ICYMI: Privateers Edition (9/8)

Josh Cowen's book The Privateers is coming out this week. I've already got my copy, and you should get a copy of your own, because the book has a lot of insights into the voucher debates as they currently stand.

In the meantime, this week's reading list is a particularly good one. Let's see what we've got here.

The fight over vouchers is an existential battle for America’s public schools

Linda Blackford at the Charlotte Observer has an interview with Josh Cowen about the book (pro tip-- you can just x out of the request for your email address and just read the op ed).

How a Fifty-Year-Old Supreme Court Decision Fuels School Segregation Today

You know all about Brown v. Board, but how much do you know about Milliken v. Bradley? It's a decision that continues to enable segregation today. Here's a great explainer by Halley Potter at the Century Foundation.

What I saw at the Moms for Liberty summit: a diminished and desperate group

Olivia Little and Madeline Peltz went back to the Moms for Liberty summit this year, and what they saw does not bode well for that crew. Little writes about it for Media Matters. 

Trump (Momentarily) Talks Education at M4L Summit

Sue Kingery Woltanski looks at Trump's brief lurch into education stuff at the M4L summit. 

Donald Trump’s Incredible ‘Transgender Thing’

At the M4L summit, Trump made some crazy-pants claims about the "transgender thing." Elaine Godfrey takes a closer look for The Atlantic.

GOP Attacking Trans Kids

Thomas Ultican looks at the question of where parental rights start to strip children of their rights.

The Dark Money Defunding Rural Schools

Maurice Cunningham is an expert tracker of dark money in the education world, and this excellent piece collects everything he's dug up so far about our favorite parental rights' groups. This is a must read. From Barn Raiser.

5 Things Teachers Need to Know, According to Larry Ferlazzo

I don't know if these are things to know exactly, but Larry Ferlazzo at Ed Week shares five good education ideas, including on for $10,000.

How Metallica Is Helping Front Range Community College Students Get Jobs

Machael Mazenko reports for Westword about how the heavy metal titans have spent $10 mill on trade education.

Republicans pushing Christianity into public schools are hitting resistance — even in red states

Turns out lots of folks know this is a bad idea. Andrew Atterbury and Juan Perez Jr report for Politico.

‘A personal political gimmick’: Oklahoma superintendents say no to Walters’ Bible directive

More details from Oklahoma, where StateImpact sent out a survey of superintendents for even more details.

Appeals court rejects long-running pregame prayer lawsuit involving Tampa high school

It's a complicated case involving standing and a new state law and announcements at championship games. It also includes a rough judicial opinion regarding the likelihood of this coming up any time soon: 

“Hope springs eternal but standing cannot be built on hope,” the opinion said. “With all due respect to the Cambridge Christian Fighting Lancers, there’s nothing to suggest that the team’s participation in a future football state championship is imminent or even likely.”

Why thousands of Florida students are not being taught sex ed

Judd Legum at Popular Information explains why Florida's attempt to micro-manage sec ed has resulted in the program simply disappearing from some schools.

The Madness of EdTech: All or Nothing Options

Emily Cherkin guest posts at Nacy Bailey's blog about the frustrating half-assery that is ed tech in so many schools.

Texas schools are hiring more teachers without traditional training. They hope the state will pay to prepare them.

There's a lot to grasp here, but let's start with this stat-- almost 40% of Texas new hires were uncertified. That's in public schools. Charter schools are closer to 60%.

Kids who use ChatGPT as a study assistant do worse on tests

Jill Barshay looks at some totally unsurprising research at The Hechinger Report.

Why AI Isn't Going To Make Art

This essay at the New Yorker by Ted Chiang is worth burning one of your free peeks behind the paywall. It's thoughtful and well-crafted and helps to articulate the unease that so many feel but can't explain. Love what he does with the idea of intention. Another must read for the week.

What do you notice, what do you wonder?

Benjamin Riley looks at some of the visionary AI work being done in education, and ew...

The Democrats Are Finally Running a Teacher. What Took Them So Long?

After decades of sucking on education, the Democratic Party might get its act together. Jack Schneider and Jennifer Berkshire walk us through the history for The Nation.

AZ State Board Says No to School Voucher Dune Buggy Purchase

Turns out there are actual limits, sort of, to what Arizona will let you spend your voucher superbucks on. The indispensable Mercedes Schneider has the story.

What Do Parents Know About Public Education?

Reformsters argue that parents need more information about schools. Nancy Flanagan suggests maybe there's a better idea.

Keeping the Dumpster Fires Burning

TC Weber provides a history of ed reform leadership in Tennessee and golly bob howdy but it's a sad and winding tale. But instructive, too.

We Don't Have to Get Over It

Like every teacher, Jess Piper has been through some awful active shooter training. 

Over at the Bucks County Beacon, I looked at a new study showing that cyber charters are especially damaging to Black and Hispanic students,