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Court Stuns Educators With Approval Of Vouchers

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Photo Credit: WNDIn a landmark victory for school choice, the Colorado Court of Appeals surprised educators in the state by affirming the constitutionality of a Douglas County voucher program that allocates money for students who attend “private school partners” rather than government-run schools.

The voucher program came under attack when the organization Taxpayers for Public Education sued the Douglas County School District. The suit challenged the constitutionality of state funding for a program that gave money to parents for their children’s attendance at private religious schools.

In defense of school choice, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys and Colorado Springs attorney Stuart Lark filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the Association of Christian Schools International, the Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs, Shepherd of the Hills Christian School, Southeast Christian School and Valor Christian High School.

“School districts should favor educational choices for parents and their children,” Lark said.

The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that the Choice Scholarship Program was “neutral toward religion.” The court decision also noted that the funds “make their way to private schools with religious affiliation by means of personal choices of students’ parents.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Time For Colleges To Have Skin In The Game-They Need To Guarantee Student Loans

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Photo Credit: Irish Central America’s student loan debt is in excess of 1 trillion dollars; it is believed this will be our next huge financial crisis as these loans go into default.

One of the reasons people are having a difficult time repaying their student debt, is that they can’t find jobs as newly minted college graduates. See the 10 worst college degrees by Forbes.

Granted the economy is in the doldrums and good jobs are hard to find. But a college education was sold to these students by the education industry as their ticket to a good paying job.

Let’s use some outcome based education for a change. If you are going to let a student burden him/herself with a huge debt in order to graduate from your school, you should have some skin in the game. Colleges should have to guarantee these loans, instead of laying that debt off onto taxpayers if the student defaults. Perhaps there would be a change in admissions, stricter standards and heavier counseling.

Right now colleges and universities have the best of all worlds. Many are in receipt of government funding, many have endowments and almost all are the recipients of an unending stream of government guaranteed tuition. There is no incentive for them to see if the student loans ever get paid back.

It’s a one way street in the higher education system and it’s time to make some changes. . These easy government backed student loans are correlated to rising costs. Colleges have every incentive to raise costs knowing the loans will be adjusted upward to reflect those costs.

Colleges should have job placement programs for the students they graduate. There needs to be some responsibility from the higher education system and some accountability.

Should taxpayers be put on the hook for a college graduate with a liberal arts degree who can’t find a job? Or if the jobs available with those degrees are low paying and will never be able to justify the student loan amount?

Additionally, let’s face it, many of those attending college aren’t college material and should be learning a trade or craft. Skilled craftsmen make on average far more than many college graduates. Why aren’t colleges and universities offering these types of educations?

The country has a problem supplying the manpower needs of our high tech sector, so much of a problem, that special laws are being created to allow foreign workers into our country that have the math and engineering skills necessary to work in this environment.

We should be proactively pushing students to get educations in the sectors the country desperately has a shortage in, even offering discount tuition, etc. Perhaps even using a hybrid of the voucher system that the Friedman Foundation is promoting for public school choice and introduce some competition.

If a student wants a degree in ethnic/gender studies, music appreciation, law and a whole host of liberal arts that don’t necessarily translate into lucrative careers, then there should be an agreement between the college and the student over how the tuition gets paid. Let colleges aid the student in finding scholarship help, etc.

We saw the problem that unfulfilled promises academic institutions made to students when our cities were clogged with Occupy Wall Street. Many of these young people expressed anger at their inability to find a job, a good paying job with the liberal arts degrees they possessed. They felt they were lied to by their education institutions…in a way they were.

There is also growing unrest among students who are seeing their ever increasing college tuitions rise, while chancellors and educators don’t take a hit and in fact get raises.

Here is an excerpt from an excellent expose’ by JosephPalermo in the California State University system:

“Last year, CSU executives were paid between $240,000 and $400,000 in salary alone. On top of that, each executive is allotted $12,000 per year as an auto allowance. Campus Presidents and the Chancellor each receive either state-owned homes or housing allowances of $50,000 or $60,000 per year. Other perks available to executives include special retirement packages such as lifetime employment as a tenured professor.”

Looking at the above salaries you can see these educators are insulated from the realities that many graduates face after they leave their institutes of higher education. Instead of raises, many of them should be fired. Let’s get some accountability into education

Read more from this story HERE.

High School Student Disarms Gunman . . . Gets Suspended

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A Florida high school student wrestled a loaded gun away from another teen on the bus ride home this week and was slapped with a suspension in return.

The 16-year-old Cypress Lake High student in Fort Myers, Fla. told WFTX-TV there was “no doubt” he saved a life after grappling for the loaded .22 caliber revolver being aimed point-blank at another student on Tuesday.

“I think he was really going to shoot him right then and there,” said the suspended student, not identified by WFTX because of safety concerns. “Not taking no pity.”

The student said the suspect, a football player, threatened to shoot a teammate because he had been arguing with his friend.

Authorities confirmed to WFTX the weapon was indeed loaded, and the arrest report stated the suspect, identified by WVZN-TV as Quadryle Davis, was “pointing the gun directly” at the other student and “threatening to shoot him.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Students Made To Wear Burqas In U.S. Schools

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Photo Credit: WNDThere’s a new controversy in Texas involving the online public school curriculum called CSCOPE, which already has been the subject of heated debate and state legislative hearings. There are reports now that students were made to wear Muslim burqas as part of their public school lessons.

CSCOPE has been facing criticism over its alleged Islamic and anti-American bias. It is a “curriculum management system” now used in 80 percent of Texas classrooms – and recently was the subject of a heated inquiry that culminated in hearings conducted by the Texas Senate Education Committee chaired by Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston.

According to a joint press release by Sen. Patrick, State Board of Education Chairperson Barbara Cargill and CSCOPE representatives, CSCOPE ultimately agreed to “significant changes,” but it is unclear when these changes will take place, and whether or not the pledged cooperation is legally binding or simply to mollify critics.

WND contacted Sen. Patrick’s office but has been unable to obtain documentation confirming whether CSCOPE compliance is required or optional.

He did release a statement: “Be assured we are working on this issue as is the SBOE almost every day. The hearing was step one, the letter step two. The only thing that is binding from a legislative standpoint is legislation. We are working on those issues based on what we are discovering now. We are doing our job, one that must be thorough and will take time.”

Read more from this story HERE.

It’s Time to Stand Up for Alaska’s Children

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On February 25 beginning at 9:30 a.m., the Alaska House Education Committee will hear testimony on HJR 1, an act to amend the Alaska Constitution to allow public funds to flow to parents so they can choose the best educational fit for their children. It is important to note that this resolution only amends the Constitution, it does not provide for “vouchers” as stated by the opposition.

The Alaska Constitution has Blaine Amendment language in it which prohibits any state funds from directly supporting religious or other private educational institutions. This wording was required by the Federal government if a territory wanted to join the Union-kind of an overreach by the Federal government. That is why, most Western states have this prohibitive language in their constitutions.

The history of the Blaine Amendment, however, is somewhat sordid and ugly. Congressman Blaine gathered support from the anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic and anti-Irish segments of society. Later on, even the KKK supported the Blaine Amendment in many states. This wording should be removed because it is a very bad reflection on Alaskans.

The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that even indirect support of private or religious educational institutions is prohibited (Sheldon Jackson College v. State of Alaska, 1979). This would seem to prohibit local school districts from transporting students to/from non-public schools, even if by coincidence.
You have your chance to voice your opinion on February 25. You need to go to the Legislative Information Office (LIO) or call in for testimony. You can google “state of alaska lio” to find where the nearest LIO is located. If inconvenient, just email your legislator with your beliefs. If you have any questions, go to www.akchoice.org for more information or email Tom Fink at [email protected]. Testimony will also be taken on March 1 at 9:30.

It’s time to take a stand for our kids – your voice needs to be heard. The Alaska State Legislature must allow us to vote on whether or not, we the people want to amend OUR Constitution. Allow us to vote-it is our right as stated in OUR Constitution.

HHS Study: Head Start Kids Have More Problems with Math, Social Interactions

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This past week, President Obama warned Americans that, if the sequester occurs, hundreds of thousands of children will lose access to Project Head Start. A new study, however, published by the Obama administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has found that students who participate in the $8 billion Head Start program actually fare worse, in some ways, than students who do not.

The study also found that positive effects of the program are not sustained into elementary school.

According to the study, mandated by Congress and published at the end of 2012, the Head Start program “seeks to improve the educational and developmental outcomes for children from severely economically disadvantaged families.”

However, when researchers evaluated 4,667 elementary students, they concluded that the program provided no measurable benefit for children by the time they reached the third grade compared to those children who were in a similar socio-economic group but were not in the program. Of the children who were not enrolled in Head Start, about 60 percent received another form of preschool education, the quality of which was judged to be generally inferior to that provided in Head Start.

The large-scale study found that children who participated in the Head Start program actually did worse in math and had more problems with social interaction by the third grade than children who were not in the program.

Read more from this story HERE.

No Exams On Wiccan, Pagan Holidays At University Of Missouri?

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Photo Credit: ensign_beedrillStudents at University of Missouri don’t need to cram for exams that fall on Wiccan and Pagan holidays, now that the school has put them on par with Christmas, Thanksgiving and Hanukah.

The university’s latest “Guide to Religions: Major Holidays and Suggested Accommodations” — designed to help faculty know when and when not to schedule exams and other student activities — lists eight Wiccan and Pagan holidays and events right alongside more mainstream occasions. It’s all part of the school’s effort to include everyone’s beliefs, although some critics say listing every holiday associated with fringe belief systems is a bit much.

“The holidays and accommodations section of this guide is provided to faculty, staff and student leaders as an educational resource for the myriad of religious holy days celebrated at Mizzou,” the guide reads. “Not only does this section offer crucial information about dates and practices, we also hope that the information about recommended academic and food accommodations will be valuable to those planning classroom activities and other academic and co-curricular events.”

The first holiday on the list is the Hindu two-day festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, a god considered to be a “warrior, hero, teacher and philosopher.” During the observance, which occurs on Aug. 28 this year, Hindus are likely to forgo sleep in order to, among other things, sing traditional songs.

“Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines on this day, since it is likely that students will be operating on very little sleep,” the guide continues.

Read more from this story HERE.

Democrat for Education Reform Coming to Alaska

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The Alaska Policy Forum is hosting school choice events in Anchorage and Soldotna. The speaker will be Kevin Chavous, Board Chair of Democrats for Education Reform, Board member of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, and Board member of the American Federation for Children. Mr. Chavous led the charge in Washington, D.C. for charter schools and the D. C school voucher program.

Most recently, he worked with Louisiana Governor, Bobby Jindal, to get school voucher legislation enacted this past year. Yes, school choice is non-partisan because it’s about the kids, not the adults. Chavous will speak on how choice benefits everyone, regardless of socioeconomic standing. Even the public school system benefits from competition.

Come hear Mr. Chavous in Soldotna on February 12th at the Soldotna Sports Center beginning at 7 pm. He will be speaking in Anchorage on February 14th at the Anchorage Museum at 7 pm. both events are free. Come cut through the chaff and noise the NEA is broadcasting across Alaska. Chavous will also appear at a joint House/Senate Judiciary, Finance, Education meeting on February 13th at 1:30. Go to akl.tv to listen on-line.

Visit Alaska Policy Forum HERE.

Southern California School Board Member Convicted Of Running Sex Ring

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Photo Credit: Rios Pimpin’ ain’t easy, man, as Ice-T, The Notorious B.I.G. and a number of other celebrated rappers have incisively counseled for years. However, Moreno Valley school board member Mike Rios had to learn this wisdom the hard way.

On Friday, a jury in Riverside, California found Rios, 42, guilty on almost two dozen felony counts stemming from a prostitution operation, reports KNBC. Rios managed the venture out of his home in neighboring Moreno Valley.

The litany of charges against the school board member included rape, pimping, pandering and insurance fraud. Two of the prostitutes involved were underage girls.

The jury found Rios not guilty on another count of rape. It couldn’t come to an agreement on still another rape count, or an additional pandering charge.

At the trial, the Los Angeles Times reports, the jury heard evidence that Rios, a Democrat, approached one woman on the street and flashed a school district-emblazoned business card when he offered her a job.

Read more from this story HERE.

Florida Adopts Racist Educational Standards Even Though Race Classifications are “Nonsense”

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Florida sets education standards based on race, ethnicity

By Caroline May. New education standards approved this week in Florida set goals for public school student performance based on race and ethnicity — with lower benchmarks for African-American, Native American, and Hispanic students, and higher ones for white and Asian-American students.

“We need a strong plan to support our dynamic education system,” State Board Chairman Gary Chartrand said in a statement announcing the approval of the state’s strategic plan for public schools and state colleges through 2018, which includes the new race-based benchmarks.

“I am confident that these strategies and goals will put Florida on a path toward raising student achievement, improving educator quality, and expanding school choice,” he added.

According to the plan, Pre-K through grade 12 students will be assessed with their racial subgroups in mind “to reduce the achievement gap.”

By 2018, 90 percent of Asian students, 88 percent of white students, 81 percent of Hispanic students, 82 percent of Native American students and 74 percent of African-American students are expected to be at-or-above grade level reading standards. Read more from this story HERE.

Race: the Single Most Overrated Scientific Myth

By Gregory Oatis. Look, isn’t it time we dispensed with all the “race” nonsense, once and for all?

The fact is, categorizing humanity by “race” as has been happening for all these centuries is simply not a scientifically valid proposition. There is just one race of people on this planet, the human race.

Skin color defines a person about as much as hair color, eye color, or the length of the second toe on the right foot.

It’s a scientific fact that skin color cannot be discerned through DNA testing. If you doubt me, check it out.

And skin color is not even useful as a predictor of chromosomal similarity.

For example, if you pick 50 Americans at random and analyze their DNA, the two most similar sets are as likely to be those of a Ukrainian-American and an African-American as they are two African-Americans. Read more from this story HERE.