As the coordinating echo from yesterdays shared article, today's comes from the father of a son, and what lesson can learned from the adult male participant in the MTV's VMA/Miley Cyrus train wreck.
I think they are very good bookends on what we can learn from popular culture and how to help our kids avoid mistakes that the media and entertainment worlds want us to think is "normal". See what you think.
Dear Son article
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
An Editorial Response
I posted my letter to the editor of our local paper about the Common Core Standards Initiative a week or so ago. Well, I finally got around to reading the last week's worth of papers and low, and behold, there was a response to my letter written by one of the most anti-public school and local district-hating men I have ever heard from. In fact, he wrote the essay opposing Common Core stands that I reference in my letter.
Here is what he had to say Sunday:
Here is what he had to say Sunday:
Common Core solutions
In an
opinion published on May 26 in the Daily Herald titled "Keep discussing
the issue", several points were raised by Shauna DeBuck which should be
addressed regarding Utahns Against Common Core. The primary question
Shauna raised is to ask if we are complainers or have actually offered
solutions. Yes, all the time.
Our math standards prior to adopting Common Core were actually more highly rated than Common Core, and they were created here in Utah. Why did we leave them if they were better standards? Because the federal government offered states a chance at $4.35 billion if they would agree to sign onto Common Core. We applied and agreed to, but got no money. We should return to those Utah standards or adopt another highly rated set.
For ELA standards, Dr. Sandra Stotsky has offered to come to Utah and work with Utah teachers to create the best standards in the nation. She has credibility because she did this for Massachusetts several years ago and those standards helped take Massachusetts to the top of the nation in standardized test scores. (In fact, they were at the top for math as well and scoring on par with countries like Singapore and Japan.) Stotsky has recently released a set of free public domain ELA standards we could also choose to adopt which are based on the Massachusetts ELA standards but with a few revisions to strengthen them.
A question you should be asking, is why, if the USOE really cares about strong standards, are they adopting what have been determined to be mediocre standards? There is hardly a soul in Utah county that doesn't detest Investigations math, and yet how many people know that the USOE adopted the integrated version of Common Core math instead of discrete years, just so they could roll out investigations style math statewide?
Here's another solution. The federal data tracking model that Herald reporter Caleb Warnock recently wrote about is a big deal. It's intrusive and set up to share personally identifiable information on our students. Utah should terminate our P20w database right now and keep all our children's information at the local level.
You said if people aren't happy with educational options, they can always homeschool and "There isn't even an argument about costs with this choice." Really? Homeschool families pay property taxes like everyone else, but in order to homeschool, they have to pay for materials that would otherwise be provided at a local school. It's a lot more expensive and time consuming to homeschool. Yes it's an option for some, but not for single parent families who are struggling to stay afloat. What we are trying to do is make sure even the poor and needy get the best education possible in our public school system. Common Core is not that.
You state, "Why should the opponents of the CCSI remove the choice I have to send my kids to the local public school and the standards it now espouses from me just because they don't agree with this new shift?" Indeed, the question could easily be reversed upon you for forcing mediocrity upon other children. The solution? Individualize education by restoring true local control. Under Common Core, standards merely standardize children on the same content at the same pace. Standards should be a pathway which all children have the ability to progress down as fast as they are able. Unfortunately, Common Core's path doesn't lead to college and career readiness, it barely leads to a high school diploma and will likely continue to cause high remediation rates in college. Under Utah's Common Core, fewer children will complete algebra by 8th grade, and fewer will complete calculus by 12th. It doesn't have to be this way. Utah can and should lead the way with the best standards.
• Oak Norton, Highland
Our math standards prior to adopting Common Core were actually more highly rated than Common Core, and they were created here in Utah. Why did we leave them if they were better standards? Because the federal government offered states a chance at $4.35 billion if they would agree to sign onto Common Core. We applied and agreed to, but got no money. We should return to those Utah standards or adopt another highly rated set.
For ELA standards, Dr. Sandra Stotsky has offered to come to Utah and work with Utah teachers to create the best standards in the nation. She has credibility because she did this for Massachusetts several years ago and those standards helped take Massachusetts to the top of the nation in standardized test scores. (In fact, they were at the top for math as well and scoring on par with countries like Singapore and Japan.) Stotsky has recently released a set of free public domain ELA standards we could also choose to adopt which are based on the Massachusetts ELA standards but with a few revisions to strengthen them.
A question you should be asking, is why, if the USOE really cares about strong standards, are they adopting what have been determined to be mediocre standards? There is hardly a soul in Utah county that doesn't detest Investigations math, and yet how many people know that the USOE adopted the integrated version of Common Core math instead of discrete years, just so they could roll out investigations style math statewide?
Here's another solution. The federal data tracking model that Herald reporter Caleb Warnock recently wrote about is a big deal. It's intrusive and set up to share personally identifiable information on our students. Utah should terminate our P20w database right now and keep all our children's information at the local level.
You said if people aren't happy with educational options, they can always homeschool and "There isn't even an argument about costs with this choice." Really? Homeschool families pay property taxes like everyone else, but in order to homeschool, they have to pay for materials that would otherwise be provided at a local school. It's a lot more expensive and time consuming to homeschool. Yes it's an option for some, but not for single parent families who are struggling to stay afloat. What we are trying to do is make sure even the poor and needy get the best education possible in our public school system. Common Core is not that.
You state, "Why should the opponents of the CCSI remove the choice I have to send my kids to the local public school and the standards it now espouses from me just because they don't agree with this new shift?" Indeed, the question could easily be reversed upon you for forcing mediocrity upon other children. The solution? Individualize education by restoring true local control. Under Common Core, standards merely standardize children on the same content at the same pace. Standards should be a pathway which all children have the ability to progress down as fast as they are able. Unfortunately, Common Core's path doesn't lead to college and career readiness, it barely leads to a high school diploma and will likely continue to cause high remediation rates in college. Under Utah's Common Core, fewer children will complete algebra by 8th grade, and fewer will complete calculus by 12th. It doesn't have to be this way. Utah can and should lead the way with the best standards.
• Oak Norton, Highland
Friday, April 6, 2012
Feedback? You Bet!
Check this link: here
I heard about this "report" yesterday from a friend on Facebook. After seeing and hearing just the minute or less that the FoxNews link my friend had posted had up, I wrote an email, using the feedback spot on the NBC site. Here's what I wrote:
"I cannot believe that MSNBC would allow such a piece to be broadcast. Mr. O'Donnell has obviously never looked into any background or history of the Mormon church--else if he had, he would have realized that the only piece of truth he had in his "opinion" piece was the name of the church's founder, Joseph Smith. The rest was complete garbage. I'm shocked and appalled that an otherwise reputable news organization would allow such hated-filled filth to be distributed at their hands.
"If MSNBC has any journalistic honor a retraction will be offered along with a public apology for the lies this man has unleashed, and some censure be issued to Mr. O'Donnell personally for his slanderous and erroneous report.
"Mitt Romney's run for the Republican nomination has not been endorsed by his church's leadership. He is seeking his political party's endorsement. He is just another guy running for office. His faith is a side note.
"Regardless of the presenter's issues with a potential presidential candidate's faith or standing in the polls, and just because it was presented as an "opinion", should NOT make outright falsehoods agreeable by any news organization worth it's salt.
"Shame on your MSNBC. And shame on Mr. O'Donnell."
Sadly, the political arena is now free to lie to make their point. The mainstream media has an obvious bias. The character of any particular candidate is no longer important. And the whole process is drug-out too excruciatingly long. Oh, and money does seem to make the world go 'round.
The whole thing is making me sick. November's election cannot come soon enough for me. Attack ads and hate-speech doesn't help me see the advantage to voting for anyone. Yet, I know I must vote--else my decision is usurped by the seemingly growing majority of liars and slanderers.
Too bad we can't just have a debate--select each party's candidate. Hold an issues-based debate between the two, and vote already. That, I'm sorry to say, is only ever going to be a dream.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Current Events
Last night, Genius Golfer asked me "What do you think of this Tiger Woods business?"
Now, you need to know the GG is not the world's biggest TW fan. He recognizes that Tiger is perhaps the world's greatest golfer, but GG tends to pull for the underdog types, and I try to exercise my influence over my hubz by cheering for Lefty (Phil Michelson) since he is well, a lefty. So, TW is admired around here but not revered.
So, in response to his question, I answered, "I think he is an idiot not to just come clean." I really think he would have been better off image wise, and conscience wise, if he admitted whatever fault he had ans asked for forgiveness--so long as it is sincere.
Like many high profile individuals there is too much media interest and tabloid curiosity to leave it alone. People will dig until the truth comes out. If they are digging for that, the individual looses the ability to own up to his/her own mistakes and then looks like he/she is covering something up. If not, why not just come clean at the first?
It is sad that people have so much interest and curiosity in the famous and infamous, and our media goes after that kind of in-depth journalism (if you can even call it that) and leaves alone the truly pertinent stories like what the legislature is up to--unless it involves a personal sexual misdeed, a la a certain SC Governor.
Have you heard anything substantive recently about the amendments to the health care bill now being debated int eh senate? I mean beyond the allegations that there are now abortion allowances being added (which is not true)? Yeah, me neither.
I wish the media and journalists generally would do the job we need them to do--be a watch dog for government and leave the cult of personality alone for a while.
OK. That was a soapbox I didn't mean to step onto today. But you can sense, I hope, my feelings here. If not, maybe the local media will pick me up on their radar and then you'll know for sure!
Now, you need to know the GG is not the world's biggest TW fan. He recognizes that Tiger is perhaps the world's greatest golfer, but GG tends to pull for the underdog types, and I try to exercise my influence over my hubz by cheering for Lefty (Phil Michelson) since he is well, a lefty. So, TW is admired around here but not revered.
So, in response to his question, I answered, "I think he is an idiot not to just come clean." I really think he would have been better off image wise, and conscience wise, if he admitted whatever fault he had ans asked for forgiveness--so long as it is sincere.
Like many high profile individuals there is too much media interest and tabloid curiosity to leave it alone. People will dig until the truth comes out. If they are digging for that, the individual looses the ability to own up to his/her own mistakes and then looks like he/she is covering something up. If not, why not just come clean at the first?
It is sad that people have so much interest and curiosity in the famous and infamous, and our media goes after that kind of in-depth journalism (if you can even call it that) and leaves alone the truly pertinent stories like what the legislature is up to--unless it involves a personal sexual misdeed, a la a certain SC Governor.
Have you heard anything substantive recently about the amendments to the health care bill now being debated int eh senate? I mean beyond the allegations that there are now abortion allowances being added (which is not true)? Yeah, me neither.
I wish the media and journalists generally would do the job we need them to do--be a watch dog for government and leave the cult of personality alone for a while.
OK. That was a soapbox I didn't mean to step onto today. But you can sense, I hope, my feelings here. If not, maybe the local media will pick me up on their radar and then you'll know for sure!
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