WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Pedro Noguera: NCLB contributed to de-facto segregation

"Where we are now as a country is accepting the idea of segregated schools and I think it’s like Plessy. The idea of Plessy vs. Ferguson was separate but equal. I think that’s where we are now. We’re still not at equal, but I think that many people are satisfied with separate. I think that that is a huge political problem." (Big Think)

Charters find, it's not so easy

Functioning as a neighborhood school remains beyond the experience of nearly all charters except Green Dot, which broke ground by taking over low-performing Locke High in July 2008. It has struggled with the challenge of managing a typical urban population. "People are moving in and out of homeless shelters and housing projects in the neighborhood," said Green Dot Chief Executive Marco Petruzzi. "Fifteen to 20 kids show up almost weekly." (L.A. Times' Howard Blume)

What exactly is the reform plan for Central Falls?

It’s not union protectionism stymieing education reform. It’s union busting under the guise of education reform. Again, where’s the reform plan for Central Falls? Is the solution, fire everyone, hire up to half of them back, fill out the staff with other hires, and “poof” everything will be perfect? That seems to be the fantasy that’s being pushed. (Rhode Islands's Future)

Wake up Pres. Reback!

“No one anticipated this. I’m not sure even the Obama administration anticipated that as a result of their regulations, there would be mass firings,” said Marcia Reback, president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers. “I think this resonates with teachers across the country. Everyone looks at this as establishing a national precedent.” (Providence Journal)

Of course they knew.