Duncan to call for change in teachers’ education
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is expected to push for reforms in how teachers are taught when he speaks at Teachers College at Columbia University in New York on Thursday.
According to advanced quotes released by the U.S. Department of Education, he will say that “schools, colleges and departments of education are doing a mediocre job of preparing teachers for the realities of the 21st-century classroom.” He will call for a “revolutionary” change in teacher preparation programs.
Duncan estimates that about 200,000 new teachers will enter U.S. school systems annually.”
Tag: education
Oct 22 2009
Secretary of “Education” Arne Duncan: Dumbf***
Oct 17 2009
I pledge allegiance to Bill Gates
“I pledge allegiance to Bill Gates and to the corporation for which he stands. One nation, under Microsoft, with standardized testing and low wages for all.”
Yesterday buhdydharma posted a diary Turns Out It Is Not The Republicans After All that I will reference often as I write about the education coup de tat that is occurring right under our noses. The very rich, the ruling class, is usurping our public schools. It is a slow and deliberate coup. They are taking us in with their money, promises, and dictates, and if we don’t start paying attention, good public schools will be a thing of the past.
It’s difficult to know where to start with so much happening and so little education news ever being reported in the MSM. So, I’m going to start in the middle and hope to provide more information in subsequent diaries. There is so much to know.
First, I want to say that Bill Gates has done much good in the world through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I thought his “small schools” initiative was a good idea in theory, although the execution has left something to be desired. That being said, his newest endeavor is wrong is so many ways. We should pay attention. The people with the most money want to control ours.
Oct 13 2009
Buffy Sainte-Marie, Gentle Activist
On this past Sunday evening, I sat with my daughter, a 7th grader, and went over homework with her. She needed colored pencils to complete an assignment for History. Teacher had talked to them about Columbus Day and the homework was to draw… the faux version of history taught to the poor leetle 5th graders on one page, and divided by the spiral bound, the true version on the other. (scans below in comments.LL) She colored while I read aloud to her from Zinn. I know she is in a great (public) school, gifted and all that, plus an IB program, but still … maybe there is hope if middle school curriculum is embracing some truth in its history classes. Buffy St. Marie knows a thing or two about that concept.
Democracy NOW! aired a full hour yesterday evening with Buffy St. Marie. I only caught a few minutes of it while I was in my car, but I found the links as soon as I got back home, so I thought I’d share here in essay form. PLEASE take the time to go view/read transcript there.
She kind of made me cry a little.
Sep 26 2009
$3,000 Immediate Checks to be Handed (literally)
This is gonna be short but Real Sweet!!
I want you to go over to VetVoice and visit a post Richard Smith just placed with all the good news of How This New Veterans Administration, under the Obama Administration, Really Works!!
Richard starts the long subject title with what I’ve got in mine, then leads into this:
{follow me below}
Sep 08 2009
BREAKING! GOP Alternative to Obama School Speech Leaked
Crossposted at Daily Kos
The following video has been obtained by the MinistryOfTruth from an unconfirmed Republican party source that shall remain anonymous. In order to obtain this highly secret information, the MinistryOfTruth has been forced to do things no MinistryOfTruth should ever have to do.
Guard this information and use it well.
WARNING: Only those with Stupid RW MEME proof socialist issued protective goggles should view the following movies! VERY IMPORTANT!!!
To be played at American schools that refuse to air the socialist indoctrination speech of Hussein Obama
ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD!!!!!!
More amazing details below the fold!
Jul 24 2009
A not-so-short commentary on a short news article
Here we go. Only a few months after teacherken (over at DKos) gave incoming Secretary of Education Arne Duncan a ringing endorsement of “it could have been worse,” we are now in the Twilight Zone of education politics. Duncan is threatening to withhold money from the already-underfunded California schools if the legislatures here can’t repeal a law which prohibits the state from using test scores to evaluate teachers.
Generally, here, I engage a critique of the “accountability” movement, of which Arne Duncan is the most recent example.
(Crossposted at Big Orange)
Jun 23 2009
Considered Forthwith: House Education and Labor Committee (Public Option Sighting)
Welcome to the 13th installment of “Considered Forthwith.” Sorry I missed getting this up here over the weekend.
This weekly series looks at the various committees in the House and the Senate. Committees are the workshops of our democracy. This is where bills are considered, revised, and occasionally advance for consideration by the House and Senate. Most committees also have the authority to exercise oversight of related executive branch agencies.
First, I want to note the committee monitoring project that Meteor Blades has announced over on the GOS. I hope to take part and invite anyone else who is participating to see my list of links at the end of this diary for more information about specific committees.
This week, I will look at the House Education and Labor Committee, yet another committee with jurisdiction over health care reform. The big news: we have a public option sighting!
Jun 12 2009
What are Progressive Values?
| Progressive Values? Howard Dean – Fairness, Responsibility … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v… |
What does the Democratic Party stand for? Howard Dean lists these “Core Values” of the Democratic Party 1) Fairness and Equal Rights for all 2) Strength and Toughness 3) Fiscal Responsibility These are demonstrated by providing Health Care for all. Dean stresses the urgent need for us to express these values, on an emotional level, and not just in Policy Statements. “People vote on their Values — NOT on Position Papers!” |
Jun 09 2009
Where is the broad, general movement —
for a better world?
The basic situation is this: as the noose tightens on the old, capitalist ways of life, very few people appear to be all that interested in creating new ones. Am I missing something here?
(crossposted at Big Orange)
Jun 07 2009
Considered Forthwith: Senate “HELP” Committee
Welcome to the eleventh installment of “Considered Forthwith.”
This weekly series looks at the various committees in the House and the Senate. Committees are the workshops of our democracy. This is where bills are considered, revised, and occasionally advance for consideration by the House and Senate. Most committees also have the authority to exercise oversight of related executive branch agencies.
This week Considered Forthwith will examine the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The Committee is also commonly referred to by its acronym, The Senate HELP Committee.
I settled on a different committee than I planned because there The HELP Committee has a major hearing scheduled this week.
Jun 04 2009
Election News Roundup: 5/27/09 – 6/3/09
Election reform is one of the most important issues facing our country and our world right now, even if it doesn’t get the coverage of torture or abortion. The way that we run our elections and initiative processes determines who makes policy, the type of policy made, and the tone of our political discourse. If we ignore it or take advantage of the electoral system, we our doing ourselves and our country a disservice.
This week: Voter ID bill (aka poll tax) foiled in Texas by Democrats, corrupt Bush officials leading the charge for unsafe online voting, instant runoff voting’s failures, Ralph Nader accuses Terry McAuliffe of bribery, McAuliffe’s history of disenfranchising voters, FOX lies about Eric Holder, and more!
Jun 04 2009
Obama gets behind Public Option — finally!
well, sort of … in a letter, at least …
msnbc.com
President Obama issued a public letter to Sens. Ted Kennedy and Max Baucus, the two Democrats seen as most key to the design of potential health-care legislation.
June 2, 2009
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Baucus:
[…]
In short, the status quo is broken, and pouring money into a broken system only perpetuates its inefficiencies. Doing nothing would only put our entire health care system at risk. Without meaningful reform, one fifth of our economy is projected to be tied up in our health care system in 10 years; millions more Americans are expected to go without insurance; and outside of what they are receiving for health care, workers are projected to see their take-home pay actually fall over time.We simply cannot afford to postpone health care reform any longer.
[…]
I agree that we should create a health insurance exchange market where Americans can one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose the plan that’s best for them, in the same way that Members of Congress and their families can. None of these plans should deny coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition, and all of these plans should include an affordable basic benefit package that includes prevention, and protection against catastrophic costs. I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest.
[…]
Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA
(emphasis added)
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com…
Strong Words, need to be followed up with Stronger Actions.
(kind an inconvenient time for a Presidential road trip, eh?)