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| Politicians - or Why I Think They Should All Be BombedI've been tossing this idea around for a couple of weeks, but at the urging of my sister quiltnmomi, I figured I'd finally get around to saying something about it.
Not picking on any one particular party, but it seems that the people we elect to govern us are either 1) really lazy, 2) figure we are really stupid, or 3) both.
I base that generalization on the types of laws that get passed and the topics that they obsess with when they deign to speak to us, the constituents.
Specifically, when I look at two of the major laws passed during the current administration, what I notice are that the sound bites of the titles are really good, but the laws themselves leave a lot to be desired. For instance, the (un)Patriot Act sounds as though it should help induce waves of Patriotism among everyone, or at the least reaffirm the basic values that this country was built upon. It does neither. In fact, it undermines most of the fundamental freedoms with which we associate being an American.
- Right to privacy (modern version of not having troops barracked in your home) GONE. The government has essentially granted itself unilateral decisions in whose business it can pry itself
- Right to a speedy trial, and a trial by one's peers - GONE AGAIN. We are detaining citizens for weeks, months, and years without a trial, and several of the trials held were not before one's peers, but in a tribunal situation.
- Right to face ones accuser - GONE YET AGAIN. The accuser can be anyone, anywhere, or even nobody except the (now) all-powerful government, solely on the basis that ones actions, words, or opinions are potentially undermining, not to the freedoms we hold, but to those in power now.
- Right to the freedom of speech, (and thereby press and religion) ALSO GONE. Anything anyone says is now grounds for the government to instigate a background check to build 'proof' that you are subvervise, and thereby threatening the stability to the nation brought about by honest dissent.
The list for the this one could continue, but I wanted to also talk the other law that just gives me chills.
No Child Left Behind
Again, this sounds good in 5 second clips of audio, "We want all our children to be educated fully." But the basis it was built upon, the Army Rangers credo of never leaving a man behind does not take into account that not everyone can BECOME an Army Ranger. Ignoring for a moment the special needs children that cannot be educated to "grade level" just consider the way testing has been done for the past 20 years.
Early in the 1990's every state reported that their state average was above the national average on the Iowa Basic Skills test. Logically, that can't happen. In order to have a meaningful "average" someone has to score above, and someone has to score below. When people began looking at the apparent discrepancy, it was discovered that the test had not been changed or updated in several years, allowing teachers to instruct material specific to the test ("teaching to the test"). To help prevent that in the future, most all tests now are amended each year in what is called a "continuously normed test". Which means that the average scores from one year are used to set the standard by which the next years students are measured.
Which means, if a group of students take a test and score an average of 50, then the next groups lowest score can only be a 50, in order for every student to be considered passing. But, this raises the average for the third year to lets say 75. Which means the third year students must all score a 75 or higher. But that raises the average for year 4 to an 88. So they all have to score an 88 or higher, but that raises the average for the next year to a 94, so year 5 students have to score a 94 or better, which raises the bar for year 6 students to a 97, year 7 students to a 99, and year 8 students to 100. (All of the above calculations are based on a 1-100 pt test. The principle holds true regardless of the test range used.)
So, in less than 10 years, the time NCLB was given to become fully operational, EVERY STUDENT MUST CORRECTLY ANSWER EVERY QUESTION!!!!! I don't know about you, but I know for a fact that there are things I don't know. And even though I was a good student in school, I never went an entire YEAR, much less the entire 13 years of public school WITHOUT MISSING A SINGLE QUESTION.
Additionally, on the NCLB, there are no provisions for special or extenuating circumstances, so if a student's house burns down the day before, or their parents are killed in car wreck the week before, or if they have 103 degree fever, they only have the one chance to take the test and "prove" that they have "learned" the material.
But where does the consequences fall should a good student not meet impossible demands? On the teachers and schools. Allowing indiscriminate and ultimately counter-productive meddling by the government in the classrooms and with the curriculum, essentially enforcing that future students will be less able to meet the rising demands of the testing and ensuring more involved and continued interference with the teachers and school.
But that is just my two cents worth. You are welcome to disagree, but you're wrong.
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| I truly do love my job, but there are days..... For those who don't know, I teach high school mathematics. I also have a great interest in world history and culture. Using that interest, I started a "Multi-cultural" program at the school I work at with the intent of showing the students that there is more to the world than just rural America. For the most part, it has been pretty good. Then this week. Last July, I went to get permission to take a group to San Antonio over spring break and study the history of the area. You know, missions, Alamo, Mexican/Hispanic influence. And maybe even a stop for a bit at Sea World. I got approval, and we have hosted several fundraisers, and talked to some of the community service organizations and managed to raise about half of what we needed. The students are footing the rest of their share. A month ago, I sought permission to use the short bus, since all of our other transportation options had fallen through. The school board granted it, and even mentioned that since the bus only held 14 passengers, then according to the requirements of the state Dept of Ed, I would not need a CDL to drive. Last Tuesday (understand we are leaving this morning, so less than a week ago) I was informed I would need to go and have my drivers license updated with a passenger endorsement. Wednesday, I went to the revenue office to get my license, and was informed that "if its yellow with the school name, you have to have a CDL." So, I bought the study materials, and the state trooper who gives the test made special arrangements to give me the written AND driving part on Thursday afternoon. I studied Wednesday night, and most of Thursday. About 2:20, with the test to be given at 3 pm, the principal came and mentioned that I did not have a drug test on file, and therefore could not drive the bus afterall, even if I passed the test. (I did by the way, PHEW!!!) I also went and "donated my bodily fluids" for the drug test, and was informed that it would take over a week for the results to get back. I'm just a touch frustrated. I've done everything like I was supposed to, and it still screws the students on a good experience. This is what happens when republicans are in charge. | | |
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