Move Your Money

So, you may have heard of the new video and movement, Move Your Money, encouraging the patrons of big banks to move their accounts to small community banks. The video is quite compelling, featuring clips from It’s a Wonderful Life, along with damning clips of modern bank malfeasance. The video is worth viewing, even if [...]

Speech- Uncertainty and Opportunity in Education

I gave the following speech at the BTSA End of the Year Seminar. Thank you. I am honored to speak to you today. Introduction I started teaching 12 years ago, before BTSA, I think. If there was BTSA back then, I didn’t go. Was there BTSA? Am I in trouble now? I was trained and [...]

Education Cuts – Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year gets Pink Slip

A victim of California’s deep education cuts in the Spring of 2009, the Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year for 2006-2007, Mr. Ron Zell, received a pink slip and was informed that his services were no longer needed, in spite of his award-winning programs and amazing contributions to the community of Buellton, California. When [...]

Pink Friday- Teacher Cuts in California

On Friday, March 14, I joined the thousands of teachers, educators, students, and other citizens in the statewide rally “Pink Friday” to protest the California budget cuts that are adversely affecting education. While the new Obama Administration has committed billions in education funding increases as part of the national economic stimulus package, the State of [...]

Using Psychology to Solve Education Woes

Can you convince students that their class is smaller, so they can benefit from that? Can you talk them into believing that their school is safe and well-maintained when it’s not. Can you convince them that their inequitable access to education resources is fair and just?

Refinancing Our Future, The Stimulus Package and Education

In today’s blog I discuss several thoughts related to the economic stimulus package, the arguments against it, and how this relates to the importance of funds to support education.

A Tax Cut for Every Problem

(This post is a repost from before the election, but it warrants repeating due to the current debate about spending versus tax cuts for economic stimulus.) John McCain used to be more honest about tax policy. He voted against the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy. He knew at the time, as most people would [...]