Posts by James Perez54

I suppose I should address the recent outbursts from James Perez54... though why anyone bothers listening to such incessant noise is beyond my comprehension. It seems some people simply cannot exist without the need to perform for an audience, turning every minor disagreement into a grand, theatrical tragedy. If you insist on being loud, at least try to be coherent. kaže:
God, I’ve finished high school, I’ve finished college, and yet I still can't tell which dialect was used to write Equinox. Honestly, I should have just stayed in middle school...

So much interest from a teenager in such works... ☕

Back in high school, I actually took music appreciation classes. We spent our time diving into different historical eras of music and listening to various period-specific compositions. We even had exams where we were tested on our ability to identify specific musical works just by hearing them played...
At the end of the hour, if there was any time left—which, let's be honest, there almost always was—the professor would practically beg us to bring in our own cassette tapes... God, I was actually in school back during the era of cassette tapes. 🤣Every single hour, we’d sit there listening to whatever tape some student had picked out...
Why is it simply impossible to get things right with American grammar and books—the editors, the punctuation, those damn hyphens...
I have yet to hear of a single high school teacher in my entire life who would ever demand or even permit something like that during their class. I experienced it back in elementary school, sure, but certainly not in high school... 🤷

Back in high school, I had this English teacher—the one from that old story about Smith—who actually cared about what we were reading. He loved getting into real discussions with us about our books, which somehow managed to turn even the most tedious required reading into something genuinely intriguing...

He was constantly spinning yarns and anecdotes about various authors and their masterpieces; he could hold the attention of even those restless kids in the back of the class who usually spent the entire period sleeping...

Unfortunately, my son doesn't have a teacher like that; instead, he's stuck with some uninspired, rule-following nerd...

No, I’m not complaining. My little one pulled an A on his test, and he isn't struggling with his reading assignments at all right now. Besides, we're talking about elementary school, not high school...😉)

Jamie Davis9 said:It seems most children are naturally wired to push back against anything that feels forced upon them. I suppose I really should have said something earlier, though I’ve always been a bit too slow to catch my own mistakes. It’s just one more thing that needs doing, isn't it?Most kids find scrolling through Facebook for hours endlessly more entertaining than actually picking up a book—any book, for that matter. And let’s be honest, most parents just enable this by letting them rot their brains on social media all day, mostly because those same parents spend their own lives glued to a screen too. It’s rare to see a parent who actually reads anything of substance anymore. Instead, you have entire families sitting around in the evening binge-watching Turkish soap operas, only to switch over to some other trashy foreign drama during their lunch breaks. When these kids show any lack of interest in anything outside this mindless cycle, their parents always jump to their defense, blaming some lazy, incompetent teacher for their failure to focus. They'll even go as far as to claim Faulkner is garbage and that Proust is nothing more than a pretentious hack. 🙂

Look, I'll grant you that there are terrible teachers out there—just like there are incompetent waiters, dentists, or crooked politicians—but your post makes it sound like they make up the vast majority. I simply can't bring myself to agree with that assessment.

Just as I wouldn't agree that most kids and their parents actually fit the mold you're painting... though, granted, there are certainly some who do.

Look, I couldn't care less what some kid or parent chooses to do within the four walls of their own home, but I care immensely when it comes to the quality of education my children receive at school. It genuinely concerns me that they might be stuck with incompetent teachers who could actually cause them harm by failing to provide a proper education...

Jamie Davis9 said:Exactly—it’s just like how people who struggle with math often face the brunt of the blame when their teachers failed to properly introduce them to basic intervals.
Honestly, I don't understand where this obsession comes from regarding whether children "must" love reading; some kids will enjoy it, and others won't, and that's just life.
Children who already possess an affinity for reading will naturally find the curriculum easier to navigate than those who don't, but you can't force that spark.
The required reading list isn't to blame for a lack of interest in books.
When I talk about high school reading lists, I'm referring to a curated collection of the finest literary works ever produced, organized chronologically so that any true lover of literature can always find something profound and engaging.
In elementary school, the selections are age-appropriate—some might be dull and others fun—but I find it utterly baffling that people think school holds more influence over a child's interest in books than, say, their own parents do.
At its core, required reading is just a monthly assignment to be completed, and there is no logical way it could serve as the primary or most decisive driver for a lifelong passion for reading; I hope it's clear to everyone just how absurd it is to expect such a thing.

p.s. I should also mention that the death of Smail aga Cengica is an exceptionally well-written epic.

Believe it or not, most kids develop a hatred for a subject simply because they had incompetent teachers—people who either couldn't teach or just didn't care enough to actually reach their students.

Elizabeth Fowler46 said:True, but you have to admit that part of the blame lies with the reading lists themselves 😁
.

Unfortunately, that's exactly right.

A significant portion of the blame lies with incompetent professors who simply lack the ability—or the desire—to make classic literature resonate with their students...

Larry Walker24 said:What’s even the point of reading the death of a historical figure?! That book is straight-up disgusting.

Back when I was in high school, my professor told me that Mazuranic basically ripped off that epic from Njegos and just did a little bit of "editing" on it—which is a totally proven fact (not going into details here)—but everyone stayed quiet about it because of the need for national unity and social cohesion 😁 regarding the matter.

Regardless, based on what my professor said, I actually found the death of Samil aga Čengić to be an interesting read, and I certainly didn't regret spending my time on it.

rowdypanther12 said:I think you can react appropriately while still having empathy in your heart. That doesn't mean there shouldn't be consequences or a real response. Just because I feel bad for someone and understand why they're acting out doesn't mean I should do nothing, or just give them a pat on the back.
In my view, bullies should either be separated from the group and sent for treatment, or kept in the group under strict supervision and professional guidance.
It really just depends on how serious the situation is.

To some degree, we all seem to agree on that here.

And maybe that’s how it’s written in various laws and legal codes.

But unfortunately, reality is quite different, and it will take a long time before anything significant actually changes.

rowdypanther12 said:Honestly, you have to look past the local inspectors who are too scared to act. You need to take this straight to the federal level, the department heads, or even hit up the news and national TV if that's what it takes.

Some people have tried (it's true, just not in this boy's case).

And what happened?

Nothing!

Emily Gonzalez51 said:Hmm, let’s be real: the inspectors aren't going to go toe-to-toe with local power players; they're too busy protecting their own seats. My take? File the report anyway, but don't hold your breath for any actual progress.

Exactly.

It's a sad reality.😢

rowdypanther12 said:Yeah, it’s definitely a spoiled kid when a parent isn't paying attention.
But little bullies aren't always just spoiled; if they are, they usually aren't getting the love or affection they actually need. In many cases, these kids are actually neglected or being abused at home.
They obviously need help, but I think the right way to help is by setting clear boundaries that come with real consequences.

So what?☕
Am I supposed to feel sorry for a kid like that while they're busy bullying my own child—who hasn't done anything wrong—and piling on frustration or maybe even lasting trauma?

It's easy to deal with preschool bullies because they're small and the teachers can usually handle them.

Just wait until your kids are in elementary school; let's see if you still have all this empathy for those "poor, little, vulnerable" aggressors then.🙄😁

Larry Howard4 said:At my school, the Parent Council actually meets at least twice every semester. At least. And the parents elect their own reps during that first meeting; the principal doesn't just call the shots.
That's how it works in my neck of the woods, anyway.

Well, at my school, the board only meets twice in the entire school year.

Usually, someone just volunteers to be the rep (typically a parent who gets along well with the teacher or the homeroom instructor), and the rest of the parents just go along with it at the meeting because it's easier than arguing.

In my school, that board doesn't actually serve any purpose other than to act as a rubber stamp for the principal.
Some of the representatives even admit it themselves.

northernfox12 said:I honestly can't believe what I'm reading...
It’s just a collective smear campaign against our entire education system...
At this rate, we might as well just scrap public schools entirely and let every parent teach their kid whatever they personally deem useful.

What a pathetic comment. 👎

Matthew Cooper5 said:Calling all moms!! I’m running a little study and would love your input. What kind of teachers do your kids actually want? I'm trying to get a real sense of what they're thinking. 🙂

That they don't yell at them or make fun of them in front of the class.

And that they're fair when it comes to grading.

This is exactly what my son wanted back when he had his teacher.

Brenda Ruiz3 said:On my end, I've actually handed out an A in math a few times specifically because a student caught their own error. See, if they can spot the flaw in their own logic right then and there, it demonstrates true comprehension—maybe even a bit of creative thinking—and in my book, that earns them the top mark.
And, naturally, in every single instance, those students went on to prove they earned it—they nailed the material again, this time by solving it perfectly on the chalkboard in front of the class.
Still, I get plenty of pushback from people claiming I'm too harsh, mostly because I don't just hand out high marks for nothing. But honestly? They need to learn how to stand their ground.

Would you have the guts to say that to the Principal, face-to-face in his office, if he pulled you aside and told you that you were handing out unearned A's based on your own little criteria?

Brenda Ruiz3 said:No, I am talking about the parents—you know the type—who, the moment their kid gets a grade they aren't thrilled with, head straight to the Department of Education to file a formal complaint... though, naturally, it’s always some carefully curated version of the truth that bears zero resemblance to reality. Then, of course, the authorities send out an inspector to harass and intimidate every single teacher involved. It has happened more times than I care to count—I'm certainly not making this up—and eventually, people just reach a breaking point where they have to cave...

Why on earth should they cave if they're doing their jobs honestly?

What is the inspection so afraid of now? Some crazy "helicopter parent" throwing a tantrum, or is it something else?🤣

copperheron18 said:Look, there is a massive gap between what happened 30 or 40 years ago and what is happening today; any rational person can see that. Back in the day, a professor was highly respected—a doctor was even more so. People used to bring gifts (bribes, let's call them 😁) because those professions were held in the highest esteem. You had the elite tier: the teacher, the doctor, the lawyer. You simply cannot compare the past to the present while my sister-in-law is working now. So much has shifted in the interim—economic instability, social shifts—which has left many people on edge, causing them to lash out at anyone within reach. The current state of society is just different, and while it affects teachers heavily because they deal with such diverse groups, it isn't limited to them.

It is not the same thing to be a teacher at a prestigious prep school where the kids are decent, actually want to learn, pay attention, care about their grades, and come from educated, cultured families. It's an entirely different universe compared to teaching at a three-year vocational school populated mostly by delinquents who lack basic vocabulary, manners, or any sense of decorum.

Middle schools are essentially a volatile mix of both extremes, and no one can dispute that. Being a teacher at a top-tier academy (specifically the one I attended, though many others are similar) is, in my opinion, a fantastic career. But being a teacher at some vocational school (I won't name names to avoid offense) is 🙂

I know several teachers, some working in elementary schools and others in high schools.
None of them ever had parents threatening them, but early in their careers, they definitely dealt with principals saying things like, "You need to give this student an A, unless you're looking for trouble at work?!"

Later on, they say, they learned what "the rules" actually look like.😁
And that you shouldn't play games with the job.

Nancy Cruz3 said:Aside from the topic itself—where plenty of nasty, useless comments have been tossed around—I just felt the need to weigh in on this one specific detail.
Just so we're clear on a few things—

I personally know of plenty of cases where parents have threatened teachers.
It’s true—most of the issues centered on specific teachers in the upper elementary and high school grades—though, granted, there were threats made against some of the female instructors as well.
And that’s only because mommy’s little golden boy can't handle getting anything less than a five.

It all starts small—slashed tires, keys scraping against car paint, threats involving spray-painted front doors, those middle-of-the-night calls... then it escalates to knives being flashed at information desks, and eventually, yes, gun threats and even bringing a bomb onto a school campus.

Just so you have some idea of what people actually tolerate—before you decide to make fun of it again next time.
Smart move.

Look, genius...

Nobody is claiming there aren't unstable parents who threaten teachers (just like there are unstable ex-husbands or veterans out there, etc.), but it isn't nearly as common an occurrence as you're making it out to be. 😁

The issue with handed-out grades starts when a teacher gives an A to little Timmy because his mom is a nurse at the local hospital, or to little Jane because her dad works for some government agency, for example...
Then someone does a sweep through the school, and another kid's mom kicks up a massive fuss about the injustice, so that same teacher settles things by giving her kid a free grade too, and so it goes, and so it goes...

If you give a handout to one student (whether it's for your own benefit or because of pressure from above), then you have to give it to the next one whose parent is constantly badgering you for information.

Because what other logic does a parent have to demand an unearned grade for their child? It's simply the logic of "If you gave Timmy an undeserved grade, then you better give it to my kid too."
Wouldn't it be much easier for a teacher if they had a clear conscience, opened up the gradebook, showed the parent the grades for their child versus a top student, and honestly explained why the child hasn't earned an A?

But... the vast majority of teachers are under constant pressure; they fear the confrontation and find it easier to just toss in another handout grade (one more here or there doesn't seem to matter much).
Yet, on the flip side, they are full of praise regarding their own integrity, principles, and dignity. 🙄

wiredwalker14 said:I’m new here, so I figured I’d jump straight into this topic 🙂
Basically, my son is in 6th grade, and lately—it's been a total disaster!!!
I mean, I remember going through puberty myself, but I honestly have no idea how to handle his...
Anything I say to him is wrong; if I even try to have a serious conversation, he just breaks down into tears immediately... and he’s always been a bit stubborn, but now he’s just 🙂
Yesterday at the PTA meeting, the teacher said she doesn't know what to do with them anymore—grades are slipping, and their behavior is becoming impossible...
The thing is, he’s actually an excellent student—really bright, and his grades are perfectly fine—but I’m terrified he's going to start following the crowd.
Is there any way to fix this, or do I just have to wait for it all to pass?
And then there's still the next stage of puberty waiting for us!!! 🙂

Just arm yourself with patience (we have plenty of love, that part is unquestionable 😍), talk to them constantly, don't make a massive drama out of every little mistake, lower your standards slightly regarding grades, and keep a watchful eye on things (but do it subtly so they 😉, don't notice who they are hanging out with, what they are doing, or where they are going... and it will pass.

That is what everyone says, anyway.😉

My little one is also in 6th grade.😉

No matter how much he tries to act grown, at ten years old, that kid is still just a child.
Of course he took the money for the party; he didn't want to be the odd man out from his group of friends.

What kid wouldn't?

David Palmer5 said:I can't let this one slide; James Perez54, didn't you just brag on another thread a while back (something along the lines of "how to complain about school" or a teacher) about how your kid got a B in music class, so you and your husband went off on the principal, who then yelled at the teacher, who ended up in tears—only for your son to walk away with an A after all that? 🤷

And as for the rest... nineteen-year-olds are (whether in my era, yours, or now) generally full of ideals and optimism; they want to change the world for the better. I seriously doubt they're as bitter and frustrated as you suggest, and I certainly don't think they're foolish enough to enroll in a difficult major they have zero interest in, just to spend decades working a job they hate simply to vent their frustrations.

Personally, I think teaching is a very noble profession. Sure, there are incompetent or bad teachers, just like in any other field, but I believe most of them do their jobs with integrity.

p.s. No, I'm not a teacher, and I don't work in a school. 😁

That’s not how it happened; you are simplifying the situation quite a bit (perhaps intentionally?).

Basically, at the end of fourth grade, the teacher gave my child a C in music (which we felt was totally unfair) and announced to the entire class that it was because he sang poorly.
The kid had every assignment done, and his scores on tests and musical dictations were always As or near-As, and the teacher herself confirmed he knew every song, but she refused to factor that into his grade, insisting on the C because he "sang badly."

My husband and I went to the principal's office regarding this comment, bringing the teacher along, and demanded that a committee evaluate the child. We didn't care if it resulted in a B or an A; we just wanted to verify her grading and whether it's actually pedagogically sound to tell a ten-year-old in front of the whole class that he sings poorly.

Nick wasn't shouting, though things did get heated between my husband and the teacher in front of the principal. She wouldn't budge on the grade, so my husband insisted on the committee, using the previous test scores as evidence, and questioned whether it was appropriate to embarrass a kid in front of his peers.

In the end, the principal sided with us. Either he realized the teacher was truly in the wrong, or he was just terrified of facing a formal committee—who knows.🤷
Why would he be afraid of a committee if everything was above board?

Anyway, the teacher changed the grade to an A, and after we left the office, it looks like the principal read her the riot act, because she showed up in the hallway with tears in her eyes.

So, that's how it really went down.

hiddendriver34 said:If we're looking at student achievement through the lens of test scores, let’s be real: today's teachers are more skilled and better prepared than they've ever been.😉 Inflation has gone absolutely haywire, and honestly, it’s made every other grade on a report card feel totally meaningless. It’s like we’ve hit this weird era where a single "A" is the only thing that carries any weight anymore. Because of that, parents are panicking. They see that one crucial grade and start throwing money at private tutors like crazy, just terrified that if their kid slips even an inch, they'll fall behind for good. It's a total scramble to keep up.😲Look, maybe they got a B. Or maybe you think a truly skilled, competent teacher should be expected to carry every single student on their back all the way to an A? That’s just not how it works.

Are those qualities we want in an auntie looking after kids at daycare? Or maybe in a doctor? Or even just your local clerk at the grocery store? Of course they are. I mean, come on. We want everyone to be observant, level-headed, and genuinely polite, right? But for some reason, it feels like that standard just vanishes whenever you deal with teachers. It’s like they’re the only ones allowed to skip out on basic decency!
The whole problem boils down to this: the entrance exams for teaching certifications actually end up rewarding the wrong traits. It’s like they’re inadvertently scoring people higher based on how blunt, rude, or totally oblivious they are. Because of that, you constantly see these abrasive, ill-mannered types sliding right through the door and enrolling in programs where they clearly don't belong.😁

Regarding grades, I am talking about actual, non-fictional student knowledge (measured by As) and you are intentionally twisting my words.

Who is to blame for the inflation of As and honors? Are parents writing the grades in the report cards? Are they threatening teachers at gunpoint?
You tell me, what's really going on here? 😁

I don't know anyone who pays for tutoring to get an A (sic!), let alone to fix an F.

By the way, I have never encountered such a massive collection of hypocrites, emotional wrecks, insecure people, and frauds (exceptions exist, obviously) as I have within the education system.
Why is that?
Back in my day (I'm 43), anyone who couldn't get into their preferred college (lower-performing students) or couldn't find a high-paying job in their field (unrelated) would regularly end up working in a school, taking out their frustrations on children.
I highly doubt things have improved since then.

copperheron18 said:Exactly. It is the parents who are constantly hovering over schools, badgering for better marks, pleading, and exerting pressure on professors, lecturing them on why their child "clearly knows more" than the curriculum suggests...

But has it occurred to you that someone might fail because they aren't paying attention, or they talk too much, or they don't concentrate? Are the teachers supposed to be held accountable for those lapses, too?

As for your claim that people enter academia just to vent their frustrations on their children because they failed at everything else—honestly, I have no comment. It sounds so pathological that it borders on being detached from reality. 😕

It seems to me you are projecting your own personal grievances through these insulting remarks toward everyone who is, or will be, an educator. I am genuinely curious: what degree did you earn, and what exactly do you do for a living that allows you to be this vitriolic toward a group of people who actually put in the work to finish their degrees just to serve society?🙄

I am an astronaut.😛

As for what I do for a living, this isn't a thread about me...

If you consider yourself part of that untouchable academic elite, then please, do me a favor and explain why you bend over backward for those tedious parents who constantly nag about grades and act like their kid is some kind of misunderstood genius...
Will you actually miss them?

Or does that apply to the kids of friends, acquaintances, or just anyone with enough cash to throw around...

My neighbor—who runs that high-end boutique downtown—was just bragging to me about how some local professor shops exclusively at her store...
What a coincidence... handing it right over to her daughter, and just imagine—the kid even pulled a perfect score on her exams...😍