Walker Wants to Circumvent Teacher Licensure

In his post, Dr. Haymond argued that Scott Walker should go on the offensive. One of his suggested reforms was school choice. Walker is seeking a different sort of change. Walker wants to alter Wisconsin regulations so that people with a college degree and some work experience can quickly transition into the teaching profession. Such a reform could significantly expand the pool of qualified teachers.

What do you all think about such reforms? Would they improve education in America if most states adopted them?

Brian Williams Rethinks His War Story

Brian Williams, the anchor for NBC News, has come under scrutiny recently because of a war story he has told over the years. Williams has claimed, many times and in public, that he was aboard a military helicopter that came under fire, was hit, and eventually forced to the ground in Iraq. Some intrepid reporters began to dig into the story and upon interviewing airmen involved in the incident, determined that Williams was in a different craft that landed later and came under no fire. He has now retracted that story and apologized for his mis-statements.

The Education of Jeb Bush

The New Yorker has a long, and fairly flattering, profile of Jeb Bush. Alec Macgillis’ piece focuses on Jeb’s role in educational reform and how he has transitioned from a champion of the right (school choice and vouchers) into a target of the right. As a supporter of the Common Core, which tries to implement the same basic educational standards across the nation, Bush has earned criticism from a host of his possible Republican primary opponents.

Macgillis’ article also provides some interesting tidbits about the Bush family. Apparently, the elder Bushes (George H.W. and Barbara) thought Jeb’s first gubernatorial effort in Florida, which he lost, had a much better chance to succeed than his brother’s effort in Texas, which George W. of course won handily. Also, those close to the Bushes think Jeb is more introverted and ideological than either his brother or his father, who are more relational and experiential in their beliefs. The article portrays Jeb as someone who seeks a principle and then acts based upon it, while his familial relations are more likely to seek relationships that are profitable and then work within those relationships.

I frankly don’t know if these are fair characterizations. I have met none of the Bushes themselves, not even casually. However, I have met and had some long conversations with people who are very close to all of the Bushes. This largely fits with what I have pieced together. Again, whether it is true or not, I cannot fully say. Still, it is quite interesting.