Post by: Phayre on June 22, 2007, 03:48:10 AM
But.... I think it's sad. A lot of the kids were given all this for graduating high school, or for getting a GED, or for having a baby at age 16 and not exploding. Keep in mind these are all kids involved with DSS (Department of Social Services), but it for kids, it was a major struggle just to do the normal stuff people do, like school. I understand the pressure caused by family circumstances.... but I just think it's sad. Sad that so many kids are having so much trouble, sad that the state feels the need to shower kids with praise for this stuff. It just sets the bar lower, you know? Oh, here's an award for being pregnant at age 16. Here's one for looking for a job. I don't think time was well spent throwing this big party. I think time and money should be spent helping these kids grow, so they don't have to make do with being good for a "SPED kid" or a "trouble child".
Thoughts?
Post by: Bluhman on June 22, 2007, 03:57:32 AM
Well, I do, but I have very little familiarity with this topic.
Post by: Osmose on June 22, 2007, 04:02:52 AM
Pretty much every award I've ever gotten involves either general academic excellence or Computer Programming. I mean, I beat the Computer Programming Magnet School at a programming competition. The guys who focus specifically on programming for most of their curriculum starting Freshman year. Self taught, baby.)
Post by: Roland_Deschain on June 22, 2007, 04:11:52 AM
However, the rest of my awards at said ceremony DID require me to work for. Top Junior in the state for English, third or fourth for Spanish, and the ability to keep a 95 or higher throughout all of high school so far, etc. I haven't gotten one computer based award, mostly because the classes my school offers are basic and I can already do everything they teach in them. Except back up a file in Linux. How to do that eludes me to this day...
Post by: HackersTotalMassLaser on June 22, 2007, 08:50:06 AM
I really blamed my parents on that one for putting me on kindergarden 10 days after my 4th birthday.
I really never cared for general excellence. George Bush got excellence awards; just look at him now; He's like a turtle on top of a cylender block. (stolen from someone's sign).
Post by: Phayre on June 22, 2007, 01:19:52 PM
Post by: Desimodontidae on June 22, 2007, 04:55:07 PM
What if like, I started taking advanced quantum field theory courses? And I struggle academically with it. Then I like, drop out and get my scientist's GED.. hypothetically, of course. I should be rewarded, right? Same principles. Of course, there's a difference between quantum physics and GENERAL PUBLIC EDUCATION: I wouldn't reward someone for learning the latter.
I think the problem lies within the actual people themselves. For some reason or another they don't apply themselves to anything. Now I know lots of times it can involve mental disorders and just generally stupid people. But seriously. wtf?
Post by: Meiscool-2 on June 22, 2007, 05:45:35 PM
MEDAL HIM!
Post by: FFL2and3rocks on June 22, 2007, 07:56:13 PM
Post by: Archem on June 22, 2007, 09:06:27 PM
Schools give away shit for doing useless stuff?! Not here... Man, Texas blows when it comes to free stuf plz. My recognition is when I go to a friend's house, and they agree to let me in. You'd think it was a special talent or something... But hey, if you feel that bad about the situation, I'll be glad to take that MP3 player off your hands. ;)
Post by: X_marks_the_ed on June 22, 2007, 09:33:40 PM
Makes me wish I'd get one of these pity awards.
Post by: Phayre on June 22, 2007, 11:36:16 PM
Post by: Meiscool-2 on June 23, 2007, 02:40:50 AM
They give awards and mail letters to mexicans that graduate from my school. Why did I say only mexicans? Because they don't give awards to anyone else, just letters of congrats.
Post by: Archem on June 23, 2007, 02:57:12 AM
Post by: Meiscool-2 on June 23, 2007, 02:58:28 AM
Post by: Osmose on June 23, 2007, 03:08:57 AM
Post by: Archem on June 23, 2007, 03:27:24 AM
Post by: aboutasoandthis on June 23, 2007, 03:29:03 AM
Quote
Apparently you guys have yet to see the wonderful world of scholarships, where just by being Black, Spanish, From Another Country, even just by being Gay, you can get scholarships.
Please do not get into this.
Post by: Moosetroop11 on June 23, 2007, 01:50:23 PM
Quote
Probably posted by Moosetroop11 at some point
You crazy americans.
Post by: Phayre on June 23, 2007, 01:56:47 PM
Post by: Archem on June 23, 2007, 04:58:12 PM
Post by: Shady Ultima on June 23, 2007, 09:50:12 PM
Post by: HackersTotalMassLaser on June 23, 2007, 11:47:22 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Osmose
Apparently you guys have yet to see the wonderful world of scholarships, where just by being Black, Spanish, From Another Country, even just by being Gay, you can get scholarships.
For being White as well.
So if any of you have mixed ethnic backgrounds from both of your parents and you are gay, and play basketball, you can practically get a masters for free.
This is not sarcasm.
Post by: drenrin2120 on June 24, 2007, 01:30:04 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Osmose
Apparently you guys have yet to see the wonderful world of scholarships, where just by being Black, Spanish, From Another Country, even just by being Gay, you can get scholarships.
I think I feel a sudden surge of gay in me...
>.>
<.<
EDIT: Ahem, speaking of which...
google knows us well...
Post by: Phayre on June 24, 2007, 01:38:23 AM
2. I'm a little white girl. I got the award because my foster mom died of cancer, and I didn't explode. Or something.
Post by: HackersTotalMassLaser on June 24, 2007, 01:46:54 AM
Quote
Originally posted by drenrin2120QuoteOriginally posted by Osmose
Apparently you guys have yet to see the wonderful world of scholarships, where just by being Black, Spanish, From Another Country, even just by being Gay, you can get scholarships.
I think I feel a sudden surge of gay in me...
>.>
<.<
EDIT: Ahem, speaking of which...
google knows us well...[/B]
No free PSP/IPOD/XBOX360 for voting? Ghey ad.
Post by: Razor on June 24, 2007, 05:48:57 AM
Post by: Weregnome on June 25, 2007, 02:06:10 PM
Post by: A Forgotten Legend on June 25, 2007, 04:27:29 PM
I kind of understand. My parents are divorced. I see my mother about 3 or 4 times every year, even though she lives only 15 miles from where I live. But I can't imagine if one or both of the parents died in a family... that must be hard to overcome.
Really, I don't know how I should have responded to this topic.
Post by: Osmose on June 25, 2007, 05:00:06 PM
Quote
Originally posted by aboutasoandthis
Originally Posted by Osmose
QuoteApparently you guys have yet to see the wonderful world of scholarships, where just by being Black, Spanish, From Another Country, even just by being Gay, you can get scholarships.
Please do not get into this.[/B]
It's true. Doesn't mean that any of those people work less harder because of it (Although this study (http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2003-05-21/news/rich-black-flunking/) brings forth some pretty interesting proposals about being black and being smart), that's an individual choice. But that I was not offered any free scholarships (Scholarships that did not depend on academic achievement) while several of my friends did because of their race is something I think is ridiculous.
Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to "get into that." Heaven forbid we talk about it instead of just accept the fact that the system is unfair to people like me. I'm not racist, I'm just white, smart, and poor.
Post by: Phayre on June 25, 2007, 05:52:30 PM
It's not really just race, just a matter of lower standards for "problem kids". Most of the kids were, surprisingly enough for a DSS function, white, with a few Hispanic kids and maybe one black girl.
Post by: aboutasoandthis on June 25, 2007, 07:49:15 PM
Quote
Originally posted by aboutasoandthis
Quote
Originally Posted by Osmose
QuoteApparently you guys have yet to see the wonderful world of scholarships, where just by being Black, Spanish, From Another Country, even just by being Gay, you can get scholarships.
Please do not get into this.
It's true. Doesn't mean that any of those people work less harder because of it (Although this study brings forth some pretty interesting proposals about being black and being smart), that's an individual choice. But that I was not offered any free scholarships (Scholarships that did not depend on academic achievement) while several of my friends did because of their race is something I think is ridiculous.
Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to "get into that." Heaven forbid we talk about it instead of just accept the fact that the system is unfair to people like me. I'm not racist, I'm just white, smart, and poor.
I already know that some minorities can get free scholarships simply because of their race. The fact is that you're white. . According to the US Census for the year 2005, you make up for over 80 percent of the country.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
The school system has a higher expectation for whites. Deal with it
You even admitted that you HAVE scholarships. If you've worked as hard as you say you have, you don't need anything else. You have nothing to prove. You don't need anything else so be content with what you have.
I found the article to be a nice read. I even made me a bowl of cereal. :p
A lot of what John Ohbu says is true. Some black students simply do not want to do better. Even with that said though, some do but simply don't have the chance to do so. I'm one of them. I've never gotten Straight A's in my live. I think I have a C average and a 2.5 GPA. I've never really been a slacker though. I've always taken honors classes. While I don't get the best grades: I take extra notes, I ask a lot of questions in class, and I spend lunch and after school time to get tutoring when I need to. After studying for them both, I got a 25 on my ACT and a 1090 + 570 Writing on my SAT. I already know these aren't even close to what they need to be. Does this make me lazy?
Minorities do not have as many opportunities in life, period. This is coming from a guy whose family now has an $80,000 annual income. I was flat out told by my parents that a black man is not expected to do anything but play ball or join the military.
I admit that I do no where near as well as I should in school, but I don't really have the opportunity to get better. This is especially true for math. I suck at it. If I do go to college, I know that I'm going to end up taking Remedial courses when I get there. On both of my state tests, math was my weakest section. I tried to go to summer school, my parents and this really annoying counselor said no. I tried to get a job to help pay for tutoring. They weren't a help.
If you're wondering about the counselor, she is a black woman, and a friend of my mom. She owns the entire counseling department. She recently took me from my original counselor so now I'm supposed to only see her. I found out that all of my honors math classes were taken from me by said counselor, replaced with who knows what.
I'm not allowed to take Trigonometry or Calculus. She flat out told me to take easy classes for a 4.0 GPA and to go to a black college.
While I can see where she's coming from, this isn't my goal in life. I've spent two much time studying architecture and math to do this. I'm even spending some time trying to study some of my mom's college books so I can learn Trigonometry and Calculus in time. She just doesn't to expect me to do better. Minorities, blacks especially, are not expected to succeed. See, now you've got me ranting. :P
Now I got stuffz to do'z.
Quote
If you're wondering about the counselor, he is a black woman,
I can't believe I posted that. XD
Post by: Razor on June 25, 2007, 08:23:29 PM
Quote
Originally posted by aboutasoandthis
According to the US Census for the year 2005, you make up for over 80 percent of the country.
Wow, Osmose makes up 80% of America?
I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. :p
Post by: Osmose on June 27, 2007, 04:22:06 AM
Florida has some of the worst-ranked public schooling in the country. That, coupled with my low income, gives me less opportunity than you, and yet I still academically succeeded. I worked and tried and got into the honors and AP courses, and got As and Bs there. Am I naturally intelligent? I think so - I pick up things a lot quicker than others.
But is that because I'm white? No. Most of the minorities in the AP classes (Oh, and yes, it's an even mix, in case you thought otherwise) get more money than the whites because of their minorities, even though most of them also make an equal if not larger amount than the whites.
You have to work hard for the grades you do get, and have your parents and guidance councilor working against you. That's good that you're working hard. If my parents had told me that I couldn't study more (If I wanted to, but I was content with suffering through the AP program :P) I would've told them that they can kiss my ***, because they're not going to gimp my education because of their beliefs. I would've gone to the principle and contested that my classes were altered against my wishes because of stuff like that. I'm not blaming you for not doing either (Especially the first one!), it just sounds unfair to you.
But you have to ask yourself - is it harder for you than it is for me because you're black?