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Featured Education News August 2016

By August 28, 2016Featured, What's New

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Five Questions New Teachers Should Ask (and Schools Should Be Able to Answer) – By Cristie Watson

My first year as a teacher began with a three-day new-teacher training that was essentially an Education 101 crash course. It included tips on writing lesson plans, how to use a K-W-L (Know, Want to Know, Learned) chart and “thinking maps,” and the completion of intimidating forms marking my official transition to adulthood—the W-2, a medical release, and even a life insurance policy. Overwhelmed, my head spun with questions: “When will I see my classroom? What happens if I get sick? When do I get paid?” Remembering my initial frustrations, I try to welcome new staff members by meeting their…


Laying the Groundwork for the #1st5days – By Starr Sackstein

August is a turning point in the summer. Generally, July is a relax and not-think-about-school month, (excluding conferences and writing, but usually not working specifically on school), where I decompress and give myself time.


Walking in a Student’s Shoes (Video) – By Carmen Rojas

This spring, more than 1,300 school leaders from all 50 states and over 26 countries participated in the first Shadow a Student Challenge. The idea comes from a partnership between the Institute of Design at Stanford University and IDEO, a leading design firm that also works with schools.


Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum: The Latest in Transanity – By Dr Brown

From trans-specific pronouns to no more “boys and girls,” Dr. Brown confronts the latest social madness in our children’s schools.


Supreme Court Blocks School Girl from Using Boys Room – By The Report Card

The U.S. Supreme Court surprised some observers by stepping in the middle of a bathroom battle involving a transgender teen in Virginia, with an emergency order to keep him out of the boys’ room at his high school.


Supreme Court Blocks Transgender Bathroom Ruling – By Liberty Counsel

The U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-3 ruling blocked the federal court of appeals decision on the so-called transgender bathroom decision. In G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the federal law known as Title IX should be interpreted to include “gender identity” and thus that court ruled that a girl who wants to identify as a boy should be able to use the boy’s restroom.


U.S. Judge Grants Nationwide Injunction to Halt Obama Transgender Policy – By Jon Herskovitz

(Reuters) – A U.S. judge blocked an Obama administration policy that public schools should allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice, granting a nationwide injunction sought by 13 dissenting states just in time for the new school year.


ALEC, ISTA and Indiana – By Larry Sand

The American Legislative Exchange Council is an organization of state legislators, business leaders and other concerned Americans dedicated to the principles of limited government, free markets and federalism. In the education sphere, ALEC holds that parents should be in charge of their children’s education by allowing them to have choices – charter schools, voucher programs, tax credit scholarships, education savings accounts, etc. – that would “allow each child the opportunity to reach his or her potential.” Furthermore, ALEC believes that workers should not be subjected to forced unionism.


Public Schools Visiting the Ark Encounter? – By Mark Looy

The atheists are on the rampage again, and this time their target is our just-opened Ark Encounter in Northern Kentucky. As the Ark grows in popularity, the attacks will only intensify.


California Wants to Remove Judeo-Christian Contribution From History Texts – By The Report Card

A group of California educators, school board members, and university professors is pushing back on proposed statewide curriculum revisions they say introduce “historical inaccuracies, censorship, and bias.”


California School Backs Down and Will Allow Elementary Student to Share Bible Verses – By Liberty Counsel

Just in time for back to school, the Palmdale School District has backed away from censoring a first grader’s constitutional rights to share Bible verses with his classmates at Desert Rose Elementary School.


Satanist Group Has No Right to Disrupt School – By Liberty Counsel

An atheist group masquerading as a so-called Satanic Temple recently made news when it stated it planned to petition school officials to allow its purported club on campus after school beginning with this upcoming academic year. The group states it intends to target the schools in districts where Good News Clubs meet after school. Good News Clubs, which are sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), require parental permission for children to attend.