A recent post on the Civitas Institute’s website entitled “Research: charter schools improve public schools” is worth the read because while it may have provided the writer some light ammunition to make the claim “Is there a more powerful argument for competition and choice?”, what it really does is prove that many would rather cherry … Continue reading About That Civitas Institute Post On Charter Schools – Comparing Apples to Rocks
Charter Schools
Don’t Mistake My “Exaggeration” For Your Active Ignorance – A Somewhat Rational Response to the John Locke Foundation
Reading educational perspectives from John Hood and the John Locke Foundation is like opening a letter with a nice stamp, a handwritten address, and some hearts drawn on the outside. Yet, once you open it up, what falls out is nothing but glitter. No letter. Nothing really of substance. Just a mess on the floor … Continue reading Don’t Mistake My “Exaggeration” For Your Active Ignorance – A Somewhat Rational Response to the John Locke Foundation
The Most Enabled Man in Raleigh – North Carolina’s State Superintendent
The July 14th ruling by a three-judge panel in favor of State Supt. Mark Johnson may have been a huge victory on the surface for Johnson’s supporters and those who seek to exert their influence through him and his inexperience. But it is not a real victory for Johnson himself. While the office of the … Continue reading The Most Enabled Man in Raleigh – North Carolina’s State Superintendent
The Stench of SB599 – Raleigh Knows Why We Have a Teacher Shortage. They Created It.
“The overall premise of this bill is to ensure that we have a proper teacher pipeline going into the schools.” - Rep. Jeffrey Elmore, R- Wilkes, in response to questions about SB599 on House floor in Raleigh on June 26. Senate Bill 599 is the bill (as Alex Granados from EdNC.org reports), that, “allows organizations … Continue reading The Stench of SB599 – Raleigh Knows Why We Have a Teacher Shortage. They Created It.
Robbing Peter to Pave For Paul – Rep. Jon Hardister’s Misguided Amendment for Charter Schools
Robbing Peter to pave for Paul. That’s what a recent amendment from Rep. Jon Hardister would do. According to the News & Observer, A budget amendment from Rep. Jon Hardister, a Greensboro Republican, cuts $2.5 million in road maintenance money to provide grants for charter schools that serve low-income students and want to provide student … Continue reading Robbing Peter to Pave For Paul – Rep. Jon Hardister’s Misguided Amendment for Charter Schools
North Carolina’s Plagiarized Privatization of Public Schools – Or, How to be Unoriginal
North Carolina is literally practicing privatization plagiarism. That’s great for alliteration fans, but for public school advocates it’s harmful, hurtful, hateful, disabling, devitalizing, devaluing, and debilitating. And they’re not even being original because all of these supposed “re-forms” are nothing more than rehashed failed policies that profit a few and hurt the many. Last month, … Continue reading North Carolina’s Plagiarized Privatization of Public Schools – Or, How to be Unoriginal
House Bill 800 – The Further Privatization of “Public” Charter Schools
Question: When does a supposedly “public” charter-school become a private entity? Answer: When it opens in North Carolina. For anyone who believes that public charter schools are actual public schools, there are a plethora of realities that contradict that idealistic view, at least here in the Old North State. Here, public tax payer money is … Continue reading House Bill 800 – The Further Privatization of “Public” Charter Schools
For Once I May Have Liked What Lt. Gov. Dan Forest Said – But Not For the Reasons He Would Like
Lt. Gov. Dan Forest’s recent comments concerning “bridging the digital divide” at the “Advocacy Day for Making Rural School Districts a Priority” event were actually very heartening to hear – for more than one reason. If you have followed the North Carolina public school funding discussion, disparities between affluent metropolitan areas and economically depressed rural … Continue reading For Once I May Have Liked What Lt. Gov. Dan Forest Said – But Not For the Reasons He Would Like
About Betsy DeVos’s Op-Ed in USA Today
Not only does she speak incoherently in confirmation hearings. Not only does she tweet her own platitudes. She now writes op-eds full of glittering claims without any data with a hint of some outlier data with simply no analysis bookended with enough bullshit to leave a stench in your nose to make you blame it … Continue reading About Betsy DeVos’s Op-Ed in USA Today
Betsy DeVos’s Historically Bad Civic Understanding – Or, What The Hell Did She Just Say?
If you ever needed reminding that the person who was confirmed by our U.S. Senate as secretary of education possesses no working knowledge of public education and the history of segregation in our society, look no further than the following: Statement from Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Following Listening Session with Historically Black College and University … Continue reading Betsy DeVos’s Historically Bad Civic Understanding – Or, What The Hell Did She Just Say?
