English Teacher, York Comprehensive High School
English teacher at York Comprehensive High School, a high poverty rural high school in York, South Carolina; writer on education and other topics for the Charlotte Observer and author of Notes from a Classroom: Reflections on Teaching
Education, State Finance and Teacher Bashing Between education reformers and union busters, teachers feel like they're "crying in the wilderness, or perhaps just crying." That's according to Kay McSpadden, who teaches high school English in a rural South Carolina and author of Notes from a Classroom : Reflections on Teaching. Will bashing teachers improve education? Are they being scape-goated for conditions they didn't create and can't change?
Education, State Finance and Teacher Bashing The top priority for most Americans is education, and public school teachers around the country say the past two years have been a nightmare. Reformers, from the President on down, are pushing to abolish seniority, hold teachers accountable for student performance and even close some schools altogether. Has that paved the way for teachers to become punching bags for Republican Governors who want to balance budgets and bust public sector unions? Will bashing teachers improve education? Are they being scape-goated for conditions they didn't create and can't change?
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.