Headlines and thoughts on them
A story from Foxnews.com is claiming a high school in Illinois is "coming under fire because the school refused to allow a senior to take part in graduation.
"An Illinois high school has come under fire after officials refused to let a graduate, who is also a U.S. Marine, walk across the stage Thursday in her blues."
"But when she returned to the school to join her classmates at graduation, she wasn’t allowed to walk with her class."
But then the story quotes the woman herself. USMC Private Megan Howerton said "I do not want the controversy that is saturating social media, and I do not want to draw attention away from the class of 2016," Howerton stated. "That being said, it was my choice not to participate in the graduation."
Reporter's Note: This is a non-story where the very conservative-leaning Fox News wants to be critical of educators for allegedly "dissing" the military. The woman could have walked the stage if she'd put the cap and gown on over her dress blue uniform. She voluntarily chose not to. End of story.
* * *
A man is in critical condition in Chile after he entered the lion enclosure at a zoo. According to the Huffington Post piece he may have been attempting to commit suicide. The result was that two African lions who were mauling him were killed by zookeepers. People on social media are calling the action of the zookeepers into question, saying the lions shouldn't have been killed.
Reporter's Note: The zookeepers did the right thing IMHO. They didn't know this man was attempting to take his own life, if that was his intention. It is a very sad thing that two animals who did nothing wrong died because this guy couldn't think of an easier way to kill himself But you can't fault people who were trying to save a human life.
* * *
Noah David Lein is an Honors English Teacher in Florida. At 32, he's been teaching since 2007. His starting salary that year was $37,000. Now he's earning a salary of $40,300 and his teaching career is coming to an end. This in spite of the fact he was named one of the "Best and Brightest" teacher in his region. According to the column in the Orlando Sentinel, 40% of Florida's new teachers quit within the first five years of their teaching careers in the state.
Reporter's note: Why do we as a society value teachers and the primary/secondary education system so poorly? We entrust them with our most precious resource, our children and yet we don't pay or treat them in a way they deserve.
* * *
That's video of a contractor attacking two dogs with a wrench. Now one of the dogs had died of injuries as a result of the attack. The contractor is on the hook for the vet bills.
Reporter's note: This is a criminal attack. This man needs to be held to answer for this.
* * *
That is video of the graduates of West Point marching this past weekend as part of their last moments as cadets. And yes, that is apparently one cadet who apparently never fully grasped the concept that marching is done at the position of attention unless the command of "Route Step March" is given in place of the command "Forward March." Many have commented on this video which is closing in on one million views as this blog is written. Mostly negative.
Reporter's note: Whatever the reason, this could have waited. One doesn't want to begin a military career where the cadet will forever be known as the "texting marcher."
"An Illinois high school has come under fire after officials refused to let a graduate, who is also a U.S. Marine, walk across the stage Thursday in her blues."
"But when she returned to the school to join her classmates at graduation, she wasn’t allowed to walk with her class."
But then the story quotes the woman herself. USMC Private Megan Howerton said "I do not want the controversy that is saturating social media, and I do not want to draw attention away from the class of 2016," Howerton stated. "That being said, it was my choice not to participate in the graduation."
Reporter's Note: This is a non-story where the very conservative-leaning Fox News wants to be critical of educators for allegedly "dissing" the military. The woman could have walked the stage if she'd put the cap and gown on over her dress blue uniform. She voluntarily chose not to. End of story.
* * *
A man is in critical condition in Chile after he entered the lion enclosure at a zoo. According to the Huffington Post piece he may have been attempting to commit suicide. The result was that two African lions who were mauling him were killed by zookeepers. People on social media are calling the action of the zookeepers into question, saying the lions shouldn't have been killed.
Reporter's Note: The zookeepers did the right thing IMHO. They didn't know this man was attempting to take his own life, if that was his intention. It is a very sad thing that two animals who did nothing wrong died because this guy couldn't think of an easier way to kill himself But you can't fault people who were trying to save a human life.
* * *
Noah David Lein is an Honors English Teacher in Florida. At 32, he's been teaching since 2007. His starting salary that year was $37,000. Now he's earning a salary of $40,300 and his teaching career is coming to an end. This in spite of the fact he was named one of the "Best and Brightest" teacher in his region. According to the column in the Orlando Sentinel, 40% of Florida's new teachers quit within the first five years of their teaching careers in the state.
Reporter's note: Why do we as a society value teachers and the primary/secondary education system so poorly? We entrust them with our most precious resource, our children and yet we don't pay or treat them in a way they deserve.
* * *
That's video of a contractor attacking two dogs with a wrench. Now one of the dogs had died of injuries as a result of the attack. The contractor is on the hook for the vet bills.
Reporter's note: This is a criminal attack. This man needs to be held to answer for this.
* * *
That is video of the graduates of West Point marching this past weekend as part of their last moments as cadets. And yes, that is apparently one cadet who apparently never fully grasped the concept that marching is done at the position of attention unless the command of "Route Step March" is given in place of the command "Forward March." Many have commented on this video which is closing in on one million views as this blog is written. Mostly negative.
Reporter's note: Whatever the reason, this could have waited. One doesn't want to begin a military career where the cadet will forever be known as the "texting marcher."
posted by me at 5:07 PM
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