Carnival-Carnival

The 151st edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by History is Elementary) has opened the midway for your educational pleasure!And don't forget to complete your educational experience by checking out what the Homies are up to over at The Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest entries.

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards came in first with The Courage to Do Nothing. Non-Council

The Carnival Of Education: Week 150

Welcome to the midway of the 150th edition of The Carnival of Education!Here's the very latest roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.Folks interested in hosting an edition of the C.O.E. should please let us know via this email address: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net.Thanks to everyone who

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 150th edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by us here at The Education Wonks.) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the

Inflation.... It's Baaack!

As a public school teacher who doesn't get cost-of-living pay increases, (my monthy take-home pay is only $100 more than it was in 2002) I'm very sensitive to rising prices. The news is not good:US inflation jumped to an annual rate of 4.3 per cent in November, explaining why the Federal Reserve remains reluctant to cut interest rates too aggressively in spite of the risks to growth.The data

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: In a tie vote that was broken by The Watcher, Joshuapundit came in first

Let's Carnival!

The 149th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by The Colossus of Rhodey) has opened the midway for your educational pleasure!And don't forget to complete your educational experience by checking out this week's edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest entries.

Simply Awful

Two Las Vegas teenagers have shot six of their fellow teens as they exited their school bus.How can we put a stop to all this?

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 149th edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by The Colossus of Rhodey.) are due. Please email them to: colossusofrhodey [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: New Council Member Wolf Howling garnered first place honors with Of Islamist

George F. Will Gets Beyond NCLB

From tomorrow's Washington Post George Will writes: No Child Left Behind, supposedly an antidote to the "soft bigotry of low expectations," has instead spawned lowered standards. The law will eventually be reauthorized because doubling down on losing bets is what Washington does. But because NCLB contains incentives for perverse behavior, reauthorization should include legislation empowering

No Mumpee-No Admitee

One university in Maine is barring students at the door if they haven't had their shots:PORTLAND, Maine - The University of Southern Maine began notifying more than 400 students Thursday that they're being banned from campus for failing to meet the latest vaccination requirements for mumps.Campus officials provided student lists to professors and were trying to reach about 50 on-campus residents

When Bad Kids Smile At The Teacher

Teacher "AB" lets us know what it may mean: For the longest time, my entire first two years of teaching, nothing drove me more crazy than when my ill-behaved kids got in trouble and smiled. It shocked, repulsed, and angered me to the core to be telling a child about the consequences of their disruptive behavior and find their reaction was a broad, plastic smile. I’d been known to double

Meow Mix-up In The Head

It seems as though most neighborhoods have a "cat lady," but this one is in a league all of her own: BOSTON -- The state's highest court said that a woman who stored dozens of dead cats in her Boston apartment can keep two that were seized by the city, as long as she complies with city health codes.Cat breeder Heidi Erickson was charged with animal cruelty after officials found five malnourished

Lest We Forget

What day this is...Much more here and there.

U.S. Students Not Comparing Well With Others

It seems as though American students continue underperforming when compared to many of their international peers: Finland and South Korea have topped the world in a new student ranking survey.According to the OECD, the two countries lead the world when it comes to education, especially in reading and science.In particular, Finnish students ranked top in science, while South Korean teenagers were

Babies Having Babies: Now A Generational Problem

While I was reading this Iowa story about the 29-year-old grandmother, I wanted to tear my hair out in clumps:Quad-City area teenagers are still having babies. But the good news is that fewer teens are doing so across the region — and in Iowa, Illinois and the United States as a whole — than 10 years ago.Some say the teens who are having babies seem to be getting younger and younger, including a

Carnival-Carnival!

The 148th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by So You Want To Teach?) has opened the midway for your educational pleasure!And don't forget to complete your educational experience by checking out the homies over at The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest entries.

Things They Don't Teach You In Library School

I came across this while chasing down a lead for another entry; I couldn't resist it:OXFORD, OH (2007-11-12) In library school, commentator Jennie Kiffmeyer learned all about the Dewey Decimal system, database design, and storytelling. But as she was to realize on the job as a school librarian in suburban Washington, that knowledge didn't amount to a handful of jellybeans. Here is her list of ten

Call For Carnival Entries!

Entries for the 148th edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by So You Want To Teach.com .) are due. Please email them to: joel [at] soyouwanttoteach [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Right Wing Nut House finished in first place with Buchanan's New Book: “

In Our Teachers' Mailboxes This Morning

We found a paper with this quote from an Unknown Administrator: THE COOL THING ABOUT "ACTION" IT WILL ALWAYS DESTROY PROCRASTINATION.That was it. There was nothing more.We really didn't know what to make of it...

Woman Flushes Fraud

When it comes to folks fighting back against corporations who're trying to put the screws to consumers through the illegal collection of even more sales taxes than they're supposed to, we'll take every victory we can get: MONROEVILLE, Pa. — It wasn't quite a Boston Tea Party, but Mary Bach claimed victory for all citizens of Pennsylvania with a legal ruling on an item the state calls a nontaxable

When Students Throw Crayons At Their Teachers

They get in trouble down in the Sunshine State:(Don't miss the video if you go!)JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A north Florida teenager is facing serious charges Friday morning for throwing a crayon at his teacher.Taewon Little, 14, admitted he threw the crayon at his teacher at the Philip Randolph Academy in Jacksonville, but doesn't believe he should be charged with a crime. Little faced a judge for

The Teddy Bear That Blasphemed

Did you hear about the British teacher who went to Sudan in order to teach and found herself in a heap of trouble?It probably seemed like the most innocent of ideas to the newly arrived teacher from England, still settling into life in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. She asked her class of six- and seven-year-olds to dress up and name a teddy bear, and keep a diary of his outings. She hoped it

Let's Carnival!

The 147th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Matt-a-matical Thinking.) has opened the midway for your educational pleasure!Don't forget to complete your educational experience by checking out the 100th edition (woot!) of The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest entries.

Why We Don't Give Money To The American Red Cross

As if a cool half-million dollar salary wasn't enough, Red Cross president Mark W. Everson just had to stick his hand up someone's into the moral cookie-jar: Red Cross President and CEO Mark W. Everson has stepped down after revelations he was "engaged in a personal relationship with a subordinate employee," the organization announced Tuesday.The Red Cross Board of Governors asked for and

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 147th edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by Matt-a-matical Thinking.) are due. Please email them to: mbardoe (at) att (dot) net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:59 PM (Eastern) 8:59 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

Beauty School Dropouts Make Nasty

Isn't there anything that these 7 ft tall beauties won't do in order to win a title and later get to marry a multi-millionaire? SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Beauty pageant organizers were investigating Sunday who doused a contestant's evening gowns with pepper spray and spiked her makeup, causing her to break out in hives.Beauty queen Ingrid Marie Rivera beat 29 rivals to become the island's

Sunday School For Atheists?

Yes indeedy in tony Palo Alto, California:On Sunday mornings, most parents who don't believe in the Christian God, or any god at all, are probably making brunch or cheering at their kids' soccer game, or running errands or, with luck, sleeping in. Without religion, there's no need for church, right?Maybe. But some nonbelievers are beginning to think they might need something for their children. "

Today's Non Sequitur: San Fran's Bohemian Intolerance

San Francisco has long touted itself as the sort of Bohemian place where non-conformity isn't just tolerated by the populace, but downright expected. At least as long as the non-conformity meets certain Politikally Korrect expectations. When traditional values are involved, many of those self-styled bohemians who inhabit the City by the Bay can be downright intolerant.For example. These are the

Getting Noosed

Joanne Jacobs has the skinny on how the noose has been affecting several denizens of the EduWorld.Gives new meaning to the term "hang'em high."

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: In a tie vote in which the Watcher cast the deciding ballot, Cheat Seeking

Thanksgiving 2007

Another Thankgiving has rolled around at last.We've a lot to be thankful for.Every day above ground is good.Sure beats the alternative.We hope that you and yours are well this Thanksgiving Day.

EduDecision 2008: Obama's $18 Billion EduFix?

Presidential contender (and would be She-Dragon Hillary slayer) Barack Obama is making some noise regarding public education: MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Presidential contender Barack Obama on Tuesday called for a $18 billion education plan that he said would fix mistakes his chief Democratic rivals made when they approved President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" effort.The Illinois Democrat

Non Sequitur: Oily Men

Yesterday, the price of oil closed at a record high of $98.03 per barrel. It is trading for over $99.00 as of this morning.Just in time for the holidays.With a so-called "Texas" Oil Man in charge, should anybody find this surprising in Today's America?Where's the accountability?Come to think of it, while we're on the subject of holding people accountable... when was the last time any of

Please Pass The Thanksgiving Carnival!

The 146th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by NYC Educator) has reserved a place at the table especially for you. Enjoy your EduMeal!Don't forget to complete your educational experience by checking out this week's edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest entries.

I (Never) Saw Elvis!

Even though some of us here in EduLand may doubt that the King is dead, what is certain is that his museum is alive and well!

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 146th edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by NYC Educator.) are due. Please email them to: nyceducator [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Joshuapundit earned the most votes with 'Land For Peace', American Style.

Extra Credit Reading: Saturday, November 17, 2007

What's in a last name? Read all about how the all-American last name is undergoing change.This is just tragic: A woman dies in her apartment and days later her twin babies are found alongside their mother's decaying body. But that wasn't the worst...

Carnivalicious!

The 145th midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Edspresso) has opened-up its turnstiles for your educational pleasure.Round-out your educational experience by checking out what the homies are up to over at the "thankful" edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest entries.

Foreign Students In America: They're Back!

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, many foreign university students decided to stay home instead of pursuing the academic dreams in our institutions of higher learning. Some six years later, they're remembering the value of an American college degree in the international marketplace:WASHINGTON (AFP) — Fueled by Asia, foreign student enrollment in US higher education institutions

Calling All Carnival Entries!

Entries for the 145th edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by the folks over at Edspresso.) are due. Please email them to: edspresso [at] edreform [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 3:00 PM (Eastern) 12:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards finished in first place with Courts v. Terrorism = Wile E.

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 144th edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by the Rightwing Prof over at Rightwing Nation.) are due. Please email them to: bondc [at] rightwingnation [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the

Semiannual Stupidity

Once again, just about all of us Americans have had to go through the twice-yearly hassle of changing the clocks. Only this time around, there is some talk that this minor annoyance may be hazardous to the health of pedestrians. And that includes many kids who walk to and from school: This weekend is the time to turn back those clocks, and according to two scientists, time to be extra careful

Let's Carnival!

The 143rd midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by What It's Like on the Inside) has opened-up the midway for your trick-or-treating pleasure.Round-out your educational experience by checking out what the homies are up to over at the latest edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest entries.

Carnival Call!

Entries for the 143rd edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by the Science Goddess over at What It's Like on the Inside.) are due. Please email them to: the_science_goddess [at] yahoo [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name,

When Kids Grow Up Too Fast: The Maine Story

What's up with that Maine middle school that wants to hand out contraceptives to girls as young as 11?School officials voted last night to OK a plan to distribute contraceptives to children as young as 11 in Portland, Maine.The Associated Press says the decision follows at least 17 pregnancies in the last four years among students at the city's three middle schools. Children who have parental

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Bookworm Room garnered the most Council Member votes with The MSM's Rush

Censorchimps: The Massachusetts Subspecies

It's been reported that a new subspecies of Censorchimp has been sighted on a school campus in the eastern United States. This particular variety, which has long been present in the Bay State, is attempting to feast on fears that some folks have about Harry Potter: WAKEFIELD - The summer reading feats of Lynne Bimmler's sixth-grade class are proudly chronicled on the St. Joseph's School website."

Carnival-Carnival

The 142nd midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by History is Elementary) has opened-up the midway for your educational pleasure.Round-out your educational experience by checking out what the homies are up to over at the latest edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest entries.

Alzheimer's And Education: The Bad And The Worse

It was somewhat heartening to learn that one's likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease was lessened when one had more education, but it was downright depressing to learn that once one does develop the disease, the more education one has the faster one declines: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Having more years of formal education delays the memory loss linked to Alzheimer's disease, but once the

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 142nd edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by History is Elementary.) are due. Please email them to: historyiselementary [at] mail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: In a tie vote that was broken by The Watcher, Done With Mirrors came in

The Carnival Of Education: Week 141

Welcome to the midway of the 141st Carnival of Education!Here's the very latest roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.Folks interested in hosting an edition of the C.O.E. should please let us know via this email address: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net.Thanks to everyone who helped spread

Wankerette Of The Day: Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle

It's bad enough that our nation is being overrun by a tidal wave of illegal immigration. But it's worse, far worse, when appointed-for-life-and-therefore-accountable-to-no-one federal judges block the enforcement of laws not because they have concerns over the Constitutionality of the legislation, but because of their own personal views, biases, and proclivities. Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle's

Carnival Call!

Entries for the 141st edition of The Carnival Of Education (Hosted this week by us here at the 'Wonks.) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Eastern) 8:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: For the second week in a row, Big Lizards has earned first place honors.

Today's Political Non Sequitur

I'm not a Democrat, but if I were, then I'd be somewhat concerned highly upset with Nancy "San Fran Nan" Pelosi's seemingly complete ineffectiveness as a party leader. She seems unable to get anything done.At this point, I don't think that San Fran Nan could organize and lead a church parade much less the United States House of Representatives.Nancy Pelosi just might be the best Republican leader

Let's Carnival!

The 140th midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by The Tempered Radical) has opened-up the midway.And if you're in the mood for a little extra educredit, round-out your educational experience over at this week's edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest entries.

Kid Dynamite

Eleven-year-old competetive fencer Arabella Uhry of New York City could be an opposing Olympic swashbuckler's worst nightmare.I wish that I'd have thought of using swordplay as a way to getting on the U.S. team.Good for her.

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 140th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by The Tempered Radical.) are due. Please email them to: wferriter [at] hotmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 7:00 PM (Eastern) 4:00 PM (Pacific) Today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards earned first place honors with Gratefully Not Dead: Iraq

Banning 'Lil Ghosts And Goblins At The School House Door

Halloween is still weeks away. But already in Colorado the PC crowd has begun its campaign to suppress yet another harmless childhood rite of passage: BROOMFIELD - There won't be little ghosts and goblins at Kohl Elementary School this Halloween.In a newsletter sent home to parents, Principal Cindy Kaier wrote that the traditional Halloween party celebrated in classrooms each year will be

Carnivalicious!

The 139th midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Evolution.... not just a theory any more) has opened-up the midway.And if you're in the mood for a little extra credit, check out what the homies are up to over at The Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest entries.

Boondoggle Chronicles: Public Housing For The Affluent

One of the things that really gets me mad is when I learn of a government program that knows it is being wasteful of the taxpayers' hard-earned money and does nothing about it.As reported by The Washington Post, the latest instance of wasteful spending is to be found in relatively affluent Fairfax County Virginia:Hundreds of families living in housing subsidized by Fairfax County taxpayers exceed

Carnival Call!

Entries for the 139th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Evolution... not just a theory anymore.) are due. Please email them to: greg [at] gregladen [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 2:00 AM (Eastern) Tomorrow. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Spellings Report: Pushing NCLB

The nation's report card has just come out and Queen of All Testing U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings is positively giddy over the news: "Student achievement is on the rise," said Secretary Spellings. "No Child Left Behind is working. It's doable, reasonable and necessary. Any efforts to weaken accountability would fly in the face of rising achievement."Spellings noted that 48 states

Crackingdown On Crack

North Carolina's Mecklenburg County is the latest locality that is considering a crackdown on individuals who insist on displaying their dirty underwear "sagging" pants:The Rev. Willie Simpson thinks low-riding pants are indecent. Now he wants Mecklenburg County to make them illegal.On Tuesday, Simpson asked Mecklenburg County commissioners to work with the Charlotte City Council to pass a ban."

True American Values

I don't agree with a lot of what Peggy Noonen (of the Wall Street Journal) says, but this time she gets it right: Americans should not fear talking--and listening--to those whose views we loathe.You don't want to judge Christ by Christians, someone once said. He is perfect, they are not.In a similar way you don't want to judge capitalism by capitalists, or the legitimacy of democracy by the

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Bookworm Room took first place with Cosmic Ironies.Non-Council Entries:

Let's Carnival!

The 138th midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Global Citizenship in a Virtual World) has opened-up the midway with a roundup of EduExhibits for your EduEnjoyment.And if you're in the mood for a little extra credit, check out this week's edition of the Carnival of Homechooling. --------------------------See our latest entries.

The Free-Radical Approach To EduReform

The editorial board of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is saying that what's needed in order to overhaul public education is to actually go ahead and really overhaul public education:End high school at age 16. Take schools away from school districts and school boards and give them to hired private contractors, most likely liability corporations owned and run by teachers. Fund schools from the

Our EduTax Dollars At Work

Is this the boondoggle that one might very well suspect it to be?More about these federal grants here.

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 138th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Global Citizenship in a Virtual World) are due. Please email them to: gxeremio [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Right Wing Nut House received the most votes with Is War With Iran Now Just

The Carnival Of Education: Week 137

Welcome to the midway of the 137th Carnival of Education!Here's the very latest roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.Folks interested in hosting an edition of the C.O.E. should please let us know via this email address: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net.Thanks to everyone who helped spread

Exploitation?

When it comes to being fashionable, it is said that one can't be "too tall, too thin, too rich, or too young."Until now:A 12-year-old has caused a media frenzy after she was chosen to front one of the world's largest fashion shows.Blonde-haired, blue-eyed Maddison Gabriel was picked as the official ambassador of Gold Coast Fashion Week in Australia and has also worn a number of revealing outfits

Carnival Call!

Entries for the 137th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at the 'Wonks) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Eastern) 8:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: ‘Okie’ on the Lam received the most votes with 2001 -- Our Own Odyssey Began

Carnival Time!

The 136th midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by History is Elementary) has opened-up the midway with a roundup of EduExhibits for your EduEnjoyment.And if you're in the mood for a little extra credit, check out the soccer edition of the Carnival of Homechooling. --------------------------See our latest entries.

Wonkitorial Comment: Six Years After 9-11

With the United States now embroiled in the quagmire of the Iraq War, let's not forget that the real mastermind behind the crimes of September 11, 2001 remains at large and is still unpunished.Lest we forget, here's a whole set of articles devoted to tracking the movements of the porcine creature demon who's name is Legion Osama bin Laden.EdWonk's notes to certain members of the Washington

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 136th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by History is Elementary) are due. Please email them to: historyiselementary [at] mail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 8:00 PM (Eastern) 5:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Done With Mirrors received the most votes with Contemptible.Non-Council

Our Troubled High Schools: Gang-Banging The Indy Way

The plague of student juvenile gangs continues to infest many of our public schools, with the latest incident occurring in, of all places, an Indianapolis high school: Seven North Central High School students face gang-related charges after a fight in the school cafeteria resulted in their arrests Thursday.According to police reports, Special Deputy Thaddeus Jones of the Indianapolis Metropolitan

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire: A "Gotta Have?"

A book with a title like that is just begging to be bought.Australian educator Murray Bourne liked it while Teacher Magazine's Howard Good didn't.Heh. Maybe some kind-hearted soul will buy a couple of copies and leave them in our teacher's lounge.I won't hold my breath.

World's Dumbest College Students?

Not everyone who goes to college is smart: (emphasis ours) A pair of freshmen at Northeastern University learned a tough lesson before classes even started this semester, when one of them allegedly leaned out the window of his dormitory and yelled something regrettable in earshot of plainclothes police officers."If you're looking for weed, my roommate Ferrante has some for sale," Michael R.

Alive Day

According to NBC news, if one survives being "blown-up" in Iraq, that day forever becomes one's "Alive Day."This Sunday evening, HBO is set to broadcast a documentary called Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq hosted by James Gandolfini. (Yes, that James Gandolfini) Read more about it here and there.I think that some of this might be good to share with students, (especially at the high school

The Carnival Of Education: Week 135

Welcome to the midway of the 135th Carnival of Education!Here's the very latest roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.Folks interested in hosting an edition of the C.O.E. should please let us know via this email address: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net.Thanks to everyone who helped spread

More Zero-Tolerance Lunacy?

When I was a boy, many of us would draw pictures featuring soldiers, cowboys, Indians, and even cops and robbers.Many of these sketches featured characters using weapons ranging from pistols and sub-machine guns to aircraft dropping atomic bombs on a well-deserving enemy.To us, it was normal. But things have changed.Apparently, boys drawing guns are no longer considered "normal" behavior in

Hammering Around

Who would have thought that, of all people, MC Hammer would be hanging around on Blogspot?Guess there must be some truth to all that stuff I've been hearing in the MSM about "Citizen Journalism."And isn't that as it should be?

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 135th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at the 'Wonks) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Eastern) 8:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards received the most votes with NYT: Analogies Are Meaningless (

Today's Historical Non Sequitur

Who would have thought that the most successful pirate in world history would have been a lady of means? I just wish that I could have shared this with my seventh grade students....

Carnival-Carnival!

The 134th midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Matthew K. Tabor) has opened the midway for your educational enjoyment.And if you're in the mood for a little extra credit, see what the homies are up to over at The Carnival of Education.--------------------------See our latest entries.

Our Falling Reading Scores: What's To Be Done?

This is some troubling news: Reading skills among U.S. students graduating from high school this year fell to the lowest since 1994 as measured by the most widely taken college-entrance exam.Reading scores on the SAT declined 1 point to 502 after a 5- point drop last year, the test's operator, the College Board, reported today. The decline in 2006 had been the largest in three decades. Average

Washington Watch: Another Hypocrite Exposed

Apparently, Idaho's senator Larry Craig was attempting to do a little unauthorized "exit polling" in a public restroom recently:Sen. Larry Craig said that he "overreacted and made a poor decision" in pleading guilty to disorderly conduct after his June arrest following an incident in a Minneapolis airport bathroom.Tuesday, in his first public statement on the arrest, the Idaho Republican said he

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 134th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Matthew K. Tabor) are due. Please email them to: mktabor [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Eastern) 8:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Right Wing Nut House received the most votes with Is the United States an

The Beaverton Bare Gets Busted!

Apparently, this guy didn't know when to quit: PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A group of campers tied a peeping Tom suspect to a tree, keeping him bound until police arrived.Richard H. Berkey, 63, was charged with private indecency, a misdemeanor, by sheriff's deputies who were called to the Big Fan Campground near Bagby Hot Springs last weekend, according to Clackamas County Detective Jim

DisJustice The Modern Way

The tedious soap opera latest legal difficulties of useless lay-about "actress" Lindsay Lohan is about the best evidence that supports the idea that in today's America, there is one standard of justice and "due process" for the Rich, Famous, Or Simply Beautiful and a very different one for the Rest of Us:BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Lindsay Lohan reached a plea deal Thursday on misdemeanor

Carnivalicious!

The 133rd midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by The Red Pencil) has opened the midway for your educational enjoyment. (Be sure to scroll down and have a good look at those nifty pie-charts that have been put-together by the host.)And if you're in the mood for a little extra credit, ease on over to the "magical" edition of this week's Carnival of Homeschooling.------------------

Party-Hearty!

Allright. For those of you who must know, here are America's top party schools.And now for extra credit, who can tell us (without peeking) what very famous American patriotic song's melody is based upon on an old English drinking tune called "To Anacreon in Heaven?"Stumped? Go here.

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 133rd edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by The Red Pencil) are due. Please email them to: theredpencil [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Eastern) 8:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards garnered the most votes with The "Don't Make Waves!" Theory of

The Spellings Report: Margaret Heads South!

One of our confidential sources inside the Bush Administration has intimated to us that Washington's Educrat-in-Chief Margaret Spellings was recently sighted down in Memphis, Tennessee, where she was heard to say this: (emphasis ours) How do we close the achievement gap and prepare all children to succeed in the global economy? To me, the answer is clear—the reauthorization of No Child Left

The Long And The Sag Of It!

Here we go again: MANSFIELD, La. — Effective Sept. 15, anyone in this northwest Louisiana town caught wearing sagging pants that expose his or her underwear will be subject to a fine up to $150 plus court costs, or face up to 15 days in jail.Mansfield aldermen Monday voted unanimously and without discussion to enact the law. Mayor Curtis McCoy said he proposed it because he was concerned about

Let's Carnival!

The 132nd midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Education Matters) has opened the midway for your EduEnjoyment.And don't forget to checkout what the homies are up to over at The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

The Elephant In The EduReform Room

When it comes to successfully reforming our chronically under performing public education system, the factor that nobody in the MSM seems to want to talk about is the sad reality that many of our classroom teachers are under qualified for the jobs in which they are assigned.Well... almost nobody.In a recent op-ed piece that appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Camille Esch shows us that elephant "

Top 'O The Food Chain To Ya!

It's disquieting to learn that even on dry land, we humans can sometimes be just one of the weaker links on the food chain.

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 132nd edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Lennie over at Education Matters) are due. Please email them to: lennie(at)educationmatters(dot)us . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 10:00 PM (Eastern) 7:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Right Wing Nut House finished in first place with My Excellent Adventure At

Carnival-Carnival!

The 131st midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Education in Texas) has opened the midway for your EduEnjoyment.And don't forget to round-out your educational experience over at the 84th edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

Is This How To Build A Better NCLB?

The federal No Child Left Behind Act is up for reauthorization, and among the interested parties the jockeying for position has begun:Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., the chairman of the House education committee, says he hopes to steer a bill renewing the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) through the House this fall, and one of the key changes he plans to propose is incentives for states and

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 131st edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Mike over at Education in Texas) are due. Please email them to: mikea3_98[at]yahoo[dot]com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Eastern) 8:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: The Colossus of Rhodey received the most votes with NEA Also Confused About

Yet Another Taxpayer-funded Incentive For Illegal Aliens?

Usually, I think of radio personality Rush Limbaugh as little more than a rabid Bushbot cheerleader for the Administration, but I happened to be listening to his program today (I usually don't) when I heard him say this: (from the transcript)Listen closely. First here is an editorial from yesterday's Washington Times. "Unsatisfied with thwarting a Republican effort to authorize $3 billion for a

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 130th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Dr. Homeslice) are due. Please email them to: drhomeslice(at)hotmail(dot)com. (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible.

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Right Wing Nut House garnered the most votes with Little Noted But Long

Let's Carnival!

The 129th midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Education in Texas) has opened its turnstiles for your EduEnjoyment.And don't forget to round-out your educational experience over at the latest edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

Virginia's Clown Princes: Governor Tim Kaine & Co.

Encouraged by their governor, Virginia has begun collecting what must surely be some of the most steep fines for speeding in the history of American motoring:Earlier this month, Virginia began imposing huge new fines — some as high as $2,500 — for residents caught driving 20 miles above the speed limit or engaging in other reckless driving.The fines were to raise money for road projects, but they

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 129th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Mike over at Education in Texas) are due. Please email them to: mikea3_98[at]yahoo[dot]com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Eastern) 8:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Bookworm Room garnered the most votes with Harry Potter and Ostrich

The Carnival Of Education: Week 128

Welcome to the midway of the 128th Carnival of Education!Here's the very latest roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.Folks interested in hosting an edition of the C.O.E. should please let us know via this email address: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net.Thanks to everyone who helped spread

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 128th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at at The 'Wonks) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards earned first place honors with High Noonan.Non-Council Entries:

Today's Non Sequitorial Comment

Why on Earth do the television networks feel that they have to run those Viagra and Cialis (Cialis has the ones with those stupid insipid couples who always end-up in those ubiquitous out-of-doors bathtubs.) commercials when they know that children will be watching?I really don't want to explain the meaning of the term "erectile dysfunction" to my 10-year-old niece... --------------------------

Those Ole History Textbook Blues

Joanne Jacobs shows us that when it comes to writing history textbooks for our public schools, one should be careful where one steps.It's a sensitivity mine field out there. --------------------------See our latest entries.

Let's Be Careful Out There...

For all of our friends out there in EduLand who suffer from a severe case of paraskavedekatriaphobia, hope everything works out OK.

Another One That Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

In yet another example of our broken legal system, we have the case of the Florida man who is being forced to financially support another man's child:Francisco Rodriguez owes more than $10,000 in back child support payments in a paternity case involving a 15-year-old girl who, according to DNA results and the girl's mother, is not his daughter.Rodriguez, who is married with two daughters and a

The Carnival Of Education: Week 127

Welcome to the midway of the 127th Carnival of Education!Here's the very latest roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.Folks interested in hosting an edition of the C.O.E. should please let us know via this email address: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net.Thanks to everyone who helped spread

Army Recruitment And The Influencers

The number of young people willing to serve in our Army in its time of highest need is on the decline, reports the Washington Post: The U.S. Army fell short of its active-duty recruiting goal for June by about 15 percent, defense officials said yesterday. It is the second consecutive month the service's enlistment effort has faltered amid the American public's growing discontent over the war in

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 127th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at at The 'Wonks) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Joshuapundit earned the most votes with Guess Where Your President Was

Let's Carnival!

The 126th midway of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by NYC Educator) has opened its turnstiles for your EduEnjoyment.And check into family matters over at The Carnival of Family Life.--------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

This I Believe

As this is Independence Day, I've been thinking about some of those things in which I believe as an American Conservative: I believe that when our nation goes to war, it should do so after a Congressional Declaration of War and not after some nebulous "resolution" which authorizes the President to employ our armed forces at his discretion.I believe that when our nation is at war, the people

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Bookworm Room took first place honors with A Stunningly Dishonest Piece of

A Passing Thought On Today's MSM

CNN may have removed education-related stories from their "newly revamped" front page, but at least we can now learn such vital information as the financial penalty that must be paid when one man steals another man's wife.Such is the media environment in which we live and blog...

C.O.E. Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 126th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by NYC Educator) are due. Please email them to: nyceducator [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible.

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for posts submitted during the week of June 17th. Council Member Entries: Joshuapundit took first place with Gaza Becomes Hamastan,

Carnival Time!

The 125th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Education in Texas) has opened-up the the midway for your reading pleasure.Round-out your Educational Experience by seeing what the homies are up to over at the Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

The NEA: Boondoggle Or Money Well Spent?

Remember the National Endowment for the Arts?Those are the folks who spent taxpayer money on "artwork" by Andre Serrano ("Piss Christ") and the late Robert Mapplethorpe's homoerotic photography.Now the NEA is back in a big way with $124 million earmarked for this year and $128 million for next year: An all-night reading at a local Krispy Kreme of American author John Steinbeck's 1939 classic "The

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 125th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Mike over at Education In Texas) are due. Please email them to: mikea3_98[at]yahoo[dot]com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's

The Traveling Wonks

The Wonk Family is in transit to our summer place in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina. The roadtrip itself is 2,164 miles and given good weather and no surprises, we should arrive late Monday evening or early Tuesday.Stopping only for fuel and food-to-go, the trip takes about 36 hours.We should resume posting this Tuesday.Among other communities, we should be passing through: Yuma,

Let's Carnival!

The 124th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by What It's Like on the Inside) has opened-up the midway for your EduEnjoyment.Round-out your Educational Experience by seeing what the homies are up to over at this week's edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling.--------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

The Wanker Of The Day: Principal Crackjob

Florida middle school principal Anthony Giancola's career went up in smoke after he became hooked on smoking crack cocaine and marijuana:TAMPA - Anthony Giancola, the former principal of Van Buren Middle School, first tasted crack cocaine sometime before the school's Christmas break. Just like that, he was hooked.He told police in an interview released Wednesday that he easily spent $400 to $600

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 124th edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by the Science Goddess over at What It's Like on the Inside) are due. Please email them to: the_science_goddess[at]yahoo[dot]com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the

Merit Pay Chronicles: The Minneapolis Story

In the latest example of a nationwide trend, The New York Times is reporting that unionized teachers in Minneapolis have overwhelmingly voted for a performance-based compensation plan: For years, the unionized teaching profession opposed few ideas more vehemently than merit pay, but those objections appear to be eroding as school districts in dozens of states experiment with plans that compensate

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Bookworm Room took first place with Judging People By Their Friends and

The Carnival Of Education: Week 123

Welcome to the midway of the 123rd edition of The Carnival of Education!Here's this week's roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves, even this school-related limerick.If you're interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via this email address: edwonk [at]

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 123rd edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at at The 'Wonks) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Soccer Dad has earned first place honors with 3 Spies and Six

The All-Muslim, All-Girl High School Prom

The University of Minnesota's Al-Madinah Cultural Center is an Islamic student group (website here) that receives much its funding from mandatory student activity fees paid by all students who attend the university.Al-Madinah's mission is "to create a better understanding and appreciation for the diverse culture of Islam through educational, social and community activities at the University of

The Coyote School Lunch Program

One youngster in Salem, Massachusetts, (yes, that Salem) gave his opinion about his school's food in no uncertain terms when he said that he would rather "eat his arm" than chow-down on what was being served:The only certainty about the school lunch program is that almost nobody prefers Preferred Meals, a pilot program at three city schools.Nearly 60 percent of students dislike the taste of the

The Quote Of The Day

A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on a cold iron.Horace Mann

The Carnival Of Education: Week 122

Welcome to the midway of the 122nd edition of The Carnival of Education!Here's this week's roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.If you're interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via this email address: edwonk [at] educationwonks [dot] org.Thanks to

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 122nd edition of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at at The 'Wonks) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: For the third week in a row, Joshuapundit took first place with this week's

Middle School Teacher Sues Students!

I'm so used to seeing stories about parents and students suing their teachers that I was taken aback when I read this story about a middle school math teacher suing students: INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (AP) -- A math teacher whose name is used in a student film featuring an evil teddy bear that orders other stuffed animals to kill a teacher is suing the four children who made it, alleging it defamed

The Carnival Of Education: Week 121

Welcome to the midway of the 121st Carnival of Education!Here's this week's roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers.If you're interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via this email address: edwonk [at] educationwonks [dot] org.Thanks to everyone who helped spread

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 121st midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at at The 'Wonks) are due. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL

Memorial Day: Just Another Day Of Instruction?

Officials in one Louisiana school district have decided that it should be business as usual this Memorial Day: "Students, faculty and staff in the Lafayette Parish School System won’t have the day off for Memorial Day, as school will be in session tomorrow.According to James Easton, Superintendent of Schools for the Lafayette Parish School System, class will continue on Monday, which is Memorial

Memorial Day EduGaggle

Would you believe a U.S. public school that is in session on Memorial Day? Believe it!Today's Knuckleheads must certainly be those teenagers who decided to put photos of their high school classmates getting drunk and smoking pot in their yearbook. More here.Ward Churchill, Colorado university professor and fake indian, compared the victims of 9/11 to Nazis. It looks as though it was cheating,

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Joshuapundit took first place honors with Israel Faces Its Choices In

Today's EduGaggle

As of 2005, the United States is now spending an average of $8,701 per pupil to educate its children. (New York was the biggest spender on education, at $14,119.) Where is all that money going? (Since the teachers of our California school district now earn less in take home pay than we did in 2002, we know that cash isn't going into our pockets...) And, more importantly, why aren't the taxpayers

FCAT Woes

It seems as though there's something fishy going on down in the Sunshine State: A state Senate education committee will open an inquiry into FCAT testing irregularities after Florida's Department of Education on Wednesday acknowledged a blunder that affected some 200,000 tests.The investigation will center on who knew what when, said Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, chairman of the pre-K-12 education

Thursday EduGaggle

Let's all salute 14-year-old Caitlin Snaring , the second girl to win the national geography bee!New York City is closing its schools for pregnant girls. Low test scores are among the reasons cited.In Alaska, students from the city and the Outback are trading places.The Wanker of The Day is the well-respected Oregon teacher who, after 31 years in the classroom, tossed-away his reputation by

Today's EduGaggle

EduBlogger California Teacher Guy has gotten the type of awful news that almost all teachers have dreaded at one time or another. Read the sequence: part I, part II, part III and part IV.Today's school prank report: Seems as though one Tennessee high school is suffering the effects from an unexpected infestation of white mice...Don't forget to visit today's midway of The Carnival of Education! (

Carnival-Carnival

The 120th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by I Thought A Think) has opened-up the midway for your EduEnjoyment.Round-out your Educational Experience by seeing what the homies are up to over at this week's edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

Morning EduGaggle

There's an ambitious project afoot to provide every child in the world's developing countries with an inexpensive but highly efficient laptop computer. This plan has now begun to turn into reality and get more about the machine here. (Interestingly, their are no plans to provide millions of American school children with any sort of computer...)School Prank Season is now in full gear: Couldn't

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 120th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week over at I Thought A Think) are due. Please email them to: rgrant [at] mlsd [dot] org . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) today. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: In a three way tie which was broken by The Watcher, Joshuapundit took first

Administrative Buffoonery: Principal Photoshop

One Louisiana elementary school excluded portraits of its special education students from the school yearbook: MANDEVILLE, La. -- If you look at the yearbook for one St. Tammany Parish elementary school, you won't see all of the students.Parents said portrait shots of special education students with learning disabilities were left out of Pontchartrain Elementary School's yearbook. Instead, there

Monday EduGaggle

Twin Trouble: A mom is upset that the school system assigned her twin sons to separate first-grade classes without consulting her first.Historical tragedy in England: The world's only surviving clipper ship, the Cutty Sark, has been extensively damaged by fire. Police are calling the fire "suspicious." We call it a crime against World Heritage.Have you heard the one about the knuckle head

Wonkitorial: Monsters In Pretty Packages

When monster teacher Debra Lafave was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting her 14-year-old male student, she was released on $25,000 bail and ended-up not being sentenced to any time in prison whatsoever and received probation instead.When teacher Collin Holcomb was arrested in Omaha just the other day for allegedly sexually assaulting his 14-year-old female student, the judge imposed

Morning EduGaggle

The ACLU is extorting suing one Louisiana school district for allowing the Gideons to distribute Bibles to students. This is what the ACLU is so rabid concerned about:The lawsuit details an instance in which the girl's class was told by their teacher to pick up their New Testament Bibles in front of the school office. The girl ended up in a line with the entire fifth grade, while two men handed

Friday EduGaggle

Florida Governor Charlie Crist, has just signed into law a statute requiring a minimum of 2 1/2 hours of physical eduction each week for students between kindergarten and fifth grade. Middle and high schools are encouraged to provide up to 3 3/4 hours of gym class weekly.A just released study reports that students aren't forgetting as much history as they used to. Or are they? Meanwhile, over at

His Mouth Runneth Over

This is another example of why teachers should be careful about joking around in the classroom: A Lake Stevens high school teacher is on leave while the district investigates a remark he made to a class.A parent complained that the teacher, Gary McDonald, told students Monday he would take anyone talking in class and line them up against a wall and shoot them.District spokeswoman Arlene Hulten

The Carnival Of Education: Week 119

Welcome to the midway of the 119th Carnival of Education!Here's this week's roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.If you're interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via this email address: edwonk [at] educationwonks [dot] org.As always, we give a hearty

Morning EduGaggle

Consider taking a look at the trials and tribulations that most Iraqi school children must go through simply to attend classes.Timing may be everything when it comes to giving birth to a smart kid!For those of you who would like to know what pioneering EduBlogger Jenny D looks like in person, click here. (See the back story there.)The repercussions of what could possibly be the most tasteless

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 119th midway of The Carnival Of Education are due today. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible. Visit last week's midway, hosted

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards earned first place honors with Does America Elect Defeatists?

Unprofessional Conduct

A Tennessee elementary school administrator and several teachers have been accused of participating in what just might be one of the most tasteless (and possibly unlawful) stunts that have been inflicted on unsuspecting students in recent memory: MURFREESBORO — Parents of students at a Murfreesboro elementary school are outraged that teachers and an assistant principal staged a phony gun attack

Monday Morning EduGaggle

California high school math teacher Darren gives a thrashing to President Barbara "Boss" Kerr of The California Teachers Association and wonders why the union is so afraid of testing.Yep. We think that it's a safe bet that nearly all of us can agree that our inner-city schools are a mess, but what's to be done about it? Town Hall's Donald Lambro has some ideas, but they don't involve simply

The Spellings Report: Where's Her Accountability?

Heh. The Queen Of All Testing U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, who is so quick to hold schools 100% accountable for the academic success of 100% of America's children, (while saying nothing about the need for parents and students to also be responsible for at least making an effort to achieve their own success) went before Congress the other day and showed herself to be distinctly

Sunday EduGaggle

Here's a public middle school that gets it right. (But then again, with the advantages that are enjoyed by that particular campus, why shouldn't they succeed?)The Reading First scandal deepens: Officials who gave states advice on which teaching materials to buy under a federal reading program had deep financial ties to publishers, according to a congressional report Wednesday.While many American

Morning EduGaggle

Students and staff at one northern California primary school are being stalked by... an attack squirrel. Two parents and an 11-year-old girl have already felt the squirrel's wrath... Meanwhile, the four-legged fur-bearing assailant is still at large.In today's story from the Odd Side of the Tracks, we have several college girls who are accused of stealing about 1000 copies of their college

It's Teacher Appreciation Week?

Heh. I teach in a California junior high school and didn't even know that it was "Teacher Appreciation Week" until I read Ms. Cornelius' letter to school administrators everywhere. Here's a small sample: It would be nice if administrators would realize that they are managers of teachers, not just commanders. Teacher motivation is part of the job of an excellent administrator. As it is, many of

Morning EduGaggle

This is what happens when a large school district doesn't pay its teachers competitive salaries.When an Arizona college professor is threatened with dismissal because he emailed George Washington's "Thanksgiving Proclamation" to colleagues, something is seriously wrong in the Land of Barry Goldwater.Shouldn't a fifth-grader know better than to bring a pistol to school?Ricardo Montalban never said

Today's EduGaggle

Students in one California College have found a new way to raise their G.P.A.'s: they pay for 'em!Here's something for those of us who like History and Things Historical: The lost site of Jamestown is lost no longer. (Traveler's advisory: the ghosts of Pocahontas and John Smith may very well be lurking nearby...)Follow me to this week's midway of The Carnival of Education! Complete your

Let's Carnival!

The 118th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by NYC Educator) has opened-up the midway for your EduEnjoyment.Round-out your Educational Experience by seeing what the homies are up to over at this week's edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

Morning EduGaggle

New York City school administrator Michael Levy is in need of some serious spelling and grammar lessons.Paul Vallas, 53, an administrator with a reputation for "shaping up" big-city schools, has been hired to take-over the beleaguered New Orleans public school system. Vallas has guaranteed that he would succeed in a city that has had three school superintendents since 1998. (One word:

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 118th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week over at NYC Educator) are due. Please email them to: nyceducator [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific) tomorrow. Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Bookworm Room earned first place honors with Cornelia, Mother of the

Morning EduGaggle

English schools are facing an examination meltdown.The Queen of All Testing U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has taken so many EduJunkets fact-finding tours that she is now kinda-sorta blogging about it. In Canada, 500,000 students and teachers across the country will be singing the same song at the exact same time in what they're calling "Music Monday." The purpose? To save Music

Is EduTechnology Oversold?

The New York Times is reporting that some schools are now dropping their laptop-for-students programs: LIVERPOOL, N.Y. — The students at Liverpool High have used their school-issued laptops to exchange answers on tests, download pornography and hack into local businesses. When the school tightened its network security, a 10th grader not only found a way around it but also posted step-by-step

Today's Knucklehead: Teacher Elizabeth Logan

Did you hear the one about the idiot $69,000 per year first grade teacher who was arrested and charged with stealing a little girl's jacket and selling it on eBay?Elizabeth Lucinda Logan allegedly sold the purloined jacket for $46.She has been suspended from her post. Our guess is that she will soon qualify for a Darwin Award in Education. -----------------------See our latest entries.

Head Start Gets Started

The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives has approved an expansion of the Head Start program while igniting a controversy over whether or not service providers may be hired/fired on religious grounds:WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House approved more money for the popular Head Start program Wednesday after rejecting a GOP-led attempt to allow religious groups participating in the program

This Just In: Sad News From California

Like many parents, we wince when we read something like this: BELMONT, California (AP) -- A sport utility vehicle jumped a curb outside a middle school Wednesday afternoon, plowed into a group of children waiting for a bus and rammed into a tree, trapping several students underneath, police said.Hospital officials said 13 children and the SUV's driver were taken to hospitals, and that at least

Taking God Out Of One Public School Classroom

How much freedom should a public school teacher have to express his or her religious beliefs on his or her classroom walls? That question is being hotly debated in one San Diego-area classroom where administrators ordered one veteran teacher to remove materials from his classroom walls that refer to the Deity: ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based

Let's Carnival!

The 117th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Dr. Homeslice) has opened-up the midway for your EduEnjoyment.Round-out your Educational Experience by seeing what the homies are up to over at this week's edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

Student Walkout Redux?

Those who support "rights" for illegal aliens are being urged to take to the streets today: Los Angeles - Demonstrators demanding a path to US citizenship for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants hope that nationwide marches will spur Congress to act before the looming presidential primaries take over the political landscape.Marches, meetings and voter registration drives were planned

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 117th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week over at Dr. Homeslice) are due today. Please email them to: drhomeslice [at] hotmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Done With Mirrors took first place with Earth Day.Non-Council Entries: City

Wonkitorial: The Latest From Babylon, D.C.

Looks like another of the Washington Crowd has been caught with his pants down hands in the hypocrisy jar:(emphasis added) "Miz Julia" doled out a steady stream of advice, both practical and philosophical.From her California home, she e-mailed tips to the 132 women who worked across the Washington area for the firm Pamela Martin & Associates. Her newsletters, now excerpted in court records, were

The Nation's Top Teacher Meets The President

President Bush met with Washington State music teacher Andrea Peterson who has been selected as the "National Teacher of the Year:"WASHINGTON -- Teaching is a family thing for Andrea Peterson, honored Thursday as the nation's top teacher.The 33-year-old is a music instructor in Granite Falls, Wash. Her father, Victor Rahn, has been in the classroom since before Andrea was born. Two sisters-in-law

The Carnival Of Education: Week 116

Welcome to the midway of the 116th Carnival of Education!Here's this week's roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.If you're interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via this email address: edwonk [at] educationwonks [dot] org.As always, we give a hearty

High Noon For High School Sports?

Mr. McNamar of The Daily Grind is asking a very sensitive question: Has the time come to end high school sports? The central mission of public education is to teach the skills necessary to contribute to the global society. Then how do high school athletics fit in?Here are four reasons why high school athletics may not fit into the mission of public education.Reason 1: Across the country, school

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 116th midway of The Carnival Of Education are due today. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible. Visit last week's midway, hosted

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards took first place with Fighting Back Was Not an Option, Part 2.

The Website Of The Day: TeacherTube

If you're a fan of YouTube, then you're gonna love TeacherTube. Check'em out right over there.(TipWonk'd by: Polski3 of Polski3's View From Here)

Trespassers Will Be Eaten!

A group of Chinese youngsters thought that it would be cute to jump over a park's fence in order to tease some carnivorous animals that are housed there. The trespassers received a first-hand lesson about the food-chain instead: BEIJING, China (AP) -- A crocodile shot to death in south China during a search for a missing 9-year-old student was found to contain the child's remains, the official

Merit-Based Success: James Calderwood

Now here's a young man who's actually earned his accolades the good old-fashioned way: he worked for them: Archaeology, emergency preparedness, textiles, personal fitness — this seemingly random list of activities is just the beginning of the things James Calderwood has mastered.Calderwood is a Boy Scout who's earned every single merit badge available. Twenty-one are needed to become an Eagle

British UnParenting

It has long been said that English parents rear very well-behaved children. Well.... it appears as though that's no longer true as ever-increasing numbers of young (even kindergarten-age) children are being expelled for criminal behaviors that run the gamut from drug dealing to sexual assault: At least one child aged five or under is expelled from school every week and dozens more are suspended

Administrative Idiocy: Parents And Teachers Fight Back

Administrators in one Texas school district really know how to disrespect teachers and anger parents: ANNA – The story of Black Friday has shaken the small Anna school district, but tonight many people here hope to make it a legend of the past.Some residents of this rural Collin County town have painted their cars, donned T-shirts and posted signs to protest Black Friday, the day known by staff

Carnival-Carnival

The 115th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by DY/DAN) has opened-up the midway with a variety of exhibits and freak sideshows from across the EduSphere.Round-out your Educational Experience by seeing what the homies are up to over at Tax Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 115th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by Dan over at DY/DAN) are due today. Please email them to: dan [at] mrmeyer [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 11:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible. Visit last week's

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Cheat Seeking Missiles took first place with Don't Know Your

President Bush: The Reasoning Behind NCLB

President Bush tells us why he pushed N.C.L.B. in the first place: all he wanted to do was help public schools: President Bush, acknowledging public frustration over his No Child Left Behind Act, said Thursday the point of the law is not to punish schools that fall short, but to help them.Bush suggested the White House and its allies must do a better job of explaining the goal of holding schools

Principal Pornstar Meets Ms. Horndog The Teacher

School principal Leroy Coleman and 8th grade teacher Janet Loften thought that it would be cute to "get their honey 'lovin where they get their money." He and She have now ended-up starring in their own adult film which was produced on location in his office: (Ed's note: See latest updates at the bottom of this entry.) CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- A principal and a teacher at a suburban elementary

The Carnival Of Education: Week 114

Welcome to the midway of the 114th Carnival of Education!Here's this week's roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. All entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.If you're interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via this email address: edwonk [at] educationwonks [dot] org.As always, we give a hearty "thank you" to everybody who

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 114th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at The 'Wonks.) are due today. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern), 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Eternity Road took first place (for the second week in a row) with The

13-Year Old Busted For Writing On Desk!

Thirteen-year-old New York City middle school student Chelsea Fraser thought that it would be swell to scribble "okay" on her school desktop. She was caught and led away in handcuffs:In this day and age when young students are frequently charged for serious school offenses such as possessing weapons, dealing drugs, or assaulting other students on school property, one Brooklyn teen's arrest may

When Parents Hire Substitutes To Fill In

Are these parents whackjobs or do they simply have more money than they know what to do with? Some parents hire sleeping coaches for their babies and toilet trainers for toddlers. They pay experts to teach their kids to ride a bike or write a “thank you” note.At Your Service will take children grocery shopping to teach them the value of money and how to compare brands, as well as take them

Parent Vs. School Board: When Fruit Flies!

Back in the 'ole days, audiences were known to throw fruit at Vaudeville acts that they didn't like. One Detroit mom has taken a page from history in order to express her concern:Throwing fruit at Detroit Public Schools board members may seem like sour grapes, but it's also assault and battery and disorderly conduct, if you consider the charges that were filed Wednesday against the alleged

The Knucklehead Of The Day: Ruth Ann Stoneburner

Getta load of this one: AMANDA, Ohio - A substitute teacher's tool for silencing chatty kindergartners — clothespins — doesn't wash with school officials.Four boys said spring-type clothespins were placed over their upper or lower lips for talking too much in class, Amanda-Clearcreek Primary School principal Mike Johnsen wrote in a letter to parents this week.Ruth Ann Stoneburner, a retired

Student Moons Teacher And Sues The School!

This story out of Florida well illustrates what's wrong with the attitudes of so many public school students: CLEARWATER, Fla. --A high school senior acknowledges he went too far when he mooned a teacher. But he thinks the decision of school officials to send him to a new school for the rest of the year was too harsh, so his family is suing.Tyler Tillung, 18, mooned a teacher "suddenly and

Hypocrite Alert: That Romney Don't Hunt!

The nearly endless presidential election cycle is hardly underway and already the lying has begun: BOSTON - To hear Mitt Romney talk on the campaign trail, you might think the Republican presidential candidate had a gun rack in the back of his pickup truck."I purchased a gun when I was a young man. I've been a hunter pretty much all my life," he said this week in Keene, N.H., to a man sporting a

Administrative Buffoonery: Principal Poo Gets The Boot!

And we thought that the "crest-fallen bone-headed school administratrix" was a feces species found almost exclusively in American public schools:A suspended Toronto elementary school principal has pleaded guilty to throwing feces (excrement) on a child.Maria Pantalone, 49, was charged with two counts of assault - one against that child and one against another – but only admitted to one of the

Let's Carnival!

The 113th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by Getting Green) has opened-up the midway with a variety of exhibits and freak sideshows from across the EduSphere.Round-out your Educational Experience by seeing what the homies are up to over at this week's edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

Today's Non Sequitur: Dangerous Dancing

Next time you decide to do a little dancing with one of your co-workers, you might want to reconsider: Oldies music was playing at the Lincoln Park bar and a circle of co-workers danced.But Lacey Hindman said she had no idea David Prange was about to grab her by the forearms and flip her into the air, jitterbug-style.The small-framed 22-year-old said she was surprised as the stocky-built Prange

Newt Criticizes Bilingual Ed. And Gets Nuked!

Looks like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (yeah, that Newt Gingrich) has been running his mouth again, much to the outrage delight of the MSM: WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich equated bilingual education Saturday with "the language of living in a ghetto" and mocked requirements that ballots be printed in multiple languages."The government should quit mandating that

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 113th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week over at Getting Green) are due today. Please email them to: ggreenblog [at] hotmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern), 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Eternity Road took first place with Demographics and the Medicalization of

Outsourcing California's Overcrowded Public Schools

Polski3 has the skinny on Governator Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's visionary plan to relieve overcrowding in California's public schools by shipping excess students to nearby states: Emboldened by his recent court victory to allow the transfer of California prison convicts to cheaper prison facilities in nearby states, Gov. Schwarzenegger announced today his new plan to reduce crowding in

Our Out-Of-Control Schools: Is This The Worst Yet?

As this sad tale about one high school student killing another and two fifth-graders in the same public school system having sex in a classroom reveals, the stories of out-of-control student behavior just get worse: SPEARSVILLE, La. (AP) -- Two fifth-graders had sex on a classroom floor while two others fondled each other in the classroom, according to a teacher at Spearsville High School.Union

Sports Saturday: JOCKular Spelling Lessons Needed!

If the misspelling of their home state's name on those tank-tops is any indication, we suppose that West Virginia's public schools and colleges are in need of some serious EduHelp: CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia may have won the National Invitation Tournament, but the Mountaineers' commemorative T-shirts are less than championship material.They contain a misspelling.The "West Virginia"

Today's Non Sequitur: Hypocrite Alert!

John Travolta, the revolting hypocrite.Heh. Maybe that extra-large gas-guzzler jet aircraft parked in Tony Manero's Travolta's driveway is a symptom that he's compensating for something...

The Monsters Among Us: What's The Remedy?

Once again, we have female teachers (one of which is married) who have been charged with seducing their young male students. Only this time, there are allegations of deep-rooted racist overtones:CLINTON, S.C. — The arrest of two female teachers on charges of having sex with their male students has brought cries of lingering racism in one of South Carolina's most conservative counties and evoked

The Carnival Of Education: Week 112

Welcome to the midway of the 112th Carnival of Education!Here's this week's roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. All entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.If you're interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via this email address: edwonk [at] educationwonks [dot] org.As always, we give a hearty "thank you" to everybody who

C.O.E. Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 112th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at The 'Wonks.) are due today. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern), 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Big Lizards took first place with The Contranomics of Global

Today's Non Sequitur

The Mainstream Media has it all wrong.Anna Nicole Smith did not die due to an accidental drug overdose.She threw her life away died due to complications resulting from a case of self-induced terminal stupidity. -------------------------------See our latest posts.

More Hollywood Idiocy: "Wristcutters: A Love Story"

Considering the epidemic of self-injury that's already affecting many American students, life is difficult enough without this sort of nonsense being thrown at them by the Hollywood Crowd: NEW YORK -- Fifteen suicide prevention groups are dead set against After Dark Films' proposed campaign for the comedy "Wristcutters: A Love Story," which is set to bill itself with signs showing people killing

Our Failing Public Schools: When The State Steps In

St. Louis' public school system has gotten so bad that the State of Missouri is taking over: JEFFERSON CITY — With one St. Louis student in custody and scores of other students and parents choking on tears of frustration, the State Board of Education on Thursday revoked the accreditation of the 169-year-old St. Louis Public Schools and voted to turn its operation over to a businessman with

Another Example Of Teachers Being Left Behind

The annual cost for a student to attend Harvard University has now reached $45,620.Which is more than the annual salary of many of America's public school teachers.What does that say about Our EduTimes?Update: (03/23) In other Harvard-related News, can these people be for real? -----------------------------See our latest posts.

The Carnival Of Education: Week 111

Welcome to the midway of the 111th Carnival of Education!We proudly present this week's roundup of entries from around the EduSphere. All entries this week were submitted by the writers themselves.If you publish a website and are interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via this email address: edwonk [at] educationwonks [dot] org.Thanks to everyone who

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 111th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at The 'Wonks.) are due today. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern), 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible.If

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Eternity Road took first place with Serving While Republican.Non-Council

The Bad Seed: 13-Year-Old Andrew Riley

This 13-year-old Ohio kid vicious little miscreant is charged with allegedly committing 128 felonies, including beating up the child who turned him in: The multitude of charges filed recently against a Nelsonville teen has astonished prosecutors, some of whom have practiced law since before he was born.Andrew Riley, 13, is charged with 128 felonies, in Athens County Juvenile Court. They include

Dress Codes For Teachers?

Some Florida schools are having to address the problem of teachers who are baring a little too much skin, piercings, or other body self-abuse "art." LAND O'LAKES - Remember all the hullaballoo last summer about whether Pasco County teachers wore appropriate clothes to school?Well, never mind.A committee of teachers and administrators convened by superintendent Heather Fiorentino, who identified

NCLB And The New EduReality

With the federal No Child Left Behind Act up for renewal this year, Democratic control of Congress has changed what was once a given into a somewhat likely: President Bush's signature No Child Left Behind education law is headed for fundamental changes as Congress rewrites it this year, including a likely softening of do-or-die deadlines.School administrators long have complained about the annual

Tips For Teachers

Whether you're new to teaching or have served in the classroom for years, the Rightwingprof has some good common-sense advice for teachers. Here's a sample: Stick to your topic. This shouldn't need to be said, but these days, it isn't said enough. The school isn't about you, or your ideology, or your idea of "social justice," or "diversity," or "conscienceness-raising." The school is about

EduWitchtrial?

Did you hear the one about the whackjob reading teacher who was canned and claimed in a lawsuit that it was because her employer thought that she was a witch? CENTRAL ISLIP, New York (AP) -- A teacher who alleged that she was fired from her job because administrators thought she was a witch lost her $2 million lawsuit in U.S. District Court on Tuesday.The jury deliberated for an hour before

The Carnival Of Education: Week 110

Welcome to the 110th edition of The Carnival Of Education! We are delighted that the Midway has returned home.This collection of exhibits from around the EduSphere represents a wide variety of political and educational viewpoints. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries were submitted by the writers themselves.If you have a website and are interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 110th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by us here at The 'Wonks.) are due today. Please email them to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net . (Or use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern), 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible.

The Watcher's Council Has Spoken!

Each and every week, Watcher of Weasels sponsors a contest among posts from the Conservative side of the 'Sphere. The winning entries are determined by a jury of 12 writers (and The Watcher) known as "The Watchers Council."The Council has met and cast their ballots for last week's submitted posts. Council Member Entries: Joshuapundit earned first place with Between Iraq and a Hard Place -- Why We

Teachers Serving On School Boards: A Good Idea?

Once upon a time, South Carolina permitted classroom teachers to serve on school boards in some cases.Then the law was changed in order to avoid an obvious conflict of interest and all teachers were forced to resign.Now they're thinking of bringing them back: Local lawmakers have proposed an amendment to state law that would allow employees of conversion charter schools that were chartered before

Students Doing Doobies In San Diego's "High" School

Some students at one Calfornia "high" school think that bringing a note from home allows them to fire-up a joint between classes: SAN DIEGO -- Officials at the Grossmont Union High School District have sent letters home to parents, notifying them that a number of students have been caught on campus with medical marijuana cards.District official Catherine Martin said they are concerned over the

San Francisco's Pre-School Class System

Look at what San Francisco's well-to-do (or those who merely want their children to brush shoulders with the scions of the wealthy) will go through in order to get their children into the right sort of pre-school: Never once did I have any clue that having a child in San Francisco would lead me down a road of such agony and disappointment. Please don't think for one instance that my son, who is

The NCLB Files: The Day Of Reckoning Approacheth

The Day of Reckoning is rapidly approaching for a number of Florida public schools: DADE CITY - It's the last day of FCAT testing, and folks at Cox Elementary are breathing a sigh of relief as they give the final makeups and pack up the materials.But worry tinges the air. The school has yet to make adequate yearly progress, or AYP, under the federal No Child Left Behind law. If this year's

The Young Sorority Mothers

Here's a college sistershood for those who've decided to skip getting their M.R.S. degree first get a head-start on building a family:ST. LOUIS, Missouri (AP) -- Magic Markers, bubble wands and jungle-animal stickers aren't often found in the average college student's backpack.For the women of Mu Tau Rho, a new sorority for student-mothers at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, those toys are

Merit Pay Chronicles: Kentucky Hoedown

Kentucky is the latest state to kill an effort to implement a pay-for-performance plan for teachers: After strong resistance from a group of Kentucky teachers opposed to preferential teacher rewards, legislators introduced changes to two bills Wednesday that would do away with the teacher pay incentives proposed in the bills.Senate Bills 1 and 2 would give bonuses to teachers whose students score

It's Carnival Time!

The midway of the 109th edition of The Carnival of Education (hosted this week by the Science Goddess over at What It's Like on the Inside) has opened-up this week's roundup of exhibits. Check out the nifty "staff development theme!"For extra EduCredit, see what the homies are up to over at this week's edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. --------------------------See our latest EduPosts.

Student Sex Scandal Rocks Indiana School District

School officials in an Indiana school district are confirming that two sixth grade students had sex in an open classroom while the teacher was distracted and other students looked on: Indianapolis - For months it's been a well-kept secret. But now Warren Township Schools confirm a disturbing case of sex in the classroom. The illicit activity has parents concerned and a district at a loss for

Carnival Entries Are Due!

Entries for the 109th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted this week by the Science Goddess over at What it's Like on the Inside.) are due today. Please email them to: the_science_goddess[at]yahoo[dot]com . (Or use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern), 6:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the