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John Sexton and Charlie Winans

NYU president, John Sexton, never thought his career would be in law. He says his long-time friend and teacher, Charlie Winans, "argued me into it." Behind every famous person is a fabulous teacher.

Education News: December 2004

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending December 3, 2004.

Seattle Public Schools Adopt Strict Water Policy (Source: The Seattle Times)
The Seattle School Board approved a new policy to ensure all schools have some of the cleanest school drinking water in the country. After months of deliberations, the policy was approved, despite reservations about the projected cost of $12 million over the next three years.

Rhode Island Receives Low Middle School Rankings (Source: The Providence Journal)
The Rhode Island Department of Education released the state middle school rankings this week that revealed a variety of shortcomings. Nearly all of the middle schools in Providence were labeled low performing and many will face sanctions for not showing improvement under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Report: Abstinence Programs Misleading (Source: Washington Post)
A study released this week found that many federally funded abstinence-only programs have been teaching students that abortion can lead to sterility and suicide, that half the gay male teenagers in the United States have tested positive for the AIDS virus, and that touching a person's genitals “can result in pregnancy.” Those and other assertions are examples of the “false, misleading, or distorted information” in the programs' teaching materials.

Montana Schools to Teach Tribal History (Source: San Francisco Chronicle)
The Montana Supreme Court found the state has failed to provide enough money to teach schoolchildren about Indian tribal history and culture, as required under state law. Educators are now seeking more state funding to incorporate tribal education into the classroom.

Arizona Teacher Makes the Classroom Fun for Students (Source: The Arizona Republic)
The Rodel Teacher Initiative recognized Susan Selzo, a fourth grade teacher in east Phoenix, for her students’ consistent high scores on performance tests over the past four years. Selzo attributed her success to her relationships with the students, explaining that her enthusiasm inspires the students to work hard.