ProTESTing Parents on Parade

At bbc.co.uk, there is a fascinating story about parents in England who are plotting to send their kids to school tardy, so they miss an important test, therefore making the test invalid. Go parents!!

They say the test is really hard on the kids, and when they do poorly, their scores are plastered all over England and that doesn't make them want to do better. This is exactly what happens with AIMS tests here! Ever since fourth grade we have to take AIMS (Arizona's Instrument for Measuring Standards). And ever since then, we all get nervous and get embarrassed when we don't do as well as we thought we could. Or, as well as teachers thought. No one likes disappointing people.

Even though I have gotten straight As in school since first grade, the first time I took AIMS, I didn't get a perfect score. AIMS doesn't really test how smart you are, it tests how well you can guess and memorize.

But it looks like standardized tests are disliked by lots of kids and parents all over the world, and not just those of us who salute the stars and stripes. We should start an international test protest! Tell your parents to send you to school late during AIMS! Are ya with me?

Questions:

1. How do you feel about AIMS? What is another way to measure how well out school is doing?
2. Do you think international students should be allowed to salute the flag in their native tongue?
3. Have you ever been to England?

B-L-O-G-I-T-U-P!!!!!

:0) :) :) :o) :) :) :) :) :)

Cookies and Camel Milk?

Are you tired of 2% or nonfat or whole? Or even soy? Well, at bbc.co.uk there is a story about camels milk becoming available for sale in Europe! It's saltier than cows milk and contains antioxidents for helping to fight HIV/Aids, Alzheimer's, and hepatitis C symptoms. It also has less fat. But it is more expensive and harder to get!

Questions:
1. What is your favorite cookie to dip in milk?
2. Have you ever eaten aligator or snail? Why or why not?
3. Would you ever try camel milk? Why or why not?

BLOG ME ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!

:) :) :) :)

Berlusconi Bologna

The Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, is mad because he claims that the guy who really won the latest election there, really DIDN'T win. But he DID win, according to the Italian Supreme Court. Where do these people get the cajones? If someone becomes a president, that means they get to disagree on something huge with a whole group people who say otherwise? Go on bbc.co.uk to read the story and post comments.

Here is what I posted: "I think that he should be forced to leave. When the president of Liberia was forced to leave, people thought it was business as usual, because it was Africa. That same force should not be held back in Italy. It doesn't matter where someone is, if they're breaking rules, they should be forced to leave. -- Lylice Martin, Tucson, AZ"

You should post on their site, too! Go to bbc.co.uk and click "Have Your Say"!

Questions:
1. What would you do if George H.W. Bush hadn't won his second term, but demanded to stay in office anyway?
2. When should a president be treated like a common person?

BLOG IT UP!!!!!!
:) :) :)

Susan B. Anthony Students Stranded!

Yesterday, as a result of the protests in downtown Tucson, and in dozens of other cities in the United States, many workers' supervisors feared for their well-being.

Four bus drivers on the Susan B. Anthony Middle/Catalina Elementary School routes did not show up to work yesterday. Hundreds of kids did not make it to school. Good thing my carpool is not an immigrant, or I have been stranded, too!

In a story at tucsoncitizen.com, they talk about all kinds of workers who didn't go to work yesterday. Plumbers, garbage truck drivers, restaurant workers. Their bosses say that they can't run their businesses without them.

Blog in and answer these questions:

1. Did you make it to school yesterday?

2. Do you think it was right for the protesters to take a day off to march?

BLOG IF YOU'VE GOT IMMIGRATION FEVER!

A March for the Marchers in April!

From the beginning of America, which actually started when Native Americans settled here, not when Christopher Columbus "found" it, the country has been filled with people from other countries. They marched onto our soil, hoping for better lives than they could get in their own countries. Besides, if others did not come into our country, we would be boring.

At abcnews.go.com there is a huge story about marches all over America today, April 10th, 2006, in support of making illegal aliens legal. There are 39 states (out of 50) that are having marches! That's almost four fifths of America!

If you support the cause that illegal immigrants should be made into legal citizens without all the rigamarole, BLOG ME!

Answer these questions:

1.) Where are your parents from ? Your grandparents?
2.) Do you think legalizing immigrants is a good idea? Why or why not?

BLOG ON!

Kuwaiti Suffragettes!

In May of 2005, Kuwaiti women got the right to vote. This is really big for the Middle East. Kuwait is the country that's right by Iraq that the United States protected in the Desert Storm War from the 1990s. Women there are going to be able to vote in elections coming up very soon. At bbc.co.uk, if you click on "Have Your Say," you can read about it, and post comments. Here is what I posted:


"I think that women all over get to the point where they are fed up and they just want to be treated fairly. American women, European women, Muslim women, African women, Asian women, all of us. I don't think it's just an advertising scam for democracy. Lylice Martin, 6th grade, Tucson, AZ"

Q: What would you post?

P.S. You should post it. HERE and THERE!