Opinion
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How Dangerous is Swedish Snus? Don’t Ask The New York Times
Opinion -The New York Times has published (here) a reasonably accurate portrayal of the Swedish snus experience that I have chronicled for over a decade (here, here, and here). -
The Only Legitimate FCC Hybrid Net Neutrality Approach
Opinion -Any legitimacy the FCC has comes from the authority of law written by a duly-elected Congress under the U.S. Constitution.Twice the FCC has tried to mandate new net neutrality regulations on its own and twice the U.S. -
Politico Gets the Lede Way Wrong – and The Hill Buries It
Opinion -As we’ve often discussed, the Tech World Media is just as hopelessly Leftist and lost as the broader Jurassic Press. They so often get it so very wrong - often because their absurd political perspective warps their alleged “reporting. -
L.A. Superintendent Deasy’s Exit Facilitated by Teachers Unions
Opinion -John Deasy has stepped down after three-and-a-half years as Los Angeles Schools Superintendent and is facing mixed reviews. Like many reform-minded superintendents, Deasy had a lot of enemies, namely the teachers unions. -
Florida Teachers Union Re-Files Slightly Altered Lawsuit
Opinion -The Florida Education Association, the state’s main teachers union, is reviving its failed lawsuit against expansion of the state’s tax credit scholarship program aiding special needs students. -
Congress, White House in Keystone Showdown
Opinion -The much-delayed Keystone XL pipeline has taken center stage in Washington, DC in the wake of the 2014 midterm elections.Trying to boost the reelection chances of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Senate Democrats agreed to a vote on the pipeline. -
Charters Fly, Fail, and Outperform in 2014
Opinion -Access to charter schools is driving increases in student achievement in some of the nation’s toughest locales for education. -
The Wildly Contentious History of Public School Teaching
Opinion -Review of The Teacher Wars: A History of America’s Most Embattled Profession, by Dana Goldstein, Doubleday, 368 pages, $17. -
Jindal’s Controversial Teacher Tenure Law Upheld
Opinion -A two-year battle in Louisiana over procedures for removing ineffective school teachers ended Oct. 15 when the state’s Supreme Court upheld the state’s effort to change the tenure laws. -
California Parent Empowerment Efforts Showing Signs of Success
Opinion -Nearly five years after California passed the nation’s first-ever “Parent Trigger” legislation, parents at only a handful of failing schools have taken advantage of the law’s potent remedies in the face of ferocious opposition. -
Internet Sales Tax Fails in Lame Duck Session
Opinion -Despite protests from trade groups and some state governors, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner has remained resolute in his refusal to allow the Marketplace Fairness Act to receive a hearing on the House floor. -
More Mythbusting from the Incidental Economist
Opinion -I've mentioned before that I'm a fan of the blog The Incidental Economist, run by Dr. Aaron Carroll and economist Austin Frakt, which focuses on health care policy. As I tell people, they're frequently wrong but always insightful. -
Preschool Creates No Lasting Achievement Gains, Study Finds
Opinion -A new study has found the current state of research on the effectiveness of universal preschool does not justify government intervention to establish such programs. In “The Evidence on Universal Preschool: Are Benefits Worth the Cost?” Dr. David J. -
Teachers Unions Spent Big Money on This Year’s Elections
Opinion -Teachers unions spent big money during this election season: an estimated $40 million by the NEA (National Education Association) and $20 million by the AFT (American Federation of Teachers). The NEA’s super-PAC spent $12. -
Michigan Teacher, Veteran Fights Union and Wins
Opinion -Adam Neuman, a teacher at Brighton High School in Michigan, scored a right-to-work victory after challenging the state teachers union. -
Study: Grades and Attendance More Telling than Tests
Opinion -Researchers say much-emphasized standardized test scores may not be the best indicator of a student’s later academic success. Educators should instead focus on grades and attendance if they want to get their students through high school and onto college. -
Swiss Reject Single-Payer
Opinion -Voters in Switzerland rejected a referendum that would have replaced the nation’s current health care system with a state-run single-payer system similar to those of Canada and Great Britain. -
Tell Congress, “End Wind Energy Tax Giveaways Now”
Opinion -There is a good chance that the Lame Duck Congress could vote as early as Wednesday, December 4, on extending huge taxpayer subsidies for Big Wind energy companies for another three, five or more years. -
Global Warming, the “Irreconcilable Differences” Issue
Opinion -One has to wonder if global warming promoters are oblivious to the manner in which their talking point narratives are plagued with crippling contradictions. -
Superintendents Retire, Get Rehired with Pension and Pay
Opinion -In Edina, Minnesota, public school superintendents retire for a few days before they’re lured back for a sequel at their former jobs, with full salary, benefits, incentives, and pension. -
Maria Kaupas Chicago Center Mentors At-Risk Youth
Opinion -As their legacy in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, the Sisters of St. Casimir established the Maria Kaupas Center, named after Mother Maria Kaupas. -
Colorado Springs District Plans to Remove Most Students from Common Core Testing
Opinion -Colorado Springs School District 11 struck a blow against the Common Core by voting to remove the majority of its students from the new, mandatory standardized tests. -
Study: Doctors Declining to See Obamacare Patients
Opinion -A recent study found large numbers of doctors are declining to participate in health plans offered through exchanges set up under the Affordable Care Act, raising questions about whether people buying insurance through exchanges will be able to access -
SHOP Exchange Continues to Flounder
Opinion -Yesterday's Washington Post has a story regarding the general failure of Obamacare's SHOP exchanges to expand health coverage. A sample: A year after the Obama administration temporarily shelved an unfinished part of HealthCare.