Tag: school
Texas Schools: Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 05:53:32 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
It's either a vestige of the Old West (and not a good one) or it's a prudent security measure. But things are going to be different when classes resume at a small, rural north Texas school district later this month. Because when students report to their homerooms they're going to find any number of teachers and administrators packing heat.
(19 comments, 392 words in story) Full Story
We Don't Need No Stinking Islam 101
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Sat Jun 07, 2008 at 09:05:49 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
One of the jobs of a school administrator is to try to keep the peace in school. If episodes occur where tempers flare and violence erupts, many administrators will see these as "teaching moments." But, this is the 21st century and some claim we suffer from Islamophobia. Thus, any teaching moment involving exposing kids to the facts about Islam is likely to not deliver the intended message. Such is the case at Friendswood Middle School near Houston, where an administrator thought an act of violence could be used as a teaching moment. Unfortunately for the administrator involved, the lesson learned was very painful as it involved her losing her job.
(109 comments, 692 words in story) Full Story
The kindergarten class has spoken; it's time for you to go.
pO157.
Posted to Legal on Fri May 30, 2008 at 06:43:01 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
A teacher at Morningside Elementary School in Florida has been reassigned after allowing her class to vote to expel a student from the classroom.
(34 comments, 257 words in story) Full Story
Boarding Schools For The Homeless In The Windy City?
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Tue May 27, 2008 at 05:46:56 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the nation's third largest public school system. Over 400,000 students attend classes in 655 schools. Unfortunately, around 10,000 of those 400,000 kids have no home to go to once school is over. Trying to get an education in a stable home environment is difficult enough; things get a whole lot tougher for the kid living in a succession of homeless shelters. The school district thinks they might have an approach which will help homeless kids - take them out of homeless shelters and place them in boarding schools. But the approach is expensive and under attack by homeless advocates.
(6 comments, 565 words in story) Full Story
Are The Bigger Boobs In The Email Or On The School Board?
MayorBob.
Posted to Legal on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 06:14:40 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Beverly Plamp says she was inappropriately touched by her teacher back in 2006. She is suing for damages from the Mitchell School District of Mitchell, South Dakota. She wants to have some emails used as evidence in her case. However, her name and the incident involving her are not mentioned in the emails. The school district wants to have the emails sealed. Plamp's claim is that, even if they don't pertain to her case, they do draw a picture of a school district with rather lax and offensive attitudes towards sex - attitudes which could translate to a favorable verdict for Ms. Plamp.
(2 comments, 476 words in story) Full Story
A Tortured Justification For Designing Torture Machines
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 09:35:23 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Reading the welcome page to the University of Kent's School of Architecture, you get the idea that architecture should serve mankind.
(11 comments, 486 words in story) Full Story
The "Terrorist" In Second Period Math Class
MayorBob.
Posted to Religion on Fri Jun 15, 2007 at 07:35:05 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Being a student in high school is hard enough without having to put up with bullying. As has been demonstrated, school bullying can result in some awful outcomes. Even if bullying doesn't lead to deadly results, it's hardly going to make school a pleasant experience for those being bullied. But, what about if those doing the bullying aren't students? What if the people doing the bullying are teachers and school security guards? According to Osama Al-Najjar, that's exactly what happened to him at Tottenville High School in Staten Island, New York. It got so bad that he tried to kill himself and now he's suing the school and the board of education.
(14 comments, 441 words in story) Full Story
Pack It, Fire It Up, And Come Along, It's Time For The Supremes To Hear About Hits From The Bong
pO157.
Posted to Legal on Tue Mar 20, 2007 at 07:48:05 PM EST (promoted by 1fastdog). RSS.
The so-called "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" case, otherwise known as Morse v. Frederick, 06-278, is currently before the US Supreme Court awaiting a ruling which would have vast effects on the free speech rights of students in public schools.
(12 comments, 473 words in story) Full Story
Too Much Of A Cross To Bear?
MayorBob.
Posted to Religion on Tue Jan 09, 2007 at 02:32:09 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
The College of William and Mary existed in Williamsburg, Virginia long before there was a constitutional doctrine of separation of church and state. Indeed, as the school was founded in 1693, it existed before there was a US Constitution or even a nation under which it operated. Thus, it likely seemed a natural thing for William and Mary's founders to place a Christian cross on the altar of the main chapel on campus. But, that was then and this is now and what seemed natural then is anything but now. Now, we're in the midst of an era of diversity and inclusion and the cross was seen as potentially divisive by some. Thus, an effort was made to reduce the divisiveness and make the chapel a more "welcoming" place to all. But there is no such thing as an effort to make everything more "welcoming" which doesn't get viewed as an attempt to marginalize something else. So it is with the case of the cross and the college.
(9 comments, 623 words in story) Full Story
BMOC (Big Medievalist On Campus) Told To Sheath Thine Mighty Swift Sword
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 03:57:18 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island has a tradition of allowing graduating seniors to submit their own photos for the yearbook. In years past they've featured photos of members of the band with their instruments or kids on skateboards - anything, really, that let's them better express themselves. One kid went a bit too far, in the minds of school authorities, and his photo is banned from the yearbook. What, pray tell, could this kid have submitted a photo of? It was a picture of him in medieval chain mail holding a (gasp) unsheathed broadsword. According to the school, they have this zero tolerance rule on weapons in school and this rule extends to the official pictures of seniors in the yearbook, so it's no go. Needless to say, this has caused quite a stir.
(5 comments, 613 words in story) Full Story
More Reasons To Be Dis-SAT-isfied With the SAT.
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Fri Dec 01, 2006 at 09:58:18 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is rarely a pleasant chore for the high school students who have to take it. To spend the better part of a day in a school cafeteria or gym being watched over by test administrators as you take a test which can literally have a dramatic effect on your life is a surefire blood pressure booster. But, most college admissions committees want to see your SAT scores (and they'd better be high if you're talking elite schools) thus, most high school students willingly put up with this self abuse. But, when some odd and wrong things happen, it makes you wonder how worthwhile the test is.
(17 comments, 564 words in story) Full Story
Smile, You're On Candid Lecture
MayorBob.
Posted to Business on Fri Nov 17, 2006 at 12:41:14 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Should you have a right to conduct your daily business without having to worry about your picture being taken or, worse yet, have streaming video of you at your desk posted to the internet? Would you get upset if something like that happened to you and the picture taker decided to add his or her editorial comments about you and what you were doing? But, you're protected from that by the laws of slander or libel, you might say. Well, you might be if you knew who did it but, if you're a college professor, you might not. An internet site which allows students to rate their professors anonymously is calling for students to take candid photos of profs to be posted to the site.
(4 comments, 484 words in story) Full Story
