It Doesn't Make Sense!

I don't profess to be the brightest crayon in the box, but I do have a masters degree and various education-related certificates. I'm a logical thinker, but there are some things that just don't make sense to me. Some of them should be of national concern and some are just annoyingly nonsensical.

Nay, I say...recently 35 Senators (Clinton and Obama included) voted against making English our country's official language. The Constitution and Bill of Rights were written in English, right? I'd say that argues that English was and is our national language...law or no law.

Fly the friendly skies...airline tickets prices continue to rise, there are fewer flights and available seats, "on-time" statistics are low, and customer service is questionable. A passengers' bill of rights? Now the airlines are going to charge $25 or higher for your first piece of baggage. The industry reports a drop in reservation numbers. Dah! If you want someone to be your customer, you don't screw them six ways from Sunday.

The revolving door... 40% (or higher) of the prisoners released from facilities are back in jail within two to three years. Obviously, any jail term less than "life" is not a deterrent for some. So...give'em life. Use the money that would have been spent on trials, jail in and out processing, transportation, etc. and build more prisons. I like the "three strikes, you're out..." I mean you're 'in.'

Treading water for years...colleges and universities should hand out life preservers instead of diplomas because many graduates are way over their heads in debt. The rich can afford to buy the sheepskin, and the poor get nearly a free ride with need-dependent aid. But, the middle class student wades deeper and deeper into debt each year or decides against higher education because of cost. The average school loan debt is around $20,000 and takes years to satisfy. Parents aren't saving enough for their children's educations because they're still paying for their own!

Hide the dummy...heterogeneous grouping in schools is common and mountains of data supporting both pros and cons of the issue can be found. After 34 years experience teaching in a public school, I can tell you the real results of such a practice. The teacher designs a lesson geared to reach the "middle." The more intellectual children aren't challenged, and the bottom students are dragged along or left in the dust. The top students get lazy and the bottom get discouraged. It's nearly impossible to meet the needs of all the students during a 40 minute class. School's really group kids this way because it's cheaper, easier to schedule, and they don't want the parental flack generated when the slower learners are exposed.

Retro-man...an 85-year-old man's obituary is topped with a photo of him as a newly enlisted sailor, fresh out of high school. Now, come on. Anyone who would have known his looks back then probably has Alzheimer's now or is dead, too! I think I'm going to have my first baby photo published with my obit. The one of me in the frayed, nursery-issue T-shirt and knit beanie cap.

First in line...I'm driving down the road with no one in front or behind me. I see a car ahead waiting to enter the roadway. When I'm almost on top of it, the driver pulls out and causes me to brake. The car continues at a sped slower than what I was cruising originally and below the posted speed limit. Now, why didn't the driver just wait until I passed to pull out? There should be a law that you can legally ram someone that does that. "Cow catchers" should be made standard equipment on the family minivan.

If something doesn't make sense to you, email me your thoughts. I'll publish them on this blog. If you can make some sense out of any of the above, email the logic to me. I'll spend less sleepless nights, if you do.