spelling bee cancelled-WWWWAAAAAA!

[Drew L]

January 28, 2005
How do you spell dumb?
L- I- N- D -A N- E- W- M- A- N

Lincoln school superintendent, Linda Newman, in consultation with her district principals in Lincoln, Rhode Island, has cancelled this year's annual spelling bee because:

A spelling bee is about "some kids being winners, some kids being losers."
As a result, the spelling bee "sends a message that this isn’t an all-kids movement," Newman said.

Furthermore: The emphasis today, she said, is on building self-esteem in all students.

Ok, back the truck up. Today's emphasis is not on learning, in this case learning to spell, but in feeling good about yourself no matter what? No wonder the NEA hates the No Child Left Behind Act, they're doing feel good stuff and the NCLB act expects children to be educated. What's next on the list of eliminations, track meets? Only one winner there too. Oh, wait...already happened...

Professional organizations now frown on competition at the elementary school level and are urging participation in activities that avoid winners, Newman said. That’s why there are no sports teams at the elementary level, she said as an example. How do you spell a word which means incredulous? U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E

[Red Regal T]

I've heard something about children's sporting competitions with no scores, hence, no losers. Instead of building character, we'll be bringing up a generation of bedwetting effeminate wooses.

[Drew L]

scoreless sports are ,in fact, happening all over. my boy is involved in a local basketball league where the scoreboard remains at zero throughout the game. It's so stupid because the kids know the score. There is also a sign in the gym that reads,

"If you had fun, you won!"



gag me with a backhoe

[bishir]

I'm a teacher and this BS was taught to me in College. That's where it's coming from so that's where people need to look if they want change. Fortunally, most teachers think it's a sham.... I say, bring back dodgeball to school!

[Nick Micale]

This appears to be a subject in which all of us should have concern. What a sad commentary on our school systems that do NOT have education as their primary goal.

[DCEPTCN]

A-N-T-I-P-E-R-I-S-T-A-S-I-S.

[dhjenkins]

Originally posted by Nick Micale
This appears to be a subject in which all of us should have concern. What a sad commentary on our school systems that do NOT have education as their primary goal.

Welcome to America.

This isn't just schools - it's our entire society. We've lowered the bar in this country to the lowest common denominator in almost every aspect of our lives.

We are no longer a country that operates in the interest of the greater good - we've become a society that only pays attention to the single outspoken dissinter, instead of to the masses.

This lowering of the bar extends even to entire states. Every state is now passing laws & legislation that is effectively turning every state into every other state - we are all, states, counties, cities & people losing our identities and individuality in the name of (ironically enough) individual rights.

What we should be doing is the opposite. We should be tailoring states to certain types of people so that they can MOVE there and have everything they want, without it affecting anyone else.

Take 2 restaurants - one is a cheap all-you-can eat buffet, the other is an upscale <insert ethnicity here, i.e. Italian> restaurant. The first place, while accessable to all (due to the price), and with a wide variety of food items, usually serves very poor versions of it's 'ethnic dishes' and will give you the screaming sh*ts; while the second restaurant will probably provide you with a pleasant experience that won't cause you to walk buttock-clenched to the bathroom. You see, the first restaurant (like government) tries to cater to TOO MANY PEOPLE and therefore serves a substandard product. The second doesn't try to cater to different tastes, and can therefore excel at it's purpose - and everyone goes home happy.

[gn85]

I'm also a teacher and I find it a bit funny that while we teach our children to 'not be competitive' (real good in a global economy), we still have standardized testing all over the place that students are pressured to score well on so the school system can receive funds!

The whole no competition thing is a joke. I think it goes completely in the wrong direction. Instead of hiding and sugar coating competition and the winner/loser society, perhaps we should use this to teach children how to accept success and failure (if I can use such a harsh word). You're not always going to be successful in life. Instead of dealing with this, we turn a blind eye and try to coddle our children.

Rock on Bishir... BRING BACK DODGEBALL!

[mazdatech78]

And I thought losing was a character builder. If we dont lose sometimes we would never appreicate winning. I wouldnt let my kid play in a sporting league that didnt keep score. What would that teach him. I remember being a kid playing little league. My teams we almost always in last place. Ya know what. I didnt even care. I was just glad I was with my friends playing a game that I loved. I dont think I want to stay living in this country when all these wussy kids are running the show

[Red Regal T]

Gees..........I just wonder who is pushing this agenda? I just can't imagine. If we let these certain people oversee the education of our children, what harm could it do? Right? Same with the country in general. So I ask you, what harm could it do to let liberals run things.