Sunday, November 19, 2023

ICYMI: Light-Up Edition (11/19)

Last night was our light up night here in town, a parade of floats or all shape and size followed by fireworks in the park in the middle of town. It's one of many times during the year at which this place looks like some kind of uber-typical small town. We ride on a truck with the town band playing an assortment of Christmas carols for a huge crowd. Fun times.


















Lots to read this week. Remember to share!

Moms for Liberty reports over $2 million in revenue, with bulk of contributions from two donors

Ali Swenson covers this for the Associated Press. Friend of the Institute Maurice Cunningham makes an appearance. And these ordinary everyday totally not astroturf Moms get $1.5 million from two anonymous donors. 

The librarian who couldn’t take it anymore

At the Washington Post, Ruby Cramer takes a deep look into the story of Tania Galinanes, a librarian driven out of her job by Florida's crackdown on books.

How Moms for Liberty and a notorious English teacher exploited a high school student

Judd Legum returns to the story of the Moms for Liberty attempt to get a librarian arrested, and it just keeps getting worse.

Moms for Liberty asks Oklahoma to drop book fair vendor, claiming it’s promoting ‘radical viewpoints, sexual ideologies’

Moms for Liberty has decided to go after Scholastic book fairs in Oklahoma, because books, you know.

Moms for Liberty Cuddles Up to Proud Boys . . . Again

Maurice Cunningham looks at the Moms attempt to claim that they are totally not BFFs with the Proud Boys. Two chapter leaders take the fall, but that hardly scratches the surface.

Moms for Liberty plays the blame game after its big election losses

Ja'Han Jones at MSNBC calls out the Moms for blaming everyone but themselves for their poor election day showing.


They may have lost elections, but they still have friends in high places-- especially in Florida. Sue Kingery Woltanski reports. 

Why a bucolic Tennessee suburb is a hotbed of ‘Christian Nashville-ism’

Bob Smietana travels to Tennessee's Williamson County for the Washington Post. Money quote: "This is some of the most privileged people in the whole United States of America, acting like they’re on the brink of unimaginable persecution."

How Right-Wing Brainchild ‘Universal School Vouchers’ Blow Through State Budgets

Jeff Bryant's latest piece demonstrates how universal vouchers are fiscally irresponsible, blowing up in cost to bust state budgets.

Arizona school vouchers now cover $500 Lego sets? Sweet

Laurie Roberts in the Arizona Republic covers the latest in voucher spending. Not just Legos, but ninja training and ski trips.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott's proposal for school vouchers goes down in defeat

Yep. His latest attempt failed. Again.


Steven Monacelli at the Texas Observer breaks down some of the connections between the various folks aiming at privatizing Texas education and "capturing" school boards.

State leaders could decide the legal fate of religious charters

Preston Green and Suzanne Eckes break down the legal question behind current charter school debates. Public or private? We may have an answer soon.

The Battle Over Church and State Could Take Down the Charter School Movement

Adam Laats in the New Republic explains how charter fans could rue the day they let religious charters become a thing.


This tale from the indispensable Mercedes Schneider may seem like a local story, but the kind of charter shenanigans on display are worth watching for anywhere.

What House Republicans want to do to public education funding

The short answer is "slash it to the bone." Valerie Strauss has the long answer at the Washington Post.

Trans Boy Returns To Lead Role In 'Oklahoma!' After Outcry At Sherman School Board Meeting

In a pleasant surprise, a Texas school board undid their superintendent's order to can "Oklahoma" and the trans boy who was cast as Ali Hakim. They even offered an apology. Not included in this story-- the super has been removed from supervision of the fine arts program. (At this point nobody has complained that a white kid was cast as a Persian character).

School district increases security after being targeted by hate influencer Chaya Raichik over a joke

Libs of TikTok continues to be a danger of schools and the people in them.

Mark Zuckerberg Got Lost in Terra Mathematica

Dan Meyer with a great piece that's not just about the problems of teaching math, but what's wrong with the whole idea of mastery in learning.

Going for the education jugular

Gabe Hart at Tennessee Lookout explains the classic strategy-- make schools look bad, then aim to privatize.

84% of schools approved as part of Tennessee’s student voucher program are religiously affiliated

Adam Friedman at Tennessee Lookout breaks down the numbers for Tennessee's voucher schools.

New Book Contrasts What Voucher Proponents Promise to the Inequitable Results

Jan Resseger looks into a new book that dissects the school voucher illusion.

Teaching Music in the Digital Age

Nancy Flanagan with some excellent thoughts about teaching music in the digital (or any other) age.

Black teachers are leaving Allegheny County. A new study examines why.

That's in Pennsylvania. You can click through to the full study from Research for Action (a great outfit in PA) but this summary at an NPR station website gives you the highlights. 

Vermont May Be the Face of a Long-Term U.S. Labor Shortage

Wondering why so many states are rolling back child labor laws? This New York Times look at Vermont offers some clues.

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1 comment:

  1. You're town is truly beautiful. I've been there. Originally from Chicago, I've lived in Tennessee, Maine, Pennsylvania and three European countries, and I can attest to the exceptional beauty of your town.

    ReplyDelete