Schools Out

I must preface this blog by stating that I am the daughter of an educator, so I will also state that some opinions expressed are likely to be slightly influenced by this.

Utah, like many states, is seeing a budget short-fall and one of the areas that is taking a hit is public education. I can not think of an area that can not lose money more. Education is the foundation of life. With out adequate education we are sitting up the children of our future to fail. Look at my generation and compare them to the current high-schoolers, I imagine you will see a significant difference in the importance place on education.

Sadly, I feel too many parents over-look the importance of education. They see it as free baby-sitting. I am astounded by how many of my friends can't wait for their child to hit 5 so they don't have to worry about day care. And full day kindergarten? WTF, how is a five year old at all expected to sit through 8 hours of class? Give me a break. If you have a child you have MADE THAT DECISION. With that comes sacrifices, one of those being time/money to watch that child until they are of age to be left alone.

And on that note, how dare people have more kids than they can afford to educate. It is ridiculous how many parents receive more money from the state of Utah than they paid in taxes because of the number of children they have popped out. These parents are free-loaders and are just as much a harm to society as those who abuse other state assistance (welfare, etc). But as they are saving those souls floating around in heaven, I guess it is forgive.

Wake up parents. School is not free, and it isn't solely the responsibility of underpaid and undervalued teachers to educate you children. The buck doesn't stop there; it extends to when they are home. Quit sitting your children in front of the TV for hours of mindless shit. Take some time to read to them, create structure and SUPPORT education.

Robbing our children by reducing the amount of money we supply our education system will continue to deplete this country of informed and educated adult, something we are already sorely lacking.

How about we have a lottery, let those of us heathens who enjoy a scratch ticket or two help support education?

How about we quit allowing students to waste a period a day to leave school for religious reasons?

Why dump so much money into sports, what are they bringing to the table? I'd rather cut sports any day than art programs (yeah, that is the liberal side of me talking).

There is an answer here and I pray it doesn't become cutting what is already a very empty pocket.

Buttars Brother

I think Chris Buttars has a brother from a different mother.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) said Guam might capsize. He says he was speaking figuratively. I am not sure it matters. Take a moment before you ask a question and think, "how will this sound when it is replayed over and over and over".

Of course Buttars says stupid and hateful things. Johnson just said something stupid.

Remind me, why do people want to procreate?

I hate bullying. Detest it. I grew up in a small town and was not one of the popular girls. I was friends with all the guys, a tom-boy, and very tall and very skinny. I was bullied all of the time. I survived. In fact, I think I should thank Tanya for helping to build the strong and independent woman that I am today.

Kids will be kids. Right?

I HATE that excuse.

Yes I was bullied, incessantly. The difference between when I was younger and now. There wasn’t the internet. Bullying took place at school and then it was done. It didn’t follow me home. Sure, Tanya could tell everyone lies about me, but she had to spread them, person to person. Now all the modern-day Tanya has to do is update her facebook status and *boom* within a few minutes the entire student body could know the lie.

So I hate bullies, pretty obvious.

Know what I hate more? Parents of bullies. Administrators and teachers at schools were bullying takes place. Ignoring a situation for whatever reason WILL NOT MAKE IT GO AWAY!

Take young Phoebe Prince, a beautiful soul who took her life to end the daily torture. My heart goes out to her family and I hope that the DA continues to push hard and throw the book at the bullies. Felony charges are completely justified and shame on those who think differently. While they are at, and I RARELY support this, sue the school.

Of course the administrators are know claiming that they didn’t know it was this bad. That no one had complained. And maybe, as an immigrant family, this is partially true.

I am not sure yet if I will chose to be a parent. Stories like this make me wonder if it is worth it. The pain and anguish of growing up was hard enough experienced first hand. I can only imagine how much worse it is seeing a child go through it.

For All

I have fully avoided talking about health care. I acknowledge this. Normally I am the first to jump on the political bandwagon and voice my ever-so-present opinion. This time I have refrained. I guess now that a bill has passed it is time to speak up.

I believe that health care is a right, not a privilege. I believe that we all should have equal access to doctors, medicine, hospitals, etc. I believe that it should be affordable. I believe that the current health care system is a big fat in-you-face failure.

I don’t know if I support this current bill.

It is hard, to be for health care reform and disagree with this bill. I strongly believe that there is reform needed but I just don’t think this bill is the answer.

Pre-existing conditions are unfair. Take this example. A man and his wife decide to have a baby. They have health care through his employer. He is let go due to the struggling economy. She works from home so doesn’t have access to work-sponsored heath care. She is three months pregnant and now has no health care. He can pay for Cobra (usually over $800 a month). But as they have just lost their main income, this is going to be tough. They can not find private health care because her pregnancy is a pre-existing condition. How is that fair?

The cost of private health care is astronomical. Take another example. My friend is married and her husband is self-employed. She stays home with their two daughters. They decide to have another child. Understanding that they do not have insurance she signs-up for a program with her doctor that allows her to pay (in advance installments) for the cost of visits and delivery. There are major complications. Her son is born with a hole in his colon. He has to spend the first month of his life in the hospital. Their total bill when all is said and done, over $200K. Is it fair that medical bills bankrupt a family?

We need reform, understandably and unequivocally. But this current bill mandates that every person has insurance, everyone has to purchase it. Pre-existing conditions are now gone… but can anyone say whether the astronomical costs are? My biggest problem with this bill? The government lay in bed with the insurance companies. Those devils that deny claim after claim to make a profit. Also, some states (even my home state of Nebraska) have special privileges while others do not.

I don’t know the answer, and will not claim to. But I do know when something stinks and this bill does. You can’t pass a bill just to pass one and then hope to later clean it up.

Standing on Solid Ground

I imagine that we have all found ourselves, at least at one time or another, disagreeing strongly with the actions of someone we know and care about.

I try, very hardly, to not judge anyone, especially those that I consider part of my circle of friends. Occassionally though, this becomes close to impossible.

I want to shake this person, slap them, do anything that will bring them back to reality. But like so many others, reality is what we make it, and this person truly believes in their self-made reality.

I understand that there is nothing I can do. No words I can speak that won't drive a wedge. So I have chosen to be quite, which is difficult for me. I can only say the same thing so many times, a person must help themselves, or understand for themselves.

I hope that they will.

Growing up is hard to do

I will continue on yesterday's post at a later time. I decided it was far past time for me to take another position on my favorite topic at the moment (well the same moment that has lasted well over a year), equal rights to all.

Thanks to Rexy for pointing me to this story: Constance

In any day-n-age, it is extremely hard to be a teenager, trying to gain acceptance and approval from your peers. I can only imagine how much harder that would be to be an open lesbian in a small Mississippi town. I also can't even fathom how much harder it would be if you were the lesbian who has "taken" away prom from everyone else.

She hasn't taken it away, despite the sentiment of her classmates . She stood up for her rights and the rights of every-single-one of them (though I doubt they understand or appreciate this). It is the bigoted school board that has taken away prom. I guess they too are taking a stand; sadly it is on the wrong side.

Morals and norms mean nothing when they are infringing on the rights of others. It wasn't long ago that Mississippi and other Southern states took the same stance when people of a different color demanded they too are able to attend prom, ride the bus, sit at the soda fountain, vote, etc.

Thank you Constance. You are an example of bravery and perseverance in the face of bigotry, hate, and misguided religious zealots. You have restored my faith that the youth of today may not just fuck this world up.

One of my favorite childhood memories revolves around gardening. I grew up in the Midwest where the land was very furtile. My family had a large garden that I enjoyed working in with my mother.

I want, desperately, to garden again. I just am not sure where to start. If anyone has any suggestions of good reading before starting a garden in Utah.. pass it along.