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With state budget in crisis, many Oklahoma schools hold classes four days a week
- Thread starter Tovarisc
- Start date
Westbahnhof
Banned
Sorry, I get that this isn't for everyone, but gallows humour is "funny" exactly because you are acting as if you were taking incredible tragedy lightly.
If I'm about to be hanged by the neck until death, and say "Hey, at least it's not raining", that's not ha-ha funny. That's cracking a joke so that you don't break down crying.
All I'm saying is, while I get why, don't attack someone who is dealing with stuff like this using gallows humour.
We know it's not funny. That's the whole point. I'm sure he didn't mean to offend or even make light of the situation.
I live here and it sucks. Teaching was never my choice, but I wanted a job for a couple years until I decide what I want to do and I was able to get s job at a university here teaching intro physics courses. I found a temp job teaching for the year for 35k. Currently unemployed but still making money until August. I'll probably go on unemployment after or I'll just be forced out of state. There are so few jobs where I can actually use my eng. physics masters degree (specialty in solar/electronics). If I stay, my options currently are adjunct, oil or manufacturing engineer (whatever that even is) for Boeing. I hate oil, and don't wanna work at Boeing lol. For comparison, I could have made double at this position in Seattle and about 20k more in Texas.
cartographer
Member
I understand the concept. I like dark comedy. And again, I gave him the benefit of the doubt in my original response to him.
I don't view calling out / responding as attacking. If you do, then sorry.
Westbahnhof
Banned
But it is not dark comedy. It's gallows humour. Bit different as far as I understand it. It's mainly a way of dealing with something, and not a way of making others smile(though it can be). I think the screenshot I posted explains it best.
That's why I view calling him (someone who acts like) an ass as inappropriate in this situation, yes.
It doesn't matter though, does it? I will stop derailing now.
Bit too dire, this topic, to keep a discussion like this going.
Ether_Snake
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A lot of states in the US will eventually be in serious trouble. People will just move out when they're old enough, so the states will pay to raise them but never recover the investment.
Instead of going to a 4 day week, cutting teacher pay, and cutting funding to buy such basic things as books, perhaps they should cut funding to high school sports?
Just a thought that will never happen cause I imagine that a lot of people there probably think the purpose of high school is high school football
Just a thought that will never happen cause I imagine that a lot of people there probably think the purpose of high school is high school football
High School Football is a BFD in Oklahoma.
Killing jobs
If you're a rich Republican, how much do you really care if broader society declines around you? You live in a gated community and spend all your time insulated from the 99%. Your kids are in private schools getting the best education money can buy. Your connections (and generous donations!) are helping them get into a prestigious college. And frankly, you have so much money, and even more so after your taxes are cut, that you can't spend it all in your lifetime and, mathematically-speaking, your kids wouldn't have to work a day in their life based on their inheritance.
Taxes pay for the welfare of lazy blacks and mexicans.
That is how they think.
Republicans also probably think it is ok to have kids learn less liberal bullshit and spend that extra time in church.
None of this is important when the scourge of minorities trying to live their lives still flourishes. If only rich people had an even larger slice of the pie, they'd create a handful of new minimum wage jobs that families can't live off, and everything would be made right again.
Vicetrailia
Member
It's good that red states are going downhill. Unfortunately there is so much collateral damage that it should be unconstitutional to deliver results like that in a just world.
ElRenoRaven
Member
You think that's bad. Because most schools are having to go to 4 day weeks some of these assholes have tried passing laws making that illegal for schools to do. They have tried to literally force them to have 5 day weeks when they simply can't afford to. It's ok though we'll continue to give big oil tax breaks and big business tax breaks here. Fuck having smart kids, decent roads, or just helping anyone.
Escape Goat
Member
Mary Fallin, is that you.
Autodidact
Banned
I live in Oklahoma and recently graduated with a master's in education.
I now plan to teach for a year and then go into politics - not in this state; I'd have no chance of being elected - and start to fix this shit.
EDIT: Oh, and those saying Oklahomans will continue to vote Republican couldn't be more right. We have a gubernatorial race next year, and while the Democrat might perform decently given the damage Republicans have inflicted, the R will still prevail because of guns, "family values," and redneck bullshit racism.
I now plan to teach for a year and then go into politics - not in this state; I'd have no chance of being elected - and start to fix this shit.
EDIT: Oh, and those saying Oklahomans will continue to vote Republican couldn't be more right. We have a gubernatorial race next year, and while the Democrat might perform decently given the damage Republicans have inflicted, the R will still prevail because of guns, "family values," and redneck bullshit racism.
ElRenoRaven
Member
Yup. Did you hear about the teacher of the year who is leaving now? He just won it last year. Was trying to start up some organizations to help fight for teacher pay, etc and he's just like screw it at this point. He's moving to Texas. I feel for you teachers here. You're paid like shit and work your asses off and have nothing to show for it. I can't blame you folks for leaving the state.
Taking away money from hard working Americans.
ElRenoRaven
Member
That's very true. Here they're fighting over how to fix the budget by increasing the tax on gas at the pump, cigarettes, beer, sporting event tickets, etc. Then when someone with a brain says let's increase the tax on oil production to levels in line with other states everyone shits their pants and can't have that. Course guess who donates to all the politicans here. Yup oil & gas.
Autodidact
Banned
Yeah, I heard about it, and I've actually met him and his wife (he spoke to my class at OU). They had a baby recently and can't afford to stay. He made a great point that education isn't mission work. We perform an invaluable service and dedicate ourselves to helping kids, but altruism won't pay bills. The teachers who criticize other teachers for leaving invariably have a spouse with a better-paying job (and usually vote Repubican...), so they have the security to spout shit like that.
I've started looking for work in the Lawton area (pray for my safety), where I live, but my plan is to teach, save some money, and intern with the Democrats in DC next year during the midterm elections.
Raylan Targaryen
Member
Can't wait for Oklahoma to continue being a republican state until the end of time
Zeus Molecules
illegal immigrants are stealing our air
Southern strategy mixed with tribalism
Autodidact
Banned
You have no idea. I know people who monitor the business at the Capitol, and they've told me about the underhanded tricks that big oil used during the budget negotiations. Their lobbyists arranged secret meetings with legislators, produced threatening literature basically saying, "Remember who pays your checks," and even parked a company truck in the Capitol parking lot to serve as an oversized reminder - all because the legislators had contemplated raising the well tax to the regional average.
ElRenoRaven
Member
Yup. That's the case too. The teachers who do that are those people. Known a few of them. Their husbands or wives tend to work for either Halliburton, one of the oil companies, or are politicians in government. They're usually the ones living in the nice homes too not worrying about a damn thing.
Yup then they've also literally bused up employees to protest there. Course then we have legislators here calling anyone else on the left paid protesters while using their nice little snapchat filters to do this. yet that bus load of nice citizens that were bused back to their employer were obviously not paid at all.
BlazinSkatinAxel
Member
With a name like Grand Old Party, they should know to get out.
ElRenoRaven
Member
Oh and for anyone thinking I'm kidding about the snapchat thing. Here is the proof.
https://www.thelostogle.com/2017/05/24/tess-teague-complained-about-paid-protestors-on-snapchat/
https://www.thelostogle.com/2017/05/24/tess-teague-complained-about-paid-protestors-on-snapchat/
Autodidact
Banned
Don't forget how they responded to an LGBT youth group's visit with an email reading, "There are cross dressers in the building!" Trash people, the lot of them.
Not that we stand a chance in the governor's race next year, but which Democrat do you favor? Edmondson has the best shot, I think, having been the AG for so many years and built a name here.
ElRenoRaven
Member
Let's also not forget the nice questionnaire for Muslims who came to visit one of our state leaders. Yea I think Edmondson is the best chance we have sadly.
Autodidact
Banned
Maybe if Ralph Shortey somehow got the Republican nomination...
So many Oklahomans here! I feel much less alone in this thread now. You've all expressed outrage, but only an Oklahoma resident can understand the true conservative fuckery that occurs here.
ElRenoRaven
Member
Ugh. That is a scary thought. The sad thing is he'd probably still win. I mean so what if he was doing a little child prostitution? Hasn't everyone? He's obviously a christian loving republican man who made one little mistake. /sarcasm
That fucker deserves to rot in hell forever.
crisdecuba
Member
As a parent with kids that will soon start school, this kind of thing breaks my heart. A whole host of kids that'll receive poorer education as a result of poor public policy. I cant imagine being in the shoes of parents without the means to provide a good education to their children. :-(
Autodidact
Banned
Honestly, people criticize Trump's projection, but the entire Republican party engages in it. The ones who rant about family values get caught with the mistresses and child pornography; the ones who bemoan corruption receive the largest kickbacks from the oil companies. Hell, Mary "True Family Values" Fallin had an affair with her bodyguard once. The Daily Oklahoman ignored that story, as you can imagine.
Oh, dear, we seem to have hijacked the thread. Please forgive us, friends; this state provides so few venues in which to express our displeasure and so few ears willing to entertain our grievances. Occasionally the inmates pass notes to each other. (We also have the highest number of incarcerated women in the country. #feminismbehindbars)
ElRenoRaven
Member
Yea it kills me. I loved school as a kid. I wish I could have finished college even. Sadly the state screwed me there. Well my community college did. They kept telling me I had to have college algebra to get my 2 year. I can't do it to save my life. So I spent a ton of my fed aid taking all kinds of math classes so I could pass it. Sadly I hit the limit. Finally a few years later I found out that was bullshit. Course I can't afford loans and without aid I can't afford to go back to school. So I stick to taking free classes on some of these sites and reading everything I can to stay as educated as I can. Course that don't help worth a shit in the job market anymore. More so around here where you have fast food, oil work, or pretty much just that. Gotta have that paper to get any good jobs. Course not a lot of good jobs around here anyway with us being a right to work state. This is all made harder too when you have any health issues that keep you from doing heavy work such as back issues and leg issues.
Well of course. They are her best friends.
don't forget that giving a child a school lunch robs them of dignity
Steeped in a Sea of Games
Member
Starting to feel like some states are going to fall to 3rd-world country status.
Just want to give a shoutout to how appropriate your username is to this thread. It's necessary living in OK by the sounds of it. I like your plan of fighting politically as a career. I think it's the best way to make a difference if you have the fortitude. Good luck!
Baron Doggystyle von Woof
Member
This is some third world country shit.