I AM SO PISSED.

[TripletDaddy]

Is released time really conservative gobbiltygook?

speaking of which, the recent sex scandal in released-time seminary also destroys my theory that conservative family-value republicans limit their quarry to underage male pages. I am way off today.

[il Padrino Ute]

speaking of which, the recent sex scandal in released-time seminary also destroys my theory that conservative family-value republicans limit their quarry to underage male pages. I am way off today.

Wasn't that guy a BYU grad? If you're going to point things out, you can't be that selective.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Is released time really conservative gobbiltygook?

I am fine with seminary. I don't like to see time taken out of school to do it. It should fit into the same area as football, gymnastics, basketball, extra activity on your own time. It is this way in most areas of the country.

[JohnnyLingo]

It's not about respect, lingo. It's about academics.

I'm not sure they don't go hand in hand here. Why betray the standards of academia in this case if it's not about respect?

[Art Vandelay]

Mormon academies as in private schools?

Yes or some derivation thereof. When I was in Utah last summer for my wife's family reunion. 2 of her cousins were going on and on about some "academy" they send their kids to in American Fork. From what I could gather the main reason was to prevent their kids from being exposed to all the liberal agenda of public education. How left wing or dangerous could AF or Lone Peak HS be... the seminary teach is from where?...umm... ok well maybe they made a good choice in retrospect.

[Babs]

I'm not sure they don't go hand in hand here. Why betray the standards of academia in this case if it's not about respect?

It has nothing to do with respect.

It's about a civics class being able to discuss the sitting president. Or a speech and debate team being able to analyze rhetoric.

[il Padrino Ute]

I am fine with seminary. I don't like to see time taken out of school to do it. It should fit into the same area as football, gymnastics, basketball, extra activity on your own time. It is this way in most areas of the country.

I'd have no problem with that. My daughter is in early morning seminary so it doesn't interfere with graduation requirements.

But is it conservative gobbiltygook?

[jay santos]

My school district sent out a noticed to all teachers at all schools that they are not to show any video clips of the president's address, distribute any written excerpts, or use the material in any other way in class.

This is un-friggin-believeable. The district has never done anything like this with respect to any other president (I've lived here my whole life). This is an unprecedented policy made for our black muslim president.

I still can't believe it. If I didn't know better I'd think I got on the wrong interstate last weekend (which is hardly possible, as I'm an excellent navigator) and ended up in Mississippi.

I think I can make a reasonably fair, neutral judgment on these issues. I'm not political. I think equally poorly of both parties. I've been really disappointed and almost embarrassed about how my school district, community, and ward has handled this Obama speech. I don't know if it's racism or partisan politics, but it's something ugly.

[Donuthole]

Subjunctive smackdown!

Reminds me of a time I helped my younger sister with her Reflections project. I had just returned from my mission, and, consequently, was somewhat primed on the subjunctive tense. The national theme that year was "I would be really strange if . . .", but for some reason her teacher changed the theme for their classroom to "It would be really strange if I was a . . .". (perhaps to narrow it down for the kids (they were only in 3rd grade) so they wouldn't be overwhelmed at coming up with an idea. I don't know.).

Their assignment was to write the theme at the top of a blank page, an then draw whatever it was they selected as the subject of their strange existence. When she asked for my help in brainstorming, I immediately recognized the foible and suggested that she could really impress the teacher by making sure to use "were a" instead of "was a" at the top of her page. She used "were a" and received a mark down on her grade because of it. When she approached the teacher to question him on it, he said her grammar was improper. When she told me this, I considered calling the teacher to correct him. My sister didn't want that, though, so I settled for giving her a simple lesson on the subjunctive tense and called it good.

[TripletDaddy]

Wasn't that guy a BYU grad? If you're going to point things out, you can't be that selective.

weak sauce!

[il Padrino Ute]

Yes or some derivation thereof. When I was in Utah last summer for my wife's family reunion. 2 of her cousins were going on and on about some "academy" they send their kids to in American Fork. From what I could gather the main reason was to prevent their kids from being exposed to all the liberal agenda of public education. How left wing or dangerous could AF or Lone Peak HS be... the seminary teach is from where?...umm... ok well maybe they made a good choice in retrospect.

Understood. Of course, the private schools weren't the target audience for the president's address, so I don't think the parents of those schools were complaining.

[il Padrino Ute]

weak sauce!

:nana:

[il Padrino Ute]

Reminds me of a time I helped my younger sister with her Reflections project. I had just returned from my mission, and, consequently, was somewhat primed on the subjunctive tense. The national theme that year was "I would be really strange if . . .", but for some reason her teacher changed the theme for their classroom to "It would be really strange if I was a . . .". (perhaps to narrow it down for the kids (they were only in 3rd grade) so they wouldn't be overwhelmed at coming up with an idea. I don't know.).

Their assignment was to write the theme at the top of a blank page, an then draw whatever it was they selected as the subject of their strange existence. When she asked for my help in brainstorming, I immediately recognized the foible and suggested that she could really impress the teacher by making sure to use "were a" instead of "was a" at the top of her page. She used "were a" and received a mark down on her grade because of it. When she approached the teacher to question him on it, he said her grammar was improper. When she told me this, I considered calling the teacher to correct him. My sister didn't want that, though, so I settled for giving her a simple lesson on the subjunctive tense and called it good.

So, what you're telling us is that you destroyed your sister's academic career?

[Donuthole]

So, what you're telling us is that you destroyed your sister's academic career?

She is following in my footsteps and going to Dixie State. So, yes.

[falafel]

Reminds me of a time I helped my younger sister with her Reflections project. I had just returned from my mission, and, consequently, was somewhat primed on the subjunctive tense. The national theme that year was "I would be really strange if . . .", but for some reason her teacher changed the theme for their classroom to "It would be really strange if I was a . . .". (perhaps to narrow it down for the kids (they were only in 3rd grade) so they wouldn't be overwhelmed at coming up with an idea. I don't know.).

Their assignment was to write the theme at the top of a blank page, an then draw whatever it was they selected as the subject of their strange existence. When she asked for my help in brainstorming, I immediately recognized the foible and suggested that she could really impress the teacher by making sure to use "were a" instead of "was a" at the top of her page. She used "were a" and received a mark down on her grade because of it. When she approached the teacher to question him on it, he said her grammar was improper. When she told me this, I considered calling the teacher to correct him. My sister didn't want that, though, so I settled for giving her a simple lesson on the subjunctive tense and called it good.

I think you are to blame for your sister's poor performance on that project. The teacher re-named the project himself, adding the "if I was a..." part. You quickly seized on the grammar issue without considering the consequences of your suggested course of action. Did you honestly think the teacher had devised a clever little grammar test for the kids as a means of upping their grade? Of course not. Clearly, then, the teacher himself was unaware of the rule.

Even if he were inspired by your sister's essay to re-educate himself on the rule, do you really think that he would enjoy the opportunity to be corrected by a third-grader? I would think anyone could see this a mile away. Instead, you embarrassed your little sister and soured her teacher towards her for the rest of the year. The only smart decision you made was to not approach the teacher about his error on your sister's behalf, but that decision cannot cover the multitude of omission that led to the situation in the first place. You are truly the worst kind of person.