tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28006963.post2389126599436241247..comments2023-11-05T06:19:26.250-05:00Comments on CHANNEL SURFING: Connecting the dotsHank Kalethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11564264315812266459noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28006963.post-43055068161116995322013-09-12T15:30:29.699-04:002013-09-12T15:30:29.699-04:00Diane Ravitch commenting about a review of her new...Diane Ravitch commenting about a review of her new book: "I wish the article had said that the book refutes every claim of the privatization movement; that it provides ample documentation to show that American education is not failing or declining; that it demonstrates that test scores for American students are at an all-time high; that high-school graduation rates are at an all-time high; that dropout rates are at a historic low; and that privatization of public education is bad for our democracy."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28006963.post-42700081593421753662013-09-12T13:12:51.010-04:002013-09-12T13:12:51.010-04:00For excellent information about schools try the Je...For excellent information about schools try the Jersey Jazzman http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/ or Diane Ravitch's blog, http://dianeravitch.net/. They debunk all the reformer and school privatizer propaganda spewed out by Gates, Broad, Klein, Rhee and the rest of the billionaire's boys' club. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28006963.post-6199363817423293992013-09-12T11:42:41.859-04:002013-09-12T11:42:41.859-04:00Bush and Obama do have something in common, horrif...Bush and Obama do have something in common, horrific and abominable education policies. They have forced a very destructive regimen of testing, testing, testing and more testing on the schools. On the basis of these test scores, schools are closed, not improved, and teachers are fired. This is a "good" way to ruin the real public schools so they can be replaced by charter schools and school vouchers which are of very questionable value. Finland is not doing any of these things and its schools are highly regarded worldwide. There's none of this massive over testing crap going on in Finland. No school closings, no war against the teachers, no war against unions. All the teachers are unionized in Finland. Finland has a child poverty rate of about 4% while the US poverty rate is about 23%.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28006963.post-39588084986584944382013-09-12T11:10:55.885-04:002013-09-12T11:10:55.885-04:00This business about failing schools is so bogus, n...This business about failing schools is so bogus, negative and destructive. Actually the NAEP (National Assessment for Educational Progress) scores have gone steadily up over the decades and NAEP is considered to be the gold standard for assessing education in the USAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28006963.post-84320063321885752882013-09-12T11:07:47.379-04:002013-09-12T11:07:47.379-04:00The schools aren't failing. By labeling the sc...The schools aren't failing. By labeling the schools as failing, it gives the green light to the so-called reformers to close the real public schools, fire the teachers and replace them with charter schools and school vouchers. As an added benefit, for the deformers, the unions will be destroyed. Only a small percentage of the charter schools are unionized. The so called failing schools are located in the poorest and most crime ridden areas of the state. They are not failing schools, they are schools with a whole host of incredible problems that don't exist in the wealthy suburbs like Princeton, West Windsor or Montgomery. Christie claims or he implies that NJ's schools are failing which is a total lie. NJ schools are always in the top tier of schools in the US and often score number 1 in some aspects. The urban schools have serious problems but to say that they are failing is wrong. If there were more wrap around services, counselors and teachers (for smaller class sizes), then things could improve at these troubled schools. The schools have problems because the communities have tremendous problems. For pity's sake, Camden is one of the poorest and most crime ridden cities in the whole country and we are surprised that the schools have serious problems??!? The answer of Christie seems to be to close the public schools, fire the teachers, beat up on the union, humiliate the teachers and open more charter schools, as if they were some kind of panacea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com