EdNotesOnline Blog 7th Anniversary: Reflections on 15 Years of Ed Notes

The real reason I got to meetings: rice puddingWith Aug. 2006 being the founding month of ednotesonline, I thought it time to reflect after seven years of ednotesonline (4954 posts) and 15 years of Ed Notes, when including the published versions.I was inspired by 3 blogs:NYC Educator who began in spring of 2005 but gained a big audience with his opposition to the fall 2005 contract.Jeff Kaufman starting the ICE blog during that contract fight.Ms....

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Why Scott Stringer? Patrick Sullivan on the PEP and Beat Evil Eva Mosowitz

It was not small feat for Scott Stringer to give us the gift of Patrick Sullivan on the PEP, the lone consistent voice of the people over the years challenging the Tweedies time and again, at times on the verge of a fist fight, at times coming down off the stage to join the audience during certain disruptions. Now I know people say, "So what? Bloomberg doesn't really care about one or two voices in opposition. So Stringer could gain some political capital (with yahoos like you) while costing him nothing.Well, it's enough for me to vote for him...

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WHY De Blasio? Make Evil Eva Moskowitz Pay the Damn Rent

That's enough for me to vote for him. Do I actually think de Blasio will deliver on his promise to make charters pay rent? Slim to none. I don't see the charter lobby sweating much over his rise in the polls. I wonder if some secret message with a wink has been sent. Fact is I don't trust any politician and I think we will be sold out. But I still don't necessarily see him winning over Lhota. Just wait - after a runoff what will happen. And interesting if it's Quinn and Bill what does the UFT do, especially given Randi's attack on De Blasio over...

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Urban Ed Blog Takes Shot at Peter Cunningham

....people on the other side will respond with public jeers and snickers and will invoke the children in order to marginalize these very real concerns and discredit the people who express them. This is how their kind always responds to criticism and dissent. ... Urban EdOur pal at Urban Education exposes Peter Cunningham, who used to work for Arne Duncan, after he went after Diane Ravitch's new book we are all so excited about. (I'm going to every Ravitch event here in NYC -- in fact I would pay her to carry her bags as she goes around...

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Fred Smith in DN: One sad measure of Dr. King’s dream

King would not have accepted test scores that only confirm the profound inequities that plague poor kids. Nor would he have blamed teachers for the problem. Rather, he would have let his voice ring out about the need for sound education designed to prepare students to lead fulfilling lives and provide a means for overcoming economic injustices.  ... Fred Smith What a day. We got 2 of our published pals for the price of one. First MORE's Julie Cavanagh on the MORE blog (The Noose or The Sword: Choosing Your Evaluation) and Change the Stakes'...

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Julie Cavanagh Analyzes Teacher Evaluation Options

If only our current union leadership could communicate to teachers how best to protect themselves in what is going to be a very challenging and dangerous school year for everybody - students, teachers and administrators - as well as Julie Cavanagh does. ....Perdido Street School blogDecide to get involved:  I am convinced the overwhelming majority of educators, after navigating this evaluation system, will be moved to action.  Do not get discouraged; do not believe we cannot affect change.  Whether you donate, sign...

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Seattle public school teachers reject proposed contract

Seattle is a hotbed of teacher activism. The revolt last spring when teachers refused to give a standardized test (scrap the map) was more than a warning shot.Seattle teacher Dan Troccoli (SEE Caucus) joined MORE's Julie Cavanagh, NEWCaucus (Newark)' Sanyika Montague and CORE's (Chicago) Jen Johnson in a panel discussion at the Social Justice Unionism Organizing Conference in Chicago (Aug. 9-11).Here is Dan's presentation (preceded by Ellen Friedman's 5 minute intro to the panel).Here is Seattle teacher Jesse Hagopian who helped lead the test boycott...

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NY Times to Adopt TFA Model: Will Fire all Reporters With More than 2 Years Experience

"Strong newspapers can withstand the turnover of their reporters," declared the Times on its editorial page. "Experienced reporters grow tired and less effective."Ed Notes satireNew reporters will undergo two and a half weeks of training before being sent to locations like Syria and Egypt. An extra week of training will be required to cover the White House."Novice reporters will receive constant feedback from their bureau chiefs," said the editorial....

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John Owens' "Confessions of a Bad Teacher" Making Waves

I finished reading the entire book by John Owens about a week ago. I had to stop often to absorb -- and relish -- the devastating attack on the Bloomberg version of ed deform by Owens, who changed careers to go into teaching only to end up in a school with a principal from hell on his first - and only - teaching job. John, a teaching fellow, went back into his original field, publishing.Normally I would resent a teacher with less than a year under...

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NY Times Distorts Mexico Teacher Revolt Which is About fighting Neo-Liberalism in the Streets

RANDI'S NIGHTMARE Omar Torres/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesTeachers blocked access to a government building in Mexico City on Thursday. The city’s central square was also occupied. A radical teachers' group mobilized thousands of members in Mexico City last week, chasing lawmakers from their chambers, occupying the city's historic central square, blocking access to hotels and the international airport, and threatening to bring an already...

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Ed Notes Redux: UFT Election Results, 1999 - New Action Vote Drops 75% Over Years But They Gain More Ex Bd Seats

New Action Off the cliffNew Action  received 31% in ‘91. New Action received 24% in ‘99. PAC received 2%.... Ed Notes, May, 1999 election analysisNew Action with this tremendous drop in vote totals between '99 (11,500) and '13 (3600 - half from retirees) goes from 'winning" 6  Ex Bd seats in '99 to ten EB seats in '13. Ahhhh, democracy at work!  I've been going through the archives for a project geared to making print copies of ed...

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