Free the Columbia 100. Keep cops off campus.
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The movement protesting U.S. support for Israel’s Gaza War shows no sign of
going away. In fact, it grows larger every day.Fred Klonsky in Retirement
is a ...
The strategy behind never-ending war
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US could have backed peace talks in Ukraine. Yesterday it was the only NO
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PA: Far Right Law Group Comes To Meadville
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Crawford Central School District has joined the ranks of school districts
in Pennsylvania considering anti-LGBTQ policies.
And while their name didn't come...
How to Raise Ethical, Caring Children
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Most of us want to raise children who are ethical and caring. Indeed, when
surveyed 96 percent of us say that this is a "very important, if not
essentia...
Memorial Stadium Open House - Done on the Downlow?
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I am going to sit in on the brief Board "special meeting" today on the
process of curriculum adoption in Washington State. I did ask about any
attached ...
The Super 20
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What follows are thumbnail sketches of the 20 applicants who want to be the
next Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools. Before beginning, I
want to...
Bibliography for History Posts on This Blog
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I remember when school reformers insisted the biggest problem
in education was that teachers didn't come from the best colleges.
Bibliography
VER...
The Unintended Multiverse of Black Widow’s Origin
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[Header Panel from Tales of Suspense (v1) 57; Don Heck, artist] After
writing a blog series on Black Widow, I searched for an opportunity to turn
that work...
Gotcha!
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“We’re from where we’re from,” she says back. “Scars are part of the deal,
aren’t they?” ― Stephen Graham Jones, The Only Good Indians It’s amazing,
how ...
Jobs’ Reading Scam
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By Thomas Ultican 4/10/2024 Laurene Powell Jobs controls Amplify, a
kids-at-screens education enterprise. In 2011, she became one of the
wealthiest women i...
TN Taliban Votes to Arm Teachers
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As parents, students, and teachers lined the gallery with signs calling for
gun regulations in a state where are none, a bill sailed through the State
Se...
Where I Agree with Katherine Westerhold
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In February 2023, former Louisiana state superintendent John White’s wife,
Katherine Westerhold, was in the news because their home security system
capture...
Guess Who’s NOT Coming to School!
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American students are skipping school in record numbers, a crisis that is
so acute that it became the lead story in The New York Times recently, as
well as...
THE EVOLUTION OF OUR SPECIES
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As I considered writing this blog, I did not want to write a piece that
painted a dystopian future for humanity. I felt that the blog should, first
and for...
Why Do My Groceries Cost So Much?
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Giant corporations and billionaires want to keep their taxes low and the
prices we pay high. That’s why they want Trump back in office. In 2004, I
was a si...
Critical Race Theory Is About You, and All of Us
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Recently, Christina Cross, a Black woman sociologist at Harvard, found her
work at the crosshairs of the same person who brought us the bastardization
of...
Grow Your Own Teachers? A BustED: Pencils Podcast
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Julian Vasquez Heilig and Laura Dinehart join Dr. Tim to discuss how
Western Michigan University is ‘Growing Their Own’ teachers, without test
tubes or sci...
UFT Welfare Fund nest egg – bigger than most nests
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A nest egg. A rainy day fund. A reserve. Back up. We all have some, or
would like some. In case things go sideways, a way to pay some bills in the
meantime...
March (2024) Useful Parent Engagement Resources
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“Gentle parenting” seems to be based on sound child psychology principles,
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behavi...
Let’s recall just how bad a president Trump was!
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For the record, concerning Covid:, this is from Quora: ———- President Trump
tweeted that 17,000 people died from Swine Flu under Obama. How does this
compa...
March 5, 2024: The time for delay has passed
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It is time to open the ballot sitting on my kitchen counter. Only, the more
I learn of politics, the…
The post March 5, 2024: The time for delay has pass...
A Change of Plans
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Last September, in a piece titled Where We Expect To Retire, I informed
folks that we were planning to move to Kendal Crosslands Communities, the
Crossla...
Wisdom from the Sage of Mount Vernon
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Words of wisdom appropriate to our time. …from George Washington, America’s
first President, on President’s Day. (Edited and updated from a previous
post) ...
We are making a CPESS documentary!
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In 2020, I was approached by Deborah Meier and Jane Andrais and I decided
we should document the story of Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS).
This ...
2023 In Review And What’s To Come In 2024
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2023 is almost complete and it was a busy, challenging, rewarding, and fun
year. The news of the world was sometimes too much to watch. Countries were
dest...
Volunteer in 2024
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Be the change, volunteer and make the difference! Let’s face it, the world
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Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in
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over o...
Lying Liars of the NYC DOE
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The APPR travails continue.
When last I blogged I shared how my principal, XXXXXXXX XXXXX of PS XXX did
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
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wer...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
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In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
Skin Deep
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She spends so much time on her outward appearance. There is never a hair
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
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teachers cer...
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*Defeating the Purpose of Education*
*Most people would agree that the primary purpose of education is to
prepare children for a good and productive life. ...
THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. NOT!
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There is a teacher shortage.And just to be sure you understand, it's not
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teachers certi...
Abortion: Only For Those Who Need It!
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NOTE: This post contains my opinions on Catholicism based on my experiences
as a child in the 1960's and 70's. Take what you like and leave the rest. I
m...
Hello world!
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Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then
start writing!
The post Hello world! first appeared on Just another WordPress site.
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
On the Edge of Silence
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“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.
Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the
fundamen...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
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archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
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I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
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GA run-offs need your help!
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Extremely important. Volunteer if you can. Thank you if you are already
doing so. Out of state opportunities here: Ralph …
Continue reading →
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
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We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen GarcÃa
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A Citizens’ Rebellion 2020
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The United States began to form after the rebellion against the King of
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A Fundamental Redesign of Our Schools
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I climbed the hill leading up to one of my favorite coffee shops in Seattle
this morning to enjoy a coffee while taking in a phenomenal view of the
city o...
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
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Well, a whole lot has changed since I returned to blogging a month and half
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*Sent to US News. They just informed me that they no longer publish
letters to the editor. *
*Re: “National reading emergency” November 12*
*[https://www...
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Here you go: A ‘Disturbing’ Assessment: Sagging Reading Scores,
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A new Commissioner will have as much impact on our state ed system as a new
meteorologist will have on …
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
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Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
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Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
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Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
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Today I sent in a second letter to refuse PARCC/CMAS for my son, Luke. The
first email I sent at the beginning of the year was not sufficient as they
requi...
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Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
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Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/1/2017 Education Bloggers Daily
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I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
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WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship
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Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson
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MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
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Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
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I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
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Originally posted on Creative by Nature:
“Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational
research and assessment tools. When gove...
Sunday Morning Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Laura H. Chapman Has a Dialogue with Senator Rob Portman of Ohio (Fake Dialogue ALERT)
Everyone who wrote to their Republican Senator urging them not to vote for Betsy DeVos got a form letter explaining why she was an excellent choice, blah blah blah. None of them referred to the fact that hers was the most contested Cabinet nomination in history, requiring the Vice-President to cast a tie-breaking vote.
Laura Chapman, our perspicacious reader and commenter, decided to annotate the canned response she got from her Senator.
She writes:
Like thousand of others, I called and wrote to my senators in an effort to stop the nomination of Betsy Devos. Here is the last reply I received from Ohio’s Senator Rob Portman. He has dual loyalties. One is to Donald Trump. The other is to Ohio’s Governor, John Kasich who has little use for public education unless it boosts the economy of Ohio.
My reply to Senator Portman follows each of his “reasons” for supporting DeVos and his reasoning about public education in Ohio.
Rob Portman says:
Dear Laura,
Thank you for contacting me to express your views on Betsy DeVos, the Secretary of the United States Department of Education. I appreciate you taking the time to contact me. I supported Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education because during the confirmation process she committed to strongly support public education and because of her support for local control, instead of having the federal government dictate education policy at the state and local level.
Sir: Betsy DeVos did not voluntarily indicate that she has a commitment to public education. Anything resembling an expression of “commitment” had to be extracted from her and it was “voiced” only after she tried to save face. She needed to save face, having made ridiculous statements about guns for schools threatened by grizzly bears and by saying IDEA could be left up to the states. There is nothing in her resume that reflects a commitment to public education. She is the champion of for-profit education and tax-subsidized religious schools.
Portman says: I look forward to working with her to improve our K-12 public education system, make college more affordable, stand up for children with disabilities, and close the skills gap by promoting Career and Technical Education (CTE) to give young people more opportunities to succeed.
Sir: There is no evidence that she has any knowledge of what “improvement” looks like. She could not offer a coherent response to the difference between proficiency and “growth.” There is no evidence that she will stand up for children with disabilities. The school policies and practices she has promoted in Michigan allow schools to refuse enrollments of students with special needs. DeVos’s policy agenda for “Choice” means schools get to choose their students.
College affordability is an issue but there is not a clue in her testimony about how she might address that.
You imply that “promoting CTE” should be on the federal agenda and that CTE gives “young people more opportunities to succeed.” Can you cite any DeVos testimony that indicates she is knowledgeable about CTE “career pathways,” or specific skills gaps? Did she give testimony that offers a reason to believe she understands information on labor markets from the Bureau of Labor Statistics?
Portman says: “In addition, I do give some deference to the President choosing his cabinet, as I did when supporting President Obama’s nominees.”
Sir: In my judgment, deference should never override informed judgment about the qualifications of the nominee. DeVos is not just unqualified, she is hostile to public education.
Portman says: In the 21st century economy, a high quality education is critical to the social and economic well-being of our nation. I believe that the most important role in educating tomorrow’s workforce is played by parents, teachers, mentors, and community leaders at the state and local level. At a time when young people are leaving our state, we must work collaboratively in our communities to give students the tools necessary to compete in high demand fields in Ohio.
Sir: I respectfully disagree with your view of the purposes of public education. You have also conflated voting for DeVos and your apparent loyalty to John Kasich’s “Ohio First” educational policies (except his policies on school financing).
You restate Kasich’s parochial view that the major purpose of public education in Ohio is job preparation for “high demand fields in Ohio.” Of course, many students who are educated in Ohio will not spend the rest of their lives in Ohio. Do you regard these “leavers” as free-loaders? Will you blame educators if graduates of Ohio schools leave Ohio?
Should public education be tethered to workforce preparation for Ohio? I do not think so, especially since the economy is increasingly globalized and corporations show no loyalty to Ohio without some tax breaks. Those tax breaks do not help the budgets of public schools.
Among the many people whom you cite as having an important role in educating “tomorrow’s workforce” you omit yourself and other elected officials. You give lip-service to Ohio’s “social well being” as a purpose of education, but clearly want public education in Ohio to be tethered to workforce preparation for Ohio.
You say not a word about the most important mission of public education in the United States: preparing each generation to participate in a democratic society, especially being an informed voter.
Thank you for the form letter explaining your reason for supporting Devos as Secretary of Education and your views about the purposes of education.
I will be working to defeat you in the next election cycle.
Sincerely,
Laura H. Chapman
Laura H. Chapman Has a Dialogue with Senator Rob Portman of Ohio (Fake Dialogue ALERT) | Diane Ravitch's blog - http://wp.me/p2odLa-gsR
Monday I spoke in Commerce, Texas. Thursday I spoke to CalState leaders at San Diego State. Mary joined me after being delayed 24 hours by the snowstorm in New York. Today was a day to relax. With San Diego Superintendent Cindy Marten as our guide, we toured San Diego. She drove us to the Torrey Pines area, where there are stunning cliffs. We got out of the car to watch the paragliders. I had to
The Washington Post editorial board explained why Trump’s travel ban lost in court. If he takes it to the Supreme Court, he will lose there too because his Justice Department argued that his executive order is “unreviewable.” The courts don’t agree. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-9th-circuit-makes-the-right-call-on-trumps-travel-ban/2017/02/10/22ca40e4-efbb-11e6-9662-6eedf1627882_sto
Steve Nelson posted an obituary for the great, idealistic and progressive nation we strived to be, with periods of struggle and backsliding. Remember, America the Beautiful, “with liberty and justice for all?” He rules the death a homicide. He includes a list of seven organizations to which contributions may be sent in lieu of flowers. I add: the Network for Public Education.
Report from the Washington Post: Republican elected officials need security at town hall meetings in their district as voters express outrage over ACA and DeVos https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/swarming-crowds-and-hostile-questions-are-the-new-normal-at-gop-town-halls/2017/02/10/376ddf7c-efcc-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?utm_term=.9faa32d0544b&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1 Vote them out!
This is an astonishing story that flew under the radar. Trump keeps us enraged and entertained with his tweets and offhand comments, and while we are distracted by stories about Ivanka and Melania, Congress abolished a regulation that prevents coal mining companies from dumping waste into streams. Don’t people in coal country want to fish and swim in the streams? Do they want polluted waters?
Masha Gessen is a Russian-American dissident who writes for the New York Times and the New York Review of Books. She wrote this article right after the election, on November 10. This consists of her six rules for surviving an autocracy. Here are a few excerpts: “Rule #1: Believe the autocrat. He means what he says. Whenever you find yourself thinking, or hear others claiming, that he is exaggerat
The editors of the Catholic magazine Commonweal remind us that this new era is not normal . We must not forget that. Every day brings new outrages or misdeeds. Any of the stories flitting across our screens might have been enough to dominate the news for days or weeks during previous presidencies: continuing investigations into Russian interference in the election, shameless lies by the White Hou
Jeff Bryant pulls together persuasive evidence that Betsy DeVos energized a movement that was previously scattered and disconnected. People who had no idea that the privatization of public schools is a genuine threat became informed. Groups began forming at the grassroots level to defend their community’s public schools. Supposedly “progressive” Democrats supported privatization by charters becau
In a closed door meeting with 10 Republican senators on Thursday, Trump derided Senator Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahontas,” a term he used often during the campaign. He also claimed that he lost New Hampshire because thousands of Massachusetts residents were bused to New Hampshire to vote illegally. According to Politico , there was an embarrassed silence as Trump went into his rant about voter fra
A Mexican woman with two American-born children, who had lived in this country for two decades, was deported immediately when she checked in with immigration offices for her annual visit. This is the result of Trump’s executive order to deport undocumented immigrants who have committed a crime. The crime in this case was that she once used a fake social security card. We can all rest easier tonig
Protestors blocked Betsy DeVos from entering a public middle school in DC. Protesters block Betsy DeVos from entering public school in Washington http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/10/politics/devos-protest-at-washington-school/index.html I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I was thinking of planning a “Betsy, bar the door” campaign, because of her well-documented contempt for public schools.
On Monday, I was in Commerce, Texas, to speak at Texas A&M’s campus there. I met some wonderful Texans and was treated royally by President Ray Keck and Vice President Noah Nelson. I had a Q&A with the education faculty, then had an interview with the local NPR station, then lectured to the campus community. The big issue in Texas right now is that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is pushing for vouchers. I
This is a very informative article about the 29-page opinion handed down yesterday by a unanimous three-judge panel. This decision was meant to let Trump know that we have a government in which the President does not have unlimited power. No imperial presidency. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/02/09/the-9th-circuit-deals-a-blow-to-the-imperial-and-incompetent-president/ Th
Barbara Miner is a veteran journalist based in Milwaukee, where she writes often about the stat’s disastrous voucher plan. In 2013, she published a book called “Lessons from the Heartland: A Turbulent Half-Century of Public Education in an Iconic American City.” In this article in the Los Angeles Times, Miner warns that the public must keep watch on DeVos because her goal is to legitimize voucher
Just got this. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/rosie-o-donnell-morphs-steve-bannon-new-profile-picture-article-1.2969051 Now don’t suggest she can walk into the White House and sit in on the next meeting of the National Security Coucil.
Trump has made a series of statements about crime and violence in America that are demonstrably false, starting with his reference to “American carnage” in his inaugural speech. Stirring up fear about crime is a tactic to pour resources into policing and into “get tough” policies that make Americans fearful and afraid to venture out at night, if they believe our national fabulist. Just for the re
Peter Greene writes about the filing of another lawsuit in California whose purpose is to defund teachers’ unions. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-new-friedrichs-anti-union-