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OPINION
Mountain Views News Saturday June 9, 2012
STUART Tolchin..........On LIFE
HAIL Hamilton My Turn
Mountain
Views
News
PUBLISHER/ EDITOR
Susan Henderson
CITY EDITOR
Dean Lee
EAST VALLEY EDITOR
Joan Schmidt
SALES
Patricia Colonello
626-355-2737
626-818-2698
PRODUCTION
Richard Garcia
PHOTOGRAPHY
Lina Johnson
WEBMASTER
John Aveny
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeff Brown
Pat Birdsall
Chris Leclerc
Bob Eklund
Howard Hays
Paul Carpenter
Stuart Tolchin
Kim Clymer-Kelley
Christopher Nyerges
Peter Dills
Hail Hamilton
Rich Johnson
Chris Bertrand
Ron Carter
Rev. James Snyder
Bobby Eldridge
Mary Carney
La Quetta Shamblee
Katie Hopkins
Deanne Davis
Despina Arouzman
Greg Wellborn
Dr. John Talevich
Meaghan Allen
Sean Kayden
JUST DO YOUR BEST
Last weekend
my daughter flew
back to her college
for a fifteen year
reunion. While
there she began
the process of
setting up a scholarship in the name
of her college friend who became
her roommate while my daughter
attended Law School and her friend
pursued a graduate degree. This
friend, politically active leader while
in college, was a vivacious, attractive
woman spoken of highly by all
those who knew her. In retrospect
it was realized that she knew many
people but was not really close to
anyone. This young woman, of
great potential if that makes any
difference, committed suicide. My
daughter feels that helping to endow
a scholarship will make it possible for
her to maintain a kind of bond which
she formerly took for granted but now
has begun to treasure.
Really, I don’t know very much
about how my daughter feels about
her lost friend. I know the woman
was an African-American from a
broken home but that’s about all. I
think my daughter wants to help
establish a scholarship for minority
person from around the local area
of the college. We didn’t talk much
about her purpose in doing this
because such things are usually left
unsaid. I think she knew that I was
very proud of her for considering the
idea but I think she also knows that it
is not necessary for her to do anything
more to be proud of her. I am proud
enough already and have been for
many years
A couple of years ago I had become
friendly with a novelist who lived up
the block. He was very supportive to
me about my desire to write articles
and we talked a little about writing. I
probably ignored most of his advice
or more honestly simply did not feel
comfortable in following the advice
he gave me. That advice was mainly,
“Hit them over the head with it”. He
explained that most readers would
just sort of skim the articles and
if the writing was too deep or too
complicated or too obscure it simply
would not be worth their time to take
the trouble. Mainly, he told me not to
skip from one topic to another and to
just keep it simple.
I hated this advice because it simply
is not what I wanted to do. I want to
share myself with my unknown
invisible readers. I want that reader
to be my friend and to understand me
and to care about what I am saying.
I’ve been writing these articles now
for about five years and I think I’ve
learned a little something in the
process. Being a friend is a two-way
street. My novelist friend was right
in that it was unfair for me to expect
readers to willingly jump around in
my head with me and follow me from
topic. At the same time I have learned
that if l make a little more effort to
connect the dots, so to speak, some
readers will take the trouble to follow
my path and will go so far as to extend
that path which results in my learning
a little bit more about myself. These
dialogues are really fulfilling and feel
like lessons in human relations. If
someone today asked me the question,
“What are other people for?” I would
answer there are no other people.
Probably my questioner would not
know what I was talking about but if
we could find the time to talk more
together I would try and explain that
the separation between ourselves and
others is illusory. Every other person
we meet has something to tell us about
ourselves and we have something
to tell them about themselves. Each
of our lives is an ongoing process of
learning. It never stops unless we stop
it. How do we stop it? By refusing to
be aware—and that’s what most of us
do most of the time.
Yes, I’ve done it again. I’ve jumped
from my daughter’s desire to endow
a scholarship, to a discussion of my
intent in writing articles, to a final
esoteric reference to a kind of new-age
world view. How does this all connect
or does it? I think in considering my
daughter’s mention of the scholarship
I became aware that she experienced
some sadness at taking her friend for
granted and not getting to know her
better. Perhaps she could have been
more aware and perhaps have been of
some help to her friend. She wants to
do better and maybe the establishment
of the scholarship and her connection
to it will help her to stay aware of that
continuing desire to be of help and
will allow her to assist other people. If
you got this far maybe you can figure
out the other connections and then
explain them to me. Just kidding I
think; but I can always use a little
more understanding, explanation,
and attention.
The Case Against the CAHSEE
In a May 22,
2010 editorial,
“Defending the
CAHSEE,” I
argued why the
California High
School Exit Exam
should be maintained and expanded
to include all high school students, in
particular special education students
who were being allowed to graduate
without having passed the test. Now,
almost two years later, I have changed
my opinion. It is now my opinion that
the CAHSEE should be immediately
dropped as a graduation requirement.
The reasons for my change of mind
are simple: The most recent review
of research on exit exams, done by
researchers at the University of Texas,
concluded that high school exit exams
do not lead to higher graduation rates,
more college attendance, increased
student learning or higher employment.
In fact, researchers all across the nation
have yet to discover any benefits
of having a high school exit exam.
Whatever lies the public has been told,
the simple fact is the CAHSEE is not a
high school exit exam at all. It is really a
middle school exit exam that tests only
beginning 9th grade English and math
skills.
More important is the cost. In these
times when teachers are being asked to
take pay cuts and layoffs due to a lagging
economy, should California tax dollars
be wasted on a test that isn’t worth the
paper it’s printed on? Don’t get me
wrong. I still believe that if high school
diplomas are to be worth anything at
all, students must be held accountable
by demonstrating a basic mastery of
English, and mathematics. However,
I no longer believe the CAHSEE is the
way to go to realize this goal. Let me
explain.
In California, it has been estimated
that the exit exams cost about $60 per
exam. This amounted to nearly $73
million this past year simply to have
the tests written up and distributed.
This does not count the time spent
by teachers in test preparation or the
expense of retesting and remediation
after testing.
So how much does the CAHSEE cost?
Here’s what I found out. I looked it up
the line items in the 2011-2012 state
budget to find out just how much we are
currently spending on the high school
exit exam in California. You can do the
same by using your “find” or “search”
option on your computer to find each of
these sections within the budget. But do
it while you’re sitting down -
6110-204-0001 CAHSEE Instructional
support (test prep!!) $58,314,000
6110-204-0002 CAHSEE Test
Appropriation $72,752,000 --- (the cost
actual CAHSEE test booklets)
The total of these figures is a
whopping $131,066,000! But that’s just
what’s printed in the budget; there are
also hidden costs in the CAHSEE that
are not included in the budget and these
costs are enormous.
According outspoken CAHSEE critic
Jo Ann Rupert Behm:
“Starting in 2006, $56.4 million a year
is awarded to help special ed seniors
pass CAHSEE. $72.4 million a year
gives general ed seniors additional
CAHSEE tutoring. Add $5.5 million
for intervention materials and $2.5
million for revised workbooks. Raising
the number of times seniors can re-take
CAHSEE from 3 to 5 times added $5.1
million. $275 million is spent yearly
for “focused” CAHSEE tracking and
test prep starting in 7th grade for poor
testers identified through STAR tests.
“The CAHSEE office at the California
Department of Education [CDE] with a
staff of 7 costs an estimated $2 million.
The independent contract including
travel to/from Virginia to deliver
glowing CAHSEE reports to the State
Board 2-3 times a year costs about $3
million. Educational Testing Service
has a 3-year contract for $55.1 million
to produce and score the CAHSEE. At
least $10 million from taxpayer coffers
has been sunk defending and settling
the exit exam against four class action
lawsuits.
“There is a lot of waste, too. School
officials reported to the State Board in
May 2007 that over $920,000 worth
of exams had to be shredded because
students who failed earlier never
returned to retest.
“Even more eye-popping, Adult
Education bill [AB 2532] analysts
estimated during an August 2006
Appropriations Committee hearing
that non-credit test prep courses for
“continuation” seniors denied diplomas
[due to CAHSEE] would cost taxpayers
$33.5 million for every 12,000 rejected
graduates entering Adult Ed. In 2006,
25% or 12,000 out of the 48,000 seniors
denied diplomas were expected to
enroll.”
In other words, last year California
taxpayers spent an astronomical $583.5
MILLION on the CAHSEE -- a test
proven to be of no educational value
whatsoever (except as a huge source of
easy money for the test makers). This
outrageous sacrifice of human and
economic capital is one more example
of the wrongheaded gimmicks driving
California schools further in the hole
financially while discouraging quality
learning and durable school reforms.
Mountain Views News
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OUT TO PASTOR
A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder
I CRY AT WEDDINGS, TOO
RICH Johnson
June is quite famous
for the variety
of nuptial
activities. I am not
sure exactly why
June is the month
of choice for these couples; I just go along
with the flow. Consequently, through the
years, I have officiated at many weddings
during the month of June.
I must confess that weddings are not my
favorite form of activity. I had much rather
be doing something else, anything else,
than officiating at the wedding ceremony
of a young couple who are in love.
When I first began this area of my pastoral
work, I was very nervous. I was concerned
that people were watching and
judging me and therefore I needed to
have everything perfect. The day of the
wedding found me an absolute nervous
wreck. If it was not for several Apple Fritters
that morning, I am not sure how I
would get through the day.
I feel that my personal inconvenience at
these nuptial ceremonies qualified me to
indulge in eating several, if not many, Apple
Fritters. Everybody needs something
to help endure the inconveniences of life.
Apple Fritter is my chosen remedy.
I remember when I came to the shocking
conclusion that nobody at the wedding
ceremony was watching me. The wedding
ceremony was concluded and the reception
was over and I was in the restroom
washing my hands when I happened to
look into the mirror. There to my chagrin
I discovered that the back of my collar was
not covering my tie. Nobody even hinted
that I had a wardrobe malfunction.
It was then I realized that nobody was
paying any attention to me. I could come
to the wedding ceremony in a swimsuit
and nobody would notice. Not that I have
been tempted in this area, mind you. After
all, the focus of the whole affair is the
bride.
Since this amazing discovery, weddings
have not been quite so difficult for me. I
do not worry about my appearance because
nobody else is worrying about my
appearance.
I often counsel young grooms who seem
quite nervous that nobody is even aware
of their presence. Nobody comes to a
wedding to see the groom. The only thing
that really matters is the bride.
After a wedding everybody always says,
"Wasn't the bride beautiful?" Or, "Didn't
the bride look beautiful in her wedding
dress?"
I have yet to hear somebody say, "Wasn't
that groom handsome?" Or, "I loved the
groom’s tuxedo." It just never happens.
This is the reason why every groom wears
a rented tuxedo. Nobody is admiring him
or his attire.
The wedding dress is something altogether
different. Very few brides rent a
wedding dress. Even though they are only
going to wear it, supposedly, once in their
lifetime, they all want to buy that special
wedding dress.
One reason I am not so very fond of
weddings is the premarital counseling involved.
Of all the counseling I have given
through the years, I am wondering if anybody
ever paid attention to what I said.
I think I could do the whole counseling
session in pig Latin and the couple would
sit there smiling at me as though they understood
every word I was saying.
With that in mind, I have tried through
the years to make the counseling sessions
as long and painful as possible. If they can
survive a series of premarital counseling
sessions from me, then they deserve a
lifetime of holy matrimonial bliss.
One strange phenomenon I have seen
in weddings throughout the years is the
number of people who cry at weddings.
For some it may be overwhelmed with
happiness. Others may be overwhelmed
with memories of their own wedding. But
the father of the bride is the one I watch.
It is very hard for some of these fathers
to keep back the tears, not because they
are losing a daughter, or because they are
gaining a son-in-law, but because they
are losing a whole lot of money on this
wedding.
Then it got me thinking. Most weddings
cost a small fortune. Of course small is a
relative term. A young bride coached by
her mother will find ways to burn through
the father's bank account. "No price is too
much to pay for this daughter of ours,"
the mother explains. "She's worth everything
it costs."
And the father weeps some more. Especially
if there is the younger daughter in
the wings.
Looking into the situation the more I
discovered just how much people pay for
their weddings.
When anybody asks me about performing
the wedding ceremony and how much
I charge, I always say that I do not charge
anything. What I am really saying is that
I would prefer cash. I always leave that to
the discretion of the groom. Usually, the
groom is so discreet in paying me that I
actually never see any money.
When I discover how much the wedding
has cost and how much I was not given
as an honorarium for my services, I too,
weep at weddings.
Occasionally, I meet a young couple who
understand the importance of a Christian
marriage. Although it is viewed as
old-fashioned, I like to reflect what the
Bible says. "Therefore shall a man leave
his father and his mother, and shall cleave
unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh"
(Genesis 2:24 KJV). This kind of a wedding
calls for tears of joy.
GIVING PILLS TO PETS
A relatively new
phenomenon in
the world of pets
is the advanced
medical care and
attention paid
to family pets. I
know of 3 good
friends who give their diabetic cats
daily insulin shots.
A friend of mine, Cindy (who happens
to have a small Maltese dog) passed
along this information describing
administering a pill orally to both cats
and dogs. Thank you Cindy for this
valuable insight.
Giving a pill to a cat
Pick up your cat and cradle it in the
crook of your left arm as if holding a
baby. Position your right forefinger
and thumb on either side of cat’s
mouth and gently apply pressure to
cheeks while holding the pill in right
hand. As your cat opens his or her
mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat
to close mouth and swallow.
Okay, pick up the spit out pill from
the floor and bring back the cat from
behind the sofa. Again, cradle your cat
in your left arm and repeat process.
Retrieve the cat from bedroom, and
throw away the now soggy pill.
Take a new pill from its foil wrap, again
cradle the cat in your left arm, holding
rear paws tightly with left hand. Force
jaws open and push pill to back of
mouth with right forefinger. Hold
mouth shut for a count of ten.
Retrieve the newly regurgitated pill
from the goldfish bowl and grab the
cat from top of wardrobe. Also, call in
the spouse for assistance.
Kneel on the floor with your cat
wedged firmly between your knees
holding its front and rear paws. Ignore
the low growls emitted by cat. Get
your spouse to hold head firmly with
one hand while forcing wooden ruler
into the cat’s mouth. Drop pill down
ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.
Have your spouse get a ladder and
retrieve the cat from the curtain rail. Get
another pill from the foil wrap. Make
a note to buy new a ruler and repair
the curtains. Carefully sweep shattered
figurines and vases from hearth and set
to one side for gluing and repair later.
Now, wrap the cat in a large towel and
get your spouse to lie on the cat with
the cat’s head visible from below the
armpit. Put the pill in end of drinking
straw, force the cats mouth open with
pencil and blow down drinking straw.
Check the pet medicine label to
make sure the pill is not harmful to
humans and drink one beer to get
rid of the taste. Apply neosporine
and a band-aid to your spouse ‘ s
forearm and remove the blood from
carpet with cold water and soap.
Fetch your cat from the neighbor’s the
shed. Get another pill and open another
beer. Place the cat in the cupboard, and
close the door onto cats neck, leaving
only the head showing. Force tabby’s
mouth open with a dessert spoon. Flick
pill down throat with elastic band.
Find a screwdriver from the garage
and put the cupboard door back on its
hinges. Drink the beer. While you’re at
it, fetch a bottle of scotch. Pour shot,
drink. Repeat. Apply cold compress to
your cheek and check records for the
date of your last tetanus shot.
Call the fire department to help
retrieve the damn cat from the top of
the tree across the road. Apologize to
your neighbor who crashed into their
fence while swerving to avoid the cat.
Take last pill from foil wrap. Using
heavy-duty pruning gloves from
the shed, tie the little *&#%^’s front
paws to his or her rear paws with
garden twine and bind tightly to leg
of dining table. Push pill into mouth
followed by large piece of filet steak.
Be rough about it. Hold the cats
head vertically and pour two pints of
water down throat to wash pill down.
Consume the remainder of scotch.
Get your spouse to drive you to the
emergency room. Sit quietly while
the emergency room physician
stitches your fingers and forearm and
removes the pill remnants from your
right eye. Call the furniture shop on
the way home to order a new table.
Arrange for ASPCA to
collect mutant cat from hell.
NOW, how To Give A Dog A Pill
1. Wrap the pill in a slice of bacon.
2. Toss it in the air….DONE!
I hope you have found these pet
owner’s experiences helpful.
Thank you Cindy and Sparky.
Mountain Views News
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