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It's not about bullying: School shooters want notoriety
School shooters crave media attention. Anti-bullying and counseling programs may improve schools, but they don't prevent violence.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 312 min read


Consequences matter: Don't reward bad behavior
Schools have more freedom to discipline students, but how should they use it?

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 302 min read


What's the matter with kids today? Phones? Common Core?
Kids need more time for independent play. Should that include free play online?

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 112 min read


All hate matters: Anti-Semitism session wasn't inclusive, says principal
A presentation on anti-Semitism left Arab and Muslim students feeling "unseen," said a middle-school principal in an email apology.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 22 min read


Turning schools into mental-health clinics won't improve safety
Schools should set and enforce rules of conduct -- not try to double as mental-health clinics.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 192 min read


When disruption is normalized: What about the kids who want to learn?
Tolerating disruptive, dangerous students is unfair to their classmates and teachers.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 22 min read


What I learned in traffic school
The essence of traffic school: Don't drive while drunk, drugged, angry or stupid.

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 25, 20252 min read


Why special-ed teachers quit: High stress, high risk, low pay
How can districts hire and retain high-quality special-ed teachers?

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 30, 20252 min read


Unsafe spaces: Throw rocks at the teacher, get 'Tiger tokens'
A student who threw rocks was rewarded when he stopped, says teacher. There were no consequences for him or "Tiger Tokens" for students whose learning was disrupted.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 25, 20253 min read


13% give public schools an A/B grade
As Americans lose confidence in public schools, a majority of parents say they'd send their kids to private schools, if they got help paying the cost.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 21, 20251 min read


School safety is top reason parents use choice to leave public schools
Bullying is the primary reason parents use choice programs to flee public schools.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 18, 20252 min read


Chatbots can get 'romantic and sensual' with kids, say Meta guidelines
Meta AI has been designed to flirt with children, as long as it doesn't suggest sexual intercourse.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 17, 20252 min read


Kids want to play in the real world, but parents think they're safer online
Children have more freedom to roam online than to play without supervision in the neighborhood park -- or even their own yards.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 16, 20252 min read


Mystery of the missing middle-schoolers
Seeking stronger academics and less disruption, parents are choosing private schooling and homeschooling over public middle schools.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 25, 20251 min read


Homeschool keeps growing -- and becoming more diverse
Homeschooling has attracted a broader mix of parents.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 11, 20251 min read


They, the jury: It's a crime, but not a hate crime
A jury convicted a man of hitting a boy, but not of a hate crime, despite the use of a homophobic slur.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 25, 20254 min read


Fear and self-loathing in the classroom
Teaching children the world is "bad and broken" undermines their confidence and curiosity.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 1, 20252 min read


Chaos: Is ADHD an excuse for punching classmate and a teacher?
Special-ed rules make it hard to suspend students for fighting, if parents know their rights.

Joanne Jacobs
May 22, 20253 min read


Surprise! It's not OK to punch the teacher or threaten to blow up the school
Attacking a school staffer or making a bomb threat will no longer be treated as a minor offense in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Joanne Jacobs
May 19, 20252 min read


'Disparate impact' is out: Base discipline on behavior, not race, says Trump order
Schools should discipline students who misbehave without regard to their race, says Trump's new executive order.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 25, 20252 min read
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