Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, September 13, 2014

9-13-14 Hemlock on the Rocks (The Big Gulp)

Hemlock on the Rocks





http://townsquareexiles.boards.net/thread/41256/after-release-damning-emails-lausd?page=1&scrollTo=1148423 After release of damning emails, LAUSD wants old emails ... After release of damning emails, LAUSD wants old emails ... Thread started 5 hours ago Post by MeMyselfandI on 5 hours ago After release of damning emails, LAUSD wants old emails destroyed at $294,500 costL.A. school boar


Are Lausd Superintendent John Deasy'S Emails Above The Law?
ARE LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT JOHN DEASY'S EMAILS ABOVE THE LAW?In order to realize just how much unbridled political power the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has that it continues to wield with complete impunity, one only need look at the recent Ray Rice Affair and ask if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could have gotten away with such questionable and potentially illegal behavior- that LA


Teacher Dismissal Flow Chart From Lausd

http://endteacherabuse.org/Montanye.html Below is a story from a courageous teacher punished for helping a suicidal child - a story sure to ignite change or end the fa̤ade that this country cares about its children. A system that treats its students and teachers with this much disdain has the outcome we should all expect Рdismal! And for those of you thinking that management MUST maintain param

Are You Being Bullied At Work? | Workplace Bullying Institute
http://www.workplacebullying.org/individuals/problem/being-bullied/ Being Bullied? Start Here Welcome. To help you get started, read the material below to make a difference in your health and your life. This website is for you and supportive or skeptical family and friends. You will find answers to your many questions. Take your time reading through it. Dealing with emotional abuse triggers stro
Detention CAMP for OUTSPOKEN TEACHERS
http://www.teacherabuse.com/teacherstories/rogue_principals.htm THE RUBBER ROOM OR THE DOE'S GUANTANAMO BAY DETENTION CAMP FOR OUTSPOKEN TEACHERS, WHISTLEBLOWERS, OVER-FORTY TEACHERS, ETC. False accusations of verbal abuse, corporal punishment, incompetence, etc. against teachers, have been taking away the dignity, and the livelihood in many instances, of hundred of them .They vegetate in the rubb
Teacher's nightmare after false assault charge | Mail Online
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-41339/Teachers-nightmare-false-assault-charge.html Teacher's nightmare after false assault charge by ANDREW LOUDON, Daily MailA teacher told last night how he had been 'to hell and back' after a 13-year- old girl pupil falsely accused him of indecent assault. John Tallon was speaking after being cleared by a jury which took just 20 minutes to agree on his
NEA - Rights Watch: Falsely Accused
http://www.nea.org/home/16921.htm Rights Watch: Falsely Accused It's the worst thing that can happen to an educator. So how do you avoid it? Virginia teacher and NEA member Ron Mayfield Jr. committed suicide two weeks after being wrongly accused of hitting a wheelchair-bound middle school student. He jumped off a bridge into the Roanoke River, not far from where he often had fished with his fath
Tacoma kindergarten teacher fired after students had sex in class fights to get job back | Crime | The News Tribune
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/08/15/3332800/tacoma-kindergarten-teacher-fired.html Tacoma kindergarten teacher fired after students had sex in class fights to get job back A Tacoma kindergarten teacher fired for "exceptional misconduct" — including failure either to notice or report sexual activity among her students — is fighting to get her job back.Sandra Holmes, who taught at G

YESTERDAY

Under The Strain Of Scrutiny Gets Broad To Go Up To Bat For Him
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-deasy-future-20140913-story.html#page=1 Strained ties cloud future of Deasy, LAUSD The controversy engulfing Los Angeles Unified's $1.3-billion technology project has inflamed long-held tensions between the Board of Education and Supt. John Deasy, who is questioning whether he should step down.Ed Notes:I for one want him to stay put. But he prob
Los Angeles Board Votes to Shred Staff Emails, Then Reconsiders | Diane Ravitch's blog
http://dianeravitch.net/2014/09/11/los-angeles-board-votes-to-shred-staff-emails-then-reconsiders/ Los Angeles Board Votes to Shred Staff Emails, Then Reconsiders | Diane Ravitch's blog Talk about bad timing!   The Los Angeles Unified School Board voted 6-0 to adopt a policy to shred most internal emails after one year. The iPad scandal came to light only after reporters gained access to two-year
Channeling Rosemary Woods: LAUSD Board Votes To Expunge One Year Old Emails – redqueeninla
http://redqueeninla.k12newsnetwork.com/2014/09/11/channeling-rosemary-woods-lausd-board-votes-to-expunge-one-year-old-emails/ Channeling Rosemary Woods: LAUSD Board Votes To Expunge One Year Old Emails After just discovering that top ranking district administrators and private vendors effectively fixed a billion-dollar deal ahead of open bidding, this week our school board explicitly voted to thw
Shutting Out The LAUSD Stakeholders: Another Affront to LAUSD Parents by Carl Petersen
"I would like to move that we move the remainding [sic] of board meetings that are tentatively scheduled for 4:00 PM to 1:00 PM...Makes it easier for parents, certainly in my district, who might want to come speak to not be here at 11:00 at night when they have kids to put to bed and homework to supervise and it is impossible to get here during rush hour from most parts of the city to pull co
L.A. school board OKs contract to destroy emails, raising concerns - LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lausd-emails-20140910-story.html L.A. school board OKs contract to destroy emails, raising concerns The Los Angeles Unified School District took steps this week to enforce rules under which emails are deleted after one year, raising concerns about whether important public records would be destroyed in the process.The action comes two weeks after
Petition | STOP LAUSD FROM ERASING DISTRICT EMAILS NOW & Establish a Public Policy that Assures Transparancy | Change.org
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-garcetti-stop-lausd-from-erasing-district-emails-now-establish-a-public-policy-that-assures-transparancy  Tuesday September 9, 2014, the board voted unanimously ( new member Dr. George McKenna abstained ) to delete their emails from their school district accounts after a year. This initiative will require a Microsoft program that costs taxpayers $1/4 of million While
Harvey Saferstein: Meet LAUSD Superintendent Deasy's Attorney-- HMMMMMM.../Who pays him ?
http://www.mintz.com/professionals/detail/name/harvey-saferstein Harvey Saferstein Harvey is the Managing Member for the firm's Los Angeles office. His practice includes antitrust and intellectual property counseling and litigation, as well as complex commercial and business litigation. With an extensive litigation background, Harvey has experience as trial and appellate counsel in antitrust case
LAUSD's Deasy seeks records of board members' tech-firm contacts
http://www.dailynews724.com/local/lausdaposs-deasy-seeks-records-of-board-membersapos-tech-firm-contacts-h236823.html LAUSD's Deasy seeks records of board members' tech-firm contacts 12 September 2014 Friday 00:30This news clip was read 9 times. In a bold challenge to his bosses, L.A. Unified Supt. John Deasy has filed a public records request seeking emails and other documents involving school

SEP 11

Mr. McLeod: Keep BIC OUT of LAUSD NO Breakfast in the Classroom! - Sign the Petition!
Please join this campaign: https://www.change.org/p/mr-mcleod-keep-bic-out-of-soces-no-breakfast-in-the-classroom?recruiter=2177350&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
Kindergarten teacher: ‘There is a good possibility I will be fired but…’ (update) - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/09/11/kindergarten-teacher-there-is-a-good-possibility-i-will-be-fired-but/ (Marlon Correa/The Washington Post) (Update:  Statement from superintendent of district in which teacher works has been added) Teachers are increasingly speaking up about the onslaught of standardized tests that students in all grades — including  kindergarten — are
Garcetti endorses Torlakson in state superintendent race
http://laschoolreport.com/garcetti-endorses-torlakson-state-superintendent-race/ Garcetti endorses Torlakson in state superintendent race Mayor Garcetti Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti today endorsed state Superintendent Tom Torlakson in his bid for reelection against Marshall Tuck, a former charter school executive. Citing his leadership in improving school safety and creating the largest ne

SEP 10

Hearing opens on Crenshaw teachers' claims of anti-union bias - LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-utla-crenshaw-20140911-story.html?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Feducation+(L.A.+Times+-+Education) Hearing opens on Crenshaw teachers' claims of anti-union bias Twelve former Crenshaw High teachers alleged during opening arguments in a labor hearing Wednesday that the Los Angele
Hearing opens on Crenshaw teachers' claims of anti-union bias - LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-utla-crenshaw-20140911-story.html?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Feducation+(L.A.+Times+-+Education) Hearing opens on Crenshaw teachers' claims of anti-union bias Twelve former Crenshaw High teachers alleged during opening arguments in a labor hearing Wednesday that the Los Angele
DEASY WANTS YOU TO KNOW Teachers are Family , too ( Red Headed Step Children?)
Dear LAUSD family, The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) cares about you - your health, success and wellbeing - now and for your future. Without the dedication of each-and-every one of us, the District could not execute our mission of all youth achieving. We are grateful to all of our employees for their service.   Teachers represent the majority of our employees. They lead classes ever
Forget the L.A. schools' iPads. What we need to know about are the grenade launchers - LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-lausd-grenade-assault-rifles-20140910-story.html Forget the L.A. schools' iPads. What we need to know about are the grenade launchers Opinion  You could, sort of, maybe, see how a large school district might be able to use a military mine-resistant vehicle. Say there were a really dangerous situation going on once a century or so; the veh
Don’t blame trial lawyers for LAUSD’s lawsuit problems: Guest commentary
http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20140909/dont-blame-trial-lawyers-for-lausds-lawsuit-problems-guest-commentary Don't blame trial lawyers for LAUSD's lawsuit problems: Guest commentary By Thomas M. MooreIn her opinion piece, "Largest school district, highest litigation costs" (Sept. 3), Gabriella Holt asserts "frivolous" lawsuits brought against LAUSD by "u
Los Angeles Unified School District
http://home.lausd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=178743&type=d&pREC_ID=367410 Los Angeles Unified School District Dr. John E. Deasy's Bio Dr. John E. Deasy is the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second largest school district. In this role, Dr. Deasy leads the thousands of teachers, administrators and staff in serving the diverse population of mo
LA school board agrees to destroy internal emails after a year | 89.3 KPCC
http://www.scpr.org/blogs/education/2014/09/09/17277/la-school-board-agrees-to-destroy-internal-emails/ LA school board agrees to destroy internal emails after a year FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images The Los Angeles Unified school board voted Tuesday to buy a Microsoft email archiving service programmed to automatically destroy staff emails after one year. The decision comes less than t
LA school board agrees to destroy internal emails after a year | 89.3 KPCC
http://www.scpr.org/blogs/education/2014/09/09/17277/la-school-board-agrees-to-destroy-internal-emails/ LA school board agrees to destroy internal emails after a year FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images The Los Angeles Unified school board voted Tuesday to buy a Microsoft email archiving service programmed to automatically destroy staff emails after one year. The decision comes less than t
The Government-Industry Conspiracy that Promotes Crap Food in School | Alternet
http://www.alternet.org/food/dirty-secret-behind-dairy-junk-foods The Government-Industry Conspiracy that Promotes Crap Food in School People often ask me, "How does lobbying work?" Last week it was with fat and sugar, when the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) hosted its 32nd annual Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party. Some 6,000 bowls of ice cream were served up to Sen. Tom Harkin
This Is What America's School Lunches Really Look Like : The Salt : NPR
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/11/20/246400702/this-is-what-america-s-school-lunches-really-look-like This Is What America's School Lunches Really Look Like i Courtesy of DoSomething.org School lunch has never been the stuff of foodie dreams. I'm still haunted by the memory of my elementary school cafeteria's "brain pizza" – a lumpy oval thing topped with fleshy white
If only American kids could eat school lunches like they do in France - Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/2014/09/09/if_only_american_kids_could_eat_school_lunches_like_they_do_in_france_partner/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow If only American kids could eat school lunches like they do in France - Salon.com This article originally appeared on AlterNet. The standard school lunch for an American child often contains dishes brimming with preservatives and sodium. Wh
Caputo Pearl Makes A Scene Before the BoE about Raises &MiSIS but the Real News is Members Voted to Spend $1/4 Million to Wipe Out their Emails from the Last Year. (we need to file an Injunction to stop that )
President of UTLA, Alex Caputo-Pearl * UPDATED With a new contract on the line, the LA Unified teachers union, UTLA, is stepping up its attack on Superintendent John Deasy, blaming him for problems large and small and the opening line the district has taken for a new contract with teachers. Union president Alex Caputo-Pearl ratcheted up the tension at the district board meeting this morning, wi
Why LETTING ANY LAUSD OIG RETURN TO THE IPAD BIDDING ETHICS IS A COP OUT
100% with you on this Lenny.  When Cynthia and some of us met casually and discussed this some weeks ago, I insisted on an external independent audit. Never would I go along with yet another internal audit by the IG.  This is neither logical, nor an informed public policy suggestion. All of this investigation must now be done for the public good, and done outside of the auspices of the possibl
Rubber Room Reality and the Uncertain Future of Veteran Teachers and Public Schools
ED Notes one hopes this year will be kess brutal than the last few. The description is actually tame compared  to  Some of what has gone on. There are reasons to believe it will be less aggressive now but it is not necessarily better and far from safe because there are desperate creatures in the driver seat and  they can be very dangerous.Also the union will not lose much with interns paying dues
You know How LAUSD and Deasy are Bragging About Lower Suspension Stats....? Well NYC sheds some clues with the help of Mercedes Schnieder. Plus Mayoral Control vs Municipal Oversight R Diedrich
Data driven districts like LAUSD are constantly throwing Scores, stats and projections at the public to justify how it does things , but  their incompetence and corruption is hardly mitigated by the slight gains here or the unlikely boast about numbers there . They go anyway that suits their purposes. Illegally assigning rating to teachers based in test scores with no integrity is a case in point

SEP 09

LAUSD School Board Member Monica Ratliff Needs You To Back Her!! You Absolutely Must sign this
Public education and good governance supporters, Thank you all for your support of Bond Oversight Committee member and citizen watchdog Stuart Magruder. We made it to 250 signers on our petition calling for an audit/independent investigation of the iPad deal! Thank you. Here's what you need to know: recently Superintendent Deasy released a 6-page memo doubling down on his actions. Words in his own
County approves LA Unified’s accountability plan | EdSource
http://edsource.org/2014/county-approves-la-unifieds-accountability-plan/67218#.VA-Zamt5mK0 County approves LA Unified's accountability planSeptember 9, 2014 | By Louis Freedberg | No Comments City Year/FlickrLAUSD Superintendent Dr. John Deasy addresses the City Year Americorps.After seeking clarification from the Los Angeles Unified School District about how it calculated the funds it said it
Ratliff Meets Ratliff in a Rare Look at Educratic Fashion Statements and the Political Trends Predicted for Next Season
I hope Monica Ratliff is tenacious about the  release of the report on iPad Ethics l she could shed a light in many things if she is thorough and earnest. If  she can usher in true change I will be her biggest advocate . But I have no faith in her now . She has shown herself to be much to prudent and professional to be trusted. But what do I know? For a crackpot , I do pretty well but I am being m
Question for LAUSD BOE and Staff: DID YOU EVER Meet Your Apple LA Team?
http://lausd.apple.com/groups/lausd/wiki/2a452/They were installed before the deal was officials, and yet, the training was done by district suits who told teachers to " park " their questions in a metaphorical " parking lot." They simply did nit have the answers to the most basic questions. Notably the training was a waste of teachers' time and taxpayers' money. I am not sure
A Year Ago The Governor Passed A Bill In Deasy'S Honor But Even Lat Tried To Bury It
> > http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-brown-bills-20130907,0,2732750.story > > So when is the state going to at ? They know what Deasy is and the damage he is causing. So where is the oversight and accountability!? > >
Fair Test Confirms 37 states involved in Cheating on Standardized Tests
www.hemlockontherocks.com

SEP 08

Tomorrow Lausd Boe Needs To Step Up On Confront The Tech Project
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-lausd-ipad-20140903-story.html Debugging LAUSD's iPad deal Editorial There is no room for secrecy when it comes to the billion-dollar technology project undertaken by the Los Angeles Unified School District and its superintendent, John Deasy. Not after the release of emails that reveal early and extensive communication among Deasy, his to
Are Deasy's critics playing politics with iPads? - LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-deasy-ipad-20140908-story.html# 0Are Deasy's critics playing politics with iPads Opinion No one could blame John Deasy, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, for feeling under attack these days. The iPad program he trumpeted so enthusiastically, aiming to provide an iPad with related, interactive curriculum for every
Not everyone is rejoicing over halt to LAUSD's iPad program
http://laschoolreport.com/not-everyone-is-rejoicing-over-halt-to-lausds-ipad-program/ Not everyone is rejoicing over halt to LAUSD's iPad program Click to enlarge image Principal Steven Martinez of John Burroughs Middle School in Hancock Park figured the worst that could happen is that his school's new iPads wouldn't connect to the Apple TVs that staff bought to enhance lesson plans. He figured w
rene diedrich's invitation is awaiting your response
                rene diedrich would like to connect on LinkedIn. How would you like to respond?       rene diedrich   writer/poet at Freelance     Confirm you know rene    

SEP 07

Education Week: A Sandy Hook Parent's Letter to Teachers
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/09/06/03marquezgreen.h33.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2Published in Print: September 18, 2013, as A Sandy Hook Parent's Letter to TeachersCOMMENTARYA Sandy Hook Parent's Letter to TeachersBy Nelba Marquez-GreenePrinter-FriendlyEmail ArticleReprintsCommentsAs another school year begins and old routines settle back into place, I wanted to share my story in honor of the
5 Characteristics Of Grit -- How Many Do You Have? - Forbes
"grit"—a measure of conscientiousness and perseverancehttp://www.forbes.com/sites/margaretperlis/2013/10/29/5-characteristics-of-grit-what-it-is-why-you-need-it-and-do-you-have-it/ 5 Characteristics Of Grit -- How Many Do You Have?  Recently some close friends visited, both of whom have worked in education with adolescents for over 40 years. We were talking about students in general and
Lausd Board Member Steve Zimmer'S Excuses Are Inexcusable
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-deasy-20140904-story.html#page=1Zimmer on iPad Flap:The notion of the constantly ticking inequity clock" fueled the fervor of iPads for all, school board member Steve Zimmer said. "It's my job to balance that urgency with scrutiny. And never have I failed more at that balance."He must have really worked on that blurb, it is well cra
LA Times Receives Letters from the public that reflect acute awareness of LAUSD dysfunction and corruption
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0907-sunday-lausd-ipads-20140907-story.html LAUSD iPad fiasco a distraction from real issues To the editor: It is astonishing that it has taken this long for the "fervor and fury" over the Los Angeles Unified School District's iPad debacle to emerge. ("Supt. Deasy's early and avid support of iPads under intense scrutiny," Sept
Supt. Deasy's early and avid support of iPads under intense scrutiny - LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-deasy-20140904-story.html#page=2 Supt. Deasy's early and avid support of iPads under intense scrutiny The pitch came from a smiling man in a jacket and tie, sitting at his desk and rhapsodizing about the wonders one product could bring to the sprawling Los Angeles Unified School District. The new item would lead to "huge leaps in what's poss
Zimmer's inexcusable excuses
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-deasy-20140904-story.html#page=1Zimmer on iPad Flap:The notion of the constantly ticking inequity clock" fueled the fervor of iPads for all, school board member Steve Zimmer said. "It's my job to balance that urgency with scrutiny. And never have I failed more at that balance."He must have really worked on that blurb, it is well cra
Inside the Mammoth Backlash to Common Core | Mother Jones
  Inside the Mammoth Backlash to Common Core How a bipartisan education reform effort became the biggest conservative bogeyman since Obamacare. —Tim Murphy | September/October 2014 Issue Illustration: Chris Buzelli ONE NIGHT LAST SEPTEMBER, a 46-year-old Veterans Administration research manager named Robert Small showed up at a public meeting with state education officials in Ellicott

SEP 06

Fwd: Twelve Theses on Education's Future in the Age of Neoliberalism and Terrorism
Twelve Theses on Education's Future in the Age of Neoliberalism and Terrorism Thursday, 04 September 2014 10:03 By Jeffrey R. Di Leo, Henry A. Giroux, Kenneth J. Saltman, and Sophia A. McClennen, Paradigm Publishers | Book Excerpt 101 font size   Print Email (Image: Paradigm Publishers)This excerpt from the chapter titled, "Twelve Theses on Education's
LAUSD administration swells 20 percent from 2001 to 2007 - Topix
http://m.topix.com/forum/city/walnut-park-ca/TPJ6DS4FTAKHO93KS/p5
Dr. John Deasy, LAUSD Superintendent | BLAH BLAH BLAH
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/john-deasy-2/ Dr. John Deasy, LAUSD SuperintendentGuest interviews are usually available online within 24 hours of broadcast.Deasy shares his mission for educating students in one of the largest and most diverse public school districts in the U.S. As superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Dr. John C. Deasy helms the second largest
11 years in ‘labor’: Maternity-leave probe for union prez sis | New York Post
11 years in 'labor': Maternity-leave probe for union prez sis By Susan Edelman April 28, 2013 | 4:00am Modal Trigger Kathleen Mulgrew-Daretany (left), sister of union chief Michael Mulgrew (right). Photo: () The sister of teachers-union president Michael Mulgrew is under investigation for failing to disclose she managed a company that raked in $39.6 million in public-school con
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: ALL THE SUPERINTENDENT’S MEN by Martin Eden
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: ALL THE SUPERINTENDENT’S MEN by Martin Eden: Found scattered at the LA School report | http://bit.ly/YdmgdD smf: “Martin Eden” is the name of a commenter on the LA School Report w...
11 years in ‘labor’: Maternity-leave probe for union prez sis | New York Post
11 years in 'labor': Maternity-leave probe for union prez sis By Susan Edelman April 28, 2013 | 4:00am Modal Trigger Kathleen Mulgrew-Daretany (left), sister of union chief Michael Mulgrew (right). Photo: () The sister of teachers-union president Michael Mulgrew is under investigation for failing to disclose she managed a company that raked in $39.6 million in public-school con
PRO Active in Eagle Rock, Parents Organize to Demand Change : Use this as Your Model
http://www.lausdcommunity.com/involved.html Get Involved The Army can't grow without you Making change to LAUSD will only come from the pressure we as parents, teachers, administrators, union officials and politicians place on those doing a disservice to us all. In the field of education. You can apply this pressure by calling or emailing form our list below or your own those that don't support