Reading Time: < 1 minute It’s happening: … though the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the school’s assertion that [Joseph] Frederick was promoting drug use, it seems Frederick is now the one with the last laugh. He is, after all, the one who’s recently received a fat wad of cash from Paramount and MTV Films to make a movie […]
Education
Exploring the world of education from a secular, nonreligious perspective.
Posted inEducation, General
Moment of Forced Silence Implemented in Illinois
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Chicago Tribune ran an article today about the now-mandatory moment of silence in public schools across the state. “I think it’s ridiculous,” said Mark Merklin, a sophomore at South Elgin High. “What’s the punishment if you talk all through the moment of silence? Is there a fine or what?” … Neil Codell, superintendent of […]
Posted inEducation, Parenting & Family
the Quéstion of Québec
Reading Time: 3 minutes Il est faux de penser que la religion rend la mort plus acceptable. À preuve, les rites funéraires sont marqués par des moments d’intense tristesse. Et la plupart des croyants ont peur de la mort et font leur possible pour retarder sa venue! Demandez-lui si elle avait peur avant de venir au monde. Elle risque […]
Posted inCritical thinking, Education, Science
a brush with relevance
Reading Time: 3 minutes (Being the first in a series of reports on the 2007 convention of the Atheist Alliance International in Washington DC.) I don’t have many genuine heroes. Carl Sagan set the bar pretty high when I was thirteen. Since then I’ve generally required a combination of intelligence, lucidity, and courage from applicants to my private Valhalla. […]
Posted inEducation, General
Colorado Students Walk Out During Pledge Recital
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s one thing to not stand up during the daily Pledge of Allegiance recital in high school. It takes balls to do that in most places. But to get 50 of your classmates to do it with you… that’s just freaking phenomenal: “Boulder High has a highly diverse population, not all of whom believe in […]
Posted inEducation
i’d like to buy another consonant
Reading Time: 2 minutes Went with Delaney to the “Dads ‘n’ Donuts” event at her school the other day. A fine selection. We finished eating and socializing in the gym a bit early, so we sauntered back to her kindergarten classroom. A couple of dads were already there, being toured by the hand around the classroom by their progeny. […]
Posted inEducation, General
Atheists' Home Vandalized
Reading Time: < 1 minute Perhaps in response to Rob Sherman‘s atheist activism or his daughter’s recent (successful) campaign to get God Bless America off of the Homecoming Dance song list at her high school, the family evoked a response from the suburban Chicago community. Their home was vandalized Friday night: … with eggs tossed at the house and cars, […]
Posted inEducation, General
She's Not Requesting Attention… but It'll Follow Her Anyway
Reading Time: 2 minutes A week ago, Chicago atheist Rob Sherman was in the news. The story wasn’t about him, but about someone who shared his name. Now, (the atheist) Sherman’s daughter is in the local news. Not because of any actual news story but because the local media is drawn to Sherman and his family’s every move. His […]
Posted inEducation
Keep an Eye on This Student
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ms. SuperScience at Beautiful Biology gave her AP Biology students a questionnaire to fill out during the first week of school. She asked the kids a number of questions so she can learn about who they are and what makes them tick. Fairly normal procedure. Now, look at one student’s response to the prompt, “Tell […]
Posted inEducation, Parenting & Family
i’d like to buy a consonant
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s not that I’m spoiling for a fight. Like I said, I’m not about to start shooting my mouth off about church-state boundaries here in the dawning months of our entry to the Deep South unless my kids come home from school with John 3:16 tattooed to their foreheads. In permanent ink. A little temporary […]