The recent New York Times Op-Ed piece, “The Unaddressed Link Between Poverty and Education” laid bare the facts that many of us know all too well, that is, students from disadvantaged households have many more educational challenges that their peers from more socioeconomically affluent households. While economic challenges certainly impact a child’s academic performance, there’sRead… Read more »
While my younger and immensely more social media savvy colleague beseeches me to weigh in on trending topics and news stories as soon as possible, I sometimes like to wait a day or two, not only to ruminate on the points made, but also to see how others respond to the information. Not surprisingly, IRead… Read more »
It is always with a hint of mirth that I watch the quadrennial analysis of political pundits who seem befuddled by the electorate’s behavior. This year the attention falls squarely on the Republican primary voters who are shifting their preferences with the rise and fall of the personal predilections of the various presidential candidates (theRead… Read more »
In case you missed it, on Monday we talked about Newt Gingrich as a student of leadership styles. The new Washington Post-ABC News poll declared Gingrich as the leader in Iowa. Will Newt be able to create wholesale change while still catering to the people’s desire for approaches less rooted in partisan rhetoric? Full resultsRead… Read more »
This week President Obama laid out his vision for America and his rationale as to why he should be re-elected. In a nearly hour-long speech, he sought to firmly establish himself as the defender of the middle class. While the ideals underpinning his rhetoric are laudable, the approach of demonizing various segments of society isRead… Read more »
Even when the inevitable stares us in the face, our natural inclination is to want things to stay the same. It is safe. We understand the rules and in the routine we find security. Nothing conjures up a sense of stability, reliability, and community more than the US Postal Service. And nothing is more inRead… Read more »
Every time Newt Gingrich gets another 15 minutes of fame on the national political stage, the conversation inevitably turns to his keen mind and treasure trove of ideas. As a student of leadership styles and a advocate of the benefits these insights they provide, it is no mystery that Newt is doing what is completelyRead… Read more »
The holidays often bring up the difficult juxtaposition of fantasy meeting reality. From childhood, we dreamed of special days filled with good food, fun times, and wonderful gifts. Often the reality of stressed out adults, parading by relatives rarely seen and toys not quite what we imagined pierced our visions and sent us spiraling intoRead… Read more »
In the perpetual battle to reform America’s defunct education system, it is interesting to see how “new” interests are entering the fray bringing with them millions of dollars and an insatiable taste for political paralysis. The Huffington Post article, “America’s Education Reform Lobby Makes it Presence Known at the Voting Booth,” details how Washington insiders,Read… Read more »
With approval ratings firmly ensconced in the single-digits, it is no surprise that Americans are fed-up with Congress. In the announcing of his retirement, long-time member Barney Frank of Massachusetts has become emblematic of the corrosive morass the People’s House has become and his persona a reflection of the daily battles in which our mediaRead… Read more »