Ed Reform and School Choice

9-23-13

NEW DIANE RAVITCH BOOK

Thoughts by Jared Gellert:

There’s a new Diane Ravitch book coming out with some interesting arguments.  Her core thesis, according to her http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-ravitch/what-the-nyt-left-out_b_3913960.html?utm_hp_ref=@education123, is “the refutation of every claim of the privatization movement.”   The book argues that American education is actually improving with all time high test scores, high school graduation rates and low drop out rates.  She apparently thinks that the “school reform” movement is bad for democracy.

We are so used to the doom and gloom narrative about education.  What if she is actually right?  Should be an interesting read.

DIANE RAVITCH AROUND THE NEWS:

As seen by the CITE Twitter Team @CtrTeacherEd

She’ll be on the Brian Lehrer show TODAY, Monday 9/23/13 at 10:50 to discuss the book, Common Core, and Testing. Here’s the WNYC’s Education Twitter, @schoolbook.

	SchoolBook (@SchoolBook)
9/23/13, 9:22 AM Listen to today’s @BrianLehrer show at 10:50 when @DianeRavitch talks #commoncore and #testing. Education kicks off #30Issues series @WNYC

She was also on NY 1, discussing the book: http://www.ny1.com/content/politics/road_to_city_hall/189171/ny1-online–education-advocate-rips-school-testing/

Here’s the tweet from Leonie Haimson, the head of Class Size Mattters (www.classsizematters.org), and a parent advocate in NYC. Thanks for spotting the interview and letting us know about it!

	leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson)
9/21/13, 12:39 PM Great @DianeRavitch interview on NY1; @errollouis says #reignoferror 1 of 3 best books of year; bravo!

To share your thoughts on Diane Ravitch’s new book, or Ed Reform, post a comment on Facebook or Twitter for us. We’d love to hear from you!

Paolo Friere’s facepalm

Also in the news today, from the department of rolling over in his grave, Eric Cantor is at Philadelphia’s Friere Charter School, to promote his charter school plan. What would the author of Pedagogy of the Oppressed say about the guy who just supported an effort to decimate money giving food and healthcare to the poor, and whose sequestration has slashed education budgets, speaking to the very people he has hurt, about the great ways in which he’s helping them?

Cantor’s speaking engagements in Philadelphia, which itself is reeling from budget cuts and a tough battle between teachers and the city, has drawn ire from parent advocacy groups. http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Report-Congressman-Cantor-to-Speak-in-Philly-224719332.html

You can watch the speech live here (10am EST):

http://majorityleader.gov/blog/2013/09/leader-cantor-delivers-remarks-on-education-opportunity-in-philadelphia-1.html

Here’s a sampling of the twitter climate on Cantor in Philly:

Kombiz Lavasany ‏@kombiz

Sequester and SNAP cut becoming an issue at school Cantor is visiting in Philadelphia today.

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