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James Rant of the week

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by jamesrl

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If Tammy can have one, so can I, though I won't promise to have one every week.

Yesterday I had 2 "grads" to attend, one for my ten year old who is graduating from public/primary school (grade 5) and one for my son who is graduating grade 8 and will next year attend high school.

I have mixed feelings about a grad for Grade 5. Sure they are changing schools and all, but to me its not a huge milestone. We didn't do anything like that when I was a kid (back in the stone ages of the 60s). But it obviously means something to the kids, so I was there with flowers for my daughter and a camera. She didn't wear a "new" dress but it was a fancy one.

It was clear that many of the kids were dressed in formal wear, new dresses/suits for the occasion. I wasn't the only one with flowers. The ceremony was fairly brief, and there was coffee and cake afterwards.

It was nice to see that we have a primary school with a very diverse group of kids - many from south east asia, the caribbean , Newfoundland, and everyone got on well. Some of these kids started kindergarten speaking no english and by Grade 5 are winning academic awards.

My son's grad on the other hand....

Each family was given two tickets and two tickets only on account of the limited space in the hall. But somehow many families simply ignored that rule and brought 4,5, and 6 people per graduate. I would have brought my two daughters to see their brother, if I had been allowed, but I thought if there was a rule there must be a reason and I should be considerate of others. Guess I am a schmuck then since everyone else seems to care not at all.

This grad to my eyes was more appropriate for high school than middle school (grade 8). It was held in a convention centre ball room. The kids were dressed to the 9s. I cringed at some of the revealing outfits those grade 8 girls were wearing. Clearly Bratz is a major role model these days. Six inch spike stilletoes, tons of cleavage and short short dresses do not look appropriate to me for a celebration of an academic milestone. I actually thought a couple goth girls in all black floor length looked better dressed. I almost applauded a girl who wore something vintage which revealed nothing but was a pretty dress which she complemented with long gloves. Unfortunately the kids had a habit of hooting and cheering the girls who wore the most revealing dresses. More cringes ensued.

But the bigger point, and I have one, is aren't we letting the event get more important than the thing we are having the event to celebrate?

They go through the whole giving out diplomas walk, but the things they are handed are blank sheets of paper bound in a ribbon, which they hand back at the end of the walk. The real diplomas were given to the kids the day before. So really its a photo op.

The number of awards was truly staggering. That and he fact they tended to generously award them to two recipients meant a very long ceremony. Every academic department had an award, and then there were 8 non academic awards and 4 athlete of the year awards.

Does the total number of awards not diminish the meaning? My high school had twice as many student and gave out half as many awards.

I know that somewhere a teacher is thinking I am just an old fashioned coot, and that the size and scope of the ceremony is to encourage people to have a sense of accomplishemnt. Maybe they think its some kind of push to make peopel feel better so they will stay in school longer. But I don't think the kids they want to reach won any awards. I'm sure many of them felt ackward in formal wear (at 14 I did too). Did the kids who were marginal really enjoy a 2 hour ceremony?

I can tell you that when my middle child graduates next year, she will not be dressed like a Bratz doll.

My son and his friends skipped the dance afterwards. They didn't want to be wallflowers.

Education is important. But to me its the actual education thats important, not the ceremony at the end. If Grade 8 grad is fancier than my high school grad (and it was by far) then what will high school grad be for my kids(I have an inkling).

Is this how we got to $50,000 weddings?

James

88 replies

by wow > work

I can understand a small (only small) graduation for maybe Nursery School to Kindergarden, or Kinder. to 1st...but that's because at that age, they're still too cute.

But for Middle to High? No need. I can remember being in a ceremony for that, and felt "why aren't I at home playing my SNES?"

Of course, I really wasn't all that interested in my High School graduation ceremony either, so I guess that's just me.

Imagine ceremonies for when people get promoted in a company...

by neon samurai

No middle school so it was grade school until 8 and highschool from 9 too 13 (13 being the now abolished OAC). I arrived from out of town to hear my name and the other grads in alphabetical order being anounced. I stuck my head through an auditorium door, went "yup, that's a grad cerimony" then went back home. I've never been big on cerimony anyhow; just send me the documents in the mail.

It is at all levels here too though. My little one's preschool had there grad last week for kids moving across the hall to the next level up classroom.

by charliespencer

But we had family in from out of town, etc. I've avoided every ceremony I could since, including the one for my Bachelor's degree, but it's mandatory for most major military training classes.

I think they're a bore and a waste for time. Put the diploma / certificate / paper in the mail and let me go my way.

by neon samurai

I had a commander who's favourite saying was "it's a good day for a parade".. every day was a good day for a parade; I have the worn out drill boots to prove it too.

I don't mind cerimony in the military so much though. It reinstills discapline and is usually a bit more interesting than the drill practice leading up too it.

There is definately a "make them feel more special than they are" attitude in the civilian world though. Kids can't do any wrong and if you don't celebrate every mundane thing your just not being a good and supportive parant it seems. Bah.. (but I'm not going keep my child from a cerimony when the rest of her friends are attending either)

by jamesrl

My HS held the grad in the fall following graduation, and I had gone 500 miles away to attend university. So I skipped it

I had been to the previous years ceremonies, cause I played in the band. I could play "Land of Hope and Glory" in my sleep, since we had a big high school.

James

by jdclyde

I went to the high school one, was NOT optional or the parents would have killed me, considering how close I came to NOT graduating. Not because of grades, they were fine, it was because of "excessive absenteeism". They were pissed I was getting A's and B's in my classes without being there. B-)

I didn't do the walk for my AS or my BS.

by charliespencer

"Course they shuld cel-e-brate! Fer summa these kids, 8th grade'll be the only gra-jee-a-shun ceremony they gits."

I recall the first time I heard of kindergarten graduations, with little caps and gown.

I'm afraid the dignity level won't improve as your children advance up the academic ladder. Several high school ceremonies in this area were highlighted by the arrest of family members who were overly demonstrative in their celebration. Hoot and holler too much around here and your new grad can enter the real world by posting Momma's bail.

by jamesrl

We had the big scandal where the limo company booked for the kids, then didn't show. They showed up an hour later with a bus, saying they had problems with the limo. They didn't pick them up afterwards because they said the kids had been drinking in the bus which voided the contract.

The big suspicion is that the truth is they overbooked.

James

by boxfiddler

as though rites of passage have become just another excuse to party. Party dressed to the nines at that.

My parents used to say 'Appearance is everything'. They meant by it that we should 'look the part' if we wanted to 'get the part' - no matter how sharp or skilled we were, if we presented ourselves badly it wouldn't matter.

Couple generations later, the phrase has lost it's underlying meaning. Appearance is [i]everything.[/i] Sharpness and skill aren't worth much in light of appearance.

Probably is how we got to $50k weddings. There's ridiculous.

etu

by jamesrl

I've seen couples who are already swimming in debt go deeper for the wedding.

There is this emphasis that this should be the most important day int he bride's life. Well to me there are ways to make it special without spending a fortune, and if its the most important day, that means the rest of the couple's life together is all downhill from there.

Personally the birth of my kids was more important.

James

by charliespencer

We went from "My child is an honor student at Fishbelch Elementary" to "My child is a good citizen at..." to "My child manages to show up on time (most mornings) at..." We were injuring the feelings of those little dears who couldn't make the honor roll. Instead of expecting them to get off their donkeys and study if they wanted a sticker, we downgraded the stickers. Now apply that to almost every level of excellence and competition. The only time every participant should get recognition is the Special Olympics.

by neon samurai

I saw that one the other day and laughted. I see that same lowering of standards too though. Like I said, now every kid has to be special and celebrated lest they realize that the can do wrong. I deffer too George Carlin:

"Not all children are smart and clever, got that? Kids are like any other group of people: a few winners...a whole lot of losers." - on children

"Look at it this way: Think of how stupid the average person is...and realize, half of them are stupider than that." - on the general public

There are a few other good quotes on the page but they are off topic.

by notsochiguy

I saw on the news recently that they were offering up a chance at a free car to students (elementary school students, no less) in the Chicago Public Schools (Shecowgoe puhblek skoolz to those in the know) to kids that had perfect attendance.

PERFECT ATTENDANCE. Not even PERFECT ATTENDANCE AND HONOR ROLL.

I had perfect attendance, even in the blizzard of '79, just because I couldn't stand the thought of staying home and having to sit through General Hospital (how many times can a guy come back from the dead to impregnate women from a well-to-do family only for them to fall into ditches, lose the babies, and get amnesia).

The girl that 'won' was 12. She got a Dodge Caliber.

They should replace the base of the Statue of Liberty to read: The Kingdom of Low Expectations Welcomes You!!

:(

by jellimonsta

"The Kingdom of Low Expectations Welcomes You!!"
I live up to those expectations too I tell ya! :D

by notsochiguy

...for the Cubs, Sox (yeah, I'm one of the rare that roots for both teams), Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks.

I could write the defining work on what it means to live with low expectations!!!

:)

by jdclyde

I remember back in high school for pool class, if the girl had a two piece, she HAD to wear a tee shirt over it. If it was low cut and showed cleavage, she HAD to wear a tee shirt over it. Amazing what happens when you say having a sense of decency and moral standard, you are just a religious nut. Lets throw standards away and turn all the girls into wh0res in the name of progress and enlightenment?

What annoys me even more is when you see someone dressed all hot about a block away, and you get up and found you were looking at a 12 year old. X-( ewwwwww. I would love to slap some parents. hard. frequently.

As for events and awards, I do see a change to try to include more. It isn't about who is the biggest bookworm/geek anymore, and trying to make it "cool" to do well.

ThingOne had a horrible first semester this year (ninth grade). Biology and Algebra started out pretty hard and took a lot of work on his part. He did work at it though, and while his GPA wasn't good enough to make the honors mention, he DID get an award for the amount he DID bring it up. There was about 40 kids getting that award, and I saw it as a real positive re-enforcement to acknowledge their accomplishment and efforts.

by jamesrl

He had a bad home room teacher who insulted him and yelled at him when he tried to stick up for some of his classmates. He lead the charge to get her fired which did happen. But in the process, he had a rough ride and his confidence got shot. He went from honours to almost failing to somewhere in between. He had to drop out of the school play(he was the star in the previous two years) and other activities. His greatest award was getting a blank slate next year in high school.

James

by neon samurai

I'm terrified for when my daughter hits the age finally because every generation it becomes earlier. Steroids in beef and milk, poor parenting.. blame what you like for it. The hoochy style becomes less classy each year while the ages wearing the hoochy style continue decrease. Funny shirts on your toddler (No body puts baby the corner!) is one thing but "Juicy" across your five year olds but; that's just a creepy kind of nasty.

(Sidenote: my favourite funny baby shirt so far is a Che shirt with the caption "I have no idea who this is".)

by notsochiguy

The thing is, it is almost harder NOT to buy hoochy clothes than it is to find it. My wife and I took our 5 year old daughter out shopping, and for every 1 age appropriate shirt we found, there were at least 10 that I would rate from poor taste (designed to show midriff) to horrifically hoochy (plunging necks, exposed backs, etc, etc).

I would wonder who thinks up this cr@p, but all you have to do is look at CNN for the past few days worth of criminal news (silly pills...my lord, if I could have just 5 minutes in the ring with everyone involved, the world would quickly become a better place and less crowded) to have the answer. There isn't a word strong enough in the English language to convey the level of disgust.

Then you get j@ck@sses supporting R. Kelly (the sooner he dirt surfs, the better) and that ilk, and well, what do you expect but to have social decency take a swirly ride on the good ship Tidy Bowl.

Al Pacino wasn't kidding when he said (as the devil) 'the 20th century was all me'. So far, I'd say he's off to a fast start in the new millennium, too.

by charliespencer

Ladies, one piece of advice: If your pants or shorts have anything printed on the butt, the message your sending is, "I'm a tramp." I don't care if it's the Lord's Prayer back there, you're trying to get people (men) to watch your @ss gyrate. As Johnny Cochran might have said,

"If there's print on your butt,
You must be a slut!"

Opposing arguments encouraged but will be subject to additional mocking.

by jamesrl

Not on my kids, but sometimes when they have a birthday party at my house, I wince. Then I usually retreat into my shell and play on the computer while they make entirely too much noise.

James

by jamesrl

Of his classmates, the school VP etc. But the act of it, writing a formal letter to complain, talking to evaluators from the board of ed, all took its toll.

Funny that teacher wasn't even mentioned in passing at garduation though she'd been there for one whole term and a bit.

James

by neon samurai

He'd been caught more than once putting a kid against a wall by the neck, demonstraited a heck of a temper and got really mad when some of the highschool students stole the pot out of his home gaurden (a clue shirlock). Last I heard, they'd gotten him out of the classroom finally, .. wait .. wait for it .. and into a principals possition the next town over. The majority of my highschool teachers had simply been there too long and where now just trying to survive until offered retirnment. Ah, excelence in education..

by notsochiguy

...that was just a real piece of work. Complaint after complaint after complaint, but nothing was ever done.

One day, the school principal came into the room (it was a shop class), and she asked where the teacher was. We informed her that he was in his back room.

Well, she opened the door without knocking, and he was in there 'taking care of business' to one of his myriad of 18 and older magazines.

Even then, it took about 3 months for him to officially be removed, and only because one of the female students was 'strongly urged' to testify at the hearing about how it upset and offended her.

Teacher's unions + Chicago Public Schools = teaching students the way of red tape and graft for over 100 years!!

by neon samurai

That's what it takes. Find two people wanting to marry. Find a justice or other authority with the ability to legitimise the marriage claim (A fishing boat captain five miles off shore for all I care). Find two people who will sign saying they saw it happen.

Everything after that is icing, gravy, extra. Much pomp and cerimony for a purely legal contract.

Mind you, when our western version of marriage was first premoted by the church due to unwedd mothers across europe, the cerimony was a way of insuring the couple where bound together by law and community responsability. The cerimony has become less of a binding mechanism these days though.

I should be thankful, some cultures have seven day weddings and such. That'd be great as a guest but I can't imagine what it takes to organise that.

by oz_media

Not at all, you simply do what you feel is right. because other people always try to get more than what they are supopsed to, it doesn't make you a schmuck at all.

Grade 8 even seems like a stupid grad to me. In Vancouver, when I went to school MOST high schools schools were grade 8-12. the number of students has since seen many of them them break it into 8-10 and then 11,12.

I don't think a 14 year old kid has graduated from anything that deserves more than ice cream.

slutty looking teens, tell me about it!Classless.

Too many diplomas, I know it's like a 6 years olds soccer banquet where everyone gets something so as not to be left out or to make someone else's accomplishments supercede their own. In school that is the entire goal, to be the best at what you do.

$50,000 weddings? They get to be a lot more than that these days!

Worthy rant, James.

by jamesrl

I will accept fancy stitching on the pockets, but no words....

I feel the same way about tatoos in the small of the back that point down.

My poor son, Grandma (my mom) bought him a nice poloshirt at the mall, on sale. It has the words "Outlaws" and a few comic skulls on it.

I can't let him wear it in public, since the Outlaws are a notorious biker gang at war in Canada with the Hells Angels.

James

by neon samurai

I believe the technical term is "fkme tag". I'm sure it's lovely ink work but, you put a big old bullseye out there.

Huhuhuhuh.. more shudders..

by notsochiguy

...of Saigman's Man's Guide to 'Easy' Bar Room Conquests.

The first on the dance floor
is always a wh0re

The last at the bar
will get you real far

The crispy-curlier the hair
The easier it is to get down there

A mid-back tattoo
Means a sure thing to you

Long island iced tea
means fun time for thee

If she likes to toke
She likes to poke

And, for the sake of fairness, here is the rules for a woman to pick up a guy at a bar...

If he breathes, he'll do it

:)

by jdclyde

all they need to know in the bars is men have two states, hungry and horny. If we aren't ordering a sandwich.... ;\

by Tammy.Cavadias

Reminds me of Jeff Foxworthy where he states - "Wooooo Peggy is dancing all by herself - you know that shirt is coming off tonight"

-Tammy :-)

by jdclyde

first of all, is your butt being "juicy" REALLY a good thing? :0 Take some pepto!

Second of all, ANYONE that puts a sign on their CHILDS butt should be arrested for child abuse and child endangerment.

When we ALLOW the sexualization of children, do we have any right to complain when someone acts on it? (consensually, of course)

Or is that the purpose? The removing of standards does seem to lead that way.

by neon samurai

This discussion has gone between my wife and I a few times and it comes down to; ah.. but it's cute. It's like dressing your toddler in a suite or ballgown.

We're sticking to funny but aproapriate dress though.

by jdclyde

what is cute about getting people to start at her little girls ass?

Remind her that guys are pigs. The words get our attention down there, but that isn't what we end up looking at.

Does not belong on a little girl. Nothing "cute" about wh0re-ware on a child.

by notsochiguy

...that this entire idea started with some sickos who were trying to cover up their own perverseness.

"But we were just reading what it says".

Just like we read the magazines in the barber shop for the articles.

Whatever. Time to cull the human (loose use of word including these b@st@rds) herd to a healthy level, if you ask me. We give more consideration to prairie dogs and white-tailed deer than we do our own species.

by jdclyde

all the acolytes of evolution have been blaspheming their own god by fighting the evolutionary process on people.

by maecuff

The funniest one I've seen is 'Spoiled' on the ass. I just don't think you should adverstise that your ass is spoiled..

JD - There's a little tip for you, free of charge. :)

by nicknielsen

You let your daughter go to school with Newfies? :0

Now [u]that's[/u] diversity! :^0

I agree with you on the rest of it. When I was in school, we had a Kindergarten "graduation" to the tune of Teddy Bear's Picnic, an 8th-grade graduation, and of course the senior graduation to "Pomp and Circumstance." The 8th-grade graduation also doubled as the district awards ceremony; no bumper stickers, no honor roll for elementary or jr high, just perfect attendance certificates and scholarship announcements.

by jamesrl

We have a cluster of them in my suburb.

The house beside us has had three owners since we arrived 14 years ago, and 2 of them have been families from Newfoundland.

They do have a unique accent that might seem more appropriate for England than North America.

There is a Newfoundland pub and a few places to get groceries that are favorites in Newfoundland. My big grocery store even stocks a few of those items, mind you they carry much more stock for people from south east asia.

Pot lucks at parent/school events were always fun. Now that my youngest is leaving the primary school, I will miss them. Many of the parents from south east asia would be very worried about whether we would like their food, and I would skip all the bland "western" food to go straight for their stuff.

Newfoundland food on the other hand - never had seal flipper pie, not anxious to try it. I have had Skreetch and its pretty rough stuff(think of the nastiest run you ever tasted mixed with cheap grain alcohol).

James

by nicknielsen

For about six months. He mixed up some Skreetch one weekend. We Yanks figured it's called Skreetch because that's what you do when you drink it.

by neon samurai

I have a friend who's already volunteered to be on the porch cleaning his shotgun when boys come calling. It should make a nice scene with me on the porch cleaning a meter and a half razerblade; "Oh hey son, she'll be a bit getting ready still. You want to have a look at some of the cutting targets in the back? You don't want to ask him about targets; he's twitchy" - "You'll have her home by nine? I apreciate that son.."

(yeah, like it would actually go down like that but a father can dream for a little longer at least.)

by notsochiguy

Raise them as best as we can, and hope for the best.

Well, that, and keep DVD Sci-Fi & horror movies on hand that have gory details of babies bursting from bellies or being spawns of satan.

V--Check
Rosemary's Baby--Check
Dawn of the Dead--Check

Like Batman said, fear is a powerful weapon! :)

by neon samurai

Do what you can to develop self esteem in your child, teach them good morals and hope all you can. I hear it's the lack of self esteem in highschool girls that provides the drive to "fit in" just like all there friends.

That, and letting my wife deal with objectionable boys. There's nothing more attractive than the boy daddy hates.

hm.. what have i got in the movie library already.. I bet her new boy wouldn't be back a second time after the delivery video. ;)

(ah, that's just crewel and we didn't record that even no video anyhow.)

by Tammy.Cavadias

.. 8th grade graduation that is (for my son not for me :p )

This cermeony I actually do enjoy, as I see it as a celebration of crossing from boy into young adulthood. What I don't enjoy, which is something you also mentioned - is sitting through 15 million awards - more so when I had already sat through some of these same award ceremonies at a previous engagement specifically for that type of award given.

This graduation ceremony actually lasted longer than my own - 3 hours with everyone stuffed into a gym with NO AC. My own HS ceremony was 2 hours top with 3 times the amount of kids at my son's 8th grade graduation.

As for how the girls are dressed - this is something I just will never understand - how a parent can allow their child to go out in public dressed like a 25 yr old on the make, when they are ONLY 13 or 15 yrs old. I have one daugher, the rest are boys, but you can bet your bottom dollar we not only got into tons of arguements on what she was allowed to wear, but I also told her over and over - don't dress for the type of attention you don't wish to receive or for the kind of girl you will be viewed as for wearing it. Right or wrong, that is my opinion. My teen age boys are no different - I don't allow them baggy jeans that show their boxer shorts. There is nothing attractive about a man who has to keep pulling up his pants every five minutes because he wants to show off his pretty little polka dotted heart shaped boxers. Call me old fashion or a prude, but that is my opinion as well. :-)

-Tammy :-)

PS: James you forgot the "rant of the week" tag :-)

by Tammy.Cavadias

my last to go to HS (where's that crying emoticon when I need it? )

Three are out of HS now , one is a junior and the baby will be a freshmen this year.

-Tammy :-)

by jdclyde

being blond and all, who knows, it COULD have been your.... :p ;\ :x

And what you were trying to tell your little girl is a very old saying, "Dress for success". What success is she dressing for, is the follow up question.

by Tammy.Cavadias

>>What success is she dressing for, is the follow up question.

...its to be the best she can be no matter what path she takes. Currently she is an assistant manager with Pizza hut.

-Tammy :-)

by nicknielsen

There's a pair out there that with "Game" on the front and "C0cks" on the back. :0

I'm always tempted to ask... ]:)

by Tammy.Cavadias

and I was like... didn't take biology did you? You got the words in the wrong spots - swap them around ;-)

I would love to know who's brillanet idea it was to come up with them!

-Tammy :-)

by jamesrl

My wife and kids go to a nearby church, and my wife does ASL interpretation for a few deaf parishoners. I don't sign at all.

My daughter and the daughter of one couple get along famously, and its common that after church one of them visits the other.

One of the deaf parents brought my daughter home, and my wife wasn't well and was sleeping. The deaf woman had a pair of very short shorts.

I was a little confused as I knew I'd never bought such a thing for my child. The woman, who has some hearing and can vocalize to a limited extent, was trying to give them to me for my duaghter, who is smaller than hers, and trying to tell me that they would be suitable for bedtime only. It took me a while to figure this out, and I had to ask the kids what she meant. I didn't want to insult anyone, but I don't think they were suitable even for bedtime. And I somehow think the look on my face revealed that...

I don't even like the "princess" type T shirts.

My ten year old is very petite and could pass for a 6 year old in size. She favours "Hello Kitty" and Funky Monkey type stuff and that just fine with me.

James

by jdclyde

just gets them immune to what they really are, and the shortshorts for bed are the gateway drug to sluthood... :p

I do NOT envy you parents of girls for what they are getting put through. sure, it is GREAT for my boys, but that is another issue.... ;\

by neon samurai

She just pointed out how we got here collectively. It was cute to dress your "little man" in a suite or your "little woman" in a gown. And, It is rather is cute to see a 1/3 scale three piece suite admittedly.

That same mindset then get's extended too "it's cute to dress your little one as a 1/3 scale model of an adult". Some idiot parent thinks it's then cute to dress a 1/3 scale model of an adult going clubbing; Whammoo.. there it is..

(and now the rant really starts in..)

But then, it's not just parents because, as you or another pointed out, 1 of 5 tops on the store rack are age apropriate. Who's our hero debutant.. Our fashion trend setting, girls want to be her, guys want to be in...er, you get the idea.

why, miss Hilton.. your looking expensive today.. Oh hello any other popular culture celebrity; your rich, pretty and all the boys want some..

I pick on Paris primarily because she or the image she markets is the appitomy of what I don't want for my daughter. "Famous" in the complete abscense of any tallent beyond marketing.

She's Famous because she goes to fancy parties and can buy luxury items like ticktacks. Slipping a few videos to the internet didn't hurt either; real classy role model right there.

Remember when "famous" meant "talented"? It's a shock when a celebrity moves from acting to singing or dance; um.. the celebrities in hollywood all used to be tripple threats. It was called talent and it was required to compete in that market. Now, it's how pretty you are or how much gaudy gold and gun jestures you can make. I don't mean stacking (which is interesting on it's own) but just; "Love me because I'm new money rich. Buy my album and make me richer."

Bah.. celebrity worship and the fashion trends it sets drive me nutts some days.

by dumphrey

of the downwardly spiraling standard for public education. Refuse to fail students, downwardly adjusted bell curves, hugs and kisses and magic flower fairies, and Life Will Be Okay. And while I appreciate that no child wants to be called stupid, or slow, or what have you... the truth is, some are. And the more we "compensate" for the lower bracket, the less developed all will be, and then the bracket will slip a notch further down.. until the smartest man alive is only vaguly more intelligent then potato (no comments plz ladies :)). Vicious circle. If I was a paranoid, conspiracy nut, I would point out that this is all a trick by our ruling classes to keep the populous ignorant, while their own kids get a "proper" education in private facilities (and those that fail are simply killed off in a Spartan-esq manner). An ignorant populous will believe what they are told, not question what they are told, and if they do question, will buy even the most flimsy excuse. An ignorant populous will ont hold the governing powers accountable for their actions and choices. Can ya see how those in power might want that?
But in reality its just a natural Generational reaction, much like the Flower Revolution, Punk Rock, and tattoos and Piercings.

by jamesrl

My girls are pretty sharp on whats appropriate and whats not. My daughter did have the discretion to wait till they left to say anything.

Plus they have an overprotective older brother.....

James

by ganyssa

I thought I was an only child. If I liked show tunes I'd think you were me. I had to go to a 'behavioral review' to graduate from high school, and I had a 3.87 average, and a full-ride scholarship to Michigan State. I phoned in my last semester of senior year.

by Member 25348569

James's Rant sparked my interest about school graduation ceremonies. This was, until recently, totally unheard of in the UK except in movies and when we see films of US students throwing their mortar boards in the air and go "Uhn? What?"

A bit of accidental Googling told me that the UK government suggested that we in the UK might adopt the US concept of a high school diploma and then have graduation ceremonies to try and lower the school drop-out rate. England has one of the highest drop-out rates in the industrialised world. As far as I can see, the idea died. I'm glad.

When I was eleven, I left one school (I gave Miss Bleasedale a hug), had my Summer Holidays and started at the "Big School". Six and a half years after that, I stood up in the middle of a class and announced "I'm fed up with this" and left that school to go travelling for six months before going to Uni. No diploma, no ceremony, no crap and I did say "goodbye" to those who merited it. I bought a beer for my Physics teacher.

Did I miss out on something "wonderful"?

Neil :D

by jamesrl

That Pomp and Circumstance/Land of Hope and Glory is the universal theme song for these things. They even played it at the Grade 5 grad my youngest had. I wonder if those in the US who can all hum the tune know the words?

I had one history teacher who was also involved in politics in the same party as me. At school, he cut me no slack and even singled me out and made me the butt of jokes. At political events he bought me beer even though I was one year too young.

I repaid him with a few beers when came back to the home town, for about 5 years afterwards.

To me the reward of the whole thing should be the accoplishment of the task, not the ceremony afterwards.

James

by jellimonsta

I pretty much stopped going to the majority of my classes when I was 14-15. My school was at the time one of the 20 worst schools in the UK, and I do not really remember learning anything useful after the age of 13.
I remember only going to 2 of my 8 final exams (tests).
I got an ungraded on my Music exam as all I wrote as "Mr. Harris is a wanker!". :p

by dumphrey

how a sense of decoration and a few arts and crafts should get you labeled as a slut....
besides, we all know what that word really means:
1) Coming from a guy: She wont sleep with me.
2) From another girl: She has the man I want.

But I do agree that lower back tattoos say slut if and only if they have their OWN name tattooed there: So the guy can remember it?

by dumphrey

I don't have kids yet but I seriously doubt SWMBO would let me retreat under those conditions... If I did, I would have to go out of my way to apologize for forcing her to face that alone.
And if thats the worst I can say, I'm really not concerned at all :)

by jamesrl

When the kids were young and parents came to the parties, I was right in there. As the kids got older, and the activities became more focused, I was needed less. And frankly my girls don't mind, perhaps they don't want to be embarassed by their old dad.

Now my son's events are different. One of his friends and I have met on the cyber battlefield, and I kicked his butt all over the place. I give him the chance to beat me in Halo III(which isn't hard) in return.

Worst birthday, when son was young, McDonalds playland, and I had an emergency double wisdom tooth extraction before the party. I went to McDs and the anaestetic wore off .....the noise, the pain....

James

by nicknielsen

She's breathing air I'm going to need later in life.

Paris Hilton is famous by an accident of birth. The only reason she's got money, the only reason anybody was even interested in her video and the only reason people pay attention to her is because her great-grandfather was Conrad Hilton.

by jdclyde

it just MIGHT be directions? :0

I WAS honestly surprised when I was talking with one of the [b]middle school[/b] teachers to find out that girls are opting for "that" to avoid getting knocked up.... :0

by Tammy.Cavadias

.. but I do believe it's partly social and partly upbringing.

That's not to say though, just because you do your best to raise your children right and to wear appropriate clothing, that they won't go and do the opposite either because they wish to rebel or are seeking acceptance by their peers - peer pressure especially for young teens trying to fit in, is hard to deny.

On the other hand I've also seen the worst of parents have the best of children - children who don't want to be like their parents.

I do the best I can with mine and do a lot of praying.

-Tammy :-)

by jdclyde

have you ever looked at anything your parents wore and said "wow, that is cool!"?

I know I didn't. :D

product of their environment?

by Tammy.Cavadias

We have one of the highest rates of teenage pregnanacies - I don't think directions are needed... except maybe on how to use birth control :-)

-Tammy :-)

by jdclyde

"insert here".

THAT will lower your pregnancy rate! :0

As I said, it seems THAT is the NEW form of birth control....

by neon samurai

From the stories I've heard with a single shotglass being around four drinks worth of kick, the name would fit. I'm guessing the backwoods shine of legend does about the same.

To quote a commendian who's name I can't remember:

"For years I thought it was called 'ffft, ere'"

by jamesrl

The story of Screech...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_Screech

The triangle trade they speak of in the article is where ships from England would bring trade goods to Newfoundland, pick up salt cod, go down to Jamaica to sell the cod and buy rum and mollasses, go back to Newfoundland and sell some of their rum and mollasses and go back to England with the rest.

It was very profitable.

James
James

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