New Poll Shows What Parents Think of Current State of Public Schools

Students heading back to school in Fairfax County may be doing so without access to some of the sugary drinks they love most. This large school district is experimenting with a pilot program that bans sugar-filled soft drinks on school property during and after school hours. If the pilot program succeeds, sodas may be removed from schools on a larger, county-wide scale.

Banning “Public Enemy Number One”

The new soda ban follows recent media reports likening soda to “public enemy number one.” Studies continue to support the fact that soda consumption is linked to the obesity crisis in the United States and a host of other potential health problems. A recent report at Fox News cited a study from Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City that showed precisely how the body responds to soda consumption.

“The main thing is excess calories,” Dr. Christopher Ochner, assistant professor of pediatrics and adolescent medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, explained to Fox. “If everything else in their diet is equal, a person who has a can of coke a day adds an extra 14.5 pounds per year, just from the calories alone.”

Ochner adds that some studies have suggested that all calories are not created equal in terms of how the body processes them. Those that come directly from sugar may be more easily turned into fat by the body than calories from other food sources. The fact that soda is

Miami-Dade has been a struggling school district. With high poverty rates and an ethnically diverse student population, many schools within this large district have not been successful in preparing students for life after school. A history of high dropout rates, low attendance and poor academic performance has plagued the students and teachers in this Florida district. However, the tide appears to be turning for Miami-Dade, thanks to the work of the current superintendent and his dedicated staff.

A New Leader

Alberto Carvalho took over the reins of Miami-Dade in 2008. In 2010, a blog at the website for the U.S. Department of Education described some of the changes that were already being seen in the district. First, the Education Transformation Office (ETO) was formed to provide support to 19 of the district’s failing schools. The schools on the list received individualized support in the areas of professional development, family engagement and curriculum.

The blog also noted the following three areas of focus in turning around some of the struggling schools:

• A culture shift that helped the students and faculty at the schools feel respected and supported
• Additional support to ensure every student in the district completed high school
• A focus on professional development that includes building professional learning communities

Despite the fact that the district was still in the early stages of its transformation at the time this blog was written, the author was already impressed with the amount of progress that had been made. The approach

Cell phones have traditionally been seen by school districts as distractions that interfere with the learning process. Most instituted bans against the use of cell phones during the school day. However, the advent of smart phones has led some districts to re-explore that decision, and some are now backing away from their bans. Are cell phones and public schools becoming a more amicable union, or are districts merely bowing to student pressure?

History of Cell Phone Bans in Schools

For more than a decade, cell phones and other technology devices have been banned in most public schools across the country. The bans were originally instituted to prevent classroom disruptions and distractions, according to the website for the School Safety and Security Services. As the technology has evolved, concerns have been raised over using the devices to cheat on exams. They have also been seen as a security concern, since phones can now discreetly take photographs of tests or students changing in the school locker room.

Over the years, the use of cell phones in schools has become a matter of debate for students, parents and teachers. Advanced technology has now made phones legitimate instructional tools, as students can now use their phones to access an unlimited amount of information from the Internet. Some have also argued that as cell phones become a more prevalent part of today’s culture, keeping phones out of the classroom prevents schools from moving with the times.

Arguments

As students head back to school this fall, things may look a little different in some locations. In the aftermath of the Newtown Elementary tragedy, many districts across the country are looking for ways to beef up security procedures to keep students and staff a little safer. In light of those efforts, students may be greeted by new security devices, safety measures, and even armed guards at some schools.

Debates Over Best Security Options

The Courant reports that as schools weighed their options in new security procedures, debate over the best way to protect students and faculty ensued. Armed police guards are often the center of that debate, with some school officials in favor of the action and others opposed. Other issues that have been argued in recent months include arming school administrators and security personnel and allowing teachers to bring guns to school.

This video from ABC News reports on the mounting cries nationwide for better security in our schools.

Carl Sferrazza, police chief for Enfield, Connecticut, is one who agrees armed guards are the best way to keep students safe. Sferrazza told the Courant, “These people are homicidal and suicidal individuals. Their intent and their planning are all geared toward killing as many people as they possibly can.”

However, others liken placing armed guards at the entrances of schools to creating a prison-like atmosphere for students. Nate Quesnel,