Category Archives: Chronicles

Night of the People in Blue Shirts

Posted on December 8, 2011 by

The Wednesday evening RIDE hearing on the Achievement First Mayoral Academy application was frankly a bit boring, and really contained no surprises.  But it was useful as a means of sizing up the balance of forces in the fight over … Continue reading →

Posted in Analysis, Chronicles | 4 Comments

School Desegregation: Lessons of the Boston Experience and General Results

Posted on November 25, 2011 by

NOTE: The following is a research paper I submitted for a class on Issues in American Education in 1999.  Despite the age of the document, I think most of the points and the conclusion have stood the test of time.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Analysis, Chronicles, Research | 1 Comment

Arne Duncan in Providence on November 2

Posted on October 26, 2011 by

Alternate Title: The Rhode Island Education Chainsaw Massacre. Alternate Title #2: PROTEST DUNCAN. Alternate Title #3: OCCUPY ARNE. So, the principal’s secretary at my school forwarded the following, with a note expressing great pleasure that a student from our school … Continue reading →

Posted in Analysis, Chronicles | 1 Comment

Save Our Schools March: A Good Start

Posted on August 1, 2011 by

This weekend, I went with a few folks from the Coalition to Defend Public Education to the Save Our Schools March in Washington, DC.  I want to briefly describe some of the dynamics of the rally and the national movement, … Continue reading →

Posted in Analysis, Chronicles | 4 Comments

The Great Helmsman’s Castaways

Posted on July 20, 2011 by

This story comes from the Chinese language program I’ve been attending these past two and a half weeks.  The program is part of the reason I’ve written less that I had hoped, but it should also provide some interesting material … Continue reading →

Posted in Chronicles, Musings and Questions | Leave a comment

J’accuse!

Posted on June 1, 2011 by

First, if you have not already done so, please go read Tom Hoffman’s blog posts on Achievement First. Tom has compiled important facts about organization in the lead up to these last week’s forums, and everyone needs to know this … Continue reading →

Posted in Charter Schools, Chronicles | 3 Comments

Act 3: Providence

Posted on April 25, 2011 by

And the final installment, for now, on the attack on Rhode Island’s teachers.  The original is available on line at http://socialistworker.org/2011/03/01/providence-teachers-fired. **** CITY OFFICIALS in Providence, R.I., have announced the mass firing of all 1,926 teachers in Providence schools, effective … Continue reading →

Posted in Chronicles | 2 Comments

Act 2: Central Falls

Posted on April 25, 2011 by

After the EP teachers had harsh conditions imposed on them by the cousin of the then-governor and his lackeys, it was the turn of Central Falls teachers.  Here’s what I wrote about it last year.  The original article is available … Continue reading →

Posted in Chronicles | 2 Comments

Act 1: East Providence

Posted on April 25, 2011 by

Here I present what I wrote two years ago about the attack on public sector workers and teachers in Rhode Island, with special emphasis on the situation in East Providence.  Call it Act 1.  The original article is on line … Continue reading →

Posted in Chronicles | 1 Comment