Ivanka Trump and Evita Peron: does a chilling foreboding cause shivers in your spine?

Does Ivanka do a more eerily accurate impersonation  of Evita than Madonna did in the 1996 movie? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8qauSHc0UU

Ivanka Trump                                                                Evita Peron

Here are the descamisados, then and now:

UPDATE April 20, 2017

The cult has begun:

Ivanka Trump Has Huge Chinese Fan Club Worshiping ‘Goddess Ivanka’
Eric Baculinao
NBC News
April 20, 2017

BEIJING — Ivanka Trump is fast becoming a cult figure for many in China, her popularity spiking so much there is already an online fan club dedicated to "Goddess Ivanka" with thousands of followers.

The boost in the first daughter's appeal has been such that her Chinese lawyers are currently filing several trademark applications in her name in a bid to stop hundreds of copycat Chinese companies cashing-in on her brand.

The applications in China have involved a bewildering array of products, from jewelry and underwear, to mattresses and formula milk powder — all filed in the name "Ivanka Trump" or similar sounding names since her father became U.S. president...

Improving children's executive functions

Why Executive Function Is A Vital Stepping-Stone For Kids’ Ability to Learn

iStock/manopjk

By Katrina Schwartz 

KQED.org

December 13, 2016

...STRATEGIES

• Breathing buddies: Students lie down on the floor with a favorite stuffed animal on their chests. They slowly breathe in and out, watching the animal rise and fall. This helps students calm down when they are upset and gives them a strategy to implement when they feel themselves getting worked up.
• Teachers keep “meta boxes” in their classrooms full of fidget toys students can use to help them pay attention when they feel like they need to move.
• When transitioning between subjects or recess, teachers often play calming music and let only five kids in at a time to limit the chaos.
• Many elementary school teachers have had the experience of asking a question, seeing many hands in the air, but then calling on a student who says he forgot. That could be a working memory problem. Some Carlisle teachers are proactively addressing this by letting those kids record their thoughts on paper or a device so they can contribute when they’re called on.
• Carlisle was an early adopter of Wexler’s Activate program, too. The iPad lessons focus on typical working memory games that require students to remember the order of things, progressively getting harder as the game develops. The physical games reinforce the online learning with social interactions that help embed the memories in movement. Mass ball is one game that requires students to throw a ball in a specific sequence. Students have to juggle paying attention to the order and catching the ball.
• Carlisle teachers also have students do a lot of balancing games, which help with executive functioning. Teachers might ask students to walk on a line balancing bean bags on their heads or to do the same walk on tiptoe. Teachers also use relay races to get kids moving, since exercise alone helps with executive functioning.

Adults have an attention span of about 12 minutes with a fully developed executive functioning system, so it’s no wonder kids can’t focus without a break. “It cannot be overemphasized that all of us need to be thinking about taking information in smaller chunks,” said Malinda Mikesell, the reading supervisor for the Carlisle Area School District. She said kids need an opportunity to do something with the information on their own before having the chance to reset for the next chunk of information...

Discipline in schools: are the adults worse than the children at Horton and Castle Park Elementary Schools?

Here are two stories of misbehavior at schools. In the first, students became noisy in the cafeteria and grabbed a bathroom pass from an employee's pocket. In the second, teachers celebrated the last day of school by saturating curtains, walls, upholstered furniture and carpet in the teachers lounge with soda and desserts that were left over from parties in their classrooms.

Too many adults in schools confuse authority with power. They think whoever has power gets to do whatever they want. Quite a few teachers and administrators are as desperately in need of lessons in respect as the worst-behaved students.

Story One

ACLU criticizes S.D. elementary school for forcing students to plank

Maureen Magee

San Diego Union-Tribune
Dec. 5, 2016

Horton Elementary School in southeastern San Diego has come under fire for disciplining students for misbehavior by forcing them to hold a plank position on a hot blacktop surface, which the ACLU said amounts to corporal punishment.

An incident occurred in October when a ruckus erupted in the cafeteria after a student reportedly took a bathroom pass from an employee’s pocket. The school replaced open recess for fourth- and fifth-graders with structured exercising, including the plank or push-up position.

Some of the students’ parents were banned from campus for 14 days under threat of prosecution after they complained to the principal...

San Diego Unified disagrees that corporal punishment was used, rather Horton “modified open recess” for the students for three days “as a result of unruly behavior displayed by students during the lunch period on Oct. 14,” district spokeswoman Shari Winet said in a written statement...

The rowdy lunchtime incident prompted staff to summon the principal, Staci Dent, who arrived at the cafeteria to find some students pounding on their desks or tables...

According to the ACLU and parent complaints filed with the district, students were “forced to get into a push-up or ‘plank’ position, and hold the pose for a significant period of time, potentially as long as several minutes.” Some developed blisters on their hands after they “were forced to hold their hands against the scalding hot blacktop” or face time in juvenile hall, according to the principal’s threats, the ACLU said in its letter to Marten.

...The principal sent “stay away” letters to at least four parents informing them they were banned from campus for 14 days under a provision in the Penal Code. The letters threatened the parents with arrest and prosecution should they “enter onto district property in the future and should they cause disturbance or disruption....Read more here.

Story Two--Food Fight at Castle Park Elementary
by Maura Larkins
Dec. 11, 2016

There was a huge food fight at Castle Park Elementary School when I was a teacher there.

The walls, furniture and carpet of the teachers lounge were saturated with sodas and cake on the last day of classes. It took the custodians over a week to clean it, and another week for it to dry. There were absolutely no consequences for any of the immature, negligent teachers who made the mess. (No students were involved.)

The next year one of the teachers returned to the lounge on the last day of school wearing a raincoat. She was planning to do a repeat performance, but no one else was interested.

The teacher in the raincoat (I'll call her "R" for raincoat) had a habit of becoming enraged when students weren't suspended when she demanded it. She and her "family" (I kid you not; that's what her clique of teachers called themselves) controlled the principal and the district administration.

"R" also caused huge legal bills for the district and was finally transferred out as part of the "Castle Park Five" when the district tried to retake control of the school from the rogue teachers.

Ironically, David Loy, chief counsel for the San Diego ACLU, went out of his way to cover-up everything that happened at Castle Park Elementary. He went out of his way to undermine my First Amendment rights in this law suit. I suspect that some wealthy ACLU donor (someone like Irwin Jacobs) gives large donations to the ACLU and in return asks the San Diego ACLU to foster his pet projects, one of which is to increase the arbitrary power of school administrators. Irwin Jacobs is my top suspect because he has spent huge amounts of money trying to mold schools to fit his vision, which even included packing the SDUSD board with unelected board members.

I think the adults at Horton Elementary would have been more successful at encouraging kids to value self-control if they involved the kids in some highly organized but fun physical activities.

Who wants to help rich parents pay for preschool? Trump and San Diego Unified

Also see "Trump’s plan intended to reduce high cost of childcare through tax breaks" at EdSource.

The Learning Curve
By Mario Koran
Voice of San Diego
December 8, 2016

Tax deductions and rebates are at the heart of President-elect Donald Trump’s child care policy proposal, writes EdSource, a plan that would offer the most help to high-income families, some help to middle-income taxpayers and not much help at all to low-income parents.

“The plan very much tilts towards high-income families who need the least help,” said Elaine Maag, senior research associate at the Tax Policy Center at the Urban Institute.

There’s widespread agreement among education experts that access to quality, early education programs can pay dividends for students in school later in life. There’s also widespread agreement among parents that costs can prohibit families from taking advantage. In August, San Diego Unified announced – to much fanfare – that it was launching a “game changing” Preschool for All initiative. Despite its catchy title, however, that initiative amounted to letting parents pay up to $1,060 for a full day preschool spot. In other words, San Diego Unified’s initiative gave high-income parents an affordable preschool option, but did little for middle- and low-income parents who couldn’t afford what San Diego Unified is charging. In that way, San Diego Unified’s Preschool for All initiative isn’t so different than Trump’s proposal.

A new computer program that morphs faces reverses racial bias in children

Researchers developed a facial photo-matching game that reverses racial bias in children
Lila MacLellan
Flipboard.com
Nov 3, 2016

In a recent study from Yale University, preschool teachers were found to spend more time watching African-American children, and especially boys, for signs of misbehavior, than they did children of other races. 

Is the dumbest person on the staff in charge of the school?

In my experience there are many school administrators who aren't the brightest bulbs on the porch. In addition there is a problem of arrogance and egotism and lack of empathy in some principals' offices. But if dressing as Donald Trump was a dumb thing to do, voluntarily posing with a woman dressed as Hillary in prison garb was much worse. One wonders if this principal and his secretary planned this display.

Virginia principal dresses as Trump, secretary as Clinton in prison garb
by Vernon Freeman Jr.
Daily Kos
November 2, 2016

Principal Mark Rowicki dressed as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump 

and School secretary Stephanie Corbett dressed as Hillary Clinton. (R.E. Lee High 

School website/Emberly Lynn Martin Facebook)

STAUNTON, Va. – Some Virginia parents are outraged after the Principal at Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton dressed up as Donald Trump and a school secretary dressed as Hillary Clinton, in prison garb, for Halloween.

A photo of pair was posted on the school’s website in a Halloween photo album of costumes worn by students and staff...

The photo has since been removed.

Since the photos went public, parents in Staunton have criticized the administration for the “politically charged costumes” on school grounds.

One of those parents was Emberly Lynn Martin, who graduated from the high school and has two daughters.

“I don’t care who you are or are not voting for. You are professionals, who work with children. Some more impressionable then others. The fact that any school official would think it’s okay to dress like this leaves me appalled and floored,” Martin wrote on a Facebook post with the controversial image. “What message are you sending to any of them when their high school principal dresses up like a man who wants to deport them, says things like “she’s a nasty woman”, or “grab em by the p—–?”...

I remember crawling under my desk as a child

A typical American school? This school doesn't want this parent to talk about what's going on in classrooms

 This sounds just like my school: those in charge don't want to talk; they have spies and a gossip mill to keep everyone in line; power depends on politics, not professionalism; the goal is to present a facade of a smooth-running machine to the public.

I believe there should be a whole lot more open, honest communication at schools.

I like the idea of parents creating their own groups outside the control of the PTA, and inviting teachers and principals to come and talk to them. I do think that more time should be set aside for teachers to communicate with parents and with each other. I think the school should make sample iPads available for parents to peruse, but I think I might feel uncomfortable if another parent were photographing my child's written or digital work.

I also think teachers need to be paid a lot more, and be more accountable.

Is this volunteer parent an enemy spy? A school district treats her like one.
By Jay Mathews
Washington Post
September 4, 2016

March 18 was a typical day for Melissa Dana, a parent and physician who volunteers as a classroom aide in Falls Church City schools. Her local elementary school was having an Ancient Civilizations Festival. She played a 15-minute video for each class and helped students use an app on their iPads to write Chinese calligraphy.

As instructed by the school’s teachers, she checked to see if the children were working just on calligraphy and not other parts of the app. Curious about what her child was learning, she looked at some of the apps. She took screen shots so she could view them later at home. She noted what students were doing with the technology and took some photos of what was on their iPads without identifying any student.

She also asked her child’s teacher about the activity, chatted with another teacher who was a friend and, on her way out, stopped to talk to the librarian.

That’s when it gets weird. All of her movements were reported to Falls Church City Schools Superintendent Toni Jones.

Photo:  Supt. Tori Jones

Jones called Dana in five days later and gave her a letter saying she better watch her step. “Please accept this as a formal notification that making interview or meeting requests and impromptu questioning which causes staff to feel uncomfortable is not appropriate during the course of the school day and/or on school grounds,” said the letter, which ended with “Regards, Toni.”

Despite 14 years of unpaid effort on behalf of the city’s schools, Dana was told by Jones she would no longer be allowed to volunteer if she did not mend her ways.

Dana has been a critic of Jones. Such tension between school leaders and active parents is common but rarely reported. School districts say they welcome outsider involvement. The Falls Church City school board’s mission statement says “our schools must be responsive and accountable to the community.” But parents like Dana often feel a chill if they ask too many questions.

In a statement, the school district said Jones warned Dana in part because “we are careful to protect student privacy and data.” It also bothered staff that Dana had asked to meet with staff members “on more than 20 occasions” during the school year and “wrote over 2,100 emails to 145 separate FCCPS email accounts,” according to the statement.
The best teachers I know like dealing with parents. A teacher who worked last year at an elementary school told me a majority of her colleagues “were thrilled that Melissa was asking questions.” Jamie Scharff, an International Baccalaureate teacher at George Mason High School, said he has “never met a parent as sincerely dedicated to helping the schools” as Dana.

Jones’s letter accused Dana of “attempting to log on inappropriately to at least one technology device, and taking random pictures not associated with tasks assigned to you in your role as a parent volunteer.” Dana said the charge of logging on inappropriately was “absolutely false” and “I was taking very specific pictures of the activity to which I was assigned.”
What bothers me most is the school district presenting her large number of emails as a sign of misbehavior. Dana told me she was concerned by teacher complaints of mismanagement and made hundreds of contacts with parents and teachers, plus school board members. What’s wrong with that? She said 234 people emailed her their support for a satisfaction survey she was advocating.

In May, several people, including Dana and her husband, formed a group called The Falls Church Way, seeking more input on school policy for parents, teachers and community members. The group wants the board to include staff, parents and community members in its evaluation of Jones this month. Jones has agreed to meet with the group every month.
School officials often consider such groups a nuisance. But asking questions can lead to meaningful change. Smart administrators know that and listen carefully to parents before threatening to ban them from volunteering.

Jay Mathews is an education columnist and blogger for the Washington Post, his employer for 40 years.

A typical American school? This school doesn't want this parent to talk about what's going on in classrooms

Is this volunteer parent an enemy spy? A school district treats her like one.

By Jay Mathews  

Washington Post

September 4, 2016

 

March 18 was a typical day for Melissa Dana, a parent and physician who volunteers as a classroom aide in Falls Church City schools. Her local elementary school was having an Ancient Civilizations Festival. She played a 15-minute video for each class and helped students use an app on their iPads to write Chinese calligraphy.
As instructed by the school’s teachers, she checked to see if the children were working just on calligraphy and not other parts of the app. Curious about what her child was learning, she looked at some of the apps. She took screen shots so she could view them later at home. She noted what students were doing with the technology and took some photos of what was on their iPads without identifying any student.
She also asked her child’s teacher about the activity, chatted with another teacher who was a friend and, on her way out, stopped to talk to the librarian.

 

That’s when it gets weird. All of her movements were reported to Falls Church City Schools Superintendent Toni Jones. Jones called Dana in five days later and gave her a letter saying she better watch her step. “Please accept this as a formal notification that making interview or meeting requests and impromptu questioning which causes staff to feel uncomfortable is not appropriate during the course of the school day and/or on school grounds,” said the letter, which ended with “Regards, Toni.”

Despite 14 years of unpaid effort on behalf of the city’s schools, Dana was told by Jones she would no longer be allowed to volunteer if she did not mend her ways.

Dana has been a critic of Jones. Such tension between school leaders and active parents is common but rarely reported. School districts say they welcome outsider involvement. The Falls Church City school board’s mission statement says “our schools must be responsive and accountable to the community.” But parents like Dana often feel a chill if they ask too many questions.

In a statement, the school district said Jones warned Dana in part because “we are careful to protect student privacy and data.” It also bothered staff that Dana had asked to meet with staff members “on more than 20 occasions” during the school year and “wrote over 2,100 emails to 145 separate FCCPS email accounts,” according to the statement.
The best teachers I know like dealing with parents. A teacher who worked last year at an elementary school told me a majority of her colleagues “were thrilled that Melissa was asking questions.” Jamie Scharff, an International Baccalaureate teacher at George Mason High School, said he has “never met a parent as sincerely dedicated to helping the schools” as Dana.

Jones’s letter accused Dana of “attempting to log on inappropriately to at least one technology device, and taking random pictures not associated with tasks assigned to you in your role as a parent volunteer.” Dana said the charge of logging on inappropriately was “absolutely false” and “I was taking very specific pictures of the activity to which I was assigned.”
What bothers me most is the school district presenting her large number of emails as a sign of misbehavior. Dana told me she was concerned by teacher complaints of mismanagement and made hundreds of contacts with parents and teachers, plus school board members. What’s wrong with that? She said 234 people emailed her their support for a satisfaction survey she was advocating.

In May, several people, including Dana and her husband, formed a group called The Falls Church Way, seeking more input on school policy for parents, teachers and community members. The group wants the board to include staff, parents and community members in its evaluation of Jones this month. Jones has agreed to meet with the group every month.
School officials often consider such groups a nuisance. But asking questions can lead to meaningful change. Smart administrators know that and listen carefully to parents before threatening to ban them from volunteering.

8

Jay Mathews is an education columnist and blogger for the Washington Post, his employer for 40 years.

Neil Hamburger

4:03 PM PST

"The best teachers I know like dealing with parents."

You must not know many teachers. The best teachers resist dealing with parents because parents want their snowflake to be given less work, or easier work, or to have their C bumped up to an A for no good reason. The sheer amount of nonsense parents ask for is outrageous. Bad teachers just succumb to it because they don't care.

Gator1151

3:55 PM PST

I see the school district superintendent came from Oklahoma. You could ask those parents if they were sad or glad to see her go. But who tattled on the volunteer to start this mess? Looks to me like those elementary school teachers need adult supervision themselves.

Sean Derry

3:52 PM PST

Teachers are in the business of managing the education of children, not managing adults. I don't think the average person in the public realizes how little time teachers have to belabor the minutiae of school policy with parents. Your child's teacher is usually dealing with 20-25 children and their parents. That is one person serving as the contact point for 60-75 people, plus the demands of paperwork, planning and dealing with whatever management throws at them.

Volunteers should volunteer. No teacher trying to assist 20 plus little children needs an adult volunteer who needs monitoring and attention. Would you walk into an ER and follow the staff around taking pictures and asking questions after a major car crash? By the way, a child's identity and image is private and schools are legally obliged to be discreet. Do you want a volunteer in your child's classroom to be wandering around and snapping pictures for unknown reasons? Think about it.

Most schools have steering committees that involve parents. This volunteer should join or start such a committee and stick to actually volunteering in the classroom.

taverngeek

3:47 PM PST

The risk for school administration is that involved parents and volunteers can decide to run for the school board and become the administrator's boss. It is far better for administration to answer questions than risking inspiring a questioning person to run for the local school board. 

Kary Bear

3:37 PM PST

Sounds like typical office politics to me. 'Office politics' means 'bullying and pressure to fit in' really just worded in a more adult way for grown ups who don't want to admit they act just like kids. But it's normal, sadly, and what goes on in any work place or any place where many people work together, unfortunately. It's just a part of life, and when someone feels on edge because they worry you might threaten their security, their job, or even their unaccounted for corruption, they will retaliate most of the time. That's when you need to cross all your t's and dot all your i's and sorry, but, snapping photos in a classroom setting without permission is wrong. So of course they're going to use it against someone when they're just looking for something to use against you. They can't know for sure what she took a picture of, and taking pictures of other children's phones and such, IS inappropriate.

MatthewWP

3:37 PM PST

What's Jones hiding?

MontereyTwilly

3:20 PM PST [Edited]

She sounds like a great employee to me. This is so common in schools and in business, an employee does great work and their superiors get threatened. Jones should be investigated.

pcwag

3:17 PM PST

Guilty of impersonating a real teacher, which today borders a crime.