QUOTABLES

A plan to fail our kids

Closing N.Y. City schools is a plan for failure, write NAACP leaders Benjamin Todd Jealous and Hazel Dukes in a DaillyNews commentary. The NAACP has filed suit to stop the closings.

We are suing because, in the New York City case, democracy was overlooked and citizens' voices - the concerns of those most affected - were left out. In our view, the city blatantly disregarded the state-mandated analysis of how the closings would affect the more than 13,000 students who attend the schools, particularly special education and other special needs students, and how the closings would impact the often overcrowded schools they are sent to.

Gutting Local School Councils

A new bill is being pushed by State Sen. James Meeks that would strip Chicago's LSCs of their power to hire principals and to control discretionary spending. Don Moore, executive director of Designs for Change, says he does not understand Meeks’ motives.

“It seems ironic that an elected official from the South Side would propose a bill that would basically gut the powers of LSC’s, which have a majority of African American members,” Moore says. (Catalyst Notebook)

Sisyphus

Inspired by a blogger looking to become a teacher because "teaching...sounds...interesting...," Mei Flower came up with the quick, sure-fire method for getting ready to become a teacher. Think myth of Sisyphus but with people criticizing you. (Teacher Magazine, Blogboard)