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What Advice Did Our Founders and First Presidents Offer On Preserving Our Democracy?

What Advice Did Our Founders and First Presidents Offer On Preserving Our Democracy? by Bill Honig

In today’s political arena many of the basic tenets of our democracy are being challenged   and there is evidence that too many young people (and adults) are not attaching to democratic ideas and responsibilities.  It is fitting on President’s day that Americans should revisit the ideas, warnings, and advice of our first leaders. They understood that governance resting on popular consent was a huge gamble since no previous efforts at creating a successful democracy had survived. The effort would be difficult and would require continued vigilance by each generation of citizens and political representatives to last.

Our early leaders were very specific about what was necessary for our great democratic experience to endure and tried to inoculate the country against three main dangers:  Majority rule degenerating into anarchy from irreconcilable conflicts, growing inequality re-instating oligarchy and corruption, and the democracy succumbing to tyranny from fear-based and dishonest demagoguery.

Building on the colonists experience in self-governing churches and local government they proposed a constitution based on representative government and majority rule which built a structure for the separation of powers, federalism, periodic elections to hold government accountable, and protections for individuals and the democratic system enshrined in our Bill of Rights.  That was their first line of defense against our democracy failing.

But Madison, Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton and Franklin also knew that the structure of government was necessary but not sufficient. They and those that followed made several other crucial suggestions. Citizens needed to be well-versed in democratic ideals and experience, willing to participate, exercise self-discipline and be law-abiding, and develop the habits of tolerance and democratic deliberation. Representatives needed to respect our institutions and be accountable for their actions and veracity.

James Kloppenberg in his masterful recent book, Toward Democracy chronicles the development of democratic ideas and beliefs culminating in the creation and subsequent development of our country. He found three main themes and three supportive ideas which are helpful in understanding how best to fight for and protect our democratic ideals.

First, representative government deriving from “the people” and how that could work was evidenced in our Constitution. The founders were aware of the danger of quick but misguided action and created mechanisms to increase deliberation and spread power such as an independent judiciary both at the national and state level. They also were cognizant of the tension between majority rule and the rights of minorities and individuals and attempted to balance those interests. They also knew that some protections against government were crucial for individuals and for the system to work such as a free press to hold those in government accountable and root out corruption, mendacity, and self-dealing, free speech for the free exchange of ideas, free expression of religion and a proscription of the government establishing one religion, due process, a fair and equal administration of our laws, and that everyone, even the president, should be subject to our laws. They thought that citizens and representatives must understand and value the legitimacy of these structures.

Second, increasing liberty or autonomy of individuals was a key purpose of our democracy. Free individual choices and spheres of action and protection from overbearing government or repressive majorities was part of it. But they were also aware of the dangers of untrammeled self-interest, ignoring the common good, and a lack of the individual self-discipline needed for a free democracy to survive.

Third, equality or respecting the humanity and brotherhood of all citizens, in practice limited at first, but setting the stage for the struggle for legal, political, social, and economic equality for all (liberty and justice for all from our Pledge of Allegiance). The history of the 228 years since our constitution was adopted has been the slow struggle in fits and starts and backsliding to broaden the definition of “We, the People”

The founders also believed that three other habits and beliefs were crucial for a democracy to survive.

First, a commitment to democratic deliberation. Most of our founders were well aware of the religious wars in Europe and oppressive countries which only tolerated one set of beliefs. In a successful democracy truth and policies should arise from discussion which necessitated respect for opponents, listening, and supporting decisions resulting from democratic deliberations.

Second, pluralism and tolerance of diverse groups—religious, racial, ethnic, national origin, class, and regional. The United States is attempting something unique in human history. A large country composed of diverse interests and groups comprised of the world’s populations who find enough common purpose to sustain a democracy. This goal requires a higher stage of ethical behavior than in more homogeneous countries. It is human nature to identify with our respective groups and become hostile to others and our country has gone through decades of racial, religious, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, and class prejudice, hostility, and legal discrimination even in the face of our democratic ideals. Keeping group ties while being tolerant and respectful of others is a difficult but crucial task for our country. This mission is undermined by leaders who appeal to group hatred which dishonors a basic principle of our heritage.

Our founders and first presidents confronted the dilemma of slavery knowing that slavery violated the democratic principles of representative government, liberty, and equality on which our country was created. It wasn’t until Lincoln and the Civil war finally determined that the continued existence of slavery sullied the ethical component to democracy and established that the idea that majority rules could mean a majority could oppress one group of humans (Stephen Douglas’s position in the Lincoln/Douglas debates) was morally unacceptable. It took another 100 years for equality and fair political and legal treatment to be established in reality by the Civil Rights movement—a position we are still struggling with. Similar efforts were made for other repressed groups such as women, ethnic and religious minorities, and gays and the working class.

Finally, Kloppenberg, enshrines the founders belief in idea of reciprocity as an essential ingredient of successful democracies. Our founders understood the importance to a democracy of the religious belief that all individuals were equal before God, the central Christian doctrine of love, (Love your neighbor as yourself) and the ubiquitous belief in the Golden Rule. In a democracy citizens must accept the underlying humanity, legitimacy, and significance of all even while disagreeing on specific policies. The founders thought that in successful democracies majorities didn’t try to crush their opponents but saw the importance of continued debate with them to reach better solutions.

Our country almost disintegrated in the harsh political atmosphere of the 1790’s. After flirting with wholesale demonization and false accusations of the opposition both Jefferson and Adams and their followers relented and the “era of good feelings” occurred with the election of Jefferson. Years later, Lincoln in his first Inaugural Address asked the South to discuss not fight and appealed to the “better angels of our nature” and when the war appeared won in his Second Inaugural was not vindictive to Southerners as many in the North wished but advocated reconciliation. (with malice towards none, with charity for all)

Our founders also strongly believed that an educated citizenry was essential to the success of a democracy to counteract the belief that the lack of education and perspective made people susceptible to demagogic appeals and unable to fully participate in democratic deliberations. Most importantly, each new generation needed to be well-versed and attached to democratic ideas, democratic history, democratic habits, and a willingness to participate in self-government and engage in ethical self-discipline. An educated citizenry was viewed as a key bulwark for democracy.

Our early leaders eventually proposed free public education as a necessary component to allow our democracy to succeed. This idea that the government not solely parents should provide a common education and that all citizens should pay for the education of children not their own was unsuccessfully resisted by many in the 19th century as public education became widespread.  Those advocating for the importance of a “common schools” won the debate. (Some people today want to re-litigate the issue decrying “government schools”, supporting large cuts for public schools, and advocating privatizing of public education.)

Benjamin Franklin when asked by a women after the Constitutional Convention what kind of government they decided on “a republic or a monarchy” he quickly replied “A republic if you can keep it.” Lincoln in his immortal Gettysburg address alluded to the fragile nature of our democracy and that our devotion to a continued effort to perfect our ideals of freedom and equality was necessary so that “government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth”. That fight goes on.

Bill Honig was Superintendent of Public Instruction in California from 1983-1993. He is currently Vice-Chair of the California Instructional Quality Commission which develops K-12 content frameworks and reviews instructional materials for the California State Board of Education. That board recently adopted a History/Social Science framework which incorporates many of the ideas in this article.

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THE ETHNIC STUDIES CONTROVERSY

June 15th, 2022

A brewing controversy has erupted over what kind of Ethnic Studies school districts should adopt. [hyperlink: https://edsource.org/2022/debate-turns-hot-over-uc-proposal-to-set-criteria-for-high-school-ethnic-studies/673084] . Should it be inclusive or “liberated”?

This debate comes at a perfect time for school districts readying to spend $50 million the State of California just released for their ethnic studies curriculum development and teacher preparation. 

An inclusive ethnic studies program is what the California legislature envisioned when it directed the State Board of Education to prepare an Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum.  

Such a program: 

  • offers students an opportunity to learn about California’s ethnic groups’ histories, cultures and contributions as well as their struggles, including ethnic groups living in the school’s surrounding community.
  • Instills a sense of injustice at, and willingness to confront, past and present racism and discrimination at the hands of individuals and institutions
  • addresses the residual effects of past discriminatory actions.
  • makes students aware of the facts of minority life in America, both positive and negative including the progress that has been made in combating discrimination and where the country is still falling short.
  • connects the struggles of these groups to comparable efforts by other marginalized Americans to secure fair treatment, inclusion and dignity such the labor union movement or the fight  against anti-Semitism or anti-Muslim prejudice.
  • highlights ethnic groups’ positive impact on the broader society
  • teaches respect for individuals who, despite discrimination, have led exemplary lives. 
  • avoids the binary of victims and oppressors and a zero-sum mindset where gains for one group mean losses for another.
  • advances the importance of an individual’s characteristics — such as character, personality, interests and talents — to their path to purpose and success. 
  • seeks to develop a deeper understanding and respect for our cultural diversity and that a person’s race should not be seen as denoting inferiority or superiority but as one positive aspect of that person’s identity
  • encourages students to appreciate all people’s unique makeup and work to eliminate bias; thus rebuffing messages that paint ethnic groups in a negative light and countering humanity’s tilt towards tribalism.
  •  that society’s main currency is power and privilege.   

Inclusive ethnic studies does not prioritize group membership over the uniqueness of each individual and so does not:

  • emphasize group identity as the primary lens to understand history, society, culture, and politics. 
  • Hold present-day whites as a group responsible for previous mistreatment by some racist whites in the past with whom they have no connection. Instead, schools should be developing a willingness of all contemporary students as Americans to recognize and abhor past and current bigotry in all forms and to confront continuing transgressions.
  • Erroneously imply that all members of specific broad racial groups share or should share the same view or experience similar privileges, disadvantages or conditions. For example, all whites weren’t or aren’t white supremacists. Large numbers of white Americans supported abolition in the nineteenth century, backed and marched with Blacks in the Civil Rights Movement, and view members of minority groups as individuals. Similarly, there are huge differences among white Americans—highly educated coastal elites and heartland working class, liberal and conservative, and ethnic background. Likewise, all Blacks or Hispanics aren’t completely beaten down by oppressive institutions, live in stressed circumstances, or think alike.
  • Separate students with activities based on hypothetical privilege and minority disadvantage.
  • Undermine the belief that while minority group membership constitutes one positive aspect of a student’s identity, the task of our schools is to broaden students’ horizons beyond that narrow category by equipping them to make choices in their lives of who they want to be.

Inclusive ethnic studies programs that adopt these principles inspire all students to embrace their own and others’ cultures, develop their individual potential, appreciate our common humanity, and continue the important work advancing America’s quest for a more perfect union. 

In contrast, there is a new genre of ethnic studies — “liberated” ethnic studies — marketed as “the authentic” version.  With ideological roots in the 1960’s Black Power movement’s neo-Marxist and liberationist and university-promoted critical theory, “liberated” ethnic studies is part of a political movement centered on race consciousness that seems intent on alienating youth from our institutions. Presenting non-whites as victims and whites, individually and collectively through institutions, as oppressors, liberationists hope to create activists who will radically transform their schools, their communities, and our nation. 

Liberated ethnic studies proponents:

  • Sideline racial progress and focus on immutable differences.  Some dismiss individual merit, tolerance, the rule of law, and compromise through reasoned discussion–values which prevent anarchy and authoritarian rule—as simply ways to maintain privilege. 
  • Disregard the importance of class and economic status. Is race really the defining characteristic of a mother working two low paid jobs? Or a top Black or Hispanic scientist? Is the white male child of a rust-belt, distressed family privileged over the non-white daughter of two university professors?
  • Mirror the tendency of some members of the public’s tribal instincts, racism, or even race hatred to lump minority groups together in broad racial categories and then never get beyond the race or color of those people. There is no reason why schools should reinforce these biases.  Schools should be trying to broaden students’ perspectives and help them avoid a narrow, superficial view of the world.
  • Believe that the lived experiences of minority groups prevail over objective reality and discount the opinions of non-members of those groups. Hold that members of minority groups can’t be racist.
  • Teach that capitalism is inherently oppressive even when tempered by pro-social legislation. Treat the United States as forever tainted by colonialism and advocate large-scale transfers of inhabited land to indigenous Americans.
  • Display the detrimental habit of denouncing anyone opposing their views as racist—an obvious ploy to shut down objections.
  • Most distressingly, liberationists’ emphasis on victimization narrows students’ perspectives and deprives students of the agency they need to reach their fullest potential. 

A few years ago this crucial choice — between an inclusive and a liberated ethnic studies — came into dramatic focus when members of the California State Board of Education and the public, supported by Governor Newsom, sharply criticized the first California Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum draft. Developed by liberated ethnic studies advocates, their draft was replete with liberationist principles, jargon, lessons, and activities. 

The Department of Education took to heart 100,000 public comments expressing concern and the State Board approved a more balanced guide.   

Undeterred, liberationists now are approaching individual school districts with curriculum framed around the same principles that caused this commotion.  Their materials are easy to spot.  The reading list will often feature Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed and Tolteka Cuauthin’s Rethinking Ethnic Studies.  Their content will often emphasize “critical consciousness,” “indigeneity,” “hegemony,””oppression,” and “decolonialization.

This Spring, these controversial principles surfaced in liberationists’ press to make ethnic studies a University of California admissions requirement along with “heteropatriarchy” and questioning “objectivity,” “neutrality,” “freedom from bias,” “color-blindness.” “meritocracy,” and “traditional Western educational approaches and practices” in their guidelines and criteria. https://dms.senate.ucla.edu/issues/issue/?5430.Systemwide.Senate.Review.Proposed.Revision.to.Senate.Regulation.424.A.3  Setting off alarm bells, their proposal has been thwarted for now.

So local educators be alert.   Scrutinize the ethnic studies options presented to you. Adopt an ethnic studies course and accompanied professional development that is inclusive.  As important, be transparent.  Welcome input on your proposed curriculum and resources and discuss them openly in public forums.

Developing young citizens devoted to a unified, diverse, and democratic society with dignity, fair treatment, and justice for all Americans is a daunting but crucial educational task.

For our democracy to survive, each new generation must embrace democratic values and respect a common humanity. Consequently, school districts should provide fact-based history courses and a robust civics education. Ethnic studies courses should complement these efforts by teaching critical thinking skills that value context and objectivity and reinforcing our country’s long-held democratic practices and ideals.  

ADDENDUM

The Fight for Our Democracy

In the past few years the ideals and procedures of our experiment in democratic governance and individual rights in a multi-racial society have come under increasing attack. 

Critics have argued that the present system has resulted in unacceptable levels of inequality and left behind too many of our citizens. Some worry that neo-liberal philosophy has weakened government protections and allowed oligarchs too much influence. They also fret that our checks and balances have prevented ameliorative action.  Or that the country has devolved into toxic tribalism.

Others fear that the overemphasis on the individual and a society driven by commercialization and self-centeredness has corrupted our communal and moral fiber.  Or that elite dominance has eroded traditional values. And some are dismayed by the continuing existence of racism, white supremacy, minority poverty, violence, and the slow rate of progress living up to our ideals.

There is some merit in these various complaints, but instead of using our democratic processes to correct the imbalances, as the 19th Century progressive movement did, many want to discard the hard-won protections of liberal democracy itself. 

On the extreme right the attack is led by authoritarians spurred by white supremacy and white nationalism, a belief in replacement theory, and a willingness to use violent methods to create and maintain a neo-fascist state. They yearn for the US to abandon liberal democracy and emulate Russia, Hungary or the Jim Crow south based on caste. Even less extreme advocates on the right are willing to prevent the peaceful transition of power and spread massive lies if they don’t get their way, and a growing number are willing to use violence to achieve their ends. 

Christian nationalists are another faction on the extreme right willing to sacrifice our pluralistic democracy.  They want to establish a Christian nation (the more extreme of them promote a Christian nation where whites are dominant) governed by religious dogma (shades of Sharia  law)—the US as Gilead. 

On the extreme left the attack is led by those willing to override due process or freedom of speech rights to impose harsh penalties for the slightest deviation from anti-racist dogma.  Some revolutionaries devoted to a university-spawned critical theory denigrate our liberal democracy and want to replace our freedoms and protections with woke commissars, a society organized around group identity, unequal treatment determined by oppressor/oppressed status and re-education rituals. 

Notice the similarities between these left and right extremists. The extreme left mirrors the racists who characterize humanity by hierarchical group identity with harsh consequences for all members of an arbitrary, demeaned racial class—they just reverse the positions. 

If we are to preserve the liberal democracy bequeathed to us, educators must make sure each new generation understands and attaches to democratic ideals, norms and reasoned debate to resolve our differences. Students should be encouraged to take an active role as adults in our experiment of self-governance. The schools should be instilling a love and respect for our democratic experiment and a feeling of communion with all Americans. 

As the most famous Black Americans Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King, Jr. both maintained, the values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, such as equality and dignity for all, should be a beacon to guide our continuing efforts to create “a more perfect union”. Not surprisingly, liberated ethnic studies proponents dismiss those sentiments as evidenced by their omission of these heroes. Their programs actively work to undermine those values.

Our democracy is under attack and we must assure that each new generation attaches to democratic beliefs. To that end, it is crucial that each school district provides a robust civics education and history program. Any ethnic studies program should be consistent with those courses and reinforce our democratic ideals and practices. 

A good curriculum incorporating these values as outlined in the California History-Social Studies Framework encourages citizenship grounded in democratic principles and habits. That framework also includes expositions of why these principles are crucial to the health of our nation and what happens when they start to erode as has occurred in some failed democracies and is beginning to happen here. Additionally, it recommends a history which includes this country’s struggles to live up to those ideals–sometimes successful but often falling short. 

So, to reiterate, local educators and parents be warned. Scrutinize the options available to you. If your district plans to adopt an ethnic studies program and/or accompanying professional development, it should be humane and positive and avoid the indoctrination of the liberationist genre (these are now available). And, most importantly, any proposed curriculum should be discussed openly and at length in a public forum.

  

Bill Honig is the former California State Superintendent, and subsequently Chair and Vice-Chair of the California Instructional Quality Commission (IQC). As an education student in a multi-ethnic Teacher Corps, as state superintendent initiating ethnic task forces to help teachers integrate minority’s history and culture into the curriculum, and as the chair of the IQC committee which drafted the California History/Social Science framework, he was part of the effort to tell the story of our state’s diverse groups. The IQC held well-attended, lively hearings.

Comments Aug. 11th-Sept. 17th, 2020

Building Better Schools

The crumbling of school buildings. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/10/teacher-the-hidden-scandal-in-u-s-education/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/08/states-are-using-fed-grants-to-cut.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/covid-reinventing-school?utm_source=LPI+Master+List&utm_campaign=faee0fddb1-LPIMC_R%26Rblog_20200915&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7e60dfa1d8-faee0fddb1-42289731

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/09/check-out-on-teaching-at-atlantic.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://edpolicyinca.org/publications/continuous-improvement-schools-covid-19-context?utm_source=PACE+All&utm_campaign=7baa647884-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_08_29_05_32_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9f1af6b121-7baa647884-522724889

http://russonreading.blogspot.com/2020/08/reading-instruction-at-distance-read.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RussOnReading+%28Russ+on+Reading%29

http://russonreading.blogspot.com/2020/09/vocabulary-instruction-try-word-riffs.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RussOnReading+%28Russ+on+Reading%29

https://www.realcleareducation.com/articles/2020/08/26/1776_is_helping_turn_civic_education_around_110459.html

https://www.whatdoesitmeantobeanamerican.com/

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/covid-beyond-bell-power-authentic-learning?utm_source=LPI+Master+List&utm_campaign=c2f9946ef5-LPIMC_COVIDCPACblog_20200818&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7e60dfa1d8-c2f9946ef5-42289731

Charter, Voucher, and Privatization Issues

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/23/thomas-ultican-charter-schools-are-a-failed-experiment/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/11/tom-ultican-school-choice-is-a-costly-fraud/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/09/report-are-charter-schools-big-risk-for.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/09/tx-why-vouchers-for-private-schools-are.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/09/school-choice-is-not-for-those-people.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/22/breaking-federal-judge-issues-injunction-against-devos-coronavirus-aid-rule/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/04/breaking-federal-judge-rejects-devos-efforts-to-give-federal-funding-to-private-schools/

Charter schools and special ed. https://ncspe.tc.columbia.edu/?utm_source=WP+242&utm_campaign=Charter+Schools+and+Special+Education&utm_medium=email

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/08/brookings-makes-bad-pro-charter-argument.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-zero-sum-game.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Arizona https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/31/arizona-charters-can-double-dip-no-problem/

Arkansas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/11/arkansas-public-school-advocates-demand-end-to-failed-voucher-program/

California https://inewsource.org/2020/08/27/san-diego-ofarrell-charter-school-superintendent/

Floirda https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/12/miami-dade-schools-sever-ties-with-k12-online-corp/

New Jersey https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/18/darcie-cimarusti-how-charters-in-new-jersey-double-dipped-into-federal-cares-funding/

New Orleans https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/10/new-orleans-why-some-charter-teachers-want-to-join-a-union/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/14/ohio-charters-and-vouchers-sucked-half-a-billion-from-public-schools-last-year/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/13/oklahoma-judge-fines-virtual-charter-school-500000/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/22/emily-harris-have-faith-in-tulsa-public-schools/

Pennsylvania https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/21/carol-burris-for-profit-charter-aims-to-take-control-of-entire-district-in-pennsylvania/

South Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/19/south-carolina-the-hoax-of-school-choice/

South Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/17/south-carolina-corporate-tax-breaks-erode-public-school-funding/

St. Louis https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/28/st-louis-charter-founder-admits-2-4-million-fraud/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/12/texas-former-cfo-of-idea-charter-chain-sues-for-1-million-in-back-pay/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/17/anette-carlisle-mike-moraths-evil-plan-to-abandon-local-control-and-public-schools-in-texas/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/09/former-idea-leader-wants-to-turn-san-antonio-into-charter-mecca/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/13/texas-state-board-approves-five-charter-chains-vetoes-three/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/30/texas-idea-corporate-charter-chain-plans-massive-expansion/

Back to School?

and https://edsource.org/2020/superintendents-must-decide-best-way-to-reopen-campuses-while-keeping-students-teachers-safe/639760

https://www.crpe.org/thelens/urgent-action-states-fed-needed-clarify-school-reopening-decisions

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/09/as-schools-reopen-beware-these-five-bad.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-school-reopening-gamble.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/covid-supporting-restorative-opening-schools?utm_source=LPI+Master+List&utm_campaign=1f76b86fa9-LPIMC_COVIDrestorativeopen_20200811&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7e60dfa1d8-1f76b86fa9-42289731

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/08/13/reopening-schools-during-covid-19-lessons-learned-from.html?r=698672975&cmp=eml-enl-tl-

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/26/mercedes-schneider-what-matters-most-when-teaching-during-a-pandemic/news1&M=59653399&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e&mkey=FE17459E-B0EE-45F7-80F9-04C1C5052731

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/14/david-berliner-and-gene-glass-why-bother-testing-in-2021/; Why bother testing in 2021, http://vamboozled.com/  

Georgia https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/11/jack-hassard-georgia-is-not-ready-to-open-schools/

Los Angeles https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/17/los-angeles-lausd-announces-massive-testing-and-tracing-program/

New Jersey https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/09/racial-and-class-bias-in-new-jerseys.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

New York https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/20/new-york-demand-cuomo-restore-school-funding/

New York City https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/13/nyc-principals-teachers-nurses-seek-delay-in-opening/

New York City https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/23/arthur-goldstein-nyc-schools-cant-open-unless-they-are-safe/

New York City https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/29/carol-burris-new-york-city-public-schools-should-re-open/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/27/john-thompson-oklahoma-politicians-mumbling-about-the-coronavirus/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/06/john-thompson-politics-and-the-coronavirus-in-oklahoma/

South Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/28/south-carolina-teachers-fearful-about-returning-for-in-person-instruction/

“Reform” foibles

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/08/15/confessions-of-a-school-reformerpart-1/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/08/18/confessions-of-a-school-reformer-part-2/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/08/21/confessions-of-a-school-reformer-part-3/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/08/23/confessions-of-a-school-reformer-part-4/;

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/08/26/confessions-of-a-reformer-part-5/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email_subscriptionhttps://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/08/26/confessions-of-a-reformer-part-5/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email_subscription; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/08/28/confessions-of-a-school-reformer-part-6/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/09/03/how-covid-19-froze-school-reform-part-1/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/09/06/how-covid-19-froze-school-reform-part-2/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/09/09/how-covid-19-froze-school-reform-part-3/ ;

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/16/gary-rubinstein-success-academy-pays-1-1-milkion-to-settle-with-parents-on-got-to-go-list/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/16/leonie-haimson-more-on-success-academy-settlement-sa-has-not-paid-attorney-fees-as-ordered/

Arkansas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/20/grassroots-arkansas-an-open-letter-to-superintendent-mike-poore-of-little-rock/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/31/peter-greene-the-brookings-institution-is-in-charter-school-la-la-land/

Washington DC https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/13/richard-phelps-reviews-michelle-rhees-reforms-ten-years-later-part-1/; https://dianeravitch.net/2020/09/13/richard-phelps-reviews-michelle-rhees-reforms-part-2/

Technology

https://www.corelearn.com/student-engagement-with-remote-instruction/

https://fordhaminstitute.org/sites/default/files/publication/pdfs/2020825-schooling-covid-19-lessons-leading-charter-networks-their-transition-remote-learning.pdf?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=3d94eeda27-20200825+-+Schooling+Covid-19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-3d94eeda27-71867561&ct=t()&mc_cid=3d94eeda27&mc_eid=ebbe04a807 and https://www.educationnext.org/how-big-charter-networks-made-switch-to-remote-learning/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/08/why-isnt-ai-more-widely-used.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/08/how-bad-is-this-gates-funded-essay.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Comments July 1st, 2020-Aug 10th, 2020

Building Better Schools

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/it-time-drop-finding-main-idea-and-teach-reading-new-way?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=1fbffafa75-20200809-LateLateBell+A%2FB&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-1fbffafa75-71867561&mc_cid=1fbffafa75&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

http://russonreading.blogspot.com/2020/07/independent-reading-in-pandemic.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RussOnReading+%28Russ+on+Reading%29

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56187/6-things-anti-racist-educators-want-grown-ups-to-know-about-teaching-and-raising-kids?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=20200705_News_MindShift_Newsletter&mc_key=003i000000UOxj9AAD

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-test-many-school-districts-failed.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Voucher, Charter, and Privatization Problems

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/07/pence-devos-and-more-private-school.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/02/peter-greene-supreme-court-just-poked-another-hole-in-wall-of-separation-between-church-and-state/ and https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/07/03/25390/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/08/catholic-church-looks-to-cash-in-on.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/07/fl-broad-outlines-of-ppp-cash-in.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://ncspe.tc.columbia.edu/?utm_source=WP+242&utm_campaign=Charter+Schools+and+Special+Education&utm_medium=email

Arizona https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/13/arizona-charter-schools-private-schools-and-religious-schools-cash-in-on-ppp/

Arizona https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/28/laurie-roberts-charters-in-arizona-scored-nearly-100-million-thats-ridiculous/

California https://ncspe.tc.columbia.edu/working-papers/WP241.pdf?utm_source=WP+241&utm_campaign=Charter+School+Variation+in+California&utm_medium=email

Connecticut  https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/05/wendy-lecker-connecticut-charter-schools-are-double-dipping/

Connecticut https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/07/connecticut-charters-struggled-with-ethics-of-double-dipping-federal-ppp/

Indiana https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/25/john-h-loflin-indianapolis-public-schools-for-sale/

Indiana https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/26/indiana-a-profile-in-courage/

Louisiana https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/10/new-orleans-why-some-charter-teachers-want-to-join-a-union/

Massachusetts https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/14/massachusetts-students-parents-charge-charter-school-with-racism/

New York https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/06/peter-goodman-why-is-the-new-york-board-of-regents-bleeding-public-schools-by-expanding-charter-schools/

New York https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/20/no-excuses-charter-chain-fires-principal-for-caring-about-children-and-teachers/

New York https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/30/leonie-haimson-nyc-charter-schools-hit-the-ppp-jackpot/

North Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/28/north-carolina-parents-sue-to-invalidate-voucher-program/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/22/ohio-charter-schools-received-5x-as-much-federal-coronavirus-aid-as-public-schools/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/10/ohio-audit-finds-misspending-and-conflict-of-interest-at-richard-allen-charter-schools/

Pennsylvania https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/11/pennsylvania-the-death-spiral-of-york-city-public-schools/

Pennsylvania http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/07/report-pa-charters-game-special.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Philadelphia https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/13/philly-area-charters-collect-30-million-in-ppp-funding/

Pittsburgh https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2020/07/15/pittsburgh-charter-schools-take-federal-bailout-money-meant-for-small-businesses/

South Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/27/south-carolina-governor-uses-48-million-in-cares-funds-to-pay-32-million-for-vouchers/

South Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/29/south-carolina-judge-grants-temporary-restraining-order-to-block-32-million-for-vouchers/

Tennessee https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/04/tennessee-plaintiffs-file-amicus-brief-in-voucher-case/  

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/07/betsy-devos-is-failing-hard.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

“Reform” foibles

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/07/09/intro-to-next-book-part-1/ ; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/07/14/intro-to-next-book-part-2/ ; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/07/18/introduction-to-my-next-book-part-3/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/07/20/introduction-to-my-next-book-part-4/

Back to School?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindadarlinghammond/2020/07/21/the-urgency-of-reopening-schools-safely/?utm_source=LPI+Master+List&utm_campaign=e4349ba74a-LPIMC_ForbesReopenSchoolsSafely_20200721&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7e60dfa1d8-e4349ba74a-42289731#4b3ba6f332e0

Our Children Need Us to Bring the Pandemic Under Control: Only Then Can Public Schools Fully Reopen https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/07/24/25757/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/07/16/dilemmas-facing-policymakers-in-re-opening-schools/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/02/larry-cuban-the-best-post-on-dilemmas-of-reopening/

https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/07/how-to-stop-magical-thinking-in-school.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/seven-steps-design-safe-and-healthy-school-drop-and-entry-routines?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=1fbffafa75-20200809-LateLateBell+A%2FB&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-1fbffafa75-71867561&mc_cid=1fbffafa75&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

Can Public Schools Open Safely for Children and their Teachers? Trump Worries Instead About His Own Political Future

 https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/07/10/25487/ and https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/07/13/25529/

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/24/washington-post-fact-checks-devos-on-covid-19-claims/ https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/07/11/the-president-has-weaponized-the-opening-of-schools/

Republican congressional failure to fund schools creating major problems. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/08/03/25807/

School librarians vulnerable to covid driven cuts in school spending. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/08/03/25807/

Parents, teachers and doctors have different ideas about opening school. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/07/06/25421/

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/05/anya-kamenetz-pediatricians-believe-young-children-should-return-to-school-in-fall/ but with safeguards.

Arizona https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/09/arizona-school-leaders-worry-about-reopening-as-virus-spreads/

Arizona https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/09/arizona-superintendent-reopening-school-now-is-a-fantasy/

California https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/14/orange-county-approves-full-reopening/

Oakland https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/11/oakland-teachers-will-not-go-back-to-work-unless-the-schools-are-safe-for-students-and-staff/

Detroit https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/15/thomas-pedroni-detroit-school-board-votes-to-reopen-schools-despite-concerns-of-teachers-and-parents/

Florida https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/21/david-dayen-why-floridas-teachers-are-suing-to-block-reopening/

Georgia http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/08/bad-cover-up-management-in-times-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Illinois https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/17/illinois-governor-pritzker-seeks-court-order-to-require-masks-in-schools/

Los Angeles https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/11/los-angeles-utla-votes-to-keep-schools-closed-until-they-are-safe/

Michigan https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/21/missouri-governor-of-course-kids-will-get-covid/

New Orleans https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2020/07/11/new-orleans-high-school-parent-my-son-is-being-socially-promoted/

North Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/15/dr-nan-fulcher-and-justin-parmenter-a-warning-for-north-carolina/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/21/public-education-partners-ohio-is-not-ready-for-a-safe-reopening/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/08/07/john-thompson-with-coronavirus-surging-in-oklahoma-school-reopening-is-unlikely/

Rhode Island https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/23/providence-journal-blasts-governor-raimondo-for-acting-like-trump/

Texas and Florida https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/10/texas-and-florida-tell-schools-to-reopen-fully-despite-surge-in-virus-cases/

Technology Issues

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/08/06/education-technology-students-will-need-wont-after-covid-19/

How did the best school systems in the world handle distance learning. https://ncee.org/2020/07/approaches-to-distance-learning/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/08/why-isnt-ai-more-widely-used.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/07/report-zuckerbergs-favorite-digital-ed.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Comments June 1st, 2020-July 3rd, 2020

Build and Support

California. https://edpolicyinca.org/newsroom/keep-students-safe-and-learning-california-needs-strong-state-leadership?utm_source=PACE+All&utm_campaign=a75802094b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_08_29_05_32_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9f1af6b121-a75802094b-522724889   

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/06/never-mind-personalized-learning-lets.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Why teach literature? https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/04/peter-greene-why-teach-literature/

Why study history? https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/28/paul-horton-why-study-history/

Deconstructing the Mathematical Industrial Complex https://justequations.org/news/june-2020-blog/?utm_source=Just+Equations&utm_campaign=8b09a49ddc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_01_03_08_59_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_472770b236-8b09a49ddc-294112997&mc_cid=8b09a49ddc&mc_eid=93b18d36f0

Successful school reopening plans will have one thing in common—they will be drafted by teachers. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/06/successful-school-reopening-plans-will.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/06/what-actual-school-reopening-plan-looks.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

Weathering the storm—four ideas for school funding. https://kappanonline.org/school-funding-covid-19-baker-weber-atchison/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/06/16/police-reform-and-school-reform-part-1/ ; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/06/18/police-reform-and-school-reform-part-2/ ; and https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/06/20/police-reform-and-school-reform-part-3/  

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/06/without-big-standardized-test-would.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://ed100.org/blog/teaching-civics-has-never-mattered-more?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Teaching_Civics_Matters

https://www.corelearn.com/the-four-pillars-to-reading-success-an-action-guide-for-states/

http://russonreading.blogspot.com/2020/06/instruction-for-vulnerable-readers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RussOnReading+%28Russ+on+Reading%29

https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/06/on-comparing-education-spending-across.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

Charters, Vouchers, and  Privatization Issues

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/07/03/kevin-welner-on-the-radical-espinoza-decision/ and https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/07/03/25390/  

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/16/no-school-choice-is-not-the-civil-rights-issue-of-our-time/ and https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/06/24/25273/

The Summit Learning Program: Big Promises, Lots of Money, Little Evidence of Success https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication-announcement/2020/06/summit-2020

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/15/new-york-times-exposes-charter-schools-for-collecting-aid-meant-for-small-bisinesses/ and https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/06/17/25131/

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/17/devos-allows-charters-to-tap-into-federal-for-start-ups/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/18/in-the-public-interest-charter-schools-in-oakland-are-tapping-into-coronavirus-relief-funds/

Alabama https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/11/alabama-a-charter-is-closed-before-it-opens/

Arkansas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/10/arkansas-preparing-to-sell-the-children-to-tech-entrepreneurs/

California https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/30/california-charter-schools-collect-millions-intended-for-small-businesses/

California https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/28/peter-greene-charter-school-in-plush-california-neighborhood-picks-up-a-federal-ppp-loan/

Denver https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/30/denver-charter-schools-collected-16-million-in-federal-aid-for-small-businesses/

Florida https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/30/why-does-the-wall-street-journal-editorial-board-repeatedly-lie-about-vouchers-in-florida/

Indiana https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/21/indiana-can-the-state-afford-vouchers/

Los Angeles https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/01/los-angeles-where-was-the-crisis-money-spent/

Memphis https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/26/memphis-two-kipp-charters-close-suddenly-stranding-students/

New Orleans https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/24/new-orleans-most-charters-are-double-dipping-into-federal-funds/

North Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/01/north-carolina-new-study-finds-voucher-schools-are-shielded-from-accountability/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/04/stephen-dyer-how-ohioans-can-push-back-against-vouchers/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/19/ohio-private-school-enrollment-drops-by-14-but-public-funding-grows/

San Diego http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/06/ca-san-diego-charter-versus-evil-union.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Tennessee http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/06/tn-when-charters-abandon-community.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/06/17/texas-idea-charter-chain-promises-to-curb-its-big-spending/

“Reform” Foibles

https://www.nationalmemo.com/betsy-devos-using-pandemic-to-strip-funding-from-public-schools

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/06/21/it-looks-like-beginning-end-americas-obsession-with-student-standardized-tests/

Technology

WSJournal: Results are in for remote learning—It didn’t work. https://www.wsj.com/articles/schools-coronavirus-remote-learning-lockdown-tech-11591375078 and https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/opinion/coronavirus-school-reopening.html

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/06/five-examples-of-whats-wrong-with-ed.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/06/no-software-still-cant-grade-student.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://www.educationnext.org/school-districts-remote-learning-plans-may-widen-student-achievement-gap-only-20-percent-meet-standards/

Comments April 27th-May 31st.

Build and Support

Jan Resseger: The importance of public schooling and what has to change. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/24312/

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/providing-teachers-quality-materials-theyre-trained-use-critical-schools?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=113638f3fd-20200510-LateLateBell+A%2FB&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-113638f3fd-71867561&mc_cid=113638f3fd&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/rethinking-accountability-for-education.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

The future of teaching and learning from an international perspective. http://ncee.org/2020/04/global-ed-talks-andreas-schleicher/

Massachusetts. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/27/massachusetts-the-challenges-of-reopening-schools/

Michigan settles literacy cast and  establishes a right to literacy as a federal precedent. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/05/20/24689/

Oklahoma. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/27/holy-moley-oklahoma-science-standards-include-evolution-and-climate-change/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/05/25/schools-closed-for-five-years-the-prince-edward-county-story-part-1/ and https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/schools-closed-for-five-years-the-prince-edward-county-story-part-2/

Charter, Voucher, and Privatization Issues

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/05/another-voucher-angle-child-safety.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/05/backpack-full-of-misdirection.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://garyrubinstein.wordpress.com/2020/05/02/98-success-academy-students-accepted-to-college/This is not 100% of the senior class as claimed but a fraction of the students who started out in that cohort.

Devos awards $180 billion of state Cares act money to virtual schools and private schools. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/24400/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/05/trump-teams-up-with-catholic-church-for.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Boston. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/29/christine-langhoff-the-great-boston-school-heist/

California. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/03/california-charter-leaders-charged-with-breaking-securities-law-no-criminal-charges/

California https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/12/los-angeles-nightmare-vision-as-bain-and-company-arrive-to-help-the-schools/

Indiana. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/30/tom-ultican-who-paid-to-make-indianapolis-the-second-most-privatized-school-district-in-the-nation/

Michigan. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/07/nancy-bailey-how-betsy-devos-fostered-squalid-learning-conditions-in-detroit/

New Jersey. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/27/juan-gonzalez-the-struggle-to-save-a-public-school-in-new-brunswick-new-jersey-from-corporate-clutches/

New York. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/05/nightmare-vision-for-new-york-schools-post-pandemic/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/07/daniel-katz-what-cuomo-really-said-about-reinventing-schools/  and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/10/peter-greene-why-bill-gates-is-not-the-right-person-to-reimagine-education-in-new-york/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/11/message-to-cuomo-remote-learning-is-a-stopgap-not-a-solution/ and “What’s with Cuomo and others advocating a shock doctrine to public schools? https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/05/18/24649/

North Carolina. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/19/north-carolina-civil-rights-challenge-charter-schools-racial-segregation/

Oakland. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/31/thomas-ultican-will-the-billionaires-buy-and-privatize-oakland-public-schools/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/27/mother-jones-the-incredible-but-true-story-of-ecot-ohios-virtual-disaster/

Ohio. The disparate effect of vouchers in Ohio. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/24562/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/30/stephen-dyer-vouchers-hurt-poor-kids/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/21/bill-phillis-ohio-supreme-court-strikes-down-local-control-of-schools/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/28/ohio-legislators-reject-the-vision-of-the-founding-fathers/

Tennessee. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/04/tennessee-details-about-the-ruling-against-vouchers/

Tennessee. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/20/tennessee-takes-devos-advice-to-give-federal-aid-to-private-schools/

Tennessee. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/29/nashville-school-board-rejected-five-charter-schools/

Texas. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/04/texas-parent-complains-to-state-superintendent-about-approval-of-unwanted-charter-school/

Texas. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/19/texas-faith-based-charter-school-hopes-to-open-in-dallas-area/

Washington, DC. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/05/19/valerie-jablow-why-is-d-c-giving-away-public-space-to-charters-in-shady-real-estate-deals/

“Reform” foibles

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/05/high-stakes-testing-is-huge-threat-to.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Technology

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2020/04/6_reasons_students_arent_showing_up_for_virtual_learning.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news2&M=59562836&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

https://citizentruth.org/the-future-of-k-12-schools-isnt-online-its-in-new-mexico/

The darker side of online learning. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/04/sunday-review/zoom-college-classroom.html?action=click&campaign_id=39&emc=edit_ty_20200505&instance_id=18231&module=Opinion&nl=opinion-today&pgtype=Homepage&regi_id=50191918&segment_id=26632&te=1&user_id=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/05/education-remote-learning-effectiveness-depends-on-motivation-of-students/

https://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2020/05/my_online_learning_experience_as_a_student_is_not_so_good.html?cmp=eml-enl-cm-news2&M=59576199&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/55838/seven-distance-learning-priorities-to-consider-before-reopening-schools

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/khan-academythis-is-better.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Comments March 25-April 26th, 2020

Build and Support

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/as-schools-tackle-coronavirus-pause.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Reading https://www.corelearn.com/infographic-science-of-reading/

http://russonreading.blogspot.com/2020/04/john-steinbeck-ray-bradbury-and-power.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RussOnReading+%28Russ+on+Reading%29

Why teach literature. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/why-teach-literature-whole-collection.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29  

History https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/05/joy-hakim-online-lessons-by-a-storyteller/

Science https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/31/vicki-cobb-why-trust-science/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/25/vicki-cobb-why-does-science-matter/

Charter, Voucher, and Privatization Issues

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/charter-schools-we-are-businesses.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Are Charter Schools Public or Private? Trying to Have It Both Ways When Federal Emergency Money? https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/04/10/24083/

Betsy DeVos Derides Our System of Public Schools but Today’s School Closures Show Why the System Matters https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/03/25/23827/

Arkansas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/28/little-rock-parents-and-activists-fight-against-sham-of-restoring-local-control/

Florida http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/floridas-troubled-cyber-school-launches.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

New Jersey https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/04/can-nj-afford-to-continue-subsidizing.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/27/stephen-dyer-ohio-legislature-continues-to-be-obsessed-by-vouchers/ and Ohio legislature allows voucher expansion in schools which already have vouchers. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/03/27/23854/

Tennessee https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/07/tennessee-parents-and-civil-rights-groups-sue-to-block-vouchers/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/25/texas-public-schools-outperform-charter-schools-2/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/25/texas-charter-schools-grow-rapidly-despite-inferior-performance-compared-to-public-schools/

Utah https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/03/utah-governor-vetoes-voucher-proposal/

Reform Foibles

So-called reformers have argued that “fixing the schools” will “fix society.” Schneider shows that this is backwards https://dianeravitch.net/2020/04/17/jack-schneider-pandemic-lays-bare-the-gaping-inequities-in-our-society/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/recovery-commission-targets-gutting-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Even Though Schools Are Closed, Advocates Must Keep on Pushing to End Dangerous School “Deformer” Policies https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/04/01/23931/

Coronavirus School Closures Will Force Us to Examine Failure of Standards-Based School Accountability https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/04/08/24035/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/demonstrating-why-business-ideas-dont.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

The stubborn myth of learning styles. https://www.educationnext.org/stubborn-myth-learning-styles-state-teacher-license-prep-materials-debunked-theory/  

Technology

https://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/the-k-12-educators-guide-to-safe-and-effective-videoconferencing.html?cmp=eml-enl-tl-news1&M=59454827&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

Pandemic exposes the limitations of on-line learning. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/04/06/24012/

Pondiscio: Distance learning is not the new normal. https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/no-not-new-normal?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=473d67c332-20200415+-+Education+Gadfly+Weekly+A%2FB&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-473d67c332-71867561&mc_cid=473d67c332&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

Students and teachers discuss on-line learning. https://webinar.mathspace.co/us/registration?id=4091800

https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2020/03/23/the-biggest-obstacles-to-moving-americas-public-schools-online/#594beb9f10e4

Problems with online learning https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/30/jan-resseger-is-smarter-than-me-this-post-proves-it/

http://russonreading.blogspot.com/2020/04/book-review-practical-guide-to-digital.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RussOnReading+%28Russ+on+Reading%29

Comments Feb. 17th- Mar. 24th, 2020

Build and Support Issues

Yuval Levin; the Purpose of Education https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/back-basics-conservative-education-reform?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=cd1ea4b992-20200304+-+Education+Gadfly+Weekly+A%2FB&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-cd1ea4b992-71867561&mc_cid=cd1ea4b992&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

The importance of mentors. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/02/how-to-improve-quality-of-teaching-with.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/local-opinions/as-long-as-montgomery-county-fails-to-teach-children-to-read-it-will-have-gaps/2020/03/12/13fd5c7e-6315-11ea-845d-e35b0234b136_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_opinions&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_opinions

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/03/why-teach-literature-stuff-1-what-is-it.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://www.corelearn.com/curriculum-implementation-showcase/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/02/29/a-teacher-on-classroom-praise-steven-singer/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/03/24/the-classroom-the-basic-dilemma-that-teachers-face-and-manage/

News literacy instruction. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/education/learning/news-literacy-2016-election.html

Delayed payments hurt rural schools https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/03/02/23505/

The complexity of performance tasks. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-complexity-of-performance-tasks.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Charter, Voucher, and Privatization Problems

Jan Resseger: Public Schools Are a “Pillar of our Democracy.” Trump and DeVos Declare Them “Antiquated and Oppressive.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/03/18/charter-schools-testing-were-supposed-save-american-education-now-theyve-run-out-political-steam-what-went-wrong/?arc404=true

Resseger Schools Alone Cannot Save Children from Economic Inequality. Public Policy Must Assist Families in Deep Poverty

Jeff Bryant https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2020/03/why-the-coronavirus-pandemic-could-weaken-the-school-privatization-agenda.html

Vouchers: A Dangerous Choice https://ed100.org/blog/vouchers

Jeff Bryant https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2020/03/why-the-coronavirus-pandemic-could-weaken-the-school-privatization-agenda.html

Jeff Bryant: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/could-corporations-control-whats-taught-in-our-public-schools/

Call for Federal charter transparency law. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/03/free-market-winners-and-losers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Baltimore https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/11/gary-rubinstein-debunks-tfa-claims-of-turnaround-schools-in-baltimore/

California https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/12/california-appeals-court-rules-that-non-profit-charter-schools-are-not-exempt-from-taxation/

Dallas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/26/thomas-ultican-who-is-behind-the-corporate-reform-agenda-in-dallas/

Detroit https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/22/detroit-why-are-school-closures-concentrated-in-black-and-brown-communities/

Florida https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/24/florida-investigation-shows-that-charters-close-almost-as-fast-as-they-open/

Florida https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/19/florida-charter-drain-causing-school-closures-in-broward-county/

Florida https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/12/florida-house-rejects-bill-to-ban-lgbt-discrimination-in-voucher-schools/

Florida https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/12/florida-house-rejects-bill-to-ban-lgbt-discrimination-in-voucher-schools/

Indiana https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/23/indiana-how-much-charter-graft-willtaxpayers-tolerate/

Mississippi https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/22/mississippi-the-shame-of-a-nation/

New Jersey https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/24/in-the-public-interest-why-we-must-protect-the-public-sector/

New Jersey https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/05/keith-e-benson-what-reformers-are-really-doing-in-camden-and-other-urban-districts/

New York https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/21/riverhead-n-y-good-public-schools-starved-by-cuomo-tax-cao-and-charter/

New York city. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/24/new-york-times-the-failure-of-michael-bloombergs-choice-program-in-new-york-city/  

North Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/19/stuart-egan-teachers-in-north-carolina-raised-all-the-right-issues-when-they-protested-last-year/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/09/bill-phillis-ohio-has-diverted-14-7-billion-to-charters-and-vouchers/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/18/oklahoma-gulen-style-online-charter-school-obtains-names-and-addresses-of-students-for-recreuitment/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/02/john-thompson-public-schools-in-oklahoma-city-andtulsa-are-sinking-because-of-disruption-policies/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/11/oklahoma-epic-charter-graduates-zip-through-classes-but-are-not-college-ready/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/11/oklahoma-when-public-money-goes-to-a-charter-school-does-the-money-belong-to-the-public/

New Hampshire https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/17/new-hampshire-seeks-to-pilot-online-pre-schooling-and-tries-again-for-charters/

Philadelphia https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/06/philadelphia-citys-second-largest-charter-school-is-in-turmoil/

Rhode Island https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/29/randi-providence-takeover-demonizes-teachers-as-rhee-and-klein-did/

Rhode Island https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/08/rhode-island-will-close-one-of-its-oldest-charter-schools/  

Tennessee https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/01/tennessee-parents-and-advocates-will-hold-press-briefing-against-vouchers/

Texas https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2020/02/22/txs-kauffman-leadership-academy-to-close-with-one-weeks-notice-to-parents/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/07/jennifer-berkshire-trumps-voucher-plan-is-backfiring-in-texas/

Wisconsin https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/19/wisconsin-school-choice-is-causing-ruinous-damage-to-public-schools/

Reviews of Slaying Goliath https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/22/g-f-brandenburg-reviews-slaying-goliath/ ; https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/01/mike-rose-reviews-slaying-goliath/; https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/09/wendy-lecker-civil-rights-lawyer-reviews-slaying-goliath/; https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/13/teacher-responds-to-review-of-slaying-goliath-in-the-new-york-times/ ; https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/20/doug-little-lessons-for-canada-in-slaying-goliath/ ; and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/20/doug-little-lessons-for-canada-in-slaying-goliath/   

Reform Foibles

No Child Behind Failed, But Kevin Carey’s New Article https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/03/20/23749/

School Privatizers and Education Disrupters Keep Reinventing Themselves

https://garyrubinstein.wordpress.com/2020/03/09/tfa-celebrates-five-baltimore-turnaround-schools-one-is-still-ranked-in-the-bottom-1/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/02/19/school-reforms-that-are-persistent-and-admired-but-marginal-part-4/ (parts 1,2, and 3 are in last months comments.); https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/03/19/chasing-success-and-confronting-failure-in-american-schools/

Resseger Billionaire Power?; two decades of educational policy are a cautionary tale. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/02/24/23425/

Technology

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/03/10/audrey-watters-will-the-ed-tech-industry-take-advantage-of-the-coronavirus-crisis/ and http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-ed-tech-vultures-circle.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Comments Jan. 14th-Feb. 16th, 2020

Build and Support Efforts

Learning Policy Institute. Strategies and practices to advance deeper learning. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/deeper-learning-networks-video?utm_source=LPI+Master+List&utm_campaign=54473df4e4-LPIMC_NetworksVideos2_20200212&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7e60dfa1d8-54473df4e4-42289731

Teacher pay takes a dive vis a vis other college grads. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/25/1914120/-Saturday-night-owls-Teacher-pay-relative-to-that-of-other-college-graduates-has-collapsed 

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/endless-rocky-path-reading-science?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=0584e8bf81-&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-0584e8bf81-71867561&mc_cid=0584e8bf81&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/01/22/preservice-teachers-are-getting-mixed-messages-on.html?cmp=eml-enl-cm-news1&M=59032733&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb20/vol77/num05/toc.aspx?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=email&utm_term=literacy&utm_content=EL&utm_campaign=EL-February2020NewIssue-020720

The idiocy of third grade reading retention. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/01/mi-whitmer-stands-up-for-reading-sense.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Third grade tests predict 10th grade achievement. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2020/02/Academic_mobility_low.html   

Resseger. Why we should talk about opportunity gaps not achievement gaps. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/01/27/22950/

Fordham; Rigorous grading standards raise achievement. https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/research/great-expectations-impact-rigorous-grading-practices-student-achievement?mc_cid=8b584be7eb&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

Critique of the NyTimes 1619 project. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/01/1619-project-new-york-times-wilentz/605152/

Vouchers, Charters, and Privatization Issues

A school superintendent who gets the problem of school choice. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/01/oh-superintendent-who-gets-problem-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

School choice plus student based budgeting destroys public schools in poor neighborhoods. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/01/29/23001/

Jan Resseger Public School Funding: In too many states it’s all about subtracting and more subtracting. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/01/22/22887/

Alabama. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/06/alabama-woodland-prep-charter-school-flounders-flops/

Arizona. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/27/craig-harris-online-charters-have-a-record-of-poor-outcomes-fraud-and-profit/

Arizona. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/16/arizona-charter-school-principal-pleads-guilty-to-fraud/

Arkansas. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/27/little-rock-wear-black-on-1-28-for-the-death-of-democratic-control/

Boston. https://www.educationnext.org/inclusion-action-expectations-for-all-excel-academy-boston/

California. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/21/california-defunct-for-profit-college-sues-former-students-for-repayment-of-debt/  

Detroit. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/15/detroit-a-cautionary-tale-of-a-promising-charter-school-that-was-doomed-to-fail/

Florida. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/18/florida-state-auditors-say-5-5-million-disappeared-at-two-charter-schools/

Florida. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/05/andre-agassi-scores-60-5-million-selling-charter-real-estate-in-florida/

Florida. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/01/fl-another-voucher-problem-and-not-one.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Florida. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/03/florida-2-big-banks-abandon-floridas-voucher-program-due-to-anti-lgbt-policies/  

Florida. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/08/orlando-sentinel-should-publicly-funded-voucher-schools-be-allowed-to-discriminate/

Indiana. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/15/indiana-two-virtual-charter-schools-steal-more-than-68-million-from-state/

Indiana. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/15/steve-hinnefeld-the-stench-of-virtual-charter-schools/

Indianapolis. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/04/indianapolis-the-resistance-is-fighting-the-well-funded-disruptors/

Indianapolis. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/06/tom-ultican-harvards-school-privatization-machine-and-the-indianapolis-takeover/

Indianapolis. https://cloakinginequity.com/2020/02/11/the-total-neoliberal-misrepresentation-of-the-recent-history-of-indianapolis-k12-education/

Kentucky. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/29/kentucky-rightwing-extremists-want-to-defund-our-public-schools/

New Jersey. https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/02/sorry-nj-charter-schools-you-cant-have.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

New Orleans. https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2020/01/24/new-orleans-high-school-records-are-finally-audited-there-are-holes/  

Oakland. https://blackagendareport.com/privatizing-oakland-schools

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/27/bill-phillis-remember-ecot-and-1-billion-of-lost-school-revenue/

Ohio. Jan Resseger: Ohio budget bill multiplies school vouchers, leaves local school districts in crisis. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/22783/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/02/why-does-ohio-award-bonuses-to-failing-charter-schools/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/02/peter-greene-on-ohios-mad-love-for-vouchers/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/31/stephen-dyer-ohios-voucher-crisis-in-4-charte/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/19/ohio-how-to-fix-the-states-disastrous-voucher-program/ ,Resseger, Voucher talks break down over four issues. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/02/03/23074/ and House passes voucher fix. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/02/07/23163/  

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/28/ohio-gop-grovels-at-feet-of-fordham-and-alec/

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/01/oh-free-private-school-at-public-expense.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/22/ohio-legislator-says-state-has-duty-to-fund-religious-schools/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/31/bill-phillis-ohio-charter-owners-lose-appeal-for-bonuses/

Oklahoma. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/24/oklahoma-how-to-disrupt-and-demoralize-a-school-distruct/

Oklahoma. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/01/mi-whitmer-stands-up-for-reading-sense.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Oklahoma. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/16/oklahoma-epic-virtual-charter-school-penalized-530000-for-excessive-administrative-costs/

Pennsylvania. Governor Wolf plans to save $280 million by charter school reform. https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2020/02/05/gov-wolf-proposes-saving-280-million-a-year-in-pa-with-charter-school-reform/  

Pennsylvania. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/23/bethlehem-pennsylvania-a-superintendent-talks-candidly-about-charter-schools-and-race/

Pennsylvania. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/27/pennsylvania-superintendents-form-coalition-to-fight-privatization/

Pennsylvania. A halfway takedown of cyber-charters. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/01/pa-another-bill-to-take-down-sort-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Tennessee. https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2020/02/13/tn-supt-penny-schwinn-bypasses-legislature-with-no-bid-voucher-contract/

Texas. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/26/tom-ultican-explains-corporate-education-reform-and-the-assault-on-dallas-public-schools/

Texas. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/03/dallas-charter-operator-sentenced-to-7-years-then-claims-bonus/

Washington, DC. https://educationdc.net/2020/02/03/reasons-why-dcps-should-support-not-close-washington-met/

Wisconsin and Ohio. In the two states with some of the oldest voucher programs School choice week is filled with contention. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/01/31/23043/

Wisconsin. http://www.hngnews.com/sun_prairie_star/opinion/article_5ba86a51-2503-5cc2-9a0a-5e5abfaf6549.html

Wyoming. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/02/used-pitches-privatization-to-wyoming.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

“Reform” Travails

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/02/10/does-studying-student-data-really-raise-test.html?cmp=eml-enl-cm-news1-rm&M=59041821&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

https://www.salon.com/2020/02/11/how-corporations-are-forcing-their-way-into-americas-public-schools_partner/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/01/18/we-are-all-reformers-part-4/ and https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/01/21/we-are-all-reformers-part-5/ 

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/02/11/school-reforms-that-are-persistent-and-admired-but-marginal-part-1/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/02/14/school-reforms-that-are-persistent-and-admired-but-marginal-part-2/ and https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/02/16/school-reforms-that-are-persistent-and-admired-but-marginal-part-3/

Reviews of Diane Ravitch’s new book Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America’s Public Schools

https://garyrubinstein.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/the-life-and-death-of-the-terrible-education-reform-movement/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/19/gary-rubinstein-on-the-life-and-death-of-the-terrible-education-reform-movement/  

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/14/john-thompson-reviews-slaying-goliath-part-1/ and  https://dianeravitch.net/2020/02/14/john-thompson-reviews-slaying-goliath-part-2/

Technology

Comments Dec. 8th, 2019-Jan. 16th, 2020

Build and Support Issues

Public education forum challenges candidates to support full funding for public schools. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/22453/

Civics. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/colleges-must-train-students-for-jobs–and-also-as-citizens/2019/12/29/b8724756-204e-11ea-a153-dce4b94e4249_story.html

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/12/us/texas-vs-california-history-textbooks.html?action=click&auth=login-email&login=email&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage%3A

The miseducation of American boys. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/01/the-miseducation-of-the-american-boy/603046/

Financial Times English account of how to help working class boys falling behind in school https://www.ft.com/content/3b2509f2-fda2-11e8-aebf-99e208d3e521

 Pam Burdman: Alternative high school math pathways. https://hechingerreport.org/opinion-we-can-make-math-less-traumatic-by-ensuring-every-student-is-on-the-right-pathway/?utm_source=Just+Equations&utm_campaign=c7e07e95d6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_01_03_08_59_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_472770b236-c7e07e95d6-294112997&mc_cid=c7e07e95d6&mc_eid=93b18d36f0

Will the science of reading instruction catch on in teacher prep? https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/12/04/most-ed-professors-favor-balanced-literacy.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1&M=58997710&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/reading-between-lines-what-states-can-do-about-americas-literacy-challenge?mc_cid=45af6ea488&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/12/can-rich-content-improve-education.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-foundation-of-real-writing.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/digging-dirt-quality-curriculum?mc_cid=230f13568f&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/research/supplemental-curriculum-bazaar?mc_cid=e262123924&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/12/fordham-teachers-are-downloading-junk.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/how-districts-can-mitigate-harm-popular-low-quality-online-curriculum-resources?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=0577801f73-20160918_LateLateBell9_16_2016_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-0577801f73-71867561&mc_cid=0577801f73&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

https://www.educationnext.org/stay-course-on-national-standards-forum-decade-on-has-common-core-failed/?mc_cid=230f13568f&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

Teacher morale is dropping. Remedies. https://districtadministration.com/why-teacher-morale-appears-to-be-dropping/

Florida. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/16/florida-are-violent-kids-protected-by-law/

North Carolina. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/11/north-carolina-leandro-report-sets-a-new-direction-for-the-states-schools-will-the-politicians-listen/

Virginia. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/12/va-ideas-about-how-to-recruit-and.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Stop blaming schools for chronic absenteeism. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/13/wendy-lecker-stop-blaming-schools-for-chronic-absenteeism/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/01/10/we-are-all-school-reformers-part-1/; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/01/13/we-are-all-reformers-part-2/ and https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/we-are-all-reformers-part-3/

Charters, Vouchers, and Privatization

Jeff Bryant: https://www.salon.com/2019/12/12/why-the-federal-governments-billion-dollar-charter-school-program-is-a-bigger-disaster-than-we-thought_partner/

Reviews of Diane Ravitch’s new book Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America’s Public Schools https://tultican.com/2020/01/01/we-are-the-resistance-and-we-are-winning-2/ and https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/22594/

Charter Schools: Why they are not in the public interest. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/01/15/22732/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/12/09/report-federal-government-wasted-millions-dollars-charter-schools-that-never-opened/

Full list of the 2500 closed charter schools.https://www.prwatch.org/news/2015/09/12936/cmd-publishes-full-list-2500-closed-charter-schools?emci=620d6768-601c-ea11-828b-2818784d6d68&emdi=836e9aa7-611c-ea11-828b-2818784d6d68&ceid=7442779

https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2019/12/20/why-is-accountability-too-much-to-ask-of-charter-schools/https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/11/charter-chains-try-to-lift-college-graduation-rates-by-sending-dropouts-to-online-college/

 The Misleading Rhetoric of School “Choice” Advocates: Wealth and “Choice” https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-misleading-rhetoric-of-school.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

How non-profit charter schools make a profit. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/14/michael-kohlhass-how-nonprofit-charter-schools-make-a-profit/

https://www.thenation.com/article/education-school-choice-democrats/

https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/11/waltons-and-broad-fund-a-grassroots-parents-group/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/15/maurice-cunningham-why-the-waltons-fund-the-national-parents-union/

https://garyrubinstein.wordpress.com/2020/01/05/reform-funded-research-winning-kipp-lottery-does-not-significantly-increase-chance-of-persisting-in-college/ and https://garyrubinstein.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/more-reform-funded-research-kipp-graduates-persist-in-college-at-the-same-rate-as-their-mothers/

Vouchers: Should states be subsidizing private education at a steep cost to public schools? https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2020/01/06/22629/

Alabama. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/13/larry-lee-the-colossal-charter-mess-in-alabama/

Alabama. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/13/alabama-tfa-alum-plans-to-open-a-federally-funded-charter-in-an-impoverished-rural-county-with-only-two-public-schools/

Arkansas. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/24/a-plea-to-arkansas-officials-to-keep-hands-off-little-rock-public-schools/

Arizona. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/12/curtis-cardine-on-the-fiscal-crisis-in-arizonas-charter-school-industry/

Arizona. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/27/education-law-center-the-failure-of-vouchers-in-texas-and-of-voucher-expansion-in-arizona/

Arizona. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/14/arizona-goldwater-institute-sues-to-invalidate-regulation-of-voucher-money/

Atlanta. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/18/ed-johnson-will-the-citizens-of-atlanta-allow-their-public-schools-to-be-transformed-into-a-business/

California. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/07/california-lawmaker-proposes-regulations-for-home-school-charter-industry/

California https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/16/how-czis-summit-schools-excluded-its-own-students-from-an-open-meeting/

California. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/11/wisconsin-taxpayers-angry-about-supporting-two-school-systems/   

Chicago. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/11/chicago-no-new-charter-schools-apply-to-open-this-year-backlash/

Florida. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/10/sue-legg-the-dark-ide-of-chool-choice-in-florida/

Houston. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/20/houston-founder-of-houston-charter-chain-indicted-and-arrested/

Houston. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/21/texas-state-takeover-of-houston-schools-is-an-outrage/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/02/houston-the-betrayal-of-the-public-schools-as-state-attacks-democracy/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/13/domingo-morel-the-state-takeover-of-houston-schools-is-about-race-and-power-not-school-improvement/

Indiana. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/05/indiana-state-graduation-rate-is-87-but-for-charters-it-is-40/

Indiana. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/17/shocker-indiana-refuses-to-give-three-indianapolis-schools-to-for-profit-charter-chain/

Los Angeles. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/05/los-angeles-charters-are-proliferating-where-they-arent-needed/  

Los Angeles. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/12/michael-kohlhaas-charter-leader-in-los-angeles-harasses-teacher-protesting-co-location-and-unqualified-staff-at-charter/

Massachusetts. https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2019/12/28/massachusetts-nonprofit-building-excellent-schools-receives-57m-from-arkansas-waltons/

Miami. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/19/miami-a-school-choice-dream-or-nightmare/

Nevada. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/22/angie-sullivan-the-charter-industry-in-nevada-is-asleep-at-the-wheel-gone-off-the-road-crashed-into-a-ditch/

New Hampshire. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/13/breaking-news-new-hampshire-tables-offer-of-25-million-from-devos-to-double-charter-schools/

New Jersey. https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/01/hoboken-nj-charter-schools-update-for.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29 and https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/01/correcting-facts-about-nj-charter.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCqnJA+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29

New Jersey. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/09/newark-superintendent-wants-to-close-four-charters-and-limit-new-ones/

North Carolina. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/01/nc-whitewashing-charter-report.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

North Carolina. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/07/north-carolina-a-cash-cow-for-investors-a-headache-for-taxpayers/ 

North Carolina, Charlotte. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/06/charlotte-n-c-charter-school-abruptly-closes-mid-year/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/09/ohio-expands-its-failed-voucher-program-and-most-school-districts-will-lose-funding/ and https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/12/11/22324/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/21/peter-greene-ohio-plunges-districts-into-the-voucher-disaster/  

Ohio. https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2020/01/03/ohios-aggressive-school-vouchers-set-to-cripple-even-high-scoring-public-schools/

Ohio. Voucher program in trouble. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/12/oh-voucher-crisis-looming.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/11/ohio-expert-educators-call-on-governor-to-repeal-state-takeover-bill/

Ohio. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/16/akron-former-leader-of-digital-academy-accused-of-diverting-167000-to-a-shell-company/

Pennsylvania. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/11/pennsylvania-republican-legislators-target-states-neediest-districts-for-failed-takeover-strategy/

Pennsylvania. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/democrats-are-moving-on-from-charter-schools-who-will-they-leave-behind/2019/12/13/325f0272-1d05-11ea-b4c1-fd0d91b60d9e_story.html

Pittsburg. https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2019/12/23/charter-schools-harrisburg-mayor-peduto-created-pittsburgh-public-schools-budget-deficit/

Rhode Island. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/15/tom-ultican-the-takeover-of-providence-public-schools/

Tennessee. https://garyrubinstein.wordpress.com/2020/01/15/the-tennessee-asd-booted-or-re-booted/

Texas. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/27/education-law-center-the-failure-of-vouchers-in-texas-and-of-voucher-expansion-in-arizona/

Tulsa. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/04/john-thompson-why-is-tulsa-in-crisis/

Utah. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/15/utah-charter-enrollment-declines-for-first-time-in-a-decade/

Wisconsin. https://dianeravitch.net/2020/01/11/wisconsin-taxpayers-angry-about-supporting-two-school-systems/  

“Reform Foibles”

New Mexico. Final disposition of the successful lawsuit against value added teacher evaluation. http://vamboozled.com/new-mexico-lawsuit-final-update/

Technology

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614893/classroom-technology-holding-students-back-edtech-kids-education/

The 100 worst ed tech disasters of the decade. http://hackeducation.com/2019/12/31/what-a-shitshow

https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2020/01/10/robots-will-never-replace-teachers-they-can-only-displace-us/

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/01/08/teachers-the-robots-are-coming-but-thats.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1&M=59021424&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

Comments Oct. 17th-Dec. 8th, 2019

Build and Support

Stop ignoring the innovations that occur in public schools. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/11/27/stop-ignoring-the-innovation-that-happens-in.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1-rm&M=58992512&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

Getting reading right report. https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/getting-reading-right/index.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1&M=58995349&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

There is a right way to teach reading and Mississippi knows it. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/05/opinion/mississippi-schools-naep.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage   

Too many early reading teachers are using the debunked cueing system and guessing strategies to the detriment of reading performance. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/12/04/data-how-reading-is-really-being-taught.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1-rm&M=58994577&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e and http://e-news.edweek.org/ct/98293588:7Ln9R0umN:m:1:3139580984:BBD4F440C91BEC50B516A79AEF1C40DF:r:56558  

https://www.educationnext.org/put-whole-language-on-trial-case-against-reading-instruction-illiteracy/

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/54452/why-deeply-diving-into-content-could-be-the-key-to-reading-comprehension?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=20191027MindShiftNewsletterSubscribers&mc_key=00Qi000001WzO2NEAV

Pondiscio: A plea to conservatives to pay attention to the importance of broad content knowledge and the goal of citizenship https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/classroom-content-conservative-conundrum?mc_cid=cafba688d5&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

Pondiscio: Curricular efforts https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/curriculum-advocates-prepare-long-hard-struggle?mc_cid=1972e93aed&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

Schmoker on making reading instruction more efficient. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/11/20/how-to-make-reading-instruction-much-much.html?r=599652308&cmp=eml-enl-cco-news2-rm&M=58989597&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e&mkey=D3494795-8EEA-48E1-B02B-97496ABA726A

Robert Pondiscio: “Are You In?”, the importance of civic engagement. https://www.educationnext.org/metric-that-matters-most-ask-kids-are-you-in/

Stanford on-line civic reasoning website. https://cor.stanford.edu/

An inside look at Singapore schools. http://ncee.org/2019/10/building-the-nation-builders/

What teachers need. https://www.weareteachers.com/what-teachers-need/?utm_source=WAT_MDR&utm_medium=Enews&utm_campaign=WAT_Enews103119

The problem of teacher demoralization. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-11-19-many-frustrated-teachers-say-it-s-not-burnout-it-s-demoralization?utm_source=EdSurgeEdsChoice&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=12-03-2019&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT0dSbFltVTROR1JtWmpZdyIsInQiOiJrZFFYd2lmVFJvOHRwcWZLKzFJdDg2WWVLeG5DUFpjdUZyMzVOajVQRGpyM2EyRWpLN2duR0dlRlVzeUQ1b09JYzNQN0FlN1RCZ29qYjZoRkpKcDFOaFwvaWdvanNVN2Z0VW5uXC9WWklYSFZIRTdCV2VaVjBuekRCbG9iXC9yeHFnMCJ9

One-stop shopping for teachers by Ken Burns https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/11/19/indisensable-ken-burns-has-new-initiative-one-stop-online-teachers/

A union teacher pens an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/17/glenn-sacks-in-the-wall-street-journal-teachers-unions-have-the-cure-for-what-ails-americas-schools/  

Jan Resseger: Building the case for public education. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/11/18/22024/

A large study concludes inquiry methods in math beat traditional strategies. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/10/09/students-learn-more-from-inquiry-based-teaching-international.html?r=328926239

Teachers nationwide strike for better education. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/11/27/22141/

Massachusetts adds billions for equity in public schools. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/12/06/22296/

Chicago teachers strike for better student conditions. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/21502/

Chicago teachers win improved student support. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/06/chicago-the-teachers-strike-brings-a-sea-change-in-education-policy/

End of course exams show positive results. https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/research/end-course-exams-and-student-outcomes?mc_cid=f96883c18f&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

Petrilli: Fewer Children Left Behind https://fordhaminstitute.org/sites/default/files/publication/pdfs/20191015-fewer-children-left-behind.pdf?utm_source=Fordham+Institute+Newsletters+%26+Announcements&utm_campaign=76ddf18adc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_201900730-discipline-reform_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5fa2df08a3-76ddf18adc-71867561&mc_cid=76ddf18adc&mc_eid=ebbe04a807

Charters, Vouchers, and Privatization Issues

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/12/05/to-embrace-charter-schools-is-embrace-betsy-devos-donald-trump-says-black-scholar-who-once-led-charters/

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2019/11/charter-school-research-silver-bullet-apocalypse.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news2-rm&M=58992512&U=56558&UUID=963b3ee1b30e99b18f611b1fbc9d893e

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/11/david-osborne-tells-big-charter-lie.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/11/why-market-forces-will-not-provide.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Charters want public school transportation dollars. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/12/buddy-can-you-spare-ride-to-charter.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29  

https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2019/10/19/charter-schools-cherry-pick-students-call-it-choice-part-1-the-i-didnt-do-it-excuse/ ; https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2019/10/26/charter-schools-cherry-pick-students-call-it-choice-part-2-the-everyones-doing-it-excuse/

Larry Cuban’s review of Pondiscio’s recent book “How the Other Half Learns”. https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2019/11/27/how-the-other-half-learns-a-review-part-1/ ; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2019/11/30/how-the-other-half-learns-a-review-part-2/ ; and https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2019/12/03/how-the-other-half-learns-a-review-part-3/

Peter Greene: Federally supported vouchers are a major cause of discrimination. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/10/vouchers-and-federally-supported.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Alabama https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/05/alabama-fired-principal-of-charter-school-sues-board-for-excluding-students-with-disabilities-nepotism-and-cronyism/

Arizona https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/26/arizona-charter-founder-paid-his-companies-46-8-million-in-taxpayer-money-in-one-year/

Arkansas https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/17/cathy-frye-inside-the-shadowy-world-of-the-arkansas-school-choice-movement-part-6/ ; https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/23/cathy-frye-tells-all-about-the-shadowy-world-of-school-choice-in-arkansas-part-7/

Arkansas https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/17/lilsis-maps-the-walton-billionaires-who-are-crushing-the-teachers-parents-and-public-schools-of-little-rock/  

Arkansas https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/19/max-brantley-the-waltons-vicious-assault-on-arkansas-public-schools-and-its-teachers-union/

Boston https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/02/boston-falling-enrollment-forces-charter-chain-to-retrench/

Cleveland School closures threaten to destroy neighborhoods in Cleveland. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/11/11/21909/

Dallas https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/25/dallas-chamber-of-commerce-leads-campaign-to-destroy-public-schools/

Denver https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/08/tom-ultican-the-denver-miracle-voters-eliminate-billionaire-backed-corporate-reformers/  ; and https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/08/jeannie-kaplan-denver-voters-give-reform-an-f/

Florida http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/11/fl-how-state-supports-discrimination-by.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Florida (Michigan, DC, and Mississippi) https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/08/g-f-brandenburg-invites-you-to-spot-the-miracles-in-florida-michigan-d-c-and-mississippi/

Florida http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/11/fl-even-state-thinks-florida-virtual.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29  

Houston https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/07/outrage-state-plans-to-take-control-of-houston-district-due-to-1-failing-school/ ; https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/07/houston-shame-on-the-texas-education-agency-for-attacking-local-democratic-control-of-public-schools/ ; https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/07/houston-the-double-standard-that-favors-charters/; https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/18/yes-something-stinks-about-the-state-takeover-of-the-houston-independent-school-district/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/20/houston-hft-files-lawsuit-to-block-state-takeover/

Indiana https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/03/indiana-karen-francisco-on-shady-charter-real-estate-deals/

Kentucky https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/17/peter-greene-beware-kentucky-here-come-the-charter-hucksters/

Kentucky https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/22/kentucky-dont-be-fooled-charters-and-vouchers-harm-children/

Kentucky https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/05/kentucky-state-board-of-education-meets-omits-request-to-fund-charter-schools/

Kentucky https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/05/kentucky-districts-required-to-take-charter-school-training-with-no-charter-schools-in-sight/

Little Rock https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/05/thomas-ultican-wealthy-white-elites-are-attacking-the-little-rock-school-district/

Louisiana https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/1-3m-wasnt-enough-still-more-walton-money-appears-in-la-s-october-2019-elections/

Louisiana https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2019/11/03/john-whites-2019-la-naep-and-act-failure/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/04/gary-rubinstein-the-reformers-desperate-effort-to-find-hope-in-the-naep-scores/

Louisiana https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/01/mike-deshotels-on-john-whites-record-as-louisianas-state-superintendent-and-education-reformer/  and https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/04/mercedes-schneider-the-failure-of-reform-in-louisiana/

Michigan/Detroit https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/19/michigan-state-takeover-of-detroit-schools-was-a-costly-mistake/

New Hampshire https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/03/new-hampshire-legislature-puts-46-million-federal-charter-school-grant-on-hold/

New York City Robert Pondiscio: Success Academy is better and worse than you think. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/11/pondiscio-success-academy-is-better-and.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

New Orleans https://harpers.org/archive/2019/11/the-k-12-takeover-charter-schools-new-orleans/?emci=391a9478-05ff-e911-828b-2818784d6d68&emdi=cf8d21eb-09ff-e911-828b-2818784d6d68&ceid=7442779; and Jan Resseger’s review of Gabor’s article. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/11/04/21745/ 

New Orleans https://thelensnola.org/2019/11/04/nola-public-schools-sends-warning-letters-to-three-schools-over-special-education-concerns/

New York City https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/21/class-size-matters-the-cost-to-new-york-city-of-paying-rent-for-charter-school-facilities/

New York City https://garyrubinstein.wordpress.com/2019/11/11/success-academy-class-of-2020-sheds-239-scholars-along-the-way/

North Carolina https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/18/betsy-devos-floods-north-carolina-with-charter-cash/

Oakland https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/12/jane-nylund-oakland-is-in-the-sights-of-the-destroy-public-education-crowd-who-control-the-board/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/10/bill-phillis-an-experiment-in-ohio-that-will-probably-never-be-repeated/

Ohio. Resseger: Wealth and Power Undermine Equity and Democracy Across Ohio’s Public School Districts https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/10/25/21617/

Ohio. Resseger  Voucher expansion creates a new kind of school funding inequity. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/11/06/21811/

Ohio https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/21/bill-phillis-it-is-wrong-for-ohio-to-require-public-schools-to-pay-for-transportation-costs-of-charters-and-vouchers/

Oklahoma https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/06/john-thompson-the-new-wave-of-misnaepery-heading-towards-oklahoma-and-other-states/

Pennsylvania https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2019/11/15/vulture-voucher-bill-latest-in-mike-turzais-quest-to-please-betsy-devos-in-pa/; https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/15/pennsylvania-gop-speaker-pushes-devos-plan-for-vouchers/ and https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/21/breaking-news-pennsylvania-voucher-bill-blocked-for-now/

Pennsylvania https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/19/pennsylvania-low-performing-charter-school-demands-charter-takeover-of-elementary-schools-in-entire-school-district/

Pennsylvania http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/11/pa-charter-drains-public-schools-now.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

Pennsylvania https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/06/pennsylvania-why-did-this-charter-school-ceo-pay-himself-11-million-without-board-approval/

Pennsylvania https://dianeravitch.net/2019/12/08/peter-greene-who-ripped-off-the-public-schools-in-the-chester-upland-district-in-pennsylvania/

Pennsylvania https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2019/12/06/demand-reform-to-pennsylvanias-charter-school-law-before-its-too-late/

 Philadelphia https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/21/philadelphia-school-choice-has-harmed-not-helped-the-citys-public-schools/

Philadelphia https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/24/philadelphia-charter-school-excludes-student-because-she-is-adhd/

Rhode Island https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/29/rhode-island-a-frightening-tour-of-an-achievement-first-charter-school/

Tennessee https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/18/tennessee-dont-copy-alabamas-mistakes/

Tennessee https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/25/tennessee-achievement-school-district-continues-to-show-very-low-test-scores/

Tennessee https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/22/great-hearts-charter-schools-target-middle-class-and-affluent-students/

Texas https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/14/texas-a-power-grab-to-squeeze-the-public-out-of-public-education/  

Washington state. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/23/washington-state-another-charter-school-closes-due-to-dwindling-enrollment/

Washington, DC https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/11/valerie-jablow-d-c-ripped-off-by-charter-real-estate-deals/

Washington, DC https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/11/d-c-charter-enrollment-declines-for-first-time/

Wisconsin https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/15/north-carolina-a-mother-sends-her-children-to-a-charter-school-but-is-shocked-when-she-finds-out-about-the-real-estate-deal/

“Reform” foibles

The failed policy of third grade retention. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/31/nancy-bailey-the-haunted-third-grade-classroom-that-traps-children/ and http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/11/tn-doubling-down-on-bad-reading-policy.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FORjvzd+%28CURMUDGUCATION%29

The tragedy of “portfolio districts”. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/11/26/jan-resseger-the-tragedy-of-portfolio-districts/

High attrition rates in Washington, DC. The highest rated teachers are most likely to leave. https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/23/valerie-jablow-teacher-attrition-in-d-c-reaches-crisis-level/

Review of Jeff Bryant’s article on the ongoing impact of the School Leadership pipeline created by Eli Broad’s Superintendents’ Academy. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2019/10/21/21533/

Unequal Access and Denial of Opportunity: the Collateral Damage of Portfolio School Reform

Technology

Larry Cuban: https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/the-puzzle-of-similar-teaching-in-universities-and-schools-the-case-of-technology-use/

https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/design-tech-high-school-part-1/ ; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2019/10/30/teaching-at-d-tech-high-school-english-part-2/ ; https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2019/11/05/teaching-at-d-tech-high-school-chemistry-part-3/ and https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2019/11/07/teaching-at-d-tech-high-school-government-part-4/  

The connection between ed tech and “reform”. https://thebaffler.com/salvos/fables-of-school-reform-watters?emci=a5b0ebb9-1715-ea11-828b-2818784d6d68&emdi=c3e6b449-1c15-ea11-828b-2818784d6d68&ceid=7442779

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