Corporal Punishment Update

I mentioned a couple of months ago that I intended to have the issue of corporal punishment addressed.

Well, at a recent board meeting, I made a request to have that policy addressed at the next school board work session. This coming Thursday, the systems' Policy Council will be addressing the policy with (presumably) an intent to eventually present their recommendations to the board.

I've been asked to come and observe this meeting.

THIS is why I got involved. Life doles out very few opportunities to actually make a real, positive difference in the lives of people around you. Each of us may only get a couple of chances to shine the light or reason on primitive notions about reward and punishment.

I think this is one of those opportunities.

The county of Mobile, Alabama, successfully abolished their corporal punishment policy a few years back and made national headlines. Perhaps me opening my mouth on this subject will effect a similar reaction and serve as a catalyst for statewide reform.

How cool would that be!

Fallout II

This is a letter that I never sent. I sometimes write for therapy and this is an example of that. Almost as soon as I started writing it, I knew it would never be sent. The reason? You can't argue with a racist. Their hatred has festered too long. Sending this letter would have only made things worse and painted a political target right smack dab on my forehead.

Racism in all its forms is a disgusting, hateful relic of our primitive history. I am passionately against racism which causes me to react with equal passion when I am accused of it.

So here is my therapy session with myself. Perhaps someone will learn something from it but the cynic in me thinks not.


Mr. (NAME REMOVED),

I read the copy of your letter to Dr. Behrends concerning (a personnel matter). Although I disagree with every point you made in your letter, this letter is not about (employee's) non-renewal. I put a great deal of thought into my decision and it is final. The case will soon come before an impartial judge and the Florence City School Board of Education will abide by the judge’s decision.

I take exception to you calling this process a “high-tech lynching.” I am new to politics and have been shocked at the propensity of people to immediately pull the “race card” whenever any disciplinary action is taken against an African-American. Comparing (the employee's) case to a horrible act of violence is an injustice to the legacy of our African-Americans ancestors who suffered at the hands of stupid, primitive people.

I’m sure I will eventually get used to people like you calling me a racist if I plan to stay in politics. The problem with that is that I don’t want to “get used” to that. If and when an actual case of racism rears its ugly head, I want to recognize it as such instead of being numb to people like you and Mr. (NAME REMOVED) who seem all too willing to use that label every time an African American is reprimanded.

Another statement that that I take issue with is your statement “every controversy around hiring or retention other and Joe Hollis has been directed at African-Americans.” This statement is patently absurd. I am certain you know that, too.

My hope in writing this letter is that you will consider that pulling the race card every time an African American is disciplined is an affront to the injustices and sacrifices that your ancestors endured.


Respectfully,
Jim Fisher

Firing Fallout

I was asked to vote on whether or not to renew the contract of one of our principals recently (all but one of our principals are on 3-year renewable contracts). It was a controversial decision for some people. Personally, I had no problem with it at all.

Without going into too much detail (if anyone wants to know, the details are a matter of public record) there were many documented reasons for the non-renewal of the principal in question. Any one of those reasons would have gotten any private citizen fired. Despite that, some teachers and private citizens who are still complaining about the decision.

I was disappointed at the people who were so willing to pull out the "race card" over this situation but what really cooked my goose was the fact that so many people are willing to give our school leaders a pass when it comes to educating our kids. Some seem to be willing to settle for something less that the absolute best leadership that money can buy.

Not me. Contrary to popular belief, I was not elected to represent the views of my constituents. I was not elected to base my decisions on popular consensus. I darn sure was not elected to represent the views of the Alabama Education Association. No, I was elected to do my very best to make sure that every child in this school system gets the best education possible.

My fellow board members made such a decision recently. I hope the message to our school leaders is loud and clear: This board will not tolerate anything less than excellence.

Creationsism in a Science Class?

On a national level, the state of Alabama has a horrible reputation for its science standards specified in the Alabama Course of Study: Science (ACOS). The ACOS is used as a foundation for local schools when developing their curriculum. It is my understanding that local school can improve upon the ACOS but must meet the minium requirements specified therein.

According to a state-by-state study of science standards by the Thomas B. Fordam Institute, the state of Alabama received a grade of "F" for our science standards. The study took major points off of Alabama's treatment of one of the cornerstones of modern biology, Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

The National Academy of Sciences recently released a new booklet entitled "Science, Evolution, and Creationism." You can listen to or read a free version of this excellent resource by clicking here.

From their website, "This completely updated edition of the landmark booklet Science and Creationism is written for anyone who wants to learn more about the science of evolution. It provides a succinct overview of the many recent advances from the fossil record, molecular biology, and a new field known as evolutionary-developmental biology that have yielded important, new, and overwhelming evidence for evolution. It makes clear that the study of evolution remains one of the most active, robust, and far-reaching fields in all of modern science." .This booklet is a must-read for anyone who cares about the scientific literacy of Alabama children.

At the end of the day I don't care if our students graduate without knowing their fermions from their bosons, their Australopithecus Afarensis from their Homo Habilis or even their Charles Darwin from their Issac Newton. No, the most valuable thing kids can take from our science classes it is that they develop rational, critical thinking skills and the ability to understand how to reason objectively. That will not happen as long as we allow dogma into the science class.

Federal Funding for Abstinance Education in Jeopardy

School boards across the nation may be forced to deal with this Abstinence-only police sooner rather than later:

Click here for the full article from the Atlanta Journal and Constitution:

Excerpt:

Future of abstinence-only federal funding in limbo

New York —- With the exit of the Bush administration, critics of abstinence-only sex education will be making an aggressive push to cut off federal funding for what they consider an ineffective, sometimes harmful program.

How quickly and completely they reach their goal is uncertain, however, as conservative supporters of abstinence education lobby Congress and President-elect Barack Obama to preserve at least some of the funding, which now totals $176 million a year.

And even if federal funding is halted, some states —- such as Georgia —- are determined to keep abstinence programs going on their own, ensuring that this front in the culture wars will remain active.

Obama is considered an advocate of comprehensive sex education, which —- unlike abstinence-only curriculum —- includes advice to young people about using contraceptives if they do engage in sexual activity. However, Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor declined to elaborate on what the new president would propose in his own budget plan.

TimesDaily Article on Teen Pregnancy

Wow. Lisa Singleton-Rickman wrote an excellent article on teen pregnancy in the Shoals area. I hope her articles will serve to open the dialogue between the school board and community with regard to teen sex, birth control, STDs and pregnancy.

See the articles here and here.

Good job, Lisa.

Corporal Punishment Nightmare

One of my worst nightmares occurred at our last Board of Education meeting last Tuesday.

A young lady came to speak before the board concerning some issues she had with the principal at her school. As she was explaining her dilemma withe the school principal*, she informed the board that her child was paddled by the principal (or assistant). This kind of punishment is perfectly legal under Alabama law as noted in a previous post.

The problem with this one is that this mother claims that there was a note in the child's personal file that he shall not be paddled. If that note is in there then my school system has not only inflicted physical harm upon a small child, it has also opened itself up to litigation.

This kind of situation opens up a whole slew of uncomfortable scenarios. Now, as far as I know, the child in question at this board meeting is from a perfectly normal, no-abusive family. BUT, what if this child was a victim of some sort of physical abuse? What if the mom didn't want him paddled because he had endured years of therapy and a single paddling might set him back years?

Does the state have a right to further inflict physical harm upon a child that is used to receiving beatings? Of course not!

*Note that I am certain the administration is doing everything they can to accomodate this young woman's concerns.