A brief note: education historian (and one time US Assistant Secretary of Education) Diane Ravitch has just published a new book:"Reign of Error". Friday night Ravitch appeared on New York City's Channel 1 to talk about it. You can watch this 7 minute interview here.
Kos' Teacherken has written a wonderful review I encourage everyone to read."Reign of Error: the important new book by Diane Ravitch"
Quick summary: in the book Ravitch first attacks the 'Shock'- the idea that American students are somehow all 'failing'. They aren't. But the corporate media repeats this without question ('Chuck Todd Journalism').
Then Ravitch details how the ideologues have pushed unregulated charter schools, untested standardized testing, union bashing, etc. They are attacking public education - especially neighborhood inner city schools - though of course they claim (without proof and without question from the media) to be saving it.
Watch the video. Read Teacher Ken's review. Buy and read the book. (Or at least buy it from your local independent bookseller). And tweet @dailyshow to invite Diane back....