Comments on: Chicago: A battle for the soul of Public Education

By: Tommy Burns

Tommy Burns — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 04:37:00 +0000

Sorry JP just looked at this post reply–us collaborators in New Haven(where we have built a true partnership) stand up for the abused teachers in so many states–and although we have stymied the tide in CT—we have much more to do-you are our Ravitch and it is time to state our case legally and legislatively–please give me a call-860-227-6668–Thanks Tom

By: msavage

msavage — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 10:39:00 +0000

Of course the scumbags will fight back using every dirty trick in the book. Maybe the American public is waking up enough to come to the defense of the Chicago teachers, maybe not. At some point there needs to come a breaking point–a point at which decent people are aware and motivated enough to do whatever it takes to fight back. The alternative is that “they” win. I don’t think that decent Americans will let that happen. As a parent, I have to believe that.

By: sharewhut

sharewhut — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 23:58:00 +0000

I sense great danger for the striking Chicago teachers. Like they’re playing right into the deformers’ hands.
You don’t think there’s a quiet frenzy going on behind the scenes lining up replacements? Rhambo developing ‘Emergency Powers’ to get the schools up and running?
Already the spin about how the strike is hurting star, scholarship quality, underprivileged athletes who are missing their only shot at college because their not playing and showing their stuff.
An Obama NLRB getting direction to intervene against Rham, Vallas, etc? RIGHT!
Obama courts rushing through union case? DON’T THINK SO!
How long’d it take to fix the nursing home mess in CT? And then only because there was a change of party directing the action.
They’ll privatize and scabatize and test results will ‘soar’ to legitimize.

By: Linda174

Linda174 — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:39:00 +0000

I donated this summer, but a much smaller amount. I have been wearing red all week. I wish I could afford to spend Saturday in Chicago. I read on Ravitch that Wisconsin teachers are organizing buses for a visit to Chicago on Saturday.

By: Bill Morrison

Bill Morrison — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:25:00 +0000

Also, I strongly encourage anyone who can do so to donate money to the Chicago Teacher’s Union to help them with their strike. I am pledging $1,000 for our collective cause.

By: jonpelto

jonpelto — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:23:00 +0000

Great – if you can get me a copy of the publicity when it is available, I’ll certainly use it.

By: Bill Morrison

Bill Morrison — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:21:00 +0000

I will shout it again and again! RAISING STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES IS MEANINGLESS!!!!!! ONE CLASS’ PERFORMANCE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANOTHERS’!!!! THERE IS NO CORRELATION BETWEEN CLASSES AND THERE ARE TOO MANY VARIABLES FOR SCORES TO MEAN ANYTHING!!!!
What really bothers me about the reformers is that they have taken the same doctoral level courses in Research Methods and Design that I have; they KNOW that what they are advocating is just plain wrong! They KNOW about research design and statistical analysis, and they KNOW about the effect of too many variables on any study.
In other words, these people are using meaningless data to arrive at huge policy decisions at the expense of the education of our children, particularly urban (minority) children! They are creating fear among the American people for the monetary profits of the testing industries. There is no other possible reason for their support of intense, standardized tests that reflect no particular curriculum.
THINK!!!! How can any state claim that their state standardized tests measure student and school success when no state has imposed a uniform curriculum for its many school districts? How can one test fit all? School districts are not uniform in any state, yet the many state boards of education purport to gather “data” from a one-size fits all test.IT IS INSANE!!!!

By: Tommy Burns

Tommy Burns — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:21:00 +0000

We in New Haven–NHFT Local 933 just passed a resolution at our Board meeting Tuesday to send money, speak out and support our brothers and sisters in Chicago wholeheartedly. The publicly part will be forthcoming soon–Tom

By: buygoldandprosper

buygoldandprosper — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:31:00 +0000

Oh! And pension funds (think Calpers) should pull their funds from the private equity/hedgies that are investing in and running the “knowledge industry”.
They are not about jobs.
They are not about positive social change.
They are about dollars only,and that makes no sense when it comes to educating the children in this nation.

By: Melanie Savage

Melanie Savage — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:51:00 +0000

Of course CT has the largest achievement gap in the nation–we also have the largest income inequality in the nation, do we not? Wouldn’t be surprised if the achievement gap continues to widen in direct proportion to the continuing increase in income inequality.