Category Archives: Issues Blogs (2011-2014)

School Choice and the Fear of “Those People”

March 16, 2015 Brett Dickerson

walking the line — Rigid, compliant behavior is the main focus of many charter schools in poor neighborhoods. Photo Credit: johngirton.me via Compfight cc

“School Choice” is more about the deep fear of “those people” than proponents will admit. Continue reading School Choice and the Fear of “Those People” →

Education

We’re Fighting an Agenda, Not Just Bills in the Legislature

March 11, 2015 Brett Dickerson

Oklahoma capitol closed — “Main Entrance Closed” for years now. Closed in other ways, too? Photo by Brett Dickerson

We might think that we are fighting particular bills in the legislature. Instead what we’re really fighting is an overarching, well-organized, deeply funded agenda. Continue reading We’re Fighting an Agenda, Not Just Bills in the Legislature →

Education

An Index of My School Choice Posts So Far

March 10, 2015 Brett Dickerson

An anti school-choice rally in February — An anti school-choice rally in 2014

*Updated 3-20-15: There are many parents, teachers, administrators and board members who are fighting a very tough fight in Oklahoma and other states right now against a very corrupt idea misnamed “school choice”. Continue reading An Index of My School Choice Posts So Far →

Education

Plenty of Room for Liberals in Oklahoma — Step Up!

March 7, 2015 Brett Dickerson

legislation year capitol — The Oklahoma State Capitol Building. Photo by Brett Dickerson

Well, well. My native state of Oklahoma has been in the news a lot lately. It seems that people around the country find us entertaining at best, and at worst, dangerous.

We are both. Continue reading Plenty of Room for Liberals in Oklahoma — Step Up! →

Education

How School Choice Turns “We” Into “Me”

March 5, 2015 Brett Dickerson

John Rex Elementary Charter School (on the right) is the newest school built in Oklahoma City Public Schools. Their collection area is narrowly defined in an a part of the city where there are few children. That makes room for downtown executives to enroll their children from all parts of the metro. Photo by Brett Dickerson

“School choice” turns the “we” of society into the “me” of taking care of my child at the expense of everyone else.

Continue reading How School Choice Turns “We” Into “Me” →

Education

Quality Teachers Are Developed — Not Found

March 1, 2015 Brett Dickerson

The real Jaime Escalante did come from computer programming into teaching, but his celebrated success came after years of developing his own teaching skills and math program at the same high school. Photo credit: MyHero.com

Are quality teachers found or developed? This is not just a rhetorical exercise. The answer has everything to do with how we go about the whole management of our teacher workforce. Continue reading Quality Teachers Are Developed — Not Found →

Education

New Oklahoma Supt Understands Importance of Space

February 28, 2015 Brett Dickerson

board of education, hofmeister, Oklahoma` — The State board of Education members are now once again in close proximity to everyone else at their meetings. Credit: Screen shot from NewsOK.com video

Joy Hofmeister, new Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, understands the meaning and value of space. Continue reading New Oklahoma Supt Understands Importance of Space →

Journalism & Writing

Blogs Are Critical to Re-establishing Public Schools

February 22, 2015 Brett Dickerson

charter school oklahoma city — What was once Harding High School in Okla. City Public Schools is now Harding Charter Preparatory High School, authorized by the district.

Over the last ten years, bloggers have kept the issues of who controls schools at the forefront when so many big money interests want desperately to have us look the other way.

One advantage that school raiders have in taking public schools away from the public and turning them over to investor-owned charters is that the traditional news sources are hobbled from reporting accurately and fully.
Continue reading Blogs Are Critical to Re-establishing Public Schools →

Education

Teacher, You Live in Two Worlds

February 15, 2015 Brett Dickerson

teachers rally capitol contest — Teachers, parents, and administrators make an unusual foray into the world of the contest March, 2014 with this huge rally at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

We teachers live in two worlds: One is of collaboration and democracy. The other is of contest and domination.

We’ve done well with that first world, the one of collaboration. It’s that second one of the contest and mental brutality of eliminating the competition that we have a hard time swallowing. Continue reading Teacher, You Live in Two Worlds →

Education

Gov Fallin Won’t Give Up on Punishing Public Schools

February 12, 2015 Brett Dickerson

Fallin and the State of the State Address — Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin gives her State of the State address to the combined House and Senate of the Legislature on the first day of the session, February 2. Credit: KGOU.org

Apparently, Governor Mary Fallin is still sold on the A-F school grading model from the very latest new and improved “government transparency” website that was rolled out during her state of the state address on February 2. Continue reading Gov Fallin Won’t Give Up on Punishing Public Schools →