The Kids Need Good, Experienced Teachers By GABE PRESSMAN NBC NY Updated 6:00 PM EST, Tue, Feb 15, 2011 A battle is going on across the country for the soul of public education. I went to public schools in the Bronx. They provided a pretty good education. The public school system has experienced ups and downs since then–but basic principles have remained intact: that every child deserves a good, free education, that teachers with experience are cherished, that parents should … →

http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_news/11306666/article “”American parents” encourage parents to join Song Yi frame press reports in New York February 08, 2011 06:00 AM | Diane Ravitch7 at the “National Parents” seminar, delivered a speech. (Xinhua Song Yi frames / photo) 「全美家長」 鼓勵家長加盟 記者宋怡幀紐約報導 February 08, 2011 06:00 AM | 88 觀看次數 | | 2 | | Diane Ravitch7日在「全美家長」討論會上，發表演講。（記者宋怡幀／攝影） 新成立的全國教育維權團體「全美家長」（Parents across America）7日在紐約曼哈坦下城公立第89小學舉行首次公開論壇討論會，約200家長參加。 來自紐奧良、西雅圖、芝加哥等地長期從事推動美國公立教育維權及改革的專家雲集，討論各種公立學校教育存在的問題及面臨的挑戰，通過論壇吸收更多關心教育、對公立教育改革有見解的家長加入。 「全 美家長」共同創辦人、非營利教育維權組織「課堂人數很重要」 (Class Size Matters)行政總監海莫森(Leonie Haimson)，介紹新組織「全美家長」說，「全美家長」是個積極先進的教育改革組織，該機構的主要觀點是公立學校驗收標準改革、充足及公正的資金、多 元化的課堂、有意義的家長參與教育等。海莫森更提出了目前公立學校系統存在的各種弊端，如私有化、鼓勵以考試來作為唯一衡量標準並予以高額獎勵、關閉學校 及忽略公立學校中存在的貧富差距等，這些都是對公立教育造成危害的主因。 論壇中的演講題目包括：由Diane Ravitch博士主講「我們的學校正在朝著正確的方向發展嗎？家長們應該做什麼？」；紐奧良「金字塔社區家長資源中心」代表Karran Harper Royal主講關於「特許學校」的爭論；佛州的「考試不是教學」組織創辦人Rita Solnet主講「高額獎勵的考試」；西雅圖「教育2010」的代表Sue Peters和Dora Taylor主講「冒險的慈善機構的影響」；芝加哥為「負責的教育聯合的家長」代表Julie Woestehoff主講「家長的行動主義」。論壇以海莫森的「課堂人數、資源及經費削減」演講結束。 「全美家長」呼籲，認 同該組織對公立教育改革所持觀點的家長，加入該組織，共同為推動及改革現有的教育制度而行動起來。「全美家長」網 址：www.parentsacrossamerica.org，電郵：info@parentsacrossamerica.org。 更多新聞 「全美家長」 … →

The Sleeping Giant is Awakening As Parents Across America Unite by Judy Rabin Hailed as a “hero” by supporters who came to hear her give the keynote address, Diane Ravitch took the stage for almost an hour as she spoke to parents, teachers, and activists from across the country Monday night at PS/IS 89 in New York City. They came from Seattle, Florida, Rochester, New York City, New Jersey, New Orleans, Chicago, and elsewhere, for the kickoff of the nationwide … →

Parent advocates from across the country converged on New York City on Monday night for the first national forum of Parents Across America, the parent-led movement to make sure parent  voices heard in the national debate over education reform, and to promote positive, commonsense solutions that will work to improve our public schools. Speaking to a crowded audience of about 350 parents, community members and     educators, Dr. Diane Ravitch warned about the ways that excessive reliance on standardized tests and privatization through … →