2008.08.31
Discuss Saturday and Sunday's editorials
Shades of gray in the Caucasus
Much context and history have been missed in bold rhetoric by politicians about the Russia-Georgia conflict.
There have been many sweeping pronouncements and bold declarations about the Russian invasion of Georgia (Sen. John McCain's "We are all Georgians," for example).
Expect more with Russia's controversial step of recognizing the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
But comprehensive news accounts of the lead-up to the battle and a deeper understanding of the history of the regions paint a far more subtle picture of the situation.
Read more.
Time for Roanokers to make AYP
Students will make better progress if the community becomes involved.
The Virginia Department of Education last week released annual statistics that judge whether schools made adequate yearly progress in teaching reading and math.
The results were exactly as expected: Suburban schools with mostly white, middle-class students performed well on state tests. Poorer, urban schools, where most kids eat free lunches, have failed yet again.
Read more.
Short takes
Quick views on some of the week's news.
All-you-can-eat is less than you can carry
The University of Virginia and Virginia Tech are among the growing list of colleges ditching cafeteria trays. Tech stowed the trays this summer at its all-you-can-eat dining centers and found food waste dropped 38 percent. Tech's energy and sustainability coordinator Denny Cochrane told the Times Dispatch that not having to wash the trays also saved water and electricity. ...
Someone has to clean the mess
Last Saturday, volunteers spent the day hauling trash out of the New River in Giles County. Just where does all this crud come from? Tires, mattresses, carpet, chairs, a baby bed -- in all, several dump trucks full of trash were picked up and hauled away. ...
Read more.
NRV Current editorial
Invest in diversity at Virginia Tech
A five-year plan to improve race relations deserves support.
Virginia Tech has few black students. It has been like that for a while.
Tech officials have some new ideas about how they can encourage more minority students to give the Blacksburg school another look, but pulling it off will require a serious commitment from the people who control the purse strings.
Read more.
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Not sure what to thing about your article on AYP. A good example of how community involvement can have an impact. Unfortunately it's a conclusion drawn from generalities and nothing really scientific yet it remains note worthy. Just wondering however...if this is what generated the improvement, why do we keep looking for and getting more money to press on with failing achievements? Maybe the city should try a property tax reduction for those willing to invest of themselves and their time supporting the neighborhood schools. And maybe the state could expand it to a personal income tax reduction as well. Citizens can earn the reduction for the next year by working in the system this year and having that effort validated by the school. Probably would not fly as it's just not good to have the public meddling in what we want to teach. We want those little minds to feel good about themselves and become creative and we certainly do not want to impart any preverted moral values into their little heads and besides, more taxes and more government involvement IS the American way, right?
Comment by Al — August 31, 2008 @ 11:05 am
Tell us again why Virginia Tech should have the same racial makeup as the population of Virginia, then tell us why state institutions like Norfolk State and Virginia State have no such goal. Why should taxpayers foot the bill on diversity programs and faculty at some schools and not others when we don't have enough to pay for transportation?
Please don't duck this simple question, RT editors. Show some courage and answer it.
Comment by Josh — August 31, 2008 @ 11:23 am
The part about a dorm named after a Klansman made me laugh. Everything in WV is named after Senator Robert Byrd and he was a Klansman. He is also a leading Democrat.
Josh
The RT hasn't figured out that VT is interested in increasing the numbers of underrepresented minorities. The RT got tangled up in the code word "diversity".
Comment by Henry — August 31, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
With diversity comes a larger pool of candidates for QUARTERBACK.
Something VT desperately needs!
Comment by Blue John — August 31, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
Perhaps other minorities should emulate Asians. Why is it the taxpayers responsibility or for that matter, the schools to pay for "diversity" programs?
Comment by Jim — August 31, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
Quarterbacks don't play on the defense.
I have never liked the "lower the requirements so we can watch them flunk out" mentality of universities. I'd rather Tech offer free tuition for black students.
Comment by Henry — September 1, 2008 @ 8:58 am
Diversity is NOT what VT was instituted to foster - VT
was authorized to train
qualified Virginians to become
Professionsl Contribuators to
Virginia and the NATION; Not
a SOCIALISTIC CASEROLE !
Comment by Jake — September 1, 2008 @ 6:29 pm
Re: AYP
Looks like the nuts-and-bolts hard work is getting done by those hated private religious conservative groups and NOT government.
Same with Katrina aid.
Same with charitable contributions.
Big government libs talk the talk. We see who's actually walking the walk, don't we? It's the right-wingers.
Comment by Josh — September 1, 2008 @ 6:35 pm