Comments on: Brinksmanship in DC Schools? http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/11/16/brinksmanship-in-dc-schools/ Closing the Achievement Gap: Teaching Content Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:44:17 -0500 hourly 1 By: john thompson http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/11/16/brinksmanship-in-dc-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-4869 john thompson Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:26:43 +0000 http://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/?p=1455#comment-4869 On the first reading, I thought you were joking. Who will be named the Commandante, Lynn Cheney? We have a President Elect who is law professor and who was known for collegiality. And they want a virtual coup? How about a state of emergency to fight tobacco? to fight obesity? to get guns off the street? Obama will appreciate this news like he would a state of emergency to displace the 2nd Amendment (or to implement his promise to work for a College Football National Championship. We just don't do it this way in this country. Can you imagine what the Obama campaign would have thought if the September press conference was held? With friends like Fenty and Rhee, Obama doesn't need enemies. With friends like Fenty and Rhee, education doesn't need enemies. Remember a great piece of cultural literacy, the 80s song by John McCutheon? We've got government on horseback again, Like in the day's when congressmen were men, We will make it on our own, Running on testosterone, We've got government on horseback again. Golly, I almost wish this trainwreck could happen just for the belly laughs. No, not really. I just realized the worst things about Obama. If this was a Republican administration I'd want this to play out to its hilarious conclusion if for no other reason than the Daily Show and Colbert. But now we have to put that sort of wierdness behind us and govern. What were they thinking? What a West Wing scene this would make, with the real Raum Emmanuel going ballistic. On the first reading, I thought you were joking. Who will be named the Commandante, Lynn Cheney?

We have a President Elect who is law professor and who was known for collegiality. And they want a virtual coup? How about a state of emergency to fight tobacco? to fight obesity? to get guns off the street?

Obama will appreciate this news like he would a state of emergency to displace the 2nd Amendment (or to implement his promise to work for a College Football National Championship.

We just don’t do it this way in this country.

Can you imagine what the Obama campaign would have thought if the September press conference was held? With friends like Fenty and Rhee, Obama doesn’t need enemies.

With friends like Fenty and Rhee, education doesn’t need enemies.

Remember a great piece of cultural literacy, the 80s song by John McCutheon?

We’ve got government on horseback again,
Like in the day’s when congressmen were men,
We will make it on our own,
Running on testosterone,
We’ve got government on horseback again.

Golly, I almost wish this trainwreck could happen just for the belly laughs. No, not really.

I just realized the worst things about Obama. If this was a Republican administration I’d want this to play out to its hilarious conclusion if for no other reason than the Daily Show and Colbert. But now we have to put that sort of wierdness behind us and govern.

What were they thinking? What a West Wing scene this would make, with the real Raum Emmanuel going ballistic.

]]> By: Alice Finkel http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/11/16/brinksmanship-in-dc-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-4865 Alice Finkel Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:36:09 +0000 http://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/?p=1455#comment-4865 Student achievement depends upon many things, only a few of which have to do with teachers or the schools. It is good to focus on the things a school system can change to boost student achievement, of course. But in the end one may be tripped up by the factors that cannot be changed by school systems or government agencies. There are limits to achievement that are set before the child sets foot in the classroom for the first time, and limits that continue to be set outside the classroom every single day by the child's environment. Some students can perform well in abysmal school settings and some students could not perform well under absolutely perfect school policies, curricula, and teachers. Student achievement depends upon many things, only a few of which have to do with teachers or the schools. It is good to focus on the things a school system can change to boost student achievement, of course. But in the end one may be tripped up by the factors that cannot be changed by school systems or government agencies. There are limits to achievement that are set before the child sets foot in the classroom for the first time, and limits that continue to be set outside the classroom every single day by the child’s environment.

Some students can perform well in abysmal school settings and some students could not perform well under absolutely perfect school policies, curricula, and teachers.

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