Come away from that window.
Andy’s friend, “Poor” Whitney.
Why do these guys always cry poverty? In response to Small Talk, Whitney says:
“Trying to make a killing in the charter school business”?! Yeah, that’s right, the charter school business is so profitable that I’m telling all my friends in the hedge fund business that they’re in the wrong business. My message: “If you really want to make a lot of money, start a charter school!” LOL!
There’s a start of a conversation you never hear in the teachers’ lounge: “As I was telling my friends in the hedge fund business…”
And besides, making money doesn’t seem to be Whitney’s problem.
312-814-2121
A message from the Illinois Arts Alliance:
Dear Friend in the Arts,
We must act now to send a powerful message to Governor Rod Blagojevich, Senate President Emil Jones, House Speaker Michael Madigan, and other state lawmakers that the arts are not pork!
The Governor’s FY08 spending plan calls for a dramatic 35% cut (over $7 million) to the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) budget. This decrease in funding will undoubtedly have a devastating impact to the arts statewide and significantly reduce the funds available for IAC grant programs. Furthermore, the Governor completely eliminated the Arts and Foreign Language grant program through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
This dangerous decision will have very negative implications for all the people of Illinois. Support from the Illinois Arts Council is crucial to the success of artists, arts organizations, and entities providing arts programming throughout the state. Strategic investments made by the Illinois Arts Council to community theaters, dance studios, schools, local festivals, libraries, museums, and park districts enhance our overall quality of life and have a significant impact on the economic health and vitality of the state - creating jobs, boosting tourism, and revitalizing downtowns.
The budget approved by the legislature on August 10, 2007 would have increased the Illinois Arts Council’s budget by $3.6 million from last year?s budget level and brought us very close to our goal: a budget of $24 million for the Illinois Arts Council, or $2 per person, per year in Illinois. The budget also would have increased the Arts and Foreign Language grant program at ISBE to over $6 million in FY08 to assist school districts in providing valuable arts and foreign language programming.
The Illinois Arts Alliance is moving forward with an aggressive campaign to restore full funding for the Illinois Arts Council and arts and foreign language education funding at the Illinois State Board of Education. We NEED your help now more than ever before!
Please tell Governor Blagojevich, senate and house leadership, and your state lawmakers TODAY how essential the arts are to you and your community.
We have made it extremely easy for you to effectively advocate for the arts. Here is what we are asking you to do:
1) Write two letters to lawmakers using the talking points provided in the links below:
a. One requesting that funding for the Illinois Arts Council be restored to $23.2 million as proposed by the General Assembly on August 10, 2007http://capwiz.com/artsusa/il/issues/alert/?alertid=10235401&type=ML&show_alert=1
b. The other urging lawmakers to restore funding to the Arts and Foreign Language grant program through the Illinois State Board of Education. Click
http://capwiz.com/artsusa/il/issues/alert/?alertid=10235931&type=ML&show_alert=1
2) Make two phone calls to the numbers listed below expressing your concern with the proposed budget cuts to the arts and urging that funding be fully restored for the Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois State Board of Education?s Arts and Foreign Language grant program.
a) Ginger Ostro
Budget Director for Governors Office of Management and Budget
Ginger.ostro@illinois.gov 312-814-0023
b) Governor Rod Blagojevich 312-814-2121 (Chicago) OR 217-558-0880 (Springfield)
While the road ahead is rocky, together we can restore full funding for the arts in Illinois! Should you have any questions or concerns please contact me at 312-855-3105 ext 14 or email joy@artsalliance.org
Sincerely,
Ra Joy
Executive Director
Illinois Arts Alliance
Jena, Louisiana school bans “Freedom” T-shirt.
Jesse Rae Beard is one of the ‘Jena Six’ students on trial.
A school yard fight in which a white kid got a bloody nose and a concussion has led to attempted murder charges against six black students.
The incident is set in Jena, Louisiana, a town where, in terms of race and segregation, it could just as well be in 1954 or 1924.
The backstory is here.
The Chicago Tribune reports today that administrators at Jena High have banned the wearing of t-shirts that say, “Free the Jena Six.”
John Jenkins said his three daughters wore the shirts to make a statement, not to cause trouble.
“They weren’t doing anything other than wearing the shirts,” Jenkins said. “The school doesn’t have a dress code. They were covered. They’re trying to tell them what they can and can’t wear.”
“When your house is under ten feet of water, the government leaves you hangin’ out to dry.”
Fred and Checker trash NCLB. What do they want, you ask?
Far Right-wingers, Fred Hess of the American Enterprise Institute, and Chester “Checker” Finn of the Fordham Foundation, have a NCLB trashing article in the Teachers College Record on-line edition.
You can and should read it yourself.
But here’s the sum-up:
Lawmakers should insist on a national X-ray using a uniform assessment that makes it simple to compare achievement across schools, districts, states, and demographic groups.
“A national X-ray.”
“Simple to compare.”
That pretty much describes the complexity of assessing teaching and learning, doesn’t it?
Hess and Finn describe that as a “bright future.” You’d better wear shades.
CPS and teachers reach tentative deal.
Union president, Marilyn Stewart.
Late Wednesday, Chicago school and union officials announced a tentative agreement. No details were announced, but Mayor Daley was reported to be unhappy with parts of the deal. Union members must still approve the results.
Marilyn Stewart, Chicago Teachers Union president had won election, in part, because of how dissatisfied many teachers were with the last contract. That deal was negotiated by then president Debbie Lynch. Lynch was overwhelmingly defeated in last bid to return as president of the union.
Rotherham Watch: He’s back.
Andy’s back from summer break but brother Mike beat me to the punch.
Andy posted on Whitney Tilson.
Small Talk busted him.
PS: Usually Andy has an opinion about everything. But on the disgusting and racist forced resignation of principal Debbie Almontaser? Nothing. All we can get out of him is the directive to read the Freedman column in today’s NY Times. Courageous Andy. Good to know where you stand.
Three over coffee.
School started last week. Today’s coffee is being sipped early, outside on a warm Wednesday morning before I head in.
- The forced resignation of Debbie Almontaser is still a raging issue. NY Times education columnist, Samuel Freedman, exposes the lies about Almontaser in a long detailed column today (registration required).
- I had to read the NY Times editorial twice. Responding to a story by their own writer, Sam Dillon, on the problems with teacher retention, the only specific they can come up with is to do away with union rules concerning seniority and bumping rights. I’m no fan of unrestrained bumping rights. But you’re smoking something if you think that union rules are what’s driving teachers out of urban schools.
- State senators are moving to restore dollars to schools that the governor cut last week.
Eye on NCLB: Two reports.
Two stories out of EdWeek:
The leaders of the House education committee today released a draft of a plan for reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act, outlining proposals that would revise how adequate yearly progress is calculated and overhaul the interventions for schools failing to meet achievement goals.
More Americans say they are knowledgeable about the No Child Left Behind Act than just last year, but familiarity appears to breed dislike, according to a poll set for release this week by Phi Delta Kappa International and the Gallup Organization.
