School News

Study finds possible link between strong school snack laws, obesity

By Paul Katula •
A study out of the University of Illinois, Chicago, suggests that competitive food sales in schools and the laws that govern them can play a small role in reducing the obesity problem in America's children. The study is far from conclusive but worth looking at.

Evolution, students' rights might conflict in Missouri

By Paul Katula •
Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment last week that aims to protect the rights of Christians to pray in public places, including schools. But what troubles us is another part of the amendment.

Bilingual education gets a boost in Illinois

By Paul Katula •
A new Illinois law, signed by the governor yesterday, which is about 20 years overdue, will try to improve the quality of bilingual education in the state's schools by involving parents in the process. We have high hopes for the new law and hope that detractors of good bilingual education won't tear it down too much.

No evidence of widespread cheating in D.C. schools

By Paul Katula •
A report by a special investigator in Washington DC has found no evidence of widespread cheating on the district's standardized tests in 2010, but suspicions about one teacher held up. We have a few insights on the cheating scandals going around.

Compromise reached on longer school day in Chicago

By Paul Katula •
The Chicago Teachers Union and Mayor Rahm Emanuel appear to be working toward ironing out differences in order to avoid a strike. There's still a long way to go if a strike is to be avoided, but so far, things don't look terrible. The issue of a longer day, which was part of recent compromises, will keep coming up, though, so this is a preview of things to come.