Vent Time!!

Well, I made it a little over a week before I found something to complain about, but the record is over.  I had a good run, but I have to break the cycle of cheery and upbeat to spend this morning complaining about my Sunday.

Bring on the RANT!

So, yesterday I needed to get the photos of my kiddos printed out.  Their "graduation" photos.  I really didn't want to have to go out yesterday, because I was out most of the day on Saturday, but I figured it wouldn't take long to get some photos printed.

HA!

My plan was to order my photos online then run to the store and pick them up.  Well, once I got my photos uploaded, my only options come check out was 1 hour photo (twice the price) or site to store delivery which said they'd be ready on Monday.  Which is ridiculous, if you think about it.  They aren't shipping my photos, they're still printing them right there in the store.  So, I decided to call the store and ask them if they'd go ahead and print them if I went ahead and ordered them.  Know what they told me?  If the site says they'd be ready tomorrow, that's when they'd be ready.  Well, thanks a lot.  Nice customer service right there.  What the guy did tell me, though, is that I could bring my phone in to the store, upload my photos, and the 1-hour photo service was only 15 cents a photo. OK... so I'd only have to be at the store for an hour.  I could give up an hour to get the photos printed.

So, I drive to my local Walmart.  

When I get there, I discover the photo center is going through some renovations.  There are signs up everywhere telling me that the photo lab closes at 3PM due to new machines being installed.  Information I wished the guy on the phone had told me.  There are still two stations set up, but when I try and plug in my phone I kept getting an error message.  I call for an associate to help me out, and she tells me they took out the machine that morning that allows phone uploads.  Great.  I'm a little agitated by this point.

She tells me I can download an app called KickSend and that would send my photos straight to the lab.  The next problem I encounter is having no cell signal in the store.  So, I go back outside to get some cell signal long enough to download the app.  But, it takes freakin' forever.  Well, twenty minutes actually.  The wi-fi they usually have at McDonald's is down, and I have to use the low signal I have outside the store to download the app.  Half an hour later, I have downloaded the app, uploaded the photos, and sent them to the store to be printed.

I go back to the photo lab to speak to the associate that originally helped me.  I ask her if she can make sure she got the order.  She tells me that it takes a few minutes for them to receive it, but if I got the onscreen confirmation that it went through, they'd be ready in about 30 minutes.  I was then told I'd get a text message when the photos were ready.  

OK, so I had arrived at the store at 11:10.  It was 11:45 by the time I had sent the photos to the lab to be printed.  I decided to go and do some shopping while I was waiting.

I did manage to find a couple of adorable butterfly chairs on sale for $10 a piece.  They are usually $20, and I've always wanted a couple for my classroom.  So, I got a pink one and a blue one.  I then bought some supplies for the kids to make picture frames for their photos.  I moseyed around the toy department still on the hunt for the police badges, and doing some mental Christmas shopping.  The next thing I know it's 12:45, and I still haven't received a text message about my photos.  So, I head on over to the photo lab.  There's a new person there, now, and I ask her about my photos.  She goes over to the photo area, no photos.  She goes to the computer, no record of an order.

Are.  You.  Freaking.  Kidding.  Me?

I give her the whole spill about being at the store since 11, and what I was told about the app I downloaded.  She then says very nonchalantly "Oh, yeah, we've been having trouble with that app".  Really?  You have, have you?  Information that would have been REALLY nice to know TWO hours ago!

She then tells me I can try it again while I'm standing there, and she'd make sure I'd have my photos in about 30-45 minutes.  Urm, no thank you.  I was so furious by this point, I just turned and walked away.  Not before telling her I was driving my happy behind to Walgreens... because I'd pay extra to have some decent customer service.

After checking out and driving to Walgreens, I get there at 1:15.  I have now spent two hours trying to get these photos printed.  I walk in to Walgreens, sit down at one of the stations, and upload the photos from my phone.  I'm told via onscreen message that my photos would be ready in about 30 minutes.  There's a lady standing behind the counter, however, and I begin to tell her about the craziness I'd been through with Walmart.  She then tells me she'll get my photos printed straight away.  

Ten minutes later, I have my photos.  When she sees the photos as they're printing, she asks me about them.  I tell her what I'm doing with my kiddos, so she tells me that she's even going to give me a 15% discount because of how much trouble I'd been through and for what I was doing with my kiddos.  How awesome is that?  

I'm walking out of Walgreens by 1:35, photos in hand, and cheaper than if I'd stayed at Walmart.

I can't believe I didn't just go there in the first place.  I would have saved myself two hours of my day, and the $70 I spent moseying around the store for that long buying supplies for my classroom and home.  And to think, I thought I'd save some money by going to Walmart.  HA!

So, with all of this complaining, I'm happy to end with a giant kudos for Walgreens.  They have definitely earned my repeat business.  I will be going back there any time I need photos printed, and I now have the Walgreens app so I can save myself a few dollars and make my life a whole lot easier in the future.  

When I get home, it's close to 2PM.  Three hours after I had left for the quick run to the store.  I'd hoped the fun would stop there, and I could just settle down to finish my laundry and get my work done.

No such luck.  

When I get home, Hubby informs me that our cats have fleas.  Awesome.  Just what I needed to make my day even better.  So, I spent the next hour trying to give the cats flea baths.  That was fun.  I had the dry bath kind of flea spray, but they HATE it.  I end up getting scratched and running around the house chasing the cats.  I finally got them doused in the spray, but then it's striping bedding and stuff to make sure we get rid of them from the beds and furniture.  Thankfully, it looks as though we caught them early.  Hubby had only seen one on Katniss before I got home, and I didn't see any while I was spraying the cats.  

Poor Jelly wasn't so lucky, though.  She seems to be allergic to flea bites, and is covered in hives.  Being that the cats spend a lot of time in her room, we think she may have gotten bitten in her bed.  So, I striped off her bed, but made Hubby run to the store to buy spray for all of her stuffed animals.  

Apparently the Walmart curse was contagious, yesterday, because when he gets to Walmart he finds that they have no power.  So, he can't buy anything.  He made the drive for nothing.  Neither of us felt like driving to the next town over, so we decide to shut off her room and do what we can to clean up with what we had.  This morning he's going to stop and buy sprays and flea collars and then douse the house down when he gets home from work.  

Not exactly the Sunday I'd planned on having, that's for sure.  I hate fleas, and I refuse to have them in my house.  Having indoor cats and kids that like to play outside makes it kind of inevitable that we're going to have a few from time to time, though.  I just have to stop everything and do what I can to get rid of them.  Poor Hubby will have the worst part, though.  He gets to come home from work and spray everything and vacuum.  I took care of the flea baths and cleaning the bedding, but we both know that's not enough.  We'll still have to do it all over again in a few days, just to make sure they're gone.  

After all that fun, I finally settled down to get some work done after dinner, and then I was up until 10PM getting everything finished up.  

This morning, we have to leave early so that I can get to school and print out the lesson plans for my sub.  I didn't have time to finish them on Friday because I had to go pick up Butter from practice.  That's one job I don't like leaving until the last minute, but I had to do what I had to do.  I managed to get everything else taken care of, just have to print those out when I drop off the kids, and I'll be good to go.  I just hope that Butter's appointment is over quickly this morning so I can hurry and get back.

OK, so I'm ready to leave these rants behind me and start another fun, adventurous new week.

Have a good Monday, everyone!!

Let's Celebrate Our Freedoms...At Least For a Day

                              

Today is the 4th of July, or otherwise known as Independence Day.  A day where our country can rejoice and celebrate all the freedoms it has to offer.  Not that anyone from any other country would understand that, if they spent just a few hours reading some of the Facebook news feeds of some of the citizens of this country.

In 1776, America claimed its independence over Britain, and Democracy was born.  The most famous line from the Declaration of Independence reads...

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

And, I have to admit, that when I read that line I feel a little sad.  Because even though we live in the country that promotes Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, when I turn on the TV or read through the headlines I see nothing but people complaining about their rights, freedom, and life being controlled and dominated by either government or religion.  

Complaint after complaint after complaint is all I ever seem to read about.  And if it's not complaints, it's one side versus the other side about which rights and freedoms should be or are being corrupted.

"Take away all guns"

"Don't take away our constitutional right to own guns"

"Gay people shouldn't be allowed to marry, it's against the Bible"

"Gay people should be allowed to marry, because this decision shouldn't be based on religion"

"Companies and their owners should be free to run their businesses as they see fit"

"Companies and their owners should not be allowed to include religious beliefs in their company practices"

"Government should not be allowed to impose healthcare on its citizens"

"The government is providing affordable healthcare so that all people have access to medical care."

And on, and on, and on it goes.

It's very depressing, really. Yet, all these complaints and whining and non-stop bombardment of opinions proves to us one thing:

We have the RIGHT to complain.  

Regardless of what side of the table you sit, each and every person has the right to agree and disagree with whatever the hot topic of discussion is that particular day, and broadcast said opinions to the whole world via social media.  And it's one right that SO MANY people choose to publicize.

Is our country perfect?  Absolutely not.  But, it sure would be nice if everyone, at least today, stepped back and realized how good they actually have it.

My story is one that's as old as this country itself.  

Twenty years ago, my parents loaded me up on a plane and took me away from my home, my extended family, and my friends to pursue "The American Dream".  

No, life wasn't horrible for us back in England, but moving to America was a new start.  A fresh start.  One that would grant us more freedoms, a better life.

Now, I was one of the lucky ones.  Having a mother that was already an American citizen helped.  I didn't come to this country as an illegal, I came with the full rights bestowed on citizens, thanks to my mother's birth.  Some of my extended family are not so lucky, and have been waiting 15+ years to have the opportunity to move here.  But, that's a different story for a different time.  

I don't have some horrible back story to share about how I lived the life of poverty, and moving to America was away to live the American dream of a fresh start and new horizons.  But, in my twenty years here there are a lot of points I can make... points that make me 110% sure that I'd never move back to England or to any other country, if given the chance. 

I am, now, a 32 year old woman.  A mother to three children.  I am not married.  (In some countries, those points, alone, would be enough to get me locked up.)  I went to college and I'm a teacher.  I am buying my own house.  I am paying for a car, two actually.  All of those things are now possible because I spent several years getting government assistance until I was finished with college, and employed with a pay that could support my family.  

I am over $175,000 in debt thanks to a mortgage, car payments, and student loans, yet I am living comfortably, and that debt is not lingering over my head.  It is apart of the American Dream.  All my bills are paid, on time, and I even pay more than what is owed each month to help carve it away faster.

All three of my children are free to go to school each and every day.  They have the right to a good education.  They have the choice to continue that education and pursue a career of their choosing.  

My family is free to attend any church, mosque, temple, or place of worship we want to.  We also have the right to attend none of them.  

I have the right to spend money with whatever companies I want, and avoid those I don't like.

I have the right to get up each morning and spend the day wearing whatever clothes I deem to be appropriate, even if others disagree.  I have the right to cut my hair, color my hair, apply make-up, and trim and wax any hair that I don't find to be "attractive".  

If I am sick or injured, I can walk in to any hospital and receive medical treatment.  Will I walk away with a bill?  Sure.  But, my insurance also provides me the piece of mind that the bill will only be about 30% of what it could be.

Now, am I allowed to do all these things if I lived in England?  Yep.  But, I could list off several countries that don't give those same freedoms.  Take a second and think about it, I bet you could come up with a few.

Now, again, this country isn't perfect.  There are far too many people in this country that are unemployed.  There are far too many homeless people.  There are far too many kids being abused, adults, too, for that matter.  There are far too many people living off of government assistance and reaping benefits that they shouldn't be reaping.  

But, if you are sitting at home, on your computer or smartphone or tablet, reading this blog post, I'm sure you can come up with some positive things to say about the country you live in.  The good you have in your life.  The freedoms that you are allowed to pursue.

Especially if you are one of those people that make post after post after post on Facebook about the injustices that are forced on to the people of this country.  

Let me enlighten you with my opinions on those stories you so love to share with the world...

Guns kill people.  But, they need a person pulling the trigger to make it happen.  Outlawing guns will only take guns away from those legal to carry, and put more power in to those that aren't legal to carry.

Women's rights are not being continuously taken away.  Women, like myself, are working, making their own decisions, having as many children as they deem fit, have access to drugs that can prevent pregnancy, are voting, and are spending WAY too much time on Facebook complaining about their rights being taken away.

America is a melting pot of cultures and religions.  If you don't like the color of the skin of your neighbor or co-worker, then you're in the wrong place.  Same thing if you don't agree with the religious beliefs of your neighbor.  But, don't worry, you still have the right to make those points known... even though it's ridiculous.

Religion has no place in the laws that control this country.  If a man chooses to marry a man, or a woman chooses to marry a woman, a Christian principle should NOT control that right.  There is not a non religious argument out there that can't stand toe to toe with heterosexual couples to prevent this right.  Heterosexuals cheat, divorce, and many can't produce children.  Heterosexuals can't explain how or why they fell in love with their partner.  It just happened.  They felt a connection.  And no amount of brainwashing or "cures" are out there to help heterosexuals from loving people of the opposite sex, so why would there be one to stop homosexuals from loving the same sex?

But, again, my opinions.  My right to express those opinions.  On THIS day, Independence Day.  The day that I'm free to do so.... oh wait, I'm free to do so any day.

So, instead of continuing the constant bickering over rights, religion, and freedoms, how about we celebrate this day thanking our lucky stars we have them?  Any of them.  All of them.

Because, at the end of the day, you should be thankful for everything you have in your life.  You could live in a country that offers you none of those things.  

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, EVERYONE!!

Jumping on a Bandwagon....With Some Actual FACTS!!

Oh yes.  It's another one of those days where my britches have been burned by comments and accusations that have been made about public schools, and it's caused this rant for today.

Yesterday, yet another news story was reported about a bus driver from a local school district who is in jail for sexual assualt against a minor.  The story is very vague.  In fact, here's the ENTIRE story from the website:

ROGERS -- A man who works as a bus driver for Rogers School District has been arrested on sex assault charges.

According to the Benton County Jail records, Stephen Betts, 51, faces a single charge of sexual assault. He was booked into the jail Friday afternoon.

Investigators say they got a report that Betts had inappropriate sexual contact with a girl, starting with when she was 9-years old and continuing until she was 13. The incidents started about thirteen years ago.

Rogers Public Schools says Betts was a worker in the transportation department as a driver trainer and transportation clerk. He turned his resignation in on Friday afternoon.

Betts also works at Monte Ne Baptist Church.  They declined to comment on his arrest.  On his Facebook profile, he lists his position with the church as Student Ministries Pastor.

He is being held at the Benton County Sheriff's Office awaiting a bond hearing.

So, from this report we can gather that he is currently in jail, is being charged for a sexual assault that started about 13 years ago, works for the school's transportation department, and is possibly a youth minister (if we're using his Facebook page as a source).

That's it.

It says nothing about if the charge has anything to do with a child on a school bus, a child from his church, or a child he knew some other way.  It doesn't even say if he knew the child.  There's NO INFORMATION other than what is given here.

Yet, after this story posted, the hate and accusations started flying.  People starting screaming that they were going to homeschool their children, they were done with public schools, enough is enough.  Others bashed the Christian faith stating that it was safer to be non-religious than it was to trust people that "claim" to be servants of God.  

Me, being the "can't help but add my 2 cents" kind of person that I am decided to write this comment:

As a teacher, it makes me so sad that stories like this come out and everyone starts screaming "homeschool!!" Do you know how many sexual assaults we deal with on a daily basis that happen at home?? By a FAMILY MEMBER!!! They just don't get reported to the media!!! I really wish news casters would spend a small amount of time highlighting some of the wonderful, heart-melting, amazing things teachers and school employees do EVERY DAY to protect and help children. Please do not bash the entire school system when you only ever hear the bad and NONE of the good, or none of the bad that we deal with when it comes to abuse and neglect that happens at home!!!!!!!

Very similar to what I wrote in my blog just a couple of days ago, in fact.  It makes me so mad, sad, and disappointed when people jump on a bandwagon when there is no real facts to back it up.  They bad mouth and drag public schools through the dirt because of the few stories that show up in the media.  If not that, they immediately go to religion and bash away at that.  And, I will say that ANY story about a school official committing sexual abuse is one too many, but for every one story that is publicized about a school official, 100 go by about a parent or family member abusing their kids that you never get to hear.

Yes, folks.  The truth of the matter is, teachers, principals, school counselors, and other school personnel deal with this type of horrifying news DAILY!  Except all of the reports we make don't go straight to the headlines, they are locked up safe and sound with Child Protective Services.  It's very sad to say it, but if the news only reported child abuse claims made by EVERYONE, it would be on a 24 hour constant roll.  I'm sure of it.  And, 98% of those accused would be a family member, friend of the family, or an acquaintance of the family.

And, let's not even get started with false accusations.  I've heard about kids who have falsely accused a parent or guardian because they were mad, and completely destroyed lives in the process.  Or, they fabricate stories, just a little, and what comes out is deemed abuse - even though they have no idea that their words are being misconstrued that way.  I'm not saying that ALL sexual assault claims shouldn't be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law, but sometimes...just sometimes... there are people being punished for crimes they didn't actually commit.

Not very long ago, I spoke with a counselor who shared a horrific story about a guy who basically lost his entire life thanks to a false accusation.  A six year old child accused her uncle of "inappropriate touching".  Or, at least, that's what he was charged with.  And do you know what "evidence" they needed to convict? Her word.  That's it.  No DNA, no photographs, no video, just her testimony given to a trained counselor.  Not to get too graphic, but the report stated that he touched her genitals, while laughing, and asked her if it felt funny when he touched her.  That was enough to have him charged with second degree sexual assault, 6 months in jail, and life-long sex offender registry.  Do you know what his story was?  While babysitting (he was caring for her and his own daughter at the time), she wet her pants.  He took off her wet clothes and used a cold wet wipe to clean her up.  When he was cleaning her, she screamed and laughed from the cold, and he apologized to her and asked her if she was OK, and if she felt OK.  Of course, again, that was just HIS side of the story.  And, nobody was buying it.  Why would a six year old lie about something like that?  A few months after the guy was in jail, it somehow came about that his story was in fact ACTUALLY what happened.  The little girl had basically no idea what all the fuss had been about, and during her court ordered counseling had explained to the counselor the actual events of the day, and it was used to get him released.  Still, a few years later, his life is not the same.  His wife divorced him, she got full custody of their daughter, and even though he was released, no judge seemed to be willing to "take the chance" of letting him have anything other than supervised visits with his daughter.

And just as horrific as it is that there are so many sexual abuses taking place in this country, it's just as horrific that so many are false accusations.  And, the sad part is, many of them stem from something quite innocent getting blown up to gigantic proportions.

I most definitely AM NOT defending child abusers.  Anyone that intentionally harms a child in any way should have what's coming to them.  And I have my own opinions on that, that differ quite a bit from what the federal government and the state courts think.

What I am getting at, though, is you can't make rash judgements on one story or even several stories that are reported to the media.  

Take the homeschooling rant I've seen pop up over and over again on this story, alone.  OK, so a parent doesn't like the fact that a school employee gets arrested for sexual assault and decides that homeschooling is the only way to protect their child.

Let's take a look at some statistics on that, shall we? (I got my information from rainn.com, victimsofcrime.org, and trainings that I have attended)

2/3 of reported sexual abuse happens from a person who knows their victim.  More than half of those reported are by a family member, friend of the family, or a family acquaintance.  58% of the sexual abuse happens IN THE HOME!  

Over 50% of sexually assaulted children reported not feeling comfortable telling a parent, but DID feel comfortable sharing it with a teacher, school counselor, or school official.

Many sexually assaulted children do NOT come from bad homes, and the parents are completely oblivious to the abuse.  They often reported some changes in behavior, mood swings, and changes in sleeping and eating habits - but other than that, had absolutely NO idea that sexual assault was even a possibility.

School personnel are often trained to identify signs of abuse, how to approach the topic of abuse without causing discomfort to the victim, and often have a higher chance of getting a victim to report the abuse.

17% of sexual abuse happens between siblings, cousins, or peers, and while the law defines the acts as sexual abuse, the perpetrator is unaware of wrong doing and is often confused or sexually curious.  Children falling in to this category are still subject to juvenile sexual offense charges, and can be incarcerated in juvenile detention facilities and/or have their name placed on a national sex registry. 

There's some facts about abuse, but what about homeschooling in general?

Even though I am a teacher in public schools, I am not against homeschooling.  AS LONG AS the right decisions have been made, research has been done, and the parent/guardian is aware at what they are getting in to.  

Homeschooling is a very tough endeavor.  If a parent or guardian uses an accredited method of homeschooling, there can be a lot of success.  There are many options out there when it comes to homeschooling.

My problem comes when a parent, who has received no real training, believes they can do a better job "teaching" their child than an actual teacher can.  They make the decision because of something like we're discussing right here - they don't feel "safe" sending their child to school.

OK, let's look at that scenario in a different light.  If that's the case, why aren't we treating and performing surgery on our own family members right at home?? Do you know how many people DIE in the hands of physicians and surgeons?  Do you know how many doctors and nurses are charged all the time for sexual abuse, malpractice, and other forms of abuse?  Then why hasn't an uprising occurred on not taking our kids to hospitals and doctors?  

Do you know why?  Because even if there was a story reported EVERY DAY about a doctor who sexually abused his/her patients, or a doctor that overdosed his/her patients, or a medical specialist who liked to take extreme risks with the lives of his/her patients, people aren't TRAINED to perform medical procedures at home.  This happens, and people just take their kids to another doctor.  Simple.  Because, they wouldn't even fathom performing medical procedures at home... where it's safe.

Educators are trained professionals.  Just like doctors.  We know how to teach, what to teach, and the skills that children need in order to succeed in the future.  When another parent screams "homeschool" and has absolutely no idea what homeschooling actually entails, that's just another slap to the educator's face that our career is worthless...means nothing...anybody can do it.

And the truth is, no.  No, not anybody can do it.  Not correctly.

I have seen my share of kids who have been homeschooled correctly versus those children whose parents just wanted their children to be "safe".  Correctly homeschooled children are being given the correct skills, learning the content they need to learn, and are socially adapted.  That's because those homeschooling parents have joined with a TRAINED organization to provide those skills.  Parents that sit at home and think they know what's best, and go to Barnes & Noble and pick up a few curriculum books and sets of flash cards are highly missing the mark.  

DO NOT judge the public school system by what the media has to say about it.  Research, learn the facts, TALK TO EDUCATORS that have been doing this a long time.  

But, unless you plan on putting your child in a plastic bubble, locking them in a safe room, and letting them have absolutely NO contact with the outside world, do NOT scream that homeschooling or keeping your child out of church is the only way to protect them.

Remember, for every one bad story you see on the news, there are THOUSANDS of GOOD stories you're not seeing. Because they are boring.  They're not "newsworthy".  

And take a second to learn some facts before you bash an entire system of people that have dedicated their lives to protect, care for, and love the children you send in to our classrooms.

OK, rant over.

Need to Get a Few Things Straightened Out

Blogging is very important to me.  It is my outlet.  My place of comfort.  A blank canvas waiting for me to do something with.  My day just isn't complete without writing something down on these pages.

Yet, yesterday, for the first time EVER, I actually considered shutting it down.  Closing it off from the world.  Never publishing another blog post.  That was before I realized that I was just over reacting, and that I just needed to clarify a few things with the people that choose to read my blog.

Some bloggers write opinions.  Some bloggers write reviews.  Some bloggers write articles or stories or online diaries.  I am a mixture of all of those things, I guess.  But, one thing I definitely do is write from emotion.  I'm an emotional writer.  Many bloggers are able to keep their personal feelings or emotions out of their blogs. I'm NOT one of those people.

One thing I've learned since becoming a blogger 4+ years ago, is that MOST emotional bloggers are also anonymous bloggers.  Meaning no one knows their true identity.  They write behind a persona or alias that keeps them protected and shielded from people that know them in real life.

Up until about a year ago, I thought that concept was weird.  Why on earth write an emotional blog without letting the world know who you really are?  Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks why people do that.  So, that they can say whatever they want to say, and not hurt anyone's feelings in the process.  One area that I have had extreme difficulty with in the past year.

How many of you have ever received an email or a text message and, after reading it, thought "Wow, I've done something to upset that person.  The way they wrote that email/text tells me they are definitely NOT happy with me",  then found out that you read the email or text completely out of context and the sender had absolutely no problem with you at all?

Blogging is EXACTLY the same way.  There are often times I write something meaning it one way, but it's perceived by someone else in a completely different way.

Let's take yesterday for example.  I wrote something along the lines of "I have a few frustrations going on at work that  I wish I could scream from the rooftops, but I'm going to be professional and keep my mouth shut".  That's not exactly what I said, but I don't remember exactly what it was because I edited it later in the day.

Not long after hitting the publish button I started receiving messages and text messages from friends and co-workers asking me WHO I was having issues with at work.  I got questions asking me if everything was OK with my team, if I had gotten in to trouble for something, or if there were people that were being unkind to me.

The answer to those questions was simple:  I'm not having issues with ANYBODY.  The statement was in no way, shape, or form directed at anyone I work with.  I had written that statement with one thing in mind, yet it was completely taken out of context by whoever read it.  My purpose for that statement was my beef with the government and the mandates and rules that swirl around standardized testing.  By making the statement that I was going to "be professional" and not scream out what I had to say merely meant that I wasn't going to bash the education system or speak badly about the laws/rules that govern our schools...regardless of how I really feel about them.

It was NOT a personal dig at anyone or anything going on in my school or with the people I work with.

Thankfully, I work with people that have no problem coming to me to ask me if I'm OK and if I'm having problems.  It helped me realize pretty quickly that I needed to make some quick edits in order to set the record straight.  And, I love the fact that I work with people that are able to ask me questions about my blog and help clear up any misconceptions they might be having.  It makes my life a lot easier for being able to write posts like today.  I have come to count on them for being my editors and critics to help keep me in check and help clear up problems that occur, such as the one from yesterday.

Which, by the way, I will also throw out there that I wasn't speaking about the people I work with when I made the statement that some of the kids I work with are fed constant excuses as to why it's OK for them to not put forward their best efforts.  I was speaking about kids, in general, that come from less than perfect living situations.  Again, a general statement about society as a whole.  Kids being fed excuses as to why it's OK they don't do as well as others.  I in NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM believe that anyone I work with enables or promotes these kinds of excuses with the kids we work with.

At the end of the day, being an emotional writer can have plenty of downfalls.  When I'm writing, I'm saying what I have to say how I want to say it.  At least, that's what I'm thinking as I'm putting the words on the screen.  What I don't, and often can't think about is how someone else may read what I have to say.

While I may be writing something with a specific purpose in mind, someone else may read it and completely misread what my intentions are.  That's not their fault, it's mine.. in a way.  Except, I often don't realize or know that I've done something to upset someone UNLESS they tell me about it.

Like I said, yesterday was the first time I've ever considered shutting down my blog.  Keeping it completely private and not allowing anyone else to read it.  Only because it's absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for me to read my blog after I've written it and come up with all the different ways that it could be perceived.  When I write something, I have my feelings and emotions in mind, but have no way of truly understanding how someone else might take what I have to say.  I can read for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and punctuation, but there's no "perception checker" in my tool bar.

The only thing I can say is that if I ever write something that you feel weird about, or are wondering about, or you feel I may mean something completely different to how it sounds after YOU read it.... PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know.  I am not soft skinned.  I can take constructive criticism.  I have absolutely no problem clarifying, editing, or explaining what I meant if I need to.

I could say that I won't ever write about my family, work, or my personal life in order to avoid situations like this.. but.. well.. then there would be nothing to write about.  My family and my job make up my life.  All the good stuff, anyway, so why on earth would I not write about those things?  But, with the good there is always some bad.  Sometimes I need to write about some issues or frustrations... and sometimes, when I do that, the words I say don't match the meaning that I'm trying to put out there.

OK.  I think that about wraps it up.  If not, don't hesitate to send me a message or comment.

I have to get ready to be at the school by 4:30.  YAY!!

Thank you, again, to the people that reached out to me yesterday.  It warms my heart to know that I have such caring people in my life, even if there's nothing bad actually going on.

Have a great Wednesday!!

Since When Did Going to School Become a Punishment??

                                         

This morning, I am fired up and ready to spill out some personal opinions and cold hard truths.  Some may be offensive.  Some may cross the border of "professional".  But, after what I read on Facebook last night, I really don't care.

It all started last night when a local news station decided to post the question "Do you think snow days should be made up on Spring Break".  

Now, the news station was doing what they do best:  Stirring up controversy.  Snow day make up is a hot button of discussion around these parts, being that most school districts have had about 14 days of missed school due to snow.  That equates to almost three weeks of instruction that has been missed due to Mother Nature.

And, I'll say right now, I wasn't shocked to see the majority of people voting NO.  People make vacation plans and travel plans and other kinds of plans on spring break.  Heaven forbid that trip to Cancun gets cancelled for something as stupid as GOING TO SCHOOL!  (Offensive statement #1)

But, that wasn't the real beef I had.  That wasn't what got my blood boiling and me ready to scream at people for being the cause of the nation's education problems.  

No, that all came from the following two statements that I saw over, and over, and over again in some form or another on that thread last night (these are two actual statements made):

"Why should kids be PUNISHED for snow days, and have their BREAKS taken away?"

and, my favorite...

"Why is it fair that my kid has been assigned work to do on the snow days while the teachers sit home doing nothing and enjoying their days off?  Don't give them work on snow days and then ask them to make up the missed days.  That's "doubling up" and it's not fair.  Teachers don't have to work on their days off - including snow days.  I'm not sure what the labor board would say if teachers were made to work when they weren't at school teaching?"

To add some further fuel to the fire, I saw parents making these statements (and these are copied and pasted from Facebook, by the way..fixing some errors in spelling and grammar, naturally):

"NO! Because all the teachers care about is teaching to that stupid test.  I couldn't give a rat's a** how my kid does on that test, it doesn't tell me anything.  My kid is going to enjoy her snow days AND enjoy her spring break.  No school is going to punish my kid just because there's snow."

"Why on earth should the kids HAVE to make up the snow days?  My kid makes all A's, so I'm not concerned about them learning what they need to know before next year.  My kid's teacher just needs to work a little harder to make sure they cover everything in the time they have.  It's not like they don't have plenty of time off to plan for this sort of stuff."

"No, don't make them go on Spring Break!! Kids have enough school!! They won't learn anything, anyway.  All the teachers do is play movies and let them goof off.  Just add the "movie days" on at the end.  It's not like any teachers teach anything once those tests are over anyway."

And, all I can say to that is..

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???

I thank all things holy that these comments were made by people FAR AWAY from my school district.  I could almost guarantee you wouldn't hear many statements like that from our parents (in the amount of droves I saw last night, anyway).  I am actually blessed to work in a school district that respects and supports the teachers and the school.  Thank goodness!!

And, I'm also very happy that I work in a school district that doesn't do the usual spring break.  Instead, we are given long weekends each month between Christmas and end of school.  But, do you know what happens to those "breaks" when the snow days start adding up?  Yep.  They're gone.  No ifs, ands, or buts about it.  Because our administration recognizes that three weeks of snow days equates to plenty of "breaks".

But, being that these comments were made by people that live in my area, I'm going to point out a few cold, hard truths.

1.  It is the GOVERNMENT who dictates how many days kids HAVE to be in school.  In many areas, that's 178 days.  LESS THAN HALF THE YEAR!!  One hundred and seventy eight days to teach the extensive list of standards that are deemed necessary for a child to learn before moving on to the next grade.

2.  No matter how much anyone hates those tests (teachers being at the top of that list), they are required BY THE GOVERNMENT to measure a school's success.  School funding and other important aspects of the education world are dictated by the test scores.  Nobody that's actually in education like them, they loathe them in fact, but we also want to make sure that our kids are getting the education they deserve.  And, if the government mandates that with a test, then we are going to do whatever we can to prepare the students for those tests, so that they can continue to receive a good education.  Don't like it?  Take it up with your elected officials.  DO NOT BLAME THE SCHOOLS OR THE TEACHERS.  They don't actually get to make the rules that affect your child's learning.

3.  A parent that looks at school as a "punishment" will raise a child that looks at education as a "punishment".  Instead of whining and complaining about how their breaks are going to be taken away from them because "the mean old school" is making them go because of the snow days, how about explaining to your child that their education is first and foremost the priority?  

"I'm sorry, Johnny, but we're not going to be able to have our trip this spring break because it's more important that you learn everything you need to this year, so that you can be successful next year.  We can always take the trip next year, whereas your education just can't be done over.  We have to support the school's decision in wanting to make sure that all of their students get the education they need.  Your education will help you, one day, be able to take your own family on nice vacations during spring break... and that's far more important."

4.  I can't speak for ALL teachers, but I will tell you that ALL of the teachers I know most certainly DO NOT stop teaching the minute the test is over.  In fact, I would go out on a limb and say that the most fun and meaningful learning happens AFTER the test.  Because even though the majority of teachers I know do not "teach to the test", their hands are tied in timing and standards that have to be covered in order to prepare the students for the tests.  Once the test is over, the teachers are pretty much free to turn back in to the creative, Pintrest loving, and educationally (not test) focused teachers they first set out to be. Because they no longer have a test looming over their heads.  Fun, educational, and meaningful projects start coming out.  Kids are challenged to think outside the box for fun endeavors of creative learning, experimentation, and imaginative projects.  I know that I would rather poke my eyes out with blunt pencils than play a movie every day for the remainder of the year.

5.  Contrary to popular belief, teachers don't work the cushy 8-4 Monday to Friday job that everyone thinks they do.  They are contracted for 180-185 days a year.  Meaning that's how many days they are PAID to work.  And, sure, teachers get holidays, weekends, breaks, summer, and snow days off... but do you really think they spend that time doing nothing?  Again, I won't speak for all teachers, but I will speak for the teachers I know (myself included) that are up until ungodly hours of the night grading and entering in grades, writing lesson plans, creating units, and going through the standards with a fine tooth comb deciding how on earth they are going to fit them all in when almost three weeks of their teaching time has been taken away by snow.  Please, madam, complain about your child having to do an assignment on a snow day and cry and whine about how "unfair" it is that your child has to work when the teacher doesn't.  But, please think about how much a teacher works while not in a classroom.  Think about the teachers that sacrifice time with their own families in order to make YOUR child's educational experience the best it can be. Please compain.  Do.  I dare you!

6.  How are snow days any different than days missed by a child because of illness?  Every child that is absent from school is required to make up any work missed while gone.  They don't automatically get a "free pass" just because they were sick or had a death in the family or went on a vacation during school days.  So, explain to me why it's SO unfair that kids are asked to do work on unscheduled, missed days like snow days?  Of course I'm not saying that teachers should assign kids all the work they are missing while at home, but does it really hurt to have them do some reading or math practice while they are cooped up at home?  And like a very wise professor shared on my Facebook this morning, the parents complaining about work being assigned during snow days are probably the same parents complaining that their kids are bored and have nothing to do.  I'm sure you think it a lot more FAIR that your child spends the entire day in front of the TV or video game, but how about taking a pointer from #3 and stress the importance of their education.  The schools nor teachers control the weather, so they are doing their best in a bad situation.  The weather may keep the kids from school, but is it really so bad to send the school to the kids?  Keep their brains focused with some reading and math practice, it won't kill them.

7.  America is one of the few countries that have so LITTLE time in schools.  Look to the countries that have AMAZING educational scores and success.  They are in school an average of 200-250 days of the year.  They have longer school days and far less breaks.  While I haven't visited any of these countries, I will go out on a limb and say that you probably won't see parents complaining about making up 14 days lost in a 178 day calendar.  They put education first and foremost, and believe that taking a kid away from school for too long (like 3 months in the summer) is a detriment to the educational process.  Kids regress and lose some of their skills during such a long time away from school.  On average, the "summer break" in most countries is 4-6 weeks.  And they are not receiving 2-3 weeks off every other month.  I, for one, can attest that when I went to school in England, we had 2 weeks off for Christmas, 6 weeks off for summer, and several days off throughout the year for major holidays.  And even though England averages about 192 days of student/teacher school days, their days off are spread out throughout the year to minimize regression.  I know that it won't change how things are done here, and I'm not saying that any drastic changes need to be made to our school year (even though I think we are out too much), but I definitely think that making up 14 days is IMPERATIVE to giving our kids the very best education they can receive.

And, I think that about covers my rant points this morning.

Once again, I just like to point out how truly blessed I am that I work where I work.  Situations like I complained about above are not a cause of concern for me.  I don't get parents whining and complaining to me about "punishing" their child for going to school.  I get nothing but support.  Most of the kids I teach come from backgrounds where education is a gift, not a right.  The parents embrace it, make it a top priority, and want their child to receive the best education possible so that their child has a chance of making something of themselves and breaking the poverty cycle.  For that, I am truly thankful.  

It just hurts my heart when I know teachers who are teaching in the schools those parents are complaining about.  Some were my mentors.  I received my training in passion and motivation from those very teachers being bashed and condemned.  And, that makes me sad.

What it really boils down to is the fact that I don't think parents are fully aware of what goes on behind closed doors.  They don't get to see the amazing teaching that's taking place.  They don't get to hear about all the mandates and rules that government officials hand down to school administrators.  They don't understand that the teachers and administrators and doing the very best they can with the rules and laws they are given.  And, at the end of the day, I don't think people (parents) realize just how much teachers care about their students education, and the true desire they have for their kiddos to succeed and make something of their lives.  

Again, I can't talk for all teachers.  I'm not naive enough to look over the fact that there are a few "bad eggs" out there.  Some teachers have gotten to a point where they are so sick of the government interfering, or the high (almost impossible) expectations that are put on their shoulders, that it turns them in to drones that just go about their day in a robotic stance running the motions.  

But, in my experience, I haven't met any of them.  I have been in three of the four major school districts in my area over the course of the past five years, and EVERY SINGLE teacher I interacted with or observed or learned from had their students' needs first and foremost.  Sure, some were tired and wilted by the lack of support they received from parents, but that didn't stop them from doing what they do and making sure their students didn't fester the same attitude.

And, I will also say that I have met MANY parents who do have their child's educational future first and foremost in their list of priorities.  They support the teachers, administration, and school's decisions.  

I'm not judging all parents.  Nor all teachers.

But, it just makes me very sad to see SO MANY comments like I saw last night.  

I was appreciative of the comments that were thrown in out of support for teachers and the schools.  I was melted by some of the kind words said about me (by complete strangers) as I went on the defensive last night.  I am thankful and for my job, and no Negative Nelly's will have any impact on how I look at my job and the importance it has on our future.

If anything, there has been some good to come out of all this negativity.  

It has further instilled to me how blessed I am to have my job.  To work for the people I work for.  To work with the people I work with.  To be one of the lucky ones that gets to see what happens behind those closed doors, and the magic that takes place.

And I know, that no matter how many snow days we get, it will be my TOP priority to prepare my students, and provide them with all they need to know in order for them to be ready for next year.  No matter how many hours I put in outside of the classroom, how many changes and adjustments I have to make.  I will gladly do it.  Because Mother Nature will NEVER stop me from doing what I do best.

Impacting and improving the lives of our children.

Standing Up For What I Believe In....Literally

I skipped yesterday, simply because I didn't have a whole lot going on other than grocery shopping... so I wasn't really motivated to write.

Which usually doesn't happen... but I wrote on my other blog, and that took out of me what I needed to get out.

I thought about writing this post, yesterday, but I needed more information and to see how stuff played out before I did... but now I'm ready to write it.

My new house is located in a town that is not new to me.  I spent about seven years living here, minus a few breaks here and there, before I moved in to my old house seven years ago one town over.  And, now I'm back.  

I feel a connection to this town...even though I don't really know that many people here.  I've made some friends over the years that live here, but it wasn't from me living here that got us together.  I pretty much stay to myself, don't socialize with anyone here, but love the town.

Anywho, I'm a member of a Facebook group that is basically an online yard sale - specific to this town.  People post stuff they want to sell, others buy it...you know what I'm talking about.

I was perusing around yesterday on the page, when I discovered a post that immediately caught my attention.

This past weekend, a local marine was killed in action.  He was only 19 years old.  His funeral is set for today, right here in town.  

That, unfortunately, wasn't the news.  

The post went on to say that a certain organization, that has the audacity to call themselves a church group, were planning on protesting at this young man's funeral.  A link to the press release on the organization's page was left...and I clicked on it.  (You will notice that I don't use their name at all, because I'm sure my keyboard will fizzle out from under me if I do)

My stomach almost came up in to my mouth.  The sick and vial things that horrible group had to say about this devoted young man and his service to this country.  

It took all of two seconds to copy and paste the post from the group on to my own feed.

Now, just a mere 24 hours later, I know that the funeral this man was going to have will be a much larger affair than originally planned.  What was possibly going to just be family and friends has now turned in to so much more.

An entire town is going to attend that funeral.  Myself included.

I don't know him.  I don't know any of his family members.  I don't even know any of his acquaintances.  But, I'm going.  Not as a curious spectator... but as a part of a human wall.  The wall that this entire town is going to build around the funeral - protecting it from anybody that dares try to protest.  

Yesterday afternoon, a man and a few volunteers put up 2300 American flags that line the streets of our little town.  The sight, that I've only seen in pictures, is breath taking.  I plan on taking a little drive here in a while to capture some pictures of my own.  

Then, at 1PM, myself along with goodness knows how many people from our town and neighboring towns will be meeting outside of the church to prepare our wall.

The Patriot Guard will be here.  They are the bikers that show up at military funerals to protect the family from protesters.  Other bikers will be here.  Complete strangers, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends will be here.  We will all stand, for as long as the wall needs to be - and more - to give this young man the funeral he deserves...without the nasty spill of hate seeping over.

The truth is, the organization may not even show up.  In fact, the likelihood that they won't show up is pretty high.  They like to post stuff on their website to get people all rallied up and upset, and then not follow through on it.  That's what they do.  But, in a way, I'm kinda glad they do.

Had this vicious organization let this one go, not bother to post about it or say anything... those that new the young marine may have attended the funeral.  Those that grew up in the town may have heard about his death.  It may have been a pretty large service, but only to those that knew him or had maybe come in to contact with family members and friends along the way.

I certainly wouldn't have gone.  I wouldn't have even heard about it... unless reading about it on a news feed, maybe.  The Patriot Guard wouldn't have shown up.  The bikers that I have heard all morning probably wouldn't have been here.  Those people that are traveling in from neighboring towns wouldn't have made the drive.

But we all are now.  We are all going to attend.  We are all going to stand together as a town, a community, to support a complete stranger... one of our own.

I wonder if the horrible people from that organization even think about the support and love that is sparked by their nasty actions.  

As they say hurtful things, horrible things, they definitely get some attention.  But, the attention they get surely can't be what they are bargaining for.  A whole town, complete strangers, people from neighboring towns standing together to honor a brave man who lost his life in action?  

There is no amount of those people that can show up that would even cause a dent in the masses that will undoubtedly stand outside that church today.  

They want anger.  They want violence.  They want rage.

What they will be met with is a display of love.  Gratitude.  Honor.

We don't have time to retaliate towards them.  We aren't stupid enough to fall in to those traps of hidden cameras just waiting to catch someone cause one of them harm.  We aren't careless enough to cause a scene that may upset the services taking place in that church.

We are a town of love.  Support.  We will stand in silence.  We will stand with honor.  We will not be harassed or intimidated.  We will not allow any hate to overcome us.  We are there to do our service for  a young man that was taken much too soon.  To devote our wall to him.  To show our gratitude and our thanks.  

And I feel it a privilege and honor that I will be a part of it today.  I will stand with my head held high... standing up for what I believe in.  The right for a family to grieve over their heroic son.  In peace.

Whether the organization shows up or not is totally obsolete at this point.  Because they have succeeded in doing one thing... and that's bringing a town together to show that we have no room for hate here.  That we will stand together.  

And maybe, just maybe... one day, those horrible people will get it in to their thick skulls that the more they promote their hate, the more people there will be to stand together to prove them wrong.

It's time for me to go and get ready.

Jo

What a Wise News Caster

This is it, folks.  Our next President has been chosen.  If for some reason, you've completely locked yourself away from the world around you... I'll spoil the fun and let you know that our next President is... the same President.  Last night, Barack Obama was re-elected as President.

I, like probably millions of Americans, sat in front of my TV watching and waiting.  I listened to the commentary, and I tried to process all of the information being given about poll numbers and swing states and battlegrounds.  But, in the end, I found myself only caring about the news caster was saying about the turmoil of our country.

You see, one thing I've realized about this election...and something I've really tried to explain to my students... is that things got really nasty.  Too nasty.  It was another dirty fight to the end.  I couldn't agree more when the commentator said that half of the country will think that the country is now heading for disaster while the other half believes it's been saved from disaster.  A gaping, gigantic rift has divided our country because of this election.

And I called it about the Facebook statuses.  I saw the exact same scenario going on over there.  There were statuses declaring that our country was now safe, while other people declared that we are now coming to the end.

The news caster then went on to something I had been thinking for a while.  Why on earth one side can't work with the other side to fix the problems of this country is just beyond me.

That's what this country needs.

If a Democrat is going to be President, the Republicans are going to run the House, and the Democrats are going to run the senate...they have to work together.  What's caused this country to dig it's self in to a shallow grave is the fact that both sides stand on opposite sides of the playing field.  It's like a never ending football game where the defense from both sides are going to block anything that comes there way.  No scoring will take place as long as they gridlock with each other.

As I sat with my kids yesterday afternoon, answering some wonderful questions, I was able to shine a light on both sides.  I was able to show that Obama had some great plans for the country, and Romney had some great plans for the country.  I sat completely in the middle - not swaying to one side or the other.  When someone asked a question, I made sure I gave benefits from both sides of the coin.  And they soon realized that it was much harder to pick someone than they thought.  There were also a lot of misconceptions running rampart.  My Hispanic kids told me that their families had to vote for Obama or they would all have to leave the country.  Some of my kids told me that their families were voting for Romney, because Obama wasn't a Christian - and it's not right to have a President that wasn't a Christian.

Some of the blarney that escaped these innocent children's mouths were put there because of what they'd heard, what they'd been told...a solid divide down the middle.

Until one of my darlings said the thought that had been playing on my mind, and apparently been playing on the news caster's mind last night.  Why can't both sides just work together and do all of the good things they promise?

Ah, if only it were that easy.

It warmed my heart just a little to watch the discussion going on in the Fox news room last night... and you probably won't ever see me making that statement again.  There were Democrats and Republicans sitting together and having meaningful discussion.  One side praised the other side for various things.  One side made suggestions to the other side, and there wasn't a harsh word lashed back.  There was agreement.  WHAT THE WHAT?  Agreement between a Democrat and a Republican?  Oh yes.  They discussed how sad of a situation our country is in with the "Me against You" scenario that has played out all over the place.

Change can only happen when all parties involved are on board.  That's just how it is.  One person can't step up to the plate with talk of change, if everyone standing between him and making that change is against it.

I pray with everything inside of me that one day, our country can move away from one side or the other and focus on how one side can work with the other.  Just one day, I'd like to watch a debate where either Democrat or Republican stands in front of the country and says...

"I have lots of ideas and change I want to do for this country, but I know that I can't do it alone.  My hope is that if I win this election, I will have the support of the other party and we can work together to bring the change that we all so desperately want and need.  While I don't agree with everything my running mate wants to do, there are some valid points he/she makes - and I believe that our end goal is the same.  We may have different ways we want to get there.. but I truly believe that if it's a joint effort from both parties - we can improve the lives of everyone.  Rich, poor, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, gay, straight, Christian, or non-Christian.  If we can just set aside our personal differences, step in to the shoes of others that so desperately seek a different kind of change, and find a balance... our country will be on the fast track to being the country our citizens so desperately want."

I would vote for that person in a blink of an eye.  Regardless of what political party he/she came from.

And, yes, I'm fully aware that what I speak is really a hopeless wish.  I know that it's not as simple as singing Kumbaya around a fire pit and hashing out the differences.  I know that the ideas and plans for one side are usually the opposite from the other.  There's no way to really work together if one wants one thing and the other wants the complete opposite.

But, one thing is for sure.  Barack Obama is our President again.  Half the country isn't happy about that, half the country is rejoicing.  It is what it is.

I just hope that I can move forward in to this month of thanks not seeing anymore hate or nastiness.  Whatever side you're on, it's over now... time to move on... and let's all just try and get along.  M'kay?