
When ignorance and violence are permitted to trump justice
0 Comments
/
This week marks the 65th anniversary of the murder of Emmett Till, a 14-year old black boy from Chicago who was killed by two white Mississippians for whistling in the presence of a white woman.

Should the federal government provide free, universal child care?
Free, universal child care provided by the federal government would be contrary to the spirit of the Founders’ view of K-12 education as the constitutional domain of state and local governments.

Education tax credit programs extend choice to families who can’t afford private schools or to move to a tony community
Thanks to the Supreme Court’s Espinoza ruling, many more students can reap the benefits of school choice

The Virtual Lessons Catholic Schools Can Teach
This op-ed originally appeared in The Boston Pilot.
By Tom…

Sensible police reform includes changing ‘qualified immunity’ laws
Even in a time of painful divisions in our country, there is little doubt among people of good faith that what Derek Chauvin and three other former Minneapolis police officers did to George Floyd was criminal. If they are indeed convicted of a felony, how is it that the former officers could very well be immune from civil liability?

Combatting COVID-19: Life in the MGH Emergency Room
Join host Joe Selvaggi and Pioneer Senior Fellow Josh Archambault as they talk with Dr. David King about the experience of being in emergent care during a pandemic and lockdown. They explore the challenges of coping with a poorly understood virus during a lockdown, all while continuing to serve the sick.

Easthampton High Scores A National Educational Victory During The COVID-19 Pandemic
This spring, Massachusetts’ Easthampton High School was crowned national champion in the “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” contest. The competition brings together about 1,200 students from across the country to answer civics questions based on America’s Founding Documents including the U.S. Constitution; The Federalist Papers; and U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

Mass. schools must recommit to knowledge-based curriculum
The Bay State’s leadership role has continued into the current century. Massachusetts made tremendous strides in the years following passage of a landmark 1993 education reform law. But it has been backsliding since 2010, when it adopted weaker English and math standards known as Common Core. To get back on track, Massachusetts must reform its school- and district-level curriculum to emphasize imparting a shared body of background knowledge and social commitment to students in all ZIP codes.

In The Era Of COVID-19, Mass. Needs To Get Long-Term Care Right
This op-ed originally appeared in WGBH News.
In much of the…

Students still need to learn during the coronavirus pandemic
This op-ed appeared in The Boston Globe on March 31, 2020.
State…

Congress should fix aid, provide block grants
This op-ed by Greg Sullivan and Charlie Chieppo appeared in the…

Why Are We So Scared And Impatient?
This op-ed by Barbara Anthony appeared in WGBH News on March…

Baker needs to expand telehealth further
This op-ed appeared in Commonwealth magazine on March 25th, 2020.
Coronavirus…

Don’t mess with success of voc-tech high schools
For more than 25 years, Massachusetts vocational-technical high schools have done everything state officials have asked of them. Instead of moving the goal posts by compelling them to switch to a lottery system, we should expand the schools.

A Well-Deserved Glimmer of Hope for Massachusetts Catholic Schools
Enrollment in Archdiocese of Boston schools has increased by about 4,000 students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combine that with a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court case that makes it easier to support the schools and it adds up to a well-deserved glimmer of hope for Catholic schools that have fallen on hard times despite their outstanding performance.

Employers should offer commuter benefits to employees
There is no single solution to solve our traffic congestion crisis, but offering employees commuter benefits programs, which bring economic and environmental benefits, among others, can help.

Dynamic pricing for the Expressway
By Jim Stergios & Conrad Crawford
Published in The Boston…

When The Commonwealth Pays The Education Bill, It Should Get A School Committee Say
Local education officials were up in arms earlier this year when Pioneer Institute proposed giving the Commonwealth the power to appoint some school committee seats in urban districts that are mostly state-funded. It would be hard to imagine a better example of why we need to adopt that reform than the current mess in Fall River.

Education business ruled by teachers’ unions truly terrifying
This op-ed originally appeared in The Worcester Telegram &…

An easy transportation fix? Commuter benefits
This op-ed appeared in The Boston Business Journal on October…

Dimming the state’s literary light
September marks Johnson’s 310th birthday. His A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) used 114,000 timeless quotations to help define 42,000 words, making it among the most famous dictionaries in human history.

Tackling equity at Boston’s exam schools
By Jim Stergios August 2, 2019
This spring, The New York Times…

Melville readies students for rough seas ahead
Read this op-ed in The Berkshire Eagle, The Salem News, and The…

The Supreme Court Is Set To Decide Whether Religious Kids Are Allowed A Good Education
Thanks to Kendra Espinoza, a determined Montana mom, the U.S. Supreme Court will take up and hopefully strike down the infamous legacy of state Know-Nothing and Blaine amendments. From Massachusetts to Michigan and across the nation, this case has the potential to overturn a century and a half of state constitutional discrimination against religious families and their quest for the most suitable and effective education for their children.

Boston companies can partner with public universities to create fintech skills pipeline
Read this op-ed in the Boston Business Journal.
Financial…

Report: Rare Disease Patients Hurt by “One-Size-Fits-All” ICER Framework
This op-ed appeared in ICERWatch on June 26, 2019.
The Institute…

Denying students the opportunity to study classic works of literature leads to a culture of mediocrity
This op-ed appeared in The Springfield Republican and The Lowell…

More students, employers need to benefit from voc-tech schools’ winning formula
This op-ed appeared in Commonwealth Magazine and New Bedford…

Putting a Price on Life: The Coming Fight Over Government Rationing of Medical Care
This article appeared on The Mackinac Center for Public Policy…

The Mass. Pike is in for some massive disruption. Are we ready?
The Boston Globe
By Mary Connaughton and Jim Aloisi
May…