Here is Part 1 and here is Part II for those of you who have been ditching or sleeping. Please sit up straight and keep your attention focused on the teacher. Thank you.

   Today's lesson is going to take a closer look at the process of Disaster Capitalism as it relates to public schools.

    Yesterday I wrote a diary about how a school district is privatizing public education using the Disaster Capitalism method. I wrote about for-profit organizations contracting with school districts.
    Today, instead of focusing on Capitalism, I will write about Disaster.

Denver Public Schools is currently negotiating a new contract with http://www.denverclassroom.org/.

Currently, the main issues are:

* Addressing professional issues of time to teach and learn, time to plan, time to implement instructional regimes effectively, and meaningful professional development;

* Promoting an orderly school and classroom environment that allows teachers to spend more of their time on instruction and not on classroom management;

* Attracting and retaining qualified teachers in Denver which includes catching up on economics with other metro area districts;

* Establishing a peer assistance and review program to help raise standards and expectations and provide help to teachers who are struggling;

(Emphasis mine -please follow me over the fold)

Here is the Reuters link.

DUBAI (Reuters) - The leader of an al Qaeda-backed group offered to refrain from attacking U.S. forces if they withdrew from Iraq within a month and left their heavy weapons behind, according to an audio tape posted on the Internet on Friday.

"We call on (President George W.) Bush not to waste this historic opportunity which insures you a safe withdrawal," said the speaker, identified as Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, head of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq, which was announced in October by al Qaeda and groups linked to it.