STOP UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON TEACHERS AND STUDENTS!

Florida’s parents have long voiced serious concerns over the over-reliance on the FCAT and other standardized tools in our education system because this “one size fits all approach” often leaves many students behind. Over the years, we have forced our children into tighter and tighter boxes ignoring the fact that every student is special and that there are many approaches that can be employed by our teachers to maximize each student’s potential.

Obama Lauds Passage of Education Reform

(Credit: CBS)


March 30, 2010 11:53 AM
Posted by Brian Montopoli

President Obama signed the health care reconciliation bill into law Tuesday morning, taking the opportunity to focus not on health care reform but on the other major element of the legislation: education reform.


Mr. Obama hailed passage of education reforms that he said are "finally making our student loan system work for students and our families."

Democrat Joins Calls for Health Care Repeal

March 30, 2010 12:09 PM
Posted by Stephanie Condon

At least one of the 34 House Democrats who voted against President Obama's comprehensive health care overhaul is now calling for its repeal, joining a chorus of Republicans intent on making the new set of laws an election issue.

Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) said he would be in favor of repealing the entire bill, WECT reports.

"If we had the opportunity to vote on it, I would," McIntyre reportedly said. "But I don't think the votes are there right now. So now (the) question is, it'll have to be addressed by the judicial branch."

Holding Back Job Growth? Workers' Awesome Output

By Neil Irwin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 31, 2010

When workers become more efficient, it's normally a good thing. But lately, it has acted as a powerful brake on job creation. And the question of whether the recent surge in productivity has run its course is the key to whether job growth is finally poised to take off.

One of the great surprises of the economic downturn that began 27 months ago is this: Businesses are producing only 3 percent fewer goods and services than they were at the end of 2007, yet Americans are working nearly 10 percent fewer hours because of a mix of layoffs and cutbacks in the workweek.

British Airways Will Fly Majority of Routes as Strike Concludes

March 30, 2010, 8:37 PM EDT

By Steve Rothwell

March 31 (Bloomberg) -- British Airways Plc, Europe’s third-largest airline, will operate the “vast majority” of the carrier’s flights from its London Heathrow base today after a second walkout by cabin crew ended at midnight.

The carrier canceled hundreds of trips when flight attendants followed a three-day strike that began March 20 with a further four-day stoppage. British Airways faces the threat of further industrial action next month if it can’t forge a resolution to the dispute with 12,000 workers over pay and staffing levels.

Jacksonville City, School Leaders Hear 'No Silver Bullet’ in Education Reform

By Mary Kelli Palka

The difference between how students learn is essentially how well they've been taught, what they've been taught and how much time they're taught.

That's part of the message the Jacksonville City Council heard Tuesday from a national school reform expert when members accepted an invitation from the Duval County School Board to discuss the debate over an elected versus appointed school board.

The Jacksonville Charter Revision Commission has recommended that voters be allowed to decide if the mayor should appoint the board, which has seven elected members.

Sink: Jacksonville's Ports are an Example of What Works for Florida Economy

Alex Sink, Florida Chief Financial Officer and Democractic gubernatorial candidate

As the GOP bashes her for supporting health care reform, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate concentrates on job growth

Posted: March 30, 2010 - 4:40pm

By David Hunt
Jacksonville's logistics muscle became part of the Democrats' counterattack today as Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink toured the port system, ignoring the health care debate to preach the need for job growth.

This came a day after the state GOP unveiled an advertising campaign calling Sink "one of them" for supporting health care reform and a Mason-Dixon poll showed she had fallen 15 percentage points behind Attorney General Bill McCollum in the Florida gubernatorial race.