Mario Koran
The Appeal
Wisconsin, United States
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Past articles by Mario:
Wisconsin’s ‘Constitutional Crisis’ Is Forcing People To Sit in Jail Without a Lawyer
At least two people have killed themselves in jail after waiting for more than a week to be appointed a lawyer. → Read More
The Learning Curve: The School Board Is Studying — But Doesn't Have to Accept — Election Reforms
Here's a rundown of the various changes to the election process the San Diego Unified school board is considering. Plus: a Supreme Court case could impact the local teachers union, and San Diego Unified claims bragging rights on test score improvements. → Read More
There’s Virtually No Such Thing as Voluntary Sex Work, Says DA
San Diego DA Summer Stephan, who's touted her experience combating sex trafficking as part of her re-election campaign, has said that women involved in sex work rarely choose it on their own volition. Other California prosecutors have begun to take the same approach. But Stephan’s opponent says that view is elitist. → Read More
New Contract in Hand, Teachers Question District Spending Priorities
San Diego teachers had billed a series of town halls as a chance to mobilize members in their quest for a new contract. A contract was signed hours before the first town hall kicked off, but teachers nonetheless sounded off on what they said was central office bloat and bureaucratic redundancies. → Read More
Two Lincoln High Critics Talked School Discipline With Ed Secretary Betsy DeVos
Nicole Stewart, a former vice principal at Lincoln, and Eileen Sofa, whose son was the victim of a suspected rape at the school, met with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to help inform her work on a new Federal Commission on School Safety, as the education secretary considers rolling back school discipline guidance issued in 2014. → Read More
The Learning Curve: 'Restorative Justice' Can Make Schools More Violent If Not Done Right
The DA vows to hold accountable students who make school threats, a review of discipline referrals in Minnesota raises questions about teacher biases and more in our biweekly roundup of education news. → Read More
The Learning Curve: School Choice Is Becoming Increasingly Polarized Under Trump
Students walk out of classrooms in support of gun control, two San Diego Unified board members are running for re-election unopposed and more in our biweekly roundup of education news. → Read More
Tormented by a Student's Sexual Assault, a Teacher Falls
A special education student was sexually assaulted by a classmate at Lincoln High. The victim's mother says she wasn't given the full story right away. The school's response tormented a teacher at the school. → Read More
The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified’s Disappearing Child Development Centers
Trustees ask the school district again about delayed public records requests, proponents of neighborhood schools have a new argument and more in our biweekly roundup of education news. → Read More
The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified Reverses Course, Stops Sending Parents to Collections
This week’s decision represents a change in tone by school board members, who defended the program in November. Last month, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher introduced legislation to stop the practice. → Read More
King-Chavez Community High School Faces Another Year of Mass Teacher Turnover
Turnover is such an issue that King-Chavez CEO Tim Wolf took the loss of seven educators, nearly a quarter of his staff, in one year as good news. After all, 14 teachers left midyear last school year. → Read More
Traffic Stop Reveals Keeping Immigration Enforcement Separate From Police May Be Impossible —
This summer, sheriff's deputies detained a couple, unauthorized to be in the United States. Then, Border Patrol showed up. If the sheriff's explanation of why is correct, it means federal agents could monitor information requests from local officers, and spring into action whenever they want. → Read More
San Diego Unified’s Mysterious Budget Thermometer, Explained —
Last year was a brutal one for budget cuts at San Diego Unified. The district had to carve $124 million from its budget. For next year, district leaders have said they need to shave $47 million more, though that amount is now expected to drop. District leaders could put on the chopping block a variety … → Read More
The Voice of Border Patrol Agents Tries to Keep His Head Straight as the World Changes —
Chris Harris encapsulates a host of contradictions. When the union representing Border Patrol agents, which he helps lead, endorsed now President Trump, Harris had misgivings. He’s married to a woman whose parents came to the country illegally, meaning they broke the same laws he’s now responsible for enforcing. → Read More
The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified Democrats Kill Election Reforms — for Now —
Gov. Jerry Brown wants to finish funding the Local Control Funding Formula two years ahead of schedule, a new study suggests charter schools are siphoning resources, and more in our biweekly roundup of education news. → Read More
The Year San Diego Unified Established Itself as the Agency Most Hostile to Transparency —
Over the last year, through outright denials or staggeringly slow responses to public records requests, refusals to discuss important decisions and misleading public statements, the district established itself as the public agency most hostile to transparency in San Diego. → Read More
The Learning Curve: Eight of the State's Most Segregated Schools Are in San Diego —
Eight schools in San Diego Unified make the list of the most racially segregated schools in the state. But there hasn’t exactly been a critical mass of parents pushing for more integrated schools. More often, parents who aren’t happy with their assigned neighborhood schools speak with their feet. → Read More
The Learning Curve: Imagining a World With No School Choice —
Advocates take aim at San Diego Unified's school bus collections policy, another hard look at graduation rates and more. → Read More
The Learning Curve: Imagining a World With No School Choice —
Advocates take aim at San Diego Unified's school bus collections policy, another hard look at graduation rates and more. → Read More
Despite School Bus Cutbacks, Transit Passes for Students Are a Nonstarter —
Other cities have successfully implemented programs that allow students free access to public transit to get to school. When the city and San Diego Unified tried it out, “it was a mess.” Despite slashes to San Diego Unified’s busing program, there are no plans to revive such a program. → Read More