A weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else — from the nation’s leading voice on education innovation and opportunity.
BLACK LEADERS CHANNEL TWISTED SISTER. A powerful piece calling out black leaders for their lack of support of charter schools comes this week from Gwen Samuels, founder and President of the Connecticut Parents Union. As she puts it, “they have a moral obligation to break their silence and stand up for black parents, families and students caught in the crosshairs of this status quo education war.” Go Gwen! She is among a growing number of vocal leaders from the African-American community who are standing up and screaming from the rooftops, “we’re not going to take it anymore.” They include thoughtful and well-known leaders from cities nationwide, David Hardy, Steve Perry, Chris Stewart. A good segue from our piece last week pointing out that black students in charter schools are more likely to have black teachers than their peers in traditional public schools.
MANY OTHERS ARE DOING THE HARD WORK DAILY. In a double hitter that will help even the least knowledgeable understand the critical importance of parent power in achieving educational excellence, the story of revolutionary innovations in a community that has lost its education occupies Jeanne’s Forbe’s Column this week as well as this week’s Reality Check podcast. Eugene Slocum, Founder and Superintendent of the Alpha Academy in Fayetteville, North Carolina, is incorporating the work of famed Hidden Figure scientist Katherine Johnson in Alpha’s STEM Institute, and expanding by leaps and bounds, no thanks to the traditional system. Listen in to how this rural charter leader succeeds in educating students and preparing them for a lifetime of success.
A SUMMER THEY WON’T FORGET. We welcomed 5 interns last week to learn about choice and innovation in education and how to win the battle against the educational zeitgeist. They had a busy first week, starting with a trip to the Pentagon to help with our final Why America? experience for DC middle school students, and then visited last week with the erudite Bill Bennett, Ronald Reagan’s Education Secretary and one of the Godfathers and guiding lights of the battle for education excellence.
SERGEANTS MAJOR CAN MAJOR IN A DEGREE. Showing that schooling doesn't end when you put on your country’s uniform, soldiers attending the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy can now put their Army coursework hours towards earning a bachelor degree. After completing the 10 month course the 92 students in the current class will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Workforce Development. A good example of what we mean when we say K-career education, and we bet classroom disruption is at a minimum.
WHEN EDUCATION REIMAGINED GOES VIRAL. Literally. Watch for yourself, the inimitable Gisele Huff explain why we must reimagine it - and change it!
MORE UNREST. The union attacks on school choice of all kinds have been fierce, mean spirited and ugly, but what the bullies didn’t count on was the “common folks” who benefit from quality education fighting back. Parents, grandparents, students and just friends are making their voices heard in support of true education opportunity across the country, in San Jose, Philadelphia, and Massachusetts among others. Those who experience the benefits of school innovation on a daily basis know the truth, and the truth has set them free to fight back for their kids.
REIMAGINING HIGHER ED, TOO. Florida State University (FSU), which is part of an increasingly innovative system and state, is requiring a new initiative in an experiential learning requirement for undergraduate students to ensure more relevance in the schooling experience, including having students engaged in “internships, service learning, undergraduate research or creative activity, international study and significant leadership experiences.” Such activities, according to research conducted by the Strada Education Network, are more likely to result in postsecondary completion for students.
Drop us a line, as always, please reach out with any input and suggestions.
Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education.
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5 Ways States Can Unify Behind
Marijuana And Reap The Benefits
Medical marijuana is now legal in 33 states, but some have been slow to reap the economic benefits. Advocates say this is because of a long legislative and legal process that delays the rollout of legalization and results in numerous restrictions.
“How the states regulate marijuana varies greatly,” says Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish (www.sarahleegossettparrish.com), a cannabis industry lawyer. “Each state has to decide how much a patient can possess, where and how they can obtain it, and what medical conditions warrant a physician’s recommendation for its usage.
“The more permissive state regulatory systems result in more patients and usually in more dispensaries.”
Oklahoma, though regarded as a conservative or red state, is viewed as one of the most liberal when it comes to medical marijuana laws, Parrish says. And about a year after voters approved medical cannabis in Oklahoma, business is booming in the state.
Now comes Oklahoma’s “Unity Act,” signed into law in March. Parrish says it was designed to streamline state regulation of medical marijuana without impeding commerce and imposing too many restrictions.
“The Unity Act further develops Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program, an exemplary model for states that seek a more permissive regulatory scheme,” Parrish says. “There are compromises added for employers, but overall it benefits the patients and entrepreneurs. Oklahoma rolled out its medical marijuana program quickly and efficiently, wisely avoiding the quagmire of regulations that strangle the industry in other states.”
Parrish explains some key provisions of the Unity Act that promote the industry’s growth while ensuring proper oversight:
Sale of seeds. “The Act includes language allowing commercial growers to sell seeds or clones to other commercial growers, thereby providing a much-needed legal way for new growers to obtain seeds and clones,” Parrish says. “Language that would also have allowed the sale by growers to patients or caregivers was deleted.”
Patient confidentiality. “The Act preserves confidentiality of patients and caregivers, making the handling of all records subject to all relevant state and federal laws, including HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996),” Parrish says.
Employment Issues. The Act permits employers to refuse to hire workers for safety-sensitive jobs, examples of which are listed in the legislation. It provides that employers are not required to permit or accommodate the use of medical marijuana at the place of employment. “It also recognizes employers’ right to establish written policies about drug testing and impairment in accord with current Oklahoma law,” Parrish says.
Seed-to-sale quality and safety checkpoints. The Act requires a medical marijuana seed-to-sale inventory tracking system, and mandates quality testing by licensees. “This includes testing for contaminants and THC/CBD content,” Parrish says.
New licenses. The Act creates a medical marijuana transporter license, a testing laboratory license, research license, a caregiver license and an education facility license. “These components show how the Unity Act represents a concerted effort to create a working framework for regulation and oversight,” Parrish says.
“It’s encouraging to see both sides of the aisle work together to achieve a common goal,” Parrish says. “Oklahoma is on its way to becoming a thriving cannabis industry, and that’s good news for everyone.”
About Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish
Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish (www.sarahleegossettparrish.com) is a cannabis industry lawyer whom The National Law Journal named a 2019 Cannabis Trailblazer — one of only 30 trailblazers recognized in the nation. She represents numerous dispensaries, growers, and processors, and is admitted to practice in Oklahoma and Texas. Ms. Parrish is a member of the National Cannabis Bar Association, NORML, and the National Cannabis Industry Association. She is also admitted to practice in all state and federal district courts in Oklahoma; the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Parrish received her B.A. in letters from the University of Oklahoma, Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude. She also served as chairman of the Governor's Commission on the Status of Women for the State of Oklahoma and was instrumental in starting the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, and her legal thriller, Guilt of Innocence, placed second in the New York Law Journal's national fiction writing contest.
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BEBOP SMART FABRIC SENSORS
ENABLE FIRST 3D EXPRESSIVE KEYBOARD:
K-BOARD PRO 4 MPE CONTROLLER
SmartFabric™ Sensors Provide Multiple Dimensions of Touch Sensitivity in Each Key for Info on Attack & Release Velocity, Continuous Pressure, Horizontal & Vertical Position, and Poly Aftertouch Messages for the Deepest Level of Musical Expression
Press Release at: http://www.thomas-pr.com/bebop/bebopsensorskboardpro4release.html
“With K-Board Pro 4, we’ve taken the format of a traditional keyboard and updated it for the 21st Century. With our BeBop Sensors SmartFabric™ Sensors underneath each key, you can tweak any synthesis parameter in real time by moving your fingers while you are playing. The MIDI MPE Standard is the future for expressive controllers and we have designed the K-Board Pro 4 to be the ultimate MPE Controller.” -Keith McMillen, Founder & CEO, BeBop Sensors
June 18, 2019, Berkeley, CA, USA – BeBop Sensors www.bebopsensors.com, the world leader in Smart Fabric Sensors, has partnered with KMI to announce the official release of the K-Board Pro 4 MPE Controller. Created with BeBop Sensors SmartFabric™ Sensors, the K-Board Pro 4 is a four-octave MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) MIDI keyboard controller based on the traditional keyboard layout, but with multiple dimensions of touch sensitivity in each key. The K-Board Pro 4 sends information on musical subtleties, including attack velocity, release velocity, continuous pressure, horizontal position and vertical position data to offer the deepest level of musical expression. It can also send Poly Aftertouch messages for communication with expressive legacy controllers.
“I’m excited that Keith McMillen, BeBop and KMI are bringing out the K-Board Pro 4, further expanding the next generation of expressive keyboard instruments! It’s a joy to play and their expertise in the field of sensor technology and delivering great musical products makes this instrument a guaranteed winner,” said Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater.
MIDI MPE Standard is Future for Expressive Controllers & K-Board Pro 4 is the Ultimate MPE Controller
MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) is the newest development in MIDI; a standard specification that allows easy integration of multiple, polyphonic per-key dimensions of expressive control. To capture all of this nuanced gesture, K-Board Pro 4 features BeBop Sensors’ patented Smart Sensor Technology, developed in conjunction with KMI. K-Board Pro 4 is USB powered and MIDI class compliant to ensure both portability and compatibility with MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, as well as MIDI capable hardware.
K-Board Pro 4 is available immediately from the KMI website at: keithmcmillen.com.
About BeBop Sensors
BeBop Sensors produces industry-leading Smart Fabric sensor solutions for Human-Machine Interface devices, most notably present in their award-winning Forte Data Glove. BeBop Sensors enables Fortune 1000 companies, public sector groups, and development shops to create immersive virtual experiences that span from training exercises in dangerous environments to rehabilitation and educational simulations for otherwise costly training protocols. For more information on BeBop Sensors, see the website: www.bebopsensors.com.
About KMI
Keith McMillen Instruments (KMI) develops innovative hardware and software technologies that allow musicians to interface with computers in exciting new ways. Based in Berkley, California, its products provide today’s musician with the tools needed to bring new dimensions of expression and control to their performance. The company collectively believes that when a computer is played as a musical instrument, it should feel and respond like one — with all the nuance and sensitivity that makes an instrument musical. For more information on the K-Board Pro 4, please visit keithmcmillen.com.
K-Board Pro 4:
Model # K919
MSRP: $929.00 MAP/Street: $895.00
Hi-res images:
https://files.keithmcmillen.com/resources/press/k-board-pro-4/k-board-pro-4.zip
K-Board Pro 4: http://www.thomas-pr.com/136/photos/bebopkboardpro4.html
BeBop Sensors Logo: http://www.thomas-pr.com/136/photos/beboplogo.html
Video:
https://youtu.be/RVCwGHkGOco
