tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post3419377257288248084..comments2023-09-20T10:00:55.979-04:00Comments on Where are we going & why are we in this handbasket: Bloggate 2012Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-14186393258603028072013-07-05T06:29:01.044-04:002013-07-05T06:29:01.044-04:00You have some really good ideas in this article &q...You have some really good ideas in this article "Where are we going & why are we in this handbasket ". I am glad I read this. I agree with much of what you state in this article. Your information is thought-provoking, interesting and well-written. Thank you.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.termpapersessay.com/" rel="nofollow">Term Papers Essay Services</a><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15737633891678039935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-50343827963253033212013-04-01T13:58:07.577-04:002013-04-01T13:58:07.577-04:00That's a fantastic article and an accurate way...That's a fantastic article and an accurate way to describe the current climate in schools. I was particularly interested to see the author reference Dweck because in my last year of staff development, the administration was trying to push Dweck's research supporting resiliency and the reinforcement of hard work and being comfortable with making mistakes along the way. Unfortunately, as with most administrative rhetoric, that was an idealized concept that wasn't upheld when put into practice. Teachers were told to stress to students that they should expect to make mistakes along the way to mastery and it'll only hit the grade a bit, but when students aren't happy with their grades in the end (since the summative pieces end up counting so much more), the teachers get hauled in and disciplined, upbraided, threatened, and/or punished for following the system. And then everyone is back at "start" with the kids crying to get a higher grade which teachers would rather give than get called in to the principal's office... If only we could break this cycle!<br /><br />Thanks for sharing!<br /><br />Natalie Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15524054883379964808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-22215893064089302452013-03-29T19:19:02.666-04:002013-03-29T19:19:02.666-04:00This article does nothing but constantly describe ...This article does nothing but constantly describe the children and parents from Doylestown.<br /><br />http://growingleaders.com/blog/3-mistakes-we-make-leading-kids/1Lettermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15178230633327423637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-85251788943091329912012-07-24T01:45:38.820-04:002012-07-24T01:45:38.820-04:00I understand that the behavior and attitudes of to...I understand that the behavior and attitudes of today's youth are, in too many cases, horrible. But the answer can't be for a person who is supposed to teach them, one who is supposed to be trusted by them, to publicly post derogatory comments about them. What example does this set? Also, how does this display your trustworthiness and professionalism? Out of necessity, teachers, much like medical personnel, are held to certain professional standards. You absolutely have a right to speak your mind, even in very public ways. That is your choice. With freedom comes responsibility. You own the results of your actions, which in this case is the loss of employment as a teacher.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-2969388859947855022012-07-03T04:41:45.719-04:002012-07-03T04:41:45.719-04:00Bullying, eh? You think this woman bullied someon...Bullying, eh? You think this woman bullied someone?<br /><br />Behold your precious little angels. Look around. Have some fun. Listen in. Then tell me an anonymous blog with a handful of followers is bullying.<br /><br />therulesofstupid.blogspot.com<br /><br />If you're teaching your kids not to bully, you're doing a GREAT job.1Lettermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15178230633327423637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-89213230689829055662012-07-03T04:37:03.843-04:002012-07-03T04:37:03.843-04:00It's also about the absolute trash that admini...It's also about the absolute trash that administrates the Central Bucks School District.<br /><br />I've been lied to by a principal (thanks, Mr. Lucabaugh), an administrator (thanks, Ms. Counihan), a school board member, and we won't even go into the students and the parents.<br /><br />The CBSD's policies CLEARLY state that harassment in ANY form is strictly forbidden. Forget my case. I have a WHEELBARROW full of Ms. Munroe being called every name in the book by CBSD students. Openly. Aggressively. And she is a CBSD employee.<br /><br />What has the CBSD done about THAT, pray tell me? Same thing as every other issue. They scurry like cockroaches to avoid holding the most vile children on earth accountable.1Lettermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15178230633327423637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-67894189149774973802012-06-30T15:43:56.387-04:002012-06-30T15:43:56.387-04:00I sympathize with your frustration and anguish and...I sympathize with your frustration and anguish and I think we should all form private schools to teach only kids who want to learn and behave. Sort of like pioneer days. That is the only way a kid is going to receive a decent education these days.carolinagirl79https://www.blogger.com/profile/06284212448110505029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-54949320197248541812012-06-28T19:20:41.665-04:002012-06-28T19:20:41.665-04:00It came up on Yahoo news yesterday. I think what y...It came up on Yahoo news yesterday. I think what you did wasn't wrong. But there were other ways to express your feelings other than writing about themAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09531107672352385950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-60557750348962115892012-06-28T18:10:47.393-04:002012-06-28T18:10:47.393-04:00I think you should be able to express your own opi...I think you should be able to express your own opinion on your personal blog. It is utterly ridiculous for you to have received such consequences. As others have said, many people are behind you and I think the negative reaction you have received has been blown out of all proportion by the gossipy news media.Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14667533845958762064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-4513487645858408362012-06-28T16:30:29.373-04:002012-06-28T16:30:29.373-04:00I'm a teacher and am so sorry for what you are...I'm a teacher and am so sorry for what you are going through. It's really a terrible situation and I can totally understand everything you wrote about and what lead you to write/speak that way. It is the truth and we are all human. I hope you win your lawsuit and that people will stop trying to be so "politically correct" when speaking about education and speak the real truth! Good luck!Amy Mazehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10051190318438580049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-39494186155301476742012-06-28T14:06:34.919-04:002012-06-28T14:06:34.919-04:00Thank you! You are an amazing person. I wish you c...Thank you! You are an amazing person. I wish you could do a high school tour to talk to these children. I've been out of high school for 5 years and I still consider it the worst span of my existence. I'm lucky modern education is just the same information on repeat for 12 years or I would've never made it. I sat through 4 years of listening to discipline lectures and other forms of chastises directed at my "peers". They are indeed lazy, inattentive, and unmotivated. I am not looking forward to the future my generation makes. It will probably be reminscent of the movie Idiocracy.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18197132971676206671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-42917535156046198022012-06-28T12:51:20.769-04:002012-06-28T12:51:20.769-04:00Natalie, I'm a teacher, too, and all you did w...Natalie, I'm a teacher, too, and all you did was express yourself. Why can a comedian, an NBA player, even reality "stars" say what they want about whom they want, yet a teacher can't? We ALL have opinions. The FACT remains: the U.S. is lagging behind not only in education, but also in other areas. AA says it best, "The first step is admitting the problem!"shaggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11594766955060354416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-53387366484873363082012-06-28T12:02:05.465-04:002012-06-28T12:02:05.465-04:00Natalie, I just saw the news release. I am so so s...Natalie, I just saw the news release. I am so so so sorry that it has come to this. Just remember that you have done nothing wrong (as far as I can tell), and this most recent action is just another symptom of the broken public education system in America. We're still behind you, girl.<br /><br />~Crystal GehrtPancake Ninjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03664617813684725944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-38758451133247921662012-06-28T11:11:45.392-04:002012-06-28T11:11:45.392-04:00As adults do we not teach our kids that bullying i...As adults do we not teach our kids that bullying is wrong, that harrassing texts and cyber bullying is still bullying? And if that child comes back at you and says freedom of speech then how can you punish that child for expressing his rights as a citizen of the United States? What about the child that gets the names thrown at them, are they not entitled to express themselves and seek help from those that are supposed to protect them, from the very teachers that say bullying is bad? Yes there are those kids that do not have the dicipline or structure in their lives due to whatever reason that has fallen upon them, but that does not mean that you have to give up on them and push them away because they unwilling to try. You made a mistake in becoming the one person that we teach our kids not to be. You may want to express yourself to relieve the tenson to feel free, but why not write it in a journal for just yourself, why tell the whole world of your problems? And now you want to sue because you don't think you did anything wrong, is that not the behavior of a bully? Pointing fingers at everyone else instead of themselves so they don't get into trouble, so that everyone around them will see what an innosent person you are trying to look like? You are the adult who is supposed to set the example for them, you are not supposed to join in on their behavior, you might as well sit down in a desk in front of the class so that you may learn how to be a teacher. I understand that teachers now a days have the hardest role in this country. They have to find a way to teach the children of tomorrow so that they may go into life with an education to become sucessfull leaders. And every teacher knows there is going to be a few that are going to fall through the cracks due to the fact that books will not change the way of life they choose to live. And i also know the sacrafices you have to make in getting supplies and materials for every year you teach, and for that i am greatful, but that still does not excuse your behavior. How is it that you think that you were set up to fail, when it was you that wrote the words to the world to show how frustrated you are with your job, instead of keeping it to yourself. But instead you made that decision and with that decision i beleive you should suffer the consequences of your actions. You made the school look bad, you made yourself look bad, and you made the students think that they are not worth teaching because of your remarks. I do wish your husband the best in his efforts to fight for the rights of the teachers cause yes they are not givin enough attention to the fact that there needs to be a pay raise for all teachers for the efforts they give to the students of the future, and with that I wish him good luck. But as for you, I think that your actions as a bully has set an example for those in your school that name calling isn't put up with and will not be tolerated and thats how it should be.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15517531651957947927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-4093599430843797222012-06-28T11:06:51.020-04:002012-06-28T11:06:51.020-04:00Kids now a days have no respect for anyone. I prai...Kids now a days have no respect for anyone. I praise you 100%. Freedom of speech. You didn't use names. I am totally on your side!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-53784479676592360472012-06-28T10:30:03.487-04:002012-06-28T10:30:03.487-04:00There currently exists a terrible climate of disre...There currently exists a terrible climate of disrespect and hostility toward teachers in our society. It is damaging to all involved in education. I send you my support.Teach-ableshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07216647443889401843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-81853914385688035182012-06-28T10:24:04.836-04:002012-06-28T10:24:04.836-04:00Natalie, I am so sorry to hear about what happened...Natalie, I am so sorry to hear about what happened to you, and I am glad that your plight is getting the national attention it deserves. I work as a Special Education Instructional Assistant at a high school in California. I attend regular high school classes with high functioning special education students, and I have heard many different long-time teachers tell me how much they have had to water down the curriculum in the past few years. So many students simply refuse to do long assignments ... like read books and write 5 - 10 page term papers ... that teachers have had to eliminate most of the major projects they used to assign each year. Otherwise, some teachers would have to fail a quarter of their students!<br /><br />I wrote a short Kindle book called "Dangerous Lies We Tell to Children and Ourselves" (under by author name Deborah Dian) and a large section of the book has to do with the lies we tell children and ourselves about education. At the high school where I work, we are so wrapped up in how many kids go to college, that we rarely encourage low performing kids to simply get jobs. We also have eliminated vocational education in many parts of the country, which does serious damage to kids who flounder in traditional high schools. There is so much more I could have said about these things in my book, but didn't want to risk the same kind of problems with my school that you had with yours. It is a shame that we do not feel we can speak up to seek improvements to our educational system without feeling that we could lose our jobs!Deborah-Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12743246284375884419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-54637345375747209972012-06-28T08:26:59.274-04:002012-06-28T08:26:59.274-04:00I have SO much respect for you as a teacher and a ...I have SO much respect for you as a teacher and a human being for being able to stand by the statements that have caused such turmoil for your in your career.<br /><br />I am eighteen years old, a recent graduate from a small-town high school in North Carolina, and am more than familiar with how irritating students of this generation can be. Also, I agree with Savanna's comment, I, too, am tired of the educational system catering to those who are not willing to try and give it their all in school. <br /><br />I, personally, see nothing wrong with the way you voiced your opinions. I am more appalled to see the way the the school board and the press has responded.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-83277370419265442682012-06-28T07:56:22.873-04:002012-06-28T07:56:22.873-04:00Natalie -
I must live under a rock. I just heard...Natalie - <br /><br />I must live under a rock. I just heard about your story this morning on the Today show. You should feel proud of being honest and using your blog as a way to express your feelings. I hope that Freedom of Speech & Press protects you.<br /><br />All the best to you,<br />EmilyEmily Stephenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14815040516996089260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-77663491245042516972012-06-28T07:55:04.177-04:002012-06-28T07:55:04.177-04:00you go girl! Your story is mirrored in just about...you go girl! Your story is mirrored in just about every public school in the nation!!! <br /><br />School districts just want to sweep the problems under the rug and then present their propaganda that "things are good" to the public. As long as things LOOK good teachers get to keep their jobs but when things get messy because someone is trying to address REAL issues and FIX them, the school officials target the squeeky wheel and get rid of them and the cover their butts by citing the teacher as being "below standard".<br /><br />Hang in there and get the word out. I wish I had your courage and energy.<br />- a former teacherJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03568893901086143808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-64774424550962027102012-06-28T07:46:53.980-04:002012-06-28T07:46:53.980-04:00Amen! Good teachers have helped me succeed, despit...Amen! Good teachers have helped me succeed, despite any obstacles I've had.<br />-recent college gradJennellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15511728303339697557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-4160883338088948212012-06-27T23:33:18.307-04:002012-06-27T23:33:18.307-04:00Here is what really gets to me....Direct quote fro...Here is what really gets to me....Direct quote from Yahoo, Conor Skelding author. <br />"While something may be legally right, it may not be ethically or morally right," Lucabaugh wrote. "There are consequences that occur when a person chooses to exercise her rights and say outrageous, disrespectful, vulgar and cruel things about other people ... especially when it's a teacher saying terrible things about the young men and women who are in her classroom."<br /><br />SO...we have free speech, but we cannot use it? If the constitution protects my right to something, then you cannot punish me for it. Do we need to break down the word protect for Lucabaugh so he can understand it?Bridgethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17975285881262785145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-88280349665573275792012-06-27T23:10:33.302-04:002012-06-27T23:10:33.302-04:00its so hard being a teacher in general, there is t...its so hard being a teacher in general, there is this public assumption that portrays us as people who are suppose to live like saints and when we don't we are persecuted for it :/<br />-DCDChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16647476338507181282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-51732938419512348622012-06-27T20:09:59.836-04:002012-06-27T20:09:59.836-04:00Natalie, I was "let go" over two years a...Natalie, I was "let go" over two years ago for not agreeing with my principal. She used her power, manipulation, lies, politics, and bullying tactics to get rid of me. All I did was disagree with an observation she wrote about me, and I disagreed respectfully. It didn't matter. I can relate to what you have been writing, and some day I would love to tell you my full story. Stay strong!Andi LynnKnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17776951357579272599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6949233423397682208.post-35555495053099942082012-06-27T19:53:36.610-04:002012-06-27T19:53:36.610-04:00Fight them Natalie!!! Your free speech is way too ...Fight them Natalie!!! Your free speech is way too important not to fight for!Prophet of Doomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06006432516707648557noreply@blogger.com