According to Newsweek, these are the 50 best high schools in the Chicago area. A mixture of magnets, neighborhood schools, large and small(er). Please take note--not one charter school in the bunch and every one of the 50 is staffed with union teachers. Explain please, Sec. Duncan.
Kenwood Academy made the list. Congratulations!
Come on Mike, give me a break. I’m guessing that you probably don’t think much of the Newsweek rating system in the first place (I have major concerns about it’s limitations) but if you do, be fair. The top 20 and 100 schools on the list are disproportionately charters. How come you left out that small fact? I appreciate the commentary sometimes but I remain puzzled why you choose to have the blog sound like the lefty progressive version of the O’Reilly Factor.
ReplyDeleteVan,
ReplyDeleteFirst time for everything and nothing surprises me any more--not even being O'Reilly baited. This might embarrass O'Reilly more than me.
But moving on, obviously I wasn't writing about the top 100 schools on the Newsweek list. I haven't even bothered to read the list. That's how little I care. So I didn't leave out any "small facts." I only responded to a published list of Chicago area schools that ran in our local papers and found no charters among the so-called top 50. All 50 were regular public schools. No busted unions. Few if any uncertified teachers. No private management companies. Amazing! How did they do it? I was just asking for an explanation. That's all.
My point still stands and I would like you and other charter cheerleaders to explain how there are so many highly-rated public schools with union teachers when you claim that unions and veteran teachers with contracts and seniority rights are THE PROBLEM.
How did they do it and why aren't they the model along with those great charter schools, about which I write, talk and post nearly every day?
Maybe you are the O'Reilly here, Van. Why are you baiting me like O'Reilly did? Answer please.
I'd be happy to chat with you about what makes a high quality school. As you know, they come in all shapes, forms and places. The problem I have with your post and response is that as you say you haven't even bothered to read the list or seem to know much about the criteria. That sounds just like O'Reilly and Fox News except for the fact that they rarely admit that they don't read stuff. No need to do some research when you've got an agenda to push. It's no different than some of the crazed choice crowd that appears to have never seen choice program or school that doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteOK Van. You're right. I'M really O'Reilly and SMALLTALK is actually Fox News and I don't do any research, ie. subscribe to Newsweek's list of best schools. And I admit I don't "read stuff". And I've got an "agenda" to push (damn right). And I'm no different than the "crazed" choice crowd (whoever that is). But I'm still a good person. Right?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thanks for reading and be sure a let us hear more from you.