Showing posts with label Epic Fail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Epic Fail. Show all posts

The Latest Imperilment for Young Girls... LEGOs?

It was about 7AM when I saw the tweet. I was closing down my Twitter and Facebook to return to the seething build up that's going on -- and not looking forward to it this morning. My head ached, from lack of sleep, I was overly cranky -- for several related reasons -- and honestly I was in one of those, 'don't fu*&ing do it man' moods. Then I saw the tweet. A flash really as I closed down the Twitter. I caught two words, 'Nightmare' and 'LEGO'. I also recognized the source, so I knew the context. With a new click I brought the Twitter back up to find out what the full message was.

To be honest, I had already decided that I didn't like it, and that it was inline with several of the messages and campaigns I've been coming across. Reading the text I did exactly what I tell people never to do -- I didn't follow through or check the story. After the night I had and the sources I had read for the twelve hours before that -- I "knew" what was going on and responded in kind. Recognizing the sender account didn't help. It added an under tow of betrayal to the mix and just for future reference, that mix is never a good one to be making decisions on -- although I can't picture anyone not doing so -- there's nothing more stimulating to knee jerk response than justifiable anger. 

Two more relevant facts were in my mind as I reread the Tweet. One, is that LEGOs was practically the founder of non-gender specific marketing. They started this back in the late 70s. I recall it because my younger sister saw one of the ads and instantly wanted a full set of building blocks. At the time I wasn't that interested -- I had a new set of JARTS -- I still can't believe that my parents thought that what a seven year old needed was a set of iron javelins. It never crossed my mind at the time that building blocks were "boy toys" or rather NOT girl toys. What Sandra did with those blocks was amazing to me. I never could get them to become what was in my head, and she created whatever she wanted to create with an ease that was disturbing  to me. I could throw those JARTS though, so it was all good -- except for the neighbor's 1967 Corvette it was all good...

No End Planned for Ferguson Demonstrators


The man running the demonstrators in Ferguson -- or at least 16k+ of them is Deray McKesson @deray. 

I was working with him to define goals and negotiations. It's been something like 150 days, and he's not even talking to anyone. So I opened a dialog to see if I could help. But I'm not black enough, or I don't understand... or that's what he was saying. Today he tells me the real reason is that he is an anarchist. He's not going to end it. He's just going to push it forward as far as he can. 

Over the last week he has been collecting donations for financing to August. He's not going to stop... To Infinity and beyond...

Those people out there demonstrating think they are doing something for a reason... They're not. They're just meat on the street. He's even started sending phrases that start with "Blessed are those..." 

If you have reporters you know... maybe  you could send this to them. Those people should at least be told who they are following, and why.



Jeffco Students, Teachers and Parents Demand Resignation of School Board

Due to the Jeffco District School Board's complete lack of regard for the legal obligations and policies -- or even acknowledgement that there were laws they were obligated to regard, the community of Jeffco Colorado has started a public petition in order to begin the Re-Call process of three board members. The members in question are Ken Witt, John Newkirk, and Julie Williams.

Julie Williams is of course the member who after talking with like minded Education Board Members in Texas, began steps here to change or remove the AP US History program in Jeffco with apparent plans for further alterations to the schools of Jeffco County. Since she was unable to recall a single passage from the AP US History material which demonstrated a need for a committee evaluation, or such radical changes , Williams admitted that: “I’m not familiar enough with everything that is in AP history to make that judgment.” When asked about the kids and the protesting however, Williams said with strong confidence, the students were “uninformed pawns” of the teachers’ union. 

It’s not surprising she could be so definite on the one and so ignorant of the other, because Williams is one of the Jeffco 3, often referred to as the WNW of the School Board -- the recently elected, Koch-brothers-praised, ultra-conservative school board majority that has gone to war with Jeffco schools as we once knew them. This board of thee frequently disregard policy and practice -- often demonstrating that they aren't even aware of policies or best practices. The Sunshine laws of transparency are openly disregarded -- many times they boldly tell the public that a matter will be discussed and decided on in a "closed meeting" later. 

After blatantly ignoring the community's strong concerns (demonstrated by student walk-outs, teacher and parent support and a petition of 40k+ names)regarding the school boards intent for the AP US History program, and then their asinine declaration that this disregard was a "compromise" -- apparently on the grounds that ordering a firing squad for the malcontents wasn't available to them at the moment -- the community started a petition for RECALL
We demand Ken Witt, John Newkirk, and Julie Williams RESIGN from the Jefferson County Public School Board of Education immediately.

PETITION BACKGROUND

Witt, Newkirk, and Williams have wasted millions of taxpayer dollars, harassed and insulted teachers, driven away experienced and effective senior staff, impugned students, ignored concerns of parents, broken Sunshine laws meant to ensure transparency and accountability, violated school board bylaws, betrayed the trust of citizens who voted for mill and bond in 2012, and publicly embarrassed our school district and its students by claiming our district is failing in written editorials, on television and on radio. We demand that all three of you resign before you do more damage to our community. We stand united in our support of teachers and students and the excellent quality of public education in Jefferson County.

Girl used as Rape Bait in Alabama School

The Department of Justice filed a brief in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals stating the Northern District of Alabama District Court erred when tossing a case filed on behalf of a Sparkman Middle School student sexually assaulted in a school restroom.-- So it looks like this girl is going to at least get some of the therapy and help that she needs. The idea that anyone, for any reason would use a special needs girl, who was only 14 years-old as rape bait seriously boggles the mind. But for the school to have a 'need to catch him in the act' policy for sexual assault is even more baffling.

 This child of 14 has been injured in a way that has continued to hurt her -- she continues to suffer from depression, her grades continue to be affected. She is not getting the help that she needs -- likely due to the expense of the therapy she will require. Even after therapy and several years of healing it is very possible that she will continue to be acutely effected by this trauma. 

These injuries, were caused because she believed in the authority figures of her school. She trusted the officials of the state. Then, she was not only injured, she was dismissed -- dehumanized, made into a non-person -- by the officials of this state who claim they have no responsibility "on the grounds of immunity for state officials and employees" 

This is why there is a Department of Justice, and a Federal Department of Education. This is why there are oversights and watch dogs. Because at the state level, we still don't seem to get it. Apparently at the state level, we turn into bureaucratic, heartless monsters who commit atrocities without a care in the world... then go home have a beer and watch the late show.This is not the only state in the Union with these troubles. This kind of management and decision making, especially around our children, at their schools, is popping up in the news with alarming frequency. 

** Note: Even now, the school board, the administrators and everyone else in involved in this sordid mess continues to refuse to accept any responsibility for the injury of this child, and in fact continue ot dismiss her existence as a human being. They don't even accept the the responsibility that they were given by Putman,the last judge, claiming that they were all vindicated-- which they were not. Not by any wild stretch of the imagination could anyone with an ounce of honesty make that claim.


http://whnt.com/2014/09/23/madison-county-school-board-to-discuss-litigation-involving-sparkman-middle-case/







Where the Wild Things Are...

Chess is a Wild game I've only been playing for a short time, but I've gained enough understanding to realize that the angles of ...