Tag Archives: Learn the issues
Out of the mouths of babes…
Last night the Paterson Board of Education and the community members wrestled with the latest version of Paterson’s school transformation plan. Of the more than three hours of comment and debate, the contribution of the children stands out for me. Faced … Continue reading
You are not alone if you organize
I’ll tell you a secret. At some point, every parent feels like they are the only one with the problem. You are angry, maybe embarassed. You don’t know what to do. It feels too big to tackle. You get angry … Continue reading
Can you hear the children?
Tonight, PEF will hold its annual School Board Candidate Forum. I’ll be listening for the candidates to talk about the needs of our children. Do we have enough teachers? Are classrooms overcrowded? How do we reduce the use of suspensions? … Continue reading
Making Do without $54 million
It’s budget time for schools across the country. Schools face higher demands and reduced support. And the news in Paterson isn’t any better. While our budget increased by $14 million, its buying power is less. For example, we will lose … Continue reading
Looking for the Money, not Just Following it
“Follow the Money” is a workshop about understanding school budgets that I’ve been offering for years. Because all NJ school districts use the same formats and regualtions, the materials I’ve developed about the Paterson budget can be used for any … Continue reading
Late to the party: beyond outrage
“Why aren’t you outraged? You should be outraged!”say our newest education reformers. Where have they been? Not paying attention, I guess. I’ve had plenty of outrage at the terrible things done to our kids. I’ve spent countless hours talking to bureaucrats … Continue reading
Children Left Behind: US ranks at the bottom
The papers all dutifully reported that the US students ranked last in science literacy and only in the middle of the 24 nations in math literacy. Gov. Christie and lots of other politicians decried our education performance. It’s fashionable to find we … Continue reading
Here we go AGAIN:New Commissioner Must Support Dr. Evans
New rumors that Gov Christie will name a new Commissioner of Education are swirling around again. The Gov’s choice matters. A lot. Paterson needs stability. In the past 5 years, Paterson has had three superintendents, each with a different vision … Continue reading
Paterson Parents Stand Up for Their Kids
It’s a day to celebrate! Paterson parents stood up for their kids in two separate, but significant actions. First, Corey Teague organized a protest in front of the Paterson Public Schools central offices to highlight the state’s lack of action … Continue reading
Suburban Allies? We can only hope.
Gov. Christie moves to limit superintendent salaries and the suburbs fight back. Could this be the issue that brings the cities and the suburbs together? Listening to the suburban superintendents and school board members at a public hearing last week … Continue reading