my soldier
Iraq 2010
But my main purpose of this post is to release some anger and frustration over something I just read in the news. I found this article on Foxnews.com . The title of the article is "Father Sues District Over Reading About Slavery" and tells how a father of a 5th grade African American student is suing the district (for $50,000) because the reading contained racial epithets and racist characterizations. The prosecution claims the reading "affected the conditions of learning duties and the advantages of her further education, and seriously affected her mental and emotional well-being, past, present and future."
First of all, I commend the teacher for incorporating multiculturalism into curriculum by dedicating a unit that celebrates Black History Month. Way to go!
Second, I am SICK and TIRED of hearing in the news that people keep suing school districts. When did schools become the scapegoat for all the problems in the world; for students not learning how to treat one another kindly (bullying), for emotional and behavior issues, for making children to eat crap and getting fat, and for not 'properly' educating youth. Let me remind people that we live in a country where we are blessed with FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION for all. FREE! What a blessing that our education is accessible to so many. Now if there are problems with that education system please let me also remind you that CUTTING education budgets will not help anything. We just had elections, was educational policy a consideration in who you voted for?
Lastly, and more importantly - what happened to family responsibility? Aren't parents supposed to ensure their child is eating a healthy diet (I understand there is much poverty and some students don't have access to that at home). So who is really to blame for your kid being a fatty? Also, aren't parents supposed to teach their kids the golden rule? AND be an example of kindness to others? When did that responsibility transfer to schools? Like I said before, school here is free, so if you think your child's school is doing a poor job, you have a few options: private school or home school. If you don't like how we're doing it, do it your self or pay someone to do it for you. Don't SUE the school district, that's a little counterproductive don't you think?
That being said...
after a long rough day yesterday and today, I decided to take a mental health break from my Thursday night class. Even though the class is 2 1/2 hours long, doesn't get out till 9:30, is with a professor who simply reads his power points and I've rarely ever taken notes in his class (affirming to me that attending is pointless), even with all those considerations...I feel sick and horribly guilty for skipping it.
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I agree with you 100%. When did schools become expected to parent children? Isn't that the parent's job? Ugh! I have promised myself that when I have children in school I will actually be involved in my child's life and not just ship them off to school each day. But I will not become a helicoper parent either - it is a fine line.
ReplyDeleteSounds like my days are going - I am dealing with several helicopter parents. I told my students the other day that they were expected to keep the floor clean - I am not their mommy. My room is cleaner! (Maybe some of that was the brush and dust pan I gave to the student who thought dumping the garbage from his pencil eraser on the floor was the way to deal with the problem.)
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures - enjoy the weekend. Love you both!