Friday's Extra Credit Reading

A Columbine-style high school massacre/suicide has been prevented in Greenbay, Wisconsin. The plot had been in the works two years and was close to being implemented. Three teens have been arrested.

There's more bad news for New York City's State's public school system: reading scores drop after fifth grade. I guess there's going to be quite a bit of navel-gazing among Big Apple Educators...

The World Bank (translation: U.S. taxpayers) is building 20 new schools in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Didn't somebody say that their was no such thing as foreign aid, only foreign contracts?) I can't help but wonder if those schools will be held accountable for student progress under the federal government's No Child Left Behind Act...

Who would have thought that high school kids were becoming more aware of their First Amendment rights? I must say that I'm surprised!

Our friends over at Education Sector's Eduwonk.com have the skinny on the latest push toward National Standards and National Tests. (But whenever I hear that conservative moralist William Bennett has involved himself in anything, I can't help but remember that little difficulty he had with those slot machines and casino I.O.U.s)

The Knucklehead Of The Day Award goes to forty-seven-year-old teacher Carolyn Sue Shave of Norman, Oklahoma, who probably self-terminated her teaching career by allegedly growing and smoking her own.

Today's Trivia Question: What famous rock star and ex-policeman once served time in front of the chalkboard as a teacher in a Catholic elementary school? Stumped? Get your answer here.

Have you been over to www.ratemyteachers.com lately and taken a look at what students and parents are saying about you or the educator in your life? ----------------------------See our latest EduPosts here and yesterday's Extra Credit Reading over there.