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Arizona has made national headlines not once, but twice, in the last few weeks. First, the state was the subject of numerous protests over an immigration law that allows police to require documentation from any individual stopped in the state for another violation. Opponents of the bill are concerned that recent decisions will lead to racial profiling in the state.

More recently, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed in elementary and secondary schools. Once again, her decision has raised the ire of many, including . However, proponents of the bill state that the ban will actually improve race relations among the various cultures living in Arizona, rather than deepening any divide that may exist.

This video from PBS discusses the issue.

Step Two: Ethnic Studies in Schools

Currently, Arizona schools offer a number of different ethnic studies programs, including specialized courses for African-American, Mexican-American, and Native American classes that teach subjects such as history and literature that originate from those cultures. The studies are designed to explore the role of various ethnicities in American history and their contributions to literature.

An article on cites one portion of the bill, which reads, "Public school pupils should be taught to treat and value each other as individuals and not be taught to resent or hate other races or classes of people." Brewer

Much press coverage has been recently dedicated to the accusations of sexual abuse by priests within the Catholic Church. Parents and religious leaders have risen up in protest, particularly since numerous victims are still living in the aftermath of the abuse years after the incidents occurred.

However, a recent article on LifeSiteNews suggests that the violations of the church pale in comparison to the sexual abuse that goes in on some schools today. A study conducted in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Education stated that "The physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests."

No parent likes to think that a child might be mistreated while at school. However, incidents of sexual abuse do happen in schools, which many experts liken to incest. An organization known as defines sexual misconduct as, "Behavior by an educator that is directed at a student and intended to sexually arouse or titillate the educator or the child." Unfortunately, behavior like this is a concern for parents, educators, and students alike.

The reports that "Child sexual abuse is a major public health problem. About 1 in every 4 girls and 1 in every 13 boys in the US experience sexual abuse at some time in their childhood. The vast majority of sexual abuse is committed by someone that the child or their family

Apps for the iPhone range from car locators to recipe helpers and every other tool in between. Now, iPhone apps are even making their way into public classrooms, allowing students, teachers, and parents more effective ways to keep in touch with one another. Instead of fighting cell phones in the Classroom, some school administrators are learning to make the most of technology to enhance the classroom experience.

An Academic Test Run

According to a recent report on , one mobile phone provider is breaking through the ice and bringing the iPhone into the Classroom. MacroSolve, a provider of mobile phone apps, has recently announced that they will be creating a new phone app specifically designed to make the job of educators a little easier. Edison Preparatory School, a public school in Tulsa, Oklahoma, will test the app.

According to MacroSolve CEO and President Clint Parr, schools need to connect within their community. Communication lines between administrators, teachers, parents, and students must allow for real-time exchanges that keep everyone up on the latest happenings at individual schools and within the district.

This is where iPhone apps specifically designed for this purpose come into play. This technology will help the academic community communicate more efficiently, ensuring that information is exchanged at a rate that does not hinder the student's education or the communication between parents and school staff.

Benefits of iPhone Apps in the Classroom

There are plenty of opportunities that the iPhone apps might offer.

In choosing the best place to raise a family, parents have always ranked the quality of a school district. For many, choosing the most expensive school district in the region was often equivalent to giving kids the best possible start in life. However, quality education can be found at all economic levels, as long as you are willing to take the time to research each district individually when choosing a home for your family.

recently made the search a bit easier by publishing "The Best Schools for Your Housing Buck," which lists the top 25 school districts across the country, based on a variety of criteria. Forbes researched the top school districts in the country that provided both high-quality education and fabulous housing for residents. While some of the districts on this list are still relatively pricey for the average American, there are also some locations that provide positive educational opportunities for a fraction of the price.

Smart Criteria Used

Forbes and GreatSchools looked at more than 17,000 cities and towns in 49 states to assemble their listing. Factors considered included:

• Test score data
• Public school enrollment from K-12
• Median home prices for 2009
• Population data for 2009

Some cities were eliminated from the list because of populations less than 10,000 since these areas offered insufficient data for analysis. The study also left out the state of Nebraska, since it does not currently offer a standardized state-wide testing process to evaluate student performance. Cities with fewer