Tater Poisioning !

An interactive map of obesity in the US from CNN.

White House offers rules to curb abuse in student loan industry

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration has proposed new rules aimed at clamping down on conflicts of interest in the student loan industry.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings had previously said she would issue the rules about this time and the department publicized the proposed rules Friday.

The action comes amid high-profile investigations into the student loan industry by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and lawmakers in Congress. They have accused the Education Department of failing to police improper relationships between student lenders and colleges or their employees.

Cuomo's investigation unveiled arrangements between universities and lenders in which schools received some of the money lenders made from loans at those schools. And in some cases, the investigators found schools or loan officials were given incentives to place loan companies on a school's preferred-lender list.

This from CNN.

No damages for student who said 'That's so gay'

A judge ruled last Tuesday that a high school student who sued after being disciplined and then mercilessly teased for using the phrase "That's so gay" is not entitled to monetary damages.

Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Elaine Rushing said she sympathized with 18-year-old Rebekah Rice for the ridicule she experienced at Maria Carrillo High School. But, the judge said, Rice's lawyers failed to prove that school administrators had violated any state laws or singled the girl out for punishment.

"All of us have probably felt at some time that we were unfairly punished by a callous teacher, or picked on and teased by boorish and uncaring bullies," the judge wrote in a 20-page ruling. "Unfortunately, this is part of what teenagers endure in becoming adults."

This from CNN.

Louisiana school district sued over Bibles in school

The American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday filed its fifth religion-related lawsuit in 13 years against an eastern Louisiana school district, this time alleging that a principal improperly allowed people to distribute Bibles to students.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court on behalf of the parents of a fifth-grader at Loranger Middle School in Tangipahoa Parish, who were upset that Gideons Bibles were being given to students on school property during class hours.

This from CNN.

Harvard approves biggest curriculum change in 30 years

Harvard University on Tuesday approved its biggest curriculum overhaul in three decades, putting new emphasis on sensitive religious and cultural issues, the sciences and overcoming U.S. "parochialism."

The curriculum change, proposed on February 8 after three years of faculty debate, is intended to counter criticism the oldest U.S. institute of higher learning was focused too narrowly on academic topics instead of real-life issues.

This from CNN.

Teacher denies student bathroom break during test

A sixth-grader who was denied permission to use the restroom while taking a state achievement test this week had an accident in class, and a school administrator blamed an overzealous teacher.

The shame brought to the student, who had to urinate, was an unfortunate outcome of efforts to prevent cheating, said Sandy Valley Local Schools (Ohio) Superintendent David Janofa. "There are no words we could say. We feel horrible about this happening," he said.

Bathroom breaks are permitted during the tests...The state recommends having an adult supervisor -- but not the teacher administering the test -- escort students to and from the bathroom to make sure they aren't looking at books or notes.

"We want to maintain the integrity and security of all tests, but not at the expense of a student having an accident in a classroom," Benton said. "Educators need to use common sense."

This from CNN.

Teacher cleared of wrongdoing in urination incident - but this may not be over

School officials on Tuesday cleared a science teacher who was accused of forcing a 14-year-old boy to urinate into a bottle during class, saying the eighth grader acted on his own.

The district cited rules that instruct teachers not to let students out of class during the first and last 10 minutes of a period. Goethe Middle School teacher Peter Stanzler told the boy, Michael Patterson, to wait until the class had settled down before going to the bathroom, the district said in a statement.

"Less than five minutes into the class period, the student urinated into a bottle and discarded it in a trash can," the statement said. "Shocked at the student's actions, the teacher told the student to dispose of the bottle in the restroom and wash his hands."

HOWEVER

Principal Harriet Young on Monday suspended Michael until May 8 for disrupting school activities. The district has placed teacher Peter Stanzler on paid leave and transferred him to another school.

The boy's mother said she was not satisfied with the outcome. "If this case is so cut and dry, why is the teacher being disciplined?" said Kelly Jacko, adding that other students have confirmed her son's story. "There are so many loopholes."

This from CNN.

Principal charged with dealing drugs out of his office!

CNN reports, "a middle school principal was charged with dealing crystal methamphetamine after police found the drug in his school office."

As if teachers don't have it tough enough already...

Mom coached children to fake retardation
This from CNN.