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May
NEWS & VIEWS
[Items relating
to the situation of contemporary young people]
YOUTH ETHICAL BEHAVIOR AND STATEMENTS
INCONSISTENT
(March 2005) The Josephson Institute released a new study based
on a national survey of 24,763 high school students showing
over half cheated on exams, 27 percent stole from a store within
the past 12 months and 40 percent admitted they "sometimes
lie to save money." Despite these admissions, the majority
of students reported high self-appraisals of their character
with 74 percent rating their own ethics higher than those of
their peers and 98 percent said that honesty, ethics and good
character are very important. Additionally, 92 percent said
they were satisfied with their ethics and character.
http://josephsoninstitute.org/Survey2004/
FAMILIES INCREASE
USE OF INTERNET FILTERS FOR TEENS
(March 19, 2005) The Mercury News reported that the Pew Internet
& American Life Project found more than 54 percent of
Internet-connected families with teens now use filters, up
from 41 percent in 2000. The report underscores the national
debate occurring on how best to protect children online. www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/11168475.htm
HALF OF TEACHERS SUFFER
MENTAL ILLNESS DUE TO STUDENTS
(March 23, 2005) The Independent, a UK publication, reported
a new survey of 300 secondary school teachers, by the Association
of Teachers and Lecturers, revealed that abuse by pupils left
46 percent taking antidepressants or facing long lay-offs
from school for stress. The survey also revealed that 72 percent
of teachers had considered quitting their jobs because of
disruptive behavior and threats. One in seven said they had
actually suffered bodily harm from pupils. However, in many
of the cases the school had ignored abuse and failed to exclude
the pupils involved. http://education.independent.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=622766
SCHOOLS LEARNING COMMUNICATION
FROM COLUMBINE
(March 24, 2005) An article posted on USA today by the Christian
Science Monitor reported that much has been learned since
the Columbine School shootings. "We need to look at what
we're doing about harassment, teasing, bullying," said
William Modzeleski, a security specialist at the US Department
of Education (DOE). Modzeleski said the real key is to have
adults who provide the kids with guidance and are available
for them to talk to when they have problems. Preventing attacks
means listening, spotting the warning signs, creating good
relationships, persuading students to overcome the hallway
code of silence and knowing that it's OK to report threats.
www.usatoday.com/news/education/2005-03-24-columbine-csm_x.htm
FUTURE LIES WITH RAISING
CHILDREN OF CHARACTER
(March 27, 2005) The Topeka Capital Journal reported an opinion
article by Dr. Marvin Berkowitz, berkowitz@emsl.edu, a Sanford
N. McDonnell professor of character education at the University
of Missouri-St. Louis, in which he addresses the issue of
raising children of character. He says there is no future
without children, and no moral, civil future without children
of character.
http://cjonline.com/stories/032705/opi_berkowitz.shtml
AUSTRALIA LOOKING
TO DUPLICATE UTAH'S "BRAT CAMP"
(March 29, 2005) News.com, an Australian publication, reported
a politician wants a "brat camp" set up in the Northern
Territory to tame troubled teens. In the TV show, Brat Camp,
desperate parents sent their British teenagers to a wilderness
camp in Utah. Opposition Youth Affairs representative Terry
Mills said they need a program that removes the youth from
a familiar environment, gives them an opportunity to struggle,
learn new skills and hopefully survive.
www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12688018-17001,00.html
TEAMS INVESTIGATING
CHILD ABUSE NEED RESOURCES
(March 31, 2005) Inside Anderson County, a Tennessee publication,
included a guest opinion article by Kenneth Wayne Yarbrough
that called for increased federal funding to improve the child
abuse investigative process. Due to incomplete investigations,
many deaths that were officially labeled as accidents or homicides
may have actually resulted from neglect or physical abuse.
www.insideandersoncounty.com/index.html
RIGID ZERO TOLERANCE LOSING FAVOR?
(March 31, 2005) The Christian Science Monitor reported that
under the Zero Tolerance Policy, school officials have had
students arrested, jailed without contacting parents and expelled
for the smallest infractions. State Representatives are jumping
to help states scale back school discipline to make it more
rational. www.csmonitor.com/2005/0331/p01s03-ussc.htm
COMPREHENSIVE DATABASE
SITE ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
(March 31, 2005) Eschool News Online reported a new web site,
SchoolMatters.com, founded by the Broad Foundation and the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, provides comparative
information and analysis on public schools, districts and
state education systems. SchoolMatters.com points out that
even though per-pupil spending has increased by 50 percent
over the past two decades, nearly one-third of public high
school students fail to graduate, and two-thirds leave high
school unprepared for a four-year college.
www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5589
DID PUBLIC SCHOOLS
KILL TERI?
(March 31, 2005) Marshal Fritz, President of the Alliance
for the Separation of School and State, asserts that a factor
in the national debate that resulted in removing food and
water from Teri Schievo was the trend in public schools to
teach students there are no absolute moral truths. www.educationnews.org/did-public-schools-help-kill-ter.htm
THE REALITY OF SAT
TEST EFFECTIVENESS
(April 3, 2005) Karen Klein, a writer for The LA Times, reported
in an editorial that the SAT tests can be gamed if you know
what they are grading on. More sadly, the author thinks the
test will reflect poorly on many fine thinkers and writers
who contemplate deeply while composing the essays.
www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-op-sat3apr03,1,3742834.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
PRIVATE TUTORING BUSINESSES
GAIN FROM NCLB LAW
(April 4, 2005) The New York Times reported that a new brand
of tutoring propelled by the No Child Left Behind law is virtually
without regulation or oversight, causing concern among school
districts, elected officials and some industry executives.
The federally financed tutoring industry has doubled in size
in each of last two years, with potential to become $2 billion-a-year
enterprise.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70915FB355B0C778CDDAD0894DD404482
GANG RECRUITMENT OF
AT-RISK KIDS INCREASING
(April 5, 2005) The New York Daily News reported that according
to Justice Department estimates, gang-related homicides have
risen over 50 percent since 1999, and there are more than
24,000 gangs nationwide with more than 750,000 members. President
Bush promised to deal with the problem of gang violence by
earmarking $50 million a year for the next three years to
a still-to-be-determined anti-gang initiative overseen by
First Lady Laura Bush.
www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/296542p-253917c.html
PEROT - TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY
(April 6, 2005) The Houston Chronicle reported an opinion
article by Ross Perot that said students and teachers continue
with old teaching methods instead of taking full advantage
of modern technology. He also believes that we must get our
education technology house in order to set our children on
the high road to success.
US ED DEPT - RESULTS
TRUMP PROCESS
(April 8, 2005) EschoolNews.com reported that in a talk to
state Education Chiefs regarding their administration of the
No Child Left Behind (NCLB), US Education Secretary Margaret
Spellings declared, "It is results that truly matter,
not the bureaucratic way you get there." Most observers
would consider this a major policy shift by the US Education
Department.
www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5616.
INCREASING CRITICISM OF UNIVERSITIES
(April 10, 2005) The Washington Post reported universities
have become the forefront for controversial political battles.
Parents and students are upset with the soaring cost of tuition
for colleges that offer questionable courses and politically
absurd campus climates that detract from the quality of a
university education.
www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A39174-2005Apr9?language=printer
Copyright
© 2005, Woodbury Reports, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
(This article may not be reproduced without written approval
of the publisher.)
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