Parent-teacher associations (PTAs), historically known for bake sales and other social events in support of local schools, are becoming a driving force in large-scale fundraising, school administration, and even state politics, reports the New York Times: Parent groups across the country, especially in affluent suburbs, are undergoing a kind of corporate makeover, combining members’ business […]
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit of two couples in Lexington, Massachusetts, who claimed the local public school district violated their constitutional rights by teaching their children about families headed by same-sex parents. The judge said in his decision (PDF link): Public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals
All women competitors will now receive the same prize money as their male peers in the Wimbledon Championships, the All England Club announced today. This leaves the French Open as the only tennis Grand Slam without prize equity throughout the tournament, although it offers the same money to the men’s and women’s champions. This is
(Minor spoilers below.) Shane is livin’ la vida loco parentis this week. Her nine-year-old brother Shay and his friend Jared got into a fight with some kids who teased them about their moms being gay. Shane goes with Jared’s mother Paige to meet with the school principal, and they argue that the school must teach
For an easy, non-toxic kids’ paint, try mixing a package of Kool-Aid with half the recommended amount of water. It paints like watercolor and smells nice, too. There are more complex recipes online for a thicker Kool-Aid paint, involving flour and oil, good for finger painting or potato stamping. I like the water-only version, however,
The team at the Queercents personal-finance blog has just announced the launch of a weekly tax-time series called Money Mondays: In ten weekly articles, Allison Einbinder will help LGBT readers navigate the intricate tax world with topics ranging from hiring a tax professional to planning for retirement. The articles aim to provide guidance with clear
Flashlights are natural kids’ toys. I’ve never known a child not to be fascinated with the power of shining a spot on the wall. You can buy any number of character-branded ones, but I’ve found that plain but colorful 6″ AA plastic lights are just as attractive to kids. Here are a few activity ideas:
Since I mentioned cooking yesterday, here’s a recipe for Cardamon-Almond Biscotti. It’s based on the “Classic Biscotti” recipe from Joy of Cooking, but with quite a few flavor tweaks. I was inspired both by Shuna Fish Lydon’s Cardamon Chocolate Chunk Cookies (though I make no claims to her mastery of pastry) and by the great
The venerable paper had a number of articles of interest yesterday: “With One Word, Children’s Book Sets Off Uproar“: This year’s Newbery Medal-winning book, The Higher Power of Lucky, contains the word “scrotum” in it. It’s in reference to a dog who gets bitten on that rather tender piece of his anatomy, but some parents
The New York Times ran an article on Valentine’s Day about couples where one member is the predominant— and dominating—cook in the household. The story focuses on straight couples, but it made me laugh with recognition. I freely admit to being the “alpha chef” around our house. I think it’s less because of any hidden
