Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Teachers will not join Walker in education effort

"Just being invited to be a member of that team does not mean that our voices would be heard at that table," said a rep.

Wisconsin’s teachers union will not join Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s effort to create a new state accountability system to replace the federal No Child Left Behind after lingering mistrust following his cuts to their collective bargaining rights.

“We simply do not have the necessary trust or confidence,” union president Mary Bell said of Walker and two other Republicans on the panel–Sen. Luther Olsen and Rep. Steve Kestell. “Our decision is based on experience with the governor and these legislative leaders over the last four months.”

Walker wanted the Wisconsin Education Association Council’s participation in establishing a new accountability system even if they didn’t support him in the past. Walker joined forces with state superintendent Tony Evers, who also opposed his union plan.…Read More

Wis. GOP bypasses Dems, cuts collective bargaining

AP Photo: Dozens of protestors spent the night in the Capitol corridors, some sleeping on the marble floor.

At least two dozen protesters spent the night just outside the Wisconsin state Assembly chamber in anticipation of a late Thursday morning vote on explosive union rights legislation that passed the Senate after Republicans outmaneuvered their missing Democratic counterparts and pushed through the bill.

The extraordinary turn of events late Wednesday set up Thursday’s perfunctory vote on the measure that would strip nearly all collective bargaining rights from most public workers. Once the bill passes the Assembly, it heads to Republican Gov. Scott Walker for his signature.

Within hours of the Senate passing the bill, a crowd of hundreds of protesters grew to about 7,000 in the Capitol, a crowd as large as any seen inside the building in three weeks of demonstrations.…Read More

On prank call, Wis. governor discusses strategy

 

Governor says the conversation won't affect his job.

 

On a prank call that quickly spread across the internet, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was duped into discussing his strategy to cripple public employee unions, promising never to give in and joking that he would use a baseball bat in his office to go after political opponents.…Read More