Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, January 25, 2013

UPDATE: NEA President Dennis Van Roekel on Garfield + The Seattle Garfield movement spreads + Mark Stefanik. Savage indignation. « Fred Klonsky

Mark Stefanik. Savage indignation. « Fred Klonsky:


The inbox. NEA President Dennis Van Roekel on Garfield.

Fred,
We have been witness this week to a defining moment within the education profession as educators at Seattle’s Garfield High School take a heroic stand against using the MAP test as a basis for measuring academic performance and teacher effectiveness. I, along with 3 million educators across the country, proudly support their efforts in saying ‘no’ to giving their students a flawed test that takes away from learning and is not aligned with the curriculum.
For more on the boycott, visit:
NEA TODAY Seattle teachers’ stand against flawed testingNEA.ORG PRESS Support for Seattle educators who refuse to give flawed testSEATTLE TIMES Why Garfield teachers boycotted the MAP test
Leading educators support teacher test boycott
www.washingtonea.org

www.seattlewea.org 
Best,
Dennis

Mark Stefanik. Savage indignation.

Mark writes:
Lacerate my heart with a savage indignation  - Jonathan Swift 
Looking at the stats below, most from a conservative source, I wonder how Nekritz, Biss, and the rest of Democrats can continue on their revenue avoiding, benefits slashing ways.
From the Tax Foundation:
-In an annual tax business climate survey, Illinois ranked 28th, right in the middle of the pack. At first blush, New York ranked the worst at 50th, California 48th.  And yet, the wealthier states are doing just fine with higher taxes.  Illinois, like these states, is a great place to do business, and, a great place to make huge profits. 
-A combination of state and local sales taxes (8.2%) in Illinois ranks it in the top 10 of lowest state sales taxes.   

A big hurt with real faces.

Popout.
Pension buster Illinois Representative Elaine Nekritz wants to get into a numbers fight over the price tag of cost of living adjustments for retired teachers.
She got me thinking about some members of my old school board. Some who were active parents and supportive of our efforts in the classroom. As soon as they got elected they became soulless bean counters who saw nothing but spreadsheets and bottom lines instead of children and teachers. They described themselves as


The Seattle Garfield movement spreads.

Popout