For Whom the Pell Doles

By Larry Sand
01/07/2014
Why are vouchers okay for college students, but not for K-12ers? Recently, the National Education Association posted an interview with Wes Moore on its website. Two boys are named Wes Moore. Both grow up in fatherless homes in Baltimore. Both struggle in school, and run into trouble with the police. But one Wes Moore wins...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Dennis Van Roekel, Friedman Foundation, G.I. Bill, Larry Sand, National Education Association, opportunity scholarships, Paul Ryan, Pell Grant, Randi Weingarten, school choice, vouchers

Michigan Teachers and Their Union Support Child Rapist

By Larry Sand
12/15/2013
“Although fully aware that Neal did something illegal, I am very proud to have him as my friend.” “… his dedication and leadership qualities gained him the respect of his administrators, staff, students and community.” The above quotes are from letters that were written by teachers to a judge last June on behalf of a...

TAGS: Dennis Van Roekel, EAG, Larry Sand, Michigan Education Association, Randi Weingarten, teachers union

The Big Apple and Little Dougco

By Larry Sand
11/12/2013
Last week, the nation’s biggest city and a county in Colorado went in diametrically opposite education reform directions. On Election Day, there were several outcomes that affected how education will be conducted across the country. Perhaps the most dramatic took place in New York City and Douglas County, CO. In New York, after several years...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Ben DeGrow, Bill de Blasio, Charter schools, Chester Finn, Education Next, Joel Klein, Joy Resmovits, Larry Sand, Marcus Winters, Michael Bloomberg, Randi Weingarten, Rick Hess

Getting Criminals Out of Schools

By Larry Sand
11/05/2013
A new bill would keep pedophiles and violent criminals out of our schools; teachers unions balk. California law firm decides to try an end run. A couple of weeks ago in Washington, D.C., the House of Representatives passed a bill by a simple voice vote, which stipulated that public schools would be barred from employing...

TAGS: AFT, Alex Padilla, American Federation of Teachers, LA School Report, Larry Sand, National Education Association, NEA, Randi Weingarten, SB 1530, teachers union

Anti-School Choice Goblins Haunt the Land

By Larry Sand
10/29/2013
It’s October and the voucher-bashing ghouls are doing their best to fog the issues and trick us. While there are some education traditionalists who may embrace charter schools, they frequently draw a strict line in the sand when it comes to vouchers. For the uninitiated, a voucher enables a parent to take education funding issued...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, Fordham Institute, Greg Forster, Larry Sand, Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, Patrick Wolf, privatization, Randi Weingarten, school choice, teachers union, vouchers

Dump the Masters Bump

By Larry Sand
10/15/2013
Advanced degrees for teachers have no bearing on student learning. Last week, The Wall Street Journal brought to a national audience the news that lawmakers in North Carolina have done away with automatic pay increases for teachers who have master’s degrees. North Carolina is the latest state to get rid of the “masters bump,” following...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Center for American Progress, Larry Sand, LAUSD, Los Angeles Unified School District, National Council on Teacher Quality, Randi Weingarten, teachers unions, TNTP, Tom Kane

Labor Stains

By Larry Sand
10/08/2013
A new American Federation of Teachers financial report shows that the union has not modified its anti-child and anti-conservative stance. Courtesy of education writer RiShawn Biddle, we get to peek at the latest edition of the American Federation of Teachers LM-2, a yearly financial report detailing union income and spending. No surprises. Just the same...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Larry Sand, Mike Antonucci, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, RiShawn Biddle, teachers unions, Tom Corbett

The City of Brotherly Love (Cain and Abel Edition)

By Larry Sand
10/01/2013
Philadelphia is a city famous for Ben Franklin, the Liberty Bell, cheesesteaks, and now – a miserable and bloated education system. In what has become an American tradition, another big city mayor has gone to war with “Big Education.”  Like Michael Bloomberg (NY), Antonio Villaraigosa (LA) and Rahm Emanuel (Chicago), Philadelphia’s Michael Nutter is dealing...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Larry Sand, Michael Nutter, Mike Antonucci, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, Tom Corbett

“I’m Randi Weingarten and Now, the Fake News.”

By Larry Sand
07/30/2013
Teachers union makes news with meaningless words and a misleading poll. Norm MacDonald is famous for opening the comedic news segment on Saturday Night Live by introducing himself and telling the audience that it’s time for the “fake news.” I thought of this when, at the recent American Federation of Teachers convention, President Randi Weingarten...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Cato Institute, EAG, Jason Bedrick, Larry Sand, Lindsey Burke, Michelle Rhee, Mike Antonucci, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, Stephen Sawchuk, teachers union, The Heritage Foundation, Valerie Strauss

The Media and Teachers Unions: Creepy Crass Actors

By Larry Sand
07/23/2013
Joining a racially charged situation, largely inflamed by the media, the nation’s teachers unions hypocritically play the civil rights card. To acknowledge the obvious, the February 26, 2012 events in Sanford, FL were tragic. Trayvon Martin is dead and George Zimmerman will be haunted – and very possibly hunted – for the rest of his...

TAGS: ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, California Federation of Teachers, California Teachers Association, Dennis Van Roekel, Larry Sand, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, RiShawn Biddle, Students Matter, teachers unions, United Teachers of Los Angeles, Vergara v California