Tiger Woods

I don't think enough people have chimed in on the Tiger Woods saga. I'll go ahead and be the first.

This is without question the greatest thing to happen in America since we beat the Russions in hockey in the 1980 Olympics. "Do you believe in miracles? YES!!!"

This will finally make people realize that sports figures are not role models. They are gifted athletically and endure the same demons as you and I.

This will finally make people realize that family is more than just a word. The huge importance of having 2 parents in the home is statistically proven. Children who come from broken/divorced/remarried/step/half environments have one huge strike against them. Just ask Dr. Laura.

When people tell me about the failures of the educational system, I respond to them as follows. "The educational system isn't broken. Families are broken. The students that show up in my class ready and willing to learn are now attending Yale, Duke, UCLA, the United States Air Force Academy, and a host of other schools. Because their families valued education, it became an expectation, not a hope, to succeed at the highest level in school. They listened, learned, and tested into the best universities in America. When parents are part of the education of their child, children achieve at high levels. When students fail, it is always the parents fault. They should have been harder, firmer, more rigid. Schools aren't failing. Parents are failing.

Tiger Woods now represents everything wrong in America. He thought more of his "needs" than those of his family. Now the kids grow up believing that marriage is disposable. Well done Tiger.

I hate everyone.

Laker Fans

On Christmas Day, the Lakers lost at home to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The fans showed their true colors when near the end of the game they threw foam finger give-aways and water bottles onto the court. The fans apparently didn't like some of the officiating nor the play of their team.

You stay classy L.A.

This team has THE BEST RECORD IN THE NBA, and has WON 16 OF THEIR LAST 17!!!! But they lose on Christmas Day and the fans respond by booing, swearing, getting drunk, and throwing things. Wow.

Thank you so much for being great role models for the kids who attended the game.

Plus, I just don't get it. Are some people's lives SO empty that they invest SO much emotionally into a local sports team? I mean I like to quietly root for my alma mater (Go Cat's) but I just don't get the grown men in their NBA jerseys or their button down baseball game jerseys wide open to allow room for their stomachs. These people spend more than they can afford, at the cost of their families, on a spoiled bunch of thugs and ungrateful character free "athletes". I am swearing off professional sports. I will not attend and I will not watch on TV. America, what is wrong with you? While our Congress was bankrupting our country with an illconceived health care bill, you were watching men run and jump. What a bunch of immature morons. Grown men acting like idiots.

LET THE EUROPEAN SOCCER FANS BE THE IDIOTS!!!!!!!

My heros are not athletes. Today I hate everyone.

My Union

I've never had much use for my union until lately. I've spent the better part of my career being frustrated that I had to pay dues and be part of a union who's political actions offend me. Why is my union telling people to vote no on Prop. 8 so that gays and lesbians can legally marry? Does this affect education? Why are my union dues being used in such a non educational way in a political campaign in which I stand firmly on the opposite side? This happens ALL the time and I am constantly kicking the dog about the political positions of my union leaders.

I resent that I am unable to negotiate my own salary. As a math teacher who has successfully taught at the highest high school level, (Ok, I never taught Calculus BC, but I've taught AB) I think I could do a pretty good job advocating for myself in salary negotiations. I resent that I make the same amount that lesser teachers make. I resent that excellence is not rewarded.

And lastly, I never thought I needed a union to "protect" me. I'm pretty good at what I do and I'm confident that my work speaks for itself. My principals have all been happy with my performance in the classroom and I never thought I needed tenure to help me keep a job. As a matter of fact, I've walked away from tenured positions 3 times.

But now I get it. I now work for a district governing board that would fire me tomorrow and replace me with a new teacher to save $30,000 a year. There is no question in my mind that they assume that "Teachers are teachers. How much difference can there be?"

Thank god for my union. My union won't allow them to fire me and replace me with a cheaper model. I now understand that unions aren't there to protect the bad teachers as often happens. The union is there to protect the best teachers.
We absolutely need to stop protecting bad teachers. Cut 'em loose. Makes the whole profession look bad when we keep lazy or crappy teachers in the classroom. But I sure am glad I'm with a union now.

If it weren't for my union, districts would operate like a professional baseball team. In good financial times, they would seek out the best talent and pay them to teach in their schools. But in bad financial times, they would cut them all loose and bring up the minor leaguers to play.

I work for some pretty unpredictable people. Today I'm awfully glad not be trying to reason with them alone.