Category Archives: Uncategorized
Who is Paul Vallas and why is he coming to Madison?
As Jim Anchower says, “I know it’s been a long time since I rapped at ya…” Sometimes you need a break; expect more soon. Paul Vallas will be featured at a “school reform town hall meeting” this Saturday, May 26, … Continue reading
Myths of Madison Prep, Part 2
That Petrol Emotion – “Big Decision” (click to listen or download) Part 1 here, (the introductory material is copied from there). The discussion around the Madison Preparatory Academy (MPA) proposal and the related events and processes has been heated, but … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, education, Equity, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, Take Action, Uncategorized
Myths of Madison Prep, Part 1
Van Morrison – “Too Many Myths” (click to listen or download) The discussion around the Madison Preparatory Academy (MPA) proposal and the related events and processes has been heated, but not always grounded in reality. Many have said that just … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, Contracts, education, Equity, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, Scott Walker, Take Action, Uncategorized
Contradictions & Confusion: Madison Prep Board Members in Their Own Words
Tyrone Davis, “Can I Change My Mind” (click to listen or download) Children should NOT be sitting, waiting in an auditorium, to find out if they won a lottery to get into a school. A right to a good education should … Continue reading
People Have the Power: SB 22 Dead (For Now)
Patti Smith – “People Have the Power” (click to listen or download) Susan Troller is reporting in the Cap Times that SB 22, the bill creating a partisan, political state charter school authorizing board to override the wishes of local … Continue reading
Madison Prep, More Questions than Answers
James Brown – “I Don’t Know” (click to listen or download With only 24 days remaining till the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education will vote on the Madison Preparatory Academy charter and only 9 days until the MMSD … Continue reading
Filed under Best Practices, Budget, education, Equity, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, Uncategorized
Some Truth About Urban Prep and Why It Matters
The Undisputed Truth – ” Smiling Faces” (click to listen or download) Introduction To bolster their case and push their agendas, advocates for market-based education reform and market-based policies in general tout “miracle schools” that have supposedly produced amazing results … Continue reading
Madison Prep – 1,2,3 Yellow Light (updated)
The Talking Heads, “1,2,3 Red Light” (live, 1977 — click to listen or download). [Update — I forgot a huge issue: Waivers. ULGM had previously asked for a blanket waiver of all MMSD policies and some state laws. There has … Continue reading
Is it “all about the kids” (and what that might mean)? — Take Two (in relation to ULGM and Madison Prep)
Frankie Beverly & Maze, “Joy and Pain” (click to listen or download) This is Take Two in a series. Take One, with a fuller introduction, can be found here. Briefly, the idea of the series is to counter anti-teacher and … Continue reading
Is it “all about the kids” (and what that might mean)? — Take One (in relation to ULGM and Madison Prep)
Sir Mack Rice “Money Talks” (click to listen or download) My training as a historian has taught me that all knowledge is tentative and that this is especially true when it comes to assigning motives to people’s actions. It has … Continue reading
