To improve schools, stop treating them like businesses

Despite all the talk of investing in education, you’d be outraged if Wall Street traders could actually buy and sell stock in your local school. Who wants investors betting for – or against – student performance?

Absurd as it sounds, we’re headed there. Just as corporations have become their stock prices, public schools are becoming their test scores. The school-as-business model that has gained momentum over the past decade now dominates education reform. In this high-stakes testing world of guts-and-glory races to the top, students are statistics. Without saying that test results don’t matter – they do – the real job at hand is not just turning around schools, but turning around students — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Uncle Sam’s Values – At Bat for Monsanto WikiLeaks US targets EU over GM crops

The US embassy in Paris advised Washington to start a military-style trade war against any European Union country which opposed genetically modified (GM) crops, newly released WikiLeaks cables show.

In response to moves by France to ban a Monsanto GM corn variety in late 2007, the ambassador, Craig Stapleton, a friend and business partner of former US president George Bush, asked Washington to penalise the EU and particularly countries which did not support the use of GM crops — via pameladrew.newsvine.com

California Bill Criminalizing Online Impersonations In Effect Starting Today

California’s SB 1411, which adds a layer of criminal and civil penalties for certain online impersonations, goes into effect starting today. The consequences include a fine of up to $1,000, and/ or up to a year in jail. So don’t go and do something crazy like impersonate Google CEO Eric Schmidt on Facebook. There may be consequences — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Hungary Introduces Europe’s Most Restrictive Media Law

Hungary is introducing on Saturday a controversial media law that critics say will turn the clock back and re-introduce totalitarian rule in the former Communist nation. Under the legislation, journalists can face huge fines if their coverage is deemed unbalanced. The controversy comes as Hungary takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Saturday — via redwolf.newsvine.com

World Net Daily Sells Lies with the Pink Swastika

Fundamentalist Christians love to blame National Socialism on the left when, in fact, it is a right-wing phenomenon, as was Fascism in Spain and Italy. They have accused liberals of being Nazis (as well as communists, somehow) and leveled the same accusation at feminists and secularists and atheists and pagans. They are also blaming homosexuals — via proglib.newsvine.com