Education

Gender Prison: Two stories out of Maine -- bullying and inclusion

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This evening I have a couple of stories out of Maine. Both stories are connected with education.

The first story concerns a bullying event in Penobscot County, at "the town that paper made," close to the center of Maine. The second is a story out of the annual spring meeting of the Maine Principal's Association at Samoset Resort, on the coast between Portland and Bangor.

The first story involves hate. The second involves fairness. The two often fail to coexist.

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Insisting transgender kids be put at risk - Part 2

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Last evening I published Insisting transgender students be put at risk . At the time, I promised to follow that up with two more stories this evening. The first of those stories concerns an attempt in California aimed at preventing that risk as well as angry people who wish to thwart that effort. The second story concerns a situation in Colorado in which a transgender child actually was made a target by a change of policy in her school district.

In both California and Colorado there are actually legal protections from discrimination in public accommodations on the basis of gender identity. Wouldn't it be cool if people understood that a school is part of the very heart of the definition of "public accommodations."

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Gender Prison: Insisting transgender students be put at risk

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Good stories. Bad stories. Stories which are a little bit of both.

And then there are stories which are just plain ugly. Often they include nasty commentary by someone from Fox News.

Like Bill O'Reilly.

Recently the Massachusetts Department of Education issued a directive targeting the treatment of transgender students by schools, teachers, school staff, and administrators.

The eleven-page document is entitled Guidance for Massachusetts Public Schools -- Creating a Safe and Supportive School Environment

The main point is the implementation of the underlined portion of the law (An Act Relative to Gender Identity) which became effective on July 1, 2012.

No person shall be excluded from or discriminated against in admission to a public school of any town, or in obtaining the advantages, privileges and courses of study of such public school on account of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.

Throughout the diary I have included photos of transgender youth. You get to decide which ones you would be uncomfortable sharing the restroom or locker room with.

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Worse than gay

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Note: All references to this situation have used male pronouns, including statements by the lawyer, so I shall continue the practice.

Mark Krolikowski, 59, has been known by his students as Mr. K. From all indications Krolikowski was a beloved teacher at ST. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, Queens. He had taught there for 32 years. He even co-directed the school's chamber orchestra for a 2008 performance for Pope Benedict XVI.

But about five years ago Mr. K. began feminizing his appearance and recently he came out as transgender. In May of 2011 the parent of a freshman complained about Krolikowski's appearance to the principal at the time, Leonard Conway. Krolikowsky had grown his hair out and began painting his nails and wearing earrings along with his usual suits and ties. Conway notified Mr. K. that he would "no longer be welcome at public events if he arrived in women's garb."

Brother Conway also told Krolikowski he was worse than gay.

So Krolikowski toned down his appearance. He received excellent evaluations for the 2011-12 school year. But in June he was told that he was being insubordinate and he was terminated in August.

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Anti-Capitalist Meetup: Brave New World - High Stakes Testing or When a Test is Not Just a Test by Diane Zavala and Peg Rapp

(This article was co-authored by Diana Zavala, a parent with a 9 year old child in New York City Public Schools who works with Change the Stakes and Peg Rapp, a member of the Anti-Capitalist Meet-up Collective who also taught in the New York City Public Schools).

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No heroes among them: the saga of the East Aurora School Board

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I've covered the ongoing drama in suburban East Aurora, IL several times previously: see

Updated: Will IL school board kowtow to hate group? You bet!

School Daze

Not so much equality.

We can now bring that drama to a conclusion.

And surprise!

We didn't win.

The East Aurora School Board voted on Monday to dissolve the 22-person committee that was formed in October to advise the district on transgender issues.

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The CCSS Stampede: Trampling Why, What, How We Teach

Officially yesterday, everyone I know even casually has now shared with me a video of Sir Ken Robinson or some very similar TED video. The sharing always includes, either directly or implicitly, the suggestion that the ideas in these videos have sprung fully formed from Robinson or others as if no one in education has ever uttered them (or even thought about them for more than a second).

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Education for capitalist discipline: the newest twist

(This diary is a repost of a diary I posted here at VOTS -- it was intended back in September over at Kos as a sort of sequel to the diary about inequality. I'm reposting these diaries now because even the New York Times has noticed that school reform sucks.

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On inequality and education

(Folks, this is a reprise of a diary I posted in July of this year over at Kos -- it made the Rescued list. It takes the form of a commentary upon a Chronicle of Higher Education piece. The most important thing to take away from this diary is that of the utter and complete bogusness of the "reform agenda," whether it be Republican or Democratic.

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