| |
Saturday December 27, 2003
More anti-PPA
Well, there's another one in this morning's paper. I'll do a point by point rebuttal instead of an overall analysis. I'll also bring in points from earlier letters.
Point: PPA Students need to stop complaining about being run out of McClintock
Rebuttal: We never complained, persay. We were sad, sure. Who wouldn't be if you were kicked out of a place considered your home?
Point: PPA is elitist
Rebuttal: PPA is not elitist anymoreso than Special Ed programs or campus gifted programs are elitist. All have requirements to get in.
Point: There is no need for gifted classes since we have honors and AP classes
Rebuttal: The author seems to think that, because she is challenged in honors classes, everyone is. Not true. See my earlier example of learning to add all year in a math class. Yes, *shock gasp* some people are SMARTER than you!
Point: Money is being wasted on PPA
Rebuttal: On the contrary, they're spending about the same per pupil as in other schools. Administrative costs are the only thing that make us seem expensive. Furthermore, how can you say money is wasted when we give results? Why don't you say money is wasted on special ed kids since they basically are in government-paid daycare?
Point: PPA is sheltering students from real school
Rebuttal: Uh...no. McClintock is as much our school as PPA is. We participate in both schools and enjoy a "normal" high school experience at McClintock.
Point: We have no successes worth talking about
Rebuttal: I'd say 5 National Merit Semifinalists out of a class of about 20 is something worth talking about. That's 25%
Point: We have no different curriculum than other schools
Rebuttal: I believe you just contradicted your own point that we have "elitist" classes.
Point: We have laptops
Rebuttal: That was two years ago.
Point: We have 11 teachers
Rebuttal: We have 10, but let's look at this. One full time teacher. One part time. 8 who teach one class. 4 of those 8 who are McClintock teachers. Woop. Bet you're jealous now. The other one in the 11 is a 100% MHS teacher who just happens to have a lot of Academy students in his classes.
Point: We are wasting our "gifts" on ourselves instead of helping others
Rebuttal: This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. You can't waste intellegence, and most people probably DON'T help others anyway. In any case, we volunteer, we tutor, and we do a ton of community service.
Point: We are out of touch with real school and real life
Rebuttal: Actually, we know more about how the world works than you, having gone through this entire controversey. Also, we are not out of touch with school since we pretty much are part of McClintock. We take McClintock classes, we go to their dances, etc. McClintock pretty much IS our school as much as PPA is.
Point: We think highly of ourselves and hate all other schools
Rebuttal: Uh, no. We hate how everyone is attacking us, but we don't hate the schools. We think no more highly of ourselves than you do of yourselves. Actually, you probably think of yourselves a ton higher than we do of ourselves. Who's egocentric now, huh?
Point: We rejected Mountain Pointe's proposal (with no consideration) because MTP is a bad school
Rebuttal: No. We discussed the proposal long and hard. It was over months that we decided we didn't support the move because of the animosity as well as the difficulties in transportation, not to mention the difficulties of leaving our home school. We never thought MTP was a bad school.
Point: We steal money from other programs
Rebuttal: Not true. For example, last year, the fine arts cuts had NOTHING to do with PPA staying. Both were completely seperate on the budget sheet. Quite the opposite, we attract out-of-district students which brings in money for the district.
Point: We have no right to exist
Rebuttal: First of all, the law requires that gifted students are provided for and their needs are met. On top of that, we have just as much right to exist as any other school or program. Why is it wrong to provide special services for gifted students but not for special ed or ESL students? Explain that!
Point: We are egocentric, elitist, bastards
Rebuttal: Okay, so maybe they've never called us bastards. But we are neither egocentric nor elitist. In fact, you're probably more egocentric than we are.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is, get off it! We have a four year commitment. Nothing can change that. Stop bringing up bogus points and stop believing the lies you're being fed. You can complain all you want, but that'll only serve to increase tensions between us. Don't you think we've all suffered enough? Don't you think WE'VE suffered enough?
You from Mountain Pointe? Read this.
Comments:
Post a comment:
|
| |
