Bacon's Rebellion

  • Government Attacks K-12 Public Education in Virginia – Chapter 2: The Regulatory State

    Posted on

    by

    sherlockj

    James Lane, Superintendent of Public Instruction under Ralph Northam

    by James C. Sherlock

    The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) both runs its own virtual school and regulates that school’s competitors.

    The Virginia way.

    Mark Zuckerberg can only dream.

    Virginia’s privately run, state-funded, multidivision online providers (MOPs) constitute the major competitors to VDOE’s own Virtual Virginia, its state-run virtual school.

    Virginia law positions MOPs as a publicly funded option for parents.

    Putting on its regulatory hat, VDOE is poised to ask the Board of Education to drive the MOPs out of the publicly funded market with regulations that significantly impact their business models and curtail parents’ incentives to register with them.

    Pretty much of a two-for-one if you hate the thoughts of both:

    • public education funds going to efficient, nationally recognized private providers who educate hundreds of thousands of American children every year under this model; and
    • parental choice in education.

    We know who we mean.

    It appears this attempt will fail because of the results of the fall elections, but they may still be trying to slip it through. (more…)

  • Jeanine’s Memes

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    from The Bull Elephant

  • Government Attacks on Parental Choice in Virtual K-12 Public Education in Virginia – Chapter 1: Teacher shortages

    Posted on

    by

    sherlockj

    School teacher, pre-COVID. What was that? 20 years ago?

    by James C. Sherlock

    A great deal of the increase in demand for full-time virtual K-12 (FTVK12) education is driven by rising teacher shortages in the brick-and-mortar schools.

    I am not talking about COVID quarantine or other illnesses, but rather endemic shortages. Jobs that cannot be filled. And may never be.

    We have well-founded fears that we will never have the number of young people going into teaching that we have seen in the past because of the two-track attacks on the reputation and attractiveness of the profession over the past few years.

    • The job actions of teachers unions that are featured on the nightly news continue to trash the reputation of the profession;
    • Ed-school-trained Torquemadas sit on the state Board of Education and some local School Boards and occupy too many of the division superintendent and principal’s offices. They are relentless in their attacks on the consciences of teachers with traditional values. It is driving teachers away in droves.

    Those wounds will leave ugly scars that will not go away.

    Add to that the unpredictability and chaos that characterize many public schools in the time of COVID.

    Did I mention that we don’t pay them enough?

    Good luck filling those brick-and-mortar public school teaching jobs. (more…)

  • Government Attacks on Parental Choice in Virtual K-12 Public Education in Virginia: A Prologue

    Posted on

    by

    sherlockj

    Legacy Elementary School, Ashburn, Va.

    by James C. Sherlock

    Very few like the concept of full-time online education for children. 

    They do not consider it an attractive option to teachers in front of kids in brick-and-mortar school classrooms.  

    Neither do I. 

    They believe, and science backs, that there is considerably more value to in-person school than classroom instruction.    

    But concepts are one thing; reality another.  

    A full-time virtual K-12 option (FTVK12) has been available in America for two decades. Some parents, dealing with the realities of situations in which they found their own children, have chosen that option from the beginning.  

    They make that choice for the same reason that parents that can both afford and have access send their kids to private schools. They find the local public school a poor setting for their kids’ educations compared to another available option.

    Maybe the local public school has a history of under-performance and the parents assess that the under-performance is linked to more than just classroom instruction. Maybe their child has special needs that in the parents’ judgement could be better accommodated at home. Maybe their kid was hanging with the wrong crowd at school and they wanted to get him/her away from there for a year or two.  

    Maybe a lot of reasons. Parents’ reasons. (more…)

  • Bacon Meme of the Week

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Hat tip: John Butcher

  • Financing Public Education–Part I, Standards of Quality

    Posted on

    by

    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    The 2022-2024 budget proposed by Governor Northam includes $8.6 billion in general fund appropriations in the first year and $8.3 billion in the second year for state assistance to local K-12 programs. These amounts are a little more than a quarter of the entire general fund budget. Compared to the appropriation for the current fiscal year, these proposed amounts are an increase of $1.3 billion (18.2 %) in the first year and $1.0 billion (14.3%) in the second year. It is easily the largest budget proposed for public education in the state’s history.

    The details of state funding for public education can be mind-numbing; they take up more than 40 pages of closely-spaced type in the proposed budget bill. Those details are known and understood by only a relative handful of individuals in and around state and local governments. (more…)

  • Youngkin, UVa COVID Policy on a Collision Course

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by James A. Bacon

    The debate over COVID-19 policy rages unabated. Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares announced today their intention to challenge Biden-administration vaccine mandates through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, OSHA, and Head Start.

    “While we believe that the vaccine is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19, we strongly believe that the Federal government cannot impose its will and restrict the freedoms of Americans, and that Virginia is at its best when her people are allowed to make the best decisions for their families or businesses,” they said in a press release.

    While Youngkin and Miyares were pushing one way, the University of Virginia was moving in the opposite direction.

    In a communication to the UVa community, President Jim Ryan announced that the global spike in COVID-19 cases attributable to the Omicron variant had prompted him to take additional measures to prevent the spread. UVa is advancing the deadline for students, faculty and staff to get a COVID booster shot. The deadline — probably not a coincidence — is January 14, one day before Youngkin and Miyares take office. (more…)

  • Miller Appointed as Transportation Chief

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Shep Miller

    by James A. Bacon

    Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin has appointed Hampton Roads businessman Sheppard “Shep” Miller III as the next Secretary of Transportation. Youngkin’s press release offered no clues on how his transportation policy goals might differ from those of the outgoing administration.

    “Shep will be an invaluable leader as Secretary of Transportation as we fulfill our promises to all Virginians to invest in roads, highways, and transportation infrastructure in every corner of the Commonwealth, so we can jumpstart job growth and keep Virginians moving,” Youngkin said.

    The politics of transportation during the Northam administration have been relatively placid. Thanks to tax increases implemented by Governor Bob McDonnell and a slowdown in population growth and development of the Commonwealth’s Northern Virginia growth engine, transportation issues have been quiescent. Ever-attentive to the demands of the environmental lobby, Team Northam steered billions of dollars into railroads and mass transit, even as the COVID epidemic created an unprecedented slump in demand for rail and bus. But there has been no meaningful pushback on those priorities from any quarter. (more…)

  • Chronic Complainers Notch Big Win Against Landlords

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by James A. Bacon

    Whether you agree or disagree with Attorney General Mark Herring’s position on the case, a dispute between an unnamed individual with mental health issues and her Manassas landlords, Gia and Ernest Hairston, makes a fascinating case study. In a press release, Herring touts the outcome — the landlords paying the tenant $60,000 in compensation — as a victory for the disabled. Based upon upon the facts provided in the press release, it looks more like a victory for chronic complainers.

    Here are the facts as contained in a Herring press release issued today. The tenant rented a condominium unit from the Hairstons in the summer of 2018. She told Mr. Hairston that she lived with a mental health condition that was currently under control. After moving in, she complained about the air conditioning system on very hot days and made requests for other repairs.

    Mr. Hairston became frustrated by the maintenance requests, telling her that “any adult” would know better and that she was being “difficult” and “a problem.” He said the maintenance concerns were “all in her head.” To document the necessity for the repair requests, the tenant asked that any time the Hairstons came to the unit that her therapist or caseworker be present. After agreeing initially, Mr. Hairston then terminated her lease, giving her 90 days to move. (more…)

  • A Price of COPN — Sentara Pleads COVID Capacity Shortages

    Posted on

    by

    sherlockj

    Sentara Norfolk General Hospital

    by James C. Sherlock

    Sentara Health, once described by The Washington Post as “playing COPN like a violin,”  yesterday went statewide with an acknowledgment that its system is out of capacity for many who seek its help.

    On a Zoom press conference yesterday, Sentara reported seeing a huge surge in hospital admissions. Hospitalizations have more than tripled since Dec. 26. That is combined with a depletion in hospital staff caused by illness.

    Dr. Jordan Asher, Sentara’s chief physician executive, said:

    We take care of people that are sick. You’re coming around unvaccinated versus vaccinated does not come into play as we think about it. As resources get scarce, do you triage differently? Obviously the answer to that is yes … but we have a very strong way of going through all that, of looking at that. We’re used to that.… How we think about the utilization of resources and how we think about triaging is part of our everyday work. (Bolding added by author)

    So you might find yourself on the down side of emergency room triage. Not good being you. (more…)

  • Education Usurpation

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    You will submit.

    by A.L. Schuhart

    In case you missed it, Northern Virginia Community College is now not only committed to excellence in academics, it is also committed to “education programming that helps participants further understand broader issues of systemic bias and structural racism that contribute to a false hierarchy of values.”

    This mission has been given to NOVA by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU), which has selected NOVA to be a “Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center.”

    As a citizen of Virginia, and not just as a college professor, I have to ask what business it is of any public institution to determine which values citizens should have, and I have to question the honesty and ethics of educators who determine for themselves how equal citizens should view the world and what attitudes they should have. I have to ask what right educators have to use their classrooms to achieve this affective goal, and how such educators can look themselves in the mirror without seeing themselves as the traitors they are when they do so. (more…)

  • Red Alert! Omicron Now Everywhere

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    Alert! Alert! Alert! This Virginia Department of Health map shows the COVID-19 transmission rate is uniformly high across the state.

    by James A. Bacon

    It’s crazy out there, folks. The Omicron variant is running rampant, racking up record numbers of cases across the Commonwealth and filling up hospitals. We have seen nothing like this spike in cases and hospitalizations during the pandemic, not even in last year’s winter surge. The main consolation is that deaths are not spiking. The greatest risk to public health may be indirect: COVID cases filling hospitals and displacing patients with non-emergency medical issues.

    Thankfully, Governor Ralph Northam has refrained from ordering emergency shutdowns during his last days in office. The temptation to “do something” must be powerful, but it’s not clear that anything short of draconian Chinese-style lock-people-in-their-apartments shutdowns will do much to slow the spread of this hyper-transmissible variant.

    Here’s the weekly snapshot of COVID data: (more…)

  • Schools Closing Because Teachers Don’t Like Child Care Options

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Hans Bader

    My school system in Arlington County is needlessly closing today. Supposedly, the reason is the “weather,” but the school system admits that actually, “the primary and neighborhood roads in Arlington are clear and our schools are ready.” Why then, are they closing? Because some teachers have kids, and some of those teachers complain they are having difficulty finding decent childcare options for those kids! As the lawyer Clark Neily notes, “they’re going to go ahead and pass that inconvenience on to us — while billing us for the privilege, of course.”

    This is the same school system that is considering getting rid of grades on homework and allowing constant lateness and retakes on work. The school system claims that is about promoting “equity,” but eliminating grading also reduces work for the teachers, which may be something their union wants (on the other hand, allowing retakes is probably something teachers don’t want).

    As I explain at this link, abolishing grades for homework will result in students studying less and learning less. The Arlington school board can be reached by email (at [email protected]).

    Below is the Arlington Public Schools school closure notice: (more…)

  • Northam Apologize? LOL

    Posted on

    by

    James A. Bacon

    by Kerry Dougherty

    You would expect that Governor Ralph Northam, in the final two weeks of his governorship, would engage in a little self-reflection, maybe even a bit of humility and admit that he and his “team” made colossal mistakes on Monday that left hundreds of travelers stranded on a frozen 50-mile stretch of highway for more than a day.

    Shoot, a normal person might even — dare I say it — apologize for the endangerment of so many people.

    Ha.

    If there’s one thing all Virginians know about Northam by now it’s that this guy is incapable of admitting he was wrong and he never apologizes. (more…)

  • Help Wanted

    Posted on

    by

    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Photo Credit: Daily Press

    by Dick Hall-Sizemore

    I had heard about the problem with restaurant staffing, but had not experienced it. During the pandemic, my wife and I have relied on two local Italian restaurants for both takeout and eating out. Both restaurants reopened as soon as they could, and both retained the same staff they have had for several years.

    While running errands today, I decided to get some lunch at a restaurant that I had gone to in past years, but not recently. It is a small, locally-owned Mexican restaurant that was open in Northside when we moved here over thirty years ago. It was closed. A sign on the door said that it would be closed “today” because of staff shortages. The sign looked as if it had been in place for some time.

    Next was a somewhat trendy barbecue place (it advertises that it was named 4th Best Barbecue restaurant in the nation). A man at the front entrance informed me that only take-out or pickup was available. The dining room was closed due to staff shortages.

    Going down the street a bit, I came upon a locally-owned, long-established Greek-Italian place whose gyro I really like. Place dark; door locked; no sign on the door.

    I finally found some lunch at a Mexican restaurant that is a franchise. I like its chile verde, but I decided to try something different.  Its burrito was mediocre, at best. (more…)

Now Available

Book cover of 'Dust Mites: A Second American Revolution' by James A. Bacon, featuring astronauts planting a flag with a blue and white emblem on a lunar landscape, with Earth visible in the background.
For sale on Amazon.com

The year: 2075. The American colonies on the Moon are getting restless under Washington’s tyrannical rule….

This second edition of “Dust Mites” has a snazzy new cover, includes helpful lunar maps, and is 5,000 words tighter than the original. The sequel, “Trogs,” is scheduled for publication this summer.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

About

Bacon’s Rebellion is Virginia’s leading politically non-aligned portal for news, opinions and analysis about state, regional and local public policy. Read more about us here.

Fund the Rebellion

Shake up the status quo! Your contributions will be used to pay for faster download speeds and grow readership. Make a one-time donation by credit card or contribute a small sum monthly.

Can’t wait until tomorrow

For your Bacon’s Rebellion fix?

Enter your email address to receive immediate notifications of new posts by email.

SUBSCRIBE

Search Bacon’s Rebellion

Categories

Archives

The Jefferson Council

Protecting Thomas Jefferson’s Legacy at the University of Virginia

Forgot Your Password?

Shoot me an email and I’ll generate a new password for you.

Latest