Posts by wanderingbadger44

I honestly don't get why everyone is making such a fuss about the standards being lowered. If they weren't this rigorous, the special interest groups would have already dismantled and shut down the only truly transparent and fair academic program left in the country.

Let everyone pass at a lower threshold if that's what people want. Then, they can try using those mediocre results to apply to their dream universities—assuming anyone will actually accept them. 🕺

northerntiger9 said:Regarding sports—it’s not exactly straightforward, and honestly, this whole scoring system should just be scrapped. It has nothing to do with being an elite athlete or how hard you work—unless, of course, luck is on your side.

The way the rules work is that they only recognize competitions organized by school athletic clubs. To put it bluntly: you could train track all you want and break a national record, but if your school doesn't have a coach willing to send you to the state qualifiers, you might as well be barking at the moon. On top of that, some sports only offer team events rather than individual ones, which means besides having a coach, you also need a handful of teammates who are actually good enough to win something that counts toward points.

Take our school, for instance—we have several kids who are national champions in their respective sports, yet the only ones sent to school competitions are the table tennis players or the soccer team. 😬

Actual club competitions are only considered for admission into specialized sports academies, and even then, you have to be highly ranked in the season standings with national-level success just to get a look-in. And because of the pandemic, it's been a mess for certain sports since competitions were canceled entirely—leaving them with zero results to show for it—while other sports managed to keep going.

So... yeah.

Edit: I see only one comment above, so let me clarify once more—kids who compete in state-organized events through official bodies (like US Ski & Snowboard, United States Tennis Association, USA Track & Field, etc.) do NOT receive any points.

And honestly, they shouldn't.
It’s just like how kids attending art, music, or dance schools on the side don't get an edge. It used to be that attending two different types of schools could earn you bonus points for enrollment, but that was scrapped because not every small town has access to those specialized academies. It would be unfair to penalize kids from rural areas just because they don't have an arts conservatory nearby—much like how it's unrealistic to assume every tiny town has its own dedicated track club, tennis academy, or ski resort.

While the musicians and dancers accepted this reality a long time ago, athletes just won't stop complaining and demanding special treatment or extra perks.

Even though the law clearly states that only athletes officially categorized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee are eligible for certain accommodations, we find ourselves constantly having to explain to the mother of a starter for New York City FC that her son doesn't qualify for those privileges.

They are constantly dropping off certificates for tournaments and achievements, asking for excused absences from both written and oral exams.

It makes me wonder if there's ever a student-athlete who brings their coach a straight-A report card or proof of academic excellence... and then uses those high grades to argue for a starting spot, a place in a competition they didn't actually qualify for based on performance, or at least some kind of exemption from training requirements.

In reality, it's usually the exact opposite. Success in sports leads to demands for school concessions.
They regularly show up with various papers regarding their athletic achievements, using them as leverage to ask for easier workloads or to be excused from their academic responsibilities.

The other day, while I was running an inquiry-based learning session with my students, it suddenly hit me why people seem to be losing faith in science and the validity of research altogether.

I mean, if we tell every fifth grader they’re a legitimate researcher just because they can track a local drought through a basic project, then we’ve essentially stripped the word "science" of its prestige and turned it into something common. 😁

It feels like we've reached a point where we feel the need to dress up a standard homework assignment by calling it a "research project" or a "scientific study" just to make it sound more significant. 👍

Amanda Diaz said:Alright, I’ll break this down so simply even an average American schoolteacher could follow: my advice was to demand everything in writing—specifically, if they're actually planning on sending him home every single day. If they did that, the government would lose that lawsuit in a heartbeat if they were just trying to avoid educating him. But let's be real, that's never going to happen in actual practice.

That scenario only exists in the wet dreams of your typical American teacher.

They can certainly ask, but they aren't going to get anywhere.
It would be like asking the administration to hand out individual written confirmations to every single person every day—like getting a signed note saying you won't be allowed into class unless you're wearing specific shoes.

Just read the student handbook and call it a day.

And since you want to play hero, why don't you try walking into a venue where they require a COVID-19 vaccination card and demand they give you a formal, written document personally stating you aren't being admitted without it? Let us know if you actually receive that paper and if you manage to get inside. Then, feel free to sue the government.

The whole point of my argument here is that we are looking at parents whose own instability is making life unnecessarily difficult for their child, which is something that can have lasting effects on a kid's development.

nimblelynx7 said:Since you work in education, I take it you're illiterate too. Please tell me you don't teach English?

You just wrote an independent complex sentence without even using a comma to separate the main clause from the subordinate clause. 🙂

I'm just quoting this so there's a record of it. 🥳

Amanda Diaz said:Exactly. Now tell me, where exactly does it say that a fifteen-year-old student can just be kicked out of school? Because that was the specific point you made in the post I was responding to.

All they ever list here are the rights and responsibilities of the students. If someone decides they’re done with school at fifteen, they don't have to stay. Period.

I know, it’s not easy for you. But look, just go back and read your own link one more time. Once you actually process what it says, you'll realize it.
Honestly, I don't even think this is about ignorance. It’s just plain old-fashioned lying.

Let me rephrase this so it's a bit clearer for you: once a student turns fifteen, the government isn't legally required to keep them in the classroom anymore. They can choose to continue their education, or they don't have to. Why would anyone want to push for something like that? 🕺

Whether you want to call it being expelled from school or simply the end of mandatory primary education because the legal requirement has expired—call it whatever makes sense to you.

I’m honestly rooting for some consistency here, so that the kid doesn't have to keep showing up to class and racking up enough absences—regardless of whether they're excused or not—to fail his year-end exams.

Anything is possible at this point.
Poor kid. 😢

mellowskipper said:And what about when they aren't even wearing one...

Sent from my PRA-LX1 using Reddit

It's just like wearing a mask, really. 🙂

Adam Moore12 said:Does anyone know if a manager actually has the legal authority to demand vaccination status from their employees? Since getting the shot is still voluntary, I'm wondering where they get the right to ask.

Thanks🙂

Not at all.
It’s a bit like when someone asks a question they aren't entitled to ask; if you point out that they lack the authority to even inquire, you're essentially highlighting that their attempt to bypass privacy boundaries was invalid from the start. 😉

Honestly, I wouldn’t want to wear a bra either; they just chafe and feel so restrictive.

That’s exactly the point: nobody actually enjoys wearing a mask. People have complied simply because they’re rational and understand how rules work, but that doesn't mean they actually like it.

I find it absolutely hilarious how the anti-mask crowd acts like they’re some kind of special, delicate little flowers just because they feel more comfortable without one.

coastalorca43 said:That’s quite an analogy, much like how Andrej Plenković argued that the referendum for joining the European Union was effectively a vote in favor of adopting the euro.
The issue isn't the mandates themselves, but rather the masks being used in schools.

If you're sure about that, then do us all a favor and reach out to the moderators to clear things up.

It seems like a lot of people are operating under the assumption that the current school year is the primary focus here.

Amanda Diaz said:Congrats, I rarely hear such stupidity even on this subforum.

Obviously, a child's age has nothing to do with the legal requirement to attend Elementary School. By your logic, every single student repeating a grade would be kicked out of school the second they turned 15.

I know you're struggling here, truly. But try reading this carefully: Elementary education is mandatory and provided at no cost for all children between the ages of 6 and 15...

And no, that doesn't mean every single person who turns fifteen is suddenly "expelled" from the school system. It simply means that once someone hits fifteen, attending school is no longer a legal requirement. If they want to stick it out and finish their middle school education, the door is still wide open for them.

If they decide they're done, they don't have to go, nobody can force them, and they can finally stop complaining about the government making them sit in a classroom.

Can we please just stop all this constant bickering over whether attending elementary school should be mandatory?

Just because school is mandatory doesn't mean there isn't a specific set of rules and expectations governing how a student actually conducts themselves while they're on campus.

It feels like he’s living under someone else's thumb, constantly navigating a rigid schedule dictated by others, following strict house rules, and trying to make sense of dozens of different regulations they expect him to follow at his elementary school.

Attending school is a fundamental part of growing up, much like how following the rules of the road keeps everyone safe during a long drive; you have to respect the established guidelines and conduct yourself according to the standards set by the institution.

It would be quite something if he hit that famous fifteen-year mark right in the middle of the school year, just so they could kick him out of middle school without even receiving his eighth-grade diploma. Then, Dad can spend his evenings trying to force his own ideas on him instead.

coastalorca43 said:And why the hell do you care what his profession is?
Jesus, what is he doing, how does he make a living, where does he find the time? Now we're checking his degree? It's not like he's some high-profile celebrity whose blood type needs auditing. You guys are clearly obsessed with Gaćeša.
And I know exactly why.
Because he’s playing the martyr—playing the victim for his son, himself, and his family—to pull at those same emotional heartstrings that the COVID cultists think they own exclusively.
And it's working on a lot of people.

If he finished middle school, he's more than qualified to teach his kid.

I’m guessing you finished Elementary School too, given how illiterate you sound.
Stop trying to lecture kids on American English.

Nicholas King said:Nothing has actually been decided in San Diego.

The fact that the San Diego mayor thinks he’s the master of the universe is his own personal issue—not ours.

BTW, has anyone actually published any credentials regarding this father who sits outside the school every single day to "educate" his son? I mean, clearly, the man possesses an incredibly vast spectrum of knowledge and expertise if he's supposedly capable of "educating" an eighth grader in every single subject.

I honestly thought I was the only one left feeling completely stunned by the total lack of investigative journalism on this.

It’s hard to wrap my head around how the news outlets are reporting this as if it’s just a given that his dad is some sort of walking encyclopedia with master-level degrees in social sciences, humanities, and hard sciences, complete with specialized training in pedagogy and teaching methods.

To me, the fact that not a single reporter has stepped up to challenge this is just profoundly disheartening.

Rachel Barrett8 said:People are scared, and honestly, how could they not be?
We've been fed fear and paranoia for almost two years straight.
What kind of disease are you actually fighting by pumping everyone full of anxiety and hysteria?
I’m no doctor, but I am asking seriously.

I see where the disconnect is.
I referred to a law, while you're just pointing at an executive order and a set of guidelines.
Those aren't the same thing.

Everyone is struggling to catch their breath, so why wouldn't the little ones, who are still developing, feel it even more?
Just let them breathe freely, people... honestly, it's like we all got brainwashed when we were kids.

In terms of how they actually have to be enforced, what's the fundamental difference between them?

Finally!
I really hope they keep this momentum going. The FBI has officially confirmed that several violations have taken place.

Larry Walker24 said:Even James Watson (the guy who discovered the structure of DNA) actually claimed that "Black people are a lower race and I'm going to prove it"

Are you suggesting that Rosalind Franklin, who was actually the one to first photograph—and thus truly discover—DNA?
It feels like someone capable of hijacking credit and snatching a Nobel Prize is certainly capable of harboring racism too.

Edward Perez64 said:Regarding all this mask business, I was watching Dr. Vrčeka, a chemistry professor, on the news yesterday. He was breaking down the actual efficacy of wearing masks based on the latest research and studies out there. Honestly, the people obsessing over masks—especially when it comes to school kids—clearly haven't a clue; they’re just throwing out blanket judgments and claims that aren't backed by science. It’s the same deal with our national task force; half the time what they push doesn't even hold up to scientific scrutiny. One part of the professor's analysis was actually pretty eye-opening—he went into the chemical makeup of the masks themselves, what compounds are released after wearing them for a while, and how much of that junk ends up in our bodies. He also cited a study from a major US organization looking at how much protection individual masks actually provide. Look, there are legit studies showing that masks don't really justify the way they're being used, and the recommendations coming from the task force just aren't grounded in real research. If anyone's curious, check out Dr. Vrčeka's appearance on Bujica yesterday. It shouldn't matter who's talking, but rather the facts they present and the evidence behind them—though I'm sure some people will try to dismiss him just because of what show he was on and who his guest was.

I'm posting this because of everything that went down yesterday in Cleveland involving a student refusing to wear a mask.

The Secretary looked pathetic and honestly pretty ridiculous yesterday. That said, I do agree those people had no right forcing their way into a school, though there's plenty of debate and conflicting info surrounding that part too.

It’s almost like all those surgeons, anesthesiologists, and scrub nurses are just dropping dead in droves because they wore masks during surgery.

Why don't we just drag in some physicist from Pavuna to act as our academic authority so we can all have a good laugh?

coastalorca43 said:Maybe this will help you out. They finally released the documents today that you can send directly to the principal as a parent.
https://cijepljenje.info/vazno-upozorenje-obavijest/
"This document was drafted in accordance with:

the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the United States and in accordance with fundamental and natural human rights,
as specified by international conventions which form part of the domestic legal order and hold supreme authority over national laws,
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and in accordance with the Family Act."

Man, I wish I could just have the principal hand that over to me—without having to mention my name for nothing!—so that during the next PTA meeting, I could just give them a little pointed look, smile sweetly, tear the notice into tiny pieces right in front of them, and toss it in the trash. Honestly, I wouldn't even mind if they recorded me doing it and sent the footage straight to the local news.
I’ve always had a bit of a dream about being popular. : fixes hair: ☕

coastalorca43 said:Thanks.
The guidelines from the CDC and the Department of Education still haven't been signed, and frankly, we have no idea which group of bureaucrats is just recycling last year's rules behind the scenes.
If we're stuck with this "pandemic-style" schooling indefinitely, then after two years of COVID-19, I am officially done with people just copying old instructions and listening to Šimetinka’s nonsense about kids wearing masks just so they feel like part of the team.

The Government is standing behind them, and the Prime Minister personally signed the decision.

The decision makes it perfectly clear that everyone is required to follow the CDC's guidelines as well as the Department of Education's models and recommendations.

II.

Elementary schools, high schools, and preschool facilities under organized management are required to act in accordance with the Guidelines for preventing and controlling the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic regarding the operation of preschools, elementary, and high schools during the 2021/2022 school year, issued by theCDC.

III.

For students in elementary and high schools during the 2021/2022 school year, instruction will be carried out according to the teaching models established in the Models and Recommendations for operating under conditions related to COVID-19 during the 2021/2022 academic year, set by theDepartment of Education.