Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on September 26, 2008 at 12:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Is the 30.7 percent for Algebra I a good number? I hope that it is a misprint.

Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 12:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is abject, utter and total failure by anyone's definition, except the school board and superintendent...when is someone going to be held accountable?

Posted by Hambone (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 12:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree Sam. Absolutely terrible.

Posted by gator (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 1:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

No kid left behind huh !

Posted by bombingeight (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 2:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"This is abject, utter and total failure...."

This is being kind! All residents of Natchez and the county have a stake in the public schools, regardless of where their own children are enrolled. The outcry for decent public education should be deafening.

Posted by dangyankee (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 2:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Do you have to be able to read or do basic algebra to get one of those food stamp cards? Does a teacher have to know if his/her students can do either?

Looks to me like all involved are succeeding at precisely the level to which they aspire.

If it is any comfort at all, I read a study about 10 years ago that demonstrated only 1/3 of American high school seniors could read proficiently. Ten years ago, all across America--only 1/3 could read well enough to understand what they read.

I doubt the situation is any better now--and the scores reported above seem to show that the situation definitely is no better, right here in river city. Heck, look at this newspaper: All of the reporters reportedly are college-educated, but they mostly cannot spell even simple words correctly (Mary Hood, there is a difference between "its" and "it's", and it is more than just an apostrophe. Learn it). Pathetic. (Surprisingly, the words, grammar, etc., are correct in this article, not something I ever would have expected from Mr. Koob. Maybe there IS hope! (Or maybe the editor finally woke up from her love daze and started paying attention to what her staff have been perpetrating on their readers).

There is no simple solution, no "no child left behind" program that will solve this problem. The teachers teaching our kids, the parents raising those kids, are all products of at least a couple of generations of . . . what? How do you characterize it? Wanting something for nothing? No work, all reward? All easy, no difficult?

I don't know.

Short of turning off every television, every video game, every cell phone in this country, I doubt there IS a solution.

(Okay, now y'all can damn me for being a Yankee, or at least sort of one.)

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 5:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Amen dangyankee.....

Posted by pbnj (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 6:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well first it started with the Head Start program.......Then No Kid Left Behind....... This doesn't sound like progress. What's next? The Screw It We Tried Program.

Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on September 26, 2008 at 6:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

After the Board of Aldermen and the Board of Supervisors meet on recreation, they should open a joint session on PUBLIC EDUCATION!

Our elected officials, who appoint school board members, need to get involved or let the voters have the opportunity to elect the school board.

Posted by fuzzmonkey (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's the root of most of our problems. Most of these kids could care less about an education and the parents use the schools for baby sitters. Once they leave the "No kid Left Behind" program they'll enter the welfare or judicial system. Could the school board and teachers could do a better job? Sure, I feel everyone could do better at their job but the fact of the matter is these teachers don't have much to work with. It should start at home but it doesn't. These kids are products of their environment.

I agree with the post from above. This is unacceptable and people should be held accountable. Those people are these kids parents. Maybe then the schools can get a handle on what they need to do. the problem lies at home.

Posted by kpage (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 7:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Har har pbnj!!!!

Now really...did this surprise anyone? Get real and admit it...this did not surprise you! It's almost expected. And that's a shame. It's obvious the kids aren't Ntz Officials top priority and it shows. Bless these kids hearts. Living in Adams County is akin to growing up in the big-city ghettos. Nobody cares for them and nobody will. Is small-town America just a memory? And its values? Sure is beginning to look that way.

I know there's a few of you out there that care, but unfortunately that's not enough. Until the higher-ups care, nothing will be done...and that's a shame for the kids.

Posted by generoberts (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is what you wanted Natchez....now I say waller in it and enjoy. It all started years ago. I am glad I left. Inside the city limits of Natchez is nothing butt a ghetto. No better than Watts, or Compton, just smaller.

Posted by MSviaTN (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

KPAGE - until their own parents start caring nothing will be done!!! You take a child whose parents work with them at home and gives that child what they need at home and you WILL see a difference - and yes before everyone starts screaming, I know you will always have an exception to the rule - I am aware of it - but it HAS to start at HOME!!!

Posted by MSviaTN (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Where I live we have the community schools and it works!!!! Natchez needs to go back to that!

Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on September 26, 2008 at 7:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2007...

Posted by Redchief (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The problem is partly because the students have been taught to NOT learn! The government will take care of you from cradle to grave. Look for hand-outs. Exist on food stamps. Sleep in government housing. Receive welfare checks. Get big and fat so you can claim that you are so big that you CAN'T work, so you can get in on disability. Take advantage of free food from the Stewpot or similiar.

The parents have been trained this way, and the children fall not far from the tree. How can the parents help a child with algebra when the parent has no understanding of algebra themselves?

What a mess. Fire that Morris Sup.. He may be performing, but he produces un-acceptable results. A failure, completely.

As I have said before in other postings, i would not locate an industry here for any amount of tax- breaks or incentives or anything! The work- force around here is stupid!!! They shuffle around, talk and text on their phones, and lack most common courtesies.

And the language! OMG! Just the other day at a gas station I was behind a woman that bellowed forth- " How much a slice of pizza is!?". I think if I were behind the counter, I would not be able to refrain from saying to her " I'm sorry, are you asking ' How much is a slice of pizza?' ".

I weep for the South.

Posted by fay2ntz (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Redchief, I agree but it is not just the South but the entire country. We are not making these schools and parents accountable for these kids. Kids are so disrepectful and arrogant, it is just a pure shame. The politicians only think of themselves along with those so called educators, whose jobs are to think and plan what is best for our students. Notice both in the above article seem to agree that the scores are bad but could be worse. Those scores are an embarassment and should be. Go to the MS Dept of Education website and one will see just what level the Natchez-Adams County School District is on this year. Last year we had one school about to be taken over by the state, three on a level 2 and one on a level 3.

Posted by DSGB (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Both Kaase and Morris said, "the test are aimed at developing higher performing, more prepared students that can compete nationally", shouldn't that have been the goal from the start? Are we not giving our kids the foundation they need to succeed? I feel that even if you get a more rigorous test, that if the basic foundation has been taught and expounded upon, test scores should not be this dismal. I am at a complete lost for words as to what is going on within our school district and what the leadership plans to do about this. We cannot accept another 2-3 years of poorous test scores before the administration expect to see change. That would mean 6 years of steady decline and failure of our public school system? Maybe I am wrong, someone please help me out here,can we put up with 3 more years of this if we expect Natchez to grow and get better. Whether we like it or not the public school system is the face of our community!!!!

Posted by tedhinson (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

As long as you have a society that thinks it is owed, you will have a society that fails.

As long as you have a society that believes it is entitled, you will have a society that fails.

As long as you have a society that can't read, write and do basic math, you will have a society that will come to believe it is owed and entitled....too ignorant to understand that in order for our economy to succeed and them to benefit, they have to be competent, productive participants.... the circle will continue.

As long as the parents have no drive to succeed, nor work ethic or morals, neither will the children because they learn by example.

We are in a dangerous period in our country's history and I am truly worried.

Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's going to take everyone! People in leadership have to remove the "me" mentality, the teachers need to be given their "power" back in the classroom and the parents MUST do their part. You have parents out there who are spending that time with their children, academically and as another poster has stated, you can tell the ones who get that one on one time. I am also of the argument that a child should understand that although the district can give you all the tools you need, although the teacher can foster and inspire you to learn and though your parents guide you toward getting the best education possible, NOTHING is going to be given to you and that 95% is up to the student. If the student DOES NOT want to take advantage of the opportunity given all stated above is in it rightful place, then it is the student's fault. To that end however, not enough consequences for actions is being taught at home. I am willing to believe that if children are shown this from day one, they have a better chance at understanding they need to take education seriously.

Posted by Redchief (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

But how do you get the kids to have more parental input, when the kids are brought up with a government program which teaches how to eat, how to sleep, and how to ( sorry, but this is graphic- rated PG-13) wipe their little butts. My parents taught me all of the above, and played an important role in my whole learning process, and not just academics but life- lessons.

Do away with all this Head Start crap and other such programs that are aimed to remove the PARENT'S responsibility and insert the government as the parent. And we all know what a lousy parent 'ole Uncle Sam is. Good fighter, lousy parent.

And if the parents can't/won't take care of their own kids....well...as Scrooge once said " Are there no prisons...are there no workhouses?".

Or maybe as in a scene from Monty Python's "Meaning of Life"- "Sorry children, but we've been forced to sell you all into medical experiments".

Posted by pride (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Just like a previous poster said this is not just a Natchez thing , it's national . And to think that these kids will be expected to compete with kids on a global level for jobs . The whole system needs overhauling . America is a mess right now .

Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 10:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I drove by Natchez High the other day and could just feel the stupid in the air. By the time I got to the scales(or where they were), I dint give a shizzle bout none dat stuff gwine on in da wurl. It jist bees lack i wuz dumberer dan wen I left the hizzle.
I had sunk down in my seat so low all you could see was my bald head. You could have taken me for Kevin Cooper. By the time I got to Morgantown my brain had fallen back in my headbone. I could see what bush called "the cornerstone of my administration", No Republican Left Behind, had completely failed like everything else he had done. That's what happens when retards are elected.
How is the world going to be in 20 years when the smartest person in the US has a 75 IQ?

Posted by destiny (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Anyone would simply have tp agree with the above posts. They speak complete truth. My simple idea is >>>>Put watch-dogs on the ones who are recieving government hand outs. If the children are failing because of lack of parental help, start reducing the parents government handouts. When they see their money and food stamps are dwindling maybe, just maybe that will help to awaken them to the fact that it is their responsibility to raise their own kids. Most children that are on food stamps recieve 2 meals a day at school so we are sure they will not go hungry. Even during the summer months children will contuinue to be fed at school. But the parents will have to find another way to keep fat.

Posted by happybunny (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I was presenting a program at an eigth grade class and was stressing the value of a good education and one of the kids actually said "I don't need no education, I am going to sell crack like my brother, he makes $1000.00 a week."
I agree with Redchief, the problem is their way of life and what they are not learning form their surroundings. They see everyone else living off the system so thats what they aspire to do.

Posted by dangyankee (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Parental involvement is a fine concept, and of course I'm all for it--EXCEPT when the parent(s) are approximately 1st-grade literate, which, unfortunately, is often the case. This problem was not born today, or even with this generation: Its roots are likely at least 2 generations, perhaps 3 or more generations back in our country's history. While I'm no expert on this or anything else, it strikes me that our national dumbing-down started in the 1960s, when some liberal geniuses put their heads together and decided that every child had the "right" to go to college. That would be wonderful--provided that every child also had the ABILITY to handle college work. Of course, not every child did. The answer, then, was to lower the bar so that every child, no matter how short his "legs," could clamber over it.

When I was in 9th grade in the early 1970s, I read that the college freshman English textbook had been rewritten "to an 8th-grade level." My college composition courses 3 years later proved the accuracy of that report: Comp 101 and 102 were much easier than my 9th-grade English class had been, and it wasn't because I had gotten so much smarter in the intervening 3 years: It was that much less was expected from students. That was 1976. Some of my college classmates graduated and went on to teach our generation's children. Those children's children are the "beneficiaries" of a long slippery slope in terms of education.

I'm going against the "conventional wisdom" when I say that parental involvement not only often is not the answer, but in fact may even compound the problem when the parents themselves are only semi-literate, at best, and lack even the maturity to tell their kids, "Hey, don't be like me--study your a** off, learn to read and write and do math, pay attention to your teachers," and whatever else "parental involvement" theoretically entails.

Posted by fay2ntz (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yes, I do remember those books. Thanks for clearing that up, I just couldn't understand why was in college with a book fit for an someone 7th or 8th grade. My child attended Head Start and had a wonderful teacher who helped him with all his basic skills even spanish. My husband and myself have always worked with our children at home and find it an insult that alot of our friends do not. As a parent that is your responsibility, not the teachers, to make sure that YOUR child gets all that this world has to offer. That also includes making many trips to the school to monitor their habits and to also let the teacher know that you are watching he/she to make sure that the skills in that class are being taught. I agree that those who get government money should have it slowly taken away for everytime that child does not do what he or she is suppose to do. The way to make sure that nothing is taken away from someone unfairly is to give parents a chance to get said child a tutor or extra help before funds are removed. Then if said parent refuses or ignores procedure then take the funds!!!

Posted by aesa (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There is a great divide between the "haves" and the "have nots". Education at one time provided the vehicle to bridge the "great divide", but recently our children fail to grasp the realization that education can be a vital element
of becoming one of the "haves".

Soon we will be over run with an entire generation of low
wage earners, poorly educated parents, and massive
exporting of high wage jobs.

As a parent of two college kids I can tell you that there are
a number of students out there striving, being competitive,
and taking advantage of educational opportunities. Sadly
this is not the case for most of our kids.

If little Johnny does not value an eduation there is NOT
a School Administrator on the planet that can make little
Johnny succeed.

I do not know how to do it, but somehow we have to impress upon our children the value of an excellent
education. This is the great challenge!

At my house there is one golden rule...I work, I eat!
You go to school and do well, you eat too!!!
Not doing well results in lost of text messages, cell phone,
xBox, computer time, driving priviledges, vacations,
allowances, and tv time.

The other rule we have is...you go to college, you get a job, you move out!!!

My education pays my mortgage, my car note, their student loans, their grocery bill, their cellphone bill, etc.

Thier education gets them out of my house in the not so distant future!!! I do love them
more then anything on the planet...but they gotta go...and
their ticket to a good life is an outstanding education in a
viable field!!!

The solution starts with the student's realization that
this is the way. The adminstrators at the school could work
24 hours a day using the greatest tools in the world...
but Little Johnny has to want it...and Little Johnny's parents have to want him to move out asap!!!

True story...The Delta Queen stopped in Nat one day and I saw the passengers sitting on the top deck enjoying the day. I asked my Dad "How do I get to do that?" He said "go to college!" The Delta Queen provided me with a life lesson!

The other lesson from my Dad was "You work, you eat...you go to college...you eat much better!!!"

Posted by kpage (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

<<<<destiny and fay>>>> I agree that government handouts should be monitored more closely and increased/decreased according to their kid's accomplishments or lack of accomplishments. Talk about a wake-up call to the do-nothing mamas and daddys!

<<Redchief>> Well said! Amen and amen.

Posted by aesa (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

One more...
As I always tell my 20'ish nephews...you have to get off your Mom's breast milk...of course I use more graphic terminology, but you get my meaning.

The Bible says "You shall always have the poor"...It does
not say "You shall always have the poorly educated"

Posted by USMBOY (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I was reading the hattiesburgamerican, and when i saw the article about MISSISSIPPI test scores, i knew people were gonna be on here with censorial comments about NHS. It's not just natchez, its the whole state of MS. Teachers are given an agenda of what they are to teach, its not all their fault. It the state dosen't require them to teach things that are on this test, how is it the kids fault for not learning them. Kill no child left behind!

Posted by USMBOY (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 1:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And now schools are gonna start teaching just to pass these tests. Its gonna look real good when the students are passing the tests, but how are they gonna fare in the real world. During their whole stay in HS, all they did was memorize test answers with no logical thinking involved.

Posted by babyblu2001 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We got our scores in Gulfport and they were actually pretty good! I know our kids here are really being challenged alot more now than we were when I was in school. They stay busy and have lots of homework!

Posted by babyblu2001 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Check out the difference in the Advanced group in Natchez vs. other cities on the MCT2...Wow!

Posted by lookingout (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i moved from MS to GA when i was in the 7th grade moved back to MS when i started the 9th grade.....the stuff that we were doing in GA in the 7th grade was the same stuff we were doing in MS in the 10th grade.....that was when i was in school and i graduated in 1999 so you know it is much worse now

Posted by pride (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It just amazes me that these kids are living during the greatest information explosion in the history of mankind and they still choose to be mediocre . Who would have thought that rap rhetoric had such a powerful dumbing down effect on a whole generation of kids . They've successfully made kids believe it was kool to be dumb . This generation will probably never come from under that one . All hope is not lost because people will do better if they see the error of their ways . It's not the teaches or superintendents fault . You do have some bad apple educators who are there just for a check ; and could care less about your child . This happened long before these kids set foot in the school . Just like some have already said , try home !

Posted by justice (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

These comments are fine and dandy but don't forget we are in a global economy now . These kids will go on to compete with students that test significantly higher than the best school districts in the nation . It's really no competition because even small countries surpass the best efforts in America . It's highly likely that your child's boss will be from India,Japan or a host of other countries that do far better than the U.S. in education , particularly math and science . The information is out there .

Posted by donna (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

LOOKS LIKE WE NEED A NEW SUPT. WE ARE NOT GETTING ANYWHERE

Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Different folks , different strokes. The problem is - How do you make kids WANT to learn more and contribute to society? How do you build that desire? They'll have to HURT for it first. Then they will want it.

You can't expect everyone to be the same. I mean what can you expect, we keep giving away everything - education, housing, food, healthcare- people don't care anymore because they have been conditioned to feel entitled to being taken care of. Socialists are steadily brainwashing the masses into a stupor of apathey and we are so selfish we are sucking it up.

Some people want to just get by, some people just don't have the ambition, motivation, health, etc whatever it takes.

Necessity is the birth of motivation. What you NEED is what you will work for. Right now all the kids think they need cell phones, fashion, drugs, etc. Their values are misplaced. They don't feel the need for survival and taking care of themselves. Someone else - the gov't - owes them a living. WRONG, that is what is killing our country now.

This financial crisis - giving away housing that so many do not care to pay back, giving away education that kids don't care about.

The philosophy is the same.

We have to break away from the socialist way of life, and get back to earning a living the old fashioned way, WORK FOR IT. . We should stop giving away education to everyone on a mandatory basis. If a kids wants to be in school, fine, let them go. But if they don't want to be there, ok, let them go work somewhere and scrape a living. Quit messing with minimum wages and let an employer pay an employee what they are worth. Then kids will understand the VALUE of an education and want it more.

Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 2:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You know, we have a great system and good facilities and caring teachers

The problem is student motivation

MY daughter just started teaching school in Baton Rouge, she had high hopes of helping kids, she graduated from LSU. Started out at $40,000/yr and was very excited about this career. Then she met her first class and was totally shocked. The kids don't care, they are abusive and disrespectful and hostile. The parents do not attend events and do not care about their kids (for the most part), there are exceptions.

Such is life, some people will rise above, others will fall to the bottom.

Posted by Chase (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

These are the original Twelve Steps as defined by Racism Anonymous:

1. We admitted we were powerless over racism—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons of color we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to racist, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Other twelve-step groups have modified the twelve steps slightly from those of Racism Anonymous to refer to problems other than Racism.
The Promises:
1. If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.
2. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
3. We will regret the past and learn enough humility to eventually shut the door on it.
4. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
5. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benifit others.
6. The felling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
7. We will loose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
8. Self-seeking will slip away.
9. Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change.
10. Fear of people of color and economic insecurity will leave us.
11. We will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us.
12. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

“Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us-sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.”

Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I saw something on CNN today

something about paying poor mothers to have their tubes tied

and men to have vasectomy

maybe that's the answer, stop the uncaring people from having kids that they cannot parent responsibly, resulting in kids that have been essentially "taught" the street life

personally - I think that is a terrible solution, however practical it might be. That is class warfare to the ultimate and not at all about freedom of choice. But, that is what is going on, young girls having babies, one right after the other, and getting paid for that, instead of getting paid for NOT having babies. Teenage girls are not good mothers same as teenage boys are not good fathers, in my opinion, as they have not grown emotionally enough until at least their 20's to parent. I see lots of girls 14-17 pregnant. And these are girls with "good" parents too, I can't figure it out. When I was a teenager, last thing I wanted to happen was get a girl pregnant, however much I wanted to have sex. I guess these days the kids just figure that there are no severe4 consequences that they might suffer, the gov't will pay the bills, provide baby supplies, as well as grandma taking up the slack. We are enabling the decline of our society.

Let's get back to the old way -- if you mess up you suffer, if you do right you benefit.

Let's quit rewarding young girls for having babies, punish bad kids that don't care about school by sending them to a harsh boot camp, lower the minimum wage so business can hire teenagers that need a hard lesson working. Right now no one can afford to hire a drop out teenager at almost $7/hr and train them.

Let's get some motivational factors back in the mainstream of society that will make kids WANT to do right.

Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Chase there are fallicies among the 12 steps

people of color are not the only victims of racism

white people are not the only perpetrators of racism

we are NOT powerless over racism, we can fight back.

Racism is not the issue here

the issue is students (whatever color) not learning

please do not attempt to muddy the water, people of all colors - red, white, black, brown, yellow, green, blue - have every opportunity and our society bends over backwards to see that every possible need is provided for. Truly, this is the land of plenty, Americans are a compassionate people, and all are brought to the trough to be fed, clothed, educated, housed, medicated, entertained, and ultimately buried.

ASEA - amen- that's what my dad taught me too "Son, if you don't work, help around the house, cut grass, do what momma says, you don't eat boy".

Posted by happybunny (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Krogers, I heard that to about the tubes tied and I am all for it. Particularly if you consider the ones that would take the deal, crack heads that need drugs come to mind. It's a far better deal for the taxpayers vs. supporting them through the welfare system.

Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

sad that it has to come to that, but YES it is a better deal for taxpayers

seems like we think alike happybunny

Posted by happyreader (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I personally know quite a few of the teachers and administrators in the Natchez-Adams School District, and they are some of the finest educators you could ever hope to meet. The work they do is mentally, emotionally, and often physically draining - work that a lot of folks just couldn't do for more than a few days, if they made it that long. Keep up the good work, NASD teachers, and know that this reader appreciates what you do.

Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 6:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with you happyreader

since my daughter has begun teaching in Baton Rouge I have new insight into that occupation

She gets up at 5:00 am so she can be there by 6:30am

Often she will have meetings after school and not leave the building until 6pm

She has to put up with verbal abuse, and hostility from the kids. She cannot enforce any discipline physically, and has to be "nice" all the time. That would stress me out. She gets chastised by the administrators if she asks for assistance in discipline for students. Teachers are not treated fairly. We need to get corporal punishment back in the classroom. We need to have FEAR back in the students. They can get away with most anything. They do not do their homework. They don't care about grades. When they do get a report they get all upset about a low grade though and blame it on the teachers.

I am thoroughly convinced we need a BOOT CAMP for stupid students. If you don't care about grades, and make D's and F's then you go to Boot Camp for a month, live in a barracks, and do drills, wear uniforms, boots, military style treatment. Students would hate that.

Posted by toosweetlej (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

thats my son on the first row with his head down doing his work.!!!!!!!!!

Posted by dragonflyday (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 9:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

this is crap, why blame the teachers here, they can't help it if these lil brats are acting like adults,cause of home life. my children knows if they bring home anything lower than a C they are not going to do anything until all is good with grades and me talking to the teacher. but i will say that it's not right to make kids wear uniforms, when teachers don't. what is this saying to our kids.look at the teacher in the picture.

Posted by fuzzmonkey (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 10:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kids having kids. Uneducated morons trying to raise the kids they don't want. Want to be thugs having kids they can't afford. Kids passing their kids to their grandmother to raise. Crack heads having kids and throwing them away. What do you expect? This isn't the schools or the teachers problem, it's the irresponsible parents problem. The only thing they teach is how to beat the system and sponge off the government. They are the ones who should be held accountable.

Posted by happyreader (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dragonflyday, good for you for insisting that your kids do their schoolwork! But I have to disagree with you on the teacher uniform thing. A lot of teachers are young and could pass for students, and a lot of students look like adults. It gets mighty tricky to figure out who's who when they are all dressed alike. Not to mention that, for all that they deal with, teachers ought to have some perks, and wearing normal clothes is one very little perk.

Posted by dragonflyday (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 11:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

happyready,since you put it that way,i guess i see what you are saying,but to tell the truth i'm not the one who is insisting on them to do their homework lol,my kids do,they just know that there will be no tv,video games,going to a friends house or anything until it's done and i go over it.

Posted by Chase (anonymous) on September 27, 2008 at 12:23 a.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)