It's a bit tough to profess ambivalence at best, skepticism at worst, when so many people are clamoring for the creation of a cabinet-level position for the arts. A Secretary of the Arts, or a Secretary of Arts and Culture, etc., along with a new Federal Department to match the position.Historically, the creation of a new executive department within the Cabinet is a very, very … [Read more...] about Secretary of the Arts?
The Soundtrack to My President Obama Moment
On election day, I tapped Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring as my soundtrack for that moment.Today, without question, it's Woody Guthrie's This Land is Your Land. And, as it turns out Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen felt the same way, performing it at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday.This was a song they taught us in grade school. The schools taught it along with America The … [Read more...] about The Soundtrack to My President Obama Moment
Steve Jobs and Access to the Arts
I am a Mac Geek. I even have a t-shirt to prove it. And, naturally, along with that territory goes my disdain for PCs.Yesterday at a workshop presented by Chamber Music America, I heard from a woman at Wellesley College about a group of female students who compose music, either using Apple's Garage Band, or having learned to compose using Apple's Garage Band.I know, many will … [Read more...] about Steve Jobs and Access to the Arts
KIPP Charter School Teachers Move to Join Teachers Union
Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) is a highly influential charter school operator, whose leaders have the ears of many key policy makers in education. The faculty of charter schools do not ordinarily belong to either the local AFT or NEA chapters, and of course, there are some exceptions, including charter schools created by local teachers unions. The absence of organized labor … [Read more...] about KIPP Charter School Teachers Move to Join Teachers Union
A Critic of Arne Duncan, and some surprises the economy may offer public schools
There was an interesting piece in Education Week yesterday offering a dissenting viewpoint on the nomination of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education. I guess it's becoming an old saw: those who believe in the free market as the solution to the challenges in public education, versus those who choose to approach change through a more traditional lens of teaching and learning. … [Read more...] about A Critic of Arne Duncan, and some surprises the economy may offer public schools