Sunday, March 14, 2010

Washington Post - Oceana student doesn't like being political tool


I haven't found a response yet to my offer to Oceana High School in California to explain why it scheduled a daylong protest and discussion of school budget cuts, instead of using that time for English, math, science and social studies. I have however received this letter from an Oceana High student, which speaks for itself:

Dear Mr. Mathews,

My name is Megan, and I am a student at Oceana High School in Pacifica. Our school recently participated in the statewide Day of Action, where students of all ages protested budget cuts, or should I say, were practically forced to protest budget cuts.

"What do you mean, your teacher didn't make you go?" Were the first words out of a friend of mine's mouth when she got back from the beach where the students had been demonstrating. I admit, I was confused. Why would a teacher make one of their students attend this, knowing that it was a political action? I held my tongue though, and said nothing, because I didn't want the other kids to start talking.

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

20 comments:

Kathy Meeh said...

This was a neat find Steve. Yes, why would a teenager or younger be strongly encouraged or forced to protest the school funding issue?

Kathleen Rogan said...

That's why I never did well in gov ment school. I was the kid that told the teacher to "F off" and if you don't like your pay find another job. So, I worked hard at not letting gov ment school get in the way of my real education.

Anonymous said...

So how'd that work out for you? Never mind... We've all seen your spelling and grammar.

Krazy Kathleen said...

Don't get you panies in a twist, commie libturd.

OOMPA LOOMPA KATHY MEEH said...

OOMPA LOOMPA DOOMPADEE DOO
I'VE GOT A PERFECT PUZZLE FOR YOU
OOMPA LOOMPA, DOOMPADAH DEE
IF YOU ARE WISE YOU'LL LISTEN ME
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU GUZZLE DOWN SWEETS
EATING AS MUCH AS AN ELEPHANT EATS
WHAT ARE YOU AT GETTING TERRIBLY FAT
WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL COME OF THAT
I DON'T LIKE THE LOOK OF IT
OOMPA LOOMPA DOOMPADEE DAH
IF YOU'RE NOT GREEDY YOU WILL GO FAR
YOU WILL LIVE IN HAPPINESS TOO
LIKE THE OOMPA LOOMPA DOOMPADEE DO
DOOMPADEE DOO

Kathy Meeh said...

Okay OOMPA I'm fat, and you're fat headed. Hope you brother Anonymous have something more important to say next time.

Kathleen Rogan said...

Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke,
You gotta understand,
It's just our bringin' up-ke
That gets us out of hand.
Our mothers all are junkies,
Our fathers all are drunks.
Golly Moses, natcherly we're punks!

The Jets said...

Yeah, we remember that verse and the last line most clearly,"Gee, Officer Krupke, f..k you!"

What's your point and is that directed at Kathy Meeh, Kathleen Rogan?

If so, tell it to yourself!

Kathy Meeh said...

Think Kathleen may have been singing back to OOMPA, all good, Jets. I'm very thankful for public education, I've never been someone who spells well, and now make typos, can't blame that on public school though.

Our standard-of-living has been high for a lot of years, but currently California still has a 20 billion dollar deficit. Similar to other institutions schools will find ways to adjust.

Growing-up we had half-day sessions for a while, and some combined classes, life goes on.

Some of you who have school age children may have a better insight into how your feel about your children protesting school fund shortages. Personally I question the wisdom of involving such young people in protest actions.

Kathleen Rogan said...

Not at Kathy, I like her. We may have different views , but we are friends. So, F U, to U.

The Jets said...

The same to you in spades Kathleen Rogan and a great big F U to U. You ain't kiddin no one. You don't like anybody. You're a miserable jealous big mouth. Go crawl back in your hole.

Kathleen Rogan said...

Well we got no choice all the girls and boys
Makin' all that noise 'cause they found new toys
Well we can't salute ya can't find a flag if that don't suit ya that's a drag
School's out for summer school's out forever school's been blown to pieces
No more pencils no more books no more teacher's dirty looks yeah
Well we got no class and we got no principals and we got no innocence
We can't even think of a word that rhymes
School's out for summer school's out forever my school's been blown to pieces
No more pencils no more books no more teacher's dirty looks
Out for summer out till fall we might not come back at all
School's out forever school's out for summer
School's out with fever school's out completely

Kathy Meeh said...

Actually Jets, different venue, Kathleen is terrific, and no "evil twin".

Blogs are still somewhat new to some of us. I'm still learning to adapt and continue to make various tone mistakes in the process. And, several of us gave Richard a hard time for his seemingly far left views, so it seemed only fair to give Kathleen a hard time for her seemingly far right views. There may be reasons Kathleen is not that keen on public education outside her rebellious teenage example.

Son of Flubber said...

If you where phat that is good, when you are fat, that is not good.

A few more carrot sticks and just say no to fast food.

Walk around the block a few times.

I wouldn't want you to look like Rotundo The Great.

Kathy Meeh said...

Don't worry when the Martians come for us they will eat the fat people first.
MARTIANS ENJOYING EARTH

Other than that got anything to offer regarding the article?

Markus said...

I am in total agreement with Megan. Not appropriate for teachers to use their students as tools unless they explained both sides of the issues prior, and then not pressure the students to attend. The teachers should have stayed to teach, and perhaps exercised their right to demonstrate their views, after school hours. While I know teachers have a big ax to grind, re low pay scale, overcrowded classrooms, etc., there are always 2 sides to an issue. For instance, this State was excluded from getting it's share of fed stimulus funds earmarked for education, because one of the prerequisites required setting standards and accountability for teachers on their teaching effort results. So the teachers union stepped in and pressured Sacramento and the result, the state missed out on over a billion dollars of much needed funds. I do believe teachers deserve higher pay but only for good work. This is how it works in private sector. In the words of Paul Simon, "When I think back of things I learned in high school, its a wonder I can think at all, and my lack of education hasn't hurt me none,
I can read the writing on the wall". Truer words never spoken. And as for you Mr. Anonymous. Seems to me like you are the consummate critic hiding in your invisible castle. Try looking in the mirror when spewing out your irrelevant remarks. I may not agree with Kathleen at times, and I may offer some contrary opinions, but I would never think of belittling her.

Kathleen Rogan said...

The health care reform the congress is forcing through has earmarks in it for public school education; greening of all public schools and more control over student loans. Meanwhile, Los Angles just reported that they have 14.9% unemployment ( which really is 25%) and progressives are going ape shit because it has no public option. Unions and union employees will be exempt from this health care reform, but the majority of Americans will be forced into government run health care and the ones that have been able to afford their own health care will be taxed to pay for the artist who wants to paint pretty pictures instead of finding a job with health benefits. Coming soon, The Brown Shirts in YOUR neighborhood. Any congress or senator that votes for this debacle should lose their job. VOTE THE ASSHOLES OUT!!

Steve Sinai said...

I figure any student would be more than happy to stand out on the curb protesting for a few hours if it got them out of school for the day.

I wonder if the schools would let a student out of school to go to a right-wing tea party rally?

Kathleen Rogan said...

Word on the street is, majority of students were pissed off and then pissed the day away. One of my links above shows that this day of protest has some serious anti-American sponsors, not all, but they're in the list. They throw some honest unions and groups in there to camoflauge the groups true identity. Evil and nefarious. CONTROL!

Kathy Meeh said...

Uniform standards for health care through-out the United States needs to happen, whatever form that takes.

Medicare was approved in 1965, and has continued to evolve with improvements.