The Irascible ProfessorSM


Irreverent Commentary on the State of Education in America Today

by Dr. Mark H. Shapiro

Archive of Older Commentaries

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2006:

Comment of the day - December 30, 2006 - Trans facts.

Comment of the day - December 21, 2006 - Tag, you're dumb!  Guest commentary by Erik Deckers.

Comment of the day - December 6, 2006 - Does it matter if English majors read Ulysses?  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.

Comment of the day - November 25, 2006 - Malaise.  Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger)

Comment of the day - November 10, 2006 - Liberty and the librarian.  Guest commentary by Beverly C. Lucey.

Comment of the day - October 30, 2006 - Careers beginning with a P.  Guest commentary by Felice Prager.

Breaking News - October 26, 2006 - Cal State University Auditor releases scathing report on Business and Financial Affairs Office at Cal State Fullerton.
Comment of the day - October 5, 2006 - How to raise a spoiled child.  Guest commentary by Erik Deckers.
education K-12 children
Comment of the day - September 20, 2006 - You can't take that away from me.  Guest commentary by Jane Goodwin.
education reading library
Comment of the day - September 13, 2006 - Running into a former student at the beach.  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education college university
Comment of the day - August 31, 2006 - Dispensing with the indispensable.  Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
education books
Comment of the day - August 21, 2006 - The thirteenth annual Emperor's Awards.  Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education K-12
Comment of the day - August 12, 2006 - One-room schoolhouse redux.  Guest commentary by Jane Goodwin.
education K-12
Comment of the day - August 6, 2006 - Hertz hurts.  Guest commentary by Beverly C. Lucey.
education university college

Comment of the day - July 21, 2006 - It's time for Charlie Reed to go! 

Comment of the day - July 12, 2006 - You probably don't remember me, but..."  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.

Comment of the day - June 28, 2006 - Let the chips fall where they may.

Comment of the day - June 20, 2006 - Entitlement (a commencement address).  Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).

Comment of the day - June 15, 2006 - Diary of a strung-out search committee member.  Guest commentary by Marilyn D. Davis.

Comment of the day - June 7, 2006 - Calculator dependence.  Guest commentary by William Kohl.

Comment of the day - May 30, 2006 - What are we willing to do to improve education?  Guest commentary by Georganne Spruce.

Comment of the day - May 18, 2006 - My last senior year.  Guest commentary by Felice Prager.

Comment of the day - May 11, 2006 - Who needs a four-year college?  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.

Comment of the day - May 3, 2006 - Has Barry Munitz no shame? 

Comment of the day - April 27, 2006
Just tell me I'm wonderful and give me the A.  Guest commentary by Tina Blue.


Comment of the day - April 20, 2006
Excuses, excuses, excuses.  Guest commentary by Erik Deckers.


Comment of the day - April 13, 2006
Politically correct but hardly ethical. 


Comment of the day - April 5, 2006
Stairway to nowhere.  Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).


Comment of the day - March 30, 2006
Drowning in Jessicas.  Guest commentary by Beverly Carol Lucey.


Comment of the day - March 22, 2006
College costs are stifling upward mobility. 


Comment of the day - March 15, 2006
How dangerous are David Horowitz's 101 most dangerous American academics?  Guest review by Sanford Pinsker.


Comment of the day - March 7, 2006
Ready or not, reading matters. 


Comment of the day - March 1, 2006
Email etiquette an oxmoron? Perhaps not. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.


Comment of the day - February 22, 2006
The best high school education that $25,000 per year can buy. 


Comment of the day - February 5, 2006
The silicon bullet.  Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).


Comment of the day - January 25, 2006
A dialogue on the California High School Exit Exam.  Guest commentary by Jo Rupert Behm with a response from the Irascible Professor.


Comment of the day - January 15, 2006
The purple stapler.  Guest commentary by Miss Dennis.


Comment of the day - January 10, 2006
Kids today.  Guest commentary by Beverly C. Lucey.


Comment of the day - January 2, 2006
Student pressure and your average English department.  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.

2005:

Comment of the day - December 21, 2005

Great expectations.  Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - December 19, 2005
Looking out for number one.
Comment of the day - December 5, 2005
This is only a test.  Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - November 28, 2005
Another shot fired in the war against science.
Comment of the day - November 15, 2005
Borderline stupidity.  Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - November 4, 2005
The teaching of English may not be dead after all.  Guest commentary by Nils Clausson.
Comment of the day - October 28, 2005
The physics classroom where science and superstition met.  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - October 18, 2005
The virtues of work.  Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - October 9, 2005
The world according to señor Poje´.  Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - September 29, 2005
Not so intelligent design.
Comment of the day - September 20, 2005
The rise of the critic and the death of the teacher. Guest commentary by Mike Grayson.
Comment of the day - September 12, 2005
Totally awesome in a groovy far-out kind of cool way, not. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - September 5, 2005
The back-to-school email blues (or the need for a Provost in absentia). Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - August 28, 2005
Is it time to establish more men's centers on college campuses?
Comment of the day - August 21, 2005
Students: Take care of business! Guest commentary by Tina Blue.
Comment of the day - August 14, 2005
The twelfth annual Emperor's Awards. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - August 7, 2005
Left behind: A wake-up call for education. Guest commentary by Trish Gannon.
Comment of the day - July 31, 2005
California's teacher tenure reform initiative - a recluctant "No".
Comment of the day - July 20, 2005
School reform - left, middle, and right. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - July 12, 2005
Religion and literature in the Age of Bush. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - July 6, 2005
Climate change McCarthyism.
Comment of the day - June 28, 2005
The re-education of Cookie Monster. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - June 11, 2005
No child left unrecruited. Guest commentary by Eric Eaton.
Comment of the day - June 4, 2005
Fighting the red menace.
Comment of the day - May 25, 2005
Better than a dead grandmother. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - May 17, 2005
Hellfire and school assemblies. Guest commentary by Beverly Carol Lucey.
Comment of the day - April 22, 2005
Tolerance or lack thereof at the Air Force Academy.
Comment of the day - April 14, 2005
I don't DO math. Guest commentary by Jay C. Oddafer.
Comment of the day - April 8, 2005
Keeping up with the Jetsons. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - March 31, 2005
I know how much it costs to hear The Caged Bird Sing. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - March 25, 2005
Calling a cigar a cigar. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - March 18, 2005
Who's to blame for the high cost of textbooks? Guest commentary by James Beach.
Comment of the day - March 10, 2005
Ward Churchill and my modest proposal. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - March 3, 2005
The myths and realities of public employee pension plans.
Comment of the day - February 24, 2005
Jefferson's general religion. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - February 17, 2005
Integrity - scientific, academic, and public.
Comment of the day - February 12, 2005
Time for electives. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - February 4, 2005
Mississippi west.
Comment of the day - January 27, 2005
Embracing common sense. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - January 20, 2005
Are we Sparta or are we Athens? Guest commentary by Brian Crouch.
Comment of the day - January 13, 2005
Please waste your money on me. Guest commentary by Herbert Jack Rotfeld.
Comment of the day - January 11, 2005
Congressional pork sinks the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education.
Comment of the day - January 7, 2005
A New Year's toast to common sense. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).

2004:

Comment of the day - December 30, 2004
Is there a link between teaching and research? Guest commentary by Nils Clausson.
Comment of the day - December 22, 2004
Generations of fear. Guest commentary by Kathy A. Schaeffer.
Comment of the day - December 7, 2004
Give him the money! Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - November 24, 2004
What's in a name? Guest commentary by Carolyn Segal.
Comment of the day - November 9, 2004
Are the forces of darkness on the march?
Comment of the day - October 31, 2004
The death of postmodernism? Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - October 20, 2004
I'm the Teacher, You're the Student by Patrick Allitt. Guest commentary by Beverly Lucey.
Comment of the day - October 7, 2004
Name that loon. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - September 29, 2004
On bookbags (heavy) and modern life. Guest commentary by James R. Brown.
Comment of the day - September 20, 2004
My son, the SAT guinea pig. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - September 9, 2004
The eleventh annual Emperor's Awards. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - September 1, 2004
Charting the charters.
Comment of the day - August 24, 2004
Sizing things up. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - August 10, 2004
Whajaget? Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - August 3, 2004
Absence makes the teen grow smarter? Guest commentary by Marilyn D. Davis.
Comment of the day - July 26, 2004
Environmental education.
Comment of the day - June 30, 2004
Amazing Grace? Guest commentary by Tina Blue.
Comment of the day - June 22, 2004
Hidden costs - education in the age lawyers. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - June 15, 2004
Pinsker on office hours. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - June 8, 2004
Reagan - the ultimate salesman.
Comment of the day - June 1, 2004
High-stakes testing - the view from the "right coast". Guest commentary by Steve Klass.
Comment of the day - May 23, 2004
To the class of '04 (A commencement address not given). Guest commentary by Robert McHenry.
Comment of the day - May 16, 2004
Testing. Testing. 1,2,3 testing. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - May 3, 2004
Algebra for all?
Comment of the day - April 26, 2004
Actualizing in our classrooms. Guest commentary by David B. Shields.
Comment of the day - April 19, 2004
In the trenches with the California High School Exit Exam. Guest commentary by Elise Vogler.
Comment of the day - April 14, 2004
Standing up to the ayatollahs of Westminster.
Comment of the day - April 9, 2004
The Excuse Machine. Guest commentary by Beverly Carol Lucey.
Comment of the day - April 2, 2004
Rubric's cube. Guest commentary by Jason Berry.
Comment of the day - March 25, 2004
Connecting the dots - education, outsourcing, and terrorism.
Comment of the day - March 18, 2004
I jumped the biggest turtle. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - March 11, 2004
What sends us back to the basics? Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - March 4, 2004
Stop teaching my kid. Guest commentary by Elise Vogler.
Comment of the day - February 27, 2004
Research in predominantly undergraduate colleges and universities.
Comment of the day - February 19, 2004
Real math - what if they gave a test, and nobody passed? Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - February 1, 2004
Interesting! Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - January 26, 2004
Doing the Texas two-step.
Comment of the day - January 20, 2004
No surprises? Guest commentary by Craig M. Newmark.
Comment of the day - January 12, 2004
Waste, fraud, and abuse not!
Comment of the day - January 6, 2004
Valor, common sense, and the right answer. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).

2003:

Comment of the day - December 23, 2003
Noted pork buster reverses his position on academic pork.
Comment of the day - December 16, 2003
Grading standards that students can understand. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - December 9, 2003
Where was I? Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - December 1, 2003
The great American English class. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - November 24, 2003
Making the most of adversity - or how to improve quality in the face of budget cuts.
Comment of the day - November 18, 2003
Another route to grade inflation. Guest commentary by Tina Blue.
Comment of the day - November 11, 2003
Harsh advice. Guest commentary by Conrad Geller.
Comment of the day - November 2, 2003
So much for individual attention!
Comment of the day - October 26, 2003
Progress in the wrong direction. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - October 18, 2003
What do you teach best? Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - October 11, 2003
Ahhnold the educator.
Comment of the day - October 4, 2003
Looking for trouble. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - September 27, 2003
How to tell the good teacher from the bad. Guest commentary by Nils Clausson.
Comment of the day - September 19, 2003
While the cat's away, the mice rats will play.
Comment of the day - September 14, 2003
SOLomon's wisdom. Guest commentary by Pamela Matlack Klein.
Comment of the day - September 7, 2003
We don' need no stinkin' gifted programs! Guest commentary by Tina Blue.
Comment of the day - August 30, 2003
The bachelor's degree - a new entitlement?
Comment of the day - August 23, 2003
The book not taken. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - August 16, 2003
Language and music. Guest commentary by Ben Carter.
Comment of the day - August 9, 2003
A sea change in the California State University system?
Comment of the day - August 2, 2003
That's not a knife. This is a knife! Guest commentary by Erik Deckers.
Comment of the day - July 26, 2003
A nation still at risk?.
Comment of the day - July 20, 2003
A novel idea - guest commentary by Beverly C. Lucey.
Comment of the day - July 14, 2003
Who's Teaching Your Children? by Vivian Troen & Katherine C. Boles - a review.
Comment of the day - July 8, 2003
The veracity of vocabulary - guest commentary by Marilyn D. Davis.
Comment of the day - June 30, 2003
The gospel of inclusion - guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - June 23, 2003
Grade Inflation by Valen E. Johnson - a review.
Comment of the day - June 17, 2003
Teachers beware: corporate America has invaded the schools! Guest commentary by John F. Borowski.
Comment of the day - June 9, 2003
My personal dactyloscopy. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - May 20, 2003
The finals buzz. Guest commentary by Tina Blue.
Comment of the day - May 14, 2003
It's cheaper to send someone to Penn State than to State Pen!
Comment of the day - May 9, 2003
Widgets and other misunderstandings. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - May 6, 2003
Reply to "Yet another attempt to lower teacher preparation standards in California." Guest commentary by Perry Marker.
Comment of the day - May 1, 2003
Yet another attempt to lower teacher preparation standards in California.
Comment of the day - April 24, 2003
How I almost became a celebrity intellectual or my "Factor" fantasy. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - April 17, 2003
The top five education related things that bugged me since I woke up. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - April 10, 2003
The affirmative action war heats up.
Comment of the day - April 2, 2003
In praise of students. Guest commentary by Beth Clarkson.
Comment of the day - March 25, 2003
Charlie, perhaps it's time to go.
Comment of the day - March 20, 2003
History and the heirs of the republic. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - March 14, 2003
I don't know HOW to read this book! Guest commentary by Tina Blue.
Comment of the day - March 7, 2003
The not so public university.
Comment of the day - February 27, 2003
Will research-based reading instruction prevail? Guest commentary by Patrick Groff.
Comment of the day - February 21, 2003
Got duct tape (a tale of eleven highlighters)? Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - February 15, 2003
Judith, say it isn't so!
Comment of the day - February 10, 2003
Gimme an 'A'... or else! Guest commentary by Erik Deckers.
Comment of the day - February 6, 2003
Something's not computing here.
Comment of the day - January 31, 2003
The Lake Wobegon effect - all our high school graduates are "above average".
Comment of the day - January 24, 2003
Grade complaints at the speed of light. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - January 4, 2003
Significant improvement. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).

2002:

Comment of the day - December 29, 2002
Academic pork - $1.8 billion and rising.
Comment of the day - December 23, 2002
Merry Christmas Happy Holidays. Guest commentary by Beverly Carol Lucey.
Comment of the day - December 16, 2002
Don't ask Marilyn!
Comment of the day - December 9, 2002
Mathematical cartwheels. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - December 2, 2002
The Disappearing Cemetery -- a review.
Comment of the day - November 25, 2002
Life's equations. Guest commentary by Roberta Beach Jacobson.
Comment of the day - November 18, 2002
The dangerous myths of Alfie Kohn.
Comment of the day - November 11, 2002
No experience desired. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
Comment of the day - November 5, 2002
Part-time faculty - higher education on the cheap.
Comment of the day - October 28, 2002
History on purpose. Guest commentary by Tom Cordle.
Comment of the day - October 19, 2002
Censors and scissors. Guest commentary by Beverly Carol Lucey.
Comment of the day - October 8, 2002
"Scrubbing the Web" - a step backwards in HIV/AIDS education.
Comment of the day - September 30, 2002
Thought control in disguise?
Comment of the day - September 22, 2002
The new SAT is to snow as winter is to Arizona. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - September 15, 2002
Got shots? Guest commentary by Eric Eaton.
Comment of the day - September 8, 2002
Fiat lux not! The new California "master plan" and higher education.
Comment of the day - September 1, 2002
Confessions of a non-bungler. Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - August 24, 2002
A one size fits all straight jacket.
Comment of the day - August 17, 2002
The new "master plan" for education in California - myths and realities.
Comment of the day - August 6, 2002
College admissions in the era of political correctness.
Comment of the day - July 30, 2002
Doing the math (life's not fair). Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - July 23, 2002
Students - partners not customers.
Comment of the day - July 15, 2002
Grade inflation: the "customer" is not always right. Guest commentary by Tina Blue.
Comment of the day - July 8, 2002
Give us this day our "dailyjolt.com," or student evaluations reach rock bottom. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - June 18, 2002
The organizational chart says it all!
Comment of the day - June 13, 2002
Wow them with wonder, but keep your politics at home! Guest commentary by Pamela Matlack.
Comment of the day - June 6, 2002
Political correctness run amok!
Comment of the day - May 31, 2002
Scopes revisited? The Kansas Board of Education's 1999 decision on evolution. Guest commentary by Tina Blue.
Comment of the day - May 24, 2002
Uncivil discourse.
Comment of the day - May 17, 2002
Waiting for a better excuse (or fear of the run-on sentence). Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - May 12, 2002
A response to The Irascible Professor's commentary on the California teacher shortage (May 3, 2002). Guest commentary by Perry Marker.
Comment of the day - May 9, 2002
Evolution and education. Guest commentary by Beth Clarkson.
Comment of the day - May 3, 2002
The California teacher shortage - recruitment or retention crisis?
Comment of the day - April 26, 2002
Can we go home early? Guest commentary by John Sheirer.
Comment of the day - April 20, 2002
Bad science. Bad, bad science. Guest commentary by Beverly C. Lucey.
Comment of the day - April 14, 2002
The political implications of modern reading research.
Comment of the day - April 8, 2002
Who needs chapter one? Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - April 3, 2002
The buck starts here. Guest commentary by Remy Benoit.
Comment of the day - March 27, 2002
The faculty hiring crisis in the California State University system.
Comment of the day - March 24, 2002
Two cups of coffee, a student, and a table. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - March 17, 2002
Now I'm just amused - Nixon Redux.
Comment of the day - March 10, 2002
"Kewl Ur Jets! This Aint Skool". Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
Comment of the day - March 3, 2002
Headlines to ponder at Krispy Kreme U.
Comment of the day - February 24, 2002
Survey, survey? We don't need no stinkin' survey!
Comment of the day - February 17, 2002
Unity and the university - listen up Charlie Reed, listen up!
Comment of the day - February 11, 2002
Grade inflation and me. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - February 10, 2002
Grade inflation - myths, reality, and consequences.
Comment of the day - February 3, 2002
36% of California State University freshmen can't read at college level.
Comment of the day - January 28, 2002
Educator pension funds lose big in Enron collapse.
Comment of the day - January 22, 2002
"Teacher rabbits" - another view on computers in the classroom. Guest commentary by Beverly C. Lucey
Comment of the day - January 12, 2002
"Disagreeing" disagreeably at Cal State Sacramento. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker
Comment of the day - January 6, 2002
Harvard's loss, Princeton's gain?

2001:

Comment of the day - December 19, 2001
How to write the "perfect" college admission essay; and, Technology Implementation Committee: No, thanks. Two guest commentaries by Conrad Geller.
Comment of the day - December 13, 2001
Oversold and Underused: Computers in the Classsroom - a review.
Comment of the day - December 4, 2001
Lynne Cheney's thought police are in action again.
Comment of the day - November 28, 2001
Perverse incentives and corporate delusions in the administration of the California State University System. Guest commentary by Robert H. Daniels.
Comment of the day - November 21, 2001
Results of the IP's survey on higher education in the United States.
Comment of the day - November 15, 2001
Teaching Hemingway's In Our Time in our time.  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - November 7, 2001
Student visas and national security.
Comment of the day - November 1, 2001
Back to the future: Residential colleges and the reform of campus life.  Guest commentary by Robert J. O'Hara.
Comment of the day - October 25, 2001
An IP survey.  Your chance to tell the Irascible Professor what you think about American higher education.
Comment of the day - October 19, 2001
The sleeper education story of the year - Williams v. California.
Comment of the day - October 14, 2001
My modest experiment and my Dean.  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - October 10, 2001
A presidential puff at Krispy Kreme U. - guest commentary by an anonymous colleague.
Comment of the day - October 5, 2001
A real world education - guest commentary by Tom Cordle.
Comment of the day - September 30, 2001
The knowledge war.
Comment of the day - September 12, 2001
September 11, 2001 - a day of infamy.
Comment of the day - September 5, 2001
A disgusting spectacle!
Comment of the day - September 4, 2001
School reform?  Ask the teachers.  Guest commentary by Georganne Spruce.
Comment of the day - August 28, 2001
Fresno dump added to list of National Historic Landmarks by Bush Administration.
Comment of the day - August 23, 2001
The righteous an' the holy behind the Orange Curtain.
Comment of the day - August 19, 2001
Worrying about Professor Joseph Ellis and myself.  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - August 13, 2001
Unfit to teach.  Guest commentary by Tom Cordle.
Comment of the day - August 2, 2001
Campus fire safety.
Comment of the day - July 27,2001
Fantasizing about my last faculty meeting.  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - July 21, 2001
Charter homeschool funding - the California debate.
Comment of the day - July 13, 2001
Imagine year-round schools.  Guest commentary by Beverly Carol Lucey.
Comment of the day - July 7, 2001
BA and MA degrees in astrology!  What are they smoking in Seattle?
Comment of the day - July 2, 2001
Technology and tolerance - is it a gay thing?
Comment of the day - June 23, 2001
Teach me to pray.  Guest commentary by Tom Cordle.
Comment of the day  - June 15, 2001
Who owns my grades anyhow?
Comment of the day - June 9, 2001
Two views of affirmative action.  Guest commentary by Russell Eisenman with a response by the Irascible Professor.
Comment of the day - June 3, 2001
Inside Charter Schools - The Paradox of Radical Decentralization - a review.
Comment of the day - May 29, 2001
Isms, religions, and myths of origin - Darwinism in the schools.  Guest commentary by Ben Carter.
Comment of the day - May 25, 2001
America's crumbling schools and the Bush education budget.
Comment of the day - May 19, 2001
High stakes testing - will it teach students to think?  Guest commentary by Brian Crouch.
Comment of the day - May 16, 2001
Now this IS your father's Harvard!
Comment of the day - May 10, 2001
The "three R's".  Were they really all that good?  Guest commentary by Tom Cordle.
Comment of the day - May 3, 2001
Controlling administrative bloat in higher education.
Comment of the day - April 27, 2001
A father looks at fifty...and his children's education.  Guest commentary by Skip Corsini.
Comment of the day - April 21, 2001
Double standard at Krispy Kreme U.?
Comment of the day - April 17, 2001
I swore I'd never say... .  Guest commentary by Ihla Nation.
Comment of the day - April 14, 2001
Texas "energy bandits" lose a round.
Comment of the day - April 10, 2001
Assembly Line Education.  Guest commentary by Remy Benoit.
Comment of the day - April 8, 2001
Salmonella burgers!  Is that Dumb-ya or not?
Comment of the day - April 2, 2001
The Horowitz Hustle.
Comment of the day - March 29, 2001
The game show of standardized testing.  Guest commentary by Beverly Carol Lucey.
Comment of the day - March 26, 2001
How to steal a college.
Comment of the day - March 23, 2001
Failing public schools?  Who says?  Guest commentary by Conrad Geller.
Comment of the day - March 17, 2001
Gifted and talented education - a forgotten stepchild.
Comment of the day - March 11, 2001
Un-SAT-isfactory.
Comment of the day - March 7, 2001
Let's just call 'em "The Gringos".
Comment of the day - March 4, 2001
The case of Kennewick Man - identity politics and science education.
Comment of the day - March 1, 2001
The United States is losing the race.
Comment of the day - February 25, 2001
But this is not good enough!
Comment of the day - February 19, 2001
Science education and the dilemma of "high-stakes" testing.
Comment of the day - February 17, 2001
Science teaching as a subversive activity.
Comment of the day - February 12, 2001
This is not your father's Harvard.
Comment of the day - February 10, 2001
Is the AAAS unfair to independent online journalists?
Comment of the day - February 4, 2001
Building Wealth - The new rules for individuals, companies and nations in a knowledge-based economy - A review.
Comment of the day - January 29, 2001
The "book burners" are still alive behind the Orange curtain.
Comment of the day - January 19, 2001
Power to the people!
Comment of the day - January 10, 2001
A "merit-pay" plan with precious little merit.
Comment of the day - January 4, 2001
Ring around the mollybarry bush.  Guest commentary by Scott Rice.

2000:

Comment of the day - December 30, 2000
Ban the campus credit card vultures.
Comment of the day - December 23, 2000
Learning disability - handicap or privilege.
Comment of the day - December 3, 2000
A tale out of school.  Guest commentary by an anonymous colleague.
Comment of the day - November 24, 2000
The town that Andrew Carnegie missed.
Comment of the day - November 19, 2000
BYU bans heavy metal.
Comment of the day - November 11, 2000
The education election.
Comment of the day - November 6, 2000
Can't Pass?  Blame the Test! Revisited.
Comment of the day - October 29, 2000
Pork-barrel politics in academia.
Comment of the day - October 22, 2000
Gems from the mailbag.
Comment of the day - October 19, 2000
A response to our review of Taming the Beast.  Guest commentary by Jason Ohler.
Comment of the day - October 14, 2000
The voucher battle - public debate over privatized education.  Guest commentary by Mark Karadimos.
Comment of the day - October 9, 2000
Is Big Al a no-account on accountability?
Comment of the day - October 2, 2000
Dubya's doubletalk on vouchers.
Comment of the day - September 30, 2000
Reflections on year one.
Comment of the day - September 23, 2000
Let's fix our schools now - Yes on Prop. 39!
Comment of the day - September 20, 2000
Is the California voucher campaign buying votes?
Comment of the day - September 15, 2000
The IP challenges Bush and Gore on education.
Comment of the day - September 7, 2000
Are we asking too much of our schools?
Comment of the day - September 1, 2000
Them's as has gets.
Comment of the day - August 25, 2000
Comparing the Republican and Democratic Party education platforms - differences.
Comment of the day - August 21, 2000
Comparing the Republican and Democratic Party education platforms - similarities.
Comment of the day - August 15, 2000
The incredible shrinking endowment!
Comment of the day - August 11, 2000
Taming the Beast - Choice & Control in the Electronic Jungle - a review.
Comment of the day - July 25, 2000
Process vs. Substance at Portland State.
Comment of the day - July 18, 2000
Follow the money - the University of California pension fund money, that is!
Comment of the day - July 13, 2000
The school improvement debate - a no-holds-barred analysis of school reform.  Guest commentary by Mark Liberator.
Comment of the day - July 6, 2000
The Social Life of Information - a review.
Comment of the day - June 30, 2000
Where have all the boys gone?
Comment of the day - June 23, 2000
Redemption at Texas A&M.
Comment of the day - June 16, 2000
The commencement follies.  Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
Comment of the day - June 11, 2000
Academic freedom vs. college speech codes.
Comment of the day - June 4, 2000
Will privatization lead to fair pay for teachers?
Comment of the day - June 2, 2000
CSU Fullerton, the campus where audits are preeminent.
Comment of the day - May 29, 2000
A few thoughts on commencement.
Comment of the day - May 24, 2000
Innovative methods combined with high standards = great teaching.
Comment of the day - May 18, 2000
Resign Bobby, Resign!
Comment of the day - May 14, 2000
Tax breaks for teachers - the dumbest idea yet!
Comment of the day - May 11, 2000
Who should get the scholarship? - Guest commentary by James M. Pierce.
Comment of the day - May 7, 2000
Voucher, Voucher, Who's Got the Voucher?
Comment of the day - May 4, 2000
"Tradition" leads to tragedy at Texas A&M.
Comment of the day - April 29, 2000
It's time to reform college athletics.
Comment of the day - April 23, 2000
The Feel-Good Curriculum: The Dumbing Down of America's Kids in the Name of Self-Esteem - a review.
Comment of the day - April 20, 2000
Courage at Kilgore.
Comment of the day - April 16, 2000
The growth of the administrata.
Comment of the day - April 12, 2000
Another dirty little secret from the "University" of Phoenix.
Comment of the day - April 7, 2000
Choosing a future.  Guest Commentary on Distance Education by Jerry Farber.
Comment of the day - April 3, 2000
Getting students to use seatbelts.  Guest commentary by Peter Vajk.
Comment of the day - March 31, 2000
Can't pass?  Blame the test!
Comment of the day - March 27, 2000
Charter schools: the good, the bad, the ugly.
Comment of the day - March 19, 2000
A radical solution to the remediation problem.
Comment of the day - March 15, 2000
The great American campus water scam.
Comment of the day - March 12, 2000
The uncertain promise of technology in teaching.
Comment of the day - March 9, 2000
The growing gulf between administration and faculty in the CSU.  Guest commentary by Michael Gregory.
Comment of the day - March 5, 2000
Are these really the 100 best high schools in America?
Comment of the day - March 2, 2000
Penny wise and pound foolish - school fire safety.
Comment of the day - Feb, 28, 2000
30 years after the first man stepped onto the moon.  Guest commentary by Gisela Hausmann.
Comment of the day - Feb, 24, 2000
Traditional Degrees for Nontraditional Students: a review.
Comment of the day - Feb. 20, 2000
The view from inside the Beltway.
Comment of the day - Feb. 14, 2000
The silly season - Politicians on education.
Comment of the day - Feb. 9, 2000
Putting the bite on incompetence.
Comment of the day - Feb. 3, 2000
Ethical challenges.
Comment of the day - Jan. 28, 2000
Dirty little secrets of the "University" of Phoenix and other "for profit" education vendors.
Comment of the day - Jan. 22, 2000
Will PeopleSoft sink the CSU?
Comment of the day - Jan. 16, 2000
The "marks" of a college graduate.

1999:

Comment of the day - Dec. 26, 1999
Student evaluations of teaching - Are the inmates running the asylum?
Comment of the day - Dec. 18, 1999
Cover-up at Cal State Fullerton?
Comment of the day - Dec. 14, 1999
Is there a Hyundai in your future?
Comment of the day - Dec. 9, 1999
Distance Education - Do they really think we are that dumb!
Comment of the day - Dec. 6, 1999
The Math Wars - it's the teachers stupid!
Comment of the day - Dec. 2, 1999
Let's fix our schools now - Yes on Prop. 26.
Guest commentary - Nov. 29, 1999
Assessment; Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.  Guest commentary by Jerry Farber.
Comment of the day - Nov. 21, 1999
And the Irascible Professor's award for stupidity goes to... .
Guest commentary - Nov.