By CHRIS POWELL Chronic absenteeism in Connecticut’s schools fell substantially in the school year just ended, state officials announced last week. But their data shows the problem remains at what should be appalling levels in many places, especially the state’s cities, and the official diagnosis of the problem is incomplete. Only one rationale remains for casinos inContinue reading “Behind chronic absenteeism; and two mistaken rebuttals”
Tag Archives: social promotion
Like Groucho, state won’t let education encroach on football
By CHRIS POWELL Having smiled benignly at Hartford Public High School’s graduation of an admittedly illiterate and innumerate student two years ago, Governor Lamont and the General Assembly this year passed a law formally lowering academic standards in public high schools. Public campaign financing has yet to improve the state Despite CEA’s backing Lamont, many teachersContinue reading “Like Groucho, state won’t let education encroach on football”
Will state ever reduce poverty or just keep manufacturing it?
By CHRIS POWELL Will the day ever come in Connecticut when those in authority notice that despite all their chest thumping, posturing, sanctimony, and spending, some very big undertakings of government aren’t working? That is, failing to accomplish their nominal objectives while supporting a bureaucracy with great salaries, benefits, and pensions. Voter registration case isContinue reading “Will state ever reduce poverty or just keep manufacturing it?”
Public schools couldn’t meet new home-school standards
By CHRIS POWELL In principle there’s nothing wrong with the basics of the home-schooling legislation that got a public hearing before the General Assembly this week. The bill would require people to notify local officials in person when they withdraw their children from public school to home-school them, to bring their home-schooled children to someContinue reading “Public schools couldn’t meet new home-school standards”
Serious schooling could force kids to cut social media time
By CHRIS POWELL Kids always have spent too much time doing unproductive stuff for mere amusement. It’s called being a kid. Governor Lamont and Attorney General William Tong think they can change this by legislation restricting social media. They condemn “youth social media addiction,” which they say is shortening the attention spans of young peopleContinue reading “Serious schooling could force kids to cut social media time”
Teachers aren’t trying to stop the collapse of education
By CHRIS POWELL Connecticut’s public school teachers are feeling resentful again. The other day their biggest union, the deceptively named Connecticut Education Association, reported a poll of its members that was full of the usual findings: Teachers feel overworked, underpaid, and disrespected. Overimpressed by college, Democrats get arrogant Senator Winfield and other Democrats want openContinue reading “Teachers aren’t trying to stop the collapse of education”
Hartford, Bridgeport schools urgently need state takeover
By Chris Powell How could Aleysha Ortiz go through the Hartford school system and be given a high school diploma without ever learning to read and write? Who exactly was responsible in every grade that advanced her anyway? State government’s growth causes record spending on lobbyists Does Trump’s budget really spell doom for Connecticut? ProtestsContinue reading “Hartford, Bridgeport schools urgently need state takeover”
Democrats aren’t against kings, they just want a new one
By Chris Powell Last weekend’s “No Kings” rallies in Connecticut and around the country, protesting what were said to be President Trump’s excesses, were as hyperbolic as the president himself, and, insofar as most of the protesters were Democrats and liberals, largely hypocritical. Illegal immigration’s backers in Connecticut never get critical questions Murphy sees Democrats’Continue reading “Democrats aren’t against kings, they just want a new one”
Connecticut devalues education while throwing more money at it
By Chris Powell Except to the teacher unions, Connecticut’s Linda McMahon is a big relief as secretary of the U.S. Education Department, mainly because her predecessor, Connecticut’s Miguel Cardona, was such a disaster. Distinguish among immigrants; and Pratt’s gradual departure CT Public’s wild salaries; and make schools answer Democrats would abolish public control of Connecticut’sContinue reading “Connecticut devalues education while throwing more money at it”
Connecticut’s elections can’t be secure without proof of citizenship
By Chris Powell Having fallen in love with executive orders even more than his predecessor did, President Trump is coming down with a bad case of megalomania. He has little authority to command the states to follow any particular election procedures, as he presumed to do with another executive order the other day. Congress canContinue reading “Connecticut’s elections can’t be secure without proof of citizenship”
Chris Powell column 