A response to Michael Petrilli
So Michael Petrilli wrote about IUDs. I’m a big fan of IUDs. They’re the reason I’m a non-parental taxpaying educator. And after reading Petrilli’s post, I have a request: Sir. Please stop talking about birth control and teenage pregnancy. I understand you have good...
We Kept Talking
Like many, the news of Joe Bower's passing stopped me short. On one level, it was the dead-center heart hit and reminder of how short life can be, even for those who are seemingly young and healthy. On the other, it was of loss for a type of discourse that used to...
Adventures in Gender-Specific Language
My mother once called me from Chicago to ask, "What's another word for manhole?" No introduction, no context, just the question. I offered "utility cover" and we both hemmed and hawed as it was a replacement but not the same. She pulled the phone about a millimeter...
To fail or not to fail
There's a compelling challenge around the word "fail" and all it's derivatives. If we accept the truth that the words that we use shape our reality, it becomes especially troublesome given the current climate. On one hand, we've got the idea behind makerspaces,...
Part 4: 50 States, 50 Sets of Standards v. One Country, One Set of Standards
Part 1, the introduction, is here. Part 2, a defense of resource sharing, is here. Part 3, an analogy that fewer choices helps us be more creative, here. Part 4: I give. This morning on NPR, Shankar Vedantam reminded listeners that we don't change our minds. It's...
Part 3: 50 States, 50 Sets of Standards v. One Country, One Set of Standards
Part 1 here. Part 2 here Freedom to innovate. Ability to be more nimble. Unique state personalities. "Laboratories of Innovation" The 10th Amendment. When I've asked those who are staunchly against the idea one set of standards or read their writing, there's generally...