December 27, 1996 - President Clinton and a growing number of the nation's educators are calling for uniforms in public schools as a way to restore order to unruly classrooms. Supporters say uniforms improve learning and behavior. Opponents say a mandatory uniform policy can infringe on a childs right to public school education. There are only two public schools in Minnesota with uniforms, one in Minneapolis and one in Saint Paul. The Saint Paul school district recently adopted a policy allowing individual schools to adopt uniforms, if parents approve.
January 7, 1997 - While House members in WASHINGTON face the task of electing their SPEAKER amid an ethics controversy surrounding Newt Gingrich....state Representatives in St.Paul are expected to elect speaker-designate Phil Carruthers as their first order of business when they convene at Noon. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports...the shift of power in the state house isn't without its OWN set of controversies either: Irv Anderson, who ruled the House for three years, was deposed as Speaker when a deeply divided DFL state House majority voted in early November to replace him with speaker-designate Phil Carruthers. It was a narrow vote of 37-to-33 that exposed wounds inflicted on Anderson by DFL-ers and Republicans alike who've criticized his leadership style by calling it "good ol
January 15, 1997 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on the debate over potential removal of the children’s book series “Goosebumps” in some Minnesota school libraries, including titles such as “The Horror at Camp Jellyjam.” The Goosebumps debate began last Spring at Johnsville Elementary School in Blaine.
January 16, 1997 - MPR’s John Rabe calls various students (MPR employees' kids) at home to see if they are reading, per Governor Carlson’s guidance, who ordered kids to read books today and report back on their reading in school tomorrow.
January 16, 1997 - One estimate places the number of homeless teenagers in Minneapolis at well over 1500. There's room for several dozen at emergency shelters, while many others find a temporary place to stay with friends or relatives. Others live in cars or vacant buildings before they move on. Youth advocates say homeless teens need permanent housing before they can begin getting their lives back together. A refurbished apartment building opened in Minneapolis recently with 30 units of permanent housing for homeless young people. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports. Stereotypes of homeless teenagers melt away on meeting 'Amy'. Wearing a new flannel shirt and blue jeans, the self confident sixteen year old could just as easily be class president instead of a teenager who's been on the move for two years.
January 20, 1997 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire profiles Seed Academy and Harvest Preparatory School, an African American private school in North Minneapolis. The school began in 1985 as a pre-school program in its founders' house. Ten years later there are 300 students enrolled in pre-school through sixth grade.
January 21, 1997 - The state legislative auditor says the cost of special education is going up fast in Minnesota -- almost twice as fast as the cost of general K-12 schooling. The finding is part of a report released today (Tuesday) that has many legislators worried that special education may soon become too expensive for the state to bear... but as Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports, legislators aren't sure what to do about it: Minnesota schools spent 1-point-1 Billion (B) dollars on special education students in 1995... that's about 21 percent of their total budgets. On a student-by-student basis, that works out to about 12-thousand dollars a year. Non-special ed students cost less than 6 thousand dollars a year. The numbers are impressive, but not particularly surprising to the legislators who appropriate the money being spent. Senate K-12 Budget committee
January 22, 1997 - At least three school districts in southwestern Minnnesota are NOT sending kids home this afternoon because of blizzard conditions. School officials say it's too dangerous to have kids driving home or riding in buses, so they'll sleep over at school. Arnold Prince is Superintendent of the Belview-Danube-Renville-Scared Heart School district. Arnold Prince is Superintendent of the Belview-Danube-Renville-Scared Heart School district. His district is keeping kids overnight, as are the Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian and Gibbon-Fairfax-Wintrop districts. Sun 28-MAY 20:58:32 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
January 23, 1997 - Midday looks at education funding in Minnesota. Studio guests are DFL Representative Becky Kelso of Shakopee, who is chair of the K-12 Budget Committee in the House; and Republican State Senator Gen Olson of Minnetrista, who is a member of the Senate K-12 Budget Division. Kelso and Olson share their views on funding and also answer listener questions.
January 27, 1997 - THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES'S MONOPOLY INTERNET PROVIDER HAS LAUNCHED A SERVICE ON TO CENSOR SITES THAT BREACH 'LOCAL MORAL VALUES AND TRADITIONS.' THE MOVE FOLLOWS REPEATED CALLS TO REGULATE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET IN THE CONSERVATIVE GULF REGION, WHERE MOST WOMEN ARE VEILED, MAGAZINE PICTURES REVEALING CLEAVAGE OR BARE LEGS ARE BLACKED OUT AND QUE