The stigma of the smart kid (5X8 – 3/7/13)
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Do gifted learners get enough attention, the 86-year-old face of voter fraud, people swamped in rising economic tide, what's it like to know a drone is looking for you, and when can same-sex couples kiss in public?
1) DO GIFTED LEARNERS GET ENOUGH ATTENTION?
Gifted students aren't getting the attention in school that struggling students are getting, a University of North Dakota grad student argues. The Grand Forks Herald reports on more than 200 dissertations on display at an event this week, including Yee Han Chu's
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A problem, she said, is that many people characterize gifted students as being the children of affluent parents, so the family can seek specialized learning on their own.
"There's a stereotype that the smart are rich," she said. "But that's not always the case. And, you can be gifted in domains that don't lead to economic success.
"I am particularly concerned about how families that don't have a privileged background are going to be able to get special learning for their gifted children."
Another concern about gifted students isn't scholarly.
"People understand the needs of students who have learning disabilities," she said. "But they don't understand that gifted kids can get bullied, called nerds and laughed at. This can cause kids to hide some of their talent and not reach their potential.
In her dissertation, she says 63 percent of teachers say they prioritize needs of lower-achieving students while only 7 percent say they prioritize higher-ability students.
2) THE NEW FACE OF VOTER FRAUD
When you hear about voter fraud in Minnesota, what sort of face pops into your mind? Hold that while you read the Mankato Free Press' story today about a woman who's been charged with voter fraud.
Margaret Schneider is 86, she has Parkinson's, some dementia, and can't get around very well. She also voted twice in an election last year, once by absentee ballot, and once at the poll place.
"It had been awhile and I didn't even remember," Schneider said. "I was shocked to death because I thought my absentee ballot was for the president."
Schneider's daughter, Eva Moore, signed the absentee ballot as a witness.
In most cases, she also would have given her mother a ride to her polling place during the Aug. 14 primary election. The weather was nice that day, however, and the polling place close to Schneider's apartment, so Schneider walked up to vote on her own.
Sandland's report pointed out that the letters "A.B." were next to Schneider's name in the voter roster book. Those letters show that an absentee ballot already had been cast, so Moore is wondering why the election judge didn't stop Schneider before she signed the book and voted.
"That's what I told Travis when he told us about this," Moore said. "Who is in the wrong? The election judges for not checking or my mom?"
Schneider agreed."I think if I'm convicted, they should be convicted too. They knew I had voted already, so they shouldn't have let me vote."
Under Minnesota law, authorities have no discretion in a case like this. The person has to be prosecuted. Schneider appears in court next month, charged with a felony.
3) PEOPLE SWAMPED IN ECONOMIC RISING TIDE
People are making money again in the economy. Some people, anyway. The "business" news has fascinating stories, but when you put them all together, they paint a puzzling picture of what's going on and leave the obvious question: What's going on?
Here are today's:
Job Gains, Stronger Economy Boosting Stock Markets (CNBC)
Employers in U.S. Delay Filling Jobs to Pre-Recession Level (Bloomberg)
Minnesota homelessness up 6 percent. (MPR)
Discuss.
Sen. Rand Paul has ended his filibuster over the refusal of the nominee for CIA director to rule out using drones to kill Americans on U.S. soil if need be.
What's it like to be underneath a drone that's hunting for you? Jere Van Dyk, a CBS terrorism consultant, considers why drones flying above you inflicts mental torture.
Related: The Pentagon knew about, and helped fund, Iraqi torture centers. (The Guardian)
A California TV station went undercover to learn that heterosexuals are not kicked out of shopping malls for kissing a partner.
That's not the way it was for a
heterosexual
homosexual couple who were bounced for kissing. On its Facebook page, the shopping mall said their policy of not allowing sexually explicit conduct.
(h/t: Julia Schrenkler)
Bonus I: A man, an RC airplane, a camera, and a really great river.
St. Croix River in Winter - RC Aerial from Pupsocket on Vimeo.
Bonus II: Canadian folk singer Stompin' Tom Connors has died. In Canada, you can't get within a mile of a hockey rink without hearing his contribution.
Bonus III: Storm aftermath photos that will make you look for higher ground. (Wired.com)
TODAY'S QUESTION
Minnesota lawmakers are considering two competing bills that aim to reduce gun violence. One significant difference between the two bills is a requirement for all who purchase guns in the state to undergo a background check. Today's Question: Should a universal background check be part of gun violence legislation?
WHAT WE'RE DOING
Daily Circuit (9-12 p.m.) - First hour: President Obama's changing principles on matters of secrecy and executive privilege.
Second hour: Alzheimer's and finances
Third hour: Has the family leave act worked?
MPR News Presents (12-1 pm): Scientist Jared Diamond on his newest book, "The World Until Yesterday." He examines what traditional societies can teach us about aging, child-rearing, conflict resolution and other human conditions
Talk of the Nation (1-2 p.m.) - TBA
All Things Considered (3-6:30 p.m.) - -- A Department of Employment and Economic Development report today is expected to say that some of the fear of coming a skills gap in Minnesota has been exaggerated by bad data. MPR's Tom Robertson will report.
Tom Crann will focus on The Wilder Foundation's new numbers on homelessness in Minnesota today, as advocates are pushing for the Youth Homelessness Act at the State Capitol. He'll visit Safe House, a shelter in St. Paul, for a snapshot of youth homelessness.
President Obama will sign the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act today. Among other things, the law allows tribal courts to prosecute nontribal members for domestic-partner violence. MPR's Conrad Wilson will have the story.