School board votes not to appeal federal court ruling barring graduations at Conn. church

Appeal dropped in Conn. church graduations case

ENFIELD, Conn. – School officials in Connecticut have voted not to appeal a federal judge’s ruling against plans to hold public high school graduations in a church.
The Enfield School Board voted 5-4 on Thursday, meaning the graduations will be held on school grounds.
A federal judge in Bridgeport had issued … Read more »»».

Nothing ‘facetious’ about it: 48 advance to National Spelling Bee semis; winner crowned Friday

48 advance to semifinals of National Spelling Bee

WASHINGTON – Neetu Chandak had trouble catching her breath after learning Thursday she had made the next round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. To burn off some of the energy, she starting playing peek-a-boo with her 6-month-old cousin.
“My heart’s, like, beating,” she said, fanning her face with … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Nothing ‘facetious’ about it: 48 advance to National Spelling Bee semis; winner crowned Friday.

‘Enuf is enuf’: Protesters in bee suits outside Spelling Bee want to make English simpler

In DC, even the Spelling Bee draws protesters

WASHINGTON – The nation’s capital always draws its share of protesters, picketing for causes ranging from health care reform to immigration policy.
But spelling bee protesters? They’re out here, too.
Four peaceful protesters, some dressed in full-length black and yellow bee costumes, represented the American Literacy Council and the London-based … Read more : ‘Enuf is enuf’: Protesters in bee suits outside Spelling Bee want to make English simpler.

Summary Box: Wal-Mart reaches deal with online college so workers get discount

Summary Box: Wal-Mart to help workers with college

WORK AND STUDY: Wal-Mart’s 1.4 million domestic workers at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores are eligible for a tuition break from the online American Public University. Wal-Mart is devoting $50 million over three years for financial aid.
WORK AND EARN CREDIT: Workers can receive college credit for their Wal-Mart [..] Read the original article: here.

US court weighs 2 Pa. cases in which schools punished students for off-campus online posts

US court weighs school discipline for Web posts

PHILADELPHIA – A U.S. appeals court heard arguments Thursday over whether school officials can discipline students for making lewd, harassing or juvenile Internet postings from off-campus computers.
Two students from two different Pennsylvania school districts are fighting suspensions they received for posting derisive profiles of their principals on MySpace …. Read the original article  : US court weighs 2 Pa. cases in which schools punished students for off-campus online posts.

Slash and Learn: American high school students get a harsh lesson in recession economics

High school students face hard lesson in economics

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Students graduating from high school this spring may be collecting their diplomas just in time, leaving institutions that are being badly weakened by the nation’s economic downturn.
Across the country, mass layoffs of teachers, counselors and other staff members – caused in part by the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Slash and Learn: American high school students get a harsh lesson in recession economics.

Wal-Mart offers employees tuition break; online college to give credit for company training

Wal-Mart launches employee college plan
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced a program Thursday in which its workers can receive college credit from the online American Public University and receive a tuition discount from the school.

The company also said it will commit $50 million over three years to help workers pay for books and …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Wal-Mart offers employees tuition break; online college to give credit for company training.

1 in 5 high school students taking medicines without prescriptions, CDC study says

1 in 5 high schoolers abuse prescription drugs

ATLANTA – A new report shows one in five high school students have taken a prescription drug that they didn’t get from a doctor.
The abused drugs include pain pills and attention deficit drugs used as study aids.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that the drug … Read more »»».

GOP senator requests Pentagon files on Kagan’s military recruitment policy at Harvard

GOP senator asks Pentagon for Kagan files
WASHINGTON – The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee wants answers from the Pentagon about its recruitment efforts at Harvard University while Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan was dean of the law school.
The request is an indication that Republicans are continuing to hammer away at President … Original article on : GOP senator requests Pentagon files on Kagan’s military recruitment policy at Harvard.

Court orders relief to kids stricken ill by midday meal

NEW DELHI – Underlining the need for serving hygienic midday meal to students, the Delhi High Court Thursday announced a relief of over Rs.4 lakh for 126 government school kids who fell ill after eating contaminated food.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Madan B. Lokur awarded a compensation of over Rs.4 … Read more »».

With ’serendipity,’ Alabama girls kicks off 83rd National Spelling Bee; champ crowned Friday

‘Serendipity’ kicks off 83rd National Spelling Bee

WASHINGTON – With a touch of “serendipity,” the search for a champion speller was under way.
Fourteen-year-old Allison Black of Ider, Ala., looking just a tad nervous in her pink blouse and black skirt, stepped to the microphone Thursday morning and spelled the word correctly to kick off the oral …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : With ’serendipity,’ Alabama girls kicks off 83rd National Spelling Bee; champ crowned Friday.

New Zealand-bound students offered Rs.10 mn scholarships

CHANDIGARH – A city-based immigration company in association with a non-government organisation of international students AIESEC is offering scholarships of worth Rs.10 million for 160 students, willing to pursue higher studies in New Zealand.

Healthyway immigration consultant here has offered the scholarships for which students will be short-listed through an aptitude test and the final … Read more : New Zealand-bound students offered Rs.10 mn scholarships.

Delhi varsity teachers urge president to stop semester system

NEW DELHI – A delegation of the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) Thursday met President Pratibha Patil, urging her to institute an inquiry against the vice chancellor for allegedly violating the University Act and implementing the semester system for the under-graduate science courses.

“We met the president and urged her to institute an inquiry against vice … Read more »»».

India, US discuss Education Council

NEW DELHI – India and the US have discussed the possibility of setting up an India-US Education Council to scale up bilateral cooperation in the field of education.

Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal put forward the proposal Wednesday in Washington at a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who welcomed the proposal.
The Sibal-Clinton …. Source article  : India, US discuss Education Council.