Three overlooked reasons for children’s struggles to read and low test scores include: Unreasonable Expectations, Disabilities and Inclusion, and Fast-Tracking Teachers. Unreasonable Expectations Kindergarten has changed over the years. Instead of a half day, it’s a full day. Pressure to read has increased. Some children might show up reading, but it doesn’t mean that all […]
Wanted! Presidents/Leaders Who Protect ALL Children!
The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality. ~James Baldwin A litmus test for a U.S. President and leadership is caring for America’s kids and children worldwide. A deciding question when […]
High Expectations and High Standards: The Chatter is Nothing New!
For Americans who care about their public schools and have watched them poked at over the years like an abused dog in a cage, Idrees Kahloon’s piece in The Atlantic, “America is Sliding Toward Illiteracy,” is one more painful read among many. This chatter is nothing new. It’s a worn-out rerun, demeaning to teachers, parents, […]
The Elimination of the Professional Status of America’s Helpers!
On this Thanksgiving, please remember the professionals who lift us throughout our lives. The helpers in the caring professions, nurses, teachers, counselors, speech-language pathologists, and many others (see below), irreplaceable by AI, find themselves in danger of losing their professional status. Donald Trump talks about bringing in foreign workers, while his administration is slighting those who […]
The So-Called Science of Reading’s New Focus on Babies
At the Thomas B. Fordham Wonk-a-Thon, where they ask what should happen next, Elliot Regenstein, a lawyer, states that The science of reading doesn’t start with kindergarten—it starts at birth. Fordham should look in the rearview mirror at the consequences of forcing young children to read before they’re ready, as NCLB and Common Core both […]
Remembering Why There’s a Special Education Law
Donald Trump is destroying programs that help Democratic and Republican kids, including special education. He seems not to understand why laws exist to protect students. Linda McMahon is eliminating the U.S. ED, without Congressional approval, which oversees critical federal laws for public schools, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). She fired the special education […]
Forgotten Mercy: Those Who Want Christianity in Public Schools
God is love. ~1 John 4:8. Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me. ~Matthew 25:40 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. […]
Breaking Up Public Schools Dangerously Divided the Nation!
No one is born hating another person. People have to learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love. ~Nelson Mandela Free public schools for America’s children should unite us. When children learn to appreciate others who are unlike themselves or worship differently, and form friendships, they develop […]
Linda McMahon’s Reckless and Scary Disregard for Special Education History
Linda McMahon appears unaware of the past progress made in serving students with disabilities in public schools. Nor does she understand the complexities surrounding student needs and the long-time underfunding of education services, or what improvements would make school better. She’s sliding America backwards, with devastating repercussions for children with special needs and all students. […]
Ending High Truancy Rates: How to Get Students to School
School starts for students whose families rely on public education, which the Trump administration is trying to end. For years, however, school reforms have made schools less personable; as a result, school attendance has decreased, especially since the pandemic. Why do kids reject school? Bullying, harassment, family problems, parental work schedules, mental health, illnesses, transportation, […]