Author: James A. Bacon
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The Accounting Fraud Behind the Bloated Student Loan Program
by James A. Bacon America’s student loan program has turned into a half-trillion dollar government boondoggle, comparable in scope to the savings & loan scandal that rocked the United States in the 1980s and 1990s. Instead of enriching go-go businessmen who gambled hundreds of billions of dollars on real estate, the student loan fiasco has…
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State Anthem Controversies: Carry Me Back to Old Virginia
by James Wyatt Whitehead V In the early 1870s, a young pre-law student at Howard College was inspired by classmate and future wife, Mamie Friend. James Alan Bland would listen to the homesick sentiments of Mamie and her home in tidewater Virginia. During a trip to meet Ms. Friend’s family the two sat down together…
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Still Unanswered: Will New Math Pathway Allow “Tracked” Classes?
by James A. Bacon Three days ago James F. Lane, superintendent of public instruction for Virginia public schools, successfully snuffed out a spreading narrative that the proposed Virginia Mathematics Pathway Initiative (VMPI) would eliminate “accelerated” courses for high-achieving math students. In a press conference, he stated categorically: “We are not eliminating accelerated courses. We are…
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Did Joe Biden Just Cost Virginia Democrats 47,000 Votes?
by Chris Saxman Full disclosure on this one: I hate cigarettes. I have never smoked one — ever. When I waited tables and tended bar, the worst part of the job was cleaning ash trays. And that includes the time I had to break up a bar fight after which the teeth swallowing loser had…
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Virginia’s Math Path Could Erode Equity
by Andy Rotherham Years ago Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent Bud Spillane had a plan to collapse early grades K-2 into an ability group approach. He went around the county explaining the approach to parents. They generally liked it because it offered customization and a more individualized experience. Then, at some point parents starting asking, “but…
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GMU Cites “Diversity” to Justify Goals for Hiring Nonwhite Staff
by Hans Bader The president of George Mason University wants to give minorities a big advantage in hiring until the faculty is as heavily minority as the school’s student body and the future, mostly non-white U.S. population. This is illegal, say lawyers and law professors. Indeed, GMU’s president, Gregory Washington, recognized that objection in an…
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Still Clueless After All These Years
by James A. Bacon In his latest hit job on the Virginia Military Institute, the Washington Post’s Ian Shapira weaves into his account responses to questions submitted to Governor Ralph Northam in writing. Northam, who served as president of the Honor Court and graduated from the Institute in 1981, comes across as totally clueless. “I…
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WaPo Reduces VMI to a Black-and-White Morality Tale
by James A. Bacon The latest blockbuster finding in The Washington Post’s jihad against the Virginia Military Institute: African-American cadets experienced racism four decades ago. According to interviews with 12 African Americans who attended VMI at the same time as Governor Ralph Northam around 1980, black cadets endured frequent racist insults. They were uncomfortable with…
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Word Salads from Wankers
by Kerry Dougherty It’s official. The CDC is run by wankers. (Yes, I am binge-watching Apple TV’s “Ted Lasso.” Why do you ask?) These fools constantly move the goalposts – remember 15 days to slow the spread? Remember just wear a mask for 100 days? – and issue rules that no one with a lick…
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Open Letter to the Sentara Community
by Dr. Robert H. Sease As a lifelong resident of Harrisonburg, a retired physician and a volunteer hospital chaplain, I feel compelled to write about the current and ongoing situation at our local hospital. My father, my two uncles, my brother and myself have a combined 180 years of medical service to this community, so…
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Camping’s COVID Killjoys
by Kerry Dougherty Someone call a lawyer. I have whiplash. Happens every time I try to make sense make of America’s top health “experts” and their contradictory opinions, which have a peculiar way of becoming policy. Especially in blue states with governors eager to please the president. Ahem. Just this past weekend, for instance, Dr.…
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The Honor Code: A Reason to Be Proud of VMI
by Brady Biller Leadership is made, not born. I have almost completed my cadetship at The Virginia Military Institute. In 22 days, I will be graduating with a Civil Engineering degree. I’m currently on my last ever guard shift as the Night Officer of the Guard while typing this thought. Its 03:41 on a Saturday…
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UVa in the Age of Covidiocy
by Walter Smith In late February of 2020 my oldest son traveled to Kansas City to meet with a group of Californians. Upon his return, he felt beat. Attributing his fatigue to work and travel, he soon felt better and came to our house a number of times. Our youngest began to feel poorly. After…
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Will VMPI Eliminate Accelerated Math Courses or Not?
by James A. Bacon Over the weekend, the Virginia Department of Education overhauled its web page devoted to the proposed Virginia Mathematics Pathway Initiative (VMPI), which has caused an uproar among parents who fear that the new curriculum would eliminate accelerated mathematics classes for high-achieving students. The old page can be found on the Wayback…
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The Day-Late-and-a-Dollar-Short Administration
by James A. Bacon So much dysfunction…. at so many levels. The federal government has been throwing trillions of dollars into COVID-19 relief. Many billions have flowed into Virginia. Despite this unprecedented peace-time spending, thousands of Virginians are being evicted from their homes, and thousands more are lining up at food pantries and soup kitchens.…