ENGLAND MAY BE LOOKING TO U.S. TO FILL TOP EDUCATION POSITION

I kind of get a kick out of the fact that one of the main unions for educators in the United Kingdom is called NUT (National Union of Teachers). It's a really cool name because you kind of do have to be somewhat of a nut to be involved in trade unionism or education these days in the UK or the US.

Notice how right there on the NUT homepage is a ballot for strike action.  I know no Taylor Law in the UK but it is refreshing to see unions contemplating job actions.

NUT may need to muster up some of its collective strength in the near future if the current Conservative government makes good on their threat to hire an international union buster as the next chief inspector of English schools.

From the Daily Telegraph:

One of the favourites is said to be Dave Levin, co-founder of the KIPP group, which set up a network of more than 180 high-performing schools in the US.

Others likely to be approached include Doug Lemov, head of a chain of charter schools in New York; Eva Moskowitz, chief executive of Success Academy Charter Schools in New York and Joel Klein, who as chancellor of New York Schools district took on the teaching unions.

I have a question: Can they take all of them?

Not that I am wishing any of them on England but having to deal with NUT as opposed to the concessionary style leadership of the UFT, might be a different experience for these people who have played a great role in ruining public education in the US.

Oh and with Eva's name put out there internationally, Ed Notes is reporting how the Guardian is exposing how Success Academy's success is in part due to Eva playing the numbers game to make sure only the students who have the best chance of passing take standardized exams.



On a personal note, the family spent the week in Georgia visiting Camille's siblings.  We're back in NYC for the long stretch of the school year. Welcome back everyone.