Pages

Sunday, April 7, 2024

ICYMI: Big Fat Eclipse Edition (4/7)

The Curmudgucation Institute is located just about 10ish miles from the path of totality, which is close enough for me. Many local schools are dismissing early tomorrow so that children can enjoy the whole shebang from home. Should be a good time. We've got our glasses and everything. 

In the meantime, read up on some stuff.

My Letter to the Boston Globe re K-12 Political Coverage

Dark money expert Maurice Cunningham continues to try explaining to the Boston Globe how their education coverage seems to neglect mentioning some of the big money players behind the push for reform in Massachusetts. Also, this piece about the activities of the Barr Foundation

Oklahoma voters recall white supremacist, reject supporters of Ryan Walters

Some good news from Oklahoma for a change. Turns out plenty of voters still have some sense.

Kanye West admitted to ‘blowing Donda school funds’ on $2m Paris trip as Yeezy staffers ‘weren’t paid,’ lawsuit claims

Kanye's attempt to get into the education biz has not turned out so well. Who woulda thought it.

Students across Alaska walk out in protest of governor’s education veto

Alaska's governor has been trying to go the "bribe teachers to go along" route, but the legislature wouldn't go along, so he vetoed funding and now everyone is upset about something, including students. 

Civil Disobedience and Uncivilized Diatribes

Jess Piper reminds us that there are great and not-so-great ways to express your disagreement.


John Spencer shares some thoughts about what information literacy really means these days. 

NC teacher turnover hits highest mark in decades.

WRAL takes a look at North Carolina's continuing inability to hold onto teachers. No surprises here.

Naught for Teacher

Jennifer Berkshire at The Baffler with the story of how Democrats lost the plot and joined the opposition to public education and the search for Bad Teachers. Thorough and informative historical look that's well worth your attention.

A Tale of Two (or Three) Pensions

You may be retired, but are you "Have To Prove To The State You're Not Dead" retired? The indispensable Mercedes Schneider has a couple of tales to tell. Plus a follow-up piece here.

DIS-Information in Schools

Nancy Flanagan writes about battling dis-information (as distinct from misinformation). Also, because we have a bunch of twofers this week, catch her post Trust (Pandemic, Day #1475)

Fan of Standards-Based Grading?

Thomas Ultican breaks down standards-based grading, and why he is not a fan.


Jose Luis Vilson writes about the many tools used to target teachers of color and programs that respond to a diverse nation. Come for this line: "It’s about time for us to learn how to fight the bull. Or at least call out its excrements."

Billionaire Jeff Yass Avoids Taxes and Buys School Voucher Policies

Pennsylvania's big rich guy loves vouchers, and he's not shy about spending money to promote them, and he's not sticking to his home state. Steve Nuzum lays out some history.

Oklahoma Supreme Court Justices Appear to Question Constitutionality of Religious Charter School

This was the week that the Oklahoma supreme court started to hear arguments about the state's proposed and nation's first religious charter school. Jan Resseger has a good wrap up of the arguments being made and the importance of the case.

Why Does Florida Continue To Administer State-Mandated Writing Assessments?

Florida still makes students take a state writing assessment. Nobody really knows why, but Sue Kingery Woltanski can explain why they shouldn't.

The US is experiencing a boom in microschools. What are they?

Alejandra O'Connor writes an explainer for The Hill about microschools, and while she misses their importance in the drive for privatized voucherized schools, it's still a pretty good summation of how things stand currently.

Humans are not perfectly vigilant

Cory Doctorow remains one of the most on-target critics of AI. In this piece, he addresses the use of humans "in the loop" and why that sucks.

Majority Of Americans Never Use Physical Education After High School

This real oldie from The Onion surfaced this week, but it's still an evergreen classic. For every teacher who ever had to listen to "I'll never use this again..." (aka all teachers).


Come join me on substack, where everything I write turns up in your email inbox, and you never have to pay a cent for it. 


No comments:

Post a Comment