Apr 17, 2024
The Futile War Against School Choice by Auguste Meyrat at The American Mind. Last week, the Oklahoma Supreme Court heard arguments between the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board and the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Advocacy Coalition (OKPLAC). On one side, the school board defended its decision to include St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in their network and fund it like any other public charter school…On the other side, the lawyers for OKPLAC argued that this was mixing church and state and could result in “discriminatory practices, such as students being treated differently for their religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability—as well as not providing adequate services for students with disabilities.” Read
When History Meets Fiction: Helpful Distinctions for Seminar Leaders by Andrew J. Zwerneman at Cana Academy. Seminar leaders love history and fiction. Sometimes we find the two weaved together in the same classic work, raising the need to identify clearly the distinctive features. Leading students to see the difference can be a challenge. To meet that need, we do well to turn to Aristotle for his key distinctions concerning the relevant modes of thought.
Philosophy, he says, deals with what is, poetry with what could be, and history with what happened. What Aristotle says of poetry generally applies to what we call fiction: short stories and novels. Read
Is Art Worth Dying For? The Story of the Monuments Men by Madeleine Dobrowski at Word on Fire. On February 7, 2014, another World War II-era movie hit the box office. However, despite an intriguing plot and a generous cast of talented actors, the film received mediocre reviews… Although it is set in World War II, The Monuments Men does not satiate its viewers with adrenaline-pumping scenes, dramatic pathos, or bloody battles. It does not tell, like another Matt Damon film, of a young soldier lost behind lines, or of winning a battle against egregious odds. Instead, The Monuments Men tells of a fight that took place behind the scenes…Aside from being fascinating in its own right, the story of the Monuments Men also points to a deeper reality: the fact that art is worth saving and even worth dying for. Read
Smartphones, Children and Schools: How Can Schools Make Bans Stick This Time Around? by Paul W. Bennett at Schoolhouse Consulting. Banning cellphones in school has gained momentum and it will only grow in the wake of Jonathan Haidt’s new book, The Anxious Generation, making a persuasive case that “phone-based childhood” is contributing to the child and youth mental health crisis. We may be at a public policy tipping point because a majority of adults – principals, teachers, mental health professionals, and parents now favour a severe restriction or outright ban on the so-called “weapons of mass distraction.” Read
Technology in the Home: Perspective, Principles, and Practices by Michael Moynihan at Forge. The best we can do as parents is to study and reflect on our family situations with the help of sound principles and practical wisdom that can be applied to different families in different ways. I’d like to suggest three such principles intended to be helpful for parents as they reflectively determine their specific approach to governing technology in the home. Read
School Reportedly Denies 11-Year-Old Permission to Form Interfaith Prayer Group After It Okays LGBT Group by Hank Berrien at The Daily Wire. One week after her elementary school permitted an LGBT Pride club to be formed at the school, an eleven-year-old girl in Washington state says she was refused permission to start an interfaith prayer group. Laura, a student at Creekside Elementary School, told Fox News, “I wanted to start it because I felt kind of alone in the classroom and really just at school.” Read
New Program Joins Catholic Teaching and Environmental Science by J-P Mauro at Aleteia. A Catholic college in South Florida has come up with a novel way to prepare the next generation to be custodians of our shared environment. In the Fall 2024 semester, Ave Maria University will begin offering an Agriculture and Catholic Environmental Stewardship (ACES) minor, a program that will utilize Catholic teaching to train future leaders in the field. Read
Newman Center Attracts Wave of New Catholics by Hannah Heil at The Catholic Times. The Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center, located adjacent to the Ohio State University campus, welcomed 30 students into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil Mass on March 30. The Newman Center, which ministers mainly to students on Ohio State’s campus, has experienced continuous growth in the number of students coming into the Church in the past few years. Read
What a Liberal Education Means by John Londregan at First Things. What exactly is a liberal education, and why is it important? Many see higher education as a gateway to a successful life, and, more particularly, to a successful career. A college education is an expensive undertaking, yet a typical college graduate brings home about 80 percent more earnings than she would have without her degree. With such high stakes, the tangible benefits are impossible to ignore. This vocational perspective is often placed in contrast with a liberal education that expands graduates' horizons, giving them a greater appreciation of their world and better skills at making prudent decisions. Read
Throwback Thursday
Where Mathematics, Science, and Art Converge by Carol Reynolds at Memoria Press on July 26, 2023. The fine arts are tied into every facet of the human experience. Among these interconnected facets mathematics and science are prime, even when their links to art are not immediately apparent. Discovering and enjoying these connections can empower teachers to place the arts deeper into the core of teaching and learning. Read