Over two-thirds of Americans support increased public funding for universal preschool programs, though experts find little evidence that this education policy works, The Daily Caller reports. A new poll found that 70 percent of respondents supported or strongly supported a deficit-neutral plan to fund universal preschool through a 94 percent increase on cigarette taxes. And although President Obama is the chief proponent of such a policy, 60 percent of Republicans support it, according to the poll. The poll’s authors concluded that voters were Americans were highly supportive of immediate legislative action on universal preschool…
…Read MorePodcast Series: Innovations in Education
Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
Federal Judge: School can censor student display of American flag
A federal court has ruled that school administrators had the right to order California high school students to remove displays of the American flag from their clothing on Cinco De Mayo, the Daily Caller reports. Basing his decision on a concern that violence could result from the display of the American flag on the Mexican holiday, California District Judge James Ware ruled that administrators’ actions to censor the students did not violate the so-called Tinker standard, which protects students’ freedom of speech. On May 5, 2010, administrators at Live Oak High School told students that if they didn’t turn their American flag-bearing shirts inside-out, they would be sent home for wearing what the school considered to be “incendiary” clothing…
…Read MoreWhite House promises, then retracts, 400,000 teachers
When is 400,000 not 400,000? When the president is on the campaign-trail, of course, says the Daily Caller. The 400,000 number is included in a Tuesday White House report titled “Teacher Jobs at Risk.” It was released a few hours before President Barack Obama was scheduled to use a campaign trail speech in Texas to demand GOP support for his $447 billion “American Jobs Act” stimulus-bill. But administration officials quickly backtracked on the 400,000 number once they were quizzed by reporters during the press conference. The money would only support 400,000 teachers for one year, leaving state and local government to pick up the tab every subsequent year, admitted Katharine Abraham, a member of Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers…
…Read MoreNYC ordered to release teacher performance data
A New York state appellate court has ruled New York City must release reports that measure public school teachers’ effect on their student test scores—complete with the teachers’ names, reports the Wall Street Journal. In a blow to the city’s teachers union, the court ruled Thursday that teachers’ names did not fall within six exemptions that protect personal privacy under the law. Media organizations, including the Wall Street Journal, had requested the data; the union sued to prevent its release…
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