I was recently paging through my blog and noticed a few comments had been posted on some of my old posts. I don't know when they were posted, but I found them interesting nonetheless, particularly some comments on my Sad State of Affairs post from about a year ago.
First, a comment from Jason:
"I'm wondering if you would have figured it so quickly? The fact is,
cashiers may well be conditioned to just hand back the change
indicated. Did it occur to you that perhaps the person behind the
counter is actually intelligent, but maybe under the pressure of a
crappy job and a long line? Don't be such a preachy elitist. And as for
home schooling, go right ahead; just get used to the idea of your kids
not being able to relate to the rest of the world. I'd be curious to
see one day if your home schooled child ever makes a minor mistake in
the marketplace. But surely, you will cover all the bases, as all home
school parents do."
Jason asks if I would have figured it our so quickly. Frankly, yes. It's not that hard. My second job, which I started while still in High School, was at a Burger King. When I was there, the register did not always tell you what change to give back. So, we were taught how to "count back" change, and it if fairly simple.
This brings me to Jason's second point about pressure, long lines and a crappy job. Guess what? Most jobs have some sort of pressure, so deal with it and don't let it effect your job performance. High School jobs are where people are supposed to learn to deal with that.
And finally, as to his comments about me home schooling my children.... I just may. My wife and I have not decided yet. But I will tell you this: My decision will not be based on how I think my children will relate to other people as a result. There are plenty of other ways to teach my children how to relate without sacrificing their education.
Next a comment from anonymous:
"Bill,
As a school teacher who holds a Master's Degree in
education, (what's your degree in?) I can tell you that the home
schooled children who have arrived in my classroom because their
parents can no longer handle the demands of educating their children at
home, are severely lacking in social skills. I would rather my child
make an honest mistake in making change than be a social outcast. The
"home schooled" children I know have problems with drugs, make the bomb
threat warnings on our bathroom walls, and have no sense of the social
cues around them. I am glad to say that my students have currently
ranked above state standards in our standardized tests, not that I give
much credit to this method of determining a child's potential. As a
police officer, you should also know that a lot more than a school and
classroom teacher makes a child's educational experience a success. How
well do you expect children from dysfunctional homes to do in school?
Sometimes they are doing the best they can and hopefully I can make a
little more of a difference. And by the way, I hope you are not
considering home schooling your children with the number of spelling
errors in your blog.
Next, he feels the need to talk about all of the formerly home schooled children he has dealt with. They are "severely lacking" in social skills. They have problems with drugs and make the bomb threat warnings on the bathroom walls. Notice that he makes no effort to make it clear that he is not talking about all home-schooled children he has dealt with, so I suppose we can assume that the majority are that way, in his opinion. He then later mentions my career, Law Enforcement. My reply, then, will come from that perspective. Are all government schooled kids bad apples? Absolutly not. But I will tell you that the vast majority of the kids I have to deal with go to the local High School. In our area, there are a lot of home-schooled kids. I can think of one that we have had problems with. I work a lot of details at the High School dances and sporting events, where home-schooled kids are allowed to participate, and the home-schoolers do not cause the problems that arise. In fact, usually they are the victims of assaults and the like. I can tell you that I don't know of one home-schooled child, or former home-schooled child, who has written any of the numerous bomb threats at the school.
Anonymous finally feels the need to criticize my spelling. I won't even reply.
