Woodland Prep Financial “Expert” Is Bankrupt
Part of the sideshow conducted by the state charter commission on May 28 about whether or not to revoke the charter for Woodland Prep charter in Washington County was the chance for the school to impress commission members with all the expertise they have assembled to...
read moreAnother Frustrating Day For Washington County
This is not easy to write. The reason being that I spent 6+ hours on zoom today watching the state charter school commission hold another session about Woodland Prep charter, in Washington County. It was sickening to say the least. Woodland Prep brought in one witness...
read moreHere We Go Again
Any good All-American deep-fried "educrat" loves a good study. About 150 pages on nice, shiny, slick paper, maybe with some charts and graphs tossed in. Something that will look good when you hand them out at a press conference. And that will still look pristine a...
read moreLast Call For Some “Book Learning.”
According to grandpa, "learning" came in at least two varieties. One was by "doing." Like when you find a flat surface to put down an old, crooked nail and make it straight again. Of course, it helps if the surface is fairly hard and you are right particular just...
read moreOne Of The Most Amazing Stories You Have Ever Heard.
You tube fascinates me. I don't think I've ever looked for anything on it without finding what I was looking for. And then there are all the things I just "stumble" across. Like this story about Doug White, who set off from Marco Island, FL on Easter Sunday 2009 to...
read moreWhat Makes Children Special
We all know children are special. But from time to time we need to be reminded of just how special. So I stole this from Facebook. What Love means to 4-8-year-old kids A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds 'What does love...
read moreA Special Invitation
I have mentioned the book, American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Colin Woodard, a number of times. It has made a big impact on the way I now view this country and the very meaningful regional differences that impact our...
read moreFrom Kansas With Love
We've all been heartened recently by stories of fellow citizens and their acts of kindness and charity during the pandemic. Here is one from the Washington Post that got my attention. For one, it's about farmer Dennis Ruhnke of northeast Kansas. Secondly, it was...
read moreRemembering Ms. Lanning
Our friend Wendy Lang from Decatur takes us back many decades to a Birmingham kindergarten class and her teacher, Ms. Lanning. It's a trip most of us could take, back to our own Ms. Lanning, someone who touched our young lives in special ways and enriched us far more...
read moreI Wish I Had Written This
Frances Coleman has been a friend for many years. I met her when she wrote editorials for the old Mobile Press Register, way back in the day when newspapers were printed on paper and were available every day of the week. A time that now seems so long ago that cars...
read moreGeorge W. Bush: ‘We are not partisan combatants’ in fight against coronavirus
While this country grapples with the chaos and confusion of the coronavirus and political "leaders" put their own self-interest above what is best for the nation, former Republican President George W. Bush, released a statement that should be taken to heart by all...
read moreA Tiger Among Us
Recently I did a short piece about Medal of Honor winner Bennie Adkins of Opelika being a victim of the coronavirus. I largely relied on info that Troy Turner, editor of the Opelika-Auburn News, wrote. In fact, it was Troy's article that told me my friend of many...
read moreTo Zoom Or Not To Zoom
Once again I have come face to face with new-fangled technology and as is always the case, tech won and I lost. Due to the pandemic, face-to-face meetings are being replaced by virtual get togethers. I'm told these may be done with Google Hangouts, Skype, Facetime or...
read more“Blue State Bailout”
You got to love U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Republican majority leader of the Senate. That is if you look up to someone who epitomizes all that is wrong with Washington these days. With governors and local officials wondering how they will keep their...
read moreWashington County School Board Member Pleads His Case
Keith Beech is a native of Washington County. He left to go to vet school at Auburn University years ago and came home to run his veterinary clinic. He is strong supporter of the county's public schools, has two children in school, a wife who teaches and he serves on...
read moreStuart Frandsen Should Head U.S. Virus Response Effort
So who the heck in Stuart Frandsen? He is a young man in Birmingham who owns Alabama Bio Clean, a company that specializes in biohazard abatement. Which means he is very busy during these times. And why I say he should be heading our national effort is because while...
read moreA Story That Needs To Be Told
America lost an honest-to-goodness war hero last week when Command Sgt. Major Bennie Adkins passed away in Opelika after contracting the coronavirus. There are fewer than 100 living Medal of Honor recipients in the U.S. Adkins was one of them. Adkins was recognized...
read moreNeed Your Feedback
As everyone scrambles to insure that help from Washington is put to the best possible use, your input on how best to use money from the CARES Act for k-12 education is needed. In this case, the total amount for Alabama would exceed $250 million. Go here to give your...
read moreAn Excellent Primer On Virus Testing
Like everyone else, I have followed all the discussion about testing to see who has the coronavirus, and who does not, with great interest. All the health experts I've heard (this does not include politicians and TV talking heads) say more widespread and accurate...
read moreLiving In A Pandemic
The only sound in my bedroom comes from the clock. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. Second by lonely second, time comes and goes. And in that exact moment, somewhere in this world a baby drew their first breathe and someone breathed their last one. While all of...
read moreWoodland Prep. Fake Charter School Lives On.
Drive by any school in Alabama (during more normal times) and what do you expect to find? Classrooms. Students. Teachers. Textbooks. Computers. A curriculum. Someone in charge. But nearly two years after the Alabama charter school commission gave the go ahead to...
read moreTo Keep You From Losing Your Mind
Editor's note: I did not write the following. Rather, "borrowed" it from a cousin's Facebook page. Wish I had written it. You will love the last line. Enjoy. Half of us are going to come out of this quarantine as amazing cooks. The other half will come out with a...
read moreWho Got My Toilet Paper?
Like most, I have been mightily baffled that toilet paper is almost non-existent these days. That it, the kind most of us use in our bathroom at home. Then a couple of days ago I heard a reporter on TV talk about what he'd learned as to why there is a shortage. I...
read moreUnbelieveably, Wisconsin Throws Caution To The Wind And Proceeds With Election
Yesterday we told you about the last-minute efforts of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers to delay the state Presidential primary election to later in the year. However, 11th hour political maneuvering by the Republican-controlled legislature thwarted the governor's effort...
read moreLife In A Pandemic
As hard as it may be to believe, for the first time in my life I went to the grocery yesterday and bought salt and pepper. You know, one of those little round packages with holes in the top. Which means I can now scramble eggs and sprinkle salt and pepper on them....
read moreWisconsin Election: Pure Madness
Wisconsin's presidential primary election has long been scheduled for Tuesday, April 7. Then the world was turned upside down by the virus pandemic. And in Wisconsin, all hell broke loose as the Democrat Governor, Tony Evers, and the Republican-controlled legislature...
read moreStolen From Facebook
Social media is full of tributes to teachers these days from parents realizing just how difficult their jobs are. Here is one that got my attention: "Dear TEACHERS,, Next year, I don't care if you make the school supply list 10 pages long. I'll get you whatever you...
read moreWhen Words Escape Me
NEVER in my 77 years has the United States faced a time as daunting as the one we now face. Unbelievably it was just a month ago today (March 3, 2020) when Alabama went to the polls for our presidential primary. That was the day voters slam dunked the attempt by the...
read moreMean While, Back In Washington County
The South Oak Grove Baptist church has been a fixture in southwest Washington County since 1880. It doubled as a school for nearly 60 years, until a school was built in nearby Fruitdale. Today it is a staging site for volunteers working to provide meals for local...
read moreWashington County Schools Need Help
Share the following note from John Dickey, Washington County school superintendent: Washington County School system is in dire need of latex gloves, hand sanitizer, and Lysol spray – Does anyone know of suppliers with inventory available? I will pick up if necessary....
read moreWords For These Troubled Times
Editor's note: Wendy Lang is a dear friend and former teacher in Decatur, AL. She now works for the Alabama Education Association In Morgan and Winston counties. She has also written a weekly column for her hometown Decatur Daily for years. As you will see below,...
read moreTuscaloosa Teachers Go The Extra Mile
During these difficult and troubling times, there are countless examples of teachers doing all they can to help their students. Here is a story by AL.com reporter Bob Carlton about two elementary teachers in Tuscaloosa: "Two Alabama elementary-school teachers have...
read moreDon’t Sell Teachers Short
Ken Buck lives in Indian Land, SC and is a member of the Lancaster County school board. Here is his tribute to teachers posted on Facebook: "We gave educators almost no notice. We asked them to completely redesign what school looks like and in about 24 hours local...
read moreExtraordinary Teachers In Extraordinary Times
These are truly uncharted waters for all of us these days. Nothing is normal. Each day is a torrent of bad news. No one understands this better than dedicated teachers who work with young students. And many are doing their best to fill the void left by the sudden...
read moreIn Praise Of Porches
Like most homes built in the 1930s and 40s, Grandpa's little wooden structure at Rt. 2 Red Level had a porch. And a swing and some rocking chairs. The swing was perpendicular to the road, so Grandpa sat in it with his back to the house and his feet to the road. ...
read moreLiving In A Bad Dream
Like everyone else, I am caught up in a world of great uncertainty, unlike anything I can ever remember. Both of my parents were children of the Great Depression, a time that marked this nation for decades They were also young adults when the country undertook the...
read moreRural Schools Get The Shaft
As reported by Yahoo News: Thanks to an under-the-radar bookkeeping change at the Department of Education, hundreds of rural schools across the US are set to lose vital funds. As reported in the New York Times, the department has changed the eligibility criteria for...
read moreAlabama K-12 Schools Closing March 18
As reported by AL.com "All K-12 schools in Alabama will close at the end of Wednesday, March 18, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Friday during a press conference in Montgomery. Schools could re-open on April 6, depending on the...
read moreInternet Warning
While I am definitely low tech and challenged by most things electronic, that is not the case with my daughter Kim. So when she passes along info, I pay attention. In light of the chaos and confusion about coronavirus, I share this info Kim shared with me. Beware of...
read moreWhen You Know The World Has Passed You By
I freely acknowledge that much of today's world is one I do not understand--or relate to. Alexia does not sit on my coffee table waiting for me to issue a command. My GPS is this big piece of paper that is sometimes hard to refold and has lots of lines on it and...
read moreWho Is After Del Marsh?
Like you, I get tons of email (and I send tons as well). I try my best to "screen" it. Like the notes from a foreign country saying their great-grandfather was the prime minister of such and such and if I respond I will be fabulously wealthy. Those get deleted...
read more15 Minutes With The Governor
Recently I asked educators across the state what they would tell Governor Kay Ivey if they had 15 minutes to meet with her. Answers came from retired superintendents, current superintendents, principals, teachers and school board members. They were well thought out...
read moreThoughts On Amendment One Battle
While I was hopeful that Amendment One would fail, never did I imagine that it's defeat would be so overwhelming. A 10 point defeat of 55-45 is considered decisive. But a 50 point shellacking of 75-25 like the voters gave to Amendment One is virtually unheard of....
read moreAmendment One Crashes And Burns
As I write this late on Tuesday night, March 3rd, Amendment One is losing by a margin of 76 percent to 24 percent. That is not just a defeat, it is having your heart jerked out and stomped flat. From one end of the state to the other, folks said emphatically that they...
read moreThe Dishonesty Of NAEP Scores
Alabama voters have been bombarded incessantly for weeks by politicians screaming about our low test scores and how the sky is falling. HOWEVER, not one of these lawmakers who are so quick to throw stones at school teachers and administrators have been honest enough...
read moreDon’t Be Fooled
The March 3rd vote on Amendment One, that will switch Alabama to an appointed state school board if approved, is not about education. It is about control. The old-fashioned kind that is fueled by lots and lots of money. How else do you explain that special interests,...
read moreRetired Educator Strongly Opposes Amendment One
With the March 3rd vote on Amendment One now less than a week away, more and more people are speaking out in opposition. One of these is Dr. Joseph Dean, Emeritus dean of the McWhorter School of Pharmacy at Samford University. He is a former member of both the...
read moreCoffee County School Board Passes Resolution Opposing Amendment One
Editor's note: Earlier this week the Coffee County school board passed the followwing resolution: Resolution Recommending “No” Vote On Amendment One Whereas, Alabama voters will be asked to approve or disapprove Amendment One during the Presidential primary of March...
read moreHow Would Albert Brewer Vote On Amendment One?
Since I hit the ripe old age of 21 in 1964, Alabama has had 10 governors. George Wallace, Lurleen Wallace, Albert Brewer, Fob James, Guy Hunt, Jim Folsom, Jr., Don Siegelman, Bob Riley, Robert Bentley and now Kay Ivey. Of those who have completed their time in...
read moreFlorence Times-Daily Says Vote NO On Amendment One
"Amendment 1 proposes to amend the state’s constitution to replace the state’s elected school board with a board made up of appointees, chosen by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. Proponents say this will give the board stability and help improve...
read moreAn Impassioned Plea From A Superintendent On Amendment One
Jacqueline Brooks is superintendent of the Macon County school system. Below is a letter from her that relates to her background as an African-American and her family's struggles for the right to vote. This is a powerful statement. "Dear Citizens, Friends, Family,...
read moreBig Mules Add More Cash
A few days ago we told you that a handful of special interests had raised $225,000 to fuel a campaign to get Amendment One passed. But as of Feb. 24, the Secretary of State's web site shows this has now grown to $446,000. Why are these people trying to buy a new...
read moreSome Things Never Change
When I did the recent post about the Big Mules rounding up hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to pass Amendment One and interject even more politics into our public schools, I immediately thought of a piece I did last fall with the title, George Wallace Was...
read moreKilling The Goose That Lays The Golden Egg
Until a few weeks ago, Amanda Coffman was an eighth-grade teacher at Indian Woods Middle School in the Shawnee Mission school district in Kansas. Then she resigned, effective immediately. During a school board meeting. Here is how the Shawnee Mission Post reported...
read moreHere Come The Big Mules
It was bound to happen. "It" being a campaign fueled by mega bucks from some of the state's major political action committees in an effort to pass Amendment One. The Alabama Farmers Federation organized "Yes For The Best Education" effort. They kicked things off with...
read more“Regardless, the selection process will not remove politics”
These eight words are the essence of an in-depth report by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama on Amendment One. PARCA often takes a close look at issues impacting the Alabama political landscape. This time they not only reminded us again that we have the...
read moreMore To Mississippi “Success” Than Meets The Eye
Editor's note: When results of the most recent National Assement of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores were released, folks far and wide gave Mississippi accolades for drastically increasing their scores. This was especally true here in Alabama where politicians...
read moreLatest Legislative Brainstorm Is Classic Example Of Why Amendment One Should Be Defeated
If Amendment One passes on March 3, the legislature, more specifically the state senate, will control public education. That's because while the governor will appoint state school board members, they must be confirmed by the senate. And if you want to see what whacky...
read moreThe Rumors Of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
A few days ago I unexpectedly got a call from a friend in Lawrence County who somewhat nervously asked me if I was OK. When I told him that I was, he explained that he had heard someone name of Larry Lee from Prattville was missing. Later he sent me the link to a...
read moreA Lesson In Civility
As already mentioned here, Sunday afternoon Feb. 9 I participated in a League of Women Voters forum in Dothan to debate the pros and cons of Amendment One. I opposed the measure. Senator Greg Albritton from Atmore supported it. I had done my homework and so had...
read more“Let Us Go To Dothan”
Editor's note: Genesis tells us the story of Joseph looking for his brothers and being told that they went to Dothan. So, like Joseph, Sunday afternoon Feb. 9 I went to Dothan. But I was looking for a forum conducted by the Southeast Alabama League of Women Voters...
read moreDothan Eagle Leery Of Amendment One
The Dothan Eagle put in a plug for the forum the Southeast Alabama League of Women Voters held Sunday afternoon, Feb. 9. They urged locals to turn out to learn more. (I was honored to be one of the two presenters.) However, the newspaper made no bones about the fact...
read moreUniversity Of West Alabama Works Hard For Rural Areas
Editor's note: One of the truly fun things I've done in the last few years is come to know the good folks at the University of West Alabama. They are passionate about helping rural communities and their schools. The following article details some of their work....
read moreMore Bad News For Woodland Prep
Circuit Judge Gaines McCorquodale issued his ruling Feb 4 on Woodland Prep's motion to dismiss a law suit against them. The motion was denied and the suit now moves forward. The Alabama Education Association filed suit last August against Soner Tarim, the Texas-based...
read morePraise The Lord. Woodland Prep Gets Bad News From Charter Commission.
Finally. Thankfully. Mercifully. The colossal mishmash of an attempt to open a charter school in Washington County has now been taken off of life support and left to flop, flounder and gasp its last breath by the state charter school commission. The application to...
read moreYou Can’t Have It Both Ways
There are 138 school systems in Alabama. All 67 counties have one, then there are another 71 local community systems. All are different. All have different resources and different challenges. They range from Mobile County with an enrollment of 52,741 to Linden with...
read moreA Look At Survey Numbers Re: Amendment One
Alabama voters will be asked to approve or disapprove Amendment One on March 3. A YES vote will switch us from an elected state school board to one appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate. A NO vote will keep our present system of electing state...
read moreLEAD Academy Charter Can’t Win For Losing
The news for Montgomery's LEAD Academy charter school has become a broken record. One bad news story after another. This time The Montgomery Advertiser published a story on Jan. 28 that LEAD's education guru, Soner Tarim of Houston, is no longer involved with the...
read moreHave You Completed The Survey?
With the March 3 vote on Amendment One rapidly approaching, we're taking a final look at how folks feel. A YES vote will switch Alabama from an elected state school board, to one appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the state senate. A NO vote will continue the...
read moreWe Are Reaping What The Supermajority Has Sown
Right now prominent members of the Republican party in the state legislature are trying to hijack public education by taking control of the state school board. Their very tired mantra is that our schools are not performing as they should. However, they cast all the...
read more
Final Survey Re: Appointed Vs. Elected School Board. Need Your Feedback.
We are now five weeks away from the March 3 vote on whether to switch from an elected to an appointed state school board. A YES vote means you want a state board appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate. A NO vote means you want to keep the system...
read moreHow Much Longer Does This Sham Go On?
OK. Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am not an impartial observer. This is especially true when I talk about the charter school fiasco in Washington County. And after more than 60 posts about this mess, numerous trips to the county and conversations with...
read moreBirthday Thoughts
Yep, as of 5:23 p.m. on Jan. 21 I have now survived for 77 years and am now starting on my 78th. (I looked at my birth certificate to get the time.) I am truly, truly thankful for the dozens and dozens and dozens of emails, phone calls and Facebook messages I...
read moreReviewing The Charter Mess In Washington County
Editor's note: The proponents and opponents of Woodland Prep charter school in Washington County square off in circuit court in Chatom this Tuesday, Jan. 21. This is a date long anticipated by those who oppose the school and one the proponents have tried to postpone...
read moreWoodland Prep Playing Legal Games
Last August the Alabama Education Association filed suit in Washington County alleging that Sonar Tarim, the Texas education consultant working with Woodland Prep charter school falsified information submitted to the state charter school commission. The initial...
read moreNational Campaign Features West Alabama Teacher
In an effort to focus attention on the opportunities in rural schools across the country, the Rural Schools Collaborative has launched its "I Am a Rural Teacher" campaign. And the first teacher to be featured is Haley Richardson, a native of Pickens County, a...
read moreWe Once Had An Appointed State School Board. But It Did Not Work, So We Changed.
Editor's note: The following article was first posted last November. It is a look at why we went from an appointed state school board to an elected one. It is a history lesson that bears repeating. So the legislature wants us to vote on March 3 to switch from an...
read moreAn Open Letter To Senator Del Marsh
Senator: While you and I could not disagree much more on what we need to do to help Alabama schools and educators, I have never questioned that you are a successful politician and businessman. You could have tremendous impact on education in this state--if you would...
read moreSully Strikes Again
Once again we return to Baldwin County to check on our young friend, Sully, the fifth-grade grandson of assistant superintendent Hope Zenah. Sully has his eye set on a video game and has been diligently trying to find ways to earn money to buy the game. So...
read moreGovernor Fills Ella Bell’s School Board Seat
Governor Ivey has appointed retired Alabama State University dean Dr. Tonea Stewart to fill the remainder of the term of the late Ella Bell on the state board of education. The appointment is immediate and Stewart will attend her first SBOE meeting Jan. 9. Bell's...
read moreLook Who Wants To Get Their Hands On Accountability Act Scholarships
A few days ago a group calling themselves USA Academy plan to start a football program in Elmore County and attach a "school" to it. As one friend told me, "Normally we have schools looking for football teams, but this is a football team looking for a school." Even...
read moreThe Colossal Charter Mess In Montgomery
It is nigh impossible to figure out what is going on with charter schools in Montgomery. Whether it is by design, deception or a bushel of inaptitude, the situation is clearly defying sections of the charter law and thumbs its nose at what is legal and what is not....
read moreGovernor, You Need To Do Some More Homework
Overall, I think Governor Kay Ivey has done a good job regarding education. She has been a strong proponent of early childhood education, she shows up at state school board meetings to serve as chair (something few other governors have bothered to do), she hired a...
read moreNumbers Show That When It Comes To Helping Kids In Failing Schools, Accountability Act Is A Sham
As soon as the 2013 accountability act met the light of day (remember it was crafted behind closed doors with no input from educators), the public was told that its only purpose was to help students stuck in "failing schools". In fact, "failing schools" are mentioned...
read moreRecounting 2019. The Most Read Post Of The Past Year.
Editor's note: It comes as no surprise to me that a post about the Washington County charter school situation received the most views. Almost 5,200 to be exact. If there has even been a total bungling of how law should be interpreted and enforced and how...
read moreRecounting 2019. The Second Most Read Post.
Editor's note: More than 3,390 people read this post that detailed how some private schools are using scholarships from the Alabama Accountability Act to benefit their athletic teams. Accountability Act And High School Football Nov 13, 2019 There are presently seven...
read moreRecounting 2019. The Third Most Read Post Of The Year.
Editor's note: Courtney Welborn was principal of White Plains middle school in Calhoun County in the 2018-19 school year. (She has since moved to the central office.) Early in 2019 Senator Del Marsh mounted an effort to eliminate the Alabama College & Career Ready...
read moreRecounting 2019. The Fourth Most Read Post.
Editor's note: The following post got 2,956 views. The charter school fiasco in Washington County dominated our "most-read" list. This is another one of them. Washington County Charter School Fiasco Gets National And International Attention Apr 14, 2019 As we all...
read moreReviewing The Most Read Posts Of 2019
Editor's note: It's the season when the media is full of recounting the best football games of the year, the top political stories, the most expensive divorcees, which states had the most possums to cross the road, etc. So in the spirit of such, we will bring to you...
read moreThe Irony Of Amendment One
Alabama voters will go to the polls next March 3 to decide the fate of amendment one. At the heart of this amendment is an attempt to deny all citizens the right to vote to elect their state school board members. The irony of this vote is that 55 years and four days...
read moreAnother Gem From Our Friend, J. L. Strickland
Editor's note: There was so much reader response to our recent story from J. L. Strickland, we share another. It is especially appropriate at this season when joy and mirth should abound. If this doesn't bring a chuckle, check your pulse. "Back in the fifties, as I...
read moreA Christmas Story
Editor's note: J. L. Strickland is a retired textile worker from east Alabama who has spent his life in what the locals know as the "valley." It straddles the Alabama-Georgia line and for generations was home to numerous mills were cotton was turned into cloth. ...
read moreMy Choice For Top Education Story Of The Year
While it slipped by unnoticed by many and certainly out of sight of main stream media, to me the number one story impacting public education across Alabama in the past 12 months was replacing four incumbents on the charter school commission. And especially chairman...
read moreThe Hits Keep Coming For Montgomery’s LEAD Academy
Once again Josh Moon, investigative reporter for the Alabama Political Reporter, has pulled back the curtain on LEAD Academy, Montgomery's first charter school, and exposed what he calls a "first-rate mess." Go here to read his article of Dec. 17. Here are portions of...
read moreHoly Cow Batman, New Hampshire Turns Down $46 Million Grant For Charter Schools
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, without doubt the most unqualified person to ever hold this position, thinks charter schools are the solution to every ailment in education. So she is quick to hand out dollars to folks wanting to bring more charter schools on...
read moreAnd Now For Some Good News
While the elitist Bourbon Republicans who run the legislative supermajority work hard to discredit public education, truth is there is plenty of good news concerning the schools that educate 90 percent of all the students in Alabama. Rural Schools Collaborative is...
read moreThe Two Worlds Of Education
My choices were clear that Thursday morning. I could attend the state school board meeting at Montgomery's Gordon Persons building where the main topic of discussion would be whether or not to finally adopt a new math course of study after many months of study and...
read morePerry County Schools Threatened By Charter School
They stand as silent sentinels of a time gone by. Watch towers on the past. "They" are sturdy concrete silos, rising 40-50 feet above Perry County's black prairie land. Head south out of Marion on Highway 5 and you'll spy one every few miles. Each a reminder a...
read moreReport: Federal Government Wasted Millions Of Dollars On Charter Schools That Never Opened
The Network for Public Education has released a new report detailing how millions and millions of dollars have been wasted by the federal government on charter schools. Longtime Washington Post education reporter Val Strauss has written about the study. Here are...
read moreA Senator Speaks. And Shows How Clueless He is.
A few days ago I posted the names and email addresses of the 30 senators who voted last May for an amendment that will replace our elected state school board with an appointed one. A number of readers wrote senators and asked them why they voted as they did. Someone...
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