Edumacation

The American Graduate: What does he really know?

Chesapeake is considering taking their kindergarteners from half to full days, which is what all other Hampton Roads cities (except non Title-I’s in Virginia Beach) already do. Pros include statistics proving this betters the child’s overall performance in first grade and beyond, alleviating full-time working parents on their daycare bills. Cons mainly consist of how much it will cost in both salaries of teachers and staff, as well as more classroom equipment. The old “right thing to do” versus “how much it costs” debate. I’m really over it when it comes to obvious public good, in more ways than just in education.

Thurgood Marshall Elementary was used as the example here, with their pre and post full-day attendance test scores revealed. Before the children went to school all day, their third-grade aptitude scores (that’s right–three years later) were 28% passing reading and 43% passing math. After the transition to full days, those numbers jumped to 84% reading and 90% math.

I’m sorry Jody Walls, the teacher quoted as saying she can teach her students the same material in three hours the full-time teachers take six to do. No you can’t. You teach a watered down version, and I’m sure you do a lovely job at it. There’s just no way to get as much accomplished in half the time, no matter what the subject matter, and no matter what the age group.

I was listening to The Thomas Jefferson Hour yesterday, as I recommend everyone do on Tuesday afternoons, or shortly thereafter on podcast. Yesterday’s topic was education and “Jefferson” was comparing the education received by the youth of his day compared with modern day America. He tours colleges a lot and said he asks recent high school graduates regularly questions like “Find Afghanistan on a map” or “Why do we have both a Senate and House of Representatives?” or “Do you speak any language besides American English?” These graduates rarely have the correct answers. Our education system is already in tatters in so many ways. Kids need school. They need to know as many facts as possible while their little brains are still in the sponge-stage (you know, absorbent to new information). We shouldn’t shortchange them. They’re already going to lag behind the rest of the first world before long anyway.

Make Me a Sandwich

Portsmouth is thinking outside of the box when it comes to recruiting businesses to the city. The economic development department is hosting a seminar today in hopes of finding a citizen willing to franchise a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop. They approached the chain’s headquarters earlier when market analysis determined Jimmy John’s to be a good fit for Portsmouth and the response was “we don’t have a franchisee.” So, P-Town’s taking it upon herself to find one. And kudos. While it may seem like favoritism to Jimmy John’s versus some other sandwich shop, it’s actually an organization doing it’s job–developing the economy by pairing new businesses with investors–bringing a new restaurant to the city and providing a few citizens jobs in the process.

Choo Choo!

Yesterday, a group of citizens marched from Granby Theater to the Half Moon Terminal, bearing signs and whistles, showing the 757’s support for high speed rail. Mayor Fraim and Director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Thelma Drake, spoke. It’s a very very important issue–transportation will continue to modernize with or without Hampton Roads’ involvement. We will be left behind if we don’t make our voices heard. Hannah wrote about it the other day, and I’ll second her biggest statement, in bold caps as well, because it’s that important: HAMPTON ROADS WILL ALWAYS BE LEFT BEHIND IF WE DON’T FIGHT FOR TRUE HIGH-SPEED RAIL.

A couple of easy ways to stay informed include the Facebook group 757 Get on Board or Virginian’s For High Speed Rail, both of which are informative and creative but not beggy-for-dollary or spammy.

Judgement Isn’t Cool

This guy could be a great lawyer. | pic: cynical-c

I read this Pilot piece over the weekend, being tattooed and professional myself, I find if fascinating the attitudes people take towards body art in 2010. The article itself is fluffy, you’ve got your tattooed professionals, some of whom rock their ink and some of whom hide it behind long sleeves (either by choice or corporate mandate). You’ve got employers who are down with ink, and ones who are not. And, of course, you’ve got the commentators. While this isn’t a serious issue, and I often find more ridiculous rants in the comments section, I have to say, I was completely deflated at the end of reading them on Sunday. Not one person defended getting inked. Looking back at the comments today, there are four pro’s and over 40 con’s, including:

The bullying know-it-all:  “So what happens… when you‘ve just turned 40 and decide to move out of your parents house and need to look for a real job?”

The religious nutjob: “Muscara is right. Only God can judge him. Same goes for everyone else. And judge them He will for defacing their God-given bodies in such a way. Besides…the tattoos, and especially piercings, are just plain offensive and these people know it.”

The ill-informed: “Getting a tattoo with something artful is one thing, but defacing your whole body with street graffiti is ugly and dysfunctional.”

The idiot: “If you look and act like trash, you must be trash; welcome to ranks of being unemployable.”

I’d just like to say something about the people I share this area code with, I don’t like a good many of you, the ones that say things like the above statements. If you’re willing to take time out of your day to log into the Pilot Online to make ridiculous comments about body art, body art, not war, not money (which I know you also love to comment on), you’re really a blind, out of touch group of people. I hope your children grow up to be happy and healthy individuals, with tattoos and piercings and acceptance of their fellow citizens, and I hope you learn from them.

It. Gets. Better.

In less than one month, I’ve read about at least five suicides due to gay youth feeling bullied or trapped. I’m sure there are many, many more undocumented cases or attempts. In the wake of some of the more heinous incidents, including Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University freshman who killed himself after his roommate secretly filmed and broadcast his sexual encounter with another man, sex columnist Dan Savage has created the It Gets Better project. More and more prominent gay figures are filming short YouTube segments to share their stories of bullying and attempted suicides (can you imagine the world without Tim Gunn?!? Every time I’m frustrated, I channel him and “make it work”). The prominent message is that, no matter how frustrated or how in despair you feel now, it will get better and you will overcome the circumstances. I’ve looked and looked around the local media to see if we have anything in place to help our gay youth, as now is a great time to really reach out to them, as the national spotlight is already on the issue, and the celebrity posts may make it easier to bridge a gap between parent and child or bully and victim–but there’s nada, which disappoints me.

Grass Growing 2011

Starting January 1, 2011, if you are found with an ounce or less of marijuana in California, it is not a crime, not even a misdemeanor. It’s a “civil infraction,” and means you may have a fine (similar to a parking ticket) and nothing goes on your record. Governor Schwarzenegger rationalizes that “the state will save money in not having to book and hold hearings on the 60,000 or so people who get caught with pot every year.” NPR’s Talk of the Nation picked up on the subject yesterday, and a judge in Texas (where pot is still a felony) called in with an interesting factoid. He said he watches juries find defendants on pot charges not guilty over and over again because they feel the punishment is too severe for the crime.

Taking the actual “crime” out of the scenario for a moment, think of it this way: Action X is deemed illegal and the law has clearly defined punishments for committing Action X. Once apprehended, as a juror, your job is to uphold the law and cast your vote (guilty or non) based on whether the defendant committed said crime. Logically, if you have defendant on video, or by admission, committing Action X, you would find said defendant guilty, as you clearly see he did what was not allowed. That’s the basis of our “jury of one’s peers” system. It’s nice to see it working the reverse effect though. One’s peers find it ridiculous Action X is a crime, so find people not guilty despite overwhelming and obvious evidence to the contrary is not justice–it’s protest. The judge was saying how much money is wasted in Texas on holding trials of this nature. If the people were given a fine and sent on their merry way, the state would have more money. If pot was legalized and taxed, the state would have even more than that. Good job Governator.

Come On Out

Want to get involved locally but don’t know how? Sometimes “getting involved” isn’t political or monetary. Sometimes, it’s as simple as showing up to a cultural event, supporting local artists or musicians, or taking the time to smile at your neighbor. Some things that might be cool for you:

Norfology at Bardo: If you’re into mingling and networking and great food.

The Chalking of Ghent 2: If you’re into community, family fun, art, or helping Ronald McDonald House.

Zombies: As you can see from last weekend’s Zombie Crawl in Olde Towne, the undead like a good night on the town. Check out our upcoming zombie event, and its afterparty. Can’t make it but still love zombies? Check out this story on why some of your favorite movie characters will or will not survive the upcoming zombie invasion. Harry Potter? Dirk Diggler? You’ll have to read to find out who makes it.

Tibet 100 Years Ago

Lastly, I leave you with these amazing photos recently featured on NPR. They’re the first known photographs of Tibet, taken in 1903. One look at the Himalayas on these sepia images and, wow, you realize how powerful documentation can be–how the more things change the more they stay the same.