ICYMI: Just Hangin' In Edition (7/20)

It's been a week here at the Institute. Family health stuff, technological breakdowns, and a bunch of what-have-you. But I still have some stuff for you to read. Here's the list.

 

Most Pa. cyber charters back mandatory weekly wellness checks for students as Senate moves to tighten law

You would think that doing an eyes-on wellness check of students would be an uncontroversial issue, but Pennsylvania's leading profiteers in the cyber school biz would rather not, thank you.

Which is worse: Sugary snacks or bad schools?

Checker Finn, honcho emeritus of choice-loving Fordham Institute, continues to argue for some sort of regulation on vouchers. We don't let food stamps pay for junk food-- why wouldn't we have similar limits on vouchers?

Florida schools didn’t want those millions of dollars anyway

In response to the Trumpian withholding of funding, Stephanie Hayes unleashes some Grade A snark at the Tamps Bay Times

28 Bills, Ten Commandments and 1 Source: A Christian Right ‘Bill Mill’

David Barton has made a huge career out of peddling fake history that "proves" this is a Christian nation. Turns out he's also helping create the wave of Ten Commandments legislation in this country. Mark Keierleber at The74 does a bang-up job with this story. If you only read one item on the list this week...

SC schools can hire noncertified teachers under new law

South Carolina once had a great program for convincing students to pursue teaching, but now they're joining the crowd that figures any warm body can do the job just fine.

Teachers Work in Systems We Did Not Create

Nancy Flanagan is among those of us with eyebrows raised at AFT's decision to "help" bring AI to the classroom.

The TROUBLING Teacher Union Connection to Open AI, Microsoft, and Anthropic

Nancy Bailey is also unimpressed with this team-up idea.

AI Will Never Be Your Kid's Friend

Guest posting at Larry Cuban's blog, Russell Shaw offers a thoughtful explanation of why ChatGPT is not a suitable playmate for your child (or anyone else's). 

Supreme Court Acquiesces to Trump’s Move to Abolish Education Department

Jan Resseger looks at the latest ruling from the MAGA Supremes and how it will accelerate the end of the Department of Education.

State Budget Robs Poor Kids to Overfund Rich Adults

Stephen Dyer continues to track the details of Ohio's royal shafting of public education.

Kicking Away the Ladder

Jennifer Berkshire looks at the larger trends behind the regime's attack on, well, all sorts of things.

They're Literally Angry at Superman for Being Nice

From Parker Molloy, a look at the right wing flap over Superman (the movie). Not directly related to education, except that it shows the kinds of values MAGA objects to in movies and schools and anywhere else.

This week I'm sharing an old ad from the BBC with an extraordinary group of performers making blink and you'll miss it appearances. Maybe it's a little overproduced, but oh that song.

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