Education Links forMay 4th from 09:11 to 12:56:

• Thompson: When Wonks Become Parents, Things Change – Scott Joftus' "When Education Gets Personal," in Education Next, is excellent in several ways. Although he is an advocate of increasing academic standards, Joftus had an epiphany when his 2nd grade daughter was pushed into doing worksheets on probability "before she had any real understanding of the concept."
  Inner city teachers might be frustrated to read that it took twenty years for a policy wonk to understand what happens when a troubled child is so disruptive that a teacher has to spend "more than half of her time trying to keep this boy on task." Even so, we must respect his acknowledgement that even one child "reduced learning time for my daughter, and seemed to steal some of her innocence and excitement about school." 
  Perhaps he can now get a sense of the frustration of inner city teachers and students in classes with eight to ten traumatized students. Joftus' best point was his affirmation that, "One of the best teachers my children have had is our regular babysitter, who speaks English as a second language and never graduated from high school." 
  Perhaps he will now endorse community schools that bring the full range of service providers and mentors into urban schools, and bring students out of their buildings and into the full diversity of our democracy. Perhaps Joftus will now remind reformers that education is more than forcing testable information into a narrow part of the brain.- JT (@drjohnthompson) image via
• Today’s Reading List – Here's what the editors of Schools of Thought are reading today: Cooperative Catalyst: Behind the Standardized Test Curtain Todd Farley wrote a book about his experiences working for some of the biggest standardized test publishers. Farley says there are a few reasons why schools shouldn't trust the industry to handle exam scoring. Mail Tribune: 'It's [...]
• Scott Thompson’s Education Records To Be Probed By Yahoo Board –

  (Reuters) – Yahoo Inc's board of directors will review a discrepancy in the educational record of its chief executive, Scott Thompson, a spokesman told Reuters, after activist hedge fund Third Point accused Thompson of padding his academic credentials.
  Yahoo will also make an appropriate disclosure to shareholders when the review is complete, the spokesman said.
  On Thursday, Third Point's founder and chief executive, Dan Loeb, wrote in a letter to Yahoo's board that Thompson claims to hold a bachelor's degree in accounting and computer science from Stonehill College near Boston, but said Thompson "embellished his academic credentials" because the CEO's degree is in accounting only.
  Third Point owns 5.81 percent of Yahoo's shares and has been fighting to gain seats on the company's board.
  Early on Thursday, a Yahoo spokesman called the discrepancy an "inadvertent error."
  "Scott Thompson received a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a major in accounting from Stonehill college," the spokesman said in an emailed statement. "There was an inadvertent error that stated Mr. Thompson also holds a degree in computer science," he added.
  (Reporting by Sakthi Prasad; Editing by Matt Driskill)

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• Video: Expanding Charters Into District-Level Work – We're still waiting on that Rahm Emanuel video (it may be a long wait) but in the meantime here's Roland Fryer and Tom Boasberg talking about Houston and Denver at #nsvfsummit, via NBC News:
   

  Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
  It's interesting to note the difference between the approach to charters being taken in Houston and Denver compared to the approach in New Orleans and DC.  

• AM News: NJ Gov. Calls Democrats Out On Reform – Christie says education reform is led by GOP Yahoo! News: Christie said it was "ironic" that he, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana—all Republicans—were the only national political leaders to address the conference. 
  Education websites awarded Webbys CNN: Khan Academy took the top prize for education at this year's Webby Awards, the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences announced on Tuesday.
  Center on Education Policy Joins George Washington University Politics K12:  Since its founding, CEP has put out some blockbuster research—including this report questioning the administrations dire prediction that 82 percent of schools would fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress or AYP.
  Why Is Special Education Suffering? California Watch via HuffPost: After failing for the eighth straight year to meet service delivery targets for special education, Los Angeles Unified School District has begun interviewing staff to understand why records indicate thousands of students with disabilities are not receiving their prescribed services.
  AP: Privatization an issue in Conn. education bill AP via Boston.com: The prospect of greater privatization of Connecticut schools has emerged as a hurdle in closed-door negotiations over Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposals to overhaul public education.
  MORE NEWS ITEMS INSIDE

  What Is Being Done to Improve Parent Involvement? NYT: A parent coordinator writes: These days there is a lot of emphasis on school accountability and teacher accountability. But who is paying attention to parent accountability and finding ways to help parents become more involved? "Someone is always talking, measuring, criticizing — but not solving," she writes.
  Displaced Miramonte teachers recount their hurt and anger LAT: At least 40 teachers and other staffers rally outside the South L.A. campus they were reassigned to following the arrests of two teachers on lewd conduct charges.
  Principal urges state ed chief to take standardized tests to see problems with exams Washington Post: A New York school principal is urging the state’s education commissioner to review the standardized math assessments recently given to students in grades 3-5 because of a host of serious problems with their design. In a powerful letter, she also told him to take the tests to see the problems for himself.
   

Tutorservice Daily News for May 12th through May 13th:

• New Jersey Standardized Tests Will No Longer Ask 3rd-Graders To Reveal A Secret –

  TRENTON, N.J. — State education officials will no longer use a standardized test question that asked third-graders to reveal a secret and write about why it was difficult to keep.

  The question appeared on the writing portion of some versions of the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge given to third-graders this past week. And it drew criticism from some parents, who thought it was inappropriate.

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• U.S. Ambassador To Afghanistan Tries To Keep Upbeat Outlook After Assassination Of Peace Official –

  KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan tried to preserve an upbeat perspective on peace talks in an interview on Sunday, a day that began with the assassination of a key Taliban interlocutor in the peace process.

  Arsala Rahmani, a former deputy education minister under the Taliban, was shot early in the morning by an unknown assailant while in his car on the way to work.

  Police officials told Reuters that Rahmani, who traveled without a bodyguard, had been stuck in traffic when a car pulled up beside him and someone opened fire before driving away.

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• Mariela Castro, Daughter Of Cuban President Raul Castro, Says Father Supports Gay Rights –

  HAVANA — The daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro said during a rousing gay rights march Saturday that her father advocated eliminating sexual discrimination, and reiterated her own hope the country would soon legalize same sex marriage

  Mariela Castro, a noted gay rights advocate and head of Cuba's National Center for Sex Education, also repeated her praise for U.S. President Barack Obama's public remarks in favor of same sex marriage, saying the American leader's words "have great value because of the influence they might have" on others.

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• Innovative Educational Program ‘Hi Art!’ Immerses Little Kids In High Art (PHOTOS) –

  "Hi Art!" is a program that exposes kids to opera and other of high art starting at toddlerdom. A bold mission, it's true, but a hugely successful one thus far. In its 15 years of running the program has become one of the most talked-about in New York. Most educational programs, even those with solid art programs, portray art as a reprieve from homework and arithmetic. Frivolous and fun, art is a way to decorate the realities of learning, growing up and living. But not this program.

  This program puts art first. Cyndie Bellen-Berthézène, "Hi Art!"s founder and director, expressed: "Great art transmits something that is essentially human." Doesn't just color our lives, it has the power to be at the core of how we live. Although when I think of opera I tend to think of a stodgy, elderly woman with teeny binoculars and white gloves, at its core opera is pure human expression. The words, the costumes, the sets, all take the back seat to an indescribable momentum and feeling. What is more accessible than that?

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• Bill Haslam, Tennessee Governor, Signs Controversial Sex Education Bill –

  (Updates with details)
  * Targets "gateway sexual activities" like touching genitals
  * Critics fear limitations will hamper safe sex education
  * Tennessee's sex ed law fodder for comedians
  By Tim Ghianni
  NASHVILLE, Tenn, May 11 (Reuters) – Tennessee teachers can no longer condone so-called "gateway sexual activity" such as touching genitals under a new law that critics say is too vague and could hamper discussion about safe sexual behavior.
  Governor Bill Haslam's office Friday confirmed that he had signed the bill, which stirred up controversy nationwide and even was lampooned by comedian Stephen Colbert.
  "Kissing and hugging are the last stop before reaching Groin Central Station, so it's important to ban all the things that lead to the things that lead to sex," he said on the "Colbert Report" television show.
  But proponents say the new law helps define the existing abstinence-only sex-education policy.
  Under the law, Tennessee teachers could be disciplined and speakers from outside groups like Planned Parenthood could face fines of up to $500 for promoting or condoning "gateway sexual activities."
  David Fowler, president of the Family Action Council of Tennessee, which pushed the bill, said it does not ban kissing or holding hands from discussion in sex ed classes. But he said it addresses the touching of certain "gateway body parts," including genitals, buttocks, breasts and the inner thigh.
  It is unclear from the bill's wording whether Tennessee teachers could promote masturbation.
  The bill sailed through the legislative session, passing the Senate 28-1 and the House 68-23.
  Opponents, which include Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee and the state teachers' union, say that before they can begin fighting the new law, they have to be able to figure it out. They worry that discussion of sexual behavior could be interpreted as condoning it.
  "The very ambiguous language in this bill certainly puts teachers in a very difficult situation" when it comes to knowing what to teach, said Jerry Winters, spokesman for the Tennessee Education Association.
  Fowler said the new law was authored in part because of incidents in which teachers were instructing about alternate sexual practices as ways to have gratification without risking pregnancy, according to Fowler.
  He said one such incident involved a Nashville high school teacher who was encouraging girls to give boys oral sex in order to get a condom on them.
  Fowler also pointed to a Planned Parenthood-organized program at a school in Knoxville, where students were directed to a web site "that actually lists as possible methods of birth control things like oral sex and anal sex play that I think most Tennesseans would find inappropriate."
  Lyndsey Godwin, manager of education and training for Planned Parenthood, said the idea that her group was encouraging such behavior was "utterly false." She said that while Planned Parenthood educators may answer a student's question by agreeing that anal and oral sex don't lead to pregnancy, they also emphasize the disease risks.
  Godwin said Planned Parenthood supports the state's abstinence-centered policy, but the reality is not everyone can be abstinent. She said that being able to address issues of condom use, contraception and answer questions about sexual behaviors to educate students are essential to her group's role.
  Winters of the Tennessee Education Association said that already existing sex education policy was "quite adequate."
  "It does focus on abstinence, but in this modern world to say that 'just say no' is the answer to teenage pregnancy is putting your head in the sand," Winters said. (Reporting By Tim Ghianni; Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Lisa Shumaker)

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• ‘War On Women’ 2012: Amid Controversy, Women Ponder How They Became Campaign Issue –

  DENVER — Wanda Ramey stood on the University of Colorado campus, cane in one hand, "Close The Pay Gap" sign in the other. The rally for equal pay among women in the workplace was the 65-year-old spitfire's second stop in a day of meetings and protests.

  A registered independent, Ramey's top priorities this election year aren't necessarily directly related to the "war on women" that Democrats have accused Republicans of waging. She worries about the future of her grandchildren, their education and whether they'll find jobs one day.

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Education Links for May 3rd through May 4th:

• Education websites awarded Webbys – By John Martin, CNN (CNN) – Khan Academy took the top prize for education at this year's Webby Awards, the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences announced on Tuesday. TED Talks won the Webby People's Voice Award. The academy will dole out the awards for Internet excellence on May 21. In contrast to the [...]
• Gaby Pacheco: The Saga of Immigrant Youth: Debated and left unresolved – As we mark the Supreme Court's decision on Plyler vs. Doe, it's fitting that the DREAM Act and access to higher education are again at the forefront of the contentious conversation on immigration reform.
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• Harvard and MIT launch edX to offer free online classes – By James O'Toole, CNNMoney NEW YORK (CNNMoney) – Always wanted to take a Harvard class? Soon you'll be able to do so from the comfort of your own home. Harvard and MIT announced a partnership Wednesday to offer free online courses to students around the world. The initiative, known as edX, will be run by [...]
• Bill Nelson Says He Is ‘Open’ To Marco Rubio’s Immigration Plan –

  BY DONNA CASSATA, ASSOCIATED PRESS

  TAMPA, Fla. — Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson said Thursday that he is open to Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's plan to let young undocumented immigrants remain in the United States, but he questioned whether it would solve the nation's immigration problems.

  In a roundtable discussion with about three dozen students at the University of South Florida, Nelson said he remains a strong proponent of the DREAM Act, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors measure. The Democratic-backed bill would grant a path to citizenship to young undocumented immigrants who attend college or serve in the military. It remains stalled in Congress.

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• Justice Sandra Day O’Connor seeks to reverse America’s decline in civics – By Michael Martinez, CNN San Diego (CNN) – Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who holds the distinction of being the first woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, is crusading to reverse what she says is an alarming decline in America's knowledge of democracy and is scheduled Wednesday to announce a initiative to educate [...]
• Bloomberg Budget: Slashed Children’s Services Contribute To National Crisis, Advocates Say –

  Teachers, parents and children's advocates across New York City shuddered Thursday morning as Mayor Michael Bloomberg released his executive budget: Just as they feared, the budget eliminated $170 million in funding to child-care and after-school services.

  In March, when the mayor first proposed these cuts, scores of organizations around the city banded together to convince him to change his mind. A host of local politicians, including some generally dependable Bloomberg allies, like the City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, said the cuts would be unacceptable, and parents and teachers spoke out against them from the steps of City Hall.

  But to no avail. “While Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts to improve New York City’s education system are laudable, his consistent, massive cuts to after-school programs and early-childhood education are counter to his efforts to be the education mayor," said Richard Buery, the head of the Children's Aid Society, a 150-year-old organization that serves low-income children at dozens of locations around New York.

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Tutorservice Daily News for May 11th through May 12th:

• Cartoon: The "Citizens United" Homework Excuse – via Scholastic Administrator Magazine.  
• Accretive Health Debt Collector Defends Embedding Employees Inside Hospitals –

  Accretive Health, a debt-collection company under fire from Minnesota and federal officials for aggressive tactics to squeeze money from hospital patients, is striking back at critics.

  In a rebuttal to accusations made by Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson (D), Accretive Health flatly denied it has violated federal or Minnesota laws governing debt collection and patient privacy and said its role in hospitals is to help patients find ways to pay for their medical care. "We are proud of what we do," the company said in 29-page report issued Friday evening. "Patients appreciate the education, expertise, and compassion that we provide."

  Accretive Health has been battered in Minnesota, Washington, and on Wall Street since Swanson published a six-volume report on her website last month alleging that the Chicago-based company demanded that emergency room patients pay before receiving medical care, that collectors visited patients' bedsides asking for money, and that collectors employed harsh and deceptive tactics. Democratic lawmakers and federal agencies have made inquiries and Accretive Health shares lost more than half their value before rebounding after the company reported positive earnings Thursday.

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• Gov. Bev Perdue’s Budget Could Save Nation’s Top State-Funded Early Childhood Program, Children’s Advocates Say –

  Children's advocates are applauding the latest state budget in North Carolina, hailing it as the latest victory in a long and drawn-out battle over the future of pre-kindergarten programs in a state that was once to early childhood education what Michigan was to cars and Mississippi was to the blues.

  North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue released her executive budget for 2013 on Thursday.

  Since the 1960s, the Research Triangle including Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University, led the way in early childhood research, contributing several studies to the growing body of research demonstrating the crucial role preschool plays in helping children move out of poverty and become productive members of society. Starting in the 1990s, North Carolina's then-Gov. Jim Hunt, built on this legacy by establishing Smart Start, a program providing a range of services to low-income families with small children. At the beginning of the next decade, his successor Gov. Michael Easley went further, creating an innovative pre-k program for low-income students called More at Four.

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• Caty Borum Chattoo: Six Pieces of Wisdom and Advice for College Grads, Inspired By and Borrowed From Norman Lear – So much of my "wisdom" or, more accurately, just "stuff that I say," comes from the actual wisdom of the great mentor of my life, the incomparable Norman Lear. Graduation season is the perfect time to share Norman's "Norman-isms."
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• Adam Levin: It’s Time to Solve the Student Loan Crisis – The time has come for the re-creation of AmeriCorps, and the rethinking of the government role in borrowing for education. Specifically, the country needs to address three major problems.
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Tutorservice Daily News forMay 11th

• Eric Alterman: Think Again: A Chronicle of Journalistic Malfeasance – Earlier this week the Chronicle of Higher Education fired its blogger Naomi Schaefer Riley over a post in which, after mocking the titles of "black studies" dissertations, she called for the dissolution of the entire field.
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• ‘Stay hungry, stay foolish’: 12 great graduation quotes – by AJ Willingham Wake up! Life is happening here. Right now. Sometimes we forget that, and if wisdom truly is wasted on the young, the worst time to impart wisdom is to a bunch of exhausted twenty-somethings in rickety folding chairs trying not to scratch where that rented gown is making them itch. Whether or [...]
• Update: Education Thought Leaders, The Response – My post about education thought leaders asked a sincere question and generated several sincere responses — many of them on Twitter.  The gist semed to be that there are lots of folks who qualify as thought leaders, whether or not I or others know about them or think of them that way (or even know their names):  @TheJLV, @irasocol, @chrislehmann, @samchaltain,  @DTWillingham, @OlsonKirsten,  @TeachMoore.
  For me, the key is someone who can see multiple sides of an issue, acknowledg and weigh them all, and come to an interesting, ideally thought-provoking interpretation. There was some disagreement about whether it was more important to be thoughtful or to be a leader, and about what leader means, anyway.  I was intending it in the simple, crude sense of having developed or being in the process of developing large numbers of followers, but I've been told that's not so important.  
  In any case, some folks to consider paying more attention to, perhaps.  Happy Friday everyone.  
• Bev Perdue, North Carolina Governor, On Amendment 1 Passage: ‘We Look Like Mississippi’ –

  North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue (D) said Friday that she was embarrassed by voters' passage of an anti-gay marriage amendment to the state's constitution earlier this week, primarily because it made the state "look like Mississippi."

  "People around the country are watching us, and they're really confused to have been such a progressive forward-thinking economically driven state that invested in education and that stood up for the civil rights people including the civil rights marches back in the '50s and '60s and '70s," she told North Carolina's WITN. "People are saying 'What in the world is going on with North Carolina?' We look like Mississippi."

  On Tuesday, voters approved Amendment 1 by a vote of 61 percent to 39 percent. North Carolina law had already banned gay marriage, but the measure now adds a further prohibition on same-sex marriages, as well as other types of domestic unions, including those between straight couples. North Carolina was the last southern state to put such wording into its constitution.

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• Thompson: The Common Core & The US Railway System – Robert Rotham's "Transcontinental Education" in the Washington Monthly's  special issue on the new wave of reforms, reached back to the 1860s for a metaphorical explanation of the potential of new Standards to accomplish what the equally good, old Standards failed to do. He claimed that setting a standard guage for railroad tracks "led to an explosion of railroad building." Rothman thus presented a history of the American West that left out steel, coal, political corruption, the Indian Wars and, yes, the workers who built the railroads.  Rothman devoted far fewer words to educational issues than he did the railroads, so it is hard to know what he meant with his brief reference to schools, "By setting common expectations, states have made it possible for students everywhere to graduate from high school similarly prepared for post-secondary education and work."  In other words, set a guage for measuring educational attainment and, magically, student achievement will take off. Gosh, I thought that improved teaching and learning might also be necessary.  By the way, the federal government that set the common guage also subsidized the building of the railroads without regulating them.  The result was the Indian Wars and an environmental catastrophe. Common Core could also backfire, but Rothman was silent about ways to prevent the unintended damage that his technological fix could unleash.- JT (@drjohnthompson) image via.
• Shaquille O’Neal talks about education – by Tomeka Jones, CNN (CNN) Former NBA Superstar Shaquille O'Neal says, “If Shaq can do it, you can do it.” He’s spreading this message to today's youth after recently receiving his doctorate degree in education. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, O'Neal sat down with CNN Student News to talk about his most inspirational teachers [...]

Tutorservice Daily News for May 10th through May 11th:

• Technology: Classroom Drones, Playground Drones – What could an educator do with a small, easily controlled, programmable drone?  You could teach with it — kids would love programming it or exploring the neighborhood via videocam from above.  You could keep watch over the campus with it.  No more lunch duty for bored teachers.  Just launch it and watch from above on your laptop.  Parents could use one to make sure their kids aren't getting bullied during recess.  
  Drones are already being used here in the US, and their use is likely to spread quickly.  This New Yorker article explores their possible domestic uses, amazing and frightening.  They are increasingly small and able to perform complex tasks without being directly controlled by a human controller. 
  Excited? Scared?  Me, too.  
• Campaign 2012: How Vouchers Are Like Same-Sex Marriage – It's not just because Arne Duncan played a role in the President's decision to come out in support of gay marriage that education-watchers should pay attention to the way politicians talk about the issue. The other, much more interesting reason, is that some Democratic politicians favor private school vouchers (with conditions, usually) but, as with same sex marriage, they often are loathe to say so out loud, knowing that the political consequences are high. They signal their support in various ways — pretzeling themselves around rhetorically like Obama's former chief of staff Rahm Emanual did last week in San Francisco.  And yet they know it's increasingly difficult to oppose vouchers, and are waiting for the moment when the conditions are right (by necessity or reduced danger) to make their true feelings known.  
• The best teacher I’ve ever known – By Ashley Strickland, CNN Editor’s note: In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week this week, we’re asking our colleagues at CNN to share their stories of teachers who have inspired them. Ashley Strickland is an associate producer at CNN.com. In high school, I had the incomparable luck to learn from the Prince of Pertinence, the Sultan [...]
• Yvette Borja: The Importance Of Culture In Curriculum – The banning of ethnic studies from schools brings into question the role of education. What is the purpose of schooling? Is it solely meant to create a competent future workforce?
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• Randi Weingarten: Teacher Appreciation — More Than Just a Week? – Teacher Appreciation Week soon will be over. Will America's teachers continue to be subjected to degradation and prevented from having a meaningful say in their profession? Or will their dedication and desire to help kids be respected?
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Tutorservice Daily News forMay 10th

• Mariela Castro, Cuba President Raul Castro’s Daughter, Backs Obama On Gay Marriage –

  HAVANA — Cuban President Raul Castro's daughter congratulated Barack Obama on Thursday for his support for gay marriage, but said his comments are just a first step toward changing policy.

  The U.S. president delivered a message that was "humane, understanding, in which he even recognizes that he too has been changing his opinion in favor of marriage, the free union of same-sex couples," said Mariela Castro, who is Cuba's most prominent gay rights activist as head of the National Center for Sex Education, or Cenesex.

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• Campaign 2012: In Defense Of Arne ("Same Sex") Duncan – Right about now about half the re-elect campaign probably wants to put Duncan on ice until Labor Day while the other half wants to increase his campaign appearances.   Agree with him or not on policy or same sex marriage, he's our guy and has been remarkably disciplined despite carrying a heavy load, so I hope they don't curtail his schedule just because of this.  I mean, it's not like he's been photographed dancing and drinking with staff or anything (has he?).
• Mitt Romney Bullied LGBT Youth Commission As Governor –

  WASHINGTON — Just hours after the Washington Post published a piece on Mitt Romney's prep school pranks — which included forcibly cutting the hair of a student who stood out for his nonconformity and his perceived homosexuality — the presumptive Republican presidential nominee had already apologized in a radio interview, saying he was sorry for any "dumb things" he might have done "a long time ago."

  Presumably, by the time Romney was elected governor of Massachusetts in 2002, he had moved on from verbal taunts and physical take-downs. But gay-rights advocates argue that his policies toward the LGBT community as governor were just as troubling.

  "It's very clear that Mr. Romney doesn't get it," said Eliza Byard, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), which focuses on supporting LGBT youth. "Bullying, harassment and assault in schools are serious issues. His own behavior was deeply troubling when he was a student, and his actions as governor of Massachusetts were also an assault on the LGBT students that the state had set out to protect."

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• My English teachers were the highlight of high school – By Bryan Toussaint, CNN Editor’s note: In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week this week, we’re asking our colleagues at CNN to share their stories of teachers who have inspired them. Bryan Toussaint is an associate producer at CNN.com. I hated high school, or maybe I simply hated adolescence. I found the years between ages 15 [...]
• Voters in America: Vets Wanted? Educator and Parent Guide – (CNN Student News) – Teachers and Parents: Watch with your students or record "Voters in America: Vets Wanted?" when it airs on CNN on Sunday, May 13 at 8 p.m. ET and PT, or Saturday, May 19 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET and PT. By recording the documentaries, you agree that you will [...]

Education Links forMay 10th from 11:57 to 13:50:

• Alimony: Women Increasingly Paying Alimony To Their Ex Husbands –

  By Patricia Reaney
  NEW YORK, May 10 (Reuters) – Tables have turned in U.S. divorce courts with more women paying their former husbands alimony and child support than ever before, according to U.S. lawyers.
  As women climb higher up the career ladder and outpace their exes in salary, when love goes wrong and marriages break up they are being compelled to contribute to the livelihood of their former spouses.
  And some are not happy about it.
  More than half, 56 percent, of divorce lawyers across the United States have seen an increase in mothers paying child support in the last three years and 47 percent have noted a hike in the number of women paying alimony, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
  "It shows that women have really moved up financially and that in many instances they are the major bread winners in a lot of families," said Alton Abramowitz, the president-elect of the academy.
  "The glass ceiling has been pierced and more and more women have taken over the financial responsibilities and have been saddled with them as well. It is a fact of the way our society has evolved over the last number of years."
  Abramowitz, who has been practicing law for 39 years, described the findings of the survey and the changed role of women in the workforce as a sea change.
  In his graduating law school class of 135, there were just six women. Data from the Digest of Education Statistics show that the number of men and women receiving medical degrees in the U.S. is almost equal, unlike 1980 when only about a third of medical degrees were awarded to women.
  The number of women getting law degrees has nearly doubled.
  "You are seeing the results of that, the impact, now in terms of the professions," Abramowitz said.
  Although women have made strides professionally, the divorce rate in the United States has remained fairly constant. About half of marriages in the United States end in divorce. The rate has hovered between 46 and 53 percent for decades, he added.
  Just as many men grumbled about paying alimony to their former wives, women are not pleased with the turnaround.
  "We see women who are every bit as angry as their male counterparts, maybe more so, when they are confronted with the concept of paying spousal support to a man," said Abramowitz.
  The gender switch in alimony payments is just one of many changes he has seen during his four decades as a lawyer.
  "When I started practicing in 1973 there was no equitable distribution of property," he said.
  The 1,600 members of the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers handle separations, prenuptial agreements, custody battles, property evaluation and division, the rights of unmarried couples, as well as divorce and child support.
  (Editing by Christine Kearney)

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• Today’s Reading List – Here's what the editors of Schools of Thought are reading today: NationalJournal.com: Recess, New Menus Key to US Obesity Crisis, Report Finds A recent report from the Institute of Medicine projects that 42% of Americans could by obese by 2030. One recommendation from the institute: at least 60 minutes per day of physical education and [...]
• Thompson: Modest Success In New Orleans – I cannot deny my bias in regard to the prodigious effort to rebuild New Orleans schools.  From 2005 to 2010, per student spending was increased by over 60%.  Many of America's most talented and committed young educators have dedicated themselves to putting those resources to good use.  If they failed to even achieve modest improvements, all Americans would have to take a doubly hard look in the mirror. So, I applaud Matthew DiCarlo's fair-minded analysis of New Orleans charters in the Shanker Blog, and I hope that the glass is half full.  Among 47 non-selective charters, 16 have improved reading scores more than comparable neighborhood schools, while nine have done worse, and 22 have not shown significant differences. DiCarlo notes that those charters serve about half as many special education students but, even so, we should study the successful charters to identify what worked for them and even ask whether some of their lessons are ready to be scaled up. It is hard to see how New Orleans provides evidence that the charterization of Philadelphia schools, for instance, would help them recover from its self-inflicted hurricane. I will soon be posting on the failure of "reform" in Philadelphia but, for now, we should be gracious in regard to New Orleans – which may be reformers' greatest success to date.- JT (@drjohnthompson) image via.   
• Quotes: When The NCAA Asks More Than An Ed School – If we are making it easier for someone to become a teacher than to play college sports, I think there is something wrong with that equation. — NCTQ's Kate Walsh, on BloombergEDU (full quote below)

  "It is often easier to get into an education school than to qualify to play NCAA athletics.  If we are making it easier for someone to become a teacher than to play college sports, I think there is something wrong with that equation.” www.nctq.org

• Hollywood stars show appreciation for their teachers – by John Martin, CNN (CNN) – Actresses Cierra Ramirez, Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendes recently talked to CNN about some of their favorite teachers. Ramirez said that she appreciates Ms. Sloat for helping Ramirez get through math. Scarlett Johansson said that her 6th grade teacher, Ms. Grossman, helped Johansson develop her conscience and her imagination. [...]
• Joel Shatzky: Educating for Democracy: The People’s Board of Education – At an all-day meeting featuring panel discussions and break-out sessions, a group of parents, students, teachers and other educators met to propose an alternative to Mayoral control of the New York City public school system.
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• Wanted: Who Are Education’s "Thought Leaders"? – A friend asked me the other day who were the "thought leaders" in education reform and once I got done making fun of the term I realized I didn't have a good answer.  I can think of lots of hyperactive advocates and commentators, a handful of zealots and visionaries, and no end to slow-talking academics.  But I wasn't sure I could think of anyone with that mix of close familiarity with the field who retains a quality of dispassionate observation — someone who would say what he or she thought even if it didn't advance or discredit a favorite program or approach.  A straight shooter, smart and able to think and speak on multiple levels (programs, policy, politics).  Can you? Some possible candidates — I'm really not sure — might be Rick Hess, or Matt DiCarlo, or  _____________?  Maybe they're out there and I'm missing them, or maybe there are people who are more balanced and thoughtful than I realize.  My ears might need adjustment.  Please, no self-nominations.  

Education Links for May 9th through May 10th:

• It only takes a minute to change a student’s life – By Scott Burkey, CNN Editor’s Note: In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week this week, we’re asking our colleagues at CNN to share their stories of teachers who have inspired them. Scott Burkey is a sr. project manager at CNN. We moved several times when I was in junior high and high school. Each time was [...]
• Battlegrounds: Don’t Forget New Jersey – There's StudentsFirst's partnership with state education reform advocates, and bipartisan support for measures like ending seniority-based layoffs that are strongly opposed by teachers unions (N.J. Democrats must step up on education reform). Vouchers in the air. ALEC sponsorship. Cami Anderson.  Chris Christie and his ALEC bills.  Cory Booker.  Derrell Bradford (2010 profile here).  There was a big AFC conference last week (next time, not cross-scheduled with NSVF, please). Powerpoints here. Speeches here.  Jindal's vouchers and tax rebates here (not NJ, obv, but he was at AFC).  
• AM News: Renaming 24 Schools To Win SIG Millions – For 24 Schools Getting New Start, 24 New Names NYT: Two dozen public schools are being renamed as part of New York City’s strategy to qualify for nearly $60 million in federal grants to help the so-called struggling schools get fresh starts.
  Test Errors Draw New Criticism WSJ: A top New York state education official acknowledged Wednesday that the mounting number of errors found on this year's math and English tests has eroded public trust in the statewide exams.
  LA Unified approves college prep requirements for all students SCPR:  Next year’s high school freshmen will have to take every class required to meet the minimum application standards for the University of California and Cal State systems. 

   Tennessee Tech policy violated First Amendment USAT: A federal appeals court ruled that Tennessee Tech violated the First Amendment in a case involving religious beliefs.

  Unions, parents blast school austerity plans Philadelphia Inquirer: A coalition led by parent groups and Philadelphia school employee unions Wednesday blasted the district’s proposal to make drastic cuts and structural changes.
  Where the Teachers Union and District Love Each Other VOSD:  If both the district and its teachers in San Diego are serious about repairing the relationship, then Poway is as good a place as any for them to study.
  MORE NEWS ITEMS INSIDE

  State report slams college savings program Chicago Tribune: The underfunded College Illinois savings program was plagued by weak financial controls and conflicts of interest between top administrators and companies hired to invest millions from the prepaid tuition fund, according to a report issued Wednesday by the state auditor general's office.

  City Instructs Schools to Expand Common Core Introduction NYT: In an effort to expand the introduction of a new set of learning standards into the city's public schools, officials are asking science and social studies teachers to introduce more reading and writing into students' classwork. This school year, English and math teachers have already begun to adapt their lessons to the new requirements.

  K12 Inc., Virginia-based virtual schools operator, reports third quarter growth Washington Post: Herndon-based K12 Inc., the nation’s largest operator of public virtual schools, continues to grow despite questions about whether its full-time online education is effective for students and taxpayers.

• Grading essays: Human vs. machine – by Jordan Bienstock, CNN (CNN) No one thinks twice about using machines to grade multiple-choice tests. For decades, teachers – and students – have trusted technology to accurately decipher which bubble was filled in on a Scantron form. But can a machine take on the task of evaluating the written word? A recent study conducted [...]
• Sixth Grade Students Made Porn Video At Mexican School –

  MEXICO CITY — Authorities in Mexico's Gulf coast state of Campeche said Wednesday they are investigating how a porn video was made by sixth-graders inside their school.

  State Education Department spokesman Omar Kantun said the video was apparently made in an empty classroom during recess in late April.

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Education Links forMay 9th from 14:25 to 16:20:

• Logos: Harmony Logo Reminds Me Of Something – Three Harmony charter public schools are on the new USNews list of best high schools — happy Charter Schools Week, everyone — and the Harmony logo reminds me of something I'd seen before….  I'm just not sure what it is.  Best Western? IHOP?  Hampton Inn?  
  PS:  Having charter school week the same week as teacher appreciation week is either brilliant or awkward.  Not sure which.
• Exploring the universe in high school – By Elizabeth Landau, CNN Editor’s Note: In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week this week, we’re asking our colleagues at CNN to share their stories of teachers who have inspired them.  Elizabeth Landau is a writer/producer for CNN.com. Last week, on the occasion of my 10th high school reunion, I caught up with some of the teachers [...]
• Bullied for months, teen kills herself – A 13-year-old girl killed herself after enduring months of alleged bullying at school. KARE reports.
• Mitt Romney Reiterates Opposition To Gay Marriage And Civil Unions Before Obama Addresses Subject –

  Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney said he is opposed to civil unions and gay marriage on the same day that President Barack Obama is expected to address the subject in an interview with ABC News.

  "Well, when these issues were raised in my state of Massachusetts, I indicated my view, which is I do not favor marriage between people of the same gender, and I do not favor civil unions if they are identical to marriage other than by name," the former Massachusetts governor told Denver Fox affiliate KDVR-TV. "My view is the domestic partnership benefits, hospital visitation rights, and the like are appropriate but that the others are not."

  The Obama interview comes following Tuesday's passage of a North Carolina constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships, and also Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan signaling support for gay marriage earlier this week. Some political observers are already predicting that Obama will endorse gay marriage in the interview.

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• Thompson: Online Learning Won’t Take The High Road By Magic – I loved David Brooks' The Social Animal, which used social and cognitive science to explain why online tutorials can't replace loving relationships with teachers.  But then he also endorses Republican "reformers" who attack the heart of the teaching profession.  Brooks' New York Times Op Ed, "The Campus Tsunami," is another example of his ability to believe both sides of any education argument, while assuming that every tsunami will raise all boats, damaging none.  
  On one hand, he fears that market-driven reform will replace deep reading with fast online browsing. He understands, "how much communication is lost — gesture, mood, eye contact — when you are not actually in a room with a passionate teacher and students." Brooks argues that online tehcnology has turned knowledge into "a commodity that is cheap and globally available," but it still allows great colleges to "focus on the rest of the learning process, which is where the real value lies."
  But then Brooks writes that online technology compels colleges to take the high road and preserve real learning, "which is a complex social and emotional process." But, Brooks does not identify the force that compels universities to go the extra mile.  Why does he believe that higher education will not follow public schools in taking the quick and easy route?  Brooks seems clueless about the market-driven school "reform" tsunami that put a price on everything but values little or nothing.  It is precisely at times like these that we need sea walls to protect universities (and public schools) from the latest gimmicks for making a quick buck or jacking up performance metrics.- JT (@drjohnthompson)