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Friday, April 12, 2013

Diane in the Evening 4-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:









Strauss: Time to Subpoena Witnesses in DC Cheating Scandal

Valerie Strauss writes that it is time for a thorough investigation of allegations of cheating during the tenure of Michelle Rhee as chancellor.
The leaking of the “smoking memo” to John Merrow shows that Rhee apparently was informed of likely cheating but chose not to investigate it.
Many questions are unanswered: what did she know and when did she know it? What did Adell Cothorne discover when she became principal? Why did no one follow up when she reported a cheating ring? Why was 


John Merrow on Chris Hayes Discussing Rhee

A reader sent this comment and a link to Chris Hayes’ interview with John Merrow:
“MSNBC’s Chris Hayes had John Merrow on his 4/12 evening show, ALL IN and the conversation was simply brutal towards Rhee….Chris very articulately pointed out how M Rhee rose to the top of the Ed Reform movement with only 3 years of limited personal experience in education. He ended his commentary by noting, in detail, how DC schools are in far worse condition today because of Rhee’s questionable policies……… like a cool breeze in a desert!
John was fabulous….Chris Hayes noted he would be following up with John Merrow in the future…stay tuned! “


How a School Board Candidate Beat the Billionaires

Please read this statement by Bennett Kayser.
He ran against a heavily funded candidate for the Los Angeles school board, and he won.
He is a public school parent.
He is endorsing Monica Ratliff, because she too is running against the 

USA Today on Rhee Cheating Scandal

USA Today was first to report the cheating scandal in the District of Columbia.
Here is the follow-up story by Gregg Toppo, about the memo first leaked to John Merrow.
Eventually, the allegations were investigated by the DC Inspector General, who decided not to look at the erasure analysis or to interview many people. It was not the kind of full-scale investigation carried out in Atlanta by professionals. The DC Inspector General decided the cheating, if it happened, was not widespread.

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Florida: Don’t Let a Charter Corporation Steal Your Neighborhood School by dianerav Bill Sublette is a former Florida state representative who is now chairman of the Orange County school board. He is a Republican. In this excellent article, he explains how the parent trigger bill, which just passed in the Florida House, will allow charter corporations to grab neighborhood schools, public property paid for by local citizens. And once the corporation takes contro... more »