Thursday, December 27, 2012

Milk at $6/gallon?


* I hope you all had a restful holiday. Now we have to hope that John Boehner and the Republicans come to their senses and stop re-submitting the same proposal again and again. Boehner's plan includes keeping those Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that are so abhorrent to 98% of the American people.  Looks like the fiscal cliff is getting closer and closer, thanks to Boehner and the Republicans.

A word to the wise: Some are predicting that milk prices will increase to $6/gal. if the Republicans let us go over the cliff. Parents will want to put some extra milk in the refrigerator before the end of the year.  For information on the possibility of milk at $6/gallon, visit this link at KCCI.

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** Students, faculty, and staff at the Ohio State University can look to the city of Chicago for what the future will hold.

WLTX:

On New Year's Day, meters in the city's downtown Loop area will begin charging $6.50 an hour, up from $5.75 - which was already the highest rate in the U.S, reports CBS Chicago station WBBM-TV.
 

The station cites TheExpiredMeter.com as saying $6.50 will be the highest rate in the continent.
 

The company that operates the meters, Chicago Parking Meters LLC, plans to have all machines set to new rates by the end of February....

With the administration of Ohio State moving toward the privatization of parking, huge increases in parking fees awaits those going to campus.

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>>>> Since Gov. John Kasich and his Republican Party favor privatizing everything, will Ohio schools begin to use private services for substitute teachers, as they do in Utah?

Salt Lake Tribune:

The Nebo School District is joining a growing group of Utah districts outsourcing substitute teachers.
About 700 Nebo substitute teachers will transition through Kelly Educational Staffing starting in December, district spokeswoman Lana Hiskey said this week. Subs with teaching licenses are paid $65 per day, while others earn $60.....

And this little tidbit of info about the qualifications for substitute teaching in Utah is provided on 'At A Glance' side bar near the article:

....The requirements to become a substitute teacher through Kelly Educational Staffing include obtaining a high school diploma or GED, the ability to read and write in English, favorable results on a seven-year criminal background check and having experience working in an educational environment. Candidates must be at least 20....

Sounds to me that Ohio's substitute teachers have higher educational requirements than those in other states. Requiring only a high school diploma or GED does not recruit highly qualified, prepared, and trained teachers. Utah appears to be placing anyone in the role of substitute teacher. This could be rather dangerous because it means that the subs have no experience/education/background in child development, psychology, educational teaching methods, conflict resolution, learning styles, learning disabilities, etc.