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.
2/14/14, 11:10 AM
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
2/14/14, 11:40 AM
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
2/14/14, 4:27 PM
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
2/14/14, 4:59 PM
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...
2/14/14, 5:44 PM
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