Education

Overheard

November 01, 2003 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

“If you want to try to get poor kids to high proficiency, you take the JFK man-on-the-moon-in-a-decade approach and fund the program adequately.”
—Gerald Bracey, an education professor at George Mason University, arguing that the Bush administration needs to provide more money to help schools comply with the No Child Left Behind Act.

“The funding issue is a bogus argument. It has no basis in fact, and I’m growing quite impatient with it.”
—Education Secretary Rod Paige, expressing frustration with charges that the government has failed to provide enough assistance to help states comply with NCLB.

“Violence is just a way of grabbing the child’s attention. What’s important is that the more violent the game, the more strategic modes of thinking the child has to develop to win modes of thinking that fit in better with today’s high-tech global world than the learning they are taught in school.”
—University of Wisconsin-Madison education Professor James Paul Gee, defending the educational value of video games.

“I couldn’t believe how vapid and vacant and empty all the stories were. There were, like, no lessons, just all about princesses and, like, the beautiful prince arrives, and he takes her for his wife, and nothing happens....There’s, like, no books about anything.”
—Pop star Madonna, on looking for stories to read to her young son. She recently penned five children’s books of her own; the second in the series, Mr. Peabody’s Apples, focuses on the importance of teachers and will be published in November.

Events

Federal Webinar The Trump Budget and Schools: Subscriber Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
End Student Boredom: K-12 Publisher's Guide to 70% Engagement Boost
Calling all K-12 Publishers! Student engagement flatlining? Learn how to boost it by up to 70%.
Content provided by KITABOO
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management
Moving the Needle on Attendance: What’s Working NOW
See how family engagement is improving attendance, and how to put it to work in schools.
Content provided by TalkingPoints

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: May 21, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz What Is the Average Teacher Salary for the 2024-25 School Year? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz Are You Keeping Up With Trump’s Big Changes to K-12 Funding? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz How Is Trump Changing School Discipline Rules? Take This Week’s Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read