Saddam Hussein ‘executed in Iraq’

You may find it interesting how the world media has reported the news. 

From the BBC

From the Baltimore Sun

From the Washington Times

From Agence France-Presse (AFP)

From Itar-Tass

From CBC Canada

From Al Jazeera

The Chinese News Service

The New York Times

May God have mercy on his soul.

Truancy Court

HoCo BOE is looking into implementing a Truancy Court.  The BOE has given the go ahead to develop the program.

Trying to find new and creative ways to keep kids in school is always a good idea.   “Truancy Courts” have been very successful in different parts of the country.  Programs in North Carolinas Durham and Mecklenburg Counties claim “Some elementary and middle school students who used to skip school frequently are now getting perfect or near-perfect attendance records thanks to Truancy Court,”  

There are also programs in Louisville KY and others – the ones with the highest long term success rates vary considerably from the “models” HoCo says it is planning to follow.

“The success of this program is to know that it’s a community issue,” Byer, an energetic, enthusiastic advocate of children, said. “Judges, the Division of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Social Services, the school, mental health and social workers all need to be involved.”Byer emphasizes that judges need to look at the causes behind truancy and offer real programs, not just sluff the child off to another agency. They must look a child in the eye, and his or her parents, and applaud their accomplishments, no matter how small.Abuse and neglect cases are the easiest to identify,” Byer said. She listed other possible reasons a child may avoid school: Academic failure, chemical dependency issues, parents with chemical dependency, domestic violence, peers, poverty, language, having to baby-sit siblings, and parents who place little value on education.  

Byer said that suspending and punishing a child, embarrassing, isolating or humiliating does not help the children. “We need to stop doing things that don’t work. Praise the parents, too, when the kids are doing well,” Byer said. “Everyone has value.”

These successful truancy court programs emphasize getting to the root cause of the absences — not a punitive approach.

Too bad HoCo will probably not be taking that approach.

Unfortunately – it does not appear that this is the direction HoCo is planning to go, not suprprising with “Mark Blom, the board’s attorney and one of the people behind the concept” involved.

Just to be completely clear – I consider Mark Blom to be the single most destructive force in Howard County Education.

He is the “legal genius” behind enormous costs to the system, and his litigious postures set the tone which in past years has been one of disrespect to teachers, employees, students and the public.  He was the “chief of staff” for the former Supt, O’Rourke – and imho was part and parcel of the incredible failures  and scandals of that “era”.  Why he is still on the HCPSS payroll is beyond my comprehension.  And now, his very visible hand in the new “Truancy Court” plan gives me pause to keep a very close eye on the development of this project.

More punitive is a recipe for failure – but it will keep central office busy, and some people on their toes.

Although Mr. Plunkett the business, community, government relations officer for the school system, and one of the originators of the concept says “Current truancy laws only impose [criminal] penalties on parents. “The problem, however, rests with the students. … It would be a proactive measure.”

However,  the characterization in the Baltimore Sun of the proposal ….”A small team of Howard County legislators, litigators and school system officials will work in the coming weeks to draft a bill that would create the county’s first truancy court that places harsher penalties on students.”  sounds much more ominous – and accurate.

“Board members were told that truant students could face consequences that include community service, counseling, substance abuse evaluation and treatment, mental health evaluation and treatment, a curfew and loss of driving privileges.”

Now, that may seem reasonable — I agree that if a “kid” isn’t going to school, it might be a good idea to make his “off time” as boring as possible by withholding driving priviledges.  And, depending on how the program ultimately plays out – giving approporiate counseling is a good idea too.

However,  we should listen to what is being said – and take them at their word.  They intend to model the truancy Court after relatively punitive models — and then take the more punitive aspects further — for example…

“The Howard County truancy court would be based on a model used in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties. However, unlike that model, which applies only to students 15 and younger, the Howard County court would apply to students 12 and older.”

“Turning 16 does not give you a right to get cavalier,” said Mark Blom.

That sounds like Mr. Blom.  Stomp out that “cavalier” attitude through force and punishment.

You know, that may work — for the authority fearing, generally well behaved kids. — the kids who might partipate in some gawd-awful prank – like senior skip day.  Have them arrested, put it on their permanent record, and hope it keeps them out of the college of their choice.
Like “drug testing” the athletes and kids involved in extra-curricular activities.  Pick out the group least likely to be a problem and most likely to be intimidated by the punishments — it’s a feel good fix for the impotent adults.

It lets them say “Hey, we’re doing stuff!” without really getting into the hard nitty gritty work of getting to the root of individual kids’ problems, and sticking with effective remedies to the entrenched social, emotional and educational problems facing our most vulnerable community members.

I’ll keep an open mind until I see the final plan — but folks, this needs to be watched closely.  HCPSS is not “child friendly” in many ways.  You may not think this is going to be a problem for you, because, of course – your kid is not a juevenile delinquent or a truant.

But, you are the one who will be getting the phone calls and being dragged in front of attendence tribunals…. because you care.  I actually had a central office person call me last year to let me know that if I took my son to PARIS with me for a week that he would be in jeopardy of being held back in the fifth grade!!!!

What would be more educationally valuable – a week in Paris, or a week that consisted of two half days, a day off, and several assemblies and parties?   I suspect the mother who got the call saying if her 17 year old who hadn’t shown up for class all week – because he was playing video games – did not show up he would be held back in the 9th grade, again, responded the same way.

Let’s hope the new BOE keeps a close eye and does not leave this potentially positive program turn into yet another exercise in “beat on the good kids”.

Cindy Vaillancourt

hussein hanging

According to msnbc anon sources “Saddam will be hanged before the start of the Eid religious holiday, which begins at sundown Saturday.”

The hanging could take place as early as Friday, NBC’s Richard Engel reported.

When we wake up in the morning, UTube might have the “mother of all” videos.

Let’s hope not.

cindy v