wade AnniversaryAs we mark the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we must remember that this Supreme Court decision not only protects a woman’s health and reproductive freedom, but also affirms a broader principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose and this fundamental constitutional right. While this is ... more »

Oakland schools try new way of placing teachers

Oakland schools try new way of placing teachers:Oakland schools try new way of placing teachersJill Tucker, Chronicle Staff WriterSunday, January 22, 2012PrintE-mailShareComments (109)Font | Size: 22Mike Kepka / The ChronicleMarian Marx works with her kindergarten students at Garfield Elementary School in Oakland, where she was placed after going through the district's proposed interview placement process "mutual matching."IMAGES View Larger ImagesMORE BAY AREA NEWSParolee pleads no contest in Hillsborough slaying 01.22.12Six hurt in shooting at Antioch "sweet 16" party 01.22.12Your... more »

Black leaders to SC gov: You're a minority, too - Boston.com

Black leaders to SC gov: You're a minority, too - Boston.com:Black leaders to SC gov: You're a minority, tooFILE - In this Aug. 13, 2011 file photo, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley speaks in Charleston, S.C. Civil rights leaders in South Carolina are taking a new tactic to fight the governor's support of law requiring voters to show identification at the poll. "Your governor, a woman of color, could not vote before ’65,” Rev. Jesse Jackson recently said to a ... more »

NCLB Blamed for Ruining Teen Oral Sex « Jay P. Greene's Blog

NCLB Blamed for Ruining Teen Oral Sex « Jay P. Greene's Blog:NCLB Blamed for Ruining Teen Oral SexHT to Sara Mead for finding this incredible piece of research. It is written in a language other than English, but if I remember how to translate properly stupid BS, this study appears to be claiming that an emphasis on individual academic achievement in school “crowds out” “the pleasure, choice, and mutuality” of teen fellatio and replaces it with an emphasis on “competence ... more »

The Alarming Silence on the Remediation Levels Needed by Florida College Freshmen | Scathing Purple Musings

The Alarming Silence on the Remediation Levels Needed by Florida College Freshmen | Scathing Purple Musings:The Alarming Silence on the Remediation Levels Needed by Florida College Freshmenby Bob SikesOcala Star-Banner editorial page editor, Brad Rogers correctly points out that the number of Florida freshmen who need some sort of remediation is the most crucial – and disturbing piece of education data that no one is talking about:Over half of the incoming freshman at CF during the 2009-10 school year — ... more »

Weekly Update, January 20, 2012: Rent-a-preachers, teachers and a school that works | Seattle Education

Weekly Update, January 20, 2012: Rent-a-preachers, teachers and a school that works | Seattle Education:Weekly Update, January 20, 2012: Rent-a-preachers, teachers and a school that worksby seattleducation2011A lot has been gong on in the last two weeks nationally and I am now just getting caught up.There is a lot going on in the state of Washington with Stand for Children, et al, trying to do an end run around the people by going directly to the state legislators to attempt ... more »

Blue Jersey:: Christie Caught In a Whopper

Blue Jersey:: Christie Caught In a Whopper:Christie Caught In a Whopperby: Jersey JazzmanSun Jan 22, 2012 at 09:55:30 AM ESTI'm sure you're all shocked to hear this, but a video just released this morning pretty much proves that Chris Christie lied at his town hall in Voorhees last week:That's right: Amir Khan - charter school founder, anti-marriage equity activist, and terrible speller - has been on the dais for TWO Christie "town halls." Khan says he's met with Christie "frequently."But ...more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts 1-22 #ows #edreform #edchat

Kansas City schools chief: ‘We are NOT the worst district’ - KansasCity.comBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-5 hours agoKansas City schools chief: ‘We are NOT the worst district’ - KansasCity.com:Kansas City schools chief: ‘We are NOT the worst district’Interim superintendent points to improvements and rails against “campaign political rhetoric.”BY JOE ROBERTSON AND LYNN HORSLEYThe Kansas City StarFallout from a meeting between Mayor Sly James and the U.S. education secretary brought out the ire in Kansas City Interim Superintendent Steve ... more »

How To Cure The Autism Epidemic? Make Believe It Doesn’t Exist. | Addicting Info

How To Cure The Autism Epidemic? Make Believe It Doesn’t Exist. | Addicting Info:How To Cure The Autism Epidemic? Make Believe It Doesn’t Exist.January 20, 2012By Justin "Filthy Liberal Scum" RosarioIn their infinite wisdom, the American Psychiatric Association is, after almost two decades, updating the medical definition of autism and by “updating” I mean “narrowing.” It almost appears that, in a misguided attempt to deal with the increasing rate at which autism is being diagnosised, they have decided to exclude ... more »

Schools Matter: Hawaii's Teachers Take a Stand: Take Your RTTT Bribe and Shove It

Schools Matter: Hawaii's Teachers Take a Stand: Take Your RTTT Bribe and Shove It:Hawaii's Teachers Take a Stand: Take Your RTTT Bribe and Shove Itby Jim HornFrom Valerie Strauss at WaPo:Public school teachers in Hawaii have rejected a contract that called for a move to a performance-based evaluation and compensation system, as required by the Race to the Top grant that the state won from the Obama administration.The rejection comes shortly after Hawaii was warned by the U.S. Education Department ... more »

Who Should Have Access to Student Records? - US News and World Report

Who Should Have Access to Student Records? - US News and World Report:Who Should Have Access to Student Records?Education data can be useful, but privacy experts are concerned about data misuse.By JASON KOEBLERJanuary 19, 2012 RSS Feed PrintSince “No Child Left Behind” was passed 10 years ago, states have been required to ramp up the amount of data they collect about individual students, teachers, and schools. Personal information, including test scores, economic status, grades, and even disciplinary problems and student ... more »

Charter schools: Where's the beef? | The Asbury Park Press NJ | APP.com

Charter schools: Where's the beef? | The Asbury Park Press NJ | APP.com:Charter schools: Where's the beef?Just how badly does the public education system in New Jersey need to be fixed? And what is the best way to go about fixing what is broken?Over the past two years, we have heard from Gov. Chris Christie and his administration that our schools, and our teachers, are failing our children. He has hammered away at the need for a series of reforms, ... more »

L.I. education guru hit by Gov. Cuomo defends her income - NY Daily News

L.I. education guru hit by Gov. Cuomo defends her income - NY Daily News:L.I. education guru hit by Gov. Cuomo defends her income Ellen Cooper says she's done nothing wrong to earn $3.2 million per yearComments (3)BY KENNETH LOVETT, MARK MORALES AND JONATHAN LEMIRE / NEW YORK DAILY NEWSSaturday, January 21 2012, 7:44 PMStumbleUponTumblrRedditEmailCHRISTIE M FARRIELLA FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWSEllen Cooper, whose taxpayer-funded business was criticized by Gov. Cuomo, can afford this stylish home in posh neighborhood of Syosset, ... more »

John Thrasher Wants to Ban Lawmakers from Holding Jobs at Post-Secondary Schools They Fund but Silent on Doing the Same for Charter Schools | Scathing Purple Musings

John Thrasher Wants to Ban Lawmakers from Holding Jobs at Post-Secondary Schools They Fund but Silent on Doing the Same for Charter Schools | Scathing Purple Musings:John Thrasher Wants to Ban Lawmakers from Holding Jobs at Post-Secondary Schools They Fund but Silent on Doing the Same for Charter Schoolsby Bob SikesFrom the Tampa Bay Times:TALLAHASSEE — Amid a clamor to overhaul a state university system lawmakers say isn’t cutting it, Sen. John Thrasher wants to ban lawmakers from holding jobs ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Chancellor Walcott Out of Order on Transportation Safety at January PEP

NYC Public School Parents: Chancellor Walcott Out of Order on Transportation Safety at January PEP:

Chancellor Walcott Out of Order on Transportation Safety at January PEP


Queens representative Dmytro Fedkowskyj introduced a resolution recommending the Chancellor consider an approach to granting transportation variances based on a joint committee comprised of parent and DOE representatives.

The approach, called Safety Hazard Advisory Review Program (S.H.A.R.P), was developed by CEC 31 on Staten Island. All five borough president appointees supported the resolution which would not be binding but would simply require the Chancellor to consider the approach.

PEP Chair Hernandez recognized me to to speak in

#sixwordessay Helps Teachers Reclaim Education Debate | Dailycensored.com

#sixwordessay Helps Teachers Reclaim Education Debate | Dailycensored.com:

#sixwordessay Helps Teachers Reclaim Education Debate

Hugo Schwyzer is Still Doing Harm « Student Activism

Hugo Schwyzer is Still Doing Harm « Student Activism:

Hugo Schwyzer is Still Doing Harm

As regular readers of this site know, professor and blogger Hugo Schwyzer has been the subject of mounting criticism from feminist activists in recent weeks.

To date, the controversy has centered on Schwyzer’s history of gross personal misconduct and on the content of his writing. (Schwyzer’s disclosure last year of a 1998 attempt to kill his girlfriend and himself sparked the current clamor, drawing new scrutiny to his earlier admissions of sexual activity with his students and various other troubling statements he’d made.)

In his defense, Schwyzer and his supporters regularly contrast his reckless past with his sober present, couching their arguments in the language of forgiveness and redemption. Schwyzer’s bad acts are behind him, they say, and the controversies over his current writings are properly understood as debates within feminism,


Ron Paul is Running Away with the Republican Youth Vote

Here’s a fact I haven’t seen mentioned anywhere: Ron Paul has come in first among voters under the age of 30 in all three Republican nominating contests this cycle. He won Iowa with 48%, New Hampshire with 46%, and South Carolina with 31%. In 2008, in contrast, he came in third among under 30s in Iowa and New Hampshire, and a weak fifth in South Carolina.

What’s going on here?

Well, mostly he’s just doing better with everybody. Paul’s numbers have always been highest among young voters, and they’ve mostly been rising among under-30s more or less in proportion with how they’ve risen in the electorate as a whole.

But even so, the sheer magnitude of Paul’s youth support has got to be a little worrying for the party. Assuming

Big Education Ape: 1-22-12 PM Who is Amir Khan? WHERE is Amir Khan!?! EDition #OWS #edreform

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now:
Big Education Ape: Ed News Now

Published by Coopmike48 – 6 news spotters today

Who is Amir Khan? WHERE is Amir Khan!?!

mothercrusader.blogspot.com - At a Town Hall meeting in Voorhees, New Jersey yesterday several vocal Voorhees and Cherry Hill residents challenged Governor Christie about the approval of the Regis Academy Charter School. The R...

mikeklonsky

Tensions rife at school closing hearings | catalyst

catalyst-chicago.org - Despite a snowstorm, hundreds turned out to Friday's round of school closing hearings, and tensions were high as supporters brought on yellow school buses clashed with parents, students and communi...

mikeklonsky

Christie Caught In a Whopper

bluejersey.com - I'm sure you're all shocked to hear this, but a video just released this morning pretty much proves that Chris Christie lied at his town hall in Voorhees last week: That's right: Amir Khan - charte...

mikeklonsky

Live Twitter stream on

@coopmike48/big-edu-ape-news-11

coopmike48 profile

coopmike48 #EDU Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 1-22 Early Evening Posts #ows #edreform: The Alarming Silence on t... bit.ly/w9pBklabout 1 hour ago · reply · retweet · favorite

coopmike48 profile

coopmike48 Big Education Ape: CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS - 'Another One Bites the Dust'bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2012/01/charte…about 1 hour ago · reply · retweet · favorite

coopmike48 profile

coopmike48 Agitated Education Aggregator Daily is out! bit.ly/iaC4l3 ▸ Top stories today via @cjohanns @cajacobson@simplearningabout 1 hour ago · reply · retweet · favorite

EducationSee all

No to Bloomberg’s bonus

nydailynews.com - Sabo, Robert/New York Daily News Teachers are not waiters, the author says, and don't want to work for tips. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have the extra $20,000 dollars Bloomberg proposes to giv...

DianeRavitch

Scott Brown: What About All The Rich Schoolteachers?

2012.talkingpointsmemo.com - Benjy Sarlin January 21, 2012, 1:30 PM Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) made the case to customers at a diner in Lowell, MA that letting the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire would crete a burden for wel...

mikeklonsky

SB 512: “Something Wicked This Way Comes” (Pt. 1)

teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com - The past theft of pension assets in Illinois was quite easy for a few governors and some legislators; even for other rogues, who bargained for money-enhancing incentives (spiking) for retiring publ...

fklonsky

SocietySee all

Charter Schools: Spreading the Hate?

jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com - Sometimes it all comes together, and we are allowed a clear, unfiltered look at the truth. Case in point:My favorite new blogger, Darcie Cimarusti, made a great catch today:An Asbury Park Press rep...

DianeRavitch

When Is a Lie a Lie?

jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com - Cross-Posted from Blue Jersey: The video I promoted this morning has made its way around the twittersphere, and it has touched off a bit of a debate: does it show evidence that Chris Christie lied ...

coopmike48

When Is a Lie a Lie?

bluejersey.com - The video I promoted this morning has made its way around the twittersphere, and it has touched off a bit of a debate: does it show evidence that Chris Christie lied about knowing controversial pas...

coopmike48

PoliticsSee all

Gingrich 'Has Been An Embarrassment To The Party'

huffingtonpost.com - WASHINGTON, D.C. -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared on Sunday that Newt Gingrich has been "an embarrassment" to the Republican Party who didn't have the background or capacity to serve as a...

leoniehaimson

Newt’s Southern Strategy

nytimes.com - Up with Newt. Down with dignity. That’s the way it goes. Newt Gingrich is surging in South Carolina and has a good chance to win that state’s primary on Saturday. But, as he rises, so g...

mikeklonsky

Christie: Gingrich an 'embarrassment to his party' - video

northjersey.com - TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie went on full attack-dog mode Sunday, calling Newt Gingrich an “embarrassment to his party” on national television and playing down the former House speaker’s decisive ...

coopmike48

StoriesSee all

School Tech Connect: Crane's Linda Weseman and Maya Black

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - School Tech Connect: Crane's Linda Weseman and Maya Black:Crane's Linda Weseman and Maya Blackby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)"White people live in the area, but how many of their kids go to Crane?"Lin...

coopmike48

How Gamer Parents Should Talk To Their Kids About Games

forbes.com - These days parents play video games along with their kids. This is a great opportunity for parents and kids to keep communication open.This piece by John Cheese is a bit dated – 2010 is like decade...

coopmike48

HealthSee all

Locally produced honey may be the purest choice

northjersey.com - We use it to sweeten hot tea and soothe winter colds, usually without much thought about where it comes from. But honey – nature's purest sweetener – is the latest foodstuff to get caught up in a s...

coopmike48

BusinessSee all

Do You Work for Any of These State Agencies?

rosemont.patch.com - Rosemont is home to many state workers (and some state offices), so we're always on the lookout for news about those who keep California running. On Friday, The Sacramento Business Journal publishe...

coopmike48

Dutch May Ask Germany to Help Pay for Its Students

nytimes.com - Dutch may ask Germany to help pay for its students The Dutch state secretary for education is considering the possibility of requesting financial reimbursement from Germany for the many...

coopmike48

#eduRead this paperSee all

School Tech Connect: Crane's Linda Weseman and Maya Black

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - School Tech Connect: Crane's Linda Weseman and Maya Black:Crane's Linda Weseman and Maya Blackby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)"White people live in the area, but how many of their kids go to Crane?"Lin...

coopmike48

#owsSee all

Media War? PRESS TV IS BEING SILENCED IN THE UK

owsnews.org - British Regulators Pull Press TV: Another Blow To Media Freedom; Network Was Covering Occupy Wall Street Movement Daily By Danny Schechter The British media regulator OFCOM has pulled Press TV’s li...

coopmike48

Occupy Nashville: The Legislature Strikes Back!

my.firedoglake.com - While I went empty handed this time to ON, I certainly didn’t return that way (Don’t make me go back that way). I was honored to have masaccio accompany me, and it turned out to be a very good thin...

coopmike48

VideosSee all