Okay, we are going to shoot for a new online reunion to put on YouTube.
Don't be afraid, I won't bring up your grades.
We would like to make this a regular event. A way to keep up with each other.
The New Date- Dec. 13, 2022, a Tuesday. And we are going to shoot for 7PM. On Zoom
Let other people know, don't scared, we would like for you to join us, and I am serious when I say this....
So, I'll admit it, I often think like a 12 year old boy.
I think most guys do, but most just don't openly say what they are thinking. ( I guess we all do)
I got to thinking last night......Has the Buna Community started to put up their Christmas decorations on telephone poles? It is getting close.
And I am sorry, I started laughing.
I was laughing as hard as I did the first time I saw it on a telephone pole in front of the First Baptist Church. I remember laughing so hard a couple of teachers who walked by my room, stopped and asked " What's so funny?" To which I replied..." Something that happened on TV last night."
And I kept quiet about it for years until another teacher came by one morning ( They were new to the district) and whispered....."Does the Christmas decorations look like a "sex toy?"
I know Buna there is great expense on these decorations, great time and effort putting them up, but I am sorry, they look like a sex toy in a box.
I'll drive to Buna one evening during the holidays just to look. Just sort of a tradition now.
I know, perhaps I am foreordained for Hell after-all.
Was informed this morning of the passing of another of my ex-students, James Terrell.
James had been a History Teacher at Pt. Arthur Memorial in recent years. And he was getting to teach a class I so wish Buna had an interest in, but Buna is too small to offer, AP European History.
I had spoken to James at Matt's funeral earlier this Fall and he seemed in good spirits.
It's never good to learn of the loss of an ex-student.
Life is so very short folks, enjoy every day you get.
Prayers for his friends and family.
I know, you are shocked I have a blog with this as a title.
I know, I have been fairly hard on Buna Schools.
But, for the most part, the teachers are doing the best they can.
There is a movement in this nation, the US, that all teachers are trying to somehow " influence" you kids....either through Critical Race Theory(CRT), or the 1619 Project, or somehow they want to make you kids change and become " Trans."
Guess what, teachers don't have time to engage in any of this.
Heck, as a government and economics teachers, I really don't have time for CRT or 1619, and to be honest, I don't even understand what the CRT people want to be taught, and I really don't care.
Most teachers in the state of Texas are the same way.
Most of these people who think teachers are teaching CRT or Trans, well, the whole thing is a " Red Herring."
99.99999% of elementary teachers are trying to teach the kids how to read, write, and do math.
Those who are trying to teach about being " Trans" well, they are not at Buna, or anyplace in East Texas.
Teachers are leaving the profession in droves.
The job has become horrid.
There are so many extra jobs and paperwork teachers now have to do. The state and feds require so much now, and it is so time consuming. And now requires school districts to hire extra people just to keep up with this influx of paperwork teachers now have to complete.
Parents think they own teachers.
Parents now are calling parents to give them rides to the airport because Uber cancelled. ( When the teachers said " No", they called the administration and the Supt. of Schools told the teacher, " Well, maybe next time you should give them a ride." This happened in a school district I taught in near Houston)
Parents are complaining because teachers are having heart surgery during the school year.
Parents are complaining because their kid's teacher is having a child during the school year, and there are parents who now question if teachers should be married.
Parents are now wanting teachers to call them at home and wake them, because they don't trust the alarm on their cell.
I personally had a parent call me at 11:59pm to complain about their kid making a 92 on a test.
There are teachers in Buna changed churches to out of town churches because parents wanted to have parent conferences with their child's teacher in the middle of Sunday School class, in front of the rest of SS Class. Or wanted a conference in the parking lot of church as the teacher was leaving.....And this happened more than you know, and all grades, elementary to high school. I know a teacher who changed denominations and towns because of this....
There are parents who saw a teacher at a Mexican restaurant in Silsbee, came and sat down at the teacher's table, with the teacher's family, wanting to have a conference. And the parent got upset because the teacher said no, and was upset because the teacher didn't have their grade book in their car with them .
Parents are wanting lesson plans sent home for the year for a kid's classes. That's all well and good, but classes are not always on time. Sometimes kids have a hard time understanding concepts and you might get behind a week or two or three. That is really true in math, English and in my case, economics.
And don't tell me private school is the answer to everything. Private school pay faculty much less that public schools and they have trouble finding teachers, and often expectations are higher, driving teachers out. I know a private school in Beaumont in which the parents expect their kids to make " all A's" in their classes because as a dad told the teacher and administration, " I didn't pay for my kids to make a " B."
People are looking at teaching and while pay is poor and is a contributing factor, it is not the main one. So much extra work, grading at home at night and on weekends, preparing for class. Spending their own money just to be able to teach. I know I spent $500-1000 just to have stuff in my class for each year, things such as pens, paper, notebooks, heck, this is not even some kids asking every day, " Mr. Thomas can I borrow $2-4 dollars for lunch money?" And $2-4 dollar 2,3,4 times a week add up....and " Borrow?" You are not getting that money back.
Teachers are not perfect, but when I was in the classroom, I tried to be fair with everyone. Straight, gay, trans( Yes, Buna had trans kids) Black, White, Latino, fat, skinny, Christian, non-religious( And Buna people, there were more non-religious people than you care to admit, and of faiths many of you do think are Christian.)
There are fewer students in colleges and universities around Texas, heck America than anytime training to be teachers. People just don't want the job. Low pay as I have said, is just a part of it. Bad kids, lack of respect, parents who treat teachers like dirt, society who thinks poorly of teachers.....Why do it? Why go into debt for a job that pays peanuts and more and more, America looks down upon you and thinks you are trying to somehow influence your kid politically. ( We can't. And that's part of the problem, more and more parents think teachers should teach the political line of one party or the other.....and we can't. As a government teacher, I kept folks guessing. Or at least attempted to....)
You know, you may give your child's teacher a break. Oh, there are bad teachers, but there are bad people in every profession, doctors, dentist, police, plumbers, welders, accountants....But the vast majority are doing their best.....
I understand why there is a teacher shortage.
Why would anyone in their right mind do it?
I know my last five years I couldn't stand the job, and it wasn't the kids. I don't know how teachers today can stand it. 44% of teachers leave the profession in the first 5 years.
Most teachers are trying to do the best they can. They can't treat your child like they are the " Second Coming." Often your kid is bad. Just bad. And they have to discipline your kid more than other kids because, well, they are disturbing all the rest. ( Too many parents just don't get that, and somehow, it's the teachers fault that the "Little Darling" is a spawn of Satan.)
You might give your teachers a break.
I was asked why I did not write a blog on the Astros playing for the championship?
Simple enough.
I no longer care. I used to, other than a little NFL, a little English soccer I do not watch sports.
Oh I am happy they won and all, but the stress of watching whatever team I rooted for, for 60+ years, well, I can do without.
I say this and we plan to go to an English Premier League game( soccer) either at Bournemouth or Brighton & Hove in the Spring. It an event I would like to experience.
Look, I used to go to games. When we lived in Ft. Worth we went several times a year to watch the Rangers. I was an Astros fan for years.
But I can live without the stress.
If they lose, I am disappointed, if they win, well, instead of joy, it is a relief.
I'm to the point, well, in the scope of MY life, it just isn't that important.
Normally in economics, interest rates are used to regulate demand, higher, to slow, lower to up demand for goods and services.
The US is different from the rest of the world in that most of our demand is coming from the Millennials. These of course are people in 25-41 range. These people are driving the economy of the US. They are to the age they are buying homes, cars, etc.
The US is different from the rest of the world in which Americans age 25-41 have no peers. There are not many German, or Korean, or Chinese, or Japanese or Italian Millennials at all. And our central bank, or the Federal Reserve( The Fed) knows this.
The Fed is trying to control spending and buying new homes, cars, having kids.( kids are expensive. I seriously wonder what this upcoming recession will do to the US population? )
And while the Fed is using interest rates to try and control inflation, now, they are looking to the future.
There are a number of countries who cannot increase interest rates, because, well, they do not have any demand for good and services. It is why I was wondering yesterday why the Bank of England was raising rates. Britain, doesn't have a Millennial age class. But then, their interest is 3% and the Fed's is closer to 4% looking towards 5%. ( A percentage point in interest is greater than you think in effecting the economy)
The Fed is looking at the rest of the world and sees the US next as not having a 20-40 year old age group for the next recession, and are looking at every tool they can gather for the next time.
For the longest, we have had basically " Free money" and 0% interest rates. And a number of businesses have taken advantages of this. This is especially true of the Tech Industries which have done well.
Interest rates have gone from 3% in Dec. 2021 and probably will be 9% by Jan. 2023. This will increase the monthly payout on mortgages by 50%.
The interest rates on the US National Debt is going up to $500,000,000,000.
While our interest rates go up, world stock markets stagnate, that means the rest of the world will desire US Currency. ( I told you people in economics class, the American Dollar, don't leave home without it. We went to Israel, the West Bank in May and what currency did they prefer? The American greenback.) People around the world will be in demand for the dollar.
Keep an eye on Germany. They are being hit hard right now. Watch and see if they enact some form of " currency control" to keep the German people from investing in US securities, holding greenbacks.
Get ready folks, this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
Yes, I am quoting the boys from Monty Python this morning....
I had hope....Oh such fleeting hope.....
The US Senate had passed a bill to do away with " Daylight Savings" time change. They were going to set it as daylight savings and leave it alone.
Alas, the bill died in the US House.
So, this weekend, fall back on your clocks. Set them an hour back.
And I wonder if there is much hope in 2023 for a bill to leaving the clocks alone....
