There have been many occaisions in this blog where I have advocated for the professionalization of teachers, treating them like lawyers or doctors, i.e. a self-regulated profession with tough standards and a code of conduct. I have been thinking a great deal about that recently again (in part because I have been studying Professional Responsibility for attorneys in preparation for the bar exam). In the past, I have made a case for treating teachers like a profession, with strict licensure, a high degree of specialized education beyond a bachelor's degree and promise of some future master's degree, and self-regulation. Some of the changes I advocate would be a long time coming, like developing a educational foundation for a "teacher's school" like law or medical school. But the last of my suggestions, teacher self-regulation can occur now.
One of the most significant problems that I see holding teaching back is the lack of a mechanism for instilling self-discipline on teachers. The unions, if they want their members to be treated as professionals, need to have the backbone to call a bad teacher out and demand improvement or departure from the profession. Professions such as attorneys or doctors have a vested interest, that of keeping the faith of the public they serve, in weeding out those who fail to measure up. Admittedly, both professions sometimes do a poor job of weeding out bad actors, but they system does instill an incentive for improvement and adherence to professional standards.
Right now, as far as I can see, the teaching profession has no systemic mechanism for weeding out the bad actors. There is no public mechanism for filing a complaint against a teacher with the teacher's union. One hallmark of the medical and legal professions is the ability for a member of the general public who feels they have been wronged to make a complaint with the regulating body. They can go straight to the court system or the medical society and lodge a complaint that is investigated and the complaintant is kept informed of the investigation.
When a complaint is lodged against a lawyer, for example, it is investigated throughly and if the violation is real, punishments may range from a private letter or censure to public admonishment and even disbarrment for a period of years or even permanently (although in practice a disbarrment for years tends to be permanent). The courts and the bar association take disciplinary matters seriously since there is a need for the public to trust the profession, even if the citizenry does not trust the individual practitioners.
Like the trust and faith we place in the legal and medical professions, we as a society place a great deal of faith and trust in our public school teachers. However, unlike doctors and lawyers, we as consumers of education have very little recourse for a bad actor. We can complain, but those complaints fall on deaf or ineffective ears since generally, principals have no power to fire teacher for incompetence or ineffectiveness, or even for cause, like a criminal conviction.
But, in advocating for their members, which the unions are legally obligated to do, unions regularly plea for professional treatment and professional level pay, i.e. treating teachers like professionals. Fine, but one way to do that is by subjecting your members to disciplinary proceedings administered by the union, according to a publicly adopted and interpreted Code of Conduct. The Bar Associations and the Medical Societies advocate for their members and still discipline them. The two functions are not mutually exclusive and in fact are complementary.
If a complaint is lodged with the teacher's "union" and the complaintant feels as though their concerns were not addressed, in a scenario with a publicly adopted, that is a legislatively adopted, Rules of Professional Conduct for Educators, there would be other mechanisms for enforcing behavior.
The quick among you will know that I am talking about teacher malpractice. Could the scenario I envision lead to teaching malpractice claims? Sure, and it should!!
Now, I know what some people are thinking, "Yeah, a lawyer who wants to sue teachers--that's a big surprise." While I don't like the system because it is ripe for abuse (but there is an independent third party arbiter--namely the courts), the torts system, and malpractice suits specifically, work to ensure a level of quality by defining the kind of behavior, or rather misbehavior, that the public deems unreasonable. (Reasonableness in the legal sense are those action that which an ordinary person in like circumstances would find reasonable). Would a few dozen lawsuits a year help make sure teachers are performing as we the public deem reasonable? You bet. Teachers and teachers unions would then have a very keen interest in making sure its members are acting in the best interest of their customers, and after all, is that not what education is about?
I realize that a cause of action for educational malpractice carries with it a number of serious policy implications, such as malpractice insurance, judicial standards and the all important passage of a code of conduct. Legal and medical professionals can command the pay they get because of the education they endure and the fact that everyday they place their professional careers on the line. One mistake, one oversight can lead to disaster professionally as well as personally. Teachers right now have no such stake in their daily activities.
Therein lies the difference. Demands for being treated like a profession cannot come without some responsibilities as a profession, including the responsibility to act as a profession.
Friday, February 03, 2006
MD House Recesses Rather Than Vote On Gay Marriage Amendment
I have often heard of arguments that the Republicans in Congress and the White House routinely use majoritarian devices to block action on unpopular legislation, or legislation that would hurt them politically. If true, the GOP does not have a stranglehold on such tactics.
Yesterday, the Speaker of Maryland's House of Delegates, Michael Busch (D-Anne Arundel) abruptly recessed the chamber in order to avoid a vote on a "gay marriage" bill that would turn into a referendum to be presented to the Voters in November. What was Busch's motivation? Probably because putting such a referendum on the ballot would energize conservatives in teh state, at a time when Republican Governor Bob Ehrlich is on the ballot and his Lt. Governor, Michael Steele is running for the Senate.
Nobody can accuse Busch of being stupid, but this may be over the top:
First, such a move is seen, even by members of his own party to be some what anti-democratic. To put a constitutional amendment on the ballot would require a 3/5 vote of both the House of Delegates and the State Senate, a tough bar when Democrats have very solid majorities in both chambers. By making this move, it signals that Busch either doesn't have the votes or doesn't want to put the more socially conservative members of his caucus in a position to have to vote for or against the bill. The result could be a large number of socially conservative Democrats in Maryland voting Republican because they feel as though they have been robbed of an opportunity to make decisions for themselves.
Second, the Washington Times cites a Rasmussen poll that notes 54% of Marlyanders approve of a ban on same-sex marriage. In a state that is about 65% Democratic, that is a big number. Again, the electoral politics of the issue are clear, Democrats cannot win on this issue without a solid majority opposed to same-sex marriage, and such support is not apparent.
The truly interesting issue is going to be how the 30% of blacks in Maryland feel about the parliamentary move. Aside from Mississippi, no state has a higher percentage of blacks than Maryland. Yet, blacks tend to be pretty conservative on this issue. The large black churches in Maryland, particularly in Prince George's County, tend to be socially conservative on issues of gay marriage and abortion. This issue, if allowed to go onto the ballot, could be a killer for the Democrats statewide, and certainly a boost for Michael Steele, a conservative black Republican.
Granted, most people are not going to understand the parliamentary manuever, but if the GOP plays its cards properly, which they appear to have done by getting the bill this far, they can still galvanize support among the conservative community and the swing voters who trend socially conservative, and ride this wave to victory.
Yesterday, the Speaker of Maryland's House of Delegates, Michael Busch (D-Anne Arundel) abruptly recessed the chamber in order to avoid a vote on a "gay marriage" bill that would turn into a referendum to be presented to the Voters in November. What was Busch's motivation? Probably because putting such a referendum on the ballot would energize conservatives in teh state, at a time when Republican Governor Bob Ehrlich is on the ballot and his Lt. Governor, Michael Steele is running for the Senate.
Nobody can accuse Busch of being stupid, but this may be over the top:
Democratic lawmakers in Maryland, determined to avoid a vote on homosexual "marriage" in an election year, closed the House yesterday to quash a constitutional amendment endorsing traditional marriage.There are two problems Busch and the Democrats face with this move.
In a move unprecedented in the modern history of the General Assembly, House Speaker Michael E. Busch abruptly recessed the chamber to block a vote on a proposed amendment that would define marriage as a union only of one man and one woman.
The Democratic speaker's action allowed the House Judiciary Committee to kill the proposal later yesterday, likely preventing it from being voted on by the full House this session.
"It's game-playing," said Delegate Anthony J. O'Donnell, Southern Maryland Republican and minority whip. "It is one more example of unchecked power by a [Democratic] majority that has been in control of the House for 180 years."
[Snip]
Mr. Busch also said the amendment would be debated today on the House floor.
But tensions escalated when Judiciary Committee Democrats changed the amendment's bill to include civil unions as an equivalent to "marriage" for same-sex couples.
The change passed 11-10, and three Democrats -- Delegates Kevin Kelly of Allegany County, Darryl A. Kelley of Prince George's County and Theodore Sophocleus of Anne Arundel County -- joined Republicans in opposition to it.
The committee then sent the rewritten bill to the full House with a unanimous, unfavorable report. Such a report renders a House bill dead, notwithstanding a complicated parliamentary move to resurrect it.
"[Democrats] went through great political gyrations to get around what should have been a straightforward process," said Delegate Michael D. Smigiel Sr., Eastern Shore Republican and committee member. "They were more interested in protecting their political party than in letting Marylanders vote on this important issue."
First, such a move is seen, even by members of his own party to be some what anti-democratic. To put a constitutional amendment on the ballot would require a 3/5 vote of both the House of Delegates and the State Senate, a tough bar when Democrats have very solid majorities in both chambers. By making this move, it signals that Busch either doesn't have the votes or doesn't want to put the more socially conservative members of his caucus in a position to have to vote for or against the bill. The result could be a large number of socially conservative Democrats in Maryland voting Republican because they feel as though they have been robbed of an opportunity to make decisions for themselves.
Second, the Washington Times cites a Rasmussen poll that notes 54% of Marlyanders approve of a ban on same-sex marriage. In a state that is about 65% Democratic, that is a big number. Again, the electoral politics of the issue are clear, Democrats cannot win on this issue without a solid majority opposed to same-sex marriage, and such support is not apparent.
The truly interesting issue is going to be how the 30% of blacks in Maryland feel about the parliamentary move. Aside from Mississippi, no state has a higher percentage of blacks than Maryland. Yet, blacks tend to be pretty conservative on this issue. The large black churches in Maryland, particularly in Prince George's County, tend to be socially conservative on issues of gay marriage and abortion. This issue, if allowed to go onto the ballot, could be a killer for the Democrats statewide, and certainly a boost for Michael Steele, a conservative black Republican.
Granted, most people are not going to understand the parliamentary manuever, but if the GOP plays its cards properly, which they appear to have done by getting the bill this far, they can still galvanize support among the conservative community and the swing voters who trend socially conservative, and ride this wave to victory.
Joe "I'm a plagarist" Biden for President? I don't think so
Professor Bainbridge points to few problems with Joe Biden as President, or even as a candidate for President.
Among the concerns: plagarism in law school, plagarism of speeches and a complete inability to ask a question without 20 minutes of introductory speeches. I just don't see people flocking to Biden's banner, particularly in light of his actions in both the Roberts and Alito confirmation hearings.
But at least we know is son is a pretty normal kid.
Among the concerns: plagarism in law school, plagarism of speeches and a complete inability to ask a question without 20 minutes of introductory speeches. I just don't see people flocking to Biden's banner, particularly in light of his actions in both the Roberts and Alito confirmation hearings.
But at least we know is son is a pretty normal kid.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Rep. Boehner Elected GOP Majority Leader
This is great news for the GOP. Boehner positioned himself as a reform candidate and won. Clearly, the GOP is trying to send a message that the status quo will not be tolerated.
Hopefully with an intalled leader, the GOP can start taking the fight to the Democrats on reform matters.
Hopefully with an intalled leader, the GOP can start taking the fight to the Democrats on reform matters.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
SOTU and Health Care
Lost in all the hubbub of the President's State of the Union Address last night, I fear is a real concern to many Americans.
By the most recent statistics, some 45 million Americans have no health insurance. Most of these people are actually working poor. Over half of the uninsured Americans earn less than $39,000 (twice the federal poverty level). Residents of the South and West are far more likely to have no health insurance than people of other regions of the country.
The President's speech talked briefly about health care:
If you own a small business, or work for a small business, you need to look both at this guide and at this bill, now making its way through Congress. The bill, HR 525, sets up rules and guidelines for association health plans (AHP).
AHPs allow trade and business associations to use the combined purchasing power of their members to obtain health insurance at lower rates than a single small business can. If you own a small business, or work at a small business, or know someone who does, this is a bill that we as Americans need to get passed.
I know that it is not perfect, but the bill many allow as many at 20-25 million Americans to get health care, a 50% reduction in the uninsured!!! Is that not worthy legislation.
The health insurance industry claims to want to help small businesses obtain health insurance, but not through AHPs because they feel the AHPs will be exempt from rules that traditional insurance plans have to comply with and that is somehow unfair. Well, tough noogies. Insurance companies have gaggles of lawyers and compliance specialists to help them comply with the law. If AHPs are passed, you can guarantee that insurance companies are going to be scrambling to offer products. So why the dichotomy in public approaches? Who knows.
Call your Senators and tell them to pass HR 525. The insurance industry has their lobbyists, but you can tell them what you think is best for 20 million Americans who need health insurance now.
By the most recent statistics, some 45 million Americans have no health insurance. Most of these people are actually working poor. Over half of the uninsured Americans earn less than $39,000 (twice the federal poverty level). Residents of the South and West are far more likely to have no health insurance than people of other regions of the country.
The President's speech talked briefly about health care:
Keeping America competitive requires affordable health care.Small business owners feel the biggest pinch when it comes to providing health insurance for their employees. They want to, but the cost is often prohibitive or so high that the employee has to pay a larger percentage of the premium as compared to other large company employees.
Our government has a responsibility to help provide health care for the poor and the elderly, and we are meeting that responsibility.
For all Americans -- for all Americans -- we must confront the rising cost of care, strengthen the doctor-patient relationship, and help people afford the insurance coverage they need.
We will make wider use of electronic records and other health information technology to help control costs and reduce dangerous medical errors.
We will strengthen health savings accounts, making sure individuals and small-business employees can buy insurance with the same advantages that people working for big businesses now get.
We will do more to make this coverage portable, so workers can switch jobs without having to worry about losing their health insurance. (emphasis added)
If you own a small business, or work for a small business, you need to look both at this guide and at this bill, now making its way through Congress. The bill, HR 525, sets up rules and guidelines for association health plans (AHP).
AHPs allow trade and business associations to use the combined purchasing power of their members to obtain health insurance at lower rates than a single small business can. If you own a small business, or work at a small business, or know someone who does, this is a bill that we as Americans need to get passed.
I know that it is not perfect, but the bill many allow as many at 20-25 million Americans to get health care, a 50% reduction in the uninsured!!! Is that not worthy legislation.
The health insurance industry claims to want to help small businesses obtain health insurance, but not through AHPs because they feel the AHPs will be exempt from rules that traditional insurance plans have to comply with and that is somehow unfair. Well, tough noogies. Insurance companies have gaggles of lawyers and compliance specialists to help them comply with the law. If AHPs are passed, you can guarantee that insurance companies are going to be scrambling to offer products. So why the dichotomy in public approaches? Who knows.
Call your Senators and tell them to pass HR 525. The insurance industry has their lobbyists, but you can tell them what you think is best for 20 million Americans who need health insurance now.
A Bad Idea that Won't Die
Earlier today, on my way to work, the local news talk station, WMAL 630 AM had an appearance by U.S. Representative (and Senate Candidate) Ben Cardin (D-MD-3) to seek his reaction to the State of the Union. After the usual Democratic rhetorice regarding a speech by President Bush, a question about health care was brought up by host Bryan Nehman (who is also a constituent of Cardin's). Cardin responded with a, by now, discredited version of universal health care.
For those who can't remember, universal health care was a centerpiece of the Clinton first term agenda and an absolute shambles. Cardin is seeking to resuscitate a bad idea with a hope not based in fact.
In the world of engineering, engineers seek to improve matters in three ways, they want to make it better, they want to make it faster, and they want to make it cheaper. As a general rule, you can choose any two. Thus if you want to make something better and cheaper, you won't get it faster. If you want faster and better, it definitely will not be cheap. If you want it cheaper and faster, it definitely will not be any cheaper.
Health care policy has three main goals as well, universality, affordability and comprehensiveness. Universal health care means that everyone is covered, with no exceptions. The theory behind universal health care is that health care is some sort of right that must be protected by the government and enforced upon us all.
Affordability is just that simple, health care should be cheap enough that even the poorest among us, or really, the people too poor to pay their own way and too rich to qualify for government assistance can pay for care. The problem is that health care costs are rising at annual rates three to four times the rate of inflation. Double digit increases in health care costs have become the norm, not the outlier.
Finally comprehensiveness is the idea that all health care needs, from basic doctor visits, to specialists, prescription drugs and hospital stays are covered. Only the most radically new procedures and experimental protocols would not be covered by this health insurance program.
Now here's the problem, health care is a classic engineers triangle problem. If your choices are universality, affordability, and comprehensiveness, you can only choose two. If you want universality and affordability, you cannot have a comprehensive covereage. In a era of "I want it all and I want it now" consumerism in America, this idea is, simply put, dead on arrival. I get mad when I have to wait a week for an appointment for my daughters and get downright livid when I have to wait for even five minutes past my appointment time to be seen by a doctor. I certainly am not going to accept any delay because of governmental rules regarding what services are available and those which are not.
Okay, what if the health care plan is universal and comprehensive. Oh, joy of joys, you think. Think again, the cost of such a program will require one or both of two things. First, only the very (and I mean very) rich will be able to afford that kind of coverage privately. Even upper middle class America is going to need some help paying for such a plan. So, at a time when national budgets are already straining with entitlement programs taking 1/3 of the entire federal budget, we are going to add this monster to the mix? You could of course raise taxes to pay for such a proposition, but that would require a low end tax rate of somewhere near 50 or 60 percent, a rate that definitely will notsit well with Americans, even the most liberal of Americans.
Fine, Comprehensive and affordable, that is the way to go right? Well, if that is the case, not everyone will be covered, bringing more or less to where we are now.
The fact that over 40 million Americans lack health insurance is surely a problem of national significance. I don't mean to gloss over the issue, but government mandated, universal health care simply imposes too many costs, in terms of real federal monies and/or restrictions on care.
One of the best alternatives making its way through Congress is association health plans. Association health plans would allow business, particularly small businesses to use the pooling power of trade and business associations, like the Chamber of Commerce or the National Federation of Independent business to get large group health insurance rates for small businesses. As long as the association exists for purposes other than insurance, then the association can help by getting series of insurance options so that employees of small businesses (those least likely to offer health care) can get insurance at big group rates, which are often much lower.
The House of Representatives has recently passed HR 525 and it has moved to the Senate. Call your Senators and tell them to pass HR 525. By some estimates, some 20-25 million employees of small businesses, the working poor, will be eligible for health care under association health plans--a 50% reduction in teh number of uninsured Americans. Now that is a plan!!
Ben Cardin, like many Democrats, are looking backward for solutions to problems that need a forward looking solution. Universal health care is a wonderful ideal, but a very bad legislative idea. Mr. Cardin, look elsewhere, please!
For those who can't remember, universal health care was a centerpiece of the Clinton first term agenda and an absolute shambles. Cardin is seeking to resuscitate a bad idea with a hope not based in fact.
In the world of engineering, engineers seek to improve matters in three ways, they want to make it better, they want to make it faster, and they want to make it cheaper. As a general rule, you can choose any two. Thus if you want to make something better and cheaper, you won't get it faster. If you want faster and better, it definitely will not be cheap. If you want it cheaper and faster, it definitely will not be any cheaper.
Health care policy has three main goals as well, universality, affordability and comprehensiveness. Universal health care means that everyone is covered, with no exceptions. The theory behind universal health care is that health care is some sort of right that must be protected by the government and enforced upon us all.
Affordability is just that simple, health care should be cheap enough that even the poorest among us, or really, the people too poor to pay their own way and too rich to qualify for government assistance can pay for care. The problem is that health care costs are rising at annual rates three to four times the rate of inflation. Double digit increases in health care costs have become the norm, not the outlier.
Finally comprehensiveness is the idea that all health care needs, from basic doctor visits, to specialists, prescription drugs and hospital stays are covered. Only the most radically new procedures and experimental protocols would not be covered by this health insurance program.
Now here's the problem, health care is a classic engineers triangle problem. If your choices are universality, affordability, and comprehensiveness, you can only choose two. If you want universality and affordability, you cannot have a comprehensive covereage. In a era of "I want it all and I want it now" consumerism in America, this idea is, simply put, dead on arrival. I get mad when I have to wait a week for an appointment for my daughters and get downright livid when I have to wait for even five minutes past my appointment time to be seen by a doctor. I certainly am not going to accept any delay because of governmental rules regarding what services are available and those which are not.
Okay, what if the health care plan is universal and comprehensive. Oh, joy of joys, you think. Think again, the cost of such a program will require one or both of two things. First, only the very (and I mean very) rich will be able to afford that kind of coverage privately. Even upper middle class America is going to need some help paying for such a plan. So, at a time when national budgets are already straining with entitlement programs taking 1/3 of the entire federal budget, we are going to add this monster to the mix? You could of course raise taxes to pay for such a proposition, but that would require a low end tax rate of somewhere near 50 or 60 percent, a rate that definitely will notsit well with Americans, even the most liberal of Americans.
Fine, Comprehensive and affordable, that is the way to go right? Well, if that is the case, not everyone will be covered, bringing more or less to where we are now.
The fact that over 40 million Americans lack health insurance is surely a problem of national significance. I don't mean to gloss over the issue, but government mandated, universal health care simply imposes too many costs, in terms of real federal monies and/or restrictions on care.
One of the best alternatives making its way through Congress is association health plans. Association health plans would allow business, particularly small businesses to use the pooling power of trade and business associations, like the Chamber of Commerce or the National Federation of Independent business to get large group health insurance rates for small businesses. As long as the association exists for purposes other than insurance, then the association can help by getting series of insurance options so that employees of small businesses (those least likely to offer health care) can get insurance at big group rates, which are often much lower.
The House of Representatives has recently passed HR 525 and it has moved to the Senate. Call your Senators and tell them to pass HR 525. By some estimates, some 20-25 million employees of small businesses, the working poor, will be eligible for health care under association health plans--a 50% reduction in teh number of uninsured Americans. Now that is a plan!!
Ben Cardin, like many Democrats, are looking backward for solutions to problems that need a forward looking solution. Universal health care is a wonderful ideal, but a very bad legislative idea. Mr. Cardin, look elsewhere, please!
Carnival of Homeschooling
The Carnival of Homeschooling is hosted by the PalmTree Pundit, Anne in Hawaii. If I lived in Hawaii, I would probably have a hard time taking care of my home, let alone homeschooling my kids. I would be far to interested in, I don't know, anything involving the beach, the outdoors, etc.
But check out the Carnival anyway. Carnival of Homeschooling - PalmTree Pundit
But check out the Carnival anyway. Carnival of Homeschooling - PalmTree Pundit
Carnival of Education -- Week 52 Now Open
The Carnival of Education -- Week 52 is now open over at Diane Weir. Check it out as always.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Motivated parents
In an article about the KIPP schools in Washington,DC brought this quote.
To me it seems blatantly obvious that the parents of students at KIPP schools and other charters across the country are more movtivated. If they weren't motivated, their kids would still be in crappy schools!!!
The grassroots push for school choice, whether it be in the form of vouchers, charters, homeschooling or any other model, is that parents are MOTIVATED to find a better educational alternative. But the current crop of educrats don't want motivated or even engaged parents (despite the overwhelming evidence that parental involvement means better educated kids). Having such parents runs counter to the nanny-state approach favored by the educracy. Parents who spend hours waiting in line to sign their kids up for the mere chance to attend a charter school like KIPP schools, often on multiple occaisions are clearly motivated.
Let us assume further that Rothstein and Jacobsen are right, that KIPP students have better test scores than their peers. I would ascribe this "advantage" to the motivated parents, many of whom urge their kids to do better, but those kids, due to a poor quality school are limited by the quality of the neighborhood school.
As more and more parents become disillusioned with the public school systems, particularly in poor urban areas, the more you will see "motivation" to make a change. On its death bed is the era of passive submission to school system's authority as to what is best for kids. The modern generation of parents, with their vastly superior consumer skills, are used to getting response and will continue to do so. In my posts a few weeks ago related to the variable value of teachers and teacher merit pay ideas, I almost always get the same kind of response--that parents don't know how to evaluate schools in the same way they evaluate other consumer products or services. It seems to me that the parents who spend time and effort, often using vacation days or unpaid leave from work, to enroll their kids in charter school have made a consumer driven decision making process to find an alternative for their kids.
We, as a society, have within our power as voters and consumers, the ability to make changes. We can force politicians, both locally and nationally, to pursue alternatives. We can force the teachers unions to bow to our needs as parents and we can make schools accountable, really accountable, for the services they provide. We do it every day in every other realm of economic activity. Just because we don't have a Ph.D in education does not make us unqualified to pass judgment of the educational achievement of our schools.
Looking at four KIPP schools, Columbia University Teachers College researchers Richard Rothstein and Rebecca Jacobsen concluded that students starting the program in fifth grade had more motivated parents and better test scores than their community averages. KIPP officials said their data showed no significant difference in academic skills between their entering students and other nearby children.I find comments like this one troubling on many levels as it shows a basic misunderstanding of the movement behind charter schools and school choice in general.
To me it seems blatantly obvious that the parents of students at KIPP schools and other charters across the country are more movtivated. If they weren't motivated, their kids would still be in crappy schools!!!
The grassroots push for school choice, whether it be in the form of vouchers, charters, homeschooling or any other model, is that parents are MOTIVATED to find a better educational alternative. But the current crop of educrats don't want motivated or even engaged parents (despite the overwhelming evidence that parental involvement means better educated kids). Having such parents runs counter to the nanny-state approach favored by the educracy. Parents who spend hours waiting in line to sign their kids up for the mere chance to attend a charter school like KIPP schools, often on multiple occaisions are clearly motivated.
Let us assume further that Rothstein and Jacobsen are right, that KIPP students have better test scores than their peers. I would ascribe this "advantage" to the motivated parents, many of whom urge their kids to do better, but those kids, due to a poor quality school are limited by the quality of the neighborhood school.
As more and more parents become disillusioned with the public school systems, particularly in poor urban areas, the more you will see "motivation" to make a change. On its death bed is the era of passive submission to school system's authority as to what is best for kids. The modern generation of parents, with their vastly superior consumer skills, are used to getting response and will continue to do so. In my posts a few weeks ago related to the variable value of teachers and teacher merit pay ideas, I almost always get the same kind of response--that parents don't know how to evaluate schools in the same way they evaluate other consumer products or services. It seems to me that the parents who spend time and effort, often using vacation days or unpaid leave from work, to enroll their kids in charter school have made a consumer driven decision making process to find an alternative for their kids.
We, as a society, have within our power as voters and consumers, the ability to make changes. We can force politicians, both locally and nationally, to pursue alternatives. We can force the teachers unions to bow to our needs as parents and we can make schools accountable, really accountable, for the services they provide. We do it every day in every other realm of economic activity. Just because we don't have a Ph.D in education does not make us unqualified to pass judgment of the educational achievement of our schools.
Ohio sheriff bills U.S. government for jailed illegals
Ever wondered how much we as a country spends on housing illegal immigrants who are in the justice system? Well, I can't give you a nationwide number, but the Butler County (Ohio) Sheriff, Richard K. Jones has told the federal government how much it is costing his county, more than $125,000 in three months. This story comes from the Washington Times.
As Sheriff Jones noted:
An Ohio sheriff has billed the Department of Homeland Security $125,000 for the cost of jailing illegal aliens arrested on criminal charges in his county, saying he's angry that the federal government has failed in its responsibility to keep them out of the United States.Here, here. Of course, there is the run-around from the feds:
Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones yesterday said that although the government may not be legally obligated to pay the three bills he has sent since November, he intends to send similar ones every month until the federal government gains control of the border.
He said 900 foreign-born inmates have been booked into the crowded Butler County jail in the past year.
"Why should Butler County taxpayers have to pay for jail costs associated with people we don't believe should ever have been in this country, let alone this state or county, to begin with?" Sheriff Jones said. "They are in my jail because they have committed crimes here.
"It's time the federal government should at least pay for the criminals they let stay here," he said. "If they don't want to pay for them, then they can deport them."
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesman Dean Boyd said the agency "repeatedly reached out to the Butler County Sheriff's Department" and, on multiple occasions, offered ICE enforcement resources to the sheriff in addressing the illegal alien population in Butler County.My question is simple, why are we waiting for their criminal proceedings to end? The cost of prosecuting illegal immigrants should also be billed to DHS. If the people charged are here illegally, they should be deported as soon as the deportation proceedings can be completed. There is no need to prosecute them under our laws, they are not here legally. Why are we giving them rights they have to right to expect? The idea seems stupid on its face.
"As part of these efforts, ICE agents have interviewed the foreign nationals in the sheriff's custody awaiting trial on state or local charges," he said. "ICE has placed immigration detainers on all of the individuals who are illegal aliens subject to removal from the country."
On completion of their criminal proceedings, Mr. Boyd said, ICE expects the aliens to be turned over to the agency for removal.
As Sheriff Jones noted:
"This is not rocket science," he said. "I intend to continue to bring this problem to the attention of anyone who will listen. There is little else I can do unless and until the system is changed."Thank you Sheriff Jones!!
snip
He said, "While I love President Bush, I give him an F-minus in immigration," noting the administration has not done enough to control the U.S. borders.
"If I accomplish anything, I hope I get more people talking about the problem," he said. "I just hope our elected officials start listening."
KIPP Schools In DC face hurdles
Despite a long track record of success nationally, and impressive results locally, KIPP schools in Washington, DC are still struggling with the DC education bureaucracy. Last year, the Ed Wonks discussed the schools' efforts to find classroom space, this year, they are facing hurdles that would expand their offerings, to include elementary schools and high schools.
It is a crucial moment for one of the most closely watched educational models, the Knowledge Is Power Program, a way of teaching fifth- through eighth-graders that has produced some of the best math and reading scores in low-income neighborhoods across the country. Despite its impressive record, administrators and policymakers are responding slowly to KIPP's desire for more space and support.That education bureaucracies are opposed to charter schools is not particularly news. But when results such as those in the KIPP schools lead a school administration to drag it's feet in allowing a successful program to expand smacks of incompetence.
Blog Interview: The Ed Wonks
In keeiping with my blogger New Year's Resolutions, This is the fourth installment of my "weekly" series of blog reviews/interviews. Previous interviews are linked to the left.
This week, the purveyors of the ultra-fine, always-readable, and darn-near-mandatory weekly post, The Carnival of Education, have kindly submitted to be this week'svictim, er, volunteer for the blog review/interview. If you could care less about my opinion, scroll down to the interview.
But if you want a one-stop shop for education related links, check out the Ed Wonks. Even if the writing the Wonks generate was not worth the electrons is it printed on (and believe it is), the blog roll itself is fantastic. But the content you find on the Wonks page is a veritable roundtable of ideas. On a given week, and I chose last week, you can find posts relating to other ed blogs, class size, racism and the achievement gap, school sports, even rights of students and on and on.
While the Wonks often include a lot of links to other stories, it is the commentary that makes the site fun. Whether the commentary is substantive reflections on the value (or lack thereof) of topic discussed in the story, or a quick, pithy little statement dripping with sarcasm or disbelief, you can't go wrong and often get a little chuckle.
The entries that I like most often take the form of a questioning of the mental health/capacity of the school district smart enough to employ the Wonks, but surely rueing the day they did so. Take a post from today:
Since I have cut this post a little short, I will, in the interests of your time, move right to the interview.
In 25 words or less, what is your blog about?
Ed Note: Pursuant to a policy on the blog interviews, all comments and responses by the interviewee are posted verbatim. The only editing that is done is to make the links appear and to verify that the links are still active.
This week, the purveyors of the ultra-fine, always-readable, and darn-near-mandatory weekly post, The Carnival of Education, have kindly submitted to be this week's
But if you want a one-stop shop for education related links, check out the Ed Wonks. Even if the writing the Wonks generate was not worth the electrons is it printed on (and believe it is), the blog roll itself is fantastic. But the content you find on the Wonks page is a veritable roundtable of ideas. On a given week, and I chose last week, you can find posts relating to other ed blogs, class size, racism and the achievement gap, school sports, even rights of students and on and on.
While the Wonks often include a lot of links to other stories, it is the commentary that makes the site fun. Whether the commentary is substantive reflections on the value (or lack thereof) of topic discussed in the story, or a quick, pithy little statement dripping with sarcasm or disbelief, you can't go wrong and often get a little chuckle.
The entries that I like most often take the form of a questioning of the mental health/capacity of the school district smart enough to employ the Wonks, but surely rueing the day they did so. Take a post from today:
Some computer-generated reports needed in order to give grades for all first period classes were only distributed to teachers Monday morning.In fact, many of the Ed Wonks screeds against California's "Imperial Valley" ask the very question, what happened to treating teachers like professionals.
So why on earth did our school's office mandate that grades for some 900 students must be turned in Monday afternoon, just 30 minutes after the students went home?
Where's the logic in that? Where's the rhyme or reason?
I can remember when teachers here in our part of California's "Imperial" Valley used to be considered as "professionals" and had about a week to generate their grades rather than one weekend.
Since I have cut this post a little short, I will, in the interests of your time, move right to the interview.
In 25 words or less, what is your blog about?
The Education Wonks is all about the Free Exchange of Thoughts and Ideas, especially those that pertain to the education of our young people.What prompted you to begin blogging?
As is the case with many practicing classroom teachers, I rarely have the opportunity to participate in frank and candid discussions about issues pertaining to public education policy, reform, and various aspects of The Teaching Life. The Education Wonks is our "Window to the Outside World."Is there a particular posting you have made in the past three months of which you are particularly proud? If so, please provide a link.
It has been said that, "Pride goeth before the fall." Having said that, I do like this post: The NEA: Where's The Democracy And Accountability?Congratulations on the approaching one year anniversary of the Carnival of Education. What prompted you to begin the Carnival? Did you think it would be as successful as it has become? In year two, what would you like to do differently, if anything? (I know, that is three questions in one, but they are all related—see?)
As a method of encouraging the Free Exchange of Thoughts and Ideas, we began the Carnival because we sought to bring as many different educational viewpoints and voices together in one easy-to-access post. Credit for the success of The Carnival Of Education does not, however, belong to us; it’s the contributors and readers who continue to make the Carnival effort both worthwhile and rewarding.You have posted a few items recently called Censorchimps, which I have always found amusing and alarming. In your opinion, how do or should schools justify the teaching of civil liberties with the mixed message of censoring certain, otherwise, protected speech just because schools can?
Certainly schools should encourage students to express their political viewpoints. But this must be done in such a context as to not cause disruption of the educational process or learning environment. That’s why we strongly support the right of students to freely distribute their own newspapers, petition school administration for redress of their concerns, and peacefully gather before and/or after the school day for the purpose of rallying community support.As a teacher, with a teen-wonk in residence, what do you think is the biggest challenge facing parents and students in the coming decade? How would you suggest we as a nation address these problems.
But we are not supportive of those students who choose to disrupt the educational day with such maneuvers as walking out of class.
In short, no student has the right to deny any other student their right to receive instruction in a safe and orderly school environment each and every school day.
The WifeWonk and I feel that the most daunting challenge facing busy parents today is finding more time to spend with their children. With more Americans working longer hours to make ends meet, time is at more of a premium than ever before. In all too many cases, parents don’t spend as much time with their kids as their kids would like to spend with them.You have been posting for a roughly a year and a half. Realizing that change is generally slow, what you do think has been the biggest positive change in education policy/edusphere and the biggest negative change?
As most educators will tell you, children who have caring and involved parents are more likely to avoid many of the problems and pitfalls of a society that often communicates (though a variety of media) very mixed messages to kids regarding parents, education, sex, and the traditional American work ethic.
The biggest positive change has been in the number and variety of voices that are out there in the EduSphere. It seems as though I’m learning of new and interesting sites every day. The discussion and debate in the EduSphere continues to rapidly increase in both quantity and quality.Pie in the sky times. You are named to be the secretary of education of your state, California, by the governator, and a carte blanche to do what you want, what would be your first three priorities as Secretary of Education.
The chief area of concern that I have regarding the EduSphere is that I can sense some polarization among those who write education-related sites. In the future, it’s conceivable that the EduSphere could come to resemble the larger blogosphere in that personal attacks upon writers by other bloggers and commenters could become all too commonplace.
1. California has an extremely bloated, redundant, and ineffective educracy with many well-paid administrators doing little more than marking-time, planning the next remodel of their office space, attending conferences all over the country, and hiring additional staff in order to justify their own jobs.With the caveat that as the editor of my own blog and I choose the interviewees, is there a blog that you like which you would like to see interviewed in this space? Please provide a link to the blog and an email if you know one (email addresses are not published unless the address is already on the blog page)
The amount of badly-needed funds being wasted by theseparasiteseducrats is simply staggering. Little of what goes on in these educracies has little positive effect in the public school classroom.
As many classroom teaching positions have been “downsized” in districts around the state, more than a few state, county, and local EduCrats need to be downsized as well.
Let’s spend the money in the classroom, not in the administrative suites.
2. Classroom teachers who choose to work in tough inner-city schools (and other hard-to-staff campuses) should be given a financial incentive to do so. This could take many forms such as bonuses or tax-credits.
3. There is an urgent need for a statewide competency examination for school administrators. None exists at the moment. All too many times administrative jobs are given-out by well-entrenched district superintendents like so much Halloween candy. A standardized criterion-referenced test would at least give some objective benchmark for the ranking of administrative job applicants. The areas measured could include, but not be limited to: (in no particular order)
a. Teaching methods and strategies.
b. Child psychology
c. Personnel policies and procedures
d. Finance
e. Compliance with state and federal mandates
f. Data analysis
g. Fundamentals of leadership and group dynamics
Jenny DMy Thanks to the Wonks. Get over and check it out, if you have even the vaguest interest in educational policy and practice--get them on your blogroll!!!
Ed Note: Pursuant to a policy on the blog interviews, all comments and responses by the interviewee are posted verbatim. The only editing that is done is to make the links appear and to verify that the links are still active.
Meehan to GOP: Hands off my bill
Yet another example of Congressional Democrats not playing well with others.
Meehan to GOP: Hands off my bill
Meehan to GOP: Hands off my bill
Friday, January 27, 2006
7 myths about the Challenger shuttle disaster - Space News - MSNBC.com
On this, the 20th Anniversary of the Challenger accident, former NASA mission control operator and NBC News analyst James Oberg attempt to lay to rest 7 myths about the Challenger shuttle disaster.
I remember the day of the tragic event. I was in high school history class, Mrs. Osborne's class (a true southern belle if there ever was one). The guy with the reputation of being the class clown came in to class announcing that the Challenger has exploded. Since it was Billy Heuther, our response was typical, "Yeah, sure Billy. That is not even funny." It took an actual announcement from the principal for us to believe the truth of the matter.
The national reaction was expected, a sense of loss, particularly since teacher Christa McAuliffe was one of the astronauts lost in the tragedy. Yet at the same time, I remember thinking, "I hope this doesn't end our exploration of space."
Was the death of the astronauts tragic? Yes. But there is also hope. We as a people and as a race are not very good at sitting still. Space exploration provides a wonderful mechanism for fueling the human spirit. Look at what we accomlished in teh 60's with the challenge to land on the moon. We must honor the past and the loss of the Challenger crew, but we cannot doubt the our committment.
By the way, a little known story, or at least one that seems lost, is that French musician Jean-Michel Jarre had arranged with Astronaut Ron McNair to record a saxophone track on the Challenger mission to be included in Jarre's 1986 CD, Rendez-vous. The track, now know as Last Rendez-vous (Ron's Piece) was recorded by another artist, but had the mission proceeded as planned, McNair's track would have been the first recorded music for sale, recorded in space.
Last Rendez-vous is haunting piece. I will try to spend some time looking for a recording of it on-line.
I remember the day of the tragic event. I was in high school history class, Mrs. Osborne's class (a true southern belle if there ever was one). The guy with the reputation of being the class clown came in to class announcing that the Challenger has exploded. Since it was Billy Heuther, our response was typical, "Yeah, sure Billy. That is not even funny." It took an actual announcement from the principal for us to believe the truth of the matter.
The national reaction was expected, a sense of loss, particularly since teacher Christa McAuliffe was one of the astronauts lost in the tragedy. Yet at the same time, I remember thinking, "I hope this doesn't end our exploration of space."
Was the death of the astronauts tragic? Yes. But there is also hope. We as a people and as a race are not very good at sitting still. Space exploration provides a wonderful mechanism for fueling the human spirit. Look at what we accomlished in teh 60's with the challenge to land on the moon. We must honor the past and the loss of the Challenger crew, but we cannot doubt the our committment.
By the way, a little known story, or at least one that seems lost, is that French musician Jean-Michel Jarre had arranged with Astronaut Ron McNair to record a saxophone track on the Challenger mission to be included in Jarre's 1986 CD, Rendez-vous. The track, now know as Last Rendez-vous (Ron's Piece) was recorded by another artist, but had the mission proceeded as planned, McNair's track would have been the first recorded music for sale, recorded in space.
Last Rendez-vous is haunting piece. I will try to spend some time looking for a recording of it on-line.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Chicagoans flock to Wal-Mart jobs
Talk about tough competition.
The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting on the opening of a new Wal-Mart store in Southside Chicago:
Jobs, jobs, jobs. That is what is about. If Wal-Mart is such a crummy place to work why are there 75 people applying for every single job at the store!! Explain that to me. The fact is, Wal-Mart creates jobs, jobs that people want. This one store will employ 325 people. The downstream economic impact will probably employ a few hundred more people. In all, in addition to the Wal-Mart employees, it is possible that the store will help create at least 325 more jobs.
By the way, when you have 24,500 people competing for 325 jobs, that means only you get an acceptance rate of a little over 1.3%. Want to do some comparison:
Finally, in the "you snooze, you lose Category,"
The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting on the opening of a new Wal-Mart store in Southside Chicago:
24,500 Chicagoans applied for 325 jobs at a Wal-Mart opening Friday in south suburban Evergreen Park, one block outside the city limits.Often it is so hard to measure the impact of a single store on an area, but the Sun-Times, if their figures are accurate, give us a good snapshot.
snip
"In our typical hiring process, you're pretty successful if you have 3,000 applicants," he said. "They were really crowing about 11,000 in Oakland, Calif., last year. So to get 25,000-plus applications and counting, I think is astonishing."
snip
The 141,000-square-foot store has 36 departments, a "tire and lube express," vision center, Subway restaurant, pharmacy, garden center and drugstore. It will sell some groceries but no fresh produce or meats and no liquor. It is expected to generate $1 million in sales and property tax in the first year -- a windfall in a village that collects about $3 million a year in sales taxes, said Evergreen Park Mayor James J. Sexton. Evergreen Plaza, with 100 stores, generates about $2 million.
Jobs, jobs, jobs. That is what is about. If Wal-Mart is such a crummy place to work why are there 75 people applying for every single job at the store!! Explain that to me. The fact is, Wal-Mart creates jobs, jobs that people want. This one store will employ 325 people. The downstream economic impact will probably employ a few hundred more people. In all, in addition to the Wal-Mart employees, it is possible that the store will help create at least 325 more jobs.
By the way, when you have 24,500 people competing for 325 jobs, that means only you get an acceptance rate of a little over 1.3%. Want to do some comparison:
- The U.S. Navy SEALS, the most elite military force in America and possibly the world, accepts 5% of its applicants.
- Harvard University's Undergraduate program accepts 9.1% of its applicants.
- Even MENSA requires that you be in the top 2% on an intelligence test!! Thus, this Wal-Mart store had to be more selective than even MENSA.
Finally, in the "you snooze, you lose Category,"
"I always tell people I'm not for Wal-Mart, but I am for that project coming into the city and to my ward. We can't beat them," said Ald. Howard Brookins Jr. (21st). "The same things they talk about Wal-Mart doing to Small Town U.S.A when they build on the outskirts of town is the same thing they have done to the City of Chicago without fanfare. Nobody distinguishes that if I cross Western Avenue at 95th Street, I am no longer in Chicago. For all practical purposes, Wal-Mart is in the city of Chicago without us receiving any benefit. You're going to see the parking lot filled with cars with Chicago city stickers."When even an anti-Wal-Mart politician laments the loss of tax revenue, Wal-Mart must be doing something right.
Eighteen months ago, Brookins negotiated with Wal-Mart for a store at 83rd and Stewart, former site of the Ryerson steel plant. His plan fell apart when other South Side aldermen failed to support his request for a zoning change. The week before, aldermen gave the go-ahead for a Wal-Mart in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side. The vote came after a contentious 2-1/2-hour debate.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
College Student Literacy
Via Breitbart
According to a story by the AP, college students lack basic skills to do common everyday functions.
Anyway, in defense of everyone out there who cannot compare credit card offers, the comments section in Ms. Cornelius post talks about the inability to discriminate between credit card offers.
According to a story by the AP, college students lack basic skills to do common everyday functions.
More than 50 percent of students at four-year schools and more than 75 percent at two-year colleges lacked the skills to perform complex literacy tasks.In giving her own opinion on the matter, Ms. Cornelius makes this comment:
That means they could not interpret a table about exercise and blood pressure, understand the arguments of newspaper editorials, compare credit card offers with different interest rates and annual fees or summarize results of a survey about parental involvement in school.
The results cut across three types of literacy: analyzing news stories and other prose, understanding documents and having math skills needed for checkbooks or restaurant tips.
"It is kind of disturbing that a lot of folks are graduating with a degree and they're not going to be able to do those things," said Stephane Baldi, the study's director at the American Institutes for Research, a behavioral and social science research organization.
My students and I talk about real-life applications of what we are studying all the time. When we had a lesson on credit and debt, they were spellbound. These kids need practical knowledge.However, the comment that really got my attention was this:
I just sat through a staff development presentation which talked about teaching the kids through their interests. I agree with the general idea, although the day that I play the Black-Eyed Peas in class will be a very cold day in Jamaica. (I don't want to know about anyone's "humps." In fact, I would be so appreciative if you would keep those things covered at all times, before you put someone's eye out.) Anyway, my idea of "teaching thorugh their interests" is "teaching them stuff that they don't know by starting with stuff they do know." (Note my complete lack of educrat-ese doublespeak. It's not because I can't; it's because I don't wanna.) I can talk all day long with kids about Death Cab for Cutie or Keane or coldplay or Audioslave or System of a Down, or even Wilson Pickett (rest in peace) or Jimi Hendrix or the Go-Go's or Bob Marley or the Clash.I can't agree more--well except maybe the Black-Eyed Peas comment--Fergie is smokin!! (although I have to admit, I am not sure of the educational value of my opinion)
But I shouldn't. Not if I want to call myself a teacher.
Too much classroom time is spent on tripe like this-- fun tripe, but tripe nonetheless. Real education is uncomfortable, since it requires one to stretch one's boundaries and be willing to attempt to grasp the unknown. It is difficult. But the difference is, I believe the difficulty makes it valuable. Here's another secret: no one can give a student an education. Education is what YOU, the student, make of the opportunities presented to you.
Anyway, in defense of everyone out there who cannot compare credit card offers, the comments section in Ms. Cornelius post talks about the inability to discriminate between credit card offers.
Reid Apologizes for News Release on GOP
Yep.
Reid Apologizes for News Release on GOP
Posting late--forgot what I was going to say about the matter
Reid Apologizes for News Release on GOP
Posting late--forgot what I was going to say about the matter
Middle America: Washington Scandal--Ho-Hum
Much has been made of the Abramoff scandal, at least in Washington. What is interesting though, is that for the most part, America, outside the beltway, just sees the matter as business as usual.
In this post, from the Mystery Pollster (be sure to check out his site) is a post explaining what I mean.
Be sure to check out the slide in the middle of the post talking about how people view Congress using various terms.
In this post, from the Mystery Pollster (be sure to check out his site) is a post explaining what I mean.
Be sure to check out the slide in the middle of the post talking about how people view Congress using various terms.
Lost in Translation
Today's Washington Post contains a wonderful, and thought provoking story about translators for public schools. While I agreee that sometimes schools need good translators to speak to the parents of children for whom English is a second language, this particular paragraph made me think:
As a lawyer, one of the most common arguments I hear from non-lawyers is that lawyers always speak in "legalese." I will admit, we often do, as many legal concepts common to lawyers are referred to by various terms of art. However, a good lawyer should always--always--be able to discuss legal terms of art with non-lawyers in a way that is understandable to the client in particular and the general public if necessary.
One of the hallmarks of a profession that considers itself on a higher plane than the rest of the world is the formation of a distinct lexicon of words and phrases that may, or may not, mean something specific to the practitioners of that profession. On this score, I have no problems, economy of language allows professionals to speak to each other in a short-hand. But when your primary constituency are not members of your profession, the profesion has a duty to explain these concepts in plain English.
Thus, if the words are in plain English, a translator should have no problems making the transition from plain English to a different language. You may lose some of the context in the shift between languages, but the words can be explained. Every langauge I know of has a word for "test" or "program" or "parents." You don't need fancy terms when speaking to parents, doing so just appears condescending, making hte parents feel stupid and inadequate and thus less likely to question the "professional judgement" of the educator.
Translation is a notoriously difficult task, but in the world of education, which often employs a language all its own, the job can be even more daunting. After all, in education, parents aren't just parents, they're "stakeholders." A test isn't a test -- it's an "outcome-based assessment."I understand the need for translators to work with local school systems. However, why do we have to worry about translating educationese.
snip
To help non-English-speaking parents understand the nuances of the U.S. school system, it's not enough to be fluent in English and say, Farsi. Translators must also understand the meaning of terms and acronyms that some educators have difficulty explaining in English.
Suarez-Orozco said that although the English "paradigm" can be translated into Spanish as paradigma , it's not commonly used. And, he said, when it comes to a word such as "benchmark" there really is no Spanish equivalent.
As a lawyer, one of the most common arguments I hear from non-lawyers is that lawyers always speak in "legalese." I will admit, we often do, as many legal concepts common to lawyers are referred to by various terms of art. However, a good lawyer should always--always--be able to discuss legal terms of art with non-lawyers in a way that is understandable to the client in particular and the general public if necessary.
One of the hallmarks of a profession that considers itself on a higher plane than the rest of the world is the formation of a distinct lexicon of words and phrases that may, or may not, mean something specific to the practitioners of that profession. On this score, I have no problems, economy of language allows professionals to speak to each other in a short-hand. But when your primary constituency are not members of your profession, the profesion has a duty to explain these concepts in plain English.
Thus, if the words are in plain English, a translator should have no problems making the transition from plain English to a different language. You may lose some of the context in the shift between languages, but the words can be explained. Every langauge I know of has a word for "test" or "program" or "parents." You don't need fancy terms when speaking to parents, doing so just appears condescending, making hte parents feel stupid and inadequate and thus less likely to question the "professional judgement" of the educator.
Terrapins Lose McCray for Rest of Season
Being a big Terps fan, this is a little heartbreaking as a sports fan. But as a peson who belives in personal responsibility and the need for an education, this does make me a little proud of my alma mater.
Chris McCray is a good basketball player and has made significant contributions to the Terps basketball team. But if you are going to be a student/athlete, you can't forget the student part.
McCray's mother has been trying to make the case for her son--but she is not the best advocate since there is a little self-interest involved.
Several co-workers made the comment that the basketball team and the athletic department should never have let McCray get into the situation he is in, an argument made by his mother as well.
For far too long, athletic programs have offered their student athletes every break possible, even to the point of improper intervention on some occaisions. Could the basketball program intervened to help McCray? Sure, but they should not do so. Should McCray's mother been on his case to keep up his academics--absolutely. Did she? Well that is the question, but as I said, McCray is a grown up and sometimes the harshest penalties teach the most valuable lessons.
What is disappointing to me is that his teammates now must suffer the consequences of his stupidity. Will Maryland make the NCAA tournament--they still have a shot, a good performance in the ACC tournament will certainly guarantee them a spot. But hopefully McCray's situation will remind them that playing ball for a college on a scholarship is a privilege that comes with some responsibilities. Just because you can dribble with both hands, shoot 35% from the three point line or score touchdowns with ease does not excuse your responsibilities to remain academically eligible.
Chris McCray is a good basketball player and has made significant contributions to the Terps basketball team. But if you are going to be a student/athlete, you can't forget the student part.
McCray's mother has been trying to make the case for her son--but she is not the best advocate since there is a little self-interest involved.
Regarding one course this fall, Shirleeta McCray said her son told her that he e-mailed his assignments to the instructor, who did not accept assignments that were e-mailed in. A source with firsthand knowledge of the situation, however, said class attendance was an issue for the senior.As a former teaching assistant at U-Md, I can say that professors have a great deal of discretion about the form and format in which they will expect assignments to be handed in. Just because one professor allows email submissions doesn't mean others are required to do so.
Several co-workers made the comment that the basketball team and the athletic department should never have let McCray get into the situation he is in, an argument made by his mother as well.
Team sources first indicated there was an issue with McCray's academics nearly a month ago, but Shirleeta McCray said she first learned of the problem last Wednesday, when a Maryland assistant coach called her. She said she was "frustrated" with Maryland because "I could have gone up there three weeks ago when you found out and got this straight."But I don't buy that argument in the least. We are not talking about some freshman straight from high school who needs a little guidance and direction, but a 22 year old senior who has been in college for at least four and probably five years. He is an adult and if he does not fulfill his academic requirements the punishment is, and should be, dismissal from the team.
An athletic department source, however, said she was aware before last week.
snip
"They make sure he goes to practice; they should have made sure his grades and things were straight for him to be eligible," she [McCray's Mother] said. "I'm not only going to fault Chris; I'm going to fault everyone up there. I knew when [former assistant] Dave Dickerson was there, if anything like this would have happened, they would have called me and let me know."
For far too long, athletic programs have offered their student athletes every break possible, even to the point of improper intervention on some occaisions. Could the basketball program intervened to help McCray? Sure, but they should not do so. Should McCray's mother been on his case to keep up his academics--absolutely. Did she? Well that is the question, but as I said, McCray is a grown up and sometimes the harshest penalties teach the most valuable lessons.
What is disappointing to me is that his teammates now must suffer the consequences of his stupidity. Will Maryland make the NCAA tournament--they still have a shot, a good performance in the ACC tournament will certainly guarantee them a spot. But hopefully McCray's situation will remind them that playing ball for a college on a scholarship is a privilege that comes with some responsibilities. Just because you can dribble with both hands, shoot 35% from the three point line or score touchdowns with ease does not excuse your responsibilities to remain academically eligible.
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