We Don’t Need No Education

Calgary student, 13, reprimanded for defending his classmate against a knife-wielding bully

"He didn’t see the knife, but 'I heard the flick, and I heard them say there was a knife.' The rest was just instinct. Briar stepped up to defend his classmate, pushing the knife-wielding bully away. It wasn’t until fourth period everything went haywire. 'I got called to the office and I wasn’t able to leave until the end of the day,' he said. That’s when Leah O’Donnell, Briar’s mother, received a call from the vice-principal. Instead of getting a pat on the back for his bravery, Briar was made to feel as if he had done something terribly wrong. The police were called, the teen filed a statement and his locker was searched." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCalgary student, 13, reprimanded for defending his classmate against a knife-wielding bully

There was a time when kids were taught to respect firearms, not fear them

"Kids today are reprimanded for carving out a gun-shaped pastry or wearing a tee-shirt from the National Rifle Association. But America hasn’t always been so gun-phobic. Check out these pictures of firearm safety, taught in Indiana schools in 1956. By banning gun-shaped Pop-Tarts, are we teaching children to respect a gun’s power or are we only feeding their natural curiosity — curiosity that, without proper education, could be deadly?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThere was a time when kids were taught to respect firearms, not fear them

Cop Who Shot and Killed Unarmed 14-year-old Hiding in Woodshed May Have Used Excessive Force

"A police officer for a Texas school district may have used excessive force in fatally shooting a teenager who fled the scene of a fistfight, a federal judge ruled. 'In violation of NISD police department procedures, Alvarado drew his weapon immediately after exiting the patrol car,' the complaint states. 'With his gun drawn, he rushed through the gate and into the back yard. Within seconds from arriving at the residence, Alvarado shot and killed the unarmed boy hiding in the shed.' The school district attracted national attention last year when a father challenged its program for tracking students with chip-embedded identification badges." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCop Who Shot and Killed Unarmed 14-year-old Hiding in Woodshed May Have Used Excessive Force

Jeffrey Tucker: Is There A Viable Alternative To College?

"We are going to see the emergence of more credible one- and two-year alternatives to college. These programs will combine real work experience with rigorous learning and cost a small fraction of college. It can’t work for some professions like law and medicine, mainly because of government controls and guild-like admissions certifications. But in fields like technology, design, and business, this seems like a great idea. Sound good? I know of two such programs now. These programs smash the paradigm that’s been around since after the Second World War. They are the grass growing up in the sidewalk cracks." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJeffrey Tucker: Is There A Viable Alternative To College?

Fearful Indian schoolchildren refuse free school meals after 22 die, dozens sickened

"India’s state governments run the world’s largest school feeding programme involving 120 million children. Bihar is one of India’s most populated and poorest states. Educators see the scheme as a way to increase school attendance, in a country where almost half of all young children are undernourished. But children often suffer from food poisoning due to poor hygiene in kitchens and occasionally sub-standard food. Authorities have instructed all teachers and cooks in the state to first taste the free lunch before serving to the children. 'We will have to make parents believe that mid-day meals provide nutrition and are not meant to kill students,' said Lakshmanan." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFearful Indian schoolchildren refuse free school meals after 22 die, dozens sickened

San Antonio Public School Officials End RFID Tracking Program

"After a drawn-out battle waged in court and within the community, school officials with the Northside Independent School District have announced their decision to stop using a student tracking program that relied on RFID tracking badges containing tiny chips that produce a radio signal, enabling school officials to track students’ location on school property. Students who refused to take part in the ID program were not able to access essential services like the cafeteria and library, nor would they be able to purchase tickets to extracurricular activities. According to Hernandez, teachers were even requiring students to wear the IDs to use the bathroom." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSan Antonio Public School Officials End RFID Tracking Program

Utah lawmaker calls for an end to compulsory education

"Osmond argues that requiring children to attend school has caused some parents to 'completely disengage themselves from their obligation to oversee and ensure the successful education of their children.' 'I believe the time has come for us to re-evaluate what we expect of parents and the public education system.' Osmond recommends 'restoring the parental right to decide if and when a child will go to public school' to uphold the 'principles of personal freedom and unalienable rights.' Part of the solution, he believes, is to 'stop dictating the number of hours a child must be present in a classroom.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUtah lawmaker calls for an end to compulsory education

Riot in India as ‘poisonous’ school lunch kills 21 children

"Twenty-one children have died after eating a free lunch feared to contain poisonous chemicals at a school in eastern India, officials said Wednesday, sparking angry protests as mobs ran riot. Another 30 children remained ill in hospital after consuming the meal of lentils, vegetables and rice. Free lunches are offered to poorer students in state-run schools as part of government welfare measures in many of India’s 29 states. Educators see the midday meal scheme as a way to increase school attendance. But children often suffer from food poisoning due to poor hygiene in kitchens and occasionally sub-standard food." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRiot in India as ‘poisonous’ school lunch kills 21 children

School board members among 109 New Jerseyans faking income for free school meal program

"New Jersey state Comptroller Matthew Boxer announced on Wednesday that 109 public employees, spouses and family members will be prosecuted on fraud charges after a state investigation found they lied about their incomes to qualify for a free school lunch program. Boxer did not identify the employees, but mentioned that 40 of them worked for school districts, including six board members. The 109 cheaters hid a combined $13 million in underreported income to claim their children qualified for participation in the National School Lunch Program, which offers free or discounted breakfasts and lunches for children from lower-income families." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSchool board members among 109 New Jerseyans faking income for free school meal program

Most Expensive Colleges In America

"It's common knowledge that college costs are on the rise. But you may be surprised to know that some schools currently charge over $60,000 to educate a student for just one year. A list recently released by the Department of Education charts the highest tuition in the country. Unfortunately, the tuition numbers used in the rankings are two years old, and fail to show the contemporary college landscape." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMost Expensive Colleges In America