Next South Bronx School Internet Radio Cast

On the next Mind of a Bronx Teacher Internet radio show the scheduled guest is Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis. This Tuesday night, November 23 @ 9 PM EST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bronx-teacher/2010/11/24/the-mind-of-a-bronx-teacher

And as always the call in # is (917) 932-8721

Whitney Tilson Stereotypes Jews

I obliterated my junior year in high school in 1981. My parents instead of sending me to the regular local summer school instead sent me to a tutoring, education based camp in Maine. It was awesome. Instruction in the morning, afternoon free, study hall at night, what more could a 17 year old ask for.

We were basically on our own. Little two bed cabins were our quarters. I had a bunkmate named Gustavo from Columbia. I'll never forget the day he found out I was Jewish. I guess I was something of an aberration to him since there are not many Jews in Columbia. Anyway, he asked me point blank if I was Jewish. When I answered in the affirmative he replied, "Are you a good businessman?" I laughed. It was just another Jewish stereotype. He didn't know better.

The reason I am bringing this up is that Whitney Tilson in his ADHD written email today informed the known universe that he had just gotten back from Israel (God I wish I had known, I would have called Shin-Bet) and commented on the Israeli educational system. But what disturbs me is comment Whitney made about the system. Whitney blabbered, "was a shock to me because if there’s one thing that’s defined Jews for 4,000+ years, it’s an overwhelming focus on education." You are not Gustavo, you are not 17 years old, we are not in Maine, and you should know better.

To borrow a line from fellow blogger NYC Educator, really? Is this what you think Jews are only about? I guess I am guilty of stereotyping too. Think of how I stereotype you? The photo at right with you in front of the phallic shaped object whilst in Israel makes one wonder.

But enough about you and your rest room proclivities. Let's first explain to you about education in Israel, and why I think the college graduation rate is low.

The Israeli education system is broken up into several parts. There are; state (Mamlachti), state-religious (Mamlachti dati), Independent (Haredi) schools (Chinuch Atzmai) and Arab. Now yes, the majority of the population attends the state schools. But unlike here in America in which the government gives zero dollars to private and religious schools, the other non-state schools do get some funding by the government but are free to hire their own teachers.

The Haredi schools offer intensive Jewish studies programs and emphasize tradition and observance. Obviously, this is for the more Orthodox and hard core Zionists. The Chinuch Atzmai schools the emphasis is almost entirely on Torah study and offer very little in terms of secular subjects. So like my great grandfather that never worked but just read the Talmud, these two systems seem to focus more on the religious, non-secular education.

Did you know that Israel is not a homogeneous country? Like the United States, the population comes from many different countries and cultures.

What I think also might hinder the graduation rate is that Israeli males are required to emlist in the IDF at the age of 18 and are committed for three years. Israeli women are committed for two years. But then again even when they are out there is that pesky reserve system of the IDF which one must serve in until the age of forty five for up to one month a year, or for any national crisis. I am sure this skews one's college experience a bit.

What also skews one's college experience is the bombings, the rockets, the walking through every day life with wondering if you will be attacked for no reason other than being a Jew.

Now do I know this as fact? No. But I am capable, unlike you, to speak of the Jewish experience.

Now to your stereotypical remark. First off we, and I mean the Jews, have been here a lot longer than 4,000 years. This is 5771. Do the math. However, I doubt that the Jews were getting formal schooling that long ago.

I think where you get this absurd notion that Jews are all about education is that the Jews who came through Ellis Island were mostly from Eastern Europe. They knew that education was the way to go. But remember, your alma matter Harvard, really wanted nothing to do with Jews until about 50-60 years ago. Whitney, Jews weren't even allowed surnames until early in the 19th century.

What you said not only perpetuates this myth, this stereotype, but to claim that this is the only thing that Jews are known for is their educational prowess just smacks of ignorance. Aren't we known for losing 6 million? Aren't we known for our fine cuisine? Aren't we known for our keeping of traditions that are almost 6,000 years old? Aren't we know from bouncing back from adversity whenever shits like you open your mouths?

Whitney, your email, this blog post is being forwarded to the Anti-Defamation League. A person in your position, of your imagined stature should not be making comments such as this.

What you said makes one think about how you not only feel about Jews, but what you truly think of the boys and girls of color you so profess to care about.

Oh, and here is a video you might enjoy.

The Parts Are All Interchangeable

One is the same as the other is the same to the other to the others.

Next South Bronx School Internet Radio Cast

Tomorrow night's show, November 16 @ 9 PM our guest will be the esteemed, the irreverent, the opinionated, the frank, and the honest Arthur Goldstein. Arthur is UFT chapter leader and ESL teacher at Francis Lewis High School in Queens. Arthur write for Gotham Schools, Huffington Post and the Indypendent. Tonight we will discuss the Mayor 4 Life Bloomberg's decision to hire Hearst Corporation president Cathie Black has the new chancellor. This is sure to be riveting radio. As always, the call in # is (917) 932-8721

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bronx-teacher/2010/11/17/the-mind-of-a-bronx-teacher

Cathie Black's Qualifications

So the crack team here at SBSB search long and hard over the last 48 hours to find some clue as to what qualifies Cathie Black to run the schools here in New York City. It was quite an exhaustive search. Many Diet Cokes were downed along with many deliveries from Domino's. Sadly we could not find anything that qualifies Cathie. However, we did come to one conclusion. Using a old Greek mathematical formula initiated by Pythagoras, the team was able to come to the conclusion that Cathie Black will be nothing but a sock puppet.

But, we were not done. The team stayed up another 24 hours and brainstormed others more qualified than Cathie Black to lead the schools. It is a quite impressive list and if Mayor Bloomberg had actually taken the time to have a national search, he would have found several viable candidates from the our list.

ERIC NADELSTERN

My 9 year old son

His best friend Greg

His friend Eli who always walks around with his fly open

Mr Ed

Mr Sulu

Neil Peart

Hugh Heffner

Deanna Troi

Mr Worf

Michael Scott

Dwight Schrute

Geddy Lee

Yoko Ono

The crew at White Castle on Southern Blvd

Ba Ba Booey

High Pitched Eric

The Big Show

Charles Baron

Charles McCord

Harry Harrison

Carol Miller

Gabe Kaplan

Howard Hesseman

Arnold Horshack

Mrs Crabtree

Ben Stein

Chevy Chase

Larry Mondello's mother

John Ratzenberger

Sting

Gene Simmons

Ron Jeremy

Judd Hirsch

Tony Danza

Vince McMahon

John Cena

George "The Animal" Steele

Sarah Silverman

Bill, the single cell Amoeba

My cat

My grandmother who has been dead for 23 years

Borat

William Shatner

Yogi Berra

Yogi Bear

Jethro Boudine

And there are just so many more. Bloomy, please how can we have the "Children First" line when clearly you are putting cronies first?

Teachers Are Not Ewoks And We Do Not Live On Coruscant

I was pulling into the parking lot at the White Castle on 149th St and Southern Blvd when I heard the news briefly over the radio. Some dude named Klein resigned a job to become Rupert Murdoch's best buddy and Mayor Bloomberg hired a black woman.

I immediately called the crack team at the SBSB cave. I relayed the information I had heard on the radio. Instantly, they fed said information into the technologically advanced SBSB computer looking for the answer to what I had just heard. After five minutes, the answer came through on the radio loud and clear. Besides, the SBSB computer spat out a card with a bunch of holes on it that no one was able to decipher. But not from the computer. Joel Klein resigned as chancellor of the NYC schools, he accepted a job as executive VP in charge of Chancellors Who Have Been Unceremoniously Asked For Their Resignations Immediately And That Have Their Best Buddies Find A Nothing Job For Them at News Corp., and some magazine chick by the name of Cathie Black of Hearst Magazines, and formerly of USA Today has become the new anointed one. Great someone who gave us the McPaper is now going to give us the McSchool

The only thing I am not surprised about is the Uncle Joel went to work for Rupert Murdoch. I was mocked by thousands last month for a post I had written concerning Ruppie and Uncle Joel. But the photo turned out to be pretty prophetic, eh?

So what to make of this? Before we start dancing around like the Ewoks, and the population on Coruscant had after Vader was killed and the Death Star exploded, know this. Mayor Palpatine is still amongst us. The Sith Lord always has an apprentice. We are not at Episode VI yet. No, we are halfway through Episode III, Revenge of the Sith. Count Dooku is gone, now Vader has taken its place. The fight must not end.

El presidente de UFT, Michale Mulgrew released this statement; “I look forward to working with Ms. Black. As a teacher, I will help in any way I can to help the children of New York.” Lame. Wrong answer. Again I turned to the Crack Team here at SBSB for them to formulate a better response than Mulgrew gave. After many hours, and several deliveries from Domino's later there was nothing. I then turned to be nine year old son, catching him during a commercial break of iCarly. In five seconds he came up with what Mulgrew should have said; "After eight years of a non educator running and ruining our schools in which there has been no positive affects on students learning, inflated graduation rates, the scapegoating of teachers, closing of schools, and several convoluted reorganizations, we call upon SED chief David Steiner to deny a waiver for Cathie Black, a woman who has had no experience whatsoever in education, to be chancellor of the NYC schools." Wow, imagine that from a nine year old.

This is not the time for us to roll out the welcome mat and bring cookies and milk. This is the time to start taking the offensive. I believe the deform movement is on the ropes. They have overreached and now the public is staring to see what they truly are. Klein was sacrificed. Mayor Mike has seen the albatross that Klein has become. How else can he be the Jewish Ross Perot in 2012 with Klein around his neck? The only thing that should be on the neck is the UFT's foot on the DOE's neck and we don't let up until we get back the right for students to be properly educated in this city and the respect each and every parent, as well as teachers deserve.

Next South Bronx School Internet Radio Cast

tonight show we are welcoming back Mona Davids. We will discuss, among other topics, Mona's attempt to allow charter school meetings to be videotaped. Also, Eva Moskowirtz's special relationship with Joel Klein. Sure to be riveting radio!

Show time is 9 PM EST.

http://blogtalkradio.com/bronx-teacher/2010/11/10/the-mind-of-a-bronx-teacher

Call in #: 917-932-8721