Senioritis

Crazy. Distorted Priorities. Devoid of honest value.  Dysfunctional. Out-dated.
All terms that apply to our High School educational system.

My opinions and ideas for solutions for a fix to the education we tax payers provide to our youth goes way beyond the narrow scope of this blog's subject matter; but who can blame a young man from taking advantage of what the system offers?

This week, across the state, it is TAKS Week.  A mandatory Test of Academic Knowledge and Skills.  State officials keep changing the test acronym and the rules to fix the results, making schools and students look better than they are, thus defeating the whole accountability in education concept for which TAKS was devised.  One quirk that benefits the above average students (like my kids) is that High School Seniors who have met the minimal standards on the TAKS test are not required to take the end-of-year tests in April.  Thus, since the whole school is occupied with administering the TAKS test for grades 9-11, the 12th Grade does not have to show up until 10:30 from Tuesday - Friday of this week.  This is a 3 hour sleep-in gift for Seniors.  At 10:30, they have to report so they can be counted as present, and thus maintain funding from the state, which is based on attendance.  But after the students are acknowledged present (keeping state funding intact), there is no reason to stick around campus since no classes are being conducted, so they drift away for a "long lunch".

Faced with a 4-day week of acronyms, Grant organized a group of friends to substitute IHOP for TAKS on their first day of no-school school.  A leisurely breakfast, then off to school to have their noses counted for funding (non-educational) purposes, and then a day of Ultimate Frisbee in the park.

It is good to be a Senior.

Senioritis: There is No known cure; but but it is recommended that symptoms be indulged by allowing those afflicted to sleep until mid-morning, upon waking they should be plied with carbohydrates soaked with sugary syrup, followed by afternoon activity in the Springtime sun.

OMG IHOP B4 TAKS N the AM, OK?