Minnesotans for Better Education, Standards and Testing

All Good things....

2005-05-13T13:29:00.000-05:00

It is with some wistfulness that I announce the end of the MinnBEST web log.I will always remember this last 18 months as one of the most exciting times of my life. During last year’s legislative session, I slept about 4 hours a night and gained 20 pounds, but it was worth it. Through hard work, amazing organization and great allies, we won the battles. I realized a lot about myself beyond how

One last Post

2005-05-13T13:08:00.000-05:00

From: Joel (last name withheld) To: Michael Boucher Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 11:37 AM Subject: Bachmann Smear Article Mr. Boucher, I’m one of the few conservatives that currently reside in Minneapolis. First of all…I’m not surprised that the Star Tribune (aka the Red Press) jumped on putting your commentary as the top article on page A17. First off, have you ever met or spoken to

Another parent speaks out

2005-05-12T10:07:00.000-05:00

Posted on Thu, May. 12, 2005 Is adequacy really the goal we want for Minnesota schools? RENEE MURRAY I am ever so grateful to have teenagers living at my house. I know, I know, you're thinking I'm certifiable. The real reason I'm

The Backlash Begins in Some Unlikely Places

2005-04-24T21:46:00.000-05:00

Spellings warns Utah in battle over federal act By George ArchibaldTHE WASHINGTON TIMES Just a reminder: This is Sun Yan Moon's Unification Church owned Right wing Newspaper. (MinnBEST) Published April 20, 2005 Education Secretary Margaret Spellings sent a surprise letter denouncing Utah legislation to put state education goals ahead of the federal No Child Left Behind Act on the eve

Yecke needs to get new friends

2005-04-15T21:25:00.000-05:00

From Parents Unitedhttp://www.parentsunited.org/CriticalMoments.htmlThis Morning at the Capitol This morning at the Capitol the Minnesota Taxpayers League held a rally. About 100 people rallied for No New Taxes and about 30 folks that the speakers called “from the other side” were there to show support for increased revenues for Housing, Health Care and Education. The event began

Senator Kelley Weighs in on NCLB

2005-04-15T10:25:00.000-05:00

No Child Left Behind adjustments needed DEBORAH LOCKE A bill to opt out of the federal government's version of No Child Left Behind has been moving through the Minnesota Senate. Its chief author, Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, said that it's time for states to quit approaching federal education officials on bended knee and to now demand changes. "It's time to

A call for Responsible Governing

2005-04-02T21:39:00.000-06:00

Arne H. Carlson: The state's revenue problem April 3, 2005 Regardless of political persuasion, we want our governor and legislature to truly succeed because their success translates not only into our success but, more important, success for our children. This has always been the virtue of Minnesota -- its commitment to tomorrow. The budget is central to this commitment and should be seen

The rally was a success!

2005-04-01T22:19:00.000-06:00

From Parents United!Thursday was our Virtual Rally—It was a smashing success!! Education was the talk of the Senate Caucus Thursday morning and so many of us wanted to get our message across that lines were being diverted as early as 7:30. Great job. However, many of us never got through. If you were one who couldn’t be heard, please drop an email to your legislator and the governor. At the

Best quote from an unlikely source

2005-04-01T22:15:00.000-06:00

“This may shock some people, but I’d rather see a tax increase than the state get into the gaming business,” said David Strom, president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota. “Taxation is the appropriate way for government to fund itself. The fact that it’s painful is a good thing, because it makes people vigilant about the way their money is spent. Going for this pain-free type of

Bachmann and Olsen try to pass a law legalizing Social Studies

2005-04-01T21:27:00.000-06:00

Are founding documents being ignored? The answer is no, but only thanks to the citizens who stood up to the Maple River Coalition and Bachmann last year.The MRC wanted to ignore that pesky document called the CONSTITUTION.They are also not crazy about the 1st Amendment.More info available at http://dumpbachmann.blogspot.comNorman Draper, Star Tribune March 30, 2005 They don't rock.

Virtual Rally!

2005-03-28T17:12:00.000-06:00

Thursday March 31, 2005Statewide Virtual Rally7am- 1pm They saw us at the rally in February, now they need to hear us. Even if you have talked with your House member and Senator this week, you need to be part of the unified effort this coming Thursday. If each of you gets five people to call,we would have over 20,000 calls in 6 hours. - Flyer -(print and broadly distribute!)

From The Pioneer Press

2005-03-25T10:09:00.000-06:00

Posted on Fri, Mar. 25, 2005 Schools must foster social skill, not just academics DAN GARTRELL It is a mistake to think

Let the nutballs howl, Minnesotans want to fund the schools

2005-03-05T21:25:00.000-06:00

Doug Stone: Rallying round our hurting schools March 2, 2005 I've always been proud to live in the land of 10,000 frozen lakes, but never more so than at Monday's education rally at the State Capitol. Along with thousands of other parents, teachers and students, my two grade-school children and I stood in the cold for more than an hour to tell the people who work in the Capitol to pay

Again Gunyou gets to the heart of the issue.

2005-03-01T11:24:00.000-06:00

John Gunyou: Pawlenty pledge simply isn't a core Minnesota value March 1, 2005 Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently characterized his no-tax pledge as a core Minnesota value. That's troubling. The Minnesotans I know value other ideals. We come from diverse walks of life, and even from different

Will they get the message? Make sure they do.

2005-02-28T20:56:00.001-06:00

Thousands rally in support of education money Now make those follow up calls and emails!!! Patrick Condon, Associated Press March 1, 2005 Thousands of parents, students and teachers, bundled up against the freezing cold, waved signs and chanted slogans Monday as they demanded more education money from lawmakers and Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Capitol Security estimated that at least

Don't believe the Propaganda!!

2005-02-12T19:18:00.000-06:00

The Bush administration has been caught paying people to spread half truths and lies about several topics including NCLB of late. They are also responsible for misinformation around charter schools. NO PR FIRM LEFT BEHINDhttp://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/epaper/2005/02/02/m1a_FSUCENTER_0202.htmlIn the continuing saga of taxpayer money used to champion Bush administration policies,

This is not good news

2005-01-11T20:20:00.000-06:00

Britt Robson is a good friend of public education, but like all good friends, he is not afraid to tell us the truth. Schoolz Suck New numbers show public education in Minnesota trending down, down, down by Britt Robson For as far back as most of us can remember, Minnesotans have been smug about their schools--and for palpable reason, since education is invariably cited as a main

More corruption From Rod Paige

2005-01-09T11:36:00.000-06:00

Unable to find credentialed defenders of NCLB, the Administration turns to paid propagandists. That leaves some of the unpaid? propagandists annoyed. Paige is a corrupt fraud. He was a fraud in Houston, in over his head at the DoE, let others do the writing of the law he supposedly inspired and defends failure by blaming those that have to do the work. There will be many more items that come up

Common sense is the best standard

2005-01-07T10:25:00.000-06:00

Posted on Fri, Jan. 07, 2005 St Paul Pioneer Press Assessments need to be standardized Where would you rather send your kids to school? Minnesota or Mississippi? The answer to us is obvious, when we look at objective measures on national

Why we need a real Governor, not a pledge.

2005-01-06T22:54:00.000-06:00

Real people, real pain I was pleased to see the Jan. 4 editorial "K-12 education / Live up to the promise." In 2002, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said he would not raise taxes because the average Minnesotan would feel little pain from the spending cuts. I beg to differ. I have two daughters, and I'm a PTA president in a school district where two elementary schools will close. Many people are feeling pain

Time to Get to Work!

2005-01-03T19:23:00.000-06:00

StarTribune Editorial: K-12 education/Live up to the promise January 4, 2005 About four of every 10 Minnesota budget dollars go to educate the state's nearly 900,000 schoolchildren. At just over $11 billion, the K-12 budget is the single largest among state agencies. So with all that cash -- and some local referendum dollars to boot -- why are so many school districts

Taxes are being raised. Good governance demanded.

2004-12-30T22:05:00.000-06:00

Not in Bloomington Education Minnesota President Judy Schaubach was right in her comment that Minnesota needs to consider a "sustainable and predictable" source of revenue for schools to keep up with inflation (Star Tribune, Dec. 12). However, her statement "Today, in Bloomington, there are kids sitting on the floor in science labs because of overcrowding" was not accurate. Citizens of

Sometimes Ad Hominem is Needed and Justified

2004-12-28T01:05:00.000-06:00

Definition: The person presenting an argument is attacked instead of the argument itself. This takes many forms. For example, the person's character, nationality or religion may be attacked. Alternatively, it may be pointed out that a person stands to gain from a favourable outcome. Or, finally, a person may be attacked by association, or by the company he keeps. There are three major

The Next Step if The Maple River Types Win

2004-12-23T20:32:00.000-06:00

A state that is targeted by extremists and a fifth column in their own state. Sounds eerily familiar. 12-20-04: Historians/History The Late Unpleasantness in Idaho: Southern Slavery and the Culture Wars By William L. Ramsey Mr. Ramsey is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Idaho. The so-called “culture wars,” though maddeningly difficult to define, have begun to set

Pawlenty's Quixotic Quest for Education on the Cheap

2004-12-16T23:31:00.000-06:00

Canada officials disagree with Pawlenty on education initiatives Norman Draper, Star Tribune December 11, 2004 EDMONTON, Alberta -- Edmonton officials threw some cold water on two of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's education reform ideas: merit pay for teachers and offering shortcuts into teaching to professionals in fields like science and math. This afternoon Pawlenty and a delegation of

I hope they name the law after us!

2004-12-12T20:52:00.000-06:00

Having lost the contest, Yecke attempts to indict the winners. Bad form. We love how she quotes Jefferson without the slightest hint of irony when she wanted to compel teachers to teach lies as fact and slanted versions of history. Kids, schools and politics: Taxpayers should not have to pay for political activities CHERI PIERSON YECKE A quick quiz: Which of

Don't Believe the Hype about Great Charter Schools

2004-11-23T13:36:00.000-06:00

The Privatizers blame the kids and the data and the USDoE tries to hide the study. Here's the link to the full report: http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/_eval/choice/pcsp-final/index.html From The New York Times November 23, 2004 Charter Schools Fall Short in Public Schools Matchup By SAM DILLON and DIANA JEAN SCHEMO A new study commissioned by the Department of Education, which compares the

Let them hear from YOU!!!!

2004-11-11T22:41:00.000-06:00

Senate Majority Leader Dean E. Johnson 208 State Capitol 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155-1606 E-mail: sen.dean.johnson@senate.mn Phone: (651) 296-3826 Education Finance Chair LeRoy Stumpf G-24 State Capitol 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155-1606 E-mail: sen.leroy.stumpf@senate.mn Phone: (651) 296-8660 Senators encourage public input at

FUND THE SCHOOLS!!!!!

2004-11-10T19:44:00.000-06:00

MinnBEST doesn't take a position on how it gets done. Don't raise taxes or do, raise fees or don't, go further into debt or don't, but fund the schools. Maybe we just need to take up a collection or the Governor can take out an extra mortgage in Eagan.www.petitiononline.com/classsize Editorial K-12 funding/Voters say: Invest in schools November 8, 2004 No clear pattern emerged in last

Chester Finn Shows His Ignorance Again

2004-10-08T13:33:00.000-05:00

Read about Chester Finn's 'expert' testimony http://www.cfequity.org/10-01-04finn.htm State's "Expert" Witness Proves He's No Expert on New York Schools The State of New York presented their first witness before the panel of special masters on Friday -- Chester E. Finn Jr., a long-time charter school proponent and current president of the Thomas B.

The Call to Action is Here!

2004-08-28T21:56:00.000-05:00

A new group of people who are passionate and dedicated to improving public education in Minnesota is forming. In 2004, members of this group, MinnBEST members, partner organizations, and others created a reasonable set of Social Studies standards that were passed in a multi-partsan vote by the Minnesota Legislature and signed by our Republican Governor. This coalition also helped convince the

In Russia, the Maple River Coalition types won.

2004-08-22T22:02:00.000-05:00

It is as if the Claremont institute, Heritage Foundation and the Maple River Coalition have counterparts in Russia. Were critics of the new Soviet whitewash accused of a "hate Russia agenda?" In Russia, sometimes you can tell a book by its cover Maria Danilova, Associated Press August 22, 2004 MOSCOW -- If you can judge a book by its cover, then the "History of Russia and the

EXTRA! EXTRA! Rod Page is an Idiot and should have been fired!

2004-08-20T21:47:00.000-05:00

Faced with reality, Rod Page chooses to blame the data. Paige supports charter schools He challenges data showing they lag BY DIANA JEAN SCHEMO New York Times WASHINGTON — The federal secretary of education said Tuesday he stood by charter schools and challenged the conclusion of recent test data that their performance largely trailed

Stillwater class of 2004 rejects Michele Bachmann's congratulations

2004-08-18T09:43:00.000-05:00

“Scholar the Owl” has been listening to the garage nincompoop (surprise, surprise) and got a hold of this letter from the Stillwater class of 2004 rejecting the congratulations from Michele Bachmann. Readers will remember that Sen. Bachmann was the major sponsor of the Anti-Gay Marriage amendment as well as a staunch defender of Cheri Pierson Yecke. She tried to insert the national sovereignty

Anti-Public school Activist Loses at Baptist Convention

2004-08-13T23:21:00.000-05:00

From a monthly newsletter of the National Association of Christian Educators/Citizens for Excellence in Education. Here are excerpts from President's Report exactly as written by Bob Simonds, the leader of the organization, including all info in parentheses as written by Bob Simonds: "I write to you today with a broken heart for Christian church children, now officially abandoned by

MinnBEST supports Governor appointee

2004-07-19T17:35:00.000-05:00

Rep. Alice Seagren, Bloomington will be appointed to the position of Education Commissioner Tuesday. With hope for a better relationship between Educators and the Department of Education, MinnBEST gives our qualified support. As chair of the House Education Finance Committee, Ms. Seagren did support the House passage of Commissioner Yecke's ideological standards. Yet, during the last

Finally, some sanity from the Pi Press editorial staff

2004-07-05T20:26:00.000-05:00

The gap is not nearly as bad as some portray it, but it is real. However, the Governor, many Minnesota Republicans, and the Taxpayer's League want you to think the answer to the achievement gap is to abolish public schooling. Whatever their motives, they cannot succeed if we want to keep the Minnesota we love. Opinion 7-5-04 School designations should hold out hope News from the U.S. Census

Public and Private school Kids in Minnesota: The Very Best in the nation at History!

2004-06-22T16:52:00.000-05:00

Gosh, one wonders what Dick Day has to say about this. What about our former commissioner who called Minnesota History Standards, "an embarassment." State kids clobber competition in history contest Minnesotans take 5 top prizes; runner-up state wins 2 BY JOHN WELSH Pioneer Press Minnesota students put on an impressive performance this week at the National History Day competition, winning

Cheri Pierson Yecke continues to try to mislead Minnesotans

2004-06-17T07:36:00.000-05:00

I want to thank Cheri Pierson Yecke for clarifying to the casual follower of education politics in Minnesota one reason why she was fired from her job as Commissioner of Education. She has no grasp of America’s History or founding, yet continues writing on the subject. A quick look at the facts shows that as president, Jefferson interpreted the first amendment to mean that there is a separation

District 196 School bond passes!!!!!

2004-06-09T08:01:00.000-05:00

Great Job to all those MinnBEST members who worked to get this measure passed. Your dedication to Minnesota Kids is an inspiration! 65% vote for $68 million to upgrade buildings Future Rosemount and Apple Valley high school students won't have to attend classes in shedlike buildings next to the schools. Voters in the 28,500-student Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district Tuesday

Some wisdom from Ronald Reagan.

2004-06-05T21:51:00.000-05:00

If only our current president understood this concept when it comes to "No Child Left Untested" ``This is the issue of this election: whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan for ourselves.'' - Oct. 27, 1964, televised

What needs to be said louder to be heard above the echo-chamber

2004-06-05T20:25:00.000-05:00

The Governor is listening to the echo-chamber of the taxpayer's league when he should be listening to the taxpayers. FUND OUR SCHOOLS!!!! Editorial: School funding/A crisis of will at the top June 5, 2004 The Minneapolis mom learned Thursday that her son's public high school won't have frogs for biology class, paint for art class or toner for the copy machine next year unless parents and other

The fear that drives the Far- Right movement

2004-06-04T11:33:00.000-05:00

A member of our coalition has been doing some thinking about the movement behind Yecke and the standards and has come up with a profound and instructive list. These are ten fears (a list which is by no means complete) I have come across as I have participated in the process of developing state standards and in recent information about ed issues. Feel free to add to the list. A focus on these

Good advise is hard to come by these days

2004-05-29T11:15:00.000-05:00

Here is some excellent advise from today's Strib letters. To the graduates Hello. This is my graduation speech. First, don't rush to college. If you don't like sitting in a classroom, what makes you think you're going to like sitting in a college classroom? And after you graduate, what makes you think you'll like sitting in an office eight to 10 hours a day? So take some time off before you

Education Minnesota's view of the Standards

2004-05-25T20:24:00.000-05:00

Jenni Norlin Weaver, from Edina, is one of our state's best curriculum people, so MinnBEST is glad she was part of the final process. The standards are so-so. They are not inspiring in any way, so why was is so hard to get such a simple document? If the former Commissioner was smart and qualified to do her job, it should have been a cake-walk, but she made it into a battle. It was a battle that

Providence Academy teacher attacks strong, Republican woman

2004-05-25T15:53:00.000-05:00

Despite the machinations during the Yecke battle, the truth cannot be covered up forever. King and the boys have now turned their attention to Wendy Swanson-Choi, a respected, smart and driven female leader in the Republican Party. She worked tirelessly to help Pawlenty fend off the attacks from the nutty element of the Republican Party and to get him elected by a plurality of the voters. Some

The Yecke agenda: "take down this wall"

2004-05-24T17:30:00.000-05:00

Actually, Jefferson was a major proponent of building the wall in the first place! As Yecke has shown, she is not a student of history. Not only did he make that clear in the Virginia legislature, but also by writing his own Bible that got rid of all references to the deity and resurection of Jesus. Maybe that was the one the kid was reading. FOCUS: Respecting the First Amendment in Virginia

What works? Real opportunity.

2004-05-23T19:02:00.000-05:00

It's not rocket science. Well funded schools that give students opportunities and a guarantee that hard work will pay off with a reasonable amount of success, creates high achievement. There are so many wonderful people of means who are doing this kind of thing. Collectively, Minnesotans can all do the same thing. The taxpayer's league will tell you that the 30-40 dollars in tax refund is more

Breath in - Breath out: Maple River should embrace being outside the mainstream

2004-05-23T11:53:00.000-05:00

This is a surprisingly acurate, though biased, assesment of the Commissioner's downfall accept for this phrase, "The real issue in her downfall was that she shared the biases of parents and the lay public, and she opposed the biases favored by educators." She actually shared the biases of a few extremists like Maple River. MR refuses to believe the simple truth. They are not mainstream. If they

Does this make him a Nabob or just a nincompoop?

2004-05-20T18:30:00.000-05:00

The results are in at Warren Anderson's school (New Spirit Middle) and the wonderful core knowledge curriculum he advocated!!! 7th grade Math a whopping 15% passed and a bit more impressive at 7th grade Reading 19% passed (pioneer press, 5/19/04). See his bizarre rant here. "If one is a home-schooling parent, a teacher in a religious school, a private school administrator, a charter school

Reasonable people understand Yecke was not good for Minnesota

2004-05-19T08:26:00.000-05:00

Nick Coleman Star Tribune Sour grapes from Yecke C heri Pierson Yecke, having been fired as education commissar, is now bad-mouthing Minnesota, claiming she was whacked by partisan thugs (beaten like a "piñata," she says) and victimized by a political culture that has "fallen into the gutter." What happened to Minnesota Nice, she is asking, which is like Lizzie Borden asking what happened to

Common Sense from the Strib

2004-05-18T21:32:00.000-05:00

Editorial: Hard lesson/K-12 chief must build bridges May 19, 2004 Personally stung by the rejection of his education chief, Gov. Tim Pawlenty lashed out Monday at the Senate DFL caucus for being "mean-sprited" and blatantly political, to the detriment of the state. The governor said senators sought to prove their "relevance" by refusing confirmation for Cheri Pierson Yecke, whom he called a "

BANNED!!!! Sob!!!

2004-05-17T22:10:00.000-05:00

http://scsu-scholars.blogspot.com/ Unlike you, we refuse to endorse things we have not read. MinnBEST was there all the way through the process and kept track of every step. Every change in wording was monitored. There was a lot of give and take, but in the end, though too voluminous, they are not the bizarre version you never read, yet endorsed. They are on the senate webpage awaiting your

Earth To Yecke: Its about YOU!

2004-05-17T15:17:00.000-05:00

Make sure to thank all those who voted to fire her! Senate says no to Yecke BY JOHN WELSH and PATRICK SWEENEY Pioneer Press Just hours after the Minnesota Senate removed her from her job as state education commissioner, Cheri Pierson Yecke lashed out Sunday at Senate leadership — blaming partisan politics for the loss of the job she has held for 16 months. Yecke was rejected 35-31 in a

TOTAL VICTORY!!!

2004-05-16T10:42:00.000-05:00

Who could have predicted that the efforts of our coalition would bring down the powerful forces at work to destroy our schools? In September, when the first draft of the Science and Social Studies Standards were released, we defined victory in two ways. 1. Science standards based on science, not ideology. 2. Social Studies standards that were mainstream and did no harm to schools. We also

The Kind of thing Yecke wants to crush under the heel of Ideology

2004-05-14T23:06:00.000-05:00

History lesson in song emphasizes life lessons Maria Elena Baca, Star Tribune May 15, 2004 At Longfellow Humanities Magnet School's 120th anniversary celebration today, students will showcase history lessons they didn't learn in a textbook. The elementary students' voices that swell in the school won't be a litany of names and dates, but a collection of life lessons and stories. With help

Rod Skoe: Standards need facts plus analysis

2004-04-29T22:54:00.000-05:00

April 30, 2004 Star Tribune I relish a good debate, but the Star Tribune got it wrong in its social studies standards editorial (April 18). The piece oversimplifies the issue and creates a nonexistent either/or situation between competing social studies standards. If you read only the editorial and study nothing else about the social studies standards now under discussion in the Legislature,

GOVERNOR PAWLENTY'S STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE'S CONFIRMATION VOTE

2004-04-28T18:55:00.000-05:00

Below is the Governor's response, but here is the reality. The Comissioner is not qualified to do the job she was asked to do. The Brian Sullivan camp had been promised a bone in return for Pawlenty's nomination. Schools were that bone and Yecke was their choice. Yes, she has a doctorate and yes, she followed her friends to Washington and worked with the DoE for a little while but the proof is

John Gunyou: Why has state stopped investing in education?

2004-04-20T19:57:00.000-05:00

April 21, 2004 Nicole Gunyou is a teacher. Like her great-grandmother four score and seven years earlier, my firstborn has chosen to make a difference in the lives of children. Not so her father. Thirty years ago, I learned firsthand that teaching is not a profession for the faint of heart. That earlier epiphany was recently reconfirmed when I prepared Nicole's tax return. My pride for her

StarTribune Editorial: Yecke & Molnau/Outside the mainstream

2004-04-11T14:17:00.000-05:00

April 11, 2004 http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/4714467.html In more ordinary, more civil times, we might be tempted to question, even deplore, the DFL's threat to use the confirmation process to jettison two of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's commissioners. But these are not ordinary times. And Cheri Pierson Yecke and Carol Molnau are not ordinary cabinet commissioners. While each is clearly

Noel Schmidt:Minnesotans Deserve Better Educational Leadership

2004-03-30T13:54:00.000-06:00

Posted on Tue, Mar. 30, 2004 In November, Minnesota will host the 31st Annual National Middle School Association Conference and Exhibit. More than 10,000 middle-school educators from across the United States will descend on the Convention Center in Minneapolis to learn how to create vibrant and strong middle schools. They will learn about the foundations of excellent middle schools: smaller

Hannah Larson: Social studies standards would take state back to the '50s

2004-03-23T09:47:00.000-06:00

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/editorial/8251430.htm Posted on Tue, Mar. 23, 2004 Warren Anderson claims that opponents of the new social studies standards are "hypocrites defending educational mediocrity" because, according to him, they believe that "facts don't count and memorization is evil" ("Taking Exception: New standards will strengthen Minnesota schools," Feb. 12).

More Excellent Minnesota Scholarship!

2004-03-16T20:59:00.000-06:00

Greg Gaut: When history is held hostage to tests March 17, 2004 If the proposed K-12 social studies standards are approved in their present form, someday soon a bright high school senior will face an exam question about the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The student will consider her dilemma, and then write something like this: "I know that the current Republican administration which

"Texas is the National Laboratory for Bad Government" Is this our fate?

2004-03-16T20:40:00.000-06:00

Posted on Sun, Mar. 14, 2004 Maybe we're on the Black Pearl By Molly Ivins Creators Syndicate AUSTIN - Gosh, we are having such a swell time here in Texas. For starters, once again the speaker of the Texas House is under investigation by a grand jury. We're so proud. We have nothing against this guy personally -- we're just rooting for an indictment as a matter of Texas tradition. You

Another Teacher who is a True American Hero

2004-03-09T21:58:00.000-06:00

Mass. Teacher Snubs Paige Honors Over Union Remark http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38745-2004Mar7.html?referrer%3Demailarticle Join the Petition to Fire Rod Paige! http://www.firepaige.org/petition.asp Associated Press Monday, March 8, 2004; Page A17 The Massachusetts teacher of the year refused to attend an event in Washington honoring the nation's top educators because U.S.

So Much For the Golden Age of Historical Knowledge

2004-03-09T20:26:00.000-06:00

'Greatest Generation' Struggled With History, Too By Jay Mathews Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, March 9, 2004; Page A12 When the U.S. Department of Education reported that in 2001 nearly six out of 10 high school seniors lacked even a basic knowledge of the nation's history, Bruce Cole was indignant and concerned. "A nation that does not know why it exists, or what it stands for,

Another Set of Experts Reject the Standards!

2004-03-05T00:10:00.000-06:00

The Minnesota Council for the Social Studies Statement on the Proposed Social Studies Standards The Minnesota Council for the Social Studies (MCSS) supports rigorous standards for K-12 social studies education in all Minnesota schools and believes quality Social Studies education is the cornerstone of democratic society. One of the fundamental roles of Social Studies is to provide young people

New Improved Resolution for Tomorrow Night!

2004-03-01T20:44:00.000-06:00

A Resolution Concerning Minnesota's K-12 Social Studies Standards Whereas: The Party supports rigorous standards for K-12 social studies education in all Minnesota schools, and Whereas: Quality social studies education is vital for a vibrant democratic society, and Whereas: One of the fundamental roles of education is to provide young people with the skills to be active and effective

The Manufactured Crisis Continues to be Exposed.

2004-02-29T15:26:00.000-06:00

Straight Talk about Government Finance by John Gunyou Truth is always the first casualty of any war, especially the political ones. As the legislative rhetoric heats up, here's some straight talk about state and local finances. 1. Taxes are not out of control. The state's official Price of Government measure (total revenue as a percentage of personal income) has actually declined over the

Go to the Caucuses and bring a resolution against the standards!

2004-02-28T09:12:00.000-06:00

PROPOSED RESOLUTION FOR BETTER SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS at March 2 Caucus WHEREAS Minnesotans have higher expectations for our students, schools and democratic society than are reflected in the proposed final draft K-12 social studies standards being considered for adoption by the Minnesota Legislature; WHEREAS the standards are still seriously flawed in following ways after three revisions and

Yecke calls NCLB a "Morally Righteous Law"

2004-02-25T15:48:00.000-06:00

THE WASHINGTON TIMES By George Archibald September 22, 2003 Reform-minded school leaders from 42 states met with Bush administration officials in Nashville during the weekend to discuss "the next steps" to improve student achievement in public schools. About 300 school leaders who support the federal No Child Left Behind Act suggested "fine-tuning" the law to help small, rural schools meet the

Our Future under Yecke

2004-02-23T15:17:00.000-06:00

www.washingtonpost.com The Best Answer Under pressure to improve his students' Standards of Learning scores, a Virginia teacher decides to: (a) End free reading time; (b) Give more practice tests; or (c) Quit the public schools By Emmet Rosenfeld Sunday, February 22, 2004; Page W20 "Yo, Mr. R -- we gonna read today?" A battered copy of a young-adult novel called The Giver materialized from

Lack of Understanding of Minnesota and a Lousy Product? Sound Familiar?

2004-02-22T18:33:00.000-06:00

State's quarter ideas are bad, even deadly Nick Coleman, Star Tribune Published February 22, 2004 That is one sick duck. Minnesota will soon get its own quarter, but the final four designs, unveiled Thursday, are as boring as a day hoeing weeds in a corn patch. Three of the four include loons that seem to have lost their head feathers. Our state bird, the common loon (gavia immer), has a

Paul Gruchow: False logic just one of Yecke's shortcomings

2004-02-18T12:26:00.000-06:00

Published February 14, 2004 Star Tribune It would be tedious, and perhaps pointless, to try to refute the substance of Cheri Pierson Yecke's commentary (Jan. 18) on cooperative learning. But it is worth pointing out her habits of thought and argument, because these are what make her unfit to lead Minnesota's schools. For one thing, Yecke uses false logic. Her essay opens, for example, by saying

Another Standards Committee Member Shows a Lack of Scholarship

2004-02-13T22:44:00.000-06:00

While not as fun to read as Mr. Anderson (below), Ms. Hoerle paints all with an equally bold brush and shows her ideology, rather than her actual expertise. Ellen Hoerle: Now schools can be held more accountable Published February 14, 2004 StarTribune I would like to expose several statements that Andrew P. Johnson made in his Jan. 10 Counterpoint supporting the use of cooperative learning

This is amazing.

2004-02-12T15:07:00.000-06:00

I would love to comment on all of it, but it really speaks for itself. There is one blatant untruth that is highlighted below and there is some question about whether Mr. Anderson returned to his teaching position for 2003-2004. Mr. Anderson was a major participant in the writing of the standards. Pioneer Press 2-12-04 http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/editorial/7930925.htm TAKING

National reviews are in and are overwhelmingly negative!

2004-02-08T21:24:00.000-06:00

“In order to retain our place as a leader in the nation on education, Minnesota needs to develop new rigorous academic standards. We need to get moving on building something better -- something that works. Commissioner Yecke has hit the ground running with this aggressive plan and I encourage the public to participate." Governor Tim Pawlenty announcing plans to create new academic standards

Editorial: K-12 education/Undermining proven programs

2004-02-07T22:03:00.000-06:00

The Strib does a good job of bringing this set of issues to the table. What will things look like under a State takeover of Minnesota schools? Considering the unparalleled bargain Minnesota schools have been, doesn't it make sense to invest in children rather than divest? M Published February 8, 2004 Next month, 8,000 Minneapolis students who are now working to catch up academically will have

Michael Boucher: Irony is too much

2004-01-30T10:31:00.000-06:00

Several stories in the Star Tribune newspaper caught my attention today. 1-30-04 1. The Commissioner and the Republican Governor of the Great State of Minnesota endorse the shame based initiative of a school-by-school listing of ways we are failing without a word about all we do to promote, democracy, peace and citizenship. 2. Minnesota education is not only excellent and not the least bit "

Eileen Johnson, PTA Minnesota: Senate Testimony

2004-01-26T19:35:00.000-06:00

Comments made to the State Education Committee concerning the proposed Social Studies Standards. January 23, 2004 Thanks you for you time and attention. My colleagues and I are here to comment on the new Social Studies standards. Many others share our viewpoints and so if/when we reiterate them, know that these are widely held concerns by teachers and professionals across the state. When you

Lisa Norling, Department of History, University of Minnesota: Senate Hearing Testimony

2004-01-26T19:33:00.000-06:00

Lisa Norling, Associate Professor Department of History, University of Minnesota Twin Cities Senate Hearing Testimony 23 January 2004 I am an associate professor of history at the University of Minnesota. My research and teaching focus on early American history. I agree with my colleague Jim Tracy that knowledge is crucial. That is why it is so very important to get it right, to get the facts

Check the credentials

2004-01-25T20:55:00.000-06:00

Star Tribune 1/26/04 Check the credentials I am a college history professor with 37 years' experience. Were I asked to lend support to a screwball set of standards in chemistry, biblical studies, Spanish, law or English, I would defer my judgment. This deference to intellectual respect apparently does not obtain to the majority of those Minnesota professors who have lent their names to the

Rally Against Proposed Standards & For Better Standards!

2004-01-25T13:45:00.000-06:00

Rally Against Proposed Standards & For Better Standards! Saturday, January 31st, 11am-Noon State Capitol ACTION ALERT: Now that the legislature has received the final draft of proposed social studies standards, people from throughout Minnesota who are concerned about the future of history, civics, economic and geography education in our state need to let our elected officials know that the

Amazing that this story broke in the Washington Times.

2004-01-24T23:00:00.000-06:00

Amazing that this story broke in the Washington Times. Looks like the Bush Administration's favorite group of "school leaders" was quitely profiteering while they acted as apologists for NCLB and teacher testing. http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040122-104707-4352r.htm MISMANAGEMENT CHARGES ROCK SCHOOL-REFORM GROUP Washington Times -- January 23, 2004

Rick Theisen: World Class? Fair and Balanced? Or?

2004-01-24T22:58:00.000-06:00

World Class? Fair and Balanced? Or? What has happened to the standards setting process in Minnesota? Will standards in core discipline areas, and especially in social studies, continue to follow the pattern of the past two years? If the state doesn't like it, get rid of it and substitute another brand. The next time the legislature and governor's office changes hands will we change

Marjani: A student's perspective

2004-01-24T14:40:00.000-06:00

Dear Committee members, Hello, my name is Marjani and I am a junior at a Minneapolis Public School. I would first like to thank you for taking this time to hear what I have to say. I have been following these standards since the first draft came out, and attended one of the public hearings in November. Before coming here today, I spoke with many students at my high school and asked for their

Michael Boucher: Senate Testimony 1-23-04

2004-01-23T23:34:00.000-06:00

Good Afternoon Senators: The Education Commissioner has handed down to Minnesota’s students teachers and parents a curriculum that is an illegal intrusion into Minnesota classrooms. I am not a doctor, or a millionaire, or a member of a think tank. I am a teacher. When kids are done with my class, they know a lot of history and they love social studies. I am really good at what I do. I am here

Meg and Don Arnosti: Not their areas of expertise

2004-01-21T21:58:00.000-06:00

Not their areas of expertise As parents of three public school kids we were pleased to see the Jan. 21 headline "50 professors endorse history standards." Upon reading the article more closely, however, we became alarmed: It appears that many of the endorsing professors don't teach history, with the article citing signators as chemistry, Spanish, biblical studies and law professors, among

Updated Title 2-4-04: These people may have read the standards, but do not show their understanding of the implications

2004-01-21T18:50:00.000-06:00

Previously named: These people obviously have not read the Standards A Letter in Support of the Academic Standards for History and Social Studies from Minnesota Professors of History, Economics, and Geography January 20, 2004 As professors of History, Economics, and Geography at Minnesota colleges and universities, we believe that the "Minnesota Academic Standards for History and Social

Paul Spies: Social Studies Standards Won't Promote Dr. King's Cause

2004-01-19T12:39:00.000-06:00

Recent racist incidents at Mounds View High School have made the news, and they are not uncommon in schools, universities, workplaces and neighborhoods. Contrary to the beliefs of many of my fellow white Minnesotans and Americans, Martin Luther King's dream has not yet come to life. And, if the final draft social studies standards are passed by the legislature, racism will continue to ferment in

Cheri Pierson Yecke: The vision of King and the legacy of Brown v. Board of Education

2004-01-19T12:34:00.000-06:00

Posted on Sun, Jan. 18, 2004 Pioneer Press As Minnesotans celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King this year, we also have an opportunity to recognize the 50th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. the Board of Education in the context of today's struggle to close the achievement gap between white students and students of color. The 1954 Brown ruling overturned

Noel Schmidt: Yecke spins a distorted view of middle schools

2004-01-17T22:11:00.000-06:00

Noel Schmidt Published January 18, 2004 Recently, Cheri Pierson Yecke, Minnesota's commissioner of education, published "The War Against Excellence: The Rising Tide of Mediocrity in America's Middle Schools." In the book, the commissioner claims that middle schools have failed to deliver as educational institutions, particularly to the talented and gifted students. Yecke asserts that it is

Cheri Pierson Yecke: Cooperative learning can backfire

2004-01-17T22:00:00.000-06:00

Cheri Pierson Yecke Published January 18, 2004 Cooperative learning is an educational strategy that is used in many classrooms today. Whether it is a tool that helps students learn, or whether it is being used in ways that are detrimental to student learning, is a subject of debate. The evolution of cooperative learning is a fascinating study. While it became popular in education beginning in

Michael Boucher: Senate must reject new social studies standards

2004-01-15T22:10:00.000-06:00

Posted on Sun, Jan. 11, 2004 St. Paul Pioneer Press Senate must reject new social studies standards BY MICHAEL L. BOUCHER JR. Guest Columnist Minnesota Education Commissioner Cheri Pierson Yecke has unveiled the proposed new social studies standard and teachers have had some time to review them. While these revised standards are less racist, less xenophobic and less unbalanced than the first

Public Testimony from Apple Valley Hearing on Proposed Social Studies Standards

2004-01-10T18:54:00.000-06:00

Standards of Learning in Virginia 10/13/03 My name is Cheryl Anderson. As a parent of two elementary school children, I am encouraging all of us to exercise caution before adopting any proposed curriculum. I believe we should all fully understand the benefits, as well as the flaws of the proposed curriculum, so we can make an informed decision. I believe strongly in the value of education,

This should scare you!! Sixty Minutes Two

2004-01-07T22:13:00.000-06:00

The Texas Miracle Jan. 6, 2004 (CBS) It was called the “Texas Miracle,” and you may remember it because President Bush wanted everyone to know about it during his presidential campaign. It was about an approach to education that was showing amazing results, particularly in Houston, where dropout rates plunged and test scores soared. Houston School Superintendent Rod Paige was given credit

Joe Nathan: Protest is basic to social studies. Activism needs place in civic standards

2004-01-04T14:50:00.000-06:00

Posted on Sun, Jan. 04, 2004 St. Paul Pioneer Press Protest is basic to social studies. Activism needs place in civic standards JOE NATHAN Columnist How ironic. The latest draft of Minnesota's proposed state social studies standards was produced after intense, lively, difficult debate and confrontation. But this draft, while a clear improvement over previous efforts, seems to promote a rather

Wendy S. Choi: Minnesota Academic Standards for Parents of Public School Children

2003-12-31T19:36:00.000-06:00

Strand: Government and Citizenship Substrand: Public-School Parent Activists Standard: The parent will become familiar with state public education issues. 1. Benchmark: Parents will identify and understand issues related to quality public education for MN students. Examples: Increased state and federal mandates without funding (ex. costly social studies standards) Teaching children to a

Michael Boucher: New Standards Worse than the Old

2003-12-31T19:34:00.000-06:00

Published November 15, 2003 I read with interest the Nov. 7 commentary by Bruce Sanborn, a chairman of the conservative Claremont Institute and a member of the committee writing new social studies standards. He echoes the claim I have heard several times from Education Commissioner Cheri Pierson Yecke that the old standards were "an embarrassment." I have yet to hear who was embarrassed.

Bruce C. Sanborn: Haunted by Profile's ghost

2003-12-30T21:11:00.000-06:00

Bruce C. Sanborn: Haunted by Profile's ghost Bruce C. Sanborn Published November 7, 2003 SANBORN1107 It took me a while to understand Jim Davnie's Oct. 5 Commentary column. It's easy to see that Davnie makes unsupported, contradictory criticisms of the social studies standards proposed for Minnesota's schools. It takes longer to see Davnie is still trying to restore the discredited Profile of