tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post8896531329350280429..comments2024-01-11T07:40:01.736-05:00Comments on The Stopped Clock: The Dregs of Society....Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-23602688849436148702009-02-05T08:58:00.000-05:002009-02-05T08:58:00.000-05:00My criticism of "states as laboratories" has nothi...My criticism of "states as laboratories" has nothing to do with federalism. It has to do with the fact that states rarely experiment, even more rarely apply any sense of scientific methodology to their experimentation, and usually follow each other's lead in reproachable ways ("State X just passed a 'carjacking law' and tripled the penalty for cocaine possession. That sounds really <EM>tough on crime</EM> - let's do that too") rather than considering public policy, wise use of public funds... what actually might <EM>work</EM>....Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-15847566910750474562009-02-05T07:34:00.000-05:002009-02-05T07:34:00.000-05:00Goodness, gracious me, states as laboratories and ...Goodness, gracious me, states as laboratories and Uncle Sam not being in a position to mandate "one size fits all answers" . . . we'll make a Federalist out of you yet. : )<BR/><BR/>CWDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-37280746055858934002009-02-04T11:05:00.000-05:002009-02-04T11:05:00.000-05:00Extending the school day, of course, would require...Extending the school day, of course, would require revisiting teacher contracts, the contracts for maintenance personnel, longer office hours at the school board office, reworking the busing schedule (and extending bus drivers' workdays), etc. - it's no small feat.<BR/><BR/>It is the sort of experiment that states (or individual school districts) should be able to initiate, and the results should be examined to see what (if any) impact they have on education. But I don't see it as a matter for a federal mandate, let alone one that should be tacked on to a stimulus bill. To me, education reform is something that should be approached with the best available social science, not something that should be federally mandated based on knee-jerk assumptions (costly or otherwise).Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-89433339277135777732009-02-03T16:48:00.000-05:002009-02-03T16:48:00.000-05:00I have mixed feelings about extending the school d...I have mixed feelings about extending the school day/year. I think extending the day might be okay, but there are so many awesome summer programs that I'd hate to see the kids miss out on those. And I'm not going to lie to you--I like having my summer relatively free :) Since the costs of energy are going up, I can't fathom my district having the $ to light, cool and maintain the buildings or provide transportation all year round. Given that, I actually think we should consider a longer day, but 4 days per week. But I know what a pain that would be to working parents re: day care and such.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com