Who wudda thunk . . .

by David Safier You mean it's possible that "throwing money at education" can result in better educated students? Five years after Maryland increased spending by $2 billion to provide greater academic equity, students have made remarkable gains in reading and math, according to a report given to the Maryland General Assembly yesterday by an outside … Read more

Brooks (occasionally) gets it right

by David Safier Columnist David Brooks is a sometimes conservative, sometimes neo-conservative. Lately it's been hard to figure out what he is. For the next few days and weeks, the best way to describe him might be Neo-bama. Brooks likes the new Prez, a lot, and he's disillusioned with his right wing buddies. In a … Read more

“An abomination, pure and simple”

by David Safier When the Star writes an editorial using the line, "an abomination, pure and simple" and it's not talking about murder or some other unspeakable act, you know something must be truly awful. Here's the entire sentence from this morning's editorial: The budget-balancing proposal floated by the state Legislature's Republican leaders on Thursday … Read more

Friedman on teachers, education

by David Safier Tom Friedman infuriates me again and again when he writes about geopolitics, and especially the Middle East. But when his subjects are the environment and education, he may get a little utopian, but he can be right on the money in the direction he wants us to move. Sunday's op ed was … Read more

Comment on “Laptops” post

by David Safier I wrote yesterday about freshmen at Desert View and Sunnyside High School getting free laptops. As AZW88 commented at the end of the post, most of the money and equipment for this program has been donated, but he notes one prominent company which hasn't participated. Companies and organizations have donated tons of … Read more