I probably would have ignored a recent smug opinion piece by Beth Kassab in the Orlando Sentinel, who scoffs at parents who choose opting their children out of the tests. But another snotty write-up in a similar vein by Mike Thomas, from Jeb Bush’s Foundation of Excellence, followed quickly on its heels. I’ll start with […]
“Peeping Pearson” and Depersonalizing A Student’s Understanding of Right from Wrong
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell. ― Confucius Hidden within this past weekend’s Peeping Pearson spying incident is a problem that is pervasive and increasing across the country—student cheating. Bob Braun, former education reporter and news editor for The Star-Ledger, blogged about a student being monitored on […]
Making Schools the “Best in the World”
Words of wisdom from across the pond. By Leah K. Stewart You know those fist-pumping speeches that invariably include the line, make this nation’s schooling the best in the world! Almost without exception we hear this wherever national schooling exists: US, UK, Canada, Australia… Am I the only one who shudders at this wholly accepted […]
Special Education Vouchers Likened to “Puppy Mills”
Mississippi Rep. Cecil Brown (D-Jackson) said, in reference to vouchers for students with disabilities, “You are getting ready to open the equivalent of puppy mills for children.” Brown expressed concern that parents would be scammed and would lose out on services for their children. Mississippi politicians are trying to pass a voucher bill for students […]
Tennessee is Dating School Vouchers but Will They Get Hitched?
In Tennessee, like a lot of other states in the country, K-12 vouchers are back on the table. Vouchers are the one area in education where Republicans and Democrats differ. Although there are some Dems out there who probably embrace vouchers too. They certainly never see a charter school they don’t like. Click HERE to […]
Common Core Kindergarten Reading—A Disservice to Children!
An article in U.S. News and World Report written by Robert Pondiscio, a journalist turned fifth grade teacher for a while (how he became a teacher is unclear), is entitled, “No Time to Lose” and “Early Reading Isn’t a Threat to Kindergarten, Nor is Common Core.” Pondiscio is now a senior advisor to a charter […]
Labels in Special Education and The Futures of Children
To the children of our nation whose hope lies in our caring and whose futures are our trust. — Nicholas Hobbs. Labels in special education have always been controversial. No one likes to pin a label on a child. But in order for children to get necessary services, an IEP, or a 504 plan, parents […]
Star-Bellied Sneetches and PARCC Testing
When the Star-Belly children went out to play ball, Could a Plain Belly get in the game… ? Not at all. You only could play if your bellies had stars. And the Plain Belly children had none upon thars. Dr. Seuss from The Sneetches How ironic that today, when children should have been celebrating Dr. […]
The Seriousness of Aligning the SAT to Common Core
There are two very serious issues surrounding the Common Core and the SAT. The SAT is the test students must conquer to get into many colleges. There is a reason David “nobody gives an expletive what you think or feel” Coleman, a central figure involved in the development of the Common Core, is now President […]
The Student Success Act—The End of Public Schools?
Last week on FOX News, Host Lisa “Kennedy” Montgomery said, “there really shouldn’t be public schools anymore.” Before Democrats could shake their heads and say, “Those silly Republicans,” Steve Benen on The Rachel Maddow Show Blog, referencing Lisa’s statement, said, “what was once an unheard of idea is slowly becoming a little more common. For […]