Forget the fact-finding; its time to go to court
Teachers, district pitted needlessly by state’s negligence (or worse)
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Earlier this month, word got out that both the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and its teachers’ union, the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Association, both will seek fact finding on their ongoing, and apparently stalled contract negotiations.
Maybe its spending a week in the wilds...
Op/Ed: Fictionalizing history
By Bruce Mowday
Bruce Mowday
The history Americans know, or think they know, is increasingly coming from polluted sources. Last week I was in Gettysburg digging into original historical documents at the Adams County Historical Society and Gettysburg National Military Park for information on my next book, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg.
I had several interesting conversations with curators and historians...
What to do: Hometown fun, fireworks & festivals
By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times
The Philadelphia Museum of Art sets the backdrop for the annual Welcome America fireworks display.
Independence Day has arrived and that means it is time for two of Chester County’s longest-running and most popular Fourth of July events — Downingtown Good Neighbor Day (Kerr Park, Downingtown, 610-285-1119, www.goodneighborday.com) and Freedom...
On Stage: Rock, indie-pop, bluegrass & more this week
By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times
Two major factors a band needs to achieve success and longevity are the ability to write good songs and the maintenance of a high level of friendship among band members.
Lloyd Cole
Three bands who will be performing in the area, over the next week, have met this criteria along with solo artist, Lloyd Cole, who went back to old friends and...
A time for joy and a time for justice
Same-sex marriage ruling makes America and Chester County a fairer, better place to live
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
SAN FRANCISCO — On this cool, cloudy Sunday morning, this may well be the happiest place on earth, Disney notwithstanding. Today’s Pride Parade, here, looks to be little short of a city-wide explosion of celebration of Friday’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that same-sex...
Supreme Court ruling means rights for all
Same sex marriage ruling affirms individual rights when legislative action is stalled
By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times
It is well worth downloading the full Obergefell v. Hodges decision at http://www.supremecourt.gov/. The pdf is rather exciting reading. As taxpayers we paid for it, so let’s read it for free!
The 5-4 ruling on both questions before the Court (which it could have...
One man stands between the people and medical marijuana
Our dysfunctional legislature hits new highs for foolishness
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Greetings from one of the last Internet outposts not hacked by the Chinese (we don’t rate) or calling from (allegedly) Microsoft Technical Support to assist you with your computer issues once you give us your password, credit card number and home address information.
In comparison, the recent shenanigans...
Is it time to look at the role of standardized tests in schools?
Also: if teacher unions demand raises, they should say what to cut from education programs to pay for it
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
The rising tide against Common Core continues to obscure a growing, but still under discussed debate about the value and quality of standardized testing in our schools.
While it seems increasingly likely that a passing grade on the Keystone tests will not end up...
Op/Ed: 21st century medical innovation
By Ryan Costello, U.S. Rep., Sixth Congressional District
Ryan Costello
Creating a new locally developed heart valve, finding a personalized cure to an individual’s battle with arthritis, or even breakthroughs in the mapping of the human genome – these are medical modernizations that American scientists and researchers are developing daily. We have seen medical advancements accelerate over the...
Op/Ed: Does high-stakes testing improve education?
By Michael T. Rock, Director, Unionville-Chadds Ford Board of Education
Michael T. Rock
As the debate on No Child Left Behind and the Common Core heat up and as Pennsylvania’s school districts gear up for implementation of the Keystone exit exams it is time to take stock of what we know about the impact of high stakes testing. Supporters see tests as a way to close the gap in performance between...
