There’s no doubt that our school system needs an overhaul. As someone who teaches in an American public high school, I can definitively say that for everything we’re doing right — and believe me, there is a lot that we are doing right — there are many more things we could be doing to make […]
Education
Superintendent Charged With Fraud After Using Son’s Insurance to Seek Medical Help for Student
So just how far will some educators go to help their students? And just how broke-ass is our country’s health care system? Well, this heartbreaking story answers both of those questions. The answers are: far enough that they could get charged with a crime, and regarding health care? Really, really shitty. Casey Smitherman is the […]
Teacher Pens Viral Post About What Matters Most (And It’s Not Reading Level)
If you’re a teacher, or love a teacher, or even know a teacher, you may have an idea why Katie Pearson, 1st grade teacher at Blue Haze Elementary School in Fort Worth, TX, cried five times the other day. You may know the load teachers carry as they fight the pressures of standardized tests and […]
Online Grade Books Are Dangerously Stressing Students, Parents, and Teachers
lf you have a child in middle or high school, you’re probably familiar with online grade books: Those instant-access tools that offer students and parents immediate updates on grades and even upcoming assignments and assessments. And while their intent is a positive one — to offer stakeholders access to as much information as possible to […]
Mom Calls Out High School Assignment for Rape Culture and We Applaud Her
Wisconsin resident Charity Eigenberger was shocked to find a problematic assignment in her sophomore’s backpack. Her son, who attends Bradford High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin, watched a teaching video about sexual assault and was subsequently asked a very unnerving question: “What could the victim have done differently to have avoided her sexual assault?” Holy victim-blaming, Batman. I […]
Keep Your Jesus Lovin’ Candy Canes Out Of This School, Says Principal
Yep, you heard me right. Jennifer Sinclair, a school principal at the Manchester Elementary School in Nebraska, is making headlines after sending out a memo to her staff prohibiting Christmas-related symbols. What kind of “symbols,” you ask? Well, candy canes for starters because “the shape is a ‘J’ for Jesus.” According to FOX 42, Principal […]
Tales of a Fourth-Grade Letdown
By Jacqueline Miller of Boogers Abroad My fourth-grader gets a weekly homework list with five assignments. For each task completed and signed off upon, he earns points from his teacher to save up for a prize. It’s an unconventional, rewards-only system for those willing to put in a little extra effort on their own time […]
OH School No Longer Allowing Religious Exemption For Vaccines Amidst Outbreaks
A private school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio is cracking down on anti-vaxxers who cite religious reasons for not having their children vaccinated. The Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, which serves over 1,000 students from preschool to high school, sent a letter home to parents earlier this month informing them that religious exemption will no longer be […]