Hi all!
I am back with your weekly parenting news diary. Here is what we have been discussing at MotherTalkers:
You could say we are supremely disappointed in the Senate finance committee's decision not to include a public option in healthcare reform legislation. Our very own front-page writer Gloria cannot afford health insurance for her (healthy and athletic) high school-aged daughter. Many of our moms have similar stories. It is an understatement to say it is every parent's worst nightmare to have an uninsured child get sick.
In related news, I recently attended a meeting on healthcare reform by Planned Parenthood, which is experiencing an uptick of visits by recently unemployed and uninsured people. Contrary to what its vitriolic critics say, only 2 to 3 percent of its services are abortions. The grand majority of its services is that of primary care physician in underprivileged areas.
Test results are in for charter schools. According to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, students who attend charter schools in New York City outperform students in traditional public schools. Unlike previous studies dismissed by critics who said charter schools simply accept the most motivated students, this study compared charter school students with those who applied but failed to get a slot and attended a traditional public school instead. Here is the New York Times story on it and our discussion of it.
In other education news, President Obama wants to extend the school year and school day. According to the charter school research I just cited, it may not be a bad idea.
"Desmoinedem" wrote a diary wondering if there was a "nonviolent" way to communicate with children who are misbehaving in temple or church. Not surprisingly, discipline is a popular topic in parenting circles and this diary provoked hundreds of comments.
A Michigan mom has been threatened by the state with fines and jail time for "operating an illegal child care home." Her crime? She supervises the neighborhood children board the bus in the mornings. So much for the "village" concept. What's next? Arresting moms on playdates?
Should students be able to sue their colleges when they can't find work? One student, who wracked up $70,000 in debt, is suing her alma mater for being unemployed in this economy. Here is the MSN story on it and here is our discussion on it.
What else is in the news? What's up with you?