Category: Rhode Island

RI Pension Fund Finally Divests from Guns and Private Prisons — What Took So Long?
Rhode Island · School Talk

RI Pension Fund Finally Divests from Guns and Private Prisons — What Took So Long?

Erika SanziLeave a comment

Seth Magaziner, the treasurer of my state of Rhode Island, loves to make a big political splash and he did just that on Wednesday with a long overdue announcement that the Rhode Island public pension fund will finally stop investing in companies that either operate private for-profit prisons or make assault-style weapons that are sold… Continue reading RI Pension Fund Finally Divests from Guns and Private Prisons — What Took So Long?

Providence Teachers’ Union President Apologizes—and I appreciate that.
Rhode Island · School Talk

Providence Teachers’ Union President Apologizes—and I appreciate that.

Erika SanziLeave a comment

We should all aspire to hold ourselves to a standard of waiting until we know all the facts before launching accusations at anybody and that is especially true for public figures. Maribeth Calabro, the president of the Providence Teachers’ Union, failed that test when she used her Facebook page to accuse the Pilgrim High School… Continue reading Providence Teachers’ Union President Apologizes—and I appreciate that.

RI Commish Won’t Engage in Conversations That Don’t Center on Students
Rhode Island · School Talk

RI Commish Won’t Engage in Conversations That Don’t Center on Students

Erika Sanzi1 Comment

The Rhode Island Foundation hosted a huge education event today at the Convention Center called Make It Happen RI—Rhode Island’s Path to a World Class Public Education System, a brainstorming session to improve public education. Approximately three hundred people attended and they ranged from educators, students, parents, community and business leaders, union leaders, elected officials… Continue reading RI Commish Won’t Engage in Conversations That Don’t Center on Students

Star Rating System Totally Unfair to School Serving Pregnant and Parenting Teens
Rhode Island · School Talk

Star Rating System Totally Unfair to School Serving Pregnant and Parenting Teens

Erika SanziLeave a comment

Nowell Leadership Academy is a school designed to serve students who are over-age, under-credited, and either pregnant or already parenting at least one child. They are students whose path to graduation was so rocky in the traditional school system that any chance of them graduating four years from the day they started 9th grade disappeared… Continue reading Star Rating System Totally Unfair to School Serving Pregnant and Parenting Teens

Providence City Councilor is Wrong to Defend Vandalism
Rhode Island

Providence City Councilor is Wrong to Defend Vandalism

Erika Sanzi1 Comment

Providence city councilwoman, Kat Kerwin, came out this morning and publicly said that she supports the recent vandalism of the Christopher Columbus statue in the city that she represents. She sees the destruction of public property as a form of civil disobedience—but only when it aligns with her world view or her opinion of what… Continue reading Providence City Councilor is Wrong to Defend Vandalism

Guest Post: A Providence Teacher Weighs in on State Takeover
Rhode Island

Guest Post: A Providence Teacher Weighs in on State Takeover

Guest Contributor1 Comment

By Shannon McCloud I’ve written for Motif for a few years now, but this right here is by far the hardest piece I’ve ever tried to compose. You see when I’m not writing articles or reviewing theater, I’m teaching. I’m an English Language Arts teacher in a high school. A high school in Providence. And wow, do I… Continue reading Guest Post: A Providence Teacher Weighs in on State Takeover

Choice for Me But Not for Thee
Rhode Island · School Talk

Choice for Me But Not for Thee

Erika Sanzi1 Comment

Hypocrisy is the name of the game when it comes to elected officials, lobbyists, and influencers who oppose school choice with their votes, rhetoric, and campaign donations and then opt their own children out of the very school systems in which they work hard to trap everybody else’s children. The very people who drive policy… Continue reading Choice for Me But Not for Thee

My District Just Cancelled Field Trips—Good Move or What the Hell?
Rhode Island · School Talk

My District Just Cancelled Field Trips—Good Move or What the Hell?

Erika Sanzi1 Comment

We need to be more like Massachusetts. If every Rhode Islander had a nickel for every time we’ve heard that, our piggy banks would runneth over. But the truth is, when it comes to our schools, Rhode Island absolutely missed the boat by not following in Massachusetts footsteps sooner and our children—and our economy—continue to… Continue reading My District Just Cancelled Field Trips—Good Move or What the Hell?

With a Waitlist of over 3,000, Elorza Can Finally Lead By Opening Up Additional Seats at Achievement First
Rhode Island · School Talk

With a Waitlist of over 3,000, Elorza Can Finally Lead By Opening Up Additional Seats at Achievement First

Erika Sanzi1 Comment

Jorge Elorza is probably the only Mayor in the country who has direct access to one of the best and one of the worst performing school systems in the state in their own city — and yet he has made the calculated decision not to lead on connecting and collaborating to maximize the impact of… Continue reading With a Waitlist of over 3,000, Elorza Can Finally Lead By Opening Up Additional Seats at Achievement First

Providence Teachers Union Makes Recommendations and Commitments
Rhode Island · School Talk

Providence Teachers Union Makes Recommendations and Commitments

Erika Sanzi1 Comment

The Providence Teachers Union has released a document that details their thoughts about how their partnership with the state could look moving forward. I have published the the entire text of their statement. You can also download the document here. As many readers know, I am often quite critical of teachers’ unions but that certainly… Continue reading Providence Teachers Union Makes Recommendations and Commitments