Jezebel: Schools

Legislator Warns that Modern Family Will Ruin Kids By Teaching them About Gayness

Erin Gloria Ryan — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST

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Tennessee, the Volunteer State, has a state representative who would like to "volunteer" to tell you something really, truly dumb: if you don't want your kids to end up gay, don't let them watch Modern Family. The loving gay couple featured on the show will teach kids about The Gayness, and in turn they'll themselves become The Gayness. More »

Now Schools Can Feed Kids As Many Potatoes As They Damn Well Please

Whitney Jefferson — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EDT

A quick update on the Potato Wars being fought by the American government, the potato industry, and the lunch lady in your elementary school's cafeteria: the Senate voted to reject the $19.78 billion agriculture and rural development bill which, among many other things, would have limited schools to serving only one-to-two servings o' spuds per week. But no more! Freedom fries will remain free another day. More »

Potatoes Come Under Scrutiny For Dominating Unhealthy School Lunches

Whitney Jefferson — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:45:00 EDT

Despite the fact that our nation's potato consumption is at its lowest point in 30 years — down 20% since 1996, in fact — our kids are consuming so much of the vegetable in school lunches that it's become a topic of debate in the Senate. The government would like to see potatoes in school lunches limited to only two servings per week, but senators from big potato-growing states are arguing against the USDA's suggestions by ranting, raving, and comparing it to the villainous iceberg lettuce. Except that potatoes are delicious. More »

Mom Arrested For Giving Daughter Mace To Fight Bullies

Margaret Hartmann — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:19:00 EDT

Speaking of how to stop bullies, one mom has come up with a solution that isn't exactly legal. Tracy Morales and her 17-year-old daughter Clerissa Loucks were both arrested last week after the teen used mace against two girls she describes as bullies. Morales admits that she sent her daughter to school with the spray, and says, "I'd give her the Mace again." More »

Should Schools Tell Children They’re Overweight?

Lane Moore — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EDT

A recent study by Dr. Kristine A. Madsen of the University of California, San Francisco found that school policies allowing officials to let parents know whether or not their children are overweight or obese seem to have little effect on the "problem" itself. More »

Some Schools Still Don't Spare The Rod

Sadie Stein — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:40:00 EDT

Thought "paddling" was a thing of the past? Think again: in 20 states, corporeal punishment is still legal, and some schools take full advantage. More »

School Cancels Cross-Dressing Day For Promoting Alternative Lifestyles

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:42:00 EST

A Canadian elementary school canceled "Opposite Gender Day," which students suggested, after some parents complained about children, "experiencing being people of the opposite gender." Crisis averted! Everyone knows if a 7-year-old boy wears a pink shirt, he'll definitely become gay. More »

L.A. Schools Squash Jamie Oliver's Plans For Food Revolution

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 10:35:00 EST

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Jamie Oliver is pleading with the L.A. Unified School District to reconsider after it rejected his request to film Food Revolution in its schools. 75 other districts have turned down his offer to criticize their school lunches on TV. More »

Schools Hiring Sex Offenders

Anna North — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:39:00 EST

A new government report says schools are still hiring sex offenders, giving them the opportunity to get close to kids and abuse again. More »

Teachers To Protest Outside Ladymag Tower

Irin Carmon — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:17:00 EST

Retired New York City schoolteachers will picket the Hearst Tower tomorrow demanding the job of magazine group chairwoman Cathie Black, who will be NYC schools chancellor despite having no education experience. They point out that they've read a magazine. More »

Los Angeles Doesn't Want Jamie Oliver's Revolution

Jessica Coen — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 10:22:00 EST

Food Revolution—previously filmed in West Virginia, where it was proven that lunch ladies are every bit as terrifying as you thought—has been given the boot from the LA school district which doesn't need Jamie's help, OKAY? More »

Mean Maine Schools Ban Grinding

Anna North — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:20:00 EDT

"Controversy over a popular dance style known as grinding has finally cropped up in Maine's largest school district." Finally. More »

Bullied: "We're Human Beings; We Deserve Respect"

Sadie Stein — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:52:00 EDT

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A new documentary, Bullied, could not be more timely: in the wake of several gay students' suicides, it follows one boy, but could help many. More »

Mothers' Abortions Make Their Way Onto Schools Questionnaire

Irin Carmon — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:25:00 EDT

Russia's federal education system has sparked an outrage for asking parents of schoolchildren whether the mothers have had abortions. the survey has also drawn complaints for violating the medical privacy of children. More »

Japanese Children Subjected To Teachers, Chalkboards, Note-Taking

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EDT

Yokohama, Japan, September 6: Pupils take notes during math class at Honmoku Elementary School. Alarmed that its children are falling behind, Japan is adding 1,200 pages to elementary school textbooks, bringing the total to 6,100. Image via AP.

Phoebe Prince's Past Adds Another Layer To The Story

Anna North — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:30:00 EDT

Bullying victim Phoebe Prince may have been a bully herself before she came to the United States — and while this in no way excuses what happened to her, it may shed some light on how schools should handle bullying. More »

Yet Another Reason Parents Are Miserable

Anna North — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EDT

It's become conventional wisdom now that having kids won't make you happy — in America, it might even make you sadder. There are a lot of possible reasons, but one is particularly interesting: inequality. More »

The New Slap Bracelet: Schools Ban Bandz

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 28 May 2010 10:20:00 EDT

Schools around the country are banning Silly Bandz, bracelets shaped like animals, symbols and letters, because they're too distracting. Basically, it's this generation's slap bracelet ban, though kids aren't at risk for splitting their wrists open. Wusses. [N.Y. Daily News] More »

Arizona Bans Ethnic Studies Classes

Anna North — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:30:00 EDT

Unsatisfied with mandating racial profiling, Arizona has now passed a law prohibiting many ethnic studies classes in schools. The state schools chief claims such classes promote "ethnic chauvinism" and create an environment "just like the old South." [HuffPo] More »

Testing, Testing: Do Gifted Kids Deserve Special Treatment?

Anna North — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:20:00 EST

Jennifer Senior's New York Magazine piece on elementary school admissions reveals a disturbing world in which parents pay thousands of dollars to prep their four-year-olds for baby SATs. But it ignores one obvious question: should kids be tested at all? More »

Can Bullying Really Be Stopped?

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:40:00 EDT

An Associated Press review of anti-bullying laws across the nation revealed they are largely ineffective. Several recent child suicides have spurred a push for stronger laws, but is it possible to police something that can be as subtle as eye-rolling? More »

How Gardening Could Save Detroit: Amanda Rosman, Urban Education Pioneer

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Amanda Rosman, 33, is a single mom living in Detroit with her 5-year-old son Ajani. She's taught in the Detroit Public Schools, a Catholic school and a charter school, but her main project now is starting a revolutionary elementary school. More »

Happy Cinco De Mayo

Anna Holmes — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:30:00 EDT

Awesome detail from Michelle Obama's Montessori visit yesterday: "At one point she was in the midst of a hugging pileup." More - including a transcript with kid cuteness - here: [Huffington Post] More »

Children's Crusade: New Policy Gets 'Em While They're Young

Sadie Stein — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:40:00 EDT

In Britain, a new program has teachers reporting students to anti-terror cops. What could possibly go wrong? More »

Pussycat Doll Sells Out For Soap; Women's Basketball In Iraq Scores Big With Kurds

maria — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:20:00 EDT

Pussycat Doll takes shilling to high extreme, sings song for Caress body wash. • An Indian man beheaded a woman he believed was a witch. • 18-year-old girl genius makes the natural transition into academia. • "Whether or not we're in a recession, it doesn't matter. That day is the most important day of your life and a memory for a lifetime." —bride-to-be on expensive weddings. • Men undergoing treatment for sleep apnea sleep better when sleeping with their wives. • The U.S. Marine Corps is attempting to recruit women through advertisements in women's fitness mags. • Only 35% of Afghan schoolchildren are female, despite advances in getting Afgani children educated. • A woman sells eggs to fund her Everest climb. • They may be short, but Iraq's female basketball team has dreams as high as mountains! • Fast fashion is out, sewing machines are in! • Don't you know? Asshole male drivers are just getting in touch with their caveman roots. • Awesome 55-year old grandma runs marathons to come to the aid of meth addicts. More »

Parents Are Signing Unborn Children Up For Posh Preschools

Jessica G. — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST

The Wall Street Journal discusses a problem plaguing the petite bourgeoisie: So many people are signing up for the few desirable day care spots in major cities, that parents have started applying for pre-school places when their children are still in utero. Kate Ferry, of Downingtown, PA, told a local coveted day care center she was pregnant before she told "anyone in the family," in order to secure a spot for her spawn. But before you assume this is a mo' money, mo' problems kind of issue, consider this statistic: according to the Journal, the number of preschoolers with working parents exceeds the number of childcare spots by anywhere from 25%-75% in most half the states in the union, including New York, California, and Pennsylvania. But, as the Journal points out, the most egregious demand is for the tony pre-Ks. The Bank Street Family Center in New York has 130 applicants for 12-15 openings. More »

Are Single Sex Classrooms Good For Girls?

Jessica G. — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST

Last night, MSNBC aired a report about Florida school Woodward Avenue Elementarybecause it has single sex classes, which some believe encourage better learning. The reader who tipped us off to the story notes that, in the clip above, the boys-only group looks like its having more fun, playing interactive learning games, whereas, those in the girls-only class are sitting quietly in its seats. The girls' teacher says that her students benefit from more traditional learning, and in her classroom, "A quiet girl is not afraid to raise her hand, she doesn't have to compete with the loudness or the boys who are shouting out answers." Boys reading test scores have jumped 30% under the new regime, while girls scores have not improved quite so starkly. More »