Sandy Hook Survivors Graduate High School

Good Day!

Happy Father’s Day! Best gift a father can get are socks and underwear. Most of a father’s undergarment are full of holes because they can’t recall the last time they went shopping for them. Am I right? Enjoy your day, Fathers!

Cheers to a wonderful Sunday Morning ☕

School shooting survivors graduate high school

On December 12, 2012, the lives of many first-grade students changed that day when a person walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, and gunned down 20 first-graders. Six teachers and staff were also killed. Eleven and a half years later, those first-graders have now graduated from high school. One of the graduating seniors at Newton High School, Grace Fischer, said that this was a “core memory growing up” for her and her peers and that any memory before that shooting is hard to remember.

Emma Ehrens, who was one of eleven students who survived in one of the classrooms, stated:

Because of how her experience was shaped, Emma plans to study political science and law and hopes to be a civil rights lawyer.

Ella Seaver, a survivor who has faced the aftermath of the tragedy with resilience, often finds herself pondering over 'what-if' scenarios. Special moments like 'prom' are tinged with sadness, as they serve as reminders of the 20 classmates who are no longer here. However, Ella's determination to move forward is unwavering. She is currently studying psychology, with the goal of becoming a therapist-her way of giving back to the community.

Many survivors will carry this weight because they know they are still here, and their classmates aren’t. As many of them described being able to graduate, it was a bittersweet experience for them. They should be proud of themselves for being able to persevere through for what they had to experience and endure during the years after the shooting.

During the Newton High School Graduation, the twenty children were given tributes, with each of their names read.

It is wonderful to see these young adults persevere, and they will certainly be looking to leave a mark on the world as they continue their next chapter.

Banning cellphones work?

This is a constant fight for teachers and administrators. The fight on whether they should be banned or not has been going on for the past decade on school campuses. At Community Montessori in New Albany, Indiana, students will be required to place their phones in Yondr pouches this upcoming school year. Because of the magnetic lock on them, students will not be able to open them until teachers unlock them at the end of the day.

In Apache Junction, Arizona, the school board took a proactive stance, voting 4-1 to prohibit cell phone usage in the classrooms. Students will be instructed to have their phones off during school hours, and if they need to make any calls, they will be directed to use the phone at the main office. This measure is aimed at creating a more focused and secure learning environment.

At St. Anthony Middle School, principal Amy Kujawski had enough of students using cell phones in the classrooms. Before the start of last school year, Kujawski created a committee of school staff members and a psychologist to discuss what a phone restriction would look like. She stated she was getting tired of having to deal with issues that stemmed from the use of cellphones, and more specifically, issues that arose because of social media.

She deemed last year a success. Prior to the implementation of the cell phone ban, she had around 30 behavior-related referrals because of cellphone usage. Last year, there were only two incidences. Kujawski did acknowledge that it is easier to tell middle school students to keep their phones out of sight during the whole school day and that at the high school level, it would probably look a little different.

At Mankato East High School, they implemented restrictions on cellphone usage, with a few exceptions. Students weren’t allowed to use their phones in the classroom but were allowed to use them between class periods and lunch hours.

It is great to know that most parents are on board with this, with some voicing valid concerns about “what if” something bad happens, and they need to reach their child in an emergency. Kujawski reassured parents that there are protocols in place in the event of a school emergency and that student safety is paramount.

We may be reaching a point where the issue of cell phones is becoming less contentious, but fear not, teachers! We have another battle underway against Artificial Intelligence! We are confident that we are well-equipped to face this challenge in the next decade.

What’s going on in California?

Child Sacrifices and Witchcraft

During public comment at Auburn Union School District, Board Trustee Jayson Wedge made a series of bizarre responses that stemmed from a recall triggered by district parents and teachers because of his support for closing Rock Creek Elementary School. He went on to attack Auburn Mayor Rachel Radell-Harris because of her open support for Pride Month, making a Proclamation before the start of the meeting. He stated that as elected officials, “we are not elected to take part in social or political movements.”

Wedge is the leader of the Placer County chapter that is part of the Freedom Coalition, a right-wing group that has promoted conspiracy theories about COVID-19 as well as unfounded claims about 5G and the effect it has on people.

He ended the meeting with these final words: “Any form of witchcraft, any form of idolatry, any form of child sacrifice will not be tolerated, and your days are numbered.”

Well, as the saying goes - if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck…

Drinking while teaching

Last October, a 2nd-grade teacher at Nuestro Elementary School in Northern California was arrested after someone reported her for drinking while she was teaching. The charges that she faced were DUI and child endangerment.

According to the Sutter County District Attorney’s Office:

Although this was clearly inappropriate, teaching while intoxicated is unfortunately not illegal.

Alright, fellow educators let's not let our inner Jimmy Buffett take over during school hours. Remember, it's always 5pm somewhere, but that doesn't mean we should turn our classrooms into Margaritaville. After all, Jimmy Buffett would probably prefer we stick to teaching over tequila. Let's continue to promote a professional environment in our classrooms, where learning and respect are the main focus.

Transitional Kindergarten

This is a fancy way of saying universal pre-K, which is what this is. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, California will be rolling out the largest universal pre-K program in the country, as it will be a requirement for all public schools. However, it is running into many challenges, including limited space to expand and not enough funds to make the necessary expansions.

Last month, Governor Newsome proposed to cut $550 million in grants to help expand transitional kindergarten. The state is facing a growing deficit, so school districts are expected to keep doing more with less money and support from the state.

Four-year-olds need a lot of space and must move around to stay engaged.

A universal Pre-K program is needed, and it is great that California is working on taking the lead. Yet it is disheartening that the Governor, who in 2021 stated that he would not let education backslide, is doing just that by cutting funds to a program he supports. The California Teachers Union, one of the largest teachers unions in the country, released an ad with a message for Governor Newsom.

The rollout of the program, unfortunately, will be marred by inequality, with the zip code of the school district playing a significant role. It's our hope that, in the long run, these disparities will be rectified.

Closing Bell

On this day in 1944

George Stinney, age 14, was the youngest person executed in the 20th century when he was wrongfully convicted of the murder of two white girls, ages 8 and 11. Race certainly played a role in Stinney being convicted as he was an African-American in South Carolina during a time when racial tensions were high.