You can't run schools like a business because we are dealing with children, not a product. They are unpredictable, imperfect, diverse little creatures who need to be acknowledged, loved and accepted for more than their test scores. You can't stamp the ones that underperform and shuffle them off at a "seconds" store.
While it's true that there is no single factor that has a greater effect on student achievement than a good teacher, I think it is seriously misguided to believe that creating a competitive, merit-based atmosphere in schools will increase teacher effectiveness. It is based on the misperception that teachers are not already working their tails off to do the best job they can. There is very good research to suggest that providing teachers with opportunities for collaboration and sharing is very effective. Teachers need more time in the day, not more stress. IF you work in a professional job, think of the last presentation you gave. How long did you spend preparing for that presentation? How long do you think teachers get to prepare for much longer presentations every single day? And not only do they have to present, but they have to evaluate, assess, contact parents, fix boo-boos, wipe away tears, counsel, discipline and basically solve EVERYTHING wrong in the world (because everything wrong in the world is the fault of teachers if you read the news). If you want more effective teachers, how about giving them adequate planning time and reasonable class sizes. And please, please, let's extend the school year so that we can stop hearing the whining about the mythical "3 months off".
It's not about legal or not, it's about integrity. Someone with integrity doesn't look for shortcuts and loopholes.
For me it all hinges on this statement: "I think it's ridiculous," Dudley said. "Our state is in disrepair. For the other side to focus on where I lived 17 years ago is ridiculous."
It is important because it's a reflection of his character and integrity. A man of integrity who truly cared for his state would not have done that. He is just another smooth-talking, pretty face with speechwriters feeding him lines and HIS bottom line is clearly his own best interests.
His management style is becoming clear - surround yourself with yes men. A wise leader listens to his detractors.
100 feet though - that's less than half a block. If the driver was facing the setting sun, I can imagine it would be very hard to see the man. It's really sad he was injured, but also a good reminder that pedestrians need to be extremely defensive when crossing the street.
I guess it depends on whose hype you are buying. Who is more motivated, tobacco companies or the EPA? Studies calling the EPA study into question were funded by tobacco companies. The EPA continues to exist whether or not people smoke. I don't need a study to tell me that when I'm around second hand smoke my eyes get watery, my throat gets scratchy, I can start to have an asthma attack and I come home stinky. Cancer or no cancer, it pretty much sucks.
You know, I'm pretty liberal, but I see stuff like this and think "what the hell is this going to solve?" I like the commenter who said it's like putting a sign outside the bank that says "no parking for bank robbers". If the majority of shootings are a result of gang violence, then address that issue. Aggressively seek out the gangs. Find out who the leaders are and get them arrested (In other states, this has actually been very effective at stemming the violence). Set up programs and help for people who want to leave the gangs. Invest in early childhood education and parent mentors to help prevent kids from joining gangs in the first place. If you really want to deal with gang violence, dismantle the gangs. Otherwise you are just forcing them to get creative and/or pushing the problems to neighboring cities.
By the way Sam, criminals don't tend to follow laws. Pass all the little laws you want and it won't do a thing to stop the criminals.
No, a simple plot wasn't better. The oversimplified characters and the utter predictability of the plot killed it for me. With that much money going into production, you'd think you could have afforded some decent script writers. Clearly this movie was about the special effects and making money. It was a great example of special effects but NOT a great movie.
You are coming from an us and them mentality. We are one world and humans are humans. God doesn't recognize borders. I don't think any second graders can be held responsible for drug cartels.
This is why we need a sales tax. Income tax looks huge because you are looking at one big number but sales tax is a little here and a little there and people's perception of what they're paying is different.
Are charter schools required to accept special ed students? How about ell? They are able to educate for less because they only educate the easy to educate! That is a no-brainer.
Parents don't get paid for homeschooling and private schools don't get paid by the state so that is a non-issue. I was under the impression that in order to transfer to a public school outside of your district, you need permission from both districts to do so. I'm actually surprised to read that school districts did not have control over students going to out of district charter schools. They are essentially state funded private schools right now.
I have to add - if you object to farmland being used to raise animals, do you also object to farmland being used on luxury crops like hops? Do you drink beer? I think you should stop drinking beer on this argument.
I find it hard to swallow blanket moral/ethical arguments against killing animals. It is nearly impossible to get all the nutrients you need to be healthy on a purely vegetarian diet and I would guess that if you are a vegetarian you must take vitamin supplements for some things or you suffer from some deficiencies. Humans were designed to eat meat, have been eating meat since the very beginning (I don't recall any evidence that our ancestors were herbivores) and we aren't the only species that eats meat.
I will listen to arguments about animals being treated poorly and I try to buy free range whenever possible. My kids and I coincidentally were reading Little HOuse in the Big Woods this past week and there were many references to the killing of the meat that went on their table. Little Laura and Mary were acutely aware of where their meat came from and I think we all should be aware and pay proper respect to the animals that nourish us. In fact, there is a beautiful passage where Pa comes home one night during hunting season with no meat and describes how he got caught up in watching the animals and was so struck by their beauty he couldn't kill them. But he also knew he needed to make sure his family could survive the winter, so they didn't become vegetarians that year. I don't like killing anything - ask my kids, I put spiders in a cup and take them outside - but killing animals for meat is not senseless killing, it's part of the circle of life.
As for the environmental arguments, I hear them and I also have heard that much of the land used to graze animals would not be acceptable farmland anyway. I also feel that everything is okay in moderation. If you eat meat at every meal, every day, that could be harmful. But what if you only eat it once or twice a week? What if everyone did that?
Eric, you saved a man's life, and you called your grandmother to fess up. Wow, both of those took courage. You have one more courageous thing to do before becoming a father. If you happen to miss your daughter's birth, it won't make you less of a father, but failing to do the right thing might. Take this step to clear your name and start out on your path to greatness or hide away in shame. It's your choice.
Is it ALL about rules? Who makes the rules? Why are they there? Are the rules perfect? It sounds like he is leaving carefully and is not breaking the rules by doing so anyway.