Time Capsule Found Inside SF School Wall


A student doing research in the library discovered a time capsule inside the walls of Cleveland Elementary School in San Fransisco, CA. Students got a hands on history lesson as they opened a metal box containing letters, photographs and other items left for them over 100 years ago.

Have you created a time capsule? Why not make one with your class today!


STORY: Time capsule discovered inside SF school wall


Girl reprimanded for singing National Anthem


A 16yr old African American girl was "reprimanded" by her principal after some fans complained they didn't like the "style" of her rendition of the National Anthem.

Go 'ol Indiana, birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan.

Watch the video and let us know what you think.

STORY& VIDEO : School To Girl: Tone Down National Anthem Singing


DARE Program Completely Ineffective Says US Gov.

Image boosted from The only winner in the "war on drugs" is the US Southern Command - which is also worth a read.
"The estimated cost of DARE annually is already $1 to 1.3 billion. 46 That's a lot for a completely ineffective, often counterproductive, program." 
Many of us recall the DARE Program in school. A police officer would come in once week or so, and talk about the "dangers" of drug use and offer some ideas about how to not use drugs. It appears the intention of this program was actually good, they intended it to reduce drug use. (I don't say drug & alcohol use, because Alcohol is a drug -- it's redundant.) However, it has been exhaustively shown that the DARE program is not effective in reducing drug use, and in some cases actually increases it.

The Dept. of Education does not allow federal funds to be spent on it for this reason. Why then is it present in 80% of US Schools? Because, like many government programs it gives the perception of effectiveness and and doing something. Folks don't want their children using (illegal) drugs (for example the powerful addictive psychoactive substance, Caffeine, is usually fine, and sold in most schools), the DARE program is run by authoritative police officers in uniform who bring in displays and follow a curriculum, so why wouldn't it work?

Some stats on DARE from Drug Abuse Resistance Education: The Effectiveness of DARE :


1. The U.S. General Accounting Office found "no significant differences in illicit drug use between students who received DARE... and ...students who did not."
2. The U.S. Surgeon General has placed DARE under the category of "Ineffective Programs."
3. The National Academy of Sciences has found DARE ineffective.
4. The U.S. Department of Education prohibits schools from spending federal money on DARE because it found the program ineffective in reducing alcohol and drug use.
5. The National Institutes of Health funded a study by scholars at the University of Kentucky to examine the effect of DARE on students over the subsequent ten years. The study concluded: "Our results are consistent in documenting the absence of beneficial effects associated with the DARE program. This was true whether the outcome consisted of actual drug use or merely attitudes toward drug use."



Next steps?

1) Perhaps check in with your school to still see if they use the DARE program, and tell the school board you want an alternate.

2) Examine your own life for things you are doing that may give a perception of effectiveness and not actually accomplish the results you want (or be counter productive) - this is a deeper step to begin building a more rational america.

What do you think of the DARE Program? What other gov programs give the Perception of Effectiveness?

STORY: Drug Abuse Resistance Education: The Effectiveness of DARE


Words to Live By


Pay Pal Founder To Give Students $100k to Drop Out


Peter Thiel, PayPal Founder and maverick investor has a new program to move our world forward. He intends to find 20 students under 20 years old, and give them up to $100k to "stop out" of school for 2 years to develop ideas, start companies and change the world.

He cites the increased costs of education, a risk averse culture, and limited exposure to entrepreneurship as main reasons for this program. 

He made the announcement at the TechCrunch Distrupt event, see minute 18 of the video. 

To learn more, visit The Thiel Foundation website.



 
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