Harry Potter is taking NYC schools by storm, except there's no wizards involved in this Quidditch match. Muggles battle against muggles with broomsticks and all. The International Quidditch Association, a nonprofit organization, ultimately hopes to promote this sport.
Story: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hRxQlf40fDA3Lmnr-DYz8S344VzgD9G1DD2G0
Muggles take to broomsticks for Quidditch in NYC
Smells Like: New York , sports
Virginia principal suspended for fetus dolls
Smells Like: principal , sex , teachers , trouble , Virginia
Story: Virginia school principal suspended after employee hands out pro-life fetus dolls to students
Nothing spells sex education better than dead babies! Now every time these third graders think about having sex, they will be forced to look at their life-like fetus dolls and remember the consequences.
Seniors leave water filled cups
Smells Like: Iowa , pranks
A sea of 14,000 water filled cups were left in the cafeteria with a thank you note to custodians and $50 for clean up. The cups spelled out "2010." Fifteen students fessed up and were sentenced for 3 hours community service, perhaps because it took 3 hours for the janitors to clean up.
Story: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-iowa-seniorprank,0,5140765.story
Girl Suspended for Party Poppers
Renton girl suspended for 18 days for bringing party poppers, explosives, to school. She will miss the rest of the school year, which sounds more like a party than a punishment.
Story: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_party_poppers_suspension.html?source=mypi
Assistant Principal Arrested for Child Porn
Phillip Baker, Keller middle school assistant principal, arrested in child porn investigation. No formal charges have been made, but Baker resigned. Students received a letter of Baker's resignation, and school counselors are available for students to speak with if needed. There is no word of how this crime was committed.
Story: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/05/27/2223184/keller-middle-school-assistant.html
Schools forced to ban Silly Bandz
Smells Like: dress code , policy , USA
Story: Silly Bandz Bracelet Craze: School Ban Over Distraction
Guns, knives, drugs, alcohol, tobacco and Silly Bandz. You can now add colored rubber bands to the list of banned items on school property. We're not sure yet how students are going to make it through the day without these "silly" items, but I think it's safe to assume that test scores are going to sky rocket with them being banned.
Stop Teachers from Beating Kids in US Public Schools!
Anthony Adams has sent you an invitation to sign the petition "Stop Teachers from Beating Kids in US Public Schools!" on Change.org.
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Can you help us get Corporal Punishment out of US Schools? Please take 30 seconds to sign the Change.org petition which will alert your representatives you support a Federal Ban on Corporal Punishment.
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Click the link below to view the petition.
http://humanrights.change.org/petitions/view/stop_teachers_from_beating_kids_in_us_public_schools 
Porn Handed Out to Second Graders
Smells Like: sexTeacher accidentally handed out a DVD that had porn on it. A 12-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl pressed play, expecting to see the girl's second grade class. Instead, adults started undressing and the 12 year old immediately turned it off and called for his mom. The disc got mixed up with the teacher's husband's DVDs, and the school is thankful they did not see anything worse.
Story: http://www2.hernandotoday.com/content/2010/may/27/271128/pornography-handed-out-second-grader/
Bus Takes the Wrong Students to Amusement Park
Smells Like: bus , New Jersey
A New Jersey bus driver takes the wrong students to Six Flags Great Adventure, the amusement park, instead of school like scheduled. As the bus cruised on the NJ Turnpike, student told him to turn around and called the school and parents. Apparently, the students didn't realize that six flags means more fun...they went to school that day.
Has anything like that happened to you?
Story: http://www.jsyk.com/2010/05/27/bus-driver-takes-wrong-students-to-an-amusement-park/?flv=1
Teacher Having Sex with Student in Classroom
Smells Like: Maryland , sexOne student said 51-year-old teacher Sergeant Charles Ray Moore was very professional and treated the girls respectfully, but this story says otherwise...
Moore was arrested and charged with sexual child abuse after having sex in the classroom with one of his students, who happened to be a minor. The 17-year-old girl confessed to her mother what they did together and the mother told police everything.
Story: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/maryland/high-school-teacher-arrested-for-having-sex-with-student-in-classroom-052510
Safe Sex Video Called Porn
Smells Like: Iowa , sex
An elementary art teacher showed a video that included a piece with a sexual undertone. The video featured an image of two men masturbating each other with the words, "safe sex" on the picture. Parents were infuriated with her inappropriateness, so how come she's on leave, but still getting paid?
Story: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-artteacher-pornog,0,6758496.story
Northern VA High School Soccer Referees Under Scrutinty
Smells Like: sports , West Virginia
According to Northern Virginia soccer coaches, the referees aren't doing their jobs correctly and do not make the right calls. These mistakes interfere with the games' outcomes. And here's the reason why...the number of games per night exceeds the number of experienced refs. There is about 60 games a night, so finding a qualified and trained ref is hard to come by. One suggestion is an evaluation system for the refs, so each knows where he or she stands and can improve his or her problem areas. This will hopefully ensure accurate calls in the future.
What do you think?
Story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/25/AR2010052505017.html
Cops Patrol San Jose Middle School Due to Hit List
A hit list was written on a bathroom wall at Willow Glen Middle School. When the list went viral, parents called the police and extra cops patrolled in caution. The list had eight names on it, including both teachers and students, which administrators believe only one person wrote the list, but do not know who. They do, however, think the name signed was written to blame someone else. This rattled the school goers, causing some students to stay home.
Story: http://www.mercurynews.com/food-wine/ci_15150470
Teacher in Trouble after She Lets Students Wear Klan Robes
Catherine Ariemma, a teacher from Georgia, allowed students to wear fake Ku Klux Klan robes for a project for an A.P. U.S. history and film class she taught. The students were in the cafeteria filming, donning white sheets, when many, including students and other teachers, saw, were upset and even offended. Now, the teacher is in jeopardy of losing her job and wished she thought about this instance more thoroughly.
Story: http://www.live5news.com/Global/story.asp?S=12534817
School District Denies Sending Lesbian Student to Fake Prom
Constance McMillen, a lesbian student of Itawamba Agricultural High School, sues a Mississippi school district for banning same sex couples at its prom. The school ended up sending her to a fake prom, which only 10 other students attended, while the rest partied separately. However, the district denies ever sending her to a sham prom.
Story: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/05/school-district-denies-steering-lesbian-teen-to-sham-prom/1
School Bus Crash Leaves Three Dead, 39 Injured
Smells Like: bus
A vehicle crash on A66 in London caused three deaths and 39 injuries. Two teens on the school bus and the driver of the car that hit the bus died. Four were critically injured, and 35 were minorly injured. The crash occured when a Honda Civic, going eastbound, and a bus , going westbound, hit. However, at the moment, there are no specifics on how the two collided. According to a longtime patron of the town, A66, the road where it occurred, is notorious for crashes because it is a one lane road where cars constantly try to overtake other cars.
Is the road to blame or poor driving?
Story: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/school-bus-crash-leaves-three-dead-and-39-injured-1982087.html
Boy Suspended for Wearing Rosary Beads...Again
13-year-old student, Raymond Hosier, was suspended again from Oneida Middle School after refusing to take off his purple rosary beads for the second time. His mother waited in the car to see if he would be sent home, and sure enough, she was called in the office to get Raymond. The district prohibits beads because they may represent affiliation with a gang. But Raymond says he wears them in memory of his deaseed brother and uncle, not because of gang relations.
Is the district going to far?
And if the boy was in fact affiliated with a gang, then how would taking the beads off benefit the school?
Story: http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S1574067.shtml?cat=300
Queens High School Reunion Becomes Deadly
Smells Like: New York , violence
A group of twenty-somethings gathered for a private junior high school reunion party when the invitation went viral, spreading across the internet. The party began to spiral out of control as more and more people showed up--to the point where it became more like a block party than a reunion. It, especially, went downhill when one party crasher picked a fight with an invited member that turned into open fire on the guests. Six people got injured and one died. The man, still not found by the police, had an undisclosed issue with one of the invited guests.
Could the internet as a social agent be the blame for this, or was violence between the two party goers inevitable?
Story: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/05/23/2010-05-23_high_school_reunion_turns_deadly_in_queens_six_people_shot_one_dead.html
Student Hits Bus Driver in The Face
Smells Like: bus , violence
On the last day of Centennial High School, an unidentified student punched his bus driver in the face and then ran off the bus. The driver ended up hospitalized with a possible broken nose. Eye witnesses say no one, including the bus driver, provoked him to do it. But the police have the student's address and are attempting to contact him.
Story: http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/student-punches-school-bus-532559.html
Ex-High School Student Sues Over Her Own Sexting Pictures
Smells Like: Pennsylvania
PA high school searches too far into a girl’s sexting pictures that were stored in her cell phone. The principal confiscated her phone and found the racy pictures when there was no need for him to look at her pictures in the first place. The photos then were sent to a prosecutor, who told her she needed to take course on sexual violence or else he’d sueher for child pornography. The girl says she was appalled that so many people viewed her naked pictures that she and her attorney feel is private. So, she decided to sue for violating her privacy two years after the fact.
Did the school have a right to look through her cell phone?
Story: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20005591-504083.html
Students and Schools Sue for School Funding
Smells Like: California , law
Nine school districts and over 60 children including 16-year-old Maya Robles-Wong as lead plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the California government, regarding its failure to support its public schools. This is because California is far behind other states in funding education, needing to hire another 104,000 staff members to meet the average.
But if the school districts win, Sacramento would have to fund schools based on the law, so that the city and government would have to supply books, physical education, competent teachers, English instruction, science labs, and special education.
Story: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/20/MNDV1DHVMC.DTL
School Child Questions Michelle Obama on Immigration
Smells Like: D.C.
A second grader asks Michelle Obama, the first lady, about immigration laws. The young girl was concerned that President Barrack Obama would deport her mother because her mom does not have papers that would make her a legal citizen of The United States. While the President has been taking measures against illegal immigrants, Mrs. Obama reassured the girl that the government is currently working on it, so that illegal citizens can attain papers in the future.
Is the first lady giving false hope to the many, like this girl, who fear deportation, or will Congress step forward to help make immigrants legal citizens?
Child Brings Dirty Needles to School
Smells Like: New York
After a child brought used needles to school and pricked three students, the school informed parents. The parents were concerned for their children’s health. The needles were picked up from the ground, which made parents question the protocol of Harlem Hospital. The children were tested for HIV and Hepatitis, both which can be transmitted through needles. However, parents do not seem to be concerned with how their children acted in this situation. Who, if anyone, should be responsible for this misuse of dirty needles?
Story and video: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7451704
Lambs at Green High School in Ohio
Smells Like: Ohio , pranks
Two 3-day-old lambs were found in an Ohio high school field with 2010 written on their sides as some kind of prank from members of the graduating class. School administrators are reviewing their video camera footage to find the culprits. Even though the pranksters were not found yet, the lambs’ home was. The unharmed lambs came from an Ohio Farm and were brought safely back to their mother, where they need to be to ensure survival.
Even though this is a small prank compared to others, can playing jokes ever be acceptable in school?
Green Middle School serves up Ben & Jerry’s videoconference
In an attempt to teach children about business, a middle school video chatted with Ben and Jerry founders. But the chat also whetted their appetites for creamy ice cold treats. What ever happened to the education system’s concern for health?
Story: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/93750504.html
RI Fired Teachers will Get Their Jobs Back.
Smells Like: Rhode Island
After every single teacher from Central Falls High School got fired over poor student performance, they are asked to teach again. But of course, under strict regulation to keep students engaged in schoolwork while working longer hours. I guess the school’s plan to hire 90 new teachers was too hard a feat… I suspect they didn’t even look. How could they not find a few better ones out there?
Story: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/16/ap/national/main6489891.shtml
Obama as Commencement Speaker
Presidents don't normally talk at high school graduations. But President Obama is going back to school to speak at Kalamazoo Central High School graduation after they won a contest. You'd think Obama would inspire those students, but some think high school graduates might be smarter than Obama himself.
Why do you think it's more rare for presidents to speak at high schools than at colleges or universities?
Story: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/DC-Decoder/2010/0515/Which-US-presidents-went-back-to-high-school-for-commencement
Former Kindergarten Teacher Says Acquittal Isn't a Victory
One teacher doesn't think being acquitted on child molestation charges is a good thing. The name "sexual offender" is one that won't leave her. So she plans to teach on the subject, letting people know that children can be manipulated into believing they were molested. If the name lingers, then who would want to listen to her?
How much credibility does she really have after being accused of child molestation? And what do you think this credibility depends on?
Story: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-05-12-teacher-acquitted-molestation_N.htm
NJ Gov. Christie is Freezing Teacher's Pay
Smells Like: New Jersey
NJ Governor Chris Christie is "icy cold", and taking over NJ's education system. He's freezing pay which makes teachers and administrators shiver with fear, but flame in contempt. Is Christie is doing this out of jealousy? NJ.com notes that administrators make more money than he does as governor.
Should NJ's teachers get a raise every year, and is it even possible in this economic downturn?
Story: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/nj_teachers_pay_freeze_salarie.html
California student was injured in High School Shooting
Smells Like: California
A student was hospitalized after being shot at South Gate High School. The suspect, who was not affiliated with the school, was taken into custody. However, the administrators only briefly locked down the campus. Apparently, one teen getting hurt wasn’t serious enough for a long lockdown.
What should a school do in a situation where shooting is involved?
Story: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/05/student-shot-at-south-gate-high-school.html
Vandals Hit Rocklin High School
An unknown group of people sprayed graffiti all over Rocklin High School. The vandals focus was on finding justice, which administrators thought was aimed at them as payback. Hmm, the administrators must have done something wrong… But the question seems to be who really is wrong here, the administrators or the vandals?
Story/video: http://cbs13.com/video/?id=72511@kovr.dayport.com
Coach Hazes Softball Team, Then Apologizes
A softball coach makes her players drink soda out of a team member’s cleat as punishment for striking out in their game. She apologized, but is that enough for this unsanitary, inappropriate deed? Imagine what that soda would have tasted like from a sweaty stinky shoe…eh, yuck!
Would YOU have drank out of the shoe?
Alabama teacher uses Obama assassination to teach math
Smells Like: Alabama , idiocy , Obama , teachers , trouble , violence
Unless we're letting extremist groups write our texts, I can't imagine this sample problem showing up in the pages of a geometry book. Of all the examples that could be used to teach about angles, you've got to wonder how encouraging students to think about murdering the president is the most effective. Any chance this teacher voted Republican?
PA Teacher's Aide Suspended over Porn Allegation
Smells Like: Pennsylvania
An unidentified 57-year-old teacher's aid viewed porn on a Westwood Elementary School's computer. He was suspended, but is still getting paid. Good to know the PA school system still pays people who view porn around children.
WTF?! http://kdka.com/
High School Basketball Star Turns Out to be an Imposter to the Throne!
Smells Like: Texas
22-year-old Montimere Guerdwich is too old for high school, especially since he already graduated. But posing as a 16-year-old boy, he still managed to bring Permian High School's basketball team to victory this year with the consequence of jail time.
STORY: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Urine Causes School to Close
It's May and that means it's senior prank time. Graduating seniors from Ell-Saline High School were arrested after pouring skunk and deer urine in classrooms, which soaked and subsequently damaged carpets. The school district also had to cancel classes due to the overwhelmingly strong stench. Who knew urine could cause so many problems?
STORY: http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/93426164.html?storySection=story
School bans 'boobies' breast cancer bracelets
Smells Like: dress code , policy , sex , washington
The principal feels that the students are too young to support a cause, so they are not allowed to raise awareness for breast cancer while in the school hallways. It's amazing how just about everything can be deemed a "distraction to the learning process."
California teacher accused of allowing sex in class
Smells Like: California , sex , teachers , trouble
Occasionally, if there is time left in the day, teachers will allow students to complete their homework. If you are really lucky, your teacher will allow you to engage in oral sex with a classmate.
22-year old man poses as 16-year old Texas basketball player
Smells Like: Florida , sports , Texas , weird
I wonder how nobody noticed he was the only ninth grader that lived in an apartment and worked part-time to pay off student loans?
The end of the 2010m school year is almost here
Alan Sitomer gives you some inspiration to finish the year strong...
223,190 Kids Legally Beaten in US Schools
Smells Like: corporal punishmentHey folks, my first article on Huffington Post 223,190 Kids Legally Beaten in US Schools is up. It talks about Corporal Punishment in US Schools.
Please help us gain exposure for this issue by:
1) forward this story to as many folks as you can via email
2) post to FB / twitter / etc
3) LIKE on FBPublish Post
4) FAN me on HuffPost
5) Leave comments if you have something to say
Read the story here: 223,190 Kids Legally Beaten in US Schools
Anti-Tea Party Teacher Back in the Classroom
Smells Like: 1st amendment , Oregon , panic , teachers , technology
Some parents are upset.. However, this is done on his own time, on a personal website. Being a teacher doesn't mean you forfeit your rights to free speech or to take part in the political process. Further, this guy is someone who is using new media to be politically active -- in my mind, the kind of guy I'd want teaching my kids how to use the internet.
They are also mad because he sent some tweets during school hours -- in my mind, this is a huge over reaction -- technology is here, teachers have lives outside of school, and we should be stoked to have our kids being instructed by folks who have a grasp of how to leverage the internet...
STORY: Anti-Tea Party Teacher Back in the Classroom
Going Mobile: A Cell of an Idea!
Smells Like: cell phone , guest post , technologyGuest post by Colleen Ruggieri
“You’re not really going to let your students use cell phones in your classroom, are you?! They’re impossible to monitor!” These are the responses I’ve received when I’ve told people that my students use IPODs and cell phones on a daily basis in my high school English class. I understand the concern—after all, it can be difficult to see every screen while facilitating a classroom of students. However, after allowing students to plug in and connect with the real world, I have found that the results far outweigh the negatives.
How many teachers have dreamed of having a classroom full of computers? In most high schools, computers are housed in labs, and teachers must take turns and sign up on selected dates. While this certainly creates equity, it does not create a sense of immediacy and connectivity with curriculum and life beyond the classroom.
This year, while my students were studying The Scarlet Letter, the media coverage of Tiger Woods’ infidelity hit the world by storm. My students made real world connections with their phones and Ipods as they read online news sources about the scandal. Learners analyzed articles for sensationalism and bias and then went on to make text-based connections with the novel. And guess what? They actually had fun doing it.
Sadly, somewhere along the line, this element of joy in the learning process dies in many secondary classrooms. Having a room full of mobile devices brings, as students would say, the “sexy back” into learning—and eliminates the “I wish the lab was available today” woes of teachers who do not have adequate equipment.
Another amazing way in which mobile devices can be used is for assessment purposes. Want to know if students are progressing? Have them use their phones to complete surveys. If it’s within the budget, consider software response systems for easy use on the Ipods. What a great way to save grading time and to garner immediate results.
Is it possible that students will multitask and surf the web when they should be completing an assignment? Yes! However, just as many teachers have checked emails while taking graduate classes. We are a society of multitaskers. Mobile devices are great for learning, and they provide tools that most teachers could never afford in the classroom. Yes, it takes work to successfully integrate and not merely grab student attention with gadgets. With authentic tech integration, however, teachers and students grow together—and these real world tools can bring fresh life and appreciation for the “classics” that are all too often rotting on dusty old bookshelves.
Colleen Ruggieri is the Martha Holden Jennings Master Teacher of Ohio and the Past-President of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts. She teaches English at Canfield High School.
Hawaii School Year Length to Erupt!
Smells Like: Hawaii , policy
STORY: Hawaii lawmakers pass bill to increase school year
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