Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, May 3, 2014

5-3-14 Wait What? All Week

Wait What?:



  Wait What? All Week




As predicted, Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy has reneged on his promised tax break to Connecticut’s retired teachers. As the CT Mirror explains, The new $19 billion state budget the House of Representatives is expected to adopt late Saturday relies on nearly $200 million in fund sweeps, risky savings assumptions and other gimmicks to stay in […] The post Malloy dishes retired teachers – again! appea

Malloy’s Teacher evaluation system is fundamentally and fatally flawed
In her latest MUST READ commentary piece, fellow public education advocate, Wendy Lecker, lays out the facts about Governor Malloy’s unfair, inappropriate and fatally flawed teacher evaluation system.  Like the junk bonds that helped take down Wall Street, Connecticut’s teacher evaluation system is based on junk science and false assumptions. The question is not whether […] The post Malloy’s Teach

YESTERDAY

Malloy to retired teachers – No really I do respect you, just not that much….
Three months ago, in a move to try and “win over” the support of retired teachers, Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy proposed a targeted tax break designed to benefit those who spent their careers teaching in Connecticut’s public schools. In February, the vote seeking governor explained his support for the partial tax break on teacher pensions […] The post Malloy to retired teachers – No really I do re

MAY 01

Malloy is a fraud on campaign finance reform issues
NEWS ALERT:  Buried under the news about the massive problems facing Connecticut’s State budget and other developments and issues that have surfaced over the past couple of weeks is one of the most significant news stories of Governor Malloy’s term. The truth is that after having run as a “pro-campaign finance reform” candidate, Dannel “Dan” […] The post Malloy is a fraud on campaign finance refor
Group of New York Teachers refuse to give unfair standardized tests
At great risk to their careers, 26 Teachers and Staff of International High School at Prospect Heights in New York City are refusing to give the NYC ELA Performance Assessment Test.  The comes after 3 teachers from the Earth School on the lower east side in Manhattan sent a letter of conscience to the NYC […] The post Group of New York Teachers refuse to give unfair standardized tests appeared fir

APR 30

Corporate Education Reform Industry remains in “attack mode“
Or alternative headline:  File in “reasons to run” folder The latest headline from the education reform blog “Education Bridgeport” reads, “Pelto Using Governor’s Race to Make Money.” The blogger explains, So Jon Pelto is talking about a run for governor. The reason why is pretty clear: Money. Unless his ego is larger than any continental […] The post Corporate Education Reform Industry remains in
Post-election state budget deficit projected to be an incredible $1.4 billion
As Wait, What? readers have been reading for months, the Malloy administration has been painting a rosy picture of Connecticut’s state budget situation thanks to the unparalleled use of budget gimmicks and inflated revenue estimates. Readers have been repeatedly informed that Malloy’s irresponsible approach to budgeting would leave Connecticut with a $1 billion state budget […] The post Post-elect
Let Teachers Teach
Teresa M. Pelham is the co-blogger for the Hartford Courant’s Mommy Minute blog and a well-known children’s book writer. In recent Courant column entitled, Let’s Ditch Those Tests And Let Teachers Teach, Pelham eloquently put into words what many of us are thinking. More Testing, Less Learning is not what prepares our children for the […] The post Let Teachers Teach appeared first on Wait What?.

APR 29

Malloy administration considered “restraining order” to stop FOI requests?
In what may be the single most bizarre development yet in the Malloy administration’s war on teachers and public education and their ongoing commitment to secrecy, a recent Freedom of Information request has produced an email between Governor Malloy’s Director of Communications and a senior official from ConnCAN, the charter school advocacy group, in which […] The post Malloy administration consid

APR 28

Malloy lies to parents about their right to opt their children out of the Common Core Tests
This morning, on WNPR’s Where We Live radio program, Governor Malloy was asked about whether parents had a right to opt their children out of the inappropriate, absurd and unfair Common Core Smarter Balanced Assessment Test of a Test. Governor Malloy’s responded with one his most misleading statements to date. As reported in the CT […] The post Malloy lies to parents about their right to opt their
Budget Gimmicks and Declining Revenue catch up to Malloy
As the CT Mirror is reporting, Governor Malloy’s extraordinary budget gimmicks and Connecticut’s lagging economy has caught up with the politician’s wild re-election promises. The CT Mirror’s Keith Phaneuf reports, “Citing declining state revenue projections, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy gave up Monday on two of his biggest re-election year budget initiatives: a $55-per-person rebate and […] The post Bud
Facing the State – A possible run for governor
On WFSB’s Sunday television show, Face the State, Dennis House provided me an opportunity to lay out the issues as I consider whether to run for governor. You can see the segment here:  Jonathan Pelto on Face the State: CT Newsjunkie covered the story here: Pelto on Malloy: ‘I Don’t Think He Can Win’. Your […] The post Facing the State – A possible run for governor appeared first on Wait What?.

APR 27

Today it is Face the State and Fox61 Capital Report
Two of Connecticut’s leading Sunday news shows will include segments on the 2014 race for governor in Connecticut. Fox61 Capital Report TV at 10:30am WFSB 3 Face the State at 11:00am From WFSB Dennis House’ Bloghttp://dennishouse.tv/: Democrat may challenge Malloy, saying he can’t win re-election It’s no secret Governor Malloy faces a tough re-election battle. […] The post Today it is Face the Sta

APR 26

Pelto 2014? Pundits weigh impact
The race for governor is about electing someone who will support Connecticut’s students, parents, teachers, school administrators and public schools.  To have a governor who will reverse the historic cuts to our public colleges and universities that are burdening Connecticut students and families with unacceptable student loan debt, to develop a tax system that doesn’t […] The post Pelto 2014? Pun