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Et Cetera …

Will new system work?

Fairmont Area Schools has implemented standards-based grading in its seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms. The idea is to put a focus on student mastery of skills.

Part of the plan is to get students more involved and accountable for their learning.

Standards-based grading also considers what a student knows at the end of a given period of time, rather than penalizing them for what they didn’t know at the beginning.

Will this work better than giving grades? We’ll see. The most important thing is that students actually master knowledge so they are ready for the next academic challenge.

Franken did right thing

U.S. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota is stepping away from the Senate in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations. Franken may have been able to stay in the Senate had not the accusations kept piling up, even though he says some of the charges are untrue.

But Franken himself acknowledges some are true, a fact that undermines the trust Minnesotans have placed in him. We know Franken says there are others in politics who should likewise be scrutinized. That’s true, but does not diminish his actions, nor the need for him to resign.

No way to run things

President Trump has signed a spending bill to keep the federal government running through Dec. 22. These short-term Band-Aids on the federal budget have become the new norm in Washington, where a deep partisan divide keeps Republicans and Democrats from reaching any kind of broader agreements.

So, yes, our already out-of-control federal government is acting even crazier as it tries to confront its fiscal problems. If there is any comfort it is that “crazy” is never sustainable. There will come a day of reckoning when the feds have to get their financial house in order.

CREST has new home

We extend our congratulations to CREST of Fairmont on its move to new offices located at 820 Winnebago Ave. CREST is a great organization that assists people through volunteering to help with physical, social or spiritual needs. It also provides information to those it helps, as well as to the general public.

The organization had been using space at Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center, but changes there helped prompt the move. We hope those interested in helping CREST will stop by to learn more and consider volunteering.

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