Book Review
Is the middle class dead and gone forever?
In framing the book, Dickerson puts the spotlight on her own parents, who did break into the middle class, where Dickerson finds herself today.
Education
Guest essay: Swarthmore vs its Jewish students
This is an open letter to the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College, from Benjamin Schwartz, class of 2006, concerning anti-Semitism on campus. To Swarthmore's Board of Managers: A year ago I wrote a letter to my children. I needed to explain to them what was happening because
Education
Monkeyshines at U Penn
You’ve got to wonder about “science” that puts its weight behind an experiment to determine if monkeys looking at pictures of candidates can predict an election’s outcome. A story carried in the Daily Mail says the idea may seem ludicrous, but . . . No, stop right there. It is ludicrous
Education
4 things academics do that help Donald Trump
I once again turn this space over to a liberal academic, who does not adhere to Leftist orthodoxy. By Jonathan Zimmerman News flash: People who teach at universities don’t like Donald Trump. And the feeling is mutual. Indeed, Trump has made university-bashing a centerpiece of his campaign to retake
Education
Stats show the Philly soda tax was a fizzle
There it was, on Page One of the Inquirer’s local section, the unsurprising headline: “Philly tops in cities that saw beverage sales drop with soda tax.” Other soda-tax cities reported similar results. Not surprising because anyone who has mastered Economics 101 knows that the more heavily an item is
Education
Viewing collegiate anti-Semitism as new history
Journalism is the first draft of history, they say. Written fast, with deadlines bearing down on the reporter, those drafts are incomplete at best, deeply flawed at worst. Having been on vacation when the presidents of three elite universities were grilled by congress, I did not write about the first
Politics
DeSantis goes on the offense in Red-Blue debate
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSanctis came swinging against Democratic California Gov. Gaven Newsom, but did not muss his well-lubricated hair. It was called the Red State-Blue State debate, and it pretty much was that. Moderator Sean Hannity was generally fair, but his choice of topics — hammering abortion, for instance — reflected
Education
Americans’ low opinion of higher education
For as long as I can remember, especially for the low-to-middle class, a college education was believed to be the golden key that would open the gates to a rich, fulfilling, and financially secure life. Gallup has just knocked the legs out from under that belief, with research that reports
Education
What price are we willing to pay for diversity?
If I were on the U.S. Supreme Court -- never an ambition of mine -- I would allow race, among many other factors, to be considered for college admission, or a job, or anything else. I might also take into account religion, region of the country, age, gender, and
Education
How the racist School District killed a good school
The diversity chickens are coming home to roost and diversity is destroying quality at Philadelphia’s top school — Julia R. Masterman. Using somewhat softer language, that is the conclusion of a group of Masterman parents who issued a 51-page report that begins this way: “The Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and
Education
Major complaints against DeSantis are BS
Did the Union League get a fair shake from protestors and most of the Philadelphia media? Don’t be shocked, but the answer is no. Ditto Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Personal disclosure: I have never been a member of the Union League, nor do I plan to become a member,
Education
The ”how” to free college
It’s hard for ne to think of a government program that raises more ire than President Joe Biden’s brainstorm to give away between $10,000-$50,000 to people who have voluntarily taken on debt, and who are so young to have contributed nothing to society. More on