Missing school staff, sports program subsidies, Common Core repeals, the Flame Challenge, and more: Required Readings, 11.15.15
The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Huffington Post investigated the use of student fees and other subsidies by public universities to support their Division I athletic programs. What happens when enrollment booms while budgets are slashed? In Virginia, this scenario has meant more than 11,000 “missing” teachers and staff. The …
Mizzou president resigns, forced pregnancy tests, special ed, and more: Required Readings, 11.08.15
The president of the University of Missouri resigned this morning in the wake of protests and a hunger strike over his handling of racism at the school. Girls in Sierra Leone are forced to undergo public pregnancy tests and physical examinations since the government banned pregnant girls from attending mainstream schools and …
Why the Opt-Out Movement is Growing in New York
Last week, tens of thousands of children sat out the New York State Common Core English Language arts exams as their parents’ frustrations pushed them to finally boycott the test. In some districts, over 50% of students sat out the test with over 175,000 children opting out in grades 3-8. …
McCollum anniversary, Common Core, library grants, opting out of homework, and more: Required Readings, 03.08.15
Yesterday marked 67 years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in McCollum v. Board of Education, which found that “the use of public school facilities by religious organizations to give religious instruction to school children violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.” The documentary The Lord Is Not on Trial …
About those viral Common Core problems
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably seen one of those viral posts on social media presenting a (seemingly) ridiculous common core math problem, and possibly even a frustrated parent responding with some kind of exasperated takedown. Like this one. (Also pictured) It is super tempting, especially for those of …
Predatory publishers, disabilities and jobhunting, Spamalot, adjuncts, et al: Required Readings, 8.26-27.14
If I were grading myself for SoD, I would have just dropped my grade by a letter for turning in my assignment late with no real excuse (I completely forgot in a mess of a Tuesday). So to make up for my lapse, here’s an extra credit-worthy Required Readings. One …
Hazing, combined kindergarten, citizen science in the classroom, and Common Core fight: Required Readings, 07.29.14
Those following the unfolding drama regarding the marching band at Ohio State University may be interested in this interview, which notes that “few hazing victims see it that way.” The Kindergarten Hub at one Detroit elementary school is moving in a different educational direction, with 100 students and 3 instructors …
School vaccinations, Common Core, pedagogy, and laboratory safety: Required Readings, 6.24.14
Score one for science and public health! A federal judge has upheld “a New York City policy that bars unimmunized children from public school when another student has a vaccine-preventable disease.” Not strictly related to education matters but educational nonetheless: researchers traced a measles outbreak in Minnesota to one unvaccinated child, while one …
Wyoming standards, Common Core’s gay agenda, grad student secular groups, commencement brou-hahas, and the Brown case: Required Readings, 5.20.14
RR has been following the Wyoming situation regarding the Next Generation Science Standards. The New York Times examines the issues at hand, including the role of energy extraction industries. Speaking of educational standards, Common Core has been debated since its inception. But a Florida state representative has a rather novel argument …
CCSS Fatigue Being Exploited by Religious Right, Gay Teen Denied Her Senior Yearbook Picture, Pledge Court Decision, Tablet Technology: Required Readings 05.18.14
A new report is out this week from the Southern Poverty Law Center about how the Common Core is being used as a rallying cry for those with ideological opposition to secular, public schools. The director of the SPLC was interviewed by Salon.com, and she provided a cogent and articulate …