Recent Comments

1. 8 months ago on Heart of the City

   My niece and nephew’s middle school and high school encourage carpooling in limos or party buses that specialize in underaged groups. These do not have alcohol on board. They are stocked with soft drinks. The kids that can’t drive are picked up on time. The kids that can drive aren’t drinking and driving, getting lost, or driving distracted. For prom, they have to be dropped off, park at the school, and ride one of the party buses they hired for the event. They are required to come back on the bus to the school.

2. 8 months ago on Rose is Rose

   Because then they become property of the school/district and can be distributed to other classrooms. Yes, there are schools that do this.

   Districts are claiming ownership of both donors’ choose items and Amazon Wish list items.

3. 9 months ago on Baldo

   If you are speaking scientifically Summer goes from Summer Solstice until Fall Equinox. In the US culturally the summer goes from Memorial Day/End of school to Labor day/beginning of school (August in most of the South)

4. over 1 year ago on Heart of the City

   Depends on the school. I know a good number of teachers that have a hygiene cupboard or basket. It not only has period supplies but soap, shampoo, combs, brushes, deodorant, and other necessities. (Most of them work in Title I schools)

5. almost 2 years ago on Heart of the City

   I absolutely hated spelling bees as a student and teacher. I’m dyslexic/dysgraphic and spelling words aloud has nothing to do with writing them for me.

   I can’t spell many words aloud – because I get lost in them. I have to write, type, or fingerspell them. Also if kids are spelling words aloud to me I have to write down what they say because again I get lost in what they are saying. For short sight words I can hold on and visualize the letters – but for longer words, the first letters fall off the screen. (I think visually more than auditorially.

6. almost 2 years ago on Heart of the City

   She went to the school nurse and lied that she was ok. Covering injuries is something we had to be on the look out for with our older elementary kids at the TItle I school where I taught. The kids were aware of the cost of getting medical care and would try to grin their way through it.

   Had a 2nd grader that had a raging infection in his foot after getting a puncture wound in the heal of his foot at home. He covered his pain pretty well. They had trouble finding someone to do the surgery because the surgeons didn’t want to take CHIP.

   A 5th grader shattered his leg. The ortho was very unprofessional after he found out the boy was on CHIP. He refused to sign the homebound paperwork – while saying it was to dangerous for the boy to use crutches. Our 5th grade team and administration ended up getting the truancy judge involved – and he ordered the ortho to do the right thing. There were reports to the state medical board – and he was iced out socially.

7. about 2 years ago on For Better or For Worse

   Rember this is actually from 1993 not today.

8. about 2 years ago on Baldo

   Kids out playing (and yes teenagers are still kids) is a sign of a healthy and safe neighborhood. There are teens that skateboard around the park where I walk my dog – they pause to let the dog walkers go by so they don’t scare the dogs. They lookout for the younger kids.

   I had a neighbor complain about kids chalking the sidewalk in our apartment complex. I explained there were studies that showed that type of thing is actually a crime deterrent. People looking to break in see it as a sign of neighbors out and about – and parents watching kids. The type of people who are likely to notice creepy behavior.

9. about 2 years ago on Heart of the City

   Pre covid the library I go to did allow food as long as you cleaned up after yourself. As a fundraiser, they sold small not messy snacks. Also, there was no real safe comfortable space to eat outside. During school breaks, it is always packed with kids. Kids going to programs, Kids 10 and over volunteering – shelving books, helping set up for programs. Many of those kids participate in the free lunch program offered during school breaks. Them eating in the lobby caused more congestion than them eating at tables in the library. They always threw away their trash, wiped down the tables, used a carpet sweeper around the tables, and helped change out the bags in the trash cans.

10. about 2 years ago on For Better or For Worse

    Yes in a similar situation. Couldn’t get off the freeway, went down a couple of exits, and exited. But this was one exit where I couldn’t go under the freeway and go back. Had to turn down some poorly lit residential streets, and got turned around. I took a couple of wrong turns. When I found a major street and a shopping center with payphones I had to debate the safety of using the phone outside of closed shops. Decided to just go home. I was lucky that I knew my parents would be worried and upset. I also knew they would listen and agree I followed their instructions and listened to my gut.

    Hell a couple of years ago I had to take a detour because of a horrible accident, then another one because of flooding. When I realized I was turned around I pulled up into a parking lot that was significantly higher than the road. I called work and told them I would be sitting there until the sun was up and I could see how high the water was. Once the sun came up I knew which direction I wanted to go but it took me a while and a few wrong turns before I got to a major road.