Clipmarks | clipiversity's 'school' clips

73-year-old takes high school exams for 39th time

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:02:06 GMT

clipped by: Newfman

JAIPUR, India (AP) - This year, like the past 39 years, Shivcharan Jatav tried to pass his 10th grade high school exams - and failed again.

The 73-year-old from western India was undeterred, vowing Friday to try again next year, in the hope that an education would improve his job and marriage prospects.

Jatav, a farmer from the desert state of Rajasthan, who had no formal education as a child, said he had been trying to pass the exams since 1969, when an army recruiter told him it would improve his chances of being accepted into the military.

"Since then I have been trying to pass this examination, but without any success," Jatav said, days after receiving the bitter news that he had failed again.

Jatav passed only one subject, the ancient language of Sanskrit, and scored just 103 out of a total of 600 in the examinations, he said.

Even though he is too old to join the army he has kept at it, hoping to become a more eligible bachelor.

Tags: odd

FL Principal Gets Jail For Buying Crack Cocaine At School

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:09:48 GMT

clipped by: dorine
clipper's remarks: The NEA opposes background checks. Another reason to homeschool.

Clip Source: www.wftv.com

A former middle school principal has pleaded guilty to buying crack cocaine in his office and was sentenced to a year in jail.

Anthony Giancola was arrested in February when he made a deal to buy $20 worth of crack cocaine from an undercover officer while students were still on campus at Van Buren Middle School in Tampa.

Giancola was sentenced to 364 days in the county jail. If he completes a drug-treatment program in jail, the remainder of the sentence will be suspended.

Giancola also got three years probation, 200 hours of community service and must forfeit his teaching license.

Tags: crime, school, home school

Oregon Student Finds School's Toilet Water Cleaner Than Fountain's

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:06:21 GMT

clipped by: Newfman

Clip Source: www.foxnews.com

NORTH BEND, Ore. — Middle School student Kyleray Katherman had a hunch something was amiss with the school's drinking fountain water. And right he was.

For an English assignment, he tested the bacteria content at four water fountains and one toilet to challenge a ban on students from bringing bottled water to class. It seems some were using it to sneak in alcohol.

Guess which was cleaner? It wasn't the water fountains.

Katherman, 13, used Q-tips and petri dishes, swabbing the spigots of four fountains and sampling one toilet, dunking the cotton in the bowl's center and then dragging it around the rim for a complete sample.

The petri dishes with fountain water were swarming with bacteria. The sample from the toilet was clean, probably because the toilets are doused with cleansing chemicals daily.

Administrators quickly replaced the spigots and casing at three of the water fountains and custodians gave them all a thorough cleaning.

Tags: health

Bully Sign: 'Don't Be Like Me'

Thu, 17 May 2007 23:56:44 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks: The "sign of shame" idea seems to be spreading!

Clip Source: hosted.ap.org

Student Bully's Sign: 'Don't Be Like Me'

TEMECULA, Calif. (AP) -- A seventh-grade girl got suspended from school for a week for bullying another student. Then Mom got involved, and things got worse for Miasha Williams.

During the suspension week, the 12-year-old's mother, Ivory Spann, made her daughter stand outside various schools with a poster reading: "I engaged in bullying behavior. I got suspended from school and this street corner. Don't be like me. Stop bullying."

The suspension came May 10, after Miasha and some friends at Gardner Middle School heard that they had been insulted by another student and aggressively confronted her.

Miasha's last day on sign duty was Thursday. "I don't want to hold the signs, but I think it's the right punishment," the girl said.

"My theory is this: Parents know their children far better than we do as educators," she said.

Tags: shame, punishment, education, parenting, school, bullying