.

Textbooks are like hotdogs -- If you knew what went into it, you wouldn't want to eat one.

Dude, you posted that same joke 5 posts back. Hears to hoping your "babe" doesn't thread stalk you....:praying:

Hee hee! Oh for chrissakes, did I?? Must have been a long time ago because I don't remember that at all!

Thanks for pointing that out, ya goof. Now no one will miss it.

My pleasure.

An yah, it was July, so it really doesn't count. :byebye:

ONTARIO: Catholic Group Campaigns Against Anti-Bullying Bill

The Ontario Assembly is considering Bill 13, which mandates that schools must organize programs to thwart anti-gay bullying. This has made one Catholic group extremely angry because ordering an anti-bullying campaign is bullying itself.

From the petition campaign launched by Parents As First Educators:
- Bill 13 privileges one group of students (LGBT) over others.
- An anti-bullying bill should treat all students equally.
- We do not believe that equity education should be part of an anti-bullying bill.
- We don't believe equity education has been proven to affect bullying rates.
- We don't support gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in Catholic schools. The imposition of GSAs on Catholic schools IS bullying.
- Bill 13 does not give enough local control to school boards over bullying policies.
- It is unnecessary. Bullying problems will be best solved by mediation between the bully and the the victims, with their families, at the school level. We don't need a new law for that

--from Joemygod

Here's their F'd up organization: http://www.p-first.com/

Missouri--*Don't Say Gay Bill*
 

HB 2051
Prohibits the discussion of sexual orientation in public school instruction, material, or extracurricular activity except in scientific instruction on human reproduction

http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary....ar=2012&code=R

-------------------------

For the last several years - PROMO, Missouri's statewide LGBT advocacy organization and its allies have worked to advance pro-lgbt legislation, and have seen steady, continuing success.

"Filing this bill is a desperate tactic by frightened, bigoted, cynical individuals who are terrified at the advancement the LGBT community has made in breaking down the barriers to full and equal treatment under the law," said PROMO Executive Director, A.J. Bockelman. "Why else would they file a bill so clearly out of step with the growing trend for fairness in this state when similar legislation filed in Tennessee last year led that state’s legislature to become the object of national ridicule?"

"It’s clear that this proposed bill does absolutely nothing to protect students," continued Bockelman. "In some ways, however, these enemies of Freedom of Speech have done us a favor. By attempting to coerce teachers and students into making this core reality of our lives literally unspeakable, they have only proved why LGBT students need greater, better, and stronger protection in our schools."

Missouri is not the first state to push the so-called "don't say gay" bill. Tennessee advanced similar legislation through multiple votes last year, drawing national ridicule, as well as opposition from their Republican governor, Bill Haslam. Despite that legislation's failure - Tennessee lawmakers introduced a nearly identical bill this session, which was approved by the state House earlier this week.

http://www.thevitalvoice.com/news/50...s/625-breaking

CTA- positions Bills
 

You have to wonder who edited this summary of a Abolition of Child Commerce, Exploitation and Sexual Slavery Act of 2011 . Below is a quote directly from the summary.....

Teachers believe that children should be protected by predators and exploitation in every way possible

....shaking my head.....I do believe the 'by' should be 'from'

I know!! Who knows what editing devices used! Weird, huh?

Here is some info concerning testing recently - as a means to evaluate teachers in NY. Many states are following this and trying to implement similar policies.

>>>Last week, the New York State Education Department and the teachers’ unions reached an agreement to allow the state to use student test scores to evaluate teachers.>>>

http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog...ruary+21+2012&


Adding- Huff Post OpEd- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-...b_1034926.html

Linking Teacher Evaluation to Student Test Scores: Wrong 25% of the Time

NEA Tags: budgets, community college, Department of Public Instruction, educational excellence, Florida, higher education, Illinoi
 

AtLast.........the link does not work

Here is the article- link might not work without membership sign-in i guess--

Florida – Dismal state budget shortchanges public schools
FEA President Andy Ford issued this statement on the state budget signed Tuesday, April 17 by Gov. Rick Scott and its implication for public education:

The state budget passed by the Florida Legislature and signed by Gov. Rick Scott is a dismal failure to provide for the students who rely on the state to attain a high-quality education. Despite the governor’s claims that the increases in funding for education represent his commitment to our schools, he has failed to point out that this budget restores less than a third of what was cut from last year’s education budget and that our schools are still miles behind the funding levels in our state five years ago.

Total school funding will not change much next year, as local school districts will have to use the added state money to make up for the loss of federal funding, an increase in enrollment and a drop in local property taxes. Officials at school districts throughout the state say they’re considering layoffs of teachers and other school employees, and curtailing arts programs and athletics for students.

At the same time the governor and lawmakers doled out more tax giveaways for corporations, more money for unaccountable voucher schools and more support and autonomy to for-profit charter schools, our public schools are given a budget nowhere close to adequate and light years away from a true investment in our children.

Click here to find out more at FEAWeb.org, or sign the petition to help save educator jobs at the University of Florida.

Illinois – 2012 MAP grant rally
Community college students from around Illinois lobbied legislators, asking them to please increase money for MAP grants. MAP grants are given to college students around the state to help defray the cost of going to college.



Visit IEANEA.org for more information and to find out how you can get involved.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin schools cut 2,312 positions this year, student-teacher ratio highest in nine years
Under Governor Scott Walker, 73 percent of Wisconsin school districts have lost teachers, the Department of Public Instruction reports. According to the new report [ed note: pdf link], the number of teachers and other staff working in Wisconsin schools dropped 2.3 percent this school year.

The report, an annual tracking of staffing levels and other details about Wisconsin public schools, shows the true impact that $1.6 billion in reduced state education funding has had on local schools. According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, which uses these figures for federal reporting purposes, this year’s annual school staff report shows that school districts cut 2,312 positions for the 2011-12 school year, a 50 percent increase in staff losses from the previous school year. That is the steepest decline in the nine years that the DPI has been consistently tracking staffing levels. Teaching positions accounted for more than 60 percent of the cuts.

The report said the student-teacher ratio increased from 14.33 to 14.66, the highest level in nine years.

“The numbers released by the state Department of Public Instruction underline the damage Governor Walker has inflicted on students and schools in all areas of Wisconsin. The facts are undeniable and show that – despite what the governor tries to hide – public education in Wisconsin has indeed suffered under Governor Walker,” said WEAC President Mary Bell.

Get the whole story at WEAC.org.

Utah – Educational Excellence Task Force members selected
Each year dozens of policy changes affect Utah’s public schools, yet these changes do not always result in the best outcomes for students. Educators are uniquely positioned to identify critical academic priorities and propose important solutions to strengthen teaching effectiveness and improve student outcomes. Therefore, the UEA has organized the Educational Excellence Task Force to study and prioritize critical education issues and create a vision of teaching excellence that is designed and led by educators.

The Task Force will be chaired by Park City teacher and instructional coach Anna Williams. “I’m honored to serve with such an outstanding group of educators who excel in their field,” said Williams. “It’s important that we as educators take the lead in identifying changes that will promote educational excellence for our students and enhance our profession.”

“The educators participating on our Educational Excellence Task Force represent a breadth and depth of experience in many areas,” said UEA Director of Educational Excellence and Community Outreach Sara Jones. “The end goal of the Task Force will be to impact decision-making and priorities at UEA as well as broader state policy.”

The Task Force will meet regularly with the charge to analyze relevant research in order to identify priorities for the Utah Education Association and public education in Utah; develop a comprehensive set of policy recommendations regarding teaching quality and effectiveness; and engage the association, policymakers and the public in the important dialogue of change.

---

There are so many major education political/public employee battles around the nation- "Snot" Walker is just but one Gov. that took aim at collective bargaining and teacher rights in the US after the 2010 mid-terms.

Church blindsided by Ontario government over gay-straight alliances: Catholic sources

The Ontario provincial government has ignored months of behind-the-scenes negotiations by announcing Friday that all schools, religious or otherwise, will be required to host gay-straight alliances, Church sources say.

Ontario Passes Anti-Bullying Bill

Over the screams of the Catholic Church, today the Ontario provincial legislature passed Bill 13, the anti-bullying ordinance that orders all schools to allow gay-straight clubs. Bill 13 was launched after the suicide of a 14 year-old gay boy, whose own father opposed the bill.

Catholic schools and parents will soon come to accept the provisions of the government's anti-bullying legislation, according to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. Ontario's anti-bullying bill, also known as Bill 13 or the Accepting Schools Act, passed through the legislature just before noon today by a margin of 65-36. Only the Progressive Conservatives voted against the legislation. Catholic educators and church leaders oppose the bill because it requires schools to allow students to call anti-homophobia clubs gay-straight alliances if they wish. McGuinty said the issue of protecting kids from bullying transcends all faiths and partisan politics. He added Catholics would understand the true significance of the bill is to build a stronger, more cohesive society.

Conservatives claim the bill is actually meant to cause Ontario to defund non-compliant Catholic schools.

Sullivan, Indiana
 

UPDATE: Local Students Want Separate Prom That Bans Gays[/URL]


/snip


Diana Medley is a special education teacher in town. She doesn't believe anyone is born gay.

"I believe that it was life circumstances and they chose to be that way; God created everyone equal," said Medley.

"Homosexual students come to me with their problems, and I don't agree with them, but I care about them. It's the same thing with my special needs kids, I think God puts everyone in our lives for a reason," said Madley.

"'So the same goes for gays? Do you think they have a purpose in life?' No I honestly don't. Sorry, but I don't. I don't understand it. A gay person isn't going to come up and make some change unless it's to realize that it was a choice and they're choosing God," said Medley.

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