34justice

  • The Tactful Hypocrite

    The World Cup, and more specifically its international organizing body, FIFA, has come under immense scrutiny leading up to its 2014 iteration in Brazil. Most criticisms of the situation are aimed at the host country’s inability to provide adequate hospitals, schools, and shelter to its citizens while FIFA, a tax…

  • Informed Student Advocates Pursue Reforms that, Unlike Vergara v. California, Actually Address Inequity

    Judge Rolf Treu just ruled in favor of Students Matter in Vergara v. California, deeming teacher permanent status (commonly called “tenure”), due process protections for teachers with permanent status, and seniority-based layoffs unconstitutional.  Treu’s opinion unfortunately reflects a misunderstanding of education research and teacher employment law’s effects.  His decision also…

  • Political “Pragmatism” Undermines Progressive Goals

    The Working Families Party (WFP) bills itself as “New York’s liveliest and most progressive political party.” Founded in 1998, the WFP sought to use fusion voting and community organizing to “hold politicians accountable” to an admirable set of progressive principles including but not limited to “full public financing of elections…community…

  • Feb 17 – Mar 1: Azienda Agricola Mauro Iob, Vetralla

    After staying with Bridget in Tuscany, my next stop was in the province of Viterbo, in the small medieval town of Vetralla, littered with waterfalls and caves. When I arrived, Rita had trouble finding me at the train station, but I’m not sure why, as there are several obvious reasons…

  • The Problem with Outcome-Oriented Evaluations

    Imagine I observe two poker players playing two tournaments each. During their first tournaments, Player A makes $1200 and Player B loses $800. During her second tournament, Player A pockets another $1000. Player B, on the other hand, loses $1100 more during her second tournament. Would it be a good…

  • Teachers Unions: What We Do and How Students Benefit

    The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recognized the Northwestern University football team’s right to unionize in February and the players just held a unionization vote. Quarterback Kain Colter began the program’s union movement primarily to address player safety, but supporters of the team’s efforts believe unionization will improve college athletes’…

  • Free Speech: More a Means than an End

    Free Speech: More a Means than an End

    There is a major difference between legitimate, intellectually honest disagreements and speech, activism, votes, and/or donations that oppress people.

  • Lessons About Gay Rights and Business from Arizona Bill’s Veto

    On Wednesday, February 26, Republican Governor Jan Brewer vetoed S.B. 1062, a bill that would have helped Arizona businesses deny service to gay customers on religious grounds.  Brewer’s veto and the political controversy surrounding the bill illustrated several important developments in the gay rights movement. First, US society is finally…

  • Feb. 8-17, Castagneto Carducci, Le Catre

    Tuscany is as beautiful as everyone says it is: a region heavily frequented by tourists, Italians and foreigners alike, for its wine and generally hideous landscape. Much more green and lush than Monteleone, it also rains a lot more. Also, Castagneto Carducci is 5 km from the beach, where we…

  • Student Advocates Oppose Both Bad Teaching and Bad Lawsuit

    Note: A version of this piece originally appeared in Valerie Strauss’s column in The Washington Post. ————————————————————————————————- Vergara v. California, a lawsuit challenging three components of teacher employment law in California’s Ed Code that began on January 27, has garnered considerable media attention.  The plaintiffs’ legal team contends that due process…