Joanne Jacobs At Fox News

Over at Jenny D's site, she is pointing to FOX News which has posted an article by Joanne Jacobs entitled "Rising Drop-out Rates, Costly Common Sense."

Congratulations to Joanne and thanks to Jenny for bringing this to everyone's attention, as the modest Joanne did not mention the great news at her place.

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Some Parents Are Opting Their Children Out Of State-Mandated Testing

Around our own California junior high school, I've had several students through the years that have chosen to "opt-out" of the state's mandated annual testing scheme, called the STAR (Standardized Testing And Reporting) system. In California, as in many other states, parents have the right to exempt their child from testing.

I will usually receive a telephone call in my classroom (or sometimes a note) from a parent who will ask me if it is possible for their child to be excused from taking the test. (Even though I am an Anglo, many of my parents are Spanish speaking, and so they are comfortable contacting me as I too speak the language.)

Parents cite a variety of reasons, the most common ones being that the child doesn't have a good grasp of the English language or that the tests make their child extremely anxious or pressured.

Our protocol at Middletown Junior High School is to refer all such requests to The Office, without really discussing it further. For me, the teacher in the classroom, that's almost always the end of it as the office simply sends a memo (with no reason given) that the child is exempted from testing.

Now The New York Times has published the story of one young man in Texas whose parents opted out of the testing. Here is an excerpt:

Edinburg, Texas: Macario Guajardo was one child left behind Wednesday when his classmates took the all-important Texas statewide reading test for promotion to the sixth grade.

Actually, 11-year-old Macario, an unlikely crusader at 4-foot-11 and 93 pounds, wearing a Spider-Man T-shirt, left himself behind. He stayed out of school in protest against what he called "the big deal" of the testing program, which he said "keeps kids from expressing their imagination."

"I don't think I'm brave," Macario said at his home here in the Rio Grande Valley. "Any kid could do this. It does take a little bit of guts."

Amid sharp critiques of the Texas-inspired federal education law called No Child Left Behind and its mandatory annual testing to measure school success or failure, a handful of students like Macario have taken the risky step of boycotting their tests. Some students say that the state tests, some of which predate the federal program, focus the learning process on test preparation.

For me, this is a first. I've never heard of a parent actually exempting their child from testing as a protest of the test itself. According to the article, there are a number of parents that are boycotting the Texas instrument, commonly referred to as the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) battery of tests:

In San Antonio on Tuesday, a 14-year-old high school freshman, Mia Kang, refused to take the required reading test, known as the TAKS, for Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. Two years ago, another San Antonio freshman, Kimberly Marciniak, 15, made headlines when she boycotted the same reading test in its debut year. (2003)

And the protests are not limited to Texas:

Also in 2003, two Washington State high school sophomores refused to take that state's mandatory exams. In 2002, parents in Scarsdale, N.Y., organized a boycott of the eighth-grade test.

And in Stewart, Ohio, a high school senior, John Wood, 17, who has refused to take any statewide test since the seventh grade, has lost out on graduating this spring. That poses a quandary for his father, George, who is co-editor of "Many Children Left Behind," a 2004 book critical of the federal law, but is also principal of John's school and must keep him from graduating. George Wood said he supported his son, who has been accepted by two private colleges.

Unlike California, opting-out of the test in Texas can result in unpleasant consequences:

In Texas, students like Macario who do not pass a state assessment test can be promoted only if a panel of the child's parents, teachers and principal all agree to make an exception.

As a practicing classroom teacher in California, this came as a surprise to me. We have no such consequence here for exempting one's child from testing. One of our biggest "testing challenges" is the fact that there are a large number of kids that do not take our S.T.A.R. tests seriously. I've actually heard of kids sitting there and filling in the bubbles on answer sheets in order to produce a pattern in the shape of a star.

Update:(3/01) Number 2 Pencil has a lot more to say on this story.

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The Boston Globe's "Ask The Teacher"

The Boston Globe has a very nice feature in their Sunday edition. They call it, "Ask the Teacher." Simply put, readers send questions related to education to a classroom teacher who answers them in the paper. The column can be seen here, below this sample:

Question: My son has not been pulling his weight in the classroom. He receives grades in the "C" range, but I know he is capable of doing much better. I'm thinking of limiting or stopping his after-school activities, such as sports, until his grades improve. Do you think this approach will work?

Anonymous, Whitman (Massachusetts)

Answer: Talk to your son before putting the kibosh on his extracurricular activities. There's a chance that his lackluster performance in the classroom signals more than a lack of effort. Check in with his teachers; ask whether they've noticed changes in his character and work habits.

Often more stoic than expressive, many male adolescents struggle to articulate what's compromising their classroom performance. What looks like disregard for a subject can be misleading. For example, I've seen young men's grades drop as they silently wrestle with a friend's substance abuse problem, an imminent divorce, or undiagnosed attention deficit disorder or depression. I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but it's important to allow for such possibilities.

If your son's flagging effort with his studies has its roots in typical teenage ennui, curtailing his after-school activities could exacerbate the problem. Teenagers tend to need more, not less, structure in their days. A sports or dramatics schedule can provide a welcome and necessary break from the classroom and rejuvenate a student for that nightly return to the books. Of course, too many activities can lead to persistent weariness and sub-par work. The issue, alas, is balancing work and play, an ongoing challenge for students as well as parents and teachers.

As a classroom teacher with more years of experience than I care to disclose here, I can say that the answers seem to we considerate of parents and well-reasoned. According to The Globe, the feature is written by Ron Fletcher, who teaches English at Boston University High School. Questions may be submitted (anonymously if you wish) by following the directions at the bottom of the Globe's page.

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An Arizona Teacher's Perspective On Testing And Football

Teacher Brian Tatum, of Heber, Arizona, wrote this to The Arizona Republic:

As a teacher, I would like to share this comparison between football and the AIMS (Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards) test.

A fellow teacher shared this with me:

1.All teams must make the state playoffs, and all will win the championship. If a team does not win the championship, they will be on probation until they are the champions, and coaches will be held accountable.

2.All kids will be expected to have the same football skills at the same time and in the same conditions. No exceptions will be made for interest in football, a desire to perform athletically, or genetic abilities or disabilities. All kids will play football at a proficient level.

3.Talented players will be asked to work out on their own, without instruction. This is because the coaches will be using all their instructional time with the athletes who aren't interested in football, have limited athletic ability or whose parents don't like football.

4.Games will be played year-round, but statistics will only be kept in the fourth, eighth and 11th games.

5.This will create a New Age of Sports where every school is expected to have the same level of talent and all teams will reach the same minimal goals. If no child gets ahead, then no child will be left behind.

Education will never become as expensive as ignorance.

I guess that we could say that we've still a long way to go if we are going to score enough touchdowns to suit the legions of expert coaches (few of which have actually played the game) standing on the sidelines just itching to bench a few players. Meanwhile, I think I know who is up in the luxury skybox watching the game.

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Ward Churchill: The Price Of Silence?

How does a big-time publicly-funded school get rid of a loud and disagreeable professor that pushes the concept of academic freedom to new extremes?

They buy him out:

Two people familiar with internal CU (Colorado University) discussions said the still-undetermined offer is in the idea stage. The discussions come just a week before a three-person panel is scheduled to deliver a report on Churchill's fitness for tenure.

David Lane, Churchill's attorney, said he has not been contacted about a buyout offer.

But, he said, while his primary focus is on protecting Churchill's constitutional right to speak out, he would be willing to listen to a university proposal.
"If they offer $10 million, I would think about it. If they offer him $10, I wouldn't," Lane said.

It is said that every man has his price, maybe we will learn Ward Churchill's.

Other Voices: Betsy's Page

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Well, They Were On Double Secret Probation...

Heh. There was no joy in the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity last Saturday evening. It seems like the authorities of New York's Binghamton University have ordered that the orgainization lose its university recognition for at least five years because of a.... little.... indiscretion. According to Dean Of Students Vernon Wormer Lloyd "Skip" Howe:

Personally, I feel it's a choice they made, that they just indicated to us that they were no longer interested in working within the framework of the fraternity recognition and governance structure, Howe said.

Howe said the revocation was the result of multiple violations of University guidelines. He stressed that the fraternity had been under both probation and suspension for violations earlier in 2004. They were put on notice and they made their choice, he said.

According to Howe, the fraternity's University recognition was suspended in February 2004 for violations of dry rush (no alcohol) policies. Frank Ambrosio, a sophomore political science major who is one of the frat's vice presidents, maintained that the incident involved no underage drinking- only members 21 and older were drinking.

AEPi's probation and suspension were furthered, Howe said, after another incident involving a party, the dates of which he couldn't recall the details of in a telephone interview.

Members of AEPi, though, attribute the trouble to a student being injured at the party- perhaps by a trip and fall, but more likely in a fight at the frat's house on Conklin Avenue on the South Side of Binghamton.

What will happen to the brothers of Alph Epsilon Pi? They can still live in their house, as it is not university property. However, without recognition, they cannot display their letters. On the other hand, they could always affiliate with Delta Tau Chi.

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Bill Gates Makes It Official

Some 45 of the nation's 50 Governors have had a little get together to discuss the state of American public education, and the crisis in America's high schools:

Most of the summit's first day amounted to an enormous distress call, with speakers using unflattering numbers to define the problem. Among them: Of every 100 ninth-graders, only 68 graduate high school on time and only 18 make it through college on time, according to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

It's nice to know that the governors are on the case. Interestingly, Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jeb Bush decided not to attend.

But then Bill Gates showed up and informed that room full of governors (and us too) that it may be too late:

The most blunt assessment came from Microsoft chief Bill Gates, who has put more than $700 million into reducing the size of high school classes through the foundation formed by him and his wife, Melinda. He said high schools must be redesigned to prepare every student for college, with classes that are rigorous and relevant to kids and with supportive relationships for children.

"America's high schools are obsolete," Gates said. "By obsolete, I don't just mean that they're broken, flawed or underfunded, though a case could be made for every one of those points. By obsolete, I mean our high schools... even when they're working as designed...cannot teach all our students what they need to know today."

We who are doing the teaching in the classrooms have known for years that there are some serious problems with our system of public high schools. But now that Bill Gates has officially declared our public high schools to be obsolete, I guess that we can look forward to him coming into our classrooms and showing our students how it's done.

I hope that Gates hurries-up, as my daughter will be going into the ninth grade next year and I certainly don't want her education to be "obsolete."

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Political Correctism Run Amok Files: Killing Road-Kill Candy

Kraft foods has decided to kill production of it's popular "gummi" line of flattened squirrels, snakes, (pictured) rabbits, and chickens. So that there would be no doubt as to what these sweets were, each piece of road-kill came complete with tire treads.

The cause of death for Road Kill Candy is listed as Political Correctism Run Amok.

It seems like the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals thought that the candy would desensitize children to the plight of abused animals, and was threatening boycotts, petitions, and letter-writing campaigns in order to halt the production of the candies.

In an open letter to Kraft foods, Stuart Rhodes, President of The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (NJSPCA) demanded that Kraft stop the production of the offensive candy:

Frankly, I was shocked, horrified and dismayed to see that Kraft is manufacturing and marketing gummi candy to children shaped like snakes, chickens and squirrels with tire tracks over the bodies to look like "road kill."

Well, those gummy candies might not be funny to adults, but as a teacher of 12-14 year olds, I can assure Mr. Rhodes that it is funny to many of them.

Maybe if I send a letter to Kraft "demanding" that they send me $1000, I'll get a check.

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Everybody Needs A Vacation But...

We know that everyone needs to take a little vacation every now and then, but in this era of increased accountability (for educators) should students be allowed to miss school in order to have a little family fun? This has become a problem at our mid-sized California junior high school and I suspect is a concern in other locales.

The Arizona Republic reports:

While on a recent vacation in northeastern Arizona, I was surprised to discover that many Arizona parents had taken their school-age children on a weekday excursion to the slopes at Sunrise Park Resort.

One Scottsdale mother explained to me that the snow conditions were so ideal that she felt justified in pulling her three kids out of their public schools for a few days of winter fun.

Read the whole thing here.

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Suspected BTK Murderer Arrested

EdWonk: Live from Wichita, Kansas (Sat. 10:00AM Central) via CNN: Chief Norman Williams has announced, "We have arrested BTK." Then Nola Foulston, District Attorney for Sedgewick County, Kansas, introduced her trial team: Kevin O'Conner and a Ms. Parker. Many of the victims' families have been invited for the event.

Foulston says that there can be no Death Penalty given for BTK's crimes, as they were committed before 1994. She also cannot give any statements (from the accused) or evidence to the press. There will be a website that has basic information about the crime and a phone number so that media may call for daily updates.

After 1 hour of self-congratulatory statements, It is announced that the killer's name is Dennis Rader, age 59. Rader is employed as an Animal Control Officer. He was arrested, "Without incident," during a police stop of Rader's vehicle. Other than that, the Wichita authorities are declining to give additional details.

The BTK killer committed most of his crimes in the 1970s, but he struck one last time in 1986. It is believed that he killed a total of 8 victims. The victims included men, women, and children.

Last year, BTK began allowing the police to find items that had been taken from the victims, apparently playing cat and mouse with the police. After 11 months, BTK has apparently caught himself.

Mortarboard Tip: The Daily Spork
Update:(2/27) The Daily Spork has all the latest news.

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Too Much Of A Good Thing?

I found this over on the wedbsite of the National Education Association:

For all the money Sara Minks spent on her students last year, she could have bought a new car. With $13,000—yes, $13,000!—Minks could have taken her own two children on an Alaskan cruise. Where did it all go? Minks, a high school dance teacher in Southern California, bought music to accompany ballet, jazz, and modern dance performances and videos of historical choreographers at work.

She installed fans and ballet barres in her classroom studio, and dressed her kids in leotards, tights, and ballet shoes. She brought them to local productions—and even flew two talented students (and their mothers) across the country to Broadway.

Minks, who is a single mom herself, knows her spending habits have been, well, extreme. But without much time to fund-raise or any willingness to cut corners, "I just do it," she says.

She hopes to rein in her philanthropy this year, but not if it costs the kids, she adds. Her students, who are experiencing performing arts for the first time, "walk taller, gain self-confidence, and never miss practice. They cling to this outlet, and I can't imagine taking that away from them."

What I find remarkable is the fact that this lady has two kids of her own (That I assume will be attending college someday.) and still spends that sum of cash on other people's children.

Is she a saint, independently wealthy, or in need of specialized help?

And where is all that money really coming from?

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The Partnership Of English Majors

The other day, I was listening to Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion on N.P.R. which was originally aired last Saturday.

For those that might not be familiar with this long-running radio show, the program consists of a variety of comedic sketches, with musical numbers played be invited gusts. And, of course, there is the weekly dose of The News From Lake Woebegon. The show is usually broadcast live from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, though Keillor often takes the show "on the road."

The February 19th show was their second annual "Teen Talent Contest." This features several acts by kids (Read about the kids here.) that are between 12 and 20 years of age that the show's producers have flown-in from around the country. You can listen to the whole two hour show via streaming audio here.

Of course one can't have a radio show without commercials, so what Keillor has done is fabricate a number of fictitious sponsors including: The Catsup Advisory Board, The American Duct Tape Council, Powdermilk Biscuits, and, of course, The Partnership Of English Majors.

The trouble is that when I listen to this humorous four-minute skit, I can actually imagine several of my fellow teachers really saying these things. You can listen by clicking here.

We dedicate it to the English Teacher that is inside all of us.....

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Catholic Church To Close 23 Chicago Schools

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the Archdiocese of Chicago is closing some 23 local Catholic schools at the end of this school year.

Just two weeks earlier, we here at The Education Wonks reported that the Church was closing 26 schools in New York City.

In both cases, the reason cited for the school closures were declining enrollment.

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Idiocy And Intrigue In The Yonkers, New York School System

Where can a 24-year-old young man with little or no experience find an accounting job in a public school system that pays $90,100 per year to start?

The answer is in the Yonkers, (pop. 200,000) New York public school system. The New York Times reports:

The hiring of a 24-year-old man with little accounting experience as a senior accountant for the Yonkers Board of Education violated state civil service laws and created "the strong appearance of impropriety," a report by the city's inspector general has concluded.

The report, released on Thursday, stops short of concluding that cronyism was the reason for the hiring of the man, Pietro Barberi, as a senior accountant at a salary of $90,100. Nor does it recommend that the Yonkers schools superintendent, Angelo Petrone, resign for his part in hiring the young man.

Maybe asking for Superintendent Angelo Petrone to resign from his post might have been a little extreme. But on the other hand:

The report says, "The overall circumstances surrounding Mr. Barberi's appointment suggest that the rules were ignored and that he was hired as a result of his connections rather than his qualifications."

Mr. Barberi's hiring set off a firestorm of criticism last November in a city known for turmoil and upheaval, particularly in its public schools. Days after questions were raised about his qualifications, his salary and any connections to Mr. Petrone, Mr. Barberi resigned his position, citing "personal reasons." But Mr. Murtagh [Ed. a city councilman] asked the inspector general, Philip A. Zisman, to look into the matter.

At least the young man honorably resigned, we wish him well. Truthfully, we can't blame Barberi for taking the job. After all, the starting pay of $90,100 is more cash than a classroom teacher with a Masters' Degree and 20 years service receives. And accountants never, ever, have to put up with this.

Still, we were curious to know exactly what expertise Mr. Barberi might have brought to the Yonkers School District. Maybe he had some special knowledge:

Mr. Barberi's only experience came from brief internships with accounting firms and unverified employment at his family's New Jersey construction company, the investigation found.

He was not a certified public accountant at the time of his hiring.

It is also unclear whether he ever lived in Yonkers. The address listed on his employment application is for an apartment in Mr. Petrone's sister's home. Although Mr. Petrone repeatedly denied that his daughter Laine was involved in a romantic relationship with Mr. Barberi, he later told officials from the inspector general's office that his daughter and Mr. Barberi had attended Fairfield University together.

Now we see. Barberi used the old tried-and-true, "I'll date the boss's daughter and get me a good job," trick. Works every time.

Well, almost every time:

In interviews with investigators, Laine Petrone, who is a permanent substitute in the Yonkers Public Schools, said she considered Mr. Barberi a "casual friend" and that they had not dated nor was he in her "inner circle of friends."

But the report cites phone records from May to December 2004 showing that Mr. Barberi and Ms. Petrone were in contact almost daily. When asked for her cellphone number during an interview for the investigation, Ms. Petrone gave the same number Mr. Barberi had listed as his phone number on his résumé, according to the report.

Superintendent Petrone's lawyer, Raymond G. Kuntz, said that Mr. Petrone was unaware of the nature of his daughter's relationship with Mr. Barberi and dismissed the frequent phone calls as a "generational thing."

We think that Nepotism can be safely added to Petrone's administrative experience. But perhaps we shouldn't judge the Superintendent TOO harshly. After all, what kind of daddy would he be if he didn't get a full-time permanent job in the district for his own daughter? (heh.)

Perhaps it would be prudent if Superintendent Petrone did not venture outdoors during any thunderstorms in the foreseeable future:

Petrone's lawyer, Raymond G. Kuntz, said that the Superintendent was unaware of the nature of his daughter's relationship with Mr. Barberi and dismissed the frequent phone calls as a "generational thing."

The School Board is elected by the people to oversee the school District on behalf of the taxpayers. Let's see what the report has to say about those guardians of the public's trust:

The report strongly implies that Mr. Petrone and other Board of Education officials were not forthcoming about the circumstances surrounding Mr. Barberi's hiring.

Indeed, after Mr. Barberi's resignation, board officials continued to insist that he was the most qualified person for the job.

As in so many other situations of this nature, this school board may be showing their fortitude by backing their superintendent "to the hilt," in a time of crisis. That would be a brave thing to do. On the other hand, maybe the members of the board are simply Petrone's Pets:

"I think the board members see a lot of the good things that have happened under his leadership," Mr. Ferrito said. (Ed. Ferrito is the Board President.)

Mr. Petrone, who is in the third year of his three-year contract, received an extremely positive evaluation at the January board meeting, Mr. Ferrito said.

We think that the word "Pets" would be more applicable. Or maybe Petrone's Idiots would be an even better descriptor of the Yonkers School Board.

Meanwhile, all this bickering and infighting cannot be good for the kids. The parents and children of Yonkers deserve better.

Maybe it's time for the Yonkers Board of Education to remember that they work for the community and not for Angelo Petrone.

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Something Funny For Friday

Over at Number 2 Pencil, they have posted something hilariously entertaining for all people that have ever had to deal with any of the various aspects of governmental bureaucracy and all its pomposity.

Those of us that work in public education will simply want to cry.

What Number 2 Pencil has done is to let us know how The Scottsdale (AZ) Unified School District has begun playing Name Games with its employees. Here is a sample of what the Pencil has to offer.

She used to be known as the receptionist. Now she's the Director of First Impressions. Barbara Levine is one of several employees in the Scottsdale Unified School District whose job titles have changed in a sharp departure from the traditional titles that parents grew up using.

National workplace experts say they are unaware of another school district in the United States that has changed its titles so dramatically, and they disagree over whether the new titles, which are designed to reflect the district's commitment to learning, are good. Parents, they say, could become confused over whom to contact if they have a complaint.

Was the school bus late? Blame the "transporter of learners," formerly the bus driver. Got a problem with your school principal? Take it up with the 10-word "executive director for elementary schools and excelling teaching and learning," formerly known as the assistant superintendent of elementary schools.

Soupy Sales would have been proud.

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A Tale Of Two Talkers

Once upon a time, there was a man who said the wrong thing to the wrong crowd, at the wrong time, in the wrong place. The target of the man's remarks didn't take those words lying down. The Offended chanted, (in unison) "Hey hey, ho, ho, the man has got to go!"

That man was Lawrence Summers.

Once upon a time, there was a man who said the wrong thing to the wrong crowd, at the wrong time, in the wrong place. The target of the man's remarks didn't take those words lying down. The offended chanted, (in unison) "Hey, hey, ho, ho, the man has got to go!

That man was Ward Churchill.

What's the difference, you may ask?

It should be obvious...

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The Rubber Band Story

We have had a couple of folks send us email wanting our take on The Rubber Band Story. So here goes:

A 13-year-old student in Orange County, Fla., was suspended for 10 days and could be banned from school over an alleged assault with a rubber band, according to a WKMG Local 6 News report.

Robert Gomez, a seventh-grader at Liberty Middle School, said he picked up a rubber band at school and slipped it on his wrist.Gomez said when his science teacher demanded the rubber band, the student said he tossed it on her desk.After the incident, Gomez received a 10-day suspension for threatening his teacher with what administrators say was a weapon, Local 6 News reported.

"They said if he would have aimed it a little more and he would have gotten it closer to her face he would have hit her in the eye," mother Jenette Rojas said.Rojas said she was shocked to learn that her son was being punished for a Level 4 offense -- the highest Level at the school.

Other violations that also receive level 4 punishment include arson, assault and battery, bomb threats and explosives, according to the Code of Student Conduct.The district said a Level 4 offense includes the use of any object or instrument used to make a threat or inflict harm, including a rubber band.

As a classroom teacher with more experience than I care to confess, I believe that there is more than meets the eye (or the press release) to this tale. Citing "confidentiality" the district cannot give any details. This is because incidents involving minor children may not be released by the school to third parties. Therefore, we are only going to get "one side" to this, and that side will be anything but objective.

Having said that, I would need to know some additional information before I can say that this young man is getting the proverbial Raw Deal from the school system. (And he very well could be getting a Raw Deal; it happens plenty.)

• When the teacher "demanded" the rubber-band, did he "fire" it in the direction of any other students or at the teacher? If he did, it could very well be an expellable offence.
• What prior record (if any) of disciplinary problems did Gomez have with the school? Was this the first incident involving rubber band? Had he hit any other children or adults before this occurrence?
• Was Gomez on any type of behavioral contract with the school? (This is where the students, his parents, and the school have agreed to certain behavioral expectations in order to avoid some sort of disciplinary consequence due to prior incident. In other words, it's a promise not to do it again.)

Without having those facts, it is very difficult to say with any certainty that the school has over-reacted. If what the news report said was true, it would be reasonable to believe that the school's punishment did not fit the crime.

What is certain is that we have yet one more "snapshot" into the wild, wooly, (and completely illogical) World of Public Education.

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This Really Bothers Me

In Iran they said that the girl had confessed to falsely accusing two men of rape, but couldn't there have been another way besides this?

A teenage girl and two young men in Iran have been sentenced to lashes for having sex.

The court dismissed the girl's claim that she was raped. It said she had sex of her own free will, the official Iran Daily newspaper reported.

The girl was sentenced to 100 lashes because her accusations of rape and kidnap could have landed her partners a death penalty, the Tehran judge said.

Sex outside marriage is illegal in Iran and capital punishment can be imposed.
The young men in the case were sentenced to 30 and 40 lashes each.

Read the whole thing here.

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How Can This Be Prevented?

Here at The Education Wonks, we keep an eye on those that bring discredit to The Education Craft. We while continue to do so. In the latest episode of teachers allegedly preying on their students, the Associated Press is reporting:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A teaching intern (Ed's Note: In California, an "intern" is a full-time teacher working on an emergency permit.) is accused of having an illegal sexual relationship with her male student, while her toddler sat nearby.

Police in Sacramento said they found Margaret De Barraicua, 30, having sex with a 16-year-old male student in her car over the weekend. They were parked behind an elementary school and police said the woman's toddler was also in the car, strapped into a car seat in the back.

De Barraicua has been placed on paid leave.

Police say she and the teenager had what they describe as an "ongoing consensual sexual relationship for several months." The teenager was in a language and arts class that the woman had taught since September.

De Barraicua is married. Her toddler was released to her husband.

One thing that we find particularly puzzling is the fact that most of these teachers have been married while allegedly committing their crimes. Margaret De Barraicua continues the pattern.

This seems to be happening more and more. Why are so many teachers committing these acts with their students, and what can we do as educators and parents to prevent it from happening again?

For The Carnival Of Education: Week 3 please click here.

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Ten Tips For Taking The New S.A.T.

The Arizona Republic has published a list of ten tips that might help make a positive difference on the day of The Big Test:

1. At a minimum, buy a book that gives advice on test-taking strategy. The College Board publishes The Official SAT Study Guide: For the New SAT. The book features eight practice tests and reviews concepts and test-taking approaches.
2. Reading newspapers and magazines will help prepare for the SAT's critical reading section, said Liza Fischer, assistant director of outreach for the Princeton Review.
3. Review basic math vocabulary.
4. If your teen is taking the SAT again because he wants to improve his score, change preparation. If he studied on his own the first time, consider getting a test-prep book or CD or taking a test-prep class.
5. Take a practice SAT test. This will help your student understand the nature of the exam and boost confidence on test day, said Jennifer Karan, national director of SAT and ACT programs for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. To get a free practice test, go to the company's Web site: www.kaptest.com/shoppingcart.
6. If your teen needs extra help and isn't taking the test until May or June, consider a tutor or sign up for an intensive test-prep course. Both the Princeton Review and Kaplan offer these services.
7. Two weeks before the SAT: Get supplies ready: pencils, erasers, a fresh battery for the calculator. Buy a watch that doesn't "beep" on the hour or it will get taken away during the test.
8. A week before the SAT: Drive to the exam site and scout where to park and how long it takes to get there. You don't want to panic about those details on test day.
9. The night before: No studying. It's too late to cram. Encourage your teen to relax and get a good night's sleep.The day of the test: Make sure your teen dresses in layers. Test sites can sometimes be too cold or too warm. Don't forget the SAT admission ticket and photo ID. No pagers or cellphones are allowed.
10. The day of the test: Make sure your teen dresses in layers. Test sites can sometimes be too cold or too warm. Don't forget the SAT admission ticket and photo ID. No pagers or cellphones are allowed.

One thing that the piece didn't mention was the importance of eating a good breakfast on the day of the test. And lastly, even though everyone wants to get the best score that they can, this test just represents one component of the college admissions process.

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Some Advice For College-Bound Home-Schooled Students

Here is an excerpt from an article that offers some practical advice for the parents of college-bound students that are home-schooled:

An article in the Journal of the National Association for College Admission Counseling points out that "Bridging the gap between homeschool and college entrance may prove difficult to a student with no knowledge of admission standards and procedures."

It goes on to say, "To add to this stress, homeschool students still have to break through barriers that some colleges and universities fence around admissions."
There are things that the family can do to help the process go more smoothly.

Working with an Independent Study Program can help the student compile grade point averages and a transcript. Researching what the target school requires is also a good step, especially making sure that the college will accept their transcript.

Read the whole article here, but what I find of particular interest is the reference made to the Journal of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. It may be worthwhile to obtain a copy of the article itself from the NACAC website here.

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The Carnival Of Education: Week 3

We are pleased to present the third edition of The Carnival Of Education. What we have done is assemble a variety of interesting and informative posts from around the EduSphere (and one or two from the Larger 'Sphere) that have been submitted by various authors and readers. We think that they represent a great variety of topics, political/educational viewpoints, and writing styles.

A word or two about the order in which the entries are presented. This week, we are posting the entries randomly, just for a change of pace.

It has been our pleasure to correspond with a number of writers and readers that care deeply about the education of our young (and not so young) people.

To see the First Edition of The Carnival, please click here. For the Second Edition, click here. To get to our main page, with our own posts about a variety of subjects, click here.

Submissions for next week's Carnival Of Education Week #4 should be sent to: owlshome [at]earthlink[dot]net and should be received no later than 10:00 PM (Pacific) next Tuesday, March 01, 2005. For more information about the purpose of the carnival, click here.

Our objective is to open the carnival each Wednesday morning. A couple of sites have expressed interest in guest-hosting the carnival, so we look forward to seeing the show "go on the road" in the not-to-distant future.

A special thanks to all the sites that helped "get the word out" about The Carnival. Of course, any help that may be given in "spreading the word" about this edition will also be deeply appreciated. We heartily welcome all feedback, including, (but not limited to) comments, questions, concerns, or constructive criticism.

Now....Let's see what this week's midway has to offer......

The hipteacher advocates the judicial use of student blogs, and gives some good common-sense advice for safe-guarding student privacy.

At Parent Pundit Katherine is concerned about a non-traditional mathematics program known as Everyday Math.

A Washington State high school science teacher has been writing What It's Like on the Inside since last December. A few days ago, she had a meeting with one of her assistant superintendents. The topic of discussion: the teaching of evolution.

Different states have differing standards for student proficiency in Math. Chris Correa shows us which states have standards that are far below those of other states.

Ms Frizzle teaches science at the middle school-level in New York City. She has written a well-constructed article about the "The Workshop Model" of teaching that has been garnering quite a bit of attention lately.

Over at Eduwonk.com they thoughtfully respond to criticism from another site concerning Eduwonk's position on the role that may be played by unions in educational reform. (Our note: See some good news for Eduwonk here.)

A bad day was the subject of a post by Mr. Babylon, who is a high school teacher in the Bronx. (Looks sometimes can be VERY deceiving.)

At Joanne Jacobs, she tells us the latest method for S.A.T. preparation. The technique employs hip-hop music by a variety of artists!

Spunkyhomeschool (She homeschools six!) gives her thoughts about the Eternal Question: "What is a teacher?"

Some advice to an Angry Colleague is the topic of a post by First Year Teacher. (We have several of those angry types at our school.)

At Pratie Place, Melinama demonstrates that the good 'ole days weren't that much different than they are now. (Be sure to check out what concerns that people had about education in the 1940s.)

Over at Right on the Left Coast they discuss another subject that has been on the minds of many lately, "Teaching: Craft, Trade, or Profession." (We here at 'the Wonks think that it's all three!)

Moebius Stripper, who writes over at tall dark & mysterious, has invented a game in order to assign grades to "Predictably miserably-bad tests." (It involves BINGO! We may modify this for our classes.)

At Science And Politics, they have a two-part post that discuses the notion that history and science education should focus on "Great Men." Read part one here and part two there. (Readers may need to scroll down.)

Discriminations takes a look at the some of the criticism that has been leveled at Harvard President Lawrence Summers.

Professor Plum is saying that he has "Run out of rants." He goes on to say that its time for Something New. (Here at 'the Wonks, we've nothing against new things, but we hope the good professor will reconsider.)

A Ph.D. student (in Quantum Physics) writes Qulog from Utrect University. Some posts are written in Dutch, and some in English. This week, Qulog discusses (in English) some concerns about the new semester.

Number 2 Pencil comprehensively reports on the story about the sixth grade class in New York City that sent some letters to soldiers overseas that are critical of the War on Terror. (Kimberly was one of the first with this story, and has the latest updates, and has the best coverage that we have seen.)

Tony, over at A Red Mind In A Blue State tells us that cash-strapped districts on Long Island are considering levying "use fees" on Little League and other not-for-profit organizations. Tony presents a viable alternative that he calls, "Win-Win." (We think that it's a good solution.)

Jenny D. is looking for responses to this question: Are teachers responsible for student learning?

A student attending the University of North Carolina writes Pseudonymous UNC Student. Student raises the issue of biases in the hiring process for University Professors.

At Precinct 333, they have a most intriguing post about a group of junior high school students that believed they had been cheated in a school election and have taken their case to court.

Over at Illuminaria's Voice, she reports that the American Civil Liberties Union is opposing a proposed "Academic Bill Of Rights" in the state of Ohio.

Joe, over at Shutupandteach has a message about former Secretary of Education Rod Paige. (Be sure to check-out the comparison at the bottom with Public Enemy Number 1.)

At Critical Mass, they are asking to hear from parents, students, and teachers of institutions that tend to hire their own alumni as faculty.

The Cranky Taxpayer has the story of how Governor Mark Warner of Virginia danced the "Funky Chicken" with students at Jeter Watson Intermediate School of Covington, Virginia as a reward for 100% passage of a math test. One problem: they didn't all pass!

The writer of Remote Access discusses an interesting proposal: What if making video (moving pictures was as natural a process as writing? (It would be nice if kids could graduate high school with good public-speaking skills.)

At Learning Matters, they are concerned about school leaders and working conditions. At the end of the post, they ask a very good question: How do we develop smarter, more effective leaders for America’s schools?

Quincy, who writes at News, the Universe, and Everything presents his thoughts on why supporters of Progressive Education may be on the wrong track.

Over at Urban Educ8r, they report how the Georgia legislature listened to the people and canceled a proposed law that was highly controversial. (I guess I can go have those cheeseburgers. heh.)

Here at The Education Wonks, we offer our own take on the story of the Soldier that received letters written by New York City students that are critical of the war.

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Many Young Adults In The U.S. Can't Find "X" On A Map

I was saddened when I read this in today's Arizona Republic:

A recent geographic literacy survey polled more than 3,000 18- to 24-year-olds in nine countries. The results: The United States came in second-to-last, ahead of Mexico. Eleven percent of young Americans couldn't locate their country on a world map.

Gale Ekiss, co-coordinator for the Arizona Geographic Alliance, said a push for geography education is more critical than ever as many of today's teachers, pressured by the demands of state and federal testing, brush the subject aside to concentrate on basic standards.

"We know reading, writing and math are essential skills, but geography provides context for a different set of skills," Ekiss said.

When children have a grasp on geographic concepts, Ekiss said, they might understand why conflict exists in the Middle East, why a tsunami struck South Asia, or why Arizonans encounter problems with water.

The piece goes on to tell how some Arizona teachers are laboring to redress their students' deficiencies in geographic knowledge. To read the whole article, click here.

Here in our middle-sized California county, there is no school district where students study geography as a separate subject. According to the state academic content standards for history-social science, however, students are supposed to develop a comprehensive knowledge of geography.

But since geography is not a "testable" item, its study is being neglected in many California schools. We think that this will prove to be a disservice to the kids.

I guess that we are in for a few more disappointing poll results regarding American students' knowledge of history.

An Invitation: Please consider contributing to The Carnival Of Education: Week 3. All submissions should be received by 10:00 PM (Pacific) this Tuesday, February 22nd. They may be sent to owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net. Get all the details here. To view the First Edition of The Carnival, click here. The Second Edition can be viewed here. The Carnival will open here at the 'Wonks Wednesday morning.

Any help that can be given by our fellow writers in the 'Sphere publicizing this carnival would be deeply appreciated.

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