The word is out: President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan as his Secretary of Education. But who is this man?
Here are 10 Facts About Arne Duncan:
1. He’s been CEO of Chicago’s public schools since 2001.
2. He was appointed deputy chief of Chicago schools by Paul Vallas in 1998.
3. He [...]
Entries from December 2008
December 17, 2008
10 Facts About Obama’s New Education Secretary
December 15, 2008
YouTube Videos Serve as Tutor for Struggling Students
Today I read an interesting article in the education section of USA Today about teachers posting math and science videos on YouTube to help tutor students.
“Math videos won’t rival the millions of hits garnered by laughing babies,” the article states, “but a YouTube tutorial on calculus integrals has been watched almost 50,000 times in the [...]
December 11, 2008
Does a student have the right to make fun of his principal on the internet?
On Wednesday, KYW News Radio reported a very interesting free speech case involving a high school senior and his principal:
A federal appeals court in Philadelphia is pondering whether a high school was right to suspend and threaten other punishment against a senior in the western Pennsylvania town of Hermitage in the Mercer County school [...]
December 10, 2008
American Students Just “Mediocre”? I Don’t Think So
by Christopher Paslay
Americans—the American media and politicians in particular—have a fetish for griping about how lousy public education is in the United States. Ever since President Regan’s National Commission on Excellence in Education published the infamous report, A Nation At Risk, our whole country’s just been beside itself when it comes to America’s schools.
Woe [...]
December 9, 2008
District Unveils Accountability System for Textbooks
by Christopher Paslay
In a letter today in the Philadelphia Daily News, Dr. Ackerman announced there will be “districtwide accountability systems in place for textbooks that hold everyone responsible for the proper use and return of these instructional resources annually.”
Dr. Ackerman pledged that the Philadelphia School District will:
–Assess all schools to determine the individual book [...]
December 3, 2008
District’s Military Opt-Out Form is Denying Students Opportunities
by Christopher Paslay
So far in 2008, there have been more murders on the streets of Philadelphia then there have been American soldiers killed in Iraq. On December 1st, Samantha Houston, 19, became Philadelphia’s 304th homicide victim when she was shot in her North Philadelphia home before dawn.
On November 24th, Master Sergeant Anthony Davis, [...]
