Oh My Word

My daughter brought home a library book today from public school. She went to the library and she has to always have an "accelerated reading" book checked out for her reading class. These books must be a certain level for their advanced reading.

The book my daughter brought home is called Stardust by Neil Gaiman. My daughter showed me some pages in this book that I could not believe. In fact this book contains sexually explicit material and was recommended to my 8th grade daughter by her reading teacher. She showed her teacher the book and her teacher's response was "This really is a good book.".

The book is set in the English countryside in the 20th century (I think). There is a thread in this book that involves a young man who cheats on his girlfriend and has sex with a witch's slave. Yes that is what I said, sex with a witch's slave. This was recommended reading for my 8th grade daughter. It is not just an allusion to sex. It describes it.

I have to forewarn you that this material is explicit but I am including a small part of it here. I have put the text in reverse video color. To view it,highlight the following block. The following is a direct quote from the book:

There was a moment of hesitation, and then her mouth opened against his, and her tongue slid into his mouth, and he was irrevocably, lost. 

He had kissed before, with the girls of the village, but he had gone no further. 

His hand felt her small breasts through the silk of her dress, touched the hard nubs of her nipples. She clung to him, hard, as if she was drowning, fumbling with his shirt, with his britches. 

She was so small; he was scared he would hurt her and break her. He did not. She wriggled and writhed beneath him, grasping and kicking, and guiding him with her hand. 

She placed a hundred burning kisses on his face and chest, and then she was above him, straddling him, grasping and laughing, sweating and slippery as a minnow, and he was arching ad pushing and exulting, his head full of her and only her, and had he known her name he would have called it out aloud. 

At the end, he would have pulled out, but she held him inside her, wrapped her legs around him, pushed against him so hard that he felt that the two of them occupied the same place in the universe.

This is erotic stuff even for an adult. Can you believe that is considered appropriate reading for a 13 year old girl? I can't. I have not decided what I am going to do. I have talked to my daughter and she has a good head on her shoulders. We shall be watching this situation as the year unfolds.


Copyright 2005, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)

Second Week Coming To A Close

As we come to the close of a second week of public school, I can now see things start to normalize. Also I remember my school days and I have to say things are much better in some ways, worse in others, and a lot of it was the same as I remembered it. One area of improvement for sure is in paying for lunch. Back in the old days, we had to exchange clam shells... Well not quite. But we bought individual lunch chips. Now my kids have PIN codes and the account is kept filled by credit card. I like that. Also an improvement is that high school here has A and B days with longer class times. The class times in my day were so short you could not get anything done really. I liket this new way. And when I was in junior high (we did not have middle school), we had rotating periods each week. I hated that.

As for those things that are worse, I will catalog them in this blog as I encounter them. For now the worst things are basically the academics. I don't like "teaching for the test", and I don't like that the level of academics taught is lower than what my kids were used to.

The other thing I have noticed is that the kids had it soft in home school. When they get pushed in PE to do more now, or they feel a little under the weather, they want to have a day off. That will NOT work. So in a good way, public school is forcing them to be less "soft", to have more fortitude. Definitely a good thing.

Stay tuned citizens. There are more updates in the coming months. But I think for now, I have said enough about this adventure.

Copyright 2005, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)

First Week of Public School Post Mortem

So far the venture into the public school system has been less than stellar. I can't say this has been easy or rewarding. It has been nothing but a hassle and disappointing. Let me start with a recap of the road traveled thus far. 

• Made the decision very late in the spring to go public school 
• Started the process by calling the school, found out that there is paperwork required - no surprise there 
• Found out that my son can start taking 11th grade classes, but must take tests to get credits for 9th and 10th grade - 10 in all 
• Found out that my daughter coult not just go straight to 9th grade as her birthday fell after the Sep 1 cutoff date 
• Found out she could take tests (of course) to go for a year's advancement 
• Signed up both kids for school 
• Made several expeditions to get all shots and immunization in order - it cost me $65 
• Finally secured all the medical stuff 
• Kids took the tests 
• Daughter did not pass 
• Son passed some, needs to retake some others 
• Neither took this seriously 
• Signed up daughter for middle school the week before classes start 
• First day of school, daughter's bus was late, she shows up at school, they have no record of her 
• First day of school, son forgets which bus was his, has to call for help to get a ride home 
• Bus continues to run late for daughter for 3 days - did not even show up on 3rd day
• Spent around 25 minutes on the phone with the man from the bus route supervisor's office that day 

And finally they made it through their first week.

So there you have it, a 3 month long ordeal that I underestimated completely. This has been a rough summer. This has been a rough start to a school year. And while the kids do seem to like public school, they are already under-impressed with the academic instruction. So from their perspectives and my own, here is our take on the Texas public school system in our independent school district: 

• The system is typified by chaos 
• There are literally dozens of papers to be signed by the parents in the first week for redundant reasons 
• The work is easy, almost to being ridiculous - my daughter colored a cow in 8th grade English class one day, then cut cows out the next 
• School lunches are better than they anticipated 
• The focus of classes has been stated to being centered on doing well on the standardized state tests 
• Discipline is not totally broken down, but there is little respect for authority

The system is nearly broken

Those are the perspectives from me and both kids each of which have had 4 years of home school following private school. Are we being unfair? Maybe, so far they have had a much different kind of education. And I will add that the depth and level of private and home school curriculum and education far exceeds the public school system as demonstrated by this first week. We shall keep an open mind and see what unfolds in the following weeks.


Copyright 2005, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)

Finally, The Bus Arrives on Time

It was the fourth day of public school for the kids. And this morning, my daughter's bus finally came on time AND they did not have to stay exceptionally late before coming home. Can you believe it? Let's hope this is a normal thing and not a flash in the pan.
So far, they seem to like school. Things are going pretty well. As the days and weeks unfold, I will give more accounts as to the teenage life in public school that I glean from my kids. But for now I have learned the following:

• Apparently 98% of the kids use foul language 
• Most kids talk too much in class 
• School lunches are not too bad 
• The day doesn't drag as long as home school days.

Well that is all I have for now. Stay tuned for more updates on our adventures in Texas public schools.

Copyright 2005, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)

Public School Day 3

My daughter's first day of school was rough, as I posted already. My son's was pretty good. Their second day was better, and their third day was getting more routine. So all in all, it is going pretty well. Except for... the bus.

There is no doubt about. My daughter has the one bus that cannot be on time at all. The first day it was about 15 minutes late which meant she was late for her first day of school. The second day, it was about 15 minutes late again. But this morning. This morning was ridiculous. It was over 20 minutes late and she missed most of her first period class. And apparently they had to send a different bus to get her and the other kids in the end. Where was the bus driver? Apparently he did not show. After school had already started, two buses show up at the same time to get them. Apparently they were dispatched in a hurry. And on the way to school, they still missed some kids.

So this disgruntled father gets on the phone to the bus route supervisor. I was angry, frustrated, and not ready to listen to excuses. I did listen, but I did not like being patronized. I was persistent and I did finally get some information. Apparently they had planned their bus routes using a set of assumptions about traffic flow that did not pan out.

The same buses are used to shuttle kids to high school first thing in the morning. Then they head back out to get the elementary school kids. And finally they make their way back out for the middle school kids. Apparently the traffic problems leaving the high school in the morning is causing an accumulated delay.

At least that was the explanatiion by the very patient but yet really wanting to not have to talk to me man was saying.

Now the plot thickens for the return home today. School was let out and the kids assembled where the bus would pick them up. Only there is no bus for them. It did not come at all. Finally, after about 45 minutes, another bus that had completed its route comes around for my daughter and the rest of the distraught kids to take them home. My daughter arrives home over an hour after school lets out. We live less than 2 miles from the school.

Let us pray that the bus arrives on time in the morning. And I will be there. Oh yes, I will be waiting. And I want to see that bus come on time. I will be watching them. And I will have my cell phone ready. And that little man at the bus route supervisor's office might be even more flustered if it is late again.




Copyright 2005, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)

First Day of School

Well today was the first day of school here in our district. And my kids had their first day of public school - ever. That is right. Up to this point they have been private schooled and home schooled. But now, due to changes in our family (i.e. their home school teacher is no longer around), they now go to public school. I don't know who was more nervous, them or me.

So I get up extra early so I could get my son up to get ready and catch the 6:30 bus to high school. He barely got there because it came early.

Now my daughter did not have to get up until later to catch the 8:30 bus to middle school. She had plenty of time because it was late.

And then all the fun began.

Well things went pretty well for my son. Except he forgot his PIN in a classroom and couldn't eat lunch. But the rest of his day went pretty smooth. That is until it was time to come home. He had neglected to notice the bus number he rode to school. Therefore he did not know which one to take back home. Therefore he took none. And that was why I got a call from our friend Rita to tell me she had been contacted by my son and she was picking him up from school.

Now for my daughter, things just stacked up against her. First her bus was late. Then, for some unknown reason, they lost her registration. So she had to spend first period waiting in the library with 25 other kids to get registered - again. And now, she could not get the classes she was signed up for. She got to eat lunch but she did not like it. The only bright spot for her was she got to see her friend during PE class. That helped her a lot I think. Well she came home with a headache and a lot to say. But she will be going back tomorrow.

Just another day in paradise in our family. Nothing much out of the ordinary.

We are still waiting for famine, plague, and that asteroid to hit.


Copyright 2005, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)

Empty Post

I am running on empty right now. So many things I want to say. So many things I can't say. So much to do. So much I can't get done. So it goes, I am running on empty.




Copyright 2005, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)

Teenage Estrogen Reloaded

The modern American Mall, an untamed dominion of humans in one of their natural environments. I spent the day observing the behavior of the herds of young male humans and the flocks of young female humans.Today I rejoined a flock of young females I have spent much time with in the past. The following are some excerpts of my field notes from today's outing.

11:30 - Having spent some time previously with this particular flock of young females, I have found it best to offer them food before they venture into the mall. This not only gains their trust, but provides unrestricted observation of their eating habits. Note: find someplace less expensive next time, where do they put it all?

12:20 - Arrived at mall. Made unfortunate entry into mall near area marked "dollar store". The abundance of prey caused their well organized hunting formations to degrade into a feeding frenzy. Was worried momentarily about discussion of their obtaining torches. They decided not to be burdened by carrying 5 foot long torches in the wilds of the mall. That was a close one.

Approx 13:00 - Lurked outside of an area marked "Icing". There was discussion of how to obtain tribal ear piercing of a member of the flock. Quest was abandoned when it was learned the "parent" (that is what they call their mothers and fathers) must be present.

Note the jungle heat and crowded water hole caused me to lose track of time. How these flocks can flourish in this hostile environment is beyond me.

Arrived at Candiopolis. Was forced by the flock to purchase Icees and candy for each. I feared for my safety at the time and thought it prudent to do as they demanded. This was the only time the danger that lurks just below the surface of this amazing adventure was made evident.

Was dragged unwillingly into Earth Bound and suffered difficulty breathing and a headache. How much incense can one store have anyway? Flock move slowly and deliberately through this store.

Found massage chair. Took time out from observations to soothe headache. Note: on next outing, plan route to pass this location at least twice.

4:00 - Began to regain ability to look at watch. Made a peace offering of Wetzel Pretzels to the flock. I was given temporary inclusion into the inner world of the flock. Note: there are some questions that should not be asked, there are some things a parent doesn't really need to hear.

4:30 - Planned circuitous route back to safari vehicle.

5:15 - Somehow made it to vehicle. Note: on next outing, avoid passing Victoria's Secret, enough said.

By the end of the journey, I had collected enough observations on this particular flock to know that they are cunning hunters yet have poor sense of direction. I noted that we had traveled in circles several times. I have also decided that I must go to the ATM first the next time out. I am considering seeking government funding of these field studies as they can run into some expense.




Copyright 2005, Kevin Farley (a.k.a. sixdrift, a.k.a. neuronstatic)