With more than $75 million coming in from government at last count and another $220 million from the philanthropic community, we should be seeing more evidence of long-term student gains and far more alumni continuing their impassioned work in the classroom. Patricia Schaefer, NPQ, September 11, 2015 Do Americans understand that by contributing to a […]
The Devil is in the Details, Utah
Some Utah parents are worried about afterschool Satan Clubs. I don’t blame them. However, and I’m no religious expert by any means, if there is a devil, I think it is always sneaking into town when and where you least expect. Utah, in my opinion, has some devil-like programs designed to eliminate public-schools. First, there’s […]
Prepping for Prepping–Prepping for Kindergarten
For $1,000, Santa Monica is prepping its children for kindergarten, because some of the parents there think that nothing says prepared better than preparing for the class that is supposed to prepare you for school. Unfortunately, for children of wealthy families, parents think they have to prep their kids to get into the $25,000 prep […]
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 Role of Public Schools in the NFL Scandal
The NFL is in a tight spot right now. They don’t want to lose their talent and the dollars that might come with a championship. But they are in danger of losing their image. Domestic and child abuse are ugly topics, when they surface. They provoke intense emotions. It’s been difficult to watch the different […]
The Choices Parents Really Want for Their Students with Special Needs
Today I want to talk about the choices, I believe, parents want for their students with exceptionalities or students in general. “Choice,” today, in the eyes of the ed. reformers means having a lot of charter schools, and I am particularly speaking about those designed to make a profit. The owners want to stand on […]
Vergara Wasn’t About Tenure! It was About Making Fast Food Workers and Common Core Cheeseburgers
Vergara Wasn’t About Tenure! Among all the hoopla surrounding Vergara v. California and the loss of so-called teacher tenure, I noticed some strong voices yesterday that rose above the fray. They argued, essentially, that Vergara wasn’t about tenure. California teachers never had tenure to begin with. It was only about due process. This claim is […]
The Educator Called Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou, the educator’s voice rang out loud and it rang out clear. Though not a credentialed teacher, she educated all of us about life’s challenges and the ability to overcome life’s difficulties. She was an inspiration to all of us. She left us with so much that can be used to teach young people […]
Arne Duncan—This is What’s “Pretty Scary” to Parents, Teachers and Students
Posted on November 18, 2013 and updated for April 2, 2014 by Nancy Bailey Last November I wrote about why parents worried about Arne Duncan, who stands in support of Common Core State Standards. It was after he said, in reference to the standards, “It’s fascinating to me that some of the pushback is coming […]
Why the Education Reformers Worry about Special Education
Posted on November 12, 2013 with updated changes by Nancy Bailey I heard someone, a parent or teacher, blurt out at an informal education meeting that education reformers are afraid of special education. I think that person is right. Many of those currently in charge of condemning public schools don’t understand anything about students with […]