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February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
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Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Augus 22, 2005
/ 17 Av, 5765
Long summers vs. a jump on the competition
By
Ruben Navarrette Jr.
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Public school teachers and administrators claim that they want parents to be partners in their children's educations.
That sounds nice. But it's easier said than done. For instance, what happens when these parental partners advocate a course of action that is totally counterproductive and that possibly even undermines the educational process?
Just because many parents like to claim that their child's education is their top priority doesn't make it so. They might well put their own interests or perhaps the interests of the family over those of the student.
This is an old story. There has long been a competitive tension between educators and parents, a natural friction between the opposing environments of school and home.
The latest example of that tension is the heated debate that is currently erupting over, of all things, summer vacation. According to an article in the New York Times, a number of school districts are trimming back on the ritual by starting classes in August or even late July, rather than the month of September. From Arizona to Florida, schools are trying to get a jump on the school year by enrolling students before Labor Day. School officials contend that starting classes earlier in the year gives educators and students more time to prepare for the standardized testing required under No Child Left Behind. They also say that an earlier start makes it possible for students to take end-of-semester exams before Christmas break instead of after it, something that some educators claim makes it easier for students to retain what they've learned.
Parents aren't buying it. While there are always those parents who can't wait until the kids go back to school, there are also some who want to preserve the traditional summer vacation. They say they would prefer that school start in late August or, better yet, early September. They insist that starting school early interferes with things such as summer camp and family vacations, and they're determined to hold the line. Groups with names like "Save Our Summers" and which claim to represent thousands of members are organizing petitions and e-mail campaigns and pressuring state legislatures to require schools to adhere to a more traditional school year or suffer the wrath of voters.
It's working. According to the article, North Carolina recently passed a law prohibiting public schools from starting school before Aug. 25. Wisconsin decreed that schools couldn't start before Sept. 1. In Minnesota, lawmakers drew the line at Labor Day.
I admit that, whenever parents and schools square off, I'm not in the habit of siding with the schools. When the issue is increasing accountability or eliminating bilingual education or requiring merit pay for teachers, I'm usually on the side of the parents.
Not this time. Not to diminish the importance of the family getaway to Yellowstone, or the positive effects that come from parents having time to bond with their children, but we are, after all, talking about the education of children and the empowering of future generations. Parents aren't arguing that extending summer vacation actually improves a child's education only that it would make their own lives easier or more convenient, perhaps giving them a chance to catch their breath between school years.
Too bad. There are bigger issues involved. Whenever there is a survey of how well students in the United States are doing in math, science or reading compared to those in other countries, we learn that our kids are trailing the pack. It's no wonder that companies in the high-tech industry are increasingly looking abroad for job applicants, turning to countries such as China or India to fill jobs that once went to Americans.
People in this country complain about that, and they cling to slogans like: "American jobs for Americans." They tell themselves that the only reason that foreigners are creaming them in the job market is that people from other countries will work for lower salaries. Their pride won't let them confront the possibility that the real reason may have to do with differences in competence and qualifications.
And where does that come from? It starts with education. In China, the school year is 270 days. In India, it's 220 days. And in the United States, it's only 180 days.
Americans are already falling behind in relation to those in other parts of the world. Preserving the length of a traditional summer vacation won't help them catch up.
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