Weekend To-Do List

10/5 - 10/6

and

Oct 05, 2024

1. Helene’s Havoc

READ/LISTEN: As Hurricane Helene’s destruction continues to devastate the Carolinas, Florida, and Georgia, Emily Thomas spoke with educators and school leaders who have stepped up to support rescue operations and organize recovery efforts. Thomas, a policy analyst at EdNC.org, encouraged readers to recognize the resilience and compassion found within the impacted communities:

It’s the kindness in the eyes of those moving quickly along the lined tables of recovery items who say they are all “just here to help.”
It’s in the faces of school–aged children tagging along with their parents to volunteer — children who are just as integral to the distribution operations as their parents. Moments of laughter fill the spaces, even in the midst of all that Helene has left.

Read more in The 74 here. I spoke with Cory Vaillancourt from western North Carolina’s Smoky Mountain News about the hurricane and its broader political, economic, and academic implications. Listen here.

2. Ambition, Hypocrisy, and Grace Amidst a Downfall

READ/LISTEN: Our very own Chris Stewart took to the pages of his eponymous substack to advocate for extending grace to Corey DeAngelis as he finds himself embroiled in personal controversy:

While reveling Corey's supposed downfall would be easy, I choose not to. I no longer agree with his policy agenda or support his advocacy strategy, but I'm mindful of the dangers of losing my humanity in condemning him. The education policy world is too full of people who gladly turn on their own as punishment for insufficient compliance. It's transactional, not human. I refuse to be part of a cycle that celebrates personal destruction, no matter how justifiable it may seem. Corey's story is familiar. It's a reminder that the advocacy world is fraught with moral compromises and that good people can do bad things when driven by ambition and pressure from the wrong influences. While I vehemently oppose much of what Corey has stood for in recent years, I also recognize the importance of offering grace—even to those who might not extend it to me (because that's what grace actually is).

Read more here and listen to Chris and Kate discuss the piece on this week’s episode of The Citizen Stewart Show.

3. Oklahoma’s $3M Bible Mandate

READ: Oklahoma’s Ryan Walters has asked the state to approve purchasing 55,000 Bibles for classrooms. But not just any Bible. They must include U.S. founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, they may not include commentary, and they must be leather-bound. There may only be one Bible in the world that meets these requirements—and it’s backed by a current presidential candidate. Through a licensing agreement, Donald Trump receives money each time a $60 “God Bless the USA Bible” is sold:

Critics who have said Walters is inappropriately pushing Christianity into public schools now say he’s trying to line Trump’s pockets, perhaps with an eye toward a job in Trump’s administration if he wins the election in November.
“Pretty clear it’s designed to buy Trump Bibles,” state Rep. John Waldron (D) said in an interview. He said it would be a crime if the proposal was proved to have been written for a specific bidder. Regardless, he said, there are political benefits for Walters helping Trump to make money. “That buys him access on the national stage.”

Read more from Laura Meckler in The Washington Post here.

4. Chicago School Board Exodus

READ: All seven members of Chicago’s Board of Education resigned yesterday amidst growing tensions between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Public Schools’ CEO Pedro Martinez. The conflict centers on a proposed $1 billion budget gap solution, with the mayor suggesting a $300 million high-interest loan, which Martinez opposed. Johnson, aligned with the Chicago Teachers Union, called for Martinez’s resignation, leading to the board’s mass exit:

Mr. Martinez’s supporters have argued that the mayor’s budget plan is not financially responsible, given the high interest rate. They have also said that both the proposal and the push for Mr. Martinez to resign reflect an attempt by the mayor and the teachers’ union to consolidate power.
“The entire Chicago Board of Education getting forced out for refusing to oust a fiscally responsible C.E.O. during contract negotiations is stunning,” said Bill Conway, a City Council member, adding that the students “deserve stability, not chaos.”

Read more from Rachel Nostrant in The New York Times here.

5. Proven Paths to Progress

READ: The Hechinger Report’s Jull Barshay reported on a new study from TNTP that took a closer look at 1,345 “start-behind” schools that have excelled in helping students catch up academically by progressing 1.3 grade levels every year, meaning that they benefit from the equivalent of an extra full year of academics every three years:

“What we found was not a silver-bullet solution, a perfect curriculum, or a rockstar principal,” the report said. “Instead, these schools shared a commitment to doing three core things well: they create a culture of belonging, deliver consistent grade-level instruction, and build a coherent instructional program.

6. Teaching’s Hidden Price Tag

READ: Teachers say they’re increasingly paying out of pocket for necessary classroom expenses—and the cost far exceeds the $300 tax deduction they can claim. Chalkbeat’s Wellington Soares and Caroline Bauman spoke with teachers across the country about their spending, including Jamie Epps, a high school science teacher in Florida:

On my first day as a teacher, I didn’t bring anything because I heard teachers are given a little starter pack. My mom, who had been a teacher for over 20 years, also told me that I would probably have to buy classroom decorations, like a bulletin board.
That’s not the situation I lived in when I walked into the classroom: there were no pencils, paper, or markers. I had to buy everything, from staplers to printer ink. Over the 2023-2024 school year, I spent over $6,000, including materials for science experiments. I bought a class pet, a rabbit, and a fish tank so that we could study marine science.

7. Breaking the Degree Barrier

READ: David Deming took to the pages of The Atlantic to examine current Vice President Kamala Harris’ proposal to eliminate degree requirements for federal jobs. While popular with voters, the policy faces challenges as employers still prefer college graduates. Companies that have dropped degree requirements show minimal impact on hiring trends, with most hires still having a degree. Deming argues that the real barrier is the lack of alternative ways to verify qualifications for non-degree holders:

Even if a degree isn’t formally required, applicants who have one will still usually beat out applicants who don’t, because employers need some way to differentiate between them. The real issue, in other words, is not the existence of degree requirements, but the lack of alternative ways for workers to prove their qualifications. If political leaders really want to expand opportunities for non-college-educated Americans, that’s the problem they need to solve.

Read more here.

Imbroglio will take a short break next week. We’ll be back in your inbox on October 19.