Last-In-First-Out Teacher Tenure Rule is Under Attack

School hasn't been in regular session in Madison this month. Teachers are calling in "sick" in force, leaving some schools no choice but to close their doors for a day. Why the exodus from Wisconsin public schools? Teachers are angry – about proposed cuts to their benefits and, more importantly, proposed reductions to their union rights. This article will explore the explosive situation in Wisconsin and what may be done to ease tensions in the public schools across the state.

Budgets and Benefits and Bargaining, Oh My!

The problems in public schools around Wisconsin have been brewing for some time. Like many others around the country, this state is facing a huge budget shortfall and has been faced with the difficult job of slashing the current budget in hopes of staying afloat financially. While plenty of line items have been the object of discussion during this process, the one that has garnered the most attention in recent weeks has been the reduction of teacher benefits. According to a recent report in the New York Times, Scott Walker, the Republican governor of Wisconsin since the beginning of the year, has proposed cuts to teacher benefits and collective bargaining rights.

Governor Walker has stated that he has no choice since Wisconsin is facing a state budget deficit of $137 million this year alone. At the current rate, Walker predicts that the hole could grow to $3.6 billion in just two years. To alleviate the crunch, Walker is looking

Michelle Rhee has a conflicting legacy that she is leaving to the Washington D.C. public school system. On the one hand, Rhee has been touted for her efforts to revive a failing school system in the documentary film, "Waiting for Superman." On the other, Rhee has been portrayed as an abrasive personality that has set out to transform education without much research or anecdotal evidence to back up her efforts. Since Rhee has no plans to leave education (she is now launching a non-profit organization to transform education across the country) and her ideas appear to be on par with other innovative educators rising to the forefront, it is worth looking at her legacy more closely to see how it could change the face of education in the future.

In this video, FRONTLINE examines the legacy of Michelle Rhee, former Chancellor of Washington, D.C. public schools.

Rhee's Teaching History

Rhee came to Washington D.C. in 2007 to serve as chancellor under Mayor Adrian Fenty. Prior to this post, Rhee had spent time teaching at a school in the Baltimore City Public School District, Harlem Park. According to a report at the Washington Post, Rhee was in a team-teaching assignment at the school. During her tenure at Harlem Park, Rhee cited test results of her students that demonstrated her superb teaching ability. However, questions have been raised about these

Technology has become a mainstay in most of our society today, but it remains conspicuously absent in many primary and secondary classrooms across the country. To reach our tech-savvy students most effectively, we need to switch from our traditional methods of teaching and embrace technology, integrating it into our classroom and beyond. Some innovative educators are working to achieve this end by introducing technology tools that enhance their teaching and student learning. By combining personal classroom teaching with online instruction, teachers are using innovative methods to reach students who crave technology in learning. Through the innovative instruction of blended learning, some schools are working to expand course selection for students while cutting costs. We will explore the new and growing field of blended learning to ascertain how it works and discover the far-reaching benefits this classroom style might offer for students.

What is Blended Learning?

According to the Detroit Free Press, blended, hybrid, or flipped learning combines classroom interaction between teacher and students with online content and delivery systems for a robust and diverse teaching curriculum. Students conduct some of their class time with an instructor, while the rest is performed on a laptop from home. This mix of classroom and Internet instruction varies from program to program, but both elements must exist for it to be considered a true “blended learning” environment. While blended learning on the surface may look like a less personalized approach to the learning process, this system actually allows teachers

The debate over prayer in public schools has been raging for many years now, both in political arenas and courthouses across the country. The latest battle has been waged in Virginia, where two delegates in the state house introduced a bill to allow prayer on public property, including public schools. This bill has received plenty of attention across the state of Virginia and across the country, as other states have watched to see exactly how Virginia would handle such a controversial piece of legislation.

The Prayer on Campus Bill: HJ 593

The bill, HJ 593, would add the following to the Virginia constitution, according to a report on the Gazette Virginian:

"Amends current free exercise of religion provisions of the Virginia Constitution to permit prayer and the recognition of religious beliefs, heritage and traditions on public property, including public schools in order to secure further the people's right to acknowledge God. The amendment also prohibits (i) the composing of school prayers by the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions, and (ii) requiring persons to join in prayer or other religious activity. The current free exercise of religion provisions of the Virginia Constitution mirror those in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and provide for the free exercise of religion and prohibit compelling persons to participate in religious activity."

The bill was introduced by co-patrons Del. James E. Edmunds II and Del. Charles W. Carrico. Carrico has clearly stated that he intends for this amendment to allow for