Forget the agony. Forget the use of the wrong word to describe something that is not even a proper noun! Forget the wrong preposition! Forget the incorrect capitalization (if you are a journalist)! But oh, the tautology! That is the dagger. What the hell is “tautology?” Alrighty then, just google it. Noun: the saying of … Continue reading The Tautology of Betsy DeVos – Or, Why I Don’t Want Her Teaching or Instructing An English Class
Public Education
Taking Dolorous Umbrage at Betsy DeVos With No Apologies to Dolores Umbridge, But I Miss Alan Rickman
When you teach a number of years coupled with the fact that social media has become such a mainstay in our culture, you have the opportunity to stay connected with former students much more easily. It is rather a humbling that these younger people (younger than I) would want to tell you about how their … Continue reading Taking Dolorous Umbrage at Betsy DeVos With No Apologies to Dolores Umbridge, But I Miss Alan Rickman
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Mitt Romney’s Very Misguided Op-ed Endorsing Betsy DeVos
Mitt Romney’s op-ed appearing in the Washington Post (and other national papers including my hometown Winston-Salem Journal) praising the selection of Betsy DeVos as the presumptive Secretary of Education is a stunning display of ignorance on the part of a man who almost became the leader of the free world “Mitt Romney: Trump has made … Continue reading Mitt Romney’s Very Misguided Op-ed Endorsing Betsy DeVos
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Betsy DeVos Literally Has Paid Her Way Into Becoming Confirmed As The Most Unqualified Secretary Of Education Ever
An article appeared this morning in my hometown newspaper, the Winston-Salem Journal, that highlights the call by two left-leaning organizations for Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina to recuse himself from confirming Betsy DeVos as Trump's Secretary of Education. Bertrand Gutierrez in "Critics call for U.S. Sen. Richard Burr to recuse himself in vote for … Continue reading Betsy DeVos Literally Has Paid Her Way Into Becoming Confirmed As The Most Unqualified Secretary Of Education Ever
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Teachers, Winter Is Coming, So Get Your Dragons!
“Winter is Coming!” Actually it’s here, at least according to the calendar, and by the looks of it here in the piedmont of North Carolina, it surely does look like winter outside with a blanket of snow on the ground. But also metaphorically speaking, “Winter is Coming!” Trump is descending upon Westeros, D.C to lay … Continue reading Teachers, Winter Is Coming, So Get Your Dragons!
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From Texas, The Greatest Country in the United States – “I Can’t Answer These Texas Standardized Test Questions About My Own Poems” (From Huffington Post)
This is both hilarious - AND SCARY at the same time. Enjoy and keep in mind that this is the status quo in a test crazy society. It starts, "When I realized I couldn’t answer the questions posed about two of my own poems on the Texas state assessment tests (STAAR Test), I had a … Continue reading From Texas, The Greatest Country in the United States – “I Can’t Answer These Texas Standardized Test Questions About My Own Poems” (From Huffington Post)
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Open Letter to Dave Machado, Charter School Chief for the State of North Carolina Concerning His Words About the Annual Charter Schools Report
Dear Mr. Machado, As the Director for the State Office of Charter Schools in North Carolina, your words concerning the annual charter schools report just recently made to the State Board of Education prove not just interesting, but rather selective and uninformed and display an attitude to make sure that charter schools in North Carolina … Continue reading Open Letter to Dave Machado, Charter School Chief for the State of North Carolina Concerning His Words About the Annual Charter Schools Report
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Vouchers, Charters, and Choice! Oh, My! – Dorothy, You’re Not in Public School Anymore
"Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!" – Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. "Vouchers, Charters, and Choice! Oh, my!" – Me As the North Carolina General Assembly is about to convene for the long session here in the new year, it bears repeating that public education will again be at the … Continue reading Vouchers, Charters, and Choice! Oh, My! – Dorothy, You’re Not in Public School Anymore
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Why Do We Have Exams After The Winter Break?Change The Calendar!
Days like today is why we need to start the school year earlier here in North Carolina. While it is nice to think of having a winter break to celebrate the holidays, the calendar system that North Carolina has adopted for traditional public schools is not helping our students AT ALL. I have argued this … Continue reading Why Do We Have Exams After The Winter Break?Change The Calendar!
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Mark Twain and the Fight Against “Eduperialism” in North Carolina
“We believe that out of the public school grows the greatness of a nation.” – Mark Twain The above quote by Mark Twain was delivered on November 23, 1900 in a speech to the Public Education Association at a meeting of the Berkley Lyceum, New York. It is sometimes called his “Boxer Speech” as Twain … Continue reading Mark Twain and the Fight Against “Eduperialism” in North Carolina
caffeinated rage 