Education

Teachers File Racial Discrimination Suit Against Obama Administration's School 'Turnaround' Plan

In May, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan declared [1] the Obama administration's intent to close and "turn around" 5,000 'underperforming" public schools in poorer neighborhoods across the country.

Posted in Corporatism, Education, nclb, obama, racism

Out of Reach: Tuition Increase and Student Outrage

"Open the doors to all," declared City College founder Townsend Harris in 1847. "Let the children of the rich and poor take their seats together and know of no distinction save that of industry, good conduct and intellect." And indeed, all students attended City College free until 1976. Like the neo-Gothic campus--stunning, as if from the pages of a fairy tale, yet physically decaying from underfunding and neglect--Harris's vision has taken a beating over the years.

Posted in Education

Washington to Debate School Lunch and Health Policy Reform

It's lunchtime in a North Side high school, and the cafeteria lines snake into the hall. One line leads to fish nuggets, iceberg lettuce and canned peaches. Another is for burgers and breaded chicken patty sandwiches.

But the longest line leads to lunch workers grabbing paper dishes full of yellow corn chips, topping them with a ball of ground meat and then smothering the ensemble in hot orange cheese product.

Posted in children, Education, food, Health

Arne Duncan and the Chicago Success Story: Myth or Reality?

When ex-President Bush was elected in 2000, he brought with him former Houston Superintendent of Education Rod Paige to be Secretary of Education. He also brought the "Texas miracle"-supposedly increased test scores attributed to Texas' strict accountability system. All eyes smiled on Texas as those measures quickly became part of No Child Left Behind, passed into law in 2001 by both political parties.

Posted in children, Education, military recruiting

Children Plant Carrots and Democracy

As important as Michelle Obama's arms are to news reporters, the children helping plant and maintain the White House vegetable garden have an even more compelling story. They may be planting democracy along with carrots and lettuce.

At the Northeast Farm-to-School conference last week, children, teachers, farmers and school food administrators described every kind of project imaginable linking children directly with food production.

Posted in agriculture, Education, food

ACLU Sues Knox, Nashville Schools for Blocking Gay Websites

Knox County Schools are facing a lawsuit in federal court over the way their internet is filtered.

The American Civil Liberties Union sued Knox County and Nashville schools for blocking non-pornographic gay-oriented websites but allowing websites that condemn homosexuality and promote programs that aim to alter one's sexuality to heterosexual.

A Fulton High School Librarian who also sponsors the school's Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) is one of the plaintiffs in the case.

Posted in civil liberties, Education, glbt

Fund Education, Not Occupations

So, with the economy in the proverbial toilet and the D word (depression) hovering on the periphery, what is the Obama administration supposed to do about education? What can it do? Will additional and new funding be necessary to address his main concerns?

Posted in Education

SF School Board Votes to Restore JROTC Program

SAN FRANCISCO - A three-year battle over whether Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps belongs in San Francisco schools ended Tuesday night with a 4-3 vote by the school board to restore the military leadership program weeks before its scheduled expiration.

More than 200 supporters and opponents of the program crowded into the school district headquarters to make their final pleas to the board. And their arguments were as emotionally charged as they were when the fight began in 2006.

Posted in Education, Militarism, military recruiting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2009
3:46 PM

CONTACT: Americans United for Separation of Church and State

(202) 466-3234
Joe Conn
Rob Boston
Sandhya Bathija

Americans United Joins Public Education Allies in Seeking End to DC School Voucher Plan

WASHINGTON - May 12 - Americans United for Separation of Church and State has joined allies in the public education community to demand that Washington, D.C.'s federally funded private school voucher "experiment" not be extended.

Americans United says the program, which pays for tuition at religious and other private schools, was originally conceived as a five-year pilot program. The plan, pushed through by the Bush administration, has failed to boost student achievement, and AU insists it should be discontinued.

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Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State Links:

Posted in church/state, Education

Silence, Prayer and Other Activities

“All I want out of you is silence, and damn little of that.”
— A Whaler’s Captain addressing a crew member. Zephaniah W. Pease, The History of New Bedford

It is time for an update on silence. It’s back. A quiet subject, it nonetheless leads to raucous debate and seems reluctant to be what its name suggests. Silence, it turns out, is sinister. To those fearing prayer in the public schools, a threat-to prayer’s supporters, a boon.

Posted in civil liberties, Education