I intended to purge myself of bile born from this latest injustice yesterday, but then I took a three-hour lunch, and the day just got away from me. You know how it is. But now I’ve found time in my busy schedule to tell you that YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE RAPED IF THEY ATTEND A DISD SCHOOL! That’s the implied message from reports out of Channel 8 and the DMN.
First came the story Wednesday night from Channel 8. The short version: a new state law designed to curb dropouts has resulted in older students in classrooms. So far, we’ve got no evidence that these over-age students have caused any problems. BUT IT SURE SEEMS LIKE THEY WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY SELL ROOFIES TO YOUNGER CHILDREN AND THEN LURE THEM INTO SEX SLAVERY. That’s the subtext. John McCaa introduces the story about “how many adult students are in classrooms with your children.”
YOU MEAN MY SWEET UNDERAGE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO SCHOOL WITH ADULTS? ADULTS WITH ADULT APPETITES AND DESIRES AND READY ACCESS TO BOOZE AND CIGARETTES?! TELL ME WHAT ATROCITIES HAVE BEEN COMMITTED THUS FAR!
Well, nothing. Nothing has happened. But the age disparities, according to Channel 8, are “potentially setting the district up for issues.”
ISSUES?! OH, SWEET GOD! NOT ISSUES. ANYTHING BUT ISSUES. YOU’RE TELLING ME THE DISTRICT HAS ISSUES?! OR HAS POTENTIAL ISSUES FOR WHICH IT IS BEING SET UP ?
The Channel 8 story ended by teasing yesterday’s report in the Morning News. Alright, fine. You know how TV news is. But the newspaper, that’s something else entirely. Surely they didn’t peddle this crap. Surely they found examples of how these age disparities are creating real problems. Surely they will handle this “news” about over-age students in a responsible fashion. Eh, not so much. Here’s my favorite graph, fifth one down in the story:
Some are concerned that the well-intentioned law has thrust students together in a social paradigm that seems at least odd, and at most, potentially risky, for younger students.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT STUDENTS ARE THRUSTING ? I KNEW IT! AND IN A SOCIAL PARADIGM, NO LESS! YOU BET YOUR NAUGHTY BITS THAT SOUNDS POTENTIALLY RISKY. YOU KNOW, AT MOST. WHO ARE THESE “SOME” WHO ARE CONCERNED? I WANT TO JOIN THEM ON THE PICKET LINE.
Trustee Ron Price says the age thing puts the district in an “awkward position.” A parent of a 10th-grade girl at Woodrow complains that a kid at the school has a full beard and that some girls might find that attractive. I’m not kidding. Then the 10th-grade girl is quoted: “Wonder if they make a move on the young kids — if they try to grab on them?” Seriously. That’s the quote. She wonders. So that’s responsible. Let’s quote a kid wondering about sexual assaults. “Wonder if these older kids might actually be robots sent by evil aliens to dismember us and eat our still-beating hearts.” Great quote! Print that gold!
Listen, the rest of the story is all about how this law is new and the district is looking at how best to follow it and accommodate its students and teachers. It’s not a big deal. Nothing bad has happened. But the district takes this age disparity business seriously. They’re working on a solution. They’re on it.
The people responsible for broadcasting and publishing scare-mongering stories like these do actual harm to the school district and the city. Parents choose not to put their kids in DISD. They move away to find schools that they perceive are safer. Property values go down. Tax revenues go down. The city can’t afford to deliver the services we expect of it.
This is serious. Please, people. Stop it.
41 comments
Tonight on Channel 5: “How sitting next to a creepy older guy at a DISD high school can kill you.”
Tim, if that’s your favorite graf, you’ve obviously not spent much time on the teaching side of the desk in a classroom, nor do you have much of an argument. Age discrepancies are huge teaching challenges and offer more than “odd” social challenges. You being a parent, I find it “odd” you don’t understand the concern. BTW…what does DMN or WFAA have to gain by trying to make DISD look bad? DISD is doing a wonderful job of looking bad on it’s own.
There was a kid sitting next to me at a Mavs game recently that had a full ’stache (not the wimpy kind that I can grow) — he was effin 15 years old! Should he be excluded from the classroom?
@Tim
Amen!
I’m with Brent D on this one. I think having older students with freshman could be a real problem. Look at the success Lewisville has had with it’s freshman only high school. Plus, I think there is a reason the Houston and Ft. Worth have a separate school for these type of kids. I’m glad that DISD is looking into a better way of handling this.
Now the stories were overly dramatic. But I don’t think news organizations should have to wait until something bad happens to report on it. Maybe since I don’t have kids in DISD I’m not as sensitive to the DISD image problems.
@ Brent D: Right on, man. Let’s hear about those “teaching challenges.” I can only imagine. Having clever kids and slow kids in the same classroom is a challenge. Having rich kids and poor kids is a challenge. So it makes sense that young and old would be a challenge — a TEACHING challenge.
But not a security problem. Not necessarily. Not from experience so far, apparently. So don’t quote a student WONDERING about sexual assaults.
Amen Tim! It’s why I canceled my DMN subscription 2 years ago! Don’t watch Channel 8 any more either!
Just couldn’t take the constant negative innuendo any more!
So if I understand The Tim Rogers correctly, the DMN and others shouldn’t cover this story at all.
They shouldn’t cover it even though district officials believe it’s a real concern.
They shouldn’t cover it even though, as Brent D. said, parents probably want to know what’s happening at their kids’ schools.
They shouldn’t cover it because they should wait until something bad comes out of it rather than being preemptive.
Tim, they’re not making a judgment. They’re merely presenting the facts and letting readers interpret the information. That’s called journalism.
But you’re probably right, Tim. The DMN should spend its time covering the really important things that happen in Dallas, like which bar has the most lesbians or whether we should call this area the “Metroplex.”
Why don’t you leave the journalism to the professionals?
I’m with RayRay on this one. Again.
This was news but not front page. 103 Exemplary and Recognized schools ought to be front page but DMN’s hideous bias placed the announcent in metro below the fold.
You know, I said the exact same thing when they did the first report on WFAA.
“So basically, nothing’s happened, and we don’t know if anything will happen, but we’re going to make as big a deal as possible out of this because it’s February, and I’ve got nothin.”
Louisa they also chose not to print the Newsweek rankings showing your W.T. White, Woodrow and Hillcrest outranking most of the suburban schools. They did however, disparage the formula used for the rankings in their blogs.
Brent, I was taught the proper use of “its” in a DISD school.
This is a TEXAS law. But TDMN/WFAA chose to focus solely on DISD.
If you look at the chart, the numbers of extremely overaged students are relatively small. I imagine that this problem will be solved very soon. But that doesn’t make for good yellow journalism.
Tim, My son is in middle school age 14 in 8th grade…he has a slight mustache and a beginner beard growing in…I don’t think he is old enough to shave yet… maybe this summer. He just went through puberty early. He has had hair under his arms since 3rd grade…He had to do at least 5 random drug tests when he was in 7th grade because kids were turning him in to the office because they thought he was doing steriods… He passed all of them. He is very athletic and muscular.. 5′4 120lbs..He plays football, soccer, baseball, and track. He is in Pre-AP classes and is making A’s and high B’s…He has acne on his face and upper back …. Again he is only 14 and in 8th grade.. what happens when is 16 and in 10th grade? Will this prejudice stop?.. I think people need to quit worrying about what “MIGHT” happen and start worrying about what “IS” happening. There is a good chance that this Woodrow mother’s issues or concerns about the boy in her daughters class should be redirected at her daugher behavior or her own parenting skills and not on this young boy in her daughers class. Should we get rid of the starting QB too, I’ll bet he is “attractive” too… who knows what he is thinking.
BTW…what does DMN or WFAA have to gain by trying to make DISD look bad?
The negative stories about DISD reinforce the suburban and private school readers decisions NOT to attend DISD.
I understand public school is not for everyone, if you insist on religions education or if your child has special learning disabilities, DISD may not be for you, but MOST of these READERS have not even set foot in their neighborhood DISD school. They are caught in the social pressure to enroll in abc or xyz… If you live by the philosophy that if you charge it must be good and if it is VERY expensive it must be the best, privates are for you. OR if you cannot stand the fact that there are “apartment kids” or brown, black and other races in your Johnny’s school then stay at the privates/suburbs.
It is just amazing that these READERS will spend in excess of $330,000 for a K-12 education and their child still cannot get into the college of their choice. I love my children’s “free” education and ALL THE AP CREDITS they received.
What has happened to WFAA? More and more they write their headlines before they even look into the facts. Take Brett Shipp for example. Story after story about how the Dallas Cowboys were having trouble selling season tickets — then when the facts came out that season ticket sales at the new stadium were a great success — nothing, zip, nada.
Ken Kalthoff would fit in perfect at Ch 8!
We need more responsible reporters like Byron Harris and less nonsense from Shipp and others.
As LakeWWWooder said, this is a state law. Thanks again, Texas Leg, for screwing around with something (education) with which you have no training.
Why doesn’t Ch. 8 and DMN go after the Texas Leg on this story, ask the guy who sponsored the bill? “Some” would say that would require actual reporting and responsibility. DISD is the wounded elephant cut from the herd and beset upon by the jackals.
I’m going to have to side with The Tim Rogers on this one. Yes, it is news. Yes, DMN and WFAA shoul dhave reported the story. No, the proposed security threat shouldn’t have been included.
On a side note, if this is really getting people up in arms, then we also need to examine “freshmen only” colleges/universities. It would dramatically reduce walks of shame.
Won’t somebody please think of the children!?!
BS…DISD has police security on site, hall monitors, a whole bunch of great big male athletic coaches, and a ton of asst principals and various counsellors on staff at all schools. If this is not enough to keep the kids in control….then how about we just SHOOT kids that we THINK might make trouble. DISD is no different from ANY urban school system. If a kid is caught with drugs, weapons, or being violent, he is kicked out and sent to juvie…..get real. The IDEA if for kids to GROW up and in their Senior Year…guess what…some grow mustaches, beards, and all kinds of “threatening” stuff…but try denying some Middle Eastern kid from going to school and watch a religious descrimination lawsuit come into play. Give me a break. Teachers, if you are too frightened to teach the KIDS that come into the school….quit, go find another SAFE job…try riding DART from downtown work to your home some late nite…see what the rest of the world without on site police have to put up with.
DISD has some GREAT kids and some GREAT parents and some GREAT teachers and Principals. If folks don’t want their little snowflake to go to the free school, if they are smart enough and you have the bucks, take them to private school…or, most safe…homeschool them. The school system is not a substitute for calming your fears.
What do Channel 8 and the DMN have to gain? Easy: your job is to generate stories. If your beat is eduction, or if you’re a general assignment reporter, and you go to an editor and say, “I’ve got a Mrs. Lovejoy story (”WON’T SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!”)”, then you get great play, your bosses are happy, easily excitable parents go nuts, the news station is generating buzz, great success. To quote the great Zac Crain, it’s a journalism lay-up line.
No one is saying this isn’t an interesting issue. I could envision a wonderful story about the challenges of teaching students of various ages. But it was a story about sex crime. Sex crime that hasn’t happened.
But could happen. Or not.
Tonight on WFAA: “Your children are living with adults. The shocking danger you put your children in every day, tonight at 10.”
Tim, I think your imagination is a bit skewed. Having a diverse range of intelligence in the classroom is a good thing. Having socio-economic diversity in the classroom is a good thing. Having racial diversity in the classroom is a good thing. Having religious diversity is also a good thing. All of these contribute to the unique learning experience that public schools offer. However, I maintain having a diverse level of maturity is a much more complex issue. And at the age we’re discussing its exponentially more complex.
I, for one, salute those attempting to act proactively instead of having to react.
Lakewooder, thanks for pointing to my longstanding grammar problem(s). Its a work in progress. Please don’t hold your breath until I finally correct it.
Eric, I think you and others might be mixing up the order of events here. DISD said it was looking into this issue, and then the DMN did a story about it. Story breaks, DMN covers it. Not the other way around.
Why is this story targeting DISD when it’s a statewide issue? Because DISD officials are the ones who are investigating the situation in their district. It’s that simple.
And to your point about this story being about something that hasn’t happened, that’s typical in journalism.
Whenever the manufacturers of a swingset announce that the hinges are faulty, the newspaper runs a story right away. They don’t wait until some poor kid breaks his neck.
The DMN is not saying that having older students in a classroom is going to cause problems, just like they wouldn’t say that the swingset is going to cause injuries. They’re just being responsible to the community they serve by presenting the facts.
I don’t have a problem with them doing a story about how there are, thanks to a Texas law, adults attending high school alongside teenage students. That in and of itself is a straightforward story.
But their job isn’t to draw conclusions for the viewer or reader – unless, of course, it’s a commentary or an editorial. It’s to present the facts. The fact is, there have been no incidents, and nobody can say there will be. That means that part of the story – incidentally, the hook they used to get you to view/read – is really a nonstory.
I could do a story tomorrow about how computers are capable of more now than even 10 years ago. That is truth. But if I added, this means they’re dangerous because they could one day become smart enough to kill you, well, that’s conjecture.
Eric, no need to re-frame an answer around a partial quote. My question was “what does DMN or WFAA have to gain by trying to make DISD look bad?” Try thinking longterm. Come on dude, you’re better than that.
When even I — Mr. Suburbia Defender — point this out as I did yesterday — third item — you know it’s out of whack.
It perpetuates the unfounded anxiety people have about every adult male being a potential child predator. It ain’t right.
David Hopkins, public school teacher, stands up and applauds Tim Rogers. These students are in a monitored (semi) structured environment. They are safer here than many other places. Statistically speaking, they are safer here than at home. This is TV news fear-mongering to keep you hooked through the commercial break. We need REAL journalism here, not speculation.
David, so everyone knows, is one of the coolest teachers you’ll ever meet. He writes our semi-regular cartoon called Souvenir of Dallas (which is illustrated by Paul Milligan).
Look, I made some bad decisions when I was younger, and I can’t change that now. All I can do is try to improve myself and be the best citizen I can be. I promise, people, I’m not going to “grab on” your daughter. (Not unless you’re a Mr. and Mrs. Reyes, the parents of Marisol, who live on Ash Street and drive a brown F-150. Which I like doubt you are?)
And yes, some of them do find the beard attractive. So what?
I think people need to quit worrying about what “MIGHT” happen and start worrying about what “IS” happening. There is a good chance that this Woodrow mother’s issues or concerns about the boy in her daughters class should be redirected at her daugher behavior or her own parenting skills and not on this young boy in her daughers class. Should we get rid of the starting QB also, I’ll bet he is “attractive” too… and who knows what he is thinking.
If it’s any consolation, I’ve been shaving since kindergarten and I was born with prenatal chest hair, which by age 2 had blossomed into a barrel-chested and belligerent young baby. The other kids in kindergarten would always turn me in for “smoking” and “extortion.” I think this may shed some light on why I failed to finish school the first time around. But this time, I’m serious about it.
That Marisol, though. Yowzah.
Another in a Series of Rants About How Tim Rogers does his Best to Make DMN Look Bad. IJS.
Trey,
Brianna’s not bad — nice caboose on her, I’ll say that much. That squeaky laugh, though! And the way she gets all puppy-eyed when she asks me will I bring her a pack of smokes tomorrow, but gets all hysterical if I forget, yanking on my beard and cussing. Believe me, buddy, after my last divorce, I’m not in the market for any dramatics!
And then that ^^^ happens.
Facts: New State Law, publishable news – yes; impacts all school districts, publishable news – yes; singling out DISD and some older students in their classes – same old DMN & WFAA trying to create news at the expense of DallasISD. Frankly, I think most 22 year olds coming back to school, realizing the errors of their dropout ways, are safer than the poor decision making, trying to be cool 16 year olds sitting next to the average 14 year old.
So seriously, parents have a problem with an object lesson sitting next to their child?
Shouldn’t someone coming back to finish their high school education after finding out being a dropout isn’t all that great be an excellent example for kids tempted to drop out?
“Another in a Series of Rants About How Tim Rogers does his Best to Make DMN Look Bad. IJS.”
IJS, DMN doesn’t need Tim Rogers’ help. It’s doing just great at looking bad all by itself.
I’ve had children in DISD for 13 years. I love my kids; I love DISD. But when my kids make a mistake, they hear about it. When DISD makes one, it should hear about it. In this case, no one is saying DISD screwed up. DISD is reconsidering its decision to let older students attend school with younger students. DISD is thinking, and that’s a good thing! There’s nothing to rant about this time, Tim.
Marty,
Exactly !!!!
So I have no problem with how the DMN wrote this story. The only thing pointed out in the blog post is the use of the word thrust in a paragraph and the “oh-so-mature” stretch by Mr. Rogers to try to make it sexual.
I’ll be the first to admit WFAA blew it way out of proportion and sensationalized it.
The DMN wrote a pretty fair story with all angles covered. It’s a story to raise the question of should these kids be in mainstream classes. Obviously the school thinks it’s not the way to go, as they are working on a plan to segregate the older students. I’m sure they spoke to plenty of people who don’t care that their 14 year old might be sitting next to a 22 year old in history class. They happened to pick the quotes of “concerned parents.”
The story is that the paper thinks parents should be concerned.
I don’t have a problem with that.
East Dallas has excellent schools, but all we get is grief from Belo. If even one student drops out or fails, it seems to nullify all the accomplishments in the eyes of the suburbanites writing the stories.