public function is_section_current($section) {
        if (is_object($section)) {
            $sectionnum = $section->section;
        } else {
            $sectionnum = $section;
        }
        if ($sectionnum < 1) {
            return false;
        }
        $timenow = time();
        $dates = $this->get_section_dates($section);
        return (($timenow >= $dates->start) && ($timenow < $dates->end));
    }