Deborah Simmons

SIMMONS: Gray, council AWOL on D.C. truancy

What, precisely, is D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray doing to combat school truancy? Published October 21, 2012

SIMMONS: Romney has a persuasive Texas lawyer making his case

It's not easy for this Washington Redskins diehard to pop into Dallas Cowboys territory, but in search of an oft-overlooked perspective on the presidential race, I spoke Wednesday morning with Texas State Rep. Stefani Carter, a Cowboys fan. Published October 17, 2012

SIMMONS: McDuffie wrapping his arms around development

Since winning the race to represent Ward 5 on the D.C. Council five months ago today, Kenyan McDuffie hasn't made headlines as an emerging political personality. That's probably a good thing, considering that some of his most likeable colleagues are in the prosecutorial sightlines of the U.S. attorney and other investigators. Published October 14, 2012

SIMMONS: Twisted into knots trying to avoid racial bias

The U.S. Supreme Court expressed its renewed interest in affirmative action by hearing arguments Wednesday in a University of Texas case involving a white female applicant named Abigail Fisher who says she was denied admission in 2008 because of a race-conscious policy. Published October 10, 2012

SIMMONS: Give venture philanthropy a good look

Those of you paying close attention to the race for the White House probably have noticed the two concurrent themes on center stage. One is government-driven solutions; the other encompasses market-based solutions. Published October 7, 2012

SIMMONS: A night with the poor not necessary to understand poverty

I'm not sure you need to live in poverty or even be an acquaintance of someone who is poor to know what poverty looks like. Being a member of the faith, hope and charity crowd seems to be one of humanity's strongest suits, regardless of which rung you are perched on along the lengthy economic ladder. Published October 3, 2012

SIMMONS: New residency requirements to work for city a shakedown

If you think the District's handgun controllers are anti-Second Amendment wackos, take a gander at this. Published September 30, 2012

SIMMONS: Still smarting over dismal SAT scores

The three R's of learning are readin', writin' and 'rithmetic. Now hold that thought for a few minutes because we, dearest readers, have lost focus. Published September 26, 2012

SIMMONS: Anesthetized to random D.C. violence

The loudest headlines in local news are often about shootings, stabbings and assorted mayhem, events that should routinely leave us questioning whether we even value life anymore. Published September 16, 2012

SIMMONS: Children least  of concerns in  school closings

The Fenty administration didn’t do a good job managing school inventory, and that’s something the Gray administration must keep in mind as the mayor and the District’s school, property-management and financial advisers decide how to reconcile the supply of public school buildings with shifting student bodies and the ever-growing demand for choice. Published September 13, 2012

SIMMONS: For blacks, did integration give way to disintegration?

In a postmortem on the Republican and Democratic conventions, Leo Alexander, an also-ran in the 2010 Democratic race for D.C. mayor, said Americans still don't get it. Published September 9, 2012

SIMMONS: An ‘Are you better off?’ checklist

Let's tune into WII-FM, the "what's in it for me?" station, which monitors answers to the penultimate question: Are you better off than you were four years ago? Published September 5, 2012

SIMMONS: Same old statehood snake oil won’t sell

Hey, D.C. residents, do Americans really and truly want the District of Columbia to become the 51st state? Published September 2, 2012

SIMMONS: Government dependency is just wrong

What's wrong with you people? Welfare is not a black thing, and it's not a single-mom thing. Published August 29, 2012

SIMMONS: Equality in education happening much too slowly

The Supreme Court acknowledged in 1954 that not all public schools were created equal and desegregation plans were subsequently ordered to be implemented with "all deliberate speed." Published August 26, 2012

SIMMONS: Obama’s tailor-made school plan

Have you ever wondered why we don't see President Obama wearing seersucker suits and straw hats, or hoodies and doo-rags? Published August 22, 2012

SIMMONS: Identity theft and need for voter IDs

Now that a Republican judge has poked the bear, it's time for a frank discussion about voter-ID cards. Published August 19, 2012

SIMMONS: Parents must provide crucial school tools

Do our children have the necessary tools in their backpacks? Published August 15, 2012

SIMMONS: On school choice, Ryan earns an A+

Now that Republican Mitt Romney has hit the reset button in his run for the White House by selecting Rep. Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate, let's start our discussion with a key domestic issue: education. Published August 12, 2012

SIMMONS: D.C. tax on commuters, revisited

Let's pick up where we left off Monday, encouraging Congress to go slow with future discussions regarding a new tax — a D.C. commuter tax. Published August 8, 2012