I’ve been so busy working at the Computer Academy and planning future endeavors that I haven’t had time to address the many awesome comments that you all, my readers, have posted. I always appreciate feedback, so I’ve made some time to highlight the recent comments on my blog. Individuals all across the spectrum have been leaving me their insightful thoughts, people who have been moving through my life this last year, and people who I have yet to meet in person.

Feel free to skip to the comments about the Dover Carnival Incident. If not, let’s get started.

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Day One, Year Two, Computer Academy

Rick (without a Y) wrote:

Rick is the gentleman who taught the Computer Hardware class at the Computer Academy during the first two-week session. For those two weeks, I was his Teaching Assistant. We had a great time and got a lot of work done. I look forward to working with him again in the future.

It doesn’t make me feel better that it’s seemingly common knowledge about what “Dover students (are) able to get away with”. It’s just sad, really. I’m sure everyone agrees.

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AP Scores

Mike wrote:

Getting a 5 on either Calculus Exam is literally easier than passing it. For some odd reason, about 65 of the 110-or-so are necessary to get a 5 each yeah, though the results are always heavily skewed toward the high-grade end. The tests with more common results have about 10% 5’s, 30% 4’s, 30% 3’s, 20% 2’s, and 10% 1’s. Calc AB has about 30% 5’s, with more than 60% getting a 4 or 5. Calc BC is “worse”, with about 50% 5’s.

To me, this seems to be a grading contradiction on part of College Board. If I get a normal percentage score (earned/possible) of 80% on both my Calc BC and Language Exams, why do I get a 5 of the former, but a 3 on the letter.

That’s interesting, Mike. But, all tests have their own rules and curves – that’s just a part of life for an American mainstream test-taking student. I don’t mind.

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Kim wrote:

What happened? I got another interesting blog comment. This comment came on the post Senior Business from “jen”:

Ricky I love your blog about all the problems at our school. But not enough students have ever read your blog or even know about it. Why don’t you print out some copies and bring it in to school to give out to our class? My friends say you got scared because the principals warned you to stop blogging about the school and keep your big mouth shut or else. Is that true? You have been a great president but now its looking like you sold out and aren’t going to continue to talk about our school’s problems. They are cutting all the middle school classes like music, art, computer to give the kids like my little sister more English classes. What can’t kids read and write suddenly? Why don’t they see why the English teachers aren’t doing their jobs instead of cutting all the classes kids like and need? You are our president, will you voice this opinion or are you now a scareddy-kat like my friends say. This is your last week of high school to speak up, are ya gonna be a man or a mouse? Anyone who read your blog agrees with you but not enough people have read your blog. We need a president who gets the message out and doesn’t coward when pressured to stop talking…Are you going to mention any of your opinions in your graduatioon speech or did you sell out? Are you going to speak up in school next week or sell out??

This comment was interesting in its proximity to “Katie’s” comment, which I dedicated an entire post to.

Those comments didn’t come from students. The IP addresses reveal that they came from my geographical area, but the email addresses appear to be fake on both commenters. The language that both comments use isn’t typical of a contemporary high school student and the idioms used are straight out of the last several decades.

I can’t tell you what this means, but I’ll make a hypothesis. I’m guessing that I have two comments that were written straight from the heart, but from the heart of teachers at Dover High School. This signifies that teachers, as well as students, are concerned about the direction that Dover High School is moving.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the place for those thoughts. I’m graduating from this high school in approximately one week and I can no longer do anything about these issues. I went to the Board of Education and presented my observations and opinions about the problems around the district, and that’s all I can do. Addressing whoever wrote those comments – I wish you the best of luck in enduring the oncoming storm at Dover High School, for I fear problems will only intensify.

Realize, however, that impersonating a student in hopes of tricking me into thinking I have popular support benefits no one. It’s also a sign of complete disrespect towards me. I’m honest and open with you all, so please be honest and open with me. If you’d like to submit an anonymous comment, feel free to do so, just don’t pretend to be something you’re not. If you’d like to be less-than-anonymous, I’ll take your thoughts in confidence either in person or at my email address.

Here we go.

Save Our School

Michael wrote:

It would seem Dover’s Student Council actually has power in the school, whereas, if Brewster’s Democratic Congres or Student Council, told the Administration to do anything, it would be ignored and the group would likely be disbanded. Actually, there are only 2 Administrators in BHS who wield unquestionable power; the rest are forced to comply or secretly defy their orders. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I would be hesitant to to vilify your school’s administration so quickly. Many of my friends in Dover would tell you that they’d much prefer an “absolute monarch” of an administrator over a lax one. And, it’s easy to criticize people in power without evaluating their position. I’m not defending your administrators, I just think it’s important not to jump to conclusions.

Dover’s Earth Day

Alyssa/ Liz wrote:

Ricky your awesome I’m glad you care enough about our school and earth to “break the rules” =).

Keep being amazing and great announcement by the way!

Thank you.

Beth Dunn wrote:

Ha! I also was given the power of the morning announcements when I was in high school, sometimes to the deep chagrin of the administration. But it sounds like you are using your powers for good, which is an interesting idea, and one I might have considered had it occurred to me.
Good on ya for increasing awareness at your school on your own initiative.

The announcements are a useful privilege to have. It’s like being Rupert Murdoch for a few minutes each day – controlling what information everyone consumes. And always, it’s important to remember that one person can always make a difference.

Objective Decisions or Relationship-Driven Decisions?

Stever Robbins wrote:

Hi, Rick,

I’ve been pondering this question more and more, myself. I also value people very highly. In our culture, though, despite the lip service given to valuing people, people rank pretty low on the totem pole. Business, “the economy,” and money often rank higher, and the environment, international peace, etc. don’t even make it on the charts when you watch people’s actions. (A “Live Green” bumper sticker on your SUV doesn’t count.)

Let’s just consider the case where we agree that people matter most. What about situations where there’s no way to balance the interests of competing groups? How do we decide who wins? Let’s say that people matter more than the economy, so we’re willing to give away our resources to the third world to address the hunger riots currently going on. How much should we give? Who gets to decide?

And now, let’s extend that example through time. If we only have X billion barrels of oil, who chooses how many of those barrels my generation gets, how many barrels your generation gets, and how many barrels (if any) your children get? Right now, consumption is driven by market forces, and market forces only look at today’s production costs. They don’t factor in our children’s need for oil.

So even if people matter most, which people? How do we resolve zero-sum conflicts where one person’s gain is another’s loss? And how do we make decisions taking the interests of the yet-unborn into account?

Tricky stuff. Most of us opt to stop asking and instead we go play on Twitter…

- Stever

I really enjoyed the “economist’s dilemma” presented here with balancing current and future groups of people. It takes a new direction in objective decisions and relationship-based ones – sustainability. Like Stever, I don’t have any answers, but wish I did. A very insightful but depressing post, which isn’t a bad thing.

Kim wrote:

This is kind of a cop-out answer, but I really think it’s a situational thing…there are obviously people I hold dearer than others, and the same goes for values.

But if I had to come down on one side, I think it would be people. Being away at college has made me rethink relationships, because they’ve all changed–my friends from Dover are all long distance now, as are my family, and I had the opportunity to form new relationships here, not to mention Amherst’s constant emphasis on networking (kidding! kinda…). Obviously I’d draw the line at, say, torture or rape or murder, but I’m willing to tolerate a lot more now than I would have.

I like the notion of an internal master scale of values and relationships. “I value John, but I wouldn’t do this for him. But for Christina, yeah, I’d do that.” And, hey, I think networking is important as long as it’s for a purpose other than networking. If the networker delivers value to other people, then it’s a great thing.

Chris wrote:

It’s interesting to see where loyalty and morality cross. For example, betrayal is generally viewed as evil.

That’s a great point. Although, in the (terrible) media I viewed as a child, the main character always found a way to work it all out. He or she stuck with his or her values and saved his or her friend.

I wish it was that easy for us.

Thanks for making it so fun to write! Your feedback keeps me going.

Read on to see the comments and my responses.

A Dover Dilemma

Christopher S. Penn wrote:

Who needs motivational speakers? Yeah, they’re nice, but chances are students probably miss the message anyway. Take the money, some money, and throw out a challenge to your student body – make a 3 minute motivational video on the topic of your choice – college is in your reach, live outside your comfort zone, etc. – and upload it to YouTube. The video that gets the most views wins a small scholarship or something.

Motivation only works if someone WANTS to be motivated. It’s like sales. If someone wants to buy, selling is easy. Convincing them that they want to buy if they in fact do not? Difficult. One of the sales tricks is to get someone to sell an item to themselves.

Get your students to sell themselves on motivation.

I completely agree. Then again, I get all the motivation I need from TED talks and great blogs!

I’d love to throw something like the YouTube contest you mentioned, but that would create havoc in a high school that doesn’t offer a basic computer class to students.

Unfortunately, I don’t think people around here want to be motivated. I’ll keep trying, though. Going to have to innovate on this one.

Kim wrote:

I’m proud of you for being so forward-thinking and standing up for yourself and the Student Council. It’s a really intelligent and mature decision. I’m very disappointed in DHS. I agree that not having a speaker is not the biggest tragedy; I couldn’t tell you who came to the school the past two years, let alone what they said.

But hm…I wonder, do you think you could find someone local to make a speech? Like a community member, who would maybe do it for free or at least a lot less than a professional speaker?

Or just do it yourself. I’m sure there are a lot of kids at that school who could do with following your example.

Thanks, Kim! Although I’ve made the call to not purchase the services of a speaker, the entire Student Council has a say in what we do with the assembly. I’m thinking about taking your advice about finding some local talent to speak in place of a hired hand. I can think of a few teachers and members of the community who may be able to pull us through. I’ll keep thinking of ideas in hopes of finding something innovative.

In terms of doing it myself – the Student Council President gives opening remarks at assemblies such as this. I’m considering expanding my opening remarks into a speech on the subject of the degradation of Dover High School. I have little to lose.

Chris wrote:

I’m really sorry to hear that your highschool is falling apart, too. Not only has Carmel Highschool had greater numbers of more severe fights this year than others, but crime in my town is ridiculous as well. Thieves smashing car windows to steal iPods and anything else that isn’t attached to the frame, psychopathic genitalia mutilating murderous wives, drug addicts sticking up Rite-Aid with shotguns, and two bank robberies in the past 30 days or so. What’s going on?

Holy crap! That’s crazy. Dover hasn’t quite gotten that bad. Our problems relate to an inability to punish people who cause serious trouble while simultaneously clamping down on more benign students.

Anonymous wrote:

Listen Rick… Everyone knows why our school is out of control… The reason starts with the new Administration/Dictatorship… As much as everyone hated Mr. Tierney for his “lack” of discipline look at the difference in our school from last year to this year… The way I see it is that a certain administrator feels the need to increase discipline which is just making the students rebel… I’m a senior and for the past 3 years, for the most part, I looked forward to going to school monday to friday… It was a very comfortable place to learn and hang out… This year however one can feel the sense of change in the school… Someone’s on a BIGGGGG power trip and it needs to stop… Last year I could walk the hallway without being badgered about every little thing but today I walk the hallway and I wonder what exactly am I doing wrong now?… Will I get suspended for walking on the wrong side of the hallway? Or God forbid a student goes to the bathroom… the teachers have to inform the office a student has left the classroom? And most recently students are no longer allowed into the attendance office… How about we just let Jackie into the office in the morning lock the door and not let her out until schools over? Because it’s obvious too many kids enjoy her personality and want to stop IN and say hello… DOVER DAY CARE IS BACK IN SERIVICE… ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?… The school needs to start treating students like high schoolers and less like kindergarteners… Last year, with a few exceptions, the highschoolers were treated, and acted like, high schoolers… Now this year rolls around and all of a sudden I feel like I’m back in daycare and these “high schoolers” are behaving like theyre preschoolers… Please tell me that its not on the “Administration” and its ALL on the students as many were originally so quick to say… Now it seems more people seem to be leaning in my direction… I feel sorry for the teachers who I have talked to me and have said in-directly whos fault it is… My heart especially goes out to our schools beloved hall monitors who obviously cannot stand they way things are being run in our school… Ricky I know youre smart.. How do you feel about this?… Here’s my final statement.. Our new principal is not fit to be a principal.. School is supposed to be a learning caring learning evniornment… I feel like I’m stuck in a Maximum Security prison… Dover High School is on lockdown… Changes start from the top… Lead by example… Something our school is lacking this year

I hear ya, bro/sis.

I’d rather not call out any individuals and place blame. I’m hoping that the situation is still salvageable.

US News and World Report, Media Literacy and Social Media

Edvisors Online Education wrote:

Very thoughtful and intelligent response. It would be fun to turn the table on Kimberly Palmer (the author of the USNews article) and ask her to justify the fact that her article is sponsored by several student loan companies (via Google Adwords).

I work with Chris Penn and we are all very proud of the work we do. We have a clear mission of “providing a richer, more fulfilling education experience to students, educators and parents worldwide”. We do this by providing a wide range of educational resources, including the Financial Aid Podcast. Believe me, it is not inexpensive to do this as the article implies – it is a lot of work. However, it is worth it as it build good will, helps students further their education, and yes, generates customers who appreciate the added value we can offer.

Good luck in school. We don’t need you to take a loan out with us – there are millions of student who we can serve. But definitely – keep talking about us!!!

Keep putting out compelling content and I’ll keep talking about you. It’s how Internet Karma works.

Chris wrote:

I don’t like how the article associated the Student Loan Network with deceptive marketing. As I don’t find the tactics of th SLN to be deceptive, the article’s insinuation is in itself a little sneaky. But I’m also not sure if we should be bashing the article that hard. Ignorance, especially in the context of loans, is extremely dangerous and terribly volatile. Look at the housing crisis. The clusterfuch of the loan market led to quite a lot of action on the part of the Federal Reserve to fix it, and the market’s collapse led to a dive in the dollar. The article is right about one thing. If you’re taking out a loan, you need to know everything about anything you’re agreeing to. I think it’s perfectly justifiable to call attention to this fact in the manner they did, although I would have chosen different examples.

The association of the Student Loan Network with deceptive marketing obviously angered me, too. The article took my happy story and spun it into an attempt to pray on a desperate student.

You’re absolutely right about ignorance concerning loans. In fact, that’s one of the things I spoke about in my interview. I criticized those television ads that go, “Get $40,000 right now!” for their lack of disclosure and tendency to lead student to over-borrow.

Your stance is more neutral and unbiased, and thus, less passionate. I’m too personally involved to take a stance that composed. I still maintain, though, that the root of the problem is basic media literacy and that deceptive marketing is only a secondary concern.

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Thanks for all of the feedback, everyone! Although I can’t change anything about the US News and World Report article, I think I can still effect some change in Dover before I leave for college. At least, I’ll give it a shot.

By the way, let me know if you think a larger feedback-addressing post like this is a good thing every once in a while.