I’ts obivious most of you a part of the problem and the solution. Like I said earlier “IF YOU CAN READ THIS THANK A TEACHER”.

I can hear the war & protest media coverage now, “The USS Obama has just launched its planes and missiles against the Islamic aggressor, meanwhile a major protest against U.S. this military action has erupted at The University of Obama.”

I can almost envision ex president Obama spinning donuts in his wheel chair or turning over in his grave!

Regarding the newly named Obama Acadamy: Some may feel a bit conflicted regarding the academy student claim of their school bein “improved under its new principal, Toni McElroy” when it is also academy student claimed that they, “will work very hard to show good behavior on Barack Obama’s behalf.”

There’s actually nothing to feel conflicted about because this academy’s student success could only be attributable to president Barack Obama, NOT principal Toni McElroy! (a bit too white European sounding) Anyway, this being the case, and I have no reason to believe it isn’t, principal Mc Elroy should be fired and his administrative salary spent in the classrooms!

In fact, why not just fire the entire OUSD administration (from the superintendent on down) and change the name of the ‘Oakland Unified School District’ to the ‘Obama Yes We Can Unified School District!’

Think of the administrative cost savings and wind fall resource benefits for all OYWCUSD clasrooms! When, or if, things academically got to sagging a bit (which would never happen) Obama could drop by and give a pep speech.

The teachers union would be thrilled, at least for awhile.

Our schools always seemed to manage to have something in the offing, a field trip, a contest, a big test a project, something to work on and get over. Even in grade school we were handed out ditto-ed calendars to keep and write in deadlines, tests, holidays, assignments and projects. In my public high school there was a 2 week field trip to DC and NYC every year. There were other trips but that was the one I went on. We spend a long time preparing and planning for the thing, it was set a year in advance. If you screwed up you weren’t allowed to go.

I would never have survived the transition to college without my primary and secondary schools putting us on such terms and enforcing them. By high school they were not in the habit of telling you anything over and over. And there was no false praise. You were expected to do you work well and weren’t praised just for that.

We were happy enough. These kids are on a narcotic they’re so “happy”. When your schools finish with them they can’t handle any critism or setback.

It actually sounds like we agree on this…

I think they should save their hugs for something much greater, but that’s just my thought. Take it or leave it.

Pepe – here is a thought. Have you ever watched drug court? Or the Jerry Springer show?? People applaud or hug each other because someone gets up and says they stopped beating their wife this month or went another week without a drink.

Well good for them. But I just wouldn’t get these kids into “celebrating” every time the wind blows. They have their health and there is so much more they can find to celebrate. Or there is so much more the school can give them to celebrate if it were being run by the kind of people who ran my K-8th grade school or my high school.

Maybe I just watched “To Sir With Love” too much?

And as far as failed elsewhere due to their experiences…. A good school sets out a series of increasingly more difficult tasks that are calculated to be do-able for the student – with effort (and carrots and sticks) – and in so doing builds up confidence. They don’t give it out as door prizes.

If you can’t operate within the bounds of reality you shouldn’t be teaching children. Do you teach them that only positive comments may be aired publicly? Do you teach them to expect and require the approval of all who see them? Do you teach them to get emotional when they don’t get fawning approval from others?

Or are you just a student who has not been brought up with some kind of objectivity…

Granberry: That silly remark about “hate” is typical of the type also. I don’t see any hate here, maybe you just hasn’t run into the real thing. And normal people in society don’t congratulate people for nothing just to make them feel better artificially. That is unless you are into stroking egos. I’m not and no one I work with is either.

And remember, people don’t subscribe to the notion that puffing up children’s self esteem with false praise helps them study better or perform academically. That’s your notion. Falsely inflated self esteem is bad and sets children up for failure, frustration and trouble. This is one of the reason OUSD students have a reputation as not being good hires. They seem to be deficient and don’t even know it. And that is not coming from the parents it’s coming from bad schooling.

Don’t hate–congratulate