By Chris Powell Hartford’s school superintendent, Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, says she’ll investigate the case of the girl who, the Connecticut Mirror reported a few weeks ago, graduated this year from Hartford Public High School without being able to read or write or do more than rudimentary addition and who then somehow was admitted to the University ofContinue reading “Case of illiterate Hartford girl should become a national scandal”
Tag Archives: social promotion
Poverty devours Connecticut but who will ask its cause?
By Chris Powell Rising homelessness. Growing demand at food and diaper banks. Chronic absenteeism at schools. Brawls at high school football games. Schools closed by threats of violence. Street takeovers and car thefts by young hooligans. More drug abuse, mentally ill children, teen suicides, and abandoned pets. Such news reports indicating worsening poverty and social disintegration inContinue reading “Poverty devours Connecticut but who will ask its cause?”
‘Smart phones’ aren’t why Connecticut’s students are dumb
By Chris Powell Schools increasingly are prohibiting students from operating or even carrying “smart phones” — internet-equipped telephones — in class. Some schools are investing in special pouches in which students must lock their phones in school, being able to unlock them only with a special device made available when they are leaving. At $25Continue reading “‘Smart phones’ aren’t why Connecticut’s students are dumb”
Connecticut needs innovation to end poverty and violence
By Chris Powell Appalled by the shooting of five people in several incidents in Bridgeport over the Memorial Day weekend, Governor Lamont hurried to the city on Tuesday to meet Mayor Joe Ganim and other officials and show moral support. While Bridgeport’s police department is said to be understaffed and to suffer high turnover —Continue reading “Connecticut needs innovation to end poverty and violence”
Chris Powell column 