Tag: James A. Bacon
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What Role Will “Equity” Play in UVa’s Pay Raises This Year?
by James A. Bacon The College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia will be using “equity” as a criterion in allocating pay raises in the coming year, according to a memo distributed by Interim Dean David L. Hill. Hill has divided the 5% pool of funds available for pay raises into three…
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Governor Youngkin’s Private-Sector Experience Appears to be Working in Government
by James C. Sherlock This article is about Governor Youngkin’s executive leadership and management, not his policies. The reviews so far are generally good. We normally elect Governors with little experience as operating executives. It is a rare gubernatorial resume that does not include experience as either a politician or a lawyer or both. That…
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Virginia’s Economic Recovery Among Weakest in the Nation… Says Virginia’s Top Economic Developer
by James A. Bacon Governor Glenn Youngkin, Republicans, and other critics of the previous governor’s economic policies are not the only ones who are worried about Virginia’s slow rate of economic growth. Jason El Koubi, CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, finds the Old Dominion’s lagging economic performance to be troubling, too. Virginia currently…
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Shocker: After Years of Identity Politics, Hate Speech Is on the Rise in Loudoun Schools
by James A. Bacon Racial slurs and hate speech are on the rise in Loudoun County Public Schools, according to data released by the school system. Forty incidents were reported in March alone, although the monthly numbers have declined modestly since then. “They have clearly spiked, particularly since February, and continue to be high,” Deputy…
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Where “Equity” Means Failing Equally
by James A. Bacon State Senator Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, doesn’t just take issue with the Youngkin administration’s interpretation of the data regarding the deteriorating quality of education in Virginia public schools, she finds Governor Glenn Youngkin’s position to be morally reprehensible. Here’s what she said in response to the release of his report, “Our Commitment…
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When You’ve Lost the WaPo Editorial Board…
by James A. Bacon Rumor has it that the devil has canceled his natural gas account, shut down the fiery furnaces of Hades, and installed air conditioning. In other words, hell has frozen over. Amidst the proliferating signs and wonders signaling the possible end of times, none is more startling than The Washington Post editorial…
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The Grift Behind Grades and Growth
by James A. Bacon Virginia’s public school officials rely upon a wide array of metrics to determine if schools are doing a good job of educating their students. Trusting in the integrity of the statistics, our political leaders use them to guide education policy and decision-making — as recently highlighted by the data-heavy critique of…
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The Empire Strikes Back
by James A. Bacon That didn’t take long. Yesterday the Youngkin administration issued its report detailing the perilous condition of Virginia’s public schools. Today the progressive educational establishment struck back, thoroughly rejecting the administration’s claims that educational performance is heading in the wrong direction. The most forceful denunciations are found in The Washington Post, which…
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Youngkin’s Principles for Achieving Educational Excellence
by James A. Bacon Educational outcomes in Virginia have been trending negative since 2017, says a report issued by the Youngkin administration today, “Our Commitment to Virginians: High Expectations and Excellence for All Students.” So… how does Team Youngkin plan to get things moving in the right direction? Broadly speaking, the answer is to raise…
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The Hard Truth about Virginia Schools
by James A. Bacon Virginia’s public schools, once among the best in the nation, are slipping badly. Some of the learning loss can be attributed to school closings driven by the COVID-19 epidemic, but the slide began several years before, when education leaders began lowering standards. And despite a relentless focus on “equity,” the racial…
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Hey, Buddy, What’s Your Friggin’ Problem?
by James A. Bacon Based on anecdotal evidence, I have long thought that the rudest, most aggressive drivers in the United States resided in the Northeastern states. It turns out, based on insurance data, that Virginia has some of the worst drivers in the country. So much for our self-image as courteous ladies and gentlemen.…
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A “Best Universities” Ranking Virginians Can Be Proud Of
by James A. Bacon There are multiple college rankings these days. Results vary widely based upon the criteria used to rate the institutions: prestige, social justice, affordability, and the like. Money magazine uses 24 factors reflecting upon the quality of the education, the cost of the education (net price after adjusting for financial aid), and…
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Once Upon a Time, Schools Didn’t Need Fancy Buildings, Big Bureaucracies and Trauma Counselors to Teach
by James A. Bacon When Gail Smith talks about growing up in 1950s-era Goochland County, she calls her time attending the Second Union Rosenwald School as “the best years of my life.” The two-room schoolhouse was lacking in what we refer to today as “amenities.” But it was supported by the local African-American community, and…
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Youngkin Announces Violent Crime Task Force
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced yesterday the creation of a task force to combat violent crime in Virginia. Said the Governor in making the announcement: “We will take a comprehensive look at how we can address the rise in violent crime by providing more law enforcement resources, creating alternative and after-school activities for children, and addressing…
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VCU Circular Firing Squad: Nazis, Terrorists and Racists
by James A. Bacon There’s a whole lot of crazy going on at Virginia Commonwealth University right now, and, not surprisingly, former Governor L. Douglas Wilder is in the center of it. Between the accusations of racism and alleged threats to physical safety, the controversy is a window into the demented rhetoric inside higher education…