Government reforms not viable for rural schools?

This article on one of my favorite websites, the Daily Yonder, does a great job of outlining some of the core issues surrounding public schools in rural areas, and how the federal government is encouraging reform on a national scale that just doesn’t take rural school systems into account. Rural Schools Lose Race To The Top.

Public schools in areas with low populations are usually the only avenue most kids have to education. Resources are already stretched thin for many of these schools. The federal government needs to consider how to make this system better rather than removing funding from poorly funded schools that service large rural areas.

Top rural students not going to prestigious universities?

As one of the only students from my high school to EVER attend a school outside the Great Plains let alone the East Coast, I definitely believe that there is a problem in the disparity between the number of urban and suburban students who attend top tier universities and the number of rural students. Most of my classmates at NYU were from suburban and urban areas; I was a cultural oddity within the university and I never forgot it.

I think it would do top tier universities well to recruit more students from rural areas, and it would do rural educators well to encourage students to attend top tier universities. There is a lot the universities and students could learn from each other.

Check out the article about a study done on the subject by the University of Michigan in the Daily Yonder.

As one quote in the story points out, there is definitely a lack of understanding between universities and rural students:

“It was the polite but clueless contempt for my way of life that made me uncomfortable at Yale. Classmates and faculty who invested great effort in the study of third world societies knew nothing about America. I put up with it because the resources and contacts made available to students there were superb.”

I, for one, have to say I agree.

Immigration a Generation Thing?

Very interesting article in the New York Times today about the idea of immigration policy being related to an age gap. The younger generations are more welcoming to new immigrants while baby boomers and older are more likely to feel threatened by incoming immigrants.

The fact that age plays a role in how we view the presence of immigrants in the United States is an interesting concept. Perhaps it has something to do with an aversion to change as we age.

No-Fly List?

After reading this, I’m not really surprised that the man who confessed to planting the car bomb in Times Square last Saturday was able to fly back to the United States from Pakistan despite being on the no-fly list.

The Atlantic article was published in 2008 but it apparently had no effect on the airport security practices even though it blew their methods out of the water.

It looks like something needs to change.

The Current Political Climate

About a month ago, I interviewed NYU Politics professor Jonathan Nagler about the current political climate in the United States. It was originally going to air at the end of January but due to some technical difficulties on my part (my audio recorder broke) it didn’t. I’m posting it up here because I thought it was an interesting interview, even more interesting listening to it a month later. The interview took place just less than a week after Obama’s State of the Union address and two weeks after Scott Brown was elected to the Senate in Massachusetts. Check it out:

Download: ar3sr8rltf

Farming is a dirty job…

…and as someone who was raised on a small farm in rural Nebraska and later moved to New York City, it is nice to read something that acknowledges that. I am always so taken aback by people in urban and suburban areas who’s perception of farming is completely off base.

I am particularly bothered by the people who think that organic farming is soooo much better and different than traditional farming. Not so. In order to make money farming, whether traditional or organic, a farm has to be run like a business, not like a fairy tale place with a garden and happy animals grazing in the backyard.

Thank you Kelley Snowden for pointing out how not “cute” farming really is.

I love the New York Times but…

…I also love when someone points out the metropolitan bias it has. Coming from a VERY rural area, I find it a bit offensive that the New York Times considers any area with a population of less than 5 Million people as “rural.” I also don’t like the presumed stereotypes about rural America that it tends to perpetuate. Apparently, those at the Daily Yonder agree: Speak Your Piece: Since When is Dallas Rural? | Daily Yonder | Keep It Rural.

Over Exposed President?

An Iowan woman is selling her TVs because she is sick of seeing President Obama on every channel. Is he over exposed? Probably. Is it worth selling your TVs over? Debatable.

The Post Office is in Trouble

The post office is dealing with major budget shortfalls, which means that many branches arcross the country are going to be closing and services to customers cut. Check out the story I contributed about a few branches in Brooklyn that are being considered for closing. Neighbors aren’t too happy.

Neb. Senator Nelson on the 60-member majority in Senate

Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson was on NPR’s All Things Considered yesterday discussing what the 60-member Democratic majority means for the Senate. As one of the Senate’s most conservative Democrats, he is not expected to vote along party lines as often as many Democrats would like. Check out the interview.