The Seattle School Board hired Denise Juneau, currently the Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction, as its new superintendent. Seattle is strongly opposed to privatization, and Juneau share those values. She is a Native American who grew up on a tribal reservation and is strongly committed to equity.
The State of zwashington is currently involved in a protracted legal fight over charter schools. They were rejected by voters three times in state referenda. However in 2012, Bill Gates and other billionaires assembled a large campaign fund for a new referendum, outspent the opposition 17-1, and the referendum passed by 1%. The opponents—the League of Women Voters, the PTAs, the NAACP, The School Boards, and the teachers—sued to stop charters from getting public funding. The State Supreme Court held that charters are not public schools because they do not have elected school boards. Gates and friends started opening charters anyway and used their political influence to persuade the legislature to fund them with lottery money. There are currently 10 charter schools in the state, enrolling 2,500 students, or 1/4 of 1% of the state’s students.
Seattle voted heavily against charters. Green Dot in Los Angeles is apparently planning to open in Seattle.
The battle for public schools continues, with a strong leader in Seattle.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
There have been some shady deals going on with City of Seattle officials & Green Dot. The proposed charter- which apparently is now a done deal?- is going into an area where the public schools are struggling with enrollment & funding & trying to rebuild programs after years of cuts.
Glad to see Denise Juneau come in, hopefully she cleans house of some of the former Broad supe’s hires that are still hanging on.
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One of the finalists isLos Angeles is a Broadie: Lewis Ferebee from Indianapolis. May be more, May be all, since Broad invested millions in electing the LAUSD majority. The 4-3 majority hangs on by one vote, that of Ref Rodriguez, who is under indictment for multiple felonies related to his campaign finances. Last month, he was arrested and released for public drunkenness at a restaurant in L.A. He should resign before the vote and force the board to collaborate on a new superintendent.
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If ed reformers were smart they would start offering some value to public school families in addition to lobbying for charters and vouchers.
I’m reading the coverage of their victory in privatizing parts of the Puerto Rico system and it’s amazing to read it from the perspective of a public school parent. It’s this long list of cuts and sacrifices to public schools along with cheerleading marketing of the upcoming charters.
They don’t believe they have to offer public school families any upside. Those families may as well not exist.
They’re not even aware how this looks to someone outside the echo chamber. It’s ALL downside for public school families. All of the cuts and sacrifices fall on them.
Most of these people are political professionals. You would think they would know they should offer at least a half-hearted promise of a BENEFIT to 95% of families, but it’s such an insular “movement” it never occurs to them.
Any public school parent in Puerto Rico reading that plan knows their children’s schools are now the last priority. The plan was written with no consideration of their children, at all.
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As long as people insist on “lesser evil” voting, why do rephormers have to offer public school parents anything? The politicians will continue to get voted in, the investors will continue to rake in public money, all is right with the universe.
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Every vote is a choice. When you find the perfect candidate let us know.
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Who insists on lesser evil voting? I vote for the least damaging person in the general election. Education is not the only issue at stake, there are the courts. Trump has been incredibly effective at placing right wingers on the courts who will be squatting there for decades.
“Trump administration judicial nominee Jeff Mateer, a top aide to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, reportedly referred to the rights of transgender children as part of “Satan’s plan” and defended the controversial practice of “conversion therapy” for gays.”‘ Fortunately, his name was withdrawn.
“An attorney nominated by President Donald Trump for a lifetime federal judgeship left multiple items off her disclosure form to the Senate Judiciary Committee, including the fact that she moderated a panel on the alleged dangers of abortion. During the panel, she supported the work of a doctor who advocates the scientifically unproven theory that women who take contraceptive pills are more likely to die violent deaths. Wendy Vitter, who was nominated in January to serve as a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, left at least three speeches, one interview, a letter to the editor, and a campaign ad off the questionnaire she submitted to the committee (not all were related to abortion).” I hope she is not approved but he has already loaded the courts with far right wingers.
I absolutely support progressives and pro public school people whenever possible.
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Joe, you are so correct. Trump and Mitch McConnell are hurrying through federal judges who are rightwing extremists. No checks or balances. Trump has no idea who he is naming. If the evangelicals like them, he is fine with whoever. We may live to see abortion outlawed and gay marriage declared invalid.
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I’m sorry to interrupt and go off topic, but do you know how good it is to be good at teaching? It’s the best feeling. It takes years, worth every painful minute of learning lessons and adapting. It is the best possible feeling to be a teacher. I have the best plan for tomorrow. It’s my own lesson based on what my students this year care about. They’re going to love it. They will joyfully throw themselves into the work. I see it. I love being their teacher.
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Brava!
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Good wishes to Juneau.
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Elsie Arntzen is the current Superintendent of Schools in Montana, not Denise Juneau. Ms. Juneau termed out in November of 2016. She ran in that election against Greg Gianforte for Congress and was soundly defeated. While superintendent of schools she was a puppet of the Montana Board of Public Education (BPE) whose members are appointed by the governor. Her hand picked Democrat successor running to replace lost to Ms. Arntzen who is boldly a proponent of local school control and less testing. Unfortunately until we have a new governor who will appoint a new BPE nothing is going to change in Montana schools. I’ve sat through many BPE meetings which always include a report from the Superintendent. Although I have fundamental education policy disagreements with Ms. Juneau I will say that she is genuinely likable. She was always willing to answer questions and emails and engage in productive conversations. I wish her well in Seattle.
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Greg Gianforte is the candidate who punched out a reporter. Too bad he won. But good for Seattle.
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Yeah for testing!
http://wnyt.com/news/nearly-300-new-york-state-school-districts-experience-problems-with-ela-computer-based-tests/4862453/?cat=10114
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Hopefully, it was in the districts with the fewest opt outs.
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