Teachers in Oaxaca will not be cowed

ZNet article
counterpunch essay
BBC coverage

Teachers in Oaxaca continue to lead the revolt against corrupt governor Ulises Ruiz.

Meanwhile, teachers in Korea upload posters to internet sites (Seoul) and make videos critical of free trade agreements (Busan).

I understand that folks are proud of what was accomplished in 1987, and they should be. But there is a great deal of work yet to be done.

You do it to yourself, you do

noja at Frog in a Well points out that the english craze isn't exactly new:

... English was also an OBLIGATORY subject in the colonial Advanced Normal Schools after the 1922 reform - it was taught 5-7 hours a week on average, while Japanese was taught 6-8 hours.

Kind of reminds me of the old Radiohead song, "Just."

Education International speaks out on Lebanon - sort of

Education International, of which the KTU is a member organization, issued a statement on July 25th:

Populations have been caught in the middle, with suicide bombings that have stretched the nerves of Israelis to the limit, with Palestinians subjected to repression and humiliation, and the Lebanese being kept hostage by a pervasive climate of fear.

Yes, we are often told of the frayed nerves of Israelis. The Lebanese, those who have managed (thus far) to survive Israel's terror attacks, are "being kept hostage"? By whom? Not Hizbullah, whom a majority of Lebanese (including Sunnis and Christians) now support. Why does EI accept that Palestinians are victims, yet use such vague language to describe the plight of the Lebanese?

Of course, EI issued this statement prior to Qana. And I do not believe that the KTU has issued a statement of any kind. EI has also set up a solidarity fund for teachers in Lebanon, to which it donated 20 000 euros. An excellent use of our union dues!