Good Evening! Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and more importantly through nominations sent to TopComments at gmail dot com by your fellow Kossacks. When you send in your picks, please include your username and a word or two about why you nominated the comment, and send 'em in by 9:45pm Eastern to ensure they make the final diary.
These nominations are subjective, and certainly not complete (as no one can read the complete site on a daily basis!). But we hope they will serve to shine a light where deserved, and to give the reader a good starting point in finding conversation on the site.
Please come in and make yourself at home...
Kid Brillig is a 5th grader, a big fish in the elementary school pond. She has attended the same school since first grade, and her class... well, lets say her class is a challenge, to be polite. There have always been issues with unruly kids, and some pairs just Can Not Coexist. Two classes per grade mean some interesting sorting issues, and I've always been glad NOT to be on the committee that assigns kids to teachers :-). But on balance, it's a good group of kids.
Until this year there had been only one principal. She ran the school capably, the kids liked her, and another school district paid her more so we lost her. Enter the New Principal- we'll call him Mister S. Mister S is young, cleancut, and is a real believer in Appropriate Behavior. Some of his actions I've supported wholeheartedly: his presence outside keeps Teh Special Parents from parking in the drop-off only spots, and he's ended the practice of "I'm just dropping off shoes/lunch/viola so will bypass the office and go to little Sally's classroom myself."
I was more or less OK watching him police the morning before the bell proceedings, where each class forms a quiet line then is invited into the building. Suddenly the 5th grade seemed to be spending a LOT of extra time standing outside while a couple of kids paid no attention, but at least it was warm (enough). And I thought the whole weekly behavior report I have to sign off on was ridiculous given my kid never gets into trouble, but the penalty for not participating was the school not allowing KB to participate in any "reward" events that might happen for good behavior.
But several recent events have me rethinking even my qualified support. Yesterday, KB explained that even though she hadn't been talking when Mister S asked for quiet in the lunchroom, several people at her table were. As a result, the entire table lost recess AND had to write letters to the next lunch sitting apologizing for making them late. Today, her entire class lost the first 10' of recess because a few kids wouldn't stop talking at the end of art class, and the rule is no one may go until everyone is quiet. They all were required to write an essay on "why we should not disrupt art class."
Mr. Brillig and I asked whether this collective punishment seems to be affecting the actual miscreants. KB said "no, not really." We then asked what methods and strategies Mister S has offered so that kids behaving appropriately can act to help achieve compliance by the troublemakers. "Well, none. If I tell someone to shhh he says that is talking too, so we get in trouble. He says that we all have to act as a team."
Well fuck. (Dammit, I think I just sentenced the entire Top Comments team to no recess for a week with that F-bomb. My bad, everybody) All the friendly fire, so to speak, of collective punishment but no way to express displeasure at or influence those kids acting poorly. Mr. Brillig and I are oging to speak to the principal. What Mr. Brillig really wants to do is pen a LTE suggesting that since some principals cannot control their classes, all principals should suffer some sort of performance review penalty.. say, a public dressing down at the next School Committee meeting, or a pay cut?
I understand discipline needs to be kept, but is teaching a group of mostly well-behaved children it doesn't matter how they behave since consequences will always be determined by the small number of problem kids (and yes, it's the same names over and over) really the message worth sending? Or am I just naive?
- - - - -
On to Top Comments it is- are we all in a nice orderly line?
::glares out over top rim of glasses:: I'll wait... ah there you go. Here's the nominations that the
good readership sent to the TC mailbox. The rest of you, I need either an essay on why you didn't, or a promise to mail one in tomorrow.
From shpilk:
dhonig does a great job in Eugene's diary This Is Not Acceptable (updated x2), describing in great detail why family planning is important in the stimulus bill.
From carolita:
*Spathiphyllum* has a visual aid that may help congressional Dems in buhdydharma's spot on Hey Republicans...YOU Did This...Remember?
Uthaclena reminds us that, as explained in Klein's Shock Doctrine, Repbulicans will continue to profit as long as they keep creating chaos.
From Ekthesy:
dennisk offers this method of taking back our money.
From N in Seattle:
In mysticlaker's quick diary on Arlen Specter's latest change of mind about the next Attorney General, Magnifico offers up the perfect comment,stirring up memories of Specter's first brush with "fame", more than 40 years ago.
From LaughingPlanet:
In response to a diary about Palin's new PAC, D in Northern Virginia suggests the formation (and name) of another PAC named after a once rising (and now falling) star from the 2008 Prez campaign.
From orangeclouds115:
Very funny but true comment from Dallasdoc.
LOL - slackjawedlackey says corn syrup is the OJ Simpson of food!
From Yours Truly:
I really like this idea G2geek had as a wee one.
Inclusiveheart has a great job creation idea in Hardhat Democrat's diary FDA: Ga. Peanut Company Knowingly Sold Contaminated Products, 4 Strains of Salmonella Found.
OK class, it's time to move along now to Top Mojo. This wasn't a team project, I ran it myself! :-)
Top 30 (plus ties) Comments excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first comments and C&J:
1) And the language he is using by stunzeed — 241
2) If documentaries like this by MadRuth — 218
3) Krugman supports Obama. by TomP — 176
4) Big pharma is a top advertiser by FishOutofWater — 139
5) I think it's time for corporate CEOs to fly coach by rontun — 129
6) I am from Bay City, Mi by khloemi — 109
7) As usual, the Repugs are full of shit by Jeff Y — 109
8) Which is why PBS needs to be free by Herticalt — 107
9) The media never ignores Republican tantrums by FishOutofWater — 106
10) It isn't right to want to hug you by kfred — 105
11) Thanks for sharing this story by JeremiahFP — 94
12) Imagine the situation reversed by Zoltan — 94
13) At some point - ENOUGH! by UneasyOne — 88
14) When I worked at the Hyatt Regency by UneasyOne — 87
15) Center seats only, too by radarlady — 83
16) You rang? by meldroc — 83
17) Employee Free Trade Act (EFCA) by Andrew C White — 82
18) This is not Reid's fault by Mary Julia — 78
19) As someone who moved from the UK by whisperwolf — 75
20) The best way to handle a temper tantrum by CA Nana — 75
21) Thank you for bringing it to our attention by Dallasdoc — 74
22) Ditto. by Something the Dog Said — 73
23) I'm sorry but by KS Rose — 68
24) At the hospital where I worked by Sharoney — 68
25) raw milk by jgoodman — 67
26) Agree Dallasdoc . . . by nyceve — 65
27) They also did this by leftyboy666 — 65
28) Yes. by Rex Manning — 64
29) Re-iterate: Never buy a dog by Tracker — 64
30) Thank you for you service, General by mcjoan — 64
31) Krugman is an honest, brilliant columnist by Volvo Liberal — 64
Top 30 comments with no exclusions:
1) I want to thank the good people . . . by nyceve — 618
2) Tips for worker justice at Wal-Mart by exotrip — 605
3) Tips for Obama refusing by TomP — 592
4) Tips for Senator Elect Franken s Legal team by ourhispanicvoices — 460
5) Tip Jar by Aspe4 — 445
6) Shoot the messenger here by eugene — 443
7) Tip Jar by General James P Cullen — 395
8) tsk tsk tsk! by buhdydharma — 382
9) Tip jar I have to leave for work in an hour by wren — 292
10) And the language he is using by stunzeed — 241
11) Tips for Kossacks getting jobs! by OrangeClouds115 — 240
12) If documentaries like this by MadRuth — 218
13) Thank you for your service by GlowNZ — 217
14) Tips jar by Casual Wednesday — 213
15) Tips for fishing. by Floande — 207
16) Tips for the ECC by WineRev — 176
17) Krugman supports Obama. by TomP — 176
18) Tips / Mojo: 27 January 09 by A Siegel — 156
19) Big pharma is a top advertiser by FishOutofWater — 139
20) I think it's time for corporate CEOs to fly coach by rontun — 129
21) As usual, the Repugs are full of shit by Jeff Y — 109
22) I am from Bay City, Mi by khloemi — 109
23) Which is why PBS needs to be free by Herticalt — 107
24) The media never ignores Republican tantrums by FishOutofWater — 106
25) It isn't right to want to hug you by kfred — 105
26) Tips by droogie6655321 — 100
27) C&J Tube Steak Tuesday Edition by Phil N DeBlanc — 96
28) Thanks for sharing this story by JeremiahFP — 94
29) Imagine the situation reversed by Zoltan — 94
30) At some point - ENOUGH! by UneasyOne — 88