To Succeed, Students Might Need to Fail First

Rep. Jerry Bergevin says it's key to understanding American history

(NEWSER) - A bill being pushed in New Hampshire would force schools to offer an elective Bible studies class—because the Bible is an inescapable part of American history, according to the bill's sponsor. "The Holy Bible is the bedrock of Western civilization," and it was essential to the Founding Fathers' philosophy, says GOP state Rep. Jerry Bergevin. "The issue is not trying to teach religion, but to talk about what is the true history of America whether some people like it or not," notes a supporter. More»

California group trying to force school to become charter

(NEWSER) - Two dispatches from the education front, both speaking to underperforming students and angry parents:

• In Compton, California: Parents are trying to take advantage of a new state law to force their chronically awful school to be taken over by a charter operation. Advocates easily got the necessary 51% support of parents. The case is being closely watched because it essentially creates a "union for parents" to go up against teachers, explains the New York Times. It would be the first such action in the nation, and education chief Arne Duncan is in favor. Full story here .

Survey finds kids in UK know more about celebrities than history

(NEWSER) - Another day, another staggering study on British knowledge, this one focused on the wee ones. A fifth of children ages 6 to 12 believe the first person to walk on the moon was actually Toy Story spaceman Buzz Lightyear, not Neil Armstrong, according to a survey of thousands of schoolchildren. It found that many knew far more about celebrities like Britney Spears than they did about historical and political figures. For instance, a sixth identified Darth Vader's Deathstar as the furthest planet from Earth. More»

And it's the district's third 'Taj Mahal'

(NEWSER) - The Los Angeles Unified School District is facing a $640 million budget shortfall, but you’d never know it by looking at its newest school. The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools complex will be the nation’s most expensive public school when it opens next month, clocking in at $578 million. It features fine art murals, a marble RFK memorial, a public park, a state-of-the-art pool—and it’s housed in the former Ambassador Hotel, site of RFK’s assassination, the AP reports . More»

We used it once—and not for 'excellent'

(NEWSER) - You can get an A, B, C, D, or F in a class—whatever happened to E? It was used at one point, writes Brian Palmer in Slate’s Explainer column . At Mount Holyoke College, which boasts the earliest record of letter grades, it was given for scores of 74 or below and represented failure. One year later, in 1898, the scale was tweaked and F was added for failing grades, while E was still used for scores slightly above F range. More»