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Higher Ed Experts Call President Obama’s ‘College Affordability’ Speech at U of M “political theater of the worst sort”
by P.D. Lesko
President Obama came to Ann Arbor to tell the country that federal aid to colleges should be tied to tuition costs. Federal aid to students would remain untouched, and a cranky Congress would have to pass the President's…
Ann Arbor School Board Members Take Big Money From Unions To Campaign But Vote Against Contracting With Unionized Company For HVAC
By Chris Savage
On December 14, the Ann Arbor Board of Education members approved a new HVAC Journeyman contract with Flint-based D.M. Burr, Inc. D.M. Burr's bid was $66,727 less than the bid of Johnson Controls, the next lowest bidder…
Ann Arbor School Officials First Deny Having Actual Enrollment Numbers—After Multiple FOIAs & 72 Days Officials Relinquish Numbers
by P.D. Lesko
On December 13, 2011, A2Politico posted a piece titled, "30? 40? 50? Ann Arbor Officials Have No Idea Exactly How Many Kids Are In District Classrooms." For several days, it was among the top 5 most clicked headlines in the…
30? 40? 50? — Ann Arbor School Officials Have No Idea Exactly How Many Kids Are In District Classrooms
by P.D. Lesko
Class size: one time when size does matter. Research on the success of K-12 students has concluded definitively that class sizes impact the performance of all students. Kids learn better in small classes. According to…
Occupy Colleges Plans National Teach-in to Support Occupy Wall Street: No Michigan Colleges Participating
by P.D. Lesko
After successful October 13 Student Solidarity Protests around the country, including on the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan, Occupy Colleges plans nationwide Teach-ins at colleges and universities.
You can…
A Descent Into The Maelström: Teachers, Politics & The Classroom
A2PNotes: Ann Arbor is home to some 16,000 public school students. Those students are parented by tens of thousands of women and men who haven't a clue about what their kids really do at school all day, not because they don't want to know.…
The Parent Trap: An Interview With Annie Zipser—Mother to Hundreds
by Betsy McMillin
Eleven and eight years ago, my two oldest kids had the great fortune of attending Stone School Co-op Preschool. The teacher of the 4s class was Annie Zipser. I knew I liked Annie the first time I met her. She was honest,…
The Parent Trap: The Talented and Gifted Child—Frequently A Product of Parent Imagination and Ego
by Betsy McMillin
It is September. That means school is back in session and it is time, across the country, for Curriculum Night. Working hand-in-hand with our kids' teachers and principals is one of the most important things we, as…
Savaged: GOP Leaders Teach That Educators Are Costly Parasites. Are Americans Really Uneducated Enough To Believe It?
by Chris Savage
To say that Republicans are on a mission to destroy unions in this country is not an understatement. Across the country, and particularly in the Midwest, newly-elected Republican legislators and governors have spent the…
The Sleeping Giant Awakens: Michigan Education Association To Back Snyder Recall Efforts
A2P Notes: This is filed under "Scoops & Scores" because you read it here first!
Michigan Education Association spokesman Doug Pratt told A2Politico recently via email that the MEA was not endorsing the citizen-led efforts to recall…