Tag: yellow-shrub-of-texas

In the acceptance speech of the Republican candidate for President, he said:

I believe, I believe every child can learn and every school must teach …

So far, so good. But later on, he said:

We are transforming our schools by raising standards and focusing on results. We are insisting on accountability, empowering parents and teachers and making sure that local people are in charge of their schools. By testing every child, we are identifying those who need help — and we’re providing a record level of funding to get them that help. In northeast Georgia, Gainesville Elementary School is mostly Hispanic and 90% poor — and this year 90% of its students passed state tests in reading and math. The principal expresses the philosophy of his school this way: “We don’t focus on what we can’t do at this school; we focus on what we can do. And we do whatever it takes to get kids across the finish line.”

Translation: They are continuing to emphasize standards-based testing. I think this is making our nation stupid.

Yup, stupid.

As any college student will tell you, knowing what you will be tested on (i.e., standards-based testing) means what? That right, kids: you only study for what is on the test. Out goes the creativity in the classrooms. Out goes any attempt to get children energized about the joy of learning. Rather, the school curriculum becomes: what’s the next standards-based test, and how can we make our students pass it. The more that pass, the money our school gets, and the more successful it is perceived to be. Ask any parent of a child in an accredited school: that’s what education has become. Shovel it what will be in the test, and regurgitate it out.

Makes me want to puke.

What happened to having the teachers that loved to actually teach? That were able to light that spark in children? They would stray from the curriculum, yes, but the children will learn.

Today, these teachers don’t get rewarded. Hell, teachers are treated like crap. Low pay. Long hours. Having to pay for supplies themselves.

Want to improve education? Simple: Provide a good learning environment for students, and pay teachers what they are worth! But we won’t see this happen, especially not from this president.

Sigh.

Classic line in this article on CNN:

The owner of a local pork rinds company said he has been able to add 50 jobs since Bush took office.

Statistical correlation fluke, or telling statement? You decide.

In the same article, Bush is quoted as saying:

“Even though we didn’t find the stockpiles we expected to find, Saddam Hussein had the capability to make weapons of mass destruction, and he could have passed that on to the enemy”

If I read this correctly, this is saying we have the right to make war on a sovereign country just because they have the capability to do evil. With that logic, we should be attacking North Korea this instant. Or Russia. Perhaps we should be putting people in jail because they have the ability to commit crimes.

Alas, our laws (and Judeo-Christian laws, for that matter) state that one actually has to commit a crime in order to be judged guilty. Guess he didn’t read that part of the bible. He was too hung up on homosexuality.

It still doesn’t explain the pork rinds, tho…

[During breaks/lunch, I often scan the headlines. Usually, I comment on the humorous. Today, something a little more serious.]

According to an AP news story, President Bush has just admitted “I think Senator Kerry served admirably and he ought to be proud of his record”, and has denounced the ads by 527 organizations. He has said that such ads have no such place in the campaign.

For a change, I’ll say: Good for him. However, this creates a quandry. If the Bush-supporting 527 organizations stop the attack ads, couldn’t one argue they are following the direction of their candidate, which is illegal. Therefore, in order to prove they aren’t under Shrub’s control, they are obliged to produce attack ads. Ummm, I’m not sure this was the intended result. Then again, perhaps it was?

Seen in gtpooh‘s Journal:

How many members of the Bush Administration are needed to replace a lightbulb?

The Answer is TEN:

1. One to deny that a lightbulb needs to be changed.
2. One to attack the patriotism of anyone who says the lightbulb needs to be changed.
3. One to blame Clinton for burning out the lightbulb.
4. One to tell the nations of the world that they are either for changing the lightbulb or for darkness.
5. One to give a billion dollar no-bid contract to Haliburton for the new lightbulb.
6. One to arrange a photograph of Bush, dressed as a janitor, standing on a step ladder under the banner “Lightbulb Change Accomplished”.
7. One administration insider to resign and write a book documenting in detail how Bush was literally “in the dark”.
8. One to viciously smear #7.
9. One surrogate to campaign on TV and at rallies on how George Bush has had a strong light-bulb-changing policy all along.
10. One to confuse Americans about the difference between screwing a lightbulb and screwing the country.

**
Then again, this video really says it all.