Mike
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On the article 2 Plead Guilty to Bridgewater Burglary to Avoid Trial
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On the article Senior 'Honored' to be Chosen as Graduation Speaker
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On the article Par Hills Teacher Had Sex With 16-Year-Old Student, Prosecutor Says
Mike
9:30 am on Saturday, June 15, 2013
ReplyShe will end up with a far less severe sentence than if the genders were reversed.
Heck, I know a district where male students were sent to a certain female teacher if they were behavior problems. After a "chat", no more behavior problems. She was fired, I believe.
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On the article Tenure Charges Officially Filed Against BRHS Band Director
Mike
6:21 pm on Thursday, June 13, 2013
Not in OUR town?!?!
While that stuff happens in classrooms a lot more frequently than we'd like to admit (or even consider), the miscreants' behavior isn't the issue here. Kids can say 'f*** you' to each other, teachers, etc., with mild consequences (none, in some schools), yet I know at least one instructor who was reprimanded for saying "Please shut up" to such a group.
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On the article Motorist Faces 8 Years for Causing Fatal Bernards Twp. Crash
Mike
8:58 am on Thursday, June 13, 2013
Getting guilty people "off" is one thing; ensuring the defendant's rights are not violated is another. I'm fine with the latter.
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On the article Tenure Charges Officially Filed Against BRHS Band Director
Mike
4:08 pm on Wednesday, June 12, 2013
John: I thought the charges were that he was tough and perhaps abusive, not a pervert. The guy's got enough to deal with without an implied sexual misconduct accusation. If I'm wrong, substantiate your claim; if you pulled it out of your arse, STFU.
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On the article Motorist Faces 8 Years for Causing Fatal Bernards Twp. Crash
Mike
3:47 pm on Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Matthew 5:38
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'I'm not proposing we kill Mr Weiss, but as long as we're gonna toss around Bible quotes...
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On the article Stores Closing, Opening at Bridgewater Commons
Mike
3:43 pm on Wednesday, June 12, 2013
ReplyA movie and appetizers at the theater can blow past a hundred dollars. What recession?
More ashtrays around the parking lots so the mall-rats who smoke have somewhere to put their butts until they contract lung cancer.
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On the article No Plan to Add Section For Hamilton Third Grade, Superintendent Says
Mike
3:29 pm on Wednesday, June 12, 2013
I suppose snark is confusing because some actually feel that way (i.e., not snark for them).
To answer your question: 16.5 would be wonderful, but 22 is a realistic limit, in my opinion (I would not add the section). Once you get north of 23, things get dicey. It also depends on the mix of kids; every class has its own chemistry, but there's no way to predict that ahead of time until they're interacting. One also needs to look at class projections for the following year or two; teachers aren't 1099 contractors...yet.
What's not being addressed here is the space. By that I mean 22 in a particular classroom can be really cramped. In unairconditioned space, even little bodies make heat and that's another factor. Plus, at lower grades, you need floor space for morning meetings and whatnot. Some (many?) B-R schools have classrooms with terrible temperatures. Some classes in the HS have heat so strong that the windows must be opened in the dead of winter (tremendous waste of money, of course; going with low bid on HVAC was penny-wise and pound-foolish during the renovation 20 yrs ago). Classes facing SW at Hillside school can be broiling.
I wonder if input from actual classroom teachers is considered? Even building administrators (especially those who haven't taught in years) can be quite clueless on these matters, rarely venturing out of their a/c'd offices.
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On the article Stores Closing, Opening at Bridgewater Commons
Mike
5:34 pm on Tuesday, June 11, 2013
ReplyBridgewater Commons should endeavor to go more upscale. It will help keep out the riff-raff. To wit, look at The Mall at Short Hills vs Livingston Mall, which are about 6 miles apart, geographically, and light years apart economically.
Mike
9:03 am on Wednesday, June 19, 2013
They'll be back in the gene pool soon enough.