by David Safier The Texas Education Code includes the following: Sec. 28.011. ELECTIVE COURSES ON THE BIBLE'S HEBREW SCRIPTURES (OLD TESTAMENT) AND NEW TESTAMENT AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. (a) A school district may offer to students in grade nine or above: . . . The wording is nearly … Read more
by David Safier From Howard Fischer: Legislation would allow public schools to stop providing free lunch to needy kids A Senate panel led by an East Valley lawmaker agreed Tuesday to let schools opt out of the federal program to offer free and reduced-price lunches for needy students. Sen. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa, said the state … Read more
by David Safier Jeff Biggers, who has been invaluable in his coverage of the Mexican-American Studies story, just put up an interview with MAS teacher Curtis Acosta [I should say, teacher in the suspended MAS program]. It gives a more complete and complex view of the confusion felt by teachers and students about how to … Read more
by David Safier This bill isn't a dog whistle. It can be heard by all sentient beings. Terri Proud has a bill — two, actually — that would require the State Board of Ed to create a course, "The Bible and its Influence on Western Culture," which can be taught as an elective in Arizona … Read more
by David Safier MAS-related books were banned at TUSD. Since Jeff Biggers covered the story on Salon, it's been on blogs (like BfA) and other publications across the country. But no word from the Star. Hasn't Star education reporter Alexis Huicochea heard the news? Don't she and the Star editors believe the story is newsworthy? … Read more