June 10, 2006
Quote from me Featured in "School Reform News"
The June 2006 issue of School Reform News quotes this column I wrote on Champaign Unit 4 Schools. (Page 6, "In Other Words").
Posted by John Bambenek at 9:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 3, 2006
DI Column up: Academic Serfdom
You can read it here. For the record, I booked this topic a month ahead of time, so it's not to jump on the Billy Joe bandwagon.
I eagerly await the response of the unofficial John Bambenek fanclub.
Posted by John Bambenek at 10:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 17, 2006
Thought-blocking Pettiness
When I wrote on intelligent design last week, I knew I was in for some fan-mail. The interesting part about the fan-mail is that instead of effectively criticizing my article, it actually proves my point.
The column takes no position on intelligent design, namely it does not defend it as science (and, in fact, outright says it isn't science) but suggests that it should not be treated as a forbidden question to ask. There is no indication to the intelligent reader that the position is to remove evolution and replace it with ID. That is, unless the reader is encumbered by thought-blocking pettiness.
In fact, the column even goes so far to suggest that evolution as a theory of creation may be proven true over time. However, the search for truth is not aided by insisting assumptions go unchallenged and that certain questions must not be asked.
However, when the responses came in through the blogosphere or through e-mail or the paper it became clear why many people are concerned about the level of literacy among undergrads, the the common citizens, and for that matter the PhD holders.
Skipping past the absurdity of making an "intelligent defense" of science using ad hominems, it is clear that those authors are not actually responding to what was said in the column but engaging in trench warfare at the mere mention of intelligent design. It demonstrates not that science is defensible, but that the modern state of "science" militantly demands certain questions and fields on inquiry should be banned. ID may or may not be science… but is it true?
The behavior exhibited by those who man the trenches at the moment ID is mentioned is not that of a free, open, and inquiring mind, but the behavior of a mind that snaps shut like a steel trap when their assumptions are challenged.
And now, there's even a T-shirt to commemorate the event....
Posted by John Bambenek at 9:52 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 30, 2006
DI Column Up : Do The Math
The latest column I have done for the DI is up Do The Math. It's a point-counterpoint against Eric Naing who believes that seperation of Church and State means we cannot allow people to choose any religion.
Posted by John Bambenek at 5:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 16, 2005
DailyIllini Column up: The War on Free Speech
You can read it here...
Or you can comment below.
Posted by John Bambenek at 7:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 26, 2005
A Victory for Free Association at SIU
The Seventh Circuit of Appeals issued an order on August 22nd requiring SIU to restore a Christian group's organization status after the University revoked it because of the groups requirement that the leaders of the Christian group actually be Christian. The ruling also clarifies that nothing in state or federal law requires religious groups to not require members be part of the religion.
Many universities, including the University of Illinois have similar rules that which are just as unconstitutional yet continue to exist out of fear of students not wanting to rock the boat. These rules which are a part of "antidiscrimination policies" go far beyond and cognizable interest in maintaining order on campus. Having a group of Christians who get together and talk about the Bible is a far cry from race riots.
Universities routinely try to pre-restrict certain kinds of speech based on (usually) religious content. The University of Illinois has the same rules that prevent free association and also adds in that speech that is "evangelical" in nature cannot be funded. Talks are routinely had on why religion is a bad thing, but the religious are unable to respond because those views are not allowed on campus. This is called "viewpoint" discrimination. This is the campus that brings you "Sex Out Loud" each year, but the mere positive mention of religion apparently threatens the University to its core.
Liberty demands that people be allowed to say what they want and organize how they want unless there is a very significant reason to regulate. Only on campuses do these attempts to regulate free associate and free speech exist and finally the courts are starting to put an end to it.
Posted by John Bambenek at 8:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 22, 2005
Student Loans and "Mortgaging Your Future"
I've heard this quite a few times, on how student loans are oppressive and mortgaging your future. I've had student loans for my time here, and my wife had loans for her undergrad. (As an aside irritation, I funded all of my undergrad on my own, and when married paid for the last 2.5 years of my wife's. Not once did I get subsidized. However, now that I just started grad school in theology, NOW I get subsidized loans. GRRRRR).
Since my wife graduated in May, we consolidated her loans at 1.6%!!! For the uninitiated, that interest is about half of INFLATION. If that's mortgaging my future, I'll be doing that all day long. I'll refinance my house with those loans.
Posted by John Bambenek at 10:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 10, 2005
Mental Note: Never Take a Summer I Class Again
Summer I, a four week term. A three hour class meets for three hours a day 4 times a week.
Never again. Though the class was good, regardless.
Posted by John Bambenek at 2:48 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
May 11, 2005
Just When You Thought You Were Done with Spencer High School
Ok, here's the deal. When you moused over Del Parker's e-mail text you see dparker@mindspring.com, that is not D. Parker but Dave Parker. He decided to "play along" and pretend to be on the board and send out inflammatory e-mails. So because of the error on the website, he got copied on these messages and then he responded as part of the board here. It was assumed legitimate because he was on the list which we assumed to be correct. The website is getting fixed, honest mistake on my part and I probably should have checked first. Apologizes to Del Parker and school board for this mistake.
====
Attached is e-mail coorespondence with someone who was outraged and the treasurer of the school board. This is how they look on parents and children, not as someone they are serving but subjects to command and cow into obedience. Maybe you didn't find the suspension outrageous, but this response is that much more outrageous. It's dripping contempt for the public for having a say and a criticism of them is too much. The absolute ridicule of a servicewoman trying to talk to her son and the son who wants to talk to his mom is beyond description. This is beyond the pale and merits, this time, a call for this politician's resignation.
This is the individual responsible for the e-mail (which is at the bottom):
Del Parker
dparker@mcsdga.net
Treasurer of Board
P.O. Box 2427
Columbus, GA 31902-2427
706-649-0546
Fax 706-649-0871
This is the contact info for the rest of the board. Let them know your outrage at a public official on the public dollar having contempt for the very people he serves.
Dr. Mary Sue Polleys
polleys_marysue@colstate.edu
Chairman of Board
Member at Large
Term ends 2006
1815 Stark Avenue
Columbus, GA 31906
706-323-1971
Fax 706-565-3466
James Walker
walker.j@mindspring.com
Vice Chairman of Board
District 3
Term ends 2008
4825 Toney Drive
Columbus, GA 31903
706-327-2651
Fax 706-653-9558
Patricia Hugley Green
phugley@compuserve.com
District 1
Term ends 2008
P. O. Box 6177
Columbus, GA 31917
706-687-2888
Fax 706-687-5582
John Wells
jwells@knology.net
District 2
Term ends 2006
7107 Leighton Road
Columbus, GA 31904-0772
706-323-5938
Fax 706-323-6038
Naomi Buckner
buckner.n@earthlink.net
District 4
Term ends 2006
620 Baxley Way
Columbus, GA 31907
706-563-2258
Fife M. Whiteside
whitesidef@mindspring.com
District 5
Term ends 2008
1124 Lockwood Avenue
Columbus, GA 31906
706-320-1215
Fax 706-320-1217
Brenda Storey
wbs1980@aol.com
District 6
Term ends 2006
9625 County Line Road
Midland, GA 31820
706-649-3751
Fax 706-649-3812
Joseph Roberson
joeroberson@knology.net
District 7
Term ends 2008
1909 Dee Avenue
Columbus, GA 31903
706-615-2110
Fax 706-689-3434
Dr. Philip T. Schley
philip.schley@crhs.net
District 8
Term ends 2006
2009-A Hamilton Road
Columbus, GA 31904
706-576-2382
Fax 576-23
====
The E-Mail Exchange:
-----Original Message-----
From: dave parker [mailto:dparker@mindspring.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 6:53 PM
To: ###########
Subject: Re: Mother's call gets son in hot water
Dear Mr. ######,
I am truly disgusted at your inattentiveness to the situation. Do you
not
bother to continue reading the news after your knee-jerk reaction?
We have allowed Kevin to return to classes, provided he gives a full
apology
to the officials involved and has agreed to wash their cars each weekend
for
the remainder of the school year. He will also mow the grass on the
school
grounds. I think you will agree this is a considerable savings to our
taxpayers.
Furthermore, we have exacted a promise from his mother that she will no
longer attempt to call her potty-mouthed son while he is at school. In
order
to aid her in this attempt, we have sent her a clock set to our local
time.
We have also delineated school hours on the clock face using an
indelible
marker, next to which we have written "Don't call now!" All of our
officials
agreed that this was prudent, as Sgt Bates seems unable to subtract 8
hours
from her current time. Additionally, we have removed the minute hand to
prevent Sgt Bates from calling at a quarter-past every hour.
Of course, had she been better in math she might have gotten a job in
the
private sector and saved us all a lot of trouble.
Now, as to our selection of school officials, may I assume that you're
offering yourself for employment? I believe we may be in need of someone
who feels motivated to action based on the word of a talk-radio host
milking
this story in an effort to boost his ratings at the expense of
well-qualified
educators. I urge you to contact our hiring office immediately; we need
someone ready to sprinkle pink powder on vomit wherever it occurs, and
you
seem uniquely qualified.
With regards,
D. Parker
dparker@mindspring.com
On Tue, 10 May 2005, ######### wrote:
> Dear Del Parker,
> http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/11575912.htm
> I sincerely hope that you and your fellow board members have a plan
where by this travesity of justice can be undone.
> I find it very hard to believe that any school which is located so
closely to, and affiliated with, a military base, would not be aware of
the tremendous sacrifice being given by the personnel assigned to that
base and the sacrifice being borne by their dependants.
> I find it hard to believe that there was an adult, let alone a school
staff member, who acted with such a callous lack of forethought.
> Do you not screen and select your management staff better than this?
> Or is this evidence of a bigger and more systemic problem in your
school district?
> I am sure there are very many service personnel in your district who
will be watching to see how you remedy this situation.
> I think you need to apologize to the young man, his mother and to the
school population as a whole for putting them in a command structure
which is devoid of good judgement.
> I'm sure you are aware that a very large number of people, all across
the United States, are watching to see what you do to rectify this
situation.
> I sincerely wish you God Speed and good insight.
> It is obvious that the latter is lacking in your appointments.
> Thank you.
> Yours truly,
> ###########
>
Posted by John Bambenek at 4:51 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
School Administrators Doing Something Right
I know I rail against the public schools in this space alot mostly because it is so easy to be negative as opposed to finding positive news. Well here is something good that was done by the schools. Some anti-AIDS people started giving out condoms to 10 year olds and the school stopped it as soon as it learned about it. So kudos to them.
Posted by John Bambenek at 2:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 7, 2005
Spencer High School E-Mail Shut Down
From yesterday, the response to at least e-mails has been overwhelming and has shut down the inboxes of the principals involved over the kid who was suspended for the rest of the year for talking to his mom who was in Iraq during lunch. Filling up their voicemails would be good too. :)
Take a look at some other discussion going on at:
Michelle Malkin
Outside the Beltway
Joe Gandelman
Winfield Meyers
The Moderate Voice
Dean's World
Indepundit
Thanks to all who linked to me as well.
Update: Apparently the penalty has been reduced
Update: The Moderate Voice has the latest.
Posted by John Bambenek at 12:23 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
May 6, 2005
School Suspends Student for Talking to his Mom in Iraq During Lunch
Mother's call gets son in hot water
Kevin Francois gave up his lunch break to talk to his mother, but it ended up costing him the rest of the school year.
Francois, a junior at Spencer High School in Columbus, was suspended for disorderly conduct Wednesday after he was told to give up his cell phone at lunch while talking to his mother who is deployed in Iraq, he said.
That's right. This kid stepped out during lunch to talk to his mother in Iraq and the school suspended him for the year over it. They say he got disorderly because apparently when the school decides to flagrantly infringe your rights and prevent contact with your overseas mother that you are supposed to smile and take it. This is ridiculous, the child shouldn't have been confronted in the first place and at least SOME measure of compassion should be had for the fact that his mother is in a war zone. Was any shown? Of course not.
It's time to flood this school with outrage if you have any support for our troops.
Spencer High School
4340 Victory Drive
Columbus, GA 31903
Phone: 706-685-7652
Fax: 706-685-7708
Principal: Olivia Rutledge - orutledge@mcsdga.net
Assitant Principals: Alfred Parham - aparham@mcsdga.net
Wendell Turner - wturner@mcsdga.net
UPDATE: Punishment has been reduced.
UPDATE2: School's E-mail boxes are full... hit the phones people :)
Posted by John Bambenek at 2:49 PM | Comments (18) | TrackBack
April 12, 2005
Graphs for Thought on Education Spending
Here are some rankings among OECD countries for the US in education...
Spending per pupil in Primary-Tertiary Education - US is 1st.
Math scores of 15 year olds - we're 9th
Science - we're 14th
Reading - we're 13th
We are behind Mexico yet Mexico spends the least. We spend the most by far out of anyone, and we yield mediocre at best results. Just keep these charts in mind the next time some lib says we don't spend enough.
Here are some graphs to show you the comparisons.
Posted by John Bambenek at 1:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
