EduQuery Old News from 1999
Old News | Old News 1998 | Old News 2000 | Edu News | Home
Harry Potter leads the
latest banned book controversy
(USA Today, December 28, 1999)
Schools continue to battle parents over reading lists and library offerings, but 1999 has seen the rise of the Harry Potter wars. Some parents are concerned that the fictitious aspiring wizard provides their children with crash courses in witchcraft. Others insist it is all make believe. One prominent minister, Charles Colson, reassures his audience that the magic in the Harry Potter series does not stray into the occult. Meanwhile, children continue to read the best selling series, one way or another.
Are boot camps worth it? (Christian Science Monitor, December 27, 1999)
Mississippi, Maryland, Georgia, and South Dakota reassess their boot camps for young offenders under a cloud of concern that they are too tough.
Clinton gives thumbs up to church and state (CNN, December 26, 1999)
The White House again clarified the role of faith-based organizations in public school life during Clinton's year-end radio address.
Standing in the schoolhouse door (Washington Times, December 23, 1999)
The conservative Washington Times Editorial Board likens Gore's refusal to embrace vouchers to George Wallace's defiant stand against integration in the 60s.
Counselor shortage potential for big problems (Dallas Morning News, December 19, 1999)
Around the country one counselor works on average for 500 students. Shortages in the field are most acute with bilingual counselors. This situation could become deadly in a post-Littleton world.
Pokémon craze moves to Britain (London Telegraph, December 19, 1999)
The British are concerned about the Pokémon phenomenon after witnessing an increase in child crime in the States.
Charter schools under fire in Texas (Dallas Morning News, December 18, 1999)
The most recent TAAS results indicate lower than average performance for Texas charter schools, resulting in much discussion concerning their merits.
Rojas' travel expenses questioned (Dallas Morning News, December 18, 1999)
The pressure-cooker atmosphere continues in Dallas ISD. After a Dallas TV station brought up Dr. Rojas' recent travel expenses, he addressed the issue with the board.
Board zaps ZapMe! over student buying potential (Raleigh News & Observer, December 17, 1999)
A school board in North Carolina has nixed the ZapMe! free computers deal not because of mandatory advertisements on the screen but primarily because students can purchase products on the computers while at school.
Violent students to be analyzed by computer (WorldNetDaily, December 16, 1999)
The name of the program is Mosaic 2000, and its purpose is to give an early warning to school administrators concerning potentially violent students. It also offers administrators a plethora of legal and moral dilemmas.
Abstinence is primary message for a third of our youth (Boston Globe, December 15, 1999)
Abstinence is the one birth and disease control method that is one hundred percent effective. A new study indicates a third of all high schools teach abstinence only programs, with most of the rest combining abstinence with contraceptive procedures.
Minority milk controversy in Boston (Boston Globe, December 15, 1999)
A Massachusetts state senator claims the federal breakfast program is racist because it benefits minority students who are more prone to lactose intolerance than other groups.
Supreme Court refuses to rule on voucher issue (Washington Post, December 14, 1999)
For the third time in 13 months, the highest court in the land has opted not to examine a case on vouchers. Is this a sign the Justices want to stay out of the fray, or are they merely waiting for a better case to present itself?
Cheating rises with higher stakes (Christian Science Monitor, December 14, 1999)
Many recent cases have illustrated the overwhelming temptation to cheat on exams. The Monitor takes an in-depth look at the issue.
Study: High schools woefully inadequate (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 13, 1999)
Education Trust, an organization in D.C., has indicated in a recently released study that the nation's high schools are inadequate in preparing students for college and the workplace. More freshman college students thus need remedial classes.
NYC cheating scandal (New York Post, December 8, 1999)
A test tampering scandal has shocked New York where widespread alteration of assessments has resulted in 52 teachers being charged.
Ritalin stirring up controversy (Jewish World Review, November 30, 1999)
A "bad boy" mix of Ritalin, Depakote, and Clonidine, along with denouncements of the over-use of Ritalin in Colorado and California make for interesting reading in this column. Also, the government policy of $400/head for each student diagnosed ADHD in public schools and the Supplemental Security Income program (sometimes known as "crazy checks") have contributed to the problem.
Minorities getting short end of the stick (Christian Science Monitor, November 30, 1999)
Are minorities hurt more by high stakes testing and zero tolerance policies? So say some advocates who are critical with the current swing of the pendulum in education.
Newsweek devotes a cover to dyslexia (Newsweek, November 22, 1999)
Gaining widespread national recognition for the dyslexia movement, Newsweek gives the topic a cover.
Time devotes a cover to Pokémon (Time, November 22, 1999)
The Pokémon craze has swept the country (and our schools) in an unprecedented way. Time gives the phenomenon a close look.
Decatur mess continues (Chicago Tribune, November 17, 1999)
Jesse Jackson continues to interfere with the Decatur school board's business, now threatening to file various lawsuits.
Pokémon distresses educators (Newsweek, November 15, 1999)
Newsweek devotes a two page spread to the Pokémon phenomenon that educators and parents are facing around the country.
Decatur district under fire for student expulsions (CNN.com, November 9, 1999)
What a mess. In a case drawing international attention, the Decatur, Illinois school district has expelled four black males two years for starting fights at a football game. The resulting controversy has brought Rev. Jesse Jackson to town to organize protests. Meanwhile, felony mob action charges have been brought against one of the students, and other charges have been filed against the remaining three. Decatur superintendent Kenneth Arndt has his hands full.
The Internet eases student scholarship searches (Dallas Morning News, November 9, 1999)
Thanks to the power of the Internet, students can now quickly search for college funding online.
Texas BOE demands more phonics in textbooks (Dallas Morning News, November 4, 1999)
The Texas State Board of Education recently instituted mandates that require textbook producers to include more phonics-based instruction, a move that will heavily impact the nation's textbooks since most textbook publishers align themselves to the Texas BOE and sell the resulting product to the other states. The Dallas Morning News examines the controversies surrounding educational issues in the conservative and liberal camps.
LA Unified should follow Chicago's example (LA Times, November 1, 1999)
As LA Unified struggles with myriad problems, the LA Times takes a look at how the Chicago school district handled a similar situation. Basically, Chicago has been able to turn things around by hiring a great superintendent. The article takes a long look at Paul Vallas, a man who had no experience as an educational leader before taking the job, but who has performed nonetheless exceptionally well.
College Board lowers SAT significance (Boston Globe, October 28, 1999)
The influence of the SAT continues to decline as the College Board redefines itself and distances itself from the test.
Falwell finds a way to get Ten Commandments into schools (WorldNetDaily, October 20, 1999)
It may be illegal for school personnel to put the Ten Commandments up in the hall, but the Rev. Jerry Falwell figures free book covers with the Ten Commandments on the front is a legitimate way to get them inside the schoolhouse door. On the back of the covers are legal precedents that indicate the students' rights to carry the Ten Commandments with them. Thus, the thinking goes, if teachers or administrators challenge a student with one of the book covers, the student merely flips it over and indicates his or her legal right to carry it to school.
Rumors of impotence surround Mountain Dew (Hotcoco.com, October 18, 1999)
From middle school to college, students are talking about the latest urban myth to gain widespread credence. To wit: consumption of Mountain Dew reduces sperm counts in males. Some gullible young couples are drinking the soda as a contraceptive measure before sex.
SAT continues to face controversy (Jewish World Review, October 18, 1999)
Columnist Larry Elder takes a look at the recent PBS "Frontline" special on the SAT and its antagonistic stance toward the test.
CA lottery funds for education are miniscule (Hotcoco.com, October 18, 1999)
Lisa Shafer examines the impact the California lottery has had on public education in the state, including where the $11 billion dollars funneled to the schools has been spent.
Major problems in LA Unified (Los Angeles Times, October 17, 1999)
A variety of long term problems have plagued the country's second largest district. The board's most recent action was to appoint a chief executive to run the district for at least the remainder of the school year. The LA Times takes a look at the plethora of problems that led to this mess in the first place.
Connected Math program causes controversy (Washington Post, October 17, 1999)
An effort to make math fun and relevant has led to increased student interest but has also led some experts to decry its benefits. At issue is how much understanding of actual mathematical concepts the students are picking up.
CCISD controversy continues to boil (Corpus Christi Caller-Times, October 15, 1999)
Click the link above to see all the Corpus Christ Caller-Times articles on the continuing scandals unfolding in the district. Public scrutiny has now fallen to the superintendent's unlimited car maintenance aspect of his contract, and the $15,000 of district money he has spent on his car over the last six years. Some $20,000 has been spent on dining expenses for employees and board members over the same time period. The superintendent has released a public statement regretting the lack of financial policies, but also pointing out the fact that rigorous annual auditing of the district has repeatedly failed to indicate any improprieties. Meanwhile, he has cancelled the district credit cards.
Parents squeeze principals for control of children's education (Seattle Times, October 15, 1999)
In this age of high-stakes testing, parents are placing increasing pressure on principals to place their children with certain teachers. They are also exerting control over their children's lives in the school room in ever-increasing ways. Some have gone as far as to use state politicians to exert pressure on principals to do their bidding.
LA sup. refuses to step down (Los Angeles Times, October 14, 1999)
He's down but not out. Ruben Zacarias has refused to cede control of the LAUSD despite the LABOE's appointment of a new chief executive.
Natural light boosts test scores (Dallas Morning News, October 13, 1999)
...At least according to these studies. An energy consulting firm backed the research. The studies indicate that classrooms with windows allowing natural light into the room offer better environments for school work.
Computers spawn more constructivist teaching (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 11, 1999)
The days of lecture and drill sheets are rapidly waning as teachers utilize computers in self-directed learning activities.
Corpus Christi rocked by scandal (Corpus Christi Caller-Times, October 8, 1999)
Corpus Christi ISD in Texas was hit with a major scandal when it was revealed a former assistant superintendent charged $5000 at a local strip club on a district credit card. He later paid these charges back saying he did not have a credit card of his own at the time. The local DA has asked the FBI to help investigate the district's books and the superintendent's spending patterns have come under sharp scrutiny. Meanwhile, other districts in the state are checking to see if their policies for district credit card use are up to date.
Sizer in San Antonio (San Antonio Express News, October 7, 1999)
Ted Sizer, a small schools advocate, discussed many of his ideas recently with teacher candidates at Trinity University.
Gov. Davis shoots down school-based health care in CA (WorldNetDaily, October 7, 1999)
Controversy heats up in California as Gov. Davis vetoes a school health bill. Supporters think they can get the main components implemented in public schools anyway, including measures to provide mental health and reproductive services.
Kentucky follows Kansas in evolutionary steps (Go Network: News, October 4, 1999)
The state of Kentucky eliminated the word "evolution" from science curriculum and replaced it with the phrase, "changes over time," causing an immediate uproar. Public schools distancing themselves from emphasis on evolution theory, though taking small steps, appears to be gaining momentum.
Alternative certification in the DC area (Washington Post, October 4, 1999)
The Washington Post examines the nationwide trend toward alternative certification, and the life benefits it bequeaths to those seeking a second career.
Alternative certification in California (Los Angeles Times, October 4, 1999)
Seeking to ease the state-wide shortage of teachers, the state of California is starting to push alternative certification through an ad campaign called, "It's Your Turn."
Dept. of Ed. has most political appointees (Los Angeles Times, October 3, 1999)
The Department of Education has more political appointees from the Clinton administration than any other sector of government. This story takes a look at the history of politics surrounding the department.
Schools ban Pokémon (Fox News, September 29, 1999)
It's a craze that borders on obsession with some kids, and schools around the country are banning Pokémon products in order to quell disruptions.
TAAS trial ends first week (San Antonio Express News, September 26, 1999)
The first week of testimony in the MALDEF TAAS trial draws to an end. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund has sued the state in regards to TAAS requirements for graduation. MALDEF is claiming the test is biased toward minorities, and the diploma requirements adversely affect minority students.
Three years after Hopwood (WorldNetDaily, September 24, 1999)
African-American Texas columnist John Dogget takes a look at how the state's schools are doing three years after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals outlawed using race as a factor for admission into colleges in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Social Security number on ID cards lead to student protests (WorldNetDaily, September 23, 1999)
Even though the Social Security numbers are barcoded, a student at this Louisiana high school claims to be able to interpret the barcodes in about 15 seconds just by looking at them. He has put up a web site with detailed instructions on how to do it.
The Big Test (Newsweek, September 6, 1999)
A fascinating book excerpt detailing the "secret" history of the SAT. In 1933, Harvard President James Conant set up a scholarship program designed to bring in qualified students from around the country, expanding the school's traditional New England base. Over the subsequent years, Conant and Harvard instigated the use of the SAT through the non-governmental, private agency, the Educational Testing Service. Today, the SAT has gone far beyond the original intentions of its creators.
Prayer ban fallout continues in Texas (WorldNetDaily, September 23, 1999)
Students are fighting, ignoring, and circumventing the Fifth US Circuit Court's opinion banning prayer at football games in Texas.
Sexes are separated in experimental CA school (Sacramento Bee, September 21, 1999)
A bold experiment marks the first time a public coed school has separated the sexes in all classes. The California middle school magnet blazes a pioneering path that puts current research to the test.
Alcoholic teen sues under ADA (CNN, September 20, 1999)
A teenaged alcoholic who was kicked off the school basketball team after brushes with the law sues to regain his position under the ADA.
Parents and students sue to improve schools (NCPA.org, September 17, 1999)
Of all the options available to parents and students who are frustrated with public schools, the lawsuit has become a most popular weapon.
DC area schools hope to go high tech (Washington Post, September 13, 1999)
The central office is changing from filing cabinets, three ring binders, and reams of paper stacks to high powered databases, webservers, and other computer software.
Superintendent found guilty of felony eavesdropping (Hotcoco.com, September 12, 1999)
A California superintendent was found guilty of felony eavesdropping by a jury last week. The case involved a hidden camera in the boys restroom and principal's office.
Photo of principal's truck leads to suspension, lawsuit (USA Today, September 10, 1999)
A group of students cruising the streets of Odessa, Texas spotted their principal's truck parked in front of a teacher's house. Somebody snapped a picture and the incident was forgotten. Toward the end of the school year, the photo resurfaced, along with rumors of an affair. The principal suspended the student in possession of the photo (but not the one who actually took the picture) and prevented him from attending the graduation ceremony. The student responded with a federal lawsuit.
UCLA experimental school can use race for admission (Hotcoco.com, September 10, 1999)
A federal appeals court ruled that an experimental UCLA elementary school may continue to use race as a basis for admission due to the fact that critical educational research is being conducted that calls for the special admission policies.
Mom sues Berkeley (CBS News, September 10, 1999)
A stay-at-home mom and part time computer consultant has sued for admission to the Berkeley MBA program after being denied three times. Her suit claims that all stay-at-home mothers are routinely denied admission to the program.
The strike is over (Detroit Free Press, September 9, 1999)
Striking teachers went back to work this week with a new set of concessions: smaller elementary classes, 15 sick days (with penalties for taking more than eight without good cause), raises, debit cards for supplies, and membership on the dress code committee.
Rojas settles in (Dallas Morning News, September 9, 1999)
Dallas' new superintendent rankles some and pleases others by making "draconian" changes in the troubled district. The Dallas Morning News weighs in with an editorial, telling Rojas to keep district employees informed about his changes.
ETS offers bonus points for minority effort (St. Petersburg Times, September 8, 1999)
In a controversial move, ETS has announced extra points for striving if SAT test takers are from certain backgrounds.
Also: read Linda Chavez's take on the controversy.
Texas' new Education Commissioner (Dallas Morning News, September 7, 1999)
Texas has a new top educator who has never been a professional educator. The Bush appointee has served on school boards and on state education panels, however. The Dallas Morning News opines cautious optimism about James Nelson's future.
High stakes testing in the spotlight (Newsweek, September 6, 1999)
Newsweek devotes a cover story to the national trend toward high stakes testing. Warner Ervin, principal of Madison High in Houston, receives prominent mention.
California outlaws product placement in textbooks (Washington Post, September 2, 1999)
Textbook companies say they simply use familiar objects when mentioning brand names in word problems. Gov. Gray Davis says ads in textbooks are inappropriate. Thus, California becomes the first state to ban ads, or even apparent ads, in school textbooks.
Detroit strike continues; parents seek options (Detroit Free Press, September 2, 1999)
As the strike in Detroit stretches into its first week, parents are looking into charter schools, private schools, and neighboring districts in order to get their children enrolled in classes. The Detroit Free Press offers a number of interesting articles on the strike.
Buses are safer than cars (USA Today, September 2, 1999)
600 students a year died in car wrecks during school hours over a recent ten year period. An average of 11 a year died on school buses. Therefore, taking the bus to school is safer than driving, at least according to this article.
Students defy prayer ban in Texas (Dallas Morning News, August 29, 1999)
Federal courts have banned student-led prayers at high school football games. But students across Texas are defying the ban and bowing instead to a "higher power."
US News ranks the Ed. schools (US News & World Report, August 30, 1999)
US News' annual college rankings are out. In graduate Education schools, Harvard ranks first, Columbia's Teachers College ranks second, and Stanford comes in third. Texas has two schools in the rankings: UT came in 11th and A&M came in 45th.
Is high school obsolete? (Business Week, August 30, 1999)
An idea making the rounds holds that students should skip high school and enter college at 15 or 16. High school serves little purpose beyond being a "holding pen" for astute students.
Scoring problems plague Washington's state test (Seattle Times, August 26, 1999)
The age of accountability has wrought another embarrassing foul-up as a half million essays must be rescored by hand. This is the second time the WASL has been subject to high level errors.
WorldNetDaily mentions EduQuery (WorldNetDaily, August 24, 1999)
Lisa Ronthal of WorldNetDaily, the most popular site on the Internet, mentions EduQuery in her "Back to school" column.
Special Ed. turns around in D.C. (Washington Post, August 23, 1999)
A massive effort in the D.C. school district is underway this year to bring the program into federal compliance, lure needed teachers through bonus pay, and mainstream thousands of children.
Teacher auctions his services (Wired News, August 17,1999)
In Sweden, a beginning teacher has sought a job through an online professional services auction site. Is this the way of the future for educators and those in other professions?
Teachers fight suspension over sex club arrests (Sun-Sentinel.com, August 17, 1999)
In a case that has brought international attention, two teachers who were suspended without pay over their arrest in a sex club have been reinstated but to non-classroom assignments.
School security massively increased with new year (Newsweek, August 23, 1999)
As schools open across the land, security is the primary concern in light of last year's violence. Tactics embraced by various schools include metal detectors, armed guards, emergency drills, and social programs designed to stem emotional trauma that leads to violence.
Harvard prepares principals for accountability (Boston Globe, August 10, 1999)
The Principal's Center at Harvard is preparing administrators for the brave new world of accountability. This summer, the Center offered courses dealing with the issue for the first time. Student test scores are the standard against which teachers and principals everywhere are being judged.
Textbooks under fire (August 9, 1999 The Weekly Standard)
The book is called Invitations: Changing as Teachers and Learners K-12. It is by Regie Routman and was published in 1994. It is the most common textbook used in teacher training courses in universities around the country. It comes under heavy fire from columnist Lynne Cheney for ignoring proven effective methods of instruction and promoting substandard methods. This book, along with others the article points to, is "long on anecdote and short on research." Such substandard and dated texts are destroying efforts at implementing reform methods by training new teachers in old and faulty methods. Read the online editorial that educators everywhere are talking about.
Kansas board fights over evolution (August 8, 1999 Washington Post)
The debate has been going on for over a hundred years. The Kansas Board of Education stokes new fire in the creationist camp by threatening to eliminate evolution theory from the state science curriculum.
TAAS on trial (July 30, 1999 Dallas Morning News)
Ninety-one to 97 percent of white children pass the exit level TAAS in Texas. Blacks and Hispanics pass at rates ranging from 69-89 percent on the various parts of the TAAS. State regs stipulate no pass, no diploma. Minorities call it discrimination. This week a federal judge allowed a lawsuit against the state over its practice of mandating passage of the TAAS for a diploma to go forward. The lawsuit was brought by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. The trial is scheduled to begin in September.
Charter schools in California (July 26, 1999 Sacramento Bee)
The state's charter school movement, instigated in 1992, has produced many examples. The jury is still out on their effectiveness.
DC Board ousts President (July 23, 1999 Washington Post)
In an unprecedented move, the DC School Board ousted its president today. Longtime veteran Wilma Harvey was removed in a 6-5 vote. Harvey questioned the legality of the vote and promised her supporters she would fight it in court. The action comes as the board seeks to regain power in the troubled district from the DC financial board which took over two years ago.
Busing comes to end in Boston (July 16, 1999 Christian Science Monitor)
In 1974, Boston was court-ordered to institute busing in order to achieve racial equity in city schools. Since that time, the pendulum has swung as equity is redefined in American schools. Now, Boston is predominantly minority, and efforts such as vouchers, community, and charter schools are gaining acceptance as the new means to attain equity.
Voucher idea gains approval from Left, Right, and Center (July 1999, Atlantic Monthly)
Kweisi Mfume is for it. Milton Friedman is for it. John Coons is for it. Arthur Levine is for it. What is it? A proposed nation-wide voucher plan that syndicated columnist Matthew Miller has pitched to them. Its effect would be to essentially provide equity for students in troubled inner-city schools. So who is opposed to his idea? Sandra Feldman of the AFT and Bob Chase of the NEA. This is one of the more intriguing articles on vouchers we've read to date. Besides the historical background he gives to the issue, he also refutes common arguments against vouchers proffered by anti-voucher forces.
CNN airs misleading "study" on ADD (June 29, 1999 About.com)
In early June, CNN aired a news item about a study on Attention Deficit Disorder that purported to link use of Ritalin with school violence. Bob Seay at About.com looked into the matter and found that the "study" turned out to be a report made in response to media interest after the Columbine incident and an interview with an author who has written a book against use of Ritalin.
Diploma mills confer fake degrees for advancement in government positions (June 25, 1999 WorldNetDaily)
In a startling investigative report, WorldNetDaily details how for a few hundred dollars anyone can obtain a fake MBA or Ph.D. from a diploma mill. Apparently, thousands of government employees have obtained these degrees for little effort beyond wiring the "universities" their money. With the quick and easy degrees, advancement and raises usually follow. Most of the mills, often with misleading university names and fake academic credentials, are based in Louisiana due to that state's lax laws in this realm. Some, however, are based offshore and are difficult for US authorities to investigate. Also check out WorldNetDaily's investigative report of one of the worlds' largest diploma mills: the University of San Moritz.
Pro School Choice (June 25, 1999 WorldNetDaily)
African-American columnist, talk radio host, and former US presidential contender Alan Keyes weighs in on the voucher debate now waging in Florida and the rest of the nation.
Do smaller class sizes help? Yes and no (June 23, 1999 Sacramento Bee)
We have noted here at EduQuery the massive reforms California has been initiating. A new study that examines the smaller class movement shows mixed results, proving once again that there is no panacea for education's ills.
"It's Over" (June 23, 1999 Education Week)
One of the worst school years on record is finally over. Education Week looks at the myriad problems afflicting schools after Columbine.
Florida is first with state-wide voucher plan (June 22, 1999 Miami Herald)
Republican Governor Jeb Bush signed into law the first state-wide voucher initiative in the nation. Before this, pilot programs ran in Texas, Wisconsin, and elsewhere and privately funded programs offered vouchers on a small scale. Florida is the first to try it state-wide. But the law will not be smooth sailing. A coalition backed by the ACLU has formed to oppose the new law, with threats to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court.
Ohio district inks $4.5 million deal with Coke (June 21, 1999 Cincinnati Enquirer)
In a highly lucrative deal, Lakota Local Schools of Union Township, Ohio signed a mult-year, multi-million dollar contract with Coca-Cola. The deal gives Coke exclusive soft drink rights to all schools and school functions in the district. In return, the schools get a share of the proceeds. At least part of the funding will go to support technological initiatives. This is the latest evidence of continued funding of public education by the private sector.
Teachers tap into private foundations (June 14, 1999 Forbes)
As the wealthy look for means to distribute income to meaningful causes, they are turning to "donor advised funds," rather than going to the trouble of starting their own foundations. Some have contributed through these funds directly to teachers.
Schools in Texas awarded prestigious Blue Ribbon designation (June 8, 1999 TASB)
Of the 28 schools screened in Texas by the US Department of Education, 14 were chosen to receive the prestigious Blue Ribbon designation. Johnson Elementary in Bryan, Texas was among the elementary schools in the state to receive the honor.
Tech savvy Washington State superintendents snagged for private sector positions (June 7, 1999 eSchoolNews)
Districts around the nation are struggling with the problem of retaining highly technologically proficient personnel. In Washington State, home of software Goliath Microsoft and other high tech companies, two superintendents have left academia for the business world.
Schools in New York with fewest books perform lowest (June 2, 1999 New York Post)
A newspaper study of elementary schools in New York City where high percentages of fourth graders flunked state exams indicates that few books (sometimes no books) were on the library shelves of many of the failing schools. The newspaper points the blame to budgeting allocations for books.
Instant books are coming (June 2, 1999 London Times)
Go into a bookstore, pick out a book, wait for it to be printed and bound. The technology exists, and booksellers are pushing to make this scenario a reality as they fight against strong competition from Internet sites like Amazon.com. The thinking goes, it will help bookstores be more competitive if they don't have to stock so many titles. Also, those hard to find items that usually require customers wait two weeks for special ordering can be downloaded and printed in a few minutes.
Democrats on wrong side of school choice (May 26, 1999 Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
If Republicans were to announce a new school system whereby the rich were allowed to choose which schools their children attended and the poor were relegated to substandard schools, the Democrats would be screaming foul, lambasting the system as unfair and racist. Yet, Charles Wheelan here claims the Democrats are proponents of just such a system thanks to their support of the educational status quo. Why? The NEA and other powerful teacher lobbies are prime donors to the Democratic Party. Click above for one of the more interesting arguments in the voucher debate we've read to date.
Davis seeks to reform education in California, too (Washington Post, Feb. 28, 1999)
David Broder writes a most informative article about the problems facing Gov. Gray Davis of California as he seeks to initiate education reform in one of the lowest performing states in the Union. Gov. Davis is the first Democrat elected to the governor's office in California in 20 years, and he got there with the support of the teachers' union with many promises to overhaul education at the state level if elected. But pushing through real reform has proven problematic. Davis feels local control of the schools has been a failure and has introduced four bills that would greatly increase state control, among other things. March 31 is the deadline the Governor has set for passage of the reform bills. But Broder points out that the first graduating class under the proposed reforms will graduate after Davis' first term expires.
Big City, Bad Job (Austin American Statesman, Feb. 6, 1999)
Time was, a big city superintendent had a plush job. Respected in the community and paid well for service, the big city superintendent had it made. Not so any more. The big city is now a battleground among differing groups, and the job comes loaded with myriad problems of the financial and personnel persuasions. Austin and other big cities have discovered a shrinking pool of qualified candidates willing to take on the Herculean task, and increasingly have resorted to recruiting people outside the traditional pool of applicants from the educational establishment.
Rethinking federal education policy (Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 21, 1999)
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), on the books since 1965, is up for renewal this year. But should Congress follow the President's notions of more federal spending to resolve educational problems? The Monitor says no. The Federal Government already spends $11 billion dollars on education each year, two thirds of which go to Title I programs which are widely considered ineffective.
Check out this related fedgov link: Reauthorization of Elementary and Secondary Education Programs
Time does a cover story on homework (Time, Jan. 25, 1999)
Something as mundane as homework on the cover of Time? Indeed, and the article makes for interesting reading. The main gist of the article is that excess homework causes stress for the entire family.
Vouchers may transform Californian schools like the tax revolt of the 70s transformed the state's tax system, new governor says (Sacramento Bee, Jan. 15, 1999)
Everybody in California is fed up with the education system, says Governor Gray Davis. If steps aren't taken immediately to remedy the problems, the citizenry may take matters into its own hands at the ballot box through voucher initiatives. Proposition 227 has already led to the end of bilingual programs. The new governor remains vocally committed to strong support of educational issues including recommending performance data of state schools be posted on the web, something already found in Texas.
How does Ritalin do it? New study pinpoints drug's mechanism (USA Today, Jan. 15, 1999)
By boosting the levels of seratonin in the brain, Ritalin achieves its amazing calming effect on children suffering from ADHD. Duke University's Howard Hughes Medical Institute published their findings in the journal Science.
Old News | Old News 1998 | Old News 2000 | Edu News | Home