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May 18, 2006
Invitation to Candidates
There is a campaign going on for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. I think it's important that all of the candidates step up and answer some pressing educational questions. As the education blog of record, there is no better place to have this debate.
Consider this an invitation to all of the candidates to answer some or all of these questions, and join in one of the most important debates in California today.
Here are the questions:
1. What is your vision of a 21st Century California High School?
2. Do you support the California High School Exit Exam?
3. Should all k-12 districts offer extended day kindergarten? Bonus question - Is it an equal protection violation if they don't?
4. Would you eliminate County Schools Offices as proposed by the Governor?
5. What role does illegal immigration play in California Schools and how would you change it?
6. Do you support the break-up of the LAUSD or giving it's day to day management to the Mayor?
7. What would you do to stem the drop outs, alcohol abuse and sexual abuse on high school campuses as demonstrated by the LA Times article on Birmingham High?
8. What will you do to tie High School graduation requirements to UC/CSU entry requirements?
9. Should the CTA have a role in setting academic standards? What role should parents play in this?
10. Do you support Sheila Kuehl's bill that would require California text books to highlight contributions of gays, lesbians and transgendered people in American History?
I look forward to the debate.
Tim Keaney
Comments
Prediction: Jack O'Connell will get over 70% of the vote on June 6. Why are you down on him Jerre? He is fighting for the exit exam which you claim to want.
Posted by: Arleigh Kidd at May 19, 2006 02:35 PMYou misunderstand my position. An exit exam is for a state where education is taken seriously by all of the stakeholders – students, parents, administrators, school boards, teachers, and the government. That is not true in California. One or more of the above are not taking education seriously. So why have an exit exam?
Posted by: Jerre Reimers at May 19, 2006 03:40 PMJerre,
I'm curious. Which "one or more of the above" is not taking education seriously?
Jerre,
Do private schools give exit exams? Or report API scores? If so, which ones?
Arleigh,
How come you are not beating up Tsunami for not using their real name, like you did with Bubba? Seems intellectually inconsistent to me. Is it because Tsunami (he, or she) didn't challenge you, but rather Jerre?
Tim
Posted by: Tim Keaney at May 24, 2006 10:24 AMAs far as which ones are not taking education seriously I think I'll have to answer all of the above.
Posted by: Bubba at May 25, 2006 09:47 PMMs. Lenning has blogged recently on other parts of this blog, but seems to be ignoring this one. I don't know whether she thinks it could hurt her campaign, but I would think with the uphill struggle she has, making her positions clear might actually help.
Hmm....
Posted by: Tim Keaney at May 26, 2006 07:28 AMMr. Bubba,
Since I am a teacher and you know me so well, please explain how I am not taking education seriously.
Posted by: Alan Reed at May 26, 2006 12:12 PMTim,
I did not address Tsunami nor did Tsunami address me, whereas Bubba addressed and insulted me and hid behind a fake name. Got it?
For all readers, please examine my original post where I simply asked Arleigh a simple question and got the following response.
Posted by: Bubba at May 15, 2006 03:16 PM
------------------------------------------
"I recall Arleigh speaking out against the hiring of a district energy manager. Perhaps Arleigh can weigh in with his thoughts as to whether this was, in retrospect, a good idea."
Posted by: Arleigh Kidd at May 16, 2006 03:07 PM
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"Bubba. Get some guts and use your real name like everyone else on this blog."
Note that in my initial post I did not insult Arleigh in any way, yet he saw fit to attack me for not using my real name. That is what started the exhange. Yet he seems to be selective in who he chooses to bring up that issue against. It is a simple matter of consistency and intellectual honesty, which I think that is the only point Tim is trying to make.
Alan-
You are taking my statement too personally. In general all parties involved in the education system need to get more serious, which includes students, parents, administrators, school boards, government, and, yes, even teachers. I've read quite a few posts on this blog about educators complaining about a lack of parental involvement. I don't disagree with that assessment. But this is a shared responsibility and there are also some teachers out there that don't meet the standards of excellence that should be required in our schools. So if we are going to look at improving education we can't just pin all the blame on certain groups, such as parents, and ignore other issues that exist withing the schools themselves. I'm not speaking about you personally, but as a parent with children in the public school system I am well aware of the fact that there are some people in the teaching profession that shouldn't be there. So lets not pretend that all teachers are perfect and don't share any responsibility for the state of our public education system.
Posted by: Bubba at May 26, 2006 01:01 PMBubba,
Arleigh wonders why I don't blog much anymore...
TK
Posted by: Tim Keaney at May 26, 2006 01:21 PMTim -
Given the abuse you take for running this blog I'm actually amazed you even want any part of it. You gotta have balls of steel to want to speak out against the entrenched, politically correct forces that dominate the public education system.
But what do I know, since I'm just a nameless, gutless, coward anyway. HA HA!!
Posted by: Bubba at May 26, 2006 02:40 PM
What? You folks are not happy with Jack O'Connell? I'm shocked! If Jack is not your man, and he is re-elected -- presumably to carry on the current plan -- what will you folks do? Continue to make use of public education or make some other choice?
Posted by: Jerre Reimers at May 18, 2006 04:28 PM