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 I'm sure there are many people out there who check their rep screen every 20 minutes in hope of positive reinforcement in a unique community, where they may not get positive reinforcement for sharing information in their home, school, or robotics program. - Eugenia Gabrielov [more] |
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#1
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Intelligence and fear
I have read many posts about teams being pulled out because of fears from the school boards or superintendents. I am sure that these people are fairly educated and competent citizen but i believe they are acting completely stupid. They are saying that just because something may happen that you should put your plans on hold. It is like not driving cause you could get in an accident or not walking because you could rip and fall. Life has risks involved in it and people take them everyday. Now an event comes along that most likely will not affect you directly and people freak out. People are hiding in their houses and altering their lives. Life is about taking chances, not wishing you did. Living is doing something productive and creative. A rock can sit there and feel sorry for itself and it's situation. We have brains and we have motivation. I believe that if anyone tells you to change your plans because of this that you should tell them why they shouldn't. You can be afraid, just don't dwell in it. I urge all of you that are being forced to cower to fight for normal living and life as you know it from day to day. Mind games only work if you let them. We are all smarter than that
 
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#2
19-03-2003, 23:19
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Yes, but if the school board says no, what chance do the students have? None. Believe me, I tried to fight the choice, but I was shot down before I even got out of the room. Everyone's concerned about terrorists hijacking another plane and making another "9/11" which, if you ask me, is the last thing they'll try, just because it's been done before, and it's much harder to accomplish something that large now. If anything, you're safer flying than sitting at home.
But, as I said, us students have no say when the school board comes in, so we sit there and are forced to accept the outcome. Don't you love high school?
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#3
19-03-2003, 23:53
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Its not as if someone has tied you to a pole, just sign out of school, and GO TO THE COMPETITION! Just because a bunch of beaurocrats think that there could be a risk, means absolutely nothing.
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Each of us has spent six weeks working day and night, spending thousands of dollars. Our sweat and blood have gone into our robots (literally). We have a right to see our hard work pay off! Then again, that's just me...
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#4
19-03-2003, 23:59
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i think the NYC BOE (Board of Education) has banned any out going flights to another country for Competitions. might even have banned outbound flights to other states i'll talk to the leaders of 522 to see what has been said for the NYC Regionals
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#5
20-03-2003, 01:13
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#7
20-03-2003, 03:29
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how does the school have any control over it? Just have the students call in sick, and go to the competition. For complaining about "stupid school systems" you aren't thinking to creatively here.
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#8
20-03-2003, 09:22
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at our school, that can be called truancy and that calls for 4 days suspension. but i dont think our school would say no to our trips
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#9
20-03-2003, 09:50
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I wouldn't suggest breaking rules to go to the natationals. i would suggest playing thier game. Go talk to your parents and have them sign waivers and petitions. Get other property owners in your area to sign them also. The school board is made up of people your parents and other property owners voted for and they need to listen to them. They won't listen to you. They should!!! but they won't. Talk to your government teachers and see what you can do. This is part of FIRST also. You need use your brain in a mature way and show them that you know what you are doing. If you go through the right channels they have to listen to you. Get your sponsor involved. They also have a right to all of your sponsors. They purchased advertising space on your robot and have the right to have it seen. This isn't just about the students. Remember GET involved but make sure you use Gracious Proffessionalism.
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#10
20-03-2003, 09:50
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Intellegence and fear are direct opposites of each other.
Intelligence derives from knowledge of the situation while fear is the product of uncertainty. If the school officials had a crystal ball and knew that nothing would happen to the kids they would have no problem with you guys going to the regionals and the championship but you are their primary concern and the focus of their jobs. It's real easy to smack on them and label them weaklings and idiots for doing this but ask yourself this: If you were in their position, would you make the same choice and are you willing to stand up for the consequences of your choice? It's real easy to pass judgment on others when you are not in position to make the calls.
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#11
20-03-2003, 10:15
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Here's a real example,
One day a friend of mine, who is a stress analyst, was complaining to a Navy representative about a design requirement. This requirement was that the airplane had to be able to withstand a very rare but severe condition in flight. It was also the driving requirement for much of the aircraft design. Her argument was. "While this condition has been seen in other aircraft, it has never been seen in ours. So why is it driving our design?" The Navy guy responded. "When we were designing other aircraft this condition was unknown. As a result, on the rare occasions it occurs, it destroys the aircraft and usually kills the crew as well. Do you want to have to be the one who makes that visit to the new widow? Neither do I, not if it can be prevented" Schools and school boards are faced with a similar choice. If "something" should happen while you are travelling they and your parents will spend the rest of their lives saying "If only...". They don't want that and I don't blame them. I don't agree with their choice at this point, but I understand it. I certainly can't condemn it. Like the argument about stacks, it is a question they have to decide for themselves what is appropriate and live with the consequences. BTW about a year after the above conversation, we had the first occurance of that condition on one of our airframes. The aircraft had some minor damage, but was still flyable and the crew came home. It made all the extra work worthwhile. Some things can only be revealed by time.
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#12
20-03-2003, 10:18
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Fear or job?
This is the real question. Most of the people on the school boards are fairly certain that nothing will happen to the students if they go. They also know that the students are willing to take the risk involved in traveling. Here lies the problem there are some people in any community with nothing better to do than to find a cause and defend it. Even if that cause only causes trouble. The problem is that these individuals are the ones who let the world know how they feal and they often vote in large percentages. Now these often uninformed people usually worry about anything that can go wrong. The members of the school board must deal with them often and quite frankly don't enjoy it. So the members rather than deal with these people decide that it is better just to do what they want rather than look at what is best for the students. Is this wrong? No, because they are representing the interests of those that they hear loudest from. Unless you plan on taking not just yourselves, but many voters as you can, then things will not change. If the community will support you then the Board will allow you to go for fear of thier jobs.
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#13
20-03-2003, 11:47
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Schoolboards
They way I see it, the school board should not even be considering the issue. At all, ever. It is a waste of their time, because ultimately it is the parent's and the child's decision to go. So, if I were in your situation, I would go to the competition anyway, and if they complained or gave me a 4 day suspension, I would formally invite them to bite me, and then just hang out here for four days
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#14
20-03-2003, 13:30
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hahahaha thats great and i totally agree...
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#15
20-03-2003, 13:58
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Hehe ... I think it would be kind of suspicious if twenty kids called in sick for 5 days, along with two teachers and the school didn't get a refund for the trips ... hmmmm ...  So far, though, we're ok. The school board just OKed trips to Spain, France, Germany and Australia, so I think we're ok going to Houston! - Katie
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