Donald Trump never mentioned public schools in his State of the Union Address, though February 23-27 was designated to celebrate them. A good President would have tipped their hat to the 3.8 million teachers who take up the challenge of teaching most of America’s students in their public schools. Instead, Trump, who has always appeared […]
A New National Reading Panel? It Depends
… I believed that because of its weaknesses, the report was dangerous in its potential for misuse. ~ Joanne Yatvin, from Education Week (2003). Educator, former president of the National Council of Teachers of English, and member of the National Reading Panel (1997-2000). In 2021, I advocated for a New National Reading Panel (NRP). It […]
Will School Choice Destroy Athletics as We Know It?
Americans love sports, but what happens to athletic programs when democratic public schools close? Privatizing public education, so-called school choice, means drastic changes, as school officials grapple with the effects of school choice legislation. Communities rally behind high school football in the fall, basketball during the winter, and track and field in the spring. Public […]
How to Teach Authentic Christianity in Public Schools
Love your neighbor as yourself. ~Mark 12: 31, the second greatest commandment. Our strength comes from our own immigrant heritage and our capacity to welcome those from other lands. ~President Ronald Reagan Across the country, emboldened by the Trump administration and groups like the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025, attempts to push religion into public […]
McMahon’s Troubling School Patriotism Fails to Address The Needs of Children
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. ~Martin Luther King Jr. Traveling across the country, Education Secretary Linda McMahon is promoting patriotism and “History Rocks,” her religious civics […]
Three Overlooked Reasons Why Children Struggle with Reading
Three overlooked reasons for children’s struggles to read and low test scores include: Unreasonable Expectations, Disabilities and Inclusion, and Fast-Tracking Teachers. Unreasonable Expectations Kindergarten has changed over the years. Instead of a half day, it’s a full day. Pressure to read has increased. Some children might show up reading, but it doesn’t mean that all […]
Wanted! Presidents/Leaders Who Protect ALL Children!
The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality. ~James Baldwin A litmus test for a U.S. President and leadership is caring for America’s kids and children worldwide. A deciding question when […]
High Expectations and High Standards: The Chatter is Nothing New!
For Americans who care about their public schools and have watched them poked at over the years like an abused dog in a cage, Idrees Kahloon’s piece in The Atlantic, “America is Sliding Toward Illiteracy,” is one more painful read among many. This chatter is nothing new. It’s a worn-out rerun, demeaning to teachers, parents, […]
The Elimination of the Professional Status of America’s Helpers!
On this Thanksgiving, please remember the professionals who lift us throughout our lives. The helpers in the caring professions, nurses, teachers, counselors, speech-language pathologists, and many others (see below), irreplaceable by AI, find themselves in danger of losing their professional status. Donald Trump talks about bringing in foreign workers, while his administration is slighting those who […]
The So-Called Science of Reading’s New Focus on Babies
At the Thomas B. Fordham Wonk-a-Thon, where they ask what should happen next, Elliot Regenstein, a lawyer, states that The science of reading doesn’t start with kindergarten—it starts at birth. Fordham should look in the rearview mirror at the consequences of forcing young children to read before they’re ready, as NCLB and Common Core both […]