Edwin Benson 
The acronym DEI is on the radar of many organizations that wish to appease activists seeking to enforce their demands for “diversity, equity and inclusion.” To object, even in the most scholarly terms, is tantamount to bearing a sign proclaiming, “I am a bigot!” One such organization seeking to adopt the woke … Read more
Grade inflation in America’s colleges and universities is a serious issue. It is also an issue in the nation’s elementary and high schools. The curious thing is that while the problem is the same, the causes contrast sharply. The culprit in the colleges is a kind of emotional blackmail that students, aided … Read more
Decades ago, the quest for superior grades acquired a catchphrase—the “paper chase.” Those who aspired to be the best students went to extreme lengths to earn superior grades. However, there were also many who wanted grades for which they were unwilling to work. Part of the university’s task was to separate the … Read more
In too many schools, teaching handwriting—especially cursive—is extinct. Over the last half-century, America’s public, private, religious and charter schools became obsessed with “critical thinking.” As that obsession grew, mechanical processes were discarded. Emphasizing grammar, the doctrine taught, inhibited children from expressing their thoughts. Teaching historical facts repressed students’ creative opinions about past … Read more
An old, inaccurate, yet remarkably durable image of the public librarian is a middle-aged spinster with reading glasses secured by a small chain around her neck perched on her nose. For her, quiet is not just a state of being but a command that exudes from every pore. She chooses her clothes … Read more
Perhaps no industry is more inherently prone to gigantism than energy production. Locating the raw materials, be they coal, oil or natural gas, is speculative and expensive. Refining and transporting those raw materials makes them even more costly. Turning them into electric power requires massive boilers and other machinery. Then, distributing this energy … Read more
The recent death of Indi Gregory from mitochondrial disease did not make world headlines, but it should have. On November 13, the eight-month-old child passed away in her mother’s arms in a British hospice. Doubtless, the cause of death listed on the certificate was the disease. However, a complicating factor was the … Read more
Marketing professors in the nation’s business schools will discuss the boycott of Bud Light, beginning on April 1, 2023, as an example of what not to do. The brand got into hot water with conservatives when they employed a man pretending to be a woman to promote its product. The reaction stunned … Read more
Since about 1960, most American students have had a relationship with the Scholastic book company. Rarely was there a student who, at one time or another, did not buy at least one Scholastic book. I still have short biographies of Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller and Thomas Edison that my parents purchased through … Read more
According to the Oregon Board of Education, the ability to read, write or calculate is not necessary to receive a high school diploma—at least until 2029, according to The Oregonian. The State Board of Education decision was unanimous. Critical Analysis Run Amok The Board’s reasoning is straight out of the critical theory … Read more