School overstepping their right...........

[srkruzich]

Diane, I am thinking that he is just hiding from progress and is mad because he can't do anything about it. 

What progress?  This country hasn't progressed, its degenerated into a absolute mess. 

srkruzich, you say that people should take care of their own?  That would be nice if everyone had someone. 

Generally i have found that most people that don't have someone created the situation.

Parents should teach their children.  When?

From day one when the child is born. 

While they are sleeping off their latest binge or while they are still in la-la land with their favorite drug?  Or while they are working 2 jobs because that is the only way they can manage without help from taxpayers? 

Get off the booze, get off the drugs, to begin with, and don't sing that 2 job song because i have been there did that got the shirt to prove it and i have raised fine kids into fine young men.  IF i can do it anyone can.  Its called responsibility, sacrifice, and love for your children. IF you dont' love your children, give them to someone who will.

Law Enforcement is too nosy.

Law enforcement doesn't have the authority to be nosey.  First of all, they have no right to coerce children into giving them information.

And just why do you feel that you have to keep reminding us?

Of What?

Are we so simple minded that we forget all the evils in your world and you are trying to protect us?

No, i think people are just too scared to stand up and take on their responsibility for their own security.  They want someone else to do it for them.   Again...

If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

[Warph]

Talking about your schools, here is one that caught my eye.  You gotta read this....

First grade parents shocked by teacher's assistant caught on tape

By Rebecca Powers
http://www.wlox.com/global/story.asp?s=11726282
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - Rebecca and Mark Stabler say their 8-year-old son Gabe has come home from Jeff Davis Elementary in tears every day since school began in August.
So, they put a tape recorder in his book bag to hear what goes on in his first grade class.
The parents said that was on December 10th. When the recording was brought home that night, the Stablers were shocked to hear how assistant teacher Mershelia Williams spoke to the small children. They say her tone and grammar were deplorable.
"She's messed with the wrong kid, I'm sorry, cause I'm not going lay down," Rebecca Stabler said. "I'm not going stand idly by and let my child be treated like this, it's not going to happen."
Ms. Williams: "Where this go?"
Child: "I colored that yesterday."
Ms. Williams: "It shouldn't of got changed at all, that ain't nothing to be proud of."
A few seconds later, a child the Stablers identified as Makayla Massey could be heard asking for help on an assignment.
Makayla: "Ms. Williams, I don't know how to do this."
Ms. Williams: "Go sit down, I'm working right now, you're not gonna be walking up to me every 5 minutes asking me, telling me you don't know how to do something."
In front of her, to the class, Ms Williams is overheard taking to another child about Maykala.
Ms. Williams:"No, do your work. She ain't goin to be sittin up in here wanting somebody to help her every time she, cause she don't wanna apply herself to her work. You know how to go in that cafeteria and enjoy that lunch and breakfast every morning."
Maykala's mother, Jennifer Hammack, told WLOX News she is, "Very upset that my child had to be bullied by an adult who is suppose to be teaching her. Yes, my daughter has a weight problem, one that she is already very self conscious of."
On the tape hidden in Gabe's book bag, with 15 first graders in one room, they are surprisingly quiet enough for you to hear Ms. Williams speaking. The Stablers say it's because they are terrified instead of nurtured.
Rebecca Stabler said, "I will do whatever needs to be done to get this woman to not have a job here. This is ridiculous. You don't treat kids like this."
And all of this is in the first 28 and a half minutes of school. As the Stablers continued listening to the tape, they recognized the voice of their son Gabe, who is hard of hearing. He was asking for instructions on a work sheet.
Gabe: "I don't know what to do on this."
Ms. Williams: "Well, you'd better find out. It's not hard. Nobody else didn't have to ask no questions bout it. You know what to do, you just want somebody to just sit there and pet you about it, but I ain't gonna do it. You know how to go in that lunch room and tear that food up every day. Ain't nothing hard bout that sheet."
A holiday and dates worksheet seemed to have many of the first graders stumped.
This is what the teaching assistant is heard saying to two children who didn't understand.
Ms. Williams: "You gotta put all these dates on here on that side. The dates don't go over here, this is holidays. And this is dates! Holidays! Dates! If it's a holiday it goes over here, if it's a date it goes over here. And all the lines need to be filled. Why is that so, why is that so difficult?"
The tape indicates one child apparently didn't understand what the words he was copying meant. This is what he was told.
Ms. Williams: "You don't need to know what it say. Just write it on the line".
The Stablers said they were told by school officials, Ms. Williams was placed on leave with pay during an investigation that started December 11th.
On December 18th, the teaching assistant confirmed she was called into the school district office and fired.
Biloxi School Superintendent Dr. Paul Tisdale, who could not confirm that, said, "It is an expectation in Biloxi Public Schools that employees communicate with students, parents, and staff in a professional manner. When these expectations are not met and are brought to the attention of administrators, the facts are checked to determine an appropriate course of administrative action. We can not comment publicly on personnel matters."
Before this story aired, Ms. Williams came to the WLOX Studios and listened to the tape. Wednesday morning, her attorney Alvin Chase also listened to the recording. They both emphasized that until this incident, Ms. Williams had never been reprimanded by the Biloxi School District and gave this statement.
"I apologize to the student or students that felt I was rude to them. I also apologize to the parents or guardians of those students if my actions or conduct in the presence of their child or children on that day appeared or led them to conclude that I was being less than professional. I further apologize to the BPS District. If my temperament caused any hardship to a student or parent, I apologize. My only intention ultimately working as a teacher assistant was to carry out my duties in a matter of excellence and serve the students."
Her attorney did confirm to WLOX News that Ms. Mershelia Williams has been terminated from the Biloxi School District.


WOW..... Okay.... Ms. Williams clearly is barely literate, and should be in the first grade instead of teaching it.  Gabe speaks better English than she does.  In a country not sliding into degradation, a restraining order would keep her from coming within a hundred yards of a school.

Why the hell do we permit this sort of thing?  Ms. Williams is black.  The story carefully doesn't say so, but it doesn't have to.  Only the black uneducated speak as she does.

The proper response from parents would be fury.  The discovery that this creature is attempting to turn their children into the equivalent of farm animals ought to result in the lynching of the school board of Mississippi.  A civilized people with backbone will not allow their their offspring to be made into gurbling iPodded peasants.  But we are not such a civilization.  Why is it happening?  "Affirmative action."  Since Ms. Williams does not speak the language of the country, the only possible reason for hiring her is that she is black.  She is not just slightly unqualified, allowing an expectation that she might catch up—this being the founding fantasy of "affirmative action"—but absolutely unqualified!!!

The pattern repeats endlessly.  I have read that the Chicago police contemplate eliminating their entrance examination on the grounds that not enough blacks pass it.  Firemen of my acquaintance here in Surprise, tell of women too weak to handle a hose, of female paramedics who can't carry a stretcher.  (I'll probably get some kick-back on this one from somebody).  

On intercity buses there once were signs, and probably still are, saying, "Seating is without regard to race, creed, color, sex, or national origin."  Today everything seems to be with regard to nothing else.  Anything, everything, must be done to keep the affirmative-action classes happy.  This rush to degradation is not new.  The bald, statistically verifiable truth is that the teachers' colleges, probably on ideological grounds, have produced an incredible proportion of incompetent black teachers.  Evidence of this appears periodically, as, for example, in the results of a competency test given to applicants for teaching positions in Pinellas County, Florida (which includes St. Petersburg and Clearwater), cited in cited in Time, June 16, 1980.... http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924217,00.html  To pass this grueling examination, an applicant had to be able to read at the tenth-grade level and do arithmetic at the eighth-grade level.  Though they all held B.A.'s, 25 percent of the whites and 79 percent of the blacks failed.  Similar statistics exist for other places."

If you think it desirable to have black teachers, as I do believe it desirable, then get those who are fit to do the job.  Plenty of blacks speak English.  If you can't find enough, then do without.  The same applies to women who can't carry stretchers.  Fat chance, though.

What price do we pay for this total surrender of responsibility, civilizational self-respect, reason?  One price is a quiet contempt for blacks, and hostility toward them.  Competent blacks are no problem, but "If he doan be eatin dis sangwidge..." doesn't cut it.  Women make perfectly good paramedics, but what is anyone, fellow crewman or patient, supposed to think when she can't lift the stretcher?  (Answer: Scorn, anger.)  What does a patient think on seeing a black doctor come his way?  "Oh god... the doctor may have gotten through medical school on ability but, given affirmative action, you figure he probably didn't."  Blacks know this of course, and resent it.  Knowing that they are despised, they say the hell with it, and content themselves with just getting by.  This is useful?

The suspicion of affirmative action pervades American life.  After Katrina, a friend in federal employ visited FEMA.  It was, he said, very heavily black, on which fact he blamed the disastrous performance of the agency in New Orleans.  Was he right?  I don't know.  In the absence of affirmative action, the question would not be asked.

Thus the defining principle of American politics arises: If you don't think in racial terms, if you look only to ability, you are a racist.  Count me in.

This leads to another question, seldom asked and never answered: how much does affirmative action really cost the country?  If you hire someone to do a job who can't do it very well, it doesn't get done very well.  This doesn't strike me as a profound thought, but it seems to elude many people.  In the case of Ms. Williams, the damage is great and very, very clear.  But it isn't always so stark, is it.  When you regularly pass over the first 135 people, all white, on a test for promotion to sergeant in a police department, so as to get to the blacks and Latinos, what kind of police department do you get?  If you hire reasonably good female engineers because they are female, instead of very good males, the consequences are less obvious, but there.

And when it becomes a firing offense to notice, the result is a permanent, irremediable drop in the quality of the work force.  I don't suppose it really matters though.  The only serious economic competitors the US faces are.... oh, Japan, South Korea, China, India, Taiwan, Brazil, and the European Union.  Piece of cake, huh. ....Warph

[srkruzich]

Amen Warph.

[Wilma]

I am sure that this is not the norm and positive that it isn't in our schools.  What can we, here in Elk County, do about the situation.  Nothing.  That is for the local school authorities to do.  So I am not going to lose sleep over something that I can't do anything about.  I know that sounds hard hearted and selfish, but I have done my share in the class rooms.  I am doing my share now by paying my taxes cheerfully.  I am going to keep my nose out of local affairs far across the country.  If the parents of these children can't handle the situation without pulling the whole country into it, then maybe they need some of that federal interference that some people are so against.  Actually the whole country would be better off if situations like this were kept and solved locally, not nationally.  Anyone that disagrees with me is welcome to get on their high horse, gallop off across the country weilding their sword and show that school district that these children need a better teacher.  Good luck.

[greatguns]

Pro Life!  What a shame someone didn't know what was going on in the house in North Newton.  No ones business cost a child his life after much torture.  And yes I know opinion are just like a**holes, everybody has one.  So Steve just keep  your rave going.

[Diane Amberg]

Warph, if you are expecting a come back from me you would be wrong. Our firefighter women hose handle just fine thank you. If they can't do the job they don't do the job. As we age out, we all generally retire off the equipment, but continue on as trainers and administrative staff. Here our paramedics come in non transport vehicles and we, the EMT's, carry the patients. Frankly, most of the time the paramedics don't have to lift because we do it. For an extremely heavy patient we all work together. We EMT's have all had training in proper body mechanics regarding lifting and learn what's called "lifts, loads and carries." It includes proper patient packaging, negotiating staircases, narrow hallways, transferring over walls etc. Not all pieces of equipment are right for every job. It's much more than grab and lift or somebody will get hurt. You have to know when a two man lift isn't going to be enough and when to go to a 4 man or even a six man carry.  We even have hydraulic stretchers now that don't have to be lifted to load them in the ambulance.
 Our paramedics have very little training on the equipment we carry on board. They do most of the IV's, drugs and EKG's and we do the rest. Once again, talk about specific cases if you want, but to generalize is to do us all a grave injustice. As far as that school situation...note it was in Mississippi, probably in a poor black district in a rough section of Biloxi. Good luck finding the top best teachers working there. It takes huge amounts of dedication. I could tell you a lot about that little guy and what he probably really wanted, but it can wait for another time.

[Varmit]

I am sure that this is not the norm and positive that it isn't in our schools.  What can we, here in Elk County, do about the situation.  Nothing. 

Wrong.  We can demand tougher standards when it comes to hiring procedures and background checks etc, for teachers and school officals.  We can continue to be viligent to ensure these kinds of teachers are not hired. 

Diane, you totally missed the point of Warphs post.  As far as the school situation...I don't give a damn where the school is located, that teachers actions were inexcusable.  And in case you missed it, that "little guy" in the article was hard of hearing.

[srkruzich]

Wrong.  We can demand tougher standards when it comes to hiring procedures and background checks etc, for teachers and school officals.  We can continue to be viligent to ensure these kinds of teachers are not hired. 

Diane, you totally missed the point of Warphs post.  As far as the school situation...I don't give a damn where the school is located, that teachers actions were inexcusable.  And in case you missed it, that "little guy" in the article was hard of hearing.

If it can happen in a school in mississippi, it can happen in elk county.  The fact is that we should not tolerate it in mississippi or in elk county.  Some would say its none of elk countians concern, but the reality is yes it is. Federal tax dollars go to pay for all schools.  Who pays federal tax dollars?  Citizens in every single state.  So yes all citizens can stand up and demand that mississippi, or Kansas schools set their standards for the staff higher. 

As far as the school districtu being too poor to hire qualified teachers, BULLL.   They chose to not hire a qualified teacher, and bring in assistants.  being that its in mississippi, a whole lot of hiring illiterate assistants is due to affirmative action.

[Diane Amberg]

Varmit,I didn't miss anything. By the time everybody got done taking shots at the situation, that "teacher assistant" (a teacher's aide) got turned into the  classroom teacher! I certainly don't agree with what the aide seems to have done, but as usual, I'd have to know more before I'd be so fast to pass judgement.  Aide jobs don't  have the requirements that the teacher does. If that's an area where blacks commonly speak that poorly...well. Cast the first stone. Several of you are quick to defend your speech and spelling errors.  Yes, I got that he was hearing impaired. I have no doubt that was considered just as it was in my class. Mild impairment, the kids are seated where they can hear best and can see the teacher's mouth, worse impairment, they take signing or go to schools for the deaf. In special situations they'll have an interpreter with them.  They are taught to focus and pay attention.They are not treated as "poor little deaf kids"who get pity and are allowed to break the classroom rules by wandering around or insisting for special help whenever it crosses their minds. They are supposed to try to figure things out just like everybody else before they ask for help and then only if the teacher (or aide) is available and not doing reading group or some such. Kids just can't be interrupting all the time. I had plenty of time to give extra help or reexplain things, but it was during time set aside for just that. Unless you know something about classroom organization on a regular basis, you wouldn't know how it works, or be expected to.
Steve, where did it say that the teacher wasn't qualified? If that  is a predominantly black school in a black area why would affirmative action have anything to do with it?

[srkruzich]

Varmit,I didn't miss anything. By the time everybody got done taking shots at the situation, that "teacher assistant" (a teacher's aide) got turned into the  classroom teacher! I certainly don't agree with what the aide seems to have done, but as usual, I'd have to know more before I'd be so fast to pass judgement.  Aide jobs don't  have the requirements that the teacher does. If that's an area where blacks commonly speak that poorly...well. Cast the first stone. Several of you are quick to defend your speech and spelling errors.  Yes, I got that he was hearing impaired. I have no doubt that was considered just as it was in my class. Mild impairment, the kids are seated where they can hear best and can see the teacher's mouth, worse impairment, they take signing or go to schools for the deaf. In special situations they'll have an interpreter with them.  They are taught to focus and pay attention.They are not treated as "poor little deaf kids"who get pity and are allowed to break the classroom rules by wandering around or insisting for special help whenever it crosses their minds. They are supposed to try to figure things out just like everybody else before they ask for help and then only if the teacher (or aide) is available and not doing reading group or some such. Kids just can't be interrupting all the time. I had plenty of time to give extra help or reexplain things, but it was during time set aside for just that. Unless you know something about classroom organization on a regular basis, you wouldn't know how it works, or be expected to.
Steve, where did it say that the teacher wasn't qualified? If that  is a predominantly black school in a black area why would affirmative action have anything to do with it?

It wasn't a qualified teacher in the class, it was a unqualified assistant. 
As far as afffirmative action, you have to live there to understand.  the area is so poor that they implement affirmative action anway to keep out the white teachers.  You think that the white folks were bad in discrimination and yes they could be bad back then, but it is nothing compared to the racial discrimination the blacks pull on the whites in the south. 
Like i said you have to live amonst it before you start to see it and understand it happens.