What a lark! I thought reporters were supposed to fact check? However I did read an article in the Post, of all places, about overcrowded conditions in many schools.
Reporters need access into these schools. Why isn't NY Teacher showing these pictures on the front page instead of those plastic happy teachers who are kissing Randi's feet.
Reporters should also report on the lack on supplies and support materials and equipment like xeroxing.
Some schools require teachers to pay for the copy paper and use of the machine. Where is the Unity on this issue?
Do employees at Bloomberg Inc. also have to pay for the right to use the copier? Or does he think teacher salaries should support this? (Oh yeah, I forgot, he does.)
So while the rich and charter school students get to sit in a nice classroom with small-class sizes, our students are out in the hall or sitting on floors.
Children First?
Depends on who the reporter really works for.
That is UNreal.
Syb
UNREAL but unfortunately very true!
If you want to know why reporters will not check facts it's because our union does not contact them so they get their misinformtion from Kleinberg without any union input.
Most reporters rewrite government press releases and spend much of their time trying to eat all the free cocktail weenies and drink all the free martinis they can.
I think it was Tucker Carlson who said once a politican knows that free booze, free food and access can win a reporter's heart, he's got it made.
ooops, I hit trackback..nfi what that is.. hope I didnt mess any settings up,, sorry
Syb
relity based educator..
Maybe in yr state they do not check facts- eat weenies- and whatnot, but not in this state, or the one N of it.. My husband was a reporter, then managing ed, then ed page ed, and now thrice weekly page 1 columnist for dailies (MCClatchey Inc).. ABSOLUTELY FALSE
Syb
sorry.. typo.. relity= reAlity
reporters--fact check?
Why should they, when they get their articles ready-written?
I once tried checking the facts of an article, googled and then found numerous articles, all identical, carefully copy-pasted press releases.
i have been married to him 30 + years.. i KNOW what they do. I (almost) live it
SL
http//:islandpacket.com
http://www2.islandpacket.com/blo...ogs/
dlauderdale
http://www.islandpacket.com/edit.../col/thatsthat/
Syb,
I don't think anyone meant to personally insult your husband. The one article I read of his was very good. However, we're not getting the truth from the DoE and their words are being reported uncritically by some.
I see national reporters doing much the same thing on a regular basis. The Bush administration was even caught paying off several reporters to print their POV.
I really don't see how you can argue with a straight face that there's a pro-DOE media bias. The press, especially the tabloids, looks for every opportunity to advance the "our schools are dysfunctional" storyline, and most of that comes back to the DOE. Granted, some papers also have an anti-union bias - fits with the dysfunctional system storyline - but that doesn't mean they don't love tearing into the DOE.
On class size, you're presuming that (1) it's possible to calculate the number of oversized classes precisely and (2) the UFT is a more credible source on this statistic than the DOE is. On (1), the data the UFT reports is old and based on whatever chapter leaders say - hardly precise. On (2), the UFT has an incentive to spin the numbers to advance the storyline THEY want to see - that classes are bursting at the seams. After all, they're waging a rather expensive and coordinated campaign to reduce maximum class size. The UFT's numbers are no closer to objective facts than the DOE's are. You just happen to side with the UFT on this particular issue.
Lainie Hainson's listserve has many more parents than teachers on it and they are telling stories of high class sizes for their own children and their friends. No spinning here. Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts.
Sorry, anonymous, but I thought you didn't wish to discuss this anymore.
UFT chairpersons check the registers, count them, and automatically grieve every one. I've seen it done. Your objections are, quite simply, baseless.
The classes are not "calculated," but counted.
And there is most certainly a pro-DoE bias. Corporations that run papers do not largely favor working people. Tabloid editorial pages, which you clearly do not read, regularly suggest breaking the supervisors' union, and laud the giveback-laden UFT contract as a testament to the lack of consequences for management negotiating in good faith.
Also, the classes are bursting at the seams. I see it every day, and I don't need statistics to prove it.
Finally, your personal bias is quite evident in everything you write. What's your vantage point in this?
To Anonymous,
I would tend to believe the teachers over the DoE for a couple of reasons. First, because a state comptrollers audit concluded the the DoE misallocated funds allocated to class size reduction. Here'a link for the audit: http://osc.state.ny.us/audits/al...093006/
05n3.pdf
Second, because the Chancellor went on TV and said he had created classes of 10 or less for 300,000 kids. I guess he's talking about the extended day program. I don't think anyone really considers that period a class. Clearly if he's taking that kind of liberty with the truth, then that's sufficient to cast doubt on other statistics and assertions he provides.
I'm puzzled as to why when teachers complain about class size it's considered avaricious and self-serving. Isn't it possible they are simply acting in the best interest of the children?
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