On the Front Lines

Just so you know,

We DONT teach any thing about marriage. the who the what the why.

And even if we did teach what was right and wrong...

are you THAT afraid that your children are going to abandon what you, parents, their FIRST teachers, have taught them?



If so, maybe you should not let them leave the house. Because someday, whether we teach things or not, your child MIGHT, if you're unlucky, make a decision for his or herself.


Now I'll have to go back to waiting for the government to do what the people weren't willing to.  Come on, courts!  Deja Vu, much, United States of America?

Folks, let me share something with you about racism.  Read this before opening your mouth or ears to someone in public.

If you have to start a sentence with, "I'm not racist, but....."  you are about to make a racist comment.

Racism doesn't mean you want to commit genocide or are ready to openly declare hate or superiority.  It is enough that you are going to make a generalization about an entire race or culture based on a stereotype.  Surprise!  That's racism.

I got into a conversation (okay, it was a debate) with some guy and I had to put on my cape of social justice again.  Don't talk to me about education.  Don't talk to me about what KINDS of families (like which races) accept their situations and which ones work hard to get out of them.  Don't try and tell me who refuses to learn languages.

Because I actually am out there and I KNOW and I see that these fallacies are just stereotypes perpetuated by people who have seen one person like that out there, or listen to some other angry person.

This guy wanted to talk about bilingual education....but somehow all of his points ended up at  "NAFTA and Mexican trucks as the reason for our sinking dollar", "THEY have more than one family in a house,"  "THEM not wanting to excel or succeed in life," "THEM showing their flag in front of their house," "THEM becoming a majoity in California."  Everytime I tried to talk about education and research, he wanted nothing to do with it.

The good news?  He is moving to Washington state! woo-hoo! I stopped sweating the conversation after awhile because I thought-- It is not everyday that someone leaves here. And this is exactly the kind of person I want leaving here! =)

And WOW.  This was forwarded to me by my mother and the staff at her elementary school. Sometimes it blows me away how acceptable this kind of opinion is.  I find it funny in the way it was NOT meant to be. <=/  




what the teacher added was in italics

the myths I'm sure you've heard....

( 10 Fallacies about bilingual education (with sources) )

Let's think critically.

Why would the US's appointed Secretary of Education promote Bush's plan to give money away to send students to private schools? (and yes this is an OPINION page)

possible answers:
-because schools are low performing?
-because everyone has a right to private education?

Let's think harder.  Lets' ask some questions.
-WHY is the federal government willing to speand FEDERAL/PUBLIC money on PRIVATE education? is this an unfair use of money? Is this a way to get their foot in the door and now influence what education goes on in private organizations?
-WHY is the govt not putting this money toward funding the schools who need more support to teach what is in all likeliness a population that needs resources (both academinc and economical)?  I mean, they're only failing according to the FEDERAL policies. Shouldn't there be a rescue/improvement plan rather than an assess-then-abandom-ship plan?
-WHY would the govt want to lower popluations of public schools and therefore employees on their payroll? Then maybe they could start to weaken those damned unions while they're at it.

I just watched the Oprah special, "Auschwitz: Death Camp" with ellie weisel.

It was, I am sure a surprise to no one, indescribable.  I know sometimes with tragic events, we walk this thin line between the beliefs of wanting to stop seeing the imagery or hearing the stories because it is thought to be excessive, and always needing to be reminded. I am of the side of the fence that thinks having access to that sort of emotion, however unpleasant, is necessary. We should never be disconnected from life--past or present-- for reasons of uncomfortableness.

The show, which was primarily interactions between Oprah and Mr. Weisel, also comfirmed my belief that Oprah IS doing what she can. It is easy for me to say she can be doing more when I see her shows about puppies or white trash meth addicts of middle america. Lately, however, I have focused a lot more on her donations and programs she has set up,and the shows challenging the marginalization of women or the inequity in education. 

When Oprah and the survivor were looking over the tons of human hair (or was it shoes...they're each so surreal that it blurs together), they spoke about being so angry that they cannot do enough to stop the injustices in the world. And I thought about all of the things I have seen Oprah do, and the things that she does silently, and I listened to the survivor speak of how he feels like such a failure to have published 49 books, won a Nobel Peace Prize, and still not be able to stop everything.......and it made sense to me. Neither one of them stops what they are doing because it isn't enough ( and wow on the scheme of things I think they do a very great much). It made me hopeful.

Some (not direct) quotes that stood out:

Language has been an obstacle because there exist no words to describe what went on here.

In those times, it was human to be inhuman (his explanation of how humans, not devils, made this possible)

Because I suffered, i do not accept when others suffer. It makes me stand up to their suffering.

Nineteen percent of poor children are without consistent health insurance, compared with 12% of all children; 13% of Black children are without insurance, compared with 8% of White children.

Lower-class children, on average, have poorer vision than middle-class children, partly due to prenatal condition. Fifty percent or more of minority and low-income children have vision problems that interfere with their academic work.

Low-income children have dangerously high blood-lead levels at five times the rate of middle class-children. Although lead-based paint was banned in 1978, low-income children are more likely to live in buildings constructed prior to that date and in buildings that are not repainted often enough to prevent old layers from falling off. Urban children are also more likely to attend older schools, built when water pipes contained lead.

A 2004 government report found that 30% of the poorest children had attended at least three different schools by third grade, while only 10% of middle class children did so. High mobility-- each move requiring a readjustment to teachers, classmates, and curriculum-- depresses achievement.


my students are always moving to find a place they can afford...which they often can't do. it's strange how much the apartments across from my school cost... they couldn't pay me to live there.

Median Black family income is about 62% of median White family income, while median Black family net worth is only 12% of White family net worth. This means that White middle-class families are more likely than Black families to have adequate and affordable housing.




(ooh, but the effects of generations of racism and slavery are surely erased since we do not see them today!)

In real dollars, the value of minimum wage has plummeted by 25%, impacting largely on low-income families and their children.

"Among the 21 most affluent nations, the United States has the highest percentage of poor children-- twice the rate of the country next in line."

"No Child Left Behind" is the federal legislation that makes my job a living hell. This sounds exaggerated, but it is an accurate analogy! LOL

No Child Left Behind: The Basketball Version

1. All teams must make the state playoffs, and all must win the championship. If a team does not win the championship, they will be on probation until they are the champions, and coaches will be held accountable.

2. All kids will be expected to have the same basketball skills at the same time and in the same conditions. No exceptions will be made for interest in basketball, a desire to perform athletically, or genetic abilities or disabilities. ALL KIDS WILL PLAY BASKETBALL AT A PROFICIENT LEVEL.

3. Talented players will be asked to work out on their own; without instruction. This is because the coaches will be using all their instructional time with the athletes who aren't interested in basketball, have limited athletic ability, or whose parents don't like basketball.

4. Games will be played year round, but statistics will only be kept in 4th, 8th, and 11th games.

5. This will create a New Age of sports where every school is expected to have the same level of talent and all teams will reach the same minimal goals.

If no child gets ahead, then no child will be left behind.

Help. <=(

just so you know:

regular teachers do NOT have tenure.

In the interests of open education, we are granted the right to due process when you fire us. yes, we can and will be fired when we are bad. we are not untouchable. due process just stops us from being fired because my boss doesn't like me teaching the Holocaust or whatever someone might not want passed on.

For the first 2 years of teaching, I can be fired at the drop of a hat if my supervisor chooses. That's it for me being a teacher. After my 2 years, I relinquish my "probationary" status but am still subject to routine evals and observations. I have to renew my crednetial often and am constantly required to attend the latest and greatest trainings and research. as it should be.

The upcoming Proposition is retroactive. it means that once AGAIN, after obtaining my credential and jumping through the agreed hoops, I am again invalidated, and will be probationary for 5 years instead of 2. This becomes more questionable considering my school could be taken over next year. Teachers can be forced to leave and the principal-- arguably the most respected and esteemed principal in my district-- could be replaced. why? my school improved its OWN scores with 30% growth, but this does not measure up the federal goal for how many students should score proficient or advanced on the state test.

kids who have only been at OUR school a few months. or kids who have only tried English for 10 months.

-->question: how many of you scored within the 80-90th percentile on your SAT? and even after more than 10 months of knowing English, too, right? what if you're not a good test taker?

anyway, I digress. long story short, if this spun-out "anti-tenure" prop passes, I could be denied my final approved credential (which I am supposed to have in 2006) at a time when my school could be taken over even though we are making huge relative growth. :( most of you don't know how much work we do to stay credentialed and current, because I vent enough about the trials (and SUPER REWARDS!!!!!!!!!!!) of the classroom.

but really, we're starting to feel like it doesn't matter.

please vote NO on prop 74

In an effort to "tidy up" a bit on Saturday, I threw away my reimbursement check for $125. Thank god I hadn't taken the trash out!!!!! I JUST NOW found it.

phew!!!!!

hey- thats' kinda cool-- I've been to 4 out of these 5 places! But I think I would have rated the weather question a little heavier...

American Cities That Best Fit You:

70% San Francisco

60% Los Angeles

60% New York City

55% Chicago

55% Philadelphia

But please, no mini vans. And no lotto tickets. ew!!
--> I think the funniest part is what category I scored LAST in!

You scored as Middle Class. You're content in your position and would prefer a house or a family than a seven figure pay cheque. But you have your moments of weakness when you buy a lottery ticket in the hope of knowing how the rich and famous live. </td> Middle Class 71% Upper middle Class 63% Lower Class 46% alternative 42% Luxurious Upper Class 38% What Social Status are you? created with QuizFarm.com

I know I havent always made the wisest LJ decisions, but when I look around at other people's LJs every once in awhile (you know when click leads to to click and suddenly you're in the unfamiliar?)...

I am SURPRISED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE STILL ACT LIKE THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL!

lol =D damn, it's actually pretty sad. People can't get past being passive-agressive/public about stuff. insults via public forum? yikes!

I just received my CD the Boxx (from Star---Gina, you know what I am talking about!) and it is sooo good! I heard it 2 weeks ago while shopping for over an hour in one store. It makes me all on-the-verge-of-tears but in a good way! I've been like that for a few weeks and I talked about it with Leslie (it happened with anything-- even SATC or Law & Order! I get so moved) ANyway, thats all for now! More to update later.