Editorial - Respect Your Children - NYTimes.com

Editorial - Respect Your Children - NYTimes.com:


"The American right has directed many silly and offensive attacks at President Obama. But so far nothing compares with the news that right-wing demagogues on talk radio and the Web, along with Republican Party officials, are trying to stop children from hearing the president urge them to stay in school — because, they say, that is socialist propaganda.

Perhaps this shouldn’t come as a surprise after a summer in which town hall meetings on health care have been turned into mindless shouting matches, where protesters parade guns and are cheered on by elected officials. Not only Sarah Palin, but people who know better — like Senator Charles Grassley — have been tossing around the fiction that Mr. Obama is planning to institute “death panels” to speed the infirm elderly to their ends"

Still, it was startling to read in Friday’s Times about the overheated and bizarre response to Mr. Obama’s plan to give a speech in a Virginia school next week that schools around the country also can show.

The White House says Mr. Obama will talk about the importance of education — hardly, we hope, a controversial topic. But the article said that in a growing number of school districts, especially in Texas, parents, talk-show hosts and some Republican officials are demanding that schools either refuse to show it or allow parents to keep their children home. The common refrain is that Mr. Obama will offer a socialist message — although nobody said what they meant by that.

There is, of course, nothing socialist in any of Mr. Obama’s policies, as anyone with a passing knowledge of socialism and its evil history knows. But in this country, unlike actual socialist countries, nobody can be compelled to listen to the president. What is most disturbing about all this is what it says about the parents — and the fact that they have such little regard for their children’s intelligence and ability to think.

Stir created by Obama's speech to students is 'a sad time for America' - NJ.com

Stir created by Obama's speech to students is 'a sad time for America' - NJ.com:

"Here we go again.

One side takes what should be a simple presidential pep talk and aggrandizes it into a 'historic moment,' and sends out a 'menu of classroom' activities so teachers across America can bring home the president's message. The other side wraps itself in the flag and accuses the president of trying to brainwash American kids and create a 'cult personality,' as un-American as Mao or Saddam."

How can something so simple get so stupid.

The bigger question is, when will the great masses in the middle say enough is enough.

President Obama will go on TV Tuesday at noon and speak to the nation's school kids. It's what every American president should do, and many have done. His job. As a role model. As national cheerleader. As an example of accomplishment and beacon of optimism.

"Hey, kids! Be like me. Stay in school, work hard and someday you, too, could grow to be president."

Obama's speech leads to a parental panic attack; but what do kids think? - St. Petersburg Times

Obama's speech leads to a parental panic attack; but what do kids think? - St. Petersburg Times:

"Parents can be so exhausting.

They don't want kids to do drugs. Or stay up late. Or skip school.

And they certainly don't want them to watch a speech about staying in school.

Barack Obama is webcasting to classrooms across the country Tuesday with advice to students. It has turned into a collective parental panic attack. Politicians released official statements. Blogs are afire with commentary on both sides."

Maine expands its laptop drive to equip each high schooler - The Boston Globe

Maine expands its laptop drive to equip each high schooler - The Boston Globe:


"FARMINGDALE, Maine - The state that was the first to provide laptops to every seventh- and eighth-grader in its public schools is moving on to its high schools, with Maine’s top education official vowing yesterday that every high school student will have a laptop computer within two years.

The state is currently distributing 67,000 computers to more than half of its high schools. These will give students the skills they will need to compete in the workplace, said Don Siviski, superintendent of Regional School Unit 2.

“The competitive world that these students are going to be engaged in - it isn’t only the United States, the Northeast, or Maine. Their competitors are going to be all over the world. They need to be savvy,’’ he said. “Schools need to join the 21st century to prepare these kids for that world.’’"

Local News | Revealing support for ailing schools | Seattle Times Newspaper

Local News Revealing support for ailing schools Seattle Times Newspaper:

"An unusual fundraising effort is keeping education front and center in the minds of Vashon Island residents.

Twelve husbands and fathers revealed more than their support for the ailing local school system in the 2010 Vashon Island DreamBoats Wall Calendar.
Each strikes a whole-lotta-skin-showing beefcake pose with nothing between the camera and his privates but a well-placed prop. Not quite starkers, but close."

Sacramento-area students can ditch Obama TV talk - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sacramento-area students can ditch Obama TV talk - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"Maria Lopez, spokeswoman for the Sacramento City Unified School District, said the district didn't order opt-out letters.
'But we did ask principals that if they were going to show the Obama address, they please provide an option for students whose parents did not want them to view it,' Lopez said."

School Choice: To Air Obama Talk or Not? - WSJ.com

School Choice: To Air Obama Talk or Not? - WSJ.com:

"Mr. Obama plans to encourage children to achieve their educational goals in a televised speech from a Virginia high school at noon Tuesday, according to the White House. Lesson suggestions to accompany the speech at first encouraged students to write letters to themselves about ways in which they could 'help the president,' stirring an outcry among some conservatives, who said the assignment was an effort to politicize children.

The materials were quickly revised, to encourage students to 'write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term education goals.' But the flap has persisted, drawing many phone calls to schools by parents and casting an unusual cloud of controversy in school districts over the annual ritual of launching the new school year"

Some Parents Oppose Obama Speech to Students - NYTimes.com

Some Parents Oppose Obama Speech to Students - NYTimes.com:

"The uproar over the speech, in which Mr. Obama intends to urge students to work hard and stay in school, has been particularly acute in Texas, where several major school districts, under pressure from parents, have laid plans to let children opt out of lending the president an ear.

Some parents said they were concerned because the speech had not been screened for political content. Nor, they said, had it been reviewed by the State Board of Education and local school boards, which, under state law, must approve the curriculum."

Obama's speech not on some schools' lesson plans -- latimes.com

Obama's speech not on some schools' lesson plans -- latimes.com:

"President Obama's speech to students next week may be a 'teachable moment,' as some educators see it, but it will not be a command performance. A combination of scheduling, academic priorities and sheer bandwidth will keep the president out of many Southern California classrooms when he goes on the air Tuesday.

'We're an academic institution, and our responsibility is to cover specific content standards,' said James Stratton, superintendent of schools for La Cañada Unified School District, where the school year got off to a late and rocky start because of the nearby wildfires. In his district, he said, the speech will be shown only in those classes where it 'has any relation to the California content standards for that particular class.'"

Sacramento Press / Charter Committee in favor of mayor appointing manager

Sacramento Press / Charter Committee in favor of mayor appointing manager:

"Most of the members of a city committee examining the “strong mayor” issue are in favor of revising the city’s charter to allow the mayor to appoint the city manager. However, three of the 11 members of the city’s Charter Committee voted against the idea Thursday.

The committee’s early vote in support of the mayor’s ability to appoint the city manager means that most of the committee members think the mayor should have more power in this area. Right now, the City Council appoints the city manager."

Mom.me: Flu shots for kids now available, swine flu vaccine likely coming in fall

Mom.me: Flu shots for kids now available, swine flu vaccine likely coming in fall

Flu shots for kids now available, swine flu vaccine likely coming in fall

Seasonal flu shots are making an early appearance in pediatric offices this year thanks to the H1N1 virus and vaccine.

The seasonal flu vaccines are available now - which is slightly earlier than usual - because the H1N1 vaccine likely will be available as early as mid-October, said Dr. Ken Ashley, a pediatrician and medical director of Sutter Medical Group, "We would like to separate these slightly to allow the (H1N1) vaccine to provide better protection from the virus," Ashley said in an e-mail.Seasonal flu vaccines are recommended for children ages 6 months to 18 years old.

Doctors also recommend that children ages 6 months and older be given the H1N1 vaccine, which is a two-part vaccination given one month apart, he said.Pregnant women, parents of children less than 6 months old and children will be among those first in line to receive the H1N1 vaccine. Other target groups include healthcare and emergency medical workers, people between 6 months and 24 years old and people between 25 and 64 who are at higher risk due to chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Big Education APE Editorial: The President's talk with Students

President Obama’s Address to Students Across America September 8, 2009:

"President Obama’s Address to Students Across America September 8, 2009"

Read the "nattering nabobs of negativity" reviews of the document "President Obama’s Address to Students Across America September 8, 2009" posted on docstoc.com by The Big Education APE. This brand of rhetoric is shrill and aggressive, it questions the patriotism of any who supports the Obama administration.

The "reviews" constantly and consistently portray the president's speech with words such as "socialist", "brainwashing"and "Hitler"; rhetoric that seems to have permeated all things conservative. This rhetoric is bitter, fantastic, and divisive.

DonorsChoose.org: Sacramento City Educational Foundation's Giving Page

DonorsChoose.org: Sacramento City Educational Foundation's Giving Page:


"You can bring these projects to life at half the cost, thanks to the Sacramento City Educational Foundation (SCEF). SCEF will fund 50% of these projects if someone like you provides the remainder. By completing a project, you will double the impact of your donation. The Sacramento City Educational Foundation provides financial and other resources to benefit students and classrooms in the Sacramento City Unified School District. The Foundation is dedicated to enhancing student achievement and educational opportunities in innovative ways."

Early Education Key To Closing the Achievement Gap - California Progress Report

This month, as millions of children across California begin their first days of school, some children will start the year more prepared than others. Although each child is born learning, too few have the opportunity to attend high-quality early childhood education programs, which build a solid foundation in the social, early reading and math skills they need to succeed in school.

Unfortunately, it is often those kids who need it most that do not have access to attend such programs and research shows children who start behind too often stay behind throughout their school careers.
State Superintendent Jack O’Connell recently reiterated the importance of high-quality early learning when he released the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program results. O’Connell noted that while California’s students continue to make academic progress, a significant achievement gap remains, partly because many children start kindergarten without the advantage of a high-quality preschool program.

Right wing’s schoolyard taunt: Obama’s a socialist and so's your mama | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times

Just when you thought the culture wars were ancient history comes this news bulletin: Conservatives are up in arms over President Obama’s planned speech to schoolchildren Tuesday, the day millions of Americans return to work and school after the Labor Day holiday, touting the value of education.

After a summer of stoking controversy over nonexistent death panels in healthcare plans, critics on the right are now charging that the White House -- which plans to broadcast the speech live on the White House website and over C-SPAN -- is trying to indoctrinate their innocents on issues like healthcare reform and federal spending. Thanks to conservative talk radio and the right-wing blogosphere, Obama’s speech to children has been turned into a lighting rod for socialism.

“As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education -- it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality,” said Oklahoma state Sen. Steve Russell. “This is something you’d expect to see in North Korea or Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.”

Even the chairman of a state Republican Party, Jim Greer in Florida, has joined the fray, warning that Obama is trying to "indoctrinate America's children to his socialist agenda."

With rumors spreading faster than a California wildfire, school districts in six states -- Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin -- have opted out and will not show the speech. Others are mulling it over.

Quick: Name the 4 States That Haven't Spent an Ed Stimulus Dime

Quick: Name the 4 States That Haven't Spent an Ed Stimulus Dime

Alaska, Louisiana, New Hampshire, New Mexico.

These four haven't drawn down any of the money that's been made available to them via state stimulus grants, according to the latest spending report from the U.S. Department of Education. (You can check out edweek.org's nifty interactive follow-the-money map here.) This means these states haven't spent any of their special education, Title I, stabilization fund, education technology, or other smaller grants, such as vocational rehabilitation. Note the zeros in the "outlay" category in the department's report.

You'll note on the Education Department's spending report that, within these states, a portion of grants to other entities, such as higher education institutions and local school districts, have been spent.

What's interesting is that even South Carolina, where Gov. Mark Sanford unsuccessfully tried to refuse stimulus money, has spent some of its share.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10800261/Ed-Stimulus--latest-spending-report-from-the-US-Department-of-Education
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2009/09/quick_name_the_4_states_that_h.html

Inside School Research: Where's the Research in 'Race to the Top'?

Inside School Research: Where's the Research in 'Race to the Top'?:

"'Neither research evidence related to growth models nor best practice related to assessment supports the proposed requirement that assessment of teachers and principals be based centrally on student achievement'"

Education Week: Why Not Count Them All?

Education Week: Why Not Count Them All?:

"Before leaving office, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings issued last October new regulations for how states should calculate high school graduation rates under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The regulations seemed simple: Take the number of students who graduated, then divide by the number of students who entered high school four years earlier. But what about those students who take longer than four years to graduate? How would they be counted? The short answer is, they wouldn’t."

Education Week: Officials Move to Quell Furor Over Obama Speech

Education Week: Officials Move to Quell Furor Over Obama Speech:


"The White House and federal education officials scrambled Thursday to reassure school leaders that President Barack Obama’s national speech to schoolchildren next week will touch on important educational goals, despite criticism from some conservatives that the president is planning to use the speech to “indoctrinate” children with his political views.

“The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning,” the U.S. Department of Education said in an e-mail urging schools to participate in what it called a “historic moment,” to be broadcast live Sept. 8 on C-SPAN and the White House’s Web site."

A national movement of foodies, farmers, parents and educators is pushing for better school food - San Jose Mercury News

A national movement of foodies, farmers, parents and educators is pushing for better school food - San Jose Mercury News:


"Schools like ACE Charter are contracting with companies that provide organic lunches. 'Farm to School' programs that connect schools with local farms — like the relationship between Full Circle Farm in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara Unified School District — are popping up nationwide. And Slow Food USA is organizing 'Time for Lunch,' a campaign designed to 'get real food in schools.' The effort kicks off on Labor Day with more than 300 'Eat-ins,' or community pot lucks, planned across the nation."

Advocates hope the momentum will lead to an overhaul of the Child Nutrition Act, the bill that governs the National School Lunch Program and is up for reauthorization in Congress this fall.

"It's the right time for this campaign," said Gordon Jenkins of Slow Food USA. "People are more food conscious overall. We have Michelle Obama planting a garden in the White House lawn. Now the burden is on us to show that there's a political will for this."

Most local school districts contract with large food service companies that prepare food off-site, often in other states, then freeze it and ship it to school districts. The food is then heated in microwaves or warmers. Corn dogs, pizza, and nachos — meals that are high in fats and cholesterol — are standard fare.

"Schools don't have kitchens anymore," Jenkins said. "If we really want healthy food, the food needs to be prepared at the schools."
But cost is an enormous barrier. Advocates such as Slow Food, which was founded in opposition to fast food and emphasizes eating locally grown food, are urging Congress to raise the reimbursement rate so schools can buy fresher ingredients.