Today’s Attitude Toward Kids and Pets

Folks:
Here I go again saying I told you so, “you” meaning a generic or collective you.
Mary is sick of hearing me say, “People today treat their pets like children and their children like possessions to be used for a vicarious experience.

If you don’t believe that last sentence, think about the mother who pushed a girl to suicide to remove her daughter’s cheerleader competitor,
or the man who killed another father at a hockey game their kids were playing.
I watched a program on TV about mothers who push their little 6-8 year old girls into beauty pageants.
And, there are friends of mine who set their social/daily schedule by the dog’s needs.

We build cathedrals to sports (example – Yankee stadium) and churches are closing/consolidating at an alarming rate.
A hand shake is not a contract or one’s word of honor, and a contract or word of honor is only as good as its next test.

Civility and Civics are no longer taught in schools as separate subjects; thus kids are uncivil and ignorant of their citizenship responsibilities.
Pet food and pet care is a billion (billion with a big B) dollar industry.
Many seniors have to decide whether to make a doctor’s visit or buy food.

If I hear one more parent say OK? at the end of a directive to his/her child I will puke.
My Dad said, “Pee Wee, take out the garbage.” (PERIOD). No OK, please or nice tone in his voice.
Yeah, now you know what my nickname was in our house.
After all, I was 5 feet nothing and weighed 110 pounds as a high school senior.
And, I was sure my dad loved me by the way he took care of me overall.
Today, kids are in command and the parents have to cater to their desires.

And if you really don’t think this world is screwy, catch 5 minutes of a Jerry Springer show.
The FCC would have had him off the air after his first show.

Remember when the tonight show guest had to have a piece of lace sewn into her dress because she showed a little cleavage?
The news’ anchors show more leg and cleavage than was portrayed in the old “Stag Movies”back in the day.
OK, I saw a few in the days of my stupid 20s.

Hey, now that you have all contemplated hitting the delete button and are wondering if I have lost all hope, hang on for the answer.
No I have not. See you in church Sunday morning.
Come to Cassville Community Baptist Church for a good service – and the opportunity to see and hear me play my flute in the “Praise Band” during hymn time.

Joe Bo
(many of you knew me as Joey – while my family knew me as Pee Wee)

Another Commissioner without clasroooo experience P-12

Theorists are not practitioners.
I want a leader who has been there and done that. Mr. Steiner has not been there.
His education is full of lots of stuff, but no education stuff.
Political Science is not the proper major for a leader in education.
Obviously, his major has helped him learn how to dish out the BS as most politicians do.

Evaluating teachers solely on student performance is full of BS.
Students from an upper socio-economic community would do better than students from some other communities who do not have the advantage of two college educated parents who highly value education.

There are many folks in and out of the education community who are reaching for any solution to the perceived poor-quality education in our schools.

It is not the education system that is bad. It is the society at large that has lessened the need for a formal education in order to achieve success; if success is equated with money and possessions. AND, the media has marketed this idea very well. Sports, entertainment (even the crap that passes for entertainment such as reality shows) and celebrity – obtained for little more than behaving like a “public slut” (Paris Hilton?) – are celebrated with all the gusto that should be reserved for real achievement. The average nurse, school bus driver, teacher, or good parent is thrown under the bus in this up-side down culture of the 21st century.

The best teacher and the best school system in the world will not make good students of those unwilling, or disinterested in learning.

Woodstock “99 a disgrace to the human race

Man left to his own free will without restraints, internal or external, will destroy himself, others and the environment.
Woodstock “99 is a perfect example of this view.

Live pornography, alcohol abuse, illegal drugs, debauchery, degradation of the best that is in the human spirit, death to all that is reasonable and right, filth, abuse of customers by vendors, destruction and mayhem of giant proportions, misuse of tax dollars in police and fire response, little to no lasting residual benefit to the greater Rome area, rape, public nudity and public sex (with a cheering crowd no less), frolicking in the mud (often mixed with the contents of the port-a-potties), disgusting, vile language and verbal abuse one to another, one death attributed to the week-end of a disgusting display of human stupidity, all aptly describes the Woodstock “99 event that proves the evolutionists position that man is evolving (with a long journey still ahead of it) into a higher order creature over time.

Not one sane individual could rightly condone such behavior listed above. Our laws render such as illegal and immoral. Our weak human sensibilities arrive at a verdict of it all being undesirable for the more sensible creatures among us.

There are not enough words to describe the in-saneness of the whole episode.
And, what is the point for dredging up such foul memories of man’s display of animal-like behavior after ten years of trying to forget it ever happened?

The weak and morally depleted folks among us use events such as this base, dark, secular-humanistic activity to release themselves from the natural restraints endowed in each at birth.

Sick, twisted freaks come in all shapes, sizes, colors and styles. But these folks take the top billing of most sick of all.

Why be so unsympathetic?

Why is it so difficult to be civil?
Empathy is easy to feel, if one gets his mind off of himself.

Me-istic philosophy is much more prevalent in our culture than we-istic thinking.
Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me.

We rush around doing this and that, in order to be able to do this and that, so we might have this and that.
When it is all said and done, we start all over again.

In the process we are indifferent to those we might be harming.
Why I pine I don’t know because I got mine; now you go get yours.

Simple yet difficult.

Fix the public school problem?
It is the easiest answer to determine; but the hardest to implement.

Weak teachers not doing their jobs? Yeah, some of the blame can be laid at their doorstep.
Weak administrators coddling kids and not doing their jobs? Yeah, some of the blame can be laid at their doorstep.
Weak superintendents not running a tight ship? Yeah, this is true to some extent.

Okay, we all aggree on the above. Now tell me; “Why?”

Easy. Everyone is afraid of doing the right thing. They fear lawsuits, being rebuked and threats (physical and verbal) from too many parents.

Sweep it under the rug and all goes smoothly.
As we continue to do this, the kids continue to get more bold and disrepectful.

Parents back up junior no matter what. Why? Lazy parenting, divorced parents buying their kids affections, a prevailing belief in not disciplining kids because the modern psychologists say it is not good for them are three of the main reasons for kids running amuck.

Teachers are afraid of the asdministrators, administrators are afraid of the superintnedent, the superintendent is afraid of the parents, and the parents are afraid of the kids. And, the school board members are off in “gogg-gogg land” thinking how wonderful they are to do this civic duty of overseeing the community’s school district.

Many of them are wanna-be politicians. Others just want to “be there” for their kids. Mine gets to be the starting quarterback over a better player who is Mr. Nobody’s kid, and yours gets into the honor society with a 90 average in spite of the many little flaws in his/her character.

All kids have the capacity for good – and poor behavior. All kids have the built-in mechanism for fibbing, ridiculing, answering back and not doing all the assigned work.

So, the teacher is reluctant to do the right thing because the parent will not support his/her actions.
The administrator will not do the right thing because the parents will not support his/her actions.
The superintendent will not do the right thing because his/her school district “has no problems and is a good school full of good kids”. If we convince everyone of this, we won’t have to address any problems that occur and are become invisable with no recorded action. Thus, perception being 9/10ths of reality, the major perception is, all is well in “gog-gog land”.

Smile and say the right things enough times and all will seem great.

Kids find out early about this stupid game adults are now playing and take full, negative advanage of the situation and find it easy to run amuck.

Kids will play one parent against the other, the teacher against the parents and the parents against the teacher while he/she gets away with murder.
No authority, no discipline and no restraints due to no consequences.

Woodshed justice needs to make a comeback. Parents need to return to realaity. Educators need to be given back their long-ago lost authority.

Spoiled kids from lazy parenting is the problem and the solution is to start explaining to parents their kids are no immune to wrongdoing. And if they want a kid to grow up with a modicum of character, they must be corrected from the time they are born. And the school should be a continuation of this proceedure enforcing those standards set in the home.

So how is this to happen when most parents today grew up with the same screwed up attitudes that the kids are saturated with? Most folks under 70 just ain’t got what it takes. And it is not their fault, it is the poor parenting they received.

And it is not their parents fault, it is the result of post WW II attitude of we sacrificed for years and now it is our turn to have it all. My prediction: It will not get any better in the near future.

Test

This is a test.

Grade level my foot

There is no such definitive formula which determines “grade level.”

Who set it up and how accurate is it?

It is supposed to be a guideline which one could use to get a general idea of a kid’s development. It is not a concrete indicator of the future.

I was sickly, shy, skinny, and reclusive as a kid which dictated a non- desire for competitive sports.

I was not on grade level in catching, batting or anything else.

At age 21 in the U.S. Army I was a roommate with a basketball coach from Indiana.

While stationed in Germany, we would go over to the gym (a converted Nazi airplane hanger) and Dallas would show me how to work with the round ball and the basket. I got to be a decent player and enjoyed playing in an old man’s group at school 35 years later.

Never would I think of “working out” as a kid. Lift weights? Huh?
In the army another guy in our platoon was a bodybuilder. Wow. He got my attention and I kept that in the back of my mind thinking one day I will do something with my puny torso.

Fast forward 40 years. While working as a “gofer” for the varsity football team (clock operator, statistician) became good friends with the coach. He asked me to monitor the weight room after school a few days a week.

Not knowing anything about it I said, “No.”

He subsequently showed me all I had to know and I took the volunteer assignment just to help him out.

He encouraged me to use the facilities while there instead of sitting at the desk and reading a book as I signed kids in and out of this strange environment I found myself in.

Soon I was enjoying it and instructing the younger kids. Eventually I got to be a weight-lifter. No, really. Don’t laugh.

With the coach’s encouragement, I became the “Senior Citizen” Bench Champ of New Hartford as I approached 200 pounds bench.

Alas, when I stopped at age 66, I was putting up 185 pounds bench and 400 pounds leg push; etc. etc. I am a small frame 170 at 5′9″.
Oh yeah? You try it when you get to be a senior citizen.

At age 41, having never even dreamed about doing so I learned to downhill ski, with my new girlfriend (now my wife) as my instructor. She was 28 and athletic. I was, well you know; old and SCARRED!

I began to write and learn the rudiments of English grammar when in my 60s. Published a first book at age 73. My second one is coming along slowly at age 75.

When in elementary school they insisted I skip a grade because I “was smart,” whatever that means.

At the end of my senior year I was short of credits for graduation and could not graduate. Went back the next year and just made it.

What happened to that above “grade level” kid they wanted to skip a grade. It would have been stupid because I already was younger than most kids because I started school at age four.

Need I go on?

Nothing is set in stone except the Biblical accounting of man’s opportunity for salvation in Jesus Christ. I can help you with understanding this. AND, I did not read the Bible until I was in my 50s.

Do I believe in grade level. Read the above again and answer this for yourself.

Merrit Pay is an abomination, at best.

Should a dentist get paid according to the number of patients who have no cavities?

Of course not, because the dentist has little control over the time his/her patients spend in dental care.

A dentist in a “rich” community would be paid more because the kids of a higher socioeconomic sub-culture pay more attention to their dental responsibilities; thus fewer cavities.

When an identifiable product is not the outcome of a source of labor, it is difficult to assess the quality of one’s work/effort.

One can measure the result of a laborer’s effort by testing the quality and measuring the quantity of the product; widgets or sweaters.

But, one can not measure the quality of a teacher with his/her students; not even with a test.

One test cannot measure the worth of a child.

There are systems in place that do an adequate job in most districts.

Good administrators using the system judiciously produces good data on teacher quality.

Parents and teachers must embrace responsibility!

A basic list of necessary items/issues that must be in place for public schools to improve is made up of simple societal – not educational – ingredients.

Parents and teachers must become the authority figures of old.

Without concrete authority figures in a child’s life, the child will not grow-up having respect for adults, and thus will not listen with a sense of awe. A sense of awe is a needed factor in the equation. Yes, awe.

It is difficult for parents to become authority figures because they are still living as teens; with their profound concern for sports and being cool – just like the kids.

There are more parents at a youth soccer game then attend a school “Open House Night.” The kids learn and understand all too well where the priorities are placed by the “adults” in their lives .

Women are trying to maintain their youth with their dress and accouterments.

Men are trying to stay cool with their adherence to a sports culture go awry.

My grandfathers were indeed authority figures.
My grandmothers did not look like Brittany Spears or Madonna.
My mother did not act like “The Girls Next Door.”
My father was not whacked out on drugs, alcohol and adulation of entertainment/sports heroes.

My young mind was not cluttered with sex, drugs and promiscuously behaved icons. Of course, without TV and all the other “toys” delivering an overabundance of obscene garbage, my mind was free to concentrate on being a good student so I would please my parents and teachers.

Yes, I was free to be a kid. Kids today are not physically or emotionally ready to deal with all the bizarre nuances of life’s options that they are presented with through the media, and those who the media have established as role models.

My A-Rod (Joe DiMaggio), did not use drugs or lead a promiscuous lifestyle that my young mind had to try and come to grips with; or at lest it was not widely known or available for kids consumption.

Parents must instill in their children, at an early age, respect for authority figures.

I listened because I thought the teachers were mini-gods. My parents instilled in me my responsibility to learn from these human giants.

Every time a parent puts down the school or a teacher in front of the kids, another layer of respect is destroyed.
In order for kids to look up to educators, parents must model this behavior by their words and actions – in front of the kids.

Teachers must stop being “cool” and start being teachers. Their life of “hedonism” is also a detriment to a kid’s mind-set. Too many teachers are more in tune to TGIF than staying after school and helping a child.

Educators (teachers) must begin – again – exhibiting a deep sense of respect for the learning process and learning.

They must go beyond grades/marks even in this age of “test score mania.”

Teachers could go a long way toward accomplishing this feat by dressing and acting like professional educators demonstrating a huge respect for learning.

The silly feel-good exercises and coddling/catering to the cool kids – so the teacher will be liked – must end.

The above is easy to summarize: parents must act like parents, teachers must act like teachers; and the kids will then be comfortable being kids in a supportive learning environment.

More money for “better schools and facilities” are not the answer; although needed in some places.

More respect for learning.

“A yearning for learning and an attitude of gratitude for the opportunity” would go a long way toward improving education.

What if we put God back in the schools?

Is there anything wrong with adding a good dose of responsibility to our students’ day? If one has a God concept, one must accept the responsibility for following a prescribed order of behavior.

Wow, that is the easy way to eliminate the nonsense of petty misbehavior that is tolerated, and often promoted, in our public schools.

STOP THE POLITICALLY CORRECT CODDLING.

There are black and white issues.
This is wrong and that is right; PERIOD!

Respect is a key component in God’s law. With a God presence and an adherence to his standards by all parties, the problem is solved.

This would require a modicum of chutzpah by the Board of Regents, school board members, superintendents, administrators, teachers AND parents.

End of problem.