In April 2022, a video clip circulated showing former First Lady and Secretary of State Hilary Roddam Clinton endorsing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the presidency. The idea of the leftist Democrat promoting the candidacy of a conservative Republican raised more than a few eyebrows. However, given the public profiles of Mrs. Clinton and Mr. … Read more
On May 30, 2021, Canadian flags were lowered to half-staff, a traditional sign of mourning. They remained in that position for five months—until November 9. This unprecedented national grief accompanied the “discovery” of hundreds of children’s graves near the “Indian Residential Schools (IRS).” Religious organizations-three-fifths of them Catholic-operated these long-closed academies. Therefore, the disclosures provoked … Read more
Any teacher knows that cellphones interfere with education. The first rule of learning is to watch and listen to someone who knows more about the subject. The child who isn’t paying attention learns nothing. Of course, there are many ways to ignore teachers besides using cellphones. Pondering the upcoming lunch break, daydreaming, or even gazing … Read more
For many years, I believed that the Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) exam was a truly noble endeavor with which I have been connected for decades. Every human society has had its “storytellers” who inform the young about their tribe’s past. Here, we call them history teachers. I have delighted in my association with … Read more
It’s official. The Ten Commandments must now be posted in Louisiana schools. The Governor Jeff Landry just signed the law that makes it mandatory. The law reads: “Each public school governing authority and the governing authority of each nonpublic school that receives state funds shall display the Ten Commandments in each building it uses and … Read more
The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred when I was still a child. During those tense days, I went with my mother to the grocery store. While en route, I heard the word “communist” on the car radio. I asked mother what a communist was. Unprepared for such a question, she did her best to explain. I … Read more
Ask many teachers to identify the biggest problem in classrooms today, and one answer comes almost immediately—cellphones. A Worldwide Issue Legitimate complaints come in from teachers nationwide. They relate instances where students contact students in different classes to set up rendezvous in the restrooms. Even when the phones are in “silent” mode, the vibrations are … Read more
West Point sets a high bar in deciding who enters the U.S. Military Academy. Each year, students must petition their congressmen and senators to secure one of the open places in the freshman class. Graduates must not only get good grades and high test scores but also show leadership, physical fitness and character. High schools … Read more
This coming school year, we may see a unique institution opening in Oklahoma. Saint Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School is slated to admit its first students. Barring court interference, the school will be a charter school, meaning its funding will come from the state. Virtual Charter Schools Two terms need to be clarified. First, … Read more
On October 29-30, 1840, a remarkable debate took place in New York City. On one side were the representatives of the Public School Society—the predecessor of the current New York City Public School Board. On the other side was Bishop John Hughes, a great lion of American Catholicism. The most striking element of Bishop Hughes’s … Read more
