Dean at M.I.T. Resigns, Ending a 28-Year Lie

Marilee Jones, 55, originally from Albany, had on various occasions represented herself as having degrees from three institutions: Albany Medical College, Union College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In fact, she had no degrees from any of those places, or anywhere else, MIT officials said.

I continue to be amazed at the attitudes that come out when something like this happens.

"something she did long ago came back and trumped [the good she did]” said Leslie Perelman, director of the program in writing and humanistic studies

No, it's not someTHING she did "long ago." It's a pattern of lies stretching across 28 years. Every time she signed a letter with her "degrees" (which is quite common for directors of admissions) she was committing fraud. I am sure the back cover of the book she co-authored prominently features her "degrees."

I am not normally pro-litigation, but I hope every student who got turned down from MIT since she became dean in 1997 sues the school.

Software Has No Effect on K-12 Performance

Going high-tech doesn't lead to higher math and reading scores, according to a federal study. The study on the effectiveness of education technology was released by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, a research arm of the US Department of Education. The study found achievement scores were no higher in classrooms using reading and math software products than in classrooms without the new products.

Researchers looked at elementary and secondary classes in 132 schools. The teachers that participated used more than a dozen software products to help deliver their lessons. Nearly all the teachers received training on the products and believed they were well prepared to use the technology in their classrooms. When asked whether they would use the products again, nearly all teachers indicated that they would. The report was based on schools and teachers not using the products in the previous school year. Whether products are more effective when teachers have more experience using them is being examined in a follow-up study. The report detailed the effectiveness of the products as a group and did not review the performance of particular programs.

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