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Education politics: Bill Dixon’s radio commentary

Over at the Black Agenda Report, you can listen to Bruce Dixon talking about one of the sideshows in ed news these days. He’s referring to the multi-city tour that Duncan, Sharpton and Gingrich are embarking on this fall to spread the Obama administration’s vision of public education. Dixon’s vision veers from the press release … Continue reading →

An important letter from a Parent Commission fighter

In the past few months, there was some talk at the street protests about the position the Parents Commission was taking in the battle over school governance. Were they caving? Were they supporting something less than all out No to Mayoral Control? So it’s really good to read over at Ednotes the position of one … Continue reading →

More Bloomberg/Gates/Gingrich/Sharpton/Duncan connections:The "transparency" that isn’t

UPDATE I posted this earlier this morning, but to help put it all into perspective, read Leonie Haimson in the Huffington Post: “Arne Duncan Has Become a National Embarrassment, Part II.” From Carl Campanile’s exclusive in the NY Post today we learn that Bill Gates funded Learn-NY out of his own pocket. America’s richest man … Continue reading →

Bill Thompson: "As a supporter of mayoral control … "

Norm Scott was responding to this press release by Comptroller Bill Thompson (Aug. 6th) THOMPSON STATEMENT ON SIGNING OF MAYORAL CONTROL LAW when he wrote the following: I feel putting energy into making these politicians pay is a diversion from the kind of work that needs to be done to build an active movement with … Continue reading →

"This is a marathon, not a sprint."

Mayoral control is in, but we’re not settling for mayoral dictatorship. Legislators have to know that while big business pushes for warehousing students, fake accountability, juked stats, computer mania, and blaming swaths of educators, the people are disgusted. Make copies from the 2 pngs on the left (click on them) to form a double-sided letter … Continue reading →

GEM connects with the Center for Immigrant Families

In more than one meeting this week, GEM connected with members of CIF, which advocates for an under-served group of New York school children. The Center describes itself as an “inter-generational and collectively-run organization of low-income immigrant women of color and community members” whose mission it is to focus on “the root causes” of what … Continue reading →

Disparate bills signed into law?

UPDATE:I’ve spoken about this with some government people today and it looks as if it was a question of strategy. The Dems placed the governance bill on the Senate floor before doing the amendments. With no amendments attached, it passed. Paterson has the right to sign it into law because without the amendments, it matched … Continue reading →

Mayoral control is not yet law

UPDATE:See the long article on this press conference in the Amsterdam News. The Coalition for Public Education made it clear today that until the State Assembly approves the bill the Senate passed last week, New York City still has a “decentralized system of education as enacted in 1969,” not mayoral control. “All reports to the … Continue reading →

Charter school hearings this week in the Bronx

Listen tonight on WBLS or WLIB

At 7 PM tonighton WBLS (107.5 FM) or WLIB (1190 AM): Community Activist Jitu Weusi and special education teacher Carmen Applewhitewill speak about the school governance bill, amendments,and the press conference scheduled for Monday, August 10,on the steps of City Hall at noon.