Katie baird

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Efforts boost college success for low-income and minority students

Contributing Writer

Published May 22nd, 2013 - 12:05AM

Critics of the United States like to single out our large disparities in life outcomes as evidence of our country’s moral failures. As disturbing as differences in income and wealth are, we Americans remain wedded to our foundational story: With hard work and a large dose of determination, even the poorest among us can climb the social ladder.

Praising math successes part of fostering big change

Contributing writer

Published April 24th, 2013 - 12:05AM

There’s an increasing drumbeat around making sure all high school students graduate with solid math skills.

Higher education is, to be blunt, exploiting its athletes

Contributing Writer

Published April 10th, 2013 - 12:05AM

When employers gain the lion’s share of the value created in the workplace, we commonly call this economic exploitation. Slavery is the extreme example, but exploitation can occur when workers gain something more than zero percent of what is produced.

As the US heads for inequality, much of the world progresses

Contributing Writer

Published March 27th, 2013 - 12:05AM

Two months ago, economists from around the world converged in San Diego for their annual convention. Dozens presented papers on the hot topic of growing income inequality in the United States.

That rising tide seems to be missing a lot of boats

Contributing Writer

Published March 14th, 2013 - 12:05AM

Another encouraging sign of slow economic recovery came last week from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It reported that nationwide, February experienced a net increase of 236,000 new jobs.

We can save much grief by getting ahead of social problems

Contributing Writer

Published February 27th, 2013 - 12:05AM

Each year as a nation, we spend more than $150 billion on research to find health-improving products. Such research has led to spectacular advancements in the health of those born prematurely or afflicted with heart disease, diabetes or cancer.

State’s future tuition program caught in conundrum

Contributing Writer

Published February 13th, 2013 - 12:05AM

Only make promises you can keep.

Congress needs to engage in some real tax reform

Contributing Writer

Published January 3rd, 2013 - 12:05AM

This week we avoided that plunge over the fiscal cliff. Not only did Democrats and Republicans reach a consensus that taxes must increase, but in a final dramatic hour they even agreed on the specifics.

Untreated mental illness raises the risk factors for violence

Contributing Writer

Published December 19th, 2012 - 12:05AM

The tragedy in Newtown, Conn., has many of us revisiting recent horrors where unstable citizens in our own communities committed the unspeakable crime of killing off-duty police officers, a sleeping father, a park ranger and far too many others. Yet even these senseless crimes pale in comparison with the terrifying violence visited last week on children at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Leaders need to take a long-term look at budget crisis

Contributing Writer

Published December 5th, 2012 - 12:05AM

As just about everyone knows, Republicans and Democrats are squaring off to decide whether to take the nation on a plunge over a so-called fiscal cliff – or come to a screeching halt at the rim by agreeing to sizable spending cuts and tax increases.

It’s unfair to group the ‘welfare state’ into single lump

Contributing Writer

Published November 22nd, 2012 - 12:05AM

Often, holiday meals like those at my house consist of a range of separate contributions which collectively add up to the Thanksgiving dinner. As we sit down to partake of the varied assortment of dishes, no one would think of criticizing the turkey because the mushroom soup dish contained more fried onion rings than green beans, or because someone insisted on adding a bag of marshmallows to the sweet potatoes.

Misguided drug polices can create tragic, unintended consequences

Contributing Writer

Published November 8th, 2012 - 12:05AM

As part of an introductory course in economics, I used to teach my students about the unintended consequences that usually accompany well-intentioned attempts to make particular transactions illegal. I would draw on current drug policy to link theory with reality.

Rising inequality partly to blame for stagnant economy

Contributing Writer Contributing Writer

Published October 25th, 2012 - 12:05AM

Are we better off today than we were four years ago? For too many people, the answer is no.

We must give our trust to educators – but we must verify the results

Contributing Writer

Published October 11th, 2012 - 12:05AM

What President Ronald Reagan liked to say about our relations with the Soviet Union – “Trust, but verify” – is also true of education. This is why I think the charter school initiative, I-1240, is a good idea: It strengthens our trust in schools, and it provides new ways to verify that this trust is deserved.

A citizen’s worth cannot be measured by simple arithmetic

Contributing Writer

Published September 21st, 2012 - 12:05AM

A colleague bought a cup of coffee at the local coffee joint this week. A moment later, cup in hand, she left the shop only to return a minute later to pay for three more.

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