Put Reading (not Teaching Reading) First
May 30, 2008
by David Safier I wrote earlier about the $6 billion dollars the Feds wasted on its phonics-based, drill-and-kill Reading First program. The Department of Ed’s own study concluded that students in classrooms using the Reading First materials showed no more reading improvement than those who learned reading without the benefit of the $6 billion boondoggle.
Mule Train Mail: Dr. Downing on Citizen Oversight of Non-Partisan Elections
May 30, 2008
By Dr. Ted Downing Several have asked my position on SB1053 – a bill that I helped draft and support that is now facing a possible gubernatorial veto. The Party presently supports a veto. I respectfully disagree. I believe a veto will harm both the Governor and the Party. I pray for reconsideration. This explanation
State Testing That Makes Sense
May 29, 2008
by David Safier I’m no fan of Arizona’s AIMS testing or the whole No Child Left Behind emphasis on standardized testing. But I ran across an article about state testing of high school students who are taking vocational courses, and that’s standardized testing I can support. You’ve probably read that Arizona is working to revitalize
The Rules Just Don’t Apply to Senator Tim Bee
May 29, 2008
Tim Bee is demonstrating to Arizona voters a pattern of ignoring or breaking the rules to get the results he wants. If he wants to demonstrate that he’s a good acolyte of the Bush League of Republican politics, he’s doing a fine job. Given that he has to sneak around behind closed doors to do
Volunteer Math & Science Teachers
May 28, 2008
by David Safier (TASL) Arizona’s Department of Ed has come up with a wonderful way to solve the math/science teacher shortage: volunteer teachers. There’s really only one problem with the wonderful new plan. It won’t work. Here’s how it’s supposed to work. Scientists and engineers will volunteer (that’s right, no pay) to teach one math
Fanning the Flames of Racism
May 28, 2008
by David Safier First, this didn’t happen in Arizona. Second, it’s a single incident, so it’s unfair to make it into something larger than that. That being said, this AP item in the Kansas City Star deserves a wider audience: Wife of founder of Ozarks Minutemen pleads guilty to fake rape claim The wife of
Dem-a-gogue
May 28, 2008
Posted by AZBlueMeanie: Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary defines "demagogue" as "a person, esp. an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people." Or as H.L. Mencken said, "A demagogue is one who will preach doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows
Horne Should Love Tucson’s Raza Studies
May 27, 2008
by David Safier Tom Horne does not like TUSD’s Ethnic Studies program, and he especially hates the Mexican-American/Raza Studies part of it. But it looks like Raza has succeeded where most other school programs have failed by raising students’ AIMS scores and increasing their graduation rates. And if there’s anything our Ed Supe loves, it’s
