Education News: February 22, 2008

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending February 22, 2008.

SAT Scores for Students Who Used Test-Prep Firm May Be Thrown Out
(Source:  The Dallas Morning News, 2/22/08):  Students who used the Karen Dillard College Prep company in Northern Texas may have their SAT and PSAT scores thrown out, according to College Board officials.  The Dallas-area test-prep company is involved in a copyright-infringement lawsuit over its alleged use of unauthorized copies of the test.

Across the Bay, on a School Bus Wearing Skis
(Source: The New York Times, 2/22/08):  Students who live on Madeline Island, an often ice-locked island in Lake Superior, sometimes take an unusual mode of transportation to their school in mainland Wisconsin.  When the lake is not frozen enough to drive on but too frozen for ferry use, the students ride to school on a four-and-a-half-ton windsled.  Much like a school bus, the windsled is owned and operated by the local school district.

Hate Mail Sent to Blacks at Prep School Is Investigated
(Source: The New York Times, 2/21/08):  Black students at St. Paul’s, one of the nation’s top private prep schools, received threatening mail via the Postal Service this week.  The mail contained each recipient’s picture along with the words, “bang bang get out of here.”  Police are investigating the incident, and the school has requested a police security detail for the protection of students and staff.

Ackerman to Be Named Philadelphia Schools Chief
(Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/19/08):  Arlene Ackerman, a 61-year-old education veteran, was named Philadelphia schools chief this week.  In the past, Ackerman has run the public school systems of both San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and currently she is a professor at the Teachers College of Columbia University.  The position of Philadelphia schools chief was most recently held by Paul Vallas, who left Philadelphia to head the Recovery School District in New Orleans last June.

Parents Rise Up Against a New Approach to Math
(Source:  The Washington Post, 2/19/08):  Many parents in Virginia’s Prince William County are less than pleased with the math instruction in the area’s elementary schools.  The Pearson School series, “Investigations in Number, Data, and Space,” which is used in Prince William County and many other places throughout the country, purports to give students a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts, but many parents say it is wishy-washy and convoluted. 

Schools Cut Secret Deals With Abusive Teachers
(Source: The Oregonian, 2/18/08):  An investigation by the Oregonian has uncovered the disturbing practice of resignation deals for abusive teachers.  In order to get boundary-crossing teachers away from students as quickly and cheaply as possible, schools sometimes offer confidentiality and severance packages in exchange for problem teachers’ prompt resignations.  The practice appeals to schools because firing teachers often results in costly legal battles with unions, and placing teachers on paid leave during a lengthy investigation is expensive also.  But the problem, of course, is that the abusive teachers can then easily find work in other schools.  The Oregonian confirmed the existence of 48 such agreements in the state.

Student’s Deportation Roils New Mexico Town
(Source: The Los Angeles Times, 2/18/08):  The deportation of a pregnant, 18-year-old high school senior has caused the conservative town of Roswell, New Mexico, to erupt in controversy.  After learning she was in the country illegally, a school security officer reported Karina Acosta to immigration authorities, resulting in the teen’s deportation.  Afterwards, dozens of angry students and parents protested at police headquarters, and school attendance fell as other illegal immigrant students stayed home for fear of being deported also.