From a book called "Retiring the Generation Gap" by Jennifer J Deal:
Silent Generation: born 1925-1945
Early Boomers: b 1946-1954
Late Boomers: b 1955-1963
Early Xers: b 1964-1976
Late Xers: b 1977-1986
My friend Mitch will be happy because he likes to think that he's not a Boomer even though most definitions put '64 in the Boomer range. ;)
This is the first time I've seen Boomers & Xers broken into separate "early" and "late" groups - not sure yet what differences there are between those groups - have to read the book!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Well Done, Maturi!
So the Gopher AD that we weren't so impressed with 6 months ago has redeemed himself, and then some! (No wonder he looks the most excited in the picture!)First, the hiring of Tim Brewster as football coach to replace Glen Mason - a guy the staff will actually be able to stand working with - and now landing legend Tubby Smith from Kentucky to replace Dan Monson as basketball coach! Gopher fans have not had a great year this year (yes, the wresting team came out champions, but even hockey is not the gorilla is once was) so this is all very welcome news.
"Bong Hits 4 Jesus" - and Chris Stwart
I was amused to find myself on the side of Judge Samuel Alito in a case that is currently being heard by the supreme court. Wouldn't have expected that!
Check out the case: Bong HIts 4 Jesus
Apparently, back in '02 when the Olympic torch was coming through Juneau Alaska, kids were let out of school to watch. A kid held up a giant banner that read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus", the principal grabbed it & suspended him, he sued, and the case has made its way through the courts over the years right up to the supremes.
Free speech vs. anti-drugs... what's a principal to do???
I laughed at Ruth Bader Ginsburg's comment that "It isn't clear that this is 'Smoke Pot.' " Really? What else does "bong hit" refer to in English?
But Alito, of all people, made a good point: "I find that a very, very disturbing argument because schools have and they can define their educational mission so broadly that they can suppress all sorts of political speech and speech expressing fundamental values of the students, under the banner of getting rid of speech that's inconsistent with educational missions."
Bottom line: it was settled by the Supreme Court in '69 that "It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." Political speech - pro-drug or otherwise - doesn't have to be allowed to disrupt learning, but if the kid is standing outside he's hardly disrupting classes, so it seems to me that taking the banner away is probably enough. Maybe assign him a detention or something, but a 10-day suspension? Good greif.
In an ironically related StarTribune article, new school board member Chris Stewart is promoting law-and-order in the schools, and he has my FULL support. I've watched the Mpls schools put up with WAY more disruptive behavior with consequences no where near a 10-day suspension, and I'm pretty tired of it.
And he had a great quote, when asked about the "disproportionate suspension of black male students". His response - and Stewart is black - was to assert that "the number of kids we suspend is proportionate to the kids who are committing suspendable offenses." Actually, there are a lot more offenses than suspensions, but his point is well taken! He calls for an "intracultural conversation in the African-American community" because, in addition to teaching their kids how to sit down & attempt to learn, families also need to consider that: "Schools don't make teens have babies, or stop black children from having books in their homes." (duh)
Thank you, Chris Stewart. It's about time someone stepped up to that issue in this town.
Check out the case: Bong HIts 4 Jesus
Apparently, back in '02 when the Olympic torch was coming through Juneau Alaska, kids were let out of school to watch. A kid held up a giant banner that read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus", the principal grabbed it & suspended him, he sued, and the case has made its way through the courts over the years right up to the supremes.
Free speech vs. anti-drugs... what's a principal to do???
I laughed at Ruth Bader Ginsburg's comment that "It isn't clear that this is 'Smoke Pot.' " Really? What else does "bong hit" refer to in English?
But Alito, of all people, made a good point: "I find that a very, very disturbing argument because schools have and they can define their educational mission so broadly that they can suppress all sorts of political speech and speech expressing fundamental values of the students, under the banner of getting rid of speech that's inconsistent with educational missions."
Bottom line: it was settled by the Supreme Court in '69 that "It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." Political speech - pro-drug or otherwise - doesn't have to be allowed to disrupt learning, but if the kid is standing outside he's hardly disrupting classes, so it seems to me that taking the banner away is probably enough. Maybe assign him a detention or something, but a 10-day suspension? Good greif.
In an ironically related StarTribune article, new school board member Chris Stewart is promoting law-and-order in the schools, and he has my FULL support. I've watched the Mpls schools put up with WAY more disruptive behavior with consequences no where near a 10-day suspension, and I'm pretty tired of it.
And he had a great quote, when asked about the "disproportionate suspension of black male students". His response - and Stewart is black - was to assert that "the number of kids we suspend is proportionate to the kids who are committing suspendable offenses." Actually, there are a lot more offenses than suspensions, but his point is well taken! He calls for an "intracultural conversation in the African-American community" because, in addition to teaching their kids how to sit down & attempt to learn, families also need to consider that: "Schools don't make teens have babies, or stop black children from having books in their homes." (duh)
Thank you, Chris Stewart. It's about time someone stepped up to that issue in this town.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Question of the Day
from “I’m Not a Feminist, But…”:
If women get raped because they ask for it, why don’t they get equal pay, equal opportunities, and other things they ask for?
If women get raped because they ask for it, why don’t they get equal pay, equal opportunities, and other things they ask for?
Philanthropy for Newspapers?
I haven’t been able to articulate why I’m not comfortable with the idea of real newspapers giving over to online news, but Fast Company makes the point that a very real problem in front of us is the online companies inability to fund serious investigative journalism – so we should beware the demise of “old media” before “new media” is ready & able to take over!
Fast Company proposes a solution: treat newspapers the way we treat other organizations that serve a public good: form a foundation to solicit donations to support it. Like the Met Opera in NY, the NYTimes could be supported the same way.
Interesting idea!
Fast Company proposes a solution: treat newspapers the way we treat other organizations that serve a public good: form a foundation to solicit donations to support it. Like the Met Opera in NY, the NYTimes could be supported the same way.
Interesting idea!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Gretzky on Hockey... and Life
“I go where the puck is going to be, not where it is.”
- Wayne Gretzky
Good advice in so many arenas.
- Wayne Gretzky
Good advice in so many arenas.
Post from St Paul
(written Friday, posted Sunday - no internet access at the convention)
I am sitting in a huge hall at RiverCenter listening to candidate speeches at the state teachers union convention. Every officer position is up this year, with no incumbents running. Interesting year!
Speeches are short and are usually the most interesting part of the agenda, but I am still compelled to multi-task. I have a folder of student essays to score, a paper to finish for a grad class, and of course this post to write.
There are several candidates for state union leadership positions who are clearly Gen X. Of course, the older I get, the more logical that gets, but it’s still nice to see. :) Tom Dooher, the candidate we’re supporting for President, is Gen X. Mary Cathryn Ricker, the Gen X St Paul teachers union president I wrote about a couple months ago, gave a very polished speech. (You wouldn’t guess she’s younger than me!) Anne Lewerenz, from Minneapolis, is another dynamic Gen X leader running for Governing Board. There are well over 500 delegates here, so it’s a kick to see our generation – supposedly so disinclined toward institutional involvement - leading such a large group!
Speeches continue…
Worst line of the night: “I love issues.” (Good grief. As I tell my students: think first, then speak.)
Best line: “Don’t cry because it’s over… smile because it happened.”
I am sitting in a huge hall at RiverCenter listening to candidate speeches at the state teachers union convention. Every officer position is up this year, with no incumbents running. Interesting year!
Speeches are short and are usually the most interesting part of the agenda, but I am still compelled to multi-task. I have a folder of student essays to score, a paper to finish for a grad class, and of course this post to write.
There are several candidates for state union leadership positions who are clearly Gen X. Of course, the older I get, the more logical that gets, but it’s still nice to see. :) Tom Dooher, the candidate we’re supporting for President, is Gen X. Mary Cathryn Ricker, the Gen X St Paul teachers union president I wrote about a couple months ago, gave a very polished speech. (You wouldn’t guess she’s younger than me!) Anne Lewerenz, from Minneapolis, is another dynamic Gen X leader running for Governing Board. There are well over 500 delegates here, so it’s a kick to see our generation – supposedly so disinclined toward institutional involvement - leading such a large group!
Speeches continue…
Worst line of the night: “I love issues.” (Good grief. As I tell my students: think first, then speak.)
Best line: “Don’t cry because it’s over… smile because it happened.”
Saturday, March 10, 2007
3 down, 6 to go...
Waiting to see if your kid gets accepted to the college of her choice may not be an activity many Gen-X parents are engaged in this month, but I am!
My lovely daughter has been accepted to three of the nine colleges to which she applied - with three weeks left of waiting to hear from the other six! A big THANK YOU from mom to the schools that let her know before April 1 that they want her - it takes some of the pressure off...
I was happy to hear her tell a friend today that, given the choices in front of her so far - American, Whittier and Rollins - she would probably end up in DC. Yay! I am not excited about her going off to a city in which I know no one - it's hard enough not to be there myself! But if she lands in DC, she'll be in a place where I have friends & family - a nice security net. Still waiting to hear from Georgetown and GW, but American is a good start.
Of course she has NO interest in mom's alma matter - the U of MN - and she only applied to one school in Minnesota, so very slim chance that she ends up here. Hence my concern for where she DOES land. (So far, so good... just pray for patience for us as we wait for news. :)
Are Gen-X parents - with their long-held distruct of anything institutional - be pushing their kids to college the way our parents pushed us? I hope so! College attendance is at its highest rate ever in America - despite ridiculously rising tuition. Thankfully, more and more schools are following Harvard's lead with "need-blind" acceptance, meaning they will accept kids based on merit, and then provide whatever financial aide the kid needs.
I'm not sure I'm in total agreement with Bill Clinton's notion that ALL American kids should go to college, but to my mind, access is everything. That my kid CAN is what matters in the end.
My lovely daughter has been accepted to three of the nine colleges to which she applied - with three weeks left of waiting to hear from the other six! A big THANK YOU from mom to the schools that let her know before April 1 that they want her - it takes some of the pressure off...
I was happy to hear her tell a friend today that, given the choices in front of her so far - American, Whittier and Rollins - she would probably end up in DC. Yay! I am not excited about her going off to a city in which I know no one - it's hard enough not to be there myself! But if she lands in DC, she'll be in a place where I have friends & family - a nice security net. Still waiting to hear from Georgetown and GW, but American is a good start.
Of course she has NO interest in mom's alma matter - the U of MN - and she only applied to one school in Minnesota, so very slim chance that she ends up here. Hence my concern for where she DOES land. (So far, so good... just pray for patience for us as we wait for news. :)
Are Gen-X parents - with their long-held distruct of anything institutional - be pushing their kids to college the way our parents pushed us? I hope so! College attendance is at its highest rate ever in America - despite ridiculously rising tuition. Thankfully, more and more schools are following Harvard's lead with "need-blind" acceptance, meaning they will accept kids based on merit, and then provide whatever financial aide the kid needs.
I'm not sure I'm in total agreement with Bill Clinton's notion that ALL American kids should go to college, but to my mind, access is everything. That my kid CAN is what matters in the end.
Ellison Abroad, Rice Ascending
I was glad to read the other day that the State Department is working with Rep Keith Ellison to promote globally the fact that we now have a Muslim Congressman. Although Ellison's communications director apparently warned them that the Congressman & the Administration "don't agree on much," the State Department folks (Rice?) seem to have the sense to see beyond that.
Check out the article here
Heaven knows this administration has done so much to destroy America's image abroad, that if this is the best they can do for bridge-building, than I'm all for it.
In another, possibly related story, John Heilemann of New York mag puts forth the possibility that Condoleeza Rice is taking over from a deflated Dick Cheney as the pilot on US foreign policy - at least for the moment. He notes: "With the Middle East poised on a razor’s edge, it’s sobering to realize that the difference between bedlam and stability—between a shooting war with Iran and a diplomatic solution—may be determined by office politics. But, I suppose, it was ever thus." Although he notes that Cheney is far from down & out, Rice does seem to have the upper hand right now, at least on Iran. With any luck, that means diplomacy may yet win the day.
At least she doesn't buy Netanyahu's analogy of Iran to Germany in '38...
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Wish I Was This Articulate
Here's another writer more articulate than I am on the subject of the achievement gap and issues with the schools... this time, my colleague & friend John Cook, writing in the StarTribune today:
His major point: "We have to admit that the achievement gap is not just an educational problem. Rather, it is a byproduct of America's socio-economic, cultural, family and racial crises."
He goes on to illustrate:
Spring Lake Park's school district has a motto: "High Standards for All. High Achievement for All. No excuses." I think that's critical - pointing the finger at the societal and cultural factors that hold our kids back is NOT going to help us progress. But engaging with those factors WILL help us progress, and that's what I call on Dan Samuels and our other critics to do.
His major point: "We have to admit that the achievement gap is not just an educational problem. Rather, it is a byproduct of America's socio-economic, cultural, family and racial crises."
He goes on to illustrate:
"If all kids could attend the school of their choice, there'd still be an achievement gap; pulling some students out of low-performing schools and placing them into so-called "good schools" never addresses the core reasons so many African-American students struggle in the first place. If all schools had unlimited financial resources, there'd still be an achievement gap due to America's unresolved issues of race and class. These factors contribute to poor academic performance, crime, generational poverty and societal prejudice that, in turn, perpetuate the achievement gap.
If all educators had access to world-class staff development and taught the most effective curricula, there'd still be an achievement gap; the breakdown of the black family has reaped economic, social and academic consequences that impede academic progress. If every black child began first grade prepared to learn, there'd still be an achievement gap because not all educators believe black students are capable of learning on par with their white counterparts. Surely, low societal and academic expectations harm student learning."
Thank you! This doesn't let us off the hook - it's still true that the government has ways of holding schools accountable, but not of holding families accountable - but it puts it all in perspective. Yes, we need to have the best curriculum & instruction, the best teachers, and we need to believe in each one of our kids.Spring Lake Park's school district has a motto: "High Standards for All. High Achievement for All. No excuses." I think that's critical - pointing the finger at the societal and cultural factors that hold our kids back is NOT going to help us progress. But engaging with those factors WILL help us progress, and that's what I call on Dan Samuels and our other critics to do.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Thank You, David Brooks!
Finally, someone articulate explains the “schools can’t do it all” issue that I’ve been struggling with for the last couple of months – David Brooks’ column “A Critique of Pure Reason in Education” published in the NY Times 3/1 and the Strib today. (Unfortunately you have to be a NYT subscriber to read it online – or go buy today’s Strib.)
I’ve been frustrated with Don Samuels & a hundred other people blaming the schools for the poor achievement of kids who come to us with enormous deficits. At some point, the finger has to be pointed at the forces creating the deficits – which makes everyone squeamish because of the implication of bad parenting. Brooks takes a constructive tack and simply proposes that government must rethink its role and invest not just in better early-ed, but in more programs like Circle of Security and Nurse-Family Partnership which help new mothers do the things we know kids need from birth on.
Brooks notes that Martha Farah’s research at Penn has been pretty clear about come of the deficits that poverty brings:
* Students who do not feel emotionally safe tend not to develop good memories (good for
coping, bad for school)
* Students from less stimulation environments have much smaller vocabularies and worse language skills
Conversely, children from attentive, attuned parenting relationships do better in school an beyond. While this may be no surprise to anyone in education, it focuses our attention on the need to intervene before such problems take root.
And there are ways to do that, if we are willing to put the child’s right to good mental health before the family’s right to privacy. Hmm…
I suppose conservatives would say that what goes on in the household is none of government’s business, and in a way, they would be right.
But if we are committed to the education of all Americans – and, supposedly, we are – than we need to extend that commitment to acknowledge, as Brooks puts it:
“…Education is a cumulative process that begins at the dawn of life and builds early in life as children learn how to learn…”
and
“…we have to get over the definition of education as something that takes place in schools between the hours of 8 and 3, between the months of September and June, and between the ages of 5 and 18.”
Brooks challenges the current crop of presidential candidates to embrace the need to go beyond fixing schools to fixing the "powerful social trends" that put kids at a disadvantage.
Thank you!!!
I’ve been frustrated with Don Samuels & a hundred other people blaming the schools for the poor achievement of kids who come to us with enormous deficits. At some point, the finger has to be pointed at the forces creating the deficits – which makes everyone squeamish because of the implication of bad parenting. Brooks takes a constructive tack and simply proposes that government must rethink its role and invest not just in better early-ed, but in more programs like Circle of Security and Nurse-Family Partnership which help new mothers do the things we know kids need from birth on.
Brooks notes that Martha Farah’s research at Penn has been pretty clear about come of the deficits that poverty brings:
* Students who do not feel emotionally safe tend not to develop good memories (good for
coping, bad for school)
* Students from less stimulation environments have much smaller vocabularies and worse language skills
Conversely, children from attentive, attuned parenting relationships do better in school an beyond. While this may be no surprise to anyone in education, it focuses our attention on the need to intervene before such problems take root.
And there are ways to do that, if we are willing to put the child’s right to good mental health before the family’s right to privacy. Hmm…
I suppose conservatives would say that what goes on in the household is none of government’s business, and in a way, they would be right.
But if we are committed to the education of all Americans – and, supposedly, we are – than we need to extend that commitment to acknowledge, as Brooks puts it:
“…Education is a cumulative process that begins at the dawn of life and builds early in life as children learn how to learn…”
and
“…we have to get over the definition of education as something that takes place in schools between the hours of 8 and 3, between the months of September and June, and between the ages of 5 and 18.”
Brooks challenges the current crop of presidential candidates to embrace the need to go beyond fixing schools to fixing the "powerful social trends" that put kids at a disadvantage.
Thank you!!!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Dissertation Blues
I didn't go back to grad school for the research... and now I'm at the point at which I have to DECIDE on a dissertation topic - which is harder (at least for me) than it sounds! There are lots of things I could pursue with interest, but nothing that has me jazzed yet. I've been waiting for the lightening bolt to strike and so far, no luck!
Possibilities:
* Alternative schools - Case study of alternative school movement (to/from reg schools)
* Resilience – as nurtured by specific high school programs or features – interview Wallin scholars for info on what worked for them
* Charter Schools in MN – what’s working?
* Demographic issues w/ student loss from MPS district – what are families’ experiences w/ system ?
* Participatory/distributed leadership – what does it mean? What do principals think about it? Management theory says "do it" – how do principals interpret that? What does site-based management and/or shared decision-making look like in MPS? St Paul?
* Role of culture - dissonance between school culture, home culture, neighborhood culture - extent to which the school can be a different culture & still be successful - extent to which home & neighborhood cultures have been tapped for instructional strategies - impact on the achievement gap
* Drop-out prevention/alternatives to social promotion & retention
* Principal Evaluation – What’s being done? What do people think about it?
* Teacher evaluation – what would people like? What is principal’s role?
My advisor has challenged me to have not just a topic but a research question nailed by June - much to consider!
Possibilities:
* Alternative schools - Case study of alternative school movement (to/from reg schools)
* Resilience – as nurtured by specific high school programs or features – interview Wallin scholars for info on what worked for them
* Charter Schools in MN – what’s working?
* Demographic issues w/ student loss from MPS district – what are families’ experiences w/ system ?
* Participatory/distributed leadership – what does it mean? What do principals think about it? Management theory says "do it" – how do principals interpret that? What does site-based management and/or shared decision-making look like in MPS? St Paul?
* Role of culture - dissonance between school culture, home culture, neighborhood culture - extent to which the school can be a different culture & still be successful - extent to which home & neighborhood cultures have been tapped for instructional strategies - impact on the achievement gap
* Drop-out prevention/alternatives to social promotion & retention
* Principal Evaluation – What’s being done? What do people think about it?
* Teacher evaluation – what would people like? What is principal’s role?
My advisor has challenged me to have not just a topic but a research question nailed by June - much to consider!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Romeo Shops - with a Little Help from a Friend
This is so great! Websites designed for each gender to shop for the other, with the assumption that left to their own devices, they won't do as well... and created by Minneapolis-based Gen-Xer Michelle Courtright Bjork.
www.romeoshops.com - for guys looking to buy gifts for the girls
and
www.julietshops.com - vice versa
Actually, the Juliet Shops site is better - full of fun, creative things for guys that aren't readily available elswhere. The Romeo site had a lot of jewelry & more obvious stuff - but also some cool & creative ideas.
I don't think this kind of thing offends Gen X - we know we're equal, and are too busy to spend hours shopping - we appreciate the help. I loved the guy stuff on the Juliet site & had three things in my cart within 10 minutes. Outstanding.
www.romeoshops.com - for guys looking to buy gifts for the girls
and
www.julietshops.com - vice versa
Actually, the Juliet Shops site is better - full of fun, creative things for guys that aren't readily available elswhere. The Romeo site had a lot of jewelry & more obvious stuff - but also some cool & creative ideas.
I don't think this kind of thing offends Gen X - we know we're equal, and are too busy to spend hours shopping - we appreciate the help. I loved the guy stuff on the Juliet site & had three things in my cart within 10 minutes. Outstanding.
The Bull$#!* Begins
Whatever happened to honest democracy - the idea that real debate about social issues was a good thing, and may the best candidate win?
In an effort to stop Hillary Clinton from winning the presidency, a team of Clinton-haters has a creative idea: make an anti-Hillary movie. Doesn't have to be accurate to hurt her at the polls...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/25/whill25.xml
Also this week, Taylor Marsh blogs for HuffPost about an anti-Clinton flyer she found on her car - purporting to be from Dems about why Hillary "can't win" and thus Dems should go for other candidates, but of course full of inaccuracies and having no attribution anywhere on the flyer. Marsh doesn't believe it came from Dems at all.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/hillary-hit-piece_b_42018.html
The conventional wisdom in DC is apparently not only that she CAN win, but that Republicans are already shaking in their boots. We shall see.
In an effort to stop Hillary Clinton from winning the presidency, a team of Clinton-haters has a creative idea: make an anti-Hillary movie. Doesn't have to be accurate to hurt her at the polls...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/25/whill25.xml
Also this week, Taylor Marsh blogs for HuffPost about an anti-Clinton flyer she found on her car - purporting to be from Dems about why Hillary "can't win" and thus Dems should go for other candidates, but of course full of inaccuracies and having no attribution anywhere on the flyer. Marsh doesn't believe it came from Dems at all.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/hillary-hit-piece_b_42018.html
The conventional wisdom in DC is apparently not only that she CAN win, but that Republicans are already shaking in their boots. We shall see.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Oh, the Irony
I finally read the Mpls St Paul mag article about Mpls City Council Member Don Samuels that launched the whole "burn it down" controversy, and I'm mystified. http://www.mspmag.com/features/features/50761.asp
On just about every other topic, it seems the man gets it. He challenges the community to help itself, to help each other - and community leaders to walk their talk. I have been saying for the last couple weeks "I will share his outrage - when he points his finger at those who are abusing our children, and that's not the schools." Ironically, if the article is to be believed, he is mostly pointing fingers in the right direction.
Why, then, his ignorance about the schools?
Is it simply ignorance, taking inaccurate statistics to make assumptions that lead to politically convenient positions? School-bashing has been trendy since Bush took office, so go along & you don't look too liberal?
In fact, the article named support of public education a "white sacred cow" - which in this state it clearly is NOT. (At least not anymore - we're over 30 years past the Minnesota Miracle. See http://www.mnhs.org/library/tips/history_topics/18public.html) I wish the education of all American children was sacred to all Americans...
Samuels didn't give any reason in the article as to why he would dismiss the entire school system with: "Get rid of the damn thing! It hasn’t worked!” beyond the widely-quoted but still wrong statistic about black male graduation rates. I guess that is the mystifying part - what does he really believe about us?
Despite all the bad press, great things are still happening every day in all of the Minneapolis schools. Timothy J. O'Brien, an editorial letter-writer from Minneapolis made a great point in the Strib the other day in response to Samuels' call for vouchers:
On just about every other topic, it seems the man gets it. He challenges the community to help itself, to help each other - and community leaders to walk their talk. I have been saying for the last couple weeks "I will share his outrage - when he points his finger at those who are abusing our children, and that's not the schools." Ironically, if the article is to be believed, he is mostly pointing fingers in the right direction.
Why, then, his ignorance about the schools?
Is it simply ignorance, taking inaccurate statistics to make assumptions that lead to politically convenient positions? School-bashing has been trendy since Bush took office, so go along & you don't look too liberal?
In fact, the article named support of public education a "white sacred cow" - which in this state it clearly is NOT. (At least not anymore - we're over 30 years past the Minnesota Miracle. See http://www.mnhs.org/library/tips/history_topics/18public.html) I wish the education of all American children was sacred to all Americans...
Samuels didn't give any reason in the article as to why he would dismiss the entire school system with: "Get rid of the damn thing! It hasn’t worked!” beyond the widely-quoted but still wrong statistic about black male graduation rates. I guess that is the mystifying part - what does he really believe about us?
Despite all the bad press, great things are still happening every day in all of the Minneapolis schools. Timothy J. O'Brien, an editorial letter-writer from Minneapolis made a great point in the Strib the other day in response to Samuels' call for vouchers:
SCHOOL CHOICE: Vouchers to the rescue
I've always been strongly against school vouchers. However, after reading Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels remarks, Nick Coleman's columns and Mitch Pearlstein's Feb. 21 Counterpoint, I now see vouchers as the only way for Minneapolis public schools, which my three adult children attended, to be saved.
However, I have some restrictions on how the vouchers will be dispensed. If you missed school five or more days in a semester, you get a voucher; if you acted out in class more than twice in a semester, you get a voucher; if you fail to do your homework on a timely basis, you get a voucher; if you were arrested for anything anytime, you get a voucher.
Now, after all of the just voucher recipients are warmly accepted into the schools of their choice, the remaining students -- the ones who attend every day, act appropriately, are prepared and law-abiding -- will excel as never before and the voucher system will be a huge success. I'm sure all of the charter and private schools will accept these new students with open arms.
That's the bottom line that folks don't mention when KIPP schools and other successful charters are touted as the magic bullet: they are full of kids whose parents had the good sense to send them there. Imagine if all the kids in the Minneapolis Public School had parents who were involved at the level that KIPP parents are...
Even so, the sins of the parents should not hold back their kids. I've always maintained that my daughter's elite private school has only two things that my public school needs: over $20,000 per kid, and the ability to kick out anyone they don't want. Give us those two things in the Minneapolis Public Schools and our results will match theirs in no time.
Want something to be outraged about, Mr. Samuels? How about the fact that no one with power in this state has any interest in that idea?
Watching and waiting...
Watching the '08 presidential race shape up has been interesting so far. Folks may not realize there are as many old white men in the race as there are, given the attention that Clinton & Obama are getting!
I would love to support Obama - just because he's young and enthusiastic! But he knows less about the workings of Washington (and world politics) than Bush Jr did, and relying on experienced but less accountable advisers is not my first choice after the last 6 years of disaster! And my bet is that at some point he will crash hard - if only because that's what the media does to celebrities in this day & age. He might be perfect, but at whatever point the media gets sick of him, a cousin's financial troubles could bring him down. (And remember - given what Minnesota went through with the Ellison/Lee/Fine campaign, we know there are a lot of folks who like to think they'd support a candidate of color, but won't when it comes down to it.)
Similarly, it is sociologically fascinating to watch how people react to Clinton's candidacy. I think it's revealing of people's views on society in general. Optimists love her; pessimists say she can't win. Progressives who embrace gender equality embrace her; folks who prefer tradition (of whatever they're comfortable with) prefer more traditional candidates.
I suspect a significant generational difference in support for her too, only not the "younger folks more progressive, older folks more traditional" dynamic we've come to expect. In this case, I think Boomer women will vote for Clinton hands-down, but Gen X women will be a little more cautious. Ironically, I think because our generation is more open to a female candidate, we are less inclined to vote for Hillary because she's female. (Gen Y? Not sure. We'll see!)
Food for thought...
I would love to support Obama - just because he's young and enthusiastic! But he knows less about the workings of Washington (and world politics) than Bush Jr did, and relying on experienced but less accountable advisers is not my first choice after the last 6 years of disaster! And my bet is that at some point he will crash hard - if only because that's what the media does to celebrities in this day & age. He might be perfect, but at whatever point the media gets sick of him, a cousin's financial troubles could bring him down. (And remember - given what Minnesota went through with the Ellison/Lee/Fine campaign, we know there are a lot of folks who like to think they'd support a candidate of color, but won't when it comes down to it.)
Similarly, it is sociologically fascinating to watch how people react to Clinton's candidacy. I think it's revealing of people's views on society in general. Optimists love her; pessimists say she can't win. Progressives who embrace gender equality embrace her; folks who prefer tradition (of whatever they're comfortable with) prefer more traditional candidates.
I suspect a significant generational difference in support for her too, only not the "younger folks more progressive, older folks more traditional" dynamic we've come to expect. In this case, I think Boomer women will vote for Clinton hands-down, but Gen X women will be a little more cautious. Ironically, I think because our generation is more open to a female candidate, we are less inclined to vote for Hillary because she's female. (Gen Y? Not sure. We'll see!)
Food for thought...
Saturday, February 17, 2007
A New Frontier
New York Magazine begins its article with this on the cover:
"I am not interested in privacy. Online, I reveal everything - my break ups, by bank balance, my breakfast cereal, my body. My parents call it shameless. I call it freedom."
I think your reaction to that statement will tell you where you fall in the newest generational controversy - how much of one's life to reveal on the Internet.
As a 30-something professional, I am, of course, very careful what I share here and elsewhere. Although I like having a space through which to reach both friends and strangers, I am conscious that anyone - prospective employers, my ex-husband's new wife - can find it. Although my personal and professional selves are largely integrated (what you see is pretty much what you get!) I am still sensitive that my audience would be anyone.
And there are aspects of this new wave that are unimpressive - witness reality TV. As Lakshmi Chaudhry explains in the current issue of The Nation: "When it is more important to be seen than to be talented, it is hardly surprising that the less gifted among us are willing to fart our way into the spotlight."
However, when I imagine myself at 19 with the technology available today, I am sure that my very entertaining college life would have been chronicled extensively! I have huge photo albums (yes, we took pictures at parties!) and long journals from every period of my life. I can absolutely see the attraction young people have to things like MySpace, Flicker and Blogspot.
The article asks the question: what will be the results of all this? Will these young people grow up and regret putting themselves out there so raw? Or will they love having a chronicle of their lives? It also notes one important aspect culturally: we are losing much of our privacy in this country post-9/11 anyway - maybe it's better to adjust our attitudes & embrace living publicly than to fret over things we don't seem to be able to control anymore.
As they point out: "Every street in New York has a surveillance camera. Each time you swipe your debit card or use your MetroCard, that transaction is tracked. Your employer owns your emails. The NSA owns your phone calls. Your life is being lived in public whether you choose to acknowledge it or not."
Maybe the kids are on to something.
Read the article: http://nymag.com/news/features/27341/index.html?imw=Y
"I am not interested in privacy. Online, I reveal everything - my break ups, by bank balance, my breakfast cereal, my body. My parents call it shameless. I call it freedom."
I think your reaction to that statement will tell you where you fall in the newest generational controversy - how much of one's life to reveal on the Internet.
As a 30-something professional, I am, of course, very careful what I share here and elsewhere. Although I like having a space through which to reach both friends and strangers, I am conscious that anyone - prospective employers, my ex-husband's new wife - can find it. Although my personal and professional selves are largely integrated (what you see is pretty much what you get!) I am still sensitive that my audience would be anyone.
And there are aspects of this new wave that are unimpressive - witness reality TV. As Lakshmi Chaudhry explains in the current issue of The Nation: "When it is more important to be seen than to be talented, it is hardly surprising that the less gifted among us are willing to fart our way into the spotlight."
However, when I imagine myself at 19 with the technology available today, I am sure that my very entertaining college life would have been chronicled extensively! I have huge photo albums (yes, we took pictures at parties!) and long journals from every period of my life. I can absolutely see the attraction young people have to things like MySpace, Flicker and Blogspot.
The article asks the question: what will be the results of all this? Will these young people grow up and regret putting themselves out there so raw? Or will they love having a chronicle of their lives? It also notes one important aspect culturally: we are losing much of our privacy in this country post-9/11 anyway - maybe it's better to adjust our attitudes & embrace living publicly than to fret over things we don't seem to be able to control anymore.
As they point out: "Every street in New York has a surveillance camera. Each time you swipe your debit card or use your MetroCard, that transaction is tracked. Your employer owns your emails. The NSA owns your phone calls. Your life is being lived in public whether you choose to acknowledge it or not."
Maybe the kids are on to something.
Read the article: http://nymag.com/news/features/27341/index.html?imw=Y
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
It's Like Anybody
I was both amused and annoyed at Randy Foye's comment in the paper today about why he was involved in a fight that led to him receiving a disorderly conduct citation from police. Yes, he's a professional athlete and maybe I should bow to stereotype and not expect any better from someone whose cousins have to pull off the road when they argue so they can get out & have a fist fight... but I still take issue with it.
When asked what in the world a Timberwolves starter was doing in such a situation, his response included: "...you have family members around you and they're arguing... my family, they didn't mean to do it. It's like anybody, your family gets into it and you try to be the peacekeeper..." (See the full quote & story at http://www.startribune.com/511/story/997479.html)
Sorry, my family doesn't "get into it" that way.
Randy Foye seems to share an idea that many of my students from poverty have, which is that dysfunctional behavior like that is normal. That when cousins argue, getting so angry that you want to hit each other is normal. That acting on it by getting out of the car to fight is normal. That being in a car together at 2:30 in the morning - probably not all sober - is normal.
Randy Foye didn't say it was an unusual incident in his experience. He didn't say he was surprised at what happened. He said "It's like anybody..."
Not me.
When asked what in the world a Timberwolves starter was doing in such a situation, his response included: "...you have family members around you and they're arguing... my family, they didn't mean to do it. It's like anybody, your family gets into it and you try to be the peacekeeper..." (See the full quote & story at http://www.startribune.com/511/story/997479.html)
Sorry, my family doesn't "get into it" that way.
Randy Foye seems to share an idea that many of my students from poverty have, which is that dysfunctional behavior like that is normal. That when cousins argue, getting so angry that you want to hit each other is normal. That acting on it by getting out of the car to fight is normal. That being in a car together at 2:30 in the morning - probably not all sober - is normal.
Randy Foye didn't say it was an unusual incident in his experience. He didn't say he was surprised at what happened. He said "It's like anybody..."
Not me.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
More Hot Air from Samuels Fans the Flames
Stark contract between the Strib's editorial yesterday on the firestorm unleashed by Don Samuel's cry to burn down North HS and the city council member's own column on the subject in the paper today:
Editorial: http://www.startribune.com/561/story/990843.html
Samuels: http://www.startribune.com/562/story/992944.html
What's most striking to me is that Samuels is still giving a one-note answer: fix the schools. Nothing about fixing the kids, families, neighborhoods, housing policies, health care policies, education funding or juvenile justice system, all of which are players in this drama as well.
Now Samuels wants to bring "outstanding educators" from around the nation to Minneapolis this spring to teach us what we apparently don't know. Give me a break. He doesn't seem to have a clue what we ARE doing already. Come spend some time in the schools, Mr. Samuels, then we'll talk. (Your kids may never darken our doorways, but as an elected official, you should.)
It's my opinion that there is nothing new under the sun. Educators know what works, and what doesn't. As one of my colleagues once quipped: "Want to solve all the problems in the schools? Staff at 3:1." Ha ha ha. (My school staffed this year at 38:1, if you're not an educator & didn't get it. That means average classes of 38 kids with one teacher.) We simply don't have the resources needed to work the miracles asked of us. The people of Minnesota need to choose to pay for the results they want.
At least the Strib's editorial staff had the sense to speak to the larger issues affecting schools: "Turning all of that around is a lot to ask of the public schools, especially in light of the funding cuts forced on education, police and social services, and the persistence of a destructive popular culture that celebrates failure, glorifies crime and disrespects academic achievement." BINGO.
The editorial goes on to point out: "Mayor R.T. Rybak has it right when he routinely lists the city's two most basic problems: 'Too many kids raising themselves, and too many kids having kids.'" DUH.
In the end, Samuels asks, rightly, "Why aren't more people pushed beyond the boundaries of politeness and rational discourse - shouldn't this make us all crazy?" Right question - wrong topic. Go back up a paragraph to the mayor's quote and direct your anger where it belongs. We in the schools are doing God's work and having great success. Not 100%? Come fight WITH us, not against us.
Editorial: http://www.startribune.com/561/story/990843.html
Samuels: http://www.startribune.com/562/story/992944.html
What's most striking to me is that Samuels is still giving a one-note answer: fix the schools. Nothing about fixing the kids, families, neighborhoods, housing policies, health care policies, education funding or juvenile justice system, all of which are players in this drama as well.
Now Samuels wants to bring "outstanding educators" from around the nation to Minneapolis this spring to teach us what we apparently don't know. Give me a break. He doesn't seem to have a clue what we ARE doing already. Come spend some time in the schools, Mr. Samuels, then we'll talk. (Your kids may never darken our doorways, but as an elected official, you should.)
It's my opinion that there is nothing new under the sun. Educators know what works, and what doesn't. As one of my colleagues once quipped: "Want to solve all the problems in the schools? Staff at 3:1." Ha ha ha. (My school staffed this year at 38:1, if you're not an educator & didn't get it. That means average classes of 38 kids with one teacher.) We simply don't have the resources needed to work the miracles asked of us. The people of Minnesota need to choose to pay for the results they want.
At least the Strib's editorial staff had the sense to speak to the larger issues affecting schools: "Turning all of that around is a lot to ask of the public schools, especially in light of the funding cuts forced on education, police and social services, and the persistence of a destructive popular culture that celebrates failure, glorifies crime and disrespects academic achievement." BINGO.
The editorial goes on to point out: "Mayor R.T. Rybak has it right when he routinely lists the city's two most basic problems: 'Too many kids raising themselves, and too many kids having kids.'" DUH.
In the end, Samuels asks, rightly, "Why aren't more people pushed beyond the boundaries of politeness and rational discourse - shouldn't this make us all crazy?" Right question - wrong topic. Go back up a paragraph to the mayor's quote and direct your anger where it belongs. We in the schools are doing God's work and having great success. Not 100%? Come fight WITH us, not against us.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself
I just added English Al-Jazeera to my list of links. I did it because when I stumbled on it - from the Baghdad Burning site - I thought it was cool to see how other folks view the world. I was entertained that they had the Superbowl right on the front page of the site.
Then I thought - should I do that? What if the hunt for terrorists goes so far as to look for people with such connections?
Then I thought - LORD HAVE MERCY - this is America! Yes, we persecute our own with the best of them, but heaven forbid I should ever censor myself because I'm afraid of a witch-hunt. (I'll censor myself for professional or personal reasons, but hopefully never political!!!) And let me never be in the crowd that didn't speak up because it wasn't me they were coming for!
So I have added Al-Jazeera BECAUSE if this administration gets even crazier and starts coming for folks like me who do simple things like that, I'll be ready to stand on principle. My daughter is Muslim and I will look at Al-Jazeera is I darn well feel like it. You should go check it out just to say you did.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/55ABE840-AC30-41D2-BDC9-06BBE2A36665.htm#
Then I thought - should I do that? What if the hunt for terrorists goes so far as to look for people with such connections?
Then I thought - LORD HAVE MERCY - this is America! Yes, we persecute our own with the best of them, but heaven forbid I should ever censor myself because I'm afraid of a witch-hunt. (I'll censor myself for professional or personal reasons, but hopefully never political!!!) And let me never be in the crowd that didn't speak up because it wasn't me they were coming for!
So I have added Al-Jazeera BECAUSE if this administration gets even crazier and starts coming for folks like me who do simple things like that, I'll be ready to stand on principle. My daughter is Muslim and I will look at Al-Jazeera is I darn well feel like it. You should go check it out just to say you did.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/55ABE840-AC30-41D2-BDC9-06BBE2A36665.htm#
Ranting
A colleague told me yesterday that a discussion in his 12th grade class about homelessness turned personal as students started to share their own stories: four different kids told stories of being homeless because parents were absent, or on drugs, or just didn't have any money... and most of the rest of the class knew someone in similar circumstances.
One boy said that he had a job last year through which he made the most money in his family - but after losing that job felt he "had" to go back to crime to survive... another girl said she'd rather be homeless than with her abusive family... a third student said he was "sort of" homeless since although he has no parents, his aunt helps him out...
And who gets blamed when these kids don't graduate on time???
I absolutely believe that those of us in the schools need to do EVERYTHING we can - and then some - to ensure that kids have access to the knowledge & skills they need to be successful. I also believe that when they come to us unmotivated, it IS our job to try to motive them.
But that's why we do as well as we do. To do better, our kids need resources - better medical care, stable housing, support for families... Schools have had counseling & social work budgets slashed to ribbons in the last 5 years - but if we can't provide these services, then who will?
In an ideal world, teachers would be paid to do things like call home - or even visit parents at home - that would help our kids. But I routinely spend about 10 hours a week unpaid just on curriculum and assessment - my own daughter needs some of my time too.
One boy said that he had a job last year through which he made the most money in his family - but after losing that job felt he "had" to go back to crime to survive... another girl said she'd rather be homeless than with her abusive family... a third student said he was "sort of" homeless since although he has no parents, his aunt helps him out...
And who gets blamed when these kids don't graduate on time???
I absolutely believe that those of us in the schools need to do EVERYTHING we can - and then some - to ensure that kids have access to the knowledge & skills they need to be successful. I also believe that when they come to us unmotivated, it IS our job to try to motive them.
But that's why we do as well as we do. To do better, our kids need resources - better medical care, stable housing, support for families... Schools have had counseling & social work budgets slashed to ribbons in the last 5 years - but if we can't provide these services, then who will?
In an ideal world, teachers would be paid to do things like call home - or even visit parents at home - that would help our kids. But I routinely spend about 10 hours a week unpaid just on curriculum and assessment - my own daughter needs some of my time too.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Yay, Tony Dungy!
The first black coach to win a Super Bowl is a former Gopher - pretty cool! :)
I know that some Gopher fans were hoping the Colts would lose much earlier in the playoff season this year so maybe Tony Dungy would consider taking over the U of MN football program from fired Coach Mason, but no luck. Our loss is Indiana's gain.
Fun Tony Dungy trivia: he is the first NFL head coach to defeat all 32 NFL teams.
See more Dungy trivia at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Dungy - I was amused to find that it had already been updated to include the Super Bowl win only an hour after the game was over!
Burn What???
I’m disgusted with Don Samuels for suggesting that we should burn down North HS because it’s not successful enough. Of course it's just a metaphor - but his point is NOT well taken here.
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/977085.html
That school is in the middle of the most dangerous neighborhood in the state – an oasis of calm where students feel safer than anywhere else – but Samuels, who represents that neighborhood on the city council, has the gall to suggest that it’s the school’s fault those kids aren’t doing BETTER academically. With a 70+% graduation rate, I say they’re doing DARN WELL given what few assets some of those kids come to school with!
The StarTribune provided some context last week - Minnesota ranks 8th in the nation in our rate of black homicide victims. http://www.startribune.com/467/story/968247.html
When will society stop expecting the schools to raise the children? I like to think of myself as a good liberal, but I have HAD IT with abused, violent, stressed and/or scarred children coming to school and (duh) doing poorly, then lawmakers blaming the teachers and/or the school system for their failure. It's not right.
Samuels is reported to be a voucher fan - what a surprise.
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/977085.html
That school is in the middle of the most dangerous neighborhood in the state – an oasis of calm where students feel safer than anywhere else – but Samuels, who represents that neighborhood on the city council, has the gall to suggest that it’s the school’s fault those kids aren’t doing BETTER academically. With a 70+% graduation rate, I say they’re doing DARN WELL given what few assets some of those kids come to school with!
The StarTribune provided some context last week - Minnesota ranks 8th in the nation in our rate of black homicide victims. http://www.startribune.com/467/story/968247.html
When will society stop expecting the schools to raise the children? I like to think of myself as a good liberal, but I have HAD IT with abused, violent, stressed and/or scarred children coming to school and (duh) doing poorly, then lawmakers blaming the teachers and/or the school system for their failure. It's not right.
Samuels is reported to be a voucher fan - what a surprise.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Molly Ivins RIP
Molly Ivins died of cancer on Wednesday and it’s taken me three days to sit down & finish writing about it. Such a huge loss, to journalism and to America. It takes time to digest.
Few people have both inspired and entertained me more. I love her work and I love her attitude. Expressing outrage with humor is a unique skill – one that I don’t possess – but one that I admire. I am not into celebrity-worship, but she is truly a hero to me.
The Strib yesterday had an example of typical Ivins, talking about the Texas legislators she often pilloried: “When I would denounce some sorry sumbitch, I would courageously prepare myself to be horsewhipped at the least. All the ever happened was, I’d see the sumbitch in the capitol the next day, he’d beam, spread his arms, and say, ‘Baby! Yew put mah name in yore paper!’”
I remember hearing her speak at some fancy dinner probably a decade ago, and loving every minute of it. She speaks truth on serious topics, but always with humor. I still have her autograph somewhere.
In her honor, I will try to write more often in 2007! Check out her most recent columns (click a choice under her picture):
http://www.creators.com/opinion/molly-ivins.html?columnsName=miv
Sunday, January 21, 2007
She's In!
Although some people have said it would make more sense for Hillary Clinton to stay in the Senate and be powerful there for the next few decades (as opposed to be president for 8 years & then retire and do what?) I've had a feeling for quite a while that she was going to run, and today it's official.
I've been excited by the prospect of a Hillary Clinton candidacy for years - and I don't believe for a second that she "can't" win. As pollster Mark Penn said, "Of course she can."
I absolutely believe that the extent to which people support her is the extent to which they believe women are really equal to men. I will be very interested to see how this race shakes out generationally - will younger voters be more progressive, more willing to back a candidate with extensive experience, knowledge and skills, despite the fact that she's female? Or will the core of Hillary's support come from the generation that did the heavy lifting on women's rights in the 70's?
I don't think there will be a ton of people who will vote for her BECAUSE she's female, the way people will vote for Barak Obama because he's black. With Hillary, there is no "all other things being equal" comparison because no one else in the race comes close to her in terms of experience or expertise. It's not like there are 3 candidates who are all great, so then you pick the female just for progress.
Think about it - leaders around the globe know and respect her. No one else in the country - save Bill Clinton - could ascend to the presidency with as much global clout as she has right now, and we know that's something the presidency is desperately in need of. She is not one of the crowd in this race - there is Hillary, and then there is the crowd.
As she said in her announcement video: "I have a feeling it will be very interesting." No doubt! :)
Check it out: http://www.hillaryclinton.com
I've been excited by the prospect of a Hillary Clinton candidacy for years - and I don't believe for a second that she "can't" win. As pollster Mark Penn said, "Of course she can."
I absolutely believe that the extent to which people support her is the extent to which they believe women are really equal to men. I will be very interested to see how this race shakes out generationally - will younger voters be more progressive, more willing to back a candidate with extensive experience, knowledge and skills, despite the fact that she's female? Or will the core of Hillary's support come from the generation that did the heavy lifting on women's rights in the 70's?
I don't think there will be a ton of people who will vote for her BECAUSE she's female, the way people will vote for Barak Obama because he's black. With Hillary, there is no "all other things being equal" comparison because no one else in the race comes close to her in terms of experience or expertise. It's not like there are 3 candidates who are all great, so then you pick the female just for progress.
Think about it - leaders around the globe know and respect her. No one else in the country - save Bill Clinton - could ascend to the presidency with as much global clout as she has right now, and we know that's something the presidency is desperately in need of. She is not one of the crowd in this race - there is Hillary, and then there is the crowd.
As she said in her announcement video: "I have a feeling it will be very interesting." No doubt! :)
Check it out: http://www.hillaryclinton.com
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Untitled
Last week, driving a student home after a school event, I asked which street I should take from where we were, as in – which one is more direct & has fewer stop signs? He replied: “I don’t know, I don’t walk around here.”
Tonight, at another school event, I started to roll my eyes at one more student-written song about the tough street life, and had a realization… if I get sick of hearing poems, songs & stories about the “thug life” and such, how much more must my students be sick of living it?!?!?
Tonight, at another school event, I started to roll my eyes at one more student-written song about the tough street life, and had a realization… if I get sick of hearing poems, songs & stories about the “thug life” and such, how much more must my students be sick of living it?!?!?
Sunday, January 14, 2007
The More Things Change...
I enjoyed an interesting conversation this weekend at the DFL inaugural ball with Mary Cathryn Ricker, the current 30-something president of the St Paul Federation of Teachers, and Liz Rose, the daughter of Minneapolis Federation of Teachers past president Bob Rose.
Listening to stories of the past and of the future, I was struck by the juxtaposition of old-school and contemporary politics. It sounds like Mary Cathryn relied primarily on the tried-but-true method of actually going out to schools & meeting with teachers to introduce herself and ask for their vote. Although she was up against two older, more experienced (male) opponents, she won just by getting her ideas and her self out there. I think it's great that such old-school politics worked to elect the younger candidate. (The more things change... the more they stay the same... :)
The pundits are saying that the 2008 presidential campaign will involve the Internet and other new ways of reaching voters more than ever before - it will be interesting to see what the results of that shift will be!
Listening to stories of the past and of the future, I was struck by the juxtaposition of old-school and contemporary politics. It sounds like Mary Cathryn relied primarily on the tried-but-true method of actually going out to schools & meeting with teachers to introduce herself and ask for their vote. Although she was up against two older, more experienced (male) opponents, she won just by getting her ideas and her self out there. I think it's great that such old-school politics worked to elect the younger candidate. (The more things change... the more they stay the same... :)
The pundits are saying that the 2008 presidential campaign will involve the Internet and other new ways of reaching voters more than ever before - it will be interesting to see what the results of that shift will be!
This Isn't China... Right?
"The connection was refused when attempting to contact www.unitedforpeace.org"
My browser is working fine - I can surf quickly to different sites - EXCEPT the one with info about the big peace march in Washington planned for later this month.
I'm no conspiracy theorist - but I think it's amusing that I am not able to access a government-protest site.
What's that about?
My browser is working fine - I can surf quickly to different sites - EXCEPT the one with info about the big peace march in Washington planned for later this month.
I'm no conspiracy theorist - but I think it's amusing that I am not able to access a government-protest site.
What's that about?
Head for DC - Jan 27
There is a peace march scheduled for Saturday, Jan 27 in Washington DC.
Not sure why winter is the best time to have a huge outdoor rally, but I'm not on the planning committee, so no one asked me! (ha ha) Of course DC isn't as cold as MN in January, so maybe it's not a concern.
I have to admit I'm torn. On the one hand, Id' love to go - just for the history-making aspect of it. It would be a cool experience for my 18-year-old daughter. But while other major marches have had influencing the president (or congress) as their goal - hence doing it in DC - this administration won't listen to Americans, and both houses of Congress are now under new leadership, so I don't see what's going to change in policy because of thousands of folks marching on the Mall.
And I'm not a cynic, I swear! :)
Not sure why winter is the best time to have a huge outdoor rally, but I'm not on the planning committee, so no one asked me! (ha ha) Of course DC isn't as cold as MN in January, so maybe it's not a concern.
I have to admit I'm torn. On the one hand, Id' love to go - just for the history-making aspect of it. It would be a cool experience for my 18-year-old daughter. But while other major marches have had influencing the president (or congress) as their goal - hence doing it in DC - this administration won't listen to Americans, and both houses of Congress are now under new leadership, so I don't see what's going to change in policy because of thousands of folks marching on the Mall.
And I'm not a cynic, I swear! :)
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Bangkok, Berlin, Chile, Spain…
When I first started writing this blog, I loved to hit the “next blog” link at the top and surf randomly through the other blogs. Many are lame, but enough are interesting to make it worth the time…
I haven’t tried it in months, but I did today, and was surprised at how many of the blogs are in other languages! It feels like a change from just a year ago, and that’s intriguing to me. Several were in languages I didn’t even recognize, sad to say!
It makes the world feel a little smaller, in a good way.
I haven’t tried it in months, but I did today, and was surprised at how many of the blogs are in other languages! It feels like a change from just a year ago, and that’s intriguing to me. Several were in languages I didn’t even recognize, sad to say!
It makes the world feel a little smaller, in a good way.
University Upgrade
The StarTribune says today that it's "more than a football stadium" and I suppose they are right. The University of MN is not only building a new stadium - back on campus where it belongs - but this is part of building a better university for the next century.
http://www.startribune.com/561/story/918627.html
It's hard while paying $2,000 per class to swallow some of the spiffy new improvements to campus (and the millions that the fired football & basketball coaches just walked way with) but overall I do believe that excellence begets excellence, and attitude is everything! I appreciate that President Bruiniks has an optimistic vision for the U of MN's future and is making positive things happen.
I wonder where Gen X is in all this. Grad students are mostly commuters with careers and lives off-campus. How many 30- or 40-year-olds were at the last Gopher football game? I went to a Gopher hockey game last week & was impressed by how many 20-year-olds were there, but otherwise felt surrounded by older folks. If nothing else, we're paying a larger share of taxes every year - are we paying attention?
http://www.startribune.com/561/story/918627.html
It's hard while paying $2,000 per class to swallow some of the spiffy new improvements to campus (and the millions that the fired football & basketball coaches just walked way with) but overall I do believe that excellence begets excellence, and attitude is everything! I appreciate that President Bruiniks has an optimistic vision for the U of MN's future and is making positive things happen.
I wonder where Gen X is in all this. Grad students are mostly commuters with careers and lives off-campus. How many 30- or 40-year-olds were at the last Gopher football game? I went to a Gopher hockey game last week & was impressed by how many 20-year-olds were there, but otherwise felt surrounded by older folks. If nothing else, we're paying a larger share of taxes every year - are we paying attention?
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Holla Back!
Just discovered a fun new website - HollaBack NYC, created to post pictures of street harassers, since there isn't really much else that can be done. Gotta love this as a response to sexual harassment - their motto is "If you can't slap 'em, snap 'em!"
http://www.hollabacknyc.blogspot.com/
This site was created as a way to empower women who are victims of street harassment - a problem that is of course much harder to address that workplace harassment. Want to slap the harasser, but know that's not a good idea? Using a cell phone camera, take his picture, then send it to the site! The site is an amusing collection of pics and stories about the freaks out there & how women are coping with them.
A user from DC summed up the whole point of it nicely:
"Being called "beautiful" and "sexy" is a compliment when it comes from someone who means it and who you in return find such...not from some random man on the street with half of his teeth missing who's drunk!"
As one of the founders, Emily May, noted:
"When I didn't do anything [to respond to harassment] it didn't feel good, and when I yelled back, it didn't feel good, but now I have a response that genuinely feels good." (from an article in Ms. magazine - summer '06)
BRAVO for both creativity and positivity! :)
http://www.hollabacknyc.blogspot.com/
This site was created as a way to empower women who are victims of street harassment - a problem that is of course much harder to address that workplace harassment. Want to slap the harasser, but know that's not a good idea? Using a cell phone camera, take his picture, then send it to the site! The site is an amusing collection of pics and stories about the freaks out there & how women are coping with them.
A user from DC summed up the whole point of it nicely:
"Being called "beautiful" and "sexy" is a compliment when it comes from someone who means it and who you in return find such...not from some random man on the street with half of his teeth missing who's drunk!"
As one of the founders, Emily May, noted:
"When I didn't do anything [to respond to harassment] it didn't feel good, and when I yelled back, it didn't feel good, but now I have a response that genuinely feels good." (from an article in Ms. magazine - summer '06)
BRAVO for both creativity and positivity! :)
Friday, December 29, 2006
Update from Baghdad Burning
New post today from the Girl Blog from Iraq: http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
She says:
"You know your country is in trouble when:
* The UN has to open a special branch just to keep track of the chaos and bloodshed, UNAMI, but abovementioned branch cannot be run from your country.
* The only thing the US and Iran can agree about is the deteriorating state of your nation.
* For every 5 hours of no electricity, you get one hour of public electricity - and then the government announces it's going to cut back on providing that hour.
* People consider themselves lucky if they can actually identify the corpse of the relative that's been missing for two weeks."
Scary.
One thing we - who don't have a war within our own borders - tend not to think about so much is the culture of fear that takes over during war. She says, "There is no compensation for the dense, black cloud of fear that hangs over the head of every Iraqi." We have to admit there is no parallel in America. Our unsafe neighborhoods are heaven compared with most of Iraq. We have no clue...
Check out the website for her full post. The least we can do is pay attention.
She says:
"You know your country is in trouble when:
* The UN has to open a special branch just to keep track of the chaos and bloodshed, UNAMI, but abovementioned branch cannot be run from your country.
* The only thing the US and Iran can agree about is the deteriorating state of your nation.
* For every 5 hours of no electricity, you get one hour of public electricity - and then the government announces it's going to cut back on providing that hour.
* People consider themselves lucky if they can actually identify the corpse of the relative that's been missing for two weeks."
Scary.
One thing we - who don't have a war within our own borders - tend not to think about so much is the culture of fear that takes over during war. She says, "There is no compensation for the dense, black cloud of fear that hangs over the head of every Iraqi." We have to admit there is no parallel in America. Our unsafe neighborhoods are heaven compared with most of Iraq. We have no clue...
Check out the website for her full post. The least we can do is pay attention.
Monday, December 25, 2006
If you can't trust Jimmy Stewart...
It gets better! Better than a murderous Santa or religious wing-nuts losing at Christmas (see below) we now have an old FBI memo calling the movie It's a Wonderful Life "communist propaganda" for it's pro-common-man, anti-consumerist message and its portrayal of the banker as a bad guy.
You can read the actual FBI memo (with names blotted out) and some entertaining commentary at: http://www.wisebread.com/fbi-considered-its-a-wonderful-life-communist-propaganda#memo1
Even more interesting, blogger Will Chen writes:
"Perhaps the FBI was (and still is) correct when it said It's a Wonderful Life did not reflect American values. If you don't believe me, try telling your loved ones tonight that they won't be getting a materialistic gift from you, because your love for them already makes them the 'richest man in town!'"
Think about that as you reflect on the "reason for the season"! :)
You can read the actual FBI memo (with names blotted out) and some entertaining commentary at: http://www.wisebread.com/fbi-considered-its-a-wonderful-life-communist-propaganda#memo1
Even more interesting, blogger Will Chen writes:
"Perhaps the FBI was (and still is) correct when it said It's a Wonderful Life did not reflect American values. If you don't believe me, try telling your loved ones tonight that they won't be getting a materialistic gift from you, because your love for them already makes them the 'richest man in town!'"
Think about that as you reflect on the "reason for the season"! :)
Gotta have a debate, even on Christmas...
Too funny - the latest "PC" challenge apparently comes from reaction to a Santa horror movie being released on Christmas day. It seems that some random Christians don't think it's appropriate for a movie that portrays Santa as a mass-murderer to be released on Christmas.
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2006/12/im_probably_goi.html
Hello - what does Santa have to do with Christianity? Even if you trace back to the original St Nicholas, his story is still not about the Christ child...
So I guess I don't get it. Check out the link to the article & accompanying comments - very funny commentary on the state of pop culture today. Gotta love an article that begins:
"I'm probably going to hell for saying this, but I don't see anything wrong with Santa Claus wanting to murder a bunch of Hollywood pretty people on Christmas day."
So check out the link - probably more entertaining than the movie! :)
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2006/12/im_probably_goi.html
Hello - what does Santa have to do with Christianity? Even if you trace back to the original St Nicholas, his story is still not about the Christ child...
So I guess I don't get it. Check out the link to the article & accompanying comments - very funny commentary on the state of pop culture today. Gotta love an article that begins:
"I'm probably going to hell for saying this, but I don't see anything wrong with Santa Claus wanting to murder a bunch of Hollywood pretty people on Christmas day."
So check out the link - probably more entertaining than the movie! :)
Whoosh!
Where did December go?
It's not surprising that Christmas night is the first time I've had in a month to even think about writing, but I didn't realize it had been so long.
Other people I know have more pressing things going happening in their lives - one is waiting for her son to come home from Iraq next week - another just lost her sister in a freak accident a month ago - a third is worrying about a stalker ex-boyfriend. Nothing big like that is going on with me! Both of my U classes ended in the first half of the month, so that's no longer even an excuse.
I guess the work/home/socializing routine just gets stepped up a notch in December. More work, more social engagements, and more going on at home. But nothing earth-shattering.
One thing that's nice - my family is about as functional as they come. While other people stress the holidays and dread being around crazy relatives, I have no such problems. My immediate and extended family are all normal and nice, so the holidays are relaxing for us, not stressful. We are blessed.
Joy to the world, the lord is come! :)
It's not surprising that Christmas night is the first time I've had in a month to even think about writing, but I didn't realize it had been so long.
Other people I know have more pressing things going happening in their lives - one is waiting for her son to come home from Iraq next week - another just lost her sister in a freak accident a month ago - a third is worrying about a stalker ex-boyfriend. Nothing big like that is going on with me! Both of my U classes ended in the first half of the month, so that's no longer even an excuse.
I guess the work/home/socializing routine just gets stepped up a notch in December. More work, more social engagements, and more going on at home. But nothing earth-shattering.
One thing that's nice - my family is about as functional as they come. While other people stress the holidays and dread being around crazy relatives, I have no such problems. My immediate and extended family are all normal and nice, so the holidays are relaxing for us, not stressful. We are blessed.
Joy to the world, the lord is come! :)
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
How ironic...
...that the Twin Cities gets to the be symbolic good guy and bad guy in the culture wars this month - all at the same time!
First, we elected Keith Ellison as the first Muslim representative to Congress, and then a US Air flight out of the MSP airport returned & removed 6 Muslim imams because they made other passengers nervous. Sheesh.
On the radio yesterday, they made it sound like the imams were standing up on the plane when they shouldn't have been, but that was not the case. Apparently they made other passengers nervous simply because they were praying and speaking in Arabic.
Then, to add insult to injury, US Air refunded their money but wouldn't sell them new tickets to get home, so they had to go to Northwest. Not sure what that's about, though the NY Times article about the incident notes that US Air has had more complaints from Muslims than other airlines in recent years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/22/us/22muslim.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
At least the media didn't call Keith Ellison to comment on the story!
First, we elected Keith Ellison as the first Muslim representative to Congress, and then a US Air flight out of the MSP airport returned & removed 6 Muslim imams because they made other passengers nervous. Sheesh.
On the radio yesterday, they made it sound like the imams were standing up on the plane when they shouldn't have been, but that was not the case. Apparently they made other passengers nervous simply because they were praying and speaking in Arabic.
Then, to add insult to injury, US Air refunded their money but wouldn't sell them new tickets to get home, so they had to go to Northwest. Not sure what that's about, though the NY Times article about the incident notes that US Air has had more complaints from Muslims than other airlines in recent years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/22/us/22muslim.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
At least the media didn't call Keith Ellison to comment on the story!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Perfect!
I wish I could just reproduce this here! Please check out this link!
http://www.gocomics.com/boondocks/2006/11/13/
It's a Boondocks cartoon that totally speaks to the issue of different perspectives. Perfect fit for the whole Lee/Stuart controversy.
http://www.gocomics.com/boondocks/2006/11/13/
It's a Boondocks cartoon that totally speaks to the issue of different perspectives. Perfect fit for the whole Lee/Stuart controversy.
And So It Goes...
I am so disappointed that the Strib came out calling for Chris Stewart's head over this Tammy Lee website thing!
http://www.startribune.com/561/story/808634.html
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised! Comfortable white folks miss the point - almost intentionally. The spoof site points at the ugly truth beneath the surface - or at the least the truth as it's perceived by some in communities of color!
It's fine to maintain that Lee's campaign was about more than offering a safe alternative to the muslim black guy - I'm sure it was to Lee! - but we cannot deny that it offered safe harbor to folks who couldn't bring themselves to vote for either Ellison or Fine.
A friend told me today that she voted for Ellison precisely because he's muslim and black - overlooking the parking tickets, et al. I think that's totally appropriate, and told her so. There are plenty of folks in Congress who look & think like us. We can afford to elect one person who's a little different.
http://www.startribune.com/561/story/808634.html
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised! Comfortable white folks miss the point - almost intentionally. The spoof site points at the ugly truth beneath the surface - or at the least the truth as it's perceived by some in communities of color!
It's fine to maintain that Lee's campaign was about more than offering a safe alternative to the muslim black guy - I'm sure it was to Lee! - but we cannot deny that it offered safe harbor to folks who couldn't bring themselves to vote for either Ellison or Fine.
A friend told me today that she voted for Ellison precisely because he's muslim and black - overlooking the parking tickets, et al. I think that's totally appropriate, and told her so. There are plenty of folks in Congress who look & think like us. We can afford to elect one person who's a little different.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
What Is Racism?
The following link - the spoof site of Tammy Lee's congressional campaign site, created, apparently, by (or with help from) newly elected MPS school board member Chris Stewart - was forwarded to me with the note that it shows "racism in the black community." I disagree.
http://www.trailblz.info/leetammy/hatesite/hatesite.htm
(In case it goes down soon, here's a quote: "Tammy Lee is the Best Choice to Replace Congressman Martin Sabo. After all, she's white - just like us, and that means we can trust her. We should all agree that a Negro should never replace a great statesman like Martin Sabo.")
I think it points a satirical finger at the real racism that's still out there! Throughout the 5th district Congressional campaign (Keith Ellison/Tammy Lee/Alan Fine) I couldn't shake the feeling that there were a significant number of well-meaning folks who would never vote for the really conservative guy, but just couldn't bring themselves to support the black/muslim guy. Tammy Lee's campaign offered an out (a female, so see, we're not just going for another white guy) but not much else.
The spoof site shares what a lot of folks were thinking, if not saying. It's not that the black folks are racist and wouldn't vote for her because she's white. It's that the black folks could tell that there were really people out there who were more comfortable with a 36-year-old white candidate with little experience than a talented, experienced black candidate with baggage. And the spoof site points that up - with humor.
Minnesota has prided itself on being progressive and open-armed, but I think the old saying about Minnesota nice still holds: a Minnesotan will give you directions to anywhere - except their own home.
We've come a long way, sure, but there are miles to go...
http://www.trailblz.info/leetammy/hatesite/hatesite.htm
(In case it goes down soon, here's a quote: "Tammy Lee is the Best Choice to Replace Congressman Martin Sabo. After all, she's white - just like us, and that means we can trust her. We should all agree that a Negro should never replace a great statesman like Martin Sabo.")
I think it points a satirical finger at the real racism that's still out there! Throughout the 5th district Congressional campaign (Keith Ellison/Tammy Lee/Alan Fine) I couldn't shake the feeling that there were a significant number of well-meaning folks who would never vote for the really conservative guy, but just couldn't bring themselves to support the black/muslim guy. Tammy Lee's campaign offered an out (a female, so see, we're not just going for another white guy) but not much else.
The spoof site shares what a lot of folks were thinking, if not saying. It's not that the black folks are racist and wouldn't vote for her because she's white. It's that the black folks could tell that there were really people out there who were more comfortable with a 36-year-old white candidate with little experience than a talented, experienced black candidate with baggage. And the spoof site points that up - with humor.
Minnesota has prided itself on being progressive and open-armed, but I think the old saying about Minnesota nice still holds: a Minnesotan will give you directions to anywhere - except their own home.
We've come a long way, sure, but there are miles to go...
Finally!!!
Keith Ellison won! For the first time in history, we have:
* a muslim elected to US Congress
* a black representative from the state of MN
http://www.keithellison.org/
And for some Americans, it's about time!!! Beyond the ignorant & racist "fox in the henhouse" rhetoric from some corners, I think it's OUTSTANDING that there is someone of color representing Minnesota, and a muslim person representing all of us.
Progress!
* a muslim elected to US Congress
* a black representative from the state of MN
http://www.keithellison.org/
And for some Americans, it's about time!!! Beyond the ignorant & racist "fox in the henhouse" rhetoric from some corners, I think it's OUTSTANDING that there is someone of color representing Minnesota, and a muslim person representing all of us.
Progress!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Tick... Tick... Tick...
The countdown to the election promises to be nothing but interesting! Replacing the scary pedophile senator scandal with Kerry's bad joke scandal... what's next? Can't wait to see!
It's sad that the days of office-holders running on their record - "here's what I've done that you can be proud of" - are so over. Every time I see/hear a negative ad, all I can think is how pathetic it is that incumbents don't seem to have much to run on. And even sadder - negative ads are used because they work! America is not, apparently, a land of geniuses...
One very cool thing is that most of the big-office candidates in MN this year are younger! Quite a few are in their 40's: Pawlenty 46, Klobuchar 46, Kennedy 49, Ellison 43, and Tammy Lee is only 35! Gotta love it. (And Bill Clinton, who used to be Mr. Young Guy, is now 60!) Only Ellison & Lee are really Gen X, but the others are still early career, and I think that's awesome.
It's sad that the days of office-holders running on their record - "here's what I've done that you can be proud of" - are so over. Every time I see/hear a negative ad, all I can think is how pathetic it is that incumbents don't seem to have much to run on. And even sadder - negative ads are used because they work! America is not, apparently, a land of geniuses...
One very cool thing is that most of the big-office candidates in MN this year are younger! Quite a few are in their 40's: Pawlenty 46, Klobuchar 46, Kennedy 49, Ellison 43, and Tammy Lee is only 35! Gotta love it. (And Bill Clinton, who used to be Mr. Young Guy, is now 60!) Only Ellison & Lee are really Gen X, but the others are still early career, and I think that's awesome.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
The Cure...
It's interesting to me that the cure for feeling overwhelmed and stressed out by too much work and too many commitments is... to drop it all and go out dancing!
In honor of the halloween weekend, the girls put on party dresses with kitty ears and devil horns and went downtown! I REALLY didn't want to go because I couldn't shake the feeling of having SO much work to do - but having already cancelled most of my other weekend plans in the name of busyness I decided not to bow out of this too.
We had an awesome time! Just exactly what I needed to get my equilibrium back and feel on top of the world again. I went to church this morning feeling that God is so good!
Ironic - but true. What a cure. :)
In honor of the halloween weekend, the girls put on party dresses with kitty ears and devil horns and went downtown! I REALLY didn't want to go because I couldn't shake the feeling of having SO much work to do - but having already cancelled most of my other weekend plans in the name of busyness I decided not to bow out of this too.
We had an awesome time! Just exactly what I needed to get my equilibrium back and feel on top of the world again. I went to church this morning feeling that God is so good!
Ironic - but true. What a cure. :)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Freedom
“Freedom is the awareness of alternatives & the ability to choose.”
– Alan Wheelis
I wish my students understood the extent to which they curtail their own freedom with lackluster academic performance! They don't get deferred gratification - the way their hard work today will pay off in the future. They are not only NOT aware of all the alternatives out there, but they don't see that they DO have the power to choose - IF they lay the foundation now...
Sigh.
– Alan Wheelis
I wish my students understood the extent to which they curtail their own freedom with lackluster academic performance! They don't get deferred gratification - the way their hard work today will pay off in the future. They are not only NOT aware of all the alternatives out there, but they don't see that they DO have the power to choose - IF they lay the foundation now...
Sigh.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Since When is Social Justice "PC"?
I was both amused and disturbed by Mona Charen’s column this week about Columbia Teacher’s College and the politics of education.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MonaCharen/2006/10/13/letting_the_pc_slip_show
I have long suspected that one of the real reasons for the attacks on public schools since the 80’s is the realization by the right that the empowerment of the underclasses happens predominantly through the schools! It is teachers who say “you can become anything you want, and I’ll show you the path to get there.” Poor parents are not all going to either know the path or to believe in it. Hence, if they can decimate the schools, they can preserve the upper class as is into the future.
So Charen attacks Columbia’s statement that “we see teaching as an ethical and political act” as totally inappropriate, and the notion that teaching is part of “a larger struggle for social justice” as just wrong. (Then of course she goes on to blame the teacher’s unions for schools offering less than great education – typical.)
Because I can see through her rhetoric, I can afford to be amused by it. But given that much of her readership may not stop to think about public schools as the foundation of the democracy (and that democracy itself has been under attack in recent years) her column is still disturbing.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MonaCharen/2006/10/13/letting_the_pc_slip_show
I have long suspected that one of the real reasons for the attacks on public schools since the 80’s is the realization by the right that the empowerment of the underclasses happens predominantly through the schools! It is teachers who say “you can become anything you want, and I’ll show you the path to get there.” Poor parents are not all going to either know the path or to believe in it. Hence, if they can decimate the schools, they can preserve the upper class as is into the future.
So Charen attacks Columbia’s statement that “we see teaching as an ethical and political act” as totally inappropriate, and the notion that teaching is part of “a larger struggle for social justice” as just wrong. (Then of course she goes on to blame the teacher’s unions for schools offering less than great education – typical.)
Because I can see through her rhetoric, I can afford to be amused by it. But given that much of her readership may not stop to think about public schools as the foundation of the democracy (and that democracy itself has been under attack in recent years) her column is still disturbing.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Gen X on Sex
More from “I’m Not a Feminist, But…”
> Why did Viagra hit the market before a male oral contraceptive?
>If women suffer from penis envy, why do men have more sex changes?
> When men complain that wearing a condom is a hardship, are they comparing it to giving birth, or having an abortion?
> Why did Viagra hit the market before a male oral contraceptive?
>If women suffer from penis envy, why do men have more sex changes?
> When men complain that wearing a condom is a hardship, are they comparing it to giving birth, or having an abortion?
Friday, October 06, 2006
The Old Scout Goes Off!
I don't usually think of Garrison Keillor as especially political or fiery, but this week's "Old Scout" column is serious! I often scan his columns in the Sunday Strib - and am sometimes bored - but not this time.
He begins: "I would not send my college kid off for a semester abroad if I were you. Last week, we suspended human rights in America, and what goes around comes around. Ixnay habeus corpus."
Turns out that Congress in its wisdom has determined that an "enemy combatant" is simply any noncitizen that the president declares to be an enemy combatant - and that person can be arrested and held for as long as authorities wish without any right of trial. Imagine now that your brother or sister - an American citizen - were suddenly arrested & held in another country - and you could not contact them, and they could not even contact a lawyer. For years. Oh, and it's up to the president how much torture is OK while they're imprisoned, too. Yup - America 2006.
We'd do well to remember - what goes around comes around...
He begins: "I would not send my college kid off for a semester abroad if I were you. Last week, we suspended human rights in America, and what goes around comes around. Ixnay habeus corpus."
Turns out that Congress in its wisdom has determined that an "enemy combatant" is simply any noncitizen that the president declares to be an enemy combatant - and that person can be arrested and held for as long as authorities wish without any right of trial. Imagine now that your brother or sister - an American citizen - were suddenly arrested & held in another country - and you could not contact them, and they could not even contact a lawyer. For years. Oh, and it's up to the president how much torture is OK while they're imprisoned, too. Yup - America 2006.
We'd do well to remember - what goes around comes around...
"I was a Republican..."
"I was a Republican until they lost their minds."
- Charles Barkley
In his Oct 2 New York Times column, Paul Krugman includes this quote as an example of how the "right-wing coalition" of religious and economic conservatives seems to be crumbling. He argues that because the alliance was never one of shared goals, but rather of utility, it was always vulnerable to the kind of stress it feels today.
No shock there...
The Foley scandal cracks me up - the hypocrisy is nothing but amusing. And now that the Republicans are bringing their convention to the Twin Cities in 2008 (great strategy to push our purple state a little redder!) it makes me wonder how the cities will like playing host to all that! I found extensive coverage of their last convention still archived on New York Magazine's site: http://nymag.com/rnc/index.htm - some very funny stuff!
- Charles Barkley
In his Oct 2 New York Times column, Paul Krugman includes this quote as an example of how the "right-wing coalition" of religious and economic conservatives seems to be crumbling. He argues that because the alliance was never one of shared goals, but rather of utility, it was always vulnerable to the kind of stress it feels today.
No shock there...
The Foley scandal cracks me up - the hypocrisy is nothing but amusing. And now that the Republicans are bringing their convention to the Twin Cities in 2008 (great strategy to push our purple state a little redder!) it makes me wonder how the cities will like playing host to all that! I found extensive coverage of their last convention still archived on New York Magazine's site: http://nymag.com/rnc/index.htm - some very funny stuff!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Ancient Chinese Wisdom
"A leader is best
When people barely know he exists…
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
They will say: we did it ourselves."
- Lao-tzu
I wonder how much good Gen X leaders are fulfilling this ideal and thus not getting much credit for taking the reigns from the boomers...?
Sidebar: As I was researching, I was amused to find that there is a whole company - actually more than one - devoted to translating the wisdom of Sun-Tsu's ancient "Art of War" into modern business - and it makes a lot of sense! I'm not sure this is what I went back to grad school for, but it is interesting...
When people barely know he exists…
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
They will say: we did it ourselves."
- Lao-tzu
I wonder how much good Gen X leaders are fulfilling this ideal and thus not getting much credit for taking the reigns from the boomers...?
Sidebar: As I was researching, I was amused to find that there is a whole company - actually more than one - devoted to translating the wisdom of Sun-Tsu's ancient "Art of War" into modern business - and it makes a lot of sense! I'm not sure this is what I went back to grad school for, but it is interesting...
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Thinking about X
I haven't thought much about Gen X lately - probably because I'm too busy. Is that where we all are right now? Too busy to stop & think about the state of the world and our place in it?
A classmate was talking about that yesterday - that one thing he hopes to get out of this class (grad level leadership theory - more fun than it sounds) is the chance to stop & think about things, and not just go-go-go.
I agree. Sometimes I think I'm nuts for pursuing another degree when all it's really getting me is debt, but I love the opportunity to spend time wrapping my brain around (arguably) important issues.
It's interesting to me that there is so little in the press about Gen X and where we are right now. Maybe as more leaders like Keith Ellison, Meria Carstarphen and Barak Obama ascend we'll see folks taking a little more time to think about it...
A classmate was talking about that yesterday - that one thing he hopes to get out of this class (grad level leadership theory - more fun than it sounds) is the chance to stop & think about things, and not just go-go-go.
I agree. Sometimes I think I'm nuts for pursuing another degree when all it's really getting me is debt, but I love the opportunity to spend time wrapping my brain around (arguably) important issues.
It's interesting to me that there is so little in the press about Gen X and where we are right now. Maybe as more leaders like Keith Ellison, Meria Carstarphen and Barak Obama ascend we'll see folks taking a little more time to think about it...
Monday, September 11, 2006
More on the Gap
A bold editorial on the black/white achievement gap in MN from the PiPress by a colleague & friend of mine who knows from where he speaks…
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/opinion/15289585.htm
I think he's right on. I also think that the issue is more complicated in MN because we have a hard time keeping a black professional class here. The culture of "MN Nice" makes it feel like quicksand to folks of color from other places - they can never tell what someone really thinks of them - so it can be a very uncomfortable place to live. Then the city kids don't have good role models, so they think "being black" means being ghetto, not being successful. Hence, the gap.
White folks? Comments?
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/opinion/15289585.htm
I think he's right on. I also think that the issue is more complicated in MN because we have a hard time keeping a black professional class here. The culture of "MN Nice" makes it feel like quicksand to folks of color from other places - they can never tell what someone really thinks of them - so it can be a very uncomfortable place to live. Then the city kids don't have good role models, so they think "being black" means being ghetto, not being successful. Hence, the gap.
White folks? Comments?
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Before the Primary
So the primary is in two days... I think there has been a lot of energy generated and the voting turnout will be good - at least I hope so! It's interesting to have several very competitive races at this point.
I sent the following email last week to just about everyone I know who lives in the 5th... I am still frustrated by otherwise thoughtful people who are not supporting Ellison but can't give any significant reason WHY - which I interpret as "I'm not ready to vote for the black/muslim guy". Bums me out! So I tried to provide a lot of info to help folks clarify their thinking:
Friends in the 5th-
We all know that the primary on 9/12 will all but determine our next 5th district representative to congress. Keith Ellison deserves your time to show up and vote for him on Tuesday! But I know many of you are still struggling with this decision, so I've pulled together some info for you. Ellison has been endorsed by Mondale, Rybak, Frasier, McCollum, Kelliher, McLaughlin, Pogemiller, Kelley, Moe, Spear... and of course the American Federation of Teachers, among many others! See the full list: http://www.keithellison.org/endorsements.htm Before you vote, please read the recent City Pages article about Ellison & this race:
http://citypages.com/databank/27/1343/article14661.asp And Nick Coleman's July Strib column about all the controversy: http://www.startribune.com/357/story/539892.html MPR's website has some audio clips of various Ellison speeches & interviews, as well as articles: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/2006/campaign/congress/ellison/
And if you haven't recycled it yet, read the Friday 9/1 Strib article, "Email smear is traced to rival aide" (buried on p. B7) about the "anonymous emails" that turned out to be from Paul Ostrow's campaign chair! Ostrow has fired the man and denied any knowledge of it, but it does point out to us that all the negative press has not been just because Ellison has baggage, but because someone purposely - and anonymously - made sure the media knew about it. How sad. [Also provided info on upcoming debates which have now passed.]
Bottom line in my mind:
Like me, you believe God wants better for people who are not doing as well as we are. You know we should do something about it, and Ellison has presented us with "something". Ellison will be a great rep if given the chance. His work on the north side and in the legislature has shown that again and again. The people of the north side - and the south side - and the suburbs - deserve a leader they can look up to, who inspires hope for meaningful change. YOU can make this happen. I hope you do! :) Please pass this on ASAP to other 5th district voters, and take the time to vote on Sept 12th! THANK YOU!!!
I sent the following email last week to just about everyone I know who lives in the 5th... I am still frustrated by otherwise thoughtful people who are not supporting Ellison but can't give any significant reason WHY - which I interpret as "I'm not ready to vote for the black/muslim guy". Bums me out! So I tried to provide a lot of info to help folks clarify their thinking:
Friends in the 5th-
We all know that the primary on 9/12 will all but determine our next 5th district representative to congress. Keith Ellison deserves your time to show up and vote for him on Tuesday! But I know many of you are still struggling with this decision, so I've pulled together some info for you. Ellison has been endorsed by Mondale, Rybak, Frasier, McCollum, Kelliher, McLaughlin, Pogemiller, Kelley, Moe, Spear... and of course the American Federation of Teachers, among many others! See the full list: http://www.keithellison.org/endorsements.htm Before you vote, please read the recent City Pages article about Ellison & this race:
http://citypages.com/databank/27/1343/article14661.asp And Nick Coleman's July Strib column about all the controversy: http://www.startribune.com/357/story/539892.html MPR's website has some audio clips of various Ellison speeches & interviews, as well as articles: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/2006/campaign/congress/ellison/
And if you haven't recycled it yet, read the Friday 9/1 Strib article, "Email smear is traced to rival aide" (buried on p. B7) about the "anonymous emails" that turned out to be from Paul Ostrow's campaign chair! Ostrow has fired the man and denied any knowledge of it, but it does point out to us that all the negative press has not been just because Ellison has baggage, but because someone purposely - and anonymously - made sure the media knew about it. How sad. [Also provided info on upcoming debates which have now passed.]
Bottom line in my mind:
Like me, you believe God wants better for people who are not doing as well as we are. You know we should do something about it, and Ellison has presented us with "something". Ellison will be a great rep if given the chance. His work on the north side and in the legislature has shown that again and again. The people of the north side - and the south side - and the suburbs - deserve a leader they can look up to, who inspires hope for meaningful change. YOU can make this happen. I hope you do! :) Please pass this on ASAP to other 5th district voters, and take the time to vote on Sept 12th! THANK YOU!!!
Food for Thought…
“The best way to fight tyranny is always to create something beautiful, because tyranny can't understand beauty, and thus can't destroy it.”
Saw this on a colleague's classroom wall. Put it on my own office wall & am still pondering it...
Saw this on a colleague's classroom wall. Put it on my own office wall & am still pondering it...
Friday, August 25, 2006
This is Real
Hope you're keeping an eye on: http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
The girl who writes Baghdad Burning says that so many people have left Iraq this summer she wonders if it’s hundreds of thousands. Of course there are no official figures for something like that…
She says that residents of Baghdad are “systematically being pushed out of the city.” No one trusts the government, the Americans, the military, or anyone but friends & relatives. The only hope is to say alive – “not safe, not secure - just alive.” We can’t even IMAGINE what that feels like.
Not that I read all the news on this subject – how can anyone without being permanently depressed? – but I have yet to see this info in the news…
The girl who writes Baghdad Burning says that so many people have left Iraq this summer she wonders if it’s hundreds of thousands. Of course there are no official figures for something like that…
She says that residents of Baghdad are “systematically being pushed out of the city.” No one trusts the government, the Americans, the military, or anyone but friends & relatives. The only hope is to say alive – “not safe, not secure - just alive.” We can’t even IMAGINE what that feels like.
Not that I read all the news on this subject – how can anyone without being permanently depressed? – but I have yet to see this info in the news…
More from “I’m Not a Feminist But…”
* If childrearing is the most important job in the world, why is it an unpaid position? (And why don't more men do it full time?!)
* Why are modeling and prostitution the only two fields in which women routinely out-earn men?
* If intelligent women are unaffected by media images, why do a quarter of female college students develop eating disorders?
* Why are modeling and prostitution the only two fields in which women routinely out-earn men?
* If intelligent women are unaffected by media images, why do a quarter of female college students develop eating disorders?
Saturday, August 12, 2006
What is Chick Lit?
As an English major and fan of literature from a female perspective, I have read lots of novels by women. Some of them probably fall into the "chick lit" category - the definition of which I'm not sure I really understand, and have honestly not thought much about.
So when I saw two book covers: "This Is Not Chick Lit" and "This Is Chick Lit" I just assumed they were spoofs - until I read the accompanying text and realized they are both anthologies being published this summer. Check it out: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eat-the-press/2006/08/10/this-blog-post-is-not-chi_e_26955.html
As I thought about it, I realized that I am guilty of two things:
* I probably tend to avoid most "chick lit" because I assume (ah, we know about that word!) that it's stereotype-filled fluff that's not worth my time,
* I just read and really enjoyed Candice Bushnell's "Lipstick Jungle".
Lipstick Jungle is not a story from which I learned anything or even got any new ideas, but it was a fun read and very affirming of women in leadership and women who don't operate within traditional roles. That is probably the essence of chick lit - and if so, why avoid it?
So when I saw two book covers: "This Is Not Chick Lit" and "This Is Chick Lit" I just assumed they were spoofs - until I read the accompanying text and realized they are both anthologies being published this summer. Check it out: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eat-the-press/2006/08/10/this-blog-post-is-not-chi_e_26955.html
As I thought about it, I realized that I am guilty of two things:
* I probably tend to avoid most "chick lit" because I assume (ah, we know about that word!) that it's stereotype-filled fluff that's not worth my time,
* I just read and really enjoyed Candice Bushnell's "Lipstick Jungle".
Lipstick Jungle is not a story from which I learned anything or even got any new ideas, but it was a fun read and very affirming of women in leadership and women who don't operate within traditional roles. That is probably the essence of chick lit - and if so, why avoid it?
Rights
Ran across this in my law class:
"Having the right to do something does not mean that doing something is right."
No doubt!
"Having the right to do something does not mean that doing something is right."
No doubt!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Question of the Day
from “I’m Not a Feminist, But…”:
Why are women warned to stay in at night for their own safety, when home is the place they’re most likely to be assaulted?
Why are women warned to stay in at night for their own safety, when home is the place they’re most likely to be assaulted?
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Has it really been 20 years???
Whirlwind reunion weekend – and then it’s over. After months of planning & organizing, the weekend itself came & went quickly! Being there - after the amusement of seeing who has & has not changed - didn't feel much different from high school itself. We have been out of high school for 20 years – but I don’t feel old!
My girls got together today to relax & recap – and be thankful once again that we stuck together through all this time. We all had a great time both nights – and felt pretty good about where our lives are at this point! Most people seemed to be doing fine, (though of course some of them probably worried about going bald or being fat or not being married or whatever,) but who knows how the people who didn’t come are doing? Most of the people that I wanted to see did show up, but there were a few that I was disappointed not to see. Hope they are well!
I'm not sure what I expected, but the whole thing wasn't exactly life-changing. It was just two nights of big fun parties. Or is that what it's supposed to be? :)
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