Who's got more CLASS than me?

GATES foundation CLASS is demanding support for Mr. Deasy.  I'm including a list of CLASS members who are funded by Gates foundation or a subsidiary of the Gates foundation.  Its not that being funded by Gates makes them wrong, but calling CLASS a coalition of voices is like calling me classy.

CLASS

• Alliance for A Better Community - Gates Foundation Supported
• Community Coalition -see United Way LA
• Educators for Excellence - Gates Foundation Supported
• Families In Schools - see United Way  LA 
• Inner City Struggle - see United Way LA
• Los Angeles Urban League - see United Way LA
• Office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa - He Gone
• TeachPlus - Gates Foundation Supported
• United Way of Greater Los Angeles - Gates Foundation Supported

U d’serve TangZ 10” uPad

You might be frustrated with the iPads, but my outrage started when I heard Los Angeles voted for bond money to be spent on reducing over crowded schools. I was stuck in a face palm for a year.  The whole point of overcrowded schools is to drive families away from Los Angeles and alleviate congestion on the freeways.   And it worked for LAUSD, and Los Angeles in general. We finally started enjoying a decline in families and their resource sapping kids.  Then voter approved bond money began to build schools.

At first I thought they were going to build more monoliths as quickly and cheaply as they could.  I though LAUSD would send a message to the families of Los Angeles; “We don’t want you, but we don’t want a fine from the health department, so hear is a little more space”

LAUSD didn’t build monoliths; they hired real architects and designers.  LAUSD built modern looking schools with all sorts of goodies in areas with poor people; poor people that clog my freeways.

And now LAUSD is giving students iPads.

This needs to stop.  What kind of message is LAUSD sending?

 notYet LAUSD is taking over the iPad4allz  to buy the TangZ 10” uPad.  It can be had for $99 at most major drug stores.   The TangZ can run apps?  No one will steal the TangZ 10” uPad.   Like the monoliths of before, the TangZ will check the box of state auditors while helping to keep traffic congestion down.

If we want to keep our freeways clear, we need to bring back the monoliths.  We need to tell kids they are worth the TangZ 10” uPad.  With clear freeways we will have cleaner air and that is good for the kids.  

Scorned Women and Dr. Deasy

I love the rash of new shows about women who's important lover, friend, family member was killed and now there is a whole series of intrigue and espionage to fill countless weeknights of TV time.  See Rev8nge, Red Widow, Deception, y mas.  Dr. Deasy is like one of these sympathetic characters who just happens to be compelled to avenge countless misdeeds, a task only he alone can do.  Except instead of murders, Dr Deasy must avenge the democratic process and punish those that did not follow his desire.  Here is another great example.

http://www.citywatchla.com/lead-stories-hidden/4743-westside-parents-teachers-facing-deasy-s-revenge

Now back to my Hulu to finish this episode of Rev8nge.

Refomormer, You're Fired!

I just looked up and noticed its 2013 which means that a vast majority of ®eformers have earned tenure as ®eformers while achieving various levels of effectiveness.   Think of your favourite ®eformer, what their goal was when they started, did they reach their goal?  Is your favourite ®eformer still fighting for their cause after 2 or 3 years of proving they were ineffective at creating the change they said they would? Did they get fired or get tenure?

 Considering the disproportionate funding in favour of ®eformers vs the others, they cannot cite a lack of funds.  Has your favourite ®eformer backed down a little bit in their rhetoric and tried to temper expectations like a corporation before a bad earnings report?  Have you ever heard of a ®eformer being fired for poor performance?   notyetLAUSD proposes a 4 year tenure track for ®eformers working inside and outside LAUSD.  If you can’t make the changes you want, move over and let someone else try. Fired!  

In other news:

Green Dot charter just announced they are going to reconstitute themselves at Locke High School in an effort to show the use of self-immolation and, an undying faith in reincarnation of the self, is needed to create meaningful change at high need public schools.

A lame donkey compromise:

Can we just get over tenure talks and LIFO, move tenure to 4-6 years with no more than two school transfers and 3 consecutive years at the site where tenure is given?  Can we all agree that it sucks when a great young teacher is laid off and a crappy old one is kept, but over the past 4 years of laying off less experienced teachers and concentrating its number of experienced teachers, LAUSD was able to boost API at a far faster rate than other districts.  (I know most of the boost over the past few years has been due to increases in the use of the CMA, but I’d like to live in a fantasy world where having more students in classes with long-term committed teachers might have had an effect too).  I’m not opposed to the district going back using incentives at hard to staff schools to prevent the need for a Reed settlement.