Education News: September 29, 2006

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending September 29, 2006.

Colleges Pledge $10m Boost to 10 Boston Schools
(Source: The Boston Globe, 09/29/06) Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, Northeastern University and Tufts University announced on Thursday that they are planning a $10 million dollar initiative to help out 10 of the most underserved city schools in Boston.  $5 million of the initiative will be a cash donation, and $5 million will be the value of the services that the colleges will provide, including tutoring, mentoring, and helping with health screening at the public schools in Boston.  The colleges will meet to discuss which 10 schools will be selected for the initiative, and the program will be implemented over a span of 5 years.

Gay History Month Sparks District Debate
(Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, 09/28/06) The Philadelphia school district has included Gay and Lesbian History Month on its calendar this year for the month of October.  The district has received a large number of responses to this decision.  Some people have shown support for the decision, while others have voiced very vocal complaints.  One mother has decided to home school her daughter for the month.  A recent study shows that gay and lesbian students in Pennsylvania continue to be bullied by peers; however, in schools which teach gay and lesbian history, there is a significant decline in the number of gay and lesbian students that feel unsafe.  The district has made no decision on whether to feature Gay and Lesbian History Month on their calendar next year, calling this year’s calendar a “celebration of diversity.”

Community Reeling After Siege at School
(Source: Rocky Mountain News, 09/27/06) Platte Canyon High School was invaded on Wednesday by a gunman who took six female hostages and held them in a classroom into the afternoon.  When a SWAT team broke into the classroom where the gunman was, he shot and killed one of the students before killing himself.  The entire school and surrounding area went into lockdown as officials attempted to take control of the situation.  This tragic incident evokes memories of the Columbine Massacre in 1999.

Bulk of No Child ‘Here to Stay,’ but Changes Sought
(Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, 09/26/06) A bipartisan commission on No Child Left Behind had its last day of testimony Monday at George Washington University.  Twelve education experts testified before the panel, including Deputy Education Secretary Raymond Simon, the presidents of both major teachers unions, representatives of education think tanks, and others.  Georgia Governor Roy Barnes, the co-chair of the commission, said the law’s major features will remain intact.  Changes under consideration include having a national standard rather than individual state standards for testing, including subjects other than math and reading on standardized tests, and expanding testing into 12th grade.  The law is up for reauthorization by Congress next year.

Federal Government to Supply Hazard Warning Radios to all U.S. Public Schools
(Source: USA Today, 09/25/06) The Homeland Security Department has decided to spend $5 million to provide each of the nation’s 97,000 public schools with a hazard warning radio.  The radios are designed to turn on automatically and announce any kind of hazard that schools, homes, or businesses in a given area should be aware of, including hazardous weather conditions, abducted children, terrorist threats, and chemical spills.