Category: Children and Families
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CDC Has Three Recommendations on the Masking of Children. None of Them Match.
And the Governor’s Executive Order will outlive the Virginia law that directs schools to adhere to CDC guidance, even if they think they can figure out what it is. by James C. Sherlock Many quote the “science” that favors their opinions. Virginia law requires: …each school board to provide such in-person instruction in a manner…
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The Board of Education Should Investigate “Privilege Bingo” at FCPS
by James C. Sherlock Hard to sweep this under the rug. Pat Herrity of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors yesterday released on his Twitter account this picture of a teaching aid used in a Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) classroom. There is no indication yet of the grades in which “privilege Bingo” is being…
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Are School Grades Misleading Parents?
by James C. Sherlock Virtually all parents pay close attention to their children’s report cards. That is, however, a fruitless exercise if the grades do not reflect actual learning. I spoke the other day to a senior school official who related to me his own story. One of his children, a second grader, brought home…
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Imprisoned by the Past
by James A. Bacon As a parting gift to Virginia, outgoing Attorney General Mark Herring has overturned 58 opinions issued by attorneys general between 1904 and 1967 that supported racially discriminatory laws from poll taxes to the prohibition of interracial marriage. “While these discriminatory and racist laws are no longer on the books in Virginia,…
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Schools Closing Because Teachers Don’t Like Child Care Options
by Hans Bader My school system in Arlington County is needlessly closing today. Supposedly, the reason is the “weather,” but the school system admits that actually, “the primary and neighborhood roads in Arlington are clear and our schools are ready.” Why then, are they closing? Because some teachers have kids, and some of those teachers…
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Harassment and Bullying Not the Reason for New Transgender Protections in Virginia Schools
by James C. Sherlock The Virginia Department of Education’s Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools continue to be fiercely controversial. The Left points to harassment and bullying as the reason the 2020 law was needed. Yet we already had a law and policy against that. The new…
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Vaccine Decisions Belong to Parents. Period.
I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy. Ms. @EricaRHill even said I’ve been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea! — Big Bird (@BigBird) November 6, 2021 Pfizer tells…
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By Failing, Progressives ‘Win’
by James C. Sherlock Progressives in America have perfected the art of winning by failing. They create demand for more government with devastatingly destructive government programs badly run. It is the idea of control and the money it brings policy makers from rent seekers rather than the management of programs that attracts them. Plenty…
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Terry McAuliffe as Governor Aggressively Denied Charter Schools to Poor Minority Children
by James C. Sherlock Terry McAuliffe demonstrated as governor that he will fight public charter schools. He will oppose them regardless of the lifelong costs to the students of some truly pitiful Virginia public schools, many with majorities of minority students. When governor, he vetoed a major attempt by the General Assembly to help those…
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Biden and McAuliffe to Complete the Roundup of Toddlers by the State
by James C. Sherlock Updated 26 October 1:48 PM The progressive dream of government control of children from birth is approaching reality in Virginia. Terry McAuliffe shares that dream and wants to lead Virginia to that promised land. Governor Ralph Northam and the Democratic General Assembly have established state control of our youngest children, but…
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Richmond Public Schools – Adult Misbehavior Cripples Children’s Futures
by James C. Sherlock This space this morning published a great column by Kerry Dougherty about the City of Richmond Public Schools (RPS). She was as desperate for a solution as the rest of us. I have found over the years that it is absolutely impossible to talk or embarrass the RPS into improving its…
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The Loudoun Way — School Rapes by a Member of a Progressive Protected Class
by James C. Sherlock Any time you think there is only one system of justice in America, consider these two stories I offer below, one a progressive dream and the other true. The true story will show some progressives care more about their dogma than kids. And any time you think only big city progressives…
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Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI+) Pilot – Hidden Data, Disappearing Value — Thanks for Nothing
by James C. Sherlock This is a follow-up to my Monday report on VPI+, a federally funded four-year pilot program to assess the value of the Virginia Preschool Initiative. Today we will discuss what was not reported to the public. We will also assess the dreadful results of the pilot participants after those kids graduated…
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Virginia Preschool Initiative Pilot – Political Conclusions Belied by the Data
by James C. Sherlock. Updated Oct 18 at 5:38 PM Those who have followed my reporting know that I am passionate on the subject of helping poor children do better in Virginia’s schools. They also know of my disdain for Virginia’s hyper-political education establishment. Well, the Northam administration has turned the Virginia Preschool Initiative Plus…
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McAuliffe Lets the Cat out of the Bag
by James C. Sherlock Current Virginia law and Terry McAuliffe cannot coexist. “A parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.” Code of Virginia § 1-240.1. Rights of parents. “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.” Terry McAuliffe, Sept 28,…