35 Teachers

Yesterday the big news was 54% of the students in our local High Schools are unable to graduate in the allotted four years.  Most either drop out or take an extra year to reach this milestone.  So, I slapped myself on the forehead and said out loud "What?  WHAT???",  when I picked up a copy of  today's Bend Bulletin while waiting for the Doctor to tell me I'm OK.

After telling me the wrist he slit is now four fifths OK, the Doc asked about the bruise on my forehead.  I let him know I have a nasty habit of smacking my forehead when things just make no sense whatsoever.  I asked if there was anything he could do about that condition.  "There are no pills I can give you that'll curb that urge," he said, " but I'm a surgeon, you know, and a frontal lobotomy should do the trick."  At first the procedure was sort of appealing , in a mostly backward reasoned way.  It's hard to live in a world as crazy as this one unless alcohol plays a major role in your life, and a frontal lobotomy might be just the ticket.  But, I have a wife to protect from the everyday crap that is flung at everyone of us until the second foot slips on the banana peel.  I declined. 

As soon as I reached the safety of our home, as flungcrap-free an environment as I can possibly create, I greeted Carolyn, scraped Muffy off my leg, and headed for the office.  I fired up my trusty computer - then rebooted it 'cause it froze up. 

In case I haven't told you yet, my computer is eight years old.  It is an old, trusted friend in a world full of too many options.  I have no clue what I'm gonna do when one day it stops, it's memory as full as mine, and rolls over.  Maybe then the lobotomy will be an even more attractive option.  I have to replace it, but someone will have to drug me and drag me into the store before that happens.  I REALLY hate new electrical stuff.  I can't see electrons, have no clue what they do, and would never include one in my will.

Finally everything was in order to find the information I needed to reassure myself I was not hallucinating.  The world really is FUBAR.  I'm not gonna explain that to you, if you don't know what it means, ask a military man.  I wanted to compare the rates in the towns of Bend and Redmond, and I discovered the rate of students either dropping out, or taking more than four years to graduate, in the town of Bend is 23%.  That's much better than the 54% of students in Redmond.  But, don't worry folks, we're gonna be OK here.  The headline in today's paper let me know it's gonna be just fine. 

Because of budget problems, the La Pine- Bend High School District is going to eliminate 35 teachers next year.  I'm sure that little action is gonna help even the score.  For sure, their drop out rate will increase to match ours.   God save us from the idiots we have placed in positions of power.

PS:  A reader and old friend, sent this in today's email.  JR, I hope you don't mind.  It just seemed to fit here..........

"I can't believe one of the first things our schools cut is some of the most important things like music and physical education. One keeps your mind in tune, the other your body - both things you really need and our society should value. Makes no sense to cut these in the long run - like never maintaining your car."