A Sad Day for Us All

I was shocked to hear about the Boston Marathon today and while it didn’t affect me personally, I have several marathon running friends and friends in Boston who watched the race somewhere else.  I don’t want to compare this to the closings on the West Side of Chicago, but I do know how hard it was for me to concentrate on things like blogging after hearing of the carnage, I can only imagine what it’s like to live in a war zone where deaths are commonplace and you know the people involved.

As a country, I hope we pull together and don’t start searching for a target to blame whether it’s a middle eastern terrorist or a right wing home grown anti-tax terrorist.

Core Launches Election Campaign

“Now, in 2013, the CORE incumbents are facing a coalition composed of the two former adversaries, Deborah Lynch’s PACT people and the remnants of the UPC (Marilyn Stewart is retired and not active). The new group, calling itself the “Coalition To Save Our Union” is headed by two former UPC stalwarts (Tonya Saunders Wolffe and Mark Ochoa) and two people from PACT (Mary Ellen Sanchez and Kelly McFarlene). Sharkey reminded those at the Haymarket that they will have to work very hard between now and election day to ensure that the history doesn’t again repeat itself.”

Mom Uses ‘Raise Your Hand’ to Slap Back at CPS

“”I feel that I’m one of the only people who’s had access to a lot of these building,” she continued. “I love going on the walk-throughs. As disappointing as this process is, it’s important to continue to shed light. Now’s not the time to quit.”

Alternative Certified Teachers Profile…Bonnie Kohler

“However, imagine my surprise when we got back our test scores that first year and I learned that my students improved their test scores by 150 percent.  In fact, our whole school’s test scores went through the roof.  The assistant principal and my mentor assured me that they went through all my student’s tests after school one Friday and that they could tell the kids did great and that my increases were legitimate.  They also said, I shouldn’t ask any questions abut it for some reason.”

California Democrats Take Aim at Efforts to Overhaul Education

“State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson criticized the same groups by name, saying they do not “lift a finger to prevent the cuts to education.”

“In my book, you’re not a reformer, you’re not helping education and you’re sure not much of a Democrat,” he said.”

North Side Mom Fights to Save Trumbull Elementary School from Closing by CPS

“This is what a 54 percent utilized school looks like,” Ali Burke said Friday morning as she walked through the North Side’s Trumbull Elementary School, fated thus far for closing by summertime.”

Accidental Fascist

Last night, there was a ton of activity on the internet when Brad Paisley released his new duet with LL Cool J.  I think the song tried to be a song of earnest racial reconciliation, but it fell apart under its own tone deafness.   Saying you don’t mean it, doesn’t make a racist act less racist and you can’t equate African-Americans having wounds over slavery and years of second class citizenship with white people not liking a guy’s doo rag or gold chains.  It reminded me a lot of the Tribune and other Chicagoans (and Ohioans) swearing it’s not racism. This is the Chicago situation:

1. You force African-Americans into certain pockets of the city.  When they get overcrowded you give them Willis Wagons.  When Martin Luther King complains, you lie to him.2. You neglect the infrastructure of those neighborhoods and refuse to adequately fund their schools.3. The people who live there leave the city.4. You close down their schools and cram 40 students in a classroom again.  Maybe they still have some old Willis Wagons lying around for the receiving schools.

Please, just tell me how this is not racist.

Newark Student Walkout  

There is hope for our future.  When faced with $56 million in budget cuts, 15 of 17 Newark Public High Schools had students walk out to protest.  Over 1,000 students risked suspension (and at one school a beating) to let their voices be heard.  This really gives me some hope that people will start to fight back over the mixed up priorities towards education in this country.

Michelle Obama to Visit Chicago High School Tomorrow

:”Mrs. Obama will visit Harper High School in the West Englewood neighborhood, a school in which nearly 30 current or former students have been shot, 8 fatally.  She will meet with a small group of students and counselors to hear firsthand about their experiences, according to a statement from the White House.”

Michelle Gunderson Offers Pledge for Ethical Use of Student Data

“I realize it is just a start. If I could wave a wand and make the tests disappear I would. But I do know that if my school district insists on giving these tests, I can insist upon exercising some control over how they are used.”

TED Star Sir Ken Robinson Offers Solutions for Chicago’s Schools

“Robinson said there is no easy solution to Chicago’s problems of poor graduation rates and underperforming students. But he questioned the city’s recent proposal to close 54 public schools, saying it seems to him that the schools could “one of the engines of re-generation.”

Canter Middle School Supporters Come Out in Force at CPS Closing Meeting

““Today people came out from CPS to watch us for three days to make sure we don’t steal and to make sure we still teach,” said Patrick Papczun, a math teacher at Canter. “Did anyone come out before this? No, no one came out to the school before this.”

Accidental Racist: School Closing Edition

“I’m just your mayor, and I’m kind a new here.
I’ve spent the last few years in DC,
I’ve got an Ohioan advising me.
Putting this behind us is my only wish,
If you don’t like the Ipad,
I know where I can get you a dead fish.”

Go Notre Dame!!

I’m a preoccupied.   I’m not that big of a fan of Notre Dame as a school and I can find their alumni as overblown and obnoxious as the next person, but I grew up rooting for them and I guess that transcends all.  I know their underdogs, but that’s why they play the games on the field.

Two different student organizations have released their state report cards and ranked Illinois about the same.   Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst has Illinois rated 29th.   The Satirical website Last Stand for Children First ranked states by such criteria as the cost of duct tape, how low teacher salaries are, and whether they aggressively pursue fraud cases.  Illinois came in 31st in that one. 

 

How Was Your First Day Back?

I’ll be curious to see how many teachers and students continued their break through the weekend and how many went back on time.  Big plans for winter vacations or trips to Mexico to see family will take precedence I am sure.  I’ve already seen students and teachers asking for a freak storm, but that’s not the only news.   CPS continues to have a problem giving the appearance of community engagement. You can’t have the illusion of inclusion without lyin’ about buy in.

Letter Sent to CEO Byrd-Bennett by Raise Your Hand Coalition

“As Chicago parents we are concerned that CPS is still using a flawed formula that exaggerates under utilization, under-reports overcrowding and ignores other factors reducing classroom size such as percent of special education students served and on site community partnerships. We are also deeply troubled by the lack of transparency in the process that CPS is using to make decisions around school actions this year.”

Indiana Need to Drop Common Core, Develop Its Own Standards

“The defeat of Tony Bennett as Indiana’s state superintendent of education was attributed to many factors. Yet, as one post-election analysis indicated, the size of the vote for his rival, Glenda Ritz, suggests that the most likely reason was Bennett’s support for, and attempt to implement, Common Core’s badly flawed standards.”

Kristine Mayle’s Accuses Board of Misrepresentation

Kristine and other parents and others accuse CPS of misrepresenting facts in this video from before the December School Board meeting.

2012 – A Banner Year for Education Reform (Satire)

“In Chicago, I wonder how long Juan Rangel and his $260,000+ salary will continue to be able to have school openings like this one, if charters do not receive more tax dollars. “