President Donald Trump will hold a military parade on his birthday, costing approximately $45 million, claiming it’s for the 250th birthday of the Army and Flag Day. This money might not seem like much to some, and no offense to the army. But I’m thinking about what teachers, known for scrimping and saving, would do […]
Chall’s Missing STAGES OF READING DEVELOPMENT in the Science of Reading
In a sense, each teacher adds by putting a brick upon another brick in a child’s reading development. And together all build a great structure. ~Jeanne S. Chall, Stages of Reading Development (1983, p. 169) Searching the so-called Science of Reading (SoR) research, one may spot citations from the late Harvard reading Professor Jeanne Chall. […]
High School Career Push: For Whom and For What?
Are public school students pushed into aligning their futures with career and technical education (CTE) instead of college to fit business needs, or college instead of CTE? Career education has been politicized and driven by school privatization for years. It doesn’t have to be this way. The CTE versus college debate is unnecessary. Both are […]
Mothers and Children Should Be Welcomed and Protected in America!
On this Mother’s Day, many of us will enjoy cards, flowers, brunches, and children who work overtime to show appreciation. Or maybe your kids are teens and will be less than enthusiastic. It happens, and you will hope that it passes soon. Some will start the day with church attendance to thank God for their […]
Teacher Appreciation: An Oxymoron
Teacher appreciation among Americans has become an oxymoron, and teachers have known this for years. It’s not that teachers don’t appreciate luncheons, little trinkets, and notes that say, “We love our teachers,” or that they don’t pile up those heartfelt gifts (poems, pictures, and letters of appreciation from students and parents) to review forever. The […]
RFK Jr. Eliminates Biden’s Progress to Protect Children From Lead Poisoning
The Trump administration is “saying let them drink lead.” ~Tom Perkins, The Guardian, February 3, 2025 How much lead will your child drink today? RFK Jr. espouses many backward and harmful conspiracies about children’s health. Sadly, one issue he casts aside that hurts kids is the lead pipes distributing drinking water in homes, schools, and other […]
Separation of Church and State: Critical for Public Schools and America!
The Supreme Court may be poised to erode the Separation of Church and State further when it comes to public education, with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond. This involves Oklahoma’s St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School’s attempt to become the nation’s first publicly funded religious virtual charter school. St. Isidore is […]
RFK Jr., Autism, and Education: The Wrong Person for Progress
Never underestimate the abilities of those with disabilities. ~Eunice Kennedy Shriver Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent comments about autism, including describing it as a “disease,” created an uproar. Kennedy seems to be on a fishing expedition for a cure; one gets the feeling he still wants to blame vaccines, and his stigmatizing comments that autism […]
The Seamy Side of CTE
Vocational education, now called Career Technical Education (CTE), emphasizing STEM, has always been important for students who are not college-bound or want skills outside of traditional coursework. Done well, this preparation can lead to vital, well-paying jobs that young people find exciting. However, for some time, CTE has tracked K-12 students using school data. For years, […]
Dismantling Public Education: No Laughing Matter!
Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone… ~Joni Mitchell Many educators and parents found it painful watching Donald Trump sign off on dismantling the US Department of Education (USDOE). For those who taught and continue to teach and parent activists fighting for public education, observing billionaires and state […]