Category: Uncategorized
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What China Tells Us About U.S. Educational Achievement Gaps
by James A. Bacon Shaomin Li, a business school professor at Old Dominion University, specializes in studying China’s economy. His book, just published by the Cambridge University Press, “The Rise of China, Inc.,” is well worth reading for its description of how the Chinese political/economic system works. Li, whose job early in life was painting portraits…
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Let’s Get Out of Here
by Dick Hall-Sizemore The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that four prisoners escaped from the federal prison complex near Petersburg early Saturday morning. No details were released on how they escaped. Undoubtedly, it is important for federal officials to discover how the prisoners escaped and take steps to tighten security. However, there is another question that is…
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How Many Pieces Did You Say It Will Take To Build This Plant?
by Dick Hall-Sizemore There is more good news for the Commonwealth. As reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Governor Youngkin announced on Wednesday that the Lego Group will invest at least $1 billion to build a new manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. It would be Lego’s only manufacturing facility in the United States. The company projected…
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Looking in the Rearview While the Economy Crashes
by Kerry Dougherty Want to see an out-of-touch congressperson in action? Take a gander at Rep. Elaine Luria’s Twitter feed over the past 24 hours:
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Hey Grads, I’ve Got Your Commencement Address Right Here.
by Kerry Dougherty Every May and June it’s the same humbling story. Thousands of colleges and high schools hold graduation ceremonies. Almost every one features a commencement speaker. Once again, no one has invited me to the lectern. Yes, I know, I’ve mentioned this before. I’m sure they’d rather the graduates — all those Emilys,…
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Every Day Is Memorial Day in Normandy
by Kerry Dougherty My most memorable Memorial Day did not take place on Memorial Day at all, but a few weeks earlier. In May of 1982. But then again, every day is Memorial Day when you stand on those beaches at Normandy. It was a glorious spring morning on the coast of France. The sky…
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Who Holds the UVa Alumni Association Accountable?
by Walter Smith Who owns the University of Virginia? The answer is clear: as an agency of the state government, UVa is owned by the citizens of Virginia. The governor appoints the members of its governing board, the General Assembly allots a significant percentage of its budget, and, although it has been granted considerable autonomy,…
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Where “Equity” Means Failing Equally
by James A. Bacon State Senator Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, doesn’t just take issue with the Youngkin administration’s interpretation of the data regarding the deteriorating quality of education in Virginia public schools, she finds Governor Glenn Youngkin’s position to be morally reprehensible. Here’s what she said in response to the release of his report, “Our Commitment…
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The “Honesty Gap” Is Dishonest
by David Wojick Loyal Baconeers know what the so-called “Honesty Gap” is, as we have been discussing it at length. It is heavily featured in a recent report from the Virginia Department of Education. The gap itself is the big difference between the numerical thresholds of “proficiency” used by Virginia versus the National Assessment of…