Tuesday, October 25, 2011

How Are Test Scores Impoving When Only 25% of City HS Grads are set for College?



Kidding Tragedy

The Daily News says Wallcot Will Have To "Improving Performance Dramatically." Are they kidding. No one pol with march on this.  It is a one day story.  No reporter will ask the mayor or any other pol to explain what is going wrong with our schools that so few HS grads have the basic skill.  Why not investigate how test scores have gone up if so many kids are failing.  Is someone cooking the books?

U. gotta be kiddin’!   Only 25% of city HS grads set for college(NYP) Just one out of every four students who started high school in 2007 went on to graduate in 2011 prepared for college under a first-ever city measure aligned with City University of New York entrance requirements * College Readiness Is Lacking, City Reports Show(NYT) * Most Grads Not Ready for College(WSJ) * Annual High School Progress Reports Finds Low Levels Of College Preparedness(NY1)

 

Education: A New American Tragedy
Among the largest gaps between graduation rates and college-ready rates was the Academy for Young Writers in Brooklyn -- where 85 percent of kids graduated but just 1.3 percent were deemed college-ready.
Mission Statement of the Academy for Young Writers HS

Our primary goal is create a college preparatory program for our students so that they have as many options after graduating as possible.  To this end, we use writing across all areas of our curriculum as a tool for generating comprehension and retaining knowledge.
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Walcott Pushing "Just Say No" Will They Make Fun of Him Like Nancy?

Walcott’s ‘How-to’ manual (NYP) Department of Education officials say their new mandatory sex-ed lessons -- which will be required for students as young as 11 -- will stress abstinence as “the best way to avoid pregnancy” and STDs.* The Post argues that the city's new sex education policy will set up an inherent conflict over what parents choose to teach their children and what the state teaches them*Schools Chancellor Walcott And Former Assemblyman Spar Over Sex Ed Program(NYO)





Why is There No Media Investigation of City Employees Involved in the CityTime the NYPD Ticket Fixing Corruption Cases?
Another DOI Bloomberg Cover Up
Company on City’s Payroll Project Fires Three(NYT) * Contractor company embroiled in CityTime corruption fiasco fires executives(NYDN)
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What is News the the New York Media







 


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NY Times tires to take Markowitz out of the mayoral race so their pick Quinn has a better chance to win.  Last week they hit John Liu.  Shame they never send one of their reporters to investigate how Quinn uses the High Line like Espada uses his medical center
Markowitz's Gets His Member Items from corporations and developers with pending Brooklyn projects

From Brooklyn Office, Mixing Clout and Charity(NYT) Borough President Marty Markowitz’s network of nonprofit groups has received large donations from corporations and developers with pending Brooklyn projects.  * Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz uses his outsize personality and sway over real estate decisions to compel corporations, local entrepreneurs and others who have business with the city to donate to his network of non-profit charities * The Times has a damning story about Marty Markowitz that shows how companies that want to do business in Brooklyn become mega-donors to a series of charities that the Brooklyn BP controls.
Is Borrero Saying Pols Should Only Use Gov't Funded Member Items?
Gerson Borrero (Twitter)  Once you read this investigative piece, one can only assume that there are several probes of Mr. Markowitz dealings.


41 Years After the Knapp Commission 

Cops Busted for Gun Smuggling

FBI Watched NYPD Cops steal, and traffic weapons for 2 years before busting them NYC Cops Arrested In Connection With Gun Smuggling Take Down Eight present and former New York City cops are under arrest in connection with a scheme that smuggled guns, cigarettes and slot machines into New York City.(WCBS)* NYPD officers arrested in connection with gun-smuggling operation: report (NYDN)




Arrested at Occupy Wall St.? There's an app for that(NYDN) *  Zuc-cutty park: Clips for protesters(NYP) * Cashing in on OWS(NYP) * Protests Present Dilemma for Democrats(WSJ) * Wall Street protesters making preparations for long, difficult winter in Zuccotti Park * The Times-Union wonders how someone like Cuomo who scored so many political victories this year could be so wrong about the Occupy Albany protests * The Times praises the resolution to be voted on by Community Board 1 that affirms the rights of the Occupy Wall Street protesters while also addressing quality of life concerns 

Occupy Albany has been re-dubbed “Cuomo-ville.”*  Occupy Wall Street Meets Tahrir Square(NYT)* The median age of Occupy Wall Street protestors across the country, according to the Wall Street Journal, is 26.* Advocates for the poor are using Occupy protests to push municipalities to divest from banks blamed by demonstrators for the global financial crisis and persistent unemployment in its wake. * Think a NYC winter is tough? Trying sleeping outside in Buffalo, which is exactly what protestors there insist they’ll be doing.* New report: It was Joe Percoco, a “close CuomoCuomo wasn’t happy about the ongoing Occupy Albany demonstration outside the Capitol.* The Washington Post’s Richard Cohen failed to find anti-Semities at Zuccotti Park.

 MTV’s “I’m Occupying Wall Street” episode of “True Life” will air Nov. 5.*  Should the rich pay all the taxes? The wealthy already pay the vast majority of taxes in New York. (CrainsNY) * Sources: FDNY Concerned Zuccotti Park Turning Into Firetrap (WSBS)* An official with the Obama campaign told The Wall Street Journal that they intend to stress common ground with the Occupy Wall Street protests without embracing the movement entirely. *  Is the Drum Circle About to Kill Occupy Wall Street? (Gawker) * Report: Don’t Blame Occupy Wall Street for NYPD Overtime(NYO)

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Manhattan D.A. Vance is prepared to offer a deal to 340 OWS protesters that would dismiss the charges if they promise to stay out of trouble


Reporters With Blinders

Interview Brooklyn Boss Lopez without asking him about the federal investigation against him or why he made so many of his family members Judges.  Why he uses govt money to run his political operation.  They cover his march like he has no past.
Vito Lopez Marches the Brooklyn Bridge for OWS(Fox 5)





So Corruption Where is the Reforms?

John Haggerty case exposes gaping flaws in state campaign finance law (NYDN)

They Rather Talk About Food NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Bloomberg want more food sourced in NY.

 

Rat Win MTA Surrenders

MTA Give Up on Trash Collection

Removing garbage cans from subways will just make platforms more disgusting: riders(NYDN) *  Subways dump baskets to fight rats(NYP) * A Counterintuitive Trash Plan: Remove Bins in Subway Stations(NYT) * MTA Weighs Radical Steps To Curb Trash(WSJ)

 

 

Who is the MTA Trying to Kid With This BS Poll? 

 MTA Awaits New Leader, Claims 84% Subway Rider Satisfaction


The state’s highest court is poised to tackle the question of whether lap dances should be taxed. 

 

 

 

 

LIRR delays after power outage pinned to one techie(NYDN)


 

 

 

 

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 Mike Wants the State To Pay For Security At WTC

Andy, Mike fight over WTC $ecurity check(NYP) Over who is going to pick up the tab for the hundreds of millions of dollars in security projects to safeguard the streets around the World Trade Center. The Bloomberg administration is engaged in a closed-door struggle with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Port Authority over who will pay between $300 and $500 million in security upgrades at the World Trade Center site






Pay to Play Public Housing

The U.S. Labor Department and the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development are investigating charges of underpayment and kickbacks at affordable housing projects in Brooklyn and the Bronx, the Daily News reports: http://nydn.us/nur3nq * Construction workers at city housing developments have  come forward with allegations about being forced to pay kickbacks, being paid in cash and working under unsafe conditions.”








State is seeking to fire 130 workers – including 20 in the city – who are accused of abusing the developmentally disabled.




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Making It Easier for Cops to Meet Their Ticket Quotas

City cracking down on noisy drivers who won’t mute toots(NYP) * Taxi commish's text message to drivers about emergency-only honking, $350 fine not well received(NYDN)









Retail Destination for Fulton Street Hub(WSJ)

 

 

 

 

Real Estate Barron's Will Never Be Arrested for Stealing A Hospital

Sarah Steiner (Twitter) demo Wed (4-7) at St Vincent's (12th+7th) is brilliant idea. The hospital was stolen from the community.


 

 

Teens charged for allegedly shooting woman outside school(NYP)

 

Sean Bell cops on hot seat(NYP) * Police Trial Begins for Officers in Bell Shooting; Two Offer to Retire(NYT) * Police Trial Examines Bell Shooting(WSJ) * NYPD Lawyers Argue Sean Bell Shooting Was "Unjustified"(NY1)

 

 

15-year-old charged in sex attacks(NYP) * 15-Year-Old Held in Rape Attempts in Queens(NYT) * 15-year-old questioned in string of Queens sex attacks(NYDN) * Teen Arraigned On Charges Connected With Two Queens Sexual Assaults(NY1)


 Suspect in Boy's Murder to Pursue Insanity Defense, Attorneys Say (WSJ) * Aron Confession Said Coerced(WSJ) * Levi Aron, admitted killer of 8-year-old, now claims cops forced confession (NYDN)* Attorneys Want Confession Tossed In Kletzky Murder Case(NY1)

Wife’s joy of spring  Hubby-killer Sheehan is freed on bail(NYP)





Law and Order