Anyone around schools has seen the desperate lengths to which educators and parents are now going attempting to maintain programs, both academic and extra-curricular.
While at the Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action last weekend, I encountered a woman who had had a biting letter published in a local newspaper. I have her permission to publish it in its entirety, which I will do. We cannot, however, link to or in any way directly reference the publication in which it appeared. I do want to offer that publication kudoes for having the courage to print the letter, which I now present to you:
Thinking outside the box
The problem with school financing is that we haven't gotten creative enough. While in college, my son earned $100 each month by donating plasma. If a bloodmobile could be deployed monthly to each public school, its staff could pump in an extra $30,000 to $40,000 annually. ["Senate approves budget with big cuts to education," NWTuesday, April 19.]
For "frills" like music, art and PE, we would need to be more creative. Establishing a Teacher Organ Program (T.O.P.) could be a win-win.
Here's how: For every organ a teacher donates, wealthy philanthropists interested in education reform make a tax-deductible donation to the school.
Just picture - smiling teachers in hospital gowns with their principals displaying $50,000 checks while thankful recipients of a lifesaving kidney look on. This would give "Race to the T.O.P." a whole new meaning!
With moves the Legislature is making, principals could utilize organ harvesting as a viable funding stream into the foreseeable future. Without due process, a principal could rate a few veteran teachers unsatisfactory, moving them to the top of the layoff list. This would make room for new teachers who still had both kidneys intact!
While I realize this proposal wouldn't address the entire shortfall, in today's climate, it feels like the type of out-of-the-box thinking that just might fly.
...perhaps you will enjoy the contents of the following email from Bill Bigelow of Rethinking Schools:
Dear Rethinking Schools friends,
Monday's New York Times reports that Scholastic, Inc. has dramatically revised its practice of partnering with corporations to produce curriculum it distributes to teachers.
In May, after a Rethinking Schools article critiquing its pro-coal "The United States of Energy" curriculum, and an effort led by Rethinking Schools and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Scholastic pulled the curriculum from its website and admitted that it had erred when it partnered with the American Coal Foundation. But it failed to end its "InSchool Marketing" program, and even continued to distribute biased curriculum like "Shedding Light on Energy," which it produced for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st Century Energy.
...A DEMOCRATIC CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS TRYING TO HELP POOR KIDS FROM BEING RIPPED OFF BY THE SYSTEM; AND ONCE AGAIN, A TOP DEMOCRATIC OFFICIAL IS SUING TO STOP HIM!
by Paul Goldman (DPVA chair, 1990-1993)
What do the first African-American Governor and the first African-American President now have in common? Let me explain how it may look to strong backers of both men. I have seen this up close; perception is important in politics, particularly today when turnout is so important in close elections. Anyone who thinks this kind of perception can't grow is wrong, especially in today's climate, where the polls show huge cynicism about politics on all sides.
"They've decided that total war is the way to go" the Huffington Post reports, quoting a college association official on the lawsuit that Democratic Party Chair Brian Moran's lobbying organization has filed against the Obama Administration.
No, this isn't an SNL skit, but it will be part of a Republican press release at some point. We know the Virginia GOP is cheering him, since Republicans have attacked President Obama for the same thing.
Let's be clear what's at stake here: The President is trying to protect students, African-Americans, veterans, and single moms from being ripped off by practices the NAACP has said "ruin students' lives," as well as poor African-American communities. Brian Moran's clients disagree with this assessment.
Jonathan Kozol is a distinguished author and educator. In this blog post by Anthony Cody, he participates in a conversation you ALL should read. Let me offer this to whet your appetite. Anthony asks "Why have you decided to participate in the Save Our Schools March on July 30th?". Here is Kozol's answer:
-I'll be in Washington for S.O.S. because I'm sick of begging members of the Senate, even those among them who have been my friends for years, to move two inches in the right direction. I'm tired of complaining. And I'm too old to bite my tongue and mute my words out of politeness and respectfulness for politicians who tell me in private that they share my views about the practices and policies that demean our teachers and threaten the survival of our public schools, but then refuse to stand up and denounce these policies in public.
The following letter was sent to Brian Moran on July 12, 2011, by former Director of Nursing Betty G. Kenley and her husband, Dr. James B. Kenley. The letter references this Richmond Times-Dispatch story, in which DPVA chair/for-profit "college" industry head Brian Moran claims: that public schools are heavily subsidized, while a for-profit school "pays taxes" (putting for-profits at an unfair advantage, apparently); that students at public schools are more interested in "various and sundry other activities" than specifically in getting an education; and that for-profits are at a disadvantage because they don't have "'wonderful sports teams like Virginia Tech and U.Va.' to attract students." Yes, this guy really is the head of the Democratic Party of Virginia. Hey, don't blame me, I didn't support him! Anyway, with that, enjoy the letter (bolding added by me for emphasis).
The Honorable Brian J. Moran
Chair, Democratic Party of Virginia
Dear Mr. Moran
It is embarrassing to us that our Chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia appears so ill informed about a serious problem and supports the continuation of some schools that do not meet minimum Virginia nursing standards. "Schools Are Under Scrutiny" in the Richmond Times Dispatch on Sunday, June 26, 2011 is the article we reference.
You spoke as a Democratic Leader. From the article it sounds like most members of the Democratic Party support this view. We caution you in this assumption. Many nurses are democrats and care about the quality of their profession. We believe you may have implied that the Democratic Party supports nursing schools who repeatedly fail to meet the state regulations. Is this a democratic value?
We found your remarks appalling. State colleges do not make profits and therefore can charge less. Furthermore, the University of Virginia receives 6.3% of its budget from the state general fund and most people would not consider that the university is "heavily subsidized" as you stated.
Your remarks centered on cost and we would urge you to become more knowledgeable of the educational programs. Your lack of knowledge about nursing was evident. Value is a function of quality and cost. We have attended the Board of Nursing hearings, which are open to the public, regarding some of these nursing schools. It is shocking. Many lack stable faculty, in addition some lack equipment and supplies. The percentage of graduates passing the licensing exam is low and unacceptable since the minimum standard is 80%. Would you choose these graduates to care for you or your family? As consumers of health care we are concerned about the quality of our graduate nurses in Virginia and hope that you would be too.
We urge you to spend a day at one of these hearings and experience the dedication of these nurses in maintaining standards that were established in order to protect the public.
Sincerely,
Betty G. Kenley, MSN - Director of Nursing, Retired
James B Kenley, MD MPH
P.S. As a Virginia Democratic friend of mine put it, this letter and the comments by Brian Moran in the Richmond Times-Dispatch article "prove that it is untenable for Brian Moran to hold these two jobs simultaneously, and he needs to resign from one or the other immediately." In addition, "By speaking out in this way in Richmond's leading newspaper, he is engaging in what amounts to lobbying the many members of the RTD audience who are part of the Virginia government, thereby violating the spirit if not the letter of the Virginia law that says that the head of a Virginia political party cannot be a lobbyist."
Now that the Richmond School Board/Richmond Public Schools have corrected their numbers, it turns out that the SAT "Mean District Score" for the Richmond Public School District has dropped from 954 for reading and math (combined) before, to 820 (also combined) after the change (Also note: Keep in mind that most Richmond public school seniors don't take the SATs, just the ones who think they can go to college, thus skewing the scores higher than they otherwise would be).
This could prove to be a seminal moment in the effort to improve Richmond Public schools. The decision to go from 954 to 820 appears to be one of the results of the recent School Board/RPS Administration annual retreat. They apparently realized that RTD columnist Michael Paul Williams and Delegate Joe Morrissey were trying to help them, not hurt them.
As we know, the School Board/RPS Administration had been insisting for years in counting the Maggie Walker Regional School SATs as part of the Richmond School Division SAT scores. Richmond resident John Butcher, aka crankytaxpayer.org, has been pointing out this situation for years.
To paraphrase Mr. Williams, the use of Maggie Walker SAT numbers was an "obvious" mistake that couldn't stand up to scrutiny, once exposed to the light of day by Mark Holmberg, WTVR ace reporter, and further revealed by RTD reporters Will Jones and Jeremy Slayton.
The School Board and the Superintendent made the right decision here.
So, which would you prefer as your Attorney General: 1) a science-denying, homophobic, lawsuit-crazy, far-right-wing extremist, ideological hack like Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli; or 2) someone who focuses on real issues like the following?
Jack Conway, the attorney general of Kentucky, is leading a national inquiry into the practices of for-profit colleges.
[...]
As chairman of a committee of state attorneys general reviewing the industry, I can say that our bipartisan group is interested in violations of state consumer protection statutes. The federal government must answer for why funds to the industry continue to expand, with increased defaults and little accountability.
Recent evidence has uncovered aggressive recruiting tactics designed to pressure students into enrolling, with one investigation indicating that for-profit recruiters are taught a series of questions called the "pain funnel" to entice students into signing. These are the kinds of abuses that attorneys general are uniquely positioned to investigate and stop.
Read that last sentence again, then ask yourself: why is Ken Cuccinelli wasting his time, and taxpayer money, on his politically-driven witchhunts, instead of cracking down on real problems like the egregious for-profit "education" industry (or, perhaps, the despicable Massey Energy, which is headquartered in Richmond)? Again, wouldn't you rather have a real Attorney General instead of the embarrassment we've got here in Virginia? I know I would.
"A mind is a terrible thing to waste" is what the United Negro College Fund has been saying for years. Except, apparently, if you are a kid from a family with very modest incomes in Richmond.
By Paul Goldman
Why did the RTD leadership throw its top columnist - Michael Paul Williams - under the bus this morning? As we say in the South, if it talks like a duck, walks like a duck, and ducks like a duck, then...well, you be the judge. I report, you decide, as Mr. Ailes might say.
The Richmond school system needs to stop perpetuating the charade that its ranks include the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School. On its website..., [the] Richmond school district also use[s] the 2009-10 SAT results for the school at Lombardy and Leigh streets in calculating its district mean scores...[This] is misleading, disingenuous and wrong. The school district should immediately place an asterisk by Maggie Walker and note that it is a regional school. And Walker's scores should not be used in calculating the school district's mean score." [Emphasis added].
In fact, the true mean SAT scores in Richmond would be several hundred points LOWER if the politicians and their appointees had to tell the truth and not claim the achievements of students they don't teach -- in a school they don't run, no less. Indeed, they're counting the scores of students WHO CAN'T EVEN ATTEND A RICHMOND CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL, because they live don't live in Richmond!
How big is this difference between the true SAT mean score and the phony one?
Historically, the education issue, not the jobs issue, has been the big winner for Democrats running statewide in Virginia. Is 2013 shaping up the same way? Yes it is: in 2013, education is going to be Job #1 her in Virginia.
Why? Here is my calculation. In 2012, three things can happen to set up the 2013 GUV race.
(1) Jobs don't come back and the President loses in 2012. Very bad news for Democrats, setting up the Republicans to get credit for making the economy turn around in 2013. Fair or unfair, the guy in the White House takes the hit, goes with the territory.
(2) Jobs come back, both the national GOP and the President get credit, as does Governor McDonnell. This may also be unfair, but the President will have cut some deals to get legislation, etc. and thus he is helped by staying bipartisan through 2012.
(3) Jobs don't come back, but the President wins anyway.
All three scenarios in terms of the jobs issue play to the advantage of VA Republicans in 2013. If the economy and jobs come back, then things look good in Virginia, McDonnell's image goes up, and we are in a Robb/Allen/Warner situation: where the approval rating of a Governor of one party elected to replace the previous Governor of another party is high. This leads voters to give the Governor a "second term" by electing his hand-picked choice. So, a jobs comeback - which we badly need, regardless - helps Democrats in 2012 and Republicans in 2013.
But if the jobs don't come back, the Democrats will take the blame since we control the White House through 2012 at least. Even if Obama loses, the public will still blame him as they still blame Bush (which is one reason Obama wins next year even the unemployment rate is high).
PolitiFact.com brags about its fearless Truth-O-Meter, saying it was created to ensure an honest discussion of the top issues facing the Commonwealth. Well, according to our leading local/state elected and appointed officials, there is nothing ore important to this Commonwealth's future than the education of our children.
Yet, PolitiFact.com refuses to touch arguably the biggest untruth told in Virginia politics, one that especially burdens the state's most vulnerable citizens. Why is the Truth-O-Meter turned off for this issue?
"A Virginia high school diploma tells admission officers at colleges, universities, and career and technical schools that the bearer is ready for the rigors of post-secondary education."
Our leaders have spent and are spending $hundreds of millions of dollars to produce statistics to prove this claim. Is there any crueler action by government against a child than misleading her or she about the true nature of their education?
"Diploma to Nowhere" was the title of the Gates-funded study. According to this report:
"A high school degree no longer demonstrates that a graduate is college ready."
The folks at PolitiFact.com can continue to play "gotcha" with any candidate of any party for any office in Virginia. But if they truly want to improve Virginia, then they need to use their Pulitzer Prize credentials to explain why our top officials at the local and state level continue to claim something about such a fundamental issue that is simply not true (and they know it).
Yesterday, my Facebook status ran: If you want a potent reminder about how all politics is local, just get involved in your local school board race.
That is more true than ever this morning.
School board races are, to my mind, the most overlooked political races on the election calendar, but often the most contentious, the most personal, and the most intense. Here in Fairfax County, we don't have primaries to get party endorsement, preferring the facade that school board races are "non-partisan." What this really means is that only a handful of people are deciding who gets the resources and backing from each party, which is pretty undemocratic if you ask me.
School board races are personal because they impact two of the most important things in our lives -- they are about our children, who will spend large parts of their lives under the care of and living out the educational philosophies of those whom we elected and those subsequently hired. There is no issue too small for parents to care about, and boy, we do! And they are also about our local economics and stabilizing housing prices, which are most people's most reliable asset for building wealth. Fairfax's reputation for excellent schools is a huge draw for families looking for a place to buy a home and spend their money locally for many years. (I moved into Fairfax County because I wanted my son to attend Robinson Secondary not only for it's great academic reputation, but also its theatre program.) Anything that we feel diminishes our schools has the potential to hurt our children and our financial bottom line. That's pretty powerful stuff!
The title is not a mistake. In the New York Times, we finally see coverage of a phenomenon some of us have been writing about for year. The piece begins by telling about a small committed group of apparently grass roots organized teachers who testified before the Indiana legislature and wrote an op ed asking to eliminate seniority-based layoff policies.
They described themselves simply as local teachers who favored school reform - one sympathetic state representative, Mary Ann Sullivan, said, "They seemed like genuine, real people versus the teachers' union lobbyists." They were, but they were also recruits in a national organization, Teach Plus, financed significantly by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
In some cases, Mr. Gates is creating entirely new advocacy groups. The foundation is also paying Harvard-trained data specialists to work inside school districts, not only to crunch numbers but also to change practices. It is bankrolling many of the Washington analysts who interpret education issues for journalists and giving grants to some media organizations.
Don't look now, but higher education is not only on the decline, but also even more of a commodity to be bought and sold by the business elite than previously thought. Those of us who love our alma maters and those who understand the necessity of great academic institutions, take heed. The clock is running out on higher education. And it is not just because higher education-for-profit has siphoned off half of the federal funding for higher education tuition grants, though that is bad enough. Now at Florida State University, Charles Koch did one better. He bought decision-making ability in the economics department at FSU. The St Petersburg Times reports:
A foundation bankrolled by Libertarian businessman Charles G. Koch has pledged $1.5 million for positions in Florida State University's economics department. In return, his representatives get to screen and sign off on any hires for a new program promoting "political economy and free enterprise."
Yes THAT Charles Koch. You know the Freedom Works, Americans for Prosperity, and wrong-wing "think tank" propagandist, winger funder and freeper, who disdains all things democratic with both a little and small d. It is his movement which dictates the policies and actions of the infamous governors now assaulting the states of WI, MI, OH, FL, and many others. They're so extreme that voters have forgotten how extreme our own governor is. (Hint: He applauded Gov. Scott Walker in WI). But there is more...
It's so nice to see principled conservativeclimate-change denying wackoshill for whoever throws some cash his way right-wingnut lie spewer George Will speaking out for such a fine organization as Harris Miller's (and Brian Moran's) for-profit "education" lobby shop. Sounds like it's going to be a great time down in Grapevine, Texas on June 6-8, lots of fine speakers defending this taxpayer-funded corporate welfare racket to rip off poor kids, veterans, minorities, etc. Sounds great, no?
Nationally, the number of homeless students at public schools reached an all-time high after the recession hit. In the 2008-9 school year, there were 954,914 homeless students, compared with 679,724 in 2006-7, according to the latest data from the United States Department of Education.
Homeless children fare significantly worse in school than other poor children. In Virginia, 21.2 percent of students who are homeless at some point during their high school years drop out, compared with 14.8 percent of all poor children, the state's Department of Education says. In Colorado, the high school graduation rate is 72 percent for all students, 59 percent for poor students and 48 percent for homeless students, according to data from the state's education Web site.
A friend who works in child & family services says becoming homeless can destroy the support systems most parents take for granted. "I have had several clients that have had to move overnight to other parts of the state to a different homeless shelter. It's terrible," she says. "I try to form relationships with these young girls, but before they know it their entire life changes and they lose important constant relationships like their teacher or counselor."
For more, check out this 60 Minutes story from March. To find volunteer opportunities to help students in your community, visit UnitedWay.org.
If you are interested in what stress is doing to our students, there is a movie you MUST see. It is Race to Nowhere I saw it at a Church in Fairfax County. I showed some clips to my students, who asked me to arrange a screening so they could see it. Here's a trailer:
That screening is tomorrow night at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt Md, just off the BW Parkway.
We have plenty of room. The film's producer, Vicki Abeles, is flying in from California to lead the post-screening discussion. She was motivated to make the film after seeing the impact of stress upon her daughter.
If you are interested, you can buy tickets online here If you don't make up your mind until the last minute, tickets will be available at the door.
Doors open at 6:30. Film will start within 15-20 minute, and last just under 90, and then the discussion.
...is the title of this piece by Diane Ravitch. It appeared at the website of Nieman Watchdog of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, as part of the "Ask This" which is subtitled "Questions the Press Should Ask." Oh if only reporters and writers on education were knowledgeable enough about education to ask questions such as those posed by Ravitch, perhaps we could cut through all the misleading and inaccurate information, the attempts to manipulate the public discourse on education to exclude the voices of those - including both Ravitch (a personal friend) and myself - who say that our supposed pattern of educational "reform" is like the emperor's new clothes - there is no there there, as Gertrude Stein once opined of Oakland.
You should read Ravitch's piece. To whet your appetite, let me offer Diane's first paragraph here, and then explore a bit more below the fold:
Be skeptical of miracle schools. Sometimes their dramatic gains disappear in a year or two or three. Most such claims rely on cheating or gaming the system or on intensive test prep that involves teaching children how to answer test questions. These same children, having learned to take tests, may actually be very poorly educated, even in the subjects where their scores were rising.
Governor Bob McDonnell has vetoed legislation (SB 966) that would force local school districts to provide 150 minutes of physical education per week for all students in elementary and middle school by the year 2014. The state mandate was strongly opposed by local school districts and teachers concerned about the financial impact of its implementation.
Speaking about his decision Governor McDonnell noted, "In my Inaugural Address I stated very clearly that Washington does not always know better than Richmond, and, equally, that Richmond does not always know better than Fairfax or Galax. I have long opposed significant unfunded mandates passed from one level of government to another. Thus, I cannot in good conscience sign this legislation."
"While the objective of this legislation is laudable, the proposed means of accomplishment is problematic. Education officials advised me that this measure would cost them tens of millions of dollars...
Bottom line: I would have supported this legislation if the General Assembly also had voted to lengthen the school day/year in order to compensate for the extra time students would spend on physical education, AND also if they had appropriated funds to pay for doing so. But they didn't do either of those things, which makes this an unfunded mandate on schools and localities, forcing them to hire more teachers and/or expand facilities, without providing them the resources to do so. That, in turn, would have meant that schools would have been forced to cut back elsewhere -- music, art, instruction time, whatever -- in order to make room in their schedules and budgets for the unfunded mandate. That's not acceptable, and that's not right. So...hopefully not for the last time let me say, "thank you Bob McDonnell for vetoing this bill."
Progressives especially education progressives want the Governor to veto a bill requiring 30 minutes of daily physical education on average. These progressive education groups and leaders say K-12 system can't handle it without hurting academics. Based on available statistics, those progressive educational advocates have come up with a brilliant, inspired political strategy to challenge the Governor.
Bobby Fischer never played the chess board better. Machiavelli would have included it in his famous work.
Terry McAuliffe needs to hire all of you to run his campaign for Governor. He can't lose. Let me explain.
According to Virginia's progressive education leaders, our children have never had it better in the classroom, learning more, graduating on time at record rates, especially in systems like my hometown of Richmond. They say this gym mandate threatens to destroy all this progress unless accompanied with more money and whatever.
Strangely though, these glowing reports of progress used by VA Governors, lawmakers, school board, state education leaders to praise themselves don't seem to impress non-political data collectors. Read reports available on the Internet. The military has data proving 30% of American's high school graduates can't pass the mental part of their entrance exam even after it being intentionally made easier. Actually, 75% of our kids can't qualify for the military, the others mostly due to being in such poor physical shape, the army is afraid of getting sued if required to do a one mile hike. Oh yes: the Army has lowered the physical test requirements, putting higher priority on being able to sit still and play a video game well.
In addition, 30% of those high school graduates instead going to college are unable to do first year work according to widely accepted data from non-partisan college level groups.
Now I know what you are going to say: "But Paul, there is no proof this is true in Virginia. We are the best, just look at all the reports for state government and the state legislature."
I hear that from leaders in my hometown of Richmond, considered rather typical of most of the country by independent analysts. According to the Mayor, legislators and the school board, 65-70% of kids graduate from high school on time, and the schools have never done better on accreditation tests.
That is roughly the same percentage as New York City, long a leader in public education. Fortunately for Richmond specifically and Virginia localities generally, the state has refused to adopt a real test of knowledge such as the Regents exam in New York State. Unlike the SOLs and other test developed to pat educators on the back - by the way, Glen Dovi, a reporter in Richmond, recently exposed on they have made the same level of knowledge score a lot higher know on the SOLs - the Regents tests real knowledge.
Surprise, surprise: A recent bombshell report by state leaders caught Mayor Bloomberg and city educators speechless. It appears only about 25% of New York City high school seniors - you know the one's graduating on time at a 65-70% rate - scored high enough to be considered to have shown 12th grade level competence. But not to worry about the Big Apple: Rochester's kids had a 5% pass rate, other major cities in the teens.
But again, I know what you are going to say: "That's New York State, there is no proof the same thing is happening here."
That's true: And the reason we don't dare give the Regents exam to Virginia's graduating seniors this May.
Do you ever wonder why politicians so happy with results don't demand to learn how well these kids do when they get to college, or insist on a Regen-like exam, say tied to scholarships for those passing?
No wonder graduation rates at for-profit colleges in the single digits are considered acceptable for giving these school tens of billions of dollars of state and federal tax dollars.
Arne Duncan, the education secretary said recently he believes 80% of the nation's schools will fail to meet the new minimum standards for certification.
Therefore, let me be the first to praise all you progressives on a brilliant strategy. Truth is, you are secretly hoping the Governor will sign the bill. This will provide a built in "We told you so" to gym requirement when educational leaders are finally held accountable.
On the other hand, if McDonnell does veto the measure, then progressives also get to say "We told you so"
as he agrees with you.
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...perhaps you will enjoy the contents of the following email from Bill Bigelow of Rethinking Schools: 
...A DEMOCRATIC CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS TRYING TO HELP POOR KIDS FROM BEING RIPPED OFF BY THE SYSTEM; AND ONCE AGAIN, A TOP DEMOCRATIC OFFICIAL IS SUING TO STOP HIM!
this is the first in a series of diaries about the 
Now that the Richmond School Board/Richmond Public Schools have corrected their numbers, it turns out that the SAT "Mean District Score" for the Richmond Public School District has dropped from 954 for reading and math (combined) before, to 820 (also combined) after the change (Also note: Keep in mind that most Richmond public school seniors don't take the SATs, just the ones who think they can go to college, thus skewing the scores higher than they otherwise would be).
So, which would you prefer as your Attorney General: 1) a science-denying, homophobic, lawsuit-crazy, far-right-wing extremist, ideological hack like Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli; or 2) someone who focuses on 
by Paul Goldman
by Paul Goldman
Yesterday, my Facebook status ran: If you want a potent reminder about how all politics is local, just get involved in your local school board race.
originally posted at 
Don't look now, but higher education is not only on the decline, but also even more of a commodity to be bought and sold by the business elite than previously thought. Those of us who love our alma maters and those who understand the necessity of great academic institutions, take heed. The clock is running out on higher education. And it is not just because higher education-for-profit has siphoned off half of the federal funding for higher education tuition grants, though that is bad enough. Now at Florida State University, 
