College application process almost complete

So, we visited a couple of the schools Spencer is considering for college next year.  His major is only offered in a handful of schools, and only a couple in New England, so his options were seriously limited.  He wants to go into computer/digital forensics – a fairly new and up-and-coming field.

We checked out Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont.  Nice little school with some fascinating features.  It’s the oldest private military school in the country and the founder founded the ROTC.  It opened to civilians a long time ago and has been functioning ever since with an interesting mix of the two.  Civilians and Cadets are in the same classes and play on the same sports teams, etc., but they live separately and the Cadets follow a rigid and restricted schedule.  The down side was that the town of Northfield, Vermont, has absolutely NOTHING in it.  Nowhere for students to work, no bus station, nothing.

Then we went up to Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.  What an amazing school in a beautiful little city with so much to offer that it’s almost hard to believe.  It’s the perfect school atmosphere for Spencer and there was absolutely nothing about it that we didn’t love.  So, Spencer decided to apply for early decision.  That means that if he gets in, it is binding – provided we are able to make the financial commitment.

And so, the process began.  I think when I went to college, I filled out an application that was a few pages long and gave them a copy of my high school transcripts (or did they get my SAT/ACT scores and transcripts themselves?  I don’t remember doing anything to get them to the college) and that was it.

Not so today.  Two of the schools where he is applying take the Common Application, the other two have their own online applications.  The applications are completed, his essay has been written, checked, edited, double-checked and re-edited.  He has to finish his resume and he has to write an essay for the Champlain supplement to the application.  We have to wait for his second set of SAT scores so that both sets can be submitted.  The requests for transcripts have been submitted to the guidance office and his letters of recommendation have been provided.  I’ve filled out the financial aid application for his early decision school and I am awaiting the go ahead to hit the submit button on it.  Each application requires different documentation and I think we’ve got it all lined up.  There are application fees which must be paid to the schools (some waive the fee) and SAT scores must be transmitted from a separate website in conjunction with submitting the online applications.  Since the deadline for early decision at Champlain is November 15th, we’re just going to get them all done at the same time.  My goal is by November 1.

Fortunately, Spencer’s guidance counselor is absolutely amazing.  She is available every minute to every senior and their lunatic parents to offer advice, support, guidance, answers, therapy, encouragement, documentation, suggestions . . . hell, she has been the greatest event coordinator I’ve ever known.  If she ever wants to get out of her current career – she could be a party planner or wedding coordinator for the stars or the elite!

The timing of all of this and the coordination of everything is akin to NASA planning the launch of a shuttle.  I’m not sure I did as much planning and coordinating to bring Spencer into my home as it is taking for him to leave it!

It’s all good

It’s summer.  So, it’s all good.  And this year, it’s really, really, kick-ass summer in top form.  The days are long, the sun is shining, the ground is warm, everyone’s wearing flip-flops and big straw hats . . . hell yeah, it’s summer.

And when it’s summer, the idea of thinking about school is just downright wrong.  The concept of digging deep into complicated issues is “off”.  The obligation to engage in heavy lifting in the political arena is a travesty.

So, we all agree, right?  And then, why do I bring this up here?  Because I had a bit of an epiphany this morning.  If it had been February, I’d have had this moment of clarity long before now.  The Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District times its budget process at the end of the school year.  I think the first vote by the town (Yarmouth) on the annual district budget override was in May, then the second vote just took place yesterday, and now there will be another infamous “tent meeting” (which will include our neighbors in Dennis) within the next month where they will undoubtedly drive the final nail in the coffin of the clear message sent by the taxpayers to deny their never-ending request for more money.

My epiphany was that they time this during the summer because they know that, during the summer, people are just more lackadaisical about everything.  How angry and worked up can anyone really get when you live on Cape Cod and it’s summer and everyone is smiling and happy and there are beaches to visit and hot dogs to grill and the sun’s rays to soak up?  Oh yeah, a wily and sly plan to be sure.

I think the budget for the following year should be decided on in February.  Let the school district have the gall to ask a town of voters for more money [again] after we’ve been shoveling snow, bracing against the cold winds, hunkering down in our darkened living rooms and packing on the pounds from seeking comfort in heavy stews laden with potatoes.  Yeah.  No, I don’t think so.  And let them bring the vote to the taxpayers again in March when we’ve been schlepping through freezing rain, surviving a month with not one holiday, tired of our children and their homework and school projects and sick to death of putting on the same damned sweaters and corduroys day after day since November.  Right.  I would almost respect them for the courage it would take to do so.  And for the grand finale, let them try to get all the interested voters from Yarmouth and Dennis to come to the school some dark, cold, rainy night in April when we’re all homicidal from living through endless rain, cold and gray, can’t even imagine that summer will ever even exist, and angry because most of the rest of the country gets spring and the Cape never does (except in glorious 2010 – thank you God).  It would be a bloodbath and I don’t think one person in town – except Superintendent Woodbury perhaps – could muster up enough passion/compassion/empathy to throw a nickel at the School Committee – let alone vote to raise our taxes for the rest of our lives!

Light Bulb Moment: This is why the budget is voted on in the summer.  By that time, parents’ aggravations at their kids’ teachers are a thing of the past and we’re hopeful that next year will be a great year for our kids and they’ll have teachers that they (and we) love.  By then, the ridiculous things that went on during the year (politically correct new rules, stupid teachers holding up offensive signs, etc.) are a distant memory and we feel fondness for this time in our children’s lives.

So, if something which is hotly contested and debated each year must be voted on at all (and boy, how I’ll bet the Superintendent and the School Committee wish they could run their little show with no interference from the stupid taxpayers!), then do it in the summer.

Because in the summer, it’s all good.

Well, it’s not all good.

The end for now . . .

And now, the end is here

And so I face the final curtain

My friend, I’ll say it clear

I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain . . .

I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway

And more, much more than this, I did it my way

***

And so, I think it’s time to take my blog back and get back to my mostly light and fluffy blog posts about life, the universe and everything – from the perspective of one person, one parent, one wife, one friend, one woman, one citizen, one taxpayer, one voter, one American, one Mid-Western girl twice removed – from me.

Political activism is exhausting.  Who knew?

It’s not to say that I won’t follow up on the lunacy that I’ve learned is going on behind closed doors, just down the street, in the classrooms and meeting rooms in my little town, but for now, I rest.  I’ve learned a lot.

I’ve learned that the students in our towns are phenomenal people who support their classmates and have integrity, character, compassion and a strong sense of pride.

I’ve learned that the parents of those kids are intelligent, respectful, civil and neighborly.  With very few exceptions, those who engaged in discussion on this blog have done so in the spirit of healthy debate.  Kudos to you all and thank you for your contributions.

I’ve learned that no matter how often the mainstream media and so many of our public figures like to espouse their anti-American rhetoric — we are still, as a country, on the whole, flag-waving patriots who support our soldiers and embrace the principles of freedom for which those soldiers sacrifice to protect.

I’ve learned that the common sense and common decency of the common man has little chance of defeating the bureaucracy of big unions.  I’ve also learned that the Massachusetts Teachers Association will bankrupt every town and every city  in this state before we finally question and challenge their existence.  Talk about the power of the machine . . .

I’ve learned that it is true that one voice can be heard and can make a difference.

I’ve learned that the misguided, misplaced voices and actions of two teachers can have profound and lasting effects on not only their own community, but on the world.  And how sad and terribly unfortunate that they have so poorly [mis]represented their peers, because . . .

I’ve learned that there are far more teachers in this country (and I heard from teachers from all corners) who honor, respect and take very seriously the responsibilities of their chosen profession than those who put their own interests first.  These teachers work hard every day to uphold the basic principles of putting their students first, of teaching and not preaching, of educating and not indoctrinating, of facilitating a student’s ability to learn how to think and not what to think.  There are great teachers here and elsewhere who I respect a great deal.

I’ve learned a lot.  Thank you for coming along for the ride.

An Open Letter to Carol Woodbury, Superintendent of Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District

Mrs. Woodbury,

Apparently, a more effective way for me to have had my say would have been to put it on a sign and hold it up while standing during the recognition of the kids for their Law Day posters.  Do you, does anyone see the hypocrisy in what was done to the citizens at the meeting last night?

Had anything I was going to say actually been “out of order” under parliamentary procedures, the Chairman would have been well within his right to say so.  But to insert an item – which was NOT on the agenda – before the citizens’ questions/comments item on the agenda because the Chairman was too afraid to face the citizens of this community is terribly unjust.

Committee member John Henderson asked that the citizens be allowed to speak, without comment by the Committee.  We have a right to speak.  It’s the reason why, BEFORE any other items on the agenda are covered, every meeting is meant to start with questions and/or comments by the citizens.  What possible harm is there in allowing the citizens to be heard in the appropriate forum and the appropriate format – as long as it is not disrespectful and disruptive?  On what authority does the Chairman have to limit and restrict what the public is entitled to address at a public meeting?

The district’s attorneys should have been present to defend the actions of this Committee if indeed, as I am sure was the case, this was their foolish scheme to shut me and others up, because you and the Committee will now take the heat for that.  And will it shut me up?  I think you know the answer to that.  This was never about me.  I have never (and I’ve lived here for 12 years – my son’s entire education was through the DY district) been one of those troublemakers who just likes to shout their views from every podium and seek their 15 minutes of fame.  That is why none of you know me, nor do any of the other administrators in the district.  I’m not a complainer or a disgruntled citizen who just wants to shout and scream over everything.

I am 100% right in what I am advocating here and I honestly believe that, sans a couple of the finer points perhaps, you agree with me.  I am passionate about this subject – so passionate as to have prompted this strong response from me.

Attorneys are hired to give advice.  It sure would be more reassuring to me if I felt that the people who solicited that advice had the intelligence to weigh their advice with their own common sense and common decency and then make the decisions the taxpayers elected them to make.

I have thought you to be a sincere, rational and kind person prior to last night, Mrs. Woodbury.  I have remained civil and respectful every time I have dealt with you and I have done my level best not to make this personal (although it is now beginning to feel very personal).  I am most personally disappointed with you because the civil, respectful and neighborly thing to do would have been to tell me before the meeting that it was going to be [mis]handled the way it was and that I would not be allowed to speak.  I called you and your office no less than four times (I think it was five times) this week and each time I confirmed that I would be at the meeting and what I would be speaking about.  I called the office as late as 4:00 yesterday afternoon.

I expect you to deny knowledge that the Chairman was going to pull this stunt.  But, I’m sorry.  I simply no longer believe what you say.  I no longer trust you.

The real irony is that what I was going to say was relatively innocuous and was designed to put an end to all of this.  Oops.

I have published what I was going to say below – and don’t worry – you may read it anonymously.

With regrets,  Susan Abbott

An Open Letter to the School Committee of the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School

If I, as a citizen, taxpayer, voter and parent of a student at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School had been allowed to speak to the elected officials who act as the School Committee – after following every protocol and advising the Superintendent on no less than 4 occasions this week that I wished to speak AND the subject upon which I would be addressing the Committee – this is what I intended to say:

“First and foremost, I want to clarify that my outrage is not, nor has it ever been, about the content or the position of the political propaganda which has been displayed or imposed on the students.  My personal position on the military isn’t relative and whether or not the position being expressed corresponds with my opinions is NOT the point.

And this is about a bigger issue than just what happened last Friday.  I think almost everyone agrees that what these teachers did was egregiously inappropriate and disrespectful.  But it is symptomatic of a bigger problem which has gone on before and it has gone on often – especially by these teachers.  The administration denies knowledge of that fact.  Whether or not they knew before, these teachers publicly dropped the mask on this “secret” and took away any deniability on the part of the administrators.

This is about the violation of the one basic tenet upon which every public school in this country is founded: that every child is entitled to receive an unbiased education in a neutral environment, free from discrimination.

Those who believe that teachers have a right to freedom of speech while “on the job” are sorely misinformed.  There is specific case law which spells out clearly that a teacher’s right to freedom of speech is NOT protected and must be subjugated to the principle of neutrality in a public school.  This is not MY OPINION nor the whim of ONE PARENT – this is supported and upheld by the United States Supreme Court and even the ACLU.  I have copies of case law and an article by the ACLU, if you’re interested.

I honestly believe that the national public scrutiny that I brought to this issue was necessary to elicit the changes and actions which are proportionate to the problem, and anything less would have resulted in significantly less resolution.

I’m pleased to say that I feel I’ve basically achieved my goals.

First, I believe (I certainly hope) that the school district will deal with these two teachers as severely as their attorneys advise them is possible.  Forced apologies are typically insincere, disingenuous and therefore meaningless.  I suggest that if we are unfortunate enough to have to suffer the continued employment of these two unworthy individuals in this district, then I suppose the only recourse will be the vigilance of every parent and every student to police their actions daily. Sad, but true.

Second, I have been told that the School Committee is formulating a policy to address the deficiency which exists district-wide regarding the prohibition of political advocacy on public school grounds by its employees.  I urge the Committee to ensure that the policy is thorough and clear and that it is then enforced with an even, balanced and objective hand.  I implore parents and students to notify the administration ANY time they are aware that the policy has been violated.  I should have called the schools every time over the past six years when my son complained of it, but it was apparent to me by the frequency with which it occurred that it was a well-known accepted practice, so I dealt with the incidents privately, between my son and me.

Third, I hoped to give a voice to six seniors whose one opportunity to be honored by their peers and role models, was tainted by the actions of two selfish teachers.  By and large, with very few exceptions, our six brave young men and women have now been honored by the entire nation!  The student body of DY has shown tremendous compassion, consideration, support and character.  I think every parent has so much to be proud of.

Lastly, I felt obligated to my son to show him that – although it took the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back – one voice can make a difference.  And I think mine has.

I have one question which I would like to put to the Committee.  Will you assure the parents and taxpayers of Dennis and Yarmouth that every possible avenue will be taken to proportionately discipline these teachers and responsibly set forth the necessary policies to prohibit all acts of political advocacy on public school grounds by public school employees in the future?

Thank you for your time.”

I do not doubt that the Chairman was acting on the advice of the district’s attorneys.  Am I the only one who sees the hypocrisy in this situation?  It is readily tolerated and accepted that teachers, whose right to speak freely is legislatively restricted while they are being paid as public servants, say whatever they want, whenever they want, in any venue they choose – but when a citizen attends a PUBLIC School Committee meeting, follows every possible protocol for being recognized to speak (complete with giving notice to the Superintendent on the subject of said speech) – I am told I am OUT OF ORDER.

Am I living in a parallel universe here?  Where right is wrong and wrong is right and up is down and down is up?

The above letter is what I WAS going to say.  Now, I have this to say to the School Committee:  You are short-sighted, small-minded and foolish.  I will not speak for everyone who was at the meeting to be heard, but I will tell you that I – who nearly single-handedly brought national attention to the deficiencies in this district in a mere four days (the same amount of time it took the Cape Cod Times to print a story on it, although they were the first news outlet I contacted!) – was rather looking forward to having my final, respectful, rational, on-point say on this matter, so that I could close the book on the issue and feel satisfied that something appropriate had been accomplished.

Was that “out of order”?  It strikes me as a prudent and effective way to diffuse a very heated issue.

Fools.  Each and every one of you are fools and your [MY] attorneys are bigger fools.  Instead of diffusing the situation, you fanned the flames back to a wildfire.

Shut Down. Surprised? Maybe I shouldn’t be

At the beginning of the School Committee meeting tonight, the first matter on the actual Agenda – as is stated in the public policy of the School Committee is Citizen Questions/Comments.  However, the Chairman interrupted the agenda to read a prepared letter.  Basically, the letter vaguely described “an incident” which occurred last week which upset many parents and students.  Now, I’m paraphrasing here, but in essence, the Chairman indicated that any matter of disciplinary action involving teachers is a personnel matter and therefore it is a private matter.  Also, the Committee is not responsible for making disciplinary decisions with regard to teachers.  I understand that it is the school administration who is responsible for making those decisions – I knew this going in but was told that I should air my grievances to the School Committee by the administrators!  He then indicated that the Committee is in the process of formulating a policy which relates to this issue.

I began to read my statement and I uttered ten words and was told that I was out of order.  The Chairman stated that they would not hear anything regarding the incident last week.  I asked if I would be out of order if I addressed the Committee about the policy which they are formulating, since that IS the Committee’s responsibility and policies are matters of public record.  This seemed to confuse them a bit and the Superintendent and the Chairman bowed their heads in whispers for a moment, then the Chairman told me that too would be out of order.  The Superintendent expressed that there is a standard protocol to be followed for developing policies and that first the subcommittee must meet and then there are several meetings and that when the policy is to be discussed at a School Committee meeting, she’d be happy to let me know.  I told her I would appreciate that.  The very fact that was most telling in this is that the Superintendent described the process that “would” take place, NOT that was already in process.  Interesting.  They want everyone to believe that the Committee was ahead of the situation in developing a policy.  I never believed that, but it seems the Superintendent just admitted it.  Oops.

I said something to the effect of: So, we’re not allowed to speak in any way about what happened last week?  That’s it?  Basically, the citizens have no say and cannot be heard?  They sat there looking at me like scared, guilty children and I stood up and expressed that I thought this was pathetic (or something like that – I was in shock and frankly, I don’t remember exactly what I said) and turned to walk out.  As I reached the door, another woman approached the microphone and began to talk about not speaking to the specific issue but wanting to discuss something about the United Nations (!!!) on the issue and she too was told that she was out of order.  She offered to give them the materials that she brought and I spoke up and said “As did I!” and I walked back up to the table and handed copies of  case law and the article by the ACLU which I said “might be useful in developing the policy, for what it’s worth.  No sense in wasting the paper.”

One Committee member, John Henderson (a voice of sanity and reason, perhaps?), asked if the Committee could hear the citizens but not respond and the Chairman told him no.

Funny, really.  Because I was going to have my say and then I assumed the issue would rot on the vine, as these things do.

I was only going to have my final say in front of the School Committee, in that limited format.  And do you want to know the funniest part?  What I wanted to be heard on was in great part, to give them credit for the hope I had that they would take the appropriate responsible, necessary actions which would be proportionate to the events.

I spoke to the Superintendent and to the Superintendent’s office four or five times this week and I specifically told her assistant the topic of what I wished to speak about.  I called to confirm this each day.  An ounce of civility and respect might have been called for in notifying me that there was no point.

Apparently, only paid public servants are allowed to speak freely in whatever format they choose, whenever they wish – even when it is OUT OF ORDER.  But if  a citizen of this town, a taxpayer, a voter and a parent of one their students wishes to be heard, takes every single possible step to follow proper protocol and is in line with parliamentary procedure – we have no say.

Interesting.  I think I shall have my say.

Fox & Friends Coverage!

Fox & Friends wants to do a story on what’s going on at Dennis-Yarmouth High School!  I’ll keep you posted as I know the details.  I wanted to get this to the nation’s attention and it looks like I’ve succeeded!  Thank you everyone for your interest!

School Committee Meeting has been rescheduled

The School Committee meeting has been rescheduled from next Monday to this Thursday, June 17th at 7:30pm at Station Avenue Elementary School.  I intend to attend and be heard on this matter.  I will also be attending the Town meeting when the budget override will be discussed since I can’t stomach the idea of not only paying the salaries of these teachers and the administrators who don’t have the gumption to properly discipline them, but to give them a raise!

Freedom of Speech for teachers is not protected in the classroom

Interesting article by the ACLU that supports my position . . .

http://www.aclu-wa.org/news/free-speech-rights-public-school-teachers

It’s time to take back our schools

http://wbztv.com/video/?id=90267@wbz.dayport.com

Yesterday at my son’s school, there was an assembly to recognize the seniors.  During that assembly, a member of the Yarmouth Police Department was giving a speech to honor the seniors who had chosen to enlist in the military upon graduation and during that speech, a teacher displayed a sign which read “End War.”  While the National Anthem was being played and everyone rose with their right hands over their hearts, she held up a Peace sign instead.  As if this sort of anti-war protest isn’t inappropriate enough on public school grounds, during school hours, at an important school event, the real travesty was when everyone in the school stood to give a standing ovation to these six brave young men and women, and these two idiot teachers sat down and refused to applaud.

The sign reads "End War"

Spencer sent me a text message immediately to express how angry and upset this made him.  Once I got the entire story from him, I called the school principal to discuss the event.  I was told, in essence, that the school does not condone these two teachers’ actions and that they will be weighing their options and they will deal with it internally.  I told the principal that after listening to my son come home for the last six years, since middle school, telling me story after story about teachers who were using their classrooms as platforms to further their personal political agendas, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me and that I would be contacting the media.  He suggested I call the Superintendent of schools, which I next did.  I had a rather lengthy conversation with her and although she agreed with me entirely in principle, she indicated that the situation would be dealt with by the principal.  I explained that I would be contacting the media and that with the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District looking to the taxpayers for yet another budget override within the month, I hoped that perhaps the administrators of these schools might find the motivation to respond more strenuously to the actions of their teachers when it brings such negative public scrutiny to the district and puts the district’s goals at risk.

The Superintendent spent a great deal of time and effort trying to talk me out of going to the media.

My next call was to the Cape Cod Times, our ridiculously liberal rag of a local newspaper, and I left a message with someone at the newsroom.  Ironically, the only story that I’ve found thus far today in the paper is about a silly prank pulled by a small number of juniors against the seniors – typical, silly kid stuff.

Next, I sent an email to WBZ TV, the CBS affiliate in Boston.  Late in the afternoon, I received a phone call from Beth Germano, a reporter for WBZ that they were on their way to the Cape and would like to interview me.  I gave her the names of the teachers, the principal and the Superintendent.  WBZ stopped by to interview the teacher first – and you can watch a portion of that interview from the link above – and then went to the local middle school to interview two of the seniors who were being honored, a freshman who was present at the assembly, the principal and me.  The piece was only going to be one minute and thirty seconds long, so my interview was not shown.

After seeing the story aired and hearing the teacher’s words and the principal’s words – I am even more incensed by the whole thing.  What happened yesterday was appalling, inappropriate, disrespectful and proved without question that my tax dollars are paying two public servants who openly abuse their trusted positions of authority with our children.  The fall-out proves that my tax dollars are also paying the administrators who “cannot guarantee that disciplinary action will be taken against these teachers.”

But the other parts of the story were not told and I feel that there is much more wrong with what happened yesterday than the obvious inappropriateness of these teachers’ actions.

There is one basic tenet that the public school systems in this country are founded on which is being violated on a daily, rampant basis and no one is willing to expose this dirty, little secret because it furthers the interests of the administration as well.  In this country, every child is entitled to earn an education in a neutral environment, free from discrimination.  The point is argued continuously and consistently all around the nation – but only when it suits the administration to do so.  When it’s a question of “separation of church and state” or gay rights or any number of other topics, these teachers and administrators wave their flag of neutrality like a banner, but when it comes to remaining neutral about voicing and demonstrating their personal political agendas (which will pay their salary and provide more and more protection and benefits for them, and them alone), then it’s a matter of the First Amendment of the Constitution.

The hypocrisy has to stop and we have to find a way to take our schools back.

No child should ever have to walk the halls of a public school (which is paid for by the child’s parents’ tax dollars) and be concerned that even one teacher may judge him, disapprove of him, or God forbid – which is what happened here yesterday – publicly shun him for having the courage, pride and honor to choose to serve this country and defend that teacher’s right to have an opposing opinion to his choice.

I too will defend these teachers’ rights to have their opinions and to express their opinions openly until the day I die.  But they are not entitled, they do not have the right to do it on public school grounds, when they are being paid to be public servants.

Teachers hold trusted positions of authority and we teach our children to respect their teachers and to trust and have faith in them.  We believe that we are sending our children to a school which will provide a safe, neutral environment.  We expect our teachers to teach our children and impart knowledge and facts in various subjects via a specific curriculum.  It is the basic tenet of neutrality that I vehemently support in the public school systems.  It infuriates me to know that it is being blatantly and rampantly violated each and every day.  Yesterday, the violation of this tenet was egregious, disrespectful, poorly timed, inappropriate and the teachers who had the unmitigated gall to perpetrate it should be held accountable for such abuse of their positions.  And if the school administrators do not have the gumption to do so, I believe they are equally responsible.

These six seniors had one opportunity to be honored and recognized by their peers and by their role models.  They had one day and one event which was dedicated to them.  These two selfish imbeciles took it upon themselves to steal this time and the spotlight away from these young people.  In three months, these two women will have every opportunity (after all, they only work 180 days a year!!!!) to exercise their right to protest the war on their time as they wish, but these six young men and women will be learning the skills needed to defend their right to do so.  And next year, when my taxes will still be paying the salaries of these two worthless, selfish PUBLIC SERVANTS, they will have the opportunity to attend the senior assembly of another graduating class and these six young men and women may well be under fire and fighting to survive in a foreign land, with nothing more than a distant memory of a day when they were to be honored for their courage, but it was stolen by these teachers.

I hope Ms. Marybeth Verani and Ms. Adeline Koscher are terribly proud of themselves. How cowardly to take advantage of their positions and steal the spotlight away from the students in their charge.  And they will surely be rewarded by the school administration with a continued paycheck and a pat on the back for a job well done.

When will we find a way to take our schools back and bring back the principles that our forefathers intended?  There is no valor in hiding behind the First Amendment only when it suits your purposes.  Freedom of speech is a powerful thing, and I intend to exercise mine – at top volume.

“We’re not allowed to teach that”

That’s what my son’s freshman Honors English teacher told me when I asked if he would be taught grammar.

I’m going to give you a minute to absorb that.

I happen to know that other than the odd, occasional, cursory mention of a comma, a noun or a verb throughout grade school and middle school, grammar and punctuation were not taught there either.  And with this generation doing all their writing in the form of cryptic text messages and emails, I can assure you that proper grammar and punctuation are being lost.

They obviously don’t assess grades on papers with punctuation and grammar in mind, because I’ve read a couple of my son’s papers and there is nary a line which doesn’t contain grammatical and punctuation errors.  The content is good and interesting and I like the way he thinks and the connections he makes in his papers.  But for one as pedantic about punctuation and proper grammar as I am, it is difficult to wrap my mind around the concept that this entire generation is collectively altering the course of the written word. They can’t punctuate their way out of a paper bag.  Conjugate a verb?  HA.  First, they have to figure out what a verb is.  And they think “conjugate” is what old people call having sex.  It would shock them to their core if they learned that there are three different meanings and spellings for the word “to” and “there”.

Proper grammar has moved to the top of the Endangered Species List.

When I asked this freshman Honors English teacher why “they are not allowed to teach grammar”, he answered that they believe that if teachers make “suggestions” regarding proper grammar when they grade the students’ papers (or correct improper grammar, but don’t grade on it), that the students learn grammar this way as well as if it were taught as a subject.

Really?  I wish my algebra teacher hadn’t been allowed to grade me on accuracy and could have just made “suggestions” when I came up with the wrong answer because I erred in my multiplication in one element of the equation/formula.

I find that more and more, as this generation enters the workforce, I am receiving emails which are completely devoid of  any punctuation.  I am not even provided the benefit of the occasional capital letter to assist in determining that a new sentence has begun!

“A woman, without her man, is nothing.”  Compare this to “A woman: without her, man is nothing.”  (Clearly, the latter is the more accurate sentence . . . but the point is that the two sentences have opposite meanings due to punctuation.)

I love technology and I text and email constantly, but I do not and I will not succumb to turning my back on the beauty and the power of the [properly] written word.  In every text message, my words are spelled out entirely, commas are placed appropriately and I check my spelling.

I apologize in advance to all you flag-waving, card-carrying PETA people – but I could live all the remaining days of my life in total comfort and peace if the Galapagos Rice Rat or Grandidier’s Trident Bat becomes extinct — just give me GRAMMAR.  I’m pretty sure I can cope with losing the Puxiong Lazy Toad, but I shall mourn the extinction of PUNCTUATION forever.  I’ll sacrifice the Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle for my dearly beloved COMMA.

I call to you fellow freaks of proper grammar (am I the only one?) to unite with me, red Sharpie markers in hand, and start correcting the insidious and egregious errors in punctuation and grammar that are permeating the written word.  For the longer it is tolerated without correction (NO, mere “suggestions” will not suffice), the greater the potential for the complete and utter breakdown of the English language in written form.

[She steps down off her soap box, tears rolling down her cheeks, head hanging, and walks sadly off into the twilight.]