bullets13

And you and NOTB rest easy knowing that I've never and will never discuss my world views in front of the kids!!!

But it sure would've been nice to have one, and I bet it would've helped. As for teaching middle school, the thing I would say is that there are a lot less supplies needed than in the younger grades. You guys have to worry about the standardized tests, and it's a lot of bookwork and worksheets. For younger grades, a lot more learning is done through play, art, centers, field trips, etc. which require infinitely greater amounts of supplies and funding. At the beginning of the year, we got a small box of supplies that temporarily addressed SOME of our needs. After that anything we needed we could put in a request for, that MIGHT be granted. And then after the freeze, it was up to the teacher to decide if they wanted to spend out of pocket or do without. If lessons are not as good because teachers can't afford the things they need to make them good, the students ARE suffering. When fieldtrips are cancelled because funding is frozen, students are suffering. So the teachers have been hurt, and the students have been hurt. And maybe it's because I am one, but to me, after the students, the teachers are the lifeblood of the school district.

Well, backpacks are important because they help kids make it back and forth to school without losing books and homework. Snacks fill bellies and help concentration. Sanitizer is important because it helps kill germs and keep the kids from getting sick and missing school. You're right that it's not a requirement for teachers to buy these things, but those things ARE important for kids to learn. Some of these are extras we choose to provide but lately many teachers are having to choose between purchasing necessities for the kids or doing without. Out of curiosity, what grade are you subbing for? And sorry if I came off as uppity, because while you riled me a bit, subbing can be as tough as full time teaching.

and he clearly got us mixed up, because there's no reason for him to think I'm a sub.

selfish reasons?  I'd say so!  between lost bonuses and insurance payments, i've taken about a $1500 a year paycut, and my wife (also a certified BISD teacher) has taken about a $2500 a year paycut.  and that's before "expenses", like the hand sanitizer i had to buy this weekend, and the t-shirts i bought last week, the snacks my wife takes to work for her students, and the laminator we got since ours at school were always broken and couldn't afford to be fixed, and the soap, and paper towels, and paper for the kids, and the backpacks we buy when the kids' families can't afford them, etc. etc. etc. etc.  So tell that BS to someone else (probably another sub who gets to come in and work the day like you do without the "take-home" responsibilities. 

you quoted the wrong person.  i'm certified to teach PK-4, and have a degree that would've allowed me to become certified through 8th out of college, but i did not want to teach middle school.

I hear this argument all the time.  I guess if I'd grown up during the time of the hippies, where half the country was high and the other half was busy discriminating against African Americans I could look back to when our country had a straighter moral compass.  Or maybe a couple of decades later when gang violence ruled every major city.  or maybe a half century before that when the mob did.  Or back at the turn of the century when murders almost as common as the whorehouses.  So when were things so great again?  Every generation and time has it's various struggles and improvements.  I think it's a good thing that our biggest problem of this generation (according to so many loving Christians) is homosexuals getting a little equal treatment and personal rights. 

What doesn't make sense to me is that on multiple occasions you've used the argument that "God wouldn't do that" as a justification for your beliefs.  But i mean, i guess maybe you have some sort of direct connection that i don't know about that lets you in on these things. 

but you asked MY opinion.  also, i think the majority of people would find the hate group tats MUCH more offensive, although there are some in SETX who would probably not. 

i'm a teacher in BISD.  but don't worry, i'm on break for another 6 minutes... it's not felt as hard in the older grades, where it's all bookwork and lectures, but for younger grades where you need art supplies and laminating film and construction paper and all those sorts of things, you notice when all of a sudden most if not all of that expense is coming from your own pocket... especially when you've lost your bonuses and are all of a sudden paying for insurance that has been free for 10 years. that's when the kids suffer.

except for the whole spending freeze, and the fact that schools are getting ZERO money for supplies and classroom necessities.  i mean, it's not like kids need supplies to learn, right!

number 3: who cares if it's the private citizen's fault?  if he's a republican, blame the democratic government!!!

why would the guy bother properly managing this land when it's not his property?  and this is the most ridiculous thing seeing all the conservatives and all of the conservative propaganda machines making this guy out to be anything less than a nutter.  by reading the headlines, conservatives get exactly what they want... another "example" of the government abusing the private citizen.  the truth, of course, is that he has let his cattle run free for decades on government land, where they have adversely affected the entire habitat, not just tortoises. 

It would seem to me that Ms. Klug knows exactly what she is, or she would not have taken such drastic steps, and endured such ridicule and hate to become it.

  I find it ironic that you use a guy with tattoos on his body indicating that he hates and is for the suppression of a certain group of people as an example of why Lumberton should be able to suppress a certain group of people. As to your question about the tattoos, I personally would not have a problem with them if he was no longer associated with the group and did not carry those beliefs anymore, but there's a difference between ostracizing someone in a hate group and becoming a community hate group to ostracize someone just because they're different.   People keep bringing up dresscodes, but that's not the issue here.  The issue is whether or not one accepts her as a woman.  If not, that's your belief, but dress codes have nothing to do with it.  She lives her life as a woman, does everything as a woman,has or is in the process of becoming a woman (i'm not completely familiar with where she is in that process) and based on her outfits i've seen in the media, attends school as the most conservatively dressed woman on campus. 

there were what, 5 or 6 parents in all of lumberton that cared enough to step up and speak against her?  it's not like you have hundreds of people lining up.  and my suspicions were greatly validated when about 90% who answered me on facebook supported her, with about 90% of those who answered being from this area.

The same LISD parents who had a problem with it are the ones who took it to the media, thus making it an issue for others outside the district. And lets say less than a majority of LISD parents want Klug gone (the more I talk to people inside and outside the district the more I suspect this is the case)... Should the minority be able to decide that?

on an interesting note, i did an impromptu poll on facebook this weekend just to see how "radical" my views are... when asked if they would have a problem if their child was in Ms. Klug's class, the results were as follows:   Based on people who commented, messaged me, or liked an affirmative or negative post by someone else, the results came out 32 in favor of her teaching, 5 against.    i know you guys think that i've just got a bunch of ultra-liberal friends, but i'm from SETX, went to ETBU, and my friends span the total political gamut.    some interesting notes:  Out of the 5 dissents, one was from a liberal friend of mine from Chicago.   9 teachers answered, and 8 were in favor of letting her teach.   Out of the 6 people that answered that i KNOW to be extremely conservative, 3 were in favor and 3 against.  (I've also talked to other conservatives i know from the area in person, and again it's been pretty split). I had 3 homosexuals answer, so you can discount their results if you want. One of the dissents has very strong opinions about sexual sin, except for when it comes to her 4 year sexual relationship with her boyfriend that they're exposing their teenaged kids to. All but four who responded were from SETX, and of those that weren't, one was from Alabama and one was from Louisiana. (since the "normal" people from SETX was an issue earlier in this thread)

it's an assumption that her being transgender somehow means she can't do a good job, or will poison the kids' minds, etc. etc. etc. 

I symphathize more with Ms. Klug.  It boils down to personal opinion, and my personal opinion is that i feel worse for someone who is cast out because of their appearance despite their performance than i do for a parent who doesn't want their child exposed to real-world issues. 

making assumptions without knowing someone... sounds familiar. if only i could put my finger on where else that's happening elsewhere in the area.  oh yeah, right here, on this issue.

i will reply to this before i leave, however.  I have seen nothing to imply that Klug is disgruntled in any way.  every quote i've read has been upbeat, and the footage i've seen of her seems to show a happy person.  it's important to remember that this is not a fight that she brought to the district as a disgruntled ex-employee.  disgruntled parents (perhaps rightfully disgruntled, depending on your side) brought this fight to the district.  all she's done is answer requests for interviews and show up for the hearing that decided her fate.

it's all good, bud.  As for this particular issue, i think it also is important to me because i can understand a little what Klug is going through.  I'm a man who teaches pre-k.  I've been doing it for 8 years, and now i've got a great reputation in the community i teach in, and actually get requests for students to be in my class from parents i haven't even met.  but i've had instances where kids have been pulled out of my class not because i'm not good at what i do, but because i'm a man.  and i can honestly say that i understand why someone might be uncomfortable with that.  it's not an everyday occurence for a man to teach this age group.  but just because i'm not the prototypical teacher does not mean that i'm not more than capable at what i do... and there are many parents that have been hesitant at first to have me as their child's teacher who have since then requested me to teach siblings, friended me on facebook so i can keep up with their child, etc. etc.  so for me, as i honestly can say i understand why parents would not be comfortable with this, the most important thing is that the child is being treated well, and that the teacher is doing their job.  and by all accounts, Klug has satisfied these requirements, and as it truly is about the kids, to me that is by far more important than her appearance.  If she was using her position to try and indoctrinate the children, i would actually side with you.  but i've heard nothing of the sort.  so i'm going to end this now by saying that while i disagree with you, i do understand you.  i've got a long weekend of moving into my new house, so i doubt i'll be back on here much, and i don't know if by the time i get back on i'm going to have the energy or desire to answer 20 posts directed at me from 15 different people, but we'll say.  have a good weekend.

This is more about a few parents' discomfort than about the kids as well. Also, I saw there were only 13 people who chose to speak, and if a decent portion of those spoke in her behalf, then only a handful of parents had a big enough problem with this to speak out. I would've expected dozens or hundreds of upset parents speaking out if your take on the general climate of this issue were true.

You nailed it. I see no difference there. Give me a break.