Comments on: It’s almost March 4. What are your plans?

By: Da East

Da East — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:31:07 +0000

Yesterday the people fought back aganist the system! We will take the power by any means necessary. Of course, Susan and others of the establishment will hate our voice. But its revolution. Wake up students and lets organize around our teachers for March 23rd and fight for whats right!!

By: Peter Zoll

Peter Zoll — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:06:55 +0000

We are certain the ideas mentioned on our Legions of Light web pages (link is at the top right on our home page) will NOT solve all of Oakland’s schools’ problems, but we are equally sure the ideas solve SOME of the problems. The Acalanes link (lower right) has some comments on our projections for how teacher layoffs decrease API scores and how long it takes to recover. Then there’s declines in employment, property values and a few other effects. China won’t be waiting for us to get on our feet again.

By: TheTruthHurts

TheTruthHurts — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:50:58 +0000

I hope whatever folks are doing works because education in CA is becoming a joke and that’s after being one of the best in the nation for years.

Just read the Trib article about more cuts across the east bay. http://www.insidebayarea.com/education/ci_14478970. The fact that this situation sucks and that everyone needs to do something is at least a point of general agreement in these parts.

@cranky – we knew what you meant.

By: Cranky Teacher

Cranky Teacher — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:34:35 +0000

OOPS — meant to say did NOT encourage.

By: Cranky Teacher

Cranky Teacher — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:33:55 +0000

Just want to clarify that the union — nor any teachers I know — did not encourage students to miss school today.

By: Cranky Teacher

Cranky Teacher — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:33:35 +0000

Just want to clarify that the union — nor any teachers I know — encouraged students to miss school today.

By: Steven Weinberg

Steven Weinberg — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:52:33 +0000

Education Week just posted the finalists for the first round of Race to the Top funds, and California did not make the list. The state changed a number of educational laws to qualify for Race to the Top and will apparently on receive one cent in return. This should not have been a surprise, since financial support for education was one of the criteria used to evaluate states, and California is failing miserably in that respect.
Unfortunately, some of the changes in California law which will not help our educational system will remain, such as encouraging charters even more than before and trying to use test scores to evaluate teachers.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:32:27 +0000

Have photos of today’s demonstrations that you’d like to submit to the Oakland Tribune and Contra Costa Times Web sites? You can e-mail them to pix@bayareanewsgroup.com or upload them directly to our Web site at http://bit.ly/dsLDVu.

By: J.R.

J.R. — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:52:33 +0000

To politicians and bureaucrats, and others who protect their enormous compensation while sitting on their backsides. It is time to put faces on those numbers, and that comes at a cost of time. It is all about priorities, and we need to cut the multi-layered,bloated,top heavy, redundant education and prison systems. Pay the people who actually work with the kids, and provide just enough admin to get the job done.

By: Oak70

Oak70 — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:55:46 +0000

Students missing school = loss of ADA. Not a good thing for anyone. I agree that lessons should be created, shared, and taught, but bringing students into union politics vs. district is not productive, but expected.