My home state, Washington, was often seen as a progressive and enlightened hotbed of education ideas; however, my state is quickly becoming much like the rest of the education world with pseudo-reformers hijacking the conversation and the direction. Even Democrats, who once supported educators, are beginning to move away from protecting and ...

How does a kindergarten class of 40 sound to you? Or a high school class of 60? Well, in Detroit that can happen now. I’ve never met any teacher who said bigger classes will make my job easier or help students learn more. However, I have often heard from those in power that class size really matters (and then the unspoken “for my kids”). Public ...

How do you get charter schools on the ballot in a state that has previously rejected them three times by popular vote? You buy the signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. Here are the amounts of money given to the charter school movement in Washington State: $1,000,000 (Bill Gates, Microsoft) $600,000 (Alice Walton, Wal-Mart) $500,000 ...

With budget cuts to education and social services, schools are struggling across the nation to do more with less. However, the current approach used by the Obama Administration, Arne Duncan, and other so-called reformers is that a good teacher can overcome everything thrown at them. You’re a great teacher? Have some extra students. You’re a ...

The only reason anyone listens to Bill Gates when it comes to education is because he has lots and lots of money. Here’s more proof that he’s simply funding his corporate agenda in education–sadly, through unproven methods and un-researched or disproved approaches– through the so-called reform movement. Check out the full article linked ...

An interesting debate has popped up on a Seattle Times article, but most of the debate centers on the same old, rehashed, and repeated talking points which are decidedly anti-public education. Here are my quick responses to a couple topics. Responding to someone who advocates performance over seniority during times of layoffs: Everyone is pretty ...

I am not a fan of Arne Duncan’s or President Obama’s education agenda. I think both of these men are hurting education in this country, and it was evident from the beginning of their terms in office. I posted an article about this when I heard Duncan speak in San Diego at the NEA-RA; his speech was rife with dangerous language and plans to ...

Previously I had posted about how education may be suffering from the loss of a generation of teachers. With few people retiring and no positions to hire, education could be losing a myriad of teachers to other professions. After all, if teaching isn’t hiring, someone else may be. Well, I’ve been accused of hyperbole with my coming thoughts, but ...

I keep hearing claims that private sector workers make less than public sector workers, but what they aren’t saying is that when the two are compared by like education levels the private sector employee makes more. (I would guess the total numbers statement is because there are so many more low wage earners in the private sector than in the public ...

People say experience doesn’t matter in education. People say advanced degrees don’t matter in education. People say class size doesn’t matter in education. People say spending more money doesn’t matter in education. In what other profession do these factors not matter? Filed under: Frustration, Money