(Cross-posted at Vagabond Scholar)

Back in December when I was visiting back east, I prompted my dad to tell a favorite story. When he was in “grammar school,” his class was given a test that asked who discovered America (this was back in the late forties or early fifties). My father had recently read a pamphlet about the Viking Leif Erikson, so he put him down for his answer. He was marked wrong, because the official answer was “Christopher Columbus.”

My father had also retold this incident to a friend who had recently started teaching, and she replied she-d have done the same thing. Her reason? “Christopher Columbus” was what the material taught.

As I told my father (yet again), I strongly disagreed. I had to shake my head at the first teacher, but was horrified by his friend’s answer. Now, I never met the woman, and perhaps she was a nice person otherwise, and a novice teacher (I would hope so!). My stance remains that, first of all, while elementary school teachers typically must be generalists, a teacher should know his or her subject area. The first teacher should have known that Christopher Columbus was not the right answer or the only answer. Much more importantly is that if anything, a student who answered “Leif Erikson” (or even penned a short answer about Native Americans and the funny notion of “discovering” America!) should have been rewarded, not punished. Rather than encouraging independent thought and research, these two teachers asserted that authority trumped empirical truth, and that obedience was more important than honesty and accuracy.

Elliot Eisner has captured this dynamic well in his writings about “the three curricula all schools teach,” namely the explicit, implicit, and null curricula. Basically, the explicit curriculum is the specific knowledge set of a given class, such as the mathematics covered in an Algebra I class. The implicit curriculum is everything the class or school teaches without necessarily stating it outright, such as: “Be quiet, sit in your seats, and do as you-re told.” The null curriculum is whatever the school deems not important by not covering it.
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By MARK LAVIE, Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM - An Israeli archaeologist has found the tomb of King Herod, the legendary builder of ancient Jerusalem and the Holy Land, Hebrew University said late Monday.

The tomb is at a site called Herodium, a flattened hilltop in the Judean Desert, clearly visible from southern Jerusalem. Herod built a palace on the hill, and researchers discovered his burial site there, the university said.

The university had hoped to keep the find a secret until Tuesday, when it planned a news conference to disclose the find in detail, but the Haaretz newspaper found out about the discovery and published an article on its Web site.

Herod became the ruler of the Holy Land under the Romans around 74 B.C. The wall he built around the Old City of Jerusalem still stands, and he also ordered big construction projects in Caesaria, Jericho, the hilltop fortress of Massada and other sites.

It has long been assumed Herod was buried at Herodium, but decades of excavations had failed to turn up the site. The 1st century historian Josephus Flavius described the tomb and Herod’s funeral procession.

Haaretz said the tomb was found by archaeologist Ehud Netzer, a Hebrew University professor who has been working at Herodium since 1972. The paper said the tomb was in a previously unexplored area between the two palaces Herod built on the site. Herod died in 4 B.C. in Jericho.

read more at YAHOO! NEWS

The guest list for Monday night’s state dinner in honor of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, as released by the White House. Where’s Karl?

Cmdr. Heber Ackland, Royal Navy, equerry in waiting to the queen.

The Countess Of Airlie, DCVO, DCVO, lady in waiting.

Leonore Annenberg, former U.S. chief of protocol, Reagan administration, FAPE board member, and Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif. (guest).

Anne Armstrong, former U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, and James L. Armstrong (son).

Lee M. Bass, Lee M. Bass, Inc., and Ramona Bass.

Sid R. Bass, president, Sid R. Bass Inc., and Mercedes Bass.

Margaret Beckett, MP, secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, United Kingdom, and Leo Beckett.

Rep. John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, House minority leader, and Deborah Boehner.

Joshua Bolten, White House chief of staff, and Analouise C. Bolten (mother).

Calvin Borel, jockey, winner of the 2007 Kentucky Derby, and Lisa Funk (guest).

Katherine E. Boyd, Katherine E. Boyd Interior Design, and Eva Elkins, sister-in-law (guest).

Miss Barbara Bush and Jay Blount (guest).

Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, and Columba Bush.

Elizabeth L. Cheney and Philip J. Perry, partner, Latham & Watkins.

Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynne V. Cheney.

James Click, president, Jim Click Ford, Inc., and Carrie Click (daughter).

John Danilovich, CEO, Millennium Challenge Corp., and Irene Danilovich.

Rohan De Silva, pianist.

Marta Domingo, wife of Maestro Placido Domingo.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

Donald L. Evans, CEO, Financial Services Forum, and Susan Evans.

William S. Farish, former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Sarah Farish.

Fred Fielding, counsel to the president, and Maria Fielding.

Brad Freeman, general partner, Freeman Spogli & Co.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Becky Gates.

Christopher Geidt, OBE, deputy private secretary to the queen.

Martin Gilbert, historian, and Esther Gilbert, London.

David Gregory, NBC News correspondent, and Beth Wilkinson (wife).

National security adviser Stephen J. Hadley and Mrs. Robert Hadley (mother).

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, host of “The View,” and Timothy Hasselbeck, professional football player.

Peter Hayes, principal private secretary to the secretary of state, United Kingdom.

Steven Holland, Reuters correspondent, and Lucie Holland.

Ray L. Hunt, chairman of the board, president and CEO, Hunt Consolidated, Inc., and Hunter L. Hunt, president, Hunt Power, L.P. (son).

Brig. Miles Hunt-Davis, KCVO CBE, private secretary to Prince Philip.

Robin Janvrin, KCVO, CB, private secretary to the queen.

Agriculture Secretary Michael O. Johanns and Stephanie Johanns.

Clay Johnson III, deputy director for management, Office of Management and Budget, and Anne S. Johnson, director, arts in embassies program, State Department.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and Patricia Kempthorne.

Richard D. Kinder, chairman and CEO, Kinder Morgan, Inc., and Nancy Kinder, president, Kinder Foundation.

Henry A. Kissinger, former secretary of state, and Nancy Kissinger.

Herbert V. Kohler, Jr., chairman and president, Kohler Co., and Natalie B. Kohler.

Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Tricia Lott.

David Manning, KCMG, British ambassador to the United States, and Catherine M. Manning.

Peyton Manning, professional football player, and Ashley Manning.

John Marion, honorary chairman, Sotheby’s North America, and Anne Marion.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.

Charles B. Moncrief and Kit Moncrief.

James W. Nantz III, CBS sportscaster, and Ann-Lorraine Nantz.

Joseph J. O’Donnell, CEO, Boston Culinary Group, and Katherine O’Donnell.

Gen. Peter Pace, USMC, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Lynne Pace.

Arnold Palmer, professional golfer, and Kathleen Palmer.

Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson and Wendy Paulson.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Paul Pelosi.

A. Jerrold Perenchio, chairman and CEO, Chartwell Partners, and Margie Perenchio.

Itzhak Perlman, violinist, and Toby Lynn Perlman.

Boone Pickens, BP Capital, LLC, and Madeleine Pickens.

Colin L. Powell, former secretary of state, and Alma Powell.

Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art, and Nancy Powell.

Nancy Reagan, former first lady.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Gene A. Washington, director of football operations, National Football League (guest).

Chief Justice John Roberts and Jane Sullivan Roberts.

Robin Roberts, ABC.

Penny Russell-Smith, LVO, press secretary to the queen.

Michael Sacco, president, Seafarers International Union, and Sophie Sacco.

Gerry Shaheen, group president, Caterpillar, and Pam Shaheen.

George P. Shultz, former secretary of state, and Charlotte Shultz.

Harold C. Simmons, chairman, Valhi Inc., and Annette Simmons.

White House press secretary Tony Snow and Jill Ellen Snow.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and Robert Spellings.

Surgeon Capt. David Swain, CVO RN, medical officer to the queen.

Robert Tuttle, U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Maria Tuttle.

Mark Vincent, brother to Mrs. Cheney, and Linda Vincent.

Richard Wolffe, Newsweek, and Paula Cuello (wife).

Today Senate Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy (D-VT) and ranking member Arlen Specter (R-PA) wrote Bradley Schlozman, asking that he cooperate with the committee’s investigation into U.S. attorney firings. You can read the letter here.

There are a number of reasons why congressional investigators would want to talk to Schlozman: his politicization of the hiring process when he was the deputy head of the Civil Rights Division, his efforts to squash career attorneys in the division who disagreed with him, and his rush to bring a group of voter fraud indictments just before the election when he was the U.S. Attorney for Kansas City. The committee, at least for now, appears mainly interested in Schlozman’s efforts to push voter fraud allegations. From the letter:

Recent news accounts have suggested that Todd Graves, the former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri and the person you succeeded as an interim United States Attorney, may have been on a list for replacement because of his refusal to endorse a lawsuit against the State of Missouri alleging voter fraud before the 2006 election. This is a lawsuit you approved while Acting Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and then filed soon after you were interim appointed as Mr. Graves- successor by Attorney General Gonzales. Several weeks ago, a federal judge ruled in favor of Missouri in that case, finding “no evidence” of major voter fraud in the state.

Full article at TPM

from United Press International

BEIJING, May 7 (UPI) — Chairman Mao Zedong’s Communism may have helped bury Confucianism in China, but the sage’s teachings are back in fashion there, thanks to a best’seller.

Professor Yu Dan’s book, “Insights on the Analects of Confucius,” has become a huge hit, if only because modern China — caught in its phenomenal economic growth — is able to find spiritual fulfillment in Yu’s book on the philosopher’s message of filial piety and moral righteousness.

“In the 21st century, our value system is changing; people are faced with a lot of confusion and choices,” the 42-year-old Beijing Normal University professor told The Los Angeles Times. “The classics are not just fossils. They are a value system that can help us find answers to modern-day problems.”

“Her success has a lot to do with the fact that modern China has an identity crisis and spiritual crisis,” Hong Huang, a cultural commentator, told the newspaper.

Even Chinese President Hu Jintao is advocating a “harmonious society,” based on the Confucian values of unity, morality and respect for authority.

The appeal of Yu’s book is that it has made Confucius’ collected teachings easier to understand. Her book has sold more than 3 million copies in four months, a Chinese publishing record.

By JEANNINE AVERSA, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON - A special panel has found that World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz broke bank rules in arranging a pay package and promotion for his girlfriend, a person familiar with the report said Monday.

Wolfowitz was presented with the findings by the special bank panel investigating his handling of the 2005 promotion and pay raise of bank employee Shaha Riza.

The report was not made public, but the person familiar with its findings confirmed that violations were cited but did not provide any details. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the report has not yet been released.

World Bank officials were bracing for a finding that Wolfowitz may have breached conflict of interest rules in arranging the pay package for Riza.

The controversy over Riza’s pay package has spurred calls for Wolfowitz’ resignation. He is fighting to hold onto his job.

The special panel, which has been meeting over the last several weeks, met again Monday and has sent a report of its findings to Wolfowitz, according to people familiar with the probe. Wolfowitz will be given a chance to weigh in before the report is forwarded to the bank’s board, those people said.

Wolfowitz’ attorney, Robert Bennett, said his client was being given 48 hours to respond, which he called “unreasonable and unfair,” and said they had requested to have until next Monday.

read more at YAHOO! NEWS

Commander Guy is still looking for a “War Czar.” Hadley says, now that they have a plan, they need someone to execute it. Ahhhhhh…… isn’t that what the military leaders are for?? The Secretary of Defense? I mean really…..how did we get through all the other wars without a “war czar?” Sounds like a fall guy to me. No wonder no one wants the job. And why is Newt Gingrich quoted in this article? Who gives a flying fuck what he thinks????

WASHINGTON - Now that the White House is searching for a “war czar,” it raises the question of who has been coordinating U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan the past four years.

A team of West Wing players led by national security adviser Stephen Hadley has tried to keep turf-conscious agencies marching in the same direction on military, political and reconstruction fronts.

A few Bush aides say privately, however, that the White House probably should have recruited someone to oversee the war effort a year ago.

Critics say the administration’s job of coordinating the war has never gone smooth enough or fast enough. And now two key members of the White House team focused on the war are leaving - Meghan O’Sullivan, who handled day-to-day coordination of Iraq, and Hadley’s deputy, J.D. Crouch.

“The problem is not broad strategy and policy, it’s that the bureaucracy is so inefficient and there’s been so little follow-up that the machine doesn’t work,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said.

The new job comes as Bush’s combat troop buildup is trying to bring a degree of calm in Iraq so rebuilding can take root.

“We’re at a point now where we’ve got a plan,” Hadley said. “Execution of that plan is now everything.”

More at the Houston Chronicle

Ahhhh the Saudis aren’t going to like this.

BAGHDAD - The mosque of Imam Kadhim, the most revered Shiite shrine in Baghdad, is a tempting target for Sunni insurgents. To protect it, Iraqi and U.S. troops rely on the Mahdi Army, the same Shiite militia that Washington considers a threat to Iraq’s stability.

That cuts to the heart of a dilemma for the U.S. military three months into the campaign to pacify Baghdad: whether to risk fierce battles by confronting Shiite militiamen blamed for massacring Sunnis or to deal with “moderates” in the Mahdi Army - which the U.S. believes receives weapons and training from Iran.

In Kazimiyah, a densely packed neighborhood of wooden shops and cheap hotels for Shiite pilgrims, the Americans and their Iraqi partners have opted for militia help to protect the shimmering, blue-domed shrine.

More at YahooNews

He’s leaving us high and dry……or not.

From KCKB

GREENSBURG, Kan. (AP) — The rebuilding effort in tornado-ravaged Greensburg, Kansas, likely will be hampered because some much-needed equipment is in Iraq, said that state’s governor.
Governor Kathleen Sebelius said much of the National Guard equipment usually positioned around the state to respond to emergencies is gone. She said not having immediate access to things like tents, trucks and semitrailers will really handicap the rebuilding effort.

The Greensburg administrator estimated that 95 percent of the town of 1500 was destroyed by Friday’s tornado.

The Kansas National Guard has about 40 percent of the equipment it is allotted because much of it has been sent to Iraq.

Greensburg residents will be allowed to return Monday morning to recover what they can. They will be bused in and must leave by 6 p-m.