From: btennison@jb.com
Subject: RE: Chicago Anti-Expulsion Coincidences!
Date sent: Sat, 8 Feb 1997 14:16:11 -0800

I agree with you completely. Alternative simply means "DUH!" I've been snookered and so have my parents in many cases. We do have one "alternative" teacher who makes sure the kids can read, write, understand and speak good English and can perform simple and complicated math computation without a calculator before he sends them out into the work world. We also have a pretty good JTPA program in the county that deals with "for real" at risk kids and does steer them into jobs and off the streets.

You forget it's now called "artist in residence" (as if they live in our schools). We were just subjected to a presentation at the last school board meeting by the elementary school students who spent hours and days making puppets. Everybody thought they were soooo cute when they paraded their finished products before the board. Not to forget the huge number of volunteer hours racked up by parents who were coerced, um I mean who willingly volunteered to come in and help the busy teacher. They get bragging rights this month in that school for the record number of documented parent volunteer hours.

NOT one person asked about the academic value of the puppets or when these kids actually studied their academics.

Ho Hum, I am beginning to sound like a broken record aren't I.