Gibsons Win Again

Oberlin College doesn't have a leg to stand on--and if there's any justice in the world, the Gibson family will take their wheelchair.

You might recall the case.  Some students of Oberlin College attempted to shoplift in Gibson's Bakery.  Bakery employees stopped them, and the case was somehow turned into a "Gibson's is racist" situation.  The college itself entered the fray, on the side of the shoplifting students!  The Gibsons sued the college and won a huge settlement; Oberlin, which seems unable to pay the settlement, appealed, and lost big time:

“The Gibson family appreciates the Court of Appeals’ thorough and thoughtful analysis which rightly rejected all of Oberlin College’s and Dean Raimondo’s challenges on appeal.”

It was a devastating opinion.  Here are the appropriate sections in the ruling pertaining to libeling the Gibsons as racists:

{¶31} Oberlin has argued that the flyer and Senate Resolution contained only opinions, but it has focused its arguments throughout this case on statements alleging merely that the Gibsons were racists. Despite Oberlin’s arguments to the contrary, the potentially libelous statements in this case include much more than calling the Gibsons “racists.”

{¶32} The trial court determined, as a matter of law, that both the flyer and the Senate Resolution were not statements of constitutionally protected opinion but were defamatory per se. The trial court focused on the statements about the Gibsons and their bakery having a history of racial profiling and discrimination toward students and residents and the statements about an “assault[]” of a student by an owner or owners of the bakery.

* * *

{¶37} Given the public’s lack of knowledge of what had happened at the bakery and the ongoing tension on campus about racial injustice, these statements would convey to a reasonable reader that the arrest and alleged assault at the bakery were racially motivated, that the Gibsons had a verifiable history of racially profiling shoplifters on that basis for years, and that those facts were a reason to boycott the bakery. The trial court did not err in concluding, as a matter of law, that these were actionable statements of fact, not constitutionally protected opinion. Consequently, it did not err in denying Oberlin’s motion for JNOV on this basis.

How much longer will this college last as an entity?  Hopefully not much longer.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

In cultural affairs, California often leads the nation--what happens here will eventually make it over the Sierra and into the rest of the country.  In education, however, California often lags the rest of the country, whether the ideas be good or bad.

A couple days ago I wrote a post that referenced the fact that CSU and UC campuses are eliminating the SAT and ACT in admissions decisions, making the entire process a subjective free-for-all.  MIT already tried that and is switching back:

After careful consideration, we have decided to reinstate our SAT/ACT requirement for future admissions cycles. Our research shows standardized tests help us better assess the academic preparedness of all applicants, and also help us identify socioeconomically disadvantaged students who lack access to advanced coursework or other enrichment opportunities that would otherwise demonstrate their readiness for MIT. We believe a requirement is more equitable and transparent than a test-optional policy. In the post below —  and in a separate conversation with MIT News today —  I explain more⁠ about how we think this decision helps us advance our mission.

How long will it be before California's taxpayer-funded universities realize the obvious?

Every Teacher Has Had This Parent Conference

It's an oldie but a goodie:

Good News

Under California Education Code, if a district is going to "pink slip" a teacher, the district must notify that teacher by March 15th (presumably to give that teacher adequate time to prepare to find a new job).  Many districts, my own included, aren't sure yet what staffing levels will be required next year and thus notify newbie teachers in March "just in case".  A couple weeks ago, all our 1st- and 2nd-year teachers received such a notification.

That was a fairly devastating day for one of our rookie teachers, who spent most of the day either crying or trying not to cry.  Of course, we veterans could tell her it's preliminary, that we're not going to be getting rid of any math teachers, that our district plans poorly and this is just what they do, etc. etc. etc., but as someone who's been in that position, I can tell you that such wisdom doesn't amount to a hill of beans because it's not you who's getting the layoff notice.

So here we are, two weeks later, and she came rushing into my room this afternoon, jumping up and down--"Guess who got their layoff notice rescinded?!" she exclaimed.

As someone who got several such notices in my first years of teaching, and who was even laid off for one summer, I am very happy for her that she doesn't have to go through what I went through--at least this year, she doesn't.

Kaplan Test Prep

The major Sacramento newspaper published an opinion piece about CSU/UC's ditching of the SAT/ACT for admissions, focusing on SAT test prep:

I’m 60, and anyone my age or so who was once college-bound probably recognizes the name Stanley H. Kaplan. He founded Kaplan Inc. to help students prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test, known as the SAT...

Kaplan thought that if there were some objective metrics for students seeking college admission, the process would be less influenced by the ancestry or wealth of prospective students. 

The SAT and other tests like it became essential for college admissions thereafter...

As the decades dragged on, the SAT, along with Kaplan Inc., became the preserve of kids who went to solid public and private schools, and who also had wealthy, educated parents who could afford Kaplan’s steep prep course pricing.

I agree that test prep favors those with money.  After all, what's the point of being wealthy if you can't use that wealth to make life better for your family?  But let's not disadvantage the disadvantaged any more than they're already disadvantaged, right?  So what to do?  The author's choice seems to be to support getting rid of the SAT/ACT in university admissions decisions, and to me that's a bridge too far:

Kaplan deserved accolades for his original intentions, which went terribly wrong. Poor kids like he was in 1938 are now better served, judged by more than just surviving a gut-wrenching testing process that doesn’t take the full measure of a student’s potential. 

A biased testing metric just keeps people out, which is counter to the mission of a state university.

That's a lie that refuses to die.  There is no evidence that the SAT is biased, racist, etc.  That some students don't perform as well as others doesn't mean that the test is biased, when the fact that some are better prepared than others is a far more reasonable conclusion.  And yes, preparation should play a very large part in college admissions!

We need objective standards by which to judge who should enter our (taxpayer-funded) universities.  Sure, keep some of the subjective standards, but let's not rule out academic preparation just because we find what it tells about our students to be unsavory.

Strike

The teachers in a nearby school district are on strike.

A teacher in that district with the same education and years of service that I have makes 2.1% more money than I do, works 2 fewer days a year, and has already been offered a raise higher my district’s teachers union will settle for after negotiations (if the last 10+ years are any indication). I say this not to denigrate the Sac City teachers—I honestly don’t know which side in their dispute is asking too much—but to show why I don’t think so highly of the union in my own district. That’s partly why I’m not a member.

Update, 4/4/22:  Sac City teachers went back to work today after agreeing to the following with their district:

The tentative agreement with the teachers union includes ongoing 4% salary increases starting with the current school year; 3% one-time stipends for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years; one-time payments of $1,250 in the current school year; 25% rate increases for substitutes who filled in for absent teachers this year; and 14 more sick days for subs who test positive for or have symptoms of COVID-19. 

The deal also addresses teacher health benefits, which have been a point of contention for years between the district and union. 

“The district will continue to provide 100% paid health coverage through Kaiser and a mutually agreed upon alternative plan or plans. The current alternative plan is HealthNet,” the district said. 

The teachers union will also “withdraw a grievance and all of its pending unfair practice charges filed with the Public Employment Relations Board.”

My local union would settle for a 1% one-time bonus, and a majority of the teachers (if you trust the union's vote-counting) would approve it.

My Newest Toy

Over a year ago I decided to dip my toe into the smart watch waters to see if such a watch would add some value to my life, so I bought an inexpensive smart watch off Amazon.  The watch itself wasn't of much use without the accompanying (free) app, which I downloaded and used.  I found that I liked keeping track of my steps, seeing how much time I spent in different modes of sleep, and monitoring my heart rate.  That watch told me that I was ready to jump in, that I needed something more substantial.

So I bought a Fitbit Blaze from someone off the NextDoor app.  I genuinely enjoyed that watch and its accompanying app.  Turns out the watch was a little more independent of the app than my first one was, but you still could only set the watch time by synching it with a phone running the app.  In genuinely enjoyed the Fitbit Blaze and its robust app, but the battery worked less and less well over time.  Eventually it would hold a charge for only a day or so.

Yesterday I found someone on NextDoor selling a brand new Samsung Galaxy Fit.  She'd received it for Christmas but didn't like or want it.  We agreed on a price and I picked it up last night.  This is probably the last such smart watch I'll need for quite some time, as it holds a charge for days and has apps that are reasonably user friendly.

This morning I put the first watch and the Fitbit Blaze on NextDoor, offering each of them for $20.  Within an hour I was getting messages asking about the Blaze, and within a couple hours I'd already sold it.  Yes, I was upfront about its inability to hold a charge for more than a day, but the buyer needs the watch only temporarily and liked the size, look, and functionality of the Blaze.  And of course, the price was right.

No one is asking about the other watch.  It's a no-name import from China, but it works fine and is waterproof.  Its app isn't as "professional looking" as the Fitbit and Samsung apps are, but it is quite functionable.  And I still have the user manual for this watch, making setup quite easy.

Fortunately, I am selling it because I no longer need it rather than because I need the money, so I can afford to keep it for sale for as long as it takes to find a buyer.  This is the ideal watch for someone!

The Galaxy Fit I now have is like that first watch in that pretty much all setup is done via an app, which is certainly not a problem.  It's small, lightweight, does everything I need it to, looks good--in other words, it's the ideal watch for me.  I hope to enjoy it for many years.

Changing Ideas of Cool

When I was in high school, this would have been so cool in a way I could not even describe.  Today it's merely an intellectual curiosity to me:

Groundbreaking data collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover is able to replicate how people would sound on Mars compared to Earth.

The space agency even boasts an online tool that allows Earthlings to simulate how they’d sound on the red planet from inside our homes.

That’s right: You can drop your own Mars bars in a round of interstellar karaoke.

To use it, simply go to the Sounds of Mars section on NASA’s website, navigate to the “You on Mars” tab, then “click and hold the button to record your greeting,” per the site.

Finally, download the audio file to hear how your voice sounds on Mars. After testing the function ourselves, The Post can safely say that those tin cans we spoke into as a kid to replicate “Martian speak” weren’t too far off.

A Good Problem To Have

I've mentioned before how, when I weighed myself early this year, the number was not only higher than I had ever weighed before, it was higher than I guessed it might be.  Muy mal.  I decided I had to lose some weight.

At the beginning of the school year, a few teachers and I started wearing kilts on Fridays.  I had my kilts sized for my body at the time.  Lately, though, I've noticed that I have to keep pulling my kilt up.  It keeps sliding down a bit, and it would be easy to pants me if someone so desired.

It seems like that would indicate that my waist size has decreased since the start of the school year, although, oddly, my pants don't seem any looser.  Strange.

Absent further information, I'm going with the "smaller waist size" theory.  A friend at work suggested her wife could "take in" the kilts for me--I may take some pizza over to their house soon and take her up on that offer!

No Ducks To Give

Today our collaboration time was spent in focus groups for our accreditation visit by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges next year.

I don't know how we were assigned to these focus groups, but mine involved school culture and "equity".  Seriously, do you think I am going to contribute to anything that WASC (or our school administration) is looking for regarding equity?

They could have put me in a focus group regarding testing and assessment, or something else academic.  But I assure you, the vast majority of my colleagues--all California educators, remember--not only do not agree with my views on culture and "equity", they have no interest in even hearing such views.  That meeting today was an hour of my life I'll never get back, and there are plenty more such meetings planned over the next year.

I have officially moved into the "old curmudgeon" column, sitting out my time until retirement.  I'm not going to throw any wrenches into the pipes, but since I have nothing to offer in the field of culture and "equity", I am not going to assist in a process that I think is severely wrongheaded.  I will be neutral, doing no more than is absolutely required of me, and letting the true believers do the heavy lifting.  In 25 years of teaching I've done plenty of the heavy lifting for those things I thought were important, now I guess it's someone else's turn.

Let those who care do the work in this focus group.  I don't give a duck.

Update, 4/9/22:  Just prior to this past week's meetings I was moved from the Culture Club to the testing/assessment group.

Not Much Time Left

Are you a fan of 80s science fiction?  Then you might want to pick this up, pronto--this "limited-time offer ends March 27th."

This Doesn't Surprise Me At All

I myself never fell for the "medical marijuana" con, but plenty did:

Medical marijuana has been legalized in 37 states, but a new study released Friday found that the drug had no benefit for those treating pain, depression, or anxiety. Moreover, a significant number of people in the study who used marijuana for medical purposes developed cannabis use disorder, also known as marijuana addiction, the study found. The study was conducted by the Massachusetts General Hospital.

“People with pain, anxiety or depression symptoms failed to report any improvements, though those with insomnia experienced improved sleep,” said the study’s lead author, Jodi Gilman, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Depression and anxiety are some of the conditions most commonly treated with marijuana...

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law and is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has a high potential for abuse or dependence and little to no medical benefit.

These Are The People Who Think They're Smart Enough To Tell Us What And How To Think

What else does this reporter know that isn't correct?

Sen. Bob Casey announced he has contracted COVID-19, becoming the latest U.S. congressman to fall sick to the pandemic.

He must have slept through Civics class.

It's been this way for hours, but in case someone ever fixes the story, here's a screenshot:

Tired

In past years, I've not been one to crawl across the finish line.  I don't barely make it to Thanksgiving break, to Christmas break, to Spring Break, or to the end of the year, I finish with plenty of energy.  I could keep going, if I truly had to.

No so, this year.  The only thing I have going for me is that I have a relatively small number of students relative to other teachers at my school, and thus it doesn't take me so long to grade projects, quizzes, or tests.  If I had my usual load of students--the equivalent of an additional full class--I'd be dragging.

I'm not quite sure what the issue is--maybe I'm just getting old, maybe the 80 degree temps in March are sapping me, maybe it's the dumb stuff coming from higher up, maybe it's some combination of all of them--but I notice the exhaustion creeping up on me.

We just had a 4-day weekend, and I feel fine, but I don't feel like going outside for a walk and getting sweaty!  I wonder about making it another 5 years, though.

The Press Outright Lied. And So Did Intelligence Officials.

It was clearly a legitimate story, but the "democratic operatives with bylines" had to trash it to get Dementia Joe elected:

The New York Times last week confirmed the authenticity of Hunter Biden’s missing laptop, a story which was originally dismissed as Russian disinformation by many liberal media outlets leading up to the 2020 presidential election. 

Television hosts, guests and journalists quickly took to the airwaves in October 2020, reassuring viewers that the laptop was "unverifiable," likely tied to the Kremlin, and the product of a smear campaign orchestrated by former President Trump and his allies...

Politico also ran an October 2020 headlined, "Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say," which highlighted a letter signed by "more than 50 former senior intelligence officials" who asserted that the emails from the laptop had "all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation." 

The letter, which was parroted by much of the media, suggested, without evidence, that the emails were hacked and could have been tampered with by the Kremlin in order to make its contents look incriminating. Signatories of that letter included former high-ranking intelligence officials and outspoken Trump critics like former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Michael Hayden, Leon Panetta, and Jeremy Bash, many of whom work as analysts on MSNBC and CNN and supported Biden's candidacy.

Information on the laptop implicated Hunter Biden and his father in criminal dealings, including dealings with the Russians.  Notice how the Democrats always blame the Republicans for the very "Russian collusion" that they themselves engage in?  I notice it, too. 

Update, 3/22/22:   

IT’S NOT JUST HUNTER’S LAPTOP AT ISSUE: Now that the New York Times got around to “verifying” it’s authenticity, according to Margot Cleveland in The Federalist, the controversy over the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop is mainly about the eight scandals indicated therein that directly involve the senior citizen occupying the Oval Office:

“Merely admitting the laptop is legitimate is not enough. Rather, by concurring in the authenticity of the laptop and the emails, the supposed standard-bearers of journalism have also implicitly acknowledged the validity of the scandals spawn by the porn-filled MacBook.

“And notwithstanding the salacious source of the documentary evidence of the scandals, the scandals are not about Hunter Biden: They are about now-President Biden,” Cleveland writes. Another Cleveland must-read.  link

Went Camping

Our district gave us a random 4-day weekend, so on Friday morning I headed up Highway 50 to Pollock Pines to a members-only campground.  I'm not yet a member, but I did listen to their presentation.  I'm still considering it.

It was a very relaxing couple days, except for this moment of heart-pounding action:

From The Department of "Duh"

I wonder how much money was spent to figure this out:

Children who spend more time on using handheld devices and computers or watching television are more likely to exhibit behavior problems such as aggression, difficulties with attention, anxiety and depression, an analysis published Wednesday by JAMA Psychiatry found.

In the review of data from 87 studies with nearly 160,000 participants age 12 years and younger, more screen time during the day was associated with an up to 20% higher risk for behavior problems, the data showed.

The behavior problems exhibited by children with increased screen time included aggression and "inattention," the researchers said.

Children who spent more time using devices with screens, including phones, tablets, computers and televisions also were more likely to display symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to the researchers. 

I'm shocked, shocked I say.

Ben Shapiro Talks To Bill Maher

I've mentioned before how much I used to enjoy Phil Donahue, a rabid leftie talk-show host who had a great show because he and his guests, rather than yelling at each other, would discuss their differences rationally.  I really enjoyed Phil Donahue and Milton Friedman:

In the following video, Ben Shapiro and Bill Maher have a similar type of mature conversation:

One Professor Speaks Up

We used to expect Ivy League students to be "a cut above"; nowadays, we expect them to be left-wing whiners:

Yale Law School students were upset that an accomplished conservative attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom came to campus recently.

But Professor Kate Stith gave them some advice according to the Yale Daily News: “Grow up.”

The March 10 protest, which included walking out of a speech by ADF attorney Kristen Waggoner, also included a question from a student who asked about “the price of a dead trans kid.”

Waggoner successfully represented Jack Phillips, a Colorado baker targeted by homosexual activists, in front of the Supreme Court. She is general counsel to ADF, which regularly wins in front of the Supreme Court.

Professor Stith demonstrated a view of free speech that was common during my formative years but is sorely lacking in academia today.

I Don't Care What Time Zone We Use, Let's Just Pick One And Stick To It

I'm so tired of changing the darned clocks twice a year.  There's no legitimate reason for it.  It's not 1917 anymore:

Holy cow: Is Congress about to make Daylight Saving Time permanent?

I'll admit I'd be surprised, but it would be a pleasant surprise.