Apparently the staff disciplinarian here at Just Blowing Smoke has achieved a modicum of success through the occasional beating of the lazy lexicographers working on the "Stuck on Stupid" dictionary. And though it would be difficult to say that morale has improved, these 'enthusiasm enhancing episodes' appear to do have had at least some impact on the quantity, if not the quality of their efforts. (Personally, I just think they're jealous of the Cheetos that we supply to the DJBSS in their attic Command Center.) Senior staff will continue to search for new ways to 'inspire' greater output.
Now for those of you who have somehow managed to miss previous postings in this area (shame on you, now go back and read all of the postings under the label of dictionary), the SOS dictionary is a reference guide to terms which nominally mean something to the rest of the English speaking world, but appear to mean something entirely different when looked at in a political context, especially to those us who have come to understand the often peculiar vernacular of politics in Toledo, Northwest Ohio ... and sometimes even the nation as a whole.
Tuition:
1. A sum of money imposed for the purposes of defraying the costs associated with an education annually on a per student basis.
2. A sum of money which is usually considered too low for the purposes of defraying the costs of a K-12 education annually on a per student basis; possibly because the charges carry a 'veil of invisibility' from being spread over property tax payers whether they have children in school or not. (This is not to be confused with the sum paid for the same K-12 education at private schools, which is usually less, and paid directly to those schools by the parents who use it in addition to the taxes which they otherwise pay.)
3. A sum of money which is usually considered too high when paid to an institution of higher learning for a college education annually on a per student basis; in spite of the fact that it's nearly identical to the sum paid for the K-12 education. (The difference in how this number is perceived may be due to the fact that it has lost its 'veil of invisibility', is not spread over property tax payers whether they have children in school or not, and must therefore be paid for either by the parents or the students themselves ... even if they have to borrow the money to do so.)
A story in the November 12th Kansas City Star from John Hanna of the Associated Press speaks to the concern that the Kansas Board of Education is showing in regards to the incidence of bullying.
Apparently, this concern is in response to reports in September and October of suicides nationally among gay teens who were bullied, as well as a local issue in a Hutchinson, Kansas high school where a student was tied up with a jump rope by four classmates. (A case that has since understandably been referred to the Kansas Attorney General.)
As the article points out, each district is already required by a 2008 state law to have an anti-bullying policy in place, and most have adopted one from guidelines set out by the Kansas Association of School Boards; but board member Walt Chappell is now pushing the board to "set new standards" on the issue.
How the local districts, many of which are already cash-strapped in the current economy, are to find the administrative and financial resources to fill our more paperwork for the state to track the problem is not detailed by Mr Chappell in in the article.
I am not trying to make light of the problem of bullying, or to condone its perpetrators in any way. I am perfectly willing however, to make light of the concept that filling out statistical data reports or coming up with new regulations and policies does anything to resolve this or any other issue.
In these days of smart phones with texting capabilities, instant messaging, and Facebook access around the clock; many of the methods of such torment have changed. Rather than the 'webbing' of my day (an assault perpetrated by pulling the waistband of underwear up until they tear ... from the bottom), the opportunities have increased exponentially for round-the-clock electronic harassment by those who are usually themselves social misfits. The Internet that provides us a wealth of information has also provided us with a wealth of opportunities to do evil to our fellow man.
We must also face up to the fact that as a society, we have been so nurturing and supportive of our offspring that they are now more susceptible to such torment. Bad grades, bad colors of ink to correct papers, and (heaven forbid) actual punishment which once toughened such fragile egos; have been abandoned in altruistic efforts to promote self-esteem.
Even corporate Human Resource people today recognize this reality when these young people enter the workforce after school, and are asked to find a never-ending series of new ways to nurture and support the self-image of these youthful employees.
We should be little surprised then, that when exposed to the brutality of socialization from the least social and most unstable of their peer group (who have likewise suffered from a lack of punishment for inappropriate behave over the years for fear of damaging their self-esteem), during a period of time in their life when that process can be its most cruel, that bad things can happen.
The fact that much of the bullying does not occur on school grounds, during school-sponsored events, or under supervision by school staff does not seem to make any difference to concerned Administrators. Any elected official (or bureaucrat) must add to the already onerous burden of paperwork in order to garner media attention, create a level of self-importance, and increase the bureaucratic budget in order to feel like they are doing their job. The fact that such additional data collection, regulation, and policy will not prevent such offenses from occurring in the future does not seem to matter either.
Like most things where government interest is directed, showing the proper concern for the problem is as important (if not more so) than creating a solution.
"Kids are hurting now and parents need relief," Mr Chappell is quoted as saying.
My reply to you Mr Chappell (with use of sarcasm fully intentional) is that I'm sure that the proposed new data collection and statistical analysis will take away the pain inflicted by bullying and provide the necessary parental relief that you feel is so necessary.
Another weekend is upon us, and yet another of my efforts has made its way onto the pages of the Toledo Free Press. "Issue 3 Is Long On Tax, Short On Explanations" is my manifesto as to why the .75% income tax issue for the Toledo Public Schools should be voted down.
Since the May 4th vote is only a few weeks away, perhaps it will cause a few of Toledo's voters to think twice.
But as usual there's a lot more in the TFP this weekend, including a Kristen Rapin piece on Mayor Bell's first 100 days in office that you will undoubtedly find of greater interest and a piece by Michael Miller on Professional Journalism, the competition, and the use of social networking.
