Betty Arras' National Monitor of Education Date sent: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 19:15:59 -0500 To: joaneb001@aol.com From: LKFS43A@prodigy.com (MR JOHN D SHEPARD) (by way of Fred Battey ) Subject: The Full Monty . . .err . . .Arras! Fred: My copy of your send on the Arras article was clipped half-way. Here's The Full Monty . . . err . . .the Full Arras article. Thanx//John Betty Arras is Hot! Hot! Again I praise Betty Arras' "National Monitor of Education," and I encourage you to subscribe. Not only is she bright and informed on Educational issues, she has oodles of common sense. The fine, brief articles in the February issue include: *Discussion of the debate of all-day kindergarten; year-around schooling. (Thumbs down.) *California Governor Wilson's Ed Initiative (Mixed.) *Ending bilingual ed in California: Hispanics, but not their race- baiting, self-appointed "leaders" overwhelming want the end. *California teacher union oppose initiative to require teacher member permission before taking member money to spend on politics; the teacher/members want it 4 to 1. The CTA union is scared. *Phonics standards approved in California, "handing the Department of Education's whole language zealots a huge defeat." *Accountability finally arrives at California public schools. *ACLU loses "Ten Commandments" Case in Alabama *California educrat assemblywoman opposes parental assertion of the right to direct and control the public education as proposed in a bill to supplement parental rights, saying: "No, they do not in the public schools." [Telling, what?} *Brief elucidation of pro-homosexual curricula in Provincetown, Massachusetts. *Criticism of The New Math (AKA, Rain Forest Math) which uses "cooperative learning," facilitation -- not teaching, group grades [Will real life do that?] approximate math answers. [National loopster Gayle Cloud is quoted that tech skills are de-emphasized in favor of calculators and "proof is a dirty word.] **Finally, there's a pearl on a "Curriculum designed to prevent homosexuality," which is described as "The first storybook and curriculum to teach children about the unacceptability of homosexuality," which is now available. It is designed for grades 3- 5 and uses a storybook entitled, "Mommy, Why are they holding hands?" It treats a delicate issue in a Biblical and tasteful manner. It's $6.50 plus $1.50 S&H per copy. Call 1-888-889-7713, The Cutting Edge Publishing Company in PA. Friends. I am not affiliated with Betty Arras' National Monitor of Education in any way by as a paid subscriber. To subscribe, write Mrs. Arras at P.O. Box 402, Alamo, CA 94505. It's $25/year 3rd class or $30/fist class. This is a dandy, smart, common sense publication. Best//John