“The understanding of art depends finally upon one’s willingness to extend one’s humanity and one’s knowledge of human life” — Ralph Ellison, 20th century American author. * The Downtown Development Authority in Kalamazoo is looking to cut off funding for a police officer for the downtown area because it needs money to repay a $700,000 loan. […]
Land O Links
Posted inTalent & Education
It's never too early to start college
Perhaps no stage of American public education is as freighted with tradition and collective memory as high school. Which is not exactly why David Dugger is tinkering with it, but it’s one reason. “Our big failing as a public school system is not believing that high school kids are capable of higher-level academic work. In […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Today knowledge has power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement” — Peter Drucker, 20th century American management guru. * Before a single class is held, most Michigan public schools will have seen their high-school football teams play two games. So, if it is vital to the state’s tourism industry that public school classes be banned […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan Democrats get fouls for some 'hits' on Hoekstra, Truth Squad rules
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: “Hoekstra’s Greatest Hits” Who: Michigan Democratic Party What: Internet ad Truth Squad call: Fouls Questionable statement: “Restricting Women’s Access to Health Care … (Pete) Hoekstra wants to ban birth control & allow insurance companies to deny coverage for mammograms & pre-natal tests.” The Michigan Democratic Party ad criticizing Republican U.S. Senate […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Children 'maimed' as Michigan chases latest biz fix for schools
By Scott Baker In late spring, Bridge Magazine looked at data on college readiness in Michigan. It prompted a question: Did the data analyzed by Bridge Magazine take into account poverty levels and their negative impact on student achievement? There are reams of research (i.e. Berliner 2009, Turkheimer 2003) demonstrating this. How will (another) new […]
Posted inPhil's Column
Michigan has its education funding system backwards
One of the persistently enraging things about the workings of government is how often we see multiple disconnects between what we all know and what it does. Now that it’s back to school time, we can see these disconnects plainly. Example No. 1: It is beyond dispute that children learn the quickest and best from birth […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Truth Squad calls foul on nonprofit's ad criticizing Stabenow's record
MICHIGAN TRUTH SQUAD ANALYSIS: “What if Congress got medals?” Who: The American Future Fund What: TV ad Truth Squad call: Foul and technical foul The American Future Fund is a 501(c)4 focusing on issue advocacy “designed to effectively communicate conservative and free market ideals.” A lenghty report from ProPublica earlier this month (http://www.propublica.org/article/how-nonprofits-spend-millions-on-elections-and-call-it-public-welfare) detailed how these 501(c)4s […]
Posted inQuality of Life
Stirring the pot for Detroit development
One came with a poster-sized drawing of the television studio he wants to build. Another distributed a map of a light-rail system – a fantasy system, to be sure – covering much of Southeast Michigan. A third spoke of her plan to put addicts on the road to recovery via horticulture. And the last had […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Without knowledge action is useless and knowledge without action is futile” — Abu Bakr, seventh-century Islamic political leader. * The invaluable Citizens Research Council of Michigan did a two-year study of teacher training, retention and cost issues. The report was released this summer. One of its concluding points: “Teachers are now also facing increased risk of […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: IRS lets 'social welfare' nonprofits pour big bucks into politics
By Rich Robinson/Michigan Campaign Finance Network ProPublica (“How nonprofits spend millions on elections and call it public welfare“) recently detailed how the federal tax code is exploited to conceal the identities of the biggest spenders in Campaign 2012. Today’s political social welfare organizations exist mostly to drive election outcomes. That is an uneasy fit with […]