College President Tells Cry-Baby Students To Grow Up

Dr. Everett Piper, President of
Oklahoma Wesleyan University

December 1, 2015 - In the wake of numerous incidents of college students (young adults) demonstrating their politically correct insanity, it is refreshing to see a college president tell them to grow a spine.

In fact, Piper calls the actions of those students "ideological fascism." It is, unfortunately, nothing new for the Left to ban speech that offends them -- and it's not limited to the "Millennial" generation -- but lately it's gone beyond goofiness to full-fledged insanity. Witness the recent stompy-foot whining from students at Yale and the University of Missouri.

Dr. Everett Piper, President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, recently published an open letter to the student body in the OKWU News website. Piper's post was in response to a complaint from a student who said he felt “victimized” by a sermon. In his response to the student, Piper pulled no punches in saying that "Oklahoma Wesleyan is not a 'safe place', but rather, a place to learn." Piper also said that "If you want the chaplain to tell you you’re a victim rather than tell you that you need virtue, this may not be the university you’re looking for."

Israel Wiped Off The Map, Literally

January 1, 2015 - A publisher in the U.K. has accomplished what Arab nations, Muslims and anti-Semites have dreamed of since 1948. They wiped Israel off the map.

Israel was left off a map published by Collins Bartholomew, a subsidiary of publishing giant HarperCollins. "The country is not labelled on the map - bought by English-speaking schools in the majority-Muslim Gulf, while Gaza and Jordan are clearly marked," notes The Daily Mail. The publisher is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The atlas, distributed in English-speaking schools in the United Arab Emirates and neighboring countries, shows the West Bank next to Gaza but with Israel not labelled.

A report on December 31st by The Tablet, a weekly Catholic newspaper based in the UK, says that The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales "accused HarperCollins of harming peace efforts in the Middle East through its production of atlases that omit Israel from their maps. Collins Middle East Atlases, which are sold to English-speaking schools in the Muslim-majority Gulf, depict Jordan and Syria extending all the way to the Mediterranean Sea."

Incredibly, Collins Bartholomew actually admitted to The Tablet that they bowed to "local preferences" by omitting Israel. In a region filled with enemies who have vowed to years to destroy the Jewish nation, inclusion of Israel on the map would have been "unacceptable" to customers in region.

The Tablet also reported that "customs officers in one Gulf nation" would only allow school atlases "to reach their intended recipient only once Israel had been struck out by hand."

To put it simply, Collins Bartholomew willingly published an inaccurate map for school children just to satisfy the political demands of paying customers. For the publisher, apparently, reality is less important than profit. Customs officers in Third World countries seem to be editors emeritus for Collins Bartholomew.

The story immediately received big media attention. Busted, embarrassed and called out for their act of deliberate regional revisionism, parent company HarperCollins apologized on Facebook: Commenters on Facebook, however, were not buying the apology.

Post by HarperCollins UK.

The apology is hollow. After all, had there not been an outcry over this, Collins Bartholomew would still be happily selling their fantasy maps sans Israel. And commenters on Facebook were not buying it:

• "Did you actually think you could get away with such revisionism and that nobody would notice? I am certain you only regret that your reprehensible actions were exposed for what they are." 
• "Apart from your appalling decision to facilitate racists, the fact remains the Rhodesia is Zimbabwe now, Ceylon is Sri Lanka and like it or not, Israel is the name of the country that you have deliberately ommited!"
• "Would you have made a map for the Gulf states with Al-Andalus replacing Spain and Portugal? If they want imaginary maps, they should have to make their own."
• "WOW, what a stupid decision. Enjoy the backlash!"

And the backlash has only just begun. One commenter provided the URL of HarperCollins authors as a list of "Books not to buy. Suggest authors move their trade elsewhere." A number of commenters are threatening to boycott of HarperCollins.

Whether or not you agree with a boycott, it seems clear now that anything - anything- published by HarperCollins or any of its subsidiaries must be questioned for accuracy - and honesty. Perhaps the best comment was made by Rick Moran in his post at American Thinker today: "The publisher had little choice - except to abandon a lucrative market or comply. I think there are some business decisions that may cost a company money, but allow it to hang on to its soul. This is one of those times."

Also See:
HarperCollins erases Israel from atlases Times of Israel
Sin of omission? HarperCollins leaves Israel off the map Al Bawaba
The Fake Map Of ‘Lost Palestinian Territory’ The Muslim Issue
UAE's Etihad Airways denies omitting Israel from in-flight map Haaretz
How Putin Manipulates Russians Using Revisionist History Forbes
Russia Propaganda Rises Again: Fake Maps Depict a Much Smaller Ukraine Daily Signal

Coding Bootcamps in California Struggle to Survive Regulation Overkill

January 31, 2014 - You would think that the government, at any level, would welcome and encourage anything that will help people get decent jobs. If so, your thinking is incorrect. Remember: Government is not interested in helping you, but only in helping the the government itself and the gray bureaucrats that cling to it like leaches. That's no truer anywhere than in over-regulated California.

"Don’t you dare attempt any constructive activity," notes Moonbattery with biting sarcasm, "especially something that will help alleviate unemployment, unless you have acquired approval and fully submitted to any conceivably applicable needless and cumbersome regulations -- even if bureaucrats’ glacial pace and pyramid-sized tangles of red tape would put you out of business."

Principals and Teachers Who Carry Guns at School (ABC Report)

Dec. 20, 2012 - A recent report by ABC News examines the issue of arming teachers and principals in public schools. This is a very hot debate in the U.S. after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, where Adam Lanza shot and killed 27 students and school staff. Some of the students interviewed in the ABC report support this idea, saying that they feel safer knowing their teachers are armed. Others don't, of course.

ABC noted that about 28,300 schools across the U.S. have armed security staff.

The obvious question to anti-gun people, then, is this:

If armed staff in a school is such a bad idea, then why have we not heard of any unfortunate incidents in those 28,300 schools?  ABC cited the National Center for Education Statistics as the source for those numbers.

I can't help but wonder why some fear the idea of armed teachers more than they fear an armed lunatic attacking them while they are defenseless. Would those folks put a "Gun Free Zone" sign in their own front yard? Why do they think it's safer to be unprotected when a shooter enters their school, and then have to endure more killings while they wait for the police to show up -- with their guns?

Neal Boortz's Fake Commencement Speech

Neal Boortz Faux Commencement Speech

Conservative radio talk show host Neal Boortz does not mince words, but some of his words have been given myth status by some bloggers who apparently never attended a journalism class.

When Boortz delivered the "commencement speech" to the graduating class of Texas A&M... uhm, wait, hold on.

Boortz did write a killer commencement speech, but he never delivered it at Texas A&M or anywhere else during an actual graduation ceremony. Oh, it was a real speech, and he really did deliver it (once), but it was never given as an actual commencement speech. Confused? Sure you are, but that's okay. Boortz himself titled his video "Faux Commencement Speech."

(Update, 2019: Despite exhaustive searching, we no longer find a video of Boortz's speech. Read the full text of the "Boortz Faux Commencement Speech" at Patriot Post.)

Boortz himself explains it best: "The speech was actually delivered one time .. but not at a commencement. A few years ago we filled up an auditorium at Kennesaw State College to give me the chance to don a robe and just … pretend."

The fact that Boortz never gave this speech to a graduating class in no way diminishes its power. Boortz is a brilliant writer and a talented speaker. Enjoy the speech, and share it, but please don't spread the myth that he gave it to a bunch of Aggie graduates.

Web Site Helps Students Find Study Partners For College Entrance Exams

Knowledge is good

This is a great idea, and a clever use of the Internet: MyStudyPartner.com is a new website (still in Beta) for students and professionals looking to communicate with those in similar situations.

For a student, it's a virtual group study session for those trying to quality for college admission. They have a good Facebook page, too, where people can further enhance their cooperative efforts.  "We are 100% free to use," says the MyStudyPartner FAQ, "No strings attached."

By the way, this is NOT an ad for MyStudyPartner. Really. I stumbled across them while searching for something else, and I was impressed.

MyStudyPartner.com says that they "cater to individuals who are trying to pass college admission exams including GMAT, SAT, GRE, ACT, LSAT, TOEFL, MCAT, IELTS, USMLE, SAT - SUBJECT and PLAB."

You are not alone

That's a lot of tests - and a lot of pressure for anyone studying for any of them. A service like MyStudyPartner makes it possible for somebody to reach out at any time and find someone who is studying for the same test.

"After studying with your partners for however long it takes," says MyStudyPartner's website, "you’ll find that the exam you were once worried about taking is no longer a threat. Studying in groups of 2 or more has proven to increase your odds of success while taking any type of test or exam."

Misery loves company, after all, but commiseration - and the sharing of knowledge and common goals - can make a task less miserable.

"It also helps professionals," MyStudyPartner says of its website,  "aiming to excel in Microsoft, CISCO, CPA, PMP, ITIL, CompTIA, IIBA and Red Hat Certifications. Studies show that professionals who obtain additional certification or continuing education courses typically increase the number of opportunities available for career advancement." Source: PRWeb.com

If you're facing the grind of prepping for a college entrance exam, and you cannot find a study partner nearby, try MyStudyPartner.com. They serve students all over the world, not just the U.S. Who knows? After you've aced that exam, you might find yourself with a bevy of new pen pals.

JONATHA CARR MUST BE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH HATE CRIMES, ASSAULT, AND THREATENING TO COMMIT MURDER

Arrest this woman and let the court decide her competence

This is truly bizarre. A female Black student (yes, her race is relevant here), 24-year old Jonatha Carr lost her friggin' mind in class and threatened to kill her professor and others, including 10,000 White people (yes, their race is relevant here).

The discussion of peacock mating preferences in an evolution class got her thinking about committing murder. Yes, peacocks (yes, their species is relevant here). Carr was eventually arrested and charged with battery (details below) by university police. She was hit with a Taser three times as they were taking her to the South County Mental Health Center, "where she was involuntarily admitted for a mental health evaluation," says HuffPo. However, FAU Police say that the school will not press charges against her.

Why is FAU not pressing charges? Well, she's bi-polar, says her family. But imagine a white guy threatening to kill "10,000 Black people" and then striking a Black woman in a classroom -- and not facing charges just because his family says he's bi-polar. Chicago News Bench wonders why Jonatha Carr is not behind bars and why she should not be charged for the offenses that she committed in that classroom. (More on that below.)

The incident happened at Florida Atlantic University's Boca Raton campus during mid-term exams. Somehow, in her feeble, Al Sharpton-enriched Liberal brain, the lesson about bird sexuality was racist. That prompted Carr to ask the instructor, Associate Professor Stephen M. Kajiura, why  and had something to do with evolution “How does evolution kill black people?” Makes your head sping, right? Here's the video, with an excerpt of the YouTube poster's description (video contains strong language):

Context: The slide we were on just before was about Female Sexual Selection. For instance, female peacocks have selection in their mates, preferring the males with the bigger train of feathers.. Somehow she went off on some tangent with a question about how does Evolution play a role in the killing of all black people...

Dr. Kajiura tried to answer her question even though he had no idea what she was talking about. She repeated her question 4-5 more times and it turned into this craziness you see here... Clearly, this person has some SERIOUS emotional issues within herself and the discussion of PEACOCKS was the catalyst to the unleashing of this insanity.

Some of the students in the classroom called police, realizing the potential for violence and being concerned about Carr's spoken threat to commit mass murder. At one point after that, she walked throught the classroom and struck a male student in his head, then left the classroom briefly.

During all of this, Professor Kajiura stayed in the room, according to University Press, and tried to keep the students calm. “She became increasingly belligerent,” Upress quotes Kajiura as saying. “It was at this point, a highly emotionally charged individual who was no longer capable of responding rationally. She was threatening to kill both me and the students in the class.”

Carr returned to the classroom, says the Upress report. “Some [FAU technician] came in and ordered her to get out,” Kajiura said. “He ordered her to leave the room, and they got into a physical altercation. Several other individuals jumped in and tried to help him.”

JONATHA CARR MUST BE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH HATE CRIMES, ASSAULT, BATTERY AND THREATENING TO COMMIT MASS MURDER

As noted above, Carr became violent with police and had to be tasered into submission. She threatened to kill her professor and others in the classroom, she threatened race-based mass murder, and struck a fellow student. None of the media reports I've seen tell us that the student she hit was a White male, but you can see that clearly at 2:46 in this video. Her words clearly constituted what liberals would call "hate speech."

Her family says she is bi-polar. But so what? An overly sympathetic article in Huffington Post notes that Jonatha Carr's family "will meet with university officials to discuss Carr's future at FAU, where she maintains a 3.8 grade point average."  Oh, but she's bi-polar, remember?

Carr and her family are using the bi-polar thing as a lame excuse for her very dangerous behavior, and they should not be allowed to get away with this. They can't have it both ways: On the one hand, they seem to be saying, their precious daughter is so brilliant that she's got a high GPA. Yet, on the other hand, they're also saying that by virtue of being bi-polar she is not really responsible for her actions. To which I say, unapologetically, that's bullshit.

Carr should be charged. Let the book be thrown at her, and let the court decide whether or not this student with a 3.8 grade point average is so mentally challenged that she had no idea what she was saying when she threatened to kill people. Let the court decide whether or not she is responsible for striking another person.

We read everyday about people who are charged with crimes, who then go to court and claim some kind of mental defense. Insanity, emotional duress, whatever. As I pointed out at the beginning of this post, race is relevant here. I contend that if a male White student had done exactly what Jonatha Carr did, but of course threatened to kill "10,000 Black people" and striking a Black female student instead, he would be either sitting in a jail cell today or out on bond. He would be charged exactly as he should be. But in the case of Jonatha Carr, no charges will be brought by the school.

Somebody in that classroom needs to have the guts to bring charges against Jonatha Carr. Obviously, Professor Kajiura is too much of a wimp to do so. But what about the White student that Carr stuck in the head? What about all of the students - Black and others - who Carr threatened to kill? Where are all the liberals, who would pounce on a White guy for such behavior, and why aren't they charging her with the crime of hate speech?  And by the way,

The liberal media is bending over backwards to excuse Carr's murderous threats, assault and disruptive behavior. This report from WPEC-TV is an example:

"We now know that 24-year-old Jonatha Carr was fired up about the case of Trayvon Martin when she had her violent outburst during an evolution class at Florida Atlantic University. Martin is the young central Florida teen who was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer. That volunteer has not been charged in the teen's death and Carr calls that an extreme injustice."

Pause: Carr was worked up about Trayvon Martin's death. Okay, but so are a millions of other people.

"While we can't say that's what caused her outburst at FAU Tuesday," says the WPEC report, "we do know she was interviewed about the case the night before. Carr was completely out of control in her evolution class Tuesday morning, cursing at her professor, hitting fellow students, and being hauled out of the class against her will. But the night before she seemed totally in control. She was interviewed by a Miami TV station about the bus trip she was organizing to the rally for Trayvon Martin.

"He was killed in a such a way that struck a nerve with my family and I," Carr said during the interview.

Again, so what? We're all aware of some story daily that upsets us. Often enough, we get angry about something in the news, and sometimes it "strikes a nerve." But not many of us are driven to screaming murderous threats in crowded classrooms or offices or anywhere else.

Perhaps Carr's biggest problem is not her bi-polarity. She's majoring in education, she's a liberal, and she's obviously been overcharged by race-based rhetoric from the Al Sharpton School of Race Hate. "One of the many problems with race-obsessed liberal ideology," says Moonbattery, "is that there are people out there whacky enough to take it seriously — which gives their craziness a springboard to launch itself into full-blown psychosis."

Few of us - very few of us - hit coworkers or fellow students because we're upset about a news item. Jonatha Carr is one of those exceptions, however. She is dangerous, as proven on video for the whole world to see. There is no guarantee that she will not explode like this again. The bi-polar excuse, as I said, is no excuse and should be decided by the court. Arrest her. Charge her. Treat Jonatha Carr as the menace that she is.

GRE PrepBook Offers Free Practice For Graduate Record Examination Takers

If you’re planning to attend business school, you will need to take (and pass) the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). It’s always a good idea to practice for any test, and one simple website offers you that opportunity at no charge. That’s right, free. Here is my brief review of that site, simply called "GRE Test," at GrePrepbook.org (GREPrepBook LLC). GrePrepook.org (formerly Dranb) has a very simple website that is at once easy to navigate and not intimidating. GrePrepook.org is not associated with ETS, which administers the GRE. GrePrepook.org offers the test site for free because, no doubt, they want users to also click through to their “GRE Prep & GRE Big Book – Store,” where you can buy their GRE preparation books for prices ranging from $19.99 to $500.00. There’s nothing wrong with this, however, because there is no pressure on the use to buy anything. No pop-up ads, nothing annoying, just a static link to the book store. I must assume that the website offers only a fraction of what their books offer. Why give it away when you’re trying to sell it? GrePrepook.org avoids bells and whistles and gets right down to business. While the site is good overall, I have a few minor criticisms, most of which are aesthetic. (Click image to enlarge.) The opening page says, “We provide you with GRE practice test and thousands of real GRE questions! Check out the following sections: GRE Analogy Practice Test GRE Sentence Completion Practice Test GRE Synonym Practice Test GRE Antonym Practice Test GRE Reading Comprehension Test GRE Analytical Writing Practice Test GRE Vocabulary Practice FREE GRE Practice Test Purchase GRE Practice Test” That’s fine, but there are confusingly similar links in the sidebar: GRE Test Practice GRE Analogy Practice GRE Sentence Completion Synonym Antonym GRE Reading Comprehension Test GRE Analytical Writing GRE Vocabulary Study Guide GRE Quantitative Practice Free GRE Practice Test GRE Prep & GRE Big Book – Store Some of the links are redundant between the two lists. GrePrepook.org should have combined the two lists into one. Another minor problem is the fact that practice tests must be printed out to be used effectively. In the multiple-choice “GRE Sentence Completion Practice Exam,” for example, you cannot select the correct answer by clicking on it. It would be great to be able to do that and then have the site compute your score. I admit that this is minor, but it would make the site easier (and more fun) to use. These minor criticisms should not deter you, however. As stated, the site is easy to use and would seem to be useful for test practice. I should also tell you that the GRE will be changing in 2011. If you want to take it in time to get the results so you can submit them to the school/s of your choice, writes Louis Lavelle at Businessweek.com on February 4, 2011, you should hurry. Lavelle wrote that “those who are taking the test either in addition to or as an alternative to the GMAT for b-school admissions, timing will be everything.” Lavelle wrote that a spokesperson for ETS, which administers the GRE, “says that students who need their GRE scores before November should take the old-style GRE no later than July, which means they should probably start getting ready now. If they take the newer version in August, September, or October, they won’t receive their scores until mid-November.” Read Lavelle’s full article here. Oddly, GrePrepook.org makes no mention of pending changes in the GRE, nor does it refer to ETS. It would provide a needed service to their visitors if they did so.

Texas Board of Ed Decision Impact Will Be Minimal

Will American school children now be saved from textbooks filled with Leftist propaganda? Maybe, sort of, little by little, for a while anyway. Don't be overly optimistic about this news. Last night, the Texas Board of Education made a historically significant decision. Robert Moon reports at Examiner.com: In a stunning break from the standard public "education" protocol of relentlessly brow-beating children with leftist misinformation against America, white people and Christianity, Texas has forced the textbook industry to start including multiple sides of the story. Through intense negotiations and petty partisan bickering, the Texas Board of Education (which has a huge influence over how textbooks are written in the U.S.) has reversed the trend of erasing our Founding Fathers from the curriculum--a core part of the leftist agenda... The Texas text book decision, however, will have minimal immediate impact nationwide. Even as the Texas Board of Education was meeting yesterday, there was a communist indoctrination happening on a Chicago Community Colleges (CCC) campus. The "Social Justice Student Expo" was a brazen display of communist and socialist propagandizing and youth recruitment by the far Left, with the full blessings and accomodations of the CCC. Grade schoolers, high schoolers and college students were encouraged to attend. So while it's nice that some text books will be brought back from the Leftist clutches, the real problem remains: Leftist teachers and professors will continue to spew their Leftist ideology in classrooms. Events like the "Social Justice Student Expo" will continue. The film and music industries will keep putting out Leftist messages. After decades of Leftist propagandizing in public schools and universities, there are already many millions of Americans whose political sympathies are closer to Mao and Stalin than to Jefferson and Franklin. The Texas Board of Education decision of May 20, 2010 is something to celebrate, but it isn't big enough to merit opening the champagne.

The Battle for Free Speech On Campus

It's no secret that a disproportionate number college and university administrators and professors lean to the left politically. That would not be a problem if not for the fact that all too often they try to squash the free speech of many of the students they are supposed to serve. This goes on constantly, across that nation. Let's look at two current examples of the ongoing battle for free speech and liberty on America's campuses. One involves the University of California - San Diego. The other concerns the University of Illinois - Champaign. One of the best free speech watchdog groups out there is the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Their mission "is to defend and sustain individual rights at America's colleges and universities. These rights include freedom of speech, legal equality, due process, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience — the essential qualities of individual liberty and dignity. FIRE's core mission is to protect the unprotected and to educate the public and communities of concerned Americans about the threats to these rights on our campuses and about the means to preserve them." FIRE has defended liberal students when their free speech was threatened, too, but the vast majority of cases involve suppression of free speech and other civil rights of conservative students (and sometimes faculty) by liberal educators. It should also be pointed out that student governments, often controlled by leftists, are as guilty of civil rights violations as are administrators and educators. SAN DIEGO DICTATORSHIP: One of FIRE's current battles involves "a blow-by-blow account of the First Amendment meltdown taking place at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)." Frim a current FIRE report (emphasis added): "The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and its student government have violated the First Amendment by freezing funds for 33 student media organizations, dissolving the student-run television station, and threatening to punish students involved in a controversy over a party invitation for an event called the 'Compton Cookout.' Student government president Utsav Gupta has explained that his repressive actions were due to "fracturing of the student body on an issue" and 'hateful speech.' Further, under pressure from state legislators who seek to punish protected speech, UCSD has launched "aggressive investigations" into the party invitation. After many students came to FIRE for help, FIRE has written two letters to UCSD defending the First Amendment both on and off campus." Continue reading "University of California at San Diego: First Amendment Violations at UCSD" and also see their "brief rundown" of the UCSD events... FIRE maintains a list of their top current cases, which is well worth looking at. THE "ILL" IN UNIV. OF ILLINOIS: An interesting press release from a student group calling itself "Illinois Deserves Better" describes both the civil rights offenses being committed by the University of Illinois and the group's efforts to fight back. The Illinois Deserves Better press release (dated Feb. 24, 2010; emphasis added by me): Students Launch "Illinois Deserves Better" Organization to Combat Partisan Administrators Champaign, IL Students at the University of Illinois are announcing the official formation of a Registered Student Organization, the aim of which is to fumigate the Urbana campus of partisan and corrupt administrators. In reaction to a scandal wrought at the hands of Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Renee Romano and her staff in the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations (OIIR), ‘I Deserve Better’ is striving for a refreshed administration of integrity and mutual respect so that the campus may finally move beyond an era of clout. The group will advocate for the replacement of Vice Chancellor Renee Romano and Associate Vice Chancellor Anna Gonzalez and will call for a full review of their offices and financial endeavors. Those at ‘I Deserve Better’ believe that in a time of extreme economic hardship, when students and their families are asked to give more and faculty and staff are asked to work for less, that runaway administrative costs and malfeasance are exceptionally intolerable. While students had hoped to work with University of Illinois Administrators, actions by Vice Chancellor Renee Romano and her offices have lead to an institutional impasse that can only be bridged by the immediate replacement of those administrators in question. The offensive actions of those in question include Vice Chancellor Romano's refusal to acknowledge inherent student rights to free speech, partisan viewpoint discrimination against students who do not share administration views, and a refusal to answer the questions of students who want a logical, truthful explanation or admission of wrongdoing regarding the Students for Chief Illiniwek FOIA scandal. Similarly, the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations acted dishonorably by sending student interns to a meeting where student government members were drafting a resolution to admonish the actions of that student's employers. A Washington Lobbyist has contacted the organization and is eager to contribute his time in Springfield to help obtain legislative remedies to the situation. In addition to this, the Illinois Student Senate will be voting on a resolution tonight [Feb. 23, 2010] that admonishes the administration and calls for more accountable leadership in the Pine Lounge at the Illini Union at 7 P.M. Vice Chancellor Renee Romano and Associate Vice Chancellor Anna Gonzalez have further tarnished the University of Illinois' reputation with their behavior and Illinois Deserves Better looks forward to working with Interim President Stanley O. Ikenberry and Interim Chancellor Robert Easter to restore integrity to the great institution that is the state's flagship school. Contact INFO: Illinois Deserves Better President: Jerry Vachaparambil, 630-632-0808, jerrygvk@vachas.com VP of Membership: Daniel Gilpin, 309-825-0227, dgilpin08@gmail.com Marketing Director: Gabe Hartwig, 217-898-9041, ghartwi2@illinois.edu Communications Director Bobby McNeily, 630-885-0174, bobbymcn RELATED: ‘U.S. News’ Readers: FIRE's Red Alert List Exposes the Worst Violators of Campus Rights Who's Undermining Freedom of Speech on Campus Now Free Speech On Campus The New Republic Protecting free speech on campus - Washington Times firstamendmentcenter.org: Free speech on public college campuses ... University Of Illinois Political Ban May Extend To Students FOIA Request Reveals That University of Illinois Administrators ... FIRE on YouTube Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Black History Month is No Time to Party

Star Parker, founder and president of the Coalition for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), writes that it is "time for a new generation of Black Americans." What does she mean by that? "Studies show that it’s family and education that produces success in America. Income correlates with education and education correlates with family background," she explains, and then goes on to write a hard-hitting column that calls out irresponsible parents and those who look to Government for salvation. Black History Month 2010 is not a great time for a party. Unemployment at almost 10%, and well over 16% among blacks, doesn’t make for much of a festive mood. But if the mood is not festive, shouldn’t it be reflective? Certainly, there’s reason for pride in black achievement in the forty plus years since the Civil Rights movement. We’ve now got a couple black billionaires and a black president. The percentage of blacks with college degrees is three times greater now than in 1970. But black household income is still just 62% of white households. And the black poverty rate, at twice the national average, has hardly budged since the late 1960’s. Blacks should be asking hard questions when, over this period of time, many immigrants from different backgrounds have come to this country with little and moved into the middle class in one generation. The accumulation of considerable black political power – black mayors, governors, a 42 member Black Congressional Caucus, and now a black president - has made hardly a difference. It should be clear that black economic distress is not a political problem. Studies show that it’s family and education that produces success in America. Income correlates with education and education correlates with family background. Now consider that in 1970, 62% of black women were married compared to 33% today. In 1970, 74% of black men were married, compared to 44% today. Or that in 1970, 5% of black mothers were never married compared to 41% today. The Civil Rights movement was, of course, a religiously inspired and led movement. It made liberal use of the biblical imagery of the Exodus of the Israelite slaves from Egypt. Taylor Branch called his trilogy about Dr. King and the movement he led “Parting of the Waters”, “Pillar of Fire”, and “At Canaan’s Edge.” To the misfortune of blacks who put great hope in the redemptive powers of that movement, their leaders prematurely closed their bibles. The story of the liberation of the Israelite slaves did not end with their release from their Egyptian taskmasters. That was the beginning. They then proceeded to the mountain in the wilderness to receive the law to take with them and live by in the Promised Land. When it was clear that the former Egyptian slaves were not up to the task, they were condemned to wander for forty years in the wilderness so that a new generation would arise, enter the land, and build the nation. Let’s recall that the law they received was about family (honor your parents), about property and ownership (thou shalt not steal), and about being concerned about building your own and not what your neighbor has (thou shalt not covet). Rather than seeking redemption through this law, post-Civil Rights movement black leaders sought redemption in politics. The welfare state, entitlements, transfer payments, and the politics of differences and envy. Should we be surprised by the result? The New York Times recently reported that from 2004 to 2008, the political and charitable arms of the Congressional Black Caucus raised more than $55 million from corporations and unions. According to the Times, most of these funds were “spent on elaborate conventions…a headquarters building, golf outings,…and an annual visit to a Mississippi casino resort.” More was spent on the caterer for the Caucus’s Foundation annual dinner - $700,000 – than it gave out in scholarships. It’s now over forty years since the Civil Right movement. Enough wandering in the wilderness. It’s time for a new generation of black Americans to step forward. A generation to turn to the truths that will rebuild black lives, black families, and lead blacks to the freedom that Dr. King and all blacks have dreamed about. See more articles by Star Parker Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service Coalition for Urban Renewal and Education 722 12th Street, NW Fourth Floor Washington, DC 20005 202-479-2873 (CURE) http://www.urbancure.org/ Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Obama's School Speech and the Cult of Personality

Watch recorded video of the Obama School Speech HERE (below). I watched Barack Obama's speech to school kids today. It was bland. It was boring. After much public outcry, the part where he was to ask kids to help him was removed. The final version was pretty tame, and the outcry was, well, somewhat overblown. However, I had at least four problems with the speech: Problem #1: Rock Star Intro The speech opened with Sec. of Education Arne Duncan introducing some kid who then introduced Obama. The problem with that is the rock star nature of the presentation. Rather than give the boring, bland speech from his desk, the White House felt it necessary to have a rousing introduction with a roomful of vetted friendlies giving him a rousing ovation. Now, that's clever politics. It is also inappropriate to the stated intention of the speech. Problem #2: Cult of Personality The White House knew exactly what they were doing when they set up Obama's rock star reception. The subliminal message to the kids - especially those who will be old enough to vote in 2012, is simple: Barack Obama is your Great Father. Der Uber Fater. Your Hero. Your Great Leader. A pop icon. Why else would the White House have not done the traditional address from the quiet Oval Office? Problem #3: Overblown Production Obama presented a very tame motivational speech kids, which could more easily (and less expensively) have been done from the Oval Office in the White House. Instead, Obama had to travel to Wakefield High School in nearby Arlington, Virginia. That required the usual heavy Secret Service details, a lot of security advance work, setting up a remote video production operation, local police work, and streets tied up for the motorcade. All that bother and expense to tell kids what kids should be told by their teachers and parents every day. Problem #4: The Entire Speech Was Hypocritical Actually, this is not a problem, per se. It does, however, show us the hypocrisy of Obama and of the Democrat Party. In his speech, Obama repeatedly told school kids to be responsible, to work hard, to never give up, to be self-reliant. Nice words, which I agree with, but none of those values are encouraged by the Obama or the Democrats in deed. Ever since the New Deal of President Franklin Roosevelt, Americans have been told more and more that they are entitled to government care and coddling. Many of the kids who watched the speech today were born into an entitlement subculture, created and nurtured by the Democrats, that conditions them to expect free government cheese every day of their lives. I had to chuckle many times as the most radical Leftist ever to sit in the Oval Office presented a very conservative message of self-reliance and hard work, and he did it with a straight face. RELATED: Barack Obama Likes Them Young Devastation of American Society by the Liberal Movement: Part I and Part II How Media Created Obama's Cult of Personality Stalin and the "Cult of Personality" Stefan Landsberger's Chinese Propaganda Poster Pages--Mao Cult Fascist Personality Cults: Deconstructing Personality Cult Theory Video: Living Colour - Cult Of Personality Cool Hats & Shirts for Cool Conservatives Leave a Comment... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed We're on Twitter...

Barack Obama Likes Them Young

Barack Obama plans to deliver an Orwellian speech to school children across the nation on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 12:00 Noon, Eastern time (see Obama's Speech to School Kidz). An important editorial from The Washington Times discusses widely held concerns about Barack Obama's plan to electronically invade schoolrooms next Tuesday, Sept. 8. President Obama's planned address to America's schoolchildren on Sept. 8 is generating a firestorm of controversy from concerned parents who think he should mind his own business and stay away from their children. It's easy to see why. Oh? And why's that? According to an Aug. 26 letter from Education Secretary Arne Duncan to school principals, the president wants to "challenge students to work hard, set educational goals and take responsibility for their learning." He also will call for "shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible." "Children must attend school, whether their parents like it or not; for they belong to the state more than to their parents." ~ Plato

"Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man.” ~ Francis Xavier (Jesuit)

An equally valuable column "Indoctrination: Get ‘Em While They’re Young," appears today at oregoncatalyst.com. It starts off with this: Why should you care that the President will be addressing your children Monday? Simple: The content of the speech is being kept secret. When someone wants to talk to your children, but won’t tell you, the parents, what it’s about, sirens and alarm bells should be going off in your head. Whether you are for or against the President’s agenda, this should scare the hell out of you. After all, don’t we constantly warn our children that if any adult tells them not to tell their parents about something, they MUST tell their parents immediately? RELATED: Little Green Footballs - Islamic Indoctrination of Children Cool Hats & Shirts for Cool Conservatives Leave a Comment... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed We're on Twitter...

Obama's Speech to School Kidz

Barack Obama plans to deliver an Orwellian speech to school children across the nation on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 12:00 Noon (Eastern time), but has already backed down on parts of his presentation. Obama's speech will not be televised. Instead, it will be streamed live on the Internet at the Whitehouse website. This means that you, homeschoolers, or anybody can watch it. (More about the home schooling aspect at Examiner.com.) School districts across the country are discussing possible bans of the speech from classrooms, due in part to objections from parents who do not want their kids to be indoctrinated against their will. In fact, the wave of objection to the in-classrooms speech has been so strong that Obama's handlers rewrote part of it. The Dallas Morning News reports today (Sept. 3): The change comes as at least one more Dallas-Fort Worth school district decided Thursday morning not to show the speech. Meanwhile, two Congressmen have urged the Obama administration to release an early transcript of his Tuesday speech, which officials say is meant to underscore the importance of education. Many school districts around Texas and the country said today that they plan to decide soon if and how they will show the speech. ... AZ Family reports today that Arizona's Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, Republican (photo), has reservations about allowing the speech to be shown in school rooms. In a Sept. 3 news release from the Arizona Dept of Education, Horne is quoted as saying this: “An important part of educating students is to teach them to read and listen critically. The White House materials call for a worshipful, rather than critical approach to this speech. For example, the White House communication calls for the students to have “notable quotes excerpted (and posted in large print on the board),” and for the students to discuss “How will he inspire us,” among other things. There is nothing in these White House materials about approaching the speech critically, or engaging in any critical thinking whatsoever, but only adopting a reverent approach to everything they are being told.” (You can read the entire news release (PDF) here.) Michelle Malkins posts today about an alternative being offered to parents, courtesy of the National Tea Party Coalition. The NTPC's web site says it is asking that "schools who choose to participate in the president’s September 8th program offer an alternative to students and families who do not wish to view, or have their children view, a partisan address or participate in activities that did not follow proper educational protocol or obtain parental consent." (See the full alternative at HallPassOnThat.com.) RELATED: Video: Michelle Malkin on Obama's speech to public school students Politics Obama school-speech plan assailed - Seattle Times Newspaper Conservatives wave red flags over Obama school speech - csmonitor.com White House revises proposed lesson plan on Obama speech - Dallas Morning News Kinder: Obama's address to students infringes on their rights - St. Louis Post-Dispatch State: Ky. schools should provide alternative to Obama speech - Louisville Courier-Journal Right blasts Obama speech to students - Politico Conservatives Urge 'National Truancy Day' For Obama's Back-to-School Speech - Hispanic Business Flashback: Bill Ayers declares education “the motor-force of revolution” - Michelle Malkin Cool Hats & Shirts for Cool Conservatives Leave a Comment... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed We're on Twitter...

Teachers to Protest Arne Duncan Chicago Visit, June 19

A group of Chicago educators plan a protest against U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in when he visits the city on Friday, June 19. The Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (CORE) is upset about what they call Duncan's "draconian" turnarounds, which they explain as programs whereby "every employee at a school is fired, including teachers, cafeteria staff, administration." From their June 17 press release: On Friday, June 19th, 2009, the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (CORE) will hold a demonstration against “turnarounds” and other policies promoted by current Secretary of Education Arne Duncan outside of the Hyatt Regency Chicago (151 E. Wacker Drive) from 8:00 AM until 9:30 AM. Duncan is theguest of honor for a breakfast reception at the hotel sponsored by education policy group Advance Illinois. CORE will be holding a press conference atthe demonstration at 9:15 AM. (See the full press release here.) See Comments... Visit Our Online Store Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Hey! ChiNewsBench is on Twitter

Charter Schools, Choice, and Moral Controversy

Fran Eaton writes a great column in today's Southtown Star, in which she discusses Ron Huberman, the state of the public schools, parental choice and more. School choice advocates say the debate about education alternatives is long overdue, and they're absolutely right....The debate over schools, children and funding has been focused too long on how many education dollars are available and whether or not they are evenly distributed. Perhaps this moral controversy over CPS leadership will finally turn the discussion to what matters most. Full Article... CNB RSS Feed

The Huberman Stink

Did something die under a couch in here? No, that smell is Ron Huberman, Chicago Mayor Daley's Waterboy and newest head of Chicago Public Schools. When the Blagojevich Crime Spree was finally crushed as the Illinois Senate removed him from office this week, it seemed like Chicago politics might become ho-hum until Blago's federal criminal trial begins. Silly us. Chicago politics is never ho-hum. But like a late Christmas gift, Mayor Daley named Ron Huberman to replace Arne Duncan as head of Chicago Public Schools. Chicago's City Council could still reject Huberman, and a number of local leaders are calling on them to do just that. Duncan was chosen by Barack Obama to be the nation's Secretary of Education, which means that every American will now be guaranteed a Chicago-quality schooling experience (be afraid, be very afraid). Huberman, until a few days ago the head of the inept Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), will undoubtedly bring his CTA style to the local government schools (be afraid, be very, very afraid). This has caused much outrage in Chicago. Many people are upset with the choice of Huberman. A sampling of that outrage follows: Ron Huberman "in over his head" Black leaders say no to Huberman for CPS Black leaders lament Huberman appointment Selection of Huberman just a bad choice Daley's appointment fishy Ron Huberman booed, heckled at his 1st school board meeting Jesse Jackson Slams Choice Of Huberman As New CPS Chief Some Teacher's Don't Want Huberman Why Daley Is Wrong to Move Huberman Transit Riders Still Second-Class in Second City Unauthorized BIO on Ron Hubberman Hubba Hubba Huberman!... CNB RSS Feed

Ron Huberman Next CPS Chief?

God Help Chicago. There are hot rumors out there that CTA chief Ron "Caboose" Huberman might replace Arne Duncan's old position as the head of Chicago Public Schools (source) . Duncan just became the new US Secretary of Education in the Obama Administration. Huberman is a slick salesman and former cop who has trouble balancing budgets, assuring the safety of CTA customers and making trains run on schedule, but Mayor Daley apparently has him on a list of people to run the schools? Huberman seems to be Daley's Golden Boy. In September, 2007 Huberman was on Daley's short list for the position of Superintendent of Police. Are we to believe that there aren't several principals out there who could run CPS better than Ronnie Huberman? Gimme a break. ALSO: Could CTA's Huberman Be Getting an Education? Douche of the Day: Ron Huberman Joe Moore's CTA Hysteria Derailed Subscribe to Chicago News Bench

FLASH: OBAMA PICKS DUNCAN FOR EDUCATION SECRETARY

BREAKING: Obama has picked Chicago's school czar Arne Duncan to be the next Secretary of Education. God help us. Now the fu@%ed up Chicago school system will go national. Parents across the nation: Time to consider home schooling! Lynn Sweet has the full scoop. Lynn Sweet has the full scoop at her Sun-Times blog... RELATED: Name by name, Obama's Cabinet taking shape - Kansas City Star Mayor Daley wants Duncan to stay CPS Students Get Voice in Battling Dropout Rate NBC Chicago The Education of Barack Obama Uptown Update: A Whole Lotta Nothin' Goin' On ILLINOIZE: Half-Truth from the Rev. and State Senator James Meeks

DFA's Cheney Math Challenge

Matt Blizek, Training Director for Democracy for America, seems to be math challenged. He sent an email blast out to his fellow DFA Deaniacs, in which he demonstrated a startling inability to deal with simple arithmetic. He had trouble with these math problems: - What is 2,000 times 200? - What is 500,000 divided by 5? Matt couldn't figure these out. Matt recalls "sitting in a University of Iowa computer lab and getting an email from Howard Dean issuing the 'Cheney Challenge'." (Clever, that alliteration, eh? Ch-ch-ch-challenge. It's what made the Chia Pet so popular.) Matt reminisced for his DFA readers about "Dick Cheney and his oil buddies," who were having a luncheon fundraiser. Now, here comes the difficult math challenge. According to Matt, Cheney & Company were charging $2,000 per plate to attend. The "challenge," writes Matt, came from Howard Dean, who "had a $5 sandwich online fundraiser and asked, 'could supporters raise more money than Cheney by the time Cheney's luncheon took place?' The luncheon event raised $250K from a couple hundred people while the online campaign pulled in over $500K from nearly ten-thousand donors." Let's review. The Cheney luncheon, Matt wrote, was at $2,000 per plate and, he wrote, "raised $250K from a couple hundred people." A "couple" is two, so "a couple hundred" is 200, and 200 times $2,000 is $400K, not "$250K" as math-challenged Matt wrote. Furthermore, Matt wrote that Dean's "online campaign pulled in over $500K from nearly ten-thousand donors." Hmmm. At $5 per sandwich, that would be 100,000 sandwiches, yet math-challenged Matt wrote that they got "$500K from nearly ten-thousand [sic] donors." Only if they changed the price fo $50 per sandwich, or if donors purchased an average of 10 sandwiches each. Neither seems a likely explanation. One wonders if Matt learned his math skills in a public school. Or, could this be some kind of Revolutionary Math that only a Democrat can understand? Matt goes on to invite you to DFA Night School on Wednesday, August 20th. "Night School is DFA's interactive online training program. Every month Night School brings top campaign experts right to your home at absolutely no cost to you." When a Democrat says they are going to give you something "at absolutely no cost to you," don't believe it. Run like hell. It is especially unbelievable when they can't figure out how many sandwiches they sold for Dr. Dean.