Sigh . . . Yes, it really is a ban
January 20, 2012
by David Safier
Look, I don't want to go too hard on the Star editorial writers, because I think they've written some fine stuff lately — the piece, Bible in schools not a topic for the Legislature, is one outstanding example — and today's editorial, Students forgotten in TUSD fiasco, has its good moments. But for the editorial to maintain the removal of books previously used in MAS courses is not a ban is semantically untenable. People whose stock-in-trade is words should know better.
"To ban" is " "To prohibit, especially by legal means. . . . To prohibit the use, performance, or distribution of <ban a book>." It doesn't have to be a total and outright ban. Something can be banned from use by an entire school district or by certain teachers. Whether it is a universal ban or a selective ban — I choose to use the term "discriminatory ban" to make the point clearer and more dramatic — a ban is a ban is a ban.
The Star editorial defends its assertion this is not ban by writing,
Officials boxed up texts used in the MAS classes and put them in storage, because the MAS classes are no longer being taught.
That's only a partial truth. The rest of the story is, TUSD is not prohibiting the use of the texts in all classrooms, only those led by former MAS teachers. The editorial writers should read an article by Alexis Huicochea in Wednesday's Star more carefully. She reports,
[TUSD spokeswoman Cara Rene] wasn't sure if other Tucson Unified School District teachers are using the books as part of their curricula.
A post on The Range by Mari Herreras repeats the same point.
Teachers not under the MAS banner and in other schools throughout the district can teach and are teaching from books that Huppenthal found objectionable or questioned — but not Acosta and his MAS co-workers.
Not all of the selected texts have been boxed up in all classrooms. They are only banned in classes taught by former MAS teachers. The fact that others teaching the same or similar classes can use the texts makes the partial, or selective, or discriminatory ban — choose the adjective you prefer — that much more objectionable.
I understand why TUSD and The Star both object to the term "banned books." It's a loaded term with all kinds of negative connotations. But it's accurate. Instead of denying the ban, TUSD should explain it. I'll talk about that after the jump.
Disingenuous Illusions and Cold Reality
January 20, 2012
By Karl Reiner
The financial collapse of 2007-08 brought on the deepest recession since the 1930s. As the world of finance unraveled, the banking sector had to be rescued by the government. Had there been no intervention, the slide would have been much worse, perhaps resulting in a depression. Deregulation and the lack of oversight created the environment which allowed the large financial institutions to get out of control. An unfettered market proved it could run itself into the ground.
Although Tea Party adherents were not unduly alarmed when the growing federal deficit was mostly fueled by expenditures for unfunded wars, they became highly incensed by the government’s desperate spending to stave off economic collapse. Some of the resentment is understandable. The government saved big firms while smaller ones went under, homeowners saw their home value shrink and unemployment escalated.
Unfortunately, the magnitude of the economic damage is grossly underestimated. Consumers, banks and governments are struggling to get out from under a massive load of debt. Five years after the housing sector buckled and knocked the economy apart, 21.8 million Americans are unemployed or underemployed. The fact that the U.S. Treasury, Federal Reserve and the central banks of Europe all scrambled to intervene in the crisis doesn’t impress the Tea Party faithful. They believe the problems that came with the breakdown of the housing sector can be solved by cutting spending and curtailing government.
Oh, Newt – Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
January 19, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The final "Survivor – GOP Presidential Primary" debate from South Carolina is Thursday night, hosted by TeaNN (formerly known as CNN) and the Southern Republican Leadership Conference from Charleston, SC at 8:00 p.m. ET on TeaNN. We're down to "Mittens" Romney, disgraced former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Rick "man on dog" Santorum,
Did you know, MAS is both Hitler Youth and the KKK?
January 19, 2012
by David Safier H/t to Abie Morales for this link. If you remember, Huppenthal once said the style of education in the MAS program is reminiscent of Hitler Youth. Now, Tom Horne implies the MAS curriculum opens the door to KKK curriculum. State Attorney General Tom Horne has filed a response to two Mexican American
Crandall, sponsor of anti-Federal Free Lunch legislation, runs a child nutrition and school menus company
January 19, 2012
by David Safier Yesterday I posted about Rich Crandall's company, Crandall Corporate Dietitians — he's President and CFO — and wondered if he had any skin in the game with his bill to allow schools to opt out of the Federal free and reduced school lunch program. The company calls itself "the nation's largest provider
Colbert Super PAC now attacks Colbert
January 19, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I can't keep up with all the ads being produced by Stephen Colbert Jon Stewart for the Making a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow Super PAC. The latest ad attacks Stephen Colbert to prove that there is no coordination between Stephen Colbert and his Making a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow Super PAC, and then calls B.S. on the lack of coordination. I suppose this is now self-parody?
The ad is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, reprising his role in Snakes on a Plane (sans the F-bombs). Video below the fold.
You can catch all the ads at Colbert Super PAC | Making a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow | ColbertSuperPac.com.
Brewer lays hands on stimulus money, turns it into jobs creator
January 19, 2012
by David Safier It's a miracle! The Republicans love to remind us government has never created a single job and federal stimulus money is a budget busting job killer. But Jan Brewer performed a miracle of near biblical proportions, transforming fetid stimulus water into fine job-producing wine. In July 2010, Gov. Jan Brewer was in
BREAKING: Governor Goodhair Rick Perry to ‘suspend’ his campaign
January 19, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: In breaking news this morning, Governor Goodhair Rick Perry will "suspend" (end) his campaign. "Another one bites the dust, hey hey!" Rick Perry Is Ending His Campaign – ABC News: Rick Perry is telling his supporters that he's going to end his campaign for the Republican nomination, ABC News has confirmed. Perry entered
