Mario Tama/Getty Images(PHILADELPHIA) — During a visit to a struggling West Philadelphia charter school Thursday meant to highlight his newly unveiled education platform, Mitt Romney was challenged by teachers at the school on his claim that small class sizes is not key to students’ success. Instructors at the school told the candidate about the struggles of teaching effectively in packed classrooms. “I heard your position on class size and testing,” said Steven Morris, a teacher at the Universal Bluford Charter School, which serves students in grades K thru sixth grade. “But you know, I can’t think of any teacher in the whole time I have been teaching, 13 years, who would say that more students [in the classroom] would benefit.” Morris was one of eleven ... Continue reading →
Colin Powell. Dan Farber /FlickrFormer Secretary of State Colin Powell tells CNN he's in favor of same-sex marriage, "either at the state or federal level": "I respect the fact that many denominations have different points of view with respect to gay marriage and they can hold that in the sanctity in the place of their religion and not bless them or solemnize them," he said. He said he has "a lot of friends who are individually gay but are in partnerships with loved ones, and they are as stable a family as my family is and they raise children. And so I don't see any reason not to say that they should be able to get married under the laws of their state or the ... Continue reading →
Patrick Fitzgerald is stepping down as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Fitzgerald has held the post in Chicago for more than a decade. His office announced Wednesday that he's stepping down effective June 30. Fitzgerald says he has no future employment plans. He says he'll take time off this summer before making any career plans. Continue reading →
The May 20-21 NATO summit in Chicago will mean a day or two away from school — but not necessarily days off — for students at several downtown Catholic schools. Parishes in the area will stay open but DePaul university’s downtown campus will close. St. Ignatius High School, 1076 W. Roosevelt Road; both campuses of Frances Xavier Warde School, 120 S. Des Plaines St. and 720 N. State St.; and Old St. Mary’s School, 1474 S. Michigan Ave., were to be closed both May 18 and May 21. St. Therese School, 247 W. 23rd St., was already scheduled for a professional development day on May 18 — something that will now be done remotely — and will close on May 21. The summit, which includes ... Continue reading →
