01-10-2004, 02:20 AM | #1 |
Elf Lord
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Minor Injustice
...and how it should be dealt with.
This is just somethign that's been on my mind today, because there was a sad attempt at a walk-out by my class at noon. It was over-of all things-the fact that all of the underclassmen were being rewarded for improving upon standardized tests which seniors were exempt from this year. I can see why they're angry, however, because we have taken the same tests for three years and had no reward whatsoever, and we are also the class with the highest percentage of the four years in school currently, and massively improved from freshmen to junior year. It has caused a lot of animosity and anger between students and administration, and fellow students who disagree. The underclassmen, of course, see it as completely fair (though they would be on a walk-out in a heartbeat if they were in our shoes), and many of the seniors are infuriated. My stand? Yeah, it's unfair, but life's unfair, and we should be acting like the almost adults we are, not spoiled six year olds. So...my main point is: Are things like walk-outs and protests actually worth doing for small injustices that are just a part of life? Or are they, as I see, a waste of time and energy? Feel free to expand upon the topic as well.
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01-10-2004, 02:28 AM | #2 |
The Insufferable
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Heh. I thought the petty spats and stuff were just a part of university culture. It seems High Schools are doing a much better job of that these days than when I went to one. (way back when)
Seriously, though, this is something that's very common among certain parts of the american culture. The pettiness, I mean. And while I of course support protests against injustice, I don't think this really falls under that category.
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01-10-2004, 02:41 AM | #3 | |
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01-10-2004, 02:42 AM | #4 |
Elf Lord
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I agree, this isn't a true injustice, just a crappy time for this certain incentive to do well on standardized tests to fall for the senior class of this year.
I'm getting really sick of hearing that I'm "out of touch" or just "mean" for thinking we should all grow up. "It's so unfair." Yeah, life's unfair. I'd rather spend my energy dealing with bigger things in the school district, like the huge issue of harassment. It is poorly dealt with in my school, despite attempts to lessen it, and people can get waived or ignored because of sports. I think that's a little more important than "Dang, we can't opt out of a final." I'm not saying walk-outs and protests are wrong. Just stupid ones
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01-10-2004, 06:39 AM | #5 |
Elven Warrior
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I suppose in a way you could look at it as a back-handed compliment ... that you didn't need incentives to improve and were self-motivated (Which in my thoughts is a better way in schooling anyway.)
Yeah, it does look unfair, but who knows what the underneath motivation is ... maybe the school is being assessed in a different way so results suddenly become really important for the school (they're doing that over here - but it isn't necessarily a good thing, I think). So the situation for the school may have changed, which is why they're doing things differently now. For me, yes, I think walk-outs and protests have their place, but like you say, not for small things. There was one recently here, from just one little site of an international firm over something very small and silly that occurred, and that walk-out soon got the problem fixed. But that one, although it was a small incident that triggered it, did have two very big principles at stake (a gender issue and a conditions of employment issue), and my view is that that protest, because of the bigger issues, was worth it. But like you said, the only thing with your school issue is unfairness ... but even that may not be so if the situation has changed recently. I'm with you, things like harassment are the places where energy should go. The other thing, I suppose, is that walk outs and protests always hurt someone. Like when people go on strike, and those of us who've maybe saved all year for a holiday suddenly can't get away ... So it's a question also of weighing up hurts - because obviously the striking people think they are hurt in some way also, otherwise they wouldn't strike. But with your school thing, I'm inclined to think the balance of hurts goes the other way - okay the seniors are a bit hurt because they didn't get particular incentives, but, assuming that the incentives are things like the odd burger here and there, so not something like a million dollars every time you pass a test , then I don't really see the point of possibly damaging their education, the school, using up resources to deal with it that could be better used elsewhere, and so on. Like you say, maybe they should behave like the nearly adults they are, and maybe even be pleased that younger people are having opportunities and getting benefits they didn't get. just laughing now .... because parents say that kind of thing ... (Help! I'm turning into my mum ... ) |
01-10-2004, 06:35 PM | #6 |
the greg the admin
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What's the reward the underclassmen are getting?
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01-10-2004, 07:24 PM | #7 |
Elf Lord
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They can opt out of one of their final exams, which happen to be twenty percent of our semester grade. A teacher can't refuse that they opt out of it, either. It's part of the "no child left behind" bull. I have a lot of problems with the reward itself, how it's being issued, and the way it was told to the school as well, but that's another thread.
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01-10-2004, 08:41 PM | #8 | |
I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot
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01-11-2004, 12:59 PM | #9 | |
the greg the admin
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As a senior, I guess I'd be pretty annoyed about that too if it happened to my school. Although I must say I'm somewhat surprised with all the protesting and stuff by seniors, because usually seniors tend not to care about anything anymore. I know I don't. |
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01-11-2004, 01:39 PM | #10 |
Elf Lord
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We don't have to take finals our second semester if we get a B+ or higher in the class (with the exceptions of Government class and English IV/Advanced Comp). Yet another reason I think it's kind of stupid my classmates walked out.
Well, a lot of the seniors that did walk out either have easy classes (no higher math or science), are graduating at semester, and/or just like to throw hissy fits when they don't get their way. And JD, I was informed by the school through their announcement that it was part of "no child left behind." And I still think it has been and always will be almost entirely bull.
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01-11-2004, 06:08 PM | #11 | |
I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot
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Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide Last edited by jerseydevil : 01-11-2004 at 06:10 PM. |
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01-11-2004, 06:16 PM | #12 |
Elven Warrior
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"No Child Left Behind" .. sounds a bit like your school's been taking lessons from the film 'Lilo and Stich' ....
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01-11-2004, 06:53 PM | #13 |
Long lost mooter
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I think it's the testing that is part of No Child etc.
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01-11-2004, 06:58 PM | #14 |
Elf Lord
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Yes, the testing is part of "No Child Left Behind." So our school doesn't lose funding, they've been giving the students incentive to do well on the test. My class never received any of the promised incentives. What's worse is, our school's testing scores are actually very high, so it is extremely hard for us to improve by the percentages that are required by the program.
Please don't assume I don't know what I'm talking about. I get belittled enough at school for speaking my mind, I don't need it here.
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01-11-2004, 07:09 PM | #15 | |
I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot
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No Child Left Behind - Dept of Education No Child Left Behind - Whitehouse News No Child Left Behind - New Jersey info No Child Left Behind - California Info No Child Left Behind - Virginia Info No Child Left Behind - North Carolina Public Schools NO Child Left Behind - Iowa info No Child Left Behind - House of Representatives No Child Left Behind - Thomas B. Fordham Foundation In the US the national government has very little to do with education. Education is controlled locally. This is to force states to bring their educational standards up and to make teachers and school districts accountable.
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Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide |
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01-11-2004, 07:11 PM | #16 | ||
I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot
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You were complaining about students opting out of their final exams - this has NOTHING to do with No Child Left Behind. You seemed to indicate it was when you said - Quote:
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Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide Last edited by jerseydevil : 01-11-2004 at 07:19 PM. |
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01-12-2004, 05:31 AM | #17 |
Elven Warrior
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Just in case you hadn't realised, JD, my comment on 'Lilo and Stich' was a joke. (Although it does have to be said that that particular film was ruined for me by what seemed propaganda for an ideology ...)
Okay JD, you gave a load of references about this 'child left behind' stuff. I did a quick scan of a few, but can't find an easy way in - in other words an explanation of exactly what it is (though I did find a couple of lines), how they've defined the problem, and what they intend to do about it. But you seem to know something about it - so how's about helping the rest of us by writing a summary of the facts? |