ICYMI: Teacher Start Up Edition (8/18)

We are back at the home office, and getting ready to roll because this coming week is the beginning of the teacher year in these parts. Will our local schools hit that magical balance between PD sessions and time to work in the room? Cross your fingers and hope. Meanwhile, here's some reading from the week.

Skiatook HS pulls assignment on Christianity after Osage family protests

Chelsea Hicks reports for Osage News about the completely predictable result of Oklahoma's attempt to inject Christianity into classrooms. Bonus: the teacher in question is on an expired emergency certificate and was disqualified from running for sheriff because he embezzled money from a Taco Bueno. Oklahoma, the Florida of the West.

From the Frontlines of the MAGA War on Higher Education: The Ms. Q&A With New College of Florida Professor Amy Reid

It's always a moment when non-education media pick up an education story. Carrie Baker talks to a faculty member about Florida's attempt to create a Hillsdale of the South, for Ms. magazine. Illuminating and alarming.

Sasse’s spending spree: Former UF president channeled millions to GOP allies, secretive contracts

The Independent Alligator broke this story of shamelessly spectacular grift. 

Ghost candidates and Closed Primaries: Another Great Reason to Vote NO on Amendment 1.

Some Florida are worried that school board elections aren't political enough yet. Sue Kingery Woltanski explains their solution, and why it's a bad one.

Let’s Take a Peek Behind the Curtain

Tennessee has always been one of those places where the many threads of reformsterdom come together, and nobody plays connect the dots like TC Weber. What does Penny Schwinn have to do with Florida? He knows. 

Rally opposing proposed Penn Manor Independence Law Center contract planned for Monday

The ILC is Pennsylvania's legal clearing house for creating repressive anti-reading, anti-LGBTQ policies for PA schools. Here's one place with pushback. I recommend clicking through to Lancaster Online just to look at the signs in the photo accompanying the article.

Schools have made slow progress on record absenteeism, with millions of kids still skipping class

The Associated Press is working on a "package" about student absenteeism; this installment includes some interesting reporting on some of what is being tried.

Elmbrook Schools narrowly votes to keep 2 books from being removed

Some good reporting by Rebeccas Klopf of WTMJ from a small district in Wisconsin that really encapsulates the stances in these debates.

Can Vice-Presidential Pick Tim Walz Make Democrats the Education Party Again?

Jeff Bryant looks at Tim Walz in the context of the Democratic Party's less-than-stellar record with public education in the recent past.

The new and radical school voucher push is quietly unwinding two centuries of U.S. education tradition

Douglas Harris, writing for Brookings, breaks down the three major traditions that vouchers threaten-- separation of church and state, anti-discrimination, and public accountability.

Fintech bullies stole your kid's lunch money

Cory Doctorow looks at three players in the school lunch payment racket, who, he says, take as much as sixty cents on the dollar.

Why Are Schools Eliminating Recess, and What Are the Impacts?

Did you think we were done with this issue? Steve Nuzum looks at how this plays out on the ground, and why we need a course correction

Religious Charter School's Controversial Move: Seeking Public Funds to Relocate to Valley Village

Hans Johnson at City Watch LA reports on one more attempt to get public tax dollars to help finance private religious education. 

After six years of low scores for students learning English, Texas educators say it’s the test’s fault

Keaton Peters for the Texas Tribune. Shocking news that a standardized test might not be a perfect objective measure of students.

Charter School Transparency Hearings Starting In Senate Next Month

Betsy DeVos's home state is also home to some spectacular charter school abuses. Now some hearings are going to try to hold some of those shenanigans up to sunlight.

Private school tuition hikes have surged since Oklahoma tax credit began

Ruby Topalian at the Oklahoman with completely unsurprising news. As has been the case in other states, vouchers are a windfall for tuition-hiking schools. Choice? Not so much.

A-F grades for Texas schools blocked again by a judge

Texas reformsters really want their letter grades for public schools, but schools have sued, pointing out that the grades are based on the deeply flawed STAAR test. So far, the court keeps agreeing.

Hysterical Women

Nancy Flanagan points out that education policy is largely informed by the fact that most educators are women, and she suggests that maybe women are getting a chance to have major political influence.

Why has education reform always failed?

Paul Thomas takes a look at Johnathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation and connects that to education reform and the endless search for straightforward solutions to complicated problems.

Check Out New, Short, Informative Guide to Project 2025’s Education Policies

If you're not sick of reading about Project 2025 yet, Jan Resseger has a nice little resource for you.

Yes this matters

Benjamin Riley and the battle against knowledge nihilism.

Bear wanders into California teacher's classroom

Somebody may owe Betsy DeVos an apology.

At Forbes, I have a thought about how to help your child's teachers start the new year. Yes, I'm doing it. 

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