Articles about Parenting
Leading Off (6/7/10)
1. One takeaway I had from the Dallas Morning News’ two part story (part 1 and part 2) on “black flight,” the steady decline in the number of African American students attending Dallas Independent School District schools: maybe the concept of geographically based public school is outdated. Is there an argument here for a re-segregation of public schools, with distinctions not drawn up along racial lines of distinction, but on need-based lines? Say we reorganize the district so that some schools specialize in raising math skills, some in reading skills, and some in language skills. There could be some schools that specialize in engaging immigrant families in their children’s educational experience and others that specialize in engaging families in certain social-economic situations. This might end up looking like racial segregation, and it opens up tons of room for abuse (cough, cough, Preston Hollow Elementary), so I’ll leave you to tell me why it’s a dumb idea in the comments.
2. After shooting John F. Kennedy (allegedly, right?), Lee Harvey Oswald hopped a bus to cross the Houston St. viaduct, but when it got caught in traffic, he jumped off the bus and hailed a cab. That cab had been in the collection of the now defunct Pate Museum of Transportation. On Saturday, it was auctioned off and sold to an Illinois museum. It’s not exactly our Elgin Marbles, but I hate to see that one get away.
3. And file this good news story under “Thank goodness there are people like this out there”: a couple in Azle, Texas, used money from their savings to buy a five-bedroom home and take in five special-needs foster children, because some people are just awesome like that, I guess.
Yearbook Scandal!
Some good stuff is going on over at the Park Cities People blog. Merritt Patterson broke the news about the Bradfield Elementary yearbook scandal a couple days ago. (I know. I’m late getting to it.) Apparently, a volunteer says she spent a lot of time designing the book. Then as it was going to print, she was told her design was not allowed. So she got it copyrighted. Then the PTA decided to make its own version of the yearbook to avoid legal fees. The school says the volunteer knew all along her design wouldn’t work, and various people offered to help with a redesign. But the volunteer ignored the offers.
Patterson has the e-mails that went out to parents from both the principal and the volunteer. It’s all very fascinating.
Pam Kripke on the New York Times Magazine Parenting Blog
Readers of the “print product” know Pam Kripke’s name from her contributions thereto. She’s good people. If you have a few minutes, you might want to point your browser to the New York Times Magazine parenting blog called Motherlode, where you’ll find an essay she wrote about her father and raising two girls without one around the house. Good stuff.
Largest Snowman Ever Assembled
I got this note about an hour and a half ago. I assume the attempt is still underway.
Those interested in setting a record for largest snowman ever assembled should visit the now closed Hank Haney driving range in uptown.
Local Hospital Officially Limits Elective Delivery
North Hills Hospital in North Richland Hills is trying to cut back on the number of elective deliveries for pregnant women at fewer than 39 weeks. It’s interesting, but I’m mainly posting this because I want an excuse to quote a mother who described her baby— born at 40 weeks—as “puffy and juicy and nice and ripe.”
University Park Treehouse Gets the Shaft
In July, the good people at Overheard brought our attention to the story of the UP family with a treehouse in their front yard. Apparently, a neighbor complained about said structure because its placement is against UP ordinance.
Last night, the Johnson family got the verdict: the house must come down.
The Dangers of Taking Your Child to Work, Ctd.
In my defense, the first time, Zac was screening your son from my view. The second time, I was quoting an e-mail from Wick, so that was work-related.
Update: His son is 10. By that age, I’d seen Animal House. IJS.
Update: I just walked into his office, and Tim, with his son three feet away, pointed to a story we’re working on and said, “Who’s designing this s%@#?”
Texas Is On Pace For Terrible Record: Most Kids Drowned In One Summer, Ctd.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I wrote the following:
So far this summer, 72 kids have already drowned in the state, including 19 in North Texas.
Sadly, both of those numbers need updating. The statewide record has been achieved (it’s at 84 now, following the deaths of two 7-year-olds at Scurry Lake near Midland), and we’re up to 20 in North Texas (the latest was a 1-year-old who fell into a pool in Garland).
I’ll repeat this again, so this record will (hopefully) never be broken: People! Watch your kids when they’re near water! Any kind. If you see a puddle, make everyone hold hands. If it’s sprinkling outside, get some floaties. Whatever it takes.
Not In My Neighbor’s Front Yard: Treehouse Controversy in University Park
The Johnson boys: breaking code and loving it.
Folks at our sister blog Overheard have been all over this treehouse story for more than a week, and now Good Morning America and the LA Times are getting into the mix. Intrepid community columnist Merritt Patterson reports that Brenk and Amanda Johnson, the parents who constructed a treehouse for their sons in the front yard of their University Park home, have been contacted by the national media outlets about the city’s threat to tear it down. The possibility of two cute kids (ages 8 and 6) losing their treehouse has caused quite a stir, but UP reps say city code restricts treehouses to the back yards of homes in University Park. It is unclear whether or not the city council will consider making an exception or change the code. Mr. Johnson, who says he spent 50+ hours building the treehouse and lost the tip of his thumb in the process, just wants his kids to have a treehouse—and doesn’t have a tree that can support a treehouse in the back yard. He was given 30 days to tear the treehouse down.
Texas Is On Pace For Terrible Record: Most Kids Drowned In One Summer
So far this summer, 72 kids have already drowned in the state, including 19 in North Texas.
I know this goes without saying, but then again, I guess it doesn’t: People! Watch your kids when they’re near water! Any kind. If you see a puddle, make everyone hold hands. If it’s sprinkling outside, get some floaties. Whatever it takes.
Dirk Nowitzki to Take Over For Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in The Game Plan 2: Full Court Press
At least, that’s what I gather from this report out of Beaumont.
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