By-Tor.com

You know how Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream speech is held up as something we all should be striving for? The part that goes "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character" is one that has always stuck in my mind. It is what I want for to see in our world. I love to play and tease when it comes to color or race, but that is because I LOVE the differences we have.

Yesterday my local school district irked me. I get emails telling me when my kids are late or absent from a class and I had gotten two telling me that both Eagle and Dove were absent from 00 period because they were in "Counseling". As I normally do, I asked them why they were absent and was told they were at an assembly. This assembly was only for Native American students. During the assembly, any student who had brought up a grade or maintained a 3.0 GPA was given an award.

Really? So.....how does this fit with "they will not be judged by the color of their skin"?

When I asked Dove about where she had been, there were two of her softball friends in the van with me. After she told me what had gone on, Dove, one of her friends, and I all said at the same time "RACIST!" And that is just how I see it.

My kids are not being rewarded because they are good students. My kids are being rewarded because they have a certain color skin and get good grades. I believe that the whole school should be a part of this, regardless of ancestry, or that the group of children in the assembly should have been those who have had trouble maintaining good grades in the past. It should be everyone, or it should be based on the specific individual's "character", in this case, personal behavior or need depending on if the child is able to get good grades and choosing not to do so or without the skills.

That's interesting. I wish they would have had an incentive for
Lebanese Americans when I was in school....

(back then I had to cheat to get through Algebra and Trig - now I use it every day) lol

Seriously, you nailed it by being concerned about the premise. It's
definitely biased.

Personally, I'd be more concerned about WHAT they're teaching them.

But you already know that by looking in their textbooks....right?

Better than looking at the textbooks, Siggs. I talk with my kids about what the teachers are saying about the content of the curriculum. Sometimes the books are decent but the teachers comments are not edifying. Thankfully E and D see through alot of the bull on their own.

Good for you - and the kids - for being able to see it for what it is.

Now heat up the phone lines to your elected officials.

Hurry though - many incuments are jumping ship already.

They KNOW what's up and fear the tidal wave that's coming in November.

Norm Dicks is finally leaving office! Yay! Our local paper had a poll and the manority of respondants said their reaction to the news he will not seek re-election is "Good riddance!"

Norm who?

Yep....the rats are bailing from their sinking ship.

awip2062 wrote:Sometimes the books are decent but the teachers comments are not edifying.

www.theblaze.com/blog/2012/03/08/blaze- ... l-library/

Something above inspired this:

Why award a good grade either....what exactly are we awarding then? Value is placed on achievements not on individuality. Approval is conditional based on certain criteria. What should we be striving for? Is it "success" or should it be character. Everybody has a niche, the retarded guy bagging groceries, the mastermind computer geek chick who has never kissed a guy, the slutty popular guy who has tons of money but no soul and gets all the rewards....who we are, not what we do is what counts. Its not about how we begin, its about our journey, knowing ourselves....its not what we own, how much class we have, who we know or even what we leave behind. Does it matter if we are beautiful if we treat others badly? Does it matter if we fail in school if we accel as a human being? What is it that one really wants...it starts with who you are, what you really want when you know yourself is not the same.

I believe the reason we should give grades is to let the student know how well that assignment was done. Yes, character is more important than success on an exam, but what a student needs to do to pass an exam can build character. Also, if it does not matter how well the student does or does not do on the work, what is the point of giving the assignment at all?
When I turn an essay in, I get the essay back with comments and corrections showing me what my prof thinks I did well and where I need improvement. There is a rubric included showing what points were taken off and why. That gives me something to use to improve my work on future essays. The grade part shows me how badly, in the eyes of my prof, a paricular part of the rubric I lost points on was done.

Grading it to show mistakes vs correct answers is ok, you're right that's necessary, feedback is important, otherwise, what's the point...its the comparing of other kids to another I don't like. Life experience builds character...we are naturally rewarded when we do.

We had a little more freedom in America 24 hours ago.

Yeah. Our healthcare system is now more "broke"en than ever before!