Sidestepping Covid-19 to focus on school choice is like DeVos skipping over gun safety concerns about schools to focus on the threat of grizzly bears. I’m of course referring to comments made during her confirmation hearing. Once again, she fails to focus on the real risk. Covid-19 is not going to discriminate between schools. It […]
Kindergarten Reading Push: Still Problematic During the Pandemic
Parents and educators, convinced that kindergartners must learn to read, might purchase unproven commercial online reading programs during the pandemic. The best solution for kindergartners currently is for school librarians and teachers to get interesting picture books and reading material into the hands of young children. Standardized testing made pushing children to read in kindergarten […]
The Gamble: Reflections Concerning School Openings During Covid-19
Covid-19 is a trial when it comes to public schooling. Everyone wants their public schools to open safely, for students to socialize, learn about wonderful subjects, play sports, and work with teachers who care for them. It’s been vividly displayed during this pandemic; how much parents rely on public education. Schools are where children are […]
Poor Air Quality in Schools: During Covid-19 and Before!
For years this country has ignored school infrastructure due to attempts to privatize public education. This includes indoor air quality (IAQ). It has been a part of the overall disinvestment in America’s public schools. We’re told by the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and others, that schools should ensure clean air during Covid-19. […]
Seeking SOLUTIONS to Help With Schooling During Covid-19: Here’s 18!
How can we help students learn at home during this school crisis? Many parents and teachers are still uncomfortable with plans to reopen schools. Some school districts are postponing school re-openings. Remote learning and Internet connection should be available to all children, but how can we help students learn without relying on screens? Everyone’s struggling to find […]
Betsy DeVos’s Education Freedom Plan for Covid-19: My Way or the Highway!
Take the highway! For four years, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has worked to destroy democratic public schools and the teaching profession while touting her Education Freedom plan, vouchers. But Americans should be asking what she really means by educational freedom after this past week. The freedom to determine what safe schooling means in your community […]
24 WRONG Reasons to Reopen Schools
The reasons for returning to school might sound good, but those reasons always bump up against the enemy, the coronavirus. Here are concerns that deserve attention, but they are the wrong reasons for schools to reopen. 1. President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos say SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL! Neither the President or […]
Happy 4th! Celebrating America’s Teachers, NOT Chromebooks!
Americans miss their public schools, their universities, and their teachers. On this 4th of July we owe much to the frontline hospital healthcare workers who save lives. Also give thanks for America’s teachers. They stand by their students and are trying to navigate uncertainty concerning Covid-19. Back in March, many believed the virus would be a […]
32 Reasons Why Schools Should NOT Reopen in the Fall
Well-meaning parents and school boards have been working remotely to determine how to safely reopen schools, but these plans are filled with uncertainty. Many of the changes make schools unrecognizable. The Coronavirus has involved conflicting information. Now we’re seeing an uptick in cases. It’s not what anyone wants, but fall doesn’t seem like a good […]
The Standardized Testing Horror Show is Not Over!
Several well-received reports and blog posts provide hope that high-stakes standardized testing is reaching the end of its days. Good riddance! But before parents, educators, and students relax, it’s important to realize this horror show is not over. Think of the movie Carrie. The audience shivers through the scary scenes. It wraps up. Then, Stephen […]