Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
5-26-25

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Decoration Day Edition (5/25) https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2025/05/icymi-decoration-day-edition-525.html 

Memorial Day reflections, education debates, and AI concerns dominate this week’s blog post. The author highlights various articles and discussions on controversial issues like school vouchers, AI misuse, and education policies while sharing personal insights and recommendations.

### Key Points

- Memorial Day and its varying significance are discussed, acknowledging its complexity and personal interpretations. 

- "Moms for Liberty" advocates for librarian firings, showing their influence on education policy. 

- The rise of AI inaccuracies in research and media, including fake book recommendations and unauthorized Reddit experiments, is critiqued. 

- Discussions on school vouchers' financial and political implications, including their unpopularity among conservatives and fiscal issues in Florida. 

- A deep dive into AI’s threats to education and its misuse in undermining equity, including UNESCO’s call for responses. 

- Observations on the decline of Democrats for Education Reform and their alignment with conservative ideologies. 

- Articles on the importance of diversity and equity in schools, opposing Ohio's anti-DEI bill. 

- The Supreme Court’s decision against religious charter schools and its implications. 

- Recommendations for addressing school vouchers' shortcomings and promoting better education policies. 

Trump's war on science and the universities https://open.substack.com/pub/klonsky/p/trumps-war-on-science-and-the-universities?r=kja7f&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false 

Trump's recent executive order mandates government scientists to only study "appropriate" science, aligning research with his administration's policies. This move is seen as an attack on scientific freedom and universities, echoing past authoritarian attempts to control knowledge. The order requires a review of Biden-era regulations and reinstates previous policies limiting research on climate change and public health. This has led to concerns about a potential "brain drain" as foreign scientists leave the U.S., fearing expulsion and restrictions on publishing research. Trump's administration has also targeted universities like Harvard, accusing them of bias and threatening international student enrollment. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointment as Secretary of Health, despite his debunked views on vaccines, adds to the administration's controversial stance on science.

### Key Points

- Trump signed an Executive Order mandating government scientists to study "appropriate" science, resembling past authoritarian control over knowledge. 

- The order requires a review of Biden-era regulations and reinstates policies limiting research on climate change and public health. 

- Concerns arise about a potential "brain drain" as foreign scientists leave the U.S. due to fears of expulsion and research restrictions. 

- Trump's administration targets universities like Harvard, accusing them of bias and threatening international student enrollment. 

- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Secretary of Health, promotes debunked vaccine theories, contributing to the administration's controversial scientific stance. 

Usable Myths: Teachers Seldom Change Their Classroom Practices https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2025/05/25/usable-myths-teachers-seldom-change-their-classroom-practices/ via @CubanLarry 

Larry Cuban's article challenges the myth that teachers resist change, arguing that teaching practices have evolved significantly over the past century. While schools have visibly transformed, teaching has shifted through a mix of teacher-centered and student-centered methods, often blending both approaches. Teachers make incremental changes over time, adapting to external demands and utilizing new technologies and strategies. However, these changes often go unnoticed due to the private nature of teaching and limited observation by outsiders. Despite the persistence of the myth, evidence suggests that teachers are not static in their practices.

### Key Points

- Schools have changed significantly from 1900 to now, with modern classrooms featuring smaller class sizes, new technologies, and varied teaching methods. 

- The myth that teaching has not changed persists, often used to justify education reforms like test-driven standards and increased technology in classrooms. 

- Teaching has evolved through a continuum of teacher-centered and student-centered methods, with many teachers adopting hybrid approaches. 

- Incremental changes in teaching practices, such as group work, technology use, and customized curriculum, are common but often unnoticed by external observers. 

- Teachers balance external demands with personal autonomy, making thoughtful adjustments to improve their teaching methods. 

- Whether these changes have led to improved student learning remains an unresolved question. 

glen brown: Gun Control in Illinois https://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2025/05/gun-control-in-illinois.html 

Gun Control in Illinois: The article discusses the Illinois Assault Weapons Ban, implemented in January 2023, which prohibits certain semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines. It explores the political and public reactions, legal challenges, enforcement concerns, and broader implications for gun control legislation in the U.S.

### Key Points

- Illinois passed an Assault Weapons Ban in January 2023 targeting semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines, including a buyback program. 

- Gun control advocates support the ban as a step toward reducing gun violence, citing statistics showing a correlation between stricter laws and lower mass shootings. 

- Opponents argue the ban violates Second Amendment rights, won't deter criminals, and could leave citizens defenseless. 

- The legislation highlights political divides, with Democrats advocating for public safety and Republicans opposing government overreach. 

- Public opinion is mixed, with urban areas more supportive of gun control than rural regions. 

- Legal challenges are expected, with outcomes potentially influencing national gun control policies. 

- Enforcement challenges include ensuring compliance with the buyback program and monitoring illegal firearm possession. 

- The ban impacts gun manufacturers and retailers, requiring adjustments to business models. 

- Community reactions vary, with some supporting the ban for safety and others opposing it due to cultural values. 

- The debate underscores complexities in balancing individual rights with public safety. 

We Still Can’t Breathe: Five Years After George Floyd https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/05/25/we-still-cant-breathe-five-years-after-george-floyd/ 

We Still Can’t Breathe: Five Years After George Floyd

### Key Points

- George Floyd’s murder in 2020 sparked one of the largest global protest movements, highlighting systemic racism in law enforcement and other American institutions. 

- Police brutality disproportionately affects marginalized communities, especially Black and Indigenous people, as part of a larger system of racialized violence. 

- Initial commitments to racial justice after Floyd’s death have regressed, with DEI programs being dismantled, curricula censored, and corporations retreating from equity pledges. 

- Reports of a potential pardon for Derek Chauvin signal a troubling political narrative that undermines justice and the significance of Black lives. 

- Schools are also central to systemic injustice, with the school-to-prison pipeline disproportionately affecting Black and Brown children. Addressing this requires funding for counselors and truthful education. 

- Silence from those in positions of influence perpetuates injustice, as true allyship demands active resistance against systemic oppression. 

- Justice for George Floyd and others requires systemic transformation, including policy changes and cultural shifts, to ensure equity and accountability. 

California Charter School Movement Update | tultican https://tultican.com/2025/05/25/california-charter-school-movement-update/ 

Elected school boards are foundational to American democracy, but the growth of charter schools in California, fueled by billionaire spending and the "school choice" ideology, is undermining public education, increasing segregation, and raising concerns about misuse of taxpayer funds. Despite attempts to introduce oversight legislation, resistance from charter schools and their wealthy backers persists.

### Key Points

- Charter schools in California have grown to include over 700,000 students, driven by right-wing ideologies and billionaire funding, not necessarily by superior performance. 

- Certain counties, such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and San Joaquin, show significant charter school growth due to proximity to influential organizations and individuals promoting privatization. 

- Organizations like NewSchools Venture Fund (NSVF) and California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) have heavily funded and supported charter school expansion, backed by billionaires such as Bill Gates and Reed Hastings. 

- Concerns about financial mismanagement and fraud in charter schools, such as Elite Academic Academy and A3 Charter Schools, highlight lax oversight and misuse of taxpayer funds. 

- California Assembly Bill 84 aims to introduce stricter auditing, accounting, and oversight standards for charter schools, but faces opposition from nearly 200 charter schools and their billionaire supporters. 

An Education: How I Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else: Ravitch, Diane: 9780231220293: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Education-Changed-Schools-Almost-Everything/dp/0231220294/ref=sr_1_1?

This article discusses Diane Ravitch's upcoming memoir, "An Education: How I Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else," set to be released on October 21, 2025. Ravitch, a historian and former conservative education reform advocate, recounts her ideological shift from supporting standardized testing and privatization to advocating for public schools and addressing systemic inequality in education. The book blends personal reflections with decades of research, making a compelling case for greater investment in public education.

### Key Points

- Diane Ravitch's memoir explores her ideological transformation from a proponent of conservative education reforms to a critic of privatization and standardized testing. 

- The book highlights her belief that poverty, not failing schools or bad teachers, is the root cause of educational inequality. 

- Ravitch shares her personal and professional journey, including her government service and advocacy for public schools. 

- The memoir combines personal anecdotes with research to argue for systemic changes in education, including better support for professional teachers. 

- Published by Columbia University Press, the book is 240 pages long and will be available in multiple formats. 

Big Education Ape: WE DON'T DO KINGS: NATIONWIDE PROTESTS TO RAIN ON TRUMP'S $45M BIRTHDAY MILITARY PARADE #NoKingsDay #DefendDemocracy #AmericaStrong https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/05/we-dont-do-kings-nationwide-protests-to.html 

Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
5-25-25  

### Summary  

The article is a compilation of educational, political, and societal issues, addressing systemic challenges, policy critiques, and leadership impacts. Topics include public education reform, authoritarianism, school voucher programs, systemic inequities, activism, and reflections on leadership and societal values.

### Key Points  

- Charter schools in California continue to grow, surpassing 700,000 students in enrollment.   

- Five years after George Floyd's murder, reflections on systemic racism and the need for justice persist.   

- A controversial cartoon critical of Trump was removed from a PBS documentary, raising concerns about censorship and political pressure.   

- Diane Ravitch announces no weekend blog posts except for breaking news, reflecting on her 65th college reunion and public education advocacy.   

- A satirical movie plot imagines a fascist president staging a coup during a military parade, emphasizing the value of democracy and resistance.   

- Trump's presidency is critiqued for fostering division, misinformation, and undermining democratic principles.   

- NYC mayoral race and UFT elections highlight concerns over union transparency and political endorsements.   

- New teachers face unrealistic expectations and require mentorship, structured support, and real-world training to succeed.   

- Authoritarian tactics, such as arresting political opponents, are compared to Trump’s actions, emphasizing the need for resistance.   

- Henry Giroux's graduation speech calls for youth to resist systemic violence and authoritarianism, promoting education as a tool for justice.   

- Seattle Public Schools face budget deficits, nepotism, and potential school closures, with limited community engagement.   

- Nationwide protests are planned against Trump's $45M birthday military parade, emphasizing democratic values.   

- Diane Ravitch’s memoir reflects her ideological shift to defending public schools and addressing systemic inequalities.   

- Federal education policies like NCLB and Race to the Top are critiqued for overemphasizing standardized testing and neglecting equity-focused reforms.   

- Voucher programs in various states strain budgets, harm public schools, and show limited success in improving outcomes.   

- Social media use among preteens correlates with rising depressive symptoms, cyberbullying, and disrupted sleep.   

- Maya Angelou’s philosophy on courage inspires educators and students to resist censorship and advocate for equity.   

- Teacher Tom advocates for individuality and creativity in education, critiquing standardized systems.   

- Karen Lewis’s leadership transformed the Chicago Teachers Union into a force for systemic change, emphasizing social justice.   

- The Supreme Court upheld rulings against religious charter schools, signaling hope for public education.   

- Public policy should focus on balancing Career and Technical Education (CTE) with traditional academics and making higher education accessible.