Stuart Egan: What if Businesses Were Run Like Schools?

/ caffeinatedrage / 1 Comment

Thanks to Dr. Ravitch for posting.

dianeravitch's avatarDiane Ravitch's blog

In an amusing tour de force, NBCT teacher Stuart Egan (in North Carolina) poses the question, what if businesses were run like public schools?

https://caffeinatedrage.com/2016/08/30/public-schools-arent-businesses-dont-believe-me-try-running-a-business-as-a-public-school/

No business leader could function under the same conditions.

Comparing schools to businesses isn’t like comparing apples to oranges, it’s like comparing apples to rocks.

For example:

“Be prepared to open up every book and have everything audited. If you are a public school, then every cent, every resource, and every line item is open to scrutiny by a variety of inspectors. Be prepared to be constantly audited and have those findings be available and open to interpretation to people outside of your business, even when those people may not know how your business operates.

“Be prepared to publicize all of the salaries of the people who work for you. ALL OF THEM. Furthermore, there would no negotiating on salaries. In fact they are all…

View original post 270 more words

Musings With Malcolm #8 – You’re a Great One, Mr. Grinch

/ caffeinatedrage

It's summer and I just saw the Grinch. No, not the television special or the movie with Jim Carrey, but a real Grinch doll that Malcolm used for the longest time to help him sleep. And it brought back some memories of how much our house reveres the Grinch - lack of heart and all. See, … Continue reading Musings With Malcolm #8 – You’re a Great One, Mr. Grinch

Public Schools Aren’t Businesses – Don’t Believe Me? Try Running a Business as a Public School

/ caffeinatedrage / 2 Comments

Receiving constructive and unconstructive criticism is an inescapable reality when one writes a blog or puts out opinion pieces about public education in various media. But whether that feedback is presented as an argument to inquire, assert, or demean, it does further the conversation. In many instances it exposes the many myths concerning public education. … Continue reading Public Schools Aren’t Businesses – Don’t Believe Me? Try Running a Business as a Public School

First Day Back to School, 2016 – Day 3,961 – An Open Letter to Teachers

/ caffeinatedrage / 2 Comments

Tomorrow begins my 12th year at my current school, the Home of the Titans. Tomorrow begins my 19th year of teaching - three schools so far. Tomorrow is my 3,961st day in high school as a student and teacher. That does not include my stint as a student teacher. Ironically, that number is much higher … Continue reading First Day Back to School, 2016 – Day 3,961 – An Open Letter to Teachers

What is a Turd’oeuvre? Well It Has Something to do With A Plagiarized Letter To The Editor

/ caffeinatedrage

Caution: I cuss in this one. Not too bad, but it might offend your olfactory nerves. I was fortunate to have an op-ed printed in the Winston-Salem Journal entitled “About those teacher slaries and raises…” - http://www.journalnow.com/opinion/columnists/stuart-egan-about-those-teacher-salaries-and-raises/article_556420c9-9f7e-5a7b-a7d6-35b8a91e484d.html. Ironically, in the same edition of the paper (August 26th) there was a Letter to the Editor from … Continue reading What is a Turd’oeuvre? Well It Has Something to do With A Plagiarized Letter To The Editor

About those teacher salaries and raises … – From the Winston-Salem Journal

/ caffeinatedrage

Thanks to the folks at the Winston-Salem Journal for printing this. http://www.journalnow.com/opinion/columnists/stuart-egan-about-those-teacher-salaries-and-raises/article_556420c9-9f7e-5a7b-a7d6-35b8a91e484d.html  

UnLOCKEing the John Locke Foundation, Part 6 – Using a Lot of Words to Say Not a Lot

/ caffeinatedrage

The latest op-ed by Dr. Terry Stoops on EdNC.org entitled “Enrollment changes have consequences” is another successful endeavor in glossing over the real issues that face public education in North Carolina. You may read it here - https://www.ednc.org/2016/08/22/enrollment-changes-consequences/. And after you read it, ask yourself, “What was that about?” I have yet to see the … Continue reading UnLOCKEing the John Locke Foundation, Part 6 – Using a Lot of Words to Say Not a Lot

How John Oliver’s Segment On Charter Schools Speaks to North Carolina

/ caffeinatedrage

If you have any interest in why the charter school industry has been under the spotlight in this election year in North Carolina, you might want to check out a segment from the August 22, 2016 episode of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. If you have HBO GO then you can watch all the … Continue reading How John Oliver’s Segment On Charter Schools Speaks to North Carolina

That Email Dallas Woodhouse Sent to NC Boards of Elections Was Not The Best of Moves

/ caffeinatedrage

When you want to do something surreptitiously, it’s probably best not to email your intentions for others to see and forward to the press. It’s like hiding that “Peace Frog” tattoo you got on your lower back when you and your fraternity brothers got really drunk one night, but you still went to work without … Continue reading That Email Dallas Woodhouse Sent to NC Boards of Elections Was Not The Best of Moves

Musings With Malcolm #8 – Toy Store(y)

/ caffeinatedrage

There is a place in Thruway Shopping Center on Stratford Road in Winston-Salem that is called Toys & Company. And Malcolm loves it. Heck, me too. We have this ritual that if we go by Krispy Kreme on Stratford, then we go by the Toys & Company, but not to buy anything (but I do … Continue reading Musings With Malcolm #8 – Toy Store(y)