News:
Heroes & Zeroes

Before he left office in January, President Bill Clinton awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal to Don Cameron, who served as NEA executive director from 1983 to 2000. The medal is bestowed on citizens who have performed "exemplary deeds of service" to the nation.

Cameron, who saw NEA membership double during his term to 2.6 million members, "has been a pioneer, a visionary, and a strong voice for education since his earliest days in the classroom," says NEA President Bob Chase.

Funny thing: When Plainfield reopened its 14 campuses on January 2, neighboring South Plainfield's six schools were still closed. That shortsighted district, you see, pays a contractor, Sodexho Marriott Services, to operate its custodial and maintenance operations.

You can buy school "services," but can you ever really buy dedication?

Nowadays, the governor reads to children during the Read Across America celebration and keeps 'em coming back to Indianapolis. O'Bannon--soon to chair the National Education Goals Panel--invited all Indiana fourth graders to recent Inauguration Day ceremonies, and 25,000 of them showed up!