School board's defiance presents a poor example
Congratulations to the Guilford County school board. What a wonderful example you are making to your students, staff and the community at large. We don’t like the state rules; therefore, we will ignore them. The date of June 10 for the last day of school was set in state law by the Legislature. Saying the law does not apply to us is like telling the highway patrolman, “Sure I was doing 80 in a 65, but so were others; therefore, it’s OK.”
Shame, shame, shame.
Richard Schroer
Oak Ridge
Comments (6)
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"Sure I was doing 80 in a 65, but so were others; therefore, it’s OK.”
A true story .. My fun car is a [unspecified to protect the guilty] - a little rare and at highway speeds both quick and nimble like a squirrel. I was on the interstate one night and whipping up behind me came a 700 series BMW. Just to be ornery, I tap the gas and was near instantaneously at speed with him - he tapped his gas too and in no time we were cat and mousing at 100 mph. After a mile or so we both back down to sensible speeds.
A few miles later and in the wrong lane for my exit, I again tapped the gas - this time to get past a string of cars (rather than taking the better option to slow down and slip in) .. and that is when I got my ticket.
The officer said I was doing 85 - I'm sure I was. I offered no excuse, but since it was late at night and had not been drinking etc., he wrote it up for 74 in a 65, although he did remind me that he also had the option to simply impound my car and haul me immediately to the jailhouse. The funny part was after the ticketing and as he started to walk away, he said, "Nice Car". I thanked him - and am only glad he didn't spot me 5 miles earlier - he would not have been so gracious. The epilogue is I went to court where it was finalized at 66 in a 65.
Dodged a serious bullet that night, and "Sure I was doing 100 in a 65, but so were others; therefore, it’s OK.”
Posted on March 13, 2009 5:37 AM
The school board has set a great example by disobeying a corrupt and unjust authority - now what say we get a tax revolt together ?
Posted on March 13, 2009 6:56 AM
You wrote too early, Richard...the mistake was made by the State...duh...GCS was correct.
Posted on March 13, 2009 7:35 AM
I agree with the letter writer. I can't wait to see the absence rate on June 15 - if GCS will even tell us that. I'll bet less than 1/2 show up.
What about the kids on block schedule? They've missed 6 days of class and their AP exams are only 2 months away - impossible to make up.
Shame on the school board - you have failed the kids this time.
Posted on March 13, 2009 8:21 AM
Angie, parents who are upset about these dates probably have vacation plans made. I would suggest that plans be made with consideration of make up days. We never know for sure when school will be out. Plan Ahead.
I truly wish we would get away from the horrible block system. I agree with the problems this causes with AP testing. Just think of the kids who took an AP class first semester...and are tested in the middle of second semester. Teachers and students have to spend time after school reviewing. So much easier with a 6 class a year schedule.
So, Garth, put that on your agenda for discussion. As an elective teacher, we always had great classes with a 6 class schedule. Kids only took our classes if they were truly interested. We wound up with many, many on the block system who were put in electives they hated because they has to be somewhere.
Posted on March 13, 2009 8:58 PM
Carol, I do agree that a block schedule has problems--particularly with continuity in mathematics instruction and with AP classes. But there are some advantages to block for some students. One of my children does far better on a block schedule because she has fewer teachers and classes at one time--it fits her learning style, and that's the way college works, too. If the block schedule allows a student who fails an opportunity to make up the class in a semester instead of falling a year behind, I would think that would be less discouraging to the students as well.
Can there be a hybrid schedule, with year long math and AP classes and blocks for other classes/remedial classes/make-up classes for failing students? The scheduling would be a nightmare, but that's why people write scheduling software.
Posted on March 14, 2009 11:48 AM