Year: 2018

Educators as Immigration Agents

Eduflack BAM, DeVos, Immigration, reform, teachers, TrumpED

We ask a great deal of teachers these days, particularity as we look to move more of the educational decisionmaking away from Washington, DC and into our local communities. But of all we ask of teachers, do we really expect them to start acting as immigration agents? Do we really want them to be ferreting out which students in their classes are undocumented?

And do we want to strip away the classroom as the one place kids can feel safe? Do we want to turn our public schools into a place where youth feel at risk, worried about whether they will see their families again?

We explore the topic on the latest episode of TrumpEd on the BAM! Radio Network. Give it a listen!

“News” Overload Has Left Us Numb

Eduflack civics, LinkedIn, Marketing, Media, polls, PR, Social media

We’ve gone from humble-bragging about our kids and sharing photos of our food to using every waking moment of every day sharing every tweet, every slam, every late night comic diatribe, every propaganda piece, and every doctored photo that seems to support our belief system. And we do so by feeding it into our own echo chambers, sharing with those who already share our beliefs in hopes of strengthening the tribe. No discourse happens. No dialogues are pursued. No debates are engaged. Instead, we are in search of the almighty likes, loves, and supportive comments.

Eduflack’s latest on LinkedIn Pulse, looking at a recent Pew study and how it has affected our political discourse and our social media usage

Federal Subsidies for Teacher Salaries?

Eduflack BAM, DeVos, reform, school boards, teachers, TrumpED

If the recent run on teacher work stoppages has taught us anything, it is that there is a growing public commitment to ensure that our educators are better paid for the work they do in the classroom. And as the job of teaching gets more complex, it becomes more and more necessary.

So it is no surprise that Democrats in DC are looking to move legislation to put billions of federal dollars into the pool to boost teacher salaries. It makes great politics, but do we really want the federal government involved in how localities decide salaries and pay scales?

We explore the topic on the most recent episode of TrumpEd on the BAM! Radio Network. Give it a listen!

Streamlining the US Department of Education?

Eduflack accountability, BAM, DeVos, reform, TrumpED

We often say that change is a good thing. Years ago, dear ol’ Eduflack had a boss who believed that did an organization to truly thrive, it needed to be reconceived and reorganized every five years or so.

After more than a year, the education community is still looking for EdSec Betsy a DeVos to take strong action or reveal a strategy for P-20 education in the United States. With DeVos now talking about reorganizing and streamlining operations at USED, are we about to see a peek into that strategy?

Over at the BAM! Radio Network, we explore the subject, asking if a little reorganization every now and then can be a good thing. Give it a listen!

Let’s Not Bully #BeBest

Eduflack 21CS, BAM, Media, Parents, Social media, Students, TrumpED

Earlier this month, First Lady Melania Trump fulfilled a promise she made during the 2016 presidential campaign. In announcing Be Best, FLOTUS committed her bully pulpit to looking issues like cyber bullying and social-emotional learning for children.

On cue, the education community largely mocked her. But maybe, just maybe, we should give Melania a chance … particularly as we we have been looking for federal leadership on issues like SEL for quite some time.

So we explore this topic on the latest edition of TrumpED on the BAM! Radio Network. Give it a listen. Maybe we can be best by giving #BeBest a chance.

To K-12 or Not?

Eduflack reform

President Donald J. Trump campaigned, in part, on a promise of getting the federal government out of the education business. And his EdSec, Betsy DeVos, has pledged to fulfill that promise.

But despite all of the declarations, can the feds even get out education? While roles can be reduced, aren’t their some duties that can never be ceded back to the states and localities?

On the latest episode of TrumpED on the BAM! Radio Network, we explore the topic. And not to spoil the surprise, but no, the Feds aren’t going anywhere.

Happy listening!

What About Special Ed Parents, Mr. President?

Eduflack accountability, BAM, DeVos, Parents, reform, Students, TrumpED

Last month, the Trump Administration dismissed, en masse, hundreds of special education complaints filed with the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.

In doing so, the EdSec said they were charges without merit, as the hundreds were filed by just a handful of individuals. But in doing so, the Trump Administration demonstrates a lack of understanding of advocates in special education, while dissing the sped family community across the nation.

On the latest episode of TrumpED, we explore the topic and the chilling affect it can have on a sped community believing President Trump may have meant more, not less, respect in the public schools. Give it a listen!

I Rise in Defense of Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Eduflack LinkedIn, Media, PR, reform

Those who have served as spokepersons know of what I speak. We know the challenges of strategic communications being seen as an add-on, not a non-negotiable. We know the importance of finding the voice of the person or organization we are representing. We know how to understand the wide range of audiences we must engage with and how to tailor or message and its delivery to meet the needs of those stakeholders. We know how to be strategist, arms and legs, advocate, defender, and champion.

From dear ol’ Eduflack’s latest for LinkedIn Pulse, where I defend the White House Press Secretary and the spokesperson profession

Popping Bubbles

Eduflack LinkedIn, Media, PR, reform, Social media

We don’t need to condemn the Cosby juror for living in a bubble, nor do we have to wonder in mock-amazement how such a person can be so uninformed by the world. We also don’t need to condemn those who found Wolf both funny and necessary, embracing the personal attacks on Sanders and the abortion humor as much-watch commentary. If anything, we need to find ways to bring the two bubbles together, even if we can’t pop them.

From dear ol’ Eduflack’s latest for LinkedIn Pulse, as I continue my push to find common ground in our rhetoric, particularly in light of both the Cosby decision and the White House Correspondents Dinner

Me Talk Education Good

Eduflack Marketing, PR, reform, Social media

Earlier this month, I shared with readers of dear ol’ Eduflack that was I was awarded a SPOKEie award in recognition of my efforts as a spokesman for not-for-profit education. Today, I’m happy to announce that next week I’ll be joining other SPOKEie winners from other fields to discuss effective communications, flacking, and branding on a live broadcast hosted by DS Simon Media.

You can register to join us on Thursday, May 3 at 2 pm ET here.

Happy viewing!