kitchen table math, the sequel: stop the madness, part 2

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

stop the madness, part 2

I often have the feeling that public schools are no place for boys.
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8 comments:

Catherine Johnson said...

...some school administrators argue that it is difficult to distinguish innocent pranks and mistakes from more serious threats, and that the policies must be strict to protect students.

A person who can't distinguish an 'innocent prank' from a 'serious threat' should not be put in charge of children.

Also, a 6-year old bringing a Boy Scout fork to school has not committed an 'innocent prank.'

While we're on the subject.

October 13, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Catherine Johnson said...

In a letter to the district’s disciplinary committee, State Representative Teresa L. Schooley, Democrat of Newark, wrote, “I am asking each of you to consider the situation, get all the facts, find out about Zach and his family and then act with common sense for the well-being of this child.”

It's amazing that a state representative has to send a letter to the local school board asking members to display common sense.

October 13, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Catherine Johnson said...

We need Common Sense schools.

October 13, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Catherine Johnson said...

“Something has to change,” said Dodi Herbert, whose 13-year old son, Kyle, was suspended in May and ordered to attend the Christina district’s reform school for 45 days after another student dropped a pocket knife in his lap. School officials declined to comment on the case for reasons of privacy.

Another profile in courage.

October 13, 2009 at 11:39 AM
palisadesk said...

Don't forget the case a couple of years ago where the kindergarten kid was charged with sexual harassment for giving a fellow-pupil a peck on the cheek.

Sometimes you want to say, "Get a grip already."

October 13, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Jean said...

These are the people who are in charge of teaching small people how to think? How can they do that when they don't seem to be able to think themselves?

October 13, 2009 at 12:17 PM
palisadesk said...

How can they do that when they don't seem to be able to think themselves?

This contradiction has variously amused and enraged me, but it seems to be a systemic problem. As a "school in need of improvement" we have had cadres of experts come in purporting to teach us how to teach "higher order thinking skills." It is no exaggeration to say these gurus were so thick they would have been challenged to suggest a way to evacuate a phone booth.

I keep remembering the interesting data point from ETS that those who go on to get graduate degrees in Educational Administration have a mean GRE Verbal of 419 -- meaning a goodly number were well below that. A GRE score of 419 loosely correlates to an IQ of 90.

Not the sharpest knives in the drawer, folks.

October 13, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Catherine Johnson said...

no place for boys & not great for girls, either...

October 13, 2009 at 1:01 PM

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