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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

News Tuesday Morning News

Posted by Jen Graves on Tue, Jul 3, 2012 at 8:36 AM

Sherry Soth: A story about the woman who was killed at the house party this weekend.

Charter Schools May Go Up for A Fourth Vote in Washington State: Supporters say that, thanks to donations from folks like Bill Gates and Paul Allen, they've nearly gathered enough signatures to make the ballot. Voters rejected charter schools in 1996, 2000, and 2004. And this time?

Meanwhile, Gates and Ballmer Give to Marriage Equality: But not as much as to charter schools and to defeat and income tax on the wealthy, so...come on, guys.

And Also Meanwhile: The conservative marriage initiative won't make the ballot.

Trying to Seem Threatening Enough Not to Have to Act on It: US increases forces in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran said earlier this week it would try to interrupt commerce after heightened sanctions.

Syria Says Sorry: We didn't mean to shoot down that Turkish warplane—unless it was Israeli. Meanwhile, Syria is apparently not sorry for torturing its citizens in an archipelago of torture centers.

Another Shocking! Story About the Venal Criminals Who Run Big Banks: JPMorgan Chase brokers sold the banks' own mutual fund products even when they weren't as good as the competition.

Meanwhile, Here's A Study That Says That Rich People Are Inhumane: New York magazine writes, "Titled 'Higher Social Class Predicts Increased Unethical Behavior,' [the study] showed through quizzes, online games, questionnaires, in-lab manipulations, and field studies that living high on the socioeconomic ladder can, colloquially speaking, dehumanize people."

SPD Says 25 Desk Officers Coming Out on Patrol: It's a "summer surge."

Environmentalists Halt the Construction of a Factory in China: A movement on the rise. The government responds that the people simply don't understand the factory "properly." In related news, China bans shark fin soup at state banquets. THIS IS VERY GOOD. Have you seen "Sharkwater"? You must.

A California Bill to Allow Children to Have More Than Two Parents: And plenty do.

Another Bombing: In Iraq. Targeting Shia pilgrims. June was a deadly month.

Moisturizer That Can Fight Melanoma: Northwestern researchers are working on a gene-therapy lotion. (And weirdly, coffee may also help protect against skin cancer.)

RIP, Andy Griffith: He was 86 years old.

Good Reads: This profile of the guy who is determined to take ice samples from unsampled places around the world, both before the ice melts and before his failing heart gives out.

It's my birthday today, and I plan to dance.

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Comments (21) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Charter schools have never been shown to be better at education than traditional schools. Working in an urban school district, I can assure you that they have the exact same problems as any other school. They're more of a "Well, we gotta try something" approach to reform than anything that might actually help.

Posted by MR M on July 3, 2012 at 8:44 AM

I cannot help but think that the millions of dollars spent on education advocacy reform groups and proposed charter school legislation would have better and more immediate results when directly applied to public schools. I do not see the value to taxpayers or education quality when looking at data from 41 states with charter schools.

Posted by Keister Button on July 3, 2012 at 8:58 AM

Rewatched 'A Face in the Crowd' with Andy Griffith recently. May he and Don Knotts have a fun time wherever they are.

Posted by Large Hardon Colluder on July 3, 2012 at 9:03 AM

Glaxo-Smith-Kline was fined three Billion dollars for unethical marketing. Uh, except they made Tens of Billions doing it. This reminds me of what doctors tell me. "You have to measure the positives and negatives". Our lives are only a fiscal measurement. Now, as for bankers...

Posted by Pope Peabrain on July 3, 2012 at 9:04 AM

And Happy Bday Jen!

Posted by Large Hardon Colluder on July 3, 2012 at 9:05 AM

It's Tuesday, though, right?

Posted by Bored@School on July 3, 2012 at 9:06 AM

@6: How right you are! Fixed. Jen, have another cup of coffee. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I CELEBRATE YOU!!!

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on July 3, 2012 at 9:10 AM

Happy Birthday

Posted by ferret

on July 3, 2012 at 9:27 AM

The more research I've read on charter schools, the more bullshit I see. Charters on average actually perform worse than plain old public schools. And some of the charters that appear to do better do so through deceptive data.

Public schools need help, but throwing money at charter schools just makes the problems worse, not better.

Posted by Reverse Polarity on July 3, 2012 at 9:34 AM

Happy Birthday To You.

Posted by M. Wells on July 3, 2012 at 9:39 AM

Happy birthday, Jen Graves Arts Writer at the Stranger Paper!

Posted by Zebes

on July 3, 2012 at 9:52 AM

#1

Bellevue and Redmond and most middle class suburbs have perfectly good award winning public schools.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on July 3, 2012 at 9:55 AM

@9: Not that I don't believe you, but do you have a link to that study that says charter schools perform worse?

Posted by Phoebe in Wallingford on July 3, 2012 at 9:57 AM

@13, not handy, no. But I was doing some research on the subject several months ago, and read extensively. It isn't one study. There are actually a number of studies and quite a bit of research indicating that charter schools perform worse, on average, than public schools. There are a few outliers that do better, but on the whole they do worse. And some that do better are only doing so because they've essentially booted out most of the special ed and low performing students so those students don't show up on their averages.

Posted by Reverse Polarity on July 3, 2012 at 10:09 AM

another random gun death in seattle. how sad. the killer is probably just a misunderstood teen with anger issues who needs a hug. i hope spd isnt too hard on him if they catch him.

Posted by Cassette tape fan on July 3, 2012 at 10:21 AM

Gates & company spent far more money suing the death (as in literally suing the man to death) the Indian immigrant fellow who originally owned the rights to the Internet Explorer name.

And,

.. living high on the socioeconomic ladder can, colloquially speaking, dehumanize people..

That's akin to saying the reason serial killers are lonely is 'cause they people around them keep "disappearing" --- like, no bullcrap, dood!

Posted by sgt_doom on July 3, 2012 at 10:24 AM

@15: Perhaps you're right - but if this gang member (or whatever) is a sociopath no amount of hugs or anger management counseling will help.

Posted by Phoebe in Wallingford on July 3, 2012 at 10:45 AM

Ahh, of course, we can't let kids have more than two parents because it might confuse them. And the last thing we need is for kids to be confused. Heaven forbid. They might grow to understand that the world can be confusing.

Posted by Ben on July 3, 2012 at 11:00 AM

Here Phoebe - knock yourself out.
Achievement
http://credo.stanford.edu/research-repor…
http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/cha…
http://nepc.colorado.edu/thinktank/revie…
And for the layman:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answ…
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/educa…

Spending
http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/spe…
http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/NYC…

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/20…

And a fun twist - sending public tax dollars to the Turks
http://parentsacrossamerica.org/2012/04/…’s-connection-to-the-largest-us-charter-network/

Posted by StuckInUtah on July 3, 2012 at 11:37 AM

And for some more charter school entertainment, how about "Firing day at the charter school". Sounds like a great environment for kids!
http://www.alternet.org/education/155717…

Posted by StuckInUtah on July 3, 2012 at 11:39 AM

Happy belated, and a huge thank-you for saying "plan to dance" instead of "planning on dancing."

Posted by capicola on July 4, 2012 at 7:09 AM