Archive for the ‘Education’ Category
12
I admit it. I’m a NERD and proud of it! I’ve always been a NERD and I fully embrace my NERDINESS. Learning came fairly easy for me so school was never a problem for me. I certainly had classes that gave me trouble, like Calculus. But I never felt the need to cheat. I felt that if I applied myself, I would at least be able to get a “C” and have the basic knowledge of what that subject was about. And while a coupIe of “C’s” did lower my overal GPA, I am pleased at having a 3.2 GPA throughout my high school and college education. Could it have been A LOT higher? YES! Should it have been higher? YES? I guess I was born about 24 years too soon. Because in the state of North Carolina, students can BUY points that can be added to a test and raise the grade. That means a student who might have failed a test can buy enough points to raise that grade to passing. All this is being done to raise money for a cash strapped school district. This takes “buying and education” to an all new level!
The “point policy” for Rosewood Middle School in Goldsboro, NC, says that for $20.00, a student can apply 10 points to a test of that students choice. So a “B” can become an “A”, and an “F” can become a “C” or a “D.” I’m at a COMPLETE loss as to what kind of lesson we are teaching these kids. A lesson that says instead of studying, you can just buy ten points and keep them in reserve just in case you need them? That if “mommy and daddy” will “kick in” the student can put the book down and continue surfing Facebook or playing with their WII?
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14
SCLC, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, has decided that the reason for their very existence, Tolerance and Equality for All, doesn’t extend to Same Couple Relationships. The amnesia of the leaders of that organization as to what they stand for, is being played out by their threats to fire a straight, African American Reverend, Eric Lee, who was public in his opposition to Prop 8. And his very public opposition just might cost him his job!
I find it amazing that the one group of people, African Americans, who have and continue to experience hate like no other group, thinks nothing of doing that to Lesbians and Gays. I understand your feelings that the Black Civil Rights movement is being overshadowed by the Gay Rights movement. And I understand that the comparison can be offensive. But the bottom line is this. Because our Black elders have failed to teach the younger generations our collective history, far too many youngsters don’t know anything more about the Civil Rights movement other than what we learned in school. And as we all know, that is minimal at best and a complete JOKE AT WORSE. And whether you like it or not, the comparisons are EXACTLY THE SAME! The same arguments that were used to try and justify not giving African Americans Civil Rights and stopping Interracial Marriage 50 years ago have been dusted off and are being used to discriminate against Same Couple Relationships. In a post I wrote on May 21, 2009, titled “Is Gay the New Black?” I listed eight different reasons why the struggles are the same. And these reasons include: education, religion, employment, housing, violence, health care, government, and marriage. Anyone with an open mind can’t deny the comparisons, PERIOD!
Slowly but surely, African Americans are alienated the very people who helped, fought, stood, and died for us to be in the position that we are in now. And our failure to say “thanks” and to return the failure won’t be forgotten nor should it be. So when the next atrocity occurs, like Hurricane Katrina, and we are shown and told EXACTLY where we stand in this country, and we run for help, we should be surprised when the Lesbian and Gay neighbors lock the door, close the curtains, and turn off the lights! Nor should we be surprised when African American Lesbian and Gays who have plenty of discretionary income to spend, stop spending it with you!
Time is going to show that opposing Same Couple Marriage was wrong. And when our children and grandchildren as us why we did it, what are you going to say that makes sense? That the bible, the same bible that STILL SAYS WE SHOULD BE SLAVES AND BE CONTENT WITH OUR LOTS IN LIFE, told us to do it? Or that an organization that fought for EQUALITY is now against it. The SCLC should be ashamed of themselves.
24
There was an article recently in the news that stated there are thousands of teachers, NATIONWIDE who are being paid, with full benefits, including medical, vacation and holiday pay, for literally sitting around in a room during school hours doing nothing. This new kind of Rubber Room, is a holding tank for teachers or administrators who are waiting for their disciplinary hearings. Some of these teachers have been accused of major infractions lik esexual conduct to minor infractions like insubordination and everything in between. While I certainly wouldn’t want to have a teacher suspected of sexual misconduct to be allowed to teach in class, this idea of paying someone a full salary to sit around, for months, is just plain silly.
If you had read this blog before, you know that I had lost a job that I loved working with kids, because the new administrator didn’t like me. But I didn’t take it personally. She singlehandedly got rid of at least 8 other people. And because of her dirt, the Non Profit organization lost the contract with the San Diego Juvenile Probation Department to do Teen Drug and Alcohol Counseling. I guess you could call that Karma! And in reading this article, some of the excuses used to get rid of these teachers seemed pretty flimsy. Using the term “insubordination” is another way of saying “no reason at all, it just sounds good.” That was the excuse that was used to fire me. But when pressed by the Employment Development Department, my boss gave some many contradictory reasons that the Mediator sided in my favor. So listening to some of the reasons these teachers are in “purgatory” sounded familiar. One teacher is in the “room” because she allegedly allowed a student to sing in class while wearing a hat. Another teacher was there because he pushed another student while breaking up a fight. Another teacher is there because he blew the whistle on an Assistant Principal who was fudging test scores.
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