Bob CollinsRegular readers know we really don’t need any more proof that Americans are really poor at history and civics, but let’s throw some out there anyway. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
Education
Luke McAvoy, an offensive lineman for the University of Minnesota Gophers football team from 2011-2014, was in a difficult spot during the same-sex marriage debate in Minnesota at the time.
While his teammates all had opinions of the issue, McAvoy kept quiet. He hadn’t yet told the team that he’s gay. Read more →
The St. Paul schools superintendent says she’s received racist letters — and worse — on the decision of a district school to eliminate “celebration” of Valentine’s Day and several other holidays. Read more →
A school district west of Minneapolis may be the latest to drop the idea of a valedictorian at graduation time in favor of an honors system that include more students. Read more →
What puts the ‘arts’ in liberal arts?
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Scott Masini, the principal of St. Paul’s Bruce Vento Elementary School, has been in the education business a long time, but he’s never seen anything like the reaction he’s received since someone leaked his letter last week informing parents the school will no longer celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day.
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Totino-Grace Engineering Institute student Jens Rataczak has spent a year preparing to do what he did on Sunday. He sent a weather balloon aloft from the Fridley school with a data logging and tracking system and a GoPro camera, which proved — again — that earth is round, and that sometimes the farther you get away from it, the prettier it looks. Read more →
Fargo North High School’s nightmare is over. Joshua Renville, the kid who wanted to pose with the flag and a gun for his yearbook photo has agreed to drop the gun. Read more →
It took a lot of effort to find a music teacher for the Lancaster, Minn., school system. The school in the town of 335 got one applicant. Now, immigration rules are sending her back to Canada, Valley News Live reports today. Read more →
It’s a day of commercialism and a lot of people in love don’t like it anymore. People shouldn’t feel obligated to express their love; that’s not the way love works. But go ahead and try to get through Valentine’s Day without running up a big tab.
Save yourselves while you still can, kids. Read more →
Liam Hollidge, a member of the Minnehaha Academy’s C-squad basketball team, is clearly destined for greatness even if it’s not likely to be as a basketball player. Read more →
Only about four of your Facebook friends actually care about you, a study from the UK says today.
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Amherst College, the ultra-liberal school in Massachusetts, has decided to drop its unofficial mascot because it honors the commander of British forces in North America who advocated wiping out Native Americans by giving them blankets laced with smallpox. Read more →
A lot of school boards across the country have student representatives to provide the perspective of the students. Fargo’s is dead set against the idea, the Fargo Forum reports today.
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In Texas, it’s probably best if you have nothing to do with anyone having an asthma attack in school. Read more →