As schools start back into session around the country, some parents face a difficult question: Send their little ones to kindergarten as soon as they become age-eligible, or hold them back?
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Kindergarten dilemma: Hold back to get ahead?
AP – For more than two hours on the night of May 16, 2007, Shane Maggi terrorized a Native American couple at their home on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, pistol whipping them and firing bullets above the husband’s head.
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Race complicates reservation crime fight
(AP)
People’s bank has decided to give loans for agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries at the lowest rates offered by a commercial bank in the country.
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Lowest loan interest rates from People’s Bank
AP – The developers planning to build a $100 million Islamic center near the World Trade Center site still have financial hurdles to clear: They haven’t finished buying all the property they want for the project and are nearly a quarter-million dollars behind on real estate taxes and late fees.
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Builders of NYC mosque face financial hurdles
(AP)
Recently I saw a cartoon that read “Shcools are fer preyin, not fer ejucashun”. While the focus of the cartoon was on how conservative Christians are affecting school boards, it actually reflects a much larger issue. What is the purpose of public education in twenty first century America? Is it to convey information? To teach students the proper respect for authority? Is it to prepare students to be good future employees? What role does teaching critical thinking play? What if this critical thinking encourages students to challenge authority? Where does media education fit in? How does it relate to the future of journalism? Where does civics fit? How does all of this relate to having a properly functioning democracy? A few different articles have crossed my desk that tie into all of this, so I am going to go all meta for a moment and look at these articles, as well as the stories beneath the stories. The first message I want to look at is about a Free Webinar for Board of Education members. It starts off with: What would you do if the Assistant Principal of your high school threatened to quit if something is not done about a vulgar parody of him on MySpace? The parody portrays him as a violent pedophile and lists the names of his family and his address. Should your school board launch an investigation? If the perpetrator is a student, can you impose discipline?School districts across the country are being asked to address student misbehavior in the electronic world – both at school and away from school. When formulating an action plan or policy to address cyber-misbehavior, you need to consider state bullying laws, harassment liability, constitutional limitations on policy and action, and when law enforcement should be involved. What I find strikingly missing is what I like to call the ‘pedagogical imperative’. To me, it sounds like a wonderful teaching moment which the Assistant Principal completely missed. It comes back to the underlying purpose of public education in twenty first century America. If the purpose is to teach students to respect, and not question authority, then the questions of how to reply may need to be more focused on legal aspects. However, if the purpose of education is to teach critical thinking, effective communications and other skills, then a more creative response is called for. If I were in charge at the school in question, I would probably have told the Assistant Principal, you can’t quit, you’re fired. The message went on to say that the webinar “will discuss what the school district did in the above situation and how the court ruled in J.S. v. Blue Mountain School District and Layshock v. Hermitage School District.” The ACLU has a webpage up about LAYSHOCK V. HERMITAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT which includes a link to a PDF of the offending website . The criticism of the Assistant Principal? That his biggest weakness and his biggest fears were students laughing at him. His reactions to the website appear to substantiate the allegations of the website. While I imagine the webinar is going to be very interesting and cover a lot of very important legal issues, I would love to see a webinar on more creative approaches to these issues. Related to this is an email I received from a mailing list addressing the future of journalism. It pointed to Esther Wojcicki’s article Journalism: English for the 21st Century . Bill Densmore, who forwarded the article to the list highlighted several important paragraphs. The first two that he cited tie back very much to the Layshock case and many other cases about students rights. “Most schools do not allow their students access to an uncensored Web; this is a trait we usually ascribe to China and rarely acknowledge about ourselves.” “The Hazelwood decision is now two decades old. An entire generation has lived its entire academic life—and is now moving into the professional ranks—under Hazelwood’s influence. Far too many of our future journalists, citizens and leaders unquestioningly accept that school administrators—government officials—should have the authority to dictate what they read, write and talk about. What this means for the future of press freedom in America remains unknown …” The final paragraph that he quoted puts it very nicely into context, “America is a nation that thrives on independence and on the entrepreneurial spirit. Yet our schools’ curricula do just the opposite by driving teachers to teach to the test and kids to be effective multiple choice test takers. Let’s offer our kids at least one opportunity in school each day in which they truly act with an independence of mind and with freedom to speak to the issues in their lives. That course should be journalism.” Other paragraphs went into details about what this might look like: “The easiest way to pass on the skills and purpose of journalism is to have an online program, which is, after all, the future” “Today’s journalism curriculum can revolutionize English education by making the writing curriculum relevant and exciting. In the process, it can also train an entire generation of citizens—many of whom will be doing what journalists do today—to be responsible contributing members of the digital society.” “Journalism also teaches kids how to collaborate both online and offline and how to work effectively with their peers both as leaders and as participants. These are skills employers are seeking in prospective employees.” It seems like an appropriate response to the Layshock case, instead of giving him a 10-day, out-of-school suspension, ordering him to finish high school in the Alternative Education Program and forbidding him from attending his own graduation in the spring, the school might have found that his education was incomplete and required him to take a course in journalism, similar to what Ms. Wojcicki describes. Such a course would explore the rights and responsibilities of the press in our society, including legal issues, such as defamation as well as how to voice criticisms more effectively. This reflects some of the ideas that I’ve presented in the past about the Avery Doninger case here in Connecticut. Which takes me to the final message I want to explore. Today, Colin McEnroe wrote this on my Facebook page: Aldon, I’m headed to Truro Sunday, sharks and hurricanes permitting. You might find it interesting to listen and/or call in tomorrow as we discuss this: Traffic Problems | American Journalism Review When I read the title, I was tempted to respond back that we ran into very little traffic either going to or coming from Cape Cod. Yet that isn’t what the article is about. Instead it is about: How the drive to attract massive numbers of visitors to their Web sites (and the advertisers that might follow them) is having a profound effect on news judgment at traditional news organizations. The article explores what is happening to journalism today: High-minded headlines and stories about foreign wars, the federal deficit or environmental despoilage might have paid the bills in the age of Murrow and Cronkite, but they only go so far these days. Shark videos and “naked Lady Gaga” headlines get major play on “serious” news sites for an obvious and no longer terribly shocking reason: They draw traffic. I’m very interested in the stories behind the shark and Lady Gaga stories. Why are we seeing an increase in shark sighting stories? Is it the titillating factor? Are there more shark sightings? Is it because we are better at sighting sharks, or shark populations are changing? If shark populations are changing, is it because of an increase in the seal population? Is it because of climate change? Are their other factors? And what about Lady Gaga? Is Lady Gaga a ‘brand’? How do we understand personal brands in the age of social media? Is what she is doing ‘art’? How do we understand ‘art’? What is the relationship between Lady Gaga and Andy Warhol? What are the implications of personality in our political process, as we look at U.S. Senate candidate who is self-funding with millions of dollars obtained through entertainment based on sex and violence? To tie together Sharks, Lady Gaga, and Connecticut Politics, is Richard Blumenthal a shark and Linda McMahon Lady Gaga? I’ve always thought that good journalism is a careful mix between what people want to know and what people need to know. Great journalism is when a writer takes what people want to know and leads them to what they need to know. Yet this brings us back to education, and Ms. Wojcicki’s article. We need better education so that people will recognize and be drawn to great journalism, and we need better education so that students like Justin Layshock can become great journalists, instead of relying simply on the titillating without delving deeper into underlying issues. All of this, will hopefully lead to a better informed and more involved electorate. So, what will Colin cover on his show tomorrow? Tune in and find out.
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Going Meta – Student Speech, Education, Sharks, Lady Gaga, Richard Blumenthal, Linda McMahon and Colin McEnroe
With the recent tragedy that beset the country, I cannot help but feel sorry for the families who have lost their loved ones. This made me think that we can’t really be sure of our lives. We do not know when things can happen. Are we ready for things like this to come? No one can really be ready especially as to how one would feel. I have given this a lot of thought lately. I am a mother and I have minor children. What will happen to them when I’m gone at a time when nobody expects it to happen? How will they finish their studies? Not all families are blessed financially to be able to cope up. This is the reason why I am considering getting a term life insurance coverage . I have something to leave to them when I’m gone. It may not be big, but it will be a big help for them to start anew. It’s not really impossible for you to get this type of insurance because this is considered to be the cheapest and the simplest from of life insurance. So for those ones who are having second thoughts because they think they can’t afford it, now is your chance to get one.
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A Simple Legacy
When I initially set up the Orient Lodge Music Review to accept Sonicbids submissions , I had no idea how many people would submit their music for review, or for that matter, how many I would manage to get a chance to adequately review. For the first three month period, I agreed to review at least five performers. The three month period is over, and I’ve received 71 submissions for review. As a general rule, I’ve reviewed one a week. Some weeks, I’ve skipped because of writing about other music. Other weeks, I’ve reviewed more than one performer at a time. Today, I am reviewing an eclectic mix of four different musicians, bringing my total to thirteen. I’ll try to schedule a few more for review over the next few weeks, and then probably start another cycle again soon. As I listened to several of the submissions a logical, at least to me, grouping of musicians occurred and I thought I would highlight a few of these musicians together. No, The Codgers isn’t a new folk group. Instead, it is what I’m calling the four musicians that I am reviewing this week. Each musician is, generally speaking, and older man singing songs about their lives and the regions of the country they love. At the top of the list is Doug Spears . Doug is from Florida. Doug wrote, It seems to me that Florida gets overlooked as a source of Americana / Folk / Roots music and artists. Overshadowed by the neon of Disney and Margaritaville, Florida’s position in the southern music tradition gets largely ignored. Doug writes about moonshine, hurricanes and houses that have been in the family for generations. His music reflects the complexities of a simple life and is well worth listening to. While Doug writes about the way things used to be in Florida, Chris Morrisette is perhaps best know for his Ballad of Greg Oden, a song about a basketball player in Portland Oregon. He writes of the stuff of daily life, including concern about becoming “Someone’s Creepy Ex-Boyfriend”. Now, he drives a school bus which inspires his writing of kids songs. Our next stop on the list of musical codgers is Lloyd Mac Hardy . Lloyd is from Nova Scotia. He doesn’t have a website that I can find, however, you can find him on YouTube. He writes songs about union dues, bureaucrats, and psychiatrists and seems to follow nicely the works of Doug and Chris. Rounding out the list is John Tango Iversen . He describes himself as “the only Northamerican singing tango in Buenos Aires”. He has a new CD, “El Norte Americano que Canta Tango” coming out on September 5th, which he hopes to have on hand for the Oakland Pride Celebration. He is also in the process of making it available online. The few songs that I listened to from the upcoming album are a truly enjoyable addition to my normal diet of more folky singer/songwriters. Johnny Tango joins a long list of musicians singing the classic, “Blue Moon” and adds several other tunes that I don’t know. Doug, Chris, Lloyd and John provide a wonderful exploration of music from several different settings and when mixed together make a great virtual music journey.
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Music Monday – The Codgers
AP – Iraq’s prime minister put his nation on its highest level of alert for terror attacks, warning of plots to sow fear and chaos as the U.S. combat mission in the country formally ends on Tuesday.
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Iraq goes on highest alert for terror attacks
(AP)
The Food and Drug Administration is planning to inspect all of the country’s largest egg farms before the end of next year following the massive recall that has sickened as many as 1,500 people.
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FDA to inspect all large egg farms in U.S.
WASHINGTON : The IMF said Thursday it was exploring all avenues to help flood-battered Pakistan as the country sought to ease terms of a nearly 11-billion-dollar loan. ‘We’re looking at all options in terms of how we can assist Pakistan in the midst of ….
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IMF exploring ‘all options’ to help Pakistan
Reuters – Pakistan ordered fresh evacuations from Sindh province on Thursday as the country struggled to bring relief to millions displaced by flooding and sought international help to rescue its economy.
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Pakistan seeks to salvage economy as more flee floods
(Reuters)
AP – North Korea’s reclusive leader Kim Jong Il was in China Thursday on his second visit this year to his country’s biggest source of diplomatic and financial support, according to teachers at a school he visited.
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NKorea’s Kim visits Chinese school, teachers say
(AP)
Vice President Jejomar Binay said the government and developers should reduce housing cost and interest rates to address the 3.7-million housing backlog in the country.
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Binay urges lowering of interest rates on loans
Iran on Sunday unveiled the first long-range military drone manufactured in the country at a ceremony to mark the nation’s Defense Industry Day, state media reported.
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Iran unveils country’s first ‘homemade’ bombing drone
AP – The word tolerance comes from the Latin “tolerare” — to bear. In our dictionaries, we define it as, among other things, the “freedom from bigotry or prejudice.”
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Mosque flap tests limits of US tolerance
(AP)
France was due to begin the controversial expulsion of Roma on Thursday, putting 79 of them on a charter flight out of the country, the spokesman for the French minister of immigration said.
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French Roma expulsion sparks criticism
AP – Republican candidates around the country seized on President Barack Obama’s support for the right of Muslims to build a mosque near ground zero, assailing him as an elitist who is insensitive to the families of the Sept. 11 victims.
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GOP calls Obama insensitive over stand on mosque
(AP)
AP – New government data offered a mixed picture of the economic recovery Tuesday, as U.S. manufacturing activity grew in July at the fastest pace in nearly a year while the outlook for the housing market remained dim
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Factories aid bumpy recovery, housing still weak
(AP)
On a tour of flood-hit Pakistan, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urges the international community to do more to help the country — and fast.
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U.N. chief calls for faster aid to flood-hit Pakistan
Flags will be lowered to half-staff across China and its consulates Sunday to mourn the 1,156 victims of deadly mudslides in the country’s Gansu provice.
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China mourns landslide victims