Hi Readers — Here’s a piece about something I’d never heard of, “Silent Sunday.” (Of course, maybe it would be hard to hear about something silent.) The post about it comes from Cindy Wilson, communications director at Playworks, an organization that provides play and physical activity to low-income schools in urban cities. Playworks is hosting its Play On Conference in New York October 12 – 13, bringing together some of the country’s top experts on recess, play and physical activity. (I’m going!) Wilson is also the assistant coach of a U12 girls soccer team. Here’s her piece: THE SOUND OF…
Author: lskenazy
Hi Readers! Here’s the latest nonsense (and it was reported by the BBC, not The Daily Mail): A grammar school in England decided to cut back on recess when neighbors complained it was too loud. Why not cut back on, say, responding to outlandish complaints? Or on letting lawyers decide what to eviscerate fun from the school day? But no: The decision was made to take it out on the kids. After all, they don’t really have to run around, do they? It’s not like they’re primates or anything… — Lenore
Hi Readers! Such stupidity cannot be condoned: An 8-year-old was suspended LAST year for bringing a toy gun to school (accidentally), and this year, the draconian punishment continues. The difference between TOY and WEAPON, between MISTAKE and PREMEDITATED, between KILLER and KID seems to be utterly lost on these “educators.” The school board said they would admit Samuel into a correctional school for problem children who have been expelled located in Hallandale Beach. The parents refused and believe their son has already paid for his mistake enough. Samuel has since been home-schooled, but his parents want him back in public…
Hi Readers — Here’s the latest from the world that wants to keep you safe. Very safe. Safer than safer. Safer than SANE: RECALL NOTICE: Chuck E. Cheese’s is voluntarily recalling its Light-Up Ring and Star Glasses. The ring comes in blue, green, purple, yellow, and pink colors, and the glasses come in a red color. The Light-Up Ring was either sold as part of a promotional treasure chest cup from August 2009 through June 25, 2010 or distributed, at no cost, during several Parent-Teacher Association conventions in April 2009, July 2009 and March 2010 through May 2010. The Star…
Hi Readers — This story struck me as slightly, oh, I don’t know, BIZARRE? A worm was found in the local high school toilet and immediately all drinking fountains were shut off. Talk about giving kids a new idea of how to disrupt school! Here goes, from the Alamogordo Daily News: Shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday, the administration at Alamogordo High School reported finding a small worm of unknown origin in a toilet at school, according to a press release from Alamogordo Public Schools. District administrators responded immediately and coordinated with the New Mexico Environmental Inspection Department, New Mexico Department…
Hi Readers! Here’s something I never wish upon any of us: Suffering a trauma. That being said, I was nonetheless cheered to read this article in The Wall Street Journal on the “growth” that children can experience after a tragedy: …Research on children traumatized by disaster is revealing that some children have a surprising capacity not only to bounce back, but to grow stronger than before. Once thought possible only in adults, this “post-traumatic growth” is marked by increases in self esteem and compassion, a greater appreciation for relationships and a deeper sense of meaning or spirituality. Children may say,…
Hi Readers! Just got this interesting letter from a Florida gal named Linda Wightman, who blogs at Lift Up Your Hearts. I haven’t seen the book she describes, but I thought her list of things that are going wrong in society was as tight as it was right. So here it is! The Parallels Between a Free-Range Farmer’s Book & Free-Range Kids, by Linda Wightman As I was reading Joel Salatin’s book, Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front, I was repeatedly struck by the similarities between his struggles on a “family owned,…
Hi Readers! Here’s today’s story from across the pond (thank you, Virtual Linguist, for sending it along): A father who lets his 7 year old daughter walk to and from the school bus stop has been threatened by the authorities who say they may report him to child protective services. And just how far away is the bus stop? 20 yards. The girl has to cross what the dad calls a country lane on the way. He thinks it’s very safe. He thinks his daughter is capable of handling it. But apparently, the local county council does not. And while…
Hey Folks — Look at this illuminating list of what constitutes “news,” at least according to the Minnesota Associated Press guidelines for reporters, as posted on the blog Business Insider and first reported by Libby Reinish on savethenews.org. Note that train wrecks, airplane crashes and drownings are news, as are car crashes if there are “multiple victims or unusual circumstances.” Fatal fires, exceptionally violent robberies, ice storms and damaging floods are also all “news,” while plain vanilla deaths are not. That’s why it always seems like the world is coming to an end: Only the worst, creepiest, goriest stuff, as…
Hi Folks — Read it and weep, but not too hard or you may get suspended from school! Two days after a 16-year-old Texan’s dad died, he decided to return to school to feel a little normal again. Except when he arrived late and went to the office for a tardy pass, the admins noticed his suspiciously red eyes and suspended him for suspected marijuana use. Didn’t matter that he did not appear high, or that no one said they’d seen him smoking, or that there wasn’t any marijuana on him. His mom took him to a doctor who did…