From: New York
Date sent: Sat, 8 Feb 1997 12:12:01 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Chicago Anti-Expulsion Coincidences!

TO ALL LOOPIES:

FWD message, re: Chicago Tribune story on program to end some expulsions brings to mind some old and also some VERY new local anecdotes. Our Vestal School district, about TEN years ago started the ball rolling with what is called Evergreen Alternative School. Up front, it was described as being for those students "who can't function in regular classrooms or DON'T WANT TO." No one paid any attention. Students were involved in summer-camp like busy-work and fun things all day, and in what no one realized was the first insidious School to Work idea, also went out into local businesses and professional offices to "learn about their future careers." The careers they learned about were openly different than the careers the kids "planned to go into after college." (Couldn't function in classrooms, but were college bound!) (This call our car was rear-ended in traffic by one of these "didn't want to function in a classroom" Evergreen "students." He was horsing around, driving his mother's car to and from school filled with smart aleck buddies, with eyes on his buddies in the car and his foot on the accelerator.)

Any Alternative Student Support Center is a joke. We now have several such jokes in this area. They are wonderful for our children, don't you know? Give them a second chance -second chance to make fools out of everyone, that is!

Second anecdote: relative to the Educating Students and Parents. Last night our local TV station (arm of the educrats, as is the local Gannett paper) had a feature on what a Binghamton school is doing to prevent disruptive behavior. (This is the same school which disrupts all the academics with the carpetbagger "artists," etc.)

The teachers have rewritten and now perform a new version of Cinderella -- in which students "learn" not to combat those who act mean to them. The teachers were all PRANCING around on stage, in their sweatshirts, etc., carrying large posters, lettered with such things as "Stay Calm," "Breathe Deeply," etc., performing what I think I understood them to call an UPDATED Cinderella, called Cindy Fella.... The teachers will then present this same show-in-a-barn to THE PARENTS! I couldn't watch it all. Nauseating. I believe this school is also one of the first two to install the all-purpose clinics, social workers and "help for families."

Tie in the Lawrence Criner article from the Washington Times to all this. The Chicago Trib is correct: no redeeming educational value for the student and doing little to alter disruptive behavior. But lots of monetary and control value! And lots of Fun-fun-fun in the process.