Maryland county school board to own all students’ work with copyright policy

"A county school board in Maryland has proposed a copyright policy that would allow it to take ownership of all work produced by students and faculty — even work created off campus during personal time. A Prince George’s County Board of Education proposal obtained by WTOP says that 'any works' created by students or employees 'are properties of the Board of Education even if created on the employee’s or student’s time and with the use of their materials.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingMaryland county school board to own all students’ work with copyright policy

Idaho lawmaker’s bill forces students to pass ‘Atlas Shrugged’ test to graduate

"The chairman of the Idaho Senate’s Education Committee says that he introduced a bill to require all students to read Ayn Rand’s 'Atlas Shrugged' because the book 'made my son a Republican.' State Sen. John Goedde (R) introduced the bill in committee on Tuesday to mandate that each student pass a test on the novel before they are able to graduate from high school, according to The Spokesman-Review." Continue reading

Continue ReadingIdaho lawmaker’s bill forces students to pass ‘Atlas Shrugged’ test to graduate

Columbia-Juilliard Student (and Award Winning Musician) Committed for 30 Days After Cursing at Professor

"After cursing at a professor during a Spanish final, former Columbia-Juilliard student Oren Ungerleider was involuntarily committed to St. Luke’s Hospital and kept there against his will for 30 days, according to a lawsuit he filed against the University this month. When he arrived at St. Luke’s, Ungerleider was interviewed by a series of psychiatrists, and he refused to answer their questions, the complaint says. When he tried to leave, three doctors tackled him and forcibly injected him with the drug Haldol. Doctors medicated him against his will and kept him in containment, it says." Continue reading

Continue ReadingColumbia-Juilliard Student (and Award Winning Musician) Committed for 30 Days After Cursing at Professor

Well Educated Young Spaniards Move Back In With Parents

"Nationwide, more than half of people under 25 can't find jobs, while in Andalusia the figure is higher than 62 percent. Those who are a little older -- around 30 and well educated -- are seeing their lifelong dreams turn into failures. Many are forced to do what García and Vivar have done. The two grown men gave up their apartments and moved back into their parents' homes, because they were no longer making enough money. According to figures by the European Union statistics agency Eurostat, 37.8 percent of Spaniards under 35 are now living with their parents." Continue reading

Continue ReadingWell Educated Young Spaniards Move Back In With Parents

6 year old expelled over toy gun allowed back into school

"A 6-year-old South Carolina girl will be allowed back in school after being expelled early in January for bringing a toy gun for 'show and tell,' school officials said Thursday. Naomi McKinney was expelled from Alice Drive Elementary in Sumter, S.C. on Jan. 7, according to a Wednesday report WLTX-TV. Her father Hank objected to the decision as well, saying that pencils are more dangerous than the clear, plastic water gun Naomi brought to school. 'I know there is a lot going on with guns and schools and that is tragic, but a six year old bringing a toy to school doesn’t know better,' he said." Continue reading

Continue Reading6 year old expelled over toy gun allowed back into school

Head Start finally gets tested — and flunks

"The federal government spent more than $7.9 billion on the program in 2012 alone to provide preschool services for nearly 1 million low-income Americans. There's just one problem: It doesn't work. As the 2010 Head Start Impact Study report notes, 'the benefits of access to Head Start at age four are largely absent by 1st grade for the program population as a whole.' Specifically, the language, literacy, math and school performance skills of the Head Start children all failed to improve. Since 1965, the federal government has spent $180 billion on Head Start." Continue reading

Continue ReadingHead Start finally gets tested — and flunks

Republican lawmaker’s bill mandates NRA gun training for Missouri first graders

"State Sen. Dan Brown on Tuesday told the Senate General Laws Committee that his bill bringing the NRA’s Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program to every elementary school was an effort to teach children how to react if they encounter an unsecured firearm. Brown had first introduced the bill one day before 20 students were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Some Missouri schools already use the NRA program, but Brown aims to make it a universal requirement." Continue reading

Continue ReadingRepublican lawmaker’s bill mandates NRA gun training for Missouri first graders

Cops lock down Bronx elementary school after gun rumor sparked by talk about toy

"A Bronx school went into lockdown this morning after a campus aide overheard a student talking about his gun -- a toy gun it turned out, officials said. The lockdown was called off after an hour and no weapon was found at PS 4, on Fulton Avenue and East 174th Street, officials said. School officials didn’t want to take any chances so they closed down campus, as heavily armed police swarmed PS 4 to search for that student. 'It's nerve racking. There are police officers here with assault rifles and there are helicopters flying around. It's really scary out here.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingCops lock down Bronx elementary school after gun rumor sparked by talk about toy

High School To Collect Students’ Hair For Mandatory Drug Testing

"A Kansas City high school will begin collecting hair from students to conduct mandatory drug tests. KHSB-TV reports that Rockhurst High School will start the random drug testing during the 2013-14 school year. The school will collect 60 strands of hair from the student and test for several types of drugs, including marijuana and cocaine. If a student comes back with a positive drug test, that student will have 90 days to get drug-free." Continue reading

Continue ReadingHigh School To Collect Students’ Hair For Mandatory Drug Testing

Woman accuses NYPD of handcuffing 7-year-old son for 10 hours

"A New York City woman has threatened to sue the local police department for $250 million for allegedly handcuffing her 7-year-old son and accusing him of beating up another child over $5. According to Frances Mendez, she found her son, Wilson Reyes, cuffed to a wall at 14th Precinct headquarters, after being mistakenly accused of stealing the money. Mendez’s lawyer said in a statement on Monday that the incident occurred last month, when police took the boy out of class and held him in a room at his school for four hours before taking him to the precinct for another six hours, questioning him and charging him with robbery." Continue reading

Continue ReadingWoman accuses NYPD of handcuffing 7-year-old son for 10 hours