Daily Mood Quotes - January 7, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 233 – January 7, 2012

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.

~Albert Einstein

Holy crap!! Yesterday is a day I choose not to relive...ever. But, I have to revisit it, at least in part, to understand it. First, my husband and I got an e-mail from an educator informing us about an event that will be occurring at school next week. The event involves a statewide exam and the school's computer systems. The administrators want to test the school's computer servers, so they intend to have all the kids take an online test at the same time (not the actual test) to see if the computer system will crash. Understandable, they are being proactive instead of reactive. That's new and different. We were sent the e-mail because our child requires assistance when taking tests due to a reading difficulty and during the test of the servers, she will not be receiving any help. They told us so we wouldn't be alarmed. Okay fine, I appreciate the heads up. Here's the problem; they are going to lie to the kids, so that they will try their best on the “fake” state wide exam. I wanted to say WHAT THE @#$%!, but instead I will simply ask, “are you kidding me?” The school kids have been taking these tests since the third grade and know what time of year they take this particular test. First, they are several months early for this exam, the kids know this. Children are not stupid, contrary to adults/educators apparent beliefs. Also, if it's a statewide event I promise you, it will get out online and the facts will spread like wildfire. Questions will be raised, if not by the kids then by their parents and trust me when I tell you this, if you lie to the kids and they find out… and they will find out because the truth always comes out, trust will disappear like smoke in a hurricane. Not just the kids trust, but their parents as well. Its a really, really, bad idea...who thinks this crap up? I almost couldn't believe the depths of deception to which they plan to stoop to, just to test a system. To invite more problems in, is in my eyes foolish and patently ill conceived. The treatment is worse than the disease here. But that's the way things seem to be here. Do it the hardest and least efficient way possible and then have to patch it up later.

Why not just tell the children the truth? Why not use this situation as an opportunity for a technology teaching tool? Our state is pushing for a tech savvy work force anyway. It's almost a no brainer, but then.... Since technology is here to stay, teach some to them, by telling them the truth about what is being done. Maybe, it will spark some interest. They can also tell them about the wonderful opportunity this is to review the test format and/or discover what they know and the types of information they don't know, before the actual test. Seriously, what is so freakin' hard about telling the truth? Can't we set a better example for the younger generation? I get so frustrated when I know adults, who should know better, go out of there way and plan to lie to kids. They are people not cattle. No wonder trust and honesty are a rare find in the world. They're teaching distrust and dishonesty right in the school system! Why not just have a class, Lying 101, or for the more advance students Prevarication: Practical uses and applications?

After a lengthy discussion about this issue, my husband and I sent an e-mail to the school administrators informing them that we will not lie to our child about this test. We also told them this was a very bad idea. We also suggested the solution outlined above to the administration. To paraphrase a current GEICO commercial “I don't get it, such a simple word; truth.” It seems the more basic the concept, the harder it is for people to get it, to understand it. It seems as if the more complex and convoluted the concept, the more people will make an effort to understand it. But, if it is plain and obvious like truth and honesty, people ignore it or fail to grasp its value; even if it is in their best interest to pay attention. I suppose that some people only place value on that which takes up the most time and energy, while the really basic stuff that we should be appreciating is passed by. We can always circle back to truth if we need too, right? To quote Gilbert Huph (played by Wallace Shawn) to Bob (Mr. Incredible played by Craig T. Nelson) from the Disney animated movie The Incredibles, “I'm not happy Bob, not happy at all.” Is it the need to get away with something? I really have deep questions and concerns about the intent and quality of the American K-12 education system, if this is any indication of how administrators in these institutions think. It's a small wonder we are being passed by in education by other countries.

In the movie The Breakfast Club, Brain Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall), Andrew Clark (Emilio Estevez), Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy), Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), John Bender (Judd Nelson), said in their report to the Vice Principal Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason) as a group,

Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did *was* wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...

Andrew Clark: ...and an athlete...

Allison Reynolds: ...and a basket case...

Claire Standish: ...a princess...

John Bender: ...and a criminal...

Brian Johnson: Does that answer your question?... Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.

In my opinion, I think educators and administrators are failing to see the kids as individuals with brains, dignity, self-respect and worthy of honesty and trust. How you treat them is how they are going to act. Have we forgotten who the role model is here? I hope they stop looking at kids as an element of “the job,” children are the job and the reason they have a job.

The rest of the day spiraled downward from there, not a good one but stories for another day; today will be better.

What example will you set today?

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Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quote - August 25, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 114 – August 25, 2011

“And the only thing that matters, Is climbing up that social ladder, Still care about your hair and the car you drive. Doesn't matter if you’re 16 or 35”

~Bowling for Soup,- High School Never Ends

Today I chose a song lyric from High School Never Ends as the quote of the day. Recently, I attended a back to school night at a local high school. Back to school night is a meet and greet between parents and teachers, along with a brief introduction to the administration staff. I was astounded by how many parents took it literally and dropped back into their high school roles. And in some cases acted as juvenile as their kids. I would guess the average age of the parents to be somewhere between late thirties and early forties, with a few stragglers on either side of that age range. The first thing I noticed were short skirts and muscles shirts. Okay I'm guilty of laughing. Maybe, it's me but when you see a woman in her fifties wearing a skirt so short that when she bent over, the world was greeted by both cheeks, “H-E-L-L-O” (thank you Sister Mary Patrick (Kathy Najimy) from Sister Act 2), you've got to wonder what she was thinking. It made me wonder, if I'm aging too fast, or maybe I'm just too conservative, something to think about. Maybe...

What really got to me was the little clique clusters that formed instantaneously, as they stood around and reminisced about their high school days. I heard conversations ranging from where someone got their first kiss (on the second floor, near the woman's bathroom) to where someone lost their innocence...(Eewwwww!, TMI!!!,). I quickly found another place to be. Then their was the high school jocks that stood and stared at their pictures in the trophy case. I kind of felt sorry for those guys because the looks on their faces, where one of disappointment and longing for, “a life unfulfilled” I suppose. Then we had the braggers, those who talked loud enough for everyone to hear about all of their accomplishments and recent vacations, recent purchases and even a recent conquest (since the divorce was final). And there were even the solemn wall flowers winding their way through the halls, literally blending into and sticking as close to the wall as possible, just so nobody noticed. They call that “positive thigmotaxis” I think, at least that's how I remember it from high school biology.

I found myself asking the question, “Where are the grown-ups?” To be fair, there were some and you could tell, there was a big difference between the people who “grew up,” grew up “here” and those who are transplants. The transplants acted and dressed like grown-ups and where completely ignored. The “grown ups” looked as stunned, as I'm certain I did. We even witnessed a hip-check into the hallway wall. Really???

So, “high school never ends”... and I wonder why this behavior is so evident in our culture. Is it because they ascribe deep emotional attachment, or is it that we only remember the good stuff? I think that's a question for a psychiatrist to answer, not me. In the movie The Breakfast Club, Claire Standish (played by Molly Ringwald) said, “Do you know how popular I am? I am so popular. Everybody loves me so much at this school.” there was a lot of that, even decades after they got the diploma and walked out the door. However, in the movie 17 Again, Mike O'Donnell (played by Zac Efron) said, “I had the craziest dream. I was 17. I was back in high school. It was terrible. Mmmm. Scar.” That quote feels a little more on target. Marcus Aurelius said “Our life is what our thoughts make of it.” Apparently. there are many here who think the past is better that the present. It seems as if they are stuck there. Memories are one of the greatest gifts we have, we remember them, we share them with great fondness, however we cannot and should not expect to “relive” them. Choose to look forward not back.

How will you look forward today?

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Thank you for reading