Students should learn to change diapers, bathe babies

The Professional Association of Teachers in England is hearing a proposal that students should become prepared for life experiences by learning to change diapers and give babies baths, according to a BBC article.

Study links teen sex, depression

A University of California-San Francisco study is linking teen sex and depression.

There are many possible reasons why teens with symptoms of depression might be more likely to take sexual risks, study author Dr. Jocelyn Lehrer noted. "Youth who are both emotionally distressed and socially isolated may be more likely to seek or be successfully pressured into sexual activity, in the name of some kind of shared intimacy, or to maintain relationships that they value," she told Reuters. Teens may also use sex as a way to cope with their symptoms of depression, Lehrer added.

New York City schools ready to punish students for MySpace comments

If New York City students plan to write about their fellow students, teachers, or principals they had better be careful. In what is sure to become a First Amendment showdown, new rules have been put in place that would regulate what students can put on their websites, even when they are doing their writing from home.

British school reinstalls mirrors

A British school is reinstalling mirrors after removing them to keep girls from spending time fixing their makeup. Wouldn't it be nice if that were the major problem facing our schools?
Find out more by checking out this link from the BBC.

Cairo, Ill., students to be tested for drugs, alcohol

Students who plan to participate in extracurricular activities will have to undergo drug and alcohol testing at a Cairo, Ill. High School.
The school also plans to go to school uniforms for everyone.
Please read the Cape Girardeau Southeast Missourian article.

Schools expanding number of students being tested for drugs

A USA Today article indicates that testing for students is growing to include more and more of the student body, not just those who are involved in extracurricular activities.

Lawsuit says cell phone ban violates students' rights

A lawsuit has been filed in New York saying that the schools' ban of cell phones violate students' rights.

The parents argue, in papers filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, that the ban is so broad and blunt that it violates their constitutional right as parents to keep their children safe and to raise them in the way they see fit. The ban violates their due process right to personal liberty under both the state and federal constitutions, they said, because it interferes with the relationship between parents and their children, without a compelling education reason for doing so.

Edgar Ray Killen to stay in prison

A federal court judge ruled Friday that convicted killer Edgar Ray Killen will not be freed while appealing his conviction on the 1964 murders of civil rights activists James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman.
Killen, 81, was convicted of the murders last year.

Bullying victims may experience behavior problems later in life

A new report indicates problems for bullying victims may not end when the bullying ends.
Follow this link to the MSNBC article.

Columnist warns of dangers of social networking sites

Springfield News-Leader columnist Sarah Overstreet says it is just as important for teens to be taught about the dangers of social networking sites as it is to have them taught about drugs.

MySpace is most visited U. S. website

This probably will not come as a surprise to some of you, but according to a Reuters article, MySpace.com is now the most visited website in the United States.

More reading instruction needed for middle school, high school students

More reading instruction for middle school and high school students is being called for by educators after the release of a report which indicates only 51 percent of high school graduates are prepared to do college-level reading.
Fortunately, the Joplin R-8 School District has been ahead of the curve on this, with extra classes and emphasis on reading at both levels.

Virginia board debates relaxing rules on piercings

Board members at a school in Virginia are debating whether to change the dress code to relax the rules against body piercings. Apparently, this is taking up a lot of the administrators' time and it has been a losing battle.

Article examines parents and youth sports

A CNN article examines the positive and negative effects parents have on children's enjoyment of sports.

Columbine counselor: Nation better prepared for school violence

Interviewed after the release this week of documents seized from the homes of Columbine killers Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, Columbine counselor Harriet Hall told CNN she still isn't sure what sparked the shootings in 1999, but she believes the United States is better prepared to deal with school violence.

New teen driving restrictions cause problems

New Missouri limitations on teen drivers will cause problems for students who carpool to school. Check out the article in today's Springfield News-Leader.

Former athletes find it hard to stay in shape

A New York Times article indicates that some former top high school and college athletes find it difficult to stay in shape when they no longer have a coach to push them.

Study says restricting teen drivers can save lives

States that have put restrictions on teen drivers in place have reduced deaths by 20 percent according to a new study.

Younger generation opting for online yearbooks

Traditional school yearbooks may be on their way out.
CNN reports more and more young people are choosing video yearbooks.