Great Teachers Make Great Schools

happy teacher and students standing in classroom holding books

Another school year. It’s my 32nd as a teacher and I can still say that I love what I’m doing and believe that I am contributing to the betterment of society. I just wish that at some point before I go to the Great Faculty Room in the Sky, you know, the one where the… Continue reading Great Teachers Make Great Schools

The August Election

OK, I’ll play along. According to the polls, the guesses, the conventional wisdom, the money and the low-down, scandal-mongering, hyper-partisan, yellow-dog press, we now know who’s going to win that all-important August 2015 presidential election. I’m sure you know that this election is a rather unusual one in American politics because it doesn’t take place… Continue reading The August Election

Education By Dummies

Politicians can talk all they want about how changes to the American education system such as the Common Core, new testing rubrics and teacher evaluation systems will vault us into the top tiers of learned nations over the next few years, but, really, that’s not going to happen if what’s happening in Arizona and other… Continue reading Education By Dummies

Afraid of Rubio? They All Scare Me.

Ooohhh! Scary!!! Yes, The New York Times reported last week that many Democrats are most afraid of a presidential match-up between Hillary and…Marco Rubio. Scary!!! And why? Because…he has a story! Scary!!! And he’s good looking. And he’s a good speaker. And he’s Hispanic and his father came here from Cuba and he won big… Continue reading Afraid of Rubio? They All Scare Me.

Pensions in the Age of GOP Math

Things are getting a bit complicated in New Jersey for Governor Christie, and that’s having a major effect on when (and it will be when) he announces his bid for the presidency. Yes, he is waiting for the economy to improve and the George Washington Bridge scandal to go away, but now he’s added what… Continue reading Pensions in the Age of GOP Math

In Education, Teachers Must Lead the Way

Aside from the December holiday season, the back-to-school late August and early September rush has the most profound effects on the United States. Shopping patterns change, traffic gets worse, and the general tenor of every community shifts to accommodate the children and adults who work in education. Welcome to this year’s edition. Some things have… Continue reading In Education, Teachers Must Lead the Way

With a Court Like This, Who Needs Congress?

The Tea Party and most social conservatives can sleep easily throughout the summer now. The two Supreme Court decisions rendered on Monday should delight the right and make the inaction across the street in the Capitol seems like a mere distraction. Like a fly buzzing around the collective government heads. The conservative revolution has been… Continue reading With a Court Like This, Who Needs Congress?

Union Workers Get Smacked

In case you missed it, the anti-union movement is alive, well, and gloating over its success while working people in both the public and private sectors suffer from stagnant and negative wages, more expensive benefits and the prospect of losing what dignity they have at the altar of unfettered free enterprise and wealthy-worship. The story… Continue reading Union Workers Get Smacked

The State of the Unions

There’s been a lot of talk recently about workers. You know, the people who do the work in this country and who expect to be paid a livable wage while earning a little respect from employers and customers. The problem is that somewhere along the way, the conservative revolution has been glorifying the wealthy while… Continue reading The State of the Unions

Woman Arrested for Attacking Reporters With Rock, Baseball bat and Two Pit Bulls

This is the type of action that looks bad on a whole group of people. Yes, her daughter was shot and it is understandable that she is upset about the shooting, but why turn violent against an innocent reporter who was just informing you that the person who shot your daughter was arrested? For this… Continue reading Woman Arrested for Attacking Reporters With Rock, Baseball bat and Two Pit Bulls

With Three Weeks to Recall, Walker Leads in Wisconsin

A new Marquette Law School Poll in Wisconsin shows that with three weeks to go until the recall election Gov. Scott Walker (R) has taken a six point lead over Tom Barrett (D), 50% to 44%, among likely voters. Three weeks ago, Walker’s lead was just one point. Said pollster Charles Franklin: “While both parties show unusual… Continue reading With Three Weeks to Recall, Walker Leads in Wisconsin