Forbes is not my go-to source for educational news and insight, but you get news and insight where you find it. In this case, it's from a 39-year-veteran high school English teacher, a fellow English teacher who outranks me by five years. I have to pay attention to what he says, right?

The headline asks, Is The Big Standardized Test A Big Standardized Flop? The answer, according to the writer, is yes, and teachers knew it when the testing craze began ramping up 20 years ago. The people who didn't catch on were leaders of the education reform/privatization movement. Now a few of them are beginning to.

The author cites the work of two conservative educational scholars, Jay Greene and Frederick Hess. Greene is head of the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas (If the "education reform" in the department title and Arkansas as the location aren't clues enough to Greene's conservative educational leanings, let me add for longtime followers of the Goldwater Institute and my posts, Matthew Ladner, ex-education guy at the Goldwater Institute and current senior research fellow at the Charles Koch Institute, has been a frequent contributor to Greene's blog.) Greene says, rightly, test scores aren't valuable in and of themselves. They are supposed to be predictors of success in students' future lives. The problem is, they're not very good at it.

If increasing test scores is a good indicator of improving later life outcomes, we should see roughly the same direction and magnitude in changes of scores and later outcomes in most rigorously identified studies. We do not.

And he goes further, saying test scores and VAM (Value Added Measurement) don't tell us much about the quality of the schools or the programs the students are enrolled in.

This is the year to vote education.

It's been the number one issue in the state for years. It's on everyone's minds and most candidates' lips. The decision voters make, whether to continue with the Republican-majority status quo or shift more power to Democrats, will be a major factor in deciding our children's present and future.

If you have patience enough and time, by all means look beyond education when you choose who to vote for. The more you know when you cast your ballot, the better. But after you take a deep dive into the candidates' positions, you're likely to find their approach to education is a reliable a indicator of where they stand on other important issues. Vote their positions on education, and you won't go far wrong.

Candidates who support a robust, fully funded system of public education are making a statement of principle which goes beyond schooling. "Public" is the key word. They want to provide a quality education for all the state's children, the whole K-through-college public, and probably pre-K as well, to give them the best shot at a bright future.

"Public" is also the key word when it comes to the same candidates' approach to the rest of government. They want state government to contribute to the well being of the general public, in the present and into the future. That means, among other things, supporting a well funded social services system, building and maintaining infrastructure and tending to the environment.

Candidates who are OK with education funding at levels low enough that the courts say they're unconstitutional aren't so keen on public education. Lots of them like to use the term "government schools" (FYI, that's supposed to be a bad thing) along with "failing schools" and "failing teachers" to describe our public education system. They heap praise on charter and private schools which educate 20 percent of the school-aged population and treat the schools educating 80 percent of children as an afterthought.

Candidates who disparage "government schools" think of the rest of government the same way, as a public irritant, not a public good. They want government to get out of the way so the free market can do what as it pleases. The less taxes, the less spending, the less meddling by the government in Arizona's affairs, the better.

The Annual Tucson Meet Yourself Folklife Festival celebrates 45 years and will take place on Oct. 12 to 14, running on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Pima County Library’s Jácome Plaza and adjacent blocks of Church Ave., Stone Ave. and Pennington Street.

Festival organizers say while food is often what draws the public to the festival, it’s the music, dance and folk arts that keep them there.

This year there will be 56 food booths for dishes $12 and under representing Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Peru, Russia, Somalia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Laos, Hawaii, New England, the U.S. South, and the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui people who are indigenous to the Sonoran Desert region.

“Many of our vendors come from churches, clubs, and community groups. They cook and sell food that represents their culture and tradition and absolutely love to share that with the public. The money they make they keep. We keep their costs low and assist them with the logistics and organization to be successful. TMY is the largest grassroots entrepreneurial event in Tucson,” said Maribel Alvarez, Program Director of Tucson Meet Yourself and Associate Dean of Community Engagement at the University of Arizona’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Tucson Meet Yourself is produced by the Southwest Folklife Alliance and presented by Casino del Sol Resort. Special partnerships with AIDSWALK Tucson, The Loft Cinema and Low Rider Show & Shine will be sharing culture and heritage of our region.

Join the fun at this free, three-day festival for all ages and enjoy the music, food, films, arts, cultures and much more!

Keep an eye out for our festival highlights blogs coming up on The Range up until the festival!

A three-foot pizza-slice costume hangs from Maria Eller’s neck, adorned with stickers that say “voter.” An organizer for NextGen, Eller and other volunteers with the liberal political advocacy group had a “Pizza and Polaroids” table at Pima Community College West Campus to get young people’s attention and, hopefully, to convince them to vote.

“I wore a pizza costume to get people’s attention. We’ve been stopping anyone and everyone so that I’d have a reputation on campus for being, ‘Oh, you’re that voting person,’” she said with a laugh. She hands out free pizza and snaps polaroids of students while talking to them about registering.

NextGen America was on 20 Arizona college campuses registering young people to vote on Sept. 25, National Voter Registration Day.

NextGen AZ, the Arizona branch, registered 31 people across all five PCC campuses along with gathering 40 pledges to vote, which mostly came from previously registered voters. The group also registered 50 people and got 20 pledges to vote on the University of Arizona campus.

Eller shares the organization’s passion for spreading political awareness and inspiring young people, age 18 to 35, to participate.

“This age group is the largest eligible voting block and the next generation of voters who are going to hold their elected officials accountable,” she said. “Our job here is to ensure students and young people know their votes and opinions matter.”

Eller said a good number of students approached them to ask questions about registering to vote and what they need to do come election day.
“The students on the Pima campus care about affordable healthcare, having gun safety so that they feel safe in their school, and they also care about education and the cost of college,” she said. “We’re really mobilizing young people to get out the vote around the issues they care about and to let them know what the power of their vote is.”

NextGen recently invested $3 million on their youth vote program, throughout Arizona, spending $480,000 on their digital ad campaign. Belen Sisa, a media manager for NextGen, helped organize an ad campaign focused on social media, in preparation for National Voter Registration Day.

“Andrew Gillum's huge victory in Florida, which was backed by NextGen America, proved that a good digital strategy can make all the difference in empowering young people and winning elections,” Sisa said. Gillum is the Democratic candidate for governor of Florida.

NextGen America Director Heather Hargreaves said young people often don’t realize that they have the power to “reshape the American political landscape.”

“A smart, targeted digital strategy will be the difference between young people heading to the polls or two more years of total Republican rule,” she said in a statement. “These ads show young Americans that the issues they are passionate about—access to healthcare, affordable education, racial justice—are all within reach if they show up on November 6th and demand them.”

Sisa said NextGen registered 322 people and gathered 326 pledge to vote cards from those aged 18 to 35 across the state.

NextGen AZ does not have any official events planned for the near future, but Sisa said they are going to be canvassing and maintaining their presence on college campuses to keep getting young people registered before the voter registration deadline on Oct. 9.

Special Collections at the University of Arizona Libraries will hold a panel titled ‘1968: A Closer Look at Its Impact’ on Tuesday, October 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This event will be a panel discussion where activists, musicians, teachers and writers explore the art, conflicts and everyday life of 1968. The discussion will include stories about what life was like in Tucson for women and people of color, some of the popular protest music and the impact that Edward Abbey’s autobiographic work published in 1968, “Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness” had on this country.

The panel members include Guadalupe Castillo, retired educator and community organizer, Gregory McNamee, author and adjunct lecturer for Eller College of Management, Ted Warmbrand, folk singer and storyteller and Barbea Williams, Artistic Director of Barbea Williams Performing Company and adjunct faculty for UA School of Dance.

So, what happened in 1968?

1. On January 23, North Korea captured the USS Pueblo which threatened to worsen Cold War tensions.
2. On January 30, North Vietnam launched the Tet Offensive against the United States and South Vietnam which signified the beginning of the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
3. On April 4, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
4. On June 5, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
5. On September 30, Boeing introduced the first 747 “Jumbo Jet” which was the world's largest passenger aircraft.
6. On October 16, two African American athletes took a stand at the Summer Olympics by staging a silent demonstration against racial discrimination in the United States.
7. On November 22, “Star Trek” aired American television's first interracial kiss.
8. On December 24, Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon. Jim Lovell, Bill Anders and Frank Borman became the first human beings to travel to the moon. 

Starting Oct. 4, the Tucson Humanities Festival will continue throughout the whole month of October. Events will be held all over Tucson including some events at the UA.

From professors, feminists, award-winning authors and many more, the Tucson Humanities Festival will provide a diverse group of guest speakers to present at this years event. The events throughout the month of October will consist of film screenings, readings, and thought-provoking lectures, according to UA News.

With its overarching theme being "secrets", it will pull participants in by forcing themselves to ask questions. Luckily for them, the intuitive events throughout the month will answer and explain the questions attendees may have. Secrets in others lives continue to be assets to their culture, beliefs and relationships. The continuous discussions will provide thoughts and insight to the reasoning behinds people's secret-filled lives.

Between faculty research and expertise on freedom, artistic expression, religion and diplomacy it is intended to create an open dialogue between UA and the Tucson community, according to UA News. The festival is held in honor of National Arts and Humanities month in the form of a local celebration. All events throughout the festival will be free to the public.

For more information click here.

Tucson Humanities Festival Schedule:

The 43rd annual Tucson Greek Festival will take place from Sept. 27 to Sept. 30 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. The event is a celebration of Greek faith and culture and raises funds for ministries of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church.

There will be authentic Greek food and pastries, a live Greek band with a DJ and dancers performing, assorted wine and beer and lots of family friendly activities.

The event will take place on Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday from 5-11 p.m., Saturday from 4-11 p.m. and Sunday from 12-5 p.m. $3 general admission. Admission will be free for Seniors, first responders, military and children 12 and under. Students with an ID will be free on Thursday. Come and get your Greek on for a few days!

20 Must-Try Classic Greek Dishes

1. Moussaka: oven-baked casserole of layered eggplant and spiced meat
2. Baklava: Greek pastry made with flaky phyllo dough layered with a cinnamon-spiced nut filling and bathed in sweet syrup
3. Horta Vrasta: boiled leafy greens
4. Chicken Soup Avgolemono: a traditional chicken soup
5. Tzatziki: creamy cucumber- yogurt dip flavored with garlic
6. Pastitsio: made with pasta, meat filling and a creamy bechamel sauce
7. Galaktoboureko: custard phyllo pie
8. Fassolatha: classic white bean soup
9. Spanakopita: spinach pie
10. Youvetsi: beef stew with orzo
11. Dolmathakia: stuffed grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts and fresh herbs
12. Taramosalata: carp roe spread
13. Fassolakia Lathera: green beans in tomato sauce
14. Melomakarona: honey walnut cookies
15. Pork Souvlaki: grilled pork skewers
16. Domates Yemistes: stuffed tomatoes with meat and rice
17. Tsoureki: Easter bread flavored with orange and Mahlab
18. Keftethes: meatballs
19. Kourabiethes: almond shortbread cookies
20. Tiropites: phyllo cheese triangles

Nancy MacLean will make two appearances at the University of Arizona Monday, Sept. 24. From 1:30-2:45 p.m., she will be at the UA Bookstore and will be available for an author signing after the event. From 6:30-8 p.m., she will give a book talk at the UA Student Union Memorial Center, Catalina and Tucson Rooms.

The full title of MacLean's recent book is Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for the United States. The book, which was a 2017 National Book Award finalist, puts well known right wing, libertarian figures like the Koch brothers into the context of a larger, sustained effort by billionaires, academics and political operatives to make fundamental changes to our economic and governmental systems.

It's among the best, most revelatory books I've read in recent years, deeply researched and well written. Though I didn't attend MacLean's appearance at Tucson Festival of Books in March, people who attended have said MacLean is an excellent speaker.

Stealth. That has been the watchword of the Koch brothers and their allies since they laid out their plan of attack on the country's political system some 40 years ago. Do all our work under cover of darkness, they decided. The other side won't know what hit them until it's too late.

True to its roots, the University of Arizona's Freedom Center, whose funders include the Kochs and members of the Koch network, prefers to avoid publicity whenever possible. It succeeded admirably when it managed to sneak the high school course, Phil 101: Ethics, Economy, and Entrepreneurship, into the TUSD curriculum. The school board had no idea the course was being taught at four of its district's high schools.

The course remained well below the TUSD board's radar throughout its first year, 2016-17, and into the second. That's when I got a tip about its existence and did some digging. In October I wrote about the course and its connections to the Freedom Center. Others in the media followed suit. The Freedom Center folks were not happy.

At a December meeting, the TUSD board decided to cancel the course at the end of the school year, though the members left the door open for putting it back into the curriculum at a later date. In July, the board took up the topic once again but tabled a vote on whether to reinstate the course. One reason was, the textbook, which was written by the same people who created the course, had not been properly authorized by the board.

Skip forward to the present. The district planned to have a 60 day public review of the textbook, which is standard operating procedure prior to authorization. The review was set to begin September 4, but the book's authors said they wouldn't allow the district to put a digital copy online, even though that's what most publishers do these days. That meant anyone wanting to take a look at the book had to go to a district office and sit there reading a hard copy.

TUSD responded by postponing the review until it can form a committee to evaluate the textbook.

The University of Arizona Cancer Center and Banner – University Medicine will educate the community about breast cancer risk in an outreach event on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 9 a.m. to noon in Building 2 at the UA Cancer Center – North Campus, 3838 N. Campbell Ave. The event is open to the public.

The presentation, titled “Are You at High Risk for Breast Cancer?” will cover a range of topics, including genetics, preventive surgery, risk reduction and clinical trials.

Personal risk counseling will be offered to all attendees who wish to participate. Visitors need no appointment to receive this assessment.

“Every woman with breasts has about a 12-percent chance of getting breast cancer at some point in her life,” said Beth High, M.S.N., breast oncology nurse navigator. “Plus, there are some specific risk factors that can affect that risk, some that you have control over, and some that you cannot control. For example, people have control over their lifestyle choices. Those who are overweight, drink more alcohol or don’t exercise may have an increased risk for developing breast cancer.”

While people can make the decision to drink less and exercise more, some risk factors are immutable.