Life in West Virginia: EDUCATION ANGER RANTS AND MORE UPDATES

Saturday, June 17, 2006

EDUCATION ANGER RANTS AND MORE UPDATES

Well, now we can see why our education system in Wood County is having "issues". Many of the elementary schools in the county are not meeting the "No Child Left Behind" requirements and so, parents of children attending schools that are not meeting the requirements, can request transfer to another school. From the paper, I saw that at least 3, maybe 4 were on the list. I don't worry about it a whole lot, as Charleigh-Anne's future Elementary School (Mineral Wells) makes the WV State list of exemplary schools quite often. (This is also the Elementary School that I attended and Joey attended too, it is the last school to have been built from the ground up in over 30 years. It opened one year before I started Kindergarten and it along with Blennerhassett Elementary, also built in the early 70's are two of the biggest and best elementary schools in the county.) So, I digress from the current story. (can you see the ADD??? LOL)

I believe that teachers should be examples to our youth. Now, I understand that everyone has a private life but when you do something stupid, you're life is no longer as private as one would wish. Sad to say, though, Vickie Myers is a teacher at Parkersburg High School . . . I can't believe that she was allowed to continue her job after the April offense . . . of course, she probably has not been to trial on that conviction yet, so innocent until proven guilty.

A different type of non-law-abiding teacher here in our county was Dennie Way, a female teacher that had an affair with her student, who was around 14 at the time. She had a good lawyer, got off with probation, then married her lawyer. Go figure. This was way back in the 80's, when teachers screwing their students was a subject of which, was unheard. Made big news here but never nationally.

And while we are on the subject, why is it that the public outcry is not quite as loud as when a male teacher has an affair with an underage girl?? And what about the teacher in NJ (?) who had sex with her student who was 18 but is being charged with sexual relations with a student?? So if a, let's say, 34yo woman who is taking classes at the local community college, starts banging her 34yo teacher, this is a crime outside of college standards of conduct???? Of course, I guess it's kind of like banging your boss. . . . LOL

ON A LIGHTER NOTE . . .

The fire in Elizabeth, that destroyed one of the oldest structures in Wirt County and the oldest business there, along with several other structures, was open for business on Thursday. Evidently, the warehouse to the General Store was saved and they were open from 10-4 and sold some of the things that had been salvaged, mostly, fertilizer, which was saved, mostly due to the efforts of the firefighters, because of the explosion factor. (think, OKC bombing) People had orders that had not yet been picked up and came in and picked them up and the store made about $400 Thursday. Senator Jay Rockefeller indicated that federal funds will be made available to aid in the rebuilding effort, as it was on a list of Historical Places. I however, could not find that it was listed. If not, I am sure that Senator Byrd will get some pork money for it. . .not that I am against the rebuilding of this local store, which I loved going into, even if it was only every few years and the loss of which was such a hard blow to our smallest, most tight-knit county in the state . . .

TBM . . . UPDATE

Well, no more sightings, although, as I commented to Dan, he may very well be on his way to Louisville, via the Ohio River . . . a victim of the malicious undertow that the Little Kanawha River holds just underneath it's tranquil looking surface . . . they have said they have increased patrols in the Mineral Wells area . . . its supposed to be 93 today . . . he may get thirsty and start moving if he isn't in the river(s).