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How Much Do You Help With Homework?

School’s out for the summer, which means kids are getting a break from mountains of homework. Only in some households, students aren’t the only ones excited about the homework reprieve—-parents are cheering too, especially the ones who regularly cross the line between parental involvement and parental takeover. Be honest; how many times have you completed your child’s homework assignment (to spare yourself from hearing him whine, complain and belly-ache), rather than simply provide assistance to your frustrated child and let him finish the project by himself? A recent study shows that a “disturbing” amount of parents admit to being “overly … Continue reading →

Female Student Fights for Her Right to Wear Pants to Graduation

This is so not my daughter. However, I do give Chelsea Sarvis credit for standing up for what she believes in, as petty as it may seem to others. The South Carolina high school senior made headlines recently when she fought to wear pants to her graduation instead of a dress… and won. The popular Chapin High School student argued that she wouldn’t be comfortable wearing a dress on graduation day and simply wanted to don the same attire as the senior boys—-dress slacks and a collared shirt. “If I had to walk across the stage in a dress, I’d … Continue reading →

10-Year-Old Truant Gets Pardon From President Obama

It’s one thing to play hookey and get caught, but finagling a way to get the President of the United States to write your teacher a note excusing your absence, now that’s something to tell your kids about. Not only can 10-year-old Kennedy Corpus tell her future children about the day she skipped the last day of school to try to get a glimpse of President Barack Obama, she can show them the personal note he scribbled pardoning her truancy. The shy girl from Green Bay, Wisconsin made history yesterday when she attended a presidential town hall meeting with her … Continue reading →

A Student’s Ball and Chain

How far would you go to get your child to complete his homework? Would you consider chaining your kid to a 20-pound ball in order for him to finish a school project? A Spanish company is hoping you (and millions of other frustrated parents) will embrace their “Study Ball,” for the low, low price of just $90. According to the company, your hard earned cash will get you “the results you desire.” Seriously. The gadget (the company refers to it as a “study aid”) is designed to mirror a prison-style ball and chain. However, unlike the traditional device used on … Continue reading →

New School Rule: No Hugging Allowed

Connecticut is a gorgeous state with numerous noteworthy attractions. However, if I lived in the Milford school district, I’d be the mother of an expelled student. My extremely affectionate daughter would never be able to adhere to a new “no touching” policy that was recently implemented at East Shore Middle School. The no touching, hugging, high-five slapping, love patting policy has sparked controversy beyond the schoolyard, and now the entire school district may get in on the ban. And to think the “overly broad” response was the result of a couple of boys engaging in horseplay. According to reports, the … Continue reading →

California School Finally Approves Controversial Musical Production

Yes, no, maybe so… It’s been a tumultuous couple of weeks for high school students in California, who planned to showcase their talents in the musical, “Rent: School Edition.” But, now, it appears that the show will go on. The drama started when Corona del Mar High School theater teacher Ron Martin chose “Rent: School Edition,” as the spring musical. The production is a slightly toned-down version of Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award-winning show, which appeared on Broadway for more than a decade. It won rave reviews around the world, but that meant nothing to Corona del Mar High School’s principal, … Continue reading →

Schools Taking a Bite Out of Lunchtime

Ask kids what their favorite part of the school day is and I’ll bet anything that the majority will answer: “LUNCH!” Unfortunately for those students, bad news may be on the horizon. According to reports, several school districts around the country are trimming lunch and recess and devoting the extra minutes to classroom time. The reason: Lunch is bad for kids. Not the nutritional part of it; rather experts say the whole experience of cafeteria dining is chaotic, stressful, unappetizing and akin to feeding time at the zoo. Educators who support reducing lunch periods maintain that with younger kids lunchtime … Continue reading →

When the Student is Smarter than the Teacher

Or in this case, smarter than standardized test designers. Seventeen-year-old Geoffrey Stanford royally schooled some test makers in Kansas recently, and his efforts not only sent him to the head of the class, but he also got a free ride to Hollywood to appear on various talk shows. It all started when the high school junior saw something that didn’t make sense while taking his state writing test earlier this month: The word “emission” — as in “the emission of greenhouse gases” — was spelled “omission.” Remembering a lesson about test-taking that his teacher drilled into him years ago-—”Read every … Continue reading →

Spanking in School

I attended Catholic school back in the 70s, so being hit by a ruler-wielding nun was nothing out of the ordinary. These days I highly doubt many parents would warmly embrace Sister Rose Fatima’s choice of discipline. Just ask parents in Chicago. According to a new investigative report by the CBS affiliate in the Windy City, teachers, coaches and other school administrators have allegedly beaten hundreds of public school students. The report goes on to say that corporal punishment in Chicago public schools is more widespread than most people realize. For the record, beating kids in school is illegal. Still, … Continue reading →

Colorado Making it Easier to Support Kids in School

Have you ever requested time off from work to address your child’s educational needs only to be denied? Apparently it happened one too many times to parents in Colorado, and now state lawmakers have designed a bill to help moms and dads take time off from work to deal with school-related events. The bill recently won preliminary approval in the Colorado House, but it still requires a final House vote before heading to the Senate. Unfortunately, for the bill’s authors it was watered down to apply only to companies with 50 or more workers and restricts what school-related events parents … Continue reading →