Teacher Magazine: Students and Community

May 18, 2008

Students and Community

Administrators in some Oklahoma school districts find balancing student transportation and classroom needs difficult. (May 12, 2008, AP)

School Districts to Face NCLB Sanctions

Facing a possible shortage of as many as 100,000 qualified teachers in the next decade, California contemplates how to turn around failing districts. (May 12, 2008, AP)

Facebook Adds Safeguards for Users

Facebook will add more than 40 new safety measures to protect young users from sexual predators and cyberbullies. (May 8, 2008, AP)

Reframing Bullying in Middle Schools

A middle school principal confronts bullying with tolerance. (April 23, 2008)

Bible Giveaway Unconstitutional

A federal judge finds a Louisiana public school violated the Constitution’s separation of church and state when it allowed an in-school Bible giveaway. (April 23, 2008, AP)

Teaching Better Together

Third-year teacher Sarah Henchey recalls how a learning-community project enriched her entry into the profession. Add your comments at the end of the story. (April 16, 2008)

Teacher Protected From Battery Charges

An Indiana judge rules that a teacher accused of slapping a student is protected under the state’s corporal punishment laws. (April 17, 2008, AP)

Okla. Bill Grants Students More Religious Freedom

The Oklahoma Senate has passed a bill that allows students to organize and express their religious viewpoints before, during, and after school. (April 17, 2008, AP)

D.C. Schools to Offer 700 Buyouts

The Washington, D.C. school system will offer buyouts to teachers nearing retirement or working at 50 schools to close or reorganize. (April 11, 2008, AP)

Lean Education

Manufacturing models are a poor fit for education, since they fail to take into account the diversity of students and circumstances, writes Kim McClung. Add your comments at the end of the story. (April 9, 2008)

Va. Mandates Internet Safety Classes

By implementing mandatory Internet safety classes, Virginia paves the way for other states to do the same. (April 7, 2008, AP)

Student Sues over Religious Drawing

A Wisconsin high school student alleges his art teacher censored his drawing because it featured a cross and a biblical quote. (April 4, 2008, AP)

Paris Police Detain Student Protestors

Protesting teacher job cuts, high school students demonstrate across France disrupting 100 schools. (April 4, 2008, AP)

H.S. Dropout Rates a “Catastrophe”

Seventeen of the nation’s largest cities have graduation rates lower than 50 percent, according to a report released today. (April 1, 2008, AP)

Third Graders Plan Attack on Teacher

Nine 3rd graders in south Georgia brought weapons to school, allegedly plotting to attack their teacher. (April 2, 2008, AP)

Neb. Grapples with Assessment Standards

The state Legislature considers whether to make standardized tests the only measure of academic success. (March 31, 2008, AP)

New Texas Curriculum Under Fire

The Texas State Board of Education makes some concessions after teachers criticize a new English and reading curriculum for its rigidity. (March 28, 2008, AP)

Calif. Revisits Home Schooling

A California appeals court reconsiders its ruling requiring parents who home school to hold teaching credentials. (March 27, 2008, AP)

Calif. Targets Teacher Sex Abuse Loopholes

The state approved legislation allowing the automatic suspension of teacher credentials for those convicted of sex offenses in another state. (March 27, 2008, AP)

The Power of Parent-Teacher Relations

For one teacher, reaching out to parents is the key to reaching students. (March 26, 2008)

Increased Student Violence Prompts Action

Chicago public school officials, city officials, and local police take several measures in response to a sharp spike in student killings. (March 26, 2008, AP)

School Labels Affect Morale

Massachusetts searches for gentler euphemisms to describe failing schools after educators complain. (March 24, 2008, AP)

Are We Smarter Than a (Russian) 4th Grader?

Questioning the value of international data comparisons, Nancy Flanagan says there needs to be less number crunching and more concrete solutions to address the ills of the American education system. Add your comments at the end of the story. (March 12, 2008)

Are Teachers Ready for 21st Century Learning?

Members of a TLN e-mail discussion group explore whether teachers have embraced technology in their lives and their practice. Add your comments at the end of the story. (March 5, 2008)

Living History

An educator strives to create education opportunity by reopening the school where Brown v. Board of Education originated. (March 3, 2008)