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Dr. Dunn is fresh off an unsuccessful bid to be Florida's next education commissioner. In this monthly chat Dunn discusses his reasons for seeking another…

After an elementary school shooting in Connecticut, Americans continue to struggle to understand why it happened and how to prevent future tragedies. Host Michel Martin discusses the shooting with author Paul Barrett, journalist Craig Whitney and psychiatrist Carl Bell. They talk about the politics and psychology of America's gun culture.

After the shock of a gunman killing 20 small children and six adults at an elementary school in Connecticut, districts are increasing police patrols, locking schools' doors and taking other steps.

President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner held another closed-door meeting Monday. If that secrecy troubled anyone, you'd expect it to be open-government watchdogs. But they have few objections. "Sometimes compromise has to be reached behind closed doors," says one.

The Kentucky Department of Education’s new restraint and seclusion policy proposal is in the final stages of approval this week and will go before the state’s Administrative Regulatory Review Committee Monday. Kentucky is one of several states that don’t have a law regulating restraint and seclusion for misbehaving students. Instead, the Kentucky Board of Education sets the governing policies, but the department has acknowledged changes to the regulations are needed. Along with recommendations from a task force, the Kentucky Department of Education added some provisions on restraint and seclusion laid out by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this year. But during the public comment period several superintendents testified against parts of the proposal, saying the new policy is too vague and doesn’t do enough to protect teachers. Some said the new regulation wouldn’t provide clear guidance for teachers who often have to make quick behavioral intervention decisions. After the public comment period, the regulation’s language softened, said Lucy Heskins, staff attorney supervisor for Kentucky Protection and Advocacy, which has been aggressively advocating for changes to the policy. Heskins said the changes now before the review committee aren’t perfect, but if approved they would be a step in the right direction. “I think there are some provisions that we find particularly important,” she said. Among the most important changes, Heskins said, are disallowing supine and prone restraints, increased staff training and more parent communication. But the recent version did soften language directed at using restraint and seclusion against serious threats. “We certainly wish it was a little stronger, but given the seriousness of the incidents we have seen and the complete lack of any kind of oversight or regulation we are thrilled to have something on the books,” she said. Monday’s hearing could see more superintendent testimony, said Marsha Hockensmith, director of KPA. If approved by the review committee, the policy would head to a legislative education committee for final approval.

"Never before have we seen our babies slaughtered," Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said today on MSNBC. "This has changed the dialogue and it should move beyond dialogue. We need action," he added. Manchin is a member of the National Rifle Association and a hunter.

It’s time for those of us who enjoy shooting to lead the push for sensible gun and ammo and magazine laws, for closing loopholes, and for more energetic…

A nonprofit called The Seasteading Institute is advancing a hugely ambitious scheme: constructing floating structures that will house hundreds of people in international waters, out of the jurisdiction of any nation. Now, the organization has attracted its first big name donor.

Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, 88, has died of respiratory complications, according to reports from the AP and other news agencies. The World War II veteran, a Democrat, had been the most senior member of the Senate. He joined its ranks in 1963, shortly after Hawaii became a state.

UPDATE 5:10 p.m.The McCracken County School District has issued a press release in regards to the letter sent to the Paducah Sun yesterday. The release…