The Economics Of Education - Forbes.com

The Economics Of Education - Forbes.com:

"On Tuesday President Barack Obama addressed school children across America. Political emotions are running hot, the Drudge Report has highlighted the speech for days and it has been daily fodder for blogs, radio and television.

Personally, we believe that our children should learn to respect and honor the Office of the President of the United States of America--no matter who sits in that office or what their politics are."

In Flatbush, the Campaign Turns Negative (Gotham Gazette, September 9, 2009)

In Flatbush, the Campaign Turns Negative (Gotham Gazette, September 9, 2009):


"To say the Democratic primary for the 40th district City Council seat has gotten ugly is a bit of an understatement. Incumbent Mathieu Eugene and challengers Rock Hackshaw and Leithland Tulloch, while not exactly far apart on the issues, have challenged each other's ability to lead, and things have quickly gotten personal.

An Aug. 26 debate hosted by the New York Post was dominated by accusations of poor leadership and ineffectiveness. Hackshaw, who describes himself as a community activist, has worked as a political adviser, a lecturer and a journalist, among other trades, and also is a popular blogger. He insists Tulloch began the fusillade of negative campaigning. 'Tulloch spent the race spreading lots of lies and beating up me and Eugene. I didn't start the fight but I'm gonna end it,' he said."

Free speech can teach - The York Daily Record

Free speech can teach - The York Daily Record:

"Well now, that wasn't so bad, was it?
In fact, it was pretty good.
Reading through President Obama's speech to schoolchildren Tuesday, it's hard to fathom what all the uproar was about.
Work hard.
Stay in school.
Do your homework.
Don't watch too much TV.
Take personal responsibility for your actions.
Not exactly radical, 'socialist' stuff.
In fact, much of it was boilerplate conservative rhetoric."

Mike Thomas: Will Obama follow through on education? -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Mike Thomas: Will Obama follow through on education? -- OrlandoSentinel.com:

"So Tuesday they saw a black student-body president introduce a black president of the United States of America. He told them that there is value in education, that if they work hard, it can take them anywhere, including the White House.

Obama is a badly needed male role model in a culture that relies far too heavily on sports stars to fill that role.

That makes the symbolic value of his speech incalculable."

Inside City Hall: Sacramento Mayor Johnson wants bigger school role - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com

Inside City Hall: Sacramento Mayor Johnson wants bigger school role - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com:

"Mayor Kevin Johnson has made it very clear he wants to have a bigger hand in the city's public schools than his predecessors in City Hall.

He has held an education summit with policymakers and big thinkers from around the country, helped bring U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to town and has met many times with the heads of the city's public school districts."

Obama speech part of tradition - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Obama speech part of tradition - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"The U.S. president has many roles, and among them is expressing moral leadership and values, inspiring people to action. So it should not be surprising that the nation's presidents have taken to the bully pulpit to inspire young children to excel in school, the great engine of opportunity and prosperity in this country.

Here are some excerpts from recent presidents, without names. See if you can match the remarks with the president."

Sacramento students take Obama message to heart: Never give up - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sacramento students take Obama message to heart: Never give up - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"At 9 a.m. Tuesday, a stream of third-graders filed into Room 5 at Sequoia Elementary School in Sacramento.
'Have a seat, we've got the president on the computer right now,' teacher Kelle Marshall told her students as they set their backpacks by the door. 'You've got to listen.'"

Superintendent dishes it out - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Superintendent dishes it out - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee

Jonathan Raymond, Sacramento City Unified School District's new superintendent, serves beans during lunch Tuesday at Woodbine Elementary's cafeteria.

School board member Diana Rodriguez, left, dishes out apple slices and applesauce, and food services assistant Danielle Hilliard, right, serves corn dogs to round out the menu.

Robert Reich Public Option Video

Robert Reich speaks directly on what the 'public option' is and why it is so important to health care reform.

Hometown Station AM 1220 - Santa Clarita Radio - State Top Educator Weighs In On Obama Speech

Hometown Station AM 1220 - Santa Clarita Radio - State Top Educator Weighs In On Obama Speech:

"State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today watched President Obama's back-to-school message with students at Sequoia Elementary School in Sacramento.

'I would like to commend and thank President Obama for taking the time to address our nation's students. These are trying times for America as millions of people continue to cope with the effects of the global economic downturn."

"Unfortunately, our students and educators are not immune to this phenomenon, and cutbacks in education funding across the country - especially here in California - illustrate this reality all too well.

"But the President's message today is just the sort of infusion of inspiration and confidence that I believe can propel our schools to do even more, even better with fewer resources. Furthermore, the President could not be more right in encouraging students to set their educational goals high and commit themselves to reaching and even exceeding those benchmarks.

Obama speech delivered to school students - Latest News - sacbee.com

Obama speech delivered to school students - Latest News - sacbee.com:

"Students in Sacramento City Unified School District returned to school this morning."

And at Sequoia Elementary School, they were joined by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell, parents, school administrators and a throng of media to watch President Barack Obama's back-to-school speech.

The speech about the importance of a good education created a furor among some parents, prompting some Sacramento-area school officials to allow students to skip the nationally televised speech.

Mrs. Marshall's third-grade class at Sequoia Elementary school in Sacramento watches President Barack Obama's televised address on Tuesday morning.

Pres. Obama National Address to Students

Pres. Obama delivered a national address to students across the country to talk to them about the importance of education. He spoke to a group of students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA.

Obama invokes Ghandi as a personal hero in speech to students | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times

Obama invokes Ghandi as a personal hero in speech to students Top of the Ticket Los Angeles Times:

"The summer of President Obama’s political discontent is drawing to a close, but for those seeking to understand how he wields power as he maneuvers through the tricky maze of autumn’s healthcare battles, he dropped a few clues when he talked to ninth-graders in Virginia.

Obama went to Wakefield High School in Arlington to give a national speech welcoming students back to school. He called for students to take responsibility and to learn from their failures so that they succeed in the end. Despite some conservative misgivings, Obama’s comments were far from controversial. After all, calling on students to work hard and get ahead is as close to mom and apple pie as one can get."

PostPartisan - Staying in School and the 'Socialist Agenda'

PostPartisan - Staying in School and the 'Socialist Agenda':

"We have just gone through one of the most shameful episodes of the young Obama presidency -- shameful because of the behavior of the right wing, shameful because the media played into an extremist agenda, shameful because we proved that our political system has become so dysfunctional that a president gets punished for doing the right thing.

Upon Barack Obama’s election, even my most conservative friends who supported John McCain said Obama could do a world of good for poor children in the country by stressing the importance of education, hard work, staying in school and taking responsibility. Yes, those are often thought of as conservative values."

President Obama's Back to School Event comes to pass

President Obama's Back to School Event comes to pass:

"Don't let your country down. This is part of President Obama's message to school children across the country today."

ll good advice. These statements do have merit. However, delivery has had much to be desired by many. Parents from coast to coast have spent the weekend discussing the anticipated speech.

The President's remarks were posted on Monday for the world to see, however, that did not seem to be enough to calm to raging waters.

Was it really the content of the speech that caused so much to say? Chris McKenna of the Times Herald-Record reported on September 4, 2009 that New Windsor parent, James Petro says, “If you believe anything this White House says, you need to see a psychiatrist”.

Or was it the omission of the parents in the participation of the speech? PTA Councilperson, Cara Mendelsohn of Dallas, TX says that this approach is, "cutting out the parent".

Or is it the timing as the students and staff are just getting settled in to their new academic year, (unless they start tomorrow, September 9, 2009). Ann Sanner of the AP reports that Loudeoun County, VA school superintendent, Edgar Hatrick told WTOP News in Washington, "I think it is a very good speech,but it's just not on the first day of school very convenient for everybody to stop in the middle of lunch and to stop everything else they're doing and hear the live broadcast."

Davis Food Company-Op Receives 2009 Best of Davis Award

Davis Food Company-Op Receives 2009 Best of Davis Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., June 8, 2009 -- Davis Food Company-Op has been selected for the 2009 Best of Davis Award in the Health Foods category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

CONTACT:U.S. Commerce Association

Email: PublicRelations@us-ca.org

URL: http://www.us-ca.org

Politics K-12: UPDATED: How Will Critics Respond After Obama Gives His Back-to-School Speech?

Politics K-12: UPDATED: How Will Critics Respond After Obama Gives His Back-to-School Speech?:

"UPDATED: How Will Critics Respond After Obama Gives His Back-to-School Speech?

When President Obama addresses the nation's students today (or at least those who are allowed to watch), he'll deliver a back-to-school pep talk that surely doesn't live up to the controversy it created.

In prepared remarks, he takes a walk down his own memory lane by recalling early morning tutoring sessions and a dad that wasn't around. He acknowledges that many students out there aren't learning under the best of conditions—that they may live in neighborhoods that aren't safe, or in families affected by job losses."

Education Week: ELL Graduation Rates Often a Mystery

Education Week: ELL Graduation Rates Often a Mystery:

"Across the country, high school graduation rates are bemoaned with regularity. But many states and districts aren’t even tracking the rate for the fastest-growing population of students, or if they are, they aren’t telling the public how many English-language learners are leaving school with a diploma.

The No Child Left Behind Act was supposed to rectify that. Now, nearly eight years after its passage, 13 states and numerous districts still don’t report that information to the U.S. Department of Education. And some of those that do are offering numbers that may not be entirely accurate."

High marks for English immersion program - Local - fresnobee.com

High marks for English immersion program - Local - fresnobee.com:

"A growing number of school districts in the Valley and around the country are reporting dramatic success with an English-immersion program developed by a Clovis educational consultant.

Officials say the program works because it focuses on teaching the language to students with limited English skills -- instead of trying to teach the language as part of instruction in other subjects."

Damage fixed -- Bay Bridge is open - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Damage fixed -- Bay Bridge is open - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"The Bay Bridge opened today after damage to part of the structure was repaired, bridge officials said this morning.
'They have completed all the work,' said Tom Wood of Caltrans' Traffic Management Center."

So far, traffic on the span from Oakland in the East Bay to the San Francisco peninsula has been relatively light, Wood said. "There is no slowdown spot," he said.

The bridge had been shut in both directions since Thursday night as part of a major seismic project and was expected to reopen for today's morning commute.

However, discovery Saturday of a large crack in a steel beam forced emergency repairs requiring the bridge to remain closed and leading to predictiosn that the bridge would not be ready to carry traffic until Wednesday.