The majority of the so-called artificially"popular" kids in High School are peaking. This is "IT" for them. The thinkers have higher aspirations for their futures. There are a couple of sub-categories within the "thinkers"; the "nerds" and the "cool" kids. Don't overlook either group. They are mostly Liberal.
The rest, attempting to mimic the cheerleaders and sports icons du jour, are conformists. It's very easy at that age to be swept along in a sea of not rocking the boat in order to be accepted. Don't be disheartened by the seemingly higher numbers of conservative kids.
It's not brave to shout out "patriotic" statements, it's incredibly safe group-think behavior.
The climate is such that the Liberal kids are less likely to speak out, it's a hassle, and they're more likely to move on to college and get bizzy outside such a provincial and limited existence. Keep your eyes peeled, there are more of them than you know. They're just quieter for the most part in public. I takes guts to speak out. At the same time, always watch your back. Idiots tend to do stupid things to people they can't understand.

It's geographic. You will find some that are, and you will find some that aren't. You have to factor in the class of neighborhood, the part of the state, the part of the country, the bias the media has, the general disposition of the parents... and even then you will find exceptions.

You're painting with an extremely broad brush by saying something like this. Just as a warning, that'll get you into trouble when someone disputes it.

because they are testosterone controlled zombies...



girls are more mature at this age- boys tend to start thinking seriously about such issues at a later age- right now they can only think about T & A, and society teaches them that only 'macho men' get T & A.

after a few years of masterbation they get better...


-t-

yeah, but us sensative guys in high school were the eye of most girls. who had time to masterbate.... he he

I disagree with you on this statement, Rob..and I'm disappointed in you for labeling all teachers as being stupid enough to promote politics and religion in their classrooms.

For your information, teachers in my state belong (and I also belong) to a professional organization, called the NCAE...(North Carolina Association of Educators). Thanks to the hard work done by that professional organization, teachers' salaries have increased, professional standards have increased, and classroom sizes have gotten smaller. Thanks to lobbying by the NCAE, the children of NC have better teachers, better administrators, better educational programs, better classroom materials, better school buildings, and more teachers who are Nationally Board Certified than in any other state.

Also, every year I taught, our NCAE endorsed DEMOCRATS. They endorsed Bill Clinton in both elections he won. They endorsed Al Gore in the election he "lost" to the chimp, and they endorsed John Edwards when he was running for the Senate. They endorsed Kerry-Edwards in 2004.

I'm not saying it doesn't go on, but any teacher promoting one political party against another or any religion against another in the schools where I taught would've been hauled into the principal's office immediately and written up for violating the terms of his or her contract. If an administrator knows such a thing is going on, and doesn't do anything about it, the administrator is lax and he and the teacher should be censored or fired.

My own son attended the English class of a teacher who made one attempt at trying to force his point of view (Baptist and conservative Republican) to his class, mainly about his views on abortion. My son politely reminded him that his job was to teach English, not to expound his political or religious views for 90 minutes to the class. He told him his mother was also a teacher, and he knew what he was talking about. My son told me that, after stumbling around and turning several shades of red, the teacher taught English for the rest of the period, and for the rest of the semester. Apparently other students thanked my son for being brave enough to challenge the teacher because they said they didn't really understand what the rules were, but they knew they were uncomfortable. This was in 1998.

I don't know how it is where you are, but if the general public , of which you are a member, is allowing the schools to promote politics of one party or another and/or one religious viewpoint over another, you should gather up a group and attend the next school board meeting en masse, ask for an executive session hearing, and let'er rip.

Threaten law suits...that always gets their attention.

Catherine

hold on sister, I did not use the word All.....sorry if I did not add enough disclaimers to my post.

Public schools in my area have prayer at the pole, and provide classrooms for early morning Bible study...my little town has a congressional office for the Speaker of the House....its repub city here...

Here, students even "support" random drug testing for students!

I try never to use a wide brush, my point about the teachers unions are, the teachers forget who they are working for.....and what they belong to....most of them discredit the union as "something that wants their dues" I simply did not go into enough detail to make my point clear, my apology.

my bad.

guess I am your enemy, did you happen to check out my post under "welcome new members" that lists my union affliations?

guess you have never heard of union sisters or brothers, that is fine...I'm done with this topic.

Not necessarily...and it was my bad to reply before I told you I accepted your apology. We simply have a difference of opinion. I can live with that, because I agree with most of your postings.

I've not looked at it lately, but I will go back and check it out.

Also, in my state, a union is not what the North Carolina Association of Educators considered itself. Our organization viewed education as a profession, whereas other state employees were just that...employees. They referred to "teachers and state employees" and so did the General Assembly when discussing the state budget.

Probably the big difference is simply in terminology.

As to your living in repub city, I can understand. My state is also represented in the Senate by two republicans and one of them is do nothing Elizabeth Dole. Hell, we can't get liquor by the drink in restaurants in my town, thanks to the Republicans and church do-gooders.

Before the referendum was voted on, they put full-page ads in the local newspaper showing photos of car crash victims who had been burned horribly. The crash had occurred , according to the ad, because of availability of liquor and the resulting drunken driving.

At any other time, the church people would've been writing letters of protest to the editor against printing such "awful pictures."

Fear tactics...works every time.

Catherine

actually, sometimes its hard to communicate, at least for me, especially on these long days.....I am pretty sure that we would be on the same page if we sat down and talked, if not at least in the same book.....

Teachers have one of the hardest jobs in the world and in no way did I want to come across that I discounted that fact.

I was simply commenting about my area, and it came across as the big wide brush....it happens, no biggie....in my area teachers "complain about high paid union factory workers driving up the cost of American goods" when in fact, they actually belong to a union.....and all of this is absorbed into the young students brains....once again. this is not all of the teachers.....but it only takes one or two teachers to "tell these young men what they want to hear" and the rest is histroy...I know I was brainwashed in High School.....it was drilled into our heads that we need to vote for Regan during the "mock" election, as he saves babies from being killed (abortion) and having their collegan (sp) made into health and beauty skin products.....(I am serious)

But then I went on to be a progressive union leader, facotry worker, then business manager of a very large collison repair facility, , several times I had to quit or be fired, due to the fact that I would not sell my soul for a paycheck.......especially when an insurance adjuster would ask for unsafe repair on a vehicle owner's vehicle so we could "stay on their list"........I have burned so many bridges by sticking up for those who would not stick up for themselves, that now my only option I think is self employment....and I still might have to fire myself someday!


Keep up the hard work. Most teachers see most students more then their own parents.....

Ahhh. I see.

What is a Liberal?

BINGO!

Speaking from experience, the Vietnam draft turned most of my generation of males into liberals. Unfortunately, many of them traded in their idealism for tax cuts, once the threat of being forced into combat was over.

DpU...

Nasty shit.

I have a friend whose brother is fighting multiple cancers. He was in the first Sandbox.

I've always been a progressive/liberal sort of guy.

I've been told for years by "conservatives" that "you'll become more conservative as you get older"...

The funny thing is that from the "conservative" examples I've seen over the years I came to the conclusion that there's no way in hell that I'd even consider going that route.

I couldn't stand arrogant jocks and their minions in my teenage years and I can't stand them now.

I agree. In my part of the world, some teenagers were caught after a young lady's body was found cut up with a saw.....

More

rob, your impression of teachers fits the teachers here in my area as well... they are generally conservative christians who tend to teach from their religious perspective rather than from a scientific/educated perspective.

we love you, cat (i hope it is okay for me to call you cat, i mean it affectionately)- i hope you aren't truly offended b/c i doubt it was meant that way...


-t-

kids have always been violent-

i think the older guys here would be honest that when they were young there were more than a few fistfights-

these days, kids aren't allowed ANY sort of physical aggression at school- which is best...

when i was a kid there were alot more fights and lots more physical aggression in school hallways than my kids have experienced.

i think the real problem with school shootings has nothing to do with violence, has more to do with caste/class economic structure that encourages cliques and excludes many children-

anger builds....



my best friend is a teacher, and she agrees with me that social/economic divisions among children and TAUNTING has more to do with school violence...

just my opine...

-t-

I still love a good fist fight.....

problem is now, the guns, knives and chainsaws being used.....in my area, just killing a teen age girl was not enough, they had to haul her around then saw up the body.....its sick!