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School district cancels spelling bee (Check out the reason why they canceled it)
Woonsocket (RI) Call ^
| January 27, 2005
| Ronald R. Blais
Posted on 01/28/2005 1:36:32 PM PST by Constitutionalist Conservative
LINCOLN -- Karen Adams always enjoyed receiving her invitation. The WPRI-TV news anchorwoman and Lincoln resident looked forward to penciling in the school districts spelling bee in her appointment calendar.
But theres no note in her calendar this year. The Lincoln district has decided to eliminate this years spelling bee -- a competition involving pupils in grades 4 through 8, with each school district winner advancing to the state competition and a chance to proceed to the national spelling bee in Washington, D.C.
Through the years, it had become a tradition for Adams to pronounce and define spelling words used in the bee.
"It was just fun," she said last Monday from her office at the television studio.
Assistant Superintendent of Schools Linda Newman said the decision to scuttle the event was reached shortly after the January 2004 bee in a unanimous decision by herself and the districts elementary school principals.
The administrators decided to eliminate the spelling bee, because they feel it runs afoul of the mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
"No Child Left Behind says all kids must reach high standards," Newman said. "Its our responsibility to find as many ways as possible to accomplish this."
The administrators agreed, Newman said, that a spelling bee doesnt meet the criteria of all children reaching high standards -- because there can only be one winner, leaving all other students behind.
"Its about one kid winning, several making it to the top and leaving all others behind. Thats contrary to No Child Left Behind," Newman said.
A spelling bee, she continued, is about "some kids being winners, some kids being losers."
As a result, the spelling bee "sends a message that this isnt an all-kids movement," Newman said.
Furthermore, professional organizations now frown on competition at the elementary school level and are urging participation in activities that avoid winners, Newman said. Thats why there are no sports teams at the elementary level, she said as an example.
The emphasis today, she said, is on building self-esteem in all students.
"You have to build positive self-esteem for all kids, so they believe theyre all winners," she said. "You want to build positive self-esteem so that all kids can get to where they want to go."
A spelling bee only benefits a few, not all, students, the elementary principals and Newman agreed, so it was canceled.
While she concedes shes not familiar with the specifics of No Child Left Behind, Adams, nevertheless, is befuddled by the school departments decision.
"I dont see where that (No Child Left Behind) has anything to do with a spelling bee. It was just a fun time," Adams said.
Winning a spelling bee, she added, "just meant you were a good speller."
One aspect she enjoyed about participating in her hometown spelling bee was the openness of the competition.
"Its not always the straight "A" student who wins the spelling bee," she said.
A spelling bee also is a chance for children to shine before their peers, family and friends, Adams points out.
"Its a big deal for the kids. Its a nice recognition for them," she said.
Competing in a spelling bee is also a learning experience, the anchorwoman believes. "It was fun for the kids because it gave them poise and confidence to stand in front of a crowd."
Adams admits shell miss the bee.
"I just loved the kids. They were so cute. My heart broke every time a kid missed," she said. "I really enjoyed it."
Adams wasnt the only one caught off guard by the spelling bees cancellation.
"I had no idea this (spelling bee) was called off," School Committee Chairman Jeff Weiss said last Friday.
The chairman reserved further comment until he could get more information. "I have no comment because I dont know whats going on," the chairman said.
Canceling the spelling bee is an administrative decision that doesnt require School Committee approval, Newman said.
Karen Martin, whose daughter, Brianna, won last years bee, said she was surprised the bee had been eliminated, describing its cancellation as "strange."
Although her daughter was nervous, Martin believes it was a good experience for Brianna. "It was exciting to go to the state competition," the mother said.
Like Adams, Martin said shell miss the bee.
"Im disappointed. I thought it was a fun activity," she said.
The administrators decision to eliminate the bee wasnt a difficult one, Newman said.
"There was no debate at all. It was one of the easiest decisions," the assistant superintendent said because "there was no question among the administrators" that a spelling bee was "contrary to the expectations" of No Child Left Behind.
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; US: Rhode Island
KEYWORDS: education; nclb
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To: livius
>>It is not about free meals.<<
Explain that to the school board! Our residents did and it didn't work.
81
posted on
01/28/2005 2:33:18 PM PST
by
B4Ranch
(Don't remain seated until this ride comes to a full and complete stop! We're going the wrong way!)
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
Citing the No Child Left Behind Act is becoming a common scapgoat for school officials.
In our local district some elementary grades had been reading the classic "Polar Express" book and were set to go on a PTA funded outing to see the movie version of the book they had read. School administrators nixed the trip citing the No Child Left Behind Act as a reason because the trip didn't have sufficient educational content. This same district however has no problem with the high school football teams missing half days of school to travel over 500 miles to compete in a cross state conference.
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
So may we assume they'll also be cancelling all the school district's competitive sports programs on the same theory?
To: mewzilla
Why do I doubt that this was what the president had in mind...? This is why the Founding Fathers envisioned "small government". They knew that governments tend to creep toward tyranny seasoned with abject stupididy. It is best to legislate only those things that absolutely must be regulated.
84
posted on
01/28/2005 2:40:20 PM PST
by
GingisK
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
"...there was no question among the administrators" that a spelling bee was "contrary to the expectations" of No Child Left Behind..."Let's not praise the kids whose parents(Plural) encourage their children to excel, let's just dumb them all down and keep every child equal,right. When it comes to learning, not all children are equal, and these administrators are waaaay out of line.
85
posted on
01/28/2005 2:42:15 PM PST
by
Pagey
(Hillary talking about the bible,is as hypocritical as Bill carrying one out of church for 8 years)
To: Pagey
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
"No Child Left Behind says all kids must reach high standards," Newman said. "Its our responsibility to find as many ways as possible to accomplish this."
The administrators agreed, Newman said, that a spelling bee doesnt meet the criteria of all children reaching high standards -- because there can only be one winner, leaving all other students behind.
"Its about one kid winning, several making it to the top and leaving all others behind. Thats contrary to No Child Left Behind," Newman said.
A spelling bee, she continued, is about "some kids being winners, some kids being losers."
As a result, the spelling bee "sends a message that this isnt an all-kids movement," Newman said.
Isn't this just like a liberal.
They all can't be winners, so we'll make them all the same,
and if they ARE all the same, and most of them are losers,
then ALL of them ARE LOSERS.
Putting aside the fact that in their warped world, there are no winners or losers. In fact no reason to strive at all.
Baaah! And I thought I got a crummy education in the 60s!
Why this makes me feel like a genius!
87
posted on
01/28/2005 2:52:36 PM PST
by
tet68
( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
-"You have to build positive self-esteem for all kids, so they believe theyre all winners," she said. "You want to build positive self-esteem so that all kids can get to where they want to go."-
What an unmitigated flake. u-n-m-i-t-i-g-a-t-e-d
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
Assistant Superintendent of Schools Linda Newman Another brain-damaged liberal. I swear, there must be a genetic component to this - a defective gene, a damaged chromosome - something to make these people think the way they do.
To: Brilliant
No offense to any of you teachers out there, but where I go to school it is all freaks, geeks, and any other kind of alternate lifestyle looking person that are education majors. I hope its different in other places, but this is here in Red Fairbanks Alaska, which makes me worry.
90
posted on
01/28/2005 2:57:04 PM PST
by
vpintheak
(Liberal = The antithesis of Freedom and Patriotism)
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
Got to show this to my wife, she will absolutely flip.
As other posters have noted, these guys are now being held accountable for student performance, and having the spelling bee won by home schoolers is rather embarrassing. Especially when it happens year, after year, after year, after...
Best Regards
Sergio
91
posted on
01/28/2005 2:58:32 PM PST
by
Sergio
(If a tree fell on a mime in the forest, would he make a sound?)
To: Bahbah
They warp and pervert everything they touch.
Reminds me of the LLs complaining that saying "God Bless America" meant you didn't want God to bless any other countries.
Excuse me - since that interpretation had never crossed my mind - no doubt due to my lack of sensitivity and nuance - I know that's not what I meant when I said, "God Bless America".
Idiots - and they're teaching our future.
92
posted on
01/28/2005 2:59:23 PM PST
by
Let's Roll
(Democrats - What happens when mental illness manifests itself as a political party.)
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
Ironic. Our regional spelling bee is held at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library.
93
posted on
01/28/2005 2:59:25 PM PST
by
Clara Lou
(Hillary Clinton: "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.")
To: mewzilla
Why do I doubt that this was what the president had in mind...? Because you have a working brain?
94
posted on
01/28/2005 3:00:35 PM PST
by
Harmless Teddy Bear
(Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum)
To: Harmless Teddy Bear
Well, I like to think so :)
95
posted on
01/28/2005 3:01:48 PM PST
by
mewzilla
(Has CBS retracted the story yet?)
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
In the same vain, she said that henceforth, all administration personnel openings and other department openings will be filled on a first come first serve basis. After all, we can't have people thinking that they are better than other people. We will also be be flat-lining all salaries so that teachers just hired will make the same as teachers with 30 years of service.
96
posted on
01/28/2005 3:05:13 PM PST
by
fightu4it
(conquest by immigration and subversion spells the end of US.)
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
Oh for crying out loud!
Translation - "We believe that rewarding an individual for personal achievement harms the self esteem and potential future for all who do not achieve."
Let's completely eliminate every example of success so children can aspire to nothing. It's nice to hear the latest example of the dumbing down of society by the 2+2=5 crowd.
97
posted on
01/28/2005 3:11:20 PM PST
by
SaveTheChief
(There are 10 types of people -- those who understand binary, and those who don't.)
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
Furthermore, professional organizations now frown on competition at the elementary school level and are urging participation in activities that avoid winners, Newman said. Thats why there are no sports teams at the elementary level, she said as an example. And morons like this are the reason that people who care about their children don't let them into public school systems.
98
posted on
01/28/2005 3:15:46 PM PST
by
Richard Kimball
(We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men are ready to do violence on our behalf)
To: Constitutionalist Conservative
This would be unFREEKINGbelievable if I had not seen it already a million times.
Where do theses school board, school principals come from?
Oh yeah, college! They are liberal elites who go straight from brain washing in college to our kids schools. They never experience Capitalism.
Communists! Socialists! Mentally ill!
99
posted on
01/28/2005 3:27:15 PM PST
by
ryan71
To: FrPR
"It is high time we fired the NEA and filled our schools, not with career educators with masters degrees in education, but with accomplished folks who want to get back in the saddle and serve humanity."
Genius, pure genius.
People who know how to succeed in a Capitalist society.
100
posted on
01/28/2005 3:32:04 PM PST
by
ryan71
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