Friday Open Thread

Good story on Garfield teacher Jesse Hagopian in Seattle Met.

The Times editorial board weighs in on the North Center Kids/Cascade program and oddly, completely leaves out Cascade.  Naturally this baffled a couple of readers who ask, "What is the about?  Why would the district do this?"  But paint a complete picture?  Not the Times.

Best wishes to all your loves this Valentine's Day - be they big or small.

What's on your mind?

Comments

Mark Ahlness said…
Still recovering from reading this choice one from Randy Dorn in the ST today: Consider test scores in teacher evaluations. Unbelievable.
Anonymous said…
Great article about Jesse and I couldn't be prouder to have him at Garfield. The cheap, slogan-filled rhetoric from Ed Reformers pales in contrast to a genuine, thoughtful and courageous teacher like Jesse. And as he says, he's not alone; Solidarity!!

Meanwhile, Randy Dorn advocates caving in to blackmail and coercion, or risk losing federal dollars. Corruption, anyone? Do not call this a democracy anymore, 'cause it ain't.

WSDWG
Anonymous said…
Loved the article on Jesse and would love to see more school leaders clearly step into that camp! Wish it would spread around the district some more.

-FedMomof2
Robert Cruickshank said…
Mark,

I was the author of this op-ed the Times ran last month that Dorn is responding to: http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2022749780_robertcruickshankopedteacherevaluations25xml.html I thought Dorn was better than this. His arguments are absurd, but it is significant that he felt the need to publish them anyway. My guess is my op-ed and other views like it have been getting traction and those who believe education should primarily be about test preparation pushed Dorn to write this. Sad.

-Robert Cruickshank
Mark Ahlness said…
Robert,
I was one of many who were rubbing their eyes the morning your wonderful op-ed appeared the Times. Was I dreaming? How had they let this piece of common sense appear in the paper? Many thanks for writing it.

Yes, Dorn's response is absurd, and I have to believe with you that the writing of people like you - and the exponential volume of it lately - is backing "reformers" into corners.

No time to let up. In fact, it is time to ramp up the pushback to shallow reform rhetoric. Leaning forward...

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