Tag: James A. Bacon
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The Boeing Announcement Is a Vote of Confidence in Virginia
by James A. Bacon The Boeing Company’s decision to transfer its official headquarters location from Chicago, Ill., to Arlington gives Virginia significant bragging rights. The move will have little detectable short-term economic impact. The more consequential news is a promise to “develop a research & technology hub” in the area “to harness and attract engineering…
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Home Again
by James A. Bacon Ahh. It’s great to be back in Virginia. The wife and I had a fabulous time visiting state and national parks in Utah — a trip I recommend to everyone — but I’m glad to be back home. The Old Dominion may not have arches, hoodoos, mesas or other astonishing geological…
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Utah Bound!
I’m leaving Wednesday on a much-needed vacation, in which my wife, traveling companions and I expect to do a lot of hiking with spectacular views such as this one. I’ll be gone about 10 days — without a laptop, unable to blog! (Is there a blogging-withdrawal antidote comparable to Oxycodone? Oh, maybe it’s spending time…
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Youngkin’s Education Agenda — Raise Standards, Pursue Excellence, Help Those Who Need It
by James A. Bacon Former Governor George Allen likes to say that the best social program is a job. One might suggest that a corollary to this proposition is that the best way for Virginia’s public school system to advance “social justice” is giving students the skills they need to get quality jobs in…
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What on Earth Is Going On in Richmond Public School Bathrooms?
by James A. Bacon How dysfunctional are Richmond City public schools? Consider the case of River City Middle School, which serves a population that is 59% economically disadvantaged. While many of the city’s schools have enrollments beneath capacity, due to a declining student population in the city, River City is bulging at the seams. Built…
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How Partisan Bias Affects Law School Rankings
by James A. Bacon Virginia is known for the number and quality of its law schools. Eight law schools are located in the state, making almost one for every 1.1. million residents. Nationally, there are 192 law schools for 330 million people, or roughly one for every 1.6 million. Woohoo, we have lawyers out the…
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Peay’s Service at VMI Honored
by James A. Bacon A year and a half after he was forced into resigning amidst allegations of “relentless racism” at the institution he ran for 17 years, J.H. Binford Peay III, has been honored by the VMI Board of Visitors. The board bestowed upon him the title of superintendent emeritus and ordered that a…
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Compelled Speech at UVa: The Morgan Bettinger Case
by James A. Bacon On July 17, 2020, Morgan Bettinger was driving home from her job along a street in Charlottesville that flanked the downtown pedestrian mall where an unlicensed protest was occurring. Demonstrators roamed the street, so Bettinger, a University of Virginia 4th-year student, got out and chatted with the driver of a city…
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Miyares Names Iler as UVa’s University Counsel
by James A. Bacon Attorney General Jason Miyares has selected Clifton M. Iler as the University Counsel for the University of Virginia. As the university’s lead attorney, he will supervise a team of nine other attorneys, including three for the health system. The press releasing announcing the appointment stressed Iler’s experience in higher-education and healthcare…
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Statewide Teacher Shortage: 2,500 Vacancies and Counting
by James A. Bacon Virginia’s public schools had 2,500 teacher vacancies in October 2021, according to Virginia Department of Education data, reports Capital News Service. That number is likely higher today, as burned-out teachers quit their jobs in the middle of the school year in unprecedented numbers. Despite hiring 700 to 900 teachers per year…
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Stoney Versus the Environ-istas
by James A. Bacon Environmental activists in the City of Richmond aren’t happy with Mayor Levar Stoney’s proposed budget. The City’s Draft Climate Equity Action Plan sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030 — and reaching net zero by 2050 — but Stoney’s budget plan doesn’t provide funding for conversion to…
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U.S. Supremes: No Pause on TJ Revised Admissions Policy
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to pause Thomas Jefferson High School’s race-based admissions policy that, in the words of activist mom and journalist Asra Nomani, is “destroying the school’s culture and excellence.” The ruling means that the policy, which replaces admissions based on tests, will remain in effect at least one more year while litigation…
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An Environment So Hostile, No Reasonable Person Could Endure It
by James A. Bacon On June 11, 2021, after a series of orientation meetings and training sessions to discuss “anti-racism” at the Agnor-Hurt Elementary School, Albemarle County officials held a final training session. A presenter showed slides showing a disparity in the racial breakdown of the school division’s employees and new hires. Responding to the…
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If You’re Not on the “Anti-Racist” School Bus, Maybe It’s Time You Got Off the Bus
by James A. Bacon During anti-racism training last June, Emily Mais, an assistant principal at Agnor-Hurt Elementary School in Albemarle County, used the term “colored people” instead of “people of color” when referring to staff demographics. She made a “slip of the tongue,” she says, but she apologized anyway. Not everyone was prepared to forgive.…
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The Latest Wrinkle in the Law-Enforcement-for-Rent Saga
by James A. Bacon The Office of Attorney General (OAG) under former AG Mark Herring failed to adequately conduct a search for documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act by climate-change skeptic Christopher Horner, a Richmond Circuit Court Judge has found. The court ordered the OAG, now under Attorney General Jason Miyares, to conduct…