Kicking off the week 3 thread

levioosa · February 2017

kimmiinthemitten said:

Heffalump said:

Y'all, why am I so disappointed if I'm not surprised?

Because deep down we had a shred of naive hope that the status quo can't be *that* bad.

There's that pesky hope again. And I thought last year was bad. Ugh.

The only thing that made me feel a little better was seeing the comments on the pathetic post Senator Rob Portman made after the vote. The first sentence started off "Betsy DeVos is the daughter of a public school teacher..." and people were pissed. There isn't a single comment that's positive.

short+sassy · February 2017

My dad was one of those guys who had a collection of tee-shirts with sayings on them.

I'm paraphrasing, but one of my favorites was, "I'm waiting for the day when the Army has to hold bake sales and schools get all the funds they need."

Heffalump · February 2017

mrsconn23 said:

My heart breaks for our kids, but especially teachers.

Teachers have been taking it up the ass so bad for-ev-er and it seems every move with regard to education is to ask for more while giving less.

This is fucked up.

Yes. This is a huge concern of mine. Story time:

A couple of weeks ago, Wooz and I made a Sunday morning Target run. In the checkout line, she was trying to persuade me to buy her Sour Patch Gum. So she started reading me the package, and offhandedly I said "You read that really well. No wonder your teacher moved you up a reading level." Wooz, being Wooz, said "Two reading levels." (And also "So can I get the gum?")

The cashier says "What reading level are you now?" and Wooz says "Well, I was M and N, but now I'm O and P." She eyeballs Wooz and says "What grade?" "Second." Cashier says "You are a good reader."

I say "You know a lot about reading levels," and I'm sure y'all have guessed why. We get to talking, and it turns out she's a reading specialist. In our district. At the elementary school that used to be our neighborhood school before the redistricting, the school that one of Wooz's besties attends. But because our state pays some of the lowest teacher salaries in the country, she also works part-time at Target on the weekends. Like, WTF?

It reminds me of this travesty:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/01/uber-teacher-appreciation-blog_n_5916234.html

OliveOilsMom · February 2017

I mean, I guess we won't have to worry about DeVos for too long, if this Representative gets his way, right?

https://massie.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rep-massie-introduces-bill-to-abolish-federal-department-of-education

kimmiinthemitten · February 2017

@Heffalump I am so pissed for you, especially at your Senators because of what they have done to NC schools. There is a massive teacher shortage due to how low they pay their starting staff that they're trying to fill, it's resulting in lower test scores (although I despise that this is what we judge kids on) and they still vote in favor of her.

The manufacturer I represent is HQ'ed in NC so if I wanted to move up within this organization I'd have to either travel or move. H would never work in NC which leaves us with staying here or me travelling. Although now, all states may equally suck for teachers.

Tim Scott is especially disgusting to me.

kimmiinthemitten · February 2017

OliveOilsMom said:

I mean, I guess we won't have to worry about DeVos for too long, if this Representative gets his way, right?
https://massie.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rep-massie-introduces-bill-to-abolish-federal-department-of-education

At least there is a Republican finally admitting that Reagan failed at something.

Heffalump · February 2017

My favorite moment from yesterday?

‘Nevertheless, she persisted’ becomes new battle cry after McConnell silences Elizabeth Warren

VarunaTT · February 2017

This is just so damn stupid, it's SO STUPID. I wish a Secret Service officer would just slap the damn phone out of his hand, break it underfoot, and then the government just refuse to give him or let him have a new phone. I want to sue the pants off of this guy about this:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-nordstrom-tweet-ivanka-234791

sparklepants41 · February 2017

VarunaTT said:

This is just so damn stupid, it's SO STUPID. I wish a Secret Service officer would just slap the damn phone out of his hand, break it underfoot, and then the government just refuse to give him or let him have a new phone. I want to sue the pants off of this guy about this:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-nordstrom-tweet-ivanka-234791

That just makes me want to run over to Nordstrom and shop extra.

ILoveBeachMusic · February 2017

sparklepants41 said:

VarunaTT said:

This is just so damn stupid, it's SO STUPID. I wish a Secret Service officer would just slap the damn phone out of his hand, break it underfoot, and then the government just refuse to give him or let him have a new phone. I want to sue the pants off of this guy about this:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-nordstrom-tweet-ivanka-234791

That just makes me want to run over to Nordstrom and shop extra.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I don't normally shop at Nordstrom but will have to start doing so!

kimmiinthemitten · February 2017

I didn't care if Nordstrom kept or dropped the line at all quite frankly. But seriously, what the hell is wrong with this man? Does he not understand that he has a nation to govern and that requires serious focus and that he can't spend all day talking about ratings and shopping malls?

Image: http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/315483/file-1845714606-gif/refusetoanswer.gif

kimmiinthemitten · February 2017

I'm just going to leave this here.

short+sassy · February 2017

VarunaTT said:

This is just so damn stupid, it's SO STUPID. I wish a Secret Service officer would just slap the damn phone out of his hand, break it underfoot, and then the government just refuse to give him or let him have a new phone. I want to sue the pants off of this guy about this:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-nordstrom-tweet-ivanka-234791

It's sad how far we've come. I'm dating myself here, but I remember the big kerfluffle when Daddy Bush made an offhand comment that he didn't like broccoli. He didn't say people shouldn't eat broccoli. He didn't accuse broccoli farmers of having an "agenda" or being "mean".

People still FLIPPED OUT over the President making a negative comment about broccoli. I think he even later apologized for his statement from the pressure.

Yet, now it's just fine and dandy for POTUS to denigrate a specific organization...from his official POTUS tweet account...because they dropped his DAUGHTER'S clothing line. Purely personal reasons.

Still actually has the audacity to say there is no conflict of interest whatsoever in his administration.

I want to take that Tweet. Write it on a big piece of poster board. Roll it up in a tube. And smack him over the head with it until he AT LEAST owns up to the RAMPANT conflict of interest going on. I mean, fine, be an a**hat. But stop patronizing us with your "alternative facts".

charlotte989875 · February 2017

Only thing keeping me going today is the #ShePersisted tweets.

*Barbie* · February 2017

VarunaTT said:

This is just so damn stupid, it's SO STUPID. I wish a Secret Service officer would just slap the damn phone out of his hand, break it underfoot, and then the government just refuse to give him or let him have a new phone. I want to sue the pants off of this guy about this:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-nordstrom-tweet-ivanka-234791

you know, for a "businessman" he's awfully short sighted - i mean, if his casino properties were no longer profitable, he wouldn't continue to run them at a loss.... so why would Nordstrom continue carrying a line that's not selling?

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/12/nyregion/donald-trump-atlantic-city.html?_r=0

VarunaTT · February 2017

Just when I thought there wasn't a lower bar to be set:

https://thinkprogress.org/spicer-nordstrom-ivanka-trump-unacceptable-attack-3e61a86c7c19#.i9okjx5u8

B/c the press secretary doesn't have more important stories than this, right? Right? RIGHT?!?1?!

Heffalump · February 2017

VarunaTT said:

Just when I thought there wasn't a lower bar to be set:

https://thinkprogress.org/spicer-nordstrom-ivanka-trump-unacceptable-attack-3e61a86c7c19#.i9okjx5u8

B/c the press secretary doesn't have more important stories than this, right? Right? RIGHT?!?1?!

Of course he has bigger issues to tackle. Like whether his boss owns a bathrobe.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38893302

My favorite response?

https://twitter.com/michaelianblack/status/828751595215081472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

And then there is the gift that is Easy D. They're busy these days. So very busy. Running the country, and such.

kimmiinthemitten · February 2017

Heffalump said:

VarunaTT said:

Just when I thought there wasn't a lower bar to be set:

https://thinkprogress.org/spicer-nordstrom-ivanka-trump-unacceptable-attack-3e61a86c7c19#.i9okjx5u8

B/c the press secretary doesn't have more important stories than this, right? Right? RIGHT?!?1?!

Of course he has bigger issues to tackle. Like whether his boss owns a bathrobe.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38893302

My favorite response?

https://twitter.com/michaelianblack/status/828751595215081472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

And then there is the gift that is Easy D. They're busy these days. So very busy. Running the country, and such.

What else is a powerful man to do to occupy his time after he clocks out at 6:30?

charlotte989875 · February 2017

Saw someone post on Twitter this morning:

Jeff Sessions: Too racist for 1986.
Jeff Sessions: Just racist enough for 2017.

levioosa · February 2017

charlotte989875 said:

Saw someone post on Twitter this morning:

Jeff Sessions: Too racist for 1986.
Jeff Sessions: Just racist enough for 2017.

This makes me laugh and cry. A few days ago SO and I were on a walk and he remarked, "I don't know what to do any more. I feel like we're literally going back in time."

Yep, welcome to the party.

kimmiinthemitten · February 2017

charlotte989875 said:

Saw someone post on Twitter this morning:

Jeff Sessions: Too racist for 1986.
Jeff Sessions: Just racist enough for 2017.

A friend of mine said the only nice thing about racism today is it's no longer covert. They wear it on their sleeves so at least you know who to avoid.

kimmiinthemitten · February 2017

Let's add Kellyanne Conway to the ethic violation list.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/318668-top-obama-official-accuses-conway-of-breaking-the-law-with-ivanka

Ivanka Trump will be fine, and for some reason I have a feeling she is probably handling this better than her dad and his administration is. She's known about it for a month now and you don't hear her bashing Nordstroms or TJ Maxx.

levioosa · February 2017

kimmiinthemitten said:

Let's add Kellyanne Conway to the ethic violation list.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/318668-top-obama-official-accuses-conway-of-breaking-the-law-with-ivanka

Ivanka Trump will be fine, and for some reason I have a feeling she is probably handling this better than her dad and his administration is. She's known about it for a month now and you don't hear her bashing Nordstroms or TJ Maxx.

I hate her so much. She is the absolute worst. I honestly don't think Trump would have won if it wasn't for her scheming and manipulation.

mrsconn23 · February 2017

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/18/jack-kingston-school-lunch_n_4467711.html?

What in the ever loving fuck?!

“But one of the things I’ve talked to the secretary of agriculture about: Why don’t you have the kids pay a dime, pay a nickel to instill in them that there is, in fact, no such thing as a free lunch? Or maybe sweep the floor of the cafeteria — and yes, I understand that that would be an administrative problem, and I understand that it would probably lose you money. But think what we would gain as a society in getting people — getting the myth out of their head that there is such a thing as a free lunch,” he said.

This makes me physically ill. You want to turn poor kids into free labor to 'teach them a lesson' regarding something they have NO CONTROL over?!

kimmiinthemitten · February 2017

mrsconn23 said:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/18/jack-kingston-school-lunch_n_4467711.html?

What in the ever loving fuck?!

“But one of the things I’ve talked to the secretary of agriculture about: Why don’t you have the kids pay a dime, pay a nickel to instill in them that there is, in fact, no such thing as a free lunch? Or maybe sweep the floor of the cafeteria — and yes, I understand that that would be an administrative problem, and I understand that it would probably lose you money. But think what we would gain as a society in getting people — getting the myth out of their head that there is such a thing as a free lunch,” he said.

This makes me physically ill. You want to turn poor kids into free labor to 'teach them a lesson' regarding something they have NO CONTROL over?!

In addition to how insulting and out of touch it is, does he not realize the hypocrisy in assuming kids are poor because they think everything should be given to them? If everything was given to them, they wouldn't need your fucking lunch.

The old bootstraps mentality makes me see red. I had to make hard decisions to get to where I am today, and I was lucky because I had a couch to sleep on. That's more than most in that situation. Until you've walked a day in the shoes of a person who had to choose between food and an electric bill, you have no business judging them.

short+sassy · February 2017

mrsconn23 said:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/18/jack-kingston-school-lunch_n_4467711.html?

What in the ever loving fuck?!

“But one of the things I’ve talked to the secretary of agriculture about: Why don’t you have the kids pay a dime, pay a nickel to instill in them that there is, in fact, no such thing as a free lunch? Or maybe sweep the floor of the cafeteria — and yes, I understand that that would be an administrative problem, and I understand that it would probably lose you money. But think what we would gain as a society in getting people — getting the myth out of their head that there is such a thing as a free lunch,” he said.

This makes me physically ill. You want to turn poor kids into free labor to 'teach them a lesson' regarding something they have NO CONTROL over?!

I need to stop coming over to this thread to try and preserve my sanity.

But I won't. Less I forget monsters really do exist.

I've heard heartbreaking stories where, a free school lunch, is sometimes the only food a child gets all day. And school breaks and summers are tough because they get less food when they aren't in school.

I'm on board with teaching ALL children to work hard for what they want. Be good citizens. I'd love to see the entitlement attitude with ADULTS stop, so there is more assistance for people who truly need it. I'm not painting a broad brush with that, but I've also witnessed first-hand the people who take advantage.

But there is no 7-year-old on a free school lunch program who is talking about "how easy life is, thanks to free lunches".

Not to mention. Can you imagine how psychologically damaging and ostracizing it would be for a child, to force them to "sweep up the lunch room" in exchange for food instead of playing with their friends. Disgusting on so many levels.

levioosa · February 2017

I can only imagine how damaging that would be. My family went through a period of time where we were very poor. Sometimes I didn't have lunch for school. At my elementary school, if you didn't bring a lunch, they were required to feed you, and you would get a cup of ramen noodles. I hated it because you were singled out by that stupid cup-o-noodles. Everyone knew you either couldn't afford lunch, or you didn't have anything to bring. I would beg friends for a piece of their sandwich so I wouldn't attract attention from the cafeteria monitors and get the fucking cup-o-noodles. Can you imagine the stigma that would happen if you singled a 7 year old out and made them sweep the floor? What, are they supposed to do that in front of their peers at lunch time? Sweep for five minutes before you're allowed to eat? What in the actual fuck.

Now, I saw that in Japan kids are expected to help clean up their school and prepare their own lunches (provided by the cafeteria) to help create a sense of ownership, pride, and responsibility (and also how to cook). Everyone participates. There are teams. They rotate responsibilities. That's cool. But what this asshole is suggesting is not even close to the same thing.

Heffalump · February 2017

short+sassy said:

mrsconn23 said:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/18/jack-kingston-school-lunch_n_4467711.html?

What in the ever loving fuck?!

“But one of the things I’ve talked to the secretary of agriculture about: Why don’t you have the kids pay a dime, pay a nickel to instill in them that there is, in fact, no such thing as a free lunch? Or maybe sweep the floor of the cafeteria — and yes, I understand that that would be an administrative problem, and I understand that it would probably lose you money. But think what we would gain as a society in getting people — getting the myth out of their head that there is such a thing as a free lunch,” he said.

This makes me physically ill. You want to turn poor kids into free labor to 'teach them a lesson' regarding something they have NO CONTROL over?!

I need to stop coming over to this thread to try and preserve my sanity.
But I won't. Less I forget monsters really do exist.
I've heard heartbreaking stories where, a free school lunch, is sometimes the only food a child gets all day. And school breaks and summers are tough because they get less food when they aren't in school.
I'm on board with teaching ALL children to work hard for what they want. Be good citizens. I'd love to see the entitlement attitude with ADULTS stop, so there is more assistance for people who truly need it. I'm not painting a broad brush with that, but I've also witnessed first-hand the people who take advantage.
But there is no 7-year-old on a free school lunch program who is talking about "how easy life is, thanks to free lunches".
Not to mention. Can you imagine how psychologically damaging and ostracizing it would be for a child, to force them to "sweep up the lunch room" in exchange for food instead of playing with their friends. Disgusting on so many levels.

Seriously. Kids are already monsters, and if you're making a kid clean up after his peers, you're just adding fuel to the fire. DH went to a high poverty school, and he said as far as he knew, there was hardly anyone who didn't get free or reduced lunch. So you're going to have 600 out of 700 kids sweeping the lunch room? Good plan!

Also, not to make light of it, but 7 y.o.s are pretty shitty at cleaning. Wooz will organize her shoes all the live-long day, but if she spills milk on the table, I guarantee that after she attempts to wipe it up, there will still be smears everywhere.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham (one of the few R's who I had a relative amount of respect for), thinks that shutting up Elizabeth Warren was long overdue. Coincidentally, I think shutting up Graham is long overdue.

NOLABridesmaid · February 2017

I don't think politicians realize what poor really is. I'm amazed when I enroll student and look through their paper work. A family of four can not make it on $20,000 a year. That's what some of our families are working with.

mrsconn23 · February 2017

And then there's this Russian insanity.

http://jezebel.com/dirtbag-russian-columnist-thinks-women-should-be-happy-1792178197

Kicking off the week 3 thread

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