School reform is back behind closed doors again and the Connecticut Education Association hasn’t announced plans for more teacher rallies in Hartford. A few questions come to mind as we near the final days of the legislative session:
1. Where is the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus on Gov. Malloy’s now-stalled reform initiative? Do they support Malloy’s proposed changes? A very odd silence from a group that should be demanding aggressive reform.
2. Will the Connecticut AFT, the smaller-but-more-eager-for-reform union, break with the CEA? The AFT, a leader in New Haven reform efforts, has been pushed to the side by the larger CEA during the last few weeks.
3. How is it that charter schools have become the enemy here? Two of the most notable and sucessful models in Connecticut, Jumoke Academy and Achievement First, would be blocked from participating in reform efforts. These schools were created by Connecticut educators and parents for the sole purpose of improving education in our cities.
4. Can Don Williams, the senate leader who has become the CEA’s battlefield general, patch things up with Gov. Malloy? Or does the Senate President Pro Tem have other plans?
5. How does Stefan Pryor, villified by the CEA for his connections to charter school and his connecticuts to nonprofit reform initiatives, lead the state Department of Education if Malloy’s education reform plan fails to pass?
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7 Responses to Education Questions
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1. Don’t know
2. No
3. Have you been reading the evidence as to why they should be viewed in a negative light? Two examples of success don’t trump the negatives. It’s not just Pelto anymore – - – others are finally catching on to what he’s been saying.
4. Unsure
5. He wouldn’t even be leading if his ‘network’ passed. He was just handing off that to Riccards and his friends. Everything he’s done up to now has been hired out. He will complain with his friend for the next two years until Malloy is out of office.
You might want to speak to Dianne Smith of Neapolis LLC the former head of the Connecticut Black Alliance for Educational Options.
My understanding is she spun the whole 2010 agenda, Campaign LEARN, and she is now a for-profit consultant showing others how to create similar campaigns.
That’s a story in itself. What happens when the rudder and marketer who weaved the web of cooperative agencies together leaves? Looking at the websites of all involved in the 2010 campaign, rudderless means web sites are either dead links or never updated.
http://www.neapolisllc.com/index.php/meet-our-team
The 2010 agenda
http://www.scribd.com/doc/26737896/2010-Black-and-Puerto-Rican-Caucus-Legislative-Priorities
In addition to the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, the groups represented in Campaign LEARN include the Connecticut Black Alliance for Educational Options, the African American Affairs Commission, the State of Black Connecticut Alliance, the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now, the Connecticut Commission on Children, the Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches, the Education Equality Project, the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, and the Multicultural Chamber of Commerce – Stamford
Agree with everything JM says…only I’d add the words “Dumbass” at the end (toward Rick of course). Come on Rick. I have faith in you that your smart enough to realize these things. So get the rocks out of your head.
#3 I suspect that charter schools are excluded because the majority of teachers view these creations as over- rated spoiled pets. Rick, again, you really should start talking to classroom teachers.
Cmon Rick you’re not fooling anybody being in the tank for Dan. you left out the no-bid contracts these crooks gave out like gum drops to their private industry friends. Either be an honest reporter or quit.
The answer to all of your questions is “politics”. Kids don’t matter in CT., at least not enough. Sadly, we’ve passed a tipping point in this state where our so-called “public servants” (aka unionized teachers) now know that they own the legislature.
The silver lining is that when parents finally wake up and organize themselves, and they will, the pols today who are beholden to big labor will be tossed out on their duffs. Only then will things change.
We’re unionized…yes, but teachers can make decisions for themselves. Themselves – meaning what is best for their students/classroom. As a new teacher, I am not allowing the union to make my opinions. I, and my colleagues are well-informed on this topic, from all sides.