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As Common Core testing gears up, rebels move to opt out
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While the numbers of rebels appear to be small, pockets of intense opposition to the new Common Core testing set to begin next month are percolating. - photo by Eric Schulzke
While the numbers of rebels appear to be small, pockets of intense opposition to the new Common Core testing set to begin next month are percolating.

In Louisiana, opt-out politics have some school districts on edge. School boards in Terrebonne and St. Tammany parishes are asking the state to allow them to opt out of the tests, in part because, as things stand, students whose parents do not allow them to take the tests will count as zeros for the high stakes accountability system.

"Those students who refuse to take the test would register a score of zero," The Times-Picayune reports. "So if lots of children 'opt out' of the assessment, their zeros could end up skewing the overall assessment results for their home school or district, said critics of the test. Schools that earn failing grades are more likely to be taken over by the state."

Gov. Bobby Jindal recently issued an executive order protecting parents who opt out, but schools would still be on the hook. Jindal has moved opposition to the Common Core to the front of his presidential campaign strategy, NBC News notes, which quotes him telling a conservative group that the new curriculum "involves the federal government in local decisions where the federal government has no business being."

In New Jersey, three school districts are allowing students to opt out, and even some who support the tests in the abstract are expressing concerns.

Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka is also urging for a rethink on the testing program.

"I stand in solidarity with their opposition to this regime of standardized testing and call upon the district to meet parental decisions to "opt-out" with educationally appropriate, not punitive responses, including alternative settings and activities wherever possible," Baraka said, according to an NJ.com report.

While actual numbers are hard to pinpoint, in parts of Ohio, opposition to the new tests is fierce, according the Cleveland Plain Dealer, with both parents and teachers involved. One 16-year veteran teacher used a forum on the tests to announce she was resigning at the end of the year because of overtesting.

I cant do it anymore, not in this drill em and kill em atmosphere, Stacie Starr told an assembled group of parents, the Chronicle-Telegram reported. I dont think anyone understands that in this environment if your child cannot quickly grasp material, study like a robot and pass all of these tests, they will not survive.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.