Education Week reporter David Hoff notes Walz's letter in NCLB: Act II: Lawmakers on Left and Right Criticize Pilot Project:
The response to the "differentiated accountability" project shows one truth about NCLB: It's hard to please everybody. Looking at reaction from the left and the right on Capitol Hill, you see tepid endorsements for the plan, followed by criticism of the law itself. . . .
. . .From the left, Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., calls the plan a "long overdue step" in a letter to Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, who announced the plan last week. But Walz indicates that the announcement won't change his stance on the law: "NCLB is a deeply flawed mandate that is badly in need of significant reform and overhaul," he writes. . . .
These reactions will mean little in the implementation of the latest pilot project. But they show how difficult it will be to gather the votes for NCLB reauthorization—whether it happens this year or next.
P.S. A letter to the editor of The New York Times gave a headline writer the chance to create the latest word play on the NCLB name: No Cynic Left Behind
WIZM Radio reports Minnesota Congressman Tim Walz Discusses Future US Role In Iraq.
In the netroots, Minnesota Central looks at franking privileges in How much is that Prebate Check Worth ? and contrasts between two Minnesota freshman representatives in NBL Walz –vs- OOS Bachmann on Freedom. Bachmann's in favor of the Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act, while Walz is meeting with veterans and other constituents.
Down in Southwestern Minnesota, the Corner House Comments tells an ICE tale:
In a recent conversation with a friend and coworker of mine I found out that “targeting specific individuals” must mean that if you don’t look like you just came off the farm and are not saying ” you betcha” a lot, it must mean that you are undocumented. He had went to pick up some items from a local retail store and was leaving the store when two men approached him and asked for his identification. Being a good union brother that respects but likes to challenge authority, he asked them who the hell they were and did not produce any ID. They replied that they were with Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and again asked for his identification. He asked for identification from them and they finally produced it. After verifying their id’s my friend offered them his driver’s license. The ICE agents apparently were not satisfied with that and asked to see his Green Card. Well, after telling them that he did not have a Green Card because he is a citizen, they took his drivers license to a van where they have all their secret Homeland Security electronic gizmo’s and checked it out. Returning a few minutes later they told him he was free to go. Before leaving he asked why he was stopped and was told ” he didn’t need to know”.
I often hear people say that if you are here legally that you do not have anything to fear from the government. Fortunately for my coworker, the verification process worked this time. If their data was inaccurate or incomplete what would have happened? What is disturbing is that he was chosen at random because he did not fit the profile of a SW Minnesota native. ICE officials say they do not randomly pick up people. Apparently the agents in the field did not get the memo.
In the Albert Lea Tribune, editor Tim Engstrom writes about how Economic policies only making things worse. Definitely worth a click and a read.
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