Sassy Black Friend

Welcome to the Court, Justice Kagan

Elena Kagan has been sworn in as the newest Supreme Court Justice. Congratulations to her – looks like she’s going to have a very busy first year.

And in local news

A high school in my area is in the news today because the teachers have been in a labor dispute with the school board for a year. The talks basically stopped in January, with no resolution. So, the teachers decided to only participate in events specified in their contracts, avoiding optional activities.

Which, since the whole issue is pay, makes sense, right? Well, one of the activities they teachers decided not to attend is the graduation ceremony -held today. Last month when the decision was announced, some of the students in the school protested, saying:

“The teachers are being immature,” said Colando, who participated in the late morning protest. “It’s not right. They’re taking their frustration out on students. It’s not our fault the teachers have a conflict with the board. What they’re doing is only going to get people angry.”

Whatever, kid. Talk to me when you’re working your ass off teaching for peanuts. I understand wanting teachers you had relationships with to see your graduate. But after graduation these students are gone, moving on with their lives. The teachers are still there, still fighting to get fair treatment and pay. Sometimes you have to take a stand, even if you don’t like it.

On the local news today the headline of the three pieces I saw about this stared something like, “What if you were graduating from high school and your teachers didn’t bother to show up.” Uh huh. As usual, anti-union bullshit. It’s not like the teachers all decided to have a kegger instead of going to the ceremony. And I’m sure they all did their best to convey how proud they are of their now former students.

And how ridiculous is the derisive tone towards the teachers when the news admits they are doing their jobs as required:

The community has been in turmoil since the teachers’ union decided to follow its contract to the tee.

After working without a contract for two years, the teachers decided to work to contract and do nothing else.

The action means teachers are not staying late for students to make up tests, they are not chaperoning events and they will be not be working graduation. [Emphasis mine]

The nerve of these people, doing their jobs.

And now, a personal note from me to the students complaining:

Stop being such babies. Welcome to adulthood. Sometimes things don’t go the way you want them – because some things are more important than your evening of celebration. In a few years when you have union jobs you’ll pray to have a membership looking a the big picture rather than their personal feelings about a ceremony.

Besides, if you’re so close to your teachers that not having them at graduation ruins it, get some coffee over the summer before you go to college and forget all about them anyway.

Why not Finland?

This guy was born in Puerto Rico. That makes him an American citizen, thanks to the Jones-Shafroth Act that declares: “all persons born in Puerto Rico on or after 13 January 1941 to be U.S. citizens at birth.”

Why does that matter? Because some geniuses in Illinois tried to deport him… to Mexico. Because all brown people come from there, I guess. Just watch the video.

… the hell?

A Lumpkin County High School history teacher was placed on administrative leave after she allowed a group of students to don homemade Ku Klux Klan costumes during an assignment on the history of racism in the United States.

Wha?

Elena Kagan

As they admit, here’s “more than you ever wanted to know” about the woman who will likely become our next Supreme Court Justice – SCOTUSblog.

And let me say, days like this make me miss living in DC. And not miss living in DC.

Sorry AZ

I’m not a boycott kinda gal, but I’m on board with this. I am sorry for the people and businesses of Arizona, because I believe this will catch on. But you need to take up any revenue or business lost with your state legislature and governor.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) providing sage advise said, “Our economic sanction is: Do not do business with a state that is propagating the idea separate but equal treatment under the law can be codified.”

Grijalva, who represents a southern Arizona district (Tucson) called Senate Bill 1070 “racist.”

Grijalva added, “The governor and legislature are blind to what this bill will really do to citizens, law enforcement and the state economy. Tourists will not come to a state with discriminatory policies on the books. Businesses will not move here. Hispanic workers and taxpayers will leave. If state lawmakers don’t realize or don’t care how detrimental this will be, we need to make them somehow understand.”

More here.

I was actually planning a trip to Arizona this summer. Those plans have been canceled.