Roy F. McCampbell's Blog

What a fabulous story!

Chicago Public Schools, known for their love of charters, turned down a proposal to open two new Concept charters. The one existing Concept charter school in Chicago had unimpressive test scores. So Concept went to the Illinois State Charter School Commission and won their charters!

What a coup! How did it happen? Well, it seems that Concept charters are affiliated with the Turkish Gulen chain, the largest in the nation. And they have a very good friend: House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Madigan is “the South Side Democrat who’s a powerful advocate of Concept and the faith-based Gulen movement to which the schools are connected.”

Better yet, the Concept charters will get 33% more funding than other charters in Chicago!

Madigan really, really likes Turkey, and he truly likes the Gulen charters, too, according to the story by investigative journalist Dan Mihalopoulos.

“Madigan, who’s also the…

The holidays are “rough.”

And so that was Christmas. And Thanksgiving. And Hanukah. And a bunch of other boozy, carbohydrate and kin filled days and nights comprising the holidays.

Of course, we still have New Year’s eve and day to contend with. For many, that’s a big one as well. But I consider the holiday marathon between the 25th of November and December. When one stops drinking as I have (a decade-old resolution held firm), New Year’s Eve loses its punch so to speak. Something I’m eternally grateful for the following day.

I know it’s a freshman cliché but I do not care for the holidays because they are so damn commercial. Between Black Friday and the Lexus “December to Remember” I’m cooked. I realize the irony, given I’m in the advertising profession. So be it. On that note, I also loathe how every ad agency on earth feels compelled…

Here is a new blogger–at least new to me.

A Chicago teacher–or teachers–is employing wit and satire to portray the out-of-touch socialites who are devoting their time to school reform in the Windy City.

Humor can be a powerful tool when combatting the failed ideas of the powerful.

A post from the wonderful Jan Resseger:

A Special Christmas Wish for What Children Need This Year: Quality Teachers

The Rev. John Thomas, the former General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, is now a professor and administrator Chicago Theological Seminary. His wonderful blog post for this Christmas is about the importance of quality public school teachers: All I Want for Christmas.

“While the old holiday song suggests that children might want two front teeth for Christmas, this year I’d like to suggest an alternative: “All I want for Christmas is a teacher.” Sunday’s New York Times reported the stark impact of the recent recession on schools, namely, the massive loss of public school teachers since 2008. According to Labor Department statistics, public schools across the country employ 250,000 fewer people today than they did prior to the recession. Meanwhile, pupil enrollment has grown by…