Joe Williams' Blog
When Former NY Post Reporters Attack
Ever wonder what would happen if New York Post reporters were allowed to write stories that were longer than five paragraphs?
Former Postie (and all-around good guy) Dave Andreatta answers the call with stories like this at the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
Posted by Joe Williams on July 6, 2008 7:55 AM
July 2, 2008
Quiz: Which Is a Greater Distraction For Milwaukee Students?
A.) Classroom signage from the teachers union demanding a new contract for teachers, or
B.) Classroom signage featuring the Chicago Bears logo. (Remember, we're talking about Milwaukee here!)
A Wisconsin State Appellate Court correctly ruled that the Bears sign was much more of a distraction. It then issued a formal "stay" on Brett Favre's retirement and ordered that he report to training camp immediately.
Posted by Joe Williams on July 2, 2008 10:32 PM
To Pander Or Not To Pander, That Is The Question...
For weeks people have been buzzing about whether Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama (suddenly the newfound darling of those who were trying valiently to chop his legs off on the campaign trail) would follow the traditional Democratic script and show up at the big (and fun) National Education Association annual July 4th weekend Panderpalooza conference.
Normally at this point, the presidential nominee owes the world to the NEA for all the work it did to get him to the general election, except, uh, Obama doesn't owe nuthun this time around, yo. In fact, there are some folks in the Obama camp who can point to scars they suffered at the NEA's hands in battlegrounds like Nevada (and others who have tracked every dollar the AFT spent trying to decapitate their man Obama.)
So the decision about how to handle the Representative Assembly/Panderpalooza is a tough one. On the one hand, it makes no sense for a candidate who cares about education to even remotely come off as having snubbed teachers - a factor most of us consider to be the most important ingredient in all of this education stuff.
On the other hand, a guy who is running for president on the whole "Yes We Can" theme doesn't want to spend too much time kissing the rings of the folks who bankroll the "No We Can't" movement in American public eduation.
So it appears Obama has reached the perfect compromise: He won't attend the NEA Panderpalooza event in DC this weekend, but will have his speech beamed in via satellite. Good call, I think.
It is worth noting that John Kerry also made the decision four years ago to skip out on the NEA Panderpalooza event, appearing via satellite with his recently-announced running-mate, John Edwards. NEA boss Reg Weaver didn't take too kindly to the snub (remember when he held up his cell phone so that all 10,000 delegates could scream their disapproval at once?)
I think it is safe to say the the political "golden era" for the NEA is long past...
Posted by Joe Williams on July 2, 2008 9:31 PM
Council of Urban Professionals' Roundtable Discussion: Guest Blog by Ben Wrobel
On Monday night DFER Intern Ben Wrobel attended the Council of Urban Professionals’ (CUP) Distinguished Leadership Series, during which speakers Mayor Byron Brown of Buffalo, NY, Mayor Douglas H. Palmer of Trenton, NJ and former Washington, D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt discussed the challenges facing today’s American cities. Below he offers his thoughts on the evening:
Monday night's event provided me with some interesting insights into cities' problems and their potential solutions. A main theme of the discussion was the need to marry private innovation to public government, despite their seemingly disparate agendas. The speakers reached the conclusion that the private sector can and should play a large role in the redevelopment of any city, by contributing their unique expertise and offering support in areas where their elected counterparts tend to fail.
It seems that this philosophy applies particularly well to education reform. Charter schools are an example of the marriage between private interests and local governments – in areas where the existing school systems have proven ineffective due to administrative incompetence or simply bureaucratic clutter, charter schools are a privately run but publicly financed alternative. A well-intentioned businessman can contribute to the community by donating or volunteering time or services to a school.
Posted by Joe Williams on July 2, 2008 7:42 PM
June 28, 2008
LA Supt. Brewer: Please Let Me "Kick Some Ass"
Add Los Angeles Unified Superintendent David Brewer to the shockingly long list of American school leaders who once believed that they were in charge of their schools, only to have cold water/reality dumped on their heads.
At a forum the other day in L.A., Brewer lamented that no one is really in charge (one of the main reasons why no one is ultimately responsible.)
"There are so many things that protect adults in this system that have to change," Brewer is quoted as saying on the LA Times education blog.
Then, speaking of the school board, Brewer implored: "Give me political cover to kick some ass and make some changes."
Prediction: Since Brewer has now figured out where the bodies are buried, he will be gone by Christmas break... Thanks for trying, Admiral!
Posted by Joe Williams on June 28, 2008 5:08 PM
June 19, 2008
RI Legislature Approves Mayoral Academies: Guest Blog by Will Sedlack and Ben Wrobel
Late last night, the Rhode Island Legislature approved (41-30) a groundbreaking "Mayoral Academies" bill, which will allow mayors to bring high-performing public schools like KIPP and Achievement First to their communities. DFER interns Ben Wrobel and Will Sedlack were in Rhode Island on Tuesday for a rally in favor of this historic legislation. Below they offer their insights on the rally:
Students, legislators, activists and concerned citizens met Tuesday in the Rhode Island State House for a Press Conference to discuss the future of the Mayoral Academies Bill.
Rhode Island Board of Regents member Angus Davis introduced the various guests including Mayor McKee of Cumberland, RI; Ramon Martinez of Progresso Latino; Chace Baptista of Young Voices; and Seth Andrew of the Democracy Prep Charter School in New York City.
Students from Cumberland, RI were sprinkled around the crowd after rushing to get to Providence after taking finals, and their presence heightened everyone’s concern for the need to pass bill H-7874.
This is an important piece of legislation and a step in the right direction for the Rhode Island school system, which is one of the weakest in the country. Clearly, the status quo has failed both the students in the system and the state, which has come to expect consistently low results and has little room to maneuver, thanks to a strict charter school law. With the passage of H-7874, Mayoral Academies will provide students with a progressive alternative to the current system.
Seth Andrew spoke about the success he has had with the Democracy Prep Charter School (DPCS), which he founded in Harlem. Andrew announced that DPCS had an 89 percent proficiency level. Davis noted that if DPCS was in Rhode Island, it would be ranked first of all the schools in the state, and would even be above the schools in East Greenwich.
The passage of this bill marks a watershed moment in the history of Education Reform in the United States, and we expect great things to come out of Rhode Island in the coming years as they have proven themselves a leader in education.
Posted by Joe Williams on June 19, 2008 10:40 AM
June 11, 2008
Is Deval Patrick About To Hit His Stride? (UPDATED)
Finally, the Massachusetts governor appears to have something interesting up his sleeve...
Note to the gang at the Boston Globe, you may want to keep this paragraph handy as future boilerplate material:
But it could meet stiff resistance from teachers unions that have fiercely protected their influence over issues such as hiring policies and could represent a significant roadblock as Patrick tries to win political support.
UPDATE: The Boston Globe's Scot Lehigh says not so fast on the Deval Patrick praise...
Posted by Joe Williams on June 11, 2008 9:13 PM
