Education: Quality or Quantity?

Arne Duncan, who is the new secretary of education, has some unconventional ideas about education. The one that strikes me most is his idea of extended the school year. This takes me to another discussion of quantity over quality.

The fact that Mr. Duncan makes such a suggestion illustrates his own ignorance of the education system. (Here's an idea: Why don't we hire a teacher for the nation's top education post?) America's students are not lazy, they are simply unprepared for the real-world. My first suggestion to Secretary Duncan would be to scuttle No Child Left Behind. It simply punishes schools for doing poorly. How can you expect anyone to do better if you keep sanctioning them? Instead of taking away money from school districts with low socioeconomic strata, let's infuse them with money so they can hire and retain more and better teachers, invest in technology and modern infrastructure.

By adding ten or twenty days to the school calendar you are doing nothing to address the underlying causes of why our school system is failing.

The wisdom of age

As I become another thirtysomething, I am often reminded of what I have come to term my youth. You know, those years between 18 and 29. They are full of regret, of course, but my life has not been all that bad. I remember turning 20. That was a hard year for me. I know that 30 will be even harder, even though I have resolved to focus on living in the present rather than the past. I have ten more years (hopefully) before I enter a full blown mid-life crisis.

John McCain Disagrees with Obama

It's too bad for John McCain that no one cares what he has to say about how Barack Obama is doing as president of the United States. I think Senator McCain needs to accept the fact that he lost the presidency.

Utter Shock

Players in Major League Baseball use performance-enhancing drugs. I am totally shocked!

Like chewing tobacco used to be, steroids are commonplace among major league athletes. Either get over it or move on.

Throwing shoes

If you throw shoes--at either George W. Bush or the premier of China--make sure they are good shoes!

Johanna Sigurdardottir

Today, Iceland installed a new head of government. She happens to be openly gay, too. This goes a long way to show that everyone can be included in government!