Blog 3 Columns

Revered College President Explains What Parents Miss in Preparing Their Children for College 0
- Culture
- August 14, 2018
Packing up the car and taking a kid to college is always hard. Mom holds back tears and worries about the health of her “baby.” Dad checks and rechecks to make sure Johnny has what he needs and knows who to contact if he doesn’t. And then the goodbyes are said and Johnny is left
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A Night Enforcing Immigration Laws on the US-Mexico Border 0
- International
- August 14, 2018
Since the beginning of his presidential campaign, the U.S.-Mexico border has been a focus of Donald Trump’s anger and political appeal. That border is where more than 18,500 of the country’s 19,437 Border Patrol agents work, trying to stop people from crossing illegally into the U.S. For all the heat and headlines around this border,
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Why a Nation in Turmoil Must Choose Civility 0
- History
- August 13, 2018
In 1961, I participated in what one newspaper in Richmond, Virginia, called “one of the most ambitious experiments in race-mixing the South had seen.” With the nation in turmoil, 25 other black students and I helped integrate an all-white junior high school. Outside the school, we faced angry crowds determined to prevent us from getting
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I Spent a Week Teaching High School Kids How Government Works. Here’s What I Discovered.0
- Education
- August 13, 2018
I spent the past week at a camp teaching teens about the legislative process. Among other things, the teens learned about American history, government, and worldview, while also role-playing as senators, representatives, and media. The week ended with a final debate on the house floor of the Minnesota Capitol. Here are five interesting things I
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Climate Change is Not a Pressing Concern for People. Why?1
- International
- August 13, 2018
In a recent interview with the Vatican News service, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore again claimed “the climate crisis is now the biggest existential challenge humanity has ever faced.” Gore boasted, “I have been fortunate to be able to pour every ounce of energy I have into efforts to contribute to the solution to his crisis.” Ironically,
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A Psychologist Explains the 4 Things Gambling Does to Your Brain 4
- Culture
- August 13, 2018
To call gambling a “game of chance” evokes fun, random luck and a sense of collective engagement. These playful connotations may be part of why almost 80 percent of American adults gamble at some point in their lifetime. When I ask my psychology students why they think people gamble, the most frequent suggestions are for
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A Doctor Explains His Prescription for Happiness 0
- Culture
- August 13, 2018
I was working with a little eight-year-old girl on an assignment the other day when she stopped, looked at me curiously and asked, “Why are you always smiling?” Her inquiry took me by surprise. To be honest, I was tired and still recovering from illness, and didn’t perceive myself as being in the best of
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The Trend Suggesting Millennials are Feeling Their Childless Void 0
- Culture
- August 10, 2018
Millennials take a lot of heat for things. They’re rude, we’re told. They’re over-sensitive. They’re irresponsible. They can’t adult. Or so everyone says. But it’s time to take heart because they are excelling in something. According to The Economist, that something is the care of… houseplants: “Interest in houseplants as measured by internet search data
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Should Parents Have the Right to Choose a Safe School?0
- Culture
- August 10, 2018
As back-to-school time approaches, parents are bracing for school-related trauma. The threat of bullying, violence, school shootings, and mental health maladies looms large as a new school year emerges. A 2018 PDK poll found that one-third of parents are concerned about their child’s safety at school, a sharp jump in recent years. And it’s not just peer
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Revered College President Explains What Parents Miss in Preparing Their Children for College 0