Education News: January 23, 2009

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending January 23, 2009.

Nation’s Public Schools May Receive $142 Billion With New Stimulus Package
(USA Today, January 19, 2009)  Under the economic stimulus plan that was unveiled last week, America’s public schools would receive nearly $142 billion over the next two years.  This would be more than healthcare, energy or infrastructure projects and would signify the first time that full funding has been given to No Child Left Behind and other federal programs.  To get the money, however, schools must develop high-quality educational tests, methods to recruit and retain top teachers in hard-to-staff schools and longitudinal data systems that let schools track long-term progress.  The plan also intends to help schools modernize and fix buildings.  The challenge will be to make sure that states don’t cut their education budgets in anticipation of the federal funds.

Rural Town in South Carolina Seeks to Randomly Drug Test Teachers
(USA Today, January 19, 2009)  Graham County, South Carolina teachers are currently waiting for a ruling to be handed down from the state appeals court to see whether or not they can be randomly tested for drugs and alcohol.  The county has less than 1,200 students and is one of a small number of counties across the country who are attempting to establish such practices.  The ruling is the result of a lawsuit by the state teachers’ association which prevented the drug testing from starting in 2007.  Concerns of increased drug use have fueled the drive for testing. 

Evolution Debate Revived in Texas
(New York Times, January 21, 2009)  The long running debate in Texas regarding how to teach evolution in schools continued on Wednesday, with the State Board of Education hearing testimony from supporters of evolution and supporters of creationism.  The debate is centered on a passage in the state curriculum that calls for every theory to be critiqued for its “strengths and weaknesses”.  A panel of teachers assigned to revise the curriculum this year, however, has proposed to drop those words in favor of “analyze and evaluate scientific explanations using empirical evidence.”  For the first time in several years, the vote in March is anticipated to be very close.  The result would have significant impact outside of Texan borders, as they are the nation’s largest purchaser of textbooks, which could force publishers to produce different versions of the same book.  Many biologists and teachers fear the board would force textbooks to publish the weaknesses in Darwin’s theory.  Those who support teaching creationism argue that dissenting opinions should not be silenced, especially when Darwin’s theory cannot explain various phenomena.  While the federal government has banned the teaching of creationism and intelligent design, social conservatives now have 7 out of the 15 seats on the Texas Board, and the support of Governor Rick Perry. 

Illinois Mandated Moment of Silence Found Unconstitutional
(New York Times, January 21, 2009)  On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled the Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, requiring a moment of silence in schools across Illinois, unconstitutional as it violates the separation of church and state by forcing students at an impressionable age to contemplate religion.  The ruling came as the result of a suit by talk show host Rob Sherman, a known atheist, and his daughter Dawn, who are residents in a suburb of Chicago.  Defenders of the law state that students are encouraged to reflect on their day, but opponents, such as the ACLU, say it is a “thinly disguised effort to bring religion into the schools.”  Illinois attorney general Lisa Madigan can still appeal the ruling, bringing it to the federal appeals court.

Grantmakers Release a Report Urging Reform in Ohio
(Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 22, 2009)  The Ohio Grantmakers Forum, a group representing more than 200 grant-making organizations and responsible for giving more than $300 million to schools across the state, released a report titled “Beyond Tinkering” Thursday.  The report is an attempt to model a new education model that fits into today’s international, technology-driven economy.  The report suggested that the state should make it harder for teachers to get tenure by extending the service time requirement to seven years and easier for them to get fired by using a “just cause” requirement.  It also calls for an end to current standardized high school graduation tests.  The group also wants to focus on improving the states worst schools and restructuring those that don’t progress.  The Ohio Federation of Teachers and the Ohio Education Association helped compile the report, though may not have agreed with every provision. 

Article on Possible Drop of “Gifted” Label Sparks Debate
(Washington Post, January 22, 2009)  A December 16th article in the Washington Post reporting that Montgomery County in Washington, DC could end its practice of applying the “gifted” label to select second graders found immense backlash amongst members of the community in the form of posts on the article and an online poll.  Response was so great that the school system responded that nothing had been decided, and that the school board would probably makes its decision later this school year.  The reaction highlights the county’s interest in accelerated instruction and constant questioning of whether or not the needs of advanced students are being met.  The “gifted” practice has been in place since the 1970s and goes on the student’s permanent record.  Some factors that call it into question are great inequities between races and even between comparable schools.

Tom Boasberg Unanimous Pick for Denver Public Schools Superintendent
(Denver Post, January 23, 2009)  In a unanimous vote on Thursday, the Denver school board chose Tom Boasberg as the city’s new superintendent, taking over for Michael Bennet who was recently appointed to the U.S. Senate.  The board felt that he would execute and expedite Denver’s agenda of reform.  The selection angered many Latinos, however, who felt that the vote was taken without their input and was done too quickly.  Boasberg will be making $170,000 a year, with the possibility of $50,000 in bonuses.  The board was in favor of raising his salary so that the figure was more in line with national standards, but Boasberg spoke up and urged them not to for fear of controversy.