Jonathan Kantrowitz

Despite adapting several “education reform” measures, including ridiculous national standards*, Connecticut once again did not qualify for “Race To The Top” funding, although each one of our closest neighbors did.

The legislation includes higher standards for high school graduation ( which I think will have the perverse effect of creating more high school dropouts) and better teacher accountability.

Alex Johnston, CEO of New Haven-based education advocacy group ConnCann:
“A number of these ideas are not new, but the fact that Race To The Top competition created a framework for which really there was a reason to come together and really push hard on some comprehensive education reform legislation.”

Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia entered the competition’s second round.

The finalists announced today are Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.

*Here’s an example of a Grade 4 math standard:

“Understand a fraction a/b with a > 1 as a sum of fractions 1/b.”

Do you understand that? Does any fourth grade teacher understand that? Why is it essential that a fourth grade understand that?

P.S. I think what it means is understand that 4/5 = 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5. Does that clear it up for you?

Vince and Linda McMahon have recently questioned whether or not steroids are really bad for you.

Vince:

Stamford Advocate: InVincible: WWE boss McMahon sits down for a chat (July 26, 2010)

“There’s not much information that you guys know about steroids other than the media is writing hysterically about them, and maybe they should,” McMahon said. “I don’t know there’s really been any great research you can point to that definitely says this is deleterious to your health or in some cases it helps you or whatever . . . So I don’t think there’s enough empirical research done, certainly not by the government.”

“What is abuse of steroids? I don’t know what that is. No one can tell you what that is,” he said. “You can abuse sugar or any other substance or any other drug. There’s not enough known about these damn things.”

Linda:

The Smackdown Candidate – Bloomberg Businessweek (June 3, 2010)

When I asked Linda McMahon about the issue, however, she said she shared her husband’s doubts. “There’s some evidence sometimes of muscle disease, or cardiac disease, but it’s really hard to know because you didn’t know the condition of the performer’s heart, or whatever, prior to,” she told me. “So I still don’t think we know the long-term effects of steroids. They are continuing to study it more and more, but I don’t believe there are a lot of studies out there today that are conclusive.”

Actually, there is plenty of research on the harmful long-term effects of steroids, listed and reported on, by the government, here:

From the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

Anabolic Steroid Abuse

Anabolic steroids can lead to early heart attacks, strokes, liver tumors, kidney failure, and serious psychiatric problems.

You would think that the McMahons would make it their business to know about this, but since their business is a “soap opera” unconnected to the real world they apparently think it is OK for them to be unconnected to the real world as well.