Milking the System

Washington sends $1 food stamp checks to 250,000
The Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. The state of Washington sent out $1 checks to the 250,000 food stamp recipients in the state.

The director of the Community Services Division for the Department of Social and Health Services, Leo Ribas, says the checks mailed Feb. 17 trigger an additional $43 million in federal food benefits. They also connect recipients to an energy assistance program.

Ribas says the $1 check is a one-time move to leverage the federal money. He says next year the state will be able to trigger the federal assistance through a routine deposit in food stamp accounts

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(with information from The Olympian)

And so ends welfare reform. ACORN has won. The war is over.

ohio county wrote:And so ends welfare reform. ACORN has won. The war is over.

Now if he can just get all the kids on Ritalin and in the free breakfast/lunch program...the sky is the limit!!

You forgot SCHIP. If we can get them off our insurance bill we can buy a new BMW!

ohio county wrote:You forgot SCHIP. If we can get them off our insurance bill we can buy a new BMW!

When I was in school there were 7 periods: four before lunch and three after. How much actual class instruction time is spent in schools today?

Armon Ayers wrote:

ohio county wrote:You forgot SCHIP. If we can get them off our insurance bill we can buy a new BMW!

When I was in school there were 7 periods: four before lunch and three after. How much actual class instruction time is spent in schools today?

Well now, if it helps you in any way to figure that out, ...... Teachers only work an average of 2 1/2 days per each 5 day school week.



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Kate has 5 classes a day. 4 of them are 88 minutes long and run one semester. The 5th class runs 44 minutes long and two semesters. It is the only high school in Putnam County with this schedule. The others don't have that 44 minute period BHS calls the "Bison Block". They have a much longer lunch break. Can you imagine? In my high school our lunch break was 20 minutes.

The teachers get a planning period each semester that is 88 minutes in length, plus that long lunch break.

Not any longer Stephanie. At Poca, they now are required to attend a 5th period after a much reduced lunch. They go to lab for 1st block on Monday, 2nd block on Tuesday, 3rd block on Wednesday, 4th block on Thursday and a make up block on Friday meaning they now have 5 classes.

We got 35 minutes for lunch.

Minus lunch breaks and without a planning period, which all teachers have that I know of, teachers spend about 4 and a half hours a day in a classroom. With the extended period at lunch that is now extended to a little over 5 hours a day.

And I heard a couple of teachers complaining because they weren't being compensated for the extra "work" they were doing. I believe a couple filed a grievance with their union.

Aaron,

Kate's lunch period is 45 minutes. That much reduced lunch period is still more than adequate. I didn't know they had changed the schedules at any of the other high schools. BHS has had that Bison Block for a number of years.

It's not an official change of the schedule as they get no credit for the block. It was added by the school adminstration and to be honest, I think it's a waste. I said they should add a 5th block like Buffalo and give a credit for the year of work. With incoming Freshman's needing 32 hours of credit, there is no room for error with the current system.

Once again, another FUBAR by our school system.

They've made the graduation requirements outrageous imho. They've gone too far, not just with the number of credits required, but with some of the course requirements. Every student must pass Algebra? Give me a frigging break. Doe your hair stylist really need Aglebra? I don't think so.

So the kids don't even get credit for it. That's simply brilliant. If my kid were going to Poca I'd be getting a petition going, making phone calls, and attending each and every school board meeting. You need to heckle them to get anything done otherwise administration keeps the "elected officials" so buried in bullshit they can't see the light of day.

I haven't been paying much attention to what's going on in the district because it doesn't apply to my family, but that's really the wrong attitude to take because who knows what I'll do with that boy of ours once he gets to high school. I'm not 100% sure what I'm going to be doing next year with two kids in college and all. I may have to return to work.

Ssshhh.......don't tell my husband the thought has even crossed my mind. He might tell me to get my rear in gear and help him out a bit.

Every student must pass Algebra? Give me a frigging break. Doe your hair stylist really need Aglebra? I don't think so.

Figuring out how much time you need to travel to your destination and staying within the speed limit is an algebra problem.

I think we all need algebra nor is it too much to expect from your average student.

The current adminstration knows how I feel. Truth be known, the only reason they tolerated me was for all the volunteer work I did at the school. One things for certain, there were a number of 'teachers' who didn't much care for me as I'm not one good at holding his tongue. I think some had cake and ice cream when they found out I was moving.

Yes, we all need basic algebra. What we don't need is 2 years of it. Basic economic classes where one is taught how to manage credit and understand and access credit reports along with managing their bank accounts, balancing a check book and understanding retirement should be offered as an alternative to a required algebra 2 class.

Terry,

There is no need for a single year of algebra for a kid who is going be a a barber or a CNA, much less two.

I'm with Aaron, there is a need for everyone to know how to balance a checkbook and basic financial planning. College isn't for everyone and students who don't plan on enrolling in a degree program should be taught the skills they need to survive in the world we live in. There are plenty of things our schools should be doing now to achieve that end, and higher level math classes are not on that list.

There is no need for a single year of algebra for a kid who is going be a a barber or a CNA, much less two.

Well, you will limit their choices of what they will be if they DON'T have it

Some of the most basic estimates we do on a daily basis are based on algebra.

Shit. Why bother to have the janitor take any English? He isn't going to need it. He doesn't need to read for his job.

Why bother to take biology? Most of us will never use it in our careers...

... I need to stop. The fact that someone doesn't think algebra should be a required subject in school makes me feel all stabby.

I don't know about Stephanie but I'm not advocating any algebra at all. I would much rather see that time spent teaching basic math, finance and other math related subjects ALL students will need in life and that very well may include some basic algebra.

What I am opposed to is requiring ALL students to have 2 years of algebra to graduate as Putnam County does. Stabby or not, it's a complete waste of time for most of the students.

What I am opposed to is requiring ALL students to have 2 years of algebra to graduate as Putnam County does. Stabby or not, it's a complete waste of time for most of the students.

I agree with that, for the most part. Should be one year of each of the following: algebra, plane geometry, pre-calc.

In many schools, though, pre-calc is called "algebra 2".

I don't know about Stephanie but I'm not advocating any algebra at all. I would much rather see that time spent teaching basic math, finance and other math related subjects ALL students will need in life and that very well may include some basic algebra.

That also means that the kids going on to college will need to spend an extra year taking subjects that would have, in my generation, been taught in High School.

Why? No one is saying take algebra out of the classroom. We're saying don't make it mandatory for all students. If a kid wants to take albgebra 2 then they still have that option. There's a difference between being forced to take the cousre and it being offered.

Why? No one is saying take algebra out of the classroom. We're saying don't make it mandatory for all students. If a kid wants to take albgebra 2 then they still have that option. There's a difference between being forced to take the cousre and it being offered.

Many kids can't see the future. Given the option to slack on challenging subjects, many will.

Why not just make them decide if they are going to college at age 12? If you are, you take these subjects. If you aren't, here is the door to the trade school.

The US is falling behind on education. Was a time when our smarts were respected.

Oh, well. My rant here is done.

Terry,

I think you have misunderstood the situation or my meaning or both.

Of course I believe that higher level math courses should be offered to high school students. I'd wish our little high school had more of them. I'm very pleased that Kate is able to take AP Bio and AP Chem this year. It would have been very beneficial if she could had taken calc, but the highest course currently available at her school is pre-cal.

The trouble is the graduation requirements for all students is too high. A kid who is going into autobody repair shouldn't be required to take and successfully complete 2 years of alg. and 3 years of science, nor should a girl going into cosmotology.

Let them take the classes that will help them in their future endeavors. Let the administrators and the staff work with the business community to determine what courses should be offered and what skills mastered for those careers.

My kids are all science geeks. Don't ask me how that is, I am not. If it were just my youngest I'd say it's the father but I assure you it isn't my exhusband. My kids all needed lots of math & science in high school because that has/will prepare them for their futures. Not everyone is suited for a career as a biologist or engineer though.

We need competent, skilled workers in other fields and our population has people interested in those fields. Why shouldn't high school prepare them for their futures too?

Why should kids who are not capable of Alg. II be denied a high school diploma if their career goal is to be a dental assistant? I was the office manager of a dental practice for 5 years and I assure you algebraic equations simply did not help those women perform the job requirements.

I have a woman I've been friends with since junior high school named Barbara. From the time we were 12 years old Barbara wanted to be a hair dresser. She is a darn good one, let me tell you. She ended up quitting high school because she was incapable of meeting the graduation requirements. She got her GED and enrolled in Arthur Angelo's Beauty Academy. She worked for 5 years in other people's salons living with her parents until she could afford to purchase an existing salon in rented space. 4 years after that she purchased the building it is in. She is very successful but struggled in so many ways because high school didn't prepare her for her future.

Our high school wanted to her to fit their mold. She didn't so she became disposable to them. That hasn't improved in the 27 years since I graduated, it has gotten much, much worse. Smithfield High School should have allowed my friend to take class in bookkeeping instead of demanding she pass all those other classes that were of no benefit to her.

There are things she should have been able to do for herself from the beginning but she had to pay others to do for her until she could learn those skill some place else. That's pitiful.

The janitor still needs to communicate in the English language each and every day of his life. I doubt very much the janitor never must read as part of his job. He probably has reports he must file or forms he must fill in order to fulfill the requirements of his job.

I believe high schools should require basic skills and knowledge across all content area because history, fine arts, etc make us more well rounded individuals and improve the quality of our lives. I know my eldest child, who didn't go to college, would have had a much better start as a young adult if he'd been taught how to balance his checkbook instead of some of the formulas he was forced to memorize in Alg II.

I've long considered him my experimental child. Live and learn. I've taught his brother and sister that myself and made sure they had checking accounts as high school seniors.

TerryRC wrote: Figuring out how much time you need to travel to your destination and staying within the speed limit is an algebra problem.

YUP, and if you don't know how to work the problem the teacher should mark it wrong on your test.

But if doing said calculations is what you really need to get to work and back on the days that you work, ..... so be it.

But you might be the only person in WV that does that or needs to do it.



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Stephanie wrote:Terry,

I think you have misunderstood the situation or my meaning or both.

Why that was a gawd awful thing to say to someone who has a Masters Degree in something or other.

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TerryRC wrote:Why? No one is saying take algebra out of the classroom. We're saying don't make it mandatory for all students. If a kid wants to take albgebra 2 then they still have that option. There's a difference between being forced to take the cousre and it being offered.

Many kids can't see the future. Given the option to slack on challenging subjects, many will.

Why not just make them decide if they are going to college at age 12? If you are, you take these subjects. If you aren't, here is the door to the trade school.

The US is falling behind on education. Was a time when our smarts were respected.

Oh, well. My rant here is done.

I don't think you get it Terry. Many of these kids that are now 'required' to take these classes are slacking as it is.

And the county, in order to meet government regulations and not wanting to fail the bulk of the students are now slacking off on the standards to pass the class, to the point that if they fail the exit test, the re-take it until the pass it.

If they fail it twice, it becomes an open book test. If they fail it 3 times, they get 'assistance'. Perhaps part of the reason we are falling behind on education is because we are mandating so much instead of teaching the kids that want to learn.

I can give you the name the person who described this “pathetic excuse for education” if you like but I’m not so sure she will be as open with you as she was me, pillow talk and all.