Assistant provost, or ad hoc class observer
When I wrote a few weeks ago about the dangers of ad hoc investigations of student complaints, I didn’t know that I would have a specific case from Brandeis to illustrate my concerns. Accordingto the IHE article, an assistant provost is sitting in on Donald Hindley’s political science class (or maybe classes) after students complained […]
The Bloomberg-Klein attack on Diane Ravitch
The key clause from Diane Ravitch’s reflections on the smear campaign aimed at her recently: … if they could silence me, I would serve as an example to anyone else who criticized them. Ravitch is is right: as a well-known, respected, and outspoken critic, she is the safest of Klein’s critics. A visible attack on […]
Stunning defeat for vouchers in Utah
In one of the most conservative states in the country, with about half of the precincts reporting, it looks like Utah voters are rejecting a statewide voucher plan by a 2-1 margin. There are several small counties that have not yet begun reporting, but thus far, I don’t see a single county with more votes in […]
What not to do on pay-for-performance
A new report on pay-for-performance plans (by Joan Baratz-Snowden) was released by the Center on American Progress, and if you strip out all the political and other analysis, here’s the gist of the report: We know what not to do on pay for performance. That’s important: I’m glad to see my state described as the […]
Hug Threat Level: Orange
By Sherman Dorn on November 7, 2007
In Mascoutah, Illinois, Megan Coulter was suspended for hugging a friend. In Taiwan, meanwhile, the military quickly suspended its new program begun October 1 to welcome new soldiers with a hug. Hugging is dangerous stuff, whether in the military or in schools. Apart from the documented threat that teenaged huggers will spread dangerous diseases such as […]
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