I used to think the Canadian system of governmental funding of academic research was better than the US reliance on the private sector.  Recent news shows how governmental funding is becoming ever more problematic as well.
For the second time in the last year (remember Harper lobbied to target SSHRC funding for MBA research with the idea that government funding should have a tangible return on investment), the Government is in the news for using its power to influence research agendas.  This time the government is being accused of censoring its senior climatologists from talking too much with the media.  Presumably the news would not be good for oil sands revenues and other important projects. 
CanWest has the story: 

The pattern is mind-numbing. . .The Obama administration is poised to reform education and rename NCLB. . .Though it is just more of the same. . .As I have stated here before, public education (universal education) in any country needs first to be placed in the context of its society/culture. . .In the US, without social reform (primarily addressing poverty and second-language acquisition in the lives of children and their families), everything else is mere political posturing at the expense of schools, teachers, and students. . .
paul thomas

There have been highly worrying symptoms at the Australian National University (ANU) where I study as an undergraduate and what entails below is one account of a deepening situation which seems to be getting worse.

The 7-Lesson Schoolteacher
by John Taylor Gatto
New Society Publishers, 1992

Call me Mr. Gatto, please. Twenty-six years ago, having nothing
better to do at the time, I tried my hand at schoolteaching. The
license I hold certifies that I am an instructor of English language and
English literature, but that isn't what I do at all. I don't teach
English, I teach school -- and I win awards doing it.

Teaching means different things in different places, but seven
lessons are universally taught Harlem to Hollywood Hills. They
constitute a national curriculum you pay more for in more ways than you
can imagine, so you might as well know what it is. You are at liberty,

A question:
Wondering if anyone has seen similar coverage in the U.S.?
The last similar issue I remember was the studies from fall 2008 suggesting that our hyper screening for cancer was not saving lives (and false positives had the dual negative downside of causing trauma and syphoning money away from treatments that might save lives).  It seems to me the Canadian press coverage of this issue was much more prominent / critical than the U.S.
About the articles:

Most of the bureaucratic calls related to education ascribe accountability to schools and teachers, ignoring the powerful influence of children's lives on everything they do, including their educationa outcomes. . .Please consider this new study on health and student achievement linked at my poverty blog: http://livinglearninginpoverty.blogspot.com/2010/03/accountability-healt...
paul thomas

THE CRITICAL AWAKENING THROUGH EDUCATION OF PEOPLE IS OUR VOCATION, OUR PROFESSION AND OUR LOVE.
 
So why isn't this site POPPIN'???  Those of us here KNOW in our HEARTS and MINDS that critical awakening through education is the most crucial aspect of human evolution.  So WHY ISN'T THIS SITE POPPIN'???  We have set our founder as PAULO FREIRE, but let us ask ourselves 'Are WE acting in his image?'  If a visitor comes to this site, would this site be as exciting as one of our classes would be?  
 

http://www.truthout.org/interview-with-henry-a-giroux-public-education-y...
 
A must-listen!

Yesterday I received an email about a book review of Diane Ravitch's new book The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education  (NY: Basic Books.)  Then today a friend posted a link to this New York Times article on facebook:  www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/education/03ravitch.html
 
In the past, I might have not entertained Diane Ravitch's ideas, but I think this is worth sharing.  I will let the article speak for itself.  Perhaps, we can start some lively discussion about the significance of this.
 
Tricia