Colleges’ expectations conflict with No Child Left Behind

A Legislative Analyst’s Office report indicates that college students in California are not entering California Community Colleges with the appropriate skills to complete college course work.

What makes this otherwise “old-news” story interesting is that the colleges say one of the biggest problems is that their expectations of the students and the expectations given students in high school don’t always match.

“Our review of CCC’s report and other studies finds a number of systemwide CCC policies and practices that are at odds with generally accepted strategies for improving basic skills education. For example: The CCC system does not clearly indicate to high school students how well their reading, writing, and math skills are aligned with CCC standards and expectations. . . .”

The great irony here is that President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, which forces public schools to get students to pass achievement tests based on state standards, does  not seem to jibe with what colleges believe students should know.

Seems the Bush administration left out a key ingredient to its recipe for successfully preparing students for higher education — communicating with the higher educators.

Bloggers battling the AP on fair use

The Associated Press is upset that bloggers are using its articles or pieces of its articles.  So upset it the AP that it is meeting with one blogging company to set up guidelines for use of AP stories.

Maybe it’s just me, but this seems like a major victory for all bloggers, who are generally discounted as no-nothing hacks by the media. 

For more details, see this AP story.  Just be sure not to quote it directly.

 

Bush pursues drilling, contaminating environment

President Bush will once again ask Congress to approve offshore oil drilling.  Bush and the Republicans continue their tired refrain that our enemies, China and Cuba, are reaping the benefits of drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Bush and his court jesters babble incessantly about how there are 21 billion barrels of untapped oil here in the states and that evil Democrats are robbing Americans of this bounty with a drilling ban.

Of course, the Republicans and the oil magnates don’t want people to know the truth — that these billions of barrels would create enough oil for approximately eight months of use.  (We consume roughly 89 million barrels of oil daily.)

It takes neither a brilliant scientist nor an award-winning economist to understand that the risk of contaminating our environment for seven months of a consumable product is a ludicrous notion. 

All it takes is a little common sense.  But if you read the first sentence of this post, we know common sense is not at work here.

Immigrant naked in sauna questions American democracy

Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Phillip Morris tells a fascinating story about a Russian immigrant, who was arrested when he refused to stop taking saunas in the nude at a health club. 

Considering that the nudist is a 78-year-old man, the nudity itself isn’t what makes the story fascinating.  Now, if the column were about a 21-year-old Swedish bikini model. . . well, we better not go there.  What makes Morris’s article interesting is that the man, Lazar Balshen, who refused to put clothes on when told, is questioning the freedom that America provides.

This, too, might not seem shocking, until you learn that Balshen came here at 62, never worked a day in the states and has been receiving $677 in monthly Social Security since arriving.  Many of Morris’s readers were in an uproar over America’s generosity, far more than over Balsen’s nudity.

Anyone reading this space knows by now that I’m certainly in favor of civil rights and civil liberty.  The complaining Balshen, though, is taking things a little too far.

Obama talks Fathers Day, basketball and more with Jimmy Kimmel

One more demonstration of Barack Obama’s charisma. If November comes down to a popularity vote, McCain is in trouble.

Feinstein’s bill shows Democratic creativity and sympathy, too

Thanks to Sen. Diane Feinstein, Arthur Mkoyan can unpack his bags, indefinitely.

Mkoyan, a 17-year-old illegal alien from Armenia, recently graduated from Bullard High School in Fresno as the school’s valedictorian.  Shortly after his commencement, Mkoyan was to be deported back to his home country, along with his family, which includes Arthur’s U.S.-born younger brother.

This family has been here most  of Mkoyan’s life, making Arthur as American as most of his high school friends, save for the fact that they are U.S. citizens and Mkoyan isn’t.  So, valedictorian or not, it was back to Armenia, American immigration law said.

Enter Feinstein, a senator who demonstrates the kind of creativity that is emblematic of the Democratic party, when it comes to protecting those in need.

Although most political pundits will tell you that the new bill Feinstein recently introduced has virtually no chance  of becoming law, her bill, which gives people like Mkoyan the right to avoid deportation, can be introduced yearly until Congress finally resolves the issue.  Knowing how fast Congress moves, the next we hear about Mkoyan may be when he applies for his AARP card.

Meanwhile, at least for now, young Mkoyan is off to college and, hopefully, medical school.

And Diane Feinstein has struck another blow for civil rights in America.

Meanwhile,

Sports notes: Bolt, U.S. Open, Celtics and more

I hail from the sports writing world, so ocassionally, I like to take the liberty of commenting on sports.  It’s a bit self-indulgent, I know, but isn’t blogging the most self-indulgent form of writing?

On that note, here are some observations about major sporting events.

A sprinter called, bolt: Does anyone else find it too ironic that the  new world record holder in the 100 meter dash is a guy named Bolt?

Hating Tiger Woods: While the world slobbers over Tiger, like a teenaged girl drools over Chris Brown, I find it difficult not to hate the monotone, whiney (“Oh, not in my backswing”), fake toothy-grinning Woods.  Strangely, I always find myself rooting for him on Sundays in major golf tournaments.  Can someone explain this, please?

Celtics over Lakers: The so-called NBA experts were calling this Finals a battle for the ages, recalling the glory days of Larry Bird’s Celtics and Majic Johnson’s Lakers.  Through four games, it’s been nothing but a snoozer.  At least, it’s fun to watch Kobe Bryant lose.  I hate Kobe even more than Tiger.

Desormeaux should have slapped Dutrow: Just days after Big Brown jockey, Kent Desormeaux, pulled his horse up in the Belmont Stakes, realizing he couldn’t win and not wanting to hurt the Derby and Preakness winner, Big Brown trainer, Rick Dutrow, ripped Desormeaux on national television. ”I don’t see the horse with a problem,” Dutrow said, “so I have to direct my attention toward the ride.”  Desormeaux has won five Classics and two Breeders Cups, along with 35 other major wins in his illustrious career, yet according to Dutrow, he suddenly forgot how to race a thoroughbred.  Desormeaux is far too classy, but he should have slapped Dutrow for that unforgivable comment.

Tim Russert embodied professional politics and journalism

As a young journalist, I aspired to be like Tom Brokaw, Katie Couric and Dick Enberg.  Growing up, I found these three to be articulate, intelligent and awe-inspiring. 

As the years passed, and my writing broadened into politics, I sought the person who embodied all of the aforementioned reporters and announcers.  Tim Russert was that person.

I first encountered Russert on a Sunday morning TV magazine show.  He and other pundits kicked around political ideology and often ”kicked” the behinds of politicians.  Russert, though, always did it in the classiest of ways.

His election coverage was always on the mark, and when he interviewed presidential candidates, he never pulled a single punch.

Russert could hammer away at presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama during a 90-minute debate, then be seen with his arm around Obama, laughing gleefully afterward. 

A beloved son, loving father and international face of policical journalism, Tim Russert will be dearly missed by millions.

 

Duke rape accuser Crystal Mangum gets degree — in police psychology

Educators have been given a new model for teaching irony.  Duke rape accuser, Crystal Mangum, graduated recently from North Carolina Central University with a degree in police psycology.

Mangum, who gained national fame for accusing three lacrosse players from Duke University of rape, is a known drug abuser and suffers from psychological issues far too many for us to list in this space. 

Now, she can begin evaluating other criminals.

Sounds about right.

Teachers in UK being investigated for shouting

The Daily Telegraph reports that teachers are being investigated for, get this, yelling at students.

Education Department officials are investigating teachers for shouting at students to “put that down”, “leave him alone”, “sit down” or “pick up those papers” and demanding to know, “who told you that you could go there?”

Not surprisingly, the teachers are upset that the Ed Dept. is trying to undermine their authority.

Sounds to me like they never had any.