Friday, May 14, 2010

Calderon Go Home and Take Care of Mexico

Mexico's President Calderon is to protest Arizona's immigration law when he visits with President Obama. Really? Of course he protests, the U.S. is the biggest source of income for Mexico. Who really knows how much American money goes to Mexico and supports families that can not find help from their own country. America is Mexico's greatest welfare program that they don't have to do or pay anything for. 

There was a movie entitled "A Day Without a Mexican." How about a sequel to be entitled, "A Day in Mexico Without an American Dollar?" When I worked in restaurants the dish washers, bus boys and cooks sent home money every month to Mexico. They were good people doing what they needed to do to take care of their families. But, they came here because there were not opportunities for them to provide for their families in Mexico. 

So, president Clownderon, take care of your country and people. Provide jobs. Build industry. Mind your own business.

Thus saith me.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

What's the Big Deal?

It's approaching graduation time again. Apparently it is also the time of year when a few people show their lack of tolerance and demand that students should not be forced to hold a graduation in a rented out church sanctuary. Really? This is embarrassing to me as an educator. What's the big deal? No one is asking them to recite the apostles creed or come down and say the sinner's prayer. 

To not allow students the option of using a church is to send a message to people of faith that there is something negative attached to there beliefs.  That would also be an exercise of government control to not allow schools to use a church. 

One year I attended several district trainings held at Mosque. No big deal. I did not find it the least bit oppressive. What I have found oppressive is the constant barrage of political blather from my union, from district presenters at trainings, from fellow teachers at PD and from the media. I hear talk about teaching our students tolerance. Where is the tolerance in not allowing students to hold a graduation in a church or a mosque or on the football field?


Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Just Say No


It is an interesting coincidence that the nominee for the soon to be vacated Supreme Court Justice position has a rather small record. Was it Tom Daschle who told then Senator Obama to run for President before he had a record of voting tendencies?  So, how does President Obama approach his selection of a Supreme Court Justice nominee? He gives us someone with little judicial experience, a background in the extremely liberal soil of academia, and in the small sample we have of her choices are a bit (ok, maybe a gigabyte) left of Middle America. Elena Kagan, current solicitor general is an ideal candidate for Supreme Court Justice in the eyes of President Obama.

President Obama had said that it was very important that his choice for Supreme Court Justice would take into account women’s rights, yet rejected an idea of a litmus test, and believes that women should have the right to make often difficult decisions about their own bodies and issues of reproduction, however…no litmus test?

I am not surprised. Pissed off, but unfortunately not surprised. America drank the cool called change and now we are paying for it and will pay for it for years to come.

Dear congress: Just Say No
Thus saith me.


Tuesday, May 11, 2010

My Kids Math is Driving Me Crazy

 
Is there anyone else out there who finds it a bit draining to come home from work and check your child’s homework? The math that they give 5th graders today is so far ahead of the math I did in 5th grade that it seems like she is already in High School! Last night my daughter was reviewing some problems with area and perimeter of complex forms. The first problem almost killed me. So, my question is why? Why are we, as a nation, torturing our children with ever increasingly difficult math in the name of higher standards?

I do not believe it helps our youth to be forced to attempt complex math, in elementary or even middle school, because for most of them their minds have not developed enough to deal with abstract notions of math. There is a reason why in the past we were not asked to solve mixed fractions until the end of 5th grade, the normal development of the brain. Yet, our children are being forced to attempt problems their minds may not have developed enough to fully understand.

I can not tell you a single time I have needed or used Algebra in the 32 years since High School. I have used some Geometry when I worked in construction in my teens and twenties. I have a Masters Degree. I have worked in construction, sales, restaurants, and in education. Yet, I can’t remember a time I have used or needed Algebra.

I attended a school in England for a year when I was 20. The people I met from other countries had a different experience in education.  In none of the countries that we are apparently competing against do they try to make all their students take Algebra. Actually, by the time kids are in middle school they are being guided toward education that might help them in trades or whatever they show an aptitude for. In a way I guess that system makes teenagers think about what they are going to do as a profession simply by training them for one.

How does that related to my child (and thus me and you) being tortured by higher math? In most other countries only students with an aptitude for math take higher math unlike here where we force all students to take Algebra. That might explain the higher scores other countries score in comparison to the USA! I am an educator in a Middle School. Nothing produces failure, low self-esteem and drop outs like the unnecessary and ill-conceived plan to force our youth to take Algebra in Middle School. Nothing. 

Our educational system should help not hinder our children.

Thus saith me.




Monday, May 10, 2010

Way to Go Sherrif Joe

"He needs to go to Germany and to concentration camps, where his beliefs are valued," protester Sara Elsing, 50, told the Las Vegas Sun.

Hey Sara! Simple question: have you actually read the history of Nazi Germany?
Now a few more (apparently) difficult questions. Do you know the difference between legal and illegal? right and wrong?

Another suggestion: Stop the childish racist because someone disagrees with you crap. To compare someone who believes everyone should obey the law with someone who believed that the solution to his countries problems was the eradication of an entire people group is not only poor logic but frightening that you actually believe it.

I wonder how Sara might feel about an illegal alien if they committed a crime against her, took advantage of the free legal support offered to citizens while she had to pay for her own and got off on a technicality? How would she feel if the person would not have been allowed in this country  because they were a known criminal?

As Americans we support our law officers (except when giving me a ticket) when they are upholding the law because the law should protect law abiding citizens from those who act illegally.

Way to go Sheriff Joe! Keep up the good work. 

Thus saith me.