Tag Archives: San Diego

Guess what? It’s that time again — time to highlight some of the exciting new educational options opening up for Colorado students and parents this fall. Last year we were able to give readers a glimpse at 10 new schools. My goal is to do at least that many for 2009. First on the list, we start at the far end of the state in Durango for the opening of a new public charter school for 9th graders. Authorized by the Charter School Institute, Animas High School. Animas, which is intentionally modeled after San Diego’s innovative High Tech High, is slated to add grades each year so the first class will graduate in 2013.

For those who heard my Education Policy Center friend Ben DeGrow discuss the National Education Association this morning on News Talk 1310 KFKA‘s Amy Oliver Show, here is the video clip you heard of the NEA’s retiring general counsel Bob Chanin explaining his organization’s priorities: The clip came from the end of Chanin’s keynote speech to the NEA’s annual Representative Assembly in San Diego on July 6. According to Education Week reporter Steven Sawchuk, Chanin received a 5-minute standing ovation at the end. Do leaders of the Colorado Education Association share Chanin’s priorities? Is there an intrepid reporter in our state who would dare ask? Inquiring minds want to know … Also, for those who listened to the radio interview, here is a link to the Citizens’ Commission on Civil Rights report (PDF) criticizing NEA, which Ben and Amy talked about this morning. Ben also wrote about these issues at length on the Schools for Tomorrow blog — here and here.

I’m getting ready for all the hot dogs, swimming, and fireworks this weekend. But if you want to keep tabs on a different kind of fireworks, stay tuned to the Education Intelligence Agency’s coverage of the annual National Education Association Representative Assembly, this year in San Diego. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan kicks off the five-day event this morning with a “town hall” meeting of union members. So there might be some fireworks for you right there. In the meantime, Larry Sand of the California Teachers Empowerment Network welcomes the NEA delegates to town with a critical op-ed in the local San Diego Union-Tribune.

Thanks to Intercepts’ Mike Antonucci for bringing our attention to this story… San Diego Pulitzer prize-winning political cartoonist Steve Breen was invited to speak at a local public elementary school. A great opportunity for kids to see, right? Think about the kids in the school who are aspiring artists and creative thinkers. Right now, I like to draw pictures of race cars and army guys. Maybe I could do what Mr. Breen does someday. Anyway, there’s more to the story – he has been “disinvited” because of this cartoon he drew: Ed Morrissey at the Hot Air blog makes a great point about the cartoon: A little harsh? Perhaps; the state of California hardly got hijacked by the unions against their will, at least not “Sacramento” as representing its government. The Democrats who run the state willingly allied themselves with these powerful unions and stuck it to the taxpayers on their behalf. Rename the ship “California Taxpayers” and that may be more on target. Regardless, the union officials, school officials, or whoever is responsible for taking back Mr. Breen’s invitation only have helped to prove the point: It isn’t really about the kids, is it? It’s hard to deny that […]