Muscatine

Zowie....I feel like I stumbled across a Jerry Springer rerun.

I'm curious.....All the people who have had all of these problems at the high school...what do you think of all the great kids that graduate each year and how do you think they got that way?  If we're going to put it all on the teachers, then certainly they must get  some of the credit.  If we decide that the parents get the credit, then shouldn't they also get the blame for all of the knuckleheads?  Do we all realize that in the last 20 years, the state has decided that graduation rates are paramount, and that a huge percentage of resources goes to the bottom of the test ladder in the form of one-on-one aids for special educations students, and money that goes to improving test scores not for the out top kids, but for the ones "on the 40th percentile" Bubble.  This is all thanks to NCLB. 

If you don't think there are caring people in this district, I'd invite you to spend a week as a visitor in the special ed rooms at any school in this town. 

I'm certainly not saying that there aren't some wonderful teachers in Muscatine.  I've nothing but terrific things to say about the teachers at my two younger kids schools.  They really are great.  And my high school age daughter, she comes home raving about some of her teachers.  They have really inspired her.  The situation that MIL is talking about is-her son gets jumped from behind by 2 students.  2 students that had done this to other kids in the past.  The kid who gets jumped defends himself.  He is righ outside the classroom he is supposed to be going to.  The 2 kids who jump him are across the building from where they are supposed to be.  MIL's son gets suspended.  The reason MIL is given is, her son should have curled into a ball and let them beat on him.  MIL's son gets let back into school. Same thing happens again. Exact same scenario.  This isn't just MIL's sons story, but also the story of kids who witnessed.  Kids who have nothing to gain from fabricating anything about what happened.  This is what I have witnessed.  It's not a matter of believing that this kid can do no wrong, because we certainly know that that ain't the case.  One kid jumped from behind by 2 kids.  Kid who gets jumped is blamed.  That's whats got me mad.  Not test scores, not NCLB.  This kid is being punished for the actions of others.  Period.

On a somewhat related note, however, maybe you can answer a question for me, Daryl.  I can't seem to get a hold of anyone at the High school who can answer it.  I just got my daughter's ITED results, and even though she didn't miss any school during the tests, most of the tests weren't done.  She says they don't take those.  She says they don't take the vocabulary, spelling, computation, revising written materials, or sources of information tests.  This isn't enough to give a composite total or a core total.  IS this the case, and if it is, then why don't they take these tests??  And why bother taking the ITED's at all if they aren't going to take all of them, or at least enough to give them some sort of total??

I have run into excelent teachers in this school district.  One of them helped my son overcome the mental abuse that his Dad did to him after we divorced.  Probebly most of the teachers are good, that is not the issue.  Last year the good conduct rulls a MHS stated that victums wernt to be punnished (or words to that effect I do not have them in front of me right now.)  But the school board changed their "Rules" sence then.  Rules ARE NOT laws.  What they have done isn't right.  It is totally against what they teach in there own goverment classes. (read the books your children bring home from school, study the cirucculm.)  One of the problems is that this child is suppose to graduate this year.  Up untill this happened he injoyed school always came home proud of how good he was doing.  Loved welding class.  He was so proud of the welds he had done even brought them home to show me. Now according to the schools own  Credit list he won't possibly be able to graduate because he will be something like short half a credit.  Could he just drop out and get a GED.  that is an option but he is bound and determined he will graduate from MHS.  I offered to transfer him to another school that would exceps his credits and graduate him.  He refused.  He has a great work ethick and primarly is a good kid.  Is he alwas right.  @#%^&$%@#$% no!  He is my sixth kid I'm not blind, nor stupid.  Has he made some poor choices yes we all do thats called LIFE.  One of his poor choices was going to a drive up window.  The driver of the car had an issue with the kid in the window.  Business fired the kid in the window.  That is the cause of the orrigional attack.  Fired kid has older brother both attack my son because he was in the car that got the yunger kid fired. (Maybe older kid misses his sandwiches) Boy that got the kid fired has not been attacked (prominenent MHS jock, would murder both of them) Attackers have same last name as someone who is the well known in the community.  All this really dosent matter.  The boy Was attacked and he is being punnished.  To me its like,  Burlgler robs store, store owner goet to jail with burlgler.  Its that simple.

I believe that school districts in Iowa have some choice as to which tests to administer.  Muscatine probably does what many others do.....play the game.  NCLB is a game.  The district is forced to gear all  of its resources and time toward scoring well on a test that isn't even designed to measure what it should.  They concentrate on math and reading, since these are the ones that can get you put on a "warning" list.  The more the government is involved, the bigger mess this will be.

As for all the fight stuff described by you and the other poster, I can only repeat that I hope you have investigated legal actions through law enforcement.  Like Nigel, my kids managed to get through their high school years unmarked, un-attacked, unsuspended, and are now contributing members of society.  Our experiences were vastly more positive than negative.  It is possible.  If you come upon me fighting another person on the street, whose story will you believe?

And now, as is the case in the new and improved hood, I think I'll head to DF's bar, order up cold ones for the  house, and prop my elbows on the bar while we agree to disagree.