links for 2006-10-19

5 comments

1. 

   Stephen Hood says:

   October 19, 2006 at 9:28 am

   Stephen ,”No Tag” been the norm in our left wing socialist state up here in Canada for awhile now. Too bad it’s happening in the States. Forget about teaching kids actions/consequences – these door knobs want to make sure that doesn’t happen.

   We went to the principal of our school 3 years ago and after listening to her sanctimonious doublespeak about about how they are just so concerned about the SAFETY (not well being) of our children yada yada, we then had to listen as she played the “a few parents have concerns” card – except we pointed out that meant 99% DIDNT have concerns. Drats, now onto plan C and the REAL reason after we shot down the first two lies …

   She finally referred us to their legal deptartment if we wanted to take it further.

   The worst part is she didn’t acknowledge her hypocrisy in trying to snow us about how concerned she was about the safety of our children. We had told her we would sign waivers freeing the school from any legal action long before she brought up contacting their legal department. Just disgusting how she hid behind the “we just care for your children’s safety” story for over 20 minutes.

   And this is not the exception. Those are the kinds of people running the public system up here now.. most of the decent ones have gone to the private system. Go figure.

   They can’t spend the time to watch the children or put a band-aid on their knee if they fall – but they can spend the time to educate their staff on the lies to tell parents when they come knocking. Orwell arrived in our public school systems up here a long time ago.

   At least down there it seems to be on a per school basis – up here it’s the policy of the boards. So forget about trying to get anywhere with them or having the choice of moving your children to another school where common sense is applied. The gutless wonders have applied it everywhere.

   Our children can’t play tag at school…everyone think about that for a moment.

   Let’s teach them to be afraid of simple pleasures. Even Orwell couldn’t have thought that one up, but our “teachers” seem to have no problem with it. Makes their life easier you know.

   Just disgusting.

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2. 

   stephen o'grady says:

   October 19, 2006 at 5:11 pm

   wow – i had no idea they’d taken things that far up there. i really don’t understand the logic behind that, because where does it end? might as well ban all team sports while you’re at it. and god forbid that students be graded and experience failure, so let’s do away with that too. unreal.

   Reply
3. 

   Stephen Hood says:

   October 20, 2006 at 8:32 am

   yeah, we brought up the sports thing as a counterpoint as well.

   Well that’s different.
   How?
   Well you sign waivers exempting the school for sports activities
   Well were willing to sign waivers so they can play tag.
   Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. No. Not the policy.
   But I thought you said it was about safety anyways..

   Around and around we went thru the doublespeak.

   Unfortunately it’s only too real. Common sense has been abandoned – replaced by bureaucratic pin heads more concerned about themselves and ass covering than our children.

   And yes at some point sports will get the axe..maybe then people will say enough is enough.

   Oh Stephen, Stephen…they won’t fail students here anymore except under the most *extreme* cases. Why? Because it escalates the situation to the higher ups and requires “investigations” and a whole process to start kicking in. Scrutiny etc. So they just push them thru whether they are ready or not to avoid it. So now the student is trying to understand the next level without having understood the previous one. Great ay.

   If you have really strong willed parents they can force their child to be held back but the internal system is geared to NOT encouraging that at all…plus what parents really want to believe their child isn’t the next Einstein. It takes alot of courage to admit that because you don’t want to believe it. And then after a few years the poor kid really is screwed and are very unlikely to catch up. It’s the same lack of accountability as the tag issue – we don’t want to be held responsbile – that’s the message being sent. Avoid risk is another one.

   Just to be clear, I believe most of it is due to the administration levels and not the in-class teachers…I’m sure most of them would love to see our kids playing tag but they don’t get to decide that anymore. The bean counters do.

   The big picture has been lost…

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4. 

   Mike Dolan says:

   October 20, 2006 at 9:27 am

   I wonder if the “bad kids” play tag when no one’s looking – kinda like how the “bad kids” used to be smoking in the bathroom…

   Has anyone seen the movie bubble boy or whatever it was called – it was stupid, but that’s the idea.

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5. 

   Stephen Hood says:

   October 20, 2006 at 11:24 am

   Mike they don’t get away with it. They are extremely vigilant in shutting it down because the teachers are in trouble themselves if something “happens”. They are the equivalent of the soup Nazi only it’s the recess Nazis.

   The kids actually get *punished* for having fun and doing what kids do. That’s the sick part. Either verbally admonished or if they continue then into the principals office and a phone call to the parents for being “bad”. No. I’m not making this up. You actually get called about a “situation” with little Johnny at the school and they are made to feel bad about playing tag so they won’t do it again..all under the bullshit guise of the safety of your children – which is really the codes words for “we are covering our own asses”.

   Like I said Orwell is already here in our schools…imposed by the very people that are supposed to be doing the opposite – all so they can cover their own asses.

   Reply