Texas School Board Set to Vote on Evolution

Texas School Board Set to Vote on Challenge to Evolution - WSJ.com

Wow... maybe there is hope after all... [This Post Continues after the jump...]

Report Sees Cost in Some Academic Gains

Report Sees Cost in Some Academic Gains - NYTimes.com [This Post Continues after the jump...]

Did You Know - SHIFT happens

WATCH THIS... take the time to WATCH THIS

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High School Graduation Rates Plummet

I haven't read all of this yet, but this is one of the factors that contributes to my "doom and gloom" feeling. American society is, I fear, on the verge of collapse. Our economy is based on "consumerism" not manufacturing or anything high tech, or anything "real" (it's based on make money, spend money, and have nothing real to show for it in the end). Our education system is failing our children (this topic), and we have massive debt at all levels (from government down to personal debt).

I can't figure out what is holding this system up!

FOXNews.com - High School Graduation Rates Plummet Below 50 Percent in Some U.S. Cities - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News [This Post Continues after the jump...]

Parents must have teaching credentials to home school their kids

But of course, public schools, don't have to be accountable to anyone.

I think any parent should be allowed to home school their children until the child fails a grade twice or fails several standardized tests. But if the parents can successfully teach the children, I don't care what pieces of paper they have or don't have.

Homeschoolers' setback sends shock waves through state [This Post Continues after the jump...]

Engineers have a 'terrorist mindset'

Well, I'm certainly am inclined to take a conservative and religious position on things...and according to most democrats, my views are "extreme"... but I would hardly call myself a terrorist...

EETimes.com - Holy War! Researchers say EEs have a 'terrorist mindset'

PDF paper here Engineers of Jihad [This Post Continues after the jump...]

Where Are the Software Engineers of Tomorrow?

Not one of my usual topics, but one I found interesting.

I think we need to realize that there are two classes of computer programmers now, the ones like me that program a small tool to get a specific job done, like analyzing a data stream, or displaying data in human readable formats, and then the programmers that do all the "behind the scenes" work.

It's kind of interesting that as things get EASIER for me, they actually get HARDER for the real programmers developing all the tools.

STSC CrossTalk - Computer Science Education: Where Are the Software Engineers of Tomorrow? - Jan 2008


*** UPDATE ***

Who Killed the Software Engineer? (Hint: It Happened in College)

To sum up Dewar’s argument: today’s college computer science programs aren’t rigorous enough, and don’t promote in-depth thinking and problem solving. Instead, in an effort to boost enrollment, CS programs focus on easily accessible curricula, and so fail to prepare students to compete with their international peers.

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School Keeps Christmas, Halloween; Adds Ramadan

cbs2chicago.com - School Keeps Christmas, Halloween; Adds Ramadan

This sounds like a good outcome. Freedom OF religion is very different from freedom FROM religion. Many people believe removing all references to religion is somehow "Neutral" it isn't. [This Post Continues after the jump...]

Bible Classes in Georgia Public Schools

This sounds great. Too many people don't know the basics of the bible and just how much it HAS effected our society. I think everyone could benefit from a basic knowledge of the Bible as book, as literature, and as history (history of the book itself, not the stories in it).

FOXNews.com - Georgia Close to Approving Bible Classes in Public Schools - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News [This Post Continues after the jump...]