Start Worrying

We shouldn't have a greeter at a discount store doing your brain surgery, and we shouldn't have Republicans "reforming" anything. Republicans, especially those of the Tea Party variation seem to have no respect for teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, skilled professionals, and regular working people. Republicans, however, think that they can write laws that detail how these professions should operate and how they should be performing.

Ohio's Republicans, under the demands of Gov. John Kasich, created the 'Third Grade Reading Guarantee' for Ohio's public schools (the charter schools are exempt). This will be the first year that third graders will need to pass the exam in order to move onto the 4th grade.  Here is what these youngsters are up against----

Cincinnati:

....For the first time, third-graders who don't pass this school year's test will not be able to advance to fourth grade.

That could be the fate of 1,000 students or more in Southwest Ohio, raising the specter of students taking third-grade reading and fourth-grade math or science, snarling schedules and teaching routines.

Another issue: Students get three cracks at the test, the first one last fall, the second one April 21 to May 16 and the third starting July 7. But results of the July tests might not be back before school starts, so students could actually show up in August for fourth grade – only to be told they're actually still in third grade....

If your child doesn't pass the third grade reading test, please do not complain to your schools. Call the governor and the ignorant Ohio Republicans for setting up your child for failure. Not only did Kasich and the Republicans institute the testing, but they've cut money, programs, and teachers from schools so that their fat cat campaign contributors that own charters can get more money (and fund it back to them). The Republicans want to do away with public schools and the reading tests and funding cuts are their way to reach their goal of charter schools.

If you are a professional educator, you know what psychologists, research, and science have indicated what happens to a child that is retained. Obviously, Kasich and the GOP don't know anything about it.

> Gov. John Kasich is headed to Las Vegas to meet with the kingmaker of Republican politics, Sheldon Adelson.  In the Republican Party big shots and major contributors pick the candidates. The Nation has the details.

* Why are so many Republican men trying to stop women from taking birth control? Paul Ryan wanted to outlaw it, and many Republicans do not want women to take it. Do they want women to be continuously pregnant? Are they trying to eliminate women from the workforce? Do they understand that some women use birth control for medical reasons? Does this mean that Republican women do not use birth control? The next time a male Republican candidate speaks out against birth control, someone needs to ask him if his wife has ever used it or if he uses birth control.