Steven Davidoff Solomon writes for The New York Times, September 29, 2015
A civil war has erupted among shareholders as pension funds and mutual funds fight over what constitutes good governance.
Tax plan is classic Trump: Looks populist, but helps the rich
Alan Auerbach quoted in San Francisco Chronicle (registration required), September 28, 2015
The overall result of Trump’s plan, said Auerbach, “is sort of a bizarre hybrid between Obama’s plan and what Republicans want. It’s sort of Obama’s plan without the revenue.”
Oakland school district proposes greater mainstreaming of special education students
Stephen Rosenbaum quoted in Contra Costa Times, September 25, 2015
“From a parent standpoint, I understand … my child will be in a bigger classroom, they’ll drown in there, they won’t get the attention they need, all of those things come up,” Rosenbaum said. “If you don’t give any support to the teacher or a teacher’s aide, then it is a dump and pray situation, close your eyes and hope that this works.”
Pope Francis and the future of the death penalty
Elisabeth Semel interviewed by CNN.com, September 24, 2015
“I do not believe in prognostication,” she said in an interview. But she allowed that, “it is fair to say we may be approaching a crossroads based on signs from multiple sources,” including popular opinion, legislatures, policymakers and declining death sentences and executions.
Boxer, Californians fight parochial tag in reform battle
Claudia Polsky quoted in Environment & Energy Daily, September 24, 2015
Failing to allow states to take faster action only harms consumers and companies, which must manage harmful products that have improperly entered the marketplace, Polsky said. Restricting states in this way “was like building a hospital without an emergency room.”
Pope’s new saint: Hispanic founding father or enabler of Indian deaths?
Tony Platt quoted in The Sacramento Bee, September 22, 2015
“Even by the standards of the day Serra was more of a religious fanatic, and these missions were basically forced labor camps,” said Tony Platt. … “The canonization is an insult to native people and an insult to all of us in California, because Serra stands symbolically for the worst moments in the origins of this state,” he said.
The risk of a billion-dollar valuation in Silicon Valley
Steven Davidoff Solomon writes for The New York Times, September 22, 2015
Higher valuations create higher expectations, and failure to meet them can set off a downward spiral and a forced sale. In that event, the venture capitalists are paid first, leaving “unicorpses” in their wake and the founders with nothing.
Airlines’ privacy policies do little to protect consumers’ personal data
James Dempsey quoted in Los Angeles Times, Sept. 22, 2015
“Nobody thinks current practices represent adequate privacy protection for consumers,” said James Dempsey. … “Privacy policies are written to provide companies with maximum discretion about how they will use customer information.”
Edley: ‘Several missing pieces to the current batch of reforms’
Christopher Edley interviewed by EdSource, Sept. 22, 2015
“I am a huge supporter of Common Core. But I have not seen concerted attention to the schools and teachers serving poor kids to make sure they get the extra resources they need to implement the Common Core as effectively as it will be in affluent districts.”
UC Berkeley 1st college in US to publish electronic communications transparency report
Deirdre Mulligan quoted in The Daily Californian, Sept. 21, 2015
“It’s instrumentally important that universities be a part of a conversation,” said Deirdre Mulligan. … “It’s very useful for the university to be transparent.”