TEEN SELF-ESTEEM HELPED BY RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES
(August 24, 2001) Researchers Yong Dai and Rebecca Nolan of Louisiana State University and Qing Zeng of Wells College reported to the American Psychological Association a University of Michigan survey of 1,261 eight-graders conducted throughout the nation that concluded church activities enhance the self-esteem of young adolescents.

CAREER VS. FAMILY
(August 27, 2001) The Washington Times reported the results of a study by professor Abigail J. Stewart of the University of Michigan based on a sample of 1950s Midwest high school graduates: those who left town after graduation were more likely to have college degrees and high profile jobs, while those who didn’t leave town after graduation were more likely to have a traditional family.

TEENS FEAR SCHOOL SHOOTINGS
(August 28, 2001) According to an analysis by researchers at New York’s Alfred University based on a poll of 2,017 seventh to 12th-grade students conducted by Harris Interactive in June and July, reported in the Washington Times Sept. 3-9, 2001: 87% said revenge, or “getting back at those who have hurt them” is why students shoot others in school, 37% said they knew someone in their school who might shoot someone, 20% said they had heard a classmate say they planned to shoot someone, 8% said they had thought of shooting someone at school, “and another 10% had gone so far as to mentally plan how to carry it out.” “Boys in the 11th and 12th grades who don’t feel valued at home or at school are more likely to carry out a school shooting.” 61% said “being victims of physical abuse was the reason students shoot classmates,” while 54% said “teens who witness violence in their homes tend to be violent themselves.”

EINSTEIN SYNDROME
(Sept. 10, 2001) Thomas Sowell, in his recently published book THE EINSTEIN SYNDROME reports that his research and that of others indicates that a remarkable number of people with exceptional abilities, such as Albert Einstein, for reasons not well understood, were as children, very late in beginning to speak. For them this was a natural development. Sowell is concerned that modern budding geniuses might be misdiagnosed as retarded, autistic or have an attention deficit disorder.

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION EXPANDING
(Sept. 2001) The Center for Education Reform announced there were 2,370 charter schools operating in the school year 2001-2002 (467 new this year) serving approximately 576,000 children, with 67 new charter schools authorized to start next year.

CORE CONFERENCE: A RENAISSANCE OF RESIDENTIAL EDUCATION
(Sept 21, 2001) The Conference Summary from “Learning to Live Living to Learn: First National Conference on Residential Education for Disadvantaged Children and Youth (CORE),” Washington, DC, 202.469.9189, hosted by Girard College in Philadelphia, PA in October of 2000, “marked the renaissance of residential education in the US. The conference summary states: “the effectiveness of residential education programs is heavily dependent on the quality of the residential staff residential staff…One of the central aspects of the residential staff’s role is creating a psychologically safe, stable, and supportive environment in which the child can form healthy attachments…Some elements, personal characteristics and actions involved in creating a “comfort zone” for children include: Understanding, compassion, love for children, patience, communication of expectations, empathy, remembering each child’s history and experiences, fairness, consistency, fun, respect, personal space, and cooperation.” The Conference Summary also describes five new residential schools that are funded by public and private sources, and describes the most important issues to consider when starting a new school.

CHARTERS RESEMBLE PRIVATE SCHOOLS
(Sept. 26, 2001) The Washington Times reported a study by economists Michael Podgursky and Dale Ballou, sponsored by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation that “when it comes to hiring, paying, and firing teachers, charter schools are more like private schools than traditional public ones....In effect, both charter and private schools ‘trade off’ experience for smaller average class size.”

SURVEY FINDS SUPPORT OF EDUCATION REFORM DESPITE DIFFERING VIEWS OF SCHOOL QUALITY
(October 25, 2001) Lu Leon, 202.828.9100, of the Fordham Foundation, Washington, D.C., 202.223.5452, reported in a press release that although parents express varying degrees of satisfaction with their child’s school, whether public, private or charter, all support bold education reforms. “Those include school vouchers, more charter schools, higher academic standards for students, stronger school discipline, and school-level flexibility in teacher hiring.” Chester E. Finn, Jr., president of the Fordham foundation said of the random-sample survey of 1, 500 Dayton adults, conducted in August by Paragon Opinion Research, “this is the first time we can see clear comparisons of public school parents, charter school parents, private school parents and non-parents on any array of issues. Private school parents gave their child’s school the highest grades and reported the most satisfaction with the overall quality of their school’s academic quality.

URBAN MYTH - WTC BOMBING ORPHANS
(October 26, 2001) The New York Times reports authorities in New York state there is no evidence of the existence of any uncared for orphans from the 9/11/01 World Trade Center bombings, despite public comments from several sources including US Senator Hillary Clinton, that there were as many as 10,000 or more children who were orphaned by the tragedy. Officials say there is not a single documented case of any child losing both parents, and only a handful of verified cases where children lost their only parent, and those all have close relatives who have taken over their care.

THE SENATE VOTES TO BROADEN MENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
(Nov. 5, 2001) According to a New York Times article by Robert Pear, a plan newly passed by the Senate to broaden health insurance coverage for mental illness, has touched off an intense lobbying campaign on Capitol Hill. The measure, approved by the Senate last week and now headed for a conference with the House, would outlaw disparities in coverage between mental and physical illness under all group health plans sponsored by employers with more than 50 employees. “All too often insurance discriminates against illnesses of the brain,” said Senator Pete V. Domenici, Republican of New Mexico, who offered the proposal with Senator Paul Wellstone, Democrat of Minnesota. The drive for parity has gained momentum with the discovery that many mental illnesses have a biological basis and can be treated with drugs. The two authors have also worked with lobbyists from groups like the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the National Mental Health Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association. Nearly three dozen states and the federal government have experimented with various types of parity for their own employees, and they say the costs have not been significant, with premiums typically rising less than 1 percent.

SNOPES.COM AIMS TO DISPEL URBAN LEGENDS
(Nov. 8, 2001) According to a Detroit Free Press article by Julie Hinds, the Mikkelsons, “a Los Angeles-based couple are the voices of reason behind a website that serves as a clearinghouse for urban legends…Snopes.com has debunked several rumors,” and “the site has become so popular, it’s drawn more than 2 million hits on some days.” It color-codes the latest rumors, as to which are true, which are false, and which are still being scrutinized. To check the facts, the Mikkelsons scour the Web and nearby libraries, sometimes turning to government agencies or private businesses for help. They claim, “urban legends are a reflection of society’s fears and coping mechanisms.”

THE SLEEPY TEENAGER
(November, 2001) Kyle P. Johnson, M.D., writes in the Harvard Mental Health Letter: “Teenagers need more sleep than school age children but usually get less, and the shortfall causes many problems. Daytime fatigue and drowsiness may affect schoolwork by reducing concentration and short-term memory. Sleepy teenagers are more easily injured, especially in traffic accidents, and lack of sleep raises the risk of depression and the use of alcohol and drugs.” He discusses the various factors, both environmental as well as physiological, that interfere with sleep, and states: “Many teenagers will have fewer problems if they are allowed to start school at a time that accommodates their biological tendency to delay circadian rhythms. Several school districts across the country have taken this measure, and systematic studies in Minnesota suggest that it is effective,” though he points out those with severe delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) may need more measures taken. Resources include: the National Sleep Foundation, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.