Texas Kindergartner Suspended Over Hair Design

The San Antonio Express-News (4/30, LaCoste-Caputo) reports that a five-year-old at Walzem Elementary School "was suspended this week because of a swirl design cut into his closely cropped hair." Principal Laura Huggins "noticed the design" as kindergartner Tyran Miller "was getting out of his mom's car Monday morning." The school gave Tyran's mother "the option of shaving [the child's] head or keeping him home until his hair grew out. If she sent him to school, she was told, he'd be in in-school suspension until the symbol was gone." The Express News notes that the North East Independent School District's policy does not "specifically address hairstyles for elementary students other than to say parents are strongly urged to enforce moderate hairstyles and high standards of dress." But Huggins said that Walzam administrators have "been cracking down" on "unusual hairstyles."

Study: Kindle may increase engagement with texts

To help children become better readers, a Kansas State University professor thinks they may need to spend less time with their noses stuck in books. Lotta Larson, an assistant professor of elementary education, is finding that electronic readers allow children to interact with texts in ways they don't interact with the printed word.

Since fall 2009, Larson has been using the Amazon Kindle in her work with a pair of second-graders. The e-reader has features that make the text audible, increase or decrease font size and let readers make notes about the book. "It's interesting to see the kinds of things these kids have been able to do," Larson said.

She said the ideal outcome would be for teachers to improve reading instruction by tailoring it to each student. Tests already have shown improvement in the students' perceptions of their own reading ability. Larson said the next step would be to gather quantitative data on how reading scores are affected.

Larson will present the work April 25-28 at the International Reading Association Conference in Chicago. She's also talking with middle school teachers about how downloadable e-books might appeal to young teen boys who are reluctant readers. Read more at ScienceDaily
online.

George Washington owes large library fine

Just after National Library Week:

Way back on October 5, 1789, George Washington borrowed two books from a New York City library. Checked out simply under the name "President," the books were never returned. To learn more, read Saeed Ahmed's CNN.com article.