Let the kids run around, it is just and exam...

A government school teacher in Oregon taped students to their desks ... oops, I mean taped an imaginary line around students' desks. Same thing, according to the government educated.

Teacher uses masking tape to keep unruly kids in their seats
Police said reports that she taped kids to their seats were unfounded; she just taped out a boundary line

March 22, 2008 6:00 AM

A Phoenix Elementary teacher is on paid administrative leave after she allegedly put masking tape around the periphery of four students' armchair desks last week to keep them in order during state exams.

An investigation by Phoenix police found the teacher committed no crime in her unusual method of discipline.

"The report came in that the students were taped to their desks," said Phoenix police Lt. Derek Bowker. "That was unfounded."

Bowker said the students were being unruly and running around the classroom at the time. The teacher used the tape to show the children their boundaries, he said.

Phoenix-Talent schools officials continue to investigate the matter. They expect the investigation to conclude shortly after spring break.

Officials said they put employees on paid administrative leave when ever they receive a report involving the possible inappropriate treatment of children.

"We always put the interest of children first," said Cally McKenzie, Phoenix-Talent schools human resources director. "It doesn't mean we think the teacher is guilty."

The incident was also reported to the Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare division, per district policy.

GOING GREEN ... PAYING TAXES

Here we go again. Seattle is vying to become the greenest city in America by instituting fines on foam and taxes on paper and plastic bags. Politicians are calling it the "green fee." They want to charge you a 20-cent-per-bag fee along with completely outlawing foam food containers. This means that every grocery, convenience and drug store in Seattle would be forced to charge this fee. Eventually restaurants won't even be able to use plastic food containers if they can't be recycled. Restaurants will be forced to find alternative egg cartons, meat trays, plates, "clamshells" and cups. In other words, it is going to be a big headache for business owners.

The big question here is ... how will all this tax revenue be spent? Oh goody! The fees would generate about $10 million a year. It will be spent on ... administering and enforcing the rules that require collection of the fees. Wow, now there's a great use of tax money. It will also be used to promote reusable bags; another great use of your tax money – a government campaign telling you which products you can and cannot use.

Seattle is excited because Ireland imposed fees on plastic bags back in 2002, and plastic bag use has dropped 90% since then. Nothing like government regulations to tell you how to live your life.

Paper or plastic? You may pay 20 cents either way
Some plastic, foam containers would be banned under proposal by mayor, council president

By ANGELA GALLOWAY
P-I REPORTER

Seattle could trump even the greenest of American cities with fines on foam and taxes on bags -- both paper and plastic, city politicians say.

Seattle would impose a 20-cent-per-bag "green fee" and outlaw foam food containers next year under a proposal announced Wednesday. Aiming to persuade Seattleites to ditch disposable bags, the city hopes to send a free reusable bag to every Seattle household, Mayor Greg Nickels said.

"No other city has done what we're suggesting here," Nickels said. "These actions will take tons of plastic and foam out of our waste stream. ... The best way to handle a ton of waste is not to create it in the first place."

Eventually, Seattle restaurants also would be forbidden from using plastic food containers that can't be recycled or composted, according to rules being developed by Nickels and City Council President Richard Conlin.

Some major questions about the policies remain -- from political differences over how to spend the taxes to outstanding technical dilemmas.

If adopted by the council, the fee would apply to disposable bags distributed at grocery, convenience and drug stores. The polystyrene foam ban would force restaurants and stores to find alternative egg cartons, meat trays, plates, "clamshells" and cups.

The foam and bag rules would go into effect Jan. 1. The plastic food container restrictions would be implemented July 2010.

"It's a big symbolic step, but it's also a very concerted step in the right direction," Conlin said.

The grocery bag fees would generate about $10 million a year, according to Seattle Public Utilities. The money would be used to administer and enforce the rules, to buy and promote reusable bags, and to expand recycling, environmental education and waste prevention programs.

But Conlin has another idea: He would like some of that money to go to garbage rate reductions. The difference will be resolved politically, after Seattle utility and legal officials draft the legislation and present it to the council. That is expected to happen next month.

Seattle consumers use 360 million disposable bags each year, according to Seattle Public Utilities. About 73 percent of them come from grocery, drug and convenience stores, Nickels said. Most are plastic, and most wind up in landfills.

But paper bags are even worse for the environment, once you factor in the tolls of logging and shipping the bags, officials said. That is why the fee would apply to both, they said.

San Francisco prohibited supermarkets from using plastic bags in December. City leaders there gave out several thousand free reusable bags made of scrap cloth, officials said.

Seattle, too, has been handing out free reusable bags in recent months. The more than 5,000 bags the city bought are made of polypropylene, not recycled materials or the especially environmentally friendly cotton canvas, officials said. But they are recyclable and cost considerably less than some alternatives.

"Our decision was (based on) getting as many into the hands of people as we could," said Alex Fryer, spokesman for the city's Office of Sustainability and Environment.

Seattle officials considered banning disposable bags outright, Conlin said. "The problem with a ban is that all it does is leave people without a choice," he said.

Many agree an across-the-board fee is a better approach. Ireland imposed a fee on plastic bags in 2002. Since then, plastic bag use has dropped 90 percent, Seattle officials said.

"If you're trying to reduce bags, that's the way to go," said Mark Westlund, spokesman for the San Francisco environmental department. San Francisco officials considered a surcharge, but California law prohibits such fees, he said.

A lobbyist for Washington retailers said he would withhold judgment on the plan until he had a chance to run it by members of his group.

"If the consumer says, 'I'm not excited about paying 20 cents per bag when I go shopping,' that is probably going to be an issue for us," said Mark Johnson, vice president of government affairs for the Washington Retail Association. "If they're saying, 'No big deal,' it might not be an issue."

Some grocers already promote the use of reusable bags. For example, Thriftway gives a nickel back to customers who bring their own bags.

"I don't know if consumers know how much plastic and paper bags cost," said Josh Angle, store director of the Magnolia Thriftway. Paper bags cost at least 13 cents each, plastic bags cost about 9 cents.

At the PCC store near Green Lake Wednesday, the idea of answering the question of "paper or plastic?" with "cloth" seemed entirely Seattle to Wendy Asbury. Asbury switched to cloth bags when she moved here eight months ago, she said.

"I'm from the Southwest, where everything is about gluttony and waste," she said. "That's what I loved about moving here; everything is so 'green.' "

But there were opponents, too, and the proposal set off a debate between friends in the PCC parking lot.

Jenn Young said encouraging people to use cloth seemed less onerous than penalizing them with the fee.

"I disagree," responded Naomi Fujinaka. "I've been bringing my cloth bag for 25 years."

Young said: "It might be hard on families. If you have a family of six with four kids, and you go shopping once a week and you have 10 grocery bags, that can get to be a lot of money."

"Then you'll know to bring your bag next time," Fujinaka said. "We really have to change our behavior."

For every 20-cent bag fee collected by Seattle, most stores would be allowed to keep 5 cents to cover administrative costs and taxes. (The fee itself would be subject to the state sales tax.) Small stores -- those collecting less than $1 million in gross revenues each year -- would be allowed to keep the entire 20 cents.

Grocers would be required to explicitly list the fee on receipts.

More than 20 cities have banned polystyrene foam packaging at restaurants and other business, including Portland, Ore. After more than 20 years of foam-free fast food services, Portlanders are accustomed to the eco-friendlier alternatives, said Cynthia Fuhrman of the Portland Office of Sustainable Development.

"I think it's just a given -- people have just accepted it," Fuhrman said.

CITY'S PLAN AT A GLANCE

BAGS

PROPOSED: A 20-cent green fee on disposable shopping bags, both paper and plastic.

WHERE: Grocery, drug and convenience stores.

WHEN: To begin Jan. 1.

EXEMPT: Bags used inside stores to contain bulk items, bags for prepared food, newspaper and dry-cleaner bags.

WHY: Seattleites use 360 million disposable paper and plastic shopping bags every year. Almost 240 million end up in the garbage. That's close to 4 percent of all residential garbage, by volume. This will save 4,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year, the same as taking 665 cars off the road.

FOAM

PROPOSED: A ban on the use of expanded polystyrene (sometimes called Styrofoam) containers and cups.

WHERE: All food service businesses, including some of the foam packaging used in grocery stores, such as meat trays and egg cartons.

WHEN: To begin Jan. 1.

PLASTICS

PROPOSED: Switch from one-time-use, disposable plastic and plastic-coated paper food and beverage containers and utensils to fully compostable and recyclable substitutes.

WHERE: All food service businesses.

WHEN: By July 1, 2010.

DOUBLE TAXING THE RICH

According to lawmakers in Illinois, being "rich" means that you (and your spouse) make at least $250,000. And because you are so lucky to be wealthy, the lawmakers want to DOUBLE income taxes on the wealthy. The current tax plan taxes everyone at a rate of 3%, but lawmakers want to increase that to 6% for those evil rich. They say the change would generate $3 billion annually. The money will be split equally between funding for government education, government-sponsored construction and tax relief for those less fortunate.

Translate: One-third of the tax increase for teacher's unions who, of course, vote Democrat. One-third of the tax increase for construction projects that will be handled, of course, by union contractors who support Democrats; and one-third of the money to be "redistributed" to lower income people who, of course, vote Democrat.

Now this tax increase would affect 107,000 people in Illinois, which is about 5% of its population. Democrat Mike Smith is the genius who concocted this plan. He believes that no one else would have reason to campaign against this proposal, other than those 107,000 ... that's because government bureaucrats like Mike Smith believe you to be stupid and unable to understand the implications of this policy. He believes it is the government's role to redistribute the wealth and it is the government's role to decide how that wealth is redistributed.

Oh, the evil rich. Let's just kill the greedy bastards and get it over with.

Double state taxes for the rich?
By John Patterson | Daily Herald Staff

SPRINGFIELD -- A state lawmaker wants voters to decide if people making more than $250,000 a year should have their Illinois income tax doubled, with the billions of new dollars paying for education, roads and tax breaks for everyone else.

If successful in Springfield, the question would be put to voters in November. If voters endorse it, the current 3 percent state income tax rate would double to 6 percent for individuals and joint tax filers making more than a quarter-million dollars.

Colleagues have already dubbed downstate Democrat Rep. Mike Smith's plan the "Robin Hood referendum." State tax data shows 107,000 people in the state made more than $250,000. That's roughly 5 percent of all tax filers.

"Let's take from the rich and give to the poor," said state Rep. Joseph Lyons, a Chicago Democrat.

Supporters hope the other 95 percent -- who'd pay nothing more and could see upward of $300 in state tax breaks -- would swamp polling places to vote for this.

"I'm not sure who would campaign against this other than those 107,000," Smith said.

But some suburban lawmakers were quick to oppose the plan. Not surprisingly, the greatest concentration of top earners is in the Chicago and suburban region. Cook County had 45,146 tax filers reporting income over $250,000 in 2005.

The numbers in the other suburban counties were: DuPage County, 15,054; Lake County, 12,846; McHenry County, 5,449; Kane County, 4,558; and Will County, 2,693.

Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Hinsdale Republican, said the low, flat income tax is "one of the last good economic tools" in Illinois.

"We should not get sucked into class warfare," said Dillard, who estimated his own income would fall short of the $250,000 threshold.

Dillard was among the Republican lawmakers who, also on Thursday, unveiled their own economic plan that calls for rolling back state taxes on gasoline and businesses.

Illinois now has a flat, 3 percent income tax regardless of how much someone makes. The state constitution requires a flat rate regardless of income, so an amendment would be needed to create an upper-bracket tax.

Under this tax plan, the increase would generate nearly $3 billion annually to be split equally among education funding, state-sponsored construction and tax relief in the form of doubling the personal exemption for those making less than $250,000 annually.

The proposal comes as lawmakers are again considering plans that raise income taxes and expand sales taxes to come up with billions of new dollars for school funding. They're also considering new casinos and other gambling expansion to finance road, bridge and school construction.

But Smith said he believes those plans are hopelessly stalled, and putting the income tax before voters is a better option. A proposed constitutional amendment also would skip Gov. Rod Blagojevich's desk and go straight to voters.

Blagojevich has repeatedly vowed not to raise the state income or sales tax. He did, however, recently agree to a higher Chicago and suburban sales tax to bail out mass transit agencies.

Of the 40 states with an income tax, Illinois is one of seven charging all taxpayers a flat rate. Indiana similarly has a flat, 3.4 percent income tax rate.

Wisconsin has four tax brackets ranging from 4.6 percent to 6.75 percent, Iowa's tax rates cover nine brackets ranging from 0.36 percent to 8.98 percent, and Missouri's 10 income tax brackets range from a low of 1.5 percent to a high of 6 percent.

To make the November ballot, the proposed tax question would need House and Senate approval by May 4. Smith said he hopes for initial approval in the House as soon as next week.

Moonbat Teacher of the Month

A high school student in Wisconsin has filed a federal lawsuit against his art teacher for censoring his drawing because it included a cross and scriptural reference.

MADISON, Wis. — A Tomah High School student has filed a federal lawsuit alleging his art teacher censored his drawing because it featured a cross and a biblical reference.

The lawsuit alleges other students were allowed to draw "demonic" images and asks a judge to declare a class policy prohibiting religion in art unconstitutional.

"We hear so much today about tolerance," said David Cortman, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal advocacy group representing the student. "But where is the tolerance for religious beliefs? The whole purpose of art is to reflect your own personal experience. To tell a student his religious beliefs can legally be censored sends the wrong message."

Tomah School District Business Manager Greg Gaarder said the district hadn't seen the lawsuit and declined to comment.

According to the lawsuit, the student's art teacher asked his class in February to draw landscapes. The student, a senior identified in the lawsuit by the initials A.P., added a cross and the words "John 3:16 A sign of love" in his drawing.

His teacher, Julie Millin, asked him to remove the reference to the Bible, saying students were making remarks about it. He refused, and she gave him a zero on the project.

Millin showed the student a policy for the class that prohibited any violence, blood, sexual connotations or religious beliefs in artwork. The lawsuit claims Millin told the boy he had signed away his constitutional rights when he signed the policy at the beginning of the semester.

The boy tore the policy up in front of Millin, who kicked him out of class. Later that day, assistant principal Cale Jackson told the boy his religious expression infringed on other students' rights.

Jackson told the boy, his stepfather and his pastor at a meeting a week later that religious expression could be legally censored in class assignments. Millin stated at the meeting the cross in the drawing also infringed on other students' rights.

The boy received two detentions for tearing up the policy. Jackson referred questions about the lawsuit to Gaarder.

Sometime after that meeting, the boy's metals teacher rejected his idea to build a chain-mail cross, telling him it was religious and could offend someone, the lawsuit claims. The boy decided in March to shelve plans to make a pin with the words "pray" and "praise" on it because he was afraid he'd get a zero for a grade.

The lawsuit also alleges school officials allow other religious items and artwork to be displayed on campus.

A Buddha and Hindu figurines are on display in a social studies classroom, the lawsuit claims, adding the teacher passionately teaches Hindu principles to students.

In addition, a replica of Michaelangelo's "The Creation of Man" is displayed at the school's entrance, a picture of a six-limbed Hindu deity is in the school's hallway and a drawing of a robed sorcerer hangs on a hallway bulletin board.

Drawings of Medusa, the Grim Reaper with a scythe and a being with a horned head and protruding tongue hang in the art room and demonic masks are displayed in the metals room, the lawsuit alleges.

A.P. suffered unequal treatment because of his religion even though student expression is protected by the First Amendment, according to the lawsuit, which was filed Friday.

"Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate," the lawsuit said. "No compelling state interest exists to justify the censorship of A.P.'s religious expression."

Another way of saying it is students are expected to check their First Amendment rights at the school door. The teacher, Ms. Millin, required all students to sign a class policy that prohibited any violence, blood, sexual connotations or religious beliefs in their artwork to prevent offending a student.

Yet, the school allows other religious items and artwork to be displayed on campus. For example, a Buddha and Hindu figurines are displayed prominently in the social studies classroom. I suppose Ms. Millin has never heard of the First Amendment and even if she has, her breathingist understanding that she can create her own version is flawed.

I know what the liberals will say: “But Nathan, if the tables were turned, you’d be applauding the Christian teacher for forbidding non-Christian artwork in the class.” First, I don’t know of any Christian teacher trampling the First Amendment rights of their students in such a way. And secondly, this is not new that Christians are the target of such attacks. No one can attack other religions for fear you’ll be struck dead. But since Christians don’t respond with suicide bombs, that justifies such an offense.

Not only are Christians instructed to not kill when offended, we are called to love our enemy and pray for their salvation. In this particular case, it is unfortunate that the family had to file a lawsuit to keep their son from failing out of school. But since Millin violated the student’s First Amendment rights, thus breaking the law, the lawsuit is biblically justified.

And for good measure, let’s review the original intent of the First Amendment. Prohibit a national church denomination, prevent the government from forcing citizens to pay tithes, etc. Ms. Millin’s version is nothing more than pipe dream created by liberal judges that falsely believe the Constitution is a “living, breathing” document.

http://stoptheaclu.com/archives/2008/04/03/moonbat-teacher-of-the-month/

Republicans lead "pork" spending lists: report

Wed Apr 2, 2008 3:52pm EDT
By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. Congress, trying to appear frugal with taxpayer dollars this election year, found on Wednesday that some in their own ranks topped a list of "pork" spenders in a watchdog group's analysis of government waste.

The annual survey by Citizens Against Government Waste claims that 11,610 special-interest projects were stuffed into spending bills approved by the Democratic-led Congress last year at a $17.2 billion cost to taxpayers.

But according to the survey, it was individual Republicans who pushed the most "pork" last year. In addition, the three House of Representative Republicans who sponsored legislation calling for a moratorium on such spending all engaged in the practice, the report said. They are Jack Kingston of Georgia, Zach Wamp of Tennessee and Frank Wolf of Virginia.

For months, House Republican Leader John Boehner has been leading a crusade against such projects, known as "earmarks," which routinely benefit lawmakers' hometown districts.

Boehner, of Ohio, has called for suspending "pork" spending this year and has criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, for not yet agreeing to do so.

On Tuesday, House Republicans tried and failed to advance their earmark moratorium. Last month, the Senate overwhelmingly rejected a similar proposal.

House Republicans have attacked Democratic Rep. John Murtha for delivering a pile of special-interest funds to his western Pennsylvania district.

But according to the report, two House Republicans bested Murtha: Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who recently became a U.S. senator, and Rep. Bill Young of Florida. The two scored $176.3 million and $169.5 million in earmarks respectively, beating Murtha's $159.1 million.

'BRIDGE TO NOWHERE'

In the Senate, the top three spenders were Republicans, who together scored about $1.8 billion in home-state projects. Those senators are Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Richard Shelby of Alabama and Ted Stevens of Alaska, who was roundly criticized a few years back for winning approval of a "bridge to nowhere," and has been reported to be the target of a federal corruption probe.

All the top spenders are members of the House and Senate Appropriations committees, which dole out federal dollars.

Opponents of the special-interest projects argue that they do not receive adequate oversight by Congress and often are inserted into legislation at the last minute.

Many lawmakers who back earmarks say they help deliver jobs and public works projects to hometowns. They also point out that the funds represent less than 1 percent of federal spending and that reforming other parts of the budget would be more meaningful.

Suspected earmark abuse has led to some reforms, including making the spending more open to public and congressional scrutiny.

Among the "pork" outlined in the watchdog group's latest report:

--$123,050 secured by Sen. Robert Byrd, a West Virginia Democrat, for a Mother's Day shrine;

--$3 million by House Majority Whip James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat, for The First Tee, which aims to promote the game of golf among young people. The money was inserted into a military spending bill;

--$188,000 by Maine's Republican senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and Democratic Rep. Thomas Allen to help the Lobster Institute, which the report said is working on a "Lobster Cam" and developing lobster dog biscuits.

As for the three U.S. senators running for president: Republican John McCain had no earmarks last year, while Democrats Hillary Clinton delivered 281 projects to her home state of New York, costing $296.2 million, and Barack Obama had 53 projects totaling $97.4 million.

(Editing by Vicki Allen)

THE NECESSITIES OF A GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRAT

THE NECESSITIES OF A GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRAT

In Bothell, Washington the government school district is considering closing a school in order to save money. But that seems a bit ironic considering the school district is using tax payer money to buy home electronics for its administrators for personal use. Sounds like a great use of tax dollars if you ask me.

The Northshore School District has been buying administrators TVs, digital cameras and iPods. They justify the spending by explaining that it is "part of their pay" and it "helps makes them familiar with technology." What a bunch of horsesqueeze. Are you believing this crap?

Out of 93 eligible administrators, all but 13 of them have taken advantage of this "benefit," costing the taxpayers $119,000.

Bothell schools buy home electronics for administrators
06:13 PM PDT on Wednesday, April 2, 2008
By LINDA BRILL / KING 5 News and wire reports

BOTHELL, Wash. - At a time when the school district for the Bothell-Woodinville area is talking about closing a school to save money, it's buying home electronics for the personal use of administrators.

The Northshore School District says buying TVs, digital cameras and iPods for administrators is part of their pay and helps make them familiar with technology.

All but 13 of 93 eligible administrators have taken advantage of the benefit, spending $119,000 under the current contract.

"Even an HDTV is used for work, because it's hooked up to a computer and used like a monitor," said Susan Stoltzfus, Northshore School District spokesperson.

"I don't understand how a digital picture frame is a work-related activity, nor a big screen TV, nor an iPod," said teacher's union president Tim Brittle.

It was a sore issue at a recent school board meeting when Brittle demanded that the practice stop.

"I wouldn't consider it a perk because it is considered part of your salary compensation, it's taxable," said Stoltzfus.

The benefit is given to administrators and approved by administrators, but isn't offered to teachers.

"These purchases do not directly go to helping children," said Brittle.

School Board President Cathy Swanson says the district needs to clarify the program to make sure the purchases are job related.

There are other school districts that offer similar perks for administrators, such as Bellevue, but they require the purchases be educational. The Northshore School District implemented that change on Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CAPITOL HILL GETS A GREEN MAKEOVER - At Least 45 years to pay off the cost.

Nancy Pelosi has been on this tear since she took office to "Green the Capitol." Now the Congress is forced to eat expensive organic food, the House is purchasing carbon offsets for its greenhouse-gas emissions, and the list of absurdities goes on and on. Her latest project is to install energy efficient lighting around the Capitol exterior. Nancy's spokesman Drew Hammill says that this project is not about the money ... since when are they ever concerned about money? But the new lights bring our "beacon of democracy" in line with other landmarks and will be "a beacon to all reminding us of the need to address the global climate crisis."

Gag. Maybe she should just introduce a resolution telling the sun to stop churning out so much solar radiation right now. Perhaps that would help.

So this is as far as Congress will go to adhere to Nancy's quest to combat global warming. The contract to design the lighting system was directed by Representative Robert Brady, a Democrat from Pennsylvania and chairman of the House Administration Committee. Well guess who happens to win the bid for the design project ... the Lighting Practice of Philadelphia, which also happens to be in Brady's district. Convenient? You might say so, considering that two lower bids were rejected before settling on this company's price of $671,900. That's right. All of that tax payer money just to make the Capitol lighting "eco-friendly."

Now are you ready for the real kicker ... the current annual electric bill for lighting the exterior of the Capitol eight hours every night is $15,000. So even if the new lights miraculously reduced energy consumption to zero, it would take the tax payers more than 45 years just to recoup the money it cost to build the new system, if we compare the cost to the current electric bill.

That, my friends, is the definition of a government project.

Only 1 of 2 students graduate high school in US cities: study

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080401184532.kxjxy7xo&show_article=1
Apr 1 02:46 PM US/Eastern

Three out of 10 US public school students do not graduate from high school, and major city school districts only graduate one out of two students, according to a study released Tuesday.

In a report on graduation rates around the country, the EPE Research Center and the America Promise Alliance also showed that the high school graduation rate -- finishing 12 grades of school -- in big cities falls to as low as just 34.6 percent in Baltimore, Maryland, and barely over 40 percent for the troubled Ohio cities of Columbus and Cleveland.

And it said that black and native American student's have effectively a one-in-two chance of getting a high school diploma.

"Our analysis finds that graduating from high school in America's largest cities amounts, essentially, to a coin toss," the study said.

"Only about one-half (52 percent) of students in the principal school systems of the 50 largest cities complete high school with a diploma."

Based on 2003-2004 data, the report said that across the country the graduation average for public school students is 69.9 percent, with the best success rate in suburbs -- 74.9 percent -- and rural districts -- 73.2 percent.

Asian-Americans score the highest graduation rate, at 80 percent, with whites at 76.2 percent and Hispanics at 57.8 percent.

Women graduate at a much higher rate than men, 73.6 percent to 66.0 percent.

In the country's city schools, the study found that in urban areas generally, just 60.4 percent graduate, and in the principal school districts of the top 50 cities, barely half graduate.

Detroit, Michigan's main school district scored a graduation rate of 24.9 percent.

New York, the country's largest city, has a graduation rate for its main school district of 45.2 percent, and Los Angeles, the second largest, of 45.3 percent.

Only five of the principal school districts topped the national average.