Unbelievable! What can they still do on the playground? SIT and burn off their energy?
I enjoy reading your blog.
Yikes, sounds like Nazi Germany! Can they have 2 colours? What if someone who does not speak good English is exceptional in math or science.
And these students actually all do wear these tags??? It's the same as the testing. Everyone hates it but who will stand up and say "SORRY, won't put up with this!" I am amazed that the teachers have not taught them to strike yet? I'm all for discipline, obedience to authority etc. but this is CRAZY. Are you sure this is not someone's psychology studies experiment?
And it's not even April 1???
Lets see...they can't talk at lunch, they can't talk in class, they barely allow PE (at my local schools it's down to 2 days per week), and now they can not play at recess. So when does this "socialization" come in?
For the tags? It's serves as a sense of security? How is that, unless it is comparable to tags worn by military....and we all know what those are for. YIKES!!
Tags. Gee, let's make it even easier to discriminate and single out students for teasing.
>> black for seniors, white for magnet kids and a particularly loud shade of yellow for students of limited English proficiency. >>>
Huh? All the (obvious) problems aside with this idea, I thought the public schools were pro-tolerance of all things...
*snicker* Guess they can't make up their minds what kind of values to impart. Or, is this an admission the "tolerance era" was a big flop?
sheeesh, and perhaps yellow stars for students who claim to be Christians? unbelievable... yet we shouldn't be surprised. The lower the PS sinks the crazier they get.
"Under the new rules, a student who leaves a badge at home faces a series of consequences ranging from a verbal warning to an in-school suspension. A student who intentionally defies the rule is considered insubordinate and faces much stricter penalties: detention for the first infraction, suspension for the second."
Students aren't the ones who can or should have to stand up and say no. That has to come from the parents. The children aren't stupid-- consequences for not wearing them would first come from the school, and then again from the parents for being suspended from school. I honestly believe that public schools promote an attitude of feeling helpless in the face of authority. And I feel like that attitude is the reason so many parents won't stand up and just say NO to the schools.
I found it appalling that this "zero tolerance" attitude is for the ID tags and not the hazing. If hazing resulted in automatic expulsion, then I wonder if it would still go on. Of course, in my experience parents WILL stand up and defend their children for having a bit of "good clean fun."
Nice job with the tag is out/tag is in connection!
The playground tag ban is just silly. Kids play and get hurt, and that's part of life. I can see them wanting to try to deal with bullying, but what they're admitting is that the ratio of students to adults is so large that they can't tell the difference between play and bullying. So rather than deal with the problem of ratios, they ban any behavior that, from a distance, could possibly under certain circumstances look like it might maybe be bullying.
As for the mandatory wearing of labels, all this does is prove that public schools are OBSESSED with sorting students. That's what single age-based grades are for, that's what report card grades are for, that's what tracking is for. And now these colored labels just shout for the world to see that public schools are proud that they put school-determined labels upon children, whether those children want them or not.
These kids will have their individuality stomped out of them by as many means as possible. Any hope of self-determination will be lost.
Our local school district has done away with all but one recess included in the 40 minutes allotted for lunch in order to focus more time on math and literacy (or more realistically, teaching to math and reading tests).
That's pretty common near me, too, Shauna. Here's the punchline: last year's MCAS test scores were recently released, and at the elementary level across the state, scores were stagnant or went down.
So reduced recess, shortened lunch periods, extra homework, focus on testing, etc., haven't helped the young children improve their test scores.
It will be very interesting to see what school districts do next. My guess is that they'll make things even harder on the kids.
Sheesh, this would be two reasons in one day to add to my list of why not bother with public schools.
They're intent upon putting school nurses out of jobs, that much is evident.
What is with parents, that school boards would think they'd sue the school if their child falls down in the process of tag? Don't these whiny 30-somethings (I refuse to call them "adults" for they clearly are not) remember that things like scraped knees happen from time to time?
Gina is correct. By getting them used to wearing these tags, they will be more willing to accept other "tags" such as tracking devices put into their driving licenses, work badges, car license plates, etc.. Not to mention preparing them to accept the mark the Bible talks about in Revelation.
This tag system is doing exactly what it is supposed to do.
What on earth is a magnet kid??
Typicallly a magnet school is for specialized instruction.
If you notice in the article the girl is wearing the color brown. According to the caption, that shows that she is in Communication Arts one of the "prestigious magnet programs" at the high school.
Interestingly, the magnet schools were originally designed to help in DEsegragation. But they have become very competitive and often mean better opportunities for those who are accepted into the program.
one of the "prestigious magnet programs"
Good point, Spunky. It's not just an obsession with sorting, it's an obsession with ranking too.
Why don't they just be honest and say "this colour for the stupid kids, this colour for the REALLY stupid ones, one colour for brilliant ones and another for the rich ones, etc..."???
That is how the kids see it. Diplomats in training.... okay...
All I can say is thank God I homeschool - this entire thing with tags, and high stakes testing, and gosh ...everything else is complete lunacy..
They are creating policy based on studies instead of common sense.
They are "de-childrenizing" our children !
They can't play, they can't socialize except under someone else's rules and they can't be something other than someone elses pigeonhole or label.
What a terrible shame.
Does anyone remember, a few years ago, the little girl who was badly injured from falling while carring her pencil.
Children can hurt themselves in ways we have not yet thought of.
To tell them not to play tag on the playground is insane, where will it end?
I suppose one fix would be if we as a culture did not sue at the drop of a hat.
My daughter was in a car accicdent this past week coming home from a field trip in a school van with 5 other special ed students. Luckily no bad injuries, but the potenial for litigation is HUGE! I would not want to deal with what the school may be looking at.
Spunky in past writings you have said you are nuetral on public schools; why do you report the only negative happenings in the public schools? Don't you ever think of the positive things that happen in public schools?
Don't these whiny 30-somethings (I refuse to call them "adults" for they clearly are not) remember that things like scraped knees happen from time to time?
I almost a whiny 30 something, except:
1.) If I had a child and they fall, tough cookie. Don't even start to cry; crying is not an option. A woman does NOT cry, only Miss & Mrs. Princess Do.
2.) A scratched earned is a tropy scratch. Show it off, and use to get people to dote overy you.
2.) Lawyers are great people. I love my legal team of 25 ADULTS, except they used to make business connections, not to sue.
3.) I am not out for the quick buck. I believe in working 90 hours a week, away from home. No it's not a taxi drive, chef or maid. It's in your face, yelling, screaming, etc. - negotiating over business contracts. However, I do substitute for a local public school system. But the majority of the pay does not come from taxpayers funds, it comes from corporate grants and invidiual donations to ensure that teachers can attend workshops. These important companies (private and public) and individuals utilize funds to hire substitutes when the regular teacher is out. I also co-manage a family business.
4.) I realize work comes first, funds come second, community comes third, connects come fourth, self comes fifth and family comes last. Yes friends and family members may leave, but I will continue to have the business I built.
I am an adult, I know kid's will get hurt. A bruised knee or a cut finger will strengthen my future child (IF I have them), so they be a tough minded lawyer, salesperson, CEO, CPA, etc.
Spunky ~
I can't get the banned playing tag on the playground link to work. 
Sorry about the link, CJ. It's fixed.
Got it. Thanks Spunky. 
If it's not one thing, it's another.
Honestly. It is beyond pathetic.
The school system is so busy protecting themselves from a law suit, they are forgetting to educate the children.
If you ask me, the school society is on the brink of raising communities filled with whiners and whimps. The schools are removing anything remotely competitive. No high energy play, no valedictorians, no single awards - nothing to set yourself above the rest.
It appears that mediocre living is the new standard.
Instead of forming winners - they are forming whiners.
Sad.
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