I’m hesitating to comment, cause I don’t want you guys to have to keep digging my stuff out of the filter. Is there anything I can do to help the situation?
in the news as the year winds down, yes Berzerkely is living up to its reputation:
Berkeley High School has come up with an ingenious approach to eliminating its racial achievement gap: it’s going to get rid of science courses (and science teachers) that are responsible for making that gap visible:
Berkeley High School is considering a controversial proposal to eliminate science labs and the five science teachers who teach them to free up more resources to help struggling students.
The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High’s School Governance Council, a body of teachers, parents, and students who oversee a plan to change the structure of the high school to address Berkeley’s dismal racial achievement gap, where white students are doing far better than the state average while black and Latino students are doing worse.
Paul Gibson, an alternate parent representative on the School Governance Council, said that information presented at council meetings suggests that the science labs were largely classes for white students. He said the decision to consider cutting the labs in order to redirect resources to underperforming students was virtually unanimous.
Science teachers were understandably horrified by the proposal. “The majority of the science department believes that this major policy decision affecting the entire student body, the faculty, and the community has been made without any notification, without a hearing,” said Mardi Sicular-Mertens, the senior member of Berkeley High School’s science department, at last week’s school board meeting.
Sincular-Mertens, who has taught science at BHS for 24 years, said the possible cuts will impact her black students as well. She says there are twelve African-American males in her AP classes and that her four environmental science classes are 17.5 percent African American and 13.9 percent Latino. “As teachers, we are greatly saddened at the thought of losing the opportunity to help all of our students master the skills they need to find satisfaction and success in their education,” she told the board.
The plan will come before the school board on January 13. The school board, the paper reports, usually rubberstamps such items. So much for the Obama agenda to improve science and math education.
Well, at least they’ve made sure that those anti-science Christian fundamentalists don’t get to talk about Intelligent Design. That would be a real crime against education.
I just saw “Expelled” with Ben Stein. Replace Darwin with Gore and Evolution with Climategate. Amazing parallels. What am I to think about the first President to blow off Christmas while dropping weight during Ramadan? Judging the “self” censorship of the MSM makes me wonder about “Certifi-gate”. “Birthers” is a term coined by them to demean the issue. An issue that may save us all. Why have I been consistently reminded about Rush`s past addiction for back pain meds while EVERYONE ELSE gets a pass on EVERYTHING? Unless a Republican in office of course. If the MSM is really on such shaky ground how about a boycott of their last 3 sponsors. Lose 5 Departments and cut the Federal Gov by 30% = win in 2012.
You’re too right about Rush being referred to as Rush Drugball etc. even to this day. All manner of liberals can take up addictions and put them down and be lauded as martyrs. Let a conservative have a problem and they are criticized. That’s what happens when one has morals and values. They get the bony finger of shame pointed at them as proof that one shouldn’t bother with moral absolutes because making a mistake makes one a hypocrite.
Rush is a hero of mine. He is like an uncle to me. I credit Rush’s radio program with being my finishing school after my college years. I am concerned about his hospitalization and am praying for him. Our country needs him!! I guess we should be grateful that Obamacare isn’t in force yet.
Don’t make me jealous. Have a nice lamb chop dinner with those awesome roasted potatoes and awesome red wine! Last time we were at Ruth’s Chris I had the lamb and I was in NIRVANA….or heaven….my God. Followed by dessert and our fifth anniversary bottle of Dom!
Love Burns’ ability to use Scottish dialect in his poems. You actually feel a wee bit Scottish readin’ them. “Auld Lang Syne” and “Red, Red Rose” are yh favorites.
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Excellent portrait of our 44th President.
Actually,that’s the official portrait.
Is this the official portrait; or, did it come from the camera behind the mirror in his dressing room?
Floyd just can’t get enough of the one.
I’m hesitating to comment, cause I don’t want you guys to have to keep digging my stuff out of the filter. Is there anything I can do to help the situation?
2009 has been a milestone year, has it not?
POTUS Empty Suit
Terrorist empty pants
Empty promise of Hope & Change
Empty coffers in retirement funds
Empty heads in the House and Senate
Need I go on? Thank God ’09 is near history. I pray 2010 will be a much better year.
in the news as the year winds down, yes Berzerkely is living up to its reputation:
Berkeley High School has come up with an ingenious approach to eliminating its racial achievement gap: it’s going to get rid of science courses (and science teachers) that are responsible for making that gap visible:
Berkeley High School is considering a controversial proposal to eliminate science labs and the five science teachers who teach them to free up more resources to help struggling students.
The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High’s School Governance Council, a body of teachers, parents, and students who oversee a plan to change the structure of the high school to address Berkeley’s dismal racial achievement gap, where white students are doing far better than the state average while black and Latino students are doing worse.
Paul Gibson, an alternate parent representative on the School Governance Council, said that information presented at council meetings suggests that the science labs were largely classes for white students. He said the decision to consider cutting the labs in order to redirect resources to underperforming students was virtually unanimous.
Science teachers were understandably horrified by the proposal. “The majority of the science department believes that this major policy decision affecting the entire student body, the faculty, and the community has been made without any notification, without a hearing,” said Mardi Sicular-Mertens, the senior member of Berkeley High School’s science department, at last week’s school board meeting.
Sincular-Mertens, who has taught science at BHS for 24 years, said the possible cuts will impact her black students as well. She says there are twelve African-American males in her AP classes and that her four environmental science classes are 17.5 percent African American and 13.9 percent Latino. “As teachers, we are greatly saddened at the thought of losing the opportunity to help all of our students master the skills they need to find satisfaction and success in their education,” she told the board.
The plan will come before the school board on January 13. The school board, the paper reports, usually rubberstamps such items. So much for the Obama agenda to improve science and math education.
Well, with the science settled and all, there isn’t really a reason to teach this discipline anymore.
Well, at least they’ve made sure that those anti-science Christian fundamentalists don’t get to talk about Intelligent Design. That would be a real crime against education.
I just saw “Expelled” with Ben Stein. Replace Darwin with Gore and Evolution with Climategate. Amazing parallels. What am I to think about the first President to blow off Christmas while dropping weight during Ramadan? Judging the “self” censorship of the MSM makes me wonder about “Certifi-gate”. “Birthers” is a term coined by them to demean the issue. An issue that may save us all. Why have I been consistently reminded about Rush`s past addiction for back pain meds while EVERYONE ELSE gets a pass on EVERYTHING? Unless a Republican in office of course. If the MSM is really on such shaky ground how about a boycott of their last 3 sponsors. Lose 5 Departments and cut the Federal Gov by 30% = win in 2012.
You’re too right about Rush being referred to as Rush Drugball etc. even to this day. All manner of liberals can take up addictions and put them down and be lauded as martyrs. Let a conservative have a problem and they are criticized. That’s what happens when one has morals and values. They get the bony finger of shame pointed at them as proof that one shouldn’t bother with moral absolutes because making a mistake makes one a hypocrite.
Rush is a hero of mine. He is like an uncle to me. I credit Rush’s radio program with being my finishing school after my college years. I am concerned about his hospitalization and am praying for him. Our country needs him!! I guess we should be grateful that Obamacare isn’t in force yet.
If anyone is at Ruth Chris Steakhouse tonight in Anaheim say “hello”. I’ll be the troll sitting with the smokin’ hot birthday girl.
Floyd, I didn’t think one could smoke anywhere in California these days.
Happy birthday to her and Happy New Year to all!
Don’t make me jealous. Have a nice lamb chop dinner with those awesome roasted potatoes and awesome red wine! Last time we were at Ruth’s Chris I had the lamb and I was in NIRVANA….or heaven….my God. Followed by dessert and our fifth anniversary bottle of Dom!
Congratulations on your anniversary, Steph!
Do ya’ll mind if I start another End-of-the-world phase?
I’ll take that as a yes.
The world will end in 2033. 2000 years after Christ’s death in 33 A.D. At earliest we have 2029 or 2927.
OK Threedonians….Rabbie Burns wrote the poem to our New Years Eve Anthem! Happy New Years compadres! Lets make it a victorious 2010!
Auld Lang Syne
1788
Type: Poem
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
Sin’ auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
Beautiful poem.
Love Burns’ ability to use Scottish dialect in his poems. You actually feel a wee bit Scottish readin’ them. “Auld Lang Syne” and “Red, Red Rose” are yh favorites.
From the end of Holiday Inn…..
Let’s Start The New Year Right
[VERSE:]
One minute to midnight, one minute to go
One minute to say good-bye before we say hello
[REFRAIN:]
Let’s start the new year right, twelve o’clock tonight
When they dim the light, let’s begin
Kissing the old year out
Kissing the new year in
Let’s watch the old year die with a fond good-bye
And our hopes as high as a kite
How can our love go wrong if
We start the new year right?