Search Results for: education issues in education education in the news

Special Education and the 2012 Election

Across the nation, Americans were asked to cast their vote on issues relating to special education. Voters were asked about funding for special education in several propositions. You may have voted for a candidate because you agreed with his or her views about Special Education. Here is a brief review of the results that could affect your child’s education. In St. Louis County, Missouri, Proposition S was on the ballot. It asked voters if they wanted to allow a 19 cent tax levy to take effect. The money would be used for the Special School District of St. Louis County, … Continue reading →

Cameras, Airline Problems, and Medication Issues

This week, the Special Needs Blog included topics such as cameras in classrooms, airlines behaving badly, unaccepted apologies, and many issues with different kinds of medications. Here is a quick review of the blogs that went up between September 3, 2012, and September 8, 2012. Thalidomide Maker’s Apology Not Enough Gruenenthal, the maker of a drug called thalidomide (and Contergan and Distaval), issued an apology for the harm caused to those affected by their drug. Many are seeing this apology as insufficient, and believe that there should be financial compensation coming to the thalidomide victims. Harvard Newspaper Website Runs Ad … Continue reading →

School Vouchers, Medications, and Special Education

This week, the Special Needs Blog focused on topics such as the school voucher program in Ohio, information about the IEP, problems with bussing, and lots of news about medications. This Week In Review is quite the variety pack! Here is a quick review of the blogs that appeared here between August 28, 2012, and September 1, 2012. An Update on Ohio’s School Vouchers Ohio has a school voucher that is called The Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship. It can be used by any student, who has any type of special need, and who is a public school, private school, … Continue reading →

How to Save on Magazines, Books and Newspapers

While going through our monthly budget, my husband and I filled out responses to standard budget categories, such as food, clothing, etc. One of the entries was for magazine subscriptions. Anyone looking around our house would think that we pay a fortune for magazines (and books). I’m continually working on paring down the number of magazines that come and stay in our house. Most of us are great readers and will resort to reading toothpaste tubes if we must, so this isn’t easy (but that is a subject for the Home blog). We also tend to have at least one … Continue reading →

Newsflash! All Homeschoolers are Not Conservative

Proof that all homeschoolers are not conservative… I watch Hardball with Chris Matthews. While Chris Matthews would not characterize himself as liberal (which I also do not) he is certainly far from conservative. With that said, on his November 23 show, he used homeschooling as a litmus test to decide if someone else was conservative. He was speaking to Chris Chocola, president of The Club for Gowth, which bills itself as a “fiscally conservative organization that supports a low-tax and limited-government agenda.” Here is the conversation that ensued: CHOCOLA: The Club for Growth is focused solely on economic issues. And … Continue reading →

Adoption in the News this Week: from ER to Madonna to the Hague

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Adoption has certainly been in the media this week. As my fellow blogger Michelle has noted in the popular culture blog, Madonna’s petition to adopt a second child from Malawi was denied by a judge in Malawian court. Madonna, who has said she plans to appeal, left the country Sunday without three-year-old Chifundo “Mercy” James, the child she had planned to make her daughter. The judge said she fears that waiving the country’s residency requirements for adoptive parents would open the door to traffickers. Other possible reasons for the different outcome in this case from Madonna’s previous adoption are being … Continue reading →

Will Obama Make Education Top Priority?

During his campaign, Barack Obama said that educational reform is an issue that is near to his heart, but will it be his number one priority? The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) doesn’t think so. The president-elect of the United States of America has a huge job ahead of him. He is inheriting the leadership of a country with many issues, from war to a falling economy, inadequate health care to students who are graduating unprepared for the workforce. The educational system is in crisis. Cuts in spending are being made all over the country by local boards of education due … Continue reading →

Education Week in Review: June 7- June 13

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Education has made the news in several cases over the past week. While continuing the discussion about reading, I also threw in some tips about helping children make proper book selections. Issues were also discussed from Connecticut, Michigan, and the federal government. Sunday, June 8 Reading in the Second and Third Grade Classrooms This article continues the discussion of reading and how reading instruction should appear in the second and third grades. More Reading in Second and Third Grade Education.families.com/blog/more-reading-in-second-and-third-grade More reading skills and instructional tips are provided here for the second and third grade classrooms. Creating Story Maps This … Continue reading →

Tennessee Homeschool Graduates Face Diploma Issues

A police officer received a perfect 4.0 average at the police academy, but has lost his certification because he received a category IV high school diploma. (A Category IV high school diploma is awarded to private church schools and homeschoolers). Four childcare workers also lost their jobs due to having a category IV diploma. (Lifesitenews.com) This means that even homeschoolers with accredited diplomas in Tennessee will not be eligible for state jobs. A recent blog at StoptheACLU.com states that Tennessee only wants to hire the dumbest kids for state jobs. The article continues to say, “It has come to pass … Continue reading →

TV Update: Good News Bad News

HOORAY! Today is a great day in our home… thanks to Bill Cosby. The comedian’s efforts to improve education have made my 3-year-old daughter’s day. She is a huge fan of Cosby’s animated series “Little Bill,” which used to air weekdays on Nickelodeon and Sunday mornings on CBS. The show was yanked about a year ago and my daughter was devastated. She loved watching “Little Bill’s” adventures with his hamster “Elephant” and his friend “Andrew.” Then one day—BAM! He was gone. I searched the Internet and no luck. “Little Bill” was gone (save for some video games on the Nick … Continue reading →