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Sunday, September 24, 2023

ICYMI: S'more edition (9/24)

Nobody would mistake the Institute for a palace, but it has a nice back yard with room for a campfire suitable for roasting marshmallows, and September is the month. We S'mored it up last night, despite the fact that the Board of Directors doesn't actually like gooey marshmallows. That's okay. Anything that gives us the chance to stop and breathe is welcome.

















Here's your reading list for the week. Remember--when you find things in this weekly compendium that you think are worth reading, please share (on whatever social media you're using these days). It's how the word gets out--one person at a time.

We must stand up to school privatizers for the sake of Wisconsin kids

Christian Phelps in the Wisconsin Examiner explains some of the unequal outcomes of the state's voucher program and the privatization of education.

Delays in state voucher funding causing problems for Northwest Florida private schools

Turns out when you expand your voucher program beyond what your money managers can handle, it creates problems for the voucher schools that pop up to take advantage of the voucher windfall.

A "Woke Agenda" Burned in Effigy by Missouri Senators

Jess Piper is one of the better known voices in the social media realm of public ed defenders these days, and now she's got a substack. Here's the story of some folks who decided to take a literal flamethrower to s pile of figurative woke agenda. Well, not just some folks. Some folks who want to be political leaders in Missouri.

The Ex-‘South Park’ Writer Taking On Moms for Liberty

Opposition to Moms for Liberty takes many forms. Here's one of the more unexpected ones.

Research Shows State School District Report Cards Do Not Measure the Quality of Public Schools

Yet another tale of research confirming what we already knew. Jan Resseger has the details.

Overhaul of Ohio's K-12 education system is unconstitutional, new lawsuit says

This is the kind of stuff that is wonky yet important, because this is how privatizers use wonky government stuff to take power and bypass democratic processes.

Children's book banned for some CMS students after parent complaints

North Carolina continues its educational descent with this story of the district where a book been pulled because, I kid you not, it shows an unwrapped crayon.

Texas teacher fired after assigning an illustrated Anne Frank book\

Meanwhile, in reading restriction news from Texas.


From the Washington Post. In South Carolina, a look at the other kinds of collateral damage that comes from turning students into little cultural narcs.

The Kids on the Night Shift

This New York Times investigative piece is heartbreaking. It also answers two questions--who actually wants undocumented immigration? and who wants to roll back child labor laws? 

The Case for Autonomy in Professional Development

Well, it's a little depressing that somehow a case must be made for letting teaching professionals control their own PD, but at least someone is making the case.

12K third graders at risk of being held back under Alabama Literacy Act, superintendent warns

Dumb law passed in 2019 goes into effect this year. How this bad policy is shaking out in Alabama. Don't miss the part where they note that the cut score will probably go up next year.


Success Academy, New York's big charter chain, ranked near the top of US News & World Report listings this time. Gary Rubinstein explains how they did it (and why you shouldn't be impressed).

School vouchers in Pennsylvania would violate the principles of ‘public’ education

Vouchers just won't go away in Pennsylvania. Marc Stier explains why they really should.

How to Improve Public Schools: Involve ‘Outsiders’

John Merrow has had a long and distinguished career as an education reporter. Here are some thoughts about how public schools could build their base.

About that Band Director Who Got Tased

If you are connected to the marching band world, you saw the story of the marching band director who was tased by the police for having his band play after a football game. It was one of those stories that made you think, "Well, there must be more to this." Then police released video, and, well, it was worse. Nancy Flanagan, retired music teacher, takes a look.

Elsewhere this week, at the Bucks County Beacon, I put up a story focusing on Khan Academy's new AI tool for school, and at Forbes, I looked at a book that offers a new explanation of what's behind the Great DeChurching of America.

And don't forget, you can get all my stuff in your inbox courtesy of substack.


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