More sobering news **edited

by

I hope my readers understand why I’m continuing to talk about stories like this and this.

…because it doesn’t get talked about anywhere else.  If it is talked about on the major networks, it’s a blip on the screen…but treated as if an afterthought.  Women’s concerns don’t matter, if you gauge it by the attention and action that it receives.

Maybe instead of “Rape Culture” we should call it “Violence Against Women” culture, after seeing this.

Good God.  What exactly was the decal maker’s message in creating this decal?? An experiment, my arse.  And then he tries to play the “concerned citizen” schtick by feigning empathy towards abused women.  Give me a break.    I could hardly stand to watch the video in its entirety–it made me sick.  I would caution against giving this creep donations…probably won’t end up where it is supposed to go.

Would he have thought it okay to create a decal with an African American hanging from a noose? Or an African American hogtied in the back of a truck?

Sweet Jesus, where does it end?

**edited to add:  I went back this morning to read the comments, and others also made note that if this decal had been an African American hanging by a noose, people would be outraged.  I rather doubt this guy would have attempted that.  Someone put up a link for yet another violent decal….so this isn’t something new.  But this does strike home the continuing acceptance of media encouragement of violence against women.  And the commenter “mick” shows how great this ingrained acceptance of violence is….it’s just a joke, what’s your problem..?  (his sarcasm, not mine.)

The Opt Out Movement **edited

by

Diane Ravitch reports on a growing movement of parents who are keeping their children home on test day–to opt out of the stupid nonsensical testing of things that can’t be tested…. **edited to add link. Geesh.

In other Ed. news- — Joe Williams, a PR shill for the corporate reformers masquerading as Democrats has been…ahem….schooled.

The facts don’t lie.

More reports of crooks running public education in the ground so they can profit off of it….

From the article on the expose in Maine:

A Maine Sunday Telegram investigation found large portions of Maine’s digital education agenda are being guided behind the scenes by out-of-state companies that stand to capitalize on the changes, especially the nation’s two largest online education providers.

~~~~~~~~

And the graphic linked to in the article is just mindboggling.  Look at the flow of money!

It still just absolutely stuns me on how the American Legislative Council (ALEC) was able to get away with so much for so long!  Just stunning.

Finally, Teach For America plans exposed.

Susan Rice, Kerry, and Syria

by

Susan Rice was on the tube today trying to sell the war.  She tried playing on people’s emotions by saying that she was thinking of her own children as she watched the tapes of the children being gassed.

What about the children in Iraq? Don’t they remind Susan Rice of her children, too? More here.

How many children will be lost if we bomb Syria?

I asked the question “don’t we know how to use diplomacy anymore?”  And it appears that John Kerry was an accidental diplomat when he reportedly made an offhanded remark that Syria could turn over chemical weapons to the international community.  Now the State Dept. says it was “rhetorical”.   

Are you serious?

Kerry apparently wasn’t, but Russia was and is now going to make moves to get Syria to hand over the chemicals.  Well, now…didn’t expect that.

Who would have thought that Russia would have more diplomatic skills than the United States State Department?!

Damn….guess Wall St and the Congress warmongers aren’t going to be able to profit off another war.  (she says with fingers and toes crossed and saying a prayer…)

The Rabbi **edited

by

An update to this post….apparently, the Rabbi made a snide remark about Weiner being “married to an Arab” .  Yeah, that kind of nixes one’s self-righteous position, doesn’t it?  **edited to add:  it was Jon Stewart that brought that to light. Sorry, I was tired when I posted last night.)

Doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind about the rest of the exchange or Weiner’s campaign nor his actions towards women, though.  But he has a right to be married to whomever he chooses without that being a factor in his fitness for mayor.  He’s not fit for mayor for his predator actions and his thinking that exposing himself was a joke.

Teachers’ unions under fire in Canada, as well

by

Well, this shouldn’t surprise me, but yet it still does…Canadians have been a little more progressive in a lot of ways, but apparently education isn’t one of them.

Given the recent statement by Canadian politicians on mulitculturalism, and the stealth racism of charter proponents here in the U.S., one has to wonder if racism isn’t at the heart of the attack on education, in Canada, as well.

 

More from the edumucation files

by

Wow. I am continually amazed at what has been going on behind the scenes with the charter school engineers.  Truly amazing how they have been able to get away with it.

This report from a teacher who spells out exactly what my fear is of the nonsense testing that really cannot test potential and does not allow for the obstacles to learning for kids in poorer districts….and then blames the public school teacher for things that are out of their control: student engagement and parent involvement.  The resident troll, teaching economist, has finally revealed he has no clue about what teachers in k-12 are up against.  He teaches lecture courses of 500 students, some of them online.  There is no engagement with classes that size–that was my complaint about my classes in college–no class discussion to enrich the learning experience.  The guy’s a robot who cannot engage in dialogue.

Parents United Philadelphia has this up.

Advice from a money manager….who actually likes public education.

From a comment:

As a teacher with wealthy connections, I can tell you that most of the rich don’t care much about public education either way. They send their kids to private school on principle. The public schools are for the “unwashed masses”. They use private schools to separate their children from the commoners. The old money saw public schools as giving back to their butler’s kids or their cook’s children, and they weren’t bothered by paying taxes (chump change anyway). The new money see taxes for public schools as irritating, and they want to keep as much money as they can, and don’t care about their cook’s children, city children, etc. The “new money” have no interest in community or helping others.

~~~~~~~~

Spot on. The wealthy do not care about public education. Period.  It has always been for the “rest of us” who cannot or will not put our kids into private schools.   The most annoying thing to the wealthy is that public education creates citizens who are….educated.  Educated citizens cause all sorts of trouble–like being able to carry on arguments against the destruction of public schools; like asking intelligent questions of politicians; of fighting for civil rights….of fighting against things the wealthy hold dear: greed, selfishness,  lack of social conscience…..

~~~~~~~~

The student who stood up to be heard at the *cough*  conversation with teachers has a blog up explaining what went on.  What a powerful young woman…this old lady was worried about the future generation, but Hannah gives me hope….

(hat tip to Diane Ravitch)

Lastly, a blog at Reclaim Reform on Arne Duncan.  How can someone who failed so miserably be….promoted...?

A student speaks up to Michelle Rhee

by

What a brave phenomenal young woman.  Truth to power.

Steve Perry sounds like a real nice guy….not.  Cockroaches?  Really??  Sounds like sour grapes to me…