Category Archives: Uncategorized

  The Center for Education Reform sent a piece of tripe to Baltimore area charter school administrators recently. I’ve said it numerous time now, here   1) https://educationalchemy.com/2015/03/04/make-way-new-orleans-chicago-detroit-and-phillie-baltimore-is-gaining-on-you-in-the-race-to-destroy-public-education/ and here, 2) https://educationalchemy.com/2014/04/16/whos-minding-or-mining-baltimore-city-schools/ and here, 3) https://educationalchemy.com/2013/05/16/what-the-baltimore-sun-wont-publish/ and here, 4) https://educationalchemy.com/2014/05/20/alec-and-charter-schools-are-the-new-dog-and-pony-show/ and here, 5) https://educationalchemy.com/2014/05/11/false-advertising-used-to-sell-out-maryland-public-schools/ those were all just a forecast. NOW privatization of public education is making landfall in Baltimore. ThatContinue reading “Is Baltimore Rolling Out the Red Carpet for an ALEC Front Group?”

No, this is not a contentious and offensive analogy between Common Core, testing and Nazi Germany. It’s a post about how a movement can be co-opted. And how to fight back. It’s about strategy co-optation and “ideological camouflage” in which one agenda can be disguised as something else. In this instance it’s about corporate playersContinue reading “Hypocricy and Co-Optation in Education Reform”

Originally posted at http://unitedoptout.com/2015/03/06/and-the-threat-just-keep-on-coming-now-supporting-a-school-to-prison-pipeline-in-urban-schools/  Keep your child home. Your child will not be promoted. You’re preventing your child from being successful. The school will lose funding. Yep, we’ve heard it all. But the threats to parents just keep getting worse. Here in Baltimore City, one parent received notification that his child would be threatened with suspensionContinue reading “And The Threats Just Keep on Coming: Now Supporting a School to Prison Pipeline in Urban Schools?”

Who will win? The corporations with the most real estate. Maryland public education is a land grab for the education technology industry and privately managed charter schools. Meet Calvert Education and Camden Partners: Because They’re Coming to a District Near You! What is Calvert Foundation? The company was founded in 1906 and is based inContinue reading “Make way, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit and Phillie!! Baltimore is gaining on you in the race to destroy public education!”

  Taking a deep examination of the premises, facts, and outcomes of current education policies which are built on the corner stones of the Common Core, high stakes testing, and school closures/charters, one can see that in their development, implementation and results, what we are left with is “policy apartheid.” A strong accusation I admit,Continue reading “Education Reform… or Policy Apartheid?”

Journalist John Merrow just published his analysis of the “refusal- versus- reform” battle for public education entitled What a Difference a Dash Makes. There are many amazing responses to his report well worth reading! Here is my response: Thank you, John for your coverage of this movement. Your report is indeed a vital starting pointContinue reading “What a Difference a Dash of Facts Makes”

The first time I met Ben (when I drove an hour up to Frederick the day his mother Cindy spoke in front of the local politicians about her testing refusal) I was immediately brought back to my teaching roots. Back in 1990 (a time when phones were attached to walls and we walked to schoolContinue reading “When Will We Finally Say Enough? Seriously.”

Reblogged: Neoliberalism Privatization Impact on Professors and We the People – By Rodolfo F. Acuña rudy.acuna@csun.edu #EdBlogNet Neoliberalism Privatization Impact on Professors and We the People – Stanley Fish, “Neoliberalism and Higher Education”, wrote that few of his colleagues had ever come across the term “neoliberalism” or knew what it meant. According to Fish, neoliberalContinue reading “Neoliberalism Privatization Impact on Professors and We the People – By Rodolfo F. Acuña”

The push to reject standardized high stakes testing and all facets of corporate reform is on the rise. Let me begin with that hopeful note. The movement is growing and the scales are tipping! Yet, I can’t help but ask myself: Why is this so hard? Why is it so hard to grow this movement?Continue reading “Why Is This So Hard?”

Good morning everybody. Thank you for waiting. This is our first boarding call for Common Core Airlines flight 666 destined for career and college readiness. We are so happy you’ve decided to spend ridiculous amounts of state and tax payer dollars to fly with us. Now that you’ve purchased your ticket we need to tellContinue reading “Destination Education: Welcome to Common Core Airlines”